Monthly Archives: September 2012

Sep 4 2012

My new Jazz Picks are up at eMusic

As most of you are aware, I write a weekly column for eMusic.com that gives a run down of the best of the new Jazz releases each week (my Jazz Picks).

Anyways, they’ve just posted up on the eMusic site HERE.

Notable albums from this week’s article are:

Jazzman Records - "Spiritual Jazz 3"Karin Hammar "Land"Dom Minasi, Karl Berger - "Synchronicity" Dave Phillips - "Confluence"

 

 

 

… and several others.  Enjoy!

-Dave

 

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Sep 2 2012

Free Magic: New Medeski, Martin, and Wood album on the way

 

I noticed some interest on the AllAboutJazz forum about the forthcoming new release by Medeski, Martin, and Wood, titled Free Magic, so I’m posting a brief synopsis of the album as provided by Indirecto Music, who is releasing the album, as well as an embedded track, so that you don’t have to rely on song samples.  The album’s release date is set at Sept. 25th, 2012.

Here’s some info from Calabro Music Media (MMW’s PR people)…

Medeski Martin & Wood have announced the release of Free Magic due September 25 on the band’s label Indirecto Records. For its latest effort, MMW dip into their archives to present a collection of recordings documenting their first-ever acoustic tour in 2007. The set, stretching out over five expansive tracks, captures the three intrepid improvisers – keyboardist John Medeski, bassist Chris Wood and drummer Billy Martin – exploring the telepathic hookup and deep groove sensibility that has defined MMW since its inception in 1991.

“This stuff brings it back to when we used to hang out in this rented shack in Hawaii and make music together,” says Martin of the music on Free Magic. “It was really just a little plywood cabin in the jungle with a tin roof. John had a prepared piano there that sounded like a gamelan instrument and I had these funky drums that had mold growing on them, or I might play the side of the shack or play the railing going up the stairs and make it sound like a xylophone. And we’d get into a lot of different stuff there, just having musical conversations in this intimate setting.”

Personally, I’ve never been huge into the music of MMW, though I did go through a stretch in the mid-late 90s when I was listening to a bunch of their stuff.  However, I wouldn’t hesitate to go see them live, and this new album was recorded from a concert tour, so that changes things as far as my recommendation goes.  Also, as part of the new album release, they’re doing an Northeast US tour in October.  From what I’ve heard, they’re a hell of a live show.

Here’s a LINK to the MMW site.

And here’s where you can pre-order it on Amazon: CD | MP3

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Sep 1 2012

Work Space: Bird is the Worm is now on Tumblr

 

So, I’ve got a Tumblr account now.  You can find it HERE.  You can also access it from any page, on the right hand side of the screen, in the menu titled “Me me me me me.”

I’m officially referring to my Tumblr site as Work Space.  For the time being, the only thing I’m going to post on it are photos of artist creative work spaces.  Along with a photo (or two) of each, I’ll also post an audio clip from their latest album or performance, and a few links as well, like to the artist’s site and a retail site to purchase the album.

It’ll be clean and simple and, hopefully, fun and curious.

It doesn’t necessarily need to just be jazz musicians.  Other types of artists may submit.

If you’d like to run a photo or two by me, either email me (my email is found on the About Me page) or send me a message at my Twitter account, and I’ll give it consideration.

The photos need not be professionally done.  It just needs to have character.  For instance, not all photos of locations on travel blogs look professional, but the best ones almost act as a portal to the place, make you feel like you’re there, or at least make you want to be there.  Anyways, take a look at what’s already posted.  You should get a sense of things.

I currently have work space photos posted for Leeds saxophonist AJ Nash and NYC guitarist Josh Maxey.

Cheers.

-Dave

 

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Sep 1 2012

Featured Crowdfunding Project: A new page on Bird is the Worm

 

As I announced in last week’s news round-up, I added a new page to Bird is the Worm this week.  I will now be featuring a Crowdfunding Project, well, about once a week, maybe every ten days.

You can find it HERE.  However, the tab to get to that page is visible at the top of the screen, too.

If you’re an artist with a crowdfunding project, and you’d like to be considered for a feature spot, go ahead and email me.  I’ll just say right now that anybody who simply sends me a link to a crowdfunding page is probably going to get ignored.  Take a moment and construct a few sentences on why I should look into your project.  You don’t have to be awesomely profound or anything, just pique my interest.  Or be very funny.  Or point out that I’ve reviewed a previous album of yours on Bird is the Worm.  Flattery works, too.  The project quality I’m most looking at is ‘interesting.’  Is this something that would truly be a shame were it not too happen?  Is this something that stands out from the other projects?  Y’know, that kind of thing.

That’s it.

Cheers.

-Dave

 

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