Martin Anderson
Music Director & HostEschewing his mother’s taste for easy listening music early on, Martin Anderson was raised on his dad’s love for jazz, his brother’s Beatles/classic rock LP’s, and the bluegrass and Top 40 radio of the D.C. area. He began volunteering for the University of Delaware’s WXDR/WVUD eclectic overnight and morning mixes in 1989. Upon graduating with an American History degree, he moved to Eugene, Oregon, he spent the 90’s working in natural foods, environmental causes, and above all, public radio. He hosted various folk, world, Triple-A, and other shows at KLCC, and started a “Miles of Bluegrass” show at KRVM.
After two years working underwriting sales and various music and public affairs programs at KHSU in Arcata, CA, Martin joined WNCW in 2001 as your weekday morning host. He loves interviewing the many talented musicians who come to Studio B, stretching out with the many styles ‘NCW embraces, and reflecting listener requests, events of the day, and our beautiful Southern Appalachian landscape. As Music Director, he books our live sessions, and keeps in touch with the record labels and promoters that send us new music. When not at the station, he enjoys gardening, hiking, traveling, history, and raising his daughter on good music and more.
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Time to kick back, slow down a bit, and bathe in the lush tones and rhythms of the most senior member of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Saxophonist Charlie Gabriel’s first professional gig dates to 1943, sitting in for his father in New Orleans’ Eureka Brass Band. As a teenager living in Detroit, Charlie played with Lionel Hampton, whose band just then also included a young Charles Mingus, later spending nine years with a group led by Cab Calloway drummer, J.C. Heard. While he’s also fronted a bebop quintet, played and/or toured with Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennet, Aretha Franklin and many more, this is the first time his name appears on the front of a record, as a bandleader. The result is a beautiful, eclectic collection, including six jazz standards and two new pieces, and three on which Charlie sings for the first time! -
Peak of the WeekIt was 32 years ago that drummer John Convertino first met multi-instrumentalist Joey Burns, and they relocated to Tucson, Arizona to dive into their new band Calexico. Like their namesake border town, the band has grown and evolved over the years, but all the while they’ve fostered that great blend of influences from California and Mexico. El Mirador is a heartfelt tribute to the people and places of the Southwest that make up the band’s roots.
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He’s clearly one of the most intelligent and insightful musicians on the scene these days, and he’s back with an exploration of the complex thoughts, questions and middle-of-the-night obsessions swirling around in each of us. His tour for “Inside Problems” takes him to Asheville on July 23rd (with Iron & Wine and Meshell Ndegeocello!)
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We received and enjoyed the R&B/Soul singer’s last album, “True Story”, just 6 or so months ago. Not one to rest, Warson is back with this one, destined to live up to its name. Listen for bits of New Wave, surf-rock, and Afro-Cuban sounds on this one.
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She had all but given up on the music business during the pandemic, but fortunately her producer Dave Darling convinced her to give it another go, and now we have this strong 16th album from the Blues/Americana singer/songwriter. And it’s on her own label, Fathead Records. Magness is only the second woman to receive the Blues Foundation’s B.B. King Entertainer of the Year award.
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These two former members of the traditional Irish supergroup Solas have gotten together for this album of both original and traditional tunes. They each sing lead, plus there are some terrific instrumental jigs & reels. Sure to be a favorite on our Sunday afternoon “Celtic Winds”!
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Peak of the WeekIt’s her 21st album, and she’s sounding as strong as ever on this collection of soulful blues and rock that includes covers from Toots & the Maytals, Brothers Landreth, and NRBQ’s Al Anderson. She says she’s also grateful as ever to be making music, contributing to causes, keeping her crew working, and connecting with her audience. “I’m really aware of how lucky I am,” she says, “and I feel like it’s my responsibility to get out there and say something fresh and new for me and for the fans. But I need to have something to say or I won’t put out a record.”
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The Montreat, NC singer/songwriter has a new album, available Saturday, June 18th! It features Chris Rosser as producer and multi-instrumentalist, as well as various favorite regional guests: River Guergarian, Jeff Sipe, Amanda Anne Platt, Christine Kane, Doug Pettibone, Michael Hynes & Zack Page to name a few. LaMotte is bringing Rosser and Guergarian with him for our Studio B session, and we’ll see who all joins him on stage for the release show for "Still" at White Horse Black Mountain on the 18th!
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It’s the third in a trilogy of song collections mostly based on film music the pianist/singer/songwriter wrote for Spike Lee over the past few years. This one is a bit more on the upbeat side, despite a few of the songs relating to Covid, and the title track being about “this strange time in which we live, when the world is basically, well, ‘flicted!”
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There have been a lot of recordings over the years that center around Memphis, Tennessee (not to mention the countless ones made IN Memphis.) This is a modern, unique one: a vision quest of sorts, of ghosts from the past, and characters still with us, from Kevin Morby, on his 7th, and arguably strongest, album to date. A native of Kansas, it also paints a picture (or snaps a photograph) of Middle America in general.
