In the Loop

The Kontras Quartet were doing just fine on their own, thank you very much. Acclaimed for their artistry and sensitivity, the young members were carving out a nice name for themselves in the world of chamber music. But then along came the Swiss-born bluegrass-obsessed Kruger Brothers, and the sounds of the concert hall and the sounds of the Appalachian hollers melded into something totally unique and sonically beautiful.

Chicago’s Interim Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson was at City Council Tuesday to answer questions from aldermen. WBEZ’s Lauren Chooljian was there and brings us an update on what we learned about Johnson’s plans for addressing police accountability and crime.  Dig Deeper: From WBEZ News: Panel Moves To Fast-Track Chicago Mayor's Police Chief Pick

As she made her way through college and community theater, actress and playwright Tekki Lomnicki noticed there weren’t many people who looked like her on the stage. Lomnicki is a little person, so she joined forces with friends and others in the local theater scene to create Tellin’ Tales Theatre, featuring personal stories from people living with disabilities. This weekend, they present Divercity at Prop Thtr. We talk to Lomnicki about what audiences can expect.

We play an excerpt from our conversation with Debra Ruh, author of Uncovering Hidden Human Capital: How Leading Corporations Leverage Multiple Abilities in Their Workforce, which focuses on the advantages of hiring more workers with disabilities.

From the early 1960s through the late 1970s, Chicago had a large music scene centered around soul. The city’s musicians, record companies and distributors cranked out local, regional and even national hits. But by the time the “Me Decade” was ending, the music industry had changed the way stars and records were made. The big crossover stars like Chaka Khan and Earth, Wind & Fire had left town the mom-and-pop companies found it harder and harder to get their product out to the public. Reclaimed Soul host Ayana Contreras takes us on an audio tour of some of the best artists from the last days of that golden era.

University of Chicago professor Harold Pollack studies public health and health policy. He’s also got an unlikely side gig: Money management guru. In his book The Index Card: Why Personal Finance Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated, Pollack breaks down everything you need to know to deal with debt, save more money and get your financial house in order. Boiled down, all of his tips fit onto a single 4x6 index card.  We talk with Pollack about some key bits of financial advice and hears the very personal story of why he decided to write a book to help people better manage their money.

In his Pulitzer Prize-winning drama August: Osage County, playwright Tracy Letts took audiences deep inside the minds of an entire family. In his latest work Mary Page Marlowe, Letts takes them into the psyche of a single character. In addition to writing plays, Letts is also an accomplished actor. In 2012, he won a Tony for his role as George in the Broadway revival of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? In this extended conversation, Tracy Letts talks about his craft, his early life and his latest play, which is currently on stage at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre.

For years, activists and their allies pushed for an adult trauma center at the University of Chicago without making much headway. Then, at the end of last year, the hard work finally paid off. In its two-part series “The Rumble and the Reversal,” Crain’s Chicago Business tracks the early days of the fight and “the financial and political calculus that finally tipped the scales.” Crain’s health care reporter Kristen Schorsch joins us to talk about the report.

You love film? You love music? Well then, a festival based around films about music...and featuring live performances is a no-brainer. It’s called CIMMfest, and for each of the last eight years, it’s gotten bigger and better. Co-founder Josh Chicoine hits some of the highlights and talks about what’s new at this year’s festival, running April 13 through 17 at dozens of venues in Wicker Park and Logan Square.

Robert Guinan’s canvases are the visual equivalent to a Nelson Algren story or a Tom Waits song. They put you inside old Chicago taverns, El cars and jazz joints. They show real people, and they show the truth. The truth isn’t always pretty, but Guinan showed that the truth always has its own beauty. Revered in France but virtually unknown here in his hometown, Bob Guinan passed away about a week ago at the age of 82. Long-time friend and art dealer Paul Berlanga joins us to talk about the life and work of Robert Guinan.