Newport Festivus 2011!

Sorry I didn't think of posting this sooner. NPR is streaming Newport this weekend, today and tomorrow, Noon-7:30 (Newport ditto Newport Jazz next Sat/Sun). Audio only at the moment, but apparently will be some vid later. Scroll to bottom of this page for lineup (posted backwards). Think Sunday's lineup is more consistent, but today we get for instance Gogol Bordello and Earl Scruggs (though not together, alas) http://www.npr.org/series/newport-folk-festival/

okay now they've got today's sched in the right order, at top of page. Felice Brothers are beginning. Hope they don't do too many slow ones in a row, like at SXSW.

listen while you post.

So far, Felice Bros more uptempo this time.

but this song is ass.

Not in a good way.

Better now. "Burn on burn it down" with "na, na na na na" 's adapted from "Land of 1000 Dances", followed by temp-shifting "just needs a ride to the dealership"--their urban Opie, subway busker thing re-surfacing

Typhoon proving a bit too winsome, think I'll check back in when Gogol Bordello start at 2 pm Eastern.

Gogol B pumping right along

Polka Disco Accordion harvest!

"General International Amnesty"--Eugene's Ukrainian soccer team's song, magnanimous in victory ("Call off the charges")

"Goin out get wasted, goin out get high, goin out sing nothin/But I-Yi-Yi!"

power went out at my end, but back in time for Delta Spirit's yowly, splashy, contemplative finale, jump to Gilliam Welch & Dave Rawlings, usually better live, and yes they're right into it.

Gillian, that is. Pick it!

And so they did. Xgau made fun of Gillian early in her career, for being from the finest schools alright, maybe even Beverly Hills and going for that gingham dress Depression thing--but (like Maria McKee) she wears it well for Hollywood, that somewhat prefab/received folk tradition of its own, so satisfying when bouyantly applied, no wonder they seem so at home as Newport journeymen. Enough originality in the verses to blend with familiar-seeming, often well-selected chorus and tunes. Workin; it: "watch the waves and work the fader/Time's the revelator", the later's also their resource when they're faced with "the irritater" (fry that 'tater). Dave's harmonies, solo turn on his Dave Rawlings Machine original "Sweet Tooth" and especially picking from every angle on that (girl's?) guitar are true festival-fuel too.

Sets from earlier today are already being posted (and Ramblin' Jack will be posted here or on Folk Alley) Oh yeah, Sara Watkins was also on Welch & Rawlings' finale (real good, after a dull duet on "I'll Fly Away"). Welch may show up with the Decemberists, up next. What I've heard of The King Is Dead seems pretty boring, but maybe guests will help (Watkins is filling in for several non-touring cohorts).

Oh, and of course GW & DR rolled a droll "Whoah me oh my-o/Here comes Miss Ohio/ridin' around with her/Ragtop down/She says, "I wanna be good but not right now." Amen. Decemberists pretty spirited too (Meloy working "Ah-ooo" toward "Werewolves of London" on a very R.E.M.-influenced "original", plus nice drumming!)

Man, "Down By The Water" sounds so much better here than on the album!

Watkins close enough to wailing on a Zep or at least Band Of Joy-worthy fuzzbottom rumblin' romp, wah-wahhh solo now

I went to this. So clean, so high-toned. Yachts in the harbour listening in. Nothing messy or out of place, which is weird for someone used to European festivals. Welch and Rawlings were great - at this stage I don't see how it matters where she went to school (more boho than fancy anyway BTW) because the songs are so good. Felice Brothers' new material is much more interesting than their old. Earl Scruggs plays pretty well for someone as old as time. Decemberists likeable (Why We Fight dedicated to Pete Seeger and socialism) until Mariner's Revenge Song pushed it too far into irritating, audience-participation theatre-club territory. Everything ends at 7.30 - presumably so as not to offend the yacht owners.

It's all being posted on npr.org. So far, I just heard the last couple numbers from Tegan & Sara's acoustic set--"back to their roots", but they were right to go electric, judging by this. Could have worked, with more back-up--no such problems with Carolina Chocolate Drops, up now. Jawbones, spoons, banjos, human beatbox, fiddles, Appalachia, Memphis Jug Band, "Hit'Em Up Style", whatever fits.

Yeah "Mariner's Revenge Song" was way too long, at least it was the last one (last for me, anyway)

Quills (panpipes) with fiddle and banjo, woo-hoo! Namechecks Henry Thomas, re Taj Mahal's version of "Fishin' Blues", Canned Heat's "Goin' Up The Mountain", but song is "Run Mountain, by JD Mainer's Mountaineers, kind of the Appalachian counterpart of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys (for barn dances etc anyway)

Also, a lonesome but optimistic para-Jimmie Rodgers vaudeville ballad, Ethel Waters' relieved, released, peppery "I'm No Man's Woman Now", best version of "Hit 'Em Up Style" I've ever heard 'em do (first time I've heard the current lineup), audience singing along with "Sourwood Mountain", and a song from a Georgia Sea Islands recording for the finale (they always plug their sources)

Mavis Staples has no trouble following, with an extended "I'll Take You There"--that's it?! (more on the posting, hopefully). Wanda Jackson's entrance theme: "Rumble", thence to "There's A Riot Goin' On" (no, not unplugged)

I'll catch up with a bunch of downloads etc of these sets later in the week, but back now for Emmylou & band: opening with a Stonesy groove, though milder vocal at the moment on "Six White Cadillacs." Now her cover of Gillian Welch's "I Am An Orphan", with good bass and accordion, drums kicking in.

So, Emmylou's mostly killer set, with her versatile Red Dirt Boys (incl Will Kimbrough). A few wishy-washy ballads, but mostly spirited, uptempo or not "Hello Stranger", for isnt) New song for/to Gram Parsons is the most immediately engaging of her originals (that I've heard, anyway, although this version of "Micelangelo" very strong; she's mostly and wisely pitching lower in her range in this set), followed by GP's "Luxury Liner", a gospel quartet, "Sin City", "Wheels", Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight", Steve Earle's "Goodbye" (one of the best on her Wrecking Ball), brought out the Civil Wars for "Evangeline", brought out Pete Seeger, who led us through his and God's hit "Turn Turn Turn" as a shuffle, ditto "Where Have All The Flowers Gone?" with a verse I didn't remember: "Where have all the graveyards gone/Covered with flowers every one/When will they ever learn?" Zing! George Wein: We stahted this festival in 195? with Pete Seegah, and he's still heah. Come to Newport Jazz next weekend. Thank you." Meanwhile, catch the posted stream (get your NPR while you can)

Back for Newport Jazz. Got so involved I forgot to post (listen while you do so). So far: Regina Carter Trio, though I heard just a little. Oh well, full sets will be posted later (some of these are 30-45 minute excerpts apparently). Steve Coleman & Five Elements just went by, on all cylinders. Studies of every other distingue jazz stylist named Coleman well-assimilated, ditto a bit of maybe Tijuana Moods and other Mingus toward the end. Chanteuse Jen Shyu gliding through the rock garden , esp. handy since "Esperanza Spalding's people said no to Webcast, although may be an excerpt for JazzSet." Also among the Elements: Jonathan Finlayson on trumpet, David Virelles piano, Thomas Morgan bass, Tyshawn Sorley drums. Now playing: Mostly Other People Do The Killing, Truly named, but energetically pleasant (incl more Ornette studies & spirit)

Impression of Mostly Other People also applies to Ambrose Akmushire (spelling? Quartet. Now: Grace Kelly sings a Benny Carter sonf with lyrics later added by ?, while Phil Wood sways and suavely surges punctation of this ballad (Grace plays sax too)

needs to "surge punctuation" of these posts too, sorry.

Damn, more thunder and lightning (non-musical). Back later.

New Black Eagle, some fun 20s-style street sounds. Now: Wynton Marsalis, initially with the same feel, but also not too far from--"Watermelon Man"? (Well, if Jon Faddis ever played it, with some casually stratospheric notes here and there--also bari sax)

Wynton's set will not be among the archived, so get it now.

So casually compelling, so far-from-constipated (I used to despise Wynton)

with good reason

Oowee, kind of a Diz ending, with some Errol Garner's Concert By The Sea maybe, plus Latin etc, and now Trombone Shorty rolls the brass x powerchords.

For fans of JB and the Horny Horns (for inst) but not too close

Kind of a chanting wah-wah.

Call (band, instrumental) and response (audience, vocal)

chords grinding and strutting "On The Sunny Side of the Street" (what the Beatles were going for with "Good Day Sunshine"?)Also a bit if a banjo glance with the otherwise unaccompanied trumpet solo (Fred Astaire's somewhere nearby)

The held note is def not to be mistaken for Armstrong's, but what the hell.

Bustin' loose to the bridge again (now more than ever)

Where a storm from the desert spins and shakes its camelmaker.

cause jam don't shake like that--until tomorrow, hopefully. Peace yall.

Back with the Randy Weston Trio. Weston's rough-edged Ellingtonian elegance, and he was one of the first Americans (I heard) to fold in African studies ( times a touch of Monk) as a given. His rhythm section does the same.

Trumpet player Avishai Cohen's Triveni (drummer Eric Harland, bassist Drew Gres), with guest clarinetist Anat Cohen, Avishai's sister. No need for piano, and not too much bop (yay). Immediately engaging, fluid segments within. (remember you can stream and/or download most of these). Up next: Mario Castro, featuring several leaders of other groups, apparently.

Niiice opening number, bass, piano, bashing drums somehow fit the contemplation, with tenor and trumpet harmonizing on chorus--fast balladry.

Carolina Chocolate Drops members live literally right up the street from me!

No shit? Have you heard their fine set from this year's Newport Folk? It's downloadable from nrr.

er, npr

Drew Gress once again on bass, this time with Ravi Coltrane Quartet, prowling the shadows.

zigzag nuances

Ravi's crew got a little too predictable, but here's an unscheduled shot of Charles Lloyd's Sangam (spelling?) with Zakir Husain etc (sic sic)

CL on soprano

Lloyd now on bluesy flute, ZH on tabla, somebody else on higher perc (bongos? Gogh Man Gogh!)

pianist flexing left hand and pedals

John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble takes a walk with Kraftwerk's "The Model".

from "The Model" to "Man of Constant Sorrow"., and it works--that's what happens when you get hung up on models (I should know)

Ach du Klum!

It's Brazilian too

with free jazz

New Thing at Newport etc

Shepp when he was good

Second number: mythopoeic conversation in the garden of free weather (and "belly dance", says the sous chef tweeting while he works)

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This thread will be done soon. Miguel Zenon's wind ensemble plays "The Puerto Rican Songbook", arr. by Guillermo Klein, only US performance this year.

just goofin keep it going

Kind of academic. Was hoping for something a bit more Nuyorican, frictional (drum solo's okay, but not Latin) Ready for Rudresh.

Rudresh Mahanthappa and Bunky Green closing it out, I'll have to gotta catch the rest of this set in the archive--and if you start there, I'd say do so with Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue and John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble (although diehard bopsters can't go wrong with Phil Woods' brio). Later gators.