KPTZ Specials

(Airdate: January 21, 2025) Local singer/songwriter Brian Ledford delivers great work while being interviewed on Peter Robinson’s Out of Nowhere.

The Holiday Extravaganza, a co-production of the Jefferson County Historical Society and KPTZ, is held each December in the Museum of Art and History. Here for you to enjoy at your convenience is this year’s Extravaganza, divided into four parts:

Part 1 begins with an introduction to the show. Then comes the music of Roger and Kristen Ferguson and an interview of artist Suzanne Lamon done by Chris Bricker.

Part 2 begins with a reading from Anna Linzer’s “A River Story” by Willow Baker and Bill Mawhinney and concludes with solo guitarist Julian Catford. Included also is an interview of artist Jeremy Johnson by Chris Bricker and an interview of JCHS archivist Ellie DiPietro.

Part 3 is all Jazz Manouche, the music of Paris in the 1930s, performed by the Hot Club of Port Townsend.

Part 4 is music of Sicily performed by Paisani Norte.

From start to finish there is Trivia with Tara, she being Tara McCauley, Executive Director of the Jefferson County Historical Society and other jolliness of the season.

(Airdate: December 12, 2024) KPTZ’s Taylor Clark welcomed New Orleans-based harmonica virtuoso Jason Ricci along with keyboardist Lorenzo Farrell to Blues Journey. Jason Ricci & The Bad Kind were live at the Palindrome on December 13, 2024.

(Airdate: October 31, 2023) Master djembe drum teacher and performer Bolokada Condé is visiting Port Townsend this week. He will be leading workshops in local schools as well as providing drumming classes. On Tuesday’s Rhythm Connection, Bolokada Condé joined Robert Ambrose to perform and to enlighten us about his music and history. That interview/performance can be heard below.

(Airdate October 19, 2023). Taylor Clark spoke with Tia Carroll before her October 20 show at the Palindrome. Carroll is one of the most sought after Blues and Soul female vocalists, and is known for her powerful vocal prowess, powerful songwriting, and heartfelt delivery.

(Airdate: August 31, 2023) KPTZ Is happy to join Rainshadow Recording in welcoming Tony Furtado (together with Luke Price) to the Palindrome in Port Townsend on Thursday, August 31 at 7:30pm.  KPTZ DJ Taylor Clark spoke with Tony ahead of his upcoming performance. Tony is an evocative, soulful singer, as well as a lyrical banjo player and slide guitarist. He is also, as it turns out, a sculptor.  More information about the show may be found at ticketstorm.com, search for Palindrome.

(Airdate: August 17, 2023) KPTZ DJ Taylor Clark had a chance to talk to Steve Grimes during Blues Journey on Thursday, August 17. They talked about his upcoming performance at the Palindrome and a bit about the recent devastating fire in Lahaina on Maui. Steve lives on Maui now and is a former Port Townsend resident. He is skilled luthier as well as a singer and songwriter. Note: He performed Friday, August 18 at the Palindrome at 7:30pm.

On Tuesday, July 4th during Out of Nowhere, KPTZ DJ Peter Robinson had an opportunity to interview blues musician Johnny Nicholas. If you didn’t have a chance to hear this live, here’s a recording. Check out the words and music from the KPTZ studio.

She Tells Sea Tales is the annual event hosted by the Northwest Maritime Center to raise up the voices of women working on the waterfront. This year KPTZ  attended She Tells Sea Tales and came home with the scintillating tales of six accomplished women mariners, from commercial fishers to a sailor capsized on Port Townsend Bay, featuring stories from Kathy Pool, Amanda Thieroff, Ashlyn Brown, Sarah Kolbeck, Inger Rankins, and Erica Lichty. Though this show was first broadcast on May 15, you can hear She Tells Sea Tales, hosted by Diana Talley, at your convenience here.

Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Daniela Speilmann, in Port Townsend to teach and perform at Centrum’s annual Choro Workshop, stopped by KPTZ. As part of the April 12 interview (listen below) with Al Bergstein for his Wednesday morning Brazilian music show Music2DrinkCoffee2, Daniela decided to launch her new album, Obrigado, Zé da Velha, named in honor of the trombone player Zé da Velha, who helped found and recently retired from their collective, Choro na Rua (Choro in the Streets). Choro na Rua is a group of Rio musicians who formed to bring Choro music out of the nightclubs and bars and into the streets for anyone to enjoy. They often play weekly in outside cafés and parks around Rio de Janeiro. Daniela, a PhD music professor in Brazil, has many albums to her credit, and played with legendary Brazilian jazz clarinet player Paulo Moura.