CFRU-FM in Guelph is collecting $10,000 towards the purchase of a new transmitter. They are currently broadcasting at 110 Watts but want to go up to 250 Watts, reaching new places and new ears.

To support the drive, on October 19 the station's Music Director Peter Bradley asked listeners to call in and contribute to a live song by local artists Jenny Omnichord and Gregory Pepper. Those who donated got to help determine the song's lyrical and musical themes, structure and style.

To listen to the result, "DIS-A-RAY", click on the attached mp3. Or heck, just donate now at www.cfru.ca.

All donations go to CFRU as part of the station's annual Raise Your Voice funding drive. CFRU is the only radio station in Guelph which actively promotes independent and local musicians.

Gregory Pepper has been creating impressive and complex pop masterpieces for years, and recently released his newest album "With Trumpets Flaring" to critical acclaim. In a review of this album, The Guelph Mercury described Gregory as "one of the most creative, musically gifted and unpredictable artists to come out of the local scene in a long, long time", adding that "Pepper is a composer of little off-kilter pop-symphonies and a multi-instrumentalist who brings his pieces to life through his piano, guitar, bass, accordion, violin, drums, harmonica violin and laptop computer."

Jenny Omnichord released her newest album "Charlotte Or Otis" last year to celebrate the birth of her now one-year old son Otis. "Charlotte or Otis" is a collection of quirky, funny, and subversive children's songs featuring duets with a who's who of the Canadian indie community, including Shad, Jim Guthrie, Old Man Luedecke. The Hero-hill blog suggested that Jenny is the "pre-eminent source of Omnichord-powered, quirky pop songs in this country".

For more information about Friday's event featuring Gregory Pepper and Jenny Omnichord, please contact CFRU Music Coordinator Peter Bradley at music@cfru.ca or 519-824-4120 x56919 (at work) or 519-822-5684 (at home). For more information about the CFRU funding drive, please contact Outreach Coordinator Sarah Mangle at 519-824-4120 x 56920.