World's Largest Gem Sweater in the World

The Budos Band is on tour!

The Budos Band is on tour!

Mar 13 2009 8:00P	TLA (Theatre of Living Arts)	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mar 14 2009 9:30P	Union Pool	Brooklyn, New York
Mar 20 2009 9:30P	Maxwells	Hoboken, New Jersey
Apr 9 2009 8:00P	Neumo’s	Seattle, Washington
Apr 10 2009 6:30P	Mississippi Studios	Portland, Oregon
Apr 11 2009 10:00P	Richards on Richards	Vancouer, British Columbia
Apr 12 2009 9:00P	The Garibaldi Lift Company	Whistler, British Columbia
Apr 13 2009 8:00P	The Nightlight	Bellingham, Washington
Apr 14 2009 9:00P	Moe’s Alley	Santa Cruz, California
Apr 15 2009 9:00P	The Independant	San Francisco, California
Apr 16 2009 8:00P	The Echo	Los Angeles, California
Apr 24 2009 7:30P	Heineken Transatlantic Festival	Miami Beach, Florida
May 2 2009 11:00P	Terrace Club	Princeton, New Jersey

The Piano Has Been Drinking - Tom Waits (1977)

The Dirt Daubers play "Wayfaring Stranger"

X'mass-a-go-go

X'mass-a-go-go, Off to grandma's we a-go-go. Back after the weekend.

To check out more great vintage album covers visit LP Cover Lover.

Gem Sweater Lady

So, sometimes you just assume that EVERYONE has been exposed to all the same stuff you have, especially when you have a lot in common. But then, in middle of a conversation, you realize the person you are talking with SOME HOW hasn't. In just that breath everything STOPS. "How could anyone miss the Gem Sweater Lady???" I was stumped.

Just in case you too SOME HOW missed that email from your friend with the link for the Gem Sweater Museum or perhaps this Leslie and the Lys' video (shown below) - you have now been exposed. Both are outrageous, hilarious and a bit confusing.

Perhaps you're in the know, but when was the last time you looked at the gem sweaters? My, how the collection has grown! With no further delay, I introduce to you Leslie Hall, the Gem Sweater Lady.

Self declared “Keeper of the Gems”, Leslie takes her collection very seriously. Each sweater is given a name and now there in a Mobile Gem Sweater Museum. Check out her band’s website, Leslie and the Lys, to see when the museum rolls into your town.

Just in time for the holidays! Get your Gem on.

The end is nigh

Check out this auction at Christie's. Page through or search for the Clash, Ramones, LA flyers, Sex Pistols, etc. Your closet may be a better retirement plan than your 401k.

spoon guitar

From the Karoo region in South Africa, Hannes Coetzee is mainly known for his unique playing technique using a spoon in his mouth to play slide guitar. A technique called optel and knyp. You can learn and hear more in David Kramer's documentary Karoo Kitaar Blues (2003). And by clicking here & here.

Sana Ndiaye: Senegalese Akonting

In August, we stumbled upon the American Folk Music Festival in Bangor, Maine. One of the highlight of the festival was Sana Ndiaye who played the Sengalese akonting. During the festival, Ndiaye was joined by percussionist Backa Niang on the djembe - both were amazing! We saw them perform several times because we were so mesmerized. At times, the percussions and the akonting reversed roles, where the akonting carried the rhythm and percussions floated above.

Believed to be the West African ancestor of the banjo, a gourd bodied lute, the akonting has three strings. Two longer melody strings and one shorter drone string - akin to the short fifth string on the banjo. The music of the akonting is composed of short sustained notes that are played over and over again.

Unfortunately CDs aren't currently available of these traditional songs but keep your ears open - expect more to come from these performer. Both are members of the African hip-hop group Gokh-Bi System, which combines traditional musicians and instruments with hip-hop.

To hear more of Sana Ndiaye playing the akonting, click here and here.