KCRW Berlin: Amplified

Singer-songwriter Michael Brinkworth on how to create this 'Good Old Feeling' (Rebroadcast)

Brisbane-born Michael Brinkworth draws inspiration from Bob Dylan, Neil Young and from the city he now calls home, Berlin, “this weird halfway house that I ended up in.” The 33-year-old traveled the globe before settling down here six years ago. (Ori…

Musician Ian Tilling on writing music in bad times (Rebroadcast)

We feature indie-rock musician Ian Tilling. The 35-year-old Brit moved to Berlin in 2016. After joining and leaving a number of bands, he started his solo project Grief Scene a year ago. Next month, Tilling will release his debut album titled "Bad Ti…

Berlin-based musician Martha Rose on 'diving deeply and emotionally after something that you love' (Rebroadcast)

Martha Rose, a U.K.-born, Berlin-based musician, just released her second full-length album titled “Undress & Dive After.” The 33-year-old multi-instrumentalist talks with us about her songwriting process, what her grandparents have to do with it and…

‘It’s just the music that I love’: Marlais on coming to folk music as an ‘outsider’

We spoke with Michael Culme-Seymour — aka Marlais — about his love of folk music and his life in Berlin. (Originally aired Sept. 28, 2020)

James Chatburn: 'It's actually quite a chilled time for me for once'

Musician and producer James Chatburn moved to Berlin in 2015. The 29-year-old toured with well-known alternative R&B artists like Jordan Rakei and the L.A. band The Internet. One of his big idols is American soul legend Donny Hathaway. We caught up w…

Leitmotifs: Benjamin Hochman: 'In Mozart's music, every note is in the right place'

In this episode of Leitmotifs, host Fredrika Brillembourg talks with pianist and conductor Benjamin Hochman. He has performed in major cities and festivals around the world, both as a soloist and chamber musician. Currently, Hochman is a research ass…

How this year's edition of Jazzfest Berlin strives to build a 'transatlantic bridge,' just days after the US election

Jazzfest Berlin has a long tradition in the city. It's been a platform for musicians from around the world since 1964. This year, the four-day festival is scheduled to kick off on Nov. 5 with a focus on the jazz scenes in Berlin and New York. We spok…

Musician Ian Tilling on writing music in bad times

We feature indie-rock musician Ian Tilling. The 35-year-old Brit moved to Berlin in 2016. After joining and leaving a number of bands, he started his solo project Grief Scene a year ago. Next month, Tilling will release his debut album titled "Bad Ti…

'It's just the music that I love': Marlais on coming to folk music as an 'outsider'

We spoke with Michael Culme-Seymour — aka Marlais — about his love of folk music and his life in Berlin.

Juno Francis: Swedish Pop Made In Berlin

Angelica Ranåsen and Jacob Fagerstål are the Swedish pop duo Juno Francis. They teamed up in Berlin a couple of years ago to work on their vision of psychedelic 60s and 80s pop.