December 7, 2005 - First Avenue in Minneapolis has long been viewed as the epicenter of the Twin Cities music scene. Over the decades it's also become a nationally known music destination. To celebrate its 35th anniversary the nightclub has released a compilation of bootleg recordings of some of the more famous and infamous artists who've graced its stage.
December 9, 2005 - MPR’s Stephanie Hemphill reports on Cheng-Khee Chee, one of Minnesota's best-known watercolor artists, who has published a book for children. It's called "Noel," and it's a free-flowing poem by Tony Johnston about the sights and sounds of an old-fashioned Christmas. Hemphill talked with the artist about the technique he used to convey the magic of an evening full of snow and Christmas bells.
December 12, 2005 - MPR’s Tom Crann interviews Emerson College literature professor Daniel Tobin about Eugene McCarthy’s poetry.
December 21, 2005 - MPR’s Chris Roberts interviews members of Jack Brass Band, one of the few New Orleans-style brass bands in the Upper Midwest. Erik Jacobson and Mike Olander discuss the band’s CD “You Don’t Know Me” and fellow musician friends in the brass band scene.
January 26, 2006 - Dominic Papatola, Minnesota Public Radio arts commentator and St. Paul Pioneer Press theater critic, talks with MPR’s Cathy Wurzer about Norwegian playwright and poet Henrik Ibsen.
January 31, 2006 - One night a year, three Twin Cities musicians come together to perform before a live audience. The three men come from different generations and musical backgrounds, but they have two things in common; they all play keyboard instruments, and they all resist attempts to pigeonhole their music. MPR’s Marianne Combs talks with the the three pianists about their annual concert creation, Keys Please!
February 8, 2006 - Midday presents a program highlighting two masters: one of the concerto, the other the cookbook. Voices of Minnesota visits two women who have risen to the top of two rather different fields: Minnesota Orchestra Concertmaster Jorja Fleezanis, and prolific cookbook author Beatrice Ojakangas.
February 10, 2006 - MPR’s Chris Roberts talks with Ryan Pfeiffer, founder of the Minnesota band Captain Yonder, about origin of group’s name and meaning behind dark lyrics. The band’s style has been described as chamber folk music mixed with heavy "Americana" or "roots" influences.
February 14, 2006 - A lost era -- a time when immigrant workers rolled cigars by hand in southern Florida comes to life in "El Lector". It's a new book for young people, written by northern Minnesota author William Durbin. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports.
February 15, 2006 - MPR’s Marriane Combs looks at St. Paul’s Teatro Del Pueblo, a Minnesota theater company providing a forum for political activism and an agent for change. Combs interviews Alberto Justiniano, artistic director, about the Teatro Del Pueblo’s focus on Latin America political theater with a local festival.