Back to Regularly Irregular Programming

My goodness! It's taken me this long to get around to posting a thank you to everyone. It's been insane at work. Anyway- October 2009 was the BEST YEAR EVER for the Annual Halloween Extravaganza! Thanks to everyone who tuned in! We had very high numbers all day October 30, and Halloween we were sold out most of the time. The website got so much traffic it used up all its bandwidth! A great time was had by all in the NeverEnding Halloween chat room and it was just generally a great time! Next year is the 10th Anniversary of the Halloween Extravaganza, so something really special is sure to happen!

We're back to the regular crazy mix on NeverEndingWonder Radio, with some fabulous new music. Welcome to Weirdsville remains on the air! you can tune in at:

Welcome to Weirdsville

What's new on NeverEndingWonder Radio?

THIS JUST IN:


Mags, from The Mad Maggies sent me a surprising package- the 2010 West Coast Accordion Babes Calendar with companion CD. A deluxe 12" X 12" calendar with wild, weird & winsome photos of female accordion players, all from the West Coast. For fans of the outre' this is the perfect gift. You can order the calendar & cd at:

SqueezeboxGoddess.com

And you can hear the CD on NeverEndingWonder Radio!

Harp46 - Entanglement

I was a big fan of Harp46's 2005 debut, Passage. Jazz fusion harp, who'd have thunk it? This new release finds them moving into the World Beat arena, with just as much assurance and finesse. It's beautiful!

Mike Longo Trio - Sting Like a Bee

Mike Longo studied piano with Oscar Peterson and played with Dizzy Gillespie. He's a journeyman jazzman, and this CD shows him in fine form, accompanied by Bob Cranshaw on bass and Lewis Nash on drums.

David MacKenzie and Josh Johnston - Notes Home

Take swing jazz, add some blues and Latin influences and you have this warm and colorful album.

John Steiner - Into the Green

Minimalist solo piano that reveals a deft sensitivity to sound and silence.

That's all for now! Come join us at:

NeverEndingWonder Radio
Or- in iTunes, find us in the radio section under Eclectic.

Richard Bliwas - Uncovered

I was listening to Richard Bliwas' new release, "Uncovered" and wondering what was going on. This latest CD from jazz pianist/keyboardist Bliwas contains 17 tracks and ten of them are covers. But the name of the CD is UNcovered. And there are pictures of baskets everywhere- front, back, inside- even the disc itself is printed with a woven basket graphic.

Bliwas reveals a wealth of influences here- show tunes like "I could Write a Book," a venerable standard (That Old Black Magic), several Lennon/McCartney compositions, even a folk song and a country tune - all surrounded by Bliwas originals. Then I realised what he was doing. Bliwas is showing us his musical influences, his heritage- he's uncovered them for us, and like a great basket weaver, these influences are woven together with Bliwas' own unique style, the strands and twines of this basket revealed to us in its complex pattern.

Here is Malvina Reynolds' "Little Boxes" as you never thought you'd hear it- bubbling and bleeping with Richard's intricate rhythms and time structures. Same with Lennon & McCartney's "Julia." Bliwas turns it into a haunting evocation of memories as his voice weaves in and out of the melody along with piano runs and organ fills. "That Old Black Magic" seems like a magical spell of its own- the various elements swirling and mixing together to create a unique yet familiar potion.

Listening to the album creates a tapestry of forces and emotions. It's a bit like an experimental jazz version of The Residents Third Reich and Roll. Richard Bliwas is a brave musician- - he has uncovered his musical past for us and woven it into a brand new creation, a unique vision. It's a lovely, startling, rewarding basket. Pick it up, feel it, listen to it, explore it. It's a wonderful treasure.

Check out Richard's website:
Richard Bliwas

And tune in to hear Uncovered on NeverEndingWonder Radio:
NeverEndingWonder Radio
(Or in iTunes, go to the radio section and find NeverEndingWonder Radio in the Eclectic category)

Back From the Dead!

It's been quite a while since a proper post. I got ill this Winter and it just seemed to linger, sapping my energy for a month or so. Seems to happen to me every Winter now. After that I was having some connectivity issues and after that our city manager went on vacation, and as assistant city manager I had to work very long hours. On top of that, I've discovered and become obsessed with an online role playing game called Popmundo, where you try and become a rock star. It's a long term game and I'm sucked into the whole world. You can check it out here:

Popmundo

That doesn't mean I've been completely inactive as far as NeverEndingWonder Radio goes. Here's a rundown of some cool stuff recently added:

Tom Dissevelt & Kid Baltan - Song of the Second Moon
Classic electronic weirdness from 1968. Has that 1960s primitive electronic sound I love so much.

Graffiti - Graffiti
Proto-psychedelic grooviness from 1968. Some really nice touched and a really off-kilter vocal arrangement make this band quite interesting.

Widespread Panic - Uber Cobra
Live album from one of my favorite modern bands.

Beatrice Kay
A selection of fun tunes by burlesque dancer, actress and singer Beatrice Kay, who had a lengthy career on the stage, in movies & TV and recordings.

Red Racan
Really cool eclectic experimental band. Love their stuff! Check out their Myspace page:
Red Racan

Savage Resurrection
Another great psychedelic gem from the 60s.

Tingstad & Rumbel - Leap of Faith
Another flawless release from New Age tunesmiths Tingstad & Rumbel.

Martha Reich - Evidence of Life
Beautiful heartfelt songs by singer/songwriter Reich.
Martha Reich

Goodluck Boys - A Gift of Time
Lo-fi, electronic noise ritualistic freakout experimental tribal psychedelic greatness from Japan!
Goodluck Boys

Spencer Hoveskeland Trio - Harbinger
Guitar, violin, bass. Jazz. Perfection.

Bernie Journey - The World in the Eye of the Beholder
Pop electronic tunes with soulful vocals and just a touch of weirdness.
Bernie Journey

And those are just highlights! Tune in please- I miss you all!

NeverEndingWonder Radio
Also available on iTunes in the radio section under "eclectic."

EVEN MORE NEW MUSIC: DIZZY GILLESPIE, PHYLLIS DILLER, THE TIMELORDS, UFO ENCOUNTERS, SCOTT AUGUST, INGA SWEARINGEN & KAISERCARTEL

More new items added recently to NeverEndingWonder Radio:


Dizzy Gillespie Live at the 1965 Monterey Jazz Festival
One of the Jazz greats in a fantastic live performance. Includes classics like a Night in Tunisia and Dizzy telling a humorous story.


Phyllis Diller - Live from San Francisco
Phillis Diller is a true comedy pioneer. She was one of the first female comedians to gain acceptance in the 1960s. The comedy circuit was very much a man's world and women were not exactly welcomed. Bob Hope saw an early performance of Diller's and gave her advice and helped her with some contacts and the rest is history. Diller's act is classic stuff- from her stories of her good for nothing husband "Fang" to her routines about her lousy cooking and poor housekeeping skills. However, this album, Live from San Francisco, was taped sometime this century and this comedy master is definitely past her prime. Her timing is not what it used to be, some of the jokes have not aged well and at times you can hear her struggling for the next line or word. Still, an interesting document.


The Timelords - Doctorin' the Tardis
The Timelords, aka KLF (Kopyright Liberation Front), aka the JAMMS (Justified Ancients of Mu Mu) are Bill Drummond and Jimi Cauty. Their peppered career was full of controversy and bold statements on art & life. Their single most well known track is "Doctorin' the Tardis" which mashes up bits of Gary Glitter, Sweet & the Dr. Who Theme Song. If you don't know anything else about them, I suggest looking it up- very interesting reading. Anyway, this EP is five different versions of their big "hit."



UFO Encounters
Classic spoken word release from the 1970s, featuring UFO experts and contactees telling their stories. You'll hear excerpts from this album between music sets.


Scott August - New Fire
Another atmospheric release from Native American flautist, Scott August. This is not your typical Native American flute album, though. On many tracks other instruments are mixed in- both traditional and modern. This makes for a more expansive harmonic landscape. Some tunes are very melodic and upbeat, others quiet and contemplative. They all retain a sense of Native American tradition while at the same time embracing a modern world. It's beautiful music that calls to your soul.

Scott August


Inga Swearingen and the Bill Peterson Trio - Reverie
Inga Swearingen has a strong and clear jazz voice that she uses to great advantage on her latest release "Reverie" - accompanied by a traditional jazz trio- Bill Peterson on piano, Jeff Denson on bass and Ronen Itzik on drums. This release features a mix of standards and original tunes. Her rendition of "Stompin' at the Savoy" is strikingly modern in execution, yet backed by the trio, it's fresh and fun, never impudent. Likewise her version of "Down by the Riverside" is the single most bouncy version of that song I've ever heard, yet the deft touch by pianist Peterson helps anchor the song to its melody and pull off the neat trick. It's not all bounce and zip though. Stargazer evokes a mood of longing. "Where the Flamingos Fly" is moody and quiet. All in all, a nicely varied collection of jazz songs sung by a singer with fine phrasing and a strong voice accompanied by a traditional trio that have what it takes.

Inga Swearingen


KaiserCartel - Okay... and Other Things We Feel & March Forth
This is actually two releases- "Okay... and Other Things We Feel" and "March Forth." March Forth is so new there aren't any images of the cover o the web I could find. KaiserCartel are Courtney Kaiser & Benjamin Cartel and they make catchy little pop tunes that grab onto you and get into your head and heart, whether you want them to or not. If these two find the right management they could end up there in your radio. Or maybe not- the music is so much more interesting and heartfelt than what you can hear on the radio it just might be too good for the mainstream. The two met in New York ans soon realised they not only wanted to make music together, they wanted to make a life together. Their sense of purpose and their sense of joy with each other, with life, with the world shines through every one of their songs. In the "Season Song" they pull out all the stops- whistling, tambourines, hand clapping- it SCREAMS at you, "this is sunshine pop!" But don't dismiss it- it has a great deal to say about the cycle of the year. Simple phrases decribing emblematic symbols of each season combine with more personal symbols to make an incredibly infectious ditty that sets you thinking about what you love about the yearly cycle- and all in less than three minutes.
They're not a one trick pony though. Each song has an individual style and an individual mood. "The Flood" is surprisingly dour. "Dog Stars" starts off simply, a plaintive solo vocal by Kaiser that develops into a powerful chorus. I envy these two- in love with each other and possessing the talent to make their experience felt by others. They almost turn a cynical old crank like me back into an optimist.
KaiserCartel

All these albums can be heard on NeverEndingWonder Radio

CD REVIEW: RICHARD BLIWAS - WAS IS

Richard Bliwas - Was Is

"Ghost," released in 2004, was a masterful album of mostly piano based jazz by Richard Bliwas. Its asymmetrical phrasing and complex melodies owed a lot to the be bop movement. It was haunting, inventive, engrossing. His new release, "Was Is" is like that album on acid - and I mean that in a good way. The same disjointed phrasing on the piano is there, as are the exotic vocal intonations. What's added to that are multitudes of filigrees and embellishments layered around, beside, on top of and throughout the piano & vocal phrases. We hear organs, electronics, other pianos and who knows what else fading in and out - sometimes in rapid succession, sometimes staying longer, blending with the framework provided by the piano and vocal.

It's a natural progression for an artist growing and expanding his palette. It's a fascinating listen and dazzles at every turn. Multi layered, multi textured, multi-enjoyable for those that like their music challenging and innovative. Bravo to you, Mr. Bliwas.

Richard Bliwas

Was Is & Ghost by Richard Bliwas can both be heard on NeverEndingWonder Radio

Most Recent Additions to NeverEndingWonder Radio- Grasshoppers, Rare Comedy and $64,000 Jazz

These are the most recent additions to NeverEndingWonder Radio. Three classic rare albums recorded on my brand new Crosley usb turntable (my old school turntable gave out and this usb device works GREAT!).

The Grasshoppers Sing the Beatles Hits

I don't have a proper image of the cover, so this will have to do. I haven't had a scanner in years.

The Grasshoppers were a Chipmunks ripoff- only hipper. They have their own Dave, only he's named Jerry. They sing Beatles songs! It's a truly demented record.

How to be Terribly, Terribly Funny

No cover for this, sorry. A great lost comedy anthology released in the Fifties. Features a wonderful example of pre-hippie dope humor by Ronnie Graham. Lots of inside jokes for the beatnik era- this even predates the classic "How to Speak Hip." Another lost great routine by "George Crater." Crater was actually Downbeat columnist Ed Sherman. Here he explains his plans for a new series of wind-up dolls based on Jazz musicians. Also classic routines by Louis Nye, Peter Ustinov, Henry Morgan & Stanley Holloway.

$64,000 Jazz

Anthology Jazz album released in the mid-50s containing tracks from Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, Eddie Condon, Harry James, Duke Ellington, Woody Herman, Sarah Vaughan, Dave Brubek and others.

These were all recorded from vinyl albums over 40 years old and as such contain some noise. I cleaned them up a bit but you still hear some. Well, it adds to the charm, right?