65. Derek Piotr

65. Derek Piotr

Author: Markly Morrison December 23, 2022 Duration: 59:22
On today’s episode, instead of our usual format, I’ve got a folkorist.  Derek Piotr lives in Connecticut, and was introduced to me by Dollar Country host Franklin Fantini, who you might remember from a bonus episode from October 2021.  Derek’s released several albums of experimental and electronic music this century (see listening links below), but in recent years has shifted his focus to collecting folks songs as remembered by folks.  He has traveled here and abroad collecting field recordings which he’ll be sharing with us today.  I spoke with Derek last spring in Connecticut.  Today he’s sharing anecdotes working both locally and abroad, being in cahoots with both legendary underground radio station WFMU and the Library of Congress, working with acclaimed 20th century composers, and preserving oral tradition by documenting the life of the song, and his new album "The Devil Knows How." We also swap some found tape and field recordings.  You know, regular stuff.  It’s a great time, welcome aboard!Low Profile is supported by you on http://patreon.com/lowprofile and in December 2022 up until new year's eve, anybody who joins the Patreon community at the $5 level will get a mixtape in the mail featuring exclusive recordings from previous episodes of the show.  (free delivery to USA addresses, others may opt in and pay only postage)Find Derek's field work at http://www.fieldwork-archive.comFind Derek's music at https://derekpiotr.bandcamp.com/Open call for recording artists- submit your own theme song for Low Profile that includes the show’s title.  Anywhere from 3-60 seconds.  If I play it on an episode, I’ll also shout out a link to your project! Send submissions to LowProfileMarkly at gmail dot comLow Profile receives in-kind support from:San Francisco Street Bakerysfsbakery.comRainy Day Records and Tapes@rainydayolympiaSchwartz’s Deli@schwartzsolympiaOld School Pizzeria@old_schoolpizzeriaScherler Easy Premium Shitty American Lagerscherlerbeer.com ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS! Want vinyl records but can’t afford to order 1000 and wait 8-12 months? Check out our friends at Lathecuts.com. They will make you vinyl singles in quantities as low as 50 as quickly as 3-4 weeks. All of their pricing is ala carte and they can help pick a package that fits your budget. Email Mike at Lathecuts@yahoo.com and Mention Low Profile to get a 10% overrun on your order for free!

There’s a whole world of essential music made by people who never became household names. Low Profile with Markly Morrison seeks out those artists, producers, and behind-the-scenes figures, blending their stories with the music they created. Host Markly Morrison, an audio journalist and musician based in Olympia, Washington, approaches these conversations as oral history-less about fame and more about the craft, the context, and the often overlooked contributions that shaped sounds we love. You’ll hear intimate, detailed interviews that pull back the curtain on influential work, paired with the tracks that define these careers. The show originates as a radio program on KAOS 89.3 FM but finds its enduring home as a podcast distributed by Ruinous Media, allowing these deep-dive stories to be savored anytime. Each episode is a chance to discover not just new music, but the rich human experiences behind it, focusing on the genuine artistry that exists far from the glare of the mainstream spotlight. This podcast is for anyone who believes the most compelling stories in music are often the ones you haven’t heard yet.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Low Profile with Markly Morrison
Podcast Episodes
89. Anne-Tina [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:18
Today, we’re examining a hidden gem from 1984 lovingly crafted by a nineteen year old keyboardist living in Denmark by the name of Anne-Tina, whose debut album was reissued in 2025 on Frederiksberg Records. To help us ex…
88. Shudder To Think [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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After moving to D.C. in 1985, then 16-year-old Craig Wedren helped shape Shudder To Think into a standout act within the Dischord Records scene, evolving from a raw hardcore-adjacent sound into a complex style that event…
Kento Oiwa - Olympia Music History Project [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:03
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Low Profile Classic: Swamp Dogg [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:36
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Pat Maley - Olympia Music History Project (Bonus) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:59
Today, instead of your usual Low Profile programming, I’m sharing an interview I conducted with Pat Maley in 2023 for the Olympia Music History Project. The whole transcript is available at olympiamusichistory.org . Pat…
87. Dick El Demasiado (Season Finale) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:12
When I first developed an interest in rough-around-the-edges cumbia music, a friend (thanks Matt!) introduced me to the music of Dick El Demasiado, purveyor of “cumbias lunaticas.” Over the years I’ve managed to glean a…
Olympia Music History Project: John Foster [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:53
It’s been a minute since I’ve put out a new show, and so I thought maybe I’d let you in on what has been keeping me so busy. A couple years ago, I started working on an oral history project funded by the city- appropriat…
Margo Guryan (Revisited) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:27
It's an election day bonus episode! Today we’re gonna be digging way back in the archive to episode 4: Focusing on Margo Guryan. This was recorded in early 2019, when I was still figuring out this show’s format. At that…
86. April March [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:52
If there was such a thing as the American ambassador to 60s French Pop it would have to be Elinor Blake, better known as April March. Elinor began her professional career in the world of animation back in the early 80s b…
85. Chris Schlarb of Psychic Temple [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:18
Psychic Temple is the extended-family project of Chris Schlarb, the proprietor of the retro-chic Big Ego studio in Long Beach, California. Chris is an old friend of mine, going back to the turn of the century when I live…