Phil Straub

Photo: 93.9 & 101.5 The River


On Air: 
Funky Friday in Philville – 6:00-9:00PM
Chill Side of The River – 10:00-Midnight

Where does the time go? It seems like yesterday that we were stressing about Y2K and I started working at The River in Greenfield.

We moved to Northampton in 2000 and have never looked back.

Influenced by the international dub sound of Thievery Corporation, I started the Chill Side of The River in 2005 to focus on the world of down tempo music. You can find it from 10pm to midnight Monday through Thursday.

In 2008, I started Funky Friday. It runs from 6pm to midnight, with classic funk and soul in the first half and contemporary funk and soul from around the globe in the second half.

The response and enthusiasm for these shows has been overwhelming. There’s also been growing interest  for global music over these years and it’s been really amazing.

So thanks as always for enjoying Friday and The Chill Side of The River. And if you’re looking for me, you can usually find me on the air Fridays beginning at 6pm.

 


Recent Headlines

18 hours ago in Entertainment, Music

YouTube sensation Ms. Rachel announces debut album with Mr. Aron, ‘I’m So Happy’

Parents of toddlers everywhere, prepare yourselves. YouTube sensation and music teacher Ms. Rachel and her husband, Aron Accurso, will release their debut album, the 23-track "I'm So Happy," on Sept. 25.

18 hours ago in Entertainment, Music

Blues ‘enthusiast’ Morgan Freeman’s album covers 100 years of the genre

It happened out of necessity. Academy Award-winner Morgan Freeman was in Clarksdale, Mississippi, 25 years ago when some out-of-towners asked where they could hear blues music. Musicians were abundant; venues were not.

2 days ago in National, Trending

How to spot the Perseid meteor shower, a summer light show that promises to dazzle

The Perseid summer light show is back — and viewing conditions are especially promising for the Northern Hemisphere. The meteor shower's peak Wednesday night into Thursday morning coincides with a total solar eclipse across Spain, Iceland and Greenland and a six-planet parade — though the best time to view the fireballs will come after totality.

6 days ago in Entertainment, Music

Q&A: Ms. Lauryn Hill on the Diaspora Calling! festival in the UK, the Fugees’ legacy and D’Angelo

On Friday, Hill will bring her Diaspora Calling! festival to the U.K. for the first time, marking 10 years since its inaugural edition in Brooklyn. The event, hosted by Dave Chappelle and featuring performances by Erykah Badu, YG Marley, Zion Marley, Giggs, Fireboy DML and other artists, will be held at The National Bowl in nearby Milton Keynes.

7 days ago in Entertainment, Music

Space for music on late-night TV has dwindled. New media seeks to offer an alternative

When CBS ended "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" earlier this year, it also shuttered the program's robust music offerings — a major blow for artists whose television platform was already dwindling.