Caution: CHIRP Radio DJ in training

I'm a disc jockey in training at CHIRP Radio, an independent music station streaming at chirpradio.org and broadcasting on Chicago's North Side at 107.1 FM. So music is taking up more space in my brain.

On Your Sunday Sonic Sundowner Aug. 11 and 18, I am grasshopper to Craig Reptile's kung fu master. Time is carving me, and I must shape my playlists according to my true nature. What would you select in my place? Something familiar? Something unusual? Or is it the balance you seek, the tai chi? Choose wisely, dear listener, and request a song, via voice or text, at 773-DJ-SONGS, or e-mail dj@chirpradio.org.

While taking in Breezy Rodio's solo blues set (and a Mango Dreamcoat draught) Aug. 11 at the Rockwell Blues & Jazz Street Stroll, I was working on playlists to deploy across the street at the CHIRP studio, a walk-up in a former custom photo-album bindery.

At the Rockwell street fest I stumbled on Delmark's recordings of the Fat Babies, a 1920s swing ensemble led by Andy Schumm, seen here on cornet taking the Bix Beiderbecke vehicle "San" out for a spin. Schumm's Cellar Boys band plays Sundays at the Tonk in Pilsen and Tuesdays at the Green Mill in Uptown. At a block party, a neighbor couple, much younger than your DJ grasshopper, told me they visit the Green Mill Tuesday nights to dance, which is the thing behind that swing. The Chicago Cellar Boys have a record on the traditional jazz label Rivermont, "Busy 'Til Eleven."

CHIRP is a volunteer-run station that regularly brings on music-curious listeners as DJs. Forgive the trainees if the audio stream has occasional miscues or tardy song-title posts; there's a lot to do, and we're doing it live. For those who would like to learn what's involved in DJ work, fill out the new volunteer form at volunteers.chirpradio.org

Here I'll post the set list for my training run, a mix of new releases and a few odd covers, including the Blasters' 1981 take on Little Willie John's "I'm Shakin'". The Slash Records album cover suggests vocalist Phil Alvin's contortions at the mic. In this training, I hope I can tap some well of inner peace.

8-11-2024 Set List

• Elvis Costello and The Roots, Walk Us Uptown, Wise Up Ghost (Blue Note)
• Why?, Brand New, The Well I Fell Into (Waterlines)
• Willie Dixon, Pain in My Heart, Willie Dixon: The Chess Box (MCA / Chess)
• The Drin, Lease on Life, Elude the Torch (Feel It)
• Parannoul, Ï£ºÎßàÎì± (A Lot Can Happen), Sky Hundred (Self-Released)
• Keefe Jackson & Jason Adasiewicz, "Putting it On, Taking it Off," Rows and Rows (Delmark)
• The Drin, Lease on Life, Elude the Torch (Feel It)
• Nathan Bowles Trio, Are Possible, Are Possible (Drag City)
• Lucy Dacus, Addictions, Historian (Matador)
• XTC, Radios In Motion, White Music (Virgin)
• Snowcuffs. Ivy, single (self-released)
• James Brown, Think, Star Time (Polydor)

8-18-2024 Set List

• Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings,"100 Days, 100 Nights, 100 Days, 100 Nights (Daptone)
• Sam Cooke, Meet Me At Mary's Place, The Man and His Music (RCA)
• The Pretenders, Back On The Chain Gang, Learning To Crawl (Sire)
• Lava La Rue, Poison Cookie, STARFACE (Dirty Hit)
• 100 gecs, Doritos & Fritos, 10,000 gecs (Dog Show/Atlantic)
• The Gaslight Anthem, Ain't That a Shame, Get Hurt (Island)
• Cassandra Jenkins, Aurora, IL, My Light, My Destroyer (Dead Oceans)
• Sakkaris, A Real Thing, Quiet Light (Birthdiy)
• Wilco, Art of Almost, The Whole Love (dBpm)
• David Bowie, Jump They Say, Black Tie White Noise (Savage)
• The Monkees, The Girl I Knew Somewhere, Then and Now (Arista)
• The Jam, David Watts, All Mod Cons (Polydor)
• Parlor Greens, Irish Goodbye, In Green We Dream (Colemine)
• Oneida, Reason to Hide, Expensive Air (Joyful Noise)
• This House is Creaking, If You Want Me to Be, This House is Creaking (THiC)
• The Blasters, I'm Shakin', The Blasters (Slash)
• Nigel Mack, Strut Your Stuff, Devil's Secrets (Blues Attack)
• Elvin Bishop, Struttin' My Stuff, Struttin' My Stuff (Polydor)
• Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday (Sub Pop)
• Osees, Also the Gorilla ..., SORCS 80 (Castle Face)
• Rufus Wainwright, Poses, Poses (Dreamworks)
• John Hiatt, You May Already Be a Winner, Riding With the King (Geffen)
• badsoma, burn out, kicking and screaming (Dead Comet)
• Crack Cloud, The Medium, Red Mile (Jagjaguwar)
• The Fat Babies, San, Chicago Hot (Delmark)
• Flamingos In The Tree, Make U Smile, as it falls into place (Self-Released)
• The Kentucky Headhunters, Skip a Rope, Pickin' on Nashville (Mercury)
• Pharez Whitted, Watusi Boogaloo, For the People (Origin)
• Randy & the Rainbows, Denise, Doo Wop Heaven (The Right Stuff)