The Italian composers are ready to lock "horns".

With the French we had a robust 19th Century presence in their first round of the World Cup of Composers. Now we move to the Italians. While the Italians were certainly vigorous in the 19th Century, it was the Italian …

Future Wife biweekly jamdown puts the smooth on Mission Hills.

After a brief hiatus following their departure from El Dorado, Sweet Cheeks is back and ready to love you down at their new home, Bar Dynamite (1808 W Washington Street – Mission Hills) starting Sunday, June 30. Every Sunday through …

A production of this famous Italian opera with local singers.

Cavalleria Rusticana is, note for note--start to finish, the most beautiful opera ever written. Lohengrin and Butterfly give it a push but Cav manages to be lyrically dramatic in a manner unique unto itself. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FLbTIzHD9A Why bring it up during …

This is a great space to catch creative music.

San Diego piano virtuoso Joshua White continues to evolve at a dizzying pace, well evidenced by his debut performance at the Museum of Art on June 27, with a quartet featuring saxophonist Ben Schachter, LA bassist Hamilton Price and drummer …

This is one hell of a week-long immersion into the music.

Things I wish... I wish there had been programs like the annual UCSD Jazz Camp available back when I was struggling to assimilate jazz as a young musician in the late '70s and early '80s. I spent the day hanging …

Embrace the noise on either side of the mega-fence.

Jangly garage rockers The Electric Healing Sound will be releasing their first EP with local label Cholo Punks on Friday, June 28 at The Tower Bar (4757 University Avenue – City Heights). Six bucks cover includes a copy of the …

Sixties Guns' Tijuana-based multi-instrumentalist drops debut release from solo project

Last week, I posted a preview of a Tijuana show featuring Brainfeeder badass Matthewdavid, Karaoke (SD), Joshua Brandon (MTY), and Sixties Guns (SD/TJ). Here’s a look at how that went. Today, Sixties Guns vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Xavi dropped P A …

Tiny Nightmare Productions hosts two days of dork with Nerf Herder, Kirby Krackle, MegaRan, Dualcore, Wordburglar, Danimal Cannon, and more.

The third annual Comic Con Nerd-a-thon will span two days - July 19 and July 20 - showcasing geek rock, nerdcore hip-hop, and back-to-back performances from the geek-girl burlesque dancers of The Devil’s Playground Burlesque at The Merrow (formerly the …

Jimmy LaValle and Mark Kozelek collaborate to create melancholic storyscapes.

Pickles and peanut butter. Peanuts and Pespi. Pepsi and wine. Sometimes unexpected combinations turn out to be the best, and that’s certainly been the case with Perils From the Sea, a collaboration released in April between singer-songwriter Mark Kozelek (Red …

Some of France's heavy hitters were in action today trying to make the second round.

Continuing with the matches to determine the French composer of all French composers we have Godard versus Offenbach. This was a no contest. Offenbach wrote the Can-can which might be the most recognizably French piece of music in the repertoire. …

Straddling the "inside" and the "outside" like a colossus, White delivered the goods.

It is a rare, and beautiful thing to have the opportunity to witness a singular talent developing at a pace so accelerated that each performance is a learning experience for the listener. I've probably seen pianist Joshua White 20 times …

Gilbert Castellanos brought five young musicians together for an opportunity to shine on their own.

San Diego trumpet master Gilbert Castellanos is always involved in giving back to the jazz community, and the June 22 performance of "The Young Lions," at Dizzy's emerged as another classic example of this generosity. Castellanos introduced a quintet of …

Could Mickey Mouse defeat Romeo and Faust? Day one of the World Cup of Composers.

The French are going to be kicking off the World Cup of Compsers. Let’s take a look at the combatants. In Baroque pool-play we have François Couperin (1668–1733), Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632–1687), Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1645–1704), and Jean-Phillippe Rameau (1683–1764). While these …

Brainfeeder artist joins musicians from Tijuana, San Diego, and Monterrey in Zona Centro

Sixties Guns are back in action following a whirlwind encounter with a carload of tweakers that left the band’s MPC wiz John (aka Oye!Simpson) with lacerations on his hand. You can see how they’ve reloaded on Saturday, June 22 at …

The June 18 Terri Nunn & Berlin concert at the San Diego County Fair wasn't just nostalgic for the hundreds of people who remembered songs and music videos for hits such as "The Metro" and "Take My Breath Away." The …

Who is the greatest composer of all time? We're going to have a competition and settle this once and for now. I would say settle it once and for all but that's just silly.

We are going to have a classical composer world series or, I guess, world cup would be more appropriate given the popularity of futbol in most of the nations these composers will be representing. Each country will only be able …

One man, one piano and a world of ideas.

San Diegan's will have the rare opportunity to experience the piano mastery of Joshua White in a solo context on Sunday, June 23, at Dizzy's (4275 Misson Bay Dr.), at 7:00 pm. I've been listening to jazz for 35 years, …

Ocean Beats lines up another night of big bass at the Belly Up in Solana Beach

Nearly four years into their endeavor, Ocean Beats continues to highlight some of the best in local and touring bass music acts. For this installment, The Madero Group — the managing agency behind notables such as Ana Sia, David Starfire, …

South Park venue to host Kill Quanti showcase of magic and yum.

In accord with the unspoken mandate that third Thursdays shall be the monthly stronghold for some of San Diego’s most forward-thinking fringe music nights (see: Makeout Weird, Liquid Geometry, Galactic Reign), Kill Quanti beat collective will be stuffing the Weird-sized …

Fathers in opera aren't the greatest.

I went to see Man of Steel on Father’s Day with my dad and kids. A big part of the story was about fathers and it got me to thinking about fathers in opera. There is Germont in La Traviata, …

Gigging: a lesson with Saximus, master of all things altissimo

Todd Rewoldt goes by the name of Saximus, on stage. He performs in a cutting edge avant chamber group headquartered in La Mesa called Swarmius. Saximus should give away the instrument Rewoldt plays, one that he and I have in …

Solid mainstream piano trio featuring Hamilton Price and Steve Hass.

Well traveled sideman pianist George Colligan made a trio hit at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library on June 16, with an LA rhythm section comprised of Hamilton Price on bass and Steve Hass on drums. Opening with "Waiting For …

The 2013 San Diego County Fair Singer-Songwriter Contest was held on June 14, with winners taking home Taylor guitars, cash and other prizes.

The San Diego County Fair held its annual singer-songwriter contest on June 14, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The event was preceded by a set from the previous year’s winner, Josh Damigo. Held on the Paddock Stage, there was …

The back story on Britten's Sinfonia da Requiem.

I had mentioned that there was a somewhat interesting story about the creation of Benjamin Britten’s Sinfonia da Requiem so let’s take a look at that for a moment. For the record, Sinfonia da Requiem is a ridiculous title. Sinfonia …

Turetzky and Perrin transformed words into music with help from the Weller's.

Contrabass virtuoso Bert Turetzky joined forces with Chuck Perrin to present a night of bass and poetry -- specifically the works of Pablo Neruda and Jack Kerouac -- to a large and attentive audience on June 14 at Dizzy's in …

Free outdoor North Park series starts today with jazz artist Lenny Rankins.

Last minute reminder! The Bird Park Summer Concert Series kicks off this evening with a performance by jazz artist Lenny Rankins from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The free, family-friendly outdoor event is organized by the North Park Community Association and …

An extremely talented group of players helped the composer realize his ambitions.

Young composer/multi-instrumentalist Joshua Kwassman migrated into town from his NYC base on June 12, drawing a small but enthusiastic group of listeners to experience the wide-ranging and cinematic sound collages that constitute his Song of the Brother Spirits CD. This …

*Dona nobis pacem* was a singular performance in the stream of San Diego music.

There have been some great collaborations between literary types and composers: Richard Strauss and von Hofmannsthal, Mahler and Ruckert, Mozart and Da Ponte, Verdi and Shakespeare, Schubert and Schiller and Goethe, Schumann and Heine, and I’m sure there are others …

One-man industrial doom outfit drops new album, supports Phil Anselmo (Pantera, Down) on U.S. tour.

As visually provocative and he is sonically crushing, Tristan Shone designs open-source kinetic drone and dub machines to channel ecstatic, unbelievably heavy noisescapes as one-man industrial doom band Author & Punisher. “Doom metal is combining a feeling of devastation with …

Family-friendly feature includes handmade sets & costumes inspired by Bat-TV and Bat-films

Billing themselves as the "Jesters of Rock,” Collage Menage has gone through around two dozen members since forming in 1988, with identical twins Hans and Fritz Jensen as the sole constant core. “To fit in with this band, you definitely …

Refining their aesthetic for an upcoming West Coast tour, Johnson's group delighted a packed house.

The Steph Johnson Trio launched the Summer season of bi-monthly Jazz Live concerts on June 11, at the Saville Theatre and streaming on jazz88.org, another feature presentation from KSDS Jazz 88. The soulful singer has been gigging plenty with this …

Hillcrest bar, gallery, and venue becomes neighborhood tavern, Ruby Room shopping around for new location.

I was tempted to go mellon collie when, several weeks ago, Ruby Room co-owner Brittni Cute confided that she had news about the venue. Due to creative differences between owners, Brittni and her husband Sean Cute would be selling their …

Former Flying Elephant manager takes over at Midway rock and roll dive

Infamous for their emphasis on “Booze, Bikes, Bands, Broads, and Rods,” The ShakeDown Bar on Midway is changing hands about two-and-a-half years into its Loma Portal legacy. The rowdy venue, perhaps best known for its high-energy punk shows and tall …

Promoting a new album that defies easy categorization, the saxophonist makes a Dizzy's hit.

I've been spending the afternoon listening to the new disc from composer / multi-instrumentalist Joshua Kwassman as sort of a last minute preparation for his upcoming show, June 12, at Dizzy's which starts at 7:30 pm. Kwassman, who is a …

Strange Stage Stories from San Diego Musicians: Michael Halloran (91X), Doriot Lair (The Dinettes), Joel Kmak (The Hitmakers, The Farmers), Louis Brazier (Lestat's soundman) and Jack Butler (Glory, Private Domain) relate odd and interesting moments that have happened while performing...

Michael Halloran / San Diego radio mainstay: “Matisyahu. Belly Up Tavern. Goldberg the wrestler. He and his brother are part owners of the club. I asked if he would come onstage to help with announcements. He obliged. At the drip …

One of only two shows on a West Coast trip, on June 9 the Fleshtones rocked the Casbah

The Fleshtones played to a small but boisterous crowd at the Casbah on June 9, part of only two dates on this West Coast trip. A planned San Francisco date fell through at the last minute, leaving their appearance on …

The La Jolla Symphony Chorus gave a convincing argument for the merits of Schoenberg.

The La Jolla Symphony did it to me again. Previously the La Jolla Symphony had got me fired up about Stravinsky for the first time. Now it’s Schoenberg. Schoenberg is a composer whom I should adore. He’s from my favorite …

The intrepid horn man even engaged in a horn battle with himself.

Trumpet virtuoso Gilbert Castellanos turned in another one of his excellent theme-based shows on June 8, at 98 Bottles, this one titled A Tribute to Dinah Washington & Clark Terry, joined by his wife Lorraine Castellanos on vocals, with Mikan …

Lots of electricity in the air for Storey's fusion project.

On June 7, Dizzy's operator Chuck Perrin provided an opportunity to experience the work of guitarist Jim Storey's fusion project Storeylines, featuring virtuoso pianist Lynn Willard, bassist Ignacio Arango and veteran drummer Gary Nieves, with special guest vocalist Janet Hammer. …

Tijuana musician compiles mixtape for All My Friends music festival.

Tijuana musician Julio Pillado - best known for his work with bands such as Shantelle, Celofan, Inkjet, and, most recently, droney post-gaze quartet PL DVNA - compiled a mixtape on behalf of All My Friends music festival showcasing the dark …

Last Years guitarist give the lowdown on his new horror punk trio, Bat Lords

While local outfit Last Years take a hiatus, guitarist Steve Baeza continues to play straight-ahead horror punk anthems with members of Hoodrat, Mr. Nobody, and Accoutrements in a raw dog, boss hog, balls to the blade trio called Bat Lords. …

The Soft Pack return to San Diego to play in North Park with Heavy Hawaii on Friday, June 28

The Soft Pack return to play San Diego after a year or two in Los Angeles with a Friday, June 28 show at The Irenic (3090 Polk Ave. – North Park). Their second album, Strapped, dropped last September (stream it …

The finale concert of the season looks like a good one in La Jolla.

The final concert of La Jolla Symphony’s season is this weekend at Mandeville Auditorium on the campus of UCSD. There are two concerts. One on Saturday, the 8th of June at 7:30 pm and one on Sunday, the 9th of …

Outsider art and music night launches label with local loathe drone trio release

Outsider art and music night Stay Strange, headed by noise experimentalist Sam Lopez (Zsa Zsa Gabor), is inaugurating their new label with the cassette release of Monochromacy’s Cement Cathedrals EP. Pre-order the 5-song loathe-drone EP now ($6, postage paid) and …

San Diego shoegaze project relocates to Queens and takes barista gig to fund sophomore LP

Tape Deck Mountain recently announced the pending release of their sophomore album, Sway, which is due out later this year on core member Travis Trevisan's nineteen98 imprint. The first single, Always Lie, premiered on music blog Pitchfork a couple of …

Liquid Geometry teams up with producer Pluto Dash and 4816/asa Gallery in Holland to blur the lines between art and music

Experimental beat collective Liquid Geometry is expanding their focus on the visual arts with the recent debut of their Music is Art Project. "This project is 100% aimed [at] blurring the lines that separate different mediums of art and creation, …

Johnson's life has been a whirlwind of gigs, rehearsals and practice lately.

KSDS Jazz 88 kicks off their summer "Jazz Live" concert series with a premier performance on June 11, by the Steph Johnson Trio, closely on the heels of Johnson's latest CD -release Nature Girl. Johnson has been on a tear …

This is a striking pop-vocal effort, beautifully recorded.

Imperial Beach musician Teagan Taylor has a brand-new CD about to drop, Hello, which might come as a surprise to those who only know her as a solid, mainstream trumpeter and occasional vocalist. Indeed, Hello is first and foremost, a …

The experience of this trio kept things grooving.

Israel born, NYC based guitarist Roni Ben-Hur came to San Diego June 2, for an Athenaeum Jazz production at The Studio on Park Ave, joined by fellow NY heavyweights Santi Debriano on bass and Duduka Da Fonseca on drums. Ben-Hur …

Daphnis et Chloe brings back memories of waking on a summer morning.

As we turn toward summer I always turn toward impressionism. The music that immediately comes to mind is the Daphnis et Chloe Suite No. 2 by Ravel. There is something about the opening Sunrise that recalls waking up on a …

Homegrown Hour video series takes a drive thru the dives

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/02/46744/ "The Live Dive Drive is the Homegrown Hour crew and guests bar hopping in a limo, visiting live music venues," says Listen Local honcho Cathryn Beeks. "This first episode features six live dive venues on El Cajon Boulevard, interviews …

Exploring that hard-hitting place where hip hop and noise music meet, Stay Strange hosts 10shun, Bruisecaster, and Randy Chiurazzi in City Heights.

Outsider art and music night Stay Strange is kicking off a special bi-weekly June residency at The Void (3519 El Cajon Blvd. – City Heights) on Sunday, June 2 with a new matinee series that aims to bridge the gap …