Concert: Turtle Island Quartet, "Song To John"
| Bookmark: |
|
| Embed: |
"Song To John" was co-written by bassist Stanley Clarke and pianist Chick Corea, and originally appeared on Clarke's 2000 album, Portrait Stanley Clarke. Violinist David Balakrishnan talks about Mads Tolling's arrangement of the song, and the areas of improvisation that the piece creates for the four musicians. Here is the Turtle Island Quartet's artist profile on Pandora. These videos were directed by Jason Blalock.
There's nothing that brings a community together quite like a free music festival - this one features live footage from 
First there was surf rock -- now Miles and Kyle bring us surf-ska.
Optimism trumps pessimism; remember that.
This season, Phish debuted a song called "Light." Related?
Beautifully arranged and thoroughly modern Americana.
Beautifully arranged and thoroughly modern Americana.
Yoni ponders his mortality, his fertility, and his... telepathy?
Who are Brook and Waxing? Ask Avram, says Yoni Wolf.
Exene and John Doe would love this single from Baby Darling Doll Face Honey.
A little snarl, a little male-female repartee, and some bodilu fluids.
In which Himmelman means no offense to the people of Paraguay.
In which Steve and Josh from Pandora get called dirty names by Himmelman.
The Britt Daniel-produced foursome prove their considerable live skills.
Fiends for rhythm, and big fans of the those toms.
A harmonized twin-guitar riff kicks off a classic rock stomper.
A twin-guitar epic, all played fully live in one room.
The mysterious vocoder-fueled psychedelia rises again.
Heavy, absurdly funny psychedelia with analog synths and a ninja on drums.
Violinist Mads Tolling plays both with Stanley Clarke and with this jazz-focused string quartet.
A Grammy-winning string arrangement of one of John Coltrane's legendary hard bop creation.
Chick Corea's Return To Forever piece gets a Turtle-strung re-consideration.
A modal tribute to the great, late John Coltrane by a string quartet.
A duet with Nina Persson, in which the role of Nicolai Dunger is played by Gentleman Reg.
A Swedish twist on country-tinged indie pop.
Romantic disappointment translated into a mix of '50s soul music and Ramonesian directness.
A song that works quite well as a last-call, end-of-the-evening group singalong.
An interpretation of a classic children's lullaby, but turned on its proverbial ear.
Inspired by the "Missed Connections" section found in the local alt-weekly.
This Maxinquaye track may still be Tricky's best-known song in the US, and it's a simmering, sexy, trip hop classic.
A grimy skyscraper of a guitar tone amplifies Tricky's sonic arsenal on this one.
A squirrelly song from Milk Man, starring Greg Saunier.
From Mikis Theodorakis, circa 1967, to Deerhoof circa 2009.
A spasm of sarcasm by the English 'gangsta folk' purveyor.
John Donne fans, roll up! Dust off the poetry volumes for this one, and look sharp.
Neo-jam band roots music about the Great White North.
New Monsoon's deep baritone takes on a tale of crime and false accusation.
How often do hear accordion in the discoteca? Kinky wants to change that.
The Prince-inspired spelling supports the case that this is a lubricated jackhammer of futuristic guitar electronica.
A heavy, Tolkien-esque rock thump about theophony and the harmony of the spheres.
Conrad Keely channels Shane MacGowan on this Irish-themed noise waltz.
A raucous, distorted, giddily optimistic song.
Noisy, epic, grand large-canvas rock.
Edgy, foul-mouthed L.A. rap that is unafraid to get its hands soiled.
If there's any chance you'd be offended, you might be offended by this one.
Headnodic's inescapable bass hook driving a surging battle cry. 
The cheeriest anti-materialist screed you've ever heard.
A thumping, intricate love song about love... that is, about loving love.
The mix of Fishbone's adrenalized ska-punk with dark lyrics about domestic disputes gives "Ma and Pa" an unmistakable identity.
A gospel-inflected soul workout from Norwood Fisher, Angelo Moore and the other men of Fishbone.
A modern update on Curtis Mayfield's cautionary tale about the dangers of chemical overload.
Darkly fatalistic humor, political commentary, and sheer hip-quivering joy have rarely sat together so comfortably.
GDB's rollicking take on barrelhouse piano and early rock and roll.
The anthem of the Civil Rights movement becomes an elegiac jazz tone-poem.
Inspirations: the Big Easy, mariachi, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, and a simmering sauce.
An upbeat toetapper about a dead-end job.
One part "St. James Infirmary," one part molasses-drenched character sketch.
The first song the Mumlers ever recorded, written about a sketchy San Jose corner.
You can hear why this song became a hugely successful single, with its immediacy and physicality.
Super-fast bumblebee guitar fuels this pogo party.
Spastic energy, organs, and catchier than strep throat.
Nothing says indie pop like hand-sewn sweaters.
Delaware's finest pen an ode to Janeane Garofalo.
Not a duet with Soulja Boy Tellem, though that would be rad.
Totally improvised, and scratched from scratch. Slamming hip hop meets the off-the-cuff inventiveness of jazz.
New Mexico is more of a landing pad than Washington State, but Say Hi begs to differ.
Hayes' breathtaking, unique voice brings to mind Nina Simone and Jeff Buckley.
A powerful sigil lends an air of mystery and otherworldly mystique to this helping of Americana.
Southern charm and odd voodoo hucksterism meet in an unlikely singalong.
Great American songwriting, timeless and direct.
This time we look into the club's ability to pack dozens of acts in during a festival like CMJ.
A look at New York City's haven for challenging modern music, shot during CMJ when 
Sizzling feminist soul, fronted by shouter Jillian Iva.
A rebuke of the Hollywood lifestyle by Jillian, Becky and Kelly of Von Iva.
A rare moment of repose and shimmer for these brash women.
A Japanese-language pop song that starts sweet and gradually ratchets up the tension and aggression.
Chopped-up hip hop with intense subdivisions and manipulation.
Experimental DJ sets mashing up crunk and hip hop.
The sardonic, Dylanesque, sharp wordplay of Fred's finest.
Gorgeous vocal counterpoint, slide guitar, and a passionate lyricism seldom found in indie rock.
A Frankensteinian monster of a song -- rather, two songs fused together.
Who the plum is Dr. Vitus, and why is he sitting on my roof?
One girl, four prom dates = a recipe for ribald trouble!
'Tis a sailor's song! A sea shanty, mateys!
Never has the word "slut" sounded so strangely sweet.
A kiss-off song in the grand tradition. Don't let the door hit you on the way out, eh.
A Pandora staff favorite... "Burn It Down" is the first JF song many of us heard.
A full-bodied jam that brings together reggae and neo-soul feels.
Earthy neo-soul powered by a spitfire of a frontwoman.
Laura is a sunny native of South Africa who is also an expert in environmental policy.
Laura Reed & Deep Pocket are way into the soul classics, but bring flavors of reggae and funk along with it.
Hot bluegrass, beautifully played by these string-burners.
A woodchuck-fast ode to cheap wine and tour buses.
An acoustic jam band with a solid sense of history and humor.
Here is a good, old-fashioned string band belly-rubber.
Mes amis, you have longed for a song in French. N'est-ce pas? 
When you think of outdoor music in a gorgeous natural setting, you think of Red Rocks. See where 
A rich melody that makes a nod toward classic soul and R&B.
Tift jumps from electric piano to guitar for this beauty of a song.
A North Carolinian with a smoky, gorgeous voice and a knack with a folk melody.
Check out some real-deal, soulful Chicago blues with 
Northern Kentucky's historic mansion that hosts bluegrass, blues and experimental rock.
This riverside mansion plays host not only to great bands, but to ghosts, spirits, and apparitions.
Follow 
Exclusive live footage from the 2008 SxSW music festival in Austin, TX from 
Interviews and performances from South By Southwest 2008, the craziest SxSW yet.
Tour the nightclub where 
This SF landmark has hosted everyone from 
51st & Broadway is an amazing New York corner with a great place for live jazz: Iridium Jazz Club. The night we went, the great jazz clarinetist 
Comments
Post a comment