Friday, December 11, 2009

Mouth with Reach- Prisoner Transport

















Escaped.

One of the biggest compliments I can pay musicians is suggesting that I don't know what to make of them. That's certainly the case with Mouth. My first inclination was to dismiss them as a just another jam band. But Mouth deserves better.

The free Escape From the North Pole mix tape (download it here) contains dub, weedy reggae, jazz fusion and yes, jam band noodling. There are also a couple of hip hop collaborations. The obvious delight Reach takes in working with an energetic live band is infectious. Reach is also heard to great effect in this new video.

I've only seen Mouth perform once, but it's not as if they're hard to find. They play the Jazzhaus in Lawrence Saturday and the Beaumont in KC on December 18.

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I love the new Stika Figa video. No glamor. Just Topeka. Talk about keeping in real.

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Mary J. Blige! Sugarland! Tegan and Sara! Emmylou Harris! Brandi Carlile! Erykah Badu! I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm excited about the 2010 edition of Lilith Fair.

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My friend Chris remembers the ill-fated career of Kansas City band The Front.

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Marva Whitney was the guest on The Walt Bodine Show yesterday. Here's the podcast.

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I'm working as hard as I can at Plastic Sax to make everyone angry.

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Kansas City Click: Friday's Murder Ballad Ball at Crosstown Station is billed as "a night honoring the folk tradition of storytelling and murder ballads through song." Many of Kansas City's premier singer-songwriters, country-rockers and folkies are on the bill.

An ambitious one-off tribute to Tommy Bolin goes down Saturday at Crosstown Station. Surviving members of Energy and Zephyr will pay homage to the guitarist best known for his work with Deep Purple and the James Gang. (This vintage footage of Zephyr is worth a peek, if only to make you feel better about not being on the scene in 1970.)

It seems really improbable, but Italian jazz pianist Roberto Magris is scheduled to perform with Tootie Heath and Logan Richardson Sunday at the Phoenix.

Diverse will team up with Logan Richardson Monday at The Record Bar.

(Image of Reach with Mouth from the MySpace account of Janel.)

6 comments:

Joel said...

You forgot to mention Metric is part of the Lilith lineup. I hope they come to Kansas City. (Emmylou owes us after bailing at Wakarusa.)

Happy In Bag said...

I forgot about that. She was great a few years ago with Buddy and Julie Miller at JCCC.

JeremyA said...

Thanks for the post, man. Reach will be performing with us again on Saturday, December 18th at the Beaumont Club, along with Damon Bailey (vocalist/guitarist of local reggae band SeedLove) and a few other surprise guests. The idea for this show was to take artists from the KC hip hop, reggae, dance music and jam band scenes, get them all together for a few rehearsals and see what happens. I think the results are going to surprise people.

Happy In Bag said...

That's dope, JeremyA. Let me know if you need a triangle player.

Don't Need Anything said...

i too cant belive how awesome the lillith fair lineup is. if they come here i'll go if you do :)

Happy In Bag said...

I imagine it'll be at Sandstone, DNA, so if we take dates and carpool we won't have to pay for parking.

And I also neglected to mention: Janelle Monae, Zee Avi, Grace Potter, Ingrid Michaelson...