Sufjan’s Sofia’s Song / Strong Bad Game
Unrelated…
Sufjan Stevens has posted a new essay and song, “Sofia’s Song,” to the sidebar blog on Asthmatic Kitty. Read it HERE. The song can be downloaded from HERE.
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And Telltale Games has just announced pre-order for the DVD of their previously download-only game Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People. You can read more about the pre-order combo pack specials HERE.
~Dan – np: Pissuk Rachav – Eretz Hakodesh
REVIEW: Spinal Tap / The Folksmen @ Paramount Theatre (Seattle, WA – – 4/20/09)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM
(only a couple this time)
- Spinal Tap Unwigged/Unplugged (photo: Shannon Cottrell, LA Weekly)
As mentioned above, I only took a few pictures. I was in the upper mezzanine, aka nosebleeds. I tried out my new 60x zoom digital camera; alas, it wasn’t 600x. :)
The show was great. Christopher Guest (aka Nigel Tufnel / Alan Barrows), Michael McKean (aka David St. Hubbins / Jerry Palter), and Harry Shearer (aka Derek Smalls / Mark Shubb) played for an hour and 45 minutes – – a great mix of Spinal Tap tunes, The Folksmen / A Mighty Wind tunes, a Waiting for Guffman tune, a Harry Sheaerer comedy album tune, and some never released ditties.
Great in between song banter… I guess this was as much of a comedy show as a music show. Oh, and no drummer… for obvious insurance purposes.
Setlist:
- opening song with lyrics of “hair as brown as the finest stew”
- Hell Hole
- Never Did No Wanderin’ (CG on mandolin)
- Clam Caravan (CG on didgeridoo at end)
- Bitch School
- Loco Man
- Waiting for Guffman‘s This Bulging River
- Reading of the “Spinal Tap NBC Memo”
- All the Way Home
- Blood on the Coal
- (Listen to Me) the Flower People
- Cornwine
- The Majesty of Rock
- Harry Shearer’s Elvis parody All Backed Up
- Stonehenge
- “Aussie YouTube” snippet
- Q&A session
- Start Me Up (Rolling Stones cover as in A Mighty Wind)
- Cups and Cakes
- “Lego Video” snippet
- Old Joe’s Place
- Big Bottom
- The Good Book Song
- Rainy Day Sun
- Sex Farm
- Encore: Gimme Some Money
- A Mighty Wind
- The Colors of My Life
This past Monday was this audiences’ lucky bun-day… really big, full set. A+ show all around. I’m glad I got a chance to catch the show while randomly being in town on vacation.
The Appropriate Linkage:
- http://www.unwigged.com/
- http://youtube.com/tapunwigged
- http://myspace.com/unwiggedandunplugged
- http://spinaltap.com/
- http://www.theparamount.com/
The rest of the dates:
April 22: Oakland, Calif. (Paramount Theatre)
April 23: Santa Barbara, Calif. (Santa Barbara County Bowl)
April 26: Los Angeles (The Wiltern)
April 27: Phoenix, Ariz. (Dodge Theatre)
April 29: Denver (Paramount Theatre)
May 1: Houston, Texas (Jesse H, Jones Hall)
May 2: Dallas (Nokia Theatre)
May 4: Jacksonville, Fla. Florida Theatre)
May 5: Miami (The Fillmore)
May 6: Orlando, Fla, (Hard Rock Live)
May 8: St. Petersburg, Fla. (Mahaffey Theatre)
May 9: Atlanta (Fox Theatre)
May 10: Nashville (Ryman Auditorium)
May 12: Baltimore (Lyric Opera House)
May 13: Washington, D.C. (Warner Theatre)
May 14: Philadelphia (Keswick Theatre)
May 17: Columbus, Ohio (Palace Theatre)
May 19: Cleveland, Ohio (State Theatre)
May 21: Toronto (Massey Hall)
May 22: Mashantucket, Conn. (MGM Grand Theatre at Foxwoods)
May 23: Boston (The Wilbur Theatre)
May 24: Atlantic City, N.J. (Music Box at The Borgata)
May 26: New York (Beacon Theatre)
May 27: New York (Beacon Theatre) *review / pictures / videos from this show *
May 29: Detroit (Fox Theatre)
May 30: Chicago (Chicago Theatre)
May 31: Milwaukee, Wis. (Riverside Theatre)
June 30: London, UK (Wembley Arena)
~Dan – np: Celldweller – Celldweller
SPINAL TAP / THE FOLKSMEN PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2009 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
Michel Gondry 2 DVD
SO… this is awesome…
MICHEL GONDRY 2: MORE VIDEOS contains the following videos:
MUSIC VIDEOS:
1. Michael Andrews ft. Gary Jules “Mad World”
2. Paul McCartney “Dance Tonight”
3. Thomas Dolby “Close But No Cigar”
4. Bjork “Declare Independence”
5. Steriogram “Walkie Talkie Man”
6. The Willowz “I Wonder”
7. Beck “Cellphone’s Dead”
8. The White Stripes “The Denial Twist”
9. Donald Fagen “Snowbound”
10. Cody ChesnuTT “King of the Game”
11. Sinead O’Connor “Fire On Babylon”
12. Queen with Wyclef Jean ft. Pras & Free “Another One Bites the Dust”
13. Radiohead “Knives Out”
14. Dick Annegarn “Soleil du Soir”
15. Sananda Maitreya “She Kissed Me”
16. Sheryl Crow “A Change Would Do You Good”
17. The Black Crowes “High Head Blues”
18. Leafbirds “It Can All Be Taken Away”
19. The Rolling Stones “Gimme Shelter”
20. Energy Orchard “How the West Was Won”BEHIND-THE-SCENES:
1. Behind-the-Scenes Of The White Stripes “The Denial Twist”
2. Behind-the-Scenes Of Beck “Cellphone’s Dead”
3. Behind-the-Scenes Of Paul McCartney “Dance Tonight”
4. Behind-the-Scenes Of Radiohead “Knives Out”
5. Behind-the-Scenes Of Steriogram “Walkie Talkie Man”
6. Behind-the-Scenes Of Bjork “Declare Independence”OTHER WORKS:
1. The Simpsons Parody Of The White Stripes Video
2. Booker T and The Michel Gondry’s
3. Michel Gondry Solves A RUBIK’S CUBE With His Feet
4. Michel Gondry Solves A RUBIK’S CUBE With His Nose
5. Jack Black Beats Michel Gondry WIth His RUBIK’S CUBES
6. Herve Di Rosa “Viva Di Rosa”
7. Conan & The Big Head
8. Paul Gondry’s The Willowz “Take A Look Around”
9. How To Blow Up A Helicopter (Ayako’s Story)
10. Forum Des Images “L’ Histoire De L’Univers”
Go get it now on Michel Gondry.com…
~Dan – np: Circle of Dust / Brainchild – Mindwarp
REVIEW: Swing Shift Big Band @ Wildish Theater (Springfield, OR – – 4/10/09)
Ok, I’m totally gonna “phone this in”… the snippet from the invite email I got covers what they played:
While Swing Shift has always based much of its style on the inspiration of Count Basie, this is the first time that we have offered a full evening of music in the classic Basie tradition. The band will perform standards such as “Moten Swing,” “Corner Pocket” and “Vine Street Rumble,” along with lesser-known gems, including Quincy Jones’ “Jessica’s Day.” Featured soloists for the evening will be trombonist Glenn Bonney, who will be heard on Benny Carter’s beautiful “Sunset Glow,” and trumpeter Warren Wellford, performing “Pensive Miss,” a gorgeous ballad by Neal Hefti. There will also (of course) be generous helpings of piano in the Count Basie tradition, ably essayed by pianist John Polese, as well as contributions from alto saxophonists Sean Flannery and Travis Wong and trumpeters Steve O’Brien and Dana Heitman.
The second half of the concert will showcase music that was performed by the remarkable pairing of singer Frank Sinatra and the Basie band. The three albums that they recorded in the early 1960’s still serve as the model for a singer working with a big band, and virtually every song from those collaborations are standards today. Aaron Anderson, Swing Shift’s regular vocalist, will be finally be heard as a featured artist, singing (among others) “Come Fly With Me,” “Nice And Easy,” “Fly Me To the Moon” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.” Lead trumpeter Dana Heitman is responsible for the recreation of many of these arrangements, most of which have never been available for performance by other groups.
Great show… they played a 45 minute instrumental Count Basie set, and then came out with trombonist Aaron Anderson on vocals for a 45 minute Frank Sinatra / Count Basie set. I was really impressed all around with the musicianship, the venue, and the vocals (and I usually don’t really prefer jazz with vocals). It was a really, really good show… and not just because it was free.
Setlist:
- Step Right Up
- Corner Pocket
- In a Mellotone
- Jessica’s Day
- Pensive Miss
- 4-5-6
- Sunset Glow
- Every Tub
Intermission - Come Fly With Me
- I’ve Got You Under My Skin
- Fly Me to the Moon
- The Shadow of Your Smile
- One for My Baby
- Nice and Easy
- I Get a Kick Out of You
- That’s Life
- My Kind of Town
- Encore: Smack Dab in the Middle
The Appropriate Linkage:
~Dan – np: Jerry Cantrell – Degradation Trip, Vols 1 & 2
Porcupine Tree, King’s X, and That 1 Guy walk into a bar…
Porcupine Tree is working on a new album, due out in September on Roadrunner Records (in the U.S.). For their upcoming North American tour in support of its new album, the following dates have been confirmed (more to follow):
Tue 15 Sep SEATTLE, WA MOORE THEATER [opener: That1Guy]
Wed 16 Sep PORTLAND, OR ROSELAND [opener: That 1 Guy]
Fri 18 Sep SAN FRANCISCO WARFIELD [opener: That 1 Guy]
Sat 19 Sep LOS ANGELES CLUB NOKIA [opener: Big Elf]
Mon 21 Sep CLEVELAND, OH HOUSE OF BLUES [opener: King’s X]
Tue 22 Sep CHICAGO, IL VIC THEATER [opener: King’s X]
Thu 24 Sep NY, NY TERMINAL 5 [opener: King’s X]
Sat 26 Sep PHILLY ELECTRIC FACTORY [opener: King’s X]
Sun 27 Sep BOSTON, MA HOUSE OF BLUES [opener: King’s X]
Tue 29 Sep MONTREAL METROPOLIS [opener: King’s X]
Wed 30 Sep TORONTO QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE [opener: King’s X]
General onsale date is April 17th for all dates, except Boston/Chicago (4/18) and San Fran (4/19). If you’re a PT “ROABP” fanclub member, you can get tickets earlier (4/10)… but most are probably GA venues anyway… so… yeah… you do the math.
I’d kind of hope to see the PT / KX bill, but I guess I’ll settle for PT/T1G. And who the heck is Big Elf?
~Dan
Kaki 2Pac
OK… wow… great mashup of guitar-phenom Kaki King & gunned down rapper Tupac Shakur:
http://soundcloud.com/hoodinternet/the-hood-internet-bone-chaos-in-the-ghetto-2pac-x-kaki-king
I’m more a Kaki King fan, but I dig 2Pac on this mashup, too.
Unrelated sidenote: Amoeba Music recently posted the July 2007 in-store performance from Earth (an interview and two songs: Omens and Portents I: The Driver -and- Engine of Ruin). http://www.amoeba.com/live-shows/videos/earth.html
~Dan – np: Caedmon’s Call – Just Don’t Want Coffee -EP-
Mike Patton as a Decepticon
Thanks to Stubbadub for rescooping the MovieWeb scoop, because otherwise I wouldn’t have heard about it…
Apparently Mike Patton is confirmed as being the voice of a Decepticon in the upcoming sequel, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. He will be one of the seven pieces that form Devastator, likely Mixmaster. For more info, check out the MovieWeb post.
Meh, I don’t know much about Transformers mythology, but I guess I’ll at least Redbox the movie when it comes out simply due to Mike Patton’s involvement. He’s been getting a lot of movie-related gigs lately… Firecracker, Will Smith’s I Am Legend, A Perfect Place score, and the Crank 2 soundtrack (out soon). This year also “promises” another Fantômas record, the debut of Mondo Cane (Mike’s 50s Italian-pop band), at least one more John Zorn/Moonchild Trio collaboration, and maybe even Crudo (the Dan the Automator collaboration).
It may be a banner Patton year, if everything gets legs underneath…
~Dan – np: Buckethead & Viggo Mortensen – This That and the Other
REVIEW: dredg @ the Hawthorne Theater (Portland, OR – – 4/3/09)
No photos this time around. Rock shows aren’t conducive to them unless you have a really good camera, plus last time I was here, the venue wasn’t allowing it. Anyway, on to the show…
The openers… well, I’m bummed because I only caught the very last song of From Monuments to Masses. I kinda dug them… they are a three-piece instrumental band and seemed to have a good groove. The guitars were a little low in the mix, but I could at least hear what was going on. Torche, on the other hand, was 40 minutes of painful uninterest. It wasn’t a wall of sound, it was a wall of mud. And not the good kind of mud that Earth or Sunn 0))) might throw down, but just muddy, sloppy metal. Bad sound that night, maybe they’re good on record. They seemed to be having fun, and there were some obvious fans in the crowd.
Dredg came on around 10:45, after what seemed to be a very long sound check. They seemed to be having some feedback or other issues going on, and it actually caused some minor technical difficulties early in dredg’s set. Anyway, this Portland show was the very first show of this tour. They played a handful of tunes from their upcoming record (see album cover below), and they played a great set with song from their other albums as well.
This was officially my first time seeing them live “as a fan. ” The last time I saw them was when they were opening for the Blood Brothers and Coheed & Cambria. I was blown away enough to get into their music after that show, but for this show I actually knew the words. :)
I had some major respect for Gavin (singer/ lap steel) and Dino (drums/ keyboard), but now I have much more respect for all four members. Drew (bass) and Mark (guitars) contribute so much to the dredg sound… excellent grooves and guitar that hearkens some of (Radiohead) Jonny Greenwood’s antics.
Setlist:
- Stamp of Origin: Pessimistic (new song)
- I Don’t Know (new song)
- Ireland (new song)
- Same Ol’ Road
- Of the Room
- Ode to the Sun (a fave of the night)
- Catch Without Arms (a fave of the night)
- R U O K? (new song)
- Saviour (new song)
- Information (new song)
- Bug Eyes
- Sang Real (a fave of the night)
- Jamais Vu
- The Canyon Behind Her
- Down to the Cellar (new song)
- Stamp of Origin: Horizon (new song)
- No Encore
Great show, about 75 minutes… lots of stuff from their upcoming album The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion (due out June 9th). I bet they would have played longer had it not been for the earlier technical difficulties, but maybe the venue had a midnight curfew. I got a peek at someone who snagged the setlist; so I think I got most of the correct new songs and placement. The stuff after “Jamais Vu” was more of a blur, big jam thing. Overall, the new songs definitely fit with Catch Without Arms and El Cielo. I’m looking forward to the new record, big time…
The Appropriate Linkage:
- http://www.dredg.com/
- http://www.myspace.com/dredg
- http://www.myspace.com/frommonumentstomasses
- http://www.myspace.com/torche
- http://www.hawthornetheater.com/
~Dan – np: Zu – Carboniferous
Radiohead & the Beatles (official collaboration)
meet 
Per NME Magazine… Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood (of Radiohead) and Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr (of the Beatles) are teaming up for a special -EP- to support cancer research in the UK. They’re re-recording Radiohead’s “Just” (with Paul on vocals), the Beatles “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” (with Thom on vocals), and a newly collaborative piece with a working title “Mâche.”
Read the full story here over at NME.
~Dan
Waffles & Glen’s new band
Two unrelated, but equally good things…
There’s a new waffle place in Eugene. It’s called Off the Waffle (it’s on Van Buren just south of 7th). They make Liège style waffles and they are freaking amazing. I’ve been there twice in the last week. As of now, they have 3 options: white or whole wheat ($3), and waffle of the week ($5). This week’s waffle was goat cheese and blueberry, and it’s baked right into the waffle. Holy Cow! A+++
They also have coffee from local One Cup, do a barter system (if you have things to trade), and they do catering… they’re open from 8am to midnight every day of the week!!! Their webpage will be here (not active yet): http://www.offthewaffle.com/
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There’s a new promo video for Works Progress Administration featuring Glen Phillips (from Toad the Wet Sprocket), Sean & Sara Watkins (from Nickel Creek), and many more…
WPA is:
- Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket) – vocals, guitar
- Sean Watkins (Nickel Creek, Fiction Family) – guitar, vocals
- Luke Bulla (Jerry Douglas Band, Ricky Skaggs) – fiddle, vocals, guitar
- Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek) – fiddle, vocals
- Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) – piano, organ
- Greg Leisz (Joni Mitchell, Wilco, Sheryl Crow, Beck) – pedal steel
- Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello and the Imposters, Randy Newman) – drums
- Davey Faragher (Elvis Costello and the Imposters, Cracker) – bass
I’m looking forward to just about any Glen Phillips. He had two in my top 5 for 2008… anyway, I’m looking forward to a WPA album in 2009.
~Dan – np: John Coltrane – Traneing In
Ellery, Peter Mulvey, My Brightest Diamond
A trio of new music news…
Cincinnati lush-pop/folk duo Ellery is hitting the studio soon with Malcolm Burn (http://www.malcolmburn.com). Malcolm is a Grammy-winning producer who has worked with the likes of Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan, Kaki King, Rachel Yamagata, Sarah McLachlan, Gillian Welch, Ryan Adams, and more. This will be their follow-up to the fantastic debut, Lying Awake from 2007. They’ve got a special “help them make a record” thing going on at ellerystimulus.com. I’ve plunked down my cash… wish I got to see them as often as when I lived in Cincinnati, but regardless I’m glad they’re hitting the studio again.
For more info on Ellery…
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Milwaukee/Boston singer-songwriter Peter Mulvey is putting the finishing touches on his next album, Letters from a Flying Machine. Of the glut of singer-songwriters, Peter has a place in my heart (and ears). He’s entertaining, intriguing, great storyteller, and a great sense of humor. If you’ve never heard of him… do yourself a favor, and hear of him… http://myspace.com/petermulvey
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The third installment of My Brightest Diamond‘s A Thousand Shark Remixes is hitting iTunes on Tuesday, March 31st. It’s remixed by Roberto C. Lange. Remix EP #1 (by Alfred Brown) and #2 (by Son Lux) were pretty tasty. EP #4 (by DM Stith) should be out in a few months, and all four will be made available on a physical CD with likely some tasty packaging. Maybe vinyl, too… but that’s just me throwing a marble in the rumor mill.
~Dan – np: Brown Wing Overdrive – ESP Organism
REVIEW: Madeleine Peyroux @ the Shedd (Eugene, OR – – 3/25/09)
Great show last night… Madeleine Peyroux and her jazzy quartet played a smooth hour and half set at the Shedd. I’m really coming to love the early start time, no opener, and home at a reasonable time shows at the Shedd. No pictures or (accurate) set list from me for this show… I was in a hurry and drove straight in from work in Portland to make it time for the show.
Madeleine had a backing quartet made up of a piano/keyboard/organ/melodica player, an electric/upright bassist, a mandolin/guitarist, and a drummer/cardboard box player. They were a really well put together band…
Songs I remember them playing:
Dance Me to the End of Love, Bare Bones, You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go, La Javanaise, Love and Treachery, Our Lady of Pigalle, I Must Be Saved. They came back for an encore dedicated to Barack Obama (There’s Something Grand).
Great, soothing show. Wonderful, lush, Billie Holiday-esque vocals, great accompaniment. If she comes through your town, check her out! Oh, she also has a new CD out, Bare Bones:
The Appropriate Linkage:
- http://www.madeleinepeyroux.com/
- http://www.myspace.com/officialmadeleinepeyroux
- http://www.theshedd.org/
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Totally side note cool news…
- Tool is touring this summer.. read more at Blabbermouth.
- Medeski Martin & Wood‘s Radiolarians II is coming out April 14th.
~Dan – np: Buckethead – Colma
quick OSI update
Quick update…
As reported earlier, OSI’s third album, Blood, comes out May 19th in the U.S. The album tracklist and cover is posted over here (previous blog post). New today…
osiband.com has audio samples from the upcoming album.
The special edition 2nd disc has the following tracks:
- No Celebrations vocals/lyrics by Tim Bowness (from No-Man)
- Christian Brothers cover of the Elliott Smith song
- Terminal (endless) extended version of the regular CD track
~Dan
Crank 2: High Voltage
The Crank 2: High Voltage Soundtrack comes out April 7th… Mike Patton is all over it like stink on a monkey…
Listen to some snippets over on the MySpaces.
Yeah, I’ll probably buy the CD and never see the movie. :)
~Dan
REVIEW: SFJazz Collective @ the Shedd (Eugene, OR – – 3/19/09)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM
This is my second time seeing the SF Jazz Collective. Last time (Feb 2008) was a tour dedicated to Wayne Shorter. This time, it was a McCoy Tyner-focused tour. The same line-up as last year, except for this show we were missing Stefon Harris’ vibraphone playing. Perhaps he wasn’t able to make it or isn’t in the touring version of the band this spring. He’s on all of the promo photos. Regardless, they likely wouldn’t have had room for him, as it was a packed stage at the Shedd with the seven members of this tour: Dave Douglas (on trumpet), Joe Lovano (on tenor sax), Miguel Zenon (on alto sax), Renee Rosnes (on piano), Robin Eubanks (on trombone), Matt Penman (on bass), and Eric Harland (on drums).
The show started promptly at 7:30pm, and the band hit the stage after a short introduction. I’m getting spoiled with these Shedd shows: no opener, 90-120 minutes – – boom goes the dynamite, and then you’re done and home at a reasonable time (we even got home in time to watch 30 Rock; i.e.- the best show on network TV right now).
The band started in a way quite opposite to what I just told my wife… “oh, SF Jazz isn’t avant-garde, they’re much more poppy / groove-oriented.” Well, I’d never heard McCoy Tyner, and the first song started out with a bunch of free jazz “noodling” that almost sounded like a warm-up. I like this kinda of stuff (hey, I’m a big John Zorn fan)… but I looked over at my wife, and she had this look of, “oh, crap, this is gonna be a long night.” Well, this noodling quickly turned into the swinging, groovy jazz fest that I came to know from the prior SFJC show and their CDs. So, I think my wife had a good time despite the uncertain start. :)
(Robin, Dave, Matt, Joe)
Setlist: [solos noted as best I remember… I likely forgot to note some of them]
- Fly with the Wind – by McCoy Tyner, arranged by RR
- Three Flowers – by McCoy Tyner, arranged by MP; solo: DD
- Yes We Can (Victory Dance) – by Robin Eubanks; solo(s): RE, DD, RR
- Sycamore – by Dave Douglas; solo(s): MP, JL, MZ, JL & MZ trade-off
- Jazz Free – by Joe Lovano; solo(s): basically everyone
- No Filter – by Miguel Zenon; solo(s): RE, MZ (was on fire) (*fave of the night*)
- Encore: Concensus – by McCoy Tyner, arranged by EH; solo: DD
Oddly enough, they had a congo drum over to the right but never used it… well, other than for Miguel to rest his hands on occasion. Oh well… they treated us to 90 minutes of some great, smokin’ jazz… so, 7 songs over 90 minutes – – you do the math. The show was a wonderful treat, and I hope they keep this up in the coming years.
The Appropriate Linkage:
- SFJazz Collective
- Dave Douglas (trumpet)
- Dave Douglas on MySp
- Joe Lovano (tenor sax)
- Miguel Zenón (alto sax) – 2008 MacArthur Foundation Grant recipient
- Robin Eubanks (trombone)
- Renee Rosnes (piano)
- Matt Penman (bass)
- Eric Harland (drums)
- Stefon Harris (vibraphone – not at the show)
- McCoy Tyner (SFJC ’09 tributed artist)
- http://www.theshedd.org/
~Dan – np: Paul Brody’s Sadawi – Kabbalah Dream
SF JAZZ COLLECTIVE PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2009 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
Regina Spektor / Placebo / Elliott Smith / Sean Lennon+
A trio of news plus one batch of retro coolness…
Regina Spektor‘s got a new one coming out called Far (out in June on Sire Records). Read more over at Pitchfork (hey, I’m lazy and it’s busy season).
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(European date schemes are so… backwards)
Placebo‘s got a new one coming out in June as well… June 8th, that is. It’s called Battle for the Sun. Read more over at Placeboworld.
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Sean Lennon, Yuka Honda, Charlotte Kemp Muhl, and Yoko Ono have some tracks on the premiere release from Chimera Music (their record label). It’s got tracks from upcoming work by all of them… check it out at fina music downloads.
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Pitchfork has a 28+ minute 1998 documentary of Elliott Smith called Strange Parallels. I have this on DVD-R from a tape trader a while ago, but it’s available to watch for free up on Pitchfork. It’s quirky and fun – – a good look into Elliott right on the cusp of “super-stardom” (around/just after the Oscar nominee time).
~Dan – np: The Blood Brothers – Love Rhymes with Hideous Car Wreck
RECIPE: Vegetarian Cactus Chili
I made some Vegetarian / Vegan Cactus Chili for Veggie Supper Club last night. If you stumbled in here from a recipe search; well, this blog is mainly music related, but here are some past recipes I did: Amazin’ Beans with Homemade BBQ Sauce, Vegan Biscuits & Gravy -and- Spiced Biscotti.
Ingredients for Cactus Chili
makes approx 6 servings (1 cup ea.)
- Nopales (flat pad cactus), cooked, 1 Jar (30 oz) – You can use fresh cactus if your grocery has them, but you’d need to pre-cook and do stuff to them that I don’t have the understanding to try to explain. Your best bet, just go to your local Mexican grocery store or some supermarkets may have the jarred Nopales in their Mexican food aisle.
- Diced Tomatoes, 2 cans (~30 oz total) – You can get adventurous here and find some with garlic, peppers or other spices added as well. The great thing about chili, it that it’s really hard to mess up.
- Tomato Sauce, 1 can (8oz)
- Black Beans, 1 can (~15 oz) – drained & rinsed
- Garbanzo Beans, 1 can (~15 oz) – drained & rinsed
- Yellow Sweet Corn, 1 can (~15 oz) – drained & rinsed
- Onions, raw, 1/2 cup cut small
- Garlic, 6 cloves minced
- Olive Oil, 1 tbsp
- Jalapeño Pepper, 1 pepper diced small
- Veggie Mexican-style crumbles – if desired (I didn’t use them this time)
- crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
- garlic powder (to taste)
- onion powder (to taste)
- chili powder (to taste)
- cumin powder (to taste)
- cilantro and/or vegan sour cream for garnishments (to taste)
Steps
- In a large pot (I used a 5 quart pot), saute the onions and garlic in the oil on medium-high heat until translucent.
- Add tomatoes and tomato sauce.
- Add corn, beans, jalapeno pepper, and nopales (cactus). Make sure to thoroughly rinse the corn and beans (especially the beans). The liquid they come in is a main source of the “gas” with beans.
- Add spices to taste.
- After everything’s been added, cook for approximately 30 minutes on medium heat. Stir frequently.
- Garnish with cilantro and sour cream. Serve with chips, tortillas, or rice.
Enjoy!
~Dan – np: Björk – Selmasongs -EP-
John Zorn in San Fran 2009
First off… Happy Pi Day…
Also, tomorrow (Sunday the 15th) marks the end of the run of special John Zorn’s Masada at Yoshi’s in San Francisco. Here’s a YouTube clip of the Secret Chiefs 3 performance of “Omael” from Xaphan on Tuesday night (pardon the video quality, the taper had to keep it “on the down low” due to the venue’s strict policies against such things):
And “Kemuel“…
Anyone able to sneak an audio recording of any of the Zorn Fest shows (below)? Hit me up…
~Dan – np: Kukl (early Björk punk band) – The Eye
Zorn Fest 2009
March 10 – The Secret Chiefs 3 Play Masada
March 11 – Masada String Trio – 2 sets
March 12 – Masada Quintet – 2 sets
March 13 – Bar Kokhba Sextet – 2 sets
March 14 – The Dreamers – 2 sets
March 15 – Electric Masada – 2 sets
Dream Theater – Black Clouds and Silver Linings
Progressive metal veterans DREAM THEATER have announced BLACK CLOUDS & SILVER LININGS as the title of their tenth studio album. Roadrunner will release the record on June 23. In addition to the standard version CD, the album will also be available on vinyl LP, as well as a 3-disc Special Edition CD that will include the full album, a CD of instrumental mixes of the album and a CD of six cover songs, the titles of which will be revealed at a later date. Six weeks prior to the June 23 street date, Roadrunner will release one cover song per week through digital retailers. Drummer Mike Portnoy and guitarist John Petrucci are once again at the helm as producers, while Paul Northfield mixed the record.
The band will embark on a world tour in support of the album beginning in Europe throughout June which will be followed by the second edition of the band’s PROGRESSIVE NATION tour featuring Zappa Plays Zappa, Pain Of Salvation and Beardfish throughout North America in July/August.
A video for the first single, “A Rite of Passage” will be shot in late March.
The track listing for BLACK CLOUDS & SILVER LININGS is as follows:
1. A Nightmare to Remember
2. A Rite of Passage
3. Wither
4. The Shattered Fortress
5. The Best of Times
6. The Count of Tuscany
I’m excited about the instrumental CD on the special edition… yay!
~Dan
more OSI details
Well, the 3rd album from the Kevin Moore (Chroma Key) and Jim Matheos (Fates Warning) project O.S.I. (Office of Strategic Influence) now has a name, album art, a tracklist, and a release date. It features Porcupine Tree’s Gavin Harrison on the drums, and Mikael Åkerfeldt (OPETH) on “Stockholm.”
01. The Escape Artist
02. Terminal
03. False Start
04. We Come Undone
05. Radiologue
06. Be The Hero
07. Microburst Alert
08. Stockholm
09. Blood
It’s out on April 27 in Europe and May 19 in the U.S. via InsideOut Music.
From Blabbermouth: The creative process which produced “Blood” lasted more than a year. In their now familiar long-distance collaboration, Matheos sent his ideas via e-mail to Moore, who honed them to his own taste before mailing the results back to Matheos. At the end of the day, some pieces were sent back and forth countless times, while others, such as the pulsating metal track “Be The Hero”, required very little exchange. “When Jim sent me his tracks, I had a vocal idea right away,” Moore says of the song. “I think it all came together in a couple of days. I love when Jim sends really heavy ideas, and he doesn’t mind me chopping them up. It was fun to play around with the times signatures by editing, and adding a lot of Minimoog effects and unison lines.”
Unrelated sidenote, Celldweller‘s upcoming long-awaited sophomore album is called Wish Upon a Blackstar. Out… sometime later this year?
~Dan – np: U2 – No Line on the Horizon
-Eyvind Kang
-Frank Zappa
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