KGNU Music

Join DJ Jules in the KGNU Boulder studio for a lively in-studio session and conversation with the Joey Porter Trio. Featuring Joey Porter, Garrett Sayers (bass) and Devin Jenkins (drums), the trio delivers a funky mix of soul, groove, and improvisation, performing music by Kool & the Gang, Billy Preston, and selections from The Wiz featuring Joey's signature talk box.

Between performances, Joey talks about the trio's formation, his musical influences, the freedom of creative exploration, and the importance of community radio in bringing diverse music and new discoveries to listeners. The trio also shares details about their headlining performance at KGNU's FUNKRaiser fundraiser on Thursday, November 12 (Air date 11/10/26).

Guitarist, singer, and songwriter Ali Handal joins Dr. Decibel on KGNU to talk about her latest album, Slow Burn. The record blends fierce rock guitar with deeply personal songs about perseverance, finding your voice, and refusing to let age or expectations define your limits.

Handal discusses the long creative journey behind the album, her collaborations with Marc Maron and legendary violinist Scarlett Rivera, and the freedom and challenges of building an independent music career. She also reflects on overcoming self-doubt, her experience with cancer, and the lessons she hopes to pass along to the next generation of guitarists. It's a thoughtful conversation about music, resilience, and the importance of continuing to bloom, season after season (Air date 11/7/26).

KGNU's Blues Legacy host Dan Willging welcomed members of Reckless and Blues and Onnika and the Obsession to the studio to discuss the Mile High Blues Society and its recent International Blues Challenge competition. George Williams and Sean DeFry of Reckless and Blues shared details about the competition, upcoming fundraising efforts, and the band's new holiday EP, Stormy Christmas Night. Onnika and guitarist Drew Van Der Horne discussed their experience winning the band competition, their musical influences, and their excitement about representing Colorado in Memphis. The interview also featured a live performance of Onnika and the Obsession's original song "Go On Down" and music from Reckless and Blues (Air date 11/6/26).

KGNU welcomes FACE, Colorado’s popular a cappella quintet, for a lively in-studio visit celebrating the group’s 25th anniversary. Members Mark, Forrest, Driver, Steven, and Anderson discuss the group’s history, their deep roots in the Colorado music scene, and their upcoming anniversary performance at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. They also reflect on their musical collaborations, holiday performances, and the joy of bringing vocal harmony to audiences across the Front Range. The interview features several live performances showcasing FACE’s versatility, humor, and signature sound (Air date 11/5/26).

Pianist, composer, author, and Pandora’s Music Genome Project architect Nolan Gasser joins KGNU’s Indra Raj to discuss Why You Like It, his exploration of the many factors that shape our musical tastes. Gasser talks about his journey from classical music and musicology to helping create Pandora, the science and psychology behind why we connect with certain sounds, and the importance of musical discovery and independent artists. He also discusses bringing Why You Like It to the stage in a live performance at eTown, combining storytelling, animation, and an eclectic mix of musical styles from around the world. The conversation explores how music connects us through memory, culture, emotion, and personal experience (Air date 11/4/26).

Guitarist and singer Alex Kilroy joins Dr. Decibel on KGNU for a conversation about his musical journey from Transylvania to the United States, his early discovery of Stevie Ray Vaughan, and the influences that helped him develop his own sound. Kilroy reflects on his time competing on The Voice Romania, his move to Chicago and Nashville, and the determination it took to build a career in American music. He also discusses his new EP, New Shade of Blue, a return to traditional blues that includes original songs, classic covers, and a special tribute to his late father, who played a pivotal role in shaping his musical life. Along the way, he shares stories of meeting and recording with country music legend Vince Gill and finding his place in the blues community (Air date 10/30/26).

In this interview with Dan Willging on KGNU, jazz bassist and bandleader Domi Edson discusses her journey from Seattle to Colorado and what makes the Front Range such a vibrant jazz community. She talks about her upcoming performance of Oscar Peterson’s Canadiana Suite at Dazzle, featuring a film she created during a cross-country train journey through Canada to capture the places that inspired the music.

Domi also shares the story behind her Jazzy Hanukkah project, now in its fifth year at The Muse. She discusses arranging traditional Hanukkah songs for a jazz trio, blending centuries-old melodies with jazz, and creating an inclusive musical celebration that welcomes everyone. (Air date 10/29/26)

In this interview on KGNU's Musica Mundi, Doug Gertner welcomes Spanish guitarist Diego Garcia, better known as Twanguero, for a live studio performance and conversation about his musical journey. Garcia talks about blending the traditions of Spanish guitar with rock, American folk, and global influences, as well as his recent musical explorations in the jungles of Costa Rica.

The conversation also explores his Backroads of the Americas tour, an independent, hands-on approach to bringing live music to audiences across the country. Garcia shares the inspiration behind his music and discusses his upcoming Colorado performances with stops in Boulder, Denver, and Colorado Springs (Air date 10/28/26).

In this interview with Dr. Decibel on KGNU's Sleepless Nights, Joanne Shaw Taylor discusses her new album, The Trouble With Love, exploring the themes of love, relationships, and self-discovery behind the songs. She also talks about collaborating with guitar greats Joe Bonamassa and Orianthi, working with producer Kevin Shirley, and how she's evolved as a songwriter and musician (Air date 10/26/26).

In this edition of Electronic Air, E23 sits down with longtime Colorado DJ, producer, and audio engineer Colin Chapman, aka Satori.C, to revisit the roots of Colorado's underground rave scene. Colin shares memories of the early days, the formation of Mile High House, and the friendships and collaborations that helped shape the local electronic music community.

The conversation also explores his evolution as a producer, his new project Ghost Whistle, and his perspective on the growing role of AI in music production. From underground dance music to the importance of human creativity, Colin offers a look back at the scene's history and ahead to what's next. (Air date 10/24/26).