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Wednesday, December 12, 2007
The night Ike came to town
I’ve seen hundreds of blues artists at Antone’s through the years- mainly at the 1980’s Guadalupe Street location - and I’d have to say that the most all-round talented was Ike Turner, who passed away today at age 76, his manager confirmed.
His guitar playing was out of this world, and he played the piano like the guy who played on the very first rock ‘n’ roll record. After years of Sly Stone-like exile, Turner tried to get his career back on track with a South By Southwest showcase. Here’s the review.
Austin American Statesman March 18, 2001 “The curiosity factor helped pack Antone’s Friday night for a comeback set by Ike Turner, but the question mark quickly became an exclamation point as the 69-year-old reclaimed a piece of his reputation as one of the greatest all-round musicians America has produced. Although Turner is credited with writing and playing piano on the first true rock ‘n’ roll record, 1951’s “Rocket 88,” he’s better known today for his backhand than his fingers. Rumors of secret reunions run wild at SXSW, but no one had suggested that Tina Turner might sit in with the ex she forever linked with spousal abuse.
Although the crowd contained a few would-be hecklers, who threw back his “Hello, Houston!” mistake at the show’s start, they were drowned out by the sheer musicianship onstage as Turner’s eight-piece Kings of Rhythm made the decades disappear. Ike Turner isn’t a pianist, he plays the piano, thumping the keys as if in rhythm is redemption. Instrumental versions of “Rocket 88” and “Have Mercy on Me” rolled out with juke joint verve. Then, when Ike switched to guitar, his playing was funkier than a mosquito’s tweeter.
The room was lousy with musicians both local (Marcia Ball, Toni Price, Ian Moore) and national (Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos, who hopped onstage to sing “You’ve Got To Lose”). They came to hear a legendary talent and were not disappointed, though Turner proved on “Caledonia” that he’s not much of a singer. Later in the set he brought out a female singer who looked an awful lot like Tina, but when she sang “River Deep, Mountain High,” it was a bluesier, de-Spectorized take.
Turner has toured sporadically since Tina fled — in fact, Friday’s set was his first in Austin in almost three decades. But with a new blues album coming out in May, he’s gone back to his pre-Tina boogie woogie roots.
Or so it seemed, until the delirious audience demanded an encore and Ike and his band locked into a luscious groove on a song about sex that featured rapid-fire rapping by his bassist. Then it was back to the basics, as Turner picked up his guitar and played it with as much soul and dexterity as anyone who’s ever stepped onto the vaunted Antone’s stage.
It all ended well after last call with the crowd chanting, “We like Ike!” as Turner flashed a smile as wide as the brim of his black fedora. The only thing missing was Clifford Antone taking the stage to coax Turner to play more.
(Pictured: Ike Turner at SXSW 2001. Photo by Sung Park AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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Hannah Montana coming to Austin
- Photos: Hannah Montana
- Sound off: Planning to wait in line for tix? Got another strategy you’re willing to share?
Miley Cyrus a k a Hannah Montana is scheduled to play Frank Erwin Center on Jan. 24 at 7 p.m.
Hannah Montana shows have been the hottest tickets of 2007, and the teen sensation has sold out numerous arena venues across the country in a matter of minutes.
Here’s the ticket policy for the show at the Erwin Center:
“Numbered wristbands for the first day of ticket sales will be distributed for one day only on Friday, December 14 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Frank Erwin Center and at all Texas Box Office Outlets including select H-E-B stores in Austin, Bastrop, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Kyle, Leander, Pflugerville, Round Rock, San Marcos and Temple and Renaissance Records in Killeen. The beginning of the line will be randomly determined on Saturday, December 15 at 9:30 a.m. Wristbands guarantee a place in line, but do not guarantee tickets. Wristbands are not needed for phone or internet orders. For more information on the wristband policy and for a complete listing of Texas Box Office outlets, visit uterwincenter.com. Additionally, there is a 4 ticket limit on the first day of sales.”
(Photo by ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Ike Turner: 1931-2007
R&B legend Ike Turner died earlier today in his home in San Diego, Calif., according to his booking agent, Austin-based Maximus Entertainment.
He was 76 years old.
Turner’s agent Robert Devine said the company recently booked on a European tour for Turner. “It’s a shock to all of us” Devine said.
Maximus is working with Turner’s management on a statement to be released later today.
(Pictured: Ike Turner at SXSW 2001. Photo by Sung Park AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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Review: Duran Duran at the Austin Music Hall
Despite a $45 ticket price, the English dance/pop band Duran Duran had the newly renovated Austin Music Hall filled to capacity for their Tuesday show (many in the crowd seemed to be the same ecstatic souls who were once the band’s screaming teen fanbase some 25 years ago).
Duran Duran — vocalist Simon Le Bon, bassist John Taylor, drummer Roger Taylor and keyboardist Nick Rhodes — have managed the near impossible by creating a graceful third act in their pop music career within a genre where most bands are one-hit-wonders. Touring behind their 12th album, “Red Carpet Massacre,” released last month, the “fab five” — now minus original guitarist Andy Taylor — are receiving heavy rotation on Mix 94.7 and have sold more than 80 million records in their 29-year history.
The band played six new songs from “Red Carpet Massacre,” including “Nite Runner” and “Falling Down,” which are collaborations with Timbaland and fellow boy band alum Justin Timberlake. Maintaining the band’s penchant for contemporizing blue-eyed soul while mixing it with pop/rock staples, the new tracks possessed a danceable hotness and were better than any of their fans (and haters) would have expected.
John Taylor proved he is easily one of the funkiest bass players in pop music as he slapped and popped polyrhythmic bass grooves as smooth as if he were buttering bread; he appeared to have the most fun of all the band members.
Rhodes has added the now requisite Mac PowerBook to his five-keyboard-strong soundscapes while Roger Taylor still had the rhythmic capacity to play 32nd notes on the high hat while locking into a click-track and assorted pre-recorded samples.
The 30- and 40-something based audience ignited during the last half of the set when the band started cranking out the hits from the 1980s: “Rio,” “The Reflex,” “Save A Prayer” and the encore “Girls on Film.” The audience was noticeably disappointed that the band did not play “Hungry Like The Wolf,” one of the biggest hits of their career.
Tuesday evening’s concert showed that Duran Duran’s staying power can be attributed to the fact that underneath their chic fashion style and pretty-boy charisma, they’ve always been talented musicians with a keen sense for expressing drama and romance within the perfect three-and-a-half minute pop song.
(Photo by V.M. Black FOR AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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New Orleans comes to Bastrop
A New Orleans-themed parade, complete with Mardi Gras Indians and a marching jazz band, will take place in downtown Bastrop the afternoon of Dec. 29. And on the next night noted jazz composer Hannibal Lokumbe will debut his latest work, “Land of Mercy, Land of Tears,” at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort. Dr. John will also perform at the concert, which starts at 7:30 p.m. Go here for more details. Trumpeter Lokumbe’s ambitious piece, developed during workshops with Bastrop High School students, focuses on a family’s journey through several generations.
A longtime player and collaborator in Gil Evans’ band, Lokumbe is probably best-known as the composer of “African Portraits,” which debuted at Carnegie Hall in 1990 and has been performed by more than 50 orchestras.
A native of Smithville, Lokumbe lived in New Orleans for six years before being displaced by the ravages of Hurricane Katrina.
Austin Music Hall: How does it sound?
We at the Austin Music Source are hearing mighty mixed things about the new Austin Music Hall.
We’re hearing everything from grumbling about sight lines on the second floor to complaining about lack of parking when both La Zona Rosa and AMH are having shows.
So Austin, is this just petty stuff? Symptoms of larger problems? Are these concerns legit? How did the Duran Duran show sound and look last night?
We would like to hear from you.
