Podcast Open Mic

Podcast Open Mic

By Lorenzo RaffaMusic
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Podcast Open Mic episodes

  • POM83 . Chris Kemp White . "(They Can't) Undo This Love"
    Maine-born and raised singer-songwriter Chris Kemp White has been making music in and around Portland for more than twenty years. After performing almost exclusively with bands––HausCats, An Overnight Low, Andy Happel, Hotel Arrival and The Frotus Caper, to name a few––he is currently writing, arranging and recording solo material. Drawing from classic and modern influences like David Bowie, Crowded House, Wilco and Death Cab for Cutie, the songs explore both spiritual and everyday themes of love, loss and longing. Josh Rogers of the Portland Phoenix writes, “White’s got a knack for poetry, elevating the quality of his lyrics with inventive phrasing and word choice.” 

    Chris performs solo around Maine, sharing acoustic arrangements of original music and rearrangements of popular songs from the 60s to present. He released his first, self-titled, CD in June, 2016, then a 2-song record in partnership with boutique record label Leesta Vall later that year. Since  summer 2018, Chris has been digitally releasing his song, making them available on iTunes, Spotify, Deezer, and other streaming formats. His latest song, “(They Can’t) Undo This Love” can be heard on 98.9 WCLZ, Frank FM, and 106.3 The Bone. He also plays bass and sings backing vocals with Portland cover band HausCats.

    In spring of 2018, after teaching middle and high school social studies for 6 years, Chris changed careers to pursue music and carpentry full time. White balances his love of music with career and family. Above all, Chris cherishes time with his wife, Rachel, two children, Arran and Alice, and their dog, Ida.
     

     

    17 min
  • POM82: Ed Kern "Think Twice"

    Ed tells his story:

    I was born 1956 in Portland Maine. I have 4 older sisters who had a big love of music.  They played it loud! I grew up dreaming and playing air guitar until early 70s when friends had a band and no one would sing I was just a spectator; I don’t know how it happened, I started singing,then learned to play some to practice singing.  I self-taught guitar and have been playing 45 years.  I enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on my 17th birthday and served 6 years. Then at BIW as a machinist 3 years, then 25 years with New England Telephone.  Now pursuing music married 38 years to the love of my life with 3 children.

    13 min
  • POM81: Kelcie Caldwell. "Downeast Christmas"
    A long time resident of Maine, and current resident of Portland. Kelcie has played guitar/music for 19 years, since age 12. Since then has picked up several instruments which are featured in most of his recordings including banjo, mandolin, washboard, double bass, dobro, and ukulele. Kelcie was in various bands such as Cold Shower, The Loconuts!, The Cash Onlys!, and From Around Here. You can find his music on spotify as The Loconuts! On bandcamp at https://theloconuts.bandcamp.com/releases and on YouTube as From Around Here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9smTcqpCMXkoWoFC-ttr1w?view_as=subscriber
    8 min
  • POM80: David J. Shaffer. "Americana Divide"

    A short bio from David himself:  

    I am a 58 year old singer/songwriter/actor and father of 4 wonderful kids. A lifelong musician, I play guitar, keyboards, bass and sing. As a songwriter I had several of my songs recorded for an album titled "Unfinished Business", which was in limited release. In 2014 I wrote and recorded a jingle for the Saco water-park "Aquaboggan" which was heard on many radio stations around New England for several years. My second album, tentatively titled "Americana Divide" is in the process of being recorded. As an actor I have appeared in on-stage performances and in numerous student films for the various local colleges. Also I have been involved with several independent feature films, such as "The Water in the Bay" and "The Hanover House". I can occasionally be seen performing live solo at various Southern Maine venues.

     

    12 min
  • POM79 Smokemaster 420 "Dispatch1"
    Smokemaster 420 is what happens when experimental musicians get bored at work. Smokemaster 420 is what happens when listening to music on Youtube gets boring.
    Smokemaster 420 is what happens when you combine a love of musique concrete and plunderphonics with a soft spot for toilet humor.
    Smokemaster 420 is what we'd be doing anyway, but for your ears as well as ours. 
    Smokemaster 420 is the name of our printer at work.
    Smokemaster 420 is.
    21 min
  • POM78 Rebecca Kerwick "Breadcrumbs"

    Rebecca Kerwick is a singer-songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist currently based in Portland, ME. Rebecca has performed her original music in cafes, bars, backyards, and other intimate spaces across the Northeast since 2018. Her upcoming debut album explores themes of interiority, desire, and loss. In performing the relationship between vocality and instrument, she achieves ethereal sound.

    13 min
  • POM77 Mehuman "Ladybird" (+ "And So")

    Mehuman "May-mon" : An East Coast native singer/songwriter/guitarist cut her teeth on old time gospel  spirituals, straight ahead jazz, country blues, and classic rock and roll. Recently independent and re-connecting to her fanbase as a self distributed artist,  the former Arista Records recording artist, Mehuman established herself in the Detroit, Manhattan, Dublin Ireland, Canne France, Nashville, and Los Angeles music scenes as an gifted performer. Mehuman has toured in the U.S.,Europe, Eastern Europe, and West Africa, as an award winning songwriter and producer delivering a powerful and punchy mix of "funky pulse-poet potions she calls folk hop for hip folk."  Performing Songwriter Magazine dubbed Mehuman a sultry blend of Lenny Kravitz and Indie Arie, mixed in the passionate delivery of Sade and Bono. CNN Music, touted "Mehuman to be one of the top 10 burgeoning songwriters to watch." Most recently, thriving in Maine, Mehuman enjoys sharing and making music within the local artistic community as an independent songbird, songwriter, and educator.

    15 min
  • POM76 Rick Adam "What Money Won't Buy"

    RICK ADAM has been performing, teaching, and inspiring people of all ages for over 20 years. He has combined his extensive theatrical and musical experience and training with his own life experience to create original theatrical performances that both educate and entertain. Adam has toured widely, from elementary schools to colleges to maximum-security prisons, from Rhode Island to Russia. He has acted with the Trinity Square Repertory Company and has appeared in films and on television. He was featured on a PBS show about one-man bands, which is now in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institute.

    31 min
  • POM75 Thems That Wait "Nova"

    Maine Metal/Stoner Rock band Thems That Wait was formed when longtime friends and songwriting partners Craig Garland and Mat Patterson met Texan Branden Clements through a Craigslist ad in early 2017.  The band’s sound has been compared to Black Sabbath, Clutch and Kyuss. 

    Thems That Wait prides itself on being a solid live rock band that sounds as full as possible as a 3 piece with mammoth drumming by Branden Clements, true bass playing from Mat Patterson who tastefully weaves around guitarist Craig Garland’s heavy handed, memorable riffs and barbaric, guttural vocals.  Following the band’s live debut in January 2018 in Portland, Maine, the power trio continued to gig and make connections, and ultimately landed a chance to open for New England Hardcore legend Scissorfight in the fall of 2018.  In January 2019, Thems That Wait recorded their debut EP Fiction at The Maine Music Mill in Brunswick, Maine with Andy Porta(Blackcat Sounds). 

    Andy and the band mixed the EP and Steve Austin(Today Is The Day, Austin Enterprise Recording & Mastering) mastered it.  In addition to the band’s arsenal of all original songs, Bass player Mat Patterson designs all of the artwork for the band, including the cover for the FictionEP.  The band plans to record the follow up to Fictionbefore the end of 2019 with a tentative 2020 release date but until then, we wait…

    20 min
  • POM74: Lovelore "Notice Me"
    Hi, I go by the name Lovelore. You can find my music here: https://soundcloud.com/lovelore
     
        I am an artist with my hands in a few things: producing, singing, rapping, piano, videography, and more. I don't like to stick to one particular genre or style of music and I allow myself to be open-minded while creating. When recording or writing music I try to channel whatever energy or feeling I'm currently experiencing and translate it into the music or art. I feel that if I can help create a powerful feeling within myself and keep it there when recording then that is the first and most important step in the process of making a powerful song that creates a powerful feeling in myself and possibly others. Sometimes it is difficult to capture the feeling and it becomes a balancing act of sorts. 
     
        I need to know when to simply allow the music and ideas to flow through me and when to direct them and/or focus. Also I think improving technical ability where needed/wanted will help in the execution of the process and in other people being able to connect with or enjoy the expression. This is the way I currently view making music but any other way is valid as well and some people may like to think about it in a purely technical sense and that's totally okay too. In my eyes and how I currently create, being open-minded is most important and goes along with my general and music-related philosophies. 
     
    Thanks for reading/listening and good luck in finding and following your path!
    21 min

About Podcast Open Mic

From the publisher's feed

Part of the WMPG.org podcasts, Lorenzo presents original artists performing original songs with a bit of original talk. Enjoy!