Over the last week, three music legends performed live in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and it was incredible. Kicking off Memorial Day Weekend brought guitarist Bill Frisell to Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club, where his trio performed two sets of incredible instrumental jazz music. Frisell is one of my musical heroes having played with John Zorn, Pat Metheny, Willie Nelson, and too many more to list everyone…
Todd Rundgren opened for Daryl Hall at The Music Hall – He’s still a great performer and an excellent guitar player and singer. We heard all the classics and a few covers, too. Daryl Hall and his band played almost two hours that included about 4 or 5 Hall & Oates classic tunes, including the encore, “You Make My Dreams Come True.” It was truly a weekend of great music in the Seacoast.
Do you have tickets for concerts or festivals this summer?
Upcoming Live Shows:
Heading north to see Thee Oh Sees at Club Soda in Montreal at the end of June and this time I will not forget my earplugs. Last time it was the loudest concert I’ve witnessed — this time, I’ll be prepared when John Dwyer and his psych-punk psychic warrior, ear worm-farmer, and possessor of many stamped passport pages lights it up on stage with that filthy guitar.
The Cure return to the Boston area on June 18th! This will be my fourth time seeing them perform live and probably the last. I’ve been a big fan of Robert Smith and Simon Gallup since high school and I’m looking forward to this show. I’m not looking forward to the drive to Mansfield, Massachusetts.
On Tuesday, June 13th I get to see Yo La Tengo again. The venue is the State Theatre on Congress Street in downtown Portland, Maine. I’ve said it before, but YLT are probably my favorite indie rock band. Do you know how they got their name?
The Music Report
This week, I concentrated on some minimal electronic sounds and modern composers. With the Northeast weather being soggy and dark, this playlist seemed most appropriate. I hope you enjoy. Thanks for listening!
Viatorism (Alter, Vol. 2) - Version 5 (Mille Plateaux)
Light Conductor - The Robot Hits the Water (Constellation)
Novel Novella - Let’s Run Away (self-released)
Sunda Arc - Hymn (Gondwana)
Pole (Stefan Betke) - Klettern (Mute)
Mark Pritchard - Come Let Us (feat. Gregory Whitehead) (Warp)
Jörg Burger - Crawling Up That Hill (Kompakt)
Deadbeat & Camara - I Don’t Go Walking… (Constellation)
Apex Twin - Pancake Lizard (Warp, BBC)
Home - Decay (Midwest Collective)
Oskar Offerman - Silent Prayers (Mule Music)
Flowchart - Tenjira (Darla)
Nick Luscombe - Fieldwave (non-classical)
A Few More Items
My old friend and former WUNH DJ has an incredible Hip Hop show streaming on soundwaves. Each episode is full of great hip hop with a lot of classics thrown in. It’s called, ‘You Must Learn’ and the June 2nd episode is all about Market Basket Bangers. Enough said. Let KC know I sent you! CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
I just bought a pre-owned, but very clean copy of Pat Metheny’s 80/81 album on ECM Records. Great sax solos from Michael Brecker combined with the extravagant bass work from Charlie Haden and Jack DeJohnette’s drums push Metheny’s guitar work forward and produces a great sound combining jazz and fusion. The music is top notch, but what’s also great is ECM Records can be found in many used record stores and online at affordable prices unlike some other labels. Keep this between us, but ECM has some of the best post modern jazz musicians ever recorded. Shh!!
Last But Not Least
Have you seen any rabbits in your backyard? A few years ago the Eastern Cottontail Rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus) started appearing in the neighborhood, but this year it’s simply out of control. We consistently have 5 or 6 adult rabbits in our yard eating flowers my wife planted and running around chasing each other in the evening. This morning the wacky rabbits made their way out front, near the busy street, to try other flavors of seasonal flowers and shrubs. They’re damn cute, but wow, they’re everywhere in 2023. Wha’ppened?