5.24.2001
Battle of the Bands. It is a tradition; a right of passage that every band must participate in before they can truly say that they are a great rock band. Careers are made, ego's are destroyed, and musical competitiveness is built very often on this huge event. Only a couple of years ago, a Battle of the Bands in Portland opened the door for Kerosene Dream to play a show at the H.O.R.D.E Festival. Opportunities like that have been know to launch bands to the next level, whether it be locally or nationally. For Salem area bands, it's the bragging rights to who is the best. In Portland, there are hundred's of bands and almost an equal number of clubs, so the competitiveness of the music scene is extremely low. Everyone knows who the big boys are, and everyone else is trying to get there; but in an area like Salem, the bands are fewer, and the clubs are almost non-existent, a weekend for the big bands can make a pretty poor weekend for everyone else in town. The Triangle Inn has taken the step forward to make the challenge. If you think you can play, if you think your the best, then come show us what you've got. The prize: The pot from 3 nights of music, sponsors awards, and bragging rights. 3 Judges will be grading the bands on 10 areas, ranging from musicality to onstage performance. The rules: Every band is required to play 6 original tunes, and 1 cover tune. The original tunes will be judged to base a bands songwriting abilities and musical competency. The cover tune will be for the judges to see how well a band can remake another bands piece of music. 5 bands will perform on Thursday, May 31st and 5 bands will perform on Friday, June 1st. The top 3 bands with the highest score will perform on Saturday, June 2nd for the grand prize. Just to stir things up a bit, The Triangle Inn has decided to not give a pre-determined band order. Instead, all the bands from each night will draw a number to see who plays when, so that there is no advantage to any band. This event will be a huge boost for the Salem music scene, and will be a great showcase for some very good local bands. Here are the participants:
The Catholic School Girls
Lowdown
Mesa Black
Aftertaste
Flaverpak
DV8
Two Headed Chang
Lum
Nigel
Remember to come on out and support your bands, and although I normally don't play favorites, COME SEE FLAVERPAK!!!!
Enough said, we'll see you there.
4:18 PM
3.6.2001
THE RETURN OF FUSION?
Some say that Jazz and Fusion are dead, some say that they never went away, and some say that the original forms have been watered down so much, that it is almost an insult to the original players who created it. Well, I have proof that it not only never went away, but that it is becoming a serious force on the music scene today, and that there are a lot of players who still believe that playing off-the-wall, intelligent, and provoking music is still where it's at.
I'm going to run down 3 of my favorite recent releases to show that they've got what it takes to keep your asses rocking while not simplifying probably the greatest musical genre ever.
VitalTechTones: Steve Smith, Victor Wooten, and Scott Henderson. What a lineup. 3 of the best players who have ever lived, each with a career by themselves proving their excellence, have come together for their 2nd album, and what an album it has proven to be. Led by drum master Smith, the songs on VTTII are just what you would expect from these 3. The album starts with a minute and a half ditty by Wooten with a little rap telling about VTT. From there you move straight into Sub Zero, filled with fast-moving slap bass, precise rock-fusion guitar, and more moving drum lines than your average joe can keep track of.
Smith, Henderson, and Wooten jam like it's going to be their last album, with every member soloing in every tune. But the spotlight seems to be more on Wooten on this album than anyone else. His playing is more focused than your average bass player, with Wooten leading the way melodically on most tunes, which is very refreshing since all 3 have the ability to take the tunes anywhere they want. Wooten's playing styles vary from minute to minute, with all of his influences coming out in every tune.
From funk to rock to jazz/fusion, Wooten is everywhere and still seems to be able to hold down the fort during solos and breaks by Henderson and Smith. These styles are shown by VTT, who play the board more than almost any other band I've ever heard. VTTII is filled with fast, furious funk-rock, fusion, mind-blowing meter changes and pure playing ability. Each of these guys knows what is going on and they are able to combine it all in one incredibly musical album. Does it get any better than this? With playing like this, it's really hard to say.
The Dave Weckl Band: For those of you who are familiar with Weckl, The Dave Weckl Band is an unfamiliar term. For those of you who don't know, Weckl has always written and released his albums using himself and keyboard wizard, Jay Oliver. So Weckl has a band now. After leaving Chick Corea, Weckl released his own albums in studio extraordinaire style, with incredible drumming and keyboard playing, with all of the songwriting done by Weckl and Oliver, with the occasional sit-in musician.
For this album, Weckl has a full band, with everyone participating in the writing and playing of the record. Personally, I have always liked Weckl a lot, but this is has to be his best album. The album title, Synergy, proves that it couldn't have been done without the input and playing of each member. Additions of Tommy Kennedy on Bass, Buzz Feiten on guitar, and Brandon Fields on sax make this one album I can't seem to quit listening to. Although many of the tunes are still based around different drum styles and rhythms, the other players made it a very musically enhanced album. The song "Wet Skin" is a funk tune that was meant as a tribute to the musical genius of James Brown, and the original concept was brought by Feiten. The sax just rips the tune up, with Kennedy and Weckl playing some of the fattest back-beats I've heard since Sly and the Family Stone's last album. A couple of ballads and a completely percussive tune show the versatility of the players, while keeping the music complex and moving. The last tune, "Tower '99" is a remake of an old Weckl tune, with a new face-lift and some of the funkiest sax and keys I have ever heard. All in all, this album is filled with incredible musicianship and writing that proves while these guys are still some of the best, even Weckl, in my opinion, has stepped to a new level.
The Dixie Dregs: Finally, back together at last, the original Dregs released a live album called California Screamin'. Recorded live at The Roxy in Aug. of '99, The Dixie Dregs show why they've always been the leader in rock-fusion. Stemming from their first album back in the late '70's, California Screaming is the build-up of over 20 years of making the best rock-fusion music ever. Led by under-rated guitar virtuoso Steve Morse, The Dregs have proven with this live album that fusion never went away, but has only gotten stronger under the wave of modern rock and pop when no one was looking.
A special guest appearance by Dweezi Zappa on the cover of Frank Zappa's well known tune, Peaches En Regalia, show the bands versatility as well as their love for all music that has meaning and inspires other musicians to play. The album shows the bands musical strength in their live shows, which has made them very popular all over the world for a very long time. The song line-up skips from rock to country with each member showing their chops off, and playing the crowd for all they can. In my opinion, this album of pure musicianship and genius with the original lineup of members from over 20 years ago is all the proof in the world the fusion is not dead.
11:53 AM
