E. Doctor Smith's Blog

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...