What I Would Have Said at City Council...Hear the new Quadraphonnes here!!....Rob Scheps interview....Darwish at the Keys.

WHAT'S THE STATE OF YOUR ART?

While dreaming I'm sitting in Cosimo Matassa's studio on Rampart Street in New Orleans in 1957…..

I went to last week's Regional Arts and Culture Council's State of the Arts presentation. If I had realized I could have signed up to speak, I would have. I had to leave a little early, but I didn't hear anyone from the music community or the writing community talk about how truly tragically crappy things are right now.

I would have told them what it's like to have words and music to create and be alone in the forest with no one to hear them.

I will post what would have been my words to the City Council and the Mayor next time.

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HEAR ROB SCHEPS TALK ABOUT HIS BIG BAND, ETC.

On a brighter note... Since I'm writing this on Wednesday afternoon and the concert is tonight, all I can tell you is what he told me on the radio last Saturday night…which was a lot. Of course it was a lot….it was ROB SCHEPS!



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HEAR A TUNE FROM THE NEW QUADRAPHONNES ALBUM!

I have this image of the four of them blitzing every possible location all at the same time to get the word out about their new album Music To Watch Girls By" The CD release is Friday, March 27 at Jimmy Mak's.

I went nuts and played 3 or 4 tracks from the album last week on the radio and I'll have Mary Sue Tobin and Chelsea Luker on the show at 10:20pm this Saturday. The first time I listened to the album, this tune jumped out at me and gave me a kiss…An Astor Piazzola Tango Suite.

They told me I could let you in on it:



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THAT WOMAN YOU SEE TAKING PICTURES AT JAZZ AND BLUES CONCERTS ALL THE TIME

.....is Brandy Kayzakian Rowe who runs the Wandering Gypsy Soul Studio at 625 NW Everett St #109.

Here's one she took of Ben Darwish at his recent CD release at Jimmy Mak's

 

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SOME PEOPLE HAVE ALL THE LUCK

Not only is trombonist Stan Bock going get to go to to Hawaii next week, but he's landed a bunch of gigs there too. Talk about having your cake and eating it.

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THIS JUST IN FROM AUSTIN

Ace publicist Alex Steineger reports, "I have six clients playing SxSW this year:

Blind Pilot:An exemplary bit of minimalist melancholy . . . . the album is a new favorite around here - working in the same areas as the Shins or Death Cab for Cutie, but with a more homespun, folk feel." - iTunes (Song of the Week 7/8/08)

The Lonely H "The achingly epic vocal and lead piano belongs in a stadium full of bell bottoms and lighters raised heavenward." MSNBC
"Taut live shows swirled with swank three-part vocal harmonies earned the band a 'don't miss this' reputation." SPIN
"Truly infectious old-school rock n' roll." The New York Post
"Talk about overachievers." CMJ

The Slants: Chinatown dance-rock

Sweet Water: Clear the Tarmac" is the band's first record in nine years, and fifth full-length overall. A collection of ten new songs, Sweet Water proves they haven't slowed down or lost their ability to play loud and hard, all while showcasing their growth and diversity. Creating a record that is as much guitar-rock as it is psychedelic, Brit-pop, and power-pop influenced: think big hooks, charged melodies, plenty of rock momentum, and a wiser, more emotional lyrical bite.

Hillstomp: Drawing heavily from north Mississippi trance blues, a bit from the hills of Appalachia and stealing energy from punkabilly, Portland, Oregon duo Hillstomp create a raucous hill country blues stomp with a fiery youth and vigor. It comes clanging and tumbling out of an assortment of vintage mics, buckets, cans and BBQ lids drenched in rambunctious slide guitar.

And Two Cow Garage:

Ok Alex, we're expecting a full report…or what you can remember.

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JEFF LORBER IN TOWN THIS SATURDAY WITH PATRICK LAMB
PATRICK LAMB

Lorber has a lot of fans and he doesn't get to town very often. Patrick is psyched about the gig. It's Saturday, March 21 at Jimmy Mak's

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I REALLY DON'T MEAN TO MENTION ANDREW OLIVER IN EVERY FCKN BLOG BUT…..

….but he has a new band ever single week, seems like. He writes:

Well, it's Spring Break which means that Tyson Stubelek is back from Boston for a week, just enough time for another live incarnation of Red Fish::Blue Fish, our experimental electro-groove jazz-pop project. Two people, lots of instruments, a tablecloth I picked up in Sierra Leone, and a loop station! Don't miss it, Tyson won't be back in town until June. More info here.

TYSON STUBELEK: drums, cymbals, vocals, percussion, loop station ::::
ANDREW OLIVER: keyboards, cello, trumpet, harmonium, kora, backup vocals, backup percussion, loop station. Saturday, March 21, Mizz Pizz.

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"24/7": 24 CONCERTS IN ONE DAY TO MARK SEVEN YEARS OF WAR

This is very special and very free. 24 hours of live music at Weiden + Kennedy Auditorium featuring dozens of Portland musicians from 7pm Saturday March 21 to 7pm Sunday March 22.

The list of musicians is breathtaking. Do NOT MISS THIS.

Find out all the info here.

Since I get off the radio at 2am Saturday (ok Sunday), and since I'm always still wired I hope to see you at 2:40am for :

2:00 a.m. -- Michele Mariana, jazz vocalist with Reece Marshburn, piano

3:00 a.m. --Portland Cello Project, Doug Jenkins, artistic director

4:00 a.m. -- Thomas Lauderdale program

Thomas Lauderdale at 4am. Think about that for a moment.

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FOR STRUMMERS ONLY

Kate Power and Steve Einhorn are holding a Song Circle class…four Mondays beginning April 13.

Here's what some people who took previous classes actually said about them, "It unlocked the mysteries of making music for me." "The setting is so welcoming and non-threatening. It was nice being treated like a peer even though I'm new at this." "I loved the warm-ups, exercises and learning techniques." "Learning to listen in new ways brought balance into my music making." "Learning about dynamics and phrasing transformed my singing." "I liked stretching and learning new songs with the group." "I was out of my comfort zone and LOVED every minute of it!" "Suddenly I'm writing songs. That's a first!" "This class changed my life."

Geeze.

$50 per session (4 classes). Limited Seats! Email folks@qualityfolk.com or call 503-331-1994.

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AND IF YOU WANT TO BLOW IT ALL OUT AND GET IN FREE…..

Saturday, March 28 at Rotture they're throwing Hard Times, a free dance party with Rude Dudes, Girfriend and Lifepartner.

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Pass this blog on!
…and leave a comment!!!

Listen to my KMHD show on Saturday nights 10pm-2am. Jazz till 12 and then The Bar opens at Midnight! Studio line 503-661-8900…call me sometime, it gets lonely out there!

Email me at tvdpdx@gmail.com