Apr 30, 2008
Truly an outside broadcast for 115. The first of two "specials" from the studio on the terrace (right) here on the beautiful and breathtakingly rugged north coast of Mallorca.
Thango - Forza (Norway)
We mix stuff.. By mixing we mean mixing styles and influences. We do basically funk/jazz/hip hop/world beat - so there you go. It's all about music and not about genres.. We love our audience more than they love us.. and they love us a lot!!
www.myspace.com/forzaonline
Theme
Happy - Jimmie Bratcher (Missourri, USA)
www.jimmiebratcher.com
So, just where are we? Well, not in a tango region that's for sure, nor even Flamenco.
Around 110 miles south east of Barcelona. Sitting under the lemon trees on my terrace at the back of my top floor apartment in what was until a few years ago a village based around a small port and navel base with a local fishing boats and a few rather faded hotels from when Mallorca was a cheap and cheerful holiday destination for sun-starved Brits.
Transformation is approaching completion the navel base is all but gone, the hotels are re-opening as bijou establishments. After being stood empty for a few years, Hotel Espléndido has had a 5 million euro refit and is living up to its name again.
Last week played "Nothing on" by Ruth Theodore and got some ribbing from the Codger about how long he's been playing her - the usual old tosh. Her album Worm Food has been on almost continuous cycle on my shuffle for the past fortnight so here's another quirky treat.
Ugly Faces - Ruth Theodore (London, UK)
A singer/songwriter like no other. With words as dangerous as her guitar playing, Ruth Theodore reminds us why songwriting is important in the first place. Refreshingly original and relentlessly imaginative. - River Rat Records
Debut album Worm Food. 13 tracks of beautifully twisted, political and personal mayhem. River Rat Records supports Creative Commons. If you like what you hear, please consider buying a CD. Our releases are packaged beautifully and manufactured using 100% recycled card. £9.99
www.ruththeodore.com
CC Rider - Davis Coen (Charleston, S, Carolina, USA)
Blues circuit guitarist/singer Davis Coen's most recent accomplishments have included original music on the DVD release of Martin Scorsese's PBS special 'The Blues'; backup work on the last release by Jesse Mae Hemphill, entitled 'Dare You To Do It Again'.
Coen has been touring the U.S. since his teens, mostly as a solo acoustic guitar and vocal act, but currently joined by bass and drums performing as an electric trio. Davis commonly plays clubs, bars, theaters, and festivals throughout the Southeast.
www.daviscoen.com
www.myspace.com/daviscoen
Apologies for the link errors last week - I have been put right and so have the links!
Corazon - Corrientes (New York, USA)
Corrientes is an original four piece band from NY. All Corrientes music is recorded, mixed, and produced by Ivette Torres in a home studio. Ivette is a Cuban-American, born in NY. Corrientes songs are in both English and Spanish. Check out the Corrientes' website for more info.
www.corrientesmusic.com
Puerto Soller is backed by the Sirerra Tramuntana a range of very rugged mountains with the highest point on the island Puig Major at 4,500 feet only a mile or so from the coast - pretty steep.
The working port is very chic marina with excellent (and no-longer cheap) restaurants.
Not all pleasure though. Arrived Monday evening, shopping for basics yesterday morning, work in the afternoon and prepped the show in the evening ready to record this morning. Oh, OK, mostly pleasure then! Call me lucky but I'd say that "luck is the place where preparation meets opportunity." Smug git!
Cats and Rats - Jayme Gutierrez (Jaén, Spain)
From the solidly excellent album Wompychew. You can hear five other tracks at his MySpace.
www.myspace.com/jaymegutierrez
Goodbye - Lena (Illinois, USA)
Lena is Russian girl with a bio from spy flicks (and you thought Cold War was over!). Her musical curiosity is stronger than her sense of propriety. That goes for other things, too. Her self defined music genres are "soft punk" and "mock pop". You ask for a label, you get one!
Lena is a Russian pianist with a sweet speaking voice, a low and scary singing voice, and a bio taken out of Hollywood spy movies. Yes, she has even been to jail on allegations of espionage. For real.
Along with original material, she presents her inside-out, tongue-in-cheek versions of tunes by Dead Kennedys, Iggy Pop, Madonna and others.
Band members include Alan Lake (drums and percussion), John Griffin (guitars) and Scott Parrish (bass).
Alan Lake is a seasoned player who over the years has had the opportunity to play with many artists from many different fields. Among the more recognizable are: Madonna, Brian Ferry, Julian Lennon, Ministry, Brian Wilson and Sam Moore.
John Griffin and Scott Parrish are recent additions to the band, they are both seasoned and very well respected musicians.
Recently, the band started working with Ian McDonald, the founding member of King Crimson and Foreigner.
Lena's new digital release "My Little, Temporary Loves" came out on April 27. My thanks to the really good folks at Ariel Publicity for putting me onto Lena.
05/02/2008 8:00 PM Looptopia, Chicago, IL
05/04/2008 8:00 PM Knitting Factory Old Office, New York, NY,
www.lena.fm/
I'll be here for another week and a bit so I'll put a few more pictures up on my flickr stream at www.flickr.com/photos/clithers/
Down, down, down - The Expendables (California, USA)
Growing up in Santa Cruz California was a laid back experience for The Expendables: surf, skate, party and play music. Since 1997 The Expendables have staked their claim in the California surf rock genre. Blending Reggae, Punk Rock, and 80's style duelling guitar solos.
Geoff Weers (Guitars and Vocals), Adam Patterson (Drums and Vocals), Raul Bianchi (Lead Guitar) and Ryan DeMars (Bass).
5/2/08 San Diego, CA
5/3/2008 Pozo, CA
5/9/2008 Santa Cruz, CA
5/10/2008 Santa Cruz, CA
6/7/2008 Cincinnati, OH
6/8/2008 Louisville, KY
6/9/2008 Pittsburgh, PA
6/10/2008 Richmond, VA
www.theexpendables.net/