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Sense Of Place

Here are 5 Chicago soul records you should know

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Guillaume Ziccarelli/Courtesy of the artist

Sense Of Place

Here are 5 Chicago soul records you should know

XPN

Ayana Contreras, host of WBEZ's Reclaimed Soul, talks about what makes Chicago soul special.

Ayana Contreras on World Cafe

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This Chicago store is a must if you're on the hunt for rare, vintage guitars

Instrumentalist Nathaniel Murphy is often called upon to try out the many guitars inside the Chicago Music Exchange. Miguel Perez/WXPN hide caption

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Miguel Perez/WXPN

Sense Of Place

This Chicago store is a must if you're on the hunt for rare, vintage guitars

XPN

The city's Chicago Music Exchange boasts a massive showroom that looks more like a museum of musical instruments.

Chicago Music Exchange on World Cafe

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Chicago's indie music scene is thriving inside this college student's apartment

A crowd gathers before Chicago indie band Friko performs at Eli Schmitt's apartment as part of his New Now concert series. Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

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Kimberly Junod/WXPN

Sense Of Place

Chicago's indie music scene is thriving inside this college student's apartment

XPN

DePaul University student Eli Schmitt hosts live performances from local bands as part of his New Now series.

New Now on World Cafe

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Chicago rapper Pinqy Ring knows you can't have a music scene without community

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Kimberly Junod/WXPN

Sense Of Place

Chicago rapper Pinqy Ring knows you can't have a music scene without community

XPN

The Puerto Rican rapper and educator travels all over the city and the world using hip hop as a way to connect.

Pinqy Ring on World Cafe

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The Culture Corner: How Curtis Mayfield left an indelible mark on Chicago

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Michael Ochs/Getty Images

Sense Of Place

The Culture Corner: How Curtis Mayfield left an indelible mark on Chicago

XPN

Born in Chicago, Mayfield was responsible for so much music over the course of his career, from soundtracks to his work with The Impressions.

Culture Corner: Curtis Mayfield on World Cafe

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A 'product child of Chicago,' KAINA is learning to savor the home she's made here

KAINA Dennis Elliott/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Dennis Elliott/Courtesy of the artist

Sense Of Place

A 'product child of Chicago,' KAINA is learning to savor the home she's made here

XPN

The musician talks about her latest album, It Was A Home, and the creative community she's fostered in Chicago.

KAINA on World Cafe

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Dos Santos' sound is a cultural melting pot as eclectic as their Chicago home

Dos Santos Jose Calvo/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jose Calvo/Courtesy of the artist

Sense Of Place

Dos Santos' sound is a cultural melting pot as eclectic as their Chicago home

XPN

The Chicago band pulls from a mix of Latin influences to create their unique take on psychedelic rock.

Dos Santos on World Cafe

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Legendary audio engineer Steve Albini built his Chicago studio brick by brick

Steve Albini John Semley/WXPN hide caption

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John Semley/WXPN

Sense Of Place

Legendary audio engineer Steve Albini built his Chicago studio brick by brick

XPN

The man behind albums by Nirvana, the Pixies and more opens the doors to Electrical Audio and details his egalitarian approach to working with musicians.

Steve Albini on World Cafe

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Pigface to Reznor: Here's what you'll find in Chicago's new industrial rock museum

Martin Atkins Stephen Kallao/WXPN hide caption

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Stephen Kallao/WXPN

Sense Of Place

Pigface to Reznor: Here's what you'll find in Chicago's new industrial rock museum

XPN

Industrial music heavyweight Martin Atkins pulled from his personal collection of memorabilia to create Chicago's new Museum of Post Punk and Industrial Music.

Martin Atkins on World Cafe

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Bilderbuch brings larger-than-life, completely captivating energy to FM4's studios

Bilderbuch inside FM4 Studios. Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

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Kimberly Junod/WXPN

Sense Of Place

Bilderbuch brings larger-than-life, completely captivating energy to FM4's studios

XPN

We didn't realize quite how big they were until we landed in Vienna — Bilderbuch stops by for a Sense of Place: Vienna studio session in the middle of a sold-out arena tour.

Bilderbuch on World Cafe

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Tour the Vienna cemetery where some of the world's most famous composers are buried

Vienna Central Cemetery Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

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Kimberly Junod/WXPN

Sense Of Place

Tour the Vienna cemetery where some of the world's most famous composers are buried

XPN

On the outskirts of Vienna, more than 3 million people are buried in the Vienna Central Cemetery — including Beethoven, Strauss and one of Austria's most celebrated musicians, Falco.

Vienna Central Cemetery Walk on World Cafe

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Hear a mini-concert by '90s-inspired supergroup My Ugly Clementine

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Franz Reiterer/Courtesy of the artist

Sense Of Place

Hear a mini-concert by '90s-inspired supergroup My Ugly Clementine

XPN

For the World Cafe's Sense of Place: Vienna series, we knew there would be lots of Classical music. But it turns out, there's also a thriving indie music scene.

My Ugly Clementine on World Cafe

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Far from the operas and museums of Vienna is a growing hip hop scene

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Kimberly Junod/WXPN

Sense Of Place

Far from the operas and museums of Vienna is a growing hip hop scene

XPN

Emerging rap star YUGO takes World Cafe on a tour of the the 15th district on the outskirts of Vienna in this Sense of Place episode.

Yugo On World Cafe

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DIVES is one of the most exciting new bands on Vienna's music scene

Dives Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

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Kimberly Junod/WXPN

Sense Of Place

DIVES is one of the most exciting new bands on Vienna's music scene

XPN

Vienna is known for classical music, but if you know where to look, you'll find a flourishing indie rock scene, too. Hear a live performance from DIVES in this Sense of Place session.

DIVES on World Cafe

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Vienna's Sharktank blends and bends genres to create its own unique sound

Sharktank perform live for World Cafe's Sense Of Place: Vienna series Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

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Sense Of Place

Vienna's Sharktank blends and bends genres to create its own unique sound

XPN

There's a whole other side of Viennese music other than grand symphonies or operas performed on gilded stages. Enjoy this live Sense of Place: Vienna series performance by Sharktank.

Sharktank on World Cafe

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Sense of Place: Produce shopping for musical instruments in Vienna, Austria

Susanna Gartmayer of the Vegetable Orchestra Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

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Kimberly Junod/WXPN

Sense Of Place

Sense of Place: Produce shopping for musical instruments in Vienna, Austria

XPN

Vienna is a city where the streets are alive with the sounds of violins, pianos, clarinets and ... vegetables!? A member of the city's Vegetable Orchestra takes us shopping at a local market for instruments.

Vegetable Orchestra on World Cafe

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Across the wall: How Mark Reeder brought punk music to East Berlin in the 1980s

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Saki Hinatsu/Courtesy of the artist

Sense Of Place

Across the wall: How Mark Reeder brought punk music to East Berlin in the 1980s

XPN

The British musician and record producer shares how crossing the Berlin Wall border and a secret concert helped change the course of history.

Mark Reeder on World Cafe

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Berlin's Sofia Portanet makes music that blends languages and crosses genres

Sofia Portanet performs live for World Cafe Sense of Place: Berlin WXPN hide caption

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Sense Of Place

Berlin's Sofia Portanet makes music that blends languages and crosses genres

XPN

Recorded live in Berlin's Hansa Recording Studios, hear Sofia perform new singles in front of an audience for the very first time.

Sofia Portanet on World Cafe

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Laura Lee & The Jettes bring millennial grunge to Berlin's Hansa Studios

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Kimberly Junod/Courtesy of the artist

Sense Of Place

Laura Lee & The Jettes bring millennial grunge to Berlin's Hansa Studios

XPN

First finding success with her band Gurr, World Cafe's Sense of Place: Berlin series explores Laura Lee's new solo project.

Laura Lee and the Jettes on World Cafe

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Exploring the unexpectedly inspiring places of Berlin with Emperor X

Emperor X takes World Cafe on a tour of a few unexpectedly inspiring places in Berlin. Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

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Kimberly Junod/WXPN

Sense Of Place

Exploring the unexpectedly inspiring places of Berlin with Emperor X

XPN

Why is Berlin such a hotbed of creativity? American expat and musician Emperor X answers the question in this installment of our Sense of Place: Berlin series.

Emperor X on World Cafe

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Berlin indie-pop band Von Wegen Lisbeth shares new music on 'World Cafe'

Von Wegen Lisbeth performs live for World Cafe Kimberly Junod/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Kimberly Junod/Courtesy of the artist

Sense Of Place

Berlin indie-pop band Von Wegen Lisbeth shares new music on 'World Cafe'

XPN

While you've maybe never heard of them here in America, in the German-language indie rock world, Von Wegen Lisbeth are a pretty big deal.

Von Wegen Lisbeth on World Cafe

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Post-punk garage rock band Shybits packs Berlin's 8MM Bar

Shybits performing live at 8MM Bar in Berlin. Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

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Kimberly Junod/WXPN

Sense Of Place

Post-punk garage rock band Shybits packs Berlin's 8MM Bar

XPN

World Cafe kicks off its Sense of Place: Berlin series with a session with local trio Shybits, featuring a live performance and interview from local rock club 8MM Bar.

Shybits on World Cafe Sense of Place Berlin

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