The Wrap-Up: Using a liberal definition of the phrase “Bird is the Worm News”

 

Some miscellaneous updates on Bird is the Worm of a music nature:

 

  • The Neil Cowley Trio has a new video out, and they’re on tour. … Cowley’s last release The Face of Mount Molehill.  I posted something about both on eMusic’s 17 Dots blog HERE.
  • Andre Canniere has a new video from his latest album Forward Spacehe.  I posted it in eMusic 17 Dots post HERE.
  • Seattle Jazz outfit Zubatto Syndicate covers Metallica.  Too cool video.  Me and ensemble leader Andrew Boscardin had a disagreement on which version of the performance to use.  Well, you can’t spell ‘authoritarian’ without ‘author,’ so as the writer/author of this blog, I chose the version I liked.  You can view it on eMusic’s 17 Dots HERE.  But I am a beneficent and merciful jazz blogger, and as such, you can watch Boscardin’s preferred version on Bird is the Worm tomorrow (8/16/12), as part of my These Are Videos That I Like series.
  • Cellist Julia Kent has a new project out.  As part of eMusic’s 2011 wrap-up, I nominated a handful of artists as 12 Artists To Watch 2012.  Two of those nominations were selected for the article; Julia Kent was one.  Learn more about her current project on eMusic’s 17 Dots HERE.
  • I found a neat Bill Frisell Disfarmer video.  It has a song from his album of the same name playing as photos from the Disfarmer collection scroll by.  It’s pretty cool.  Posted it on eMusic’s 17 Dots HERE.
  • Sara Gazarek has a promotional video out in support of her new release Blossom & Bee.  The vid is really something to see.  I posted it on eMusic’s 17 Dots blog HERE.
  • A nifty documentary of the sound and motion of NYC, told from the point of view of three people, including jazz bassist Francois Moutin.  It’s only about 10 minutes long, just perfect length to tell its story.  I’d tried like hell to figure out who on Twitter hipped me to this video, but nada.  If you are the person who tweeted out a link to this video, lemme know and I’ll give you an official shout-out of thanks.  You can watch it here on eMusic’s 17 Dots HERE.
  • I get a mention in an article on Darcy James Argue’s website.  It’s part of a solid article he writes about some of the overlooked gems of 70s Jazz.  Jazz from that decade is often, and justifiably, criticized.  However, it’s a case where the good are often ignored as response to the bad.  Aside from being an excellent composer/big band leader, Argue has an open ear and insightful mind, and it’s a nifty article to read.  His entire site, by the way, is filled with great music, too.  Here’s a LINK.  I feel guilty that I haven’t been sharing decent music articles that I read on other sites.  I might start doing that regularly as part of this wrap-up article.  We’ll see.
  • I’m adding a new Page to Bird is the Worm, which will feature a worthy Crowd Funding music venture.  It should be up sometime today or tomorrow.  I’ll be making a proper blog post about it early next week.
  • For news about recent events regarding the AllAboutJazz Download of the Day, you can read about it on my discussion thread on the AllAboutJazz forums HERE.  Briefly, I selected tracks to feature as the AAJ dotd from Einar Scheving, Joe Fielder’s Sackbut, Fred Hess Big Band, Traeben, Will Goble, Benjamin Hermann, and many more.
  • Speaking of the AAJ DOTD, if you’re having trouble submitting a track for consideration, it’s not just you.  In the process of getting fixed.  I’ll make some announcement when it’s safe to venture back in.
  • If you’ve been written up on Bird is the Worm, and you haven’t received a Download of the Day invitation from me, this is either because, one, I haven’t had time to do it yet, or, two, I did send it, but you had old contact info and haven’t looked in that account.  Either way, if you’ve received print on Bird is the Worm, please feel free to submit a track for feature date consideration HERE.  If I’ve written about you on this site, then I already think your music should get spotlighted, so the AAJ download of the day is just additional promotional punch for you.
  • If you’re an artist, I recommend confirming that your contact information is easy to find and current.  Every week that I send out various emails regarding a potential review of an album, invitations to be featured as the AAJ download of the day, various other content like interview request, etc. and, invariably, there’s always a couple artists who do not get invited because I couldn’t find any contact info for them or the contact info was for a dead email account.  Those are missed opportunities there, y’know?
  • You can find the newest featured free AAJ download of the day tracks HERE.
  • I’m going to occasionally re-mention that if you’re an artist with an album set to Name Your Own Price, whether it be on bandcamp or elsewhere, and you would like review consideration, read this Bird is the Worm article HERE and then follow the instruction to make a request in the Comments box below that article.  I have begun a new Bird is the Worm series that features reviews and tiny reviews of jazz albums set to NYOP.  Thus far, we’ve got about six different albums reviewed for this series, with more to come.
  • In Notes From The Holler news, I attended a house concert for the Jeremy Siskind Trio (reviewed effusively on Bird is the Worm).  I did a little write-up of the show for NFTH, which you can read HERE.  In truth, I’m struggling to keep that site active, though that’s a result of time and not music.  But a very busy Summer is over, so I do plan on focusing more on NFTH.  Thanks for your patience.

 

I think that about wraps things up.

Cheers.

-Dave