Captain Beefheart‘s music is the quintessential ‘outsider art music’ of the second half of the 20th century. Despite the fact that he retired from music over 25 years ago, his music resonates more strongly than ever as an influence on contemporary music. Fast ‘n’ Bulbous offer a unique slant on the songbook of one of contemporary music’s most idiosyncratic musical figures. The band features seven great, well-regarded musicians drawn from the rock and the jazz worlds: co-leaders guitarist Gary Lucas (who was in the final incarnation of Beefheart’s Magic Band) and saxist/arranger Phillip Johnston (of the Microscopic Septet) as well as drummer Richard Dworkin, and baritone saxist Dave Sewelson (both also of the Micros), trombonist Joe Fieldler (Ed Palermo Big Band and Satoko Fujii‘s big band), bassist Jesse Krakow (of Time of Orchids and Doctor Nerve) and trumpeter Rob Heinke (also of Doctor Nerve). With a strong, creative line-up like this, you know that you will be getting something more than just a ‘cover band’ and you indeed are. Heartfelt, exciting and it both rocks and swings!
We have a new bass layer (surprise!) and we have our first gig with him on November 1st at the Laughing Goat, 1709 Pearl Street in Boulder Colorado at 8:30.
Our new bass player is John Grigsby, and he’s also a very gifted animator. You can see his work on youtube if you search “Grigsby animation.”
Slowly, we are preparing a new cd. There have been whispers that Elaine diFalco will be writing a tune with Mark Harris in mind. The world halts.
Richard Leo Johnson
Richard is working on the final aspects of his next release based on yet another fictional character named Duval Rey. Duval was a blind Creole street musician (one man band) in New Orleans. He encountered Vernon McAlister while performing on the street on a day in the early 1950s.
Duval was inspired by the brief encounter to compose a song cycle which transcends genre or convention. The album will be a solo effort as a one man band with the primary instrument an antique tenor banjo. The CD should be finished and mastered by Spring of 2009.
Jesse Krakow (Time of Orchids, Fast ‘N Bulbous: The Captain Beefheart Project) has been playing with Shudder To Think on their recent reunion tour. Past dates included two nights at The Virgin Mobile Festival (in MD and Canada, respectively), and one at The Park West in Chicago (with Cheer-Accident) opening. The remaining dates are:
October 3rd @ TLA, Philadelphia
October 4th @ Webster Hall, NYC
October 10th @ 9:30 Club, DC w/ Pattern Is Movement
October 11th @ Paradise Rock Club, Boston
October 25th @ Voodoo Fest, New Orleans
October 30th @ The Shoebox, Seattle w/ The Dead Science
November 1st @ El Rey, Los Angeles
November 2nd @ The Fillmore, San Francisco
In addition to completing the new Fast ‘N Bulbous record – to be released in January ’09 on Cuneiform and followed by a European tour, Jesse has been working on his rock comedy/opera “Rock Bottom”, to (hopefully) be completed in the spring of 2009. Check out http://www.myspace.com/jessekrakow for more info.
And generally he is doing quite well and is very happy. He hopes you are too.
THE MUSICAL BOX:
DAVID MYERS – keyboards/guitar/voice
FRANÇOIS GAGNON – guitars
GREGG BENDIAN – drums/percussion
DENIS GAGNE – lead voice
SÉBASTIEN LAMOTHE – bass/guitars/voice
A Trick of the Tail – European Tour (Fall 2008)
Sep 27 – Konserthus, Oslo (Norway)
Sep 28 – Cirkus, Stockholm (Sweden)
Oct 01 – CCH Saal 2, Hamburg (Germany)
Oct 02 – Jahrhunderthalle, Frankfurt (Germany)
Oct 03 – Jahrhunderthalle, Frankfurt (Germany)
Oct 04 – Liederhalle, Stuttgart (Germany)
Oct 05 – Theatre de Beaulieu, Lausanne (Switzerland)
Oct 08 – Vredenberg [Leidsche Rijn], Utrecht (Netherlands)
Oct 09 – Theater am Marientor, Duisburg (Germany)
Oct 10 – De Vereeniging, Nijmegen (Germany)
Oct 11 – Le Forum, Leige (Belgium)
Oct 12 – Cirque Royal, Bruxelles (Belgium)
Oct 14 – Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool (UK)
Oct 15 – SECC, Glasgow (UK)
Oct 17 – Apollo Theatre, Manchester (UK)
Oct 18 – Guild Hall, Portsmouth (UK)
Oct 22 – Royal Centre, Nottingham (UK)
Oct 24 – Fairfield Halls, Croydon (UK)
Oct 25 – Colston Hall, Bristol (UK)
Oct 27 – Grugahalle, Essen (Germany)
Oct 29 – Spodek Hall, Katowice (Poland)
Oct 31 – Z7, Prateln [Basel] (Switzerland)
Nov 01 – Z7, Prateln [Basel] (Switzerland)
Nov 03 – Olympia Theatre, Paris (France)
Nov 05 – Palabam, Mantova (Italy)
Nov 07 – Allianz Teatro, Milano (Italy)
Nov 08 – Gran Teatro, Rome (Italy)
Nov 09 – Palatour, Bitritto [Bari] (Italy)
Nov 11 – Teatro Luna, Isle of Sardinia (Italy)
– Past big shows/festivals played somewhat recently
The Musical Box replaced YES who cancelled their 400th Anniversary of Quebec performance last month. The Mahavishnu Project performed at the Trinumeral Fest in Asheville NC, along with (for reasons unknown to us), a plethora of Hip-Hop acts.
– Youtube (and the like) links to live performance footage or other video content
The Mahavishnu Project performs “Resolution (One Word)” from VishnuFest 2007
– Upcoming projects/recordings
The Mahavishnu Project is featured prominently on the new release, “Mahavishnu Re-Defined.” The MP perform “Smile of the Beyond”, “Trilogy Pt. 2” and “Sanctuary”.
Gregg has recently released the critically acclaimed “Research (Tiny Useful Secrets)” on the Aggregate Music label. The disc of ten innovative solo percussion works is available at http://www.greggbendian.com as well as at http://www.waysidemusic.com
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