From: BRIAN (bbaltin_at_earthlink.net)
Date: 2003-05-17 02:35:38
Hello all,
I've decided to try the Gig Guide bi-weekly. This means that I'll more than
likely miss a few gigs in the second week, but to pick up any slack check
the guides on the Liquidator site (which you should be checking anyway to
see what's further on the horizon), which'll always be updated weekly. I've
also decided to try a format change‹I'm going to hold my
ramblings/editorializing for after the listings, because I just have far too
much to say lately, and I don't want to impinge on the practicality of the
thing. That said, scroll down to peruse the Liquidator viewpoint.
Respectfully,
Brian Baltin
Aesthetic Rejuvenator
Liquidator Graphics
*
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/
*
London:
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/culture/gigs_london.htm
PHIL ASHER + PATRICK FORGE + MICHELLE McGUIRE, INSPIRATION INFORMATION @
NOTTING HILL ARTS CLUB 5/16
ALEX ATTIAS + DAZ I KUE + MIKE SLOCOMBE, NIGHTVISIONS @ MANJARO 5/16
TOSHIO MATSUURA + LOVEBOX ALL STARS, JAPANESE SPECIAL @ 333 5/17
JOE DAVIS + ROC HUNTER + FLYTRONIX, FAR OUT NIGHT @ BRIDGE + TUNNEL 5/17
MATTHEW HERBERT BIG BAND, BALANCE @ PLASTIC PEOPLE 5/17
BREAKESTRA + DJ SHORTKUT, JAZZ CAFÉ 5/18
SHEILA JORDAN, RONNIE SCOTT'S 5/19-24
ANDREW HILL, QUEEN ELIZABETH HALL 5/21
MR. SCRUFF, THE FORUM 5/23
FRED WESLEY + THE NEW J.B.'S, JAZZ CAFÉ 5/23-24
SUV + MC VERSE, 333 5/24
JAZZIE B + LTJ BUKEM, CARGO 5/25
ANOUSHKA SHANKAR, QUEEN ELIZABETH HALL 5/25
NOEL McKOY + ELISHA LA'VERNE + JUNIOR GISCOMBE, JAZZ CAFÉ 5/27
DJ VADIM + RUSSIAN PERCUSSION (LIVE), JAZZ FUDGE @ CARGO 5/29
*
Los Angeles:
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/culture/gigs_losangeles.htm
PETE TONG, HENRY FONDA THEATRE 5/16
HARVEY, MOONSHADOWS RESTAURANT 5/17
MARK FARINA, DEEP @ 1650 5/18
BOBBY MATOS, CATALINA BAR + GRILL 5/18
THE HEATH BROTHERS, JAZZ BAKERY 5/20-25
JIMMY BOSCH + HERMAN OLIVERA + JOHNNY POLANCO, LAX HILTON 5/22
PRINCE PAUL + ACEYALONE, HOUSE OF BLUES 5/22
OHIO PLAYERS, HOLLYWOOD PARK CASINO 5/23
ERIK TRUFFAZ, SPACELAND 5/24
DJ NORI, WAX @ THE LARCHMONT 5/24
DILATED PEOPLES, EL REY 5/24
ROY AYERS + FRANCISCO AGUABELLA, UCLA DRAKE STADIUM 5/25
TIMMY REGISFORD, DEEP @ 1650 5/25
LUKE FAIR, GIANT @ THE PALACE 5/25
EDDIE PALMIERI, CATALINA BAR + GRILL 5/27-6/1
SPACEK (DJ SET), ZANZIBAR 5/28
*
New York:
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/culture/gigs_nyc.htm
KEELY SMITH, FEINSTEIN'S @ THE REGENCY 5/13-17
JACKIE McLEAN, IRIDIUM 5/13-18
ORQUESTA ARAGON, BIRDLAND 5/15-17
PONCHO SANCHEZ, BLUE NOTE 5/15-18
DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER + GEORGE BENSON, ALICE TULLY HALL 5/16
INDIA, COPACABANA 5/16
DAMO SUZUKI, TONIC 5/16
RENEE NEUFVILLE + DJ PETE ROCK, S.O.B.'S 5/16
ROGER SANCHEZ, CENTRO-FLY 5/17
TESSA SOUTER, 55 BAR 5/17
BROADCAST, BOWERY BALLROOM 5/18
McCOY TYNER + BOBBY HUTCHERSON, IRIDIUM 5/20-25
ERIK TRUFFAZ, KNITTING FACTORY 5/21
ETTA JAMES, B.B. KING'S 5/23-25
DWELE, S.O.B.'S 5/28 (EARLY)
LA LECHE TOUR: FUSSIBLE + DJ INTERNATIONAL PLAYBOY ZEN, S.O.B.'S 5/28 (LATE)
FOUR TET + PREFUSE 73, BOWERY BALLROOM 5/29
ANTIBALAS, S.O.B.'S 5/29
*
Chicago:
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/culture/gigs_chicago.htm
DERRICK CARTER + DJ HEATHER, ZENTRA 5/16
ERIK TRUFFAZ, EMPTY BOTTLE 5/18
JACK DEJOHNETTE F/ DANILO PEREZ, JAZZ SHOWCASE 5/20-25
P'TAAH (LIVE), SONOTHEQUE 5/21
ANTIBALAS + YERBA BUENA, HOT HOUSE 5/23
PREFUSE 73, EMPTY BOTTLE 5/23
TONY HUMPHRIES, METRO SMART BAR 5/23
*
Alright then,
This is sure as f**k one of those weeks for the rest of us to be wishing we
were in NYC. For as many weeks in the past two years or so as LA has
actually had more going on, there will NEVER be as psychotropically
brilliant a selection as is on offer in New York tonight. Where in the hell
else (at least in the US) could you choose between Dee Dee Bridgewater and
George Benson, India, Damo Suzuki, Pete Rock in a DJ set for Zhane's Renee
Neufville, and Keely Smith?
I still have yet to see Dee Dee‹just repeated bad timing‹but anyone
who's ever heard her stunning "Live at Yoshi's" (easily the best live vocal
jazz record of the past two decades) knows that her phrasing is more
ridiculously agile, supple, dextrous, what have you, than ever, and her band
is consistently equally sublime. Check her ineffable locomotive scat take on
"Sex Machine," her grimy, deep-as-hell 18-minute "Love for Sale," or her
breakneck "Cherokee" and try to argue with me. As for George, I saw him at
the Playboy Jazz Fest the year after the Nuyorican Soul LP dropped, and
while he didn't actually try "You Can Do It Baby," the vibe was similar, and
most certainly LOVELY. The pairing of him and Dee Dee can't be anything but
an absolute killer. Per India, I still wish she'd go back to house, but her
salsa sets are still also lovely, and last I saw her, she did do a bit that
was nearly deep house, and rather sublime. As for Damo, I've gone on a bit
about what I've heard his recent live sets are like before. Suffice it to
say, if you love Can (as anyone who cares anything about any form of
electronic music indisputably must), his improv sets should make you more
than a little giddy. And as for Pete Rock, I haven't heard of him doing a DJ
set anytime in years, and if, like me, you came up in the sundrenched
hip-hop of '93-'94 (Pete, Buckwild, Roc Raida, Showbiz, Extra P, No ID), you
have to worship the man. And what the f**k, I'll admit I never minded Zhane.
Tomorrow, the man Roger Sanchez brings Release Yourself back to
Centro-Fly. I'm still dejected that I had to miss him at Coachella and
Spundae, but I've heard he'll be back in LA before the end of '03. And who
can be pissed about anything house-wise when Pete Heller's coming. Damn!!!
Elsewhere, musically and geographically, you might remember me going on
about Tessa Souter two months or so back. I'm rather astonished to say that
we've been corresponding and she seems every bit as sweet and lovely as that
SUBLIME voice. She's got a self-produced ten song CD that she's shopping,
and it's unbelievable. (She ought to be signed to Soul Jazz. What are they
thinking?) If you don't remember, I said that she was doing nearly every
spiritual soul-jazz classic: "Creator Has a Master Plan," "Little
Sunflower," Coltrane's "Wise One," et. al., alongside beautifully inventive
takes on more trad jazz classics like "Caravan" and "Lazy Afternoon." True
Jon Lucien, Doug Carn, Terry Callier, Minnie Riperton flavor. Her disc is
spare, but brilliant‹has any female vocalist ever had the nerve or sense to
take on "Listen Love"??!!?? (And though it's completely different, she much
more did it justice than United Future's sterile cover. And Yukimi N. should
listen to Tessa's "Creator" to hear how it ought to be done!) Her cover of
"Caravan" is equally radiant, done in a rum-soaked, almost flamenco flavor
with Baden Powell/Gabor Szabo-ish guitar backing. It's a jewel, and
now‹along with Dionne's jaw-dropping drum-corp batucada version‹one of my
two favorite takes on the song. I don't know if there's ever been two more
diameticrally different arrangements of the same cut, but they're both
brilliant. At any rate, Tessa's back in her fairly regular monthly gig at 55
Bar on Christopher Street, and it has to be cheap, so do check it if you dig
the soul-jazz flavor. Mark Murphy and Sheila Jordan already know how
brilliant she is. Shouldn't you?
On a completely different but equally love jazz tip, Erik Truffaz and
his quartet are in NY, Chicago, and L.A. in the next two weeks (Wednesday,
Sunday, and next Saturday respectively). I haven't heard the new record yet,
but I did see the quartet in Los Angeles in December of '01, and it was
unbelievable. Even if you don't much care for them on record, the group's
free-jazz-cum-drum-and-bass live sets are absolutely f**king brilliant!
Breakneck agility, unbelievable dexterity, supple phrasing, and MIGHTY
drums. Cerebral, yes, but most certainly mighty. Completely different style,
but next to Roni Size/Reprazent, they've got the best live band drum and
bass sound on the planet.
Broadcast are also in NYC, and I can report on the L.A. gig I saw last
week. The set starts nicely, but with the beats a bit too
Shaggs/Shangri-La's. Nice visuals, and Trish sounds lovely, but the vocals
are as usual fairly muted. Some sweet Art Blakey-ish rolling drums break up
the beat monotony in the middle of the set‹but the end. My god! The last two
songs take off into absolute orbit, with locomotive, utterly hip-shattering
drums to rival the first Spiritualized tour. Jaki Leibzit would be proud.
Honestly, the last cut sounded like a cross between Crepuscule darlings
Ludus and Alice Coltrane circa "Love Supreme," or rather those miraculous
"Love Supreme" drums with sublime female harmony skating/gliding
effortlessly across the surface at half-bullet train speed. All I can say is
Saint Etienne loves Broadcast, and Broadcast loves Piero Piccioni. If that
means as much to you as it does to me, go see 'em.
Selection in London is as brilliant as ever in the next two weeks, but
the biggest news would have to be the man Toshio Matsuura, late of United
Future, heading a "Tokyo-London soundclash" at 333. I'd say expect all the
Latin and Brazilian percussion that UFO abandoned on "V," and plenty of
colossal jazz-house flavor. And that's up against Joe Davis, Roc Hunter and
the equally mighty Flytronix (speaking of whom, I just found a GIANT remix
that they did of a Mark Murphy cut called "(Baby) It's Just Talk," that came
out in Germany in '97. Seek it out.) holding down the Far Out Night @ Bridge
+ Tunnel, and the Matthew Herbert Big Band LP release gig @ Balance.
Tonight's equally lovely, with the (speaking of mighty/colossal) pairing of
Phil Asher and Patrick Forge @ Inspiration Information, and Alex Attias and
Daz I Kue representing the Bugz crew @ Nightvisions. Midweek, Sheila Jordan
(speaking of) starts a stint @ Ronnie Scott's, and Andrew Hill does (what I
think is) a rare UK gig @ Queen Elizabeth Hall. I've heard his live sets
have gone beyond cerebral/out. Usually not my flavor. The next week's nearly
as ineffable with Soul II Soul's Jazzie B and LTJ Bukem together (!), Suv,
Noel McKoy (whose vocal on Snowboy's cover of Leroy Hutson's "Lucky Fellow"
I still love) alongside several new UK soul girls, and the beautiful
Anoushka Shankar (also @ QEH). I don't know whether her sets are strictly
trad sitar at this point or if she's adding any new sounds, but either way
it should be brilliant.
Los Angeles is fairly quiet until Thursday, when all hell breaks loose
(as far as musical loveliness) for the next week. The king of young salsa
lions, the mighty Jimmy Bosch, hits town again to kick off the West Coast
Salsa Congress, @ the LAX Hilton of all places. That's followed by the
aforementioned Erik Truffaz, up against DJ Nori @ Wax. I'll be @ Truffaz,
but if you need some deep house. I've heard Nori's incredible. And hell, he
did spin with Larry Levan. That's followed Sunday by the return of the man
Roy Ayers, fresh from a month stint @ Ronnie Scott's and in L.A. for the
first time in seven months. I've seen Roy I think nine times now, and I can
say that the first was by far the best (I swear the drums on "Running Away"
sounded like Can!), but the last definitely wasn't the worst. He can be hit
and miss depending on the group he's got at the moment, but, come on, he's
Roy Ayers, Francisco Aguabella's also on the bill, and it's $5! I'm sorry,
but if that doesn't sell you you have to be either genuinely dense or an
absolute philistine, or both. I'll break it down a little further‹he never
does "He's a Superstar" anymore, but he always does "Everybody Loves...",
"We Live in Brooklyn, Baby," "Searching," and "Running Away," and he usually
now does "Sweet Tears." For $5!!! And if I've got money left, I may head
from there to see Timmy Regisford @ Deep (who I just learned is doing
another Shelter day in Central Park with Chaka Khan and her sister, Indira.
It's the ONLY good thing of the season, apart from Gotan Project.).
Things get more mighty from there, with my GOD of everything, the man
Eddie Palmieri settling in for a week @ Catalina. I've NEVER heard of Eddie
playing a jazz club stint in Los Angeles. It's always La Perfecta. I've seen
him at least six times, and he's never less than miraculous. Not only does
he have the greatest Latin band on the planet, he may be my favorite living
jazz musician (why not, Cal T.'s my favorite no-longer-living). While I know
from experience that it can be frustrating not to be able to dance at one of
his gigs, I've always wanted to hear him do a full-on jazz set. I'm
wondering if I dare hope for "Un Dia Bonita"? Either way, I'm going at least
twice, and I would recommend that any self-respecting jazz head in the city
do the same.
I planned to end with some more notes on the round of gigs that I went
to to mark (can't really say celebrated, but certainly drank to) my 31st
birthday‹Nancy Wilson and Ramsey Lewis, Frankie Feliciano, Broadcast, and
Julie Dexter and Jody Watley (TOGETHER), but inasmuch I've already nearly
written a book here, it'll have to wait for another time.
Respectfully once again,
Brian Baltin
Aesthetic Rejuvenator
Liquidator Graphics
*
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: 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, Plum Blossom, is soon to come.
*
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/