Daily News Catch-Up

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Citypaper, June 12

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Citypaper, May 22

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

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

Metro, May 12-16

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Metro April Wrap-Up

The month in Metro:

A piece on Chamber Music Now!'s text/music collaborations (not online); an interview with David Kessler, creator of Shadow World, a series of interviews with folks living under the Front St. El, who I've previously written about. He's got an installation based on the website up at I-House. Then there's a piece on collective psych-folk ensemble Dark Meat; and a cut-down piece on Charles Anderson's Dance Theatre X.

Citypaper April Wrap-Up

Between the Film Fest (I think the number ended up being about 60 films seen) and a small getaway to Virginia wine country for my birthday, I've neglected this space for about a month. So I'll do a lightning round of links for each of the usual papers.

As for CP:

April 10: Down from last week's total, a mere three reviews for Film Fest week two: Deep Sea Blues, Fados, and the Germs biopic What We Do is Secret; a regular review for the Ryan Reynolds vehicle Chaos Theory; and a pick for The Tiptons at Chris'.

April 17: A feature on local psych-noise label Fire Museum Records, previewing a label showcase at the Troc and an interview with Theo Bleckmann prior to his vocal supergroup MOSS appearing at the Art Museum; a review of Morgan Spurlock's Where in the World is Osama bin Laden? and an interview with the director; a review of the cloying oldsters-sing-hipster doc Young @ Heart, another for the belated poker mockumentary The Grand, and one more for the latest Apatow product, Forgetting Sarah Marshall; and a pick for the first anniversary of the dance/multi-media performance series paraphrase/NEXUS.

April 24: A pick for the Dylan-as-jazz trio Jewels and Binoculars; reviews of The Life Before Her Eyes, The Visitor and, yes, another poker flick, Deal; a piece on I-House's series of films on, about, or using still photos, Moving Pictures; and a pick for the collaboration of local improviser Jack Wright and Butoh master Katsura Kan.

Daily News, April 4

This Friday, just a pick for Philly trumpeter John Swana, celebrating First Friday in Mt. Airy with his quartet.

Metro, March 31-April 4

This week in the Metro: a preview of NoirCon 2008, a celebration of all things dark and shadowy; an interview with Bollywood icon Asha Bhosle, and another with avant-garde composer Phil Kline, bringing settings of Hunter S. Thompson prose and Vietnam G.I.'s lighter-inscribed poetry to the Kimmel.

Citypaper, April 3

The Film Fest issue. Tons of stuff this week, beginning with sixteen Fest reviews (just look for the S.B.s); an interview with Jeremiah Zagar, director of the doc In a Dream about his parents, Philly mosaic artist Isaiah and his wife Julia Zagar; a lead review in the regular film section for the Scorsese Rolling Stones concert film Shine a Light; a feature review of the treacly immigration melodrama Under the Same Moon; a short review of the Abigail Breslin/Jodie Foster adventure mess Nim's Island; a pick for tenorman Joe Lovano's Us 5 at Chris'; and Soundadvice blurbs for Ben Allison's Man Size Safe and Wolf Eyes.

Daily News, March 28

In this Friday's Yo section, my interview with sax legend Wayne Shorter, plus a pick for the smooth-jazz-happy 18th annual Berks Jazz Fest.

Metro, March 24-28

This week, a piece on Back Door Slam, a trio of blues-rockers from the Isle of Man, barely (or not even) old enough to drink. Had one or two things in Friday's issue as well, but that one isn't online as of now.

Citypaper, March 27

This week: a review of the lackluster Demi Moore/Michael Caine heist flick Flawless, and another for the disappointing Simon Pegg romcom Run Fat Boy Run; a Daytripper piece on First Person's bus trip to NY to view the lost Diane Arbus pics before they go up for auction; a pick for the Tony Malaby/William Parker/Nasheet Waits trio Tamarindo, and Soundadvice mentions for Bowerbird's evening of New Trombone and the Kimmel's Eastern European jazz show with Daniel Szabo and Marta Topferova.

Daily News, March 21

This Friday, a pick for Chris' second annual Big Band Festival, this time focusing on the region's university-based large ensembles.

Citypaper, March 20

In this week's CP: a review of Gus Van Sant's study of skater neurosis, Paranoid Park, and a short review of Ira Sachs' belated expose of '50s hypocrisy, Married Life; for the Book Quarterly, a brief review (scroll down) of Matt Taibbi's The Great Derangement; a pick for Russian dada-rock group Auktyon, and Soundadvice mentions for the Fonda/Stevens Group, James Fei Alto Quartet, and Brother Ali.

Daily News, March 14

Just a pick in this Friday's DN, for Our Father Who Art Blakey, the tribute group consisting of the mid-70s Jazz Messengers frontline of Dave Schnitter, Valery Ponomarev, and Bobby Watson. Sadly, the Blakey alums scheduled for the rhythm section couldn't be there - pianist Ronnie Matthews is suffering some health issues, and bassist Dennis Irwin passed away just a few days prior to the show.

Metro, March 10-14

Just two Metro pieces this week: an interview with Lisa O'Hare, playing Eliza in the Academy of Music's presentation of My Fair Lady; and a piece on First Person Arts' new series of Salons at the Gershman Y.

Citypaper, March 13

In this week's CP: a feature on Philly violinist Katt Hernandez, a pick for Dutch trombonist Wolter Wierbos, and Soundadvice mentions for the Pat Metheny Trio and The Bad Plus; a review of the blind Everest-climbing doc Blindsight; and Arts Picks for Chere Krakovsky, transplanting her kitchen to I-House, and Phillip Hamilton's Voices at the Painted Bride.

Metro, March 3-7

This week: an interview with Lester Friedman, author of "Citizen Spielberg", in town to lecture as part of the Free Library's One Film program; a preview of Pink Martini at the Kimmel Center; and a piece on Koresh Dance Co., with a U.S. and two World Premieres at their new home, the Suzanne Roberts Theatre.

Citypaper, March 6

Big week, as it's time for another Music Issue. As this one is themed "Philly Classics", I ended up profiling local lifer Bootsie Barnes. I also have the lead piece in the regular music section, on Ars Nova's presentation of Ikue Mori/Zeena Parkins duo Phantom Orchard at Bartram's Garden, with a light installation by LURE. Also, an interview with My Name Is Albert Ayler director Kasper Collin, a short piece on Joseph A. Gervasi's screening of Czech New Wave oddity The Cremator as part of the TLA/Philebrity screening series at National Mechanics and a review of the truth-is-duller-than-fiction heist film The Bank Job.

Barack Obama, babykiller

Now that Rick Santorum has been exiled from the corridors of power, it's much easier to appreciate his ravings for the adorable ugliness that they truly are. I couldn't pass up posting Rick's insane rant from last week's Inky, wherein our belovedly reviled ex-Senator lays out the case for Barack Obama being a staunch supporter of infanticide. I'm looking forward to upcoming exposes where he reveals Obama's secret passion for kicking puppies or hunting grannies for sport.

Daily News, February 29

A feature this weekend on Chris' First Annual Guitar festival, featuring my email interview with Philly native Kurt Rosenwinkel, and a pick for the John Zorn-centered Radical Jewish Music Festival.

Metro, February 25-29

Neither seem to be online at the moment, but this week I wrote a piece on the Israeli Film Festival and one on pianist Christopher O'Riley's classical takes on Radiohead, Nick Drake and Elliott Smith.

Citypaper, February 28

A light week; just Soundadvice mentions for Israeli-born singer/songwriter Keren Ann at Johnny Brenda's and Relache's performance of new Bobby Zankel compositions at I-house, and a review of the awful Scarlett Johannson/Natalie Portman Marvel team-up The Other Boleyn Girl.

50%

I failed to follow up my Oscar predictions here, but that's how I did - straight down the middle, all my so-called expertise amounting to no more than chance. I could've blind-guessed and did as well. Ah, well, it's all irrelevant in any case, especially for such a lackluster show (all due to the last-minute end of the Writers' Strike, so forgivable, and Jon Stewart did the best with what he had. Nice moment for Glen Hansard and especially Marketa Irglova, both of whom I interviewed (along with Once's director) for Metro at the Four Seasons last year.

Oscar Prognosticatin'

Before I put myself on record with my predictions for tonight's show, I'll come right out and admit: for someone who's spent a significant portion of his life obsessing over film, spent six years studying and/or working in a film school, and currently makes part of his living from film criticism, I have about the worst Academy Award prediction average on the planet. I'm guessing that Jenn, who hasn't seen almost any of the nominated films this year, will score higher than me on sheer guesswork. But here goes, in the order of the ballot - results after the show:

Actor - Leading:
I think Daniel Day-Lewis is the shoo-in here, and take a shot for every time someone makes an "I'll drink your milkshake reference" over the course of the evening.

Actor - Supporting
Casey Affleck should win for his uncomfortable-in-his-own-skin turn in The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford, criminally undernominated this year (as is Fincher's Zodiac), but it's actually a contest between Javier Bardem and Hal Holbrook. I'm predicting Bardem will take it, given his iconic stature in the year's filmic memory, but Halbrook has the sympathy vote behind him. Ruby Dee may well appease that instinct for voters, though.

Actress - Leading
Another toss-up, this one between Marion Cotillard in La Vie en Rose and Julie Christie in Away From Her. Cotillard has the advantage of that Academy favorite, a gorgeous actress uglied up by gobs of make-up, plus the impression of a famous personage, which tends to go over well; but it's a French film, and Oscar hates to read. Christie gets to suffer, from Alzheimer's in this case, plus has the aging-gracefully vote. I give her the edge.

Actress - Supporting
Cate Blanchett would seem a natural, given the fact that she's playing not only a well-known celeb but a male well-known celeb, but the power of sympathy will likely incline voters toward Ruby Dee, who's never won. Dee doesn't necessarily deserve the award for an underwritten, brassy-old-mother role from American Gangster, but this could be her compensation Oscar, especially with the loss of Ossie Davis so recently.

Animated Feature
I have a hard time believing voters could turn away from the greatness of Persepolis, even though the notoriously conservative award tends to go towards big-name family features, which would tend to favor Ratatouille (a really good film - I'm quite the Brad Bird fan - but not the best this year). We can ignore Surf's Up pretty safely, I think.

Art Direction
Could go to Sweeney Todd, but this is a category that worships big fantasy or sweeping period flicks, so I'm guessing Atonement will win, with its period mansions and WWII grime.

Cinematography
Kind of a tough call - I'd give it to Assassination, but I'll take a stab in the dark and say the flaming oil fields of There Will Be Blood do the trick for this one. Would be nice to see the double-nommed Roger Deakins (for Assassination and No Country For Old Men) take it, though. Would be well-deserved for a stunning year.

Costume Design
A walk for the over-the-top frills of the otherwise-dreadful Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Though it should lose for Clive Owens' puffy shirts.

Directing
This should be the Coens' year. They may sweep picture and director, but I think this one is the given of the two.

Documentary Feature
Missed most of these. Don't think anybody could stomach another Michael Moore win (though my own disgust with the health-care system made me more sympathetic with his propagandistic tactics in Sicko than usual, except for the Cuba-glorifying finale), and No End in Sight and Taxi To the Darkside may split the anti-Bush vote (haven't seen the apparently great Taxi yet, though). In short, War/Dance has kids and triumph over adversity. Oscar loves that shit.

Documentary Short
I've only seen one of these, Iraq in Fragments director James Longley's Sari's Mother, but it's gorgeous and something of a tearjerker, so I feel safe betting on it.

Film Editing
Hmmm... tough call. I'll go with The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, since it isn't likely to win anything else and has plenty of trickery that calls attention to editing rhythms.

Foreign Language Film
Because of all manner of nonsensical rules, some obvious nominees got excluded, and only one of these has played in Philly - and hasn't actually opened yet. I caught a screening of The Counterfeiters this week, and it's not particularly good, but has enough elements (WWII, redemption) that Academy voters fall for, so I'll go for it. This might be different if I'd seen any of the others, but I haven't, so it isn't.

Makeup
If Marion Cotillard doesn't win best actress for being transformed into Edith Piaf, those responsible for the uglying-up and aging will take it. La Vie en Rose.

Original Score
Why the fuck is Johnny Greenwood's brilliant score for There Will Be Blood not even nominated?!?! That's flat-out the most glaring misstep of the whole show this year. I'll bet on The Kite Runner undeservingly taking this one.

Original Song
Three Enchantment tunes cancelling each other out, and August Rush? Good lord, really? This will be the heartwarming win of the night, going to Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova for Once. Bound to be the performance highlight of the show as well.

Best Picture
The big'un, and the one where I'm most likely to go horribly wrong in my predictions. No Country for Old Men has all the momentum, and everyone seems to think it'll come down to a showdown between it and There Will Be Blood. But I've been saying since the nominations that Atonement is just the sort of epic, romance-and-war treacle that the Oscars tend to bend over for again and again, and it's also the one film among the nominees that I actively disliked, and will therefore win. I'm stubbornly sticking to that prediction, and hope to be proved wrong. If voters walk out after the bleak, nihilist ending of No Country and still vote for it, then I will publicly admit that I've underestimated Hollywood.

Short Film - Animated
Of the two shorts programs, the animations actually have a few deserving entries, especially the stunning, mysterious Madame Tutli-Putli. But my money is on My Love, an impressionist painting come to life whose style is gorgeous even if its story is overheated romanticism. As long as the nod doesn't land on the dull, by-the-numbers British/Polish adaptation of Peter and the Wolf.

Short Film - Live Action
A dreadful, ultra-conservative batch whose creators can hope at best to someday direct Super Bowl commercials. Award will likely go to the one-joke Tanghi Argentini, if only because people like cute gags and tango.

Sound Editing/Sound Mixing
Combining the two into one, because there's no pinging submarine movie this year. So I'll take The Bourne Ultimatum for both, if only because it's a loud action film. Whatever.

Visual Effects
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Had lots of effects. Therefore, it will win. That's my thought process. Keep it simple.

Screenplay - Adapted
Especially if I'm right about Atonement winning Best Picture (which I'm probably not), this'll be the concession for No Country For Old Men. Could very well reverse the two. I think the two will share screenplay and picture, though the Coens could well sweep.

Screenplay - Original
Ah, the Miss Congeniality award for the little picture with no real Best Pic hopes, but will get its moment of glory anyway. This year: Juno. Diablo Cody has such a rich backstory, too, this is the gimme to morning-after journos looking for an underdog angle.

Daily News, February 18-22

This week, a feature on the 20th anniversary of the left-leaning, new-play-focusing Interact Theater Company, with a small piece on their current production, "Black Gold"; and Friday's pick for trumpeter Sean Jones, at the Art Museum.

Metro, February 18-22

This week: a preview of I-House's annual selections from the Human Rights Watch Film Festival; and my piece on the PMA's stunning Frida Kahlo exhibit.

Dolls, Goons, and Mo(o)re

February continues to be excessively busy: on Valentine's Day, which we're pretty good at ignoring around here, the gf and I headed to South Philly's New Alhambra Arena, formerly home to Extreme Championship Wrestling and still primarily an indie boxing and wrestling venue, to catch the New York Dolls. It was Sylvain Sylvain's 57th birthday, which netted him a cake and an audience singalong. Sylvain was obviously overjoyed to be on stage and could've gone all night; David Johansen maybe less so, though he was in good form and nailed the songs' energy.

On 2/20, Dave Burrell premiered a new piece for piano and bass at the Rosenbach, inspired by the museum's collection of works by modernist poet Marianne Moore. Gorgeous pieces, restrained and minimal in a way that some of the film score pieces from his CD Momentum were; Burrell stressed that the poems were written so that every word was integral to the final effect, and his interpretations made sure that each note and gesture counted in the same way. Then he exploded in the improvised final piece, an explosion of pent-up flurries based on Moore's "O, To Be a Dragon." Michael Formanek, fresh off the Bloodcount reunion, again proved an able and sensitive partner for the pianist.

That same night, caught Roy Smiles' play "Ying Tong: A Walk With the Goons" at the Wilma Theater. Manic fun, though requiring at least some foreknowledge of the Brit comedy troupe.

Thursday night (2/21), an Ars Nova triple-shot at the Rotunda, kicking off with a stunner of a set by Jeremiah Cymerman's Silence & Solitude. Processing three clarinets (Cymerman joined by Matt Bauder and Josh Sinton) through electronics, the trio created a dense swirl of sound, alternating between brash squalls and sparse, breathy intervals. Next was a solo tenor set by Phillip Greenlief, which explored extremes of the instrument's range over the course of twenty minutes or so; and the Mary Halvorson Trio, with bassist John Hebert and drummer Ches Smith, rocketed through a set of Halvorson's quirky, off-kilter indie-pop/jazz miniatures.

And last night (2/22), braved the snow and other inclement climatic turns to see trumpeter Sean Jones put on an emotional show at the Art Museum, coming to tears and bringing much of the audience to their feet by the end. A little maudlin, but heartfelt. Then the blazing, witty virtuosity of accordionists Guy Klucevsek and Alan Bern at the Trinity Center, in a compelling show co-produced by Relache and Ars Nova.

Citypaper, February 21

In this week's CP: a feature on accordionists Guy Klucevsek and Alan Bern, coming to the Trinity Center for a Relache/Ars Nova co-presentation; a Soundadvice mention for Billy Milano's M.O.D., at the Khyber; my interview with zombie godfather George A. Romero; and a review, which may have accentuated the negative a tad more than I intended, though I have very mixed feelings, for Michel Gondry's far-from-Eternal-Sunshine latest, Be Kind Rewind, which is charming if threadbare.

Daily News, February 15

This Friday's DN featured my long-delayed (I wrote it back before the holidays!) feature on Philly's crop of alternative music presenting organizations, complete with sidebar bios; and a pick for Elio Villafranca's appearance at BLue Hair Studio with an all-star Latin jazz band to benefit the Philly-based Habitat for Humanity-like charity org Ray of Hope.

Metro, February 11-15

This week, a preview of the Franklin Institute's "Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination" exhibit, which really strains the Franklin's science-based mandate to squeeze in lots of ticket-selling movie memorabilia.

February So Far

The month began with an Ars Nova Workshop-presented double feature mismatch (nothing wrong with that), with the ultra-quiet duo of guitarist Tetuzi Akiyama and Dutch lutist Jozef Van Wissem preceding the rollicking Trio M, with Myra Melford, Mark Dresser and Matt Wilson having at least as much fun as their audience.

On 2/2, Elio Villafranca supplemented his quartet with the Osso String Quartet to perform a set of classical/jazz hybrids composed for documentary films. Some of the music was quite gorgeous, with spirited playing by his group - Jacam Menricks on reeds, Carlo DeRosa on bass, and Henry Cole on drums. The interplay between Cole and Villafranca was especially fun to watch, as the two obviously delighted in spurring each other on. The only downside was the dance number, performed by a trio of ballerinas who were perfectly capable but given little to do other than wander the stage throwing out what seemed an endless variety of stock moves with no throughline.

On 2/8, three shows, starting with Mike Holober's powerful Gotham Jazz Orchestra at the Art Museum. Holober premiered a lovely new suite, and sounded almost as fantastic in that environment as Maria Schneider did last month. Seems you need to overpower that space, so the PMA really should maximize the big bands that come through; may I suggest Jason Lindner's in the near future? Next up was an evening of new compositions by Susie Ibarra at Settlement Music School. Somewhat disappointing (I'll have a complete review in Downbeat in a couple of months), Ibarra's solo piece and percussion quartet were the highlights, with her piece for four pianists standing on shaky legs and the second half, consisting of her Electric Kulintang duo with husband Roberto Rodriguez, wholly uninspired - especially Rodriguez' factory-installed laptop beats. Finished the night with a blazing set by Wayne Krantz at Chris', a flat-out rock show with the guitarist virtually arm-wrestling with drummer Ari Hoenig.

2/9: Gene Coleman's Ensemble Noamnesia performing his score for the Soviet silent classic Aelita, Queen of Mars. Always a fun film to see with a crowd, as the turn from sci-fi and melodrama to bold propaganda is hilarious (the hammer and sickle shot always leaves the place in ruins). After the performance, theremin player Anthony Jay Ptak gave a talk and demonstration on the theremin, an unintentionally hilarious stream-of-consciousness ramble that had to be heard to be believed.

The next night, the most anticipated event of my calendar: the reunion of Tim Berne's seminal quartet Bloodcount, absent for a mere decade but sorely missed all the same. The show didn't disappoint; the foursome sounded like they played together every night (granted, most of them have continued to work regularly with one another in some form or another) and Berne's new pieces stood in good stead with the old. One of those shows that gets the blood pumping and reminds you why you slog out to these things night after night in the first place. More, please.

End-o-January Live Round-Up

Left off mid-month, and plenty has happened on Philly stages since. January 21-24, World Cafe hosted their first Israeli Jazz Festival. Missed the first night's Roni Ben-Hur show, but caught the remaining three nights. First up was saxophonist Eli Degibri, who led a fine quartet featuring bassist Barak Mori, pianist Omer Klein, and drummer Obed Calvaire; they got off to a slow start, piling on a few too many ballads and crawl-paced numbers at the outset, but eventually got into a steady groove and put on a solid performance. The next night, pianist Alon Yavnai brought his group with bassist Chris Lightcap, flutist Amir Milstein, and drummer Dan Aran. There was a bit too much pretty virtuosity for my tastes, but Yavnai's tunes, inspired by Israeli traditional songs and a blend of other influences, were enticing. The highlight of the fest was the final night's performance by a stellar quintet led by sibs Anat and Avishai Cohen. With Barak Mori back in the bass position, plus pianist Jason Lindner and drummer Daniel Freedman, the group smoked on a set of really inspired originals taken mainly from the 3 Cohens and Avishai's latest disc. Anat actually had me wishing she'd play more tenor rather than clarinet; she really sounded fantastic that night.

On 1/25, caught a matinee Philadelphia Orchestra performance, featuring a spirited rendition of Leonard Bernstein's "Jeremiah" Symphony and the premiere of the Bernstein Fest's second Higdon commission, The Singing Rooms, with the Philadelphia Singers providing the choral parts. While more successful than her Concert 4-3, the piece still dissipated into near-incoherence in some sections. Not in the avant, dissonant way, but in the aimless, directionless way. There was a thrilling moment when soloist Jennifer Koh broke a string and swapped violins with the first chair, while her instrument was fixed with the speed and precision of a NASCAR pitstop.

That same night, caught Phila Theatre Co's production of M. Butterfly in their new Suzanne Roberts Theatre. Was a great way to check out the new home, as the design was spectacular, even if the production itself was too noisy and obvious.

The next day, a double-feature of Chris Potter's untouchable electric band Underground at the Annenberg Center, and TBP drummer David King's other trio, Happy Apple, at I-House. Nobody puts on a better show than Potter right now, and the band was tight and firing on all cylinders; HA put on a typically raw, ragged-as-garage-rock show, engaging with a small crowd (splitting audience with Potter and Bill Frisell's show in Camden) with stories and patter.

On 1/27, saw a preview of PIMA Group's "Look!", a dance performance choreographed by Melisa Putz at Society Hill's Powel House. An intriguing piece, allowing small audiences to roam freely about the house as dancers dart in and out of rooms, occasionally creating uncomfortable atmospheres via eye contact or whispers to the onlookers.

1/30: Caught the premier of InterAct Theatre's new play Black Gold, written and directed by Seth Rozin. It moves at a dizzying pace, throwing ideas and jokes out faster than any crowd could catch them, but a good bit of it does stick. It definitely will have a short shelf life, but actually earns a few dramatic moments among all the broad comedy.

1/31: Matt Davis' Aerial Photograph at Tritone. Matt's got a monthly gig at Tritone, and he's using the dates this year to try out new material based around interviews with different groups of Philadelphians, the first using soundbites from a pair of octogenarians who've lived in the city their whole lives. Matt writes and plays beautifully and is truly one of the standouts in the city right now. And that night, Jason Fraticelli tore the roof off the place with a mind-crushing bass solo that had the whole place hooting and shouting like some old-school Jazz at the Philharmonic crowd.

Citypaper, February 14

This week: a feature review of George A. Romero's vital reboot of his zombie series, Diary of the Dead; a sider on A Walk Into the Sea, a doc about Factory filmmaker Danny Williams, to be followed at Friday's I-House screening by a 70-minute slate of his films, featuring Warhol and the Velvet Underground; a review of the bland Jedi-reunion actioner Jumper and another for the bland kids' fantasy film (with a better-than-bland cast) The Spiderwick Chronicles. And in music, a pick for saxophonist Kenny Garrett, coming to the Gershman Y, and Soundadvice mentions for Moppa Elliott's Mostly Other People Do The Killing and ex-DBTer Jason Isbell.

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.

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.

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."

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."

Daily News, January 16-18

This week, a cover story on World Cafe Live's Israeli Jazz Festival (bios on the artists here), a feature on Indian-American percussionist Sunny Jain, coming to the Painted Bride, and a pick for South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela, hitting MontCo Community College.

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

This Friday, a feature on the Maria Schneider Orchestra (my top CD from last year), previewing their show at the Art Museum; and a pick for local trombonists Dan Blacksberg and Larry Toft, performing new music at Tritone.

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.

Daily News, wrapping up '07

Not much more to run out the calendar; just picks, for Tim Warfield's Xmas shows on 12/21 and for Uri Caine returning home to sit in with locals Bootsie Barnes and John Swana on 12/28.

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

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

For the weekend's Yo! section, an interview with Philly native and Trane disciple Sonny Fortune; and a pick for bassist Hubert Dupont's Dupont T trio plus altoist Rudresh Mahanthappa, at the Art Museum.

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.

Daily News, Nov. 30-Dec. 7

The first week of December saw my interview with Toronto saxophonist Jane Bunnett, brining her Cuban-influenced band to the Kimmel; a pick for singer Andy Bey and another for Uri Caine, bringing his Mozart project to the Gershman Y.

Metro, December 3-7

In this week's Metro, an interview with actor/singer/lecturer/raconteur/folk music preservationist/what else ya got?/all-around artist Theodore Bikel; a story on Dave Isay and his StoryCorps oral history project; and a piece on Philly-based "Jewish Sun Ra" band Klingon Klez.

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.

Daily News, October

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

Metro, October

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

Citypaper, October

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

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

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

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

Daily News, September 28

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