Marley / Volare: Bob Marley memories on the occasion of his 67th birthday

wikimedia.commons.org / Ueli Frey

Now and again in addition to co-hosting the reggae radio program Positive Vibrations on KDHX I do club spins. No chatter, just a lotta platter. Roots, dub, dancehall from eighties to present as long as the music’s conscious, or at least thoughtfully sexy and wittily worded, with a couple of shakes of rock steady.

One October Saturday night a couple of years ago, I did the early set, 6-10 p.m., at Atomic Cowboy. As regular denizens know, even among nightspots in the Manchester Grove, Atomic is set apart, a 3 a.m. nightclub-restaurant (better than average food, too) with music ranging from hip hop and house DJs to indie rock and jam bands. Servers can be expected to wear a mélange of leather, denim, piercings and tattoos, a point I mention only because of the contradistinction soon to appear. I was in their outdoor space on a raised stage in front of the patio and covered bar. A bonfire to my left would begin as soon as the sun went down.

The night was warm with a light breeze. First hour I came out with old time Treasure Isle, original riddims sliding into newer versions, same thing with Studio One, stirred and shaken with top-shelf dub. People arrived in trickles. Next hour I flicked the discs experimentally, Ernie Ranglin merging into Thievery Corporation, a Bob Marley “Stir it Up” running into a Nigerian tune with the same structure, and ran a sequence of new takes on old riddims, including Bob Marley’s “Coming in From the Cold” and Desmond Dekker’s “(007) Shanty Town.”

The real energy was at a picnic table, eight middle-aged folks of Indian descent hunched into each other, six on the benches and two on chairs on each end. A couple of the women wore saris, but the rest were in western attire. Several times I looked their way; the people didn’t seem perceptibly affected by the music. They ordered a full dinner and several rounds of drinks. Off to the side, purely for decoration, the bonfire was lit.

In the last hour I put on a dub and went to the bar so I could start tapping the $20 credit that came as part of the deal. One of the men from the picnic table was standing there, and I nodded at him. He began talking.

The man was sixty-ish, wearing the retiree’s regulation plaid shirt and a crisp haircut, and bore the aura of an immigrant freshly dispensed from the church van for an elderhostel lecture. He and his kin had heard my jams for a solid hour and a half, and I would have enjoyed being reggae ambassador for a minute but I had set the music loud. I could hear almost nothing beyond chin-kuhchun, chin-kuhchin of guitar, backbeat and the wicked Prince Jammy-produced crash of the cymbals.

I began thinking the man was a pharmacist, likely somebody unaccustomed to nightclubs. Maybe he and the missus originated in New Delhi early that morning and had been in transit all day. I began trying to imagine his story. They had just gotten off the plane, and the diasporan relatives had taken the weary couple directly to midtown St. Louis for their first night in America. To Atomic Cowboy for dinner and music. This must all seem very strange.

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Posted by | February 1, 2012 | Culture, KDHX, Local, Music | 3 Comments 

Buddhas and Beeps playlist

Kate Estwing

I really enjoyed working on this playlist and presenting it alongside Reflections of the Buddha at the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts. Some artists and labels that sprang to mind immediately, played heavily into the final mix, such as artists Four Tet, Tycho and Moby; and labels like Ghostly International, Warp, and Om.

Peruse the setlist below and please support the artists if you enjoy what you hear. Reflections of the Buddha continues to run through March 10.

Sound Waves, a collaboration between the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts and 88.1 KDHX

Thursday, January 26, 6-9 p.m.

(Playlist as Artist “Song” from “Album” on Label)

Chad Valley “Reach Lines” from “Equatorial Ultravox” on Cascine - listen

Birds & Batteries “Sneaky Times” from “Up To No Good” on Eightmaps - listen/download

Flying Lotus “Zodiac Shit” from “Cosmogramma” on Warp - listen/video

Massive Attack “Inertia Creeps [Album Version]” from “Inertia Creeps” - listen/video

Porcelain Raft “Tip Of Your Tongue (Keep Shelly in Athens Remix)” from “Tip of Your Tongue Remix EP” on Acephale - download

Kodak to Graph “Zagroz” from “Visio’l EP” on Bad Panda Records - listen/download

Orbital “Halcyon (7″ Version)” from “Work 1989-2002″ on FFRR

Four Tet “Circling” from “There Is Love In You” on Domino

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Posted by | February 1, 2012 | Culture, Music | Comment 

Pop! The Beat Bubble Burst expands its Black History Month celebration

The Beatles and Little Richard, 1962. Photo by Les Chadwick for Mersey Beat.

Pop! The Beat Bubble Burst covers many genres and sub-genres — British Invasion, Mersey beat, folk rock, garage rock, power pop, jangle pop, pub jock — but without the influence of African Americans it’s doubtful that many of those genres would exist, and if they did they would most likely not merit our attention.

It is because of this that I will be recognizing and celebrating those contributions by setting aside the four February shows (February 2, 9, 16 and 23) on P!TBBB.

This year I’ll be expanding said celebration. During the show’s first three years, the month featured three weeks of the bands that appear regularly on P!TBBB covering blues, soul R&B and other material either written by or performed by African Americans. The last show of the month has featured selections from the first three shows performed by the songs’ originators.

This year valis from Trip Inside This House will be joining me and providing the music for the February 2 show. Trip Inside This House is valis’ weekly exploration of the last 40 plus years of psychedelia; he will be bringing that expertise to P!TBBB. The show will feature two hours of music by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone, Muddy Waters and the Temptations, which will showcase the  contributions African Americans have made to psychedelia.

The remaining three shows will revert to the format from the last three years of Februaries. Those shows have not been finalized yet, but will no doubt mine selections from the following: Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, Cliff Bennett & the Rebel Rousers, the Kinks, the Searchers, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Tony Jackson, Manfred Mann and many more. You can expect to hear original versions by bands and performers like: Brenda Holloway, the Supremes, Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Otis Redding to name several.

So, please join me (and valis) and celebrate Black History Month as we pay tribute to and celebrate the unique, dynamic and undeniable contributions made by African Americans to the music of Pop! The Beat Bubble Burst (and beyond).

Pop! The Beat Bubble Burst airs Thursday mornings, 5-7 a.m. Central on 88.1 KDHX.

Posted by | January 30, 2012 | Culture, KDHX, Music | Comment 

Album review: ‘A Thurber Carnival’

Original cover art for A Thurber Carnival

Anybody here remember James Thurber? You should. The noted writer and cartoonist was part of that mid 20th century cabal of dry, literate humorists that included Robert Benchley, the incomparable S.J. Perelman and, of course, the various official and unofficial members of the Algonquin Round Table. Thurber brought his wit to the stage in 1960 in the form of a revue with musical interludes titled “A Thurber Carnival”. It opened on February 26, 1960 at the ANTA Playhouse on Broadway and ran for 223 performances, with a break from June 25 to September 5. The show closed on November 26, 1960; not a bad run for such a modest show.

The folks at Masterworks Broadway are now making the original cast recording of “A Thurber Carnival” available for the first time, and it is, to say the least, a welcome release. There is, to begin with, the joy of hearing the voices of familiar actors such as Peggy Cass, Paul Ford, John McGiver, Alice Ghostley at work. Like many of us boomers, I first encountered them on TV, so it’s good to be reminded that they all started out on the stage.

Mostly, though, it’s fun to be reminded of how good humor can be when it doesn’t beat you over the head. “Casuals of the Keys”, for example, derives laughs from the inability of an old beachcomber who dismisses his experiences with the like of a mermaid and a billiard player turned obsessive “goldfish grabber” while constantly quizzing his visitor for news of such wonders as televised Congressional subcommittees. “The Little Girl and the Wolf” (one of Thurber’s “Fables for Our Times”) turns the tables on Red Riding Hood (“Moral: it is not so easy to fool little girls now as it used to be.”). And, of course, the “The Unicorn in the Garden” (probably one of Thurber’s best-known stories) reminds us that the unicorn is, in fact, a mythological beast.

The album also includes some of Thurber’s more serious essays, including the touching “Memorial to a Dog” and “The Last Flower”, an anti-war story which is, sadly, as relevant now as it was fifty years ago. Jazzy interludes by Don Elliott are a nice counterpoint to the sketches.

“A Thurber Carnival” is available through all major digital service providers and as disc-on-demand, with the original cover art and liner notes, via ArkivMusic.com and Amazon.com

Posted by | January 26, 2012 | Album Reviews, Culture, Music | Comment 

Not your typical bling: The story of Audiowear

Courtesy of Elasticbrand

On a recent trip to Amsterdam, I discovered something called Audiowear — a new class of jewelry for fashion and for the studio. The husband and wife team of Arjen Noordeman and Christie Wright, founders of the Amsterdam-based company Elasticbrand, designed the collection that functions as usable musical instruments.

In short, Audiowear is a line of wearable, ceramic jewelry shaped in the form of instruments. More interestingly, the jewelry pieces were designed to create sound and can be played just like the full-sized counterparts they replicate. What started as an idea in a ceramic workshop became a real-life venture that has produced a recorded album using the pieces.

I interviewed Noordeman and Wright via email about their Audiowear project and what inspired the collection, as well as the “Audiowear LP” album.

The idea for Audiowear arose during a CAD/CAM (computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing) residency the two participated in at the European Ceramic Work Center in Den Bosch, Netherlands. According to Noordeman and Wright, “We wanted to create a project that was both wearable and inspired by one of the senses.”

“In the past, Christie had created a project called ‘Therapeutic Armor’ at the EKWC. That was also wearable and appealed to other senses, namely touch and scent,” says Noordeman. From these thoughts and experiences Noordeman and Wright went on to further develop their ideas into an actual product.

Noordeman and Wright describe the design process of Audiowear thusly:

“We first designed the pieces in [Adobe] Illustrator, then hired someone to model them in Rhino 3D software. Once we arrived at the European Ceramic Work Center artist residency in Den Bosch we were able to print the models out on a 3D printer that builds the models up from a plaster powder. With the positive prototypes in hand, we made plaster molds so that we could cast the pieces in porcelain. Some had to be built up out of several separate pieces that were joined by hand in what is called the leather-hard stage of the clay, [which is] when it is still rubbery and not completely dried out yet. After drying it completely it was fired in a kiln. A few pieces were glazed and detailed with gold luster.”

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Posted by | November 14, 2011 | Culture, Interviews, Music | 1 Comment 

Concert review: Widespread Panic turns the Peabody Opera House into a full on jam dance party, Wednesday, October 12

facebook.com/widespreadpanic

The newly-restored Peabody Opera House has been open less than two weeks, and with just three other shows under its belt, it’s safe to say that the place was officially broken in last night by jam kings Widespread Panic.

Sure, Aretha Franklin kicked off the venue’s gala, followed by hometown favorites Wilco playing to a sold-out crowd and Roger Daltrey reprising “Tommy” for the over-50 set — but let’s face it, the Peabody had yet to be really rocked to the ground with several thousand fans dancing their asses off for more than three hours until Widespread Panic made their triumphant return to St. Louis. I’m guessing the Peabody staff might still be trying to comprehend just what hit them, as evidenced by the looks on most of their faces as the infant venue was literally taken over by hardcore jam fans.

As early as 6 p.m., fans began gathering in the park across the street from the Peabody, gearing up to see the Athens, Ga. Southern rockers in their first appearance in our city since they last played the Fox in 2007, and certainly the most intimate venue they’ve played in St. Louis since the American Theater ceased as a regular concert venue. At nearly half the capacity of the Fox, fans were geared up to catch some of Widespread Panic’s infectious energy up close and personal, and as usual, the band did not disappoint.

Playing some of its finest songs for more than three hours (with a brief set break), Panic’s long-awaited return was well worth it. They opened the show with a trio of old-school tunes, “Space Wrangler” from their 1988 debut of the same name, followed by “Walkin’” and “Blackout Blues,” an all-out dance jam that featured some amazing keyboard work by John “JoJo” Hermann. The rest of the set continued to build steam, particularly during heavier classic “Travelin’ Light” and upbeat “Rebirtha,” ending strong with a cover of Robert Johnson’s “Stop Breakin’ Down Blues.”

In addition to a stellar sound mix, Panic brought one of the finest light shows I’ve seen, washing the Peabody’s balcony and ceiling in a rainbow of colors and effects, pumping up the crowd even further.

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Posted by | October 13, 2011 | Culture | Comment 

‘Poet-athletes’ break world record in St. Louis

Soccer balls — 428 to be exact — dribbled by an equal number of soccer players broke the Guinness world record for the most number of soccer balls dribbled at the same time. More importantly however was the exposure brought to the work of America SCORES St. Louis, a nonprofit organization that teaches kids how to balance and enrich their lives with soccer, poetry and community service. St. Louis University, along with some generous corporate sponsorship and a sea of yellow-shirted volunteers, provided the resources necessary to shuffle kids and their parents around the SLU field. Mayor Slay was on-hand to help count down the 6 minutes of dribbling required to secure the record.

America SCORES St. Louis’ next big production is the SCORES St. Louis Poetry Slam on November 18, 2011; the event will feature students reciting original poems. You may check out their website at Americascoresstlouis.org/.

Posted by | September 12, 2011 | Culture, Local, Photos | Comment 

Event photos: Shameless Grounds’ Cherry Jubilee at the Koken Art Factory, July 29 & 30

Shameless Grounds hosted its 1st Annual Cherry Jubilee the last weekend in July. The two night event featured an art show, performances from several bands including Bible Belt Sinners, a burlesque review, rope bondage demonstrations and much more!

In addition to the Bible Belt Sinners, Friday’s lineup included a performance by the Randy Dandies, rope bondage scenes by TOne! and was closed by Miss Jubilee and the Humdingers.

DJ Superconductor and GlitterBomb Productions took care of the entertainment Saturday night with extremely danceable beats and a drag show hosted by Dieta Pepsi.

All photos by Sam Africano. See more at my website, Motive Pics.

Cherry Jubilee

Cherry Jubilee

Cherry Jubilee

Cherry Jubilee

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Posted by | August 2, 2011 | Culture, Photos | Comment 

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