Music Report

Welcome to the Turkey Day edition of The Report.

Two nice shows this Monday 11/26:

Back at the Bowery Ballroom is a show headlined by Prefuse73 who might be placed in the Glitch genre which eschews traditional instrumentation, preferring to use more mechanized and non-natural sounds. Prefuse73 is by no means the epitome of this type of music but his tunes are very much focused on aural landscapes with plenty sonic texture more so than, say, songs dominated by vocals. Opening are two similar acts. This could be some freshness.
http://www.myspace.com/prefusion1973

And, Woodstock opener Richie Havens is performing as part of the 8th Annual Winter’s Eve at Lincoln Square. The legendary folk-singer and guitarist (who never quite blew up) is one artist seems to be bearing his soul every time he takes the stage, with every growled song and each feverish strum. [If you follow the link, the festival’s mascot is a snowman in a suit, which is creepy because snowmen don’t have legs]
http://lincolnbid.org/winterseve07/WE07entertainment.html

One of the most intimate settings I wouldn’t be uncomfortable recommending, the Knitting Factory’s Tap Bar, maximum capacity about 200, is hosting prolific MC Akrobatik out of Dorchester, Boston, Mass. Despite the poor credibility legal name of Jared Bridgeman, someone from About.com with knowledge of such things rated his song “Remind My Soul” as the 83rd best rap song of all time. It sure has the positive message of tracks like Nas’ “I Can” that is not uncommon throughout Akrobatik’s catalog. Not to be taken for granted, it is unlikely to leave a show like this without taking in some outstanding freestyling or flowin’ as the kids call it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKMzYoEzrp0

Also on plastic, there’s a new Miles Davis 6 CD set full of '70s funky rock-infused, R&B-soaked jazz called The Complete On The Corner Sessions. Sure, it sells for about a C Note but it comes with a 120 page booklet full of knowledge. Just having this on your shelf has got to yield serious credibility dividends.
http://miles-davis.com/onthecorner/

It’s getting into the Christmas season so I have to make my first Christmas music-related recommendation. It’s the soundtrack to the film This Christmas which has songs from a few of the smoothest R&B artists of the last 30 years: Marvin Gaye, Aaron Neville, Luther Vandross, Stevie Wonder, Anthony Hamilton and TLC.
http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/7536368/a/This+Christmas.htm

If you want an indie Christmas album (I don’t know why you would), you can download one here: http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2007/11/an_early_holida.html

Finally, the first-ever J.A.M. Awards and concert, a benefit for the late Jam Master Jay, will be held 11/29 at Hammerstein Ballroom. Performances include DMC, Snoop Dogg, Mobb Deep, De La Soul, Dead Prez, Papoose, Raekwon, Q-Tip, and Everlast and awards will be handed out to folks "for their outstanding efforts in promoting social Justice, Arts & Music" (hence, J.A.M.).
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/00003F4387D057E2