Category Archives: All Interviews

ARCHIVED list of my interviews/conversations with people/artists.

30+ Years of moe.

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Hailed by American Songwriter for their “mind-bending musicality,” moe.is treasured for their mesmerizing musical synergy, unfettered showmanship, & smart, resonant songcraft. For 3 decades, the band has corralled diverse musical forms on a truly original journey. Fueled by an impassioned fan base, moe. has spent much of those 30 years on the road, encompassing countless live performances marked by eclectic wit, deep friendship, & exploratory invention. Having built an enduring legacy with hard work and a confirmed commitment to creativity and community, moe. seem as surprised as anyone to find themselves at such a significant landmark. The more the band traveled, the more they grew creatively, evincing a remarkable willingness to progress as they went along. moe. quickly became part of a burgeoning scene centered around NYC’s Wetlands, a grassroots revolution that embraced freewheeling genre fusion – spanning funk & free jazz, country & classic rock, prog, new wave, calypso, pop & everything else under the sun – fan interaction, & unrestrained improvisation. moe. widened its reach across America, earning new fans and national attention with their ingeniously imaginative interplay and a regularly growing catalogue. The band spent almost as much time in the studio as they did on the road. As if all that weren’t enough, the moe. canon – released largely through their own Fatboy Records, as well as via two label deals, one major, the other independent – further includes a wide range of archival live releases (including 2000’s L), a Christmas album, even a re-recorded collection of greatest hits. moe. is truly a live band, rightly adored by a fervent following for their epic concert performances, each one imaginatively improvisational, rhythmically audacious, and utterly unique. Indeed, the band has spent much of its 30-year career on the road, including innumerable headline tours, international festival sets from Bonnaroo to Japan’s famed Fuji Rock, music-themed cruises, and sold-out shows alongside such like-minded acts as the Allman Brothers Band, Robert Plant, members of the Grateful Dead, Dave Matthews Band, The Who, Gov’t Mule, & Blues Traveler, to name but a few. As if that weren’t enough, moe. has both promoted and headlined at multiple festivals of their own, including snoe.down and moe.down. That illustrious career path has been supported and nourished by the band’s ever-growing legion of devoted fans and followers, known lovingly as moe.rons. With their astonishing prolificacy and awe-inspiring longevity, moe. is among the rare bands that somehow manage to transcend time and trend to be passed down from one generation to the next. Impossible to pigeonhole as anything other than simply moe., this one-of-a-kind band has never been easily categorized, their sonic adventurousness and tongue-in-cheek humor distinctly and undeniably their own. Despite current circumstances, moe. is celebrating their milestone anniversary with characteristic self-deprecation and wistful optimism. Here’s to the next 30.

I had the pleasure of catching up with Drummer of moe., Vinnie Amico ahead of the band’s arrival back in Madison on September 29th at The Barrymore Theater. We got into what someone new to the scene can expect from the live experience, which is really what this group of artist seems to live for. We talk about how, after thirty years, things are feeling as good and fresh as ever. This is one of those bands that gets into that (as Vinnie said), the music at times starts to play the band, so of course we talk about that in the moment spirt and energy between band members, the fans and the music. Once again, this is a band that has an idea or a map to what should go down once the how begins, but it is that shared moment of this is now happening, and here we go, makes each song, each setlist a unique to you experience. Being a big fan of Al’s writing, we find out a little bit about what happens when he walks into the studio and presents a song he’s working out. It’s a classic answer about process, discussion and family style working through.

Portraits by friend of the proGram Jay Blakesberg

Kris Davis’ Diatom Ribbons Live At The Village Vanguard

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Pianist/composer Kris Davis introduced her acclaimed 2019 album ‘Diatom Ribbons’ by talking about the micro & the macro, using the titular microalgae as an evocative analogy for her compositional approach. The comparison could be extended, in a way, to describe the legendary Village Vanguard – although in time, rather than in space (the basement club’s notoriously intimate confines don’t allow for much of a macro view). On this venturesome new double album, the long & storied history of one of jazz’s most revered venues coexists with the immediacy of contemporary invention in thrilling and unexpected ways. With ‘Live at the Village Vanguard’, Davis’ 2nd release with her far-reaching Diatom Ribbons band, she adds her name to the astounding roster of legends who have recorded at the Vanguard, yet the music takes forms that even visionaries like John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins or Bill Evans could never have imagined. The album, which dropped September 1, 2023, via her own Pyroclastic Records label, reunites Davis with her core collaborators from that album – drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, turntablist & electronic musician Val Jeanty and bassist Trevor Dunn, as well as the addition of a new voice to the mix in the person of guitarist Julian Lage. ‘Live at the Village Vanguard’ follows in the kaleidoscopic spirit of its celebrated predecessor, which was hailed as one of the top 5 albums of 2019 by both DownBeat & JazzTimes magazines while topping the list of both the NPR Critics Poll and The New York Times. The music is an inspired collage of eclectic influences, drawing on the music and philosophies of Wayne Shorter, Olivier Messiaen, Sun Ra, Geri Allen, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Charlie Parker, Eric Dolphy, Ronald Shannon Jackson, Paul Bley & Conlon Nancarrow, among others. In her role as Associate Program Director of Creative Development for the Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice at Berklee College of Music, Kris plays an active part in remedying the historic injustices and imbalances in the jazz world while serving as a role model in her own work. She and bassist Linda May Han Oh are only the second & third women to win the Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album for Terri Lyne Carrington’s 2022 album ‘New Standards Vol. 1’, an honor they share with Carrington, the first woman to win the category with 2013’s ‘Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue’. This new record showcases the fact that Kris Davis also becomes one of very few women instrumentalists to have recorded at the Vanguard, preceded only by Geri Allen, Shirley Horn & Junko Onishi.

I had the honor of getting some time with Kris Davis to walk through the creation and performance of this new record. Kris explained how she was able to get onto the schedule of the Village Vanguard with Diatom Ribbons. ‘Knock Knock – who is it?” We got into the pieces of the band and how they fit into the whole of the space of the music and the spaces between. Having had Julian Lage on the program before it was clear about how these open-minded blazers of new trails made time for this project. Each person/artist fills a need for me as a listener to this live landscape – and you can feel the drops of their soul’s sweat in each note. We talk about song selection with honoring those who came before and also adding a bit of a newness to the past. Check out which tines we sorta dissect a bit including “Delores Takes 1 & 2”. I was able to get some insight into a new release on her Pyroclastic Record Label, “Sculpting Sound”, six high-definition concert films, each featuring two musicians famed for their distinctive voices playing with, and on, sound sculptures by Harry Bertoia‘s Sonambient sculptures. This has to be as maGical as it looks in writing. Kris and I also spoke about another visionry on the scene and friend of this program, Kassa Overall, as she was on his latest release and if you listen closely, there could be more to come.

Kris Davis Diatom Ribbons by Caroline Mardok

Kevin Carnes of Broun Fellinis

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Formed 1991 in San Francisco by Kevin Carnes, drums/sampler (Beatnigs), David Boyce, tenor/soprano saxophone, efx, synth, spoken word, and Kirk Peterson, electric bass. The miGhty Afrofuturists, Broun Feelinis, have been profiled on NPR, BET, and KCRW in the US and on Radio Nova in France. The trio has been featured at festivals such as the San Sebastian International Jazz Festival in Spain, the San Francisco Jazz Festival in the US and they’ve performed sold out shows at top venues such as Yoshi’s, The Independent, and The Warfield. The Broun Fellinis play a soulful and highly energetic style of post modern improvised/composed jazzical sound that is informed by dub, afro beat, abstract funk, hardcore/psych/prog rock and film soundtracks. Broun Fellinis have toured with Ben Harper and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band and performed with many great and varied acts such as Meshell Ndegeocello, the Roots, Rafael Sadiq, Mos Def, Living Colour, Erykah Badu, Bad Brains, The Last Poets, Gil Scott-Heron, Zakir Hussain, Bernie Worrell, George Clinton, Les Claypool, Jimmy Smith, General Public, Ravi Coltrane, Galactic, Medeski, Martin, Wood, and more. This type of sonic diversity says a ton to me about the kind of exploration and ‘feeling’ that goes on within a live performance by this mind-opening trio.

And lucky for us here in Madison on September 22nd, we get to share in an evening of new moments and a walk through a fresh landscape with Broun Fellinis at Cafe Coda. I had the chance to spend some time with Mr. Kevin Carnes to talk about the upcoming sets and man, let me tell you, he gave me one of the greatest replies to paining that scene of where me may go from where we have been. He shared the who, the what and even a bit of the how we will all get to the new spaces – in a deep fashion that makes me wanna go out to be a part of it. We learn how the trio found one another, how they make the food on stage that involves all the emotions and ‘you hafta feel its’ that are within them and spread out amongst the masses, the universe and that yet to be. We also learn where in Madison you can find Kevin as he opens the paths up to others in a free to be improvising space. For me, this is the type of thinG that is like the fluids running through me for a survival of me spirit. That spirit deserves to roam.

A Human Reaction with Mike Baggetta Of mssv

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mssv is releasing their second studio album ‘Human Reaction’ in their typical style: with a 58-show tour in the U.S. & parts of Canada. The band, composed of guitarist Mike Baggetta, Stephen Hodges on drums & mike watt on bass, creates music that is a hybrid of a punk power-trio and a dreamy experimental rock band, though they prefer the term “post-genre.” ‘Human Reaction’ was released on BIG EGO Records as a digital download, 12” LP vinyl, and via streaming platforms on September 1st. This brand new full length album finds the oddly memorable hooks of their noir-tinged adventure music with a lot more vocals from the Main Steam Stop Valve leader Baggetta, adding more personality than ever before, alongside his bandmates, Hodges & watt, who also share in the vocal duties throughout the album. Recorded mostly on May Day immediately following that last tour, ‘Human Reaction’ passes through a deeply broad sonic landscape, as expected from this nearly unclassifiable group, though with some even deeper twists & turns. With inventively churning drum textures from Hodges (an instantly identifiable sound honed in his days with Tom Waits & David Lynch) and the full-steam-ahead all-in attitude from watt, (as he’s displayed throughout his storied career with MINUTEMEN, fIREHOSE, & The Stooges), you can feel the steam being converted into an electrical energy. It’s real! Also evident is the more fearless exploring that comes from a band that has spent a lot of time together crafting their vision, as well as making room for guests like J Mascis, Petra Haden and Nels Cline on some of their previous releases. Mike Baggetta has had the pleasure to work all over the world with a wide range of visionary musicians across many generations including David Torn, Jim Keltner, Psychic Temple, Jeff Coffin, Henry Kaiser, Rev. Fred Lane, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Joseph C. Philips’ Numinous with Imani Uzuri, Viktor Krauss, Jerome Harris, David Wax Museum, Jon Irabagon, Eivind Opsvik and Ruth Brown among many others. Even though Mr. Baggetta wrote all the songs specifically for these bandmates to play, there’s no telling which way the band will turn at any given moment, a proposition that becomes a promise when they break down and reassemble these songs live, with an instinct for restraint and an openness to a little anarchy.

I had the complete pleasure of catching up with Mike before the road warrior type monster stretch of a 58 day/58 show tour (Aki Tour), and when mssv makes their way to Madison on October 1st at the High Noon Saloon. Mike introduces the band to us to get any folks unfamiliar into the scen and we get into about how they go about their business of playing the new tunes and then recording an album, giving them time to form and shape into themselves and he evens shares the expectations for those in attendance to prepare for a taste of the past, future and present of a live show musically. This lead right into a deep dive into the seed to flower of this brilliantly unique sounding new release ‘Human Reaction’, including the how/why/when he started taking on a little more of that singer aspect of the instrumentation (including a tale from little Mike days). This leads us down into a conversation about different layers added to make that trio feel like more people, like more beings being and doing. It is alwsays fun to talk about visions people may have when inviting others to collaboration with other people. We get into that a bit to see how Mike tries to keep his way of approaching music and taking on that conversation by being himself. The facts is that this group is a young, ever-evolving, take your chances kid type of situation, wrapped in some dynamic layers within that/this moment improvisation preparing themselves and listeners alike on a unique journey toGether. That’s what it’s all about and mssv, the people, the artists, the sonic sculptors of then and now take the influences of everything and here’s our adventure. It just so happened that Mike was right there with his turntable and we learned exactly what he is/was listening to recently. It would make a great greenarrowradio set.

mssv by Devin O’Brien

Amendola Vs Blades with Cyro Baptista

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Wil Blades & Scott Amendola conjure various sonic deities though only a duo. For the past 10 years, their live shows have been generating a buzz around the San Francisco Bay Area. The two got their start as a group when Scott had the vision of performing Duke Ellington’s “Far East Suite” in duo with Wil. While quite a daunting task translating a suite (originally written for a big band) into duo, the Hammond Organ had previously been used in the 1940’s & 1950’s to emulate the sound of big bands. With Wil’s knowledge of this tradition and Scott’s desire to push boundaries, they were able to pull it off in an explorative, yet cohesive manner. The duo continues to perform pieces from the Ellington suite, while also developing their original material. Their live performances are fun and playful, yet deeply musical. They can cover everything from Avant Garde to Funk, Bebop to Rock, sometimes all within one song, even. In June 2015, at Duende in Oakland, CA, they set up shop for two nights and recorded in front of a live audience. The resulting release, entitled “Greatest Hits”, is now out on SAZi records. As people now have learned, Wil Blades is hands down one of the essential torchbearers for the Hammond B-3 organ-jazz tradition, not to mention as tasty as they come on Clavinet. Scott Amendola is one of the rare drummers who’s pure groove in the pocket, but somehow simultaneously & delightfully angular and skewed in the very same moment. Add guitarist Jeff Parker of Tortoise, percussion wizard Cyro Baptista, saxophonics visionary Skerik and the ever cinematic Rob Burger to the mix and you have a record that reveals itself in new and explosively colorful ways with each listen! That is some of what happens on the 2019 Royal Potato Family release, “AMENDOLA VS. BLADES :: Everybody Wins”. The way to get to know the sounds and how the interact best with you is to go try it out when they are coming into town to play.

I had the pleasure of spending some time with Scott & Wil ahead of the September 22nd event at the North Street Cabaret here in Madison, and this event will feature the one and only spellbinding percussionist, Mr. Cyro Baptista. We get into the duo as a being while adding to the discussion the extra special layer Cyro adds to the mix of a live performance, not only for them as the players, but for those in the listening of the room as well. We talk about collaborations and the 2019 release, ‘Everybody Wins’ that they are actually now finally getting to go out and tour on. During that portion of the chat, we do learn that there is and will be new music in the making as well, which is always exciting to learn about. Wil and I briefly talk of our mutual pal, Mr. Melvin Sparks and we find out what & why the two guys are listening these days. Based on this conversation, it is easy for me to see why these cats can get into the explorations of sound toGether, while remember the playfulness of the people making it and the doors it opens for others.

Dixie Longate’s Tupperware Party Is Back

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Friend of the proGram Dixie Longate hails from Mobile, Alabama where she lives with her three kids: Wynona, Dwayne & Absorbine, Jr. She started selling Tupperware as part of the conditions of her parole back in 2001. Within a few years, she became the top selling Tupperware representative in the US. When a friend of hers told her she should turn her living room party into a theatrical show, she laughed so hard at the idea, she almost had to put down her drink. Dixie’s Tupperware Party soon opened off-Broadway in 2007 to both raving fans & great reviews. The show earned Dixie a Drama Desk Award Nomination for Outstanding Solo Performance. She lost to Laurence Fishburne! The following year, with plastic bowls in hand, she embarked on a small tour to some theaters in the US. 10+2 years later, that tour was still running and had become one of the longest-running off-Broadway tours in American theater history. She followed that up in 2014 with her second show, ‘Never Wear a Tube Top While Riding A Mechanical Bull (and 16 other things I learned while I was drinking last Thursday)’ which was originally produced by the Denver Center for the Performing Arts which Dixie discovered is really hard to say after 8 alcoholic Shirley Temples. During the lockdown in 2020, she came up with her first streaming show while refilling her breakfast vodka as she was trying to homeschool her kids. Dixie’s Happy Hour ran in 26 cities over the first few months of 2021. After 22 months of being forced to be with her kids full-time, she decided it was time to emerge from the trailer to share all the things that she learned when the world was flipped over and life took a crap on the front lawn with her new show, Cherry Bombs & Bottle Rockets.

It was a pleasure to catch back up with Dixie after, well to be honest, we had to take off our shoes and socks to figure how long it actually has been. Dixie was just about to head out to host a celebrity cruise when we spoke, can’t even imagine that! I got a little reminder about the life lessons, feelings of self-empowerment, and PLENTY of reasons to get on up and start each day as a reasons I loved this show so much. Oh yeah, Dixie is bringing the Tupperware Party back to Madison on September 15th at The Overture Center and bringing with her plenty of audience participation and homespun wisdom. We spoke about the research & development department and the discoveries of the many many uses of Tupperware, oh yeah, there’s also a party to prepare for! We talked a little bourbon and love of exploring food, as well as catching up to what her family is up to and who were some of the most important role models and inspirations that have kept her working toward holding people up and working toGether to get there. The live event and party Dixie brings to town is the smile you might just have forgotten you once had.


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The Headhunters Live From Brooklyn Bowl

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Legendary Band The Headhunters Celebrate 50th Anniversary with Captivating Live Album

Announce Canada and Europe Dates for Fall 2023

Not many bands can claim a history as remarkable and illustrious as The Headhunters. Originating in 1973 under the visionary leadership of renowned musician Herbie Hancock, the band quickly established itself as a force to be reckoned with. Comprising percussionist Bill Summers, bassist Paul Jackson, saxophonist Bennie Maupin & Harvey Mason, who was soon replaced by legendary drummer Mike Clark, each member brought their own unique talents to the team, forging a timeless legacy that surpasses the dreams of most musical ensembles. By blending jazz, funk, and rock, The Headhunters created a sound that resonated with audiences worldwide, selling over a million albums and inspiring musicians across genres for generations. Their music was even sampled by hundreds of hip-hop artists throughout the ’80s and ’90s, leaving an indelible mark on contemporary music. Today, The Headhunters’ impact remains a constant, with their time alongside Hancock serving as a transformative experience. The band went on to release six more full-length albums. They ventured out on their own, free from Hancock’s involvement, producing standout albums such as “Survival of the Fittest” in 1975 and “Straight from the Gate” in 1977. The band reunited with Herbie in 1998 for “Return of The Headhunters” and subsequent released albums “Evolution Revolution” in 2003 and “Platinum” in 2011. The Headhunters’ latest studio release “Speakers In The House” came out November 4th, 2022 to international acclaim through Ropeadope Records in association with Devil Hills Entertainment. Now co-led by original members Bill Summers on percussion & Mike Clark on drums complemented by the talents of some of New Orleans’ finest musicians: Kyle Roussel on keys, Donald Harrison on alto saxophone, and Chris Severin on seven-string bass. In celebration of their eponymous album’s 50th anniversary, the band started on a world tour in early 2023. The journey began with a monumental performance meticulously recorded at the iconic Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg, New York, on February 9th, 2023. Showcasing the band’s incredible live energy, this momentous occasion was masterfully captured and subsequently mixed and mastered in New Orleans by the talented Keenan McRae. The result is an extraordinary live album that encapsulates the essence of The Headhunters’ artistry. This new album, from Ropeadope Records, features an array of their greatest hits, including the iconic tracks “Watermelon Man,” “Chameleon,” “Butterfly,” and the latest original “Rocking At The Mole House” from studio album “Speakers In The House.” With their 50th-anniversary live album, The Headhunters invite both loyal fans and new listeners to experience their groundbreaking sound in its raw and electrifying form. This release not only pays homage to their incredible journey but also serves as a testament to their enduring musical legacy. The band is scheduled to return to Europe and Canada this Fall and tour internationally in 2024.

I had the honor of catching up with two legends anyway you try to slice it, Mr. Mike Clark & Mr. Bill Summers. OG’s! We have a wild time discussing the way this new album, Live From Brooklyn Bowl (set for release on August 11th), became a thing. We dive deep into the stories of getting to these show(s), knowing not just thinking about how good their live set of now ARE definitely going to be, and just how these live recordings capture the way these songs take off in 2023. I could honestly listen to these cats talk to each other about all they have seen and done and how that transforms and shapes the sounds they create. It is this kinda conversation that they create toGether as one unit. I could chuck out one name of great jazz days gone by and either of these dudes will have something relevant to say. We also learn just what it would to get them to come t Madison and play in my backyard. I have to start planning that menu soon. This album is a flavor you may thing you have tried before, but the people assembled with Mr. Summers & Mr. Clark are waking in the landscape of the pasts and present to create a future fulla rhythms, grooves and funky shit that will keep your blood flowing and your ass moving. We talk a bit about each, a little back of the baseball card look and the props for Mr. Harrison are real and true, recently becoming a partner. This new record has a bit for all of us, newbies and not and it is a sure way to bring that “I was at that show” feel into your homes.

Photo by: Michael Weintrob

Gankino Circus & Friends beim Nürnberger Bardentreffen

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Is it world music, folk music or comedy? A little bit of this, a little bit of that – really special. Creative minds are at work in Gankino Circus, musicians who certainly know what they are doing. The four of them act as if they had never done anything else: perfectly set into scene & highly sophisticated while maintaining a close connection to their audience, all of which makes them one of Germany’s finest world music exports. Gankino Circus have traveled from Finland to Kazakhstan – constantly voyaging, always in search of musical inspiration for their signature style. German Folk, Balkan Beats, Nordic Sounds and lots of humour are mingled in a fantastic concert event. Winners of the German world music Award RUTH, Gankino Circus have played more than 1000 shows in theatres, clubs and at festivals across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Hungary, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and Armenia. The group has performed at famous world music festivals like Rudolstadt Festival, Bardentreffen Nuremberg, Masala World Beat Festival Hanover, Global Music Festival Halle and Accordion Festival Vienna.

Gankino Circus & Friends beim Nürnberger Bardentreffen

Gankino Circus & Friends – Crazy World Music Show
This show promised to be something unique and outrageous and it was: Guests of the Gankinos are besides David Saam, the Pope of Franciscan folk music and fun-heavy-metal legend Vito C of J.B.O., also the most dazzling couple of Finnish tango: Laura Ryhänen and Mikko Kuisma of Uusikuu.
Recording of the concert on Sebalder Platz from 23. July

Jane Lee Hooker Back In Madison

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Jane Lee Hooker exploded out of New York City in 2015, with members having spent time playing in Nashville Pussy, Bad Wizard, Helldorado, Lez Zeppelin, NYC punk rockers The Wives & Plasmatics offshoot New Hope. The band released a revved up album of Blues covers titled ‘No B!’ in 2016, and were immediately signed to legendary German Blues label Ruf Records. ‘Spiritus’ followed in 2017 and found Jane Lee Hooker touring extensively in support of these records – performing to packed houses across the US and Europe including Germany, France, Austria, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic & Luxembourg. While Jane Lee Hooker’s blend of rock, blues, punk, R&B & soul pays respect to the greats of the past, this is a band that lives fiercely in the present tense. JLH’s fiery performances have made them a must-see live act, and feature the dynamically muscular lead guitars of Tracy ‘Hightop’ & Tina ‘T-Bone’ Gorin, the rock-solid rhythm section of bassist Mary Z and drummer Lightnin’ Ron Salvo and the full ranged, soul-scorching lead vocals courtesy of Dana “Danger” Athens. In a world full of manufactured bands and live shows backed up by hard-drives, Jane Lee Hooker play rock ‘n’ roll the way it’s meant to be played – loud and with uncompromised passion. You can easily feel that Jane Lee Hooker loves to play live and share their music with their fans around the globe.

I had the pleasure of catching up with Hightop ahead of Jane Lee Hooker’s upcoming set at Atwoodfest 2023 on July 30th as they help close the party out. It has been too long since JLH has been to Madison and Hightop misses this place as much as we miss them. The love of how they feel when they rock with us is shared and highly reciprocated, and now they’ll be back where it all beGan. Since it has been a bit since they last rawwwkkkked with us, we talk about what songs (especially the newer ones) we can expect to blow us away live in Madison, and how the ‘tune up’ went as they just got back from a wild time in Europe. I have no doubt if the first time you catch Jane Lee Hooker is when they hit Atwoodfest 2023, you will walk away, maybe head bangin’ away with a feeling of some new rockin’ friends coming into your lives.

Photo By: Rob Carter

Talkin’ Atwoodfest with Rökker

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Here we are in the perfect part of Summer for Madison’s outdoor and free music and arts festivals. Atwoodfest is an east-side neighborhood tradition, it’s a block party that keeps on growing! I had a chance to catch up with the man who helps put together the music the people get to enjoy on the yearly,Rökker. We spend some time going over what is new this year and man, there is plenty of newness going on this year. Since Rökker helps choose te acts, we talk a bout the thnking that goes on to try and have people feel torn about which stage when for their entertaining choices. We talk a little about many of the bands playing Atwoodfest 2023 and who this event ultimately helps out. Speaking of helping out, there is always room for you to volunteer!

Music Lineups:
Saturday, July 29

Clyde Stubblefield Stage: 12:00 PM Moon Gypsies; 1:45 PM The Stephen Hull Experience; 3:45 PM Steepwater Band; 5:45 PM New Primitives; 8:00 PM VO5 (stage sponsor: The Bur Oak and Weichert, Realtors – Lakepoint)

Madison Heritage Stage: 12:00 PM Forró Fo Sho; 1:15 PM Elizabeth Mary & Paul Schluter; 2:45 PM Butter Brick; 4:30 PM Frank Martin Busch and the Names; 6:30 PM Kyle Megna & The Monsoons; 8:30 PM Miles Nielsen & The Rusted Hearts (stage sponsor: The Alchemy Cafe)

Sugar Maple Stage: Teen Fest produced by Madison Music Foundry: 12:00 PM The Sandblasters, 1:00 PM The Blue Dyes, 1:50 PM SLAG; Sugar Maple Concert Series: 3:00 PM Tony Casteñeda Mambo Combo, 4:30 PM, Katie Powderly & Her Bluegrass Boys, 6:00 PM Piper Road Spring Band (stage sponsor: The Lauer Realty Group)

Sunday, July 30

Clyde Stubblefield Stage: 12:00 PM Steely Dane, 2:00 PM Kirstie Kraus, 3:45 PM God’s Outlaw, 5:30 PM Jane Lee Hooker (stage sponsor: The Bur Oak and Weichert, Realtors – Lakepoint)

Madison Heritage Stage: 12:00 PM Seasaw, 1:45 PM Lynda & the Zeros, 3:30 PM Porky’s Groove Machine, 5:30 PM Dub Foundation featuring Jah Boogie (stage sponsor: The Alchemy Cafe)

Sugar Maple Stage: Kids That Rock produced by Forward Craft & Coffee: 12:00 PM Charlieboy, 1:30 PM Jane Hobson Band; Sugar Maple Series: 3:00 PM The Donna Herula Band, 5:00 PM Joel Paterson Trio (stage sponsor: The Lauer Realty Group)

ST. PAUL AND THE MINNEAPOLIS FUNK ALL STARS

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One of the best musicians to emerge from the Twin Cities, St. Paul appeared in Purple Rain as a teenage wunderkind, playing keys with The Time on hits like “Jungle Love” and “The Bird.” He was hand-picked by Prince himself to be lead singer of The Family (best known for “Nothing Compares 2 U”) on Prince’s Paisley Park label. In the tradition of Motown’s Funk Brothers, St. Paul has assembled the who’s who crew of the Minneapolis Sound with St. Paul & The Minneapolis Funk All-stars, showcasing those who wrote, produced, performed, or sung on some of the biggest hits from the heyday of electro funk-rock in the Twin Cities.

Their incredible show: “THE MINNEAPOLIS SOUNDS” is now a National Tour!!

I had the pleasure of catching up with St Paul Peterson ahead of the July 27th event at the >Majestic Madison where St. Paul and the Minneapolis Funk All Stars will be brinGing all the hits of some of the most important grooves to be born with many of the original players, the people who have this sound running through their veins. We get into these artists that’ll be doing this thang here in Madison, the amazing history of the Minneapolis Sound and how carrying on the legacy has taken on a new meaning now without Prince. We talk Prince, The Family & The Time of course as well as a little Purple Rain, because, well, how could we not. I ask St. Paul to by=uild a set list around some of the artists he has worked with and the list is of course, diverse like we like it here on the proGram, and in that same vein, he shares a new thing he is up to, his Funk Fridays series he is doing on social media, sending out a groove to others from his rolodex and putting it together. While this will be his first time playing in Madison, he is well connected here with Ben Sidran sited as a pal. Gonna be an amazing time in Madison. Hit Me!!

The All-stars include (Bolded members will appear in Madison):

Jellybean Johnson – Drummer for The Time and The Family.
Dr. Fink – Keyboardist for Prince and the Revolution.
Kirk Johnson – Drummer for Prince and the NPG.
Elisa Fiorillo – Singer for Prince and the NPG.
Oliver Leiber – Producer of Paula Abdul and guitarist with Tamara and The Seen.
Jason Peterson DeLaire – Keys and saxophone with Solo and Carmen Electra.
Horn Heads – Horn section for Prince.
Homer O’Dell – Mint Condition
St. Paul Peterson – The Time and The Family

Hypnagogia From Kuf Knotz & Christine Elise

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Christine Elise is classically trained harpist, pianist, & vocalist who has been consecutively touring across North America for the past 4 years. Studying music therapy at a masters level led her to find a passion for community music therapy. She has facilitated group sessions & workshops for professionals & clients in the USA, South Africa, Peru & Jamaica. She has presented at national, regional, & world music therapy conferences and written scholarly articles published by Music Therapy Perspectives. She has provided clinical supervision for undergraduate and graduate students at MusicWorks, Jamaica Field Service Project, Women’s & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, NY, Warren Wilson College, & Immaculata University. Christine taught as an adjunct professor for the music therapy department of Immaculata University College of Graduate Studies and Boyer College of Music and Dance of Temple University for several undergraduate and graduate level classes. She has composed for various organizations & institutions. Recent commissions include The Free Project Series, for Pennsylvania Humanities Council, What Does Freedom Mean to Me? as part of the The Dedication of the Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland for St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Club House Theme Song for AHA Studio for Integrated Therapies and over 20 original compositions for Autism Across the Globe, directed by Rima J. Irani or Lebanon.
Named Philadelphia Magazine Best Rapper of 2022, Kuf Knotz Blends hiphop poetry with deep grooves of soul and beats sun kissed with the spirit of Lo-Fi & 90’s era vibes , Kuf’s inimitable style focuses on unsubtle spirituality, that, like his music, focus on unity, positivity & creativity. In 2008, the same year he opened for Bruce Springsteen, Kuf sang lead vocals on “Unstoppable,” a song created to mark the Philadelphia Phillies winning the World Series. In 2010, he recorded “Boombox Logic,” which was named the year’s best hip hop song by the Independent Music Awards. His next venture, 2015’s A Positive Light,” reflected his carefully forged fusion of music styles. Kuf’s on-screen credits include a part on the hit FOX TV show “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia.” He appeared in a Domino’s Pizza commercial and was a cast member in a music-based reality show. Film and video are close to Kuf’s heart; he earned a degree in video production from the Art Institute of Philadelphia. Kuf has opened for The Roots, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Common, Wyclef Jean, The Wailers, Arrested Development, Josh Ritter Robert Glasper, Robert Randolph, G-Love and others. In 2018, Christine & Kuf founded a community music therapy outreach performance project called Higher Grounds Music, using the power of music, clinical training, and performance experience to foster personal growth. Working in a strength based model, the workshops/performances are designed to support participants in building skills to build confidence, increase motivation and drive and strengthen self-care skills.

I had the pleasure of catching up with Christine & Kuf a short time after they were in Madison, opening up for friend of the program, Wax Tailor. We got into the entire thng from how the brand new album ‘Hypnagogia’ came about, the process the went through and go through to create toGether, and we even dissected 2 tracks from the record. The first track we go into features Speech from Arrested Developement, so we chart the path of that tune (including who turned it down)and the other track selected to open into is the one that I see/feel inside my mindspace as well as my ear holes. That is the part about their music that really I really appreciate so much, they make music that I feel and see at times – there’s plenty to feel on this new record. The conversation here is rich and real and that is the real reason I wanted to connect. I selfishly do want to have them stay here in Madison to do some workshops as part of their Higher Grounds Music project and have performance open others minds, bodies and spirits to a positive vibe that is contagious, and feels good to pass along to others.

Counting Pebbles with Ben Rosenblum Nebula Project

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Award-winning New York City jazz pianist & accordionist Ben Rosenblum has been described as “mature beyond his years,” (Sea of Tranquility), an “impressive talent” (All About Jazz), who “caresses [the music] with the reverence it merits” (Downbeat Magazine). Since the release of his debut trio album, Instead, Mr. Rosenblum has toured extensively with his trio & sextet throughout the United States, including multiple trips to the Northeast, Midwest, South & West Coast, as well as internationally in Canada, Europe & Japan. He was a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall’s Stern-Perelman Auditorium – with Reona Ito’s New York Harmonic Band – and has appeared at prestigious venues throughout the world, including at the Appel Room at Lincoln Center, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Ravinia, Himawari-No-Sato Concert Hall in Yokohama, Bird’s Eye in Basel and the Library of Congress. Rosenblum’s second trio album in 2018, River City, was called “richly romantic” and “well-realized” by JAZZIZ Magazine, which featured the title track as part of their Best of Fall 2018 CD. In 2020, he released his third album, Kites and Strings, which is the first to feature him on both piano & accordion alongside his new sextet, the Nebula Project. That year, the Nebula Project was voted runner-up for Best New Artist in JazzTimes’ Readers’ Poll. Most recently, Rosenblum released his fourth album, A Thousand Pebbles, in 2023. In May 2023, Mr. Rosenblum and the album were featured in a Downbeat Magazine article entitled “Worldly Jazz Adventuring.” He has been privileged to share the stage with many highly acclaimed jazz musicians, including extensive work with Curtis Lundy, Winard Harper, Deborah Davis & Chris Washburne, as well as appearances with Bobby Watson, Sean Jones, TS Monk, Warren Wolf, Eliot Zigmund, and many others. Rosenblum’s musical interests also extend beyond jazz to include work in numerous world music scenes, including musical styles from Brazil, Peru, Croatia, Bulgaria, India, Ireland, Jewish traditions and more.

I had the pleasure of catching up with Ben ahead of his July 14th show in Madison at The North Street Cabaret with Nebula Project. Ben was just about to head off to Europe to do another leg of a tour with the great Rickie Lee Jones. We spoke about what the people who head out on what I am sure will be a perfect evening in mid-July and get some Nebula Project in their world. We dove deep into the new record, ‘A Thousand Pebbles’ and got a peek behind the curtain a bit on how it went from those beGinning moments into a final product ready for ear consumption. We also spoke about his involvement in the Swiss vocalist, Gabriela Martina‘s striking new album ‘Homage to Grämlis and what was fresh and new for him with that work. And it wouldn’t be right if I let Ben go without trying to have him build a setlist. One thing I learned in my chat with him is that I think ‘d really like to spend a bunch of time listening to and talking about music with him. Maybe on the 14th?

Photo: Monica Witt

HR of Bad Brains and His Wife Lori

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Paul D. Hudson, known professionally as H.R. (Human Rights),lead the hardcore punk band Bad Brains, and is an instrumental figure in the development of that genre (really its more of a undefined sonic community). His vocal delivery has been described as diverse, ranging from a rapid-fire nasal whine, to feral growling & vast screeches, to smooth near-crooning or staccato reggae rhymes. He has departed that band periodically to pursue solo efforts that are more reggae than Bad Brains’ punk type sound. H.R. and his Bad Brains bandmates became Rastafari around 1979 after attending a Bob Marley concert at the Capitol Center. This spiritual direction influenced the music of Bad Brains via his vocals, and inspired the creation of his reggae band, Human Rights (or H.R.). Although reggae is the focus of his solo material, he often has explored rock and other musical genres as well. Interviews with H.R. feature prominently in the 2006 documentary American Hardcore, in which he discusses the early days of the hardcore scene in New York City & Washington D.C., and his association with peers like Minor Threat & the Cro-Mags. In particular, he recalls encouraging Ian MacKaye to fully articulate Minor Threat’s emerging straight edge philosophy, to give young people a positive direction. As depicted in the 2012 documentary Bad Brains: A Band in D.C., H.R.’s behavior, such as wearing a motorcycle helmet during a performance and refusing to sing, caused some friction with other members of the band. In late 2016, the film Finding Joseph I: The HR From Bad Brains Documentary premiered in Europe and the United States. Directed by James Lathos, the documentary features interviews with H.R., as well as other musicians, peers, & family member, while chronicling his life, struggles, & philosophies.

There are not enough words to keep adding to the influence H.R. had one so many people, myself included. I believe and would credit him with being one of the people that helped open my mind’s ear to allow more diverse sounds to clash into one another. Something I try and continue to do every day. Many know about H.R.’s behaviors on and off stage, his mental conditions untreated and treated and some know about the long years of thoughts shattering headaches he suffers from, and how surgery years ago helped, but like may things, they came back with attitude. I was lucky enough to get a little time with Lori Carns Hudson, H.R.’s wife, to talk about these headaches and the obvious toll(s) they have taken on a life and a career of someone many know via name/video/legend/. We also get an idea what Lori does daily to try and ease the times, keep things moving forward (when tours get canceled & creative opportunities are less soften) and care for H.R.. These are sometimes the people that get forgotten in the shuffle of the suffering. Lori shares some info on a brand new single featuring Nick Hexum of 311 and potential album in the Fall. What we really learn is that help is what is also needed from the community, a hard thing to ask for, but a recognizable truth. Here’s a place to go to be a part of that community. Lori has also started a blog about excruciating pain & caregiver fatigue.

Photos used with Lori’s permission

With Peter Bradley From Javon Jackson

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Javon Jackson was raised in Denver, Colorado and chose saxophone at the age of 10. At age 16 he switched from alto to tenor and later enrolled at the University of Denver before spending part of 1985–86 at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He left Berklee in 1986 to join Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, where he later played alongside pianist Benny Green, trumpeter Philip Harper, trombonist Robin Eubanks & bassist Peter Washington. Mr. Jackson remained a fixture in the Jazz Messengers until Blakey’s passing in 1990. In 1991, Javon made his recording debut with Me and Mr. Jones, FT. James Williams, Christian McBride, & master drummer Elvin Jones. He joined Jones’ group in 1992, appearing on the great drummer’s albums Youngblood & Going Home. His 1994 Blue Note debut, When the Time Is Right, was a straight-ahead affair produced by iconic jazz vocalist/bandleader Betty Carter. His subsequent 4 recordings for the Blue Note label through the ‘90s were produced by Craig Street and featured wildly eclectic programs ranging from Caetano Veloso, Frank Zappa & Santana to Muddy Waters, Al Green & Serge Gainsbourg. His subsequent 4 recordings for the Palmetto label had him exploring a blend of funk, jazz & soul with such stellar sidemen as organist Dr. Lonnie Smith, guitarists Mark Whitfield & David Gilmore, trombonist Fred Wesley and drummer Lenny White. In 2012, Javon released a potent tribute to a towering influence, Celebrating John Coltrane, his inaugural release on his Solid Jackson Records which featured the venerable drummer and former Coltrane collaborator Jimmy Cobb. He followed later in 2012 with Lucky 13, which featured the great soul-jazz keyboardist Les McCann and included a mellow instrumental rendition of Stevie Wonder’s Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing along with a version of McCann’s 1969 hit, Compared to What. That same remarkably productive year, Jackson was the recipient of the prestigious Benny Golson Award from Howard University in Washington, D.C. for recognition of excellence in jazz. Jackson’s debut on the Smoke Sessions label, 2014’s Expression, was a live quartet recording from the Smoke Jazz & Supper Club in Upper Manhattan. On February 18, 2022, Javon released, The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni, his 5th album for his Solid Jackson Records label.

Along comes 2023, and it is now time for the With Peter Bradley Soundtrack & Original Score via Solid Jackson Records. The record features Jackson’s stellar quartet with pianist Jeremy Manasia, bassist David Williams & drummers McClenty Hunter or Charles Goold, with guest trumpeter Greg Glassman. Jackson’s gift for musical portraiture is evident in the score, which nods to some of Bradley’s favorite jazz icons – including Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Jackson’s former employer, Art Blakey – while vibrantly capturing the moods and personalities of the film and its subject. I had the opportunity to catch up with friend of the proGram, Mr. Javon Jackson to dive into this new release. With the Peter Bradley Soundtrack & Original Score, we find the acclaimed sax-man composing his first original film score for this art world documentary that he has a close relationship with. We find out how Art Blakey introduced Javon to abstract artist Peter Bradley and they’ve been friends ever since. of course, when he was asked to compose an original musical score for the documentary, he was honored and inspired. We get deep into the process of making this score/album, the relationships between the film and the music and the stories of the people it tells. We get really in depth on the man behind the film as it paints an image of the man behind the ideas. After catching the documentary finally, I can say that the stories the music tells, certainly seems to jive with the style of rhythms & inspirations that an outsider like me miGht think Mr. Bradley enjoys walking to. I am honored to be a part of spreading these conversations with all forms of art that speak to me. Another cool part is how we will figure out how t get Javon back to Madison to hanG with his pal MISTER Richard Davis, play a show and get a chill in with ‘Doc” G.

Fareed Haque Group Brings Casseus To Madison

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A modern guitar virtuoso and friend of the proGram, Fareed Haque, is steeped in classical & jazz traditions. His unique command of the guitar and different musical styles inspire his musical ventures with tradition & fearless innovation. Fareed’s been busy performing & recording with his trio featuring legendary B3 virtuoso, Tony Monaco, his own trio and jazz quartet, as well as his larger world music group, the Flat Earth Ensemble ands so many other projects that slide under the radar. In 2009 he was voted ‘Best World Guitarist’ by Guitar Player Magazine’s Readers’ poll. His acclaimed 2009 release, Flat Planet, was twice #1 on the World Jazz Radio charts. After 10 years of over 2000 dates with Garaj Mahal, his interest in electronic music and the Moog Guitar spurred him to leave Garaj Mahal and form Fareed Haque’s MathGames featuring bassist, Alex Austin, and drummer, Greg Fundis. “New Latin American Music for Guitar and String Quartet,” was picked by Howard Reich of the Chicago Tribune as one of the top releases of 2018. In addition, the release was chosen as Downbeat Magazine Editor’s Pick in 2018. The critically acclaimed “Out of Nowhere” featuring drummer, Billy Hart, and bassist, George Mraz, The Flat Earth Ensemble’s latest release, Trance Hypothesis, and The Tony Monaco/Fareed Haque release, Furry Slippers, reached the top 10 in Jazz Radio Airplay. Some more recent projects include artistic directorship of numerous jazz festivals, performances with Tony Monaco, Paquito D’Rivera, Vijay Iyer, pundit Vikku Vinacrayam, long-anticipated reunion concerts with Garaj Mahal, concerts in India, a return to Java Jazz, concerts, and teaching in China. 2019 was a busy year, as Haque retired from 30 years at Northern Illinois University to accommodate extended tours with Cobham, Goran Ivanovic, and his own groups. Highlights included The Montreux Jazz Festival with Cobham, and appearances with his own groups at The Bluenote Beijing, Louisville, & Minneapolis Guitar Festivals, among others. New recordings with his own group and with Goran Ivanovic are scheduled to release soon under the legendary Delmark Label. Fareed continues to record and tour extensively along with documenting his unique teaching methods in a series of best selling interactive video courses through TrueFire. It goes on! Here we are in 2023 after some weird times, and Fareed Haque and his group have something new and exciting for us to bring with us throughout of journey. CASSEUS!.

I had the chance to catch up with Fareed ahead of the June 30th show at The North Street Cabaret. We got into the scene that is going to unfold as we join in toGether to share in this special vinyl record release party and show for this exiting new release – CASSEUS!. Just listening to Fareed describe the liner notes and foreword as well as the art of the album cover and all that physical holdings stuff was thrilling. We spoke about how he got to know Frantz Casseus‘ music through Marc Ribot, who studied under Frantz Casseus and also has a project of his music. Mr. Casseus, perhaps best known for work he did with the legend, Harry Belafonte, like ‘Day-O’ & ‘Merci Bon Dieu’, certainly had his own feel for his sounds. Fareed gleefully talks about how soaking this music in took his mind to just how he and the group could become the orchestra behind a new sound of this music and some of the feelings it created within him. There is no way to talk about this album (and the original music) without mentioning the rhythms and grooves and just how that has already been digested in a live setting at Millennium Park in Chicago, and how people were able to get their ‘thang’ on with what could be considered more of cerebral music(?). It was fascinating to hear mention of Fareed’s style and guitars – a little about his kids hearing the Haitian grooves for the first time and how they responded – that personal touch is what makes your radio a true friend. Speaking of that, we did make mention of our mutual pal UGOCHI, who makes an appearance on Casseus on the beautiful & challenging track, ‘Fi Nan Bois’, which aptly closes the album out. She is a member of a group Fareed leads known as Chicago Immigrant Orchestra. Hope to see you on the 30th for some body opening music to free your minds and spirt. (oh and there will be vinyl to get autographed, too)

Outdoor Mobile Orchestra – Madison Make Music Day

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John Himmelfarb is an American artist, known for idiosyncratic, yet modernist-based work across many media. His diverse influences ranging from Miró, Matisse & Picasso to Dubuffet, New York school artists like de Kooning, Guston, and Pop artists inform his work, described by critics and curators as chaotically complex and tightly constructed. He often employs energetic, gestural line, dense patterns of accumulated shapes, and fluid movement between figuration & abstraction, using strategies of concealment and revelation to create a sense of meaning that is both playful & elusive. His work is also unified by “a circulating library” of motifs and organizing structures, such as geographic and urban mapping, abstracted natural and industrial forms, and language systems. One of the things he is fond of as a subject is trucks. His “Trucks” series represents a most improbable journey. It began unexpectedly one day after seeing a Dubuffet painting at the Art Institute of Chicago. Dubuffet employed a liquid black line over a multicolored background that electrified Mr. Himmelfarb. He immediately went to his studio to emulate the graphic impact on an “Inland Romance” painting. When a crane-like form emerged, he drew what appeared to be a truck below it. In the next painting, Avion (2004), he dispensed with the crane and only a truck appeared. A new series was born which would expand to include drawings (many on old library catalogue cards), prints, & sculpture employing ceramics, wood, cast iron, steel, and eventually, 25-foot, drivable assemblages incorporating actual trucks, that critics have described collectively as whimsical, formally inventive. Curators would bring together this eclectic work in the touring museum exhibit, “Trucks” (2014–6). While he initially focused on two-dimensional works that bore the influence of Dubuffet & Guston, after a 2007 residency at the Kohler Arts Center “Arts in Industry” program he felt enabled to seriously explore three-dimensional work. He began casting molten-like, expressionistic trucks that were sometimes indistinguishable from their freight, such as Greek Opera & Bird in Hand. In 2008, he made a huge leap, acquiring a 1946 International KB-1 pickup truck, along with a host of found objects—steel barrels, equipment, tools, pipes—that he welded together and painted stop-sign red to create the assemblage, Conversion. He followed with Galatea (2010), a work more essential in its forms and drivable, and later, with the widely traveled Penelope Awaiting Her Chamberlain (2013), a mobile work using a 1946 Chevrolet farm truck that references the mythological Penelope and assemblage sculptor John Chamberlain. Despite their more literal references, Himmelfarb’s “Trucks” function much like his other work, freely shifting from familiar to strange, functional to artistic, industrial to whimsical, with the trucks serving largely as “carriers” of form (colors and shapes) and meaning (stand-ins representing human qualities reflected in titles such as Charity, Dedication, or Forbearance).

I had the great opportunity to chat with Mr. Himmelfarb ahead of the Outdoor Mobile Orchestra event he and his two interactive “truck” sculptures as part of Madison Make Music Day, June 21st at Café CODA. John and I get into the impromptu nature of this special Make Music Day event and how for this get toGether, he has something brand new attached to one of the sculptures for a brand new sonic experience. I mean, people can drum on and play these trucks items to find the rhythms and vibrations of that moment.. Find out what he has in store for us on the 21st here in Madison and how people can plan on actually interacting and creating with this. We talk about how this process got started for him and where it has taken him along the way as he saw his idea form into a true entity. Check out a lot more insights and participation in the project here. We got into the moments just before he puts that final bead on with a masterful weld, and what goes into making that final decision. This man is quite the prolific artist and music has been a part of his life and while he ended up on a unique path, I am thankful the exploration of sound in such a thoughtful and creative way has been shared for all to share in. With that said, John and I talk about the ‘smile factor’ for him as this and other events see his idea(s) turned into a cool, useable creative space being explored, examined and inspiring. I think this is what it’s all about and hope to see some or many of you seeing just how to express ourselves with this interactive art.

photograph of KB-3 by Kathy Moens; photograph of John with KB-3 by Rick Graves

Ranky Tanky with very special guest Ms. Lisa Fischer

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Ranky Tanky, a two-time Grammy Award winning, Charleston, SC-based quintet, performs timeless music born from the Gullah culture of the southeastern Sea Islands. Gullah is a culture that originated among descendants of enslaved Africans in the Lowcountry region of the US Southeast. Their debut album, ‘Ranky Tanky’, was released in October 2017. By the week of February 10, 2018, it was listed number one in the Billboard jazz charts, a position it held for two weeks. For their album ‘Good Time’, the band won the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Regional Roots Music Album. Now we are in 2023, and they just won a second Grammy in the Best Regional Roots Music Album category, for ‘Live at the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival’. The name “Ranky Tanky” comes from a Gullah expression roughly translated as ‘get funky.’ The overall goal of the group was/is to create a contemporary interpretation of the Gullah musical vocabulary to share with the world, while remaining true to the pared-down, working-class attitude of the songs.

I had the chance to catch up with Drummer/Producer for Ranky Tanky, Mr. Quentin Baxter ahead of folks in Madison preparing to celebrate Juneteenth and the final day of the 2023 Madison Jazz Festival. On June 18th in Shannon Hall at The Wisconsin Union Theater, we will be treated with jazz-influenced arrangements of traditional Gullah music performed by two-time Grammy-winning Ranky Tanky and featured singer from Oscar-winning film “20 Feet from Stardom”, Ms. Lisa Fischer. Ms. Fischer is known for her remarkable vocal range and vocabulary, singing soul, jazz, rock, gospel, pop, folk and classical with equal facility and authority. Quintin and I get into some of the ins and out of the amazing uniqueness of this upcoming event with Ms. Fischer in Madison. We dive into the creation and ideas behind their latest and first ever live album, (the recent Grammy winning album) which was captured during their debut at the iconic New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival last year. The bottom line seemed to really be that live is really what they do, and the album proves it, but so will this set in Madison. Quentin and I both guarantee that many, if not all the ‘feels’ can and will be felt when live music from Ranky Tanky is involved, and if you don’t bring the right shoes, just kick off the ones you have and let it all out. Before letting him go, I did pick his brain about what perhaps medley of Ranky Tanky songs he’d put into a setlist for the listeners and what he may round that set out with. It is always interesting to hear what people are thinking about when it comes to building a playlist. So, let’s prepare to ‘get funky”.

The lineup for the event at the Madison Jazz Fest:

Lisa Fischer, Guest Vocalist
Quentin Baxter, Drums and Percussion
Kevin Hamilton, Bass
Quiana Parler, Vocalist
Clay Ross, Guitar and Vocals
Charlton Singleton, Trumpet and Vocals

Between Thoughts With Gabriela Quintero

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Grammy Award winning duo Rodrigo y Gabriela grew up on an eclectic mix of classic rock, heavy metal & flamenco, a rare alchemy of influences that still informs their work today. Not long after the dissolution of their first band, the two musicians set off with their acoustic guitars and ended up in Ireland, where they soon ran out of money and began busking on Dublin’s Grafton Street — a turn of events that led to their crossing paths with Irish singer/songwriter Damien Rice, who then asked them to open for him at an early headline show. As they developed their distinct breed of guitar music, Rodrigo y Gabriela quickly gained recognition for their extraordinary live show and made their full-length debut with 2002’s ‘re-Foc’. Along with turning out eight additional acclaimed & kaleidoscopic albums over the years: including Area 52 (a 2012 effort made with a Cuban orchestra), 9 Dead Alive (a 2014 release that spotlighted their more rock leaning sensibilities) and the 2020 Grammy winning Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, ‘Mettavolution’, the duo has cemented their status as a globally renowned live act. Among their many successes: performing at The White House for the President and First Lady of Mexico at a 2010 event hosted by Barack Obama; headlining the Jazz World stage at Glastonbury; selling out major venues like the Hollywood Bowl, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, London’s Royal Albert Hall, Radio City Music Hall, and the Sydney Opera House; and performing to massive crowds in such far-flung cities as Tokyo & Paris. 2023 sees the release of their most ambitious project yet, ‘In Between Thoughts…A New World’, which features their signature dual guitar attack augmented by a full orchestra, and a corresponding world tour. This eagerly awaited and first full-length collection in four years, “In Between Thoughts…A New World” arrives as one of the duo’s most revelatory offerings yet, a spontaneously composed unified work primed to bring about the same expansion of consciousness that inspired its creation. Self-produced at their studio in Ixtapa, Mexico, the album includes such singles as “The Eye That Catches The Dream,” “Egoland,” & “Descending To Nowhere,” the latter joined by an official music video, directed by acclaimed Mexican filmmaker/broadcaster Olallo Rubio. A 2,000 unit limited edition custom color deluxe 2xLP vinyl edition is available exclusively at shop.rodgab.com featuring a translucent “Galaxy” custom colored LP alongside a bonus LP collecting all nine tracks from last year’s deeply metaphysical Stages project on opaque “Galaxy” custom colored vinyl in a gatefold package. Some things are born for vinyl.

I had the amazing opportunity to have a conversation with Gabriela Quintero ahead of the June 14th Rodrigo y Gabriela event here in Madison at The Orpheum Theater. We started out by giving major props ot the entire crew on this tour for being able to put forth a most elaborate stage setting, that follows the story of the album and the music. Then we dive into what the show will feel like for those in attendance to go with those visuals and the story. Now, I will always say “Don’t miss when Rodrigo y Gabriela are in town, you’ll be blown away by the entire package of the event, but this one, based on the drive of this new record, the stage scenes and the artists, will take a new piece of cake for our enjoyment. We spend a good amount of time discussing the new record. it is not every day an artist tells you they didn’t really consider what fans/others will think of the music since the end of the world was coming. That was part of the approach on some, let’s call it research and development that went on with this album. The went electric at times, even!! We talk about the making of the ‘Descending To Nowhere’ video and the meaning, and energy that went into its creation and the practice of traditional Eastern spiritual meditation as a tool in the toolbox as artists, world travelers and people of plantet Earth. I waiting a long time to finally catch up with one of these two great people and it certainly did not disappoint and with this new album, I think the timing for me was perfect.