SPECIAL NOTE:  GREAT TASTE IS LIVE AT HY-VEE ON THURSDAY AT 7:00 PM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For this week only our live show is on Thursday.  If you are local, make certain to grab a seat as our special guest is Chef Sam Auen of Tacopacalypse in Des Moines. Sam is bringing his special brand of zaniness to the Hy-Vee kitchen for "fun with tacos" where we'll get a jump on Cinco de Mayo.  I've eaten at Sam's place, and love his take on south of the border food.  It's not your usual taco, and you'll get a chance to hear what makes Sam cook, plus taste the results.

On the streaming show side tonight (Wednesday) we're replaying one of my favorite episodes.  Also, check out our health coach, Emily Shaw, talking about the magic of beans.

Don't you just love serendipitous moments?  I'm sitting at the counter facing the kitchen at Pago in Salt Lake City, and getting ready to enjoy a meal fixed by Phelix Gardner, one of my favorite chefs.  A couple walks in and is seated next to me.  Since I'm such a shy guy, I start talking to them immediately.  If they have in mind a romantic night out, my take is they should have asked to sit at a table for two.  Anyway, we make some small talk.  Phelix comes over with my first plate-two pieces of grilled bread, two cheeses, one jam and one marmalade.  "The jam and marmalade were made by the couple sitting next to you," he says with a grin.

Well, it had to happen. After six years of spinning records for the greatest radio station on the planet, a detractor contacted the station. He said he did not like Centripetal Sounds, but he sure does love the blues. Ok, is isn't like I skipped playing blues songs, given the fact that my favorite music of all time is psychedelic blues. So here we have a show for any blues fan. I have a couple of 'bent blues' songs from the likes of Captain Beefheart and Nilsson, but we are headed to the bedrock of blues music. I have a 1937 recording of Robert Johnson. I have Muddy Waters, Junior Kimbrough, John Lee Hooker, and John Mayall. Also songs by west side Chicago fave Magic Sam, and Mr. Dirt himself R.L. Burnside. I saw this phrase 'dirt box blues' used to describe an album, and that is quite a visual for a horticulturalist like myself.

This week we'll feature Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem; both their music and an interview. Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem are a 12-year old brew of band chemistry, life experience and musical evolution. Simultaneously loose and tight, their playing seems to tick by invisible radar; it’s exciting, cathartic, and fun. The band is: Rani Arbo (fiddle, guitar), Andrew Kinsey (bass, banjo, uke), Anand Nayak (electric and acoustic guitars) and Scott Kessel (percussion). Scott Kessel (Rani's husband) has a percussion rig that is 95% recycled and features a cardboard box, tin cans, caulk tubes, and a vinyl suitcase in lieu of a bass drum. All the band members sing, and their four-part harmonies soar, whether on a haunting Appalachian ballad, a Springsteen rocker, or a Bahamian a capella song.

African American Museum of Iowa: Happy 20th Birthday! This Cedar Rapids museum is hosting lots of great events this week. Don't miss out on all the fun! For details on all the birthday celebrations, tune in to Cheryl's second chat with curator Lynn Koos. High-lights include Free Friday on May 3rd and a Saturday birthday party (also free) on May 4th with 20 different hands-on children's activities. Other plans include a formal dinner Thursday, May 2nd, and a mixer Friday night. Lynn explains the museum's mission and details its history, as well. Be sure to tune in! Lynn is pictured here (left) with Iowa artist Jeni Reeves (right) at the museum's colorful textile exhibit. Visit the museum soon!

First hour, Jeremy Scahill on DIRTY WARS from Democracy Now with Amy Goodman. Scahill is author of the new book, "Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battlefield."

Second hour, it's the HIrshberg family, Joel, Joy & Aaron, talking about their grand opening for May Art Walk at Green Building Supply.

Then at 4pm, we go "Inside the Headlines" with regular co-host JP Sottile, the Newsvandal.

Join Monica and Caroline on Writers' Voices this week for an English teacher's dream as we welcome Kevin Smokler, author of "Practical Classics: 50 Reasons to Reread 50 Books You Haven't Touched Since High School."  Just released from Prometheus books, "Practical Classics" covers a lot of ground, from Shakespeare to "Huckleberry Finn,"  with stops along the way for "The Bell Jar," "To Kill a Mockingbird" and oh so much more.

And yes, Caroline was a high school Engilsh teacher (here at FHS).

Kevin Smokler has been called "a publishing visionary" by the Huffington Post.  His writing on the arts has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Fast Company, and he was a recent guest on NPR's "Talk of the Nation."

Obvious World Sunday Nights 11e/10c/9m/8p

this is a picture of a nematode....

this week's show: new roots music. what're the roots? the roots of americana musica: irish and british folk, country, bluegrass, lush harmonies, personal stories, and acoustic guitars. among other things.

some of the best new roots artists are not from america (mumford & sons, robert plant [yes, that robert plant]), but most have grown up with the sounds, vibes, and influences (musical and otherwise) that you can only get by absorbing life in these disparate yet united states.

even though the sound is rural, authentic, and acoustic, some of the best new roots bands hail from nyc (the lone bellow, grisly bear), and la (edward sharpe & the magnetic zeros). guess the big cities have finally caught up with us poor strummers and harmonizers.

this week's playlist is here: roots

You've heard me play his records a thousand times on the show. And you'll hear me play them a thousand more times. J.D. McPherson (and his partner in crime, Jimmy Sutton) has concocted one of those perfect perfect albums in "Signs and Signifiers." If all he had ever written and recorded was "Northside Gal" he would be guaranteed a place in rock history (like the Kingsmen's "Louie Louie" or "Jump" by Van Halen). His music is honest. His talent is real. And America and the world are taking notice. I am super proud of J.D. and Jimmy (and Ray and Doug and Jason---his band). And I am super super lucky to call him my friend.