Foreign Exchange

Posted at 1:00 AM on February 21, 2009 by Dale Connelly (6 Comments)

Tonight on Radio Heartland on Minnesota Public Radio News, we travel back and forth across the Atlantic, going from Maine to Norway, then from Sweden to the American Midwest, and finally from St. Paul to Hungary in the company of a trio of musical and cultural adventurers.

In hour one, Bill Booth demonstrates what he's been doing since he left Maine for Norway 20 years ago. His latest recording, "Songs of the Land", tells Norwegian stories in a musical voice that is decidedly American.

Also in the first hour, the Martin Johansson Band from Sweden will give us a taste of an emigrant's tale they've been performing around Minnesota. It's an acoustic, organic-sounding "rock opera" called "Amerikat", which grew out of Martin's imagination, fed by a few sketchy details about the life of his ancestor Gustav.

In hour two, I'll visit with Erik Brandt, a St. Paul musician and teacher who spent the 2007-08 school year on a work exchange at a high school in Hungary. He intended to leave his music behind during this fellowship, but instead came home with a brand new recording and a deep appreciation for Hungarian music and artistry.

It's International Night on Radio Heartland!

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Comments (6)

Hello Radio Heartland, Thanks Dale for a good lineup for tonight...looking forward...

Posted by michelle in Winona | February 21, 2009 9:02 PM

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Thanks for listening, Michelle!

Posted by Dale Connelly | February 21, 2009 10:54 PM

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Great show, Dale. Particularly liked the time with Bill Booth, Atlantic-spanner that he is. Heard he's looking for 'real' Norwegians living in Minnesota, perhaps even those married to Germans, perhaps those with a musical perspective, and well... I encompass all three. If Bill wants a true, rarefied example of such a fossil, I'd be happy to tell him more!

Posted by Andy Nelson | February 21, 2009 11:00 PM

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Thanks Andy.
We actually talked with Bill Booth about a month ago, so he's already gone back to Norway.
But we'll let him know you meet the requirements!
Thanks for listening.

Posted by Dale Connelly | February 21, 2009 11:18 PM

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OK, I see Bill Booth is in Norway again. If he wants a good collection of Norwegian-Americans, I suggest he try to check out the Mindekirken.org -- Norwegian Memorial Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. It offers lectures, classes, church services etc.

Posted by Louis Janus | February 22, 2009 11:48 AM

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want you to know i'd love to listen but i work saturday nights and don't even get in my car to come home til 10:45
maybe it could be repeated sunday night?

Posted by shelley | February 22, 2009 10:52 PM

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