KAFM Music Blog

The 2015 year in Music was HUGE - it was a full year, and we had some great albums pass through our doors and into our library. Some members of the KAFM Music Bureau chose their Top 5 of the year!

Today, we look at MY top 5! You know me from Radio Rapture (Thursdays 4-6:30), and, of course, the Charts show every Friday at 11 am. Selections from these albums will be featured on tomorrow's Charts show, on Friday from 11am - Noon!

1. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit



2. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Nightsweats - Nathaniel Quick read more or view full article Rateliff & The Nightsweats



3. Alabama Shakes - Sound & Color



4. Lucero - All A Man Should Do



5. Leon Bridges - Coming Home

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The 2015 year in Music was HUGE - it was a full year, and we had some great albums pass through our doors and into our library. Some members of the KAFM Music Bureau chose their Top 5 of the year!

Today, we look at Veta Bluegrass's Top 5. You know Veta from Bluegrass and Beyond (Tuesdays, 4-6:30pm). Selections from these albums will be featured on this week's Charts show, on Friday from 11am - Noon!

1. Robert Earl Keen - Happy Prisoner - The Bluegrass Sessions



2. Steep Canyon Rangers - Radio



3. Balsam Range Quick read more or view full article - Five



4. The Railsplitters - The Faster It Goes



5. Noam Pikelny - Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe

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The 2015 year in Music was HUGE - it was a full year, and we had some great albums pass through our doors and into our library. Some members of the KAFM Music Bureau chose their Top 5 of the year!

Today, we look at Alan's top 5. You know Alan from the Orbit Lounge (Fridays 6-9am) and the Fuzz Garage (Fridays 9-11am).  Selections from these albums will be featured on this week's Charts show, on Friday from 11am - Noon!
 
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The 2015 year in Music was HUGE - it was a full year, and we had some great albums pass through our doors and into our library. Some members of the KAFM Music Bureau chose their Top 5 of the year!

Today, we look at Lady Blue's. You know Lady Blue from Straight Ahead Jazz (Sundays, 6:30-9pm). Selections from these albums will be featured on this week's Charts show, on Friday from 11am - Noon!
 
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5) Christopher Paul Stelling – ‘Labor Against Waste’ 

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The 2015 year in Music was HUGE - it was a full year, and we had some great albums pass through our doors and into our library. Some members of the KAFM Music Bureau chose their Top 5 of the year!

Today, we look at the H-Man's. You know the H-Man from Enjoy the Ride (Mondays, 1-4pm) and the Divided Sky (Tuesdays, 9am-Noon). Selections from these albums will be featured on this week's Charts show, on Friday from 11am - Noon!

1.       Warren Haynes Quick read more or view full article – Ashes and Dust

2.       The Kentucky Headhunters with Johnnie Johnson – Meet Me In Bluesland

3.       Mark Knopfler – Tracker

4.       Blue River Highway Band – Things We Carry

5.       Collective Soul – See What You Started By Continuing


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Grammy Nominations were announced early this morning!

You can check them out via Billboard Music, but we're excited about (AKA, what we've been playing all year long):

-Alabama Shakes Sound & Color: Nominated for Album of the Year, Best Rock Performance, Best Rock Song



-Courtney Barnett: Nominated for Best New Artist



Bill Frisell - Guitar in the Space Age!: Nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album



Death Cab for Cutie - Kintsugi: Nominated for Best Rock Album



Wilco Quick read more or view full article - Star Wars: Nominated for Best Alternative Rock Album



Hiatus Kaiyote - Choose Your Weapon: Nominated for Best R&B Performance



Lianne La Havas - Blood: Nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album



Leon Bridges - Coming Home: Nominated for Best R&B Album



Chris Stapleton - Traveller: Nominated for Best Country Solo Performance, Best Country Song, Best Country Album



John Scofield - Past Present: Nominated for Best Improvised Jazz Solo, Best Jazz Instrumental Album



Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet - Intercambio: Nominated for Best Latin Jazz Album



Bomba Estereo - Amanacer: Nominated for Best Latin Rock, Urban, or Alternative Album



Buddy Guy - Born to Play Guitar: Nominated for Best American Roots Performance, Best Blues Album



Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free: Nominated for Best American Roots Song, Best American Roots Album



The Mavericks - Mono: Nominated for Best American Roots Song, Best American Roots Album


Rhiannon Giddens - Tomorrow Is My Turn: Nominated for Best Folk Album



Morgan Heritage - Strictly Roots: Nominated for Best Reggae Album



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Happy Friday! First week of December brings some BIG changes to our charts - no, really. A lot of debuts in each! Take a look:

Jazz

A new number one - in fact, almost the entire top 5 is new:



1     JOHN SCOFIELD    Past Present    Impulse!
2    JOHN ELLIS & DOUBLE WIDE    Charm   
3    CORY WEEDS AND THE JEFF HAMILTON TRIO    This Happy Madness    Cellar Live
4    KIM NAZARIAN    Some Morning    Self-Released
5    JOHN PIZZARELLI    Midnight McCartney    Concord
6    GEORGE VARGHESE    Back In Time    Self-Released
7     LAFAYETTE HARRIS JR. TRIO    Bend To The Light    AIRMAN
8    JEFF BENEDICT BIG BAND    Holmes    Tapestry
9    JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA Quick read more or view full article WITH WYNTON MARSALIS    Live In Cuba    Blue Engine
10    GAETANO LETIZIA/WILBUR KREB/MIKE CLARK    Froggy And The Toads    

World

Almost the same here, a lot of new names, and Stick Figure moves up into that Top Spot!



1    STICK FIGURE    Set In Stone    Ruffwood
2    JONNY GREENWOOD/SHYE BEN TZUR/RAJASTHAN EXPRESS    Junun    Nonesuch
3    SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA    Resistance    Strut
4    PROTOJE    Ancient Future    Mr. Bongo
5    MICHAEL FRANTI AND SPEARHEAD    Once A Day Rise Up [EP]    Concord-Fantasy
6    GRUPO FANTASMA    Problemas    Blue Corn
7    BLACK MASALA    I Love You Madly    Self-Released
8    EMPRESARIOS    The Vibes    Self-Released
9    KARAVAN SARAI PROJECT    Woven Landscapes    Electrofone
10    JOSS JAFFE    Dub Mantra Sangha    Tataouine

College

Lucero can't be beat - but there are some new names coming up in the Top 10...



1    LUCERO    All A Man Should Do    ATO
2    ST. GERMAIN    St. Germain    Nonesuch
3    SHEEPDOGS    Future Nostalgia    Dine Alone
4    CASHAVELLY MORRISON    The Kingdom Belongs To A Child    Self-Released
5    WONKY TONK    Stuff We Leave Behind    Self-Released
6    PHASES    For Life    Warner Bros
7    BLITZEN TRAPPER    All Across This Land    Vagrant
8    GIVERS    New Kingdom    Glassnote
9    DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS    It's Great To Be Alive!    ATO
10    YAWPERS    American Man    Bloodshot

Roots

Definitely some movement in the Top 5, a few new names, and a new #1:



1    SHAWN MULLINS    My Stupid Heart
2    CHRIS ISAAK    First Comes the Night
3    KIM SIMMONDS & SAVOY BROWN    The Devil to Pay
4    BILLY GIBBONS & THE BFG'S    Perfectamundo
5    JUDY COLLINS    Strangers Again
6    THE JIMMYS    Hot Dish
7    WIDESPREAD PANIC    Street Dogs
8    MIKE ZITO & THE WHEEL    Keep Coming Back
9    DUDLEY TAFT    Skin and Bones
10    ANTHONY GERACI AND THE BOSTON BLUES ALL-STARS    Fifty Shades of Blue

More new music is always coming! Keep listening to KAFM for the best! Read Less

Well, Autumn may be fast ending, but at least there's the boys of Whiskey Autumn.

The Boulder based group has been featured on KAFM's top 10 in College more than a few times, and we're proud to have even more local groups featured! Here's their video for their single, "My Dear Miss Claire," from the release Call You Mine, out now on Sleepless Winks:

 

Keep listening to KAFM for more Whiskey Autumn, Call You Mine, and Colorado music!