Of the West

Scott McMillion – program 38

admin — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:23:18 +0000

Scott McMillion is one of Montana’s premier journalists, and the author of the best-selling “Mark of the Grizzly”. Scott says he has a passion to learn all he can about Montana, and we’re lucky he chooses to share that with us in his clear, clean, prose. Listen in on Philip’s interview with Montana Quarterly’s Senior Editor, Scott McMillion, on Of the West, Monday April 30 at 6:30pm, on Yellowstone Public Radio. Streaming audio at ypradio.org. (note streaming is several minutes behind the live show, so hang in there)

Visit Scott’s site at: http://scottmcmillion.com/

Blues Odyssey – program 37

admin — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 05:58:20 +0000

Of the West with Philip Aaberg, “Blues Odyssey”, with Perry Welsh and Steve Ehrmann. Phil interviewed them at The Bin while mixing the Perry and The Pumpers CD “Movin’ at Midnight“.

Blues is a highly expressive form that will never die. Tune in for some of its great practitioners, and for tales for the phenomenal heyday of San Francisco’s North Beach. Watch shop.sweetgrassmusic.com for the August release of “Movin’ at Midnight”

Janine Benyus – program 36

admin — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:58:38 +0000

Listen to writer and biologist Janine Benyus for half an hour and you’ll feel better about the world. Great things often happen at the intersection of science and the arts. Janine’s book, Biomimicry, opened windows for amazing changes in the way we think about how we do things….lessons from the masters (species who have thrived on earth far longer than humans) are being increasingly used by the people who build our world. Go to AskNature.org and Biomimicry.net for astounding revelations.

Listen now:

Download: Janine Benyus

Charles Nichols – program 35

admin — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:18:43 +0000

Composer Charles Nichols is doing very interesting things around the world with computers and traditional instruments from his home in Missoula. The Montana Arts Council named him as one of the recipients of their 2011 Innovator Awards

Listen now:

Download: Charles Nichols

For more information on Charles:

http://www.charlesnichols.com/

Gene Sentz – program 34

admin — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:20:14 +0000

Gene Sentz co-founded Friends of the Rocky Mountain Front in 1977 and has been a tireless advocate of this land in the decades since.

A retired elementary teacher and outfitter, Gene is dedicated to keeping this land pristine for generations to come. He and Phil visited in Choteau, Montana.

Listen now:

Download: Gene Sentz

George Winston – program 33

admin — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:01:19 +0000

Pianist George Winston and Phil have been friends for many years. They finally got a chance to record one of their talks. George sat at a piano in a San Francisco recording studio while Phil sat nearby and got George to play a song he’d recently composed and will release to benefit the Occupy movement. The two pianists share much in common, including a Montana childhood.

Listen now:

Download: George Winston

www.dancingcat.com

www.georgewinston.com

Justin Lubke – program 32

admin — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:22:28 +0000

Justin Lubke is an innovative filmmaker, telling stories inspired by his travels around the world and his home state of Montana. His award winning films have covered subjects from indigenous tribes, the natural world and girls basketball in rural Montana. Listen in as Phil and Justin discuss the complexities of film making and basketball.

Listen now:

Download: Justin Lubke

www.classcmovie.com

Class C: The Only Game in Town DVD available at

Sweetgrass Music/Class C DVD

Welcome to Of the West

admin — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 19:55:43 +0000

Of the West is a monthly radio program hosted by composer/pianist Philip Aaberg, focusing on regionalism and creativity.

How do one’s surroundings affect the creative process and output? Certainly the high plains of Montana resonate through Philip’s compositions and musical approach. Do other artists realize place as an integral part of their work? How does the place of their childhood inform their work? The influence on art is not only geographic – events of the time are equally powerful. Listen in – perhaps you’ll hear a piece of music, read a poem, view a building or take in our beautiful landscape in a different way.

We hope you enjoy listening as much as we have enjoyed talking to these fascinating people and producing each program. We will feature someone new every month so be sure to check back often. Your comments and questions are appreciated, and don’t forget to let your local public radio stations know about our show.

Phil & Patty Aaberg

Learn more

Glenn Brackett – program 31

admin — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 20:28:47 +0000

Glenn Brackett of Butte Montana helped bring Winston Rods to the pinnacle of fly rod making, then started Sweetgrass Rods in Twin Bridges. Visitors from around the world arrive un-announced at his door, hands joined in prayerful respect, to speak with the Master Rod Builder. I spoke with Glenn in his workshop, and had to turn my back away from the beautiful bamboo rods waiting to be finished on the rack behind me in order to focus on his thoughtful answers. To introduce Glenn, I can do no better than this quote from the Sweetgrass Rods (www.sweetgrassrods.com) website:

“It is our intention to do our share to preserve the traditions of a unique American craft. In an age where time is money and more cheaply produced outsourced goods rule the corporate world, we believe there is still a place for quality craftsmanship done the old fashioned way. What we build will have a heart, soul, and spirit connected to our sense of history, community, and obligation to the resource that makes what we do possible. ”

Listen live Wednesday, July 27 at 7:30pm (MDT) on Yellowstone Public Radio – stream live at www.ypradio.org note: ypradio.org streaming might be running a bit behind the live broadcast, so if you tune in at 7:30 this evening and it isn’t on, wait a bit!

Al Wiseman – program 30

admin — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 19:13:24 +0000

Montanan Al Wiseman, 74, has lived for most of his life in Choteau on the eastern front of the Rocky Mountains. A Métis and a member of the Little Shell Band of Chippewas, Wiseman is the foremost local historian of the Old North Trail and archivist of Michif fiddle tunes.

Listen: Al Wiseman

Download: Al Wiseman

photo courtesy of Paul Raczka