Jazz Festival Blog

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Category: Music

Get some "Energy" for a good cause

I'll admit I'm not big on the "smooth jazz" genre. To me, it's not jazz; it's mostly syrupy R&B without the Screamy-Mimi histrionics. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just not jazz. So I didn't take much notice of the press release that crossed my desk about an upcoming performance by Fourplay in Dearborn. I was somewhat familiar with them, but took a moment to go check out some tracks from their most recent release, "Energy," and it got me grooving. Good stuff.

You can go check 'em out live this Saturday at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center, for a good cause. The show will benefit the Don Bosco Hall in Detroit, a charitable place that helps youths develop life skills though recreation, counseling, and developmental programs. Tickets are $50-$125.

And thanks to Ashley at Marx Layne for calling my attention to the event.

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Category: Music

A new place for the jazz jammers

So it was a late Sunday night, Monday morning actually, when a plethora of jazz lovers said goodbye to the beloved Eastside hole-in-the-wall known as Your Place Lounge. Yeah, I wrote about it right below this here post, so no need to describe the joint, especially since it is no more.

It sounds cliche, but it really was a Who's Who of jazz players crammed in there this past weekend. Nearly everyone showed up with an instrument, a Real Book or a favorite tune they wanted to sing. I decided not to even attempt to sit in when I saw that keyboardists Chris Codish and Phillip Hale were both in the house, and they play circles around me. Besides, organizer/drummer R.J. Spangler was almost frantic, scrambling to try to fit in the dozens of players without any hurt feelings.

Being a school night, I had to duck out around 1:30 a.m. and get myself to bed, and the music was going strong. (I wouldn't be surprised if they're still jamming in there.)

The silver lining is that the jazz open-mic night isn't going away. It's moving a few blocks south, to a regular Sunday night slot at the equally beloved Cadieux Cafe. So there won't be any lack of good music on my side of town. Whew.

Category: Music

One music club says farewell, one says hello

* Say it ain't so! The hole-in-the-wall jazz gem of the eastside, Your Place Lounge, is bidding us farewell. Sunday will be its last night of live music, with guitarist Perry Hughes, keysman Chris Codish, trumpeter James O'Donnell and R.J. Spangler on drums. I have to admit I haven't hung out at this tiny East Warren hotspot nearly enough, and now I'm kicking myself repeatedly for it. Never a cover charge, cheap drinks, an awesome bartender and some of the best impromptu jams to be heard in this town. Get there before it's gone for good.

* On the opposite side of town, and completely opposite on the music spectrum, a new - well, sort of - rock joint is opening this weekend just west of downtown. Blondie's, a revival of the legendary '80s metal den of the same name, is ready to bring the noise to a grungy stretch of West Fort Street. Send More Cops, 60 Second Crush, Syrant and One Click Gorilla will blow the doors open this Friday for a piddly $5. Could this be the beginning of a new era - or purely nostalgia for the Gen-Xers who grew up flipping their heavily-sprayed hair to the likes of Seduce and Sweet Teaze? We'll see. Bring earplugs.

Category: Music

A leap into the Cage

Ever been to a musical performance in which the players haven't rehearsed, witnessed the piece performed before, or even met each other? And the "score" bears no resemblance to sheet music? Ever been in one?

Yeah, me neither. That's why I'm both excited and a teensy bit anxious about participating in John Cage's "Lecture on the Weather" on Thursday, Day Six of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's "8 Days in June" festival.

Cage, the controversial 20th century composer, is a tough one to wrap your head around, and I'll readily admit I don't "get" a lot of his stuff. This is the guy, after all, whose famous 1952 work "4'33" consisted of four minutes and 33 seconds of an orchestra and conductor remaining absolutely silent, the idea being that the sounds around you - a cough, a shuffling foot, whatever - becomes the experience.

For Thursday's performance, I was given several excerpts from the works of Henry David Thoreau to recite, with odd little markings breaking into the lines of text to denote interjected music; and I have the option of making that music with an instrument or vocalization. That's all I know so far, other than that my part is one of the "easy" ones. This is miles away from my usual gig as a keyboardist and backup singer in a reggae/soul band.

I do know that I'll be attempting this among an admirable bunch: Actor/musician Malcolm-Jamal Warner (check out his interview in the My Thursday section), DSO principal guest conductor Peter Oundjian, Stratford Festival alum Donna Feore and festival host Tom Allen are all part of it, along with a bunch of other notables who I'm looking forward to meeting tomorrow.

So I'll just approach it with what I've been telling everyone: I have no idea what to expect, but it promises to be fun, strange and very interesting.

Category: Music

Yes, I'm going to perform in a John Cage piece. Or try to.

Dudes.

I get to be one of the lucky (brave?) participants in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's "8 Days in June" music festival. I'll be Speaker 2 in the performance of John Cage's "Lecture on the Weather" on Day 6: Civil Disobedience next Thursday, June 19.

I expect I'll be next to Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who's Speaker 1. I know he's an accomplished actor, and will participate in the poetry slam afterward, but I can't resist saying it: It's Theodore!

If you're familiar with John Cage, you know what kind of mad genius he was. If not, sit back and enjoy "Water Walk" from 1960.

Be sure to check out all the other performances coming up at the "8 Days in June" site.

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Category: Music

Dig that Dog

Got a chance to check out that happenin' new jazz joint, the Dirty Dog, the other day, and I must say I left feeling very impressed - and underdressed.

This place is shiny and beautiful in every sense of the word. The decor is right out of a ritzy New York magazine; the food is so pretty you don't want to ruin it with a fork; the baby grand piano sparkled and beckoned me to touch it (which I did, and the keys almost danced on their own.)

Hanging out there with some of the regular eastside jazz cats - the same guys who could be seen in far-less-ostentatious spots like Your Place Lounge and the Cadieux Cafe, where the whole group ended up later - it felt odd to be in such a glamorous setting. It felt odd to have to make reservations and show up at an appointed seating time to hear two half-hour sets by Chris Codish, who plays everywhere in town and generally doesn't wear a tux. It felt odd to have to put on a skirt and some makeup, knowing that the lighting was good enough and the crowd was pretty enough that I'd have to put in a little effort to fit in.

But I'm not whining, I love it. An old-school semi-formal supper club with a valet and $10 Irish coffees? Count me in. But only occasionally; the paper doesn't pay me enough to make it a regular hangout.

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Category: Music

Oh beautiful, indeed

Detroit's own R&B crooner William Scott made it to Hollywood, but not the final 24 on "American Idol." Such is the biz. But as this clip will show, he's got pipes as good as any of the others who made it through.

Maybe it was his political message that scared them off? "Idol" makes candy music. I mean, really, can you picture Taylor Hicks doing an anti-government protest song?

Still on the "Idol" tip, it was amusing watching the reaction of Danny Methric, lead singer/guitarist of the Muggs, back home behind the bar as "Idol" was on the tube at the Cadieux Cafe. Having seen the inner workings of the Fox music-making meat grinder during his band's run on "The Next Great American Band" (which, yes, we wrote about ad nauseum here in the ol' dusty blog) he was getting a kick out of the whole thing. "These people cry when they get eliminated, and I'm thinking, 'be glad'," he muses. Of the remaining contestants, "they don't know what they're in for."

Category: Music

March Madness!

March is full of great live shows and music festivals!

I hope I didn't sound too crabby in my last post about the Metro Times Blowout. It's in my nature as a musician, journalist and Hamtramckan to be defensive about the festival, as well as critical of it. I've been attending it and playing in it since 1999, so I'm sort of entitled. The Blowout is March 5-8. It kicks off at the Majestic Theatre Complex. That's the big kahuna. I'm going to check out my buddy Cetan Clawson, one of the best guitar players in town, and then check out some bands I've never seen before like Eons and Blackreign and Okang. Thursday and Friday I'll be all over the place. Saturday I'll mostly be at Small's - and if you guess why you get a cookie.

Even more exciting than the Blowout, is South by Southwest Music and Media Conference in Austin, Texas. The music portion of SXSW is March 12-16. I'll be there March 13-14. This is my first time at SXSW and I couldn't be more thrilled. I'm attending the festival as tour manager for the newly reformed legendary punk group The Meatmen, who are playing March 14 at Emo's Annex. I'm also excited for all the day parties. Rachel Ray is hosting a party the afternoon of March 15 (at the Beauty Bar?), and I hope to stick around to attend that before we head off to continue the tour. Local publicist Becki Carr of Yarrr! PR is also hosting a party from noon-6 p.m. at the Flamingo Cantina on March 12 - with free booze!

Here's a full list of bands playing SXSW. Some of the other Michigan-based acts being showcased include Chris Bathgate, Frontier Ruckus, Great Lakes Myth Society, Guilty Simpson and The Hard Lessons to name a few.

Category: Music

Little Richard still the innovator

Music legend Little Richard wore a white rhinestone get-up. His hair was done in a sassy mullet-type 'do that was curly on the top, while the back cascaded straight down his back. He wore foundation and his eyes were burdened with heavy eye-makeup. Guess he didn't get this season's fashion memo about wearing soft makeup that looks natural. Oh, those music legends.

Category: Music

Amy Winehouse

Live from London -- and upright -- was soul-singing Amy Winehouse, wearing a ruffled black party dress with a gold belt and her trademark skyscraper beehive decorated with flowers. It was as good as it was going to get, and it worked for Winehouse.