I'd Love to Turn You On #62 - Frank Zappa - Chunga's Revenge

The catalog of Frank Zappa is vast and often difficult to navigate.  There's a tremendous amount of brilliance but also some flat out crap.  The majority of the catalog is getting re-released starting with 12 titles covering the earliest, and many would say best, period of Zappa's career.  Much has been written about all-time classics like Freak Out!, We're Only In It For the Money, and Hot Rats, so I'd like to talk about a personal favorite that doesn't usually get a lot of attention, 1970's Chunga's Revenge.  This is an album that, among other things, introduced the world to Flo and Eddie.  Of course, many were already familiar with Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman through their work with The Turtles.  But the former pop stars were looking to move on to other realms and approached Zappa himself about working together.  The timing was right as Zappa had recently broken up the original Mothers of Invention and was in the process of forming a new group.  Kaylan and Volman were soon re-christened as The Phlorecent Leach (later shortened to Flo) and Eddie.  Their superb harmony vocals turned out to be a perfect fit for the always doo-wop obsessed Zappa.  The rest of the new band included jazz keyboard player George Duke, who would be an important part of Zappa's bands throughout the 70s, and big time rock drummer Aynsley Dunbar.  This diverse combo produced appropriately diverse music that happened to come together for a great album.

You can pretty much break down the ten tacks on Chunga's Revenge into five vocals and five instrumentals.  Flo and Eddie show off their peerless vocals in a variety of ways.  First off, they provide soulful counterpoint to Zappa's growly lead vocals on the bluesy "Road Ladies."  They give a pop edge to the proto-metallic stomp of "Tell Me You Love Me."  Album closer "Sharleena" is a gorgeous soul/doo-wop number that shows a sensitive side rarely seen in Zappa's works.  This became a frequent staple of live shows throughout the years and there are many great versions available but none that can match Flo and Eddie's vocal work.  The remaining vocal tracks showcase the humor and satire that have always been present in Zappa's works and would become a major feature of the Flo and Eddie era. "Would You Go All the Way" lampoons small town jingoism (with George Duke providing a patriotic trombone line) while "Rudy Wants To Buy Yez a Drink" takes on sleazy music biz types.  The humor would eventually dissolve into juvenile smuttiness that would come to dominate albums like Fillmore East, June, 1971 and other live recordings from the era, but here they keep things relatively restrained and the songs are great to begin with.

The instrumental tracks are even more diverse.  Opener "Transylvania Boogie" and the title track are raw slices of guitar rock with Zappa ripping some pretty impressive solos.  The short jazz-styled composition "Twenty Small Cigars" is reminiscent of Hot Rats tracks like "Little Umbrellas" and "It Must Be a Camel." "The Clap" is a minute and a half of innovative percussion.  Zappa started out as a drummer and has always come up with challenging works for his talented percussionists to play.  The longest track on the album is "The Nancy and Mary Music," nearly ten minutes of live improvisation that goes to a number of different places and even includes some wild scat vocals from Duke.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Chunga's Revenge is how all these different elements come together into a whole.  The album has a great flow to it.  It's a bit of a transitional album but the fact that it stands so well on its own is a testament to the overflowing creativity that Zappa was exhibiting at the time.  It's always been a favorite of mine and could well be a fine introduction if you've never listened to any Zappa before.  Just one question that's always been on my mind about that iconic photo on the cover; is he screaming or yawning?

- Adam Reshotko

2012 UMS wrap-ups, pt. 3

Boot buddies

Patrick Brown’s take on this year’s UMS:

Once again, the best music festival in town has come to a close; an exhausting four days in sweltering July, loaded with more music than you can possibly see even if you caught only one song of each band, and once again I am left with the same impressions as in previous years: Denver’s music scene is an embarrassment of riches and it’s a real service to the music community at large that this festival exists, has continued at the level it is at, and that it caters so much to local musicians. And the food! Did I mention the food? So many restaurants, vendors, and food trucks put on their best faces for the four days, even if I kept getting drawn back magnetically to Socorro's Street Tacos. While there were, of course, several national acts who turned in great performances – highlighted for me by experimental hip-hoppers Shabazz Palaces, New Orleans Bounce performers Big Freedia & the Divas, and indie rockers Imperial Teen (whose drummer lives here, so we can count them as local too) – the focus of the festival is a thriving music scene and the social and musical community that the festival represents.

Esme Patterson

GoStar with Abi Miller of Wheelchair Sports Camp 

And this year, similar to previous years, I left the four days of festival already planning strategies for how to hit more music at next year’s UMS, without even knowing anything about future lineups. Of course I’m hoping that next year I’m not in a boot to heal my foot, which makes getting around quickly and nimbly a hell of a lot easier. But moving more slowly and sitting down more gave me extra time to take in individual acts – caught at least one song of 22 acts this year, down a handful from last year’s tally – and more time to soak in the ambiance, the atmosphere, and the social angle of the festival. Again, even more than getting to see Wymond Miles, Wheelchair Sports Camp, ManCub, GoStar, and the Montbello Drum Line on some of the same stages in the space of a few days, it was about who I got to hang out with at those shows, about all the businesses along that strip of Broadway coming together to help support a great bit of communal fun, about so much of Denver’s diverse music scene coming out to support each other and have that fun together. That’s something I can’t recommend strongly enough, and as Natasha noted in her blog on the UMS, it was a balm after the tragic events Thursday night, which were just starting to unspool on my cabbie’s screen on the way home, without the full consequences yet being known.

Imperial Teen

These are a few pics showcasing the diversity of music that I saw. You can see my full log of what I saw here if you’d like, though I warn that it's strictly documentary snapshot style, not done for photographic integrity:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150945676405636.426962.541535635&type=3&l=896b375865

Montbello Drumline

oOoOO

Adam's take on this year's UMS:
I only made it down to the UMS on Friday night and caught great sets from Black Moth Super Rainbow, Imperial Teen, Bad Luck City, and A Shoreline Dream.  But what I really want to talk about is a an artist whose set I just missed.  I got to the Skylark just as Ross Etherton and His Chariots of Judah were packing up.  Formerly of Red Cloud West, Ross has been a fixture on the Denver music scene for a long time now, but he also spent a few years back in my hometown of Cleveland, OH.  That's where I met Ross as we worked in the same bookstore together for a few months before I, coincidentally, moved out here to Denver.  Then a few years later Ross moved back.  We've been trying to reconnect for a while now and finally made it on Friday night.  So instead of running around trying to catch more bands, I hung out with Ross on the Skylark patio.  We caught each other up on the last decade of our lives as well as going over the host of mutual acquaintances we have in both Denver and Cleveland.  So why am I writing about all this when I'm supposed to be telling you about music?  Because it dawned on me later that this is what a great local music scene is all about.  More than the music itself, it's all the people you get to know and the true community that develops.  Music is where it starts and everything else flows from it.  We've got a great music scene here in Denver with a lot of great people both making the music and supporting it.  We've also got UMS, a great annual fest to show it all off.

Shabazz Palaces

Jack Brown's take on this year's UMS:

Well Thursday started out with only being able to see a hand full of acts for scant periods of time. Bad Weather California was a pleasant surprise for the evening. Kudos to the fellas for an energetic performance and a packed house. Patrick and I also caught a "retro" style set by Ginger Perry down at the Compound, I tip my hat to anyone who plays Yes, LFO, and Sheila E b2b! Thanks for the trip down memory lane Ginger!

Friday started with the sludge of Il Cattivo blasting their way through tough shards of punk inspired metal. I can see why these dudes are quickly bubbling from the underground! Next up was the sounds of Le Divorce who took us all back a bit with their 90's inspired sound. That is by all means a compliment. Over on the main stage Black Moth Super Rainbow quelled the Friday evening heat with ethereal, vocodered

rock. Just a hop back over to 3 Kings for Imperial Teen, with its upbeat sound and one of the best performances on Friday in my own opinion. 0O0OO played at midnight Friday at the Compound bringing the "witch house" sound to Denver - kinda interesting in a live setting but to be fair I got distracted so I didn't give it my full attention.

Patrick Brown, DJing at Sputnik to cap off the weekend

Saturday started with the destruction of A Place To Bury Strangers. These guys were awesome, but the set was plagued by sound problems. Native Daughters brought the doom sounds to 3 Kings and made the crowd pay – And pay they did sir! Shabazz Palaces brought this interesting psychedelic hip hop to the main stage and put on an electrifying performance. Now over to the Hi-Dive for Theesatisifaction’s set of sweaty laidback soul/hip-hop. Today's youngsters could learn a thing or two by seeing these ladies.

Sunday afternoon was punctuated by the soothing indie sounds of Esme Patterson (of Paper Bird) - good job Esme! Hot Apostles kicked out the jams at 3 Kings with 70's influenced riffs and glam style rocking. Our own Patrick Brown pumped up the indigenous African jams at Sputnik, which swung into 80's r&b jams and hip-hop. Next door Morning Clouds treated the crowd to a shoegaze style set against the heat of the afternoon. Glass Hits cranked it up to 11 with a white hot set of punk loudness with Jesus Lizard style intensity! A fine way to end a sweltering weekend.

2012 UMS wrap-ups, pt. 2

Paul Custer's take on this year's UMS:

My favorite performances from this year's festival were (in no particular order):

           Accordion Crimes - This has got to be one of Denver's most overlooked bands, and my personal favorite. Highly recommended for fans of Slint, Jesus Lizard and all things Steve Albini (Big Black, Shellac, etc.). Their set at 3 Kings was the perfect blend of precision and looseness and the dynamic variations made the set consistently fresh. If you enjoy razor sharp guitar tones, heavy rhythms and smart lyrics, you have to check these guys out.
            Mark Mallman - This dude is the energizer bunny of piano driven rock. This year I decided to start comparing him to Jerry Lee Lewis AND Meatloaf, although neither of them truly sums up the Mallman. He's the kind of performer you see once and vow to never miss again. Sure, there's a shtick, but the songs are insanely catchy and clever. His set at the Skylark exemplified, like all of his sets, the epitome of the Rock and Roll spirit. He's from Minneapolis, but comes to Denver a couple of times a year - I DARE anyone to have a bad time watching him perform.

            Big Freedia - If you haven't at least heard of Big Freedia I'd be surprised as her "Shake Team" have been making waves at festivals and venues around the country for almost two years. Her set at the Goodwill Stage was no exception. I noticed some people walk away from her performance with perplexed looks on their faces, seemingly from the lack of traditional "musicianship." Sure, every song has the exact same beat, but it's a compelling one to dance to. The main draw of the performance is booties, on stage, practically naked and moving in ways that would make belly dancers take note. And at the helm is Big Freedia, the tireless cheerleader, the Queen Diva, spittin' out gems like "Gin in My System" and "Azz Everywhere." Another performance that needs to be seen to be fully understood.
            Il Cattivo - Hard to pin down stylistically, but all the better for it. At times I could hear Cursive in the vocals and Mastodon and Baroness in the instrumentation. Friends mentioned glam influences (which I didn't hear), Jesus Lizard (which I could sorta get), and Soundgarden (also, barely). Rather than be confusing, those disparities were what made them compelling.

David Castillo's take on this year's UMS:

The 12^th annual UMS was my first of what I hope to be a many more. My UMS experience began with Steve Law at The Skylark. I was pleasantly surprised to hear Steve Law and female singer Toddy Walters accompanied by kick ass guitar player Kyle Zender playing a strong set of folk/country that was right up my alley of musical flavorings. Wymond Miles at the Hi-Dive was my next destination. Wymond played at Twist & Shout Records a mere month or so before this show and the band I heard at the Hi-Dive delivered a vastly improved, tight knit group of Cure-ish pop songs; not that they sucked at Twist, on the contrary they were louder and a little more reckless, but that being said it was rad to hear them playing so tight but still rocking. From there it was back to The Skylark for The Legendary River Drifters. It was nearly impossible to order a drink because the crowd was so rowdy and the energy was bouncing off the walls. Suzanne and the gang never fail to deliver and deliver they did. After that the night turned into a tequila haze of memories and stumbling into friends and co-workers up and down Broadway.

Day two kicked off with ManCub at The Main-Stage. Besides being a cool dude, Alex has great taste for showmanship and infectious beats. His cover of “You Dropped A Bomb On Me” was not only tasteful but a personal highlight of the whole UMS. I decided to continue the dance party at Compound Basix with Peter Black followed by Men In Burka. I swear the bartender put dancing powder in my drinks because I can’t dance. I don’t dance. But, I danced my ass off for two hours. After falling out of the Compound Basix I headed over to DeLite to catch 3two’s set, an action packed set of relentless hip hop. The crowd inside just moved and the crowd outside couldn’t help but stop and listen and try to get in on the action.

Saturday was a late start day for me even though I was at the Gildar Gallery by noon. It was 100 degrees and we had a lot of beer to get nice and cold. Good thing we bought all the ice the liquor store next door had because by 3pm – UMSers were thirsty and very much in need of a cold one. Sole at the Main Stage at 5pm was still a bit too hot for me to get into, but I tried as much as a dehydrated partied-out dude could. It was a solid set of classic spacey Sole beats and Sole ramblings in between songs. Joy Subtraction was a band I had noticed a couple days before when I was putting up their flyer for an upcoming album release show at the Hi-Dive on the 4^th of August. I was a little negative about their name and the picture of a noose on their flyer, so I am happy to say that they completely changed my mind when I heard them at 3 Kings. Great pop. Great musicians. Great stage show. I wouldn’t be surprised to see myself at their show on August 4^th and I’m looking forward to listening to their CD. The night wrapped up for me with Fiction Is Fun at Moe’s BBQ. They delivered a deliciously flavorful show. I’ve been listening to Fred Thulson and the gang for several years now and their song craft and chops have only gotten better and better. That goes for every member, even Jake Fairly who seems a little out of place with his thrash metal stage presence and even howls to go with it. But, as they themselves say it’s, “folk music for the thinking man.”

Sunday I woke up in Sheridan with a half drunk bottle of Kentucky Deluxe sleeping next to me. Unsure how I was going to get back to Denver I hopped on the light rail and luckily made it back to the car I hadn’t seen in 3 days without getting a ticket. Wearing the same stinky clothes I had worn for 3 days I was utterly defeated and satisfied. I had had enough. I bit off more than I can chew. So, I called it a day and went home to a much-needed shower and a bed for sleep.

And check out some snapshots of the event by Twist staffer Natja:

2012 UMS wrap-ups, pt. 1

Natasha's take on this year's UMS:


Last weekend was fantastic thanks to the Underground Music Showcase.  The UMS is a four day independent music festival right here in Denver Colorado.  It is by far the biggest music festival in Colorado with hundreds of local bands and national acts.  This is just what I needed after such a harsh reality check last Friday with the news of a local shooting.  I think music was the very therapy we all needed, and I know everyone there felt the same. As the weekend progressed it became easier to smile and laugh, and by the end of the weekend I felt my heavy heart had been lifted a bit. I saw so many bands from all different genres, and some that had no genre: surprising acts filled with theatrics, serious rockers with a message, experimental oddities in costumes, punk screamers, metal thrashers - the UMS had it all!  This year I made a point of supporting the underdogs, bands that might not be headliners but have a solid place in our Colorado music scene. I saw a lot of bands from Colorado Springs and Fort Collins like El Toro De La Muerte, Stella Luce and White Cat Pink, as well as my friends in Denver bands like Glass Hits, Wheelchair Sports Camp and Jen Korte.  The national acts were just as diverse and surprising.  From Big Freedia & the Divas to Imperial Teen from Shabazz Palaces to Black Moth Super Rainbow there was a unique quality to each band there. The biggest thing I walked away with was a sense of community and I felt rich with the culture that makes this city/state so great.  I feel like we are extremely lucky to have such a talented community and so much support for local music. A lot of musicians were there supporting each other; it was a great way to feel reaffirmed about the good things in life.  I overheard a girl passing by late Sunday night saying "I am already looking forward to next year", I couldn't agree more!

Check out these pics below by Tony White and get taste of the full range of the UMS:

Bad Weather California

Cloud Nothings

DJ Bruce's AM Gold

Munly and the Lupercalians

Mark Mallman

StaG

Tin Horn Prayer

Tin Horn Prayer

Wymond Miles

Wymond Miles

Sid Pink

I'd Love to Turn You On At the Movies #44 - Set It Off (1996, dir. F. Gary Gray)

Back in the early nineties, 1991 to be exact, the sudden mainstream success of John Singleton’s Boyz n The Hood and the subsequent hit Menace II Society (1993) lead to a rise in a new genre of film known as “Urban Cinema,” films that featured all, or mostly, African-American casts, directed by African-Americans and about the lower to middle class worlds and problems that pertained to African-Americans. Though necessary and seemingly new at the time this new rise in “Urban Cinema” was nothing actually new and, in fact, was merely a subtle nod to and update of the cinema of an earlier time: the 1970s and Blaxploitation to be exact.
In a nutshell Blaxploitation represented a genre that used exploitation films - cheap & easily made films that often focused on themes of sex and violence - and merged them with African-American casts, filmmakers and themes that were relevant to an African-American community. These films provided a much needed voice for a community that had up until then been relatively silenced or unseen in typical Hollywood films. But money talks and within a short window of time the box office success of these films created a boon for the industry and created a wide swath of new cinema to pull from.  This allowed the genre to grow from films primarily leaning toward exploitation to thrilling films about actual relatable problems facing the community. Suddenly for every Shaft or Foxy Brown was a Cooley High or a Car Wash.

Though separated by a decade, make no bones about it, “Urban Cinema” is Blaxploitation through and through, and one of its most interesting 90s entries is the tight thriller Set It Off (1996). Directed by F. Gary Gray, who cut his teeth on plenty of iconic rap videos for artists like Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg, this female-fronted bank robbery film leads with a powerful cast including Vivica A. Fox, Jada Pinkett (pre Smith), Kimberley Elise and in a great, full character debut, the lovely Queen Latifah who steals the show as Cleo, a tough, thuggin’ lesbian (which quickly got the rumor mill running after this role) who leads all four of the woman into a situation of desperation that gives this film its edge.

After a bungled attempt from guys in their neighborhood the four women decide that robbing a bank not only seems absolutely doable but a solution to the problems that they have living in the inner city of Los Angeles. This proves problematic when the thrill of pulling off one job leads to a rash of robberies and the eventual breakdown and doubt of their relationships and commitment to doing “what they need to do” to get by.

Upon its initial release the film had some decent success but deserved to not be so quickly lumped into a genre that was looking to make a quick buck off of a fast film but instead foster an audience for a film filled with fantastic female performances, an original and taut plot and a great nod back to the genre it would originally have felt at home in.  Pick up this film especially if you think you know exactly how it will all come together - like the best classics of the Blaxploitation era this film is an honest and original surprise.

- Keith Garcia, Programming Manager, Denver Film Society

Chris Daniels - Better Days

Chris Daniels has been such an integral part of the Colorado music scene for so long, that it is almost possible to take him for granted. What a huge mistake that would be, as one listen to his beautiful new album Better Days will immediately confirm that he is an artist at his peak. After a nearly fatal bout with leukemia, Chris has obviously taken stock of what matters in this life, and his art and audience are the clear beneficiaries. A sprawling, musically diverse program of heartfelt tunes, Better Days finds Daniels addressing lots of issues from his past in a mature and, as always, humorous way. Whether it is lost love, found responsibility or loving acknowledgements to his fellow musicians, Chris looks it straight in the eye. He doesn’t shy away from tough subjects, such as the loss of his first wife at 36 on “I Still Think Of You,” or his own recent brush with mortality on “Sister Delores.” He also never loses his ability to laugh at himself as on the timely “Medical Marijuana” or “Therapy,” but as always Chris is at his best when serving the songs, and numbers like “Eldorado Canyon,” “This Old Guitar” and “Better Days” show his superior craftsmanship as a singer, songwriter and arranger. As the album comes to a close with a breathtaking rendition of the old spiritual “Right Down Here” and fellow Colorado legends Hazel Miller, Freddi Gowdy, Clay Kirkland and Tim Irvin among others are singing and playing along, and one looks over the amazing package by local artist Greg Carr, filled with touching photos from Chris’ life, it was pretty easy to see why this guy is a hometown hero. He’s one of the best we’ve got.

            - Paul Epstein

Be sure to check out Chris Daniels live at Twist and Shout on August 7th at 6pm!

2012 UMS Band Interviews #9

Click the link below for complete info about venues, performers, and times for 2012's UMS!
The UMS July 19th-22nd South Broadway

The Knew

Where and when are you playing at the UMS?

Hi!  This is Ty here.  We are playing 3 Kings at 10 pm on Saturday.

How long has your band been together?

7 years.

What was your band's first live show/ performance and what was memorable about it?

Herman's Hideaway New Talent Night on a Wednesday at 7:30 pm SHARP.  I remember nothing.  Or, I try to remember nothing.  

What was the first album you purchased?

Pearl Jam Ten on both CD and tape.

What album was your most recent purchase?

Cock Sparrer Shock Troops

Do you have any advice for new bands?

Buy a van.

Besides your own band- who do you want to see at the UMS?

Pat and I caught Native Daughters at the Bluebird earlier this Summer and were floored, so we are excited to play just a couple slots after them.  Gonna check out Kitzeh, Faceman's Quartet, Outfit, Dragondeer, Izcalli, Sid Pink and DOGBREATH. And hopefully another 100 bands.  The UMS rulz.  

Best past UMS experience?

We played as an 8-piece last year, so that was pretty 10th Ave Freeze-out. 

Do you have any tips for festival goers?

Tom Murphy would be the best person to ask about this.  That guy knows his stuff.

What's the best food people can find on Broadway during the festival?

People say the ice cream place, but mixing that with beer is a sure fire way to get an iffy stomach.  I'd say stick with pizza, sandwiches, and tacos.  However, Tim says Spicy Basil because no one goes there - get drunken noodles and a thai iced tea. 

Who is your all time favorite Denver band?

Collectively, I gotta say we'd go with Slim Cessna's Auto Club, but individually it'd be Patrick Lee (Ty), TurboKnifeFight (Jake), American Relay (Pat), The Denver Gentlemen (Tim).

If you were behind the counter at Twist and Shout, what three albums would you recommend to our customers?

This is just me here, but, The Streets Computers and Blues, The Streets A Grand Don't Come For Free, The Streets The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living.  I want you to be tight with Mike Skinner.     

Jacob would currently say Blind Melon Blind Melon, Sissy And The Blisters Let Her Go, Die Antwoord, Ten$ion.

Tim would attempt to convince someone to buy the Sonic Avenues Television Youth, the Mind Spiders S/T, Summer Vacation Condition, Iron Chic Shitty Rambo, Diarrhea Planet Loose Jewels, and Innaway 2.

Is there anything we forgot to ask you about the UMS that you think people need to know?

You will see some people with impractical footwear.  As for the music, "go on and move with it if you need to...it helps me." (Buck Swope)

Ian Cooke

Where and when are you playing at the UMS?

(Solo) Saturday 9pm at South Broadway Church. (With Full Band) Sunday 6pm Goodwill Outdoor Stage

How long has your band been together?

Started playing solo shows in 2003ish? and the band started in 2006.

What was your band's first live show/ performance and what was memorable about it? 

First solo show was at Monkey Mania. Miss that place. 

What was the first album you purchased? 

Cranberries Everybody Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?

What album was your most recent purchase?

Kelli Schaefer - Ghost Of The Beast

Best past UMS experience?

Last year at the south broadway church was pretty great.

If you were behind the counter at Twist and Shout, what three albums would you recommend to our customers?

Assuming my own are excluded, Rufus Wainwright Poses, Joanna Newsom Ys, Rachels Music for Egon Schile

The Foot.

Where and when are you playing at the UMS?

Wheel Club 404 at 4 pm/on the streets of Broadway/Our house late night

How long has your band been together?

Neeeaaarrrly 3 years

What was your band's first live show/ performance and what was memorable about it?

We played a battle of the bands at the University of Denver. Phil wasn't quite ready for us to start our first song (a cover of Subway's 5-dollar-footlong ad campaign) so we just started without his slow ass.  

What was the first album you purchased?

(Jeff) Foo Fighters, The Colour and the Shape, (Phil) Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morisette, (Noah) The Who, Tommy (Drew) Cat Stevens, Greatest Hits.

What album was your most recent purchase?

People still buy albums?

Do you have any advice for new bands?

Stay thirsty, my friends.

Besides your own band- who do you want to see at the UMS?

Our homies, crushes and lovers Eldren.  Petals of Spain, In the Whale, Churchill, The Say So, the list goes on and on. Also, Nathaniel Rateliff is the tits.

Best past UMS experience?

Besiiiiiiides seeing a heap of awesome Denver bands... I had an amazing underdog shuffleboard win with Tyler (Eldren) last year at the Skylark.  We wanted to play our friends, but a tyrannic shuffleboard hustler was bogarting the table like a jerkweed.  If we won, we could play our friends.  After an epic win, playing our friends didn't even matter.

Do you have any tips for festival goers?

Enjoy yourself.  And drink only as much as your body can fit.

What's the best food people can find on Broadway during the festival?

AREPAS!  Sputnik's food kicks an enormous amount of ass, and El Diablo too, provided that they reopen in time!

Who is your all time favorite Denver band?

Can we do more than one? Eldren, Rose Hill Drive (Boulder), Earth Wind & Fire (World)

If you were behind the counter at Twist and Shout, what three albums would you recommend to our customers?

As far as newerish albums go, we'd say Jack White's newest, Band of Skulls' Sweet Sour, and Gnarls Barkley St. Elsewhere

Is there anything we forgot to ask you about the UMS that you think people need to know?

COME SEE THE FOOT. AT WHEEL CLUB 404 ON SATURDAY AT 4PM. IF YOU DON'T, EVERYTHING YOU'VE ALWAYS FEARED ABOUT THE FUTURE WILL COME TRUE.

I'd Love to Turn You On #61 - Bill Evans - Explorations

The most famous version of the Bill Evans trio was this version, featuring Evans’s delicate, precise, emotive piano, Scott LaFaro’s sensitive, deep-listening bass, and Paul Motian’s drums, at once creating rhythm and texture, not just timekeeping as most drummers were charged with at the time. The trio opened up some of the possibilities for how a jazz trio could be structured, eradicating strict barriers between the solos and the background, with each player an equal force in the music, not simply the leader up front with a backing rhythm section and if the style sounds familiar to you, it’s because this trio made it possible for players from Keith Jarrett to Vince Guaraldi to take a similar vibe, with a loose rhythm, and impressionistic, introspective piano chords to create their music.

The Evans/LaFaro/Motian trio recorded only two studio albums before Scott LaFaro perished in an auto accident days after the group recorded a pair of live sessions. The live sessions, released as Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby were quickly prepared to pay homage to LaFaro’s brilliance and his legacy, but for me, as stunning as these albums are, the studio session, recorded a few months earlier, tops even those high water marks. The album opens with a fast tune, “Israel,” that stands as one of the finest recordings of the group, showcasing everything that makes them great – Evans’s startling rhythmic fire (something his reputation as a melancholy, introspective player sometimes obscures), LaFaro’s melodic improvisations that create remarkably sympathetic counter-melodies in perfect synch with Evans’s own improvisations, and Motian’s drumming which, as noted, tended to fill in the mood space of the piece and stick to its mood, not mark off the beat like a human metronome. After “Israel” the group moves into “Haunted Heart” a balance of both the melancholy and lightness that characterize Evans’s playing, and “Beautiful Love,” another uptempo number that shows off the interaction of LaFaro and Evans in fine form. What used to be the first side closes with “Elsa” a much more spacious and introspective work and shows the group at a level of nearly complete collective creation. Side two starts with “Nardis” which, after “Israel,” is probably the highlight of the session and a longtime touchstone for Evans in his career. The middle of the second half again gets introspective with the lighter “How Deep Is the Ocean” and “I Wish I Knew,” another piece in the same mood as “Elsa” before closing with “Sweet and Lovely” an uptempo romp that again shows off both Evans’s rhythmic fire and proves that he’s not only the melancholy master he’s often portrayed as.

While both the pair of studio album and live albums that the group recorded are eminently worthwhile, this one is the one that, for me, shows off their range and talents the best, gives the lie to the perception of Evans as a mood-setter for a downbeat evening. And though he made plenty of music worth hearing throughout his career, this trio remains the touchstone for everything he did. Start here and then work your way outward.

- Patrick Brown

2012 UMS Band Interviews #8

Click the link below for complete info about venues, performers, and times for 2012's UMS!
The UMS July 19th-22nd South Broadway


Imperial Teen

Where and when are you playing at the UMS?

Hey, we are Imperial Teen and we are playing Friday night at 3 Kings Tavern on Broadway.

How long has your band been together?

We have been together for a while now, since the late 90's working on music off and on.

Describe your band's music to someone who may not have heard them before.

We are a melodic pop band with 2 guitars, drums, lotsa keys sometimes, drums, bass, and we enjoy singing harmonies. Lyrics are mostly truthful, sometimes smarty-pants.

What was the first album you purchased?

I am the usual drummer, Lynn, and my first records bought were...45's, singles...lots of punk rock singles, black flag, the chiefs, gogo's, PIL...and the last one i bought was...

Yuck or the new XX, i think.

Having recorded with both indie labels and major labels, can you share some of your experiences with them, both pro and con?

We all pretty much like indie labels.

Besides your own band- who do you want to see at the UMS?

I heard Cloud Nothings and Class Actress were playing...want to see them.

Don't know many Denver bands, yet, but am looking forward to being on the same bill with a few of 'em.

If you were behind the counter at Twist and Shout, what three albums would you recommend to our customers?

If I worked at Twist and Shout today, I would suggest people check out Blur's record called Blur, Cults' record called Cults, Daft Punk's Discovery.

Morriconez

Where and when are you playing at the UMS?

the esteemed Gildar Gallery at 6pm on Saturday july 21st.

How long has your band been together?

The project itself is my solo project outside of my other work as george&caplin and Wentworth Kersey.  It has been going on for about a year.  I recently put together a live band, as I was craving the interaction with a live audience.  Very honored to have the help of Jason Iselin (george&caplin), Corey Ryan (Sandusky), and Marcellus Lewis (MicroHoliday, 86spaceboat).

What was your band's first live show/ performance and what was memorable about it?

My first show was at a gallery as george&caplin.  We filled the whole room with balloons and I was inconsolably nervous.  My only saving grace was the band before us went on a bizarre anti/pro-Jesus rant for a half hour and the crowd was visibly over it.  Any music at that point would have been good.  Still, I was missing keys on the keyboard while I played as a result of jittery hands and when I played trumpet the shakes were visible.  In the end it turned out quite alright.

What was the first album you purchased?

Duran Duran Arena

What album was your most recent purchase?

Peaking Lights Lucifer and Ty Segall Slaughterhouse

Do you have any advice for new bands?

Don’t be a genre.

Besides your own band- who do you want to see at the UMS?

Really excited to check out Kevin Costner Suicide Pact, Married in Berdichev, Black Moth Super Rainbow, and of course Atlas Sound.

Best past UMS experience?

The two most memorable shows were 2010 and 2011 with Wentworth Kersey. In 2010 we played at the architecture garden. It was a charming little garden, the sun was setting, and the audience was there for the music; A perfect vibe for the mood of the tunes.  Last year was memorable too because I kept throwing a few NWA drum loops at Joe Kersey Sampson in between our songs, the crowd loved it and if you know Joe, he just laughed.

Do you have any tips for festival goers?

Go, come say hello, and I will gladly donate my new album to the service of your ears courtesy of the good folks at Wil-Ru Records.

What's the best food people can find on Broadway during the festival?

Water

Who is your all time favorite Denver band?

Either Tyler Potts (recor) or Bright Channel or even Joe Sampson or the Hot IQs or Dormir.  Jeez, Denver is rich.

If you were behind the counter at Twist and Shout, what three albums would you recommend to our customers?

OLD: White Fence Family Perfume Vol. 1 and 2

OLDER: Flying Canyon Flying Canyon

OLDEST: Jim Sullivan UFO

Is there anything we forgot to ask you about the UMS that you think people need to know?

Help keep local music alive, participate by buying from all the great artists and local labels like Plastic Sound Supply, Bocumast, Fellow Creature, etc. The list goes on and on.

Le Divorce

(answered by Kitty Vincent)

Where and when are you playing at the UMS?

8pm, Friday night at 3 Kings

How long has your band been together?

since summer of 2009

What was your band's first live show/ performance and what was memorable about it?

What wasn't memorable about it?  It was art-walk night at the Theory & Practice space on Santa Fe.  The theme of the night was Dia De Los Muertos, so everyone in the audience had their face painted and there was a giant red skull on stage behind us. Also, it was the first time I had ever played guitar in public and the P.A. was for DJs, not bands, so the feedback was crazy.  All in all, pretty epic.

What was the first album you purchased?

Can't remember, either Debbie Gibson or New Kids on the Block. 

What album was your most recent purchase?

Bought a stack of vinyl the other day:

Tears for Fears - Songs From The Big Chair

R.E.M. - Document

Talking Heads - Fear of Music

Pink Floyd - Meddle

Do you have any advice for new bands?

Pitchfork isn't your friend, and songwriting is more important than your hairstyle  

Besides your own band- who do you want to see at the UMS?

Overcasters, Jen Korte & the Loss, Land Lines, Accordion Crimes, Pacific Pride, Dressy Bessy, Achille Lauro, The Morning Clouds, Kyle Simmons, The Don'ts and Be Carefuls.

Best past UMS experience?

Machine Gun Blues covering "20th Century Boy" at 3 Kings 2010.  It was the sweatiest, drunkenest, most destructive thing ever witnessed at UMS.  And the microphone shoved down Aaron's sweaty red Jockey shorts is the reason I always bring my own mic.  :-)

Do you have any tips for festival goers?

please, please, wear deodorant.

What's the best food people can find on Broadway during the festival?

Senor Burritos or Delite.  But if the food trucks are out, that's the way to go.

Who is your all time favorite Denver band?

Twice Wilted

If you were behind the counter at Twist and Shout, what three albums would you recommend to our customers?

Blonde Redhead - Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons

White Rabbits - It's Frightening

Rilo Kiley - Execution of All Things

The National - Boxer

crap. that's four.

Is there anything we forgot to ask you about the UMS that you think people need to know?

This will most likely be Le D's last show, so we hope everyone will come and give us a fond send-off into the void. And not to worry; Kitty, Mike, and Luke already have a new project underway.

Rob Drabkin

Where and when are you playing at the UMS?

We take over Moe's BBQ Sunday, July 22nd 9pm,

How long has your band been together?

In 2006, I wrote my first song!  in 2008 we played our first band performance at The Fox Theatre

What was your band's first live show/ performance and what was memorable about it?

My first gig was performing in Cheesman.  I was paid $100 to perform to a young couple while the gentleman proposes.  He went down on one knee, she said no, dumped him on the spot and ran away on her motorcycle.

What was the first album you purchased?

Michael Jackson Bad.  Cassette tape.  Age 5. Dance party.  Perfection. 

What album was your most recent purchase?

Robert Earl Keen.  Live At The Ryman

Do you have any advice for new bands?

Do a live record!!!! :).  It's been our most successful release so far.  People love hearing it.

Besides your own band- who do you want to see at the UMS?

Kyle James Hauser.  His songs have character and feel and he has serious chops on the banjo!

Best past UMS experience?

Prepping to stage dive at the goodwill parking lot 3pm set in the blaze.  Our set was in the scorching heat!   Everyone in the parking huddled together in 30 square feet of the stage to stay cool.  I had 100% confidence in pulling a hospital free stage dive.  :)

Do you have any tips for festival goers?

Do not eat subway.  That place is gross and Moe's BBQ is one block north.  

What's the best food people can find on Broadway during the festival?

MOE'S BBQ!!!!!!! 

Who is your all time favorite Denver band?

Go Go Lab  (my backing band - Brian McRae, Bijoux Barbosa and Eric Moon).  They'll teach you how to play and you'll never see a band improvise the way they do. 

If you were behind the counter at Twist and Shout, what three albums would you recommend to our customers?

Paul Simon Graceland, Of Monsters and Men My Head Is an Animal,  Bela Fleck and The Flecktones Live Art

Is there anything we forgot to ask you about the UMS that you think people need to know?

It's our 3rd year :)

Tommy Metz

Where and when are you playing at the UMS?

Saturday 10pm @ Delite

How long has your band been together?

15 Years

What was your band's first live show/ performance and what was memorable about it?

In Jr. High School I performed in front of all the students and parents during a school orchestra/band concert. It was a solo performance of two experimental electronic songs.

What was the first album you purchased?

The Aladdin Soundtrack.

What album was your most recent purchase?

Kuedo - Severant

Do you have any advice for new bands?

Don't ever let "Being Cool" dictate your music. Just make music as if nobody will ever hear it.

Besides your own band- who do you want to see at the UMS?

Black Moth Super Rainbow

Best past UMS experience?

Wentworth Kersey 2011.

Do you have any tips for festival goers?

Get the next Monday off.

What's the best food people can find on Broadway during the festival?

Famous Pizza.

Who is your all time favorite Denver band?

I can't answer this.

If you were behind the counter at Twist and Shout, what three albums would you recommend to our customers?

J Dilla - Donuts

Boards of Canada - Music Has the Right to Children

Autechre - Confield

2012 UMS Band Interviews #7

Click the link below for complete info about venues, performers, and times for 2012's UMS!
The UMS July 19th-22nd South Broadway

Jen Korte and the Loss

Where and when are you playing at the UMS?

Jen Korte and The Loss will be playing at the Skylark on Sunday July 22nd at 7pm.

How long has your band been together?

Jess and I have been singing together for 4 years now. Even though we have changed members a few times, our sound has stayed consistent with Jess and I creating that unified voice everyone loves and knows so well.

What was your band's first live show/ performance and what was memorable about it? 

I remember playing the porch of the Moveable Feast Festival at the Walnut Room. The outside was packed and people were in the streets trying to listen to us. I had been trying for a while to find a way to meet my musical peers and really find the “scene” my music fit the best in and that night was it for me. I met Jess there and several other musicians who were starting out together at that time and to see the progress we have all made has been really moving.

What was the first album you purchased?

I think the first album I ever had (other than stealing my dad's Zeppelin records), I got in my Easter basket when I was 11 years old. It was Jagged Little Pill. Which I think almost everyone I knew growing up had at some point or another. My first memorable album I listened to was Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. I remember listening to the “For the Benefit of Mr. Kite” rollerblading through my neighborhood all the time…

What album was your most recent purchase?

The last album I bought was the Toure-Raichel Collective - Tel Aviv Session. I heard about it from NPR when they did a feature interview with the two internationally acclaimed artists running into each other at a German airport and deciding to record a jam session. Malian blues player from Africa + Israeli keyboardist and composer Idan Raichel = one of the greatest albums I have ever heard.

Do you have any advice for new bands?

Nurture the relationships you make along the way. Most of the progress I have had has not been entirely successful just because of our music but more on my work ethic. Answer phone calls, email people back, you’ll be amazed just how far those two things alone will get you.

Besides your own band- who do you want to see at the UMS?

There is so much to see and so many friends that you get to actually spend time with.  It's such a wonderful festival and I can honestly say I look forward to seeing as many bands as I can - oh and the beer. The beer is good. Achille Lauro, Dan Craig, Kitty Crimes, Science Partner, Raven and the Writing Desk, Chella Negro, Carbon Choir, Bad Weather California,  A Tom Collins, John Common and the Blinding Flashes of Light...  the list goes on!

Best past UMS experience?

Last year we played the Church on Ellsworth and Broadway. I have seen a lot of amazing sets there in the past and could not have been more excited to finally get to play it. The acoustics were beautiful. Other years have had their moments as well. Loved seeing Houses last year at 3 Kings.

Do you have any tips for festival goers?

Drink water! Eat. And drink more water!

What's the best food people can find on Broadway during the festival?

Oh man, this is a tough one. I’m a sucker for Sputnik’s sweet potato fries with jelly habanero. And they serve food late so that’s a plus.

Who is your all time favorite Denver band?

Achille Lauro

If you were behind the counter at Twist and Shout, what three albums would you recommend to our customers?

Hot Chip: Coming on Strong

Otis Redding’s Greatest Hits

Science Partner: Rocky Mountain News

Jesse Manley

Where and when are you playing at the UMS?

South Broadway Christian Church, July 21st at 5 pm

How long has your band been together?

About a year

What was your band's first live show/ performance and what was memorable about it?

Walnut Room gig. We hadn't rehearsed once together as a group, but surprisingly at the gig we all seemed to gel and had a great time performing.

What was the first album you purchased?

Ghostbusters soundtrack!

What album was your most recent purchase?

M. Ward's new album, A Wasteland Companion

Do you have any advice for new bands?

Participate. Go to as many shows and meet as many people as you can.

Besides your own band- who do you want to see at the UMS?

So many. Just to name a few: Fairchildren, Rachael Pollard, CJP and the Burning Angels, Princess Music, Ian Cooke, Slim Cessna's Auto Club, etc....

Best past UMS experience?

My first UMS...I believe 2009. I played a solo gig at Michelangelo's, which is sadly no more. Great crowd, awesome first experience.

Do you have any tips for festival goers?

I'd say look at the schedule and plan ahead. So much great music, you really do have to pick and choose.

What's the best food people can find on Broadway during the festival?

I'd have to say Walnut Room pizza or Sputnik corndogs

Who is your all time favorite Denver band?

Damn, tough. This isn't the most unique answer, but it's honest...Devotchka blew my mind the first time I saw them.

If you were behind the counter at Twist and Shout, what three albums would you recommend to our customers?

Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside - Dirty Radio

Damien Jurado - Maraqopa

Tom Brousseau - Grand Forks

Is there anything we forgot to ask you about the UMS that you think people need to know?

Nope, all good!

Mombi

Where and when are you playing at the UMS?

Delite (32 S. Broadway) Thurs. July 19, 11 p.m.

How long has your band been together?

A year and a half (though we've played together before as Khale)

What was your band's first live show/ performance and what was memorable about it?

Hi-Dive, June 22 2011. The people who were there know

What was the first album you purchased?

Men at Work Business as Usual

Kraftwerk The Mix

What album was your most recent purchase?

Motorpsycho and Stale Storlakken The Death Defying Unicorn

A Winged Victory for the Sullen A Winged Victory for the Sullen

Do you have any advice for new bands?

Be true to yourself. Learn how to record and mix your own work.

Besides your own band- who do you want to see at the UMS?

Theesatisfaction, Atlas Sound, Shabazz Palaces, Overcasters, Slim Cessna's Auto Club, Force Publique, Git Some.

Best past UMS experience?

(performing) Maraca Five-O 2008 reunion show at the Hornet.

(watching) Git Some in 2011

Do you have any tips for festival goers?

Stay hydrated. Tip your servers. Be nice. Have fun.

What's the best food people can find on Broadway during the festival?

Tacos Al Pastor at Socorro's.

Who is your all time favorite Denver band?

Tarmints (Denver). Angel Hair (Boulder). Christie Front Drive (Denver)

If you were behind the counter at Twist and Shout, what three albums would you recommend to our customers?

Bo Diddley The Black Gladiator

The Comsat Angels Sleep No More

Arto Lindsay Mundo Civilizado

Is there anything we forgot to ask you about the UMS that you think people need to know?

Nope. You did good. Thanks for asking!

We Are Not A Glum Lot

Where and when are you playing at the UMS?

11pm, Thursday the 19th, at the Hornet

How long has your band been together?

2 years!

What was your band's first live show/ performance and what was memorable about it?

It was August of 2010 at a place called sunshine studios in the middle of suburbia. Ew. We sucked ass and had shitty facepaint on. Like MGMT on speed.

What was the first album you purchased?

Probably Hot Fuss by the Killers

What album was your most recent purchase?

Unknown Mortal Orchestra's album. It’s pretty righteous.

Do you have any advice for new bands?

Practice a lot! Until you're quite tight! Then get stuff on the webz and play out.

Besides your own band- who do you want to see at the UMS?

Cloud Nothings is going to be so kewl.

Best past UMS experience?

WE HAVE NEVER BEEN :((

Do you have any tips for festival goers?

Bring a lot of water and be kind to everyone!

What's the best food people can find on Broadway during the festival?

WE DON’T KNOW AGAIN. we are from le springs.

Who is your all time favorite Denver band?

Gauntlet Hair!

If you were behind the counter at Twist and Shout, what three albums would you recommend to our customers?

Total Life Forever by Foals, Nostalgia Ultra by Frank Ocean, and Bon Iver's newest thing.

Is there anything we forgot to ask you about the UMS that you think people need to know?

Uhm. We're 17 and we try to rock faces off? Oh and don’t be stuck up, no one likes an asshole.

Chimney Choir

Where and when are you playing at the UMS?

Fri, July 20, 2012 11:59 pm Gary Lee’s Motor Pub and Grub

How long has your band been together?

A year and a half - since December 2010.

What was your band's first live show/ performance and what was memorable about it?

Our first show together happened in Charlotte, NC before we were even really a band.  Kris had only met Kevin once before.  She got off a bus from the airport and joined us about halfway through...The most memorable part for me is that it was a 4-hour patio gig.  I can't even imagine what we played at that show!

What was the first album you purchased?

Something by The Beatles, probably.

What album was your most recent purchase?

 The last album I bought was Andrew Bird's new one, which is still in heavy rotation.

Do you have any advice for new bands?

Have as much fun as possible.

Besides your own band- who do you want to see at the UMS?

So many!  In no particular order: Miss America, Paper Bird, Raven and the Writing Desk, Carl Sorensen and Mikey Smith, Achille Lauro, Ian Cooke, Land Lines, Princess Music, Science Partner and so many more than I can remember right now...

Best past UMS experience?

Ian Cooke's solo set at the Church last year was magical.

Do you have any tips for festival goers?

Drink water and dig the music.

What's the best food people can find on Broadway during the festival?

Sweet Action.  Homemade ice cream on a hot day.

Who is your all time favorite Denver band?

I can't play favorites - there are too many good things happening all the time.  We dig Nathaniel Rateliff and Princess Music and Science Partner and Raven and Paper Bird and Clouds & Mountains and...

If you were behind the counter at Twist and Shout, what three albums would you recommend to our customers?

This is Kris, I can't speak for the band...I'm listening to Andrew Bird Break It Yourself, Paper Bird Carry On, Lost in the Trees A Church That Fits Our Needs, and Lhasa de Sela The Living Road.  That's 4 albums.  I beg your forgiveness.

Is there anything we forgot to ask you about the UMS that you think people need to know?

We can't wait to be a part of it and to see what everybody's been up to!  Come say hi.