This Week's Featured Dish:
Scallops with Asparagus Risotto
Have you heard about SCREAMERS, the critically-acclaimed documentary and winner of the AUDIENCE AWARD at the AFI FILM FESTIVAL. Directed by award-winning journalist and filmmaker, Carla Garapedian, this gripping documentary traces the history of modern-day genocide and genocide denial -- from the Ottoman Empire at the start of the 20th century, to the current genocide in Darfur .
Follow the multi-platinum album selling and Grammy-Award®-winning band, System of a Down as they raise awareness for human rights atrocities that continue to plague the world today.
"Genocides, we should feel, are all one", said Serj Tankian, lead singer of System of a Down. "I think this is an important film. It's not just about System, it is about the denial of genocide, the common denominator of all genocides, how they get away with it. It is about the hypocrisy of denial."
It began showing in it’s entirety on YouTube this past Friday, April 24, 2009 in recognition of Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.
The film in its entirety can be viewed this week only right HERE. A truly powerful statement, this is one you should view.
Follow the multi-platinum album selling and Grammy-Award®-winning band, System of a Down as they raise awareness for human rights atrocities that continue to plague the world today.
"Genocides, we should feel, are all one", said Serj Tankian, lead singer of System of a Down. "I think this is an important film. It's not just about System, it is about the denial of genocide, the common denominator of all genocides, how they get away with it. It is about the hypocrisy of denial."
It began showing in it’s entirety on YouTube this past Friday, April 24, 2009 in recognition of Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.
The film in its entirety can be viewed this week only right HERE. A truly powerful statement, this is one you should view.
As I have discussed, I am seeing a shift in how the new artists represented by the PR firm I am affiliated with are dealing with their career. More and more, I am not just receiving a CD in the mail. I get an email with an introduction. I get to ask them the songs they feel best represent them on the CD I will be reviewing and...beginning next week, I hope to begin asking them a few questions prior to my posting the review, so it can be included in the review.
I am not going to do an 'simply six', like my friend JohnH does on his music site Voices To Hear, but I am hoping to give y'all more inisght into these artists.
Our featured artist this week reached out to me early last week after receiving my request for his CD OTHER PLANETS. Eric Scott had visited The Couch and had looked around and has read through some of the other New Music Monday posts.
Mr. Scott lists his influences as Pink Floyd, Beatles, Billie Holiday and Ennio Morricone.
From Mr. Scott's bio:
Best known for his work with Alice Cooper, Sonia Dada, and Flo & Eddie, Erik has also recorded with dozens of other artists, including Carl Palmer, Kim Carnes, Pops and Mavis Staples, and Signal. In addition to providing soulful low notes, he is a composer/producer who has written and recorded for movies and TV.
Erik first recorded in the Chicago area in '69 for an album on Capitol records by Food, which morphed into Otis Plum, which then morphed into Jambalaya, who recorded on A&M records in 1973. Shortly thereafter, Erik recorded with caberet-type singer Mo McGuire in Chicago, then moved to LA.
He quickly hooked up with Flo & Eddie, who as the Turtles had so many hits in the sixties. After two albums and three years of F&E touring, with the likes of Jefferson Starship & the Doobie Bros, he dove into the divergent LA recording scene, playing, composing, and producing.
He also played some shows with Del Shannon, Jackie Green, and Wolfman Jack, and wrote and recorded music for the hit TV shows Starsky & Hutch, Charlie's Angels, Vegas, and Loveboat.
Then, re-joining the rock wars in '79, he recorded an album with Carl Palmer in Munich and London, after which he returned to LA and hooked up with Alice Cooper, spending three years recording and touring with Alice.
Back in LA, he played on albums by Kim Carnes, and wrote songs covered by Ted Nugent, Triumph, and Alice. He went to Australia and played/co-produced Sharon O'Neill's "Maybe", for which she won Australian Female Vocalist of the Year 1981.
In 1986, Erik had started working with writer-guitarist Dan Pritzker, and in '90 Dan formed the multi-genre, multi-racial blend of a band called Sonia Dada, who debuted with triple platinum success in Australia, and received critical and serious regional success in the US. During the following 15 years, Erik contributed low notes, production and some composing for five critically acclaimed studio albums and a live one.
Eric (Eski) , occupied fully with Sonia Dada, took only time to record one song for Pops Staples, the Title song to his Grammy winning "Father Father" CD, and one song for Mavis Staples, which was honored by the Handy Foundation as Blues Gospel song of the year 2004. (Eski note: " These two songs were the only times I ever recorded for Pops or Mavis.")
With Sonia Dada on extended hiatus, Eski has spent the last few years recording some soulfully spacey instrumentals, collected into an album OTHER PLANETS, released in January of 2009.
Let me remind y'all that as a young lad my instrument of choice was the bass guitar. I tend to listen for the bass line the first time I listen to any new song.
Mr. Scott is a bass player of great skills. On the album, obviously the bass is the central instrument. Something that rarely happens. Mr. Scott plays traditional bass runs, but also has skills when using his bass as a lead instrument and also plays it the way you would a rhythm guitar, playing chords.
The drums are also upfront on most of the compositions on this album. The fact that the rhythm instruments are up front, rather than in the background on most music might be disconcerting to some, but for me it was a welcome sound.
The music on this CD is a mixture of jazz, synth-rock and ethereal-rock sound. There are some points in the CD that get too close to the ambient sounds more suited for your massage at a spa. Overall though I quite enjoyed this project.
I put it in my car on Friday and listened to it from start to finish 3 times. "Bartalk" the first cut on the CD is like a sampler plate at your favorite restaurant. You get a feel for what is to come for the rest of the CD in terms of style and musicianship.
That is one thing you will find on this project - great musicianship.
On "Peace On Saturn" it is Eski (Eric) on bass, synth and kick drum and John "J.P." Pirruccello on steel guitar. It shows the mellower side of this project, whereas "Bassque Revolution" has more of an uptempo feel.
The musicians on OTHER PLANETS are:
I am not going to do an 'simply six', like my friend JohnH does on his music site Voices To Hear, but I am hoping to give y'all more inisght into these artists.
Our featured artist this week reached out to me early last week after receiving my request for his CD OTHER PLANETS. Eric Scott had visited The Couch and had looked around and has read through some of the other New Music Monday posts.
Mr. Scott lists his influences as Pink Floyd, Beatles, Billie Holiday and Ennio Morricone.
From Mr. Scott's bio:
Best known for his work with Alice Cooper, Sonia Dada, and Flo & Eddie, Erik has also recorded with dozens of other artists, including Carl Palmer, Kim Carnes, Pops and Mavis Staples, and Signal. In addition to providing soulful low notes, he is a composer/producer who has written and recorded for movies and TV.
Erik first recorded in the Chicago area in '69 for an album on Capitol records by Food, which morphed into Otis Plum, which then morphed into Jambalaya, who recorded on A&M records in 1973. Shortly thereafter, Erik recorded with caberet-type singer Mo McGuire in Chicago, then moved to LA.
He quickly hooked up with Flo & Eddie, who as the Turtles had so many hits in the sixties. After two albums and three years of F&E touring, with the likes of Jefferson Starship & the Doobie Bros, he dove into the divergent LA recording scene, playing, composing, and producing.
He also played some shows with Del Shannon, Jackie Green, and Wolfman Jack, and wrote and recorded music for the hit TV shows Starsky & Hutch, Charlie's Angels, Vegas, and Loveboat.
Then, re-joining the rock wars in '79, he recorded an album with Carl Palmer in Munich and London, after which he returned to LA and hooked up with Alice Cooper, spending three years recording and touring with Alice.
Back in LA, he played on albums by Kim Carnes, and wrote songs covered by Ted Nugent, Triumph, and Alice. He went to Australia and played/co-produced Sharon O'Neill's "Maybe", for which she won Australian Female Vocalist of the Year 1981.
In 1986, Erik had started working with writer-guitarist Dan Pritzker, and in '90 Dan formed the multi-genre, multi-racial blend of a band called Sonia Dada, who debuted with triple platinum success in Australia, and received critical and serious regional success in the US. During the following 15 years, Erik contributed low notes, production and some composing for five critically acclaimed studio albums and a live one.
Eric (Eski) , occupied fully with Sonia Dada, took only time to record one song for Pops Staples, the Title song to his Grammy winning "Father Father" CD, and one song for Mavis Staples, which was honored by the Handy Foundation as Blues Gospel song of the year 2004. (Eski note: " These two songs were the only times I ever recorded for Pops or Mavis.")
With Sonia Dada on extended hiatus, Eski has spent the last few years recording some soulfully spacey instrumentals, collected into an album OTHER PLANETS, released in January of 2009.
Let me remind y'all that as a young lad my instrument of choice was the bass guitar. I tend to listen for the bass line the first time I listen to any new song.
Mr. Scott is a bass player of great skills. On the album, obviously the bass is the central instrument. Something that rarely happens. Mr. Scott plays traditional bass runs, but also has skills when using his bass as a lead instrument and also plays it the way you would a rhythm guitar, playing chords.
The drums are also upfront on most of the compositions on this album. The fact that the rhythm instruments are up front, rather than in the background on most music might be disconcerting to some, but for me it was a welcome sound.
The music on this CD is a mixture of jazz, synth-rock and ethereal-rock sound. There are some points in the CD that get too close to the ambient sounds more suited for your massage at a spa. Overall though I quite enjoyed this project.
I put it in my car on Friday and listened to it from start to finish 3 times. "Bartalk" the first cut on the CD is like a sampler plate at your favorite restaurant. You get a feel for what is to come for the rest of the CD in terms of style and musicianship.
That is one thing you will find on this project - great musicianship.
On "Peace On Saturn" it is Eski (Eric) on bass, synth and kick drum and John "J.P." Pirruccello on steel guitar. It shows the mellower side of this project, whereas "Bassque Revolution" has more of an uptempo feel.
The musicians on OTHER PLANETS are:
Erik "Eski" Scott - Basses, keyboards,bass generated SX, some drum programming
Hank Guaglianone - drums
John "J.P." Pirruccello - steel guitar
Chris "Bone" Camerone - piano, organ
Glen Rupp - acoustic guitar
Dave Resnik - electric guitar
Larry Beers- cymbals, tams
Ron Schwartz - percussion & additional FX
Lou DePasqua - acoustic & electric guitar
Hank Guaglianone - drums
John "J.P." Pirruccello - steel guitar
Chris "Bone" Camerone - piano, organ
Glen Rupp - acoustic guitar
Dave Resnik - electric guitar
Larry Beers- cymbals, tams
Ron Schwartz - percussion & additional FX
Lou DePasqua - acoustic & electric guitar
I was not sure how I would feel about OTHER PLANETS when I popped it in. I was hoping for something special. What I found was music unlike anything else I have in my collection and a sound that, for the most part, I would listen to without reserve.
Let me and Erik know what you think in the comments, vote in the poll and one of you could receive a copy of OTHER PLANETS to add to your collection.
Find Mr. Scott's webpage HERE.
"Peace On Saturn" and "Bassque Revolution"
Let me and Erik know what you think in the comments, vote in the poll and one of you could receive a copy of OTHER PLANETS to add to your collection.
Find Mr. Scott's webpage HERE.
"Peace On Saturn" and "Bassque Revolution"
Bob Dylan has just announced an ambitious line-up for this year’s summer concert tour.
Along with fellow troubadour Willie Nelson, this summer The Bob Dylan Show will also feature John Mellencamp, marking just the second time in the past 24 years that these three performers have shared the concert stage.
Since first embarking on a tour of minor league baseball parks in 2004, over a half-million fans have come together to spend a night under the stars. With free admittance for children*, these tours draw a multi-generational fan base rarely seen on the concert circuit, causing one reporter to describe it as, “more like a backyard party than a rock concert.” The Boston Globe ranked the tour amongst “the most relaxed, enjoyable shows of the year". “You Can’t Beat Fun At The Old Ballpark,” came a headline from the Chicago Sun Times.
All concert tickets are priced at $67.50 and most shows are general admission, allowing fans to grab a seat in the stands or find a place to watch from the field. Tickets will go on sale throughout the month of May (see below) and will be available at the local ballpark ticket office and affiliated ticket outlets.
*Children 14 and under get in free with each adult ticket holder. Showtime is 5:30pm and gates open at 5:00. There is no baseball game on the day of the show. For more information about the tour and presale opportunities, visit www.bobdylan.com
CONCERT DATE - VENUE - ON SALE DATE
7/2-Sauget, IL at GCS Ballpark-5/2
7/4-South Bend, IN at Coveleski Stadium-5/2
7/8-Louisville, KY at Louisville Slugger Field-5/9
7/10-Dayton, OH at Fifth Third Field-5/2
7/11-Eastlake, OH at Classic Park-5/2
7/13-Washington , PA at Consol Energy Park-5/2
7/14-Allentown , PA at Coca-Cola Park-5/2
7/15-New Britain , CT at New Britain Stadium-5/9
7/19-Syracuse , NY at Alliance Bank Stadium-5/9
7/21-Pawtucket , RI at McCoy Stadium-5/9
7/23-Lakewood , NJ at FirstEnergy Park-5/2
7/24-Aberdeen , MD at Ripken Stadium-5/9
7/25-Norfolk , VA at Harbor Park-5/9
7/28-Durham , NC at Durham Bulls Athletic Park-5/9
7/29-Sevierville , TN at Smokies Park-5/16
8/4-Round Rock, TX at The Dell Diamond-5/16
8/5-Corpus Christi, TX at Whataburger Field-5/16
8/7-Grand Prairie, TX at QuikTrip Park-5/30
8/11-Glendale, AZ at Camelback Ranch-5/16
8/12-Las Vegas, NV at Cashman Field-5/30
8/14-Fresno, CA at Chukchansi Park-5/30
8/15-Stockton, CA at Banner Island Ballpark-5/30
Along with fellow troubadour Willie Nelson, this summer The Bob Dylan Show will also feature John Mellencamp, marking just the second time in the past 24 years that these three performers have shared the concert stage.
Since first embarking on a tour of minor league baseball parks in 2004, over a half-million fans have come together to spend a night under the stars. With free admittance for children*, these tours draw a multi-generational fan base rarely seen on the concert circuit, causing one reporter to describe it as, “more like a backyard party than a rock concert.” The Boston Globe ranked the tour amongst “the most relaxed, enjoyable shows of the year". “You Can’t Beat Fun At The Old Ballpark,” came a headline from the Chicago Sun Times.
All concert tickets are priced at $67.50 and most shows are general admission, allowing fans to grab a seat in the stands or find a place to watch from the field. Tickets will go on sale throughout the month of May (see below) and will be available at the local ballpark ticket office and affiliated ticket outlets.
*Children 14 and under get in free with each adult ticket holder. Showtime is 5:30pm and gates open at 5:00. There is no baseball game on the day of the show. For more information about the tour and presale opportunities, visit www.bobdylan.com
CONCERT DATE - VENUE - ON SALE DATE
7/2-Sauget, IL at GCS Ballpark-5/2
7/4-South Bend, IN at Coveleski Stadium-5/2
7/8-Louisville, KY at Louisville Slugger Field-5/9
7/10-Dayton, OH at Fifth Third Field-5/2
7/11-Eastlake, OH at Classic Park-5/2
7/13-Washington , PA at Consol Energy Park-5/2
7/14-Allentown , PA at Coca-Cola Park-5/2
7/15-New Britain , CT at New Britain Stadium-5/9
7/19-Syracuse , NY at Alliance Bank Stadium-5/9
7/21-Pawtucket , RI at McCoy Stadium-5/9
7/23-Lakewood , NJ at FirstEnergy Park-5/2
7/24-Aberdeen , MD at Ripken Stadium-5/9
7/25-Norfolk , VA at Harbor Park-5/9
7/28-Durham , NC at Durham Bulls Athletic Park-5/9
7/29-Sevierville , TN at Smokies Park-5/16
8/4-Round Rock, TX at The Dell Diamond-5/16
8/5-Corpus Christi, TX at Whataburger Field-5/16
8/7-Grand Prairie, TX at QuikTrip Park-5/30
8/11-Glendale, AZ at Camelback Ranch-5/16
8/12-Las Vegas, NV at Cashman Field-5/30
8/14-Fresno, CA at Chukchansi Park-5/30
8/15-Stockton, CA at Banner Island Ballpark-5/30
I could listen to Mr. Scott's music most anytime. Bassque Revolution seems to have a little Carlos Santana influence in it. Nicely done.
My son Ben was here on Saturday. When he visits he always asks to see my recent CD purchases and I burn him MP3s of the ones he wants. This week he asked, "Who's Rory Calhoun"? So I told him the story. He asked if he should include him and I said yes. He will love that CD!
...The Bob, Willie and John tour stops just short of Raley Field in Sacramento...noooooooo...
DRILLERAA: So correct Sir...I had meant to make mention of the "santana-esque" sounds
BUD: Nice that you get to share with your son.
PHFRANKIE: Time for a drive?
That guy is pretty good, but not my kind of thing.
When you said there was a documentary about "Screamer" I got kind of excited. Then I saw it was about genocide and I felt kind of bad about my initial excitement. ;-)
On 'Peace on Saturn', what gives it the smooth peaceful feel is the steel guitar. It works as soft and introspective, meant to relax to. Perhaps contemplate. A complex yet soothing tome.
'Basque' is smooth as well. It starts off slowly and accelerates to a jazzy speed. Like a jet starts off slowly but starts to gallop just before take-off speed. This song follows the same way in that we watch the device take to the air and are amazed to watch and we do until it is out of view. The song fades away at the end.
Stylish, both!
I see what you mean when you describe Mr Scott's music as ethereal. I actually enjoyed the smooth sound. It was soothing, but with a bit of a bite to it.
And it is very well played. Good stuff.
OK, I only had to listen to the first minute of "Peace on Saturn," and I was convinced. This is great stuff.
The Pink Floyd influence stands out - and that's a good thing.
Well done, Mr. Scott.
Now I need to figure out where I can purchase "Other Planets."
Won't have time to listen tonight, so just stopped in to say I'm saving the post to listen later - hopefully tomorrow!
Oh yeah...'Hi friend!' ;-)
JAY: He is very good...oh and sorry to have PEAKED your interest!
RALPH: Nicely put Sir. Yes stylish indeed.
TRAVIS: That was got it for me also. Some of the selections stay ethereal too long IMHO
SOUTHERN: Thought you might enjoy it. I am glad to have added it to my collection
TUG: HI...come on back, think you might enjoy.
I liked the mix on "Bassque Revolution". The fade from left to right and vise versa fit the style of music quite well. It also seemed to have a bit of India influence to it.
I also liked "Peace on Saturn". Reflective and contemplative yet I still had a toe tapping throughout it.
I would gladly put my name in the hat for a copy.
I like this, but it didn't 'grab' me...I think it's the funk I'm in lately. ;-)
The Dylan tour sounds awesome! No Denver? sad.....
I like the music. I'm not usually given to just instrumentals so much, but this is good. Can definitely hear some Pink Floyd influence in there.
Thanks for the mention of the site.
Today Dylan comes out. I just got home, with a stop on the way to Best Buy for it so I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet, but I'm anxious to hear it.
Mmmmm ... now that is something a little different, and quite enjoyable! I like music that gives me a great visual and that is exactly what Mr. Scott's music does for me!
I LOVE that music. Love it! It has a touch of Americana tossed into the mix. Very nice!
JEFF: Consider it in the hat
TUG: Sorry you are in a funk...get better now ya hear
JOHN: Waiting on your review Sir
DANA: Glad you enjoyed
STARR: Isn't it special!