BeatNonStop A Weblog by Chris Macias Bee pop music critic Music geek (n. myü-zik 'gEk) 1: A person who proudly wore KISS commemorative pajamas in third grade. 2: A person who owns multiple copies of the same album, still buys vinyl and has a room dedicated to 2,000 or so CDs and records. 3. A person who wrote a five-part series about traveling with a local band in their stinky van - and loved every minute of it. 4: Chris Macias, the Bee's pop music critic, serving Sacramento's music scene since 1999.

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« November 2006 | | January 2007 »

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December 28, 2006

One more reason to appreciate James Brown

Check out Eddie Murphy's ace James Brown impersonation in this classic "Saturday Night Live" skit. Too hot in the hot tub!

Posted by cmacias at 11:26 AM | Comments |

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December 26, 2006

James Brown R.I.P.

And now, let us give thanks for the funk. It's the music that moves millions of butts, the sound masterminded by James Brown that made you feel blessed to be alive, a kind of baptismal sweat on the dance floor.

But the man who started it all is gone now. Brown passed away on Christmas Day, and he left us all with the gift of the funk and some of hottest moments in recorded history. To name just a few: “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag,” “Super Bad,” “Soul Power,” “The Payback.”

Without James Brown, Michael Jackson wouldn’t have moonwalked. Mick Jagger would’ve had to look elsewhere to lift some moves. Prince would've needed a whole new template, starting with his early haircut and going down to the way he spun on his heels.

Hip-hop would sound a whole lot different – if exist at all – if it wasn’t for James Brown. The way a hip-hop beat hits so hard, that's in large part because of the way Brown led his bands. And what a funky bunch that was, guys like Maceo Parker on saxophone and Clyde "the funky drummer" Stubblefield. The groove was so hard that that Brown became the most sampled artist in rap music, heard on songs ranging from Afrika Bambaataa to Ultramagnetic MCs and just about every heavyweight hip-hopper in between (LL Cool J, N.W.A., Run-D.M.C., Gang Starr, Public Enemy etc. etc.).

But Brown also wanted people to use their minds when they weren’t shaking their behinds. He was part of the civil rights soundtrack, the singer who demanded, "Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud!" He was a kind of pied piper of peace on the day after Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in 1968. Brown was scheduled to perform in Boston, and his concert was broadcast on TV to diffuse tensions. It gave Bostonians an excuse to stay home, to cool off from the boiling points seen in other cities.

It’s not that Brown was an angel. He was sent to prison in 1988 for leading police on a two-state police chase. The Godfather of Soul was “dusted” on PCP and also charged with weapons possession. Brown was also out of his perpetually pompadoured head during some interviews around that time, like one clip archived at YouTube.com:

Question: “How did all of this trouble begin?”
Brown: “Livin’ in America!”
(awkward silence)

But let’s hope the Big Man Upstairs gives Brown a break. If anyone made you stomp those sorrows away on the dance floor, or just made you feel so good you just had to get up and dance, it was Brown and his music. So go to the Blue Lamp on Thursday night, and you can bet that DJ Larry Rodriguez is going to play a whole lot of James Brown for his dance party. And whether he plays, "Soul Power," "Mother Popcorn" or "Super Bad," a lot of faces will light up, and folks will boogie down and celebrate the forever funky spirit that is James Brown.

Posted by cmacias at 4:31 PM | Comments |

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December 22, 2006

So long Tower, it was nice knowing you

Tower Records/Books/Video is officially over in Sacramento. Here's the Bee's report on the final hours before liquidators put the once venerable chain out of its misery. Tower, I miss ya already.

With that out of the way, here's wishing you all a rockin' holiday season.

Posted by cmacias at 1:10 PM | Comments |

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December 20, 2006

My new favorite band

They are called Gaucho, and I have no idea where they're from, but I'm guessing Argentina. And I don't know if it's because of the hormone levels in Argentine beef, but there's something going on that's making the young people rock very hard. How hard? Witness these moppets of metal ripping through Iron Maiden's "The Trooper." The Pikachu on the microphone stand is a most excellent touch ... because the family that plays Iron Maiden together, stays together. Now let's see those horns! \m/

p.s. Thanks to Tizno from San Jo for the tip

Posted by cmacias at 4:47 PM | Comments |

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December 19, 2006

(Insert wolf howl here)

The Los Lobos show at UC Davis' Mondavi Center on Feb. 16 is no secret, but here's a twist that was just announced. The gig is part of Los Lobos' "Acoustic en Vivo" tour, which means that band will leave its amplifiers back in East L.A. and jam on acoustic instruments. BeatNonStop saw a similar Los Lobos at UC Davis a couple years back, and people were literally dancing in the aisles of the Mondavi Center. The music will feature such traditional Mexican and Latin music forms as huapangos, cumbias and corridos - plus some good ol' rock n' roll. Taj Mahal, the blues and roots music master, is also on the bill and just about promises to be a great show. Orale pues!

Posted by cmacias at 3:21 PM | Comments |

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December 15, 2006

Appetite for Cancellation

Speaking of cancellations ... Uh, this is a real shocker but Guns N' Roses just scrapped its show Arco Arena show scheduled for Jan 10., along with the rest shows in Reno, Bakersfield and San Diego. The reason? Well, let's just let Axl Rose explain, as he does in this bit from the press release:

"Due to the schedule of these particular shows valuable time needed by the band and record company for the proper setup and release of the album Chinese Democracy would be lost. Rather than delay the album yet again all involved have decided to remove these shows from GNR’s schedule. We sincerely hope our fans understand and we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused anyone. Tickets may be refunded at local point of purchase."

"In the end it’s just an album and one that I, the band, our record company and all involved believe and feel is a true Guns N’ Roses album. Ultimately the public will decide and regardless of the outcome our hearts, lives and our passion has been put into this project every step of the way. If for no other reason we feel those elements alone merit your consideration. We do hope you can hold on just a bit longer and if not we hope you would please feel free to take a break and we’ll be more than glad (if you so choose) to see you again later."

Posted by cmacias at 12:50 PM | Comments |

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Public Enemy M.I.A.

I knew something wasn’t right last night when there was plenty of street parking next to Empire. Where were all the cars? And where was Empire’s stone-faced team of bouncers and door people? And then I saw the sign on Empire’s door: “Public Enemy cancelled – refunds available at place of purchase.” I haven’t been able to find out yet why the show was scrapped, but this was nonetheless a big let-down for those of us who were ready to yell, “Bass! How low can you go?” in tandem with Chuck D. and company.

Posted by cmacias at 11:53 AM | Comments |

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December 14, 2006

Eye in the sky?

Here's an interesting show that I just saw listed at www.pollstar.com: Alan Parsons Project at UC Davis' Mondavi Center on June 23. If this show goes through, and nothing gets booked before then, this would be the first full-fledged rock 'n' roll show at UC Davis' Mondavi Center, the usual spot for high-brow orchestral and jazz ensembles. The Alan Parsons Project played on the more progressive side of rock, with lots of science fiction themes and concept albums, and Parsons was also an engineer on Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon." Anyway, confirmation on this show should be coming soon.

Posted by cmacias at 4:17 PM | Comments |

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December 13, 2006

Hey you, local musician

We all know you're tired of gigging on a Wednesday night for 12 people (only 4 of which aren't friends or immediate family) and dream of the big time. You know, jet airplanes and 5-star catering, your own celebrity stylist and a lifetime supply of Gibson guitars. You're ready to sign your name on the major-label dotted line, right? Well you're in luck because Music Nation wants to help. Log on to www.musicnation.com and enter their online video competition. It's a 15-week contest that starts on Jan. 15 and will be judged by the general public and "celebrity judges." Three winners get a recording contract with Epic Records, a chance to take a whirl in the music industry machine. So for now, don't worry about those stories about bands that sign fat deals only to never be heard from again. If you're strong and well-coiffed, your band just might make it. Good luck.

Posted by cmacias at 4:22 PM | Comments |

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December 11, 2006

Going, going ...

So in a weekend that was cold like the opening riff to Interpol’s “Untitled,” I made it out of the house for a little X-Mas shopping and stops at Tower Records/Books both on Watt Ave. and Broadway. It’s just days away – about 10 for Tower Broadway – until the store shuts for good and goes into the memory banks. And it was weird to see Tower Books on Watt with all of its book stock on one side of the store. I remember back in the day when a slow Friday night went like this: Drive to Tower on Watt, look around and maybe buy a CD, head to World’s Best Comics (which used to be in the same strip mall) for the latest issue of “Hate,” and then check out the magazine rack at Tower Books. Usually I’d also pop into Sam’s Hof Brau for some grub and then play pinball at Country Club Lanes, which is just a few steps down from Tower Books.

Anyway, over at Broadway I didn’t know that Tower Video is already closed and their remaining stock is at Tower Records. The pickings were pretty slim, but I’ll probably go back once more, even if it’s mainly for nostalgia’s sake. But here’s what I scored on Sunday night:

(Book): “Music from Downtown,” Kyle Gann – A collection of essays, notes and reviews from Kyle Gann of the Village Voice. His specialty is the post-modern/experimental side of “classical” music. Subjects include: Glenn Branca, John Cage, John Adams, Philip Glass, John Zorn and Laurie Anderson.

(DVD): “Tokyo Solo,” Keith Jarrett - The great jazz pianist improvises for over an hour, moving between atonal fury, impressionistic interludes and bursts of lyricism, all with a deft touch. For encores, Jarrett plays intensely sublime versions of “Danny Boy,” “Old Man River” and “Don’t Worry Bout Me.”

(CDs):

Don Tosti, “Pachuco Boogie” - Arhoolie Records presents these rare recordings from the late-1940s, and it’s a collection of jump blues and Chicano Boogie. Liner notes detail the “pachuco” culture of Los Angeles (think zoot suits, brawling with sailors) and notes about the musical styles, slang and musicians. My favorite buy of the night.

John Holloway/Jaap ter Linden/Lars Ulrik Mortensen, “Veracini Sonatas” - 18th century music from the composer Francesco Maria Veracini (1690-1768), with instrumentation of violin, violincello and harpsichord. I wasn’t familiar with Veracini’s music, but I’ve always liked ECM Records’ series of string and orchestral music and decided to give it a shot.

The Turf Terminators, “Welcome 2 Da Turf” - Sacramento hip-hop with appearances from SAC/SIN, T-Nutty, 24th St. Menace, GP Young Bop and others. Brotha Lynch also produces a couple tracks, and the overall vibe is fairly dark and hazy. The liner notes say that 75% of all the lyrics are freestyles.

Posted by cmacias at 2:59 PM | Comments |

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December 8, 2006

Chuck D

My conversation with Chuck D:

Click here to check out the podcast.

Posted by swilliams at 3:24 PM | Comments |

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Nas is like ...

Ah, I'm going to be reviewing KWOD's Tiwsted X-Mas concert at Arco Arena, and I just found out Nas is headlining tonight at the Colonial Theatre (3522 Stockton Blvd.). It's purported to be the first time here for Nas, the superstar rapper from the Queensbridge section of New York (and Ron Artest's old 'hood). Tickets aren't cheap, and cost $35 a pop (though that's $5 less than the Public Enemy gig next Thursday at Empire; see Sunday's Ticket section for more on that show). For more information on Nas tickets: (916) 821-5222.

Posted by cmacias at 1:52 PM | Comments |

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Prescott Showcase on the move

The Sunday night jazz jam at Old Ironsides (a.k.a.) the Prescott Showcase, will be wrapping up its run on Dec. 17. The final session looks to be a doozie: The Jon Raskin Quartet from Oakland will start the night, and the second set will be delivered by the Midtown Tone Orchestra, a 15-pieace ensemble with members from around northern California. The roll-call looks like this (and expect a few added players come show day):

Tony Passarell (soprano, baritone saxophones)
Scott Anderson(tenor saxophone)
Gerry Pineda (bass)
Ross Hammond (guitar)
Alex Jenkins (percussion)
John Vaughn (alto saxophone, theramin)
Dax Compise (percussion)
Jon Raskin (saxophones)
David Bole (euphonium
Phillip Greenlief (saxophones)
Tom Monson (drums)
Adam Jenkins (alto saxophone)

Good luck to guitarist Ross Hammond and company as the Prescott Showcase moves to the Java Lounge (16th St. between Broadway and X St.) in January. In the meantime, check out the Prescott Showcase this Sunday as the Race!!! Quintet works its free-jazzy ways.

Posted by cmacias at 1:15 PM | Comments |

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December 7, 2006

The queen of hip-hop/soul (and Grammy nominations)

Nominations for the 49th Annual Grammy Awards were announced this morning and Mary J. Blige was the proverbial queen bee. She received eight nominations, including record and song of the year (as part of the songwriting team behind “Be Without You”). Other artists who can just about taste that Grammy gold are Red Hot Chili Peppers (six nominations, including album of the year), and a bunch who received five nominations, including James “You’re Beautiful (but can’t sell out the Memorial Auditorium)” Blunt, Prince, Dixie Chicks, John Mayer, Danger Mouse, Rick Rubin, will.i.am and John Williams. Can’t you just see them all locking hands for some show closing medley on Grammy night? On second thought, let’s hope not.

But right now there’s something about Mary (J. Blige, that is). Blige got the kind of Grammy consideration that Mariah Carey found last year, but the $20,000 question is if this will translate into actual wins come Grammy night (the Grammy Awards will be broadcast Feb. 11 on CBS). But Blige will face some especially tough competition for record of the year, where she’ll go mano a mano against Blunt’s “You’re Beautiful” and the monster beakthrough by Gnarls Barkley called “Crazy.”

On a local note, Mary Youngblood received a nomination for Native American album. The Fair Oaks resident won this award in 2003 for her flute music, so keep her in your thoughts on Grammy night and maybe she’ll represent Sac with one of those shiny gramophones.

Here’s a look at the nominees for album, record, song of the year and new artist. And because we know you’re dying to hear who’s up for the almighty polka award, here’s a link to all Grammy nominees.Oh, and I’d just like to add that I hope Slayer wins for metal performance. Thanks, and happy reading through all 108 Grammy categories.

Album of the year

“Taking The Long Way,” Dixie Chicks
“St. Elsewhere,” Gnarls Barkley
“Continuum,” John Mayer
“Stadium Arcadium,” Red Hot Chili Peppers
“FutureSex/LoveSounds,” Justin Timberlake

Record of the year

“Be Without You,” Mary J. Blige
“You’re Beautiful,” James Blunt
“Not Ready To Make Nice,” Dixie Chicks
“Crazy,” Gnarls Barkley
“Put Your Records On,” Corinne Bailey Rae

Song of the year (songwriters’ award)

“Be Without You,” Johnta Austin, Mary J. Blige, Bryan-Michael Cox & Jason Perry, songwriters (Mary J. Blige)
“Jesus, Take The Wheel,” Brett James, Hillary Lindsey & Gordie Sampson, songwriters (Carrie Underwood)
“Not Ready To Make Nice,” Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison & Dan Wilson, songwriters (Dixie Chicks)
“Put Your Records On,” John Beck, Steve Chrisanthou & Corinne Bailey Rae, songwriters (Corinne Bailey Rae)

New artist

James Blunt
Chris Brown
Imogen Heap
Corinne Bailey Rae
Carrie Underwood

Posted by cmacias at 10:58 AM | Comments |

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December 4, 2006

Gangsta gangsta

My three-part series about South Sac's gangsta rap scene, "To Live and Rap in South Sac," kicked off yesterday. The buzz is all over the place, from locals who said it was about time that the Bee documented one of the city's biggest musical exports, to those who called the series "disgusting" and "irresponsible." Check it out, and decide for yourself.

Tune into KXPR's "Insight" at 2 p.m. today (FM 88.9 or www.capradio.org) to hear more about why and how this series was done. I'll be joined with Bee staff photographer Jose Luis Villegas and Michael Colen, a.k.a. First Degree the D.E., for the discussion with host Jeffrey Callison.

Posted by cmacias at 12:17 PM | Comments |

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December 1, 2006

Required reading

Check out this story from the San Francisco Chronicle. Trade in a gun for Guns N' Roses tickets?

Posted by cmacias at 1:56 PM | Comments |

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