Music

Lifeline, Iris DeMent, Flariella Records The Way I Should, Iris DeMent, Warner Brothers What’s the Matter with Kansas? , Thomas Frank, Metropolitan Books Spirit and Flesh, James M Ault Jr, Knopf American Jesus, Stephen Prothero, Farrar, Straus, and Giroux What’s the Matter with Kansas? is one of those books passed around and recommended by friends … Read more

First of the Month has asked a number of writers to comment on No Direction Home — Martin Scorcese’s recent documentary about Bob Dylan’s early years. Here’s John Leland’s thoughtful response to our call… No Direction Home carries on the staple of Dylan lore that the folkies who cried betrayal when he plugged in at … Read more

Born on Christmas Day, jazz pianist Don Pullen inspired something like faith among those who witnessed his miraculous live performances. I got initiated back in the 80s when I was getting overpaid dispatching limos for lawyers. After an evening shift, I’d often take a free car to catch a late set at Downtown jazz clubs … Read more

Friends Inquisitive friends Are asking me what’s come over me “(I wanna) Testify” – The Parliaments For all that first guess would have seen Martin Scorcese, director of The Last Waltz, “presenter” of the PBS Blues series, compiler of many rock soundtracks as the obvious choice to do The American Masters Bob Dylan. The finished … Read more

Amiri Baraka has been getting in the groove again during the past year, though as he says to those who wonder why he’s “back on the music”, “I never did go nowhere. Somewhere just runned away from the boy…” That is to say, when JazzTimes fired the Crouch named Stanley, (and if we know, as … Read more

Though “beginning” travels backward into the wherever, this one was Jackie Mc’s. I’ve already written about it for some weird Spanish magazine (Matador ca: Jan 07). That’s the way it goes in the craziness where we live, harnessed to the dead. Those who still walk around with the harshing memory of those who don’t (not … Read more

Influence of Black Mind is mine a mine for the gold of past and future Shine your gold black light out of yr mind into the mine of our time Be James Brown and wish The line to the mind is straight w/ rhythm flyin, change up stride in blinding light And JB be digging … Read more