Volume 3, Issue 18
August 30 - September 12, 2001

Music

BIG EASY BOULDER

Papa Yah found something most jam bands lack:  Soul.

Papa Yah might be the type of band many musicians dream about ... the members know each other very well, everyone gets along, the main focus is music rather than ego, and a myriad of sounds ooze from the instruments. Heaven on earth, perhaps. For this Boulder trio, Papa Yah's success is as natural as the organically grown mecca it calls home.

"We really love the true and spontaneous musical creations we make when we play," said guitarist and singer Ben Jordan. "Our influences come from all over. I don't think there is any music, really, that one of us isn't into. We listen a lot to great players coming through town, and we make our own honest music that comes out of us."

In a region of the country where the term "jam band" is worn and tired, Papa Yah may have a loose, mellow, post-Dead side, but Jordan along with drummer Michael Cook and bassist Evan Chieda are proud that Papa Yah stands out against the swarm of all-night noodlers.

"Lyrics and songwriting are very important to this band," Jordan explained. "We love to experiment and improvise, but we spend time balancing the spontaneous with structure."

On drums, Cook adds diverse rhythms from African, Cuban, or Indian styles. "I think we do a great job of bringing outside influences into our own sound," Cook said. When not rehearsing or gigging, the guys like to catch shows coming through Boulder. Some impressive favorities of late include Soulive, Bill Frissell, and Taj Mahal.

Papa Yah easily moves from happy pop tunes to jazz infused grooves and free-flowing ingenuity. As a trio, the players have more space and more cross-over roles on each instrument. Chieda plays bass, both upright and electric, but in many instances, can stretch a bit. "Sometimes, I try to act as a bass and a keyboard part. I can add more melodic bass lines than a lot of players and treat the instrument differently. I think being a trio and being who we are gives us a larger sound, a different sound." The band formed after experiencing the one-and-only New Orleans mystical music scene. Chieda was living there and visited Cook in Boulder. Jordan came by and jammed with the two long-time friends and an initial connection was made. When Jordan and Cook visited Chieda in New Orleans, the band's fate was soon sealed.

"There is so much soul in New Orleans, leaking out of every pore and brick," Jordan said. "It's all good times, great music, and tremendous storytelling. Sitting there in that atmosphere, I realized that these guys love music as much as I do. We were blown away. We kept saying, 'Did you hear that? ' We all came back to Boulder after that."

This was in the spring of 2000, and in a short time, Papa Yah has hit the stage with The Slip, The Living Daylights, Jazz Mandolin Project, Jazz is Dead, and the motley crew of Theory of Everything. At a Papa Yah live show, the band strives to project its own personality while reading off the crowd and having truly inspired organic musical moments and inspirations. The band is still young and each member agrees there is much work to do. The band quickly recorded a short demo CD last year, and learned how much growth can come in such a short time.

"Our live shows really represent who the band is today," Cook said. "We do improv if the mood hits, and we want to present material that can be honest and inspiring."

Papa Yah is self-managed and self-produced. The guys work "real" jobs to support the band until such day as it's a full-fledged rock-and-roll machine. The group has a unique sound that has already begun to distinguish itself from the masses. Jordan surmises the band's work ethic at this stage of the game. "It's all a matter of continually learning what specifically works for us. The more playing we do, the happier everyone is."

--Judy B.

See Papa Yah at September 6 at Quixote's and September 9 at the Mountain Sun Brewery in Boulder. E-mail: papa_ yah10@hotmail.com

DOG DAZE IN HEAVEN

The Dead Heaven Cowboys reflect upon the evils of L. A.

Dead Heaven Cowboys want to provoke that "immediacy of the moment feeling," said vocalist Chris Chamberlayne, "like the urge to do horribly bad sexual things to the person next to you." Expression is important to DHC, who have realized, with maturity, that "trends are boring; do what you want to do, not just because everyone else is doing it. We're just having fun."

Chamberlayne shared some thoughts on the eight years in L. A. with Denver's own Dogs of Pleasure. "Anyone can be a big hero in a small town. After five blow jobs you think you're a rock star. We wanted more than that. Reality check: move to Hollywood where, instead of headlining sold-out shows, you now play at 9 pm, there is fierce competition, that pressure to always be 'on', knowing that you could get signed at any given show. You may think you're something at home, but you're nothing special out there." This somewhat humbling experience has given Chris a fresh perspective, which he brings with him to DHC: his desire is simply to play great music and have a good time.

DHC's theories on the role of drugs and alcohol in music: "In general, musicians are notorious substance abusers, believing there is some link between creativity and drugs. Drugs don't move us-- our passion does. It all comes down to creativity versus doing drugs and getting laid. What's it about for you?"

The impressive group of talent backing Chris up in DHC includes Greg Moulton on bass (Two Fat Dogs and Requiem), Jimmy Dougherty on drums (L. A. 's Starbaby and Atomic Boy) and Mick Gunnip on guitar (Jessie James).

DHC music is a mix of melody, grunge and raunchy sex with dance groove-ability, intricate guitar solos and hard edged hooks, all skillfully controlled by the drum and bass duo's strength. Expressive vocals intertwine with the music, teasing and playing with you, dripping with sexuality. You can almost see the universal connection to the vibe between bandmates. Twisted lyrics and vocals ranging from innocent boy to deranged lunatic make "Rape Me." "Daddy" brings me back to the good ol' days of Hollywood glam ... and then there was Ron. That's "Ron Jeremy," an ode to the infamous (yes, huge) porn star. My personal favorite.

DHC plays August 30 at Bluebird Theatre, August 31 at Cricket on the Hill and will begin recording a CD this fall. In the meantime, Chamberlayne will be making his film debut in Modern Drunkard with local writer and director Frank Rich. Through a thin veil of Smirnoff and a glance at the script, it appears to be a pro-drinking movie which harkens back to The Rat Pack days of the '50s when drinking was "de rigueur." Key words to remember: Black Velvet, Ho-Hos, Bukowski, Belfegore, Bisley, Globeville and, last but not least, chicken skin.

DHC: "Bauhaus and Cowboys ... Peter Murphy and Dwight Yoakam (see "The Hunger") ... this, that and the other ... it shouldn't matter what your name is if you write good music." And that they do.

--Sally Miller

BEAT DIET

TOGETHER TO THE END

September 22, Denver will witness the beginning of an incredible event, and the end of an incredible, eight-year span of events. In the eight years since Together Productions presented to us its first Skylab event, the series of parties named after a space station have left nothing to be desired. Every year, Together has put on the most incredible lineups, stage props, and sometimes outdoor venues. In 1997 it presented the fourth in the series, and brought out Kenny Ken, MC Fearless, and Global Communication. In 1998 the fifth Skylab was held in and by a castle (Bishop's Castle), which came complete with a fire breathing dragon. The sixth Skylab event featured a huge linup boasting Anne Savage, DJ Rap, Kenny Ken, MC Fearless, DJ Funk, Terry Mullan, and more.

This year will be no exception. Warming up this summer housing some of Denver's biggest club nights, Together will be pulling it together one last time for a full-scale rave event. Headlining this year's show is Frankie Bones, Dieselboy, Josh Wink, Dave Trance, and Stretch & Hooker. All of the old Together residents will be there, along with some local DJs we aren't used to seeing on the Together roster. This show is guaranteed to please and is sure to live up to the Skylab legacy. Visit www.togetherproductions.com for more information.

BEAT DIET SIDE DISHES

Local DJ Etain has been busy, taking her phenomenal musical talents in to the studio to produce her first ever release. It will be a bootleg remix of an old tunes, and if her DJ talent says anything about her production, this record is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

The Denver rave hub and clothing store Soulflower has expanded its interests and opened up a brand new record section in the back of the store. It offers something for every music taste, and after kidnapping DJ Skunk to place all its orders in the house section, it is sure to become a success. Look to Soulflower for all your vinyl needs.

In national news, the ACLU has recently won a battle against the authorities who seek to destroy our scene. After a long and exhausting court battle, a lawsuit against a rave promoter in New Orleans ended with things like pacifiers, glowsticks, and Vicks Vaporub being named as drug paraphernalia. This week, the ACLU lashed back against the motion, and won. After the groundbreaking battle, an event on August 24 at the same venue that fought the lawsuit so vigilantly will be allowed to have glowsticks, pacifiers, and Vicks products at the event. It's a glowing example of our First Amendment rights in motion.

ORANGE PEEL

The grapevine has spoken. Tracks 2000, a mogul on the Colorado club scene for nearly four years, is finally closing the doors of its current location (work has already begun on a bigger and better establishment that will operate under a different moniker) September 9. Who better to assist with the wrecking ball festivities than Denver's most legendary partygoers, the Sugar Twist Kids? Airick "Kid Cyberfire" Heater and Peeking "Super Sushi" Pussy (founding members of the Sugar Twist Kids) have christened the giant purple building's final Thursday event The Last Supper, and the entertainment menu for September 6 is shaping up to be nothing short of extraordinary. Punk rock and experimental noise appetizers on the patio will consist of j. frede, the Scott Baio Army, Misunderstood, Man Alive, Deadlock Frequency, and an album release from King Rat. In the '80s room, Eli of Fashionation will be pumping bellies (via eardrums) full of retroactive new wave nostalgia. And main courses on the main floor are scheduled to be mixed by gourmet turntable chefs DJ Risk (Boulder/ techno), James Andrew (Los Angeles/ disco house), and long time Sugar Twist resident DJ Kool-Aid.

Filling in for Jesus with a box of Special K and a can of Coca-Cola, last supper servers for the evening will include Lisa Love, Rocky Raccoon, Nottie Scottie, Rawn, Scooter, Kidnapped, Robbie Robody, Schwa, Amber, Aurora, Peeking Pussy (all the way from Harvard), and the one and only fire-breathing Airick Heater. And for dessert? A performance artist named Ron Athey who hasn't performed in America for more than 10 years.

--orange peel moses

Tracks 2000 is located at 2975 Fox St. (near the corner of 20th and Chestnut) in Denver. For more information on The Last Supper, give the Sugar Twist info line a buzz at 303- 575-5640.

CD Review

DJ DAN: IN STEREO

Remember that nice conversation we had with DJ Dan a while back [ www.gogomagazine.com/0316/frontpage.html]? Seems we forgot to mention the name of the album. Well, here it is, In Stereo, the latest churning and thumping and stomping from one of America's most beloved stage DJs.

The mix is non-stop. You might think this is an obvious thing to point out-- we are, after all, talking about house music-- but I mean non-stop on a higher level. Just sitting here, typing while listening to the CD, feels like exercise. Dan's greatest asset is his ability to shake free the cob-webs, and turn any couch potato into an instant dancing machine ... sort of like Cinderella's fairy godmother with a turntable instead of a wand. And the glass slippers are definitely going to shatter.

The action opens with two hits of Eric Davenport & Smitty, then runs into the dancer's plateau with Squeezer and Louis Botella: nice mid-tempo dancers with easy-on-the-ears vocal samples and a forgiving beat. Even the chaperones can get busy to this stuff. I'm not the world's biggest house fan (give me trip hop, or trance, or ambient, or breakbeat, or...) so I think the central core of In Stereo is pretty boring. Then again, I wasn't dancing to it; I was sitting on my ass and listening to it. I am not the man DJ Dan spins for.

Life gets considerably more eclectic (and horny) with Scanty's classic riff, "Get Next to the Opposite Sex." It's a peak on an otherwise featureless mesa. Things level off again until Dan throws on his own "Get Up" ... with appropriate timing and aplomb, this veteran DJ got me up. Screw this typing shit, I'm dancing for a while.

Whatever your feelings are about committing this genre of music to compact disc-- some might wonder what the point is of taking a set of live-action dancing music and sterilizing it with the old album formula-- DJ Dan uses his 74 minutes of stereo time to the fullest. He seems to understand there's very little for him to prove on a recording, and so though this effort might be underwhelming, it's the best darn underwhelming album of the year. Pick it up just to remember how much fun you had dancing to him live. B--- Chris J. Magyar <

THE CZARS: BEFORE . . . BUT LONGER

The Czars second CD, before ... but longer, consists of the music that lullabies are made of. This CD possesses the power to soothe and calm frayed nerves from a long day in cubicle hell, or wherever else you may be trapped during the day to earn a living. Recorded in London (September 1998) and released by Bella Union in late 2000, before ... but longer is a collection of mellow hypnotica (songs of hypnotic erotica). John Grant is so self-assured with his singing abilities, the songs are really a showcase of his vocal talents. Hauntingly angelic voices lead you down the path to a sound slumber as in "Concentrate," "Stay" and "Dave's Dream." They are like timeless, sad songs of lost love and daydreams of happiness. Pensive lyrics asking, "Why?" while promising a brighter tomorrow. A delicate fusion of piano, guitar and bass is the developmental foundation upon which these songs exist.

"Pressure" is the best song on this CD; the bewitching melodies and potent masculine vocals woo you. However, it is worth mentioning there is not one unsatisfactory track on this disc. You could very well nap, study, meditate or make love to this entire CD without having to get up and find the remote to skip a song. Lead vocalist, Grant, describes the CD as being about communicating with others.

A few years back I would have said the Czars were definitely in the "dark/alternative" genre (like on the debut CD, La Brea Tar Pits of Routine), and they still are, but a bit lighter with an added aroma of melancholy. This CD review is long overdue; I only wish they would play out more often. The show at The Bug Theatre last winter was a memorable performance by the band.

The Czars upcoming CD is said to be due out late this summer. I will be looking for it. It only takes three words to sum up before ... but longer: Sleepy. Dreamy. Yummy. A --Sally Miller

SEASON TO RISK: THE SHATTERING

I don't know what they are putting in the Kansas City drinking water, but it seems to be producing a slew of hard hitting, intelligent, noise rock bands who continually kick ass. Like cousins Shiner [ www.gogomagazine.com/0309/music.html], Season to Risk takes heavy metal into the next decade, updating its sound, rhythm and vocal textures. The Shattering stimulates and agitates and is best if digested according to the instructions on the CD: play loud.

The opening title track introduces us to singer Steve Tulipana and his sing-shout method of spit-firing the lyrics. Thick, deep bass lines from Billy Smith pulse along underneath the vicious but tasty drum work by David Smyth. Recorded at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, The Shattering retains an indie, low-budget sound while being anything but. Crisp, powerful production adds to the weight of the music, incorporating the compelling pop melodic sensibility and the abrasive, dissonant crunching of Duane Trower's guitars.

A great track is "Spasser," just a monster of a tune ... off-beat rhythms and power chords, simple howling and gnarly mayhem. It's followed nicely by "Deserve," a dark, ironic tune about relationships and all their glory and gore.

This is another offering from Owned and Operated Recordings from Fort Collins. Season to Risk has endured line-up changes, wrecked tour vehicles, floods, major label goofiness, and evictions, and still they tour relentlessly and make solid records. Find out more at www.seasontorisk.com or www.oandorecords.comA --Judy B.