E. Doctor Smith's Blog

Founded in 1994, the Lords of Outland is a rotating collective of ensemble members under the direction of saxophonist and producer Rent Romus. Throughout the Lords' fifteen year history in the spirit of free form experimentation its core roster has changed numerous times featuring guests like John Tchicai, James Zitro, Kash Killion, and many others. The group currently features CJ Borosque on no-input pedals and trumpet, Philip Everett on drums, percussion and electronics, Ray Schaeffer on electric basses, lead by Romus on alto, soprano, C-melody saxophones, voice, and electronics. To commemorate their longevity comes "The Lord of the Outland XV". Contained in "XV" are live public recordings covering a wide range of original jazz and improvisations, many of which have never been released from 1994-2008, and on disc two, a new full length project recorded in 2009. Other performing artists who have participated in the Lords of Outland include Jason Ol

Singer, songwriter, producer and survivor, Kathryn Keats returns to Mill Valley's Throckmorton Theater on December 17th, bringing another stellar ensemble of musicians and razor-sharp, impeccably crafted, soulful compositions, filled with entertaining and unpredictable moments and joy for every age. Keats is a fascinating and incredible entertainer that is reclaiming her career after 20 years in the witness protection program. She is currently developing a Broadway musical loosely based upon her book “After the Silence”. Her heroic journey from captivity to freedom has inspired audiences in Europe and the United States. Keats is often a guest artist at community outreach events that raise awareness about domestic violence. Joining Keats for this latest show are Michael Manring on bass, Jeff Oster on flugelhorn & trumpet, Celso Alberti on drums, Joe Venegoni on percussion and Kelly Park on piano & vibes. Keats has been involved in music since the age of five, w

A well-respected drummer who has appeared in many types of settings in many genres, Steve Gadd's impressive technique and flexibility have been influential during the past 20 years. He started playing drums at the age of three, sat in with Dizzy Gillespie when he was 11, and after extensive study and a stint in the Army, Gadd became an important studio drummer beginning in 1972. Among his more significant jazz associations have been with Chick Corea (starting in 1975), Bob James, Al DiMeola, Tom Scott, Grover Washington Jr., David Sanborn, the group Stuff, the Manhattan Jazz Quintet, and his own impressive band (the Gadd Gang) which recorded for Columbia in 1986 and 1988. Next week, Gadd brings an all star line-up to Yoshi's in San Francisco with keyboardist Joey DeFrancesco, saxophonist Ronnie Cuber and guitarist Paul Bollenback. Gadd is one of the most sought-after studio musicians in the world. Regarded as the most influential drummer in contemporary music, Gadd

This weekend, world reknown bassist Stanley Clarke brings his latest incarnation with long-time bandmate, drummer Lenny White and pianist Hiromi Uehara to Yoshi's on Fillmore for promises to be an amazing show. In a career that spans nearly four decades and includes gigs with Return to Forever, Rite of Strings and a variety of other solo and collaborative projects along the way, Clarke – one of the most prominent voices in electric jazz and fusion – had seemingly covered every possible corner of the jazz landscape. But there was one avenue he had yet to explore. “I had never done an acoustic bass record, ever,” he says. “There’s a long list of people on whose records I’ve played acoustic bass – Art Blakey, Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz, Joe Henderson and many others – but I’d never done an acoustic jazz trio record of my own. So I wanted to record one that would just feature the piano and the acoustic bass in a way that you could really hear the bass.” This long-overdue dr

For the better part of a decade, the progressive jazz trio known as The Bad Plus have been stirring up a musical stew that defies easy description. Drawing on sources as diverse as classical, jazz, rock, pop and beyond, they have created a singular aesthetic that forces even the most skeptical listener to rethink the commonly held notions of what differentiates one style of music from another. Their most recent effort features alt-rock vocalist Wendy Lewis on the critically acclaimed "For All I Care". On Friday, The Bad Plus will begin a three night stand at Yoshi's on Fillmore. Following the release of Prog, described by Billboard as "easily the most likable and listenable jazz album of 2007," the trio wanted to try some new ideas and broaden their musical concept. To that end, bassist Reid Anderson, pianist Ethan Iverson and drummer David King took a giant step forward last February with the release of "For All I Care" (HUCD 3148) on H

Bill Bruford is no doubt one of the most influential percussionists England has ever produced. His work with the progressive rock groups Yes, King Crimson, Genesis and Gong are the stuff of legend. His love of jazz and his admirable forays into that realm with his group Earthworks and later, with pianist Michiel Bortslap have earned the kudos he so richly deserved. Bruford retired from public performance this year, to tend his massive catalogue, garden and spend time with his wife. We will miss seeing him live, but no one can blame him. His career has been one virtually any drummer would kill for, and in his wake he has left another gem, "Bill Bruford, the Autobiography". This fascinating, poignant and yet bittersweet tome recounts his journey as only he could tell it, and answers many of the things you may have wanted to know, but were afraid to ask. The historic era which gave rise to Britain's progressive music scene, the rise and fall of the world of musi

"Les Paul, the guitar virtuoso and inventor who revolutionized music and created rock 'n' roll as surely as Elvis Presley and the Beatles by developing the solid-body electric guitar and multitrack recording, died Thursday at age 94", wrote Nekesa Mumbi Moody of the Associated Press. One of the world's best known guitarists and innovators is gone. From Robert Fripp, to Jerry Garcia and Al Dimeola, Paul created guitars that would influence the entire planet for generations. "Les Paul, the guitar virtuoso and inventor who revolutionized music and created rock 'n' roll as surely as Elvis Presley and the Beatles by developing the solid-body electric guitar and multitrack recording, died Thursday at age 94", wrote Nekesa Mumbi Moody of the Associated Press. One of the world's best known guitarists and innovators is gone. From Robert Fripp, to Jerry Garcia and Al Dimeola, Paul created guitars that would influence the entire planet for g

'I Bring What I Love: Youssou Ndour,' is an award-winning music-infused cinematic journey about the power of one man’s voice to inspire change. Ndour is the highest selling African artist of all time and has collaborated with musical superstars like Bono, Neneh Cherry and Peter Gabriel. At home in Senegal, the Grammy-award winning artist is an inspiration for generations. The film chronicles Ndour, a devout Sufi Muslim, as he releases a deeply personal and religious album called Egypt in the hope of promoting a more tolerant face of Islam. Almost instantly, his fellow Senegalese reject the album, and denounce his actions as blasphemous. Director Chai Vasarhelyi follows Ndour for over two years – filming in Africa, Europe, and America – to tell the story of how he faces these challenges and eventually wins over audiences both at home and abroad. Nathan Southern of the All Movie Guide wrote, "As one of two major documentaries on hotly debated Senegalese world mu

Outsound Presents, the newly-minted nonprofit arts organization grown from the Bay-Area based DIY collective of local musicians and sound artists, is pleased to announce the line-up for the 8th Annual Outsound New Music Summit. "We're celebrating our intrepid hope for the arts with a fierce roster of talent", says Rent Romus, Outsounds founder and Executive Director. Despite a threatening economy for the arts, Romus reports that the choice to incorporate and continue with the summer festival was born of bold intention. It's not the first time we've been warned about our ambitions, but after a decade of supporting raw, alternative music for the rebellious soul, we knew that it was time to institutionalize our support of experimental artists and audiences, now more than ever. The festival seeks to build on its reputation for diverse and critically-acclaimed performances with headliners that run the gamut from Bonfire Madigan to the ROVA Saxophone Quarte

2009 has not been a good year for great musicians. We have seen a lot of them pass recently; Michael Jackson, Bob Bogle, Koko Taylor, the list goes on. I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge another great, and a man considered to be the father of the garage band genre. Sky "Sunlight" Saxon, died on June 25th after a brief illness in Austin, Texas. Saxon, born Richard Marsh, recently collaborated with the Smashing Pumpkins last year and was scheduled to perform as part of the California '66 Revue in August. The Seeds' hits include "Pushin' Too Hard" and "Can't Seem to Make You Mine." Saxon and the Seeds were considered the pioneers of the "Flower Power/Punk" movement and their psychedelic sounds were something that would shape generations of musicians to come. In 1965, Saxon formed the Seeds, arguably the city's finest punk/garage group, which later evolved into a psychedelic, flower-power attraction. Saxon

Growing up, one of my favorite instrumental groups was the Seattle based combo, "The Ventures". I'll never forget my first album, "Hawaii Five-0" and their "10th Anniversary" double record set in 1970. Bob Bogle, lead guitarist and co-founder of The Ventures with Don Wilson, were known for 1960's instrumental hits including "Walk, Don't Run." Bogle died this week at age 75. The Ventures sold millions of albums and heavily influenced a generation of rock guitarists and in 2008, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Hall's website hailed The Ventures as "the most successful instrumental combo in rock and roll history." "Walk, Don't Run" reached No. 2 on the Billboard chart in 1960, and a revised version, "Walk, Don't Run '64," reached No. 8 in 1964. Among the band's other hits were "Perfidia" and the theme from "Hawaii Five-O." The ba

In 2001, I had the privilege of working with the incredible, incomparable Koko Taylor at the State Theater, just outside Washington, DC. Koko arrived for sound check right on time and I graciously invited her upstairs to the theater's modern "green room". Koko took one look at the two flights of stairs and said, "Oh no baby, I can't go up and down those all night." Faced with a "MacGyver moment", I quickly fashioned an all new "green room" just off stage, with comfy chairs, a Japanese screen for privacy and a wardrobe rack for her change of clothes. "Now that's what I'm talkin' about baby", she said. "You gonna take care of Koko tonight baby?", she asked. "Trust me Koko, a dash of digital delay and a spoonful of reverb and you'll be good to go", I told her. Dressed and ready to go, Koko thanked me, took the stage and proved she could still bring it with the best of them. Sadly, Gra

Each week, I get a ton of email about music, films, theater and gallery openings. So many in fact, I can't possibly read them all. Once in a while however, I'll get one that intrigues me and just I have to delve deeper. This week, it's the NYC Experimental/Neo Classical artist Kelli Rudick. I'm always amazed by women who are phenomenal instrumentalists and after watching her You Tube videos, Kelli proved she is the real deal. I must credit Adam Baer for sending me the following info on Kelli, who will be playing new material as well as works from her first album at upcoming live performances across the US this Spring and here in San Francisco, where she will headline a stellar line-up of thoughtfully virtuosic musicians at Amnesia in the Mission on June 11th. Ahead of the curve of New York's burgeoning multi-genre intermix, Kelli's show will feature her virtuosic, complex and inimitable solo guitar work, as well as a one woman sonic immersion create

One of the best singers I have ever heard, (and I've heard a lot of them) is the extraordinary Rachelle Farrell. Though she is largely obscure outside of jazz circles (particularly those connected to the festival circuit), Rachelle Ferrell is unquestionably one of the most dynamic talents in contemporary pop music. Very few vocal artists in the industry have Ferrell's potent combination of range, phrasing, and musicianship (she is also and accomplished pianist). Such potency was made powerfully aware to Blue Note Record's head Bruce Lundvall who first heard Ferrell on a demo tape (while driving to the supermarket) and signed her shortly thereafter in 1990 after seeing her perform in Germantown, Pennsylvania. So impressed was Lundvall with her talents, that he signed Ferrell to both the Blue Note Label and the Capitol Label allowing her to funnel her talents through the prism of traditional jazz and R&B. In short, Rachelle Ferrell's talents transcend ge

Trilok Gurtu wanders between worlds, although his odyssey never went so smoothly from point A to point B. He didn't just come from India to stay in Europe. His sense of direction is much more complex. He drew circles, spanned nets and created intensely woven networks of influences from various regions and musical epochs. Contemporary terms such as jack of all trades or multitasker are highly unsatisfactory in defining Trilok Gurtu’s depth of spirituality, non-judgmental empathy for different cultures, his unending search for new ways to express himself on the solid foundation of a whole arsenal of traditions. Trilok's long-awaited new album "Massical" will be released at the end of May on the BirdJAM label. Trilok will also perform throughout 2009 to promote the album. Trilok Gurtu was born in Bombay in 1951 in an extremely musical family. His grandfather was a highly respected sitar player and his mother Shoba Gurtu (who died in 2004) was among the most

Time sure flies while writing a weekly column for Beyond Chron. Amidst all the hoopla and our side-splitting April Fool's gag, I'd forgotten my own 5th year anniversary as the Arts and Entertainment editor and original webmaster. When my friend Dean Preston first introduced me to Randy Shaw back in 2004, I had no idea what I would be getting myself into. Little did I know that Beyond Chron would become my window into the world of San Francisco politics, housing and community issues, education, film, music and culture. Alongside my fellow columnist and theater critic Buzzin' Lee Hartgrave, we've seen a lot of shows, plays, concerts and films over the years; mostly good, some bad and thankfully, very few ugly. I am nevertheless, extremely grateful for the experience! So before I get all misty-eyed and nostalgic again, I thought I'd revisit the subject of my first ever column for Beyond Chron, the local guitarist, songwriter, drummer and prolific pop-smit