Tag Archives: jazz

TONIGHT! – Hypercolor / Forget The Times / The Uncanny @ Satellite Records

Tonight, Kalamazoo will be in the presence of greatness.

These days, that’s almost not saying much. There are so many incredible shows happening a regular, weeknight basis that it’s easy to become callous to the level of talent our little city attracts. Well, let me try to convince you that tonight stands out at least a little bit from the rest:

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Let’s talk about Hypercolor.

First, I suggest letting the above link play while yr browsing. Because at the end of the day, no matter how well written a DIT post is, it’s basically just a colorful way to try and convince you to actually stop and listen to the band.

Hypercolor is from New York City. They are an instrumental trio with a wonderfully complex yet deceptively simple songwriting approach. The kind of music that simultaneously appeals to music scholars and casual listeners. Songs often have an unusual flow with slight atonal quirks or unexpected changes. But there is still a wonderful Pop edge present at all times. They’re not afraid to explore but have no wish to alienate the listener in the process.

Hypercolor just put out a new album on Tzadik Records. If you’re familiar with the label run by Avant-garde luminary, John Zorn then you already know this show can’t be missed. If not, maybe you got a chance to see their label mates Les Rhinoceros at Milhouse. This show will be of the same caliber.

Here’s what Tzadik has to say about the band:
“A crazy collaborative jazz-rock unit out of the new generation of Downtown improvisers, Hypercolor is a bizarre trio that blends Beef- heart, Sonny Sharrock and ’80s punk with contemporary classical orchestral textures, spastic world music rhythms and noise improvisation. Sonic madness featuring the twisted guitar of Eyal Maoz, the deep toned bass of James Ilgenfritz and the grooving drums of African music aficionado Lukas Ligeti.

Opening up the night will be locals The Uncanny & Forget The Times.

*This is an early show!*
Music will start at 6pm
$5 donation is suggested for the touring band
All ages are always welcome
Please, no booze or drugs. Safe space!
Satellite Records is located at
808 S. Westnedge
Next to 4th Coasts & Bagel Beanery 

See y’all tonight!

Funk Punk and Jazz – Milhouse – 11.1

Technical jazz, sax-laden funk, and oddball punk all on one bill! Come drink Surge or whatever these kids are doing these days and enjoy the array.

GLIMPSE TRIO (who no longer play as a trio but as a duo) are traveling all the way from California to grace your ears with their technical, complex blend of jazz/funk/rock.

Plus locals SAXQUATCH & BRIDGE BAND and ANYBODY BUT THE COPS will

If you’re unfamiliar with these two acts, expect some funky instrumental originals – in diametrically opposed ways. Saxquatch will make ya dance and move, and ABTC will make you wish you could figure out how to dance and move to what they’ve got

 

Show starts at 9:00! Please respect the house, the bands, yr friends, yr new friends you haven’t met yet. Email DITkalamazoo@gmail.com for the address. Donate to Glimpse Trio so that they may someday make it home to California.

Chicago Underground Duo / Prognosis Negative / WMU Jazz All-Stars 4/29

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Chicago Underground Duo are two veteran jazzers from Chicago, IL who formed the group after playing together in several projects such as: Chicago Underground Trio, Chicago Underground Quartet, and Chicago Underground Orchestra. I would assume that they’re touring to promote Locus, their latest recording. With this duo you get a crazy fusion of jazz, techno, film-music, and probably a thousand other genres that are unable to even be comprehended. This is all wrapped up with a tasteful, cute bow, that represents renowned musicianship.

Prognosis Negative, on the other hand, are two of Kalamazoo’s preeminent weird dudes (Sean “Hard Bagel” Hartman and THE SAXSQUATCH) who come together for this special project on certain occasions such as: bahtmitzva’s, times that you would rather be sleeping, opening for a completely unrelated act, and creeping out people who just walked into their performance and have no idea what is going on. They are a trip, to say the least. This is not any of those occasions, because this show presses the boundaries of what you can consider jazz, so they fit right in.

AND THE WMU JAZZ ALLSTARS are exactly what they sound like. A collection of all-stars from Western Michigan University who are intending to play jazz for all you fine folk.

The doors are at 8, the show is at 8:30, It’s at Louie’s Trophy House Grille. Come get your fancy suited.

Nothing Straightforward – Noise Punk And Jazz – 1.3.14 – Milhouse

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If you’re familiar with Milhouse, hell, if you’re familiar with Kalamazoo basement shows, then you are familiar with the concept of eclectic. there’s a little something for everyone, and there’s damn near a little bit of everything. Especially when delving into the warped worlds of noise, punk, and jazz, you find the variations are vast and wonderful. This Friday, expect a bit of all of that with these artists.

 

 

 

FRANKIE TEARDROP is out of Athens GA, and are making their third appearance in Kalamazoo, though first basement show. Witnessing their performance at the Already Dead Family Reunion this past summer, I was completely floored by their chaotic melding of harsh noise and punk. Their stage-presence is mesmerizing and unprecedented, and though their recordings are an excellent way to get to know the basics of their repertoire, it pales in comparison to the live experience.

Joining Frankie for this show will be locals:

SURPRISE ATTACK – A new outfit (or rather a revisited fairly old project) consisting of local busy bees in the experimental and jazz worlds Sid Redlin (solo work, Boron Nuzzle, Sista Mista, Banjohater), Poncho (FuzzTown, JoshuAlien) and Saxquatch (Saxquatch & Bridge Band, Prognosis Negative, former to almost every band in town at least a little). Surprise Attack is a driving improv project, taking influence from jazz at it’s core, but presented with a modern love of electronic manipulation.

ANYBODY BUT THE COPS – the variable grab-bag of sounds with a stop on a dime penchant for leaving you wondering just what band it is you’re seeing at all. Essentially a bunch of punks doing everything in their power to not get bored while playing music. The attention span of a gnat, the speed of a caffeine fiend.

Show will start at 8:30! As usual, this show is donation based. Frankie Tear drop our just kicking off their tour and need to get to the next stop, so any amount is helpful. Be respectful to everyone. Be the best person you can be, it’s probably somewhere in your new years resolution anyway.

December is BAD HISTORY MONTH at the Corner Record Shop – 12/11/13

It’s cold and snowy. You want to be inside a place. The Corner Record Shop is a place. Wednesday night, it is also -the- place to be.

From Boston, Bad History Month will be bringing acoustic versions of tracks by Boston band Fat History Month, from the record Sad History Month. If you like Modest Mouse even a little, You’ll love these guys. For those of you who are familiar with and enjoy About A Million, you may love these guys even more. Naked guitar. world-weary vocals. An ever-present sense of despair coupled with the thrill of living a minute at a time. Is this what being beautiful feels like? You be the judge.

If December is Bad History Month, then Kalamazoo is FUZZ TOWN. Crackling drone-noise-guitar by locals Josh (of Forget The Times) and Josh (of Joshualien, AKA Poncho). A favorite of the local experimental offerings, these guys will make you think about how you feel. Maybe even a little too much.

Finally, Local Boulder Saxsquatch will be playing an experimental solo set.

Doors are open ALL DAY because it’s a RECORD STORE. Bring bucks for the touring act! BYOB but don’t act a danged fool! The show will start at 9 and should be pretty cool! Hope to see y’all there.

Already Dead Family Reunion 3: Already Dead-er

Kalamazoo is fortunate enough to hold split-custody with an excellent tape and record label – Already Dead Tapes & Records, to be exact. Well, they treat themselves a lot like an extended family, and so every year, like to hold a bit of a Family Reunion. This weekend marks the 3rd one. I’ll spare you the talky-talky and get down to the details:

DAY 1: Thursday Sept. 19th at the Kalamazoo Collective Arts Center (511 W. Vine)

6/6:25 – Fuzz Town (MI)
6:25/7:05 – Cape And Cowl (MI)
7:05/7:45 – Kevin Greenspon (CA)
7:45/8:25 – T.J. Borden & Pat Cain (NY)
8:25/9:05 – Saxsquatch (MI)
9:05/9:45 – Ultralight (MN)
9:45/10:25 – Radiator Hospital (PA)
10:25/11:05 – Big Waves Of Pretty (WI)
11:05/12 – Not The Wind, Not The Flag (Canada)

DAY 2: Friday Sept. 20th @ The 411 Club (411 N. Westnedge)

6/6:30 – Anybody But The Cops vs. Seventeen Again
6:30/7:15 – Invisible Trails (MI)
7:15/8 – Frankie Teardrop (OH)
8/8:45 – Video Daughters (NY)
8:45/9:30 – Chat Logs (NY)
9:30/10:15 – Electric Nature (GA)
10:15/11 – Forget The Times (MI)
11/11:45 – The New Diet (IL)
11:45/12:30 – No Monster Club (Ireland)

DAY 3: Friday Sept. 21st @ The 4aa Club (411 N. Westnedge)

6/6:30 – Boring People (MI)
6:30/7:15 – U.S. Tribes (IL)
7:15/8 – Lore City (IL)
8/8:45 – Britches (MO)
8:45/9:30 – Ou Ou (MO)
9:30/10:15 – About A Million (is the greatest) (PA)
10:15/11 – Nesey Gallons (GA)
11/11:45 – Problems That Fix Themselves (IL)
11:45/12:30 – Teenage Tasteless (Germany)

There are also a pair of most excellent after-parties at WAYNE MANOR. with Friday night featuring Morseville Bridge, Bill Tucker, and The Grow Fangs. Saturday night will feature Mezzanine Swimmers, Spelling Bee, and and The Wrap.

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Tickets are $10 per night at the door, or you can buy a weekend pass for 21 bucks. There will be plenty of excellent music and swag to purchase from the various touring bands. The people will be wonderful, the friends will be fantastic, and the music, of course, will be outstanding.

Pleased join in, y’all. After all, it’s an extended family.

A Big Night in Kalamazoo 9/12

There’s a lot to do in Kalamazoo tonight, and so no excuses not to find yourself somewhere.

First and Foremost, An active Kalamazoo show-goer and all-around great guy, Jerrod Smith, has unfortunately passed away after a battle with illness. There will be a excellent benefit show thrown tonight in his honor and remembrance.

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This line-up will consist of The Mushmen (kzoo ska),  AJ Draper (kzoo music),  Decades (kzoo music), Ghost Bunnies (kzoo rock), The Wrap (kzoo insanity), and featuring Jerrod Smith & the Windmill Full of Corpses (kzoo rock), who will be showcasing as many of Jerrod’s favorite tunes as possible.

8pm is go-time. All money collected will go to help Jerrod’s family.

Also up that night, there’s some jazz and such happening at Milhouse. From Rome, Italy, Bulldog Drummond will be playing fusion music, as will UK touring act World Service Project. Kalamazoo locals Rotten Wood Moon, as well as Saxsquatch and Bridge Band, will round out the set.

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Dinner is served around 8. Donations will be asked to help the touring bands get where they need to go.