Mi-Gu

Tokyo experimentalists Mu-Gu, aka Yuko Araki and Hirotaka "Shimmy" Shimizu, who have both played in Cornelius Group, Yoko Ono's Plastic Ono Band, If By Yes, and Brother's Sister's Daughter (with Mike Watt), have three albums out since 2003, including their most recent, Pulling From Above, which came out on Ryuichi Sakamoto's label, Commons. Now they're compiling material from those three import releases for the album, Choose the Light, which will be out on October 2 via Sean Lennon's Chimera Music (who just put out the Yoko Ono, Thurston Moore, and Kim Gordon album this week).

Mi-Gu will be coming to NYC for a show on October 4 at Union Pool with Nels Cline's Eye Bone (aka Nels with Jim Black and Teddy Klausner). Admission for that show is $10 at the door. No advance tickets at the moment.

There are a bunch of other chances to catch Nels Cline in NYC in the upcoming months too, including Retrofret on October 6 in Brooklyn as a duo with Julian Lage (free/invite only), Zebulon on November 1 as a duo with Elliot Sharp, The Stone on December 5 as a member of Ben Goldberg's Unfold Ordinary Mind, and the previously discussed Medeski Martin & Wood show at The Blue Note on December 12.

A list of all Nels Clines dates and a video of Mi-Gu at Union Pool in 2010 with Sean Lennon and Yuka Honda are below.

Continue reading "Mi-Gu releasing compilation LP, playing NYC with Nels Cline, who has other upcoming shows (dates & video)"

Located in the always-growing Gowanus/Park Slope area, about a .4 mile walk from Union Hall, Shapeshifter Lab (18 Whitwell Place) is a new 4200 square foot performance space....

"this newly renovated performance space hosts the world's most innovative artists who are looking for a flexible platform to present their work. Bass player Matthew Garrison, son of Jimmy Garrison (bass player for John Coltrane), is the co-owner and creative director with his business partner, Fortuna Sung. With many years as a successful touring musician under his belt, Matt and his team have designed the space with versatility in sound, lighting and layout, each of which can be tailored to each artist. With state-of-the-art equipment and raw space, Matt and his team are creating something truly unique and desperately needed in today's venue scene in New York City."

All About Jazz points out:

"Matthew has also been busy recording a new project of his at ShapeShifter Lab, to be released online as an interactive website in June 2012, and has successfully video and audio captured performances by Meshell Ndegeocello, Arto Tuncboyaciyan, Gene Lake, Terri Lyne Carrington, David Binney, Adam Rogers, Mark Guiliana, Jojo Mayer, Marko Djordjevic, Hadrien Feraud, Tobias Ralph. Many more incredible artists are scheduled to come participate on this ground breaking project throughout May 2012."

If you haven't figured it out yet, Shapeshifter Lab, which has been open for a few months now, is catering mainly to the jazz scene. Upcoming shows on their calendar include Nels Cline, Tim Berne & Jim Black (tonight and tomorrow), Bjorkestra (pictured playing the space above), Snarky Puppy (who already recorded a DVD there. Check out a video snippet below.), Kenny Werner, and many more. Check out some videos, including a venue tour with Matthew Garrison, below...

Continue reading "Shapeshifter Lab is a new Brooklyn venue & studio (upcoming schedule & videos) (Nels Cline, Tim Berne & Jim Black tonight)"

Founded in June 2010 the Undead Jazzfest is new kind of festival, bringing together an incredible array of artists from the new jazz and improvised music community currently exploding in New York City. With no headliners, affordable tickets, unorthodox venues and no drink minimums, the Undead Jazzfest aims to shake the public perception of what jazz can be today, celebrating the incredible music being made in a setting that is inviting to both the veterans and curious new fans.

Encompassing eleven venues over its four days (6/23 - 6/26), the Undead Jazzfest will feature appearances from more than 50 bands including names like Marc Ribot, Elliott Sharp, Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Mountains and many others. The full list of participating bands is below. Four day passes are on sale for $45 until 4/28. The price increases to $50 after.

Undead Jazzfest is also responsible for curating another show outside of said festival, this one going down at Central Park Summerstage on June 11th with Medeski Martin & Wood, Josh Roseman's King Froopy All Stars and Jim Black's AlasNoAxis. It's one of many free 2011 Summerstage shows that have been announced.

AND, Undead Jazz presents a show at Le Poisson Rouge tonight (4/25) with Orchestre National de Jazz with Daniel Yvinec and John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble with special guests Theo Bleckmann , Kate McGarry and Uri Caine. Undead Jazz also presents Todd Sickafoose's Tiny Resistors and Mary Halvorson Trio at the same venue on May 18th.

Full Undead Jazzfest 2011 lineup below.

Continue reading "Undead Jazzfest 2011 lineup announced, tix on sale now, and other related shows too"

Jeff Tweedy @ Beacon High School (more by Eric Townsend)

"Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy gave fans a scare Saturday night at the recently refurbished Fox Theater in Pomona when he declared, 12 songs into the band's set, that the Chicago-based act was "approaching the end of an era," and promised more details later.

Those aren't words to be taken lightly for Wilco followers. Depending on who's doing the counting, the group has had as many as six different eras since releasing its country-obsessed 1995 debut, "A.M." Yet its audience has remained loyal through a host of lineup changes, Tweedy and bassist John Stirratt being the only constants in Wilco's career.

While the comment raised concerns about a future without, say, the participation of local guitar slinger Nels Cline or rhythmic contortionist Glenn Kotche, the truth turned out to be nothing so worrisome. After 45 minutes, Tweedy revealed only that multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone was turning 40." [LA Times]

The 25-song setlist from Saturday night's show is below.

"Due to production changes, field tickets have just been released" for Wilco's upcoming show at Keyspan Park in Brooklyn. Yo La Tengo is opening.

Nels Cline has three non-Wilco NYC shows coming up. One of those shows is the previously-mentioned M. Ward Central Park Summerstage gig where Nels will play in a band with Mike Watt, Yuka Honda, Dougie Bowne. That foursome is called Floored by Four, and according to Mr Watt, they "plan to record a album the two days before the gig." Add it to the list. All Nels dates below...

Continue reading "Wilco played the Fox Theater (setlist), more NYC tix released, Nels Cline & Mike Watt are Floored by Four"