Big Ears, Full Hearts, Can't Lose

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Better Know Big Ears #15: Sona Jobarteh

Who are they: Sona Jobarteh was born in London into a family of renowned Gambian musicians. Her cousin, Toumani Diabate, is arguably the most famous kora player in the world. Sona began her study of the instrument (sort of a mix of a harp and a lute) when she was 11 and became the first prominent woman in the West African griot field, a domain previously restricted to men (traditionally the playing of the kora is passed down from father to son). She has a number of albums, most recently 2022's Badinyaa Kumoo and has also composed a few film scores (Idris Elba's Beast also from 2022).

What do they sound like: The kora is one of my all-time favorite instruments. It combines the cascading beauty of the harp with the brightness and energy of amplified guitar. Its an iconic West African instrument and always wonderful to hear live. Jobarteh's most recent album is an excellent example of both her and the instrument's range. It can pair with jazzy saxophone accompaniments ("Nna Mooya"), it works alongside Radiohead-esque acoustic guitars ("Kafaroo"), and - of course - it shines as a lead instrument over the beat of hand-drums and call-and-response vocals ("Musolou" and "Kambengwo"). Her solos are dazzling and the album's energy and atmosphere are engrossing.

To See or Not To See: This is an easy must-see. Sunday is pretty light anyways, so this might honestly be my #1 anticipated set that day.

What to listen to: Check out "Kambengwo," it has a little bit of everything. I love her kora solos, the rhythm is insistent, and she trades vocals with Senegal's most well-known musician, Youssou N'Dour (of "In Your Eyes" fame).

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Better Know Big Ears #16: billy woods

Who are they: woods is at the vanguard of experimental hip-hop in 2022. Really, he's been since 2012's History Will Absolve Me, which I need to revisit again sometime this month. woods came to my attention in a big way in 2019, with the release of two excellent albums, Hiding Places and Terror Management. He's also 1/2 of the duo Armand Hammer, whose 2021 record Haram was a Board favorite. Last year woods put out Aethiopes, another big Board favorite. Something I learned about him today: woods neither reveals his real name nor his face in press photographs.

What do they sound like: Dense, razor-sharp lyrics over top of kaleidoscopically dark beats. woods is one of the more interesting storytellers in music. Just using Aethiopes as an example, he can seamlessly shift perspectives ("Asylum"), craft a novella within a single verse ("Sauvage"), or engage in barbed societal critique ("Versailles"). He can make you laugh out loud or make you wince. And with his style that flows in unrelenting streams of ever-forard energy, you're bound to pick up on new shit on your second, third, or tenth re-listen. Now, his beat choice is also fucking crazy. Very few standard rhythms can be found in his discography (at least that I've heard). Check out the wild Moog synth lead on "Remorseless" or the free-jazz piano backing on the back-half of "Haarlem." Everything here is as densely and meticulously layered as the lyrics themselves.

To See or Not To See: I really hope to catch woods here. Even though Big Ears doesn't book much hip-hop, woods' sound is so enigmatic it won't feel out of place at all. Would be cool if they booked more avant-rap going forward.

What to listen to: "Western Education is Forbidden" is my favorite track of his overall. But I'll put something from Aethiopes here, since it's his latest and I've listened to it three times today while thinking about this write-up.

[zircona1]

I saw billy woods last fall and he was solid. I don't know if I'll check him out again, but he's worth it if you have time.

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Better Know Big Ears #17: Etran de L'Air

Who are they: A Nigerien trio signed to the esteemed Sahel Sounds label. Etran de L'Air play a turbo-charged take on Tuareg rock / desert blues, as made popular by Tinariwen and Mdou Moctar. They have two records out, most recently the awesome Agadez in 2022. This show will be part of their first U.S. tour.

What do they sound like: Tuareg guitar music is one of the best things ever. I don't listen to it often, but whenever I do it's so easy to get lost inside of. Searing electric guitar lines winding around and around interlocking rhythms faster than a reel-to-reel recorder. I hadn't heard of these guys until this lineup dropped, but they're super exciting. The rhythms are perfect and the solos here absolutely soar off the record. This is a weird comparison, but listening to the solo in "Adounia" glide up and up then explode back into the fierce rhythm of the backing band gives me the same feeling as when Board Darling Billy Strings rips of a blazingly fast guitar run during an otherwise streamlined bluegrass number.

To See or Not To See: Well, Mdou Moctar was one of the 3 best sets I saw at Big Ears last year, so even if these guys aren't quite on his level yet, I'm still gonna do everything in my power to catch them. Fortunately, they're set to play both on Saturday and Sunday.

What to listen to: Can't really go wrong here, other than "Adounia" mentioned above, I really loved the solos on this one too:

[teekoh]

Love Woods and love his live shows. One of my must-sees every time he comes through.

[monasterymonochrome]

Feb 9, 2023 13:36:47 GMT -6 teekoh said:

Love Woods and love his live shows. One of my must-sees every time he comes through.

What do his setlists look like, roughly?  Does he usually play stuff from his most recent record, or does he hop around?

[teekoh]

He hops around. The last few shows have been with Elucid, so a lot of Armand Hammer and shared tracks. He almost always does “SpongeBob” and a couple others from Hiding Places/Terror Management.

[monasterymonochrome]

Better Know Big Ears #18: Devendra Banhart

Who are they: Y'all know Devendra, right? Or at least (like me before this week) have a passing familiarity? he hails from California and Venezuela, rose to fame during the Freak Folk boom of the early 2000s, released music that toed the line between weirdness and accessibility, signed to XL then Reprise, and has put out a string of mildly successful records over the last ~20 years. He's sorta settled into the upper middle class of indie rock, occasionally revealing bits of that wildness that first carried him to that status.

What do they sound like: Let me say - I only knew one Devendra record before this week, 2004's Rejoicing in the Hands, which was recommended to me by a early college crush that didn't work out (maybe I should have seen "Will Is My Friend" as a major hint). It's a great record. It's really funny, really tuneful, and has an intimate charm that really just works, ya know? Cripple Crow came next, and I like it too. It's more a hodgepodge of styles. Some of that old folk weirdness, some electric freakouts. Not the most even record, but a super memorable and fun one. I listened to each of his records since then (I have a lot of time at work, okay?) and it was a pretty consistent case of diminishing returns. Somewhere around 2013's Mala he settled into making really gentle songs led by hushed vocals and keyboard chords. It's like music drawn in pastels. Some stuff really jumps out (2019's "Kantori Ongaku" which channels George Harrison, or "Memorial," basically an homage to Leonard Cohen) but mostly it washed over me. He still gets a ton of streams, so lots of folks are down with his style. But it's just not doing it for me at the moment.

Grateful Dead Corner: That's right! This is gonna be a semi-recurring category! Here's Devendra's slow-burning cover of "Franklin's Tower" from 2020.



To See or Not To See: I'm leaning toward skipping this set. He doesn't do a ton of shows, but his setlists since 2018 are heavily skewed toward his post-2009 work, with a few old ones scattered in ("Carmensita," usually). If I'm free, I'll pop in and check him out. But I gave it a shot and it hasn't connected yet.

What to listen to: Other than the tracks I mentioned earlier, here's one that I really love - unfortunately, he's barely ever played it live.

[monasterymonochrome]

Also idk if many folks are actually reading this thread, but I have a lot of free time at work and I enjoy writing little blurbs about music, so they are going to keep going whether y'all like it or not.

[chvrchbarrel]

The tech stage is indoors!

[monasterymonochrome]

Feb 9, 2023 22:05:46 GMT -6 nanatod said:

Feb 9, 2023 14:18:51 GMT -6 monasterymonochrome said:

Better Know Big Ears #18: Devendra Banhart

Who are they: Y'all know Devendra, right? Or at least (like me before this week) have a passing familiarity? he hails from California and Venezuela, rose to fame during the Freak Folk boom of the early 2000s, released music that toed the line between weirdness and accessibility, signed to XL then Reprise, and has put out a string of mildly successful records over the last ~20 years. He's sorta settled into the upper middle class of indie rock, occasionally revealing bits of that wildness that first carried him to that status.

To See or Not To See: I'm leaning toward skipping this set. He doesn't do a ton of shows, but his setlists since 2018 are heavily skewed toward his post-2009 work, with a few old ones scattered in ("Carmensita," usually). If I'm free, I'll pop in and check him out. But I gave it a shot and it hasn't connected yet.

nanafish goes to lolla chile:  "next up was Devendra Banhart, and the plan was to see about ten minutes, and leave tech for perry´s stage. but the bh went for water, and in the interim, hundreds of people who had been waiting outside tech, rushed in, taking up every available space to sit or stand. i was afraid if i stayed, i couldn´t leave half way through in the dark, and i was worried that bh would be standing outside tech fretting.

so i pushed my way out to the exit. we´ll have to catch devendra the next time he plays pofo or park west. it´s not like he doesn´t tour the u.s"

Did you ever catch him in the years since?

[monasterymonochrome]

Better Know Big Ears #19: Mary Halvorson

Who are they: Mary Halvorson is one of the leading figures in modern jazz guitar. She's been named Downbeat's Guitarist of the Year twice and was awarded a MacArthur Genius grant in 2019. She rose to prominence in the early 2010s with a style that pulled equally from Charlie Christian as Jimi Hendrix and (if Wiki is to be believed) King Buzzo. I haven't quite heard that in her playing yet lol, but I've only heard her most recent records. Last year Halvorson released two companion albums, Amaryllis and Belladonna that flexed her skills as a composer. Both will be performed at Big Ears, and she is also scheduled for two John Zorn ensembles (Bagatelles and Cobra).

What do they sound like: I'm just gonna be talking about Amaryllis and Belladonna, since she's performing those two records in full here. Amaryllis was recorded with her sextet and is a much more straight-forward jazz record. Her guitar lines are pretty clean throughout and can be really thrilling, especially on opener "Night Shift." Honestly, the real MVP of the album is trumpeter Adam O'Farrill, sometimes it feels like his trumpet is the lead instrument instead of Halvorson's guitar. Belladonna is Halvorson playing solo accompanied by a string quartet. And her arrangements here for the strings are awesome, especially how she'll weave around them with her often dischordant guitar playing. It has some really cool moments, but - personally - I'm not a big String Quartet guy, so I prefer Amaryllis on the whole.

To See or Not To See: I would like to see Halvorson at this festival in some capacity. I'd prefer to catch the Amaryllis set, as I think it offers more room for improvisation and I think her guitar will be featured more prominently in a life setting than on the record. But it won't be a major priority for me, as she plays in NYC semi-regularly and I may also catch her at one of the Zorn shows, schedule dependent.

What to listen to: Definitely check out the opening track to Amaryllis - I think it has the best interplay b/w Halvorson and O'Farrill and has a great groove to it too. "Side Effect" is also a killer track, plus it features the string quartet so you get the best of both worlds. I'm only not making it the featured track b/c Mary doesn't take any solos on it.

[monasterymonochrome]

Better Know Big Ears #20: Wadada Leo Smith

Who are they: Wadada Leo Smith is one of the many jazz legends on this lineup. A trumpeter, he came up with the AACM Chicago musicians in the late 60s / early 70s. The AACM were fiercely avant-garde and their members produced loads of thrilling, beautiful, and challenging music. Smith is featured on many members albums, notably Anthony Braxton, Roscoe Mitchell, and Leroy Jenkins. He released his first LP as a bandleader in 1972, signed to ECM in 1979, and has been a flurry of activity ever since. His "Golden Quartet" featured Jack DeJohnette and Malachi Favors for a while, and he has duet records with folks like Eddie Blackwell and Vijay Iyer. His magnum opus, however, is arguably 2012's 4-volume set: Ten Freedom Summers, a sprawling epic based on the struggles of the civil rights movement. Smith's Big Ears bio says he's performing a piece called Appassionata, but I can't find much else about it online.

What do they sound like: Wadada is a stalwart free jazz musician, so I'd expect loads of free improv (or as he calls it "Ankhrasmation"). His playing is often high in register, sometimes sounding akin to a cornet. He can play stately themes or unleash torrents of notes. I honestly don't really know what to expect of this performance, but it should be cool.

To See or Not To See: This one's another high priority for me. Dude is 82 and is still pushing the boundaries of his art. Plus there's not many OG members of the AACM left (just Mitchell, Braxton, and Henry Threadgill, I think), so I'd like to make this happen.

What to listen to: This track from 1986's duet record with Eddie Blackwell (Ornette's classic drummer) is really great, and the opening track has a ton of play on streaming. I'd also recommend the sampling of Ten Freedom Summers that's on Bandcamp here.. Thurgood Marshall and Rosa Parks are both gorgeous, moving pieces.

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Better Know Big Ears #21: Jake Xerxes Fussell

Who are they: Jake Xerxes Fussell is one of the most sublime figures on the modern folk scene. He hails from Georgia, and made a name for himself with a string of albums featuring serene, deeply stirring renditions of long forgotten folk songs. I used to play 2017's What In The Natural World a bunch on my college radio show, and 2019's Out of Sight is his best work yet, IMO. Last year he put out the also excellent Good and Green Again, which featured - for the first time - songs he wrote himself. The record was produced by James Elkington and features Bonnie 'Prince' Billy.

What do they sound like: Again, really wonderful slices of folk. Jake has a knack for orchestrating these tracks to sound magical. Check out the sparkling instrumentation on "Have You Ever Seen Peaches Growing On A Sweet Potato Vine" or "Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues." These aren't songs so much as small worlds inhabited by these long forlorn characters revived by Fussell & his collaborators. I mean, listen to "Winnsboro" and tell me you don't feel that too. Especially on the instrumental break at 2:30 or so. His new record is similarly wonderful, especially "Rolling Mills Are Burning Down" and the gorgeous touches of brass on "In Florida." RIYL: Joan Shelley, Nathan Salsburg, or Bonnie Prince Billy's record from 2020.

To See or Not To See: I've been a fan for years, but I haven't caught him live yet, so I'm hoping to see him at Big Ears. He's listed for both Thurs and Friday shows.

What to listen to: Try this one from his 2022 record. It's an old one, but damn if it feels like it coulda been about my hometown in NE Ohio. Especially what with everything in the news this week.

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Better Know Big Ears #22: Los Lobos

Who are they: For all intents and purposes, Los Lobos are the headliners of Big Ears 2023. They're listed as playing on both Thursday and Friday night, and I hope that's true because over the last month they've rocketed up my Must-See list. Los Lobos started way back in 1978 in Los Angeles. They released their debut EP And A Time To Dance in 1983 and their first full-length How Will The Wolf Survive in 1984. The broke big performing all the Ritchie Valens tracks on the 1987 soundtrack to blockbuster biopic La Bamba. They've released I think 16 LPs in their 40+ years, and boast a legendarily great live show.

What do they sound like: Apart from maybe Santana, they're probably the biggest "Chicano Rock" band around, influenced by old school rock n' roll, Tex-Mex, soul, and Mexican folk music. David Hidalgo is one of the coolest and possibly most underrated guitarists of all time. Dude can take on any style and make some of the trickiest lines sound simple. In fact, another legendary guitarist was a big fan. That's right! It's time for another addition of the....

Grateful Dead Corner: Los Lobos was probably Jerry Garcia's favorite band! Dude was a massive fan, sitting in with them in 1986, having them open for the Dead in 1987 and 1988, and even gifting David Hidalgo a red strat at some point. Los Lobos was part of the Furthur tours of the late 90s and their members have frequently sat in with various post-Dead iterations alongside Bobby and/or Phil. They regularly cover "Bertha" and "West LA Fadeaway" in their live sets (you can hear Hidalgo playing the latter with the Dead in 1988 here), and I'll leave you with this tasty video of Jerry jamming with the band in 1986 before moving into a ripping take on "La Bamba."



To See or Not To See: Easy. I'm gonna see them. I just pray to god the conflicts aren't too brutal.

What to listen to: I made a little mix of my favorite LL tracks, though it's pretty incomplete - there's still plenty of albums I need to hear. But anyways, here it is:

[zircona1]

I may see Los Lobos if there's nothing else going on. I've seen them before, and they were ok.

[monasterymonochrome]

Better Know Big Ears #23: Combo Chimbita

Who are they: An upstart group from Brooklyn (via Colombia) melding cumbia with psych-rock, RnB, and all sorts of other stuff. Group is led by powerful singer Carolina Oliveros and put out their record in 2017. Last year they released the excellent IRÉ, recorded in Puerto Rico in early 2020. They're scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday shows at Big Ears.

What do they sound like: I checked out IRÉ last year after the lineup dropped, and they were one of my favorite finds in the small print. Several months later that remains true - I really love this record. It's an exceedingly fun, sonically interesting album whose best tracks feel like cumbia rhythms run through high voltage into outer space. Carolina Oliveros' is an awesome singer on this record, check out "Mujer Jaguar," for example. The guitar dances around the rhythms in such a playful, interesting way (see: "Me Fui" and "La Perla"), and when the whole band is clicking it's exhilarating ("Babalawo").

To See or Not To See: Another group I really want to see, hopefully they get a nice spot sometime early in the afternoon. I imagine they're on-record energy will translate very well to a live setting.

What to listen to: For sure check out "Babalawo," my favorite track from their latest record, and one of my favorite songs from 2022.

[monasterymonochrome]

Better Know Big Ears #24: The Bad Plus

Who are they: A jazz unit that's been active in various iterations since 2000. Well, actually, the original trio (with pianist Ethan Iverson) was together until 2018. They made a name with their unique takes on pop, rock, and otherwise contemporary tracks outside of the usual jazz repertoire (check out their cover of Aphex Twin's "Flim"). Iverson left the group and was replaced on piano by Orrin Evans, who then also left the group last year. So the original bassist and drummer ditched the piano and brought in a sax player and a guitarist. This new lineup released a self-titled LP last year.

What do they sound like: As far as I know, nothing like their early albums. I've sampled around The Bad Plus' old records and piano was their center. This new record tho is a pretty excellent departure. It's very hard-driving, very dense, and - at its best - moves like a maelstrom. Lots of rock-sounding drums and overblown sax. In short, it was one of the better jazz albums I heard last year (I had it at #18 for the genre). A very great record - and what is essentially a debut for the newly reformed ensemble.

To See or Not To See: To be honest tho, I'll probably end up skipping them here. They're on Saturday, which is already overloaded with great acts, and I'm so much a fan that I think I need to see them. Plus they're kinda stuck in the middle territory. Not budding "legend" status, especially with the new quartet. Nor young upstarts. If I'm free, I'll be there, but they won't be a huge priority.

What to listen to: "Sun Wall" was the best song from their latest LP. It captures the new group at their best:

[monasterymonochrome]

Better Know Big Ears #25: Morton Subotnick

Who are they: Morton Subotnick, now 89 years-old, is one of the foremost pioneers of electronic music. He belongs to the very first generation of synthesizer masters, when that meant playing around with knobs and dials on machines as large as a room. Check out this rad video of Wendy Carlos, another massive figure of this era, demonstrating her method of this type of playing. Subotnick started tooling around with a Buchla machine around 1the early 60s. He soon became known amongst the heady folks in San Francisco, but he set up shop at NYU in 1966. There, he was contracted by fledging Nonesuch Records to record a piece of this new music. That album, Silver Apples of the Moon, was released in 1967 and became something of a sensation. It was weird as hell but sounded completely otherworldly. And yet it was kind of a hit? It became the year's best-selling classical record and took its place in the canon of electronic music. Scores and scores of folks were influenced by his sounds, from Kraftwerk to the Dead and beyond. The album was even chosen for preservation by the Library of Congress. Subotnick has composed many other pieces for both his synthesizers and acoustic instrumentation.

What do they sound like: Contrary to Carlos' seminal Switched on Bach, Subotnick didn't believe in transposing classical musics to electronic instruments. Instead, he embraced the weirdness of it all. Side A of Silver Apples is very free-form, textural. It sounds more like a soundscape than a song, per se. More interesting than good. Side B, tho, is killer. Subotnick dials in his sounds to something of a propulsive groove, stacking layers on layers of noise into a metallic, fearsome, yet gorgeous wave. This here is basically ground zero for every German kosmishce band of the 70s. For such weird music, it's surprising engaging and fun to listen to. Or maybe my brain is just fried, idk. I've sampled around his other stuff from the era (1969's Touch is on Spotify in the Electronic Works, Vol. 1 comp) and it's similarly weird and engaging. Nary a melody to be found.

Grateful Dead Corner: We're back! So, Subotnick has said that members of the Dead would often drop into his studio after gigs in NYC around 1967-68. My money's on Phil. This record is basically a forbearer of Phil and Ned Lagin's (awesome) "Seastones" interludes. It also sounds like a proto-version of their "Space" improvisations. And to that end, one of the tracks on 1991's Infrared Roses, a live album compiling various sections of "Space" jams, is titled "Silver Apples of the Moon" in honor of Subotnick. It is downright gorgeous and features Bruce Hornsby improvising on piano while Vince Welnik plays synth tones.



To See or Not To See: Morton Subotnick is one of the coolest bookings at the fest this year, IMO. He's a living legend, and he's old as hell. Accordingly, I'd like to be able to see him. That said, I'm not sure what kind of stuff he'll be playing? And if it will translate to a live experience? Feel like it may be more "neat" to see than actually moving. But if the schedule's right, I'll try and be there.

What to listen to: Check out Side B of Silver Apples of the Moon! Then if you feel like it check out the whole thing.

[monasterymonochrome]

Better Know Big Ears #26: Bill Orcutt

Who are they: One of the modern masters of guitar composition and noise-improvisation. Orcutt came up in the 90s in a noise outfit called *checks notes* Harry Pussy. Since the late 00s he's set his sights on towering guitar compositions, most recently 2022's excellent Music for Four Guitars. Orcutt recorded all the parts on the album himself, but the record will be performed in full at Big Ears with a killer lineup of ace guitarists, all of whom will be performing their own solo shows throughout the weekend: Wendy Eisenberg, Shane Parish, and Ava Mendoza (also of William Parker's Mayan Space Station). Orcutt is also set to perform a set with his long-standing duet partner, drummer Chris Corsano. That set promises to be some of the most intense improvisation of the entire weekend.

What do they sound like: Music for Four Guitars is a super cool and fascinating record. It has 14 tracks but runs just over half an hour. Each piece is densely layered with guitar parts, in varying tunings, playing simple, repetitive lines over top of each other. From the sum of these parts comes a larger tune or melody or just a feeling. The effect is something out of the minimalist schools of Steve Reich or Philip Glass. From this busy simplicity comes something approaching grandeur. The record (itself feeling like one long piece, with loads of short movements) and is pretty much guaranteed to leave you awe-inspired or with a headache. Personally, I love it.

To See or Not To See: The Four Guitars set is very high up on my priorities list. But if I have a conflict, they're playing a warm-up show in Brooklyn on like Monday night, so I may be there instead. I'd also love to catch his duo with Corsano, but that's less of a priority for me.

What to listen to: This track is my favorite part of Music for Four Guitars and is a pretty accessible road into the record:

[teekoh]

I’m hoping to see the Orcutt/Corsano duo here next week.

[borracho]

whoa thanks for the bad plus write-up. i'd lost track of them over the last 4-5 years and didn't know about the lineup changes. i saw them in 2010 and they were great, but would obviously be a different animal now.

[monasterymonochrome]

Feb 15, 2023 11:45:28 GMT -6 teekoh said:

I’m hoping to see the Orcutt/Corsano duo here next week.

Oh word - my college friend Eli Winter is opening that show!  Should be awesome.

[monasterymonochrome]

Better Know Big Ears #27: Sierra Hull

Who are they: I feel like this fest books a lot of folks who are "Pre-eminent players of X instrument," but it just keeps being true. Sierra Hull is one of the most talented mandolin players in the world. She was a child prodigy, competing in bluegrass competitions before she turned ten and signing to Rounder Records at age 13. Her debut came out in 2008 when she was 16 and was a pretty exciting traditional styled bluegrass record. She's put out 3 albums in the years since, including 2020's 25 Trips, her most recent release. She has recorded with the likes of Allison Kraus, Rhiannon Giddens, and Bela Fleck - and will also be joining Bela at Big Ears for his My Bluegrass Heart show. Some folks on the Board may also recognize Hull for her work on Sturgill Simpson's Cuttin' Grass series. She played with him on tour in 2021.

What do they sound like: It's bluegrass, baby! I've listened to 25 Trips a couple times and have sampled some tracks from her earlier stuff. I gotta say, I much prefer the direction she's gone in lately. It's still a firmly bluegrass foundation - listen to the awesome breakdowns on "How Long" or the instrumental "The Last Minute" - but her dazzling mandolin picking is augmented by drums, strings, and melodies that feel more rooted in country singer-songwriter traditions than bluegrass, per se. Something about her earlier work just didn't click with me. I've never been a big fan of Mandolin Orange type stuff so maybe the polished-ness didn't appeal to me. I don't love every track on 25 Trips, but the playing sounds super cool and the songs I like are capital-G Great.

To See or Not To See: I'll def see Sierra during Bela's group set, and I'd like to check our her solo show too. It's on Sunday, the lightest day, so I hope it'll happen. She'll be a medium priority for me that day.

What to listen to: I think the title track to 25 Trips has her coolest playing on the record, and I love her vocals/arrangement on the bridge section.

[rango420]

Feb 15, 2023 11:45:28 GMT -6 teekoh said:

I’m hoping to see the Orcutt/Corsano duo here next week.

I will either be there or Margo price kinda leaving it gametime

[monasterymonochrome]

Better Know Big Ears #28: Bela Fleck

Who are they: Probably the most famous active bluegrass musician in the world? I'm sure that statement could be disputed (Grisman, maybe? Thile?), but I'll stand by it. Bela (named after Bela Bartok) is a supremely gifted banjo player put out his first solo album in 1979 and joined the New Grass Revival in 1981. There he developed his solo career and contributed to the group's excellent 80s output. (Tho, sidebar: I've been more into their 70s period lately, Fly Through the Country is a perfect album). Bela broke out with his 1988 solo record Drive, which - despite it's hilariously bad album cover - is a beautiful collection of progressive bluegrass featuring folks like Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, and Tony Rice. Soon after he started up the Flecktones, who melded bluegrass with jazz, funk, and jamband tendencies. Bela would dip back into acoustic bluegrass for his renowned Tales from an Acoustic Planet series, and has collaborated with nearly everyone in the world (just learned he has a duet album with Chick Corea, so that's neat). In 2021 Bela released the massive 100-minute long My Bluegrass Heart, featuring 19 gorgeous original, instrumental tracks featuring stars of the new bluegrass world (Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, Sierra Hull) and the old guard (David Grisman, Tony Trischka). It was a relatively massive success (for a bluegrass record in the 2020s) and Bela's performing it at Big Ears with a killer band that includes Michael Cleveland on fiddle and Sierra Hull on mandolin.

Grateful Dead Corner: Bela and the Flecktones opened for the Dead on NYE 1991, and they also sat in with the JGB in 1990. Here's that set on YT, featuring Bela on Midnight Moonlight and The Harder They Come:



What do they sound like: Look, I just spent all my energy on this write-up, so we're gonna be brief. You don't have to worry about stumbling into some banjo / smooth jazz saxophone matchup. This is gonna be straight bluegrass all the way. The playing on My Bluegrass Heart is incredible, equal parts exhilarating ("Slippery Eel") and beautiful ("Hug Point"). It's some of the best musicians in the world coming together and actually making something greater than the sum of their parts. It might be my favorite bluegrass album, period? It certainly was the one to bring me into the genre writ large.

To See or Not To See: This is my most anticipated set of the weekend. I will be there.

What to listen to: I'd say just throw on the album, but the two tracks mentioned above are my faves. I'll throw the Michael Cleveland feature here too:

[monasterymonochrome]

Feb 16, 2023 9:37:00 GMT -6 monasterymonochrome said:

Better Know Big Ears #28: Bela Fleck

Who are they: Probably the most famous active bluegrass musician in the world? I'm sure that statement could be disputed (Grisman, maybe? Thile?), but I'll stand by it. Bela (named after Bela Bartok) is a supremely gifted banjo player put out his first solo album in 1979 and joined the New Grass Revival in 1981. There he developed his solo career and contributed to the group's excellent 80s output. (Tho, sidebar: I've been more into their 70s period lately, Fly Through the Country is a perfect album). Bela broke out with his 1988 solo record Drive, which - despite it's hilariously bad album cover - is a beautiful collection of progressive bluegrass featuring folks like Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, and Tony Rice. Soon after he started up the Flecktones, who melded bluegrass with jazz, funk, and jamband tendencies. Bela would dip back into acoustic bluegrass for his renowned Tales from an Acoustic Planet series, and has collaborated with nearly everyone in the world (just learned he has a duet album with Chick Corea, so that's neat). In 2021 Bela released the massive 100-minute long My Bluegrass Heart, featuring 19 gorgeous original, instrumental tracks featuring stars of the new bluegrass world (Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, Sierra Hull) and the old guard (David Grisman, Tony Trischka). It was a relatively massive success (for a bluegrass record in the 2020s) and Bela's performing it at Big Ears with a killer band that includes Michael Cleveland on fiddle and Sierra Hull on mandolin.

Grateful Dead Corner: Bela and the Flecktones opened for the Dead on NYE 1991, and they also sat in with the JGB in 1990. Here's that set on YT, featuring Bela on Midnight Moonlight and The Harder They Come:



What do they sound like: Look, I just spent all my energy on this write-up, so we're gonna be brief. You don't have to worry about stumbling into some banjo / smooth jazz saxophone matchup. This is gonna be straight bluegrass all the way. The playing on My Bluegrass Heart is incredible, equal parts exhilarating ("Slippery Eel") and beautiful ("Hug Point"). It's some of the best musicians in the world coming together and actually making something greater than the sum of their parts. It might be my favorite bluegrass album, period? It certainly was the one to bring me into the genre writ large.

To See or Not To See: This is my most anticipated set of the weekend. I will be there.

What to listen to: I'd say just throw on the album, but the two tracks mentioned above are my faves. I'll throw the Michael Cleveland feature here too:

Interestingly, this was the first show Jerry played following the death of Brent Mydland, 10 days prior.

[nanatod]

Feb 16, 2023 9:37:00 GMT -6 monasterymonochrome said:

 It might be my favorite bluegrass album, period? It certainly was the one to bring me into the genre writ large.

my favorites in random order:
-flatt and scruggs, the story of bonnie and clyde
-bill monroe (and others) bean blossom
-some jimmy martin album from the late 1980s early 1990s that has his greatest hits on it
-it's not all bluegrass, but marty stuart's this one's gonna hurt you has some of the best bluegrass licks on an album (in between the other stuff like the duet with johnny cash)

[monasterymonochrome]

Better Know Big Ears #29: Joe Rainey

Who are they: Joe Rainey is a Pow Wow singer from the Red Lake Ojibwe tribe in Minnesota. He grew up in Minneapolis and developed an interest in Pow Wow singing and drumming from a young age. Now 35, he came to national attention last year with the release of his debut album Niineta on Justin Vernon and the Dessners' 37d03d label. That record was received with wide critical acclaim and Rainey has been on tour this and last year.

What do they sound like: I am not at all familiar with Pow Wow singing. In fact, I've probably only listened to this record and the recent Eastern Medicine Singers album. But I feel pretty confident in saying that Niineta is unlike nearly anything else you've heard. Joe's strong, resonant voice fills the album, flowing high and low like peaks and valleys. But his accompaniment is far from traditional. His voice is pitched up and down, run through crackling filters, while similarly staticky strings and clipped-out drums blast through the speakers. It sounds like Pow Wow singing on top of Low's HEY WHAT, or - appropriately given his label - 22, A Million. For some reason, this record didn't catch me last year. I think I only heard it once. But since Joe was announced a week or two ago for Big Ears, I've found myself obsessed with it. It's beautiful and powerful on a visceral level. I would recommend it to any fans of Low's latest output.

To See or Not To See: This show's a pretty high priority for me now. The specific date is yet to be announced.

What to listen to: "b.e. son" and "ch. 1222" are the prettiest songs on the record, but this one, "bezhigo" fully demonstrate's Joe's range and the full extent of the record's sonic textures.

[zircona1]

^Yeah, I dig his stuff too. In addition to Low and Bon Iver, I'm also hearing Death Grips and Demdike Stare at times. A nice addition to the lineup, he's a priority on my list as well.