Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Daily News, February 8
In this Friday's issue, a feature on percussionist/composer Susie Ibarra, presenting an Ars Nova-sponsored set of new and recent compositions, currently not online; and a pick for Miek Holober's Gotham Jazz Orchestra, premiering a new PMA-commissioned suite for the museum's Art After 5.
Citypaper, February 7
This week: an online-only feature on the second coming of the monumental Tim Berne-led quartet Bloodcount; a review of the onerously-named Vince Vaughn comedy doc, whose hefty title I will opt not to replicate here; and a sidebar review of Jem Cohen's The Ex concert doc, Building a Broken Mousetrap, screening at I-House.
Daily News, February 1
This Friday, simply a pick for Trio M, the conglomeration of pianist Myra Melford, bassist Mark Dresser, and drummer Matt Wilson.
Metro, January 28-February 1
In this week's Metro: A review of Stealing Klimt, screening as part of the Philly Jewish Film Fest; my interview with filmmaker John Sayles, in town to promote his latest, Honeydripper; a preview of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company's piece "Chapel/Chapter"; a piece on Beth Nixon's West Philly puppet show, "Mite We?"; and all in the not-online Feb. 1 weekend paper, pieces on the PMA's Lee Miller exhibit, the PIMA Group dance piece "Look!", and Elio Villafranca's classical/Cuban/jazz octet suite at the Painted Bride.
Citypaper, January 31
In this week's CP, my interview with Dutch lutist Jozef Van Wissem, in town for an ultra-quiet duo set with Japanese guitarist Tetuzi Akiyama; a review of the rereleased 1988 Chet Baker doc Let's Get Lost and an interview with its director, Bruce Weber; and a sidebar on Exhumed Films' giallo double feature of Dario Argento's Tenebre and Sergio Martino's Torso.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Daily News, January 25
In this Friday's issue, just a pick for Bill Frisell's show on Saturday (what isn't happening on Saturday?) in Camden.
Metro, January 21-25
This week, a piece on Philadelphia Theatre Co's 20th-anniversary production of "M. Butterfly," and a piece on David Parker's Bang Group, performing (including guys in Velcro suits!) at the Painted Bride this weekend (issue not online).
Citypaper, January 24
Just two music pieces this week: an interview with saxophonist Chris Potter, at the Annenberg Center on Saturday, and a Soundadvice for David King's Happy Apple, at I-House the same night.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Sunny Jain/Rashied Ali
Two innovative drummers from either end of the generational spectrum hit Philly on Saturday night. First up was the Sunny Jain Collective at the Painted Bride. A second-generation Indian-American who grew up in Rochester, NY, Jain (who I profiled here) inflects his music with influences from his heritage, but with a lighter touch than many such fusions; the concept never overpowers the improvisers. Surprisingly for a drummer, he gathers more inspiration from the melodies than the rhythms of those influences, and draws from pop-influenced Indian sounds like bhangra or vintage Bollywood rather than from Hindustani classical music (though that does seep in a bit). He did, with a showman's flourish, draw a dhol from the wings for one tune, but midway through transitioned back to his kit. Jain has gathered an impressive group around him, and if the absence of guitar/sitarist Rez Abbasi is evident in a slight loss of "accent" in the Indian-inflected pieces, the music doesn't suffer for the presence of forceful pianist Marc Cary. Bassist Gary Wang shares Jain's understated approach (the bandleader rarely took a flat-out solo throughout the evening), and saxophonist Steve Welsh sparingly employed effects to lend his tenor a guitaristic wash. The most impressive pieces were those featuring vocalist Samita Sinha, as on the folk song Meri Bhavana, where her bittersweet lilt inspired a smoky, melancholy solo from Welsh. Other highlights were the instrumental burner "Johnnie Black" and the vocal piece "Sialkot", which featured gorgeous sax/voice interplay.
Only caught the tail end of Rashied Ali's set, which expanded his Jazz Messengers-style quintet with the addition of altoist Lakeisha Benjamin. This latest group is surprisingly straight-ahead for the bandleader, whose rep was built on free jazz experimentation and his time with John Coltrane (my recent interview is here). But the group managed to pull off an impressive blowing session, silencing about half the chatterers at Chris' and drowning out the others. The seat belts really came off with an intense tear through James Blood Ulmer's "Theme From Captain Black."
Only caught the tail end of Rashied Ali's set, which expanded his Jazz Messengers-style quintet with the addition of altoist Lakeisha Benjamin. This latest group is surprisingly straight-ahead for the bandleader, whose rep was built on free jazz experimentation and his time with John Coltrane (my recent interview is here). But the group managed to pull off an impressive blowing session, silencing about half the chatterers at Chris' and drowning out the others. The seat belts really came off with an intense tear through James Blood Ulmer's "Theme From Captain Black."
Saturday, January 19, 2008
New year live kick-off
2008 has gotten off to a pretty impressive start, show-wise. While I've been slow to get back into the swing of things film-wise (the only movie I've been to thus far being BMFI's Bernstein Fest-themed screening of West Side Story, with the sole remaining - and Natalie Wood's personal - Technicolor print, thanks to local collector Lou DiCrescenzo), the music scene has kept me busier, even with having skipped a few. Here's a round-up of the year's first couple of weeks in shows:
Kicked off with a trip to John Zorn's Stone in NYC for Toronto-based vocalist Mary Margaret O'Hara, mainly for the girlfriend's sake, but it was a pretty unusual show. MMOH is actress/comedian Catherine O'Hara's sis, and put out one album back in 1988, with sporadic output since. She's somewhat eccentric and her discomfort with the stage was apparent in the way she kept muttering asides and near-apologies to the capacity crowd gathered around (we ended up on the floor, shoved halfway under the piano with a knee in my back). But the set of standards and originals was compelling when she managed to get into the flow of actually performing, kicking off with a "Peace in the Valley" that gushed forth the lyric in a jumble of words that finally devolved into howls and whoops. After only a half hour, she grabbed a purse and plastic bag and left the stage, assuming everyone was there to see Sean Lennon, scheduled for the second set. She came back for a few encores at the demand of the audience, finally playing nearly an hour (talking to her later, she self-consciously thought that by the 30-minute mark she'd already been up there for over an hour). Amazing how she ended up both endearing and fierce at the same time.
On the 10th, caught a bit of the Wu-Tang Clan at the Troc, though they didn't hit the stage until 11:30 (for an 8pm-advertised start time), with the RZA nowhere to be seen. Had the crowd worked up, and Method Man steals the show, but RZA's dense productions don't really translate in a live setting, and we cut out after about half an hour.
Next day was a predictably stellar performance at the Art Museum by the Maria Schneider Orchestra, sounding gorgeous even in the Art Museum's Great Stair Hall. She had the all-stars with her: McCaslin, Monder, Versace, Clarence Penn, Steve Wilson, Frank Kimbrough, basically the whole Orch from the Sky Blue CD, who executed Schneider's pieces with fiery emotion.
A double-shot the next day, beginning with the Steve Lehman Quintet. The altoist writes incredibly dense, complex compositions that kept even this adept group - trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, vibist Chrs Dingman, bassist Matt Brewer, and acrobatic drummer Tyshawn Sorey - in a sweat. Lehman packed the Art Alliance with an appreciative crowd, favored with a show where the pieces were intellectually nuanced but didn't interfere with the combustible soloing. Afterwards, headed to a much more relaxed show by the Antfarm Quartet at Chris', the vocal group of drummer Bob Shomo, bassist Tim Lekan, pianist Jim Ridl (who brings along a keyboard, refusing to touch the club's notorious piano) and vocalist/harmonica player Paul Jost. A solid set from a quartet of South Jersey guys who obviously enjoy playing together. Highlight was a melancholy arrangement of The Beatles' "And I Love Her."
Caught the mixed-bag first installment of the Philadelphia Orchestra Bernstein Festival on Tuesday. Christoph Eschenbach coaxed a lively take on the West Side Story Symphonic Dances from the ensemble, surrounding it with two (ugh) Tchaikovsky pieces. The Fantasy-Overture from Romeo and Juliet is acceptable, given the ubiquitousness of its main theme and the fact that it's one of the best uses of the composer's penchant for extremes of lugubrious romanticism and strong, simple motifs, but Francesca da Rimini: Symphonic Fantasia After Dante (Op. 32) showcases the flip side of those tendencies, dull, long-winded and cloying. The evening's big event was the premiere of Jennifer Higdon's Concerto 4-3, composed for the obnoxiously virtuosic trio Time for Three. It's an aimless, often confused piece which allows the group to do their show-offy stuff but has little other reason for being.
After a tepid set by altoist Steve Slagle's group with guitarist Dave Stryker and Philly vibist Tony Miceli at the Art Museum, headed to I-House for the Misha Mengelberg Quartet, with MM's longtime foil Han Bennink on drums, Brad Jones on bass, and Dave Douglas on trumpet. Intense show, with Bennink really feeling it, pulling out all the stops as a one-man Dada vaudevillian. The drummer began the show, threatening to destroy the kit with his ambulatory, powerhouse solo. Mengelberg wandered out, waving to the crowd offhandedly and launching into some lovely playing that paid no mind to what Bennink was doing. Douglas and Jones emerged later, finding the middle ground between the two old compatriots' extremes. The group essayed a set largely comprised of standards and a few Mengelberg originals, shining each piece through a prism and examining each constituent part for every possibility of expansion. Douglas was especially impressive outside of his usual setting, keeping up with the ADD-fueled amble through jazz history while managing some soaring invention of his own. And what can be said of Bennink? He pounded the hell out of his kit, played the floor, his body, the walls, an exposed pipe, the piano bench on which he sat, spun cymbals on the floor; and engaged in some of the most extreme of his performance art tendencies, reacting to audience catcalls, doing shadow puppets, wrapping himself in the stage curtain and emitting Tarzan howls, eventually dismantling the drum kit, all the while never missing a beat. I'll never be able to forget the image of Bennink standing over the upturned bench, a stack of sheet music pouring out onto the floor, holding a couple of sheets and softly singing "So many music."
Kicked off with a trip to John Zorn's Stone in NYC for Toronto-based vocalist Mary Margaret O'Hara, mainly for the girlfriend's sake, but it was a pretty unusual show. MMOH is actress/comedian Catherine O'Hara's sis, and put out one album back in 1988, with sporadic output since. She's somewhat eccentric and her discomfort with the stage was apparent in the way she kept muttering asides and near-apologies to the capacity crowd gathered around (we ended up on the floor, shoved halfway under the piano with a knee in my back). But the set of standards and originals was compelling when she managed to get into the flow of actually performing, kicking off with a "Peace in the Valley" that gushed forth the lyric in a jumble of words that finally devolved into howls and whoops. After only a half hour, she grabbed a purse and plastic bag and left the stage, assuming everyone was there to see Sean Lennon, scheduled for the second set. She came back for a few encores at the demand of the audience, finally playing nearly an hour (talking to her later, she self-consciously thought that by the 30-minute mark she'd already been up there for over an hour). Amazing how she ended up both endearing and fierce at the same time.
On the 10th, caught a bit of the Wu-Tang Clan at the Troc, though they didn't hit the stage until 11:30 (for an 8pm-advertised start time), with the RZA nowhere to be seen. Had the crowd worked up, and Method Man steals the show, but RZA's dense productions don't really translate in a live setting, and we cut out after about half an hour.
Next day was a predictably stellar performance at the Art Museum by the Maria Schneider Orchestra, sounding gorgeous even in the Art Museum's Great Stair Hall. She had the all-stars with her: McCaslin, Monder, Versace, Clarence Penn, Steve Wilson, Frank Kimbrough, basically the whole Orch from the Sky Blue CD, who executed Schneider's pieces with fiery emotion.
A double-shot the next day, beginning with the Steve Lehman Quintet. The altoist writes incredibly dense, complex compositions that kept even this adept group - trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, vibist Chrs Dingman, bassist Matt Brewer, and acrobatic drummer Tyshawn Sorey - in a sweat. Lehman packed the Art Alliance with an appreciative crowd, favored with a show where the pieces were intellectually nuanced but didn't interfere with the combustible soloing. Afterwards, headed to a much more relaxed show by the Antfarm Quartet at Chris', the vocal group of drummer Bob Shomo, bassist Tim Lekan, pianist Jim Ridl (who brings along a keyboard, refusing to touch the club's notorious piano) and vocalist/harmonica player Paul Jost. A solid set from a quartet of South Jersey guys who obviously enjoy playing together. Highlight was a melancholy arrangement of The Beatles' "And I Love Her."
Caught the mixed-bag first installment of the Philadelphia Orchestra Bernstein Festival on Tuesday. Christoph Eschenbach coaxed a lively take on the West Side Story Symphonic Dances from the ensemble, surrounding it with two (ugh) Tchaikovsky pieces. The Fantasy-Overture from Romeo and Juliet is acceptable, given the ubiquitousness of its main theme and the fact that it's one of the best uses of the composer's penchant for extremes of lugubrious romanticism and strong, simple motifs, but Francesca da Rimini: Symphonic Fantasia After Dante (Op. 32) showcases the flip side of those tendencies, dull, long-winded and cloying. The evening's big event was the premiere of Jennifer Higdon's Concerto 4-3, composed for the obnoxiously virtuosic trio Time for Three. It's an aimless, often confused piece which allows the group to do their show-offy stuff but has little other reason for being.
After a tepid set by altoist Steve Slagle's group with guitarist Dave Stryker and Philly vibist Tony Miceli at the Art Museum, headed to I-House for the Misha Mengelberg Quartet, with MM's longtime foil Han Bennink on drums, Brad Jones on bass, and Dave Douglas on trumpet. Intense show, with Bennink really feeling it, pulling out all the stops as a one-man Dada vaudevillian. The drummer began the show, threatening to destroy the kit with his ambulatory, powerhouse solo. Mengelberg wandered out, waving to the crowd offhandedly and launching into some lovely playing that paid no mind to what Bennink was doing. Douglas and Jones emerged later, finding the middle ground between the two old compatriots' extremes. The group essayed a set largely comprised of standards and a few Mengelberg originals, shining each piece through a prism and examining each constituent part for every possibility of expansion. Douglas was especially impressive outside of his usual setting, keeping up with the ADD-fueled amble through jazz history while managing some soaring invention of his own. And what can be said of Bennink? He pounded the hell out of his kit, played the floor, his body, the walls, an exposed pipe, the piano bench on which he sat, spun cymbals on the floor; and engaged in some of the most extreme of his performance art tendencies, reacting to audience catcalls, doing shadow puppets, wrapping himself in the stage curtain and emitting Tarzan howls, eventually dismantling the drum kit, all the while never missing a beat. I'll never be able to forget the image of Bennink standing over the upturned bench, a stack of sheet music pouring out onto the floor, holding a couple of sheets and softly singing "So many music."
Daily News, January 16-18
Citypaper, January 17
Lots in this week's issue: the spring jazz calendar, previewing shows through April; a feature on drummer Rashied Ali, bringing his Messengers-ish quintet to Chris'; a pick for the ANW double-feature of Little Women and Aaron Siegel's Where From Here?; Soundadvice mentions for Misha Mengelberg's Quartet and Highwaire Gallery's show with MaryClare Brzytwa and Dominique Leone; a feature review of Persepolis, a short review of the extreme-skiing doc Steep, and a piece on the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival's interesting Music Weekend.
Daily News, January 11
Citypaper, January 10
This week, a feature on the South Jersey-based Antfarm Quartet, with pianist Jim Ridl and vocalist Paul Jost, which only ran online; a pick for alto saxophonist/composer Steve Lehman's spectacular (and athletic, given the demands of his compositions) Quintet at the Art Alliance; one for Chicago-based improvising trumpeter Jaimie Branch and her trio, also at the Art Alliance; and a review of the derivative Spanish horror thriller The Orphanage.
Daily News, January 4
In this Friday's weekend section, just a pick for South African bassist Bakithi Kumalo, at the Art Museum.
Citypaper, January 3
This week, my annual Naked City piece on what important stories got bumped for silly celebrity nonsense - which has gradually gotten to be more about making fun of goofy news stories than exposing buried stories, but do I look like an investigative reporter to you? And a feature review of P.T. Anderson's restraint-to-wild-abandon There Will Be Blood.
Metro, December 18-January 18
Since I did almost nothing for the Metro over the last month, I figured I'd just lump the whole run together here. On 12/28, there was a piece on John Medeski and friends' jam-gospel supergroup The Word, but the issue isn't online. I also did a list of Philly-related jazz deaths and a BOTY for shows (cut down from the list posted on this blog), but can't seem to find it - may not have run. But on 1/10, I had a piece about the Philadelphia Orchestra's monthlong Bernstein Festival, celebrating what would have been Lenny's 90th birthday; and on 1/18, an interview with Ladysmith Black Mambazo's Albert Mazibuko. That issue isn't online yet either.
Citypaper, December 27
This week, just an entry in the annual Top 21 Rock/Pop/Hip-Hop albums list for Battles' Mirrored, and a Soundadvice for Alex Nagle's guitar/laptop solo project CSection, which ended up in the Clog.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Daily News, wrapping up '07
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
2007, Year in Review
As the calendar quickly runs out of days, time again to look back over the year just passed. As for the sheer numbers, I caught nearly 400 films this year, listened to somewhere around 550 new CDs, saw around 200 shows. And now for the bests of the batch:
Top 10 Jazz CDs
My list for the Citypaper with small write-ups for each is here, but the quick list run-down is:
1. Maria Schneider Orchestra - Sky Blue (artistShare)
2. Chris Potter Underground - Follow the Red Line: Live at the Village Vanguard (Sunnyside)
3. Human Feel - Galore (Skirl)
4. Theo Bleckmann/Ben Monder - At Night (Songlines)
5. Nels Cline Singers - Draw Breath (CryptoGramphone)
6. David Torn - Prezens (ECM)
7. Amir ElSaffar - Two Rivers (Pi Recordings)
8. Exploding Star Orchestra - We’re All From Somewhere Else (Thrill Jockey)
9. Michael Brecker - Pilgrimage (Heads Up)
10. David Murray Black Saint Quartet - Sacred Ground (Justin Time)
Top 10 Non-Jazz CDs
This is my list for Citypaper's BOTY rock/pop list, and is pretty unsatisfactory, but it turns out I missed hearing quite a bit outside the jazz world this year. Anyway, here's the list, one of which I'll be writing a little blurb for in next week's CP Top 21 list:
1. Battles - Mirrored (Warp)
2. Tin Hat - The Sad Machinery of Spring (Hannibal)
3. EL-P - I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead (Def Jux)
4. Big Business - Here Come the Waterworks (Hydra Head)
5. Dirty Projectors - Rise Above (Dead Oceans)
6. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - In Glorious Times (The End)
7. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha (Fat Possum)
8. Dalek - Abandoned Language (Ipecac)
9. Pelican - City of Echoes (Hydra Head)
10. Illuminea - Out of Our Mouths (High Two)
Top 10 Films
This is exclusive to the blog, as is the following list of shows. For films, I'm sticking to things that opened in Philly in 2007 for qualifications; hence the Tsai Ming-Liang, which I didn't get to see until this year's Philly Film Fest. And I've seen There Will Be Blood, which would be on the list except it doesn't open here until January, so check back in a year:
1. I Don't Want to Sleep Alone (Tsai Ming-Liang)
2. The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford (Andrew Dominik)
3. I'm Not There (Todd Haynes)
4. No Country For Old Men (Joel & Ethan Coen)
5. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Julian Schnabel)
6. Eastern Promises (David Cronenberg)
7. Zodiac (David Fincher)
8. Paprika (Satoshi Kon)
9. The Host (Bong Joon-Ho)
10. Superbad (Greg Mottola)
Performances of the Year
Screw the 10s. These were all great. In chronological order:
2/9: Chris Potter Underground @ Chris' Jazz Cafe
2/10: Rova::Orkestrova @ Intl House
3/4: Borbetomagus @ Intl House
3/26: ICP Orchestra @ Houston Hall
4/1: PIMA Group: What a Quaint Scene We Were That Night @ CEC
4/24: Buffalo Collision @ Rose Recital Hall
5/5: Gene Coleman & Jack Wright @ The Rotunda
6/10: Big Four @ Rose Recital Hall
6/29: Fred Lonberg Holm's Valentine Trio/Louis Moholo & Marshall Allen @ Intl House
7/21: The Melvins (performing Lysol) @ Slim's, San Francisco
9/13: Ellery Eskelin/Vincent Courtois/Sylvie Courvoisier @ Rose Recital Hall
9/20: Joelle Leandre/Globe Unity Orchestra @ Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial Ctr
9/20: David Murray & Kidd Jordan's All-Stars @ Creole, NYC
10/11: Claudia Quintet @ Philadelphia Art Alliance
11/17: Tiger Okoshi @ Kimmel Center
12/17: Angelica Sanchez Quartet w/ Marc Ducret @ Intl House
With honorable and, yes, very nostalgic mention going to Van Halen, 10/3 at the Wachovia Center. Might as well jump.
Happy new year, I'll try and keep the rest of the month updated but if not, see you in '08.
Shaun
Top 10 Jazz CDs
My list for the Citypaper with small write-ups for each is here, but the quick list run-down is:
1. Maria Schneider Orchestra - Sky Blue (artistShare)
2. Chris Potter Underground - Follow the Red Line: Live at the Village Vanguard (Sunnyside)
3. Human Feel - Galore (Skirl)
4. Theo Bleckmann/Ben Monder - At Night (Songlines)
5. Nels Cline Singers - Draw Breath (CryptoGramphone)
6. David Torn - Prezens (ECM)
7. Amir ElSaffar - Two Rivers (Pi Recordings)
8. Exploding Star Orchestra - We’re All From Somewhere Else (Thrill Jockey)
9. Michael Brecker - Pilgrimage (Heads Up)
10. David Murray Black Saint Quartet - Sacred Ground (Justin Time)
Top 10 Non-Jazz CDs
This is my list for Citypaper's BOTY rock/pop list, and is pretty unsatisfactory, but it turns out I missed hearing quite a bit outside the jazz world this year. Anyway, here's the list, one of which I'll be writing a little blurb for in next week's CP Top 21 list:
1. Battles - Mirrored (Warp)
2. Tin Hat - The Sad Machinery of Spring (Hannibal)
3. EL-P - I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead (Def Jux)
4. Big Business - Here Come the Waterworks (Hydra Head)
5. Dirty Projectors - Rise Above (Dead Oceans)
6. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - In Glorious Times (The End)
7. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha (Fat Possum)
8. Dalek - Abandoned Language (Ipecac)
9. Pelican - City of Echoes (Hydra Head)
10. Illuminea - Out of Our Mouths (High Two)
Top 10 Films
This is exclusive to the blog, as is the following list of shows. For films, I'm sticking to things that opened in Philly in 2007 for qualifications; hence the Tsai Ming-Liang, which I didn't get to see until this year's Philly Film Fest. And I've seen There Will Be Blood, which would be on the list except it doesn't open here until January, so check back in a year:
1. I Don't Want to Sleep Alone (Tsai Ming-Liang)
2. The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford (Andrew Dominik)
3. I'm Not There (Todd Haynes)
4. No Country For Old Men (Joel & Ethan Coen)
5. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Julian Schnabel)
6. Eastern Promises (David Cronenberg)
7. Zodiac (David Fincher)
8. Paprika (Satoshi Kon)
9. The Host (Bong Joon-Ho)
10. Superbad (Greg Mottola)
Performances of the Year
Screw the 10s. These were all great. In chronological order:
2/9: Chris Potter Underground @ Chris' Jazz Cafe
2/10: Rova::Orkestrova @ Intl House
3/4: Borbetomagus @ Intl House
3/26: ICP Orchestra @ Houston Hall
4/1: PIMA Group: What a Quaint Scene We Were That Night @ CEC
4/24: Buffalo Collision @ Rose Recital Hall
5/5: Gene Coleman & Jack Wright @ The Rotunda
6/10: Big Four @ Rose Recital Hall
6/29: Fred Lonberg Holm's Valentine Trio/Louis Moholo & Marshall Allen @ Intl House
7/21: The Melvins (performing Lysol) @ Slim's, San Francisco
9/13: Ellery Eskelin/Vincent Courtois/Sylvie Courvoisier @ Rose Recital Hall
9/20: Joelle Leandre/Globe Unity Orchestra @ Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial Ctr
9/20: David Murray & Kidd Jordan's All-Stars @ Creole, NYC
10/11: Claudia Quintet @ Philadelphia Art Alliance
11/17: Tiger Okoshi @ Kimmel Center
12/17: Angelica Sanchez Quartet w/ Marc Ducret @ Intl House
With honorable and, yes, very nostalgic mention going to Van Halen, 10/3 at the Wachovia Center. Might as well jump.
Happy new year, I'll try and keep the rest of the month updated but if not, see you in '08.
Shaun
Citypaper, December 20
In this week's CP: my top ten list of the year's best jazz CDs (more best lists to follow shortly in a subsequent post); a feature review of Tamara Jenkins' long-awaited sophomore feature, The Savages, and a short review of Tim Burton's adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd; and a pick for the sax/bass duo of Ivo Perelman and Dominic Duval.
Daily News, December 14
Metro, December 10-17
This week, an interview with John Zak, half the cast of the Walnut Independence Studio on 3's production of "Greater Tuna"; a piece on the Whirling Dervishes of Istanbul, at the Annenberg Center (issue not online); and, just because it's the last piece before the holiday so why bother giving it its own post, a piece on Relache's annual Rittenhouse Square performance of Phil Kline's "Unsilent Night" (credited to Brendan Huffman, but I swear I wrote it).
Citypaper, December 13
In this week's CP, a review of the better-than-expected Jason Reitman dramedy Juno, and another for the not-quite-as-bad-as-expected-but-still-sure-as-hell-not-good (despite-Mike-Patton-voicing-the-monsters) I Am Legend; my interview with pianist/Wurlitzer player Angelica Sanchez, who just played a pretty phenomenal show with Tony Malaby, Drew Gress, Tom Rainey and Marc Ducret; and a pick for the Norwegian double-bill of Huntsville and Frode Gjerstad, a somewhat underwhelming show in the end.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Daily News, Nov. 30-Dec. 7
Metro, December 3-7
Citypaper, December 6
This week's issue had a review of Ridley Scott's new "This is the last time, I really, really mean it" Blade Runner: The Final Cut; a feature on the Brit morbid-cabaret act The Tiger Lilllies about their "Suicide for Christmas" tour; a pick for Chicago improv supergroup The Engines; a Soundadvice mention for the Dirty Projectors; and an Arts pick for David Kessler's Bambi Gallery installation, "Shadow World", featuring his interviews with under-the-El dwellers in North Philly.
Daily News, November
The end of October had a piece with interview of Chinese-American pipa player Min Xiao-Fen and Japanese-American trumpeter Tiger Okoshi, both of whom hit town in November with projects that fused jazz and traditional Asian music; an interview with pianist Fred Hersch, playing the Painted Bride with his Trio +2; Lisa Thorson's JazzArtSigns, a performance with live painting, sign language, and audio description for full accessibility, as part of the Independence Starts Here fest; and an interview with South Philly guitar legend Pat Martino, playing at Chris' with saxist Eric Alexander.
Metro, November
Not nearly as busy as last month, November's Metros had: interviews with two horror-metal bands to wrap up October - Finnish monster-rockers Lordi and Brit death-metal ghouls Cradle of Filth; a piece on the Amaryllis Theatre Company's production of "Molly Sweeney"; an interview with German cabaret revivalist Max Raabe (which doesn't appear to be online); a piece on the opera-performing puppets of the Salzburg Marionettes; a story about the Martha Graham Dance Company's career-retrospective show coming to Philly; a piece on the feminist-gorillas Guerrilla Girls, which I can't seem to find and may or may not have run; a piece on I-House's Shohei Imamura retrospective; one on the Philly-based Courtyard Dancers, which isn't online; an interview with Senagalese superstar Youssou N'Dour; and a story on the Rosenbach Museum and Library's new Maurice Sendak gallery, kicking off with an exhibition devoted to "Really Rosie", Sendak's musical-TV collaboration with Carole King.
Citypaper, November
Another month - ok, month and a half - another postless stretch. So I'll do another batch of month-long roundups for each paper and we'll see what happens with December. New Year's Resolution to post more often, maybe?
Nov.1: A review of Sidney Lumet's latest, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, and another for the doc My Kid Could Paint That; an Arts pick for "Got the Picture?", a First Person Fest event screening David Kessler's doc If You Break the Skin, You Must Come In, about Philly photog Zoe Strauss, in conjunction with a local youth program. And five CP Choice Awards, for Joseph Gervasi, Dustin Hurt, WRTI's Friday night DJs, Mascher Space Co-op, and Bobby Zankel.
Nov. 8: A film review for the tepid biopic Music Within, and an Arts pick for First Person's screening of Strange Culture, a doc on PATRIOT Act casualty Steven Kurtz.
Nov. 15: A review of John Turturro's train-wreck of a blue-collar musical, Romance and Cigarettes, and another for Justin Lin's Bruce Lee mockumentary Finishing the Game. Plus a Q&A with West Philadelphia Orchestra honcho Gregg Mervine.
Nov. 22: Two film reviews for Thanksgiving weekend: one for Noah Baumbach's latest gathering of miserable intellectuals, Margot at the Wedding; and another for the media-spin doc War Made Easy.
Nov. 29: A review for Rape of Europa, a fascinating doc on the Nazi's hordes of stolen art; and a sidebar review of Daydream Nation, a collection of Swedish animated shorts and music videos; an interview with Steven Bernstein prior to his visit with Sex Mob; and an Arts pick for photographer Michael Grecco, in town to promote his book Naked Ambition, full of up-close-and-personal portraits of porn personalities.
Nov.1: A review of Sidney Lumet's latest, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, and another for the doc My Kid Could Paint That; an Arts pick for "Got the Picture?", a First Person Fest event screening David Kessler's doc If You Break the Skin, You Must Come In, about Philly photog Zoe Strauss, in conjunction with a local youth program. And five CP Choice Awards, for Joseph Gervasi, Dustin Hurt, WRTI's Friday night DJs, Mascher Space Co-op, and Bobby Zankel.
Nov. 8: A film review for the tepid biopic Music Within, and an Arts pick for First Person's screening of Strange Culture, a doc on PATRIOT Act casualty Steven Kurtz.
Nov. 15: A review of John Turturro's train-wreck of a blue-collar musical, Romance and Cigarettes, and another for Justin Lin's Bruce Lee mockumentary Finishing the Game. Plus a Q&A with West Philadelphia Orchestra honcho Gregg Mervine.
Nov. 22: Two film reviews for Thanksgiving weekend: one for Noah Baumbach's latest gathering of miserable intellectuals, Margot at the Wedding; and another for the media-spin doc War Made Easy.
Nov. 29: A review for Rape of Europa, a fascinating doc on the Nazi's hordes of stolen art; and a sidebar review of Daydream Nation, a collection of Swedish animated shorts and music videos; an interview with Steven Bernstein prior to his visit with Sex Mob; and an Arts pick for photographer Michael Grecco, in town to promote his book Naked Ambition, full of up-close-and-personal portraits of porn personalities.
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
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.
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.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Daily News, September 21
Just a pick this week, for Bobby Zankel's new John Coltrane tribute piece at the Church of the Advocate in North Philly.
Metro, September 17-21
Citypaper, September 20
This week: a Fall Guide feature on the ten years-plus existence of the monthly hip-hop event The Gathering; the annual Fall Jazz Calendar; Soundadvice mentions for the From Between Trio and Lafayette Gilchrist; a pick for former Prime Time guitarists Bern Nix and Charles Ellerbee; and reviews for The Hunting Party, December Boys, In the Shadow of the Moon, and Dedication.
Metro, September 10-14
Citypaper, September 13
This week: a pick for Alban Bailly's Balkan-jazz quintet Inzinzac; a Soundadvice mention for the trio of Ellery Eskelin, Sylvie Courvoisier, and Vincent Courtois; a review of David Cronenberg's pretty brilliant Eastern Promises; and a story on Village of Arts and Humanities' North Philly-honoring bottle tree exhibit.
Daily News, September 1-14
These two weeks were consumed by coverage of the Live Arts/Philly Fringe. I wrote daily picks throught the fest, which I can't seem to locate online, and two features for Friday's issues: one on World/Inferno Friendship Society's ultimately disappointing "Addicted To Bad Ideas: Peter Lorre's Twentieth Century", which was ultimately little more than a rock show, albeit an energetic one; and one on Congolese choreographer Faustin Linyekula's fascinating "Festival of Lies." Also, the 9/14 issue had a pick for pianist Kenny Werner's show at Chris'.
Metro, September 3-7
Just two, dropped to one, this week: a preview for Rutgers' exhibit of art by Vietnamese women, "Changing Identity"; and a piece that ended up cut about the Jenkintown Jazz & Brew Fest.
Citypaper, September 6
This week: a pick for Rob Mazurek, appearing at I-House with the stripped-down version of his Exploding Star Orchestra (a quintet, rather than the septet mentioned in the piece, due to the absence of Nicole Mitchell), another for Matthew Shipp's trio and one more for Mocean Worker; and a feature review of James Mangold's 3:10 To Yuma remake.
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Citypaper, August 30
Daily News, August 24-31
On the 24th, a feature on guitarist Skip Heller, now back in his hometown of Philly (after cutting a record at Memphis' Sun Studio) with a new organ trio; and a pick for Tito Puente, Jr. in Camden (hey, it was a slow week). On the 27th, a feature on two upcoming Coltrane-related events: the Labor Day weekend 2nd annual Tranestop Festival, headlined on Sunday by Odean Pope, and Bobby Zankel's premiere of a new 4-part suite on Trane's birthday (Sept. 23) at North Philly's Church of the Advocate. On the 31st, a big cover piece (with sidebar - that I can't seem to find right now - and highlights) on the Live Arts Festival/ Philly Fringe, which I'll be covering in-depth over the next two weeks. Also, a pick for Philly-by-way-of-Venezuela percussionist Marlon Simon.
Metro, August 24
A couple more, just in time for the weekend: a piece on the Wingdom Festival, featuring a slew of bands, honors paid to Mandrill, and a wedding; and Northern State, the white female Long Island rap trio whose third CD just dropped on Mike Patton's Ipecac label.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Massive Post-Vacation Daily News Update
Ok, this one's not so massive, since I didn't feel like seeking out all the picks, but hey, I had a theme going.
Besides the usual weekly jazz picks, I did feature stories on violinist Jenny Scheinman and The Stoogeum, the hidden treasure of the Philly area, an appointment-only Three Stooges museum.
Besides the usual weekly jazz picks, I did feature stories on violinist Jenny Scheinman and The Stoogeum, the hidden treasure of the Philly area, an appointment-only Three Stooges museum.
Massive Post-Vacation Metro Update
Ok, let's run these down real quick: over the last month for Metro, I've written profiles on the Burndown All Stars' reality show; the BlogPhiladelphia conference; the Decemberists; former Drive-By Trucker Jason Isbell; Joseph Gervasi's Legends of Philly Hardcore show; Patti Smith; Baltimore experimentalist Melissa Moore; Stan Ridgway; Felix Cavaliere of the Rascals about Hippiefest; The Intruders; Pittsburgh funk band Boogie Hustlers; Girls Rock Philly camp; Melody Gardot; and artist Tasja Keetman. Also, a few others that I can't find or got cut, but you get the gist.
Massive Post-Vacation Citypaper Update
Ok, so we were on vacation for most of the latter part of July, and then got back and I was really hectic with work, and am still kinda really hectic with work, and I'm naturally lazy about this blog, but if I don't update now it's never getting updated. So, here goes, Citypapers from July 19 through today:
July 19: Arts lead on a joint appearance by authors Louis Bayard and Matthew Pearl, both of whom wrote recent mysteries involving EA Poe; a review of Cashback; and 4 reviews from week two of the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival: Kenneth Anger doc Anger Me, Doris Wishman's posthumously-release Each Time I Kill; Duncan Roy's AIDS-era retread of The Picture of Dorian Gray; and the Philly-made 2 Minutes Later, a rerun from the Philly Film Fest.
July 26: Just a feature review, expanded from one I wrote for the Film Fest, of Lars Von Trier's Boss of It All.
August 2: A music feature on Negativland, in town with their It's All In Your Head FM live radio show; a pick for the circus/Balkan/rock/jazz double-shot of Ara Anderson's Iron & teh Albatross and Brian Carpenter's Beat Circus; a Soundadvice mention for the inaugural Man vs. Machine show featuring This Ambitious Orchestra; a review for the Andy Samberg snoozer Hot Rod and another for the slightly funnier State-related The Ten.
August 9: An Arts pick for the Secret Cinema-presented film/book event Riot On Sunset Strip, screening the film which inspired the book of the same name by Dominic Priore, who was on hand to discuss; a music pick for Deviled Leggs, the Bowerbird experimental dance party; a combo review for the fantasies Stardust and Labyrinth; and a sidebar for the Tower Gallery's Art of the Short program.
August 16: An Arts feature on Brian Coleman's book release for Check the Technique, his book of liner notes for 36 hip-hop albums; a One Track Mind for Finnish monster-rockers Lordi's "Bringing Back the Balls To Rock"; and a review of the retooled, patchwork Nicole Kidman remake The Invasion.
August 23: An arts feature on so-called political prisoner Tom Manning and a show of his work at The Rotunda; a music feature on Marc Zajack's experimental (and - mostly - cassette-only) Deep Fried Tapes label; a review of Mr. Bean's Holiday (ugh), and another for Illegal Tender (ugh, except for Wanda De Jesus blowin' guys away).
July 19: Arts lead on a joint appearance by authors Louis Bayard and Matthew Pearl, both of whom wrote recent mysteries involving EA Poe; a review of Cashback; and 4 reviews from week two of the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival: Kenneth Anger doc Anger Me, Doris Wishman's posthumously-release Each Time I Kill; Duncan Roy's AIDS-era retread of The Picture of Dorian Gray; and the Philly-made 2 Minutes Later, a rerun from the Philly Film Fest.
July 26: Just a feature review, expanded from one I wrote for the Film Fest, of Lars Von Trier's Boss of It All.
August 2: A music feature on Negativland, in town with their It's All In Your Head FM live radio show; a pick for the circus/Balkan/rock/jazz double-shot of Ara Anderson's Iron & teh Albatross and Brian Carpenter's Beat Circus; a Soundadvice mention for the inaugural Man vs. Machine show featuring This Ambitious Orchestra; a review for the Andy Samberg snoozer Hot Rod and another for the slightly funnier State-related The Ten.
August 9: An Arts pick for the Secret Cinema-presented film/book event Riot On Sunset Strip, screening the film which inspired the book of the same name by Dominic Priore, who was on hand to discuss; a music pick for Deviled Leggs, the Bowerbird experimental dance party; a combo review for the fantasies Stardust and Labyrinth; and a sidebar for the Tower Gallery's Art of the Short program.
August 16: An Arts feature on Brian Coleman's book release for Check the Technique, his book of liner notes for 36 hip-hop albums; a One Track Mind for Finnish monster-rockers Lordi's "Bringing Back the Balls To Rock"; and a review of the retooled, patchwork Nicole Kidman remake The Invasion.
August 23: An arts feature on so-called political prisoner Tom Manning and a show of his work at The Rotunda; a music feature on Marc Zajack's experimental (and - mostly - cassette-only) Deep Fried Tapes label; a review of Mr. Bean's Holiday (ugh), and another for Illegal Tender (ugh, except for Wanda De Jesus blowin' guys away).
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Wino-Tourism
Off for vacation, as of tonight - ten days in San Francisco and wine country. We're blogging the trip if you'd like to follow along.
Back on the 23rd. See you all then.
Shaun
Back on the 23rd. See you all then.
Shaun
Citypaper, July 12
Due to a few last-minute changes in release schedules, I downright own the film section this week: a feature review of Werner Herzog's new film Rescue Dawn, the dramatization of his own doc Little Dieter Needs To Fly, accompanied by an interview with co-star Steve Zahn; a short review of Zoe Cassavetes' debut feature, Broken English, along with an interview with the director; and for the Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, which opens today, reviews of a doc about black South African gay men called Black Beulahs (not quite sure how that recommended check got in there; I don't actually recommend it), another doc, The Godfather of Disco, about West End Records honcho Mel Cheren and the relationship between labels and DJs during the height of the disco era, Henry Jaglom's latest, Hollywood Dreams, and the Charles Nelson Reilly one-man show (!) Life of Reilly.
And in music, a feature about the Drive-By Truckers' new show The Dirt Underneath, an acoustic set featuring long-time Neil Young keyboardist Spooner Oldham in the line-up; and finally, a pick for NY-based improvising bassist Reuben Radding.
And in music, a feature about the Drive-By Truckers' new show The Dirt Underneath, an acoustic set featuring long-time Neil Young keyboardist Spooner Oldham in the line-up; and finally, a pick for NY-based improvising bassist Reuben Radding.
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Daily News, July 6
Metro, July 2-6
July 5: A piece on the Brotherly Shove Fest, a nearly week-long series of themed shows for independent bands. (No page number - Metro finally has a somewhat more navigable website, so I can link directly to the page.)
July 6: Freshout Media's Canvas Clash, a live art show on the roof of Whole Foods on South Street, promoting the idea of green rooftops.
July 6: Freshout Media's Canvas Clash, a live art show on the roof of Whole Foods on South Street, promoting the idea of green rooftops.
Citypaper, July 5
A slow week for movies, obviously, when my review for Transformers gets the lead spot.
Daily News, June 29
Just a pick, for drummer Winard Harper's show at the Art Museum, which seems to have fallen into that philly.com black hole. Link will be up if and when I can find it.
Metro, June 25-29
June 28: A piece on the Art Museum's new William Ranney show, turn-of-the-century idealized portraits of the American West by a Hoboken painter (pg. 14).
June 29: Punk-jazz trio Dynamite Club (guitarist/screecher Kentaro Saito, drummer Mike Pride, and Philly bassist Evan Lipson) at the Khyber (pg. 16).
June 29: Punk-jazz trio Dynamite Club (guitarist/screecher Kentaro Saito, drummer Mike Pride, and Philly bassist Evan Lipson) at the Khyber (pg. 16).
Citypaper, June 28
A review for Live Free or Die Hard, the overblown fourth installment that really doesn't require any further comment; a pick for the Benito Cereno CD release show, the quintet of Bowerbird regulars Dustin Hurt, Ian M Fraser, Jesse Kudler, Tim Albro, and Chandan Narayan; and another for South African drummer Louis Moholo and his then-mystery guest, who turned out to be Arkestra leader Marshall Allen. A phenomenal show, which featured a thirty-minute group improv by the duo and Fred Lonberg-Holm's Valentine Trio, who shared the bill.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Daily News, June 22
Friday, June 22, 2007
Metro, June 18-22
June 19: Philly hip-hop dance pioneer Rennie Harris, retrospecting (is that a word?) his work at the Kimmel (pg. 11).
June 21: Louder-than-you rawk duo Big Business, playing a show at the North Star that I sadly had to miss thanks to a flooded basement storage area (pg. 19).
June 22: Prog nirvana at NEARfest, this year blissing out with Hawkwind AND Magma (pg. 19).
June 21: Louder-than-you rawk duo Big Business, playing a show at the North Star that I sadly had to miss thanks to a flooded basement storage area (pg. 19).
June 22: Prog nirvana at NEARfest, this year blissing out with Hawkwind AND Magma (pg. 19).
Citypaper, June 21
This week: a review for Luc Besson's Wonderful Life-plus-statuesque blonde Parisian fairy tale Angel-A, and another for John Dahl's not-bad Ben Kingsley-starring hitman comedy You Kill Me. Music-wise, there's a feature on local saxophonist Daniel Peterson's new multimedia song cycle, to premiere Sunday at the Ethical Society, and a pick for the Bowerbird-presented CD release show for Technicolor Hell, a CD/zine compiling the leading lights of the Philly harsh electronic scene.
Daily News, June 11-15
This week, a feature piece on the "Congo Square" collaboration between Wynton Marsalis and Ghanaian drummer Yacub Addy, and a story on the Berks County and Clifford Brown Jazz Fests, featuring interviews with the Mahavishnu Project's Gregg Bendian and the Yellowjackets' Jimmy Haslip. Plus, a pick for the Chick Corea/Bela Fleck duo show at the Keswick.
Metro, June 11-15
Citypaper, June 14
This week: a review of Satoshi Kon's deliriously beautiful anime mindufck Paprika; a pick for '60s free jazz altoist Noah Howard, in a pair of what turned out to be rather brief and bizarre duo sets with Dave Burrell and Muhammad Ali; another for the final edition (after 21 years) of Jazz Vespers at Old Pine; and Soundadvice mentions for the Tuvan throat singers-meet-Arkestra and Elliot Levin show Alash Ensemble/Extra Special Terrestrial Guests and Philly soulquarian Bilal.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Daily News, June 1-8
Last Friday, a story on Philly trumpeter Rodney Mack, presenting the music of little-known 19th-century Philly composer Francis Johnson, with cousin Branford Marsalis guesting; and a pick for Rudresh Mahanthappa's quartet, presenting music from Codebook (Pi) at I-House.
And this week, just a pick for Kate McGarry at the Art Museum (link to come as soon as it reappears on the DN's site; it's in that day-after-publication limbo that seems to happen at Philly.com).
And this week, just a pick for Kate McGarry at the Art Museum (link to come as soon as it reappears on the DN's site; it's in that day-after-publication limbo that seems to happen at Philly.com).
Metro, June 4-8
June 4: My interview with director John Carney and stars Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova of Irish indie-musical Once (pg. 16).
June 6: The sixth installment of the Rotunda's black rock series "Afropick", with Imani Uzuri, Purple Rhinestone Eagle and McRad (pg. 17).
June 8: What I could salvage from my somewhat incomprehensible interview (The Upsetter's typical ramblings compounded by the fact that his thick Jamaican accent was coming via cell phone from Switzerland, both of us being outside competing with traffic noise and such) with Lee "Scratch" Perry, hitting the World Cafe on Sunday (pg. 16) and a piece on the University City-showcasing 40th Street Summer Series (pg. 18).
June 6: The sixth installment of the Rotunda's black rock series "Afropick", with Imani Uzuri, Purple Rhinestone Eagle and McRad (pg. 17).
June 8: What I could salvage from my somewhat incomprehensible interview (The Upsetter's typical ramblings compounded by the fact that his thick Jamaican accent was coming via cell phone from Switzerland, both of us being outside competing with traffic noise and such) with Lee "Scratch" Perry, hitting the World Cafe on Sunday (pg. 16) and a piece on the University City-showcasing 40th Street Summer Series (pg. 18).
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Citypaper, June 7
A feature this week on intrepid Philly saxophonist Jack Wright and his importing of French improvisers from a heretofore largely unknown scene, at the Physick House on Wednesday; a review of Day Watch, the second in a trilogy of style-over-substance Russian sci-fi thrillers (I reviewed the first one in 2005); and another for Hostel Part II, a sequel that undercuts whatever arguments the first film's defenders (I couldn't really be numbered among them, though my review made allowances for some wit and style) offered in it's defense - this one is wholly ugly and unnecessary.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Daily News, May
I've already covered May 4, but the rest of the month had:
May 18: a story on David Torn's Prezens band playing at the Clef Club.
May 23: Had five summer jazz picks.
...and...
May 31: A feature on the WIlma's annual DanceBOOM! festival, with a sidebar on their "Men Dancing" program.
Plus the usual picks and listings, too trivial to be listed here.
May 18: a story on David Torn's Prezens band playing at the Clef Club.
May 23: Had five summer jazz picks.
...and...
May 31: A feature on the WIlma's annual DanceBOOM! festival, with a sidebar on their "Men Dancing" program.
Plus the usual picks and listings, too trivial to be listed here.
Metro, May
This month in Metro pieces:
May 8: PTC's play about Orson Welles' ill-fated attempt to direct Ionesco's "Rhinoceros", "Orson's Shadow" (pg. 26).
May 10: A piece on PhilaDanco's 36th season (pg. 16) and my metalicious interview with Black Sabbath, er, Heaven and Hell's Geezer Butler (pg. 17).
May 16: Cross-generational Swiss electronic musicians the Signal Quintet, playing two Bowerbird shows with their American counterparts and dancers (pg. 20).
May 18: Dancer/choreographer Jaamil Olawale Kosoko's Prince-inspired show "Wet. Purple. Love. Affair." at CEC (pg. 20) and Chamber Music Now!'s multi-media show "Four Ways to View a City" (pg. 22).
May 30: Walnut Street Theatre's two current productions, Carousel and Side By Side By Sondheim (pg. 14).
May 31: rainpan 43's revamping of their 2002 Fringe Fest hit machines, machines, machines, machines, machines, machines machines (pg. 17).
May 8: PTC's play about Orson Welles' ill-fated attempt to direct Ionesco's "Rhinoceros", "Orson's Shadow" (pg. 26).
May 10: A piece on PhilaDanco's 36th season (pg. 16) and my metalicious interview with Black Sabbath, er, Heaven and Hell's Geezer Butler (pg. 17).
May 16: Cross-generational Swiss electronic musicians the Signal Quintet, playing two Bowerbird shows with their American counterparts and dancers (pg. 20).
May 18: Dancer/choreographer Jaamil Olawale Kosoko's Prince-inspired show "Wet. Purple. Love. Affair." at CEC (pg. 20) and Chamber Music Now!'s multi-media show "Four Ways to View a City" (pg. 22).
May 30: Walnut Street Theatre's two current productions, Carousel and Side By Side By Sondheim (pg. 14).
May 31: rainpan 43's revamping of their 2002 Fringe Fest hit machines, machines, machines, machines, machines, machines machines (pg. 17).
Citypaper, May
So I've been more neglectful tha ever this month, so I'm just going to catch up with a month-long update for each publication. In addition to these, I have a review of the Rova Orkestrova "Electric Ascension" show at I-House in this month's Downbeat. They don't post it online, so I can't link. But trust me. It's there.
Now, as for CP in the month of May...
The May 10 issue merely had an Art Agenda pick for Dina Matos McGreevey's book signing. I was asked to do it - wouldn't have chosen this one myself - and couldn't force myself to do much more than skim the book. Just can't see why anyone should care.
May 17 was devoid of me altogether, but May 24 had a sidebar on I-House's Alexandro Jodorowsky double feature, a review of the third Pirates of the Caribbean, a Pick for Justin Berger's F! and another for Z'EV at I-House.
And finally, the May 31 issue had Soundadvice mentions for Sleepytime Gorilla Museum at North Star, Uncle Woody Sullender and Kevin Davis' banjo/cello duo at the Pageant: Soloveev gallery, and the Billy Bang, Barry Altschul, Joe Fonda FAB Trio at I-House, which Bang no-showed, leading to one-off performance with solos, a duo, and a trio with Rudresh Mahanthappa, whose quartet shared the bill; a Pick for Dutch lute player Jozef van Wissem; and a short feature on the Electro-Music Festival at the Cheltenham Art Center.
Now, as for CP in the month of May...
The May 10 issue merely had an Art Agenda pick for Dina Matos McGreevey's book signing. I was asked to do it - wouldn't have chosen this one myself - and couldn't force myself to do much more than skim the book. Just can't see why anyone should care.
May 17 was devoid of me altogether, but May 24 had a sidebar on I-House's Alexandro Jodorowsky double feature, a review of the third Pirates of the Caribbean, a Pick for Justin Berger's F! and another for Z'EV at I-House.
And finally, the May 31 issue had Soundadvice mentions for Sleepytime Gorilla Museum at North Star, Uncle Woody Sullender and Kevin Davis' banjo/cello duo at the Pageant: Soloveev gallery, and the Billy Bang, Barry Altschul, Joe Fonda FAB Trio at I-House, which Bang no-showed, leading to one-off performance with solos, a duo, and a trio with Rudresh Mahanthappa, whose quartet shared the bill; a Pick for Dutch lute player Jozef van Wissem; and a short feature on the Electro-Music Festival at the Cheltenham Art Center.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Daily News, April 27
Almost forgot this one - just a pick for Chicago vocalist Sachal Vasandani this week.
Daily News, May 4
For this weekend's Equality Forum, a story on the Kimmel's triple-shot of GLBT choral groups, celebrating the 25th anniversary of GALA Choruses, and a sidebar about the Prince's premiere of a documentary on the group, "Why We Sing!"
On the regular jazz beat, a story on Longwood Gardens' Wine and Jazz Fest (which is more exciting for the wine than the jazz, to be honest) and a pick for trumpeter Valery Ponomarev, playing with Bootsie Barnes' organ trio at Chris'.
On the regular jazz beat, a story on Longwood Gardens' Wine and Jazz Fest (which is more exciting for the wine than the jazz, to be honest) and a pick for trumpeter Valery Ponomarev, playing with Bootsie Barnes' organ trio at Chris'.
Metro, April 30-May 4
May 3: My interview from last November with Mr. Lif, for a show at First Unitarian Church that got cancelled after his tour bus flipped and burst into flames; he's back this weekend to play Johnny Brenda's (pg. 14).
May 4: Four pieces this weekend: one on the annual Betzwood Silent Film Festival, another on Exhumed Films' kung-fu triple feature (both pg. 17), one more on albino Minnesota rapper Brother Ali (pg. 18), and one mo' 'nother on Miro Dance Theatre's "Pitch Black," a collaboration with the PRISM Saxophone Quartet on music by JacobTV (pg. 20).
May 4: Four pieces this weekend: one on the annual Betzwood Silent Film Festival, another on Exhumed Films' kung-fu triple feature (both pg. 17), one more on albino Minnesota rapper Brother Ali (pg. 18), and one mo' 'nother on Miro Dance Theatre's "Pitch Black," a collaboration with the PRISM Saxophone Quartet on music by JacobTV (pg. 20).
Citypaper, May 3
Metro, April 23-27
Daily News, April 20
A feature on Crossroad's double bill featuring the Tuvan throat singers Alash Ensemble and Philly's Arkestra offshoot Deep Space Posse, paying tribute to recently passed member Tyrone Hill; plus, a pick for the Tim Berne-meets-Bad Plus Buffalo Collision at Rose Recital Hall.
Plus, I got sourced in Dan Gross' column on the closing of Zanzibar Blue. About the only time I wasn't the alst to know what was going on around here.
Plus, I got sourced in Dan Gross' column on the closing of Zanzibar Blue. About the only time I wasn't the alst to know what was going on around here.
Metro, April 16-20
Apr. 16: Sample-heavy pop-electronica duo The Books, previewing a show at Johnny Brenda's with Todd Reynolds in tow.
Apr. 17: Philly-based label Ropeadope's launch of their new all-digital format at World Cafe Live (issue currently not online).
Apr. 18: LA Theatre Works' play "The Great Tennessee Monkey Trial," using transcripts of the original Scopes monkey trial and starring Ed Asner, at Penn (pg. 17).
Apr. 20: Philadelphia Folklore Project's "African Song/New Contexts" show at World Cafe Live (pg. 20).
Apr. 17: Philly-based label Ropeadope's launch of their new all-digital format at World Cafe Live (issue currently not online).
Apr. 18: LA Theatre Works' play "The Great Tennessee Monkey Trial," using transcripts of the original Scopes monkey trial and starring Ed Asner, at Penn (pg. 17).
Apr. 20: Philadelphia Folklore Project's "African Song/New Contexts" show at World Cafe Live (pg. 20).
Citypaper, April 19
Monday, April 16, 2007
Daily News, April 9-13
Metro, April 9-13
Citypaper, April 12
Eight more Film Fest reviews, plus one more, for the unsurprisingly dreadful Halle Berry "thriller" Perfect Stranger; and Soundadvice mentions for Mats Gustaffsson's The Thing and Keith Rowe's Voltage Spooks.
Daily News, April 6
Metro, April 2-6
Citypaper, April 5
Daily News, March 30
A Pick for Jamie Baum's Septet show at the Painted Bride, which seems to have fallen into that online black hole that happens with Daily News pieces sometimes. So no link for now.
Metro, March 26-30
So once again, I haven't been keeping this up to date, this time thanks to the black hole of time which is the Philadelphia Film Festival. So the following few posts will be a marathon to catch up the past three weeks or so. Expect no superfluous niceties.
Anyway... this week in the Metro:
March 29: Peregrine Arts' multi-media adaptation of Gavin Bryars' "Sinking of the Titanic" (pg. 17).
March 30: "Cursed: The Head Trauma Music Project" at I-House, a live interactive expansion of Lance Weiler's head-trip horror flick (pg. 13).
Anyway... this week in the Metro:
March 29: Peregrine Arts' multi-media adaptation of Gavin Bryars' "Sinking of the Titanic" (pg. 17).
March 30: "Cursed: The Head Trauma Music Project" at I-House, a live interactive expansion of Lance Weiler's head-trip horror flick (pg. 13).
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Citypaper, March 29
Metro, March 19-23
March 21: Ah. Here's the "Hitchhiker's Guide" piece I mentioned last week (pg. 19).
March 23: I OWN the Metro this weekend. Five pieces: blues singer Frank Bey (pg. 15), the American Composers Orchestra (pg. 17), I-House's Syrian Cinema series (pg. 20), Exhumed Films' screening of Street Trash with writer/producer Roy Frumkes in attendance (pg. 21), and my interview with Pride star Terrence Howard (pg. 23).
March 23: I OWN the Metro this weekend. Five pieces: blues singer Frank Bey (pg. 15), the American Composers Orchestra (pg. 17), I-House's Syrian Cinema series (pg. 20), Exhumed Films' screening of Street Trash with writer/producer Roy Frumkes in attendance (pg. 21), and my interview with Pride star Terrence Howard (pg. 23).
http://www2.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifCitypaper, March 22
Daily News, March 16
Metro, March 12-16
March 12: Bowerbird's "Versus" show at the ICA (pg. 15).
March 14: Coltrane cousin-in-law Carl Grubbs' "Coltrane Dialogues" show at the Rotunda (pg. 19).
March 16: Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, for a North Star show that ended up being cancelled (pg. 17); South African transplant Mogauwane Mahloele, and Chinese-American saxophonist Fred Ho's show about the Black Panthers (both pg. 21).
I also did a piece on the second installment of Curio Theatre's staged readings of Douglas Adams' "Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy" radio plays, which apparently never ran - I can't find it, anyway.
March 14: Coltrane cousin-in-law Carl Grubbs' "Coltrane Dialogues" show at the Rotunda (pg. 19).
March 16: Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, for a North Star show that ended up being cancelled (pg. 17); South African transplant Mogauwane Mahloele, and Chinese-American saxophonist Fred Ho's show about the Black Panthers (both pg. 21).
I also did a piece on the second installment of Curio Theatre's staged readings of Douglas Adams' "Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy" radio plays, which apparently never ran - I can't find it, anyway.
Citypaper, March 15
All right, let's make this quick: I'm three weeks behind and too busy to care. So, CP round 1, from the 15th: a review of Premonition and another for Starter for 10; a Pick for the Rotunda's Gate series show of 8-bit electronic musicians; and a Soundadvice mention for Jim Ridl's Antfarm Quartet.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Daily News, March 9
This week, a features cover story, sidebar, and podcast interview on Chris' first annual Big Band Fest; a story on Matana Roberts' Coin Coin at the Rotunda; a Pick for Wycliffe Gordon's Crescent City Gospel show at the Kimmel; and listings for Amy Banks, Mike Moreno, Zach Brock, Steve Cole, and Carl Grubbs.
Metro, March 5-9
Mar. 8: Just one piece this week: a Q&A with Citypaper film critic Sam Adams, discussing Robert Altman at the OCunty and Ambler theaters (pg. 16).
Citypaper, March 8
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Daily News, March 2
Just a Pick this week, for Dreambox Media's 20th-anniversary and 100th-release show, with Tyrone Brown's Bird-covering Birdhouse Project; plus, listings for Eddie Palmieri and Poncho Sanchez at the Kimmel, Stanton Moore at the North Star, John Ellis and John Abercrombie at Chris', Borbetomagus at I-House, the Diaspora Series and New Ghost at the Rotunda.
Metro, Feb. 26-March 2
Citypaper, March 1
All music this week: a feature on "snuff jazz" trio Borbetomagus, a One-Track Mind for Uri Caine's new Mozart project, and Soundadvices for Danish etheralists Under Byen and lush metal-epic instrumentalists Red Sparowes.
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