Producer/Musician extraordinaire Mark Ronson stopped by KCRW’s studios today to talk about one of his newest creations, the track “A La Modeliste”. It’s a collaboration with Erykah Badu, Trombone Shorty, Mos Def, Zigaboo Modeliste, and Members of The Dap Kings.
It was part of “RE:GENERATION”,  a documentary film that follows Ronson, DJ Premier, Pretty Lights, The Crystal Method, and Skrillex as they remix, recreate and re-imagine five traditional styles of music.
Ronson was given the genre of jazz and says he aimed for the “pure second line” jazz piece and wanted …

About a year and a half ago Jason Bentley and I snuck into a show together. It wasn’t a big rock show. Or even a big pop show. It was Jóhann Jóhannsson at the Silent Movie Theater on Fairfax Blvd in LA.
Jason started off today’s live session by telling the Icelandic composer about sneaking in. He said the event, in a small, standing room only theater, felt like “what life would have been like during war time”, where people had to gather in secret spots to enjoy the arts together.
Jóhann …

Upcoming Live Performances on MORNING BECOMES ECLECTIC with host JASON BENTLEY
Monday, February 6, Grammy Award-winning singer Shelby Lynne performed a solo acoustic set in the intimate setting of Apogee’s Berkeley St. Studios in front of a live audience early this yera. We’ll air this special concert – and her revealing interview with host Anne Litt — on Morning Becomes Eclectic in the 11 o’clock hour.
Tuesday, February 7, Icelandic pianist Jóhann Jóhannsson composes a range of elegant music from minimalist to baroque with cinematic overtones. We’re excited to broadcast a live …

Upcoming Live Performances on MORNING BECOMES ECLECTIC with host JASON BENTLEY
Monday, February 6, Grammy Award-winning singer Shelby Lynne performed a solo acoustic set in the intimate setting of Apogee’s Berkeley St. Studios in front of a live audience early this yera. We’ll air this special concert – and her revealing interview with host Anne Litt — on Morning Becomes Eclectic in the 11 o’clock hour.
Tuesday, February 7, Icelandic pianist Jóhann Jóhannsson composes a range of elegant music from minimalist to baroque with cinematic overtones. We’re excited to broadcast a live …

Irish singer Lisa Hannigan caught our ears as the female counterpoint to Damien Rice on his debut album “O” and has had success as a solo singer since then. She last joined us in 2009 and returned today with a set of songs seeped in nostalgia from her sophomore album “Passenger”.
All of the songs were written while she was on the road and were inspired by her considering the things and thoughts you take with you when you travel. Jason Bentley’s favorite is the solemnly beautiful “Little Bird”. (See it …

Upcoming Live Performances on MORNING BECOMES ECLECTIC with host JASON BENTLEY
Monday, January 23, Irish singer Lisa Hannigan made a name for herself singing with Damien Rice and she returns to our studios with her second solo album under her belt. It’s beautiful work and we’ll hear it on Morning Becomes Eclectic at 11:15am.
Tuesday, January 24, The Alabama Shakes are one of the most buzzed about bands in indie music right now and for good reason – they blend Southern soul, blues, gospel and rock with unmistakable vocals from Brittany Howard. …

Mark de Clive Lowe is regarded as a contemporary jazz man, who dips his toes in an array of other musical styles including funk, Latin, soul and more. Given the chance, I had to ask him about a jazz recording that changed his life and he instantly answered “Ahmad Jamal – The Awakening”. His older brother gave it to him when he was 11 or 12 and it’s still one of his favorite jazz trio recordings. He also noted that it’s been sampled many times by Nas and other hip …

Upcoming Live Performances on MORNING BECOMES ECLECTIC with host JASON BENTLEY
Tuesday, January 17, New Zealand native Mark de Clive-Lowe now calls LA home and will share his signature beat-driven, neo-soul sound with us on Morning Becomes Eclectic at 11:15am.
Monday, January 23, Irish singer Lisa Hannigan made a name for herself singing with Damien Rice and she returns to our studios with her second solo album under her belt. It’s beautiful work and we’ll hear it on Morning Becomes Eclectic at 11:15am.
Tuesday, January 24, The Alabama Shakes are one of the …

Two words: Dance Party!
Penguin Prison plays 80’s style elctro-pop that would be considered a guilty pleasure if it wasn’t so damn good! Singer Chris Glover nailed his falsetto vocals even at 11am, complete with Michael Jackson-style yelps and wails (and, thankfully, without the groin thrusts).
They kicked off the set with “Golden Train”, the first song he wrote as Penguin Prison, with a friend from another NYC-based band, Holy Ghost, followed by a radio-friendly version of a song that became an anthem of sorts for the Occupy movement: “Don’t F*ck With …

Shelby Lynne first took the stage (on top of table – placed there by her daddy) at just 3 1/2 years old at a Shakey’s Pizza Parlor in Alabama. She hasn’t left it since. Shelby didn’t even need a soundcheck last night.  She took the stage, grabbed her acoustic guitar and told the crowd that she was nervous…waited a few beats for comic timing and said “I haven’t sung since yesterday,” to which the audience at Apogee’s Berkeley Street Studios laughed and were eating out of her hands for the …