From: BRIAN (bbaltin_at_earthlink.net)
Date: 2003-08-29 06:42:19
Hello all,
First up some blatant self-promotion: The new and characteristically
visually and sonically stunning hand-assembled CD by Baltin (Volume 20!),
Samba de Room 802 Volume 4, is now available with lovely cuts from Luiz
Bonfa, Jorge Ben, Meirelles, Supersempft, John Beltran, Incognito, Kyoto
Jazz Massive, Swing Out Sister, Bebe, Tania Maria, Jon Lucien, LTJ
Experience + Joe Bataan, Armando Peraza, Patricia Marx, Saint Etienne, Lorez
Alexandria, Chris Montez, Joyce, Max de Castro, Jazztronik, Marky + XRS, DJ
Gregory, Ski Oakenfull, Tom + Julie, Monday Michiru, Caterina Valente, Bill
Perkins, and an unreleased cut - my girl Tessa Souter's FLAWLESS take on
"The Creator Has a Master Plan." To view the cover and track listing, please
visit
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/cdsbybaltin/samba_de_room_802_v4.htm
I think it's one of my strongest comps yet. Also much else is new on
liquidatorgraphics.com, so PLEASE VISIT AND PASS ON THE LINK WITH ABANDON!
I'm going to go back to the format of putting my editorializing/thoughts
after the listings this posting, as I just seem to have a HELL OF A LOT to
say. So please browse the listings, and THEN be sure to scroll down to
peruse my words (on Los Amigos/Sidestepper and Dee Dee Bridgewater/Cleo
Laine gigs just past, and MUCH of the usual (could be) insight into the
next two weeks' loveliness.)
Respectfully,
Brian Baltin
Aesthetic Rejuvenator
Liquidator Graphics
*
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/
*
London:
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/culture/gigs_london.htm
JAZZY JEFF + THE PHILARMONICS, JAZZ CAFE 8/26-28
SUV + MC VERSE, 333 8/30
MAURICE FULTON, COME SHAKE THE WHOLE @ CARGO 8/30
THE BRAND NEW HEAVIES, JAZZ CAFE 9/1-3
QUANTIC + ALICE RUSSELL, FLUID BAR 9/4
NATHAN HAINES, JAZZ CAFE 9/4-5
HORACE ANDY, BLOOD + FIRE SOUNDSYSTEM @ CARGO 9/4
ROBERT LUIS, SOXAN 9/6
COLDCUT + CJ MACKINTOSH + ROSS CLARKE + ADDICTION, 333 9/6
BEN WATT + AUTOMAGIC (LIVE), BUZZINFLY @ THE NEIGHBORHOOD 9/7
GEORGIE FAME, RONNIE SCOTT'S 9/8-27
RUBY TURNER, JAZZ CAFE 9/12
JAZZANOVA + AMALGAMATION OF SOUNDZ + PATRICK FORGE, OFF-CENTRE @ 333 9/13
BEMBE SEGUE, JAZZ CAFE 9/13
*
Los Angeles:
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/culture/gigs_losangeles.htm
LALO SCHIFRIN, CATALINA BAR + GRILL 8/26-31
DERRICK CARTER + COLETTE, SWEET THING 2 @ CIRCUS 8/28
THE COUP, SANTA MONICA PIER 8/28
SHARON JONES + THE DAP-KINGS + SUGARMAN 3 + LEE FIELDS, KNITTING FACTORY
8/29
NICKODEMUS, BOSSANOVA @ ZANZIBAR 8/29
DJ MARKY + XRS + STAMINA MC + GROOVE ARMADA (DJ SET) + BT + DOC MARTIN +
MARK FARINA + ADAM F + DJ CRAZE, NOCTURNAL WONDERLAND 8/30
AQUANOTE (GABRIEL RENE) + MARK FARINA, WET @ HOLLYWOOD ROOSEVELT 8/30
PATTI AUSTIN, BURTON CHACE PARK (MARINA DEL REY) 8/30
DJ SMASH, TRANSISTOR LOUNGE @ NACIONAL 9/3
THEO PARRISH + MARKUS NIKOLAI, FIDELITY @ IVAR 9/4
KARSH KALE, CONGA ROOM 9/5
NOBODY (LIVE) + BREAKESTRA, TEMPLE BAR 9/5
KINKY + CAFE TACUBA + LOS LOBOS, HOLLYWOOD BOWL 9/7
DJ YELLOW, DEEP @ 1650 9/7
THE CRUSADERS + RANDY CRAWFORD, HOLLYWOOD BOWL 9/11
SAUL WILLIAMS, THE ROXY 9/11
GEORGE BENSON + NATALIE COLE, UCLA TENNIS CENTER 9/13
GOLDIE + PHOTEK, BASSRUSH @ HOLLYWOOD VENUE TBA 9/13
JOSH WINK, WAX @ THE LARCHMONT 9/13
*
New York:
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/culture/gigs_nyc.htm
EDDIE PALMIERI, MARCUS GARVEY PARK 8/28
ANANDA PROJECT (LIVE), JOE'S PUB 8/28
GROOVE ARMADA (DJ SET), ROXY 8/28
PAUL VAN DYK, CENTRAL PARK SUMMERSTAGE 8/28
JAZZYFATNASTEES, JOE'S PUB 8/29
SONNY FORTUNE + RASHIED ALI, SWEET RHYTHM 8/29-30
PAPO VASQUEZ, UP OVER JAZZ CAFE (BROOKLYN) 8/31
LALO SCHIFRIN, BLUE NOTE 9/2-7
KURT ELLING, BIRDLAND 9/3-6
DJ MARKY + XRS + STAMINA MC, DIRECT DRIVE @ FILTER 14 9/7
FRANÇOIS K, DEEP SPACE @ CIELO 9/8
PHAROAH SANDERS + KENNY GARRETT, BLUE NOTE 9/9-14
FREDDIE HUBBARD, IRIDIUM 9/9-14
ANTIBALAS, S.O.B.'S 9/11
DJ VADIM, MERCURY LOUNGE 9/13
*
Chicago:
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/culture/gigs_chicago.htm
BOSTICH, METRO SMART BAR 8/28
LIZZ WRIGHT, WASHINGTON PARK 8/29
TERENCE BLANCHARD, JAZZ SHOWCASE 9/2-7
NATALIE COLE, McCORMICK CONVENTION CENTER 9/5
RON TRENT + LARRY HEARD, METRO SMART BAR 9/5
GEORGE CLINTON + P-FUNK, CUBBY BEAR 9/5
THE ROOTS + N*E*R*D + TALIB KWELI, TWEETER CENTER 9/6
*
Alright then,
Had meant to get this out yesterday because last night @ Birland in NYC
an 88TH BIRTHDAY gig was performed by the legendary GRACIELA. If you're a
Latin music head and the name doesn't mean anything to you, it should -
she's MACHITO's widow, and for my money one of only three of true elder
stateswomen in Salsa and Afro-Cuban, and the only one still with us (the
other two would be CELIA and LA LUPE). Much respect and love.
Saw the goddess DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER finally - with CLEO LAINE + JOHN
DANKWORTH, no less - @ an ELLA tribute @ the Hollywood Bowl last week. The
Bowl crowd was characteristically evil/inattentive/rude, and the pacing of
the program was odd (alternating one song by each, including three other
vocalists, rather than a full set), but Dee Dee was every bit as MIGHTY and
LOVELY as on her achingly brilliant "Live @ Yoshi's." If you haven't seen
her YOU NEED TO. And Cleo Laine was a revelation. I hadn't kept up with
her/heard her sing in years, but of course I worship her '60s soundtrack
work with Dankworth (see "The Servant," and "The Roman Spring of Mrs.
Stone," where she actually performs in a bar scene.) Her phrasing has gotten
just plain ODD but staggeringly INTRICATE/RICH/POTENT/BRILLIANT. John, for
all of his past soundtrack genius (his early '60s work is among the, if not
the, godliest of filmic Brit jazz/easy), is now basically just her
accompanist. Still gets no end of respect from me.
Also saw the equally MIGHTY, and SUBLIME, LOS AMIGOS INVISIBLES - with
SIDESTEPPER, no less - @ a free gig on the Santa Monica Pier. MYF**KING
GOD!! The ever brilliant/godly MASTERS AT WORK genius worked miracles on Los
Amigos. They've transmuted into the most BRILLIANT/HIP-SHATTERING live house
band on the planet (possibly barring St. Germain, who I still haven't seen
(don't ask/a sore point)). The locomotive grooves they lock into are plain
beautiful, and as musicians they're tight as hell. I'm elated to say that
they're coming back to the Conga Room in October (details on the site Guide,
and the last show there sold out the week of), so if you're in L.A. and dig
seriously MASSIVE live house, it'll be essential. For anyone who's been wary
of Sidestepper 'cause of all the hype/ world music-meets-hip hop
non-sequiturs, don't be. Apart from a very few misguided commercial reggae
moments, their live set offers COLOSSAL Latin d+b-influenced loveliness.
Lastly, the weekend in L.A. saw the .03 Sunset Junction fest. Had
thought about seeing ISAAC HAYES again (apart from being a Scientologist
imbecile, he does usually still have a brilliant band/plays the complete
11-minute "Walk On By."), but decided I'd rather get sloshed (moderately -
also skipped the much more crucial BELLE + SEBASTIAN gig elsewhere for same
reason). But Saturday night, the MOST BRILLIANT/GODLY (ECLECTIC/HOUSE/D+B)
DJ IN THE CITY'S HISTORY - the ever mighty JUN - obliterated the asphalt
once again with a searing set of the faggiest house I've ever heard him play
[I can say that as a fag]. Really nice to have him in a Bossanova context on
the Eastside of town for a change, even if it means having to sit through
Bentley. (Respect to DAVE HERNANDEZ though for a characteristically solid
set.)
Finally on to the next two weeks' best...
It's another spell of sonic loveliness all around Los Angeles for the
next two weeks. First off, the man LALO SCHIFRIN is finishing a weeklong
stint @ Catalina. I can't decide whether to go. When he was conducting the
Glendale Symphony I always planned to get to one of the Mission:Impossible
programs they did once a year, but never made it. Now I know he's strictly
onto the classical-influenced Latin jazz/will most likely never play the
soundtrack godliness (Man from UNCLE/Once a Thief/Liquidator
(xx)/Mannix/Bullitt, et. al.) again, or the bossa classics ("Maria," "Wave,"
et. al.) either, I might still have to go out of respect. Could still be
brilliant. (Never underestimate Lalo.)
Next,, I learned only this morning, the BRILLIANT and BEAUTIFUL (in a
different, mighty lust-inducing way) NICKODEMUS is in town to play
Bossanova. What JUN is to the West Coast, Nickodemus is to the east. I heard
him often in the original Giant Step days, and by the time I saw him
OBLITERATE THIEVERY CORPORATION @ S.o.B.'s years later ('96 I think), he had
grown massively and perfected an IMMACULATE blend of eclectic grooves with
an emph on Brazilian and Latin flavours (my flavours obviously). And he
NEVER gets to this coast.
That's followed, speaking of mighty mighty BRAZILIAN BRILLIANCE, by my
current DJ god (seriously, there's NO other DJ I want to see remotely as
fervently), DJ MARKY, is @ Nocturnal Wonderland, with XRS + STAMINA MC. I'd
been praying he'd be doing a club date while here, but he isn't, so I'll
have to make the trek to San Bernardino (yikes). He's in San Francisco on
Sunday as well (wish I could get up there as well, but will be going up
there in late September to meet with the god MARK MURPHY. More on that to
come...) Rest of the Nocturnal line-up is alright but not @ all stunning.
Wouldn't mind hearing GROOVE ARMADA's DJ set, or BT, or MARK FARINA or ADAM
F.
September 7 all hell breaks loose with the loveliness, with one of the
most RADIANT/BRILLIANT/ACHINGLY LOVELY nights in recent L.A. history. First,
my LOVES Gil, Uli, Caesar, Carlos, + Omar (that'd be KINKY) are @ the bowl.
Following that later in the night, the man DJ YELLOW is @ Deep. I saw Yellow
with KING BRITT @ Deep in .02, and the man is just always on point with the
COLOSSAL, and I mean f**king colossal, AFRO-LATIN-BRAZILIAN HOUSE FLAVOUR. A
lovely way to break a hip. (I might.) I'll be one happy motherf**ker that
night. Nuff said.
Lastly before I move on, I'm so looking forward to seeing the god GEORGE
BENSON once again, with NATALIE COLE, no less. While George doesn't actually
do "You Can Do It Baby," every song has been filtered through that INEFFABLY
WARM/RICH/LUSTROUS FLAVOUR.George live @ this point is absolute pure BEAUTY,
and once again it's largely thanks to the ever mighty Kenny and Louie. (They
took a genius to exactly where he ought to be.) As per Natalie, while I know
not to expect the stepper classic "Annie Mae," or the psychotropic 8-minute
"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," (which version a large black drag queen
friend of mine used to do) I think she'll sound more than a bit lovely, and
apart from worrying if I can make it through "Unforgettable," I'm very much
looking forward to seeingher. Later that night, GOLDIE + PHOTEK collide @
this year's Bassrush fete. George Benson, Natalie Cole, Goldie, + Photek in
one night. DAMN! Is this sad-ass Los Angeles or f**king Montreaux?
In NYC,
Tonight's brilliant, with the god EDDIE PALMIERI doing a free gig. As
I've said countless times before (it bears repeating), Eddie never has less
than the MIGHTIEST SALSA OUTFIT ON THE PLANET, so if you've never seen La
Perfecta, GO. That's followed by Chris Brann's ANANDA PROJECT - live this
bout. Damn once again.
Lalo + Marky both head into the city from here. (See above.) Along with
DJ VADIM, ANTIBALAS, FREDDIE HUBBARD (who I''d say was essential obviously,
but I've heard he's not in the greatest shape), and lastly the GOD, PHAROAH
SANDERS. For anyone who didn't read my postings on Pharoah's Catalina gigs
in February, the man has never sounded lovelier or more brilliant. His
20-minute+ "My Favorite Things" is a MODAL MIRACLE/WILL MAKE YOU CRY.
Indisputably essential for even the most casual jazz-head, and if you're
worried about him playing too "out," don't.
In London (though it's probably over), JAZZY JEFF concludes a
three-night stint @ the JC with a LIVE BAND. Damn. I'm consoled only by
knowledge of the VERVE REMIXED 2TOUR to come to the U.S. in October, with DJ
SPINNA + MR. SCRUFF mixing ONLY FROM OLD VERVE!!! Praise the maker of your
choice. Elsewhere, the EVER-LOVELY (and I mean f**king lovely) SUV is @ 333,
fresh off the triumph of his MIGHTY "Waking Maves" with the equally
brilliant PATRICIA MARX. (With the Max de Castro instant classic on the
flip(now on my Samba v4), this split 12 could be my single of the year.)
Elsewhere, I know the thought of a new BRAND NEW HEAVIES outing will
make many on the acid jazz list reel/pant, but for me I'm much more torn up
@ the thought of missing December's SWING OUT SISTER gigs @ the JC. (I need
to be rich for when these things come up. DAMN.) Also, my man QUANTIC and
the mighty ALICE RUSSELL (one of my possibly two favourite young girl/soul
vocalists of the last/current decade) are in town (still waiting for details
on Quantic's October US dates, and am most anxious to find out if Alice is
coming along. If anyone has any info, please pass it on.), along with the
mighty NATHAN HAINES, the (also brilliant) AMALGAMATION OF SOUNDZ (with the
man PATRICK FORGE + JAZZANOVA), and an odd 3-week residency by GEORGIE FAME
@ Ronnie Scott's. Wouldn't know what the hell to expect from that, but am
mighty sad that I missed MADELINE BELL's big band stint @ Ronnie's last
month.
Sh*t, though, for once I have plenty to look forward to here. Will
report back on all next posting.
But for now, please do check out the site, not only the Gig Guides -
where I've got listings on plenty of sonic brilliance well into 2004 in all
4 cities posted - but the REST as well. (I work hard on this damn site and
I'm told it could be the most aesthetically lovely on the web. So SUPPORT,
and MANY THANKS in advance...)
Respectfully,
Brian Baltin
Aesthetic Rejuvenator
Liquidator Graphics
*
For much more please visit www.liquidatorgraphics.com. The newly redesigned
Home and Culture pages are now up:
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/home.htm
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/culture/culture_home.htm
Also now up, the long-promised and lavishly packaged 28-page excerpt from
Babs Gonzales's classic jazz tome, "I Paid My Dues.":
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/culture/ipaidmydues1.htm
The Liquidator Guide to Essential DVDs is now online:
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/culture/liqdvdguide.htm
The last CD by Baltin:
"Bellissima Idyll (Chasing After the Sun)" is still available:
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/cdsbybaltin/bellissima_idyll.htm
*
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/