Taking Your Ears on a Little Trip Around the World

photo credit Ieva Weaver

Whoops, I did it again, well in this case, it was no accident but another happy opportunity to play a radio DJ once more. This was my second turn at the web-powered microphone for the Latvian online radio station tirkultura. My first time was back in February of this year, which I related on my other, comix-related blog, The Reluctant Sadist and Other Wanderings in the Comix Underground. Yes, I have two neglected blogs. Always the overachieving underachiever. 

Michael Holland (check out his show on OnoTesla - NTS) once more was my producer and studio engineer as he was for kuš! radio. This was a good thing as I needed his technical expertise and moral support to try and pull off my ambitious upgrade to my first outing. I wanted to go beyond just working through a playlist with a bit of yammer in between the tunes. I wanted to take my listeners for a trip around the world with me on a show that I called, "Wherever You Go, Well That's Where You Are". With that plan in mind, I set to harvesting golden moments I had captured on my various travels and intended to weave those found sounds together with appropriately themed songs. With Micheal in my corner, I knew all I had to do was show up with the bits and pieces and he would put the cables into the right sockets and we'd be off. Now, I did not map out each and every clip as I wanted to build the story on the fly and let our conversation lead us where it may. This loose approach did result in a few technical hiccups, which felt jarring to the point of disaster in the live moment, but on later listens actually adds to the charm and authenticity of the show I think. You be the judge, here's the show:

Tīrkultūra · 030 _ Hal Weaver _ at the Summer Gallery

It was an exhilarating process stitching this crazy, patchwork sonic quilt together in the moment. I was playing mp4 video of travel clips so Micheal and I could watch them together and comment. We agreed ahead of time to let the clips, music and talking overlap to build unexpected sounds and make room for happy accidents and I think that works as much as it doesn't. All that overlapping though meant that the source materials were consumed much more quickly than I expected, so we had to do a little scrambling at the end to fill time. Here's the playlist -

01 - India_Varansai_Religious_Procession (Travel clip)

02 - On the Road Again (Willie Nelson)

03 - Morroco_Desert_Dancing (Travel clip)

04 -  Spread Your Wings (QUEEN)

05 - Bali_Ubud_Furneal_Procession_01 (Travel clip)

06 - I'm a Ramblin' Man (Waylon Jennings)

07 - Japan_Tokyo_Folk_Dancing (Travel clip)

08 - Japan_Yokohoma_Dragon_Dance (Travel clip)

09 - Niamey Jam (Nomad- Bombino)

10 - Vietnam_Ho_Chi_Mihn_Broom_Machine (Travel clip)

11 - Vietnam_Hanoi_Street_Karaoke (Travel clip)

12 - High Plains Drifter (Beastie Boys)

13 - Thailand_Bangkok_Thai_Boxing (Travel clip)

14 - Thailand_Chiangmai_Pop_Singing (Travel clip)

15 - Singapore (Tom Waits)

16 - Hong_Kong_Slyvester - (Sonny Rollins - St. Thomas) (Travel clip)

17 - Bali_Ubud_Shadow_Puppets_02 (Travel clip)

18 - The Crystal Ship (The Doors)

19 - Nepal_Gandaki_Mule_Train_on_the mountain (Travel clip)

20 - Myanmar_Bagan_Ice_Cream_Man_Rap (Travel clip)

21 - Road Trippin' (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

22 - Morroco_Marrakech_Night_Music (Travel clip)

23 - Cambodia_Siem_Reap_BATS (Travel clip)

24 - Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Judy Garland)
25 - India_Varansai_Ganga_River_Night_Ceremony

26 - Lawrence of Arabia (Movie Soundtrack)

27 - Bali_Gainyar_Ceremony (Travel clip)

28 - King of the Road (Roger Miller)
29 - Here At The End of The World (Alex McMurray)

30 - City of New Orleans (Johnny "Doc" Criner)

What do you think? Should I do some more radio shows? 

Keep smiling,

OK HW

A Face Found in Darkness and Space

I found a face on a winter day. It was there, somewhere in the frozen mist. Someone I had known, or maybe would know one day? 

This is the latest collaboration with my friend Neil Bruce; his music and my visuals. Neil and I have been making movies together for twenty years now.  Neil sent me a music track (an earlier version of what is presented here) and suggested I create "...something strange and experimental, around darkness and space." No problem! I can do that! Through the years I have been gathering random footage of scenes and textures that I save just for Neil projects, so I was ready. His track inspired me to create two different versions; one based on organic, natured-based images and the other industrial and human-made. Neil liked both versions so much, that we decided to create two music videos. This is the organic visuals version and the industrial one with new music will be following soon.

The visuals were influenced by dreams, both my own, but also the dream sequences from David Lynch movies. A face half forgotten drifting in the fog or smoke. A friend? A foe? Maybe both.

OK HW

"A dream of life", A Music Video Collaboration

It has been too long since I worked on a film project, so when my pal, Neil Bruce of "Light B4 Sound" put a call out to film makers to create a music video based on a song from his latest album, "Senescence III", I jumped at the chance. I've been enjoying Neil's smooth, cinematic tone poem while on long walks and had some ideas that I thought would mesh well. The music reminded me of visiting the Sumida Aquarium in Tokyo, a magical facility, part of Skytree town. I recall wandering among the displays of jellyfish, penguins and the big tank; compulsively shooting pictures and video, that now would serve as the raw material for this project. Using Adobe After Effects, I created a gently hypnotic tapestry of textures and images that I hope flow harmoniously with the Neil's music.

Enjoy!  OK HW

Downtown Sound - 1/11/15 - Image-a-day

Today's image is of a street band I happened across while in the Ghent area of Norfolk today called "The Downtown Sound", a three-piece group; tuba, sax and drum kit. I enjoyed their jazzy, funky cover of Cee Lo Green's "Crazy". It was so funky, for a few minutes I felt like I was on Frenchman's Street in New Orleans...

OK HW

The Billy Price Band

Another Saturday night and more live music at The Jewish Mother's new location in the Hilltop area of Virginia Beach. Some friends called and invited us to go with them to see "The Billy Price Band" yesterday. I wasn't familiar with Mr. Price's sound, but I trust my friend's fine taste in good music, plus it was Saturday night, so what the hell. The risk was greatly rewarded by a show that rocked my soul and made me an instant fan. Billy Price's heart-felt blues and R&B grooves were just what I needed after a long week of weirdness and worry at work and in the world. Judging from how the crowd danced and partied through song-after-song, I don't think I was the only one needing their spiritual batteries recharged and Billy Price and his fantastic band definitely carried that load. The Jewish Mother's new Hilltop location (formerly Steppin' Out) has quickly become my favorite place to catch live music because of the fabulous and clear sound quality, the comfortable sitting and great food. Watching Billy Price work the stage and crowd with his old-time preacher-like gestures that were polished yet sincere, made me feel like I had slipped through a time tunnel back to an era of nightclubs and entertainers and new good times, not some snarky, post-modern grasp at authenticity. Unfortunately, I did not have a camera with me to grab my image-of-the-day, so here is a bit of video pulled from YouTube of "Nickel and a Nail", my favorite song from the show last night, though I must say, it was a hard to choose. Enjoy and if you see that "The Billy Price Band" is coming to your part of the world, do yourself a favor and get on down there for some heart-healing blues...

OK HW

Image for 6-26-11 - Hiking and the Bayou Bugaloo

I was off my hiking routine for the last week and a half or so, but made up for it this weekend by hiking Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I got up and hit a solid seven miles this morning. The heat rung me out, but still managed to get a strong pace going. I saw these weird, alien-like seed pods hanging off some trees along Shore Drive and had to get a shot. The remind me of some kind of science fiction illustration from the 1950s. Tiny, organic Sputniks.

Later that afternoon we went down to Town Point Park in Norfolk to catch some New Orleans flavor at the Bayou Bugaloo Festival. I remember back to the old days when it was free and the Neville Brothers would play every year filling the park with drunken, dancing fools. Now it costs ten dollars a head, so the crowds are smaller and less drunk and don't dance as much and it's been years since the Nevilles have been through. We caught The Savoy Cajun Family Band, Bonerama, Anders Osborne and The Funky Meters. My fav was Bonerama, always a good time. They went from "Down By the Riverside" to "The Big Chief Song" to "Helter Skeletor" without breaking a sweat (that's not true, they were all sweating like dogs, but we all were 'cause it was hot). Anders Osborne was OK, basically just played one long jam session, which got tedious after awhile. The Funky Meters fell to the jam groove too, which was too bad as their set just melted down into an indecipherable never-ending series of noises that were no fun. Some folks tried to dance to it, but gave up after awhile. The musicians looked like they were having fun, so nice for them. We left as they were still trying to find their way out of that maze of sound. Just in time for me as I was red as a crayfish and needed some shade and a big glass of ice water. Man, do I miss New Orleans.

OK HW

Mystery Music from the Mind of Neil Spencer Bruce

My good friend Neil Spencer Bruce, composing maestro behind the ZANK soundtrack, has posted a curious Promo video for his next music CD called "11:53". Check it out:

Very intriguing stuff. Can't wait to hear it Neil.

OK HW