Podcasts, Mehldau, Worship and Oh So Much More!!!

BRAD FRICKIN' MEHLDAU!!!

Yup his concert on Tuesday was THAT good.  I'll probably have more to say about his performance on my radio show tomorrow.  But I will say that I've never seen someone play with such simple motifs in such fascinating ways in a live setting before.  To quote Jeremy from 52nd Street Jazz - "I wasn't a fan before this show, but I most certainly am now.  That was absolutely brilliant".

Speaking of my show, tomorrow I will be interviewing Andrew Penner from Sun Parlour Players in anticipation of their show in the peg on the 1st.  I was supposed to also be interviewing Rock Plaza Central, but they are stuck somewhere in the middle of the Rockies and don't have access to their cell phone (SUCK).  Yes that 'Penner' is a Mennonite 'Penner' and yes I will be making reference to that tomorrow.

The Apostle of Hustle podcast is currently up on the Winnipeg Folk Fest website and can be downloaded here.  Definitely not the best interview in the world, but still an enjoyable listen.  Their sets at the Folk Fest are going to be off the hook!

Most people who read this blog know my good friend Julia Thiessen really well, and most people know she's fairly brilliant, loves music, and enjoys dancing at somewhat random moments.  Below is a copy of a response she wrote to Carl Wilson's recent book on Celine Dion, where she asks the question 'where have the places of worship gone in pop music?'  A really good read, from a great writer.  Enjoy!!

The New Decay is On Air!!!

Well I'm back.  After months of no writing at all (you could thank my new house, baseball, and a dose of laziness for that) I've decided it's probably time to start this whole thing up again.  And why not?  These next few weeks are going to be full of shows that will knock your socks off.

Some things to look out for:

1. The Winnipeg Jazz Festival kicks it into high gear tonight with The New Pornographers playing Pantages.  Uber-political hip-hop outfit The Coup is playing the Pyramid along with Pip Skid and Hot Dog and Sue Foley of Twilight Hotel plays a solo set at the Windsor Hotel.

My pick of the night (and possibly of the Festival) has to be pianist extraordinare Brad Mehldau who's playing with his trio at the MTC.  Seriously, if you're going to see one show at this years festival better make this one it.  With his relentless approach to the keys, and his stunning ability to take pop songs (like "Wonderwall", "Exit Music for a Film", "Paranoid Android" or "Pink Moon"), and turn them into dissonant Jazz epics, this concert will not disappoint.

If you are going to make it to two shows at this years fest, make the second one Alice Russell, who is bringing her UK-Based Funk/Electronic outfit to the Pyramid tomorrow night along with DJ Hunnicutt and CO-OP.  This women has got some serious pipes, and can apparently bust a move on stage as well.  If you enjoyed Sharon Jones at the fest in years past, you will love Alice Russell as well.

Other Jazz Fest-related shows worth checking out would be John Scofield, (playing at the MTC on Thursday minus E.S.T. due the tragic death of Esbjorn Svesson), and Shout Out Out Out at the Pyramid (a show that is being MC'd by yours truly).

2. Tune into my show this Friday as I will be interviewing the fine folks from both Rock Plaza Central, and Sun Parlour Players in anticipation of their Canada show at the Lo Pub.

3.  Last , but certainly not least, I am currently working on some podcasts for the Winnipeg Folk Fest profiling some of the artists who will be playing at this years fest.  So far I've completed one consisting of a conversation with Andrew Whiteman of Apostle of Hustle and Broken Social Scene, and will have one up soon with an interview with Rolf Klausener of The Acorn.  I'll provide some links once the podcasts get posted.

So as you can see, it's been a busy month for the Decay, but I'm determined to start writing again more frequently.

Until next time ...