Return of Your Errant Blogger

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.

Metro, October

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.

Metro, September

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.

Metro, August

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.

Metro, June-July

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.

Mr. Lif

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

Metro, May 4-8

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.

Metro, April 27-May 1

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.

Metro, April 20-24

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.

Metro, April 6-10

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

Metro, March 30-April 3

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).

Metro, March 23-27

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.

Metro, March 16-20

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.

Metro, March 9-13

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.

Metro, March 2-6

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.

Metro, February 23-27

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.

Metro, February 16-20

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.

Metro, February 9-13

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."

Metro, February 2-6

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.

Metro, December 08-January 09

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."