Tag Archives: jazz

Andrew Bird: Fever Year Review

11 Mar

Andrew Bird: Fever Year

Directed by: Xan Aranda

Andrew Bird: Fever Year documentary review

One of the more prolific artists in recent years has been Andrew Bird, the Chicago singer/songwriter/violinist who has flood the music scene with almost obsessive touring and eight albums in the last decade. A week ago, my wife and I caught a director’s screening of Fever Year, a documentary about Bird. Although over a year after its debut, the film never was widely released and still remains unavailable on DVD per Bird’s request. But while only currently available to see through screenings, the film gives some very interesting snapshots into the life and ethic of this unique artist.
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LxListening: All That Jazz

9 Nov

Derby's, Jazz, smokey

For some, jazz music is merely a cacophony of nonsensical noise. To others, it is heaven by way of music. Not that I have ever felt the former, but the more I listen to jazz and make it my own, the closer I get to aligning myself with the latter. Jazz is ambiguous and spontaneous. Jazz can be incredibly happy, or it can be devastatingly depressing. It has the ability to take so many different forms, and sometimes many forms in a single song.  It doesn’t necessarily follow the usual structures or progressions. Sometimes it doesn’t follow any progressions. It doesn’t play by the rules in that sense. I especially love when jazz is fused into other genres of music, but for this list, I am going to stick with some of my favorites of the basics. One college spring break on a long, late night drive, Wes and I began a tradition of late night jazz sessions on road trips. As of recent, I’ve found myself doing it more and more often myself. Last Monday, I had a nice three-hour stretch of road in which I let some of my favorite jazz artists drive their airy, spastic, beautiful notes straight into my skull and enrich my soul. Here are some highlights from that jazz session.
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Flying Lotus Review: Until the Quiet Comes

17 Oct

Flying Lotus
Until the Quiet Comes

Flying Lotus, Until the Quiet Comes, album cover art

If you missed our top ten list last week, we focused on our favorite descendants of musicians. Had we optioned all family members and not only on direct descendants, Flying Lotus would have neared the top of our list. The great-nephew of the late John and Alice Coltrane, Flying Lotus has seemed to have pulled heavily from his great aunt and uncles jazzy gene pool. Combining old styles of free form jazz with a new electronic sound may not be completely originally attributed to Flying Lotus, but he has certainly mastered and popularized it. One reason I love jazz is because of its ambiguity. It has so much room for imagination and interpretation. It doesn’t force you to think any one certain way, it allows you to feel and create your own use for the music. There are moments in this album that feel so tense and claustrophobic that it makes me feel so anxious I need a cigarette (and I don’t smoke), but by the next song I am relaxing on a beach with a Corona in hand. Seamlessly fusing an album of this nature together is an accomplishment all on its own. The fun that comes with it is just the icing on the cake.

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Fifty Licks: 50 Songs for 50 Years | 30-11

17 May

the rolling stones, the stones, rolling stones, 50 years, 50, 50 anniversary, 50th anniversary, hits, songs, album cover,

Picking right on up were we left off at #30, we give you our next-to-last selections for our Fifty Licks: 50 Years list. This portion seems to focus more on the country/delta blues stylings of The Stones. I’d like to say that this list was especially fun for us to put together, and it is always great to revisit these songs that serve as an inspiration to me, but also to many more modern musicians that may not even realize it themselves. So here we go, let us continue with our 30th-11th favorite tracks from one of our favorite all time bands:

Songs 50-31 | 30-11 |10-1

 

30. “Rip This Joint”
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The Nawlins Experience: A Musical Journey Down by the Bayou

10 Jan

Two/Thirds of Little by Listen (Todd and I) headed down to the land of jazz, gumbo, and downright debauchery for New Years this year, and one of the biggest highlights was the sounds heard around the city, both inside and out. If you have been to New Orleans, you know that every corner you turned, is filled with a new tune, from jazz to funk to even folk.

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