Archive for the 'Honoring Lives' Category
Fresh off the burner, the new CD from Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman. They do indeed deliver the goods, right through customs and into the United States. Cover courtesy of Glass Onyon
So, apparently, my question last time, “can Anderson/Wakeman deliver the goods” has been answered! Some of the East Coast US reviews are starting to surface, and, let’s just say I am thrilled we got our tickets!! This is promising to be a trip down YES memory lane with nods to brand new music composed by the duo. Not wanting to speak out of turn, I am going to wait for the show to make any decisions about the new material. The good news is, I won’t be waiting long as Anderson and Wakeman are coming to my “hood” tomorrow and I will have pen in hand, trusty photographer armed with photo pass, and I will be happily passing on all the dish about the show!!!
But let’s give a look at what Anderson/Wakeman’s PR folks have to say about this latest release and corresponding tour”:
11/5/2011 – London, UK – As a follow-up to their critically acclaimed CD ‘The Living Tree’ from 2010, YES legends Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman prepare to release ‘Anderson / Wakeman – The Living Tree In Concert Part One’ on Gonzo Multimedia on November 28th. The CD was recorded during the duo’s British tour in 2010 and comes housed in a sleeve design by Mark Wilkinson who was also responsible for the design of the artwork for ‘The Living Tree’.
read comments (0)Forget Vampires…Dig THE ZOMBIES!
Author: Kerri O'Malley
This weekend, fang-bangers waved a fond farewell to True Blood (and a handful of its cast members) in the gory Season 4 finale. As the blood dries and we shake off the bad vibes from that terrible season, there’s only one place left to turn for our supernatural fix: The Zombies!
Although the band reunited somewhat later on, The Zombies had their heyday in the late 60s. Most lauded for their 1968 album, Odessey and Oracle, and most known for their hit single, “Time of the Season,” The Zombies have continued to make waves even today, not the least of which was this year’s cover of the Zombies tune, “She’s Not There,” for True Blood’s Season 4 premiere episode. Hear the Nick Cave and Neko Case cover here.
But while the psychedelic madness of Odessey and Oracle reigns supreme and the moody melody of “Time of the Season” is inarguably one of the best moments of 60s pop, The Zombies have much more to offer. Read the rest of this entry »
The Battle of the Buddy Holly Tribute Albums: Listen to Me vs. Rave On
Author: Kerri O'Malley
Today would have been Buddy Holly’s 75th birthday, and the music industry hasn’t forgotten. Instead, the second Buddy Holly tribute album released this year, Listen to Me: Buddy Holly, dropped yesterday, competing with June’s Rave On Buddy Holly with a far more demanding title and a whole new cast of stars.
These are very kind birthday presents, and a nice way to commemorate one of rock’s first icons, whose tunes are flexible enough to morph into many genres. But the question remains: Which tribute wins? Let the competition begin! Read the rest of this entry »
Queen of Funk: Betty Davis
Author: Kerri O'Malley
She began as the Woman Behind the Curtain, the saucy lady on the scene. A songwriter, a muse, possibly even a “super groupie,” Betty Davis was a familiar face to musicians from every genre in the late 60s and early 70s, lending her lyrics to The Commodores for their breakthrough demo, befriending Jimi Hendrix, and loving and inspiring Miles Davis during their brief, volatile marriage in 1968.
Betty’s gift for famous flings and friendships isn’t hard to figure out. She cut a stunning silhouette with her stand-out afro and flair for funky fashion, a short-lived modeling career already under her belt by the time she sashayed onto the music scene. But Betty wasn’t one to lean on anyone, and she definitely wasn’t your average groupie. Betty always had her eyes on her own music career. By the time she released her 1973 self-titled debut, Betty Davis, she had already taken control of her destiny, writing all of the songs, directing their arrangement, and self-producing the majority of her studio albums afterwards. Read the rest of this entry »
Scott Bluebond (L) and Jon Anderson pose with the signed guitar in the green room of The 10! Show.
13TH Annual Evening in the Yard Being Held on Friday, May 20 at the Navy Yard.
(PHILADELPHIA, PA) Scott Bluebond is the marketing and communications director at the Cancer Support Community of Philadelphia (CSCP). But he is also one huge Yes fan. He was able to combine his love for helping people with cancer and the group Yes this week. CSCP is having their annual gala on May 20 and this year, there will be an auction for the first time. Scott called his friend Rich Chodak, owner of Bluebond Guitars and Music School (www.bluebondguitars.com/Bluebond/Home.html), for help. Rich purchased the store from his childhood friend and neighbor, Dale Bluebond, who was killed in an auto accident in 1994. Dale was Scott’s cousin.
Say YES to acoustic versions from your favorite progressive band's lead singer. Photo courtesy of Glass Onyon.
4/5/2011 – Asheville, NC - Much to the excitement of fans across the country, Music icon Jon Anderson, best known for his work with Yes, Vangelis, Kitaro and other notable music artists, as well as his innovative solo efforts, is preparing to tour the US in support of his forthcoming CD release ‘Survival and Other Stories‘. Jon recently completed a successful European tour with former Yes member and keyboard virtuoso Rick Wakeman on the heels of their critically acclaimed debut album ‘The Living Tree‘. The upcoming Spring tour “An Acoustic Evening With Jon Anderson” touts an exciting mixture of material from Jon Anderson’s prolific solo career, collaborations with Vangelis and classic Yes songs, along with new compositions from his pending CD, and promises a magical and memorable evening of enchanting music for all who attend!
Unearthed recordings of Fairport Convention with Sandy Denny surface on CD.
3/16/2011 – Philadelphia, PA – Much to the excitement of Fairport Convention and Sandy Denny fans around the globe, Philadelphia’s ItsAboutMusic.com will release ultra rare recordings of the famed UK group recorded live at Ebbets Field in Denver, Colorado May 23/24, 1974. Produced and digitally remastered by Fairport Convention’s Jerry Donahue for ItsAboutMusic.com, the 1974 line-up of Fairport Convention on these recordings feature Sandy Denny (Vocals, Piano), Dave Mattacks (Drums), Jerry Donahue (Lead Guitar, Vocals), Dave Pegg (Bass,Vocals), Trevor Lucas (Vocals, Acoustic Guitar) and Dave Swarbrick (Vocals, Violin). This historical audio documentation catches the band at the height of their career performing to an ecstatic audience.
Fairport Convention was formed around 1967, and originally played a ”harmony-and guitar-based folk-rock style” strongly influenced by Californian groups of the day like the Byrds. The line-up that recorded their self-titled debut album in 1968 featured Richard Thompson, Ian Matthews, and Simon Nicol on guitars; Ashley Hutchings on bass; Judy Dyble on vocals; and Martin Lamble on drums. Fairport Convention didn’t reach their peak until Dyble was replaced after the first album in 1968 by Sandy Denny, who had previously recorded both as a solo act and with the Strawbs. Denny has been touted as the best British folk-rock singer of all time. This incarnation of the band would record two well-received albums. When Ian Matthews left the band in early 1969, and Martin Lamble (still in his teens) died in an accident involving the group’s equipment van in mid-1969, Fairport regrouped, replacing Lamble with Dave Mattacks, and adding Dave Swarbrick on fiddle. Their repertoire became much more traditional, and electrified traditional folk numbers would dominate their next album, Liege and Lief (1969).
Press Inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@cs.com
I know, I know… I said I would be posting more regularly, but I had severe difficulties with my Internet Service Provider, Enter.Net. For all you readers in my former hometown, Allentown PA, you must know that Enter.Net is a substandard provider and has no regard for customers outside it’s immediate geographic region. The internet is global. Since I was unable to access the internet for many weeks with dependability, posting was a problem. I have switched to a new provider, Comcast, and upgraded to a T1 connection. So I should be able to upload those boatloads of photos faster.
I extend my sympathies to my webmasters.
Vanilla Fudge Embodied Psychedelic Sixties Sound
Author: Bob Bembridge
Who the hell are these guys?
That was Ringo Starr’s reported response upon hearing the Vanilla Fudge’s explosive cover of “Ticket to Ride.”
Ringo wasn’t the only Beatle blown away by the Fudge’s symphonic interpretations of “Ticket” and “Eleanor Rigby” on the group’s 1967 debut album. George Harrison reportedly played the album to anyone who would listen. Considering that the Beatles had just released “Sgt. Pepper,” that was no small compliment. Read the rest of this entry »
Producer/Engineer extraordinaire, Alan Parsons shows off his live cred. Photo by Lynn Vala
Bethlehem PA – The man, the myth, the legend, Alan Parsons playing his ONLY east coast appearance (to date) fifteen minutes from my back door. A dream come true, right?
As Sarah Palin might say, you betcha! But I had no idea just how much of a dream come true it would be.
I am not going into Parson’s history, save to say you have heard his work. You may not have heard his voice, or his playing unless you have purchased his recent rerelease remastered series of most of his catalog. You HAVE heard his work BEHIND the recording console. Need further proof?
Read on and be amazed…
HEAD BACK TO SCHOOL WITH ALAN PARSONS AT LEHIGH UNIVERSITY
Author: Jeff Boule
How often does one of your favorite artists play a concert in your backyard? Never, right? Oh sure there are those contests where you can win and have the band play in your yard. How many times do people in apartment buildings win and can’t have it happen? How many times does the band set up in the backyard and the old neighbors call the cops after one song and they break it up before the band can play five songs? How many of these contests are bogus and no one really knows who wins if anyone?
A pipe-dream, right?
Mayor of MacDougal Street Was King of Village
Author: Bob Bembridge
He was an early mentor to Bob Dylan and a pioneer of modern acoustic blues, but his music is seldom heard today.
Dave Van Ronk was the Grand Poobah of the early Sixties Greenwich Village folk music scene. Second only to Woody Guthrie in his influence on Dylan, Van Ronk never achieved the commercial success enjoyed by fellow folkies Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Peter, Paul, and Mary. Yet it was Van Ronk’s bluesy growl that set the bar for Greenwich Village folk performers in the 1960s. Read the rest of this entry »
Elvis Schmaltz Obscures Role as Music Pioneer
Author: Bob Bembridge
Surprise quiz.
Who was a bigger influence on popular music, Elvis Presley or the Beatles? Read the rest of this entry »
Berlin poses with a neon copy of his Dean bass. A sweet sounding instrument as evidenced on his new album, "High Standards".
There used to be a blogger I worked with a while ago. Anthony Medici, whom I admired for his tenacity, work ethic and integrity. I especially respected him once he started to take on the major jazz publications and took them to task! He also had some harsh words for a local public radio outlet near his hometown (Washington DC area). But he knew his stuff about jazz, and were he still working for the blog, I would ask him to review Jeff Berlin’s new disc, and most likely ask him to do this interview.
It isn’t as though I am totally foreign to Berlin’s work. I was first exposed to Jeff Berlin during his tenure with Bill Bruford’s fusion band, Bruford in the late 70’s. Having recently purchased the “Bruford – Rock Goes To College ” DVD, I was able to watch a young Jeff Berlin toss around riffs with the likes of Bruford, Allan Holdsworth, among others.
Berlin has come a long way…
Freewheelin’ with Dylan – A Sixties Memoir
Author: Bob Bembridge
Mention folk music today, and many Americans would think of the 2003 movie spoof, A Mighty Wind.
Yet the folk music revival of the late 1950s and early 1960s was a powerful influence on American youth. Folk music nourished college kids who rejected the mainstream pap offered by Frankie Avalon and Connie Francis. Read the rest of this entry »
MYSBLT: NYE 2010, Vampire Weekend, Coachella 2010, Jay Reatard
Author: Taylor Roberts
In this issue of Music You Should be Listening to:
Welcome to 2010! The Indie music world has been gearing up for these first couple months and MYSBLT is all a buzz for things to come. New Years Eve is one of the best nights for hearing good music, but only if you are willing to spend a little extra. So I will let you in on the secret to dropping less coin without sacrificing good tunes. For those of you who have been on the edge of your seats waiting for the new Vampire Weekend album, I will let you know what I think of my first couple listens. Want a hint? I am not happy. On the side of recent news, the Coachella 2010 lineup has been announced and we finally have news from the guys at Brand New who have been tormenting their fans with the possible release of God and the Devil on vinyl. And finally, MYSBLT will pay its last respects to indie garage rock mastermind Jay Reatard who tragically passed away on January 13th at the age of 29.
Woodstock Memoir Marks 40th Anniversary
Author: Bob Bembridge
There have always been two Woodstocks – the event and the myth.
Woodstock the event consisted of lots of rain, little food, bad acid, and sometimes bad music. Woodstock the myth, according to festival promoter Michael Lang, gave young Americans “a sense of possibility and hope” that “spread around the globe.”
Lang’s long-awaited memoir, The Road to Woodstock, sheds new light on the event even as it offers more undeserved hoke about the importance of those three days at Bethel, NY in August 1969. Read the rest of this entry »
BILL BRUFORD – A DRUMMER OUT OF TIME: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Author: Jeff Boule
The Bill Bruford Autobiography, definitive reading for progressive music fans, jazz fans, music practitioners from the novice to the professional, this book is the 21st century musician's survival guide. (Photo permission courtesy of Bill Bruford)
A few posts ago, I wrote about Bill Bruford, announcing his retirement from public performance as of the first of this year. I was angry, I was hurt, I felt abandoned, and most of all I was disappointed that one of the primary warriors of mundane music had laid down his small wooden swords for the last time. I could not understand why the world’s greatest drummer would hang it up while he was still undeniably a force in the industry, the industry he labels as “the industry of human happiness”.
Sometimes you need a good autobiography to make things clear, to garner the inside perspective. But be warned, and I was taken aback by what I encountered, the ending of this book is not what you would expect from a player of Bruford’s qualifications.
Beatles Bio Looks Behind the Myths
Author: Bob Bembridge
To London record executives in 1962, Liverpool may as well have been Timbuktu.
Small wonder that a provincial rock band calling itself “The Beatles” couldn’t beg, borrow, or steal a record contract. How a desperate Brian Epstein, after a crushing rejection by Decca, finally secured a recording contract is one of the many engaging stories told in Bob Spitz’s The Beatles: A Biography. Read the rest of this entry »
The Dead Tear Down the Spectrum
Author: Andrew Overton
I never had the chance to see the Grateful Dead. Jerry Garcia died when I was 7, but since high school I’ve been a student of jam–the Dead, Phish, Allman Brothers, etc. I not only have admired the musicianship of these bands, but envied their fans for the epics concerts they were able to attend.
My parents, both well aware of this envy, gave me an early birthday present this week: tickets to see the remaining Dead at the Spectrum. Warren Haynes (lead guitar) and Jeff Chimenti (keyboard/organ) were asked to join the original members Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann for an American tour. For most of the tour the setlists have been packed full of hits and Saturday night was no exception. It became almost immediately apparent to me that these old fellas could still play.