OVN Music and More

The Writers' Strike - All You Need To Know

2007-11-08T16:25:00.000-08:00

Don't let anyone fool you - the issues on the current strike by the Writers Guild of America are simple. When the studios get paid, the writers get paid. That's it.

The production companies and studios are so clever at figuring out ways to prevent hard-working scribes from getting their share of the action, that it would seem cheaper to just give the writers what they want, rather than paying legions of lawyers to find out ways to avoid doing so.

But for the quickest, funniest breakdown of what's going on, there is no better source than the talented team at "The Office," where the writers are actors, and vice versa.

10 Questions for the Dalai Lama

2007-11-02T11:22:00.000-07:00

From Sacred Space Studio:
FILM SCREENING, HopeDance FilLMs Presents:

10 Questions for the Dalai Lama

Saturday, November 3rd , 8:00pm, Sacred Space Studio, 410 Bryant Circle Suite A

Why do the poor often seem happier than the rich? Must a society lose its traditions in order to move into the future? How do you reconcile a commitment to non-violence when faced with violence? These are some of the questions posed to his holiness the Dalai Lama by filmmaker and explorer Rick Ray. Ray examines in this documentary film some of the fundamental questions of our time by weaving together observations from his own journeys throughout India and the Middle East, and the wisdom of an extraordinary spiritual leader.

Suggested donation: $10.00 per person.

Call 646-6761 for more information.

I met Rick earlier this year at the Santa Barbara Film Festival and had a chance to ask him a few questions. The quick interview is posted on Radio Ojai.

Film's Web Site

Happy Halloween Ms. Winehouse!

2007-10-31T09:55:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be fun to dress-up as Amy Winehouse for Halloween, but I ran out of jet-black eyeliner and I just couldn't get my hair to beehive. Oh, and I can't sing a lick.

My friend, Yoga Matt (remember him?), has been going on and on about the British songstress, and since I know you music fans out there are missing Bret's music blogs, I thought I would try to give you something to chew on. Winehouse was on a recent cover of Rolling Stone, and writer Jenny Eliscu referred to her latest album, Back to Black, as, "...a stylized collection of R&B throwbacks that sound like a British hip-hop brat's interpretation of Sixties Motown soul in the best possible way..." Winehouse's problems with addiction are no secret, and though I am more partial to the sultry "Love Is a Losing Game," I'll give you her more popular, albiet defiant, hit "Rehab:"

Women of Ojai Calendar Release

2007-10-24T09:43:00.000-07:00

A PRESS RELEASE FROM ATTASALINA PHOTOGRAPHY:

“STRENGTH IS BEAUTY” - THE WOMEN OF OJAI 2008 CALENDAR

The Ojai Calendar Project continues to support the arts in Ojai. This year, Attasalina Dews presents the Women of Ojai in “Strength is Beauty” to be released on October 26th at a reception and gallery show at the Ojai Art Center from 6-10pm. The calendar is a limited edition of 750 copies featuring fine art nude photographs of twelve local women. Limited edition, fine art prints will also be available for purchase at the reception. Pre-sales of the calendar are available online at www.womenofojai.com. Proceeds of calendar and print sales will benefit local artists, art groups and school art programs. The calendar price is $25.

The response to the 2007 Men of Ojai calendar “Liberation” was overwhelmingly positive and the process of creating and distributing the calendar supported many local artists and art related businesses. Through the calendar effort, Demitri Corbin was elected to serve on the board of the Ojai Arts Commission where he continues as an advocate for the arts in Ojai and Peachtree Theatre Company has been able to continue its community programs.

The Women of Ojai 2008 Calendar has brought on new support in the form of four local sponsors: Color Works Printing, Inc., P3D Marketing & Events, Studio 201 Framing and Valley of Moon Giclees. They have all made this project possible with their generosity and enthusiasm for the work. With their help, this calendar has even greater potential to support local artists and encourage creative freedom in the Ojai Valley.

While a major focus of the Ojai Calendar Project is to raise money for the arts, the other equally important aspect is to raise awareness of how vital the arts are to our community. Art is an integral aspect of human nature. Too often it is marginalized, trivialized or considered only for the elite. The Ojai Calendar invites the community to participate in the artistic process and to share in the experience of creation. Freedom of expression is a tremendous gift that must be valued and nurtured. Our children must learn to challenge people’s perceptions and be encouraged to raise their standard of consciousness. We should all nurture the strength to support each other and to appreciate beauty abundant in its many forms. Because art is life!

Listen to an interview with Salina about the project on Radio Ojai.

Contact information: 798.1440, www.attasalina.com, salina@attasalina.com

MAVRIC Awards!

2007-10-12T12:15:00.000-07:00

Celebrating Ventura County's independent musicians, the Music Awards for Ventura Roots & Independent Creations (MAVRIC) nominees have just been announced! The winners will be selected at the first annual MAVRIC Awards ceremony on Sunday, October 21 at 6:00 p.m. at the Pt. Hueneme Oceanview Pavilion, featuring special performances by several of the winners. Among the nominees are a few familiar faces who have appeared on Radio Ojai, including Champagne Sunday and Fred Schmitt, who is playing tonight at Farmer and the Cook. Check it out and vote for your favorite by Sunday, October 14.

You Tubing Steve Earle

2007-10-03T20:07:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you much about Steve Earle, the hardcore troubadour, other than he's had a really, really hard life, much of it self-inflicted. Is it true he missed signing a record contract in Nashville because he decided instead he needed to get his heroin fix? And I can't really explain why I like his music, other than I'm a sucker for an acoustic guitar and anyone who dare strum it with such wild abandon and sharp biting vocals that delight in telling you how pissed at the world they are. For a better perspective, Bret has a good Steve Earle post here. Here is my current favorite song (that will change by next week I'm sure), "I Feel Alright," and I encourage you to just listen, because he is really too hard to watch in this video! This song is ruining me, it's just so angry and pleasantly righteous and the guitar picking is near perfection, I can't get enough of it!

P.S. Matt and I have a new show on Radio Ojai - he's got a few things to say about local milk prices!

There's Nothing To Do In Ojai! (Wrong!)

2007-09-30T14:15:00.000-07:00

This week, my social calendar is tapped out, thanks to an amazing number of opportunities to get out there offered by incredibly talented people right here in our own little town. From films to comedy to running for a worthy cause, the first weekend in October promises to get us moving, laughing and thinking.

It all starts Thursday night with the Ojai Film Festival’s free opening night film: In the Shadow of the Moon. I just love the magic of the Ojai Film Festival and look forward to the Libbey Park special screening every year.

On Friday night, another group of graduating students from Theater 150’s stand-up comedy class will perform at Giorgio’s. My good friend Sheila Murphy is among the half-dozen performing comics, as is our own Bret Bradigan. Under the direction of professional comedian Cary Odes, last season’s acts were a riot, and this one promises not to disappoint. More info here.

Saturday morning (I’ll have to remember to keep the beer consumption at Giorgio’s down) is the annual October Classic Run. Registration starts at 7:15 a.m., the 10K starts at 8:00 a.m. and the 5K starts at 8:45 a.m. If you pre-register by Wednesday, October 3rd, the fee is $25 for adults and to register the day of the event, it’s $30. My husband, Bill, is running in the 10K and I am working the registration table for those who did not pre-register, so I’ll know if you procrastinate (but I will be delighted to see you supporting a worthy cause)! It doesn’t matter if you walk or run, because all proceeds support our hospital. To register, call (805) 640-2317.

And on Sunday afternoon, I will be screening The Price of Paradise at the Ojai Film Festival. This documentary has had three festival screenings to date, and this is the first time it will be shown in Ojai. There has been a lot of talk in Ojai about affordable housing. What does that mean to you? Who should have it? What should it look like? Where should it be built? The documentary, The Price of Paradise, does not seek to answer these questions, but rather engage a dialog.

Film's synopsis: Santa Barbara County, paradise to some, has seen a dramatic escalation in the cost of housing, thus displacing the community's critical workforce. The experiences of those workers and the impacts to families, community and employers provide insight and an understanding of the need for affordable workforce housing. Interviews, artistic cinematography and a percussionist soundtrack are featured.

Locals Michael Anderson and Austen Collins of Extra Mile Productions worked with me for about 10 months on this project and we are really proud of the film's acceptance into our own hometown’s festival. For more information, related articles and trailers, go to the film’s Web site.

Gorilla Drummer

2007-09-25T16:22:00.000-07:00

Tom Ewing, a music critic who writes for Pitchfork Media, my daily stop for a music fix, had an epiphany about an advertisement for a chocolate bar, albeit Cadbury's Dairy Milk. He is referring to the viral youtube video with the gorilla drumming to a Phil Collins' song. It has received millions of hits and spawned a couple of clever knock offs.

"The drum moment in "In the Air Tonight" is, much like a gorilla sitting at a drumkit, incongruous and showy and absurd and powerful and violent and crude and pathetic, all at once. But if you had been a critic, writing about Phil Collins, and had said something like, "He smashes at the drums like an unleashed gorilla," it would not have worked. The reader would only have picked up on one part-- the unleashed-ness or the gorilla-ness (i.e. the power and violence), and ignored the fact that the animal is sitting at a drumkit (i.e. the showiness and absurdity). You could have found words to point out the absurdity, and stressed that it links with the violence rather than detracts from it-- maybe by talking about Collins' usually toxic combination of unpretentiousness and self-importance...but by now you're losing your reader and really, far better to just get someone to dress up as a gorilla and hit a drumkit and then say, "Look! That's what I'm talking about!"

Punk Rock Pinup Girls

2007-09-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

Punk pock, given its anti-glam posturing, has a surprising share of sex symbols - from Chrissi Hynde to poseurs like Suzie Quattro. Now the modern punk revival, going on in various forms at least since the mid-1980s with Mudhoney and Nirvana, has produced Karen O of the Yeah, Yeah Yeahs.

Punk's anti-aesthetic has appealed to me since the first time I heard the Dead Boys play at Dingwall's on the Camden Locks in London in 1983- stripping back the layers of album-oriented rock to the raw, beating heart of rebellion. Of course, it takes only a few years for the rebels to begin their own march to comformity. As Eric Hoffer so eloquently wrote, "When people are free to do whatever they please, they usually end up imitating each other."

Anyway, here is the latest in a series of really cool videos with the Yeah Yeah Yeah's "Gold Lion."

Hot Chip Off The Old Block

2007-09-17T13:21:00.000-07:00

Here's some fun for your Monday pleasure ...

British electro-pop sensations Hot Chip haven't been around long - they formed in 2000 and are just now working on their third album, but they have redefined and expanded a rather tired genre.

And their approach to videos is quite inventive and fun. In Over & Over they basically take a green-screen setup and make mockery of all the sci-fi high concept conceits. And the tune is quite catchy.

Free Willie

2007-09-10T19:29:00.000-07:00

Willie Nelson, the red-headed stranger, has long been one of my favorite songwriters and performers, ever since I learned back in the 1970s that he wrote Patsy Cline's "Crazy."

He is also a masterful guitar player, for which he gets little credit. His fingerpicking prowess rivals Leo Kottke and Chet Atkins. Herein is embedded a great video from Willie's 60th birthday celebration (1993! for godsake's!) of two legends, Willie and Bobby D, performing one of Townes Van Zandt's classics, the Ballad of Pancho and Lefty.

While this video does not put Willie's great guitar playing front and center, it is still great fun watching two greats at the top of their game.

New Queen of Anti Folk

2007-09-07T13:38:00.000-07:00

Regina Spektor has to be one of the most prodigiously talented musical performers on the modern stage. Born in Russia, she learned piano and violin from an early age, moving to America at age 9. Now only 27 years old, she has already written 700 songs, though few have actually been recorded.

Her lyrics are sweet, touching, and often make odd literary allusions to high Greek tragedy, like Oedipus Rex, or F. Scott Fitzgerald or Hemingway, in "Poor Little Rich Boy."

While she has attracted a loyal fan base, including yours truly, she has barely broken out into the mainstream in the way such a rich and descriptive talent deserves. Here's my little Friday offering of viewing and listening pleasure:

Ojai Valley Market Update

2007-09-06T11:45:00.000-07:00

The inventory this month in the Ojai Valley is lower than last month.

There are 205 homes and 25 mobile homes active on the market. 26 homes are in escrow and in the month of August, 26 homes were sold.
The lowest price was $330,000, for a 2 bedroom/1 bath, with 827 square feet, with a the lot size of 3484. This house was on the market for 225 days.
The highest price was $2,620,000, for a 3 bedroom/2.bath, 1200 square feet and a lot size of 51 acres. The house was on the market for 134 days.

Overall, average days on the market was 112, and the median price was set at $851,000

Are you a wine lover? Register at "meetup.com" to attend monthly wine tastings here in Ojai.
Next one is September 26th, 7pm at Movino's. Meet others to discuss Real Estate and other topics. For more questions you can reach me at (805)-207-5094.

Farmer and the Cook: Great Music AND Pizza!

2007-08-30T13:36:00.000-07:00

Full disclosure: this is cross-posted on another blog, so I guess you could say I've syndicated myself. But I promised readers here last week I would come back with a full report on the pizza at Farmer and the Cook.

Last week Bill and I were looking to mix-up our Friday date-night routine and ended up at Farmer and the Cook. We heard their pizza was unparalleled and had noticed the new patio was attracting quite a crowd on the weekends. Maybe it was the beer and wine license kicking in or the addition of musical entertainment. We didn’t need much of a reason to check it out and I’m so glad we did.

When we arrived, looking somewhat bewildered I’m sure at the gathering scene, Nicole caught us with a friendly smile and a couple of menus and escorted us to a table. She asked our names and told us the food was excellent. Simple gestures like that are usually a sure sign we’re going to have a great evening.

We ordered the Samuel Smith organic beer, imported from England. Bill had the lager, I had the ale. He said his was fantastic. Mine was very drinkable, but a little thin for my taste (but then again I’m a Guinness girl with a fondness for beer with the consistency and color of motor oil). For our app, we had the deep fried squash blossoms with a fantastic pesto dip. And since pizza was our mission, we had the “Artichokie,” with garlic, pesto, and mozzarella. The crust was thin, crisp and puffy, just like you would get in Italy. The flavors were fresh and not over-cooked. Conclusion: this is the best pizza I’ve had and I will stand on Boccali’s picnic table and say so.

We also shared a chocolate dipped macaroon and a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert. Perfection!

Throughout our evening we were entertained by Jonathan McEuen and a couple of other singer/songwriters toting acoustic guitars and original material (no copycat covers here). The audience of dressed-down comfortable-shoe hippies didn’t seem to match the cars in the parking lot (lots of SUV’s and a giant Mercedes - not a hybrid in sight). The faces were friendly, inviting and enjoying themselves immensely.

Looks like my Friday date-night spot is going to be Farmer and the Cook!

Tomorrow night, I hear local Fred Schmitt will be bringing his guitar around 7:30. He’s got a great interview, a few songs and an intriguing story on Radio Ojai.

Business Time

2007-08-29T15:36:00.000-07:00

Among the many who haven't checked out HBO's Flight of the Conchords? Well, what are you waiting for?

The daft Kiwi comedy duo of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement have really put together a wonderful fun and silly show about being undiscovered musicians in New York City with a comically inept manager. They call themselves "Formerly New Zealand's fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo." Their manager, played by Rhys Darby, really steals the show with his Ricky Gervaisian off-kilter optimism.

This show is slowing building an audience. Want to get in the next big thing? Took years to catch the Seinfeld bug? Here's your chance.

Cool Video For Your Friday Viewing Pleasure

2007-08-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

French house and brat pop stars Daft Punk are legendary for their low-tech, high-concept music and videos. This one, Prime Time of Your Life, manages to mock just about everyone in sight - from Britney Spears to Michael Jackson's Thriller video. Maybe, perhaps, they have even managed to slip in a "message" about the ephemeral beauty of life. I'm sure they'd laugh at me for even suggesting such a thing.

midomi - No Lip Syncing Here

2007-08-24T13:31:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting concept! Can't remember the name of that song, but you can't get the tune out of your head? Turn on your mic and hum a few bars, because with the sound of your voice, midomi will find it for you. And then it will connect you with others who share your taste in music (even if it is, say, Air Supply). Or maybe you'll want to channel your inner American Idol with midomi's online recording studio? Check it out!

P.S. A few musical opportunities:
Tonight: Myridian rocks the Athletic Club. Hear "Summer Of My Mind" on Radio Ojai.
Tonight: The Farmer and the Cook has Pizza, Beer and Music every Friday now. Their organic pizzas are allegedly awesome (I'll report back to confirm), and Jonathan McEuen will have live entertainment lined up starting at 6:00 p.m.
Tomorrow: Of course, the Locally Grown Concert.

A Really Big Green Show

2007-08-20T15:11:00.000-07:00

Food for Thought's Locally Grown II concert strikes up this Saturday at Libbey Bowl with not one, but two, headlining talents - Brett Dennen and our own Perla Batalla.

The winners of the Battle of the Bands competition from Aug. 4 will also be playing. Look at Lisa Snider's prior blog post for all the details.

Tickets are available online at www.brownpapertickets.com . For more information go to www.foodforthoughtojai.org or call 805-640-5044.

As an appetizer, we have a couple of youtube postings of La Perla singing "Bird on a Wire," at the LA Film Festival's screening of the Leonard Cohen biopic, "I'm Your Man," from 2006, and a Brett Dennen show. Dennen is opening for John Mayer at the moment, taking time out from that tour for a great cause.

Spinner Rates Best Opening Lyrics

2007-08-15T19:27:00.001-07:00

Spinner just released this list of best opening lyrics:

10. "Tommy used to work on the docks"--Bon Jovi's 'Livin' on a Prayer'
9. "Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine"--Patti Smith's 'Gloria'
8. "Well, it's one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, now go, cat, go!"--Carl Perkins' 'Blue Suede Shoes'
7. "In the time of chimpanzees I was a monkey"--Beck's 'Loser'
6. "Why do birds suddenly appear every time you are near?"--The Carpenters' 'Close to You'
5. "Don't call it a comeback"--LL Cool J's 'Mama Said Knock You Out!'
4. "Well, she was just seventeen -- you know what I mean"--The Beatles' 'I Saw Her Standing There'
3. "Hey, ho, let's go!"--The Ramones' 'Blitzkrieg Bop'
2. "I was born in a cross-fire hurricane"--The Rolling Stones' 'Jumpin' Jack Flash'
1. "She's a very kinky girl"--Rick James' 'Superfreak' 'Scuze me???

Disagree? What's missing?

I think this list is lacking for Nirvana, particularly,
"Load up on guns and bring your friends..." - Smells Like Teen Spirit

Your turn...

Food For Thought Announces Battle of the Bands Winners!

2007-08-12T16:51:00.000-07:00

Four Youth Bands to Open Locally Grown Concert at Libbey Bowl in Ojai

Food For Thought's Battle of the Bands for youth in Ojai and Ventura took place last weekend and resulted in the selection of four stand-outs who will open the Locally Grown fundraising concert on August 25 at Libbey Bowl. Following the winning openers will be featured headliners Brett Dennen - currently touring with John Mayer - and Perla Batalla - Grammy nominated vocalist and Ojai resident. The event is a fundraiser for Food For Thought Ojai, a nonprofit organization that brings nutrition education, garden-based learning and environmental and agricultural awareness to students of Ojai's public schools. The first Locally Grown concert in 2005 featured singer/songwriter Jack Johnson.

The bands who battled their way into the coveted winning slots are: Emy Reynolds, The Philosophy, Avant Garage and The Imaginative Clams. "The kids were tremendous, and it was tough for the judges to decide. But I think our winners will really shine and add a lot to the show," said Marty Fujita of Food for Thought Ojai.

In addition to opening the Locally Grown concert, the winning bands will record one of their songs in a professional sound studio and receive free CD copies of the recording. John Adair of Wild Ox studios is donating his time, his studio and a professional sound engineer for these sessions.

The concert headliners are two local favorites who have risen to international acclaim. Perla Batalla recently appeared in Leonard Cohen's critically acclaimed tribute film I'm Your Man. She has assembled a new band that brings a rich depth showcasing Batalla's powerful voice and soulful, Latin-tinged ballads. Brett Dennen is a young singer-songwriter who has recently been 'discovered' and is skyrocketing to fame on tour with John Mayer and Sheryl Crow. His pure and timeless vocals and joyous lyrics promise great things.

Billed as a green event, Locally Grown 2 will promote a variety of consciousness-raising actions to minimize the human ecological footprint. For example, concert-goers will be encouraged to bicycle or walk to and from the event to decrease fossil fuel use, bring their own refillable water bottles, and visit a "Zero Waste" station at the event. As an incentive, raffle tickets for unique prizes will be awarded for individual 'green' efforts. Sponsorships to help underwrite the cost of the event are available, ranging from $200 for a program listing to $5000 banner sponsorships.

"This is a great way for us to get our message out to the community," Fujita added. Funds raised will go toward programs that promote good childhood nutritional practices, farm-field trips, school garden programs and salad bar lunches that feature locally-produced, seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Ticket prices range from $20 for rear lawn seats to $100 for front row VIP seats and are available online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/16914.
More information can be found on the Food For Thought Ojai Web site at www.foodforthoughtojai.org or by calling 805-640-5044.

Flower Power 4-Eva

2007-08-10T10:50:00.000-07:00

Devendra Banhart, a 26-year-old singer-songwriter from Houston, Texas, of all places, has been making a name for himself since he landed in San Francisco and was discovered by Michael Gira, of Swans.

His music is hard to classify - at various times people have labeled his work indie, psych folk, Naturalismo and now, my personal favorite, New Weird America. NWA was invented just for him. He owns an entire genre!

His great poetry, combined with folky licks and the distinctive quaver in his voice, make a memorable musician, sure to have a long and influential career. Here's a little listen for your pleasure:

Red in Fang and Claw

2007-08-08T14:24:00.000-07:00

Taking a break from the music blogging today, I am posting the horrific, yet ultimately reaffirming video of a pride of lions attacking a Cape buffalo calf at Kruger National Park in South Africa.

The video, shot by a tourist, is a true viral phenomenon, having been seen by nearly 9 million people in just a few weeks.

Before jumping to conclusions about the poor baby buffalo, watch to the end. And enjoy the protective nature of the herd. Therein lie lessons for all of us.

The Bard of Armagh

2007-08-06T08:20:00.000-07:00

Tommy Makem died Wednesday at age 74, quietly and without the fanfare he deserved. The Godfather of Irish Music, he etched his way into history with his distinctive baritone, singing richly descriptive folk songs. He came to America in 1955, where he took a job in a mill in Dover, New Hampshire. After an industrial accident left his hand crushed, he came to New York in 1961 to join up with the Clancy Brothers. They were named, along with Joan Baez, as the most promising newcomers at the Newport Folk Festival that same year.

To mark this occasion, the passing of a true bard, here is a photo montage and one of Makem's best known compositions, "Four Green Fields.":

North, to Alaska!

2007-08-05T09:53:00.000-07:00

We just returned from our summer vacation cruising the Inside Passage to Alaska. Bill snapped this photo on our approach to Hubbard Glacier just as part of the glacier calved into Disenchantment Bay. This is one of a handful of glaciers that are advancing, yet chunks of ice the size of a house tend to break off now and then with a cacophonous crash that sounds like thunder. The colors of the ice are so beautiful, revealing a gorgeous blue hue you wouldn't believe exists unless you see it yourself (click on the photo to see what I mean).

Where did your summer vacation take you?

BTW, today at the Matilija Junior High School Auditorium from 10am – 5pm is the final Battle of the Bands, and the winners will perform again at the Locally Grown Concert later this month, check it out!

Ga Ga Ga Ga (and Ga some more)

2007-07-26T14:35:00.000-07:00

Austin, Texas folkie indie rockers Spoon recently (7-11) released their seventh album, "Ga Ga Ga Ga," which debuted at #10 on the Billboard charts, the highest ever debut for this distinctively cultish band. The cult is about to get larger, largely on the strengths of such space-rock anthems like "The Ghost of You Lingers."

This video is a beautiful art film, complete unto itself, about the echoes of a bad breakup.

However, the best song on the album is the catchy, not-yet-but-soon-to-be-released-as-a-single "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb." It is so incredibly infectious, it's hard to believe that a bunch of arty posers from the capital of arty posers, Austin, could have come up with something that Timbaland or Cee-Lo would have been hard-pressed to duplicate in the danceable pop genre. Wish it was available on youtube, I would have posted it. It is my favorite song so far this summer.

But "Ghost of You" is a beautiful song, nonetheless. The album is named after the onomatopoeic piano chord G being struck repeatedly to open this song.

Live, Local Entertainment!

2007-07-22T09:12:00.000-07:00

Theater 150 Comedy Workshop Graduates Perform:
Last night my husband Bill and I saw the graduates of the Theater 150 Comedy Workshop perform at Giorgios. I had written an article about them recently for the VC Reporter (still on newsstands) and became so interested in their story I just had to see the finished product. There were about a half dozen brief bits and no shortage of laughter in the sold-out crowd. There’s one more chance to catch them and I highly recommend you do tonight at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are only ten bucks and if you get there early and order a sandwich, your beer is only a quarter. Order tickets now at www.Theater150.org.

Bodies Unbound, a one-woman play:
Cynthia Waring, Ojai local, author and playwright, will perform her solo theatrical adaptation of her moving memoir, Bodies Unbound, on August 11 at the Ojai Massage School. Cynthia’s book details how, through her work as a healer, she brings out her clients’ powerful stories and identifies them with her own tales of abuse, addiction and ultimately overcoming her demons through touch and writing.

INSPIRATIONAL STORY “BODIES UNBOUND” PLAYS AUGUST DATES IN OJAI AND SANTA BARBARA
WHAT: “Bodies Unbound,” a solo theatre piece.
WHO: Written, produced and performed by Cynthia Waring and directed by Jill Andre.
AT OJAI: Saturday, August 11, 2007 at 8 p.m. at Ojai School of Massage, 619 W. El Roblar Drive, Ojai, CA 93023. Admission: $15. Phone: (805) 640-9798.
AT SANTA BARBARA: Friday, August 17 and Saturday, August 18 at 8 p.m. at Center Stage Theater, 751 Paseo Nuevo, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Admission: $20. (805) 963-0408. Online ticketing: www.CenterStageTheater.org
WEBSITE: www.BodiesUnbound.com

I had the pleasure of interviewing Cynthia recently on Radio Ojai. An excerpt of the first act of her play is also posted.

What If Thom Yorke married Bjork

2007-07-18T14:48:00.000-07:00

Few bands have sustained a fever pitch of artistic genius like Radiohead. The Cambridge, England band, formed in 1986, first hit the pop charts with 1993's Pablo Honey and its slacker anthemic single, "I'm a Creep." Classically trained musicians all, their success meant that music mastered meant music mastered.

OK Computer and The Bends are considered by many, including your humble scribe, to be among the best albums of the 1990s.

Then came 2000's Kid A, which took ambient sounds, weird loops and samples, Thom Yorke's singular vocals and the Greenwood brothers' soaring guitar solos into literally uncharted territory. While it, and the followup album "Amnesiac" were critically acclaimed, they did alienate many fans of their prior more traditional, guitar-based sound. Their sixth album, Hail to the Thief, which came out in 2003, was a turn back to their earlier style of music.

Here's a live taping of "National Anthem," from a concert in Paris.

The Bob and Johnny Show

2007-07-17T15:16:00.000-07:00

By way of blogger Will Divide (motto: I slapped a nun in Reno just to watch her cry), here's two legends in a rare duet of "Girl from the North Country."

Though I have long been a fan of Bobby D., I have even longer been a fan of J.C. My father, a rural mailman, among many other things, would play the local country station incessantly, on which Johnny Cash tunes were a staple. Whenever we had one of our not-infrequent snow days, which I dreaded because it meant that I would have to accompany my dad on his mail route, I would have this great country music etched in my brain. Marty Robbins, Hank Sr., Porter Waggoner, Earl Stanley, Lester Scruggs, even Conway Twitty, I would listen to them all. Not that I had any choice. You could only pry the tuning knob of the radio in that ancient Ford Fairlane from his cold, dead fingers.

La Buona Tavola/The Art Of Cooking

2007-07-12T09:01:00.000-07:00

Merluzzo al forno /Baked cod with garlic and mayonnaise

Ingredients:
4 anchovy filets
3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
6 tbsp olive oil
4 cod filets, skinned
1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs

Make your own mayonnaise and have some fun.
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 egg yolk
1tsp mustard
3/4 cup vegetable oil
Salt & fresh black pepper

For 4 people:
Make the mayonnaise. First put the garlic in a small bowl. Mash it to a paste. Beat in the egg yolk and mustard. Add the oil in a thin stream while beating vigorously with a small whisk. When the mixture is thick and smooth, season with salt and pepper. Cover the bowl and keep cool.
Preheat the oven to 400f, chop the anchovy fillets with the parsley very finely. Place in a small bowl, and add pepper and 3 tbsp of the oil. Stir to a paste.
Place the cod fillets in one layer in an oiled baking dish. Spread the anchovy paste on the top of the cod fillets. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and the remaining oil. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden. Serve hot with the garlic mayonnaise.

Buon appetito

For more recipes, visit my wesite at rosariosellshomes.com

Wordiness

2007-07-11T08:26:00.000-07:00

Well, I don't know if that one qualifies (maybe in Stephen Colbert's world), but ginormous now officially does!

The new 2007 update of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, Eleventh Edition is coming this fall, and in addition to ginormous (coined perhaps by Will Ferrell's character in Elf), you'll find crunk, nocebo and chaebol. Interestingly, though their site lists the words, the links appear to go nowhere! Feel free to put your definitions in comments.

In other news, the Battle of the Bands deadline has been extended to 7/20! As you already know from the press releases I have placed on these pages, Food For Thought is sponsoring a local Battle of the Bands for youth ages 13-20 (sorry, Bret, young hipsters only) in Ojai and Ventura. The three winning bands will open the Locally Grown fundraising concert on August 25 at Libbey Bowl featuring headliners Brett Dennen - currently touring with John Mayer - and Perla Batalla – Grammy nominated vocalist and Ojai resident. The event will be the second Locally Grown fundraiser for Food For Thought Ojai; the first concert in 2005 featured singer/songwriter Jack Johnson.

The Battle of the Bands will take place August 4th and 5th at the Matilija Junior High School Auditorium from 10am – 5pm. Bands performing all varieties of music, from straight edge and punk to jazz and acoustic, are encouraged to enter. In addition to opening the Locally Grown 2 concert, the three winning bands will also be able to record their chosen song in a professional sound studio and receive free CD copies of the recording.

Entry forms and a sample recording must be submitted by July 20. Rules and other information can be found on the Food For Thought Ojai Web site.

Speaking of Food for Thought, at the recent screening of The Real Dirt on Farmer John, Lesley Littlefield performed her song, “Oranginess,” which you can now listen to on Radio Ojai.

Ain't No Cure - Or is There?

2007-07-06T13:36:00.000-07:00

Withering under the oppressive heat? Me too.

Here's the time-tested cure, "Summertime Blues," by one Mr. Eddie Cochran, of Albert Lea, Minnesota, who died tragically in a car accident in Wiltshire, England at age 21.

An interesting link with English culture is that the Mods (Rockers) and Teds (Quiffs) immortalized in the Who's "Quadrophrenia," took most of their proto-punk influences from Cochran and Gene "Be Bop A Lula" Vincent. In fact, Cochran's hit from 1956, "20 Flight Rock," which was featured in the cult classic, "The Girl Can't Help It," was used by the Rockers during their drag races. The goal was to complete a circuit of the block by the time that 2 minute song was over. As soon as the needle dropped, they were off. They called it record racing.

A Saturday Night in Ojai

2007-07-01T10:39:00.000-07:00

Feast Bistro’s new summer menu is out and it is tasty. We tried the Asian Appetizer with summer rolls, spicy sesame noodles and grilled shrimp – really fresh and flavorful. Chef Susan also created a cioppino, but with an Ojai twist; the orange-saffron broth turns this traditional seafood stew into a local favorite.

After dinner we moseyed on over to Movino, where a local band was playing all original material for the Ojai wine-sipping crowd. Champagne Sunday’s lead singer, Jessi Reems-Terrell, reeled us in with her unbelievable vocals while the other two members of the band kept us there for an entire set with solid harmonies and brilliant hooks. I was so taken I begged them to let me put “Ventura Sky” on Radio Ojai, where it is now playing.

Also on Radio Ojai, Matt gives me his grilling secrets and we talk about Ojai’s quirky 4th of July parade. I don’t know about you, but I’ll be celebrating Independence Day atop one of Joe’s new cushy barstools in front of Pangea!

Lastly, check out the current Ojai Valley Visitors Guide, now on newsstands, for a progressive dining adventure down Ojai Avenue which includes Azu, Movino, Pangea and Feast Bistro.

la Buona Tavola/The Art Of Cooking

2007-06-28T09:13:00.000-07:00

Brasato Al Barolo/Braised Beef With Barolo

This dish is a specialty of Piemonte, (Piedmont), which means "at the foot of the mountain". "Il Piemonte’ is a very interesting region, with French influences, delicious food and great wines, to mention but a few. Barbaresco, Barbera, Gaja and off course "the Prince of the Italian red wine" Barolo.

Ingredients:
2lbs. top round beef
2 carrots
2 onions
A few celery stalks
2 cloves of garlic
2 tbs. oil
1 bottle Barolo
Spices
Flour for dusting
Salt pepper

Preparation:
Salt pepper and marinate the beef with the vegetables, aromatic herbs spices and wine for 12 24 hours at a cool temperature, but not in the refrigerator.
Drain the meat. Heat the oil in a large pan. Dust the meat with flour and brown it on all sides over a high flame. Add the marinade. Cover and cook gently in the oven at 375 f. for 3-4 hours. Remove the brasato from its cooking juice, set aside and keep warm. Sieve finely the cooking juices with vegetables.
Adjust seasoning. Reduce a bit, slice the brasato, arrange in a pre-heated platter. You can serve it with potatoes gnocchi, soft polenta, or mashed potatoes.

Buon Appetito.

For more recipes, visit my website, rosariosellshomes.com

Food For Thought Brings Locally Grown Concert Back to Libbey Bowl!

2007-06-26T15:33:00.000-07:00

Food For Thought Ojai is sponsoring its second Locally Grown fundraising concert on August 25 at Libbey Bowl. The concert will open with winners of the Battle of the Bands which takes place earlier in the month, then follow with headliners Brett Dennen - currently touring with John Mayer - and Perla Batalla – Grammy nominated vocalist and Ojai resident. The event is a fundraiser for Food For Thought Ojai, a nonprofit organization that brings nutrition education, garden-based learning and environmental and agricultural awareness to students of Ojai’s public schools. The first Locally Grown concert in 2005 featured singer/songwriter Jack Johnson.

“This is a great way for us to get our message out to the community,” said Marty Fujita of Food for Thought Ojai. Funds raised will go toward programs that promote good childhood nutritional practices, farm-field trips, school garden programs and salad bar lunches that feature locally-produced, seasonal fruits and vegetables.

This year’s headliners are two local favorites who have risen to international acclaim. Perla Batalla recently appeared in Leonard Cohen’s critically acclaimed tribute film I’m Your Man. She has assembled a new band that brings a rich depth showcasing Batalla’s powerful voice and soulful, Latin-tinged ballads. Brett Dennen is a young singer-songwriter who has recently been ‘discovered’ and is skyrocketing to fame on tour with John Mayer and Sheryl Crow. His pure and timeless vocals and joyous lyrics promise great things.

Billed as a green event, Locally Grown 2 will promote a variety of consciousness-raising actions to minimize the human ecological footprint. For example, concert-goers will be encouraged to bicycle or walk to and from the event to decrease fossil fuel use, bring their own refillable water bottles, and visit a “Zero Waste” station at the event. As an incentive, raffle tickets for unique prizes will be awarded for individual ‘green’ efforts. Sponsorships to help underwrite the cost of the event are available, ranging from $200 for a program listing to $5000 banner sponsorships.

A presale of tickets for the Locally Grown concert will be held at the Sunday Ojai Farmers Market on July 1 and July 8. Ticket prices range from $20 for rear lawn seats to $100 for front row VIP seats. Tickets will be available online beginning July 9 at https://www.brownpapertickets.com .

More information can be found on the Food For Thought Ojai web site or by calling 805-640-5044.

Food For Thought is a grassroots, community-driven nonprofit organization, working in partnership with the Ojai Unified School District to bring nutrition education, locally grown foods, and agricultural literacy to the children of the Ojai Unified School District.

Note: Links to Brett and Perla take you to their MySpace pages where you can hear their music!

Whistles Like a Bird

2007-06-25T08:34:00.000-07:00

Andrew Bird is one of those guys whose talent is so extragavant you'd have to hate him if you didn't love him.

No one in modern music makes better use of one of the most beautiful musical instruments - the human voice, especially when it is used to whistle. Besides the violin - his first instrument - he also plays guitar and glockenspiel. If you haven't heard of him yet, you will. He is poised for a mainstream breakthrough.

Here he is on Letterman with "Plasticities":

Miles and Miles to Go

2007-06-22T07:17:00.000-07:00

Miles Davis was not only one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time, he was a pioneer of avant garde sounds. Listen to "Bitches Brew" from 1969 and tell me this wouldn't sound right at home at the Ojai Music Festival.

This was the very first jazz fusion album, but what exactly it was fusing is hard to tell - everything from bebop to Stravinsky to Delta Blues. Here's part 1 of 6. I encourage you to link through to all of them.

Battle of the Ojai/Ventura Bands!

2007-06-21T11:04:00.000-07:00

Food For Thought Sponsors Battle of the Bands! Winners to Play Libbey Bowl

Food For Thought is sponsoring a local Battle of the Bands for youth in Ojai and Ventura. The three winning bands will open the Locally Grown fundraising concert on August 25 at Libbey Bowl featuring headliners Brett Dennen - currently touring with John Mayer - and Perla Batalla – Grammy nominated vocalist and Ojai resident. The event will be the second Locally Grown fundraiser for Food For Thought Ojai; the first concert in 2005 featured singer/songwriter Jack Johnson.

The Battle of the Bands is open to youth ages 13-20 from Ojai and Ventura, and will take place August 4th and 5th at the Matilija Junior High School Auditorium from 10am – 5pm. Bands performing all varieties of music, from straight edge and punk to jazz and acoustic, are encouraged to enter. In addition to opening the Locally Grown 2 concert, the three winning bands will also be able to record their chosen song in a professional sound studio and receive free CD copies of the recording.

Entry forms and a sample recording must be submitted by July 6. Rules and other information can be found on the Food For Thought Ojai website.

Food For Thought is a grassroots, community-driven nonprofit organization, working in partnership with the Ojai Unified School District to bring nutrition education, locally grown foods, and agricultural literacy to the children of the Ojai Unified School District.

Epilectic Triggers

2007-06-18T11:01:00.000-07:00

The 2012 Olympic logo supposedly triggers epilectic seizures in certain susceptible people when seen in the short animation promotional trailer. It was hastily pulled at the first sign of trouble.

Despite all the great advances of science, we know next to nothing about the one organ that allows us to know anything about anything, our brain.

How is that flickering images can trigger a short-circuiting reflex in some and not others, for example? Or how is that not every person who watches this Horrors video, "Sheena is a Parasite," does not have a neurological meltdown?

The Horrors have taken the Prodigy based rave and trip hop music and amped it up a few degrees. This video, executing a simple concept very well, shows how videos can make music even more than it would be without the artful presentation of images, even if it floats through your mind at 144 images per second.

Bands on the Run - TV on the Radio

2007-06-15T08:39:00.000-07:00

TV on the Radio has been around for about six years and three albums. Each album from this NYC indie hipster outfit is much different than the others. They are constantly refining and reinventing themselves - looking for sounds and songs that amuse themselves, rather than sticking with one style or genre.

That said, they do come out of that lower East Side hipster set that spawned other bands like the Yeah, Yeah Yeahs and Interpol. David Bowie even sings on a few of their tracks, providing that essential validation from a living legend.

What great fun they are having, and providing for those with adventurous ears. Here's one of the coolest videos of the past few years, "Wolf Like Me."

Farmer John Brings the Real Dirt to the Ojai Playhouse

2007-06-13T16:42:00.000-07:00

From a press release submitted by Food for Thought Ojai:

No, it’s not about the sausage company.

The Real Dirt on Farmer John is a movie about Illinois farmer John Petersen and his decades-long struggle to wrest right livelihood from his family’s farm. Winner of over 30 festival awards, this film has it all – life, death, sex, terrorism, art, failure, success. Helped along by the fact that his mom started taking 16 mm movies of the family when John was a child, and by the fact that John is an artist as well as a bred-in-the-bones farmer, this movie reaches far beyond any normal expectations of a documentary about a mid-western farmer.

Presented by Food for Thought Ojai, the Ojai Film Society, and Slow Food Ojai/Ventura. The Real Dirt on Farmer John will show Saturday and Sunday, June 30-July 1, at 4:30 pm at the Ojai Playhouse in downtown Ojai. Tickets are $8 for adults, and $5 for seniors and students at the door.

Farmer John Petersen will be at the Sunday screening for Q & A.

Immediately following the screening, there will be a fixed price dinner reception for Farmer John ($25 per person for three course tasting menu featuring locally grown produce and poultry) at ironpan restaurant located 219 East Matilija Street in Ojai. Please call ironpan for reservations 805-646-3500 by Friday June 29.

View the film’s trailer at http://www.farmerjohnmovie.com/Home.html.

For further information, please call Marty Fujita at 640-5044.

Masters of the Obvious

2007-06-11T14:36:00.000-07:00

The annihilation and reconstitution of the music business is one of my favorite subjects. My belief is that it is a good, if not great, time to be a musician. The old gatekeepers are falling by the wayside, and the bigger they are, the harder they fall. People won't pay for recordings, but they will gladly shell out their hard-earned money for concert tickets. The music business, as a whole, has been shrinking for years, but the portion that goes to tickets has been regaining lost ground.

The bottom line remains ever the same: make good music and you will make a good living doing so, provided you can put on a good show.

So it was with great glee that I read the inimitable blogmeister Will Divide's commentary on said meltdown.

"You have to read ten paragraphs into yesterday's Times story about the collapse of CD sales before getting to the heart of the matter, namely the suck-suck-suckiness of Pop music today:

"Even as the industry tries to branch out, though, there is no promise of an answer to a potentially more profound predicament: a creative drought and a corresponding lack of artists who ignite consumers’ interest in buying music. Sales of rap, which had provided the industry with a lifeboat in recent years, fell far more than the overall market last year with a drop of almost 21 percent, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

"Not that the writer spent a lot of time examining this aspect of the decline, because, well, it was a business story. Seems download sales aren't so hot either. How big media enterprises evolved to manage free expression and smother creativity, co-opt and trivialize, and how bright, talented people lent themselves to such activities, for a chance for money and fame, is a story as large and shining as the sun in these parts, has been for years.

"That the mobility is finally growing tired of it (and YES, I am using the collapse of CD sales as indicative of wider concerns) says a lot about our times. The country has been soul starved for years. For me, the true tragedy of America is how little real culture, which is a higher order of social self-knowledge, our affluence has bought us over the last sixty-odd years. Our politics is as bad as our pop music (Nashville, I am looking at you), and both reflect a creative bankruptcy that bleeds into the moral realm."

Here's a blast from the past, from the rightly famed gospel queens, the Davis Sisters:

Dad Rock That's Still Cool

2007-06-08T09:29:00.000-07:00

As a dad myself, I have few pretensions left to hipness in any form. While I haven't (yet) devolved into a state of Dockers and socks-with-sandals, I also no longer bother to follow bands my 13-year-old daughter listens to like cute is what we aim for, Cobra Starship or Taking Back Sunday.

There's nothing wrong with Dad Rock in and of itself. Frankly, in the Darwinian world of musical tastes, the fact that bands like the Rolling Stones and The Who stand up so well to the test of time speaks to eternal associations with youthful expression and rebellion. They endure because they are good. And no one on this earth embodies coolness like Keith Richards.

That said, only one band in my listening experience bridges the gap between dinosaurish dad rock and coolness, and that is Wilco. Small wonder that they also bridge gaps between country and rock, between folk and soul, between . Mark my words, 50 years from now, we will still be debating Jeff Tweedy's legacy. He is cool because he tries so hard not to be.

This is the man, after all, who bought up all the rights to Woody Guthrie's unpublished songs, right out from underneath Bod Dylan's nose, and came out with one of the emblematic albums of the 1990s, "Mermaid Avenue" with British belter Billy Bragg.

Here's a Pitchfork interview with Wilco's founder about their newest and sixth album, "Blue Sky Blue":

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/42415-interview-wilco

Here's Jeff Tweedy with his son, proving once and for all that being a dad doesn't exclude us from the clubhouse of cool kids:

Music + Film = Art

2007-06-06T09:50:00.000-07:00

Having been among the lucky 200,000 households in MTV's test market rollout in June 1981, I have nursed more than 25 years of jonesing for great music videos. It is a sublime addiction, feeding all my senses, especially when I would grab my gal and dance to Kim Wilde's "We're the Kids in America."

Everybody lives for the music go-round, indeed. Good times.

The music business has changed dramatically in recent years, however. And among the first casualties of these epochal changes has been the elaborate, expensive, over-the-top videos. Recording artists and record companies are now looking for cool on the cheap. The Hold Steady treadmill video being a perfect example - shot with digital for virtually nothing, it has become a viral phenomenon, lasting nearly a year.

Here's another excellent example - this sleek Swedish import from the Concretes, "The Chosen One." Money can't buy you love, or great art either.

40 Years Ago Today - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

2007-06-04T10:20:00.000-07:00

Well, sort of. The epochal song-cycle rock opera concept album, from those towering geniuses and cheeky lads from Liverpool, debuted on Friday.

It is hard to overstate the significance of their achievement in moving the artistic goalposts. The New Yorker's current issue has a great profile of Paul (my second-favorite Beatle), in which he talks about the pain of having to sue his bandmates about their poor choice of management (history proved him right to do so), and how he and John patched up their relationship, and went back to the easy tomfoolery and rapport they enjoyed during the late 1950s as teenagers with the Quarrymen and their shared love of American blues and rockabilly.

It is hard to also overstate the cultural wasteland that awaited the Beatles when they arrived in the U.S. in 1964 for their watershed moment on the Ed Sullivan show. To describe that moment, I will defer to one of my favorite bloggers, Digby's Hullabaloo:

"First of all, to you kiddies out there who want to know what all the brouhaha about The Beatles was all about, I strongly suggest you - hell, everyone should have it - grab the four Complete Ed Sullivan Shows with The Beatles . Now here's the thing: you have to watch one a night, all the way through, including Miitzi Gaynor sing what she calls "real music," and Frank Gorshin doing Kirk Douglas impressions. You will learn two things. First of all, that life in mainstream white America in 1964 was bereft of any positive cultural merit whatsoever. And secondly, this is the ideal society your average Republican politician has in mind for America, sans Beatles of course. It truly is hard to believe. You must see these shows in their entirety to understand how much this country has changed."

Here's a rare, archival video of the title song:

la Buona Tavola/The Art Of Cooking

2007-06-01T15:33:00.000-07:00

This is strawberries season, and there is no better time than now to make this delicious dessert.

Strawberries Baskets with aceto balsamico/ Cestino di fragole con aceto balsamico

Ingredients for the baskets:
5 oz. of butter
5 oz. of flour
3 eggs whites
1 tbsp. vanilla extract

For the filling:
10 oz. vanilla ice cream
1/2 lb. Strawberries
16 drops aceto balsamico

Preparation:
In a bowl, wisk the butter with the sugar and the vanilla extract until frothy. Slowly, add the egg whites and then the sifted flour. Put this cream in a pastry bag with a smooth nozzle and form four disks on a buttered cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes on a 425 f oven. Remove and while still hot. Place each disk over an upside down glass. The overlapping edges will turn downwards, thus creating a basket.
Let cool and then remove from the glasses.
Clean and dry the strawberries and place them in the baskets.
On each dessert plate, place a spoon of vanilla ice cream and let it melt for a couple minutes until soft. Place a basket next the vanilla ice cream.
Drizzle about four drops of balsamic vinegar over each basket, garnish with strawberry leaves.

Democracy Movement in Music

2007-05-31T17:14:00.000-07:00

Austin quartet I Love You But I Chosen Darkness is another example of a favorite theme of mine - how the accelerating death of the record companies is giving an opening to all kinds of great music that would ordinarily have never found an audience.

It is also provided an opening for video producers who can do genius work with little or no budget.

Here's the Pitchfork media blurb:

"Created independently, without the support of a production company, this painstakingly composed piece from 20-year-old Canadian animation student Emmanuel Ho is proof of the increased democratization of the music video market. Showcasing Ho's clean, geometric design style and his laser-sharp eye for movement, "The Owl" squeezes drama out of every tensile guitar part in the Austin quartet's broody instrumental, to the extent that it's hard to imagine a more established director doing more with this source material."

http://www.scjag.com/mp3/sc/theowl.mov

Myridian UPDATE

2007-05-31T09:39:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: The Skate Park event was canceled, so look for Myridian at the Athletic Club 6/8.
As published in this week's VC Reporter:

Old man, take a look at your band

Ojai’s Myridian overcome tragedy — and middle age — to release their classic-rock inspired debut Prime Myridian

~ By LISA SNIDER ~

Old guys rock — and I’m not talking about the Rolling Stones or Aerosmith. Myridian, an Ojai-based fivesome of forty-somethings, proved earlier this year that it’s never too late to start rocking with the release of their first album, Prime Myridian. Working blue-collar day jobs as an electrician, farmer, equipment renter, pool technician and electronics installer, Myridian’s roster includes Scott Smith on keyboards, Richard Metcalfe on guitar, Kalvin Keller on lead vocals, Patrick Duffy on drums and Bud McCanless on bass.

“A young person has the energy,” says Smith, who doubles as the band’s manager. “This is more of a work ethic.”

With a minimum of twice weekly rehearsals in Smith’s garage, Myridian’s work ethic is getting them noticed. Their protest song, “Gunshots,” is now in its seventh week in the top 10 on Neil Young’s Living with War Web site.

Written by Metcalfe, Myridian’s principal songwriter, “Gunshots” was originally about inner city gang wars. “A lot of my songs seem to cross over at the time when I’m writing into other subjects, and I don’t even realize it until later,” he says. “It’s almost prophetic in a way.”

Metcalfe’s lyrics are poetic and relevant: “Lots of faceless names, with increasing toe-tag numbers/ The children have gone off to war, when they step outside their own front door.”
Metcalfe, a pro-skateboarder as a teen who was also scouted by the Yankees before an injury put him out of the game for good, takes his songwriting seriously. “I want to write songs that make people think,” he says.

The past 18 months have been a rollercoaster ride for Myridian. Last February, while competing with 60 other groups in the Ventura Battle of the Bands, Metcalfe’s wife, Kimberly, suffered a massive heart attack. The band went on to win the competition, but Kimberly did not survive.

Devastated, but with the support of his band, Metcalfe found the strength to continue. The next month, Myridian went into the studio to begin recording Prime Myridian, which would be released 11 months later.

“We all have a passion, and we share a love for the Myridian music,” Smith says. “The music is powerful and important.”

Myridian’s style, described by Metcalfe as “classic rock with a pop twist,” could be compared to Genesis and the Fixx. But the feel is more contemporary, and while the music definitely rocks, there is also an element of play. In “Media Lies,” the lyrics “Ashes to ashes/all fall down” bring back playground memories.

“One of our strengths is our vocal harmonies,” Smith says. Driven by lead Keller’s arid vocals, Myridian’s sound is unique. “It is the hallmark of what Myridian is,” Smith says.

Looking ahead, Smith says, “Our hope would be to get discovered. I think that can happen.”

Myridian performs June 8 at the Ojai Valley Athletic Club at 6:30 p.m., public invited for a nominal fee. More info: www.myspace.com/myridiannet. Listen to the interview and a studio recording of “Gunshots” at www.RadiOjai.com.

Buried Treasure at the Box Office

2007-05-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day is supposed to be a day of reflection and rememberance, but in the movie business, it marks the start of the summer blockbuster season. Today I watched the third installment of the swashbuckling adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow: Pirates of the Carribean, At World's End. Following in the footsteps of the second Pirates, this one is just as dark and the characters equally grotesque. But Johnny Depp is a charmer and seeing Keith Richards in full pirate garb was well worth the 168 minutes I spent glue to my gummy theater seat in downtown Ventura this afternoon.

There are some exciting films in the summer line-up. I can't wait to see:

Shrek the Third
Ocean's 13
Under Dog
Live Free or Die Hard (I know, Yippee Ki Yay)
Evan Almighty
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

And I might pop my head in for The Simpsons Movie.

But I will happily miss Hairspray and Transformers (which gets the coveted 7/4 release date).

What summer movies are you going to see?

Britpop Warbler Pays the Price of Fame

2007-05-25T15:23:00.000-07:00

Lily Allen canceled many of her U.S. tour dates for a number of reasons. Drinking too much was one of them, but mostly, I believe, it was the rapid rise to fame and the inability to deal with it. The stresses of fame found an inappropriate outlet and left her unable to fulfill her commitments.

Fame is a maze of twists and turns, especially for artists, who tend to quiver with sensitivity and self-consciousness. Allen, only 19, rose too fast, too far. But her talent, as shown on "Smile" is undeniable. What a great storytelling video approach, and what a lovely, fragile voice, indicative of the personality behind it.

We have surely not heard the last of this lovely British songstress.

Neko Case's DIY Ethic

2007-05-23T16:32:00.000-07:00

I admire musicians who write their own rules. Neko Case, with a voice like soft honeyed light, is one such person. She has refused all offers from major record labels, choosing instead to stay with small independents because she retains creative control of her work.

She left home at age 15, and had herself declared an emancipated minor. Now she has emancipated herself from the tyranny of the music business and record labels, very similar to another heroine of mine, Ani DiFranco. Case was a member of the Vancouver-based New Pornographers, one of the greatest supergroups of all time. Many people believe Neko to be the most talented, with good cause, but I have gradually come to admire Daniel Bejar above all others, mainly on his lyrical strengths. Case is no slouch in that department either - not just a pretty face with a pretty voice, but a beautiful mind, as well.

Here's a Letterman clip from her newest, "Fox Confessor Brings the Flood." Enjoy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neko_Case

Rock and Roll's Avant Garde

2007-05-21T10:47:00.000-07:00

Rock music, for all its fuss and fury, and relative newness (barely a half century) is a very traditional art form, borrowing from and leaning heavily on genres like blues (Beatles, Hendrix), but also on country (Elvis, Sun records), roots music (Dylan, folkster), and ragtime.

It is not an easy field for innovation, because of the often hidebound nature of its fan base. We are not talking about Elliot Carter or Harry Partsch devotees here, but the majority of us, who are simple people with simple tastes, who know what they like and want to hear more of it. For every Frank Zappa or Captain Beefheart, there are 10 Journeys or Bad Companies.

But here's a Georgia band, Deerhunter, who is trying to push the envelope on what rock and roll can be - a fluid art form, full of dazzling instrumentation and experimentation. "Strange Lights' is not their best song, but the only one for which a you tube video exists. It will give you some idea of what they are capable of. If you like what you hear, then I highly recommend "Cryptograms," their brand-new album.

The Eh, B.C.s of Canada

2007-05-15T15:08:00.000-07:00

More in an occasional series of postings about our neighbors to El Norte:

The Arcade Fire, known for their fiery live shows and brilliant musicianship and sharp lyrics, are basically a husband-wife team from Montreal that morphed into one of the world's hottest bands. Win Butler, originally from the U.S., and Regine Chassagne, began a mere four years ago, and have produced two of the best recording of the decade in this year's Neon Bible and 2004's Funeral.

Besides the dramatic live shows, Arcade Fire members - usually about eight or ten depending on the lineup - are known for playing multiple instruments, including mouth harp, hurdy gurdy, accordions and xylophones in addition to their trademark guitar and violins.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcade_Fire

Here they are live with the Thin White Duke himself, in "Wake Up."

Coolest Name in Rock 'n' Roll

2007-05-10T15:04:00.000-07:00

Clem Snide, the alt-country indie prog rockers from Nashville via New York, have been around for a long time now - released their first record in 1991. How is it that more people aren't aware of them merely illustrates that great talents often go unappreciated in their time.

Clem Snide is an ever-rotating roster of musicians backing up acclaimed singer-songwriter Eef Barzelay, possessor of one of the coolest names I have ever heard. Eef Barzeley! How can you not love someone with a name like that! And Clem Snide is a character in William Burroughs' Naked Lunch. It's like a double-dose of art-geek hipness.

Here's Eef and Clem Snide with "Girls Don't Care.":

Red State Balladeer

2007-05-09T14:39:00.000-07:00

Country music balladeer James McMurtry comes with about as distinguished a pedigree as anyone from Texas could have: he is the son of American novelist laureate Larry McMurtry. His father gave him a guitar at age 5 and he took off from there. What I love about McMurtry (tip of the hat to the musically voracious J.B. White) is that he combines his father's narrative genius with great honky-tonk licks.

He writes about the great shrinking and breaking heartland of America with poignancy and wit.

Check this out:

Songs for Mother's Day

2007-05-08T15:18:00.000-07:00

I couldn't find a top 10 list for Mother's Day, but I did find this on About.com:

Radio stations, programmers, and deejays have used The Green Book of Songs By Subject for years.

Each week, The Green Book of Songs By Subject provides a new list of songs for a particular topic exclusively to the Radio site at About.com.

This week:
Mother's Day

Song/Artist
Song For Mama/Boyz II Men
That Was Your Mother/Paul Simon
You Can't Lose Me/Faith Hill
Mama Tried/Merle Haggard
Mama Told Me Not To Come/Three Dog Night
26 Cents/Wilkinsons

The song that always makes me think of my mom is The Carpenters', "Close To You," because she used to sing it to my sister and I when we were little.

Songs that are in my head right now:
Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys
Take Your Mama, Scissor Sisters
And my favorite, Bohemian Rhapsody, by Queen, just because the opening line begins with, "Mama..."
Here is a live version I dug up on YouTube:

Coach Class Roulette

2007-05-07T11:28:00.000-07:00

It seems that I made a fatal error in the game of Coach Class Roulette. I chose seats 6A and 6B on Horizon's flight to the Pacific Northwest last weekend. I realize that at 5' 10" I am practically a giant for coach class, but the leg room was so bad on this particular flight that I couldn't even cross my legs without doing some sort of strange contortionist maneuver. My husband got the aisle seat so he was able to stretch out his 6' 2" frame between peanut cart trips.

But that wasn't what did us in.

Behind us was 3-year-old Logan, whose Mommy (traveling alone) incessantly bargained and negotiated and said things like, "That's not an okay choice." And then she started counting. Now I know all too well how this counting game ends. I've got three nephews under 10. It's not pretty. I held my breath as she counted from 1 to 5, and each time Logan hollered, "No!" At 5, you could practically hear a pin drop, then Logan shrieked, "NNNNNNNNNNNooooooOOOO!" and became possessed by the demon, screaming, flailing and kicking my seat so hard I was catapulted forward into seat 5A.

At about the same time, a single mother right across the aisle was juggling her squirming 5-month-old, who was now screaming at full tilt, until she whipped out the boob. The muffled sucking sounds on one side and the little darling behind me who wouldn't put on his seat belt made for an interesting flight.

All considered, Bret, I'll take the chatty woman covered in cat hair you wrote about awhile back any day!

The Grass is Always Bluer

2007-05-07T11:16:00.000-07:00

Bill Monroe died just over a decade ago - but his legacy is secure. He invented bluegrass music. And by inventing, I mean it did not exist before he came along. That kind of inventing. Not adapting, not transforming, not weaving together various threads of influence, he created an entire genre of music.

Bluegrass music was named after his band, "The Blue Grass Boys," and his home state of Kentucky.

Of course, mandolins and triple fiddles existed before Monroe, mostly in the Appalachian roots music, but his hard-won virtuosity with mandolin, and his regular appearances on the Grand Ole Opry cemented the new genre's prominence.

Here's a clip of Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys from 1957:

Bowling in Pairs

2007-05-03T16:15:00.000-07:00

Just for fun. No higher meaning or purpose intended. Because sometimes things are just fun to share. Big ups to Gary E. for pointing this out to me:

The Death of Film

2007-05-03T16:08:00.000-07:00

Legendary director David Lynch, occasionally seen out and about in Ojai, which gives me some sketchy local connection for this posting, has written a thoughtful and lucid essay in Lost magazine, an excerpt from his book, "Catching the Big Fish," about the myriad benefits of digital cameras versus the enormous 35 mm dinosaurs.

http://www.lostmag.com/issue13/cinematography.php

I especially was struck by how digital is changing the relationship between actors and directors, how actors actually get to spend more time acting and less time waiting around on location. Some folks believe that actors enjoy spending their time in their trailers, waiting for cameras to reload, but most of the actors I know would prefer to spend their time acting. Actors love to act! Whoduthunk?

Lynch writes: "And for actors, to get down into a character in the middle of a scene and then suddenly have to stop while we reload the film cameras after ten minutes — often, this breaks the thing. But now you're rolling along; you've got 40 minutes down in there. And you can start talking to the actors, and instead of stopping it you can move in and push it."

Lennon's Lost Weekend

2007-05-01T16:29:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, the late lamented John Lennon (my favorite Beatle) hid out for weeks at a time at friend Harry Nilsson's Ojai home during his infamous "Lost Weekend," which lasted from late 1973 to 1975. That was after Yoko kicked him out of their New York house and set him loose with their personal assistant, May Pang. He took up with Nilsson's crowd, who dubbed themselves the "Hollywood Vampires," and terrorized the city for months.

My favorite story from that year is that Lennon was at a Los Angeles restaurant and was acting out-of-control like the pathological narcissistic hedonist that he could become, prancing about with a salad bowl on his head. A waitress gave him a disapproving glance, and he shot back with that timeless line of d-bags everywhere, "Do you know who I am?" She replied, on beat, "Yes, you're an asshole."

Not always. But he could be. He was a work in progress, one of the greatest talents of this century, or any other for that matter, part of a crew of cheeky lads from Liverpool who blended and blurred and stirred together music from wherever they could find it into one shining stream of sound that will echo throughout the centuries. The Beatles - we will never see their like again.

Imagine what he could have become had he not been felled outside the Dakota Hotel on that dark day in 1980, a victim of his fame. Well, I'll let John speak for himself about what might have been:

One in An Occasional Series on Most Influential Artists in Rock and Roll

2007-04-30T15:33:00.000-07:00

Patti Smith, not be confused with another influential artist named Patty Smyth, is considered the "poet laureate of the punk movement." Her 1975 album, "Horses," was the junction pool of many tributaries of art, music and philosophy. The first song on the album, "Gloria," began with "Jesus died for someone's sins, but not mine."

She is another one of those great minds who never achieved commercial success, but whose disciples and acolytes, bands like R.E.M., MC5, Nirvana, sold millions of records. Her life was also her art, having had a long-time romance with the otherwise gay-as-a-goose Robert Mapplethorpe, marrying another musician with the same last name, dropping out of the scene to be a suburban housewife and raise her kids in a Detroit suburb, then being lured back on the road by R.E.M. and Bob Dylan, another fan, where she remains to this day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patti_Smith

Science, Arrogance and Ignorance

2007-04-27T15:01:00.000-07:00

Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man ran on PBS back in the late 1970s. Rarely has the need for science to overcome our hatred and ignorance been better articulated.

This segment, filmed outside Auschwitz, is as moving a documentary as I have witnessed. Absolute power and absolute ignorance go hand in hand. Science is a human form, a constant questioning and reassessment, the place where assumptions are tested and doubts born. It is what will move us from the muck to the stars.

When you think of the arrogance of anyone's absolute certainty, especially those right-wing religionists whose fundamentalist point of view has infiltrated the highest levels of our government, remember that Oliver Cromwell quote: "I beseech you in the bowels of Jesus. Think it possible, you may be mistaken."

Making Fun of Your Fears

2007-04-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

Spiders freak me out. It is not only the wired evolutionary response to a real threat - spiders can kill. I suffer from a severe case of spider-related trauma. When I was about 8, I was tromping through a field of goldenrods taller than me when I stumbled into a clearing with a tight lattice work of spider webs. As I was flailing about, trying to get the webbing off me, I saw at least a dozen of the huge death-mask meadow spiders scurrying right at me. I got bit at least half a dozen times, raising enormous welts and causing blisters on my ears and hands. The black and yellow argiope is a generally harmless spider, so the main damage was to my fragile ego.

The sight of a spider to this day gives me the willies. But I have learned to live and let live, knowing what a valuable role the arachnids play in insect control.

So my strategy is to laugh at the creepy little predators. Mockery is the sincerest form of disrespect.

Tennis Anyone? The 107th Ojai Tennis Tourney

2007-04-22T16:32:00.000-07:00

As published in the Spring issue of the Ojai Visitors Guide, by Lisa Snider:

The 107th Annual Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament, or “The Ojai®” to the more savvy, is the most anticipated event of the season; springtime in Ojai just wouldn’t be the same without it. The smell of sweat and sunscreen commingled with grilled tri-tip and orange blossoms create an air of unmistakable Ojai. Presented April 26-29 by the non-profit Ojai Valley Tennis Club, it’s Ojai’s oldest event and one that carries with it an esteemed reputation rich in history and tradition.

“We have 1500 competitors, we use over 100 courts, we have 500 people working all the various phases of the tournament, but we own no tennis courts and have no paid employees,” said Sam Eaton, public relations chair for The Ojai®.

Home of the annual Pac-10 men's, women's, and doubles individual championship matches, The Ojai® brings tourists and tennis fans to our small town for 4 days of intense competition. Libbey Park, in the heart of Ojai, is the venue for the finals of all divisions, including Div. III West Regionals, Community and Independent Colleges, Junior and CIF events, and the Open.

After 107 years, I couldn’t help but ask if anything new is in the works, any plans to mix it up a bit this year? “Nothing new, just the same wonderful stuff that has kept us going for 107 years. Perhaps that's the beauty of the whole thing,” said Eaton.

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know much about the game. I tried, though, having spent two summers during my pre-teen years at tennis camp. I forgot my racquet one year; my mom had to turn around and drive 50 miles back home to get it for me. I never excelled beyond beginner level, nor did I figure out the scoring (love?). I did, however, become quite adept at flinging the racquet out of my hand, tagging my tennis instructor once or twice. Childhood traumas aside, I wouldn’t miss a courtside seat at The Ojai®.

I think as far as collegiate sports go, The Ojai® is to tennis what March Madness is to basketball. The brackets, displayed on several boards at Libbey Park, are dizzying and require careful study, but I can always turn to local legend, Stacy Margolin Potter, who sorts it all out for me. She played on the Professional Women’s Tennis Tour from 1977-1987 and reached a World Ranking of #18. She hails from USC, where she won both the National Collegiate Singles and Team Titles. Her association with The Ojai continues today and you can always find her courtside cheering on her alma mater.

One of the biggest attractions of The Ojai® is the tea tent, where every afternoon tea and cookies are offered complimentary. It’s all very sophisticated and one year I made the shocking faux pas of ordering a Venti Decaf Chai Latte, quickly discovering that the menu here is simple and dignified with a choice of black tea with a lemon wheel or cubed sugar.

Last year’s Tea Tent Vice Chair Peggy Chase, who, in a lovely wide brimmed garden chapeau, shared the magic and mystique of the tea tent with me. There are 1500 real china cups and saucers with The Ojai® logo and perfectly polished silver tea pots. She later wrote me and shared, “As a young girl, I was enchanted by the two glistening silver tea services and the ‘dressed up ladies’ who so elegantly poured the tea and passed cookies to players and spectators. The players, some just off the courts, would stand a bit straighter, speak a bit more softly, and might even crook a little finger as they sipped from china cups.”

Last year at The Ojai®, I landed the big get. Not even the most seasoned sports reporter could get close to this one. I had a sit-down with one of the unsung heroes of tennis: the ball boy. You know him, he’s the one crouched down under the net, waiting patiently to retrieve loose balls and holding sweaty towels for the players. After a match that went to all 3 sets, I got a face-to face with local Sean O’Brien, and he looked tired. He chased down errant balls and got tagged by 100-mile-an-hour serves. Between sets, he juggled tennis balls. And got an admonishment from the judge. Why?

“I bounced the ball,” he confessed. I guess it’s hard to maintain focus after hours in the hot sun.

And then I asked the question of the hour; how does one get chosen to serve with the ball boy elite? “I got assigned,” replied the eye-rolling teen. It seems that his holding court on the local Thacher tennis team brings an automatic appointment to the task. I’m told we might see him again this year, so make sure you give him a shout out!

For more information about The Ojai®, call (805) 646-7241 or visit www.ojaitourney.org. See you on the courts!

Dancing About Architecture

2007-04-18T08:47:00.000-07:00

On Monday, Jonathan Gold became the first food critic to win a Pulitzer Prize, but fellow LA Timesman Mark Swed, the venerable music critic, was one of the three finalists.

Swed is a huge fan of the Ojai Music Festival, as well he should be. He writes adoring reviews of the performances, while also making witty observations about the quirky community of Ojai. Congratulations on coming so close, and here's hoping next year is your year.

As a big fan of music, I am also a big fan of those who write about music, and who do it well. To say that it can't be done is a lazy cop-out that I do not accept. Here's one of my favorite bloggers, Neddie Jingo, dealing with that very subject:

"I loathe the often-cited maxim "Writing about music is like dancing about architecture." It is absolute f---ing balderdash -- and a cowardly surrender. With the proper vocabulary, a great deal of careful thought, and a refusal to resort to distracting metaphor, music can be described and criticized accurately and well.

"I think there is such a thing as good music and bad music, and that these values exist outside my subjectivity. I believe that the more you know about the technical aspects of music, the more likely you are to possess the language to express criticism -- that is, describe exactly why a piece of music is good or bad. Quite a few -- indeed, probably all -- "my-band-rocks-your-band-sucks" arguments arise from pure inarticulacy and nothing more."

Here are some festival favorites, including Pierre-Laurent Aimard, this year's music director for the Ojai Music Festival, and Pierre Boulez, the great maestro himself, performing a piece by Olivier Messiaen, one of the world's greatest avant-garde composers:

DIY Ethos

2007-04-16T14:50:00.000-07:00

As in Do It Yourself. The record industry, as I have noted, is going through an epochal change. In fact, one might argue that it is on the verge of extinction. What will replace it is far from certain. But if you surf the zeitgeist, you can see a few clues emerging. One is the do-it-yourself recording, which is then posted on myspace and promoted vigorously through friends lists and so forth, culminating in live shows at rented halls from which buzz builds.

One of the best recent examples of said phenomenon is the Brooklyn indie rockers, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Their 2005 self-titled debut album began on a myspace posting, was eventually given a great review by Pitchfork (my favorite music blog) and flogged out of the back of their tour van. They eventually sold 500,000 copies, an enormous number even for established artists on big labels.

Check out one of their hits, "By the Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth:"

All My Favorite Kurts are Gone

2007-04-12T16:16:00.000-07:00

First Kurt Cobain, age 27, suicide victim. He was too profound for the pettiness and coarse hustle of this world.

Now Kurt Vonnegut, who died today of a broken heart, age 84. It took him a lot longer than it did Cobain, but they ended up in the same place, away from the harm and hurt that they so eloquently tried to explain and contain, taking our pain and giving us back the fleeting but real pleasures of art. We did not deserve their great artistry, but they gave it to us nonetheless. They were entirely different people with entirely different approaches. But both left behind a rich legacy of deep empathy and concern. We are the better for having known them.

Here's a tribute video rap to Vonnegut:

Next Best Happy Song of All Time

2007-04-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

A great happy song is a rare prize. Frankly, it's easier to write lyrics with angst and ennui and discontent because that is the natural process of creativity, to take that which is ugly and make something beautiful out of it. My first pick for Best Happy Song of All Time is, of course, Brian Wilson's "Good Vibrations."

Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse is not a likely candidate to write happy songs. A hard-drinking melancholic with a bad temper, Brock has been churning out the minor-key masterpieces for more than a decade now. He and his band just added quintessential English art guitarist Johnny Marr of Smiths fame to the lineup and are now touring behind their new album "We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank."

This 2004 work from "Good News for People Who Love Bad News," was the first hit single from that epochal album. Even with the great lyrics, something about this song "Float On" speaks profoundly about the transitory nature of the human condition. Even, or especially, those moments of unexpected joy float on past us faster than we can apprehend them.

Stupid Pet Tricks

2007-04-08T12:35:00.000-07:00

This is Sydney, my genius Labrador. She can pre-wash dishes better than my husband. She also picks up his socks for him. She sleeps and eats on command, which makes her way smarter than my nephews, who usually refuse to do either. What can your dog do?

La Buona Tavola/The Art Of Cooking

2007-04-06T14:13:00.000-07:00

Roast lamb with herbs/Arrosto d’agnello con erbe a aglio.

This dish originates from southern Italy, where lamb is roasted with garlic and wild herbs. It is also a traditional Easter dish.

Ingredients/Ingredienti:
3 Lb. Leg of lamb
3-4 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
2 springs fresh sage,
2 springs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
2 springs fresh thyme,
salt & fresh ground black pepper
1 cup dry white wine
Serves 4 to 6 people

Method/Esequzione:

Cut any excess fat from the lamb. Rub with olive oil. Using a sharp knife, make small cuts under the skin all around the meat. Insert the garlic pieces in some of the cuts, and a few of the fresh herbs in the others. (If using dried herbs, sprinkle them over the surface of the meat.) Place the remaining fresh herbs on the lamb, and allow it to stand in a cool place for at least 2 hours before cooking. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Place the lamb in a backing pan, surrounded by the herbs. Pour on 3 tbsp. of the oil . Season. Place in the oven and roast for 35 minutes, basting occasionally. Pour the wine over the lamb. Roast for 15 minutes more, or until the meat is cooked. Removed the lamb to a heated serving dish. Tilt the pan, spooning off any fat on the surface. Strain the pan juices into a gravy boat. Slice the meat, and serve with the sauce passed separately.

Buon appetito e Buona Pasqua.

Folk Revivalists

2007-04-05T16:17:00.000-07:00

During the past three years, one band I keep returning to is The Decembrists. These Portland indie rockers, led by singer Colin Meloy and the eponymous guitar hero Chris Funk, have only been recording since 2001. Their fourth album, The Crane Wife, was released amid much pomp and circumstance late in 2006.

Stephen Colbert described them as "hyper-literate prog-rock." That about says it. Where so many bands today go in for the navel-gazing weepies, The Decembrists, named after the 1825 Russian uprising, take a story-telling approach to songwriting. The Crane Wife, for instance, refers to the Japanese legend of the rescued woman who turns into a crane at night. The Tain refers to the Tain of Cuthulain, the 4th B.C. Irish epic.

The Decembrists remind me of British avant garde composer Percy Grainger's approach. The avant garde composer spent years in the early years of the 20th century rescuing old ballads and shanties from extinction. He would track down aging singers at rest homes and get them to sing their old songs into a needle-down gramophone, then translate the works for his peculiar and particular audience. The Decembrists are engaged upon a very similar mission, to take yesterday's folk art and translate it for today's audience. I wish them well.

Ojai Real Estate sales March update

2007-04-05T10:03:00.000-07:00

There are 216 homes on the market in the Ojai Valley. Only 17 mobile homes are available, 15 are located in the adult parks, only 2 are located in the family parks.

In the month of March, 32 homes were sold and 22 are in escrow.

The most affordable was sold at $375,000. 3 bed, 1 bath, 906 sqft. Lot size 6000 sqft. Days on the market, 71.

The most expensive home was sold at $2,000,000. 4 bed, 4.50 bath. 3461 sqft. Lot size, 94089sqft. Days on the market, 245.

Overall average days on the market for the month of March, was 132, median price, $692,000

Roots of Rap

2007-04-04T14:42:00.000-07:00

My first six months I lived in England was in a military barracks, a drafty World War II relic. The thin walls did nothing to the stop the constant DJ action going on next door, where my friend DeWayne Calhoun was spinning vinyl in every spare moment on his twin turntables - the first person I ever heard scratching.

At first I hated the thumping syncopation and the pulse-pounding from the 12-inch woofers, but, well, I adapted. Now I realize that I had a historic opportunity to listen as rap and hip-hop broke out into the mainstream. This was early in the 1980s. DeWayne spun some of the earliest recordings of mostly New York based ensembles like Afrikaa Bambaata and Grandmaster Flash. DeWayne bought these records in Los Angeles, at booths at swap meets. These MCs, in turn, started out as block party DJs in Brooklyn and Hollis, Queens. A very roundabout way to the military barracks, but the journey didn't stop there. DeWayne, and other GIs, were instrumental in importing the MC/DJ ethos into the vibrant Brit club scene, which we are now witnessing returning to us through Lady Sovereign and Mike Skinner, aka The Streets.

On one early occasion, before I realized that DeWayne was a talented guy with a golden ear, I politely asked him to quit with the rapping, "Too Much, Too Many People" carved a deep groove into my brain that has yet to be filled in. He, polite in turn, but with great enthusiasm, said he had something I would be guaranteed to like. How he knew that when he barely knew me puzzles me to this day, but he was spot-on right.

That was my introduction to Gil Scott Heron, this spoken-word poet, proto-rapper and jazz-singing maestro, most famous for his prophetic song, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised." Gil Scott Heron, sounding like the street-corner prophet that he is, grabbed me by the lapels and hasn't let go since. He is the conscience of a troubled nation.

Death to Record Companies!

2007-04-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

About time, I say.

The arrogant gatekeepers are falling by the wayside (and please, no need to remind me that I am, myself, an arrogant gatekeeper, but the newspaper business has proven quite adaptable in the past, and all signs point to a similar restructuring, already well underway at the OVN), and new business models are blooming all over the place as quickly as sales of recording dwindle.

The latest death knell was sounded a couple of weeks ago when Capitol Records canned its top echelon of Brit thugs they had imported with great fanfare a mere year ago - the cavalry across the pond riding to the rescue. The fact is that the kids of today aren't going to pay $20 for a CD, and all the recording industry lawsuits against college students for Limewire downloads merely delay the inevitable.

But the great thing for those who love great music is that anyone with Garage Band on their Mac and a myspace page can become a recording artist and find an audience. The success of Brooklyn alt rockers Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is a case in point - they sold 500,000 records without a recording contract. The gates have been lifted, and the peasants are pouring in!

Here's a link to an excellent article from Michael Wolff breaking it down - the hows and whys of this freefall. It's almost five years old, but the insight to the mechanics of the music business are quite telling.

http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/media/columns/medialife/6099/

What I enjoy most about this time and place is few people under the age of 30 would ever think of going to Sam Goody and paying $20 for a recording when they can get it for free, but would think nothing of shelling out $50 or more to see their favorite bands in concert, where the artists can actually get some cut of the action. More and more musicians are now able to give up their day jobs to hit the road and cash in on their talents, where before they waited around to hit the recording-contract lottery, which were often just elaborate bait-and-switches designed to keep them indentured for life.

If the recording companies had their way, we would not get to hear acts like Damien Jurado or Eef Barzelay (gotta love that name) with Clem Snide outside of the college circuit and folk house open mic nights. Here's Jurado's sweet, poignant "Lion Tamer."

Girls who Rock

2007-03-29T15:25:00.000-07:00

Another in an occasional series about some of the best female musicians who don't get the recognition they deserve. This is my small way of paying tribute to their giant talents.

One of the best acoustic set players out there is Rosie Flores, who tours constantly, and has since the late-1970s. Her music has been described as "alternative country meets rockabilly revival." But she goes much deeper than that, having started in a punk band, "Penelope's Children." She's also mastered traditional country, blues and even twangy surf-rock. Youtube clips of her are precious and few, but I encourage people to plug her name into Pandora and go on a musical ride through heartfelt lyrics and fiery guitar solos.

Here she is with country vet Dave Alvin:

Copperhead Road

2007-03-28T08:28:00.000-07:00

Steve Earle has long been one of my country favorites - mostly because he is so stridently anti-Nashville and anti-Bush - speaking his mind and not caring who he offends. He speaks truth to power with passion and eloquence. Needless to say, you won't be hearing him on any Clear Channel stations in the near future.

Here's a couple of representative samples - Copperhead Road is one of my all-time favorites because it speaks to how the lack of opportunity for the rural poor in this country leads them down a dangerous path. Yet there is great romance and poetry in these lives lived on the fringe. Without moonshine makers we would not have Nascar, for example.

The other song is Steve paired up with another all-time favorite, Emmylou Harris, on "Goodbye."

Rod y Gab

2007-03-26T08:43:00.000-07:00

Though from Mexico, guitarists Rodrigo and Gabriela are chart-topping hitmakers in Ireland, where they emigrated some years ago. The duo met in Mexico City while they were in a thrash metal band, "Tierra Acida," and moved to Ireland because they heard the Irish love buskers and street musicians.

Thank goodness for that. Their eponymous debut album, "Rodrigo y Gabriela" has been out for a year now, and the pair is just now getting noticed in America. The virtuosity of their playing is astounding - as though Yngwie Malmsteen had a mind meld with Christopher Parkening. Check out Gabriela's rasquedos - the finger-flicking right-hand action that so fast it appears to be a blur, but is actually precisely timed and rhythmic. No wonder so many musicians are amazed, and envious.

Local Music

2007-03-25T19:43:00.001-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Fred Schmitt, a prolific singer/songwriter and a musical genius, who lives right here in our little valley. He's the real deal. He's been writing music for 35 years and has traveled some million miles over 46 states playing to anyone who would listen. He has written over 200 songs and finds it hard to keep the muse at bay. And he doesn't have a recording contract. Incredible.

Yoga Matt and I chatted him up over coffee this afternoon at Stir Crazy and turned the mics on to capture a couple of his songs, too. I posted the interview and the music on Radio Ojai. Take a listen - I think you'll feel like I do...like I've just gotten a sneak peak of someone on the verge of great success. Any second now, he'll be in Nashville.

Also on Radio Ojai, I have a track from another Ojai band. Myridian has been featured in the Ojai Valley News before, but now you can hear them on Radio Ojai. They've got a stirring story, which you can read on their website. And this Friday, they are doing a free concert at sunset (at 5:30) in downtown Ojai, in the parking lot across from the Chevron Station. See you there!

Urban Dictionary

2007-03-21T14:29:00.000-07:00

Just discovered an intriguing site chock full of slang definitions which will no doubt impress your friends, alarm your co-workers or horrify your teenage kids. You can even add your own. Here are a few I picked out:

Today's Word of the Day: guap
Cash money, usually referring to $1000.
Here, I'll use it in a sentence: "Hook me up with some guap so I can pay my mortgage."

bracketology
The Art and Science of figuring out and filling out NCAA basketball tournament bracket during March Madness.
"This month, my husband, Bill, is consumed by all things involving the orange ball and becoming a master of bracketology."

cinemuck
the collection of goopy stuff on the movie theater floor
"I dropped a Junior Mint on the floor of the Ojai Playhouse, adding to the cinemuck that was already sticking to my shoes."

Bret, there are no less than 55 definitions for the word hipster.

Find more at Urban Dictionary.

Disclaimer: Like I said, it's slang, and it's also uncensored. Word.

Happy Music

2007-03-19T19:22:00.000-07:00

Music and melancholy go together like Britney and paparrazi. Music's ability to manipulate our emotional states is a fascinating phenomenon, one that speaks to both the biochemistry of the brain and the sweeping grandeur of the human condition.

But why is it that so many happy songs come off sappy and sentimental? Why can't they have the same emotional resonance as sad songs?

The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations" is, in my not so humble opinion, the greatest happy song ever. The backstory, however, is very interesting.

I came across it by one of those serendipitous accidents that have enriched my life immensely. I rented a video and the wrong video was in the case. It was a long trek back to the store, so I went ahead and watched this documentary about Professor Ernest Theremin, inventor of the eponymous instrument, an early synthesizer that was played by moving your hands through the radio waves through the frequency oscillators on both sides. It was the first truly electronic instrument and the only you can play without it being touched. You would instantly recognize the sound from any sci-fi film of the 1950s, with its eerie vibrato. "Good Vibrations" characteristic shimmery electronica is not actually a theremin, but a synthesizer tuned to sound like one.

Professor Theremin was a fascinating genius, who was snatched off the streets of New York by Soviet agents and shanghaied into their nuclear program.

But in this movie, the filmmakers interviewed Brian Wilson, one of the world's greatest artists, who talked about his first encounter with a theremin at friends of his parents when he was about 5, who played the instrument and scared the bejeesus out of him. The sound haunted him for years, until he composed "Good Vibrations" as a way to exorcise his childhood demons. Well done, Brian.

One Man Band

2007-03-16T09:46:00.000-07:00

Ohio musician Joseph Arthur - with his skilled guitar playing, driving beats and hyper-literate lyrics with uplifting and poignant messages, is one of those artists who doesn't get nearly the fame and acclaim he deserves, though the fans he does have, which includes me, are fanatical.

His live shows are particularly noteworthy, so to speak, because he performs solo with impressive technical backup - loops and beats and a vast array of effects pedals that give his music the incredible range and depth of a symphony orchestra. Wish I could find more videos from his latest effort, "Nuclear Daydream," which is his finest work yet. If you're looking for a positive message to get you through the day, check out "Don't Give Up on People."

Arthur is still maturing as an artist and it gives me great pleasure to listen as his talent deepens and broadens. He now performs with a band, but still retains his characteristic sound.

The Defiant Ones

2007-03-14T11:06:00.000-07:00

Paul Westerberg talked his way into the lead singer role with The Replacements when he was the janitor and was walking home from work one day and happened to overhear a punk band rehearsing. He supposedly convinced the singer that the other members of the band were about to fire him, and so created the vacancy for himself to fill.

For the next 10 years, they created some of the most authentic, stripped down, power-chord and pricelessly lyrical music in the world. Westerberg still tours regularly. The Replacements married punk ethos of self-reliance and defiance to actually being able to play instruments and write songs. It hasn't been a totally lucrative move, but plenty of talented people have found the price of selling out is often higher than the dollar signs on the recording contracts. My own tastes don't run to punk - I love music too much, but I appreciate a good snarl at The Man as much as the next person.

Here's a recognizably prototypical Replacements song - "Alex Chilton." Apologize for the poor recording quality from this live performance, but it's good enough to give you an idea.

Rock and Roll Hall of Blame

2007-03-12T15:54:00.000-07:00

Today marks this year's inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.. No surprises, all worthy — R.E.M., Grandmaster Flash, Van Halen, The Ronettes and Patti Smith.

So many great bands aren't in the hall, though, the exclusions topped in my mind, anyway, by the Paul Westerberg's Replacements. Another unjustly overlooked band is Dire Straits. And what about Neil Diamond? Come on, you stodgy old snobs - the guy can belt 'em with the best of 'em. To steal a line from "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore," get off your high horse, or get off your horse high.

Came across an interesting and funny blog about the entertainment business - That Little Round Headed Boy - with its list of the top 30 overlooked bands. A lot of fun to be had for your cyberloafing pleasure.

Here's a video from the criminally neglected British invasion band, The Hollies, "Long Cool Woman (in a Black Dress)." Takes you back, doesn't it?

Springing Ahead

2007-03-10T13:45:00.000-08:00

Not that my yard would ever merit a mention from the Ojai Garden Club anyway, but the freeze that came our way in January is still pretty evident at my house. I think the bougainvillea will come back, but whatever this was is probably good and dead.

Spring is just around the corner, but this year it's going to feel like it's coming sooner. Thanks to a law passed by Congress in 2005, Daylight Saving's time is several weeks earlier, occurring this Sunday. So don't forget to set your clocks ahead an hour! No, it doesn't mean we get more daylight (I love when people say that), it just means we're moving the clock around!

P.S. There's new content on Radio Ojai - an interview with Ojai native Tara Jeffery of Ojai Pilates & Wellness Center.

County Music is the White Man's Soul

2007-03-09T15:45:00.000-08:00

Lambchop, the Nashville-based group once called the "most f--cked up band in country music" has now been cranking out music for 20 years. Not many acts can claim that longevity, especially in the Music Row meatgrinder. Led by frontman Kurt Wagner, these guys are famously cranky and confrontational.

For example, how can you not love a band that recorded an album called "Pet Sounds Sucks"? (FTR, that's for the record for the internet shorthand impaired, I worship at the shrine of Brian Wilson.)

Wagner and crew define easy characterization, and that's a good thing. Here's a review I came across: "Whatever the style, the characteristic mood of Lambchop's music is evoked by Wagner's distinctive songwriting - lyrically subtle and ambiguous, the vocals melodic but understated. Setting this apart from other minimalist songwriters is the large group of backing musicians, with the range of instruments and styles that it brings. Wagner's songwriting bears similarities with soul musicians such as Barry White, Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye as much as with country and folk music, and can be seen to embody Kris Kristofferson’s dictum that “country music is the white man’s soul”.

La Buona Tavola/The Art Of Cooking

2007-03-09T14:09:00.000-08:00

Low Fat Second Course

Salmone Al Cartoccio (Salmon cooked in parchment)

Per quattro persone (4 people)
Ingredients:

4 skinless salmon fillets about 6 oz. each
2 tomatoes (medium size) finely chopped
1/2 onion, diced
12 black olives
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper
Parchment paper or thin foil

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 400 degree F. Mix together the tomatoes, parsley, olive onion, vinegar and olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt & pepper.
Cut 4 pieces of parchment or foil about 12-13 inches square. Oil lightly, and place a salmon fillet on each one. Next divide the tomato mixture evenly on top of each. Fold the parchment or foil over the fish, and seal well on each side by folding the edges over several times.
Place the packages on a baking sheet. Bake until the salmon is cooked, about 15 minutes. Slide the packages onto a plate and serve.

Buon appetito

Genre Busters

2007-03-08T17:21:00.000-08:00

My favorite musicians are those with voracious ears, who take in everything they hear and translate back into their own craft and art.

John Lennon, of course, was the master - redefining everything from Indian raga to Texas rockabilly. Right behind him, imho, is David Byrne, of Talking Heads fame, who continues to explore and assimilate great music wherever he finds it, anywhere on earth.

My latest favorites is Calexico, a bunch of art school music geeks from Tucson. Superb musicians, you can hear the sounds of the border in their music, with touches of cumbia, rumba, samba, Ennio Morricone, folk, blues and even a bit of rock and roll - just such a fascinating amalgam of sounds. Now, not everything works, and it is usually quite lo-fi, as they pride themselves on recording with real instruments in real environments, but some of their stuff just shimmers in way that you can hear how the whole of their approach is greater than the sum of their parts.

Here's a good sample of their work, "Crystal Frontier:"

The Next Big Thing Who Vanished, But Was There All Along

2007-03-07T15:05:00.000-08:00

Singer-songwriter Ben Kweller was anointed the next big thing by no less authority than The New Yorker at the tender age of 14. The long profile talked at length about the prodigy's prodigious talents, and how he was on the verge of superstardom, then we've heard nothing from him since.

Call him a victim of unreasonable expectations. But a funny thing happened on the way to no-hit obscurity. Kweller continued to work on his craft, writing songs soft and hard, playing against genres, finding his voice. He's still only 22 years old, but those eight years are a lifetime in the music industry. '" Am Wasted, But I'm Ready" could his theme song - a line like "running as fast I can" says it all, doesn't it?

We may not ever hear from him again, but I am now sure that the ephemeral rewards of the pop music marketplace matter little to this young maestro. He will be playing somewhere, even if it's only to friends and family. Good music will find an appreciative audience, and the size of that audience matters much less than the pleasures they receive. As Kant said, "Number not voices, but weigh them." Good advice for young Kweller, good advice for us all.

New Pornographers

2007-03-05T10:35:00.000-08:00

Vancouver-based New Pornographers were/are a collective of great musicians who put out some great recordings throughout the past half decade or so, including my favorite, "Twin Cinema," from 2005. Often called a "supergroup," because so many members have side or primary projects, none of them were really well known outside Canada before this group came along.

As with most everything involving New Pornographers, the name is an ironic play, this particular one on Jimmy Swaggart's frequent sermons condemning the music business, calling it the "new pornography." For another delicious layer of irony, Jerry Lee Lewis is Swaggart's first cousin.

While Neko Case's lovely voice is one of the most distinctive in the business, Carl Newman's songwriting is peerless, except for perhaps that of bandmate Daniel Bejar, whose band Destroyer has come out with some lovely records, including my favorite song of the year past, "Rubies."

Here's "Sing Me Spanish Techno" humbly submitted for your listening pleasure:

O Canada Encore - Broken Social Scene

2007-03-01T16:34:00.000-08:00

The J.B. White produced O Canada! tribute show is returning next weekend for a two-night engagement at Zalk Theater. If everyone who tried to get into the Theater 150 shows and failed shows up for these encore shows it will be a good turnout. But don't wait, get tickets now! Call 646-4300 or go to theater150.org. It really is something.

Anyway, I have started an informal compilation of my favorite acts that didn't make the playlist. Somewhere near the top is this group out of Toronto - Broken Social Scene. Their live shows are legendary.

American Idle

2007-03-01T09:24:00.000-08:00

Bret likes to blog about music, so I have to wonder if he watches the most popular show on TV, American Idol, but I fear it's too fluff for him. I have a shocking confession, I watch a lot of TV. I'm not kidding, a lot. Yep, I'm an American idle. They ought to give me a Neilsen box. On Tuesday and Wednesday alone, I watched 4 hours of American Idol. I'm hooked. I get sucked in every season, pointing and laughing at the tone deaf hopefuls looking for their big break, all stealing the same line from Richard Gere in An Officer and a Gentleman, "I got nowhere else to go!" But I've never voted. That's where I draw the line. Right now, I'm quietly rooting for this guy:

How about you - are you idle for Idol?

La Buona Tavola/The Art Of Cooking

2007-03-01T08:49:00.000-08:00

Pappa al pomodoro/Tomato and bread soup

1 (12-ounce) can peeled whole tomatoes
6 tbs, olive oil (or extra virgin olive oil if possible)
4 cloves garlic. chopped
2 bunches basil, chopped
4 cups of vegetable broth

Preparation:
Heat 4 tbs. olive oil, 3 cloves of garlic and half the chopped basil in a saucepan over a low heat. Do not brown the garlic. Add the tomatoes, the vegetable broth, salt & pepper cook for 20 minutes and set aside.
Meanwhile, mix 1 tbs. olive oil, the rest of the garlic with the bread cubes in a baking pan. Add salt & pepper to taste, and bake until golden, Add stewed tomatoes to the bread, cook for 10 more minutes. Serve into single soup bowls adding the rest of the basil and a dash of extra virgin olive oil.

Buon appetito

Where Can I Buy One?

2007-02-26T20:40:00.000-08:00

Those whacky Swiss. First Einstein, now Yves Rossy.

Rossy, aka Jet Man, designed this personal, portable jet engine. Just watch this amazing video and know that DaVinci's vision of man unshackled from gravity and free as a bird has been realized:

La buona Tavola/The Art of Cooking

2007-02-23T18:09:00.000-08:00

First of all, I would like to thank my readers, Leslie and an anonymous who left me a message few weeks ago to let me know that they tried the orange & beet salad and liked it very much.

Now I feel good, I have asked my self if anybody was reading my recipes. Apparently you do and I appreciate it very much.

Spaghetti ai frutti di mare/Spaghetti with seafood

When I was kid, before the time we used to spend our summer vacation on the island of Ischia, my family did not own a minivan or SUV, cars did not have seatbelts and people did not wear helmets when driving a motor bike. Safety was not a concern in those days. My father owned only a vespa and in the summer time when we went to the beach, we go there on the vespa.
My oldest brother, Gabriele would stand front of my father and hold onto the handlebars with his legs, he also held a large bag with a change of clothes inside for each of us. I would sit behind my father, holding onto him. Behind me was my mother holding a bag in each hand. We used to spend the entire day at the beach. I loved to go under the water and looking for fresh clams and mussels. At that time there was no problem with pollution, so we used to eat shellfish row, just with a splash of lemon. In the evening we would get changed and eat dinner at a local restaurant sitting outside on the patio. Our view was the beautiful bay of Naples. In the dining room there were “I posteggiatori” a duo singing Neapolitan songs, with guitar and mandolin, walking around the tables. One night while we were eating spaghetti with seafood, my father said: This is the perfect scenario. A beautiful night with people that I love, we can hear the noise of the sea, smell of the sea and in the background romantic music. Now close your eyes, imagine yourself eating the same dish in a noisy restaurant somewhere in the country side, mountain views and snow, no Neapolitan music but German music. No smell or sounds of the sea. Do you think this dish would taste the same?

Ingredienti (per 4 persone):
600 gr. Or 1 &1/4 pound seafood (mussels, clams),
200 gr. Or half pound of prawns,
Half cup of fresh chopped parsley,
2 gloves of garlic
2 ripe fresh tomatoes,
3 table spoons of olive oil
1 pound of spaghetti
1/2 glass of white wine
Salt & fresh ground pepper.

Method:
First Scrub the mussels and claims, clean and remove the shells from the prawns. Pour the olive oil into a large pan, make sure the flame is moderate, add the garlic. When the color becomes brown add the clams and mussels and the white wine and cover. Wait until the shells open, 5 or so minutes. If any do not open, it means that there is sand inside, discard them. Meanwhile add the prawns, the fresh tomatoes and parsley and let them cook for approx. 7 to 10 minutes,
Did we forget about the pasta? I guess so. Fill up a large tall pan with water, add salt, I suggest you to use sea salt. When the water is boiling add the pasta. About 10 minutes later, when it is al dente, drain and mixed it with the sauce.

A nice bottle of Orvieto (Italian white wine) would be perfect to drink with this dish. If you are on a date and not at the beach, you may want to consider to play some music with ocean sounds as background.

Buon appetito

Legend of Charman

2007-02-23T10:06:00.000-08:00

The Youtube Revolution is breaking down barriers everywhere. Not only can anyone with a Mac and video camera shoot films of astounding quality, but now they can get instant worldwide distribution. What a great age in which we live!

For further proof of our good fortune, and the talent which can emerge without having to go through the arrogant gatekeepers of old, check out this work by some kids from Happy Valley School:

Aging Hipsters

2007-02-20T17:09:00.000-08:00

A friend once said, "There's nothing sadder than an aging hipster." I resemble that remark - I may sue him for definition of character. But seriously, I disagree. Starting with a war in Iraq and genocide in Sudan, my list of sadder things than aging hipsters would be a long one. But then that's exactly what you'd expect an aging hipster to say.

As someone who was always on the outside looking in, I would hardly qualify as a hipster. Better to be a trenchant observer than a poseur, so I thought. Like that Waterboys song, "I pictured a rainbow, you held it in your hands, I had flashes but you saw the plan. I wandered out in the world for years while you just stayed in your room. I saw the crescent you saw the whole of the moon." But I was the first kid on my backwoods block to listen to Gary Numan, Thomas Dolby and Machine, was among the first 200,000 households in MTV's second-round test market in northern Denver in 1981, was in a band myself, hung out in London's Camden Palace and Dingwalls pretty much every weekend for four years. So I did have some street cred during a distant age when dinosaurs like The Pixies, Pavement and The Replacements stalked the earth.

No hipster's cool quotient could withstand the following sequence of events: getting married, getting a mortgage, having children, coaching Little League ... and so on. But for those that think adopting the trappings of conventionality are a copout, I all I can say is, you don't know real courage until you stare a 30-year mortgage in the face.

It interests me how some music stands the test of time, while other music does not. And only in the fullness of time do the classics get sorted away from the discount bins at Sam Goody and into the ears of the next generation. Anyway, let that stand as a long-winded introduction to one of my favorite power-pop hipster songs of all time, The Replacements "Bastards of Young," and one of their characteristically minimalist anti-MTV video of all time:

Cassadagas - North and South

2007-02-16T08:24:00.000-08:00

Conor Oberst is coming out with a new Bright Eyes album April 10th, called Cassadaga. The new work is named after a Spiritualist community in Florida near where the album is recorded.

But the original Cassadaga is a tiny village of 700 adjacent to the tiny village where I grew up, and which is now buried beneath 10 feet of snow. It is a land of rolling hills and three beautiful glacial lakes, thickly forested right up to its banks. It looks much like it belongs to Canada's Laurentian shield, a couple hundred miles north. No wonder that it is home to many summer camps and fishing shacks, and now, thanks to the proliferation of snowmobiles, has become a year-round resort.

During the summer the area is also inundated with hundreds of mediums, psychics, seers and fortune tellers, tarot readers and astrologers. They flock to Lily Dale, perhaps the Spiritualist capital of the world, for the summer and to Cassadaga, Florida, for the winters. Not a bad life, I imagine.

Here's a video from his previous album, "Lua." Oberst is not only a great poet and musician, but is perhaps the first to bridge disparate genres of shoe-gazing folk and high lonesome country.

Love Songs for V-Day!

2007-02-14T11:16:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Last night, my husband rhetorically asked, "What are you getting me for Valentine's Day?" I answered with, "I dunno, what do I usually get you?" And he didn't miss a beat, "Same thing I always get you, nothing!" We just don't do Valentine's Day I'm afraid. I think it's more of a Hallmark Holiday than anything really. But the sentiment is not completely lost; he wished me a Happy Valentine's Day this morning before heading off to work.

The New York Daily News has posted the Top 100 Most Romantic Love Songs of all time. Unfortunately, our favorite song, The Smith's, "A Light That Never Goes Out," didn't make the cut. What could be more romantic than these lyrics: "And if a double-decker bus/crashes in to us/to die by your side/is such a heavenly way to die./And if a ten-ton truck/kills the both of us/to die by your side/well, the pleasure, the privilege, is mine." Romantic, funny and sad all at once.

Here are the top 10:

1. "My Girl" - The Temptations
2. "I'll Be There" - The Jackson 5
3. "Wonderful Tonight" - Eric Clapton
4. "I Just Called to Say I Love You" - Stevie Wonder
5. "You Are So Beautiful" - Billy Preston/Joe Cocker
6. "In My Life" - The Beatles
7. "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" - Roberta Flack
8. "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" - Elvis Presley
9. "Michelle" - The Beatles
10. "I Can't Stop Loving You" - Ray Charles

What's your favorite love song? What are you doing for V-day? Do you have a V-Day wish for anyone?

P.S. Bill: Will you be mine?

Rick Rubin Rules

2007-02-13T16:39:00.000-08:00

Despite the slanderous if not entirely untrue allegations of some (you know who you are, Matt) that Grammy voters are bunch of whiny libs who wanted to make a statement of support for the Dixie Chicks as a protest against Pres. Bush, the fact remains that the Chicks' latest album was an incredible piece of work from talented musicians and songwriters squarely in their prime.

A lot of that credit for "Taking the Long Way" winning five Grammies goes to producer Rick Rubin. Rubin first hit the hit-making radar in 1986, by fusing hard rock and rap with Aerosmith and Run D.M.C. Nobody in the record business has a better record of churning out hits. He is the maestro of the boards, the man with the golden ear.

Rubin came up with the idea of having Johnny Cash do a cover of Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nail addiction ballad, "Hurt." It may be the saddest song of all time, haunting, lyrical and owned and inhabited completely by Cash, just weeks before June's death and months before his own.

Here's the Dixie Chicks' defiant, eloquent and melodic response to their critics:

This is My Country

2007-02-08T16:55:00.000-08:00

It's become a fad of late to bemoan the selling out of country music's rich legacy to pre-packaged posers like Kenny Chesney and Tug McGraw's son. But the fact remains that country music is the home of some of the most vibrant and talented artists working in America today.

Like many pseudo-sophisticates in the late 1970s, I pretended to hate country music with a passion typically reserved for disco. But even then I secretly loved listening to my dad's favorite AM station, which played a steady lineup of Hank Jr. and Marty Robbins to Cole Waggoner and Dolly Parton. It was tuneful, lyrical music telling timeless stories. The one country star of the era who was safe to acknowledge admiration toward was the tragic Gram Parsons, who did such great crossover work with the Rolling Stones and other rock acts.

Then along came Willie and Waylon, Dwight Yoakam, Lyle Lovett, even Nashville giants like Randy Travis, Garth Brooks, et al. And I no longer had to pretend not to like country music, even without that interesting "alt-country" tag that defined acts like Uncle Tupelo, or "roots" like Emmylou Harris or Gillian Welch. Good music will never be restricted by genre, not unless we let it.

Here's a few countrified acts that deserve a wider audience and defy pigeonholing: Ryan Adams, Will Oldham (Bonnie Prince Billy), Rhett Miller, Sam Beam, Iris Dement, Sexsmith & Kerr, and plenty of others.

Here's Iris Dement, the voice of the Great Plains, with Emmylou, the Red Dirt Girl herself, on "Our Town":