Music Muse
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Category: Local Music Notes
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■ 26 January 2010 | 4:51 PM
Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade swing into town with some speakeasy-style jazz
Click to view largerYou would have to imagine that any woman who fell in love with Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughn during her early 20s and plays a 1920s Weymann guitar would offer something unique to the present-day music world.
Miss Tess does.
She and her Boston-based band - which currently includes, according to misstessmusic.com, Alec Spiegelman on sax & clarinet, Ben Davis on upright bass, and Matt Meyer on drums - seem to be touring her fifth album "Darling, Oh Darling." It was released in October.
Think knocking on the back door of a Southern speakeasy and really old-school jazz sneaking through the cracked door.
That's Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade.
See the band live 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29 at the Taphouse in Ghent, 931 W. 21st Street, Norfolk. $8 gets you in the door.
In the meantime, sample the sound:
-Deb Markham, Music Muse contributor
ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of civility. Comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment.
■ 10 January 2010 | 3:59 PM
Local Artist Profile: DJ Cornbread
If you've ever been to the Taphouse, 37th and Zen, or The Boot, there's a chance you've heard a DJ spinning an eclectic mix of funk, soul, rock, hip hop, and latin music. Some of it you may have dug, and some of it may have been new and unfamiliar. Odds are, is that DJ was none other than DJ Cornbread.
He works with other local artists sometimes providing beats on collaborations, he's well versed with music and it's history, and there's no mistaking that he's a fine example of what intelligent hip hop was all about. Scott (what people call him when he's not behind the turntables) stands out in the local DJ scene due to the fact that he still has a preference to work with vinyl in his live sets.
He's skilled with the digital method, but to paraphrase his words from a conversation I had with him once "I want to get my black belt in vinyl, and once I've got that down I'll move on into the digital and laptops and all".
So here's a quick 6 with Scott "DJ Cornbread" Barrett.
Image courtesy of Deb Markham.
(MM is Music Muse, SB is Scott Barrett)
MM: First off. Who is DJ Cornbread through Scott Barrett’s eyes?
SB: Cornbread is a creepy mofo through my eyes, man. He's ironically way more comfortable and relaxed ONLY after he's overly critical and fiercely intense on in preparation for his works. He spends hours going through wax or online researching to make dope music.Somehow he has fun in there?...wants his stuff to be near perfection as much as possible but doesn't come off like a pompous jackhole.
MM: When you look at the local scene, as far as the Seven Cities go, what do you think it's missing, or that we could use more of?
SB: HR needs more and less of what it already has. We need to culitivate MORE culture into our nightlife or general community ( that is not to say that we do not have good community already). A good portion of HR confines to the "Whatever your used to won't get you hurt" mentality which is somewhat synonymous with the "we mock what we do not understand" mindset...I feel like HR could use a tad less of that frame of mind. To be fair, we do have horrible representations of hiphop that have been given the stage to perform and enlighten and instead have branded us all to be just F'd up to alot of HR communities...for example. It also wouldn't hurt if people didn't front on something good ( yeah, I said it. ) Just because you've never heard of it before doesn't mean you cant get down to it.
MM: What inspires you when you’re developing your next set list, or in the lab putting together the next podcast?
SB: Could be anything ( shrugs shoulders).... a day, a place, an event, something someone mentioned, something that wouldn't make sense to do, chilean 70's porn films, bad dreams after heavy drinking episodes, something a friend said...I think its mostly crafting a way to introduce just good music and not compromising the art of being a dj by going the easier route and playing something you know like the back of your hand. It feels good to be surprised...I think its important that I do battle with myself to put out the best example of an alternative option to getdown.
MM: What has been the most pivotal point or experience in your music career to this point?
SB: The most pivotal point my dj career is 2 things: 1.) looking back on the day I made the decision to buy my own turntables as opposed to paying my rent on time. 2.) leaving my bedroom to play for an audience greater than the usual three homies at time. Dan tres Omi deserves alot of credit to me coming this far as well.
MM: What ground do you feel remains unbroken and unexplored to DJ world?
SB: thats a tough one....you feel like you've heard it all until you see or hear dj's making beats out of Fisher-Price toys live on stage....I think maybe more organic exploration. bands with dj's- maybe? I dunno...I think about that this question all the time. hmmmmmm. (Scott puts on a thinking face.)
MM: Anything else you feel the world should know about Cornbread? If you don't, give us an idea of what your Grammy acceptance speech for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical would be ?
SB: I have a martial arts film fetish. I would throatchop a baby for original pressings of Bluenote (not like that has ever been presented as an option to me). Bread pudding is my favorite food. I think people who enjoy deviled eggs are f'ing insane. I think I could live with spending the rest of my years in jail if it meant that i could properly bludgeon Glen Beck in the face.
My grammy acceptance speech would be simple...i would walk on stage, pee myself, say thanks 8 octaves higher than I normally would and pass out backstage.
Much thanks to Cornbread for giving us a bit of his time, humor, and insight. As always, if there's a local artist you'd like to see six quick questions from, leave us a comment or catch up to the Music Muse on Facebook or Twitter.
Now turn off the computer, turn on some music, and dance like no one's watching.
Listen: Check out DJ Cornbread's PodOMatic podcasts:
-Rob Waters
ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of civility. Comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment.
■ 09 January 2010 | 9:34 PM
A local music profile : Jon Bibbs
With yesterday being what would have been Elvis' 75th birthday, it seemed appropriate to stop and look at someone who's a part of the soulful R&B genre that influenced Elvis' sound, as well as someone who creates in a medium that draws from the worlds of soul and rock. Both are known commodities in Hampton Roads' music scene, and were kind enough to lend some insight to just who they are. Today the Muse will look at Jon Bibbs. Tomorrow, the Muse will be looking at Scott Barrett, known both affectionately to friends and professionally as DJ Cornbread.
At first glance, Job Bibbs is a pretty personable guy with a smile and a soft voiced greeting for anyone who crosses his path. It's a good thing that it's really how Jon is, even when not in public. A school administrator by day, he's a soulful Peninsula crooner by night, weekends, and whenever he gets the chance. Jon also finds time for studio work, as well as keeping in touch with his fans via his JonBibbs.com site and a live web broadcast of everything from studio work to his writing process.
(MM is Music Muse, and JB is Jon Bibbs)
MM: Who "is" Jon Bibbs? In your own words, of course.
JB: You know, the strange part is I don't know how to define myself in words. If I put it all into words, I'm sure I'd have lots of contradictions. Literary musician, creative academic, western-minded Afrocentrist. There are a lot of ingredients that make me who I am... I'm still trying to find the words for it.
MM: When you look at the local scene, as far as the Seven Cities go, what do you think it's missing, or that we could use more of?
JB: I found my muse here in Hampton Roads, so this musical scene is very precious to me. There are somethings I think we lack though. Number one among these things is collaboration of an inter-genre nature. I think we could benefit and expand our creative horizons by reaching across genres (which usually is divided by ethnic, political, cultural and economic lines) we can push toward greater expression.
In a business sense, we need more venues to play - venues that are open to all kinds of music.
MM: What inspires you to create music on a constant basis?
JB: If you would have asked me this question 5 years ago, I would have said "love". But now, I'm most inspired by our humanity. Being a school administrator in Richmond, I really do look at our children and see that we have the potential to build a greater society than what we have now. The sheer possibility of our humanity (either in a negative or positive light) is really remarkable.
MM: What has been the most pivotal point or experience in your music career to this point?
JB: The most pivotal point of my career so far was the release of my record "Unbreakable" (2005). There was such an outpouring of support for that project that it really did make me take my creativity more seriously.
MM:. What's your vision of where Jon Bibbs will go, as far as musical aspirations go?
JB: My greatest aspiration at this point is to write music that will accurately characterize our time. I want to be a musical griot - a keeper of tradition and history through my music. I want my melodies and my words to be testaments of our human struggle, to inspire imagination about how we can become more.
MM: Anything else you feel the world should know about Bibbs? If you don't, give us an idea of what your Grammy acceptance speech would be for "Best Male R&B Vocal Performance"?
JB: If I were ever to win Grammy, here's what my speech would look like:
"Giving honor to the Most High God, this is such a momentous award! I gladly accept it - not for my work, not for my music, but for the people who sowed into my creativity, the countless people, musicians, poets, painters, photographers and other artists who have motivated me to this work. This award is ours. This award belongs to the thousands of independent artists who create and play and sing their hearts out - not for personal gain, or self aggrandizement, but for the edification of all human kind. Thank you for choosing my music as a representation of this movement. I hope this award - given tonight- can be an inspiration to a new generation of like-minded creative spirits! Thank you and God Bless."
Thanks to Jon Bibbs for giving us a little of his time. Tomorrow we'll look into the mind of Scott "Cornbread" Barrett with six short questions. If there's a local musician that you'd like to see some insight on in six questions, let us know who in a comment, or hit us up on our Facebook or Twitter.
Now get out there and let the music play!
-Words: Rob Waters
-Image: Courtesy JB Live
Would you like to become a Music Muse contributor? Send an email to hrmusic@pilotonline.com.
ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of civility. Comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment.
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