The Bad Plus Comes to Yoshi's

For the better part of a decade, the progressive jazz trio known as The Bad Plus have been stirring up a musical stew that defies easy description. Drawing on sources as diverse as classical, jazz, rock, pop and beyond, they have created a singular aesthetic that forces even the most skeptical listener to rethink the commonly held notions of what differentiates one style of music from another. Their most recent effort features alt-rock vocalist Wendy Lewis on the critically acclaimed "For All I Care". On Friday, The Bad Plus will begin a three night stand at Yoshi's on Fillmore.

Following the release of Prog, described by Billboard as "easily the most likable and listenable jazz album of 2007," the trio wanted to try some new ideas and broaden their musical concept. To that end, bassist Reid Anderson, pianist Ethan Iverson and drummer David King took a giant step forward last February with the release of "For All I Care" (HUCD 3148) on Heads Up International. Simultaneously, Heads Up will released a limited-edition 180-gram double-LP (HULP 8148) including two bonus tracks - a cover of U2's "New Year's Day" and an original piece by Anderson entitled "You And I Is A Comfort Zone."

A mix of highly familiar rock and pop pieces alongside some not-so-familiar 20 th century classical compositions, For All I Care represents the band's egalitarian approach to all forms of music, regardless of source, genre or style. To their way of thinking, quality and integrity can be found at any point along the continuum.

"The 20th century is filled with music by great composers, but it's a mistake to assume that all of those composers are limited to classical or jazz or other types of music that are commonly considered to be 'high art,'" says Iverson. "There were rock and pop songwriters of that same period whose work was just as significant as the work of the classical composers. They're all part of a continuum of great music, and as such, they're all worthy of recognition and respect. That's what this record is about - recognizing the value of every aspect of 20 th century music, regardless of the genres in which their composers specialized."

The album also marks the first Bad Plus recording to include a guest vocalist as the fourth instrument in its sonic arsenal. Wendy Lewis, a longtime associate of The Plus and a fixture in the Minneapolis alt rock scene, steps in and takes the trio's ongoing experimental ride to a new level of exploration and sophistication.

But For All I Care is more than just an album pairing a singer with a backing band. The recording is inspired in part by the collaborative recording by John Coltrane and vocalist Johnny Hartman, released in 1963. "Coltrane's quartet had already developed a group language, and then they enlisted this incredible singer without changing the language of the band," says King. "In that same sense, this is still very much a Bad Plus record. We just happen to have a great singer singing the songs with us."

In the midst of The Bad Plus' characteristically unconventional approach, Lewis strove to avoid theatrics and let the lyrics and melodies speak for themselves. Paradoxically, her sense of understatement is in fact a solid addition to the band's sound. "I've really kept it sort of simple and straightforward," says Lewis. "I can do the vocal gymnastics, but for this project, I chose to just sing the songs. We're all improvisers in our own way, but I've always been a fan of Frank Sinatra, because he just sings the song. There's something about that approach to this record that just felt right. I just let the melodies be what they are. I didn't have to mess with them to make them exciting."

The set opens with an elastic and surreal version of Kurt Cobain's "Lithium," a song made famous during the brief but monumental reign of Nirvana as the vanguard of the grunge movement rooted in the Pacific Northwest. The inherently off-balance sensibility of the original song is ratcheted up dramatically by a tempo that seems to tilt and list like a ship on rough waters (for those who are counting as they listen, the track actually adheres to an odd but consistent time signature, says Lewis).

Other offerings from the rock and pop canon include equally offbeat versions of songs by artists as diverse as Pink Floyd ("Comfortably Numb"), Yes ("Long Distance Runaround"), the Bee Gees ("How Deep is Your Love") and Heart ("Barracuda"). Juxtaposed with these are a number of 20 th century classical pieces by an equally varied list of composers including Györgi Ligeti, Milton Babbitt and Igor Stravinsky.

The Stravinsky piece, "Variation d'Apollon," entered The Bad Plus' collective consciousness many years ago by way of Anderson's telephone answering machine. "I called him once and left him a message," says Iverson, "and when I talked to him later I said, 'Man, what's that great music on your answering machine?' He told me what it was, and I got the music and I learned it. We talked about it over the years until finally we decided it was time to put up or shut up. The same is true of all the classical pieces on this recording. They're all pieces that we've all had emotional responses to in the moment, to the point where we said, 'Well, let's just do this.'"

Even after the final mastering, manufacturing and release, For All I Care is still very much a work in progress. The songs were recorded in April 2008, then played live less than a half-dozen times prior to the release of the album. "On all the other records we've made, the music had been road tested for a long time," says Anderson. "In this case, we didn't have that opportunity, and we also just wanted to change the process anyway. So we worked out the arrangements and we had a pretty good idea of what we were going to do before we started recording, but it's all still pretty fresh and raw. All the songs are almost as new to us as they are to anybody listening to them."

The philosophy behind the album is cleverly implied in its title. While For All I Care may sound like an expression of apathy, it is anything but. The phrase is lifted from Cobain's "Lithium," but in the context of this recording, the overriding message is that The Bad Plus - collectively and as individuals - embraces and appreciates all forms of music, enough to showcase any and all of them in a single recording.

"We really care about classical music, and we also care about the more improvisational forms like rock, pop and jazz," says Iverson. "I believe that we can pay composers like Ligeti and Stravinsky and Babbitt the respect they deserve, and we can also recognize composers like Kurt Cobain and Pink Floyd's Roger Waters and David Gilmour as poets at the same time."

In the end, The Bad Plus seeks to level the playing field. "We're not going to treat one kind of music like high art and another like disposable entertainment," says King. "We consider the whole spectrum to be worthy of our detailed attention and worthy of the same respect."

The Bad Plus
Yoshi's San Francisco
Sep 11-Sep 13, 2009
Friday 8pm $21 & 10pm $16
Saturday 8pm & 10pm $21 


Sunday 2pm kids matinee show
$5 kids, $18 Adults


Sunday 7pm show $21

Bill Bruford's "The Autobiography"

Bill Bruford is no doubt one of the most influential percussionists England has ever produced. His work with the progressive rock groups Yes, King Crimson, Genesis and Gong are the stuff of legend. His love of jazz and his admirable forays into that realm with his group Earthworks and later, with pianist Michiel Bortslap have earned the kudos he so richly deserved. Bruford retired from public performance this year, to tend his massive catalogue, garden and spend time with his wife. We will miss seeing him live, but no one can blame him. His career has been one virtually any drummer would kill for, and in his wake he has left another gem, "Bill Bruford, the Autobiography". This fascinating, poignant and yet bittersweet tome recounts his journey as only he could tell it, and answers many of the things you may have wanted to know, but were afraid to ask. The historic era which gave rise to Britain's progressive music scene, the rise and fall of the world of music as we know it today, through the eyes of one who has truly seen it all, and then some.

I've been extremely fortunate to have seen most of Bruford's American performances; from King Crimson in '73, to his shows at the Iridium in New York in '07, a span of over thirty years, so many of the stories and groups he writes about were very familiar to me. That being said, Bruford's tale will speak volumes to those wanting a deeper understanding of how he came to be a true musical pioneer.

From his humble beginnings in England's Sevenoaks, Bruford recounts obtaining a pair of brushes from his sister and before long applying them to a sheet of cardboard. Soon he found himself in possession of a "red sparkle" drum set and a legend was born. Bruford was also fortunate to have grown up in England during the era of the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Cream and of course, the Beatles. Harrowing tales of late night drives for "last orders" after gigs; his contempt for the egos and the cardinal sin of keeping other musicians waiting; crafty and larcenous managers are all detailed and hilariously well documented.

Bruford's success with Yes would propel him and his fellow bandmates into the limelight; his departure following their painfully made, but extremely successful album "Close to Edge", found him in the headlines once again. Not for joining the incredible King Crimson, but for leaving Yes at its height. Nevertheless, Bruford's pairing with the enigmatic Robert Fripp would lead him down a path of innovation, exploration and acclaim for the next several years.

Following King Crimson's "disbandment" in '74, Bruford found himself in a journeyman's role with several of the well known prog-rock groups of the day; the French/Anglo group Gong and following Peter Gabriel's departure, he shared the drum duties with Phil Collins in Genesis. These adventures and others, led him to co-found "UK" with Alan Holdsworth of Soft Machine, Eddie Jobson of Roxy Music and former Crimso bandmate John Wetton. UK was ahead of its time and its greatest strength was perhaps also its biggest weakness. Bruford recounts this period in vivid and insightful detail. I managed to catch this one of a kind combo at Painter's Mill, Maryland in '78, opening for Al Dimeola in a truly unforgettable performance.

Sadly, UK with Bruford was not to survive, "too much, too soon, too heady", Bruford recalled. Not one to be daunted, Bruford soldiered on with Dave Stewart, (not the bloke from the Eurythmics), bassist Jeff Berlin and Holdsworth in a combo under his own name. Those of us who recalled seeing Holdsworth briefly with UK and with the late Tony Williams were thrilled with his efforts on Bruford's first two solo efforts, particularly "One of a Kind". Holdsworth didn't tour with this combo, however Bruford fills us in on the history of Holdsworth's subsequent replacement, the "unknown John Clark".

The 1980's saw Bruford return to the "bed of nails" he calls King Crimson, this time with the phenomenal; bassist/Chapman Stick player Tony Levin and fresh from Frank Zappa and the Talking Heads, guitarist Adrian Belew. Like many, I was a huge fan of this particular incarnation of King Crimson. Bruford's pioneering use of the electronic Simmons Drums and roto-toms gave the drumming world an "almighty clattering sound" that still stands the test of time. Some of the Bruford's most revealing passages are among this chapter and makes for riveting reading.

One of the things I most enjoyed about this book, (being a self admitted Bruford fan), was the back story on so many of his sessions during that era. One of my favorite pieces, is a tune entitled "Calliope" from Al Dimeola's album "Scenario". This rare gem features Bruford, Levin, and Jan Hammer. Recorded at Caribou Ranch during the newer Crimso era, Bruford reveals an amazing story about how that song was made that had me laughing out loud. There are many others like that, many sessions I've always wondered about. Bruford answers those mysteries and more; Kazumi Watanabe; Jamaladeen Tacuma; The New Percussion Group of Amsterdam; Ikira Inoue and his sessions with David Torn. I'm surprised he didn't mention the session King Crimson did with the Roches on "Keep on Doin' What You Do" several years ago. On second thought, it wasn't much of a session, but it's one of the best Roches songs I've ever heard, even if Bruford is only playing bells and a tamborine.

With King Crimson on continual hiatus or Fripp adding a "double trio", Bruford surprised everyone again by creating his forward thinking jazz ensemble Earthworks. I was mesmerized by this group when they first appeared in '87. Bruford's blend of electronic percussion, "chordal drums" and samples alongside Django Bates, Iain Ballamy and Mick Hutton was breathtaking. The inside story of the creation and rebirth of Earthworks will leave you astounded and Bruford's candid retelling is one of the best in the book.

Bruford's long love affair with electronic drumming would soon come to an end, culminating in an unforgiving computer crash/meltdown at a Yes "Reunion" show in New York, (a tour Bruford rightly and ruefully recounts). Bruford once told me, "Everything is designed to go bad." With his electronic days behind him, Bruford remade Earthworks as an all-acoustic line-up in the mid '90s, complete with his timpani-style drum set-up. If had thought that the electronic version was going to be tough to match, I was mistaken. The gorgeous piano playing and writing of Steve Hamilton/Gwlym Simcock, the saxes of Patrick Clahar/Tim Garland, and the bases of Mark Hodgson/Lawrence Cottle, coupled with some of the best writing Bruford has ever done, made Earthworks Mark II and III one of the best jazz ensembles of our time. His musical "conversations" with Dutch pianist Michiel Bortslap were equally enjoyable and I was fortune to catch their performance at the Bath International Music Festival in '07. Those performances were recorded live and were the basis for their third effort together, "In Two Minds".

There are many, many more stories in this well written tome; his dedicated wife Carolyn; the creation of his album "If Summer Had It's Ghosts" with Ralph Towner and Eddie Gomez, but perhaps the most telling is Bruford's assessment of the modern music machine. Having experienced the industry as perhaps no one else has, Bruford's unique perspective on the good, bad and ugly business of the profession we call music is perhaps the most telling. Gone are the days when you and your chums could pack off to a gig and seek your fortune in the heady new era of rock and roll. These days, where anyone and everyone can make records in their bedroom, has changed all that and not necessarily for the better. We now live in a world where MP3s, DVDs, DJs and laptops seem to rule the day. Jazz it seems, is too often guarded by the retro-driven. There is simply too much music out there and not all, if not most of it, is much good. The culture of youthful marketing and the competition for your listening pleasure and the almighty Euro/Dollar continues to grow.

Too often, the greats stay too long in an attempt to reach the heights again. Bruford, like the wise champion who has scaled every height, has decided to leave the game on his own terms. That's something he has become famous for and it's how he'll no doubt be remembered. Bruford isn't dead, far from it. This fall he'll be releasing a much anticipated album with England's "Piano Circus". If you haven't seen them, imagine six stellar pianists arrayed in a circle, place the enigmatic Bruford in the middle, shaken, not stirred. The result will be just as you might imagine from a musician that in this writer's opinion rarely, if ever disappoints.

Kudos to Bruford for this informative, personal and moving autobiography. There is no doubt, he will continue to roll.

Guitarist Les Paul, 1915-2009

"Les Paul, the guitar virtuoso and inventor who revolutionized music and created rock 'n' roll as surely as Elvis Presley and the Beatles by developing the solid-body electric guitar and multitrack recording, died Thursday at age 94", wrote Nekesa Mumbi Moody of the Associated Press. One of the world's best known guitarists and innovators is gone. From Robert Fripp, to Jerry Garcia and Al Dimeola, Paul created guitars that would influence the entire planet for generations.

"Les Paul, the guitar virtuoso and inventor who revolutionized music and created rock 'n' roll as surely as Elvis Presley and the Beatles by developing the solid-body electric guitar and multitrack recording, died Thursday at age 94", wrote Nekesa Mumbi Moody of the Associated Press. One of the world's best known guitarists and innovators is gone. From Robert Fripp, to Jerry Garcia and Al Dimeola, Paul created guitars that would influence the entire planet for generations.

Moody continued, "Known for his lightning-fast riffs, Paul performed with some of early pop's biggest names and produced a slew of hits, many with wife Mary Ford. But it was his inventive streak that made him universally revered by guitar gods as their original ancestor and earned his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the most important forces in popular music.

Paul, who died in White Plains, N.Y., of complications from pneumonia, was a tireless tinkerer, whose quest for a particular sound led him to create the first solid-body electric guitar, a departure from the hollow-body guitars of the time. His invention paved the way for modern rock 'n' roll and became the standard instrument for legends like Pete Townshend and Jimmy Page.

He also developed technology that would become hallmarks of rock and pop recordings, from multitrack recording that allowed for layers and layers of "overdubs" to guitar reverb and other sound effects.

"He was truly the cornerstone of popular music," said Henry Juskiewicz, chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar, which mass produced Paul's original invention. "He was a futurist, and unlike some futurists who write about it and predict things, he was a guy who actually did things."

Paul remained an active performer until his last months: He put out his very first rock album just four years ago, and up until recently played every week at a New York jazz club.

The news of his death prompted an outpouring of tributes from the music world.

"Les lived a very long life and he got to a lot of his goals, so I'm happy for him in that respect. ... At least he realized that he was a legend in his own time while he was alive," said Richie Sambora, Bon Jovi's guitarist and a friend of Paul's, on Thursday. "He was revolutionary in the music business."

Youssou N'Dour's "I Bring What I Love"

'I Bring What I Love: Youssou Ndour,' is an award-winning music-infused cinematic journey about the power of one man’s voice to inspire change. Ndour is the highest selling African artist of all time and has collaborated with musical superstars like Bono, Neneh Cherry and Peter Gabriel. At home in Senegal, the Grammy-award winning artist is an inspiration for generations. The film chronicles Ndour, a devout Sufi Muslim, as he releases a deeply personal and religious album called Egypt in the hope of promoting a more tolerant face of Islam. Almost instantly, his fellow Senegalese reject the album, and denounce his actions as blasphemous. Director Chai Vasarhelyi follows Ndour for over two years – filming in Africa, Europe, and America – to tell the story of how he faces these challenges and eventually wins over audiences both at home and abroad.

Nathan Southern of the All Movie Guide wrote, "As one of two major documentaries on hotly debated Senegalese world musician Youssou N'Dour to emerge within a year of one another (see also Youssou N'Dour: Return to Gorée), this particular chronicle was produced and shot over a period of several years. Helmed by director Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, it witnesses the evolution and production of N'Dour's June 2004 album {^Egypt}, on the Nonesuch label -- the recording that details N'Dour fully expressing his newfound Muslim faith.

A veritable bedrock of controversy, the album courted objections from multiple countries: Americans objected because of their post-9/11 tendencies to attribute Islam to violent extremism; Senegalese DJs and radio-station proprietors objected given the odd discomfiture associated with playing religious music about Allah alongside often-racy selections by other acts. Even more significantly, N'Dour inadvertently carried this controversy a step further by performing live during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan -- thus infuriating Senegalese religious conservatives. The film witnesses N'Dour confronting these challenges head-on and, incredibly, surmounting them with great ease and finesse."

I'm a huge fan of Youssou and if you haven't had the chance to see him back in the day with Peter Gabriel, or on his own, then see this incredible film.

SAN FRANCISCO
Regal Stonestown - Held over
501 Buckingham Way
Daily Show Times: 1:00 4:00 7:00pm 10:00pm

Roxie Theater - Opening Friday, August 7th
3117 16th Street
http://www.roxie.com/
Daily Show Time: 9:40pm

EL CERRITO, CA - Opening Friday, August 7th
Cerrito Rialto Cinemas
Daily: 2:00, 7:00pm

8th Annual Outsound New Music Summit

Outsound Presents, the newly-minted nonprofit arts organization grown from the Bay-Area based DIY collective of local musicians and sound artists, is pleased to announce the line-up for the 8th Annual Outsound New Music Summit. "We're celebrating our intrepid hope for the arts with a fierce roster of talent", says Rent Romus, Outsounds founder and Executive Director. Despite a threatening economy for the arts, Romus reports that the choice to incorporate and continue with the summer festival was born of bold intention. It's not the first time we've been warned about our ambitions, but after a decade of supporting raw, alternative music for the rebellious soul, we knew that it was time to institutionalize our support of experimental artists and audiences, now more than ever. The festival seeks to build on its reputation for diverse and critically-acclaimed performances with headliners that run the gamut from Bonfire Madigan to the ROVA Saxophone Quartet to Richard Waters.

The 2009 Summit takes place in July at the San Francisco Community Music Center, the Summit's home for the past two years. The festival schedule includes free hands-on workshops, pre-concert artist talks, and four nights of music featuring a diverse roster of artists. The schedule includes a world premiere of the new collaboration between Waterphone inventor Richard Waters and filmmaker-musician David Michalak's ensemble Ghost in the House. There will be new ensembles led by legendary reed player Vinny Golia and the long-awaited return of the collaboration of ancient Japanese instruments and electronics from The Natto Quartet. The program includes a night of intermedia with composer, playwright and conceptual artist Jess Rowland, and internationally-exhibited media cartographers (and Artist Television Access leaders) Kathleen Quillian and Gilbert Guerrero.

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

Sunday July 19: Touch the Gear
Ever wanted a closer look at the gear on stage? Wish you could try it yourself? Touch the Gear is Outsounds free public event that allows audiences to roam among the artists and their sonic inventions, asking questions, making noise and learning how these often one-of-a-kind set-ups work. Its a hands-on, family-friendly environment that demystifies the technology while inspiring the creativity.

Wednesday July 22: Free Improvisation | Free Composition
a night of legendary artists who straddle the line between composed and improvised works, featuring Alicia Mangan & Spirit, the ROVA Saxophone Quartet, and Vinny Golia with Thollem Mcdonas, Rent Romus, Damon Smith, Garth Powell, and Noah Phillips

Thursday July 23: Industrial Soundscapes
a night of uninhibited electronics and noise from Los Angeles and San Francisco featuring Forms of Things Unknown, Peter Kolovos,Conure, Hans Fjellestad, and Thomas Dimuzio

Friday July 24: InterMedia
a night of performances infused by theater, movement and media arts with Jess Rowland, The Dreamland Puppet Theater, Kathleen Quillian & Gilbert Guererro and Bonfire Madigan

Saturday July 25: Introspection & Improvisation
a night of deep listening and long notes with The Natto Quartet with Phillip Gelb, Shoko Hikage, Tim Perkis, and Chris Brown, Ghost In the House featuring grandmaster inventor Richard Waters with David Michalak, Karen Stackpole, Kyle Bruckmann, and Tom Nunn and the ten piece Left Coast Improv Group.

The Outsound Music Summit
From July 19, 2009 7:00 PM
Through July 25, 2009 7:15 PM

San Francisco Community Music Center
544 Capp Street, San Franicsco, CA

Tickets $10.00
All ages welcome. Wheelchair accessible.
General seating.
http://www.outsound.org/summit/

Sky "Sunlight" Saxon of The Seeds, 1937-2009

2009 has not been a good year for great musicians. We have seen a lot of them pass recently; Michael Jackson, Bob Bogle, Koko Taylor, the list goes on. I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge another great, and a man considered to be the father of the garage band genre. Sky "Sunlight" Saxon, died on June 25th after a brief illness in Austin, Texas. Saxon, born Richard Marsh, recently collaborated with the Smashing Pumpkins last year and was scheduled to perform as part of the California '66 Revue in August. The Seeds' hits include "Pushin' Too Hard" and "Can't Seem to Make You Mine." Saxon and the Seeds were considered the pioneers of the "Flower Power/Punk" movement and their psychedelic sounds were something that would shape generations of musicians to come.

In 1965, Saxon formed the Seeds, arguably the city's finest punk/garage group, which later evolved into a psychedelic, flower-power attraction. Saxon and guitarist Jan Savage first formed the group with keyboardist Daryl Hooper and drummer Rick Andridge. By the end of 1966, they had secured a contract with GNP Crescendo, releasing "Pushin' Too Hard" as their first single. The song climbed into the Top 40 early in 1967, and the group immediately released two more singles, "Mr. Farmer" and "Can't Seem to Make You Mine." In an attempt to replicate their success, the latter just missed being in the Top 40.

Best known for their rock & roll standard "Pushin' Too Hard," the Seeds combined the raw, Stonesy appeal of garage rock with a fondness for ragged, trashy psychedelia. The band continued to record for the remainder of the '60s, eventually delving deep into post- Sgt. Pepper's psychedelia and art rock. As the April 1967 cover of Teen Scene said, "Flower Power has arrived."

While their singles were garage punk, the Seeds attempted to branch out into improvisational blues-rock and psychedelia on their first two albums, "The Seeds" (1966) and "Web of Sound" (1966). With their third album, "Future" (1967), the band attempted a psychedelic concept album in the vein of Sgt. Pepper's. The record reached the Top 100 and spawned the hit "A Thousand Shadows." Two other albums followed: "Raw & Alive: The Seeds in Concert at Merlin's Music Box" (1968) and "A Full Spoon of Seedy Blues" (1969), which was credited to the Sky Saxon Blues Band.

During the early '70s, Saxon led a number of bands before joining The Source Family, retreating from society and eventually moving to Hawaii. Saxon became Sky "Sunlight" Saxon upon joining the Source Family, and he began an intense spiritual journey that included music with Father Yod, creating and leading a few family bands including the most famous and cult favorite, YaHoWha. A collection of rarities and alternate takes, "Fallin' off the Edge", was released in 1977.

Saxon, who had not produced any new albums since 1978, returned on the U.K. Psycho label in 1984 with "Starry Ride", which featured support from Steppenwolf's Mars Bonfire (composer of "Born to Be Wild"), as well as formermembers of Iron Butterfly and Fraternity of Man. The Saxon/Bonfire collaboration reached full fruition in the group Firewall, who debuted with the album "A Groovy Thing" in 1986 (Destiny's Children features the same songs in a different order).

Firewall featured guest appearances from members of such California neo-psychedelic bands as the Dream Syndicate, the Plimsouls, the Droogs, and Yard Trauma, demonstrating Saxon's enduring influence and appeal, particularly among that set of musicians. That same year, Saxon recorded a largely unrehearsed live album with his Purple Electricity band, a project featuring members of Redd Kross and the Primates, entitled "Private Party". Firewall returned in 1988 with "In Search of Brighter Colors", which was released in the U.S. as "World Fantastic", with several rare '80s cuts replacing the former version's tracks.

The 1990's found Saxon married and settling down for a while but he, with the help of his wife at the time, Marianna DaPello, released an early pre-Seeds album of doo-wop music called, "A Starlight Date", that Saxon did under the name, Richie Marsh. He also released an album called "Golden Vaults". The biggest accomplishment of the 90's was contracting with Captain Trip in Japan to release an amazing YaHoWha collection of music in a beautiful wood box called "God and Hair", which also included three albums of Sky Sunlight Saxon music. It was also during this time that Saxon worked with his friend Ken Dembinski a.k.a. Kenny Roland in Mount Shasta on an album released as "Tyrants in the House".

In 2002, The Seeds reformed and hit Europe and the U.S. three tours in the mid-2000's. In 2004, The Seeds recorded the "Red Planet" album with The Seeds newest lineup at the time: Sky Sunlight Saxon as lead vocalist, drummer Dave Klein, keyboardist Mark Bellgraph and bassist Rik Collins. The Seeds returned to Europe again in 2006 and Saxon left there with two albums under his belt - "Transparency" with Sky Sunlight Saxon and "Lighter" out of Great Britain, released by Jungle Records and "Atlantic Rising" out of Greece.

In 2007, The Seeds lineup changed for the Goodstock Festival and became lovingly known as the Goodstock Seeds with Sky Sunlight Saxon as lead vocalist, lead guitarist and vocalist Jimmy Valentine, rhythm guitarist and vocalist Sean M'Lady, bassist Dave Waller, drummer Tommy Gunn, and harpist Christopher Robin.

That lineup of The Seeds consisted of amazing veteran musicians including Saxon as lead vocalist, drummer Gary Stern, bassist Don Bolles, keyboardist Geoff Brandin, lead guitarist Atomic, and rhythm guitarist Kevin Dippold. Long-time friend Justino also joined Stern on drums. Justino was also the drummer for Sky's band, King Arthur's Court. Saxon also had a solo career as Sky Sunlight Saxon and the Psychedelic Experience, with various musicians backing him as he continued to tour and play as many gigs as he could.

On June 7th, 2007 Saxon married Sabrina Smith on a bandstand at a Summer of Love party in Lagunitas, California and she became his business manager and co-partner. With Suzanne Graeber starting the process of an amazing album released in 2008 as "King of Garage Rock" by Cleopatra Records, Smith helped facilitate the release of this amazing album. King of Garage Rock shows Saxon going back to his roots and performing his favorite hits from the 1960's.

Danny B. Harvey and Clem Burke produced this album with an amazing line-up of musicians backing Sky including guitarist Danny B. Harvey, keyboardist Don Randi, bassist Trent Stroh and drummer Clem Burke. The album was engineered by Gilby Clarke and Danny B. Harvey at Redrum Studios, S.I.R., and Bedworth Studios. A look at the current indie rock tree of life, from The Vines to Brandon Flowers, finds traces of what Sky Saxon and The Seeds planted in the fertile of the 1960's.

"Back To The Garden" was one of the last releases for Saxon The Seeds, and includes many songs that he co-wrote with long-time friend, Mike Oak. In November, December 2008 and January 2009, Saxon was in Europe, touring from November 14 - December 14 and followed by various recording sessions with various bands in Germany including Vibravoid.

It's been said that Sky "Sunlight" Saxon lived to perform and record his music and for that, we are indeed, eternally grateful. The "Flower Power/Flower Punk/Garage" movement, was truly reaped, plowed and sown by the inimitable Sky Saxon and The Seeds. We will certainly miss him.

Bob Bogle of The Ventures, 1934-2009

Growing up, one of my favorite instrumental groups was the Seattle based combo, "The Ventures". I'll never forget my first album, "Hawaii Five-0" and their "10th Anniversary" double record set in 1970. Bob Bogle, lead guitarist and co-founder of The Ventures with Don Wilson, were known for 1960's instrumental hits including "Walk, Don't Run." Bogle died this week at age 75. The Ventures sold millions of albums and heavily influenced a generation of rock guitarists and in 2008, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Hall's website hailed The Ventures as "the most successful instrumental combo in rock and roll history." "Walk, Don't Run" reached No. 2 on the Billboard chart in 1960, and a revised version, "Walk, Don't Run '64," reached No. 8 in 1964. Among the band's other hits were "Perfidia" and the theme from "Hawaii Five-O."

The band first got its start in 1958 in Tacoma. A native of Wagoner, Oklahoma, Bogle was working as a bricklayer when he walked into a Seattle used-car lot where Wilson was a salesman. “I said, ‘Can you get me a job?’ ’’ Wilson recalled. “I was working on commission, and I wasn’t doing very well and wanted a weekly paying job.’’ Wilson quit the car lot to work as a hod carrier. They discovered that they both had once owned guitars and could play a few chords. They bought guitars at a pawnshop and while learning how to play, began entering talent contests together. After four or five talent shows, they started winning with Bogle initially playing lead and bass and Wilson played rhythm guitar. They were soon joined by Nokie Edwards, another guitarist, and drummer Howie Johnson, later replaced by Mel Taylor. "Our aspirations were to pick up nothing heavier than a guitar," Wilson said last year. "But it just mushroomed into something where we became internationally known."

The Ventures were particularly popular in Japan, where Wilson and Bogle played as a duo during their first tour in 1962 because the promoter couldn't afford to pay the other two band members. The two Americans made such an impression, Wilson recalled last year, that when the band came back in 1964, "there were 6,000 people at the airport." He said he didn't realize at first the Japanese fans were there to see The Ventures.

Needing a permanent drummer for the group, they hired Howie Johnson, and, in the midst of a fast-paced touring schedule, they recorded an album to capitalize on the success of the single. The lineup of Bogle, Wilson, Edwards and Johnson remained intact until 1962. The group found early success with a string of singles, but would quickly become leaders in the album market. The Ventures were one of the pioneers of the early concept album idea, where, starting with 1961's The Colorful Ventures, each song on their albums was chosen to fit a specific theme. Some of the Ventures' most popular albums at the time were a series of records of dance music.

Later in '62, Johnson was injured in an auto crash, which caused irreversible spinal damage. On doctor's orders, he quit the band. Bogle and Wilson already knew Mel Taylor, house drummer at The Palomino in North Hollywood (the venue where they would play numerous shows during their resurgence in the 1980s). Taylor had performed as drummer on the Bobby "Boris" Pickett hit "Monster Mash", The Hollywood Argyles' "Alley Oop" and "The Lonely Bull" by Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass. Taylor was known for a very aggressive, hard-hitting style of drumming. They invited him to some recording sessions, which led to him becoming a permanent member of the Ventures.

The combination of Edwards on lead guitar, Taylor on drums, Bogle on bass and Wilson on rhythm guitar created what many fans felt were The Ventures at their very best. This lineup remained unchanged until Edwards left the band in 1968, to be replaced by Gerry McGee. Edwards came back in 1973 and remained with them until 1984, although he has toured and gigged with them dozens of times in the subsequent years. Edwards' replacement in 1984 was, once again, Gerry McGee. Drummer Mel Taylor remained with The Ventures until cancer took his life in 1996. His spot has since been filled by his son, Leon Taylor. (Original drummer Howie Johnson had died in 1988).

Their commercial fortunes in the US declined sharply in the early 1970s due to changing musical trends. In the late 1970s and into the 1980s, a resurgence of interest in surf music led to some in the punk/new wave audience rediscovering the band. The Go-Go's wrote "Surfin' And Spyin'" and dedicated it to The Ventures. The Ventures recorded their own version and continue to occasionally perform the song. Their career was given another rejuvenating shot in the arm by Quentin Tarantino's use of The Lively Ones' version of Nokie Edwards' "Surf Rider" and several other classic surf songs in the soundtrack of the hit movie Pulp Fiction.

The Ventures became one of the most popular groups worldwide thanks in large part to their instrumental approach—there were no language barriers to overcome. The Ventures are still the most popular American rock group in Japan, the world's second largest record market. One oft-quoted statistic is that the Ventures outsold The Beatles 2-to-1 in Japan. They produced dozens of albums exclusively for the Japanese and European markets, and have regularly toured Japan from the 1960s through to the present. According to a January 1966 Billboard Magazine article, The Ventures had five of 1965's top 10 singles in Japan. A recent Japanese pop music poll listed "Ginza Lights" as the most popular song of all time; it was composed and recorded for their 1966 LP Go With The Ventures.

In March 2008, The Ventures were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with John Fogerty as their presenter. In attendance were original members Don Wilson and Nokie Edwards, late 1960s member John Durrill, current guitarist Bob Spalding, and current drummer Leon Taylor who, along with Mel Taylor's widow, Fiona, accepted on behalf of The Ventures late drummer. Bob Bogle and Gerry McGee were unable to attend the ceremony. Fiona Taylor gave special mention to her husband's predecessor drummers Skip Moore and Howie Johnson. The Ventures performed their biggest hits, "Walk Don't Run" and "Hawaii Five-0", augmented on the latter by Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame musical director Paul Shaffer and his band.

Bogle was one of the most influential guitarists of our generation. His legacy and the music of The Ventures will surely live forever.