From: Brian Baltin (bbaltin_at_earthlink.net)
Date: 2004-12-20 23:59:39
Hello all,
It's that time again to reflect on all the year's sonic loveliness. If
anyone had told me this time last year that my sad old suburban
dystopia of Los Angeles would emerge as a full-fledged world jazz jive
Mecca, I would've accused them of knocking back the cooking sherry, but
I'll be damned if Los Angeles didn't rule all in .04. And it's all due
to the Temple Bar/Little Temple/Zanzibar family—who have not only
created three awe-inspiringly beautiful shrines (the loveliest being
the newborn in .04 Little Temple) to welcome Amp Fiddler, Seek, Fertile
Ground, Osunlade, etc. to our city, but have essentially
single-handedly created a scene in the best Straight No Chaser fashion,
mining soul-jazz, Brazilian, Latin, dub, and soulful electronics (deep
house, broken beat) to brilliant effect. See below for the Liquidator's
guide to the best. (Names to watch aside from the obvious (a.k.a. the
Rebirth and Build an Ark): Niño Astronauta, Kevin Sandbloom, Kalyn, Joy
Jones, Future Pigeon, Ja Ja Productions, the Sound in Color crew, Very
Be Careful, Bat Makumba, Alma da Batucada, Kim Hill, Sonja Marie).
On the international front, .04 was all about Japan—with the god Ryota
"Jazztronik" Nozaki continuing to be the world's greatest
producer/composer/arranger, and the beautiful Okino brothers (Shuya and
Yoshihiro—a.k.a. Kyoto Jazz Massive) brewing all sort of devastating
Brazilian and dancefloor jazz-inflected loveliness on their respective
Quality and Especial imprints—and the Latinos (with the line between
electronic and roc en español being blurred into thankful obscurity by
Gustavo Cerati, Robi Draco Rosa, Ely Guerra, the Nortec crew (Fussible,
Bostich, et. al.), Acida, et. al.
My e-mail dispatches might have been non-existent in .04, but
liquidatorgraphics.com is stronger than ever, with three new CDs by
Baltin in .04, the best jazz/beat/graphics/culture Links resource
anywhere clocking in at nearly 150, and a brand new (being designed as
we speak) lavish record and gig review section to come—in addition to
the requisite devastatingly beautiful aesthetic rejuvenation (a.k.a.
graphic design) by yours truly. And of course, the Gig Guides for L.A.,
New York, London and Chicago are still updated at least once a week. To
peruse all, visit
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/culture/gigs_losangeles.htm (from
there you can access the other three).
And lastly, if no one minds a little plug, I am very actively seeking
new graphic contracts as we head into .05, so please don't hesitate to
contact me for all your CD covers, logos, DVD covers, web needs, etc.
Many thanks for all your support in .04, and hope everyone has a
gorgeous new year. Now on to the loveliest from the last 12 months....
Respectfully,
Brian Baltin
Aesthetic Rejuvenator
Liquidator Graphics
*
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/
*
Artists of the Year:
Jazztronik
Alice Russell
Best LPs of .04:
Jazztronik, Nana-Iro (Tokuma)
(Various) For KJM (Quality)
(Various) Live at Temple Bar: 5 Years (Temple Bar Records)
Alice Russell, Under the Munka Moon (Tru Thoughts)
Troubleman, Time Out of Mind (Far Out)
Swing Out Sister, Where Our Love Grows (Universal Japan/Shanachie)
Directions, Have You Felt This Way Before? (Diaspora In Session)
Robi Draco Rosa, Mad Love (Columbia)
(Various) Sangue Latino 3 (Club Brasil)
Vanessa Freeman, Shades (Chilli Funk)
Quantic, Mishaps Happening (Tru Thoughts/Ubiquity)
Absolute Instant Classic (+ Dancefloor Killer) of .04:
Jazztronik, Nana-Iro (Tokuma)
Loveliest Singles + Album Tracks of .04:
Swing Out Sister, Happy Ending (Universal Japan/Shanachie)
Tali, Grey Days (Full Cycle)
Troubleman + Nina Miranda, Paz (Far Out)
Sleepwalker + Bembe Segue, Into the Sun (Especial)
RSL, The Mast (Love Will Be Strong) (Players)
Kevin Sandbloom, Willingfulfillingness (live @ Temple Bar) (Temple Bar
Records)
The Rebirth, Evil Vibrations (Ubiquity)
Vanessa Freeman, This Love (Chilli Funk)
Hajime Yoshizawa, Verao No Ar (Especial)
Marky + XRS + Gilberto Gil, Dia del Sol (Innerground)
Build An Ark, You've Gotta Have Freedom (Plug Research)
Incognito, Principles of Love (Rice/Dome)
Finn Peters, Aldeia de Ogum (Club Brasil)
Nouvelle Vague, Just Can't Get Enough (Peacefrog)
(Other) Dancefloor Killers of .04 Guaranteed to Obliterate All Comers:
Sleepwalker + Pharoah Sanders, The Voyage (Especial)
Da Lata, Ronco da Cuica (Quality)
Best (Other) House Cut of .04:
Restless Soul + Rasiyah, Time to Fly (Quality)
Most Stunning Emulation of a Classic Verve Tjader Track in .04:
Louie Vega + Elements of Life, Aphrodite (Quality)
Best Remix Project of .04:
Gustavo Cerati, Reversiones/Siempre es Hoy (RCA International)
Religious Experiences of .04 (Los Angeles):
Jorge Ben Jor @ Hollywood Bowl (July)
Dee Dee Bridgewater @ Catalina (June)
Build an Ark @ Little Temple (October)
Nortec Collective (+ norteño tubas) @ Hollywood Bowl (August)
Mightiest (Other) Gigs of .04 (Los Angeles):
Amp Fiddler + The Rebirth + Frank McComb @ Temple Bar (June)
Osunlade @ Temple Bar (December)
Louie Vega + Elements of Life @ House of Blues (May)
Kinky + Plastilina Mosh @ Universal (September)
Robi Draco Rosa @ The Roxy (June)
Nancy Sinatra @ The Knitting Factory (October)
Acida + Niño Astronauta @ The Conga Room (January)
Sidestepper @ The Echo (October)
Alma da Batucada + Stephanie Mills @ Sunset Junction (August)
Seek @ Little Temple (April)
Eric Roberson @ Little Temple (July)
Wax Poetic @ Little Temple (June)
DJ Set of .04 (Los Angeles):
Gilles Peterson @ 1650 (November)
Close:
The Sound in Color crew @ Little Temple (August)
Most Welcome Return in .04 (Lovely to See Again):
Adriana Evans
Most Stunning Return to Form in .04:
Jorge Ben Jor
Best Labels of .04
Quality and Especial
Club Brasil
Far Out
Label to Watch in .05:
Sound in Color
Best Bands in Los Angeles in .04:
The Rebirth
Niño Astronauta
Build an Ark
Honorable Mention:
Future Pigeon
Best Singer-Songwriter in Los Angeles in .04:
Kevin Sandbloom
Best Soul Girl in Los Angeles in .04:
Joy Jones
Best Brazilian Groups in Los Angeles in .04:
Alma da Batucada
Bat Makumba
Best Hip-Hop Group in Los Angeles in .04:
Ja Ja Productions
Best DJ in Los Angeles in .04 (Still):
Jun
Best Mag of .04 (Still):
Straight No Chaser
The Liquidator's Goal in .05:
Getting to London to see Jazztronik live @ the Jazz Café on May 1
Loveliness That Passed On in .04 (Will be sorely missed):
John Peel
Timi Yuro
Tony Randall
Piero Piccioni
Doris Troy
Elvin Jones
Billy May
Ray Charles
Illinois Jacquet
Elmer Bernstein
*
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/