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On Howard Fishman
Howard Fishman, the unclassifiable singer-songwriter and guitarist, is bringing his Basement Tapes show to Philly tomorrow night (Friday, June 22). I have a feature preview in the current Philadelphia Weekly.
Sir Salman Rushdie
I’d like to take a moment to applaud the UK for knighting Salman Rushdie, one of the most brilliant artists of our time. I’d also like to denounce the outpouring of hate and igorance from Pakistan and other places. According to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam, “Salman Rushdie has tried to insult and malign Muslims through his writings….” As
Chick Corea, Béla Fleck
Chick Corea and Béla Fleck played Philly on Friday night. My review, in today’s Inquirer.
Hajdu vs. Zorn
In the mood for some cognitive dissonance? Read these two pieces back to back: first guitarist Marc Ribot’s attack on the marginalization of creative music; then critic David Hajdu’s attack on John Zorn, king of the New York avant-garde. Both have valid things to say, though I’m far more sympathetic to Zorn than Hadju is.
Kate McGarry
My review of Kate McGarry’s Friday show at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, in today’s Inquirer.
Democracy Now! is a joke
Sorry, my lefty friends, but it’s true. I said it in June of last year, here and here, when I remarked on Amy Goodman’s failure to challenge Arundhati Roy on her professed support for India’s Maoist (Naxalite) insurgents. The Naxalites have a documented policy of harassing community radio activists — i.e., Goodman’s Indian counterparts, the very people you’d expect her
Six Picks: June 2007
My monthly list of recommended CDs, as published in All About Jazz-New York, June 2007: Michael Brecker, Pilgrimage (Heads Up) Buffalo Age (ILK Music) Joe Lovano & Hank Jones, Kids: Live at Dizzy’s (Blue Note) Mark Masters Ensemble, Wish Me Well: Reflections on Gary McFarland (Capri) Mike Moreno, Between the Lines (World Culture)Joshua Redman, Back East (Nonesuch)
Rod Poole
How terrible to learn of the stabbing death of Rod Poole, the great experimental guitarist. The culprits are in custody. A tribute from Nels Cline is here. A long clip from the Acoustic Guitar Trio record (Poole/Cline/McCauley) is here. More info on the crime here.