Playlists and Archives for Irwin

Wednesdays 3pm - 6pm on WFMU 91.1 fm 90.1 fm wfmu.org

Genre-surfing tokenism.

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Wednesday, November 25th, 3pm - 6pm: Jennifer Charles of Elysian Fields

New York musician Jennifer Charles, vocalist of the band Elysian Fields, will curate an hour of her recordings on Irwin's program Weds. Nov. 25. Charles has forged a career perhaps best described as a slow burn. Singing, writing, or producing, she has appeared on over forty releases, sung and recorded in eight languages, and her resume includes an impressive list of names. She has long collaborated with Elysian Fields guitarist Oren Bloedow, and has worked with Jim "Foetus" Thirlwell, Ed Pastorini, John Zorn, Jean-Louis Murat, DJ Logic, Mike Patton, Dan the Automator, Miho Hatori, Frank London, Firewater, Edie Brickell, The Chrome Cranks, and Chris Vrenna of Nine Inch Nails. For the Nov. 25 program, Charles will spin Elysian Fields rarities and B-sides, selections from La Mar Enfortuna (the Elysian Fields Sephardic side project), along with little known tracks from her many collaborations. Also featured will be Elysian Fields' latest release "The Afterlife," which drops Nov. 27, on which date the band will perform at Joe's Pub.

Wednesday, December 2nd, 3pm - 6pm: Deidre O'Connell discusses 19th century ex-slave piano wonder Blind Tom

Author and music historian Deidre O'Connell will spend an hour with Irwin on Wednesday, December 2, discussing the 19th century piano genius, Blind Tom Wiggins. O'Connell's new book, The Ballad of Blind Tom: Slave Pianist, chronicles the life of a legendary musical prodigy who was arguably the most famous American pianist of the 19th century. Born in 1849 to slave parents, Tom displayed early musical talent on his master's family piano, demonstrating an amazing ability to replicate complex performances after one hearing. Later he was able to play two songs simultaneously with his back to the keyboard, and became a skillful composer. Diagnosed by 19th century clinicians as an idiot (though today presumed to have been autistic), Wiggins possessed remarkable skills, including the ability to perform odd athletic feats and mimic nature sounds with his voice. He criss-crossed the U.S. and the Atlantic Ocean countless times during a 40-year performing career, and his fans included Mark Twain. Yet Tom died in obscurity in a small Hoboken flat in 1908. In addition to discussing the life of Blind Tom, O'Connell will present recent recordings of Tom's musical compositions, as well as songs composed about and inspired by Tom's legacy.