Obama and Sun Ra (the Connection), JR at the Dry Cleaners, Puked on at Someday

While listening to some singles done by Sun Ra when he was in Chicago…and thinking about what Deval Patrick, the Governor of Massachusetts (and buddy to President Obama) brought with him to his office, having been the son of saxophonist Pat Patrick, a life-long member of Ra's band….

Yeah, think about that one.

After staying up all Monday night, watching the inauguration all day, I didn't have much left to party with but I went to one at the "dry cleaners" at the Ace Hotel where I found March Fourth at the end of a set playing one of my favorite March Fourth tunes. Didn't get a chance to talk to any of them but waved a lot.

JR Pella took over as DJ. I was hoping he would be singing. I always hope he is singing. He should never stop.

Pretty good day, huh?

I know nothing about Sonny Smith or the Evolutionary Jass Band, but if you haven't been to Disjecta's latest space, Friday might be a good time to discover all three. They say Smith…

is like a reincarnation of the old musical apparition called a troubadour. His songs are radically straightforward yet endlessly lyrical and poetic. He captures the movements and intonations of his surroundings like a playwright (and he is) daring the audience to see themselves in the show. And it's all still brilliantly melodic.

He'll be in residence for a few days to record songs for a new album, too.

Composer/pianist….he plays a lot of other instruments too…Andrew Oliver is playing an interesting gig. He writes:

Saturday, Jan. 25, Sarah Phillips, a great improviser and ianist (who plays with me in Sound for the Organization of Society) will be in town from Los Angeles. We'll be playing with Tom Garcia (another recent Portland transplant!) on saxophones, Chris Mosley on guitar, and Jonathan Sielaff on clarinets at the Tugboat (711 SW Ankeny) from 9-12. The music will feature Sarah's compositions and improvisational frameworks as well as some free improvisation for the stylistically open minded among you. Also no cover for this

Rachel Taylor Brown has finished recording a new album called Susan Storm's Ugly Sister & Other Saints & Superheroes.. She says, I think--I hope--it's interesting, and also fun! Even though it's about vengeance and killing, it is also about love!

But Rachel, is it about Susan Storm Large? I mean, those are her first two names? And how soon do I have to wait to play it on the radio? Huh? Her Trio Aorta is playing the Press Club on Saturday. The other two of three are Ben Landsverk and Chris Robley. It's free. I'll be on the radio, missing it as usual.

She'll show up with Ben and Chris at Doug Fir the next night with Roxy Consort and members of the Portland Cello Project for a fascinating classical/folk/pop crossover show, "Cellos & Choirs, she says.

I'd make this longer, but I have two deadlines and it's already 10:30 at night.

I'll have stuff to tell you about Ed Forman next time…..well maybe a time after that, after the story runs in the O.

BTW…..Oracle with Keith Schreiner turned Keith Schreiner
Someday into a winter oasis last night. The crowd was dreary and some young drunk puked nearly on my shoes, but other than the vomit, the band kept my attention on the poorly lit stage. Could use a little work on presentation at Someday…other than the puke I mean.

UPDATE! This just in from Rachel Taylor Brown:

....nooooooo, not our susan storm (large), but the invisible woman from the fantastic four (marvel comics)! well, not her, but her fictitious ugly sister. i also violate galactus (the world eater, also marvel and part of the fantastic four/silver surfer series), bruce wayne, and ambush bug/reduviidae (d.c. comics, the two latter). oh, yeah--and some saints. i'll get you a copy soon as i have one!

Listen to my KMHD show on Saturday nights 10pm-2am. Jazz till 12 and then The Bar opens at Midnight!

You can hear my political talk show, "D'Antoni & Levine" with DC-based reporter Art Levine live on Thursdays at 2:30pm PT and then archived thereafter. Listen here.