While turkey is sure to be the delicious main course many of us will enjoy this week, OurStage urges you not to confuse the feathered friend with the country (whose music has inspired this week’s Model U.N.) The Republic of Turkey, previously of the Ottoman Empire, is a Eurasian country stretching across parts of Western Asia and southeastern Europe. With it’s unique geography (Istanbul is the only city in the world which lies on two continents) it’s no surprise the area boasts a richly colored culture and history. The Trojan War and the infamously deceptive Trojan Horse, Homer and King Midas are just a few of the best known “Greek” legends native to Turkey. Not only is this historical Mediterranean country known for its love of apple tea and ornate rugs, its music scene is also eclectic and noteworthy. Here on OurStage, we have quite a few jazz artists, instrumental experts and rockers representing their Turkish homeland. Make sure you check out all Turkey has to offer; musically and on your Thanksgiving table.
Continue reading ‘OurStage Model U.N: Turkey’
Tag Archive for 'jazz'
India and B. Rhyan of Astronauts of Antiquity are kind of like Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan from When Harry Met Sally—emphasis on kind of. If Meg Ryan was a seductive lounge songstress and Billy Crystal a virtuosic guitarist, the analogy would be much more accurate. As the pillars of AoA, the pair initially crossed paths at an airport while India was Continue reading ‘Omnivore’s Delight 8: Astronauts of Antiquity’
The concept of a desert island disc is a bit far fetched. To begin, how the hell are you going to play an album if you are stranded on a desert island with no food, protection or life essentials, none the less electricity! I contemplated titling this post something similar to Rob’s “Top Five” lists from High Fidelity but that is another tricky endeavor. My tastes are always changing and the constant influx of new albums into my collection means old favorites continue to get bumped in favor of fresh slabs of wax. Simply put, it is impossible for me to create a condensed and small list of favorite albums. There are just too many. But for the sake of turning on readers to incredible masterpieces of music, I opted for desert island because if I were stranded with no help in sight, the raw power of Danser’s Inferno Creation One LP would keep me sane until help arrived.
Danser's Inferno LP
The back of the album states “Composer-arranger John Danser had an idea: combine the wildness of a hard-rock rhythm section with the structured harmonies of a brass choir.” Danser, who is credited with composing and arranging all the musical material on the album along with playing the tenor sax, amplified clarinet and flute, certainly had a keen ear for varied musical styles and was working under the radar in the music scene of the 1960s while attending the Manhattan School of Music. His network of the top New York musicians must have been expansive for he recruited a total of nine proficient brass instrumentalists to play on the album, with four solely representing on the trumpet and flugelhorn.
One of the reasons that Creation One is such a powerful album is the straightforwardness of its complexity. With its stunning horn arrangements, talented cast of completely unknown musicians and the booming vocals of an unknown singer by the name of Randy Maddison, one can wrap their hands around the sound. There is no over the top production or indications of overdubbing and post production tomfoolery- Just a hot and tasty platter filled with influences of jazz, rock, funk, soul, latin and orchestral epics.
“Sunday Morning,” the album’s dynamic opener, is a superb debut for a disc that shows a highly skilled ensemble of musicians coexisting harmoniously. The vocals are in top form on the track, hitting notes from low whispers to emotional cries of exuberance. This formula is heard throughout the disc as the band also spreads their sound in rising crests of rhythm, interchanging effortlessly between quiet passages and hard driving grooves.
1975 Reissue of Creation One
“Sombre Guitar” is the album’s most notable song in the wax community. Serious diggers who have unearthed this disc have catapulted this track into legendary status on compilations, mixes and live sets. Its latin-boogie flair makes for prime needle dropping during any funky set of music to get people down on the dance floor. “Inferno” is by far the most aptly named track on the disc for its backbone of congas and drums set a fierce tone as the horns flare up with intense peaks meant to scorch all who partake of the listening journey. The frenzied ticking of the organ and the guitar is finally heard in the foreground as the vocals bow out from this cut to allow for instrumental mayhem.
The momentum obtained on the A-Side is significant but the flip of this record further substantiates its desert island status. “Turning the Corner” is a flawless effort that runs the gamut from upbeat, poppier rock to straight up funk and soul grooves. The brass compositions are absolutely stellar and on par with some of the best heard in symphony halls around the world. The unique addition of these complex arrangements to rhythms rooted in rock and jazz is an incredible feat that only further showcases Danser’s talented ability. As for “Love, Rhythm of the World,” this is one of those songs that elicit goose bumps on my spine when Danser and his ensemble set the mood to allow the vocalist room to exhale an energetic and emotional repetition of the title on the track, tucked away at the end of the tune.
Creation One is a truly extraordinary album that can be listened to without interruption for each track offers incredible examples of talent at its finest. It’s an unprecedented record from the early 1970’s that has been raised to holy grail status in the digging world. A small, independent label repressed the album in 1975, only two years after its initial debut, but that is also hard to come by in today’s used vinyl market. I recently discovered that CDBaby.com has the entire album remastered and available for download and Amazon.com has a pre-order available for an Import release in November. It seems John Danser’s music is finally becoming accessible to the general public after decades of dormancy.
WFMU: The Biggest Record Show In The Country!
Looking to snag an original copy of this highly recommended LP? Well, the largest record show in the United States is coming to Manhattan TOMORROW! Come bump elbows and dig through crates with thousands upon thousands of record hungry customers being fed their fix of vinyl from hundreds of dealers. I’ve been hawking wax at the WFMU Record Fair for six years and counting and anticipate its yearly arrival more than my own birthday. Thinking of coming out to the event? Come by my booth and say hello. I am located directly next to the bar so you can grab a drink and maybe peruse my crates of hand selected, freshly picked platters of the finest nature. Looking for your own copy of Danser’s Inferno? I will never part with this sacred disc (remember, I need to keep it in case I get stranded on a desert island) but a little hustling, hunting and bargaining might get you an original copy from another dealer for under five hundred. Or just download the mp3s but promise you’ll buy a copy on vinyl if it gets a proper reissue.
Here is a link for all the information one needs about attending:
WFMU Record Fair 2009
Keep Digging For Holy Grails
-Gregorious-
P.S.- I paid fifty cents for my copy and it was the best two quarters I ever spent.
Home of: Louis Armstrong, Jerry Lee Louis, Jelly Roll Morton, Wynton Marsalis, Britney Spears, Mute Math, Cowboy Mouth, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Master P, The Neville Brothers, Dr. John, Ellen DeGeneres,
Fun Facts: State flower; magnolia, state songs; “Give Me Louisiana” and “You Are My Sunshine,” state bird; eastern brown pelican
The Venues:
Three blocks from the Mississippi River in the French Quarter of New Orleans stands Preservation Hall. Originally built as a private residence in 175o, the Hall has served as a sanctuary for New Orleans Jazz since 1961. Jazz fans flock to Preservation Hall to hear both veteran New Orleans Jazz players and up-and-coming musicians.
The Howlin’ Wolf is more than just a club named after a famous bluesman. With locations in New Orleans and Mandeville, and past performances by Foo Fighters, Steve Winwood, Ozomatli, Arturo Sandoval, Harry Connick Jr., Allison Krauss and more, the venue also manages time for a non-profit division that has raised tens of thousands of dollars for charity as well as a management arm that represents the renowned Rebirth Brass Band.
Music fans from all over will be heading to City Park in New Orleans this Halloween weekend for the 11th annual Voodoo Experience music festival. Voodoo is known for its diverse lineup, combining the best of national and local artists of all genres and this year’s line up is no exception: KISS, Jane’s Addiction, Ween, Lenny Kravitz, The Flaming Lips and Brand New will be sharing the stage with Silversun Pickups, Beausoleil, Lil Brian & The Zydeco Travelers, Parliament, New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars and Quintron and Miss Pussycat. Oh and Eminem will be making his only 2009 live appearance at this year’s Voodoo Experience.
The Music:
Jealous Monk – New Orleans’ Jealous Monk combine old school hip hop with New Orleans funk. MCs Intelligence and Jermaine Quiz rhyme over a live band featuring Dirty Dozen Brass Band founding member Kirk Joseph on sousaphone and a revolving door of the area’s best musicians. They’ve even funked up hip hop’s signature turntables, adding wah-wahs, delays and distortions. Get a taste of New Orleans with “Black Magic” from their album Sun Up to Moon Down. Check out Sam C.’s Q&A with Jealous Monk’s Jermaine Quiz here.
Julie Odell – In “Cast Us Your Wishes” from her 2008 release I Put My Treasures In My Pocket, Julie Odell’s sweet voice floats effortlessly over her whimsical piano arrangements. It is nearly impossible to believe that this track, as well as the rest of the album, were recorded while Julie was still in high school. Julie’s new project Giant Cloud will be showcasing at New York City’s Union Hall as part of the Park The Van CMJ Showcase.
Dirtfoot – Synthesis.net describes Shreveport’s Dirtfoot as a blend of Nick Cave, The Gourds, Old Crow Medicine Show and Mr. Bungle. The band calls their unique melange of musical styles “Gypsy Punk Country Grumble Boogie.” While all of their instruments are acoustic —guitar, banjo, upright bass, pots n’ pans, drums, bells, saxophone, xylophone and more—they have the energy level of the loudest plugged-in bands. “Footsteps” is full of complicated rhythms and unhinged, howl-at-the-moon vocals.
Check out these acts and other great Louisiana artists in the playlist below!
Who are your favorite OurStage Louisianans? Where do you like to see live music in Louisiana? Let us know in the comments!
In my ideal world, everyone would have access to a vinyl press in their own backyard. Cutting discs would be as easy as ripping a CD. Until this happens, I will be digging each month in the OurStage archives to bestow three artists upon you whose music I would love to hear on vinyl.
SIX STRINGS AND A PIECE OF WOOD
Six Strings and a Piece of Wood
It’s a pleasure to discover new music that does more than aurally satisfy. Listening to music that summons emotions, paints exquisite landscapes and speaks louder than words without uttering a single one is truly an uplifting experience. Radomir Vasiljevic and Goran Kulic, two accomplished musicians hailing from the former Yugoslavia who capture this essence under the moniker Six Strings and a Piece of Wood, compose truly captivating songs that are drawn from the deep recesses of creativity and inspiration. They piece together intricate compositions that revolve around the beauty of the guitar with the occasional addition of the accordion and violin.
“Chardaq,” with its soft, dreamy melody evokes a carefree feeling of walking on clouds as the world revolves below. Tracks like “Paralamera” and “Salsalata,” which stir up a more flamenco and salsa flair, showcase a stronger, danceable rhythm as one is whisked away to a sun drenched beach where music never ceases playing. These songs, along with the rest of the catalog, conjure such profound and distinct images in the listener’s mental cavities and represent creation of music that is meant to be experienced and not simply heard.
Justin Hellman
Critics have long claimed that jazz is dead. Looking back, the genre has never really been able to return to the heights it achieved in the late 1950s and 1960s, although countless musicians have been flying under the radar for years since then recording brilliant, yet commercially overlooked, music. But when a cat like Justin Hellman starts plucking away at an upright bass while the cool and collected vibes of Eric Vogler compliment him on the guitar, the ensuing sound crushes criticism of jazz music’s supposed death. The quartet represented on his current recordings excel at layering their respective instruments in a flawless pattern, where neither outshines one another—yet they all showcase their talents effortlessly. Hellman stands out for commandeering his upright bass to create a deep, resonant sound while the nature of his tracks run a straightforward gamut of clean and crisp compositions that maintain a consistent groove. Although the recordings represented online are digital mp3s (an audiophile’s nightmare), they are extremely well produced and mastered, making the decision of pressing a 180 gram LP a natural step for Hellman.
Similar to the nature of jazz musicians from decades prior, Hellman plays with and performs in various ensembles. His current project featured here consists of a semi-rotating lineup of talented musicians who all add a unique perspective and skill set to the songs. Check out his other endeavors, Sugar Shack and Plum Crazy, on OurStage for Hellman’s explorations into more groove-oriented sounds.
Delta Highway
Delta Highway embodies what I love about blues music so much. Having been a fan of the genre for many years, I crave the raw, gritty and traditional notes that gave birth to that sound. My upbringing on 1960s culture and music, on the other hand, made my ears keen to all the young musicians like Mike Bloomfield and Paul Butterfield—who helped shape and recreate the genre by injecting it with a new life. Similar to the current state of jazz in today’s market, blues has waned in popularity, but Delta Highway and front man Brandon Santini’s expressive harmonica hooks prove that the amount of talent still brewing in this genre is quite strong. Every track represented on their OurStage profile shows this combo at their best, laying down hard rhythms that give a nod to the past and inject a burst of contemporary edge courtesy of an experienced troupe of musicians. “We Got a Thing Goin’ On” and “23 Hours,” being two stellar examples of the group’s musical prowess, truly show the group playing their hearts out.
Delta Highway’s music is meant to be heard live where one can ingest a heavy dose of raucous talent on stage. But for the songs that invoke the spirit of dirty and traditional blues progressions, like the soulful track “Feelin’ Bad,” put on some headphones, grab yourself a smoke and pour a drink as you turn up the stereo for an optimal listening session.
Keep Digging!
