It's a shame when musicians who perform America's original art forms - jazz, blues, and other African-American musics such as gospel and zydeco - tell us that their music is much more respected and appreciated in Europe and Japan than in this country.
Chamber music is highlighted by individuality, expressiveness, and an intimate musical experience. It’s a treat for the ears, and a break from the heaviness of orchestral concerts. Fortunately, the Quad Cities has a robust chamber tradition, and much of this can be attributed to the work of Chamber Music Quad Cities (CMQC).
If you saw John Music, the lead singer of Provoke, you would probably be able to guess he was part of the hardcore music scene, with the tattoos that peak out from his chest and run down his left calf. But looking at Terry Johnson from another local hardcore/progressive band named Transmission 13, you could never guess that they had any affiliation at all.
The group's first fundraiser brought in $126, and its organizers thought that was a pretty good number. And relatively speaking, it is. After all, the group's operating expenses to this point have totaled $6.
The committee exploring options for the River Music Center in downtown Davenport is about to undertake a feasibility study to see if the community will support its concept for the planned facility. The concept for the $7 million project is still vague, but it should give the community some sense of the project as it moves toward its scheduled completion in summer 2004.
Live music isn't an endangered species, but there are certainly fewer and fewer venues offering it these days. That's a stark contrast to a time when music was everywhere in the community. "These are significantly different times," said Nate Lawrence.
When last we left the local ambient-art-rock group INTENSITY!, it had just released a two-song album of nearly 50 minutes with the title The Stone of Madness. So we might call It All Starts Tomorrow progress toward something that at least acknowledges convention.
With two music events and a clinic for children, the Quad Cities Jazz Festival promises to brighten your Memorial Day weekend with spectacular music from nine stellar acts. The Quad Cities Jazz Fest runs Thursday through Saturday and includes singer Marilyn Maye, saxophonist Kim Park, the Southwest Missouri Jazz Band, trombonist Paul McKee, trumpet player Manny Lopez, pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Jim Widner, drummer Jim Ekloff, and guitarist Rick Haydon.
In an age of pristine and perfectly recorded CDs, Ryan Flaherty’s debut album, Dimestore Blues, is the kind of thing that would sound best on crackling vinyl. The did-it-himself collection of 10 songs – seven originals and three covers – has a rough charm that (intentionally or not) recalls the scratchy, popping recordings of the blues masters from many decades ago.
I must preface this by stating that I knew little of Galactic not long ago. I’d heard them recommended during innocent eavesdropping. I’d heard the ravings among the best of the ragtag new-wave wannabe hippies. I’d even heard some cuts off of one of the band’s albums (don’t ask me which), and I really liked them.

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