Thanks to Andrew Robertson in Adelaide for sharing his delight at a
Dadrock bonanza about to hit Australia, after posting it on a Van the Man discussion list:
“… how fantastic things have suddenly become!
“This time next week, Gayle and I will be somewhere over the Pacific, on our way to LA to see VAN MORRISON at Hollywood Bowl. And to meet half the Van list, at last count!
“Today, I just bought 3rd row seats to see LEONARD COHEN right here in Adelaide in January. I had read the glowing reports about his recent Northern Hemisphere tour on various websites and from a number of Van listers, but I’d thought that was a once only and wouldn’t make it to Oz – so I couldn’t believe it when I found a pre-sale offer in my inbox today! Supported by Paul Kelly, who is Australia’s most distinguished singer-songwriter and always great.
“But that’s not all – we also have NEIL YOUNG here in January. Enough said.
“Then JOHN McLAUGHLIN and CHICK COREA in February, which I am really looking forward to. I saw the Mahavishnu Orchestra in the 70s with Jean Luc Ponty on electric violin, and I think that concert changed the way I appreciated music
“Then JACKSON BROWNE in March, this time with band – last time was solo acoustic, and I recall reviewing that on the list, one of the truly great concerts I’ve seen. I haven’t heard his new album yet, not sure it’s been released here yet, but Jackson Browne remains an enduring favourite.
“And as I’ve previously mentioned, after Van but before Christmas, we still have John Mellencamp in Adelaide and STING at the SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE doing his classical lute concert, Tales from the Labyrinth. Having seen Sting earlier this year in the Police reunion concert, which was the perfect pop show, but before that also having seen Sting the jazz artist in another perception-changing concert, I am really looking forward to being introduced to the lute!
“What more could a poor boy want?”
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Leonard Cohen celebrated in new MOJO
As Leonard Cohen prepares for the next leg of his triumphant world tour, the new (“December”) issue of MOJO, the London-based heritage rock monthly, has an impressive 11-page feature on the great poet-musician. Recommended.
Most of it’s taken up by a probing new interview and a buyer’s guide to the Cohen discography, both by Sylvie Simmons.
MOJO also has a Lenny cover – a recent portrait complete with grey goatee beard and rakish peaked cap – and a free CD of new covers of Cohen songs.
(The US edition apparently has a Metallica cover, lending support to the line peddled here that the US doesn’t really get Laughing Len as much as Europe – or Canada.)
Gerry Smith
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
RELATED RECENT ARTICLE, (18 July 2008)
Leonard Cohen in London: Hallelujah!
Death-bed scene: “Well, Dad, that’s the money sorted out: you seem to have blown most of it on live music. As a matter of interest, what were your top five gigs?”
I think I’d have to include last night’s London leg of the Leonard Cohen tour at the O2 (aka Millennium Dome).
The septuagenarian charmer delivered almost three hours of intense beauty, deep joy and not a little glee.
For the assembled 20,000, it was a predictably reverential (if unexpectedly intimate), celebration of a major, rarely seen, talent.
The setlist (below) was remarkable, Zeitgeist-marking signature songs succeeding each other, relentlessly. Cohen’s performance was energetic, engaged, generous. His singing made you suspect that maybe he really does have the gift of a golden voice after all. His spoken renditions, particularly of A Thousand Kisses Deep, were deeply moving.
Hallelujah! What a writer! What a performer! What a charismatic, inspirational man.
Band – 6 plus 3 vocalists – were accomplished accomplices. Horn-man Dino Soldo was particularly impressive. Sound quality was the best I’ve heard at an amplified gig. Staging, lighting, vision/mixing on big screens were all benchmark quality.
I’d waited many years to see Leonard, the second best writer/performer of the rock era. It was well worth the wait.
SETLIST (approximate):
1. Dance Me to the End of Love
2. The Future
3. Ain't No Cure for Love
4. Bird on a Wire
5. Everybody Knows
6. In My Secret Life
7. Who by Fire
8. Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye
9. Anthem
10. Tower of Song
11. Suzanne
12. The Gypsy's Wife
13. Boogie Street
14. Hallelujah
15. Democracy
16. I'm Your Man
17. Take This Waltz
18. First We Take Manhattan
19. Sisters of Mercy
20. If It Be Your Will
21. A Thousand Kisses Deep
22. So Long, Marianne
23. Closing Time
24. I Tried to Leave You
25. Whither Thou Goest
A perfect 10, then?
Not quite. A churl could point to the slight unevenness of the setlist: it flagged a bit towards the end of the second half. The finales were underwhelming – the welcome Webb Sisters duet was wrongly positioned; Closing Time is dramatically and melodically too weak to close a show.
And there was an ever-present threat that the show might tip over into mainstream showbiz hoopla – Leonard’s frequent name-checking of the band palled early; he was far too nice to the assembled hordes; and you suspected that the “spontaneous” jokes had been the same at most gigs on the tour.
For most performers, all this would have been a turn-off. For Leonard, we can make an exception.
Gerry Smith
Most of it’s taken up by a probing new interview and a buyer’s guide to the Cohen discography, both by Sylvie Simmons.
MOJO also has a Lenny cover – a recent portrait complete with grey goatee beard and rakish peaked cap – and a free CD of new covers of Cohen songs.
(The US edition apparently has a Metallica cover, lending support to the line peddled here that the US doesn’t really get Laughing Len as much as Europe – or Canada.)
Gerry Smith
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
RELATED RECENT ARTICLE, (18 July 2008)
Leonard Cohen in London: Hallelujah!
Death-bed scene: “Well, Dad, that’s the money sorted out: you seem to have blown most of it on live music. As a matter of interest, what were your top five gigs?”
I think I’d have to include last night’s London leg of the Leonard Cohen tour at the O2 (aka Millennium Dome).
The septuagenarian charmer delivered almost three hours of intense beauty, deep joy and not a little glee.
For the assembled 20,000, it was a predictably reverential (if unexpectedly intimate), celebration of a major, rarely seen, talent.
The setlist (below) was remarkable, Zeitgeist-marking signature songs succeeding each other, relentlessly. Cohen’s performance was energetic, engaged, generous. His singing made you suspect that maybe he really does have the gift of a golden voice after all. His spoken renditions, particularly of A Thousand Kisses Deep, were deeply moving.
Hallelujah! What a writer! What a performer! What a charismatic, inspirational man.
Band – 6 plus 3 vocalists – were accomplished accomplices. Horn-man Dino Soldo was particularly impressive. Sound quality was the best I’ve heard at an amplified gig. Staging, lighting, vision/mixing on big screens were all benchmark quality.
I’d waited many years to see Leonard, the second best writer/performer of the rock era. It was well worth the wait.
SETLIST (approximate):
1. Dance Me to the End of Love
2. The Future
3. Ain't No Cure for Love
4. Bird on a Wire
5. Everybody Knows
6. In My Secret Life
7. Who by Fire
8. Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye
9. Anthem
10. Tower of Song
11. Suzanne
12. The Gypsy's Wife
13. Boogie Street
14. Hallelujah
15. Democracy
16. I'm Your Man
17. Take This Waltz
18. First We Take Manhattan
19. Sisters of Mercy
20. If It Be Your Will
21. A Thousand Kisses Deep
22. So Long, Marianne
23. Closing Time
24. I Tried to Leave You
25. Whither Thou Goest
A perfect 10, then?
Not quite. A churl could point to the slight unevenness of the setlist: it flagged a bit towards the end of the second half. The finales were underwhelming – the welcome Webb Sisters duet was wrongly positioned; Closing Time is dramatically and melodically too weak to close a show.
And there was an ever-present threat that the show might tip over into mainstream showbiz hoopla – Leonard’s frequent name-checking of the band palled early; he was far too nice to the assembled hordes; and you suspected that the “spontaneous” jokes had been the same at most gigs on the tour.
For most performers, all this would have been a turn-off. For Leonard, we can make an exception.
Gerry Smith
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tell Tale Signs… and Neil Young Night on TV
Thanks to Martin Cowan:
“Pitchfork has a cracking review of Dylan’s new release, Tell Tale Signs:
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com
“And just a reminder that this Friday, 31 October, sees BBC4 indulging in Neil Young Night, with the following line up:
9.30pm - In Concert: Neil Young - a 1971 gig by the singer/songwriter, showcasing songs from Harvest
10.00pm - Neil Young - Don't Be Denied. Tracing the musical journey of the legendary sing/songwriter through interviews and unseen performance footage.
11.00pm - CSNY/Deja Vu. A record of the 2006 Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young "Freedom of Speech" tour that was built largely around Young's "Living with War" album.
“Also of interest on the same evening on the same channel at half past midnight is a repeat of Hotel California: from the Byrds to the Eagles.”
“Pitchfork has a cracking review of Dylan’s new release, Tell Tale Signs:
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com
“And just a reminder that this Friday, 31 October, sees BBC4 indulging in Neil Young Night, with the following line up:
9.30pm - In Concert: Neil Young - a 1971 gig by the singer/songwriter, showcasing songs from Harvest
10.00pm - Neil Young - Don't Be Denied. Tracing the musical journey of the legendary sing/songwriter through interviews and unseen performance footage.
11.00pm - CSNY/Deja Vu. A record of the 2006 Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young "Freedom of Speech" tour that was built largely around Young's "Living with War" album.
“Also of interest on the same evening on the same channel at half past midnight is a repeat of Hotel California: from the Byrds to the Eagles.”
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Fela Kuti to Neil Young, John McLaughlin to Mahler, Mozart to Ryan Adams
FREE! Music for grown-ups on the BBC in the next 10 days:
Hidden among its vast output, BBC TV and radio has some magnificent music for grown-ups - every week of the year. And it’s all free (well, sort of… ).
The next ten days sees an unusually rich feast of great musicians:
Wed 29 Oct
1200 & 2200 Mahler, Composer Of The Week – BBC Radio 3
(3/5, continues Thurs-Fri)
Thurs 30 Oct
2300 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (rpt) – BBC Radio 2
2355, David Byrne, BBC Four Sessions (rpt) – BBC Four
0055, Ryan Adams, BBC Four Sessions (rpt) – BBC Four
Fri 31 Oct
2130 Neil Young, In Concert (1971) – BBC Four
2200 Neil Young – Don’t Be Denied – BBC Four
2300 CSNY/Déjà Vu – BBC Four
Sat 1 Nov
1600 John McLaughlin, Jazz Library – BBC Radio 3
1800 Cosi Fan Tutte, from Vienna – BBC Radio 3
1900 The Fourth, the Fifth, the Minor Fall (Leonard Cohen’s masterpiece, Hallelujah) – BBC Radio 2
2400 Bud Powell, Jazz Library – BBC Radio 3
Sun 2 Nov
2315/0240 Neil Young – Don’t Be Denied – BBC Four
2400 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (new) – BBC 6 Music
Mon 3 Nov
1200 & 2200 Dvorak, Composer Of The Week – BBC Radio 3
(1/5, continues Tues-Fri)
Tues 4 Nov
2230 Fela Kuti, the Afrobeat Revolutionary – BBC Radio 2
Thurs 6 Nov
2300 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (rpt) – BBC Radio 2
2355 Beck, BBC Four Sessions (rpt) – BBC Four
Fri 7 Nov
2355, Randy Newman, BBC Four Sessions – BBC Four
Online access: many BBC radio programmes are broadcast online, streamed. Please see the channels’ web sites for details. Archived BBC radio and TV programmes are accessible online for a short period via:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
Gerry Smith
Hidden among its vast output, BBC TV and radio has some magnificent music for grown-ups - every week of the year. And it’s all free (well, sort of… ).
The next ten days sees an unusually rich feast of great musicians:
Wed 29 Oct
1200 & 2200 Mahler, Composer Of The Week – BBC Radio 3
(3/5, continues Thurs-Fri)
Thurs 30 Oct
2300 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (rpt) – BBC Radio 2
2355, David Byrne, BBC Four Sessions (rpt) – BBC Four
0055, Ryan Adams, BBC Four Sessions (rpt) – BBC Four
Fri 31 Oct
2130 Neil Young, In Concert (1971) – BBC Four
2200 Neil Young – Don’t Be Denied – BBC Four
2300 CSNY/Déjà Vu – BBC Four
Sat 1 Nov
1600 John McLaughlin, Jazz Library – BBC Radio 3
1800 Cosi Fan Tutte, from Vienna – BBC Radio 3
1900 The Fourth, the Fifth, the Minor Fall (Leonard Cohen’s masterpiece, Hallelujah) – BBC Radio 2
2400 Bud Powell, Jazz Library – BBC Radio 3
Sun 2 Nov
2315/0240 Neil Young – Don’t Be Denied – BBC Four
2400 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (new) – BBC 6 Music
Mon 3 Nov
1200 & 2200 Dvorak, Composer Of The Week – BBC Radio 3
(1/5, continues Tues-Fri)
Tues 4 Nov
2230 Fela Kuti, the Afrobeat Revolutionary – BBC Radio 2
Thurs 6 Nov
2300 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (rpt) – BBC Radio 2
2355 Beck, BBC Four Sessions (rpt) – BBC Four
Fri 7 Nov
2355, Randy Newman, BBC Four Sessions – BBC Four
Online access: many BBC radio programmes are broadcast online, streamed. Please see the channels’ web sites for details. Archived BBC radio and TV programmes are accessible online for a short period via:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
Gerry Smith
Monday, October 27, 2008
Richard Thompson – inspiring… spectacular…
Thanks to Larry Kosofsky in New Paltz, NY:
“Caught Richard Thompson at the 1859 Bardavon Opera House in Poughkeepsie, NY last night. He delivered two solid hours of inspired singing and spectacular guitar playing.
“No-one out there does what Richard does, and if you have a chance to see him, don't let it slip by. He gave us wonderful versions of old favorites like "I Feel So Good", "Valerie", "Beeswing", "Dimming of the Day", "'52 Vincent", and some newer tunes as well.
“His mordant humor was well evident, of course, and he richly deserved the standing ovations he received.”
“Caught Richard Thompson at the 1859 Bardavon Opera House in Poughkeepsie, NY last night. He delivered two solid hours of inspired singing and spectacular guitar playing.
“No-one out there does what Richard does, and if you have a chance to see him, don't let it slip by. He gave us wonderful versions of old favorites like "I Feel So Good", "Valerie", "Beeswing", "Dimming of the Day", "'52 Vincent", and some newer tunes as well.
“His mordant humor was well evident, of course, and he richly deserved the standing ovations he received.”
Friday, October 24, 2008
Drawn Blank exhibition set for UK tour
Drawn Blank, the magical exhibition of Dylan paintings, is set to tour UK galleries, starting late November.
The tour starts with a show at The Lightbox gallery in Woking, Surrey, in the heart of the “stockbroker belt”, on 25 November.
Organisers Halcyon Gallery promise a roll-out of additional dates for 2009 - watch this space.
And if you missed the London and Chemnitz shows, try to get to Woking – you won’t be disappointed.
Gerry Smith
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
EARLIER RELATED ARTICLE:
Dylan’s new art show: magnificent
Dylan’s new art show was unveiled to the world’s press (and the Editor of The Dylan Daily) yesterday morning.
I spent a couple of hours marvelling at the inspiring art on display. Four floors. Almost a hundred original canvases, many finished in several different versions. Twenty-nine Limited Edition signed prints. Lovely art. And so much of it – an entire building devoted to Dylan! And his signature on every piece.
I don’t know much about art, blah, blah … . But I adored this collection. Women, men, portraits, life studies, places - odd places, on the margins, everyday objects. Drawn, printed, then painted in vivid colours. Echoes of German Abstract Expressionism, I’m told. Dylan’s draughtsmanship might be stylistically naïve, but all the pieces evoke emotion. And his use of colour is remarkable.
As you’d expect, the collection displays a distinctive artistic vision. And yes, there are reminders of the Dylan worldview familiar from the songbook.
Would we be making so much of this show if the artist wasn’t Dylan? Who knows? Who cares? It’s Dylan’s art. And it’s inspiring.
Dylan Daily readers who can make it the Halcyon Gallery in London by 13 July owe it to themselves to see this magnificent show: it’s a big Dylan event, and it’s worth a long trip.
Drawn Blank opens Saturday and runs for a month. Be warned, though: they’ll probably be queueing round the block – so you’re strongly advised to book a timed visit, online (see below).
And if you were thinking of buying one of the originals, you’ll need big bucks – for the few original paintings not already sold.
TOMORROW ON THE DYLAN DAILY: Preview of the Drawn Blank Limited Edition exhibition and sale.
Gerry Smith
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Here are the two Halcyon Gallery press releases:
Halcyon Gallery holds first gallery exhibition of Bob Dylan art
The Drawn Blank Series launches in London on 14 June 2008
Location: Halcyon Gallery, 24 Bruton Street, London, W1J 6QQ
Exhibition opens: 14th June 2008
Exhibition closes: 13th July 2008
Opening hours: Monday - Sunday: 10am - 6pm. Last admission: 5pm
Nearest tube: Bond Street or Green Park
Visitor information: 020 7659 7640
Website: www.halcyongallery.com
Booking information: For details on how to book free timed tickets to the exhibition, visit www.halcyongallery.com - booking fees will apply
Mayfair's Halcyon Gallery presents the first ever gallery exhibition of Bob Dylan's artwork, The Drawn Blank Series. This new exhibition of paintings is the most comprehensive and authoritative collection of Bob Dylan's art ever assembled. While Dylan has been a committed visual artist for more than four decades, The Drawn Blank Series casts a vibrant new light on the creativity of one of the world's most important and influential cultural figures.
The paintings in The Drawn Blank Series visually echo the stylistic hallmarks of Dylan's prose, poetry and music. Just as Dylan's songs are constantly reinvigorated and rediscovered through his live performances, so these paintings revisit images and scenes which were captured in all their immediacy by the artist.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Halcyon Gallery to hold first gallery exhibition of Bob Dylan art
The Drawn Blank Series launches in London on 14 June 2008
One of London's most prestigious galleries, Halcyon Gallery in Mayfair, will present the first ever gallery exhibition of Bob Dylan's artwork, beginning 14 June 2008. The Drawn Blank Series exhibition is the most comprehensive and authoritative collection of Bob Dylan's art ever assembled. While Dylan has been a committed visual artist for more than four decades, The Drawn Blank Series will cast a vibrant new light on the singular creativity of one of the world's most important and influential cultural figures.
Based on drawings and sketches made by Dylan while on the road during the period of 1989 through 1992, the paintings in The Drawn Blank Series visually echo the stylistic hallmarks of Dylan's prose, poetry and music. Just as Dylan's songs are constantly reinvigorated and rediscovered through his live performances, so these paintings revisit images and scenes which were captured in all their immediacy by the artist.
The Drawn Blank Series has resulted in a collection which is at once a significant independent achievement and a fascinating extrapolation of themes and images which haunt his music.
Accompanying the originals exhibition at Halcyon Gallery, a unique and impressive collection of limited edition graphics, signed by the artist, will be available through selected galleries throughout the UK from 14 June 2008.
Paul Green, President of the Halcyon Gallery, commented, "This is an incredible opportunity for viewing this powerful body of work which gives an insight into the artists' soul; and which have already been the subject of widespread critical acclaim. Halcyon Gallery is privileged to be hosting this unique exhibition."
Bob Dylan is one of the world's most popular and acclaimed songwriters, musicians and performers, having sold more than 110 million albums and performed literally thousands of shows around the world in a career spanning five decades. His most recent album, Modern Times - lauded by critics around the world and selling more than 2.5 million copies to date -- entered the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart at #1, as well as debuting within the Top Five in 21 other countries.
Bob Dylan was recently awarded a special Pulitzer Prize for "his profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power." In 2001, he received a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for best song from a motion picture for "Things Have Changed" from the movie Wonder Boys. Dylan's Chronicles - Volume I, his recent memoirs released in October, 2004, was a world-wide best seller, spending 19 weeks on The New York Times Bestseller List. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in 1982.
Situated in the heart of Mayfair, London, Halcyon Gallery is one of Europe's leading art galleries, representing some of the finest contemporary painters and sculptors working today. Halcyon Gallery is committed to supporting and nurturing outstanding living artists, as well as specialising in fine art and masters original paintings, drawings and sculpture.
2008 marks the 25th anniversary of Halcyon Gallery and the opening of a magnificent new flagship gallery at 24 Bruton Street. This elegant Georgian building has been renovated to create a stunning exhibition space suitable for the finest art and joins Halcyon Gallery's existing space at 29 New Bond Street.
For further information about the exhibition of the original Dylan works at Halcyon Gallery please visit www.halcyongallery.com
The tour starts with a show at The Lightbox gallery in Woking, Surrey, in the heart of the “stockbroker belt”, on 25 November.
Organisers Halcyon Gallery promise a roll-out of additional dates for 2009 - watch this space.
And if you missed the London and Chemnitz shows, try to get to Woking – you won’t be disappointed.
Gerry Smith
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
EARLIER RELATED ARTICLE:
Dylan’s new art show: magnificent
Dylan’s new art show was unveiled to the world’s press (and the Editor of The Dylan Daily) yesterday morning.
I spent a couple of hours marvelling at the inspiring art on display. Four floors. Almost a hundred original canvases, many finished in several different versions. Twenty-nine Limited Edition signed prints. Lovely art. And so much of it – an entire building devoted to Dylan! And his signature on every piece.
I don’t know much about art, blah, blah … . But I adored this collection. Women, men, portraits, life studies, places - odd places, on the margins, everyday objects. Drawn, printed, then painted in vivid colours. Echoes of German Abstract Expressionism, I’m told. Dylan’s draughtsmanship might be stylistically naïve, but all the pieces evoke emotion. And his use of colour is remarkable.
As you’d expect, the collection displays a distinctive artistic vision. And yes, there are reminders of the Dylan worldview familiar from the songbook.
Would we be making so much of this show if the artist wasn’t Dylan? Who knows? Who cares? It’s Dylan’s art. And it’s inspiring.
Dylan Daily readers who can make it the Halcyon Gallery in London by 13 July owe it to themselves to see this magnificent show: it’s a big Dylan event, and it’s worth a long trip.
Drawn Blank opens Saturday and runs for a month. Be warned, though: they’ll probably be queueing round the block – so you’re strongly advised to book a timed visit, online (see below).
And if you were thinking of buying one of the originals, you’ll need big bucks – for the few original paintings not already sold.
TOMORROW ON THE DYLAN DAILY: Preview of the Drawn Blank Limited Edition exhibition and sale.
Gerry Smith
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Here are the two Halcyon Gallery press releases:
Halcyon Gallery holds first gallery exhibition of Bob Dylan art
The Drawn Blank Series launches in London on 14 June 2008
Location: Halcyon Gallery, 24 Bruton Street, London, W1J 6QQ
Exhibition opens: 14th June 2008
Exhibition closes: 13th July 2008
Opening hours: Monday - Sunday: 10am - 6pm. Last admission: 5pm
Nearest tube: Bond Street or Green Park
Visitor information: 020 7659 7640
Website: www.halcyongallery.com
Booking information: For details on how to book free timed tickets to the exhibition, visit www.halcyongallery.com - booking fees will apply
Mayfair's Halcyon Gallery presents the first ever gallery exhibition of Bob Dylan's artwork, The Drawn Blank Series. This new exhibition of paintings is the most comprehensive and authoritative collection of Bob Dylan's art ever assembled. While Dylan has been a committed visual artist for more than four decades, The Drawn Blank Series casts a vibrant new light on the creativity of one of the world's most important and influential cultural figures.
The paintings in The Drawn Blank Series visually echo the stylistic hallmarks of Dylan's prose, poetry and music. Just as Dylan's songs are constantly reinvigorated and rediscovered through his live performances, so these paintings revisit images and scenes which were captured in all their immediacy by the artist.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Halcyon Gallery to hold first gallery exhibition of Bob Dylan art
The Drawn Blank Series launches in London on 14 June 2008
One of London's most prestigious galleries, Halcyon Gallery in Mayfair, will present the first ever gallery exhibition of Bob Dylan's artwork, beginning 14 June 2008. The Drawn Blank Series exhibition is the most comprehensive and authoritative collection of Bob Dylan's art ever assembled. While Dylan has been a committed visual artist for more than four decades, The Drawn Blank Series will cast a vibrant new light on the singular creativity of one of the world's most important and influential cultural figures.
Based on drawings and sketches made by Dylan while on the road during the period of 1989 through 1992, the paintings in The Drawn Blank Series visually echo the stylistic hallmarks of Dylan's prose, poetry and music. Just as Dylan's songs are constantly reinvigorated and rediscovered through his live performances, so these paintings revisit images and scenes which were captured in all their immediacy by the artist.
The Drawn Blank Series has resulted in a collection which is at once a significant independent achievement and a fascinating extrapolation of themes and images which haunt his music.
Accompanying the originals exhibition at Halcyon Gallery, a unique and impressive collection of limited edition graphics, signed by the artist, will be available through selected galleries throughout the UK from 14 June 2008.
Paul Green, President of the Halcyon Gallery, commented, "This is an incredible opportunity for viewing this powerful body of work which gives an insight into the artists' soul; and which have already been the subject of widespread critical acclaim. Halcyon Gallery is privileged to be hosting this unique exhibition."
Bob Dylan is one of the world's most popular and acclaimed songwriters, musicians and performers, having sold more than 110 million albums and performed literally thousands of shows around the world in a career spanning five decades. His most recent album, Modern Times - lauded by critics around the world and selling more than 2.5 million copies to date -- entered the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart at #1, as well as debuting within the Top Five in 21 other countries.
Bob Dylan was recently awarded a special Pulitzer Prize for "his profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power." In 2001, he received a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for best song from a motion picture for "Things Have Changed" from the movie Wonder Boys. Dylan's Chronicles - Volume I, his recent memoirs released in October, 2004, was a world-wide best seller, spending 19 weeks on The New York Times Bestseller List. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in 1982.
Situated in the heart of Mayfair, London, Halcyon Gallery is one of Europe's leading art galleries, representing some of the finest contemporary painters and sculptors working today. Halcyon Gallery is committed to supporting and nurturing outstanding living artists, as well as specialising in fine art and masters original paintings, drawings and sculpture.
2008 marks the 25th anniversary of Halcyon Gallery and the opening of a magnificent new flagship gallery at 24 Bruton Street. This elegant Georgian building has been renovated to create a stunning exhibition space suitable for the finest art and joins Halcyon Gallery's existing space at 29 New Bond Street.
For further information about the exhibition of the original Dylan works at Halcyon Gallery please visit www.halcyongallery.com
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Compelling Miles Davis cover on current issue of JAZZIZ
The current (September) issue of JAZZIZ has a compelling, beautiful Miles Davis cover, announcing a feature article questioning the primacy of Kind Of Blue among the jazz classics.
Cover and feature – a total of seven pages – were more than enough to persuade me to pay £7.95 for an imported copy of the mag at my local Borders.
The article, by Marc Myers, is a challenging piece – “the album’s impact on jazz has become somewhat inflated over time… the tracks all suffer from a dull similarity…”. It’s published to coincide with the release of the Kind Of Blue 50th Anniversary Collectors Edition.
The Miles cover is only the second issue of JAZZIZ I’ve ever bought. The first was in the early ‘90s when I was getting into jazz; I decided that its approach wasn’t for me.
Credit to its Boca Raton, Florida publishers, though – it’s beautifully designed and it was well ahead of the jazz-lite curve. Its success indicates that it supplies its market with the easy jazz/lifestyle content they want.
www.jazziz.com
Marc Myers blogs at:
www.jazzwax.com
Gerry Smith
Cover and feature – a total of seven pages – were more than enough to persuade me to pay £7.95 for an imported copy of the mag at my local Borders.
The article, by Marc Myers, is a challenging piece – “the album’s impact on jazz has become somewhat inflated over time… the tracks all suffer from a dull similarity…”. It’s published to coincide with the release of the Kind Of Blue 50th Anniversary Collectors Edition.
The Miles cover is only the second issue of JAZZIZ I’ve ever bought. The first was in the early ‘90s when I was getting into jazz; I decided that its approach wasn’t for me.
Credit to its Boca Raton, Florida publishers, though – it’s beautifully designed and it was well ahead of the jazz-lite curve. Its success indicates that it supplies its market with the easy jazz/lifestyle content they want.
www.jazziz.com
Marc Myers blogs at:
www.jazzwax.com
Gerry Smith
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
HMV has bargains, too
Just as Music for Grown-Ups was bemoaning the price of new Miles and Dylan boxes at HMV, sister site Dylan Daily carried a report of HMV bargains:
Dylan on Dylan and I'm Not There – heavily discounted
Thanks to Martin Cowan:
“I thought Dylan Daily readers would like to know that branches of HMV are currently offering Jonathan Cott's book, Dylan on Dylan, for £3 (RRP £8.99) and the DVD of I'm Not There as part of their 3 for £20 promotion.”
(And Fopp, HMV’s recently acquired subsidiary, is also discounting the single DVD version of I'm Not There – to £8 the last time I visited a Fopp store. Gerry Smith)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
EARLIER RELATED ARTICLE
New Dylan and Miles box sets - big price differences
The new Dylan and Miles box sets - Tell Tale Signs Deluxe and Kind Of Blue 50th Anniversary Collectors Edition – are big Sony launches destined to fill many grown-up Xmas stockings.
There’s a marked variation in prices from the different retailers, though. The best prices I’ve seen are from Zavvi online - £79 (Dylan) and £50 (Miles).
When I called in on Saturday, HMV Oxford Circus had a couple of eye-watering price tags: £95 (Dylan) and £85 (Miles), though the HMV combined web price is much lower - only £10 above Zavvi’s.
With every passing week, I find myself less and less inclined to buy from the big bricks-and-mortar London megastores; I used to be a big customer.
And their small branches seem to have given up on music. My local HMV now focuses on DVD and games, with music taking only a small proportion of floor space; I probably won’t bother going in there again.
Gerry Smith
Dylan on Dylan and I'm Not There – heavily discounted
Thanks to Martin Cowan:
“I thought Dylan Daily readers would like to know that branches of HMV are currently offering Jonathan Cott's book, Dylan on Dylan, for £3 (RRP £8.99) and the DVD of I'm Not There as part of their 3 for £20 promotion.”
(And Fopp, HMV’s recently acquired subsidiary, is also discounting the single DVD version of I'm Not There – to £8 the last time I visited a Fopp store. Gerry Smith)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
EARLIER RELATED ARTICLE
New Dylan and Miles box sets - big price differences
The new Dylan and Miles box sets - Tell Tale Signs Deluxe and Kind Of Blue 50th Anniversary Collectors Edition – are big Sony launches destined to fill many grown-up Xmas stockings.
There’s a marked variation in prices from the different retailers, though. The best prices I’ve seen are from Zavvi online - £79 (Dylan) and £50 (Miles).
When I called in on Saturday, HMV Oxford Circus had a couple of eye-watering price tags: £95 (Dylan) and £85 (Miles), though the HMV combined web price is much lower - only £10 above Zavvi’s.
With every passing week, I find myself less and less inclined to buy from the big bricks-and-mortar London megastores; I used to be a big customer.
And their small branches seem to have given up on music. My local HMV now focuses on DVD and games, with music taking only a small proportion of floor space; I probably won’t bother going in there again.
Gerry Smith
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Neil Young to Billie Holiday, Mahler to Goldfrapp, Jay Z to David Byrne
FREE! Music for grown-ups on the BBC in the next 10 days:
Hidden among its vast output, BBC TV and radio has some magnificent music for grown-ups - every week of the year. And it’s all free (well, sort of… ).
In the next ten days, for example:
Thurs 23 Oct
2300 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (rpt) – BBC Radio 2
2320 Mike Skinner, BBC Electric Proms – BBC2
Fri 24 Oct
2200 Goldfrapp, BBC Electric Proms – BBC4
0035 Jakob Dylan, Later… With Jools Holland – BBC2 (rpt)
Sat 25 Oct
2400 Billie Holiday, Jazz Library – BBC Radio 3
Sun 26 Oct
2400 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (new) – BBC 6 Music
2400 Goldfrapp, BBC Electric Proms – BBC4 (rpt)
Mon 27 Oct
1200 & 2200 Mahler, Composer Of The Week – BBC Radio 3
(1/5, continues Tues-Fri)
2330 Choo Choo Ch’Boogie: the Louis Jordan Story - BBC Radio 2 (4/4)
Tues 28 Oct
2235 Jay Z, Imagine… - BBC1
Thurs 30 Oct
2355, David Byrne, BBC Four Sessions (rpt) – BBC Four
0055, Ryan Adams, BBC Four Sessions (rpt) – BBC Four
Fri 31 Oct
2130 Neil Young, In Concert (1971) – BBC Four
2200 Neil Young – Don’t Be Denied – BBC Four
2300 CSNY/Déjà Vu – BBC Four
Online access: many BBC radio programmes are broadcast online, streamed. Please see the channels’ web sites for details. Archived BBC radio and TV programmes are accessible online for a short period via:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
Gerry Smith
Hidden among its vast output, BBC TV and radio has some magnificent music for grown-ups - every week of the year. And it’s all free (well, sort of… ).
In the next ten days, for example:
Thurs 23 Oct
2300 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (rpt) – BBC Radio 2
2320 Mike Skinner, BBC Electric Proms – BBC2
Fri 24 Oct
2200 Goldfrapp, BBC Electric Proms – BBC4
0035 Jakob Dylan, Later… With Jools Holland – BBC2 (rpt)
Sat 25 Oct
2400 Billie Holiday, Jazz Library – BBC Radio 3
Sun 26 Oct
2400 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (new) – BBC 6 Music
2400 Goldfrapp, BBC Electric Proms – BBC4 (rpt)
Mon 27 Oct
1200 & 2200 Mahler, Composer Of The Week – BBC Radio 3
(1/5, continues Tues-Fri)
2330 Choo Choo Ch’Boogie: the Louis Jordan Story - BBC Radio 2 (4/4)
Tues 28 Oct
2235 Jay Z, Imagine… - BBC1
Thurs 30 Oct
2355, David Byrne, BBC Four Sessions (rpt) – BBC Four
0055, Ryan Adams, BBC Four Sessions (rpt) – BBC Four
Fri 31 Oct
2130 Neil Young, In Concert (1971) – BBC Four
2200 Neil Young – Don’t Be Denied – BBC Four
2300 CSNY/Déjà Vu – BBC Four
Online access: many BBC radio programmes are broadcast online, streamed. Please see the channels’ web sites for details. Archived BBC radio and TV programmes are accessible online for a short period via:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
Gerry Smith
Monday, October 20, 2008
New Dylan and Miles box sets - big price differences
The new Dylan and Miles box sets - Tell Tale Signs Deluxe and Kind Of Blue 50th Anniversary Collectors Edition – are big Sony launches destined to fill many grown-up Xmas stockings.
There’s a marked variation in prices from the different retailers, though. The best prices I’ve seen are from Zavvi online - £79 (Dylan) and £50 (Miles).
When I called in on Saturday, HMV Oxford Circus had a couple of eye-watering price tags: £95 (Dylan) and £85 (Miles), though the HMV combined web price is much lower - only £10 above Zavvi’s.
With every passing week, I find myself less and less inclined to buy from the big bricks-and-mortar London megastores; I used to be a big customer.
And their small branches seem to have given up on music. My local HMV now focuses on DVD and games, with music taking only a small proportion of floor space; I probably won’t bother going in there again.
Gerry Smith
There’s a marked variation in prices from the different retailers, though. The best prices I’ve seen are from Zavvi online - £79 (Dylan) and £50 (Miles).
When I called in on Saturday, HMV Oxford Circus had a couple of eye-watering price tags: £95 (Dylan) and £85 (Miles), though the HMV combined web price is much lower - only £10 above Zavvi’s.
With every passing week, I find myself less and less inclined to buy from the big bricks-and-mortar London megastores; I used to be a big customer.
And their small branches seem to have given up on music. My local HMV now focuses on DVD and games, with music taking only a small proportion of floor space; I probably won’t bother going in there again.
Gerry Smith
Friday, October 17, 2008
Favourite ‘50s Rock Artist: Roy Orbison - Reader Survey #2
The favourite ‘50s rock artist of readers of Music for Grown-Ups is Roy Orbison.
When we surveyed readers over a period of a couple of months the results were:
Roy Orbison 26%
Elvis Presley 24.6%
Chuck Berry 21.9%
Buddy Holly 17.8%
Everly Brothers 9.5%
Little Richard 0%
Gerry Smith
When we surveyed readers over a period of a couple of months the results were:
Roy Orbison 26%
Elvis Presley 24.6%
Chuck Berry 21.9%
Buddy Holly 17.8%
Everly Brothers 9.5%
Little Richard 0%
Gerry Smith
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Favourite Classic Rock Album: Reader Survey #1
The Favourite Classic Rock Album of readers of Music for Grown-Ups is... Astral Weeks by Van Morrison.
When we surveyed readers over a period of a couple of months the results were:
Astral Weeks (Van Morrison) 35% of votes
Blonde on Blonde (Bob Dylan) 21%
Revolver (The Beatles) 15%
Tonight's the Night (Neil Young) 14%
Exile on Main Street (The Rolling Stones) 13%
Gerry Smith
When we surveyed readers over a period of a couple of months the results were:
Astral Weeks (Van Morrison) 35% of votes
Blonde on Blonde (Bob Dylan) 21%
Revolver (The Beatles) 15%
Tonight's the Night (Neil Young) 14%
Exile on Main Street (The Rolling Stones) 13%
Gerry Smith
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Sun Ra to Louis Jordan, Jakob Dylan to The Streets, Monteverdi to Goldfrapp
FREE! Music for grown-ups on the BBC in the next 10 days:
Hidden in its vast musical output, BBC TV and radio broadcasts some magnificent music for grown-ups - every week of the year. And it’s all free (well, sort of… ).
In the next ten days, for example:
Wed 15 Oct
1200 & 2200 Claudio Monteverdi, Composer Of The Week – BBC Radio 3
(3/5, continues Thurs-Fri)
Thurs 16 Oct
2300 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (rpt) – BBC Radio 2
2320 Gillian Welch, BBC Four Sessions (rpt) – BBC Four
Sat 18 Oct
2400 Sun Ra, Jazz Library – BBC Radio 3
Sun 19 Oct
2400 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (new) – BBC 6 Music
Mon 20 Oct
2330 Choo Choo Ch’Boogie: the Louis Jordan Story - BBC Radio 2 (3/4)
Tues 21 Oct
2320 Jakob Dylan, Later… With Jools Holland – BBC2
Thurs 23 Oct
2300 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (rpt) – BBC Radio 2
2320 Mike Skinner, BBC Electric Proms – BBC2
Fri 24 Oct
2200 Goldfrapp, BBC Electric Proms – BBC4
0035 Jakob Dylan, Later… With Jools Holland – BBC2 (rpt)
Online access: many BBC radio programmes are broadcast online, streamed. Please see the channels’ web sites for details. Archived BBC radio and TV programmes are accessible online for a short period via:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
Commercial TV highlights:
Fri 17 Oct
2420 The Beatles, All You Need Is Love (part 14), More 4
Gerry Smith
Hidden in its vast musical output, BBC TV and radio broadcasts some magnificent music for grown-ups - every week of the year. And it’s all free (well, sort of… ).
In the next ten days, for example:
Wed 15 Oct
1200 & 2200 Claudio Monteverdi, Composer Of The Week – BBC Radio 3
(3/5, continues Thurs-Fri)
Thurs 16 Oct
2300 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (rpt) – BBC Radio 2
2320 Gillian Welch, BBC Four Sessions (rpt) – BBC Four
Sat 18 Oct
2400 Sun Ra, Jazz Library – BBC Radio 3
Sun 19 Oct
2400 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (new) – BBC 6 Music
Mon 20 Oct
2330 Choo Choo Ch’Boogie: the Louis Jordan Story - BBC Radio 2 (3/4)
Tues 21 Oct
2320 Jakob Dylan, Later… With Jools Holland – BBC2
Thurs 23 Oct
2300 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (rpt) – BBC Radio 2
2320 Mike Skinner, BBC Electric Proms – BBC2
Fri 24 Oct
2200 Goldfrapp, BBC Electric Proms – BBC4
0035 Jakob Dylan, Later… With Jools Holland – BBC2 (rpt)
Online access: many BBC radio programmes are broadcast online, streamed. Please see the channels’ web sites for details. Archived BBC radio and TV programmes are accessible online for a short period via:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
Commercial TV highlights:
Fri 17 Oct
2420 The Beatles, All You Need Is Love (part 14), More 4
Gerry Smith
Monday, October 13, 2008
In the field of opportunity… it’s Neil Young time again
The Neil Young PR machine is in full swing, in advance of a new album, the launch of the Archives series, and an important BBC Four biodoc.
Thanks to Martin Cowan for these links:
For the Neil fans, this in today's Observer Music Monthly:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/oct/12/neil-young-documentary
This puff for the forthcoming BBC4 doc:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/musictv/neilyoung/
Thanks to Martin Cowan for these links:
For the Neil fans, this in today's Observer Music Monthly:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/oct/12/neil-young-documentary
This puff for the forthcoming BBC4 doc:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/musictv/neilyoung/
Friday, October 10, 2008
Kind Of Blue – 50th Anniversary Collectors Edition
Columbia Legacy have pushed the boat out to mark the half century of the Miles Davis masterpiece, Kind Of Blue - a massive seller, with wide appeal well beyond the core jazz audience.
The new Collectors product includes:
* the most recent version of the CD, slowed down to correct pitch and with bonus track. (It normally retails for a discounted £5).
* a CD of earlier recordings by the KOB line-up. (Otherwise available on Miles ‘58 Sessions and as part of Jazz Track)
* out-takes (from the Miles/Coltrane box, and bootlegged on The Making Of Kind Of Blue).
Plus artefacts you’d find impossible to buy elsewhere – 2 DVD programmes, book, photo set, poster - or would probably no longer have a use for – a vinyl version of the LP. The rigid, tight packaging has been criticised for scuffing the discs.
It’s available from play.com for £55 (delivered).
The intended audience is in the title – collectors, who will love it. Fans of Miles music - rather than Miles artefacts - will already have the audio material and will mostly ignore it.
Grown-up listeners who don’t know the great album should spend £5 on the latest (slowed down) CD version - Kind Of Blue is timeless great art (though second to In A Silent Way in Music For Grown-Ups’ Top Ten Miles releases).
Gerry Smith
The new Collectors product includes:
* the most recent version of the CD, slowed down to correct pitch and with bonus track. (It normally retails for a discounted £5).
* a CD of earlier recordings by the KOB line-up. (Otherwise available on Miles ‘58 Sessions and as part of Jazz Track)
* out-takes (from the Miles/Coltrane box, and bootlegged on The Making Of Kind Of Blue).
Plus artefacts you’d find impossible to buy elsewhere – 2 DVD programmes, book, photo set, poster - or would probably no longer have a use for – a vinyl version of the LP. The rigid, tight packaging has been criticised for scuffing the discs.
It’s available from play.com for £55 (delivered).
The intended audience is in the title – collectors, who will love it. Fans of Miles music - rather than Miles artefacts - will already have the audio material and will mostly ignore it.
Grown-up listeners who don’t know the great album should spend £5 on the latest (slowed down) CD version - Kind Of Blue is timeless great art (though second to In A Silent Way in Music For Grown-Ups’ Top Ten Miles releases).
Gerry Smith
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Dylan’s Tell Tale Signs DeLuxe Edition – exclusive review of CD3
Thanks to Liam Mogan:
Just a few notes on the Exclusive Deluxe Edition:
Price
I paid £84.99 for it, which is considerably cheaper than the bobdylan.com price (although the package doesn't include the 7" single). The main question I suppose is it worth the money? The answer is no - £70.00 for an extra disc of material and a bit of packaging is daylight robbery. Sony must know they are only ripping off the diehards on this one. But, hey, I suppose was always going to buy it and I could have just bought the 2 disc edition and downloaded the extra disc. It still rankles though.
Packaging
The packaging is ok - nothing spectacular. The cds come in a small book format and the cd single artwork come in a exact replica. They both fit into a stiff cardboard case (it seems pretty heavy duty). It's basically quite similar to the Bob Dylan Scrapbook that was released a couple of years ago (but not as imaginative). The cd book has a few pictures and Rats Sloman's liner notes (expanded for this edition, obviously). It also has an attempt at listing the musicians who play on each track, but for some (especially the TOM sessions) it seems to just list every musician who played on those sessions as a whole! The cd single artwork is something of missed opportunity. I've looked through it once and probably never will again. Surely Sony could have come up with something more interesting? Maybe an overview of Bob's career during the period Tell Tale Signs covers, interviews with producers, players etc, more essays, historic reviews for the original albums etc.
Music
Obviously it's what is on the third cd that really matters and suffice to say there are some awe-inspiring tracks on here. What amazes me about the alternate takes, especially, is the legitimacy of each version. There is virtually no re-treading of musical ideas anywhere. I'm sure that there could have been twice as many alternative versions included and this expanded edition could have run to 5 discs easily, (even more with live tracks). These are my feelings on them
Duncan & Brady - This is not a good start. A traditional track ruined by a completely incongruous backing track. All manner of instruments clutter up the tune which whizzes along without purpose or direction. Bob sounds disinterested and slightly embarrassed. At worst it sounds like something from Knocked Out Loaded, at best an out take from Under the Red Sky. No wonder Good As I Been To You/World Gone Wrong followed.
Cold Irons Bound (live) - Bob and his band fire up the stage with a truly incendiary, power-charged version of a track which always sounds better live. The guitar interplay is dynamic and Bob's voice is focussed and elemental. Truly jaw-dropping.
Mississippi - The third(!) version on the set of this song has a slight reggae feel and whilst it has a certain charm seems a bit too calculated - as if Lanois (possibly) has instigated an attempt at a different style to shake things up.
Most of The Time - A more subtle version of the OM track. Less-obviously produced with a more rootsy feel (the acoustic guitars are more pronounced). I like this track a lot, Dylan leans into each word as if he means it. A gem.
Ring Them Bells - A great solo version. Piano and voice sound in perfect harmony. Its clearly the basis for later versions and rightly so. Without the shimmering guitars and intrusive echo it sounds just like it should.
Things Have Changed (live) - The band are in a tight groove and the overall feel is more relaxed that the studio version. Bob obviously likes this track and takes care over his delivery. A superb version.
Red River Shore - This take is slightly different from the one on Cd1 in that the band come in at the beginning as opposed to dropping in with each verse. After only a handful of listens its hard to say which one I favour. Safe to say both are beautiful works of art which only add to Bob Dylan's status as THE musical genius of the 20th century. (I can see why it was left off of TOM though - it just wouldn't have fitted in)
Born In Time - Similar to the version on Cd1. I prefer this version as, once again, it sounds less over-produced with Bob's voice in the foreground.
Tryin' to Get To Heaven (live) - Dylan as Sinatra! This is astonishing and as good an example of Bob's skill as a shape-shifter as anything he's ever done. From the simple guitar figure to the beautiful phrasing this lifts the doom-laden TOM version onto a different level altogether. The song is changed into a life-affirming tribute to a life well lived. Somebody shouts 'F**kin' Beautiful' at the end, which while apposite, completely breaks the spell Dylan and the band have just created! Someone should have Pro-Tooled it out.
Marchin' To The City - A definite 'filler'. It adds very little to the previous version and sounds slightly generic. The organ is very annoying indeed. One to skip.
Can't Wait - This is the best version of this song bar none. It starts spookily and mysterious and the slow pace adds depth to the lyrics and the performance. As the band comes in, their accompaniment is totally sympathetic. Great Vocals too. I could listen to this over and over.
Mary & The Soldier - I couldn't think of a better place to end than this spot-on cover. As good as anything on the 90s acoustic albums. Dylan sounds completely at home with just voice and lone guitar. The disparity between this and the first track on this disc, Duncan & Brady, is staggering.
I can only agree with most reviewers (the general reaction appears to be one of mass-adulation) that this collection re-affirms the sheer immensity and ever-changing nature of the genius that is Bob Dylan. Personally I can't wait until the next one....
Just a few notes on the Exclusive Deluxe Edition:
Price
I paid £84.99 for it, which is considerably cheaper than the bobdylan.com price (although the package doesn't include the 7" single). The main question I suppose is it worth the money? The answer is no - £70.00 for an extra disc of material and a bit of packaging is daylight robbery. Sony must know they are only ripping off the diehards on this one. But, hey, I suppose was always going to buy it and I could have just bought the 2 disc edition and downloaded the extra disc. It still rankles though.
Packaging
The packaging is ok - nothing spectacular. The cds come in a small book format and the cd single artwork come in a exact replica. They both fit into a stiff cardboard case (it seems pretty heavy duty). It's basically quite similar to the Bob Dylan Scrapbook that was released a couple of years ago (but not as imaginative). The cd book has a few pictures and Rats Sloman's liner notes (expanded for this edition, obviously). It also has an attempt at listing the musicians who play on each track, but for some (especially the TOM sessions) it seems to just list every musician who played on those sessions as a whole! The cd single artwork is something of missed opportunity. I've looked through it once and probably never will again. Surely Sony could have come up with something more interesting? Maybe an overview of Bob's career during the period Tell Tale Signs covers, interviews with producers, players etc, more essays, historic reviews for the original albums etc.
Music
Obviously it's what is on the third cd that really matters and suffice to say there are some awe-inspiring tracks on here. What amazes me about the alternate takes, especially, is the legitimacy of each version. There is virtually no re-treading of musical ideas anywhere. I'm sure that there could have been twice as many alternative versions included and this expanded edition could have run to 5 discs easily, (even more with live tracks). These are my feelings on them
Duncan & Brady - This is not a good start. A traditional track ruined by a completely incongruous backing track. All manner of instruments clutter up the tune which whizzes along without purpose or direction. Bob sounds disinterested and slightly embarrassed. At worst it sounds like something from Knocked Out Loaded, at best an out take from Under the Red Sky. No wonder Good As I Been To You/World Gone Wrong followed.
Cold Irons Bound (live) - Bob and his band fire up the stage with a truly incendiary, power-charged version of a track which always sounds better live. The guitar interplay is dynamic and Bob's voice is focussed and elemental. Truly jaw-dropping.
Mississippi - The third(!) version on the set of this song has a slight reggae feel and whilst it has a certain charm seems a bit too calculated - as if Lanois (possibly) has instigated an attempt at a different style to shake things up.
Most of The Time - A more subtle version of the OM track. Less-obviously produced with a more rootsy feel (the acoustic guitars are more pronounced). I like this track a lot, Dylan leans into each word as if he means it. A gem.
Ring Them Bells - A great solo version. Piano and voice sound in perfect harmony. Its clearly the basis for later versions and rightly so. Without the shimmering guitars and intrusive echo it sounds just like it should.
Things Have Changed (live) - The band are in a tight groove and the overall feel is more relaxed that the studio version. Bob obviously likes this track and takes care over his delivery. A superb version.
Red River Shore - This take is slightly different from the one on Cd1 in that the band come in at the beginning as opposed to dropping in with each verse. After only a handful of listens its hard to say which one I favour. Safe to say both are beautiful works of art which only add to Bob Dylan's status as THE musical genius of the 20th century. (I can see why it was left off of TOM though - it just wouldn't have fitted in)
Born In Time - Similar to the version on Cd1. I prefer this version as, once again, it sounds less over-produced with Bob's voice in the foreground.
Tryin' to Get To Heaven (live) - Dylan as Sinatra! This is astonishing and as good an example of Bob's skill as a shape-shifter as anything he's ever done. From the simple guitar figure to the beautiful phrasing this lifts the doom-laden TOM version onto a different level altogether. The song is changed into a life-affirming tribute to a life well lived. Somebody shouts 'F**kin' Beautiful' at the end, which while apposite, completely breaks the spell Dylan and the band have just created! Someone should have Pro-Tooled it out.
Marchin' To The City - A definite 'filler'. It adds very little to the previous version and sounds slightly generic. The organ is very annoying indeed. One to skip.
Can't Wait - This is the best version of this song bar none. It starts spookily and mysterious and the slow pace adds depth to the lyrics and the performance. As the band comes in, their accompaniment is totally sympathetic. Great Vocals too. I could listen to this over and over.
Mary & The Soldier - I couldn't think of a better place to end than this spot-on cover. As good as anything on the 90s acoustic albums. Dylan sounds completely at home with just voice and lone guitar. The disparity between this and the first track on this disc, Duncan & Brady, is staggering.
I can only agree with most reviewers (the general reaction appears to be one of mass-adulation) that this collection re-affirms the sheer immensity and ever-changing nature of the genius that is Bob Dylan. Personally I can't wait until the next one....
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Gillian Welch to Claudio Monteverdi, Louis Jordan to the Beatles
FREE! Music for grown-ups on the BBC in the next 10 days:
Hidden among the musical dross dominating its massive output, the multitude of BBC TV and radio channels broadcast magnificent music for grown-ups - every week of the year. And it’s all free (sort of).
For example:
Thurs 9 Oct
2300 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (rpt) – BBC Radio 2
Sun 12 Oct
2400 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (new) – BBC 6 Music
Mon 13 Oct
1200 & 2200 Claudio Monteverdi, Composer Of The Week – BBC Radio 3
(1/5, continues Tues-Fri)
2330 Choo Choo Ch’Boogie: the Louis Jordan Story - BBC Radio 2 (2/4)
Thurs 16 Oct
2300 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (rpt) – BBC Radio 2
2320 Gillian Welch, BBC Four Sessions (rpt) – BBC Four
Online access: many BBC radio programmes are broadcast online, streamed. Please see the channels’ web sites for details. Archived BBC radio and TV programmes are accessible online for a short period via:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
Commercial TV highlights:
Fri 17 Oct
2420 The Beatles, All You Need Is Love (part 14), More 4
Gerry Smith
Hidden among the musical dross dominating its massive output, the multitude of BBC TV and radio channels broadcast magnificent music for grown-ups - every week of the year. And it’s all free (sort of).
For example:
Thurs 9 Oct
2300 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (rpt) – BBC Radio 2
Sun 12 Oct
2400 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (new) – BBC 6 Music
Mon 13 Oct
1200 & 2200 Claudio Monteverdi, Composer Of The Week – BBC Radio 3
(1/5, continues Tues-Fri)
2330 Choo Choo Ch’Boogie: the Louis Jordan Story - BBC Radio 2 (2/4)
Thurs 16 Oct
2300 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour (rpt) – BBC Radio 2
2320 Gillian Welch, BBC Four Sessions (rpt) – BBC Four
Online access: many BBC radio programmes are broadcast online, streamed. Please see the channels’ web sites for details. Archived BBC radio and TV programmes are accessible online for a short period via:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
Commercial TV highlights:
Fri 17 Oct
2420 The Beatles, All You Need Is Love (part 14), More 4
Gerry Smith
Friday, October 03, 2008
Fine tribute to Charles Mingus in Composer Of The Week
Music for Grown-Ups is a big fan of BBC Radio 3 and its flagship series like Composer Of The Week.
The series, dealing in depth with a single composer over five one-hour programmes, covers all the big classical names, as well as introducing names you’ve never heard of. It’s the highlight of many music-lovers’ weeks.
All praise to the team for risking the wrath of staid, hidebound listeners in the classical ghetto by running this week’s programmes on jazz bassist and composer Charles Mingus.
Regular presenter Donald Macleod has been helped out by jazz buff Brian Priestley to produce a revelatory suite of programmes.
Here’s what’s being played this week:
Better Git It In Yo' Soul
Half-Mast Inhibition
Mingus Fingers, Lionel Hampton and his orchestra
Inspiration - Parts 1 and 2, Charlie Mingus and his 22 piece Bebop Band
Eclipse, Charles Mingus Octet with Janet Thurlow (vocal)
Getting Together
Pithecanthropus Erectus
................................................
Haitian Fight Song, The Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop
Ysabel's Table Dance
Scenes In The City
Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting
Moanin'
.........................................................
Jelly Roll, Mingus Ah Um
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
Gunslinging Bird
Open Letter to Duke, Mingus Ah Um CBS 450436 2 Tr 5
Original Faubus Fables
Meditations (excerpt)
Passions Of A Man
.......................................................
I Can't Get Started
Epitaph Part 2
Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
..................................................................
Don't Let It Happen Here
Don't Be Afraid, The Clown's Afraid Too
Sue's Changes
Epitaph: Ballad (In Other Words, I Am Three)
Online access: like many BBC radio programmes, Composer Of The Week is being broadcast online (streamed) and is archived for online listening for seven days after broadcast:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
Gerry Smith
The series, dealing in depth with a single composer over five one-hour programmes, covers all the big classical names, as well as introducing names you’ve never heard of. It’s the highlight of many music-lovers’ weeks.
All praise to the team for risking the wrath of staid, hidebound listeners in the classical ghetto by running this week’s programmes on jazz bassist and composer Charles Mingus.
Regular presenter Donald Macleod has been helped out by jazz buff Brian Priestley to produce a revelatory suite of programmes.
Here’s what’s being played this week:
Better Git It In Yo' Soul
Half-Mast Inhibition
Mingus Fingers, Lionel Hampton and his orchestra
Inspiration - Parts 1 and 2, Charlie Mingus and his 22 piece Bebop Band
Eclipse, Charles Mingus Octet with Janet Thurlow (vocal)
Getting Together
Pithecanthropus Erectus
................................................
Haitian Fight Song, The Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop
Ysabel's Table Dance
Scenes In The City
Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting
Moanin'
.........................................................
Jelly Roll, Mingus Ah Um
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
Gunslinging Bird
Open Letter to Duke, Mingus Ah Um CBS 450436 2 Tr 5
Original Faubus Fables
Meditations (excerpt)
Passions Of A Man
.......................................................
I Can't Get Started
Epitaph Part 2
Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
..................................................................
Don't Let It Happen Here
Don't Be Afraid, The Clown's Afraid Too
Sue's Changes
Epitaph: Ballad (In Other Words, I Am Three)
Online access: like many BBC radio programmes, Composer Of The Week is being broadcast online (streamed) and is archived for online listening for seven days after broadcast:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
Gerry Smith
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Astral Weeks – live in LA
Astral Weeks, Van Morrison’s masterpiece, is Music for Grown-Ups’ favourite rock album. So it’s a delight to be able to pass on the news that Morrison will be playing Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on 7 and 8 November.
On both nights, the second half of the Hollywood gig will be a cover-to-cover re-creation of the magnificent LP, with a band including original recording session players Jay Berliner and Richard Davis. Hardcore Morrison fans will also be cheered by the reappearance on a VanMan stage of revered horn player Ritchie Buckley.
The gigs will be recorded for a new album, Astral Weeks Live At The Hollywood Bowl, to be released on the singer’s new label, Listen To The Lion Records, in January 2000.
Mamma!
Gerry Smith
Astral Weeks, Van Morrison’s masterpiece, is Music for Grown-Ups’ favourite rock album. So it’s a delight to be able to pass on the news that Morrison will be playing Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on 7 and 8 November.
On both nights, the second half of the Hollywood gig will be a cover-to-cover re-creation of the magnificent LP, with a band including original recording session players Jay Berliner and Richard Davis. Hardcore Morrison fans will also be cheered by the reappearance on a VanMan stage of revered horn player Ritchie Buckley.
The gigs will be recorded for a new album, Astral Weeks Live At The Hollywood Bowl, to be released on the singer’s new label, Listen To The Lion Records, in January 2000.
Mamma!
Gerry Smith
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Bob Dylan’s new release, Tell Tale Signs – reaction and best price
A couple of hours in the company of Bob Dylan’s new release, Tell Tale Signs last night, courtesy of NPR Music’s streaming of the 2CD version, served as a reminder – as if it were needed! – that its author is an immense, unmatched talent.
The 27-track compilation is eloquent testimony to Dylan’s abundant creativity over the last 20 years. It underlines the continuity in his art and enriches your appreciation of the work, particularly the two strongest albums of the period, Oh Mercy and TOOM, as well as introducing many of us to almost a dozen new recordings demanding careful scrutiny.
Yes, it could have been done very differently, but I, for one, consider that Sony’s Bootleg Series programme is – still - a wonder to behold.
As for the main purchase options – one, two or three compact discs: I just don’t understand why anyone would buy the single CD version; the 2CD is the standard version, which 90% of readers are likely to buy; and the 3CD version is clearly aimed at collectors (the extra disc is destined to be massively bootlegged, but the packaging extras and artwork can’t be).
The target (UK) price for the 2CD version is £12.99 delivered – play.com, 101.cd, cd-wow and hmv are all discounting to that price, from the list £16.99. I contemplated asking my son to get me one in Paris next week, to get the French packaging, but with the FNAC online price at euro27, I plumped for play.com instead.
Roll on Monday: rapture in store! Thanks, Bob… Columbia – just keep ‘em coming!
Gerry Smith
The 27-track compilation is eloquent testimony to Dylan’s abundant creativity over the last 20 years. It underlines the continuity in his art and enriches your appreciation of the work, particularly the two strongest albums of the period, Oh Mercy and TOOM, as well as introducing many of us to almost a dozen new recordings demanding careful scrutiny.
Yes, it could have been done very differently, but I, for one, consider that Sony’s Bootleg Series programme is – still - a wonder to behold.
As for the main purchase options – one, two or three compact discs: I just don’t understand why anyone would buy the single CD version; the 2CD is the standard version, which 90% of readers are likely to buy; and the 3CD version is clearly aimed at collectors (the extra disc is destined to be massively bootlegged, but the packaging extras and artwork can’t be).
The target (UK) price for the 2CD version is £12.99 delivered – play.com, 101.cd, cd-wow and hmv are all discounting to that price, from the list £16.99. I contemplated asking my son to get me one in Paris next week, to get the French packaging, but with the FNAC online price at euro27, I plumped for play.com instead.
Roll on Monday: rapture in store! Thanks, Bob… Columbia – just keep ‘em coming!
Gerry Smith
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
