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Pow!
Pow! Pow!
This troupe of seven rogue punk rockers with a soft spot for electronica are making dance music for urbanites and hipsters, but they bristle when it's referred to as "danceable indie rock." These tripsters chose three symbols as their name partly to be unconventional and partly to let people interpret the name as they pleased — it could be any three repetitive sounds, but most people vocalize it as "chk chk chk." The band shares three members with Out Hud, including Tyler Pope, who also runs with LCD Soundsystem. !!! formed in Sacramento in 1997 as a reaction against the emo and indie scenes and what they saw as a city-wide propensity to dress in mod black, too cool to even stand when their favorite band was on stage. These guys, as unlikely as it seems, truly love shaking their asses. Moving to Brooklyn in 2000 affirmed their status as dance laureates to the world and brought their funked-up '70s soul interpreted through '80s post-punk to the masses. Like most good dance bands before them, !!! doesn't delve too deeply into politics, ("you can tell the president to suck my fucking dick," from Louden Up Now's song "Pardon My Freedom") and all they ever really needed to know they learned from smoking pot and taking acid. While the music cribs from funky soul, disco and techno, the sound is a mash of all three, with a big rebellious streak thrown in. They also wear their drug culture on their sleeves, but don't want to be associated with anything too hippie. !!! is touring on the strength of a new CD single, 17 minutes of two cover tracks: Nate Dogg's "Get Up," the most soulful song I have ever heard white men play, and the Magnetic Fields' "Take Ecstasy With Me."
Rebel
Music In 1950, Look magazine ran a review of a recording of avant garde composer Edgard Varese's 1931 percussion classic, "Ionisation," which somehow transformed the sounds of various drums and other clanging and banging instruments, sirens and piano into an evocative exploration of musical texture. A 10-year-old aspiring musician in California read the review, and was so intrigued by Varese's photo that he bought the record, loved it, and a few years later tracked down Varese's New York phone number and called him long distance.
That kid, Frank Zappa, later won fame as a satirical rock musician but never forgot his earliest influence. He eventually conducted Varese's music and, just before he died, recorded an album of it. On Monday, Nov. 26, the Oregon Percussion Ensemble will pay tribute to Frank Zappa in a Beall Hall concert featuring guest musicians from the Eugene Symphony, 10 marimbas, six drumsets, electric violins, bass and a partridge in a pear tree. They'll play versions of Zappa's The Black Page, the world premiere of OPE director Charles Dowd's "Magnesium Zapp No. 11" (influenced by Zappa's "Yellow Shark"), Christopher Deane's ethereal "Vespertine Formations" and, of course, "Ionisation." Varese's orchestra gave the American premiere of another landmark work by another 20th century musical rebel: Arnold Schoenberg's (in)famous song cycle, Pierrot Lunaire. One of the first large scale works to slip the bounds of conventional tonality, it used strange half-singing, half speaking technique to convey the story of a sad commedia del'arte clown who sings to the moon and torments the stupid clown Cassander. A metaphor for the crazy suffering artist's relationship to his audience, it's a wild piece that influenced, for better and worse, a great deal of 20th century art music. And you can hear it for free at 5:30 pm on Saturday, Dec. 3 when the Eugene Contemporary Chamber Ensemble (a new student group dedicated to rarely heard music from the 20th and 21st centuries) plays it and other Schoenbergiana at Beall Hall. Other recommended UO shows include the Oregon Wind Ensemble on Nov. 29 (Mozart, Copland and more) and University Symphony on Nov. 30 (more Mozart, Vivaldi, et al). A few holiday shows also deserve a mention. The Collegium Musicum sings and plays medieval English carols in a free show at Collier House on Nov. 29. And four UO choral groups will play 20th century music, including Francis Poulenc's lovely "O Magnum Mysterium" and Peter (PDQ) Schickele's "Three Choruses" setting e.e. cummings poems to music with an audience sing-along. Eugene composer/pianist and UO music alum Rebecca Oswald will perform some of her lush, neo-romantic piano music (in the tradition of Mendelssohn's "Songs Without Words") at a CD release party at DIVA on Nov. 25; fans of George Winston and his musical kin should check this out. And Zappa himself might approve of the eccentric Gothic cello rock (not to mention the way-back vintage costumes) of Rasputina, who can swoop from a Pink Floyd cover to wry punky pop to postclassical cello duets in the same set. They're at the WOW Hall on Dec. 4.
Bohren's Blues Spencer Bohren was lucky: He and his family were able to drive their PT Cruiser laden with food, clothing and precious belongings out of New Orleans, as the ferocity of Hurricane Katrina bore down upon the city. Count him also among the unlucky, as the city he has claimed as his home for the past eight years has been forever changed.
It may be a while before the Bohren family feels settled in the Crescent City again, but lucky for them, they're comfortable on the road. Welcoming friends in St. Louis, Mo. gave the Bohrens respite until the time came for more touring. You can ask Bohren about his experiences when he comes to town Friday. Born in Wyoming, Bohren might consider himself a native of the road, though New Orleans has always attracted him. At the age of 8 he sang harmonies in church choir and discovered folk during the mid-'60s. His gospel upbringing and appreciation of traditional music led him naturally to the blues, where he lived and breathed both Appalachian blues and "cotton field" blues. Bohren has amalgamated both of these varieties — what he calls "black blues" and "white blues" — along with his unique Western perspective. Spencer Bohren plays at 9 pm Friday, Nov. 25 at Luna. $10. —Vanessa Salvia
A Certain Something In the saturated world of jazz, it takes more than just amazing chops to make a name for yourself. It takes a certain style, a certain inspiration that comes from the soul, a certain je ne sais quoi. Whatever it is, Roberta Piket has it.
The young pianist has already received quite a bit of attention, placing second in the prestigious 1993 Thelonius Monk-BMI Composers' Competition. She's performed with David Liebman, Rufus Reid, Michael Formanek, Lionel Hampton and has been a featured guest on NPR twice. Rather than simply creating a cascade of notes that drown and overwhelm the listener as jazz pianists are apt to do, Piket's playing has a very distinct rhythm. Showers of notes are precise and exact. Staccato chords alternate with moments of hesitation. And with each perfect phrase, she creates deeply rich melodies. On some of the slow tunes, like "Last Night When We Were Young," each note has a sweet, yearning sadness that saturates the song with emotion and evokes a visceral response in the listener. This is powerful stuff. On drums, Billy Mintz has a light touch that perfectly compliments Piket. Ratzo Harris completes the trio on bass, weaving rhythm and melody into a seamless backdrop. They'll be playing originals written by all three members as well as some rarely heard compositions by Bill Evans and Herbie Hancock, and several underplayed standards from the American songbook. They've also promised to play their polymetric arrangement of The Fifth Dimension's "Up, Up and Away," a favorite among those who know Piket's music. Which you should. So don't miss the show at 8:30 pm, Sam Bond's Garage, Monday, Nov. 28. $7. — Melissa Bearns
Defying Krall krall: v., trans. To transform a promising jazz musician, especially a singer, into a crossover star by means of slick packaging, cheesecake photos and saccharine pop arrangements. Syn: Connick. Despite the best efforts of promoters to krall her, the award-winning 28-year-old chanteuse Jane Monheit has managed to grow as a singer while blossoming as a star. She first won attention by placing second in the 1998 Thelonious Monk jazz vocal competition, and her early albums drew some of jazz's finest players: Michael Brecker, Roy Hargrove, Tom Harrell, Kenny Barron. Not surprisingly, her youth showed in sometimes overwrought, self-indulgent or shallow interpretations. And jazz critics, notoriously suspicious of anyone with a pretty face, crossover appeal and a massive record company promotion budget, were often cool. But she always had the tools — a rich voice, wide range, and arresting stage presence. With a little more experience and a few more years under her belt, she seems to have learned the value of restraint and nuance, as evidenced by a gorgeous take on "Moonlight in Vermont" on her new CD of Christmas songs, The Season. In fact, it's more accurate to view Monheit in the mid-century fashion that prevailed before purists imposed their categories: as a fine pop singer with jazz leanings, rather than a jazz vocalist per se. Hardcore jazzers might find her Christmas songs a little cutesy, but any fan of old-fashioned, pre-rock pop song artistry should have a merry little time at this concert. Jane Monheit performs at the Jaqua Concert Hall Monday, Nov. 28 at 7:30 pm. $35/$30/$25. — Brett Campbell
Turn the Lights Down Low When you live 100 miles from the nearest record store, you'll listen to anything you can get your hands on. That's why Dameon Lee's influences stem from his parents' era and include The Eagles, The Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd. Lee, now doing his own thing as The Lowlights, quickly became a major player in the Albuquerque music scene during the 1990s. He formed Scared of Chaka and toured the U.S. and Europe during the band's six-year existence bringing a newfound respect to progressive rock from the southwest. The Lowlights self-titled debut is Lee's vocals over acoustic guitar with backing keyboards. His record has been called sad, melancholy and lonely – and that's the point. It's a reflection of Lee's upbringing in that faded town so far from the America that moved past the classic artists on his parents' eight-tracks. It seems like his success and his worldwide travels have reminded him of just how far away home is. The Lowlights play Sam Bond's Garage Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 9 pm. $3. — Danny Cross
Flawless Garaj Mechanics From the first few beats off Garaj Mahal's newest album, Blueberry Cave, unacquainted listeners will get an indication of the kind of fast-twitch, tightly structured funk-jazz that defines the band's sound. So they'll never expect the little surprises waiting around every turn. From the Northern Indian bols (rhythmic vocalizations) on "The Shadow," to the techno-inspired dance formulations of "Massive," to the spacey, intricate fusion experiments peppered throughout, this album is a perfect example of the band's ability to stay one step ahead at all times.
The speed and energy of this talent-saturated quartet could rightly be labeled "punk-jazz," if the music were angrier. But Garaj Mahal is a jam band in the grand tradition, unrelentingly funky and dedicated to getting your booty up and moving. The band has already caught the attention of some of their most distinguished peers. Since getting together in 2000, they've shared the stage with the likes of Sting, John McLaughlin, Zakir Hussain and Bela Fleck. The band's rigorous touring schedule has also quickly amassed a dedicated following, otherwise known as "mahalics." And with three live albums and two from the studio, Garaj Mahal prove they have no problem translating their intensity to the stage. So if you're a mahalic, or know someone who is, don't miss your chance to indulge when Garaj Mahal brings their addictive energy to Eugene. Garaj Mahal and Eleven Eyes play the WOW Hall Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 9 pm. $12 adv./ $15 dos. — Dave Constantin
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