Steve Poltz Tells Stories and Performs on These Days

I'm a Steve Poltz fan, I'll admit it at the outset.  The guy can make up a song at the drop of a hat, and it will likely be clever and observant and touching...and off-kilter.  A lot has been written about Steve's songwriting and performance style, which has been described ad nauseam as "quirky."  I'm going to go with "off-kilter" because while I know Steve to be a seeker of balance (he's a yoga devotee), he also can't help the fact that he sees the world from a totally askew vantage point. 

It's a crazy trip and a real treat to see the world through Steve's eyes, and he's generous enough to share it in music and on stage.  He certainly shared it with These Days yesterday, where he came into the studio to play music and draw a few chuckles out of Tom Fudge.  Tom and staff were quite entertained.  During sound check, Steve broke out into a cover of "Memories" - oh yes, that one - which he admitted is his favorite song right now.  He also sang a hilarious song inapproprite for public radio (featuring a job on a bus) but a tried and true fan favorite.  If you go see him this Sunday at North Park Festival of the Arts (and you should!) you may hear it.  The music that did make it on the radio included some great cuts from Steve's new album Traveling, and one from his other new album, Unraveling.  Check him out:

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The Klezmatics Perform on These Days

Last week, the Grammy Award winning klezmer band The Klezmatics performed in our KPBS studios and talked with These Days host Tom Fudge about their varied musical interests.   The Klezmatics won a Grammy in 2006 for their album of Woody Guthrie tunes, called Wonder Wheel.  They've also collaborated on an album of gospel tunes with singer Joshua Nelson.  Though The Klezmatics mix it up with muscial genres, they always retain a basic klezmer or Jewish cultural spirit in their music.  Enjoy their performance.

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The Asylum Street Spankers On Busking, Spanking, And Lunchboxes

There are so many words that come to mind when describing the Austin-based band Asylum Street Spankers:  mischievous, irreverent, playful, subversive, vaudevillian.   These words get at the zaniness and sensibility of the Spankers, but they don't account for how talented these musicians are - both as musicans and songwriters.  Their music is a combination of vintage country, blues, jazz, and tin pan alley and they write about everything from politics to drugs to lunchboxes.   

The band began busking the streets of Austin back in the early 1990's, which is how they got their name.  One of the streets they often busked was nicknamed Asylum Street.  The word "spanker" is an old musicians' term for "one who plays his intstrument vigorously and proficiently."   The Spankers eventually took their act on the road, developed a cult following, and have since have recorded 17 albums.  Their latest is a children's album called Mommy Says No! and I love it.  It's catchy and sweet and makes me happy (there's even a song about boogers!)

The Asylum Street Spankers performed in our studios on Monday of this week.  You can see the video below and listen to the interview on These Days. 

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Miracosta Latin Jazz Orchestra Plays Tonight At Anthology

Yesterday, we at KPBS pulled off quite a feat.  We did an hour long interview and performance show with the 22-piece Miracosta Latin Jazz Orchestra, which we filmed in our TV studios for your viewing pleasure on Culture Lust.  22 PIECES.   22 people with 22 instruments.  And, here's the clincher, we did it all LIVE ON THE RADIO.... AT 10am!  HUGE.  Like, HUGE.  As someone who has booked a lot of bands, do you have any idea how difficult it is to get musicians up before 12 noon?  Now imagine getting 22 musicians here at 7:30am. 

To my great surprise, these musicians arrived early!  They were wonderful to work with and the show went off without a hitch.  You can hear the These Days interview here.   The orchestra is composed of talented student and community musicians, all under the guidance of orchestra director Mario Gonzalez.  Mario has an interesting background:  he runs a local and very successful music prodution studio called G Studios. He's also had a long career as a studio musician playing with big time acts, and he currently plays trumpet in Sheila E's band.  Don't sleep on Sheila E now, she's still out there.  She called out golddiggers way before Kanye West did and here's the proof, in all its 80's glory.   Love the hair... love the shoulder pads.  I know some of you rocked the shoulder pads back in the day.  It's ok, I did too.  80's nostalgia aside, Sheila E is a seriously talented percussionist and Prince knew what he was doing when he helped launch her career.

But back to latin jazz, you can watch the video of the Miracosta Latin Jazz Orchestra below.  You can also go see them perform live tonight at Anthology in Little Italy.  It's always a treat to see a big band perform live and they play interesting pieces from composers like Oscar Hernandez.  This orchestra is a hidden treasure right here in our sunny California midst... go check 'em out. 

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The New Raconteurs Album Out Today!

Consolers of the Lonely, the new Raconteurs album, is out today.  Just bought it and am listening now...

Totally want to close my office door, turn up the speakers, and forget the crazy production madness of the last week and a half!  Jack White and company, please take me away.  

Tristan Prettyman Performs on These Days

Tristan's new album drops April 15th.  You can see her live at the Belly Up on March 19th.  You can hear her interview with Tom Fudge here.

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Earl Thomas Performs In Studio

Earl Thomas and members of Ike Turner's old band, Kings of Rhythm, performed on These Days this morning. Earl's voice will knock your socks off!  He sang a tune called "Soul Shine," an Ike Turner song called "Working Together," and the Mahalia Jackson gospel number "Elijah Rock."

Check out the video below and then go see Earl perform live on Sunday night in what is sure to be an inspiring show at The Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach. It's a benefit show for the North County Food Bank - one ticket will provide 37 meals!

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Best Band Logos

Here's a list of the top 25 band logos of all time.  It's a good list, but the choices seem informed as much by good design as band popularity and influence. Obviously, the theory is that one leads naturally to the other.  But I'm sure there are some hardscrabble designers out there drafting innovative logos as I write this.  As for the Spinner list,  I do agree with some of their choices, especially Public Enemy, Black Flag and Bauhaus. 

I also found this more informative list, which has similar choices (The Stones, AC/DC, Yes, and The Who) but shares a lot more information about the designers behind the logos.  The post's author, also a designer, is Koldo Barroso and he writes: 

I have noticed that some of the best band logos are related to hard rock and heavy metal bands, such as AC/DC, Motorhead, Iron Maiden, Def Lepard, and Van Halen. For some reason, all of those bands put a special care in the visual aspect and lettering. Many of them had some of the best album cover art ever, like in the case of Iron Maiden and Meat Loaf. 

Hmmm...remember all those heavy metal boys in high school who sat in the back of class, making elaborate ink drawings on their blue, hardbound notebooks?   Drawings of fire-breathing dragons, swords, and women in metal bikinis with unbelievably impressive ....mammary powers? Gee, I wonder what happened to all of them?

What are your favorite band logos?

The Grammy Awards: It Was The Best of Times, It Was The Worst of Times

The Best and the Worst, in no particular order:

Best:  Morris Day and The Time performed a little Jungle Love.  Jerome even brought out the mirror for Morris to check his hair, recreating the sheer poetry of their Purple Rain performance.  I was giddy! 

Worst:  Their performance was hijacked by Rihanna singing about umbrellas.

Best:  Tina Turner, at 68, sounded fantastic.

Worst:  She performed with Beyonce, everyone's favorite fembot.

Best:  Both Prince and Stevie Wonder were there.

Worst:  They were both tasked with introducing Alicia Keys (she doesn't do it for me, people) and nothing else.

Best:  Some country star named Brad Paisley perfomed a song about ticks!  The refrain:  "I want to check you for ticks."  Hilarious!

Worst:   Some country star named Brad Paisley perfomed a song about ticks.  Downright horrifying.

Best Hair:  Cindy Lauper's bird's nest, Kanye West shaving MAMA onto the back of his head, and Amy Winehouse's bouffant.

Worst hair:  Kid Rock's grease fest persists, The Foo Fighters, Carol King (deep condition alert).

Best:  Amy Winehouse was able to perform from London ( I stayed up just to see it).  I know she's a train wreck, but the girl has serious talent.

Worst:  Randomly, Cuba Gooding Jr. introduced her.  Why? 

Best:  Fiest sang.

Worst:  So did Fergie. 

Best:  The Beatles tribute was good.

Worst:  The Barry Gordy tribute was WAY too short.

Best:  Kanye West scolded producers for bringing up the music during his acceptance speech, before he was done talking about his mother.

Worst:  When they listened and turned off the music, West then used the opportunity for self-aggrandizement. 

Best:  The White Stripes won two awards.

Worst:  I didn't see it.  Not sure when it happened.  I may have dozed off. I hate it when I miss Jack. 

Some Reading To Launch Your Week

Are you a fan of Canadian pianist Glenn Gould(pictured right)?  Sony Classical recently issued "Glenn Gould: The Complete Original Jacket Collection," an 80-CD - yes, I said 80!!! -  limited edition boxed set of all the studio recordings the pianist made for Columbia and CBS Masterworks.  The price is $222, which is surprisingly cheap for all you get. 

Starbucks is defending its book choice despite evidence that the author fabricated parts of the story.  

This is funny.  The theater critic at St. Paul Pioneer Press doesn't like the latest play from the Guthrie Theater and publishes a negative review.  The Guthrie then takes out a full page ad for the play in the Pioneer Press.  The ad features a full review from the theater critic at the twin cities' alternative weekly, CityPages.  It was, no surprise, a positive review.  

Check out the photographs of artist Vee Spears.  Her collection of child portraits called The Birthday Party are mesmerizing.  She was inspired by watching children play at being adults.  She shoots on polaroid film and then does post-processing digitally. 

David Ulin of  the LA Times has an essay on rereading favorite books from one's youth - do they hold up?  When you reread as an adult, with more experience and a whole different life lens, certain once cherished books may still resonate, or they may lose their spark. 

And, finally, who knew the hugely influential economist John Maynard Keynes had such an adventurous sex life?  Evan Zimroth is currently working to decipher his sex diaries.  Yes, Keynes kept sex diaries - written with codes - and they are kept in the archives at King's College in Cambridge.  Isn't it just like those kinky economists to keep sex diaries about their conquests?  I mean, you've seen one economist sex diary, you've seen them all...