Sylvia Brownrigg– “Absent Tangible Memory”

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Metaphysical Touch

When someone dies, we have that person’s papers and things to look at and use to understand and create memories about the life that has left us. Sometimes, however, the person stays and the papers and tokens are lost, as in a fire. Then we have only memories without material objects to help enhance them. This juxtaposition is one of the themes in a novel entitled the “Metaphysical Touch,” by Syvia Brownrigg, an American author with roots in Mendocino County, a long experience in London, and currently living near San Francisco.

Sylvia Brownrigg recommends “Out of Sheer Rage,” by Jeff Dyer.

Originally Broadcast: January 12, 2000

Ed Reinhart— “Boogie Woogie Pianist”

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In my opinion, when my friend Ed Reinhart comes here to Ukiah, it is well worth the effort to track him down and listen to him play someone else’s piano and sing along.

And that is what happened the last few days of 2010. The sign said Ed would be playing at the Himalaya Café at the south end of town on New Year’s Eve beginning at 6:30 pm. Now it may seem a bit early to start a New Year’s Eve Party, but Ed is always ready to do things his way, and under the guise of liking to get to bed early, he played and sang Old Lange Syne when it was New Year’s in New York, or in the Ukiah vernacular, 9 p.m.

Now Ed, who masquerades as Earl Dixon, a semi-unknown sort as he likes to say, and/or Rico Suave, a moniker he adopted while living in Ecuador, can play boogie-woogie piano better than most anyone. And that to me makes Earl and Rico all the more confusing as to who they may or may not be.

Ed, etc. have been guests on three previous editions Radio Curious, and those visits are available at www.radiocurious.org. Why so much Ed on Radio Curious? I like him and his music and enjoy our visits. We hope you do too. So Happy New Year to each of you and welcome to the first Radio Curious program recorded in our 21st year on the air.

This interview with Ed Reinhart was recorded in the studios of Radio Curious, in Ukiah, California on January 7, 2011.

The book Ed Reinhart recommends is “World Without End,” by Ken Follett.

Jessica Schaeffer— “The Harp: The Second Oldest Human Musical Instrument”

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The harp, in its early form, is second only to the flute as the oldest known human musical instrument. The Radio Curious theme music this week is played by professional harpist and harp teacher Jessica Schaeffer, our guest in this edition of Radio Curious. Intrigued by the harp when she saw it at a piano lesson when she was four years old, she began her formal training to play the harp when she was ten. Jessica Schaeffer holds a bachelor’s degree in the study of the harp and a Master’s Degree in music; she plays in symphony orchestras and teaches the instrument she loves. We visited in the studios of Radio Curious where she brought her harp, played for us and told stories, on December 3, 2012.

Jessica Schaeffer’s website is www.jessicaschaeffer.com. The book she recommends is “The Power of Now,” by Eckhart Tolle.

Jerome Edge— “Unity and Healing After a School Shooting: A Native American Perspective”

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The shooting and deaths at Marysville-Pilchuck High School in Marysville, Washington, on October 24, 2014, brought sadness, fear, unity and a special form of healing to the Tulalip and other Native people of the area.

In this edition of Radio Curious we visit with Jerome Edge, a Native American of Swinomish and Upper Skagit heritage, hip-hop activist and radio host at KSVR-FM in Mt. Vernon, Washington. When Jerome Edge and I visited from his home in Mt. Vernon, Washington, we discussed the trauma and sadness caused by the shootings and the turn toward healing that then occurred.  We also discussed a developing hip-hop focus — a way to instill values of personal and community respect and strength.  The song “Rise Up,” which you will hear in the program sung by Shaundiin Zollner, is used by permission.

Jerome Edge and I began our conversation on November 16, 2014, when I asked him to put the shootings in a context of time and place.

The book Jerome Edge recommends is “The Indians of Skagit County,” by Martin J. Sampson.