The News Review:
- Silver Mt. Zion: It’s true punk rock
- New blues from the old school
- A soulful celebration of Van Morrison
- The world of their strings
- From Tuesday’s Globe and Mail
- Music School sets Jam Camp lineup
Silver Mt. Zion: It’s true punk rock
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – May 27, 2008
Zion Memorial Orchestra and Tra-La-La Band (SMZ) takes the Bluebird stage tonight. SMZ is associated with the disbanded Godspeed You! Black Emperor as its three founders were Godspeed members. Like Godspeed SMZ’s music has an avant-garde feel with Efrim Menuck’s piano and vocal themes setting a foundation that the other members (two guitars two violins cello contrabass and drums) can experiment with. They are touring in support of their fifth album ?13 Blues for Thirteen Moons? (Constellation) released in March. The album is eccentric as the first dozen ?songs? are actually tiny snippets of high-pitched noise. Hence the record is actually four long tracks featuring crackling guitars intense string parts and group vocal passages. The song titles and occasional lyrics reveal an abstract take on protest music… SMZ is associated with the disbanded Godspeed You! Black Emperor as its three founders were Godspeed members. Like Godspeed SMZ’s music has an avant-garde feel with Efrim Menuck’s piano and vocal themes setting a foundation that the other members (two guitars two violins cello contrabass and drums) can experiment with. They are touring in support of their fifth album ?13 Blues for Thirteen Moons? (Constellation) released in March. The album is eccentric as the first dozen ?songs? are actually tiny snippets of high-pitched noise. Hence the record is actually four long tracks featuring crackling guitars intense string parts and group vocal passages. The song titles and occasional lyrics reveal an abstract take on protest music. I wasn’t sure what to expect when a friend took me to see Godspeed at Mississippi Nights in 2003 but I was pleasantly surprised by a lush orchestrated performance that kept me riveted.
New blues from the old school
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – Pittsburgh Post Gazette – May 27, 2008
Courtney is one of those good old-fashioned bluesmen whose style takes you back to the real thing but whose lyrical touch can be up to date. This is an excellent album from a bluesman who learned his craft when the blues were still young. Nothing fancy — simple and effective guitar work powerful vocals — just straight blues no chaser. The title track is a poignant and spare memory of the little town outside Waco Texas where Courtney spent his youth (he was born in Marlin Texas)… It’s music that we would most likely never hear otherwise. First published on May 27 2008 at 12:00 am.
A soulful celebration of Van Morrison
mlive.com – May 27, 2008
The biggest surprise was finding “Vanthology” a little-heard of Van Morrison tribute album released in 2003. The CD features an all-star line-up of Rhythm and Blues greats including Muskegon Heights’ own Bettye LaVette who tears into the Van classic “Real Real Gone… The biggest surprise was finding “Vanthology” a little-heard of Van Morrison tribute album released in 2003. The CD features an all-star line-up of Rhythm and Blues greats including Muskegon Heights’ own Bettye LaVette who tears into the Van classic “Real Real Gone.
The world of their strings
Sacramento Bee – May 27, 2008
White PVC pipes turn into cellos. Simple wooden sticks transform into bows. In this innovative music program children build the instrument first then they learn to play it. All Rights Reserved… After participating for a year students are placed in a string orchestra. The culmination of each semester is a concert the last of which was a concert May 19 when more than 50 string project students gave a recital at CSUS. That concert offered a collection of folk songs a blues piece and original orchestra repertoire written for introductory-level string players. Call Bee arts critic Edward Ortiz (916) 321-1071.
From Tuesday’s Globe and Mail
Globe and Mail – May 27, 2008
CONSIDINE From Tuesday’s Globe and Mail LAY IT DOWN Al Green Blue Note****Like garage rock and electric blues soul music is a pop evergreen a sound players and listeners alike continually return to – albeit with varying results. Retro is a tricky aesthetic after all. Copy too closely and your music seems second-hand; stray too far from the formula and you risk sounding like a pale imitation. That conundrum is as true for aging originals as for those they have influenced. The full text of this article has 642 words.
Music School sets Jam Camp lineup
Deseret News – May 27, 2008
Jam Camp 2008 is an intensive weeklong summer camp for young musicians interested in rock jazz funk blues alternative hip-hop and other styles. Lodging varies from $147-$362 depending on room and occupancy… Jam Camp 2008 is an intensive weeklong summer camp for young musicians interested in rock jazz funk blues alternative hip-hop and other styles. Lodging varies from $147-$362 depending on room and occupancy. A meal ticket is $230 and provides breakfast lunch and dinner at the Grub Steak Restaurant.