Music Report

Forsooth! The Music Report beckons.

Jim White plays the alt-country music that was popularized earlier this decade by Ryan Adams, Jeff Tweedy of Wilco and others. Critics call his albums a sometimes-dark but always beautiful tour of the American South without all the twang of traditional country western artists. Signed to David Byrne’s label Luaka Bop, Jim White is based in Athens, Georgia but he will be visiting NYC tonight for a show at Brookyln’s Union Hall and tomorrow a spoken word performance tomorrow to benefit Housing Works.
http://www.jimwhite.net/

Let’s jump back to 2001 for a throwback recommendation with contemporary importance. Lovage is the project and the album is “Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By.” Lovage was organized by producer Dan the Automator, who’s worked with Gorillaz, Head Automatica, and Dr Octagon, under his alias Nathaniel Merriweather between albums of his Handsome Boy Modeling School project. The other members of Lovage were Mike Patton of Faith No More, Jennifer Charles of Elysian Field and DJ Kid Koala. The album is intended to be tongue-in-cheek but offers legit grooves with “Stroker Ace” as a standout track. Patton and Dan the Automator are re-teaming under a new name, Crudo, for an album and performance at Sasquatch Festival in Quincy, WA.
http://www.bigbaer.com/nathanielmerriweather_lovage.htm

Today, I heard for the first time in quite a while a band I listened to quite a bit during my years at a privileged Southern University which will remain nameless. Jump, Little Children, formed in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, played their final show on December 30, 2005 but leave behind myriad beautiful songs including “Dancing Virginia” and “Cathedrals,” and a scholarship at the College of Charleston in their adopted hometown.
http://www.jumphq.com/

In cautionary news, Smirnoff has commissioned KRS-One, Q-Tip and Common to remix some of the tracks that made them famous. Street cred ensues until you listen to the songs which are under-produced and significantly worse versions of the originals. At least there are recipes for vodka cocktails to drink whilst you are listening.
http://smirnoffsignaturemixseries.com/

Rock the Rabbit 2008 is a campaign Playboy has put together whereby they’ve tapped
musicians across various genres to create T-shirts based on their signature bunny logo to be sold through Bloomingdales and their own website with some proceeds going to Rock the Vote.
http://www.playboy.com/magazine/features/rock-the-rabbit/

Get your ducats now for the inimitable Michael McDonald’s performance at the Blue Note March 4 and 5. Tables are sold out but you may be able to get a spot at the bar. I took this show in over the holidays and he strikes just the right balance of old Doobie Brothers material and Motown covers. Not to be missed. But if you do, Ben E. King will be “standing by” for you tonight through Sunday.
http://www.bluenotejazz.com/newyork/schedule/index.shtml