The Odd Trio: Birth of the Minotaur Review

The Odd Trio stirs up familiar but still exhilarating stew with their self-produced second release, The Birth of The Minotaur (2012). With a penchant for playfully thoughtful, woven expressions on saxophone, guitar, and drums, the Odd Trio concoct a decidedly well-penned, avantjazz menu. What started out as a joyful exploration on their debut Lo-Fi Hi-Jump (reviewed here) has had its flavors deepened into a cerebral yet tuneful dish in this most recent effort.

To open, the trio head far south of their native Athens, GA to the brackish Gulfside font of American music with "Raucous Bacchus". Atop a rump-swinging rhythm from percussionist Todd Mueller, reed king Marc Gilley and loop-laying guitarist Brian Smith trade syncopated riffs beside funky blues-tinged bayous. The lead-off shuffle and Nocentelli-like guitar licks issue the calls of Mardi Gras indian chiefs with a tipsy feel; including throaty baritone sax punctuation, the track is an intoxicating pleasure referencing the Greek god it aptly venerates.

While the tongue-in-cheek "Whiskey" is experimental good fun with a discorock vibe and shredded guitar (an impossible combo?), "Sunday Morning Improvisation" closely approximates some of the Odd Trio's more subdued live musings as a free-flowing, improvised route through nebulous, sandy territory.  At live shows, the resourceful Mueller, Gilley, & Smith let this kind of track pool and flow in numerous directions at once while the crowd finds a handhold for a novel journey.  On record, layered themes wash over the listener in the same manner that the best orchestral music builds in waves of melodic interplay.

"Ricio de Mare" stands out as the set's most complete cut.  A solid rocking introduction leads into shifting time signatures--a go-to Odd Trio technique that keeps the listener teetering edgewise.  The effect is equally theatrical and bombastic, like the questionable safety of a wooden roller coaster: risky but thrilling nonetheless. Gilley's soprano soars, casting shadows around the cymbal-flecked landscape, while Smith and his guitar build drama with searing crunch.  Just before a clever circling back to the start, themes in unison lend some stability to what is, at times, a fairly gnarly ride; it's packed to the gunwales with inventiveness from this classically trained cohort.

The Odd Trio seems to draw from volumes of discipline, creativity, and overall gusto with Birth of the Minotaur.  Expect future explorations to continue confounding and invigorating with their by now well-established taste for challenging, original material at the forefront of instrumental jazz.

The Birth of the Minotaur - the full release via BandCamp
or B o.t. M - via CDBaby

"Pasiphae's Wild Ride" - Enjoy a side of visuals, at no extra charge

The Odd Trio @ Facebook
or T.O.T. @ SoundCloud

Academy Awards Contest ~ Take 4

Alright folks, here we go again.  Oscar is back and he (it?) is looking for a cozy mantle.  This time around, there're 14 picks on the ballot, at least for the sake of this here lil' contest. Having added in various television awards just seems like stepping on Emmy's toes, so I'm not going there, y'hear?  Just the motion pictures, the talkies, the silver screen.

You remember the routine.  Copy the entire ballot into your comment; then leave only the category and your picks from the following nominees:

Best Picture, Drama:

“Argo”
“Django Unchained”
“Life of Pi”
“Lincoln”
“Zero Dark Thirty”

Best Picture, Musical or Comedy:

“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”
“Les Misérables”
“Moonrise Kindgom”
“Salmon Fishing in the Yemen”
“Silver Linings Playbook”

Best Director:

Ben Affleck, “Argo”
Kathryn Bigelow, “Zero Dark Thirty”
Ang Lee, “Life of Pi”
Steven Spielberg, “Lincoln”
Quentin Tarantino, “Django Unchained”

Best Actress, Drama:

Jessica Chastain, “Zero Dark Thirty”
Marion Cotillard, “Rust and Bone”
Helen Mirren, “Hitchcock”
Naomi Watts, “The Impossible”
Rachel Weisz, “The Deep Blue Sea”

Best Actor, Drama:

Daniel Day-Lewis, “Lincoln”
Richard Gere, “Arbitrage”
John Hawkes, “The Sessions”
Joaquin Phoenix, “The Master”
Denzel Washington, “Flight”

Best Actor, Musical or Comedy:

Jack Black, “Bernie”
Bradley Cooper, “Silver Linings Playbook”
Hugh Jackman, “Les Misérables ”
Ewan MCGregor, “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen”
Bill Murray, “Hyde Park on Hudson”

Best Actress, Musical or Comedy:

Emily Blunt, “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen”
Judi Dench, “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”
Jennifer Lawrence, “Silver Linings Playbook”
Maggie Smith, “Quartet”
Meryl Streep, “Hope Springs”

Best Supporting Actress:

Amy Adams, “The Master”
Sally Field, “Lincoln”
Anne Hathaway, “Les Misérables”
Helen Hunt, “The Sessions”
Nicole Kidman, “The Paperboy”

Best Supporting Actor:

Alan Arkin, “Argo”
Leonardo DiCaprio, “Django Unchained”
Philip Seymour Hoffman, “The Master”
Tommy Lee Jones, “Lincoln”
Christoph Waltz, “Django Unchained”

Best Screenplay:

Mark Boal, “Zero Dark Thirty”
Tony Kushner, “Lincoln”
David O. Russell, “Silver Linings Playbook”
Quentin Tarantino, “Django Unchained”
Chris Terrio, “Argo”

Best Original Score:

Dario Marianelli, “Anna Karenina”
Alexandre Desplat, “Argo”
Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimet & Reinhold Heil, “Cloud Atlas”
Michael Danna, “Life of Pi”
John Williams, “Lincoln”

Best Original Song:

“For You” from “Act of Valor”
“Not Running Anymore” from “Stand Up Guys”
“Safe and Sound” from “The Hunger Games”
“Suddenly” from “Les Misérables”
“Skyfall” from “Skyfall”

Best Foreign Language Film:

“Amour”
“A Royal Affair”
“The Intouchables”
“Kon-Tiki”
“Rust and Bone”

Best Animated Feature:

“Rise of the Guardians”
“Brave”
“Frankenweenie”
“Hotel Transylvania”
“Wreck-It Ralph”

Ancient Autumn in Idaho: Plants Are Cool, Too!

Ancient mud pits, falling leaves, DNA, motocross, banjo, volcanoes & baked potatoes: What do all these have in common? 

Watch.
Guaranteed, you'll learn a few somethings.

PF Productions: the folks behind scenes of Plants Are Cool, Too!
PACT's Halloween Special: spooky, chloroplastic fun!
Chris Martine: the bluegrass-loving man behind the series
Dave Tank: the brotherman with the research in hand
Botanical Society of America: "Dollar, dollar bill, y'all"

Wes Anderson: the Eye & the Ear

To say that Wes Anderson is a bit of a control freak is a grand understatement.  Consider the model of the research vessel Belafonte in The Life Aquatic or almost any moment from the stop-motion masterpiece The Fantastic Mr. Fox.

image hosted by The Director Is In

The Eye: Take a look at this collection of clips put together by one "kogonada". The meticulous detail in every shot is Anderson's trademark.  In context, these frames add the feel of a living diorama to his films.  Plus, they look cool and carry that vibey 70's aesthetic -- although sometimes I gather that it's more fun to remember that decade than to have actually lived through it.

The Ear: NPR's Fresh Air from May 24 featured Anderson's long time music supervisor, Randall Poster.  He's the man behind many of the soundtrack choices, a wiley master of the logistico-legal hassles that go into gaining the copyright permissions from artists and publishers.  The songs become so integral to the tone of every film on which he and Anderson have collaborated.  For example, the use of Brazilian samba artist Seu Jorge to reinvent David Bowie tunes (in Portuguese) for The Life Aquatic added a subdued, drifting feel to the film's scenic interludes.

Here are some of my favorite Poster-facilitated musical moments:

Cat Stevens ~ "Here Comes My Baby" from Rushmore

Erik Satie ~ "Gymnopedie #1" from The Royal Tenenbaums

Lee Perry & Junior Marvin ~ "Police & Thieves" - The Royal Tenenbaums
Mick Jagger & Keith Richards ~ "I Am Waiting" - Rushmore
Cole Porter ~ "Night & Day" ~ The Fantastic Mr. Fox

The latest release from Anderson's Indian Paintbrush (coincidentally my brother's organism in grad school) production team is Moonrise Kingdom.  I've yet to see it beyond the trailer, but it can't be much of a departure from previous adolescent-themed fare.  Nonetheless, with Anderson and his steady stable of just-outside-A-list stars, you can always expect charming dialogue, impeccable set design, and an excellent soundtrack.

Out on the horizon is The Grand Budapest Hotel starring Johnny Depp; as a Franco-dweller, no doubt the director knows a thing or two about movie-making with a Euro backdrop.

Paintings by Alex Gross & Other Images

The artist featured below, Alex Gross, in his own unique way reminded me of a couple of other artists.  He garnered attention some time ago via BoingBoing -- the seal of hipster approval on the absurd, curious, and/or thought-provoking.  Subsequently, I went searching on alexgross.com and found many other works to relish.

The formal family portrait below and its rich decorative textures harken back to a favorite from Flemish master Jan Van Eyck.  While echoing the pose of the Van Eyck and the female's deep green attire, the male figure's right hand-positioning, which resembles the kartari mudra (the "Gesture of Discord"), seems to confirm the possible root his bride's side-ward glance.

Redemption

oil on canvas 65" x 44" © Alex Gross 2007

alexgross.com

The Betrothal of The Arnolfini (1434)
oil on oak panels 32.4" x 23.6" by Jan Van Eyck
desarte.com.br

Gross' use of natural iconography (roses, skull, butterflies) immediately evoked Frida Kahlo's self-portraiture, especially in the following painting with its stone-smooth skin tones and dreamlike background. 


The Mandolin

oil on canvas 50" x 30" © Alex Gross 2008

alexgross.com

Self Portrait as a Tehuana or Diego in My Thoughts, 1943

oil on masonite 30" x 24"

art-glossary.com

In several of his other paintings, some of the formality Gross uses in his composition seems to play a tight counterpoint to his more satirical subject matter. Still others with a more blatant comedic bent conjure up the iconic "loteria" squares of Mexico.

Alex Gross  - Explore the entire catalog

Star Wars Mexican Loteria Cards - just for fun, a series by Austin, TX artist Chepo Peña

Jiro, the Fish, & the Giant Rep

Whether you're a seafood fan or not, this is about the best example of mastery of an artform as I've ever seen -- on film, at least. Like the old grocery shopping edict, don't watch hungry or you may be tempted to book a flight to Tokyo and a reservation at Sukiyabashi Jiro.

The Master, Jiro Ono ~ more about the film from Magnolia Pictures

Charles Bradley's "How Long": Live in Athens, GA

Here's an early attempt at capturing the energy of a live performance. The performance part is definitely Charles Bradley's specialty--along with his amazing, soul-baring voice, of course!  Check out the "bearing the burden" maneuver--classic allusion!

*A wee disclaimer: my proximity to the excellent speaker system at the GA Theatre helped to "c l i p" the sound a little bit, which was a tad disappointing, but lesson learned for next show. Still, Bradley's showmanship and well-honed vocal talents, as well as the extremely tight backing from His Extraordinaires, trumped any technical difficulties.  Check out the inspiring story of his long rise to finally become a recognized R & B / soul star.

The bill that night was shared by The Budos Band, the instrumental group whose name stems from a preference for facial hair -- thus, 'barbudos' . Both acts are on Daptone Records, the stellar outfit from Brooklyn, NY, where else?  Their analog approach to record production has made them a highly respected label in recent years; that crisp but warm Motown / Stax Records sound consistently comes through like it's always existed in the catalog of essential tunes.  I've mentioned Daptone previously around here when Sharon Jones first shook my world , like she always will,  as 'The Hardest Working Woman in Show Business'!

Here Jones sings a tune by a familiar name; the backing rhythm by The Dap Kings is totally infectious, even after the hundredth time!

Breaking the Ice with Mr. Rogers

Oooooh, it's been frigid around here! I'm so long overdue for a much needed "heating element" to get me going again with posts: oddities, observations, new and classic sounds, and so on.

This little ditty has been reverberating around the webs and for good reason; Fred Rogers was a saint who helped raise every kid in my generation, and he deserves every click of "viral" interest this garners. I generally despise AutoTune but I loved this.

Now, I'm going home to change into my house shoes and don my zip-up sweater.

Explore more at FredRogersCenter.org

Academy Awards Contest ~ Take 3!

Competition time is here again, and even though Fassbender (honestly, can't place him) got passed over, a full Academy boycott wouldn't be prudent.

If you're anything like me,

most films you've yet to see.

Nonethless, without duress,

select the winners-to-be.

...........................................................................................................

Directions:
Copy the entire ballot into your comment; then leave only the category and your picks from the following nominees:

...........................................................................................................

Best Picture
"The Artist"
"The Descendants"
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
"Hugo"
"Midnight in Paris"
"The Help"
"Moneyball"
"War Horse"
"The Tree of Life"

Actor
Demian Bichir, "A Better Life"
George Clooney, "The Descendants"
Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"
Gary Oldman, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"

Actress
Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"
Viola Davis, "The Help"
Rooney Mara, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"
Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn"

Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh, "My Week With Marilyn"
Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"
Nick Nolte, "Warrior"
Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"
Max Von Sydow, "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

Supporting Actress
Berenice Bejo, "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain, "The Help"
Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"
Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"
Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

Director
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Terrence Malick, "The Tree of Life"
Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"
Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"

Original Screenplay
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
JC Chandor, "Margin Call"
Asghar Farhadi, "A Separation"
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, "Bridesmaids"

Adapted Screenplay
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxton, Jim Rash, "The Descendants"
John Logan, "Hugo"
George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon, "The Ides of March"
Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian, "Moneyball"
Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughn, "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy"

Animated Feature
"A Cat In Paris"
"Chico & Rita"
"Kung Fu Panda 2"
"Puss in Boots"
"Rango"

Foreign Language Film
Bullhead (Belgium)
Footnote (Israel)
In Darkness (Poland)
Monsieur Lazhar (Canada)
A Separation (Iran)

Original Score
"The Adventures of Tintin," John Williams
"The Artist," Ludovic Bource
"Hugo," Howard Shore
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," Alberto Iglesias
"War Horse," John Williams

Original Song
"Man or Muppet," The Muppets; Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
"Real in Rio," Rio; Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown, Lyric by Siedah Garrett

Art Direction
"The Artist"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"Hugo"
"Midnight in Paris"
"War Horse"

Cinematography
"The Artist"
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"The Tree of Life"
"War Horse"

Costume Design
"Anonymous"
"The Artist"
"Hugo"
"Jane Eyre"
"W.E."

Documentary Feature
"Hell and Back Again"
"If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front"
"Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory"
"Pina"
"Undefeated"

Documentary Short Subject
"The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement?"
"God Is the Bigger Elvis"
"Incident in New Baghdad"
"Saving Face"
"The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom"

Film Editing
"The Artist"
"The Descendants"
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"Moneyball"

Makeup
"Albert Nobbs"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"The Iron Lady"

Animated Short Film
Dimanche/Sunday
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
La Luna
A Morning Stroll
Wild Life

Live Action Short Film
"Pentecost"
"Raju"
"The Shore"
"Time Freak"
"Tuba Atlantic"

Sound Editing
"Drive"
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
"War Horse"

Sound Mixing
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"Moneyball"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
"War Horse"

Visual Effects
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"Hugo"
"Real Steel"
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"

Good luck, y'all!

Charles Bradley on WNYC

America still hasn't lost its soul. 
And here's proof.



Find more music from Charles Bradley on Daptone Records.

Check out more videos from WNYC's Soundcheck.

"Pass the fetal learning, please!"

It's becoming quite the little vlog around here isn't it?  That's not intentional, but time does dictate the word count, unfortunately.  Here's a little something you might enjoy: interesting facts about in utero learning. 

This one goes out to K.A. who's been 'round town for a few trimesters now, pretty much. I hope the lil guy has been having some spicy, good times so we can enjoy habaneros and chili chutney and piri piri when he starts on the solid foods!  Ay!

And  N.S. I know you'll find this fascinating too.  Enjoy.

Revien on 11.11.11

Although the date itself is full of cosmic foreboding, nothing cataclysmic will happen on Friday EXCEPT the new Athens, GA chamber trio
Revien will be playing at Hendershot's Coffee Bar. 
Hopefully, jousting string frequencies won't set off a chain reaction which rends a giant fissure in the time space continuum, but Doc Brown has said there's still a chance.

Here's the "gig skinny" from Revien's tumblr spot:

And here's a little taste of Ellington from last time at Hendershot's:

Revien - official site

Revien - on the Book, Face that is.

Live review of Revien's debut - Music-loving Athenians (redundant?), you don't have to go far for quality this high.  Don't be saddled with regret; just be there!  

The Odd Trio: Lo-Fi Hi-Jump Review

Although the title cut from The Odd Trio's debut packs a viciously funky wallop, the surrounding tracks also cover a varied topography of tight, avant-garde compositions alongside liberating improvisations.  On the whole, Lo-Fi Hi-Jump is an essential jazz fusion tasting menu from a group whose work has only just begun to ripen.

listen to it all right...over...here.

"Do What Now" features the three classically trained musicians on their tippy toes, reaching for the fruits of guitarist Brian Smith's songwriting labors.  As a member of the Georgia Guitar Quartet, and now a new psyche-chamber ensemble called Revien, Smith deliberately leaps between tricky syncopation with saxophonist Marc Gilley (the HEAP) and alternatingly liquid yet sometimes heavily-shredded metal riffs.  Drummer Todd Mueller (Arasmus Ensemble) drives the trio's evident "interest in shifting meters" deftly holding together this taut theme. 

On "Lost Man's River", The Odd Trio most closely approximates its fevered live explorations.  According to some succinct liner notes, this spontaneous track was recorded at the group's very first session, yet it already has the feel of years spent together in the discipline of jazz creation.  With an utter sense of openess, nothing is lingered upon, no single melodic phrase or rhythm drops anchor, so the entire piece rocks and meanders without ever becoming capricious.

"Indian Summer" serves up a considerable dose of Latin seasoning that underpins floating alto-sax lines from Marc Gilley, Flamenco-style classical guitar accents from Smith, and driving rimshots with shuffling pandeiro from Mueller.  On the whole, this one drums up pastels, the art-deco Miami waterfront, choppy Atlantic waves reflecting off chromed rides, at least for this reviewer.  The echoing melody contrasts brightly against one of the more understated electric guitar solos of the collection.

With a two-year anniversary on the horizon, there's no indication of letting up for The Odd Trio.  The three crafty musicians have, by now, become attuned to one another's nuanced playing, especially in live performance.  If anything, what Lo-Fi Hi-Jump tends to hold on reserve is delivered at full amplitude on stage.  Expect the recorded catalog to grow; these songs represent just one vintage from a vast cellar of highly energetic, consistently inventive artistry.

Lo-Fi Hi-Jump ~ listen and buy the debut release from The Odd Trio
The Odd Trio ~ the official band page

Fela Soul by Amerigo Gazaway

This guy has a way with amalgamation.  I couldn't resist sharing this collaboration put together by one Amerigo Gazaway (then in Nashville with Gummy Soul), which blends De La Soul's classic Three Feet High and Rising with samples of Fela Kuti, from the vaults, along with a handful of other recognizable artists -- Gorillaz, for one.

Kuti started his jazz career on trumpet at London's Trinity College of Music, in case you need more Nigerian horn after hearing the diamonds in Gazaway's tracks below. 

"Trouble In The Water" slings a hip-hop arrow carried aloft via a classic afrobeat saxophone riff by Nigeria's legendary native son.  "Itsoweezee" slips a skankin' vibe beneath De La Soul's original tune to make, in the words of the late Peter Tosh, a "brand new secondhand".

And so on. Enjoy.

* Please be advised of some rough language right from the start.  Ear muffs, y'all little ones.