Monday, March 7, 2016
Few artists in any medium can claim to have completely altered the trajectory of art. With music, we like to generously lob this distinction at way too many people; saying they changed the game or were responsible for X-amount of impostors. Outside of Bob Dylan or James Brown or fucking Bach, it's really not true: music is a cultural dialog that's on a path and, regardless of who does it, the developments are gonna get made.
Yeah, Sun Ra was 'out' before anyone even knew the Earth was round, and jazz players were getting more and more tired with the circle-jerk of chords in the wake of bop. By the end of the '50s everyone was ready to move on and, for sure, Coltrane and Davis existed amongst an insanely talented peer-group of other iconoclasts, all throwing their weight against the walls. But no one absolutely blew the shit wide open, showed that even when you thought you were thinking outside the rules you were still inside the box, like Ornette Coleman.
Abandoning chords and chordal instruments altogether, he emerged with a fully-formed and legitimately controversial sound: others started fights and ended friendships over whether his playing was even "valid." He blew out of tune, in the cracks, fluidly touching whatever scale he wanted, literally freeing his instrument and his band from the rigid structures of jazz at the time.
Tags: ornette coleman , jazz , documentary , ornette made in america , exploded view , tucson , screening , shirley clarke , Video
91.3 FM KXCI's Women's Day programming will feature the Old Pueblo's best female DJs, public affair programmers, and community creatives' voices and music to celebrate National Women's Day.
KXCI is teaming up with a menagerie of local organizations including the Marshal Foundation, the Women's Foundation of Southern Arizona Unidas, YWCA Southern Arizona, the UA of Journalism and more in order to put on Women's Day programming that will encompass all things feminism, KXCI's Amanda Shauger wrote in a press release.
Women's Day originally started in socialist and communist nations to illuminate the social and economic injustices women face on a daily basis, according to the press release. In 1977, the United States began to recognize the day as well. KCXI aims to preserve and celebrate the significance of Women's Day through its specialty programming, according to the press release.
Ladies from the Women's Foundation of Southern Arizona Unidas, a social justice group made up of high school girls, will talk about their International Women's Day research, feminism, inspirational women, and women's modern struggles.
Tags: KXCI , 91.3 KXCI , women's day , international women's day , feminism
Friday, March 4, 2016
Ray LaMontagne—Ouroboros
If you like folk blues, jazz, (good) John Mayer and/or Ryan Adams, you will like Ray LaMontagne. Listening to Ouroboros "Part Two—In My Own Way," was probably the most chill six minutes of my whole day, thanks to the tune's jazzy drums, smooth slide guitar and LaMontagne's hazy voice. It sounds like beach music, but isn't annoying or trying-too-hard (I'm looking at you, Nada Surf). "Part One—Hey, No Pressure" wasn't as fulfilling a listen, but LaMontagne's rolling guitar riffs and soft lyrics make the track, again, pretty damn relaxing. Definitely give the rest of Ouroboros a listen if you need to drift away mentally for a bit.
NADA SURF—You Know Who You Are
"I don't mind if it's raining, I don't mind if it's hot, I don't mind what you're thinking." Many thought-provoking proclamations similar to these streak You Know Who You Are's lead single, "Cold To See Clear." Sung in lead vocalist Matthew Caws' high-pitched, wavy voice and backed by arpeggiated guitar riffs, the song, unsurprisingly, sounds like a (mediocre) musical embodiment of the beach. "Believe You're Mine" has similar forgettable lyrics and electric guitar. The tracks aren't completely awful to listen to if you overlook how stupid the lyrics actually are, which makes me think that You Know Who You Are will be the type of album that either scores a movie in the likes of Aquamarine or plays softly whilst cramming for a test.
Tags: dead stars , ray lamontagne , ouroboros , bright colors , miike snow , iii , nada surf , you know who you are , music , new music , Video
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Something great is brewing between a crew of deep house and techno lovers and a Tucson artistic landmark.
Dazed and Confused are two DJ gents working hard to bring some much-needed live music diversity to this scene.
Although this is truly a collaboration between friends (photographers, DJs, designers, promoters, you name it)—Florence, Italy-native Elio Sottoscritti and Oregonian Ben Olayinka are the two hustlers at the forefront. They will talk your ear off, in a good way, about their aspirations and how they plan to get to the top of the mountain.
They are well on their way.
In just a few months since creating the Dazed and Confused brand, these two extremely friendly, humble and hard-working young guys are making waves all over town. From a permanent Wednesday night gig at Playground—known as Horseplay—to playing at La Cocina and DJing at Club Congress' Opti Club for the first time tonight for a beach-themed party they helped put together called Promised Land.
To top it all—and perhaps what'll take their passion to the next level—Dazed and Confused are dipping their toes into bringing internationally- celebrated DJs. The venue: Solar Culture.
Next week, Italian DJ duo SUPERNOVA is debuting what the Dazed and Confused dudes want to see become an ongoing, every month-or-so residency at the art studio and gallery.
Tags: SUPERNOVA , Elio Sottoscritti , Ben Olayinka , Steven Eye , dazed and confused , solar culture , house , italy , tucson , Video
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
The 2016 South By Southwest festival starts next week with the film and interactive sessions—and today, organizers announced that President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will be keynote speakers. Nice get, SXSW!
Whether or not you're going to SXSW, you should lend your ears to the Austin 100, NPR's curated list of 100 of the artists that will be performing at the festival. It's always an eclectic collection of songs by some of the nation's best up-and-coming acts in just about every genre imaginable. You can stream or download the whole thing here.
As a member of Southside Presbyterian Church (317 W. 23rd St.), I’ve heard the sound of that room enrich mariachi, waila, gospel, Christian pop and every kind of cumbia: acoustic, electric and electronic. Its kiva-like Bob Vint design, circular floorplan, fieldstone floor and wooden structural elements support subtle dynamics in sound and spread them throughout the room.
Stroutsos is especially sensitive to such qualities. He is an expert in the sound of wooden flutes, employed the world over in spiritual, pursuits. He lectures frequently about the instruments, and his records are popular among yoga and meditation practitioners as well as world music fans.
His contributions to the soundtrack of a Ken Burns PBS documentary earned him a performance at the White House for President Bill Clinton. More recently, he scored the award-winning, wordless nature film, Desert Dreams.
“I like to stay close to many different spiritual traditions,” Stroutsos says, “most American jazz, Afro-Cuban music and [what] I call serene and meditative folk music inspired by Asia.” He began as a jazz flutist, studying under master players and composers in American and Afro-Cuban transitions.
For the kiva program, he says, “I’m going to be playing some serene and meditative music and also, I'm going to do a tribute for someone that passed away that used to live in Rio Rico. He was a great jazz flute player. His name was Paul Horn.” He will perform a composition from Horn’s 1968 release, Inside the Taj Mahal, which was, in fact, recorded in the historic palace in India.
Far from a palace, Southside’s kiva and Stroutsos flutes will nonetheless offer an enchanting evening. Stroutsos will perform on Saturday, March 5, beginning at 7 p.m. A $10 to $20 sliding scale donation will be taken at the door.
Tags: gary stroutsos , flute , jazz , afro-cuban , southside presbyterian church , tucson , live , music , concert , Video
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Watch Lady Gaga perform Til It Happens to you at the #Oscars here https://t.co/ptBYEAIKqq
— Lady Gaga Facts (@LGMonsterFacts) February 29, 2016
Tonight at the Academy Awards, Oscar-nominated performer, Lady Gaga, took the stage in support of the millions of victims of sexual violence. In an incredibly passionate performance of her song "Til it Happens to You," Lady Gaga laid it all on the table and it was spectacular. I was moved to tears by her conviction, courage, vulnerability and, of course, her beautiful voice.
Lady Gaga, a victim of sexual violence herself, was joined on stage by several dozen survivors who each had their own statement written on their arm. Those included sentiments like "unbreakable," "not your fault," and "it happened to me."
The song was introduced by Vice President Joe Biden who represented the White House's It's On Us campaign to end sexual assault.
Every day, I become more disillusioned with our society's unwillingness to end the abuse experienced by one in five women and one in 71 men. In the light of these feelings, I was so happy to see this years' Oscars would be used as a platform to discuss important issues as well as glamour, talent and fame.
Tags: sexual violence , sexual assault , lady gaga , music , rape , survivor , oscars , academy awards , joe biden
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Mexrrissey, the new project featuring the Mexican Institute of Sound and Tucson's Sergio Mendoza covering Morrissey's songs, is set to drop No Manchester next month. Here's the first video from the album.
Monday, February 22, 2016
Organized by Wayne and Joseph Rudell of Fuzz Evil, the two-night Borderland Fuzz Fiesta brings 16 bands (four from Arizona bands and 12 from out of state) to 191 Toole this weekend, with doors opening at 6 p.m. on Friday and 6:30 p.m. on Saturday.
The Borderland Fuzz Fiesta is a companion festival of sorts to the Southwest Terror Fest, slated for its fifth go ‘round in October.
“This picks up where the Southwest Terror Fest leaves off with more of the stoner rock and psych rock,” says Wayne Rudell. “The whole goal is to pick up the caliber of fests in Tucson and make both of them better.”
Like the Southwest Terror Fest, the Borderland Fuzz Fiesta aims to bring in bands that don’t play Arizona often. Headlining this year are Dead Meadow on Friday and Elder on Saturday.
“Dead Meadow, when it comes to psych music, is one of the top bands out there doing what they do,” Rudell says. “I’ve seen them once at Solar Culture years ago and fell in love with them. Last year, I tried to get them, and the timing wasn’t right so they were the first band I went after for this year.”
Tags: Borderland Fuzz Fiesta , dead meadow , tucson , music , festival , live , concert , fuzz evil , elder
Friday, February 19, 2016
Dressed as a '40s-wartime Bob Hope, MC Lynn "Win" Roberts will host the evening's festivities, which include live music from Big Band Express, a local jazz group; vaudeville entertainment from Cirque Roots, a "grassroots artist collective" specializing in all things circus. Expect appearances from a slew of special guests, auctions for original band art/memorabilia and raffles. The Rialto also promises attendees delicious culinary libations from local eateries including Elliot's, Hub, Proper, Cup Café, Maynard's and more.
Tags: rialto , the rialto theatre , downtown tucson , Stage Canteen: A Swingin' 1940s USO Party , fundraising , the rialto theatre foundation , music
