Sunday, October 30, 2005

Mike Stern: "Sometimes I was worse than Jaco"

Mike Stern

Guitar techniques, the days with Miles Davis and Jaco Pastorius were the main topics when guitarist Mike Stern held a clinic during the Umeå Jazz Festival on October 30th.

"I'm a rock guy", explained Stern at the clinic on the last day of Umeå Jazz Festival 2005 (Sweden).

Stern's first musical influences were rock orientated artists like The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and Motown music.
"I started by playing along to all those records. I also found some of my mother's jazz records which I found were cool too."

Mike Stern got to play guitar on Miles Davis' comeback album The Man With The Horn in 1981.
"I played with Bill Evans in Boston and Bill also played with Miles. At the time Miles didn't go along too well with his guitarplayer (Barry Finnerty)...on a personal level. And then, on behalf on Miles, Bill asked me to play guitar with Miles. There was no actual audition. I was just invited to a recording session."

Stern didn't always feel comfortable with his own playing but Miles seemed to be vary satisfied:
"We're going on a tour." Mike Stern told the clinic audience that he asked who else would be in the band and Miles replied: "No keyboards. Just you!"

Mike Stern was a friend of another jazz legend as well, electric bass phenomenon Jaco Pastorius:
"I played in his Word Of Mouth band for a while and sometimes I would go to Florida and we would play all day long. We hung around a lot". Mike smiled at the memories but also admitted that Jaco led a hectic life and a life that wasn't always that healthy: "And sometimes I was worse than Jaco."

Mike Stern's and bass player Chris Minh Doky's first tune at the clinic was Autumn Leaves. Later a couple of young music students (guitar players) joined in on stage. Inbetween songs the audience asked questions. Stern and Minh Doky also played Stella By Starlight and the "show" closed with a blues. Yes, I would say it was really a show, and I wish more jazz events could be like this, since jazz musicians obviously can speak well too.

Sigurd Huckle

Saturday, October 29, 2005

: - ) (click here!)

We're batting 1000!
"1000"?! What does it mean? Answers by clicking the headline!

Advances (?) in touring... just send the instruments!

Elton John's red piano on tour ... all by itself!
The red piano on tour ... all by itself!

Elvis has been out on tour with a live orchestra after his death. And Frank Sinatra will do the same in London early next year. On both occasions the singer is there thanks to old film footage and then performing with a live band/orchestra. But how's this for a novel twist:

Elton John's piano is currently touring stores in the U.S.A. Just the piano. No additional musicians or stage happenings. You can still enjoy a performance by Elton as the piano comes with a number of his performances stored in its memory. Simply pick what song you want Elton/the piano to play, sit down and enjoy the music.

Think of all the possibilities! The money saved on tours by big name artists if they just send the pre-programmed instruments.
RadioDupree promise to keep an eye on this expandning side of popular culture.

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

New album from Deep Purple

Deep Purple Rapture Of The Deep cover art
Just got our hands on a promo single from Deep Purple's new album. The official release date is October 26...hey, it's today!
It's the title track Rapture Of The Deep and we will put it on a-rotation for a couple of days. The current line up is: Ian Gillan vocals, Ian Paice drums, Roger Glover bass, Steve Morse guitar och Don Airey keyboard.
 
Sigurd Huckle
Station Manager
RadioDupree
 

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Let's hear it for Ian Dury

Ian Dury
I just wiped the dust off a couple of good Ian Dury albums. I used to love these ones as a teenager, and I do still like them. And maybe other people will enjoy them. So I figured we should try some of them on RadioDupree.

Just a few words about Mr Dury: British singer and songwriter. Born in the early 1940's. Had polio as a child. Cockney, funny words and lyrics, warmth, hurmor, energy, slight madness. Had a hit record with Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll. Ackompanied by the great band The Blockheads. Got cancer in the 90's. Did his last gig with The Blockheads in February 2000 at The London Palladium. Died in March 2000. We miss you, Ian!

Siggy

Friday, October 21, 2005

Hot Hits! (...while we're waiting for the cold snow.)

Current top of the crop over at RadioDupree:

1. Steely Dan - Turn That Heartbeat Over Again - Can't Buy A Thrill
2. Peter Gabriel - And Through The Wire - Peter Gabriel (3)
3. King Crimson - Model Man - Three Of A Perfect Pair
4. Frank Zappa - Dirty Love - You Can't Do That On Stage...6
5. Elton John - Pinball Wizard - Live - Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)
6. Blues Brothers - Soul Finger - The Definitive Collection
7. Steely Dan - Kings - Can't Buy A Thrill
8. Status Quo - Judy in Disquise (BBC Sessions) - Picturesque Matchstickable Messages From The Status Quo
9. Status Quo - Gentlemen Joe's Sidewalk Cafe - Picturesque Matchstickable Messages From The Status Quo
10. Frank Zappa - Uncle Remus - Apostrophe (')

And we're enjoying what's left of the no-snow situation here. Temperatures creepin' below 0 degrees Celsius, so next time it won't be rain but that white fluffy stuff falling from the sky.

Time to dig out (dig up?) some treats for Halloween. Listen in to the station in a few days time and be prepared to be scared!

Sunday, October 16, 2005

Extended holiday...?

Captain Fantastic 30 year Deluxe Edition package
The Deluxe Edition

No, not really. This gap in posting is due to a bunch of things of which a couple of parties are part of.

Party = A social gathering especially for pleasure or amusement.

So what's the current favs over at the RadioDupree playlist? Here's the answer:

1. David Bowie - Star - Stage
2. Talking Heads - The Overload - Remain In Light
3. Sly & The Family Stone - Family Affair - West Coast Rock
4. Jethro Tull - Crossed-eyed Mary - Live Bursting Out
5. David Bowie - Speed Of Life - Stage

My latest purchase is the 30 year deluxe edition of Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy. And for once they've not managed to mangle an Elton John re-release. You get the original poster and lyrics and scrap books plus a live recording from Wembley Stadium, London of the preformance of the complete album. Recorded June 21, 1975 it was just a couple of weeks after the Captain Fantastic... was released. The show is full of energy and I recommend this new CD version to any Elton fan.

Steely Dan connection: Jeff "Skunk" Baxter - who was by then a member of The Doobie Brothers - plays guitar and steel guitar on the Wembley recording.

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

RadioDupree breaks world record! (Sort of ... a local one).

Siggy says...

RadioDupree just reached over 800 hours total listening per month. Never before (since we started in April 2003) have people listened to us as much as during the recent month. We're still a small player, but...

US listeners are our most frequent listeners, and other RadioDupree friendly countries are Norway (Hello Marve and Tryggve and Solveig!) , Sweden (Hello Lumsgren) , Italy (Hi Maurizio!) and Australia. You guys and gals are the best! Keep listening and keep spread the word. Here is the music that we hardly ever get to hear anywhere...but on RadioDupree!

S.H.

Saturday, October 01, 2005

Merry Christm... eh October!

We've updated the RadioDupree homepage today! Check it out.

And while Christmas is still more than two months away it's not too early for me to publish a short wishlist thanks to the Neiman Marcus department stores luxury catalog of "fantasy gifts". Come to think of it; if you feel like buying me something before Christmas I do have a birthday coming up in a week's time ;-)

$1.5 million: A 90 minute private concert with Elton John. Apparently you get to keep the piano.
Elton John and the red piano

$3.5 million: Prototype M400 Skycar. My own personal vertical take-off and landing aircraft. 21 miles to the gallon ... on alcohol.
Skycar

$200 000: Railroad complete with two high-side riding gondolas with three cushioned seats, a banquet car with oak decking, a steelwork caboose with interchangeable seat and work crane, a passenger station, switches and eight signs. Plus 1 000 feet of track.
Railroad

$20 000: Photobooth.
The photobooth