Archive
PHOTOS: Jason Webley & Mood Area 52 @ WOW Hall (Eugene, OR – 10/31/11)
Fantastically fun Halloween show by Mood Area 52 and Jason Webley at Eugene’s WOW Hall. Tons of accordion, sing-a-longs, baby carrots, leaves, water bottle shakers, giant balloons (even one Jason got about waist-deep into until it popped), and great music. Jason last show (for a while) is 11/11/11 at the Moore Theatre in Seattle… go if you are able!
MOOD AREA 52 & JASON WEBLEY PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2011 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
The Appropriate Linkage:
- Jason Webley’s Site
- Jason Webley’s Social Media Links (see below)
- Mood Area 52’s Site
- Mood Area 52‘s Facebook / MySpace
- My Other Related Posts~
- Webley @ Eugene Celebration (Eugene – Aug 2010)
- Mood Area 52 & Raquy and the Cavemen @ Joe’s (Eugene – Sept 2009)
- WOW Hall’s Site / Facebook / Twitter
Next shows for me… Chris Chandler at Sam Bond’s (11/5), My Brightest Diamond at Mississippi Studios (11/6) & Puscifer at Paramount (11/7).
~Dan – np: U2 – Zooropa
REVIEW: John Scofield Quartet @ the Shedd (Eugene, OR – 10/26/11)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM
I showed up slightly late due; so came in right after they started their second song… and I hunkered down for some great music. John Scofield Quartet features John on guitars, Michael Eckroth on piano, Ben Street on bass, and Gregory Hutchinson on drums.
The band played a mix of slower ballads and more upbeat tunes. John’s latest album, A Moment’s Peace, is slower and gentler, and the lead-off track “Simply Put” was the first tune I caught in the set – fantastic jazz balladry. The quartet then moved into some covers, “Relaxin’ at Camarillo” (Charlie Parker) and “I Will” (the Beatles). I didn’t catch the name of the tune right after “I Will,” but it was SMOKIN’…
Other songs I caught during the Quartet’s long set were “My Foolish Heart,” “Hackensack” (Thelonious Monk), and “Green Tea.” John is a phenomenal guitarist. The show was a bit more reserved than I was going in expecting (compared to his work with Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood), but it was a treat to watch a master at work. They wrap up their mini-West Coast tour this weekend at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley in Seattle.
more photos below
The Appropriate Linkage:
- John Scofield’s Site
- John Scofield’s Social Media Links (see below)
- The Shedd’s Site / Facebook / Twitter
~Dan – np: Under Byen – Samme Stof Som Stof
JOHN SCOFIELD QUARTET PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2011 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
John Scofield @ the Shedd (photos by the weekend)
UPDATE 10/29 – REVIEW POSTED
Brilliant show by the John Scofield Quartet last night at the Shedd in Eugene, Oregon…
Busy week for me at work, plus Pomplamoose tonight at the Doug Fir Lounge (Portland). Look for the Scofield Eugene photos and a review by the weekend.
Cheers!
~Dan
MINI-REVIEW: Gonzalo Bergara Quartet @ house concert (Eugene, OR – 10/23/11)
I love the Rolling & Tumbling house concerts. If you’re in Eugene and love good music in an intimate setting, head over to HERE and sign up for the mailing list. They host concerts about once a quarter, and it’s usually some interesting world music. The next one is January 15th… the Michael Winograd klezmer trio from NYC.
Last night’s show was the Gonzalo Bergara Quartet from Los Angeles via Argentina.
They were a hot band, playing primarily Django Reinhardt-influenced gypsy jazz guitar pieces, with a few variations (like bossa nova) added in. The frontman, Gonzalo Bergara, was phenomenal on guitar… truly worthy of following in Django’s shadow. His band was made up of Rob Hardt primarily on clarinet (and sax on occasion), Jeffrey Radaich on rhythm guitar (and vocals for “L.O.V.E.“), and Brian Netzley on upright bass.
They played an hour-long set, then we broke for snacks/intermission and they came back for a show-capping 45 minute set. They were humorous, graceful, and virtuosos. They played many unidentifiable tunes, but I do know they played these: Simplicated, Gonzalogy, August (new/unrecorded), L.O.V.E., Coquette, Nightmare #1, Octubre/Noviembre, La Muerte De Un Lobo Bueno, some more Django tunes, a bossa nova tune (possibly Elena’s Bossa).
(click albums below for sound samples)
They play all over the world. They played in Eugene a couple years ago; so they’re likely not back for a bit. Check out their tour dates to see if they’re coming to your neck of the woods.
The Appropriate Linkage:
- Gonzalo Bergara Quartet‘s Site
- Gonzalo Bergara Quartet’s Social Media Links (see below)
Next show for me… John Scofield at the Shedd (Eugene) on 10/26, and then Pomplamoose at Doug Fir Lounge (Portland) on 10/27.
~Dan – np: Toad the Wet Sprocket – All You Want
REVIEW: Melt Banana @ WOW Hall (Eugene, OR – 10/1/11)
Melt Banana started off their two month U.S. tour with an initial stop at the WOW Hall in Eugene, Oregon, on Saturday. Their last time through Oregon, the Tokyo-based screamo/noise metal band didn’t stop here, and the freezing rain & severe winter fog kept many Ducks who wanted to trek up to Portland away. Not so this time… and I made it there just in time to catch their blistering set.
Agata shredded up the guitars, making dental exams seem pleasant. Yako was a sandstorm of power and unexpectedness on vocal duties… and charming in between songs. The drum & bass battery (presumably Takiya & Rika) propelled the blasts of music forward.
It’s one thing to hear this band on record, it’s quite another to see them live. They’re going all over the U.S.A. from now until late November! Catch them (dates below). They’re also working on a new album, out in 2012.
more photos below
The Appropriate Linkage:
- Melt Banana’s Site
- Melt Banana’s Social Media Links (see below)
- Other Related Reviews~
- Jeff Matarrese’s photos in ODE (Eugene 10/1)
- WOW Hall’s Site / Facebook / Twitter
Check out more tour dates below.
Next shows for me… Chromeo & Opeth at the Roseland (Portland) in a couple of weeks!
~Dan – np: John Zorn – At the Gates of Paradise
MELT-BANANA PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2011 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
MxBx 2011 U.S.A. Tour Dates
- 10/1/2011 WOW Hall Eugene, OR
- 10/2/2011 Star Theater Portland, OR
- 10/3/2011 Chop Suey Seattle, WA
- 10/4/2011 The Badlander Missoula, MT
- 10/6/2011 Kilby Court Salt Lake City, UT
- 10/8/2011 Larimer Lounge Denver, CO
- 10/9/2011 The Record Bar Kansas City, MO
- 10/10/2011 The Waiting Room Omaha, NE
- 10/11/2011 The Mill Iowa City, IA
- 10/12/2011 Nutty’s Sioux Falls, SD
- 10/13/2011 Triple Rock Social Club Minneapolis, MN
- 10/14/2011 High Noon Saloon Madison, WI
- 10/15/2011 Cactus Club Milwaukee, WI
- 10/16/2011 Subterranean Chicago, IL
- 10/17/2011 Cicero’s St. Louis, MO
- 10/18/2011 The Bishop Bloomington, IN
- 10/19/2011 The Historic Southgate House Newport, KY
- 10/20/2011 Mac’s Bar Lansing, MI
- 10/22/2011 Grog Shop Cleveland Heights, OH
- 10/23/2011 The Haunt Ithaca, NY
- 10/25/2011 Wrongbar Toronto, ON
- 10/26/2011 Il Motore Montreal, QC
- 10/27/2011 T.T. The Bear’s Cambridge, MA
- 10/28/2011 The Space Hamden, CT
- 10/29/2011 Santos Party House New York, NY
- 10/31/2011 First Unitarian Church Philadelphia, PA
- 11/1/2011 The Red Palace Washington, DC
- 11/2/2011 Ottobar Baltimore, MD
- 11/4/2011 Local 506 Chapel Hill, NC
- 11/5/2011 The EARL Atlanta, GA
- 11/06/2011 The Engine Room Tallahassee, FL
- 11/08/2011 Backbooth Orlando, FL
- 11/09/2011 Crowbar Tampa, FL
- 11/10/2011 Double Down Gainesville, FL
- 11/11/2011 Jack Rabbits Jacksonville, FL
- 11/12/2011 Caledonia Lounge Athens, GA
- 11/13/2011 The End Nashville, TN
- 11/15/2011 BottleTree Birmingham, AL
- 11/16/2011 Alabama Music Box Mobile, AL
- 11/17/2011 Fitzgerald’s Houston, TX
- 11/18/2011 The Prophet Bar Dallas, TX
- 11/19/2011 The Mohawk Austin, TX
- 11/20/2011 Jack’s Patio Bar & Grill San Antonio, TX
- 11/22/2011 Club Congress Tucson, AZ
- 11/23/2011 Hollywood Alley Mesa, AZ
- 11/25/2011 The Bunkhouse Las Vegas, NV
- 11/26/2011 Soda Bar San Diego, CA
- 11/27/2011 Echoplex Los Angeles, CA
- 11/28/2011 Harlow’s Night Club Sacramento, CA
- 11/29/2011 Bottom Of The Hill San Francisco , CA
REVIEW: Madeleine Peyroux @ the Shedd (Eugene, OR – 4/5/11)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM
Madeleine Peyroux has a new album coming out called Standin’ On the Rooftop. The album, coming out June 7th on Decca, features Marc Ribot on guitar/banjo along with Me’shell Ndegeocello on bass. No word on tracklist for the full-length, but she just released a preview EP called The Things I’ve Seen Today, which features the title track co-written by violinist Jenny Scheinman and a delightful cover of The Beatles’ “Martha, My Dear” (click picture to the right for samples).
This show in Eugene was her second time through in as many years. I don’t recall if the band members were the same as last time, but regardless, they were all fantastic musicians. While Ribot/Ndegeocello/Scheinman were not in the live band, all four band members created a vibe conducive to taking in Madeleine’s golden vocal chords.
They played a fairly jazzy set, and Madeleine’s lush vocals bounced around in more of a jazzy singer-songwriter feel than I remembered her from before. As you’ll be able to see from the setlist below, she played a lot of the new material from the forthcoming album – much of it I was unable to unidentify. If you have any assistance on the setlist, let me know in the comments.
Setlist: over 90 minutes
- unknown
- The Things I’ve Seen Today
- Martha, My Dear [The Beatles]
- “Muddy Mississippi”
- You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go [Bob Dylan]
- “seen my reflection underneath the moon”
- “here we are… I’m only human”
- Don’t Wait Too Long
- Don’t Pick a Fight With a Poet
- “Meet me in Rio”
- “involuntary pass/past(?)”
- Dance Me to the End of Love [Leonard Cohen]
- unknown love song
- Instead [with band introductions & solos]
- Encore: J’Ai Deux Amours
- “I hear music” [with band solos]
Fantastic show. Madeleine was fairly chatty and in a great mood. The Eugene crowd was fairly subdued, except for a particular “amateur comedian” named George who interacted a bit with Madeleine – which at one point said she should have him open for her. :)
Be on the lookout for her new album in June. She’s hitting a few more West Coast & Canada dates (as well as a NYC date) between now and the end of June. Check out more tour dates below.
more photos below
The Appropriate Linkage:
- Madeleine Peyroux’s Site
- Madeleine Peyroux’s Social Media Links (see below)
- My Other Related Reviews~
- The Shedd (Eugene – March 2009)
- The Shedd’s Site / Facebook / Twitter
Next show for me… quite possibly Ani DiFranco at McDonald Theatre in Eugene (4/12).
~Dan – np: Platypus – When Pus Comes to Shove 
MADELEINE PEYROUX PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2011 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
Madeleine Peyroux Spring/Summer 2011 Tour Dates:
3/31-4/02 – Seattle, WA @ Jazz Alley
4/03 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
4/05 – Eugene, OR @ Shedd Institute for Arts
4/06 – Santa Rosa, CA @ Wells Fargo Center
4/08 – San Francisco, CA @ Palace of Fine Arts
4/09 – Los Angeles, CA @ Luckman Theater
4/11 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Lobero Theatre
4/13 – Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theater
6/17-19 – New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom
6/22 – Toronto, Ontario, Canada @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
6/24 – Victoria, British Columbia, Canada @ Royal Theatre (Victoria
International Jazzfest)
6/25 – Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada @ Centre for the Performing Arts
(Vancouver International Jazz Festival))
6/26 – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada @ Winspear Centre for Music (Edmonton Int’l
Jazz Festival)
6/28 – Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada @ Theatre Granada
6/29 – Montreal, Quebec, Canada @ Theatre Maisonneuve (Fest Int’l De Jazz De
Montreal)
6/30 – Quebec, Canada @ Raoul-Jobin Hall (Palais Montcalm)
John Zorn’s Masada Marathon 2011 (via Aural Addict)
Great review from Jeff from AuralAddict of the recent John Zorn Masada Marathon in New York City… CLICK BELOW…
via Aural Addict
REVIEW: The Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile @ McDonald Theatre (Eugene, OR – 3/16/11)
I hadn’t heard the Punch Brothers prior to the show, outside of a few clips on their webpage… but what I did hear, I knew I’d love it. I have also been a fan of frontman Chris Thile’s mandolin work with Nickel Creek; so I knew what to expect from at least his performance.
The show started with a delightful set from local fiddler prodigy Tatiana Hargreaves (backed by Scott Law on guitar). I had seen Tatiana play (with her brother Alex) during Works Progress Administration’s show at the WOW Hall in 2009 – which is a side project from Glen Phillips and Sean & Sara Watkins (from Nickel Creek as well)… so her opening for the Punch Brothers made perfect sense. Her set was a great warm up for what was to come (sorry, no photos came out of Tatiana & Scott, my camera was acting up).
The Punch Brothers went on shortly after Tatiana’s set. No flashy stage set-up or lights, just five guys and their instruments. The Punch Brothers are Chris Thile on mandolin & vocals, Gabe Witcher on fiddle/violin, Noam Pikelny on banjo, Chris Eldridge on guitar, and Paul Kowert on bass. They played a hour and a half or more with a great split between rollicking bluegrass vocal numbers and more stretched out instrumental pieces.
The overall musicianship in the entire group was evident early on. They were a quite tight five piece string band, and the lack of drums was barely noticeable – their use of rhythm duties amongst the strings was more than enough to keep the jammy, progressive instrumental movements rolling along. Since I don’t know their material all that well, I can’t really help out on the setlist front. I know they played “Rye Whiskey,” the Beatles “Paperback Writer,” a stunning mandolin-centric version of Radiohead “Paranoid Android,” and Chris Thile did a riveting Bach piece on solo mandolin.
Also, per Serena from the Register Guard, they covered the Strokes and Josh Ritter as well.
Fantastic show, and I shall get to know their music before they swing through again. Their latest CD is 2010’s Antifogmatic (pictured to the right).
more photos below
The Appropriate Linkage:
- Punch Brothers’ Site
- Punch Brothers’ Social Media Links (see below)
- Chris Thile’s Facebook / MySpace / Twitter
- Tatiana Hargreaves’ Site / MySpace / Twitter
- McDonald Theatre’s Site / Facebook / Twitter
Next show for me… probably Lawn Gnomes & Upstate Trio @ Cornucopia (3/25) or Pojama People (an Oregon Frank Zappa cover band) @ Sam Bond’s Garage (3/26).
~Dan – np: David Bazan – Fewer Moving Pieces
THE PUNCH BROTHERS PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2011 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
REVIEW: Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin @ Alberta Rose/PDX Jazz Fest (Portland, OR – 2/25/11)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM
Despite Grammy-winner Esperanza Spalding going on at the same night as part of Portland Jazz Fest 2011, I wasn’t going to miss Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin. I got into Ronin with 2006’s Stoa. Nik’s way of creative a funky, piano-based jazz setting captured my attention. And being from Switzerland, the chances to see Ronin are few and far between (their U.S. Tour consisted of four dates: Oakland, Portland, Knoxville & New York). First, the opener…
First up was Portland’s own Blue Cranes. I had heard of them, and I was glad to make it to the club early enough to catch their set. Great reed-driven quartet. They started out with a guest sax player and a string trio (with Anna Fritz, whom I’ve seen/heard before). They were genteel at first, but also drove the tempo up with some raucous solos and melodies.
Songs I caught the names of their hour-long set (I missed the opening song’s name): Love Love Love (by Wayne Horvitz), Hated Because of Great Qualities (by Blonde Redhead), Grandpa’s Hands (featuring toy piano), Beware of the Pneumatic Nailer, Soldier (with strings), Ritchie Bros., and Maddie Mae. Sha from Ronin joined them on-stage for a number as well. They’re heading out on an 30-day Amtrack tour soon… kicking off March 19th @ Tony Starlight‘s in Portland.
RONIN is Nik Bärtsch on piano, Kaspar Rast on drums, Andi Pupato on percussion, Sha on the alto and bass clarinet, and Thomy Jordi on bass. Their latest album, Llyrìa, came out on ECM in October 2010 and features what Nik calls “moduls.”
A “modul” is an unnamed, but numbered musical entities that can be woven together. Per Nik (in his interview with Oregon Music News), “when a module combination makes dramaturgically and formally sense and creates a coherent piece, I give a number to it.”
Friday’s show was primarily pulled from the moduls in Llyrìa. Interwoven, interlocking, overlapping pieces played through the air as the dimly, strategically lit stage changed to fit the sounds. Color and music formed an fantastic audio and visual masterpiece. The moduls started with a slow rumble and grew and warped throughout their long set. Very much jazz-centric, but also many elements of rock, funk, and progressive music. The PDX Jazz Fest brought Nik to town in 2008, but I’m hoping it doesn’t have to be another three years before we get to see this amazing live act again in Oregon.
more photos below
The Appropriate Linkage:
- Nik Bärtsch’s Site
- Nik Bärtsch’s Social Media Links (see below)
- Blue Crane’s Site
- Blue Crane’s Facebook / MySpace / Twitter
- My Other Related Reviews~
- Dave Holland Quintet (PDX Jazz 2010)
- Pharoah Sanders (PDX Jazz 2010)
- Dave Douglas’ Brass Ecstasy (PDX Jazz 2010)
- SF Jazz Collective (PDX Jazz 2008)
- Ornette Coleman (PDX Jazz 2008)
- Portland Jazz Fest’s Site / Facebook / Twitter
- Alberta Rose Theatre’s Site / Facebook / Twitter
Next show for me… Damien Jurado & Viva Voce at Doug Fir Lounge on Friday, 3/4.
~Dan – np: Mike Patton – A Perfect Place
NIK BARTSCH PDX JAZZ FEST PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2011 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin (PDX Jazz Fest)
Last night’s Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin show at the Alberta Rose Theatre as part of the 2011 Portland Jazz Festival last night was amazing… due to work and other commitments, I won’t be able to edit and post the photos until probably Monday or Tuesday. UPDATE: the review is live now, sorry about the delay.
(more coming soon)
Check back sometime next week!
~Dan
REVIEW: Godspeed You! Black Emperor @ Crystal Ballroom (Portland, OR – 2/18/11)
Video flickers “hope” on loop. Slow build with piercing tones presumably of guitar mixed with cello & screams in the violin pickups. The vapors turn into steam, the bowing more frantic, random percussive shakes. Eight minutes, the first hits on a high hat. The steam now turning into an impending waterfall. “Hope” still flickers. The impending waterfall never comes. The sounds fall away into sweepy hallways.
Clean guitars, gentle malleted vibes, as the guitar soars upwards with the violins. The screen text and numbers jumble. The pace expands and explodes, then stabilizes. Guitars are the backbone, the drums brisk, the xylo/vibes, on the other hand, are furious. Gasping. Grasping. They’re trying to escape. The drums take over, the other players fall to the side. A stringed étude tucks it away.
Violin warming up, workshop hammering percussion until the sounds become like a train leaving the station. This one built quicker than the prior pieces. More Mogwaian versus Sigurrósient. Churning turns into hints of melodic keys. Maybe they were just car keys… it’s turned more into a tumultuous rock instrumental. Rush.
That was the first forty minutes. The rest of Godspeed You! Black Emperor‘s two-plus hour set was full of highs and lows, and all the things that make post-rock so wondrous and confounding. Sweeping movements with The Anatomy of Melancholy text and images flashing above the band’s heads. I think sprinting away from convention is what makes this music so magical. Shying away from the press definitely adds to the mystery.
Setlist: (thanks Jason & others)
- Hope Drone
- Moya
- Albanian
- Monheim
- Dead Metheny
- (unknown)
- 09-15-00 (outro)
- Chart #3
- World Police & Friendly Fire
- Gathering Storm
- Blaise Bailey Finnegan III (aka BBF3)
Sorry for no photos from the show… t’was too packed, dark and I decided to hang back and enjoy anyway. My opinion of the opener in the comment section.
The Appropriate Linkage:
- GY!BE’s Site
- GY!BE’s Social Media Links (see below)
- Crystal Ballroom’s Site / Facebook / Twitter
Check out more tour dates below.
Next show for me… Nik Barstch’s Ronin as part of Portland Jazz Fest next weekend.
~Dan – np: Earth – Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1
Godspeed You! Black Emperor Tourdates
February 2011
16 – Vancouver, British Columbia @ Vogue Theatre
17 – Seattle, Wash. @ Showbox at the Market
18 – Portland, Ore. @ Crystal Ballroom
20 – San Francisco, Calif. @ Great American Music Hall
21 – San Francisco, Calif. @ Great American Music Hall
23 – Los Angeles, Calif @ Music Box at the Henry Fonda
March 2011
16 – Brooklyn, N.Y. @ Masonic Temple
17 – New York City, N.Y. @ Church of St. Paul the Apostle
19 – Philadelphia, Penn. @ Trocadero
20 Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club
22 – Athens, Ga. @ 40 Watt Club
24 – Nashville, Tenn. @ Cannery Ballroom
26 – Chicago, Ill. @ Metro
27 – Chicago, Ill. @ Metro
29 – Detroit, Mich. @ Majestic Theatre
REVIEW: Nels Cline Singers with Yuka Honda @ Doug Fir Lounge (Portland, OR – 1/30/11)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM
I had heard of Nels Cline like many people… via Wilco. I had even seen Wilco at some point on the A Ghost is Born tour (Taft Theatre, Cincinnati, 2000-and-something). While I dig Wilco enough, more adventurous music is where it’s at for me nowadays. I had heard of Nels and knew of his free jazz group, but I had only actually heard a little bit of his music – which gets me to my interest even being piqued in this show… enter Yuka C. Honda.
I dig Yuka’s Japanese/American sugar-pop of Cibo Matto (with fellow Japanese ex-pat Miho Hatori), but I also dig her experimental acoustic-electronic albums on Tzadik. My love of Yuka’s solo work led to her Portland tour date popping up on my radar…and I saw “oh, and with Nels Cline, I’ve heard some of his stuff.”
Boy, was I in for a surprise.
I found out about a week before the show that Yuka was actually playing with the Nels Cline Singers (the next generation of his NC Trio). I found out later that they’re married ; so the joint tour totally made sense to me now.
Then I found out that one of my favorite bassists, Trevor Dunn, was playing in the group for this short West Coast tour. Trevor played/plays with Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, Moonchild, Trio Convulsant, Electric Masada, et-fucking-cetera (tons upon tons of groups).
Then I found out that Scott Amendola was drumming with them… he’s the drummer for Mike Patton‘s fantastic Mondo Cane big-band. Then, after seeing the Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger* on Friday 1/28 in Portland, I thought… “hey, GOASTT is wrapping up their tour in Seattle on the 29th, and Nels Cline is starting their tour on the 29th in Seattle. Sean Lennon (of GOASTT) & Yuka used to be together as a couple and still work in bands together, Sean & Nels are on the same label, I bet something’s up.” Well, yeah, something was up…
*GOASTT is Sean Lennon & Charlotte Kemp Muhl‘s band (to the R of Nels).
As evidenced above, Sean & Charlotte watched from side of the stage during the first set, until Sean disappeared only to come up on stage to tambourine with the group for the last song in the first set.
So, now that my mind was thoroughly blown with all of the players on stage – let’s get on with the music.
Despite the “Singers” namesake, it’s an instrumental band. Actually, it’s an instrumental force with which to reckon. The first set started off with just the trio of Nels’ guitars and the battery of Trevor & Scott. The first song “Forge” swooned and swelled before crashing down on our ears.
The group seemed to me to be a great mix of what I love about both free jazz and post-rock. You don’t know what to expect, and you don’t want to know what to expect. The wave-like rise and fall is part of the enjoyment. If the wave doesn’t take you to where you wanted to go, well, you have to give in… it’s not your wave to control.
After the first few songs, Yuka came on and joined them on keyboards and percussion. I think she evened out the sound a bit… less chaotic, but still adventurous.
1st Set: 60-70 minutes
- Forge
- A Mug Like Mine
- Dedication
- Thurston County
- B86 (Inkblot Nebula)
- Thoughts on Caetano [with Sean Lennon]
Brilliant wall of sound and magic coming from the Singers. Alas, I had to call it a night. They took about a 30-40 minute break before I threw in the towel (around 11pm). They were going to come back on and do a 2nd full set. Sunday night, long drive ahead of me… I headed back to Eugene. I sooo very much wanted to stick around for the second set. The cards were stacked against me; so I scurried to my car and hit the road… if any readers caught the second set – how was it? what did they play?
many more photos below
The Appropriate Linkage:
- Nels Cline’s Site
- Nels Cline’s Social Media Links (see below)
- Yuka Honda’s Site
- Yuka Honda’s MySpace / Twitter
- Trevor Dunn’s Site
- Trevor Dunn’s MySpace
- Scott Amendola’s Site
- Scott Amendola’s Facebook / MySpace / Twitter
- Other Related Reviews~
- GOASTT / Sean Lennon & Charlotte Kemp Muhl (Portland – Jan 28, 2011)
- Nels Cline Singers by Karina (Seattle – Jan 29, 2011)
- Doug Fir Lounge’s Site / Facebook / Twitter
Check out more tour dates below.
Next shows for me… Sir Elton John in Eugene on 2/17 and then Godspeed! You Black Emperor the next day in Portland.
~Dan – np: Opeth – Orchid
NELS CLINE SINGERS PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2011 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
Winter 2011 West Coast Tour Dates
- Jan 29 – Seattle, WA – Is That Jazz? Festival
- Jan 30 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
- Feb 2 – Arcata, CA – Arcata Playhouse
- Feb 3 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent
- Feb 4 – Santa Cruz, CA – Don Quixote’s
- Feb 5 – Los Angeles, CA – Getty Center
Nels Cline Singers – Portland (photos on Wednesday)
Last night’s show at the Doug Fir Lounge in Portland with the Nels Cline Singers (Nels, Trevor Dunn & Scott Amendola) with Yuka Honda was rad. Due to my schedule, I won’t be able to post the review until late Tuesday Wednesday (Go Here for the Review/Photos). Here are some teaser shots… one with Sean Lennon…
More to come… check back Tuesday night Wednesday morning! Sorry, utterly swamped at work…
~Dan
REVIEW: Reptet @ Luckey’s (Eugene, OR – 1/14/11)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM
A rare nice, non-rainy evening in Eugene on Friday… how do you start a show? You get your gear and head outside! Reptet did just that… wearing drums and horns, they hit the street right outside Luckey’s to get the crowd pumped as well as bring in some surprised passersby. After their Reptet-ization of a Chamillionaire song, they shuffled and bounced back inside, bringing more people in after them than were originally were in the bar. First song, first stroke of genius.
This was the first show of their West Coast CD Release tour (see dates below). Their 4th studio album AT THE CABIN just came out, and after a couple spins… I’m totally digging it. Great fun-romp of a jazz sextet. A little bit of goofing around, a little bit of standard following mixed with standard setting, and a little bit of punk & experimental sensibilities with a solid rhythm section. To me, this is what a jazz combo from (my) young generation should be like. Plus I’m a sucker for brass & reed-based jazz…
Reptet is made up of Samantha Boshnack (trumpet & vox), Chris Credit (sax/clarinet/flute), Izaak Mills (sax/clarinet/flute & vox/fake phone calls), Nelson Bell (trombone/sousaphone), Tim Carey (acoustic & electric bass), and John Ewing (drums & vox). They played about 70 minutes, and hit a few unidentified songs, but here are the ones I know they played…
Setlist:
- Chamillionaire on the street
- Zeppo
- Snow Leopard x 3
- unknown
- Skcorcissalc
- Something Like What.
- brains
- Fish Market
They ended about 15 minutes ’til midnight, and while I wanted to stick around for Eugene-based jazz combo Eleven Eyes, I had to call it a night. Thanks for making Eugene a part of your CD release tour, Reptet! See you again soon!
more photos below
The Appropriate Linkage:
- Reptet’s Site
- Reptet’s Social Media Links (see below)
- My Other Related Reviews~
- Cozmic Pizza (Eugene – Dec 2007)
- Luckey’s Site / MySpace / Twitter
Check out more tour dates below.
~Dan – np: Reptet – At the Cabin
REPTET PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2011 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
Tour Dates
- Friday January 14th at Lucky’s Club in Eugene OR – 10 pm, $5
- Sunday January 16th at Jub Jub’s Thirsty Parlor in Reno, NV -10 pm, free
- Monday January 17th at The Press Club in Sacramento, CA – 9 pm, $5 (w/ Harley White Jr. Orchestra and The Flower Vato
- Wednesday January 19th at TAIX 321 Lounge in Echo Park (LA), CA – 10 pm, free
- Thursday January 20th at ResBox – The Steve Allen Theater at The Center For Inquiry in Los Angeles, CA – 8 pm $10 general, $5 CFI Members
- Friday, January 21st at Live Culture in Santa Barbara, CA – 9 pm, free
- Saturday January 22nd at Cafe Van Kleef in Oakland, CA – 9 pm, $5
- Sunday January 23rd at Applegate River Lodge in Jacksonville, OR – $10
REVIEW: Erik Friedlander plays John Zorn’s Masada Book Two @ the Shedd (Eugene, OR – 1/8/11)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM
NYC-based cellist Erik Friedlander is a favorite musician of mine. I have only a handful of his solo works, but he shows up in the subtlest of places… I mean, if I do a quick search for “Friedlander” in my iTunes, I show 32 and a half hours of music (Tzadik Records & DMG are a key component of my monthly music budget). He has worked with Courtney Love, Dar Williams, the Mountain Goats and many more… but I primarily know his work in the NYC jazz & avant-garde scene: Dave Douglas, Ikue Mori/Death Praxis, Jamie Saft, Yuka Honda, Wadada Leo Smith, Tim Sparks, Ned Rothenberg, and of course… John Zorn.
With John Zorn, Erik has been involved in several Masada incarnations, notably the Masada String Trio (with Greg Cohen & Mark Feldman) and the Bar Kokhba Sextet. When John Zorn was done writing music for the original acoustic Masada Quartet, he sat down and penned over 300 songs that became the Masada Book Two: Book of Angels. I’ve talked a lot about Masada Book Two on this blog… it is the most consistently amazing set of music out on Tzadik (John Zorn’s 503(c)3 record label). MBT is essentially John Zorn’s Masada tunes, covered by those around him. Some of my favorites are Secret Chiefs 3’s Xaphan, Bar Kokhba Sextet’s Lucifer, and Medeski Martin & Wood’s Zaebos… but quite honestly, all sixteen releases (to date) have been stunning and essential.
Erik was one of the early invites to the Masasa Book Two Club… releasing Volac (volume 8 in 2005). The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts in Eugene commissioned Erik Friedlander to come in a perform these Volac songs last night. I had seen Erik in Portland in 2009 with his photography & music piece – Block Ice & Propane (his music set to his father Lee Friedlander’s photography); so I knew Erik would deliver a wonderful performance. Set-up in the Shedd Recital Hall, just off the courtyard, Erik went on around 7:40 and entranced us with his playing…
He was playing his carbon-fiber “alien cello.” I imagine that was his easiest axe to bring for a two-night Seattle & Eugene weekend before heading back home. Its sound was quite similar to a wooden cello – at least to my untrained ears. Per Erik, it’s not as ornery or sensitive as a wooden cello.
The Masada songs have a definitive Jewish klezmer feel in points of the melodies. Erik’s arrangements and playing definitely bring in a chamber music and jazz improviser aspect to the Volac songs. He played roughly half of the songs bowed, and the rest either plucked or strummed. Switching between the styles for each song for the most part – as is one of John Zorn’s “rules” which Erik joked about. Hush, don’t tell John, but Erik acknowledged that he broke a few “rules” during the night.
Setlist: about 70 minutes
- Harhazial
- Yeruel
- Ylrng
- Haseha
- Sannul
- Rachsiel
- Kadal
- Anahel (the 1st written by Zorn for MBT)
- Zumiel
- Ahaniel
- Zawar
- Encore: Sidriel
Essentially the entire Volac album, just in a different order. Erik doesn’t make it out to the Pacific Northwest as much as I’d like, but when he does make it out, I’m going. If you love cello or other chamber music – you should go, too! Nary a disappointment. Oh, also check out his free podcast First Light which features a weekly early morning improvisation.
more photos below
The Appropriate Linkage:
- Erik Friedlander’s Site
- Erik Friedlander’s First Light podcast (*free*)
- Erik Friedlander’s Social Media Links (see below)
- My Other Related Reviews~
- Erik Friedlander’s Block Ice & Propane (Portland – Sept 2009)
- The Shedd’s Site / Facebook
Next show for me… Reptet (jazz combo from Seattle) at Luckey’s in Eugene, Friday, January 14th!
~Dan – np: Nine Inch Nails – Ghosts I-IV
ERIK FRIEDLANDER PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2011 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
REVIEW: Charlie Hunter Trio @ Sam Bond’s Garage (Eugene, OR – 12/16/10)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM
Having just seen Charlie Hunter in May at WOW Hall, I was debating going to see him again so soon. I mean, he did just release a new CD since the last outing (the solo work Public Domain), but amongst the busy bustle of December, I was hemming & hawing about going. Boy was that dumb.
Eight words of advice:
Never debate going to see Charlie Hunter. Ever.
We got there for soundcheck, and our thoughts of skepticism about Sam Bond’s Garage‘s acoustics was quickly put asunder. Charlie, Eric Kalb (drums) and Mike Williams (bass trumpet) treated us with a few tasty bits of goodness – which included some Thelonious Monk (thanks, Aaron, for the identification).
The show proper was comprised of two hour-long sets… a lot from both of his recent albums, the aforementioned Public Domain and the most excellent Gentlemen, I Neglected To Inform You You Will Not Be Getting Paid. Charlie’s guitar-work was mesmerizing. My comments from the WOW Hall show stands…
“One of the most amazing things from the night was watching Charlie play. His seeming ease at which he plays bass and guitar on one instrument is stunning (and curse-worthy for the guitar aficionado in the crowd). If you weren’t watching the stage, you’d easily be fooled that it was a quartet and not a trio. It’s quite an amazing thing to see and hear. He’s so unassuming about it, too… a showman without the show-off attitude.”
Or as my guitar-playing friend Aaron likes to say… “f*ck that guy” (said lovingly in awe of Charlie’s chops). He’s so good, yet so unassuming… and he surrounds himself with great musicians. Eric & Mike filled in the groove where Charlie didn’t. They all looked like they were having a great time doing it, too.
No setlist, per se. Just two-plus hours of groove, jazz awesomeness. They play Mississippi Studios in Portland tonight (Friday, December 17th).
more photos below
The Appropriate Linkage:
- Charlie Hunter’s Site
- Main Band’s Social Media Links (see below)
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~Dan – np: S (Jenn Ghetto) – I’m Not As Good At It As You
CHARLIE HUNTER TRIO PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2010 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
Charlie Hunter @ Sam Bond’s
The Charlie Hunter Trio was smokin’ last night at Sam Bond’s Garage in Eugene.
More photos and a review to be posted later today!
~Dan
REVIEW: Nellie McKay @ the Shedd (Eugene, OR – 10/29/10)
I wasn’t able to attend the Nellie McKay show at the Shedd in Eugene on Friday (due to Sufjan Stevens in Portland the same night). I was completely torn, but I’ve had the opportunity to see Nellie several times since living here in the PacNW (four times in 3 years) and Sufjan far fewer times (i.e.- none).
I did send someone in my place… here are some lovely photos and a write-up of the show taken by guest blogger Margarita O’Brien from Emobie Photography…
many more photos below
Margarita’s write-up of the show:
Let’s face it. I just love Nellie McKay. I am extremely grateful that The Shedd here in little ol’ Eugene, Oregon, keeps managing to bring her back. She has serious musical talent, diversity, and a quirky, silly sense of humor that I dig. That makes a great show when she’s solo, but holy cannoli, there was a five piece backup band! THAT makes for a phenomenal, knock-your-socks-off show.
The introductions for the band members were extremely silly (“And just released on bail for jay walking…”) and the crowd was enthusiastic so I will likely have the names completely wrong and I am seriously sorry about that, ‘cause these guys were the bomb diggity. It was seriously hard to hear with the laughing and cheering. Corrections greatly appreciated!
Guitar: Terry Park?
Bass: Willy Harvey
Sax: Mark Fischer?
Trumpet: Willy Mario?
Drums: Benjamin Barnum?
“That’s right! We have two willies!”There are few things I tire of more quickly than a show with a “sound” that never changes.
Me-“Is this still the first song? Good Glory, it’s long.”
Dan-“This is the fifth song.”
Me-“*Giant Eye Roll*”This exchange could not happen at a Nellie McKay show. She skillfully flutters her way through Big Band, Reggae, Jazz, Blues, Pop, sweet old Doris Day tunes (and a number of Ella Fitzgerald tunes this time). The band was right there with her making everything fuller, brighter, grander, and making it difficult for some folks to stay put in their seats.
The crowd was fairly enthusiastic and really seemed to love “Mother of Pearl.” This is Eugene after all. There were even a couple zombies dancing around at the end.
Go See Nellie! She’ll make you think. She’ll make you laugh. She might make you whistle.
Setlist:
- Bruise on the Sky
- Sentimental Journey [Doris Day]
- Do Do Do [Doris Day]
- Caribbean Time
- Dispossessed
- Meditation [Doris Day]
- Georgy Girl [The Seekers] (dedicated to Barbara Billingsly)
- Vote for Mr. Rhythm [Ella Fitzgerald]
- Bluebird
- No Equality
- The Portal
- Dig It [Doris Day]
- It’s Alright With Me (with skat)
<<intermission – costume change>> - A-Tisket, A-Tasket [Ella Fitzgerald]
- Beneath the Underdog
- Crazy Rhythm [Doris Day]
- Early Autumn [Ella Fitzgerald]
- A Wonderful Guy [Doris Day]
- Don’t Fence Me In [Ella Fitzgerald] (with group whistle)
- Mother of Pearl (crowd favorite)
“I’m Sarah Palin and I approve this message” - Adios
- ¡Bodega!
“Support the Arts, but sponsor a Bodega.” - Coosada Blues
- I’ve Got Rhythm (impromptu instrumental as she ran to get her notes)
“Don’t worry folks, they’re professionals!” - Broadway Melody
- Really
- Unknown Reggae (veggie anthem)
- Encore: Zombie
Nellie’s 10/29 KLCC interview is here:
http://klcc.org/audio/NellieMckay102910.mp3
Nellie is out supporting her latest album, Home Sweet Mobile Home. Check it out here:
More 2010 Tour Dates:
Oct. 30th SF Jazz Festival – San Francisco, CA
Nov. 1st Kuumbwa Jazz Center – Santa Cruz, CA
Nov. 4th The Roxy – West Hollywood, CA
The Appropriate Linkage:
- Nellie McKay’s Site
- Nellie’s Social Media Links (see below)
- Emobie Photography (on Facebook)
- My Other Nellie McKay Reviews~
- Berbati’s Pan (Portland – Mar 2010)
- Jazz Alley (Seattle – Sept 2009)
- Doug Fir (Portland – Aug 2008)
- The Shedd (Eugene – Oct 2007)
- The Shedd’s Site / Facebook / Twitter
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~Dan – np: William Ryan Fritch – Library Catalog Music Series: Music for Honey and Bile
NELLIE McKAY PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2010 Margaret O’Brien – emobie photography,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
Higher Resolution (14 pics)
Limited to 1200 pixels wide or tall (33 pics)
REVIEW: Sufjan Stevens @ Schnitzer (Portland, OR – 10/29/10)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM
So, the last few months has been a flurry of unexpected, yet superbly exciting information coming from Sufjan Stevens and Asthmatic Kitty. First was the tour announcement (on Aug 9th), then a week and a half later came the immediate release of the
All Delighted People EP, and less than a week later came the news of the new full length album The Age of Adz (pronounced ‘odds’). Outside of the orchestral The BQE piece, Sufjan had been silent for a couple years (which we recently found out was due to nervous system health issues). Within the past two months, he came roaring back in 2010 with a North American-spanning tour and two new adventurous albums (the “EP” is 58+ minutes).
The new music from Delighted and Adz is a little less accessible compared to Seven Swans or his “State” albums, but a little more poppy/accessible compared to BQE or Rabbit. I think the new music strikes a nice balance between the adventurousness and electronic-ness in his past music… possibly “A Sun Came! updated for the Sufjan listener in 2010.” While I don’t think it’s a repeat of A Sun Came! (at all) – that’s the best Sufjan repertoire comparison I can muster. It’s sweeping and glitchy, quiet and loud. But how would it translate into a live show?
Before we could find out, labelmate DM Stith hit the stage. He only played 20 minutes, but was a good warm-up. Nice singer-songwriter fare, with Sufjans’ horn section on “Thanksgiving Moon.” I’d heard DM’s music via AK samplers and free downloads. It never struck me as solidly as Sufjan has, but in the live setting, he seemed to carry himself well. After he did his tunes, he left to go put on shiny pants for Sufjan’s band. I was slightly disappointed that he left after only 20 minutes, but that disappointment soon went away as the anticipation for Sufjan mounted.
Sufjan and his 10 piece band hit the stage around 10 ’til 9pm in shiny outfits. His band was comprised of DM Stith on keyboards, two drummers, a 3-member torn section, a guitarist, bassist, and two backup singers/dancers. After a short hello, they went immediate into “All Delighted People” and didn’t stop with the new material until 10:30. I’d been listening to the new material for the past week, and glad they played some personal favorites: Heirloom, Futile Devices, The Owl and the Tanager, and the 20+ minute Impossible Soul.
Sufjan’s “slow jam” dancing to “I Walked” was charming. The projected graphics and dark, hallowed lighting during “Vesuvius” made my friend mention that it seemed like a weird, ancient worship service. The auto tune hip-hop near the end of “Impossible Soul” is one of my favorite parts, and it really worked in the live setting. I wish cameras had been allowed near the end, as a large luminescent diamond descended*, and Sufjan busted out the jams in front of the back-lit, strobe-diamond facade. While that was his most “rockstar moment,” most of the show, he was talkative, yet unassuming and grateful to the audience.
* Amanda McAuley got some photos of it (some shown below), plus I found an “Impossible Soul” part 2 video snippet – see alphaleonis’ youtube for more from the show.
Setlist: about 2 1/4 hours
- All Delighted People
- Too Much
- Age of Adz
- Heirloom
- I Walked
- Futile Devices
- Vesuvius
- The Owl and the Tanager [Sufjan solo with backing vocals]
- Get Real Get Right [with story about Royal Robertson]
- Enchanting Ghost
- Impossible Soul
- Chicago
- Encore: Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois [Sufjan solo piano]
- Casimir Pulaski Day
It was a brilliant show. He was quirky and subdued, gentle and cacophonous, amusing and bewildering, and all around charming. He saved the old tunes for last, and only three Illinois tracks made the cut. I got goosebumps as he hit the intro for “Concerning the UFO Sighting.” While the older tunes were nice (and I wish there had been more sprinkled in), I can honestly say that the new tunes hold their own. There’s a reason Sufjan has a piece of our hearts. Seeing the new songs live definitely elevated those albums to being amongst my favoritesfor 2010. After seeing them performed live, I think they fit better within his catalogue, too. I hope it’s not another 3+ years until I get to see Sufjan and his band of musicians again.
Sidenote: Sufjan’s one of the only artists who could have pulled me away from a reported, equally awesome Nellie McKay show in Eugene (check back tomorrow for Nellie McKay photos from Margaret O’Brien – who went in my place).
many more photos below
The Appropriate Linkage:
- Sufjan’s Site / Asthmatic Kitty
- Sufjan’s Social Media Links (see below)
- DM Stith’s Site
- DM Stith’s MySpace / Twitter
- Alphaleonis’ balcony YouTube videos from the Portland 2010 show (far away, but good sound quality)
- Amanda McAuley’s Flickr shots from Portland
- Related Reviews~
- Chris Young‘s Portland 2010 review on OMN (with my photos)
- BrooklynVegan‘s Chicago review (10/15/2010)
- My MusicNow Fest 2007 (Cincinnati – Apr 2007)
- PCPA/Schnitzer’s Site
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Check out more tour dates below.
~Dan –Dave Douglas & Keystone – Spark of Being: Expand
SUFJAN STEVENS PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2010 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
Sufjan’s 2010 Tour Dates
- Tuesday, 12 October – Metropolis Theater, Montreal QC
- Wednesday, 13 October – Massey Hall, Toronto ON
- Thursday, 14 October – Royal Oak Music Theater, Royal Oak MI
- Friday, 15 October – Chicago Theater, Chicago IL
- Saturday, 16 October – Orpheum Theater, Minneapolis MN
- Sunday, 17 October – Uptown Theater, Kansas City MO
- Tuesday, 19 October – The Long Center for the Performing Arts, Austin TX
- Wednesday, 20 October – McFarlin Memorial Auditorium, Dallas TX
- Friday, 22 October – Mesa Arts Center – Ikeda Theater, Mesa AZ
- Saturday, 23 October – The Wiltern, Los Angeles CA
- Tuesday, 26 October – The Paramount Theater, Oakland CA
- Thursday, 28 October – Orpheum Theater, Vancouver BC
- Friday, 29 October – Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland OR
- Saturday, 30 October – The Paramount Theatre, Seattle WA
- Monday, 1 November – Kingsbury Hall, Salt Lake City UT
- Tuesday, 2 November – Paramount Theatre, Denver CO
- Thursday, 4 November – Hilbert Circle Theatre, Indianapolis IN
- Friday, 5 November – Bijou Theater, Knoxville TN
- Saturday, 6 November – The Tabernacle, Atlanta GA
- Sunday, 7 November – Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, Asheville NC
- Wednesday, 10 November – Kimmel Center, Philadelphia PA
- Thursday, 11 November – Orpheum Theatre, Boston MA
- Sunday, 14 November – Beacon Theatre, New York NY
- Monday, 15 November – Beacon Theatre, New York NY
REVIEW: Dead Kenny G’s & Trio Subtonic @ Mt Tabor (Portland, OR – 10/16/10)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM
OK, so I have to start this out with an apology. I absolutely wanted to see Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey. I had been up in Portland for a third night in a row (driving back to Eugene late each night)… and was thus quite tired and I couldn’t possibly stay for their set (which was posted to start at 12:30am). It’s a running theme on this blog… I miss them for one reason or another. Last night wasn’t gonna be a missed opportunity. Alas, it ended up as such. Damn. SO, JFJO, I’m sorry. I’ll do better next time. I dig your new one, Stay Gold. I’m getting old. I have no other excuse for bailing at midnight.
So, unfortunately this amazing triple modern jazz bill turned into an pretty damn good double bill for me.
Trio Subtonic started things off around 9:30. No Radiohead as in the past, but still a great groove for their 45 minute set. They really are what I’d consider to be Portland’s own Medeski Martin & Wood. Great piano-based three piece combo. They’ve got two killer albums out over at CD Baby (aka the best indie CD seller in the universe).
Skerik, Mike Dillon, and Brad Houser hit the stage after a short set change…
While also a three-piece modern jazz combo, the Dead Kenny G’s definitely weren’t a repeat of Trio Subtonic’s sound. Fitting with their name, they bring powerful elements of punk rock and a “fuck you” attitude to a jazz trio. Mix some sax groove from Skerik with some harder edged beats, avant-garde squeaks, gonzo drumming, and punk vocal belts…
I’d seen them before (at Sam Bond’s in Eugene), but it was nice to see them able to spread out a little more on the Mt Tabor Theater stage.
Setlist: over an hour
- Death Panel
- Birther Blues
- Black Goldman Sax
- “Black Death”
- unknown
- Bewildered Herd
- I’m Your Manager, I’m Your Pimp
- unknown
- Yeah, Cat
- Improv with some JFJO guys
more photos below
The Appropriate Linkage:
- DKG’s Site
- Skerik’s Site
- DKG’s on MySpace
- Skerik on MySpace
- Trio Subtonic’s Site
- Trio Subtonic on MySpace
- JFJO’s Site
- JFJO on MySpace
- Prior Related Reviews~
- Skerik / McTuff @ Sam Bond’s (Oct 2008)
- Skerik’s Maelstrom Trio @ Sam Bond’s (May 2008)
- Skerik / McTuff @ Sam Bond’s (July 2009)
- Trio Subtonic @ Lewis & Clark (Oct 2008)
- Trio Subtonic w/ Sex Mob @ Goodfoot (May 2009)
- Mt Tabor Theater
Check out more DKG’s tour dates below.
~Dan – np: Milli Vanilli – Girl, You Know It’s True
DEAD KENNY G’S & TRIO SUBTONIC PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2010 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
DKG’s Fall 2010 Tour Dates
| Date | Venue | Band |
| 10.9.10 | Coda San Francisco, CA |
With Mike Dillon’s Go-Go Jungle and Black Frames |
| 10.10.10 | Harlow’s Sacramento, CA |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 10.12.10 | Forestville Club Forestville, CA |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 10.13.10 | HumBrews Arcata, CA |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 10.15.10 | Sam Bond’s Garage Eugene, OR |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 10.16.10 | Mt. Tabor Theater Portland, WA |
Dead Kenny G’s and Jacob Fred Jazz Oddysey |
| 10.17.10 | Chop Suey Seattle, WA |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 10.18.10 | The Top Hat Missoula, MT |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 10.19.10 | Knotty Pine Victor, ID |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 10.20.10 | The State Room Salt Lake City, UT |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 10.21.10 | Aggie Theater Ft. Collins, CO |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 10.22.10 | Cervante’s Otherside Denver, CO |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 10.23.10 | Davey’s Uptown Kansas City, MO |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 10.28.10 | Kessler Dallas, TX |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 10.29.10 | Momo’s Austin, TX |
Dead Kenny G’s and Hairy Apes BMX |
| 10.30.10 | La Bon Ton Roule New Orleans, LA |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 10.31.10 | The Blue Nile New Orleans, LA |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 11.12.10 11.13.10 | Bear Creek Music Festival Live Oak, FL |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 12.1.10 | Momo’s Austin, TX |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 12.2.10 | Kessler Dallas, TX |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 12.3.10 | The Deli Norman, OK |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 12.4.10 | Eclipse Tulsa, OK |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 12.5.10 | Chester’s Fayetteville, AR |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 12.8.10 | Momo’s Austin, TX |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 12.9.10 | Chelsea’s Baton Rouge, LA |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 12.10.10 | DBA New Orleans, LA |
Dead Kenny G’s |
| 12.11.10 | Martin’s Jackson, MS |
Dead Kenny G’s |
-Eyvind Kang
-Frank Zappa
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