previous shows

(Click on a show title to stream audio and view the playlist)

Photo: Gabriela Castelán

Episode 44: Love Letter To Japan (rerun)

Episode 43: UNWIND  

Hosts Gregg & Gabriela explore new releases from David Crosby, Middle Kids, essence, Lauren Anderson, Oh Pep!, Jim Kweskin & Geoff Mauldaur, Dawes, and more... Gabriela fires-up her roving mic to ask "How do you relax on weekends?" and visits a new natural food store to learn why shoppers prefer natural and organic foods. Music, food, friends: It's UnderCurrents WEEKEND!

Episode 42: Boo!

We celebrate Halloween with kids on the streets and a full hour of spooky tunes, and learn a delicious seasonal honey/cardamom recipe for preparing yams. Hour 2 we review the new Showtime series "Roadies" and spin new music from Bob Weir, House of Waters, Merchandise, Paper Bird, Dom La Nena, A Tribe Called Red, Dubamine and more... Music, food, friends...it's UnderCurrents WEEKEND!

“Candied” Sweet Potatoes or Yams

Ingredients

Bag of Sweet Potatoes or Yams

Cardamon 

Cinnamon

Honey

Peel Sweet Potatoes or Yams

Cut into 1 inch pieces

Steam for 15 minutes if you want them chunky

Or for 40 minutes if you want them mushy

Remove from heat and place in casserole dish

While hot stir in a TBS of honey (or to taste)

Add 1 tsp of Cardamon (or to taste) and stir in 

Add Cinnamon to taste and stir in

Serve hot or 

Cool and refrigerate

and reheat later

Episode 41: Mellow Yellow

To celebrate the season, it's the "pumpkin spice" edition, a mellow, low-stress weekend music mix with your Co-Hosts Gregg McVicar & Gabriela Castelán. We attend a show on Donovan's world tour and meet the fans. Then review two new TV dramas, Designated Survivor and Westworld. Gabriela shares her easy recipe for roasted squash soup. Music, food, friends...it's UnderCurrents WEEKEND!        

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

Butternut squash

Onion

Apple

Salt & pepper

Olive oil spray

Parchment paper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Peel squash, onion and apple and chop.

Place Parchment paper in baking sheet

Arrange chopped squash, onion and apple on sheet

Spray with olive oil 

Add salt & pepper to taste (don’t over salt)

Place in middle of oven 

Cook until tender and onions start browning

Take out of oven and cool

Put in blender

Add 1 pint milk, half & half or unsweetened almond milk

Blend in blender until smooth

Heat up on stove in pan

Pour into bowls

Enjoy!

Episode 40:  Stone Fruits/Man Cave!

Co-Host Gabriela Castelán learns a lot about seasonal fruits from the farmers at the farmer's market. We review the new Oliver Stone film SNOWDEN. Then Gregg gets a tour of the ultimate man-cave. New music from Peter Gabriel, Dawg Yawp, Jake Shimabukuro, Big Head Blues Club and Regina Spektor. Tune-in and slip into a weekend state of mind!  You can share this link with your friends and family on social media, and if you'd like UnderCurrents WEEKEND to air on your local public radio station, let them know!

Episode 39: Goodbye Columbus

Co-Hosts Gregg & Gabriela celebrate Indian Summer and Indigenous Peoples Day with a mix of new music and old favorites. Gregg attends the massive free "Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival" in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park and talks with fans of Buffy Sainte-Marie and Nahko & Medicine for The People.

Photos: Gregg McVicar

Episode 38: Taste Magic!  

Gabriela takes a "Food & Murals" tour of San Francisco's famed Mission District. In Hour 2 she brings Gregg to a "Radio Taproom" where craft beer experts stream and podcast right from the establishment. All this plus music from Santana, Traffic, Lorde, Big Thief, Lila Downs, and more...

Photos: Gabriela Castelán

EPISODE 37 IS A RERUN of episode 24: ELECTRIC CAR / SPORTS BAR

Episode 36: Soapbox Racers / Oakland Friday Night

Our hosts discover the sport of Soapbox Racing and meet young gravity girls who compete. In Hour 2 we go to a Bobby Rush concert and meet his fans -- then explore a massive arcade for adults in Oakland. Gregg & Gabriela top it off with a music mix of topical songs and new releases.

EPISODE 35 IS A RERUN OF Episode 23: Mile High!

Episode 34: Labor Day / End of Summer

Co-Hosts Gregg & Gabriela quiz people on the street about their jobs and about the meaning of Labor Day. Topical tunes and fan requests from Pete Seeger, Tim O’Brien, Steve Earle, Rose Royce and Todd Rundgren. Then in Hour 2, the focus shifts to the end of Summer with vox clips and plenty of fitting music from the likes of the Little Stevies, Parkington Sisters, Front Country, The Motels, Beats Antique and more…

Episode 33: National Parks 100

Hosts Gregg McVicar & Gabriela Castelán take a long weekend in Yosemite to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park System. You'll hear the voices of rock climbers, backpackers, rangers and skiers. Park-themed music completes the flow: Anoushka Shankar, Robby Romero, Joanne Shenandoah, My Morning Jacket, Joan Baez, Fleet Foxes and more…

Episode 32 is a rerun of Episode 15: Northern Star/Southern Cross

Episode 31: Outside Lands!

Co-Host Gregg McVicar devotes a weekend to exploring the massive Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. You'll meet the fans and discover bands like Vulfpeck, The Last Shadow Puppets, The Wombats, The Oh Hellos, Ra Ra Riot, Foals, Oh Wonder, and more...

Episode 30: SouthWest!

Hosts Gregg McVicar & Gabriela Castelán share interviews gathered by colleague Christina Aanestad from the roads, rivers, spas and marketplaces of the Great SouthWest. Plus, new music from El Tri, Darrell Scott, Jeff Beck, Charlie Hunter, Los Cenzontles, Michael Franti, Cheap Trick and more...

Episode 29: Street Games

Out walking around downtown on a Saturday night, hosts Gregg & Gabriela discover street games going on all around. You'll hear youth voices plus new music from Los Lonely Boys, Last Train, case/lang/veirs, Oishi Bashi, Allah Las, The Wild Feathers and more...

Episode 28: WorldFest!

Hosts Gregg McVicar & Gabriela Castelán have a great time at California WorldFest, an annual music festival dedicated to cultural diversity, peace and environmental sustainability. Music includes Boz Scaggs, Third World, Sihasin, My Bubba, Nahko And Medicine For The People, The Suitcase Junket, Mariachi Flor De Toloache, Joy and Madness, Emel Mathlouthi, Baskery, and more…

See beautiful WorldFest photos from Alan Sheckter here.  A thoughtful WF video from Stormy Morejon, Finding Peace, is here. 

Photos below by Gregg McVicar.

Episode 27: Unplug! 

Hosts Gregg McVicar & Gabriela Castelán spin new music from Kurt Vile, Lissie, The Hot Sardines, Albert Castiglia and an exclusive live unplugged recording of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. Gregg asks fans for their festival survival tips and Gabriela shares the recipe for her delicious green jalapeño salsa. Unplug from the digital world and enjoy music, friends and food!

gabriela's Green Jalapeño Salsa

Ingredients
12 Jalapeño peppers
4-6 medium tomatillos
four cloves garlic
small onion - in pieces
tops of one bunch of cilantro
salt & pepper to taste

Directions
Peel outside skin of tomatillos
Boil tomatillos with whole jalapeños for 15 minutes
drain jalapeños and tomatillos
remove jalapeño stems and seeds accordingly:
For very hot: leave all seeds in JALAPEÑOS
For medium hot: remove seeds from six jalapeños
For mild: remove seeds from 9 jalapeños
Put in blender with garlic, onion and cilantro
add salt and pepper to taste
Blend well
Transfer to glass container like mason jar and refrigerate
Should last several weeks and spiciness will mellow with time

Episode 26: Summer Breeze

Hosts Gregg & Gabriela share adventures in music, paddle boarding, camp cooking and more... New releases from Cass McCombs, Paul Simon, Sarah Jarosz, Francesca Blanchard and Andrew Bird.  

Episode 25 is a rerun of Episode 16: Off The Leash

Episode 24: Electric Car / Sports Bar

In Hr 1, Gregg & Gabriela take a drive in an electric car and explore the topic through music and street interviews. In Hr 2, Gabriela discovers the importance of sports bars as social gathering places.  Special Correspondent Bob Doran tries to thin his CD collection.

Episode 23: Mile High!

Gregg & Gabriela visit Denver, "The Mile High City" and discover a thriving downtown social life of great food, friendly people, live music and (ahem), plentiful marijuana. We'll talk with people on the street, in cafes and clubs and sample new music from M83, The War on Drugs, Glass Animals, Syd Arthur, Paul Simon and more…

Episode 22: Festival Season

Gregg and Gabriela share their festival experiences and the voices of festival attendees -- plus new music from The Claypool Lennon Delirium, onDeadWaves, Fantastic Negrito, Phosphorescent and Unknown Mortal Orchestra.  www.undercurrentsweekend.net

EPISODE 21 IS A RERUN OF EPISODE 015, North Star/Southern Cross (SEE BELOW)

Episode 20 is a rerun of episode 007, All Aboard! (see below)

Episode 19: Sowing the Seeds of Love

Co-Hosts Gregg McVicar & Gabriela Castelán engage with gardeners who are so passionate about what they do, they inspired us to devote Hr1 to garden-related tunes. In Hr2, we'll explore new music from Nada Surf, The Sachal Ensemble, Front Country, Rogue Wave, Mumford & Sons, and more.  How do you like the show?  Write us at undercurrentsradio@gmail.com. 

Photo Credits: Gregg McVicar

Episode 18: Remembering the Ancestors

In Hour 1, new music from Red Hot Chili Peppers, James Blake, Nada Surf, Santana...and more. In Hour 2, Hosts Gregg McVicar & Gabriela Castelán take you to The Native American Showcase: Remembering The Ancestors in Austin. Featured in this episode, a rare live recording of Scatter Their Own (Oglala Lakota), Jones Benally (Diné), and Sihasin (Diné).

Episode 17: Mama Bird

Hosts Gregg McVicar & Gabriela Castelán spin new music from The Staves, Andrew Applepie, The Sachal Ensemble, The Last Shadow Puppets, Highasakite, Bonnie Raitt and more. The baby birds are growing fast in the front door nest. Gabriela learns a simple technique for steaming fish and veggies together, and we meet a mom/businesswoman from Mexico City, away from her 2-yr. old on Mothers Day Weekend. Music/Food/Friends, it's UnderCurrents WEEKEND!

Pescado con Verduras (Fish with Vegetables)

Ingredients:
White fish - 2 or 3 pieces
Two medium zuccini
One small onion
Two medium carrots
Large handful of fresh spinach
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper

Directions:
Heat pan
Thinly slice lengthwise: zuccini, onions and two medium carrots
Add tablespoon of olive oil to pan
Arrange veggies evenly on bottom of pan
Lay fish fillets on top
Add salt and pepper to taste
Add spinach on top
Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes

Episode 16:  Off The Leash

Gabriela takes her Border Collie to the seaside town of Carmel, where dogs are welcome in restaurants, hotels and run free on the beach.  Then she sees Argentinian Jazz Artist Sofia Rae and captures audience reaction after the set.  Gregg spins new music from The Paper Kites, Front Country, Santana, Bruce Hornsby and the Noise Makers, Ziggy Marley and Yo-Yo Ma & The Silk Road Ensemble.  It's a weekend unleashed!

Photos: Gabriela Castelán

Pesto Recipe - invented by Susan Castelán

Ingredients:

Large bunch of fresh basil - what you usually find for sale at the store or farmers market

6-8 cloves garlic

1 1/2 cup cottage cheese

1 container of ricotta Cheese

2 TBS olive oil

For a low calorie sauce, use non fat or low fat cottage cheese and ricotta.

Put in regular blender, settings to chop.  You may need to use a spatula a couple times. When you do, stop blender and push down basil and garlic.  You should plan on doing this at least twice.

This Pesto Sauce should be stored in the refrigerator in a glass container (a large jar works great).  The sauce itself can be used cold as a salad dressing, or a dip for veggies, crackers or chips.  It can also be used hot on pasta or as a sauce for tacos.

Episode 15: North Star/Southern Cross

Gregg returns from visiting with fans in Guam and Saipan, and with Gabriela, shares new music from Little Barrie, The Lumineers, Qvin, Brother Sun, Nada Surf and more...

Episode 14: Love Letter to Japan

Gregg & Gabriela share new music from The Dandy Warhols, The Zombies, Tokyo Tramps and Danielia Cotton. Gregg recounts his recent adventures in Japan and Bob makes a ginger smoothie. Music, food, friends.

Episodes 12 & 13 were reruns

Episode 011 -- Bill Graham and the Rock & Roll Revolution

Details

Gregg & Gabriela share new music from Skating Polly, Ben Harper, Cha Wa and more.

In Hour 2, Gregg visits the opening of the museum installation, "Bill Graham and the Rock & Roll Revolution." We'll have music and stories from the early days of The Fillmore and Winterland. Bob Doran talks about art deco roots of poster art. Music, Food, Friends!

Episode 010 --  3.1416 Ways to Bake a Pie, 3/8/16

Details

Co-Hosts Gregg McVicar and Gabriela Castelán spin new music from Calliope Musicals, Bombino, Jake Bugg, The Arcs, Patrick Landeza, Esperanza Spalding and more.  Gabriela whips-up a great dessert for "Pi Day" and special correspondent Bob Doran recalls his first visit to The Fillmore.  Gregg describes the Bill Graham exhibit opening in San Francisco.

Marion Berry Pie

Ingredients

Frozen Oregon Marion Berries (available at Whole Foods)
2 tbs granulated sugar
2 prepared crusts (available frozen in most stores)
Can prepare your own crust but must be able to roll out top crust

Directions:

Oil large pie dish
Lay in bottom crust
Add berries and sprinkle sugar on top of berries
Distribute berries evenly
Cover with 2nd pie crust
Poke plenty of holes in top crust to let steam escape when baking

Bake on cookie sheet for about 1 hour, checking to see color of top crust which will be golden brown when done.
Cool for at least 15 minutes, slice and enjoy!

Episode 009 -- Brand New Baguette, 3/10/16

We’ll learn how the French celebrate the weekend….and we’ll have new music from: Ronnie Spector, The Boxer Rebellion, Animal Collective, Miike Snow, The Grahams and Tom Waits. And we'll chat with Special Correspondent Bob Doran about live music + earplugs.  Click on the title to stream the show and see the playlist.  Papa's got a brand new Baguette!

Episode 008 -- It's A Beautiful Day!

Details

New music from Nellie Pearl, Radiation City, The James Hunter Six and Thao & The Get Down Stay Down.

Co-Hosts Gregg & Gabriela go to the park which is teeming with wildlife and fun, interesting people, enjoying the beautiful day. Gabriela shares her family recipe for Mexican rice, and Special Cultural Correspondent Bob Doran tells the tale of the ancient Twinkie. 

Music, food, friends and families!

Mexican Rice - (Recipe handed-down through Gabriela's family)

Ingredients
1 cup long grain brown rice or white rice
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
3/4 cup peas
3/4 cup carrots - chopped
4 cloves garlic - minced
1 small onion - minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano (fresh if available)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Heat pan.  Add 2 tbs of quality olive oil when pan is hot.
Sauté onion and garlic with rice until onion and garlic are medium cooked - stir constantly.  
Rice will not turn a different color if it is brown.  
Add can of tomatoes, mix. Then add peas and carrots, mix.  
Then add enough water to more or less cover rice.  Add spices and salt and pepper.
Wait until mixture comes to boil, reduce heat to low and cover, with an escape for steam.
During cooking stir well at least twice. Brown rice will take longer to cook.

Episode 007 -- All Aboard!

Details
New music from Best Girl Athlete, Cheap Trick and Sonya Kitchell. Gregg & Gabriela take a weekend train trip and meet some interesting folks along the way -- and of course, they bring along some great snacks!

Music, food, friends. ALL ABOARD! 

Episode 006 -- I'm Only Sleeping

Details
Gregg & Gabriela sample new music from Future Elevators, Brooklyn Funk Essentials, Casper Lomayesva, Darlingside, Radiation City and more. Gabriela prepares a delicious weekend snack and Gregg & Bob share a 60's flashback. Music, Food and Friends!

Veggie Dip Recipe

1/2 cup greek non fat plain yogurt
1 clove garlic pressed
fresh dill minced - 1 tbs
dash cayenne pepper - to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Wash and slice veggies (organic preferred) ahead of time.

Store in a cool place until snack time!

Episode 005 -- Grammys® Ahead!

Details
Gregg & Gabriela spin some favorite 2016 Grammy® nominees, and Special Correspondent Bob Doran weighs-in. We hang out in the kitchen making Mexican soul food and invite all your listeners to enjoy the weekend with food friends and music.  Explore more through these links...

Learn more about Inuit Throat Singing!  Video 1   Video 2   Video 3

Wildlife photographs from Lisa Lawrence

Gabriela’s Nine Vegetable Sauté

Start with heating 2 tbs of olive oil in a hot wok or deep sided pan

Add chopped onion and garlic
Add finely cut eggplant
Add salt and pepper to taste
Add fresh thyme, basil and any other spices you like
Add chopped red and/or orange peppers
Add chopped swiss chard
Add broccoli and cauliflower tops only, cut in 1 to 2 inch clusters
Add sliced zucchini and mushrooms

Sauté after adding each vegetable and add in order.
Can be served over rice or risotto

Episode 004 -- Free As A Bird

Details
Co-Hosts Gregg & Gabriela breeze into the weekend with new music from David Wax Museum, Wild Child, Los Lobos, The Magnetic Zeros and more. Gregg takes a mic out into the field to meet a wildlife photographer, and the fans of the band Wild Child. Gregg & Gabriela attempt throat singing!

Episode 003 -- If Dogs Run Free

Details
Gregg & Gabriela discover new music from Escondido, Monaural, Francesca Blanchard, M. Ward, and Coastguard. We visit a dog park and talk film and podcasts with Special Correspondent Bob Doran. Music, Food, Friends (and film), this week on UnderCurrents WEEKEND.

Gabriela scored a big bag of limes from a neighbor and transformed some of them into a delicious key lime pie.  Here's the recipe she used from Cooking Light

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tbs brown sugar

1/8 tsp salt

2 tbs butter melted and cooled

1 tbs canola oil

cooking spray

Filling:

1/2 cup plain 2% reduced fat Greek yogurt

1/2 fresh key lime juice or fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp grated lime rind

3 eggs

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350

Pre-bake crust for 8-10 minutes and cool

Mix filling ingredients and pour into prepared crust. Bake 15-20 minutes or until set.

Enjoy!

Episode 002 -- Cinematic Organic

Details
New music from Sunflower Bean, Sonya Kitchell Bonnie Raitt, The Wet Secrets, Robbie Robertson, Damien Jurado, Deerhunter, Ty Segall, Casper Lomayesva and more. Co-Hosts Gregg McVicar & Gabriela Castelan dive into the weekend shopping at the local farmers market. Bob Doran reflects on Oscar nominees.

Here's the recipe Gabriela recommends in the show.  The flavors are extraordinary! 

Kale Salad from OMAGCIRCLE.COM - November 2015

Ingredients

3 oranges 

1 lemon

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 large bunch kale, ribs removed, leaved chopped into bite-size pieces

1/2 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup walnuts, roughy chopped

1 tbsp maple syrup.

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Working over a large bowl:  finely grate zest of 1 orange into bowl and squeeze juice into bowl,

squeeze lemon juice and add salt, pepper and cinnamon.  Whisk to combine, drizzle in oil and continue whisking.

peel, partition and cut into half inch pieces remaining two oranges, add to bowl. Add dried cranberries. 

Add kale and toss so liquid ingredients mix with Kale. Set aside.

Put chopped walnut in a bowl and add maple syrup and stir so walnuts are coated.  

Lay them in a single layer on top of parchment paper on baking sheet and bake until deep golden brown, 

about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Toss to mix ingredients and add baked walnuts just before serving.

Episode 001 -- Out In the Woods

Details
Gregg and Gabriela start the new year (and the new show) by getting off the grid on California's rugged Northcoast.  Special Correspondent Bob Doran and Gabriela team-up to prepare a feast.  Music, food, friends...and surfers!

Stations:  Get the show via PRX SubAuto.  Details: info@creativepr.org

Photo Credits:  Gregg McVicar