Archive
Zorn Christmas CD/LP/45 (out now)
Originally mentioned here, the John Zorn / The Dreamers Christmas album is out now on Tzadik. The CD, limited edition vinyl and limited edition 45 rpm 7″ vinyl can be ordered now via Tzadik’s official retailer: Downtown Music Gallery.
The CD & vinyl will also be at Amazon (by Oct 11th), but the 45 rpm single will only be at DMG. It’s also available via Amazon & iTunes as well in mp3 digital download format (but why would you ever get something like this in lower fidelity?)…
The Dreamers band is Marc Ribot, Jamie Saft, Kenny Wollesen, Trevor Dunn, Joey Baron, and Cyro Baptista… and the album also features Mike Patton crooning “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire.”
~Dan
Dave Douglas & So Percussion – Bad Mango [new jazz]
New “Greenleaf Portable Series” release from Dave Douglas & So Percussion… GPS Vol 3: Bad Mango:
The digital album comes out October 11th, 2011, on Greenleaf Music on mp3/FLAC.
~Dan – np: Tesla – Five Man Acoustical Jam
John Zorn – The Dreamers’ Christmas (Tzadik 2011)
Update 10/7: go back HERE for CD/vinyl/45 rpm/mp3 download ordering info.
Posted on (Tzadik designer) Chippy’s Facebook page earlier this weekend…
The biggest surprise of the year is John Zorn’s beautiful Christmas CD. Zorn has hand picked seven of his favorite Christmas songs, penned two lovely originals and they are performed here in classic Dreamers style with plenty of exciting solos, exotic colors and catchy lyricism. Filled with a joyful holiday spirit, innocence, a touch of nostalgia and a charming lyricism, this is music for all ages that will make you smile with delight from the very first notes. As a special treat, vocalist Mike Patton delivers an intimate and heartfelt rendition of “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire,” making A Dreamers Christmas an instant classic, and an essential CD for any contemporary Christmas celebration.
This album will also feature The Dreamers band: Marc Ribot, Jamie Saft, Kenny Wollesen, Trevor Dunn, Joey Baron, and Cyro Baptista. It will be out in CD and vinyl LP.
My guess is it’ll hit in October or November as Tzadik tends to not release anything in December. I’m looking forward to it. I mean, I tend to not like Christmas music that much (there are only a few). I find it funny that a record label entrenched in Jewish music and jazz would put out a Christmas album with Santa on it… but, well, that’s John Zorn for you. Not following the protocol.
And that’s why we love him!
Update 7/28, the cover for the 45rpm vinyl single…
~Dan – np: Silverchair – Frogstomp
Fair Use in Digital Media (the story of Kind of Bloop)
A Perfect Circle Portland fans, my photos will be posted by midday today.
Almost two years ago, I posted about an interesting 8-bit tribute album of Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue called Kind of Bloop. I like it, more in concept than execution, but I liked the music nonetheless. Well, the guy who put it together Andy Baio (who also helped start Kickstarter) got in hot water with the original photographer Jay Maisel for Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) violations. He settled out of court, but was he in the wrong? Personally, I think not.
I mean, his use of the photo was altered in a way that appears consistent with the fair use provisions in the copyright law. Check out the full read over on the waxy.org article “Kind of Screwed“…
What do you think? And what do you think about these transformative recreations?
What is art, and can derivative works be safe from legal harassment? Where does the line get drawn?
~Dan – np: Pet Bottle Ningen – Pet Bottle Ningen
Nellie McKay – New Video & Touring behind her musical ‘I Want to Live!’
I Want to Live! a musical death row revue, conjures the life story of “a woman of dubious moral standards…often a guest in seedy bars…”
“Inspired by the 1958 movie of the same name, I Want to Live! combines Nellie McKay’s virtually unlimited gifts as a singer, songwriter, actress, pianist, ukulele player, mimic, satirist and comedian into a show that is much deeper than its surface might suggest,” writes Stephen Holden for The New York Times. “In the most lighthearted way they evoke a heartless environment of social injustice in which people who fall through the cracks are invisible to everyone else.”
“Pretty darned unique,” adds Michael Musto of the Village Voice.
Nellie McKay – “I Want to Live!” limited tour (so far)
June 30, 2011 – New York, NY / Joe’s Pub
July 9, 2011 – Los Angeles, CA / Catalina Jazz Club
July 10, 2011 – San Diego, CA / Anthology
July 14, 2011 – San Francisco, CA / Yoshi’s
I Want to Live! promo
“Beneath the Underdog”
(music video from Home Sweet Mobile Home)
~Dan – np: A Perfect Circle – eMOTIVe
Dave Douglas’ Brass Ecstasy & news from Camp Greenleaf
News from trumpeter Dave Douglas’ label Greenleaf Music the other day. All this from the GM mailing list…
Late last week, we transitioned to our new website that’s been in development for over a year.
Come over for a visit to spend time with some great new features including faster load times, a new store with easier checkout, up-to-the minute news on all of our artists (present and past). And in the upcoming weeks, we will be rolling out a site optimized for mobile devices, a new app for the iPhone / iPad, and possibly what we’re most excited about, the Greenleaf Cloud–a streaming of our entire catalogue in a nifty player that you can access anywhere.
also, out now, the first in the Greenleaf Portable Series (GPS)…
Harkening back to the way jazz records used to be made, these are informal sessions that yield shorter album lengths but with the immediacy of the digital music age. Volume one in this digital-only series, Rare Metals, spotlights Brass Ecstasy, recording five new compositions and the first new released material since Spirit Moves, plus a smoking arrangement of the Billy Strayhorn classic, “Lush Life,” that sent chills through the folks that run the Village Vanguard.
And for a taste of the new music, this track is available for free download. We hope you enjoy it and choose to support the series by purchasing the full album–can’t beat the $5 price tag.
GPS Vol 2 with Ravi Coltrane, Vijay Iyer, Linda Oh, and Marcus Gilmore will follow late next month.
Yay! Any day with news about new Dave Douglas music is a good day for me.
~Dan – np: Jamie Saft – Black Shabbis
Rova:Zorn – The Receiving Surfaces
The Rova Quartet, who began in 1978 and have worked with many legendary acts like John Zorn, released their 33 1/3 anniversary live album with Zorn, The Receiving Surfaces, on June 1st on vinyl LP. It’s available now on the not-for-profit organization Rova:Arts…
~Dan – Elysian Fields – Last Night On Earth
The future of Zorn’s Masada Book Two
Every time I talk about it, I’ll state that Masada Book Two is one of the best series on John Zorn’s Tzadik label. The quick premise: One page of music in a book of 300+ tunes, given to others to interpret and record.
Who has done it so far (bold being my faves so far): Jamie Saft Trio, Masada String Trio, Mark Feldman and Sylvie Courvoisier, Koby Israelite, The Cracow Klezmer, Uri Caine, Marc Ribot, Erik Friedlander, Secret Chiefs 3, Bar Kokhba Sextet, Medeski Martin & Wood, Masada Quintet featuring Joe Lovano, Mycale, The Dreamers, Ben Goldberg Quartet, Masada String Trio, and Cyro Baptista’s Banquet of the Spirits.
All seventeen thus far as stupendous releases… you can’t go wrong, especially if you love improvisational jazz and klezmer. Listen: Amazon search page.
Good Aural blog posted the following yesterday:
According to John Zorn, Tzadik records will release about four—possibly five—more Masada Book Two albums in 2012. It’s amazing to think that we’ll be hearing volumes 18, 19, 20, 21, and maybe even 22 of Zorn’s Book of Angels by the end of next year.
Want a preview of who’ll be playing on these upcoming volumes? Here are the new Book of Angels releases planned for 2012:
New Klezmer Trio
Clarinetist Ben Goldberg is a pioneer in avant-garde Jewish music. His New Klezmer Trio released their first album, Masks and Faces, in 1992; it was reissued on Tzadik in 1996. New Klezmer Trio has since released several more albums on Tzadik: Melt Zonk Rewire and Short for Something.
In 2010 Goldberg recorded Baal: the Book of Angels vol. 15 with Masada book veterans Greg Cohen, Jamie Saft, and Kenny Wollesen. This new Ben Goldberg Quartet was assembled and conducted by Zorn himself.
Finally, Goldberg plays clarinet with the acoustic ensemble Tin Hat, which appeared on the Masada anniversary album Voices in the Wilderness.
David Krakauer
David Krakauer is a clarinetist firmly rooted in both klezmer and classical music. His band, Klezmer Madness!, incorporates elements from funk, jazz, and a variety of other genres. He has collaborated with the Kronos Quartet and made several releases on Zorn’s Tzadik label, including Klezmer Madness! and Klezmer, NY.
Given that Krakauer has collaborated with Uri Caine and played both clarinet and bass clarinet on John Zorn’s seminal Kristallnacht, it’s only natural that he should (finally!) record a set of tunes from The Book of Angels.
Pat Metheny
Guitarist Pat Metheny recorded the acclaimed free jazz album Song X with Ornette Coleman and recorded Steve Reich’s “Electric Counterpoint” with Kronos Quartet. Metheny’s upcoming Book of Angels entry is planned as a solo performance.
And Beyond…
Whatever Masada Book Two compositions remain will be recorded on one or two albums by artists not yet announced. Once those are completed, we’ll have finally reached the end of this chapter in Masada’s legacy. But for hardcore fans of this music, there’s still plenty to come.
On the horizon: Masada Book Three.
Good Aural apparently heard the news from John Zorn himself. I had heard rumors of the Pat Metheny one in the past, and the other conspirators are consistent with who Zorn has worked with in the past. I’m hoping Mike Patton’s Fantômas does something in this series in the future. It’s not out of the realm – they did one song for the Unknown Masada album in 2003 (a pre-cursor to the Masada Book Two concept). Oh, or the Moonchild Trio!! That would kick ass.
~Dan – np: Red Hot Chili Peppers – Stadium Arcadium 
‘Speak With Ghosts’ by Anakronic Electro Orkestra (now out on CD)
One of the late releases digitally in 2010… the fantastic Anakronic Electro Orkestra now has their full-length Speak With Ghosts out on CD. It comes with three extra connecting snippets (“ghosts”) and is going to make it on my Best of CDs in 2011. Sure, it made it on the list in 2010, but it’s sooooo good, I’ll break / make my own rules. :)
Do you like jazzy rock-fusion klezmer (great for fans of Beats Antique & Balkan Beat Box)? Of course, you do! Find out more about Anakronic Electro Orkestra with the links below…
- Check out AEO’s webpage.
- Friend AEO on Facebook.
- Follow AEO on Twitter.
- Buy the CD from their Facebook Store.
(Free shipping from France >>> Worldwide) - Buy the digital album from Amazon or iTunes (US).
Read what I wrote last December below… or just take my word for it, and buy this album. You won’t regret it! Per the band, it’s also destined for a vinyl release later in 2011.
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)
Nellie McKay on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts
Nellie McKay stopped by for a NPR Tiny Desk Concert with Bob Boilen / All Songs Considered…
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/04/135019502/nellie-mckay-tiny-desk-concert
Download the podcast (FREE on iTunes):
~Dan – np: Placebo – Sleeping With Ghosts
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
Medeski Martin & Wood – 20 Download (reblog)
Today is the day… the first two songs are available for download. Go to the original post (below) for info on how to get Medeski Martin & Wood’s “Me2” and “Shackman“…
Medeski Martin & Wood – 20 Download
Medeski Martin & Wood have been around for 20 years. And to celebrate, they’re digitally releasing two new, never-released tracks each month (starting March 29th), for a total of 20 tracks by the end of the year.
You can pre-order the entire package now for only $9.90… right HERE. If you wait until after March 29th, the price per download is $0.99. So, act now, and get the new tracks for essentially half price.
With the pre-order, you will be alerted by email when the monthly 2 tracks become downloadable! The first two tracks will become available for download March 29th, 2011. See below for the release schedule for the remaining tracks:
4/26/11 – Tracks 3 & 4
5/31/11 – Tracks 5 & 6
6/28/11 – Tracks 7 & 8
7/26/11 – Tracks 9 & 10
8/30/11 – Tracks 11 & 12
9/27/11 – Tracks 13 & 14
10/25/11 – Tracks 15 & 16
11/29/11 – Tracks 17 & 18
12/20/11 – Tracks 19 & 20
If you happen to be in Oregon, specifically Portland, check John Medeski, Billy Martin & Chris Wood out TONIGHT at the Roseland Theater!
~Dan – np: Colin Stetson w/ My Brightest Diamond – New History Warfare – Judges, Vol. 2
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
Dave Douglas – United Front (April 5th)
A glimpse of the new Dave Douglas release just popped up on Greenleaf Music’s blog…
United Front: Brass Ecstasy at Newport comes out April 5th, 2011. Stay tuned here or at Greenleaf Music for details as they emerge.
~Dan – np: Palo Alto – Palo Alto
Nik Bartsch’s Ronin @ PDX Jazz Fest (2/25)
If you missed your chance to get tickets to see Grammy-winning ‘Best New Artist’ Esperanza Spalding
on Friday, February 25th at the Portland Jazz Fest. Well, you’re out of luck – unless you can win some or find a reasonable scalper.
My choice for PDX Jazz Fest’s Feb 25th offering was always Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin anyway! That show is Friday, February 25th – 8:30pm, Alberta Rose Theater.
Nik Bärtsch is a Swiss pianist & composer. His albums with his band Ronin are more on the rock/funk side of the jazz continuum, and on record, it is stunning. I can’t wait to see him live.
Check out some Ronin sound samples on Amazon (click the album covers below):
And lucky for you, tickets are still available!! Find out how to get tickets HERE.
~Dan – np: Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin – Holon
PDX Jazz Fest starts THIS WEEK
The Portland Jazz Festival (aka PDX Jazz Fest) kicks off this Friday, February 18th, 2011. It boasts a great line-up of acts that brings attention to the theme Bridges & Boundaries – Jewish & African-American jazz playing together. And now, it boasts new Grammy award winner – Esperanza Spalding! Congrats!
PDX Jazz Fest 2011 – Headliners
Friday, February 18, 7:30pm, Winningstad Theater, Randy Weston- Saturday, February 19, 7:30pm, Winningstad Theater, Anat Fort
- Sunday, February 20, 7:30pm, Winningstad Theater, Dave Frishberg
- Thursday, February 24, 7:30pm, Newmark Theater, Don Byron
- Friday, February 25, 7:30pm, Newmark Theater, Esperanza Spalding
- Friday, February 25, 9:30pm, Crystal Ballroom, Poncho Sanchez
- Friday, February 25, 9:30pm, Alberta Rose Theatre, Nik Bartsch’s Ronin
- Saturday, February 26, 2:00pm, Crystal Ballroom, The 3 Cohens
- Saturday, February 26, 7:30pm, Newmark Theater, SFJAZZ Collective
- Saturday, February 26, 8:00pm, Tony Starlight’s, Gerald Clayton
- Saturday, February 26, 9:30pm, Crystal Ballroom, Regina Carter
- Sunday, February 27, 2:00pm, Newmark Theater, Joshua Redman
- Sunday, February 27, 7:30pm, Crystal Ballroom, Maceo Parker
FULL SCHEDULE (Feb 18-27)
I’m most excited about Nik Bartsch’s Ronin (above) set on Friday the 25th. That and other shows still have available tickets. If you’re in town, head on over to pdxjazz.com for the info. If you’re out of town, head on over to Alaska Airlines and get your plane ticket along with your festival tickets. This is not a fest to miss!
~Dan – np: Ozric Tentacles – Pungent Effulgent
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
-Eyvind Kang
-Frank Zappa
Amazon.com mp3 downloads
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This blog and concert photos therein are licensed under a Creative Commons License. Available with Attribution for Non-Commercial, Non-Derivative Use.
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