Dave Holland was on bass as Miles Davis unleashed the unholy sound that came to be known as jazz fusion. I've repeatedly acknowledged my uneasy relationship with the genre at this site. Much of it- including some of the stuff I like- is the worst sort of wankery. Holland rectifies most of those excesses with the startling new album Prism. The lineup- guitarist Kevin Eubanks, pianist Craig Taborn, Holland and drummer Eric Harland- isn't afraid to get dirty. The only embarrassing element of Prism is the cheesy album art.
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Jackie Lomax has died.
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Jimmy Ponder has died.
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Until Friday, I'd never thought much of Mumford & Sons. The folk band forced me to reevaluate their worth with an excellent performance in Bonner Springs. Here's my review of the band's final show for the foreseeable future.
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I reviewed Miguel Zenon's transcendent appearance at the Blue Room last night. Here's footage of the show.
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I reviewed Chuck Haddix's Bird: The Life and Music of Charlie Parker at Plastic Sax.
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Enter the Riddim is the latest album by the Blue Riddim Band. RIYL: Kansas City music history, Joe Higgs, Trojan Records.
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Radkey's forthcoming four-song EP Devil Fruit is RIYL the Misfits, the Ramones, Danzig. And yeah, it's worthy of those comparisons.
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The administrator of the Middle of the Map Fest's Facebook account recently queried fans about which acts they'd like to see at the 2014 festival. The organizers' tastes aren't exactly simpatico with my preferences, but here are three artists that meet the aesthetics of both MotM and TSTG that might fall within the festival's budget: Flying Lotus, Gary Numan and Nicolas Jaar.
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It's nice to see Ron Gutierrez getting a lot of high-profile work. I'm a fan.
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"I need a miracle." Even though it's undoubtedly worth every penny, I just can't pull the trigger on $100 tickets for the Lyric Opera's "The Capulets & the Montagues" starring Joyce DiDonato.
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Oh, for Pete's sake. Eugene Chadbourne has recorded an album of Merle Haggard covers. It's titled- steel yourself- Merles Just Want To Have Fun. Here's "I Take a Lot of Pride In Who I Am". RIYL: making enemies, being alone, straightjackets.
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Jazz-oriented guitarist Todd Clouser made a rock album. Man with No Country is RIYL: Marc Ribot, Lou Reed, Charlie Hunter.
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"Aheym", the title track of Kronos Quartet's forthcoming album, is a powerful piece of music. RIYL: Bryce Dessner, high drama, string quartets.
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Travel Guide, the new Ralph Towner album, promises to be lovely. RIYL: acoustic Pat Metheny, guitar shops, Paco de Lucía.
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I opted for an R&B concert over Rancid's appearance in Lawrence last Saturday. Thankfully, a fan shot some video.
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No disrespect for the senseless death of Ella, but Cemetery Deer would be an excellent band name.
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After I give the latest release by Rhymes-with-Lake (the rapper's attorneys have forced Google to send me cease-and-desist notifications for simply mentioning his name at this site) a fair shot, I intend to get around to today's new releases by Alan Jackson, Pete Anderson, Black Label Society, Deer Tick, Gov't Mule, Ha Ha Tonka, Elton John, Tim Kasher, Jimmy LaFave, Mazzy Star, Bill O'Connell & the Latin Jazz All-Stars, Yoko Ono & Plastic Ono Band, the Raybeats, Danya Stephens, Touche Amore, Rokia Traore, Allen Toussaint and John Zorn & Thurston Moore.
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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.
(Original image by There Stands the Glass Hey, Mr. Holland- you can use the embedded photo for your next album cover.)
4 comments:
Miles Davis was not the first though. He just got lucky and the wider audience listened. Give Gary Burton some credit for his early efforts in exploring rock ideas with jazz based improvisation. I'm going to go to Spotify and check out Holland's new band.
Have you ever had the experience of being there with Eugene?
I last saw Eugene in the '90s at a long-forgotten hole in the wall in what was then known as River Quay. I smiled the entire time.
I concur with your comments about Miles. Burton's new album, by the way, is also excellent.
Eugene always came into the Music Exchange. He'd bring a suitcase full of items in with him and when he opened it up the contents would spill out in complete disarray. I like the guy.
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