Jason Moran....DAMN; Delta Spirit

Jason Moran takes peoples' speeches and turns them into music. The accuracy and beauty of it is uncanny.

I've never heard anything like this. Moran's amazing ability to capture a person's phrasing, tonal inflections and mood. It's brilliant. My Jazz composition professor James Newton played this for us, and I was just floored. I'll probably be putting up a number of songs he played for us because there are so many good ones. I suggest listening to "Artists Ought To Be Writing" for starters.

Jason Moran currently teaches lessons at the Manhattan School of Music.

Artist in Residence

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/jasonmoranonbluenote


On another note, one of my favorite bands right now is Delta Spirit. They have a great sense of melody, and I love their raw sound. Again, I'm a complete sucker for old-school sounding music. I went into a random pub in Camden, London back in March and they were playing in a small room upstairs. Even though I could barely get passed the door, it was packed so tight, I fell in love, regardless. It didn't hurt that Robert Plant brushed my shoulder on the way out to smoke a fag. Delta Spirit is on tour right now, soon to play Bonnaroo. Check out their video for "People, C'mon"

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/deltaspirit

Women and Chocolate

I've never realized just how much chocolate is targeted towards women. It's amazing how media puts us into boxes. Maybe I crave chocolate once a month because commercials have told me to do so.



And how about this new chocolate bar "Fling." Wrapped in shiny pink, it's a chocolate bar that is "naughty but not that naughty."



I mean, really now? Women are supposed to equate sex with a chocolate "finger?" Oooh, but it's low in fat. Yes, I'm a woman, and I'm supposed to love shiny pink things and low fat chocolate. I've go to watch my figure so I can keep up with the ladies in Maxim.

Veronica
x

Gig @ The Cat Club

Tonight my quartet is playing at The Cat Club. My first time performing live with a drummer! We're playing some special songs, and it's going to be awesome. If you're ready for some foot stompin' folk and blues, you best not miss this.

Johnny Flynn

I'm a sucker for any music that has even a slightly nostalgic sound to it, and Mr. Johnny Flynn who fits this aesthetic quite nicely. He writes melodic folk tunes that you just want to put on repeat forever. He's a part of the burgeoning London folk scene, which includes Laura Marling and Mumford and Sons. I'm just really into it.

He's playing around the UK right now, then he heads to Canada's Edmonton Folk Festival in August. Oh, how I would love to be there. Maybe I'll hitch hike, in the spirit of folk masters previous.

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/johnnyflynn

I believe.

I believe that ugly doesn't exist.
I believe that people have more power than the government, if they would only try
I believe that fear is the root of all suffering and pain
I believe that pain is necessary
I believe that women get the shit end of the deal
I believe that wars will end forever
I believe peace is possible
I believe that network news is not news at all
I believe in true love, and it's happening now
I believe in the power of generosity
I believe that spending money will bring it back to you
I believe that people are afraid to be alone because it brings them too close to themselves, their feelings, and their own mortality
I believe that technology is bad for the sense of Self
I believe that too many electrical wires are bad for your health
I believe that believing in something with passion will bring it close to you
I believe that everything always was and always will be
I believe that God exists simply because we believe she exists
I believe that as technology increases, so does the distance between humans
I believe in you
I believe in me
I believe.