From the Youtube page:
“Festival TV on KEENSTREAM, a YouTube program that started in April 2020, hoping that the day will come when we can enjoy the music and outdoor activities that we love. We welcome over 100 artists in total and liven up the program with MC George Williams.”
I actually don’t know if 75 Dollar Bill and Natural Information have played together before or not, it just seemed like a fun headline.
Back in July, Jesse Jarnow posted a link to this live set from the Roulette Concert Archive at Soundcloud and I just now had a chance to put it on and listen, and, OH MAN!!!!!
Aside from being two of my favorite bands (see posts tagged 75 Dollar Bill here or Natural Information posts here), the sound on this recording is phenomenal.
Sit back and let it unwind.
The Roulette Concert Archive says:
“75 Dollar Bill return to Roulette to celebrate the release of their new double album I Was Real (Thin Wrist Recordings / Black Editions). With guests Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society.
Having emerged as a vibrant musical force with their previous effort WOOD/METAL/PLASTIC/PATTERN/RHYTHM/ROCK (Thin Wrist 2016), 75 Dollar Bill have spent the last few years bringing their music to new people and places, delivering what NYC locals have had the chance to hear for years, and experimenting with the ever-deepening set of musical ideas for which they are known. The fruits of this work can be heard on their expansive new double LP I Was Real. Recorded over a four year period, in four different studios, with a range of ensemble configurations featuring the band’s closest friends and collaborators, I Was Real is the band’s most ambitious album yet. The music that unfolds on the album’s four sides doubles down on the group’s penchant for sprawling, unusual grooves and blown out microtonal guitars, while at the same time introducing textures and tonalities that point in completely new directions. For this event, the group will present a set of new and reimagined material from the album, with a special soon-to-be-announced group of guest musicians. 75 Dollar Bill is pleased to be joined this evening by Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society, whose own double LP, Mandatory Reality, was released by Eremite Records in April.”
Support 75 Dollar Bill at Bandcamp.
Purchase 75 Dollar Bill’s music at Amazon.
Listen to "Beni Said" by 75 Dollar Bill rom the album 2016 album Wood / Metal / Plastic / Pattern / Rhythm / Rock on Episode 07 of the Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow.
Browse all Holiday at the Sea 75 Dollar Bill posts
Visit the official website.
Support Joshua Abrams and Natural Information Society at Bandcamp.
Purchase Joshua Abrams and Natural Information Society’s music at Amazon.
Listen to “Maroon Dune” by Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society (From the 2017 album Simultonality) on Episode 43 of The Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow.
Browse all Holiday at the Sea Natural Information Society posts
I first came across Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba when doing the Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow and featured their track “Miri” in February, 2019 on Episode 37.
Bassekou Kouyate started playing the Ngoni at age 12. The Ngoni is a traditional Malian guitar. The body of the instrument is made of wood or calabash with dried animal skin head stretched over. This traditional instrument is believed by many to be the precursor to the banjo.
In 2015, Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba played a live set for KEXP and today seems like as good a time as any to revisit that wonderful set.
Setlist:
Musow Fanga
Jama ko
Abe Sumaya
Siran Fen
Important People:
Host: Rhythma
Audio Engineer: Kevin Suggs
Cameras: Jim Beckmann, Scott Holpainen & Justin Wilmore
Editor: Scott Holpainen
I have made no secret of my love for Dub music. And you can’t love Dub music without reckoning with Lee “Scratch” Perry.
Yesterday we watched the
Today we’re watching another documentary about Perry. This one narrated by Benicio Del Toro. The Upsetter: The Life and Music of Lee Scratch Perry.
Enjoy.
I have this personal website compartmentalized because I realize that not every one of my friends is interested in exactly the same set of things that I am. And that’s not only “OK”, it’s beautiful.
However, I think everyone should love Lee “Scratch” Perry. If you’re not familiar with this brilliant artist, I suggest you get familiar with Google.
And I also suggest starting with this off-beat documentary: Lee Scratch Perry's Vision of Paradise | True Godfather of Reggae.
Another installment in the Dubspace series, this time highlighting harmonica.
I know not everyone likes harmonica in their dub (Brainwashed says of the Lee “Scratch” Perry tracks featured here as including: “a few questionable harmonica intrusions”) but piss on it. Music-loving is subjective and I like harmonica in my dub. Maybe you will too.
This playlist features some repeat artists from the same albums so I’ve just included the albums represented for the visuals rather than every track.
Enjoy.
Tracklisting:
‘Melody Maker’ by Keith Hudson
‘Verdict in Dub’ by Clive Chin
‘Whatever We Do’ by Ruts D.C.
‘Enlightened’ by Lee “Scratch” Perry
‘Last of the Jestering’ by Clive Chin
‘Militant’ by Ruts D.C.
‘Space Craft’ by Lee “Scratch” Perry
‘Shi-cago’ by Dennis Bovell
‘Wire Dub’ by Clive Chin
‘Sonny’s Lettah (Anti-Sus Poem) by Linton Kwesi Johnson
‘Rhythm Collision’ by Ruts D.C.
‘Heavy Rainford’ by Lee “Scratch” Perry
‘Dubwise Situation’ by Clive Chin
‘Melody Maker Version 2 (Harmonica and Bongo Drum) by The Chuckles (from the Hudson Affair compilation)
Listen/Download Dubspace 01
Listen/Download Dubspace 02
Listen/Download other Holiday at the Sea music playlists
Joe Henry live for Sessions at West 54th, season 02 with an introduction by Billy Bob Thornton pretending to be Joe Henry. Sadly there is more Billy Bob than actual Joe and music on this but the two songs featured are great. Have you seen the full set anywhere around?
Setlist:
“Like She Was A Hammer”
“Great Lake”
I made a lot of great musical discoveries from all over the world while doing the Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow. One of my favorites was 더튠 The Tune.
Here is 더튠 The Tune live at “Club Positive ZERO, Seoul, 26 Sep. ‘Youth Song / Cancion Juvenil'.”
Here is 더튠 The Tune live at “Club Positive ZERO, Seoul, 26 Sep. ‘Play with God / Juega con dios”
A Holiday at the Sea playlist of 20 more Dub heavy hitters.
Tracklisting:
“Binshaker Dub Plate” by Twilight Circus Dub Sound System
“Black Rock” by Black Jade
“Daisy Temple” by Serge Gainsbourg
“Fence Dub” by Vital Dub
“Mother Liza” by Jimmy Radway
“Fire Bun” by Ja-Man All Stars
“Worrier” by Joe Gibbs
“Dub MPLA” by Tappa Zukie
“Bubble Up” by Wayne Jarrett
“Zombie Zones” by Dennis Bovell
“Dub To The Vein” by Skin, Flesh & Bones
“Jungle Shuffle” by Morwell Unlimited
“Satisfied Dub” by Ossie Hibert
“Dub Out” by Oku Onoura
“JBC Days & Proper Education Dub” by Mikey Dread
“White Whale” by Ranking Barnabas
“Dem Never Know” by Rhythm & Sound (with Jah Cotton)
“Tempo Dub” by Rupie Edwards All Stars
“Channel One In Dub” by Linval Thompson
“Genesis 1-11” by Sly and the Revolutionaries
Browse other Holiday at the Sea music playlists
Listen to/Download Dubspace 01.
Clasp the helmet and lower yourself into the Dubspace.
20 Dub heavy hitters.
Enjoy.
Tracklisting:
“Love and Fire” by Ruts DC
“Independent Intavenshan” by Linton Kwesi Johnson
“Black Right” by Keith Hudson
“Staga Dub” by King Tubby
“Babylon Gone Down” by Yabby You
“Jumping Jack” by Herman Chin Loy
“Above and Beyond” by Lee “Scratch” Perry
“In King David’s Style” by Mad Professor
“Some Bizarre” by African Head Charge
“Back Weh” by Prince Far I
“Capitol Radio Rock” by Sir Coxsone Sound
“East Of The River Nile” by Augustus Pablo
“Higher Ranking” by Dennis Bovell
“Blood On His Lips” by Scientist
“Refraction” by Phase Selector Sound
“Swords of Vengeance” by Prince Jammy
“Stalag” by Winston Riley
“Theme Dub” by Jah Lloyd
“The Road Is Rough” by Tommy Cowan
“Sata Dub” by Errol “Flabba” Holt
Browse other Holiday at the Sea Music Playlists
Oh man, this is so good.
From Episode 19 of the Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow:
“Huun-Huur-Tu are a music group from Tuva, a republic of Russia located right on the border of Mongolia and Russia. Huun-Huur-Tu is internationally known for their throat-singing, also known as “over-tone” singing. The singer produces “both the note (drone) and the drone's overtone(s), thus producing two or three notes simultaneously.”
“KEXP presents Huun‐Huur‐Tu performing live in the KEXP studio. Recorded August 15, 2017.”
Setlist:
Chyraa-Khoor (Yellow Pacer)
Konguroi (Sixty Horses in My Herd)
Odugen Taiga
Aa-Shuu Dekei-oo
Other Details:
Host: DJ Rhythma
Audio Engineer: Kevin Suggs
Cameras: Jim Beckmann, Alaia D'Alessandro & Justin Wilmore
Editor: Justin Wilmore
Like Huun-Huur-Tu on Facebook
Purchase Huun-Huur-Tu’s music on Amazon
Listen to ““Chyraa-Khoor” by Huun-Huur-Tu on Episode 19 of the Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow or on the Holiday at the Sea music playlist Apothecary of Wonders.
Israel’s Faran Ensemble live “Mezrab recording from 2015-04-22.”
I first heard Faran Ensemble while looking for music for the Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow and their track “Reflection” appeared on Episode 03.
I couldn’t find a setlist for this show but there was some commentary on the video’s page which is included below.
Enjoy.
“The Faran Ensemble was formed in 2009 by three musicians sharing similar musical vibes and values, who decided to embark together on a spiritual quest. Their journey, expressed in music and sound, reflects the beauty of nature, travelling through different sceneries, from the clean and quiet desert to luscious green hills, sometimes even passing through the hectic noise of the city.
Their instruments belong to the ancient traditions of the east, allowing the musicians to combine mystical sounds with modern influences. In their music, Mediterranean landscapes weave an enchanted soundscape, a magic carpet to take the listener on a voyage to faraway lands.
The ensemble’s name, Faran, refers to Wadi Faran, a dry desert riverbed which in winter fills with water and life and in summer is silent and pristine. The Faran crosses three countries, but ignores all artificial human borders.”
So much to tell you about here.
Music-loving, like life, is a journey of learning and exploration. I recently posted a live session by Sarathy Korwar and friends for a site called The Boiler Room. I featured Korwar’s track “"Bismillah" from his 2016 album Day To Day on Episode 08 of The Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow.
I had not heard of The Boiler Room before this but I have since become quite enamored. Their Facebook “About” section says:
“Boiler Room televises underground music as it happens from around the world to a massive online community. By doing so, we create windows into scenes and sounds from every corner of the globe, connecting millions of music heads with the specific music they love. This communal participation has redrawn the map for underground culture and proven that mass audiences now subscribe to alternative choice.”
And that’s a vision I can get behind.
I recently came across a 2016 live set from The Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band. I featured the band’s Thai band’s song "Lai Wua (Chasing the Cow)" from their 2016 album Planet Lam on Episode 11 of The Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow.
There is a link on the video’s Youtube page that says: “TRACKLIST & DOWNLOAD HERE” but the link doesn’t go to anything and the video’s page at the Boiler Room page doesn’t include a setlist so if you have that information it would be greatly appreciated. Though not knowing the song titles (or words for that matter) doesn’t inhibit the global choogle.
Eishan Ensemble’s Afternoon Tea At Six has been one of my favorite albums 0f 2020. In fact, I recently featured the track “Signs” on my Apothecary of Wonders playlist.
The group’s official website says:
“Led by acclaimed Persian-Australian tar player and composer, Hamed Sadeghi, the quintet Eishan Ensemble draws on contemporary and classical music traditions of both East and West. Eishan’s repertoire consists predominantly of Sadeghi’s original compositions with diverse improvisatory idioms featured powerfully. Variously described as “Persian chamber jazz” and “Middle-Eastern jazz fusion”, Eishan defies neat labels.”
Here is a three-song live set they did earlier this year for Phoenix Central Park.
The deets:
Eishan Ensemble:
Hamed Sadeghi | Tar
Pedram Layegh | Acoustic guitar
Michael Avgenicos | Saxophone
Elsen Price | Double bass
Adem Yilmaz | Percussion
Songs:
Black and White
Signs
Street
Composed by Hamed Sadeghi
Thanks to my friend Alex for the tip on this 2015 live set featuring Zakir Hussain on tabla, percussion instruments and Rakesh Chaurasia playing bansouri.
The video’s page gives the following info:
“ZAKIR HUSSAIN is undoubtedly one of the greatest legends of world music, virtuoso of the tabla, and artist who tours and records with many other acclaimed musicians, including those form the world of jazz. His father was the famous musician Ustad Alla Rakha. Thanks to his father, Zakir learned to play musical instruments from his youngest days. He started performing as a teenager, and when he was 19 years old, he travelled to the US for the first time, appearing alongside Ravi Shankar. Audiences remember Hussain’s acclaimed albums, especially “Making Music” recorded for the famous ECM label. It is regarded as one of the finest musical fusions of the East and the West. Hussain was accompanied by John McLaughlin, Jan Garbarek and the legendary Hariprasad Chaurasia – uncle of Rakesh, who joins Hussain in Kraków. Hussain has worked with McLaughlin many times, for example when creating recordings with his groups Shakti and Remember Shakti. He also worked alongside Bill Laswell, leading the group Tabla Beat Science bringing together acclaimed tablists and percussionists. He has also co-created the outstanding projects Planete Drum and Global Drum, and worked with some of the greatest musicians of all time, from George Harrison and Van Morrison to Pharoah Sanders and Charles Lloyd. He is a living legend himself.
RAKESH CHAURASIA is more than just a nephew of Hariprasad Chaurasia – he is also one of his most talented pupils. He plays the bansouri, a traditional South Asian bamboo flute. He has worked with musicians including Talvin Singh, participated in recording dozens of albums, and he leads the RAF ensemble – Rakesh and Friends. Recorded at ICE Kraków 08.07.2015.”
Visit Zakir Hussain’s official website
Follow Zakir Hussain on Facebook
Purchase Zakir Hussain’s music at Amazon
Listen to “Raga Kedar: Gat In Ektaal” by Pandit Shivkumar Sharma & Ustad Zakir Hussain on Episode 17 of the Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Superhsow.
Visit Rakesh Chaurasia’s official website
Follow Rakesh Chaurasia at Facebook
Purchase Rakesh Chaurasia’s music at Amazon
I first came across Kiran Ahluwalia while doing research for the Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow. I highlighted her track (featuring Tinariwen) “Mustt Mustt (Extended) on Episode 02 and have followed her ever since.
The other day I came across a 2018 live performance for KEXP along with Souad Massi, who was new to me.
From the video’s Youtube page:
http://KEXP.ORG presents Souad Massi and Kiran Ahluwalia performing live in the KEXP studio.
Recorded April 19, 2018.
Songs:
Kiran Alhuwalia - Khafa (Up In Arms)
Kiran Alhuwalia - Saat (Seven)
Souad Massi - Hayati
Souad Massi - Amessa
Souad Massi & Kiran Alhuwalia - Deb
Host: Darek Mazzone
Audio Engineer: Kevin Suggs
Cameras: Jim Beckmann, Scott Holpainen & Justin Wilmore
Editor: Justin Wilmore
Visit Kiran Ahluwalia’s official website
Follow Kiran Ahluwalia at Facebook
Purchase Kiran Ahluwalia at Bandcamp
Purchase Kiran Ahluwalia’s music at Amazon
Listen to "Mustt Mustt (Extended)" by Kiran Ahluwalia on Episode 02 of The Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow
Visit Souad Massi’s page at Your European Stage
Follow Souad Massi at Facebook
Purchase Souad Massi’s music at Amazon.
The fantastic Boiler Room has been putting out some terrific content as part of their “Streaming From Isolation” series. Holiday at the Sea favorite Sarathy Korwar recently gathered two songs for a half-hour performance. From the Boiler Room page:
A very exclusive & exciting multi-way jam w/ Sarathy Korwar & friends from London & beyond.
From Sarathy Korwar’s Facebook page:
Tunes:
”Raga Malkauns” - Charanjit Singh (from 10 Ragas to a Disco Beat)
”In C” - Terry Riley
Players:
Bex Burch - Gyil/Bells/Water Drums
Tamar Osborn - Horns
Al MacSween - Synths, Harmonium
Dan Leavers - Synths
Sarathy Korwar - Drums/Tabla/Udu
Visit Sarathy Korwar's official website
Purchase the album at Bandcamp
Visit Korwar's Facebook page
Visit Korwar's Twitter
Purchase the album from Amazon
Listen to "Bismillah" by Sarathy Korwar on Episode 08 of The Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow
Browse all Holiday at the Sea posts tagged Sarathy Korwar
Anathallo was a band from Michigan (though they later relocated to Chicago if I remember correctly?). The fluctuated in size and the arrangements grew in complexity and beauty. The early recordings are great but they don’t quite yet arrive at the sophistication of the later work. And isn’t that all of us? Hopefully as we grow older we also mature and grow more nuanced in our thinking, even learning to allow time for the quiet moments which are as much part of the story as the loud parts. Can you really feel a crescendo when it’s all loud to begin with? The hills and valleys of the journey. And I’m rambling.
So allow me to ramble a bit more.
I’m sure you know what I mean when I say that music often carries with it memories and feelings associated with particular time periods. Certain albums or artists or songs often carry with them very specific memories. And now I’m digressing. Let me get back to rambling.
I have always loved music. That’s just part of who I am. And in hindsight, I should have paid more attention to the red flags early on. I had just graduated seminary and was moving in to my first role as “Lead Pastor,” though this church used the title “Teaching Pastor.” My family had not yet moved from Kentucky to Texas yet but we had already accepted the position and I flew to Minneapolis to meet the staff and elders for a pastors conference.
I was wearing a Tortoise shirt that disappeared some time over the years. It was yellow and I wish I still had it. I was in the elevator with one of the staff members who made a comment about liking my shirt and being surprised that the new pastor knew who Tortoise is but that I might want to keep things like that to myself because the other leaders weren’t really into secular music. I’m paraphrasing of course, but you get the gist. And then we moved there.
I don’t know if you’ve ever visited a church that just didn’t feel like “home”? If you have, then you might be able to imagine pastoring a church where you felt like that all of the time. If you’ve never had that experience, just imagine that you are continually not allowed to be yourself because when you do, it just seems to cause trouble, so you create a version of yourself that pleases the other people and you have to live in it 24 hours a day. It’s something like that.
Anathallo was touring the amazing Floating World album and I took several of the college students in the church to go see them. The next day I got called in to my own office where I rebuked by the other elders of the church because I was a small group leader and had missed small group in order to attend the concert. Even though I arranged for someone to facilitate in my absence. And, even though I knew it already, it was then confirmed for me the rest of the leadership of that church and I shared very different visions and approaches. It was totally worth it.
We left Texas in 2008 and Anathallo went on “indefinite" hiatus in 2009 and I guess that’s my story.
Here is a full show from the band’s 2008 tour. Apparently this was released on a very limited (now out of print I think ) tour DVD which some fine person uploaded for the rest of us and I could pass it along to you and we could watch it together. Let’s:
From the video’s Youtube page:
Anathallo @ O-Nest Japan during their 2008 tour. I was searching for this for a long time and couldn't find it anywhere. Finally got a hold of the DVD from Japan. Absolutely fantastic band, lucky to have seen them live a few times.
Dokkoise House 00:00
John J. Audubon 07:05
Hanasakajijii (four: a great wind, more ash) 10:55
Hanasakajijii (one: an angry neighbor) 15:25
Hanasakajijii (two: floating world) 18:55
Italo 25:20
Northern lights 28:42
Holiday At The Sea 32:26
All the First Pages 39:15
Cuckoo Spring Blood (Encore) 45:40
Kasa no hone (Encore) 49:00
In case you missed it, I posted two tracks from Atlanta’s Naan Violence in September, 2019. I also posted one of their songs in The Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow, the global-music, Xenophobia-fighting weekly music podcast I did for a year.
From Episode 14 of The Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow:
“We first heard Naan Violence when this track was posted by our friends over at Aquarium Drunkard. The group's label, ZAP Cassettes describes them as: "a freak-in transcendental free-sitar underground super-group from Memphis, Tennessee, the home of Isaac Hayes. Lilypadinman.com says: "Fronted by sitar player Arjun Kulharya, Naan Violence creates dreamy, mirage-like sitar music that evokes the mystery of an endless expanse of desert sand. It’s traditional sitar music re-invented for a barroom audience." Aquarium Drunkard describes the music as: "Layered with analog synthesizers, acoustic guitars, flute and tabla, Naan Violence’s expansive palette of sound feels at once organic and untethered." However you'd like to describe the music, we dig it and we think you might too.”
Here is Naan Violence “on Radio Boise's Global Grooves as part of their Treefort 2018 in-studios.”
Aquarium Drunkard calls it “Transcendental free sitar music” and that seems just about right.
Oki Kano (加納 沖, Kanō Oki) was born in Hokkaido, to a Japanese mother and an Ainu father (renowned wood sculptor Bikki Sunazawa) and grew up in Kanagawa Prefecture. After graduating in crafts at the Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music, he moved to New York in 1987, where he worked as special effects artist on film productions. He returned to Japan in 1992, and was presented with his first tonkori - the traditional stringed instrument of the Karafuto Ainu.
Oki uses the tonkori, an Ainu stringed instrument, in his performances and mixes traditional Ainu music with reggae, dub and other styles of world music. He also plays guitar and traditional Ainu percussion instruments.
Dive in to the band’s music.
First up is “Suma Mukar”:
Next is the title track from the Sakhalin Rock album Sakhalin Rock.
And here is a live performance
“Filmed at the FMM Sines Festival in 2007, this is a traditional Ainu bow and arrow dance performed by Futoshi Ikabe, to a deep dub mix by the band with Naoyuki Uchida at the desk.”
