@edouglas528

BRC Executive Director, Boldaslove.us contributor and Black Rock Vol. 1 author Earl Douglas offers his best of list.  What’s good about Earl is that he also delivers spot-on comments on each album.  For example:

Suspicious Package – Earl Greyhound: The long-awaited full length follow-up to Soft Targets displayed a new depth and maturity in terms of the songwriting, musicianship and styles.  It doesn’t let up from start to finish and you don’t want it to end.  The sessions from the album also spawned two additional releases.  Ancient Futures is a three song EP containing more monster, yet slightly more experimental tracks from the Suspicious Package sessions.  Live At The Calhoun School was cut at the prestigious arts school that captures the band unveiling tracks from Suspicious Package in a semi-stripped down form.  To hear the songs so fresh and raw, yet undeniably powerful, blew me away.  Why this New York City based power trio isn’t the biggest band in the world is a complete mystery to me.

Death Don’t Have No Mercy – Dean Bowman: One of the best vocalists in the world gets back to his gospel roots and soars on this solo a capella CD.  Think of this as the Black version of The Great American Songbook.

Wake Up! – John Legend & The Roots: The best group in hip-hop teams up with one of R&B’s better singers to re-interpret socially-conscious (remember those?) from the 60′s and 70′s to great effect.  An near-epic reading of Bill Withers ‘I Can’t Write Left-Handed’ alone is worth checking out this CD.  The Roots also put out the best hip hop album of the year with How I Got Over.

Read all of Earl’s picks–which include Bettye LaVette, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Buddy Guy, Elew and others–here.

Honored to be part of this event tomorrow at the new Lincoln Center Atrium, where I’ll help friend and BRC executive director Earl Douglas celebrate the publication of his photo book.  It’s a FREE event that starts at 8:30 with a Q&A between Earl and I.  Then, at about 8:45, Dragons of Zynth take the stage.  Definitely a band worth seeing.  See what I had to say about them here.

Yes, there will be a few copies of the book on hand for sale, so please consider supporting this important effort in documentation and iconography.  In fact, here’s the blurb from Blurb.com:

Photographer Earl Douglas has been a part of the Black Rock scene since 1988. A longtime supporter and current Executive Director for The Black Rock Coalition, Douglas has a unique access to what many consider to be the last true Alternative Music scene. “Black Rock Volume 1″ is a collection of photos that he’s taken through the years along with some of his thoughts and observations about the gifted musicians. It’s a must have for anyone who’s a fan of rock n roll and for those curious about the Black experience in the medium.

Additional links:

• Black Rock Volume 1 on Blurb.com
• Dragons of Zynth
• Black Rock Coalition

photo: Earl Douglas

Bettye LaVette is a true soul survivor.

Despite scoring several Top 10 R&B hits dating back as far as 1962 and recording and touring with James Brown, Otis Redding and Ben E. King, labels didn’t quite know what to do with her.  Child Of The Seventies, an album she recorded for Atlantic Records and featuring The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (which backed Aretha Franklin on most of her seminal recordings), languished in the vaults for nearly 30 years (it was finally released in 2000 until the title Souvenirs).  Only hardcore R&B heads and Broadway fans (she did a six year run on the hit musical ‘Bubbling Brown Sugar’) knew just how good she was, and she almost faded into obscurity.  It was only through relentless touring and electrifying live shows that she caught the attention of Anti Records President Andy Maulkin.  Her 2005 release, I Got My Own Hell To Raise, introduced her to a new generation of fans and her 2007 follow-up, The Scene Of The Crime marked her return to Muscle Shoals.  Her performance of The Who’s “Love Reign O’er Me” at the 2008 Kennedy Center Honors was the evening’s highlight.  Kennedy Center Honoree Pete Townshend called it his favorite moment of the gala and he later remarked on his blog that ‘Barbra Streisand turned to me to ask if I really wrote it’.

It was her incredible performance from the gala that is the genesis of her latest CD, Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook.  Whereas recent songbook treatments basically put a singer’s voice on top of the very arrangements that made the songs hits in the first place, ‘Interpretations’ takes the approach that these are simply just another set of songs (albeit great ones) and LaVette puts her personal stamp and perspective on them.

To put it bluntly, when Bettye LaVette sings your song, it’s not yours anymore.

The sold out crowd at New York’s Highline Ballroom quickly found that out.  Backed by a tight quartet, LaVette and the band took songs that you thought you knew front to back and twisted them inside out.  “The Word” (by The Beatles) and “Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad” got funked up with a gospel thrown in.  Led Zeppelin’s “All My Love” and Ringo Starr’s “It Don’t Come Easy” sounded like backwoods countrified R&B.  Given what’s been going on in the world, LaVette’s aching take of George Harrison’s “Isn’t It A Pity” and “Salt Of The Earth” – with updated lyrics to include those with HIV – was more of a plea for sanity rather than a mournful laments.

But what makes Bettye LaVette such a dynamic presence is her ability to deliver raw, pure emotion.  She sang “Maybe I’m Amazed” and “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down” in the Lotus position and the audience hung on every word.  But it was during her version of “Wish You Were Here” that the audience was moved to tears.  Dedicating the song to her old friends Marvin Gaye and Otis Redding, this new arrangement features the last verse as the intro before going into the full song.  The result make the composition all the more mournful and it really highlights LaVette’s world weary, but soulful voice.  Overall, it was a tour de force performance.

Interpretations is in stores now.  Bettye LaVette will be on The Late Show With David Letterman on June 23rd and be touring with Robert Plant in July.  Do yourself a favor and support one of America’s best singers.

–Earl Douglas

Additional link:

• Official Bettye LaVette site
  

Request more info at submissions@blackrockcoalition.org.

• Honeychild Coleman – Halo Inside
  She's already the hardest working woman in show business, but then she turned around and made this pop-rock gem. 
• Living Colour – The Chair In The Doorway
  Don't call it a comeback, but the BRC's once and forever flagship band made its finest record since 'Stain'.  They somehow manage to show off veteran chops but have the urgency of a young, hungry band.  The CD all but cements their status as one of the all-time great bands.
• Noisettes – Young Wild Hearts
  The British trio, led by the captivating Shingai Shoniwa, adds 60s' soul, pop and even disco, to their punk based sound.  This is the soundtrack of a band going to the next level.
• BLK JKS – After Robots
  Prog rock by way of South Africa.   The next great rock n roll band is here.
• Analogue Transit – Gearheart
  Icy electronics, quirky guitars punctuated by a soulful voice.  21st Century power pop at its best.
• Burnt Sugar – Making Love To The Dark Ages
  More relentless acts of beautiful experimentation and improvisations from Greg Tate and his cast of extraordinary musicians.
• Rain Machine – Rain Machine
  Kyp Malone's profoundly heartfelt and remarkable solo project.
• Melvin Gibbs' Elevated Entity – Ancients Speak
  One of the best bass players on the planet assembles a dream team (Blackbyrd McKnight, Pete Cosey, Amayo of Antibalas, John Medeski, Mark Batson, JT Lewis, Micah Gaugh, just to name a few), to present this remarkable collision of styles and cultures to sublime effect.
• Michael Franti & Spearhead – All Rebels Rock
  Spearhead goes to Jamaica, hooks up with Sly & Robbie and makes their best record to date.  The left field success of the single 'Say Yeah' proofs that hard work truly does pay off.
• Stew – Passing Strange
  The soundtrack to the Tony-awarding winning musical.  Just to hear the songs stripped of the visuals really brings into focus the insightful brilliance of Stew's songwriting.  The Spike Lee directed film version sets a new standard on how to film stage presentations.
• The Bots – The Bots
  Two brothers, one 16, the other 13, get their punk rock groove on.  Black Rock 3.0!
• Allen Toussaint - The Bright Mississippi
  The elder statesman of the New Orleans music scene puts together a killer band (which includes Don Byron & Marc Ribot) and revisits the songs of the region with his usual elegance and grace.  The last of America's true treasures. 
• Year Of The Dragon – Blunt Force Karma
  Easily my sleeper CD of the year.  A strong fusion of rap, metal and good old fashioned rock n roll from Dirty Walt & the crew.
• The Liquid Kids – Random Acts Of Silence.  Jessica Lewis fronts this solid Black Rock out of Kansas.  Yes, even Kansas is spawning some great rock n roll!
• Booker T – Potato Hole
  Can an artist who's considered one of the greatest musicans of the 20th Century reinvent himself?  The answer is a resounding yes.  Not only that, Booker T, who's known for soulful grooves, turned around and make himself a muscular rock record with help from Neil Young and The Drive By Truckers. 
• California King – Adoration Of The Boogie Bear ('08).
  Michael Mills is the chief singer-songwriter for this great power-pop trio.  This is a stong primer, but I'm really looking forward to hearing new material from these guys next year now that Howard Alper's joined the band on drums.
• The Smyrk – 'The End Of Jason Todd'.  This incredible single from their forthcoming (please guys?) album is also one of their best.  Doron Flake channels his inner Prince while singing an ode to one of the most infamous characters in Batman lore.
• Tamar-kali – 'Pearl'.  Finally, new music from one of the best vocalists out there today and it's worth the wait.  There's also a remix featuring Jean Grae, and a jaw dropping Psychochamber verison of the song as well.

• PhocusEd: Images Captured by Ed Marshall.
  Ed Marshall has been tirelessly documenting the Black Rock and Afro Punk scene for quite awhile and now I has put some of his incredible images into his first book.  He's going the independent route also – assembling and selling the book on his own.  Its the first of hopefully many books by one of our great photographers.  You can go to http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1030911 for find out more information.

A couple of reasons to look forward to 2010:

New albums from Tamar-kali, Apollo Heights, The Smyrk, Pillow Theory, Swear On Your Life, Earl Greyhound and A.N.M. – a new group featuring Doug Pinnick of King's X; Jimi Hazel and Rick Skatore of 24/7 Spyz, former Fishbone and Sound Barrier guitarist Spacey T, guitarist Craig Fulton and the one and only Phil D. Fish on drums. 

Additional link:

• Rob's picks for Best of 2009
• All "Best of 2009" posts

One of the things coming out of the audience survey (thanks to all who’ve completed it so far!) is that many of you want to see for more regional coverage here on Boldaslove.us.  Based on that feedback, I put out a call for contributors and a great group of people responded.  I’m happy to announce that you’ll start seeing dispatches from the following cities: Austin, TX; Atlanta; Oakland/The East Bay;  as well as some additional coverage in the NYC area.  And I'm still looking for folks in the Chicago, the DMV, and London.  So, if you’re interested, please holla.

Anyway, without further ado, please meet:

Dominick Brady (ATL). This is Dominick writing in the third person.  Dominick doesn't like writing in the third person so Dominick will make this short.  Dominick is a freelance multi-platform journalist based in Atlanta, GA.  Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Dominick enjoys music of all flavors, Rum Raisin ice cream and though provoking discussion.  In this space Dominick hopes to help shine a light on Atlanta's oft overlooked Alt-urb, Afro-Punk and Fusion music scenes and the culture that surrounds it.  Dominick now wishes to end this bio.  

Earl Douglas (NYC).  For the last year or so, Earl has been contributing posts to Boldaslove.us. He is the Executive Director of The Black Rock Coalition and has been a member since 1988.  Earl was also a longtime producer at legendary station WNEW-FM and later with XM Satellite Radio.  You can see him shooting pictures at BRC and most Black Rock shows!

Rana Emerson (NYC). Rana is the program coordinator for CUNY Central's College Now program, which works with the NYC Department of Education to offer college credit coursework to over 300 public high schools in the city.  While in grad school in sociology she focused on race in mass media, popular culture and youth culture.

V. Marc Fort (Austin, TX). V. Marc Fort is a musician and writer based in Austin, TX.  He publishes the arts blog http://blackswansongs.com/ and freelances as an arts critic-at-large for the Austin American-Statesman under the byline, V. M. Black.  His journalism career began as a photojournalist working for The Denver Post and the Austin American-Statesman. His photos and articles have been featured in various magazines, blogs and newspapers, and have also been syndicated by the Associated Press.  A singer and multi-instrumentalist, Fort has performed in more than 10 rock bands including Norushi Minx, bo bud greene, The Fuckemos, Hidden Speaker and Schatzi. His bands have toured with and opened for various musical acts all across the States, including Superchunk, Jimmy Eat World, Desaparecidos, Lit, Everclear, All-American Rejects and Hilary Duff, to name a few. 


Sierra McClain (Oakland/East Bay).  A transplanted San Franciscan by way of her native Houston, Texas, Sierra comes to blogging  and writing with her marketing and PR background in tow. A writer since childhood, her website, I Write. You Should Read., began as a personal blog in 2008, but quickly morphed into a platform for her music interviews and features. With her fingers on the pulse of the Black Rock scene, Sierra’s goal is to document the creative renaissance that is taking place off the beaten path.

Jennifer Williams (NYC). Jennifer Wiliams is a writer and professor who approaches literature, music, and visual culture from a black feminist perspective. She teaches and writes in Brooklyn, New York. Jennifer blogs at Black Feminisms.

Black rock is a movement that's happening all over the country, not just in New York City.  And thanks to these writers, we're all going to start hearing from the folks who are making it so!

Have you taken the Boldaslove.us black rock audience survey? It only takes 5 minutes!  Click here to start.

(l to r) Actor John Stamos, Vernon Reid, Mayor Michael Bloomberg

Black Rock Coalition and Living Colour co-founder Vernon Reid received The Mayor's Award For Arts & Culture at a lavish awards presentation at The Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria, NY.  Big shout to Vernon for singling out The Black Rock Coalition during his acceptance speech.

The entire evening blew me away.  To tell you the truth, it was
very moving.  First off, The Frank Sinatra School of the Arts
facilities, in the heart of Astoria, is second to none.  Everything 's
brand new and state of the art, it's an extraordinary place for the
city's gifted and talented youth to harness and develop
their creativity.  The fruits of their labor were clearly on display
as the Sinatra School Of The Arts Musical Theatre Ensemble effortlessly
performed a medley from 'Bye Bye Birdie', that included appearances from musicial's star John Stamos and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. 
Stamos and Mayor Bloomberg stayed aboard to anchor the presentation,
which included outstanding perfomances by Cajun Cellist Sean Grissom
and Picaso, Jr. of the Big Apple Circus.  Cultural Affairs Commissoner
Kate D. Levin and Cultural Advisory Commission Chair Agnes Gund also
shared hosting duties.  There was even an appearance of Grandma, the
heart and soul of The Big Apple Circus!

Can analog and digital techniques co-exist?  For Analogue Transit – vocalist-guitarist Kwaku Aning and keyboardist-production wiz Jeff Shreiner – the answer is not only a resounding yes, but it's a necessary pairing.  Gearheart is a nine song collection in which baby grand pianos clash with 21st Century electronics, buzzsaw guitars mesh with dreamy landscape sounds and soulful vocals are playfully manipulated with rich string arrangements. 'Blackout Artist', with its dizzingly array of muted vocals and quirkly synths, is brilliant update of all of the good things that was Brit pop in the late 80s.  'Ways' is driven by a deceptively dirty guitar riff and 'Breathe' is a gorgeous ballad that wisely incorporates light piano and a terrific string score.  'Home' is clearly the album's centerpiece track.  It has a simple refrain, 'Can you find my our way home'?/Help me find our way home', but like all great songs, it remains in your brain long after its over.

Analogue Transit challenges you to go on on journey to somewhere you never been, but yet hauntingly familar.  I can assure you that after listening to Gearheart, it's a ride worth taking.   

Here's a taste of the group's sound, via their song "Home."

–review by Earl Douglas

Additional links:

• Gearheart is available now on iTunes
• Check out www.analoguetransit.com for more information.

 

'Passing Strange' opens at The IFC Theater on August 21st.  It'll also be on IFC On Demand starting on August 26th. More information here.

Review and photos by Earl Douglas

Additional link:

• All posts on Passing Strange

Photo and review by Earl Douglas