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Gulf Coast Life: Arts Edition

John Davis has been a full-time Reporter/Producer for WGCU since 2009. He is the local host for NPR’s Morning Edition and producer and host for WGCU’s radio talk program Gulf Coast Life! John came to WGCU as an intern in 2007, and is now reporting on a broad spectrum of topics of interest to Southwest Florida. Prior to joining WGCU, he worked at WDUQ-FM in Pittsburgh, PA covering local government and general assignments.John studied journalism at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from Florida Gulf Coast University. His work has garnered awards from the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania, the Radio Television Digital News Association, and a first place award and “Best in Show” from the Florida Associated Press for his investigative work in 2011. Send news pitches to wgcunews at wgcu.org

Latest Episodes
  • A conversation with and music performed live in-studio by the Florida phantom folk band the Swamp Rats consisting of Scotty Crow on vocals, guitar and cajón and Andy Starkey on vocals and banjo
  • We listen back to our episode from this past April featuring music from South Florida-based rap, hip-hop, and EDM artist, performer and producer Nory Aronfeld. From lo-fidelity beats to psychedelic instruments, to songs heavy on lyricism and wordplay, his original compositions are genre blending and genre bending.
  • Conversation and music performed live in-studio by the Florida phantom folk band the Swamp Rats consisting of Scotty Crow on vocals, guitar and cajón and Andy Starkey on vocals and banjo.
  • We listen back to selections from our show from this past spring featuring jazz performed live in studio by musicians studying under the Florida Gulf Coast University Bower School of Music’s Director of Jazz Studies Brandon Robertson. Robertson and his students have performed on past editions of the show, but this episode marked the first time we heard his students performing vocal jazz selections.
  • We explore the Ghostbird Theatre Company’s performance/installation hybrid, “One Island,” ahead of its opening at the Wasmer Art Gallery at Florida Gulf Coast University.
  • This week the Fort Myers Film Festival will screen three environmental documentary selections from award-winning filmmaker and conservation and science communicator Sonny DePasquale. We’ll explore these documentaries with the filmmaker.
  • The Florida Repertory Theatre in Fort Myers closes its 24th season with a production of the authentically Southern romantic comedy “Maytag Virgin,” by playwright Audrey Cefaly. We take a closer look with the play’s stars and only actors Tyler Layton and Duke Lafoon.
  • A new chamber orchestra in Southwest Florida called Camerata of Naples will hold the final concert of its debut season on Mother’s Day, May 8. The concert will include the U.S. premiere performance of “Rhapsody on a Theme of Albinoni for Violin, Cello and Harpsichord,” composed by Alexander Goldstein. We’ll talk with the composer and the musician co-founders of the chamber orchestra violinist Boris Sandler and pianist Bella Gutshtein.
  • We get a preview of the 12th annual Fort Myers Film Festival, which runs May 18-22. The festival includes screenings of more than 70 films in seven categories and includes submissions from all over the world as well as films about and shot here in Southwest Florida. We’ll talk with the festival’s founder Eric Raddatz.
  • We’ll feature music from South Florida-based rap, hip-hop, and EDM artist, performer and producer Nory Aronfeld ahead of his album release party April 24 at the iconic Faena Theater on Miami Beach. From lo-fidelity beats to psychedelic instruments, to songs heavy on lyricism and wordplay, his original compositions are genre blending and genre bending.