Mad-About-Music Monday - DJ Digga's Fused for Another

Every other Monday here at Expect Odd Things we've been unveiling new mixes that we've been putting together here at HQ. This mix was originally intended to burn to disc and sent out to friends. However, we have been compiling various styles of music and we'll be distributing the 1st Official Expect Odd Things Mixed Set within the coming months. Until then please enjoy "Fused for Another."

Mad About Music Mondays - DJ Digga's Mix 2.011

Here is the next installment of our presentation of SURFPUNX: The Mixes by our own DJ Digga a.k.a. Es Digga Tee. This time we have a mix that highlights some of what we've been listening to lately at Expect Odd Things Headquarters. Enjoy Mix 2.011!

SURF PUNX The Mixes: DJ Digga's Eclectic Energy

Welcome to a bi-weekly auditory feature here on Mad About Music Mondays highlighting some of the music we love to listen to and enjoy. First up we have your's truly tackling many styles in this week's mix. Contained within is a four-hour journey through what we believe is the necessary backing to a kick-ass good time.

Sit back, crank up the speakers and let your ears enjoy the melodic tones of
"Es Digga Tee - Eclectic Energy".

Mad About Music Mondays - Halloween Music

The words "Halloween music" are hard ones to unwrap, as it evokes many concepts and ideas. Some think of eerie sounds, creeky floors, and shrieking screams. Others think of the music from scary movies with their anxious ambiance literally the soundtrack to some of the most frightening moments in our lives. Others think of the campy songs thats accompany childhood favorites like Purple People Eater & Monster Mash. In addition, are songs with topics that are dark, morbid, or simply about this oddly joyous holiday. All of these and more are our feature on the Mad About Music Monday.

Mad About Music Mondays - Wax Poetic

When one hears Norah Jones' music several musical styles come to mind, Jazz, Pop, Adult Contemporary, maybe even Rock. However one music style that is next to never associated with Norah Jones is TRIP HOP. You probably already think I'm crazy for even associating such a classic upbeat melodic singer like Norah with the downbeat tempos of a niche style known for it's association with American hip-hop.


I was shocked, as I'm sure you are, to find out that Norah Jones' beginning wasn't seeded at the hands of a classical pianist, or jazz virtuoso, but in the New York City trip-hop band Wax Poetic. Their past, and present-day line-up is the topic of our first Mad About Music Monday post in seven months.

Mad About Music Mondays - Sin City Sinners

Todd Kerns, Brent Muscat, Rob Cournoyer & Dr. Ellis
are the Sin City Sinners of Las Vegas, NV. 

Local music is a fickled thing. Many arguments go back and forth as to who's the best and why. Last year the Sin City Sinners placed second in the Las Vegas Review-Journal's annual Vegas' Best awards. Second to a band that not only doesn't make Las Vegas home, only one band member considers Las Vegas to be his home, they don't play any local shows with the exception of their annual stop-through on their nationwide tour. Well this year's poll comes out in two weeks and hopefully Vegas will get it right this time around. Without a doubt in our minds the Sin City Sinners are thee #1 band calling Las Vegas home. You may have noticed our players on both the right sidebar (go ahead and click play) as well as a rather large one at the bottom of each post and the homepage.

MikeD's Ten Instrumental Songs You May Have Never Heard

On Monday, Scooter posted his Top 10 Instrumental Songs. Using his criteria (listed below) I compiled my own list.

No themes from movies or television are allowed. (Love Theme, Peter Gunn theme, Guns of Navarone, TSOP)
Not a single word may be said during the whole song. (Reel Big Fish's 241, Tequila, Wipe Out, The Hustle, Daft Punk's Musique)
Lyrics may not exist for the song upon recording. (Jeff Beck's A Day in the Life, SRV's Little Wing, Sing Sing Sing)
No overly campy songs featured prevalently in media. (Dueling Banjos, Star Wars Cantina, The Entertainer, Soul Bossa Nova)
Cannot predominantly feature a solo as the majority of the song. (Moby Dick, Eruption, I Know You're Here)

Music is a powerful tool that I think helps exemplify many aspects of life, whether ones life experiences, hardships, celebrations, or misery. I've always had a interest in instrumental music though, even at a young age when I first bought my first Metallica album, actually cassette Master of Puppets in 1989, which features of course Orion, which Scooter mentioned in his post. (Which you can purchase on the left in it's amazing lo-fi sound.)
It's emotional impact ran deep even without words you get a keen sense of what kind of moods they were expressing throughout the passage. Since then I have greatly expanded my musical influences; whether it's traditional folk, classical, jazz, rock, metal, electronic or anything in between. I like music that takes me on a journey, something to ponder, or simply zone out to.

Words never meant much to me too often in music because I think of them as more personal to the artist, unless the subject is more historical. This is probably one reason why I got very into heavier death and black-metal as the vocals were used more as instruments of rage and fury.

This post is not intended to be a 'best of' by any means. This list was sort of thrown together from bands off the top of my head that I greatly enjoy. These also are not listed in any particular order. I could probably go on and list 50 more ranging from all different genres but I'll keep this short and to the point. Hope you may find something you enjoy. If you do, check out their albums or buy them HERE.

Mad About Music Monday - Top 10 Instrumental Songs

With only spotty write-ups lately we're hoping to slowly get the ball rolling by getting back into our regular spots at least on a semi-weekly basis. There may be more hiccups in our schedule on the horizon as we attempt to relocate the headquarters of Expect Odd Things to both a new state and its own domain. That said let's move on to today's order of business. We're back to talking music after taking three months off.

Today's entry is all about the best instrumental songs ever. We'll take a look at the top 10 instrumental songs in every genre of music. Want thrash metal, latin, jazz, 80's or oldies all in one place? Then this is the list for you. To set some criteria of how we figured out our top ten we followed these rules:

No themes from movies or television are allowed. (Love Theme, Peter Gunn theme, Guns of Navarone, TSOP)
Not a single word may be said during the whole song. (Reel Big Fish's 241, Tequila, Wipe Out, The Hustle, Daft Punk's Musique)
Lyrics may not exist for the song upon recording. (Jeff Beck's A Day in the Life, SRV's Little Wing, Sing Sing Sing)
No overly campy songs featured prevalently in media. (Dueling Banjos, Star Wars Cantina, The Entertainer, Soul Bossa Nova)
Cannot predominantly feature a solo as the majority of the song. (Moby Dick, Eruption, I Know You're Here)

Mad About Music Monday - Bela Fleck & The Flecktones: Jingle All the Way

Even though December isn't here yet, we're like Black Friday shoppers and we're starting a bit early. Throughout the month of December we will be highlighting different Christmas albums that we think you'd enjoy. First up, Bela Fleck and The Flecktones with Jingle All the Way. Creating a unique worldly Christmas disc, Bela Fleck, well-known banjoist collaborated with many artists for his 2008 release. According to a press release from his website, "Flecktones With Guest Elves Edgar Meyer, Andy Statman & Tuvan Throat Singers ‘The Alash Ensemble’ Contribute Renditions Of Everything From Bach To Rudolph, With Tributes To Joni Mitchell & Vince Guaraldi."

Mad About Music Monday - Adele

The whole purpose of this weekly post is to inform our viewing audience of new and not-so-well-known artists. Well today we are educating ourselves as we were completely unaware of today's post until we began researching it. With three simple words I located today's musical rising star, BEST-NEW-ARTIST. Today's feature is the reigning 2009 Grammy Award Winning Best New Artist, and winner of the Grammy's Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

Mad About Music Monday - Phoenix

The French band Phoenix kicks off the first week in November. Coming out of the same scene in France as Air and Daft Punk did, Phoenix have that similar 'ultra-cool' vibe going on with them. They've released four studio albums, the first "United" in 2000. That album featured the chic dance song 'If I Ever Feel Better'. Their newest album "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" is being critically acclaimed everywhere.

Mad About Music Monday - Homemade Jamz Blues Band

Any guitar aficionado or Blues fan needs to hear about today's featured artist. The Homemade Jamz Blues Band from Tupelo, Mississippi is well accomplished. They've released two albums, played with B.B. King, recently had their late-night show debut and even have one of their guitars displayed at B.B. King's Blues Museum. You'd think this would be a bunch of twenty-somethings or some odd thirty year old's I'm speaking about. No no, these are teens.

Mad About Music Monday - Rodrigo y Gabriela

To begin this, the second week of October we have a special instrumental group for you to enjoy. Rodrigo y Gabriela is an acoustic duo hailing from Mexico City but finding residence in Dublin, Ireland. If that move seems interesting to you you should hear their style. They first met in a thrash metal band in Mexico City drawing heavily from the world of metal music. Mix in their Latin background with some Spanish and Mexican styles and top it all off with some techniques picked up while performing on the streets of Ireland and you get the unbelievable duo of Rodrigo y Gabriela.

Mad About Music Monday - Terence Blanchard Group 'Choices'

To kick off this first week of October we have the newest work from the Grammy Award winning jazz trumpeter Terence Blanchard. He is a New Orleans native releasing his second New Orleans themed album post Hurricane Katrina. His first was A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina). In this first album his band performed with the 40-piece Northwest Sinfonia, and took home the Grammy for Best Large Jazz Ensemble in 2007.

Terence has also scored over 40 films most of which were Spike Lee films. He began with work on Jungle Fever and appeared most recently in the four-part HBO New Orleans/Katrina documentary "When the Levees Broke", and the non-Spike Lee period piece Cadillac Records. Here is a small clip of his Salute to Jazz at this year's Grammy's.

Here you can follow the progression of their latest release "Choices." This playlist features five webisodes highlighting the evolution of this album from concepts, beats and melodies into a melting pot of jazz, blues, and spoken word. This album features neo-soul singer Bilal and Princeton professor Dr. Cornel West. Dr. West's interview in the fourth webisode is remarkable and I highly suggest you take the time to watch that below. To quote Terence, "The thing that I love about him is that he has the ability to put into words things that we all feel about, but don't know how to put into a concrete idea."

After watching the webisodes you're left wanting to hear more and see for yourself how all of the music turned out. Below I have embedded The Terence Blanchard Group performing on the Tavis Smiley show about one month ago. Listen to the words of Dr. West meld together with the music as it rises and falls with each solo and movement. So here is two songs from The Terence Blanchard Group performing songs from their new album, "Choices".

 NOT ALL FEATURES ARE VISABLE ON FACEBOOK - CLICK HERE TO VIEW!

Mad About Music Mondays - Playing For Change

Playing for Change is an inspirational musical project put together by film director Mark Johnson. The project originated four years ago on the Santa Monica 3rd Street Promenade as he recorded street musician Roger Ridley singing "Stand by Me". He then traveled the globe recording mostly street artists performing in their element. He reinforced these performances by a handful of more-polished acts (several choirs, and even U2's Bono.)

 

He not only put together an album of wonderful songs featuring artists from virtually every corner of the globe, but he documented most of this on film for the movie, "Peace Through Music." I saw a good portion of this film on PBS in September as he was promoting this entire project. I was deeply moved by the story of Roger Ridley who Mark Johnson says is the spirit behind this project.

Roger Ridley was a street musician that inspired Mark Johnson to pursue this project. Roger was so humble in his nature that while being filmed and recorded for an international music project he never revealed such to his wife. Shortly before the project's release Roger was sent a DVD of Stand By Me cut and edited with all of the musicians worldwide. Roger called Mark after being drawn to tears while watching it and he couldn't believe that Mark had actually put it all together.

Shortly after Roger passed away from a heart condition, his wife still not knowing about the performance or project at all. His wife while still mourning for her husband, went to the TV for some entertainment. Pressing a wrong button on the controller she had pressed play on the DVD player. Roger's copy of Stand by Me still in the DVD player started to play for his widowed wife. She was overemotional and immediately called Mark to thank him for Roger's involvement in such a worldly project. Now we all have the ability to enjoy Roger's performances for all time in the music of Playing for Change and the documentary about it's making Peace Through Music. Without further ado, here is the crown jewel of this project, Roger Ridley and other musicians from around the World playing Ben E. King's classic Stand By Me.

NOT ALL FEATURES ARE VISABLE ON FACEBOOK - CLICK HERE TO VIEW!

Mad About Music Mondays - Steve Martin

I know what you're probably thinking right now. Is that the famous actor Steve Martin releasing a record? The answer is YES! Steve Martin recently released a BANJO album. Again, you're not mishearing me, I did say banjo. Steve Martin has been playing the banjo for 40 years. Continuing as a hobby for sometime he has played with bluegrass superstar Earl Scruggs, earning a Grammy for his guest appearance on a remake "Foggy Bottom Breakdown" with Earl Scruggs.

His new album hit #1 on the Billboard US Bluegrass charts. He is an amazing performer as seen on his interview with Tavis Smiley. Below I have included a link to his interview with Tavis. I would have embedded the video as I usually do but PBS video does not allow embedding at this time. (AND I couldn't figure out how to rip the code as I often do as well.) Please click on the link below to see Tavis Smiley's interview with Comedian, Actor, and Musician Steve Martin in its entirety. 

http://video.pbs.org/video/1181552411/

TO VIEW THIS AND MORE CLICK HERE!

Mad About Music Mondays - Paolo Nutini

First out of the gates is a Scottish artist who has been around for some time. But like most musicians, he'd paid his dues on the road and is starting to make a name for himself. Recently featured on the Tonight Show, where I first noticed him, Paolo Nutini has amazing soul, range (both vocally and stylistically), and a timbre similar to Joe Cocker or Caleb Followill lead singer of Kings of Leon.

After listening to his entire Sunny Side Up album on MySpace Music I was moved to hear more on his previous These Streets album. I enjoyed the samples I heard so much that I requested it from my library so I can listen to it on a proper stereo. Click on the above link to his MySpace Music page for either album or watch his performance from The Tonight Show w/ Conan O'Brien below.

TO VIEW THIS AND MORE CLICK HERE!