Sessions From Studio A

Glory Days is a high-energy pop punk and alternative band from the Chicago suburb of Wauconda. Their debut record "The Roads We've Traveled" was released in 2016, shortly after the band's formation, and they've released a string of singles in the past few years.

We are joined this week by the incredibly talented duo the bellow & the whale for their second appearance on our show! Join us for a talk with Julia Lee Norris and Bianca Goyette about their new pair of EPs, including The Noise Still Lingers and their brand new EP coming out tomorrow.

Join us for original music by Krystee Wylder on this week's show. Krystee is a central Illinois native who has spent time living in Rockford and Chicago. Her sound is a unique mix of singer-songwriter folk and pop. Hear her live performance in Studio A and check out some behind the scenes videos below. We'll also talk with Krystee about her background, her music, and about how she almost lost the ability to sing forever... that's all on this week's edition of Sessions from Studio A!

Derek Luttrell returns to Sessions from Studio A on this week's episode. We've heard Derek on the show before with his bands Name the Moon and more recently Sickhorse, but this time he's back with a new solo album, The Wolf Who Cried Boy. Join us as we listen through The Wolf Who Cried Boy and talk with Derek Luttrell about putting the album together.

Jazz returns to Sessions from Studio A this week with The Reggie Thomas Quartet, featuring acclaimed pianist and current head of Jazz Studios at Northern Illinois University, Reggie Thomas, along with guitarist Bobby Broom, drummer George Fludas, and bassist Dennis Carroll. The quartet gives us a passionate performance in Studio A, and we'll also hear a conversation with band members about their jazz backgrounds and their thoughts on the social justice protests of the past year.

Join us for original music from DeKalb singer-songwriter Cora Vasseur. Cora is a newer songwriter who has had a unique path to music. She started songwriting while in Second City's Comedy Writing program, and first began to sing while at her current job working with children with autism, when she discovered her voice helped calm the students.

Join us as we celebrate the holidays with The Jimmys on this week's edition of Sessions from Studio A. The Wisconsin blues band joined us for a live performance in Studio A with music from their latest record, Gotta Have It, as well as some Christmas tunes.

Chicago art-punk band Ganser joins us on this week's edition of Sessions from Studio A. Hear a performance recorded in Studio A with music from the band's new album, Just Look At That Sky. We'll also talk with Ganser about putting that album together, playing at last year's Riot Fest, and about their experiences during the pandemic.

Join us for a special edition of Sessions from Studio A with Ralph Wesley Carr and Old Town Tribune. We caught up with this trio of bluegrass virtuosos for a live set at the former House Cafe in DeKalb, now known as the Northern Illinois Center for Arts and Music.

Chicago multi-instrumentalist and music teacher Renee Nanzer is our special guest this week. We'll hear a performance from her recorded live here in Studio A, and we'll also talk with Renee about her experience working with Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music. Renee is part of the school's outreach program, where she visits underserved neighborhoods in the city and brings her love of music to the youth living there.

Blues artist Cathy Grier joins us on this week's edition of Sessions from Studio A. Grier's musical adventure has taken her many places, from sneaking backstage to meet John Lee Hooker and Bonnie Raitt at age 17, to winning MTV's Basement Tapes competition, to co-writing a #1 dance hit in France. Thoughout her journey, Grier has never forgotten her blues and groove roots, and this year she makes a big statement with the new album "I'm All Burn".

Rockford duo Glitter makes a big statement with their debut album "The Men We Could Have Been". After years of playing in rock and punk bands, guitarist/vocalist Ben Johnson and drummer Jordan Acosta were sick of the over-the-top egos and macho attitudes, so they wanted to go in a completely different direction.

Singer-songwriter Anna May was scheduled to stop by Studio A on her way through Illinois back in April. 2020 had different plans for us, but we liked her new album so much we knew we needed to get her on the show anyways, so she joins us on the phone from her hometown of Waterford, Connecticut. Listen to her new album, "I'm Still Thinking of You" and join us for a conversation with Anna May in this hour of Sessions from Studio A.

The Flips are a five-piece rock band from Chicago with a big, big sound. I asked them to describe their music and they answered with one word: "loud". Hear their live performance at WNIJ on this edition of Sessions from Studio A and join us for a conversation with the band about their backgrounds, life since COVID, and more.

Singer-songwriter Eric Peter Schwartz joined us in Studio A with his trusty road sidekick, Tourbot. Eric's music is incredibly dynamic, he plays everything from quirky songs about Dungeons & Dragons to deep ballads about a marriage ending. He even released two ambient albums this year, along with a triology of albums called "The Isolation Tapes".

Punk rock duo Sweetie joins us on Sessions from Studio A this week! We'll hear songs from their new album "Bad Thing Sweet Thing" which is out now on Bandcamp and all your usual streaming platforms. Also join us for a conversation with guitarist Birdy and drummer Joe Pennington about their new album, social activism, the DeKalb music scene and more.

Songwriting duo Derek Luttrell and Mossy Vaughn return to Sessions from Studio A this week with their new band and debut album, Sickhorse. They've graced our studio previously with the band Name the Moon - and what originally started as writing for Name the Moon turned into something else entirely as the songs took on a different character. We'll talk with songwriter and guitarist Mossy Vaughn on his front porch in Rockford, and also get on the phone with Zach Staas, head of Corporate Panda Records in Nashville.

Bottom Bracket is a emo rock trio from Springfield, IL who just recently released a new album titled "I Don't Care Enough to Stay". Emo rock is a style that grew from the punk and post-punk scenes of the late 80's and early 90's, but features more complex melodies, experimental song structure, and an emphasis on emotional vocals. Bottom Bracket brings their own unique sound to the genre, with influences from math rock that is evident in guitarist Mario Cannamela's intricate playing and tapping. Listen to Bottom Bracket's live performance in Studio A right here!

Join us for a special edition of Sessions from Studio A where we are celebrating all things ukulele with Wild Blue Ukulele Orchestra! The 8-piece ensemble has members from all across northern Illinois and they show us that the ukulele isn't just a "strum and sing" instrument, but something that can be played as a virtuoso intrument as well.

A recent graduate of Northern Illinois University's School of Music, singer-songwriter Amelia Harlovic is now based in Chicago, where she has kept busy during the pandemic writing and recording new songs. She joined us in Studio A for a performance alongside DeKalb's Chris Kenney on drums. Listen to her full performance and an interview with Amelia Harlovic on this new edition of Sessions from Studio A!