Category: Artists (Page 56 of 262)

Lettin’ it ride in the Big Easy: Jazzfest 2010 recap, Part II: Bringing the ‘phunk

May 12, 2010 /

The second of our five-part series, Greg Schwartz spends five days in New Orleans, absorbing more music than one thought humanly possible, grinning ear to ear the entire time.

Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Acura Stage
Music started at the fairgrounds in the 11 am hour, but I felt like I was doing well to make it there by 1:30 pm for the main stage set by Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk. I’d caught Dumpstaphunk opening for Phil Lesh & Friends at their January 2008 Mardis Gras show in San Francisco, so I knew this was a band not to miss. Ivan is of course the son of one of the legendary Neville Brothers, so the band’s sound is rooted in that classic New Orleans funk style pioneered by the Meters (which featured Art Neville, and later also Cyril Neville.) It was a picture-perfect beautiful, breezy sunny afternoon and hearing these funky sounds kicked things off in high style. Bassist Tony Hall, who some might recognize from his time served with the Trey Anastasio Band, was a star of the show. He laid down a bright punchy low end that made every tune bounce, and also sang with soulful flair on songs like Sly and the Family Stone’s “You Can Make it if You Try.”

Amanda Shaw & the Cute Guys, Gentilly Stage
The Gentilly Stage is the second biggest stage and the furthest walk from the main stage, but it still only takes five to ten minutes to get over there (as opposed to some festivals where certain stages can be much farther apart.) Local lass Amanda Shaw drew a large crowd to hear her high-energy, rootsy country rock sound as she led the band on fiddle. A spunky cover of the Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go” got things rocking as the charismatic Shaw sang with punk energy, but then injected Cajun-rooted fiddle runs for a unique take on the punk classic. Shaw’s instrumental talent shined brightest on an instrumental tune that closed the set with a bluesier flavor. The 19-year-old New Orleans native soloed brilliantly, while also moving and grooving with a dynamic stage presence making her one to watch moving forward.

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Gov’t Mule, Acura Stage
Warren Haynes and his blues rock quartet took the main stage at 2:50 pm and rocked out for the next hour. “Broke Down on the Brazos” from the band’s latest album By a Thread was an early highlight, with Haynes riffing out on the high-octane jam. “Beautifully Broken” slowed things down a bit, but sounded great on such a sunny afternoon. An instrumental jam went in a decidely Allman-ish direction, and even featured a “Blue Skies” tease that unfortunately did not fully materialize (the Allman Brothers Band had however played the festival on the previous weekend.) Haynes then sang a little bit of the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” before returning to the jam. Mule standard “Thorazine Shuffle” cranked the blues rock back up to peak level, with Haynes throwing in a “Get Up Stand Up” tease on his guitar. The man is a classic rock encyclopedia, which makes every Mule set an adventure since you never know what tune might pop up.

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Soul Rebels, Congo Square Stage
The Soul Rebels brass band was throwing down their groovy sound on the Congo Square Stage, the festival’s third largest. The band blends Mardis Gras-style funk with jazz, rock, reggae and hip-hop flavors for a festive sound that is pure New Orleans. The tuba player provides the bass line while the other horns pump out various melodies and lead lines. The drummer and percussionist also know how to get busy. I was definitely digging it and wanted to see more, but my friends were keen on checking out Steve Martin so I allowed myself to be pulled away. The festival has 11 stages (!), so there are a lot of tough choices to be made.

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Steve Martin w/ the Steep Canyon Rangers, Gentilly Stage
It turns out that actor/comedian Steve Martin is also a lifelong banjo fanatic and the word is apparently getting out, because he and his group drew a massive crowd. One friend who’d been to Jazzfest many times said that it was the largest crowd he’d ever seen at the Gentilly Stage. It looked like somewhere in the vicinity of 10,000. It’s no gimmick either, as Martin was rocking the banjo like a seasoned pro.

Widespread Panic, Acura Stage
The Spreadheads were settling in back at the main stage, where Panic was due to close out the main stage action for the day with a set that started at 4:30 pm. The Georgia jam-rockers decided to pass on a set break and threw down a massive two-and-half-hour show that capped off the day in rocking style. “Space Wrangler” was an early highlight as the song’s classic groove and melodic riffs never fail to energize a crowd. Another tune featured a big jam that saw the band click and open up “the hose,” as Carlos Santana would say, with a captivating jam as bassist Dave Schools and keyboardist JoJo Hermann locked in to a tight groove to generate Panic’s unique sound.

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The set seemed like it was starting to wane a bit halfway through, to the point where I was considering going to check out the Average White Band and/or Blues Traveler. But then the band brought out the MegaBlasters four-piece horn section and launched into “Up All Night,” one of my favorite tunes and easily the anthem of the week for Jazzfest fans. The melodic number took on an extra jazzy sparkle with the horns and the band used it as a launchpad into their classic party anthem “Tall Boy,” which saw strangers dancing with strangers as the crowd came alive once more. The combo reinvigorated the set and the band was off and running again, as the MegaBlasters sat in on the entire second half of the show. Virtuoso lead guitarist Jimmy Herring even seemed to have dialed down his sometimes overly searing tone to a level that was just right.

The Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band, House of Blues
After a brief respite back at homebase, my accomplice and I were off to the House of Blues for what promised to be one of the week’s top highlights. Slide guitar prodigy Derek Trucks and blues babe Susan Tedeschi have been married since 2001, but only began playing shows together on summer tours in 2007 and 2008 billed as their “Soul Stew Revival.” As I wrote three years ago, these two are like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups – two great tastes that go even better together. With their young children now a little older, it appears the couple have finally decided the time is right to merge their sensational talents and move ahead together with a full-time band. And what a band it is with Oteil Burbridge (who has been playing with Trucks in the Allman Brothers Band since 2002) joining the team on bass, along with his brother Kofi Burbridge on keyboards and flute (who was already in the Derek Trucks Band), and two drummers for the polyrhythmic jams.

The band played mostly brand new material, and strong material it is. “Nobody’s Free” was an early highlight for Tedeschi, who sang some soulful lyrics about the limitations of modern society. The entire band soared on “Midnight in Harlem,” which Tedeschi said was written by backing vocalist Mike Mattison. Oteil Burbridge’s fluid bass catalyzed a huge melodic jam that had the whole room grooving, with Trucks dropping sweet licks on top. “Don’t Drift Away” was another bluesy gem for Tedeschi’s heartfelt vocals, while a smoking hot cover of Eric Clapton’s “Coming Home” ignited the room. “Butterfly,” from Tedeschi’s strong 2009 album Back to the River, was another rocking highlight, followed by the super funky jam “Serve It Up,” with Soulive’s Eric Krasno sitting in. Krasno and Trucks traded hot licks on the bouncy groove, while the Grateful Dead’s Bill Kreutzmann was seen rocking out sidestage. A cover of the Beatles’ “I’ve Got a Feeling” was another winner, with the crowd eating it up and Tedeschi shining once again. The chemistry between Trucks and the Burbridge brothers is higher level stuff, enabling deep jams on almost any tune. This show was just one highlight after another, capped off with a great “Trenchtown Rock” encore that summed up the festival so well – “One good thing about music, when it hits, you feel no pain.” This band is primed to be one of the best on the planet for the next 20 years.

After the show, we walked up Bourbon Street looking for an old school jazz club to wind down in. We had to walk past a huge number of cheesy neon bars with cliché cover bands, but we finally found just what we were looking for in the form of Fritzel’s, a “European style jazz pub” that bills itself as the oldest operated jazz club in New Orleans (open since 1969.) It’s a small place, but the jazz is great, the vibe is festive and the drink selection exotic. A great spot to wind down an evening.

Coming up next: Friday, where one Hall of Famer is bailed out by another Hall of Famer.

Americana, Artists, Blues, Cajun, Concerts, Funk, Jazz, Jazzfest, R&B, Rock

Me, Myself, and iPod 5/12/10: The world’s worst action hero gets a theme song

May 12, 2010 /

esd ipod

Vicki St. Elmo – Champion
Between this and last week’s song from the Protomen, it’s clear I have a weakness for songs that sound like they should be from a lost ’80s soundtrack. Of course, that’s the point with this one, as Vicki St. Elmo is the character Kristen Wiig plays in the MacGruber skits on “Saturday Night Live,” and the most unlikely skit yet to be transformed into a motion picture. But don’t laugh: we have it on high authority – my fellow movie critic colleague Jason Zingale – that the movie is absolutely better than you think it is.

The Golden Filter – Hide Me
Synth pop is hard. Everyone thinks that they can grab a couple keyboards and a drum machine and that’s good enough to be considered a synth pop band. Wrong, wrong, and wrong. Since there are natural limitations to what you can accomplish, you have to make sure everything works, from the melodies to the arrangement to the vocals. Especially the vocals. Nobody likes a snotty synth pop singer; it suggests contempt for the material. This New York duo seems to get it. I haven’t absorbed the album that this song comes from yet, but it reminded me of Hooverphonic, which in this writer’s mind is a very good thing.

Imogen Heap – Say Goodnight and Go (Back Ted N Ted Remix)
I’m actually posting this to highlight the remixer more than the artist he’s mixing. Back Ted N Ted has a solo album coming out later this summer, and if the bits on his MySpace page are any indication, it’s going to be a doozy.

Steel Train – You and I Undercover
So heartfelt, so achingly sincere. Yes, we’ve heard this song many times before, but I like seeing bands reach for the rafters. Kind of like Fountains of Wayne going for Coldplay-type grandeur.

Toro y Moi – Blessa
Blissed-out bedroom pop. Fans of Dri and her song “You Know I Tried,” take note.

Outrageous Cherry – Fell
You’d expect something, well, outrageously sounding from a band called Outrageous Cherry, but this song in fact reminds me of another band with fruit in its name: the Lemon Pipers. Let me guess: everyone under the age of 30 who just read that last sentence said, “Huh?” Psssst: Google ‘green tambourine,’ and see what happens.

Places & Numbers – Waking the Dead
Solo project from Bobby Darling, previously of Gatsbys American Dream. I bet he and the Republic Tigers would get along great.

'60s, Alternative, Ambient, Artists, CD Reviews, Pop, Rock

Lettin’ it ride in the Big Easy: Jazzfest 2010 recap, Part I: Pre-festival tuneups

May 12, 2010 /

There are a lot of great festivals out there vying for the dollars of music fans these days, proof positive that the market for great live music is as strong as ever. When you start comparing them, there are several factors to consider: the strength and diversity of the lineup, location, food and amenities, availability of late night entertainment, and finally overall value. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (better known as just Jazzfest) ranks highly in each category. As an MC said at the end of each day, “The best thing about Jazzfest is that when you leave here [the fairgrounds], you’re in New Orleans.” While the Jazzfest format may be similar to other major festivals, the fact that it takes place in New Orleans makes it as unique as the Crescent City.

“New Orleans is the opposite of America, and we must hold onto places that are the opposite of us. New Orleans is not fast or energetic or efficient, not a go-get-’em Calvinist well-ordered city. It’s slow, lazy, sleepy, sweaty, hot, wet, lazy and exotic,” wrote author Mark Childress in The New York Times shortly after Hurricane Katrina.

But rookies and amateur music fans beware – New Orleans and its many musical attractions are geared toward professional party animals. It’s all too easy to wear yourself out with one late night on the town, and if you’re not careful, it could drag you down for the rest of the weekend (or at least until you catch up on sleep.) The music at the fairgrounds ends at 7 pm each day, a bit early by general festival standards. But there’s a reason for that – when you’re walking out of the fairgrounds, your night is just beginning. There’s any number of evening shows going on all over town, of both the marquee and free varieties, followed by the late late shows that don’t even start until at least 2 am. This is something of a double-edged sword, since it means you’re going to spend more money on food, drinks and taxis than you have at any other festival. But when you’re in New Orleans for just a short time, you’ve gotta live it up. The food at the festival is simply amazing – from the po-boy sandwiches and gumbo to the crawfish monica (zesty macaroni and cheese with crawfish tails) and exotic desserts, you’re not going to beat these culinary offerings at any other festival. It’s only a shame that Miller Lite was allowed to corner the market on beer sales, meaning you couldn’t have a tasty local Abita ale with your local food. This should be changed. But the rest of Jazzfest has got a great thing going.

Iron Horse

Most of the bars stay open all night and you can drink on the streets, which means the fun doesn’t ever have to end on anyone else’s schedule. Drinking becomes almost like breathing, since you don’t need to worry about whether you’re staying or going to the next spot before you order that next drink. But when there are bands you want to see early the next day at the festival, then comes the conflict. Stay out having fun, or go back to home-base and try to get some sleep? Once you fall into the orbit of the night owls, it’s increasingly difficult to pull away from their nocturnal agenda. But if a night owl is what you are, then there’s no other festival that presents as much opportunity to spread your wings as Jazzfest. Sure, some other festivals have late late shows too, but not as many, not with such free-flowing booze and not with that “Nawlins” charm. There’s something special about New Orleans, and for serious music fans, Jazzfest is the best time of year to experience it.

Pre-festival: Wednesday, April 28

My accomplice and I drove from Austin to New Orleans on Wednesday, ready for four days of festival action. We were staying with some comrades in a house just a few blocks from the fairgrounds, rented through a team member that used to live in the neighborhood. We soon learned that staying in this nest of night owls would practically require flying in their nocturnal rhythm. So it was that we found ourselves on Frenchman Street after midnight, one of the city’s top musical hotbeds. The music welcomed us as soon as we got out of the taxi, as two competing horn sections blared their jazzy sounds at each other from opposing street corners while people danced in the streets.

Then it was on to Maison, where guitarist Eric Krasno was playing. Known for his funky acid jazz work with Soulive and Lettuce, Krasno has clearly built up quite a rep over the past decade as no less than Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann and Allman Brothers Band/Gov’t Mule guitarist Warren Haynes both sat in with him at the cozy club. Kreutzmann was in town for a gig with his new band 7 Walkers, who would be opening an evening show for Gov’t Mule on Friday. He played on several tunes and seemed to be enjoying himself immensely, which was great to see from a rock legend in his 60s. Then Haynes sat in on a groovy arrangement of Jimi Hendrix’s “Manic Depression” that was more Band of Gypsys-style, and which saw Haynes and Krasno trading licks in a smoking jam. Haynes followed this by singing a lively rendition of the Jerry Garcia Band standard, “That’s What Love Will Make You Do.” Later, Krasno and his band threw down a super funky instrumental take on the Beatles’ “Get Back.” Krasno has a new album out and it seems like he’s primed for a big year.

It was a late night out, and well after 4 am by the time we returned home. The night owls who had been in town since the previous first weekend of the festival said this was the earliest they’d been home all week. Local radio station WWOZ played on our little stereo when we got home and all week, and we all quickly fell in love with this fabulous station. They play funky soul jams in the early part of the evening to get you going when you’re getting ready to go out, and ambient jazz when you get back in the wee hours to lull you off to sleep. The playlist covers everything from the oldest vintage jazz to the newest funky stylings.

Coming up next: Thursday, and the party officially begins.

Artists, Concerts, Jazzfest, Psychedelic, Rock, Soul

The Jayhawks: The Jayhawks

May 12, 2010 /


RIYL: Flying Burrito Brothers, Gram Parsons, pickin’, grinnin’

That squealing sound you hear is the Jayhawks’ steadfastly loyal fan base wetting themselves over the long-overdue release of The Jayhawks, a.k.a. The Bunkhouse Album, on CD. Those who discovered the band with later albums like Tomorrow the Green Grass or Rainy Day Music will be surprised by just how countrified the goings are here. This is clearly Mark Olson’s band – guitarist Gary Louris, who would run the band after Olson’s departure, doesn’t get a single lead vocal here – as the songs contain more pedal steel and banjo than the rest of the band’s catalog combined. It is also, fittingly enough, stuffed with drinking songs, from the bouncy “Misery Tavern” to the cluckity guitar picking on “Six Pack on the Dashboard.” Louris does make his presence felt, though; he contributes several trademark harmony vocals along with his trademark tasteful guitar.

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The end result is, quite frankly, the birth of the alt-country scene that would take shape roughly a decade later. Even those who prefer the pop-oriented Louris years to the folk-driven Olsen era will want to explore this Bunkhouse, stat. (Lost Highway 2010)

The Jayhawks MySpace page
Click to buy The Jayhawks from Amazon

Alternative, Americana, Artists, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Country, Pop, Rock

Keane: Night Train

May 10, 2010 /


RIYL: a-ha, The Script, lily-white guys teaming up with rappers

Eight songs, 30 minutes. Actually seven songs, since the first track is more of an intro. And it comes a mere 20 months after their third album, Perfect Symmetry. Forgive us if this sounds overly suspicious, but it looks from here as if Keane is playing the contractual obligation game, giving their overlords at Universal something that technically qualifies as a full-length album so they can extricate themselves from their contract and move on to greener pastures. Otherwise, why the rush? Take an extra couple months, add two more songs, and put some meat on those bones. That would seem to be the wiser move, considering that their last two albums have done well chart-wise, but sold a fraction as many copies as their 2004 debut, Hopes and Fears. But nope, Keane clearly have places to be. Hmmm.

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Whatever their reasons, the band’s lastest “full-length” effort, Night Train, shows the band itchy once again to explore new ground, bringing in rapper K’Naan on two tracks and Japanese MC Tigarah on another. As ridiculous as that might sound on paper, Kane+rapper actually works pretty well in execution, even if it’s all rather pointless. Yes, the back-and-forth between singer Tom Chaplin and K’Naan on “Stop for a Minute” as a certain opposites-attract charm to it, but the song would have worked just fine on its own. “Ishin Denshin (You’ve Got to Help Yourself)” fares much better, as Tigarah’s butterfly tenor complements the song’s feather-light pop groove.

The band has stated in interviews that making Under the Iron Sea was a miserable experience, yet the finest moments on Night Train recall that album. The fittingly titled “Back in Time” finds the band combining Gary Numan’s synth arsenal with Ultravox’s penchant for melodrama, while the gorgeous mid-tempo number “Your Love” showcases a rare vocal from pianist and principal songwriter Tim Rice-Oxley. It’s understandable that the band does not like being put in a box, but it’s not always a bad thing to play to your strengths; goodness knows more songs like “Back in Time” would eliminate the awkward inclusion of songs like the “Rocky”-riffing “Looking Back,” the other collaboration with K’Naan.

One wonders if the success of the Script, an Irish trio that is basically Keane with rhyme skillz, has gotten into their heads, and they feel the need to answer with some dope rhymes of their own. If so, their fears are unfounded; the Script will never write a song like “Is It Any Wonder?” or “The Lovers Are Losing,” and in any case, the inclusion of guest rappers stands a better chance of alienating their existing fan base than it does of expanding it. Still, give Keane credit for not wanting to stand still; if only their wanderlust had taken them in a more interesting direction than the guest rapper route. (Interscope 2010)

Keane MySpace page
Click to buy Night Train from Amazon

Alternative, Artists, CD Reviews, Hip Hop, Melodramatic, Pop

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