Now at YouTube: our 60th birthday interview with the innovative Australian composer Liza Lim, touching on her early influences and fondness for unconventional instruments as with her just-premiered carnyx concerto written for Marco Blaauw. youtu.be/LYswEHLdYSc @kbcs.bsky.social @mblaauw.bsky.social

Liza Lim interviewed by Michael Schell

YouTube video by Schell77

youtu.be

Happy 60th birthday to Australian composer Liza Lim. We celebrate tonight on Flotation Device with an exclusive interview and retrospective. Plus the latest from Threadgill, Nabatov, Hanes, Min Xiao-Fen and Visible Cloaks. Sunday 10pm PDT 91.3fm kbcs.fm @kbcs.bsky.social @nmcrecordings.bsky.social

Happy Podcast Monday! John Seman returns with tributes to Mel Powell, Wally Shoup and Muhal Richard Abrams. Plus Nick Dunston remixes the JACK Quartet, something new from Hedvig Mollestad and something old from Luigi Nono. www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @ooyhrecords.bsky.social @kbcs.bsky.social

Flotation Device 2026-08-23 - banquet bouquet by Flotation Device

Flotation Device salutes the uncommon Americanism of Mel Powell, a student of both Willie “The Lion” Smith and Paul Hindemith who recorded his neoclassical compositions for the Vanguard jazz label bef...

mixcloud.com

Happy Podcast Monday! This week brings premiere recordings of Saariaho, Sorabji, Heiner Goebbels (for his 74th birthday today) and Heinz Winbeck. Plus Feldman, Gibbs, Min Xiao-Fen on pipa w/Julian Kytasty on bandura & more. www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @melvingibbs.bsky.social @kbcs.bsky.social

Happy Podcast Monday! John Seman explores progressive proclamations w/2 new Gentle Giant reissues and a lineage w/mssv, CSTMR, Phil Minton, Nmperign & others. Plus more from our Blood Ulmer tribute www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @kbcs.bsky.social @mphonic.bsky.social @eiderdownrecords.bsky.social

Flotation Device 2026-08-09 - More Blood by Flotation Device

Progressive Proclamations, Free Jazz Gestures, Intentions, and more Blood with your host John Seman.

mixcloud.com

Happy Podcast Monday! -Betsy Jolas at 100 -Braxton, Wadada, Residents gems at 50 -New Glass, Hillborg, Brennan, Courvoisier, Scribner, Kim and more tinyurl.com/JolasAt100 @philipglass.bsky.social @kbcs.bsky.social @theresidents.bsky.social @stevenericscribner.bsky.social @neumarecords.bsky.social

Flotation Device 2026-08-02 - Betsy Jolas at 100 by Flotation Device

Flotation Device celebrates the 100th birthday of the indefatigable Franco-American composer Betsy Jolas, and the 50th anniversaries of Anthony Braxton’s Duets 1976, Wadada Leo Smith’s Song of Humanit...

tinyurl.com

Turning 50 this weekend is Einstein on the Beach, minimalism's greatest opera, and the crowning achievement of Philip Glass & Robert Wilson. We'll celebrate tonight with a survey of its four extent recordings. Sun 10pm PDT 91.3fm kbcs.fm @kbcs.bsky.social @philipglass.bsky.social @normanrecords.com

Happy Podcast Monday, happy 70th birthday to Michael Gordon, and happy 25th birthday to us! Check out our silver anniversary show, now in podcast format. www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @kbcs.bsky.social @icebreakeruk.bsky.social @cantaloupe-music.bsky.social @aum-fidelity.bsky.social @nonesuch.com

Flotation Device turns 25 tonight with 4 DJs spinning A.Coltrane, W.Parker, P.Oliveros & more. We also mark the 70th BD of Bang on a Can's Michael Gordon. Sunday 10pm PDT 91.3fm kbcs.fm @kbcs.bsky.social @nonesuch.com @cantaloupe-music.bsky.social @icebreakeruk.bsky.social @visiblecloaks.bsky.social

Happy Podcast Monday! This week we celebrate Unsuk Chin at 65 w/Anne-Sophie Mutter, Mei Yi Foo and Ensemble Intercontemporain. Plus Stockhausen, Grdina, Hemphill and more. mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @kbcs.bsky.social @ooyhrecords.bsky.social @odradekrecords.bsky.social @ensembleinter.bsky.social

Flotation Device 2026-07-12 - Unsuk Chin at 65

Flotation Device celebrates the 65th birthday of the most important living Korean composer, Unsuk Chin, with a sampling of her complex, colorful music conveyed in new recordings by Ensemble interconte...

mixcloud.com

Now available in podcast format: Stuart Dempster at 90, plus Cage, Sun Ra, Kancheli, Chen Yi, Wrens, Satoko Fujii, Myra Melford, Kenneth Gaburo, Miles Okazaki and more. mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @kbcs.bsky.social @sunrauniverse.bsky.social @ooyhrecords.bsky.social @pentatonemusic.bsky.social

Flotation Device 2026-07-05 - Dempster, Sun Ra, Kancheli

Flotation Device celebrates Stuart Dempster for his 90th birthday with a look at his career highlights as a trombonist, composer and didgeridoo player credited with co-founding Deep Listening Band, pl...

mixcloud.com

Tonight we celebrate the 90th BD of Stuart Dempster, the 100th of Kenneth Gaburo, and the 50th of Cage's Apartment House 1776 & Sun Ra's great Montreux gig. Sun 10pm PDT 91.3fm kbcs.fm @kbcs.bsky.social @imprec.bsky.social @neumarecords.bsky.social @johncagetrust.bsky.social @andrewdrury.bsky.social

Happy Podcast Monday. Today we celebrate Henze at 100, Giteck at 80, the debut of Sorabji's Opus Archimagicum, and new albums by Horse Lords, the Halvorson/Akinmusire duo, Dewa Alit, Denis Dufour and more. www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @maryhalvorson.bsky.social @nonesuch.com @kbcs.bsky.social

Next on Flotation Device: -Henze at 100 -Janice Giteck at 80 -New albums by Halvorson, Akinmusire, Amy Denio, Dewa Alit, Steve Layton, Horse Lords and more -Sorabji's Opus Archimagicum in its first recording Sunday 10pm PST 91.3fm kbcs.fm @kbcs.bsky.social @maryhalvorson.bsky.social @nonesuch.com

Flotation Device welcomes John Seman back to the mic for this extended podcast that celebrates the late James Blood Ulmer, plus Joe Morris, Richard Bishop, Tomeka Reid, Climax Golden Twins & more. www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @jamaaladeen.bsky.social @maryhalvorson.bsky.social @kbcs.bsky.social

Enjoy the latest from Terry Riley as we preview his new album with Claire Chase and the JACK Quartet. Plus Jamaaladeen Tacuma at 70, RIP to James Blood Ulmer, and new things by Alex Paxton and more www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @jamaaladeen.bsky.social @maryhalvorson.bsky.social @kbcs.bsky.social

Our new podcast takes us back to June '76 and gems by Zappa, Braxton and The Residents. Plus John Luther Adams finds a new home and a new piece in Australia and Donnacha Dennehy has a new opera. www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @kbcs.bsky.social @frankzappa.bsky.social @crashensemble.bsky.social

Flotation Device bids farewell to Sonny Rollins and Gunter Hampel, Wayne Horvitz and the Human Rites Trio play Seattle, Sean Shibe plays Adès and Birtwistle, and Andriessen's Hoketus turns 50. www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @thesonnyrollins.bsky.social @pentatonemusic.bsky.social @kbcs.bsky.social

Flotation Device salutes Miles Davis for his 100th birthday with a survey of his most unusual, forward-looking albums. Plus new music by Adès, Kris Davis, Angelika Niescier and Simon Hanes. www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @kbcs.bsky.social @milestones-archive.bsky.social @lporchestra.bsky.social

Flotation Device 2026-05-24 - Miles Davis at 100

Flotation Device salutes Miles Davis for his 100th birthday with several of his most unusual and forward-looking (but not always most popular) recordings. We marvel at the range of his half-century ca...

mixcloud.com

A week past our Mother's Day Zappathon we explore post-Zappa themes in this podcast w/contributions by Zorn, Frith, Paxton, Cheer-Accident and more. Plus Xenakis, Ligeti & Nancarrow gems turn 50. www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @kbcs.bsky.social @frankzappa.bsky.social @skingraftrecords.bsky.social

Get your two-hour Zappa fix whenever you want with our 2026 Mother’s Day extravaganza featuring four new archival releases that showcase Frank and the Mothers of Invention at their iconoclastic best www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @frankzappa.bsky.social @ensembleinter.bsky.social @kbcs.bsky.social

Now in podcast format: -Farewell Michael Tilson Thomas -Xenakis' Psappha at 50 -New albums from Gibbs, Seabrook, Crispell -An Ornette curiosity gets recused from oblivion -Melia Watras at Meany Center www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @stevereich.bsky.social @melvingibbs.bsky.social @kbcs.bsky.social

Flotation Device 2026-05-03 - MTT & Psappha

Flotation Device pays homage to Michael Tilson Thomas as a pianist, composer and—above all else—a conductorial advocate for new music, as exemplified in two of our favorite recordings of his that show...

mixcloud.com

Music for 18 Musicians turns 50 with a 7-album podcast medley (including both of Steve Reich's own recordings). Plus Ludovic Morlot joins us to talk about Betsy Jolas and Carmen at Seattle Opera tinyurl.com/18Musicians @kbcs.bsky.social @stevereich.bsky.social @nonesuch.com @seattleopera.bsky.social

Flotation Device 2026-04-26 - Reich, Morlot, Jolas

Flotation Device celebrates Steve Reich's Music for 18 Musicians on its 50th anniversary with a medley of seven different recordings of minimalism's first big crossover hit, which represented both the...

tinyurl.com

Happy Interview Monday! Ludovic Morlot joined us on Flotation Device to talk about conducting Carmen at Seattle Opera, Betsy Jolas in Barcelona, and Schumann, Bridge and Samuel Adams with Seattle Symphony. Watch it at YouTube! tinyurl.com/MorlotCarmen @seattleopera.bsky.social @kbcs.bsky.social

Ludovic Morlot interviewed by Michael Schell, 2026

Flotation Device welcomes Ludovic Morlot back to the show to talk about conducting his first fully-staged production of Carmen at Seattle Opera, and to discuss his new recording of orchestral works by Betsy Jolas just released by the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra. We also chat about recovering from the loss of his home in the Palisades fire, and preview his October 2026 concerts with Seattle Symphony that will mark his first engagement at Benaroya Hall since Xian Zhang assumed his former there as Music Director in a program that will include Schumann, Bridge and Samuel Adams. Originally broadcast April 26, 2026 on Flotation Device, 91.3 KBCS-FM Bellevue/Seattle/Tacoma. Flotation Device showcases creative and improvised music from the Northwest and around the world, live Sunday nights, 10pm to Midnight Pacific Time on 91.3 KBCS HD1, and then in podcast format at https://www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDevice. Find us on the Web by Googling "Flotation Device KBCS". 00:00 Introduction, Carmen at Seattle Opera 08:00 Betsy Jolas 10:11 Palisades Fire and music in Los Angeles 12:33 The Sounds of Spring: Adams, Schumann, Bridge 15:11 Jolas: B-Day for Symphony Orchestra Interview © 2026 Michael Schell

tinyurl.com

Happy Podcast Monday! This week we celebrate Vasks at 80, a Murail premiere recording, upcoming PNW concerts by Samantha Boshnack and the Tallis Scholars, plus new albums by Melvin Gibbs, Nico Muhly and more. www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @nicomuhly.com @melvingibbs.bsky.social @kbcs.bsky.social

Flotation Device 2026-04-19 - Muhly, Vasks, Murail

This episode features the premiere recording of a Tristan Murail composition that contemplates Böcklin’s Isle of the Dead in a way that’s just as sensuous but less literal than Rachmaninoff’s famous d...

mixcloud.com

Happy Podcast Monday. Old Meets New and concert previews are the big items here, including Carrie Shaw at Meany Center tonight and Chris Speed's Yeah No at Earshot Jazz Wednesday. Plus BMOP, Sam Pluta, Bonnie Whiting & more. www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @kbcs.bsky.social @ooyhrecords.bsky.social

Happy Podcast Monday! This week we preview four Northwest new music events, with new works by Tower & Theofanidis at Seattle Symphony, a new version of Canto Ostinato at Emerald City Music, plus Frith, Harriet Tubman & more. www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @kbcs.bsky.social @melvingibbs.bsky.social

Flotation Device 2026-04-05 - New by Northwest

Flotation Device previews several enticing Northwest new music events, with Seattle Symphony premiering works by Joan Tower and Christopher Theofanidis, Seattle Modern Music tackling Ligeti’s Piano Co...

mixcloud.com

Happy Podcast Monday! This week we preview four Northwest new music events, with new works by Tower & Theofanidis at Seattle Symphony, a new version of Canto Ostinato at Emerald City Music, plus Frith, Harriet Tubman & more www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @kbcs.bsky.social @melvingibbs.bsky.social

This week's podcast brings the latest from Roscoe Mitchell, Craig Taborn, Yowie, Moon Ha & Quinsin Nachoff. Plus Ichiyanagi's last composition and Wukir Suryadi & the late Richard Felciano mixing Western/Javanese instruments. www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @kbcs.bsky.social @yowie-band.bsky.social

Flotation Device 2026-03-29 - Mitchell, Felciano, Ichiyanagi

Flotation Device checks in with one of the OGs of creative music, Roscoe Mitchell, and his new album of duets with drummer Michele Rabbia. His legacy touches multiple generations, as can be deduced by...

mixcloud.com

Happy Podcast Monday! Missy Mazzoli revisits channels Lot's wife, Domenica Diavoleria does PNW dark ambient, and Endlings, Lukas Ligeti and Nick Fraser have new albums. www.mixcloud.com/FlotationDev... @diavoleria.bsky.social @kbcs.bsky.social @eiderdownrecords.bsky.social @newworlddram.bsky.social