Category Archives: Music

Does this kind of life look interesting to you? Apparently, for an American Idol alum, the answer is “Yes”

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I wouldn’t know an American Idol alum if he or she were biting my ass at this very moment.  And, while I am glad that is not the case, I have, for the first time in my sheltered life, some reason to be interested in that monstrosity of foolishness that passes for entertainment.

Leslie Hunt, the nice young lady featured in the video above, was apparently a finalist and performed to an audience of millions.  I suppose she would have preferred to win and become the next Kelly Clarkson or Taylor Hicks, but considering the abusive sounds those two artists have created (similar to fingernails on a chalkboard), I am glad that she lost.

Through some stroke of good fortune she has become connected to a Chicago-based instrumental outfit that fancied itself to be a junior version Liquid Tension Experiment.  Great music to aspire to, but nothing that would pay the bills.  But, if there is a way to bring a bit of sex appeal to the nerd-tastic sounds of District 97‘s modern prog, then these folks might have a tiger by the tail.  Judging from the video, I am interested.  The record is due out later this year, and I’m sure I’ll give it a listen.

Is this the record I’ve been waiting for all my life?  Based on the early snippets, probably not.  But I don’t have anything against popularity.  And if a prog band can sell a million records in this decade, then all the better.

Special thank you to Bill’s Prog Blog, which brought District 97 to my attention.  He’s featuring a Q&A with the band’s drummer at his wonderful site.

A loving tribute to electric Miles, GET THIS NOW!! Mederic Colignon – Shangri-Tunkashi-La

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I came across this gifted artist quite randomly, and yet he has a shocking affinity for some of my favorite music ever recorded.  Time has been kind to Miles Davis’ electric period (1969-1975), even though that body of work was not well thought of upon release.  During my college career (1990-1994), that era of music became the most important signpost on a musical journey that continues to this day.  What I learned from listing to ‘In a Silent Way’, ‘Jack Johnson’ and ‘Dark Magus’ shaped the person I have become, both musically and otherwise.  I still routinely return to those and other recordings and find more undiscovered nuance of melody, rhythm and groove.

And in much the same way that Simone Rosetti’s The Watch has absolutely nailed the Gabriel-era Genesis, Collignon has uncovered a similar resonance with that extraordinary time in the career of Miles Davis.  His latest release is Shangri-Tunkashi-La and it is a pure delight.  Firstly, it is readily available on iTunes, which surprised and delighted me.  Second, the renditions of Bitches Brew, Billy Preston, It’s About That Time, and others are not replicas of the originals, but incorporate the jubilant spirit of improvisation which was such an important part of how those compositions came into the world.

The record is now favorably reviewed in English, has gorgeous cover art and can be downloaded by anyone with an iTunes account.  All that remains is a North American tour schedule.  Hope springs eternal.

Give “Billy Preston” a listen below.

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Am I about to become a Scott Henderson / Tribal Tech fan?

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Scott Henderson, picking up some of that much-needed endorsement cash.

I had always known that Scott Henderson had played with Zawinul, but never really gave it much thought.  Weather report was and explicitly NO-GUITAR outfit.  On the other hand, starting with the one time I saw Zawinul’s band in ’97, I’ve known that he always has young and talented  guitarists as part of the supporting ensemble.  I don’t know anything about the solo work of Amit Chatterjee, or some Jozy’s other guitar players.  I do know that Henderson’s body of work is successful in both popularity and critical acclaim.  Plus he has a king-size honker. Here’s the track that’s changing my mind.  This is Carnavalito from the 1989 live album ‘Black Water’.  I have heard several version of this song, but only just discovered this one while going through some old data DVD’s.  Check out the Discipline-era King Crimson vibe at the very beginning of this track.

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Art, beauty, music and love from Brian Eno, S.G. (super genius)

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The number of flat screen spewing useless information to the public as it passes by is abhorrent.  Cable news, ESPN, weather reports, and countless, countless ads.  I’ve been railing against this sickness for over a year – here, here and here.  But now Eno has an idea, called 77 Million Paintings, for something else to do with all those big bright screens.  Put ’em to work in the name of beauty!

(via Synthtopia)

Eno also has an iPhone / iPad app for generative ambient music that adheres to his current aesthetic principles.  Here is a visual example of what you can do with Bloom from Gilli.es:

Gilli.es early experiment with Bloom

Beautiful stuff.

Paul Gilbert – Fuzz Universe on sale in U.S. in August

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Paul Gilbert is the shredder extraordinaire.  His licks take no prisoners, and they just keep coming at you like a barrage, an arpeggio assault.  And, of course, what I like is the unabashed prog influence. There is even a video of him playing Emerson Lake and Palmer on guitar, and he provided breathtaking pyrotechnics on Neal Morse’s epic Sola Scriptura.

Despite his ability and obvious discipline, Gilbert seems very loos and good-natured, like he doesn’t take himself too seriously.  This promo video gives a good example:

So, although the album is already delighting junior shredders in Japan, those of us stateside will have to wait till the heat of August before partaking of Mr. Gilbert’s instrumental delights.  In the meantime, I may have to console myself with his earlier instrumental effort ‘Get Out Of My Yard’, which sounds something like this:

Nearfest 2010 – just a lil taste

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If you know me, you know that Gabriel-era Genesis is sort of where it all begins.  I’m not old enough to have seen the classic line-up, but when I finally discovered the genius of that quintet, well, that pretty much changed everything forever.  I’ve gone deep with Genesis, seeing the trio when possible, collecting every manner of album, bootleg and video, and going to see the amazing Musical Box tribute show countless times.

And my Prog Rock education and appreciation has just gone on and on.  I have recently opened my mind to extraordinary groups from Brazil, Sweden, Poland and other points across the globe.  I have gotten to know bands old and new, finding music that is uplifting, challenging and extraordinary.  So much of what I love about all the music I have discovered is that it relates back to that wondrous moment when Messrs. Banks, Collins, Gabriel, Hackett, and Rutherford brought forth the beauty of The Musical Box, Foxtrot, Selling England By The Pound and The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway.  It was no coincidence that those selections had such a profound impact on me.

So, among the first-generation proggers, I’ve been pretty lucky to see the reunions and comebacks of Yes, King Crimson, ELP and even Genesis.  But Hackett, long exiled from the group he helped make famous, does more to keep that original spirit of innovation and irreverence alive than all the rest.  When I found that his only area performance would be at Nearfest 2010, I pounced on the opportunity and grabbed very good seats.

I had long known of Nearfest, but never mustered the strength or inclination to spend the better part of an entire weekend in nearby Bethlehem, PA watching a lot of prog with which I was wholly unfamiliar.  Thanks to the miracle of social networking, I got more info and encouragement than ever to make Nearfest happen this year, but in the end, I only sprung for Friday night, electing to, once again, pass on the vast majority of music and fellowship that makes up the weekend.

I would have let the whole thing pass me by (again), had it not been for the encouragement of my spiritual music guide, my teacher, my long-lost big brother: Cousin Steve.  He played a rather large role in the whole Genesis thing taking shape for me, and though we’ve seen Hackett before, he was not about to let this opportunity pass.  Thanks to Steve (who had never been either), I got my first taste of Nearfest.  And now, a few days later, I am comfortable in the firm belief that it will not be my last.

Lehigh University is a beautiful setting and the Zoellner Arts Center is the Perfect theater.  We arrived in plenty of time to see Riverside (a phenomenal Polish band I have followed for a few years, but never seen live), but I locked my keys in the trunk just as we were heading over to the theater.  The Lehigh security department was understanding, kind and efficient in helping me put that brain cramp in the rearview mirror and Steve and I took our seats in the fifth row center after only missing a couple songs.

Riverside was tremendous.  They lean more toward the prog-metal end of the spectrum, with a dash of Porcupine Tree thrown in for good measure.  But after seeing Dream Theater last summer, I really appreciated Riverside’s more deliberate approach.  The emphasis was less on individual pyrotechnics and more on creating a dramatic musical experience.  I was thrilled.

We then got a nice long break to kibbitz with our fellow proggers.  Serge Morissette (artistic director of The Musical Box) was present and in good spirits until he saw my Transatlantic shirt.  He missed the gig in his home town of Montreal on account of being in Europe during the eruption of a certain Icelandic volcano.  He was delighted, however to chat us up about his groups latest doings (their version of The Lamb may be coming back!) and we even shared a few laughs about Mr. Hackett’s personal difficulties.  Serge said that Hackett’s (now) ex-wife would now be changing her name from Kim Poor to Kim Rich.

Serge’s good nature and attitude was emblematic of every soul we encountered on Friday night.  Everyone was happy and willing to share a story as we bonded over this music we share and love.  I finally understand why people have been telling me to just do it.

So after this lovely experience in this beautiful place, Steve and I walked back into the theater to see Hackett – the original, the real thing.  And, of course, he did not disappoint.  It was a full set, with such surprises as Carpet Crawlers, Slogans, and Ace of Wands thrown in to the crowd’s delight.

So I’ve had my taste of Nearfest.  I get it.  Next year, even if I have to go solo, I’ll be there.  And I’ll look forward to seeing all those beautiful folks who come from far and wide to enjoy the greatest music ever composed.