Blabber n' Smoke

Rondo Award Nomination

2010-02-25T09:21:00.000-08:00

Some of you may remember the cover story I wrote in the summer of 2008 about Malatesta's Carnival of Blood, the long-lost, delirious horror film shot at the former Willow Grove Amusement Park. Well, I recently retooled and expanded that article for Video Watchdog magazine, and that piece has now been nominated for "Best Article of 2009" in the 8th annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards. As a long-time VW reader and subscriber, it was a thrill for me just to be included in the magazine's pages, so being nominated among VW contributors like Stephen Bissette and Kim Newman is quite an honor.

You can read my article and those of my three fellow VW nominees here.

Ballot for the Rondo Award is here, and I'd greatly appreciate your taking the time to vote for me. Ballot-stuffing is frowned upon, so try and vote in as many of the categories as possible - plenty of worthy nominees across the board. Voting closes at midnight on Saturday, April 3.

2009 in Review

2010-02-02T11:00:00.001-08:00

Better late than never, right? Here, for those into lists:

Top 10 Jazz CDs

1. Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Infernal Machines (New Amsterdam)

2. Vijay Iyer, Historicity (ACT)

3. Steve Lehman Octet, Travail, Transformation and Flow (Pi)

4. Abdullah Ibrahim, Senzo (Sunnyside)

5. David Binney, Third Occasion (Mythology)

6. Henry Threadgill Zooid, This Brings Us To, Vol. 1 (Pi)

7. Tarbaby, s/t

8. Fly, Sky and Country (ECM)

9. The Monterey Quartet, Live at the 2007 Monterey Jazz Festival (Monterey Jazz Festival)

10. Darius Jones Trio, Man'ish Boy (AUM Fidelity)

For details, my Citypaper piece is here.

Top Ten Films

1. 35 Shots of Rum

2. The Hurt Locker

3. Revanche

4. Still Walking

5. Fantastic Mr. Fox

6. Summer Hours

7. Hunger

8. Lorna’s Silence

9. Tokyo Sonata

10. Up

The Citypaper piece is here.

I'm hesitant to make a decade-spanning list (and won't, in the case of music), but with the caveat of a deeply-flawed memory, here's a list of top films for the Aughts:

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2. Mulholland Dr.
3. In the Mood For Love
4. What Time Is It There?
5. Syndromes and a Century
6. Cache
7. The Death of Mr. Lazarescu
8. Pan's Labyrinth
9. Grizzly Man
10. Shaun of the Dead

Return of Your Errant Blogger

2010-02-02T10:20:00.000-08:00

Ok, so even by my typically lackluster standards it's been a long dry spell since my last post. No good excuse other than holidays, wedding planning, and a trip to Panama (more on that later) over the last two-and-a-half months. But here is some of the work I've done over the last couple of months; belated year-end lists and such will follow in the next post.

I won't link to every pick and blurb I scrawled for the Citypaper, but I reviewed Wes Anderson's lavishly detailed Fantastic Mr. Fox, Clint Eastwood's South African sports biopic Invictus, Richard Linklater's Efron-meets-Orson flick Me and Orson Welles, Jim Cameron's 3-D behemoth Avatar, Pedro Almodovar's film-and-Penelope-Cruz-obsessed Broken Embraces, Terry Gilliam's return to chaotic form The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, and Jeff Bridges as a weathered country crroner in Crazy Heart; and covered I-House's fascinating Archive Fever program, the Festival of New Trumpet Music's first excursion outside of NYC, the expansive Medical Film Symposium, and Slought Foundation's stunning exhibition of morbidity, Strictly Death.

In the Metro, I interviewed Herb Alpert and The Simpsons biographer John Ortved in November; covered the revamped West Philly spot Marbar, the end of an era that is the final show from Rich Wexler's Sherman Arts, and the unnatural history photos of Richard Barnes' Animal Logic in January (December issues are posted in a format that makes linking impossible, and you're not missing much anyway).

And in the Daily News, I wrote about two local exhibits examining Alice in Wonderland; Orrin Evans' newly-founded Captain Black Big Band, in residency at Chris' Jazz Cafe; and the 22nd annual Conference of the International Association of Blacks in Dance.

Social Science

2009-11-22T12:34:00.000-08:00

If you happen to fly AirTran this month, check out my piece on the Science Cafe phenomenon sweeping the hipster-geek nation in Go, their inflight magazine. If you're grounded for November, you can read it here.

Invasion of the Body Slammers: Citypaper, Nov. 12

2009-11-16T16:54:00.000-08:00

This week's cover story is my long-in-gestation piece about the South Philly indie pro wrestling scene. Spent a lot of time over the past few months at the old ECW Arena, and will be back a few times in the coming weeks, especially for the crowning of the first Dragon Gate USA champion!

Also in this busy week's paper, a feature review of Lee Daniel's histrionic and histrionically-named Precious: Based on the Novel PUSH by Sapphire (despite what the cover would have you believe, however, I wouldn't say it "lives up to the hype" - I actively disliked much if not most of it, but ended up giving it a B+ because it does live up to what it sets out to do. This is why letter-grading is reductive and silly, folks); a short review of the would-be art-world satire (Untitled); a music pick for Peter Apfelbaum's New York Hieroglyphics at the Painted Bride; and Soundadvice blurbs for Chris' Israeli Jazz Festival and for sax minimalist John Butcher at the Powel House.

Daily News, Sept.-Oct.

2009-11-06T14:25:00.000-08:00

Two features recently: one, a piece on Brat Productions' theatrical spectacle-cum-haunted house show Haunted Poe; the other, a rundown on the Kimmel's Jazz Up Close series honoring Billie Holiday.

Metro, October

2009-11-06T14:16:00.000-08:00

This month: A piece untangling the snarled saga of the 18 1/2 Philadelphia Film Festival; and a look at the Rosenbach's Hand-On Tours of Bram Stoker's notes for Dracula.

Citypaper, October

2009-11-06T13:44:00.000-08:00

Oct. 1: Soundadvice blurbs for singer Gretchen Parlato (there's a JazzTimes feature forthcoming on her as well) and for the final edition of the SciFi Philly series; and a review of Paris.

Oct. 8: Soundadvice blurbs for Orrin Evans' Tarbaby and Han Bennink's new Third Man Trio, and a pick for Cuong Vu's mind-blowing electric quartet.

Oct. 15: A review of Spike Jonze's somber rethinking of Where the Wild Things Are; a review of Chris Rock's doc Good Hair, playing in the Philly Film Fest; a book review, of R. Crumb's illustrated version of Genesis (the Biblical version, not the prog-rock-turned-schmaltz-pop band); and Soundadvice blurbs for Phantom Limb with trumpeter Nate Wooley and Arturo Stable at the Painted Bride.

Oct. 22: A feature on Malcolm McLaren, whose series of "musical portraits", Shallow 1-21, is on exhibit at PAFA; reviews of Chris Rock's Good Hair (expanded from the Film Fest version) and the ad-world doc Art & Copy; and Soundadvice blurbs for Ben Goldberg's supergroup quartet Go Home and Dave Douglas' Brass Ecstasy, preforming Don Cherry.

Oct. 29: A short piece on the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival.

Metro, September

2009-11-06T10:10:00.000-08:00

This month: An interview with The Books, a look at the Rosenbach's Where the Wild Things Are exhibit; a piece on Melvin Van Peebles' new graphic novel; and a peek into the Michener Museum's wonderful Jim Henson exhibit.

Citypaper, September

2009-11-06T09:31:00.000-08:00

For the remainder of the month:
Sept. 10: A review of the German terrorist biopic The Baader-Meinhof Complex.
Sept. 17: For the Fall Guide, a feature on the Design Center at Philadelphia University's nifty Lace in Translation exhibit; the annual (but smaller than ever!) CP Fall Jazz Calendar; a Soundadvice blurb for Philly-born saxophonist Seth Meicht and his Big Sound Ensemble, at UArts; a film pick for I-House's Guy Maddin retrospective and an arts pick for the "Dance With Camera" exhibit at ICA; and finally, a review of Diablo Cody's Juno-horror Jennifer's Body.
Sept. 24: A well-deserved CP Choice Award for Peregrine Arts' visionary Hidden City festival; a Books pick for Howard Dean's health care prescription; and a review of the gimmicky eco-doc No Impact Man.

Citypaper, September 3

2009-09-04T08:52:00.000-07:00

"Do the voice!"

It's Live Arts/Fringe time, and in this week's issue I took a look at all of the shows in this year's fest that deal with social networking. I'm checking out quite a few shows in the next two weeks, and will try to blog them here.

Also this week, an interview with none other than Bobcat Goldthwait.

Metro, August

2009-09-04T08:43:00.000-07:00

Just three stories this month: an interview with author Richie Unterberger about his exhaustively researched Day-By-Day account of the Velvet Underground; a piece on drummer/DJ duo Fraction Theory's debut at the Philly Folk Fest; and a peek inside the Art Museum's detailed exhibit tracing the history of Marcel Duchamp's final masterpiece, Etant donnes.

Citypaper, August

2009-09-04T08:26:00.000-07:00

Aug. 6: The month kicked off with my cover story on drummer Justin Faulkner, already gigging with Branford Marsalis at the age of 18. The kid promises to be a monster, and is a good way towards getting there already. Also in this issue, a music pick on guitarists Ryan Meagher and Matt Davis, an arts pick on Winterthur's Faces of a New Nation exhibit, and a review of the Asperger's romance Adam.

Aug. 13: A review of the alien-apartheid actioner District 9.

Aug. 20: A review of Sophie Barthes' Being Paul Giamatti comedy Cold Souls, an arts pick for Woodmere Art Museum's Total Abstraction show, a music pick for Father Figures at Gojjo, and a Soundadvice blurb for Cuban-born drummer Francisco Mela.

Aug. 27: Nada.

Space (and ICA) is the Place

2009-08-02T15:55:00.001-07:00

On June 30, the Daily News ran my feature preview of the ICA's exhibit "Pathways to Unknown Worlds: Sun Ra, El Saturn & Chicago's Afro-Futurist Underground, 1954-1968," focusing on Sun Ra and the Arkestra's early days in Chicago and NYC, before their permanent move to Philly. It also included this sidebar on performances and screenings associated with the exhibit.

Metro, June-July

2009-08-02T15:42:00.000-07:00

Pieces worth noting over the past couple of months in freedailyland include:

An interview with Sir Richard Bishop, a profile of current Philadelphia Orchestra maestro Charles Dutoit, a -particularly exciting for me - fun interview with Mystery Science Theater 3000 creator Joel Hodgson, in town with his reinvented film-riffing crew, Cinematic Titanic; picks for this year's West Oak Lane Jazz & Arts Festival, and a travel piece on the 30th annual Montreal Jazz Festival. In July, I had an interview with Mikronesia and Pandar of Gemini Wolf before their CD release show at Johnny Brenda's, a look at the debuting Japan/US wrestling promotion Dragon Gate USA, and a piece on the experimental jazz-rock trio Many Arms, nee Altamira.

Citypaper, June-July

2009-08-02T15:16:00.000-07:00

Citypaper assignments have, for the most part, remained light over the past month and a half. But they included:

Jun. 18: A Soundadvice blurb for Jim Black's stunning show with AlasNoAxis at the Art Alliance.

Jun. 25: A review of the turgid Dali/Lorca/Bunuel biopic Little Ashes.

July 2: A review of the Save-the-Fish doc The End of the Line and a Soundadvice for vocalist Magos Herrera at the Art Museum.

July 9: Things pick up here for QFest, the newly-renamed Gay & Lesbian Film Fest. I did a feature on parenthood-themed film in this year's fest, a Q&A with Fruit Fly writer/director/composer HP Mendoza, and reviews of six films: Drool, the aforementioned Fruit Fly, It Came From Kuchar, Limbo, Pornography, and Prodigal Sons, a much better batch then I usually end up with for this fest. There was also a feature on the Arthur Ross' Gallery exhibit of early sketches of West Philly, and a short preview of Edgar Bateman and Julian Pressley, dueting at Moonstone.

July 16: Just a preview of Buzz Aldrin's appearance at the Free Library, promoting his new autobiography, Magnificent Desolation.

July 23: A preview of I-House's Arthur Lipsett retrospective, a review of Afghan Star, a preview of Empire of Illusion essayist Chris Hedges' appearance at the Free Library, and a pick for the tenth-anniversary reissue CD release show for the Ari Hoenig/Tim Motzer quartet Jazzheads.

July 30: Two reviews this week, for the Judd Apatow/Adam Sandler hit Funny People, and the could-be-Apatow-premised don't-call-it-mumblecore comedy Humpday.

Montreal, Day 5

2009-08-02T15:15:00.000-07:00

The one thing I’m most looking forward to upon returning to the States is going to breakfast where the coffee keeps flowing. For whatever reason, the Quebecois waiters haven’t exactly been quick with the refills, and it’s been a week of severe undercaffeination.

My final day in Montreal (though not the Fest’s, which runs through next weekend) starts out with the second of Joshua Redman’s Invitation series concerts. As opposed to last night’s modernistic set with Aaron Parks and co., tonight’s show is a bop-leaning tenor duel with Joe Lovano, with Redman’s frequent collaborators Sam Yahel (piano), Reuben Rogers (bass), and Gregory Hutchinson (drums) providing support. The set opens with Booker Little and proceeds through Lennie Tristano and the Sonny Stitt/Gene Ammons showcase “Blues Up and Down” with a little Shorter and Ornette thrown in for good measure. For the most part, the show is a barnburner, with Redman and Lovano crossing swords and one-upping one another. The odd man out here was Yahel, who insisted on playing in a sparse, fragmentary fashion wholly inappropriate in this context. While comping he seemed to disappear, when soloing he killed momentum, almost tripping up Rogers and Hutchinson who had to slam on the brakes to accompany him.

This was followed by Kenny Werner’s Quintet, featuring his latest solo-mates, Scott Colley and Antonio Sanchez, along with saxophonist David Sanchez and trumpeter Randy Brecker. Werner has a knack for assembling trios, and when the rhythm section played unaccompanied, I almost wished that the horn players had stayed home – until Sanchez stepped up and delivered solo after solo of depth and fire. Brecker was Brecker for the most part, and I would have much preferred to see what a player like, say, Dave Douglas – who guested on Werner’s last CD – would have done. But Brecker did match well with the closing number, a surprising take on John Williams’ “Hedwig’s Theme” from the Harry Potter soundtracks. Brecker seemed to mesh with Williams’ narrative sense, which is something that must have appealed to Werner as well. The set, culled mainly from Werner’s 2007 CD Lawn Chair Society, which the pianist continually shrugged off as “dated social commentary”, was full of the whimsy and humor that marks much of his work. But it also featured a tearjerking take on “Uncovered Heart”, a tribute to his daughter, and a gorgeous solo fantasia on the folk song “Barbara Allen.”

The final show was an appearance by the Branford Marsalis Quartet, featuring their latest addition, Philly’s own 18-year-old drum wunderkind Justin Faulkner. Coming off so many shows that were both superb musically and unique in their make-ups, this came off as something of a disappointing close, though it was a perfectly solid evening for the group. Faulkner’s place in the band makes sense, as he is very much a powerhouse in the Jeff “Tain” Watts mold, but his and the quartet’s unrelenting approach came off as too busy and more than a little tiring after so much music.

All in all, though, a fantastic festival, and one which I would have gladly stuck around for another week to complete. Maybe next year.

Montreal, Day 4

2009-07-05T07:36:00.000-07:00

It’s a refreshingly subdued experience to be out of the country – and especially out of Philly – on July 4. The only acknowledgment that it was Independence Day came from a top hat-clad, acoustic guitar-strumming busker in the most touristy stretch of Old Montreal, who wished American visitors (who probably outnumbered Canadian natives in the outdoor cafes along this cobblestoned stretch) a happy Fourth after finishing a rendition of “Dream On.”

Not exactly a musical highlight of the week, though my first show of the evening was – the first installment of Joshua Redman’s “Invitation” series, for which he was accompanied by Aaron Parks, Matt Penman and Eric Harland.

This was, essentially, Redman enlisting the group that recorded Parks’ Invisible Cinema CD, with the saxophonist subbing himself for guitarist Mike Moreno, performing much of the same material. The contrast was intriguing – Parks’ tunes and playing are marked by cool, moody shades, cerebral introspection, where Redman is more attuned to groove and exuberant expression. It’s a simplistic reduction of the two, but points to how the performance transformed the music.

Invisible Cinema is, in a sense, a jazz take on an indie rock album, full of controlled intensity. Throughout the evening, Redman tuned in to that intensity but responded on a more gut level – it was surprising to see Redman cueing Parks to vamp on “Peaceful Warrior”, inspired to wail on its Radiohead-meets-Metheny theme. The show was full of such juxtapositions of gut and head, lyrical beauty and boisterous vitality.

On the same stage a few hours later, Brian Blade led his Fellowship band through their typically moving set of spiritually-oriented material. Blade is a master at growing momentum over the course of a tune, and each piece seemed to build from a hushed meditativeness to explosive outbursts and settle back down again. The set encored with a brief tribute to Quebec’s own Daniel Lanois.

In between sets featuring Eric Harland and Brian Blade, two examples of trailblazing rhythmic invention, came a set grounded in the most fundamental of throwback swing. I caught Dave Brubeck’s set, which I would say was exactly what it was expected to be, which musically it was – but technically, it was advertised as a 50th-anniversary tribute to Brubeck’s seminal Time Out album, in which he would perform the record in its entirety. Someone apparently forgot to mention this to Brubeck, as he proceeded to play a typical set, acknowledging the album but only picking two tunes from it – one of which was, of course, the closing “Take 5.”

As I sat there, I was forced to think about the reasoning behind selecting this performance. I’ve never been a particular fan of Brubeck, but something about the fact that he was performing that album, and the fact that it fit my schedule, prompted me to nab a ticket. It’s been a few years since I’ve seen Brubeck, and there aren’t likely many years left in which to see him again. There’s something morbid in that fact, and it was poignant to see the pianist taking such obvious joy in his sidemen’s playing, while having to be aided in walking on and off stage. The usual, silver-haired quartet was augmented by Brubeck’s cellist son Matthew, who seemed to be there to take the weight off of his father, solo-wise: Brubeck played a few passages on his own – including a lovely, sentimental “Over the Rainbow” with longtime altoist Bobby Militello on flute – but for the most part he refrained from soloing much.

At the end of the evening, Brubeck was led back out by two of the festival officials and presented with a painting of Louis Armstrong by Tony Bennett, acknowledging the gift and his friendship with both in a halting, gravelly voice. He walked off to an uproarious ovation, and it was clear the evening was over. The crowd continued to cheer, he was led back on to wave one last time, but there was to be no more music. But this show, at least, wasn’t about the music – it was about seeing a legendary name in the flesh, one last time.

Montreal, Day 3

2009-07-05T06:15:00.001-07:00

A combination of deadlines that I hadn’t managed to meet before skipping town the other day and the intermittent downpours that finally paid off the threatening storm clouds that have been throwing their muscle around for the past few days kept me close to or in the hotel on Friday. But much of my non-festival time here has simply been spent wandering what is a very wanderable city.

It’s a somewhat oddly integrated city – high-end shopping shares the same block with nude dancers, quaint creperies sit comfortably side by side with signs sporting cartoon condoms. Without even leaving the festival grounds you can step into a mall food court opening into the underground city or stroll into a dive-y pizza joint. It’s as if Broad, Chestnut and South Streets suddenly had to decide how to coexist on the same block.

Not that one really even has to leave the festival grounds. There’s always something on at least one or two of the multiple stages (I swear I’m still going to stumble across another one hidden away in a corner I’ve failed to chance upon, or disguised by the construction that’s developing the site into an even more expansive event center), and in between there are stilt walkers, hula hoopers, card tricksters, and fire jugglers aplenty to distract the easily amused.

For those who appreciate more difficult entertainment, there was Wayne Shorter’s majestic quartet. An injury kept regular pianist Danilo Perez at home, which was cause for alarm; this is one of the most highly attuned units in jazz, who over the past several years have become something nearly inexplicable in their abilities to create something that organically transcends the notes on the page.

With Geoffrey Keezer occupying the bench, they weren’t quite that tonight. The substitution exposed the framework a bit, revealing the transitions between tunes (there’s never a break in the music) where normally the whole thing becomes an amorphous organism from which melodies and synchronicities appear like changes in expression. But Keezer brought a sharper, more forceful attack, which egged drummer Brian Blade into leaping off of his stool on several occasions – more than once, he had to regather the kit that he’d pushed away from himself.

Shorter spent a good bit of the performance engaging directly with Keezer, encouraging and coaxing, sparring with him when something the pianist did piqued his imagination. He stuck with the tenor for most of the evening, as opposed to his most recent, haunting Kimmel Center appearance, where he was just as interested in whistling into the mic. It was a wholly different show than it would have been had Perez been able, but still an amazing experience.

Montreal, Day 2

2009-07-03T21:39:00.000-07:00

One thing I’ll say for Montreal audiences, they’re definitely enthusiastic. I haven’t seen this many standing ovations since I lived in Seattle, where listeners routinely gave standing Os to whatever artist was on stage, the coat check girl that handed them their furs, and the cab driver that got them home.

Back then, it got aggravating, but here there’s something endearing about it – these are in large part people who’ve planned their vacations around music, so for the next week, anyway, they get a pass, whether the shows deserve it or not.

Not that anything has been undeserving. Took in two ticketed indoor performances last night – the headliner of the evening being Cuban pianist Chucho Valdes, whose performance is something of a Montreal must-see given the fact that his country of origin prevents him from showing up Stateside too often. And the crowd was so appreciative that they not only stood repeatedly but dragged his quartet – quintet with the brief edition of Chucho’s vocalist sister Mayra Caridad Valdés – back for four encores.

Valdes gave the type of performance that inspires such a vigorous reaction, full of keyboard pyrotechnics and impossibly agile runs. Unlike many a crowd-pleasing musical gymnast, however, Valdes comes from the Tatum/Peterson school of remaining musical no matter how high the accelerator climbs. The independence of Valdes’ left and right hands was a marvel to see – at times I wondered where he was smuggling the third hand from.

The set kicked off with a muscular version of “Satin Doll” that eventually morphed into “Caravan”, a clave on steroids, a tribute to Joe Zawinul, a rendition of “Besame Mucho” with his sister’s intense vocals, and an encore performance of “Blue Rondo a la Turk” that framed an acrobatic percussion duet.

Earlier in the evening, a very different performance met with a similarly enthusiastic audience, as Angele Dubeau led her string ensemble La Pieta through the Philip Glass repertoire from their recent CD Portrait. I’ve always found Glass’ music to benefit from the live setting; releasing his repetitive figures into the atmosphere seems to allow them to breathe in a way that recordings seem to suffocate. And Dubeau, who has worked with Glass since the ‘90s, did these selections the same service.

The group played with, as oxymoronic as this may sound, a lush rigor throughout. Even a lengthy suite from the soundtrack to The Hours, which I’ve never much cared for on CD, was rendered with a porcelain beauty, particularly in the hands of pianist Marie-Eve Scarfone. The set also featured one Arvo Part composition, “Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten” which in La Pieta’s rendering became a drifting, soft-hued watercolor, utterly entrancing.

Dubeau met the enthusiastic ovation by slipping into platform flip-flops (the ensemble was otherwise decked out in the usual black, each trimmed or accessorized in bright reds) and picking up her electric violin for a crowd-pleasing Abba medley, complete with shreddy distorted solo.

Of course, none of it was anywhere in the neighborhood of jazz, which is a habit picked up by nearly every festival bearing that name – virtually anything can be folded in as long as there is a core of actual jazz performers (and sometimes not even that), which always begs the question of why anyone still bothers to include the name at all. Given the enthusiasm for the actual jazz I’ve seen thus far, the tactic comes off as condescending and not quite necessary – granted, no one on Blue Note then or now is going to attract the kind of crowd that Stevie Wonder did on Thursday, but who says every festival needs ‘em?

Montreal, Day 1

2009-07-02T06:42:00.000-07:00

Dark clouds loomed over the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal last night, but for the most part, except for a bit of spitting around 8:30pm, the rain held off.

I arrived this afternoon, day two of the festival, 24 hours too late to catch Stevie Wonder’s three-hour performance kicking off the 30th-anniversary festival, which will continue through July 12. A couple hundred thousand had crowded the Place des Arts to see Stevie run through his hits, reportedly a few too many newer tunes, and the now-requisite tribute to Michael Jackson. (When I got back to the room last night, a local news station ran a piece on the fest featuring Jamie Cullum’s show, in which he performed “Thriller” from crib notes. Look, man, I know you’re the “shockingly hip” nouveau-jazz crooner and all, but if you weren’t a big enough fan to have learned the words by now, skip the friggin’ homage.)

This being my first fest (and first visit to Montreal), yesterday was mostly an exploration day, wandering the festival grounds, figuring out which stage is which, ruing being an ugly American with a barely-there knowledge of Francais – in general, getting my bearings.

Not much to speak of on the outdoor stages throughout the evening, but my first ticketed event was a killer – the Monterey Quartet, a super-quartet formed for the jazz festival most likely to be mispronounced as the one I’m presently attending. (Afterwards, I had intended to catch French pianist Baptiste Trotignon’s quintet with Mark Turner, Jeremy Pelt, and Matt Penman, but the fact that it was more than half over by the time that Monterey wrapped up and a sudden onset of travel exhaustion led me back to my room instead.)

Led by bassist Dave Holland, the group consists of saxophonist Chris Potter, pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, and drummer Eric Harland. Their 90-minute set was made up of compositions by all four, the highlight probably being Potter’s “Minotaur.” The tune opened with a rumbling drum solo that echoed the ominous clouds outside, picked up by all four in a brief improvised section which dissolved into breathiness before launching into the melody. The rest of the tune is largely a showcase for Potter’s limitless invention, but I was most struck by how Holland and Rubalcaba worked underneath him, seeming to find secret doors in the piece that led into unexplored passageways. Once or twice you could actually see Potter having to rethink his direction, an appreciative grin playing across his eyes. A labyrinth most challenging.

The opening number, Harland’s “Treachery”, showcased the difference between Rubalcaba’s and Potter’s approaches. Throughout the night, the pianist would play with each tune’s melody like a cat with a mouse, toying with it, batting it around, letting it slip away before slamming it back into captivity; Potter, on the other hand, leaps away from the tune, dragging it behind him like a small dog on a leash strapped to the bumper of a pick-up truck. One of the most consistently stunning instrumentalists on the planet today, he is adept at reinventing with each solo. And listening to Harland keep time is like watching a one-man volleyball game, as he heaves it into the air, where it hangs suspended before he dashes under it and knocks it around again.

Holland, the evening’s genial host, was his usual mesmerizing self. His lengthy solo outing at the front of Harland’s “Maiden” held the packed room rapt – until the end, when the woman behind me insisted on blurting out, sotto voce, “He’s a really good bass player.” Indeed.

Hidden City

2009-06-11T05:11:00.000-07:00

Wrote a Daily News feature this month on Hidden City, the ambitious, fascinating festival currently ongoing around Philly, where art installations and performances interpret forgotten and abandoned historic buildings that contain an alternate history of the city. In this sidebar, artist Steve Roden talks about his piece at Girard College's Founder's Hall (right).

Heath Brothers

2009-06-11T05:08:00.000-07:00

The end of May saw a return to features at the Daily News with this piece on Philly's Heath Brothers, including interviews with both Jimmy and Tootie.

Mr. Lif

2009-06-11T05:02:00.000-07:00

Only piece worth mentioning for the remainder of the month is this interview with rapper Mr. Lif.

Citypaper, May-June

2009-06-11T04:46:00.000-07:00

Economic woes show in the scant work happening in the papers these days, so mainly film reviews over the past month: Jim Jarmusch's The Limits of Control, Atom Egoyan's Adoration, Terminator: Salvation, Sam Raimi's disappointing Drag Me To Hell, Stephan Elliott's Noel Coward adaptation Easy Virtue, and the Dave Eggers/Vendela Vida-penned Away We Go (which I was slightly too kind to; B- max, creeping downward the more I think about it).

Only other pieces have been picks for Philly singer Venissa Santi, writer Mark Kurlansky, and vocalist Kendra Shank.

Sad news

2009-05-11T07:31:00.000-07:00

Tragic news, as Philly drummer G. Calvin Weston lost his son to a hit-and-run driver this week. Calvin Dominique Wilkerson would have turned 19 yesterday, Mother's Day.

Calvin, as most of you probably know, is an astounding drummer, a member of Ornette Coleman's Prime Time band, longtime collaborator with bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma (I wrote about the pair in a Citypaper cover story last year), ex-Lounge Lizard, occasional Sex Mobber, one-third of the electrified Free Form Funky Freqs (with Tacuma and Vernon Reid) and leader of the band Big Tree and the local jam session Mad Cow.

Weston will be hosting a fundraiser to help cover funeral expenses on Wednesday at The Fire from 8pm til 2am, admission a $5 minimum donation. Donations can also be sent via paypal to domnikaweston@hotmail.com or domnikaweston@gmail.com until May 15.

Toshi TV

2009-05-09T06:42:00.000-07:00

Was interviewed this week for the CW Philly's evening news for a piece on Toshi Makihara's YouTube Solo365 Project, which I wrote about in a cover story for Citypaper earlier this year. Video is on the CBS3 site now.

Metro, May 4-8

2009-05-09T06:38:00.000-07:00

This week: a piece on local choreographer Zornitsa Stoyanova's new series of dance-film screenings, Dance Cinema Projects, and a preview of "Mali Sadjo: The Legend of the Hippopotamus", the new show resulting from Kulu Mele African Drum and Dance Ensemble's recent trek to Guinea.

Citypaper, May 7

2009-05-09T06:33:00.000-07:00

This week: a review of JJ Abrams' new Star Trek reboot, music picks for OffOnOff at Johnny Brenda's and Burnt Sugar at the North Star, and an arts pick for Martina Plag's puppet-theater piece Crane's Promise.

Metro, April 27-May 1

2009-05-09T06:27:00.000-07:00

This week: a report on the West Philadelphia Orchestra, just returned (and thankfully symptom-less) from Mexico City, where the swine flu epidemic nixed the festival they were scheduled to play; a piece on Tavares Stachan's new show at the ICA; and a preview of the 8th annual Philadelphia Wine Festival.

Citypaper, April 30

2009-05-09T06:23:00.000-07:00

Just a pair of film reviews this week: one for Kiyoshi Kurosawa's unsettling turn towards family melodrama, Tokyo Sonata, and the second for the Michael Caine-redeemed cloyer Is Anybody There?

Downbeat: Will Bernard

2009-04-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

My profile of guitarist Will Bernard, from the April Downbeat:

Metro, April 20-24

2009-04-23T20:37:00.000-07:00

All landed on the same day this week: a preview of Chick Corea and John McLaughlin's co-led Five Peace Band at the Keswick; and pieces on both Alarm Will Sound and Chamber Music Now!, the latter performing new pieces within the confines of Eastern State Penitentiary.

Citypaper, April 23

2009-04-23T20:33:00.000-07:00

Two film reviews this week: the tender side of Spinal Tap revealed in Sacha Gervasi's doc Anvil! The Story of Anvil, and Joe Wright makes the intimate epic, in the treacliest of fashion, in The Soloist.

Citypaper, April 16

2009-04-23T20:21:00.000-07:00

This week, a review of In a Dream, Jeremiah Zagar's remarkable doc about his artist father Isaiah; picks for the newly retooled Make a Rising, aggro local noise-punks Snowstorm, and Ab Baars' Trio with Ken Vandermark; and a short feature on Invented (un)Realities, the new show curated by Vox Populi Gallery at the Gershman Y.

Metro, April 6-10

2009-04-23T12:21:00.000-07:00

This week: a piece on banjoist Bela Fleck's recent African excursions and a preview of Exhumed Films' umpteenth screening of Evil Dead 2.

Citypaper, April 9

2009-04-23T12:17:00.000-07:00

The first of what promises to be many light weeks following the recent redesign/budget slashorama: an arts pick for Zornitsa Stoyanova's Here[begin] Dance Co., a review of Observe and Report, and a blurb for vibist Kevin Norton's Counterpoint trio.

Metro, March 30-April 3

2009-04-23T12:14:00.000-07:00

This week: an interview with Brendon Small, creator of Metalocalypse; and an interview with dancer/choreographer Gesel Mason (ignore the misleading headline - no local ties here).

Citypaper, April 2

2009-04-23T12:06:00.000-07:00

Film Fest/Cinefest/Whateverpalooza week two brings a scant three reviews: American Violet, The Burning Plain, and Sita Sings the Blues. Plus, regular reviews of Greg Mottola's Adventureland and the dreary '50s sci-fi pastiche Alien Trespass, and Soundadvice blurbs for guitarist Julian Lage and the Blue Note 7.

Metro, March 23-27

2009-04-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

This week, an interview with video artist/director Steve McQueen on his first feature, Hunger, which played the Film Fest; a preview of Danish symphonic-pop band Efterklang, at the First Unitarian Church; and an interview with opera singer Stuart Neill, singing Verdi's Requiem with the Mendelssohn Club.

Citypaper, March 26

2009-04-23T11:46:00.000-07:00

Film Fest opening week, which this year brings 11 reviews: Able, Before the Fall, Eldorado, The King of Ping Pong, Goodbye Solo, Not Quite Hollywood, Number One With a Bullet, Wages of Spin, Art of the Devil 3, Left Bank, and Love, Soccer and Other Catastrophes.

Also this week, a feature on jazz cellist Erik Friedlander and his Broken Arm Trio, a pick for the exceedingly XPN-friendly Bad Plus +1, with vocalist Wendy Lewis; a Soundadvice blurb for ex-Wall of Voodoo frontman and all-around strange guy Stan Ridgway, and an arts pick for New Yorker reporter Steve Coll and his book The Bin Ladens.

Metro, March 16-20

2009-04-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

This week, previews for Dianne Reeves at Annenberg and Tempesta di Mare's evocation of Berlin socialite Sara Levy's salons, and Latin Fiesta's Hispanic Music Festival at the Bride.

Citypaper, March 19

2009-04-23T11:32:00.000-07:00

This week: Reviews of Knowing, I Love You, Man and The Great Buck Howard; a pick for Bowerbird's "Guitar Heroes II" show with David Daniell, Jack Rose, Glenn Jones, and Andy Giles; and a Soundadvice blurb for Ars Nova's third Julius Hemphill Composer Portrait.

Metro, March 9-13

2009-03-13T08:14:00.000-07:00

This week, an overview of the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail's annual Barrels on the Brandywine festival of barrel tastings, small previews of Matthew Shipp's trio at Art Alliance and Curtis Opera Theatre's Wozzeck at the Kimmel, and a much-reduced interview with longtime James Brown saxman Maceo Parker, in town with his own group.

Citypaper, March 12

2009-03-13T08:02:00.000-07:00

This week: A preview of I-House's wonderful upcoming retrospective on filmmaker, painter, composer, and philanthropist Jerome Hill and reviews of Wayne Kramer's Crossing Over and the wholly unnecessary remake of Last House on the Left. Then there's Soundadvice blurbs for German trio Grid Mesh at Gojjo and NYC's Ensemble Pamplemousse on a Bowerbird bill, and a Naked City feature about Chris' Jazz Cafe's R&B/funk/jazz happy hour, Sunset Sessions.

Metro, March 2-6

2009-03-13T08:00:00.001-07:00

This week, a piece on British orchestral-Goth-lounge act the Tindersticks and an interview with composer Andrea Clearfield about her new piece, "Lung-Ta", inspired by a trek to Nepal.

Citypaper, March 5

2009-03-13T07:57:00.000-07:00

Scored the cover of this week's Music Issue, with a piece on local percussion acrobat Toshi Makihara.

Metro, February 23-27

2009-03-03T14:37:00.000-08:00

Just one piece this week, on PRISM Quartet's collaboration with Music From China, a set of world premieres of work's combining sax quartet with traditional Chinese instruments.

Citypaper, February 26

2009-03-03T14:17:00.001-08:00

I'm all over this week's Citypaper, starting with the cover, my second interview piece with Philly-area-born identical twin animators/eccentrics the Brothers Quay. The brothers will be in town in conjunction with an exhibition of the decors (read: sets) from their films and an award ceremony/screenings at the Film Festival.

Also, a feature on the Painted Bride's Big Ears project, a residency with drummer/composer John Hollenbeck, culminating in performances by his Large Ensemble and a 12-piece ensemble of Philly musicians; a pick for the second of three Ars Nova Workshop-presented Composer Portraits of Julius Hemphill, this one featuring his big band music performed by Bobby Zankel's Warriors of the Wonderful Sound, supplemented by Marty Ehrlich; Soundadvice blurbs for Stebmo and Matt Wilson's Arts and Crafts; a film sidebar on I-House's screening of Urgh! A Music War, waxing nostalgic for Night Flight; a review of Two Lovers; and a pick for PMA's new "Cezanne and Beyond" show.

Metro, February 16-20

2009-03-03T14:12:00.000-08:00

This week: A preview for Mardi Gras of the Boston-based avant-brass band Revolutionary Snake Ensemble, an interview with saxophonist Loren Stillman, and a piece on hip-hop dance choreographer Rennie Harris' sci-fi piece, 100NakedLocks.

Citypaper, February 19

2009-03-03T14:08:00.000-08:00

This week: music picks for Junior Mance and the White Rocket/Herb Robertson/Pull triple-feature at Sci-Fi Philly; and Soundadvice blurbs for Chris' Jazz Cafe's second guitar week and teh Laubrock/Halvorson/Rainey trio.

Metro, February 9-13

2009-03-03T14:05:00.001-08:00

This week in Metro: a preview of a busy weekend for the Chamber Orchestra, performing Brahms's Eine deutsches Requiem and hosting Placido Domingo; and a piece on Midwives Gallery's found-pieces art show "I Found Love."

Citypaper, February 12

2009-03-03T13:56:00.000-08:00

This week, a preview of ICA's film and music event, "Melody, Melody and Meg", curated by Philly artist Anthony Campuzano. The event featured screenings of Serge Gainsbourg's Histoire de Melody Nelson and David Puttnam's 1971 kids-in-love cult film Melody, and a performance by Meg Baird. Also, a review of the new Friday the 13th reboot, a pick for Kahil El'Zabar's Ethnic Heritage Ensemble 35th anniversary tour, and Soundadvice blurbs for Felipe Salles and the Chance Trio.

Metro, February 2-6

2009-02-07T15:48:00.001-08:00

This week: two dance pieces, on Tel Aviv's Batsheva Dance Company and new-to-Philly Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers; and a preview of Orchestra 2001's world premiere of a new opera based on a Sherlock Holmes story.

Abe Lincoln in Philadelphia

2009-02-07T15:45:00.000-08:00

Returned to the feature fold in the Daily News last month, with a piece on two of the many projects celebrating Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday: the Rosenbach's "21st-Century Abe" website and the Walnut's Whitman-meets-Lincoln one man show O Captain, My Captain.

Citypaper, February 5

2009-02-07T15:34:00.001-08:00

This week, the lead film review, on Henry Selick's 3-D stop-motion adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Coraline.

Metro, December 08-January 09

2009-02-07T15:16:00.000-08:00

Rounding the new year corner at Metro:

A piece on Penn's exhibit of alum Steven Rothman's comic book collection; Exhumed Films' double feature of Killer Santa flicks; my interview with former Inky columnist Steve Lopez, whose book The Soloist is this year's One Book, One Philadelphia selection and soon to be a film; a profile of the Daedalus Quartet; a look at the Art Museum's exhibit of Japanese Crafts; a preview of Orrin Evans' DVD shoot at Chris'; a review of the ICA's three new exhibits, including the work of Anthony Campuzano; an overview of I-House's Frank and Eleanor Perry film retrospective; and a preview of Chamber Music Now!'s risque show "Love Machines and Shameless Hussies."

Citypaper, December 08-January 09

2009-02-07T14:27:00.000-08:00

Bridging the holidays and into the new year, my pieces for the Citypaper included:

Dec. 18: A review, expanded from last year's Gay and Lesbian film fest, of the homo-Shakespeare farce Were the World Mine; a pick for Ari Hoenig's electric Oscillations Quartet; and a Soundadvice blurb for Tony Malaby's Cello Trio.

Dec. 25: A review of the inexplicably Oscar-reaping Kate Winslet Nazi-sex flick The Reader and my annual list of the year's top ten jazz CDs.

Jan. 1: To ring in Two-Double Zed-Nine: A list, with no explanations and all in all pretty unsatisfying, of the lackluster year's top ten films. If I get around to posting a year-end recap post, I'll probably have an amended list.

Jan. 8: A preview of the Jewish Film Fest's weekend of French fare, a Just Do It for George McGovern's chat about Abe Lincoln at the Constitution Center, and a Soundadvice blurb for the first installment of Ars Nova Workshop's Composer Portrait of Julius Hemphill.

Jan. 15: The annual Spring Jazz Calendar, and reviews of Defiance and Bride Wars.

Jan. 22: A feature on the Schuylkill Center's Ephemerality exhibit; a pick for Billy Childs and the Ying Quartet at Montgomery County Community College and a Soundadvice blurb for the Sten Sandell Trio; a review of the lackluster Brendan Fraser kid's adventure Inkheart; and a Now See This for Kafka Imagining America, a talk by translator Mark Harman.

Jan. 29: A feature on the duo of Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and Swedish sax extremist Mats Gustafsson, a pick for the trio of Lotte Anker, Sylvie Courvoisier and Ikue Mori, and a Soundadvice blurb for saxophonist Glenn White; and a review of the lethargic gay indie Ciao.

Metro, December 8-12

2008-12-12T05:46:00.000-08:00

Over the past week in the Metro: a preview of the Franklin's "eductional" (ahem) new Chronicles of Narnia exhibit; a piece on the Prince's live radio play adaptation of It's a Wonderful Life; and a look at Penn Museum's exhibit Iyare!, with art and artifacts from the kingdom of Benin in Nigeria.

Citypaper, December 11

2008-12-12T05:37:00.000-08:00

In this week's CP, my feature review of Ron Howard's adaptation of Frost/Nixon, a preview of Jason Moran's new commission from the Art Museum based on their Gee's Bend quilt exhibit, featuring Bill Frisell, a pick for Ron Horton's performance of Andrew Hill's Passing Ships, and Soundadvice blurbs for mi3 and the duo of Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid.

Metro, December 1-5

2008-12-06T05:32:00.000-08:00

This week, a preview of Doug Varone and Dancers' weekend of performances at Penn, a piece on I-House's series of classic films from the Russian Mosfilm Studio, and an interview with Dan Scofield, saxophonist for Shot x Shot and co-Founder of the Sci-Fi Philly series.

Citypaper, December 4

2008-12-06T05:24:00.000-08:00

The string of cover stories comes to an end. This week, two reviews: one for the crudely made but nonetheless engaging doc Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer, and the second for Randall Miller's second film of the year, the hyperactive, twist-heavy "thriller" Nobel Son. In music, there's a pick for Rudresh Mahanthappa at the Painted Bride (I'm working on a DownBeat feature on Rudresh that should hit stands in the May saxophone issue) and a Soundadvice blurb for the Chicagoan/Dutch Flatlands Collective.

Citypaper, November 26

2008-11-27T10:52:00.000-08:00

The second cover story in a row (the reasons why are in Brian Howard's Editor's Letter) tells the 35-year history of free-funk rhythm section Jamaaladeen Tacuma and G. Calvin Weston. Also, a review of Baz Luhrmann's simultaneously overindulgent and incredibly dull Australia, a Daytripper for an exhibit of punk rock photography in Lancaster, of all places, and a pick for pianist Kenny Werner, bringing his new trio to the Art Museum.

Metro, November 17-21

2008-11-27T10:47:00.000-08:00

This week, two interviews with fellow journalists: NY Times jazz critic Ben Ratliff, promoting his new book The Jazz Ear via a live interview with pianist Orrin Evans, and New Yorker classical critic Alex Ross, interviewing John Adams at the Free Library. And a preview of I-House's 3-movie FilmChile series.

Citypaper, November 20

2008-11-27T10:36:00.000-08:00

The first of two cover stories this week, with my delayed feature on John Oates, originally meant to run in October's music issue. Alongside the main story, there's this timeline of Oates' life and career. Also, reviews of Arnaud Desplechin's A Christmas Tale and the self-reflexive, surprising Jean-Claude Van Damme mindwarp JCVD. In music, a feature on turntablist Maria Chavez.

Citypaper, November 13

2008-11-15T07:43:00.000-08:00

This week: A review of the French animated compilation film Fear(s) of the Dark, along with an interview with NoLibs graphic artist Charles Burns, one of the directors; a pick for Bowerbird's duos show, featuring the team-up of trumpeters Nate Wooley and Peter Evans; and a Soundadvice blurb for Nmperign.

November 3-7

2008-11-15T07:35:00.000-08:00

In the Metro: An interview with Arie Kaplan, author of From Krakow to Krypton: Jews and Comic Books.

In the Citypaper: A feature on the First Person Festival's Complaint Choir; an interview with Bruce Campbell on his new film My Name is Bruce; a feature on the Music & Mentorship program's fundraising salute to drummer Mickey Roker; a pick for drummer/bandleader Bobby Sanabria; and another for I-House's Contemporary Voices show, featuring the duets of David Grubbs/Susan Howe and Alan Licht/Aki Onda.

October 27-31

2008-11-15T07:23:00.000-08:00

In the Daily News: A feature on the Kimmel's season-long series celebrating the 50th anniversary of Miles Davis' Kind of Blue, including interviews with Jimmy Cobb, Bobby Watson, and Randy Brecker.

In the Metro: A look at the Art Museum's retrospective on outsider artist James Castle, and for Halloween, a piece on Secret Cinema's Bela Lugosi Halloween Grab Bag.

In the Citypaper: A piece on Exhumed Films' second annual 24-Hour Horrorthon - with an extra hour thanks to Daylight Savings; a feature on UArts' symposium on the life and music of Wilmington native Clifford Brown; a pick on the West Philadelphia Orchestra's CD release show; and Soundadvice blurbs on the Oscuro Quintet, Dynamite Club, and Joe McPhee's Trio X.

October 20-24

2008-11-15T06:52:00.000-08:00

In the Metro: An interview with ex-Nickel Creek mandolinist Chris Thile about his duo gig at the Kimmel with bassist Edgar Meyer.

In the Citypaper: No music pieces in the Music Issue - my feature on John Oates got squeezed for space and will show up as the cover story on 11/20. So this week, just an interview with Philly Poe expert Edward Pettit, a brief discussion on the Roger Corman Poe films screening just before Halloween.

Citypaper Catch-Up

2008-10-17T08:43:00.000-07:00

Foremost among the pieces I've written for the Citypaper over the past few months was the Fall Guide feature on Dear Old Captain Noah, for which I got to go hang with the Captain and Mrs. Noah at their house in Gladwyne, with a sidebar on the new Please Touch Museum. I also did features on bassist Todd Sickafoose, documentarian Frederick Wiseman, Germantown's Beyer Stained Glass Studio, guitarist Marc Ribot, Dean Ween's fishing show, Canadian banjo picker Jayme Stone, The Residents, and West Chester's Guerrilla Drive-In; reviews of CSNY Deja Vu, Bottle Shock (including an interview with filmmakers Randall Miller and Jody Savin), Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Hamlet 2 (including an interview with Steve Coogan), What We Do Is Secret, I Served the King of England, How To Lose Friends and Alienate People (including an interview with Simon Pegg), and Oliver Stone's W.

Metro Catch-Up

2008-10-17T08:17:00.000-07:00

Metro subjects over the past few months have included: Robyn Hitchcock, Judas Priest's K.K. Downing, a Julie Andrews interview that unfortunately isn't online, the New Pornographers, Tommy Chong, Squeeze's Chris Difford, Kinky Friedman, Ben Folds bringing his orchestral act to the Mann, Motorhead's Mikkey Dee, Keith Jarrett in the inaugural edition of Metro's new weekly Guide to Arts & Culture, Chuck Palahniuk, in town promoting the film version of Choke, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, PMA's Thomas Chambers exhibit, Dennis Quaid, in Philly promoting The Express, and Danzig's 20th anniversary tour.

Daily News Catch-Up

2008-10-17T08:03:00.000-07:00

Ok, I've been particularly neglectful of this blog for the past... three months now. A combination of a busy patch of work, running off to get engaged, and starting production on a documentary about pianist Jimmy Amadie pushed this site well into the background. So rather than noting every word I've written over that time, here's some highlights of each paper.

Daily News has slown down lately, but I've written features on Return To Forever's reunion tour, with a sidebar on Philly's own Stanley Clarke, and this year's Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe.

Citypaper, July 17

2008-07-16T18:20:00.000-07:00

This week: Five more PIGLFF reviews: the stark Czech coming-of-age tale Dolls; the skeletal secrets-revealed drama The Lost Coast; the indie-expose of SF street hustlers 25 Cent Preview; the gay musical Midsummer Night's Dream adaptation Were the World Mine; and the apartheid-era South African romance The World Unseen (which doesn't have a direct link, but just scroll down one from the above. Also, a feature on Sci-Fi Philly, the new avant-jazz series centered at West Philly Ethiopian restaurant Gojjo; a Soundadvice mention for West Philly Orchestra Gregg Mervine's Mingus Thing quintet; and a review of the complex Czech drama Beauty in Trouble, which I'll link to as soon as it's posted.

Daily News, July 11

2008-07-16T18:19:00.001-07:00

This week's pick is for the husband-and-wife team of pianist Hod O'Brien and singer Stephanie Nakasian, debuting at Chris' Jazz Cafe with a couple of decades of trench work under their musical belts.

Metro, July 7-11

2008-07-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

A very light month for Metro continues with a single piece, again on the Gay & Lesbian Film Fest, this one an overview.

Citypaper, July 10

2008-07-16T18:08:00.001-07:00

This week: Three meager reviews for week one of the 14th annual Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival: Between Something and Nothing, the latest, less-insufferable-than-usual Todd Verow effort; Four Windows, a too-opaque-for-its-own-good German psychodrama; and the too-lackluster-for-a-hyphenate-description Bollywood romancer When Kiran Met Karen. Plus, a review of the Brendan Fraser IN 3-D!!! action flick Journey To the Center of the Earth, a pick for Israeli folkie Noa Babayof and a Soundadvice blurb for Cape Verdean singer/guitarist Tcheka, and an artspick for David Maraniss, author of the politics-as-sport Rome 1960.

Citypaper, July 3

2008-07-05T10:19:00.000-07:00

This week: A review of Alex Gibney's politically-minded Hunter S. Thompson doc, Gonzo; a pick for the melancholy folksters The Chapin Sisters and a Soundadvice mention for Japanese psych/rock power trio Boris; and a pick for the Art Museum's new Nandalal Bose exhibit.

Daily News, June 27

2008-06-27T20:04:00.000-07:00

This Friday's pick is for singer Kate McGarry, due to drop a new CD in August featuring a surprisingly gorgeous cover of The Cars' "Just What I Needed." She unfortunately drops the verse repeat with the wonderfully inexplicable "time, time" lyric, though.

Metro, June 23-27

2008-06-27T19:58:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, my email interview with Rickie Lee Jones, just in time for the second of her three-week residency at the Painted Bride. Also note the [shudder] tiny image of my head on the byline. On Friday, a piece on PIMA Bingo, the annual fundraiser for dancer/choreographer Melisa Putz' PIMA Group; and a brief history of Sand Castle Winery, the rare good producer of vino in PA, on the event of the 20th anniversary of their first sold bottle of wine.

Citypaper, June 26

2008-06-27T19:46:00.000-07:00

This week: A feature on the first annual Philadelphia Independent Film Festival, happening this weekend in NoLibs; a review of the Matthew Broderick/Brittany Snow semi-comedy Finding Amanda; a Soundadvice blurb for the Brubeck Brothers at Chris' Jazz Cafe; and a pick for historian Robert Schlesinger, author of the recent history of presidential speechwriters, White House Ghosts, appearing at the National Constitution Center.

Daily News, June 16-20

2008-06-24T09:28:00.000-07:00

This week, my yearly feature on the West Oak Lane Jazz and Arts Festival, now in its fifth year. And on Friday, a pick for same - what can I say? The Daily News is a major sponsor.

Citypaper, June 19

2008-06-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

This week: A feature on dancer/choreographer Zornitsa Stoyanova's evening -length piece, "Point of No Return"; a brief piece on Brothers Unconnected, the Bishop brothers' tribute show to their lamented fellow Sun City Girl, Charles Gocher; a sidebar overview of I-House's Jerzy Skolimowski retrospective; and a review of the Young Genghis Khan epic Mongol.

Daily News, June 13

2008-06-24T09:21:00.000-07:00

This Friday, just a pick for this year's impressive Cliffore Brown Jazz Festival line-up down in Wilmington.

Citypaper, June 12

2008-06-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

This week: A piece on this year's 21st Lawn Chair Drive-In series, kicked off by the wonderfully bizarre Phantom of the Paradise; a review of the straight-laced inspirational dross The Children of Huang Shi; and a Soundadvice plug for what turned out to be a very odd Sonny Simmons/Bobby Few duo gig at Art Alliance, with Sonny crooning some half-remembered lyrics to "It Was a Very Good Year."

Daily News, June 6

2008-06-09T18:46:00.000-07:00

This week, just a pick for World Cafe's "Giants of Gypsy Jazz II", in which I got to slip in a reference to Woody Allen's last good film, Sweet and Lowdown.

Metro, June 2-6

2008-06-09T18:42:00.000-07:00

This week, at least as far as Metros that have shown up online: a piece on "Benjamin Franklin Frankly", a musical biography of the Founding Father by Princeton-based composer Clive Muncaster. Bunch more last week, including an interview with ex-Door John Densmore that I found pretty entertaining, but none of 'em have been posted.

Citypaper, June 5

2008-06-09T18:36:00.000-07:00

This week, I made the cover of CP, with my long-in-the-works story about the long-forgotten 1972 Philly-shot horror film Malatesta's Carnival of Blood. Also, keeping in the horror vein, a review of the tragically awful conclusion to Dario Argento's Three Mothers trio, Mother of Tears, and another for Kung Fu Panda. I may never live down the fact that I gave a better review to a Jack Black cartoon than an Argento film.

Daily News, May 26-30

2008-06-09T18:32:00.000-07:00

This week: an interview with ex-Philadelphian Benjamin Wallace, author of the wine and Jefferson-related (and therefore, specifically targeted to me) new book The Billionaire's Vinegar; and a pick for local vocalist Joanna Pascale.

Citypaper, May 29

2008-06-09T18:27:00.000-07:00

This week: a feature on local artist Zoe Cohen's "Show Someone How You Feel About Something" project; a Soundadvice pick for vocalist Grazyna Auguscik; and reviews for Tarsem's overindulgent The Fall, the Liv Tyler horror grind The Strangers, and the French Bond spoof OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies.

Daily News, May 19-23

2008-06-09T18:24:00.000-07:00

This week, a story on The Rotunda's recent mural project, Collective Imprints, with a sidebar history of the venue; and a pick for the Oliver Lake/Andrew Cyrille/Reggie Workman supergroup Trio 3, at the Art Museum.

Metro, May 19-23

2008-06-09T18:22:00.000-07:00

This week: An interview with clown/actor Bill Irwin, prepping his new show The Happiness Lecture at PTC.

Citypaper, May 22

2008-06-09T18:18:00.000-07:00

This week, a short Q&A with Matt Davis about his year-long Aerial Photograph music-doc project, combining samples of interviews with Philly residents and music based on them; a pick for the Polish Marcin Wasilewski Trio, aka Tomasz Stanko's young backing band; and Soundadvice mentions for Nemeth and Efterklang. Plus, a generally happy review of the new Indiana Jones flick.

Daily News, May 16

2008-06-09T18:17:00.000-07:00

This week, simply a pick for local vocalist Pearl Williams, enjoying a tribute show at LaRose.

Metro, May 12-16

2008-06-09T18:11:00.000-07:00

Just one this week: an email interview with creepy magician and suspected rapist (though that doesn't come up) David Copperfield. Ugh.

Citypaper, May 15

2008-06-09T18:03:00.000-07:00

This week's CP film section was all about the Troma, and features my review of the schlock-factory's latest, Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead, and my interview with head honcho Lloyd Kaufman. On the other end of the spectrum, a review of Merchant-Ivory's letst product, Before the Rains. Also: Soundadvice mentions for the metal/jazz double-bill of KTL and Beta Popes, and the inaugural edition of the new avant-jazz Sci-Fi Sessions, and an Artspick for Mascher Space Co-op's findraising Funstival.

Metro, May 5-9

2008-05-09T13:12:00.000-07:00

This week in Metro: a preview of I-House's retrospective of Portuguese filmmaker Pedro Costa; a preview of the Rosenbach's new year-long Maurice Sendak exhibit (not currently online) and previews of the Lemony Snicket orchestral piece The Composer is Dead at the Kimmel on Sunday and the mother/daughter klezmer team of Elaine and Susan Watts, neither of which have been posted yet. I'll get 'em up here asap.

Citypaper, May 8

2008-05-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

This week in CP: a feature on the great young Philly jazz quartet Shot x Shot; Soundadvice mentions for local saxist/psych Ph.D. Michael Pedicin and tenorman Donny McCaslin; a Day Tripper for the NYC gallery showing of photog Peter Beste's True Norwegian Black Metal; a review of the Wachowski Bros' anime sugar rush Speed Racer; a pick for the debut of Philly dancer/choreographer Meg Foley's new company Moving Research; and a preview of this year's Philadelphia Wine festival - more on which later, after we get to tasting on Saturday night.

Metro, May 2

2008-05-09T12:58:00.000-07:00

The only piece this week is a preview of Megan Bridge's two-part dance piece at the CEC, Subject in Two Parts.

Citypaper, May 1

2008-05-09T12:48:00.000-07:00

This week: a pick for William Parker's evening of music by and inspired by Curtis Mayfield at the Painted Bride; reviews for Iron Man, Helen Hunt's directorial debut Then She Found Me, and the French semi-political comedy My Brother is an Only Child; and an artspick for Peregrine Arts' latest Philly archaeological transformation, nothing but what is therein contained at Girard College's Founder's Hall.

Daily News April Wrap-Up

2008-05-09T12:42:00.000-07:00

The usual weekly picks, this month on Dave Brubeck, Karrin Allyson, and Brad Mehldau; and a feature on Terence Blanchard's evening of Spike Lee movie music at the Kimmel, featuring interviews with both and a sidebar with some career highlights.