Steven Russell Davy

The Nonchalant Cafe aired on 89.1 WIDR FM in Kalamazoo, MI from noon until 1:00p.m. EST on Fridays for more than a dozen years. In it’s most recent format, the show was a current affairs newsmagazine broadcasting from the campus of Western Michigan University. I hosted and produced the live version of the NCH from 2001 until 2010 with various counterparts over the years. The NCH is currently being reformatted as an online only production.

The NCH is based on the journalistic and democratic objective to inform listeners about what’s happening in society. The show is also a forum for the craft of interviewing. It is my belief that the interview, like a conversation, can be friendly and professional while still striving for what is at the core of important issues or the heart of an artist’s story.

Interview Samples

Kinetic Affect’s Gabriel Giron, stopped by the Nonchalant Café Hour to discuss the release and making of a new live recording and the spoken-word group’s latest projects including an performance scheduled at New York City’s historic Apollo Theatre.

Chris Killian, co-founder of Kalamazoo Single Payer Across the Nation, discusses health care reform

Musician and author Martin Atkins (Public Image Ltd., Killing Joke, Ministry, NIN), discusses his band’s new album and the creation of his new school in Chicago.

Who Hit John bassist Ian Gorman stopped by the Nonchalant Cafe for an interview Friday. The Kalamazoo-based American roots music ensemble recently released a new album called Heirloom. Gorman, who was involved in the recording of WHJ’s first full-length release Old Gray Road, has since joined the band full-time.

Percussionist Mike Shimmin stopped by the Nonchalant Cafe Hour for a conversation about his music and travels around the world. The award winning jazz percussionist has immersed himself in a number of new rhythmic styles ranging from sounds indigenous to northern Africa to the Celtic sounds of Scotland. Shimmin was in Kalamazoo performing with his Ann Arbor-based band Millish.

Filmmaker Bruce Hercules discusses his travels with Barack Obama on the then Senator’s voyage to Kisumu, Kenya, where Obama’s father is from. The documentary, titled “Senator Obama Goes to Africa” also follow’s Obama’s journey to Robben Island – the prison where Nelson Mandela was jailed for 21 years and to a Darfur refugee camp in Chad. Stream this interview here

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When jazz musician Stefon Harris released African Tarantella and then traveled to Kalamazoo to perform selections, I sat down with him for an interview about the album. This review is the result.

Click here to stream: Stefon Harris Review

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