Mdou Moctar: Hopscotch Music Festival (09/07/19) // NYC Taper

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Once again we are incredibly indebted to the fine folks over at NYC Taper. This time, for capturing one of my current favorite artists, Mdou Moctar (Read more about Moctar at my post here).

Read my recent post about Moctar here and hear “Tarha” by Mdou Moctar, from the ‘Blue Stage Session,’ featured on Episode 43 of The Global Elite Music Radio Podcast Supershow here. In the meantime, here’s NYC Taper’s notes for the show:

“On the final night of the Hopscotch Music Festival, our buds at Kings curated an eclectic show that featured two recordings we have already shared (Moon Duo and Boogarins), a superb set from “house” band Birds of Avalon, Kid Millions, and another very special international guest, Mdou Moctar. Hailing from a small village in Niger, Moctar has received international acclaim as one of the best-known Tuareg guitarists. If you’re not familiar with the Saharan brand of rock music, or you have no idea what that means, let me put it more simply: this guy shreds like Jimi Hendrix. His latest LP, Ilana, the Creator was recorded in Detroit, and is already making its way onto early “best of 2019” lists for obvious reasons. Moctar’s work is special not only for its technical virtuosity but for his willingness to expand upon the genre’s conventions, as well as focus on original music over standards and covers. These four songs will give you a taste of what Moctar is about, but really, do yourself a favor and head to Sahel Sounds to get educated not only about his work, but the variety of 21st century African artists they represent. (Jesse Jarnow wrote an excellent piece about the label here). And keep your eye on those “best of 2019” lists — I know Mdou Moctar is making mine.

I recorded this set with onstage Schoeps MK5 microphones, MBHO microphones back at the soundboard, and a soundboard feed. The sound is excellent. Enjoy!

Thanks to Mdou Moctar and his management team for letting us share the recording.

Download the complete show: [FLAC/ALAC/MP3]

Stream the show here.

Further details and setlist:

Mdou Moctar
2019-09-07
Hopscotch Music Festival
Kings
Raleigh, NC USA

Recorded and produced by acidjack

Soundboard + Schoeps MK5c (onstage, XY)>KC5>CMC6 + MBHO MBP603a/KA200N (at SBD, PAS)>Aerco MP-2>>Sound Devices MixPre6>24/48 polyWAV>Adobe Audition CC>Izotope Ozone 5>Audacity 2.3.0>FLAC ( level 8 )

01 Iblis Amghar
02 [tuning]
03 Ilana
04 Afrique Victime
05 Tarhatazed

Please consider supporting NYC Taper for all the great work they do in making so much terrific music available.

Garcia Peoples: October 3, 2019 Nublu

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As I mentioned the other day, I am very grateful that the Live Music Archive exists. If you’re not familiar with the Live Music Archive, you should really rectify that situation.

I’ve also extolled the virtues of NYC Taper and asked you support what they do, but I’m going to do so again. Please support them so they can continue making shows like this possible (browse posts at this site tagged with “NYC Taper” to see what I’m talking about.

It occurred to me the other day that I haven’t posted about New Jersey’s Garcia Peoples and I couldn’t believe that was possible, so I looked and it was not only possible, it was the sad, sad reality. I couldn’t think of a better way to break that trend than with this VERY recent (10/03/19) show at New York’s Nublu. NYC Taper says:

“Let’s get real here: You already know we love Garcia Peoples. I’m getting this recording to you less than 24 hours after it occurred. So if you want to know our opinions on GP and their shows, read any number of other reviews on this site. I’m here to tell you the basics:

  1. This is part of a month-long residency at Nublu . Buy tix to the other shows here.

  2. These shows celebrate the release of their latest LP on Beyond Beyond is Beyond, One Step Behind. Buy it here.

  3. Garcia Peoples are good peoples, and they rule. See items #1 and #2.

I recorded this set with Schoeps MK4Vs on the right side toward the front. The sound is excellent. Enjoy!”

  • Follow Garcia Peoples at Facebook.

  • Visit the show’s page at NYC Taper.

  • Visit the page’s show at the Live Music Archive.

  • Support Garcia Peoples at Bandcamp.

  • Purchase Garcia Peoples’ music at Bandcamp.

Hoooo-Weeee! One Eleven Heavy! Detroit and NYC!

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If you don’t know the music of One Eleven Heavy, then what kind of friend have I been to you? I’m sorry. Allow me to remedy that. Aquarium Drunkard says:

A transatlantic affair, the group features songwriters James Toth (Wooden Wand) and Nick Mitchell Maiato (Desmadrados Soldados De Ventura), along with bassist Dan Brown (Royal Trux), drummer Ryan Jewell (Solar Motel Band), and pianist Hans Chew (Steve Gunn, Hiss Golden Messenger).

NPR says:

There's a dancing bear slapped on the back of a station wagon cranking out a copy of Europe '72 — it's no deep dive from one of Dick's Picks, but it's a solid collection of live sets, with Grateful Dead at the top of its game. You exchange eyes with the driver, acknowledge the good-times jams, and counter with a '77 date. Soon enough, you're holding up traffic, but the songs keep on truckin'.

This wasn't quite the Cosmic Americana meet-cute for James Toth (Wooden Wand) and Nick Mitchell Maiato (of Manchester psych-rockers Desmadrados Soldados De Ventura), but it's not too far off. When Toth was on a U.K. tour 10 years ago, the two bonded over Crazy Horse, the Dead and Little Feat — rock bands that thrived on wild-eyed improvisation, but still knew how to write an easygoing melody.

The band’s debut Everything’s Better is a terrific slice of Cosmic Americana and the band’s second album Desire Path is due out September 20 and is available for preorder now.

The fabulous NYC Taper recently recorded and posted the One Eleven Heavy 09/01/19 show at Union Pool in NYC. Stream here and head over to the show’s page at NYC Taper to download for yourself. And, please, thank and support tapers and the bands they tape.

And, as if that fabulous recording is not enough, the fantastic Detroit Lightning blog recorded and posted the band’s 09/05/19 show at Outer Limits Lounge, Hamtramck, MI. You can stream the show here but head over to the show’s page at Detroit Lightning to download the show for yourself. And, please, thank and support tapers and the bands they tape.

Hear “Mardi Gras” from the upcoming album Desire Path.

  • Visit the band’s official website.

  • Support One Eleven Heavy at Bandcamp.

  • Follow the group at Facebook.

  • Follow the band at Twitter.

  • Visit One Eleven Heavy’s page at Riot Act Media.

  • Purchase the group’s music at Amazon.

Ryley Walker's "Psych-Jam" Set At Union Pool

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I haven’t been feeling well lately, so I missed out on seeing Ryley Walker at Valley Bar, one of my favorite Phoenix venues. But don’t worry, I’m sure that staying home sick as a parent to 8 kids was just as fun as seeing a great artist in an intimate venue.

Though I have been tempted to drown my sorrows in Hot Toddys (or is the plural “Hot Toddies”?), instead I am listening to Walker’s “Psych Jam” set at NYC’s Union Pool from NYC Taper.

The show’s page provides context:

“Ryley Walker’s March residency at Union Pool covered all the bases of Walker’s sound, from relatively “straight-ahead” song-based performances to instrumental blowouts with friends and colleagues like Ryan Jewell and Steve Gunn. Count this final night’s performance firmly in the latter camp, as Walker and residency mainstay Jewell were joined by David Grubbs (Gastr del Sol, others) and C. Spencer Yeh (Burning Star Core) for a full set of avant-garde experimentation that found Walker stepping away from the mic but fully present as guitarist and spiritual force.”

Enough talking. Let’s jam.

Sunwatchers: February 22, 2019 The Glove by NYC Taper

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Sunwatchers: February 22, 2019 The Glove by NYC Taper

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Sunwatchers’ Facebook page describes the band as “Punk Jazz Drone” and really wants you to know what they’re all about in all caps:

SUNWATCHERS STANDS IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE DISPOSSESSED, IMPOVERISHED AND EMBATTLED PEOPLE OF THE WORLD.

That’s a sentiment we will stand with. Especially when the music is as vibrant as this. Who knew instrumental music could be political? We all did, son. NYC Taper, to whom we are all indebted for this show says:

Sunwatchers make no secret of their politics — heck, they’re written right on the cover of their previous album, II. They’re far from the only “rock” band (if you can even call them that) to use a saxophone, of course, but in Jeff Tobias’ hands, the instrument itself becomes political, recalling elements of spiritual and free jazz. Peter Kerlin, Jason Robira and Jim McHugh make a hell of an avant-rock trio, but it’s the defiant tone of that sax, the holy cry, that seals the band’s sound.

The band’s most recent album Illegal Moves is one of my favorite albums of 2019. I’ve been jammin this 2019 February set at The Glove and I think you will too.

  • Visit the Sunwatchers Facebook page.

  • Follow Sunwatchers at Twitter.

  • Visit the show’s page at the NYC Taper site.

  • Download the show from its page on the Live Music Archive.

  • Purchase the group’s music at Bandcamp.

  • Purchase the group’s music at Amazon.

Sunwatchers2019-02-22The GloveBrooklyn, NY USARecorded and produced by acidjackSchoeps MK4V (FOB, ROC, PAS)>KCY>Z-PFA>Sound Devices MixPre 6>24/48 WAV>Adobe Audition CC>Izotope Ozone 5>Audacity 2.2.2>FLAC ( level 8 )

Dire Wolves: July 27, 2019 Market Hotel (NYCTaper Presents)

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NYCTaper continues to be one of the most valuable “free” resources on the Internets. Seriously, if you can, please donate to what they do.

This time, they’ve captured Dire Wolves Exactly Perfect Sisters Band. Led by Jeffrey Alexander out of San Francisco. The band is best described as:

Freak-folk?

Free Jazz?

Folk Jazz?

Drone rock?

“the higher dimensions of cosmic free-rock”?

Liquidy-musical space auras?

All of the above?

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Whatever you call it, Dire Wolves find the intersection of so many musics that I love: folk, jazz, rock, drone, repeat-o-rock, psych, etc. Building guitar swirls with vocals transcending language, this is transcendent music from the gut.

The group’s new album Grow Towards the Light opens with the sinewy “I Control the Weather,” which lets you slide just so into the musical world of Dire Wolves Exactly Perfect Sisters Band. Pulsating grooves and swirling vocals with hints of Ethiopian jazz, the music is both mesmerizing and cathartic. Somehow both transcendent and immediate.

According to NYCTaper: “On this night Market Hotel, presented by this site, Dire Wolves came bearing a special guest, Sunwatchers saxophonist Jeff Tobias, and a new album to jam, courtesy of our friends at Beyond Beyond is Beyond.”

Here’s the first track, ““Archons at the Gates of BSHWCK”:

Dire Wolves 2019-07-27 Market Hotel Brooklyn, NY USA Presented by NYCTaper Recorded and produced by acidjack Neumann KM150 + Soundboard (Engineer: RL)>Zoom F8>2x24bit WAV>Adobe Audition CC>Izotope Ozone 5>Audacity 2.3.1>FLAC ( level 8 ) Tracks [Total Time 53:40] 01 Archons at the Gates of BSHWCK 02 I Control The Weather>Love Everybody (For Moses)>Vibrational North Star

Here’s the first track (sort of) off of the band’s fantastic new release Grow Towards The Light, “I Control The Weather” // “I Control the Weather>Love Everybody (For Moses)>Vibrational North Star”:

Dire Wolves 2019-07-27 Market Hotel Brooklyn, NY USA Presented by NYCTaper Recorded and produced by acidjack Neumann KM150 + Soundboard (Engineer: RL)>Zoom F8>2x24bit WAV>Adobe Audition CC>Izotope Ozone 5>Audacity 2.3.1>FLAC ( level 8 ) Tracks [Total Time 53:40] 01 Archons at the Gates of BSHWCK 02 I Control The Weather>Love Everybody (For Moses)>Vibrational North Star

Watch the “Water Bearing One” video by Sheila Bosco from “Grow Towards The Light” LP by Dire Wolves Just Exactly Perfect Sisters Band:

Watch the official “Spacetime Rider” video:

  • Visit the band’s official site

  • Visit the show’s page at the NYCTaper site

  • Download the show from its Live Music Archive Page

  • Support the band at Bandcamp

  • Follow the band on Facebook

  • Read a terrific interview with the band at It’s Psychedelic Baby Magazine.