2010: This Too Shall Pass

Where does the time go, he asked rhetorically. Belated New Years greeting, TNLD faithful.

We kick off another year of sporadic posting with something new from TNLD favorites OK Go. (Who told you this was a jazz blog?) Like most of their videos, it's a tasty slice of joy.

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass from OK Go on Vimeo.

Recommended reading (before or after viewing, because it's your choice) is this fascinating um, essay by lead singer Damien on why fans can no longer embed the group's YouTube videos.

We’re stuck between two worlds: the world of ten years ago, where music was privately owned in discreet little chunks (CDs), and a new one that seems to be emerging, where music is universally publicly accessible. The thing is, only one of these worlds has a (somewhat) stable system in place for funding music and all of its associated nuts-and-bolts logistics, and, even if it were possible, none of us would willingly return to that world. Aside from the smug assholes who ran labels, who’d want a system where a handful of corporate overlords shove crap down our throats? All the same, if music is going to be more than a hobby, someone, literally, has to pay the piper.

OK, 2010, here we go!

Viddie: Ben Folds covers Such Great Heights

Something light and frothy for your Friday. Ben Folds and three percussionists improvise this cover of The Postal Service song on Australian television. (MP3 available here.)

Viddie: Caetano Veloso's Billie Jean

The Brazilian star shedding new light on classic pop. (Tip via Groovenotes.)

Viddie: Odetta and Tennessee Ernie Ford Sing Woody Guthrie

Not a pair of names you'd generally put together, but they are obviously having a high old time in this clip from Ford's television show. (That's right, kids, Tennessee Ernie Ford used to have a television show.)

The doggone Jacko's gone

Unless you bury your head in the sand, you're unlikely to miss the deluge of Michael Jackson tributes (or the accompanying snark festivals) to come in the following days. For me, few will top this preemptive salute from the mighty Millish, performed at the 2008 Kansas City Irish Festival. And, yes, that's Brubeck in there as well. (Tip via Jesse Mason of Millish.)

Listen to the crowd's reaction at the 4:40 mark. For all the weirdness, and there was plenty, the guy could write a hook. RIP Michael: you freak, you genius.

Part 1



And part 2:

Viddie: Sweet Georgia Brown

More bad news for drummers everywhere. (Rumor has it Apple is preparing a tractor Jam Pack for Garageband. Of course you didn't hear that here.)

Tip: KK at Groove Notes

Miscellany: Accordion Madness

"ACCORDION, n. An instrument in harmony with the sentiments of an assassin."
- Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

The sentiments of crabby Ambrose aside, here's a random assortment of vids featuring TNLD's favorite instrument.

Richard Galliano performing Piazolla's Libertango


A Tejano Accordion Summit: David Lee Garza, Flaco Jimenez, David Farias, Mingo Saldivar and Pete Ibarra performing at the Texas Talent Musicians Association's Tejano Music Awards show many years ago.


TMBG - The Statue Got Me High

Viddie: DJA's Transit

I mentioned Darcy James Argue the other day, referring to him as a "talented composer," among other things. Lee Bob says check him out for yourself. This performance of his composition Transit by the Secret Society was recorded earlier this month at the Red Fish (aka Poisson Rouge) in New York. That's DJA himself conducting.

Thanks to hopenschauer (a.k.a. Sebastian Noelle) for posting.