Music

Video Archive: Tim Kaiser on PBS’ “Make”

It was ten years ago — January 2009 — when Duluth musician Tim Kaiser was featured on the public television program Make.

2018: The Year in Duluth Gig Posters

Here it is, the annual gallery o’ rock posters. As usual, by no means is this a comprehensive collection, nor is it a carefully curated archive of the best. It’s just a bunch of random 2018 concert posters. (more…)

Interim host keeps the Current’s Duluth music show rolling

Andrea Swensson is serving as guest host of The Duluth Local Show on the Current. (Photo by Leslie Plesser)

The Duluth Local Show, a weekly one-hour radio program featuring music by Duluth-area musicians, will close out 2018 in a transition phase. Mike Novitzki, who had hosted the show since May 2016, announced his resignation in October and his farewell episode aired Dec. 2.

Andrea Swensson, a Moose Lake native who has been an on-air personality and writer at St. Paul-based Minnesota Public Radio’s the Current since 2005, has served as guest host of The Duluth Local Show since Novitzki’s departure. She is also the regular host of an all-Minnesota music show with a similar title, The Local Show. (more…)

Onyx Ashanti and Robot Rickshaw on Bloodfeast

The Cartoon Network’s “Adult Swim” online programming includes a show called Bloodfeast, in which the New York Times crossword puzzle is solved while hosts Dave Bonowits and Max Simonet banter and strange musicians go about their business. Duluth’s Robot Rickshaw appeared on the Dec. 18 episode with frequent collaborator Onyx Ashanti. (more…)

Ingeborg von Agassiz – “Shoemaker Sally”

A song about painting over from Duluth’s Ingeborg von Agassiz.

Will Branch – “Duluth”

Milwaukee-based American roots musician Will Branch released a song called “Duluth” on his 2004 album Press On.

And the harsh wind is blowing up steep streets of old Duluth
Around the house you were born in, middle of World War II

Selective Focus: #duluthmusic

A quick visual journey through recent #duluthmusic


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Ingeborg von Agassiz – “The Holly & the Ivy”

A short little Christmas tune from Duluth’s Ingeborg von Agassiz.

The Feelin’ – “Bob Dylan Loves Duluth”

Before Nicholas David was a finalist on NBC’s The Voice, he was known as Nick “The Feelin'” Mrozinski, a singer-songwriter based in St. Paul whose band frequently backed up Duluth music-scene staple Teague Alexy.

The song “Bob Dylan Loves Duluth” first appeared on the Feelin’ Band’s 2008 album The Sacred Play of Life and was released again the same year on Mrozinski’s solo piano album, Oak Chase Way. The version above is from the 2010 compilation album Midwest Jam Season 1, on which Mrozinski is credited simply as the Feelin’.

Superior Siren – “For Mother”

New video by Superior Siren, created in memory of Linda Ross Sellner, 1954-2018. (more…)

Emily Haavik & the 35s: “Ease Back”

Brand new video from the album being released tonight at Blacklist with Jerree Small.

Shot and edited by Michelle Truax.

Ingeborg von Agassiz – “Poem for a Pigeon”

Yet another spontaneous little ditty from Duluth’s Ingeborg von Agassiz.

Rachael Kilgour – “Holy Are We”

The first single from Duluth native Rachael Kilgour‘s upcoming EP, Game Changer made Rolling Stone’s list of “10 Best Country and Americana Songs of the Week.”

The video is by Sara Pajunen. The album is scheduled for release Feb. 1 on NewSong Recordings.

Cloud Cult in Concert & Conversation at the Greene Space

Cloud Cult, a band formed by Craig Minowa in Duluth, performed at the Greene Space in New York on Nov. 1 in an event streamed online and available in the video above. Dawn Gross, host of the radio series Dying to Talk interviews Minowa between songs on the topics of love, loss and more.

Jonathan Richman – “They’re Not Tryin’ on the Dance Floor”

Jonathan Richman, founder of famed proto-punk band the Modern Lovers, dropped a Duluth reference on his third solo album, 1991’s Having a Party with Jonathan Richman. (more…)

Ingeborg von Agassiz: Waiting to Get Old

We’ve shared plenty of Ingeborg von Agassiz videos recently, and with all the videos she has been posting, it would be easy to turn this into Ingeborg TV. But dang, this is a gorgeous song.

Mary Bue’s “The World is Your Lover” Kickstarter

Minneapolis-based musician and occaissional Duluthian Mary Bue is poised to record songs for her eighth album, The World is Your Lover — “a collection of songs about the world, players and cheaters, snow falling on sage, the River Styx, gemini eyes, and tomatoes.”

Up first, a Kickstarter campaign.

“Cincinnati Dancing Pig”

The song “Cincinnati Dancing Pig” was released by everybody and their brother in 1950, and in this post several versions are gathered. The words were written by Al Lewis and the music by Guy Wood. The internet purports the first recording was by Dick Jurgens and His Orchestra in May 1950, but the first release was by Red Foley in August 1950.

The Duluth-related lyric:

From Duluth to Birmingham
He’s the pork chop Dapper Dan,
He’s the keenest ham what am,
Cincinnati dancing pig

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Ingeborg von Agassiz – “I’ll Do it When I Feel Like It”

An ode to procrastination by Duluth’s Ingeborg von Agassiz.

Ingeborg von Agassiz – “November”

Another spontaneous little ditty from Duluth’s Ingeborg von Agassiz.

Low – “Always Trying to Work it Out”

Low teams up with director Phil Harder again for this video from the new album “Double Negative.
The video was shot at the Hillside Whole Foods Co-op.
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Ingeborg von Agassiz – “O Giver of Dreams”

The video for the title track of Duluth musician Ingeborg von Agassiz‘ debut album features footage from the 1933 animated film The Mascot by Ladislas Starevich.

Josh Musikantow – “Duluth 99”

Chicago-born composer Joshua Musikantow references Duluth on three tracks of his 2006 new-classical album Etched in Twilight and Other Works. Above is “Duluth 99: In the Garden with Mary.” Below are “Duluth 99: Rope” and “Duluth 99: Haiku.”

Musikantow notes “Duluth 99” is “a duet for flute and percussion consisting of three movements, each inspired by a different personal experience in Duluth.” (more…)

Jerree Small and Marc Gartman sing the Beatles’ “Don’t Let Me Down” at Sir Ben’s

Forgive the bar noise. Summer 2018

Jim Snidero – “Duluth at Noon”

Saxophone virtuoso Jim Snidero for some reason titled an instrumental piece “Duluth at Noon.” Whether the tune sounds like a midday stroll on the Lakewalk is up for interpretation.

Perhaps coincidentally, the song is on Snidero’s 2015 album Main Street, which is the same title as Sinclair Lewis’ famous satiric novel from 1920. Lewis had visited Duluth while in the early stages of crafting Main Street, and moved to Duluth 23 years after it was published.