World Music Central’s list of musicians, scholars and music industry professionals who left us in 2008.
Jimmy Carl Black, 70, musician and singer. Mr. Black was a drummer and vocalist best known for his membership in the group The Mothers of Invention with Frank Zappa. Mr. Black was also a member of the groups Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band and The Grandmothers. His discography includes Ella Guru The First Album, Strange News from Mars with Jon Larsen, Tommy Mars and Bruce Fowler and The Jimmy Carl Black Story with Jon Larsen.
Quite possibly the most prestigious musical event today, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has hit the big 4-0 and in turn, has outdone itself in booking nothing less than the cream of the crop. The 2009 lineup is incredibly diverse, both stylistically and chronologically, and will take music from jazz, pop, rock, soul, gospel, folk, salsa, blues, R&B, funk, and lots of music rooted in Louisiana, such as Cajun and zydeco. The event is scheduled to take place the weekends of April 24-26 and April 30-May 3 and it's a wonder how they've managed to cram hundreds of artists into a mere seven days. There are so many artists that one wouldn't know where to start unless they have a specific genre in mind. So for now, let's extract some of the rock bands that will be playing.
Although an official schedule has yet to be released, the lineup has been broken up between the two weekends. During the first weekend, Dave Matthews Band will be featured as one of the headliners (sadly, sans the original sax player). Wilco, who strangely drew in a larger crowd than Rage Against the Machine at Lollapalooza, will undoubtedly be received with open arms. Read more »
The independent event production team, Across-the-Way Productions, just announced exciting additions to the already colorful initial lineup for their celebrated annual music and arts festival, FloydFest. Now in its 8th incarnation, the festival will take place July 23-26, 2009 in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of southwest Virginia. Since its inception in 2002, FloydFest organizers have prided themselves in providing a safe and welcoming ground for a global community forum, and musical showcase steeped in Appalachian roots.
Below is a press release by Jim Walsh of Big Hassle Media regarding the 20th Annual Warren Haynes' Christmas Jam. This year was said to have gone swimmingly and raised an outstanding amount of money to benefit Habitat For Humanity. Asheville, NC received a lineup of artists that few other musicians other than Haynes could conjure up. The festival featured a selection of musicians from some of the most historic rock n' roll groups, including John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin and of course, Haynes' original group, The Allman Brothers Band. Here's what Walsh had to say about the event: Read more »
Want to get a flavor of the musical lineup at FloydFest, the highly regarded world-jam culture fest in southwest Virginia? Just read the phrases used describe some of the artists named FloydFest 2009. running July 23-26 in Floyd VA.
Afro-beat globe-trotters, extravagant cabaret. Brazilian thump and cool, Canadian folk hipsters, neo-funk-soul, sacred steel masters, sweet reggae grooves, house-jumping sounds, progressive old-time, street brass explosion, disarming arrangements, cosmic rockers, retro-pop and honky tonk, soul shaking conscious. quirky Americana Jazz, gypsy swing, gospel.
You don't even need the names to know that is going to be a fun festival. Since 2002, Floydfest has built a standout world-jam music and arts festival in southwest Virginia by mixing a global, multicultural outlook with Appalachian musical roots. That's a unique formula that has earned FloydFest a national reputation. Read more »
The winter months are usually a somber time for the jam band community, seeing as festivals like High Sierra, 10K, and Wakarusa don't roll around until the summer. These next couple months, however, seem to hold a lot more jam rock-centered festivals than in previous winters. It's sometimes nice to vamp on the same chord progression for an extended period of time and let the music build over it. All music is repetition, but this aspect provides equilibrium for many people. Some folks, whether they be Deadheads or not, are still very much rooted in the improv-based 60's rock n' roll scene. Many feel a connection to this type of music for different reasons, be it the counterculture, the drugs, or the peace and love vibe (although this hasn't been present in some of today's concert events). People of all ages are drawn to events like these to both be entertained and to take part in a mutual exchange of musical energy between their favorite bands and thousands of other fans. A common misconception is that a festival of this caliber implies an attempted Woodstock recreation with masses of tye-died flower children, but nowadays, the term jam band encompasses far more than Wah-driven psychedelia. Plus, many aren't held on farms or in parks. If you couldn't make it to Warren Haynes' Christmas Jam or Caribbean Holidaze, here are some upcoming jam band festivals that might catch your fancy... Read more »
Tickets for 2009's Langerado Music Festival will be available this Friday, December 12. A weekend pass for the festival, taking place March 6-8, are starting at $120, or you can buy individual day tickets for $75 a piece. Unlike most other concert tickets, there is no additional charge. Children under 8 get in free with an adult ticket buyer. Early-bird tickets are limited, though, and prices only go up from there. The tickets will be shipped out the third week in February.
Now in its seventh year, Langerado has moved from its old home at the Big Cypres Indian Reservation in Fort Lauderdale. It will now relocate to dowtown Miami's Bicentennial Park, just a couple weeks prior to the Ultra Music Festival, held in the same venue. With the attendance growing seemingly exponentially on a yearly basis, the venue change may prove to be a deal-breaker, seeing as how downtown Miami certainly isn't lacking in people. Read more »
After an auspicious debut last year, the 2nd Annual DelFest is gearing up with an initial lineup announcement and open box office for early bird ticketing, VIP packages and RV permits. Also new this year is the first DelFest Academy, with three days of instrumental instruction taught by members of the McCoury band and others.
The festival runs Memorial Day Weekend, May 22-24, at the Allegany County Fairgrounds in Cumberland MD. The DelFest Academy takes place May 18-21 at the same site.
Besides the host Del McCoury Band, the initial lineup announcment includes Sam Bush, Railroad Earth, Peter Rowan and the Free Mexican Air Force, J.D. Crowe and The New South, Tim O'Brien, The Infamous Stringdusters, The Lee Boys, Dan Paisley & The Southern Grass and more.
For complete information and tickets, visit the DelFest website. Read more »
Just because it's winter, there's no reason that a rock festival can't take place. The third installment of Florida's Open Grass Festival is scheduled to take place on January 9-10, a bit earlier than it's been the past couple of years. In addition to the date change, the event has been moved south from Brant Park in Lake Worth to the Old School Square in Delray Beach. The reason for this change is that the new location is more accessible. It's easier for tourists to find and the Old School Square is located in dowtown Delray. The festival, therefore, will be in closer proximity to restaurants and the like, with much more locals and tourists passing through. Delray also seems to be a more culturally driven community, and the event will likely thrive better in a location where the music is more appreciated. This will hopefully surpass last year's attendance of 1,000 by a large margin.
The summer rock festival is a hallowed tradition, and the mere mention of a Lollapalooza or a Bonnaroo calls to mind more than a few indelible images: The restless multitudes massed outside the brimming porta-potties, the eight-dollar hot dogs washed down with twelve-dollar beers, so many sunburned and shirtless party warriors being carried to the quiet mists of the chillout tent. The sun is out; people are on vacation; sometimes it rains, and we get naked in the mud.
