WAX ON: The music journal Wax Poetics has lately been poking its nose into the bramble patch of L.A. jazz (i.e, "a tangled and complex network of subterranean vines"), with it's recent profile of trombonist Phil Ranelin and now with a upcoming 5500-word (!!) piece on Horace Tapscott written by Andy Thomas. No word as to when the latter will appear in print, but keep your eyes out for it. Wax Poetics has just released Anthology Vol. 2 of archival articles; you can buy a copy here.
NELS KNITS: Jon Pareles of The New York Times reviews the 50th Anniversary Tribute to the Fender Jazzmaster at the Knitting Factory last Friday night featuring our axe man in the field Nels Cline and some other guys.
GONE BABY GONE: Portland loses its Jazz Festival; Santa Monica loses its Temple Bar.
From the latter's press release: " September will be the last month of live music at our current location, so we invite you to please come out and shut the house down with us in creativity, fun and style. The month will be jam packed with the livest music and DJs in town so we welcome all old friends and new friends. And when you get here, please make sure to pick-up a commemorative copy of the farewell brochure calendar which includes September events, a photo collage of Temple Bar friends and family and personalized letter from Temple Bar owners and visionaries, Louie & Nettie. But that’s not all! - we want to invite you to continue to enjoy the experience of Zanzibar and Little Temple which will remain open and booming with business. You will continue to see some of your favorite Temple Bar music presented at these venues from time to time in addition to the amazing residencies you have grown to love. We would also like to present our ‘newest’ venture - The oldest and original speakeasy in Venice – The Townhouse with the Del Monte Speakeasy, located at 52 Windward Ave in Venice."
[Amusing Nugglette: we remember the pre-gentrified days of the Townhouse -- located near where the old St. Mark's "jazz club" used to be -- when it was referred to as "The Piss House" because of the pervasive stench of urine that the owners/staff were unable to scrub out of the pool hall-cum-dive. What's more, the bartenders kept a white dildo sitting in full view by the bar-back. As the story went, a deranged elderly homeless woman wandered in one day yelling obscenities and threw it at the bartender. I wonder if they'll keep it around?]
FLEA'S CIRCUS: The Silverlake Conservatory of Music has announced its 4th annual Hullaballoo 2008 concert on Sept. 27 at Los Angeles' Union Station (800 N. Alameda St., Los Angeles, CA 90012). From 5pm-11pm attendees at will be treated to an evening of eclectic musical performances featuring SCM students, co-founder Keith Barry, faculty, and of course, the school's other co-founder, Flea. Special guests confirmed at press time include famed trumpeter Roy Hargrove, jazz singer Roberta Gambarini and members of the LA Philharmonic (more TBA)." Tickets (they ain't cheap) are available online here.
LASTLY, NOT LEASTLY: Pink Floyd's Richard Wright, Infinite Jest's David Foster Wallace and composer Hector Zazou -- REST IN TEMPO
