My letter to Alabama Public Radio

I don't suppose that tonight's Evening Jazz program is any worse than any other night's. It's just that tonight was the straw that finally broke my spirit. I want to love APR. I enjoy the news programming, K.T.Windham's stories, Lake Wobegon, even Car Talk. But here's the thing. I love music. I'm actually quite obsessed with it. Every night, with hope in my heart, I turn on my radio and hope to hear some on APR. So far, all I hear when I turn on APR in the evening is some strident, nasal jazz instrument or another, wildly running through scales as if it were trying to learn to play itself as quickly as possible. I call this, "Noodling", and it makes me physically ill to hear it.

I don't care what kind of music you play at night on APR. Jazz, trip hop, Americana, African tribal, or polka. Just please, I am begging you, make it GOOD music. INTERESTING music. Music with a purpose and a direction beyond an attempt to play as many notes in succession as possible.

I want to love APR. I want to support APR. But until APR provides me with something cool to listen to before I go to bed at night, I will continue to send all of my financial support to Radio Paradise.

Hopefully yours,
~Anna Gibson