5.25.2006

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

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Grace Potter is a bluesy 22-year-old phenom hailing from Vermont that has knocked my socks off. Her voice gets comparisons to Aretha Franklin, Norah Jones, Bonnie Raitt and Janis Joplin. But she also is an amazing musician wailing away on her B-3 Hammond Organ, piano and acoustic. The rest of the band is most definitely holding up their own too. Brian Dondero's bass thumping keeps the music moving.
At this year's Jammy Awards (for jam-bands, duh!) Grace was said by many to have stolen the show which featured the Who's-who of the jamband community by laying organ and jaw-dropping vocals on a smokin' cover of "Cortez the Killer." (Scroll down. Yes, there it is.) 2006 looks to be the year that Grace and the boys take over. Just wait. You'll see.

Myspace Page
Official Page

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - 2-22 (from "Live Oh Five)
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Joey
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Somebody Fix Me
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Toothbrush and My Table
Grace Potter - Skinny Woman (Solo Acoustic)
Grace Potter, Steve Vai and Others - Cortez the Killer (Live)


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Joan Baez Sittin' in a Tree

Expect some music later toady, but until then, I think this story is important:

Joan Baez in Tree to Help Save Garden

LOS ANGELES -- Folk singer Joan Baez and tree-sitter Julia "Butterfly" Hill have taken up residence in a tree to raise awareness about a 14-acre urban farm threatened with demolition.

Hill, who lived in a redwood in Northern California for more than two years to prevent loggers from cutting it down, said Tuesday that she, Baez and others will occupy the tree in shifts.

Two door-sized platforms have been placed in the tree for the sitters, and a support group has set up an encampment on the ground.

Hundreds of farmers could face evictions after The Trust for Public Land came up $10 million short in its bid to buy the site. The nonprofit group was not able to raise the $16.35 million required by the time the purchase option expired Monday.

The trust signed a contract in April with landowner Ralph Horowitz to buy 10 of the 14 acres in south Los Angeles where about 350 families, most of them working-class immigrants from Central America, tend small plots of fruits and vegetables.

Hill said she was protesting now because Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has pledged support for the farmers but has not come through yet.

Villaraigosa's spokesman did not immediately return a message left after business hours Tuesday.

Deputy Mayor Larry Frank has said the city was trying to help the farmers move to other sites, including an 8-acre plot which can accommodate 200 of them.

5.17.2006

Imogen Heap on the Radio

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It looks like this Monday night I might be heading out to Lawrence, Ks. to go see the wonderful Miss Imogen Heap. I'm pretty darn excited about it being as I am a big fan of her. So I thought this would be a wonderful time to share the wonder of live Imogen via two radio sessions, the first from KCRW and the second from KBCO, which I believe is out of Boulder, CO. The solo piano version of "Let Go" is particularly stunning.

Enjoy!

Imogen Heap - Headlock (KCRW)
Imogen Heap - Hide and Seek (KCRW)
Imogen Heap - Just For Now (KCRW)
Imogen Heap - The Moment I Said It (KCRW)
Imogen Heap - The Walk (KCRW)
Imogen Heap - Goodnight and Go (KCBO)
Imogen Heap - Let Go (KCBO)

5.05.2006

It's My Obligation

I haven't been feeling particularly well lately so that kinda explains my lack of posts. So here's some of the great stuff I've been listening to lately.

These songs are all HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

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The Most Serene Republic - The Protagonist Suddenly Realizes What He Must Do in the Middle of Downtown Traffic

Most Serene Republic rocks. And they rock hard. The band features some Broken Socialites and a rhythm section that blows away any hard rockers out there.

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Tristan Prettyman - November (Demo)
Take all the best elements from Jason Mraz, G.Love and Special Sauce, John Butler Trio and Jack Johnson and then you have Tristan Prettyman. Heck, she's even better than that because she's a far better songwriter than any of those guys. Girls are awesome.

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The Softies - Sleep Away Your Troubles
Sweet sweet pop music for fans of The Concretes, The Lucksmiths and other sweet sweet pop bands like them. Don't make me say the "t"-word. Please don't.

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Grace Potter (Of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals) - Skinny Woman (Solo Acoustic)
Grace kicks out some wicked blues music and for this breif classic blues cover (which she supposedly learned while touring with North Mississppi All-Stars) she kicks it out down and dirty. She can make Bonnie Raitt quiver in her boots with this one. Keep an eye out for more GP in the next couple of weeks.

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Joan as Police Woman - Eternal Flame
I first heard of Joan as Police Woman a couple of years ago when she opened for Rufus Wainnwright. She came out and was terrible. I even heard a couple of scattered boos. So when her upcoming disk, Real Life, "came across my desk", i fully intended to skip over it, but I was strongly encouraged to give her a second try and I am quite glad I did. It's hard to tell just by listening to her what her influences are but the vocals are intense and wicked soulful. The layering on this track makes it an aural delight. Don't pass over it like I nearly did.

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Jack Johnson and Ben Harper - High Tide or Low Tide (Live)
I've heard a number of recordings of these two playing this song, but this take from the Kokua Festival possibly takes the cake. They manage to intertwine their guitars and laid back vocals on the Marley classic amazingly.

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Bill Cosby - Questions and Answers
This is wrong on so many levels. I am unaware as to where this track came from but it is Bill Cosby talking to a bunch of kids about drugs. I love when one kids refers to marijuana as "proud mary". That is kinda crazy.