Morgan Rhodes’ cell phone voicemail blares James Brown’s “Papa’s Got a
Brand New Bag,” a flying flag of her dedication to funk and soul that
is displayed even better in her late night sets on KCRW’s airwaves.
Morgan is an “Air Force kid” who spent part of her childhood in the UK
and then settled in Los Angeles. Her parents were both music
collectors, exposing her young ears to rare grooves, jazz fusion, and
funk. Morgan fell in love with dance music on her own and found a place
to listen to it in 1997 when a friend suggested she tune into Jason
Bentley’s Metropolis. She became a volunteer on his show, as well as
Garth Trinidad’s Chocolate City, initially hoping to hop on the mic to
attract commercial voiceover work. But a few radio classes and an
internet radio show later and she was hooked.
"Jason and Garth
are two beautifully individual variations on one theme: playing music
that feels good. They've given me a real desire to connect with the
audience, instead of just playing what I like, said Rhodes. “My goal
for the show is to offer listeners musical respite that's both
adventurous and freeing, because that's what KCRW has given me
throughout the years.”
Soul music with beats and breaks will be
the core of the show. Morgan is also set on providing a feminine
perspective, drawing attention to the women who drive dance music.
While not at KCRW, Morgan works at Sony Pictures Home Entertainment as
a photo editor/archivist.
Morgan Rhodes on KCRW
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