Yes, indeed, sublime Gil, Caesar, Carlos, Omar + Uli officially announced @ the July 1 California Plaza gig that they are now living full-time in Los Angeles!!!!!! (Rendering them not only the best band in this hellacious city, but all of North America.) We all knew that they'd been here for months @ a time, and I had the surreally magnificent pleasure of running into Gil on two separate occasions—attending Bugz in the Attic @ Transistor Lounge way back (when I talked to him for more than a half-hour about Brasileiro and Japanese sonics, and miraculously didn't faint), and later @ the El Rey for Robi Draco Rosa (when he was in a rush and an odd mood), but somehow their having relocated from Monterrey and living here on a daily basis feels altogether more miraculous. Hence two more upcoming gigs: July 26 @ JC Fandango's, and opening for Manu Chao @ the Shrine Auditorium on August 1 (a burnished lineup if EVER there was one).
As for the July 1 gig, it was characteristically colossal/powder-keg incendiary/city-leveling and blisteringly brilliant, and the first time in L.A. that they've really unfurled the new jewels from disc 3, Reina, out September 7 (to be preceded on July 26 by the limited edition (first round 750) Rarities comp (see preceding entry) available for pre-order via the dope-as-ever Sonic360 store). In lieu of a track list I'm loathe to remember new titles, but remember that one gently percolating love song (the definition of graceful and lustrous electronics) is achingly radiant, and that several others were ribcage-shattering dancefloor killers as only the Kinky chicos can bless us. Per the vintage anthems, "Soun Tha Mi Primer Amor" was heraldically astonishing as ever, and featured Gil actually playing live trumpet while standing in all his loveliness atop a mountain of speakers, and my anthem "Sol (Batucada)" remains to soak in an enveloping and preternaturally warm cascade of Brasileiro drum fire.
On to Sidestepper, the equally jewel-like aggregate seem to have consolidated their two performance modes with epic result. If you've ever heretofore seen sly boy Richard Blair and co. more than once, you might know what I'm speaking of: as a rule, outdoor festival performances were strictly centered around the vivacious (verging on poppy) Afro-Cuban-inflected d+b-ish sides to send the crowd into giddy, elated orbit—and the late night club sets regenerated into 2 1/2-hour+ marathons of DEEP AS HELL Santeria descargas to make even the mighty Osunlade weep in envy (just a figure of speech, I know he'd love it). Now they've at last seamlessly blended the two into a nectar that defies articulation. You simply MUST hear it. And one other new contributory factor that's taken Sidestepper to a whole other instellar level is the addition of a crushingly EXQUISITE long-haired Latin boy guitarist, who I'm not only COMPLETELY FUCKING IN LOVE WITH, but breathless in admiration (alright, the breath-defying might be coming from more than admiration...) at his Pat Martino/Gabor Szabo-worthy, utterly miraculous flamenco-drenched skills. And did I say that he was fucking BEAUTIFUL? He's 5th from the left in the above photo. If anybody has any better ones please please please let me know.
Many posts to catch up on, but first things first – one that's actually timely. Another tragic death (what is it with this year?), albeit one much more expected. Expected, yes, but still reason to bow our heads briefly in silence. I'm referring to the inimitably twisted psych genius Syd Barrett, who passed away after a lengthy illness in his shut-in's haven in the UK countryside. I'll admit, I haven't listened to any Syd in years, but Opel was a seminal disc in my days of post-industrial-boy schooling, and I know damn well that Syd was indeed a genius, capable of constructing locomotive grooves as easily as pensive and, let's say, eccentric shanties that were umistakably British in every way. If it hadn't been for Syd, Spiritualized, My Bloody Valentine (especially circa their (arguably) best album, Ecstasy + Wine), and the whole C86-turned-shoegazer sound would've evolved in entirely different, and likely far less potent, directions – and the shimmeringly beautiful roc en Espanol juggernaut that picked up that sound 4-5 years ago and continues to bust at the seams with genius in 06 might not have been able to pick up the mantle with such effortless fucking mastery (see Kinky, Volumen Cero, Robi Draco Rosa posts below). It matters little that Syd had been a complete recluse for decades (whether because of psychotropic drug burn-out, other mental problems, or for whatever reason – god knows, few can understand as well as I the difficult-to-deny impulse to move to a beautiful spot in the middle of the UK countryside where you never have to deal with the scumbag idiocy of 99% of humanity), it's still a damn shame, and many of us'll miss the madcap boy.
It's rather ironic (I hate that word, but...) that Syd should pass as I'm quivering in anticipation of next week's Os Mutantes gig @ the Hollywood Bowl, after not pandering to my psych love in ages. From what I've seen of the London video, the Mutantes should be mightily brilliant in full-throttle wall of noise mode. The only potentially negative thing I can say about it is that I'll be missing French/Crepuscule goddess Isabelle Antena @ Temple Bar. And in fact, the lovely Ms. Antena has posted her own Syd obit on her MySpace page. Represent.
Lovely video of MdCL, Bembe, Richard Spaven + co. Nowhere near as gorgeous as the full-length set on Fab Channel, but still plenty lovely enough to go on here.
I didn't realize how much Mark was balding, but who cares – he's still adorable (in that (love of my life) Bobbito sort of way), and obviously a massive genius.
Incidentally, I'm also pining at the moment because I just saw on Mark's own site that he's touring the UK this month with mighty Brasileiros Drumagick. Since I'll be missing out on that sonic loveliness I'll have to placate myself by gazing frequently at the photo below.
More of my dream husband Luis Tamblay, a godly, magnificently beautiful man who also happens to be sweet as all hell, and someone I can now miraculously call a friend. I'll finally be seeing Volumen Cero tonight @ the Knitting Factory, and after hearing this f*cking lovely bit of brilliance (more proof that roc en Espanol is the only rock in the world today worth listening to... ever since the My Bloody Valentine and Spiritualized influences kicked in 2 or 3 years back). I've always larged loved VC because of Luisito (though I always much loved "Pachouli" and "Autos"), but this radiantly gorgeous cut proves they're moving onto a whole other level, and it is a beautiful thing.
Late last year I named a CD by Baltin Blood Orange Mojito. At the time I anticipated that an actual cocktail with this moniker might exist somewhere, but honestly chose it as I choose all my titles – because it sounded dope, and was lovely in theory. So when perusing the Food Network schedule (as I do religiously everyday, more on that another time) I found something MIGHTILY dope – on Emeril Live (one of the only FN shows I do not dig) of all places: a recipe for an actual Blood Orange Mojito. Inasmuch as I'd always planned to start posting bomb-ass cocktail recipes here at some point anyway, what lovelier place could there be to start?
BLOOD ORANGE MOJITO
1 blood orange, cut into 32 pieces 32 fresh small basil leaves or mint leaves, reserve a few for garnish 16 teaspoons natural raw cane sugar (demerara sugar) 8 to 10 cups small ice cubes or chipped ice 8 tablespoons basil syrup, recipe follows, or simple syrup 2 cups light rum 2 cups seltzer water or sparkling water Sugar cane sticks, for garnishing Place pieces of orange in each of 8 (12-ounce) rocks glasses, and top each glass with a couple basil leaves or a mint leaves. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of cane sugar in each glass and, using a muddler, crush the orange pieces while bruising the basil with the sugar. Fill each glass just below the rim with ice (about 1 to 1 1/4 cups in each glass). Add a tablespoon of the basil syrup and 1/4 cup of the rum to each of the glasses. Use a shaker to vigorously shake the contents of the glass together for at least 30 seconds. Pour the mojito back in the glass, and top off the glass with seltzer or sparkling water. Place a sugar cane stick in each glass. Garnish each drink with 1 of the remaining basil or mint leaves. Serve immediately.
Basil Syrup: 2 cups granulated sugar 1 cup water 1 cup packed well-washed fresh basil leaves Place the sugar and the water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the syrup from the heat, and add the basil leaves to the saucepan. Allow the syrup to sit for at least 1 hour before straining through a fine-mesh sieve. Discard the basil leaves. Store the syrup in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator until ready to use. Syrup will keep, refrigerated, for several weeks.
I haven't sent a gig forecast out on the Acid Jazz and Soundlounge servers in well over a year (though of course the listings on the Liquidator site are still updated weekly), but there is SO MUCH absolute loveliness on the horizon on all fronts that it seemed a good time to revive it.
I won't editorialize too much because these listings speak for themselves, but I will say that I would be sobbing uncontrollably on July 1 over the fact that I can't make it to London for Kyoto Jazz Massive's full live band show @ the Jazz Café – if I weren't seeing my five Monterrey-born gods (that'd be Kinky) for free WITH Sidestepper here in Los Angeles. I'd be doing the same the week of July 24 over the fact that I can't go see Joyce @ Ronnie Scott's and Pharoah Sanders @ the JC – were I not seeing Incognito with Jody Watley in Pasadena, Os Mutantes (!!!!!) with Thievery Corp @ the Hollywood Bowl, and Nortec Collective live with full banda musicians @ California Plaza all also that week.
The rest of the London loveliness is your standard UK sublimity: Reel People (whose "Second Guess" is on the short list for my best songs of the year), Bah Samba, Jhelisa (whose A Primitive Guide to Being There disc I'm loving at the moment as well), the ever-brilliant Da Lata, and the JC's characteristically superb picnic with Zero 7, Koop, Nouvelle Vague, Femi Kuti, and Snowboy + the Latin Section.
The best gig of the year in L.A. won't come until August 27 – with the mightiest of the mighty, Gotan Project (whose live show will make you cry, and dance till you break a hip; I've been watching the Revancha Del Tango Live DVD in breathless anticipation... and for the loveliness that is Victor Villena), Zero 7 (once again) with Jose Gonzalez, and Herbert with full band – also @ the Bowl. The only drawback is that that stunner of a lineup is the Sunday of Sunset Junction weekend (where I'll be before and after getting inebriated – another welcome tradition that makes me not hate Los Angeles for one weekend a year).
NYC is actually a bit quiet this summer, but watch for much beauty from August 2-5... when the city plays host once again to the Latin Alternative Music Conference. Most of the lineup hasn't been announced yet, save for Venezuelan house gods Los Amigos Invisibles with Mexico's Belanova in Prospect Park on August 4. (And as it happens Brazil's mighty Lenine is also performing that week.) And though it's short notice, I'd also recommend getting your ass over to Cielo tonight for Louie Vega's birthday shindig with Louie and Kenny Dope along with Frankie Feliciano and a live PA by Ultra Nate.
Lastly, on the Chicago front, watch for the COLOSSAL House Music Conference on July 22-23 – with the goddess Jocelyn Brown (in an ultra-rare US appearance), Barbara Tucker and Dajae and MC/theatrical genius of our time Lady Bunny. Also watch for Argentinean genius Gustavo Cerati (who'll also be (thankfully) hitting Los Angeles).
For full venue and date info, visit the gig listings on the Liquidator site, and dig this archetypally beautiful Kinky video as a bonus (and ask yourself... has Gil ever looked more magnificently sublime?)!
Cheers and best, xo,
B.
London: June: Victor Davies, Ed Motta + Gilles Peterson, Ben Watt, Quantic, Belle + Sebastian, Tortured Soul + Osunlade (+ The Yoruba Soul Orchestra + Nadirah Shakoor), Massive Attack + Terry Callier + DJ Shadow + Pharell + Damian Marley, Groove Collective, DJ Spinna, Zero 7 + Beth Orton + Nile Rodgers + Chic, Reel People, Bah Samba, The Nathan Haines All-Stars, Gilberto Gil, Shri July: Kyoto Jazz Massive (live!!!!), Jose Gonzalez, Grupo X, Damian Marley, Corinne Bailey Rae, Tony Allen, Jhelisa, Terry Callier, Da Lata, Sergio Mendes + Gilles Peterson, Joyce, Pharaoh Sanders, Anoushka Shankar, Gotan Project, Jazzie B + The Soul II Soul Sound System August: Omar, Señor Coconut, Susheela Raman, Five Corners Quintet, Zero 7 + Koop + Nouvelle Vague + Femi Kuti + Snowboy + The Latin Section + The Breakestra, Tony Allen, Candi Staton, JTQ September: Courtney Pine, Alice Russell, Marva Whitney, Marisa Monte October: Barry Adamson, Leon Ware
Los Angeles: June: London Elektricity (DJ set), Zoe, Jose Gonzalez + Juana Molina, Seu Jorge, Keb Darge, Spanish Harlem Orchestra + Baaba Maal + Jamie Cullum + George Duke, Andy Caldwell, Eddie Palmieri + McCoy Tyner, Aaron Ross, Kim Hill + Joy Jones, J*Davey + Sy Smith + Black Thought, Volumen Cero, Si*Se, James Lavelle + Sasha, Guru, Waajeed, Amadou + Mariam, Sergio Mendes + Marcelo D2, John B July: Kinky + Sidestepper, Belle + Sebastian, Bebe + Aterciopelados + Mexican Institute of Sound, Groove Junkies, India + Cachao + Arturo Sandoval, DJ Heather + Colette, Incognito + Jody Watley, Os Mutantes + Thievery Corporation, The Rebirth, Nortec Collective (live + banda), Ben Watt August: Al Green, Charles Webster, Herbie Hancock, Gustavo Cerati, Andy Caldwell, Isaac Hayes + Millie Jackson + Alma da Batucada, Gotan Project + Zero 7 + Herbert + Jose Gonzalez September: Timmy Regisford, James Brown + Angie Stone, Very Be Careful, Massive Attack, Miguel Migs
New York: June: Louie Vega + Ultra Nate + Kenny Dope + Frankie Feliciano + Mr. V, Maceo Parker, DJ Heather + Colette, Groove Collective, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Andrew Hill, Roy Hargrove's RH Factor, Ornette Coleman, Bobby Hutcherson, Etta James, Dave Brubeck Big Band, Nickodemus + Mariano, Zakir Hussain + Charles Lloyd, Herbie Hancock + Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Spanish Harlem Orchestra + Cachao + Patato Valdez + Jimmy Bosch, Karsh Kale, Bobbito Garcia, Bebe, Atmosphere, Brazilian Girls, Maya Azuceña July: Balkan Beat Box + Antibalas + Ska Cubano, Bobbito Garcia + Rich Medina, Seu Jorge + Jose Gonzalez + Cut Chemist, Baaba Maal, DJ Spinna, The Idjut Boys, J*Davey, Nortec Collective (live), The Brand New Heavies, Amadou + Mariam, Derrick May, Fertile Ground + Eric Roberson, Dego, Si*Se + Radio Mundial + Nickodemus + Mariano, Lisa Shaw, A Guy Called Gerald, Brooklyn Funk Essentials, Joe Bataan August: Los Amigos Invisibles + Belanova, Lenine, Alice Smith + RJD2 + Lyrics Born, Jody Watley, Talvin Singh (DJ set) + Asha Puthli + Prefuse 73, Herbert (live), Kenny Dope September: Carl Craig + Gamal, Rainer Trüby, Cibelle
Chicago: June: Carl Craig, Mark Farina + Q-Bert + Derrick Carter, Isotope 217, Kindred the Family Soul, Aceyalone, Lyrics Born, Corinne Bailey Rae, Rich Medina, The Streets + Lady Sovereign, Seu Jorge + Amadou + Mariam July: Dimitri from Paris, Kokono No. 1, Kaskade, The Brand New Heavies, Etta James + Tom Jones, Tortured Soul, Four Tet, Derrick May, Roy Davis Jr., Barbara Tucker + Dajae + Danny Tenaglia + Maurice Joshua + Ralphi Rosario + Derrick Carter, Jocelyn Brown + Lady Bunny + David Morales + Jamie Principle + Terry Hunter, The Roots + Talib Kweli + The Pharcyde August: Anoushka Shankar + Karsh Kale, Gustavo Cerati, George Benson, John Tejada, Lalah Hathaway September: Jamie Lidell, Acid Mothers Temple, Nouvelle Vague October: Ladytron, Vitalic
Much love to my boy Remi for this – a Baltin-designed sticker on the mirror at the Hole in the Wall (gay dive) in San Francisco. Makes me feel nice and global, just like when my friend Nashio from the ineffably brilliant Nino Astronauta does DJ tours in Mexico and travels the country playing my comps... (FYI: this sticker is the Bellissima Idyll cover.)
Speaking of Worldwide, I just caught Gilles P.'s special Japan edition of his Worldwide, broadcast from Tokyo on 4/9/06, and reposted as always on Giant Step. Lovely as expected, starting with the 2 Banks of 4 remix of Jazztronik's "Pathways." Everyone who knows me knows well that I consider Japan to be home of the best electronica (and nu jazz) on the planet, so a Gilles survey is most definitely a beautiful thing, and well worth checking. Now I just need to find Double Famous' Brilliant Corners LP.
I had to post on some miraculously beautiful photographs of one of the world's most godly sublime men, Raging Stallion's Manuel Torres on the aptly-named Beautiful blog. Venezuelan-born Manuel is purely, crushingly lovely (to criminally understate his beauty), and it is one of the greatest claims of my life that I briefly ate his ass in the ladies' room at Micky's earlier this year. Needless to say it was f*cking EXQUISITE and I will always love this sex god of the world. Now if only he'd bottom on film already... Till then, these magnificent pics (by Joe Oppedisano) will do just fine. Manuel's best film? That's easy – Chris Ward's breathtakingly miraculous Arabesque. (Though his pairing with Mario Cruz in Passport to Paradise and his helping gangf*ck (my true dream husband/most beautiful man alive) Cory Koons in the Parker Williams-directed Lube Job are mightily gorgeous as well.)
I had the massive honor of seeing the mighty Dee Dee Bridgewater at Catalina here in L.A. last Thursday, and it was every bit as miraculous as the first time I saw her. Less afro-Latin fire/jazz-dance killers this time around (a good thing because one of the worst things about a staid jazz club is of course that you cannot dance), and more deep, slow-burning funk. And most astonishing was that she opened with her stunning version of "Afro-Blue" (the 1974 Trio version of which is one of her most sublime vinyl sides). Also included were an only slightly truncated version of "Love for Sale" (meaning that it clocked in at only 12 minutes rather than the 18-minute take included on her (ESSENTIAL) Live at Yoshi's), and a rare as hell Neal Hefti song called "Girl Talk" that was transmuted into a colossal bit of funk. (When introducing a Neal Hefti feminine anthem I quite naturally assumed that she was about to tear into "Sex + the Single Girl." No such luck, but it was still lovely.)
Her vocal prowess continues to be neck-snappingly brilliant at every turn. This woman can do ANYTHING vocally, and sound achingly beautiful doing it, and why I hold her to clearly be the mightiest jazz girl in DECADES (for the simple reason that she absolutely f*cking is), and why when talking to her after I straight-up told her that she is the goddess of the world (at which she kissed me and thanked me profusely – gorgeous!). I also tripped her out by telling her that I nearly yelled for "Flying Saucer" (at which she asked me how the hell I knew about that song – naturally because I love United Future Org.). If you EVER have the chance to see and her Dee Dee live, you OWE IT TO YOURSELF to get your ass there. xo, B.
I've been meaning to post on this since before I left for Spain: I made a sublime discovery a few months back per a crush that dates back years – Roswell alum Brendan Fehr (one of the most beautiful white boys on the planet, in a cast that included two other godly boys, Adam Rodriguez and Jason Behr) once played a gay hustler in a Canadian indie film called Sugar. Yes, you do see his (magnificent) ass, and he roughly (faux) fucks another boy. It's a LOVELY thing, and available from TLA Video.
I was going to limit my You Tube postings to magnificent sonic finds, but this boy is just f*cking sublime (physically) and kind of adorably charming in his goofiness, so I couldn't resist.
I had been meaning to post for some time on why Anthony Bourdain is the greatest wit of our time, but as I watched him in India, I can hesitate no longer. Derided as being impotent by a guru, begging for a mint julep at camel races, and reluctantly dismissing his hatred for vegetarian cuisine, it's abundantly clear that he is to our time what Vera Caspary and Joseph L. Mankiewicz were circa 1947 (that'd be Letter to Three Wives for any neophytes), and I cannot help but worship this man. All this on the heels of his miraculous Mexico-US border special of last week, demonstrating, as I've attempted to elsewhere already, why the immigration conflict is a matter of pure racism toward a culture leagues richer and more vibrant than ours could ever be (and one I still consider to be my own, as I know I was secretly switched at birth and am pure Mexicano through every inch of my bloodstream), and intolerance/cracker scumbag mentality. Leave it to Anthony to elucidate so well, and remind me why he's already made me long to move to Saigon and (theoretically) go to Moscow to eat reindeer solely to scare the hell out of American children. Did I say yet that I love this man? (Last sidenote: while I've accepted my tentative embracing of/fondness for Rachael Ray, I do still also love his rabid hatred of her.) xo, B.
First off, I'm leaving Cybersocket as of this week (final brilliant issue out on Friday before it inevitably reverts back to fluff, as I attempt to limit my writing to this page and stick to the graphic endeavors I'd much rather be pursuing elsewhere), so any new work leads, freelance or otherwise, are much appreciated at the moment.
In the meanwhile, to populate this blog with something (namely sublime eye candy in the form of my Kinky boys, after hearing that they'll be performing for free – with Sidestepper – on the lovely Water Court at California Plaza in downtown Los Angeles on July 1, to be followed by Nortec with live tuba/banda musicians on July 28), I thought I'd add the track list of a DJ set I've been hard at work orchestrating on this Memorial Day. The ultimate destination may or may not be a loft party on June 6, but either way it never hurts to have an alternately blistering and tropically tranquil (and, as ever, eclectic) set in the arsenal.
Hope you dig/get your own dose of inspiration:
Anjali, Lazy Lagoon (Wiiija) Nina + Chris, Agua (Far Out) RSL, Inside Looking Out (Players) Gotan Project, Queremos Paz (XL) Funky Lowlives, Irreplaceable (Stereo Deluxe) Oi Va Voi, Refugee (Matthew Herbert Big Band Mix)(Resist) Rosalia de Souza, Samba Novo (Gianluca Petrella Mix)(Schema) Wakal, El T'Nel (Prodisc) Kinky, Soun Tha Mi Primer Amor (Bostich Mix)(Sonic360) Barrio Jazz Gang, Linda Cancao (Sonic360) Mojo Project, Free (Love Monk) Directions, Don't Hold Back (Diaspora) Los Amigos Invisibles, Ease Your Mind (Luaka Bop) Jazztronik + Flora Purim, Dentro de Mim (Takuma) Simon Grey, The Galactica Suite (Domu Mix)(Especial) Reel People + Dyanna Fearon, Washing Away (Defected) Nortec Collective, Olvidela Compa (Nacional) Swing Out Sister, Happy Ending (Universal) Bebel Gilberto, O Caminho (Guy Sigsworth Mix)(Ziriguiboom) Ely Guerra, Yo No (Higher Octave) Troubleman + Nina Miranda, Paz (Far Out) Cheo Feliciano, El Raton (Tico)
