Category Archives: SHOW “G”-Views

I was fortunate enough to interview Marco Benevento the other day to promote his show at the Cafe Redamte on Friday night. I enjoyed being able to chat more with Marco about the scene he’s been seen in, the recent tunes he was working on, (which he shared with the audience during the intermission) and of course how hot the new tune “Fireworks” sounded during the first set. After some time on the top of the stairs, the piano and keys were jamming into and out of Marco’s own tunes and a nice collage of covers that had the eerie places inside my mind dancing with their own goblins….. I really get what Marco is laying down. He has a way when by himself or in Garage a Trois or with Joe or whomever that calls to my senses directly through my ear-holes. His solo piano show is an excellent reminder why we diGG what Marco does. His ability to interpret songs we already hold nEAR is almost like he has been sitting in on family conversations from the long ago past, and remembered important details as to what we like. His own songs sometimes feel like they were written in my own songbook, in my own writing and perhaps even on paper I, myself have made. I am glad to be able to call Marco a friend of greenarrowradio finally, and look forward to the next opportunity to hEAR him live, or spin that fresh new tune he has gathered riGht from inside of me….. (a big thank you to Kevin for making these things happen.)

Marco Benevento & MisterG making faces

I was fortunate again this year to go with my class to the Madison Symphony Orchestra’s Fall Youth Concert and again it was a pleasure to see an entire hall filled with young people enjoying the sights and sounds. The 2011 Fall Youth Concerts highlight the intersection between great classical music and the visual arts. Vivaldi’s Autumn Violin Concerto, Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition and Copland’s El Salon Mexico will be accompanied by works by Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and other masters. The pieces were selected and played with great care while the visual art certainly made for a great collaborative spirit, as some of the students art was featured on the big screen as well as the above listed masters. The audience was attentive and the musicians were magnificent. Before we went to the show I played music that we would hear for the students and we water~colored to the sounds to inspire…..the spirit of togetherness was alive and the idea that art(s) can work together truly was achieved. A big thank you to the MSO for again providing us with a wonderful learning experience.

I have been a big fan of GIAC since I started doing radio and the combination of their sound and their placement on the Blackheart Records roster made me swoon with excitement many years ago. Since then I have interviewed Drummer Phanie Diaz and aired numerous worthy tracks on several new albums to promote shows here in Madison. This time at the High Noon Saloon was so rawwkkkin’ as this trio put forth a solid end of the tour effort, which combined their hooks and catches with that style they have all to themselves….better than the albums is the sound of a live show and Girl in a Coma sees to that, I guarantee. Lead guitarist and vocalist, Nina Diaz has apparently been referred to as “the female version of Morrissey” but in my opinion she is biGGer than that but doesn’t even know it. She is a star and the cool flows right off of her onto the stage. Jenn Alva and Phanie Diaz add to the cool that flows off the band, but theirs has rhythm and beat attached to it as they songs not only rock but resonate within. After meeting and hanging out with Joan Jett and Kenny Laguna, I would have loved to have been there when they first saw these girls back in In 2006 when the Girls played f at New York’s Knitting Factory as part of a cable TV show featuring unknown bands. Jett and Laguna were so impressed with the band that they signed GIAC to their label, Blackheart Records, on the spot. And I am ever thankful they come to Madison regularly, so lets support them on their journey through better next time, Madison rockers.

Before GIAC hit the stage, Atlanta was represented properly by The Coathangers. This band rocks in so many undefined ways that it is hard to describe. If I was there for GIAC, I would have been so satified with the way this band rocked me in such a badass way. From avant punk jams to catchy weirdness of non conformity, I would go see them anytime again. Please do yourself a favor and try to define them on your own as words do do it after just one introduction.

Opening the night was Black Box Revelation a duo from Belgium whos fuzzy guitar work and booming drums were a perfect way to get ready for the night to come. They had a soulful touch that kept the rockNroll fresh and new with each lick and crash.

Every time I hit the EOTO scene it seems to get better and better for me. The whole experience. This time they were back at the Majestic with a crowd full of people who get it. And boy, we “Got It”. The impromptu nature of the music made the niGht’s sounds like our very own chapter together, a shared musical journey that we really get a chance to help write. Not only was the sound graBBed deeply by my ear-holes, but the light show and visuals attached themselves in concert with what Michael and Travis were creating in that moment. If for some reason you haven’t found the time to find this more than a dubstep act called EOTO, I’d hope you’d find a little room to let them into your life and I promise they’ll color your evening with new hues and expose you to new sounds/songs/ and in the right now feelings that I have found hits me when I Coltrane myself.

I was fortunate enough to speak with Nawal last week on the show and after seeing her and her band perform live as part of the 2011 Madison World Music Festival, I have to say that she reaches out to embrace, through her music and words but it is the undeniable meaning performing these prayers that stands out to me. When she and her bandmates sing/chant/utter/ “Shalom”, the very wish for peace leap out of me onto the universe. Through the instrumentation from her Indian Ocean roots consisting maGically of gambusi, flute, mbira, and daf; Nawal invites us into her dream of a peaceful world. The music caresses the soul and embraces the spirit. Thoughts and words disappear, and make way for meditation, introspection and inner peace. It is then and that I shared with you. Thank you for getting it. As a Muslim-born African woman who does not always adhere to traditional socio-religious codes, Nawal has faced many challenges in her career, yet she remains strong in her message and philosophy. Descending from the grand Sufi marabout of Comoros, El-Maarouf (1852-1904), Nawal invariably stays with the light of Islam founded upon love, respect and peace. In her music, she sings in favor of all humans, for education and for union. It is within our discussion that I realized she is a liGht, a person to follow…..I hope you’ll join me in paying attention to what she pours from her cup.

Touring Band:
Nawal, singer/songwriter, lead vocals, gambusi, guitar
Claudine François, piano, vocals
Aurore Voahangy Coriton, vocals, percussion
JB Gbadoe, percussion, vocals

Thursday, 9/15/11

6:30pm – 8:00 pm – Chai Found Music (Taiwan) – Union Theater
7:00 pm – Film: “Cultures of Resistance” – Play Circle
8:30 pm- 10:00 pm – Nawal (Comoros Islands) Sufi Music- Union Theater
9:00 pm – Film: “Cultures of Resistance” – Play Circle
9:00 – 10:30 pm – Frigg (Finland) – Rathskeller

Friday, 9/16/11

5:00 pm – Dragon Knights – Terrace
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm – Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino (Italy) – Terrace
7:20 pm – Dragon Knights – Union Theater and Terrace
7:30 pm – 9:00 pm – Chai Found Music (Taiwan) – Terrace
8:00 pm – 9:30 pm- Kutumba (Nepal) – Union Theater
9:30 pm – 11:00 pm – Blitz the Ambassador (Ghana/US) – Terrace

Saturday, 9/17/11

12 noon – Workshop “Puppetry – Big and Small” with Dragon Knights – Union Theater
1:45 pm – 3:00 pm – Luisa Maita (Brazil) – Willy Street Fair
3:00 pm – Dragon Knights – Willy Street Fair
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm – Marco Calliari (Italy/Canada) – Willy Street Fair
5:00 pm – Dragon Knights – Willy Street Fair
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm – Sergent Garcia (France) – Willy Street Fair
7:30 pm – 9:00 pm – Bomba Estereo (Colombia) – Willy Street Fair
9:30 pm – 11:00 pm – Sergent Garcia (France) – Union Terrace (Rain location is the Rathskeller)

Had the opportunity to catch this show at the Overture as part of the work day. It was as fantastic as I remember Momix being and then some. The two videos on this page should give you a taste of what an entire show is like, but when you are in a seat there…you become a part of the goings-on on that stage. The intrepretations are stimulating and seismic, causing much bass to remix the beat of my heart. I was easily held captive by the show.

This year Henry Rollins turned 50 years old and to celebrate he set up some stops around the world to share some thoughts. The show was filled with the type of open minded stories and ideas that were very well received here in Madison. Mr. Rollins has some history here in Madison, which clearly makes his time spent here very special to him. He spoke for about two and a half hours with no break, no water……just pure anger with a purpose. He makes many in the audience contemplate, chuckle and even cringe at times with his tales of other lands. The “Who” he has met doesn’t matter as much as the situations that often present themselves to him as he travels. From times during Black Flag’s shows in the bottom of New York City’s underground scene to his time in Nelson Mandela’s personal mail collection, the show has twists and turns that were surprising, yet almost always seems to concluded with connection. I believe that Mr. Rollins truly gets the idea that we are ALL in this together and why the hell are some of us so blind to that fact. This is one show to catch, if it comes to a place near you. Your open mind will appreciate your efforts.

On my way back to the capitol, stopped by the Overture Center to check out what was happening during the 30th Anniversary of the international Festival. There were foods and wares and goods from many nations and of course there was cultural enrichment via the arts. Took in some swinging reels and jigs with Last Gaspé, a little smooth guitar sounds from Cuba by Sergio, and the Madison Chinese Cultural Association brought out colorful dances, costumes and music steeped in the ancient traditions of the Chinese culture. Certainly the time spent here was enjoyable and a pleasant distraction from the true reason for being downtown, the crowd in and out of the Overture to be a part of this spectacular festival was strong and steady.

The High Noon Saloon has been home to many interesting shows for me personally since becoming a Madisonian, but I was truly curious as to what the Portland Cello Project would do to me as they prepared to have seven cellos spilling over onto the stage on this first Friday night in March. Opening artist and touring partner, Laura Gibson was such a treat for me with her vocals and arrangements together as unique as the moments shared together in a live music setting. Her touch to the words and sound altering microphone work gave me shivers at times and goosebumps at others. She had one and then two of the members of the Cello Project accompany her on a few tunes and then the night switched. The Portland Cello Project is a sight to behold and behear. I was blown away at the sound togetherness brings to songs that our ears are often trained to hear a certain way. From the Star Trek Theme to Rhianna, the Muppet Show Theme to Pantera, there were original Diva pieces in foreign tongue to a classic Duke Ellington standard. The lush plush nature of the instrument at times turned into a thumping terror and dance party leader. For me, when Laura Gibson came back out and did a rendition of the Leadbelly song, “In the Pines”, my night was solidified as a complete surprise and the joy of felling like I was part of something that was more memorable than I could have thought, reminds me why I support the scene.

….is so downright filled with meaning and sass that I don’t quite know how to describe it. Miss Meaghan Owens is a delight as a person and a treat as a story teller and stage presence. Don’t let her “cute’ fool ya either. She can sing you a song that’ll make you blush but the next one can make you want to watch your back on the way out and all the way home. This night she was playing at a local spot and while people enjoyed the dining experience, many made sure to wave goodbye and share a wink or a smile with Meaghan. She is a memorable singer/songwriter and I wouldn’t just take it from me, check her out and she when/if you’ll have a chance to catch up with her next.

photo: Sweet William Images

The great hall of the Memorial Union here on the campus of the University of Wisconsin Madison has many faces on tonight. As the music began it was Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole causing a whole lotta happiness, dancing happiness from the first note all the way through. Playing songs that obviously had much meaning to the band, which carried right over to the crowd filling the hall. Ced went from fiddle to accordion and Lance Boston’s clarinet found a home right on the tips of my inner ear that I swear was the tickle of the band that I felt was personal to me. I would always make sure I’d see a show where this band, in any form was a part of the scene. A good time is sure to follow! Speaking of, right after Cedric and Bijou Creole, we were treated to the unique stylings of Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys. As Steve mentioned in our recent conversation on the show, this album “GRAND ISLE”, is a pot filled with “Survivor Joy” and gets much of it’s meaning and backbone from the Cajun people and their strong will through many struggles and such devastating atrocities. Both Steve and co-leader, David Greely take that energy while playing the new tunes but sure seem to add that “truth” to the tracks they played that came along before some of the more recent events in memory. A Madison crowd certainly takes to that real feel and the dancing was continued to be driven with smiles at the wheel. What a perfect billing of two incredible acts that share so much tradition being kept alive by the very people who reflect the sounds that continue to come from the souls of the Cajun people. From solo ballads to swamp pop blasts and funkified two-steps, this night had it all.

The feeling was easy to let you get away, as the Wailers were in town to bring their mighty soul and sound into Madison on a night where temperatures were hovering at 0 degrees all night long. The Majestic Theater was almost filled with an all ages Reggae fest that closed up with the HIGHlite of the night, the band that “Legends” were made from. Opening the night was, Tomorrow’s Bad Seeds and Duane Stephenson. I caught a couple of tunes by Duane Stephenson which carried the roots/dancehall rhythms with it wrapped tightly in a positive vibe and a beautiful voice. The Wailers came on with the beautiful “Coming in from the Cold” off up UPRISING, which was the album they decided to sample throughout the night here in Madtown. The sound immediately took over the crowd with an ebb and flow that must have carried itself out onto the streets downtown, as a really interesting “I Shot the Sheriff” weaved its way past the renditions we all were accustomed to and led us off the path to familiarity where only live music can. As the show went on, the band took on a taste of the favorites with many tracks off of LEGEND, which had the crowd voice tested several times as they sang along as if they too were in the studio feeling the song for the first time. Aston Barrett’s bass thumps stretched out over the room as a center point to the groups legacy, and I for one was glad my ears got another chance at grabbing at that sound in a setting other than an outside large music festival setting. The sound of his bass was like a handshake between friends. This event was well attended by ages groups that covered a wide range, and here in Madison…..I think we like it that way.

The treat during winter time is when artists come on into Madison and warm the place up. That is exactly what the uncanny charm of Keller Williams seemed to do tonight as he brought his guitar goodness to the Majestic. He has his stage set up for antics and “in the moment”-ness, but it’s the sound and crowd involvement that really sets the show apart. He quickly got the “MADISON” portion of his show nailed down, including the city in many of his tunes. His bass loops gave the show it’s heartbeat that danced on into the night. It is always a festival feel when Keller gets it going. The environment was filled with happy-go-lucky listeners and groovers that stayed with him in the moment. As some Dead came off his strings, you just had to poke around a few steps away for the heart of the crowd. As usual, Keller put forth many covers done in a way only a loop-star can pull off and there were plenty of KW originals in the mix to keep the crowd on their improvisational toes. Whenever I see Keller Williams live, the one thing I can always appreciate is the “expect the unexpected” and that is exactly just what I believe live music is mostly about.

A dream line up for my ears. I have been a fan of Forro in the Dark for many years now, interviewing friend of the program, Mauro Refosco on a couple of occasions~most recently this past show on greenarrowradio. Forro opened up the evening with a blend of tradition and danceable party music that had bodies moving instantaneously and this Halloween audience was ready to party. The humble nature of this band settled in nicely with the folks in Madison at the Overture Center, who must have walked away from Forro in the Dark thinking of inviting them back into their community anytime. Next was Gogol Bordello, who was a perfect treat on a night of tricks. The energy dripped off onto the crowd, raucous rowdy organized chaos ensued with heavy rock and hearty rolls that there was no where to go but up up up. The messages rang loud and clear and to people who were listening. I’d have to say that the world of music is a better place for having Gogol Bordello around doing it as they do. Its mayhem that makes pure sense. If the chance arises, theses are acts not to be missed.

Stopped through at Library Mall (yes, the same place President Obama was less than a week earlier)for the 40th annual Great Midwest Marijuana Harvest Festival for a little bit and caught some tunes, but mostly caught on to some good vibes from people who are working on a cause. Whether it is a cause you personally believe in or not, the times surrounding this festival are certainly peaceful high times. I had a chance to listen to some speakers discuss why medical marijuana is still needed to be taken more seriously, and others about how we could balance the budget with some swift smart moves based around this free growing source. Caught some of Nama Rupa‘s happy time good vibe music and the day was picture perfect to just lay down and look up.

The 2010 Madison World Music Festival once again had a brilliant line-up that kept the innovative movers and shakers around here very happy. The smell of foods and incense filled air coupled with mini-parades and street acts made the intermission times as easy to celebrate as the acts I went out to catch this year. I was pleased to catch two separate performances by Cimarrón. They are the most accomplished llanera group in Colombia. A seven piece led by harpist and composer Carlos Rojas, they have been working for over twenty years and have performed the world over. These musicians are immersed in the sounds of ‘los llanos’; they seek to explore and experiment with their rich heritage whilst retaining the essence of the tradition. And it really had a feel to it that was unearthly at times, too rich and true to be of here. Then, called the “Nightingale of the North”, Khaira Arby from Mali brought her rockin’ band here for some business. Her beautiful voice cements the sound of a tight, jammin’ of traditional Malian bluesy riffs (more like Vieux Farka Toure than his Father Ali), combined with a colorful modernization makes her stop her very pleasing to me. I would have to say, look on her calendar and see when\/where you might get the chance to be a witness. Her new album “TIMBUKTU TARAB” will lead you there, but it’s the live sound that really clears things up. She’s got it! The final act for me on such a night (with the local brews flowing like the Mississippi River), I was psyched to get my dose of the Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars….there was the kitchen sink for me. Filled to the rim with danceable afro-rock sounds with a message of oneness and rebel spirit….I immediately felt that connection I search for with music. Their groove is my groove and I share their celebration of culture with a breath of unity, and the sound of their music….the roots, the stems, the seeds……the whole plant and the soil is where the Sierra Leone Refugee All Star’s sound comes from, it creates.

In my days as a radio show host, I have met up with many interesting people and shared many interesting tales. On a night like this I was able to share words with another legend, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott. We shared stories of life together (I did a lot of listening), we caught the opening act together after sneaking around the underworld of the Stoughton Opera House from the backstage to the front room, and we made a “Cowboy” like connection. Hanging out in a stairwell telling stories has never been such a good time as it was with Jack, he is captivating beyond believe and genuine and sincere as a gentleman could be. Oh, and he ended up ditching me to go on stage and play a show that was much like the stairwell, opening the cover of the old book to add some new pages into it. His arrangements of other’s tunes has you in the prairie at times, riding a stallion at others but most of all, you, like me……could feel as if you were side by side with Jack living it for the first time together. Opening the show was friend of the proGram, Miss Meaghan Owens. Meaghan is a sweet songwriter with a Nashville appeal that captivated this night’s audience and is sure to make more splashes down the road with her beauty on stage as a person, her witty stylings and songs that ring true and remain in your mind after the show has ended. Oh yes, this was a good night.

all images by SWEET WILLIAM images.

Well, let me first thank the fine people at Rhymesayers Entertainment for bringing the Minneapolis feel of hip hop/rhythm & Blues and some damn heavy soulfulness to Madison. We sold out the Orpheum with a sea of ready for action fans of the heavy hitting group Atmosphere. This was the first night of their “To all my Friends” tour and it was easy to see how electric the crowd made the band feel and come to life as the building became one united front conquering rhyme, rhythm and beats together. One of the most accomplished MC/producer duos Slug & Ant certainly are the blood within the touring bands heart but man, the heart itself on stage is a sick combination that brings some sweet sounding old soul and R -n- B to the front while being painted with deeply thought out, story boarding lyrics that are at times heavy on the mind and other times catchy to the vocal cords….many chances for a great crowd like we had in Madison to be in the driver seat along with Atmosphere. The extra heart pieces on the tour front are: Mankwe Ndosi on Vocals and Spirit, Nate Collis on guitar & Erick Anderson on keys. Surely a show to catch if you get a chance, as is any artist associated with this Minneapolis independent entertainment group known as Rhymesayers.

Big Thanks to J Web for all she does!!

I have been spinning Oliver Wood’s music for so many years now…from King Johnson to the Wood Brothers, this soulful sound has accompanied my sets as focal points and finally I got the chance to see the Wood Brothers and say an overdue face to face hello to Oliver. We got dashes from sounds off the new album (out soon) and many of the classic Wood Brothers tunes (Atlas, Chocolate on my Tongue) that make me lick my lips in a savory satisfaction. The crowd was deep, sweaty and into the steady rockin’ smooth groove of this trio had in store for us on that particular Madison evening by the lakeside. We had many the opportunity to get our deep moves on but the key to the success of these guys to my ears is what they do does to my soul. I feel the music and I truly feel like I am sitting on a bus stop bench waiting with some of the words that are put to the music that has me captured. This is a band that the music really moves me.