It’s been a long time since we’ve had a Ghosts of Jambands Past edition of Stormy Mondays, so this week we’re looking back to August of 1999 and the best small fest in the North East, Berkfest, and the All Star Jam. Featuring John Scofield, Oteil Burbridge, Karl Denson, DJ Logic, Nate Wilson, rhythm guru Bob Moses, Fuzz and others, it’s essentially two half hour jams led by the guitar and turntables: Project Logic’s French Quarter > Cissy Strut and the 80’s era Miles Davis cut Jean Pierre > Chameleon.

What makes this session work is that while there are certainly solos galore, it’s not just a blowing exercise; there’s planety of listening and interplay, and at the time Scofield served as musical director. Also, it’s worth noting that the soundboard drops out in the last minute because a huge storm was driving down on the venue, and they were literally breaking down the stage while band played on. Good, good stuff, so as always, enjoy!

• CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK’S MIX

At this point in his illustrious career, David Byrne has earned creative license to basically do what he wants in regards to putting out new music – even if the rest of us may find ourselves scratching our heads a bit. For his latest project, the former Talking Heads front man has teamed up with Fatboy Slim for an ambitious 22-song cycle about the rise and fall of former Philippines First Lady Imelda Marcos – who may be best known for her opulent globetrotting lifestyle as well as for owning over 3,000 pairs of shoes.

The double disc set called Here Lies Love, which was originally conceived as a musical theater piece and includes lyrics drawn straight from Marcos quotes, arrives on April 6 and features an impressive array of guests that includes Steve Earle, Tori Amos, Sharon Jones, Natalie Merchant, Santigold and Byrne’s new musical crush St. Vincent. Byrne has produced six music videos for the project which feature “news and archival footage to, well, show that every word of the song is true.” Here’s the first for Please Don’t…

Just a reminder that the Final Four round of our Cover Wars March Madness tournament ends this evening at 11:59PM (EDT). Be sure to get your votes in on our two semifinal matchups – PGroove’s Naive Melody (This Must Be The Place) vs. Umphrey’s Can’t You Hear Me Knocking and Phish’s The Ballad of Curtis Loew vs. Trey Anastasio’s Sultans of Swing. We’ll fill you in on the winners – and let you vote on the finals – tomorrow afternoon.

I was barely three months old when the Million Dollar Quartet got together for a Tuesday afternoon jam at Sun studios. Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis formed modern music’s first supergroup and Sam Phillips was quick to cash in. Phillips made his living with music and knew something special when he saw it. That would explain his calling the paper and letting them send over a reporter and photographer to capture the moment for posterity.

Someone send a reporter and photographer over to see Stockholm Syndrome, pronto.

Oh, wait. That’s me. Well, let me tell you, whether or not you agree with the supergroup moniker, you should definitely seek out a Stockholm Syndrome show and capture the moment for yourself. Not that that would make my job any easier, it’s just that I see a real benefit to seeing this band live. I didn’t always feel that way. There was a time that I seriously considered NOT going to the Crystal Ballroom for this show. But, now that I’ve experienced S.S. live, I feel a lot better. Maybe I should explain.

I woke up on Monday with a serious toothache where a tooth no longer resided. According to the x-rays, there was a piece of my old wisdom tooth that was left behind 25 years or so ago that decided Monday morning was the time to break free of my jawbone and make my life miserable. Oral surgery was scheduled for the next morning in Scappoose, Oregon, some 40 miles north. I’d have driven to Mexico to relieve this pain, it was that bad. It took the surgeon a total of 11 shots to make/keep me numb along with laughing gas for the duration. I was stitched up, packed with cotton, told to keep taking pills for the pain and generally take it easy. I was home by noon and out like a light an hour after that.

I woke up hungry at about dinner time, but couldn’t eat (or see straight for that matter.) So I took more pills and parked in front of the stereo with a good book. I finished the paperback by eight thirty and considered turning in. My lower jaw was still numb to the touch. I was in sweats and my favorite old Stones tee shirt. I had already forgotten the ending of the book I just finished. There might have even been a bit of dribble on the front of said Stones shirt. I was in no shape to go anywhere.

READ ON to see how things turned out for A.J….

On March 30 neo-soul singer Erykah Badu will release her fifth studio album New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh. The album is said to be more organic and emotionally charged than her last effort, which is immediately evident from watching her latest video. Check out Window Seat, a clip that features Ms. Badu essentially baring her soul and body…

Erykah Badu – Window Seat

Ashes of American Flags, Wilco’s visually and musically stunning first-ever concert film will air on Monday at 10AM on Sundance. The film follows Jeff Tweedy and company from Tulsa to Washington, DC as they embarked on their 2008 US Tour. Directors Christoph Green and former Fugazi drummer Brandon Canty do a great job of capturing the desolation of middle America with views from the Tour Bus and interviews with the band members.

Monday, March 29

• Wilco: Ashes of American Flags [Sundance 10AM]
• Fleetwood Mac: Soundstage [Palladia 10AM]
• Thelonius Monk: Jazz Heroes [Ovation 12:30PM]
• Motley Crue: Behind the Music [VH1 Classic 1:30PM]
• Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains the Same [VH1 Classic 5PM]

Tuesday, March 30

• The Who: Amazing Journey [Sundance 10:50AM]
• Coldplay: MTV Live [Palladia 1PM]
• ACL Festival: 2009 Highlights [Palladia 2PM]
• Genesis: Behind the Music [VH1 Classic 4:30PM]
• Jimmy Kimmel: Erykah Badu [ABC 12:05AM]

Wednesday, March 31

• Weezer: Live in Japan [Palladia 9AM]
• Duran Duran: Live [VH1 Classic Noon]
• Lil Wayne: Behind the Music [VH1 9PM]
• Tupac Shakur: Before I Wake [Fuse 8PM]
• Heart: Dreamboat Annie [Palladia 1AM]

Thursday, April 1

• Q-Tip: Soulstage [Palladia 6PM]
• Guns n’ Roses: Biography [BIO 8PM]
• Metallica: Biography [BIO 9PM]
• Prince: Purple Rain [Palladia 9PM]
• Tavis Smiley: Jakob Dylan [PBS Midnight]

When I am putting together each posting, I usually look for what’s opening soon, what’s new, what is there to do. Every now and again I read something that is the polar opposite, a well-known and well-loved restaurant closing. This week, Grub Street posted a story about the possible closing of Café Colonial on the corner of Houston & Elizabeth Streets here in NYC.

It is worth reading the whole article to get an understanding from an owner’s perspective of how the economy is affecting small businesses, especially restaurants. Here is one excerpt from the Grub Street story that really hit home with me (Gilian is Luciane Gilan, the owner):

When Gilan spoke to Grub Street just now, she sounded like she had all but given up: “Our city is giving us more laws and regulations,” she stammered. “Everything’s harder. People are more mean. It’s just not fun anymore.” Gilan believes her rent tripled thanks in part to new neighbor Keith McNally, and she may just retire when her lease expires May 31. [Grub Street]

This closing reminded me of when the 9th Street Market suddenly closed in May of 2008 after 14 years in business. At the time, someone asked the owner why he closed after 14 years and his response was “he just got tired , did it quietly (not a rent raise situation?), doesn’t know what’s coming next.” (as per the Eater article from May 27, 2008)

Even in a bad economy, if we are not going to our favorite small, local places every now and again, don’t be surprised if one day you decide to go and it’s closed. One of my first mentors in the restaurant business asked me once what the most expensive thing was in a restaurant. The correct answer was, an empty chair. READ ON for a list of this week’s openings…

Today, we’re kicking off a new column of occasional periodicity here at Hidden Track called Tracks of the Trade, whereby we swap stories with some of the more interesting, yet elusive, folks in the music industry, the producers. These folks are the sonic equivalent of surgeons; charged not only with the careful dissection of dozens of tiny interactive pieces and ensuring their cohesive functionality, but also developing strong emotional bonds with their patients (often mental), offering varying degrees of bedside manner, and even sharing potentially critical advice.

To kick off the series in style, we invited one of the most prolific producers/mixers in music today, Peter Katis, to drop by to chew the fat. Unless you live under a rock – or perhaps a massive heap of classic rock CDs – you know that Peter Katis has collaborated on countless modern classics by the likes of the National, Frightened Rabbit, Interpol, Fanfarlo, Tokyo Police Club, Jonsi (Sigur Ros), and The Get Up Kids.

The “Sound” of “Music”

In thinking about our little surgeon analogy, in a likeness to the way we all go about choosing a doctor, it’s important to understand the mannerisms of a producer. After all, you have to like the person as much as the work. Specific to music, different producers take different positions as to where their role fits in with the musicians.

“I’m on the opposite end of the spectrum than say someone like a Rick Rubin. He really focuses on the songwriting aspect, the arrangements, the words, whereas to me, those things like lyrics for a band, that’s their own thing. I really don’t feel comfortable messing with that.” READ ON…

Welcome to back to Strange Brew our monthly column dedicated to – as you probably have already guessed – beer. Each month, we’ll take a close look at a new or notable brew, or just one we think you should be drinking, all without too much beer geekiness.

I’ve been on a bit of a West Coast beer kick of late, and more specifically anything coming out of the great state of California. So when I heard about Wilco Tango Foxtrot (oddly enough via Wilco’s Facebook page) the latest seasonal offering from Lagunitas, I knew we had our next beer to feature. Pronounced “Lah-Goo-Knee-Tuss” – as dutifully pointed out on the bottle, the Petaluma, CA-based brewery has been around since 1993 with a reputation built around their signature hoppy IPA and their witty stories that adorn their bottles. We advise pouring the beer into a glass before reading.

While WTF isn’t exactly a direct tribute to Jeff Tweedy & Co. – both the band and the beer though did get their names from shortwave radio lingo – the brewery does have a connection to the world of music from producing a line of limited edition beers to mark the 40th anniversary of each Frank Zappa album. Lagunitas managed to get through Frank’s first five albums before the Zappa estate asked to them to discontinue the line.

Why Should You Drink It: While it may not be exactly be Wilco (The Beer), this beer is a bit deceiving much like the band and their seemingly ever-changing styles. Pouring a light brown hue, you expect more of a denser, nutty taste up front, but initially you get a hoppy, floral like mouth feel that is akin to an IPA, but soon after you get a slight chocolate taste in back of your tongue – which makes this one extremely enjoyable for fans of IPA and darker fare. WFT is well worth tracking down and snatching up a handful of bottles to enjoy, while listening to an appropriate Wilco-themed playlist on your stereo.

Brewer’s Description: A big Ol’ Imperial Brown Ale to help you with your slippery slide on into springtime. Rich, smooth, dangerous & chocolatey.

Availability: Limited Release in 22-oz. bottles

Beer Geek Stats:

Style: Brown Ale, IBUS: 64.20, ABV: 7.33, OG: 1.072

Have you tried Lagunitas’ Wilco Tango Foxtrot? Leave your thoughts about their latest offering in the comments section below …

While the city of Ann Arbor is best known as the home to the University Of Michigan, you can now add throw the name Mayer Hawthorne into the mix as the retro-soul singer hails from Southeastern Michigan town. Hawthorne, whose music Ryan introduced us too a couple of weeks back, presents an updated spin on a mix of Motown grooves and Curtis Mayfield funk.

Here’s his latest video for I Wish It Would Rain…

Mayer Hawthorne – I Wish It Would Rain

IFC will show Grant Gee’s 1998 Radiohead documentary Meeting People Is Easy on Sunday at 2PM. Gee’s film gives us a behind the scenes look at the band as they toured the world promoting OK Computer in 1997.

Friday, March 26 [all times EDT]:

• Unplugged: Silversun Pickups [Palladia 1:30PM]
• Jools Holland: MGMT [Ovation 3PM]
• Jimmy Kimmel: Manchester Orchestra [ABC Midnight]
• Carson Daly: Black Lips [NBC 1:35AM]

Saturday, March 27:

• Austin City Limits: Ben Harper & Relentless7 [PBS]
• Iron Maiden: Flight 666 [VH1Classic 6PM]
• Behind The Music Remastered: Motley Crue [VH1C 10PM]

Sunday, March 28:

• Classic Albums: British Steel [VH1C 8:30PM]
• Unplugged: Black Crowes [Palladia 10AM]
• Radiohead: Meeting People Is Easy [IFC 2PM]
• Weezer: Live In Japan [Palladia 5PM]

Beck’s Record Club rolls on to album #4 with the release of Guns In The Sky off of INXS’ massively successful Kick LP. For his covers of the songs from Kick, Beck has enlisted the help of Liars, Annie Clark and Daniel Hart from St. Vincent, Sergio Dias from the legendary Brazilian band Os Mutantes, as well as RC veteran Brian Lebarton. Let’s take a peak at Guns In The Sky…

Beck and Friends – Guns In The Sky

In other Beck-related news, Jambands.com reports that Newfangled Wasteland – a Beck tribute band made up of Trevor Garrod (TLG), Steve Adams (ALO), Dave Brogan and Chris Haugen – will perform at the Connecticut Yankee in San Francisco on April 24 and at the High Sierra Music Festival on July 1. Check out the group’s MySpace site for a ten-minute version of Golden Age and a stirring take on Scarecrow.

There are some artists who have no qualms selling tickets to their shows for whatever the market will bear. Yet, there are a select few who do their best to keep prices under control, regardless of whether they could make an extra few million dollars by charging an extra $10 or $20. This week’s B List looks at eight major bands that could charge more for ducats but don’t.

While none of these bands are “pulling a Fugazi” – a group who famously did their best to keep prices to $5 per show – these acts are clearly leaving money on the table and should be applauded for doing so.

8. Ben Harper – Average Ticket Price = $33.82

When Ben Harper put together his latest band – Relentless7 – he played a number of shows at intimate venues as a warm up before the group tackled more high-profile gigs. Ben’s fanbase is extremely loyal and passionate. If he wanted to charge $50 a ticket for these smaller shows, no one would’ve batted an eye. Yet most ticket prices for these shows were under $20. A classy move by a classy artist.

7. Vampire Weekend – Average Ticket Price = $26.97

Over the past two years Vampire Weekend has blown up beyond anybody’s expectations. Despite ridiculous demand for tickets to their shows, VW has kept average ticket prices under $30 leading to sell outs across the country.

READ ON for six more fan-friendly artists…

The Disco Biscuits have had quite a week, but they made it through and Jon “The Barber” Gutwillig is at home resting up after successful surgery on his wrist. In addition to some music from Barber’s fill-ins, we’ve also got audio from Fareed Haque’s great world music ensemble, a John Mayer/Michael Franti collaboration, some recent goods from Perpetual Groove and a fantastic classic rock cover from the Ryan Montbleau Band.

Another week and another edition of the Last Week’s Sauce Podcast. If you want to take this week’s five selections with you, you now can.
Click here to download Last Week’s Sauce Podcast #3

[Thanks to J5Brock for this week's photo]

Artist & Title: the Disco Biscuits – Park Avenue
Date & Venue: 2010-03-19 House of Blues, Boston MA
Taper & Show Download: Matt Quinn

Before things went horribly wrong at the House of Blues last Friday, there was some fantastic music being made despite difficult circumstances. From the moment Chris Michetti took the stage for Park Avenue, I knew the Disco Biscuits had a good game-plan on how to attack that night’s show. tDB’s set at the Ultra Music Festival and their late night Tractorbeam set will go on as scheduled tomorrow with the help of Michetti and Tom Hamilton.

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Some great video of Helicopters from the Boston show:

READ ON for tracks from Fareed Haque, PGroove, The Ryan Montbleau Band

STS9 has always “danced to the beat of their own drummer”  in terms of navigating successfully through the music industry. The group enjoyed the fruits of their labor this past Tuesday when they opened for Jay-Z at the 13,000 seat Pepsi Center. The band will continue to blaze their unique trail this summer by scheduling a tour that focuses on just three parts of the country – the Northeast, Chicago and Georgia. As part of this tour STS9 will play a pair of Axe The Cables acoustic shows in NYC and Chicago.

For a peak at what you can expect, check out this clip of the gorgeous Life’s Sweet Breath encore from the first Axe The Cables show…

STS9 – Life’s Sweet Breath [Live 12/29/2009]