Monday, June 29, 2009

JC & Anphibius go to the Movies

Maggots & Men from John O'Rourke on Vimeo features music by JC and Anphibius.


A new moving yet humorous documentary called "Lemcek Veci Vano" made by Alexandra Indaco just had it's premiere at the splendid Tuschinski Cinema in Amsterdam and will shortly be broadcast on AT5 in The Netherlands. It features music by JC and Anphibius. JC writes from Amsterdam: "The documentary is about the life of two inhabitants with schizophrenia in a Dutch Psychiatric Institution. They picked up the camera and showed us their view of the outside world. Jan just came out of prison and works on a care-farm, while the talented Anita tries to find her way out of the clinic and become more independent. Her jump off a diving-board reminds her of forgotten times..."

See the trailer here

But not enough of the two troubadours and their new romance with cinema. Here's a link to another film using their music: "Maggots & Men" by John O'Rourke, Trevor Whelan and Kit Teeling, being broadcast on national TV in Ireland.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Kristofers Second Coming and Snow in Summer

Kristofer Widholm taming the Small Beast with "Pharmacy and Gardens"

The Snow: Hillary Downes, Pierre de Gaillande, Christian Bongers, and below Dave Spinley and the invisible drummer on the dance floor

Oh it's good to be back in the city, alright, especially on nights when special people like Kerry Kennedy turn, erm, 25, with a big birthday bash where Pierre de Gaillande, Ben Parish, Paul Wallfisch and yours truly hit the piano respectively the guitar and we end up singing outside in the garden at Union Pool. That's how you imagine life in Williamsburg, dontcha? And then the very next day our favorite bohemian/philosopher Kristofer Widholm comes out of hiding and plays his first solo show since 2001, before this blog even started. KW, along with PdG were the first to give me a musicl break in this city, way back before the turn of the millennium. The times have changed, the ears are more open for the clever, twisted and fascinating ruminants of Kristofer's "Pharmacy & Gardens," probably the only solo artist to have a plural in his name, as he self-deprecatingly notes. As a lead guitar player for Anton Sword's Wee Ours, he moreover has explored his skills beyond the amazing work he did with the unforgotten Morex Optimo. But as this photo shows: His performance works even without the guitar. More!!
Trying to tame Wallfisch's Small Beast - that btw moved to Monday nights now! - before KW were The Snow, who on the small stage - the drummer below on the dance floor - managed to create a warm sound, all members clicking and creating a magic carpet on which especially Hillary's voice beautifully floated between songs that remind us of great jazz standards and pop songs, just classics, somehow, although brand new.
This week also brought a free acoustic show by the Feelies at the Whitney Museum that I missed because the Financial Crisis played the United Nations. And then we celebrate Brooklyn like every summer at the bandshell in Prospect Park, last night with the usually superb Blonde Redhead. Made me think of old times, back when we played soccer with those guys.