The Filtered Excellence: February 19, 2014
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:
The IFC Independent Spirit Awards. Now in its 30th year, the Independent Spirit Awards has emerged as the independent film community’s premier awards show. More free wheeling and looser than the more time-sensitive, language restrictive Academy Awards, it’s been widely debated that ISA has a better feel for what were the year’s best than the Oscars, recognizing films and artists that feel between the cracks with Academy voters. For example, Jim Jarmusch’s critically acclaimed, Only Lovers Left Alive is up for Best Original Screenplay and its co-star Tilda Swinton is up for Best Female Lead. The Spirit Awards also honors first time features and filmmakers who managed to make original, provocative works under 500,000. Inherent Vice, Paul Thomas Anderson’s sprawling look at Los Angeles in the wake of the Manson murders, will receive The Robert Altman Award – which should make for a poignant moment since Altman mentored Anderson. Fred Armisen and Kristen Bell will host the festivities, which will air live on IFC at 5pm Eastern, 2pm Pacific on Saturday.
You can go to www.spiritawards.com for more info.
The 87th Annual Academy Awards. Awards season officially wraps up with the granddaddy of them all, The Oscars. Neil Patrick Harris – who has already hosted the Tony and Prime Time Emmy Awards – will serve as this year’s host, and the competition this year is the most unpredictable than it has been in years. Will Richard Linkletter’s ‘Boyhood’ cap an Oscar sweep or will ‘American Sniper’ and ‘Selma’ overcome their respective controversies and take home the Best Picture Oscar? Will The Academy finally recognize the consistent brilliance that is Wes Anderson and Bennett Miller or will they honor Alejandro G. Inarritu’s incredibly original and esoteric ‘Birdman’? Can Michael Keaton cap off a comeback with a Best Actor Oscar or will it be surprise nominee Steve Carrell? Can Meryl Streep and Robert Duvall add to their legendary legacies by taking home another Oscar or will first time nominees Eddie Redmayne, Benedict Cumberbatch or Emma Stone take home Hollywood’s biggest prize? Will 5-time nominee Julianne Moore finally win? Tune into ABC Sunday night at 7 Eastern for all of the fun on the red carpet and at The Kodak Theater.
You can also go to www.oscar.com for more info.
TCM Oscar Weekend. Heading to the Academy Awards this weekend, Turner Classic Movies is going into their film vault to bring out Oscar winning films each night on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On Friday, February 20th, TCM will air “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” (1969) at 8pm et. The classic American Western starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford took home Academy Awards for Best Cinematography, Best Original Score for a Motion Picture, Best Song for “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head”and Best Original Screenplay for William Goldman. Saturday, February 21st features “Patton” at 8pm et. The 1970 bio-pic war film featuring George C. Scott in the title role won 7 Oscars including Best Actor for Scott who refused to accept the award. Plus “Patton” won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Sound and Best Art Direction. Then on Oscar night, Sunday, February 22nd, TCM will screen 1975’s “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” starring Jack Nicholson. “Cuckoo’s Nest” directed by Milos Forman and starring Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, and Will Sampson took home Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director for Forman, Best Actor for Nicholson, Best Actress for Fletcher and Best Adapted Screenplay. These Academy Award winning films begin Friday, February 20 on Turner Classic Movies.
For more information and a complete schedule, go to tcm.com
READ THIS:
See Hear Yoko by Bob Gruen & Jody Denberg. Intended as an 80th birthday present for Yoko Ono, long time friends Bob Gruen and Jody Denberg embarked on what became a year long project: Gruen culled through the countless photos during his 40 plus year relationship with Ono, while Denberg went through the many interviews he conducted with Ono over the past 25 years. Together, they presented a visual portrait that covered her days with John Lennon, right up into the present day as a still active avant garde artist and peace activist. Ono was so moved by it, that she gave her blessing to share it with the world. Out now as a lavish, but concise, book, See Hear Yoko contains candid shots by Gruen alongside notable quotes from the interviews that she did with Austin rock radio legend Denberg. A true labor of love to one of the queens of the avant garde.
See Hear Yoko
LISTEN TO THIS:
Ibeyi by Ibeyi. After a brief U.S. promo tour and an EP this past fall, Ibeyi, a French-Cuban duo consisting of twin sisters Lisa-Kainde and Naomi Diaz release their eagerly awaited debut album this week. The daughters of the late Buena Vista Social Club percussionist Anga Diaz, Lisa sings and plays keyboards while Naomi provides electronica-influenced beats or by playing her father’s signature instrument, the cajon. Sung in English and the Cuba-by-way-of Nigeria Yoruba, the combination of soulful vocals, icy production and the traditional produces an intoxicating, almost trace-like effect. This is best exemplified by the lead single, ‘River’ which use the process behind baptism and a metaphor for a budding sensuality. Songs dealing with the death of their father provide the emotional core of the album: ‘Behind The Curtain’ and ‘Mama Says’ are haunting perspectives through the eyes of his wife and his daughters. Rooted in the past, yet screaming into the future, Ibeyi has created an album that is hypnotic, passionate, mournful, yet celebratory. An outstanding debut.
Ibeyi
You can also go www.ibeyi.fr for more tour dates and more info.
Don’t Lose This by Pops Staples. In 1999, Roebuck ‘Pops’ Staples, head of The Staple Singers, recorded the vocals of what would become his next solo album. Shortly before passing away in 2000, he heard the tracks one last time and entrusted the tapes to his daughter Mavis with one simple instruction: ‘Don’t lose this’. Mavis held onto the recordings for nearly 15 years until she could find the right team to help finish the project. She finally found the right collaborator in Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy, who also produced of her last two solo albums. Tweedy added bass and guitar and recruited his son Spencer plays drums on the project, but doesn’t overpower and overshadowed the true star of the project, Pops Staples. His warm vocals and trademark tremolo guitar adds depth and experience to songs such as ‘Somebody Was Watching Me’, Dylan’s ‘Gotta Serve Somebody’ and the folk/gospel standard, ‘Will The Circle Be Unbroken’. Listening to Pops and Mavis harmonize on ‘Sweet Home’ is one of the most amazing things you’ll ever. The power and the intimacy of the track captures everything that made The Staple Singers a musical institution. Mavis and Tweedy have crafted a fitting coda to one of the most influential musicians of all-time. We should also thank Mavis Staples for keeping her promise to her father. She held onto one of the year’s best albums.
Don’t Lose This
Lead Belly: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection. A musical giant of the highest order, Huddie William Ledbetter, better known as Lead Belly, left an imprint that is still being felt today. An accomplished musician and songwriter, Lead Belly’s influenced musicians ranging from Frank Sinatra to Nirvana, who closed out their ‘Unplugged’ set with a cover of ‘Where Did You Sleep Last Night’. Whether it was gospel, blues, folk songs or protest music, Lead Belly mastered each genre. To coincide with a new documentary set to air on The Smithsonian Channel, Smithsonian Folkways is releasing the most comprehensive retrospective of his career. Spread out over 5 CDs, The Smithsonian Folkways Collection features 108 songs (16 of which have never been released), photos (including a rare color photo taken shortly before his death in 1961), and a 140 pg large format book. All of the classic songs that he wrote or popularized are here: ‘The Midnight Special’, ‘Goodnight Irene’, ‘Black Girl (Where Did You Sleep Last Night?) and much more. It’s a much deserved and definitive look at one of the greatest musicians of the 20th Century.
Lead Belly: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection
The Legend Of Lead Belly will air Monday, February 23rd at 8 and 11pm Eastern on The Smithsonian Channel.
You can go to www.folkways.si.edu for more information.
DO THIS:
NEW YORK CITY: Chris Robinson Brotherhood. Former Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson initially started this group as a side project, but it has since evolved into a full on endeavor. Touring behind their latest album Phosphorescent Harvest, the CRB taps into psychedelia, Gram Parsons-inspired country, and straight ahead rock n roll into one glorious mix. Fans are into it too – this New York date was added after the 2/21 quickly sold out. Come out and see the latest from one of rock’s great frontmen.
Go to www.chrisrobinsonbrotherhood.com for more info.
NEW YORK CITY: Booker T. Jones & Friends at City Winery. The musical arc of Booker T. Jones truly speaks for itself. As the leader of Booker T & The MGs, they were the backbone behind all of the extraordinary Stax-Volt hits for Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Carla & Rufus Thomas and Johnnie Taylor, among many others. They also had a string of hits on their own including ‘Green Onions’, ‘Hang ‘Em High’, ‘Hip Hug-Her’ and ‘Melting Pop’. Jones also became an accomplished producer, manning the boards for hit albums by Bill Withers and Willie Nelson. He has rested on his legacy either, releasing three solo albums since 2009, including the Grammy Award winning Potato Hole and The Road To Memphis. Expect an avalanche of groove when Jones will be joined by old and new musical friends at City Winery in New York.
Go to www.citywinery.com for tickets and more info.
LOS ANGELES: Lucinda Williams at The Troubadour. One of the most revered songwriters of her (and any) generation, Lucinda Williams will begin a two night stand at the legendary Troubadour in L.A. Expect to hear material from such masterpieces as Sweet Old World, and Car Gravel On A Dirt Road, alongside a lot of new songs from her new sprawling, brilliant double album Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone. Come see one of the best in the game in a venue that was all but built for the singer-songwriter.
Go to www.troubadour.com for tickets and more info.
SANTA MONICA: Taj Mahal at The Broad Stage. A fixture on the scene for close to 50 years, Taj Mahal will bring a blend of rock, blues, funk, soul, world music, and everything in between to The Broad Stage in Santa Monica. He’s the closest we have to a musical version of Zelig: Not many artists can say that he performed at The Rolling Stones Rock n Roll Circus, scored a major motion picture at a time when few artists of color were not given the opportunity to do so (1972’s Sounder starring Cicely Tyson), start a band while relaxing in Hawaii (The Hula Blues Band) and sing a Gilbert & Sullivan song on a late night network TV show (which he did with Todd Rundgren on the NBC music series Night Music. Take a giant step and see a musician’s musician at work.
Go to www.thebroadstage.com for tickets and more info.
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA: Jackson Browne. Singer – Songwriter Jackson Browne is bringing his extensive catalog of hits to the Florida Theatre. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Jackson Browne will be performing his classic songs that established him as a songwriting great including “These Days”, “The Pretender”, “Running on Empty”, “Lawyers in Love”, “Doctor My Eyes”, “Take It Easy”, “For a Rocker”, and “Somebody’s Baby”. Jackson Browne performs that the Florida Theatre on Monday, February 23rd at 7:30pm.
For more information and tickets, go to floridatheatre.com
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: Creating Camelot: The Kennedy Photography of Jacques Lowe. Over 70 iconic images of the Kennedy first family are going on display in a new exhibit in Philadelphia. The photos were taken by John F. Kennedy’s personal photographer, Jacques Lowe followed JFK starting starting in 1958 through his Presidential campaign and into his first years in the White House. They also include intimate portraits of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and the President’s children Caroline and John F. Kennedy Jr. The exhibit features how these personal images were used in the media to portray the First Family. Creating Camelot: The Kennedy Photography of Jacques Lowe is showing now through September 7th, 2015 at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
For more information on the exhibition, go to constitutioncenter.org
Want more excellence? Read last week’s The Filtered Excellence and visit The Interrobang Recommmends
Read more comedy news, stories, interviews with comedians, videos and comedy clips on our home page. Get more comedy news. Watch more viral videos. Read more interviews with the best comics in the business.
Latest posts by Earl Douglas (see all)
- Earl’s World: The Filtered Excellence: September 7, 2021 - September 7, 2021
- Remembering Fez Whatley - August 15, 2021
- Earl’s World: The Filtered Excellence: July 23, 2021 - July 25, 2021
