Marc Ribot

Every once in a while an album comes along that so thoroughly satiates my musical interests and desires at that given period of my life that I develop a special connection to the album and its music. It's a symbiotic relationship where the album doesn't just define a season of listening, but my life also seems to lend the musical contents particular meaning and context.

Party Intellectuals has been that kind of album for me over the course of the last few months. Its ebullient, irreverent spirit is refreshing and liberating, and I haven't heard a modern album that embodies the ethos of rock and/or roll so well in ages.

I always knew that Marc Ribot was an incredibly talented musician through his wide array of musical activities, but when I first put on this album with no preconception of what kind of record it was, I was pleasantly surprised to say the least.

First, the basics: a classic power trio format consisting of Marc Ribot, bassist Shahzad Ismaily, and drummer Ches Smith. In addition to playing guitar, Ribot is featured as a highly effective vocalist. A mix of vocal and instrumental tracks, loud rock and roll, noise, punk-funk, and spacious ambient explorations. Ribot's lyrics are sharp, funny, and poignant, and his delivery as a vocalist fit the aesthetic and feel of the writing even if his voice isn't necessarily the strongest.

I don't want to belabor any predecessors or comparisons, but think Mr. Bungle and Last Exit's illegitimate bastard love child, raised by wolves. Really culturally refined wolves with exquisite taste in music.

The production and mix on the album is fantastic, and they achieved the huge drum and guitar sound necessary to make this brand of music really work.

Another great release from Pi Recordings, a label whose track record continues to impress me. They've cultivated a level of trust in their activities that I would not hesitate to purchase any album in their catalog.

A great summer album: fun, blasphemous, occasionally indulgent, and most of all, it rocks.

An Open Letter to the Musicians, Staff, and Fans of Tonic

When Tonic closes this friday, we will have a lost a great club, and the last avant jazz/indie/new music club in manhattan with a capacity of over 90 presenting music on a nightly basis.

Tonic's closing is not an isolated event: Coming on the heals of the closing of CBGB's, Siné, The Fez, the Continental, this wave of club closings, downsizings, and displacements to Brooklyn constitutes a market failure.

But we don't have to accept the diminishment of our musical culture. We're organizing a response, and we intend to fight for the viability of new music/ indie/experimental jazz traditionally based in the LES. We don't intend to let Tonic's eviction pass without making some serious noise.

We hope you'll join us. If you'd like to help out or be kept informed of upcoming events, please sign up for the mailing list by sending an email to: indy_music_action-subscribe@... [NB: sorry this was cut off in the email I received...I'll pass along the full address when I get it - DM].

and if you just want to keep up to date with what we're planning, you should go to:

http://www.takeittothebridge.com

We are an ad hoc coalition of musicians and supporters of new/ experimental jazz/indie music. We represent a racially and culturally diverse community united in our desire to preserve the cultural legacy and future viability of the progressive jazz, experimental rock, and new music historically based in the LES.

Thank you,
Marc Ribot