only rock ’n roll
(an occasional series)
The Dirtbombs, “Stop,” New Jersey (Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park), c. 2007
Vodpod videos no longer available.Anybody can play in tune.
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lagniappe
reading table
welcoming in loads
of new year’s rain . . .
trashy house—Kobayashi Issa (1763-1827), trans. David G. Lanoue
kaleidoscopic, adj. 1. changing form, pattern, color, etc., in a manner suggesting a kaleidoscope. 2. continually shifting from one set of relations to another. E.g., the music of the Art Ensemble of Chicago.
Art Ensemble of Chicago (Roscoe Mitchell, saxophone; Joseph Jarman, saxophone; Lester Bowie, trumpet; Malachi Favors, bass; Don Moye, drums), live, Europe, 1980s
Part 1
One of my all-time favorite musicians—no matter the instrument, no matter the genre—is the guy playing bass. If I’m feeling down, he lifts me up. If I’m feeling good, he makes things even better.
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Part 2
Vodpod videos no longer available.How many trumpeters play so many different colors?
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Part 3
Vodpod videos no longer available.***
Part 4
Vodpod videos no longer available.***
Part 5
Vodpod videos no longer available.***
Part 6
Vodpod videos no longer available.Avant-garde? Their use of polyphony recalls the earliest New Orleans jazz.
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Part 7
Vodpod videos no longer available.How many musicians not only roam so widely but swing so hard?
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lagniappe
more
Art Ensemble of Chicago with Fontella Bass, “Theme de Yoyo” (1970)
More? Here.
serendipity
an occasional series
The other night, while I was listening to WFMU-FM, this jumped out.
Mikey Erg, “Key of C, Fix It, Fix It, Stop” (2011)
*****
lagniappe
more
“Pray For Rain”
Take 1
The Ergs! (2005)
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Take 2
Mikey Erg, live, Fest 9 (Gainesville, Florida), 2010
Vodpod videos no longer available.sui generis, adj. A person or thing that is unique, in a class by itself. E.g., Anthony Braxton, composer, reed player, professor, MacArthur “genius” grant winner, one-time professional chess hustler.
Happy (Belated 66th) Birthday, Anthony!
(born June 4, 1945)
Anthony Braxton with his 12+1tet, Ghost Trance Music
New York (Iridium), 2008
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lagniappe
musical thoughts
I wanted to live. I wanted to be alive. This experience goes by very quickly. Part of the radiance of a moment, in my opinion, involves that which we call music.
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Suddenly, Coltrane solos become the “it” of music, when in fact, the records and the notated solos are the sonic footprints, the bone structure of what actually happened in the music.
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I wanted a system that would be equal to the dynamics of curiosity. I wanted to have a music where I could have some fun.
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There is the wonderful discipline of music and the ability of music to keep on opening up fresh prospects. I must say, what a discipline!
—Anthony Braxton
scenes from New Orleans
an occasional series
Neville Brothers (with Irvin Mayfield, trumpet)
“Indian Red,” live, New Orleans (Jazz Fest), 5/8/11
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lagniappe
art beat
Lance Rosenfield, New Orleans, 2/5/08 (young Mardi Gras Indian preparing for his first Mardi Gras with the Wild Magnolias)
favorites
(an occasional series)
She’s going to be a big star someday.
Nneka, live
Vodpod videos no longer available.(Originally posted 2/15/11.)
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It used to be that music came from a particular place. No more. Whether it’s Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi (the Iranian saxophonist who’s lived in Germany, in Japan, and now in New York City [2/18/10]), or Burkina Electric (whose members come from Burkina Faso, from Germany, and from New York City [by way of Austria] [2/22/10]), or this singer, who’s lived (and has homes) in Nigeria and in Germany, much of today’s most intriguing music has its ears and heart and feet on more than one continent.
Nneka, “Heartbeat”
Take 1: recording/video
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Take 2: live, Philadelphia, 2009
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Take 3: J. Period Remix, featuring Talib Kweli
(Originally posted 2/27/10.)
Today we remember him with a mix of new clips and old favorites.
Gil Scott-Heron, April 1, 1949-May 27, 2011
new clips
“The Bottle,” live, Jamaica (Montego Bay, Reggae Sunsplash), 1983
Cool Runnings: The Reggae Movie (1983)
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“We Almost Lost Detroit,” live, Austria (Vienna), 2010
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Interview, England (London), 2010
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old favorites
Here’s a voice I didn’t know if I’d ever hear again.
Gil Scott-Heron, I’m New Here (out this week)
“Where Did The Night Go” (Gil Scott-Heron)
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“Me And The Devil” (Robert Johnson)
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lagniappe
I’ve had bad times in my life when I’d rather be somewhere else doing something else, for sure. But you get to my age, that shit happens. You get in trouble; you maybe lose some folks—a parent or a friend. Maybe your marriage breaks up, you lose your wife, lose touch with your kid. But what life does not have those things in it?—Gil Scott-Heron (in yesterday’s Guardian)
(Orignially posted 2/8/10.)
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I’m the person I see least of over the course of my life, and even what I see is not accurate.
—Gil Scott-Heron (New Yorker, 8/9/2010 [Alec Wilkinson, “New York Is Killing Me”])
Gil Scott-Heron, “I’m New Here” (2010)
(Originally posted 8/24/10.)
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It’s a remix world.
Gil Scott-Heron, “New York Is Killing Me” (2010), Chris Cunningham remix
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lagniappe
Here’s the original track, followed by a couple more remixes.
Vodpod videos no longer available.***
With Nas
Vodpod videos no longer available.***
With Mos Def
Vodpod videos no longer available.**********
langiappe
musical thoughts
In the dark times, will there also be singing? Yes, there will be singing. About the dark times.
—Bertolt Brecht
(Originally posted 12/16/10.)
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langiappe
remembrances
Richard Russell (XL Recordings; produced and released GSH’s last album)
The doors to this church—the church of gospel music—are always open.
You don’t need to believe anything to enter. All you need are ears to hear.
Brooklyn All-Stars (featuring Joe Yawn), “No Cross, No Crown,” live
More? Here.
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lagniappe
reading table
even the pine tree
I planted grows old!
autumn dusk—Kobayashi Issa, 1803 (trans. David G. Lanoue)
Tired of the same ol’ same ol’?
Glenn Branca Ensemble, live, New York (The Kitchen), 1995; Symphony No. 8 (“The Mystery” [1992]), Symphony No. 10 (“The Mystery, Part 2” [1994])
Got some headphones? This should be played loud.
More? How ’bout a (terrific) live performance, recorded yesterday at Barcelona’s Primavera Sound Festival? Go to WFMU-FM; click, under “Recently added archives” (lower left corner), “5/27/11: Live Broadcasts and Special Events”—Branca starts at 2:05.
Still more? Here.
scenes from New Orleans
(an occasional series)
Small room, deep pocket.
George Porter (bass), Ivan Neville (vocals, keyboards), June Yamagishi (guitar), Johnny Vidacovich (drums), with guest Corey Glover (vocals)
“Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,” live, New Orleans (Maple Leaf Bar), 5/4/11
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lagniappe
musical thoughts
Johnny Vidacovich, New Orleans drummer & teacher (Brian Blade, Stanton Moore, et al.), playing and talking (street rhythms, clave, New Orleans drummers, drum tree, etc.)
#1 (clinic)
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#2 (with Stanton Moore)
More Johnny V? Here.
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radio
Today and tomorrow, from 3 p.m. to midnight (EST), WFMU-FM will be broadcasting live sets from Barcelona’s Primavera Sound Festival—Pere Ubu, Swans, Animal Collective, et al.
