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New Sights &
Sounds
for Your Eyes & Ears
By Scott
Baker
Local/Regional
The Mid-Michigan
Jazz Scene will certainly miss the late great Robert Elliott, Sr.,
who passed away April 27th following a brief illness that
took him to heaven’s door. A remarkable trombonist and pianist that
recorded a disc with The Jazz Exponents (Jack Gridley, Norm
Diamond, and Dick Riordan). Flourishing in the 1950s and
1960s, today his albums are still worldwide. The Review sends out
condolences to all of his family.
Mt. Pleasant’s own
The Sinners have released their debut self-titled CD over the
past month. A multi-faceted group consisting of Liam ‘Chris’ McKay
on vocals/guitar, Spencer Stege on keys, Joel Choate on
bass, and Brian Hansen of B’s Music on drums, the quartet has
been found coast to coast all over the state. They made a few treks to
White’s over the past year as well as many at Indian Barry’s in Bay
City. Their sound crosses singer/songwriter rock with an alternative,
sometime-throwback feel. Witty and full of musicality, they are truly
not to be missed if you get a chance to see them.
www.myspace.com/liammckay. They have already been opening for a few
regional touring artists.
Speaking of Mt.
Pleasant, the world renown acoustic jazz enthusiasts the Northwoods
Improvisers, featuring Faruq Z. Bey, Skeeter Shelton, and Mike
Cary, have just released another CD. Hymn For Tomasz Stanko
features the group with trumpeter Dennis Gonzalez sitting in with
the group. Recorded between shows in 2004 and 2005, Hymn follows up the
incredible DVD release Journey Into The Valley which was released last
year.
www.northwoodsimprovisers.com for more info.
Word has just come
in from local guitar giant Jim Beschoner that he has put the
Boogie Monsters Blues Band back together once again, this time with
local keyboard great Mike Sheets in the lineup. Drummer Mike
Williams and bassist Lonnie Widerhold are rounding out the
quartet and they expect to be hitting ‘select’ venues and as well as
private parties throughout the state starting this summer.
A new CD has come
this way from Royal Oak. Metzger’s Field, a group that started in
Bay City back in the late ‘80s has reunited and put out their first
‘official’ platter of music, Close To You And No One Cares. Consisting
of vocalist Neil Harrelson (Bay City), bassist Neil Heidrich
(Royal Oak), and ex-One Trick Ponies guitarist Ted Hoogland
(now of Royal Oak), the trio flashed back to the underground ‘80s sounds
with a modern singer/songwriter lo-fi production. They plan on taking
the group around regionally starting this summer to coffee shops and
acoustic music friendly venues in support of the disc.
www.myspace.com/metzgersfield.
National
It took them only a
few years off to figure out their sum is better than their individuality
and with that Phish is back. Vocalist/guitarist Trey Anastasio
went through trials and tribulations as a solo artist as well as a
regular human being only to bring himself full-circle back into the
group that have kept the jam band torch burning long after the Grateful
Dead’s demise. While it has stayed alive releasing occasional live
albums deep from within the band’s vault on their own Jemp Records
label, Phish have kicked off its new campaign with a 7 –DVD collection,
culled from the group’s entire two-day performance in 1996 at the
Clifford Ball (upstate New York). The Clifford Ball captures everything
about a great festival, the fans and followers as well as behind the
scenes and the low-key one off performances. For over 90,000 ‘phans,’
this nine-plus hour collection is largely responsible for what became
Bonnaroo and last year’s inaugural Rothbury Fest right here in Michigan.
For under $100, music lovers will get the chance to experience some of
the finest concepts and shows—not to mention musicians—offered in the
modern era of music and touring.
Jeff Beck is
finally in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! While still in celebration,
one of the ‘golden three’ guitarists out of the Yardbirds from
the ‘60s, Beck’s latest finds him live in full Blu-Ray (or DVD) glory on
Performing This Week…Live At Ronnie Scott’s (Eagle Rock
Entertainment). A 2007 full performance from the legendary guitarist at
the famed jazz club in London is icing on the cake for those who have
experienced him over the past few years on such releases such as Eric
Clapton’s Crossroads II DVD compilation. Beck works his way through his
own history (Beck’s Bolero, Led Boots, Goodbye Pork Pie Hat, Cause We’ve
Ended As Lovers) and is joined by Joss Stone on People Get Ready,
Blanket and Rollin’ And Tumblin’ with Imogen Heap, and his former
Yardbird compatriot Clapton on Little Brown Bird and You Need Love. This
up-close and in-your-face Blu-Ray looks as spectacular as it sounds.
Beck’s band smokes right along side of the guitar hero. It has to be
seen to believe the musical output of this masterpiece release. A
Rockabilly set is the bonus feature only on the Blu-Ray and a taste of a
little something different for fans of the guitarist.
While discussing
Blu-Ray’s, Eagle Rock didn’t stop with just Beck, having released Asia’s
Fantasia—Live In Tokyo, Paul Rodgers—Live In Glasgow, Styx—One With
Everything, and Gary Moore & Friends Tribute To Phil Lynott (Thin
Lizzy)—One Night In Dublin. Each Blu-Ray release can be found on
standard DVD as well and continue offering some of classic rock’s finest
artists sublime sound and vision, giving long time fans essential
viewing. The label plans to continue to release more in the near future
including key jazz releases from both Diana Krall (Live In Rio)
and Return To Forever (Live In Montreux 2008). These up-close and
personal live sets come alive in the Blu-Ray format unlike any live
release from the past three decades. Technology has come a long way and
these documents are proof of how substantial music is in a live setting,
even more so like almost being at the show.
Jazz/fusion
enthusiasts will appreciate Return To Forever’s Returns, a new
double-live CD set culled from its historic reunion tour of 2008. Having
been a pivotal group in the ‘70s creating risk-daring music bridging
both jazz and rock, they have never sounded better. The classic line-up
of keyboardist Chic Corea, guitarist Al Di Meola, bassist
Stanley Clarke, and drummer Lenny White shine with a
performance culled from two shows, one in Clearwater, FL, and one in
Boston, MA. The sonic drive that the group produces puts them in a
league of their own. This is essential listening, not to be missed.
Neil Young’s
Fork In The Road (Reprise) continues along a path he has followed
his entire career; Music he feels that is appropriate in this day and
age, speaking volumes for an artist full of compassion and soul. Instead
of focusing on his acoustic, Young cranks out once again, albeit this
time without Crazy Horse. With all the changes in the world, lyrics and
music poured out of him during his last tour, enabling him to put an
album together that he never intended. The main topic for Young was his
now finished LINCVOLT project (www.lincvolt.com),
where he uses an alternative energy source to power his 1959 Lincoln
Continental, thanks to the help of Johnathan Goodwin. Fuel is a big
topic on Fork In The Road and long-time followers will appreciate what
this individual does the best: Speak his mind for the world to hear.
Another legendary
artist back in the saddle is Van Morrison, who released Astral
Weeks Live At The Hollywood Bowl (Listen To The Lion Records/EMI) in
February. While Morrison is typically an artist that never looks back,
he decided that now is the appropriate time to show proper support to
his very first and highly revered solo album (1968’s Astral Weeks).
Along with original guitarist Jay Berliner from the sessions, Morrison
worked the program onstage like a long conversation, in a very jazz
manner, with long interludes and extended movements. Combining
folk/rock/blues/soul/jazz into one of the first stream-of-consciousness
records ever recorded, Morrison has shown his magic never stopped.
Unbeknownst to him, the Hollywood Bowl performances coincided exactly
with the 40th Anniversary of the original Astral Weeks. He
took it that the project was destined to be. A DVD of the release should
be available soon as well.
 The Decemberists
are incredible. The Hazards Of Love (Capitol Records) has just
dropped and ranks up there as an album of the year contender here
already in 2009. In a singles driven world, Hazards is a must-listen on
CD from beginning to end. The 17-song suite weaves a storyline with the
depth of some of the most fantastic concept albums of all-time. The band
will perform the new album in its entirety live this summer. As this is
their fifth full-length album, the Portland, OR, based quintet of Colin
Meloy, Chris Funk, Jenny Conlee, Nate Query, and John Moen, prove they
are one of the most innovative artists on the rock/alternative circuit
today. Spooky and haunting at times, crunching and dashing melodically
others, vocals from Stark and Meloy weave the storyline over timeless
arrangements that grow with each and every listen. A must hear for music
lovers.
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