Your Daily Dose: Whit Smith

Whit Smith is an incredible guitarist and singer whose work can be heard on high display with Texas trio "Hotclub of Cowtown." Blending Django style gypsy jazz and great chordal rhythm work a la Freddie Green with more than just a touch of Jimmy Bryant Western Swing jazz finesse, Whit shows you how it's done. Here's is version of "Polka Dots & Moonbeams."

Egg Genius?

...or folly? You decide.

Ah, the brilliant, simple and elegant egg. In the classic Batman television series that aired from 1966-1968, Adam West had many an arch nemesis to contend with but perhaps none was as feared as Egghead, played by none other than horror movie legend, Vincent Price. Egghead possessed a cunning intellect and claimed to be the most brilliant criminal in the world. As one of only two villains from the series to deduce Batman's true identity... it's tough to disagree with him.

In the kitchen, no one will dispute the delicious genius of the egg. 'Round these parts, eggs are a way of life, a passion and reason/means to celebrate. There's no end to what you can do to an egg, and I don't just mean the damage potential most Mischief Night pranksters rely on. I'm talking breakfast here, people, and today I came up with something pretty tasty.

Ok, let's assume you love mango chutney as much as I do:
Let's also hope that it hasn't taken you nearly 30 years to discover this delicious spreadable wonderstuff. Regardless, I thought infusing my standard morning egg with some zesty middle eastern/Indian flavor would be tasty as all get out... and I was right.

So:

1. toast up a slice of your favorite local Spanish bakery health bread
2. fry an egg (go organic)
3. spread some avocado on that crispy toast
4. smear some plain yogurt on top of the avocado
5. lay out your fried egg on top of those creamy layers
6. top it off with a dollop of mango chutney sauce

bam.

"G, have you lost your mind here?" Possibly... but this is the kinda of coo coo culinary ingenuity that makes you stand up and say, "I will not go quietly into my day! I will not settle for a boring brunch!" And why should you? Life's too short to not enjoy a tasty egg here and there.

Mini Manhattan

Carolyn took us out to the Queens Museum of Art last Saturday. The museum stands on the land where the 1964/65 World's Fair took place. It was great seeing the Unishphere up close but the best part was seeing the scale model of the 5 boroughs of NYC in the museum itself. I'd say it was roughly the size of half a football field. It was built for the World's Fair but has been updated with major buildings (the Trade Center is there in all it's glory along with Battery Park City)

It feels like spring in February

Lots of happenings in the world of music recently: two shows with Mr. Brownstone in the last week, Boss Tweed returns to Red Hook next week, new recordings in the works for Carolyn's record and some country shows with The Poor Man's Roses at Rodeo Bar and BB King's Club. The guitarsenal is as strong as ever, never letting me down. I've also been working up my fiddle (not 'violin') chops to play with some roots musicians, country bands and the like. It's been a hoot busting out the ol' whiney box to play Hank Williams songs and record some parts for Carolyn's upcoming record. Some recent photos:

Brooklyn pigeons take flight:
Recording with Dennis Pierce at his studio:
Eric recording his drum parts:
Most of Mr. Brownstone in the parking lot of the Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ. "Wudum I doin'?" That pretty much sums up that gig.
Mr. B played an unannounced show at the Bell House in Park Slope, Brooklyn this past Tuesday 2/10. Comedian Eugene Mirman hosted a release party for his new book, The Will to Whatevs, with performances by some of our fave comics such as David Cross and Paul F. Thompkins of 'Mr. Show' fame, John Hodgman from 'The Daily Show' and Kristen Schaal, who plays the creepy obsessive fan on HBO's 'Flight of the Conchords.' Eugene asked us to play a short set at the end of the night to indulge his inner rockness. At one point most of the comedians joined us onstage. The crowd had no idea we were to be part of the show and although most of them enjoyed our set and got the joke, I can't say everyone was thrilled to see a Guns n' Roses tribute band. Hey, I can't blame them...

Sean and David Cross (Todd Barry is just behind David, Eugene is on the right):
Izzy n' Slash:
Sean, David Cross wearing my top hat, Todd Barry, Eugene Mirman & me:
Hey, it's just this thing we keep doing...

Take it for what it is...

so we did it. here's mr brownstone performing 'welcome to the jungle' on the late show with david letterman. it was a blast, a totally surreal experience. we were specifically told to, "keep away from mr letterman." the late show got it's highest ratings in a year that night. coincidence? again... we may never know... enjoy.



for any fans, we are headlining irving plaza next friday, 11/28/08.

Mr. Brownstone to perform on The Late Show with David Leterman, Novemember 19th

well friends, as many of you know, for the last 8 years i have moonlighted as slash in a guns n' roses tribute band known around the world as Mr. Brownstone. it started as a dorm room joke, something fun for us to do for ourselves and our friends. we got dressed up like GnR one night, even going to the dining hall at conn college in our cheap and crappy costumes, and rocked the cro's nest at the student center for maybe 100 people.

it was great.

numerous stolen or destroyed top hats later we are somehow going stronger than ever. despite (although some have argued that as a result of) the fact that we have never really taken Mr B that seriously, we've landed some amazing gigs in NYC, boston and even a midnight slot on stage at bonnaroo opposite medeski, martin & wood and the flaming lips. our next adventure brings us to the national stage: an appearance on the late show with david letterman. axl rose's current lineup of what he calls "guns n' roses" is finally releasing the long awaited album chinese democracy the tuesday after our late show appearance. coincidence? hmmm... as luck would have it, Mr B has a big show at irving plaza the night after thanksgiving which mr letterman will plug. be sure to watch as we rock america wednesday, november 19th.
special guest: katie couric.

hey, it's just this thing we do...

Mitch Mitchell 1947-2008

the world lost a great musician yesterday. mitch mitchell (left) passed away in portland, oregon at the age of 62. mitch played drums in the jimi hendrix experience. to support hendrix's freak-out-blues stratocaster sorcery, mitch recorded some incredibly inventive drum parts, culling influences from jazz legends such as elvin jones and buddy rich as well as incorporating modern pop/rock styles of the day. together with other power trio drummers ginger baker of cream and keith moon of the who, mitch's firey and at times manic playing redefined what the drummer's role could be in a rock band. no longer content to simply 'keep the beat,' mitch was forced to temper hendrix's massive musical presence with enough character in his drum parts step out of the background, keeping the band afloat. to keep it all together, noel redding supplied the reliable center line, the steady bass groove that was the glue between hendrix and mitch.
above, a young experience, fall of 1966
mitch was just out of his teens when he was recruited to play drums with hendrix. starting in the fall of 1966, the jimi hendrix experience shook the pop music world to its core with their fusion of blues, feedback, psychedelic sound and song craft, pop hooks, studio wizardry and a live show the likes of which had never been seen. for hendrix, it seemed meant to be. after spending his early twenties touring the US and canada on the chitlin circuit with the likes of ike and tina turner, little richard, curtis knight and king curtis, hendrix was finally noticed by animals bassist and soon-to-be producer, chas chandler. chandler brought hendrix to london and paired him up with mitch and noel. within days of its inception, the trio began performing and recording new material, releasing the classic are you experienced? in may of 1967.
above, roger mayer (guitar effect pedal guru) mitch, hendrix, noel
mitch as the marquee club, london 1967
at the time of their first couple albums, studio recording technology was still fairly primitive by today's standards. are you experienced? and the group's second album axis: bold as love were both recorded on a simple 4 track machine. they stand as monuments to the great musicianship on one side of the control room glass and the inventive engineering and production skills on the other side. at a time when recording engineers were still wearing lab coats and carrying clipboards, mitch along with other pop musicians of the day, began to use the studio as more of a creative tool then simply a way to capture a live performance in hi-fidelity. he was one of the first drummers to become actively involved in the recording process, pushing the boundaries of the studio and attempting to create a more sonically powerful experience for the listener. mitch began to experiment with the use of multiple microphones to capture his drum sounds. by using a variety of mics on his kit, the recording engineers were given more freedom to manipulate his drums and create a much more 3-D sound experience for the listener. this is particularly evident on their 3rd album electric ladyland, which employed a larger 16 track board and allowed for much more creative room in the mix. throw on a good pair of headphones and pay attention to where the instruments are in the mix from left ear to right, how the guitars, vocals and other sonic textures dip and weave around the song. i have to say, one of the amazing things about hendrix is that you can go back and hear something new every time you listen to one of his records. i'm listening to axis as i type this and i'm happy and amazed to say that after a solid 15 years of listening to his records, previously unnoticed sounds and textures are still popping out at me. how many artists can you say that about?!
above, hendrix with mitch in the studio
from what i've read, hendrix and mitch were great friends and very much enjoyed their musical relationship. mitch was there for most of it all (of the four official records hendrix released in his lifetime, he was absent only from band of gypsys, an album which captured hendrix live in NYC on new years eve '69/'70 with buddy miles on drums and billy cox on bass) he was there as hendrix famously smashed and burned his guitar at the monetery pop festivel in 1967 (see previous blog entry) he was hendrix's drummer at woodstock and played drums at hendrix's last ever concert at the isle of fehmarn in september 1970. his contributions to the drumming world and impact on the development of the jimi hendrix experience's 3 studio albums cannot be overstated. he will be missed.