Mar

Sodade

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/104294257″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=true&show_comments=false&show_user=false&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”300″ height=”300″ iframe=”true” /]Our sports transcend languages. Ever seen two climbers mime the sequence to a boulder problem? Smiles between skiers on a powder day? Our passions become a vehicle to explore a world outside of our own. Jacob Bain has traveled to SE Asia, Cuba, and Africa. And though he sometimes has climbing gear, he always has a guitar. Through music, Jacob has jammed with locals, incorporating the new sounds and experiences into his music. In the summer of 2010, Johnny Fernandes invited Jacob and his band Publish the Quest to Cape Verde to partake in a musical experience as part of his goal to preserve the local music. Can a hook, a horn line and a new take on a traditional song overcome culture and language barriers?

Music: All of the music today is from Jacob and Publish the Quest. You can buy individual songs or their first album “The Threads” here or on iTunes. Check out their website or friend them on Facebook to keep up to date on the release of their new album “Then What!?” set for early June.

Cuts from today:

Gotta Keep Movin’! – Jacob met street musicians, Andres, Miguel, and Alex, while traveling in Cuba. He jammed with them, piecing together guitar riffs and horn lines, eventually convincing them to record in a studio. In need of a percussionist, the studio called Niño, who jams with Afro-Cuban All Stars. Through music and hand jesters, Jacob and Niño figured out the drum line. Publish the Quest has recorded the song for “Then What!?” keeping the original horn line.

Chasing Trains – This version is from Trolls Cottage, a band Jacob has played with for over ten years. Publish the Quest recorded it for the album “The Threads.” Check out that reworked version with horns!

What Then!? – The first single from “Then What!?” to be released in mid-March, featuring Nigerian artist Femi Kuti. Find it on iTunes.

I Believe People Can Change – From “Then What!?”

You Never Know Who You’re Gonna Meet… – From “Then What!?”

Sodade – You can buy the the single, featuring Laise Sanches, here. Artwork for the single cover is by Ilse Reimnitz.

Feb

The Shorts — Sitting in Silence

Sitting in Silence

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Music: Done with Dallas by Bradley Carter • Night by Zola Jesus • Chains by Abigail Washburn

Music provided by IODA Promonet.

Feb

What is Hardcore?

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/104290937″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=true&show_comments=false&show_user=false&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”300″ height=”300″ iframe=”true” /]Our sports have long heralded rating systems that let us know just how we’re doing. We may bicker over their ratings, but we return to them again and again. They help us set goals, and push ourselves harder. But what happens when we go beyond the limits of these systems? How do you measure fatigue, thirst and mental reselience? When these elements merge together, we begin to enter the mythical realm of hardcore. Today, Brendan Leonard dives in with some simple ideas on who and what are hard core. How do you measure up?

Music: Climbing Trees by Kites Sail High • In the Middle by Ill Cill • Life Passed Me By by Super Stereo • All I Need’s a Little More by Chikita Violenta • Whats Hardcore? by K’Naan

Music provided by IODA Promonet.

Jan

The Shorts — How She Got There

How She Got There

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/104290359″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=true&show_comments=false&show_user=false&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”300″ height=”300″ iframe=”true” /]Christine McMahon read Ranger Rick, stole her brother’s Boy Scouts Manual to learn survival tricks and was driving by age 9. She grew up relatively carefree surrounded by friends and family who made sure she feared nothing. Until the day circled in red on her calendar arrived. The day when she would try to walk again. In the rare moments when the self we imagined collides with reality the intensity can be terrifying. Yet that moment can also propel us along a path that we’ve dreamed about for our entire lives. It was time for Christine to take the first steps to leaving the crutches and wheelchairs behind and embrace the possible on her own.

Music: Idealize by Shedding • Acquiring Satellites by David Arkenstone • Elephants and Little Girls by Loch Lomond

Music provided by IODA Promonet.

Jan

Buckle Down

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/104289891″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=true&show_comments=false&show_user=false&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”300″ height=”300″ iframe=”true” /]James Q Martin has an incredible, carefree life. For the last five years he’s traveled the world, often to warm locales to photograph beautiful athletes in stunning places. It would be hard to let go of that kind of job, but two years ago, James stumbled upon a blog post about the impending damming of the Rio Baker in Chile’s Asyen region. It set off a powerful reaction. A decade earlier, James had traveled through the Asyen region, and the great wilderness left a lasting impression. Now, with the massive hydro-electric project impending, James came up with an idea. What if you took a naturalist, a writer, a photographer, a filmmaker and a conservationist on a source to sea descent to document the last days of a wild river? Could that act even help save? In 2010, James launched Rios Libres and made his dream happen. Completing his dream, would mean giving up the perfect lifestyle. With that, we present our 2011 Year of Big Ideas show. Professional athletes, passionate weekend warriors and Dirtbag Diaries contributors come together to present what they are working on in the coming year. Get inspired and then buckle down.

When you are done listening check out Rios Libres website and learn how you can help.

Also, check out Caleb Simpson’s new energy bar company Adventure Naturals (now Bearded Brothers).

Music: Coma Summer by Weekend • Kinison, Part 1 by Danny Saul • Pyramid by Planes • Do by Do Make Say Think

Music provided by IODA Promonet.