Folk

Earlier this week, we lost celebrated Americana musician Justin Townes Earle. In tribute, we'll be playing a a heap of bluegrass, alt-country, Americana and folk for tonight's program.

We'll be taking a trip down the Delta and back in time for tonight's program and, with apologies to Jon Alan, dig into some old school blues, gospel and Americana - with just a touch of folk. 

It would be impossible not to acknowledge the current state of the country in some way, so to channel that musically we'll be playing protest songs of all sort and genre to channel the mood of upheaval that the nation is feeling.

If you've ever seen "Walk Hard," a 2007 film which parody's the musician biopic genre, you might remember a scene where the movie's lead sings a ridiculously arcane tune which obviously imitates some of Bob Dylan's early style. The opening lyrics go "Mailboxes drip like lampposts in the twisted birth canal of the coliseum..."

Ridiculous, right? Well, how fun would it be to play an entire show chock full of tracks with weird, esoteric and downright incomprehensible lyrics? Let's find out.

For tonight's episode of Bridging The Gap, DJ Mermaid is sticking to what she knows best and curating the show with some of her favorite mele Hawaiʻi on vinyl. Mahalo iā KTUH FM Honolulu for lending out a few albums from their collection for this show.

16 years ago today, one of the most iconic figures in country music passed away. So tonight on Bridging the Gap we commemorate the legendary Johnny Cash with some of his best songs, as well as tons of country, folk and Americana to round out the night.

Sometimes the most powerful form of protest is music. In light of protests here in Hawaii, as well in places like Hong Kong, Puerto Rico and generally all over our tumultuous world, we'll be taking a look at protest in song - spanning genres, generations and social causes.

This week we're commemorating the 50th Aniversary of the Lunar Landing. More specifically, here on Bridging the Gap, we'll be playing nothing but moon-related songs and tracks. Believe it or not, plenty of artists have at least one moon-related song. 

To ring in this year's Fourth of July, Harrison Patino explores influential tracks of early folk, blues, bluegrass and gospel music that had a profound impact on the larger soundscapes of what can be called "American Music." Songs of labor, strife, belief and protest from turbulent times in the country's history on an atypically patriotic edition of Bridging the Gap.

DJ Mermaid comes back to us from a week in Aotearoa (New Zealand) full of mahalo for the tangata whenua (peope of the land) that hosted her so well. Tonight's episode of Bridging The Gap honors the people, places, and language of Aotearoa through the waiata (songs) that the whanau (family) shared with her, along with other music she heard during her time there.

For tonight's Bridging the Gap, Harrison Patino explores some of the most exciting new releases in indie, folk, world, punk and much more. All new music from across the musical spectrum.

This year the Territorial Airwaves program turns 40 years old. Hosted by Harry B. Soria Jr., Territorial Airwaves is the longest continuously running Hawaiian music radio show in Hawaiʻi, and the longest running Hawaiian radio show in the world. DJ Mermaid pays tribute to Harry B. and Territorial Airwaves tonight by digging through her personal archives of mele Hawaiʻi and pairing them with stories learned from listening to Territorial Airwaves.

For tonight's Bridging the Gap, DJ Harrison Patino fills in for DJ Mr. Nick - eschewing genre and categoritzation to jump from one end of the musical map to the other. Expect lots of indie, world, folk - and everything in between.

Stringing together a collection of politically/socially minded songs, mixed into some regular ones for tonight’s session of Bridging the Gap.  I’m also featuring music from a new Smithsonian Folkways compilation celebrating the music of Barbara Dane.