Music In The Key Of Oscar

Watching the documentary movie Music In The Key Of Oscar, which has footage of Oscar Peterson and his classic jazz trio with Ray Brown and Herb Ellis. I'm taken with how each of these musicians helped shape my life...Oscar's "Sound Of The Trio" was the first album I owned that made me really want to play jazz; Ray Brown was the guy that made me want to play upright bass; and Herb Ellis' method book was the one that opened up the swing guitar thing for me. Strange that they all played together in the quintessential jazz trio.

Another wonderful thing in this movie is the interviews, which show that these are not only some of the greatest musicians in the world, but that they're intelligent, well-spoken and super nice guys. The obvious affection and respect that they have for each other is incredibly charming, and says a lot about the bonds that form with the right musicians working together. Their reminiscences about traveling as an interracial trio in the deep south, and in the 50s and 60s, are very moving.

Plus, this movie has both vintage and more recent clips of the trio playing, and playing REALLY well! If you have any love of jazz (or even just a bit of curiosity about the genre) this is a treat. If I gave stars for stuff this would have a good-sized galaxy.

Here's a bit of the trio playing in 1958...amazing...

The Merrymakers

It's been said by others before me, in a perfect world The Merrymakers would be a household name, and big stars too...alas, "Bubblegun" was their only American release. It's well worth seeking out though...pure Pop Rock heaven, songs that stay in your head forever (in a good way). The Merrymakers are a musical duo composed of Anders Hellgren and David Myhr, from Sweden, where they must put something in the water I guess to have the kind of Pop songwriting that comes outta there. The melodic content is just so strong, and the production is fantastic...I'm still trying to figure out how they've managed to get their choruses to sound so darn big!
Hellgren and Myhr are still working together, writing and producing for others in the studio (most notably for Puffy AmiYumi), and threatening periodically to make another Merrymakers CD. I'm still waiting, guys!

Here's a great song and very silly video from the "Bubblegun" CD:

3 Mustaphas 3

3 Mustaphas 3 is a British World music band formed in 1982. Core members are Ben Mandelson (under the name Hijaz Mustapha), Tim Fienburgh (1954-2008) (under the name Niaveti III) Colin Bass (under the name Sabah Habas Mustapha), and Nigel Watson (under the name Houzam Mustapha), around which orbit many other Mustaphas - all supposed to be the nephews of Uncle Patrel Mustapha. They claim to originate from the Balkans, but play music from almost every continent; their slogan, "Forward in all directions!", is an expression of this musical diversity. Active at the end of the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s, they have now stopped producing and performing together, but haven't officially disbanded.

(Thanks to Wikipedia for the above explaination)

...This is a band that really rocked my world in the 80s and early 90s, and still does today! Full of absurdity, humor, and extreme musical eclecticism, they also could seriously kick ass in an amazing number of musical genres. I HIGHLY reccomend seeking out "Heart Of Uncle" to start with (you can get it as a download through Amazon actually), but many other fantastic albums in their catalog await you too. "Can I take it to the fridge?" Hell yeah!

Dracula - Pages From A Virgin's Diary

I watched this movie late last night, as a second feature after Paranormal Activity (a movie so stultifyingly boring that watching paint dry would have been more interesting)...and I found it delightful! Take Bram Stoker's classic story, choreograph it for the Winnipeg Royal Ballet, stir in a score by Gustav Mahler, then bake it as a silent movie a la Jean Cocteau, sprinkle with a little 21st-Century irony courtesy of director Guy Maddin, and viola! A cool instant classic. Perhaps one of the best Dracula movies ever made, and certainly one of the strangest. Renfield, unfortunately, does not have a dance number in it, but it's still great.

The Indestructable Beat Of Soweto

I was originally turned on to South African music by listening to Johnny Clegg on old MTV (Remember when they actually played music? And late night, sometimes cool and obscure stuff)...it inspired me to look further into World Music and South African music especially. Beautiful rhythms and harmonies from a fantastic heritage and a troubled country, which at that time was still under the rule of apartheid. Later I'd go to our local Schookids Records and just find records that looked cool and buy them...so many were so good. This collection was one excellent one! Still available in CD form, and a great introduction to many now Old-School SA styles. Wonderful stuff.

Here's an example of this music working on the youth of America:



Here's another great track from the same record:



And here's that first video from Johnny Clegg that just blew my mind 30+ years ago. I'll have to do a seperate post for his work, but check it out too!

Cake Wrecks

At my house, when I hear insane laughter coming from her office, I can tell that Cynthia is online reading the Cake Wrecks website again. Cake Wrecks is a blog, started by a commercial baker, detailing supposedly professionally-made cakes that have gone horribly, horribly wrong. Many, you just look at in wonderment...but yes, they're real. With very witty commentary from the Cake Wrecks folks, and some examples of really GOOD cakes, too. Go to http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/ for some sweet fun.

Pogo

Pogo is the title and central character of a long-running (1948–1975) daily comic strip created by Walt Kelly and distributed by the Post-Hall Syndicate. Set in the Okefenokee Swamp of the southeastern United States, the strip often engages in social and political satire through the adventures of its anthropomorphic funny animal characters.

Pogo combined both sophisticated wit and slapstick physical comedy in a heady mix of allegory, Irish poetry, literary whimsy, puns and wordplay, lushly detailed artwork, irresistible characters and broad burlesque humor. The same series of strips can be enjoyed on different levels both by young children and by savvy adults. The strip earned Kelly a Reuben Award in 1951.
(Quote from Wikipedia)

...Pogo and his pals shaped my young life in the 50s and early 60s. When I first went to kindergarten I was actually speaking fluent Pogoese, and my teachers were concerned that my language skills were really screwed up. But I was living for a large part in the Okefenokee of my imagination, with Albert Alligator, Howland Owl, Churchy LaFemme and of course Pogo Possum. Re-reading them now, I'm impressed with what good taste I had back then, and how well they entertain in an adult context. They're clever, endearing and funny as hell. Kelly's artwork inspired a slew of other artists, notably the creators of Calvin & Hobbes and Frazz, both of whom owe a lot to him in both line quality and humor. But the original is still the real thing...I feel sorry for Boomers and Later Gens that didn't get a chance to experience Pogo. It's like not getting a vital nutrient early in life. However, there are fortunately lots of reprint collections available! There's still time kids...

Hall Of Douchebags

As a musician myself, I've had to endure many photoshoots for promo pictures. Some were better than others...and so many were sad little projects that went like this: "Let's just go out in the alley during the break and Andy's girlfriend can shoot a shot against the brick wall! It'll look great". Well, it didn't! But some looked pretty funny. Now there's a great website where a huge number of really unfortunate band pics are grouped together, with hilarious and appropriate commentary, at The Hall Of Douchebags. Just go to http://www.rockandrollconfidential.com/hall/
for hours of fun at the expense of all us hapless musicians! I'll have to dig out some of my old shots and donate them...there's some doozys. I should mention that the photo above is NOT my band!

Unknown Hinson

You knows you wantsta go see Unknown Hinson! Troubadour of Country Music, Master of Western Swing and every girls nightmare of Worst Blind Date Ever. Womerns everywhere know Unknown, probly a reason for the sharp increase in deadbolt lock and pepper spray sales. Although some find he has a certain charm. And hey, he really IS a world-class guitarist, baby. Oh, I thinks you'll like this CD, if'n you just give it a chance...

Here's Wiki to explain everything again:

Stuart Daniel Baker, better known by his stage name, Unknown Hinson, is a comedic country musician, songwriter, and voice actor on the Adult Swim cartoon Squidbillies. Baker has carefully cultivated his alter-ego. Much like Andy Kaufman's alter-ego, Tony Clifton, Unknown Hinson never breaks character in public and adamantly denies having any connection to Danny Baker.

Unknown Hinson, dressed in his signature rodeo tailor coat and black ribbon necktie, is a dark parody of the country western stars from the early/mid 20th century. With his glued on sideburns, blacked out front teeth, and dark hair slicked back to reveal a prominent widows peak, he has been referred to as the "hillbilly vampire."
The self-proclaimed "king of country-western troubadours" speaks and sings with an authentic southern drawl, commonly pronouncing words like woman "womern," and window "winder."
Hinson's personality is that of a hell-raising and hard-drinking country western singer with a preference for "party liquor," sexy women, and fine guitars.

Stuart Daniel Baker, a music teacher and studio musician from Albemarle, North Carolina, created his alter-ego for The Wild Wild South, a Charlotte area public-access program that featured comedy sketches and concert footage. Baker along with co-star Don Swan played the characters of Unknown Hinson and Rebel Helms. After Swan's death in 1995, Baker created "The Unknown Hinson Show", a direct spin-off of "The Wild Wild South". The Unknown Hinson Show won Creative Loafing's "Best Of" poll for Best Public-Access Television Show four years in a row.[3]
After the series ended, Baker continued in his role as Unknown Hinson, performing live concerts and releasing several recordings.

...I should mention that in these music clips, Unknown is playing EVERYTHING, all the instruments, backup vocals, the whole deal...

The Triplets Of Belleville

Too good to miss. Another example of a modern director taking animation to a compete other level! Don't let the fact that there's no spoken dialogue keep you from this one, because that in fact only increases its intimacy and charm...but I'll let the pros describe it. It's groundbreaking animation and a movie with an incredible amount of heart. I loved it, really, just go out and get it.

Our gurus and pals (at least till they sue me for copyright infringement) from Wikipedia say:

The Triplets of Belleville (French: Les Triplettes de Belleville) is a Belgium-Quebec-France coproduced 2003 animated surreal adventure film written and directed by Sylvain Chomet. It was released as Belleville Rendez-vous in the United Kingdom. The film is Chomet's first feature film and was an international co-production between companies in France, United Kingdom, Belgium and Canada.

The film features the voices of Michèle Caucheteux, Jean-Claude Donda, Michel Robin, and Monica Viegas; there is little dialogue, the majority of the film story being told through song and pantomime. It tells the story of Madame Souza, an elderly woman who goes on a quest to rescue her grandson Champion, a Tour de France cyclist, who has been kidnapped by the French mafia for gambling purposes and taken to the city of Belleville. She is joined by the triplets of Belleville, music hall singers from the 1930s, who she meets in the city, and her obese hound dog, Bruno.

The film was highly praised by audiences and critics for its unique (and somewhat retro) style of animation. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards — Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for "Belleville Rendez-vous". It was also screened out of competition (hors concours) at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival.

...The trailer here is a visually bit too dark in places, but the film itself is not...

Hayseed Dixie

Strangely enough, I first heard this band while on tour in Germany with Michael Katon. Of course my first reaction was "Absolutely brilliant! Who wouldn't like this?" and I think I was right...Hayseed Dixie has had a great if somewhat Underground career. Take a bunch of really top-class bluegrass studio guys with a love of old rock and roll, and turn them loose on one of the classic rowdy rock bands in history...it works! It works really well. As time's gone on, the boys have branched out from AC/DC into other ventures, with excellent results. The invented back story of the Hayseeds is fairly amusing in itself, I'll post up their video of it here. But really, some very inventive and hilarious music awaits your open ears on this one...

Shriekback

Shriekback...dark heart of my dreams in the 80s. Shamen of the groove, cold fusion of Funk, Rock, World, Techno. Decadent, mystical, scary, pretentious, intriguing, danceable. Really interesting lyrics, thought that then and now...a spinoff from the legendary XTC, from which so much crazy and amazing stuff seems to flow. Most recent release from Shriekback is actually a collaboration between leader Barry Andrews and XTC leader Andy Partridge (who keeps popping up on this blog for some reason). But start your listening, uninitiated ones, with Big Night Music, arguably their most complete triumph. It helps if you have a really high fever, or have just eaten some questionable mushrooms (and I've experienced and enjoyed their music either way), but it isn't really necessary. Do listen to it at night if you can, maybe in a candlelit room with some Absinthe.

Here's a little byte from my pal Wiki:

Shriekback are a rock band formed in 1981 in Kentish Town by Barry Andrews, formerly of XTC and League of Gentlemen (keyboards/synthesizers/vocals), and Dave Allen, formerly of the Gang of Four (bass), with Carl Marsh, formerly of Out On Blue Six (guitars/vocals) soon added to the line-up. They were joined by Martyn Barker on drums in 1983. Other members included: Linda Nevill, Emma Burnham, Brian Nevill, Pedro Ortiz, Claire Hirst, Lu Edmunds, Wendy and Sara Partridge (from Electric Guitars), Steve Halliwell, Even Moon, Ivan Julian, Mike Cozzi, and Jessica Palin/Jose Fina Cupido.

And a taste of Shriekback:

Lawrence Juber

One of my very favorite musicians. Guitarist for Paul McCartney's Wings band, brilliant fingerstyle acoustic soloist, wonderful music educator. Many fantastic albums, these days all acoustic and just amazing. Check it out.

The REAL Beowulf

Sometimes when I'm spending a lot of time in my car I go off to the library and get me some books on tape. I like 'em. Most radio is moronic and irritating, and sometimes I don't want to listen to music anyway. Books on tape are like having someone read you a story as you're driving, which I think is cool. Plus, I often check out things I wouldn't ordinarily read...it's a different format, it just works out that way. This week I'm listening to the original Norse Saga of Beowulf. Translated into English of course, I'm not crazy really. I can hear the ancient rhythms when I listen, sort of imagine what it would be like to be in those old Viking halls listening to some bard laying the story down for the mead-drinking warriors there. Weird and stately stuff, but action-packed as well...Beowulf (the hero, not me) is like the ultimate badass...swimming in the open sea for days at a time, kicking sea monster ass, sailing to Denmark and TEARING THE ARM OFF the giant man-eating demon Grendel, then battling his even bigger and more pissed-off Mom (Grendel's Mom, not Beowulf's), amongst other manly deeds. Not things I would do myself, but pretty cool stuff! Wonder what I'll pick up next...

Agile Guitars

Ever want to rock out on a Les Paul? Ever look at popular Gibson prices and just sigh sadly like a sad sighing thing, resolving to never rock at all? Well, hell, there's hope yet! Rondo Music is selling the Agile line of guitars, with some really beautiful instruments at prices that even destitute fools like me can afford. I know I sound like an ad for Agile here...but I think it's good to know about, if you even play just a little for fun, but you'd like something nice. These are professional musical tools though for sure...solid mahogany bodies, Gotoh tuners, well-made hardware and very good woodworking throughout. I was so impressed that I wound up getting two...a regular Sunburst LP copy and a 12-string LP! Just TRY finding one of those 12-strings. You'd have to go to Gibson's custom shop and spend $5,000 to $7,000 at least. I got mine for under $300.

I think right now we're living in another golden age of guitars. The early Fenders and Gibsons (I'm talking about the early electric era from the late 50s to the early 70s) were amazing, groundbreaking, breathtaking guitars. They still are. And a lot of new Fenders and Gibsons are beautiful too...at least some are. But it's a crapshoot as to quality sometimes, and the prices are now not in a league that many musicians can afford, especially beginners. However nowadays the entry level instruments are MUCH better than in my beginner's days in the 60s, and many, like Agile, Jay Turser, Samick and Cort are producing things that are really really good instruments, things that many professionals are taking out on the road...sometimes just because their prized Gibson is too valuable to risk getting swiped!

Understand this...these Agiles are made in Korea...from my research the guitar builders are paid very well relative to the cost of living there, and there seem to be good working conditions in the shop. I'm all for buying American stuff whenever I can, but Gibson has priced themselves out of my market when a stock Les Paul is $2500 or more...I just don't have that kind of money right now. I bought my sunburst Agile AL 2000 used on Ebay for $150! Now it does have a thicker poly finish (which doesn't seem to affect the tone all that much)...and I did wind up changing the pickups (although I really didn't have to, the originals were pretty good)...but again, the woods and the construction were equal to the originals, and I've played many worse LPs than my little Agile. You may feel differently, but there's my two cents. When my ship comes in and people are flocking to my concerts, maybe then I'll look for a nice older Paul. Some of them are REALLY special. But here in my hand-to-mouth reality, I'll keep playing these. And I won't feel too bad about it either!

Check out these guitars at http://rondomusic.com/ if you've a mind to. I don't get any financial reward (alas) for advocating these guitars, but hey Rondo guys, anytime you wanna send me a free guitar it's OK by me. Maybe one of those 6-String Fretless Basses!

Spirited Away

Let me start by saying that I originally thought I'd start this entry highlighting the director of this film, Hayao Miyazake, but then I figured I'd rather talk up his films one by one, since each is so amazing. First off, Miyazake is a true genius. He's taken a medium (Japanese Animated Film) and spun it into an unbelievable art form. Stay with me, Anime-Phobics and Film Snobs. "Spirited Away" is to, say, "Sailor Moon" or "Simba" what Kobe Beef is to a Whitecastle Slider...a totally different animal. Certainly lots of elements of Anime are interrelated, but Miyazake's films stand apart from the crowd...well, well apart. There's stunning beauty here, fantastic artwork, a film to take you outside of your world into a place you've always wanted to be but didn't know was there. Lots of drama, humor, interesting Japanese culture and folklore, a heroic plot to make Joseph Campbell proud, and a really magical film score as well. If you haven't seen any of Miyazake's work, please see it. Any good video store will have it, or that Netflix thing, or whatever. And once you see it, if you GET it, there's lots more films by the same director. And it's guaranteed to change the way you think about animated film!

Here's a little bit that I stole (O forgive me O copyright Gods) from Wikipedia:

Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し, Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi?, literally, Sen and Chihiro's Spiriting Away) is a 2001 Japanese animated film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film follows a sullen ten-year-old girl who is in the process of moving to a new town (presumably in the countryside) with her family, and chronicles her adventures in a world of spirits and monsters.
The film received many awards, including the second Oscar ever awarded for Best Animated Feature, the first anime film to win an Academy Award, and the first (and so far only) non-English speaking animation to win. The film also won the Golden Bear at the 2002 Berlin International Film Festival (tied with Bloody Sunday) and is among the top ten in the BFI list of the 50 films you should see by the age of 14.
Spirited Away overtook Titanic (At the time the top grossing film worldwide) in the Japanese box office to become the highest-grossing film in Japanese history.

...In this case, the trailer doesn't do the film justice at all, but it's the best I can do...gotta just see this one...