Live Music: Cafe Blog

New friends / Musical collegues in Melbourne

2011-11-27T16:38:00.001+11:00

I have more than a few issues about how Australia works that I battle on a daily basis ...
Like... How is is it that a society with so small a population can have such divisions between the artificial factions that we let separate us?
Or ...
With so many entertainment venues why are they so often only half full?
Just recently I have discovered a bank of talent that for some reason has gone unnoticed... at least by me.
Ex pat Americans that have for a multitude of reasons found themselves living in Melbourne but for so many reasons have never really connected, I will explore some of these reasons in one of my other blogs but for this post I'd like to explore why certain talents lay disconnected & unused?

Wylie J Miller & Lawrence Ricks

Now for my part I must admit that for at least some part of my adventure down under, I have been either a moving target while trying to find a place for myself here or at the very least socially aloof
that aloofness in some part made possible by certain groups meant to bring expats together.
Just shortly on that note ... I find it amazing how many Americans find it necessary to bring some our troubles here... Nuff said.
So now I have connected with a few humans that while truly connected with the truth of being American are equally acknowledging the reality of being in and contributing to Australia.
While it sounds a simple thing, given we share a language and more, I assure you that living here takes a certain amount of ... let's say finesse.
Anyway now through the exceptional network of Mr. Ricks I have found connections where there were none and now look forward to making music where there was none.
The two gentlemen pictured here it should be noted are exceptional Bass players and singers and I think will figure in the coming events that I am planning in the short & long term.
So here's to connections, music & making the best of where you are.

Hammond organ night at the 303 Bar

2011-10-09T18:27:00.001+11:00

I really will never understand why a venue would not go to the greatest lengths possible to make a series of shows successful.
I have made a post or two about the 303 Bar in Northcote, the place where I was lucky enough to catch a set or two from the 12 tone Diamonds a while back, this little storefront venue on High Street is a place that seems to stay operating with just the minimal amount of publicity, and quite frankly I don't know how.
The space is, to use a popular Australian phrase "rough as guts",but when I walk in it never fails to remind me of many small venues of it's type back in NY, the 55 club for instance.
The 303 is fitted out with a mix up of 70's era kitchen tables & chairs, bar stools & lounges and a stage set up in what was once a shop window.
It has better than usual curtains & stage dressings but still falls into the the same groove as many other venues in Melbourne ( some of them world renown) of never adding the finer touches of a performance.
Why not hang a sign that says something about the act?
or have someone introduce the band & announce the members of the group?
As I sat and enjoyed the trio I couldn't help but notice the humans (read possible patrons) passing the quite large window in front of me and wonder how many might have come in if there had been some sort of direction ( the afore mentioned sign or band name) to lead them in.

The Band
The idea is a sound one somehow the 303 has gotten their hands on a fully functional B3 complete with a leslie speaker box and it only takes a minor thought to construct a series of concerts around that magnificent piece of equipment, so on Thursday nights ( for how long ?... don't know really) there will be a different player at the keys.
like I said ... good idea
The trio on This thursday night was very good and I'd like to tell you their names but...
Drums, Guitar & Hammond B3 and a tight trio they were pushing through a set of Standards like "The days of wine & roses", "Softly" and the like while the group surely did not color outside the lines they were very musical and enjoyable so I'll show my face next week to see whats next for sure.
Maybe I'll get a friend of mine to knock up a sign.

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Well not quite live music

2011-09-07T17:01:00.001+10:00

I love it when I listen to music I know pretty well and hear something new it happens just about every time i listen to Mingus or Monk.
Today while making the rounds Strange Blessing by Vernon Reid & Masque
came on my handy IPOD and I heard the intent... what I mean by that is the intent of the players that thing that they infused in the music that was meant to move the listener, me in this case , this listen transported me to another realm of colour and sensation that made me instantly think of of all things Thor , Asgard, and nordic myths that were so large that they hardly fit in my head.
Jeez ... I love Guitars!

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The Clash & Black America (well at least a small slice of it)

2011-08-29T22:43:00.001+10:00

For as long as I can remember I have wondered just what effect the punk wave has had on Black America in my own mind the effect has been enormous but what of the larger community of my "Peeps" the average Brotha' & Sista' on the street
Now hold on dear reader cause I am fresh out of 'Peeps' for testing here in the multicultural environs of Melbourne Australia, so my testing will have to take place in the past.
Away, quickly to the past!
To my testing lab in Lincoln Ave, Mount Vernon NY.
In 1970 Punks were thin on the ground in the leafy suburban towns of NY but if you looked a little harder we were there punks & freaks, of every distinction, Jet boys, Jet girls, Duppy conquerers, Rebels & the odd Cretin no it weren't no paradise but neither was it the South Bronx or Brixton.

In my own informal testing as a "Freak in Da hood" I have found that there was a welcoming of many punk sounds among thoses I could infect with...
I mean expose to, the sounds I was hearing.
Sure the iconography appeals to everyone, the rebels, the activists, the troublemakers and just about everyone knows "Rock the casbah" but what of the other aspects of the Clash?
Truth be told I don't think that anyone ever really knew who owned the voices on any of the Clash Albums I played for them but the ironic consensus was... "well sure they're white but there're not our white people!"
WHAT THE!??!

Police & thieves

This was something that the hood could understand although for a few the riff was familiar but not enough to really associate it with the reggae skank that spawned it.
The feeling was undeniable, and infectious even if quite removed from Junior Mervin's falsetto, this may be one of the few examples of two wildly different versions of the same tune where none of the feeling & intensity is lost.
Tommy gun & (white man) in Hammersmith Palais were big favorites in the punk tinged hood I wanted to create... and it wasn't long before I could hear my mates humming a few of the melodies that I had been blasting from my window. The vibe got in even if it now said "burnin rebellion isn't funny"

Soon quiet requests for this or that one filtered back to me during neighborhood gatherings, (read that "Block Parties") of course when played they were met with curiosity by the general crowd but I could feel the interest was there.
After a few parties ( some of them my own ) I began to take wagers on how far into a track I could get before someone yelled out " turn that shit off " when that happened at one of my parties I always complied and replaced the disc with "People who died" or something of an equal tone... sometimes it cleared the room and other times Slamin' begun, worked either way.

Teenage kicks

The Clash made up a big part of the soundtrack of my teen years but there were many other sounds that I would try to share with my contemporaries, The Undertones, The Ramones, Sonic youth, & the soundtrack to a film I'd never seen called "That summer" no, I'd never seen the film but it had so much great music by Ian dury & the blockheads , Elvis Costello, Mink Deville, Richard Hell & the Voidoids, Nick Lowe and more, that one had so much great music on it that it still makes weep when I think of the loss of it.
So my testing proved it informal though it was that ... "Yes, Virginia there are Black Punks!"
I'll leave you with this last exchange ...
Later probably about 79' while engaging in a "bull session" the type which was so popular in those days... you know the ones that usually started with a bunch of "Yo Mama" jokes I tabled a theory, "surely Prince must have listened to The Clash?
The replies I won't repeat here because they contained many disparaging remarks about my Mama, but they thought not...
Well, you can't win em' all.

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A Strawberry Letter

2011-06-07T01:24:00.000+10:00

So guitar, music, punk, soul & funk
From time to time I think about how all these things came to be inside me I can think back to my early days and listening to the sounds coming from the velvet poster, & black light saturated cavern better known as my brother John's room.

Hendrix, The Isley brothers, Brothers Johnson & Curtis Mayfield all things overheard from that room sounds that informed what was to come next
so...
whats next for me?
can I add to it ?
Sure I can...
The reality of my surroundings are not a deficit but a asset since they are ever changing

These words from Henry V may sustain me...
"when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood"

There is an act of war in any action of will...

"Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more"

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J.A.Y are the letters in his name!

2011-05-23T17:05:00.001+10:00

It's amazing how far an idea can travel.
25 or 30 years ago somewhere on the streets of Queens NY the seeds of Run DMC were being sewn.
Now after all those years on a wall, in the backstreets of Fitzroy, Australia

A tribute to a talent of the late great Jam Master Jay!

The world is very small indeed.

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Keith Richards outside Tower records on B'way and E 4th st

2011-05-11T00:40:00.001+10:00

Funny the things, and memories goggle maps can bring forward ..
Just a while ago I looked up the old Tower Records on B'way & 4th st I and millions of others used, to buy CD's , videos, concert tickets and the rest back in the day ( just so you know that day was late 80's / early 90's )
As I was saying I looked up the place and found that it was listed permanently closed ...
Jeez ... I don't even know how long its been closed
spent a lot of time in and around that place..
It was an easy place to meet friends
the sunday market was in a lot next door.
Hell...
once...
me and my buddy "Peace" set up a table near there and sold a bunch of mini, character figurines he'd made, like we were in some bit from a Abbott & Costello Film.
As i remember we had some funny times with the crowd & cops.
I remember dating some girl that was working there.
Sometimes when I was at loose ends
waiting for the village Voice offices to start giving out free tickets to this or that I'd go in and look through the racks, found that great disc by Taj Mahal.
I even once ran into Keith Richards outside
Really you'd think a guy like that would stay well clear of a place like that ...
Anyway I have much sadness over its closing ...
whenever it was.

Something a little more personal

2011-05-08T21:58:00.001+10:00

Ok so very few people know that I have been a bit under the weather for a while now .... quite a while now.
Lucky for me I have now received a bit of positive treatment and my hand is less a painful claw and more of the independently operating set of digits that it should be.
Maybe ... in time I will be playing properly again.

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Location:St Kilda East,Australia

The hip hop doctrine & The Mount Vernon Boys & Girls Club

2011-03-04T18:35:00.001+11:00

The good old days...
That phrase means something different to whoever hears it and still it means the same thing.
In this case for me it means a large, dark hall on the south side of Mount Vernon New York, a boys club hall to be exact, during the daylight hours it was sometimes a gymnasium, sometimes refuge but on Saturday nights it was ground zero of a weekly detonation of an awesome funk bomb.
Bass reflex speaker bins, Technics turntables, NuMark mixers yards & yards of cable & crate after crate of wax, these were the fuel that launched the weekend.
The lights were off and what light there was provided by a ruby colored 3 light spinner on the ceiling that was so high that it was almost in the upper stratosphere, that spinner was just bright enough to bathe the room in a faint red glow.
Red was the color of those nights, Red light, red hot, red red ready to dance, to sweat, to rub our libidos up against one another, the friction and movement of all that youth making the floors bounce the walls sweat, all to the soundtrack of beats cut expertly by Dj Nurock or the Collins Brothers. Snippets of Bongo rock & Rockin' bells or Dance to the drummers beat urging the crowd on.
At the entrance you could feel... smell the state of the crowd. If the room was just starting to move you could smell the hardwood of the basketball court and that funky pine that the spectator stands were made from but if it was in full swing you'd smell that musk, sweat, and hear the thumping beat muffled by all those bodies and you could hardly wait to get through the doors!
When we finally did get in the glass doors, paid our entry and submitted to a minor search it was on to the big red swinging doors, the portal to heaven!
I was always surprised by the provocative dance moves we got away with ..."The Freak" & "Freestylin'" were just horizontal fucking, rubbing pelvises hoping a uncontrollable fire would brake out... and a fire often did beak out.
I am sure that more than one child was conceived in the dark corners of the Southside boys club.
Relationships could last as briefly as a tune or as long as a weekend, it was simple,primal...beautiful!
and at the end 3 slow jams... almost always "Reasons" by Earth wind & fire, "Float on" by the Floaters & "Always & forever" by Heatwave.
I don't imagine that there would be any parents these days that would allow their teens out, across town or cities to to dance and hump with other teens in an unsupervised disco barn... hmmm? I don't think I would either.
Oh well raise your glass to days gone past in hopes that they should never come again!

Monk & Resignators

2011-01-23T02:03:00.000+11:00

There I am in the left corner

I don't think that I am a shrinking violet but lately I seem to be putting myself off to one side or in the background

You stole my record... You Bastard!!

2011-01-09T15:22:00.005+11:00

Here's a post dedicated to the many Records, tape, CD's and videos that have left my life through the unconscionable act of music thievery!
We've all had it happen and weather through design or accident the sting is still as sharp, now I'm not too worried about that "Weird Al" disc somebody gave me as a joke one birthday or the highly suspect, bootleg "Hyndrix" tape (and yeah that's the way it was spelled on the cover) given to me when I was a kid... No I'm talking about the good stuff!

These foul, senseless crimes have made me repurchase many recordings in the days before hard drives and a few after, I mean I've bought Dylan's Blonde on Blonde 8 times, Corey Glover's Hymns 6 times ( you really should have this one absolutely fantastic), The Go-Go's , We got the beat, twice (granted that was a long time ago, and if I had to I don't know if I could justify this one) Sadder are the ones that I have no chance of getting again like once I was shopping in a olace called Global imports on 5th avenue somewhere near 19th st. ( I loved that place) and I stumbled across a copy of "Conjure: Music for the Texts of Ishmael Reed" man that was some profoundly Hip shit on that one! ... Available at Target?!?! well if that's true I'll buy another copy. On the subject of discs that might be hard to get ... What ever happened to my copy of Smash & Scatteration?!?? Don't know what happened to that one ... I've played it for lots of people but most just stared at me with a confused, blank look... so who took it?
You Bastard!!
Listen we're all adults here, we all know there are ways to "Get" music but I'm not down with that and still it doesn't remove the sting of the crime by committing another.
This has been about music but I feel I should mention my copy of Robin William's - "Reality... What a concept" ( as I think of it that album may also be at the root of my conspicuous use of the ellipsis ) that was connected with the disappearance of a high school football buddy named "Elroy" and speaking of rare things... he remains the only African American... hell the only man full stop I've ever met with the name Elroy.
So listen If you find that you have a disc that has my name on it or is in some way connected to me send it on home to me! ... and what happened to my Sam Cooke album!

Signs of Summer

2010-12-08T22:42:00.001+11:00

A sure sign that summer is here!

Henry Rollins Band & the after concert fugue state

2010-12-06T19:44:00.002+11:00

Ok I cannot think of a good reason that I haven't written anything about Henry Rollins & The Rollins Band, except that, like Living Colour, The Ramones, Fishbone, The Resignators and some other bands I have seen so many times, one excellent show melds into another leaving me with a warm amalgam of concerty goodness.
Today I was listening to ThatFNguide and they brought up Rollins which set me thinking about all the Rollins gigs & all the preparation it took for me to survive a Rollins Band gig you may say "Uh... But you were just a spectator... So what the F**k are you Talkin' bout Monk!" Well ... my reply to that is this ... From the early days, I think at the old Ritz (RIP) when "Slam" was the go ( Picture me, dreds, shaved back & sides, Button, T-shirt or leather with "Come Get Some" written on it) to a gig in Fremantle Australia at the Fly by night club a different me, in hemp clothing, sandals, much longer dreds, no buttons, no slogans and very little outward aggression left... and all the Rollins gigs between the one constant was that it took a hell of a lot of energy to remain upright against the sonic onslaught of any of the Rollins bands, I had to be in shape... Not as much as Rollins but prepared in my own fashion.
After every one of those gigs, I remember leaving bathed in sweat, and feeling spent, walking in a fugue state that I didn't come out of until respectively Washington Square Or Gino's on the cappucino strip. Maybe that's a sign of a great gig... the length of the after concert blackout... I mean, I once saw Curtis Mayfield on a Wednesday and woke up 5 days later at Teterboro airport! Then there was the time I saw Jimmy Smith & The Mingus Big Band on the Tuesday & Wednesday before my birthday and I still come up a year short when I think about how old I am.
At The Ritz I can remember the the floor bouncing & waving in a most unnatural manner under he weight of all those punk/freaks, and guys opposite me in the slam circle sizing me up for a take-down and in Freo I remember totally losing it when they went into "Low Self Opinion" and all the people that knew me only as a Jazz playing Ex-pat yank scratching their heads.
Anyway... the things that I remember most about those gigs is the after feeling, that the stars were a little bit brighter, the streets a little bit cleaner, that my fellow men / women were not ALL total arse****S and the silent vow to get to the gym more often.

WLIR / WDRE: Dare to be different!

2010-12-04T01:47:00.000+11:00

Just recently I have been having slap-back memories of my teen years. In 1977 I was a 15 year old knucklehead trying to make some sense of what I was feeling, doing and wanting to do, like anyone at that age, I needed a bit of help or at least a pointer or two.
I don't know exactly when they started broadcasting but at some point, like a beacon of hope from somewhere in Long Island I found WLIR / WDRE. This radio station had two sets of call letters in the time I was listening
( they changed them in mid flight, this may have been the one and only time I was upset about anything an organization did) & one extraordinary slogan... "Dare to be different!" This station brought Elvis Costello, The Clash, The Pretenders, Fishbone, Ian Dury, Iggy and all the rest right into my head & my bedroom. I've heard some people say, when reflecting on their teen years " Wow this or that thing made me feel like less of a freak" 'DRE' did more than that it let me know there were more freaks out there and I had to find them ... My people! Thanks guys!

St Kilda Festival 2010

2010-02-16T22:21:00.008+11:00

Another year and another St Kilda festival.
Why is it in the past few years I have been missing more and more of this usually great little festival?
This year I completely missed the "Live & Local" part of the festival!
I did catch Urth Boy and he was good ( Is it a he or a they? )

anyway I missed the start of their set that must have been when they explained the outfits.
Stiil ... very nice set... not very ambitious but good.
As usual there were the very noticeable irregulars... Listen... I don't want to be in a world where a boy can't take his best mate out to a concert!

and then one of my favorites You Am I

Their set seemed a bit short and a little " drag out the hits" and all that still... I'd go just about anywhere to hear "Berlin Chair"

I tried to wait around for the bamboos but there just was not anything there to kill a good 1/2 hour between sets and before I knew it I was down Carlisle street and on my way home

The return of the Resignators

2009-05-27T20:37:00.004+10:00

Well you know that I love these guys.
After weeks touring the North American Continent they have returned to Melbourne!
There was much energy and excitement at the John Curtain Hotel.
Welcome back guys!

At the festival

2009-05-20T21:41:00.006+10:00

The thing about music festivals is ... you never know what type of freaks you'll find there.
It starts out with a couple of guys a dog & a can of spray paint ... and the next thing you know we gotta explain it all to the RSPCA!

Aussie/ Kiwi Hip Hop:

2009-04-08T16:53:00.002+10:00

Aussie/ Kiwi Hip Hop:

These days the music travels very quickly, when a new musical wave pops up in New York, L.A. or London it doesn’t take long before the ripples reach every port around the world.

We are all familiar with the path a new sound takes.

When some new thing pops up it is first seen as a threat, then it grabs our collective attention as an underground sensation, it’s popularity grows and before we know it it’s being hailed as the next big thing and then in due course it is cleaned up, packaged and sent out to the masses for consumption, after all the sharp edges have been removed of course.

I’m sure it was the same in 1492 when some guy left home to pick up some cinnamon, we all know how many unexpected results came from that little excursion.

That’s the way I see the movement of Hip-Hop & it’s culture around the planet.

It’s been over three decades ago since the days when Hip-hop was vilified & far from the worldwide phenomenon it is today.

Anyone old enough can remember when most people, including the music industry said that Rap, Hip-Hop, B-Boys & Fly girls would be the end of us all.

It wasn’t!

Now as unbelievable as it sounds we are entering an age when all the early waves Hip–Hop has made are now returning as ripples to our shores from all the far-flung places that the music has touched.

Cuban, South American even Chinese & Japanese Hip-Hop not even language is a stumbling block for this music.

That being said there are still a few small blind spots left on the world map, one such spot is Australia, but not only Hip Hop has stumbled in the antipodes, for a very long time the Australian music scene has existed in relative obscurity.

With a few notable exceptions like ACDC, INXS, Split enz, Midnight Oil & more recently Keith Urban & Jet the majority of Australian act have failed to make a mark on the overseas market.

The reason for this has always been a mystery to me, because to my mind so many Australian acts have had worldwide appeal written all over them.

In many ways Australian music can be almost indistinguishable from the sounds coming from the U.S. or U.K. markets, partly because so many Aussie artists have modified their accents in hope of larger overseas appeal, but the Australian sound is so much more than an accent.

Back in the days when Hip-hop still had that new beat smell, the meeting place was a community centre, block party or the local boys club.

A couple of turntables, a microphone and a few bass reflex speakers was all that were needed to get a party started.

Hip-hop history began in New York and spread quickly across America but now Hip Hop culture is finding it’s way around the planet and now even the most remote cultures are beginning to feel it’s influence. Not even the traditional barriers of language or geography can stop its progress.

We all know that Hip-Hop, like Jazz & Rock it resonates through many groups that feel disenfranchised, or feel the sting of poverty, it may be this ever-growing number of “economic minorities” that has in part made Hip Hop the worldwide phenomenon it is today.

The evolution of Hip-Hop culture in America is being well documented as it becomes big business and as it was at the beginning of Rock & Roll, what was once a sub culture is now being adopted by the mainstream, but it is not so in the case of foreign based hip-hop.

Hip-Hop’s Latin, French, Russian & Australian/ New Zealand cousins are growing stronger and are building there own their own styles.

In the beginning and still to this day Hip-Hop, like jazz has a split down it’s middle that divides it into two distinct disciplines East coast & West coast.

Once Hip Hop could only be found in African American communities and as it was with Jazz & Rock it’s beginnings were rooted in political activism. In those early days, the Hip-Hop & Rap fan base was found among the so-called minority groups and was a produced mainly by black artists.

Although we didn’t know it then, the 80’s were giving birth to a new breed of American entrepreneur that would lead to the inception of the many companies that produce Hip Hop fashion and cultural icons such as FUBU, Sean john & Rocawear.

Back then it would have been impossible to see the shape hip-hop has taken from the time when Vanilla Ice was the great white hope for crossover hip-hop.

I’m sure that not one person could have seen that the market would “crossover” to hip-hop or that we would live in a time when virtually every country would have a thriving hip-hop community.

Back in 1992 when I first came to Sydney, Australia I had no idea how much African-American music and culture had insinuated itself into these people and their culture. Once as I walked Sydney’s streets trying to familiarise myself with the laneways, precincts and general city plan, among all that new and foreign information I began to hear something very familiar, the sound of basketballs on asphalt.

The sound captured my interest, I followed it down one street, around a corner and then boom tat, boom boom tat, yes that familiar kick & snare drum rhythm. I turned the final corner and there I saw the same scene I’d seen on the court at the 4^th street playground… the clothes, shoes, hats all the same with one notable difference.

There was not a single black face among them, or American for that matter and the way they reacted to me, these young Australians with Hip Hop dreams.

As if my turning that corner was the strangest thing… an actual “Black American”!

As I spent more time in Australia I began to realise just how much advance press African-American culture has received and how overwhelmingly positive it is and how it is effecting their culture.

In the 12 years since then, I have watched Australian Hip-Hop grow from mimicry of Afro American styles to the present day when there are many groups making original Australian/ New Zealand Hip-Hop.

I can't wait to see what the future holds for this hip-hop branch office

Ernest Ranglin Live @ The Espy!

2007-12-09T17:58:00.000+11:00

This town amazes me!

I'm online pretty much... well a lot of the time. seeing what's goin on and things to do and all that.

I go out for a while on wed night to find that on Thursday the incredible guitarist , Ska Legend Ernest Ranglin is doing a show on Thursday!

Well lucky I ventured out into the real world , or I would never have gotten there.

The man was on! old tunes new ones all done with that trademark Ranglin style. He was joined on stage by

"The Trojan Horns" and boy did they look like they were havin' fun! Lucky bastards.

Open note to Melbourne's event community.... ADVERTISING get to know it!

Wanna see more pics.

click this link

Just about a week ago I went Down to a club in the City to check out my old Friends The Resignators.

2007-10-08T00:16:00.001+10:00

The Resignators have a new Drummer, to replace the lovely Cinta, and it was Big Fran's Birthday so I felt I should make my way there.

The club oxide is an odd one. four Rooms on for Floors in a 4 story walk up "I'm too old for this shit!

Any way I was a good night. King City 7 Played Then tie guys got up send did their Punk- ska thing, as you can See it went down a treat!

Tonight its Oxide in the Melbourne CBD

2007-09-29T12:47:00.001+10:00

Really this post is to test a new posting system but I will be out at Oxide tonight for real stay tuned

12 Tone Diamonds

2007-09-17T13:24:00.000+10:00

Every once in a while in this crazy ol' town I like to call Melbourne (i like to call it that ... cause that's what they told me it was named) you find a group of musicians that seem to have ... something that something while hard to pin down... can be very pleasant.

In the case of th "12 Tone Diamonds" that something is an easy and well meaning alliance with atonality & a deep groove.
If you look closely at the pics you'll see that the sax is doing double duty as he also features in the "Bennett's Lane Big Band" from the post that precedes this one .
The "12 Tone Diamonds" Are however ... a much different group.

Ploughing the same field as Larry Coryell (in the 70's) they manage to keep their interpolations crisp and to the point, without endless repetition.

That is high praise because as I'm sure you know a large chunk of today's improvisers ... well can become tired real quick.

for at least a couple of week they will be doing their thing at the 303 (303 High street Northcote)
so don't come bitchin to me that there is nothing going on in Melbourne on Wed night!

Bennett's Lane Big Band

2007-09-12T16:31:00.000+10:00

If you know me (and of course you don't) You know that there is only one modern day Big Band for me... That's the Mingus big band!
However... It's been quite a while since that band bumped into ol' Melbourne town.
So I heard about a band playing out of Bennett's Lane on Monday nights and down I went Camera in hand and with my ears on!
And boy am I glad
...Cause they were damn good

A bit of Monk-Esque interpolation, Mingus - like swing, some tasty horn solos, unison lines
And for the most part original!

Unfortunately there was not a large crowd to support these local heroes.
Perhaps if the club told someone about the gigs ... well this is the issue in Oz a reluctance to advertise.
don't say you haven't heard ... Monday nights , Melbourne, Bennett's Lane.

The World I Know (Hip Hop Views)

2007-08-22T15:18:00.000+10:00

The following post is not endorsed by my brain (in fact I strongly suggest that you find a way to turn yours off while reading)

Ok you've been warned!

Being a man of a certain age from New York, I remember quite vividly the beginnings of hip hop (Yes that's right Virginia... hip hop began on the east coast of America) this is to my mind common knowledge but alas it is not so common knowledge to the world at large ... on my travels I have heard some preposterous theories such as hip hop culture came from LA, the Midwest, Chicago, Manchester, Africa... the list goes on & on.
Now as the 3rd generation of hip hoppers grows I live in a daily fear that one day some punk will come up to me and explain how it all started in a small club in Perth circa 1995!

Now it may surprise you to know that when I myself was but a young PUNK and on my frequent punk-less weekends where I would attend parties at the Mount V boys club where friends DJ Nu-rock, or his contemporaries were spinning wax (do you remember wax?) or more to the point the bull sessions afterwards we would talk about the far-flung future where there would be masses of Caucasians groovin to the hip hop beat...
This was always followed by hearty laughter!

The fact was that even in those early days there were always 1 or 2 guys that were brave enough to cross the color line.
My opinion was that hip hop would be lucky to last through the next week!

...I was obviously wrong...

That's ok I've been wrong before but I don't believe that any would have envisioned the crazy, Topsy turvy world we now live in where even the New Zealand born warehouse boy (all of 19) has a long history as a rapper ... after a fashion.
Of course long is a relative term.

So what is it I'm trying to say?

That hip hop is only for those that are part of the brown American heritage... uh... NO cause that would be STUPID.

No what I want to say is that it only works if EVERYBODY is EVERYWHERE!

White blues players, black country players, Asian hip hop artists, New York throat singers &... well you get my drift...

We have to always remember the source... the roots.
So if in 30 years or so some Canadian throat singer tries to deny that it all started in Mongolia ... Tell em to go get stuffed!

Nuff said

Every now and then ....

2007-07-16T12:12:00.000+10:00

Every now and then I see something advertised that is such a great idea that I just have to pass it on!
This gig bag form Incase
may be known by a lot of you but it's the first time I've heard of it ... And damn it looks like just what every guitar/bass player should have.
give it a look!

Resignators (bits I left out)

2007-05-25T11:15:00.000+10:00

Ok, a while ago I played a few gigs with my buds the Resignators for what ever reason I feel it is important and truthful to say they could have gone better...

But you know... it's not always about ME.
The overwelming reason that I wanted to do the gigs is simply that the tunes are so good. Even as I sit here remembering , I get that feeling that I get when I hear something that is authentic, organic and ... right, you know like Aretha's voice, Doug Winbush's Bass or Monk's Piano

The resignator song "Emotional" does that for me for that matter so does "Point to Prove" Am I saying that the resignators Are the greatest band in the world?

Well nobody can be that ... and why would ya want to, what I am trying to say is that despite all the obstacles between creatives and their muses, they have surely managed to punp out a few tasty bits for the world at large to enjoy, and that's a damn fine thing.

It is important...

2007-05-25T11:06:00.000+10:00

(From the Hubble telescope)

To tell the truth

to make a home

to fight

to help

to heal

to give

to take

to feel

to be there

to be here

to be

to come home

to leave again

lyrics by

-Monk Peabody-

The Oracle

2007-05-11T16:39:00.000+10:00

I know now that the oracle was trying to do what he thought was best, now that I myself have tried to play the part of oracle to my own disciples.
In his own way while trying to make his way through the maze of perception that is New York.
I wonder sometimes what he must have felt in those days, did he obsess over weather he was doing right by me? Did it make a difference how willing I was to devote myself to music to him?
The late nights, and the all too frequent errands all the things I willingly took on, some might have thought that a responsibility so large might be too much to take on, but my oracle never flinched, never chafed carrying the weight. Was it because he felt no such weight?
These are some of the questions that I ask myself when my own inertia leaves me shattered on the roadside.
The fall, the stuttered flight, the periodic soaring, these are the gifts the oracle gave to me whether or not he ever knew, the music and the life such as it is are just the tip of the iceberg of benefits that I know and will know…
135’s augmented minors, 251’s.
All Blues, Well you needn’t, Softly… my history … our history!
So much more and all beyond repayment and paid in full.
A gift?
A duty?
A pact between disciple and oracle?
It could be called all of these but mostly a transfer of skills, of knowledge of… potential. The full story of that potential has not been written.

The biggest gift might be the knowledge that if I had it to do it all again with all that I know now with the chance to turn, twist change or alter my course … I would do it all again and more, perhaps I would not lose touch but that tale is still being written too.

More Fishbone!

2007-04-27T15:42:00.000+10:00

Cause one post is not enough!

Those of you that know fishbone will be quite aware of the fact that they have been largely overlooked by the mainstream, I'm not sure if that is a bad thing or not I think the band definitely thinks it is.

It make me wonder though what their collective fortunes would have held if they had become the main event on the musical world stage?
Would Ma & Pa have never been recorded?
Would the "Rock star Rant" have never been heard?
Would they have become another complacent flash in the pan?

These are alternate realities I would never want to live in.

And besides all that ...
how many bands can make live use of a theremin?

All Hail "The Bone"

Ladies & gentlemen....

2007-04-15T20:16:00.000+10:00

I have the great pleasure to present to you a fine group of musicians... ROCK STARS every one!

Fishbone!

OK...There are very few concerts that I have looked forward to more than this one. Ever since the first time I heard of this band I have come as close to being a devotee as I ever could.
Respect for longevity, awe of musicianship, envy of style I got it all for these guys.

Lucky for me like most gigs in this town there was very little notice and very little advertisement so I didn't have to suffer that awful wait for the date to roll around, when I was told my members of the Resignators that they had snatched up the support spot... I was first truly happy for them and secondly confused by the fact that I hadn't heard about it!

I have long reconciled myself to the facts that moving to Australia from New York was going to effect my very active concert going activities and that while there are many hing Melbourne does well one of them is certainly not promotion.

Anyway... back to the point.

If ya don't know (like many of the people at the concert) Fishbone are one of the true & proper rock outfits in the world..., as well as being blessed with a wicked and cutting sense of humor which they use at every opportunity in their music.

It's been a very long time since I've seen these guys

but let me tell you that it was well worth the wait.

And not for nothing but a camera can do wonder for the concert experience, it gets you right up front, gets the attention of the band and keeps the crowd well away.

One odd performance

2007-04-07T21:32:00.000+10:00

So... Let me tell you about another gig that can only be classified as odd.

If you have been reading here you will aware that for the past coupla years I have had an interesting relationship with the cats and kittens of the Resignators , from some unorthodox recording sessions, to filling in for guitarist (SOUV!) to taking a pic of two at some gigs, but nothing could prepare me for the recent gig at the Yarraville Club.

The Yarraville Club is essentially an RSL club who's clientele is well... lets say is not known for it's love of punk & Ska music. OK... let's not candy coat it... the regular members of ths club are old... damn old!

How did this venue become host to a young hot Punk/Ska band?

Well, in a stroke of brilliance the band had arranged to hire out the function room and put on their own gig.

A few circus performers, a chicken dinner and a room full of Punk/Ska lovin' freaks and all controlled by the band.

That's the way to do it!

So the band made some very slight changes to their set, and they were all ready for the dinner set.

As I said it was a great night and it was only made better when "Big Fran"shared with me the the great news that The Resignators would be the support act for the Melbourne leg of Fishbone's Australian tour!

I couldn't be happier for them!

Till next time ...

While I was out...

2006-10-22T23:53:00.000+10:00

Sometimes I get up in the morning with the urge to amble around, doesn't matter what town it is ... it's not so much that I am exploring more just an urge to move.
This has always happened as long as I can remember and for as long as I can remember everytime I get this urge I find I discover something new and delightful...
Today was no different, while I was out taking pics with my new camera I noticed a banner for an upcoming exhibit of Manga animation outside National Gallery Victoria so I went in to check it out camera in hand when I got inside the staff, proud of the new renovations to their gallery suggested that I go out into the new outdoor courtyard/gallery as I passed through the building I began to hear the sound of live music... A trio, I turned one more corner and to my surprise there was a trio (viola, bass, guitar) playing lovely klesmer music.

Nice surprise. Never did get their name.

Cigars, Scotch, Jazz & A Great Room - A room called Acqua Vino

2006-10-05T02:11:00.000+10:00

Tonight I took a little walk into Yarraville.
You see I had heard that on a wed. night there was a nice club that featured Jazz.
It took me a while but I finally got there ... and it was quite ... well spectacular.

I walked into this huge, very well set out room, tables chairs, nice comfy leather couches, bar at the front, band at the back and a great big humidor in the middle.

( Hey don't mind the pic it's from my phone cam)

A trio plays swing -ish music in the background Bass, accordian, guitar , a very good little trio never did get their name.

It took me all of 2 minutes to realize I was home .

The Room was called Acqua Vino

My new myspace artist page

2006-08-23T19:48:00.000+10:00

Yes indeed I have joined the ranks of myspace artist page owners, to tell the truth I have had a page for a while but have hesitated to start an artist page.
Why...? well I guess I have had a few things on but really there is no good reason, but in the short time I have been "sittin - in" with The Resignators I have remembered how important it is to ACT on your desires... thanks kids!

So go on over check it out and listen to the first song I've posted "What Everybody Wants"
and don't forget... to let me know what you think cause your opinion is important to me ... whoever you are.

David Ford Live @ The Ding Dong Lounge

2006-08-19T10:04:00.000+10:00

It's not often that I discover a new and interesting musical artist while watching breakfast television, frankly it is unlikely that I discover anything new while watching this crazy hybrid of "info-tainment" but none the less Tuesday morning while doing my morning sleepwalk around the house, switching on the tele, starting the coffee, visiting the loo and such the good people @ the Sunrise program showed unusually good musical taste and gave 5 minutes to a visiting Brit performer.
This was a good thing , not only because it saved me from listening to 5 minutes of idle morning show prattle but this guy was quite good!

His name is David Ford

and his new disc -"I Sincerely Apologize For All The Trouble I've Caused" is not bad at all but what caught my attention was firstly his song "State of the union" a passionate, political tune with a lyric that goes...

How they love you so cold and so vicious
With friends like these, well who needs politicians
The first one, its always comes free
They tell you heroin takes like ice cream

and secondly his stage gimmick which reminded me of a similar performance I once saw years ago, on the short lived Captain & Tennille show of all places. I'm not sure but I think the 'Captain' ( is that and honorary title?) may have done this bit every week, where he had a series of synths set up on stage, each one linked to what are now quite archaic sampler/ sequencer units, he then played a bit on each synth until he had 'built' a piece of music, that performance has stayed with me through all these years maybe Mr Ford saw that same performance I don't know.
Now flash forward to the present day, where many a technological advancement has been made in the sampling and reproduction of sound and Mr Ford has incorporated some of that into his act. In the same vein as the 'captain's' performance David ford (a solo performer) set his stage with a number of instruments, guitar, piano, harmonica (though it was forgotten for the performance I saw) a old suitcase with a microphone inside (for percussion), one vocal microphone all patched into a sampler, and like the 'Captain' adds bits and takes away other bits in real time.
Add to all this some very nice songs of modern day angst, pleasant stage presence, a funny , well worn floppy pork-pie hat and a not bad at all cover of the Smiths song "there is a light that never goes out" and there you have it, a very good time was had by all in the Ding Dong lounge.

A Personal musical note

2006-07-15T01:15:00.000+10:00

Saturday July 15

Monk Peabody will be filling in for The Resignators guitarist while he is away.
Skanky, punky, ska & horns never forget the horns!
Gonna be heaps o' fun!
At the "Espy"

Music for the young?

2006-06-14T00:43:00.000+10:00

Here's the deal.

From the time that some guy first had a melody pass through his mind sometime back at the dawn of time people have been chasing this dream.
The artistic desire is born with us but desire to be a performing musician is one that has been created by us primarily by the needs of the ego.
Minstrel, Girot, Troubadour, Jongleur what ever we call it the drive to be a part of the world's long musical history is strong but more and more these days there is a very wrong minded idea growing in society that somehow this drive is meant to dissapate as we get older, truth be told a lot of our drives are supposed to dissapear as we age... They do not.

Having been born in the early 60's I cannot be considered old, but I know now as I have always known... I will age, however my personal plan is to age as disgracefully as possible, the one thing I will not do is bow to some societal pressure to, slowdown, move out of the way, or box myself in, not in any fashion.
The idea that a life in music is for the young should have passed with the last generation & quite frankly is flawed in so many ways that I could never go into them all... but here are the top 5

Music needs more perspective not less, the views of young , old, men, women are needed to have a realistic image of life.
Some ideas become more powerful as one gets older
Rock is in the mind not the body (music is ALL in the mind)
If you never let mental rigor get in ... you'll always be relevant
I won't be stepping down

Are we ever going to learn that drawing arbitray lines between ages, music, sexes, colours and all the rest, just does not work?
Go ahead... mix it up!
It'll do ya good!

In fact I got it right now. (a taste of the metaphysical)

2006-04-27T11:37:00.000+10:00

You all know how it happens...
You could be involved in any type of activity, your job, web surfing, or just crossing the street on a normal day and suddenly the seed of an idea starts to grow in your mind, a melody, bass line whatever.
Now you have the seed of what could be something special, but how do you hold on to it?
Here's a way I find hepful till I can get to a place to get it down on paper or 'tape'.

It isn't very difficult, I run the fragment of idea over in my mind and then I picture myself with my instrument in a familiar place playing it over & over until it become a virtual body memory.
|I find that once I am in that familiar place I find it easier to make the sound in my head more 'real' and when it's 'real' I find that I can even go through some possible harmonic ideas and in the space of a few short minutes I find it almost impossible to forget and when I get to my instrument it 'feels' like a true body memory.
There you have it.
Until they come up with a virtual studio that can fit in my breast pocket this'll have to do.

I do love gear!

2006-04-26T00:45:00.000+10:00

There was a time when all I wanted was a nice amp and that I could plug into ... And of course I do still go straight in sometimes but I am an effects guy, for me in the studio or live I like to plug into a pedal board and get the sound I have labored to produce and it is not always a organic sound, sometimes it is quite out there.
This means that I am always looking for a new bit here a new effect there to try to pull that sound I have in my head.
Just recently, while I was visiting a few music shops looking I stumbled across this one from Line 6, the variax "modeling" guitar.
Now if you have been reading the post on this blog you'll know that I don't go in for stats & specs I don't really care how they do it, or what they do to create these inovations I just care how it feels and plays.

The poop on the "modeling guitar:
Ok for those of you like me that use a pedalboard you will know that most have amp simulators/modeling which simply create with varying degrees of effectiveness the sound of classic amp combinations, this is the deal with this guitar from line 6 only it attempts to recreate classic gutar sounds.
Telecaster, Strat, Resonators and even Banjos... and they don't sound bad at all!
I know, I was incredulous too.
The guitar itself is made from the right stuff and feels good, I did not play it long enough to get a real feel for all that it can do but I can see this being very useful in so many ways.
I don't know about you but I'll be saving my pennies, at the very least you should get into you dealer and check it out.

6 Tunes in 4 Days!

2006-04-19T09:07:00.000+10:00

Ok... As it is with these things I have a few tunes that have been gathering dust in the back blocks of the computer, I am now in the 4th day of a 4 day plan to complete 6 tracks and amazingly it looks like this just might happen!
The long days and nights slaving over a hot mixing desk have paid off!

New Effects!

2006-04-14T19:10:00.000+10:00

Well the slow efforts to replace all the gear I have lost from New York to Perth to Melbourne and all the stops between continues...
Ladies and gentleman ... Let me introduce you to my new friend the korg ax -1500G!

More EFX than you can ever use, 48 preset 48 user programs lots of control by way of the onboard volume / expression pedal.

Listen you can get the specs on this thing from the web ... What's really important is that it sounds damn good!

I have had a few of these pedals over the years and this is by far the easiest to program and control but like everything else in this world it will take a minute or two to learn to finesse it.
It is a amp modeling type effect box so you can get a reasonable facsimile of many of the most famous boxes.
On board sampler is a nice touch too even though it offers only 6sec of sampling.

I am happy with my choice!

The Process is Never Clean

2006-04-11T14:17:00.000+10:00

So many things can get in the way of the music...
Travel, love, injury... Life.
But without all the stresses that go with life what would our music be?
All of us that strive to create know that we have to use our lives, our pain, as grist for the mill of the creative process and we should also know that at times it can become a blockage.
Musical history is filled with personal triumphs that have been snatched from even more personal defeats.
If we can agree that trauma is unavoidable how do we transform these traumas into fuel for the creative process?
I wish that there was some clear answer to that, for your sake and my own but as it is with music and creativity in general there are only subjective answers.
Meditation can work for some while talking to a partner may work for others, religion, faith (which, by the way are not the same thing) all these things can work for some and be totally useless to others, and can also work for some time and then drop us right back in the pit... So what is the answer?
Here's an option...
We do the very thing that has never failed us, the thing that allowed us all to grow and mature as artists, no matter what your medium is it is always the same...
KEEP YOUR EYES AND EARS OPEN!
Live in that state of hyper-sensitivity that got you this far, that allowed you to ignore the hardships difficulties while you were studying, get in contact with that information sponge you once were, but beware, for we have all passed through that time for a reason it is not safe to 'live' there.
Living in that place has broken more artists than we could ever count, trace your own history and you will see it is true, further... If you trace the history of creativity you will see that this process is never clean, so many give all they have to achieve their goal, never become one of them, give all you can but never all... Because if you do... Then what will be left for you?

Another city another sound!

2006-03-22T16:01:00.000+11:00

This is my first posting to "live" by "photocast" but I may do a few more it is just too easy!
If you care to hear a little about a couple of new bands I've relcorded recently... give a listen.

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Jimmy Cliff: Sidney Myer Music bowl

2006-03-20T05:22:00.000+11:00

As an companion event to the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne the arts-centric governing body of the city of Melbourne is gratciously lovingly crafted The Festival Melbourne 2006.
12 days of art entertainment.
On the 17th of March that very same body kicked it all off with Jimmy Cliff.
Yay!
This was my first concert at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl so I didn't quite know what the physical space would be like, but I did know what an outdoor concert, in late summer, in Melbourne can be like...
Late summer in Melbourne is like a daily tour through the seasons, it seems every possible combination of weather fronts can materialize with little or no warning.
Overcast, cloudy warm / hot days cool crisp cloudless nights.
Oppressively hot days almost equally hot nights
and on this day it was cloudy/sunny/with a twist drizzle wet/cold/clear/rainy night, so I had to dress carefully...
Something from the comfortable shoe, poncho/sweater/anorak collection.

The Myer Music Bowl is a aluminum tent-shaped outdoor amphitheatre that seats about 2000 with a very large grassy knoll lawn, a great place for a warm sunny day... I must try to get back there on one of those.
It has a great sound.

The warm -up was The Renagades Steel Orchestra, a 16 piece steel drum group that did "5 o'clock jump" a classical medley some R & B classics the idea behind the concert is that the performer at the festival would be from the commonwealth countries so on this night Jamaica was represented.
Jimmy cliff was spectacular I don't know how old he is now ... But he's definitely fighting fit and full of energy.
He did all the hits and did them well with a couple of Ska classics thrown in as a tribute to his history.
His band was a small unit, trimmed down to surgically deliver a hot reggae shot, key/vocals, guitar, drums/vocals, bass/vocals, backing vocalist, trumpet/vocalist, tenor sax/keyboards/ vocals and they got the most out of that lineup.

Resignators CD Launch

2006-03-05T23:51:00.000+11:00

Well it's always good to get out there and see a band or two, hear some good music, see what's going down in the clubs and see how the crowds react to the sound. The Corner Hotel in Richmond, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia has been host to thousands of acts from all over the world. On February 16 The Corner was the host for the first CD launch of the Punk/Ska band called The Resignators, the disc is called "You got me thinking" and if you ask me the disc is damn good! Of course I did mix one of the tracks... but that doesn't take anything away from my analysis of the quality of the disc. Years ago when I was still a New Yorker, I spent plenty of time in the Punk/Ska, Ska/Punk scenes Yeah I know... you're thinking... what's the difference? Punk/Ska or Ska/Punk the same right? Well no... Not really. At your typical Punk/Ska gig n the 80's you'd find driving rockabilly tinged beats, distorted guitars, union jacks, Doc Martins, slam dancing and a sea of Mohawks. While at the Ska/Punk gig you have black suits, skinny ties, Reggae one-drop, skankin bass lines and porkpie hats. I have never been the scene type, I'm really more of a blow-in but the music drives me. This gig at "The Corner" was really a melding of the two, hey… I guess that's progress.

I tried to keep it in my mind that for the most part these were 3rd generation punks and as such they have very different rules, so in I went with only an open mind. The Resignators had asked three bands to come down and play at their launch, three bands with three different punk philosophies.The first band was "The Spent Shells" very loose mostly straight punk 4 piece lots of energy and a good start for the night, they were followed by “The king city Seven”.As the name implies a seven piece with a home grown Victorian sound, straight out of Bacchus Marsh (just think of any outlying suburb wherever you are) the front guy was zoot suited and full of bouncing energy, this band has definitely got punk/pop aspirations.Their horn section was a bit off on the night, the combination of alto sax & trumpet is a bit different for a ska horn section but hey there are no real rules here and they did a few good ideas.The third was “The Vaginals”, a band that I have been hearing a lot about lately, and as I hear it, on the verge of a break-up and doing their last gigs.I must admit that they had the stage presence of a band that was about to end its days, by the end of their first tune the entire band was topless, these guys had a party band vibe.I don’t really know why they are breaking up, but they had the crowd going and singing their tunes so to me that’s a bit of a waste.I have always loved horn sections that is one of the things I love about the Ska sound, the Vaginals don’t disappoint in that respect, their 3 piece horn section (2 trombone, 1 trumpet) was rocking, the sound could have been better but that was hardly their fault.I’d like to hear them in a venue that can handle the horn section, hey… maybe they’ll decide not to chuck it in.

About 11 the Resignators took the stage, Naf the walking punk icon, purple tinged mohawk & P-bass, Francis H. resplendent in a white zoot, Cinta behind the kit (*singing drummers get extra credit) with chequered skirt and punked out hair, Souv, Les Paul, black shirt white skinny tie belt & suspenders, Dittman in a full suit, trumpet in hand & a little tipsy and last but not least far right of stage Susan in a strapless asymmetrically cut dress, each one a statement in individuality.The tunes… ‘Alternative radio ready’, catchy, hook laden beauties all, this is not a band that runs on pure punk energy, their songs like all memorable ones come from a very personal place.‘Blackjack & Hookers’, ‘Alone in the crowd’, and one of my favourites ‘Sugar High’ have lyrics that create vivid images and that is the hallmark of a great song.The crowd was with the band step for step tune for tune, I was surprised that at a first CD launch most of the crowd were hanging on every note and singing along to the songs.An almost full house at The Corner Hotel is a pretty good sign for a relatively new band’s first CD launch so I’m thinking the future will be bright for The Resignators but don’t just take my word for it go over to there site and have a listen for yourselves.

The Resignators @ Myspace

I was gone but now I'm back!

2006-02-16T11:16:00.000+11:00

Due to so many things ...
Moving house, net connection down, and other things, I have been unable to make posts on a regular basis.
But now with the new home settleing , and my precious connection back I will be posting more than ever.
If there is anyone out there stay tuned.

Wicked Wisdom pt2

2006-01-30T17:00:00.000+11:00

Wicked Wisdom pt2

Not being one to try to pigeonhole a band (especially after only seeing them perform one tune “Something inside of me”) I can only say this… this band is working the “new heavy” sound.
Metal?
Yes if you need a label, metal is the one that fits closest I think that I will have to listen further to really tell you what I fully think but from that one performance on Letterman I can say that I will give this band a chance, and quite frankly… for my money any band that gets Philip (fish) Fisher (Fishbone) behind the kit and in my ears is certainly gonna get a bit of my time.
But as you know if you read anything on this site I don’t spend time trying to describe a sound, that is a useless endeavour and frankly something you must hear for yourself, no I write about some of the nonsense surrounding the sound in hope of cutting through some of the bull.

To start with lets take the idea that some have put forward that Mrs. Pinkett-Smith should be excluded simply because of who she is or who she is married to.
I ask you, who should be allowed to rock then?
I mean what if you come from a family of rock hating CPA’s but somehow you end up behind a guitar should you be excluded from chasing your dream?
Well of course not.
I believe that no matter what the style of music… if you can feel the music (and even from one viewing I can see this band does) you get a shot.

Then there are those that say, how bout the fact that Wicked Wisdom once opened for Brittany Spears, and were quite a different band… they can’t be serious then can they?
Let me say this if you are starting a band and can find a gig anywhere well you’re gonna take it, I mean outside of a gig at Satan’s son’s Bah mitzvah (I’ll grant you that touring with Britiney has gotta be close) it’s all good.

The most ridiculous reason not to like this band I’ve heard is…
Well she’s rich it’s just a hobby for her… she can’t really feel it.
The only answer I can muster for that one is…
You know, I can’t even clean up any of the phrases I would use to answer that.
I’ll just say that anyone that uses his or her eyes and ears and still thinks she is not in this music for real consider this, the fact that she has managed to collect some money cannot make it any less of a hardship for her, she still has to be away from her family, she still has to be away from home, she may even be putting her existing career at risk, and lets not forget the additional hardships of a woman fronting a black rock band.
Why are there additional hardships?
Well that’s something I’ve always wondered but hey that’s an issue for another posting.

In a world that is chock a bloc with crappy 5-minute pop up toaster bands, and DJ’s remixing and perverting my precious memories of music I grew up on, I’m ready to give Wicked Wisdom a chance.

Wicked Wisdom: Nothing comes from nowhere

2006-01-30T04:33:00.000+11:00

You know… I have seen a lot of things in my life some things that would make your hair stand on end some funny shit, some odd shit and all the other stuff that make up a life.
Now all these things come out in my music, in my writing & in my life. Some things I am proud of and others… well I live with em’ the best I can. All my experiences make me the person I am, but none of it is visible from just looking at me, for example I have seen more Ramones gigs than a hell of a lot of people, in fact the late 70’s, 80’s & 90’s were filled with so many gigs @ CBGB’s, The Ritz, Bowery Ballroom & time spent in mosh pits that my family was a bit concerned… and that was as it should’ve been. I believe that if you found a way to make it through to maturity without causing your family some concern and discomfort well… you’ve just done something wrong, but as I’ve said… these things can’t be known by just a look at me.
Music is a funny thing, and so very very subjective, people see things in bands that aren’t really there, & we all bring things to the experience of seeing & hearing music that come from a very personal place, if we’re not careful this can colour what we see and hear and if you let that happen then the value of the experience is lost to you, and that is a shame because music has the potential to speak great truths about the player & the listener.

Personal preferences play a large part of the music we love and that is only right and proper, for me there are a number of bands that spoke a truth to me at a time when I was ready to hear bands like The Ramones, Living Colour, Fishbone, Jeff Buckley, Pearl Jam… I could go on & on. I don’t complain or question what they choose to play… I mean… really… I don’t know them but even if I did I’d like to think I’d take away what I liked and file the rest for later, just think of how many times you have heard a ‘sound’ and said uh… no! But later… said well, on second thought… yes, Yes, YES!

Wicked Wisdom is a band that sprung itself on me one night recently while I was channel surfing and happened on David Letterman’s show just as he was speaking words that at first made no sense to me whatsoever… “ Later we will have the first network appearance of Jada Pinkett-Smith’s band … Wicked Wisdom!”
Sure I was familiar with all the words in that sentence… but still the sense of them was lost on me for a while.
Like “later”= a time after now and “band”= a musical grouping or “Jada Pinkett-Smith” = strong black woman but what do these words have to do with each other?
I don’t know… but you can be damn sure I was gonna wait the 3 minutes to find out!
I had lots of thoughts running through my mind about what this band might be but none of them even came close.

End Part One

Talent or Gimmick: Or if you had real talent... would'nt you be wearing more clothes?

2006-01-01T16:26:00.000+11:00

I have been wondering lately just what the music market is up to.
Are fans, music lovers and listeners driving the market or is it true that the public is being fed one marketing ploy after another with the goal being financial gain?
For some this may be considered a rhetorical question, but is it really?
Could it be true that fans of acts like the Pussycat Dolls & Kanye West actually believe that their music is valid beyond the confines of salacious faddism?
Is the business of music going through the same lowest common denominator pandering and abject dishonesty as the worlds of finance & politics?

Now you and I know that the music business has never been a bastion of honesty or fair business practices, really… what we have had for decades is quite frankly the best outcome you could expect by combining one group that is either self-absorbed or self-obsessed and the other that, it seems, will do almost anything to bump up sales and cash in.
Don’t misunderstand me I don’t have a problem with capitalism, or the idea that a person or group should be paid for work or art performed or created with good intentions but… Is that truly what we have in the market today?
Do we have artists and performers that actually believe and/or have thought out the things that they say?
For instance the line “I’m not saying she’s a gold digger… but she ain’t messin’ with no broke ni**er”, or how about “Don’t cha wish your girlfriend was fine like me…? Don’t cha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me?”
Even given certain latitude for artistic license these are destructive and ignorant lines to unleash upon humanity… upon children, and really… given the trying social and political climate we live in, isn’t it really close to yelling fire in a crowded movie theatre and really don’t we have more pressing issues to contemplate?
Do I actually believe that we all should be appealing to a standard in our business and personal lives?
Well… yes I do, but I also understand that there will always be ‘skanks’ & ‘idiots’ (sorry) in this world, but I think it is part of our responsibility to society to point out things that may make that society less livable, and no I don’t mean by censoring.
Just consider how many people were involved in bringing these two tunes to your ears, writers, musicians, audio production staff, producers, record company execs and more and no one had a problem with this content?
In a world where we have had so many examples of the negative effects of celebrity it is unbelievable that we still create such unrealistic idols, and worst still we now don’t even expect those idols to have any moral compass at all.

I know nothing I’ve said will change a thing…
Somewhere still, there are people that think a phat ass & great tits will make them a better musician & others wondering what rhymes with B***H and Hoe.

Yidcore! 1-2-3 Oy!

2005-12-15T09:00:00.000+11:00

OK this has been coming for a while now...
Let me tell you a bit about a Melbourne band I had the pleasure of seeing just a few weeks ago...
The band is called...
YIDCORE
Yidcore as the names suggests exist in part to play Jewish traditional music in a hardcore punk style... (You gotta take a look at their web site!)
Go back... read that last line again.
Hey... stop laughing!

I must admit that this band was unknown to me, and I do think that it is odd that I have not heard of them considering my fondness for Klezmer music, Hardcore punk and Jewish culture in general, chalk it up to the obtuse nature of Melbourne's music scene.

On the night that I saw them @ The 'Espy' they were not playing an original set but were instead doing a set of Ramones covers in preparation for their appearance at Brisbane's "Ramone-A-Thon" (a festival to celebrate the music of The Ramones).
I have to tell you that they made an awful mess of quite a few Ramone tunes on that night, but after a few conversations with a face in the crowd or two I found that Yidcore is in fact a well respected band on the scene, and upon further investigation by way of the web site and purchasing a Yidcore disc I have come to the easy opinion that (anyone with ears can hear) ... these fellas "Rock!"
With tunes like "I wanna get to know you (in the biblical sense)", "Why won't Adam Sandler let us play his song" & the tender and funny "Far from the home I love" from their release "Fiddlin on ya roof"
This band has managed to mix-up Jewish, Australian, Punk & a bit of Pop (hmmmm?) into a sound that... well... just should be heard!

I'm still wondering why the bass player was in drag on that night at the "Espy"... Not that there's anything wrong with that!

Watch out for another review as I learn more about these guys.

The Resignators

2005-11-13T04:29:00.000+11:00

The Resignators

What makes one band more exciting than another?
Why do we hear that allows us to connect with one group of players while another just as skilled leaves us cold?
Image?
Hair?
Great hooks?
Is it as subjective as a feeling?
For me I think a lot of the time it comes down to two things

Is it authentic? (Does this group mean what they say?)

Are they laying down something I can identify with?

From the first time I heard The Ramones, The Clash, Johnny Cash or Curtis Mayfield I knew that they were the real deal, that at the very least they believed in what they were doing, and for whatever reason that seems to mean a lot to me when it comes to the music I like.
As for that second criterion… to my mind there are lots of reasons to identify with a group or artist besides some obvious commonality.
I’m not white, British, country, or a southern black but still all the artists I have listed above have and do provide ideas I can identify with, and I have always believed that their music was for me, not in an exclusive way but it spoke to me, just as I know that Britiney Spears, Akon, Delta Goodrem or Kanye West do not.

In the past few days I have had the good fortune to stumble upon a group that speaks to me, a local Ska/Punk band named “The Resignators”
It is too easy to say they sound like this band, or look like that band they simply have a handful of great songs that they play well, and for me that’s more than enough.

Just this past Thursday night I had the great pleasure to catch half of their set at “The Espy” (The Esplanade Hotel) here in Melbourne, (I missed the first half due to an unavoidable social engagement… that will not happen again!)
I have always had a lot of time for Ska & Punk but not an awful lot for the cover experience, so when I heard that The Resignators were playing original tunes… well I mean I had to go didn’t I?

Thursday night @ “The Espy”… Well actually a medium sized room under “The Espy” when I walked in the room was about ¾ full & band was in full flight, pumping it’s way through one of their horn-laced originals with the crowd’s full support as well as my own.
They had a great sound, I won’t say too much more because the only way you’ll really know is if you get you ass down to a gig, I know I’ll be there … but next time… I won’t be late!

Discovering a new club: Bar 606, London SW10

2005-10-03T19:09:00.000+10:00

Discovering a new club:
Bar 606: 90 Lots Road, Chelsea, London SW10.
“Blues & Jazz with Soul”

I get a real kick out of finding a new place to see live music.
The feeling I get when I walk through the door for the first time and check out the people, the stage & the bar, the décor or the lack of it is always uplifting and stimulating to me.
I think a good club is a statement of vision made by its owner or manager and always has something to say about the people that are drawn there.
Is it upscale and pretentious, or accessible and warm?
Are there “talkers” waiting to converse with the new comers or is it full of isolated nation-like tables with well-manned border stations to keep out new influences?
Does the room have a mood of it’s own or does it assemble and project the collective mood of a crowd?
All these things can be considered and quantified after the night is over, the big question for me is always, what is the immediate “vibe”, the feeling I get when I move from spectator outside to becoming an active part of the place.
The 606 club was incredibly hard to locate but after talking with two bus drivers and a cabbie we found the front gate that led down to the club.
I punched the buzzer and waited… and soon a voice came back… “Yes…”
To which I replied… 606 club? Thinking we might still have the wrong place.
The “greeter” informed us that this was the place but did not buzz us in, instead he poked his head out the door at the bottom of the stairs and informed us that the “606” was an musicians dinner club and though it was late for dinner we were welcome but we could not have drinks unless we could prove that one of us was indeed a musician.
My reply was… “!!???!?”
He went on to say that we were welcome to have coffee and watch the band.
That was a little odd but ok …
Oddly… I had nothing on me to prove that I am indeed a musician (I’ll never travel without my union card again!) but down we went.
Bar 606 in London’s Chelsea had a buzz of it’s own I could feel from the moment I came in off the street and down the stairs of this subterranean venue/musicians club.
It seems we had wondered into a CD launch for a Blues band named “The Barcodes” and there were plenty of special guests on hand two worth noting were a singer named Paul Cox & a guitarist that went by the name Papa George.
Well we got in and ordered our coffees and it was just a few minutes before the Barcodes were to start their next set so we took a look around the place … as you do, and found a number of posters around the place advertising some big name acts that had played the room in days gone by.
It made me wonder why I hadn’t heard of the place before.
Well, the band kicked in and it was, as advertised… blues.
Late 50’s early 60’s style, good players some new music with a few covers thrown in… good solid blues, with some stand out solos from the aforementioned Papa George.
George was quite a character, he reminded me of two blues men I knew in Western Australia… they were twin brothers not that that has anything to do with it, but like Papa George you could close your eyes when they played and you’d think you were in the Delta.

All the acts that night were of a high quality and we found that all too soon it was closing time, as we climbed the stairs that led out onto Lots Road we knew that we would return to the 606 Club someday … but we didn’t know then how soon that someday would be.

Next: a second night at The 606.

Retro Review: Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs @ The Bindoon Rock Festival

2005-08-28T11:48:00.000+10:00

This is one of my favourite, odd, outdoor concerts mostly for its ability to shock me and because it was so far removed from anything I have ever experienced
Chopper races, a mud pit, dirt drags, wet T-shirt contests, bikie gangs, oh… and music put it all together and you have “The Bindoon Music Festival”.
This is one totally and unashamedly non-P.C. weekend.
It was advertised as the “last” Bindoon Rock but time has proven that to be untrue.

10,000 + people gather in the February heat every year to celebrate Blues and Rock.
The event is “protected” by The Coffin Cheater bikie organization based in Perth, on the surface these guys are the usual type you’d expect in an organization such as theirs, beards, mullets, choppers & biker chicks but boy do they know how to put on one hell of a concert!
I rocked up to the property on the last day of the weekend long event, but there was still a full days worth of music on offer and at some point in the future I may tell you about some of them, but this time lets talk about Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs.
Best known for their hit “Some people I know Think That I’m Crazy” Billy Thorpe may not be well known outside of Australia but for years he has thrilled and deafened audiences with his Blues-fuelled Rock & Roll.
Years ago Billy Thorpe & band were known as the loudest act in the world!
Lets not focus too much on how they got that honour… I wondered though…is it true?
The way things are exaggerated in the entertainment business it’s hard to sort the truth from the Bullshit.
Did anyone vote?
Was there a consensus?
Does it matter?

There were lots of reasons I took the 2 hour drive to Bindoon that February, for one my friends “The Elks” (more on them later) were playing and it would be the first big concert I had the opportunity to see them play & there were a few other friends on the bill, but I had a deep curiosity building to hear the loudest band in the world, and I heard they could play too.
It would have been a slap in the face of every loud concert I’ve ever seen if I didn’t show!

20 seconds into their set, two things were clear. First… this is a Blues band and secondly they were very loud indeed.
So loud that I had a good think about the safety of standing so close to a speaker tower.
As the volume grew I decided that it might be wiser to stand further away from the sound
Yes… I would move… at least away from the speaker tower.

Moving through the crowd being pushed and jostled. Stepping on people, being stepped on looking up occasionally and meeting eyes with that “ Dude…I had one too many” glaze over them, all the while it seemed the volume was rising to new highs with evert note.
I remember seeing a Soul Asylum gig @ the old Ritz in New York where sound was so intense I was pinned up against the back wall of the place like it one of those spinning carnival rides.
These guys were louder!
It was so loud, that as I moved a little further I thought to myself “ Billy Thorpe is the last act and I do have a two hour drive back to Perth ahead of me… Maybe I’ll beat the crowd outta here.
As I’m moving towards my car “Thorpie” starts in on his finale, complete with blazing guitar pyrotechnics producing the aural equivalent of an atomic explosion!
I jumped in my car … and drove!
As I turned onto the main road almost a kilometre away, I could still here every note, every thud of the kick drum, and behind me I could see a blurry object that looked like a shock wave!
I put the pedal down, coaxing every bit of horsepower out of my Ford Cortina wagon.
I could still hear the band over the roar of my engine, about 50 Km away I slowed… I was safe.
I don’t know how many music lovers were lost on that day… but I can tell you for sure… Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs are the world’s loudest Blues/rock band!

Retro Review-Stevie Ray Vaughn: The Pier-1990

2005-08-22T02:41:00.000+10:00

Stevie Ray Vaughn: The Pier, NYC (pier 84), 1990

Lots of people can play guitar and play well very well.
Part of the wonder & fraud of music and the music business is the way we hold up a particular player as the greatest this or the greatest since that last guy, when the truth is that many, many players could do just as good a job at the physical act of playing as any player we revere as a star.
To this mind much of what makes a player stand out is personal creativity, that ability to take the music to the next level, to exhibit a true connection to the music, to take all the music you love & focus it through the very narrow lens of your own personal experience, and thereby free something new into the world.
When you think about it… and consider the number of people that have picked up any instrument and have tried to pull of the very difficult trick I have described, few have ever made it and fewer still have made it and been able to recreate that magic day in and day out, Stevie Ray Vaughn was one of the lucky ones that could pull it off.
Summertime in New York is always magical.
The city comes alive.
The parks are full of friendly people seeking nothing more than art, music & good times.
It’s the time of year when the city makes good on the promises it has made to you throughout the past year.
Each new sun-drenched dawn seems to say, “Here it is… just like I promised another payoff!”
“Soak it up!”
“Cause I can only keep this up for 3…4 months tops!”
And you know you have to get out there and get some because …truly, anything is possible in that short time of hot days & warm nights.
It was on one of those warm summer nights in 1990 that I was reminded just what it is that makes one guitarist stand out over all the rest, if only for one night.
This was going to be a night for the music, not a night for guitar slinging youngsters with their Gibson’s dangling about their knees just above a ubiquitous pair of converse ‘fish heads’ or the “one-drop” heavy, irie feelings of the nights just past…
No… this was Double Trouble at its house rockin’, pier shakin, and Bluesy best.
My ticket had been burning a hole in my wallet for more than 2 weeks, I was so anxious in fact, that turned up long before even the opening act went on.
"The pier" has always been one of my favourite NYC outdoor venues just stones throw from the intrepid museum on the Westside of the city on the water (as the name implies) with a view across to New Jersey.
The sound was always first rate, and the crowds seemed to always be a little more focused than at some other venues.
This was another one of those nights that I was going solo for some reason anyone that might have come along was either at work or out of town, well it was too bad for them cause on this night the band was so tight you would have thought they were communicating telepathically.
Stevie Ray was in top form and blew me away with every note and he brought his brother Jimmy along too!
They played like only brothers can and the crowd felt the love and isn’t that what it’s all about?

The Mingus Big Band - Retro Review

2005-08-15T02:25:00.000+10:00

If you are unfortunate enough to be dead as you read this you may ignore this post... All others listen carefully!
There are some things in this world that are undeniable...
Like the fact that every day gravity will do it's work on you and everything around you or the fact that barring unforeseen accidents you will grow old, and the fact that the music of Charles Mingus will out live us all!
All these things are right, true and as they should be.
This Retro -Review is really a double shot firstly you should own this record!
The Mingus Big Band: Live in Time
Really... in truth you should own the entire catalog of mingus material, but let's just start here.
Yes... Charles Mingus is dead and has been for a very long time but his music lives on not in spirit but in reality.
...And secondly...
The Mingus Big Band brings the "sound" to life whenever it plays, this musical unit made up of the best players you will ever be lucky enough to lay your ears on and they administer to the sound you can be well assured of that... But the essence... The reality of the music has never left us... It is us!
The human condition and our place in it is what this music is all about, but hear this... It is not a re-telling of the story or a point of view it is the story.
All the love, pain, anger, hate, joy, poignancy & senselessness comes at you through this music with no compromises or concessions... Undiluted cause it knows you can take it and more.
It knows you better git it in your soul before it's too late.
It reaches out to save your soul... But cares not if you soul is saved... That's up to you.

In 1999 I was lucky enough to hear TMBB at the "Fez" in New York, the fact is I kept going back to see the weekly gig until I left NYC and never did I walk away with the same feeling twice but I always walked away... Feeling.
The room at the Fez was much too small for a band of that size playing music of incredible dimensions (what room wouldn't be) but it served well every night.
The next time I saw TMBB was in Fremantle, Western Australia under the stars and at a time when the music had a whole new meaning for me and I expect it will always be that way.
New discoveries in the music as it combines with the setting & my soul.
I hear they're playing @ Iridium(NYC) now and that is information I will need
on my return to NYC early next month, cause I will certainly show up for another dose and I suggest you do the the same.

Give the Drummer some!

2005-08-11T03:01:00.000+10:00

Hey, the simple fact is, for me there are few things better than a really literate drummer.
In the context of a musical unit that tries to communicate well and honestly with each other the drums can do so much more than just punctuate, that is if the drummer is switched on!
So many bands miss this point.
Hell... a lot of drummers miss it too!
I know a lot of drummers that have chops from here to next sunday, guys that can play anything in any time signature, thay can chop up the time and make it do their bidding.
They slice it, they dice it, they make jullienne fries , but sometimes for all their "stick tricks" the conversation gets lost.
Now I could go on about "the spaces in between notes" and other esoteric musical ideas, but the plain and simple fact is sometimes the swetest groove is simple, kick, snare maybe a little hi-hat played by a drummer that has something to say.
I have been lucky enough to have known quite a few drummers that that have had a lot to say, guys & girls that have the full package chops, knowledge and a sense of humor.

There is this one guy that I know that always pops into my mind when I think of drums, I first met Van R. when I was studying with the "Guitar Oracle".
There are many things I can say about the "Oracle" ( internet profanity laws prevent it )
but one thing is for sure, early on being his student & later, erzatz employee gained me entrance to places and situations that I would not have been in but for that relationship.
Being there when Van R. & Steve L. played anything was worth more than I could ever have paid, and taught me more than I think they even know.
The example of how they communicated when they played has stuck with me all these years and in many ways has sustained me when the going got rough.
I hope one day I get to tell them.

* This post linked to Van R's page.

You Gotta Hear This! #3 : keziah Jones- African Spacecraft

2005-07-16T01:11:00.000+10:00

Ok... If you have not heard this guy then I really don't know what you've been doing with your time!
when I listen to this CD I get lost in the images and stories even though I have heard them many times over.
The music was released in 1995, but it is a truly timeless effort.
Funky, political, human, groovy, psychedelic & incredible!
Part Curtis Mayfield, part fishbone, part Marvin Gaye, all form & substance!

Find it... Buy it... Play it!

* link to webpage at top.

My Interview with Tony Williams

2005-06-29T11:20:00.000+10:00

I know what your thinking...
"Hey... ain't Tony Williams dead?"
Well now I know I can't slip one by on you!
This was back in the late 80's or 1990... Back then I had a friend who was acquainted with the living legend and through their friendship I learned of his need for a drum tech/roadie.
Being grossly under qualified but in need of a job I naturally put my hand up.
My friend Steve set up an appointment and when the day came I humped it over to the "Music Building" on 8th Ave where Mr. Williams had a studio space.
Right about here I must say that like many times in my life before and since I was caught totally ignorant for I didn't realize that it was Tony Williams "The" drummer, I thought it was Tony Williams a drummer.
That's right... I'm a doofus!
Now at the time I was studying Jazz so his work was no mystery to me, but his face was, so I really had no idea who I was talking to... Outside of my observation that he was a nice fellow.
He went through all the things that he was looking for in a tech I told him all I could do and could not do, all with my bud Steve looking on.
Every time I think back I realize that there must have been innumerable clues to the mans identity but still I seem to have missed them all!
Really... I am known for being a really cluey guy and of course if he had played anything i would have known instantly.
So we talked for a while, Steve filled in the blanks on me for my prospective employer, we came to the end and I walked out into that old rickety elevator and out onto 8th Ave oblivious to what had just happened.
Later that week I heard from Steve that another guy had got the position, a drummer and that was only right, still from time to time I wonder what might have happened if I had gotten that gig!

You Gotta Hear This! #2

2005-06-25T02:26:00.000+10:00

Now ... Are you listening?

The album is called "Hymns".
The artist is Corey Glover.
As if it mattered it was made in 1998.
This is what your ears were made for!
Buy it, rent it, borrow it... Hit someone over the head with a baked ham and steal it!
You need this record!
If you have a soul or someday hope to, get this record.
I won't list tracks this time ...Cause they're all good!
I am not overstating... at all!

You Gotta Hear This!

2005-06-24T17:52:00.000+10:00

Wes Montgomery

This is the start of a series on music I think everyone should hear, I'll call it "You Gotta Hear This!
It goes like this...
I'll post pic, a little bio, a link to more info and a tune title or two to start with and then you're on your own.

Feel free to come back and leave a comment if you liked it or if you don't.

Doesn't matter who you are or what you do, before you die you should try to check some of this stuff out!
Don't be fooled this is not only about jazz, there will be many styles featured here.
So let's start with a personal favorite... Wes Montgomery!

Mini Bio
Wes is famous for the way he used octave phrasing in his solos and chordal melodies as well as the way he melded blues and jazz into something that is undeniably Wes.
Wes never used a pick (Plectrum) he played played with his thumb.
The L5 guitar was his main stick (guitar).
One very notable Wes Montgomery student is George Benson.

Some tunes to start with:

West Coast Blues
Willow Weep For Me
Impressions
Four On Six

Alomar, Montalvo, Peabody, Bowie & the Glass spider

2005-06-11T12:24:00.000+10:00

Well to tell the truth this one is not really about live music, it's more about musicians.
In 1987 I was living in New York on 6th Ave next to Bryant Park, working as a jeweller on 19th Street & studying guitar very seriously with the Guitar oracle.
Now in this shop there were all types of people the one thing they had in common is that they were all professional jewellers, masters of the trade with their lives totally revolving around creating quality pieces of jewellery... The "traditional" way.
There were really only two that had devoted themselves to a different tradition, R. Montalvo & myself.
Montalvo was a family man in his late 30's at the time and was a bass player of high quality capable of pumpin' out slabs of Funk, loads of Salsa or buckets of Jazz all with equal authority.
We worked together and occasionally played together (though I was in no way playing at his level) and spent our lunch hour talking about music & life.
During one of these lunch hours Montalvo told me how he was actually very good friends with Carlos Alomar, for those that don't know, Carlos Alomar is and has been the guitarist with David Bowie for many years.
Now... I have never been the type to doubt the things my friends tell me, even back than at the tender age of 25 I knew that life can take you to all types of places, and do all types of things to ya' but... I must admit I thought to myself... "Yeah Right!"
87' was the year of Bowie's "Glass Spider" tour, the tour that feature Alomar on guitar as well as Peter Frampton?
Well as fate would have it while sitting in that shop and listening to WNEW on my headphones I heard that there would be a performance nearby @ the Cat Club @ 1:00 and it was open to the public!
I immediately turned to Montalvo and told him all about it and said I'm going & he should too, who knows he might be able to introduce me to Alomar.
As I think back that might have been a little cheekiness on my part.
We cleared it all with the man in charge and when 12:30 rolled around we started over to The Cat Club.
I have always been a big Bowie fan so I could feel my excitement building on the way over, but I had no idea what was in store!
We were about half a block from the entrance when Frampton comes out of the back stage doors & goes walking by... in full stage make-up and then 2 seconds later out pop Bowie and Alomar!
Alomar takes one look in our direction (probably wondering where Frampton was going) sees Montalvo and immediately sticks out his arms to greet his old friend.
I felt like I had been smacked across the face with a wet mullet!
They walk and talk their way back to the club doors where Bowie is waiting, with me trailing behind looking, understandably Gob smacked.
So now I'm standing in a man- circle with Alomar, Bowie & Montalvo.
Montalvo & Alomar are so busy catching up that I am left standing next to Bowie, talk about your uncomfortable silence.
I think, I finally said "I think they're old friends" or something equally as obvious while we waited, eventually they finished with old times and introductions were made we all talked about the show, the new music the conversation must've lasted 5 minutes then they were called back in.
After about five more minutes when I was able to speak again I apologised to Montalvo for ever doubting him for a minute, and that now if he wanted to tell me he was the first man on the moon I'd believe!
Don't know if Montalvo & Alomar ever saw each other again.
Oh... yes the performance was great!

Retro Review: Charlie hunter Trio @ Joes Pub, NYC- 1999

2005-06-07T01:08:00.000+10:00

Back in 99' I got back home to NYC just the way I like to...
In the height of the summer action!
Central Park Summer stage, concerts in New York's parks and the summer touring season, all good reasons to be there in summer as well as the fact that for me it has been more than 12 years since I have seen even a hint of snow, so I always travel home in the summer to keep that streak going.
But I had no Idea what kind of action I was in for!
I think it was a Thursday night and I was enjoying a drink or two with an old bud, when I unconsciously began thumbing through the current copy of "Time Out New York".
I always find the amount of things on in NYC amazing when thery're laid out in a magazine.
Hmmm...?
Jimmy Smith?
That's a good one for my birthday.
Buddy Guy in the park?
Oh yeah!
What's this...?
Charlie Hunter!?
All this week @ Joes pub?
Starting in 1 hour?
As I read the words my hands began reaching for my bag and my wallet to pay our tab, and after a short briefing to bring my bud up to speed we were on the street and and heading downtown.
I was quite surprised to learn in the cab on the way, that my friend was not familiar with the incredible 8-string guitar work of Mr. Hunter.
I briefed him as best I could on the way... knowing full well that the shock of seeing the Charlie Hunter Trio (which by the way consisted of only two players at the time) could cause some people to completely flip their wigs.
I explained how Hunter played an 8 string guitar strung with 5 guitar strings & 3 bass strings and also how he did double duty as guitarist& bass player simultaneously.
I added that I was not sure, but I had my suspicions that he had a few extra fingers.
He seemed incredulous.
I then went on to try to explain Chopek... the drummer and how I believed he was quite possibly hiding a 3rd arm somewhere on his person.
I laid out how Hunter was part of The disposable Heroes of Hip-Hoprocy with Michael Franti, and how this was gonna be a night of Groove so thick that it might take a day or two for our feet to stop tapping.
I've got to admit, that even as the words left my mouth I thought... "Even I would'nt believe this hype!" that is if I had not seen it with my own eyes at The Continental in Melbourne.
Our cab pulls up outside Joes pub, some money is tossed in the general direction of the driver & we walk into the venue.
Look! A table is open right at the foot of the stage!
Score!
I order a scotch and a beer for my bud just as the band takes the stage.
It only takes 16 bars or so until the sound of jaws hitting the floor fills the room and every one there knows the truth...
These are some very funky brothers!
The "trio" played for a half hour or so and then invited some guest onstage, David Ellis on Sax & Skerik for additional percussion.
More jaws drop.
The band played 4 dates that week and I was there for all of em', sitting front of stage like a stalker soakin it all up.
So if Charlie Hunter is playing your town, or the next town over, or the one next to that, should you go?
Have Ya not been listening?
You bet your ass you should go!

Bobby Six -Strings, The Metropolitan Museum, Crazy Guitars & Sofia Loren's Arse

2005-05-31T19:25:00.000+10:00

Years ago...
It must have been 1989 or 90', long before I'd left NYC and came to Australia I had the great pleasure of sharing an evening with some of my favorite works of art.
Back then I spent my days working as a jeweler & my nights working as a guitar tech/ roadie/P.A. and much more, in exchange for lessons from my personal guitar oracle, let's just call him a player that I had a great amount of respect for at the time.
As I remember it, the oracle somehow scored a gig demonstrating a collection of guitars at the Met.
I guess the tie in for the Met was that these guitars were more art than instrument.
Some artisan had shaped them as "g" clefs, bass clefs & other odd shapes and created a group of guitars that were great looking but just barely playable.
Don't know if the oracle enjoyed the night but I had a chance to wonder around this incredible museum at a private function and take in all that wonderful art!
As it turned out there was not much time to wonder... I spent most of the time changing guitars for the oracle, he'd noodle through some Jazz tune, and while the applause died down I'd hand him the next guitar I'd been back stage trying desperately to tune.
You know I'm not quite sure how many guitars there were, but in due time we got around to the last and while the oracle took complements from guests and the artist responsible, I left the stage to take in some more of the museum and perhaps grab a drink or two.
Just as I got to side of stage he began playing again but this time on a exquisite arch-top, I stopped in my tracks as most there did, to hear the "truth" coming from this beautiful instrument.
As I stood there, listening I began to feel someone move up behind me.
A decidedly feminine presence, and wearing the most intoxicating fragrance, I didn't turn I just took it in with the music but I grew more curious as the time passed, until, by the end of the tune I could wait no longer to see this woman.
I turned and found myself looking at Sofia Loren!
In my mind all kinds of thoughts were running around, but I think the only audible sound I made was "eeep", and even I'm not sure what I meant by that!
She gave me a quick look that seemed to say "I get this all the time... And I'm so over it" and turned away talking to the man at her side.
As she turned I did what I have done so many times before in similar situations... I checked out her arse!
It was just then that she decided to turn and look back at me, she was probably concerned that I had swallowed my tongue.
So there I stood staring at her, staring at me staring at her ass... so very smooth.
There was nothing I could do... I was busted, so I shrugged my shoulders, smiled my "like I wasn't gonna" smile & waved goodbye.

Retro-Review: Headfake @ CBGB's- 1999

2005-05-28T00:53:00.000+10:00

The place is CBGB�s.
Circa 1999
This room was the scene of many a magic musical moment in my life.
The place where I saw The Talking Heads, The Clash, and Blondie not to mention hundreds of other siminal acts of the last two decades.
Tonight there will be an addition to that long list of great performances, for on this chilly, November evening the New York grapevine has informed me of a very special event.
The first performance of a new musical entity called Headfake!
You may ask... what's so special about this unknown musical unit besides a great name?
Well I'm glad you asked.
Headfake is made up of 3/4 of the band Living Colour!
That's right kids, Corey Glover (vocals), Will Calhoun (drums & percussion) and last but not least the amazing Douglas Winbush (augmented bass guitar).
That line up would have been enough for any night but on this night there was more... on guitar� Vernon Reid.
A piece of information that should be mentioned is that before Headfake took the stage an unknown band warmed us up and after another unknown took us out.
So really it was just another showcase night at CB's, which is probably what the boys from Headfake wanted.
The few people that had turned out for the gig (and there could only be a few people @ CBGB�s cause the place is so small) had been chatting away about what to expect.
No one was sure what the set would be.
Would it be material from Corey's fantastic C.D. Hymns�?
Some thought that it could include stuff from the African Head Charge days or maybe Living Colour stuff, or since we all know from years of following these guys around NYC how prone they are to intense improvisations perhaps we would be treated to some next out shit!
What would it be?
Looking around the room I began to notice that there were no record company types to be seen, no big time hype, just musicians setting up gear (in Winbush�s case lots and lots of gear) no guitar tech, or drum tech... just the band.
The set starts and we all sense a little more about what this is going to be.
First we start with a four-minute bass solo that segues into Torn, a song from the Junglefunk album.
By the second tune, September we are all sure that this is a night we will not soon forget!
In this old room with it�s chipping paint, wobbly tables, and tiny stage we were all about to receive the full soul treatment.
For my money Corey Glover has always been what a soul singer was meant to be.
It has never been much of an effort for me to trace the sound from Big Bill Broonzy to Sam Cooke to Rev. Al Green to Corey and tonight this band makes it that much clearer.
90 Minutes into the set and we have cleared all of the Jungle Funk material, and these guys show no sign of letting up so as a treat they drop two Living Colour tunes into the mix the fantastic but little known Sail Away (Bad Brains) and Leave it alone from Stain.
120 minutes from the start of the set to the finish and the crowd's collective mind is blown!
We spill out onto the streets of lower Manhattan into the cold winter wind amazed at what 5 bucks can buy in this town.

A change has come! A word from Monk Peabody & Bobby Six-strings

2005-05-27T21:32:00.000+10:00

Ok ... I'll admit it! This was an ill-conceived Blog.
Just as I started this one I stopped going to cafe's pretty much all together so there really wasn't much to say.
But now I have a new format, a new design & a new attitude.

Bobby six-strings: You sing it brother!

Oh that's right!
Let's not forget Bobby Six-strings!
What is bobby?
A character, product of a major head injury or created by a long overdue psychological break from reality?
We may never know...
One thing for sure is that he'll drop in from time to time and show us "where the "1" is.

Bobby six-strings: You got that right Monk !
I got a truckload of crap from the weird, wonderful & incredibly stupid world of live music... And most of it is guaranteed true!

...And let's not forget the "Retro Reviews"!

Bobby Six-strings: You mean that bit where I write about all the great "gigs" I have had the great pleasure to have seen?

Yeah ... that's it.
Well, there it is... out with the old and in with the new!
So do drop in from time to time.
And...

Long live the new flesh!

Bobby Six-strings: What the hell are you talkin' bout?

I mean... It's all good!

Today it's Don Vencenzo in Fitzroy

2004-07-06T02:50:00.000+10:00

A panhadler asks for spare change, she tells me a story about recently giving birth & lifts her shirt to show the proof. Didn't really need that. There is something about Fitzroy. I used to say it reminded me of Greenwich village, but it's is more that the area is full of freaks...and i am drawn to my "kind". Odd clothes, odd sounds & odd perspectives all make me feel at home. Once I even got followed by a would be mugger!
Very homey indeed!
Sitting @ this table it seems I can feel the hodge-podge of history closing in around me.
Deco blends with Victorian which melds with the 50's.
Everything before and since making up a whole that, somehow does not seem old or new. There are a few things you have to accept about Melbourne...Service is always... um...leisurely. People are just a litle more prone to smile.(as a New Yorker this always makes me a little uncomfortable ) And worst of all the amasing amount of bad 70's clothing! (there is no such thing as good 70's clothing) In fact that's the one thing I never get used to I guess it's some kind of payback for having slept through the first 70's

2004-06-28T21:18:00.000+10:00

I've played many a sunday "session"... and I'm sure it always felt like friday night!

Jazz @ a cafe, Yarraville, Victoria, Australia

2004-06-28T21:01:00.000+10:00

So what's the deal with cafe jazz?
It is a Sunday tradition in Australia to have a jazz band playing in the background on a Sunday. Let me put it in the right place I am not anti-jazz. I love jazz I just don't ever see it as a thing going on in the background! I came up knowing that jazz is a future thing, a living thing full of all the wonder that is the human condition, so I have a problem with the idea that jazz is soft and subtle.
Jazz should be vibrant and alive.
Filled with character and emotion.
Take me back to the 55 bar on a Sunday night and let me feel the jazz!
I didn't mention the band for a reason!

Cafe Blog

2004-06-26T16:37:00.000+10:00

cafe blog
No matter where I go, or what I do there is always one constant cafe's. It seems I invariably find myself sitting at a table, writing and drinking coffee.
Now in a life well spent, you'd think that there would be a constant that was...well...more important.
To my mind though most things are both important and equally unimportant, I mean there are things that gain their meaning by the simple fact that you are involved in them, like family, your job your relationships, they all have a kind of importance depending on how near you are to them. To the world at large though, these things have little importance. And then there are the bigger issues. Things that you have little or no control over. Things like war, death, drops in interest rates.
To me the cafe is like a vessel for my thoughts. A place where, for whatever reason my thoughts have a certain freedom. I get a similar feeling in bars (pubs), but of course the booze takes that away. So the cafe is it for me. If something weighs heavy on my mind, or if I want to write free with no interruptions, off I go to my local or some unknown cafe, to chase the bean or my thoughts.
So this blog is devoted to that anonymous, sometimes loud, sometimes quiet, lofty, lusty & profound place full of potential & promise. Oh yes and coffee.
The cafe.
Has civilization produced anything better?
I think not!