Dark Holler: Old Love Songs and Ballads

This is spine chilling stuff. These a capella songs existed before, and were an integral part of what was to become Bill Monroe's bluegrass sound. Some of the cadences carried through, and the tonalities of the voices. The songs themselves vary in topic, some tragic, some humorous. Some will make your heart ache, others will have you slapping your knee in fits of laughter.

I have a soft spot for the more raw products of this region, and it doesn't get much more stripped down than this.

Folkways does it again with a superior reissue.

Derek Bailey, RIP

Guitarist / visionary / humorist Derek Bailey died on Christmas Day.

It is with heavy heart that I write this today, as selfishly, I was never able to see this master at work in person. The world is minus one great mind once again. Mr. Bailey's innovations on records are one of the things that truly changed the way that I hear music.

The rig is now complete.

Gratuitous gear post:

New and blue all-tube class-A Epiphone Galaxie 10 amp, and a Danelectro FAB distortion pedal. Oh, does it sound fine!

Dandy Warhols live 12-7-2005!

This was a killer show.

More weed was smoked around me than when I went to the Wailers concert earlier this year. I could taste it when I left. Geez.

Courtney Taylor Taylor stuck to playing his hollow-body Fender guitar, whilst the other guitar slinger in the band switched between each song. He had all sorts of things - a Fender Jaguar, Gibson SG, etc. Zia McCabe [the hot key-bass and tabourine / maraca player] stood right in front of us, shaking the instruments.

I was quite surprised how many of the tunes I knew. I am quite familiar with their album from the late 90s that featured thier big hit "Not if you were the last junkie on earth"; they played a few tunes from that one included the somewhat obligatory "Minnesoter." Love that one.

Over two hours they played. That seems like a marathon for a non-jam band. Two thumbs up.

Race and Class: Hip-Hop

The ever-fabulous Open Source from PRI radio show / podcast / blog is soon to feature an episode on 12/12 about race, class, and hip-hop. It should prove to be interesting.

Here's to hoping they don't get Stanley Crouch as a guest...