rejoice!

5.26.06

Today we featured an hour performance of My Brother, from just across the border in New Lebanon, NY. Randy Nelson has one of the most powerful and soulful voices I've ever heard (he was pinning the level meter, even when his mic was turned off), and Michael Gilbert is a keyboard whiz, throwing in bits of Mozart, Leon Russell, and Floyd Cramer at the right times. And the songs are great.

NEXT WEEK: Dennis Watlington, rock and soul integrationist, who will be talking about his new autobiograhy Chasing America, about giving Bruce Willis his first gig, and spinning tunes.

The Morells, That Mellow Saxophone

Trousers, Anonymous Love Song (from Dice 2 [she says])
Kimmo, Track III
Golem, Odessa

John Hammond, Heart Attack and Vine
Rory Block, Volcano

My Brother performance

Big Al Anderson, Do Nothing Day (feat Sharon Vaughn)
Robbie Fulks, Goodbye Good-lookin'
Emmylou Harris and Spyboy, Deeper Well (live)

Bob Dylan, Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat (from Live 1966)
Flaming Groovies, Shake Some Action
The Ramones, I Believe in Miracles

Henry Threadgill, jenkins boys again, wish somebody die, it's hot

Ezra rocks

I can't help myself. Here's my nephew Ezra shredding on some water-filled wine glasses.

5.19.06

Well, that was a blast. After Jeanne Bassis had her way with Chris Smither (I was outside the studio and the whole building was shaking. The playback reveals some incredible blues going on, and any conversation with Jeanne is definitionally fun. She is a walking riot). Thanks Jeanne! Anytime!

Then at 4 sharp Sibylle (pronounced si-BILL-ah) and Robbie (pronounced DUDE-man) Baier (pronounced BUY-er) showed up for a sit-down. Sibylle was sweet as the day is long, and a great person to interview. The artistic sensibility pours out of her, as does her abiding affection and respect for her son. She made me play a recording Robbie made with a friend when he was ten years old. Not surprisingly, it rocked.

Sibylle sang great, the songs transposed down as much as an octave, but her voice retains that haunting, intimate allure. And she played guitar, the same guitar, in fact, that she recorded The Colour Green with 35 years ago.

She was only ready to play two songs, and that was enough. Her presence, her stories, and her charm carried the day. I hope she'll be back, maybe when the next record (of a number of old recordings, and, yes, a bunch of new ones) comes out.

And if you didn't hear Todd Lewis's interview with Rosanne Cash that aired last night, you really missed something. Watch out for the replay.

Chris Smither interview and performance (with Jeanne Bassis)

The Morells, That Mellow Saxophone
Jackie Leven, And You'll Never Hear Surf Music Again

Melodrome, High Noon Breakdown (feat. Robbie Baier)
Maya Solovey, Linger (prod. by Robbie Baier)
Hector on Stilts, Mom's in Love Again (close personal friends of Robbie Baier)

Sibylle Baier interview and performance

Material, Black Light
Patricia Barber, The Beat Goes On

Chris Smither and Sibylle Baier on SPLATTO!!!!

This rocks hard. Jeanne Bassis is taking over from 2:45-3:30 on Friday with a visit from the legendary Chris Smither who's gigging at Helsinki Friday night. Then, at 4 PM, we've got Sibylle Baier in performance, accompanied by her boy Robbie Baier! If you don't know why this is important, cool, and historic, go Google "Sibylle Baier." And I don't know whether the man in the picture is putting on his pants, or taking them off.

5.12.06 BIFF fever

This one was all songs about movies, mostly. The first annual Berkshire International Film Festival has taken over the town. After the radio show I hit the opening reception, saw the new Altman film Prairie Home Companion (my review: WTF?) and then hunkered down at Helsinki to see So-Called (my review: hysterical!) and binge drank slivovitz with my temporary spiritual advisor, life coach and stunt double Seth Rogovoy.

Ronnie Spector and the E-Street Band, Say Goodbye to Hollywood (Billy Joel cover)
Thelonious Monk Quartet w/ John Coltrane, Monk's Mood

The Morells, That Mellow Saxophone

Public Enemy, Burn, Hollywood, Burn
Beck, Hollywood Reeks
Kool & the Gang, Hollywood Swinging
The Kinks, Celluloid Heroes

Pheonix, I'm an Actor
Pinocchio, Hi Diddle Dee Dee (An Actor's Life is the Life for Me)
Buck Owens, Act Naturally
David Bowie, Cracked Actor
Foo Fighters, Stacked Actors

Ladytron, He Took Her to a Movie
Alien Ant Farm, Movies
Semisonic, Gone to the Movies

Nick Lowe, Marie Provost
Blotto, When the Second Feature Starts
Blotto, My Baby's the Star of a Driver's Ed Movie
David Greenberger w/ Birdsongs of the Mesozoic, They Made a Movie Out of This

De Phazz, Garbo Goodbye
Kim Carnes, Betty Davis Eyes
Sheryl Crow, Steve McQueen
Eytan Mirsky, I Just Wanna Be Your Steve McQueen
Clint Eastwood, I Talk to the Trees (from Paint Your Wagon)

Misfits, Hollywood Babylon
Ry Cooder, Down in Hollywood
Concrete Blonde, Still in Hollywood

Bouncing Souls, These Are the Quotes from Our Favorite 80's Movies
The Drifters, Saturday Night at the Movies

Thelonious Monk Quartet w/ John Coltrane, Sweet and Lovely

Off This Week

We are off this week. We'll be back next week to celebrate the 1st Annual Berkshire International Film Festival. The Phat Man will be playing the blues on Friday afternoon, so turn it the hell up.

And meantime, check this out, especially the old guy in Sample IV. This was released in Australia yesterday....