Category Archives: SHOW “G”-Views

Horace X takes it to the other end of the spectrum, pushing the craze factor to 10, painting band members in day-glow paint and putting onoutrageous live show. This album as well as the 2003 release, SACKBUTT, skillfully weave (among other things) dancehall rants, punk rock, Middle Eastern melodies, Irish fiddle, funky bass, live drumming, strange vocal samples and Balkan music into a non-stop dance party. They have a sound that defies description–“global fusion” just doesn’t quite do them justice
Get ready to shake it all over.
GO HORACE GO

Ommium 2005 ***** Mr. G reccomeded listen/shake..

As further proof that the virtuosity of Jerry Douglas knows no categorical bounds, the biggest surprise on his predominantly instrumental The Best Kept Secret is a revival of the disco-era smash “Back in Love Again,” with Alison Krauss supplying as much vocal funk as she can muster. The undisputed master of the shimmering Dobro (and a featured member of Krauss’s band Union Station), Douglas also applies his artistry to the jazzy atmospherics of Weather Report’s “A Remark You Made,” pays homage to Celtic fiddler Aly Bain on the reflective “Sir Aly B,” trades licks with guitarist Bill Frisell on the twangy “Lil’ Ro Ro,” and enlists John Fogerty for guest vocals on “Swing Blues #1.” The album additionally showcases Douglas on lap steel, with guitarist Derek Trucks providing rock propulsion on the opening “She Makes Me Want to Sing.” A breakdown with banjoist Béla Fleck and mandolinist Sam Bush on “Who’s Your Uncle?” finds Douglas on more familiar turf at his bluegrass best. I highly reccomend this album for listeners of all genres.

With over a decade’s worth of projects to his credit, Sky Saw is the latest of many eclectic endeavors for guitarist/composer/electric zither ace Core Redonnett. For close to ten years, he has held the principal zither position in the Boston production of Blue Man Group, giving him the opportunity to master a new and unusual instrument as well as the motivation to custom build one and write a new repertoire for it. A jazz composition degree from Berklee College of Music provided Core a springboard from which to explore a vast number of creative outlets. Experimental large ensemble works, jazz combos, guitar quartets, electronica, a full scale rock opera, and his long standing work with prog rockers Xixxo are among the projects for which he has written, produced, arranged, recorded, and performed. It was in fact through their four years together in Xixxo that Core’s musical relationship with Yuri Zbitnoff was formed. Since leaving that band, Yuri has pursued his interest in improvised jazz and rock through Lithiq’s celebrated jazz/electronica duo, Enuma Elish, as well as a constantly burgeoning set of other outlets that has included, among others, Raqib Hassan’s Interdimensional Science Research Orchestra, the free improv outfit Leap of Faith, and ambient dub metal scientists Teledubgnosis.

Lithiq 2005 release…Worth checking out….over and over……a Mr.G reccomended Album *****

Sadie Mae – the new album of Nick Moss & the Flip Tops – is certainly one of the finest Blues events of this summer. 75 minutes of open-mouthed listening. With more evidence than ever Nick Moss demonstrates how contemporary may sound the tradition-based Chicago Blues. More than that – though, in the liner note, he affirms not to be “trying to take blues to the next level”, – he does take the real, authentic Blues up to the level of classical music, where the words “old” and “new”, “now” and “then” loose their sense in the face of an everlasting beauty. A not to miss album for all Blues lovers. Even more for those who aren’t – these 75 minutes will make them change their mind. Don’t miss out. Flip the top down and let the wind blow there blues through your hair.

Blue Bella 2005 ****

Well, from top to bottom this is an elastic blues bouncing into a jazzy funky and then reverberating back into a fuzzy distortion that is almost as soothing as a running warm bath. This CD should keep you tuned and and wating from track to track. PLEASE TELL ME is one that just keeps wanting to play, it send positive vibes right in your earhole and travels down to your soul. This band has to be a fun time live as their album makes me want to keep checking the tour dates to see if I will get lucky this time around.

Artemis 2005 *****

With Sleepless, Peter Wolf strips away any pretense to fashion and warmly embraces the R&B, soul, and country blues that inspired his legend in the first place. Not that Wolf has strayed very far from those roots, either when fronting the J. Geils Band or in his rewarding solo career, but Sleepless presents the singer’s ethos at its most naked and warmly Dylanesque. Whether revisiting Otis Rush’s “Homework,” seasoning William Bell’s Stax track “Never Like This Before” with a dash of Muscle Shoals, palling around with the Glimmer Twins (Jagger on “Nothing but the Wheel”; Richards, along with Geils’s Magic Dick, on Sonny Boy Williamson’s feisty “Too Close Together”), or matching Steve Earle pick by pick on “Some Things You Don’t Want to Know,” it’s an album filled with a spirit of warm, fond remembrance. But more than mere love letters to his roots and heroes past, Wolf’s performances on collaborations with Will Jennings and other writers have a timeless, bittersweet edge that undercut his previous instinct for blues caricature to great effect. Some times it is hard to let go. This is a compelling testament why–and one of Wolf’s most memorable solo creations.
Artemis 2002

****

From the opening notes- sliding bass, subtle sax and spare (yet funky) drums, this CD grabs your hand, slips into your head, and takes hold of your soul. The opening title track- the first time I heard it- it’s one of my favorite songs by any group. When I heard Sandman had collapsed on stage, but not until he had handed in material for a full studio album, I was curious what his final musical accomplishment had been. From the moment I heard the titlesong “The Night”, it just struck me: this was some of the best Morphine had produced. Integrating the jazz-like sound of their first album with the catchy choruslines of Cure for Pain and topped with the experimental flavor of YES Morphine had proven to advance. “Top floor, Bottom buzzer” reminded me again of the some of the cure for pain songs. “Souvenir” struck me as a very jazzy song (especially the drumming), more like the songs on “Good”, but then with the improvement I have already been talking about. Then again, The Night also contains unique material like “Rope on Fire”. Never in my life I have heard a saxophone play this catchy eastern tune. Marvellous! In “Take me with You”, minimalism has been reduced with even backing vocals; but, I have to say, the combination of Sandman’s intriguing monotonic sound combined with more instruments (even orchestrated) and backing vocals is very nice to the ear.

To me, “the Night” is a Morphine classic with overall quality rising to the level of “Cure for Pain”, but with a sound which has evolved and grown. Sandman left us where he was best, in the sound of the Night. And to me, he saved the best for last.

ciao

******

Banco de Gaia has created a fantastic body of work, successfully blending world-beat sounds and styles with cutting edge technology. When you listen, you hear. There’s something in his music that can satisfy any taste. Whether you’re into rock, dance, prog, electronica, world, ambient, you’ll find something to dig here. You’ll groove to complex, intricate melodies over superbly crafted beats, crossing a variety of genres, to create sublime music, which most importantly, has emotion and soul. Disc 1 is more uptempo, Disc 2 more of the reflective, ambient dubby work…yet both put me in a place I want to be. This music is truly good for your ears as well as your soul.

*****

Widely known from his days in the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, the Electric Flag and on Al Kooper’s Super Sessions, Bloomfield is often spoken of in the same breath as Clapton and Green. On this Album, Bloomfield pays tribute to some of his inspirations including; B.B. King,T-Bone Walker and Howlin’ Wolf. The second portion of this interesting album features Bloofield w/Woody Harris diving fingers first into the acoustic roots of the gospel blues. Fingerstyle pickin’ crossed w/a whining electric slide sounds like a ride I would take a turn on. Several informative narratives seperating masterful guitarship.

Kicking Mule/Fantasy 2004 *****

The album makes you feel like you have stepped right into Nowheresville, not knowing how you got there. A little weary and confused, by the end you don’t want to leave. Some tunes like Woman Driving…will lull you into a space comforting like a pillow.
Hard nosed rockrs like Dog Faced Boy and That’s not really Funny will put you in the mood to drive fast and smirk a cocky smirk at the folks that stare. You little punks think you own this town

EELS are odd no doubt but it is a friendly sort of queer.

Dreamworks 2002*****

If you’ve been looking for some new sound from the late 60’s- early 70’s acid rock, psychodelic scene…look no further. This cd brings you back…a la THE WHO. British and Beatlesque at moments, they feature horns, Hammonds and the works.

A Virgin Records release.. *****