From: BRIAN (bbaltin_at_earthlink.net)
Date: 2003-07-31 23:01:01
Hello all,
Was planning on being in New York this week‹for my girl Tessa's gig @
Sweet Rhythm, and India and Jody Watley in my beautiful dream home, Prospect
Park, but airfares just weren't with me. But I'd say anyone in NYC, and I
mean anyone, who cares anything about Doug Carn, Jon Lucien, Alice Coltrane,
Freddie Hubbard, Pat Martino, et. al. (the best jazz‹the real spiritual
soul-jazz‹you know the drill by now, I've been writing about Tessa long
enough), needs to go to Tessa's gig. Her archetypal oh-so-brilliant take on
"The Creator Has a Master Plan" needs to be heard/will make you cry with
joy, also she was tremendously excited about this gig/working on much new
material (and from this woman (loveliest taste in the world) that means a
great deal), and playing with a large band for the first time in years. For
anyone who hasn't heard her yet, there are sound samples @
http://www.tessasouter.com/, (also "Creator" will be on the next CD by
Baltin, "Samba de Room 802 Volume 4"‹available soon). I'm trying to hook her
up with the man Gilles P. (not such a stretch since her mentor is Mark
Murphy (anyone else heard the giant Flytronix remix of his "Baby (It's Just
Talk)"?)), and get her demo to Straight No Chaser, because when Cesaria
Evora and many weak Brazilian women (not Carla Alexandar, who I'm loving
right about now) get play and a MIGHTY MIGHTY JUST SUBLIME talent like Tessa
doesn't, the world just ain't right. (Also she'll be in London by August
13th‹but T., you just need to get back to California already!).
Last week I was one happy motherf**ker. Found out that the man that I
listed in 02's end-of-year posting as the DJ I most wanted to see on earth
is going to bless us with his sonic caipirinha flavor. That's right‹DJ
MARKY'S COMING TO LOS ANGELES!!!!!!!!! He's heading (with XRS + Stamina MC)
the d & b stage @ Nocturnal Wonderland (August 30). I've managed up to now
to avoid ever having gone to one of those ravey circus free-for-alls, but I
can obviously not pass this by. Praise the maker of your choice.
All the best this week seems to be in London and NYC. The also mighty
mighty LSK are @ the Jazz Café (anyone who's heard the Slum Village remix of
"Love + Hate" or saw their just beautiful performance of it on the BBC's
"Later with Jools Holland" knows what I'm talking about). Also Guida de
Palma, who graced the gods Kyoto Jazz Massive on "Shine" is @ Cargo with a
DJ set by Rollercone. Should be lovely. Also Philly soul god Larry Gold (if
you haven't listened to Gilles' BBC1 doc (We Live in Philly‹link to BBC1
docs on the Liquidator link page), there's just something straight wrong
with you). Also the GOD Terry Callier (saw him before the live album on Mr.
Bongo and it honestly wasn't as beautiful as it should've been, but that
album showed him @ his classic best). Also the brilliant Amalgamation of
Soundz (just listened to their d & b remix of Jhelisa's "Freedom from Pity",
and "Batunova Scat") but also anyone who puts Roy Budd on their comps will
always be in my heart). Also Woody Herman (don't know what to expect from
him now, but obviously love the colossal "Sidewinder" that Gilles put on
Jazz Juice 1, and also he was musical director on Shirley B.'s "Live @
Carnegie Hall").
The god Roy Ayers is in Chicago with Dianne Reeves. Don't even think of
sleeping on it if you're in the city!
My agenda in the sad city of L.A. will be my beautiful beautiful boy
Paul Takahashi tonight @ Fidelity, hopefully Vinicius Cantuaria (anyone want
to drive me to West L.A.?), and definitely the goddess Dee Dee Bridgewater
and Cleo Laine, Los Amigos Invisibles/Acida/Sidestepper, and DJ Deep.
As Wesley asked me on the Soundlounge list yesterday, and I had meant to
post it, here's what I wrote on Gotan Project right after the show here in
Los Angeles: Got so much more than I ever could've have expected‹ the show
is straight-up sublime. Whatever you could think of the records being
one-note/novelty, the show delivers so much more. Really beautiful, and
that's coming from me, as some of you know, the most cynical f**k on the
planet. So, crowd was delivering much on energy level vocally (ridiculous,
most love I've ever heard ANY band get), but not dancing @ all and otherwise
still (this being Los Angeles) mighty irritating in every other respect
(everybody getting in my way basically). Still, I danced my motherf**king
ass off‹I'm a demon when I get started as my friends know (I won't be
winning any jazz-dance competitions @ The Hi-Hat, but I can hold my own
here). By the end of a 10-minute "Tripitico" I was honestly @ the point of
collapse. Wasn't even expecting a new cut as encore that sounded
uncharacteristically Truby Trio-ish/obviously pandering to the Salome de
Bahia/Africanism crowd, but still lovely. Best I can say is that they don't
even sound like themselves, as much as old Da Lata (when they were still
really on point with "Beija Flor," and "Ponteio," et al.)‹colossal beats on
the mid/downtempo cuts. Storming on the dancefloor cuts. Beautiful vocals in
(sub)Bebel/Carla Alexander mode,ineffably lovely visuals (they played
through a muslin screen on which were projected densely saturated color
tango-derived film for the first half of the set). Beautiful atmosphere on
stage all-around per lighting, film‹all.
Also saw the brilliant Rebirth. Greatest nu jazz/acid jazz/what have you
band in L.A. history by so far. Serious Oneness of Juju flavor. Saw them so
many times back in the day (opening for François K/Joe Claussell,
Pucho/Bobby Matos, etc.), and they were brilliant back then, but they've
grown so much (as has their brilliant vocalist‹can rival Angela Johnson),
and it's also brilliant to watch them finally get play from Gilles, King
Britt, and just about everyone else for their sublime "This Journey In").
(Much respect Loslito.) They're about to be huge.
That's it for now on this end. (Won't say anything about how sad the
Joao Gilberto show @ the Bowl was‹don't want to bring anyone down.)
Respectfully,
Brian Baltin
Aesthetic Rejuvenator
Liquidator Graphics
*
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/
*
London:
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/culture/gigs_london.htm
CHUCHO VALDES + IRAKERE, RONNIE SCOTT'S 7/21-8/2
NU SPIRIT HELSINKI, JAZZ CAFE 8/2
JAGA JAZZIST, JAZZ CAFE 8/4
WOODY HERMAN BIG BAND, RONNIE SCOTT'S 8/4-9
JIMI TENOR, CARGO 8/5
SQUAREPUSHER, HMS PRESIDENT 8/6
LSK, JAZZ CAFE 8/7
AMALGAMATION OF SOUNDZ + STORM + THE PSYCHONAUTS, FREEFORM @ 333 8/9
DJ VADIM (DJ SET), RED ALERT 8/11
TERRY CALLIER, JAZZ CAFE 8/12-13
TESSA SOUTER, PIZZA ON THE PARK 8/14-16
LARRY GOLD + VIKTER DUPLAIX (DJ SET), JAZZ CAFE 8/15-16
MITCHELL + DEWBURY, BED BAR 8/15
THE BEES, CHAMPION SOUND @ CARGO 8/15
GUIDA DE PALMA + JAZZINHO + ROLLERCONE (DJ SET), SUBURB @ CARGO 8/16
PETER KRUDER, GROOVE SANCTUARY @ MADAME JOJO'S 8/16
*
Los Angeles:
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/culture/gigs_losangeles.htm
MONTY ALEXANDER, CATALINA BAR + GRILL 7/29-8/3
CHAKA KHAN + DIANNE REEVES + DONNIE + TERENCE BLANCHARD + RAUL MIDON: FILM
MUSIC OF SPIKE LEE, HOLLYWOOD BOWL 7/30
PAUL T. + LILYANNE, FIDELITY @ IVAR 7/31
MARK FARINA, GIANT @ THE PALACE 7/31
MOMUS, SPACELAND 8/1
LES NUBIANS + ZAP MAMA, THE PALACE 8/3
SUPREME BEINGS OF LEISURE (DJ SET), TRANSISTOR LOUNGE @ NACIONAL 8/6
WAYNE SHORTER + HERBIE HANCOCK, HOLLYWOOD BOWL 8/6
VINICIUS CANTUARIA, SKIRBALL CULTURAL CENTER 8/7
SUPERGRASS, EL REY THEATRE 8/8-9
FELIX DA HOUSECAT, HENRY FONDA THEATRE 8/8
JAMES INGRAM + BRENDA RUSSELL, LONG BEACH JAZZ FESTIVAL @ RAINBOW LAGOON 8/8
REGINA BELLE + RACHELLE FERRELL + PONCHO SANCHEZ + JAMES MOODY, LB JAZZ FEST
8/9
ROBERTA FLACK + RONNIE LAWS, LB JAZZ FEST 8/10
THE TINDERSTICKS, HENRY FONDA THEATRE 8/12
DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER + CLEO LAINE + JOHN DANKWORTH: TO ELLA WITH LOVE,
HOLLYWOOD BOWL 8/13
MIXMASTER MIKE + Z-TRIP, HOUSE OF BLUES 8/13
LOS AMIGOS INVISIBLES + ACIDA + SIDESTEPPER, SANTA MONICA PIER 8/16
DJ DEEP, WAX @ THE LARCHMONT 8/16
*
New York:
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/culture/gigs_nyc.htm
SUPERGRASS, IRVING PLAZA 7/29-7/30
CLARK TERRY QUINTET + JAMES MOODY, IRIDIUM 7/29-8/3
TESSA SOUTER, SWEET RHYTHM 7/30-31
OCOTE SOUL SOUNDS, THE FIVE SPOT 7/30
LIZZ WRIGHT, MADISON SQUARE PARK 7/30
IVAN LINS, BLUE NOTE 7/30-8/3
SI*SE, ROCKEFELLER PARK 7/30
THE TINDERSTICKS WITH STRINGS, CENTRAL PARK SUMMERSTAGE 7/31
JAZZY JAY + THE JUNGLE BROTHERS + GRAND WIZZARD THEODORE, CROTONA PARK 7/31
FRED WESLEY + THE J.B.'S, VON KING PARK (BROOKLYN) 7/31
JURASSIC 5 + SUPERNATURAL, S.O.B.'S 7/31
ERIC REED TRIO, SMOKE 8/1-2
BETTYE LAVETTE, JOE'S PUB 8/1
HILTON RUIZ, AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 8/1
RAY CHARLES, B.B. KING'S 8/1-2
JODY WATLEY + DONNIE, PROSPECT PARK BANDSHELL 8/2
JODY WATLEY, JOE'S PUB 8/3
INDIA, PROSPECT PARK BANDSHELL 8/3
DONNIE, JAZZ STANDARD 8/3
ROY HARGROVE, VILLAGE VANGUARD 8/5-10
DWELE, S.O.B.'S 8/5
CAFE TACUBA, BOWERY BALLROOM 8/5
RAY VEGA LATIN JAZZ SEXTET, JAZZ STANDARD 8/5-6
RAY BARRETO, SUNSET PARK (BROOKLYN) 8/6
SIDESTEPPER, JOE'S PUB 8/6-7
CHARLIE HUNTER TRIO, MADISON SQUARE PARK 8/6
SONNY ROLLINS, CENTRAL PARK SUMMERSTAGE 8/9
AHMAD JAMAL, IRIDIUM 8/12-17
*
Chicago:
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/culture/gigs_chicago.htm
CHICAGO AFRO-BEAT PROJECT, HOTHOUSE 8/1
SUPERGRASS, METRO 8/1-2
SIDESTEPPER, HOTHOUSE 8/3
THE TINDERSTICKS, PARK WEST 8/6
ROY AYERS + DIANNE REEVES, SKYLINE STAGE 8/6
BAHAMADIA + PRINCESS SUPERSTAR, THE VIC 8/7
LARRY HEARD, METRO SMART BAR 8/8
DJ HEATHER, METRO SMART BAR 8/9
LES NUBIANS + ZAP MAMA, HOUSE OF BLUES 8/10
LOU DONALDSON + DR. LONNIE SMITH, JAZZ SHOWCASE 8/12-17
JAMES BROWN, HOUSE OF BLUES 8/15
*
For much more please visit www.liquidatorgraphics.com. The newly redesigned
Culture page is now up:
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
Coming in the next week (honest): The Liquidator Guide to Essential DVDs.
The last CD by Baltin:
"Bellissima Idyll (Chasing After the Sun)" is still available:
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/cdsbybaltin/bellissima_idyll.htm
The new CD, Samba de Room 802 Volume 4, is soon to come.
*
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/