KFAI's MinneCulture Presents

A Ritual Soundscape   from Noise: A Human History of Sound and Listening Humans have learned to control sound for rituals with impressive monuments.  Prof. David Hendy   travels to the  Orkney Islands in Scotland to  hear the bizarre effect of beating a drum while standing in one of  Orkney’s Neolithic sites . The space feels like a theater stage, made for performance. When these literal sound effects were discovered -- they were exploited for use in magnificent rituals. T hese are the kind of places where our ancestors came to make a spectacular racket. But we'll also explore the places where they came in search of silence and sensory deprivation. The Rise of the Shamans   from Noise: A Human History of Sound and Listening Around the world charismatic individuals claim the ability to talk to spirits, heal illness and help crops grow. Proffessor Hendy will explain h ow sound - and its manipulation - is so central to the shaman's power. We...

What do musicians think about when they're composing? Or better yet: What do musicians think when they walk inside a Cabela's store and hear bird calls? That's the topic David Schulman explores in "Musicians In Their Own Words," a series of profiles on cellists, punkers, blues legends and all kinds of musicians. On this program, we go into the studios and homes of bluesman Corey Harris, drummer Cyro Baptista, Kathleen Harris of Bikini Kill and Le Tigre, and harmonica player Howard Levy. 

The Best of Times, the Worst of Times: War and Memory by Dheera Sujan  War brings horror , brutality, and  grief  - but inevitably there is also intense comradeship . Many veterans talk  about the wars they participated in even 50 years ago as the shaping event of their lives. Across the U.S. and all over Europe, memorials of war are everywhere . In this program, Professor Jay Winter from Yale University and 3 war veterans talk of how war has shaped individual and national identity and how different wars are remembered in the collective memory .

Third Party from The Truth In honor of the 35 mayoral candidates  on the ballot this year, we'll be airing an  audio drama  that rivals this  politically thrilling  election for danger and excitement ! Mike Coleman is an independent candidate running for Congress, and he's finally getting some attention. Unfortunately, it's from a serial killer . Now, he needs to decide if he'll leave the race or help the FBI catch the killer.  Stars Chet Seigel ,  Rick Andrews,  Nick Kanellis, and  Louis Kornfeld .  Written by Ed Herbstman .  Produced and directed by Jonathan Mitchell .