The Orange Peels' "Aether Tide"

As many of you gentle readers know, I've been a long time fan of singer songwriter Allen Clapp and bassist Jill Pries' pop-driven, outfit from Sunnyvale, "The Orange Peels". Their anthemic hits, "Back in San Francisco", co-penned by former guitarist Larry Winther of the Mummies, and "Jane Lane" are among my favorites. The Peels have seen a few changes over the years and with departure of Winther, Bob Vickers and "Ocean Blue's" Oed Ronnie, songwriter, guitarist/drummer John Moremen moved to over to lead guitar full time and added the talented Gabriel Coan on drums. Like the previous album "20/20", Clapp and Pries have continued to steer the Peels toward their pop-rock side. Moremen, better known as a guitarist and having had the benefit of drumming behind the various Peels line-ups for some time, has been free put his indelible stamp on their sound. Their newest single, "Aether Tide" on the MintyFresh label, is a unique continuation of the earlier Peels efforts.

"We've been working on our fifth album at Mystery Lawn studio," according to Clapp, "Creating new sounds with old technology and vice-versa. Aether Tide is the first result. Recorded in an afternoon with stereo ribbon microphones, tube tape machines-as-guitar-amps, a 1930s Altec speaker cabinet and various synths and mellotrons, the song comes at you from a different space-time. You figure it out. Lyrically exploring the resurgence and rebirth of Aether Theory vs. 20th Century quantum physics, it's a near cosmic marriage of music and lyrics propelled by ambient drums and interweaving guitar melodies..."

In today's world of indie and artist driven labels, technology and the internet continue to be a lightening fast method for artists to release singles almost instantly; stay in touch with loyal fans with inter-active social media tools, videos, downloads and digital distribution networks capable of reaching all over the globe. That hasn't been lost on the Peels, which is a delight to their avid followers. For a glimpse of the new Orange Peels single "Aether Tide", check out their video on YouTube.

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones' "Rocket Science"

The Flecktones have re-emerged with a new album, on a new label, (eOne records) and announcing that for "the first time since 1991, pianist/ harmonica player Howard Levy has returned to the fold alongside bassist Victor Wooten, percussionist/Drumitarist Roy “Futureman” Wooten and banjoist bandleader Fleck to create some of the most forward-thinking music of their long, storied career. While all manners of genres come into play – from classical and jazz to bluegrass and African music to electric blues and Eastern European folk dances – the result is an impossible to pigeonhole sound all their own, a meeting of musical minds that remains, as ever, utterly indescribable. Simply put, it is The Flecktones, the music made only when these four individuals come together."

Longtime followers of Fleck recall that he took up the banjo at an early age, growing up in Manhattan of all places, eventually migrating to Nashville. Once there, he aligned himself with the now legendary "New Grass Revival", with Mark O'Connor and Edgar Meyer. Desiring to combine bluegrass with jazz, rock, and world music, Fleck began seeking other like minded folks to give life to those ideas. Not long after that, he teamed with virtuoso harmonica player Howard Levy, one of the world's greatest electric bassists Victor Lemonte Wooten, and his eccentric brother, percussionist Roy "Futureman" Wooten. "Futureman", had apparently taken a $10,000 "Synthaxe" guitar synthesizer, cannibalized it, and turned it into an electronic "drumitar", half guitar, half drum machine.

The result was spectacular, as they created a sound unlike anything heard before them. After years of touring the globe, and several successful albums, a road weary Levy left the group and was eventually replaced by saxophonist Jeff Coffin. Since then, the Flecktones have performed with an incredible array of musicians; Phish, Dave Matthews, Chick Corea, Branford Marsalis, a Tuvan throat singer named Ondar, Indian tabla master Zakir Hussain, reed master Paul McCandless, steel drummer Andy Narell, Jean-Luc Ponty, Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke others.

With the departure of Jeff Coffin to the Dave Mathews Band, The Flecktones regrouped with the return of Levy and produced one of best albums in years. I particularly enjoyed the delightfully complex "Life in Eleven" and the grooving, vintage-Flecktone sounding "Gravity Lane". Over the years the members of the Flecktones have enjoyed the benefits of recording and touring with many of the greats.I could clearly hear the influence that virtuosos Corea and Clarke had on both Fleck and Victor Wooten. Wooten spent time on the road with Corea and later with Clarke and bassist Marcus Miller in SVT. Fleck's tour with Clark and Ponty was amazing, as was his duets with Corea. Fleck's composition "Storm Warning" was written for the Ponty-Clarke-Fleck group, "Trio".

While all manner of genres come into play from classical and jazz to bluegrass and African music to electric blues and Eastern European folk dances the result is an impossible to pigeonhole sound all their own, a meeting of musical minds that remains, as ever, utterly indescribable. Simply put, it is The Flecktones, the music made only when these four individuals come together. "I didn t want to just get together to play the old music", Fleck says. "That s not what the Flecktones are about. Everybody s full of life and ideas and creativity. I was intrigued by what we could do that we had never done before."

It was also great to hear Howard Levy back together with the Flecktones. The warmth of his harmonica playing and his uncanny ability to play it simultaneously with piano is simply amazing. Levy also contributed some new compositions to the album; The aforementioned, 11/8 piece "Life in Eleven", "Joyful Spring" and the intriguing "Sweet Pomegranates".

Futureman's continues his foray into the world of innovative acoustic and electronic percussion with a solo piece entitled "The Secret Drawer". There is quite a bit more acoustic drumming from Wooten on this album, and his library of deftly played samples never seems to end. One of the best parts of the Flecktones has been having the Wooten brothers for a rhythm section, a tandem Fleck himself has called "dangerous".

Spinner's Tad Hendrickson upon reviewing this album wrote, "Originally, the Flecktones' studio albums were made up of stuff that had been worked over on tour, but this time around the band had to write, rehearse and record without playing it live. "Although nothing replaces refining a song on tour in front of an audience, the old hands have a pretty good handle on the material and it came together fairly quickly", according to Fleck, meaning that "there is a freshness to the material that might not have happened otherwise."

"Although on par with the three classics with Levy, 'Rocket Science' has a more collaborative approach than the band's initial releases. Fleck had distinct ideas and objectives for the band in the early days, which meant that the band wasn't always open to what Levy brought in, writes Henrickson. "Whereas the earlier version of the band was more about a focused sound, this time around the band is looking to broaden its approach and try new things..."

Rocket Science is indeed a snapshot of the musical journeys taken by the four original Flecktones, a melding of those experiences in songs and culminating in a sound that is undeniably theirs. The wonderful chemistry that existed among that quartet back in '89 is still evident today, making Rocket Science perhaps the Flecktones best effort to date.

Kenneth Branagh's "Thor"

Well, it's time to head back to the theater gentle readers. For the comic book fans, there are a ton of superhero films due out this summer, Marvel rolls out "Captain America", "X-Men: First Class" and DC brings the classic 1960's Hal Jordan in "Green Lantern". Readers of my previous columns know that I have a love-hate relationship with these hi-or-miss films. "Spiderman", "Iron Man" and the previous "X-Men" films have stayed with the spirit of the original comics and characters. We won't dwell on the ones not in their league, we know who they are. Today, we turn our attention to one of Marvel's best known and loved heroes, the mighty Thor. It didn't hurt having Kenneth Branagh directing Anthony Hopkins as "Odin", Natalie Portman as "Jane Foster" and the newcomer Chris Hemsworth in the title role as "Thor/Dr. Donald Blake".

Branagh successfully weaved the classic comic book struggle between Odin (Thor's father), Thor and his half brother Loki, into a Shakesperean-like tale, as well as combining Thor's love for a mortal woman with contemporary themes. For me and perhaps many others, more familiar with the original tales, one of the biggest challenges is how to make these tales from the 60s and 70s work today. Given what he had to work with, Branagh does a fine job.

In the original story from 1962's "Journey Into Mystery", Dr. Donald Blake stumbles across the enchanted staff/uru hammer, in a cave. Like the film, Odin decides his son needs to be taught humility and consequently places Thor (without memories of Asgard), into the body and memories of an existing, partially disabled human medical student, Donald Blake.This differs from the film, as Thor appears on Earth, stripped of his powers.

After becoming a doctor and on holiday in Norway, Blake witnesses the arrival of an alien scouting party.and flees into a cave. The aliens ultimately pursue him and miraculously, Blake discovers Thor's disguised hammer Mjolnir, and striking it against a rock, transforms into the thunder god, the mighty Thor.

Defeating the aliens, Thor, (like Superman/Clark Kent), shares a double life with his alter ego; treating the ill in a private practice with nurse - and eventual love - Jane Foster and defending humanity from evil. Thor's presence on Earth almost immediately attracts the attention of his half-brother and arch-foe Loki who returns repeatedly to Earth in a bid to destroy Thor.

Tom Hiddleston made for a good Loki, cunning and nearly sympathetic half-brother of Thor. Branagh must have loved recreating the dynamics within the Asgardian royal family; Loki's quest for a father's love; jealousy of Thor, you name it, the Norwegians had it. Rene Russo played Thor's mother, "Frigga". You rarely saw her in the comics; most of the attention was on Odin, whom Anthony Hopkins played brilliantly.

Unlike the comic book version, Natalie Portman's Jane Foster is not a nurse in the film, but a scientist. Here is a rare example of where updating a character makes sense in a more contemporary setting. Like the comics, Branagh has also included Thor's allies, Jamie Alexander as the "Lady Sif" and the "Warriors Three". Joshua Dallas as "Fandral", Tadnobu Asano as "Hogun" and Ray Stevenson, ("Rome". "Punisher War Zone", "Book of Eli") as the brave and comedic "Volstagg". Thor's best friend, "Balder the Brave" was not in film. Perhaps Branagh knew Balder was slated for an early entrance to Valhalla, according to legend and Norse mythology.

Hemsworth was actually pretty good as Thor. He played Thor with all the bravado, hubris and eventual humility one comes to expect from our Norse hero. I hope to see him in battle helmet a little more often in the subsequent Avengers film. I also enjoyed seeing Idris Elba, as Heimdall, guardian of Asgard's "Rainbow Bridge". Branagh sought out Elba for the role and took some flack for casting a black in the role of a Norse Warrior. Elba called the debate "ridiculous". Personally, I couldn't help thinking about Jimi Hendrix's album, "Rainbow Bridge"...

By now, I'm guessing we've all become accustomed to the amazing 3D and CGI special effects and monster, theater-shaking audio. The battles, explosions and cinematic carnage of the digital Asgard was no exception. The plot? Well, a dash of Marvel's original tale, spiced with Branagh's love of royal theater, and keeping in mind this is all part of the big "Avengers 2012" roll out next year, you have a film that tries to stand on it's own. Difficult task and Branagh makes the best of it.

Thor passes my litmus test of comic book film adaptations. The jury is still out on the upcoming "X-Men: First Class" and "Captain America" movies. While both take place during the era in which the comics were first written,( the 60's and 40's, a novel approach not tried before in any of the previous Marvel films), one radically changes the original plot, while the other accurately reflects the spirit of the original. 50% chance I'm going to hate one of them. But I digress...

Branagh, Hopkins, Portman, Marvel and Thor. "Nuff said, pilgrims.

Composer John Barry, 1933-2011

Composer John Barry was perhaps best known for composing 11 James Bond soundtracks and was hugely influential on the musical style of the 007 series, along with the general feeling of the films. I'll never forget seeing Shirley Bassey of "Goldfinger" fame, belt out that theme at New York's Carnegie Hall, as well as "Moonraker" and "Diamonds are Forever". Barry's music was so influential to me personally, that I actually recorded two of my favorites, "Walkabout" and "Zulu".

In a career spanning almost 50 years, Barry received numerous awards for his work, including five Academy Awards; two for Born Free, and one each for The Lion in Winter (for which he also won a BAFTA Award), Out of Africa and Dances with Wolves (for which he also won a Grammy Award) and Somewhere in Time (1980) (Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Original Score - Motion Picture). Barry passed away in January, but his musical legacy will live on forever. To me, Barry was the greatest film composer of all time.

Barry was born John Barry Prendergast, in York, England in 1933, the son of a musically talented mother and a charismatic Irish father. His father, Jack Xavier Prendergast, from Cork, was a projectionist during the silent movie era who ended up owning a chain of movie theaters across northern England. Often, while watching a film, Barry would note with pen and paper, what worked or what did not. His childhood background in movies clearly influenced his music interests.

Although originally a classical pianist, Barry also learned the trumpet and grew interested in composing and arranging music. During his National Service in Cyprus, he began performing as a musician. After taking a correspondence course (with jazz composer Bill Russo) and working as an arranger for the Jack Parnell and Ted Heath's Orchestra[, he formed his own band in 1957, The John Barry Seven, with whom he had some hit records, including "Hit and Miss", the theme tune he composed for the BBC's Juke Box Jury programme, a cover of the Ventures' "Walk Don't Run", and a cover of the theme for the United Artists Western The Magnificent Seven.

Barry was employed by the EMI record company from 1959 until 1962 arranging or-chestral accompaniment for the company's recording artists. From 1962, Barry trans-ferred to Ember Records where he produced albums as well as arranging them. These achievements caught the attention of the producers of a new film called Dr. No who were dissatisfied with a theme for James Bond given to them by Monty Norman. Barry was hired and the result was one of the most famous signature tunes in film history, the "James Bond Theme". When the producers of the Bond series engaged Lionel Bart to score the next James Bond film From Russia with Love, they discovered that Bart could neither read nor write music. Though Bart wrote a title song for the film, the producers remembered Barry's arrangement of the James Bond Theme and his composing and arranging for several films with Adam Faith. Lionel Bart also recommended Barry to producer Stanley Baker for his film Zulu.

This was the turning point for Barry, and he went on to become one of the most cele-brated film composers, winning five Academy Awards and four Grammy Awards, with scores for, among others, The Lion in Winter, Midnight Cowboy, Born Free, and Some-where in Time. Barry was often cited as having had a distinct style which concentrated on lush strings and extensive use of brass. However he was also an innovator, being one of the first to employ synthesizers in a film score (On Her Majesty's Secret Service), and to make wide use of pop artists and songs in Midnight Cowboy. Because Barry provided not just the main title theme but the complete soundtrack score, his music often enhanced the critical reception of a film, notably in Midnight Cowboy, King Kong, Out of Africa, and Dances with Wolves.

One of Barry's best known compositions is the theme for the 1971 TV series The Per-suaders, in which Tony Curtis and Roger Moore were paired as rich playboys solving crimes. The theme went on to be a hit single in some European countries and has been re-released on collections of 1970s disco hits. The instrumental recording also features Moog synthesizers.

Barry's work also began to be sampled in the 1990s by artists such as Dr. Dre and Wu-Tang Clan, with his "James Bond Theme" being sampled by performers as diverse as Bonobo, Gang Starr and Junior Reid. Fatboy Slim used the opening guitars from "Beat Girl (Main Title)" for "Rockafeller Skank" from his 1998 album, You've Come A Long Way, Baby. The Sneaker Pimps also sampled "Golden Girl" on their 1996 single "6 Un-derground". Additionally, "You Only Live Twice" was heavily sampled on "Millennium" from Robbie Williams' second album, I've Been Expecting You. (I did much the same on the aforementioned Walkabout and Zulu films).

After the success of Dr. No, Barry scored eleven of the next 14 James Bond films (but with Monty Norman continually credited as the composer of the "James Bond Theme"). In his tenure with the film series, Barry's music, variously brassy and moody, appealed to film aficionados. For From Russia With Love he composed "007", an alternative James Bond signature theme, which is featured in four other Bond films (Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds Are Forever, Moonraker). The theme "Stalking", for the teaser sequence of From Russia With Love, was covered by colleague Marvin Hamlisch for The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). (The music and lyrics for From Russia With Love's title song were written by Lionel Bart, whose musical theatre credits included Oliver!). Barry also (indirectly) contributed to the soundtrack of the 1967 spoof version of Casino Royale: his Born Free theme appears briefly in the opening sequence.

In Goldfinger, he perfected the "Bond sound", a heady mixture of brass, jazz and sen-suous melodies. There is even an element of Barry's jazz roots in the big-band track "Into Miami", which follows the title credits and accompanies the film's iconic image of the camera lens zooming toward the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach.

As Barry matured, the Bond scores concentrated more on lush melodies, as in Moon-raker and Octopussy. Barry's score for A View to a Kill was traditional, but his collabora-tion with Duran Duran for the title song was contemporary and one of the most successful Bond themes to date, reaching number one in the United States and number two in the UK Singles Chart. Both A View to a Kill and the Living Daylights theme by a-ha blended the pop music style of the artists with Barry's orchestration. In 2006, a-ha's Pal Waaktaar complimented Barry's contributions "I loved the stuff he added to the track, I mean it gave it this really cool string arrangement. That's when for me it started to sound like a Bond thing". Barry's last score for the Bond series was 1987's The Living Daylights, Dalton's first film in the series with Barry making a cameo appearance as a composer in the film. Barry was intended to score Licence to Kill but was recovering from throat surgery at the time and it was considered unsafe to fly him to London to complete the score. The score was completed by Michael Kamen. Arnold also went on to score the subsequent Bond films: The World Is Not Enough, Die Another Day, Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace.

David Arnold, a British composer, saw the result of two years' work in 1997 with the re-lease of Shaken and Stirred: The David Arnold James Bond Project, an album of new versions of the themes from various James Bond films. Arnold thanks Barry in the sleeve notes, referring to him as "the Guvnor". Almost all of the tracks were John Barry compositions, and the revision of his work met with his approval – he contacted Barbara Broccoli, producer of the then upcoming Tomorrow Never Dies, to recommend Arnold as the film's composer.

Sole compositional credit for the "James Bond Theme" is attributed to Monty Norman, who was contracted as composer for Dr. No. Some 30 years later, in 2001, the disputed authorship of the theme was examined legally in the High Court in London after Norman sued The Sunday Times for publishing an article in 1997 in which Barry was named as the true composer; Barry testified for the defense. In court, Barry testified that he had been handed a musical manuscript of a work by Norman (meant to become the theme) and that he was to arrange it musically, and that he composed additional music and arranged the "James Bond Theme". The court was also told that Norman received sole credit because of his prior contract with the producers. Barry said that a deal was struck whereby he would receive a flat fee of £250 and Norman would receive the songwriting credit. arry said that he had accepted the deal with United Artists Head of Music Noel Rogers because it would help his career. Despite these claims the jury ruled unanimously in favour of Norman. On September 7th, 2006, Barry publicly defended his authorship of the theme on the Steve Wright show on BBC Radio 2.

On June 20th, 2011, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will perform a tribute to the late composer to celebrate his life and work. Many of his colleagues from the James Bond franchise will be in attendance, including, Dame Shirley Bassey and Sir George Martin. The event is sponsored by The Royal College of Music through a grant by the Broccoli Foundation. John Barry left behind a musical legacy that will never be surpassed or even rivaled and a look at his list of films staggers the mind. From the brassy textures and orchestra hits, the tension filled, cold war sounds of a hammer dulcimer to the poignant trills of flutes set against an African desert, John Barry's music will leave a mark that will indeed live on and endure the test of time. His talent was truly timeless.

SIMM Series with Forward Energy/Josh Allen Trio with Henry Kaiser and Mike Guarino

This Sunday, the SIMM Music Series continues with a stellar line-up: "The Josh Allen Trio" featuring the amazing guitarist Henry Kaiser, saxophonist Josh Allen, drummer Mike Guarino and the group Forward Energy, featuring Jim Ryan on alto & tenor sax, flute, trumpet, Outsound and Edgetone Record's founder Rent Romus on alto, soprano, & C melody saxes, Scott R. Looney on piano, Eric Marshall double bass and Timothy Orr on drums. This show is guaranteed to challenge the senses and push the musical envelope in ways rarely heard seen or heard.

Josh Allen has created his own personal language on the tenor saxophone with an emphasis on polytonal and asymmetrical phrasing, as well as extending the range and sonic ability of the instrument. Allen does this with constant emphasis and study of the overtone series, and the generation of multiphonics from the application of this process. He is currently teaching Fellowship students at the Brubeck Institute at the University of Pacific. He was born in Berkeley, California in 1972. Like many of today’s prominent musicians, Mr. Allen was a product of the Berkeley public school system, studying saxophone starting at the age of nine under Phil Hardymon. He went on to study with such prominent Bay Area musicians as Bill Aron, Joe Henderson, and Rory Snyder. With his focus squarely on jazz composition and performance, Mr. Allen moved to Southern California in the early nineties to study with Rick Helzer at San Diego State. He became active in the Latin Jazz community, and worked with various musicians such as Dennis Chambers, and Eddie Palmieri. Allen returned to the Bay Area in the mid 90s to finish his Bachelors degree at Sonoma State. His subsequent association with saxophonist Marco Eneidi led to working relationships with musicians such as Glen Spearmann, Matthew Goodheart, Damon Smith, and eventually Cecil Taylor.

Guitarist Henry Kaiser is a modern guitar icon, known for his collaboration with the Grateful Dead, among many others, as well as his own prolific and inventive compositions. Kaiser has helped unfetter the guitar from the conventions of genre-bound techniques, but his instrumental virtuosity and technological breakthroughs are always deployed in the service of deep and immediate personal expression. Likewise, he has developed a highly individual, inimitable style from an uncommonly varied range of influences. Some of his musical sources include traditional blues, East Asian, Classical North Indian and Hawaiian music, free jazz, free improvisation, American steel-string concert guitar, and 20th century classical, but like any probing artist he also draws creatively from other abiding interests, which for Mr. Kaiser include Information Theory, experimental cinema, mathematics, experimental literature and SCUBA diving. (He was employed for the last 15 years as a senior instructor in Underwater Scientific Research at the University of California at Berkeley. Sadly, Berkeley's excellent scientific diving program was terminated in the summer of 1996.) Kaiser's fabulous "Yo Miles" project with trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith has been perhaps one of the most ambitious and successful interpretations of the music of Miles Davis from the 1970s.

Commenting on drummer Mike Guarino, Craig Matsumoto of "Memory Select Blog" wrote, "The drums — my god, the drums. I’d never seen Guarino play before, and he’s a monster. Big, loud, fast, precise..."

Forward Energy was founded in 1998 and had it’s first gig at Radio Valencia in San Francisco that year. The group has gone through several incarnations with top Bay Area musicians including: Eddie Gale of Cecil Taylor’s Unit Structures fame, Forward Energy has played up and down the West Coast as well as in the Midwest and New York City. The current formation includes founder Jim Ryan (who played on Steve Lacy’s weekly jam sessions in Paris during the early 70’s) on flute, saxes, and trumpet, and original member Scott R. Looney on piano. Scott received his BA in music from Coe College, Iowa and an MFA from Cal Arts. He has been a pillar of the experimental music community since the late 90’s. The group presently includes Rent Romus (who studied with Stan Getz and is a power both on his horn and as an organizer and promoter of the Bay Area experimental music community) on Saxophones; Eric Marshall is a regular bassist with Eddie Gale’s groups and he works in all genres of the jazz idiom. Percussionist Tim Orr studied with Ed Blackwell and plays all styles from zydeco to free jazz. Recordings of Forward Energy can be found on and also at www.cadencejazzrecords,com/albums/?album=786497526925 Cadence Jazz Records 1162.


Static Illusion Methodical Madness Music Series
Forward Energy
Josh Allen Trio with Henry Kaiser and Mike Guarino
Musician's Union Hall, 116 9th Street, San Francisco, CA
7:30 PM: Forward Energy featuring Jim Ryan alto&tenor sax, flute, trumpet Rent Romus alto, soprano, & C melody saxes Scott R. Looney piano Eric Marshall double bass Timothy Orr drums
8:30 PM: Josh Allen, Mike Guarino, Henry Kaiser

Stanley Clarke Returns to Yoshi's

Bassist Stanley Clarke was barely out of his teens when he exploded into the jazz world in 1971. Fresh out of the Philadelphia Academy of Music, he arrived in New York City and immediately landed jobs with famous bandleaders such as Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson, Pharaoh Saunders, Gil Evans, Stan Getz and a budding young pianist-composer named Chick Corea. With Corea, Clarke would take the music world by storm alongside Lenny White and Al DiMeola in Return to Forever. Now some 40 years later, Clarke returns to Yoshi's in April, bringing with him his prodigious and unparalleled talents.

All of these musicians immediately recognized Clarke’s ferocious dexterity and complete musicality on the acoustic bass. Not only was he an expert at crafting bass lines and functioning as a timekeeper – in keeping with his instrument’s traditional role – but the young prodigy also possessed a sense of lyricism and melody distilled from his bass heroes Charles Mingus, Scott LaFaro and others, as well as non-bass players like John Coltrane. Clarke envisioned the bass as a viable, melodic solo instrument positioned at the front of the stage rather than in a background role, and he was uniquely qualified to take it there.

The vision became a reality when Clarke and Corea formed the seminal electric jazz/fusion band Return To Forever. RTF was a showcase for each of the quartet’s strong musical personalities, composing prowess and instrumental voices. “We really didn’t realize how much of an impact we were having on people at the time,” Clarke recalls. “We were touring so much then, we would just make a record and then go back on the road.” The band recorded eight albums, two of which were certified gold (Return To Forever and the classic Romantic Warrior). They also won a GRAMMY (No Mystery) and received numerous nominations while touring incessantly.

Then Clarke fired the “shot heard round the world,” the one that started the ‘70s bass revolution and paved the way for all bassists/soloists/bandleaders to follow. In 1974, he released his eponymous Stanley Clarke album, which featured the hit single, “Lopsy Lu.” Two years later, he released School Days, an album whose title track is now a bona fide bass anthem.

“School Days” has since become a must-learn for nearly every up-and-coming bassist, regardless of genre. Aspiring bassists must also master the percussive slap funk technique that Clarke pioneered as well. While Sly and the Family Stone’s Larry Graham had already developed a rudimentary slap technique, Clarke took the idea and ran with it, adapting the technique to complex jazz harmonies. “Larry started it, but he had only one lick,” says Clarke. “I took it from there. A lot of guys could jam all day in E, but couldn’t play it over changes.”

Clarke became the first bassist in history to headline tours, sell out shows worldwide, and craft albums that achieved gold status. At 25, he was already regarded as a pioneer in the jazz fusion movement. He was also the first bassist in history to double on acoustic and electric bass with equal virtuosity, power and fire. In his ongoing efforts to push the bass to new limits, he invented two new instruments, the piccolo bass and the tenor bass. The piccolo bass is tuned one octave higher than the traditional electric bass. The tenor bass is tuned one fourth higher than standard. Both of these instruments have enabled Clarke to extend his melodic range to higher and more expressive registers.

Clarke teamed up with keyboardist George Duke in 1981 to form the Clarke/Duke Project. Together they scored a top 20 pop hit with “Sweet Baby,” recorded three albums and continue to tour together to this day. Clarke’s involvement in additional projects as leader or active member include: Jeff Beck (world tours, 1979), Keith Richards’ New Barbarians (world tour, 1980), Animal Logic (with Stuart Copeland, two albums and tours, 1989), the “Superband” (with Larry Carlton, Billy Cobham, Najee and Deron Johnson, 1993-1994), The Rite of Strings (with Jean-Luc Ponty and Al Di Meola, 1995 and 2004) Vertu’ (with Lenny White, 1999) and “Trio!” with Bela Fleck and Jean Luc Ponty, 2005.) Clarke’s creativity has been recognized and rewarded in every way imaginable: gold and platinum records, GRAMMY Awards, Emmy Awards, virtually every readers and critics poll in existence, and more. He was Rolling Stone’s very first Jazzman of the Year, and bassist winner of Playboy’s Music Award for ten straight years.

Always in search of new challenges, Clarke turned his boundless creative energy to film and television scoring in the mid-1980s. Starting on the small screen with an Emmy-nominated score for Pee Wee’s Playhouse, he transitioned to the silver screen as composer, orchestrator, conductor and performer of scores for such blockbuster films as Boyz ‘N the Hood, What’s Love Got To Do With It?, Little Big League, Passenger 57, Poetic Justice, The Five Heartbeats, Romeo Must Die and The Transporter. He even scored the Michael Jackson video Remember the Time, directed by Jon Singleton. His latest TV project was recently scoring and writing the theme for the ABC Family Network series Lincoln Heights.

“Film has given me the opportunity to write large orchestral scores and to compose music not normally associated with myself,” says Clarke. “It’s given me the chance to conduct orchestras and arrange music for various types of ensembles. It’s been a diverse experience for me musically, made me a more complete musician, and focused my skills completely.” His 1995 release, Stanley Clarke at the Movies, is a testament to this heightened level of musicianship.

In October 2007, Clarke released The Toys of Men, a 13-track CD that featured the rising jazz star, vocalist/bassist Esperanza Spalding, who was awarded the 2011 Grammy for Best New Artist. The Toys of Men also included acoustic bass interludes that provide a stirring counterpoint to Clarke’s more well known fiery electric bass attack.

In the summer of 2008, Clarke reunited with pianist Chick Corea, drummer Lenny White and guitarist Al Di Meola for the highly-anticipated and extremely successful Return To Forever world tour. February 2011 Return to Forever tours Australia and New Zealond. In August 2008 Clarke then teamed up with fellow bass titans Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten – collectively known as S.M.V. – and released Thunder, their earth shaking debut collaboration. The impact of both supergroups has resonated throughout every corner of the jazz world. In 2009 Clarke released, Jazz in the Garden, is the bassist’s first acoustic jazz trio album, and features Japanese pianist Hiromi Uehara and drummer Lenny White.

Clarke’s newest release (June 2010) is The Stanley Clarke Band with Ruslan Sirota and Ronald Bruner, Jr., featuring pianist Hiromi. The album was awarded a 2011 Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz Album. He was also nominated for the “No Return” cut on the CD as Best Pop Instrumental Performance. Clarke feels that this album’s music is new and different from just about anything he’s done before. The range of collaborative material here has allowed him to venture to new levels of experimentation utilizing his arsenal of bass instruments. He compares this new CD to the first three albums of his solo career on Nemperor Records, Journey to Love, Stanley Clarke and School Days, with long extended electric pieces – a kind of journey.

Not one to rest on the laurels from his various pursuits as a composer, performer and recording artist of 40 albums and 60 film scores, the Fall of 2010 marked Clarke’s launch of his own record label, Roxboro Entertainment Group. This business venture includes music publishing for his own and other musicians’ work, as well as the development of various projects aimed at music education. “When you are starting a record company, diversity plays a major role,” says Clarke. “All of Roxboro’s artists come from different locations in the world and offer remarkable cultural differences.” The first two CD releases in January 2011 are from guitarist Lloyd Gregory and multi-instrumentalist Kennard Ramsey. The next two albums on the Roxboro Entertainment Group label will be later in the year. They will be keyboardist Sunnie Paxson and Ukrainian-born Ruslan Sirota, pianist, arranger and keyboardist, who collaborated on The Stanley Clarke Band.

Stanley Clarke with "The Stanley Clarke Band"
Yoshi's in Oakland, Friday April 1st through Sunday, April 3rd
Friday, Saturday 8pm & 10pm $30


Sunday 2pm Kids Matinee $5 Kids, $22 Adults (with kids), $30 Adults (general)
Sunday 7pm $30

The Static Illusion Methodical Madness Music Series

The Static Illusion Methodical Madness Music Series, (or S.I.M.M. Music Series), is a musician run bi-monthly music performance series bringing highly professional and truly adventurous music that would not normally be heard or supported by mainstream society. Since 2001 the SIMM Series has been curated by Outsound Presents and local improvisers/composers/sound artists Rent Romus and Bill Noertker. They present a cross section of sound artists and musicians from the experimental improvisation and composition genres. This Sunday's event features T.D. Skatchit & Company, 
featuring Tom Nunn and David Michalak on "skatchboxes
" with vocalists 
Aurora Josephson, Bob Marsh and Ron Heglin
. Opening the performance is Ross Hammond on guitar electronics and David Boyce on saxophones.


T.D. Skatchit & Company is a duo featuring Tom Nunn & David Michalak playing Skatchboxes. As the story goes, one day while on a visit to his cousin’s workshop, David picked up the combs and began to play the Skatchbox. Thomas sat in amazement at this first performance on his new invention. And so T.D. Skatchit was formed to spread the Skatch throughout the land performing with other traveling minstrels at carnivals & sideshows or wherever people would listen. They continue to explore the sounds of Skatch in combination with other instruments. On their 2nd CD called, Skatch Migration they feature many performers which include the vocalists performing this evening.



First there was the Electric Light then The Talking Machine. Now witness The Skatchbox; a new musical invention by Thomas Skatchit. Built out of cardboard boxes and played with combs, this recession era wonder conjures up sounds previously unknown to man. The mere sweep of the comb across the box creates a new universe of sound reminiscent of wind, the seashore, trees rustling, birds singing, frogs croaking and other magical sounds.
"I want to see a Skatchbox in every American home.", says Skatchit.

Sacramento guitarist Ross Hammond has been playing music on large stages and in small corners on the West Coast and beyond for the past decade. He has received the Sacramento News and Review music award for Best Area Jazz Musician in 2008, 2009 and 1999 (with Chili Palmer Project) and received a Critic’s Choice award for Special Achievement in 2007.
Hammond currently hosts “Nebraska Mondays,” a weekly improvised music series at Luna’s Cafe in Sacramento.

The SIMM Music Series, the Luggage Store performances and the Outsound and Edgetone New Music Festivals produce some of the most forward thinking and experimental music the Bay Area has to offer. For those wanting to take a walk on the wild side, you simply must make it to some of these incredible performances.

The SIMM Music Series
Alternate Sundays 7:30-10pm
Sunday March 20th, 7:30pm T.D. Skatchit & Company
Tom Nunn and David Michalak - skatchboxes

featuring the many voices of skatch with vocalists 
Aurora Josephson, Bob Marsh and Ron Heglin

8:30pm Ross Hammond - guitar electronics/David Boyce - saxophones duo
Admission $10 general $8 students & seniors
All ages welcome.