Friday, October 26, 2007

Daily News, October

In this month's DN, I had picks for four pianists: Anat Fort, Ezra Weiss, Burton Greene, and Cyrus Chestnut; a feature on Philly-born Benny Golson, being honored at the Kennedy Center with a living legend award, with a sidebar of Benny telling the stories behind a couple of his famous tunes; my interview with New Orleans saxophonist Kidd Jordan (my friend David Adler reviewed the show here); a preview of Exhumed Films' 24-hour horror film 10th anniversary show, with a sidebar of the guys' Halloween viewing picks; and my email interview with saxophonist Charles Lloyd, playing this weekend in MontCo.

Metro, October

Ok, deep breath; this'll be a big'un. Over the course of the tenth month, I had an interview with Robert Benton which ran on 10/1 (issue not online); an interview with King Buzzo of The Melvins that got cut (I'd post it here, but it wasn't that good to begin with; somebody bug me if you'd actually care to read it); a piece on Slought Foundation's exhibition of video work from the collection of the Kunstmuseum Bonn; pieces on This Ambitious Orchestra's cabaret-inspired show and prog-poppers Pinback; a preview of the Philly Zine Fest; a piece on the Art Museum's Renoir Landscapes show; my interview with Sandra Bernhard, prior to her conversation at Penn with Camille Paglia; pieces on Ballet Folklorico de Mexico, appearing at the Kimmel, and George Manney's doc on Philly jazz bagpiper Rufus Harley; a preview of Philadanco's annual experimental show, Danco on Danco; an interview with Mostly Other People Do the Killing's Moppa Elliott; a piece on Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, appearing at the Zellerbach; pieces on James Scruggs' one-man multi-media show "Disposable Men" and the American Composers Orchestra's "Hybridity" show, featuring pieces by Susie Ibarra and Steve Coleman, in the 10/19-21 issue, not online; an interview with James McNew of Yo La Tengo about their Freewheeling tour; a preview of the Beijing LDTX dance company at the Annenberg; and (finally) an interview with Scott Kettner of the maracatu-meets-American-folk band Nation Beat. Whew.

Citypaper, October

Oct. 4: An Artspick on outsider music champion Irwin Chusid, visiting Kelly Writer's House; a feature on a graffiti discussion between photographer Jon Naar and Darryl "Cornbread" McCray, the disputable pioneer of the form; a pick for Marilyn Crispell's trio with Mark Helias and Andrew Cyrille; a feature review of The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford and a short on Michael Clayton.

Oct. 11: A feature on Evan Lipson and Alex Nagle, members of both Normal Love and Satanized, who have new CDs out; a pick for The Claudia Quintet at the Art Alliance; Soundadvice mentions for Project/Object with Napoleon Murphy Brock and the Edge City Collective; and a feature review of Wes Anderson's The Darjeeling Limited.

Oct. 18: My grudging (on his part) interview with Werner Herzog, in town for a four-day Penn Cinema Studies symposium; a much friendlier (and in-person) interview with the Darjeeling Limited writing team of Wes Anderson, Jason Schwartzman, and Roman Coppola; and an extended version of my Film Fest review of Kurt Cobain About a Son.

Oct. 25: An Artspick for Grover Silcox's fun, annual one-man Poe show at Hatboro's Old Mill Inn; a Soundadvice mention for guitarist Rob Price at the CEC; a review for the treacly, 'Hey, why abort when you can heal my hit-and-run past?' film Bella, and another for the Nicky Barnes doc Mr. Untouchable.
and ano

Daily News, September 28

Just a pick for a Wynton Marsalis benefit concert, aiding North Philly's Young Scholars Charter School.

Metro, September 24-28

This week: an interview with Don Preston, prior to an appearance by the ex-Mother's Akashic Ensemble; a piece on I-House's "Group Sounds" night, with a screening of the 1968 film Go Forward and an appearance by modern GS purveyors The Captains; a story on the Bryn Mawr/Ambler/County Theaters' 8-film Janus Films retrospective; an interview with the Dirty Projectors' Dave Longstreth; and a short piece on the first annual Mid-Atlantic Blues and Music Festival.

Citypaper, September 27

Man, I'm a full month behind. So I'll sweep up September with a couple more weekly posts, and then full-month October posts for all three papers.

So, in this week's CP, I had an Artspick for Hans Rickheit's Chrome Fetus Comics, which he was projecting images from in a Puppet Uprising show; an essay on Van Halen's reunion tour, and why I had to attend*; Soundadvice mentions for German trumpeter Birgit Ulher's show under Gene Coleman's Soundfield umbrella and a solo set from violist Jessica Pavone; a sidebar on the inaugural Wildwood By the Sea Film Festival, focusing on George Manney's Rufus Harley doc Pipes of Peace; and three reviews, a feature on Peter Berg's The Kingdom, a short on Robert Benton's Feast of Love (also see my Metro interview with the director) and another for the Traffic knock-off Trade.


*I must say that while I more or less dismissed Michael Anthony's absence in the piece, his presence was sorely missed during the show, which was otherwise a blast, a solid two hours of good songs with barely a breather being taken. Wolfie held his own, but looked nervous and uncomfortable (as any 16-year-old forced onto the world's largest stages would be). Anthony's personality was the loveable Sancho Panza to the battle between Diamond Dave's smarmy, spotlight-hugging asshole and Eddie VH's back-of-the-room whiz kid, and without him, the balance was subtly thrown off.