Friday, August 29, 2008
The Uptones ~ Ska at Slim's in SF
“It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing".......one of my most famous quotes. I saw a band swing the other night, and this band is called The Uptones. Their show was much more than you're average concert, it was a celebration of a music style they love and hold strong allegiance to.
I've always enjoyed ska music. In fact I was around to watch the birth of ska in the 1940's, and even saw my style of jazz influence it's development. The Uptones hold true to the deepest roots of ska. You can tell they want to do justice to the music, and their performance the other night did honor to the ghosts of ska while exposing a much younger generation to it's delights.
And by the way, they put on a very tight, professional show. I found myself riveted to the spot until the last encore. The horn section was one of the shining parts to the group, but the guitars, drums and singing were all top notch. I thoroughly enjoyed the lyrics and harmonies too. In particular, I was greatly impressed with the new material written by one of the singers, Moose Lethridge. He's a great dancer too, and never missed a stroke on his guitar while throwing himself around the stage in a stomping frenzy. The other front man, Eric Din confidently delivered his well written tunes in a booming voice while joining in the fray of dancing feet onstage. I was standing right next to the bass amp too, and really enjoyed how solidly Ben Eastwood was holding down the wildness happening all around him.
Another quote of mine: "There's only two kinds of music. There's the good kind, and there's the other kind". This my readers was the GOOD kind. If you want to see a tight knit band take command of a stage with irresistibly catchy songs, then make sure you go to their next show!
You can find The Uptones here
Labels:
live music,
San Francisco,
ska,
Slims,
The Uptones
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Duke Ellington answers Proust
I spent most of my life on a train touring from town to town and writing music. Music is what I know and it's my greatest love. And I've arrived here in 2008 and I'm blogging! Well, I'll be blogging between sets or band rehearsals that is.....I want to share some of the amazing music I'm finding in Netsville! I think you'll dig it.
Today's world of music and entertainment feels like another planet to me. There's such an abundance of musicians and talented artists, and such a dizzying number of styles to choose from!
So before we get started sharing music and art, I thought I'd come out here and introduce myself with some questions my friend Proust gave me. I thought I'd take a stab at answering some of them because they're quite good:
- Your most marked characteristic?
I'd say playing piano in black tie every night
- The quality you most like in a man?
Ambition and responsibility
- The quality you most like in a woman?
Oh I just love women....everything about them....they're like a song
- What do you most value in your friends?
FUN....and a lighthearted view of the world.
- What is your principle defect?
I suppose being a perfectionist and a workaholic. I think that's what my wives would say....
- What is your favorite occupation?
Composing a new arrangement, giving it to my band, and then hearing them play it for the first time. There's nothing like the rush of that experience.
- What is your dream of happiness?
The life I lived was my dream of happiness. I'm lucky to have had the opportunity to play with some of the greatest musicians of our century, and to have experienced the times I lived in from the vantage point I had.
Here's the Proust questionnaire ~ maybe you'd like to try it!
cheers
Friday, August 8, 2008
Duke Ellington biography
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was the most prolific composer of the twentieth century in terms of both number of compositions and variety of forms. His development was one of the most spectacular in the history of music, underscored by more than fifty years of sustained achievement as an artist and an entertainer. He is considered by many to be America's greatest composer, bandleader, and recording artist.
Click here to read further
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)