This episode is a special one-year anniversary of the first Earth Eclectic Radio Hour broadcast. Join Bart and Laura on a collaborative effort to bring you music that continues to celebrate Gaia and speak to the heart. We hope that this show will bring you hope, renewal, and community.
Category: Episodes
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0051: Folk Fest
Exploring folk music’s central role in ecological awareness, a tapestry of contemporary and traditional songs that honor our connection to the living world — from Nessy Williamson’s blackthorn-inspired reflections on habitat loss to Heather Pierson’s sing-alongs that would make Pete Seeger proud. The first half features spring-themed British and American folk traditions, including Kate Daisy Grant & Nick Pynn’s “Fearn (Alder Song)” from their tree calendar project. After the break, the definition of “folk” expands globally through Yaima’s folktronica, Iris da Selva’s Portuguese celebration of Mother Nature, and El Compost del Sistema’s playful Argentine reminder that humans are “just one more animal.” The hour concludes with powerful advocacy pieces like Twilight Fields’ “The Animal’s Song” and Dakota Sid Clifford’s “Freedom, No Cash Value,” demonstrating folk music’s enduring role as a vessel for environmental values across cultures and generations.
PS: The storm sounds in the background were very real!
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0049: Field Infusions
“Field Infusions” explores the fertile intersection where composed music meets environmental sound. From Synne Sofie’s Brazilian valley recordings to Cassie Watson Francillon’s harp-centered outdoor installation in New Orleans, these artists don’t merely sample nature—they collaborate with it. Journey through the woods and streets surrounding Dalton Alexander’s childhood home. Pray for Earth with Ernesto Escaf. Explore tree biology with Sunken Lanes. After a brief sample of AC Lavender’s violin-water dialogue, the program concludes with Buruntuma’s homage to the endangered Timneh Parrot, and Dead Can Dance’s rarity “Bird.” Each piece demonstrates how field recordings transcend mere background texture to become essential voices in musical conversation, creating works that don’t just represent nature, but embody our relationship with it.
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0048: Songs of Spiders, Mosquitoes, Snakes & Other Less-Appreciated Creatures
This week, we celebrate the overlooked and often maligned members of Earth’s grand menagerie. This episode is dedicated to the lesser-loved creatures in Gaia’s care – those that crawl, slither, buzz, and lurk in the shadows of our affection. From Stephanie Barber’s jungle serpents to technical insights about bat detection, we journey through hornets in attics, rolling alligators, and possums in grottoes. The second half dives deeper with bloodsucking f(r)iends, sharks, space slugs, and the rising rebellion of worms, concluding with nocturnal nutria in our home base of New Orleans. These musical tributes remind us that beauty, purpose, and even humor can be found in the creatures that make us shudder – each playing vital roles in nature’s intricate web, regardless of their standings in any popularity contest. Perhaps by listening, we might cultivate a newfound appreciation for these essential neighbors.
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0047: Climbing the World Tree
“Climbing the World Tree” takes listeners on a journey through this universal mythic symbol across musical cultures. From Kate Daisy Grant’s contemporary British folk tribute to the ash tree, through Latvian, Magyar, and Norse interpretations, to Bartholomäus Traubeck’s experimental translation of tree rings into piano notes, we journey through diverse sonic landscapes. There’s even a brilliant slice of French pop courtesy of Frêne. The program culminates in Bronius Kutavičius’s powerful Lithuanian oratorio “The Tree of the World” – a piece that emerged during the Baltic “Singing Revolution” and speaks to both cosmic harmony and cultural resilience. The DJ apologizes for mangling the pronunciation of so many words!
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0045: Title Tracks
Earth Eclectic’s 45th voyage presents a gathering of title tracks — those sacred anchors where artists have concentrated their ecological messages with particular intensity. Join us as we explore how these namesake songs carry an extra measure of power and intention.
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0044: Songs of Connections & Valentines
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0043: Songs of Place