the Hussy, get some!!

Friday night brought out a chance to remind myself of my rock -n- roll roots, a chance to have some punk in my rock at the same time. A two piece from Madison calling themselves “the Hussy” made themselves known at the Frequency and man, it didn’t take long to have the beats beating a pulp of real raw rawkkkkk! Armed with a vexing guitar and a banger of earthshaking booms on drums, the Hussy brought back the short catchy hard hitting feeling I first remember when trying out heavy sounding underground sounds. I felt like I was back at CBGB’s getting a taste of what the others have been trying to make happen. While this duo have been involved in music around the Madison scene for some time now, the work of the Hussy should latch on like the mosquitoes biting at your being when you next step outside. Be careful, the Hussy are contagious.

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The timing was Right

all cylinders firing!!

Everybody’s Gonna Be Happy- the Kinks
I WIsh you Would- Hot Tuna
if the Washing don’t get you the Rinsing Will-the Mannish Boys
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Bibou- Daby Balde
Redemption Song- African Showboys
Towering Inferno- Green Arrows
No Delay (Bullitt)- Green Arrows
Jidka- Saba
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Cacada- Bebel Gilberto
Auramatic-Suphala & Vernon Reid & King Britt
Brazilectro- Zuco 103
Matthau- Depth Quartet
Sister Twisted- Kinky
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Miami Blues- Akashic Record
Funky Good Time- Melvin Sparks Band (live)
Out of my System- Jamie Lidell
Little Bit of Feel Good- Jamie Lidell
You can’t Always get what you Want- Rolling Stones (Soulwax remix)
Give Peace a Chance-Aerosmith & Sierra Leone Refugee Allstars
Give up the Funk- the Clinton Administration
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Turntables on the Bayou- No Luck Club
Quilty- Club D’elf
Tether Ball Triumph- Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey
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The Bounce- the Blue Method
Think Back- Galactic feat. Chali 2 Na
Hippest March part 2- Clyde Stubblefield
His Girl- the Budos Band
On the Cuff- the Afromotive

JFJO rides in to Madison

Man can the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey really put the groove on. Oh, in case you didn’t know, JFJO has a new album out…“Lil Tae Rides Again” out on both Hyena Records and 1320 Records. They do in fact play this whole album as their set, which is totally fine with me. The story of a day in the life of an elementary school child translates into music that is essentially a part of all of us. While in Madison, the backdrop was a beautiful lake scene mixing night clouds with the slipping sunset. With a Pink Floyd flavor at times, I found myself memorized with the animal scenes trampling in the backdrop of a movie screen and the obvious innovative spirit that oozed out from under the Spinal Tapped cloaks….this was everything and more than I was expecting and would highly recommend this show to fans of the jams, a good interpretation of our classical whereabouts and the memory of childhood times. The show and the album prove to me that after several years and albums under their belt, JFJO still has what it takes to redefine themselves while never shaking the importance of their music and what it can do to a fresh set of ears.

Check out my conversation with Brian Haas, founder/pianist of Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey here.

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Kinnic & Brendan

The other day into the evening I was a guest at a beautiful wedding celebration. The ceremony was held in a Frank Lloyd Wright built meeting house and was a perfect service. After a brief get-together, the reception was held at the next to the lake front Monona Terrace, a captivating room. A fusion of cultures between Vietnamese and Irish traditions, there was elegance and beauty surrounding us from the chosen flowers right down to the exquisite lute playing. I want to share the gift given to the guests, it is a cd of love songs from around the globe. Thought it was resembling a set-list I once played sometime in somewhere.

All About you- David Grisman & Doc Watson
A Sunday Kind of Love- Etta James
Cupid- Sam Cooke
Love Land- Charles Wright
Tinh Dau- Ngoc Ha
Queen Bee- Taj Mahal (one of my wedding songs)
Let’s Stay Together- Al Green
Ve Day Nghe Em- Nguyen Khang
Kaze wo Astumete- Happy End
Cuccuruccu Paloma- Caetano Veloso
Your Love Gets Sweeter- Finley Quaye
Vi Do La Em- Nguyen Khang
Next to You- Bebel Gilberto
Quynh Houng- Khanh Ly
Mong Ban Dau- Ngoc Ha
Tupelo Honey- Van Morrison
In my Life- The Beatles
Gold- Interference

This celebration was worth sharing.

SWR® Marcus Miller Pro Bass Preamplifier

SWR has partnered with Marcus Miller – arguably the most influential bassist of his generation — to create the ultimate tool for bassists. Or as Marcus calls it: “The missing link between your bass and a great sound!” Working closely with our SWR engineers, Marcus painstakingly customized the feature set of this preamp to accommodate his own distinctive array of tones, while taking into consideration the needs of other bassists of all styles. The result is simply one of the most versatile bass products ever developed.

It Feels Right

Twisted- the Wood Brothers
How Come People act like That?- Tommy Talton
New York City- Lipbone Redding Orchestra
I Want the truth- ScrapOmatic with Derek Trucks
Trains a Coming-JD & the Straight Shot w/Robert Randolph
Hook Line & Sinker- ScrapOmatic
Tight Tee Shirt- Benji Hughes
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Be Easy- Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings (live WWOZ)
You Don’t Know me at all- Bettye Lavette
This Time- DJ Shadow
Knee Deep- the Clinton Administration
James Brown- Big Audio Dynamite
Rapture- Dub Pistols
Watching the Detectives- Roots of Creation
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Hummin’- Nat Adderly (Large Professoe remix)
The Sophisticated Hippie-Horace Silver (Easy Mo Bee remix)
10 Sex- Secretary
A Frame- Garage a Trois
Planetary Beat- DJ Logic & Jason Miles
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Halliburton Breakdown- Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey
**Conversation with Brian Haas of JFJO**
Muppet Babies get lost at the State Fair- JFJO
Happiness is a Warm Gun- JFJO (live)
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Everyday People- MMW
Into You- Eymeral

Mister Russel Blake

I am proud to be a part of Russel Blake world as I truly feel he is someone making a difference in many people’s lives, musically and beyond. My conversation with Mr. Blake reminds me why I like to do what I do in my musical arena….and it is always nice to be reminded why you love something. With a new album due out very soon, I was blessed with the opportunity to debut it on greenarrowradio, with this honor comes a huge THANK YOU. Currently, Mr. Blake has 422 pieces within his repetoire encompassing Classical, Spanish Classical, Jazz Classical, Brazilian, Latin & Pop Music Idioms. As creator of The Universal Language Music History & Cultural Programme, Mr Blake has taught a variety of audiences from Kindergarten – High Schools, universities, libraries, prisons, hospitals & Art Galleries about the history of music. Mr. Blake was also the featured guest soloist at the 9th annual Bass Conference held here in Madison a few years back and was working very closely with Dr. Richard Davis at the time.

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Click here to hear my conversation with Mr. Russel Blake.

Just a little air-time

Naww, I wish I was dunkin’ like “KG” or Dominique but I just did a fill-in show of an hour and 15 minutes…the extra 15 just to play somethings that rawkkkk! Check it out fo’yo’self.

Do Right- Jimmy’s Chicken Shack
Fields of Joy- Lenny Kravitz
Electric Uncle Sam- Primus
Daytripper- Bad Brains (live)
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Give the Drummer Some More- the Greyboy Allstars
Cure All- Robert Walter
Spinning Wheel- Cameron Mizell
Dudeman- Victor Krause
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Nothing Less Than You- Stan Harrison
Silent Power- Russel Blake
**Conversation with Russel Blake**
Quiet Strength- Russel Blake
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My Buckets got a hole in it-Willie Nelson & Wynton Marsalis
Have you ever been to Electric Ladyland- JFJO
the Shadow- Garaj Mahal

Brian Haas of JFJO

I had the chance to speak with Brian Haas of the group Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey and was quite pleased to have done so. Brian seems like the type of person I could sit with and talk about music with, and learn a bundle from. JFJO will be bringing its usually progressive post-modern jazz into Madison on June 26th at the Memorial Union Terrace starting sometime around 9:30. In this conversation you will learn what they intend to do differently this time around on stage, the concept and creation of the new album Little Tae Rides Again on not just one but 2 different types of labels, just what to do in case a person named Jacob Fred calls your daughter in the middle of the night.

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Check out my conversation with Brian Haas here.

Boogaloo with my W O R T

I always am pleased to have an opportunity to be a part of the local listener sponsored community radio station here in Madison, WORT. Today I got to host the ever popular Journeys into Jazz program from 2-5pmCST and had a Boogaloo of a good time.

Naima- COLTRANE
Time After time- Miles Davis (live)
Inside Straight- Cannon Reloaded
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Were you Followed?- Bobby Previte & the new Bump
Just Say it- Dafnis Prieto Sextet
Prime Time- Bobby Ricketts
Right on- Javon Jackson
Cat & Bug- Skeebo Knight
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Peter’s Pistol- Skeebo Knight
Chickens & Waffles- Soul Summit (live)
Swap Meet- Robert Walter
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Grease Monkey- the Diplomats of Solid Sound
Mr Lucky- Jack McDuff
A Real Gone Guy- Joe Krown Organ Trio
Evil Turn- Dr Lonnie Smith
Davis (in Memory)- Out to Lunch
In the Bag- Mike LeDonne
House of the Rising Son- Papa Joey Defrancesco
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Higher Ground- Marcus Miller
Slang- Doug Johns
What is Hip?- Marcus Miller
Sifu- Victor Wooten
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Window Text- Vijay Iyer
Dos Caminos- Omar Sosa (live)
Machine Days- Vijay Iyer
Ney ney weleba- Etenesh & Le Tigre
Daxxar- Steve Reid Ensemble
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Call of the Wily- Greg Tate’s Garage Band
the Lonely Bull- Liquid Soul
Charthel Hill- Jeff Coffin & Charlie Peacock
Muziqawi Silt- Etenesh & Le Tigre

Number 17

I have been a fan of the Boston Celtics since 1978 and tonight I witnessed the culmination of a team that played every minute of every game like true CELTICS, turn it into banner number 17. I am happy for Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin “KG” Garnett for finally getting what has been elusive in their greatness as players..that first NBA Championship. The play of Rajon Rondo and the Bench play of Eddie House, James Posey and of course the all out production of the “Big 3”. Doc Rivers deserved a good portion of credit for allowing this team to become who it is and trusting all the players on his roster to fit into the puzzle. And it never hurts to beat the Lakers by 40 to win the title!!!!

GO GREEN!

RIP Esbjoern Svensson

According to Swedish media reports, Svensson had been diving with a group and an instructor in the Stockholm archipelago when he suddenly disappeared. The married father of two had been found badly injured on the sea bed and had been transported by helicopter to a Stockholm hospital, where he died shortly before midnight (2200 GMT) on Saturday. This event is still under investigation. Svensson, a genre-defying musician who reached audiences far beyond the traditional jazz crowd, was “the most important figure in jazz in this decade,” said Burkhard Hopper, manager of the Esbjoern Svensson Trio (E.S.T.). E.S.T., formed in 1993 by pianist and composer Svensson, drummer Magnus Oestroem and base player Dan Berglund, have released a dozen records that have enjoyed critical acclaim and commercial success in Europe and the United States. The group, which has won a string of other Swedish and international awards and was in 2006 the first European jazz band to grace the cover of US jazz bible Down Beat, released its last album “e.s.t. live in hamburg” at the end of 2007.

A Bee-U-T-FULL Mornin’

the calm after the storms….

Drink House- Scrapomatic
Not like I’ve Been Hurt by you- Floyd Miles & Gregg Allman
Papa was a Rollin’ Stone- Los Lobos (live)
Smokin’ Hole- the Radiators (live)
Black Gold- Dr John & the Lower 911
Yes we Can Can- Marc Broussard
This Land is Your Land- Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings
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Musicology- Prince
Disciples of Funk- Bootsy’s Rubber Band
Ffun- Con Funk Shun
Tear the Roof off this Sucka- Parliment
Burning down the House- Marcus Miller (live)
You Don’t Need a Dance- Breakestra
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Beyond the Seventh Galaxy- Return to Forever
Solfistifunk- Return to Forever
the Minx- the New Mastersounds
Here and Now- BD Lenz
Number 8- Celia Baron
Mouse- Secretary
Fire Walker- Skeebo Knight
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Muziqawi Silt- Etenesh and Le Tigre
Moose- Toubab Krewe live)
Connections- Sean Noonan Brewed by Noon
Ultra Funk- Los Amigos Invisibles (live)
Bongo Bong- Delta Nove
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Basketball Jones- Barry White & Chris Rock

I’m Hearing It

Artists/Albums I have been listening to:

Richard Pinhas- Single Collection 72-80
N.E.R.D.- Seeing Sounds
Paavoharju- Laulu Laakson Kukista
Cassettes Won’t Listen- Small Time Machine
My Morning Jacket- Evil Urges
Supergrass- Diamon Hoo Ha
Univers Zero- Univers Zero
Lars Hollmer- Viandra
Black Fortress of Opium
Vijay Iyer- Tragicomic
Boby Previte & the New Bump- Set the Alarm for Monday
Erykah Badu- New Amerykah Part One: 4th World War
the Orb- the Dream
Portishead- Third
Los Campesinos!- Hold on Now, Youngster…
Tommy Talton in Europe- Someone Else’s Shoes

a partial scope of what’s been filing up my thirsty ear-holes in recent days.

Vagabond Opera

The Vagabond Opera did get a chance to strut its Gypsy music, opera, klezmer and cabaret come-ons into Madison after all. As they almost made it to the stage at the Marquette Waterfront Festival before the tornado sirens sounded, this time they made it!! IN a very intimate hall at the Wil-Mar on Jenifer Street, the Old World Yiddish Theater was set to amaze. Based in the Pacific Northwest, yet encompassing the world, Vagabond Opera delivers passionate offerings of Bohemian cabaret. Paris hotJazz, gut bucket swing, Tangos, Ukrainian folk-punk ballads, Klezmer and vigorous originals meet a world of riverboat gambling queens, Turkish belly dancers, and the enigmatic Marlene Dietrich. Weaving elements of Kurt Weil, Duke Ellington and Edith Piaf with absurdist flair, theatrics and an old world mood, Vagabond Opera presents the new wave of opera–lusty (trained) voices singing in 13 languages and presenting a cabaret of rich musical phrasing, sparkling lyrics and indomitable stage presence, all played with exuberance, skill and a gritty Vagabond edge. This is Opera liberated and reinvented for everyone. A perfect enticement for folks here in Madison, as hoots and hollers echoed the skill on stage. The band’s lineup features trained operatic tenor and soprano vocals, accordion, tenor and alto saxophones, cello, stand-up bass, drums, and, when the mood is right, a burlesque hoola-hooping fire performer. What in that arrangement isn’t tempting? This is a show amongst shows, a place where more than music shall be revealed, you become a sound-circus listener……open up!

URB ALT Festival Trailer

This is a promo trailer from the URB ALT Festival featuring artists from the first two years including Faith, Kyp Malone of TV On The Radio, Harriet Tubman, Tenderhead, MuthaWit, Grisha Coleman, Shaka Zulu Overdrive, Spottiswoode & His Enemies, Nerdkween, Secretary and Blackbeard. There are cool video projections by Tim Fielder and Yuko Sueta. This features friend of the radio program, Paula Henderson and her band Secretary.

URB ALT Festival Trailer – Extended

Marquette Waterfront Festival

Moved inside, the final 3 scheduled acts started and finished the weekends events at the Crystal Corner. I was able to catch the youthful enthusiasm of Lafayette, Louisiana’s Feufollet, and the seasoned aplomb of Paul Cebar and the Milwaukeeans making their first appearance on an MNA stage. Feufollet (the name refers to the ghostly, luminescent marsh gases, once believed to be specters haunting the bayous) formed in 1995 when accordionist/singer Chris Stafford was 8 and fiddler Chris Segura was 11. They quickly became known as one of the most exciting Cajun bands in Acadiana, not because of their youth but because of their obvious musical ability and the vivacity with which they approached the traditional music of the area. This group has been a band of young prodigies for so long, it can be hard to talk about them as just a band. But that’s just what they are: a band of extremely talented and seasoned musicians who continue to explore the vital music of their culture and region. They also stole the show at last year’s La Fête de Marquette. Paul Cebar and the Milwaukeeans have been playing their particular brand of funk, soul and jazz in Wisconsin and around the country for more than 20 years. Everyone knows what a terrific band they are. Many thanks to all who made it out to support the live music, the Marquette Neighborhood Association and to tasty pints of local beer.

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Tornado Watching out

SO the plans for the festival got blown away by severe weather and an on-going Tornado Warning and Watch. A wise person once told me not to mess with Mother Nature, so it was a wash out. But, before the wind did make a holler, there was a show.

Bo Diddley is Crazy- Bo Diddley
Diddy Wah Diddy- Bo Diddley
Hey Baby- Bo Diddley
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I’m Tore Down- John Hammond and G Love
Luigi’s Starlite Lounge- Chuck E Weiss
Keep on Goin’- Dr John and the Lower 911
Nightime is the Right time- Albert Castiglia
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Soulshine- Gov’t Mule (live)
Jungle Telegraph- Eels
Footsteps- JJ Grey and Mofro
Turpentine- JJ Grey and Mofro
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Gotta Let me Know- Breakestra
Hiding- Breakestra
Never Grow Up- Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk
the Birdwave- Jimmy McGriff
I like’s that- Skeebo Knight
the Cousin of Death- the Beastie Boys
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Rock the Casbah- Rachid Taha
Hollywood (Africa)- Red Hot Chili Peppers
Get up- Keleta & Zozo Afrobeat
Son of a Preacherman- Soul Summit
Power of Love- Deee-Lite
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Grape Nuts and Chalk Sauce- Blockhead
When I Grow up- Ruckus Roboticus
Sweet Life- Karen Gibson Roc
the Pusher (live)- Nina Simone
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Gig Shirt- Doug Johns
Tides- Brad Shepik Trio
Restraint- Keller Williams

R.I.P Mr. Bo Diddley

I have had a hard time creating a post to completely describe what the music of and the starting line Mr. Bo Diddley helped create has done for a listener like me. There are few words to relay how much I think Bo Diddley meant to rock and roll music, heck music…so I will not even try….just ask that you check out the music he created and how he took it to places we are lucky he tried.

Check out my previous conversation with this legend here.

We spoke a few times after about some possible collaborations, and I consider this man my friend. He will be missed.