Homegrown Music is WVIA-FM's exclusive series which each week showcases the talents of regional contemporary music artists in recordings produced in the WVIA-FM studios by series host George Graham and is broadcast Tuesdays at 9:00 PM and Saturdays at 6 PM on WVIA-HD2. As a special feature, April is Jazz Appreciation Month on WVIA, with special programs on WVIA Radio, TV and wvia.org. Four special jazz performances from the Homegrown Music archive will be presented during the month during WVIA’s All That Jazz, Wednesdays at 7 PM. Further information on Homegrown Music may be obtained via the World Wide Web at http://homegrownmusic.info and http://www.wvia.org/radio/local/homegrown-music/

Apr. 6 Joe Rollin Porter. A traditional-style folksinger, Ohioan Joe Rollin Porter released an album called Take This Hammer in 2018, which has been featured on WVIA’s Mixed Bag. This encore of his 2018 session features a set of his interpretations of traditional songs, with some very impressive finger style guitar playing.

Joe Rollin Porter in the studio at WVIA in 2018.

Apr. 7 A Homegrown Jazz Special with the 3D Jazz Trio. Also known as 3 Divas, this all star group was formed by Diva Orchestra leader and drummer Sherri Maricle with pianist Jackie Warren and bassist Amy Shook. They have released two acclaimed albums so far, and made three Homegrown Music appearances, including a live concert. This recording from 2020 is the trio’s second studio session, and was the last Homegrown Music session done before the pandemic shutdown. (Note: Start time: 7:00 PM)

3D Jazz Trio: L to R: Amy Shook, Jackie Warren, Sherrie Maricle

Apr. 13 Bourbon Express. A great retro old-school country style band with appealing original tunes, Bourbon Express released their debut album One Big Losin' Streak in 2016 which received national airplay, including on WVIA's Mixed Bag. This encore presents their 2016 Homegrown Music session including a number of songs not on their album.

Bourbon Express in the studio at WVIA in 2016.

Apr. 14 A Homegrown Jazz Special with Bill Mays and the Inventions Trio. WVIA’s Jazz Appreciation Month specials continue with this delightful 2012 session by a distinctive threesome with pianist Mays, trumpet luminary Marvin Stamm and cellist Alisa Horn. It presents an original suite by Mays plus arrangements of music by Thelonious Monk, Chick Corea, and Bill Evans. This memorable session became the Chiaroscuro release Life’s a Movie. (Note: Start time: 7:00 PM)

Bill Mays (at the piano) with the Inventions Trio recording at WVIA in 2012.

Apr. 20 OTiS. A first-rate large funk band with horns, OTiS put in a memorable Homegrown Music session in 2012. The band unfortunately went their separate ways not long after this session. They released an album called Elevator around that time, but this Homegrown Music session captures this tight, energetic band at their best.

OTiS

Apr. 21 A Homegrown Jazz Special with the Jay Leonhart Trio. Bassist extraordinare, composer and vocalist Jay Leonhart has worked with many of the greats in jazz, appearing on scores of albums in a lengthy and stellar career. He’s also a witty songwriter, and this encore of a 2017 live Homegrown Music concert features Leonhart performing his songs with a trio including Tomoko Ohno on piano and Sherrie Maricle on drums. (Note: Start time: 7:00 PM)

Jay Leonhart Trio performing live at WVIA in 2017

Apr. 27 From Good Homes. From the Homegrown Music archive comes this collection of songs by a folk-rock band which achieved considerable success nationally in the 1990s and was the subject of a documentary film. The group’s founder Todd Scheaffer would go on to co-found the popular jam band Railroad Earth. Music from the band’s 1980s Homegrown Music sessions is featured.

From Good Homes. (Photo credit: Chris Kelly Images)

Apr. 28 A Homegrown Jazz Special: The Ingrid Jensen-Roberta Piket Quartet. This segment is an encore of a memorable live Homegrown Music concert with one of jazz’s most notable women trumpeters, Canadian-born Ingrid Jensen in a quartet with pianist and composer Roberta Piket. The group also features acclaimed drummer Billy Mintz and bassist Mike Karn, performing a collection of original and standard tunes before a studio audience in 2018. (Note: Start time: 7:00 PM)

Ingrid Jenson-Roberta Piket Quartet performing live at WVIA in 2018.

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