Not only was I able to take in the new site, but I was able to see it with my favorite current jazz band, the Dave Holland Quintet, on stage! Given that the great bassist Holland had just released a new octet CD, Pathways, I thought it would be cool to hear the core band play the new tunes.

As usual, the band did not disappoint. At front were the two mainstay horn players, trombonist Robin Eubanks and saxophonist Chris Potter, both world-recognized artists. Their interplay is one of the highlights of any Quintet performance. Of course, Holland writes and arranges precisely to create that relationship. To the left side was vibe master Steve Nelson, who is part of almost every Holland production as Dave’s replacement for the piano player, throwing chordal curves in a percussionist vein, which drew pleasant grins from both Holland and the group’s drummer, Nate Smith, who was nestled back stage left behind the horns.

In fact, one of the joys of seeing this group is watching Holland, placed backstage middle, setting the tone for each selection and then showing his joy in what his bandmates do with what they are given.  On this night, Smith earned continuous smiles from his leader as he found numerous instances in which to push and pull rhythm and timing, all the while having to pay attention to Nelson’s constant desire to match his drummer’s pace and beat.

Clearly, Holland wants people to know that his chosen few create much pleasure and surprise, even after nearly ten years together, on and off. And on this night, judging from our view of his face, he was continually entertained.

Music from the new album will be featured on subsequent shows on Jazz with Mr. C, Wednesday nights on Owl Radio.

(It’s The Mermaids!)
Went to a party and saw The Mermaids! They were auhmazin’ and great to dance to! They sound
like… ” Christmas on th ebeach on mushrooms summoning the devil from the depths of the jungle
on acid.” As quoted from their Myspace page. They are currently unsigned, but I have a feeling
they are going to make it big very soon!
They have only been together for about 8 months and have put together some killer songs, which you
must check out… HERE!
I was also able to interview them, I’m editing the video right now, and should have it up some time
later tonight! So keep checkin’ in.

Also check out PINCHE GRINGO! They were playing there too and got ma feet rockin! hah.. .click here
to see how they sound!

[place interview here!]

Band members: Joey Commontion, Mathiew, JAAAWSH!, cool hand sam, gigglin’ ryan, little guy

(left to right: Violet, Lily, Em!)
Violet and I have been havin’ a blast so far! I have 2 jobs, and we are both certified life guards!
Woo here comes the money rollin’ in. So we recently went to this party that had Nadia Marie
and the Valentines playing. They were great I loved em! So I’m sure any of my listeners out there
will love them too. She has an amazing voice, and some of the chords.. reminded me of Interpol. Check
em out for yourself and tell me what you think!!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Some other bands that performed at the party: So So Death Click here to view the embedded video. Young Orchids “A gorgeous messy cluster of melody and jangle…” Hello Ocho Band members: Chris Yonker– Clinton Callahan– John Gregg– Chris Childs

So I face hours of reading student writing. While it is true that some students can’t pay attention during lectures, it is also true that some student papers bore me half to death, a trade-off, I guess. (Sub-title of my comp classes: How not to bore your professor–a guide to good grades.) In doing this reading, I sometimes have to stimulate my mind to stay actively involved, even if artificially engendered.

Some will rely on drugs, and I certainly will brew the pot of coffee needed (sorry, no ritalin or truck driver fluids for this dude).  However, one thing that works all the time is stimulating music in the ear phones. It has to be instrumental for me…lyrics beg for my attention.

Jazz provides stimulating music, alright. The two artists that seem to work the best are Thelonius Monk and John Coltrane. Others include Andrew Hill, Pat Metheny(in his purer jazz idioms),  and Dave Holland. The key element to each is a musician whose style and approach entice my mind to follow in a non-linear path as a counterpoint to the linearity I am reading for in my students’ work. It’s as though one part of my mind is escaping by being aware of the need for a “path,” while the other part is actively looking for one. One keeps me alert, the other on task.

People like Kenny G and other smooth jazz artists are too melodic to provide that counterpoint. I fall asleep, even when I am not reading papers. At 1 a.m., in the middle of my final stack, I don’t need incentives to hit the pillow.

So, students and instructors, try it. Get some Monk into the ear; let his percussive style cajole your intellect. You may read sharper, think quicker, even in the midst of the boggy swamp of student rhetoric.

1. Gonna Make You Sweat–C+C Music Factory
2. Dreamin’–Vanessa Williams
3. The Girl Gets Around–Sammy Hagar
4. The Look–Roxette
5. Wind Beneath My Wings–Roxette
6. My Sharona–The Knack
7. Atomic Dog–George Clinton
8. Maneater–Hall & Oates
9. Take Me With U–Prince & The Revolution f/Appolonia
10. Smooth Operator–Sade
11. Bang Your Head–Quiet Riot
12. Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)–Bananarama
13. We’re Not Gonna Take It–Twisted Sister
14. Don’t Rush Me–Taylor Dayne
15. Let Love Rule–Lenny Kravitz
16. I Want Your Sex–George Michael
17. Sharp Dressed Man–ZZ Top
18.That’s What Love Is–Miki Howard f/Gerald Levert
19. Escapade–Janet Jackson
20. Let’s Groove–Earth, Wind and Fire
21. Ain’t Nobody–Rufus f/Chaka Khan
22. Rub You The Right Way–Johnny Gill

Topics

1. Bret Michaels
2. Romeo Cologne: The End of An Era?

I am one of those volunteers, and I always bring music with me, ususally a song from the Great American Songbook sung by a famous artist connected to the jazz world. (Tune in tonight to hear what I am going to use on Thursday.)

This year I will be reading Sonnet 91 (sometime between 1 and 2 p.m.), a tribute to the priority of love over high class, with its power and glory.  I found it more difficult this time to locate an appropriate song and began to wonder why.

First, the imagery of class–in this case, the life of a nobleman–is very foreign to those in the jazz tradition. Those in society’s higher classes have a very difficult time claiming they have “the blues.” Even if one is snubbed in love, their position makes it more possible to have a greater number of candidates for love due to the attraction of position and its glories. Jazz artists were never, really, in that position. Those who wrote for popular singers during the first three-quarters of the 20th century had a cynical or ironic tone in regard to those who “have.”

So, Shakespeare in this regard is clearly peculiar. In Sonnet 91, the speaker claims that all the things a nobleman would desire pale in comparison to his love. Several songs in the American catalog reference the idea of trading “the world” for a lover, but the conceit is never extended beyond a few phrases; the passion takes over or natural imagery overtakes more materialistic language. For example, Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman,” mentions that a woman will make a man “trade the world/for the good thing he found,” but that’s as far as that discussion goes.

As it turns out, a song made famous by Dean Martin, “You’re Nobody Til Somebody Loves You” turns out to be the closest sentiment in context that I could find (so far). But…I’ll play Nat ‘King’ Cole’s version instead. The word “king” occurs early on as a reference to fame and fortune (and class); whether the pun on his name was intended or not can be debated.  Nevertheless, the lyric here–”You may be king, you may possess the world and it’s gold/
But gold won’t bring you happiness when you’re growing old”–clearly evinces the context the sonnet creates: love is better than upper class glories.

In the meantime, the subject of class became evident as I perused my own library, leading to some songs that can be juxtaposed to the development of a study of sorts. I plan to play those songs as part of my Shakespeare sonnet moment tonight, starting around 9:30. Hope you can be a part of that!

KSU ROCKS – which is TOMORROW!

ABOUT KSU ROCKS: 

KSU OWL Radio’s First Annual “KSU ROCKS!” is a live local music concert dedicated to displaying the musical talents of KSU! It will be Saturday, April 17th at 5pm in the University Rooms. There will be plenty of fun, food, and talented local musicians! Don’t miss out!

Students Admission $3/ General Admission $5!!!

Free Food from O’Charleys!!!

We have all genres performing including Rock, Hip-Hop, Metal, R&B, Alternative and Acoustic Folk!! 

Performers include:
Rusted Soul
Miles High Club (MHC)
Go, Robo, Go!
Blood Oaks
Isaac Solomon
Jasmine “Jae” Bishop
Mychael “Myke B” Ball Jr.
Bury Me Breathing
Perry “Prince” Benard
Teonykkia Starr
Az 1
Have You Seen My Ghost?
Stephen Black 
Trey Hawkins
Aes Seda

Hope to see you all there!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=315246848640&ref=ts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VymAn8QJNQ

1. Red Red Wine–UB40
2. Early in the Morning–Gap Band
3. Legs–ZZ Top
4. Funny How Time Flies–Janet Jackson
5. Can You Feel It–The Jacksons
6. Pour Some Sugar On Me–Def Leppard
7. Cha Cha Cha–MC Lyte
8. Biggest Part of Me–Ambrosia
9. Kiss–Prince
10. Sweet Dreams–Eurythmics
11. Oh Sheila–Ready for the World
12. Monkey–George Michael
13. It’s Like That–Run DMC
14. Heartbreaker–Pat Benatar
15. True–Spandau Ballet
16. You’re Not My Kind of Girl–New Edition
17. Ladies First–Queen Latifah
18. Hungry Like the Wolf–Duran Duran
19. I Like It–Dino
20. I Wanna Rock–Twisted Sister

Topics

1. Finding love on a reality show
2. Top 80s movies