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Story Subject Category: Music
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John O’Connor of Champaign served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. He was chosen as lead pilot with the first experimental flying unit aboard the B-24 Liberator. He flew 50 missions and also used his skills as a trumpeter and band director. Flying back from a mission, John and his crew would often pull out their instruments and play. O’Connor later became a member of the Medicare 7, 8 or 9 Jazz Band, performing around the country.
Segment duration: 04:46
Producer: Denise La Grassa
Chief Camera - Segment: Julius Bolton
This segment is filed in these categories: History • Music • World War II • Champaign
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By producer Alison Davis Wood
I first met Chad Dunn when I was producing a story on another band that he plays with called Desifinado. After talking to him, I quickly realized that Chad should be his own story for Prairie Fire. His talents include hand crafting instruments that are used by Sting and members of Paul Simon’s band, and he teaches Brazilian percussion to young and old. But Chad is also a lover of trash. He looks at old bottles and paint drums and hears music. What also is incredible is that he inspires others to do the same.
Chad’s musical mission of keeping things out of landfills led to him forming Recycled Rhythms. The band is unlike anything you’ve seen before. It is part musical group, part perfomance art, part environmental activism. But most of all the band is fun to watch. You can’t help but move to the beat and maybe even join the band on stage with a pair of “dancing hands” (empty boxes with scrap paper attached).
Chad’s vision for the future of the band is that Recycled Rhythms will do extensive workshops within communities across the country. The group would help organize a community “clean-up” with a local school. Then Chad would work with school children to turn the items collected into musical instruments. They would teach the kids how to play tradtional Brazilian rhythms on the new instruments. All the work would result in a performance between the school children and Recycled Rhythms after which the instruments would be donated to the school.
I hope this story inspires people check out a performance of Recycled Rhythms or possibly make their own instruments. Maybe you will think twice before you throw something away ... there could be music in that old cereal box or coffee can. You just have to let it out!
Segment duration: 09:19
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Producer: Alison Davis Wood
Chief Camera - Segment: Julius Bolton, Brian Paris, Virginia Steffen
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Music • Champaign
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Kilborn Alley plays a Chicago-style brand of blues in more than 150 gigs a year around central Illinois. In this segment, band members describe the emotional release of playing the blues. Members of the group say they may not look like a bunch of old blues musicians, but they have old souls.
Segment duration: 05:43
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Producer: Lillie Buck
Chief Camera - Segment: Julius Bolton
This segment is filed in these categories: Music • Champaign
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Tim Hartin said he wanted to do a story on Mark Rubel because he is a local icon. Tim said that he has never heard a bad word about this legendary record producer who has been such an influence on the local music scene. Not only had Rubel recorded many of the most famous musicians from C-U (Alison Krauss, Adrian Belew, Hum) but he is passing on his knowledge to legions of new sound engineers. Many people at WILL have taken his audio engineering class (including me). I remember how excited he would get on our class field trips to local nightclubs to see how the sound was set up. The process gave me a great insight into the world of audio that still comes in handy on every Prairie Fire shoot.
The other amazing thing about Mark Rubel is that he is very humble. Unlike many folks in the music industry he doesn’t do a lot of self promotion. But he is proud of his studio and the music that he has recorded there … and that he recently had a chance to interview Les Paul! My favorite part of the Prairie Fire story is when he speaks of the importance of a sound recording and how it links us to another place, person or time. Anyone who has a recording of a lost loved one can attest to the truth of his words. ... written by Alison Davis Wood
Segment duration: 09:05
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Producer: Tim Hartin
This segment is filed in these categories: Music • Champaign
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Chad Dunn, the percussionist for Champaign’s Desafinado, described the band’s mission perfectly. We were sitting in his garage that was filled with instruments, many of which he had made. On the wall was a Brazilian flag. He said, “We are all about transportation. We take people away.” That is exactly what I felt the first time I heard this seven-piece ensemble perform. Even during the coldest, darkest days of an Illinois winter Desafinado makes you feel as if you are walking a Brazilian beach or strolling the streets of Rio. I was struck that here in central Illinois you could find this music being played authentically and passionately.
The members of the band have either studied music in Brazil or researched Brazilian music and culture extensively. They found each through their mutual love of bossa nova, samba and MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira). Lead singer Simone da Silva says that as a teen she did not appreciate the music of her home country. Instead she was into American pop. But when she first came to the U.S. she missed her native culture and began checking out Brazilian music from the library. She says she chooses songs that break from the stereotypes about Brazil. “People know Brazil for Copacabana, soccer and Carnival. But there is so much more.” She sings songs that talk about Brazilian history or showcase a songwriter who faced censorship. All the band members hope their music instills an appreciation for the amazing culture and vast music scene of Brazil. But for everyone at their show, they hope an educational experience is secondary to just losing yourself in their wonderful music.
You can catch the band the first Friday of every month from 5-7 p.m. at The Cowboy Monkey in downtown Champaign or check their Web site (link below) for their complete schedule. Thanks so much to Ward Gollings, Bob Henne and Tifani Moot for making our shoot of the band’s performance at the Monkey possible.
Segment duration: 12:19
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Producer: Alison Davis Wood
This segment is filed in these categories: Music • Champaign
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Paul Idleman by Alison Davis Wood
Paul Idleman was a man who lived many lives during his short time with us. I first met Paul when he had recently taken the job as director of the Champaign County Historical Museum. Many times over the years he provided props and shooting locations for productions at WILL including “Gold Star Mothers: Pilgrimage of Remembrance” and “10 Sisters: A True Story.” As I got to know Paul, he shared some amazing stories from his years in Colorado. He had published a comedy newspaper and one of his writers was Roseanne Barr. One time he even assigned Roseanne to do an interview with then “almost famous” comedian Jay Leno. Paul was also a big music fan. Every year he would burn CDs for his friends that included his favorite songs. He used his graphic design talents to create hysterical covers for these treasured gifts. Paul’s love of music had led him to a career as a rock and roll photographer. He approached a Colorado radio station about publishing a newspaper for them and suggested he get photos of local concerts to include in the publication. The radio station bit and he had a backstage pass. Over the years he braved the crowds to get shots of The Who, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Ray Vaughn. But over the years he took other jobs and the photos were hidden away in boxes. Thankfully after he moved back to his hometown of Champaign, Carolyn Baxley of the Cinema Gallery in Urbana persuaded Paul to dig through his collection. The result was a showing of his work at the Gallery and an opening reception that drew friends from as far away as Colorado. Luckily, many got the chance to experience the talent of this wonderful man. He will be missed.
Segment duration: 09:12
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Producer: Alison Davis Wood
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Cinema/Theaters/Film • Music • Photography
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With a mission to promote Celtic culture by performing music on bagpipes and drums, The St. Andrew’s Society of Central Illinois, Pipes and Drums, has been a part of the Springfield community since 1989. Band members describe the challenges of joining the group. Piper Bill Rogers explains that they have to “try and do five or six things at the same time and make music out of a set of pipes. It’s pretty hard.”
The band travels throughout the United States and Canada representing Springfield, Ill., in competitions, parades and festivals. In 2003, St. Andrew’s Pipes and Drums won the United States Open Championship, and in 2004, the band was awarded the top honor of Championship Supreme from the Midwest Pipe Band Association. The tartan worn by the band is “The Pride of Scotland” tartan, introduced in 1997.
Segment duration: 06:55
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Producer: Brian Crowdson
Production Assistant: Jon Schwab
This segment is filed in these categories: Illinois Culture/History • Music
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Paul Idleman spent decades capturing on film stars like Bruce Springsteen (left), The Who, and Paul McCartney. This segment introduces viewers to the amazing celebrity photographs Idleman took as a concert photographer. He describes how he started by sneaking cameras into concerts, but eventually got hired to snap pictures of performances.
Segment duration: 09:12
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Producer: Alison Davis Wood
Chief Camera - Segment: Julius Bolton
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Music • Photography
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Kilborn Alley plays a Chicago-style brand of blues in more than 150 gigs a year around central Illinois. In this segment, band members describe the emotional release of playing the blues. Members of the group say they may not look like a bunch of old blues musicians, but they have old souls.
Segment duration: 08:15
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Producer: Alison Davis Wood
Chief Camera - Segment: Julius Bolton
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Illinois Culture/History • Music
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Timothy P. Irvin has sung for presidents, been on TV and in movies, and performed live in front of crowds large as 650,000. But to Irvin, a native of Bloomington, Ill., performing back home is still special. A concert to benefit the Champaign County Museum was a real homecoming for Irvin. It was his first time back in central Illinois since becoming the lead singer for the legendary group Flash Cadillac. The group played the Historic Virginia Theatre backed by the C-U Symphony.
Segment duration: 09:07
Story links:
Producer: Paul Idleman
Chief Camera - Segment: Julius Bolton, Mark James, Rachel Reed, and Michael Suerth
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Music
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