This week on MI Local, we ran through some of the latest releases by artists based all around metro Detroit and southeast Michigan, including the dream-pop duo, Bluhm, and the garage-goth six-piece known as Mirror Mask!

We also caught back up with the latest from singer/songwriter Corazon Szell, an Ann Arbor-based artist who was recently featured at WDET’s Sounds Like Detroit Showcase in August, at Batch Brewing! The aforementioned Mirror Mask has a show coming up next week at the Magic Stick with Protomartyr, and we also looked around to other notable shows happening, including one at the Ghost Light with the alt-folk indie-rock group Burning Ponies.

Our in-studio guests this week included singer-songwriter and poet Drew Bardo, who recently released the blues-funk fusion track “Wicker Boa.” Bardo has been around the music scene for a couple decades, with a range of previous projects and collaborations, but his recent release marks a return from a roughly five-year long hiatus!

While in the studio, Bardo talked about the latest album he’s been working on, an upcoming single that and music video that he’s dropping this Friday. We wrapped up our segment with Bardo performing another new song, “A Fool’s Dream,” live with Ella Kulik on violin and backing vocals.

My other in-studio guest this week was Stacey MacLeod, one-half of the “punk”-rock duo known as Dear Darkness!  I put punk in quotes because that subject comes up during our interview. This dynamic duo of musicians, singers and visual artists have a new album, “Gold, Guns, and More”, out this weekend, with a release party on Friday night at the High Dive in Hamtramck.

While drummer and vocalist Michelle Thibodeau couldn’t make it in, MacLeod and I chatted about the group’s origin, their unique sound, and we checked out the title track from the album, which was inspired by strip malls. After that, MacLeod treated us to a special live performance of her original Christmas song, “At The Mall.”

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

• “Slow Rewind” – Bluhm
• “Anymore” – Mirror Mask
• “Don’t Make Me Cry” – Barelyon
• “Meet Me On Mars” – North Ingalls & Corazon Szell
• “Good Friends” – The Burning Ponies
• “Wicker Boa” – Drew Bardo
• “A Fool’s Dream” – Drew Bardo & Ella Kulik, live in WDET Studios
• “Gold, Guns, & More” – Dear Darkness
• “At The Mall” – Stacey MacLeod (Dear Darkness), live in WDET Studios

This week we are locking in with UK singer, songwriter and guitarist Lianne La Havas, who has carved out her own lane in alternative soul and folk, drawing on influences that range from Nina Simone to Lauryn Hill.

She first turned heads in the early 2010s with a mostly acoustic, intimate blend of folk and soul. Now she returns after a five year break with a single that puts everything back in focus. This track is built on sparse, airy guitar and that unmistakable voice, delivering emotional weight without a lot of extra production. It is stripped down, honest and vulnerable in a way that feels almost conversational.

Here is Lianne La Havas with “Disarray” and it is my Pick of the Week.

That was Lianne La Havas with “Disarray,” her first new material in five years and an early signal of what is coming on her next album.

If you are into raw, acoustic soul like this, tune in to The Progressive Underground every Saturday at 6 p.m. on 101.9 WDET and online at wdet.org. 

More from The Progressive Underground

Merchants and organizations in the midtown area have organized a holiday event to keep the spirit of Noel Night going. The annual event’s 51^st run has been canceled. But almost 60 shops, restaurants, and community organizations have come together to launch “Merry Midtown” in the spirit of Noel Night.

City Bird’s Andy Linn says there will be concerts at the Detroit School of the Arts, exhibits at Wayne State, DJs at several sites and more.

“And there’s going to be pop up markets at about a dozen of the larger businesses including a really cool vintage and flea market at the majestic. And then there’s going to be live music at a number of locations including Red Hook and Motor City Brewing Works. There’s going to be so many little surprises.”

Business owners say Noel Night is often one of the most lucrative of the whole year – and also when many people discover small businesses in the area. They hope it returns next year, but Merry Midtown may also be here to stay.

For more information about Merry Midtown events visit citybirddetroit.com/events. 

Additional headlines from Tuesday, December 2, 2025

New Detroit lions

Detroit has welcomed three new lions at the Detroit Zoo.

A 9 year-old African lioness named Amirah gave birth to the cubs late last month. A fourth cub did not survive. The kitty cats are expected to meet the public in a few months.

Go Lions!

Pontiac’s Holiday Extravaganza

Pontiac is hosting its 44^th Holiday Extravaganza Saturday. There will be a 5K Elf Run, a “Run, Little Elf” Run, a holiday parade, pony rides, winter festival, a visit from the Clauses and more.

The event is a holiday celebration for Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Waterford and White Lake. It starts at 8 a.m. and runs until 2 p.m. around Saginaw Street in downtown Pontiac.  

Dry autumn

This fall was metro Detroit’s driest autumn since 1998. The National Weather Service’s preliminary data show we got just over four inches of rain, the least amount of precipitation for any fall this century.

That also ranks as the tenth driest autumn in southeast Michigan since the government started keeping records in 1874. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week we tap in with British-Canadian vocalist and songwriter Rochelle Jordan, who has been quietly carving out her own lane as one of electronic music’s most distinctive voices. She just dropped her third album, the sleek and sophisticated “Through The Wall,” a 17-track ride that moves through deep house, future soul, rhythmic R&B and hazy dream-pop textures.

Across the record she gives a masterclass in restraint. She does not belt; she glides, letting breath, phrasing and tone do the heavy lifting. That approach is on full display on the cut we are about to get into.

Here is Rochelle Jordan with “Ladida” from “Through The Wall” – our Pick of the Week.

That was Rochelle Jordan with “Ladida,” taken from her latest full-length, “Through The Wall.”

If you are into lush, melodic electronic grooves like this, lock in with The Progressive Underground every Saturday at 6 p.m. on 101.9 WDET and online at wdet.org. 

Thanks for listening, and we’ll catch you next time.

More from The Progressive Underground

On this episode of Visions, I play sounds from the now. In previous episodes, I played a lot of music from the 60’s and 70’s, but not many selections from recent decades. This episode highlights music almost exclusively from the 21st century.

You hear from Nubya Garcia, Kassa Overall, Terri Lyne Carrington, Detroit’s Geri Allen and Allen Dennard, and Tomeka Reid. I work one of my all time favorite artists, Meshell Ndegeocello, into the mix with her free-ish jazz record from 2005. And I explore my new music discoveries with Nala Sinephro, Nicola Conte, Joshua Moshe, and Gregory Groover Jr.

There are a few tracks from Terence Blanchard‘s “Malcolm X Jazz Suite” which is coming to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra this Friday, Dec. 5. Blanchard worked on the soundtrack of Spike Lee’s 1992 film, “Malcolm X,” and reimagined the music as its own album which came out the following year. This Friday, Blanchard will play new arrangements from the record with an all new band. Happy listening!

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for Dec. 1, 2025

• “A Little Max (Parfait)” – Terri Lyne Carrington
• “Malcolm’s Theme” – Terence Blanchard
• “The Healer” – Joshua Moshe
• “Hastings Street” – Allen Dennard*
• “Odyssey” – Nubya Garcia
• “C.R.E.A.M. (CASH RULES EVERYTHING AROUND ME)” – Kassa Overall
• “Papillon (feat. Matthew Garrison, Federico Gonzalez Pena & Kenny Garrett)” – Meshell Ndegeocello
• “Malcolm Makes Hajj” – Terence Blanchard
• “All Blues” – Mary Lou Williams
• “Go for Broke (feat. Joel Ross, Paul Cornish, Harish Raghavan & Kendrick Scott)” – Gregory Groover Jr.
• “Space 4” – Nala Sinephro
• “Home Grown” – Geri Allen*
• “The Nation” – Terence Blanchard
• “Life Forces” – Nicola Conte
• “Wabash Blues (feat. Tomeka Reid, Mary Halvorson, Tomas Fujiwara & Jason Roebke)” – Tomeka Reid Quartet
• “The Thump (Live)” – Marquis Hill

*Indicates Detroit artists

If you want to understand where the soul-revival movement really lives, you have to look past the big coasts and into the Rustbelt. Detroit is a place where factory sirens and church organs have always shared the same air. It is the city that raised Aretha, Marvin, Stevie and Parliament-Funkadelic, and it keeps producing singers who treat soul music as a calling, not a costume.

Laura Rain is very much in that lineage. Before she ever cut a record under her own name, she did her time in the musical trenches in Detroit and Los Angeles clubs, learning to project over clinking glasses, loud conversations and indifferent sound systems.

In 2012, she met guitarist, producer and fellow music historian George Friend, and the chemistry was immediate. Within a week they were writing together, building a band around a lean, organ-driven trio format that merged Memphis soul, juke-joint blues, tough Detroit funk and R&B.

Under the banner Laura Rain & The Caesars, they went from Motor City bars to the international soul circuit: five full-length albums, a run of 45s and digital singles, heavy touring across more than 25 states plus Canada and Europe, and steady rotation on BBC, NPR and CBC networks. Along the way, they picked up Detroit Music Awards in both blues and urban categories, proof that their sound sits comfortably at the crossroads of soul, blues and R&B rather than in any one lane.

What makes their story compelling is not just the retro flavor, but the work ethic and intent behind it. The five tracks we will explore trace that arc: from a raw debut statement to UK crossover appeal, to tracks that double as Detroit-style soul anthems that shows they are still pushing forward. Let’s get into five songs that define Laura Rain & The Caesars.

5 Essential Tracks by Laura Rain & The Caesars

1. “I Don’t Wanna Play”(Electrified – 2013)

We start at the beginning, with “I Don’t Wanna Play” from their 2013 debut album “Electrified.”

This was the record that introduced Laura Rain & The Caesars to the wider soul world: a stripped-down lineup of organ, guitar and drums that captured the feel of a late-night neighborhood bar where the band is playing for keeps.

This track sets out their mission statement. Laura’s vocals are all grit and control, equal parts gospel testifying and blues shout, while George Friend’s guitar laces the groove with stinging fills that nod to Chicago and Memphis without ever sounding like imitation.

2. “Closer to the Win” (Single – 2021)

That was “Closer to the Win,” a track that would see success on UK soul charts and across digital media and help pave the way for their alliance with LRK records. That song also set the tone for the material that would end up on their 5th album, “Rise Again.”

The next track is built on a steady mid-tempo pulse, with horn accents and rich organ swells. This track highlights the core husband/wife partnership between Laura and George. Their writing combines her direct, emotionally honest lyric approach with his deep knowledge and dexterity of musically distilling blues, soul and jazz styles that is more about building a songbook that can withstand time and travel. Let’s check them out on the cut “I Am (Who I Want To Be).”

3.  “I Am (Who I Want to Be)” – Rise Again (2022)

That was Laura Rain & The Caesars with “I Am (Who I Want to Be)” from their album Rise Again. We next move to the title track for that album, where the focus widens to include not just one singer’s journey, but the city that shaped her. This track plays as a love letter to Detroit itself, a city in the midst of its own rebuild and renaissance.

The arrangement is classic Caesar territory: driving drums, melodic bass, warm keys and guitar lines that mingle with Laura’s vocals, her voice tethered to the rhythm with a mix of urgency and assurance. Given their story, the song feels autobiographical. Since forming in 2012, Laura Rain & The Caesars have self-financed tours, hustled merch at the back of the room, been intentional in cultivating relationships and fostering belief in their music with DJs around the globe, and have steadily built a reputation strong enough to earn multiple Detroit Music Awards in both blues and R&B categories.

This track distills that hustle and grind into a sermon about persistence and hope. Let’s check it, here’s Laura Rain & The Caesars with “Rise Again.”

4. “Rise Again” (Rise Again – 2022)

That was Laura Rain & The Caesars with “Rise Again,” the centerpiece of their 2022 album of the same name. From a raw organ-trio debut to UK modern-soul 45s, from affirmations of self to anthems of resilience and late-period slow burners, Laura Rain & The Caesars embody what it means to be a working soul band in the twenty-first century. They write their own material, tour relentlessly, collaborate across genres and keep the focus on real instruments, melodies and thoughtful composition.

For our final track, we move to their most recent work, a single that shows how this band continues to evolve while staying rooted in its core sound. Here’s Laura Rain & The Caesars with “Feels So Right.”

5. “Feels So Right” (Single – 2024)

That was Laura Rain & The Caesars with “Feels So Right,” a recent chapter in a story that is still unfolding.

If this 5-on-5 has pulled you into their universe, be sure to check out more musical journeys into the artists who are shaping modern soul by keeping it locked on The Progressive Underground every Saturday evening at 6 on 101.9 WDET and wdet.org.

More from The Progressive Underground

This week’s episode leaned into our first big snowfall of the season here in Detroit with some holiday and winter songs from Cranes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and All My Faith Lost.

We also heard new music from Acopia, Chokecherry, Fawn, along with your favorite Big Sonic Heaven classics. 

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

• “Undenied” – Portishead
• “Chained to a Cloud” – Slowdive
• “Silhouette” – She’s Green
• “Iceblink Luck” – Cocteau Twins
• “Television” – Night Tapes
• “Deus” – Sugarcubes
• “8th Deadly Sin” – Miki Berenyi Trio
• “Pale Trembles a Gale” – The Autumns
• “Like Cockatoos” – The Cure
• “Falter” – Acopia
• “Thursday” – Asobi Seksu
• “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” – Cranes
• “Waiting For the Night” – Depeche Mode
• “Doot Doot” – Fauns
• “Feels Like the End of the World” – Chameleons
• “Nirvana” – Glazyhaze
• “Smile” – State of Grace
• “Nobody Loves You More” – Kim Deal
• “Lie in the Sound” – Trespassers William
• “Setting Yourself Up for Love” – Ashes and Diamonds
• “We Have All the Time in the World” – My Bloody Valentine
• “In the Bleak Midwinter” – All My Faith Lost
• “Sacrifice” – Lisa Gerrard and Pieter Bourke
• “Flood the Harbour” (feat. There’s Talk & Tamaryn) – Kai Tai
• “Thoughtforms” – Lush
• “Goldmine” – Chokecherry
• “All I Want For Christmas.” – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• “Fleeting Sun” – Fawn
• “Ulysses” – Dead Can Dance
• “Beauty in all Blue Satin” – Deary
• “Counting Sheep” – Acrylics
• “Wild Horses” – The Sundays
• “The Loony Bin” – Jahrund

Sliding back into the workweek with a high energy show that starts with Atlanta punk darlings Upchuck, puts a spotlight on Momoko Gill ahead of her upcoming debut solo album due out in February from Strut Records and closing down the show with music from Hot Chip and Robyn for a dose of “Dopamine.” 

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 1, 2025

• “New Case” – Upchuck
• “Softly” – Mannequin Pussy
• “I Don’t Know You” – Mannequin Pussy
• “S.N.C.” – DARKSIDE
• “Tuesday” – Mary In The Junkyard
• “Number One Fan” – Rocket
• “Sonny The Strong” – Gaz Coombes
• “Cinnamon Sugar” – Gerald Clayton
• “Garden of Inspiration” – Adrian Sherwood, African Head Charge & Speakers Corner Quartet
• “Its My House (Special Disco Version)” – Risco Connection
• “Stand on the Word (1982 Version)” – Joubert Singers
• “Spaced Outta Place Pt. 1” – Sundown
• “TOUCH” – Sparklmami & Les Sons Du Cosmos
• “People Everywhere ii” – Khruangbin
• “Walking In The Dark” – Stefano Torossi
• “BIG FISH” – Nate Smith & säje
• “No Others” – Momoko Gill
• 2close2farr” – Momoko Gill
• “Need To Run” – Matthew Herbert + Momoko Gill
• “One Thing” – Lola Young
• “Market” – Chronixx
• “The Payback” – James Brown
• “Protection” – Massive Attack
• “Underwater Love” – Smoke City
• “Alleys Of Your Mind” – Cybotron
• “Run Free (Nite Version)” – Soul Wax
• “New Body Rhumba” – LCD Soundsystem
• “Devotion (Boys’ Shorts Remix)” – Hot Chip
• “Dopamine” – Robyn

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.”

On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café, Chris Thile (Nickle Creek, Punch Brothers, Goat Rodeo) talks about his new collection of Bach Sonatas & Partitas, and how this set is different from the Bach he recorded in 2013. Chris also explains his “daily practice of Bach” and what it means in his life!

Also, in-studio archives from Grammy nominees Molly Tuttle and Southern Avenue, plus newcomer Treanne, a peek at the upcoming Jose Gonzalez album and more.

See the playlist below and listen to the episodes on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Acoustic Café Playlist for November 30, 2025

• “Million Dollar Intro” – Ani DiFranco
• “Afraid” – Flock Of Dimes
• “Off Broadway” – Rachael & Vilray ft. Stephen Colbert
• “I’m Listening” – Josh Ritter
• “I Fell In Love” – Treanne
• “Old Me, New Wig” – Molly Tuttle (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “We Got To Have Peace” – Mavis Staples
• “Gavotte” – Chris Thile (in-studio guest performance)
• “Allemanda” – Chris Thile (in-studio guest performance)
• “Robin’s Egg” – Iron & Wine (w/I’m With Her)
• “Emily’s Song” – Daniel Caesar
• “Pajarito” – Jose Gonzalez
• “Music By Men” – Florence & The Machine
• “Beck N Call” – Waterbaby
• “Hold On To The Light” – Jack Johnson, Hermanos Guiterrez
• “Long Is The Road” – Southern Avenue (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Does My Ring Burn Your Finger” – Buddy & Julie Miller (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Pretty Ideas” – Amber Mark
• “Baby Man” – Fruit Bats
• “If God Is A Woman” – Larkin Poe
• “Gentle On My Mind” – Alison Krauss
• “I Made This For You” – Chris Thile (in-studio guest performance)
• “Allegro assai” – Chris Thile (in-studio guest performance)

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

In this week’s episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, family bands and family members making music together! From The Jackson 5 to Dolly Parton, oklou to The Brothers Johnson, Detroit’s The Jones Girls and some fun family in-studio performances from Acoustic Cafe.

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

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for November 29, 2025

HOUR ONE:

• “The Hard Way” – Jimmy Cliff
• “Many Rivers To Cross” – Delta Spirit (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Family” – Aloe Blacc
• “Family Affair” – Sly & The Family Stone
  
• “Let’s Celebrate” – The Jones Girls
  
• “Alien” – Chris & Trixie Whitley (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “You Can’t Fail Me Now” – Loudon & Lucy Wainwright Roche (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Evona Darling” – Linda & Teddy Thompson (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Family Time” – Ziggy Marley (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Upside” – Southern Avenue
• “Ode To My Family” – The Cranberries
• “Family & Friends” – The Isley Brothers
• “friends & family” – oklou
  

• “We Are Family” – Sister Sledge
• “Family Reserve” – Lyle Lovett
• “Smoky Mountain DNA” – Dolly Parton & Family
• “I’ll Be Good To You” – The Brothers Johnson
  
• “I Want You Back” – The Jackson 5
• “Back In Your Head” – Tegan & Sara (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Close The Door” – The Holmes Brothers (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Key To The Highway” – Phil & Dave Alvin (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Family Bible” – Willie Nelson & Family
• “Family Table” – Bill Withers
• “Family Ghost” – Jeff Tweedy
• “Nothing Compares To You” – The Family
  
• “Let’s Do It Again” – The Staple Singers
  

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

The second annual In The Groove Throwback Thursday Turkey Fun Time Holiday Show—all with comfort classics! Starting with Sam Cooke, plenty of Nina Simone, John Coltrane, Roberta Flack, Ten Years After, Albert King and many, many more. Enjoy!

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 November 27, 2025

• “A Change Is Gonna Come” – Sam Cooke
• “Better Days” – Graham Nash
• “Whatever I Am” – Nina Simone
• “Saturday Night Special” – Jazzanova
• “Equinox” – John Coltrane
• “Compared To What” – Roberta Flack
• “Lady Day and John Coltrane” – Gil Scott Heron
• “Backlash Blues” – Nina Simone
• “Cadillac Assembly Line” – Albert King
• “Down By The River” – Buddy Miles
• “Come Together” – Ike & Tina Turner
• “California Soul” – Marlena Shaw
• “Soul Vibrations” – Dorothy Ashby
• “Twenty Five Miles” – Edwin Starr
• “Magalenha” – Sergio Mendes
• “Funkier Than A Mosquito’s Tweeter” – Nina Simone
• “Bra” – Cymande
• “Hand Clapping Song” – Meters
• “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone” – Temptations
• “Superfly” – Curtis Mayfield
• “Rebel Rebel” – Seu Jorge
• “Can You Get To That” – Funkadelic
• “Let ‘Em In” – Wings
• “This Must Be The Place” – Talking Heads
• “Muizenberg” – John Wizards
• “Les La Bas” – Henri Texier
• “This Love Is Here To Stay” – Thomas Dybdahl
• “Open Your Eyes” – Bobby Caldwell
• “Love And Happiness” – Monty Alexander
• “I Dig Love” – George Harrison
• “I’d Love To Change The World” – Ten Years After
• “Fried Neckbones and Some Homefries” – Willie Bobo
• “The Wind Cries Mary” – Jimi Hendrix
• “Wooden Ships” – Crosby, Stills & Nash
• “Sympathy For The Devil” – The Rolling Stones

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.

New music from Yin Yin, Automatic, Dry Cleaning, Soulwax, plus your songs of gratitude and thanks with selections from Massive Attack, Big Star, The Cure and Donald Byrd.

Comedian T. Barb stops by to talk about the music that influenced her throughout her career ahead of her big hometown show at the Detroit House of Comedy this Friday. 

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 November 26, 2025

• “Spirit Adapter” – Yin Yin
• “Mq9” – Automatic
• “Hit My Head All Day” – Dry Cleaning
• “Angles Mortz” – Nightbus
• “Run Free (Nite Version)” – Soulwax
• “Maybe I Got It Wrong” – Ruti
• “Last Forever” – Patchwork Inc. & Wyatt Waddell
• “Nancy From Now On” – Father John Misty
• “Clover” – Billie Marten
• “Guns of Brixton (feat. Camille)” – Nouvelle Vague
• “The Harder They Come” – Jimmy Cliff
• “High Tide or Low Tide (B is for Bob Mix)” – Bob Marley
• “You Got It” – Thandii
• “Free” – Sault
• “La Ceiba” – Antibalas
• “Blue Lines” – Massive Attack
• “Be Thankful For What You’ve Got” – Massive Attack
• “The Lovecats” – The Cure
• “Thank You Friends” – Big Star
• “Can’t Hardly Wait (Cello Version)” – The Replacements
• “Power Of The Moon” – Ezra Furman
• “Rock & Roll” – Velvet Underground
• “Veni Vidi Vici” – The Black Lips
• “Paper Tiger” – Spoon
• “I Love Your Smile (In The Groove with Detroit Comedian T. Barb)” – Shanice
• “#1 Stunna (In The Groove with Detroit Comedian T. Barb)” – Big Tymers
• “Big Pimpin’ (feat. UGK) [Edited] (In The Groove with Detroit Comedian T. Barb)” – Jay-Z
• “Ice Me Out (In The Groove with Detroit Comedian T. Barb)” – Kash Doll
• “5pm” – Otis Junior & Dr. Dundiff
• “The Light” – Jordan Rakei
• “Wind Parade” – Donald Byrd
• “Ainda é Verão” – Alulu Paranhos & Bruno Berle
• “Tenderly” – Luiz Bonfá
• “Dumb Feeling” – Mei Semones

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.

Tis the time of year for giving thanks, and we want to thank everyone out there who’s been tuning in to all of the local music shows featured during the evening hours on WDET, including (and particularly?) MI Local!

This week, we meet more of the unique personalities and creative minds behind the music coming out of metro Detroit, including the retro rock ‘n’ rollers known as Lyons Lane, and the mesmerizingly melodic alt-folk vibes of Jeffrey Jablonski, which means we ALSO had the opportunity to exclusively premiere some new songs!

Now, the night before Thanksgiving is notoriously known as “the busiest bar night of the year.” To the tons of folks home for the holidays who may or may not be lucky enough to not be saddled with turkey-duty at the break of dawn: this means that pretty much every local venue in town is hosting a great lineup of local music, from former MI Local guests Power Moonroof performing at UFO Bar, to WDET favorites like Deadbeat Beat at the Outer Limits Lounge!

Tonight, I’m shouting out a lineup over at Ziggy’s in Ypsilanti, featuring the alt-country indie-rockers Cowgirl: we kicked off the show with their song “How on a Hot Tin Roof.”

Speaking of Ypsilanti, we also heard from that town’s eminent indie-folk singer/songwriter, Matt Jones, with his new single “All My Stars,” from his forthcoming album, “The Good Life,” out on Dec. 12. Other new tracks include Kalamazoo-based songwriter Spencer LaJoye’s “Looks Like We’re Alive” and Detroit-based lo-fi duo The Long Stairs with “Running Cold.”

Mark Leo, the lead singer of the rock ‘n’ roll outfit known as Lyons Lane, stopped by the studio to premiere a new single, “Emma’s Addiction.” 

Leo spoke with me about his lifelong love of melodic rock ‘n’ roll and classic pop, as well as the development of this project with collaborator Tomcat Thompson. Leo, along with Thompson and saxophonist Matthew Stevens, treated WDET listeners to a live in-studio performance, covering “Love Potion No. 9.” Lyons Lane’s next show is on Dec. 13, at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor. 

Jeffrey Jabolnski, a Detroit-based alt-folk singer-songwriter, also came by the studio to hang out for an interview and live performance.

Jablonsky’s been writing and recording for years, and has been performing live around the scene for more than a decade. He also hosts the Ghost Light Sessions residency on the last Wednesday of each month this year and Wednesday will be the last show of the year for that series.

Jablonski let us premiere a new song while also treating listeners to a live in-studio performance, accompanied as a trio with acoustic guitar and wind instruments.

Joining Jablonski is Matthew Beyer (saxophone), Leslie Wacker (clarinet) and Todd McNulty (drums); McNulty, it should be noted, while not pictured below, actually performed with both Jablonski and, on the spot, sat in with Lyons Lane to add percussion to their set too! Always a fun time on MI Local!

Happy Thanksgiving, y’all.

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

• “Who Else” – Cowgirl
• “Running Cold” – The Long Stairs
• “All My Stars” – Matt Jones & the Reconstruction
• “Looks Like We’re Alive” – Spencer LaJoye
• “Something About You” – Premium Rat
• “Babytalk” – Lyons Lane
• “Love Potion No. 9” – Lyons Lane (live in WDET Studios)
• “Emma’s Addiction” – Lyons Lane
• “Tula” – Jeffrey Jablonski
• “Side By Side” – Jeffrey Jablonski

Diving into new music from Gabriel Jacoby, Charlotte Day Wilson, Patchwork Inc., Gerald Clayton 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 November 25, 2025

• “Canopy” – Resavoir & Matt Gold
• “I Couldn’t Love You More (Jam Master’s Deep Rework)” – Sade
• “Hold On” – Allysha Joy
• “Lost My Love (DJ Amir & Re.Decay Jazz Re.Imagined Remix)” – Kenny Cox
• “Baby” – Gabriel Jacoby
• “It Always Was” – Joshua Idehen
• “Selfish” – Charlotte Day Wilson
• “Herbs & Wine (feat. Ivar)” – Kraak & Smaak
• “On And On” – Patchwork Inc. & Rhea the Second
• “Phoenix” – Rhye
• “Let it Happen (Soulwax Remix)” – Tame Impala
• “Rush” – Gerald Clayton
• “Diane Charlemagne (Iman Houssein Remix)” – LEFTO EARLY BIRD
• “Xoxoxo” – corto.alto
• “Great Pumpkin Waltz” – Vince Guaraldi Trio
• “Mirror” – Jeff Tweedy
• “I’ll Do It For Your Love” – Paul Simon
• “Astrønne” – Psycho Killer
• “Radio Silence” – James Blake
• “Limit To Your Love” – James Blake
• “Disparate Youth” – Santigold
• “Y Control” – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• “Pokemon” – Wet Leg
• “Highway” – Lewis OfMan & Empress Of
• “Tokyo Midnight” – Sababa 5 & Yurika Hanashima
• “Siesta Freestyle” – Lewis OfMan & Alicia te quiero
• “Looking For You” – Nino Ferrer
• “DEATH COMES FROM THE SKY” – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
• “Summoning the Monkey God” – The Sorcerers
• “Bright Moments” – Admin
• “Constellation” – The Circling Sun
• “Cristo Redentor” – Donald Byrd
• “Chants” – Donald Byrd

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.

On this episode of Visions, I expand how I usually think about jazz to include cuts I don’t typically play on the show. I venture into soul with artists like Tower of Power, Aretha Franklin, and Roberta Flack.

I also play a classic blues cut from Lightnin’ Hopkins, plus incredible organ players Charles Earlund and Richard “Groove” Holmes.

To me and many others, these artists are part of the same continuum that jazz falls on, which is Black Music. I’m hoping to continue expanding beyond just playing “jazz” and include Black Music more broadly!

On the more straight-ahead end of the jazz spectrum, I include cuts from Herbie Hancock, the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, Bobby Hutcherson, Oscar Peterson, Charlie Rouse, Miles Davis, Larry Young, and a few others.

I hope you like the twists and turns this episode takes!

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for Nov. 24, 2025

• “Biafra” – Nat Adderely
• “Beyond All Limits” – Larry Young
• “Hey Harold (feat. Billy Hart)” – Bobby Hutcherson
• “Soul Vaccination” – Tower of Power
• “Bitchin'” – Charlie Rouse
• “Rock Steady” – Aretha Franklin*
• “Ostinato (Suite for Angela)” – Herbie Hancock
• “Yes Lord” – The Detroit Jazz Composers Ltd.*
• “To Love Somebody” – Roberta Flack
• “The Shadow of Your Smile” – Oscar Peterson
• “Misty” – Richard “Groove” Holmes
• “More Today Than Yesterday” – Charles Earlund
• “Woke Up This Morning” – Lightnin’ Hopkins
• “Compensation (Live at the Village Vanguard)” – The Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra
• “Freedom Jazz Dance (Evolution of the Groove)” – Miles Davis

*indicates Detroit artists

One of the busiest shows… ever?

I didn’t want to start the week with a major death, but Jimmy Cliff—the crooner who brought the sound of reggae from Jamaica to the world—died at the age of 81. So, of course, a tribute to him and artists carrying that sound forward, like Chronixx. Plus, celebrating The Pharcyde’s excellent debut album released on this very day back in 1992; new music from Boko Yout, Charlotte Day Wilson, Khraungbin 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 November 24, 2025

• “Track 28” – J Dilla
• “Selfish” – Charlotte Day Wilson
• “Career Climbing” – Yukimi & Little Dragon
• “The Harder They Come” – Jimmy Cliff
• “54-46 Was My Number” – Toots & the Maytals
• “Vietnam” – Jimmy Cliff
• “OSAKA” – Athletic Progression
• “One O’Clock Last Morning, 20th April 1970” – Rosinha De Valença
• “White Gloves ii” – Khruangbin
• “Bliss (Part 2)” – The Circling Sun
• “Flight Time” – Donald Byrd
• “BOYFRIEND” – Boko Yout
• “Wah-Wah (2014 Remaster)” – George Harrison
• “Loose Cannon” – Puzzle
• “Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)” – Pixies
• “Hit My Head All Day” – Dry Cleaning
• “Underwater Love” – Smoke City
• “Run Free (Nite Version)” – Soulwax
• “new body rhumba (from the film White Noise)” – LCD Soundsystem
• “The World’s Biggest Paving Slab (Daniel Avery Remix)” – English Teacher & Daniel Avery
• “It’s A Mirror” – Perfume Genius
• “..THUS IS WHY ( I DON’T SPRING 4 LOVE )” – Saya Gray
• “Words” – Big Thief
• “Ferry Lady” – Panda Bear
• “Paradis” – Donna Blue
• “Survivor” – Chronixx
• “In A Dream (Live)” – Misha Panfilov
• “No One’s Watching Me (feat. Olivia Dean)” – Ezra Collective
• “A Couple Minutes (A COLORS SHOW)” – Olivia Dean’
• “Water Me Down (Pamcy Remix)” – Vagabon
• “Soul Flower Remix” – Pharcyde
• “Passin’ Me By” – Pharcyde

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 week’s episode of Big Sonic Heaven paid tribute to two great artists who recently passed: the bassist of The Stone Roses, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, at the age of 63, and Rorika, half of the shoegaze duo Fleeting Joys, who passed away in July of this year. The latter news just became public a few days ago.

Plus, new music from Ashes and Diamonds, The Church, Ivy, and a track from the Chameleons’ first new album in over two decades.

Check out the playlist below, along with the on-demand replay above for the next two weeks.

• Donimo – Cocteau Twins 
• Infinity Peaking – Bdrmm
• En Lögn, En Sanning – Kallsup
• Deep Ocean Vast Sea – Peter Murphy
• I Wanna Be Adored – Stone Roses
• Sapphire Door – Soft Blue Shimmer
• Holiday House – Beach House
• Hooked Into My Soul – Fleeting Joys
• Saviours Are A Dangerous Thing – Chameleons
• Carousel – Hatchie
• Fine Friend – Pale Saints
• Only So Much Light – Air Formation
• Just One Kiss – The Cure
• Hollywood – Ashes and Diamonds
• Creation – Meena
• Brother (feat. Dave Gahan) – Humanist
• All That We Had Is Lost – Postiljonen
• Say You Will – Ivy
• Double Dream – Bluhm
• The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove – Dead Can Dance
• Sacred Echoes (Part Two) – The Church
• Bedbugs and Ballyhoo – Echo and the Bunnymen
• Hazlewood – Toothpaste
• Division – Tycho
• Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf) – Pixies
• Until You Come Back Home – Nother & Moon Leap
• Mandy – She’s Green
• Dagger – Slowdive
• The Big Shake – The Mary Onettes
• New Town Velocity – Johnny Marr 
• City Girl – Kevin Shields
• Bright as Yellow – The Innocence Mission