Tobin and Mike Baum on the Legendary Rhythm&Blues Cruise, "Livin' The Life!"

Michael J. Baum
WNUR Blues Show Producer

The WNUR Blues Show broadcasts on Northwestern University Radio WNUR – “Chicago’s Sound Experiment” – 89.3 FM on the dial in Chicago, a 7200 watt station that has ~ 15-mile radius of reception from Northwestern’s campus in Evanston, IL. The WNUR Blues Show airs Sunday afternoons: The specific timeframe varies by academic quarter. Go to www.wnur.org to get the latest schedule and listen online, worldwide!
Mike Baum has been a DJ for the WNUR Blues Show since his undergraduate days in the late 80s, and he now serves as WNUR Blues Show Producer. He is married to Tobin Finwall Baum, and they are looking forward to their firstborn child this September! The WNUR Blues Show is strictly a volunteer “labor of love.” His daytime gig is in IT consulting. Contact Mike Baum at mjbaum18213@att.net.

How did you get your gig?
WNUR is Northwestern University’s radio station, run mostly by active students. I started as an apprentice back in 1987 during my junior year as an undergraduate student, and have been doing shows ever since – so currently into my 21st year. WNUR is one of the most respected college radio stations in the country and has an incredibly diverse programming schedule. Check it out at www.wnur.org – you can listen online worldwide!

How do you put together your playlist?
That’s the fun part! I just grab a bunch of personal CDs before heading to the studio; then peruse our vast blues collection at the station to grab some more; then “wing it” on the air, one song inspiring the next. Sometimes I will come in with a specific playlist in mind, but more often it is spontaneous selection.

We do try to play a wide variety of blues and American roots music on the station. We’ll play traditional Delta blues, Texas blues, West Coast blues, Piedmont blues, Memphis blues, Chicago blues, rock blues – you name it. Everything from Jesse Fuller to Popa Chubby. We also play zydeco, soul, and funk blues. I am definitely not a purist, but rather celebrate the entire “kaleidoscope” of this great American art form. My favorite quote to describe our format comes from the legendary Willie Dixon: “The blues is the roots, and the rest is the fruits.”

Favorite interview?
Being in Chicago, we have access to many famous performers and important industry leaders (e.g., record label founders/presidents). Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to interview legends such as Lonnie Brooks and Detroit Junior, label heads such as Bruce Iglauer (Alligator), Michael Frank (Earwig, also David Honeyboy Edwards’ manager), Bob Koester (Delmark), and Steven Dolins (The Sirens Records). Via telephone, I’ve interviewed everyone from Thomas Ruf (Ruf Records in Germany) to Nick Gravenites (famous songwriter originally from Chicago’s south side, wrote “Born in Chicago” and many songs for Janis Joplin). I hope to get Blind Pig Records co-chief Jerry Del Giudice into the station this summer to guest DJ – he’s based in Chicago as well.

One of my favorite interviews was with two great Chicago blues bass players: (1) Bob Stroger and (2) the late, ten-time Blues Music (formerly WC Handy) Award-winning bass player Willie Kent, back in the summer of 2003. Listening to these two old friends reminisce about migrating up to Chicago for work and participating in the lively Chicago blues scene on the south and west sides during the 60s and 70s was magical.
Who would you like to interview that you never have?
Solomon Burke (…dream big! J). His bigger-than-life persona, charisma, and talent would be mesmerizing and captivating, just like seeing him in concert. I’m sure his knowledge of American roots, soul, and gospel music is unparalleled.

Where do you like to hear live music?
We are spoiled in Chicago, the world capital of the blues. There are 2-3 good shows available any given night of the year, including holidays! The regular clubs like Buddy Guy’s Legends, Rosa’s Blues Lounge, and B.L.U.E.S are good; also Lee’s Unleaded, if you want a traditional south-side club experience. Up north, Bill’s Blues Bar right in downtown Evanston books great acts. Fitzgerald’s out in Berwyn also books excellent shows, and does its annual American Music Festival in early July, with amazing lineups – definitely a destination event.
Then, of course, you have the world’s largest, FREE blues festival down in Grant Park. This year, it will be held June 5-8, 2008: Headliners include BB King, Johnny Winter, Eddy Clearwater, James Cotton, and Buckwheat Zydeco.

Favorite place to have dinner?
That’s another tough question to answer in a city like Chicago that has so many superb restaurants in all ethnic varieties - you can’t make a short list! Off the top of my head, Italian Village for Italian (Chicago’s oldest Italian restaurant), Greek Islands for Greek food, Sushi Samba for Japanese-Brazilian (interesting enough, there is a very large Japanese population in Brazil), Adobo Grill or Uncle Julio’s Hacienda for Mexican. If you are going to go high-end, I recommend Sixteen Restaurant in the new Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago: The views of the famous Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower from the restaurant are spectacular.
What is your favorite thing about being a radio host?
Checking out all the new releases; staying on top of what’s happening in the blues world and industry; having listeners call-in to say that they are enjoying what we play.

What is your most requested artist or song?
Can’t really pinpoint that…I’ve recently received requests for Roy Buchanan.

Where is radio going? Any predictions on the future of radio?
Where is radio going?...maybe to “hell in a hand basket?!” J The status of free public radio is in sorry shape these days, with PBS stations cutting out most of their music programming, which happened here in Chicago a couple of years ago. The dedicated blues channels on satellite radio are nice, but please support non-commercial public radio like WNUR!

Where do you go to get that “hard to find” CD or recording?
Don’t like to admit it, but www.amazon.com – haven’t been disappointed yet. They can link you to their European sites for imports.
I still have not fully embraced the digital/mp3 music revolution – I prefer CDs, and re-mastered/re-issued CDs, with extended liners notes, pictures, etc. I’m a collector and “old school.”

What do your listeners like about your show?
Probably the variety…besides me, we currently have two other deejays for the WNUR Blues Show: (1) Mr. James “Al” Finley; and (2) our newest addition, Ms. Leslie Keros. Al and Leslie are both true musicologists, passionate about the heritage and history of the music. We each have our favorite styles, so the listeners get a good variety, based on who is doing the show. We need to recruit a current NU student or two.

Listeners also like it when we have artists come in for live interviews and performances. The Guy King Band (Guy was Willie Kent’s bandleader – www.guyking.net) came in for a smoking jam session in late January of this year: We had a worldwide audience listening online for that program (at www.wnur.org), calling in from Israel and France. Most recently, we had Chicago-based traditional, finger-picking guitarist Eric Noden (www.ericnoden.com) in the studio in April, playing selections from his brand new CD The Original Eric Noden. (Highly recommended!)
Finally, listeners like when give away tickets to upcoming shows and/or CDs, which we do quite often.

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