I managed to survive the past weekend, and the birthday. Did I mention that last Friday was my birthday? I have reached a point where I kind of like to have them just slip by, so we didn’t make a big deal out of it. This year the celebration amounted to a card from the boy, two from Mrs. along with a book.
The real birthday celebration really took place Thursday night when we went to the Paradise rock club to see Alejandro Escovedo. It was the first time in a long time that I had been to a small rock club and saw a show literally from the edge of the stage. The show great, the musicianship top notch and it was loud enough that my ears were still ringing the next day. We have seen Alejandro and his band a few times in the past, but this was the first time we have seen and heard them in full electric rock and roll form. We last saw them in November of 2006, when he was touring with most of the same musician, but in an acoustic format, two guitars, violin and two cellos. In spite of the acoustic setting, they still rocked, and at one point one of the cellist bow disintegrated he was playing so hard. This time it was all electric; 2 guitars, base, drums, cello and violin. Do not let get the idea that string in a rock band somehow make for soft music. Not the case at all. The strings are as important members of the band as any other instrument, and besides. When was the last time you saw a cello plugged into a Marshall amp? In many ways it is Alejandro’s use of strings that give his music it own special sound and identity.
Anyone who know me and has talked about music with me should know that he is about my favorite musician in the whole universe. When I tell people that the response is often ‘Who?’ So if you will bear with me, I am going to proselytize, or at least evangelize a bit about him.
I first noticed him in the early 90’s when his first solo CD came out. I don’t recall how I found him, but I took an immediate liking to his music. It spoke to me both musically and emotionally. Since that fateful day I have been trying to turn as many people on to him as possible.
A tiny bit of biographical info, as his name suggests he is of Mexican American ancestry, one of a dozen or so kids of Mexican immigrants, his family is very musical, with brothers Pete and Coke Escovedo making names for themselves in the Latin jazz world. Pete’s daughter Shelia is the Shelia E of Prince fame. Alejandro chose a different path, punk music, and spent the later part of the 70’s in band called the Nuns; their claim to fame was opening for the Sex Pistols last performance in 1978. He spent some time in NY in the early 80’s playing punk and then moved to Austin Texas and was a member of the semi popular cow-punk band Rank and File. Moving on from that he formed a band called the true believers with his brother Javier, that band collapsed in the late 80’s after a record deal got cancelled in a company merger. Which lead him to go solo in the early 90’s, and has been making some of the most interesting and intriguing rock and roll ever since, in my humble opinion.
Musically, he has drawn from all those influences, and crated a sound that while can be called rock, transcends the more mundane definition of the term. He has become a bit of a cult favorite, but now maybe on the verge of a gaining greater notice, he is now has the same manager as Bruce Springsteen, and maybe on the verge a more wide nation attention, particularly now with the release of his new CD called ‘Real Animal’, a record that pays homage to some of his early musical heroes and partners. Not bad for a guy of 57.
Anyhow, I think I am blathering on and hardly making sense. So let me post a few examples of his performances for your viewing pleasure.
This is one of his more relaxed pieces, this is ‘Rosalie’ done in an acoustic format with guitarist David Pulkingham. The song calls to his Mexican roots and is about his father’s romance with his mother over the distance of time and space while they were immigrating to the US.
For something a little more up beat, here is a performance of ‘Always a Friend’ from his new CD performed with the Boss. Pretty good company to have.
And if that isn’t enough, here is him and his band in a live performance of Castanets. Now don’t tell me that cello and violins don’t rock.
Had enough?
Here is one more link. If you want to hear the show that we attended it can be found here.
http://www.archive.org/details/ae2008-07-10.ca11.flac16
This is a great site, you can listen on line or down load songs or entire concerts, and it is all-legal. The artists have allowed their concerts to be taped and posted, the quality varies wildly, but there are some great performances archived here.
I am sure you have had enough…
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