These two wonderful musicians majestically settled into Monkeyclaus quite comfortable. Setting up their zone in the Live Room , they began the music making process with a few home made dehydrated sour cherries picked from Peter's cherry tree outside the studio. They cut 7 tracks and then continued the session in the bus where they were interviewed in depth and out of inspiration. Soon the recordings, interview and multi media slice of the creative process for The Honey Dew Drops will be ready to enjoy online .

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Whether she be singing tales of Siamese Twins, Virginia Wolf's suicide, or a long lost lover's return in a cedar box Marissa's songs tend to tell stories. Just recently has she begun to create, record, and perform "confessional" songs, as she called them in our interview. Both the narrative and personal songs contain the same ethereal timbre and delivery, placing them both in a category which transcends this world. The majority of the subject matter is morose but the voice that delivers it prevents this sadness from bogging down the listener. I would go as far as to say her music is ultramundane.

Over the years, Marissa recorded a number of tracks for compilations, a 7 inch vinyl, created full "ghost" albums never released, compiled a tour CD of rarities (available upon request), and released two full length albums via Eclipse Records. Her newest album entitled "Songs III: Bird on the Water" is highly anticipated here in the US where is will be available through the Peacefrog label soon. The record is already available throughout Europe where is has received much critical praise. Marissa is doing some extensive touring to promote the album so catch her if you can. She will enchant thee.

Marissa Nadler Interview.mp3
Marissa Nadler Live.mp3

Mar 15 2007 SXSW - Kemado Showcase at Bourbon Rocks Austin, Texas

Mar 16 2007 SXSW- Special Guest at Eclipse Showcase Austin, Texas

Mar 17 2007 SWSW- Kemado Party at Positvely 4th Street Austin, Texas

Mar 23 2007 Sin-e in NYC - Closing Party New York, New York

Apr 10 2007 Zurich, Switzerland - Lac at Rote Fabrik Zurich

Apr 19 2007 Vanha, Helsinki, Finland Helsinki

Apr 20 2007 Telakka- Tampere, Finland, with Lau Nau Tampere

Apr 21 2007 Jyrock Festival - Finland Jyvaskyla

Apr 24 2007 Les Femmes s'en Mêlent - Paris, France Paris

Apr 25 2007 Art-School-Bar /Oslo, Norway Oslo

Apr 28 2007 Gothenberg, Sweden Gothenberg

Apr 29 2007 Oreboro, Sweden Oreboro

Apr 30 2007 Stockholm, Sweden Stockholm

May 1 2007 Bush Hall, London - Live Nation Show London

May 4 2007 Corwall, England- details tba Cornwall

May 5 2007 The Tin Angel Coventry

May 8 2007 Women's Festival/UK London

May 9 2007 Manchester, England - the Pheonix club Manchester

The recent Akron/Family show in Charlottesville, Virginia at the Satellite Ballroom, was a heartwarming and curious spectacle. It was a marathon set, cosmically infused, and chocked full o' "schizo-frenetic" delights. After local openers, The Great White Jenkins, delivered a sweet and contemplative set, the house music quickly changed over to vintage Michael Jackson classics form the Quincy Jones era. The Akron fellows bounced all around the club, setting up their gear and preparing to rock, while constantly dancing and laughing.

As they settled into performance mode, the mood shifted once again to a quiet mantra sung in four part harmony in the tradition of American roots music and spirituals. After droning on the chorus, "Love and Space" the band then turned the lone vocal mic they were all four singing into towards the audience, letting them carry on the song and sentiment. This was the first signal that their show was meant to be an experiment in group dynamics, and something to participate in rather than merely observe. Over the course of the next two hours, the moods and sounds that sprang forth from the stage shifted often and spontaneously. Different songs carried grooves reminiscent of the myriad elements of musical lore. The band conjured heavy riffs, brought loud ambient drones, crooned sensitive acoustic ballads, burst into moments of free jazz madness, and evoked thoughts of esteemed comrades such as Neil Young, Frank Zappa, CCR, and the Dead.

Akron/Family have a presence on stage which is very relaxed and enthusiastic. They talk nonsense about things such as "wylde tigers" and channel "dolphin energy". They improvise musically within songs, and within the flow of the entire event. The Akron approach is one that is completely devoid of any "control freak". The horn section of The Great White Jenkins was invited on stage on a few different occasions to amp up the overall sound and add more spontaneity into the mix. One such endeavor mutated into a floor stomping, hootin' and hollerin' gospel-esque jam with saxophone leads soaring above it all. It is hard to tell at times if things are meant to be comic or earnest, but surely the band doesn't waste too much time worrying about external perceptions and just carries on, obviously having immense amounts of fun. The show climaxed with dozens of folks on stage, full horn section, folks playing the drums, shakers, noise making stuffed animals, recorders and whistles, and singing while the band was dancing through the crowd and ad-libbing some crazy shit, yelling about this and that. It was a very soul-elevating experience.

The Akron/Family is Seth Olinsky (various instruments, vocals), Miles Seaton (various instruments, vocals), Dana Janssen (various instruments, vocals), Ryan Vanderhoof (various instruments, vocals). They released their third album "Meek Warrior" last year on M. Gira's Young God Records and have been touring semi-constantly for years.

Check the band's internet presence here and here for tour dates, to hear songs and buy records.

Peace!

Matthew Clark March 2007

Live at the Tea Bazaar
Tea Bazaar Audio
Note: There is a file embedded within this post, please visit this post to download the file.

Bobby resides in Nelson County Virginia, a little gem of a county which offers majestic Blue Ridge Mountain peaks, secluded mountain hollows and the most authentic of Appalachian mountain culture, juxtaposed with boutique living, mountaintop condo communities and up-scale bistros. Over thirty years ago John Fogerty became enamored with the mountains of Nelson County and set up shop for a while, living and recording solo albums in one such aforementioned mountain hollow. Throughout the ages and in the face of all challenges, the real mountain culture seems to carry on just fine round here, albeit in less abundance. Bobby, being a part of that culture, is now hand building a home for his wife, son and daughter. Between his employment, home building and family responsibilities, he still finds time to write, perform, and record some of the most relevant and bone-chilling mountain music, which is both timely and timeless.

Bobby is an original founding member of Charlottesville's Hackensaw Boys, a wily, rotating collective of raucous players, and acoustic rippers. The Hackensaw's tore up the American highways for years in a 1964 diesel bus, eventually finding themselves on massive tours with bands such as the Flaming Lips, Modest Mouse, De La Soul and Cake, just doing their thing, playing the same mountain music they played in hometown divebars. They also have achieved much success in Europe and beyond. Bobby ducked out of the limelight somewhere in the midst of this chaotic shuffle and has settled into family life and the creation of more contemplative and somber sounds. His songs have a classic lyrical quality which is found with few song writers. The world has seen millions come and go but few are remembered. Bobby deserves a space in our cultural memory alongside Hank Williams, A.P. Carter, John Lennon and Elliot Smith. The songs really are that good.

Holy Bear Crossing is a nod to the literal French meaning of Bobby's surname, and an earnest nod to the spirit of the bear who survives in these same hills, in the shadows of the bistros, wineries and gated communities. The album was recorded last year in the Monkeyclaus studio, in Nelson County, Virginia, by Abel Okugawa and Peter Agelasto with assistance from Raphael Snably.

Bobby will be performing next in Charlottesville at the Star Hill Brewery, downstairs, on March 3rd, with Old Crow's Critter Fuqua and his talented brother Philip St. Ours, as support for other Monkeyclaus mountain music favorites "Casa de Chihuahua".

Listen to a recent live set of Bobby playing at the Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar.

Matt Valentine and Erika Elder came to the Dust warehouse, in Charlottesville Virginia, on Sunday February 4th to headline an evening of cosmic free music and improvisation. The duo grooved a special "late night hang" joined by their dog Zuma. MV&EE currently live and make sounds in Brattleboro, Vermont where Valentine organized the Free Folk Festival featuring Charalambrides, Dredd Foole, Jack Rose and Sunburned Hand Of The Man and many other free artists in years past. While, for the past decade Valentine and/or Elder's work was extremely hard to find, existing in 100 edition pressings (very limited) they have since signed to Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace Label. They are now channeling their recent release "Green Blues" out of the shelter of the darkwoods and into the world of internet distribution. Valentine's heavy acid slide guitar jams burst with color and interplay excellently with Elder's home spun lap steel psychedelia and toy electric guitar drones. With songs like "East Mountain Joint" and other songs about living in the beautiful mountains of Vermont, Elder's voice recalls those lofty and eerie Appalachian Gospel sounds slowly decaying beneath the weight of an old Gramophone. The couple continues to foster Free Folk beyond the inner limits of popularized Freak Folk, and residing comfortably between Free-Jazz Jam and Roots Americana. Free Folk may be underground, but its still free. Listen as Valentine and Elder share their music, and discuss free folk, caves, and sharing in Vermont.

Kohoutek Live Feb. 4th at Dust
Audio
Note: There is a file embedded within this post, please visit this post to download the file.

Avant-noise benders Grand Banks opened the happening as a six piece improvisation. Joined by Paul Watson (of Them Against Them, Glorious Company) and Matthew Clark (Ostinato). The traditionally minimal DIY jazz core power couple was suddenly transformed with Watson's trumpet shimmering through a sea of bright and positive texture. Soon after DC psych-rock explorers Kohoutek sailed into the outer-realm with bulldozer bass lines reaching the crossroads of psyche, prog, drone and noise.

Enjoy the Live Recordings of all three. We certainly enjoyed making them!

Summoning the days of yore, Tanakh's Monkey Session was something which captured the true spirit of traveling musicians.  The recording session showcased the resilience of the human spirit and the power found in turning duress into beauty.  The Italian five-piece collective arrived to our studio road-weary and bleary-eyed at midnight, after a 14 hour drive from Bloomington, Indiana.  The final leg of the journey found Tanakh lost in the Blue Ridge Mountains, separated from their destination, Monkeyclaus, by only one large mountain.  Our scout, sent to collect Tanakh, found them hungry, frustrated, and tired.  Several pizzas and two bottles of wine later, a newly inspired mood was imparted and the band reborn.

Monkey Session #5
audio
Note: There is a file embedded within this post, please visit this post to download the file.

The decision to record informally on the porch of our farmhouse proved to be a perfect match for the moment.  Tanakh set up across the porch in rocking chairs, porch swings and old wooden chairs and proceeded to manifest the gypsy-inspired sounds of genuine spontaneous Appalachain porch-folk.  Monkeyclaus is where worlds collide and influences meld into one coherent gumbo.  Tanakh played naturally and beautifully with a melange of familiar, borrowed, and improvised instruments.

Tanakh currently consists of Jesse Poe, Viola Mattioli, Oretta Giunti, Matteo Bennici, and Umberto Trivella.  Poe is the founding member and an ex-Virginian / ex-Patriot living as a musician in Florence, Italy.  The group was co-founded with Them Against Them's Phil Murphy in Richmond, Virginia many years ago.  Over time Jesse has remained the sole constant, while working with dozens of talented individuals.  *(see Jesse's myspace page to soak in the full roster)* This Monkey Session is the sound of Tanakh on tour in May 2006 in the days following their gorgeous performance at the Terrastock 6 Psychedelic Music Festival in Providence, Rhode Island.  Please also check out our previous post of an e-mail interview with Tanakh which we think you may find very intriguing.  Enjoy!

Jeffrey A. Stolz and Wallace J. Cochran are bandits from Lawrence, Kansas who steal hearts and blow minds. They are a two-headed crooner beast. In the world of nomadic-folk-rock they are perhaps best known as inventors of the tambourine shoe. Carefully balancing their reputation as down home American folks, with the reality of their sublime intellectualisms, these troubadours deliver the goods. To behold them live is to feel a mix of nostalgic carnival feelings and the holy reverence of high art. They use harmonium and guitar as their primary melodic tools along with their sweet and gritty voices. Drakkar Sauna offer a show that is both consistent and full of daydreams and surprises. They recently made a blood pact with Portland, Oregon's prolific Marriage Records Label. Monkeyclaus was fortunate to capture the pride of Lawrence, Kansas live at the Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar a few months back. Presented here are some audio highlights of that encounter. Enjoy!

http://drakkarsauna.com/
http://www.myspace.com/drakkansasauna
http://www.marriagerecs.com/

Over the years you may have heard the beauty of Bobby's singing and songwriting with great local bands such as The Hackensaw Boy's and The Virginia Jihad. You can still occasionally catch a live solo performance in or around Charlottesville, but for the most part he has been spending his time in the great Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia building a house for his loving wife Emma and their two beautiful children Corin and Mia.

Box of Pine
Box of pine audio

Dead Bird on My Shoulder
audio

Mother Earth
audio
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In early 2006, Bobby blessed the ears and hearts of Monkeyclaus with a three day recording session. In those three days Bobby reached deep into his magic top hat and pulled out sixteen incredible songs for his up and coming solo album. In addition to his already mesmerizing guitar and vocals, Bobby also played stellar banjo and fiddle on many of the tracks.

Here is one sample from his (soon to be released) solo album.

Live at The Jefferson Theater - Charlottesville
Sarah White Audio

Monkeyclaus is additionally very excited to facilitate the live recording of Sarah White also from the Jefferson Theater on April 20, 2006. Miss White is Charlottesville's best kept secret in the artistic realm along with Hillbilly Werewolf. An underground singer-songwriter, White spent time growing up in both Virginia and West Virginia, which seemingly has paid off in spades. White is cool and classic all the way -- think Carter Family with a modern twist. The guitar is a sweet old Gibson acoustic, that runs a line between folk, rock, country, and punk. The lyrics are the dessert or the desert flower. Look for more excellence in the near future from Sarah and her fine band The Pearls.

Check out Sarah White's website

On April 20th 2006, Monkeyclaus recorded King Wilkie live at the Jefferson Theater in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia. It was an idyllic Virginia spring evening as the music echoed out into the downtown pedestrian mall, and King Wilkie delighted hundreds of fans inside. It was an inspired performance. King Wilkie said they had not played the downtown mall since last playing on the small stage at Miller’s years ago. The audience seemed very pleased to have King Wilkie back home and onstage. Jim Waive and the Yong Divorcees and Sarah White also gave inspired opening performances. Experience again this incredible night of music from the beloved Jefferson Theater, in the comfort of your own surroundings.

King Wilkie Set List from Charlottesville

Billy Means' Blues
Rockabye
Wrecking Ball
Father
Mother
Brandy Wine (acoustic)
Broke Down & Lonesome
Millie's Song
Damn Yankee Lad
Cold Winds
The Man in Me
Ms. Peabody (Lobby Version)
Its Been a Long Time
Angeline

Encores:
Its Not Easy
Trouble in Mind