Connecticut Music Oral History Podcast

Brendan Toller, WPKN
  • 5.0 (2)
  • MUSIC HISTORY
  • UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY

The Connecticut Music Oral History Podcast is a deep-dive interview series with musicians, artists, conduits, collectors, and dedicated fans focusing on 20th century Connecticut music history across all genres. This project preserves narratives, heralds unsung movers and shakers, and defines Connecticut’s influential role in cultural history.

  1. Blake Street Gut Band on "Preservation Sound" with guests Bobo Lavorgna & DeArmond Mourgen hosts Chris Ruggiero & Brendan Toller

    01/28/2025

    Blake Street Gut Band on "Preservation Sound" with guests Bobo Lavorgna & DeArmond Mourgen hosts Chris Ruggiero & Brendan Toller

    The latest installment of Chris Ruggiero's monthly Preservation Sound Radio show brought forth members of Hamden/New Haven's Blake Street Gut Band including Bobo Lavorgna and DeArmond Mourgen, with Brendan Toller along for the interview ride.    Ruggiero featured the band's newly released 1969 demo The Kaleidescope Sessions recorded locally at Kaleidescope Studio, Dixwell Avenue in Hamden, CT the week of December 22, 1969. The show also dove into rare Connecticut music from the 60s and 70s. A must-listen for anyone curious about the Connecticut rock 'n' roll scene of the 60s and 70s. Available for your listening pleasure through... Archived here on the Connecticut Music Oral History Podcast due to the historic nature of the content at hand!

    1h 20m

  2. 05/13/2024

    Hank Hoffman, CT Music Oral History Podcast, March 2024

    Hank Hoffman, now retired, was the former executive director and programming director for Best Video Film & Cultural Center in Hamden. An archivist of the New Haven original rock music scene since the late 1970s, Hank has cassette and digital recordings he's made at hundreds of shows. Along with being a fan and supporter of the local music scene, Hank has been a musical participant as both a live performer and recording artist with the psychedelic pop group Happy Ending and punk band Dada Banks. In addition, Hank released two studio mini-albums of psychedelic pop in 2020 under the name The Alex Butter Field, backed by a who's who of local music luminaries.

    1h 29m

  3. 09/13/2023

    Karen Ponzio, CT Music Oral History Podcast, 8.29.23

    This episode features, Karen Ponzio, arts and culture journalist for the New Haven Independent. Karen has shared her poems, displayed her artwork, and hosted a variety of live shows at venues throughout the New Haven area over the past ten years as well as the CygnusRadio.com show The Word According to KP which featured both poetry and music. Here’s our conversation… https://www.karenponzio.com/

    1h 3m

  4. 07/05/2023

    Barbara Reis, Connecticut Music Oral History Podcast, 3.7.23

    Welcome to another installment of the Connecticut Music Oral History Podcast. This episode features Westport’s own Barbara Reis, a musician, composer, and music therapist whose travels took her to Julliard, High School of Music and Arts, University of Michigan, Tanglewood, the Brill Building, Westport Country Playhouse and theater committee. Barbara’s story is truly inspirational and vital to anyone who considers themself an artist. Subscribe to our Enews for more videos like this: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/vgrQ5ou/versostudio   Your support helps us continue creating online content for our community. Donate now: https://go.westportlibrary.org/donateYT   Keep up with everything from Verso Studios: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WestportLibrary Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportlibrary/ Verso Studios: https://westportlibrary.org/services/verso-studios/ Verso Records: https://versorecords.westportlibrary.org/

    1h 22m

  5. 06/29/2023

    Jim Slice, Connecticut Music Oral History Podcast, Verso Studios, 2.8.23

    The Connecticut Music Oral History Podcast returns with an interview conducted all the way back In February of this year (2023). It’s a complete deep dive with hip hop artist and documentary filmmaker, Jim Slice. From growing up in and around the advent of hip hop culture, performing all over the globe with New Haven’s Stezo, and now documenting Connecticut’s Skinny Boys and the legend of 70s funk band, Skull Snaps; Jim Slice’s story is integral to the foundation and evolution of hip hop. Enjoy the ride…

    2h 4m

  6. 09/21/2022

    Gary, Gee's Records, CT Music Oral History Podcast, 9.6.22

    Buckle up for Gary of Gee’s Records wild ride through true hip-hop culture as a producer, promoter, and record dealer. From roller rink hip-hop shows, to house parties, to 1212 Studios with Paul C, to Jazzy Jay at Strong City, to producing tracks with Beatnuts, and Afrika Bambaataa, recording with Grandmaster Flash, and selling sought-after break-beat records to Q-Tip, Large Professor, and Questlove, Gary is an innovator and conduit.

    57 min

  7. 07/25/2022

    Rob Fraboni, Connecticut Music Oral History Podcast, Verso Studios at the Westport Library 6.21.22

    Rob Fraboni is a renowned producer and engineer. Fraboni is well-known for his work with the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Buckwheat Zydeco, Hubert Sumlin, John Martyn, Etta James, Bonnie Raitt, and Melissa Ethridge, and served as VP of Island Records in its heyday.    Fraboni, leant his expertise to the Verso hybrid analog recording studio, having built Bob Dylan and the Band’s Shangri La Studios to their specifications in 1976. At the turn of the century, Fraboni built Keith Richards home studio just miles away from Verso Studios.

    1h 17m
  8. Christine Ohlman, Connecticut Music Oral History Podcast, Verso Studios at the Westport Library 5.31.22

    06/15/2022

    Christine Ohlman, Connecticut Music Oral History Podcast, Verso Studios at the Westport Library 5.31.22

    https://christineohlman.net/home.html This queen of blue-eyed rock n’ soul, who grew up loving equally the sweetness of a Memphis horn line and the raunch of an electric guitar riff, whether played by Muddy Waters, Keith Richards, or Pop Staples, teased her blonde hair into a beehive in honor of Ronnie Spector and never looked back, picking up a guitar and forging a career as a songwriter in the process. She’s the current, long-time vocalist with the Saturday Night Live Band (SNL40’s anniversary post-show concert also featured her star turn onstage with Jimmy Fallon, Elvis Costello and the B-52s), whose latest CD, The Deep End, was honored on five national Top Ten lists and features special guests/duet partners Ian Hunter, Dion DiMucci, and Marshall Crenshaw, plus Levon Helm, GE Smith, Andy York, Eric “Roscoe” Ambel, Catherine Russell, Big Al Anderson, and others. Ohlman topped the Alternate Root.com’s Readers’ Poll as top Americana vocalist, joining other winners Paul Thorn, The Mavericks and Rodney Crowell.

    1h 11m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The Connecticut Music Oral History Podcast is a deep-dive interview series with musicians, artists, conduits, collectors, and dedicated fans focusing on 20th century Connecticut music history across all genres. This project preserves narratives, heralds unsung movers and shakers, and defines Connecticut’s influential role in cultural history.

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