John Leopold - Executive Producer of "A Tribute to the King of Zydeco, Clifton Chenier"_2025-08-22_interviewed on KZSC's Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club by "Dangerous Dan" Orange & "DJ Spark Plug" (Dylan Estevez)
Release Date: 09/08/2025
Russ Ives - The Overextended_singer, songwriter, Americana_2025-06-20_interviewed on KZSC's Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club, KZSC Santa Cruz
KZSC Santa Cruz
"The Overextended" is a band that, with longtime collaborator (and keyboardist extraordinaire) Ben Jacobs' encouragement, was born before COVID, with songs released in the lead up to the 2020 election; Russ' day job is in musical production as part of the Bay Area union; upcoming festival gigs, including Rogue River 'Fest; "We're Alright" was written in 2018 in the lead up to the 2020 election to both highlight political things going on and to inspire hope (and action) - it's relevant again today! deep dive into tropical diseases and malaria, which Russ got not once, not twice, but three...
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Musician_Jackson Emmer, singer-songwriter_2025-06-27_interviewed on KZSC' Bushwhacker's "Dangerous Dan" Orange
KZSC Santa Cruz
woke up in Denver, and headed to Estes Park; new CD is all about family, including Jackson's 4-year-old daughter, and parenting, and Jackson has nicknamed it the "Tired Dad Album"; Jackson's been a touring musican for years, and that life has shifts & stresses; "Home Improvement" is about fixing up the house - a DIY lament; Jackson uploads songs through Distro Kid, and Spinitron picks it up, also a new service called the "Mechanical Licensing Collective"; The Money Question: are you able to make a living playing music, and if so, how? A: It's highly variable...royalties are not good...but...
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Gail Pellerin_CA_Assemblymember_2025-11-21_on KZSC's Bushwhackers Breakfast Club "Dangerous Dan" Orange & "DJ Spark Plug" (Dylan Estevez)
KZSC Santa Cruz
The day is off to a busy start, with Darwin (her dog) off to Doggy Day Camp, & a pot of pea soup on the stove! Deep dive into Prop. 50 re-districting initiative passed, and Texas' re-districting struck down for "racial gerrymandering" by the District Court - language in Prop. 50 that it would kick in only if Texas re-districted was removed from the initiative...3 or 4 days before the legislature voted on it! Prop. 50 includes a sunset (2032) - Assemblymember Pellerin says that what we need is a nationwide system of independent re-districting committees; 2025 election hindsight? It's...
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Richard Stockton_Stand-up Comedian_2025-09-12_on KZSC's Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club "DJ Spark Plug" (Dylan Estevez)
KZSC Santa Cruz
Phone interview with Comdedian/Writer Richard Stockton reguarding his upcoming preformances and life as a comdian. Includes his suggestions for the "Mount Rushmore of Comedians" :) An interview on "The Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club" with "DJ Spark Plug", airing Friday mornings on KZSC Santa Cruz, California.
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Don Porcella_artist (pipe cleaners!), musician (Face Urchins)_2025-10-31_interview on KZSC's Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club "Dangerous Dan" Orange, "DJ Wrangle" (Chris Jong) & "DJ Spark Plug" (Dylan Estevez)
KZSC Santa Cruz
Don relocated to Santa Cruz in January; as an artist, made some hand-sized art in grad school with pipe cleaners, and his professor urged him to try something larger; that was 2006, & now this is his signature medium; Don's art is in a gallery in downtown Santa Cruz, as well as other galleries around the country (e.g.: Tuscon); moved to New York City after grad school because, "if you want to be in the movies, you move to LA, but if you want to be an artist, you have to go to a city that's big & that supports artists!"; the Money Question? Are you able to make a living as an artist,...
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Kristin Paley - Horse Sense Education & Advocacy, also Jacks & Dogs Rockin' Americana_2025-11-07_on KZSC's Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club_Wine & Whinnies event_interviewed on KZSC's Bushwhacker's by "Dangerous Dan" Orange & "DJ Spark Plug" (Dylan Estevez)
KZSC Santa Cruz
Kristin Paley is the Executive Director of Horse Sense Education & Advocacy, a relatively new (3 years) local non-profit that runs a range of programs that heal horses & help humans; they are having a Wine & Whinnies weekend to support the adoption of MyDunn, a horse that has been in the Hearts & Hooves program; they also have a Children's Reading Program (Horse Tales) the 1st Saturday of every month February to November, & a Diamond Program for building confidence; What posessed her to start a non-profit? So thankful you asked! Horses are non-judgemental, & stick with...
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Ian George_singer, songwriter_2025-09-19_interview on KZSC's Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club KZSC Santa Cruz - Ian George (singer/songwriter) interviewed by "DJ Spark Plug
KZSC Santa Cruz
Pre-recorded interview with Singer/Songwriter Ian George. This interview covers their currenrt tour, making a living as a muscian, and creative processes.
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Susie O'Hara_Santa Cruz City Councilmember_2025-10-31_interview on KZSC's Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club
KZSC Santa Cruz
Elected in March, 2024, installed in December, 2024 - City Council Member for District 5, which includes most of U.C. Santa Cruz; background is Civil Engineering - Water Resources - on Water Supply Advisory Committee, and Public Safety Task Force; if you divide the salary ($20k) by the # of hours per week put in to the job, do you make at least the Santa Cruz County Minimum Wage ($16.50/hour)? "Not a chance!!"; review of Councilmember O'Hara's week, from Housing Matters (elimination of day services) to Public Safety to Radius Gallery to FLOC cameras! She arrived in Santa Cruz in 2006 (her...
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The Fintztones_singer-songwriters, musicians_2025-10-24_on KZSC's Bushwhackers Breakfast Club "The Fintztones" - Golden Voice Gene, Alia & Wade-O interviewed by Dangerous Dan" Orange & "DJ Spark Plug" (Dylan Estevez)
KZSC Santa Cruz
Golden Voice Gene started out with solo shows...later, Alia joined in harmonies, then bass & sax, and Wade showed up with electric guitar and also vocals; "The Fintztones" formed in 2010; Golden Voice Gene put out a CD, and later the "Fintztones" put one out, "Make It Right"; The Money Question? Golden Voice Gene: "day job" with the DMV (which meant all of his friends could end up wtih a drivers license photo they didn't cringe at everytime they saw it) gave him the means to pursue music on his time; Alia has a remote day job that is totally supportive, and she has several musical outlets...
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Karen with a K_A Musical Temper Tantrum_2025-09-12_Live! on KZSC's Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club Karen with a K ensemble, interviewed by "DJ Spark Plug" (Dylan Estevez)
KZSC Santa Cruz
Live in the Studio interview with members of Karen with a K. The interview covered thier beginnings as band, how they write their music, and some live performances! Laura February Strange, who lives in Corralitos (South Santa Cruz County), wrote the "Musical Temper Tantrum" exploring, & poking fun at, the "Karen"-meme. As they describe themselves, it's a "A garage-rock musical, social satire. Titular character Karen (with a K) is a woman stumbling through a very bad day. Wearing her self-serving flaws like a gaudy, costume tiara, her current ordeals are conceived in a dozen or so songs...
info_outlineThis year celebrates 100 years of Clifton Chenier, "The King of Zydeco"! Clifton Chenier's start in the 1950s as part of Rhythm & Blues Road Shows, with early albums on Elko, Celebrity & Chess Records; in the 1960s, with no recording congract, Clifton was playing dive bars; Chris Stracgwutz (of Arhoolie Records) was in Houston with LIghtning Hopkins when Lightning said, "Let's go see my cousin", and took Chris to a seriously dive bar where Clifton was playing as a duo, and Chris was struck by his blues; they agreed that night to record, with a single the next day (?) and an album the following week (?) at God Star Studios; Arhoolie relieased 13 albums of Clifton; in 2022 John realized that, had he lived, Clifton's 100th birthday was approaching; a zydeco DJ at KRVS suggested a tribute album, and John Leopold (former Santa Cruz County Supervisor & Former Managing Director, Arhoolie Foundation) reached out to Folkways, and Arhoolie, but no one bit; at a New Year's Eve (2022-2023) show in Santa Cruz, John was talking about the project backstage wtih Los Lobos, and Steve Berlin, the sax and keyboard player in the band, said "We love Clifton! We're IN!!!"; John reached out to Joel ('Joe-El") Savoy at Valcour Recrods and the project was on! John is Executive Producer, lining up money and helping pick tunes; Clifton invented the modern washboard (over-the-shoulders single piece of metal) instrument after drawing it in the sand for a machnest - Clifton's brother, Cleveland, would play it with church key bottle openers; Valcour has released a record on vinyl & CD, wtth all proceeds going to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette's Roots Music program, specifically Zydeco accordion.
An interview on "The Bushwhacker's Breakfast Club" with "Dangerous Dan" & "DJ Spark Plug", airing Friday mornings on KZSC Santa Cruz, California.