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Nels Cline Singers – Portland (photos on Wednesday)

31st Jan 11 (Mon) 1 comment

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)

17th Jan 11 (Mon) 1 comment

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 outsideReptet 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:

Check out more tour dates below.

~Dan – np: ReptetAt 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

Reptet review coming soon…

15th Jan 11 (Sat) Leave a comment

Über-busy past week and weekend ahead of me, but I made time to check out the f’in awesome Reptet show last night at Luckey’s in Eugene.

Photos and thoughts by Monday at the latest.  Check them out on their West Coast CD Release tour (FB event link) for their 4th CD – At the Cabin.

~Dan

REVIEW: Erik Friedlander plays John Zorn’s Masada Book Two @ the Shedd (Eugene, OR – 1/8/11)

9th Jan 11 (Sun) 5 comments

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:

Next show for me… Reptet (jazz combo from Seattle) at Luckey’s in Eugene, Friday, January 14th!

~Dan – np: Nine Inch NailsGhosts I-IV

ERIK FRIEDLANDER PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2011 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution

(click for larger)

Jazz Stamps – coming March 2011

4th Jan 11 (Tue) Leave a comment

Thanks to Aural Addict for the scoop…

Jazz stamps will be coming out at the USPS in March 2011…

Paul Rogers designed the stamp based on several previous pieces of work by David Stone Martin, Alex Steinweiss and others (see below).

The only requirement given to Paul was that the letters J-A-Z-Z appear in the design and that no recognizable performer be depicted. Beyond that, it was up to Paul to communicate the feeling of jazz.  I think he nailed it.  Read more and see some excellent prototypes & sketches over on Paul Rogers’ site:

http://drawger.com/paulrogers/?article_id=11778

~Dan – np: Erik Friedlander plays Masada Book Two: Book of Angels, Volume 8 (Volac)

* Favorite Instrumental Albums of 2010 *

30th Dec 10 (Thu) 3 comments

Disclaimer: No, I haven’t heard all 8,000+albums released this year. I’ve heard about 120 of them, which makes me at least 98.5% likely to be wrong. I make no claims to objectivity. These albums are my favorites from 2010. You might think that the one you’ve heard that I haven’t heard is the best album of 2010. And you might be right. And, I while I generally agree with John Roderick about Year-End Lists, I still find it quite fun to compile my own.

As I start this post, I will say that this is all very subjective and really put together for my own purposes.  I’ll also state that, yes, some of the music below does have some vocals (i.e.- the Beats Antique & Tin Hat CDs).  For the most part, it’s sequestered to a track or two on a long CD of mostly instrumental goodness.  My list, my rules, and/or my breaking of the rules.  With that being said, all of the artists below tend to be in the jazz and instrumental frame of reference anyway.

As said before… I’ve been buying less music… or, at least a lot less mainstream (major label) music. This is also my third year now that I bought more instrumental CDs than vocal CDs. I think as I get older, I am drawn more towards jazz and other instrumental forms of expression. Hopefully my spilling out of music that I like finds interest with someone else. But if not, thanks for stopping by… check out the artists’ webpages, SpaceBook & MyFace pages, yadda yadda yadda. A lot of these also made it on to my 2010 Mix CD.

OK, now on to the best of what’s hit my ears this year…

Honorable Mentions: The Album Leaf‘s A Chorus of Storytellers, For a Minor Reflection‘s Höldum Í Átt Að Óreiðu, Yuka Honda‘s Heart Chamber Phantoms, Medeski Martin & Wood‘s The Stone Issue Four (great NFP/charity live release), and Jamie Saft‘s A Bag of Shells

Boy Eats Drum Machine20 Beats (self) :: OK, due to its title, 20 Beats had to come in at #20, right?  Regardless of wherever it hit, it’s a great album.  I first saw Boy Eats Drum Machine (aka Jon Ragel) open for That1Guy in Eugene.  I loved his turntablism, his sax playing, and his trippy sounds.  He’s a Portlander, too; so I’ve had a chance to see him twice this year.  Hopefully more in the near future…


John ZornFilmworks XXIV: The Nobel Peace Prize / In Search of the Miraculous / Interzone (Tzadik) :: John Zorn put out a ton of stuff in 2010.  Some of it didn’t make this list.  Some of it was great (these 3), and some of it was stupendous (some others higher up on the list). Filmworks XXIV is a more genteel offering. It is performed by the Rob Burger trio (and it’s a film score… duh). In Search of the Miraculous is in Zorn’s spiritual / “magick” subcategory (which has been hit or miss to me).  This album seems like a souped-up Rob Burger/Alhambra piano combo.  Quite delightful. Interzone is a return to Zorn’s “filecard” system and a tribute to William Burroughs. Some people on the Zornlist have raved about it… I find it good, but not amazing. Too much filler in the long-tracks… moments of brilliance, but also moments of meh-ness.  I’d rank it definitely better than “for the completist,” but lower than “legendary.”  All in all… solid experimental record.  The players are the usual fantastic Tzadik studio players: Medeski, Baptista, Dunn, Mori, Ribot, Wollesen and Zorn.
Mostly Other People Do the KillingForty Fort (Hot Cup) :: So, I’m a fan of composer Moppa Elliott and trumpet player Peter Evans. Peter’s solo show in Eugene a couple of years ago was an avant-garde delight. MOPDTK is a little more straight forward than Peter’s solo stuff. It’s a fun jazz group… very similar in feel and youthful, party jazz energy as Reptet (up in Seattle). This is their second album that I’ve heard but their fourth released. My favorite tracks are “Nanticoke Coke” and the title track “Forty Fort.” I’m looking forward to more from this killer band ensemble.
Masada String Trio plays John Zorn’s Masada Book Two, Volume 16: Haborym (Tzadik) :: Greg Cohen, Mark Feldman, and Erik Friedlander are fantastic players, and their contribution to the Masada Book Two series is an essential release.  One of the best of the series, and the Trio’s first studio recording in five years (last one was 2005’s Azazel #5).  Masada Book Two Sidenote: Cohen was actually in the original Masada quartet, but all of the members of the String Trio have also shown up on other MBT releases – Cohen (Astaroth #1, Lucifer #10, Stolas #12 and Baal #15), Friedlander (Volac #8, #10 and the upcoming Caym #17), and Feldman (Malphas #3 & #10).
John ZornThe Goddess (Tzadik) :: The Goddess is a continuation of In Search of the Miraculous, but I fancy it far more.  It is also a souped-up Rob Burger/Alhambra piano combo, quite lyrical and melodic.  As the title suggests, it is dedicated to the feminine.  It also features some harp work from Carol Emanuel – who unbeknownst to me until now has been on quite a bit of Zorn’s releases.
Derek WebbFeedback (INO) :: From my original writeup: Feedback is a self-proclaimed “worship album.” I also love the general aesthetics of it. It’s definitely got some electronic elements, but it has a more sweeping feel as well. Some of it feels like a mix of a happier ambiance of Amiina/Sigur Rós meets an acoustic-electronic bridge in a Sufjan Stevens song meets a gentle Ric Hordinski lyrical guitar solo (I am in a Monk mood). It’s a great quality instrumental album from a man who I loved via his witty voice from the get go. It’s nice to see him expand outside his comfort zone. As an atheist, I take it as a conduit into introspection and the worship of the divine as I see it – music.
Secret Chiefs 3Satellite Supersonic Vol 1 (Web of Mimicry) :: A new format release of the 7″ vinyl singles that SC3 put out in the Spring of 2007.  Nothing majorly new, but still nice to have in this format.  Secret Chiefs 3 fans are still waiting on Book of Souls, the follow-up to 2004’s Book of Horizons.  Who knows if we’ll ever get it… but this compilation is a great “tweener” – especially if you weren’t able to get the limited 7″ vinyls or didn’t have a record player.
John Zorn’s Moonchild Trio (with Marc Ribot) – Ipsissimus (Tzadik) :: The Moonchild Trio is one of the more experimental / scary groups.  It’s a highly composed, but seemingly improvisational group made up of Mike Patton on voice (not lyrical), Trevor Dunn on bass, and Joey Baron on drums. Ipsissimus is the fifth in the series, and includes Marc Ribot’s guitar and John Zorn’s sax for more than just one tune (like on The Crucible).  This release is not for the faint of heart.  Purely energetic, glossolaliac noise metal.
AutorYnoPastrami Bagel Social Club (Tzadik) :: I am fans of some of the other Jewish rock acts on John Zorn’s Tzadik label: like Eyal Maoz’s Edom, Jon Madof’s Rashanim, and Yoshie Fruchter’s Pitom. The description for this AutorYno debut from Tzadik was “a wild klezmer/rock fusion by this crazed band of Paris-born punk rockers… AutorYno hits with a hardedged sound and an exciting musical imagination. Full of youthful energy, massive guitar and centered by a powerful beat, they present eleven instrumentals that combine the power of rock with a taste of Jewish tradition.” Regardless of Tzadik’s usual/expected hyperbole, I couldn’t not get it. I’m glad I did.  Utterly fantastic klez-jazz-rock blend.
Tin HatForeign Legion (BAG) :: The Bay Area acoustic group is no longer a trio.  They are currently made up of Carla Kihlstedt on violin & voice, Mark Orton on guitar & dobro, Ben Goldberg on clarinets, Rob Reich on accordion & piano, and Zeena Parkins on harp.  It also features Willie Nelson on guest vocals on a track.  The album is part European explorer, part cinematic, part chamber group, part tango.  I generally by anything Carla Kihlstedt is involved in.  So far, I haven’t been steered wrong…
Beats AntiqueBlind Threshold (self) :: I got to see Zoe Jakes of Beats Antique twice this year… once with Beats Antique during Eugene Celebration, and once with the Indigo Bellydance troupe as part of their Le Serpent Rouge tour. She had a knee in a brace during Eugene Celebration; so she lended her stage presence to additional percussion instead of dance – which was unfortunate. Beats Antique is a bellydance-friendly, electronic and live instrument band from the Bay Area. Elements of Balkan music and tribal-fusion dance music. “Egyptic” is indicative of their infectuous sound.
Anakronic Electro OrkestraSpeak With Ghosts (Balagan Box) :: One of my favorite EPs of 2009 was Anakronic Electro Orkestra’s The Yiddish Part. My only complaint with the EP? It was too short. Well, in mid-November 2010, unbeknown to me at the time, they came out with their debut full-length Speak With Ghosts. AEO hail from Toulouse, France, and crank out a mighty fine mixture of drum & bass mixed with Eastern European-fused klezmer. This album is a 40+ minute shuffle through a modern klezmer forest – including one song featuring David Krakaeur (another favorite musician of mine). I think AEO is also great for fans of Beats Antique and Balkan Beat Box.
Loose GripLooking Glass (Fabrikant) :: Loose Grip is a fantastic Edinburgh-based jazz quartet led by drummer Chris Wallace. This guitar and tenor sax infused contemporary jazz band is great for fans of Chris Potter and Joe Lovano on the sax angle, great for fans of the guitar jazz like John Scofield, etc. It’s a well made record, and clearly stands out amongst the many jazz records that came out this year.
John Zorn’s The Dreamers play Masada Book Two, Volume 14: Ipos (Tzadik) :: Let’s just put this out there now… with thirteen albums and a DVD out in 2010, John Zorn might seem to have more misses than hits. Well, I don’t think there’s been a more consistent set of songs than his Masada songs, and there hasn’t been a more consistently great series than the Masada Book Two series (Zorn’s Masada songs covered by others). The Dreamers is a supergroup, too: Marc Ribot, Joey Baron, Cyro Baptista, Kenny Wollesen, Trevor Dunn and Jamie Saft – pillars in the adventurous, downtown NYC scene.
Charlie HunterGentlemen, I Neglect to Inform You You Will Not Be Getting Paid (Spire Artist) :: One of the most amazing things from this past year was watching Charlie play live (twice). 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. Gentlemen came out in early 2010, and is a great melodic romp.  For prior fans of Charlie, you won’t be disappointed.  For people who aren’t yet fans… you will be.
Dave Douglas & KeystoneSpark of Being (boxset) (Greenleaf) :: Dave and his fusion group Keystone were busy with this 3-CD boxset. All three releases were inspired by Douglas’ recent collaboration with experimental filmmaker Bill Morrison on the new multi-media project Spark of Being. The first release is the soundtrack to the film.  Two additional releases, Expand and Burst, feature Douglas and Keystone exploring and interpreting the themes of the film. Expand was also available on vinyl (a first for Dave’s Greenleaf label).
Dave HollandPathways (Dare2) :: I got into Dave Holland around the same time as a lot of other jazz. I got into jazz through the backdoor (John Zorn) and then slowly moved into the more straight ahead jazz. I think I can officially blame Ken Laster and his In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond podcast for playing a lot of Dave Holland. Anyway, shortly after hearing Holland, I picked up Extended Play: Live at Birdland and Critical Mass. Both are great, but the latter is quite fetching. Pathways is a superb combo and features some amazing playing by some other favorites of mine: saxophonist Chris Potter and drummer Nate Smith.  Outside of Joey Baron (Masada, etc), I think Nate Smith is one of the most entertaining drummers to see play.  I love how Dave Holland surrounds himiself with amazing players.  Great band, great record!
Holy FuckLatin (Young Turks) :: Despite what you think of their choice of band name, these Toronto band continue to put out great, groove-infused live electronic music that is both experimental and a poppy-force in the indie rock movement. Latin, their third full length album, grabbed me immediately when it came out this past May… and it’s #1 with a bullet as far as instrumental albums go in 2010. To top it off, they swung through Oregon twice this year (both excellent shows), and they put out quite possibly the cutest video for the raddest song (“Red Lights” – click the kitty to the right). The video now has over 1,000,000 views on the YouTubes. Only 900,000 views are from me.

Where do I get most of these jazz and other instrumental releases?  My #1 favorite source for jazz is Downtown Music Gallery in New York.  Manny and Bruce and their great staff are superb… and being the official distributor for John Zorn’s Tzadik doesn’t hurt my affection for them.  I usually do a monthly Tzadik order (if the releases strike my fancy), and they have a ton of other non-Tzadik jazz and avant-garde releases as well.

And, no, I’m not affiliated, I don’t get a commission, and beyond my initial “big tax refund / gotta get caught up on Zorn order of 2005,” I haven’t gotten a discount with DMG.  I just love and support what they do.

Enjoy the New Years weekend!! Be safe! See you in 2011.

My Other Favorites of 2010 Recaps:

~Dan – np: Kevin MooreShine

John Zorn’s new art gallery

20th Dec 10 (Mon) Leave a comment

Reposted from A-to-Z media blog

A to Z is excited to announce that our long time friend/client/unyielding supporter, John Zorn, has created a new online art gallery –  Obsessions Collective that has just gone live. The site has been beautifully designed by Heung-Heung Chin whose own work will be exhibited on the site and can be seen at the top of this post.

The aim of this non-profit site is to serve as the conduit between living, cutting edge artists who work outside of the gallery system and art collectors and patrons who seek to interact and purchase art directly from the artists themselves with no interference or meddling from a third party.

In true Zorn fashion, 100% of the income derived from the sales of the artwork goes to the artist directly. No commission or bullshit admin fee’s will be charged on any of the pieces purchased. 

John has created this site simply to shine a light on the many talented artists he is friends with and to encourage art collectors to open their minds and wallets to discover, nurture and support  truly independant artists who are deciding to make real art for art’s sake.

http://www.obsessionscollective.com/

~Dan – np: Sarah Kirkland Snider & Shara WordenPenelope 

2010 mix

18th Dec 10 (Sat) 2 comments

Time for this years mix CD… check out 2009’s over here.  No major theme this time like prior mixes… the only rule I placed before myself was that everything is current (i.e.- released in 2010).

The following songs were put on the mix CD from lossless sources where possible and for promotional purposes only (read: free direct market advertising to people who decidedly love music). Most of the artists on this compilation are independent (put out the music themselves) or signed to smaller, independent labels. If you like what you hear, check out their music / support them with your wallet if you are able. The artists’ Webpage, MyFace & Spacebook (whether official or not), and Amazon links are available for each song below. I’ve also included concert review links if I’ve seen the artist recently.

If you want one of these mix CDs, message me (see my “About” page).

PDF front liner is available HERE (designed to print double-sided).

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01 Mike PattonIl Cielo In Una Stanza” from Mondo Cane

Mike Patton of Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Tomahawk, Fantômas, et cetera is known for more boisterous, left of center fare.  With Mondo Cane, he classes up the joint that is Ipecac Records.  Mondo Cane, named after the film, is Mike’s homage to 50s Italian pop songs.  He croons some classic Italian songs with the backing of the Orchestra Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini conducted by Aldo Sisillo.  The artwork, in both CD digipack and vinyl, is stupendous.  This is a magnificent record – both aurally and visually.  It’ll rank near the top of my upcoming year-end lists…

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02 Charlotte Gainsbourg & BeckIRM” from IRM

IRM came out in late November 2009 – which was after I had done last year’s mix; so I’m sneaking it into this year’s mix.  Beck collaborated with singer/actress Charlotte on the whole album (outside of one song).  It’s a nice poppy-electronic mix… some French tunes as well (her father is French musical legend Serge Gainsbourg).  The album and track were inspired by her head trauma in 2007 (“IRM” is the French acronym synonymous with what we call an “MRI machine” in the US).  My favorite part may be that the IRM delivers rhythmic support to the track.

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03 ElleryPieces (live)” original from This Isn’t Over Yet

This version is from Ellery’s live album that preceded their wonderful 2nd studio album that hit this year.  Ellery is one of my favorite things in Cincinnati… I miss being able to see them multiple times a year (sad face).  Husband/wife duo of Justin & Tasha Golden craft singer-songwriter pop songs… usually layered nicely on their albums with the help of producer, knob-twiddler Ric Hordinski (of Over the Rhine fame).  This album is with Malcolm Burn at the helm (Daniel Lanois / Bob Dylan / Iggy Pop / Kaki King / Emmylou Harris / etc).

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04 Comic WowNice Chaps” from Library Catalog Music Series: Music for Mysteries of Mind Space and Time

Asthmatic Kitty’s Library Catalog Music Series (LCMS) is much more hit than miss.  There have been a couple albums that didn’t interest me for multiple listens, but Comic Wow’s settled nicely from the get go.  LCMS (as a series) is made up of instrumental albums designed for possible use in films and television, background sounds for home or office.  Per the P.R., “Comic Wow are sonic illustrators, alchemists, designers, dilettantes’, poets, teachers, Socialists, and outdoorsmen whose advocacy of affordable colored cod pieces helped influence the look of thirty-third century America.”  Whatever you call it, I like it.

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05 Holy FuckRed Lights” from Latin

Despite what you think of their choice of band name, these Toronto band continue to put out great, groove-infused live electronic music that is both experimental and a poppy-force in the indie rock movement.  Latin, their third full length album, grabbed me immediately when it came out this past May… and it’s #1 with a bullet as far as instrumental albums go in 2010.  To top it off, they swung through Oregon twice this year (both excellent shows), and they put out quite possibly the cutest video for the raddest song (“Red Lights” – click the kitty to the right).  The video now has over 1,000,000 views on the YouTubes.  Only 900,000 views are from me.

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06 Damien JuradoBeacon Hill” from Saint Bartlett

I got into Damien Jurado via the Seattle-based melancholy, indie singer-songwriter scene (i.e.- Pedro the Lion / David Bazan).  While similar in general geography and friendship, Damien strikes me as more of a pure “songwriter” when compared to David’s social critique set to music.  Saint Bartlett fits well into Damien’s oeuvre.  At a show this past February (6 months before the album came out), I hardly knew any of the songs but felt as though I did.  That’s a testament to his craft.

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07 Jeanne CherhalCertains Animaux” from Charade

I first heard Jeanne Cherhal when we picked up her second album (Douze fois par an) when in Toulouse, France, for my MBA program in 2004.  Only available in France, I’ve managed to get her albums via Amazon.fr (good thing the buttons are in roughly the same spot).  I still don’t know what she’s saying, but I dig her style.

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08 Nellie McKayThe Portal” from Home Sweet Mobile Home

Nellie McKay’s move to Verve (instead of Sony) has been good for her.  They seem to give her free reign to put out Doris Day cover albums one year and an album of originals the next.  HSMH is a return to the quirky, diverse collection of songs that drove me to fall in love with her.  “The Portal” is one of the mellower tunes from the album… the rest of the album is full of Nellie’s modern piano jazz-pop, ukulele ditties, and even a pro-animal reggae tune.  The album has grown on me nicely, and I’m looking forward to more Nellie in the near future.  She seems to be in a period of prolificity as of late.  This is greatly welcomed.

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09 PusciferThe Humbling River (Duet Mix)” from C is for… EP

When Tool / A Perfect Circle frontman Maynard James Keenan isn’t rocking with those bands (both had touring activity this year), he’s usually tending to his grapes or noodling around on some mildly offensive, but well-crafted music with his other side-project Puscifer.  The C is for… EP actually came out last year, but since it was digital only at that stage and since the 2010 CD & vinyl releases contained a touch of new material – it fits the criteria for this year’s compilation.  He also put out new mixes / remixes for the Blood Into Wine documentary (about the Arizona wine scene).  That record is called Sounds Into Blood Into Wine.  As I type this, I actually got a call from my local Eugene Oregon wine/beer shop (16tons).  They have my Caduceus/Merkin order in stock… so, coincidentally, I’ll be dropping some major coin on some of Maynard’s wine very shortly… glug glug.

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10 Haftor Medbøe GroupPneumatic” from A Box of Monkeys EP

This is another record that came out in late 2009… but I got it in 2010 and iTunes recognized it as 2010 (plus it was too late to be stricken from the CD mix rolls, as I liked it too much).  The track faatures some nice guitar-based jazz, and the EP also features some songs with vocals that aren’t too unlike Björk or Under Byen (also known as “a-OK with me”).  It’s a delightful EP that put Haftor on my radar… for good.

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11 Sufjan StevensFutile Devices” from The Age of Adz

The first Sufjan track that made its way onto this 2010 compilation comes from his second release from 2010.  The Age of Adz is a odd musical assembly.  At first I didn’t know what to think of it, then I started to like it, and then after seeing him live – I truly loved the album.  This song is actually one of the songs that I fell in love with right away.  For those not familiar with Sufjan, this track fits better with some of his earlier work and not so much with Adz as a whole.  But I think if you have an open mind and a desire to explore, you may very well fall in love with this record as well.

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12 AutorYnoOverture Automatique” from Pastrami Bagel Social Club

I am fans of some of the other Jewish rock acts on John Zorn’s Tzadik label: like Eyal Maoz’s Edom, Jon Madof’s Rashanim, and Yoshie Fruchter’s Pitom.  The description for this AutorYno debut from Tzadik was “a wild klezmer/rock fusion by this crazed band of Paris-born punk rockers… AutorYno hits with a hardedged sound and an exciting musical imagination. Full of youthful energy, massive guitar and centered by a powerful beat, they present eleven instrumentals that combine the power of rock with a taste of Jewish tradition.”  Regardless of Tzadik’s usual/expected hyperbole, I couldn’t not get it.  I’m glad I did, and I will say that it will rank high amongst my instrumental finds in 2010.

«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»

13 Glen PhillipsThe Innocent” from Tornillo

The voice of Toad the Wet Sprocket has been putting out some fantastic albums since his first solo album (2000’s Abulum).  Tornillo was recorded in 2003 with David Garza, but was shelved / lost.  Many of the songs were re-recorded and put out on 2005’s Winter Pays For Summer (a favorite of mine).  Regardless of some of the songs making their way out to the fans, there are still some never-before-released gems on here.  Glen put it out about a month ago via his bandcamp page.  $7.  A total steal.

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14 Beats AntiqueEgyptic” from Blind Threshold

I got to see Zoe Jakes of Beats Antique twice this year… once with Beats Antique during Eugene Celebration, and once with the Indigo Bellydance troupe as part of their Le Serpent Rouge tour.  She had a knee in a brace during Eugene Celebration; so she lended her stage presence to additional percussion instead of dance – which was unfortunate.  Beats Antique is a bellydance-friendly, electronic and live instrument band from the Bay Area.  Elements of Balkan music and tribal-fusion dance music.  “Egyptic” is indicative of their infectuous sound.

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15 The WeepiesEmpty Your Hands” from Be My Thrill

Syrupy singer-songwriter pop is not my bailiwick, but I do find myself drawn to it on occasion.  I guess even my CD collection needs a “rom-com” soundtrack every now and again.  The Weepies write well-crafted songs about love and life.  It’s hard to say anything bad about them.

«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»

16 JónsiKolniður” from Go

Sigur Rós-frontman’s debut solo album was going to be an acoustic affair, and then it turned into a lushly produced, Rós-ian opus with a multimedia firestorm of a tour (two U.S. legs with stunning stage design by 59 Productions).  Jónsi is superbly brilliant and and ambivalently hyper-sensitively shy individual (ex. his abrupt cancelation of in-store performance tour) and boisterous-acting performer (ex. his magnificent stageshow).  This album makes me excited for more solo work in the future, but I hope his day job with Sigur Rós is not on hold for too much longer.

«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»

17 George HrabHai Yookito ‘Ya” from Trebuchet

George Hrab creates one of my favorite podcasts ever… the Geologic Podcast.  It’s not about geology.  It’s about science, skepticism, and his general life as a musician from Bethlehem, PA.  He is both humorous and intelligent, and he puts out great albums as well.  Trebuchet is his 6th studio album, and it features some great instrumental songs as well as some witty numbers fitting his skeptical, atheistic viewpoint.  One of my favorite songs on it is “A Small Comfort,” which is about the death of his dog Oscar.  I’d put it on a mix CD, but it honestly makes me cry everytime I hear it.  I also give George some kudos for kicking off his album with the Christopher Hitchens’ inspired “God Is Not Great” (an atheist pop song).  Bravo!

«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»

18 Kaki KingFalling Day” from Junior

Kaki King is a guitar phenom, and this is her second album in a row that seems to be moving more towards turning into a more vocal, indie rock songstress.  It’s still full of her amazing guitarwork, but brings in a whistful lyricism.  I’m still getting used to her “vocal legs,” but I like what I hear so far.

«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»

19 John Zorn’s The Dreamers Hashul” from Masada Book Two: Book of Angels, Vol. 14 (Ipos)

Let’s just put this out there now… with thirteen albums and a DVD out in 2010, John Zorn might seem to have more misses than hits.  Well, I don’t think there’s been a more consistent set of songs than his Masada songs, and there hasn’t been a more consistently great series than the Masada Book Two series (Zorn’s Masada songs covered by others).  The Dreamers is a supergroup, too: Marc Ribot, Joey Baron, Cyro Baptista, Kenny Wollesen, Trevor Dunn and Jamie Saft – pillars in the adventurous, downtown NYC scene.

«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»

20 Sufjan StevensThe Owl and the Tanager” from All Delighted People EP

This is my favorite song from Sufjan’s 50+ minute “EP” from earlier this year.  Beautiful and haunting, and again, not as characteristic of the rest of the EP, which seems more experimental and adventurous compared to “Owl” or his older material.  Originally only released online via bandcamp, the EP saw physical form (CD & vinyl) earlier this month.  I’m looking forward to spinning the vinyl when it hits my front porch.

«°¤°» ¤ ¤ «°¤°»

Let me know what you think…

unfortunately missing (due to space or flow limitations, or that I simply didn’t get them in the mail yet): Kevin Moore’s Shine, Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger (Sean Lennon & Charlotte Kemp Muhl)’s Acoustic Sessions, Mogwai’s Special Moves/Burning, Zero 7’s Record… and John Zorn’s Moonchild Trio Ipsissimus, because I didn’t want to scare you.  Oh well, those may make it on my “favorite albums” of 2010 list.

~Dan – np: Radiohead101010 (aka OK Computer & In Rainbows cross-fade mix)

for more on the Radiohead cross-fade mix, check out Puddlegum

there are no torrents, free mp3 or other downloads available

REVIEW: Charlie Hunter Trio @ Sam Bond’s Garage (Eugene, OR – 12/16/10)

17th Dec 10 (Fri) 1 comment

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:

~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

17th Dec 10 (Fri) Leave a comment

REPTET ::West Coast CD Release Tour 2011::

15th Dec 10 (Wed) Leave a comment

Seattle jazz sextet REPTET is at it again, following up their 7″ vinyl single Agendacide from late 2009 with a new full-length album – entitled At the Cabin. It’s set for release on the Artists Recording Collective on January 11, 2011.

They’re hitting the road in support of the new CD, and Eugene is the first stop! Yippie!  http://reptet.com/

Friday, January 14 10:00 pm
Luckey’s Club
Eugene, OR, United States


Monday, January 17
The Press Club
Sacramento, CA, United States


Tuesday, January 18 6:00 pm
Live Culture
Santa Barabara, CA, United States


Wednesday, January 19 10:00 pm
Taix 321 Lounge
Los Angeles, CA, United States
http://www.taixfrench.com/321lounge.html


Thursday, January 20 8:00 pm
ResBox – The Steve Allen Theater at The Center For Inquiry
Los Angeles, CA, United States
http://steveallentheater.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=318543


Friday, January 21 8:00 pm
CODA
San Francisco, CA, United States
http://www.codalive.com/


Saturday, January 22 9:00 pm
Cafe Van Kleef
Oakland, CA, United States
http://www.cafevankleef.com

For more info, check out http://reptet.com/

~Dan – np: John ZornInterzone

REVIEW: Nellie McKay @ the Shedd (Eugene, OR – 10/29/10)

2nd Nov 10 (Tue) 2 comments

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:

~Dan – np: William Ryan FritchLibrary 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)

Gizzy Goolespie

21st Oct 10 (Thu) Leave a comment

In honor of Dizzy Gillespie‘s birthday, the Google changed its homepage logo to this neato, nifty logo…

Have some salt peanuts in his honor!  He would have been 93 years old.

Also, this is the 7th anniversary of Elliott Smith’s death.  This makes me sad.  I miss him.

~Dan – np: Sufjan StevensThe Age of Adz

no free download of mp3 flac torrent on this site, ever.  if you like music, support it.  buy it.

REVIEW: Dead Kenny G’s & Trio Subtonic @ Mt Tabor (Portland, OR – 10/16/10)

17th Oct 10 (Sun) 2 comments

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:

Check out more DKG’s tour dates below.

~Dan – np: Milli VanilliGirl, 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

PDX Jazz 2011 schedule

14th Oct 10 (Thu) Leave a comment

About 3 weeks ago, the Portland Jazz Fest (aka PDX Jazz Fest) announced their 2011 line-up and theme (Bridges & Boundaries – Jewish & African-American jazz playing together), well, last night, they announced the actual schedule for the main line-up.  Many more side shows will fill-in, but here’s the schedule for the main shows:

  • 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

Nik Bartsch’s Ronin & SF Jazz Collective (featuring a Stevie Wonder catalogue) are my top two picks for the festival.  Tickets for PDX Jazz Members went on-sale yesterday (10/13/2010).  General public on-sale date is Saturday, October 23rdConsider joining and supporting this great jazz festival!

~Dan – np: Jacob Fred Jazz OdysseyStay Gold

Dave Douglas – Spark of Being making of video

7th Oct 10 (Thu) 2 comments

Check out the “making of” feature for Dave DouglasSpark of Being

And, if you’re lucky, they have a handful of dates…

October 7th, 2010
Spark Of Being in MN:
preview in CityPages
Event screens at 8:00 @ Walker Art Center [tickets] [map]

October 8th, 2010
Spark Of Being in KC: preview in Kansas City Star
Event begins at 8:30PM @the Blue Room [tickets] [map]

October 24th, 2010
Spark Of Being in NYC
Event screens at 8:00 PM @ the Highline Ballroom [tickets] [map]

~Dan – np: The Weepies Be My Thrill

John Zorn THE DREAMERS on vinyl(!!)

2nd Oct 10 (Sat) 2 comments

So, there was a hint a few months ago about a vinyl release from Tzadik… my hunch was that it would be John Zorn / The Dreamers O’o release (out on CD in 2009).  Well, posted on Tzadik graphic artist Hueng-Hueng “Chippy” Chin’s Chippy Design flickr site yesterday was this…

“The Dreamers vinyl”
(click for larger)

It’s available for pre-order at Amazon under the title Dreamers – The Gentle Side… out Nov 23rd, 2010.

Update (10/8): the picture disc…

 

~Dan – np: Frank ZappaMeets the Mothers of Prevention

Nellie McKay’s HSMH limited edition

24th Sep 10 (Fri) Leave a comment

Nellie McKay‘s new album, Home Sweet Mobile Home, comes out next week (Sept 28th)… and a limited edition fan package is available on her site.  Autographed 12″ x 12″ litho, physical CD, high-quality mp3 album, four exclusive bonus songs (no indication which ones), and an immediate download of “Bruise the on the Sky.”  The entire album is currently streaming over on NellieMcKay.com as well.

Limited edition: NellieMcKay.com ($35)
Regular CD: Amazon.com ($9.99)
Regular digital: Amazon.com ($9.49)

~Dan – np: Medeski Martin & WoodCombustication 

PDX Jazz 2011 Theme

23rd Sep 10 (Thu) 3 comments

Portland Jazz Festival (aka PDX Jazz) has announced their 2011 theme:

BRIDGES AND BOUNDARIES:
JEWISH & AFRICAN AMERICANS PLAYING JAZZ TOGETHER

FESTIVAL HEADLINERS INCLUDE: ESPERANZA SPALDING, SFJAZZ COLLECTIVE featuring STEVIE WONDER’s catalog, REGINA CARTER, AND JOSHUA REDMAN

February 18 through 27

Past, present and future collaboration between African Americans and Jewish Americans is the message behind Bridges and Boundaries: Jewish & African Americans Playing Jazz Together, the theme of the 2011 Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Portland Jazz Festival presented by US Bank. The festival, which annually selects a compelling musical and programming theme, will be held Friday, February 18 through Sunday, February 27 at venues throughout Portland. The complete festival lineup will be announced on October 13 when single show and special package tickets go on sale exclusively to PDX Jazz members. Tickets will become available to the general public on October 23.

A select few of this year’s culturally diverse headliners include Avishai Cohen, the Israeli trumpeter, one of the leading players in the new all-star SFJAZZ Collective, performing the work of African American pop icon Stevie Wonder. Cohen will also be joined by his siblings Anat Cohen and Yuval Cohen for a special performance of The 3 Cohens. Famed African American violinist Regina Carter will return to Portland, presenting her newest project, Reverse Threads, which traces the musical history of African cultures, including tribes of Ugandan Jews. And, Joshua Redman, son of African American saxophonist Dewey Redman and Jewish American dancer Renee Shedroff, leading his new James Farm Quartet that includes both African American and Jewish American musicians.

African and Jewish American community leaders, Portland Jazz Festival’s new Artistic & Community Ambassador Esperanza Spalding (who will lead her new Chamber Music Society in an exclusive Portland area engagement), and many other artists will participate and interact in panel discussions and “Jazz Conversations” focusing on artistic and social perspectives. National jazz journalists, writers, and critics-including Nat Hentoff-will also participate in these events.

For a complete schedule of events, please visit:

www.pdxjazz.com

I’m excited about the SF Jazz Collective and their 2011 Stevie Wonder theme (though it won’t have Dave Douglas and Joe Lovano this year), but I’m mainly excited about Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin.  Holy cow, they’re good.

~Dan – np: Andy McKeeOne World

Nellie McKay HSMH (cover art)

13th Aug 10 (Fri) Leave a comment