Exene Cervenka dob February 1, 1956

[We highlight Excene Cervenka, born Christine Cervenka, of the legendary L.A. punk band "X" and "The Knitters" on the occasion of her fifty-second birthday with a vintage performance of "White Girl" from their second album "Wild Gift" in 1981. X was central to an extraordinary, creatively rich 'local' music scene in Los Angeles in the early eighties that included The Blasters, The Suburban Lawns, Los Lobos, and Top Jimmy and the Rhythm Pigs.]

A piece of her heart: Janis Joplin b. 19 January 1943

[YouTube 'caption:' "live @ Jahrhunderthalle, Frankfurt, Germany
Apr 12, 1969 (her one and only show in Germany)." On the sixty-fifth anniversary of the birth of Janis Joplin.]

James Brown May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006)

On the one year anniversary of the death of James Brown, above is a YouTunbe video, footage of a 1968 performance at the Apollo Theater on 125th Street in Harlem.

[more: December 27, 2006 Data Stream post with link to a Fresh Air interview.]

New Orleans Holy Night

[From Troy 'Trombone Shorty' Andrews' website, an mp3 recording of "Oh Holy Night" from a holiday episode of Aaron Sorkin's now cancelled "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." The recording features: Troy 'Trombone Shorty' Andrews - Trumpet; Kirk Joseph - Sousaphone; Roderick Paulin - Saxophone; Frederick Shepherd - Saxophone; Stephen Walker - Trombone; Mervin "Kid Merv" Campbell - Trumpet.]

listen

View a clip from the show of the performance [the music begins at the 2:30 mark]

More: December 13, 2006 Times Picayune article

Oscar Peterson | August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007

[Above, one of a number of videos on YouTube featuring the legendary Canadian pianist Oscar Peterson.]

"TORONTO - Jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, whose flying fingers mesmerized audiences around the world - from dance halls in 1940s Montreal to the lights of Carnegie Hall and beyond - has died at age 82.

He played alongside the giants of jazz: Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Roy Eldridge, Nat King Cole, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington, who once called Peterson the "Maharajah of the keyboard.""

more

Big Chief

[According to the information provided by geepee on YouTube: "New Orleans Jazz Fest '91." Enjoy.]

The Neville Brothers

Worst Album Covers Ever Part Deux

After months of hiatus, following an earlier post, we're happy to bring back our "Worst Album Covers Ever" feature.

[Special thanks to Allen in Oakland for reminding me of ETN's original tip!]

[image: Manowar album cover]

The People's Choice Music

[In honor of the holiday season, the Data Stream will be offering a selection of free online gifts in the days ahead. To begin the sharing of presents, below is a treat from Ubu Web, the brilliant archive of 20th and 21st century avant-garde art, a genuine online treasure]

Komar & Melamid
"The People's Choice Music" (1997)

"With the collaboration of composer Dave Soldier, Komar & Melamid's Most Wanted Painting project was extended into the realm of music. A poll, written by Dave Soldier, was conducted on The Dia Foundation's web site in Spring 1996. Approximately 500 visitors took the survey. Solder used the survey results to write music and lyrics for the Most Wanted and Most Unwanted songs:

The Most Wanted Song: A musical work that will be unavoidably and uncontrollably "liked" by 72 ± 12% of listeners.
[listen]

The Most Unwanted Song: Fewer than 200 individuals of the world's total population will enjoy this."
[listen]

more

[image: Komar & Melamid, "UNITED STATES: MOST WANTED PAINTING." From Dia web site]

Year of the Diamond Dogs

Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center
Through December 22

Julio Cesar Morales
The Year of the Diamond Dogs
a Hallwalls Artist in Residence Project (HARP)

The Year of The Diamond Dogs is a sonic and visual landscape that evokes the dystopian future explored by Orwell’s novel 1984 and Bowie’s Diamond Dogs. In Morales’ work, peril, expectation, desire and disillusion create a field of tension. Working from a Latino perspective, Morales uses mutated sound samples of Diamond Dogs, language, typography, and idiosyncratic symbols from the Latin American urban landscape—such as the broken bottles that are often found embedded in the concrete atop walls to protect and define property boundaries—to create a dangerous topography that evokes issues of immigration, alienation, dystopia and surveillance.

The project includes multi-channel video, sculpture and sound with original music by Los Creamators and additional audio of the artist’s aunt singing obscure Mexican songs. Morales utilizes digital media in the broadest sense—as a printed mural, recorded sound, LED signs, video etc. His artistic practice can be described as employing the DJ’s method of remixing as a means to analyze the politics of culture.

[text of post edited from Hallwalls Web site. Image of artwork by Julio Cesar Morales from Hallwalls Web site.]

Local Noise: Hip-Hop and Langauage

[with thanks to language scholar BKL, my brilliant friend and colleague in Washington State]

"Local Noise is an ARC (Australian Research Council) funded project running since 2005 and led by Dr. Tony Mitchell and Prof. Alastair Pennycook from UTS (University of Technology, Sydney). The project’s focus is on Australian hip-hop, and the localisation of hip-hop in different cultural, societal and educational contexts."

see | hear

[screen grab from Local Noise Web site.]

Neville Brothers + The Meters

[for your weekend listening enjoyment, a broadcast performance by The Neville Brothers, "New Orleans first family of funk" and the legendary Meters]

State of the Nation Art and Performance Series

Ashe Cultural Art Center
1712 Oretha Castle Haley
New Orleans

December 7th, 2007 (Doors at 7pm, Performances 8-10pm)
$5.

"ASHE Cultural Art Center, ArtSpot Productions, Mondo Bizarro, New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival and the Network of Ensemble Theaters are teaming up to produce an evening of performances from local and national artists. Performers and presenters from across North America and beyond will converge on Louisiana for the National Performance Network Annual Meeting December 6-10.

To highlight the work of New Orleans artists, we are hosting an installment of our State of the Nation Art and Performance Series at ASHE Cultural Art Center. Complimentary food will be served from 7-8pm with performances, film and music to follow.

National Guests:
M.U.G.A.B.E.E. (Jackson, MS), Tim Miller (Los Angeles, CA), Millicent Johnnie (Tallahassee, FL), HIJACK (Minneapolis, MN).

Local performers include:
Bamboula 2000, Creative Forces, Cripple Creek Theater Company, The Free Agents Brass Band, Mardi Gras Indians, Jose Torres Tama, Sunni Patterson, 2-Cents, MOOSE, Scotty Heron and Hijack, Origins of Life on Earth, Stephanie McKee, Maritza Mercado Narcisse and many more…"

[information from ArtSpot Productions Web site.. Image of M.U.G.A.B.E.E. from their MySpace page.]

Bronx Museum First Fridays Holiday Party

Friday, December 7 – 6:00pm
Bronx Museum of the Arts

From Salsa & Bachata to Merengue & Son:
The Popular Music of Two Islands
South Wing—Lower Gallery
Admission: Free

A showcase with live band performances and DJs covering popular musical genres from Cuba and Dominican Republic.

Hosted by DJ Cato
Featuring Grupo Son Como Son with special guest David Oquendo.

[photograph of DJ Cato from Bronx Museum mailing.]

Jazz Fest April 25-27 + May 1-4, 2008

Save the dates: The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival!

"Mahalia Jackson, often called the greatest gospel singer, returned to her hometown to appear at the first New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in April of 1970. While attending the Louisiana Heritage Fair in Congo Square (then known as Beauregard Square), she and Duke Ellington, who also appeared at the event, came upon the Eureka Brass Band leading a crowd of second-line revelers through the Festival grounds. George Wein, producer of the Festival, handed Ms. Jackson a microphone, she sang along with the band and joined the parade…and the spirit of Jazz Fest was born."

more | ticket information

[Screen grab and text from the Jazz Fest web site. The 2008 line-up will include the return of New Orleans' native sons, The Neville Brothers, in their tradtional, honored spot as the closing act of the festival.

The 'Stream' will publish the complete schedule, once it is finalized.]

November 17, 1966

On the occasion of the forty-first anniversary of Jeff Buckley's birth, below is a link to a remarkable video of a performance by Jeff Buckley of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah."

listen

[image from Wikipedia entry for Jeff Buckley. Caption: "Jeff Buckley in 1995."]

Goin' Home

[Click graphic above to enlarge. See right hand column for more information and link to the Tipitina's Foundation. Graphic from their Web site.]