Saturday Morning Flavor

Saturday Morning Flavor is was a globally spiced music discovery radio show. Stories + songs for the best part of the week.

Spring 2024: that’s all folks: Spotify has cancelled its “Music + Talk” format; this had allowed DJs to drop licensed, full-length tracks into podcasts. And that’s what made this show possible. So I’ll be back with something else. Meantime, all show archives are available for listening anytime. — Noel Franus

  • Flavor Packet: México Mágico, a Threefold Story of Love

    Listen with the Spotify app to hear the stories and full songs.

    What’s the best way to learn a new language?

    My friend Andrew Bourne has a hunch. Last year he traveled to México and fell in love with a “girl, a country, and a language.” The problem: Spanish is her native tongue, but he didn’t know any. Yet.

    Here’s how they solved this together, with three songs that bring the story to life.

    Music: Alex Cuba + Leonel Garcia, Caloncho + Mon Laferte, and Simon Grossman.

    +

    Flavor Packets are published Wednesdays. Full SMF episodes drop every other weekend. Guest DJs welcome; if you have a three-song set, or a theme — on any topic — let me know. And: your feedback is always welcome.

  • 10: Eating Our Way Across the East Bay

    Listen with the Spotify app to hear the stories and full songs.

    How would you plan a 60-mile foodie day trip from the top of the San Francisco East Bay all the way down to San Jose — covering one of the most culturally diverse regions in the United States?

    The kids and I did it on a whim, with stops for birria tacos, coffee and mochi desserts, colorful Cantonese social food, Japanese groceries, and beer from Berkeley, consumed in San Jose. It was fun — but there were glitches. Would we do it again?

    The food may be spicy. So is the music. You’ve been warned.

    Music from Señor Coconut, Talking Heads, the Staples Singers, Cuarto Mundo, Brazilian Girls, The Orb, Lee Scratch Perry, Becky G., Khruangbin, Leon Bridges, Vieux Farka Touré, The Temptations, Love and Rockets, Los Bitchos, the Jesus and Mary Chain, Robyn, Neneh Cherry, The Avalanches, Lizzo and more.

  • Flavor Packet: Musical Head Whip / I Was Wrong

    Today’s show is a 180 on some of my longstanding musical assumptions:

    1. Acapella can’t be cool
    2. Polka can’t be cool
    3. Flutes can’t be cool

    Listen to find out how Matias Aguayo, Brave Combo, and Lizzo proved me wrong.

    Flavor Packets are published Wednesdays. Full Saturday Morning Flavor episodes drop every other weekend. Next: Saturday April 22, 2023.

    Let’s play together: Guest DJs welcome. If you have a three-song set, or a theme — on any topic — let me know. Let’s publish your packet.

    Still prototyping: Flavor Packets are an experiment. What do you think?

  • Flavor Packet: Can “Hee Haw” Fix a Broken Country?

    Flavor Packets are mini-episodes: one theme, three songs, every Wednesday.

    In today’s show, Can “Hee Haw” Fix a Broken Country? Tom Kress puts on his diplomacy hat and says Americana music — and the global sounds that influence it — can bring a nation together. His three songs make a good case.

    Flavor Packets are published Wednesdays. Full Saturday Morning Flavor episodes drop every other weekend. Next one is Saturday April 22, 2023.

    Let’s play together: Guest DJs welcome. If you have a three-song set, or a theme — on any topic — let me know. Let’s publish your packet.

    Still prototyping: Flavor Packets are an experiment. What do you think?

    saturdaymorningflavor@gmail.com / +1 ‪(415) 862-0441‬

    — Noel Franus

  • 09: It’s 1987 Again, with 3 Teenage DJs from WIRQ Rochester

    Dust off your boombox, pop open a cold Tab, and grab your can of Aqua-Net — we’re going back to Saturdays in 1987 at New Music 93 WIRQ, the new-wave station “serving the universe from the top of Irondequoit High School,” just outside Rochester.

    After 30+ years I’ve had the chance to catch up live with Tom Kress and Amy Dowd — together, we three teenage DJs covered Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. In this show we share why we joined, the pressures of performing live as a teenager, and the experiences that shaped us forever.

    Music: first half of the show includes ace Saturday morning discovery vibes with Lucious, Prince, Joy Crookes, and Monster Rally, and the second half of the show includes the mandatory new-wave hits (and maybe misses) from our radio days: Ebn Ozn, Animotion, The Smiths, The Cure, Sinead O’Connor, Beastie Boys, The Jam, and, like, gobs more. Totally mint.

    Plus: what music do Aliens make? A great question asked by Alex of The Cassini Project — catch his music on ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Bandcamp⁠, and ⁠YouTube⁠.

    Let’s hear your answers and stories. ‪(415) 862-0441‬ / saturdaymorningflavor@gmail.com.

    — Noel Franus

  • Flavor Packet: Muppets Are Real

    Flavor Packets are mini-episodes: one theme, three songs, every Wednesday.

    Today’s theme is Muppets Are Real. My friend Robin Borelli shares a story about her own kid Muppet universe — one I’m sure many of us can relate to. Delightful.

    +

    Flavor Packets are published Wednesdays. Full Saturday Morning Flavor episodes drop every other weekend. Next one is Saturday April 8, 2023.

    LET’S PLAY TOGETHER: Guest DJs welcome. If you have a three-song set, or a theme — on any topic — let me know. Let’s publish your packet.

    STILL PROTOTYPING. Flavor Packets are an experiment. What do you think?

    saturdaymorningflavor@gmail.com / +1 ‪(415) 862-0441‬

    — Noel Franus

  • Flavor Packet: All That’s Beyond Our Understanding

    Flavor Packets are mini-episodes: one theme, three songs, every Wednesday.

    Today’s theme is All That’s Beyond Our Understanding. Friend of the show Dave Manzella shares three songs that give him a hint of a scent of a glimpse of the divine.

    +

    Flavor Packets are published Wednesdays. Full Saturday Morning Flavor episodes drop every other weekend. Next one is Saturday April 8, 2023.

    LET’S PLAY TOGETHER: Guest DJs welcome. If you have a three-song set, or a theme — on any topic — let me know. Let’s publish your packet.

    STILL PROTOTYPING. Flavor Packets are an experiment. What do you think?

    saturdaymorningflavor@gmail.com / +1 ‪(415) 862-0441‬

    — Noel Franus

  • 08: Mom and Dad Throw Records in the Trash

    Do you pay attention to song lyrics? I didn’t — until that one day when Mom and Dad tossed out all those “bad influence” records by AC/DC, KISS, and the like. I’ll share which album survived, surprisingly, and yes I did actually learn something from the whole ordeal.

    We’ll also hear a turning-points story from long-lost friend Kevin Hauer, who changed his life with a last-minute trip to Toronto.

    This episode features nearly 15 finely crafted songs that are beautiful and messed up, sexy and sad … and perfect for an engaging Saturday morning vibe.

    Music from Gloria Jones, Rubblebucket, Swamp Dogg, Y La Bamba, Wild Ones, Four Tet, Salamanda, El Búho, Lydia Loveless, Lucinda Williams, Purple Mountains, The Avalanches, Wilco, and more.

    Question for you: what’s a turning point in your life, and what music do you associate with it?

    Let me hear from you: saturdaymorningflavor@gmail.com / text:‪ (415) 862-0441‬

    — Noel Franus

  • Flavor Packet: Loud, Proud, and Musical

    Flavor Packets are mini-episodes: one theme, three songs, every Wednesday.

    Today’s theme is Loud, Proud, and Musical.

    Creative director Patrick Castro shares 3 songs that make him feel both younger and older. Listen for Mötley Crüe, girl in red, and Ben Platt / Dear Evan Hansen — a hair-metal band, a queer icon, and a Broadway musical. Patrick shares this unique set through the lens of the three people he loves the most: Libby, Stacia, and Winnie.

    (I remembered the umlauts!)

    +

    Flavor Packets are additive; the regular Saturday Morning Flavor episodes continue as usual, every other weekend. Next one drops Saturday March 25, 2023.

    LET’S PLAY TOGETHER: Guest DJs welcome. If you have a three-song set, or a theme, let me know. Perhaps we’ll publish your packet.

    STILL PROTOTYPING. Flavor Packets are an experiment. Let me know what you think.

    saturdaymorningflavor@gmail.com / +1 ‪(415) 862-0441‬

    — Noel Franus

  • Mini Episode: Say Hi to Flavor Packets

    New thing alert! Flavor Packets are shorty episodes. One theme, three songs, every Wednesday. That’s it.

    The theme for our first one: BLUE SUNDAY.

    1. New Order released Blue Monday 40 years ago … last week.
    2. Lotte Kestner covers New Order’s True Faith in HBO’s The Last of Us, which aired its season finale … last Sunday.
    3. Also featured in the same show: Depeche Mode‘s Never Let Me Down Again — and here’s a cover of that, by Greg Laswell and Molly Jenson.

    HEADS-UP: Flavor Packets are added ingredients. The full-bowl Saturday Morning Flavor episodes continue as usual.

    LET’S PLAY TOGETHER: Guest DJs welcome. Flavor Packets are collaborative — if you have a three-song set, or a theme, let me know. I’ll add you as a contributor and perhaps we’ll publish your packet.

    STILL PROTOTYPING. It’s an experiment. Let me know what you think.

    saturdaymorningflavor@gmail.com / +1 ‪(415) 862-0441‬

    — Noel Franus

Email: saturdaymorningflavor@gmail.com / text or vm +1.415.862.0441