Faces of Music

Book Signing to Take Place at AES for Mr. Bonzai’s Faces of Music
By Mix Editors

Artist Pro, an imprint of Thomson Course Technology PTR, recently announced the publication of Faces of Music:

25 Years of Lunching with Legends by Mr. Bonzai.

On September 29, 1967, Bonzai attended his very first recording session at the invitation of John Lennon. The location was London's EMI Studios, now Abbey Road, and the song was I Am the Walrus. In attendance were George, Paul, Ringo, producer George Martin and engineer Ken Scott. This privileged session with the most influential rock band in history set the stage for a life exploring the world of music and recording. In 1980, Mr. Bonzai settled in Hollywood to begin this collection of photographs and words.

The anthology features more than 400 photographs, many never-before published, and 160 interviews with popular music artists, songwriters, producers and recording engineers including Jimmy Buffet, Ed Cherney, Leonard Cohen, Devo, Geoff Emerick, Peter Gabriel, Herbie Hancock, Eddie Kramer, k.d. lang, David Lynch, George Massenburg, George Martin, Robert Moog, Willie Nelson, Phil Ramone, Carlos Santana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Al Schmitt, Bruce Swedien, Don Was, Brian Wilson, Stevie Wonder and Frank Zappa.

Bonzai's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Billboard, Mix, EQ, Sound & Recording, Daily Variety and Hollywood Reporter, among numerous others.

Bonzai will be at the Thomson Course Technology PTR Booth #775, October 7 and 8 at 2 P.M. to sign copies of the book. During the AES show, books will be on sale at a 25 percent discount at the booth.

The book is available online at http://www.amazon.com/, for $24.95, ISBN 1598630245.

Tout sur Robert

L'Express du 29/09/2005

Par Laurence Liban

Travailleur infatigable et homme-orchestre de la scène mondiale, le Québécois Robert Lepage, acteur-auteur-metteur en scène-cinéaste, est en France pour deux spectacles. A ne pas manquer

Québec, 5 septembre 2005. Sur la scène du Périscope, à deux pas de la rue Cartier, l'acteur, mi-nigaud, mi-finaud, ne sait trop comment s'y prendre. Pour un peu, il ferait pitié. C'est qu'il s'agit de Robert Lepage, le grand Bob, qui a accepté de jouer l'idiot du jour, rôle d'un soir dans lequel le comédien invité ne connaît pas la pièce dont il sera le personnage. Finalement, Lepage emportera le morceau grâce à ses talents d'improvisateur. Et aux rires, tout acquis, de ses fans.

Invité pour la cinquième fois au Festival d'automne, Robert Lepage rassemble, de par l'Asie, les deux Amériques et l'Europe, un large public d'aficionados. Mais son premier public, c'est celui du Québec, sa terre natale, qui le connaît depuis le début des années 1980, grâce aux retransmissions télévisées des matchs de la toute jeune Ligue d'improvisation théâtrale. C'était l'époque de ses 20 ans. Androgyne façon Bowie, nourri de Genesis et de Gentle Giant, Bob se la jouait «jeune et faible», variation québéco-narquoise du «jeune éphèbe grec», dixit son copain le comédien Yves Jacques.

Depuis, l'éphèbe a fait du chemin. Il a emmené tout son peuple en Chine, avec La Trilogie des dragons, et marché sur La Face cachée de la Lune; Peter Gabriel a fait appel à lui pour un show d'anthologie et Guy Laliberté, patron du Cirque du soleil, lui a commandé une scénographie d'enfer à Las Vegas. Il a monté des opéras, réalisé des films, été le premier Américain du Nord à mettre en scène Shakespeare à Londres. Il a pris du ventre, renoncé à l'alcool, perdu son ventre, trouvé la voie du bonheur et accumulé un savoir considérable sur un tas de choses. A 47 ans, il est plus décoré qu'un général de l'Armée rouge. Sa curiosité est intacte, son énergie éclatante, sa créativité sans frein. Mais, pour la première fois depuis le lycée, ce globe-trotter «multi-activiste» a pris des vacances. Nobody's perfect...

Paris, 25 août 2005. Dans un bar bien famé de Pigalle. Richard Castelli accepte de parler de Lepage. Directeur d'Epidemic, société productrice des spectacles du Québécois en Europe et au Japon, il est l'homme de la situation. En 1989, Castelli voit Le Polygraphe. Un choc. «C'est là que j'ai compris pourquoi je faisais ce métier de producteur, explique-t-il. Le spectacle était en adéquation inouïe avec le monde contemporain tant par le sujet - l'ambiguïté sexuelle, la drogue, la musique - que par les dispositifs narratif et scénographique. En utilisant les notions de champ et de contrechamp, en juxtaposant les scènes de manière instantanée, en éclatant la narration, Robert Lepage introduisait le cinéma dans le théâtre. A l'époque, cela n'était pas fréquent.»

Plus tard, dans La Face cachée de la Lune, on verrait un voyageur assoupi dans une salle d'attente d'aéroport s'éloigner en apesanteur dans l'espace. Comment? En inversant la perspective grâce à un jeu de miroirs. Sur la question de la perspective, Lepage est imbattable. Car ses années d'adolescence consommatrice de marijuana lui ont laissé, outre une dépression carabinée, le souvenir d'images artificielles fascinantes, à l'origine de sa poétique de l'espace et de ses recherches technologiques....(lire la suite ici)

Witness update

WITNESS is happy to be inaugurating the launch of two very special projects today: the first-ever comprehensive guide to using video for human rights, "Video for Change: A Guide for Advocacy and Activism," and Artists Support www.witness.org, a poster and fine art benefit project with internationally known visual artists and photographers such as Shirin Neshat, Sebastiao Salgado and William Wegman.

Artists Support witness.org

WITNESS is pleased to announce a new project, Artists Support www.witness.org. The project, founded and curated by artist Izhar Patkin (who is also a WITNESS board member), is a poster and fine art project with internationally known visual artists and photographers such as Shirin Neshat, Sebastiao Salgado and William Wegman.

The project will promote awareness of the WITNESS website as a global meeting place for people interested in promoting human rights and will support its work deploying video and technology to human rights defenders around the globe.

Each image is a collaboration between two artists born in different countries. “At a time when there is so much conflict around the world,” said Peter Gabriel, “it is gratifying to see artists from different cultures and with different religious backgrounds collaborating to bring about change.”

Artists Support www.witness.org will be unveiled at FIAC, the international art fair in Paris, October 5-10, 2005, with the exhibition and sale of the first two collaborative images of the project:

* Shirin Neshat, born Iran & Izhar Patkin, born Israel
To see a larger image of the print click here: Neshat_Patkin.jpg (337.83 KB)

* Sebastiao Salgado, born Brazil & William Wegman, born USA
To see a larger image of the print click here: Salgado_Wegman.jpg (104.49 KB)

These signed editions of 100 are produced by the Swiss fine art publisher Ink Tree.

All sales will benefit WITNESS. To purchase a fine art print visit the WITNESS Store by clicking here.

For more information about Artists Support www.witness.org please contact Contact:

Su Patel, Communications and Outreach ManagerPhone: 718.783.2000 ext. 316Email: Suvasini@witness.org

The perennial piste

Every resort has its day in the snow. Patrick Thorne helps you choose the place and time...

...April is meltdown month in the northern hemisphere. The list of available resorts drops dramatically. Look for high altitude skiing or northerly latitudes. Snowmaking won't save you now!

Many Austrian resorts are low, but not Ischgl in the beautiful Silvretta mountains where the lifts stretch up to 2,870m and there's a vast 220km of sunny slopes to explore. Ischgl was recently awarded by the thorough Where to Ski and Snowboard Guide for having the most high-speed uplift in the Alps. The season ends on 30 April with the legendary Top of the Mountain concert which always attracts a big star. Last year it was Peter Gabriel, before him Elton John, Diana Ross, Sting and many more.

Gabriel Scales Back On New Live DVD

Peter Gabriel spotlights recent performances in intimate venues on the upcoming DVD "Still Growing Up: Peter Gabriel Live & Unwrapped." Due Nov. 15 via Rhino, the double-disc set features a host of songs that did not appear on the 2003 "Growing Up Live" DVD, including "San Jacinto," "Biko," "Games Without Frontiers," "Come Talk to Me" and "The Feeling Begins."

"Still Growing Up" also features alternate live performances of hits like "Sledgehammer," "Red Rain," "Solsbury Hill," "In Your Eyes" and "Digging in the Dirt," plus a clip of "No Self Control" from the 1988 tour film "P.O.V."

The DVD's second disc features a tour documentary shot by Gabriel's daughter Ana in tandem with Hamish Hamilton. Among the bonus features are footage of Gabriel and his band working through "No Way Out," "Growing Up" and "Darkness" in the studio well in advance of the 2002 tour" and performances of "Downside Up" and "Father, Son" on the BBC's "Later... With Jools Holland."

"Growing Up Live" reached No. 10 on Billboard's Top Music Videos chart, while the 2002 album "Up" (Gabriel's first in a decade) debuted at No. 9 on The Billboard 200.

Gabriel will next be seen performing at an Oct. 8 in Geneva as part of the 60th anniversary of the United Nations that will also raise awareness of malaria prevention. Among the other acts on the bill are Gilberto Gil, Youssou N'Dour, Rokia Traore, Patti Austin and Neneh Cherry.

By Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

Les aventuriers du climat perdu

Les aventuriers du climat perdu

par Benoît Aubin

>> Participez à notre concoursMISSION ANTARCTIQUE
>> Suivez l'expédition du Sedna IV

Au moment où je les interviewais, à la mi-août, les aventuriers ne s'étaient encore jamais rencontrés. Pourtant, ils s'apprêtaient, chacun de leur côté, à s'embarquer ensemble dans une des expéditions les plus romantiques, les plus extrêmes et les plus périlleuses qui soient. Chacun devait laisser une famille, larguer une blonde ou un amant, vendre une moto, sous-louer un appartement, résilier des engagements de travail. Bref, se libérer pour ce périple d'un an et demi qui les mènera tous au bout du monde, au bout de l'hiver, au bout de la nuit et au bout d'eux-mêmes...

..À part ça? Un film d'auteur, son «plus grand projet», qu'il élabore depuis longtemps — un film d'inspiration biblique, racontant l'histoire de la terre en sept tableaux. Un film dans lequel il n'y aurait pas de narration, que des images et de la musique, de la musique symphonique, composée et produite par les meilleurs: Bono, Peter Gabriel, Daniel Lanois. Des artistes qu'il n'a jamais rencontrés. «Cela peut paraître fou, mais je ne m'en fais pas. Je peux maintenant monter des équipes de rêve, parce que mes idées marchent très bien à l'international.» Titre de travail: Requiem en bleu mineur. «Il y a longtemps que j'attends de pouvoir le lancer. Le moment est arrivé. L'Antarctique apportera la folie, l'énergie nécessaires pour s'engager dans une entreprise d'une telle envergure.»...

PBS gets hip with a reflection on pop protests

By Ned Martel

The New York Times

September 30, 2005

The PBS documentary Get Up, Stand Up replays the history of protest songs as delicately as it can, without favoring the protesters or those whom they opposed. But slowly and methodically, the show, ably narrated by Public Enemy's Chuck D, explains how these voices shaped American attitudes about race, sex and the rights of individuals.

It might not be obvious what Oscar Brand's Which Side Are You On? has in common with Talib Kweli's Just to Get By, but the documentary makes a persuasive comparison between the two anthems, with many diverse experts united by the sense that music can move opinions en masse.

In interviews, artists from many different genres -- Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel and Steve Earle -- assert the repetitive, contagious power of songs. Each echoes a quotation attributed to Joe Hill, the laboring hero made famous in story and song. "A pamphlet, no matter how good, is never read more than once," Hill said. Songs, on the other hand, can last in the mind for a lifetime.

A powerful part of the American audience has expressed disdain, or worse, for political messages mixed in with its entertainment. Billie Holiday caused an uproar for her rendition of Strange Fruit, a dirge about lynching, just as Earle drew ire for his John Walker's Blues, a song based on the imagined thoughts of the American Taliban member.

But the show is most convincing when presenting examples of subtler, but no less innovative messages.

Cumulatively, the voices of dissent seem one step ahead of censors and chiders, speaking to specialized audiences all acutely attuned to their favorite styles. Stevie Wonder sang about the urban plight in Living for the City, just as Sly and the Family Stone struck black-power chords within some funky lyrics.

The documentary also notes that years later, Ted Nugent and ZZ Top have used their musical celebrity for conservative causes.

In the show's two-hour sweep of a century in music, the eras jam into one another with only a few minutes to consider their dramatic differences. The 1960s protesters are chiming in We Shall Overcome; a short while later we are hearing about Live Aid and the problems Bob Geldof had in ensuring that the funds he raised were feeding the mouths he had intended.

But the documentary makers can't be blamed for this hurried narrative: The history and the music keep reflecting both the rapid changeover of regimes and the speedy evolution of tastes.

Bono of U2 is particularly eloquent in questioning whether all the showmanship leads to actual results, and the documentary spends some time explaining his campaign to have third-world debts forgiven.

The show is most riveting when bringing lesser-known or quickly forgotten performances to the foreground. And for the few minutes that the documentary samples the hit from Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, a song that chides television as a "cathode nipple," Get Up, Stand Up establishes itself as one of the most daring, and perhaps the hippest, program in the recent history of PBS.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/getupstandup/

She's here again!

By Alexa Baracaia, Evening Standard 27 September 2005

Pop music recluse Kate Bush returns to the limelight today with her first single in more than 12 years.

But her comeback song, King Of The Mountain, is only available via the internet in America and Canada and will not be released in Britain and the rest of the world until 24 October.

The singer, 46, whose last release was The Red Shoes in 1993, has not planned a supporting tour or promotional appearances. Her one and only tour was in 1979.

Bush decided to vanish from public gaze after her eerie ballad Wuthering Heights reached No1 in 1978 and her promotion of her debut album, The Kick Inside, was so successful that she was pressed the same year for the follow-up release, Lionheart.

"They took me away from everything familiar and, four months later, wanted another record," she later said. "I figured out then that music was a priority, not publicity. And that completely changed my life. I stopped doing all the things that were expected."

Bush, who earns an estimated £1million a year in royalties, shares a house in woodland on a small island on the Thames near Theale, Berkshire, with her partner, musician Danny McIntosh, 49. Her studio is in the grounds. Earlier this year, they bought a remote house in
Devon with 17 acres and its own beach for £2.5 million.

She is protected by friends, including Pink Floyd's Dave Gilmour and ex-Genesis singer Peter Gabriel, and kept the birth of her son Bertie, now six, secret for 18 months.

It is one of Bertie's drawings which graces the cover of King Of The Mountain. The single will be followed by a double album, Aerial, on 8 November.

La dame de verre

Kate Bush "Aerial" : album mettant fin à douze années d'absence.

Après douze années d’absence, Kate Bush, la dame de verre, revient sur le devant de la scène avec un tout nouveau projet, baptisé « Aerial », à paraître le 7 novembre 2005 en France sur Capitol Records.

Ce n’est certainement pas faire injure à Björk, Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, Sinéad O’Connor, Allison Goldfrapp ou Stina Nordenstam que d’affirmer que sans Kate Bush, toutes ces artistes féminines n’auraient peut-être pas existé. Pour elles, cette chanteuse anglaise exceptionnelle repérée par David Gilmour de Pink Floyd est, depuis le milieu des années 70, une formidable source d’inspiration.

Kate Bush n’a que 17 ans lorsque paraît « The Kick Inside », son premier album de pop progressive, luxueuse et très alternative, propulsé en tête des charts anglais grâce à « Wuthering Heights », premier d’une incroyable série de tubes à la fois riches et précurseurs.

Pourtant, Kate Bush est l’archétype même de l’artiste rare, un oiseau à la voix de verre dont le moindre bruissement d’aile fascine ses fans.

En 1979, elle part en tournée (la seule de sa carrière) avec un show révolutionnaire, puis décroche la lune et le succès planétaire avec l’excentrique « Babooshka », extrait en single de l’album « Never Forever ».

C’est alors que Kate Bush de se prendre totalement en charge. Désormais, elle écrit, compose, enregistre dans son propre studio, produit elle-même ses chansons, gère tous les aspects d’une carrière qui fait fantasmer ses consoeurs et comble son public.

D’une nature très réservée, elle n’apparaît plus que rarement en public et choisit d’espacer ses sorties d’albums. Ainsi, douze années séparent les publications de « The Red Shoes » (qui lui a permis d’affirmer son succès aux U.S.A.) et « Aerial ».

Il s’agit d’un double album, précédé du single « King Of The Mountain », auquel on collaboré l’ex-Japan Mick Karn, le batteur Stuart Elliott, le percussionniste de jazz Peter Eskine et l’accordéoniste Chris Hall sur une chanson. Le regretté Michael Kamen a signé les arrangements de cordes et dirigé le London Metropolitan Orchestra sur deux titres.

Manu Katché, haut de gamme

Sélection CD - 26.09.05

Manu Katché, membre du jury de l'émission de télévision "A la recherche de la nouvelle star" ­ - équivalent pour la chaîne M6 de "Star Academy" sur TF1 ­ - où se bousculent des apprentis chanteurs pour grappiller un instant de gloire, a enregistré un disque, Neighbourhood. Du jazz, pour la compagnie phonographique allemande ECM, avec trois musiciens polonais et un norvégien.

Du jazz instrumental qui considère avec attention la rigueur d'exécution, la pensée musicale, l'élan collectif, l'élégance mélodique, la recherche. Du jazz peu "Nouvelle Star" qui aurait plutôt pu appeler un enregistrement avec de plaisantes chansons arrangées sans accrocs, un peu pop, un peu jazz. Un disque comme l'avait été It's About Time en 1991 (BMG), pas honteux, mais peu marquant.

S'étonner de ce grand écart (caricaturalement, il y aurait d'un côté la variété la moins inspirante et de l'autre le machin jazz intello auquel les productions d'ECM sont souvent identifiées), c'est ne pas avoir suivi le parcours du batteur, pianiste et compositeur né le 27 octobre 1958 à Saint-Maur-des-Fossés (Val-de-Marne). Katché a mis son talent, sa finesse de mélodiste dans les musiques de Robbie Robertson (du groupe The Band) et de Jan Garbarek, dans celles de Peter Gabriel ou Sting et de Franck Avitabile, de Laurent Voulzy et Michel Petrucciani, de Joni Mitchell et Ralph Towner.

Donc Manu Katché, batteur chez qui la relation entre binaire (la part rock) et ternaire (la part jazz) n'est pas tranchée, sans pour autant être floue. Manu Katché, qui ne se pose pas en point central du trio avec le pianiste Marcin Wasilewski et le contrebassiste Slavomir Kurkiewicz rejoints sur la plupart des dix titres de l'album par Jan Garbarek (saxophones, star norvégienne) et Tomasz Stanko (trompette). Le haut de gamme du son européen.

Neighbourhood est un disque qui assemble des idées, des parcours, des origines (Katché est né d'un père ivoirien et d'une mère franco-haïtienne) sans que cela s'impose aux oreilles. Et la musique qui en découle est toute de grâce, de discrétion et de vigueur sans effet rentre-dedans.

Neighbourhood, de Manu Katché, 1 CD ECM/Universal Music.

Sylvain Siclier

Youssou N’Dour & Friends en direct sur Couleur3

Samedi 8 octobre, le grand concert de lutte contre la malaria, à l’Arena de Genève, sera retransmis sur Couleur3, qui a obtenu l’exclusivité radio de l’événement.

Des places pour le concert sont d'ailleurs à gagner en écoutant Couleur3. Autour du chanteur sénégalais, des artistes de tous les continents : Neneh Cherry, Anggun, Stephan Eicher, Axelle Red, Rokia Traoré, Gilberto Gil, Tiken Jah Fakoly ou encore Cheb Mami.

Le concert est organisé dans le cadre du 60e anniversaire des Nations Unies. Un de ses buts : réduire de moitié le taux de mortalité dû au paludisme (malaria) d’ici 2010. La maladie tue chaque jour 3000 enfants…

Transmis par des moustiques, le paludisme provoque la mort de deux millions de personnes par an et en touche quelque 500 millions en tout. Les moyens de lutte sont pourtant connus et disponibles (insecticides, moustiquaires, médicaments…) ; c’est la volonté et l’argent qui manquent.

Dans le cadre du 60e anniversaire des Nations Unies, la Fondation pour Genève et le Fonds mondial de lutte contre le sida, la tuberculose et le paludisme ont fait appel à Youssou N’Dour, déjà engagé dans ce combat, pour la mise sur pied d’un spectacle exceptionnel à même de sensibiliser le public suisse et international.

Le 8 octobre, Youssou N’Dour, Rokia Traoré, Cheb Mami et Tiken Jah Fakoly représenteront l’Afrique ; Stephan Eicher, Neneh Cherry et Axelle Red l’Europe ; Gilberto Gil l’Amérique, et Anggun l’Asie. Mais bien d’autres invités prestigieux sont attendus pour des duos exclusifs.

Toutes les informations sur le concert, sur les artistes ainsi que sur la malaria - y compris de très nombreux liens pertinents- sont disponibles en français sur le site de l'événement.

Youssou N'Dour & Friends united against malaria, samedi 8 octobre, dès 20h30 à l'Arena de Genève ou en direct sur Couleur3 entre 20h et 23h.

Youssou N'Dour en interview dans Recto Verso le 27 septembre, ainsi que dans Radio Paradiso - en direct du lieu de répétition des musiciens - le 6 octobre sur La 1ère.

La Société Anonyme du jeudi 6 octobre (thème précis de la soirée communiqué ultérieurement) sur Couleur3.

Peter Gabriel's band in Austin ?

Yes, Austin, there'll be a party at Zilker – ACL gets go-ahead
So far 7 bands have canceled, but they've all been replaced.

With Hurricane Rita's threat to Austin reduced as it veers east of its earlier projected path, Austin City Limits Music Festival organizers and city officials said Thursday that the nearly sold-out event would go on today through Sunday.

...So far, only seven acts have canceled their performances, mostly because of travel difficulties. Festival organizers have replaced all the canceled acts, including Nashville, Tenn., favorite Mindy Smith.

When Iguanas guitarist Joe Cabral, evacuated to Austin from New Orleans, found out Thursday afternoon that Smith was forced to cancel, he put together a band calling itself The Texiles, featuring members of the Iguanas, the Radiators and Peter Gabriel's band. (NDR ???) ...

Tony Levin à Neuchâtel

SA 15 oct. 20h 30.- / préloc 25.- rock-pop

Tony Levin Band (USA)

www.papabear.com

Le virtuose de la basse Tony Levin vient à Neuchâtel.

Pierre angulaire dans la musique actuelle, Tony Levin débuta la basse à l’âge de 10 ans. Après avoir fait ses armes dans plusieurs groupes locaux de Boston, il rejoint Don Preston (ex-Mothers of Invention) pour créer le groupe Aha. Dès lors, une carrière bien remplie commence. Il faudrait un annuaire pour noter toutes ses collaborations (son nom apparaît sur plus de 430 albums). Il a entre autre collaboré avec David Bowie, Alice Cooper, Al Di Meola, Dire Straits, Brian Ferry, John Lennon, Pink Floyd, Seal et même Jeanne Mas…

Nous pouvons également l’écouter dans l’album mythique de Lou Reed « Berlin ». Mais principalement dans le premier album de Peter Gabriel en 1977. Cette collaboration liera les deux musiciens par une amitié toujours existante et ainsi nous retrouvons Tony Levin dans toute la carrière de Peter Gabriel. C’est aussi pendant cette période, qu’il acquière la technique sur une « Chapman Stick Bass » (une basse de 12 cordes où le bassiste utilise la technique de « tapping » pour pouvoir jouer à deux mains…).

En 1978, Robert Fripp invite Tony Levin à prendre part au groupe King Crimson. Si l’on doit parler du rock progressif, on ne peut passer à côté de King Crimson. Ce groupe a réussi à incorporer dans les structures du rock, la pureté et la grâce du Jazz et de la musique classique, tout en gardant une sensibilité pop et psychédélique.

Malgré sa reconnaissance musicale mondiale et ses trente ans de carrière, Tony Levin attendra 1996 pour enfin sortir son premier album solo « World Diary », suivi de trois albums, dont le dernier en 2000 intitulé « Double Espresso » tout en continuant ses collaborations à travers le monde.

Tony Levin est une légende vivante de la musique, et sera à la Case à Chocs de Neuchâtel le samedi 15 octobre 2005 dans la formation suivante : Tony Levin, Jerry Marotta, Jesse Gress, Larry Fast, Pete Levin, Robert Frazza et Tom Griesgraber

Marotta Griesgraber (USA)

www.jerrymarotta.com // www.thossounds.com

Depuis 2002, le duo étonnant de Jerry Marotta à la batterie et Tom Griesgraber à la Chapman Stick basse nous offre un mélange pop-rock tout en finesse et émotion.

Basse, guitare, batterie, voix, Chapman Stick basse

Exceptionnel! L'homme de l'ombre aux 300 collaborations débarque à la case…

Kate Bush back on form with first single in 12 years !

Kate Bush back on form with first single in 12 years

By Stephen McKenna

'For the first time anywhere in the world here is Kate Bush's new single King of the Mountain'

The eagerly anticipated new single from the enigmatic Kate Bush got an exclusive first play on Ken Bruce's show on BBC Radio 2 yesterday morning (September 21st). The very privileged Ken Bruce was inundated with phone calls and emails about his exclusive first play of the latest offering from the reclusive queen of British music.

I have had a chance to listen back to King of the Mountain a few times and it sounds really fresh. Opening with some delightful percussive synth noises, Kate's idiosyncratic voice comes through and the whole track feels very atmospheric and nonchalant. The song still has the inimitable Kate Bush sound about it but is a little more modern than material from her 1993 album The Red Shoes.

The brand new album from Kate Bush is called Aerial and will be released on November 7th. Aerial is reputed to be a double album and it is currently under lock and key in a vault deep in the depths of EMI records. The first disc consists of just one track lasting over half an hour! The second disc has seven tracks on it.

New single King of the Mountain will be released on CD on October 24th.

King of the Mountain is available for download on September 27th.

For more details visit: katebush.com

S.Lanka drums up post-tsunami tourism with festival

COLOMBO (Reuters) - With a burst of colour and a cacophony of beats, drummers from Ivory Coast to Iran kicked off a music festival in Sri Lanka on Wednesday that seeks to lure back tourists scared off by the ravages of Asia's tsunami.

In centuries-old traditional dress of white sarongs and red bodices, a troupe of Sri Lankan musicians kicked off the first World of Music, Arts and Dance (WOMAD) festival devoted to drums in the island's capital.

"This is a way of helping Sri Lanka restore what the tsunami destroyed," said percussionist Marco Vinicio Oyaga from Bogota, Colombia, whose band Toto Momposina y sus Tambores is due to headline on the second day of the five-day music festival.

"It was the poor who were hit hardest. We want to help them get started again."

The tsunami killed nearly 40,000 people along Sri Lanka's coastline, and displaced a million people -- around 5 percent of the population. Hundreds of thousands of displaced are now living in makeshift shelters of with family and friends.

Festival acts include world-renowned master drummer Bill Cobham of the United States, a band of drummers from Burundi, Indian composer Trilok Gurtu and musicians from Cuba to Britain.

Sri Lanka hopes that the drum festival, which it plans to stage annually, coupled with events including a spice festival, will help it claw back foreign visitors whose numbers slumped sharply after December's tsunami hammered its coastline and beach resorts. The island's tourism chief is hoping to double annual tourist arrivals to one million visitors by 2010 by targeting high-spending travellers who want to absorb the island's culture and not just the sun.

"After the tsunami, this is a repositioning of our tourism product ... to show this island, the splendour of everything we possess, is still intact," said Udaya Nanayakkara, chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourist Board."

WOMAD Festival commence today in Sri Lanka

By Lalith Ganhewa - Asian Tribune Bureau, Germany

Berlin, 21 September, (Asiantribune.com): Music lovers in Sri Lanka will have a great opportunity to witness and listen to one of the most famous World Music Festival WOMAD from today in the island.

WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance, UK) was created by ex-Genesis frontman Peter Gabriel in 1982. Since then the festival has brought together great musicians regularly to perform in one stage. It has today turned out to be the window for ethnic musicians.

Teaming up with the Sri Lanka Tourist Board, WOMAD Music festival would be presented in Sri Lanka, for the first time, from September 21st-25th.

The WOMAD Sri Lanka is expected to concentrate by playing exclusively on the world of drums, rhythm and percussion. Long, traditional heritage of Sri Lanka’s drumming and music will also expected to take a centre stage with largest international presentation of drumming and percussion artists ever to have performed in the country.

The festival would showcase12 International acts from Bill Cobham, Toto La Momposina, Trilok Gurtu and others.

The Indian born Trilok, started off his international carrier way back in Berlin as a street musician. Although he lives in north Germany, he is a regular visitor to Europe's number one world music radio station ‘Radio Multikulti’ in Berlin. Trilok has visited Sri Lanka and performed with Ravi Bandu many times. It would be a feast for percussion music fans to enjoy a live performance of Ravibandu and Trilok one more time.

The Festival is pitched as a National Tourism Recovery Programme by the advertising firm in Singapore which handles the Sri Lanka promotion.

But it is yet to be seen whether they will be able to achieve this goal as WOMAD is known to be a highly expensive musical product for a specific custom tailored clientele.

http://womad.org/

Electrokingdom Big Time remix

Electrokingdom

No doubts about the high potential duo, Electrokingdom represents the perfect “Italian Junction” of ideas and action in dance music. Dario Bacci and Fred Portelli become friends in life and music in 2002… and the big amount of pasta and remixes is the obvious result.

Dario is the man of motion, promoting and giving twist to his musical ideas. Fred is the man of beats, notes, bass, drum, percussion and Acid 4!. The offspring is “seven minutes you need to shake your ass”.

This perfect alchemy of taste and energy comes with the name of Electrokingdom and “World Machine” with Mark King is just the first of many projects and covers, that everyone is going to listen and die for in the next future.

First absolute fans of the project are the well known producers Phunk Investigation, who bring their unique sound with two smashing versions of the song. Subsequently Roger Sanchez and Pete Tong mention these 2 guys in their very well known radio shows… what next?

Well... it took us a little while but something absolutely incredible is going to come out very soon! From the collaboration of Electrokigndom and the great Peter Gabriel a superb rework of his legendary "Big Time" has been produced.

Press release and more info coming soon Listen clips: Main Mix - Club Mix - Dub Mix - Acoustic Mix

Live and Unwrapped, Big Time in Geneva

News from Tina

Hi there!

Many apologies for the delay in updating, but I hope that my excuse will make up for it.

I have had a chance to take a look at the 'Live and Unwrapped' DVD and so I can now reveal some of its mysteries to you. What can I say? Wow! It's fantastic and will most definitely rekindle those special moments of the SGU tour, as well give insight into the hidden world behind it.

It's a set of 2 DVDs; the first 'Live' being the shows themselves (it's great to see San Jacinto - one of my favourites) and the second 'Unwrapped' giving behind-the-scenes footage as well as new interviews in which Peter gives us his thoughts on a variety of topics - music, talent, technology, fame...

Also, Peter and the band confide in us their childhood dreams. Just what did they want to be when they grew up? Answers are as follows: "... an Opera singer, an astronaut, an engine driver, a marine biologist, a kid, in a band, Scottish, Superman, Jimmy Osmond..." Who said what? I leave you to guess.

And, as if this wasn't enough, there are 'Orange' people with banners and interviews with fans. Could it be you? Were you interviewed at one of the venues? Enough! I don't want to spoil it for you. My last words on it will be – you’re in for a real treat!

(Our shop is offering a special pre-order service - the first 500 orders will receive a free Still Growing Up T shirt of your choice. Please visit us on www.womadshop.com for more details.)

Peter in Geneva?

Yes! Peter will be playing at the United Nations 60th anniversary event (to benefit malaria research) which is to be held on 7th and 8th October in Geneva. He will only be performing on the night of the 7th and we do not know which songs as yet. However, Don't Give Up and Biko are possibilities...

Mountain ranges for beds and snow-white pillows?

It could only be 'Big Time'. Look out for a special collaborative remix (Main Extended, Club and Dub) with the talented Electrokingdom (Bacci Bros Records) which is to be released on 12" vinyl only (currently limited edition). Can't wait? Then go straight to this month's competition.

For more information on the Bacci Bros, visit them at http://www.baccibros.com/

Youssou N'Dour & Friends

From Petergeabriel.com :

20-Sep-2005

Youssou N'Dour & Friends

Peter will be playing at the United Nations 60th anniversary event (to benefit malaria research) which is to be held on 7th and 8th October in Geneva. He will only be performing on the night of the 7th and we do not know which songs as yet. However, Don't Give Up and Biko are possibilities...

www.unitedagainstmalaria.org

Tony Levin Band al Teatro Augusteo di Napoli

di Paolo Ansali

Il festival di Afrakà, organizzato da Lino Vairetti e giunto alla sua XI edizione, chiude alla grande con la Tony Levin Band, per il grande bassista è la prima assoluta del tour europeo.

Iniziato con Il concerto di Rachel Z Trio il 4 giugno nel giardino della Fondazione Mondragone di Napoli e Brian Auger, Sud Sound System, Bisca e Rino Zurzolo nella cornice della Villa Comunale di Afragola in Luglio, il festival di Afrakà giunto alla sua XI edizione, chiude alla grande con Tony Levin Band. Con il patrocinio della Regione Campania e del Comune di Napoli, il concerto di Tony Levin, in esclusiva per il Sud Italia e in prima assoluta del suo tour europeo, si terrà al Teatro Augusteo di Napoli martedì 11 ottobre 2005 alle ore 21.00.

Tony Levin, famoso musicista e componente dei King Crimson, oltre che della band di Peter Gabriel dal suo esordio ad oggi, e’ uno dei piu’ grandi bassisti e virtuosi dello “stick”. Le sue collaborazioni discografiche sono innumerevoli; Tony ha infatti suonato con tutti i piu’ grandi musicisti della scena internazionale come John Lennon a Laurie Anderson, Burt Bacharach, David Bowie, Chris Botti, Bill Bruford, Al Di Meola, Robert Fripp, Lou Reed, Ringo Starr, Pink Floyd, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Ravi Shankar, California Guitar Trio Rachel Z e molti altri. Ha collaborato anche con musicisti italiani, quali Ivano Fossati, Fiorella Mannoia, Claudio Baglioni, Susanna Parigi, Vasco Rossi.

Oltre la sua intensa attivita’ musicale, Tony coltiva da molto tempo la passione per la fotografia e la grafica pubblicando 2 libri fotografici e realizzato diversi lavori di artwork per le copertine di dischi propri e dei King Crimson. Ha al suo attivo 4 albums da solista l’ultimo dei quali sarà eseguito nei concerti del suo tour europeo 2005 con la sua nuova band formata da cinque musicisti che tra gli appassionati sono definiti "leggende viventi", per il loro contributo musicale profuso da trent’anni a questa parte. Averli tutti insieme in una unica occasione, fa di questa loro venuta in Europa, un evento eccezionale. La formazione della Band:
Tony Levin (basso), Larry Fast (keyboards), Jerry Marotta (Batteria), Jesse Gress (chitarra) e Pete Levin (piano)

La Band:
Larry Fast, vecchio amico e collaboratore di Robert Moog, e’ stato uno dei pionieri della musica elettronica a livello popolare. Gia’ tecnico del suono e membro effettivo della Peter Gabriel Band fin dai suoi esordi, ha al suo attivo una intensa attivita’ solista sotto il nome di Synergy. Il suo talento ai sintetizzatori e’ affiancato all’attivita’ di produttore per innumerevoli artisti con cui ha collaborato anche in studio di registrazione, Barbra Streisand, Randy Newman, Joan Armatrading, Walter Carlos (storico compositore delle colonne sonore dei film di Stanley Kubrick), tra gli altri.

Jerry Marotta,
dopo una lunghissima permanenza nel gruppo di Peter Gabriel, ha inciso e intrapreso tours con Paul Mc Cartney, Joan Armatrading, Hall & Oates , Sean Lennon, Susanne Vega, Ani Di Franco, per citarne alcuni. Oltre a collaborare con innumerevoli artisti, Marotta e’ anche un ricercatissimo produttore oltre che proprietario di uno studio di registrazione nei pressi di New York.

Jesse Gress:
suona stabilmente nella Tony Levin Band e nel gruppo di Todd Rundgren. La sua attivita’ si svolge prevalentemente negli Stati Uniti dove e’ molto conosciuto nell’ambiente anche come eccellente trascrittore di spartiti per chitarra diretti a professionisti e semplici appassionati. Tiene workshops e scrive manuali didattici per chitarristi non professionisti.

Pete Levin:
fratello di Tony, poliedrico e stimatissimo pianista negli ambienti jazz e rock, ha al suo attivo una vasta produzione discografica solista e una lunghissima lista di collaborazioni con altri artisti, quali il Brubeck Brothers Quartet, Gil Evans, Waine Shorter, Artie Traum, Michael Petrucciani, David Sanborn, Robbie Robertson, Carly Simon, Annie Lennox.


TONY LEVIN BAND in Concerto
Martedì 11 ottobre 2005 – ore 21.00
Napoli - Teatro Augusteo – piazzetta Duca D’Aosta
Costo biglietti:
Platea €. 18,00 + 2 di prevendita
Galleria €. 14,00 + 1 di prev.
Prevendita Teatro Augusteo e abituali
Info: 081.414243 – 081.405660