Zig At The Gig podcast

Evan Taylor ( Bernie Worrell Orchestra bandleader )

Interview with Evan Taylor  Bernie Worrell Orchestra bandleader.

Evan Taylor whose latest production is the posthumous Bernie Worrell: Wave From The WOOniverse about this release and some of his other diverse musical endeavors.

 

Bernie Worrell: Wave From The WOOniverse is a double album concocted in fourteen cities, issued on 12” LP vinyl a day after Bernie's birthday, (April 19) on Record Store Day 2024 by Org Music in conjunction with Loantaka Records as a Record Store Day “exclusive.” As of June 28 it’s also available via streaming platforms. The release will be accompanied by a bound-to-be viral video of the title track directed by Los Angeles-based dancer, Madeline Riley.

 

 

 

 

 

Taylor has remained behind the scenes for most of his career. He worked in various capacities with Worrell, mike watt, Money Mark, Theresa Wayman (Warpaint), King Tuff, The Chapin Sisters, and Jimmy Destri of Blondie. He has made 1960's country-influenced records with members of Black Flag, participated in eclectic recording projects and performed with practically every member of Talking Heads. Evan’s also released a string of critically acclaimed singles as part of the Art-Rock duo Purple Witch of Culver. 

Evan has never identified with the archetype of “cosmic Funkateer.” He grew up with diverse tastes that ran from The Beach Boys to Prince. As a producer his brand has been “staying off-brand.” In 2022, Taylor was presented with a unique opportunity he felt he had been preparing for his entire career.

Bernie Worrell: Wave From The WOOniverse addresses the abundance of unfinished work Bernie Worrell, a prolific writer and visionary, left behind when he passed away in 2016. These compositions remained untouched for a period of decades, collecting dust on reels of two-inch analog tape. 

 

Eventually, the tapes were re-examined to analyze Bernie’s nuanced and creative method. After a period of deep reflection, the Bernie Worrell estate decided it was time to complete his vision. With a series of Bernie's collaborators, contemporaries, and friends including Bootsy Collins, Sean Ono Lennon, Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads), Leo Nocentelli (The Meters), Fred Schneider (B52s), Miho Hatori (Cibo Matto), Steve Scales, Marc Ribot, Fred Wesley (James Brown, Parliament), Marco Benevento, Stanton Moore (Galactic), Steven Bernstein, Daru Jones (Jack White), Will Calhoun (Living Colour, mike watt, Norwood Fisher (Fishbone), Jared Samuel Elioseff, Kyp Malone and Jaleel Bunton (TV on the Radio),  Binky Griptite (Dap Kings), Nick Montoya, Paul Dooely, Alecia Chakour, Smokey Hormel, Ana Becker, Eric McFadden (Sgt. Splendor), Sarah La Puerta, Michael Rueben and many more innovators his initiative was completed with dedication to preserving the integrity of the magic which makes Bernie a beloved extraordinary soul. Also included on the album is a previously unreleased Funkadelic track, “Contusion,” which showcases Bernie’s masterful work with the group.

 

https://loantaka-records.com/ .

http://evantaylormusic.com.

Sammy Kay The Kilograms

Hailing from New Jersey, singer/songwriter SAMMY KAY has lived the kind of romantic life that can only be found in song. With the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows, KAY returned to his home state after years in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, as well as traveling the world playing in and working for a myriad of bands (Gaslight Anthem and Bouncing Souls among them).

 

The Kilograms 

Joe Gittleman of The Mighty Might Boss tones and  Sammy Kay have formed a new band together called The Kilograms. The band has released their first song called “Who Am I”. The song is off the Black Sand Relief: A Benefit for Michelle Ska and the People of Mauicompilation album. The Kilograms will be releasing a full album soon.

 

Tickets to The Kilograms with C-Level and Rubik's Groove at Mahalls Lakewood OH Sep 4th 

https://mahalls20lanes.com/event/the-kilograms/

Sammy Kay's and The Kilograms info

sammykaynj

july-1960

https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Kilograms-61552101741122/

https://thekilograms.bandcamp.com/album/ep

 

 

Pamela McNeill

Pamela McNeill knew from an early age that music would be her life. She joined her first rock band at 16 and learned quickly how to connect with her audience.

A native of Winona, Minnesota, Pamela resides in Minneapolis. Her career has taken her all over the world including four years in the UK as a backing singer for Rick Astley, performing with him at Royal Albert Hall and The London Palladium for the Royal Family and appearing on many television shows such as BBC’s “Top of the Pops”.

As a prolific songwriter, she wrote her first song at 15 and has written for and with a wide range of other artists including Wynonna Judd, Jim Peterik and Yanni, and has co-written tracks with fellow songwriters such as Pam Tillis and Bobby E. Boyd.

Pamela began releasing albums in 1999 and to date has released seven studio albums. She has headlined theaters and festivals across the country in support of her music and has opened for artists including Etta James, Little River Band, Atlanta Rhythm Section and BTO, to name a few.

Pamela is excited to release "Wave After Wave," her eighth original studio recording on Farm to Label Record, July 26th (color vinyl) and August 2nd (digital). In 2024, she was honored by being inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame.

 

Pam's Info

https://www.pamelamcneill.com

 

 

Fresh Out Of The Box

Interview with Fresh Out Of The Box a NYC based comedy group. Featuring Abigail Stories, Gene Morgan, Igor Reyes, Josh Sorell, and Matt Leazer. Fresh Out Of The Box is playing in Cleveland at Imposters Theater Aug 12th 7:30PM.

 

SHOW INFO:

https://www.thisiscleveland.com/locations/imposters-theater

Fresh Out Of The Box INFO

https://freshouttheboxcomedy.wordpress.com

https://www.instagram.com/freshouttheboxcomedy/?locale=bz-hans&hl=am-et

 

Fresh out the Box has one of the highest scores on showscore.com for sketch comedy shows on Off-Broadway, Fresh out the Box is one of the most critically acclaimed sketch comedy shows in New York City. Going on tour for the first time, Fresh out the Box will make audiences laugh with its original sketches and great characters. Family friendly entertainment for everyone, FOTB: Always funny, Always Fresh, Same Box. Cast: Gene Morgan, Chrissy Taylor, Josh Sorell, Igor Reyes, Matt Leazer, Olivia Casper, Leah Jansen, Abigail Schories, Shanon Lindsey

Karen Haglof

Interview with Karen Haglof.

One Hand Up is a collection of 14 songs that cover widely ranging sonic territory. The writing and production started prior to 2020 and was delayed by the pandemic. Because of a renewed interest in visual art, many of the songs on One Hand Up will be accompanied by visual components: hand-drawn 2D animation, motion graphics and video clips, addin up to a mixed media extravaganza. Prior to her career in medicine, Karen had been an active participant in the much-vaunted Minneapolis indie rock scene that gave the world the Replacements, Soul Asylum and Bob Mould’s Husker Du among many others. Eventually, she left the MidWest for Manhattan and joined renowned avant-garde composer Rhys Chatham’s Ensemble, one of the city’s seminal guitar army / orchestras, leaving to join the Band of Susans with other veterans of Chatham’s crew. After serving a stint a kitchen staff at the early years of East Village institution the Great Jones Café (and creating its legendary brunch menu), she entered medical school and didn’t seriously pick up a guitar for decades. She returned to making music in 2014, while still actively practicing medicine with the Western Holiday EP following it with Perseverance and Grace, Palomino Steady Rocking, Tobiano Over the next four years gaining praise from outlets like NPR’s All Things Considered, Guitar Girl Magazine, and Popdose among many others.

Karon's info 

http://karenhaglof.com

 

Mike Dillon

Mike Dillon is a percussionist, vibraphonist, bandleader, singer-songwriter, and vocalist born in San Antonio Texas. He is a member of Critters Buggins, Les Claypool's Fancy Band, and Garage A Trois. He has performed with many musicians including Ani DiFranco, Galactic, Brave Combo, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Marco Benevento, Clutch, Claude Coleman Jr., and New Orleans musicians Kevin O'Day, Johnny Vidacovich, James  Singleton, and Ricky Lee Jones.

Mike Dillon & Punkadelick makes its recorded debut with Inflorescence, an album of heady, instrumental rock highlighting a band deep in the throes of creative freedom, road tested and wild. Consisting of 10 tracks in 42-minutes, it’s an expansive, focused and fearless collection, representing a world where Duke Ellington and Augustus Pablo rub shoulders with crate-digger exotica, the freak-funk of Parliament and the ‘anything fits’ outsider ethos of acid-fried punks like The Meat Puppets.

A trio featuring Mike Dillon (Ricki Lee Jones, Ani DiFranco, Les Claypool) on vibraphone, marimba, Prophet 6, congas, and bongos, Brian Haas (Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey) on Fender Rhodes, piano, bass Moog and melodica and Nikki Glaspie (Beyonce) on drums, cymbals and vocals, Punkadelick is the unified vision of six hands creating a world that often sounds like the work of an ensemble three times the size.

During 2020 and 2021, while many music venues were still shuttered, the group began touring, sweating their way through cuts Dillon and Haas had composed during quarantine writing sessions. Locking in on stage, it quickly became clear the band was functioning at a level that made the hair on their arms stand at attention—even for three live music veterans accustomed to life on the road.

 

July 27th Mike and Punkadelick are playing the Grog shop in Cleveland OH tickets here!

https://grogshop.gs/event-details/13536034/mike-dillon-punkadelic-hello-3d-c-level/

 

Mike's Info

https://www.mikedillonvibes.com/

 

Melt-Banana

The first podcast ever with Melt-Banana !? Interview with Yako and Agata of Melt Banana.

 

Melt-Banana is a Japanese noise rock band that is known for playing extremely fast noise rock and hardcore punk mixed with experimental, electronica and pop-based song structures.

 

Since forming in 1992 the band has released ten albums and toured worldwide extensively. Besides making their music, MELT-BANANA hopes to empower and encourage their fans and fellow musicians by example. They’ve foregone the convention of a full band line-up for over a decade and recorded and toured as a two-piece since 2012. Yako’s wildly careening, staccato vocals ignore every convention of Pop and Alternative singing, guided solely by her own unique artistic vision. For 25 years, they’ve been in the vanguard of bedroom players and Egg Punks facing the challenge of mixing homespun digital creations with live instrumentation head-on with consistently brilliant results. While Melt-Banana has explicitly explained the meaning behind the album’s title, 3 + 5, prime numbers symbolize mathematical integrity and independence, which could represent?

 

Melt-Banana's Info 

http://www.melt-banana.net/

https://www.patreon.com/melt_banana

https://www.facebook.com/Melt-Banana-192954987398661 

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/xxxMELTBANANAxxx

https://twitter.com/melt_banana/

https://www.instagram.com/melt_banana/

http://www.a-zap.com/

 

Boris Pelekh

Boris Pelekh (Boris Peleh′; born Boris Fridrikhovich Pelekh, Russian: Борис Фридрихович Пелех, 17 November 1981) is a singer-songwriter, composer, guitarist, most notable as the guitarist of the Gypsy Punk band Golgol Bordello. He moved to New York City in 1991, at 9, and joined Gogol Bordello in 2015. Aside from his work in Gogol Bordello, he also worked with the Nickoldoenon duo Nat and Alex Wolf from 2008 to 2011.

Pelekh is the frontman, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band Hey Guy and now Boris and The Joy.

July 24th Catch Boris live at Negative Space Cleveland OH. 

https://www.facebook.com/share/1UHhwnUGeviWpBxE

Boris's info

https://borisandthejoy.com

Charlie Musselwhite

Interview with Charlie Musselwhite.

Mississippi-born, Memphis-raised, Grammy Award-winning music legend Charlie Musselwhite doesn’t just sing and play the blues; he is, in every sense of the word, a bluesman. Growing up, he not only learned the music first-hand from many of the genre’s most influential artists, he also absorbed the lifestyle. “It’s an attitude,” Musselwhite says of playing the blues. “A way of living life.” Over the course of his six-decade career, Musselwhite has released nearly 40 albums. He is renowned worldwide as a master harmonica player, a seasoned, truth-telling vocalist and an original songwriter rooted deep within the blues tradition. As many of his fans know, he’s also a country blues guitarist of great depth, warmth and subtlety.

Charlie's info https://www.charliemusselwhite.com

Shows https://www.charliemusselwhite.com/shows

 

Don Rauf of Life In A Blender Part 2

Interview with Don Rauf of Life In A Blender

Don returns to talk about Life In A Blender's new album Bent By The Weather.

 

DON RAUF loves W.C. Fields, Preston Sturges, and Nikola Tesla. He lives with his lovely beekeeping wife, Monique, and his cartooning, surrealistic son, Leo. He is a writer whose books include Killer Lipstick and Other Spy Gadgets. He is the proud founder of The Blowhole Theater, an annual Brooklyn variety show featuring the Blowhole Theater Players and their characters Puckerballs the Garbage Can Elf, Scottish Jesus, and Abraham Lincoln. Life In a Blender A SHORT HISTORY For over 25 years, Life in a Blender has been the canvas for singer and songwriter Don Rauf's blackly comic landscapes. The group has released albums ranging from screaming punk to orchestrated chamber pop, and has brought the high theatrics of its live act to stages from Berlin to Austin to Toronto to Brooklyn and Seattle. Don Rauf formed the band with high school friend Dave Moody (then bassist, now cellist), and within a couple of years had acquired the drumming services of Ken Meyer. Guitarist Al Houghton and bassist Mark Lerner joined in 1992, and violinist Rebecca Weiner Tompkins signed on in 1993. While the band's core lineup has remained remarkably constant for the past 18 years, the list of former members, guest artists, and collaborators includes Chris Butler (The Waitresses, Tin Huey), Chris Rael (Church of Betty), Jonathan Gregg, John Linnell (They Might Be Giants), Gavin Smith (Les Sans Culottes), Susan Hwang (Debutante Hour), Brian Dewan, and Olivier Conan (Chicha Libre, Las Rubias Del Norte). Life in a Blender's "Friend from Quebec" was featured in Michael Moore's Canadian Bacon, and "Mobile Wash Unit" appeared in Sara Lamm's documentary, Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapbox. The band's most recent album, SATSUMA, is being released on November 20, 2020.

Don's Info http://www.lifeinablender.net/index.html 

 

lifeinablender