Notes From the Holler news

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

• The Brian Blade Fellowship is back in the recording studio. Some details and a promo video on a post I made on eMusic’s 17 Dots blog HERE.
• Pianist Jesse Stacken has one of the coolest artist pages I’ve ever seen.  It has each and every track from his Daily Improvisation Project, plus a great interview about it.  Some details and links to what I’m talking about can be found on my eMusic 17 Dots post HERE.
• In AllAboutJazz Download of the Day news… Some new submission, not yet scheduled, include one from the exciting new album by pianist Romain Collin, as well as a new one by punk-ninja flautist Miho Wada, who consistently sounds like no one else on the jazz scene, whether her compositions are based in pop, delve in Cuban music, or whatever she feels like playing.  Also have a couple new submissions from the Origin label, featuring new releases by guitarist John Stowell and pianist Jessica Williams.  I’ve got a track from Noah Bernstein, who leads a group of young artists from the Portland scene.  I’m also in the process of scheduling a slightly older track, from Led Bib’s last release, a band with a jazz rock sound that presents a different facet of Jazz music.  Still waiting to hear back on some other invitations that have been sent out, including items noted in last week’s column.  Also, have some unfamiliar names in my queue, which I’m looking to find time to research and listen through next week.
• 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?
• Last week’s AAJ download of the day highlights include tracks from new releases by the Joe Locke/Geoffrey Keezer Quartet, Human Spirit (led by Matt Jorgensen), and Bobby Broom.  I left town without writing down next week’s schedule, so I can’t tell you what’s on the near horizon.  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’ve got a couple posts on the recent John Goldsby shows at Louisville’s Nachbar.  The first of those posts can be found HERE, and another will be posted this weekend.  Also, on Sunday, I’ll be posted news of a show coming up in Lexington.  A reminder, if you’re a local artist and want to introduce yourself, shoot me an email.  And if you’re making a tour stop in Kentucky (or, perhaps, Cincinnati), you should also let me know.  I’m looking to help get the word out, as well as to have shows to go to.
• So, I’m trying to put together a fundraiser for my local Humane Society.  I’m bouncing some ideas around in my head, and I’ve got a few I want to gauge the interest in.  One idea is seeing if musicians would be willing to donate a digital copy of their album as a way of getting donors to sponsor animals that are looking for homes.  The way it would (roughly) work, is that each artist would pick the cat (or dog) that they wanted their album associated with, the album cover and links would appear with a picture of that adoptable pet, and then donors would sponsor the pet based on which album they wanted to download.  In Mercer and Franklin Counties, we have so many adoptable pets looking for homes, and if we could find people to sponsor the adoption fees on these pets, it might help them find some homes.  Worth noting that the adoption fee goes straight to vet bills (getting the cat or dog spayed/neutered, rabies shot, feline leuk test, and wellness shot), and the Humane Society struggles, like most non-profits, to stay afloat, so anything that can be done to help financially is a big thing.  The Humane Society is a 501(c)3 organization, so donations of music by the artists and money paid by listeners would be potentially tax deductible (dependent on each taxpayer’s situtation).  Anyways, I’m wondering if any musicians out there might be interested in donating a digital copy of their album.  Also wondering if any readers would be interested in donating under this premise.  Obviously I’m still working the details (and many of the big stuff, too), but as I wrote this post, I figured I’d bring the subject up.  Feel free to email me or Comment below.
• Some music I’ve been listening to that didn’t get any print this week, but will in the upcoming weeks… Threads Orchestra, Jesse Van Ruller Chambertones, Jerry Johansson, Cuong Vu, and various music on the Table & Chairs label.

I think that about wraps things up.

Cheers.

-Dave

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

• Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society is back in the recording studio. Some details and a promo video on a post I made on eMusic’s 17 Dots blog HERE.

• Greenleaf Music label has put together a cool video of an album track from Matt Ulery‘s By A Little Light.  You can see the video, and some thoughts on it, on my eMusic 17 Dots blog post HERE.  A full album review can be found, HERE, on Bird is the Worm.

• In AllAboutJazz Download of the Day news… I’ve been in contact with a couple labels, and awaiting some submissions.  Motema label has already submitted a couple tracks that I’m in the process of scheduling, including music by the Locke-Keezer Quartet, the Brazilian Trio, and The Cookers.  I’m hoping to see some submissions from both Edition Records and Gondwana Records.  Both outfits feature some of the best and brightest of the new jazz generation out of the UK.  I’ve also sent out a bunch of invites to self-produced artists.  Origin Records has submitted a nice batch of tracks, one for pretty much every one of their 2012 releases.  New ones on the horizon are for (among others) Bobby Broom’s latest album consisting of all original material, a track from the exciting Florian Hoefner Quartet, Dan Cavanaugh’s piano trio, Joel Miller’s sax quartet, and the Budman/Levy Orchestra, which is today’s featured download of the day for “Big Band Fridays.”

• Speaking of “Big Band Fridays,” I am looking to make that more than an occasional thing.  So if you have a new (or relatively new) release of a big band or large ensemble and would like to request consideration for it to be featured as the “Big Band Fridays” AllAboutJazz download of the day, you can submit HERE and I’ll get in touch with you.

• Another AllAboutJazz series that I’d like to make more than an occasional thing is my “Saturday, The Fringes” experimental music series.  If you have music that will likely make at least half of the jazz public shout, “That isn’t Jazz!”, then you qualify to be considered for a feature date.  It doesn’t have to be a new release, but the older the music is, the greater I’m going to be measuring it for innovation and experimentalism.  Keep in mind, this doesn’t just mean free jazz or crazy electronica.  I’ve featured several tracks in this series that were quiet tunes, simply composed, but incorporated ideas and themes that nobody else was putting out there.  I want to celebrate artists who take a chance.  Again, you can submit HERE for consideration.

• 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?

• Next week’s AAJ download of the day highlights include tracks from new releases by Gavin Barras, Josh Maxey, and Richard Thompson.

• 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.

• Not much to report in Notes From The Holler news.  I have a few posts in the backlog to make, but I had to take a short break from Holler not long after its start-up.  After re-envisioning some stuff on BitW and getting caught up on some organization, I’ve temporarily taken a step back from Holler.  It should become active again in Mid-July, when I intend to begin make semi-regular reports on music in Kentucky.

• Some music I’ve been listening to that didn’t get any print this week, but will down the road… Jeremy Siskind “Finger-Songwriter”, Benjamin Schatz “Distant Light”, Linus Lindblom “Objets Trouves”, Florian Hoefner Group “Songs Without Words”, Deric Dickens “Speed Date”, Fundamental “Development”, and Jasmine Lovell Smith’s Towering Poppies “Fortune Songs.”

I think that about wraps things up.

Cheers.

-Dave