The Jezebel of Jazz

I would be horrified if the only thing I ever told you about Anita O’Day was the brief paragraph she received in my review of “Jazz on a Summer’s Day.” That is how she has often been referred to in the history of jazz: a paragraph, often overlooked. But among the community of jazz musicians she is considered to be one of the few great singers of the golden age of jazz, among the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Sarah Vaughan. It is truly amazing that Anita lived long enough to actually see the golden age of jazz, given her rough history of rape, abortion, jail, and heroin addiction. But she did live to see it and surpass it, in the end outliving Ella, Billie, Sarah and a host of other jazz musicians who were equally as talented, yet not as lucky, as she.

She was born Anita Belle Colton in 1919, technically died from an overdose on March 8, 1966, was resuscitated, and proceeded to live another forty years and release another fourteen albums. Every moment surrounding these points of life and death was filled with music. She got her big break in 1940 when she was hired to be the vocalist in Gene Krupa’s big band. It was with Krupa’s band that Anita’s talent as an entertainer emerged. “Let Me Off Uptown” featured Anita and trumpeter Roy Eldredge in a call-and-response duet (a progressive concept for the racially divided time) that left Eldredge angry over the fact that Anita was upstaging him.

After five years with Krupa, Anita left to sing in Stan Kenton’s band where her already hard-swinging life stood in apparent contrast to the other band members’. (She marveled at the lack of smoking and the fact that they would get water and read during the breaks.) Rebelling against the popular “chick singer” notion of the day, Anita insisted on wearing a regular band outfit and being considered equally as a musician. After recording forty tunes in 1944 with the Kenton band, Anita found them a replacement singer and struck out in a different direction. Lucky for Stan, Anita had an eye for talent: the new singer was Shirley Lester, who later changed her name to June Christy and achieved remarkable success in her own right.

In the new wave of bebop, Anita formed her own group and began to develop her signature sound. She was a master of rhythm and phrasing. Due to a slip of the knife during a tonsillectomy she underwent as a child, Anita’s uvula had been cut and resulted in the singer’s inability to sustain long notes. To adapt she often divided one long note into eighth notes, for example, changing the held note, “sweet,” to “swee-ee-eet.” In this and many other ways, she excelled as an innovator. She listened intently to the other musicians, continually engaging in call-and-response improvisations. One musician she worked with remembers her telling him that she used all the sounds in a room for inspiration, even the rhythmic buzz of a ceiling fan in one particular venue.

It was during this time in her life that Anita met drummer John Poole who she would work with for thirty years and whose friendship was dear but costly. Anita had previously been suspected and busted for drug use, but it was Poole who gave Anita her first taste of heroin. By 1954 the two were so deep into drugs that they would make it a point to stay at different hotels while gigging, so that one could take the heat for the other if the cops came around. A neighbor of the pair remembers hearing their connection drive every Sunday morning up to their apartment on the beach and make his delivery by ladder to their bedroom window.

As Anita’s musical style developed, it caught on with jazz fans around the nation and world. She was the unexpected star of the Newport Jazz Festival in 1958, which she didn’t even know was being filmed. She was the first vocalist ever recorded by the label Verve. She found a devoted audience in Japan. She worked with musicians and arrangers of great caliber, such as Duke Ellington, Billy May, Benny Goodman, Buddy Bregman, and Oscar Peterson. Peterson notes in his autobiography that he “admired her tenacity and musical courage.” The duo complimented each other tremendously, as Peterson may be one of the few musicians who also routinely chose flying tempos and managed them with clean, crisp dexterity. (See “Them There Eyes” on the 1957 album Anita Sings the Most.)

Anita O’Day was highly regarded by fans and musicians alike, yet was caught in a downward spiral of drug abuse. She was constantly desperate for money as every dollar she earned went into her veins. In her excellent autobiography, High Times, Hard Times, Anita confesses, “Between 1961 and 1966 there is very little I can tell you for sure.” She remarkably was able to keep a pretty straight face in the public life, yet it wasn’t until her overdose in 1966 that she became clean and started anew. “I was lucky I got out,” she says in the documentary Anita O’Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer, “Miles couldn’t get out, Charlie Parker couldn’t get out, Billie couldn’t get out…”

She was extremely lucky. Anita continued to work as a jazz singer until her death on Thanksgiving Day of 2006. She toured Japan extensively, releasing a number of albums of her work there, and even released an album titled “Indestructible!” that was completed on her 86th birthday. Her life was hard, indeed, but that depth of experience allowed her to communicate lyrics in a way that few can. She took chances musically and changed the world of jazz. Says Johnny Mandel, “Nobody sounded like Anita O’Day. Ever! She didn’t borrow from anyone. Others borrowed from her later…” She was and is perhaps underappreciated, but those who have heard her music know what the rest are missing.

Video: Band Of Skulls – Friends

Band of Skulls – “Friends” live

Band of Skulls | MySpace Music Videos

New video for “Friends,” featured on The Twilight Saga: New Moon soundtrack

Video: Passion Pit – Little Secret

Passion Pit official video for “Little Secrets” directed by Timothy Saccenti. The band is on tour this spring in the U.S.

Review: Wishbone Ash – Reason To Believe

‘Reason To Believe’, is exactly what this first single in 20 years gives all those connected with Wishbone Ash. A slight Magnum trundling guitar build leads into the longing forward thinking and delusion shattering vocals of Andy Powell, starting off ruggedly before a comforting echo takes over.

This is a deeply searching and mood-ranging effort. It suggests that these veterans may be finding a new lease of life.

Review: Eight Legs – The Electric Kool-Aid Cuckoo Nest

Independent by nature, given that this flighty full-length is the product of their own label, yet jaunty sincere, honest in delivery and backward gazing (to the mod-era especially) in their musical styles. Is how Eight Legs seems to be coming across and it is an impact that suits them. To start off with, the sound of Rakes and The Cribs is bundled together to appear disorganised and slightly put off by the vicissitudes of life, ‘I Understand’. However, you sense that a lot of thought has gone into this projection of low-key annoyance at the cards that they’ve been dealt. The post-mod theme continues pouring out into ‘Stay Cool’, but a more stammered delivery of the vocals by Sam Jolly prevents an early stale feel.

The ranging nature of this fashionista’s dream of a band, starts to come to life in the slow turning, tapping percussion tilted bluesy ballad, ‘The Dystopian Not So Future’. A lot of feral logic is encapsulated in the terse lyrics:

“You were thinking with your balls when you should have used your head.”

Of course, after such longing and reflection, a change of pace is needed. There’s no better way to ensure this than by chucking in a bouncy, yet bemused pop spirited anthem, ‘Best Of Me’ (and, no, it certainly ain’t a cheap The Darkness cover).

Likeable tykes is a tag that this sprightly group is going to find themselves stuck with given their friendly and wise manner. ‘More Than Nothing At All’, is a slow building tuneful lament at being skint. The rhythm builds and sincere delivery goes some way towards explaining why their sound was successfully used to back up an anti-binge drinking campaign. Rustic The Cribs spirited rebelliousness spews out of the chanted, yesteryear adoring ‘I Wish It Was The 60s’ and, the defiance from it builds and builds into the narky, murkily ambient interlude containing ‘Untitled’.

Eight Legs have conjured up a second album with heart, defiance, soberness and sincerity. Qualities that will mean they will be used to back up more campaigns than a Spin Doctor.

Review: Hot Chip with support from Casiokids: Manchester Academy 19/02/2010

The idle chatter and into it jigging is evenly spread, as the jaunty electro/lounge/indie and pop conjoining Nordic sextet, Casiokids gives it energy, effort and some entertainment value. The latter element is provided, in the main, by the bold Bez impersonation of Ketil Endresen. This is especially so when the maracas come out. At times, they produce the impact of Baz Luhrmann being backed up by Paul Van Dyke.

Unfortunately, at other times, the beats get a bit lazy and appear to be on a loop throughout this set, becoming as repetitious as the ‘Smoking is not permitted in any part of this station’, message that is recycled at train stations. That said, as the bass element emboldens, idle chit chat reduces and looks of intrigue appear on faces and bodies start to sway. Casiokids amiable stage presence also provides for a friendly atmosphere.

A humble entrance and a slow lounge blues skirting opening through ‘And I was a Boy From School’. Is how lead man Alexis Taylor and his Hot Chip buddies elects to kick off proceedings, making for a sombre and reflective sing-a-long. It is an impact that continues into mini-epic ballad of ‘Hand Me Down Your Love’. This represents the first of the material from the less playful, new and fourth album, ‘One Life Strand’ that is met with warmth and acceptance of the ranging nature of Hot Chip.

Of course, it isn’t long before they up the tempo and the blurry carnival beats and the maracas touting antics of Taylor, ensures that ‘One Pure Thought’ does exactly this. However, it is at this point that it is difficult not to start comparing watching HOT Chip live to going to see a DJ. This is down to the lack of any real physical energy or the fact that their stage presence doesn’t really provide for any sort of spectacle. A whining horn intro leads the way into ‘Brothers’, whilst an increasingly appreciative crowd starts to lose themselves, in this genuine run through of a career of a growing in universal appeal and refreshingly inclusive act.

The bouncy rhythm, haunted vocals and cosmopolitan synth kicks of the title track from their 4th album, highlights a fresh and thoughtful direction from these once seemingly lost Londoners. A Friday night needs an up-fer-it anthem, no matter what brand of music or how diverse the act is and, ‘Over And Over’ has its hook-line chanted back with lurid vigour by an excited gathering:

“Over and over and over and over and over; like a monkey with a miniature cymbal.”

Taylor’s crowd interaction is sparse, yet amiable and the troupe makes full use of the sound concealing venue. Work experience with a travelling circus is all that’s needed in order to allow Hot Chip to be able to match their catchy, provocative sound with a breathtaking live show.

News: The Mary Onettes Announce US Tour this April

The Mary Onettes announce US Tour Dates This April!

Mon April 19 Mar Bar Philadelphia, PA
Tue April 20 DC 9 Washington DC
Wed April 21 Mercury New York City,NY
Thur April 22 Great Scott Alison, MA
Fri April 23 The Summit Columbus, OH
Sat April 24 Schubas Chicago, IL
Sun April 25 Sunset Tavern Seattle, WA
Mon April 26 Holocene Portland,OR
Tue April 27 Rickshaw Stop San Francisco, CA
Wed April 28 Soda Bar San Diego, CA
Thur April 29 Viper Room Los Angeles, CA

Video: You Say Party! We Say Die! – There is XXXX (Within My Heart)

You Say Party! We Say Die! “There is XXXX (Within My Heart)” from the album XXXX. from Paper Bag Records on Vimeo.

Watch New Video For “There is XXXX (Love Within My Heart)”

Review: Hot Chip – One Life Stand

The most noticeable difference between One Life Stand and Hot Chip’s past work is how smooth it sounds. The jarring, less than melodious bits of noise that dotted older material have been replaced by a largely uninterrupted 50 minutes of safe streamlined pop. Whereas tracks like “Over and Over” flitted manically between dance-pop choruses and more abstract, formless sections, tracks on the new record are a fair bit more restrained. The six minute opener “Thieves in the Night” is a straight forward slab of peppy synths with a friendly guitar line, and the steady pulse and rhythm of “Hand me Down Your Love” is suspiciously ordinary and un-eclectic.

Unfortunately, cleaner isn’t always better. After listening to this release several times, the only honest way to describe it is “boring”. Minimalist indie/electronica works best when it’s switched up constantly and consistently, so even though its body is pretty thin it has enough nice outfits to make you forget about it’s anorexia (see: LCD soundsystem). But when the dominant instrument is always the synthesizer, the lack of real substance starts to grate a little. This is particularly true on “I feel Better”, which mixes goofily ominous violins with already saccharine vocals layered through a Cher-like vocoder. It’s just too cheesy and ridiculous to really merit more than one listen, and isn’t nearly enough of a pop gem to work as well as the more suave “Believe”. “Keep Quiet” suffers from similar issues, like monotonous percussion and lacklustre vocals only being made worse by the melodrama dripping from the strings.

The tracks that do work are, surprisingly, the most emotionally honest and earnest. “Brothers” is Taylor’s endearing ode to, whom else, but his brohas. This arena rock imitation starts with U2-sounding atmospherics and deep, cutesy vocals, and builds to drums and piano accompaniment, as well as more rich vocal harmonies chanting the chorus. The song is infinitely better for the adorable lyrics, chronicling the Taylor bros and their heart-warming relationship, which involves sharing “wild” love, dancing (whether its salsa or swing is not specified) and the ultimate in male bonding activities, games on the x-box. “Alley cats” follows a similar formula. It’s subject matter is somewhat more ambiguous (read: indiscernible), but its chorus is sung in that same wonderfully goofy tone of voice, bringing a smile to this face every time Taylor (that IS him right?) sings the word “alley cats”. Again, the simple keyboard and excited guitar squiggles work largely because the song is just so darn endearing. It`s sappiness can`t carry the whole song and it gets tiresome after the first couple of minutes, but only the scrupulous listener will probably even notice.

The next issue with the album is that some of its quirks are just plain weird. For example, “Slush” opens with a series of melodic “hum-ah-nah hum-ah-nahs”, which are more irritating than innovating. “We Have Love” works in the same way, opening with an odd and pretty pointless sample of what sounds like a Chipmunk at a rave in Barcelona. But even when the record’s more absurd elements fade out and flow into more conventional songs, Taylor and co. reveal more of what makes the record weak in the first place. Once the quirks on the weirder tracks go away, they simply give way to the brutal balladry that just weighs down the merit the release DOES have. This observation begs the question: why bother having weirdness on an album in the first place if all it does is (briefly) distract from an otherwise safe, straightforward soundscape?

In sum, One Life Stand is a generally disappointing record. Hot Chip aren`t known for their strong albums, but they usually manage to write at least a couple of damn good singles every time they put one out. This, unfortunately, is not the case for their most recent output. No tracks stand out as potential sleeper hits, and few manage to rise out of what turns out to be pretty fluffy, derivative and mediocre nostalgia for the 1980`s. On a positive note, some of the cutesier tracks could probably be performed on one of the more indie-friendly children`s TV shows (Yo Gabba Gabba anyone?). Ultimately though, it feels like these solid representatives of the indie electronica scene might finally be checking out. Hopefully the boys in Hot Chip can rebound and not end up like everything else from the neo-80’s (IE 2002-06): forgotten in a blurry haze of The Strokes rip-offs and hipster hangovers.

Review: The Unwinding Hours – The Unwinding Hours

The album starts with a slow 6 minute song that layers gradually and then crescendos quite nicely at the end. It’s a great way to start the album because there are layers to sift through from start to finish. Lyrically and musically. The drumming has a unique approach and adds some dynamics and interest to the songs which can be somewhat plain in their arrangements. Some strings and ambient noise help out also. But the simplicity of the songs is nice and offers balance. There are no particularly fast songs on the album which I think is one of it’s short-comings. It can be hard to listen to all the way through. It has a fantastic ending with The Final Hour which starts out very quiet with guitar and vocals and absolutely explodes out of nowhere with crashing drums and guitar and a great melody and slowly fades away. A good album overall and worth the time to listen to it.

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