The Meters: “A Message From The Meters: The Complete Josie, Reprise & Warner Bros. Singles 1968-1977” (2016) CD Review

The Meters, like Booker T. & The MGs, were successful backing other artists, and had hits and plenty of great material on their own as well, including lots of memorable instrumental numbers. A Message From The Meters: The Complete Josie, Reprise & Warner Bros. Singles 1968-1977 is a two-disc set featuring much of the band’s best material, produced by Marshall E. Sehorn and Allen Toussaint. The first disc contains the Josie singles, and the second disc has the Reprise and Warner Bros. singles. This set includes liner notes by Bill Dahl. The Meters still exist as The Funky Meters, but at the time of these recordings the band was made up of Art Neville on organ, Leo Nocentelli on guitar, George Porter Jr. on bass, and Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste on drums. And then Cyril Neville joined on percussion and vocals.

The first disc opens with “Sophisticated Cissy,” the band’s debut single, a groovy, somewhat relaxed instrumental number credited to the entire band and released in 1968. Its flip side, “Sehorns Farms,” is likewise credited to the group. The second single, “Cissy Strut,” is one that should be familiar to everyone (if not this version, then one of the many covers). This great, fun instrumental funk track reached #4 on the R&B chart and #23 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also the lead-off track on the band’s self-titled debut LP. It has such a cool vibe to it, a great song to play at a party. It was paired with “Here Comes The Meter Man,” which is a lot of fun too, and features some good work on organ and some great stuff on guitar over that steady funky rhythm. And it goes into a drum solo as the track fades out.

“Dry Spell” is one of my favorites from this early period, with its groovy beat and catchy hooks. I do wish it were longer (the track is only two minutes or so). I’d love to hear them jam on this one for several more minutes. Its flip side, “Little Old Money Maker,” is another highlight. That’s followed by the first track of the collection to include vocals (but no real lyrics) – “Look-Ka Py Py,” a fantastic tune that reached #11 on the R&B chart and #56 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Chicken Strut” actually begins with some odd shouting before diving head-first into the funk. This one has some actual lyrics (“You just keep on strutting”), as well as some – well – chicken noises, and is another favorite. Like “Look-Ka Py Py,” it reached #11 on the R&B chart, but went a little higher on the pop chart, reaching #50. “Hand Clapping Song” also features some simple lyrics (“Clap your hands now, people clap now/Clap your hands now, people, clap your hands”), and also, as you might expect, hand claps. Yeah, there isn’t much to it, but it’s fun and effective.

“A Message From The Meters,” the song that gives this compilation its title, is the first track in the collection not to be credited to the entire band, but rather just to Leo Nocentelli. And the message? “Get with it, people/Don’t let time pass you by/We can make it/We can make it if we try.” And then, “Get together, get together/We got to get together.” Nothing like a great, funky tune to get people together. Like “Groovy Lady,” also written by Leo Nocentelli. This one was the flip side to “Stretch Your Rubber Band,” and it’s yet another highlight of the first disc, a really cool instrumental.

“(The World Is A Bit Under The Weather) Doodle-Oop” is an interesting track. It was written by Leo Nocentelli and Vincent Toussaint (Allen’s brother), and contains a nod to “Feelin’ Alright” in its lyrics: “The world is a little bit under the weather/And I’m not feeling too good myself.” Its flip side, “I Need More Time,” begins as a slow number, which comes as something of a surprise, sounding so different from everything that’s come before, but it’s not too long before it kicks in, and then things are back to normal.

The second disc opens with “Do The Dirt,” a song that was included on the band’s 1972 LP, Cabbage Alley, their first album on the Reprise label. It was written by Leo Nocentelli, and though it’s a good tune, apparently the single didn’t chart. It’s one of those songs teaching you a new dance, this one called The Dirt, urging us to “Get nasty.” Its flip side, “Smiling,” is a cool instrumental written by Art Neville. The next single was the album’s title track, and its flip side was likewise an instrumental track, this one an interesting, mellow journey mixing jazz into its funk, titled “The Flower Song” (on this CD titled “The Flower”). The two-parter “Chug-Chug-Chug-A-Lug (Push ‘N’ Shove)” was not included on the Cabbage Alley LP (though it was included on the 2001 CD re-issue as two bonus tracks). It was written by Joseph Modeliste and Leo Nocentelli.

“Hey Pocky A-Way” is a song I first heard by the Grateful Dead. They covered it in the 1980s, with Brent Mydland on lead vocals, though it was titled “Hey Pocky Way.” The Meters released it as a single in 1974, and also included it on their Rejuvenation LP. This tune is a whole lot of fun, with a section that is just percussion and vocals. There are also horns on this one. This single version is a bit shorter than the album version. The other single from this album, “People Say,” is also shorter than the album version, this one two minutes shorter. “People Say” is a funky little gem.

The band’s next album, Fire On The Bayou, provided just one single, “They All Ask’d For You,” but it is an absolutely delightful song, one of my favorites, a bundle of New Orleans joy with even something of a country flavor. The flip side is “Running Fast,” and in this instance, the single is actually longer than the album version. At this point, Cyril Neville had joined the group. “Disco Is The Thing Today” was the lead track from the 1976 LP Trick Bag, and yes, it has a disco beat. It is not their best song, but it’s not bad. Their next single was the title track, “Trick Bag,” which is actually a cover, written by Earl King, and it’s a good one. The last single of this collection, “Be My Lady,” was the only Warner Bros. single that the band released. They broke up soon after its release. (It was more than a decade later that The Funky Meters emerged.)

CD Track List

Disc 1

1. Sophisticated Cissy
2. Sehorns Farms
3. Cissy Strut
4. Here Comes The Meter Man
5. Ease Back
6. Ann
7. Dry Spell
8. Little Old Money Maker
9. Look-Ka Py Py
10. This Is My Last Affair
11. Chicken Strut
12. Hey! Last Minute
13. Hand Clapping Song
14. Joog
15. A Message From The Meters
16. Zony Mash
17. Stretch Your Rubber Band
18. Groovy Lady
19. (The World Is A Bit Under The Weather) Doodle-Oop
20. I Need More Time
21. Good Old Funky Music
22. Sassy Lady

Disc 2

1. Do The Dirt
2. Smiling
3. Cabbage Alley
4. The Flower
5. Chug-Chug-Chug-A-Lug (Push ‘N’ Shove) Part I
6. Chug-Chug-Chug-A-Lug (Push ‘N’ Shove) Part II
7. Hey Pocky A-Way
8. Africa
9. People Say
10. Loving You Is On My Mind
11. They All Ask’d For You
12. Running Fast (Long Version)
13. Disco Is The Thing Today
14. Mister Moon
15. Trick Bag
16. Find Yourself
17. Be My Lady
18. No More Okey Doke

A Message From The Meters: The Complete Josie, Reprise & Warner Bros. Singles 1968-1977 was released on September 2, 2016 through Real Gone Music.

Bobby Rush: “Porcupine Meat” (2016) CD Review

Bobby Rush is still going strong, and his new CD, Porcupine Meat, features some great blues tunes, many with a bit of a funky edge to them. The disc contains all original material, written or co-written by Bobby Rush. He is backed by a really good band (including Vasti Jackson on guitar, Shane Theriot on guitar, David Torkanowsky on keys, Cornell Williams on bass, Jeffrey Alexander on drums), and is joined by some special guests, including Keb’ Mo’ and Dave Alvin (Dave Alvin provides that guitar solo on “It’s Your Move”).

He gets things off to a great start with “I Don’t Want Nobody Hanging Around,” a delicious, funky blues tune about not trusting anyone at home with his wife. “Milkman, don’t bring no milk/Mailman, don’t bring no mail/Yard man, don’t call my home/I don’t want nobody while I’m gone.” Hell, some of the people he mentions later I wouldn’t want stopping by even if I were home (bill collectors, preachers). He even addresses the listeners, apparently not trusting us either. “That means you/You and you and you/Especially you.” And I love that horn section. Kirk Joseph is on sousaphone, Barney Floyd is on trumpet, Jeff Albert is on trombone, and Jeff Watkins is on saxophone.

Bobby Rush follows that with the CD’s title track, “Porcupine Meat,” in which he tells us, “I’m in love with a woman/She don’t mean me no good/I would leave that woman/If I could.” This is a kind of humorous, playful tune, and it features some nice harmonica work by Bobby Rush. Sure, there are some clichés: “If you play with fire, you’re bound to get burned” (of course, that line is put in the mouth of his mother, and motherly advice is often in the form of clichés, right?). This track features a lead guitar part by Vasti Jackson. “Got Me Accused” is a slower blues number, about one of those great blues subjects – being accused of a crime one is innocent of (and hey, that’s not his only trouble – “They got me accused of forgery/And I can’t even write my name”). I dig that sousaphone. And listen to that wonderful, plaintive harmonica lead. “Got Me Accused” was written by Bobby Rush and Scott Billington.

Things get fun and funky again with “Snake In The Grass,” a song which provides a warning about trusting people. Hmm, another song about lack of trust? Is everything okay, Bobby? “Boy, you’d better listen/Don’t you move too fast/’Cause when you’re not looking/You’ll find a snake in the grass.” “Snake In The Grass” was written by Bobby Rush, Scott Billington and Johnette Downing. He follows that with “Funk O’ De Funk,” a funky song about being funky. So there. “My music’s funky/As a Mississippi junky.” He then says, “Let me show you what I mean,” leading to a lead part on harmonica. Oh yes! This one also features a cool horn section: Kirk Joseph on sousaphone, Barney Floyd on trumpet, Jeff Albert on trombone, Khari Allen Lee on alto saxophone, Jeff Watkins on tenor saxophone and Roger Lewis on baritone saxophone.

The fun continues with “Catfish Stew,” with lines like “I got a taste of her catfish stew” and “You got the right fishing pole.” There is nothing too subtle about this one, eh?  “Catfish Stew” was written by Bobby Rush, Scott Billington and Johnette Downing. Yes, there are some interesting metaphors on this album; or is “Nighttime Gardener” really about late-night landscaping? It is a fun, bluesy rock tune in which he promises to be the right man to trim your bush, and it features Kep’ Mo’ on slide guitar. “Yes, I’m a nighttime gardener, girl, I’ll cut your yard to please/If I can’t do it standing up, I’ll even get down on my knees.”

In “It’s Your Move,” Bobby is excited by the shortness of a woman’s dress: “You kept on teasing me, girl, with the freaky little things you do/Wearing that short dress, ha, and the sun come shining through/You got me all worked up, girl, and I want to make love to you.” But then in “I Think Your Dress Is Too Short,” he re-thinks his position a bit, as now she is his woman, and he doesn’t want other men seeing the very thing that got him excited in the first place. Ah, there is that air of distrust again. “You walk down the street with your short dress on/Men be looking at you like a dog at a bone.” And then: “You’re my woman, I’m your man/Why, why, why you want to show everything?/I think your dress is too short.” It’s a cool tune, with more nice work on horns. And there is more great stuff on horns on “Standing On Shaky Ground,” particularly on saxophone. I also really like Cornell Williams’ work on bass on this track.

The disc then concludes with “I’m Tired,” a great folky blues number about being tired all the time.  I know the feeling. This is a song that Bobby Rush had recorded before, including it on his 2007 release, Raw. This new rendition, the “Tangle Eye Mix,” develops a good groove over which there is some great work on harmonica. This is one of my favorite tracks; it opens with a cool harmonica solo, and ends with him simply stating, “I’m tired.”

CD Track List

1. I Don’t Want Nobody Hanging Around
2. Porcupine Meat
3. Got Me Accused
4. Snake In The Grass
5. Funk O’ De Funk
6. Me, Myself And I
7. Catfish Stew
8. It’s Your Move
9. Nighttime Gardener
10. I Think Your Dress Is Too Short
11. Standing On Shaky Ground
12. I’m Tired

Porcupine Meat was released on September 16, 2016 on Rounder Records. This is his first album on Rounder.

Dolly Parton: “Pure & Simple” (2016) CD Review

Dolly Parton, now 70, is still putting out really good albums. Her new release, Pure & Simple, features some sweet and straightforward country tunes, without unnecessary adornment. All of the CD’s songs were written by Dolly Parton, though a couple of tunes are older, with different versions appearing on earlier releases by Porter Wagoner And Dolly Parton. These are mostly love songs, touching upon various aspects of that ever-intriguing, ever-beguiling, ever-delighting emotion. On this CD she is joined on various tracks by Tom Rutledge on acoustic guitar and banjo, Jimmy Mattingly on mandolin and fiddle, Richard Dennison on piano, Paul Hollowell on piano and organ, Paul Franklin on steel guitar, Kent Wells on electric guitar, Kevin Grantt on upright bass, Steve Mackey on electric bass, Tom Hoey on drums, and Steve Turner on drums. She is also joined by several backing vocalists on certain tracks, and by a string quartet on the CD’s final track. But the focus here is clearly on Dolly’s vocals.

The album opens with its title track, “Pure And Simple,” a sweet love song with an easygoing vibe. “Every time I think about you/I get chills along my spine/It’s a feeling I’m not used to/Can’t believe you’re really mine.” It’s about finding that true love later in life. “Like a dream we finally found it/Pure and simple; well, good for us.” That line makes me smile every time. It’s a nice, positive song to set the tone for the CD. Jimmy Mattingly plays mandolin on this track. Richard Dennison and Monty Lane Allen provide backing vocals.

“Say Forever You’ll Be Mine” is one of the songs she recorded previously with Porter Wagoner. It was the title track to their 1975 LP, and was also released as a single. This new version is much simpler and more intimate, with just vocals, guitar and fiddle. It’s a beautiful love song.  “Darling I won’t promise you/That we’ll be happy all the time/But forever I am yours/Say forever you’ll be mine.” This version includes a spoken word section toward the end. She delivers part of “Never Not Love You” as breathy spoken word toward the end too. It is Tom Rutledge’s banjo that I most appreciate about that track.

On “Can’t Be That Wrong” Dolly delivers a different take on cheating, yearning for a lover and being plagued by “Torn Between Two Lovers” on the jukebox, while determining “Anything that feels this right can’t be that wrong.” This song contains a reference to the ten commandments and another biblical reference in the line “The spirit’s always willing, but the flesh is weak again.” Matthew 26:41 reads, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” In the following song, “Outside Your Door,” Dolly sings, “Might not be the right thing to do/But I swear it doesn’t feel wrong.” Though in this one she is not necessarily (or explicitly) cheating on someone, just visiting a man for sex, for passion.

“Tomorrow Is Forever” is the other song that Dolly recorded earlier with Porter Wagoner. It’s a gorgeous song. I first heard this one on a Grateful Dead concert tape. They covered it a few times in the 1970s, with Jerry Garcia singing it as a duet with Donna Jean Godchaux. I remember being surprised to learn the Grateful Dead covered Dolly Parton, but of course they covered a lot of great country artists over the years. This song has a slightly different feel now that we’re all a bit older. “I care not for yesterday/I love you as you are today/And yesterday just helped to pass the time while waiting/We must forget, we will in time/My love for you is the real kind.” Dolly’s vocals are wonderful, and I love Paul Franklin’s work on steel guitar on this rendition. This is one of my favorites.

She follows that one with a fun tune titled “I’m Sixteen,” about how love makes us feel young and often act young. “And I will be sixteen forever/Just as long as you love me.” This song even contains a Beach Boys reference: “We’ll go steady ‘til our daddy takes the T-Bird away.” And she laughs at herself a bit toward the end, asking if she looks sixteen and quickly saying you don’t have to answer that. Then “Head Over High Heels” is a delightful love song that raises my spirits and makes me smile each time I listen to it. “Have mercy on my soul, I’m losin’ control/Head over high heels and I can’t get enough.” The CD then concludes with “Forever Love,” a beautiful and moving love song that features a string quartet. David Davidson and David Angell play violin, Kristin Wilkinson is on viola, and Anthony LaMarchina is on cello. “You touch me; it’s like no one else ever touched me/Kiss me, and all other kisses just fade/No other arms come to mind when you hold me.” Ah, yes!

CD Track List

1. Pure And Simple
2. Say Forever You’ll Be Mine
3. Never Not Love You
4. Kiss It (And Make It Better)
5. Can’t Be That Wrong
6. Outside Your Door
7. Tomorrow Is Forever
8. I’m Sixteen
9. Head Over High Heels
10. Forever Love

Pure & Simple was released on August 19, 2016 through Dolly Records and RCA.

The Monkees at Pantages Theatre, 9-16-16 Concert Review

To celebrate their fiftieth anniversary (holy moly, we are all getting old), The Monkees have been touring the states. For most of the tour it’s been just Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork, but it was announced approximately a month ago that Mike Nesmith would join them for the Los Angeles show at the Pantages Theatre. Peter Tork ended up missing the two shows before this one (both in Arizona) due to a family emergency, and interestingly Mike Nesmith was able to fill in for him at both shows, and so had a chance to play the songs again before his scheduled stop in L.A. The word is the L.A. show might very well be Mike Nesmith’s final show with the band. He indicated as much on his web page. And perhaps for that reason, the show sold out (although maybe it would have sold out anyway). Before the show I talked with several people who had flown in from other states for this concert specifically for that reason.

The doors were open when I arrived, at approximately 6:40 p.m., but the inside doors were still shut. So we couldn’t yet take our seats, and I was told they wouldn’t allow seating until 7:30 p.m. I thought that was interesting, as the start time listed on the tickets was 7:30. Maybe the idea was that given an hour to do nothing but hang out in the lobby, people would spent a lot of money on drinks and merchandise. I took a look at the merchandise table, but I don’t really need another T-shirt. I was hoping there might be some special live CD, available only at shows. Oh well, no matter. I wasn’t there for shopping, but to enjoy an excellent concert.

They ended up letting us take our seats at 7:15. And to my dismay I discovered that I didn’t have an aisle seat. I had specifically bought an aisle seat in the last row, so that I could dance without bothering anyone (also, I’m a bit claustrophobic), but it turned out the last row went straight across without a break. Something to note for future shows. The venue, by the way, is quite pretty, quite ornate. At 7:38 p.m., there was an announcement that the concert would start soon, that they wanted to give the rest of the folks a chance to get in and take their seats, that traffic was bad. When is traffic not bad on a Friday in Los Angeles?

Then at precisely 8 p.m. the “Theme From The Monkees” was played over the speakers, while the two opening credit sequences (season one and season two) were shown on a split screen behind the stage. And then the band came out and kicked off the show with “Last Train To Clarksville,” with Micky on acoustic guitar. The show moved at a brisk pace, especially at the start, with little or no stage banter between songs, and sometimes hardly a pause. In fact, at various times during this show, they went from one song straight into another, something I expect at Dead & Company and Yonder Mountain shows, but certainly not at Monkees concerts. It was a wonderful surprise. (Just look at those arrows in the set list.) They followed “Last Train To Clarksville” with “Papa Gene’s Blues,” always one of my favorites. The “Play, magic fingers” line got a big cheer from the audience. Mike then left the stage, and Micky got behind the drum kit for “Your Auntie Grizelda” and “Saturday’s Child.” It wasn’t until after “She” that we really got any stage banter, with a little introduction to “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You,” with Peter on acoustic guitar.

Mike returned to the stage for “She Makes Me Laugh,” the first song of the night from the band’s new album, Good Times!, and also the first song of the night to feature Peter Tork on banjo. By the way, if you haven’t yet picked up Good Times!, I highly recommend doing so. It’s one of my favorite CDs of the year. They followed “She Makes Me Laugh” with “The Girl I Knew Somewhere.” But for me, the highlight of the first set was what followed: a seriously sweet rendition of “Sometime In The Morning,” with Micky’s vocals sounding so good, going straight into “Me & Magdalena,” which is probably the best song from the new CD. Mike and Micky were at their best vocally on this number. It was really beautiful.

Mike left the stage again, and Peter  then talked about using the Way Back Machine to go back in time and evoke the voice of Davy Jones for the next number, “Shades Of Grey,” a song that always affects me. And yes, a recording of Davy Jones was used at the beginning of the song. The images on the screen were all in black and white for this song. Peter then put what they jokingly referred to as a “table cloth” on Mickey before they started “Randy Scouse Git” (watch the band play the song in the old episode of the television series, and you’ll know what I’m talking about; and while you watch that segment, pay close attention to Mike Nesmith in the background at the beginning – he’s fucking hilarious). Peter then talked a bit about the television show, and that led into “For Pete’s Sake,” with Peter on lead vocals.

Mike returned again for “You Bring The Summer,” another fun, catchy tune from the new album. That was followed by “Listen To The Band” straight into “What Am I Doing Hangin’ ‘Round?” to end the first set. The first set ended at 8:55 p.m.

During the set break, Monkees music played softly over the speakers, including “Love Is Only Sleeping,” and so I guessed I wouldn’t be hearing that one performed live. The two Monkees songs that I’ve never seen them do, but which I would love to see performed are “Auntie’s Municipal Court” and “Love Is Only Sleeping,” and I figured if this truly was Mike’s last show with the band, then it was my final chance to get to see them do “Love Is Only Sleeping.” Also during the set break, footage of the band talking about the new album was shown.

At 9:15 p.m., they came out to kick off the second set with “Mary Mary” straight into “Circle Sky,” a great, high-energy section of the show. They followed that with two more songs from Head – “Porpoise Song” and “Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again.” “Words” is a Monkees song I am always excited to hear, and they did a great version of it last night, and followed it with another excellent song, “Sunny Girlfriend,” which then led straight into “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone.” During “Steppin’ Stone,” Micky and Peter joked with someone in the front row. They interacted with folks in the front a few times during the course of the show.

For me, one of the highlights of the second set was “You Just May Be The One” into “You Told Me” into “Birth Of An Accidental Hipster.” That whole segment was fantastic, and Peter was on banjo for all three tunes. “Birth Of An Accidental Hipster” is one of the most interesting songs from the new album, and I like it more and more each time I hear it. Mike then left the stage again, and Micky sang “Goin’ Down,” at one point early in the song putting the microphone in front of one of those folks in the first row, letting her sing several lines. That song also included band introductions (the band, by the way, included family members Christian Nesmith and Coco Dolenz). That led to another of the show’s highlights, “D.W. Washburn.” I love hearing the band do rare numbers like this one. At many stops on this tour they also did “Steam Engine,” but not in L.A. (As far as the band dipping into their lesser played material, the best show I ever saw them do was in Lowell, Massachusetts in 2011. You can check out the set list here.) Anyway, “D.W. Washburn” was a delight, and at the end Micky repeated the line, “I’m feeling fine,” a nice touch.

As great as that was, it was followed by one of the best moments of the night. The band left the stage, and Mike Nesmith played “Tapioca Tundra” solo. He first talked a bit about the song, and how it came about after The Monkees had played their first gig in Hawaii, how the song was sort of a reaction to that experience. He played the song as he had originally arranged it, and it was wonderful. It was a beautiful, moving rendition, and his vocals sounded excellent. The band then wrapped up the second set with “Daydream Believer.” Micky joked, “If you know the lyrics, don’t sing along – it puts me off.” But they used a recording of Davy’s vocals for the lead anyway. People in the front held up cards with the lyrics on them, one word per card. By the way, people, please don’t wave your cell phones around as if they were lighters. That’s retarded. The first time I saw people do that, I laughed, because I thought it was offered in the spirit of a joke. But now it just strikes me as sad.

The encores were “Pleasant Valley Sunday” and “I’m A Believer.” And then as the three Monkees took their bows, the rest of the band played an instrumental version of “Theme From The Monkees.” The show ended at 10:14 p.m.

Concert Set List

Set I

1. Last Train To Clarksville
2. Papa Gene’s Blues
3. Your Auntie Grizelda
4. Saturday’s Child
5. She
6. A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You
7. She Makes Me Laugh
8. The Girl I Knew Somewhere
9. Sometime In The Morning >
10. Me & Magdalena
11. Shades Of Grey
12. Randy Scouse Git
13. For Pete’s Sake
14. You Bring The Summer
15. Listen To The Band >
16. What Am I Doing Hangin’ ‘Round?

 Set II

1. Mary Mary >
2. Circle Sky
3. Porpoise Song
4. Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again
5. Words
6. Sunny Girlfriend >
7. (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone
8. You Just May Be The One >
9. You Told Me >
10. Birth Of An Accidental Hipster
11. Goin’ Down
12. D.W. Washburn
13. Tapioca Tundra
14. Daydream Believer

Encore

1. Pleasant Valley Sunday
2. I’m A Believer
3. Theme From The Monkees (Outro) 

Was this really Mike Nesmith’s final Monkees show? I don’t know. Here are a few photos from the show:

"Last Train To Clarksville"

"Your Auntie Grizelda"

"She Makes Me Laugh"

"Tapioca Tundra"

"Pleasant Valley Sunday"

"Pleasant Valley Sunday"

"I'm A Believer"

End of the show

 

And here is a photo of the venue before the show started:

 

The Pantages Theatre is located at 6233 Hollywood Blvd. in Los Angeles.

Yael Naim at The Hotel Café, 9-15-16 Concert Review

Yael Naim performing "Make A Child"

Last night Yael Naim put on an absolutely fantastic show at The Hotel Café, completely owning the crowd, never an easy feat in Los Angeles. She focused on material from her latest album, Older, which was just released in the U.S. (though was released in France last year). The band for this show was the trio of Yael Naim, David Donatien and Daniel Romeo.

After a good opening set by Adam Topol, Yael Naim took the stage at 8:12 p.m. She quietly walked on the stage and spoke a soft “Hello,” which hushed the noisy crowd. She then began the set with “If You Could See,” a version of which is on the deluxe edition of Older (which I need to get my hands on soon). For this song she played electric guitar, and David Donatien was on bass. She then switched to keyboard and glockenspiel for “I Walk Until,” with David on the drum kit, and Daniel Romeo joining them on bass.  “I Walk Until” is the opening track of Older, and it’s a song I love. Daniel Romeo provided some really nice accents on bass. They followed that with “Make A Child,” also from Older. Yael began this one with a keyboard solo, with little touches on bass by Daniel – a great intro. She then paused before starting the main body of the song, and the room was completely silent, which is amazing (seriously, I can’t stress this enough, what a rare thing it is for an audience to be that attentive, for everyone to be in the moment and focused; it shouldn’t be rare, of course, but it is). This was a joyful, powerful performance of “Make A Child.” After that one, she asked for more volume in the monitor, and then offered a quiet “Hello, L.A.” I don’t know if the low volume when she spoke was deliberately designed to draw us in, but it certainly had that effect.

It also then surprised the audience when she really belted out certain lines of the next song, “Dream In My Head.” She started this one with a keyboard solo too, then delivered the first lines a cappella. And wow, she made a really strong connection with the audience in that moment. She sang a few lines a cappella near the end as well. But in the middle she really put a lot of power behind her vocals. This was an incredible rendition, including some great stuff on bass too, one of the highlights of the night. She followed that with another highlight, “Coward,” the song that first got me really interested in her. On the album, she is backed by a choir on this song, and I was wondering how effective the song would be without those singers backing her. Well, I shouldn’t have been concerned. In fact, David and Daniel left the stage for this song, and Yael performed it solo, and it was a haunting, emotional, gorgeous rendition. Yael did the backing vocals herself, and delivered the power of the choir with just her one voice. Incredible.

David and Daniel then returned to the stage for the first cover of the night, Britney Spears’ “Toxic.” I’m not really a Britney Spears fan (though I admit I do own one of her CDs – Greatest Hits: My Prerogative), but I don’t think you have to be a Britney Spears fan to enjoy what Yael Naim does with her song. First of all, I love what David does on drums. And then partway through the song, Yael directly engaged the audience, getting them to repeat “Now.” It was actually a fun and funny moment, and the audience got really into it. “Show me that you’re ready now.” By the way, Yael Naim did include “Toxic” on one of her earlier albums. It was after “Toxic” that Yael Naim talked to the audience, telling the crowd, “We are very happy to be here.” She spoke about the new album, and about the birth of her first child. While she spoke, Daniel played bass, almost making it a spoken word piece.

They then did a couple of other songs from the new CD – “Trapped” and “Walk Walk.” During “Walk Walk,” she walked out into the audience, getting more participation from the crowd. (I think she was able to get more from the audience at this venue than any other artist I’ve ever seen perform there.) By the way, there was also some great work on drums on this song. Yael returned to the keyboard, and introduced “New Soul” by saying “Maybe you know this one.” Indeed, the audience did, and they sang along. It’s a happy, catchy song, and that’s how she ended the set.

There is something strange about Los Angeles audiences, and it varies from venue to venue, but they often don’t expect encores, and so won’t clap all that long for one. The applause started to die down a bit, but then became a steady clap, and Yael Naim returned to the stage a minute or so later.  She performed “Ima” solo on glockenspiel. This is another tune from Older. She then switched to guitar for “Yashanti,” with David and Daniel joining her. After hearing her belt out certain songs, it was interesting to hear her whisper “One second,” while tuning her guitar. She then did another cover, this time Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy.” For this, Daniel left the stage, and Yael played guitar and David played glockenspiel. Yael and David then concluded the night with “Older,” the title track from the new CD, with David playing keyboard. The show ended at 9:31 p.m.

Set List

1. If You Could See
2. I Walk Until
3. Make A Child
4. Dream In My Head
5. Coward
6. Toxic
7. Trapped
8. Walk Walk
9. New Soul 

Encore

1. Ima
2. Yashanti
3. Crazy
4. Older

Here are a few photos from the show:

"If You Could See"

"Coward"

 

"Trapped"

 

"Walk Walk"

"Ima"

 

"Yashanti"

 

"Older"

 

If you get the chance to see Yael Naim in concert, I highly recommend you do so. Tonight she is playing in Boulder, and tomorrow in Portland, Oregon. She then goes to Israel and then back to France. But it looks like she’ll be doing a couple of shows in New York in December.

Lefteris Kordis: “Mediterrana (Goddess Of Light)” (2016) CD Review

Lefteris Kordis is a pianist based in Boston (though born in Athens, Greece). His new release, Mediterrana (Goddess Of Light), is an interesting and at times beautiful journey, featuring mostly original material, with one exception. For this CD, the core is the trio of Koris on piano, Petros Klampanis on acoustic bass, and Ziv Ravitz on drums. Several guest musicians join them on various tracks.

The CD opens with “In The Land Of Phrygians,” a composition that Lefteris Kordis had recorded earlier and released on his Oh Raven If You Only Had Brains CD (it was the opening track on that disc as well). On this track, Lefteris Kordis plays synthesizer as well as piano, and is joined by Harris Lambrakis on ney, an instrument that plays a key part in this intriguing journey, even setting the tone at the very beginning. This piece can become dark and strange, then move swiftly to a place of beauty, like to a sudden paradise within a foreign land, and then on from there. Things become a bit wild toward the end, setting us at unease, mostly accomplished by Ziv Ravitz’s work on drums. From there, we go to “Yota,” which starts as a pretty, though somewhat dark and haunting piano piece. (And of course I can’t help but think, “Yota, you seek Yota,” but that’s really my own hang-up.) The bass and drums come in partway through, and at one point this track features a great bass lead by Petros Klampanis, with the piano and drums softly beneath it. But it is the gorgeous work on piano that really drives this piece.

“Mediterrana,” the CD’s title track, features some delicious, romantic playing by Vasilis Kostas on laouto. This tune becomes light, playful, joyful, a song of romance and some adventure. Roni Eytan adds some great work on harmonica, and Sergio Martinez Diaz joins on percussion, playing cajon on this track, and also adds those hand claps. This is one of my personal favorites. We all crave and perhaps need this kind of romance in some way, don’t we? That’s followed by “Deep Green,” which has a quiet, introspective vibe, like being alone in a clearing with one’s thoughts while starting to notice the surrounding world gradually coming more and more alive. Roni Eytan adds some nice touches on harmonica.

“The Raven And The Fox” is another composition that had been included on Oh Raven If You Only Had Brains. This version by the trio has something of a quirky nature that I really like. Vasilis Kostas again joins the group on laouto for “Journey With Pilgrims,” though his playing on this track has a very different feel from that on “Mediterrana.” And Roni Eytan is again on harmonica.

The one cover on this CD is The Beatles’ “And I Love Her,” a song from the band’s A Hard Day’s Night record. It begins with some great work on drums by Ziv Ravitz before it settles into the familiar theme on piano. This version goes in some interesting directions, and includes a good lead part on bass, without ever really abandoning its theme. The CD then concludes with “Nas,” a quieter, mellower piece. Roni Eytain is on harmonica (for just a moment, it sounds like he ventures into “Lara’s Theme” from Doctor Zhivago), and Alec Spiegelman joins the group on clarinet.

CD Track List

1. In The Land Of Phrygians
2. Yota
3. Mediterrana
4. Deep Green
5. The Raven And The Fox
6. Journey With Pilgrims
7. And I Love Her
8. Nas

Mediterrana (Goddess Of Light) was released on July 26, 2016 on Inner Circle Music.

Yael Naim: “Older” (2015/2016) CD Review

I listen to a lot of music, a lot of really good music. That’s the point of this blog, really, to let folks know that there is a whole lot of good music out there waiting to be heard. But sometimes I’ll hear a new song that just completely blows me away, that stands apart from the rest, that almost unnerves me in some way. Such was the case with “Coward” by Yael Naim. Once I heard it, I couldn’t get enough of it. I wanted to feast on that song. And then, of course, I wanted to hear more from her. Older, the CD which includes that song, is an excellent pop album showing Yael Naim’s strengths as both singer and songwriter. She wrote or co-wrote (with David Donatien) all of its tracks. Yael Naim was born in France and raised in Israel, and now lives in Paris. This disc was apparently released in France last year, and it has now been released here in the United States.

“I Walk Until,” the CD’s opening track, has something of a playful, youthful vibe. And as the song continues, it begins to feel like a celebration, perhaps a personal one. “I Walk Until” was written by Yael Naim and David Donatien, and on this track Yael Naim plays glockenspiel. It’s followed by “Make A Child,” a delightful pop song that also features glockenspiel. “You can make a child/But you’re going to have to undo/Everything you are/Everything you thought that you knew.” And when she hits those playful high notes, I can’t help but smile. And then there are those glorious backing vocals. Is there a better song about considering and entering parenthood? This music makes me feel so bloody good. This song was inspired by the birth of Yael and David’s child.

“Dream In My Head” has a more serious, somewhat haunting feel, and features an excellent vocal performance by Yael Naim. “I saw some children playing with guns/I can’t believe what we’ve become/And I found some letters, written by god/But they were signed with our own blood.” This is a song I love more each time I listen to it. Arnaud Thorette plays violin and viola. That is followed by “Coward,” the first song I heard from this album. It took a few moments, but once this song had hold of me, it wouldn’t let go. Nor did I want it to. It was the moment when the choir began to sing the word “coward,” part chastisement, part praise from angels, and completely unexpected and unusual, lifting her, enveloping her in wings and light and voice. I think I listened to this one song for nearly an hour straight, then craved to hear other songs from this amazing artist. This is an incredible song, easily one of the best of the year (though, actually, it was released last year, so let’s just say it’s one of the best songs of the last couple of years). It’s all vocals and piano, and is absolutely wonderful.

“Trapped” is pop with a tremendous amount of soul, and it is quite effective. It has a full sound, coming mainly from Yael Naim’s powerful vocals, but also from Clément Oury on tuba, François Bonhomme on French horn, and Arnaud Thorette on violin and viola. This is yet another strong track on this fantastic album. It’s followed by “Ima,” which is so pretty and delicate, like a child’s dream song. Part of it is sung in Hebrew and part in Creole (and yes, part in English). Leyla McCalla joins Yael on vocals, and also plays both banjo and cello (two instruments I love, but which rarely think of together).

“Walk Walk” then begins with a beat that includes handclaps, which comes as a surprise. This song is some strange, wonderful combination of 1960s pop and gospel, with a great bass line by David Donatien. “Take Me Down” has something of that style too. “Bring me back into the past/Just for making me belong to you/Bring me back into the dust/I no longer want to hate you, hate you.”

“Older,” the CD’s title track, is another amazing song, another of my favorites. It quietly commands your attention, with Yael Naim’s vocals accompanied by just acoustic guitar and piano. “I will follow you wherever you’re going/all those years are passing by/now that it’s over, still I’m/here beside you before you’re leaving.” Beautiful and sad. This CD then concludes with “Meme Iren Song,” a strange one in its presentation, for there is a lot of noise in the background, like it was recorded outside where people were going about their business. It creates a strange effect, for it’s like the song and the noise are of two different worlds or times, and both, as a result, feel fleeting. “’Cause now it’s time for you to go/You came here a long, long time ago/You told me not to be afraid of the storm/It only brings you back home.”

CD Track List

1. I Walk Until
2. Make A Child
3. Dream In My Head
4. Coward
5. Trapped
6. Ima
7. Walk Walk
8. Take Me Down
9. Older
10. Meme Iren Song

Older was released on September 2, 2016.