Pink Martini’s music is the kind of music that makes you want to fall in love. Each album contains all the perfect elements of a relationship -- drama, seduction, sadness, and a melancholy sweetness that makes one just want to sit back with a glass of wine and swoon. The Portland, Oregon-based mini orchestra traverse the globe’s vintage melodies, from the sounds of Fifties Hollywood musicals, to Tango, to French chanson, and so much more -- the perfect soundtrack to any 21st-century swinger’s soirée.
The four original members founded the group in 1994 to play political fundraisers for progressive causes such as civil rights, the environment, and affordable housing. In the years that followed, Pink Martini has grown to its current cast of 12, and gone on to perform its multilingual repertoire on concert stages and with symphony orchestras throughout Europe, Asia, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Canada and the U.S.
The group’s debut album, Sympathique, was released independently in 1997 and became an international hit, almost immediately garnering the group nominations for "Song of the Year" and "Best New Artist" in France’s Victoires de la Musique Awards. Seven years later, their highly anticipated follow-up album, Hang on Little Tomato, almost instantly climbed to Amazon.com’s bestsellers list. And the group’s latest offering, Hey Eugene, continues where the previous two left off.
Friday, Pink Martini performs with the Miami Pops Orchestra at the Knight Concert Hall in the Adrienne Arsht Center. This concert will kick off a new Latin series for the Miami Pops for its upcoming 2008-2009 season, focus on collaborations with popular global Latin artists. (For more information on this series check out the Concert Florida Association’s web site at www.concertfla.org.
Miami New Times caught up with Pink Martini founder and artistic director, Thomas M. Lauderdale, by telephone on a recent afternoon as the group prepared for a performance in Washington, D.C. Here’s what he had to say about touring, the music and everything else in between. -- MS
You all comprise a large group of musicians. Does this create problems when touring?
Oh of course! It’s like a gigantic family. But the amazing thing is that since we’re all performers we have tend to for most parts get along when we’re on tour. We try to keep a professional attitude while still having some fun.
You recently performed at the Cannes Film Festival. How did this come about?
We just took ourselves there actually. China [Forbes, singer] and I went one year because she was into film at the time. We saw that there were a couple bands there so we negotiated a few parties and ended up playing quite a bit.
What a way to market yourself eh?
Yeah, actually we ended up making quite a few fans and contacts from it.
Your music is comprised of a lot of global musical elements. Has is it a marketing nightmare trying to promote yourself, since it doesn’t fit into an easy category?
We really haven’t had too many problems. Our plan was that we would create very accessible songs that would have a broad appeal. We also focused on creating live performances that would appeal to all types of people. Our original goal was to reach people on a global level and not just cater to a specific genre or age group. Our music reaches people on many different levels.
People tell us that they came across our music in the weirdest places. Our music tends to sell from our concerts, word of mouth, and when it’s played at things like dinner parties. NPR (National Public Radio) has been a big help as well! So yeah, we don’t always go the traditional way when promoting our music.
When you perform with the Miami Pops Orchestra, will the performance be mostly Latin or your traditional format?
We’ll be playing our usual format with some possible improvisation as well, so it should be a really fun performance. We’ve performed in Tampa and Clearwater before but never Miami, so we’re really looking forward to it as well as some warm, sunny weather!
What was it like working with legendary jazz vocalist Jimmy Scott on Hey Eugene?
Wow, yeah he’s a legend! So of course we were really excited to collaborate on a song. We were performing in Portland and just called him up and asked him if he would perform with us at the shows, and he did. It ended up being a fun time that he agreed to record a song with us for the album as well. I’ve always been a fan of his and this experience was just incredible!
Is there anybody that you want to record or work with, with whom you haven’t yet?
China Forbes would like to record with Donna Summer, and Grace Jones would be fun as well! Add some Laurie Anderson to the mix as well right? Wow! That would be really sick but cool as well (laughs)! There are so many people we would love to work with, the list is too long.
While in college you started this group with intentions of creating music while performing to benefit conscious causes. Do you still actively try to do this?
Yes, we actually do as much as possible! Mostly political lately, but we’re open to a lot of different causes to help out with.
What are your opinions on the current state of the music industry? Does it affect you in any way? We’ve been lucky, because we’re an independent band so we’ve been basically doing a lot on our own. It’s tough to see musicians struggle to get their music noticed by the public. The band has been very lucky, and we really have been under the radar for the most part, except for NPR and a few other outlets that have helped us. So we don’t really feel it as much pressure as others because we’re not really a mainstream band.
Any projects down the road?
We want to release another CD in the spring of 2009 and China Forbes just released a solo project. We are spending more time in Europe as well. We’re looking forward to performing in Miami and I hope we turn some more people on to our music!
Pink Martini performs with the Miami Pops Orchestra Friday, March 21 at the Knight Concert Hall of the Adrienne Arsht Center, 1301 Biscayne Blvd, Miami. The show starts at 8 p.m., and tickets are $65 to $105. Visit www.carnivalcenter.org.
MARK SANDMAN - AKA Morphine
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Music
MARK SANDMAN - AKA Morphine
One thing I always found very compelling about Mark Sandman (frontman for the legendary lo-fi alt-rock band Morphine), is that he was a guy who danced to a different drum than most - more specifically his own drum - and his music always reflected this attitude. It was one of the things I always admired about him, and I always considered him more of a writer who traveled the world writing about his experiences than a musician merely playing music. His songs worked as a kind of companion piece to his travels, yet his stories embrace his audience in a way that allows the listener to sit in like a fly on the wall watching everything that happens as he's telling it. I must say I was really bummed when I heard that Mark Sandman had passed (in 1999), because to me his low-tuned, two-string bass playing and deep, murky baritone vocals were the most intriguing and defining aspects of Morphine's music. And, in fact, Morphine was one band that I embraced completely - without any skepticism, reservation or self-reproach - because that's just how good their music was. Well, a couple of weeks ago, a CD package came across my desk that made me giddy with glee! SANDBOX is a lavishly packaged tribute to this wonderful artist and it captures everything I loved about him as a member of Morphine, as well as putting him in perspective as an individual artist and musician. Beautifully rendered and assembled by remaining Morphine band mates Dana Colley and Billy Conway, who used this opportunity to lovingly pay their respects to their friend and fellow band mate, this exceptional two-CD-plus-DVD set contains some very rare jewels, making SANDBOX a no-brainer for any true Morphine fan. There is a lot of excellent Morphine stuff, hard-to-find tracks from Mark's previous band Treat Her Right and other tasty treats. In addition, the bonus DVD offers Morphine videos as well as a live show (a godsend for any fan that never got to see the band live). In a nutshell, it's a beautiful gift of reminiscence and tribute that any Morphine fan will want to have and appreciate for years to come. And, for those of you who are not familiar with Morphine's music and unique sound, this is your chance to discover and appreciate a one-of-a-kind musical gem, and bring to light a musical life that was well wrought in all aspects, yet tragically short-lived.
To me, Mark Sandman could best be described as the Kerouac of indy music.
Four Tet / DJ-Kicks
Current mood: accomplished
Category: Music
Four Tet / DJ-Kicks
For me, when it comes to checking out the latest and greatest from a DJ, I have to admit that sometimes I can be quite a music critic and at times rather ruthless with my reviews. For me I have a few rules of thumb that I adhere to before I even consider embracing a DJ and his artistry. For example, I like to check and see if theyre mixing to the beat or if they're just layering the music. I also check and see if they mix their songs in BPM order or not, whether they take into consideration the fact of whether or not theyve helped or hindered the original tune and lastly I really appreciate a DJ that goes beyond the mainstream and shocks me with his choice of music. I like that slight shock value of a compilation that makes my ears prick up and say Wow very cool! Well, I have to say I think I found a rather fabulous DJ that caters to my music princess needs and then some. His name is Four Tet (aka Kieran Hebdan) and the album is DJ-Kicks.He is the epitome of what a great DJ should be. Why do you ask? Well, it's not everyday that a DJ can create a mind blowing musical experience that teeters on the brim of so many far reaching genres like old skool hip-hop, French prog rock, experimental electronica, techno, space age jazz, African mbira music and experimental jazz. Yet despite all the crazy genres, he still manages to make all the songs flow in one nice long wave throughout the album. It's obvious that he's a music freak like the rest of us who loves to create musical magic by blending the likes of Curtis Mayfield, Animal Collective, Cabaret Voltaire, Showbiz AG, Autechre, Heiner Stdler, Madvillian and many others. People like Four Tet give me hope that good music will be preserved and heard for many generations. This is a great album to experience whether youre an ethnomusicologist or just someone that can appreciate the many avenues that different styles of music can offer. Yes, its that good!
Dave Alvin Interview - Roots Rockin’ The Wild West
Category: Music
DAVE ALVIN ROOTS ROCKIN THE WILD WEST
by MS
Dave Alvin helped to kick-start the American roots rock scene in the early '80's with the band the Blasters and has since gone on to a career as a solo performer, songwriter, producer, and sideman that's been as well respected as it is eclectic. Born in Downey, CA, in 1955, Alvin was raised by a family of music fans, and as teenagers Dave and his older brother Phil immersed themselves in blues, rockabilly, and vintage country sounds, collecting rare records and attending nightclub performances by the likes of T-Bone Walker, Big Joe Turner, and Lee Allen. Like many fans, the Alvin brothers wanted to play music influenced by the sounds they loved, and in 1979 the formed the Blasters with fellow Downey residents Bill Bateman and John Bazz. Combining the revved-up energy of punk rock with an enthusiastic embrace of classic American sounds, the Blasters became a sensation in Los Angeles and won an enthusiastic cult following across the United States and Europe. In 1989, Dwight Yoakam scored a hit on the country charts with Alvin's song "Long White Cadillac," and Alvin used the royalties to start work on his second solo set, BLUE BLVD(HIG8029). Released by the California-based roots-music label Hightone Records, BLUE BLVD received enthusiastic reviews and sold well enough to re-establish Alvin as a significant artist in the roots rock scene. After releasing MUSEUM OF HEART(HIG8049) in 1993, Alvin began to turn his attention to acoustic music with 1994's KING OF CALIFORNIA(HIG8054), and over the next several years Alvin moved back and forth between hard-edged roots rock and more introspective acoustic material that still honored his influences (and allowed him to display a greater range as a vocalist). In 2000, Alvin recorded a collection of traditional folk and blues classics, PUBLIC DOMAIN: SONGS FROM THE WILD LAND(HIG8122), which earned him a Grammy award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. In 2004, Alvin signed with the upstart roots rock label Yep Roc Records, which released his album ASHGROVE(YEP2075), a low-key but hard-edged set of blues and rock. It was followed in 2006 by WEST OF THE WEST(YEP2118). When not busy recording his own music, Alvin has also worked as a producer for several other roots-oriented acts, including Tom Russell, the Derailers, and Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys, as well as collaborating with rockabilly legend Sonny Burgess. As a sideman, Alvin has recorded sessions with the likes of Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Little Milton, Katy Moffatt, and Syd Straw. Mark Deming; ALL MUSIC GUIDE.
As you can see, Dave Alvin has been an integral part of the music industry and earlier this month I was able to catch up with him for a phone interview while he was at his house in California preparing for an upcoming tour.
You're in California right now right?
Oh yeah, I'm getting ready to start touring soon and were rehearsing right now and we're getting swamped.
I'm not sure how many times you heard this before but I'm somewhat embarrassed to say that I actually got hooked on your music from the STREETS OF FIRE soundtrack, along with Ry Cooder.
Wow! Really?
Yep, the soundtrack was great but the movie was just okay. I had some issues with it [laughing].
Actually the script was great and it was based on a comic book but once the film made it to the big screen, I have to agree with you on the outcome of the movie...there's one scene early in the film where he steps out in front of a bus and just puts up his hand and stops the bus. The bus is going full tilt boogie barreling down the road and with the power of his mighty arm he stops the bus, but then there's no other superhero tricks during the rest of the movie! So what's up with that? Well, damn, make it obvious that he's a superhero.
<o:p>
But the music was very prominent throughout the movie, which is why I bought the soundtrack.
And Ry Cooder and those guys The Blasters werent bad either, eh? Dan Hartman did okay as well. [laughing]
I was told that EXTRA was hanging out at your house. So what's the scoop with this?
Yes, yesterday as a matter of fact. It was to promote the album and I got to play a few songs and later I found out that the producer was a fan and apparently pulled some strings. It was a really cool interview and I didn't realize that the news was out of the bag that I was dating Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan so I guess things have gotten out of hand with them fighting over me.
So your'e the one causing all the trouble!
Well, you knowI figured it's one way to get on EXTRA [laughing]. Seriously though, when you play the kind of music I play, the old saying that any publicity is good publicity. But no, its not below me to be open to all kinds of news shows to promote my album. Ironically enough, as The Blasters we got grief because we appeared on American Bandstand twice because it wasn't something that an L.A. band with high integrity would do. Because the alternative scene back then was a lot different than nowadays. We were just like Yeah, well Chuck Berry and Fats Domino did American Bandstand so why shouldn't we? Back then we pretty much did anything to get the word out on our music well, almost anything. [laughing]
Nothing that would get you arrested right?
Exactly!
Recently you were a guest DJ on KCRWs evening show THE OPEN ROAD in which the focus was on California music. What kind of stuff did you present during this guest DJ stint?
I played some alternative stuff from the bands I played with when living in California and then some more obscure stuff that most people would have never heard of.
KCRW is one of my favorite radio stations that I check out on the net because they offer a lot of different genres of music on their play lists I thought this would have been a cool thing to do if I was a musician, which is why I'm asking you this question.I'm pretty much living my wanna be a rock star but don't have the musical skills, so I dream vicariously through bands that get to do this.
Yeah, I forgot about that and afterwards I got a little nervous about my music choices. I was completely exhausted from doing interviews and such that day so it really made me think back through the process and hope that I didnt say any bad words or no constructing sentences incorrectly, etc. And Gary the host is a great guy so you don't want to upset him, but overall I think it went really well and it released my secretly harbored aspirations of being a DJ. So it was quite a thrill for me to do it.
One thing I like about your music is that it has a lot of country rockabilly and blues flavors to it so its pretty obvious where you have your musical roots planted. Who were some of your musical heroes growing up?
I have WAY too many to name! There are some people that I was privy to see when I was really young. My brother and I used to sneak into the bars at a very tender age. That's why if I had kids I would NEVER let them go anywhere near a bar and they never would leave the house period! Especially nowadays! [laughing] My parents were very understanding, so the people I did see were like T-Bone Walker, Big Joe Turner, Johnny Guitar Watson and Lightning Hopkins and that kind of stuff is still not that far from my music. In all reality I'm pretty open to everything and really listen to everything. I think with most musicians, they are very open to the music around them so they pretty much absorb all different influences. Even if it's music in a dentist office or something, eventually they will notice an interesting bass line or guitar riff, etc. So we're always listening
You tend to switch back and forth from rockin albums and albums comprised of ballads. Which do you prefer?
I think for my voice - since it's a baritone and it's hard to hear that voice octave over a loud band I tend to prefer ballads at times because it favors my voice more. I think I'm getting better and more comfortable with singing with a band though, and just like on The Blasters albums, we never really made two of the same albums twice. There were always stylistic connections happening to them. So when it comes to making albums, I rely mainly on organic changes happening naturally so that each album is different, which has always been a rule of thumb for me.Let the flow take me where it needs to go.
What's the premise behind the making of WEST OF THE WEST?
Well, I have wanted to make an album about California that featured California songs for about the past fifteen years so. Greg Leisz (who produced the record) and I decided it was time to something like this. Kind of like a love letter to my home state as well as a thank you letter to my mom (my dad was from Indiana) and so it was my mom who instilled that laid-back Californian attitude in me. Okay, back to the actual question: Greg Leisz has worked on a lot of albums and he had recently worked with a performer on an album with all Canadian songwriters and then he called me and said You know that California album you want to do? Maybe we should consider doing it! When the process came to choosing songwriters, he and I decided to go the roots way and focus on songwriters that had their roots in California but also similar to mine. Also, I knew there were certain songs that I would do - like Merle Haggard's Kern River - because it's always been one of my favorites and I've done it live for years. Also, Tom Waits sent me some songs and Blind Love stood out because it had a country flavor to it and so I decided that I wanted to give it a blues tone to better fit my voice.
Was there any actual input from any of the artists on how their songs should be done?
Umm, Tom definitely had input and were friends and we discussed the track. As for Jackson Browne, He and Greg [Leisz] grew up together so Greg spoke to Jackson and Jackson recommended a song and it was gorgeous but unfortunately it didn't sit well with my voice so we ended up doing Redneck Friend. The song itself is a rock song and I did it as a blues. Also the stereotype Jackson Browne has as a singer, philosopher, poet, and slash actor is so the typical California stereotypes that people give people from California - despite the fact that there are so many other elements and regions to the State. That being said, the albums theme kind of plays off on these types of normal stereotypes that Californians are given. I'm sure you get this with Florida being the stereotype of South Beach, Key West, fishing and Jimmy Buffett, etc. and that's the only things that most people would look at pertaining to Florida. So it's in that kind of mindset I presented this particular album with the California stereotypes being movie stars and Malibu and ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT. Even though again its a state that has many different regions, I wanted to present it in the real, normal type of reality. So getting back to Jackson Browne, I wanted one of his most carnal, lustful songs that was not his normal type of song to do, and let's do something, you know, more on the nastier side of things.
Doing other people's songs is a task in itself. Meaning that there has to be some kind of thought process on how to do the cover justice from the original, yet create something different from it as well. Were you nervous about doing any of these particular covers?
Oh yeah! All of them - some more than others - and the main reason is because you never want to let the songwriter down when you do covers of their songs.So yes, meticulous care went into the arrangements, but we did some subtle changes in the music and lyrics to be able to present them in my own interpretation of it. But yes, there was some trepidation about this, then also worry that, at best, they'll like it but not hate it. Surfer Girl, for example, was such a tremendous hit that you really have to take a lot of care and create something that is slightly different but not too far from the original. So yes, some songs were fragile and handled with care.
A lot of people are comparing this to the album PUBLIC DOMAIN. What are your thoughts about this?
It's similar in the sense that it's a songwriter doing covers. But the one thing I pointed out when PUBLIC DOMAIN came out was the fact that when my brother and I started The Blasters, I had no aspirations of becoming a songwriter and that we just basically did the music we did to make money, meet girls, get gigs and drink beer. It's a noble calling doing old blues and R&B songs. It's like taking old songs and presenting them over and over again to the masses so people are aware that they are relevant. It's kind of like the hidden DJ in me wanting this music heard and presenting it the only way I know how. Okay, seriously, back to the point I'm trying to make; I'm just here spreading the word. When you're younger and just learning the stuff, you really want to pass on what you've learned from the music of the past, but as you get older you more or less just want to keep the flame lit to the people who come after you.
Are you planning on touring for this album?
Yes, we're going to be doing a four-month tour. So it should be fun.
A lot of us in the music industry are music junkies and collectors. To me it sounds like you have these same tendencies of a music collector as well. What are some of your prized possessions in your music collection?
Oh wow, that's not an easy question to answer because my brother and I started collecting old albums - 45's and 78's - at a very early age. When I moved out of my parents house, my brother and I divided up the collection and agreed that I would take the 45s and he would keep the 78s. So there are things in his collection that are technically mine! So...umm, I have some pretty rare R&B records and rockabilly stuff that I cherish. I also have some cool telephone posters that I actually ripped off the actual telephone pole, and I have an Elvis on Sun record and a rare Elmore James album that I bought at a swap meet for thirty five cents and it was one of the few rare albums that were released during his life. So that was pretty cool.
So you probably felt like you were getting away with something, huh?
Well you know, when I was growing up there was no such thing as a re-issue, so as a kid you would buy a magazine, read it and then go to your local record store and dig around looking for the music on a 45 or an old beat up album. So nowadays, I collect other things because the hard-to-find music is more readily available than when I was a kid.
How do you come up with the material you put on your albums? Is there a method to the madness or a strict code that you follow?
Nope, not at all! I know some musicians have everything down to an exact science on how they do things but I just let it flow naturally and take it anyway it comes to me [laughing]. Sometimes when I'm driving I get a song in my head and I had to keep singing it over and over again until I had a chance to write it down.
Any advice for someone trying to accomplish what you have done?
Don't do it! Just kidding actually I got shanghaied into doing a couple of those seminars where people pay a lot of money to hear your advice and usually my response was that it was pure damn luck and that I don't really know how I got where I am. In that if The Blasters got together again and the reason was luck because we just wanted to drink beer and meet girls, so we managed to get a few gigs in Hollywood. After that I don't know...a few of my friends and people I know actually knew what songs were going to be on their third album and to me that's too organized. In all reality, whatever style of music you are doing just try to remember your roots and stick to those roots. Expand on them but always have that foundation in check and grounded. I've never sold out but there were times when I considered selling out. Do the best you can, practice what you're good at and hope for the best.
What are your thoughts on the current state of the music industry and what changes would you like to see happen?
In many ways there is so much great music, but the biggest problem is that there are not enough outlets for people to check it out. Satellite radio is great but the thing that concerns me is that we have fragmented the culture so much that you kind of lose touch on hearing new things and nowadays kids are more eclectic when it comes to their style of music. Also clumping so many things into very specific genres, you kind of lose that sense of trying out new things and tend to stick to what you know. As for downloading, for me I still like having the actual piece of music in my hands. So yeah, I think we all collectively need to think of more outlets for getting music out to the masses and keeping [it] not so fragmented. As for the internet, the great thing about the internet is that if youre an unknown band in Milwaukee and for some off-the-wall reason, someone comes across your music, there's a chance that they'll like it and possibly download it. But in all reality, if youre an unknown band in Milwaukee how are you going to get people to come to your web-site? Who's doing the publicity? Who's going to listen? You're basically just writing music to entertain yourself.
Any projects down the road?
Basically, I'm just promoting this album and will start working on my next one. There are a couple other projects as well but I have to keep them under wraps for now.
Anyone that you would like to work with that you haven't?
Too many to name! Actually, I just finished working with Bill Morrissey and he's a great songwriter whose album is coming out on Rounder, so that was fun. Also on the album there were also members of Morphine contributing to it and Mark Sandman was a close friend of mine, so that had some special meaning as well. But yeah, working with people going forward...there are just too many to name at this time.
Anything else you want people to know about your album?
Well, I liked it! I think it was pretty damn good [laughing]. I can just see the headline: Dave Alvin says his album is okay!
So go buy it already, right?
Exactly!
Well, there you have it folks! Straight from the horses mouth: Dave Alvin approves of this album. Nuff said!
Cloud Cult - Meaning of 8
Current mood: hopeful
Category: Music
Artist: CLOUD CULT
Album: The Meaning Of 8
(REBG30109)
I got into Cloud Cult when I checked out their 2005 release ADVICE FROM THE HAPPY HIPPOPOTAMUS (which debuted on North America's college radio chart at #3, just under Cold Play and The White Stripes). What I found with this gem of an album was that this Minneapolis band – founded by environmental scientist Craig Minowa - is a band that doesn't play by the normal set of music industry standards. For example, Cloud Cult was approached by several major labels but chose to go it alone in order to have total creative control over the music. In addition, Minowa operates under the principle that everything must be done as environmentally conscientiously as possible (according to All Music Guide, "He also formed Earthology Records on his organic farm, powered by geothermal energy and built partially from reclaimed wood and recycled plastic."). Musically, Cloud Cult has been compared to the likes of Modest Mouse, The Flaming Lips, Beck and others, but to me they are a little more thought provoking lyrically and somewhat darker compared to the aforementioned bands. ADVICE FROM THE HAPPY HIPPOPOTAMUS completely blew me away and was in my Top 10 list for 2005, mainly due to the "live sound" aspect to the music and the lyric's beautiful philosophical bent focusing on such questions as why we exist and how we can transcend even further. Well, fast forward to 2007 and we have the latest chapter of Cloud Cult, THE MEANING OF 8, which takes the listener on a bittersweet journey, showcasing just how much the band has evolved musically, and even philosophically. The liner notes offer insight into what THE MEANING OF 8 is all about, comparing religions and philosophies from around the world with Carl Jung's theories of universal symbolism and the collective unconscious. Heady stuff yes, but what I found really intriguing about this album is just how effectively the band conveys a variety of emotions through their lyrics while also playing them out musically. The album goes from sadness to outright exhilaration, with brilliant orchestrations that include (at times) grinding guitars, ethereal piano solos, eerie bass and even nuanced violin that mesh with choral chants and your everyday outside ambient noise. It's a refreshingly original album that - if given the chance - could easily ascend into the top reaches of the alternative charts! Some key tracks to check out are "Please Remain Calm," "The Deaf Girl's Song" (a beautiful, soft acoustic ballad about a girl who writes a "silent song") and "Dance For The Dead" which features some really great harmonies and powerful percussion played with reckless abandon. Despite its inventive musicality and lofty lyrical content, THE MEANING OF 8 is not pretentious or trendy. It's an album for adventurous music fans that don't fear originality or music that challenges the mind as well as soothes the soul.
5 reasons to ask what THE MEANING OF 8 is:
The source of Minowa's pain (and the meaning of the album's title) becomes apparent amid storming electric guitars on "Your 8th Birthday," as he repeatedly cries out his deceased son's name.
The band has developed their own CD production methods, making cardboard cases out of 100% recyclable material. They also plant acres of trees before heading out on tour to offset the Co2 emissions from their van (onto which they've installed solar panels) and purchase wind power credits to power their equipment.
"A Cloud Cult show is an aura. You go for the music, but you come out wanting to save the world." (Dallas Observer).
"Cloud Cult's video for 'Chemicals Collide' is one of the best downloads of the month." (Spin Magazine).
The best and exemplary night of world electronica fusion, and as far as this festivalgoer is concermed, the best night of eclectic, grounbreaking music was experienced last night at Opium Garden in South Beach Miami www.theopiumgroup.com/wmc07/opium24.html The famous open air venue with the East Asian motifs, red hues, and ubiquitous Buddha statues became the setting for the best in world fusion and world dance hosting a party for the veritable Bay Area-based label.
The venue, Opium Garden, has a very special place in this festivalgoer's heart for it was home to the MAW party at WMC for several years up until recently. On this Saturday in March, it looked absolutely beautiful and positively radiating with many a latern lit up and blowing in a cool late winter/early spring (it had rained cats and dogs just a few hours earlier, but dried up for the opening of the event, a godsend).
As a result of the weather-related delay, it wasn't until 10:30 pm that Six Degrees co-founder and president Bob Duskis, on extra duty as DJ Duskis this nite www.live365.com/stations/sixdegrees , turned up the volume on the dancefloor and played The Chakadoons' remix of Toura Toura by Cheb i Sabbah feat. Brahim Elbelkani. At 10:45, the first of no less than six djs during an event lasting seven hours, including live performances by two prolific artists from the Six Degrees' Emerging Artists roster, went on, Gogi Chokar www.sleevin.com/content/view/9/13
Gogi spun an eclectic set ranging from world downtempo to world house and managed to get some bodies moving on the early (by South Beach standards) nighttime dancefloor. At 11:30, Bob Duskin took over the decks to do a full set and kicked off with a beautiful South Asian-influenced ethno-trance number. Seen dancing on the dancefloor was Six Degrees Records Emerging Artist Rara Avis www.raraavis.cc/ Next, DJ Duskis dropped Niyaz's In The Shadow of Life, featuring the exquisite vocals of Azam Ali and a personal fave off the album which sounded like the greatest thing on Opium Garden's excellent soundsystem. It was the second track leading into a very Traveler-esque leftfield mix that included a house remix of the new Bebel Gilberto single, an electro version of the Police's Roxanne, and an uptempo Indian dance track.
At 00:20 hours came the first of two live performances featuring a Six Degrees Emerging Artist. Rara Avis www.sixdegreesrecords.com/artists.php started off his set by playing live psychedelic guitar to an ambient backing track. The genius of this talented artist is evident in the guitar sounds which evoke the laidback coastal communities of California and fusing it with a global electronic sound whose tempo increased with each passing track, adding more percussive elements reminiscent of Brazilian rainforest and tribal riddimz, ending up with full-blown dancefloor stompers. Sometime during Rara's set, across the dancefloor next to the elevated bar, we also caught a performance by two of the firedancers who had come to perform that night (highly visible due to their sensual, goth-influenced attire).
At 1:05 am, the all-women percussion ensemble that was part of Miami-based Venus Rising www.mantrasounds.net/Page2.html began to perform at the bottom of the elevated dj decks. Skilfully blending African,Caribbean, and Afro-Latin polyrhythms and chants, these amazing women, stunning in an all-white dress ensemble, drew an appreciative, dancing crowd who were as drawn to the music and musicians as they were to the plethora of interesting percussive instruments used. We noticed one of the women was clearly an expectant mother and marveled at her dexterity in coming out on a late night to perform with the group! I was also informed by Miami's own DJ Micsto of the Earthnoize Groove collective www.myspace.com/earthnoize that they had performed at the very first Earthnoize/Six Degrees Night in Miami over two years ago.
At 1:15, one of the highly-anticipated performances of the nite in the form of Nickodemus' dj set. New York was clearly in the house as the resident dj of Turntables on the Hudson www.turntablesonthehudson.com/ garnered a following that had descended upon his shows during WMC and he certainly did not disappoint. Opening with a Latin-Afrobeat number, he proceeded into a full Latino Nuyorican-style set and was joined by two percussionists on bongos and congas (emblazoned with the Puerto Rican flag). By this time the dancefloor was completely packed as folks danced into wild abandon, and Nickodemus transitioned into his other signature set of Balkan beatz, including the crowd favorite Bulgarian Chicks by Balkan Beat Box and his stellar remix of Adir Adirim. A Marley number followed by uptempo Turkish on the Hudson number paved for the entrance of the second live performance by a Six Degrees artist, Jeff Stott www.sixdegreesrecords.com/artists.php on live oud, and the Embarka Sound System featuring master percussionist Drumspyder on live doumbek www.drumspyder.com/ performing live Middle Eastern electronica.
They were accompanied by local bellydancer Diana, a frequent performer at Earthnoize events, looking respelendent in white bellydancing dress and veil who mesmerized the revelers on the dancefloor as this statuesque dancer expertly sounded the finger cymbals and twirled and snaked her way in between the dancers. In parallel to Rara's set, Jef Stott and Drumspyder's set progressively picked up in tempo into a couple of live remixes of tracks from the SoukSonik ep. It was peak hour on the dancefloor and the crowd showed no sign of relenting, dancing and keeping up with the increasing tempo of the live Middle Eastern electronica fusion show. It was a wonderful sight indeed to see how folks were receptive to world fusion on this night in Miami at the height of WMC madness. As a bonus, Six Degrees Records had also been handing out little cards advertising the event as well as instructions for a free download of the DJ Oud remix of Lamaset off the SoukSonik ep.
The most amazing spontaneous performance came when the conga player asked to join in on live drumming and was welcomed by Jef Stott and Drumspyder resulting in live collaboration on percussion that truly crossed musical borders. The firedancers came out again, in a trio this time, accompanied by the Venus Rising drummers. All in all a perfect example of the endless possibilities in creating live world fusion music!
At 3 am, DJ D Wurkur of Six Degrees Records www.myspace.com/dwurkur and resident of State SF, the Six Degrees Club Nite in the label's homebase of San Francisco, took over the decks to start his set with a couple of South African kwaito numbers. Interestingly enough, the last time I had caught D Wurkur's set was last year at club Amnesia in the Mission district in SF on the occasion of a Stateless clubnite featuring the MC Rai live band which included Jef Stott on live oud and programming (event reviewed in a post dated 3/30/2006 under this thread worldmusic.tribe.net/thread/...8c481f82 ). A Jamaican dancehall number followed the kwaito tunes, leading into electro-funk numbers which kept the crowd on the dancefloor visibly happy.
At 3:30 am, D Wurkur made way for DJ Michael Anthony of Supperclub SF www.supperclub.com/ who started his set with a Meditteranean-influenced number before going into more electro numbers including a remix of that perennial fave, M.I.A.'s Galang. Getting into the pre-dawn hours, the crowd showed no sign of letting up on the party. Bodies seemed to drift on and off the dancefloor, and a little after 4 am, Miami's very own DJ Micsto took over the decks for the last set of the night with a Pan-Latin set that started off with Ozomatli's La Segunda Mano off the upcoming Don't Mess With The Dragon Album, followed by a Brazilian mini set which included the Sergio Mendes' dancefloor classic, Magalenha, followed by the axe bahia smash Eu e Você, Você e Eu by Preta Gil, and the David Byrne remix of Chico Science's Rios, Pontes & Overdrives. There was a contingent of Latinos on the dancefloor who were visibly appreciative as they moved expertly to the music.
The Brazilian set was followed by a couple more Ozomatli numbers, including the frenetic merengue number Donde Estabas Tu and the organic reggaeton number, Creo, from the new album. Colombia was also represented in the mix in the early dawn hours with Sidesteppers' Mas Papaya before DJ Micsto closed her set with a live reprise of the bhangra remix of Groove Armada's I See You Baby. Truly a night of diverse sonic offerings that define the world of global beat and world fusion electronica as well as the label that best represents the sounds of the globe, Six Degrees Records. One can only hope that this is only the first of regular Six Degrees outings to WMC with its vast and varied roster of artists and djs who host the Six Degrees Nights worldwide.
Rachid Taha is a French-Algerianmusician whose musical style is influenced by elements of punk, rock and Algerian rai music which, to most people, comes out sounding more like Arabic rock. Even though his music tends to reflect a lot of his Algerian heritage, it's his "in your face," politically charged lyrics that originally piqued my interest in his music. Despite the seemingly vast differences in culture and background, Rachid Taha's music reflects a lot of the same themes of struggle and frustration that most people in the US can certainly relate to nowadays. Whether its Algerian chaabi and rai, French or Arabic influenced rock, he's one musician that gets his political point across in a way that honestly reflects his opinion, yet doesn't upset the listener. In fact, most of his music is either angst driven punk/rock or danceable Arabic music embellished with a lot of Middle Eastern flavored percussion. To me, his music echoes the same kind of appeal that Bruce Springsteen's music creates – passionate melodies combined with powerful and meaningful lyrics that we all can learn from. The main difference being the language factor; then again, powerful music can surpass all obstacles if we allow it to. Taha's latest endeavor is DIWAN 2 and, surprisingly, it seems rather melancholy compared to his previous, more upbeat releases (over a half dozen, including a live recording). On DIWAN 2, Rachid also highlights the use of more traditional instruments (acoustic guitars, violins, kora, etc.) than previously - this being accomplished with guest appearances by Hossam Ramzy, Steve Hillage, The Cairo String Ensemble and many other musicians contributing their talents as well.A lot of the themes on DIWAN 2 are about epic loves, anti-racism, interracial adultery and cultural differences (the CD's liner notes provide English translations of the song lyrics).Highlights include a nice surprise cover of Mohamed Mazouni's "Ecoute Moi Camarade," in which he does an excellent interpretation. Another favorite of mine is "Kifache Rah," which is very similar to his hit "Ya Rayah." Although this album is much more somber than his previous efforts, one thing that we can all respect is the focus on the structure of the music and the reflections on the past, both musical and historical.
Even if you're not familiar with an artist such as Rachid Taha, one thing can be sure, it's artists like him that are trying to make a difference in the world through their music and it's up to us to embrace this idea and give them a chance by listening to what they have to say.
5 reasons to check out DIWAN 2:
AMG gives DIWAN 2 a four star rating stating, "The sound is derived from some of Taha's musical influences: largely from Algeria and the exile population in France, but with a couple of originals, some French influences, and a couple from Egypt."
The album was recorded in London, Paris and Cairo and sees him back with studio whiz and legend in his own right Steve Hillage.
In the 1980's, Taha formed the group Carte de Sejour, creating a fusion of Arabic rock music with the Algerian rai sound.
Politically engaged, Taha has always stood up to defend democracy, tolerance and altruism against racism, oppression and discrimination.
Harmonic Motion, EarthNoize and A La Turca Restaurant are proud to present a special night of Middle Eastern Music!
This Sunday January 21, 2006 from 5PM – 8PM, Master violinist Frederick Elias (who will be making a RARE south Florida appearance) will be joined by Joe Zeytoonian and Myriam Eli of Harmonic Motion and local south Florida drummer Mike Gregian. This is a rare occasion to see such accomplished Middle Eastern musicians coming together to perform as a group. Even better is the fact that the cost to see such a cool event is only $10!! A bargain in my book!
A La Turca Restaurant
2027 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, Florida33020
954-925-5900 (reservations are strongly recommended)
About Frederick Elias:
Frederick Elias is a virtuoso violinist of Lebanese heritage. Trained at the Boston Conservatory of Music, he has the unique gift of being able to combine his knowledge of Western classical and popular music with his love for Arabic, Greek and Armenian music and has managed to produce a style that has been mesmerizing audiences for decades! He has had the opportunity to work with well-known Arabic music personalities like Anton Abdelehad, Phil Solomon, Emile Kassis, Joe Budway, and Eddie Kochak, as-well-as famous Greek names like Manolis Hiotis, Mary Linda, Bebis, Dalia, Nikos Gounaris, Harry Lemonopoulos, and John Tatassopoulos. "Freddie", as he is known to his many friends around the world, has had many stellar appearances including at the LincolnCenter in New York and the Chicago Opera House. He has enjoyed a two-year stint in Las Vegas, and has performed for royalty, like King Saud and Prince Khalid of Saudi Arabia. He has pleased audiences with his performances at most, if not all, Greek and Middle Eastern nightspots in the Boston and surrounding areas, for almost six decades.
Armed with a new venture that breaks down the walls between artist, label and distributor, this "supergroup" is fighting for creative integrity, not gold
by MS
You know, it takes a lot of strength for a band that is really going places and making a name for themselves to suddenly disappear off the face of the earth and then reappear as a new band, thus leaving their previous notoriety behind them.Who would do something crazy like that and for what reasons?Well, Richard Patrick (the voice and front man of Filter), Dean and Robert Deleo (guitarist and bassist of Stone Temple Pilots) and Ray Luzier (a premier session drummer) did just that (okay, not completely) and they couldn't be any happier!Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Army Of Anyone comes fortified with a collective past that is highlighted by a lot of mainstream success, and now a future that's full of hope and promise bolstered by a newly inspired consciousness of taking on the world with a sober point of view.Lucky for me, I was able to catch up with Army Of Anyone's guitarist Dean Deleo while the band was taking a break from their recent tour to do a one on one interview (via telephone).Speaking from his house in Malibu, he had a lot of interesting, humorous and – yes - surprising things to say.
How did the collaboration of Army of Anyone come about?
"Rich gave Rob and I a call. He was finishing up what was going to be a Filter record and wanted some outside songwriting to come into that record.We wrote a song and it was very evident that we should do more songs, and then it really just happened very fast. You know, I really have to commend Richard because Filter was his band so he was in a band where he called all the shots and I'm kind of envious because trying to get four cats to agree on something is not exactly the easiest thing to do on the planet. And Rich had the luxury of being the dictator of Filter, and for him to kind of step down and realize that I don't want that anymore, that I want this tale to have four legs and, you know, and I really had to commend him on that."
I was lucky enough to see one of Filter's last shows down here in south Florida when they opened up for another band and I have to say they put on one hell of a show.
"So you're a big Filter fan? I was too!"
Yes, but I'm also a Stone Temple Pilot fan as well, so to me this collaboration was too beautiful to be true!
"Yeah I hear ya on this!"
Compared to the previous bands that you were all in, what are the positive aspects to being in Army Of Anyone?
"Wow, I would saya whole new consciousness."
When you stopped by the offices, I could tell that you guys had a good camaraderie with each other.
"Yeah, we don't take it lightly because this kind of chemistry doesn't come around very often and I feel blessed to have done what we have done as STP - getting to work with guys like Scott [Weiland], Robert and Eric [Kretz]. You know, when you're being a huge fan of Filter and Richard having a very distinct voice and the opportunity comes along again with that same kind of chemistry, all I can say is that I feel very grateful and can speak on behalf of the other band members that we all are very lucky to be in each other's lives and being able to make music once again with a band that's very tight and close."
When it came time to start putting the album together and writing the music for it…
"So have you heard the album yet?"
Yes, surprisingly I was lucky enough to get a review copy on the condition that my life would end if I leaked it out to the public.
"Well, we gave a couple copies to friends of mine and left out that small detail and now they're dead.It's sad to have to see them go!"
Okay, getting back on track , so when it comes to writing material for this album, was it a group effort or a single person doing it?What was the method to the madness basically?
"Actually there are no rules.Usually Robert and I will come in with a song and finish it front to back and then there are tracks like the first one ['It Doesn't Seem To Matter'] where Robert came in and had the verses and the pre chords and I had the choruses so we ended up just marrying everything together. Same goes for the track 'Generation'; it becomes a melting pot and just seems to work. It really varies from time to time with each track. Plus then you have Richard, who just waltzes in and attacks the track vocally and basically runs away with it, and after all of that there's Ray (who is an incredible drummer) who lays down some pretty incredible drum tracks and completely lights the song up. We basically told him to take a few sections and do what he wants with it."
I especially noticed the drums on the track "Father Figure," which were almost a tribal beat.
"Yeah, his drumming is incredible on that track."
It stood out to me because I have a lot of friends that play drums so maybe I'm somewhat biased about it.
animated
contemplative
accomplished
hopeful