Author Archives: grnarrow

The signature sound of The Chicken Chokers combines a string pounding 4-man rhythm section, ever-crazed fiddling, infamous ‘air-raid siren’ vocals, and the hallmark Chicken Choker Big Boy Chorus. Throughout the 80’s the Chokers entertained many, influenced a select few, and recorded 2 albums for Rounder Records before exploding in all musical directions. Recent twenty year reunions reveal that the Choker Drive survived the explosion. Combining the unvarnished, primitive energy of the early years with sound scrapbooks from 5 separate musical journeys, the band endures, still inspiring amateur dancers and professional revelers to higher states of consciousness. This album is kind to your ears and your feet at the same time. It is a blend of ten recognizable tracks with one original, yet with the Chokers’ twist to some of these ole favorites, you’ll be heading off on your own musical explosion. Be warned…this album comes complete with strings attached.

Muddy River release ’07

Talk about down-tempo tres chic pop that can chill out the warmest of listeners. This eclectic, multi-instrumental SoCal-based trio that likens their distinct sound to “an experiment in Latin, blues, trip-hop and soul.” UNA has left a mark with me by the Portishead/Morcheeba sound-a-like moments with just as much trip as hop and soul. If UNA is the focus at any local or near -enough-bye chillout club, get there and be ready to groove graciously, with slow rhythms and conscious beats…aware yet never over dominant. Who/What is UNA? Jazz/electronic explorers combining the sultry voice of Jennifer Cook with the inspired keyboards and guitar of The Mighty One (Richard Larsen), and the down-tempo turntables of Eddie Barajas. I have a good feeling and a sneaky suspicion that listening to this album, ONE by UNA, will make you the cool kid on the block.

You like punk rock? You like the sounds of underground rock -n- roll? TRUE punked out rock and roll? Let me tell you what should be in your player tomorrow and there is no surprise it is a Wicked Cool Records release. Long known to have the best sound of any room in the world, where the sounds would begin to live within your body..CBGB‘s was and will always be a legend of and within New York City’s underground music scene. Thankfully some of the artists of that scene trickled out above ground now and again. Hilly Kristal started it in 1973 and even though the initials stood for Country, Bluegrass, and Blues it would be the birthplace of Punk. This great release known as Little Steven’s Underground Garage presents: CBGB FOREVER has Fourteen studio tracks, including RARE cuts from Green Day, U2 and Foo Fighters. Plus additional songs from Audioslave, Ramones, Good Charlotte, Talking Heads, Rancid, Velvet Revolver and more. Liner notes by Lenny Kaye (guitarist for Patti Smith Group & producer of NUGGETS compilation). Features artwork by Arturo Vega, artistic director for The Ramones. I can feel myself there again, as I was fortunate enough to see a few shows there, especially when hearing the middle of the album Patti Smith Group doing Till Victory. If you were another fortunate soul who stepped into the doors and walked the walk, you need to add this to your history…if you were not able to get there, this will help give you a good idea of just how good it rerally did sound at CBGBs.

CBGB FOREVER & RIP Mr. Hilly Kristal

Every year, for the past 41 years, there has been the Orton Park Festival, and this year was no exception. Sunday was the day I spent time there, and here’s why. First, the weather was finally splendid, absolutely. The local to the Madison area Balkan-ic Reptile Palace Orchestra with fiery Anna Purnell in the lead will get everyone dancing in mid-afternoon. The set was wild, ecclectic and there was an array of moment in the crowd that would have made the Wachowski brothers re-think The Matrix. From there, The Fareed Haque Group treated a large crowd of smiling faces to some Jazz-infused ragas on Haque’s sitar as well as some spacey jams while playing guitar and accompanied by is group to just plain rock. You can tell that extensive travels, especially long stays in Spain, France, Iran, Pakistan and Chile, exposed Haque to different musics from a very early age, and these influences stuck. In 2001 Fareed co-founded the jam super-group Garaj Mahal, joined George Brooks’ group Summit, featuring Zakir Hussein and Steve Smith and continues to record and tour with the amazing Fareed Haque Group.

Madison’s Reptile Palace Orchestra

Fareed Haque

I also remember trying the same delicious local wheat beer twice….and now you know that too.

And they were! There was no messin’ around, oh wait…yes there was. Abby and Amanda (the Ditty Bops) were dressed like vegetables, to help promote local farmers and sustainable community farming, on their FARM TOUR 2007. So the carrot did a duet of a childhood lullaby, written for her, by her mother. And the singing partner this night was in fact, her mother. The sharp honey sounds, combined with a toy-box filled with an assortment of instruments affectionately plucked with a cynical sweetness. The Barrymore was lined with a local farmers market in the halls leading into the ballroom. There was, as should be, plenty of down home dancers, including several in the single digit age group. Kudos to the band/the venue/ and the families for making this friendly for all ears. On the most theatrical moment of the evening, during “your head’s too big”, the was a plea to re-use bags and a cry of stop relying on plastics…oh yeah, complete with props. Included from the prop closet was, and I get excited thinking about it…Bubblewrap.

I encourage families to get to know the Ditty Bops, and go on out and meet up with them in a live setting and support what they are doing. It’s for good.

thanks to Sybil

Decided to head out for some dinner and free, that’s right free entertainment last night. Jazz at Five is a free event on Wednesday early evenings and this week featured local act the Jeanne Woodall Quartet at 5pm followed by the Hilario Durán Trio. Mr. Duran is a pianist, composer, bandleader and arranger of the first order and last nights showing left all in attendance knowing exactly why he is held in such high regard. Hypnotically attacking the keyboard with an arsenal of tools that includes runs executed in octaves, block chords at fast tempos, and that method so characteristic of Cuban pianists, his style and grace are unparalleled. The sounds burst off of the keys with an electric energy that traveled directly into the glass-rounded room with a captivating glow of natures very own accompanying lighting storm. This was my first musical event since reaching the Mad City and it did not disappoint. And for those of you asking: What was the choice for dinner? Well, Turkish dumplings stuffed with Beef Tenderloin covered with a spicy curry sauce was what hit the G’s-spot, which turned out to be a great warm up for the show.

Hilario Durán 8/22/07

Looking for the path to figuring out if you… yes you indeed enjoy world music. Here it is!!! Putumayo brings us WORLD HITS, a ear-opening experience that reminds us that some songs just hit it off for people everywhere. From the opening track of Peter Tosh with Mick Jagger doing the Temptation’s “Don’t Look Back from 1978, such the appropriate way to start this album, you’ll be looking forward to what’s next… ALWAYS a thrill. “Oye Como Va”, as made infamous by the classic Latin-rock group Santana off their 1970 release Abraxas, will be sure to set off some momentary senses of deja vu in many a listeners mind. Follow that in the middle of this trip with the cult classic The Harder They Come, by Jimmy Cliff, still thought of as a legend in Jamaican music. A personal favorite of mine, yes I must indulge for a moment..Cameroon‘s Manu Dibango reminds us why he has been a figurehead in African music for over 50 years. Such a innovative visionary from dancable Congolese rumba to the ever-exploratory avant garde jazz, this is one saxophonist I know that when I hear Soul Makossa, I am not only going to shake myself form the ground up, but my mind will venture into uncharted spaces as well.

Set to be released in the U.S and Canada August 28th, be sure to get your copy.

Thanks to Kaveh, as always.

While listening the first time through this album, I knew it was for me. Heavy organ stylistics, and beats that make your heart jealous. And, I must say, there is more jam in Cameron Mizell’s guitar than in any breakfast restaurant on the east coast. On his new album, Cameron partners up with keys guru Brad Whiteley and drummer extraordinaire Mike Fortune to create one of the funkiest jazz instrumental albums of 2007. Well chosen classics blended nicely and with an obvious careful thought make the original tracks stand out like a ornate centerpiece on the dinner table. The wide ranging set on LIFE IS LOUD makes those lucky enough to listen feel a part of the grooves, whether by an uncontrollable urge to shake it slightly, or an all out boogie-down. The thirteen tracks all have a quality of life different from one another making each one almost an album by itself. This album was crafted, not merely put together. It is (in my opinion), an antique in the making. A project that will inspire you, the listener, to greater things but also hopefully carry Cameron Mizell into the future with a larger sense of direction as both a player and a writer. I know he has my vote of confidence.

Cameron Mizell’s Life is Loud 2007