Tambourine Time Trip

A number of years ago, my friend Gordon and I were talking about music and influences. And he was shocked down to his toenails that Bob Dylan wasn't on my list.

"Dylan? Are you shitting me? Dylan was the best, he was amazing!"

Gordo is a few years older, and sometimes this colors us in ways to subtle to comprehend. But thanks to YouTube, I can finally illustrate why he affected Gordon, and barely got noticed by me.

First, here's Bob Dylan as he sang when I was a teen:

And here's the man who became a legend, as Gordon heard him a decade or so earlier:

After 15 years of singing it in endless repetitions, the song seems to have lost meaning for him. He stopped telling us the story, and started reciting it. And then the random pauses so the band can get in some solo licks further degrade the story.

But now I understand why author Anne McCaffrey once predicted that there would be a type of musical activism wherein a "Dylanist" would deliver scathing political commentary via song.

And Gordon? You were right; Dylan totally rocks!

Fushu Daiko

Fushu Daiko just arrived to start setting up. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy having them here. They carry their own cloud of karmic balance with them. Mellowness unfolds when they walk through the door.

Today they're performing with a number of South American artists; Roberto Perera, Juan Blanco, Los Latigos Santiaguenos, Soledad Centurion, & Richard Scofano.

Two concerts today: 3:00 and 7:30. The weather outside sucks: come in and hear some great music.

You can hear selection of their music on their MySpace page.

GREAT concert this Sunday, April 20

One of the cool things about my new job at the Broward Center is all the great acts that come through here. It doesn't mean I can get tickets to them (sorry to everyone who wanted WICKED tickets), but I can let you know when something special is coming in.

Sunday, we have a great show: Jake Shimabukuru with Future Man and the Black Mozart Ensemble.

Jake Shimabukuru is a solo act, and he's been compared to Jimi Hendricks; but his instrument is very different from Jimi's. Experimenting with various guitar effect pedals allows Jake to create sounds never thought possible on the tiny four-string, two-octave instrument.Jake, you see, plays the ukulele.

Future Man (Roy Wooten) has played with the Flecktones for years. The Black Mozart Ensemble is composed of young virtuoso violinists and cellists under the direction of Futureman. The music is complemented by the addition of hip hop artists, and actors/narrators. The music of Black Mozart has a message for the ears, eyes and moves of today’s modern world. Futureman states that this composition, The Black Mozart is a personal statement of New American Classical Roots and Dance Music with social aspirations that embraces all races of humanity

This is a clip from their show up in Jacksonville last night:

There are still lots of tickets for this event; come on out to the Broward Center on Sunday night and check it out. This is going to be a hot night of music!

Music Interlude: Steve Goodman

The Folk & Acoustic show on WLRN covered the new autobiography of Steve Goodman. And that's as good a reason as any to post this:

A winsome Friday night song