THE CHANGES CONTINUE...

KCRW announces more music changes as new Music Director Jason Bentley takes the helm of Morning Becomes Eclectic.

New KCRW Music Director Jason Bentley launched into his first show as host of Morning Becomes Eclectic this morning with a track called “Crash” by composer Mark Isham, from the “Crash” movie soundtrack. His first week will also include live performances by Oren Lavie (Dec 2), School of Seven Bells (Dec 3), and Keane (Dec 4). Hear the performances live on 89.9 FM or streaming on KCRW.com at 11:15am PST. All performances are archived for future listening here: http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/mb

Bentley’s move to the mornings brings longtime KCRW DJ Garth Trinidad back to the airwaves on weeknights. He now moves into Jason’s 8 to 10pm weekday slot, formerly known as “Metropolis.”

“Jason's nighttime legacy is what inspired me to become a DJ in the first place and my goal with this new time slot is to expose the soul of music, no matter what the genre,” said Trinidad.
Jason Eldredge shifts to Saturdays from 6 to 9pm, providing a fresh weekend mix of stand-out tracks, innovative beats and new music from all genres, and Mathieu Schreyer returns to Friday nights from midnight to 3 am.

With a residency at the famous Chateau Marmont and various music consulting projects, Mathieu’s sophisticated music taste is in high demand. Born in France, Mathieu lived in North Africa, the Middle East and Asia before settling down in Los Angeles.

“Mathieu has impeccable taste in music. He’s lived all around the world and he integrates all of those influences into his show with a sense of adventure and fun, perfect for Friday nights,” said Bentley.

“KCRW is a fantastic creative outlet and I am incredibly excited to return. I’m planning a mix of sounds, voices and notes from all over the globe -- from the 50's to unreleased demos. The show will be obscure yet classic, funky, soulful, and modern,” said Schreyer.

Lastly, KCRW just released Top Ten Album lists by all of the station’s music hosts for 2008. They can be found online here: http://www.kcrw.com/music/top-10-albums

THE RETURN OF GARTH TRINIDAD

Starting December 1, KCRW DJ Garth Trinidad returns to weeknights, hosting a music show from 8 to 10pm PST, the slot previously occupied by new Music Director and Host of Morning Becomes Eclectic Jason Bentley.

Garth has been on the air at KCRW since 1996 and hosted a weeknight show, formerly known as “Chocolate City.” His exploration into urban rhythms and soul created a new home for a demographic that wasn’t served anywhere else and he was the first DJ in the country to play both Macy Gray and Jill Scott.

“When I first got the news, I was ecstatic. Jason was a huge inspiration for me to become a DJ and I wouldn’t be at KCRW if it was not for him,” said KCRW DJ Garth Trinidad.

“When I opted out of being on air five nights a week, my wife and I were starting our family. As soon as I stopped, I really missed it, much to my surprise. The dynamic shifted and I missed the ability to break records because I couldn’t play them as often.”

“Here it is, almost five years later, and my kids are a little bigger, and now I have the opportunity to carry the evening torch again. I can’t wait to use this daily time slot to spread my wings as a programmer and sink my teeth into music in a way I never have,” said Trinidad.

“Garth is a confident voice, on KCRW and in the Los Angeles community, and I look forward to his return to the weeknight line up. He has tremendous untapped potential and, with a broader platform, he will have the opportunity to transcend the more specialized mode of his current show. His sincere appreciation of the history of music – where it’s been and where it’s going -- will be exciting to hear,” said Bentley.

KCRW DJ Jason Eldredge will replace Garth Trinidad on Saturday nights from 6 to 9pm. On Sunday nights, Nic Harcourt will replace a taped version of “Sounds Eclectic” with his new live music show from 6 to 9pm.