Electric Review - On the CD Watch

Seeing the Real Bob Dylan at Last

By Paolo Carmassi

BOB DYLAN LIVE 1964: THE CONCERT AT THE PHILHARMONIC HALL. Bob Dylan. Columbia/Legacy.In early 1961 in New York City, "Harry Jackson, a cowboy singer and a painter," told Nat Hentoff after listening to Bob Dylan in a small club that "He’s so goddamned real, it’s unbelievable!" Nat, a prominent music critic at the time, went to see Dylan shortly thereafter. Bob had the same effect on him and Nat quickly became friends with the young singer. Hentoff’s marvelous line in the liner notes of "The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan" bears repeating: "The irrepressible reality of Bob Dylan is a compound of spontaneity, candor, slicing wit and an uncommonly perceptive eye and ear for the way many of us constrict our capacity for living while a few of us don’t." After listening to the recent Columbia Bob Dylan release, "The Philharmonic Hall Concert," Nat’s words reentered my mind. They sum up the heart of this precious live 2-CD package. Nothing seems to have changed: this musical document is as pure, as honest, as fresh, as real, and as timely as it was when Bob created it.

I have followed Dylan’s career since his debut album, "Bob Dylan", in 1962. What we have here in "The Philharmonic Concert" is Bob at his early best and in many of his moods. During the concert, he tells the audience "I’m wearing my Bob Dylan mask tonight." On the contrary, Bob has taken his mask off. The authentic Dylan has always been revealed while performing on stage. It is easy to hear on these CDs that Bob wants his audience to have a good time and to learn and discern. I have always felt that Bob’s sense of humor is one of his greatest assets. He’s a funny man and it is prevalent throughout this show. Was he really putting us on when he said he was a song and dance man in "Don’t Look Back?"

This performance represents an artist who is the personification of originality and purity of expression. This is the young Shaman ready to explode and expand the horizons of all who listen to him, a major, creative revolutionary who, with the Beatles, would change the face of music throughout the world.

There have been many Bob Dylans. He is the chief chameleon. Very capricious. We all know this. "The Philharmonic Concert" presents my favorite Bob Dylan: the poet, the seer, the humorist, the social critic, the political observer, the wordsmith who assimilated and synthesized all the great existential themes found in history, philosophy, and literature, and crafted them into magnificent songs.

Yes, the music: many of the classic young Bob Dylan songs are here. Among them we find: "A Hard Rain’s A-gonna Fall", his first epic, his first novel in lyrical form, and it is a complete novel in song. Each line is written and sung as if it would be his last. "The Times They Are A-changing" is an anthem for a generation. "To Ramona" is a transcendent love song never before realized by any other author. "Gates of Eden and "Mr. Tambourine Man" are poems that inspired millions of admirers and writers. "With God on our Side" is an incredibly powerful, ironic insight into our brief history and into the abuse of power. "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Corroll" is an incisive perception of racial and class structure that still abounds in our country today. "It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)" is a genuine American poem that Allen Ginsberg loved and that opened my young eyes to the illusions and lies that condition us from being truly free. Dylan saw the bondage we inherited from birth and was able to delineate it through his art.

The changing styles in Bob’s singing over the years have been recognized by all his fans. These pieces are all sung with the ache of beauty and of loss; they are all sung with the triumph of spirit and of soul; and they are all sung with the force, faith, and commitment to that which is ever eternal: truth.

"The Philharmonic Concert" ultimately displays the immense humanity, dignity, poetic vision, and reality of America’s greatest 20th century songwriter.

Order at amazon.com, or go to the Bob Dylan web site.

Paolo Carmassi is an expert on the work of Bob Dylan. He lives in California.

JOHNNY WINTER. Columbia Legacy. This self-titled debut album by the legendary Johnny Winter has recently been re-mastered and re-released by Columbia, bringing Winter’s fiery cool classic brand of the Blues to a whole new generation of fans. First released in 1969 as America wrestled with the issue of the Vietnam war, Winter burns ripe with that classic smell of the Blues - the ache of echo captured perfectly between the turning strings of guitar and voice.

This record should open up a lot of young ears to what music was like in the 1960s, the purity and spontaneity of the moment growing like roots through the eyes of each of these songs. Winter’s Texas-based approach is polished from the beginning, drawing from the deep history of the Delta, drunk on the ancient spirit of Robert Johnson, there on the trail of the devil glazed with freneticism and chaos, there in the shadows running down the old roads of Mississippi hour of the dawn.

Make no mistake, these are the songs of desperate men and hungry children and grave-diggers, the songs of the soul imprisoned by its own sick heart. Back in the days when Johnny Winter recorded these cuts, music served as a refuge for the youth of a torn and divided country. And this record offers perfect evidence of that fact: the music driven by the tension of the times, strangled by passion, groaning against the Kingdoms of the world.

Nearly every cut here is a classic -- but "Dallas" is simply riveting, displaying Winter’s range as a player. "I’ll Drown in My Own Tears" is also a stand-out, stained with the grief that brings the Blues. And note the great band that flanks Winter -- with none other that the master and legend himself, Willie Dixon, featured. Added to the original set list are three bonus tracks, including the impeccable "Country Girl."

Old fans will want to grab this record for their collection because the digital remastering done by Columbia has added an extra layer of sound to the original mix - which is now so much more cleaner and resonant. Meanwhile, younger kids keen on the Blues will want to check out Johnny Winter for its purity of passion and its starkness of vision: in this era of throw-away CDS and disposable art, this album shows us what real music can do.

Order at amazon.com, or go to columbia-legacy

PUTUMAYO & THE WORLD MUSIC SCENE

It seems every label these days has a World Music line - if nothing else, the idea's invogue, and sure to bring some young listeners to the genre. However, try as they might, record companies never seem to reach the bar that Putumayo has set, for it truly is the class of the World Music scene - a label full of varied artists who are deeply dedicated to promoting true scocial awareness.

As I noted in a column last year, Putumayo World Music is a shining example of the alternatives that exist beyond the Rock/Jazz sound that America has grown up on. The Putumayo World Music label (featured prominently on many radio stations throughout the country), offers adventurous listeners the opportunity to expand their consciousness, exposing both old and young record buyers to the rich musical histories of Africa, Latin American and Europe.

One brief sampling of this material reveals an original vision that has stepped past the "profits first" bottom line, reconnecting us with the true idea of art. Current standouts include:

LATIN PLAYGROUND. A collection of Latin American songs aimed at exposing children to the history of Latin music. Featuring selections by Omara Portuondo, Flaco Jimenez and Carmen Gonzalez. This wonderfully diverse record is part of Putumayo's WORLD PLAYGROUND series that introduces children to music from the four corners of the world. The album boasts impassioned singing in a wide array of styles that will appeal to the young and old alike.
CONGO TO CUBA. A sampling of Cuban music and Cuban-influenced African music. These two areas of the world are linked by similar rhythms, the cultures deeply rooted in personal expression through the ritual of dance; CONGO TO CUBA allows us to experience the connection first-hand. Featuring Chico Alvarez, Monte Adentro, Laba Sosseh among others.
VHUNZE MOTO. Oliver Mtukudzi. This new record by Mtukudzi brings the music of Zimbabwe to America. This legendary South African musician captivates his listeners here, bridging the gulf between the continents with his soft cool supple melodies and piercing vocals. A five star performance.
ITALIAN ODYSSEY. Featuring contemporary folk music from both the Southern and Northern regions of Italy. This music has risen from an underground community and is slowly making its way across Europe to the United States. Vibrant, rich with social awareness, ITALIAN ODYSSEY calls to mind a 20-year-old Bob Dylan strolling the snow-crusted streets of New York's Lower East Side at dawn.
REGGAE AROUND THE WORLD. A compilation that presents Reggae music from different parts of the world, including Brazil, Jamaica, South Africa and Nigeria. This wild explosion of rhythm documents the far-reaching influence Reggae has had on countless generations. Artists include Lucky Dube, Zeca Baleiro, Peter Rowan and Rocky Dawuni.
CARIBBEAN PLAYGROUND. Another installment in the Putumayo Kid’s series, this selection features a wonderful array of Caribbean flavored music with the youngster in mind. True Caribbean music blends Native American, African and European influences to create its own distinct sound -- a true amalgamation of the best music of these regions stirred into one glass. Playground is a joy to listen to: Here you’ll find some cooking pieces that you can share with your child. Literally every cut is notable, but "Great Big Boat" by Taj Mahal and Hula Blues is amazing, and will cause you to hit the replay button a few times before you explore things further. Also the Trinidad-based "Little Anancy" by Asheba will prove uplifting and inspiring to even the most calloused and cold Metal fan.
WOMEN OF LATIN AMERICA. Due for release on September 21, 2004, Women is a fascinating compilation of the most captivating female singers of Latin America (representing the regions of Mexico, Peru, Chile, Brazil and Columbia). The variety of music and musicianship here is simply phenomenal, and will cause the listener to take pause: Here, Putumayo has captured the hottest and most magical woman voices in the Latin world - -their sound sexy and smoky, subtle and edgy, barking out from the soul these lost wolves at dawn. Highlights are many, but Tania Libertad’s "Anada Mareado" smolders -- delicate voiced and deft, circulating around the lips of the room like an invisible wing. Libertad has great vocal range, and this cut shows that she’s on the threshold of breaking out into the mainstream. Also stunning is "Toda Sexta-Feira" by Belo Velloso of Brazil. A great fun record perfect for late summer parties and dancing under the stars.

For more information on purchasing Putumayo's world music CDs, please visit Putumayo.com

re: BACH. Lara St. John. Sony Classical. If there’s one word that might describe Lara St. John -- it’s "guts." How many other classical violinists would dare to invite pedal steel guitar player B.J. Cole and Indian tabla master Trilok Gurtu to play on an album of Bach interpretations? The key to understanding this record is in the answer to that question: Lara St. John is not like other classical performers. Instead, St. John is a daring and bold musician who has infused new life into Bach’s music -- filling the subtle lines of these compositions with gentle inflections of jazz and world music -- a complete demonstration of her wide ranging influences.

re: Bach marks St. John’s initial release on the Sony label (although she had previously recorded three other albums for other imprints to high critical remarks). St. John, who began playing the violin at the age of two, has toured throughout the world and has played with a number of superb symphonies, including the Tokyo Symphony under the direction of Paavo Jarvi. More than anything else, re: Bach shows that St. John has grown into a seasoned and versatile performer who is able to immediately command her listener’s attention -- guiding us through time now delivering us from the dead : it’s a drive through the invisible riding this perfect vehicle of music. Standout cuts are marked by "Echo" (with wonderful cello fills by Robbie Jacobs) and "Bombay Minor," which features St. John’s throbbing and sensual violin set against the heartbeat rhythms of Gurtu’s hand drum.

In re: Bach St. John has crossed many musical boundaries and bridged the gap between the old world of Bach and America in the 21st century, at once feeding new life into this ancient and timeless music. The result is absolutely riveting.

Order at amazon.com or go to larastjohn.com

AN INTERVIEW WITH LARA ST. JOHN

I understand you began playing music around the age of two. How did you come to start that early? Did your parents promote it? Or was there some other event that caused you to gravitate towards this form of expression?

Well, first of all, my parents are not musicians. The way I understand it (and it’s all hear-say, since I don’t actually remember it) is that it [coming to the violin] was caused by my brother and I being annoying. [Laughing] Apparently after my brother went to his first violin lesson and came home with his violin, I got jealous and wanted one, too. So my parents got me one. I began playing on a 16th size instrument -- very small and very squeaky. (laughing)

So then the rest of the family isn’t at all musical?

As I said, my parents are not musicians. There were some recordings around the house when I was growing up -- The Great Symphonies of the World on LP. And Dad listened to The Beatles. My brother [Scott St. John] is actually a Professor [in the renowned music department] at the University of Toronto. He played and toured regularly for many years, and then decided he needed to be in one place. Shortly after that, he got this job.

Can you discuss where the inspiration for this record came from - where did you get the idea to infuse Bach’s work with such distinct and modern flavors?

Well, honestly, it was a bit of a team effort. Through Sony, I met Magnus Fiennes [an inventive and masterful composer], and we got along really well. First, we each listened to all of Bach’s work thoroughly - which was a monumental under-taking. I spent a month alone listening to all of Bach’s stuff. We were each searching for tracks that fit well - tracks that inspired a modern sense. After we agreed on the songs, we began recording. Our idea was to take some of Bach’s lesser known works and give them a modern sense and broader audience. We wanted to take these little known pieces and bring them somewhere.

I get the feeling from hearing this record that you are trying to broaden your scope and reach the non-traditional classical listener - reaching a younger audience. Is this a conscious aspect of how the album was constructed?

That’s kind of the concept. In this day and age it’s kind of impossible to go and get a dude off the street and have him listen to some of Bach’s suites. And that was one of the challenges. To bring it [Bach’s music] into the modern era. These great pieces are unchanged, but they have been taken into our times. That was the point: to make the music feel familiar to musicians and non-musicians alike.

Tell me about how the idea to use tabla and pedal steel guitar was born (such a bold move for a classical artist doing Bach).

The tabla was Magnus’ idea. That wouldn’t have been mine. I thought it was amazing though. The instrument is not something I grew up with. It was my first time playing with the tabla. It created a completely different vibe. The pedal steel appears only a couple of times....actually, so many great musicians played on the album. It really was an amazing thing....

Who are your major influences as a musician?

Well, I learned a lot from Glenn Gould. And not just because he’s my country man. I kind of grew up under that umbrella. I learned a lot from Gould with regard to thinking ‘horizontally.’ In reality, some of Bach’s chords are not comfortable. Some are very difficult to capture on the violin. And from Gould I learned to think this through differently, I learned to hear every voice at every moment.

If you had to pick one thing that sets re: Bach apart from other the rest of pack, what is it?

That’s hard to say. A lot of things. I guess it would be my background in Bach. I’m the guy’s biggest fan ever. I have so much respect for him as a composer. Bach is the King. And there is no way to make what he wrote better. You could make it worse though. We wanted to make it different. We wanted the listener to hear love and respect come through every track.

What music do you listen to when you want to relax and unwind?

I’m pretty eclectic -- pretty moody I guess. I listen to a lot of jazz. Monk. Miles Davis. I have 3 copies of Kind of Blue in case one gets scratched. I think I’m somewhat stuck in the 1970s right now -- listening to a lot of Doors and Pink Floyd. Really now, you have to be in a certain mood to listen to a classical symphony.... ~John Aiello

Check larastjohn.com for more information about her music and tour schedule.

MASTERWORKS EXPANDED EDITION SERIES. Sony Classical. The arm of the Sony empire responsible for classical music is truly an under-appreciated part of the label. However, Sony Classical’s approach to digital recording is revolutionary and the sound that this Direct Stream Digital methods builds is phenomenal -- crystal clear and see through, as if the music is being performed on stage in front of you in a concert for one: the notes slowly seeping from the walls of the room and into your pores.

This wonderful resonance of sound becomes readily apparent in the Masterworks Series, a project which features the cream of the Sony Classical catalog, perfectly remastered with new tracks added to many of its most enduring records: marking a chance for a new generation of record buyers to experience the classics of the classical genre.

Masterworks Expanded is the second installment in the series (with plans for an additional 100 records to be released by the end of 2006). Most of the Masterworks selections include their original liner notes, with prices for these CDS surprisingly modest -- the idea being to encourage young listeners to explore the worlds that exist outside of Rock and Roll and Metal as they broaden their understanding of the myriad forms of this distinguished music.

And that journey must begin here, for the Masterworks Series comprises the core of the best in classical music from the last 50 years. Each of the records in this series is a veritable masterpiece, but the album "Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring & The Firebird Suite," featuring Leonard Bernstein/London Symphony Orchestra & New York Philharmonic, is astounding -- an inspired and hypnotic performance that is at once appropriate for a wedding or funeral or birthday, the music rising through the halls of the veins like swelling waves, hypnotic and holy and sweet, reducing the bottoms of the eyes to these infinite pools of tears. This is Bernstein's 1972 London recording of The Rite of Spring; with the New York Philharmonic. Additional tracks featuring Prokofiev's Scythian Suite (with Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic).

Also striking is "Mozart: Symphonies & Masonic Funeral Music" (Claudio Abbado/Berlin Philharmonic, including a riveting performance of Symphony No. 31 in D Major).

Order at amazon.com

SEE: www.masterworksexpandededition.com or sonyclassical.com for more information.

HONKIN’ ON BOBO. Aerosmith. Columbia Records. Aerosmith has been, for the last three decades, the classic American hard rock band -- their beat driving black and acidic, capturing the instant of bullet cracking through bone. However, Honkin’ marks a return for the band, a return back to the roots of their inspiration. In this album, they cover many classic blues pieces - a statement to Rock and Roll fans everywhere that Aerosmith (much like Jagger and The Stones) was both guided and inspired by the soulful howl of the old bluesmen.

"Rather than try and pigeonhole or categorize the album, we’d just like to think of it as a new Aerosmith album," said guitarist Joe Perry. "Our fans have always said, ‘We love your new music, but when are you going to make a record that sounds like your old stuff?’ In order to do that, we figured the blues was the best place to start, as it has always been a major influence on us."

With the bulk of the record recorded in Perry’s Boneyard Studio and in lead vocalist Steve Tyler’s Bryer Patch Studio, Honkin’ sports an unpretentious feel, somewhat like Dylan and The Band’s The Basement Tapes coming through bigger, bolder, louder speakers. Honkin’ is a throw back record, something meant to tell us where these cats came from and why their sound developed as it has. Trust me, after one listen, you’ll be hooked - for there isn’t a bad cut here. The band’s version of "Baby Please Don’t Go" is a real gem, the edginess of Van Morrison’s version turned up and drawn down until we hear steam pour through the lines in long fists and clots. Also noteworthy is "Jesus On the Main Line," with that classic Aerosmith cadence (clawing guitars, drum heavy chorus), as every second drives the impulse to move, driving the feet to rise up and shimmy, these dancing leaves in the wind, these voices shining like raw blood at dawn.

"We didn’t record a blues album," Tyler muses. "We recorded an Aerosmith album. Everything Aerosmith has ever done has been influenced by the blues. This time around, we just brought [that] influence a little closer to the surface."

Order at amazon.com

Also SEE:aerosmith.com for more information.

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST. Soundtrack. Integrity Music/Sony. In terms of classical music, it’s going to be pretty difficult for anybody to top this record in 2004. Like its namesake, the "The Passion Of The Christ" soundtrack is a remarkable record that has literally taken the nation by storm. As of March 3, the record was number one on both the Billboard and Contemporary Christian charts, while holding the number two position on the Internet chart. An auspicious beginning to say the least.

Passion, composed by John Debney, is a record that was presented with the task of measuring up to Mel Gibson’s magnificent film; in short, the music had to take the images on the screen and give them the real meat of voice. Many critics have said that "The Passion Of Christ" takes the suffering which Christ endured on the threshold of death and personalized it -- making it human ...almost comprehensible. When Jesus is nailed to the cross, Gibson wants us to feel every invisible morsel of pain and swim in his agony, stanching the blood of Christ with the arrows of our eyes, making his holy version of misery our very own.

And the film succeeds on this level, in part, because of Debney’s creation: "This score with its mix of ethnic authenticity and symphonic sweetness propels the brutal image[s] to a higher, almost lyrical plane," says Gibson, who also did some vocal chants on the record.

The lines of these compositions (from "Flagellation" to "Crucifixion" to "Jesus is Carried Down") simply soar -- this is music meant to pull your heart out of the cocoon of its chest and pull your ass out of its chair, sharpening the hollow edges of the conscience, reintroducing you to private ideals of beauty and faith and compassion. Rest assured, there’s blood staining this music: It drips from the half whispered eye of every echo and dances down the mirrored fingertips of the skin, these crimson pearl drops through the torn and transparent wounds of Christ’s palms.

In the end, music is a sensory experience that overwhelms the doors of the mind as it opens up the hearts of human animals to deep mysteries of memory and identity. And at its best moments, music will move the soul to tears. The Passion of The Christ is just such a score. ~John Aiello

Order at amazon.com

BEAT AVENUE. Eric Andersen. Appleseed Records. Eric Andersen was part of the emergence of the “singer-songwriter” in the 1960s and, along with Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, John Stewart and Ramblin Jack Elliot, Andersen’s work has not only withstood the test of time but has grown more alluring.

Andersen’s music --like that of the aforementioned writers-- is deeply poetic, rooted in folk, blues and mid-sixties rock and roll. With Beat Avenue, Andersen presents his strongest record in years, expanding on the themes he first began chronicling over 40 years ago. Beat features an all-star band, including Eric Bazilian on guitar, Shawn Pelton on drums and Garth Hudson (formerly of The Band) on sax, accordion and keyboards. Beat is rich with many wonderful songs (especially the searching “Song For You and Me” which comes on like a storm, its sorrow born in the hollow ache of changing love). Also notable are “Rains Are Gonna Come,” “Salt On Your Skin” and “Under The Shadows” (as each of these 14 pieces build into each other like the separate scenes of a movie,building and growing, until we have drawn a full picture of this song-poet on his journey through our times).

Still, the best cut on the record remains the title track -- a 26 minute epic that recounts the events of November 22, 1963: the day President John Kennedy was gunned down. Andersen, only 20 years old at the time, was holed up in Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s house in San Francisco, socializing with Allen Ginsberg , Michael McClure and David Meltzer following a Ginsberg reading earlier that evening. “Beat Avenue,” which took Andersen 15 years to write, is a testament to how deeply Kennedy’s death affected a generation: In the hollow orange flicker of a bullet hope dissolved into despair and the path of a nation was permanently changed. And “Beat Avenue” captures it all -- holding the listener spellbound for nearly half an hour as we go back in time to re-examine ourselves and the state of our own lives.

Eric Andersen is a magnificent songwriter whose work defies all labels and categories. Moreover, Beat Avenue shows that Andersen is a survivor: a man who has withstood the impact of social and artistic change and emerged even more inspired. In the end, this record should serve as a model for all other singer-songwriters trying to “break in.”

Order at amazon.com or through www.appleseedrec.com

AN INTERVIEW WITH ERIC ANDERSEN

Tell me about the beginning of your career: Was it the Beat writers like Kerouac and Ginsberg who inspired your work the most?

Yeah, to a degree I’d say that. During my younger years I read a lot of Russian literature, and also the French Symbolists like Baudlaire and Rimbaud. You might say I had a Russian soul and a French Symbolist mind. (laughing) The friends I was hanging out with in high school were reading the same kinds of books as I was. We loved both music and writing. We were reading Allen Ginsberg’s poetry and singing Weavers’ songs. But I was actually "discovered" by Tom Paxton, and through him I learned about music and met a lot of people in the music business. That was in late 1963, early ‘64...

In my mind, your writing and the way you structure a song resembles some of the early stuff Bob Dylan was doing. How much of an influence was Dylan on you as a young musician?

Wow ..... that’s a great compliment...... (Pauses) I think he [Dylan] was the first one on the scene in terms of writing songs in a certain kind of poetic way. But my biggest influence in terms of the craft of writing a song was Tom Paxton. Dylan opened things up in terms of theme and poetics but Paxton opened things up in terms of craft. I heard more of Tom’s stuff early on than I did of anybody else’s music.

How often do you see Dylan now?

I see him whenever he’s in Norway. I usually see him whenever he’s here -- he loves to talk shop. He loves to talk songwriting and music. Actually, we’ve been talking about working together on a few things, including the record I’m currently in the studio recording [tentatively titled "The Street Was Always There" -- due for a late summer release].

I know you did a lot of work with Rick Danko (formerly of The Band). How did his death impact you?

Well, I wrote a long open letter to him after his death called "Good-Bye Rick." [SEE: http://www.ericandersen.com/Letter]. Actually that letter is worth more than a thousand pictures. It explains how I feel. But when Rick died -- that was a terribly rough and painful time. Losing Rick ...was very sad. Like losing Caruso. The world will never hear a voice like that again, now it’s only preserved on the records. It will never be replaced. It’s a great loss and I miss him terribly. But that’s all part of this life: we come and then we depart. It’s all on borrowed time.

On this same note, many of the writers with whom you had relationships -- I’m talking about people like Allen Ginsberg and William Burroughs -- have died recently. Can you describe what that’s been like for you: How have those losses affected your writing and the themes you’re delving into as an artist?

What a question.....It may sound strange, but I don’t think about things that way. In my consciousness, when you’re close to somebody and you lose them, it’s like somebody shot you through the crosshairs of your heart. I mean -- you thought you knew their souls, and then they’re just gone. It’s a terrible thing. Like a chunk of you peels off. Like losing a hand or arm. But some of those people are still standing: John Sebastian. Bob Dylan. Tom Paxton. But in the end, we have the sound of their voices [referring now to Danko and Ginsberg]. That was their ‘instrument’ and they wanted us to know them on that level. It was about getting their music and message out.

The song "Beat Avenue" from the last record is magnificent. Can you describe the circumstances behind how you wrote that piece?

Well, it’s important to remember that when [those events] happened I wasn’t actually writing anything, I was experiencing it. Durng the night that would become the antecedent for "Beat Avenue" I wasn’t reading or writing a poem. I was just experiencing the things that were happening. In "Beat Avenue" I am recapturing the night when Kennedy was killed. I started the piece in ‘85 or ‘86 as one of the cinematic narratives that I like to do. Also I had been reading James Joyce and exploring the idea of how a whole book could take place in one day. Joyce made me want to look at that concept more closely, and "Beat Avenue" grew from that. And after I finished the song I had to look for a place to put it. It’s a hard song because of its length [close to 30 minutes]. I see "Beat Avenue" not as a jewel, but rather as a whole necklace, a real jewelry ensemble.

How was it received by the poets you were with that night?

Great! Ferlinghetti really liked it, and I think I was able to capture a lot of what was going on at that moment with us.

What’s next for you now? Where do you see your music going from here?

We’re currently at work recording a new album. ["The Street Was Always There"]. It’s being produced by Robert Aaron and we’ve already cut 19 songs. The record is comprised of covers and two originals. I’m singing the songs of people I knew on the street -- Phil Ochs, Dylan, Paxton, Fred Neil, Peter La Farge. I really think La Farge was the unrecognized genius of the group, and in many ways, he could have been the best. (pauses) This was ground zero. The birth of the singer-songwriter. The record’s not about going down memory road or making a museum piece, but about radiating the vitality of the writers. It’s very fresh and powerful. And I think it will have a lot of meaning for a lot of people, because it’s not a tribute album, but music with a very personal approach.

This sounds wonderful - turning the mirror back in time to reflect how music got "here" ...

Yes, The record is eerie -- like there’s an echo in the room (laughing). The songs resonate with what’s going on -- both "yesterday" and today. Looking back, it’s unbelievable to see how rich some of this stuff was. Personally, I never thought I could sing a Phil Och’s song or a Dylan song or a David Blue piece. There’s some amazing pieces of work on this record, and it’s a fascinating situation for a singer to go into -- going into the soul of a song and trying to express it. Dylan was the hardest to do. SO many words! So much language. And so much attitude -- twisting and turning. But then there was Fred Neil: in Fred’s work a word is like a thousand pictures. But in the end, it’s about the writers and how redolent these songs are. A lot of feeling comes out of this record, and in the course of that, it sounds like something completely new.

~John Aiello

STANDING AT THE EDGE. Casey Stratton. Odyssey.Standing At The Edge marks Casey’s Stratton’s debut on Odyssey, marking the emergence of a major new singer-songwriter. Stratton, who is only 25 years old, plays piano and writes the songs he performs. Many will immediately notice a connection between this work and the young Elton John, but multiple listenings go a step further, proving that this is an artist with personal motivations and a unique vision: "Writing songs is, for me, like keeping a journal - it charts my progress as a human being,’’ Stratton has remarked. "I tend to talk about my life not by age or by years, but by the songs I’ve written. I write very quickly, usually in a day, starting with the melody - the music always comes first. But once I get the basic idea down, I become a professional musician, shaping the melody, building the song, figuring out what the lyric should be."

What’s most impressive about Standing At The Edge is the diversity of the music and songs -- this record isn’t about rewriting the same riff over and again (as many young players get caught up doing), but instead about breaking new ground, inspecting the deep scars of the psyche and then trying to make some sense about what is seen there: "It took me a long time to be comfortable in my own skin when I sang my own songs," notes Stratton. "When I first started playing them live, my feet would shake on the pedals of the piano. I felt so transparent, like everyone knew what I was thinking and feeling. The courage to take the plunge came from my influences - Tori Amos, Sarah McLachlan, Joni Mitchell. I thought, ‘Well, they’re doing it.’ And the more I did it -- the more I forced myself to explore my own songs before an audience -- the more empowering it became." Standing At The Edge, produced by Patrick Leonard (Madonna, Elton John) has many rich moments on it -- the pieces melodic and driving and piercing, owing as much to Stratton’s classical influences as they do to soft rock. Several cuts standout, but none more so than "Bloom" -- a throbbing and deeply haunting song, so sensual in its sadness, unraveling in spools before us like the new shape of a hymn. Ultimately, "Bloom" affirms that Stratton is a writer with a lot to say and his own way of saying it. Based on what I’ve heard here, I think we’re going to be listening to this guy for years to come.

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WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE? Van Morrison. Blue Note Records. Van Morrison’s prowess as a musician is simply legendary . After more than 40 years at the helm, he needs to make no more statements about himself or his career -- his place in history is absolutely secure. But then again -- Van Morrison hasn’t ever made such statements. And that’s what I’ve always admired about him. For Morrison, it’s about the sweet poetry of mind building into brilliant individuality. In the end, Morrison doesn’t make records for corporations or for his fans: he makes them for himself and to feed his own deep musical vision - and all the rest be damned. In the end, Morrison isn’t about money or rock and roll fame. He’s about speaking to the soul through the holy gift of music (as he so beautifully tells us in"Get On With The Show").

And get on he does! What’s best about This Picture is its vastness -- with these 11 originals, Morrison covers the four corners of his songbook, touching on all his signature styles. Veteran vans will smother the dulcet tones of "Blue Moon" and two-step to its sensual rhythms; however, there’s so much more here. Absolutely great Blues licks (odes to the spirits of John Lee Hooker, as well as Terry & McGhee). And wonderful interplay between instruments-- sweet and graceful saxophone lines interwoven with guitar and drums create the ultimate jazz/blues/rock fusion.

This Picture marks Morrison at his most varied and profound -- voice into the beaded shape of a knife cuts skin from bone and leaves the heart exposed, rising above these hollow walls of mist. Taste the anthem "Little Village," sinking far into the misty mouths of the music ("There’s only/Two kinds/Of truth baby/Let’s get it/Straight from/The start/It’s what/You believe/And what/You hear/From your heart." As the sax fills the borders and bellies of the room, rising and throbbing beyond human breath, we suddenly understand just what Morrison means.

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EYE ON THE INDEPENDENTS

ALLISON SCULL AND VICTOR MARTIN

By John Aiello

Allison Scull of Dunsmuir (an old railroad town at the upper arm of the Sacramento River Canyon) has been singing since she was a small child. One listen to her debut CD, ALLISON ST, and you'll come to understand why.

The songs on ALLISON ST were written during an eight year span beginning in 1990 and recorded in Ashland, Oregon in1998. ALLISON ST, named after an actual street in Ashland where Scull went to college, is comprised of 10 songs — and are absolute gems. By combining different instruments (bouzooki, dhotar, congas, ragtime banjo, saxophone), Scull has built a bridge between traditional acoustic music, light rock and jazz. And the results are truly startling.

There are many highlights on ALLISON ST, including the contemplative “My Room,” and the hauntingly beautiful “La Seine” (the lines of this piece unfold across invisible waters at dawn as the love-torn narrator walks along a river in France) -the music, skillfully guided by Scull's deft and delicate voice, callingto mind the young Mary Travers. The centerpiece of ALLISON ST, however, is “Sips of Coffee,” a short and simple poem delivered alternately in English art French as the bouzooki (a Greek mandolin) mixes perfectly with Scull’s guitar to fill in those soft spaces that linger between silence and words.

When Victor Martin began playing music as a youngster, he originally passed up the saxophone “because it had too many keys.” He chose the trumpet instead (it only has three keys), but soon found himself unable to play it. Discouraged, intent on giving up the study of music altogether, Victor was handed a saxophone by his mother who demanded he stay in the school band.

Thirty-five years later, Martin has become one of the most accomplished horn players in Northern California. Martin, 46, is featured on ALLISON ST and has been playing with Scull for almost 3 years. Tall and muscular, he blends the physical stature of King Curtis with the range of the late great session man Steve Douglas.

Aside from playing with Scull, Martin contributes regularly to the Mount Shasta R&B band “Sound Advice.” He also played alongside Grammy award winning saxophonist Joe Henderson at the Sacramento River Jazz Festival in 1992, a concert he regards as a high-point in his career. ~John Aiello

II.

By Bryan "Zepp" Jamieson

With one thing or another, a couple of years have slipped by during which I didn’t see Allison Scull and Victor Martin perform live. Previously, I had enjoyed their music and was aware that they were growing, both musically and in the craft of their performance.

They’ve been busy, these past two years.

They performed at Tom O’Hara’s Stage Door, a beautifully laid out Espresso and Wine place (with the architectural planning and work done by Tom himself) in the listening room, Tom’s home for jazz and blues musicians and already a significant part of the Mount Shasta scene.

Obviously relishing the opportunity to perform for the hometown folks in such a setting, Allison and Victor were joined by Bill Vallaire on bass guitar and Mike Whipple on percussion. Vallaire proved a perfect match for my expectations of what a good bass guitarman should be; you didn’t notice he was there until he stopped, and you suddenly realized the subtle power of his contributions. Whipple added a slightly Carribean
beat to the songs with a style reminiscent of Widespread Panic’s Domingo Ortiz. He was feeling his way in the first set, sometimes stepping on Victor’s saxophone bridges, but by the second set had settled in comfortably. In the final two songs, the brilliant Rick Garrett, apparently a surprise sit-in, took over guitar duties from Allison, playing intricate, soaring riffs.

But it was Allison and Victor’s night. Allison has gained confidence, both in her stage presence and her craft, looking relaxed and losing herself in her music, putting her heart into the mixture of songs from her solo CD, “Allison Street” and her joint album with Victor, “From the Back Burner” and such standards as "Autumn Leaves." Her singing shows influences of Joni Mitchell and Billie Holiday, with the Continental breathiness of Edith Piaf – the result is a unique mixture of warmth and sophistication. Allison has broadened her vocal range, testing herself, learning, and at the same time, learned how to express her heart through her singing for the live audience.

Victor loomed genially beside her, his sax and his vocals an arresting mix of smoky, velvet tones and passionate drive, an amicable volcano. He, too, has broadened his range and clearly enjoys testing and exploring his both his voice and his instrument, with startling and successful results. I get the feeling that Victor has been listening to Coltrane and the Bird – and learning. It’s hard to believe that when he first teamed up with Allison, he didn’t envision himself doing vocals, because his is a rich, powerful voice that, like his sax, is smooth and deep until he decides to cut loose. Like Allison, he has tested his abilities and broadened his abilities, gaining confidence, with stunning results.

Allison and Victor are an arresting contrast, both visually and musically, and the combination is rich, unique, and remarkable.

For more information, go to allisonscull.com.Or check out cdbaby.com to order Scull/Martin CDS.