wanderlust

a fine 6 piece band that i have had the pleasure of seeing a few times in recent years
they get my vote on the name alone but they also feature australia's premier brass duo
miroslav (mike) bukovsky on trumpet and flugglehorn and leader slash composer
james greening on trombone and his usual role of comic relief duties
and joined by jeremy sawkins on guitar once again playing with fabia hevia on drums
steve arie is on double bass and the outfit is complete with alister spence on piano
mr spence opens proceedings with a long rambling solo piano piece
that sees the other members of the band join in quite stealthily
you can sense the excitement on stage as they very quickly figure out tonight is going to be special
there's nods and glances and eye-twinkling to confirm the feeling down in the pit that all is good
i'm particularly excited to hear jeremy sawkins making noises on his guitar
that very definitely point to a keen interest in the style of pat metheny
when he gets into guitar synthesiser and lets rip with some amazing soloing
jeremy i suspect given half the chance would do the same but plays with and for the material
flugglehorn or trumpet and trombone in the hands of these 2 experts make for a fine sound
when they take the spotlight it's a pleasure to see and hear the result of their many years of playing together
the rhythm section seems to be up for the task and mr spence adds his piano flourishes with ease
so in the first tune they are up and running in grand style and out in their own part of the musical world
parked very nicely in the territory between a tight brass based jazz outfit
and a much fuller miles davis / gil evans style big band collaboration
we are definitely witnessing a performance born of composition, rehearsal and repeat performances
but when we venture from that things go somewhat awry
bass player, drummer and guitarist were handed the reins at one point in the long opening number
seems they either forgot the lines or the fall back on improvisation fell flat
for this section of music was downright bad - a jam session better left in private
the effect was palpable on stage with the 3 other members of the group almost reeling in disbelief
and left to pick up the pieces and get the music back on track
it was quite a strange sensation to go from bliss to bland in one tune
but it would be unwise to underestimate these guys and they hauled it back
another tune had a beat and feel that had me churning through the musical memory banks
for it was so reminiscent of something and then i came up with brian eno
the groove was quite closely aligned to some of his work on my secret life in the bush of ghosts
so this is fine by me and great to see them back in control and enjoying their time on stage
after the mid performance break jeremy guitarist opened proceedings with a long solo
again with reference to pat metheny but displaying his own virtuosity and earning a big round of applause
the second set i think was made up of one tune with various movements
allowing all 6 musicians to take the spotlight at times
the most memorable being james greening providing an excellent demonstration of control
working with fabian hevia playing a single note on the bass drum
and james challenging with who can play the quietest but still sustain a note
he really is a master of the trombone and always a pleasure to watch and hear
all in all a night of fine musical entertainment
wanderlust
great name

time is (briefly) on my side

excuse me while i go into ramble mode
but it seems appropriate given my current set of circumstances
late at night with the senses appropriately satisfied
for tonight i ate my favourite food of the moment - vegetarian thai
i also consumed some of my favourite wine of the moment - an italian red costing all of $8 a bottle
i have watched on the big screen one of my all-time favourite performers pat metheny and group
which has also very much satisfied my aural senses
taking a moment here it's a dvd of a 1995 concert from japan of the we live here album
of which i am sure i will rave about in more detail at some later date
but it's a beauty and never, ever fails to impress for they are masters in music
i've been watching the clock as usual as the night has progressed
wishing i could slow it down or better still stop it completely just for an hour or 2
but that is just nonsense for how would you measure the hour or 2 if the clock is stopped
anyway i am sure i am not alone in the wish to have control over this simple thing
paradoxically the more we want that the less we seem to have it for
life speeds up
take a bow steven kilbey and his fine band with that revelation from about 25 years ago
but tonight i kind of sensed a means to achieve this
as it happened for an hour or 2 i actually managed to shut the world out
no tv (no such beast in my place)
no internet (lack of interest)
no phone calls (rare but on the comeback from extinction)
no sms messages (never reply to 'em)
no skype stuff (well an early one from a near and dear friend)
no emails screaming out for a reply (not that i noticed)
no guilt trips about what i should be doing (innocent of all charges)
no need for an early night (well)
no other person in my vicinity (living alone can have it's benefits)
no outside distractions (the volume control takes care of that)
no excessive lighting (the projector providing the necessaries)
and then...
a contented tummy
a slightly fuzzy head
and some music if the form of a concert dvd
and the world is a much better place
easy to say i know but it very much seems less is more
easy to say also as a consumer
when on demand i can satisfy if not stimulate the senses
the real test of course will be the time spent with no electricity
i had this happen a month or 2 back when a large part of the city shutdown on a sunday afternoon
it was most disconcerting as i only had a few hours charge on the mp3 player
and no food at hand
and no books awaiting attention
and no wine needing to be devoured
and no petrol in the car
i must admit i was very relieved when the elixir of life was back on the air
for a few hours without it meant that time went by very, very slowly
i have a feeling that was just a forerunner
and it won't be long before we are all complaining that life slows down
next time the gods of power decide to take a lunch break
oh i read tonight that the rolling bones may finally be calling it quits this weekend
yay this is good news time to move over and let someone else have a go
or actually quite a few could move into that slot
and share some of the bigger bucks this outfit sucks out
now all together.....
tiiiiimeeeeeee is on my side, yes it is, yes it is
yeah, tiiiimeeeeeeee is on my side
no it's not - see ya

live in paris

the title of a live concert dvd of the one and only cesaria evora
recorded at the zenith in paris on saturday april 28th 2001
i've watched this one many times but after seeing her name up in lights
well at least in a previous blog listing in reference to a style of music called morna
i decided it was time to re-visit an old favourite
morna originates from her home country of cape verde
and is an intersection of african, brazilian and fado (portuguese) music
i was previously blissfully unaware of the naming of the style
but anything that represents a combination of the aforementioned styles can only be good
cesaria comes on stage to rapturous applause that just keeps going
she has a huge smile on her 60-year old face, is beautifully attired and in bare feet
hence her nickname the barefoot diva
the first tune sets the style for the night with a highly polished band in support
piano seems to be a feature with various other acoustic instruments
she sings in her native cape verde creole language which sounds very french
the band immediately comfortable having presumably performed the tunes many times
but no bored looks here - lots of smiles, body-swaying and foot-tapping going on
savane is the second tune and a personal favourite
it's a gorgeous, melodic song with a quite melancholic sound to it
it features a very handsome man on acoustic guitar up front who seems to love this song also
he seems to be the musical director for the group and probably not unintentionally
takes up residence at the front of the stage providing a focus of attention for the ladies in the house
cesaria herself is fairly static on stage but obviously enjoying the love from the audience
there's a constant slide show at work projecting images to the rear of the stage
it's hard to pin down the style of the music but the almost old-time piano dominates
and is augmented by a beautifully clear and strong voice from the lady herself
in the slower numbers it is very easy to pick up on the fado influence
and when the band cranks up again the brazilian influence comes through very clearly
for example on sangue de beirona which features a clarinet played at high speed
there's been some thought put into the visuals for this dvd
with occassional cuts to pre-recorded segments of cesaria in various locations
so along with the on-stage slides and the multitude of musicians there is always something going on
the voice of course is always there but you get the impression she just does not want constant attention
but in the end it is a great ensemble performance
and it is lapped up by the large crowd
a concert par excellence

music of the world m part 2

songlines magazine reckon there are 50 distinctive or maybe noteworthy music styles in the world
according to their own expert writers and reviewers at least
i suspect there are many more but i'm a relative novice so i'm going with them
in previous blog postings i have transcribed 24 from the article in their july/august 2006 edition
so now about half-way with this very interesting exercise

mbalax (senegal)

throbbing, syncopated cross-rhythms played by traditional sabar drums
in an eloquently chattering dialogue with electric guitars, blaring saxophones and full-blooded wolof vocals
it can only be mbalax the dominant sound of modern senegal
pioneered by the incomparable youssou n'dour
that has become one of the rhythmic glories in the rich patchwork of pan-african music

songlines recommends lii by youssou n'dour
esne notes that this particular recording was made for his senegalese fans so is pure mbalax

merengue (dominican republic)

the national dance music of the dominican republic, merengue moves to a driving 2/4 rhythm
originally acoustic and rural and involving guitars, accordians and percussion
and marimbula (box thumb piano), bubbling tambora drum and sharply slashed metal guiro (scraper)
it was adapted for 50's society bands by the dictator-president trujillo
and subsequently influenced by rock and salsa by johnny ventura and wilfrido vargas

songlines recommends el decreto de by kinito mendez
esne notes lack of knowledge on whereabouts etc of the country let alone the music

morna (cape verde)

sitting several hundred miles off the coast of west africa
the cape verde islands' unique geographical location has fostered a rich set of hybrid rhythms
combining african and brazilian elements with strong hints of portuguese fado
most famous of all is morna - a slow, blues-like minor key shuffle that is both poetry and dance
and the soundtrack to the nation's soul

songlines recommends miss perfumado by cesaria evora
esne notes cesaria evora is well loved but never knew her style was labelled morna

a perfect excuse to dig out the concert dvd of cesaria evora live in paris
it's been a while so it will be interesting to watch it again in light of the comments above

aman iman (water is life)

the third and latest album from sahara desert touareg (nomad) band tinariwen
i will go on about gigs i have seen in my time but these guys at womadelaide in 2004 was a standout
there is nothing so satisfying as parking yourself in front of a large stage with a large crowd
having no idea about the act that is about to perform and then being totally transfixed by the show
even better it was an outdoor show on a warm and slightly breezy night in the botanic gardens
maybe similar to conditions they are used to but whatever it was a very memorable show
chant-based, rhythmical, bluesy, rock-infused, call-and-response, trance-inducing groove music
the performers dressed in beautiful flowing traditional touareg clothing head to foot
and at least 5 of them with stunning, shiny electric guitars strapped on and played expertly
luckily for all there they performed another set the next night and same again as the sun set
i got hold of their second album shortly thereafter and have played and displayed it to death
they have been snapped up by a major european label and toured the world since
the new album came out a few months ago and now i feel it is time to do the in-depth analysis
with thanks to the band i have transcribed the notes for each track from the liner notes
cler achel (i spent the day)
this is a song about wandering, about displacement and about the exile of the touareg people
following the terrible droughts of the mid 1970's and 1980's
since these catastrophic events, homesickness and longing
have become the most potent emotions in modern touareg music
a strong bass line, electric guitars, hand-clapping and voice - the unmistakable sound
mano dayak
a homage to mano dayak the great touareg freedom fighter and leader from niger
who was killed in a plane crash in 1995
dayak also made his name as the writer of several important books on touareg culture and politics
and as a guide of the great thiery sabine during the annual paris-dakar rally
this one features multiple acoustic guitars and a strong beat accompanied with hand-clapping
matadjem yinmixan (why all this hate between you)
a message to the touareg people urging them to stop perpetuating tribal and factional rivalries
and to seek unity in order to better face the challenges of the modern world
starts out sounding like keef richards mucking around on his gee-tar then settles into a very nice groove
ahimana (oh my soul)
this is a song with a traditional rhythm, sound and a medley of different traditional lyrics
usually sung by women, overlaid with japonais' own improvisations that give the whole a contemporary twist
japonais is one of the most respected poets in the southern sahara
he starts by reading a letter to his mother back home, which tells of the grinding difficulties of life in exile
later in the song, japonais reverts to tradition and and sings from a young woman's perspective
could be a blues track from the deep south of the u s but for the giveaway vocals
soixante trois (sixty three)
this is one of the first songs which ibrahim wrote in the 1980's with the help of inteyeden
a friend and fellow founder member of tinariwen who died of a strange illness in 1994
the song is about the rebellion of 1963 in which a group of touaregs from the adrar des iforas in northeastern mali
rose up spontaneously against the young independent state - the revolt was brutally suppressed by the malian army
and this suppression created a climate of antagonism and resentment which lead directly to the second rebellion in 1980
a quite slow gentle bluesy number with single guitar and bass/drum backing
toumast (the people)
1994 was a time of trouble and disunity amongst the touareg
the rebel movement had split into conflicting factions after the peace accords of 1991
some groups wanted peace, others wanted to continue fighting
in this song, which was written in 1994, adbullah calls for unity and togtherness
trademark tinariwen sound again with the emphasis on vocal harmonising and a standout guitar riff
imidiwan winakalin (friends of my country)
this is a song written in exile about the pain of separation from family and loved ones
great beat inspiring a clap-along to the excellent out-front guitar work
awa didjen (that which has happened)
a call to awareness and awakening in which japonais mentions some of the problems
that plague the touareg people including lack of water
and ignorance of their own language tamashek
one of the best songs on the album - out and out blues-rock-chant-dirge-thing
ikyadarh dim (i look at you)
no liner notes on this one - probably because it's a bit of an album filler
acoustic guitar and very close up vocals and slight backing vocals
works very nicely actually with a meditative hand-clap in there also
tamatant tilay (death is here)
this is a song written by hassan one of the founder members of tinariwen in 1983
he urges his touareg brothers to keep up the fight without fearing death
one of the more up tempo tracks with a great beat, riff and dirty guitar sound
assouf (longing)
assouf is a particularly hard word to translate - it can mean loneliness, longing or nostalgia
but also a specific feeling or mood associated with vast uninhabited spaces where spirits dwell and with exile too
a touareg once summed up assouf as meaning everything which lies out there in the darkness beyond the warmth of the campfire
this is a song written by ibrahim in the 1980's expressing the longing and homesickness of exile
the standout tune on the album - full on wah-wah blues guitar, ultra-rhythmical bass, clapping and multiple voices harmonising
izarharh tenere (i lived in the desert)
a hymn to the beauty and mystery of the desert
a beautiful album closer featuring acoustic guitars, electric backing and excellent production

move over bob marley, etc we have a new iconic musician in leader of tinariwen ibrahim ag alhabib
a great album that can be held on repeat, continuous, shuffle play for days on end

random tunes part 8

sunday evening in syd-er-ney town and it's bucketing down outside
which has to be a good thing if not a good excuse to stay indoors
so some random music (in the literal sense) is in order (or not)
though a bit tentative about this process as the iriver has not seen anything new for a while
so chances are the shuffle feature will throw up more of the same
but we shall find out - shuffling now.....
lumen by inga liljestrom
this one an epic 11 minute piece from her album entitled quiet music for quiet people
inga's music is at a place that i particularly like - stringed instruments meets noise meets almost spoken vocals
this one features beautifully played violins, double bass, her voice out front and random noises
the thing about this lady is that she delivers it live as well having seen her twice recently
i suspect she is going to make a big name for herself internationally if not already
gagging order by radiohead
acoustic guitar is picked and strummed for quite a long introduction
before the voice of thom yorke arrives and delivers a nice little tune of voice and guitar
this is from an album of b-sides, etc called com lag put together for the japanese market
seems odd that such outstanding tracks like this one weren't considered good enough for a real album
but that just demonstrates how they are way out front in terms of output and originality
bad dreams by m ward
taken from an older album from the man titled end of amnesia
there's a definite theme occurring tonight of long, slow, gentle numbers - suits the weather
in fact this one is very similar in style to inga's tune above
electric guitar played sparingly, some strange noises, spoken/sung vocals and great production
he has a favourite technique of harmonising with his own voice used very effectively here
appalatia by the church
funny thing about this band is that you think there are a few tracks that you could take or leave
this being one i previously had in the leave category
from their 17th studio album put out in 2003 and featuring peter koppes as vocalist
it's a fairly standard tune but tonight under the microscope and listening critically
uncovers some nice production work and exposure of their oft willingness to experiment aurally
let's be still by yo la tengo
there is a definite theme running through tonight's supposed random tunes
this one is another epic track checking in at 10 minutes and 27 seconds
and like inga and m ward previously features traditional intruments and noises
baffled trumpet and piano feature with intentionally non-sensical vocals
from their summer sun album and with a real cruisey summer night feel to it
funeral chant by not drowning, waving
this is weird - another epic track - and more traditional instruments and noises
but weird in this case is good - this is the superb closing track from their wonderful tabaran album
recently re-released in a newly re-mastered form so sounding very clear and clean
as the name suggests tradional papua new guinea voice/sticks recorded in chant mode
and mixed in with david bridie's gentle piano and some well balanced noddling noises
breach by willard grant conspiracy
you gotta laugh - a 9 minute track and the slowest on the album so a perfect tune for tonight's session
this is one of those tunes you sometimes hear and you feel like you have known it for ages
from their latest album called let it roll which is full of excellent tunes from the south of america
violins mixed in with acoustic guitars, piano and it sounds like a lap steel guitar
robert fisher out front leaning into the microphone and telling another story
how come by leroy young
this is one colourful dude from berlize in south america
led a very hard life - drugs, prison, suicide attempts, etc before discovering poetry
fused that with music to become a so-called dub-poet and has put out one album to date
how come when you need pills you can't get none
how come when you need police there are none around
how come you struggle to rise up and you are easily brought down
how come most teenagers are prisoners
how come there are so many single parent mothers
how come there's no respect for law and order
how come there are so many questions and just a few answers
cursed sleep by bonnie prince billy
singer/songwriter/guitarist from kentucky u s of a otherwise known as will oldham
don't know much else about him or his music but another case of tired of reading rave reviews
bought the latest album and dumped it into the iriver - i think this is the first track i have heard
very pleasant actually with strings, acoustic and electric well mixed in with his voice
looking forward to hearing more of the album with potential to be a high rotation one
criminal by gotan project
from their latest album titled lunatico and sounding as usual like no other
their signature sound of the bandoneon out front sharing the limelight with a piano
and in keeping with the theme of tonights tunes session some other noises in the mix
sirens, voices over megaphones, etc to invoke presumably the title of this track
i don't think it's the best tune on the album but in their case that is not a bad thing

enough already - another 10 tracks of random tunes
...and it's till raining

to the people of iraq

i may be infringing some copyright law here
or worse still some new sedition law
but when i saw this one during the week i knew it had to be highlighted
michael leunig is a master cartoonist
and has a very decent sense of decency
better still he has no qualms at pointing his finger
at those that are responsible for injustices in our society
and therefore our current pm often incurs the wrath of leunig
no better example than the one above
where 2 grave injustices are very cleverly dealt with in 1 simple cartoon
i can't get the image to be any bigger in my blog posting
so if you are having trouble reading the words -

to the people of iraq
dear people
we have done a lot to bring civilisation to your culture
but our patience is wearing thin
we invaded your country
crippled your society
slaughtered your sons and daughters
traumatised your people
displaced them from their lands
and plundered their resources
but you refuse to co-operate
and get your act together
what's wrong with you people!
last warning -
get a life or go to hell
oh yes
could you do another copy of that
and address it -
to the aboriginal people of australia

brilliantly incisive and sadly accurate

the markings of a man

this week sees the 50th birthday of at least 2 men i am aware of
a certain pc person who spends a large part of his time in canberra
and another less prominent person but of much more personal significance
in a tv interview the pc chap mentioned that the big day to him presented an opportunity
to assess what had been achieved in life to that point and what else remained to be achieved (wink, wink)
this got me thinking about this milestone and preparing a list of the likely attributes of a truely successful man
and so the 25 reasons for a man to be successful part 1 -
- he will give and receive love, honour and respect with his life partner
- he will tend for his parents and ensure that their needs are met
- he will treat his siblings as his best friends and enjoy their company to the maximum
- he will form friendships in quality not quantity and retain those friendships throughout his life
- he will understand and teach that all people should be considered and treated equally
- he will seek to improve himself in education, skills and qualifications
- he will likewise support his partner in their quest for the same self-improvement
- he will maintain a keen and knowledgeable interest in the arts
- he will remain well-informed at all times in regards to politics and current affairs
- he will choose health, friendship and happiness over wealth, material trappings and ego-tripping
- he will bring children into the world and see the commitment through
- he will work hard and regularly but not excessively and never in preference to family time
- he will teach his children to always be questioning, always be polite and always be happy
- he will constantly encourage his children to search out whatever it may be that interests them
- he will then teach, coach, or attend at whatever those interests may lead to
- he will treat his life partnership as one of equals and share in all domestic duties
- he will provide food and then prepare and present food to his family and guests
- he will provide shelter both financially and physically
- he will seek out and support his friends in times of trouble
- he will use his years of experience to advise quietly and wisely
- he will never raise his voice or hands in anger
- he will always be well groomed, dressed and presented
- he will not understand the meaning of complaint, selfishness or jealousy
- he will provide the best company possible at any occassion
- he will always have a smile on his face and a laugh in his voice
and so to my very good and very best friend i say thanks for your ongoing inspiration in all the above
...happy 50th birthday gary brown

masters of war

here's something a bit different
a song's lyrics published in entirety with a link to the tune
i got hold of a 3 cd compilation of music on a german labelled called glitterhouse
an excellent set of music mostly american in nature but otherwise seemingly unique
there's a track in there by an american band called timesbold doing a song called masters of war
first time i heard the song i liked it and it has been on high rotation in my pc's jukebox ever since
i've never been a big bob dylan fan but his latest album modern times has won me over
so i started digging a bit deeper and got hold of the recent biographical dvd titled no direction home
you can imagine my surprise to hear and see bob doing a version of the song i had got to know very well
but of course in fact bob wrote the song way back (1963) presumably in reference to the vietnam war
though my take on it was a contemporary band having a go at america's leaders regarding the iraq war
which just goes to prove many things not the least being the timelessness of bob dylan's music
timesbold have a download link on their site for our listening pleasure
click on this link to the timesbold site and then follow the link to sounds
and the lyrics are presented herein....

come masters of war
you that build all the guns
you that build the death planes
you that build all the bombs
you that hide behind walls
you that hide behind desks
i just want you to know
i can see through your masks

you that have never done nothin'
but build to destroy
and you play with my world
like it's your little toy
you put a gun in my hands
and you'd hide from my eyes
and you'd turn and run farther
when the fast bullets fly

like a judas of old
you would lie and deceive
a world war can be won
you want me to believe
but i see through your eyes
and i see through your brain
like i see through the water
that runs down my drain

and you'd fasten all the triggers
for the others to fire
then you sit back and watch
while the death count gets higher
and you'd hide in your mansions
while young people's blood
flows out of their bodies
and is buried in mud

and you've thrown the worst fears
that can ever be hurled
the fear to bring children
into this world
and for threatening my babies
unborn and unnamed
you ain't worth the blood
that runs in your veins

how much do i know
to talk out of turn
you might say that i'm young
you might say i'm unlearned
but there's one thing i know
though i'm younger than you
even jesus would never
forgive what you do

let me ask you one question
is your money that good
will it buy you forgiveness
do you think that it could
i think you will find
when your death takes its toll
all the money that you made
will never buy back your soul

and i hope that you die
and your death will come soon
i will follow your casket
by the pale afternoon
and i'll watch while you're lowered
down to your deathbed
and i'll stand over your grave
'til i'm sure that you're dead

music of the world k l m

struggling to keep on top of this one but it's a worthwhile exercise
if only to provide a reference point for future encounters with some otherwise unknown world music style
there's a lot of them out there and this little project unearths 50 of them
as rated by songlines magazine july/august edition 2006

karsilama (turkey)

the karsilama isn't the best known dance in turkey but it's one of the most seductive
it comes from trakya the small european part of the country
and is a staple of the gypsy musicians who dominate the wedding scene in the region
although described as a 9/8 rhythm it's essentially a lop-sided 2/4

songlines recommends the road to kesan by selim sesler
esne notes 9/8? 2/4? no idea about this one but it's now on the list to listen out for

kwaito (south africa)

after apartheid south africa needed to find a fresh sound
that reflected both its new optimism and the return to the international fold
of the newly liberated rainbow nation
that sound was kwaito a uniquely south african hybrid of local beats
and such imported forms as hip-hop, house and techno

songlines recommends kwaito: south african hip-hop by various artists
esne notes hybrid - a word i use a lot in describing much of the music i listen to so need to check this out

makossa (cameroon)

it started life as rhythm in a hand-clapping game among school kids in cameroon
then in 1972 manu dibango adapted it added a dash of american-style funk and turned it into 'soul makossa'
the track was picked up by a new york radio station and the makossa phenomenon was born
once there were 9 different versions of the track in the billboard chart
and the makossa beat has even been credited with launching the 70's disco boom
michael jackson later copied the rhythm on his album thriller

songlines recommends the very best of by manu dibango
esne notes an amazing story from hand-clapping kids to the world's biggest selling artist

marrabenta (mozambique)

the sweetly rolling rhythms of marrabenta may not sound particularly insurrectionary
but during mozambique's war of liberation
the colonial portuguese authorities moved ruthlessly to stamp it out
believing music was a medium of revolution
they failed of course and since independence marrabenta has defied years of civil war
to become an all-singing all-dancing emblem of national identity
combining an affinity with other tropical rhythms such as salsa and calypso
with distinctive elements of island tradition

songlines recommends soul marrabenta by mabulu
esne notes anything that embodies africa, music and revolution has to be good

4 more styles demanding further investigation - 3 of them african - can only be good
makossa sounds particularly interesting and no doubt something once heard again will be very recognisable
more m's to do next time...

world drifts in

the title of a live concert dvd featuring calexico at the barbican in london
they are one of those bands that a lot of people have heard of but not many people know about
which was certainly the case for me up until earlier this year when i saw them live at the basement in sydney
it was an unforgettable show - at least 7 band members on a tiny stage playing to a full monday night house
i bought this dvd as a momento of the night and occassionally haul it out and reminisce - as tonight
except the more i watch this particular concert the more i realise how i only saw a glimpse of what this outfit is capable of
there may not be many groups with a more apt name
for calexico present music that seems west coast american influenced by their southern neighbours
no doubt mexifornia was also considered as a band name but i think they got it right
the band is centered around singer/guitarist/songwriter joey burns
though wikipedia informs me that drummer john convertino is his partner in the group and certainly seems central to all that goes on
the core group is augmented by steel guitar, double bass, brass and vibraphone
these boys obviously love their music and perform with all due seriousness and conviction
alt.country is the official tag slash genre but that is taking the easy way out
it's almost undefinable music which is what probably makes them unique
every song has a structure, depth and feel of it's own and usually features some standout instrument
steel guitar, piano-accordian, vibraphone, airline guitar, trumpet, voicebox all feature at various times
they seem very comfortable on the large stage at the barbican with a very receptive audience
there's a song called not even stevie nicks which leaves me wondering what they have against her
with a head like a vulture and a heart full of hornets
after 6 or 7 songs things are rolling along quite nicely then we enter a complete new phase
fellow tucson arizona residents mariachi luz de luna are brought on stage
this is a large ensemble of violin, acoustic guitar and trumpet players in mexican clothing and sombrero hats
that lift an already very impressive concert to a new level both aurally and visually
this is quite complex music played very confidently with each musician adding their special part
the title track world drifts in is performed particularly well with brass, strings, and vocals all meshing beautifully
and then we go up yet another level with the introduction of french chanteuse francioz breut
whose voice sits brilliantly in the mix with the band and laterly added string/brass/guitar section
this is a real meeting of music cultures with the most unlikely combination
hick like country-twang lyrics/voice with tijuana-brass style instrumental backing and a sensuous french female voice on vocal backup
it works together beautifully and even more so on a slower number titled si tu disais
this is a totally original band with total confidence in their material
not wanting to go overboard here but at times the 20 or so musicians on stage
could be a well drilled orchestra for they are so in control and tuned in to each other
there's no end to the combinations of instruments that feature in the various tunes
but there's nothing like massed acoustic guitars, brass and strings
ok rave stops here
world drifts in
calexico
superb

inside paris

now that is a film title that will drag 'em in
like me for example though having now seen the film it really should have been titled
inside an apartment
or
inside a bedroom
because apart from a few non-subtle shots of the scene river and the eyeful tower it could have been anywhere
according to the various reviews i previously read it was typical french film-making
which i presume means as long as the dialogue is conducted in french and there are subtitles then anything goes
i spent the first part of the film trying to figure out where i had seen the central character paul before
it then occurred to me when once again he got his gear off and very reminiscent of a similar scene in russian dolls
an excellent french ensemble film from a few years back where his character also had relationship problems
though in this case it has gone a bit further and seems to have triggered a nasty brain-snap
and so we have paul holed up in his father's small apartment
we have been lead there by a series of scenes in the french countryside
that explain the breakup and the emotional turmoil paul is suffering
father tries to provide as best he can with food but no emotional support/understanding
and his brother jonathan seems to suggest the best way over the problem is to get laid as much as possible
and proceeds to lead by example with random and frequent rendezvous in the city of love
fact of the matter is that younger brother still needs big brothers approval
big brother knows this but would really rather be left in peace to have his emotional meltdown
suicide is never far away as it is contemplated, attempted or possibly also a catalyst for paul's state
it transpires that their younger sister did the deed when she was only 17
there are various visitors to the apartment including the brothers' mother
who looks so young it seems almost unlikely that she could be their mum but we'll go with it
she is almost as detached from emotion as her ex-husband and only stays briefly
and departs in the usual manner apparantly with younger bro exclaiming
i've never known mother to leave any way except by slamming the door
so now we know paul is emotionally destitute and affected by his sister's suicide
which may explain the scene where he and his ex sing a sad song to each other over the telephone
now i'm no fan of film musicals so this is a bit hard to take but sits ok in the quirky mix of this film
the big climax of the film is based around the 2 brothers apparantly accepting each other as they are
reminiscing about happier childhood days with the re-reading of a favorite children's book
then the film just stops without much other resolution almost like the director got a bit bored with the whole thing
kind of like the audience i suspect judging by the mumbling and giggling around me
and my numbness at the end as i watched the credits roll
sort of a 'what the' feeling - was that all about?
conclusion - and at the risk of stating the obvious
i suspect the film's title is a metaphor for inside a head
inside paris
no rave required

guess who didn't win the new york sandcastle building competition...

take this any way you like - i got a good laugh out of it
sent to me by a friend who tries valiantly to keep some humour in my intray
here's to the lighter side of life...

kristen cornwall

sucked in i was - the dual attraction of 2 ladies of significance
kristen cornwall singer based in belgium and thereby implied of international repute
sandy evans on saxophone and clarinet who for me can do no wrong
every outfit she plays in of which there are many is better for her presence
no exception for tonight's performance
unfortunately tonight was a fairly average show so quite easy for sandy to shine
a case of a fine bunch of musicians and singer let down by the material
kristen started out appearing to be very nervous
displayed a very bad case of stage fright or something
that led to fluffed lines, forgotten lines and many not very good lines
she seemed to have not too much confidence in the material
which was a fairly balanced mix of her own compositions and covers
songs made famous by the likes of billy holiday, kurt elling, charles mingus, joni mitchell and alan parsons
yup - he of the alan parsons project fame introduced by kristen from the 80's
but my memory tells me more likely of the mid to late 70's
before punk came along and justifiably blew his music out of the water
it hasn't aged well judging by tonight's performance of a tune called older and wiser
'fraid not kristen - a shocker of a song and one best left in the vaults
maybe i'm being too harsh but i did try to like it - seriously - but it was a relief when it was over
while i'm at it she hauled out a few of her own lurve songs that were also as cringe-worthy
maybe it was my mood or something but structurally, lyrically, sonically, honestly they were very average at best
but all is not lost in tonights proceedings as at least 2 things were noticed and enjoyed
at one point all musicians left the stage for kristen to do a solo number
introduced as a number with the lyrics based on a slightly modified henry lawson poem
kristen tells us she has a new toy to play with and use in this tune
she sings through the first verse and then for the chorus sings into another microphone
that feeds the lines into some kind of loop machine
so that for the second verse kristen then has her own voice as accompaniment
she repeats this process 2 more times
so that by the end of the tune there are 4 of kristen's voices to be heard
all singing different lines, words and melodies but nicely harmonising
very impressive it was and she seemed very comfortable with the equipment
using her feet to control the gizmo that was doing all the trickery whilst singing
second thing that was most enjoyable with tonight's performance was rock-out mode
when the full band was working together unhindered to create a nicely organised racket
jeremy sawkins on guitar (left-handed) didn't miss a note all evening and played extra well when loud
fabian hevia on drums and percussion ditto and at his best when allowed to be inventive
kristen's hubbie christophe devisscher on double bass doing a fine job
but not in the same class as some of the exceptional local bass players seen there lately
and our favourite sandy evans doing everything and more on sax and clarinet
sandy also seemed to provide moral support for kristen and unusually spoke a few times between songs
a couple of times during the evening i felt that the band was actually under-rehearsed and lost their way
so all in all it was a rather underwhelming night at the sound lounge
i have a feeling i may have gone overboard in my expectations
better take a break for a few weeks i suspect
but there's some good shows coming up after that
good luck kristen
over

sicko

the latest film from outspoken writer, director and producer michael moore
i'd seen the shorts, read the reviews, got the jist of it and placed it firmly on the maybe list
my impression was that this time his subject was way too specifically american
being the american health system come industry come debacle come disgrace
seemed kind of irrelevant to me in the land of oz where it's a lot better
but i had not forgotten an interview with michael moore by david stratton in cannes earlier this year
where m m said the film had relevance in australia if only to know what this country should not embrace
and knowing the wishes of our government and their love of all things america i heeded his words
tonight i scanned the list of films on and this came up the best option and on in walking distance also
the opening scenes introduce a few people who have had unfortunate mishaps requiring medical treatment
and the callous way in which the american health system shuts out such people with no medical insurance
but our narrator tells us the film is not about the 50 million or so americans with no insurance
the film apparantly is about the 200 million who do have such insurance
he then sets out to demonstrate how the insurance companies go about denying people what they should be entitled to
he pulls no punches explaining and demonstrating how they squirm their way out of coughing up
they have whole departments and investigators employed to do just that
and bonus schemes in place to encourage it
there's a bit of recent history that ties the current situation to one conversation in the oval office involving richard nixon
it's all kind of depressing stuff but then we're off travelling across the border into canada
with a young lady with cervical cancer who has been told by the system she's too young to have cervical cancer (yup)
seems they have a universal health system in place there that is free for everyone
m m has his acting skills on display also when he feigns surprise at learning this
and a bit of comedy starts creeping in when he talks to an elder gentleman who has had a major operation for free
seems tommy douglas the father of their system is more popular than fellow canadians wayne kretsky and celine dion
then we're off to england where m m almost genuinely seems overwhelmed by the national health system in place there
for me it was a relief to be out of america and he used his time in england to great effect
introduced people from all walks of life looking very happy and proud of their nhs
including very effectively a doctor on a modest government income very satisfied with his lifestyle
then we're across the channel and into france and the same deal there - free health care for their citizens
and more than that - education, child-care, and a government funded home laundry service
we see m m squeezing into a small nissan with a doctor making house calls
and in attendance at a dinner party with some ex-pat americans
talking about and almost embarrassed by the level and quality of free services in their new country
by now i'm very much enjoying the film as he has cleverly used the goodness of people to get his point across
then we're back in america and the tone of the film drops again with some more depresssing facts and figures
and the big climax of the film is introduced with some 9-11 workers from ground zero with various respiratory and mental health problems
lots of lip service is provided to these heroes but not much else particularly health care
he charters some boats and we head off to guantanomo bay to get the free treatment the same prsioners there receive
it's a very typical michael moore setup and one i was expecting and not that fussed about
but then that passes fairly quickly and instead we are on the streets in havana
and again finding out how the government in cuba provides free health services for the people
there are some genuinely touching moments here as our heroes are treated
and then honoured by their fellow rescue workers in a city fire station
this film is nearly 2 hours long but it didn't seem like it
i was actually very much taken in by it
if nothing else it shows the common goodness of the common people
but there is a lot more (boom boom)
it really is a nicely balanced film that educates and entertains
subversive film-making from the main man
glad i got to see it

random tunes part 7

seems thursday night has become random tunes time
fire up the iriver, select tunes, select random and then play 10 tunes
see what comes out and listen, get all nostalgic and/or take a close listen
at whatever tune the device decides needs my attention for a few minutes
i think i have about 90 discs loaded into the player totalling just over 1,000 tunes
there's capacity for about 5,000 so need to get onto loading in some more cd's
but i'm being a bit pedantic about that and only putting in ones i really enjoy
just so my only little private radio station only plays the very best (according to me)
i surrender by david sylvian
seriously good start to tonights proceedings
this one the opening track from his 1999 album dead bees on a cake
a long, slow, laconic number featuring exquisite wah-wah guitar noises
sounds also like a full orchestra at his disposal and very nicely mixed in
this man is one of my all-time favourites and one of only a few such artists i'm yet to see live
i see he has returned to the live scene and currently is performing throughout europe - damn
iskeche romani by mustafa kandirali
sometimes i believe you have go to take a punt on an album without much to go on
heard one track from this elder turkish gypsy clarinetist and shelled out top dollar on an import cd
it's a superb album full of what i would call middle eastern soul music
this one sounds like what you would get if you handed traditional turkish instruments to a speed metal band
in it's correct hands it's fast and furious and oozing with authenticity
love of my life by richard hawley
this ex guitarist with uk band pulp embarked on a solo career a number of years ago
i can understand why as he can write a beautiful song, has a great voice and an ear for melody
the album that this one is from is the total package - late night final - every home should have one
seriously - i have played the album to all age groups and everyone asks who it is
this is a really slow, laid-back, stripped back song with echoey production - very nice
black mirror by the arcade fire
canadian outfit taking the music world by storm - performed at glastonbury this year
it would be churlish to suggest (again) echoes of the bunnymen but it's the voice you see
though go past that and there's a brilliant willingness to go way past traditional pop-rock sounds
i believe they are a fairly large combo anyway but this tune seems to have that and more
sounds like the string and percussion section of a full orchestra mixed in here
they are going to be around and revered for a long time i suspect
bahriye ciftetellsi by mustafa kandirali
now the chances of 2 tracks off the same album appearing in one session are about 1 in 100
but i'm going to go with even though i seriously suspect my random play feature
the striking thing with this track is the production
every note of every instrument can be clearly heard
and it's not a bad tune either - shows off his clarinet virtuosity very well
lazyboat by triosk
local sydney based 3 piece 'jazz' outfit that i believe have the right balance
between serious musicianship and serious noise noodling stuff
some say the necks and i say ok but completely unintentional
this track would be about as close as they get sonically to that outfit
but then lawrence pikes fast and subtle percussion playing stamps triosk all over it
taken from their third and latest album headlight serenades
how little we need to be happy by david sylvian
and he demonstrates this by pushing this song out with minimal instrumentation
someone is thrashing around on an acoustic guitar - presumably the man himself
this is from his minimal instrument album from 2003 titled blemish
i think he put it out to test the dedication of his audience
it takes a long time to get into it but i perservered and now it's staple stuff
i just don't know why he's not regarded as per eno, bowie, byrne, etc
though i suspect he has never been forgiven for being seen as part of the 80's new romantic scene
catfish blues by taj mahal
disclaimer - me not a blues affecianado at all but when it comes like this i can well get into it
the album this one is from is a superb afro-blues album with zanzibar based musicians
had the total pleasure of seeing taj mahal and his 3 piece band at the basement earlier this year
walked out with a smile a mile wide on my face - it was a rare musical treat
this track is the classic blues number with the east african feel and great production
forever my friend by ray lamontagne
taken from his first album trouble
i'm not sure about this chap - i like him but i have a fear he may fade away
his first album is good, the second one better, the third will be defining
this tune reminds me of james taylor of the 70's - same style and lyrics
which of course is not a bad thing especially considering some of his other tunes
as with this one he sticks very closely to acoustic guitar, strings, drums, bass - nice
i should have known better by yo la tengo
from the most interesting titled album of last year - i am not afraid of you and will beat your ass
for those kiwis in the audience be assured that 80's flying nun music had an influence internationally
exhibit a - this tune is everything you hear in the clean, the bats, the chills, etc, etc
exhibit b - they had david kilgour (clean) on stage at the metro earlier this year in a clear-cut case of mutual admiration
this trio are from deep, dark, contemporary new york and specialise in every tune being absolutely different to every other

that's it folk(s) - 10 more random tunes
much-o fun-o
til next time...

freedom next time

is the latest book by australian john pilger
i haven't read it yet but i will be doing so as soon as i can get my hands on it
tonight as i try to most evenings i tuned into the internet based show democracy now
hosted by amy goodman the woman i admire most above all others
amy is a lady of enormous integrity, intelligence and courage
she is unstoppable in her drive to expose the truth and present the facts
and always with no apparant personal opinion or bias
this i suspect is because she credits her audience with the intelligence to figure it out
now of course these days the show can be relentlessly depressing
for there is not much good news in the world today
but she loves a good story, a good story-teller and downright truth and honesty
from time to time the hour long show will be dedicated to one interview or one speech
a very memorable guest from some time ago was a very politically active harry belafonte
tonight's show featured a speech given by john pilger at a socialism conference in america recently
the title of the speech as with his latest book is freedom next time
i must admit i sat listening to the speech and was floored by the clarity of what he had to say
this is one very articulate, intelligent, brave and concerned citizen of the world
he has spent his life as an author, film and documentary maker and journalist
this particular speech was about journalism, war by journalism, propaganda and silence
it started out with a historical perspective on the way journalism has developed
he makes a blistering attack on the concept of professional (read corporate) journalism
and his fellow australian rupert murdoch gets a less than flattering mention
he now lives in england and obviously has had a lot of exposure to the bbc which also cops a lashing
amy gets a look in occassionally during what would be tv ad breaks
she loves this kind of stuff and has a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye
before cutting to some very cool and appropriate music while the tv ads roll
it seems john pilger spent some number of years in vietnam and cambodia
and obviously has a first-hand take on what occurred on the ground there
he tells us this as a background to the reference to some american war films
including a funny story about a 1968 film showing of the green berets starring john wayne
he is not a fan of this actor and in a showing of this film in america's deep south
was chased by a bunch of rednecks after daring to laugh out loud at the ridiculousness of the film
he goes on to talk about a documentary (one of many) he made called year zero
about america's contribution to the rise of pol pot in cambodia
seems the film has never been shown in america the land of the free and free speech
as you would expect he is also not a fan of the current president of the u s of a
but he sees no difference in the likes of blair, brown and clinton
for he believes they have all played their part in american imperialism
in another ad break amy tells us that his latest documentary titled war on democracy
is yet to be picked up by a distributor in the u s
john pilger then proceeds to very clearly talk about and define liberalism and democracy
before then laying down some more very sobering facts and figures
of america's participation in war-mongering, regime change/support and outright genocide
the point of his talk being the complete denial and silence of journalists
he scarily points out the restart of the cold-war under the banner of 'reliable weapons replacement'
specifically to blur the distinction between conventional and nuclear weapons
so what is the answer?
he sees no hope in the democrat alternative and their drivel (as he puts it)
he strongly believes real and subversive information is the most potent power of all
and he has a very strong optimism in the growing public awareness
that has to be propelled forward by real and honest reporting
it's a great speech
i watched it through twice
check it out at democracy now

a day in the life

friday july 27th 2007 is a day i am never going to forget
which probably means i shouldn't have to write a blog posting about it
but blog=therapy=get it out of the system=justification=it's my blog anyway
on that day i was arrested and charged with common assault
i'm only talking about it now publically (well at least to the 2 of you that read my blog)
because the matter has gone to court and has more or less been resolved
the details of the incident are not that relevant at this point in time
least to say i kind of tripped up and technically at least committed said crime
silly me got involved in a domestic argument that involved some hands-on
in an attempt to try and placate a situation that seemed to be getting out of hand
you're not allowed to do that
it's called common assault
the lowest form of assault
but a crime nonetheless
i had a feeling i had overstepped the mark at the time and calmly extricated myself from the scene
and my worst fears came true later in the day with a call from the police
requesting my attendance at the newtown police station to attend to the matter
i assumed i would be asked to make a statement about the matter for their consideration
wrong - upon arrival at the station i was immediately placed under arrest and led away
and in semi-shock mode went through the process of having my possessions taken away
my rights were read to me and the offer to make a voluntary audio/visual statement
which without advice i agreed to do while the incident was fresh in my memory
in the company of 2 police officers i then completed that a/v statement
i was finger-printed and photographed
then placed back in a holding cell while paperwork was prepared and exchanged
that process took 3 and a half hours
which allows for a lot of thinking time and a lot of observation time
i had company for an hour or so in the adjacent cell of a young chap
who i gather had done the wrong thing by his pregnant girlfriend
i don't think she had been seriously hurt and i also think he learnt his lesson
the police were very good to him but i don't know what became of him
i sincerely hope she and he are ok and now looking forward to the big day when their twins are born
the police were very good to me as well
in fact i was very much in awe of their professionalism and attitude
friday night in the watch-house at newtown police station is hardly likely to be a fun place
but in my observation (not much else to do) they were above reproach
and certainly made it easier for me to sit and contemplate where this was all heading
upon release i wandered out into the party atmosphere of king street with documents in hand
advising of a date for the court appearance
it was a strange walk home as i felt very disconnected from everything around me
one of the things that occurred to me while in the holding cell
is that once again in my life circumstances have conspired to force a change
that can either be ignored, resisted or embraced
for there are a lot of things going on in my life that need attention
have been left unattended for too long while dealing with the moment after moment after moment
so i made a conscious decision in that time to start attending to said matters
and in the 10 days since then have had a number of conversations mainly with friends and acquaintances
decided i needed to ask for some help and support
i have been quite literally overwhelmed by the response
i had the court appearance today
another humbling experience sitting in the court watching and observing
i had no real idea before but now believe the legal system is very understanding
it doesn't really want to cause us any grief unless we severely provoke it
i sat and watched case after case where the presiding magistrate was firm but fair
advised people of what he could and couldn't do
and handed down sentences consistently i thought leaning to the lenient
i took no comfort from that as i was well aware of the serious nature of my charge
i had decided to plead guilty and my case was presented very well by my lawyer
he handed over the references i had gathered from friends, ex-partners, clients, bosses and business partners
all of which i also rate as the best friends anyone could wish for
my lawyer quite sincerely told me they were the best set of references he had ever seen
i have no doubt this was of enormous help to me
it's not all over yet but i'm going to be a good boy
not just because i have to but because i want to
i've been humbled you see
thanks, love and/or respect to all involved

music of the world g h i j

the days and weeks continue to rip by in a blink
it's a mad life we all lead - how many of us actually feel entirely comfortable
living the lives we dreamed of and enjoying each day anew
at one with our fellow earth citizens and walking very gently on mother earth
me - i hope i do my best with hopefully my best yet to come
my inspiration is the musicians of the world
who use their craft to extend a hand of friendship and understanding
me - all i can do is lend them my ear and accept the offer - very gratefully
and so tonight we continue the reading of the good book songlines july/august edition 2006
please turn to page 37 for the chapter entitled 50 rhythms of the world
picking up where we left off in last weeks lesson

highlife (ghana)

the exuberant rhythms of highlife began among the ashanti people in ghana
but swiftly spread throughout sierra leone and nigeria
by ghana's independence in 1957 the original traditional-based style
had diversified into sophisticated dance bands led by the likes of e t mensah and king bruce
and vibrant electric guitar combos such as a b crentsil's sweet talks

songlines recommends hollywood highlife party by a b crentsil
esne notes this one definitely needs more investigation - 3 words - african, dance, guitar

jaipongan (indonesia)

strictly speaking jaipongan is not the name of a particular rhythm
rather it denotes a style of music and dance
purportedly developed by the bandung musician and producer gugum gumbira in the 70's
from various traditional sources it was perceived as rather wild and suggestive at the time
but is now established as a classic west javanese form

songlines recommends banondari by uun budiman and the jugala gamelan orchestra
esne notes witnessing this style at womadelaide this year courtesy of sambasunda

juju (nigeria)

although it's origins are disputed, the term juju music was first used in the 20's
to describe the dreamy, hypnotic rhythms emerging from the yoruba neighbourhoods of lagos
with the arrival of amplification after world war 2 it took off as the capital's premier urban dance style
the music then undertook another dramatic development in the 60's with the dense, tight grooves
and multiple guitars of bands led by ebenezer obey and king sunny ade

songlines recommends juju music by king sunny ade
esne notes king sunny ade is a well known name but not well known music...yet

feel like i'm losing touch with all these newly discovered styles of music
i must make an effort to get better acquainted with the music of the world...
i must make an effort to get better acquainted with the music of the world...
i must make an effort to get better acquainted with the music of the world...
...

the simpsons movie

i blame david stratton from the movie show on abc tv
in his review of this film he admitted he was a simpsons virgin having never seen it on tv
but actually admitting to quite liking the long-form version and giving it 4 stars
i haven't seen the tv show for many, many years and so with his and other reviews i decided to take a look
besides the alternative was sicko and i actually decided some light entertainment was in order for this sunday evening
so ignoring my urge to resist contributing to the murdoch world domination fund
i unashamedly bought my ticket and took up pole position in the relatively empty theatre
it's a very clever opening scene with the family watching a movie and homer berating the audience
for being mugs for watching something on the big screen that can be seen in the comfort of your own home on tv
it seems the style of humour has not changed since i last watched the show with any conviction
green day are introduced very early on as themselves performing at an environmental concert for springfield
there's a clever reference to the titanic film and an unsubtle dig at the lack of concern for the actual cause
at these awareness-raising concerts
live earth 07.07.07 immediately springs to mind - we're here to rock not to be lectured to don't you know
president swarchenegger and various government departments get a bit of a jabbing
as do the draconian laws now in place to monitor, eavesdrop and dob in a suspect
i was expecting to see and/or hear a continual stream of celebrities
taking the opportunity to use this film as a vehicle to provide some debate or comment on various issues
but they didn't show - apart from green day in performance and a complacent tom hanks
it has always struck me as odd that such a supposedly subversive show is owned by the very kind of institution that it rails against
my lack of time spent watching the show on tv probably meaning i had not understood
that in fact it does not do that at all but instead actually is a proud supporter of the american way
you know dad is a tv-watching, beer-swilling, wife-manipulating, child-misunderstanding layabout
and mum is the one who honours her wedding pledges and stands by her man through thick and well, thick
there's one moment in the film when she gives advice to her daughter
remember lisa you're a woman, you can keep quiet for the whole of your life
there were some funny moments but i must admit i wasn't really lapping it up
in fact for the first time in a long time i actually seriously considered walking
but decided i needed to lighten up and take it at face value and have a laugh or 2
so stuck at it through to the end with a similar scene set in a picture theatre
where baby maggie supposedly utters her first word - sequel
don't think i'll be up for it somehow

festival in the desert

there's a rumour circulating that i may be off to mali in january of next year
to attend the annual festival in the desert literally in the sahara desert
a couple of hours overland from timbuktu
one of the highlights of my every year is attending womadelaide
a couple of years ago i started venturing further afield and went to the rainforest world music festival
also an annual event in malaysian borneo that confirmed my love of the world's music
i mentioned to max my fellow womad visitor that ha-ha we should go to mali one year
the wheels are now in motion as max is a motivated kind of person
we have a core group of 6 middle aged music industry blokes who have their hands up
thinking back what really spurred me on was seeing tinariwen in concert at womadelaide
they are a tourag band from the sahara and a regular at the festival in the desert
4 gentlemen dressed in traditional flowing robes and full head dress
each with a beautiful shiny electric guitar and accompanied by a percussionist and female vocalist
they play blues-based, rock-oriented, trance-inducing guitar music with indecipheral lyrics
totally stole the show on a beautiful warm balmy evening in adelaide and have been lodged in my head ever since
so when i saw this dvd on sale and noticed said band was on the bill it very quickly transferred to my possession
max sent me a vanity fair article during the week about a similar bunch of music industry dudes
one chris blackwell of island records and another jimmy buffett of carribean soul fame
making the trek to festival in the desert earlier this year and having a brilliant time
i'm now getting very excited about the prospect of the planned trip for next year
so tonight as part of that i once again fired up the trusty projector and indulged myself
the film starts with the construction of the stage literally in the middle of the desert
there's camels, a few large trees and a few more larger sand dunes
sand, sand and more sand it seems as far as the eye can see
and the familiar sounds of tinariwen providing the soundtrack as we witness the preparation of the site
then we're in darkness and presumably underway with the first night of the 2003 festival
tartit open proceedings - an all female vocal group with a single drum delivering a chant like sound
they make way for the beautiful oumou sangare accompanied by ali farke toure (rip)
she the queen of mali music, he the king, presumably collaborating as they often would
there's interviews with both of them and they are both very happy and relaxed
french group lo'jo are up next and deliver a stunning set as they did at womadelaide a few years ago
i can't imagine what the sound would be like at the festival but based on this dvd it is beautifully clean
every instrument used by lo'jo can be heard very distinctly and the vocals likewise are loud and clear
tinariwen are then on stage laying down their familiar groove sound to a very receptive audience
the next performer is no less than robert plant who apparantly is a big fan of all things world (music)
he seems quite humbled by the experience in a brief interview upon arrival at the site
and then he's on stage giving his all with a band obviously also enjoying the moment
the tune is a slow bluesy number with guitar and that voice harmonising superbly
sounds like the kind of thing l z would have churned out but sounding very contemporary
in a great moment of musical interchange we see american indian metal group blackfire on stage
sharing the stage with local djembe (drum) players and talking about their respect for the local culture
a visible and unmistakeable example of the uniting power of music
ali farke toure is featured delivering a stunning set of his west african blues
there's more footage of the festival site
and various spontaneous performances
interviews with musicians, organisers, journalists
i have a feeling this is going to be the experience of a lifetime
hi-ho hi-ho it's off to timbuktu i go
can't wait...

baecastuff

this friday night couldn't come soon enough having been through a very interesting week
with some memorable low points but even more significant high points
mostly to do with re-establishing contact with various long ignored friends
tonight by chance followed that trend with the company of a workmate not seen for 5 or so years
getting much braver in my enthusiasm now for all things sound lounge and extending some invitations
tonights lineup is another unknown quantity except some connection to dig - directions in groove
baecastuff are a 6 piece lineup nicely balanced between keyboards, brass, percussion and rhythm sections
the first tune post performance is announced with the title of blue groper
as seems to be the case with this kind of lineup it's the one used to ease into the performance
i find myself looking for something beyond an almost mor-ish sunday afternoon-ish cruisey number
the sound of vocal-less sade comes to mind which is not a bad thing
if in doubt check sade lovers live dvd for some smooth operating and impressive playing
but those thoughts and comparisons are quickly forgotten with the introduction of the second tune
a very nervous saxophonist and leader rick robertson tells us the tune is titled nabigail (spelling?)
and is inspired by and dedicated to the original inhabitants of this country
i'm expecting to hear sax or trumpet sounds emulating a didgeridoo
but surprisingly it is bass player alex hewetson seated at stage rear who provides that sound
using his electric bass to great effect to provide a continual looping didge sounding bass line
i'm a big fan of dual percussion particularly since witnessing dual drummers at work with m ward earlier this year
in this case simon barker on drums and aykho akhriff on percussion were on separate types of equipment
but as in this tune actually worked very closely together to play out a harmonious beat
likewise the brass section of rick robertson on sax and phil slater on trumpet worked together
leaving matt mcmahon to provide subtle splashes of piano and electric piano
overall the piece struck me as being very original and true to it's inspiration
at it's conclusion the band seem well pleased and likewise the audience is now tuned in
rick tells us that the band has been together for 11 years now including 3 cd's over that time
a leadup to the next tune titled ozone that he suggests needs to be updated to be called global warming or similar
it's another long, rambling piece of music that would suggest has a structure that is being followed
they seem to be a very well rehearsed outfit relying on each knowing their part rather than a fallback to improvisation
the one time i sensed this happen was at the end of one tune when it occurred to me they were enjoying the moment so much they just let go
and then had the problem of how to wind up the song
many on-stage glances were exchanged before bass-player alex basically pulled out
leaving the others to also one by one lay down instruments and let the song die a natural death
this i felt set them up to really enjoy the evening and their playing then seemed more confident
the sima brochure warned that this band 'cooks'
that would be a fair assessment as they certainly were fired up at various times
there are several good things about witnessing the performance of a larger ensemble
particularly one such as this which has effectively 4 separate and distinct sections
aurally there are options in terms of what to lend an ear to at any time
and equally visually there are a number of places to focus the eyes on
so if the music is right i find transcendence can easily occur
clear the head, go with the music, enjoy the occassion
and join in loud appreciation at the conclusion
i very much enjoyed this performance
wound up the week nicely
thanks guys

random tunes part 6

self-indulgence time again
which of course is what a blog is all about - but random tunes?
taking it to the limit one more time but it's great fun and surprising what you learn along the way e.g.
- the shuffle feature on my iriver is suspiciously non-random or
- there's an embarrassing number or tunes from a nameless artist/group in there or
- it's kind of freaky how a tune will pop up in close proximity to one closely related or
- what you get from a tune when faced with the need to analyse/comment on it
so for tonights 10 tunes delivered supposedly at random from my mp3 player
(ahem copyright notice - all tunes are from albums owned and recorded in entirety)
untoward by the church
see what i mean - the number 2 example above of what we learn from this exercise
i have a feeling tonight i am going to get hammered on that one
from their latest studio album uninvited like the clouds
the more i listen to this band the more i am constantly staggered by their variety
not one tune sounds like any other across their vast recorded output
this one features heavily strummed acoustic guitar sitting behind a wall of sound kind of sound
lots of variety and lyrics that are there but actually more part of the overall sound
intro by sigur ros
from their breakthrough album from a number of years back
these icelandic lads are totally original and never fail to deliver
this one is a full 1 minute and 37 seconds long
a backwards recording with the usual unlyrical vocals on top
fades to a blustery windy kind of outro and setting up for the full album
all of my mother's names by david sylvian
in my book this man can do no wrong - there's not one of his albums i don't enjoy
this one from the dead bees on a cake album and featuring long time collaborator robert fripp
a full instrumental with jazz overtones, eastern tabler sounds, a fuzzy guitar, electronica
in other words a complete indulgence but like i said - this man.....
m'bife blues by amadou and mariam
from the biggest selling world music of last year (apparantly)
had the utter pleasure of seeing them at the basement last year performing to a small crowd
easily one of the highlights of my many years of live music attending
i was 2-3 metres away from them and felt the absolute joy of their music
though blind they were well aware of their audience and gave their all
this track would be the gentlest number on the album
spoken/sung french vocals and flute, acoustic guitar, and layered harmonies
se lest by sigur ros
from their lastest and greatest album takk (thanks)
starts very innocently with a gentle xylophone sound and high-pitched vocals
then the orchestra sounds start creeping in and after a while it all fades back to the xylophone
and the build starts again leading to a brass oom pah-pah oom pah-pah section
before fading back out again to the xylophone
they must have so much fun constructing their highly original music
loveblind by the church
ditto the comments from above
this one is a superb track from the sometime anywhere album
the production is the star on this album and does not fail on this track
beautifully clear acoustic guitars, a driving beat, key changes and up-front vocals
another one of many songs by this band that can be listened to repeatedly
matadjem yinmixan by tinariwen
for anyone who claims to be a fan of electric guitar
your life is not complete until you have seen and/or listened to this band
saw them at womadelaide several years ago and instantly hooked
guitar band from the sahara desert complete with full wrap turbans
this from their latest and third album now signed to a major label
no idea what the vocals mean but the feel is all that matters - way, way cool
lost reprise by triosk
56 seconds of drumming and electronica
taken from their third and latest album the headlight serenade
these lads can also do no wrong in my ears
have settled on a superb sound based around piano, bass, drums
and subtle, repetitive, effective electronica noises in the mix
31st august at the sound lounge - no guesses where i will be on that night
tabaran by not drowning, waving
the track from the same titled album from the mid-eighties
re-mixed, re-mastered, re-packaged, re-loved, re-cently
this album goes forward with me into eternity (whoa)
telek features strongly on this track with strong indigineous sounds
electronica, drums and mr bridies piano all adding expertly to the sound
estuary bed by the triffids
please refer to number 3 in the list above of weird things that happen in random play
not drowning, waving and the triffids each had a single defining album in the eighties
both honoroubly re-released recently in beautiful and stylish packaging
saw the sbs documentary on born sandy devotional a month or 2 back
brought back all sorts of memories of time spent listening to and watching the triffids
this is a gorgeous song and a great way to close out tonight's random tunes
vale david m
g'night

shut up and sing

there's 2 things i don't like about the dixie chicks
the first being dixie which is one form of music that clashes head-on with my musical snobbery
the second being chicks which is a term i hope i never have and never will use to describe women
so we're not off to a very good start
now put in the mix that they are a country music band from texas and the appeal factor is wind chill factor minus zero
but
the reviews of this film indicated that this is actually a great story of integrity in the face of adversity
the film is centred around one unrehearsed remark made by lead singer natalie maines at a london concert
on the eve of the 2003 iraq invasion when she stated they were ashamed that the president was from texas
it took a few days before the right-wing press picked up on the story and decided to crank it up
and the redneck wonderland took the bait hook line and sinker
they're a wacky bunch and some of the comments were both hilarious and ridiculous
...freedom of speech is ok just don't do it in public
...they should strap her to a missile and deliver her to saddam hussein
...they're a bunch of bimbos who deserve a good slapping (pat buchanan)
...and the name-calling including the dixie twits and saddam's daughters
it's not very often i find myself clapping at the end of a film let alone during the film
but there's a brilliant moment when natalie maines reacts to reading a comment from g w bush
suggesting they shouldn't allow their feelings to be hurt just because people stop buying their records
utterly, totally, completely and worse still genuinely missing the point of the debate
her reaction is a turning point for me in the film
up until then i'm probably trying to resist being drawn into actually liking the group
after all ahem they're just country music performers with a big spotlight on them
fast forward to 2005 and we're in their confidence as they discuss and plan their next album
with all the controversy as a background to the songwriting and marketing
for they are signed to a major record company surely as much in the grip of the neo-cons as the media
and time spent with their management, family and associates suggests internal pressure
is such that they should just cop the flak and get on with their all important careers
but there's a lady at the centre of all this that actually places her own integrity above all that
she says she wants to be a bruce springsteen or a bob dylan
but quick to point out that no way does she regard their music in the same league
not much time is spent on it but it seems natalie is the main songwriter for the group
in one scene we see her discussing a song with famous producer rick rubin
who i took an instant dislike to - he's got a stuffed bear in his lounge - grrrrr
the film jumps back and forward between 2003 and 2005 a few times
it seems to parallel the relative high popularity of the group and g w in 2003
and the collapsed popularity of the commander-in-chief and the group a few years later
the directors decide we need to see the group as good family people
and we spend more time that i would wish for meeting their hubbies and kids
there's a sub-plot in the form of a death-threat made for a concert in dallas
and the build-up to that concert with that as the background
each of the 3 members of the group seem to get equal time in front of the camera
but i think natalie maines is the star and not just because of her stance
i found i was actually quite liking some of the less straight-up music and lyrics
and she does have a great stage presence (i predict a solo career)
the climax of the film is back in concert at shepherd's bush empire in london in 2006
back to the scene of the crime says natalie to the crowd
and telling the audience they have been asked a lot if they will be making any comments
well there's only one thing we want to say she announces
it's a great ending
worth seeing