For the past 15 years, DJs Steve King and Johnnie Putman have used their overnight shift at WGN-AM to showcase national and local recording artists.
Guests drop by, usually after a gig, to discuss their music and play a few songs live in the studio.
Life After Dark, featuring 17 performances that encompass blues, jazz, folk, and country, captures the nighttime vibe King and Putman describe in the CD's extensive liner notes. Each song was recorded in one take with no overdubs. The program's casual atmosphere frequently results in an artist experimenting with a cover version. Life After Dark also offers first rate selections from Dolly Varden, Antje, Thrasher-Shiver, John Mueller, Bob Young, and Brian Leighton. Here's hoping King and Putman make this the first in a series of CDs rather than just a one shot deal.