KFAI's MinneCulture Presents

Ep. 12: Siama and Charanga   by MinneCulture How has immigration, migration, and connection to the rest of the world shaped the sights and sounds of Minnesota? Meet  Siama Matuzungidi , a Congolese soukous musician. He moved to Minnesota in the late 90s after having a prosperous career in Congo, Uganda, and Kenya. His life and music flow like his native Congo River, and today, the Mighty Mississippi. Doug Little and his band  Charanga Tropical  bring the traditional music of Cuba to Minnesota. Charanga orchestras are mainly popular in Florida, New York, and California -- but Minnesota is home to one of the only Charanga orchestras in country. Ep. 13: Breaking the Mold  by MinneCulture A hard-boiled lesbian detective breaks through the lavender ceiling, a Sudanese model refuses to conform her complexion to fit in, and an Ojibwe rapper wants to be the spark that ignites the fire in his people.  Nyakim Gatwech  is the "queen of dark," a Sudanese model and Instagram star in

WHER: 1000 Beautiful Watts  by the Kitchen Sisters The first all-girl radio station in the nation went on the air in Memphis on October 29, 1955. It was the brainchild of sound legend  Sam Phillips , who created the groundbreaking format with money he raised from selling Elvis Presley's Sun Studios contract. Women ran  WHER ; on the air they read the news, interviewed local celebrities, and spun popular records.  Behind the scenes  they sold and created commercials, produced and directed programming, and sat at the station's control boards. Tune-in and  celebrate  Women's History Month with us.

Davina and the Vagabonds  Live from Minnesota Singer Davina Sowers showcases her formidable growl and velvety purr to a delighted audience at Patrick's Cabaret in Minneapolis on May 10, 2014. Known on the national blues scene for their high-energy live shows,  Davina and the Vagabonds ' success comes from a combination of their snappy original songwriting, sharp-dressed professionalism, and Davina's commanding stage presence. These sassy vocals and tight horn arrangements were recorded by Tom Garneau for  KFAI's Minneculture . Patty and the Buttons  Live from Minnesota Formed  with a love and admiration  of hot rhythm and swing music  in 2008 by accordionist and vocalist Patrick "Patty" Harison . His love of music is equally p aired with a dedicated passion to bring  New Orleans Traditional Jazz to all.   The band's eclectic repertoire also includes Gypsy Melodies, Dust Bowl Ballads, Jug Favorites, and the 1930's Popular Songbook. Their blending of