Friday, September 30, 2011

Review: Dum Dum Girls- Only In Dreams


















Dum Dum Girls- "Bedroom Eyes" (video at YouTube)

Two albums were in near-constant rotation among my circle of friends in 1981. The Pretenders' 1980 debut and Beauty and the Beat by The Go-Go's never seemed to stop playing. The former project was the default soundtrack for hanging out with guys. The second album was adored by my female friends. Most of my associates weren't music nerds like me; they just wanted mood-setting background music.

We also listened to Controversy, Tattoo You, Being With You, Abacab, Ghost In the Machine and Nine Tonight. I recall needing to play No Sleep 'til Hammersmith, Stands for Decibels,, East Side Story, Wild Gift and Short Back 'n' Sides when no one else was around.

These thirty-year-old recollections overcame me as I first listened to Only In Dreams, the new album by Dum Dum Girls. Songs like "Bedroom Eyes" serve as an excellent tribute to Chrissie Hynde and to the girl group sound revived by The Go-Go's.

We were a reckless bunch, so it's not surprising that AIDS, car accidents and substance abuse have felled several of my friends from that era. I miss them, but getting teary-eyed isn't going to get me anywhere. Besides, I should be focusing on The Dum Dum Girls' tour schedule.

I think I'm "Coming Down".


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Pat Metheny and Larry Grenadier were excellent last night. Here's my review of their concert.

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I'd forgotten that hip hop executive Sylvia Robinson was also Sylvia of Mickey & Sylvia fame. Robinson died Thursday. Life, like love, is strange.

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What's with the sudden outbreak of piano duets? I'm not sold on Orvieto, the new album by Chick Corea and Stefano Bollani.

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Kansas City Click: Trumpet #1: Ambrose Akinmusire appears Friday at Yardley Hall.

Trumpet #2: Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra visit Helzberg Hall on Saturday.

Trumpet #3: The Kerry Strayer Orchestra features a full trumpet section. Its monthly gig returns to Jardine's on Sunday.

Trumpet #4: Maurice Brown performs Monday at the Blue Room.

(Original image of lonely singer-songwriter by There Stands the Glass.)

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Typewriter Ribbon























Karma, as no one has ever said, is a bear.

Even though I realized that people were doing the right thing by putting money into the hands of a very worthy band, I scoffed as impressed passerby purchased physical copies of The Grisly Hand's album at the band's fine performance Sunday at the Plaza Art Fair. Didn't they realize that until recently the album was available as a free download at Bandcamp?

The joke was on me. Hours later, the hard drive on my new MacBook Pro died. Everything- including about 48 hours of music- was lost.

Suddenly, my typewriter ribbon museum, as I've come to refer to my absurdly massive CD collection, doesn't seem quite so useless. My stacks of box sets look especially appealing after the devastating digital loss. My interest in Pop Market has also been revived. I was tempted by today's offer of a "bundle" (ugh!) of Wilco vinyl and by yesterday's discount on an Earth, Wind & Fire box set on CD.

I suppose I could spend my money on The Grisly Hand's album. My previous copy is gone forever.

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I reviewed Saturday's Uproar Festival. As is often the case with my reviews, one or two of the indignant comments are more entertaining than my recap.

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The last thing I did before my hard drive collapsed was make note of my attendance at Sunday's performances by The Grisly Hand at the art fair and by Todd Clouser at Jardine's. That put me at 287 shows for 2011.

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Grace Potter does a good deed.

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Jessy Dixon has died.

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A horn section keeps Yellow Dubmarine afloat, er, submerged.

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Opeth and I share a guilty pleasure.

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A friend just turned me on to Where Are the Arms, the new album by Gabriel Kahane. RIYL: Paul Simon, Barclay Martin, Jeff Buckley.

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The Good Feeling indeed!

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Kansas City Click: The Beach Nuts return to Jardine's on Tuesday.

The UMKC Conservatory is showcased Wednesday at The Kauffman Center.

Garage a Trois perform Thursday at Crosstown Station.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Friday, September 23, 2011

The Hackberry Ramblers: An Appreciation























Of all the music memorabilia hanging on the walls of my home, a signed tour poster by The Hackberry Ramblers is perhaps the least likely to impress a typical visitor. Yet it means a lot to me. I had the honor of arranging a series of in-store performances and retail meet-and-greets with the Cajun gentlemen when Ben Sandmel served as the band's drummer and tour manager. Not unlike the Blind Boys of Alabama, the Hackberry Ramblers are an act that's passed on through the generations. Here's what it sounded like in 1937. And here it is in the 1991 documentary Marc and Ann. (The earthy anecdotes beginning at the 1:24 mark are too much.) The band's music may be a little creaky, but it's eminently soulful. Guitarist Glen Croker died last August. He was 77.

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Frank Driggs has died. Driggs and Chuck Haddix wrote the definitive history of Kansas City jazz.

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It's difficult for me to muster enough emotion to even shrug my shoulders at the news that R.E.M. is calling it quits. Its first three albums had a profound influence on me and I'll always be able to brag about seeing R.E.M. at a $1.02 concert at the Uptown Theater as it toured behind Murmur. I quit following the band after Lifes Rich Pageant was released. In fact, I passed on a R.E.M. concert to attend a Richard Thompson show at Parody Hall in 1986. Peter Buck stood next to me during Thompson's last few songs.

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I'm a prophet! Look for my quote from 2007 in Tim Finn's analysis of Taylor Swift's career.

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With a great deal of skepticism, I cued up Miles' Live in Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series Vol. 1. Oh man! It's tremendous.

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Love it.

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Vesta Williams died yesterday.

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I don't understand what Tech N9ne is supposed to be doing in the video of Ubiquitous' "Roadwork". (Tip via Tony's Kansas City.)

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I recently discovered the music of Suchitra Mitra.

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Kansas City Click: The enticing triple bill of The Life and Times, Dirtnap and Cowboy Indian Bear is at Crosstown Station on Friday.

Mac Lethal headlines at the Riot Room on Saturday.

I recommend bringing earplugs to Todd Clouser's gig at Jardine's on Sunday.

The Jazz Disciples appear at the Blue Room on Monday.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Monday, September 19, 2011

Review: The Kauffman Center's Open House


















I waited ninety minutes in the rain to enter Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday. I waited another thirty minutes to get into Helzberg Hall. The experience was worth the hassle.

Even though I'd already been inside Helzberg Hall twice, I wasn't about to pass on Sunday's "open house." The festive mood of the massive crowd, along with the choice acts performing on four outdoor stages, made the wait bearable.



















I only felt frustrated when I was forced to view Alaturka's performance on a video monitor. Helzberg Hall was full and no one could be seated until spectators left. My sadness turned to joy when I squeezed inside Helzberg Hall just in time to catch Bobby Watson and an all-star band (above) perform one "original" selection. The piece was a riveting medley of familiar tunes by Kansas City jazz and blues icons. The band was a virtual who's who of Kansas City's jazz scene- Clint Ashlock, David Basse, Gerald Dunn, Jason Goudeau, Ryan Lee, Will Matthews, Herman Mehari, Al Pearson and Bram Wijnands were among its members. Splendid!

Ushers pleaded with patrons in a largely unsuccessful effort to clear the room after each performance. Call me selfish, but I wasn't about to abandon my spot after taking in just one ten-minute performance. I refused to relinquish my seat until I'd been in the room for thirty minutes.


















Immediate seating was available at the adjacent Muriel Kauffman Theater (above). Whoa! It took me a couple minutes to get my bearings. Helzberg Hall offers a highly refined and serene setting. Muriel Kauffman Theater is... "vibrant." Sitting in Muriel Kauffman Theater is like being trapped inside the gaudy bracelet of a giantess. That's not necessarily a bad thing- but learning how to tune out the sparkle and flash takes some time. I heard Megan Birdsall and her backing trio (below) overcome problematic sound issues in an enticing set.

Stunning architecture aside, perhaps the most impressive aspect of Sunday's open house was the stamina of Julia Irene Kauffman. The center's Chairman of the Board stood at the top of the main staircase in Brandmeyer Great Hall and attempted to personally greet every one of the day's estimated 50,000 visitors. I admire that gesture, just as I admire the incalculable significance the new facility will have on Kansas City.

















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The wake of Leroy Johnson on Sunday served as an unofficial convention of unemployed music retail and distribution people. Now that those industries have all but disappeared, it's finally safe to joke about the bad old days with former rivals. On the other hand, I have yet to fully process the death of my friend.

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I reviewed Friday's performance by Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey.

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I also took notes at Anthony Wilson's show at the Westport Coffeehouse.

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Need a laugh? Force an unsuspecting music fan to watch the "Miracle Worker" video for the absurdly unlikely supergroup SuperHeavy. Your pal's shocked reaction will be priceless. The song is unspeakably odd.

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Bluegrass musician Liz Meyer has died.

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I want to work on James Farm.

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Kansas City Click: Future star Lee MacDougall croons at the Record Bar on Tuesday.

Dirty Bourbon River Show, featured at There Stands the Glass four months ago, play Trouser Mouse on Wednesday.

The Vibrators play Davey's on Thursday. I can't believe it either.

(Original images by There Stands the Glass.)

Friday, September 16, 2011

Review: Cesmiles- Did This For Hip Hop























Cesmiles' "Sorry" stream at YouTube (featuring Ces Cru)

Cesmiles' "School" stream at YouTube (instrumental)

Miles Bonny is an over-sharer. I love the guy and the music he makes, but I just can't deal with the constant barrage of information he transmits. I had to unfollow Bonny online just so his updates didn't consume a significant portion of my days.

Now I'm playing catchup. I accidentally came across Did This For Hip Hop, his new collaboration with Ces Cru, at Bandcamp. The mixtape is so good that it temporarily relieved me of my obsession with Shabazz Palaces. Bonny's instrumental tracks reflect his interest in all types of music- folk, jazz and international sounds are added to the usual funk samples. I prefer Bonny's productions to the work of most of his more celebrated peers.

A couple of the selections on Did This For Hip Hop are little more than sketches, but hey, he's giving it away (and asking for "tips.") It almost goes without saying that the tracks featuring Ces Cru are fire.

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Blues man Willie "Big Eyes" Smith has died. (Tip via BGO.)

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The excellent video for Destroyer's "Savage Night at the Opera" reminds me of why Vancouver is my favorite city in North America. Kaput is highly recommended to anyone harboring an inexcusable nostalgia for the era in which Gary Wright was a radio star. (Guilty!)

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Why didn't anyone tell me about Death Grips? The free Exmilitary mixtape is among my favorite release of 2011.

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Rondo Leewright, of St. Louis' Rondo's Blues Deluxe, has died. His band was once a big club draw in Kansas City.

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I reviewed Time Travel, the new album by Never Shout Never, for Ink.

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Am I an idiot, or is Google's Music Beta deliberately confusing? Wait- don't answer that.

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Kansas City Click: Anthony Wilson is performing Friday at the Westport Coffee House Theater at Plastic Sax. I previewed the show at Plastic Sax.

Wrath & Ruin is at the Riot Room on Saturday.

I'll be with the hoi polloi at the Kauffman Center's open house on Sunday.

The Lonely Planet appear at Crosstown Station on Monday.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Monday, September 12, 2011

Review: Crossroads Music Fest


















Spontaneity isn't my specialty. I like plans and schedules. So when the Prairie Village Jazz Festival was washed away by a storm Saturday, I was temporary at a loss. (Here are my notes on that debacle.) The Jackson in my pocket would have been more than enough to get by at the free festival headlined by Bobby Watson and Deborah Brown, but it wouldn't necessarily get me far elsewhere.

I considered catching Clint Ashlock's jazz band at a coffee shop in the southern suburbs, New Ear's avant-classical concert, Steddy P.'s IndyFest at tbe Riot Room and a blues-based benefit at BB's Lawnside BBQ before biting the bullet at Crossroads Music Festival. The $15 cover immediately left me cash poor. After splurging on a $2 PBR at the Czar Bar, I mooched off friends.

















I saw about four inferior acts and four good bands. Here's what I liked:

The Columns did a straightforward rock-meets-R&B thing that just felt good. (That's event organizer Bill Sundahl on the far left of the top photo.) The Silver Maggies received invaluable contributions from Terrence Moore and Amy Farrand. Its hearty goth-tinged twang was similarly satisfying.

Faster Than Hell (middle photo) played in an alley behind a tattoo parlor. Perfect! A friend warned me to steer clear of Victor & Penny, but I was charmed by its throwback routine. The best surprise, however, was My Brothers & Sisters (bottom photo), a 15-piece collective led by Jamie Searle. The ensemble included a string quartet, four female vocalists and a three-piece horn section. The glorious mess reminded me of a David Byrne project.

Kansas City rewards improvisation.















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I don't go to movie theaters but I'd make an exception for Sounds and Silence, a documentary about the ECM record label. Here's the trailer.

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Confession time: Coldplay tickles my ears. I genuinely like everything I've heard from the forthcoming new album.

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Is it normal to study the schedules of music festivals you're not attending?

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Kansas City Click: Robert Earl Keen sings his songs Tuesday at Knuckleheads. (I love this song.)

Molotov and Making Movies perform at the Beaumont Club on Wednesday.

Alison Krauss appears Thursday at The Midland Theater.

(Original photos by There Stands the Glass.)

Friday, September 09, 2011

Missed the Saturday Dance








Thanks to my love of jazz, I quite frequently find myself surrounded by old folks. As a member of an audience of about 200 (!) at a piano trio gig earlier this week, I was one of the ten youngest people in the room. Aside from the speed at which they move while entering and exiting venues, I enjoy the company of my elders. They're attentive listeners. Unlike all too many concertgoers under the age of sixty, old people don't talk, text or take pictures while music's playing. God bless 'em.

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A new edition of "What's In My Bag?" featuring Seu Jorge and Almaz makes me happy.

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I was name-checked on Friday's edition of KCUR's Up To Date.

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Kansas City Click: David Letterman holds up a CD longbox of my favorite Los Lobos album in this clip. I'd forgotten that the awful packaging even existed. Los Lobos play Knuckleheads for the first time on Friday.

The Prairie Village Jazz Festival is Saturday.

The Features and Kevine Devine Sunday at The Record Bar.

Dominique Sanders leads Monday's jam session at The Blue Room.

Tuesday, September 06, 2011

Review: Goitse
















Video stream of Goitse performing live

I was getting frustrated at Kansas City Irish Fest last Friday. The bands weren't getting it done. No amount of beer can make me like a watered down version of The Pogues. I was just about to give up when I encountered Goitse. The kids from Limerick had all the energy, passion and bum notes that most of the other bands lacked. Goitse possess the qualities people claim to admire in Mumford & Sons. Except Goitse is Irish. And trad. See for yourself in the link above.

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I consider Kansas City Irish Fest from a different angle at Plastic Sax.

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I attended a sold-out concert featuring Maroon 5, Train and Matt Nathanson. Here's my review.

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Kansas City's Stan Plesser has died.

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Wardell Quezergue has died. (Tip via Big Steve.)

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My friend and former boss LeRoy Johnson has died.

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Much of the new Wilco album sounds like outtakes from Let It Be. That's a compliment.

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Legendary A&R man Pete Lubin, a man I'm proud to call my friend, is interviewed at Popdose.

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Kansas City Click: New Jazz Order returns to Harling's on Tuesday.

Amy Farrand's Weirdo Wednesday Supper Club goes down weekly at Davey's.

Both Eilen Jewell and Butch Hancock perform at Knuckleheads on Thursday.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Friday, September 02, 2011

Review: Danny Brown- XXX

















YouTube stream of Danny Brown's "30"

I have no business listening to XXX, the free new mixtape by Detroit-based rapper Danny Brown. I go to midday parades in the suburbs. Instead of plotting to "Die Like a Rock Star" while abusing Adderall, I think about the 2012 elections as I mow my lawn. Even so, my love of XXX isn't based on vicarious thrills. I respect Danny Brown's intelligence, humor and honesty. "I ain't never had sh*t- zilch, zero, none," he confesses as he calls out duplicitous rappers on "Lie4." And his music is great. XXX's grimy sound is what I liked about early Dizzee Rascal. He tellingly references Kool Keith on "Outer Space." His "anti-clean rap" is everything I wanted but didn't get out of Tyler the Creator's Goblin. XXX is messed up. And I can relate.

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Danny Brown is one of the opening acts on Das Racist's current tour.

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The Tedeschi Trucks Band sneaked up on me. Its show last night was one of my favorites of 2011. Here's my review.

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Wait… Meg of Meg & Dia was a contestant on the reality show The Voice? Why didn't I hear about this until after the fact?

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KCRW offers a stream of My Morning Jacket performing Orbital. Big thumbs up.

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I'd been sleeping on "Ghetto Dreams", the new Common and Nas collaboration.

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Kansas City Click: The great Marty Stuart is at Santa-Cali-Gon Days on Friday.

KC Irish Fest runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Ledesi is Sunday's headliner at the VooDoo Lounge.

The Kansas City Symphony offers a free concert Sunday at Shawnee Mission Park.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)