The Filtered Excellence: February 26, 2015
Bob Geldof once asked us, “Where is the filtered excellence!?” It’s right here. Once a week we take a break from comedy to bring you this weeks picks of the best things to watch, the most interesting things to do, great things to try, the best picks to read,our favorite things to listen to and more:
WATCH THIS:
American Masters: August Wilson: The Ground On Which I Stand. To coincide with what would have been his 70th birthday and 10 years after his death, the latest edition of the American Masters takes an in-depth look at the life and career of playwright August Wilson. A two time Pulitzer Prize for Drama winner, Wilson wrote ten plays (with each play taking place in a different decade) that captured the comic and tragedy of the American Black experience in the 20th Century. His works drew the attention of (and in most cases, launched the careers of) a virtual ‘Who’s Who’ of African-American actors and actresses of the past 40 years: Denzel Washington, James Earl Jones,Whoopi Goldberg, Samuel L. Jackson, Viola Davis, Angela Bassett, Leslie Uggams, Roscoe Lee Browne, Charles Dutton, Mary Alice, and Courtney B. Vance, among others. It also features rarely seen interviews, new dramatic readings of work, and unprecedented access to Wilson’s archives. This is a glorious celebration into one of the mind and works of a theatrical giant. It”s a wonderful presentation to round PBS’s Black History Month programming.
August Wilson: The Ground On Which I Stand is airing now on PBS and on its website www.pbs.org.
READ THIS:
On Tour With Leonard Cohen by Sharon Robinson. After learning that his long time manager stole all of his life savings, Leonard Cohen went back on the road to initially absorb the blow and cover legal expenses for his lawsuit. It was only scheduled for select European dates, but the reception was so great that Cohen would tour the world and perform for over 6 years. Sharon Robinson, Cohen’s long time collaborator and friend, documented the many miles Cohen and company logged in through out that run in series of photos shot primarily on her Iphone. It captures the Cohen’s intense preparation and dedication that is required to pull off a live show, along with the loose moments that happens off-stage. It’s a rare, unfiltered look into one of the most beloved and celebrated artists of our time. A must have for any Cohen fan.
On Tour with Leonard Cohen
LISTEN TO THIS:
Under Light Symphonies by Remi Miles. Born and raised in Virginia, Remi Miles re-located to England to attend college and indulge in his love for Mod culture. His music, however, suggests the dreamy, atmospheric pop that dominated the early part of the 80s. Tracks such as ‘I Want You’ and ‘Riviera Girl’ are the standouts – they are begging to be hits. With tight songs and memorable hooks, Remi Miles delivers the kind of adult-based pop that sends the genre kicking and screaming into the 21st Century. An outstanding debut. Under Light Symphonies is available now through Itunes.
Under Light Symphonies EP
You can also go to remimiles.tumblr.com for more info.
Let The Good Times Roll by JD McPherson. While most musicians are using the latest technology to enhance their sound, singer-songwriter-guitarist J.D. McPherson is taking a back to basics approach. Inspired more by early rock n roll, rhythm & blues and rockabilly, McPherson’s 2nd album sounds like it was unearthed from a 1958 time capsule. Twangy guitars, smoky saxes, a stand up bass and snappy drums drive this solid sophomore effort. This is old school rock n roll custom made for the new millennial. A solid album from start to finish.
Let The Good Times Roll
You can also go to www.jdmcpherson.com for tour dates and more info.
BROWSE THIS:
One LP. The latest project from legendary photographer William Ellis merges his love of music with his craft. He shot portraits of some of his favorite musicians, writers and fellow photographers holding a copy of their album that had a significant impact on their lives. Ellis also conducted brief interviews to get some insight as to why the album holds such value to them. It’s an quick look into the mind of highly creative people and what inspires them.
You can go to www.onelp.com to view the shots and get more information.
DO THIS:
NEW YORK CITY: Slim Bone Head Volt. While working on an off-Broadway play, cast members Dana Lyn and Vincent D’Onoforio decided to collaborate on a new project. Calling themselves Slim Bone Head Volt, it pairs original music written by the multi-instrumentalist Lyn and words by D’Onoforio, – most of which came directly from unfiltered text messages that he sent to Lyn. The resulting album has been kept under wraps, but if it’s anything like the tracks that were released – ‘I’m A Hamster’ (told from the hamster’s perspective) and ‘Blanche’ (in which, D’Onoforio rants about never having the opportunity to play Tennessee Williams’ best known characters), expect a wild, dark, and funny musical ride. This Sunday, they will preview songs at a special album release show at Joe’s Pub. All bets are off.
Go to www.joespub.com for tickets and additional info.
NEW YORK CITY: Three Photographers From The Bronx. This upcoming exhibition features the works of three Bronx-born photographers capturing crucial moments in the borough’s – and the country’s history. The photos of Jules Aarons (1921-2008) capture The Grand Concourse – which was called ‘The Park Avenue of the working class – during the 1950s. Morton Broffman (1928-1992) documented the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, including The Selma To Montgomery March For Voting Rights in 1965 and Martin Luther King’s final sermon in 1968. Joe Conzo focused his lens on The Committee Against Fort Apache, which was a grassroots group and campaign that challenged the ethic stereotypes and misrepresentations that were being depicted in the 1981 film, Fort Apache, The Bronx. It’s a fantastic cross-generational trip through New York City and American history. Three Photographers From The Bronx will be at The Bronx Museum February 26th through June 14th.
You can go to www.bronxmusuem.org for more info.
NEW YORK CITY: Wim Wenders at MOMA. To mark his 70th birthday, MoMa is presenting a two-week retrospective covering his entire film output. It will include seminal films such as Paris, Texas, Wings Of Desire and the North American premiere of the director’s cut of Until The End Of The World; documentaries such as Buena Vista Social Club, The Soul Of A Man and Pina; experimental films from the 60s such as Same Player Shoots Again and Silver City Revisited; and his most recent work, a profile of Brazilian photographer Sebastiao Salgado called The Salt Of The Earth. As an added bonus, Wenders will be on hand to introduce the screenings for the first week and will be joined by long time collaborator Peter Handke in a conversation that will be moderated by writer Ian Buruma. Whether you are a long time fan or looking to get introduced to his work, this is an extraordinary chance to do so. The Wim Wenders retrospective will run at MoMa from March 2nd through the 17th.
You can go to www.moma.org for a complete rundown, tickets and more info.
LOS ANGELES: Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band. The iconic blue collar rocker is out on the road in support of his latest (and perhaps final) album. Ride Out. It marks a bit of a departure for Seger: He recorded the album in Nashville without his long time band, The Silver Bullet Band and experiments with different musical styles including Texas blues and Americana. Expect to hear select tracks from the new CD alongside of the songs that made him one of the most revered artists in rock history.
Go to www.fabulousforum.com or www.bobseger.com for tickets and more info.
LOS ANGELES: Seth MacFarlene w/The Ron Jones Influence Jazz Orchestra. The creator of Family Guy, American Dad, and The Cleveland Show will be flexing his musical chops with Ron Jones and some of the best session musicians in L.A. This isn’t just a vanity project either: MacFarlene is an accomplished pianist and has written most of the musical sequences for all of his shows. This show will put his spin on the Great American Songbook and his musical idols Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Nat ‘King’ Cole. It has all of the promise of being a fun, swinging night out.
Go to https://vibrato.herbalpertpresents.com/ for tickets and more info.
LOS ANGELES: H.R. of Bad Brains at Whisky A Go-Go. The unpredictable Bad Brains frontman does a solo show at the legendary Whisky A Go-Go. In addition to being the lead vocalist of one of the most respected and revered punk/hardcore bands in history, H.R. has also built up a solid solo career that focuses more on reggae than punk and hardcore. Come out and see one of the greatest frontmen of all-time.
Go to www.whiskyagogo.com for tickets and more information.
Want more excellence? Read last week’s The Filtered Excellence and visit The Interrobang Recommmends
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