Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Good Portland Jazz Festival Shows, Bad Festival Vibes, Marching All Over Town, Cycling Thru the Snow,

While wearing my Zulu 100th Anniversary Mardi Gras beads, a kind gift from Jonathan and Tanya Scott who run the Orleans Candle Company and who threw a great Mardi Gras party last Saturday…they cooked for days…and gave away the food!

Ran into Lisa Lepine and Tom Hale and the incomparable Spud Berry (who was on a hunt for a turntable). There's almost nobody I'd rather get an email from than Spud.

Here's me and Tanya:

 


I'm making the mistake of trying to write this on Mardi Gras Day. I'll seeya tomorrow.

Now it's tomorrow. Time flies when you're wearing Mardi Gras beads. No, I didn't have to show anybody anything to get them.

In my head, I'm here:



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PORTLAND JAZZ FESTIVAL : GOOD TIMES DEPT.

Well, almost. Before I get to the wonderful music I heard last week, I have to say that since Bill Royston and Co. apparently hate my guts or just discount me completely as a jazz writer, TV producer/reporter and DJ I have to pay to get in to any events, unless I go through the musicians themselves. The festival has refused to send me media releases even when I've asked to receive them…even when I was at Oregon Art Beat. I never understood why they ignored Art Beat.

Despite my obvious visibility in the scene and my many friendships with musicians and club owners and promoters…and even after having interviewed Royston for PDX Magazine a couple of years ago…they seem to think I don't exist…or they hate my guts. Either way, I don't react well to disrespect. I'm Italian, remember?

Having said that, and as I mentioned in a previous post, I hit three thrilling shows.

Chronologically:
1. The Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble

The Old Church was the scene of yet another example of the current coming-of-age of the generation of Portland jazz musicians formerly referrred to as "young." I tried to put a stop to that last week in my A&E piece on the new Ben Darwish album (which does not appear on the paper's website, for some reason).

The point is that people like Ben (who is not in PJCE) and co-leaders Andrew Oliver and Gus Slayton need not be called "young" anymore. Not because they're old (mostly under 30) but because they have crossed the line into the arena where they can be judged with everyone else.

The evening was filled with original compositions by this tight-knit community of like-minded players. Not all the pieces were written by folks playing in the ensemble. The group onstage comprised:

On trumpet: Mike Hankins, Paul Mazzio (who killed) and Tree Palmedo
Andy MC'd, conducted and played piano
On reeds: Gus Slayton, Mary Sue Tobin, Willie Matheis and Mieke Bruggerman
Trombones: John Moak,Lars Campbell & Doug Peebles, bass trombone
Kyle williams guitar
Bill Athens, bass
Kevin Van Geem, drums
Galen Clark organ

They played:
The Arctic Messenger by Dan Duval
The Sandwich Maker by Eric Allen
Et Tu, Tutu? by Andrew Durkin who also conducted.
Right land Turns Right Ahead by Oliver
A Crack In the Wall by Ken Ollis
Contanece by Chris Mosely and arranged by Oliver
Lodgepole Pine (It'll Be Alright) by Kyle Williams
Crane by Reed Wallsmith
Someday Mt Heart Will Find a Home by Sam Howard


This was a very important gig in the musical life of this town. Perhaps more important than all the Blue Note gigs you could ever imagine. You should google every single name above…and go out and hear them!

UPDATE:
Here's something funny that one of the band members found online on someone's blog after the Kora Band show. It's not a bad thing to google yourself.

During intercession XX and I had the requisite “girl talk” - we decided that we wanted to have a son like the keyboardist (the grinning curly-haired cute boy is like an adorable puppy - he stirs up all your maternal instinct), marry the bassist (he looks like “good husband material” - despite his Spock haircut - plus I am a sucker for dimples), have a dramatic, intensely romantic, but ultimately failed, love affair (before the marriage of course) with the kora player (he looks like the tragically artistic type, even though he reminds me of Joe in Lipstick Jungle), have the drummer as your best guy friend, and… we don’t know what to do with the trumpet player. Not that we would ever even go up the stage to talk to any of them, but it was harmless fun to let loose for once and “objectify” guys.


2. Master Musicians of Jajouka, Everyone Orchestra, Skerik with Marco Benevento at Roseland.

Intoxicating in every sense of the word. You mean you didn't see the people swimming in the air on Burnside after the show? Was I dreaming? Was I swimming? If music is supposed to take you out of one reality and into another…..

Here are the MMJ:



3. Ben Darwish Trio and the Andrew Oliver Kora Band at Jimmy Mak's.

This wasn't really a Portland Jazz Festival event. Apparently Jimmy doesn't need to be in Royston's big tent. If you noticed only one JM's event was listed in the PJF lineup. Word has it that Jimmy is still waiting for Royston to throw him a national act during the festival. Otherwise, Jimmy doesn't need it. He had his best January ever ever EVER. And I don't just mean in the new club, I mean ever. And in this economy.

Take THAT all you journalists who turn your nose up at jazz. Also, KMHD has had an increaese of TEN THOUSAND LISTENERS over the past year.

One reason for all this is the explosion of great new bands like Ben's and all of Andrew's. I'll be writing about his Kora band in the paper, and also later on here as we get closer to their album relesase. I can't wait to hear them at the new Mississippi Studios when that happens.

THE 2009 PORTLAND JAZZ FESTIVAL: BAD TIMES DEPT.

I got an email from a prominent Portland musician who wanted to remain anonymous. The person had serious complaints about Bill Royston. Another musician also emailed me in a similar vein. Everywhere I go I hear the same thing. I am not repriting any of them because I have not given the subject enough investigative time. Investigavitve reporters get paid. I do not get paid for this. If somebody wants to pay me to investigate the finances of Royston or the festival, please come forward.

I won't be repeating unproven alligations here, no matter how much I feel they're right-on in my gut.

I know I teased more last time but the subject is too important for a cursory look. Sorry to disappoint you but even I have standards.

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I KNOW, BUT IN WINTER?
First of all, Malcolm Rollick is female. See?

 


Second of all she's getting ready to tour. Not unusual until you find out she's going out for eight months alone on a bicycle. Her kickoff gig is on Sunday, March 1 at the Alberta St. Public House.

She says, She's not an athlete, just a kid who knows how to take her time. She'll be on the road for eight months, seeing the sights and sharing her own uncommon breed of indie-folk with whoever crosses her path. Come see her off, catch some tunes, and get inspired.


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KEEP ON MARCHING!

Both of Portland's famed marching bands, March Fourth and the Lions of Batucada have wonderful upcoming gigs. It's March Fourth's 6th birthday and they've gone back to the Bossanova Ballroom for a series of five shows in four days beginning on Sunday, March 1 and ending on Wednesday, March 4 with a show which includes The Loyd Family Players from Oakland, Portland's Russian Chervona and DJ Global Ruckus.
Find out more about it here.


The Lions are having their Carnaval show on Saturday, February 28 at the Crystal Ballroom. They'll be in full costume and will alternate sets with Grupo Saveiro from Brazil via NYC.

 
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Please pass this blog around!!
…..and leave a COMMENT!!

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.


Email me at tvdpdx@gmail.com

Sunday, February 22, 2009

My KMHD Playlist from Last Saturday Night 2/21/09

I've changed the order of things (on this blog anyway). The news portion will appear on Wednesday afternoons. My KMHD playlist will appear either Sundays or Mondays.

MY MARDI GRAS PARTY

10:00 Professor Longhair/ Go to the Mardi Gras/ New Orleans Party Classics Vol. 1
10:04 Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five/ Struttin' with Some Barbeque/ Offbeat Festival 2000
10:07 Sidney Bechet & his New Orleans Feet Warmers/ Preachin' Blues/ Doctors, Professors, Kings & Queens
10:10 Joe Venuti & Louis Prima/ Basin Street/ Hi-Fi Lootin'/ Vinyl
10:16 Olympia Brass Band/ Muskrat Ramble/ New Orleans Preservation
10:20 Rebirth Brass Band/ Blackbird/ The Main Event: Live at the Maple Leaf
10:31 Dirty Dozen Brass Band/ Kid Jordan's Second Line/ The New Orleans Album
10:34: Los Hombres Calientes/ New Second Line (Mardi Gras 2001) Vol. 2 New Congo Square
10:41: March Fourth Marching Band/ Slow Press/ Live
10:44 New Birth Brass Band/ Mardi Gras In New Orleans/ D-Boy
10:51 Dr. John/ Mac's Boogie/ Dr. John Plays Mac Rebennack
10:58 Snooks Eaglin/ I Went to the Mardi Gras

11:03 Snooks Eaglin/ Can You Hear Me/ The Way It Is
11:08 Snooks Eaglin/ Travelin' Mood/ Live In Japan
11:15 Snooks Eaglin/ I Been Around the World/ The Way It Is
11:21 Art Neville/ Another Blues Stringer/ Keys to the Crescent City
11:26 Dr. John/ My Indian Red/ Goin' Back to New Orleans
11:32 Wild Magnolias/ New Suit/ They Call Us Wild/ vinyl
11:37 The Meters/ Mardi Gras Mambo/ Fire On the Bayou
11:40 Professor Longhair/ Big Chief Pt. 1/ New Orleans Party Classics
11:42 Cyrile Neville & the Uptown All-Stars/ Big Chief/ The Fire This Time
11:47 Leo Nocentelli/ Say Na Hey/ Say Na Hey
11:52 The Meters/ Hey Pocky-A-Way/ Rejuvenation
11:56 Wild Magnolias/ Handa Wanda/ They Call Us Wild

12:06 Jessie Hill/ Ooh Poo Pah Doo/ New Orleans Rhythm & Blues/ vinyl
12:09 Eddie Bo/ Check Mr. Popeye/ New Orleans Popeye Party
12:15 Huey Smith & the Clowns/ Don't You Know Yokamo/ best of
12:17 Ernie K-Doe/ A Certain Girl/ Crescent City Soul
12:20 Al Johnson/ Carnival Time/ Doctors, etc
12:23 Professor Longhair/ Crawfish Fiesta/ same
12:26 Fats Domino/ Jambalaya (On the Bayou)/ Crescent City Soul
12:28 Neville Brothers/ Valence Street/ same
12:33 John Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen/ Ain't Nuttin' Nice/ Pin Your Spin
12:37 Galactic/ Black Eyed Pea/ Late for the Future
12:41 Rebirth Brass Band/ Let's Do It Again/ Hot Venom
12:54 Papa Grows Funk/ Shakin'/ same

1:06 Ivan Neville/ Scrape/ Live at Jazzfest 2005
1:11 Neville Brothers/ Congo Square/ Live at Jazzfest 2005
1:21 Charmaine Neville & Reggie Houston/ ? / Live at Jazzfest 2006
1:28 The Meters/ Welcome to New Orleans/ Live at Jazzfest 2005
1:32 Big Chief Monk Boudreaux/ Sky Keeps Cryin'/ Live at Jazzfest 2006
1:43 Dr. John/ Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya/ Gris Gris
1:47 Neville Brothers/ Tell It Like It Is/ Live at Jazzfest 2005
1:52 Allen Toussaint/ Sweet Dreams/ Connected
1:58 Fats Domino/ When the Saint's Go Marching In/ New Orleans Party Classics

Saturday, February 21, 2009

R.I.P. Snooks Eaglin

As we head toward Mardi Gras day, it is with great sadness that we will have not have Snooks Eaglin in the world to help us celebrate it. He died on Wednesday. Snooks had been in failing health, battling prostate cancer. He died on his mother's birthday.

Read more here.

Here's Snooks and George Porter, Jr. at the Rock N Bowl:



And another:



And another:

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

My KMHD Playlist from Last Saturday Night 2/14-09

10:00 Wayne Horvitz/ Duke/ Monologue
10:02 Art Taylor/ Cookoo and Fungi/ A.T.'s Delight
10:08 Gross, Frishberg, Doggett/ Mr. George/ Strange Feeling
10:13 Ben Darwish Trio/ Bass Intro, Longview/ Ode to Consumerism
10:29 Ken Ollis/ Highway/ Confluence
10:?? Madeliene Peyroux/ (Looking for the) Heart of Saturday Night/ Half the Perfect World
10:36 Andrew Oliver Kora Band/ Just 4 U/ same
10:41 Wayne Horvitz/ Love Love Love/ unreleased live at Goodfoot Lounge 1/31/09
10:53 Bill Evans/ A Time for Love/ Alone
10:58 Dianne Reeves/ My Funny Valentine/ Songs for Lovers

11:04 Pink Martini/ Cante e Danse/ Hey Eugene!
11:08 Arild Andersen/ Prelude to a Kiss/ Live at Belleville
11:16 Betty Carter/ We Tried/ The Betty Carter Album
11:22 Jim Hall/ My One and Only Love/ Comittment
11:27 Gianuligi Trovesi/ Eurodice/ Profuma di Violetta
11:35 The Tiptons/ Anthem/ Laws of Motion
11:38 Marco Benevento/ Sing It Again/ Me Not Me
11:41 Particular Vernacular/ Particular Vernacular
11:49 Bob Thompson/ Star Fire/ Cocktail Mix. Vol. 1
11:52 Monkey Bars/ Baby Elephant Walk/ Upstairs at Larry's
11:56 David Carroll/ Hells Bells/ Cocktail Mix. Vol. 1

THE BAR

12:05 Tom Waits/ The Piano Has Been Drinking/ Small Change
12:07 Gene Phillips/ Rock Bottom/ Joan's #13
12:10 TT Tribble/ Half Pint of Whiskey/ TT Tribble
12:12 Roscoe Gordon/ Sit Right Here/ Just a Little Bit
12:14 Don & Dewey/ Babby Gotta Party/ Bim Bam
12:17 OV Wright/ A Nickel and a Nail/ Gone for Good
12:20 Staple Singers/ You're Gonna Make Me Cry/ I'll Take You There Vol. 2
12:25 Jackie Wilson/ This Bitter Earth/ Do Your Thing
12:27 Isaac Hayes & Dionne Warwick/ I Just Don't Know What To Do with Myself/ A Man and a Woman
12:35 Allen Toussaint/ With You In Mind/ Collection
12:39 Irma Thomas/ River is Waiting/ Simply Grand
12:46 Linda Hornbuckle & Janice Scroggins/ Gospel Medley/ Sista
12:52 Staple Singers/ On My Way/ I'll Take You There Vol. 2
12:58 Meters/ Keep On Marching/ Fundamentally Funky

1:03 Rickie Lee Jones/ We Belong Togetherr/ Pirates
1:09 Betty Carter/ You're a Sweetheart/ The Betty Carter Album
1:13 Solomon Burke/ For You/ Soul of the Night
1:18 Big Mama Thornton/ Your Love is Where It Ought to Be/ Ball and Chain
1:22 Garnet Mims/ It's Been Such a Long Time/ Warm and Soulful
1:23 Stephanie Schneiderman/ Twenty Slivers/ Dangerous Fruit
1:28 Al Green/ Love and Happiness/ Greatest Hits vol. 2
1:33 TSOP/ Love is the Message/ same
1:40 O'Jays/ Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet Tender Love)/ best of
1:44 OV Wright/ This Hurt is Real/ Gone for Good
1:49 Bettye LaVette/ Let Me Down Easy/ Let Me Down Easy In Concert

Monday, February 16, 2009

ON A WINTER'S DAY: A LITTLE NEWS AND A LOT OF OTHER STUFF

Having just watched the Industrial Jazz Group's video of their tune Jazz-Pop Jerkoff, the music of which is taken from a gig in Yakima in September of 2008, according to Andrew Durkin IJG's musical director. The video is taken from several locations, including Mizz Pizz.

Andrew says: …featuring Cory Wright, Lee Elderton, Evan Francis, Ward Baxter, Mary-Sue Tobin, Mieke Bruggeman (reeds); Dan Rosenboom, Steph Richards, Ian Carroll, Nelson Bell (brass); Dan Schnelle, Oliver Newell (rhythm section); Jill Knapp, Tany Ling (vox), and me (compositions and scowling).


Watch it:




He adds: What is a "jazz-pop jerkoff"? Beats me. I suppose it's a metaphor for the inevitable intersection of the "art music" and "music industry" worlds. None of us is immune to this intersection, really -- even of the most "serious" (i.e., thoughtful, committed, talented) musicians still have to deal with the whole publicity / marketing / business side of things. That's such a common observation these days (not so much when I was growing up) that it hardly bears repeating. But that doesn't make the situation any less absurd. And we all know how I love absurdity.


We know. Btw….that's my buddy Spud Berry crossing in front of the camera…one of many crossing in front of the cam… a great touch.

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NOT EVERYBODY THINKS THE JAZZ FESTIVAL IS SO HOT

Not the music, but how it's run. I received a very disturbing email from a very prominent Portland musician blasting Bill Royston and how he runs the Portland Jazz Festival. I'm gonna sit on it for another week and find out some stuff.

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PAUL DELAY MEMORIAL MOVES ACROSS THE RIVER

This year's Paul deLay Memorial show is moving from the Portland Art Museum to the Aladdin. It'll be on Sunday, April 5 and will be a benefit for a music scholarship at Ethos in Paul's name. David Vest, Paul's last piano player has been on a Sun Ra binge lately and combined with some solo jazz piano recordings he made when he was living in Houston. He's been talking about playing with some horns at the April show.

Here's one of those Houston tunes, Streetcars of New Orleans:



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SF BLUES FESTIVAL DIES

As the economy crumbles, so does our culture. The San Francisco Blues Festival has shut its doors. Known as the country's oldest blues festival, it goes away after 36 years.

“The combination of rising production costs and lack of sponsorship support leaves me no choice but to cancel this year’s show,” said founder Tom Mazzolini, who has also been the show’s sole producer since the first festival in 1973. “I’m sad to say this, but we may well have seen the last San Francisco Blues Festival.”

Makes you fearful for festivals everywhere. There's one here (not the Waterfront Blues Festival) which is in the process of deciding whether or not to continue to operate. I'll let you know when I can release that info.

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MIZ KITTY…CATNIP FOR THOSE WHO LOVE GOOFY ENTERTAINMENT

That's a compliment.

Her monthly Miz Kitty's Parlor is going strong at the Mission Theater and will present another evening of Vaudeville and fake eyelashes on Saturday, Feb 21. Here's the lineup:
BLAIR ST. MUGWUMPS: Vintage Raggity Blues!

BRITTANY: Amazing & Graceful Contortionist!

CARAVAN GOGH: Swing, Funk, Jazz & Mysterioso!

MALDON MEEHAN & FRIENDS: High Steppin' Irish Dancers with Live Music!

JAMES CLEM: Fingerstyle Blues, Sure to Please!


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ATONING IN THE CREEK

Artist/musician Ron Rogers' roots rock band, the Atonements, are playing at Rock Creek Friday, Feb 20th, 9 to 12.

If you never saw my story on Ron and his art, see it now:



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OLD, OLD NOAH

Noah Mickens, who I dubbed The Impressario of the Avant-Garde a few years ago, is turning THIRTY-FIVE YEARS OLD this week. Please help him across the street when you see him, and try to make it to the Fez on Sunday night for his Birthday Dance Party featuring several DJ's but, according to the aging man with the Top Hat, no bands, no art, no circus.

It's free. You must read what may be an excerpt from his forthcoming autobiography, but also serves as part of the media release for the event:

Embroiled since well before puberty in an arcane series of creative and criminal enterprises, Mickens has achieved numerous overlapping degrees and qualities of notoriety in various cities throughout the Union, leading to an internally-contradictory body of verbal mythology that has considerably outgrown the vessel of its origins. Nevertheless, the meat-and-bone entity known as Noah Mickens continues to this minute upon the labrynthine Work which drives his steps through all perplexity and disenchantment.

As he stumbled close to his 35th year of being, Mickens spontaneously came to detest the trappings of so-called "art" and "music" that had defined his being since the earliest memories left to him, and chose to celebrate the occasion by hosting a crazed dance party at his favorite nightclub and inviting everyone and their 18-year-old intern to attend for free.

Get with it, pussies.


You are instructed to dress cool.

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ISAAC SCOTT POTHUSMAS BLUES CD RELEASE AND MARDI GRAS PARTY

Norman Sylvester's good friend, the late Isaac Scott, known as "King of Seattle Blues," died a while ago but his new album is having a Portland release on Friday, Feb 20 at Trail's End Saloon, a great dive in Oregon City. Norman's band plus the Robbie Laws Band with Charlene Grant from Scott's band will play. Any place Mr. S is on Mardi Gras weekend is a good place to be.

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THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MUSIC BUT……

If you weren't offended by the new HBO series Eastbound & Down, you're not trying. In an upcoming episode, Ashley Schaeffer, the Will Ferrell character will do his own TV car commercial.



This reminded me of my own vile piece of work. The filthiest car commercial ever written (I'm proud to say). DO NOT PLAY THIS AROUND THOSE WITH TENDER EARS!!! You've been warned.
I had taken a job at an ad agency that specialized in screaming car commercials and after about 10 days, had mastered the art. I don't know what took me so long but I guess I was in shock. Anyway, we had a recording session to make some spots for a St. Louis dealership. I thought, You want an aggressive car commercial? I'll give you an aggressive car commercial.

Hence:



I warned you.

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Please pass this blog around!!
…..and leave a COMMENT!!

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.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

My KMHD Playlist from Last Saturday Night 2/7/09

10:00 PM Wayne Horvitz/ Duke/ Monologue
10:02 PM Betty Carter/ I Can't Help It/ The Betty Carter Album
10:04 PM Ben Darwish/ Ode To Consumerism/ Ode to Consumerism
10:12 PM Enrico Rava/ Improvisation 1/ New York Days
10:17 PM Everyone Orchestra/ Water Conductor's/ Choice Vol.1
10:22: Matt Butler Interview
10:37 PM Matt Butler/ Joy/ The Redwood Project
10:42 PM Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble/ From An Old Diary/ unreleased written by Eric Allen
10:49 PM Andrew Oliver Kora Band/ Blue and Hope/ Just 4 U

11:01 PM Wayne Horvitz Sweeter Than the Day/ Inference/ unreleased/ Live at the Goodfoot 1/31/09
11:07 PM Marco Benevento/ Seems So Long Ago Nancy/ Me Not Me
11:12 PM Urselle/ Purple Rain/ Jazz and 80s
11:16 PM Jacob Fred Jazz Oddesey/ Earl Hines/ Winterwood
11:24 PM Lee Morgan/ City Lights/ City Lights
11:30 PM Irma Thomas/ Somebody Told You/ Simply Grand
11:33 PM David Vest/ This Is Not a Waltz/ unreleased
11:35 PM Gary Burton/Michael Gibbs/ In the Public Interest/ The Start of Something Familiar
11:42 PM Dex Dubious/ Bubbles In the Wine/ Upstairs at Larry's
11:49 PM Dave Harris and the Powerhouse Five/ The Penguin/ Cocktail Mix Vol.1
11:53 PM Raymond Scott/ Ripples (Montage)/ Manhattan Research Inc.


THE BAR
12:03 AM Tom Waits/ The Piano Has Been Drinking/ Small Change
12:06 AM Lovers Island/ The Blue Jays/ Answers to Answers
12:08 AM Joe Liggins/ I Ain't Drunk/ Answers to Answers
12:10 AM Doctor Ross/ Boogie Disease #2/ Savage Catfish Kick
12:12 AM Champion Jack DuPree/ Tee-Nah-Nah/ Champion Jack DuPree and his Blues Band Feat Mickey Baker
12:14 AM Sunpie Barnes/ Sunpie's Romp and Stomp/ Putamayo American Blues
12:19 AM Bill Doggett/ Honky Tonk Pt.2/ Old King Gold Vol. 2
12:21 AM Joe Louis Hill/ She Might Be Yours But She Comes To See Me Somtime/ Sun Records Vol.3
12:23 AM Champion Jack DuPree/ Shim Sham Shimmy/ Red Robin Presents
12:30 AM Deodato/ Also Spach Zarathustra/ Funk Intrrumentals
12:34 AM Alvin Cash & the Crawlers/ Twine Time/ Funk Instrumetals
12:35 AM Andre Williams/ The Dealer, the Peeler and the Stealer/ The Black Godfather 12:42 AM Jimmy Castor Bunch/ E-Man Boogie/ Butt of Course
12:46 AM Ike and Tina Turner/ Nutbush City Limits/ 70s Party
12:49 AM Joe Tex/ I Gotcha!/ best of
12:51 AM Bar-Kays/ Soul Finger/ Funk Instrumentals
12:54 AM George Clinton/ Da Mothership Connection (Starcrossed Fully Equiped mix) Funk Essentials

1:03 AM Marvin Gaye/ Sexual Healing (Original vocal only)/ The Sexual Healing Sessions
1:10 AM Maya Azucena/ Junkyard Jewel/ same
1:14 AM Stylistics/ Betcha By Golly Wow/ best of
1:17 AM Mary J Blige/ Be Without/ You Soul Is Forever the Remix Album
1:23 AM Del-Foncs/ Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time?/ best of
1:29 AM The Meters/ Love Slip Up On Ya/ Fire on the Bayou
1:35 AM Anthony Hamilton/ Baby Boy Baby Girl (feat Mint Condition)/ Dou You Feel Me
1:37 AM Lamont Dozier/ Can't Get Off Until the Feeling Stops/ Right There
1:40 AM Trish Andrews/ You Know What You Do to Me/ These Five Words
1:45 AM Ty Causey/ Your Love/ True Love in Motion
1:50 AM Carl Stalling/ Porky in Wackyland/ Music from Warner Brothers Cartoons 1936-58
1:56 AM Vivian Stanshal/ Rasp, Gasp Yelp Bellow etc/ Men Opening Umbrellas Ahead

Monday, February 9, 2009

PORTLAND JAZZ FESTIVAL AND JESSE JAMES

While listening to Steve Reich's Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices and Organ…..I know it drives some people crazy. Me, it soothes….

THE 2009 PORTLAND JAZZ FESTIVAL.

You haven't forgotten that it almost didn't happen have you? Remember this scene?



A news conference at which Alaska Airlines was introduced as the sponsor that saved the festival. Not that Bill Royston would ever let you forget that (nor should he) but I thought you might have. So I reminded you. It was just a noodge.

I know this year's festival revolves around the 70th Anniversary of Blue Note Recods, and I'm all for it, even though I don't find myself pulling out a lot of vintage Blue Note and listening. I suppose it may have something to do with the didactic nature of the old-jazz-garde who refuse to move past 1964 in their taste, but I try to break through my prejudice against people who are stuck in the past.

So when it came to playing some Blue Note last Saturday night on the radio, I picked out a home-boy, trumpeter Lee Morgan of Baltimore, Maryland and as soon as the first ten seconds were over, I realized what a terminal fool I must be for discounting any of the vintage Blue Note works.

In case you've never heard Lee Morgan, here he is as a member of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. That's Benny Golson, Bobby Timmons and Jymie Merritt, too.



Having said that, what excites me about this year's festival happens outside the sphere of Blue Note. For my money the best musical experience of the whole Festival comes on Thursday, February 19 at what usually passes for the Roseland Theater but which that night will be turned in to what the promoters are calling

Morocco's Mater Musicians of Jajouka will perform. Multi-instrumentalist/composer/conductor Matt Butler's ad hoc infrequently-seen Everyone Orchestra will also. Opening will be everyone's favorite mysterious saxophone player Skerik who will bring a trio and add keyboardist Marco Benevento (see last week's blog).

The Everyone Orchestra's set will incorporate the Masters as well as Skerik's band. If you've never even heard of, let alone seen the EO, here's an interview I did with Matt on the radio last week:



Also playing with EO is Eric McFadden (EMT, George Clinton's P-Funk), vocalist Jans Ingber (Motet, Charlie Hunter, Norah Jones, Ivan Neville), and baritone saxophonist Steve Berlin of Los Lobos.

Other Best Bets:

Don't get me wrong, there are some enormous talents coming to town. You should check out the website and you could close your eyes, and touch the screen (if your hand isn't dirty) and not go wrong. My KMHD cohort (and writing competitor) Lynn Darroch has a fine guide to the Festival on the home page.

But here are the more hidden gems.

Friday, February 20: Ben Darwish's CD release. His new album Ode to Consumerism is…is…is…is…..well you'll have to read all about what I have to say about it in the O's A&E section that day but here's a hint. I love it.

Opening for Ben is the amazing Andrew Oliver Kora Band. I'm not saying Andrew is amazing, I'm saying the band is. He is too but don't tell him I said so, I don't want him getting a big head. Ok he can, he has earned it. Anyway the Kora is a West African harp-like instrument of great beauty which AO has fallen in love with and has built a whole band around even though he doesn’t play the Kora in the band, somebody else does. They have recorded an album coming out in April which AO laid on me and I've been playing on the radio. I'll give you a taste in later weeks.

Both AO and Ben will be playing other festival related gigs around town during the run.

Friday, February 13 The Dirty Dozen Brass Band with Trombone Shorty plus Big Sam's Funky Nation at the Roseland. Just in time for Mardi Gras, you will not be able to find anything funkier than this show. Period. Big Sam used to be in the DD. Jimmy Mak's, even though I love the place, was the wrong place for them. Roseland is the right place at the right time.

UPDATE:
Here's Big Sam and the band live in New Orleans at Voodoo Fest.



Saturday, February 14, Robert Moore and the Wildcats at the Tugboat Brewery. Even if it was just trumpeter/singer Robert Moore by himself, there would be a pack of wildcats on stage. He is one wild cat.

Sunday, February 15, Greyboy All-Stars with Bill Kreutzman (of the Dead) at the Crystal Ballroom. No, they can't out-funk the Dirty Dozen, but they're worth the ticket.

Tuesday, February 17, Portland Jazz Composers Orchestra at the Old Church. One of the signature events in the life of this emerging ensemble co-led by Andrew Oliver. (How many more mentions will he get in this?)

That is a very brief bunch of tips. I've left out a lot of others go here to find out all of the other local events.

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DAN GAYNOR A GONER

Pianist Dan Gaynor, last seen playing better than he ever has before, especially when he was backing up Nancy King has up and moved to New York!

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NIAYH AND ACOUSTIC MINDS TOURING TOGETHER

The boys on the bus and the Price twins, Amanda and Jenni aka Acoustic Minds are kicking off a tour with a show at the Fez on Wednesday, February 11. Marv Ellis is also on the gig. The bus boys took some time off after living on the bus for several months and rolling through the U.S. Here's what they wrote in January:

Right now we're writing to you from a secluded beach on the coast of Oregon where we're working on new material for our next set of shows. The Rhenburgs have been kind enough to let us use their beach cottage so we can finally rehearse - yet again the universe provides for us. The coast is cold and blustery but often completely clear without a cloud in the sky. We can look out the window of the rehearsal room to see the waves crashing not more than 50 feet away. Yesterday we attempted to conquer the sea on two inflatable rafts. Predictably, this experiment ended in numbness and smiles.
Fall tour 2008 really took a lot out of everyone, despite how great an adventure it was. We feel so lucky to have been able to see so many new places and, above all, to have met many of you! After nearly 3 1/2 months on the road we parked the Wally at Ty and Chelsea's in Portland and split up to take some much needed time off for the holidays.


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VALENTINE'S DAY MASSCRE OF LOVE

From the people who brought you the White Album Christmas show (Noah Mickens is one) there will be what they're calling, Cirque L'Amour Friday and Saturday nights, February 13 & 14. They say it will be A classic tale of love beneath the big top and a gourmet meal to share with your Valentine. Featuring Portland's finest acrobats, aerialists, jugglers, magicians, and more! …with a live musical score by the Stolen Sweets at The Bossanova Ballroom and Supper Club.

You don't need to know any more than that to buy a ticket.

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THE SPACED-OUT BALLAD OF JESSE JAMES

In case you never saw Keith Schreiner do this live (he still hasn't released a recording of it), here it is. When he does it as part of Jazztronica, it's even better, if you can believe it. Yes the video and audio suck, but it's an amazing experience to hear it performed live.



To give you some perspective, here's how it was done on Hee-Haw. Really.




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Please pass this blog around!!
…..and leave a COMMENT!!

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.



Wednesday, February 4, 2009

My KMHD Playlist from Last Saturday night 1-31-09

Scroll down for this week's Music News Blog.

10:00 PM Wayne Horvitz/ Duke/ Monologue
10:02 PM Jarrett, Peacock, Dejohnette/ Sleepin'/ Bee Yesterdays
10:11 PM David Vest/ Streetcars of New Orleans/ unreleased
10:12 PM Jacob Fred Jazz Oddesey/ Oklalhoma Stomp/ Winterwood
10:19 PM Marco Benevento/ Now They're Writing Songs/ Me Not Me
10:29 PM Ben Darwish/ Ode To Consumerism/ Ode To Consumerism
10:34 Marco Benevento Live Interview
10:45 PM Marco Benevento/ Seems Like So Long Ago Nancy Me/ Not Me
10:52 PM Enrico Rava/ Lulu/ New York Days

11:02 PM Sun Ra/ Zip A-Dee Doo Dah/ Second Star to the Right (Salute to Walt Disney)
11:07 PM Tom reads Sun Ra piece
11:15 PM Sun Ra/ Space Is the Place/ The Antique Blacks
11:25 PM John Martyn/ Solid Air/ Solid Air
11:32 PM Thelonious Monk/ Brilliant Corners/ Brilliant Corners
11:38 PM Leon Thomas/ Come Along/ Leon Thomas Album
11:45 PM Irma Thomas/ What Can I Do?/ Simply Grand
11:49 PM Gianluigi Trovesi et al/ "Pur Ti Miro"/ Profumo Di Violetta
11:53 PM Jessica Lurie Ensemble/ Anthem/ Shop of Wild Dreams

THE BAR
12:04 AM Tom Waits/ The Piano Has Been Drinking/ Small Change
12:07 AM Boogie Bill Webb/ You Can't Tell My Business After Dark/ Drinkin' and Stinkin'
12:11 AM Johnny Young/ Money Taking Woman/ Chicago Blues The 1950s
12:13 AM The "5" Royales/ Monkey Hips and Rice/ Anthology
12:15 AM Sunnyland Slim/ Recesssion Blues/ Chicago Ain't Nothing But a Blues Band 12:18 AM Bettye LaVette
12:24 AM Gnarls Barkely/ Who's Gonna Save My Soul/ The Odd Couple
12:27 AM India.Arie/ Ready for Love/ Acoustic Soul
12:31 AM Marvin Gaye/ What's Going On/ What's Going On Deluxe Edition
12:35 AM Cameo/ Word Up/ Essential Funk
12:39 AM Menahan Street Band/ Tired of Fighting/ Make the Road By Walking
12:42 AM Brothers Johnson/ I'll Be Good To You/ best of
12:47 AM The Spinners/ Love Don't Love Nobody/ Live

1:00 AM Ike & Tina Turner/ Nutbush City Limits/ 70s Party
1:03 AM Chakachas/ Jungle Fever/ Funk Intstrumentals02-01-2009
1:06 AM David Shire/ The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3/ The Score
1:09 AM Brass Construction/ Movin'/ Funk Instrumentals
1:12 AM 007/ Desmond Dekker and the Aces/ 20 Reggae Classics
1:15 AM The Meters/ Fiyo on the Bayou/ Fire on the Bayou
1:20 AM Lou Donaldson/ Everything I Do Is Gonna Be Funky/ best of
1:29 AM Dr. John/ (Everybody Wanna Get Rich) Rite Away/ Desitively Bonaroo
1:35 AM Allen Toussaint/ Night People/ Best of
1:37 AM The Dominos/ 60 Minute Man/ Risque Rhythm
1:40 AM Buster Brown/ Fannie Mae/ Best of
1:43 AM Upsetters/ Mama Loochie/ The Upsetters
1:46 AM Jerry McCain/ My New Next Door Neighbor/ Boogie Is My Name
1:48 AM Ray Charles/ Night Time Is the Right Time/ The Genius Sings the Blues
1:52 AM Sam Cooke/ Mean Old World/ Night Beat
1:54 AM Slim Smith/ Everybody Needs Love/ 20 Reggae Classics

Monday, February 2, 2009

Buy-in, Turn-on, Drop What You're Doing and Hear Marco Benevento... and Watch Dancing Tramps

While watching Laurel and Hardy dance to the Gap Band…….



Let me know if you woke up yesterday with Sonny and Cher singing I Got You Babe on your radio alarm clock.

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Monday was Portland's Music Millennium Buy-In Day

Got there after lunch. The place was full.

 

 
Owner Terry Currier, happy with the turnout, talked to KOIN news.









Ran into Promotion Queen Lisa Lepine and bluesman Russ Finley.


They're in the middle of a weekorso-long Groundhog Day Johnny Cash Swimsuit Singalong. If you arrive in a swimsuit and cowboy boots and sing a Johnny Cash song, you get 25% off your purchase. So far, they've had a girl in a bikini...more are promised for Monday evening, including a full band. Not sure if they'll be in swimsuits. Wish I could have been there for it.

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Composer/keyboardist Marco Benevento will be at the Goodfoot on Saturday, 2/7. He's got a hot new album called Me Not Me full of electronics, interesting covers (Beck, Leonard Cohen and My Morning Jacket for example) and his own stuff. I could tell you more, but you'll find it more fun to listen to my interview with him from my Saturday night show on KMHD. He was a little late calling in but I was glad to hear from him. He was calling from NYC.
Listen here:



He'll have the trio from the album, Reed Mathis on bass and Andrew Barr on drums. The album came out Tuesday of this week. I've been playing it on the radio for two weeks. How cool must I be?
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Looking for a roundup of pretty much all the music news you'd ever want, especially if you're a pro...player or broadcaster or journalist? Check out Buzzsonic. I got stuck in there on Sunday and when I came up for air, I thought a month had passed.
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Look for my Portland Jazz Festival preview here on Thursday. Here's a taste of the Andrew Oliver Sextet, one of my favorite bands, playing Friday, February 13th at The Cave. That's Andrew Oliver on keys, Eric Gruber on bass, Keven Van Geem on drums, Dan Duval on guitar, Willie Matheis and Mary Sue Tobin on saxes in the video playing an Oliver tune called Mixolydia, from their Otis Stomp album.



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Singer Rosalie Sorrells is up for a Grammy this year. She'll be at the Aladdin on Saturday for the annual Winterfolk concert, once again benefiting Sisters of the Road. This year's show is a tribute to Utah Phillips who died last year. She has an album out of his songs, and her own.

I'll never forget sitting in Lisa Lepine's living room a few years back, when she had Rosalie over after a gig. Somehow the subject turned to Percy Mayfield who we both worship (as should you.)

Want to hear what Utah called the funniest story he ever heard?


Lisa also sends this piece of news along:

Long an underground Northwest favorite and the inspiration for events like Daisychain Music festival, hat maker extraordinaire and twisted songwriter Corona Hats (imagine Dylan as a woman) recorded a her first full length album at the studio of Billy Oskay in the Columbia Gorge.

Corona's songs were captured "Field Recording" style and features the talents of Portland blues songster Lauren Sheehan, Felix Manz of the Kitchen Syncopators, and Eugene drum scorcerer Kenny Sokolov (Ras Cloud, Mapate Diop, Thomas Mapfumo, Ferlin Husky) plus Klaus Heyne, a bassist who just happens to customize high-end microphones for folks like Neil Young, Natalie Cole, Phil Collins & Usher among many others!

This illustrious ensemble came together for 2 days and left with 12 songs including a cover of Antonia Stampfel's Jeannine's Dream - a song made famous by the Holy Moly Rounders. Stampfel who lives in a nursing home in Florida, cried when she heard the recording played for her over the phone.


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Speaking of that part of the music world, you heard it here first that Arlo Guthrie will be in town on Thursday, April 2 to perform at Congregation Beth Israel for a fundraiser as part of their 150th Anniversary celebration and the Guthrie Center, a non-profit social service, - spiritual and cultural center located in western Massachusetts. Hardly seems like anything in Oregon is that old, but maybe it's later than I think. Oh wait, you tell me Oregon itself is 150 years old…this year? And Beth Israel, too? It's becoming clearer and clearer.

Arlo will have an 8 piece band. I'm glad he isn't with the symphony this time around. Bad ideas should be allowed to die a merciful death.
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Duff's Garage is going to be rocking this Friday. D.K. Stewart's band will feature the Heart Attack Horns with legendary English saxophonist Chris Mercer who has played with Dr. John, Bryan Ferry, Bob Marley and lots of others. Duff's is always fun.
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I'm going to be writing about the Curious Comedy Theater in the O, but how does this sound?

A new kind of mad performance art! Two delightful, musical maids will dazzle you with their bizarre, hilarious stage antics. Shoshinz is anglicized Japanese for "shy, timid people," but Shoshinz are maids who are subservient to nothing and no-one. These two maids never speak any words, but they sing and dance and make a variety of sounds with their bodies. They can communicate deeply with each other with their sounds and voices and hearts. Watching them, your imagination will soar, and will remember what your most precious treasure is.

Runs Thurs-Sat, February 5-7.

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Please pass this blog around!!
…..and leave a COMMENT!!

I've updated my YouTube channel. Look for newly posted stories of mine at www.youtube.com/tdpdx

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.