FoeWeel !!! ???

One of the most rewarding things that I started last year was to volunteer at 826 Valencia’s tutoring program. The center in San Francisco, as well as the six other centers throughout the States offer incredible programs such as after-school tutoring, workshops, in-school writing programs as well as “field trips”, which is comprised of a class of students creating an original story with a large amount of theatrics which is then printed and bound right there on the premises for the kids to take home. I feel, at times that I am going to the center to be tutored by the children rather than me being the one who has to show someone how to divide fractions (had to look that one up). These centers were created by Dave Eggers, who wrote A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, a memoir which probably helps to explain his incredible contribution to the future of our world.

The 826 family has received some press recently from the publication of letters and pictures to President Obama from the 826 students. The San Francisco Chronicle as well as the New York Times have run their pieces that once again prove that children are smarter than adults.

Now, for the music that will prevent rashes and cauliflower ears………

Freddie Hubbard – Weaver Of Dreams – while on the holiday break, one of the great horn men of the bebop era passed away. Along with his work as a leader on such great releases as Ready For Freddie, he also contributed to one of the most seminal jazz albums of all time, Ornette Coleman’s Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation.

Beirut – Venice – Has Zach been listening to some Boards of Cananda ? The new, or yet to be released March Of The Zapotec / Realpeople Holland has some electronics added to the brassy melodrama that comprises Beirut. Both EP’s sound promising.

Bon Iver – The Park (Live on Triple J) (Feist cover) – this track from Feist was my favorite from her release a few years back and fits perfectly with the tracks off of Bon Iver’s For Emma…. release. Spare and sounding natural without the smell of patchouli.

Speedy J – edlx (Chris Liebing edit) – the beats have been lacking lately, and since it’s been ages since I’ve heard good beats especially in a live setting, I’m glad I can always depend on this Dutch producer. Maybe I’m waiting for the groove to come back to Techno. Let’s get it back in the 135+ range with a more pronounced sub-y kick. Please.

Garvan Institute, Sydney, Photo taken by eagle-ffm

I have no idea what is going on.
Radiohead is playing on Friday in Golden Gate Park.
Me, and 90K of my closest friends on Facebook will be there to witness the first band to play at nighttime in the park.
Bring a flashlight.

Schedule for Friday.
5:00-5:25 – Steel Pulse @ Lands End
5:25-6:10 – Cold War Kids @ Sutro
6:15-6:45 – Manu Chao @ Lands End
6:50-7:50 – The Black Keys @ Twin Peaks
8:00-10:100 – Coldplay Lite @ Lands End

I hate Tom Petty and Jack Johnson, who are headlining the rest of the weekend.
Jack Johnson is the Tom Petty of today. Everything sounds the same. They should smoke each other.
GOing to see Popcorn Superhet Receiver at the Herbst on Thursday night.

Mochipet – Rapcats (Featuring Zaptap-Citizen 10) - David Wang loves Daly City. He’s probably the only one who loves this city in the Bay Area. Somewhat of a straightforward track for this finger-in-the-electrical-socket wizard.

Burial – South London Boroughs - this is where it began. it helped to define a new style of music. dubstep, which scares most people, yet somehow has found it’s way into yoga studios ? For fuck’s sake….

The Walkmen – What’s In It For Me – from the classic Bows + Arrows album which has yet to be topped in subsequent releases. A great way to start an album that has songs that are either in your face or just a blurry dream, like this track.

Beirut – A Sunday Smile (Live) – a live version from Paris. gypsies, the circus and the bearded lady.

Music, at it’s best can be such a personal thing. The recorded notes can heighten any moment in time and be the catalyst for a journey of the heart, or mind. For me, live shows bring about another element of the music away from the recorded-forever-in-time version. And the best element that can transcend this singular version, is when the artist improvises and possibly twists an aspect of the song for the listener. La Blogotheque is a french blog with Vincent Moon directing these incredible improvisational moments for some of the best artists in music today. Below, are three of my favorites. From Zach Condon of Beirut on The Penalty playing a ukelele and strolling into a Paris bistro where the rest of the band is crammed in the back, to the Arcade Fire performing in a freight elevator, to Justin Vernon playing on the streets of Paris, these shows perfectly capture the live moment in a unique way.

Show #93 – Bon Iver

Show #64 – Beirut

Show #41.1 – Arcade Fire

Santa Worm by Mark Ryden

Beirut – Guyamas Sonora (Circus) – i call it the new indie circus music. take an organ, some horns, a xylophone and maybe a theremin. there is the arcade fire, devotchka, beirut, sufjan stevens and a few others in this circle of creativity brought about by truly old school instruments and great songwriting. zach condon, the mastermind behind beirut uses a flugelhorn extensively throughout this album.

Parson – Throw Some D’s (Dubstep/Hip Hop) – from the cutting edge Planet Mu’s 2OO release which marks the 200th release compilation. this tune is heavy and gurgles at the very notion that you know how bass is supposed to move.

Kiln – Bluerain (Abstract Colors) – from Kevin Hayes, Kirk Marrison And Clark Rehberg III. the michigan threesome make some of the most beautiful music i have ever heard. if you can’t see the colors, then you be dead.

Sly & The Family Stone – Poet (Funk) – from the reissued ‘there’s a riot goin’ on’, the funkmaster himself. the original prince.

Dino Saluzzi – Imagines… (Jazz) – a master of the bandoneon. saluzzi with a drummer on some pieces creates an incredible collection of music for your body and mind to absorb. it connects on a different level with the subtlety of a piano player using an unconventional instrument to western ears.