Monthly Archives: November 2008

Review: Nova "Hunting the Hidden Dimension"

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Program: Nova “Hunting the Hidden Dimension”
Watch online at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fractals/program.html

Let me start off my first KLRU blog post by saying that as far as I know, I am officially KRLU’s first blogger under the age of 20.  As a college student at the University of Texas at Austin, I rarely have time to watch television.  (Though, I ALWAYS make time for an away Longhorn football game).  When at KLRU, I tag a significant amount of promos and often times see interesting segments that I would love to watch but never get the chance.  When I was asked to watch KLRU for work, I was frustrated because I didn’t think I would have time in my busy schedule.  I was then reminded that KLRU has many of their shows online and I can watch at my convenience.  You got to love the shift in KLRU to allow for the new emerging standard of time shifting via webcast!

Nova: Hunting the Hidden Dimension tells the story of the development of Fractals and their application into new fields of science.  For those of you who do not know what a Fractal is, it is a repetitive geometric pattern discovered by Benoit Mandelbrot in the 1950’s when he helped IBM solve the problem of transporting computer information via telephone lines (the early internet).  more →

KLRU, Austin Lyric Opera collaborate for In Context special

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KLRU is partnering with the Austin Lyric Opera for a special presentation of Rossini’s Cinderella to be taped for KLRU’s In Context program.

“We’re thrilled to have this partnership with KLRU,” said ALO General Director Kevin Patterson. “Opera is such a rich spectacle and to have it captured by someone as talented as Dutch Rall will make it a visual feast for an audience who may have never experienced the art form.”

Gioachino Rossini’s Cinderella will be presented at The Long Center for the Performing Arts November 8, 12, 14 & 16, 2008. KLRU will tape the November 12th performance of the production. The show will air on In Context on PBS in early 2009. Tickets are currently on sale for Cinderella starting at $20 and can be purchased by calling (512) 472-5992 or online at www.AustinLyricOpera.org

In Context recently won two Lone Star Emmy Awards. The show is produced by Dutch Rall, 3-time Emmy-winning producer, director, cinematographer and editor for America’s Public Broadcasting System (PBS). He has traveled the world as a soundman for bands and musicals, lectured for the National Press Photographers Association and was the winner of the World’s Smallest Film Festival, the very first competition for video on mobile devices. His commercial work includes shooting for AT&T’s Olympic campaign. Dutch is also working as the director of photography for a documentary about architect Samuel Mockbee and the Rural Studio and producing performance films for various dance companies He was awarded the 2008 Austin Critics Table Award for best video design. His first independent feature film, The Incurable, is in the final stages of post production.

“Being allowed the opportunity to showcase the amazing work of ALO is an immense honor for us,” said Dutch Rall. “A collaborative and continuing effort between KLRU and ALO is something that I hope will benefit and enrich the entire community. Full-length, HD, locally-produced operas will be something Austin can be proud of.”

Review: Austin City Limits "Sharon Jones/Carolyn Wonderland"

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Program: Austin City Limits
Date: Saturday, Nov. 8
Time: 7 p.m.
Also Airs: Wednesday, Nov. 12, at 10 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 14, at 11 p.m.
Preview the show: AustinCityLimits.org

With all due respect to contemporary R&B, there’s a hunger for the old-fashioned, sweat-drenched, digitally unenchanced soul sounds of the 60s and 70s. Enter Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, the New York-based collective at the forefront of the soul revivalist movement. Influenced by Ike & Tina Turner, Otis Redding and especially James Brown, Jones spent years in the Big Apple doing session work and the occasional single, supporting herself by working as a corrections officer and armored car guard. By 2000, she hooked up with Daptone Records and its house band the Dap-Kings, a group made up of veterans of NYC soul/funk outfits Antibalas, the Soul Providers and the Mighty Imperials. She and the band have since released three albums and done numerous tours to great acclaim. In addition to their own work, the Dap-Kings provided much of the backup for Amy Winehouse on her album Back in Black, while Jones appeared in Denzil Washington’s film The Great Debaters. However, it’s tunes like “100 Days, 100 Nights?” and “How Do I Let a Good Man Down?” that best tell the band’s story. more →

KLRU set to re-air Frontline's "The Choice"

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I have worked for KLRU for nearly two years and certain things remind me why I love being a part of the station. The most recent is the KLRU programming department deciding to re-air Frontline’s recent episode “The Choice” the night before the election. The episode takes a closer look at the unique stories of Barack Obama’s and John McCain’s histories and eventual roads (although one road will be stopped short) to the white house in the most comprehensive and unbiased presentation of the subject I’ve seen.

With an even handed approach, Frontline re-introduced me to two men I thought I knew very well, since they’ve spent the last year or so in the national spot light. I’ve heard the “personal story” segments of each candidate’s stump speeches, but this program digs deeper – something that co-writer, co-producer, and UT professor, Paul Stekler has shown a talent for in his many projects dealing with Texas politics. Now on a national level, he has worked with a team to bring to light many details the candidates choose to leave out of the speeches, and most of the media chooses not to cover.
more →