Grey Boy All Stars- The Fillmore

A friend of mine was kind enough to get comp tickets to see the Grey Boy All Stars at the Fillmore. I've been a fan of Karl Denson for quite some time (The Bridge is a great record if you're curious). My sources tell me that Mr. Denson is partially responsible for Lenny Kravitz's make a great hook and exploit the hell out it songwriting style. (They toured together in the 90s)



The area around the Fillmore has changed quite a bit in the three years since I was there... it's an amazing venue! The room has about 1200 capacity that sounds and feels like a renovated movie theater. I guess the show only sold about 800 tickets- but the room felt full of energy and there was plenty of room for dancing hippies.

Grey Boy All Stars consist of professional musicians (I knew about the Grey Kid and Karl D before going to the show) who write funky jazz-influenced grooves. I was particularly fond of the version of 'How Glad I Am' which was totally different from what I'm familiar with on their CD.

Many thanks to my friend for getting me on the list- I would have paid the ticket price just to see this show! Judging by the crowd, it could have been publicized better on jambase (or, perhaps there were other shows of a similar genre playing in SF that night)

Karl Denson
Grey Boy All Stars
How Glad I Am
Jam Base
The Fillmore

Horsefeathers- Bottom of the Hill

I went to Bottom of the Hill again to see Horsefeathers play. I love that venue... it sounds great, and the people I went with are the sort of people with high energy and so much to talk about. Since we were having so much fun, it took a while to get to the club.

Even with our lagging, we caught plenty of the opening band (TV Mike and the Scarecrows?)... who were in my opinion, awful. Most of their songs featured guitar picking that weighed heavily on the beat (though, the lap-steel was a nice touch). Their singer (in what I am sure was an attempt to sound like Neil Young) sang only through his nose about something deep and heart felt nobody in the audience could be bothered to listen to.
I think this was an instance of good musicians who did not have a good combination when playing together...

Then, finally, after what seemed an extremely long set change, Horsefeathers! I was excited to see this guy/ band play. For one, I think Horsefeathers is a great band name- the word flows so smoothly off of the tongue, and I've heard good things about them. Their setup is pretty simple a singer with a guitar, a drummer, and a string section! I loved the instrumentation, the singer's voice was full of emotion soothed by his accompaniment... the musicians harmonized with each other beautifully. All of this, and my unfortunate inability to understand the singer's lyrics lulled me into a very sleepy place. I'll admit I left a little bit early, but I had very sweet dreams that night!


Note: This video is a good recording done in a living room- not at Bottom of the Hill

here is a sample of Horsefeathers for bed time
Bottom of the Hill is a great venue

Hockey- Bottom of the Hill

I went to Bottom of the Hill last night to see a band, Hockey perform. The show was sold out, the venue sounded amazing, and the band had incredible stage presence. I really enjoyed seeing a trendy indie show with simple, layered melodies (and catchy click tracks) that came through clear as a bell on the venue's PA.
There was one thing that I noticed, though.... Hockey cannot end a song. Every song made the crowd want to rock and sway, but when it came time to end the song the band would drop the beat and the great groove they established would suddenly stop. I loved the simple blues structures- and the singer is talented as hell. I hope somebody teaches them the value of an ending (ii V I) cadence, and soon because I would love to see them perform again.

Check out future shows at Bottom of the Hill
Hockey's website
Their big song, Too Fake on youtube (note: I tried to include a music video sample but EMI has blocked embedding)

Ending Cadences

Book a band for your next house party

Thanks to KCRW, Los Angeles I came across a website that will help you book a band for your event. Or, conversely if you are a musician looking to play a gig somewhere you can do that ("unplugged"). The website is full of singer-songwriters who've recorded an EP on their computer- they could use a few piano players, but the concept is stellar!

Concerts in your Home makes it easy to search for a band you would like to match with a party by searching keywords or browsing pictures.
I came across one or two "Top Artists" worth listening to- but their search engine could be better. Paul Manousos was pretty cool- I was in a Tom Petty mood that day, though.
Cee Cee James sings the blues with great feeling and types in a lot of 'quotation' marks.

Artists can't afford to tour with a full band anymore... websites like this give touring opportunities to troubadours to book a tour.

Good Bye 2009

Hello!

I have neglected you, dear blog. It's a terrible habit, my only excuse is that I just moved to San Francisco! I am still attempting to get a feel for the music scene in the area, so I'm going to make up for lost time by sharing this music video by Oren Lavie, Her Morning Elegance. It was just nominated for a Grammy, I think you can see why.



The songwriter, Oren Lavie, is an Israeli Director who "enjoys squeezing big worlds into small spaces." His unique way of doing that on a bed may well earn him a Grammy... I just hope he stays around long enough to make one of his other songs into a video. Judging by his myspace, Oren is currently in Los Angeles playing at Hotel Cafe.

Preserving America's Historical Instruments

I am headed to the Bay this weekend to check out a wonderful shop (in the Westfield Mall on Market) that restores antique pianos to their original quality. I love the idea of preserving historical artifacts in their top condition.

If you're in another city, no problem. The website revolves around educating patrons on the different pianos that they specialize in maintaining.

The Antique Piano Shop

Discount Tickets to Kalil Wilson's next gig!

Anybody who appreciates opera (and lives in the Bay Area) will want to know about Kalil Wilson. He truly has the voice of an angel, and I encourage you to look into his music. You will not be disappointed.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13th, 8 PM
OAKLAND EAST BAY SYMPHONY
Opening Concert: "Night at the Opera"
Music from the World's Grandest Operas
Oakland Paramount Theater



with Tenor KALIL WILSON
Soprano HOPE BRIGGS, Bass-Baritone Joshua Bloom,
Soprano Heidi Moss, Baritone Brian Leerhuber, Tenor AJ Glueckert,
Mezzo-Soprano Lori Willis, Baritone Zachary Gordin,
The Oakland Symphony Chorus, The Oakland-East Bay Gay Men's Chorus
SPECIAL TICKET OFFER 20% OFF
(Click above and enter Promo Code 'SAVE20')
Call Ticketmaster 800-745-3000 or visit the Paramount Box Office

"Kalil Wilson brings a silken tenor sound and an
engaging stage presence." - HARVEY STEIMAN, ASPEN TIMES
"An extraordinarily gifted singer with a fierce dramatic
intensity, his musical instincts unerring, his natural musicality
impressive. His tone is radiant and passionate."
- IAN KROUSE, CHAIR, UCLA DEPT. OF MUSIC
"The biggest surprise was tenor Kalil Wilson.
His beautiful lyric voice was a joy to hear--superbly executed."
- RALPH ANDREWS, LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS
"Kalil Wilson's focused, Italianate tenor was a treat."
- SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE
"A powerful young American tenor." - LA.COM

Kalil Wilson's New CD release of
Beloved Jazz Standards Reinterpreted


now available at
www.cdbaby.com
www.KalilWilson.com

Movie Screening!

Pirate Radio
What: A movie that looks really good about a British radio station on a boat.
Why: Rock n'Roll music, Pirate Ships, and England.
When: Nov. 12. Thurs., 7:30 p.m.
Where: Landmark Theatre, 10850 W. Pico Blvd., at Westwood Blvd., West L.A.


R.S.V.P. to pirateradio@43kix.com.
Sorry, space is limited. Seats available on a first-come, first-served basis to those who R.S.V.P.

thanks to Daily Candy for the idea

Willie Nelson, and why Country/Reggae is a brilliant idea.

Country music will win me over. I don't mean the processed pop stuff, but the bluesy, authentic, rebellious Country Music. I love that with three or four verses a writer can create a complex story with characters I truly feel for.

I've always liked Willie Nelson because he got his start writing songs for others ("Crazy" for Patsy Cline, "Night Life" for Ray Price) but was so good at doing his job he was able to cross over into success on his own (thanks to his version of "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain")



Willie (as I like to call him) has managed to stay in the public eye for decades as a songwriter, performer, actor, and activist. He's pretty vocal about the importance of adopting a sustainable way of life, and why sweet sensimilia sings to him... one has to admire his honesty (unless you're the government). In fact, he was one of the first artists to put together a 'Green Tour' where they used solar lights, and offset their carbon footprint by planting trees.

Here's where he gets REALLY interesting to me. In 2004 he released a (delayed) country/ reggae album, and has since established himself in the World Music community. At first I balked at the idea of hippies and hicks collaborating musically... but the more I listen, the more it makes sense. Both genres focus on the plight of every man, and both genres are able to reach a global audience to whom they express their politics, enthusiasm, and good vibes.

I tried to make a mix to test out my country + reggae idea out, and I would encourage anybody else to, as well.

Willie Nelson on Imeem
Willie's Website

my country/reggae mix

Bobby McFerrin blows my mind

World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale from World Science Festival on Vimeo.

Bobby McFerrin fascinates me. He's already known for being a brilliant and innovative vocalist. This video left me thinking that I want Bobby to be my buddy.

Oh, and, the audience must have been full of musicians or this would have never worked.

Reliving College

Watson 349 is a rock/ reggae band from Chico, California. I went to their show in Oceanside for the bartender's birthday. They've got catchy songs, the drummer sings, and they do a good job writing songs together.

The thing that makes them special, is that I used to play music with them (at different times). It was so lovely to see my old friends... they certainly did a good job getting the party started!

Watson 349

She moves an audience to tears with grains of sand

This is long and dramatic... but oh, so beautiful!

The Mighty Boosh

My college room mate turned me onto a new BBC show called The Mighty Boosh.... on this show they come up with a new style of music, 'crimping'.

I think it's incredibly creative, and therefore awesome.

here's a crimp:

Firsts

I am excited to start my official endeavor into the blogosphere. Welcome to my world.