Can’t get enough of that new Bilal, plus feel good tracks from Cousin Kula covering Erykah Badu, and new music discovery from Honeyglaze, Reyna Tropical, Lucy Dacus, Michael Kiwanuka, Benjamin Booker and more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Jan. 23, 2025

• “Golden (Ganesha Andika Rework)” – Jill Scott
• “Sunshine” – Bilal
• “Life’s Too Short (Kaelin Ellis Remix)” – Lucy Rose
• “Thankful For You” – Andre Gibson
• “Mentira (Chega de Mentira)” – Marcos Valle
• “Cascavel” – Antonio Adolfo
• “Too High” – Stevie Wonder
• “Didn’t Cha Know / Gone Baby Don’t Be Long (Medley)” – Cousin Kula
• “King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown” – King Tubby
• “Sun Is Shining (Yes King Remix)” – Bob Marley & the Wailers
• “Towers” – Hundred Waters
• “Conexión Ancestral” – Reyna Tropical
• “Pretty Girls” – Honeyglaze
• “Let Not (Your Heart Be Troubled)” – Lady Blackbird
• “Last Night Reprise (feat. Cautious Clay, Kaki King & Maeve Gilchrist)” – Arooj Aftab
• “Never Be Yours” – Kali Uchis
• “Intimidated (feat. H.E.R.)” – Kaytranada
• “Sunlight (feat. Lady Blackbird)” – Goldie, James Davidson & Subjective
• “Because You Know What I Need” – Terrence Parker
• “Parabéns” – Marcos Valle
• “Floating Parade” – Michael Kiwanuka
• “Ankles” – Lucy Dacus
• “Road Head” – Japanese Breakfast
• “Razzle-Dazzle (feat. Yazz Ahmed, Tamar Osborn, Enrico Terragnoli, Luca Tapino & Marco Frattini)” – Rosa Brunello
• “Love and Hate in a Different Time” – Gabriels
• “SAME KIND OF LONELY (In The Groove Pick of the Week)” – Benjamin Booker
• “Staring at the Sun” – TV on the Radio
• “My Boo (Hitman’s Club Mix)” – Ghost Town DJs
• “The House of the Shining Sun” – Nina Simone
• “100 Yard Dash (Nicky D Remix)” – Derobert & The Half-truths
• “1969” – Stooges
• “Here’s The Thing” – Fontaines D.C.
• “Covet” – Basement
• “Melody Experiment” – Blonde Redhead
• “A Forest” – The Cure
• “Killing Moon” – Nouvelle Vague

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Absolutely obsessed with New Orleans musician Benjamin Booker’s song “SAME KIND OF LONELY.”

Talk about a wall of sound/distortion/guitars — only dropping out briefly for Booker to introduce himself in his signature raspy voice that’s sonically somewhere between blues crooner and old school crust punk with a background in hopping trains.

“SAME KIND OF LONELY” is one of the singles from “LOWER,” Booker’s first new album in seven years. It’s a major evolution from his stand-out single “Violent Shiver.” Instead of voice-and-guitar, this thing is layered and dosed with a sense of hip-hop rhythm courtesy of producer Kenny Segal, who Booker co-produced the album with.

Booker is known for his electrifying live shows. He’ll bring his tour to the Magic Bag on Wednesday, Feb. 19 (tickets here) with opening support from Segal. This is a show you don’t wanna miss!

Listen to the In The Groove song of the week below.

In The Groove is WDET’s award-winning series that talks with creatives from all walks of life about the music that has influenced them the most, starting from when they were just a kid to what sounds good today.

Our first guest of 2025 is none other than electronic musician Tycho. For years, I’ve been listening to his music — the endlessly cinematic, wall-of-synth sounds that make me feel like I’m walking through some dream-like science museum in the best way.

His latest album, “Infinite Health,” brought a little more funk and dance into that equation. He’ll tour it alongside his bandmates on Thursday, Jan. 23 at St. Andrew’s Hall. 

Ahead of his set in Detroit, I caught up with Tycho about the music that has influenced him over the years, starting at the very beginning — the first piece of music that truly felt like he discovered it. 

For Tycho, that was The Beatles and the symphonic weirdness of “A Day In The Life,” before he ventured into French house music with Le Knight Club and drum-and-bass from Photek.

Use the media player above to listen to the interview.

A lose-yourself-in-music type of set with Soundcarriers, Ishmael Ensemble, DOMi & JD BECK, plus a special spotlight on Rosie Lowe — what a voice!

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Jan. 21, 2025

• “Vampiro” – French Police
• “The Conversation (Aphophenia Version)” – The Jellies
• “Dance” – ESG
• “Last Broadcast” – The Soundcarriers
• “4Our” – MRR-ADM
• “Rabbit in Your Headlights (feat. Thom Yorke)” – UNKLE
• “Sounds From Below” – Lake Trout
• “Little Things” – Lake Trout
• “Visions of Light” – Ishmael Ensemble
• “WHATUP” – DOMi & JD BECK
• “Why My Love?” – aja monet
• “Nova” – Nomo
• “Step On Step” – Charles Stepney
• “My People… Hold On” – Eddie Kendricks
• “Like A Ship” – Leon Bridges & Keite Young
• “Ha-ya (Eternal Life)” – The Clark Sisters & Mattie Moss Clark
• “I Am the Black Gold of the Sun (feat. Jocelyn Brown)” – Nuyorican Soul
• “The Message Continues (DJ Harrison Remix)” – Nubya Garcia
• Soul Love (feat. Ruby Parker)” – Jeff Parker & The New Breed
• “Open This Wall” – Berlioz
• “Say” – Rosie Lowe & Duval Timothy
• “There Goes The Light” – Rosie Lowe
• “Love and Happiness” – Monty Alexander
• “You Can Do It (Baby) [feat. George Benson]” – Nuyorican Soul
• “My Love” – Metronomy & Nourished by Time
• “Army Of Me” – Björk
• “Life During Wartime (Live)” – Talking Heads
• “Jouissance” – Harvey Sutherland
• “Bang” – Melenas
• “Make Way For The Sun” – O & The Mo
• “Fear When You Fly” – Cleo Sol
• “Nakamarra” – Hiatus Kaiyote
• “400 Years” – Bob Marley
• “Ain’t No Sunshine” – The Equatics
• “The Flower Called Nowhere” – Stereolab
• “Blue Light” – Mazzy Star

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Big show today! Trying to stay toasty in a frigid Motor City… so went with some wonderfully familiar stuff like Curtis Mayfield, Wilco, Tame Impala and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, plus new stuff from Jam City and Sharon Van Etten, who will be in town with her band the Attachment Theory on May 5 at St. Andrew’s Hall.

Electronic musician Tycho joined the show to go In The Groove, asking questions about the music that has influenced him over the years. Great picks including early Daft Punk demos, The Beatles and drum-and-bass from Photek.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Jan. 22, 2025

• “Right On For The Darkness” – Curtis Mayfield
• “Darkness, Darkness” – Kieran Hebden & William Tyler
• “Lil Birdie” – DJ Harrison
• “Aphex Twin” – NCY Milky Band
• “Below The Valleys” – Louis Cole
• “Wait A Minute” – King Pari
• “Lydia Wears A Cross” – Julia Jacklin
• “Flutes” – Hot Chip
• “Ankle Injuries” – Fujiya & Miyagi
• “Mad Man” – Mike Nyoni
• “Coffin Maker” – Chrissy Zebby Tembo & Ngozi Family
• “Lazy Bones” – WITCH
• “Iris Is Neil” – Apifera
• “Solitude Is Bliss” – Tame Impala
• “Someone Else’s Song” – Wilco
• “Apho” – Alfa Mist & Bongeziwe Mabandla
• “Life Is” – Jessica Pratt
• “All Mirrors” – Angel Olsen
• “Afterlife” – Sharon Van Etten
• “The Tower” – Wye Oak
• “A1” – Darkside
• “Maps” – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• “ORACLE (feat. aja monet)” – Machinedrum
• “So Ubuji” – Makaya McCraven
• “Lltb (feat. Wet)” – Jam City
• “Coastal Brake” – Tycho (In The Groove with Tycho)
• “A Day In the Life” – The Beatles (In The Groove with Tycho)
• “Holiday On Ice” – Le Knight Club (In The Groove with Tycho)
• “Rings Around Saturn” – Photek (In The Groove with Tycho)
• “Devices” – Tycho (In The Groove with Tycho)
• “Parasite (feat. Kindelan)” – Sean Khan & The Modern Jazz & Folk Ensemble
• “The Atlantiques (feat. Anaïs Maviel, Jeff Parker & Josh Johnson)” – Meshell Ndegeocello
• “Telepatía” – Kali Uchis
• “DNM” – Mk.gee

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

This is a mini-but-mighty In The Groove, because we lost some of the show to special coverage of President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

And the only real way I knew how to follow that was with songs of protest, songs of civil rights and songs of resistance. You’ll find those below, starting off with Willie Dunn’s arresting “I Pity The Country” (from this excellent compilation of overlooked indigenous music) to Pops Staples (one of the most prolific gospel artists, patriarch of the Staple Singers, who also served as MLK’s warm-up band) and wrapping up with Nina Simone’s “Why? (The King of Love Is Dead),” written and performed just three days after the assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Jan. 20, 2025

• “I Pity The Country” – Willie Dunn
• “No News Is Good News” – Pops Staples
• “You Haven’t Done Nothin’” – Stevie Wonder
• “Whitey on the Moon” – Gil Scott Heron
• “Ohio / Machine Gun” – Isley Brothers
• “War Pigs” – Black Sabbath
• “Young, Gifted, Black, In Leather” – Special Interest
• “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today) [Alternate Mix]” – Temptations
• “Mississippi Goddam” – Nina Simone
• “Hard Times” – Baby Huey & The Baby Sitters
• “Politicians In My Eyes” – Death
• “(Don’t Worry) If There’s a Hell Below We’re All Going To Go” – Curtis Mayfield
• “Why? (The King of Love Is Dead) [Live]” – Nina Simone

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

WDET’s CuriosiD series answers your questions about everything Detroit. Subscribe to CuriosiD on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode of CuriosiD, listener Collette Nutton asked the question:

“What’s the oldest bar in Detroit?”

The short answer

It’s the Two Way Inn at 17897 Mt. Elliott St. Located on the city’s northeast side amongst industrial buildings, the Two Way has been operating in the same building since 1876.

That’s according to Hamtramck-based writer Mickey Lyons, who’s carved out a name for herself as a bar and Prohibition historian focused on Detroit’s historic bars.

“When you go into Two Way, you really do get this feel of a Wild West saloon,” said Lyons, who says her research methods included newspaper archives, talking with regulars, doing tours of other historic bars and “some beers at 4 o’clock on a Tuesday.”

“It’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it,” Lyons added.

Today, you have to be buzzed in to enter the Two Way Inn (“RING THE BELL!” has become an unofficial slogan on their social media channels).

It’s family-owned, open Tuesday through Saturday and is popular with regulars and tour groups arriving by the busload to drink in all that history.

How it all began

As any good bar buddy would, I invited our CuriosiD question-asker Collette Nutton to join me on this mission — who wants to drink alone? — but she had a valid excuse to skip the dive-bar crawl:

“I’m sitting on a beach in Hawaii.”

So while I toughed it out in the heart of Detroit’s winter, Nutton gave me some ideas of where to start looking for the answer, including a handful of old-school haunts like:

• Abick’s Bar (Southwest Detroit), dating back to 1907
• Nancy Whiskey (North Corktown), dating back to 1902
• The Stonehouse, an old biker bar on the city’s north side that appears to be closed now
• The Two Way Inn (on the city’s northeast side), dating back to 1876

Nutton made it clear she had been to all of these bars at one point: “Pfft. Of course I have. Who are you, Ryan Patrick Hooper? I’m a Detroiter — that’s what people do.”

And our expert bar historian Mickey Lyons agreed.

“Bars are, and still can be, the center of neighborhoods,” Lyons said. “They’re community centers, places where people congregate to get the news, meet their neighbors, and settle in with their fellow countrymen. Especially in historic bars, you’ll find people from all sorts of backgrounds — especially if you’re at a bar at four o’clock on a Tuesday afternoon.”

And when you start to dive into the history of these bars, the way we talk about them — and their claim to being the oldest — gets a little tricky.

Defining “oldest”

According to Lyons, the answer depends on how you define “oldest.” During Prohibition (1918–1933), bars weren’t legally operating, so the timeline gets murky.

“One of the problems with being a bar historian, you always run into the problem that if somebody was doing their job right as speakeasy operator [during Prohibition], they did not get into the historical record,” said Lyons.

“In one way, we could say the oldest bars are the ones that got their license in 1933. In other ways, we could say it’s a private club that’s been around for a long time.”

By most definitions, however, the title belongs to the Two Way Inn, which has been operating — legally or otherwise — since 1876.

“When it was first built, it was a stagecoach stop. It was far enough from downtown Detroit to be about a day’s carriage ride away. It served as a saloon, general store, hotel, and even had a jail cell for rowdy patrons,” she said.

And while Two Way Inn wears that badge proudly, it’s clearly not a competition between the other historic bars around town, like you might see in larger cities with a more robust tourist base.

And each of those historic bars have their own way of describing their history:

What About the Other Bars?

• Abick’s Bar (1907) is known as Detroit’s oldest continuously operated, family-owned bar
• Nancy Whiskey (1902) claims to be “Detroit’s oldest party”
• Jacoby’s (1904) is recognized as Detroit’s oldest downtown bar or oldest biergarten

Each bar has carved out its own way of presenting its history. As Lyons puts it:

“There’s no need for competition here. These families have seen decades —even over a century — of Detroit history pass through their doors. They all have their own unique place in the city’s story.”

A legacy worth toasting

Larger cities like Boston may have more contentious claims to the “oldest bar” title, driven by a robust tourism industry. Detroit, however, keeps its history humble and communal.

At Two Way Inn, the legacy lives on. From its Wild West saloon roots to its modern-day status as a neighborhood watering hole, it remains a symbol of Detroit’s resilience and history — complete with its original jail cell in the basement.

So, next time you’re in the mood for a drink and a piece of history, stop by Two Way Inn. You might just feel like you’ve stepped back into 1876.

We want to hear from you! 

If you’ve ever wondered about Detroit’s history, culture, or community, send us your question at wdet.org/curious or fill out the form below.

More from CuriosiD:

• What is the history behind the Belle Isle Boathouse?
• What happened to Detroit jazz venue Strata Concert Gallery?
• What is on Boblo Island today? And what happened to the Boblo boats?

Real wild mix today that starts with FKJ & Bas before heading over to Gil Scott Heron’s forever important “Winter In America” and ending up with a lot of Prince (I’m still collecting myself after hearing his stripped down version of “17 Days” with just him, a mic and a piano).

I wanted to shout out some of the musicians who have lost their homes and their livelihoods in the Los Angeles wildfires, including John Carroll Kirby (with the aptly titled track “Rainmaker”) plus endlessly influential hip-hop producer Madlib and Detroit’s own Bennie Maupin, the multireedist jazz musician who famously appears on Herbie Hancock’s “Headhunters” album. 

Maupin, who has been a resident of Altadena for 30 years, was quoted in the New York Post: “I managed to get out. I lost all my instruments and all my music. All of that’s gone, but I’m still here.”

Madlib has a fundraiser going to help him and his family out via Donorbox.

Maupin has a fundraiser for him and his family via GoFundMe.

If you can support, I hope you do. I know it’s an amazingly small selection of artists who have been affected, but it’s something.

WDET’s Shigeto did a wonderful tribute to Los Angeles and its many musicians on The New Music Show — you can check that out here.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Jan. 14, 2025

• “Risk” – FKJ & Bas
• “Winter In America” – Gil Scott Heron
• “Rainmaker” – John Carroll Kirby
• “What You Are” – Pete Brandt’s Method
• “My Last Chance (SalaAM ReMi LP Mix)” – Marvin Gaye
• “Lazarus” – David Bowie
• “LUST.” – Kendrick Lamar
• “Right” – David Bowie
• “Love Is a Hurtin’ Thing (12″ Version)” – Gloria Ann Taylor
• “Multi-Love” – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
• “Too Good (Unknown Mortal Orchestra Remix)” – Arlo Parks
• “Something, Anything” – STR4TA
• “Gorgeous (Evm128 Remix)” – Detroit Rising
• Let Your Hair Down (feat. Hutch the Great)” – Max Sinal
• “17 Days (Piano & a Microphone 1983 Version)” – Prince
• “Just Like a Baby” – Sly & the Family Stone
• “Liquid Love (feat. Sylvia Cox)” – Roy Ayers
• “We Are The Sun” – Sault
• “Don’t Wanna Fight” – Alabama Shakes
• “Wind Parade” – Donald Byrd
• “Stepping Into Tomorrow” – Madlib
• “Pop Life (12″ Version)” – Prince & the Revolution
• “You’re Not In Love” – Carmen Lundy
• “Nomalizo” – Letta Mbulu
• “Road of the Lonely Ones” – Madlib
• “Crime Pays” – Freddie Gibbs & Madlib
• “Auditorium (feat. Slick Rick)” – Mos Def
• “Accordion” – Madvillain
• “Raid (feat. MED)” – Madvillain
• “Umm Hmm” – Erykah Badu
• “Anointed Soul” – Jahari Massamba Unit, Karriem Riggins & Madlib
• “Watermelon Man” – Herbie Hancock & Headhunters

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

We’re back In The Groove with new music from Japanese Breakfast, Mogwai, Goat Girl, Rich Ruth, Lightning Bug and more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Jan. 13, 2025

• “Searching” – Black Vandross
• “Better” – Joy Orbison & Léa Sen
• “AA   BOUQUET   FOR   YOUR   180   FACE” – Saya Gray
• “She’s Coming” – The Gaslamp Killer & The Heliocentrics
• “Satin Curtains” – Molly Lewis
• “God Gets Your Back” – Mogwai
• “A.M. 180” – Grandaddy
• “One” – Ahmad Jamal & Gary Burton
• “Road Head” – Japanese Breakfast
• “Orlando In Love” – Japanese Breakfast
• “Boyish” – Japanese Breakfast
• “Ride Around” – Goat Girl
• “Like I Say (I runaway)” – Nilufer Yanya
• “No Muscle, No Memory” – Rich Ruth
• “Automoton” – Ash Walker
• “Give It To Me Baby” – Jarina De Marco
• “Huarache Lights” – Hot Chip
• “I Will Run” – Ibibio Sound Machine
• “A Figure In The Surf” – Mount Kimbie
• “I Feel…” – Lightning Bug
• “Thank You Deeply” – Mystery Tiime & The Maghreban
• “Before You Gotta Go” – Courtney Barnett
• “Take Me” – Scout laRue Willis
• “Carry Me Higher (7 Inch Version)” – The Blessed Madonna, Joy Anonymous & Danielle Ponder
• “7 AM” – Jacqueline Taïeb
• “The Call Up” – The Clash
• “Rain Can’t Reach Us (feat. Tony Allen)” – Yannis and the Yaw
• “Enjoy The Silence” – Depeche Mode
• “Song of hope” – Nicolas Jaar
• “The Bug” – Crumb
• “Cécile” – Edouard Ferlet
• “Over When It’s Over” – Lucy Rose
• “Inside And Out” – Feist
• “Mad (Young Franco Remix)” – Hope Tala
• “I’m Gonna Dance (Jitwam Remix)” – Asha Puthli
• “Movementt” – Emma-Jean Thackray

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Last call to see one of my favorite shows of the year, which closes this Sunday, Jan. 12.

I knew nothing of Toshiko Takaezu before this retrospective of her work at Cranbrook Art Museum. “Worlds Within” goes along chronologically, highlighting her array of clay work alongside some abstract paintings and other pieces. 

Takaezu’s career spanned seven decades and it’s all on display here, stretching from the 1950s through the early 2000s, when the scale and impact of her work only kept growing. (In fact, the final gallery is my favorite gallery on display here.)

There’s early student work from her time studying in Hawaii. There’s work from her time spent teaching at Cranbrook, which is a nice feather in the cap for this storied institution in Bloomfield Hills that’s an international draw for artists to study and for patrons to gawk at their collections.

What isn’t captured in the bio of Takaezu’s “Worlds Within” is how warm, engaging and downright wonderful this exhibition is — even when it blasts off into outer space.

Takaezu’s “Moonscapes” are stars of the show here — a galaxy of large spherical sculptures (two large bowls brought together) hanging snuggly in fiber hammocks created by Lenore Tawney for a show all the way back in 1979. They were displayed a decade after the Apollo mission, which tilted Takaezu towards creating these pieces.

Alongside the hammocks, Takaezu creates a small galaxy of these spheres in front of another one of Tawney’s fiber pieces. 

We’re not all on the artistic orbit of Takaezu, but these pieces provide an out-of-this-world viewing experience that’s grounded and inviting to those of us stuck down here on Earth.

“Worlds Within” wraps with large vessels from Takaezu’s “Star Series.” The stoneware vessels are modeled after Korean storage jars and require large kilns to be made. The abstract coloring on the exterior of each one makes it feel like you’re stumbling into an alien graveyard.

They are stunning explorations of scale within the world of clay, the sheer size of which I’ve rarely seen displayed with such humbling affect.

When Takaezu plays with scale, it’s magical. And she knew size isn’t everything throughout her career.

“Sometimes the small one has everything.”

She kept making smaller, more playful works alongside the authoritative stature of her take on Korean storage jars.

It helps weave a story of an artist who never lost sight of playfulness within her work even as her work grew as large in scale as the planets above that fascinated her.

And a true celebration of clay and stoneware, a medium which rarely gets it’s own retrospective on this scale in metro Detroit’s cultural scene.

“Ryan Patrick Hooper goes to…” is published by WDET in partnership with Midbrow.

Read more:

• Still Life Studio’s winter ceramics show offers eclectic pieces from local artists
• Jazz pianist Elew’s electrifying set at Cliff Bell’s
• ‘Monday Is The New Monday’ at Motor City Wine

New music from Elkka, First Beige, Darkside, Magdalena Bay, Everything Is Recorded and mary in the junkyard, Joshua Idehen and more, plus throwback Thursday with Otis Redding, Sarah Vaughn, Milton Nascimento, Curtis Mayfield and others!

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Jan. 9, 2025

• “Let it Happen (Soulwax Remix)” – Tame Impala
• “Sudden Weight (feat. Allysha Joy)” – First Beige
• “I Just Want To Love You” – Elkka
• “S.N.C.” – Darkside
• “Golden” – Elmiene
• “SP12 Beat” – Mount Kimbie
• “Water Me Down” – Vagabon
• “Death & Romance” – Magdalena Bay
• “Starfish And Coffee” – Prince
• “100 Yard Dash (Nicky D Remix)” – Derobert & The Half-truths
• “All Mine” – Portishead
• “Origin” – Studio
• “10:03” – Doves
• “Black Coffee” – Sarah Vaughn
• “Cigarettes & Coffee” – Otis Redding
• “Tudo o Que Você Podia Ser” – Milton Nascimento
• “Vento A Favor” – Sessa
• “Tandem Jump” – Jonathan Richman
• “Handshake Drugs (11/13/03 Sear Sound-NYC Version)” – Wilco
• “Heroes” – David Bowie
• “Swamp Dream #3” – Everything Is Recorded & mary in the junkyard
• “AA   BOUQUET   FOR   YOUR   180   FACE” – Saya Gray
• “Could Be Forever” – Joshua Idehen
• “The Makings of You” – Gladys Knight & The Pips
• “Billy Jack” – Curtis Mayfield
• “1st Key” – Birdman & Lil Wayne
• “The Book Lovers” – Broadcast
• “Brains” – Lower Dens
• “Silver Soul” – Beach House
• “Percolator” – Stereolab
• “Cherry Sunshine” – Somesurprises

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

What an interesting show… from the simply gorgeous piano playing of Joe Webb to new music from Divorce, Michael Kiwanuka, Oscar Jerome, Lola Young, DARKSIDE and others all the way to the Ethio-jazz of musical pioneer and ambassador Mulatu Astatke & Hoodna Orchestra and guitar legend Santana.

Felt like we were at the height of our genre-hopping powers today on In The Groove — hope ya dig!

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Jan. 8, 2025

• “Rebel Soul” – Michael Kiwanuka
• “Antarctica” – Divorce
• “Desert Belly” – Oscar Jerome
• “Soft Spot” – JMSN
• “Before You Gotta Go” – Courtney Barnett
• “Stay Around” – J.J. Cale
• “Go It Alone” – Beck
• “Messy” – Lola Young
• “Because I’m Me” – The Avalanches
• “Love Hangover” – Diana Ross
• “Hello Detroit” – Tall Black Guy
• “Collblanc” – Joe Webb
• “Diane Charlemagne (Iman Houssein Remix)” – LEFTO EARLY BIRD
• “Maneiras (feat. Zeca Pagodinho e Marcelo D2)” – Arlindo Cruz & Rogê
• “Can We Pretend” – Bill Withers
• “Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise” – Andrew Bird, Alan Hampton & Ted Poor
• “Nothing Can Surprise Me” – Tamar Aphek
• “Pára (feat. Jessica Lauren)” – MOMO.
• “Oye Como Va” – Santana
• “Tension” – Mulatu Astatke & Hoodna Orchestra
• “I Set My Face to the Hillside” – Tortoise
• “S.N.C.” – DARKSIDE
• “Roy” – IDLES
• “Tomorrow Never Knows” – Beatles
• “Josh Tillman and the Accidental Dose” – Father John Misty
• “We Don’t Know What Tomorrow Brings” – The Smile
• “Guided Tour” – High Vis
• “I Wanna Be Adored” – Stone Roses
• “Les Fleur (feat. Carina Andersson)” – 4hero
• “In a Moment Divine” – Freak Heat Waves & Cindy Lee
• “Too Much Love (Rub ‘n’ Tug Mix)” – LCD Soundsystem

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

I kicked off today’s show trying to warm up the city with some classics from Beatles, Bob Dylan, Wreckless Eric — there’s just more warmth in the analog studio recordings from back in the day.

Also, lots of psych-rock bands keeping that spirit, sound and feeling alive via Lazy Eyes, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and others. Kraftwerk always sounds good regardless of the weather on In The Groove, and it was even sweeter to giveaway tickets to their upcoming show at Masonic Cathedral Theatre on March 29 (congrats to all the listeners who won!).

On top of that, new music from LA LOM, Joe Armon-Jones, Lawne, Gratts (remixed by hometown legend John Beltran), Fabiano do Nascimento and much more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Jan. 7, 2025

• “Come On and Move Me” – Celeste Krishna
• “You Won’t See Me” – Beatles
• “We Will Not Make It (Not Without You)” – Twin Peaks
• “The Man In Me” – Bob Dylan
• “Whole Wide World” – Wreckless Eric
• “So We Won’t Forget” – Khruangbin
• “Hunnybee” – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
• “Rà-àkõ-st (Unknown Mortal Orchestra Version)” – Lindstrøm & Unknown Mortal Orchestra
• “Fuzz Jam” – Lazy Eyes
• “Alacrán” – LA LOM
• “Sorrowful Horns (feat. James Mollison)” – Joe Armon-Jones
• “Ghost Town” – The Specials
• “For The Time Being” – Erlend Øye & La Comitiva
• “Quetzal” – Los Hermanos
• “Mamasong” – Lawne
• “Sun Circles (Beltran Remix)” – Gratts
• “Follow Me” – Special Interest
• “Repetitioner” – THUS LOVE
• “Fallen (feat. Momoko Gill)” – Matthew Herbert
• “Leave Your Life (Lonely Hearts Mix)” – Alex Kassian
• “Crown” – Tall Black Guy x Kendrick Lamar
• “PUAJ” – Salin
• “Dub Je Je” – Antibalas
• “Trans Europe Express” – Kraftwerk
• “Computer Love” – Kraftwerk
• “The Fast Flowing River” – Work Money Death
• “Feijoada (Live)” – Fabiano do Nascimento
• “Shaken To My Soul (feat. Ruti)” – Girls of the Internet
• “Show Me Your Pretty Side” – Tamar Aphek
• “Time” – Mo Kolours
• “Son Of A Preacher Man” – Mieke Miami

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

So pumped to be back In The Groove in the New Year… with a special highlight on Benjamin Booker, who is playing at the Magic Bag on Feb. 19 (an In The Groove must-go-show) and releasing a new record, “LOWER,” out later this month and produced by Kenny Segal.

Plus, new music from Panda Bear & Cindy Lee, Joshua Idehen, Girls of the Internet, Lola Young, MIKE and more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Jan. 6, 2025

• “Violent Shiver” – Benjamin Booker
• “Defense” – Panda Bear & Cindy Lee
• “Gut Feeling / (Slap Your Mammy)” – DEVO
• “Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)” – Neil Young
• “Compared to What (Live at The Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland, June 1969)” – Eddie Harris & Les McCann
• “Could Be Forever” – Joshua Idehen
• “Give It To Me Baby” – Jarina De Marco
• “Back 2 Me (feat. Sadie Walker)” – Girls of the Internet
• “Donuts Mind If I Do” – CHAI
• “Where’s My Brain???” – Lazy Eyes
• “Charlie (feat. Lil Yachty)” – Lola Young
• “Eternal Light” – Free Nationals & Chronixx
• “Origin” – Studio
• “2020” – SUUNS
• “Like Eating Glass” – Bloc Party
• “Heartbeat” – Wire
• “I Love You” – Spacemen 3
• “I’m Waiting For The Man” – Velvet Underground
• “SAME KIND OF LONELY” – Benjamin Booker
• “Pieces of a Dream” – MIKE
• “I’m Doing Fine (feat. Amp Dog Knight)” – Moodymann
• “Mãe (feat. Maro)” – Munir Hossn
• “Carried Away” – H.E.R.
• “History Repeats (Jungle Remix)” – Brittany Howard
• “Insecure” – Tom Misch
• “Para Chick” – Tania Maria
• “Mountains” – Raquel Martins
• “Nancy Wilson (feat. Ahya Simone & Dez Andres) [Shigeto Remix]” – Brian Jackson, Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad
• “A Beginning Dream” – Triste Janero
• “Walk On By” – Triste Janero
• “Somethings Going On (Miles James Remix)” – Kokoroko
• “Life During Wartime (live)” – Talking Heads

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

My favorite time of the year — end of year best of music lists!

This is the final installment of In The Groove’s Best Of 2024 series, with spotlights on Loma, Nilufer Yanya, Friko, TAMTAM, Mannequin Pussy, Milton Nascimento & Esperanza Spalding, Rich Ruth and more.

You can see the playlist and listen back to previous shows below:

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for December 19, 2024

• “Pink Sky” – Loma
• “Method Actor” – Nilüfer Yanya
• “Words fell out” – Goat Girl
• “I Don’t Know You” – Mannequin Pussy
• “Brown Paper Bag” – DIIV
• “Weird Fishes/ Arpeggi” – Friko
• “Bara To Yaju” – Haruomi Hosono
• “Contact High” – Metronomy, Faux Real & Miki
• “Exile” – Swim Surreal & Zero 7
• “Go Down The Mountain” – TAMTAM
• “Why You Lied” – Forest Law
• “Breathe Now” – Tara Lily
• “levels (IZCO & Reek0 Remix)” – oreglo
• “As Above As Below” – Fievel Is Glauque
• “A Day In The Life” – Milton Nascimento & Esperanza Spalding
• “Only One” – Cassandra Jenkins
• “Lucy Takes A Picture” – Youth Lagoon
• “No Muscle, No Memory” – Rich Ruth
• “Dream Of You” – Lionlimb & Angel Olsen
• “Grow In Pains (feat. SUGARTHIEF)” – Freya McKee
• “Lie In The Gutter” – Peel Dream Magazine
• “Better Hate” – Jessica Pratt
• “Pretty Girls” – Honeyglaze
• “Like I Say (I runaway)” – Nilüfer Yanya
• “My Room” – Divorce
• “Wristwatch” – MJ Lenderman
• “Empires Never Know” – Jessica Pratt
• “What Not to Do (Moodymann Remix)” – Róisín Murphy
• “Outubro” – Milton Nascimento & Esperanza Spalding
• “100 Years Of Bill & Lil” – Joe Webb
• “The Seer” – Nubya Garcia
• “Good In The Bad (Thomas Xu Remix)” – Jihoon
• “Sick Of The Blues” – Porridge Radio
• “DNM” – Mk.gee
• “Defense” – Panda Bear & Cindy Lee
• “The Big Idea” – Lily Talmers
• “Northern Shuffle” – Julian Lage
• “That’s How I’m Feeling” – Jack White

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

My favorite time of the year — end of year best of music lists!

This is PART FOUR of In The Groove’s Best Of 2024 series. Spotlights on Dummy, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Ezra Collective, Tierra Whack, Joy Orbison, SBTRKT and more.

You can see the playlist and listen back to previous shows below:

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Dec. 19, 2024

• “To Be Still” – Brittany Howard
• “Everything in its Right Place” – Kamaal Williams
• “Son of a Preacher Man” – Mieke Miami
• “Niceties” – Forest Law
• “Space” – Hypnotic Brass Ensemble & Yasiin Bey
• “God Gave Me Feet For Dancing (feat. Yazmin Lacey)” – Ezra Collective & Yazmin Lacey
• “Moon Slide” – Lilblackkids, Georgia Anne Muldrow & Keith Rice
• “SHOWER SONG” – Tierra Whack
• “False Start Dub” – Kings Of High Speed & JKriv
• “Hello? (feat. aden) [Maurice Fulton Remix]” – musclecars
• “flight fm” – Joy Orbison
• “Back On” – SBTRKT
• “David” – Allysha Joy
• “Lo Dudo” – Ëda Diaz
• “Rain Can’t Reach Us (feat. Tony Allen)” – Yannis & The Yaw
• “Nullspace” – Dummy
• “Opaline Bubbletear” – Dummy
• “Blue Dada” – Dummy
• “Dumb Guitar” – Mount Kimbie
• “Ill Times” – GUM & Ambrose Kenny-Smith
• “Bang (Peanut Butter Wolf Remix)” – Melenas & Peanut Butter Wolf
• “Hot Sun” – Wilco
• “New York, Let’s Do Nothing” – King Hannah
• “Ride around” – Goat Girl
• “Why Are You?” – Natty Reeves
• “All Seeds” – Don Glori
• “Dispose Of Me” – Omar Apollo
• “Never Be Yours” – Kali Uchis
• “For The Time Being” – Erlend Øye & La Comitiva
• “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To” – Andrew Bird, Alan Hampton & Ted Poor
• “If You Only Knew (Live from Union Chapel)” – Gabriels
• “Passionfruit (feat. John Carroll Kirby)” – Elkka
• “Parasite (feat. Kindelan)” – Sean Khan & The Modern Jazz & Folk Ensemble
• “Late Autumn (feat. Anna Butterss, Jay Bellerose & Josh Johnson)” – Jeff Parker

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

I’ve never thought of a ceramics sale as an art show until I rolled through the Still Life Studios in Ferndale.

It’s the blatant commerce of it all. Couples shopping for last-minute holiday gifts, one partner always a little more curious and willing than the other. To me, people browsing as consumers just look different than patrons stoically meandering through a museum.

Ceramics artist Kim Khamo changed my perspective with her display at Still Life, which rents out space, supplies and equipment to a wide ranging level of talent.

In less than a year, the Assyrian artist has developed a full-bodied artist identity through ceramics under her Nahrain Ceramics label. (Her work is pictured above.)

“A lot of my work is inspired by the geometric patterns of Mesopotamia because that’s who I am,” said Khamo. “That’s my roots. That’s my ancestry.”

She wasn’t the only artist there who convinced me there was more depth here than mugs and vases for sale.

Sara Zhao of Saratonin Clay brought a sense of sleek whimsy to her designs. It was surprising just how precise these artists can be with their handiwork.

Trent Bradley-Mitchell went a different way entirely, bringing a sense of horror, shock, deformity and disfigurement that stood proudly in contrast to the knack for cleanliness other artists gravitated towards. (An example is pictured at the top of this story.)

Amadeusz Sepko felt like one of the most complete artists on display, or maybe that’s just what a handle on abstraction and control can do for an artist’s vibe.

Did it have the decorum of a museum? No. Did it function primarily as a sale for the public? Yes.

But I think if you look a little closer at the ceramics displayed and the stories behind them, there’s more than mugs and vases for sale at Still Life.

“In The Groove goes to…” is published by WDET in partnership with Midbrow.

My favorite time of the year — end of year best of music lists! This is PART THREE of In The Groove’s Best Of 2024 series. Spotlights on Astrid Sonne, Work Money Death, Vince Staples, Schoolboy Q, Crumb and more.

You can see the playlist and listen back to previous shows below:

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for Dec. 18, 2024

• “Moving Forward” – Bryony Jarman-Pinto
• “Lil Birdie” – DJ Harrison
• “Pon Pón” – Khruangbin
• “Bloodline (Marla Kether Remix)” – Samantha Lindo
• “Kravitz” – Mabe Fratti
• “Your House (feat. Astrid Sonne & Fine)” – Coined
• “When I Was Younger” – Bonny Light Horseman
• “Say you love me” – Astrid Sonne
• “Ramble In The Rainbow” – TAMTAM
• “We Are The People” – Work Money Death
• “Gemini” – Angélica Garcia
• “Insecure” – Tom Misch
• “Speak To Me” – Julian Lage
• “Humanity” – LAVA LA RUE
• “Bon Bon” – Fcukers
• “Just Listen” – Mark Guiliana
• “African Skies” – Lars Bartkuhn
• “Dance Steve (feat. Jeff Parker)” – Anna Butterss
• “Three Piece Suit (feat. Azekel)” – Kokoroko
• “Crumb” – John Roseboro & Liana Flores
• “Vento a Favor (Instrumental)” – Sessa
• “Side By Side” – Crumb
• “Crushxd” – Crumb
• “Continuum 5” – Nala Sinephro
• “Continuum 6” –Nala Sinephro
• “Be Reasonable” – Somesurprises
• “Right Back to It (feat. MJ Lenderman)” – Waxahatchee
• “Count The Days (feat. Jenny Lewis)” – Swamp Dogg
• “Fool” – Adrianne Lenker
• “Mum Does the Washing” – Joshua Idehen
• “Sweet Thang (feat. Summer Walker)” – Childish Gambino
• “oHio (feat. Freddie Gibbs)” – Schoolboy Q
• “Clothes Off” – Cousin Kula
• “Étouffée” – Vince Staples

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

My favorite time of the year — end of year best of music lists!

This is part 2 of In The Groove’s Best Of 2024 series. It features highlights on Reyna Tropical, Ibibio Sound Machine and Little Simz, plus listener picks from you, including Remi Wolf, Soft Play, The Cure and Jungle.

You can see the full playlist and listen back to previous shows below:

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for December 17, 2024

• “Aquí Te Cuido” – Reyna Tropical
• “TURBULÊNCIA” – Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti & Frank Rosaly
• “Pull The Rope” – Ibibio Sound Machine
• “To The Dancefloor” – Debby Friday
• “SOS” – Little Simz
• “Far Away” – Little Simz
• “Mood Swings” – Little Simz
• “Find Me (Live)” – Kassa Overall
• “Mort Crim” – Ian Fink
• “Over When It’s Over” – Lucy Rose
• “Daddy’s Gonna Tell You No Lie” – Red Hot Org, Kronos Quartet, Laraaji & Sun Ra
• “Toro” – Remi Wolf *listener pick for best of 2024*
• “Motorcycle” – Remi Wolf
• “Musica” – Mildlife
• “Workin’ On It” – Brijean
• “Volume” – Caribou
• “Thrown Around” – James Blake
• “Sundowner” – Fontaines D.C.
• “Everything And Nothing” – Soft Play *listener pick for best of 2024*
• “Favourite” – Fontaines D.C.
• “All I Ever Am” – The Cure *listener pick for best of 2024*
• “Daylight Song” – Wu Lu
• “Con Altura” – Orquesta Akokán
• “Ya Va Pasar” – Reyna Tropical
• “Back On 74 (Full Crate Remix)” – Jungle
• “Let’s Go Back” – Jungle *listener pick for best of 2024*
• “It’s Alright” – Baby Rose & BADBADNOTGOOD
• “DIPAD33 / W . I . D . F . U” – Saya Gray
• “Ambrosia” – Erick the Architect & Channel Tres
• “Long As The Sun” – Jaiton
• “Closer” – Maria Chiara Argirò
• “Beta Pan” – Lawne
• “comet (feat. Bel Cobain)” – oreglo
• “Levels” – oreglo
• “Fácil” – Empress Of
• “31 Bloom” – Four Tet
• “Dream State” – Kamasi Washington & André 3000

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.