Jedd Beaudoin

Host/Producer
  • Jedd Beaudoin
    Jedd Beaudoin

Jedd Beaudoin is an award-winning writer and broadcaster who has been with KMUW since 2007. He is the host and producer of Strange Currency, a two-hour music show, which airs Monday-Saturday from 8 to 10 p.m. He is also the producer of the bi-weekly trends commentary “A Musical Life,” as well as “Musical Space.” He received his MFA in creative writing (fiction) from Wichita State University in 2001 (where he was a Creative Writing Fellow) and holds a B.A. in English (with an emphasis in writing) from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Beaudoin hosts Wichita Sessions on KPTS Channel 8. The show, which features local and regional music acts in performance, is now in its third season. Since 1999 he has worked as a freelance journalist. He served as music critic and editor for two Wichita alternative newspapers, F5 (2003-06) and Wichita City Paper (of which he was also managing editor, 2006-07). He currently contributes music, film, and book reviews to PopMatters.com, where he also pens (alternating with two other writers) commentary on country music for the site’s “Kickin’ Up Dust” column.

Ways to Connect

John Eberly Brings The Excuses Home

By • Aug 18, 2017
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The early and mid-1980s were a fertile time for Wichita music, with a series of bands playing original music at clubs such as Woody's Back Door or The Coyote Club. Bands such as Klyde Konnor or Roach Egg Invasion or The Mumbles or didn’t really sound like each other.

Former Mumbles frontman John Eberly says that his band occupied a particularly odd space in that climate.

“I think the space we filled was kind of a dark space,” he says. “I think we were kind of a heavy metal punk rock band that nobody knew they wanted but they seemed to like it.”

A Musical Life: Ted Farha

By • Aug 18, 2017

Ted Farha plays mandolin with Pop & The Boys as well as Haymakers.

“I picked up mandolin when I was 27-years-old. I actually had seen the movie King of the Gypsies with music by David Grisman and Stephane Grappelli. The gypsy music in it just caught me. I found the record and fell in love with music. A neighbor had a mandolin and I borrowed it and started taking lessons at E.M. Shorts.

I started learning fiddle tunes and bluegrass songs and then I met Richard Crowson at a jam and he invited me to join a band.

Special: John Lee Hooker Centennial

By & • Aug 17, 2017

KMUW Music is celebrating the centennial birthday of blues legend John Lee Hooker. Hear selections from across his career as Global Village, Strange Currency, and Night Train join forces for this special feature. Tune in on Tuesday, August 22 from 7:00 to midnight. 

  • Global Village | 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
  • Strange Currency | 8:00 - 10:00 p.m.
  • Night Train | 10:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.

It’s Not Dark Yet In The Garden Of Lights

By • Aug 15, 2017
Album Cover Art

Saturday, August 19

Richard X. Heyman’s status as a cult musician has never stopped him from delivering topnotch power pop songs. His latest album, Incognito continues that trend. On it, Heyman traverses the distance between the head and the heart with songs that reflect on the social and political realities of contemporary life and the timeless topic of love. We’ll hear selections from Heyman’s latest on this episode, plus selections from XTC’s Nonsuch.

Monday, August 21

Sisters Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer have just released their first-ever collaborative album, Not Dark Yet. The record finds the pair covering songs by Bob Dylan, Nirvana and Nick Cave. Listen for music from that album on this episode as well as selections from the record’s producer, Teddy Thompson, and his 2007 country-inspired collection, Up Front and Down Low.

Tuesday, August 22

We'll celebrate John Lee Hooker's centennial birthday. 

Wednesday, August 23

Danny Gatton and Roy Buchanan were two guitarists that changed the face of guitar forever. Both men combined elements of blues, jazz and country with a flair for the dramatic and a deep sense of lyricism. We’ll hear selections from Gatton’s 1991 release 88 Elmira St. as well as Buchanan’s self-titled 1972 debut, which featured his classic composition “The Messiah Will Come Again.”

Thursday, August 23

Treasures Untold is the new live recording from singer-songwriter Tom Brosseau. Listen for music from that release on this episode as well as selections from the latest from Lana Del Rey, Lust For Life.

Friday, August 24

Guitarist Bill Nelson may be best known for his work as a member of Be-Bop Deluxe and his highly experimental solo albums throughout the 1980s. One of those forward-thinking records, 1987’s Chance Encounters in the Garden of Lights has just been reissued in expanded form. We’ll hear music from that release as well as from Nelson’s time with Be-Bop Deluxe.

Saturday, August 25

Formed in New York’s Hudson River Valley, The Warp/The Weft draws inspiration from classic British folk and progressive rock as well as contemporary folk acts such as Fleet Foxes and Murder By Death. Listen for selections from the group’s latest, Mapping An Absence as well as Richard and Linda Thompson’s classic Shout Out The Lights.

Harlis Sweetwater Hollers, Stomps And Growls With Full Parental Support

By • Aug 11, 2017
Elaine Thomas Campbell

Growing up in Southern California during the 1970s, Harlis Sweetwater had two major influences: The first was his mother, the second, Chuck Berry. Both were guitarists and vocalists.

The art of being able to do both at the same time isn't as easy as some might think, but Sweetwater remained dedicated. Still in elementary school when he started, he practiced with fervor.

Remembering Glen Campbell, Celebrating David Rawlings' Return

By • Aug 9, 2017

Friday, August 11 

We remember musician Glen Campbell, who passed away this week at the age of 81. We’ll hear selections his long solo career plus selections from his time as a member of The Wrecking Crew and with the Beach Boys.

Saturday, August 12

The Claypool Lennon Delirium unites Les Claypool of Primus with Sean Lennon for music that is contemporary but influenced by the classic era of progressive and psychedelic rock. The band has just issued a new EP, titled Lime and Limpid Green, featuring cover versions of songs by The Who, King Crimson and Pink Floyd. We’ll hear selections from that release on this episode as well as music from Pink Floyd’s Meddle release.

Monday, August 14

We celebrate the birthday of Minnesota-born musician Slim Dunlap with selections from his solo career as well as from his work with Curtiss A., The Replacements and more.

Tuesday, August 15

Poor David’s Almanack is the latest release from David Rawlings. Known for his work with Gillian Welch and as a sideman, Rawlings remains a present and consistently influential musician whose own albums have garnered extensive critical acclaim. We’ll hear selections from this release as well as music from Split Lip Rayfield’s Should Have Seen It Coming.

Wednesday, August 16

Formed in Dayton, Ohio and led by former elementary school teacher Robert Pollard, Guided By Voices remains one of the most prolific bands in rock history. The group’s latest effort, How Do You Spell Heaven? walks the line between the unit’s pop and innovative sensibilities. We’ll hear songs from it and from Bob Mould’s Black Sheets of Rain on this episode of Strange Currency.

Thursday, August 17

To The Bone is the latest effort from former Porcupine Tree frontman Steven Wilson. Listen for music from that recording as well as selections from his collaboration with Israeli pop star Aviv Geffen, Blackfield.

Friday, August 18

Trinity Lane is the brand-new release from Nashville-based singer-songwriter Lilly Hiatt. The daughter of acclaimed singer-songwriter John Hiatt, she has forged her own path in the world of music and has emerged with her strongest release to date. We’ll hear selections from this release as well as music from Manchester Orchestra’s new release, A Black Mile to the Surface.

Mike Zito Plays For Friends

By • Aug 9, 2017
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When Mike Zito was growing up in St. Louis, he knew he wanted to be a professional musician, and he knew that one job would grant him access to some of his favorite players in the city: working in a music store.

“All of the musicians in town came to that store, so I was really fortunate," he says. "I met all these great musicians, and how to play music for a living, how to get out and do gigs.”

From there, Zito focused on learning as many different styles of music as he could.

Judy Collins And Stephen Stills Are Together (Again) At Last

By • Aug 4, 2017
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Judy Collins and Stephen Stills have known each other since the late 1960s when they were musically and then romantically involved. Stills and Collins are currently on their first-ever collaborative tour and will release their first album in September.

Collins remembers meeting Stills around the time that his first major band, Buffalo Springfield, had broken up in early 1968. Had one or two pieces of their individual careers worked out differently, we could be celebrating the duo's 50th anniversary as a recording act.

A Musical Life: Ken White

By • Aug 4, 2017

Ken White is primarily known as a guitarist, though he plays mandolin and banjo as well. His regular gig is with The Cherokee Maidens, though he is also a member of Nouveau Quintet.

“I would say that I prepared myself to be a sideman. That meant a lot of things: Being prepared to improvise in any musical style, any musical instrument. I really made a point of trying to serve the song and the singer, so anytime I got a call I never really knew exactly what I was stepping into but I felt like I had something to add. That’s kind of what I worked on.

Berry’s Musical Vacation Brings Strange Writing Habits, Yields New Album

By • Aug 3, 2017
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The band Berry has roots that stretch to virtually all corners of the United States. The band formed in Martha's Vineyard, spent time in Chicago, and has scattered members to New York, Arizona and even Wichita.

In some ways, Berry isn't as much a band as an ongoing friendship.

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