Joe Reilly has been a big hit with the Ann Arbor-area kids for nearly two decades. They know him from his many performances at local schools, libraries, and music workshops, and they love him for his songs celebrating awesome animals, the wonders of nature, and the importance of our connection to the earth and each other.

On Saturday, May 17, he’s throwing a free family concert at The Ark that will pair his big-hearted, interactive show with a celebration of Indigenous culture. Joe Reilly and his band, the Community Gardeners, will perform alongside the All Nations Dancers, a group of Anishinaabe pow-wow dancers from Mt. Pleasant.

The University of Michigan grad's music is gentle and generous in spirit, drawn from traditional folk and blues to encourage sing-alongs, and spiked with the lyrical flow of hip-hop to keep it real. His easy rapport with his tiny audience members leads them to learn while they play, like a Buddhist Mister Rogers whose essence is his greatest lesson.

Sponsored by Ann Arbor Public Schools, The Ark event launches at 11:30 am with a catered lunch provided by local Indigenous vendor Anishinaabe Meejim, followed an hour later by music and dance. Per The Ark, pre-registration is “strongly encouraged.”

I asked Reilly a few questions about "There’s a Place for You in the Circle" featuring Joe Reilly and The Community Gardeners with the All Nations Dancers.

Friday Five highlights music by Washtenaw County-associated artists and labels.

This edition features beat-driven ambient by Jason Engling, gothic-folk by Dollie Rot, folk by Dave & Kristi, organ experiments by Latimer Rogland, and gritty vaporwave by Delos Prismatic.

The Monday Mix is an occasional roundup of compilations, live recordings, videos, podcasts, and more by Washtenaw County-associated artists, DJs, radio stations, and record labels.

This edition features sights and sounds from Fans With Bands interviewing Mazinga, performances from the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra, a MEMCO mix from DJ Art, and viral TikTok fella DJ DC.

Friday Five highlights music by Washtenaw County-associated artists and labels.

This edition features jazz-steeped indie by Mei Semones, hip-hop soul by Nadim Azzam, Americana by Bill Edwards, '60s-style folk-rock by Chip Kramer, and jazz-dada jams by Tinn Parrow and His Clapfold Platune.

Friday Five highlights music by Washtenaw County-associated artists and labels.

This edition features R&B from Vonsíwel, a Whitney Houston cover from French Ship, piano ambiance by Optigan Conservatory, hip-hop from M.I.C. Book & HUES, and modern dance/hyperpop by GVMMY.

After a couple of years helping to promote his friends' electronic dance music nights in Washtenaw County, Evan Oswald started thinking about ways to grow the local EDM scene. An avid dancer and sometimes DJ, Oswald saw an opening for a regular weeknight happening that didn't take away from what others were already doing well. After some trial and error, he settled on Gear Lords, a monthly Wednesday night series focused on live music production where genre is less important than the means of production; Gear Lords performers create electronic music using hardware—sequencers, synthesizers, samplers, drum machines, etc.

"I was talking about live sets. People that would plug a bunch of pieces of equipment into each other—a bunch of wires and knobs and stuff," Oswald says.

While he admittedly didn't know much about how the music was made at first, and many people told him why it wouldn't work, Oswald pushed ahead as promoter and recruited friend and musician Javan Cain (AKA "OMO") as Gear Lords' resident artist. A year and a half later, Gear Lords has hosted around 30 events at a handful of venues around Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, building a regular community of performers and patrons along the way. 

"I really just wanted more going on in my neighborhood, and I didn't want to copy other people or step on other people's toes," Oswald says.

Friday Five highlights music by Washtenaw County-associated artists and labels.

This edition features electronica by Doogatron, instrumental rock by Mickey Richard, tribal hypnosis by simulatent, outsider music by Klobur, and classic college rock by Suburbo.

When film auteurs Joel and Ethan Coen were writing the script for the 1998 caper comedy The Big Lebowski, they listened to the sort of groovy artists they imagined would be adored by the main character, The Dude: Kenny Rogers and The First Edition, The Eagles, and Creedence Clearwater Revival in particular.

Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski, as played by Jeff Bridges, is a slacker with the same name as a millionaire, and this case of mistaken identity plays out across Los Angeles and a bowling alley. With his long locks and penchant for robes, The Dude looks like the sort of chilled-out guy who knows all the great tunes.

When producer T Bone Burnett was asked to suggest more artists for The Big Lebowski soundtrack, he kept one thing in mind: “Since the Dude was high all the time, he would have to have incredible taste in music," the music archivist told Rolling Stone in 1998.

Rootsy music by Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, and Nina Simone sits next to avant-garde songcraft by Meredith Monk, Captain Beefheart, and Moondog, which dances alongside exotica from Yma Sumac and Henry Mancini. Those initial inspirations of Kenny Rogers and The First Edition, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Gipsy Kings' cover of "Hotel California" also appear. Carter Burwell, who did the original soundtrack music, added his noir-inspired compositions to flesh out the ambiance, and there are many more songs in the movie that didn't make the official album by the likes of ZZ Top, Santana, Booker T. & the MGs, Eagles, The Monks, and more.

The Dude Revue is a now-annual sonic tribute to The Big Lebowski, with core members James Bourland, Jordan Otto, and Connor Otto bringing together friends to perform music featured throughout the movie as well as act out scenes. This second edition takes place on Saturday, April 26, at The Blind Pig in Ann Arbor.

I asked guitarist-singer Bourland about how The Dude Revue came together to honor this cult classic.

After a tumultuous period, Kyle Rasche prefers to pause and reflect.

The singer-songwriter and guitarist ponders heartbreak and growth after experiencing many life changes on Take It Easy.

“These songs were born in a period,” said Rasche, who performs as Kyle Joe, about his latest indie-folk album.

“There was a lot of heartbreak, and there was a lot of really beautiful love, too. And then as the writing went on, I started leaning into more of the lessons I was learning along the way and trying to make the music represent those moments instead of just the heartbreak.”

In those vulnerable moments, Rasche rediscovers himself and his sense of purpose across seven tracks. Collectively, they demonstrate the resiliency that comes from weathering a divorce, loving yourself, and finding kindred spirits.

“I hope more than anything that people hear the hope,” said Rasche, who hails from Alto, a small town about 20 miles southeast of Grand Rapids. “It can get pretty dark … but there’s some light in there.”

Friday Five highlights music by Washtenaw County-associated artists and labels.

This edition features a Kraftwerk-like electronic tune by French Ship, orchestral indie by Racing Mount Pleasant, jazzy fusion by The Missing Cats, rap by J-Classic, and soulful emo-tronica by Sacha.