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Posts Tagged ‘Mali’

Voting repeated in Kosovo municipalities

Voting was repeated in five municipalities in Kosovo and Metohija where irregularities were reported during the Dec. 12 elections. Beta news agency reports that according to information posted by the Kosovo Election Commission last night, the turnout in Srbica was 58.68 percent, 61.60 percent in Glogovac, 34.59 percent in Decani, 36.36 percent in Mališevo and 53.31 percent in Lipljan.

Elections repeat in six Kosovo municipalities

Elections will be repeated in six Kosovo municipalities on Sunday since the Central Election Commission observed irregularities in the December elections.

Parliamentary elections will be repeated in municipalities of Srbica, Glogovac and Dečani, and at some polling stations in Lipljan, Mališevo and Kosovska Mitrovica.

12 arrested over murder in Kosovo

The Kosovo police, KPS, arrested 12 suspects for the murder of one and wounding of two persons in the village of Banja, near Mališevo, central Kosovo. The police stated that during the arrest they confiscated several automatic rifles and guns, adding that one suspect is at large.

Top 3 ways Parents can monitor cell phones Posted By : Joy Mali

While most parents have made it a habit of monitoring their teens behavior online, parents are just now learning of ways to monitoring cell phones. This article states the top three ways on how parents can monitor cell phone usage of their teens.

Think Environmental cut by DMG; Keeps Sell

DMG cuts Think Environmental (A78.SG) target price to $0.135 from $0.350 and keeps the stock at Sell after the company announced it has entered into a MOA with Mornington Offshore for the proposed investment in the latter which owns 100% stake in a gold exploration company, Societe Emas Mali.

The house says details of the investment in Mornington “remain scanty,” but views the move into offshore gold mining negatively “due to its shift in focus away from the troubled environmental business, and the lack of experience in offshore gold mining in a new country.”

Read more…

Flooding closes border crossings

Crossings of Mali Zvornik (new bridge) and Ljubovija, on the border with RS, Bosnia, have been closed due to the flooding of the Drina River.

The Customs Directorate advised travelers use the Sremska Rača crossing instead, until the water level of the Drina stabilizes.

Las Tortugas V | Review | Pics

Words by: Dennis Cook | Images by: Chad Smith

Las Tortugas – Dance of the Dead V :: 10.28.10-10.31.10 :: Evergreen Lodge :: Groveland, CA

Las Tortugas V by Chad Smith

We are pulled through this life by small miracles. One needn’t be religious or even spiritual to understand this. The muck of bosses, bills and bullshit we trudge through would be simply unbearable if not for the oases along our trek. For several years, a nigh-perfect music festival in the lush Yosemite woods has proven such a blessed respite for a growing tribe, and the fifth anniversary installment was far & away the finest outing yet, one of those small miracles that makes all the weary miles fade and invigorates us for the rocky road ahead.

Las Tortugas V, like previous outings, miniaturized and refined all the best aspects of a festival, throwing an incredible four-day party with an extraordinary soundtrack. While other fests may have bigger names and carnival rides, Tortugas focuses on serious musicians who overflow with passion and heartfelt artistry. This is a showcase for some of the best music coming out of California today paired with kindred spirits from around the country, a place where veterans embarking on a new thang (7 Walkers), utter pros seeking one of the most engaged, joyful audiences they’ve ever encountered (Yonder Mountain String Band), workingman’s lifers (The Mother Hips, ALO, Cornmeal) and crazy talented comers (Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers, Antioquia, Big Light, Pimps of Joytime) mingle. A feeling of creative freedom and smiling connection with all the things that originally got these players into the music game floats in the air.

And this palpable, happy charge buzzes in equal amplitude from the attendees. Perhaps more than any other festival I’ve experienced, Tortugas creates a beautiful crucible that burns hot and bright because EVERYONE throws a pinch or two into the pot (Jam Cruise is the only thing that compares, though each gathering is singular & beautifully strange in its own way, and something any serious music geek should experience at least once, like Glastonbury, Bonnaroo and a handful of others). With most folks bringing different costumes every day and an all-in enthusiasm that hums loudly before the first set kicks off, Tortugans are a rare breed. The near total absence of thievery, sketchiness and rudeness common at most music fests immediately sets Tortugas apart in a big way. It’s not to say that everyone is cool but un-cool moments are quickly defused, and there’s so much obvious love and care bouncing around the tents and trees that even grumps inclined to kick up dust are charmed into grinning contentment. The depth of conversation and generally open-handed attitude that abounds at Tortugas is a glimpse of our better angels, the way the world might be if we shared our bounty and lived with less fear and worry.

If this seems like an overreach for a music festival it isn’t. Las Tortugas is a playground for music loving people with an amiable synergy that relaxes muscles, eases minds and lifts spirits. Scoff if you must – modern cynicism is hard to shake – but four years running I’ve witnessed this vibe grow & grow & grow, seeing it put the zap – in the best way – on the heads of first timers that leaves them pleasantly shaken by weekend’s end. It is why the vets scheme all year long on how we might delight others, tickling fancies and pricking up ears in any way we can dream up, and then sharing that dream with anyone willing to jump through the looking glass with us.

Nestled in one of the most unique, idyllic settings in the United States (Evergreen Lodge), Las Tortugas situates about a 1000 people in a world apart and lets them share in a fully communal shindig. Each year a couple tunes spring into my head during the course of my wooded walks, a few lines that repeat like mantras as I gather up as much Tortugas mojo as I can before heading homeward. This year it was these verses from Jackson Browne’s “Farther On” and the Grateful Dead’s “The Music Never Stopped.”

Las Tortugas V by Chad Smith

Adrift on an ocean of loneliness
My dreams like nets were thrown
To catch the love that I’d heard of
In books and films and songs
Now there’s a world of illusion and fantasy
In the place where the real world belongs
Still I look for the beauty in songs
To fill my head and lead me on

AndÂ…

There’s a band out on the highway.
They’re high-steppin’ into town.
They’re a rainbow full of sound.
It’s fireworks, calliopes and clowns

And everybody was dancing, drink hoisting blurs of color and laughter that convinced one that the world might not be so bloody awful after all.

What follows are some musical highlights, pointers towards sweet new bands, and a whole bunch of great pictures from Chad Smith, heavy on Tortugans and their mirthful ways. Even if every band isn’t mentioned it’s important to point out that EVERY band that graced a stage at Tortugas V was the real deal, dedicated craftsmen born to meld melody and verse. Where one might wonder at other fests why a band made the lineup, Tortugas only presents quality, ranging from the newly born to the well-seasoned. It’s a formula that’s generated a lot of connections between the bands, resulting in some of the finest sit-ins one can find in the festival world. The sense that we’re ALL in this together – both for this weekend and in a much larger sense – is inescapable on both sides of the stage at Tortugas.

Continue reading for Thursday highlights…

Thursday Highlights

See the full gallery for Thursday here

Theme: Gypsy Circus

Lebo by Chad Smith

1. Lebo :: 2:15-3:30 am. :: Terrapin Big Top Stage

With a shortened introductory day, it wasn’t hard to stay up for the first rousing late night set in what turned out to be Tortugas’ finest night owl programming to date. As usual, Thursday felt like a Saturday here, and ALO’s guitar shredder and a special rhythm section were the flaming cherry atop everything. Flowing loose ‘n’ heavy, Dan Lebowitz, playing a hollow-body electric instead of his usual axe, gave us a commanding showcase that reaffirmed his place amongst today’s very best guitarists. Backed by ALO bandmate Dave Brogan (drums) and Tracorum‘s jaw-dropping rhythm section, Ian Herman (drums) and Mark Calderon (bass), Lebo stirred up his own Band of Gypsys roar, jamming with impunity and instigating some of the fiercest rhythm work heard all fest. Lebo’s versatility as a singer also shown through, and the obvious camaraderie these guys displayed made for some of the least predictable, most immediate music I’ve heard from any of them.

2. Poor Man’s Whiskey :: 9:15-10:30 pm :: Terrapin Big Top Stage

PMW pulled off a real neat trick: Playing the iconic, deeply held music of Old & In The Way – an obvious root source for their music – while authoritatively putting their own stamp on the material. For one thing, bassist Aspen holds his own against John Kahn’s original bass work, and he’s got a whole new sonic range to explore with drummer George Smeltz, bringing a whole new beat to things. As great as the musicians were in Old & In The Way, they weren’t exactly forthcoming performers. By contrast, PMW boasts two natural born rock stars in multi-instrumentalist/singers Eli Jebidiah and Josh Brough, who have that thing that gets everyone in the room off. Ably goosed by guitar-mandolin whiz Jason Beard, the boys made the well-tread newly furrowed and showed once again that Poor Man’s Whiskey is one of the premiere country-rock outfits today, a wild bunch that could have handily shared bills with the Flying Burrito Brothers, Goose Creek Symphony and Garcia and his picking pals.

Allie Kral by Chad Smith

3. Cornmeal :: 11:45 pm-1:00 am.:: Terrapin Big Top Stage

I like when Chicago’s Cornmeal get weird and they certainly did on this inaugural eve. There’s no doubting their hard strummin’ might – bluegrass doesn’t get more blue or grassy – but like a lot of quality acts lumped into the string band basket, Cornmeal have a LOT more variety in their Crayon box, and they didn’t hesitate to color outside the lines at Tortugas. Especially impressive was their ability to move from incredibly melodic strains to downright psychedelic runs, each feeling a part of the other instead of bordered off segments. The many raised glasses and elevated bonhomie in the tent spoke to their pronounced ability to lift heels, and the whole lot of them is goddamn charming as hell. Extra gold stars for ever-compelling violinist Allie Kral, who seemed possessed in a lovely way at several junctures, and dead-on-it drummer JP Nowak. Also, I’m kind of in love with their easy flowing songwriting and the entire delivery and style of banjoist-singer Wavy Dave Burlingame after this set.

Ones To Watch

Jack Grace Band
Full of good time, bohemian energy of the sort Tom Waits left behind when he grabbed a bullhorn, Grace and his slinky compatriots are a bar band in the archetypal sense, specializing in Latin tinged, gold standard song craft instead of by-the-numbers boogie, but still perfect for tossing back a few. First band to play the Tuolumne Hall and one I came home anxious to explore further.

Dead Winter Carpenters
With members of Montana Slim, it’s no surprise these cats ‘n’ kittens twang a bit, but they do so very winningly, and while their set on Thursday was appropriately uptempo, their recent self-titled debut shows a knack for slower, more meditative fare. They’re still getting their feet fully under them but there’s already some very appealing things happening in this band.

Continue reading for Friday highlights…

Friday Highlights

See the full gallery for Friday here

Theme: Decade Dance (retro looks from TV, history, etc.)

ALO & Friends by Chad Smith

1. ALO :: 2:00-4:00 am. :: Terrapin Big Top Stage

What other band could meld Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ In The Years” with snippets of The Four Seasons’ “December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)” with the whole panoply of pop past & future sandwiched in between? Dressed in the outfits from the Man of the World photo/video shoot, ALO lived up to every part of their name at this dawn chasing performance. In fact, keyboardist-singer Zach Gill even got so in touch with his animal side that he started talking to the stuffed birds on the branches decorating the stage late in the set. When these boys are on – and believe you me, this was as ON as I’ve ever seen them – music feels alive and organic, something to be touched and tasted, savored and slathered all over. That its also incredibly tuneful and you can dance to it speaks to their great talent and dedication to making even outside-the-norm music conform to something more sophisticated and thoughtful. After spending the better part of the summer and fall opening up for pal Jack Johnson, ALO played like men balling without a condom for the first time in a LONG time – liberated beasts whose bite set a good many of us free, too.

2. New Monsoon :: 6:15-7:30 pm. :: Terrapin Big Top Stage

For a band that doesn’t play out that much anymore, New Monsoon commanded the stage like utter professionals. There’s so much damn talent in this quintet that it remains shocking to me that more people don’t know and adore them. But regardless of stardom, San Francisco’s New Monsoon demonstrated how adept they are at commingling styles and giving all of them rock ‘n’ roll oomph in this early evening set. Filled with rhythm and force, their mix of originals and tasty covers (and a whole lot more well-picked, well-executed covers on Saturday from ZZ Top and more) goes down so smoothly that the many hours of woodshedding and sweat that lay before each performance are invisible. What we got at both sets this Tortugas was a band fully in control of their instruments and material, able to knock it out with aplomb at a moment’s notice. Drinking in electric guitarist Jeff Miller – long a personal favorite – renewed my desire to see him form a Derek & The Dominoes tribute band since he’s one of the few axe slingers who could generate the same guitar magic as Clapton at his inarguable peak.

Pimps of Joytime by Chad Smith

3. Pimps of Joytime :: 8:45-10:00 pm. :: Terrapin Big Top Stage

Dressed as ragtag cowpokes, the Pimps offered a master class in funk and its roots, showing equal flair for gutbucket blues, silky soul and myriad other variations on what seem like overplayed, boring forms in lesser hands. This band knows groove, way down in their bones, and they move with harnessed power and abundant natural charisma. Every single time I see the Pimps I like them WAY better. Shooting straight, I haven’t been this wholly charmed by a band in the funk-rock vein since I first saw Prince back in the day. Only Seattle’s Staxx Brothers are competing in the same arena, and rather than play favorites, I’ll just say that anyone who likes to get more than knee-deep as they howl about atomic dogs and funky drummers should get familiar with both. Quickly.

4. Antioquia :: 10:15-11:45 pm. :: The Tavern

With the propulsive energy of Remain In Light Talking Heads and political dance-mindedness of The Clash, SF’s Antioquia turned heads in their Tortugas debut. Admittedly, it wasn’t just their reach-out-and-grab-ya sound alone that did the job. The band set a new fest record for the most exposed flesh by dressing as the cock-socked Red Hot Chili Peppers with lead singer Maddy Streicek dolled up like an actual chili pepper. In their veins flows the sticky stuff that agitated early Brian Eno, the initial wave of jazz-fusion cats, Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band and similar inspired wackos. In so many ways, this set showed that Antioquia is exposed, fearless and free of boundaries, and they’ve got the chops to back up the bravado with substance and style.

Continue reading for Saturday highlights…

Saturday Highlights

See the full gallery for Saturday here

Theme: Monsters vs. Aliens

1. 7 Walkers :: 4:00-7:15 am :: Terrapin Big Top Stage

Bill Kreutzmann by Chad Smith

Bill Kreutzmann returned to Tortugas with his new labor of love, 7 Walkers. Hitting the stage in the middle of the night and playing till well after sunrise, Billy, Papa Mali, George Porter, Jr. and Matt Hubbard took us into the thickest, headiest swampland, brimming over with bayou shuffles, primal rock, psychedelic sparks and other rich, earthy textures. The only break any of them had during this three-hour-plus journey – and if you took the whole trip you really felt like you’d conquered a major peak – was when Papa and Matt paired off for some harmonica pierced deep blues and tender balladry followed by a bass-drums conversation between Bill and George. Each is a marvel in their own right but the chemistry in 7 Walkers just bowled folks over during this set, where they offered almost all of their fabulous self-titled debut, Dead & New Orleans chestnuts and fat-free jams that pounced and tore at one like a hungry gator. 7 Walkers feels vibrantly alert, alive in all the ways that count, and this only seems like the beginning of more and better music to come. [The band killed it again on Sunday night, only 13 hours after this set, where they leaned more heavily on Dead tunes like "I Know You Rider" and a great "Sugaree" with George on lead vocals. What's so cool about this band is how the familiar numbers feel freshly washed and ready to be pushed into service in the way they handle them. The final encore of "Iko Iko" lit up the tent with a light that comes from within, steering our ragged conga line into folklore and festivity with sure hands and hearts.].

2. Guitarmageddon:: 3:00-4:15 pm :: Terrapin Big Top Stage

Under the new leadership of PMW’s Eli Jebidiah, this starts-over-the-top celebration of shred science topped themselves with this Prince themed set. Any serious fan of His Purple Mounted Majesty would have stumbled away grinning ear-to-ear after this display that launched with a sizzling reading of “Let’s Go Crazy” but then weaved into killer recent tunes (“Chelsea Rogers,” “Musicology,” “Guitar”), the infamous Black Album (“Rockhard in a Funky Place”) and the choicest medley ever (“Raspberry Beret > Kiss > Sexy MF > Little Red Corvette > 1999″). The core band consisted of Eli (guitar, vocals), absolutely stunning heavy hitter Daria Johnson (drums, vocals), bassist Mark Calderon (doing some primo tough-funk bass faces), Tracorum keyboardist Fletcher Nielsen (the “Doctor” suited up in scrubs!) and guitar marvel Sean Leahy, who also summoned up a host of voices to fill different Prince-ly holes. Guest six-stringers included former Guitarmageddon leader Josh Clark (TLG), NM’s Jeff Miller, Newfangled Wasteland’s Chris Haugen, Tracorum’s Louis XIV-attired Derek Brooker and Big Light’s Jeremy Korpas, with each cameo suiting the songs to a tee and showing off how much amp-rattling guitar talent resides in Northern California today. The material was well rehearsed but not so much so that flashes of inspiration didn’t prevail. The whole gliding, intoxicating set ended in Gold Experience standout “Endorphinmachine.” Let’s hope that tapers were active during this one because the Minneapolis faithful just gotta hear this performance. One of the absolute best times all weekend.

3. Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers :: 4:15-5:15 pm :: Tuolumne Hall

Nicki Bluhm by Chad Smith

It’s a blast to watch an audience be warmed by Nicki and her gifted Gramblers. It starts slow, the potency of their songwriting and their leader’s obvious vocal pow scooping one up, pulling them in close, and whispering sweet, softly wise things in their ears. Once snuggled in, well, they’ve got you and good. Bluhm is a throwback to classics like Bonnie Raitt, Linda Ronstadt and other strong women who carved their place in the largely male rock game. She’s a far cry from the manufactured divas and half-talents that pass for “female artists” in the mainstream today, and it’s her abiding quality, natural gifts and good instincts for collaborators that are making her an artist to watch VERY closely. The new songs from her forthcoming sophomore album were uniformly excellent, and as ever guitarist Deren Ney is a haunting knockout, especially when he works a slide. Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers are the full package, and they left Tortugas with a LOT of new fans this year.

4. Sean Leahy Trio :: 12:00-1:45 pm :: The Tavern

Leahy may be one of THE best guitar players you’ve never heard. His cult amongst Northern Cali musicians and serious music nuts is well established, but it probably wouldn’t have taken more than a single tune at this blazing trio set to win over almost anyone with a six-string boner. Lean, fast and highly interactive, Leahy’s trio consists of himself on electric guitar and lead vocals with Tortugas all-star Mark Calderon on bass (only ALO/Big Light bassist Steve Adams worked as many sets) and drummer Daria Johnson, equally fantabulous here as her Guitarmageddon stint earlier in the day. The gal is a real talent and a show unto herself – just watch her face if you want a whole movie to accompany the music. Blues, classic rock, fleet-fingered jazz and more were explored in this set, and all of it packed with thick, ropy muscle. When Leahy lets go and trusts in his abilities, as he did here, he’s positively superhuman and a joy to watch. Johnson and Calderon are perfect foils, and they even made time for a brief M80 Mailbox cameo, a Leahy project with Dave Brogan and Josh Clark, that included a bruising cover of Rage Against The Machine’s “Killing In The Name Of.”

Ones To Watch

Five Eyed Hand
The Tavern seemed wonderfully afloat when this SF unit unleashed their energetic, free flowing music on Saturday night. For sure there’s a foundation of rock ‘n’ roll but things sizzle and switch around with the technically possessed feel of Weather Report taken down to “Shakedown Street.” Mix in the phased dynamics of Bill Frisell, the swerving violin of Mahavishnu and more than a dollop of quality space rock and you’re getting closer to the ballpark. Five Eyed Hand showed being hard to place is a virtue, and jam kids looking to do some traveling between their ears should definitely investigate their self-titled album and fine live show.

Continue reading for Sunday highlights…

Sunday Highlights

See the full gallery for Sunday here

Theme: The Masquerade Ball – Halloween

1. The Mother Hips :: 5:30-7:00 pm.:: Terrapin Big Top Stage

The Mother Hips by Chad Smith

Having seen a ludicrous number of Hips shows (quickly approaching triple digits and spread over the group’s entire history), it’s heartening and more than a little shocking that these guys can still completely blow me away. That’s what happened at this late afternoon set that began with a surprising cover of “Long Black Veil” and seemed like it was going to be one of the band’s cozier, country-tinged daytime sets (“Whiskey On A Southbound,” “Later Days”). Then, they took a wide left turn with a stunning reading of “Young Charles Ives,” fired up the over-thrusters and charged into the unknown, unleashing all the brilliance they possess in a rock show that knocked far more than me back on our heels. Other highlights included “October Teen,” “Chum” and “Precious Opal,” but for sheer audacity and skill it’s hard to beat the rush from “Mission In Vain” into Grateful Dead classic “The Other One,” which the Hips made their own, layering on hard guitar and limber rhythms in a way that nailed the original and infused it with newness. After The Mother Hips recent barnburner at The Fillmore, it’s clear this band is on a very nice tear right now – one more reason to fully commit to one of America’s best bands, as if folks really needed more inducements with the Hips!

2. Yonder Mountain String Band :: 11:00 pm-12:45 am.:: Terrapin Big Top Stage

A couple things struck me quite poignantly at this Yonder performance: 1) What a massively satisfying sound, and 2) how little this music relates to bluegrass despite the stupid label they’ve been given. For just four guys, playing rather quietly, YMSB generates voluminous waves of music, each player accenting and commenting on the lead lines in a clever, unobtrusive way that nonetheless supports the main thrust at all times. In about two hours, one heard echoes of small group jazz from the 20s/30s, 60s modal exploration, hardcore traditional folk, good ol’ fashioned rock, early country music and some of the free-ranging stylistics Oregon introduced to acoustic music.

Yonder Mountain String Band by Chad Smith

There was none of the showy, dick measuring, spotlight grabbing qualities one finds in most actual bluegrass bands, and even when they took solos, they didn’t go on endlessly or freeze out what everyone else was doing. Where at times I’ve found some of Yonder’s selections a little jokey, today’s YMSB came off as relatively serious and considered, but not too much so. There’s no being overly stuffy when you’ve got a natural born court jester like Jeff Austin dancing on the needle’s head, and though a touch jet-lagged, Austin didn’t disappoint. He makes everyone feel welcome and serves as the chief ambassador to Yonder Mountain, though never staying so long in the foreground that the other three guys are overshadowed. Like most aspects of their music, there’s a hearty balance that’s refreshing and worthy of a lot of respect and genuine enthusiasm.

And jeezus can these guys play! As pickers, each is a blast and perfectly attuned to their brethren. A delight in all ways and one of the best closing night exclamation points ever at Tortugas.

3. Tracorum :: 12:45-1:45 am.:: Tuolumne Hall

Sometimes we listen to music without really hearing it. However, when we’re ready to open up and experience a thing as it truly is, well, it can feel like a baptism. Such was my experience with Tracorum on Sunday night. Having enjoyed them at previous Tortugas, this time I got it in a huge way. What they do is rock ‘n’ roll but done so fundamentally right it makes you want to kiss them when they power down their instruments. This night, as the festival raged like we’d never seen before on a Sunday eve, Tracorum embodied our collective high spirits and unspoken ache at this experience coming to a close and put those elements to work in some of the best boogie-minded, straight-great rock heard all weekend. Comparisons to The Band and studio aces The Wrecking Crew flitted through my brain as I danced to the heart of this fleeting makeshift town next to my loose-limbed sisters and brothers. Every aspect was right on the money and every man showed himself a massive talent on their respective instruments, pouring soul into every note, their conviction becoming our own. While they display a lighter hand and more Latin-y hips on their new album, The Lesson, live this band exudes legend-making magic.

4. Big Light :: 12:45-2:00 pm.:: Tuolumne Hall

Big Light belongs on big stages. They are rapidly outgrowing small spaces, pushing their already appealing material into skyward reaching constructs that need room to breath and cavort. A modern rock band to be sure, Big Light betters the majority of the Pitchfork darlings by being able to deliver in a salacious, snarling way live, which is exactly how they charged at folks on this afternoon. A guest turn from Izabella keyboardist Jeff Coleman stirred up the best “Panther” to date, and nothing else was less than excellent. An ever-forward arching NEED to be better is what’s fueling Big Light’s rapid growth. Seeing them onstage in a set like this is to watch evolution take place in real time. It’s exciting and more than a little fun to behold. Based on showings like this, only expect more and finer music from this quartet in the future.

Ones To Watch

Kate Gaffney

Gaffney is a real emerging talent, filling The Tavern with songs that were easy to like but filled with nuances that make you want to hear them again right away. She’s got an instantly likeable voice that’s only growing more subtle and powerful the longer she plies her craft. She’s surrounded herself with top-notch players and keeps adding interesting material to her songbook. So, in short, there’s nothing not to dig about this Bay Area lady.

Newfangled Wasteland

A Beck cover band is a clever idea. Better still is a Beck cover band that plays nearly unrecognizable versions of Beck’s tunes. Dave Brogan, Chris Haugen, Steve Adams and TLG’s Trevor Garrod hit a sublime groove in their Sunday night set, showing that the longer they toy with these mutations the more they become their own. Said it before but it bears repeating: Festival bookers need to pay attention to this band.

The Hydrodynamics

The Hydrodynamics are the new project of former Blue Turtle Seduction chief songwriter/singer/guitarist Jay Seals. While his old band gave folks warm fuzzies in their festival one-off reunion, it’s clear this is where Seals’ heart is. Filled with hooky, bouncing melodies and abundant female energy, The Hydrodynamics were a touch ragged in their Tortugas debut but it was still evident that this is catchy stuff, pulling from the pop side of The Clash and marrying it to smoother vibes. A young band worth putting on your radar.

Epilogue

There’s no real way to say goodbye to Las Tortugas. Life over these four days is so wonderfully intense and happy that disconnecting from it and returning to time sheets and business calls is inevitably a shock to the system. Still, it’s incredible that Tortugas exists at all. What one finds at Tortugas is the sheer capacity for human beings to share and cavort is FAR greater than we might imagine. This feeling stays with us if we’re conscious about it and nestle away a portion in our breast for the long haul that awaits us beyond Evergreen Lodge. Everywhere one turns at Tortugas is evidence of human ingenuity and compassion delivered with melody and harmony. If you didn’t get kissed, bear hugged or otherwise lovingly groped it’s because you didn’t open your arms. But, as we revel, we’re given chances for revelation, too, and these deeper currents make Tortugas more than just a good time. The idea that we might be better citizens of the world – more loving neighbors, more welcoming strangers – is writ large at Las Tortugas, interwoven with the notes hanging in the air, ephemeral but real all the same.

Continue reading for Thursday/Friday pictures…

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Continue reading for Saturday pictures…

var siteRoot=”http://www.jambase.com”;var newPhotoIndex=”25″;$(document).ready( function() { $(“#GalleryWidget”).load(siteRoot+”/Photos/Widget.aspx?galleryID=167″);}); 10/30/10 – Las Tortugas Dance of the Dead (Evergreen Lodge) (Groveland, CA) View Photos

Continue reading for Sunday pictures…

var siteRoot=”http://www.jambase.com”;var newPhotoIndex=”60″;$(document).ready( function() { $(“#GalleryWidget”).load(siteRoot+”/Photos/Widget.aspx?galleryID=168″);}); 10/31/10 – Las Tortugas Dance of the Dead (Evergreen Lodge) (Groveland, CA) View Photos

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Buena Vista Musicians Unite for AfroCubism

THE ORIGINAL BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB CONCEPT FINALLY COMES TO FRUITION

In 1996, a group of Mali’s best-known musicians were due to fly into Havana for a collaboration with some of Cuba’s
singers and instrumentalists. However, the Malians never arrived due to travel complications, and a very different
album was recorded instead: The Grammy Award-winning, multi-million-selling Buena Vista Social Club,
which became the biggest-selling “world music” album ever.

Nick Gold, the man behind the 1996 venture, finally brought the original invitees together with a line-up of
additional talent at a recent series of recording sessions. On October 19, World Circuit/Nonesuch Records will
release the lost Afro-Cuban album, AfroCubism, 14 years after originally planned.

Fronting the Cuban team is the cowboy-hatted singer and guitarist Eliades Ochoa, singer of the
celebrated Buena Vista theme “Chan Chan.” The two original Malian invitees are multi award-winning ngoni lute
master Bassekou Kouyate and the acclaimed Rail Band guitarist Djelimady Tounkara, both
considered to be among the world’s great instrumentalists.

Joining them are Ochoa’s Grupo Patria, one of Cuba’s longest running and most revered bands; the
Grammy Award-winning kora master Toumani Diabate; legendary Malian griot singer Kasse Mady
Diabate
; and the innovative balafon player Lassana Diabate.

Seventeen songs were recorded in five days, with all the musicians playing together live in one large room. A second
session was convened some months later and produced a further nine songs.

AfroCubism
Tour Dates

::
AfroCubism News
::
AfroCubism
Concert
Reviews


Yonder Mountain Joins Halloween at Las Tortugas V

STRING FANS KNOW WHERE THEY’LL BE OCTOBER 31st!

YMSB by Bill Ball

Las Tortugas V has announced that Yonder Mountain String Band will join the festivities over Halloween weekend in Yosemite. YMSB will perform on Halloween itself and the intimate four-day festival takes place October 28-31 at Evergreen Lodge nestled on the lush edge of Yosemite National Park.

Early bird ticketing has been extended until to September 10 to give fans of all the recent additions to the lineup – Yonder, Nathan Moore, Blue Turtle Seduction – a chance to get discounted tickets. Onsite camping at Evergreen Lodge is still available as well. Info on tickets, lodging, etc. can be found here.

Full Lineup For Las Tortugas – Dance of the Dead V

Yonder Mountain String Band
ALO
7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann, Papa Mali & George Porter Jr.
The Mother Hips
Tea Leaf Green
New Monsoon
Cornmeal
Blue Turtle Seduction
Melvin Seals and JGB with Stu Allen
Pimps of Joytime
Lebo
Poor Man’s Whiskey, including a performance of Old and In the Way
BLVD
Big Light
Nathan Moore
Montana Slim String Band
New Fangled Wasteland
Jay Seals and the Hydrodynamics
Guitarmageddon featuring the music of Prince
Nicki Bluhm and The Gramblers
Moonalice
Tracorum
Izabella
Trevor Garrod
Dead Winter Carpenters
Sean Leahy and Friends
Jack Grace Band
Antioquia
Kate Gaffney
The Hongs
Honeymoon

A little reading to get folks in the mood for Tortugas VÂ…

Jeff Austin JamBase Questionnaire
Las Tortugas IV review
Las Tortugas III review
Las Tortugas II review


7 Walkers To Play Post-Phish SF Shows

7 WALKERS’ NEW STUDIO ALBUM TO BE RELEASED LATER THIS YEAR


7 Walkers

Famed drummer and Grateful Dead co-founder Bill Kreutzmann, voodoo guitar master Papa Mali, legendary New Orleans
bass man George Porter Jr.
(The Meters, Funky Meters), and multi-instrumentalist Matt Hubbard (Willie Nelson, Fastball) come together as 7 Walkers for two special shows at
San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall.

On Friday, August 6 and Saturday, August 7, after Phish perform at The Greek Theatre in Berkeley, the party will continue in high fashion as fans
from across The Bay descend upon the historic Great American for two nights of psychedelic swamp grooves,
reworked Grateful Dead sing-alongs, and funked-up New Orleans standards.

August 6 is being billed as a “Masquerade Party in Celebration of Jerry Garcia.” As Deadheads prepare for the 15th
Anniversary of Garcia’s passing on August 9, commonly referred to as “Jerry Day,” fans are encouraged to come
dressed as their favorite Grateful Dead lyric. There will be a silent auction hosted by the Rex Musical Caravan and
Moonalice will open the show.

August 7 will be a “Tribal Communion for Gulf Coast Awareness” with partial proceeds being donated to relief
efforts in the Gulf Coast. Featuring an opening set by local act Tracorum as well as New Orleans hero
Big Chief Monk Boudreaux with Papa Mali, the night will also find the famed Indian Chief sitting in with 7 Walkers for
a show that’s sure to raise the spirits.

7 Walkers recently spent time in Austin, Texas recording their debut album due later this year. The highly-
anticipated effort will feature a batch of brand-new Robert Hunter (Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan lyricist) originals that were co-written with
the band, as well as a number of Grateful Dead favorites, Papa Mali nuggets, and New Orleans burners.

Live audio recordings of 7 Walkers can be heard at the newly re-launched www.billkreutzmann.com.

Friday, August 6

7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann, Papa Mali, George Porter Jr. & Matt Hubbard
Moonalice opens
Great American Music Hall

859 O’Farrell Street San Francisco, CA

For Tickets and more information, please contact 415-885-0750 or visit www.gamhtickets.com

Saturday, August 7

7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann, Papa Mali, George Porter Jr. & Matt Hubbard

Tracorum followed by Big Chief Monk Boudreaux with Papa Mali opens
Great American Music Hall
859 O’Farrell Street San Francisco, CA
For Tickets and more information, please contact 415-885-0750 or visit www.gamhtickets.com

7 Walkers
Tour Dates

::
7 Walkers News
::
7 Walkers Concert Reviews


Las Tortugas V: ALO, Hips Cornmeal, TLG, HBR, 7 Walkers

FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF WOODED JEWEL

Bill Kreutzmann at Tortugas IV by Chad Smith

The premiere intimate West Coast fall music festival, Las Tortugas – Dance of the Dead V, returns October 28-31. The fifth annual Halloween weekend gathering once again takes place at Evergreen Lodge in Groveland, CA (located at the Western Gate of Yosemite National Park), offering a musician-positive, fan-friendly experience in a bucolic forest setting. With cozy cabins, a general store, restaurant and bar, daytime hiking adventures and many more unique features, Las Tortugas offers a handpicked, standout assortment of diverse music with a strong emphasis on the cream of Northern California’s rock scene.

Super early bird ticket sales – $175 for a festival pass until August 15 – are available at www.lastortugasmusic.com on Wednesday July 21 at 10am PST, and on-site camping for this intimate festival begin Wednesday, July 21st at 10am PST. Please call the Lodge at 209-379-2606, for on-site camping at 10am PST on July 21.

To enter the random cabin drawing, you must email tortugascabin@gmail.com by Friday, July 16th. All information regarding the cabin random drawing can be found on the website.

More information on tickets, cabins and on-site camping visit www.lastortugasmusic.com.

This year’s lineup features:

ALO
7 Walkers feat. Bill Kreutzmann, Papa Mali and George Porter Jr.
The Mother Hips
Tea Leaf Green
Hot Buttered Rum
New Monsoon
Cornmeal
Melvin Seals and JGB with Stu Allen
Pimps of Joytime
Poor Man’s Whiskey, including a performance of Old and In the Way
Lebo
BLVD
Big Light
Guitarmageddon feat. the music of Prince
Montana Slim String Band
Nicki Bluhm and The Gramblers
Dead Winter Carpenters
Tracorum
Trevor Garrod
Nat Keefe and Friends
Sean Leahy and Friends
Jack Grace Band
Moonalice
Antioquia
The Hongs
Kate Gaffney
Honeymoon

After playing Las Tortugas for the first time last year legendary Grateful Dead percussionist Bill Kreutzmann said, “I had a GREAT time. It feels like a party.” Tortugas inspires attendees and performers to dig into their full capacity for fun and joy, with an ever-changing array of costumes and joyful distractions floating past one at any given moment. This on top of a musical lineup that has solidified into a vibrant, collaborative extended family of players that fill the entire weekend full of surprises and once-in-a-lifetime moments. A strong sense of community infuses Las Tortugas, with daily themes, special one-off sets (TLG’s Trevor Garrod‘s annual Sunday morning solo performances, Guitarmageddon‘s themed throwdowns), quality, reasonably priced food and a wonderfully immersive feel that marks this as a truly unique experience every single year..

Check out JamBase’s rave for the Las Tortugas IV here.


JamBase Questionnaire: Reed Mathis

Welcome back to JamBase’s baker’s dozen of probing, wide-ranging questions to the bright lights in the jam scene (and beyond). Last time we heard from Keller Williams and upcoming installments will include The Black Seeds, Scott Metzger, Plants and Animals and more!

Few would argue with you if you said Reed Mathis is one of the bassists of his generation. More than once I’ve had friends seeing him play for the first time make Hendrix comparisons, and there’s more than a bit of Jimi’s fire and of-the-moment creativity to Mathis’ style, which mingles fine groove instincts with a precocious knack for taking the bass into places usually reserved for electric guitarists. Few players listen more intently to their compatriots or act upon what they hear with such clear pleasure in making music together with others. He is a constant source of inspiration to his bandmates in whatever setting, driving himself in ways that also stirs up the best in others, elevating the whole of whatever he puts his mind to. As a co-founder and architect of Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey for 15 years, Mathis established himself as one of the premiere instrumentalists and top-notch young composers in the jam & jazz worlds, and in recent years has shown a similar flair for rock ‘n’ roll with Tea Leaf Green and new side project 7 Walkers with Papa Mali and Bill Kreutzmann, as well as plying open-ended instrumentalism with the Marco Benevento Trio..

Reed Mathis by Josh Miller

One of the less celebrated but equally lethal aspects of this hyper-multi-talent is his growing production acumen. Approaching mixing boards and recording technology with the same purposeful intensity he employs with his instrument, Mathis has emerged in recent years as a premiere young producer. His mojo was working REALLY well on his JFJO swansong Winterwood, and now he’s captured the finest studio work to date from Tea Leaf Green. Looking West, released yesterday, is the quartet’s most adventurous, sonically switch-on album, finding them playing with vocal textures and scintillating, unpredictable arrangements, while adding ropey muscle to their trademark signature glide.

On Looking West we hear Trevor Garrod unearth his inner Leon Russell – rusty menace and all – while Josh Clark plays with greater subtlety and sings with greater force than we’ve ever heard on record. The rhythm team of Mathis and Scott Rager carries the whole enterprise along so seamlessly that one might initially miss how tight ‘n’ right they’re playing is. And the entire album overflows with small, perfect touches that accent the strength of their songwriting and charismatic delivery. Put more briefly, Looking West is as fine a rock ‘n’ roll slab as you’re gonna hear in 2010. (Dennis Cook)

Here’s what Reed had to say to our inquiries.

Nicknames: Ginger-Christ-Superstar, Yeti Lee

1. Great music rarely happens withoutÂ…
Ungluing your eyes from the teleprompter and saying, “Fuck it, we’ll do it live.”

2. The first album I bought wasÂ…
A double purchase: Thriller and Rappin’ The Books of the Bible

3. The last song or album to really flip my wig wasÂ…
In a rental car I heard a radio show in Burlington VT of a local band called Swale. Unbelievable songs, gut-wrenching performances. Can’t wait to hear more of that.

4. When I was a kid I wanted to grow up to beÂ…
Some sort of explorer/discoverer/adventurer. It pretty much is going exactly according to plan.

5. My favorite sort of gig isÂ…
An old, beautiful room, a humongous bass tone, consequence-free improvising, a packed dance-floor, some prepared poems and some surprise solos. And then, a silent, dark, cool place to do some deep breathing.

6. One thing I wish people knew about me isÂ…
Sometimes I’m shy, but it’s not cause I’m not stoked.

7. I love the sound ofÂ…
The mockingbirds in the Mississippi River Valley

8. One day I hope to make an album as fantastic asÂ…
Axis: Bold as Love

9. The best meal I ever had on tour was atÂ…
At a good friend’s home in Trinidad, CA. Thanks, Polans!

10. I always find the coolest audiences inÂ…
San Francisco

11. The worst habit I’ve picked up being on the road all the time isÂ…
Not calling family & loved ones enough, even though I miss & think of them often.

12. The Beatles or the Stones? Por que?
I’d have to say Beatles. Why, I can’t really say. I do like it a lot though. The Stones, too.

13. The craziest thing I ever saw wasÂ…
Carnegie Hall, from the stage

JamBase | Westward Leaning
Go See Live Music!


River Jam Fest: Dumpstaphunk, EOTO, Papa Mali, & More

GET YOUR JAM ON DOWN BY THE RIVER!


Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk

The River Jam Fest in Fort Smith, Arkansas at Harry E. Kelley Park’s River Front Amphitheater takes place
August 27-29. Appearing at the festival will be Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, EOTO, Papa Mali featuring Bernie Worrell, Big Gigantic, Greensky Bluegrass, Telepath, Papadosio, Somasphere, Zoogma, J. Wail(full band), The Last Waltz Ensemble, Agobi Project, and many more!

A portion of the proceeds will go towards benefiting the Children’s Emergency Shelter of Portsmouth.

Click here for pre sale tix and the full festival lineup.


Wavy Gravy’s All Star Jam | 6.13.10 | SF

YOU’VE GOT GRAVY IN YOUR EYES!

Photos by Susan J. Weiand

On Sunday, June 13th, various All-Star musicians converged on stage at The Great American
Music Hall to benefit the Seva Foundation. The
cast of characters included Steve Kimock, Mark Karan, Billy
Kreutzmann
, Melvin Seals, Papa Mali, Lebo, Dave Brogan,
Bo Carper, Reed Mathis, Matt Hubbard, special guest Bobby
Vega
and Wavy Gravy himself.

The evening started off with a set by Lebo, Carper and Brogan performing “Spike Driver’s
Blues”, “Pallet on your Floor” and Old Crowe Medicine Show’s “Wagon Wheel” joined by Karan & Seals. The band played
on for a Dave Brogan tune “Infinite Eye” before Vega joined in for a soulful offering of Allen Toussaint’s classic “On
Your Way Down”.

Steve Kimock then took the stage with Vega, Seals & Brogan for an epic version of
the Zero fan favorites “Cole’s Law” > “Tangled Hangers”. The first set then closed with a
ripping rendition of Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited” featuring Karan, Lebo, Brogan, Kimock,
Seals & Vega.

Set two featured 7 Walkers: Papa Mali, Billy Kreutzman, Steve Kimock, Reed Mathis and Matt
Hubbard along with a variety of the aforementioned musicians joining in a setlist that
included “Jam” >
“Sugaree”, “He’s Gone”, “Just Like Tom Thumbs Blues”, “Bertha”, “Jump Back”, “Mr. Charlie”
and “Lovelight” amongst others.

Photographer Sue Weiand was on hand to document the experience for your visual enjoyment.

JamBase | Bay Area


Thank to various helpers for piecing together the setlist. Pardon any omissions or
errors.

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6/13/10 – Wavy Gravy Seva Jam @ Great American Music Hall (San Francisco,
CA)
View Photos

Seva Foundation was founded in 1978 by a group of people who helped eradicate
small pox,
and inspired by that achievement, joined together to alleviate other suffering caused by
poverty and disease. Seva’s public health programs in India, Nepal, Tibet, Cambodia
Bangladesh and Tanzania work to eliminate curable blindness. Over two million people have
received sight-restoring surgeries. In Mexico and Guatemala Seva assists indigenous
communities with training and resources to attain literacy and economic self-sufficiency.
In the United States, where diabetes claims Native American lives at four times the
national average, Seva offers diabetes prevention and small grants programs, created and
directed by Native Americans.

Wavy Gravy, activist clown, former Ben & Jerry’s flavor, hippie-icon, flower-
geezer, is a
founding board member of the Seva Foundation. He is the creative director of Camp
Winnarainbow, a circus and performing arts camp in Northern California.


Eva Longoria countersuing fired managers

Enraged at being sued by her ex business partners and managers, Eva Longoria has decided to sue them back.
The sacked managers, Ronen and Mali Nachum, had alleged in their lawsuit against her that that they were forced out of the eatery because of the conduct of her and other partners.
“All allegations against Longoria Parker… and [...]

Eva Longoria lands in legal trouble over Vegas restaurant

Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria has been slapped with a lawsuit by two former business partners, who accuse the star of forcing them out of their jobs.
Ronen and Mali Nachum are suing Longoria and her Las Vegas restaurant and club associate Jonas Lowrance, alleging that the pair terrorised them into giving up their ownership stake [...]

Furthurmore Festival | 05.31 | California

By: Sam Martin

Furthurmore Festival :: 05.31.10 :: River Ranch Campground :: Tuolumne,
CA

The Furthurmore Festival, held in the Stanislaus National Forest, down a long,
single lane winding road, deep in a valley covered with the green foliage of pine and
deciduous trees, there’s a campground where two rivers cross; a deep in there, very well
hidden backwoods campground nestled amongst the trees. Those two rivers, or streams as
they were this day, formed an island, and on it was the stage with a wood arched bridge
that allowed patrons to cross safely from the campground to island and back.

Opening the festivities, The Jug Dealers and The Grasshoppers put on mostly
past-by sets. People weren’t settled in yet, and were unaware that the music had started,
so the bulk of the campers had yet to come across the bridge. L’Fiasco also
played, but about an hour behind schedule and to a small crowd.

Zane Kesey and the pranksters brought the historic, beautiful Further Bus in for
the show and some pranks. Kesey is a man who really pays tribute to the past and adds to
the scene in a light and magical way. There were also a small number of vendors and good
beer on tap, or you could bring your own.

Bill<br />
Kreutzmann, 7 Walkers and Papa Mali concert photo
7 Walkers

About twenty minutes before darkness, Bill Kreutzmann‘s
super-group 7
Walkers
– made up of Kreutzmann (drums), George Porter Jr. (bass,
vocals), Papa
Mali
(guitar, vocals) and Matt Hubbard (keys) – came up on the small stage. The vibe was
exciting, but it didn’t feel like a festival; it felt like a family gathering, and in many
ways it was. Some people had the look of utter exhaustion on their face coming directly
from the Furthur Festival at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds (see JamBase review here), yet still they couldn’t help smiling when 7 Walkers opened with
“Deal” with Papa on lead vocals. They played to cheers and applause all the while
showcasing new songs from their upcoming debut album, co-written by Grateful Dead lyricist
Robert Hunter and
Papa Mali. George Porter Jr. took the microphone for the Grateful Dead’s blues tune
“Sugaree.” Mixing up the songs, with amazing solos by Mali, the tight drumming that
Kreutzmann is known for, Porter’s incredibly funky bass lines, and soulful keys from
Hubbard, it was am amazing show.


Kimock & Lebo

By the time they were finished the evening chill had settled into the small valley, and
the projector light show by liquid lights was accompanied by a green laser being shot at
the trees from behind the stage. To add to carnival-like atmosphere, fire dancers came
out and belly danced while Matt Butler and Everyone Orchestra
set up their numerous instruments. This night’s lineup included Dan Lebowitz
(guitar), Steve
Kimock
(lead guitar and slide), Melvin Seals
(organ), George Porter Jr. (bass), Dave Brogan (drums), Nat Keefe
(mandolin, guitar), Aaron Redner (fiddle), and three amazing vocalist, one of which
was a flautist. The set that followed could only be described as mind-blowing,
complementing the venue’s outdoor feel, and the jams were intricate and lengthy. The
members of the Orchestra read each other with a keen sense of precision. Lebo really
shined on this evening, and Kimock gave his usual speechless performance, but in this
instance it was a lot of great music being made up there, without any ego – the best way.
Butler’s amazing ability to conduct and feel out what each musician is capable of allows
him to act as a musical conduit between the crowd and the stage. He doesn’t lead but
rather points the Orchestra in a certain direction and let’s them decide how to get there.


Holy Kimoto

With the show now piercing into morning, the crowd wearing sweatshirts, the last main act
came out. Holy
Kimoto
, the live-tronica trio from The String Cheese
Incident
with Steve Kimock rounding out the sound with his improvisational guitar
skills. They performed a number of tracks as the crowd danced under the trees with green
lasers shooting overhead. The show was amazing, with the drumming of Michael Travis
and bass playing of Jason Hann complemented by Kyle
Hollingsworth
tearing it up on multiple keyboards and an organ. Hann also used a
synth and other electronic equipment.

There was a moment as the birds began to wake, sometime around 4 am, when Kimock, eyes
closed engaged in an intricate jam, broke out into a great smile that said it all. It
felt sacred. And in that moment it was.

The show came to a beautiful end sometime around 4:30 am, with people still dancing,
playing their guitars and drums at their tents. It was an all-nighter and one that was
worth every moment. As the corners of the horizon started to turn blue with laughter in
the air, one couldn’t help but hear “‘Til The Morning Comes” somewhere in the
distance.

JamBase | Deep Woods
Go See Live Music!


FM praises Mali’s support over Kosovo

Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić expressed gratitude to Mali on Friday for not having recognized the Kosovo Albanian UDI. He also expressed gratitude over the African country’s decision to support Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, adding that “nowadays, such a principled stand proves independence and courage of a country”.

Hangout Festival: 9 Must-See-Bands

By: Dennis Cook, JamBase Associate Editor

The first Hangout Beach Music & Arts Festival begins tomorrow night and runs through Sunday, May 16, at 101 East Beach Boulevard, Gulf Shores, Alabama (The Southern End of AL-Hwy 59). While the world watches the devastating effects of the Horizon offshore oil rig disaster, the producers of the Hangout Festival have assured attendees that their beach is clear and the show will go on. All profits from the festival will go towards Coastal Conservation and Restoration as the event has turned into an environmental benefit concert.

For those heading down south tomorrow, we turn our attention towards the music. While most folks headed to Hangout already have headlining sets from The Black Crowes on Friday night, The Roots on Saturday, and Trey on Sunday evening etched in stone on their dance card, we wanted to offer a few pointers towards the other talent lined up at this new festival. We’ll have a full wrap-up of this inaugural weekend on Monday, so check back then for photos and other highlights. In the meantime, here’s some recommendations for those diggin’ their toes into the sand in Alabama.

Be sure to also tune in to our real-time Twitter updates page at http://www.jambase.com/hangoutfest throughout the weekend.

Friday, May 14

1. Davy Knowles & Back Door Slam :: 12:30-1:30 pm :: Verizon Stage

With a name derived from a Robert Cray tune and a sound and temperament that harks back to fiery English blues-rock pioneers like Cream and early Fleetwood Mac – not to mention American counterparts Paul Butterfield Blues Band and the Allman Brothers – Back Door Slam is just plain exciting every time they get onstage. Knowles is one of the tastiest young guitarists going and the whole enterprise oozes muscle and guts. Hard to imagine a better nooner than these guys!

2. Papa Mali & Friends :: 6:00-7:15 pm :: JamBase Stage

There’s many compelling, hard to pin down aspects to Papa Mali. He’s a swamp roamer and a mojo hand maker, not to mention one of the few guys who’ve ever captured some of Sly Stone’s impenetrably deep funk, but he can also be honestly teary-eyed and downright tender. Of late, he’s been exploring the Grateful Dead catalog and a pile of new Robert Hunter tunes with buddy Bill Kreutzmann. But, the real lure of any Papa set is NOT knowing what he’s got up his sleeve and just letting him have his way with you. And he has some pretty stellar “friends” so happy surprises are likely at this set.

3. Zac Brown Band :: 8:45-11:00 pm :: The Hangout Stage

Even though Brown is the opening day headliner, he’s likely an unknown quantity to many JamBase readers besides his rep as a fast-rising star in the contemporary country scene. His hit “Chicken Fried” is good fun, and he and his band are blue-collar sweethearts who play their bloody hearts out. No less an authority on a good time than Jimmy Buffett has taken a big shine to Brown, and if one goes in with an open mind and a yen to dance they’re likely to discover a real treat in this band.

Continue reading for Saturday’s suggestions…

Saturday, May 15

1. AA Bondy :: 12:30-1:30 pm :: PlayStation Stage

Often drawing comparisons to Bob Dylan and Phil Ochs, Bondy is the full package folkie, exuding both a ’60s Greenwich Village vibe as well as something more cynically, cleverly and darkly modern. His songwriting is both exposed and obtuse, but always capable of drawing one in with a whisper of acoustic guitar strings and a voice that eases into the bloodstream like a shot of the good stuff.

2. Toubab Krewe :: 2:30-3:30 pm :: PlayStation Stage

A true original in a sea of copyists, Toubab Krewe is carving out a potent new sound that is all their own. While touched by African and rock echoes, their music and whole approach to music making comes from a highly personal yet winningly universal place. This is the national sound of a country with no name where all are welcome to dance and think and imagine, presented with a bouncing, intense demeanor. If you’re still groggy after your first night revels, Toubab will set you right on Saturday as the sun rises high above the sand.

3. The Whigs :: 4:45-6:00 pm :: PlayStation Stage

Via his Twitter page, The Roots’ Questlove wrote after their April 27 appearance on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, “The Whigs mean business. 3 of em sound like an army son!” Too right. These Athens, GA boys produce a glorious, red meat kinda rock noise with more hooks than a fly ‘n’ tackle shop. And their live shows tend to be boisterous and highly motivated to get everyone off, right back to the dude at the back of the field resisting the hip lubricant pouring off the stage.

Continue reading for Sunday’s suggestions…

Sunday, May 16

1. ALO :: 12:30-1:30 pm :: PlayStation Stage

San Francisco’s Animal Liberation Orchestra (ALO) are thoughtful sunshine, pop rock given real nuance and resonant heart. Their tunes are so catchy that you may swear a song has been a favorite for years after hearing it for the first time. That’s the kind of fundamental rightness they exude; a perfect rock four-piece that resides closely on the spectrum with enduring contemporaries like The Mother Hips, Robyn Hitchcock and The National.

2. OK Go :: 4:45-6:00 pm :: PlayStation Stage

Forget the treadmills and Rube Goldberg devices, OK Go are one of the last torchbearers for classic power pop in the mainstream, the descendents of Big Star, Badfinger and other crazy infectious, singles-minded groups that begin with “B” and other letters. They sweat and strut and sing sweet harmonies, and their guitars go to “11.” By Sunday you’ll need a boost and OK Go will surely deliver it.

3. Ray LaMontagne :: 7:15-8:45 pm :: Verizon Stage

While many have some passing familiarity with LaMontagne’s work, especially his omnipresent, almost universally adored debut Trouble (2004), there’s a burnished depth to his music that only seems to intensify as the years pile up. Live, he is the essence of subtle, naked folk-soul, and his empathetic band and smartly constructed setlists have the potential to be a real experience and not just another performance. Before Trey and TAB burn it down to close the inaugural Hangout Fest, let LaMontagne carry you to a quieter but equally powerful place.

Check back with JamBase on Monday for scads of photos and other highlights from the first Hangout Beach Music & Arts Festival, and be sure to also tune in to our real-time Twitter updates page at http://www.jambase.com/hangoutfest throughout the weekend.

JamBase | Alabama Shore
Go See Live Music!


Hangout Fest: Donates All Profits Adds Preservation Hall Jazz Band

NEW FESTIVAL PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON RECENT ENVIROMENTAL DISASTER
DONATES ALL PROFITS TO REGIONAL COASTAL CLEANUP

Preservation Hall Jazz Band

The Hangout Beach Music and Arts Festival has officially announced that environmental activists Erin Brockovich, Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy and Sierra Club Board President Allison Chin will participate in public panel discussion and press conferences at the festival on Saturday, May 15 at 3 p.m. and Sunday, May 16 at 2:30 p.m.

Venerable New Orleans performers the Preservation Hall Jazz Band will appear at the Hangout. Huka Entertainment, producer of the Hangout, and Rehage Entertainment, producer of Gulf Aid and Voodoo Experience, have tapped New York City-based television network Fuse TV to film the band’s experiences traveling across Louisiana and Alabama for the “Concerts for the Coast” documentary project. On the tour, the band will visit establishments along the Gulf Coast interviewing residents affected by the oil spill. The tour will arrive at the Hangout on Friday, May 14, where The Preservation Hall Jazz Band will join Hangout headliners Trey Anastasio and TAB, Zac Brown Band, Alison Krauss & Union Station feat. Jerry Douglas and The Black Crowes.

In light of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill affecting the Gulf Coast, the Hangout Beach Music and Arts Festival will be donating all profits to regional coastal cleanup and preservation. In an effort to expand awareness and increase donations, The Hangout, along with New Orleans producer Stephen Rehage, will expand the Concert For The Coast to New Orleans. This two-city concert experience features The Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama and a one-day concert event on Sunday, May 16th in downtown New Orleans. Preservation Hall Jazz Band will be on hand at both events.

The Hangout Beach Music and Arts Festival takes place Friday, May 14 – Sunday, May 16 at 101 East Beach Boulevard, Gulf Shores, Alabama (The Southern End of AL-Hwy 59). Tickets are $159 Three-Day Pass / $79 Day Passes.

Confirmed Artists: Trey Anastasio and TAB, Zac Brown Band, John Legend, Ben Harper and Relentless7, The Black Crowes, Alison Krauss and Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Gov’t Mule, The Roots, Ray LaMontagne, Jakob Dylan and Three Legs feat. Neko Case and Kelly Hogan, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Robert Randolph and The Family Band, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Funky Meters, Blind Boys of Alabama, Matisyahu, Girl Talk, Guster, Brett Dennen, Keller Williams, Jerry Jeff Walker, Papa Mali & Friends, North Mississippi Allstars Duo, ALO, The Whigs, Ozomatli, OK Go, Orianthi, Davy Knowles & Back Door Slam, Pnuma Trio, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, Toubab Krewe, Needtobreathe, Jeff Austin & Friends feat. Larry Keel, Matt Hires, A.A. Bondy, Rachel Goodrich, Moon Taxi, El Cantador, Kristy Lee, Roman Street, Kirsten Price, Honey Island Swamp Band, Wild Sweet Orange, Rustlanders, Ben Arthur, Hightide Blues, Jon Black, The Cary Laine Band, and Rollin’ in the Hay.