E. Doctor Smith's Blog

This Saturday afternoon, two of my favorite pop groups, The Orange Peels and the Corner Laughers will descend on the Hotel Utah as part of the four day, SFPopfest 2010. Joining them will be New York's Dream Diary and Sweeden's Leaving Mornington Crescent. The Peels songwriting tandem of Allen Clapp and Jill Pries remain intact, however the ever evolving line-up moves the ridiculously versatile John Moremen from behind the drum kit and back to his first love, lead guitar. Taking over the drum chores is the very capable Gabriel Coan. This could be one of the best Peels line-ups yet. The Corner Laughers are another product of the fabled "Mystery Lawn Studios" in Sunnyvale. The sweet vocals of singer Karla Kane and the rock solid bass of Khoi Huynh have produced some of best pop tunes I've heard in some time. Alongside the rhythm guitar of Angela Stiletto and the "Bonham-like" drumming of Charlie Crabtree, the Laughers blew my mind with their in...

Today, I'll be attending the 2007 edition of England's famed Bath International Music Festival. In addition to being one of England's most beautiful and architectural cities, Bath attracts some of the greatest musicians from around the globe; Mavis Staples & Jazz Jamaica, the electronica of Arthurs & Bown, and People Like Us; the folk stylings of Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill; and the genre crossing Iain Ballamy & Stian Carstensen. My personal favorites however, will be the jazz duo of drummer Bill Bruford and pianist Michiel Borstlap. After a high profile and illustrious career as the rock drummer of his generation (with Yes, Genesis and King Crimson), Bruford carved out an equally successful name as a jazz drummer through his jazz-rock ensemble Earthworks. Borstlap is a brilliant pianist, capable of creating solos of dazzling complexity, but also able to employ space and subtlety. Together they adopt a witty, conversational style: the table talk ...