Be More Now Features Mendocino County’s Youth Poet Laureates Frej Barty & Sidney Michele RegelbruggeTune into KZYX&Z’s Be More Now program at 7pm on Thursday, April 4 when host Blake More celebrates National Poetry Month with Mendocino County’s first two Youth Poet Laureates – outgoing Youth Poet Laureate Sidney Michele Regelbrugge (2022-24) and incoming youth poet laureate Frej Barty (2024-26). You will hear their thoughts about poetry, writing, the state of expression as well as some of their original poetry. The show originally airs on KZYX&Z 90.7FM Philo, 88.1FM Fort Bragg, and 91.5FM Willits, as well as streams on the web www.kzyx.org.

A poem I put together for the Mendocino County 40th anniversary Women's History Gala in March 2024.

Host Blake More presents a celebration of Mendocino coast poet, longtime host of the Hill House Poetry Reading, and former KZYX classical music programmer Gordon Black. This living tribute show features the poetry of Gordon Black read by Dan Roberts, Joe Smith, Mike Edwards, Janferie Stone, Tom Roberdeau and Gordon himself.

Tune into KZYX&Z’s Be More Now program as host Blake More speaks with members of the Mendocino County Poet Laureate Selection committee Michael Riedell, Kirk Lumpkin and Larry Felson. They’ll be talking about the important role poetry plays in Mendocino County, the budding Poet Laureate program, as well as offering insights about their own work and a few poems. The show originally aired on KZYX&Z 90.7FM Philo,

Host Blake More interviews Object Heavy front man, singer Richard Love. They discuss his music, the band Object Heavy and their upcoming tour. The show will also feature Object Heavy’s upcoming LP “Love & Gravity”.Object Heavy is Northern California’s hardest hitting Soul sensation. While based in Arcata, this cast of musical characters has made waves up and down the North Coast of California, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the United States. Object Heavy has also been voted best band in Humboldt by The North Coast Journal the last 3 years in a row.Now Object Heavy has hit the studio and cooked up a new album produced by Kelly Finnigan (Monophonics), showing off their progressive yet soulful sound. The band is proud to partner with Color Red Music to release this record in early 2023.With powerhouse vocalist Richard Love at the helm, and backed by Brian Swislow (Keys), Leo Plummer (Gtr), and Ian Taylor (Bass), Object Heavy is heading into the future in celebration of their new album, “Love & Gravity”.Object Heavy’s magnetic blend of classic Cadillac soul, effortlessly contagious dance grooves, vocal harmonies and blazing musicianship is a live experience you don’t want to miss.

Host Blake More interviews “heartcore emcee” Radio Active, a multi-faceted hip-hop visionary for all ages. They discuss his commitment to create positive change through expression and art, including his musical legacy, his work with youth, the community, the hip hop congress, his music is the mixer 50 years of hip hop celebration, and more!Emcee Radio Active: A Multifaceted Hip-Hop Visionary for All AgesEmcee Radio Active, a name synonymous with versatility and positivity, stands as a remarkable figure in the world of Hip Hop. His journey is an inspiring testament to the vibrant, community-centered, and family-friendly nature of his craft.Musical Magic and CreativityEmcee Radio Active’s performances are an enchanting blend of emceeing, freestyling, songwriting, and beatboxing. What makes him truly special is his ability to infuse his shows with unconventional instruments like pan flutes and didgeridoos, creating a mesmerizing fusion of sounds. He masterfully combines electronic beats with beatboxing, crafting an innovative soundscape. His performances are not mere spectacles; they’re heartfelt, spontaneous, and always fresh.Global Stages and Harmonious CollaborationsHaving graced stages with artists from around the world, Emcee Radio Active brings a rich tapestry of experiences to his music. His impressive resume includes appearances on national television shows, recognition from peers, and a Grammy-winning collaboration on a children’s Hip Hop album in 2017.Artistry Beyond Music: “Tsumnu”Emcee Radio Active’s artistic journey doesn’t stop at music; he also ventures into visual expressions under the name “Tsumnu” (pronounced “Some New”). His art tells compelling stories inspired by his life’s diverse adventures. It reflects the core values of Hip Hop culture, celebrating positivity, humanity, connection, creativity, and life itself.Community Engagement and Creative OutreachEmcee Radio Active extends his talents to various events, from Sip/Puff and Paint gatherings to community mural projects and intimate living room/backyard performances. His dedication to connecting with his audience and fostering creativity shines through in every endeavor.A Member of Hip Hop Congress: A Positive Force for ChangeEmcee Radio Active is a proud member of Hip Hop Congress (HHC), an international organization dedicated to uplifting communities through Hip Hop culture. HHC’s mission is to inspire and support artists, youth, and grassroots efforts through social engagement and educational programs. Emcee Radio Active actively contributes to HHC’s ethos of conscious collaboration and positive social change.“Music is The Mixer”: Celebrating Hip-Hop Culture and UnityEmcee Radio Active is the driving force behind “Music is The Mixer,” an event that celebrates 50 years of Hip-Hop culture. It’s more than an event; it’s a gathering that promotes diversity, inclusivity, and a passion for creativity. This family-friendly occasion brings together a spectrum of creative souls, from singers and emcees to beatboxers, comedians, and producers. The theme revolves around the power of connections, creating a vibrant atmosphere of networking and inspiration.A Legacy of InspirationIn essence, Emcee Radio Active, both in his music and artistry as Tsumnu, is a dynamic force in the world of creativity. He continually connects, inspires, and engages audiences while preserving the positive energy and essence of Hip Hop culture for generations to come.Emcee Radio Active’s story is one of innovation, authenticity, and a deep-rooted commitment to fostering a vibrant and positive community.Listen to Emcee Radio Active on SoundcloudFor More info visit his website Tsumnuartwork.com

Host Blake More interviews Sonoma County author and poet Steve Trenam. They discuss Trenam’s life as professor, his literary leadership and his latest book, as this fine poet weaves his quirky, intelligent poetry into the conversation. Trenam is able to transform empty and blank spaces into places of awe that entice the reader to leave “the dark corners of our rooms” to experience not only the world he creates through these poems, but also the ways in which art, music, dance, and poetry are rooted “at the heart of things.” The show originally aired on KZYX&Z 90.7FM Philo, 88.1FM Fort Bragg, and 91.5FM Willits, as well as streams on the web www.kzyx.org.

KZYX&Z’s Be More Now Features Mendocino Youth Poets reading their PoetryTune into KZYX&Z’s Be More Now program at 7pm on Thursday, June 1 when host Blake More celebrates the successful end of the 2022-23 school year with a show featuring the literary voices of K-12 students in Mendocino County. Voices you will hear include 3-8 students Manchester Elementary School, 3-8 students from Pacific Community Charter School, as well as some poems from the Mendocino County Youth Poet Laureate Sidney Regelbrugge. Tune in and hear the kids read their poems!

KZYX&Z’s Be More Now Features a conversation with Dot Brovarney, the author of Mendocino RefugeTune into KZYX&Z’s Be More Now show at 7pm on Thursday, May 4 when host Blake More will interview Mendocino County authors Dot Brovarney and Kate Dougherty. They will be discussing Brovarney’s new book, Mendocino Refuge: Lake Leonard & Reeves Canyon, which explores the Mendocino canyon that holds the County’s largest natural lake and a fascinating history, telling a multifaceted story of place through the interconnected lives of its plants, wildlife, and human inhabitants from geological time to the present.Historian Dot Brovarney, M.A., writes about the connections, past and present, between humans and the natural world. She published The Sweet Life: Cherry Stories from Butler Ranch, and co-authored the award-winning Remember Your Relations: The Elsie Allen Baskets, Family, and Friends, chronicling the lives and art of Native Pomo basketweavers. For thirty years, she made her home in Mendocino County’s oak woodlands before recently resettling “over the hill” on an ancient marine terrace in Fort Bragg. Find samples of her work at www.landcestry.com.Dot Brovarney’s new book, Mendocino Refuge: Lake Leonard & Reeves Canyon, explores the Mendocino canyon that holds the County’s largest natural lake and a fascinating history, including over 200 photographs and watercolor maps. For more about the book, visit www.mendocinorefuge.com. The show originally airs on KZYX&Z 90.7FM Philo, 88.1FM Fort Bragg, and 91.5FM Willits, as well as streams on the web www.kzyx.org.

Host Blake More interviews artist/printer Felicia Rice, poet Theresa Whitehill and poet Sidney Regelbrugge, the Mendocino County Youth Poet Laureate.Heavy Lifting, the outcome of a 3 1/2 year collaboration between artist/printer Felicia Rice of Moving Parts Press and poet Theresa Whitehill is part event, part film, part exhibition and part reading, and it is currently touring Mendocino County and beyond. Our discussion will center upon how this project presents an opportunity for dialogue and healing in an historic time of crisis and renewal. Heavy Lifting is a fierce work that names the darkness in the belief that the first stage of recovery from grief is acknowledgement, and that the precursor to action can be anger. It is a response to a call sounded by artist/educator Paul Soulellis in 2021: “Publishing has always been political, but has it ever felt as urgent as it does right now in the global distress and intersecting crises of the past year? There’s a desperate need for new language to express publishing’s renewed urgency and importance. …let’s turn away from old, legacy publishing models towards something new: an ethics, craft, and politics of urgent making.”The limited edition artists’ book, Heavy Lifting, is the outcome of a close collaboration between artist/printer Felicia Rice of Moving Parts Press and poet Theresa Whitehill. It began in 2019 with an exchange in which a poem sparked a drawing which sparked a poem which led to a book structure, then spiraled back round again. In 2020, during their early work on the project, Felicia lost her letterpress shop of over 40 years to a devastating megafire in the Santa Cruz Mountains just as the death of George Floyd trained a blazing light on the many deep-seated inequities in this country amid the global pandemic and threat of political totalitarianism. Heavy Lifting took flight in spite of and because of our personal and collective crises of this terrible time and tackles these issues in book form, performance, and dialogue in search of a tenable future. The innovative book structure of nested accordion-fold panels features stunning poems by Theresa Whitehill in compelling conversation with prints by Felicia Rice. Inge Bruggeman writes in the preface to The Heavy Lifting Companion, “Felicia Rice has … an unsurpassed commitment to the book as a unique space for expressing artistic content…. Heavy Lifting not only demonstrates Rice’s innovative use of the artists’ book format, it reveals the unique power of this art form to unfurl within the hands of the individual, thus beautifully connecting the individual’s role to art, poetry, and the world around them.”Heavy Lifting acknowledges the almost unbearable pace of relentless crises that have unfolded in recent years—covid, climate change, racial injustice, the threat of totalitarianism, immigration crises—and begins to dwell in what might lie beyond these times. Theresa Whitehill’s poems tread a tenuous path at the boundaries between personal and collective reckonings with work that portrays alternating grief, tenderness, defiance, and outrage. For more informtation on Heavy Lifting, visit: https://movingpartspress.com/publications/heavy-lifting/**************************This show originally aired at 7pm Thursday April 6, 2023 on KZYX&Z 90.7FM Philo, 88.1FM Fort Bragg, and 91.5FM Willits, as well as streams on the web www.kzyx.org.