"Oranj Symphonette Plays Mancini"

"Free Improvisation is a lot of fun for the musicians, but it has a tendency to leave the audience in the dust. However, when your original reference point is as well known as, say, 'The Pink Panther Theme', you don't lose people on the ride. There is a long jazz tradition of re-working popular songs into vehicles for improvisation. This band just gets its material from some unusual sources."- Matt Brubeck

There have been numerous tributes to the music of Henry Mancini, but none have been half as zany as this Oranj Symphonette release from 1996.



Cellist/bassist Matt Brubeck (the band's leader and son of jazz legend Dave Brubeck) met guitarist Joe Gore and Ralph Carney (sax, trombone and slide clarinet) while recording the Tom Waits soundtrack album for the film Night On Earth in the early 1990's.
In 1993 they became a group with the addition of drummer Scott Amendola and began playing in the San Francisco area on a part-time basis the following year with their main purpose being to reinvent Henry Mancini songs. With Pete Scaturro added on organ and Diarmid contributing zither playing and bird calls, the band tears apart a dozen Mancini tunes on their frequently hilarious debut album.

"Scientists ain't nothin' but crooks!"

Jackie and Dunlap discuss Global Warming, Climategate ... and Humanure.

Today's Date In Music History: Banyan

Live at Red Devil Lounge in San Francisco, CA - January 13, 2007

Banyan is an art rock/jazz/punk/improv group, based in Los Angeles, California.
The band is led by drummer Stephen Perkins (Janes Addiction, Porno for Pyros). The core members of the band are Nels Cline (Wilco) on guitar, Willie Waldman on trumpet and Mike Watt (Minutemen, fIREHOSE, Dos, Stooges) on bass. Mike Watt also sings on some Banyan songs.
L.A. artist Norton Wisdom paints on a wet-erase board while the band plays, and the imagery he creates interprets the music much in the same way that lyrics might.
Saxophone player Steve Mackay (Stooges) has also joined the group during select live shows.
In liner notes and personal conversations, members of the band cite both Igor Stravinsky and Miles Davis as influences.



1.) Mad as a Hornet 2.) Oh My People 3.) A Million Little Laughs 4.) El Sexxo 5.) Lovin Them Pounds 6.) TV Eye 7.) Om Om Om 8.) Maggot Brain 9.) A Love Supreme 10.) Fun House 11.) New Old Hat
12.) E Ticket Ride 13.) We Are Time

Download full show

More Live Banyan

++

Grateful Dead Donates Archives

(original post date: 4/25/09)

The Grateful Dead will donate their huge archival stash to be displayed at U.C. Santa Cruz.

Update: Their new homepage is up.

Here it is: http://library2.ucsc.edu/speccoll/GD_archive.html

The Kinks Choral Concert

==Ray Davies performs with the Dessoff Chamber Choir at Town Hall in New York City on Nov. 20.


As the front man and lead songwriter of the Kinks, Ray Davies helped lead the British Invasion of American pop music. The group's influence has grown over the years, as an increasing number of young musicians cite them as an influence.
The latest release (November '09) by Ray Davies, The Kinks Choral Collection — featuring the Crouch End Festival Chorus — is a collection of songs focusing mainly on The Kinks' three legendary albums (Something Else, The Village Green Preservation Society and Arthur) while also including some early material and the exceptional "Working Man's Cafe" from his solo album of the same title.

Hat tip to NPR Music.

Bonus audio material from NPR:

Hear Jeff Lunden, who sings in this concert, talk about it on All Things Considered

Hear Ray Davies Spin Some Of His Favorite Songs For 'All Songs Considered'

"I had to start drinking to understand some aspects of country music."

+

Hank Williams III: Drunkard Of The Month

(from the Modern Drunkard Magazine Archives)

For seven decades the legendary Williams family has sang about the bottle. Now it’s Hank Williams III’s turn.

First taste: I was four or five, I remember sticking my finger in a glass and licking it off.

The usual: Jack and Coke. When I’m on stage it’s whatever they got.

Drunkest on stage: I probably just fell down from trying to rock out or head butting some friends.

Why we must drink: To not be sober. I had to start drinking to understand some aspects of country music.

The bar on the bus: Fridge full of beer and a bottle of Jack Daniels a show.

Ever get sick of answering questions about your grandfather? Still not sick of talking about Sr. I’ll never get tired of it.

Best city to booze in: Wherever I have the most friends that are buying and wanting to show us a good time.

Why the hooch and heartbreak left country: The radio stations and CMT and bullshit Music Row killed country. There needs to be more outlaws today.
Drinking songs: Couldn’t tell ya how many drinking songs I know but I know a few, I would say.

Three musicians (living or dead) you’d like to go on a bender with: Sid Vicious, Jerry Lee Lewis, and GG Allin.

Describe the evening: I’d say a drunk punch fight.

Are you going to do a “wide release” hellbilly album? Don’t know. Curb Records is in the way. He needs to be killed.

Drinking ritual: No drinking rituals, just bottoms up. If you’re into drinking, fucking knock it back, go crazy. If you’re not, more power to ya.

How long have you been a vegetarian: Nawww, I eat meat. I’m skinny enough as is. Fuck the veggie shit.

Drinking on the road: I love the road when I’m healthy and hate it when I’m too sick too party, which is like every 6 weeks. I’m sick as fuck but no matter what the show must go on.

Line from a drinking song that best sums up life: I drink to think.

You can check out Hank’s country music at hank3.com and his side
project with Philip Anselmo from Pantera at superjointritual.com.

—Interview by Nick Esposito

The Americana Outlaw Murder Ballad Queen

"Some people have cars, some people have houses
hell some folks are married...but that's all the same to me as long I have my guitar and my songs..."

Texas-based songstress Izzy Cox (aka the “Murder Ballad Queen”) croons in a clear, honeyed soprano that slinks and slides against voodoobilly jazz, bouncy Western swing and honky tonkin’ blues. Her songs reflect a perverse sense of humor and feature a colorful cast of hard-bitten women, from a hoodoovoodoo type of girl who likes switchblades and Colt 45, to a mad woman in the 'Number Nine Ward' with voices in her head telling her she’s dead, to “Belle Gunness,” one of America’s most notorious female serial killers.

A bit of swing, jazz, country and old time --with a dark twist, Cox's songs are influenced by old movie soundtracks, old time bar room blues, and country singers. Her lyrics are like diary entries; stories of serial killers, buckaroo cowboys, and snake handlers.
Izzy had an unusual childhood, for the formative years of her life she would live in both rural Texas, and Montreal.Throughout her moving around she was part of a religious organization where she played in marching bands. At the age of twelve she found the traveling bug, she lived and worked in horse racing tracks, traveled with circuses and took part of many early punk rock mosh pits.

Izzy Cox has dedicated her life to touring & playing music & writing songs about her experiences.

Below you will find an in-studio performance by Izzy Cox & The Naughty Outlaws from KAOS radio.

1) Bad Bad Woman 2) Lazy Feista (Just a Feeling) 3) I Had a Dream Last Night 4) It Must Be Love 5) Electric Chair 6) Hoodoovoodoobilly Gal 7) Alone And Forsaken 8) Fucking And Fighting 9) Man of the Cloth 10) Killer From Hawaii 11) Killing My Own Kind 12) Devil Devil > Belle Gunness

(download mp3)

Bonus Video:

Shotgun Party

Sorry MC, no "sporting equipment", I refer to the fantastic musicians that comprise the old time pickin' band Shotgun Party.

The original Shotgun Party trio, "Two females and one bass slappin' man," met in a little Texas dive bar in 2006. They got their start performing weekly at Austin's own Continental Club. Their original songs are beautiful and timeless drawing influences from early blues, country, bluegrass and depression era swing.

In the player below, you'll find a wonderful set performed live in the KAOS studio for the Smooth & Demented Show from August 2007.



Track Listing:
1) Haunted House Bear
2) More Romantic Than Texas
3) The Builder
4) Operatar
5) Little Heart Tune
6) Holy Needles
7) Yell Out the Chords
8) New Mexico
9) Travelin' On

*Download complete performance*

... and if you like what you hear, be sure not to miss this related post!

"a little bit of Betty Boop, a little bit of bluegrass and an entire zoo of instruments..."

Today's Date In Music History:

The Asylum Street Spankers Live at Cedar Cultural Center Minneapolis, MN - November 22, 2006

They've been called a postmodern jug band and "Hee-Haw for hipsters," among other things. The Asylum Street Spankers combine theatrics, comedy and jaw-dropping musicianship to give their audience a new dimension in live musical entertainment--a fine balance between sin and salvation.
The Asylum Street Spankers began 15 years ago during a booze and hallucinogen-fueled party in Texas. Since then the revolving-door Austin ensemble has performed a unique brand of acoustic music that mixes sounds of the 1920's and 1930's with punk attitude and ribald humor.



Setlist: 1) Monkey Rag 2) Golden Fleece 3) Asylum Street Blues 4) Breathin' 5) Leaf Blower 6) Think About your Troubles 7) You Only Love Me For My Lunchbox 8) banter
9) Smokin' Resin From A Tin Can 10) Wake & Bake 11) Hick Hop 12) Why Do It Right?
13) banter 14) Tight Like That 15) My Favorite Record 16) Winning The War On Drugs
17) The Minor Waltz 18) banter 19) Big Noise At Winnetka
20) Don't Ask No Questions 21) Oh Daddy 22) Stick Magnetic Ribbons On Your SUV
23) If You Love Me (You'll Sleep On The Wet Spot) 24) Wammo's Blues 25) Smokey Dokey 26) Sidekick 27) banter 28) Digga Digga Do 29) crowd/banter 30) BEER

*Download complete show*

Bob's On The Air!

Drinking With Bob is now live on WABC

Yankees Win!!!!

The New York Yankees have won their 27th World Championship.


The following column appeared on October 28th at PolitickerNJ.com.
The piece draws some interesting comparisons between the two cities (New York and Philadelphia) and also successfully predicts the outcome.

Tale of the Tape: Why the New York Yankees will win the World Series.

By Joey Novick

The last time the New York Yankees played the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series, "The House That Ruth Built" was a mere-twentysomething, no stadiums had corporate names, and the Yankees beat the Phillies 4-0.

In the ensuing 60 years, much has happened.

So, let’s compare New York and Philadelphia in nine random categories, and see which town measures up.

PHILADELPHIA VS. NEW YORK

RIVER:
Delaware vs. Hudson

Philly: Named for an Indian tribe who was already in America.
NY: Named for a Dutch explorer who came from hundreds of miles away.

Edge: New York

FOOD:
Cheese Steak & Cream Cheese vs. Hot Dog & Cheese Cake

Nathan’s New York hot dogs known world wide; and cream cheese is key ingredient in Cheese Cake. Cheese steak tougher to eat at a ball park, but you only need one.

Edge: TOSS UP

FAMOUS COMEDIANS who are Black, Jewish and Chubby:
Bill Cosby, David Brenner, Curly Joe DeRita vs.
Jerry Seinfeld, Eddie Murphy, Jackie Gleason

Edge: Slight edge to New York by a “Bang zoom to the Moon, Alice.” DeRita was one of the fake Curly’s, not even a real Stooge.

New Year’s Eve Host:
Dick Clark vs. Guy Lombardo

Dick Clark’s Rockin’ Eve vs. Lombardo’s band called the “Royal Canadians”? Not even an American. No contest.

Edge: Philadelphia

Airports named after famous people:
Philadelphia International Airport vs. LaGuardia Airport and JFK Airport.

Philly could not find a famous dead guy to name their airport after? What about Franklin? You name everything else after him.
NY: A mayor and a president trumps “international”.

Edge: New York

Patriotic Symbol:
Liberty Bell vs. Statue of Liberty

NY: On display in the Harbor, welcomes the tired, the poor and the wretched refuse yearning to breath free.
Philly: Keeps it locked up, and besides, it has a crack in it. Spend a couple of bucks, fix that thing.

Edge: New York

Signers of Declaration of Independence:
Ben Franklin vs. Lewis Morris, Francis Lewis, Philip Livingston, William Floyd

The inventor of electricity had time to fly a kite, invent the pot belly stove, and then still kick back with hot 18th century chicks.
NY: Who are these four guys?

Edge: Philadelphia

Team Symbol:
Big Red “P” vs. The Yankee Pinstripes.

NY: Copied worldwide.
Philly: A big red “P”. Yeah, like that’s creative.

Edge: New York

Bridge Connected to New Jersey:
Ben Franklin Bridge vs. Outerbridge Crossing

Philly: Named for you know who.
NY: “Outerbridge Crossing”, named for Eugenius Harvey Outerbridge. Who is this guy?

Edge: Philadelphia

Tale of the Tape: New York 5, Philadelphia 3. One tie.

Edge: New York

My prediction: Yankees in 6.

Pass The Popcorn Please has a related post, a short film (about 1 min.), that satirizes those fans that jump on a winning team's bandwagon.

My prediction, I predict this victory will stimulate the sale of Yankee merchandise.

Mule-oween

Gov't Mule - 10.31.2009 - Tower Theatre - Upper Darby, PA

This Halloween Gov't Mule played a set of Rolling Stones covers.

Under My Thumb
Monkey Man
Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo *
Can't You Hear Me Knockin'
Angie
Ventilator Blues *
Shattered* (with Matt Abts on Lead Vocal, Danny on Bass & Jorgen on Drums)
Wild Horses
Slave *
Gimmie Shelter *
Play With Fire
Paint It Black
Bitch *
Brown Sugar *

Notes:
entire set and encore with Jackie Greene
* with Steve Elson on Sax

Here's a clip from the show, in which drummer Matt Abts does his best Jagger strut:


watch in better quality (much better sound)

Keith Noel Emerson

British keyboard player and composer Keith Emerson was born 65 years ago today. Keith is best known for his work with progressive rock supergroup Emerson, Lake and Palmer.
Emerson grew up in the seaside resort of Worthing, West Sussex, England. As a child, he learned western classical music, from which he derived a lot of inspiration to create his own style, combining classical music, jazz, and rock themes.
Emerson became intrigued with the Hammond organ after hearing jazz organist Jack McDuff perform "Rock Candy" and it subsequently became his instrument of choice



The song in preceding video, "Knife Edge", is based on Sinfonietta by Leoš Janáček.Keith Emerson has recorded many pieces based on other composers' works (a list rivaled only by Jimmy Page).

Bonus: here's a link to view ELP Live at California Jam 1974 (53 min.)

RIP Norton Buffalo

Blues harmonica virtuoso Norton Buffalo died Friday October 30th, following a brief battle with lung cancer.
Buffalo had been posting updates on his fight with the illness on his website, including information that the cancer was at an advanced stage and had spread to his brain.

Norton Buffalo played rock for years with the Steve Miller Band in the 70s, but had the ability to play many genres, with an emphasis on blues, rock and honky tonk. He toured this summer with Steve Miller and had many plans in the works when he learned he was sick.
Norton was 58 years old.

One Fast Move or I'm Gone: Kerouac's Big Sur

One Fast Move or I’m Gone: Kerouac’s Big Sur, is a new album featuring original songs composed and performed by Jay Farrar of Son Volt and Uncle Tupelo fame, and Benjamin Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie.The album, with lyrics based on the prose of Jack Kerouac’s landmark 1962 novel , was released on October 20 along with a feature-length documentary of the same title in which both Gibbard and Farrar appear.
Gibbard and Farrar, having never previously met, discovered a mutual kinship in their passion for Kerouac’s work while recording several songs for the documentary, produced by Kerouac Films.

Big Sur, is an evocative account of a time in Jack’s life when he’d “come undone,” both emotionally and spiritually. He escapes to a cabin in Big Sur to confront his inner demons and find a modicum of peace by the sea.

Gibbard stayed in the original cabin Kerouac wrote about, to compose songs for his band’s 2008 Grammy-nominated album, Narrow Stairs. For many years, Jay Farrar’s songwriting has been inspired and influenced by Kerouac’s compositional style.

The film features appearances by writers, poets, actors and musicians including, Tom Waits, Patti Smith, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, and Sam Shepard. The album and film was released on October 20, the day before the 40th anniversary of Kerouac's death.

Listen to the complete album or stream their concert from Washington D.C. on 10/27, courtesy of NPR.

Benjamin Gibbard and Jay Farrar's also performed live on KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic" last Friday, October 23rd, you can watch and listen to the session on the KCRW website.

Is She Really 70?

Rock singer/artist Grace Slick who performed with The Great Society, Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship and Starship is 70 today. Slick figured prominently in the 1960s-era psychedelic rock scene and was known for her witty lyrics and powerful vocals.

"He has the sweetest tone I ever heard; he was the only one who gave me the cold sweats." -B.B. King (on guitarist Peter Green)

Fleetwood Mac founding member Peter Green (born Peter Allen Greenbaum) celebrates his 63rd birthday today.

Green --who had previously been Eric Clapton's replacement in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers-- was ranked 38th in Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time."

In Memoriam: Porter Wagoner

Two years ago today, country music singer Porter Wagoner died at the age of 80, after a battle with lung cancer.
Porter, known for his flashy style and his collaboration with Dolly Parton, hosted TV's The Porter Wagoner Show for 20 years.

I've posted a video of one of my favorite Wagoner songs. It's the story of a husband who comes home early to surprise his wife with a nice romantic bottle of champagne, but the whole thing goes terribly awry. He runs into another guy at the liquor store who says: "Her husband's out of town and there's a party..." (You know the rest.)
This country song has it all: melodrama, pathos, alcohol, murder, and "The Cold Hard Facts Of Life."

You gotta love that suit!

"If R.E.M. didn't want their music to be torture, they shouldn't've recorded 'Shiny Happy People'."

R.S.U. discusses music as torture, and Dunlap's "torture-jams" playlist.

"Songs and music have always inspired me."

===============~Bob Dylan

May 3, 2006, marked the premiere of Bob Dylan's DJ career, hosting a weekly radio program, Theme Time Radio Hour, for XM Satellite Radio, with song selections revolving around a chosen theme. Dylan played classic and obscure records from the 1930s to the present day. The show was praised by fans and critics as "great radio," as Dylan told stories and made eclectic references with his sardonic humor, while achieving a thematic beauty with his musical choices. The show ran ran from May 3, 2006 -April 15, 2009.
These broadcasts are now available, thanks to CROZ-FM. All 100 shows (in 160-kbps mp3 format) can be found at their archive site.
Just click on the icon to download each show as a single zip file. These are not podcasts - each song is a separate mp3 file with title and performer details completed in the ID tags. If you put the shows on your iPod, they will appear as Bob Dylan albums. This is a really great offering that will take you a long time to download, but I think you will find it worthwhile. A great companion for long road trips.

(Hat tip to The Basement Rug)