Answer: Formerly Cashmir Effect

Question: What was the name of the former band of the fabulous new duo that is now an up-and-coming part of the Orlando-area original music scene?
Answers first, questions later. Eric and Krystal Brewer are Arms Harbor. They’re a young, married, musically-linked duo. Think Johnny Cash and June Carter-Cash. This talented couple from western Tennessee, writes songs that sing to your soul while they rock and roll. They’ve already impressed throngs of the musical elite and are only just getting started.
Ladies and gentelmen, please give a very warm welcome to Arms Harbor.

PHOTO: Courtesy of Mr. Robert Johnson, Copyright 2007

Big Jef is Special

What do you call a muscian who performs a cover of Prince’s ‘Nothing Compares 2U,’ while playing a Texas 2-step, carrying the underlying melody to ‘Freebird’? O.K. How about mashing-up in a real-live band way, the theme from ‘The Jefferson’s,’ ‘Movin’ On Up,’ with the theme from ‘The Beverly Hillbillies’?
You would call that marvel of honky tonk-meets-punk, that guitar-playing, king of C&W funk, Big Jef Special. Good ole Jef and crew can be witnessed at the best kept secret in Orlando, Uncle Lou’s Entertainment Hall (1016 Mills Avenue, just north from and opposite to Wally’s Mills Ave. Liquors), every Thursday evening from 10 p.m. until closing.
Jef’s been around the block, musically and otherwise, and he knows how to entertain. If you’re lucky you might even get a glimpse of some other local music luminaries taking in the fresh sounds and cheap beer.
You can say I told you so!

PHOTO: Courtesy of Mr. Robert Johnson, Copyright 2007

Campfire in Fast Company

“The November issue of Fast Company has an in-depth story on Campfire, written by Danielle Sacks. Danielle spent two days in Orlando with Gregg and I, and a day in Detroit with us and the gang from Leo Burnett Detroit, sitting in on a brainstorm session for our current Pontiac campaign. During that time, Danielle drilled down deep. She heard the entire story behind Blair Witch, asked incredibly detailed questions about all our past campaigns, and immersed herself in what we were doing with Pontiac. Even the fact checking process was intense, but in the end I believe she explains what we do and why we do it better than anyone, including ourselves. Hell, I’ve been trying to explain my work to my parents for years, and after my Dad read the story he said “I think I finally understand what it is you do. So thanks for the amazing story, Danielle, and I’ll forgive you for calling me a “a hefty 37-year-old with bulbous hazel eyes.” Eventually.”

— Mike Monello, co-founder of Campfire Media

Technorati Tags: Campfire, Net Marketing, social media

Stop making sense!

Introducing,
Mr. Robert Johnson

This man will focus your attention on a burgeoning original music scene purculating up in-and-around Orlando’s better-known venues. While locally-based rock stars sleep comfortably in their plush lofts high above the din of the downtown streets, Mr. Robert Johnson is tirelessly attempting (and succeeding) to make Orlando aware of an underground talent pool that will eventually drown the City Beautiful in luscious sounds and soothing melodies. Don’t worry, there's plenty of rock in there too. No one knows how long this kindred spirit will inhabit this fine city. One thing is for certain: The longer we support guys like MRJ, the more muscically and socially rich this fair city will be.
PHOTO: Courtesy of Mr. Robert Johnson

For Stevie G

Royal Trux ‘Western Xterminator’ video, courtesy of Drag City, 2007

Battles ‘Atlas’

This song warms the cockles of my heart.
Battles ‘Atlas’ from the new release ‘Mirrored’ on Warp Records (2007)

Mark, Jack (Daniels) and me

Back in mid-February, on the eve of another birthday, I convinced my wife that it would be a fantastic idea if I travelled to NYC and spent the weekend with my music brother. Somehow she agreed and with that arrangements were made, tickets were booked and bags were packed. Knowing that my pal and I would need to prearrange some studio time we went about reserving time at a place near his apartment. The weather would be frigid but the thought of having 3 uninterrupted days and nights filled with exotic take-out food, strong coffee and enough alcohol to make Charles Bukowski proud, made me smile. The music flowed like my buddies broken toilet, constantly and with much volume. The concept of recording everything we played resulted in hours of music to sift through, distill and enhance with layers of new tracks. I’ll post a few of the works in progress soon. This particular creative process is far from over and the pennance I pay to the wife in return for a “lost” weekend in the John Lennon sense is worth every last “yes dear” I’ll utter.

Malcolm Gladwell

I was waiting for a takeout order last night and it was going to be a while, so I went over to a nearby Barnes & Noble and browsed around in the magazine section. As it usually turns out, while I’m browsing I become inspired to read something thought-provoking. So I went over to the information desk and asked about a book that I've read about and had become fascinated with. The book was ‘Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking’ by a gentleman by the name of Malcolm Gladwell. I’m familiar with the author through a book that I'm currenty (along with about 4 others) reading. The premise is to examine the concept of rapid cognition, the kind of thinking that happens in the blink of an eye. Mr. Gladwell’s opinion is that in mere seconds we know either that we like a person we’ve just met, like a home we're looking to buy the minute we step inside, etc. I highly recommend this and his other highly interesting book, ‘The Tipping Point.’

Deerhunter "Strange Lights"

From the recently released album ‘Cryptograms’ (Kranky), Deerhunter’s video for "Strange Lights." Directed by James Sumner.

Hello again!

Sorry…I've been sleeping…

I haven't really been sleeping…just absorbing much new stimuli as of late. So much to tell. I'll start a series of posts documenting all that's happened since last I posted. I'll begin by listing the new music that is inspiring my belief in what I truly feel is a new creative renaissance emerging. Not just with music, but with the visual arts, the written word, performing arts, socially, politically, etc.
To begin I'll list some of the new music that has been on heavy rotation in the House of Zelo.
I won't limit it to, say, a top 10 or top 100 list. It will begin and continue with no set end. Read, listen, absorb, wash, rinse and repeat!
In addition I'll update as to some interesting creative news on a personal level. Some recent studio time in NYC has yielded what's to become a new chapter in sonic output from Blissink Records. A trip, or better yet, pilgrimage I took back in February was a supremely fulfilling one. Hanging with my brother from another mother, briefly catching up with an old music mate making his name in media culture in the big apple and basically freezing my ass off. It was all good, exponentially so.

Excuse me, weren't you in the Fall?

Mark E Smith's band is legendary for its ever-changing line-up. Dave Simpson made it his quest to track down everyone who has ever been a member.
[Read article here]

By Dave Simpson
Originally published Thursday January 5, 2006
© 2006 by The Guardian

Welcome: living leg-end

The Fall: Latest news

UK and US gigs announced

The Fall are pleased to confirm today that they are playing two gigs at opposite ends of the Atlantic in early November.

On Saturday 4th November, they headline a Narnack Records showcase at the Hiro Ballroom, New York City as part of the CMJ Music Marathon. Full details of the event, support acts and ticket prices are available here.

The group follow this performance with a hometown gig on Sunday 12th November at the Warehouse Project festivities taking place at the former Boddingtons Brewery in Strangeways. As well as the usual ticket outlets, 50 tickets are available priced at just £14 each - full details of the gig and ticketing are available on the listing page here.

—FROM THE OFFICIAL FALL WEBSITE

Noah takes a photo of himself everyday for 6 years.

It has a kind of Godfrey Reggio/Philip Glass (Powaqqatsi) feel to it. A study in ritual and organization, with a focus on continuity of an idea and follow-through.
Brilliant, if you think about it.

Digitally distributed environments

How to create an aerial panorama from Google Earth

From the blog: Visualising the city - from the Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, University College London

The concept is simple — grab a series of screen shots while rotating above the earth and then stitch the images as if they were normal photographs.

A day is a long time in Internet based tutorials and this is now an update of the original as a result of Gaby, a digital urban reader, writing a kmz tool to dramatically simplify the process of capturing screen shots. The whole process should take approximately 40 minutes.
[Read more]

Blogmusik

Someone has finally done a favor for those of us who rush out of the house on our way to work without our trusty iPods.
Now you can go to Blogmusik and listen, make playlists and share those lists (once logged on).
It's sort of like iHeroin for music junkies.
Enjoy!

NEWSFLASH: Sam Rivers will announce new drummer, soon…

So … we're left to wonder what happened to the amazingly talented and telepathic genius of Anthony Cole and his main gig as legendary Sam Rivers' drummer. Sources reveal that the band has been playing for the past 8 weeks or so with a new, mysterious drummer. Sam's web site indicates only that " New Drummer coming soon...".
Stay tuned.

Photo © Claudio Casanova

September 11

September 11 is the 254th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (255th in leap years).
There are 111 days remaining. It is usually the first day of the Coptic calendar and Ethiopian calendar (in the period AD 1900 to AD 2099). However, just 5 short years ago our country experienced a tragedy that can simply be described as barbaric, cruel and evil. Think what you will about the politics and such surrounding this day in history, the bottom line is that is was unjust. There's been a tremendous amount of speculation to the "hows" and the "whys." The issue is sure to further separate what little political and/or social cohesion that still remains. Let's not dwell on the issues today, instead let's remember those who were lost and those who were left behind in the wake of such a tragic event.

—Zealous

The terms "September 11th", "11th September", and "9/11" have been widely used in the Western media as a shorthand for the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and The Pentagon in the United States of America.
In other places of the world the media also uses it as shorthand for other events, for example, the September 11, 1973 Coup D'Etat in Chile is referred to as "El 11 de Septiembre" or "El once" ("September 11" or "eleven" in Spanish) as shorthand for the Coup events.

Other significant events that fall on this same date thoughout history are listed below:

• 1185 - Isaac II Angelus kills Stephanus Hagiochristophorites and then appeals to the people, resulting in the revolt which deposes Andronicus I Comnenus and places Isaac on the throne of the Byzantine Empire.
• 1226 - The Catholic practice of perpetual adoration begins.
• 1297 - Battle of Stirling Bridge: Scots led by William Wallace defeat the English.
• 1541 - Santiago, Chile, is destroyed by indigenous warriors.
• 1609 - Henry Hudson lands on Manhattan island.
• 1609 - Expulsion order announced against the Moriscos of Valencia; beginning of the expulsion of all Spain's Moriscos.
• 1683 - Battle of Vienna
• 1649 - Siege of Drogheda ends: Oliver Cromwell's English Parliamentarian troops take the town and massacre its garrison.
• 1708 - Charles XII of Sweden stop outside Smolensk heading (by the lack of food since the Russians use the tactic of the burning soil) to the south, culminating in the disastrous battle of Poltava, the end of Sweden as a major power.
• 1709 - Battle of Malplaquet: Great Britain, Netherlands and Austria fight against France.
• 1714 - Barcelona surrenders to Spanish and French Bourbonic armies in the War of the Spanish Succession.
• 1773 - The Public Advertiser publishes a satrical essay titled Rules By Which A Great Empire May Be Reduced To A Small One, which is written by Benjamin Franklin.
• 1776 - British-American peace conference on Staten Island fails to stop nascent American Revolution.

[Read more]

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Brice Marden: A Retrospective of Paintings and Drawings

October 29, 2006–January 15, 2007

The Joan and Preston Robert Tisch Gallery, sixth floor
The Paul J. Sachs Drawings Galleries, third floor

This retrospective of the artist Brice Marden is an unprecedented gathering of his work, with more than fifty paintings and an equal number of drawings, organized chronologically, drawn from all phases of the artist's career. Two new large-scale paintings exhibited for the first time are included. The gradual, deliberate evolution of the artist's work becomes evident, as well as the constant exploration of light, color, and surface at every turn. The work of the first twenty years, characterized by luminous monochrome panels, which first won the artist acclaim, is now seen in balance with the celebrated work of the past twenty years. In the mid-1980s Marden shifted to calligraphic gestures embedded in shimmering grounds before moving to heightened color in the past decade. An installation of drawings is installed in the Paul J. Sachs Drawings Galleries on the third floor. A major publication accompanies the exhibition.

Organized by Gary Garrels, Senior Curator, UCLA Hammer Museum, Los Angeles.

The exhibition is sponsored by Lehman Brothers.

Major support is also provided by the Mimi and Peter Haas Fund.

Additional generous funding is provided by The Henry Luce Foundation and Jerry and Emily Spiegel.

Hothouse Flowers

Brooklyn's Grizzly Bear migrate north and maul a few mint juleps
by Andy Beta
August 21st, 2006 3:32 PM

There's a gruff thunk! of a needle to wax, and a vaudeville piano starts to plink a tune you could imagine emanating from a Prohibition-era speakeasy in the Tenderloin. Over a hesitant waltz, a quavering female voice wails a curious ditty about misplaced items like a French horn, clamshells, and a sheepskin coat. Grizzly Bear's Edward Droste auditions this song his Great-Aunt Marla recorded some 70 years ago so that I might hear the original in juxtaposition with his band's own cover. The original title now lost to time, "Marla" throbs as the emotional core of Grizzly Bear's new album Yellow House; in their hands, this now elegiac dirge discloses the silent despair beneath her whimsical veneer.
[Read more]