Boulez conducts CSO in Mahler's Seventh for PBS/Photo: Todd Rosenberg

By Dennis Polkow

“I knew when I received ‘the call’ that something was out of the ordinary,” admits Pierre Boulez, who was on sabbatical from conducting in order to compose back in October when Chicago Symphony Orchestra management interrupted him with an SOS to step in for an ailing Riccardo Muti. “The second sentence,” he laughs, “was something like, ‘We know that you are free.’ ”

The irony was that Boulez himself was having health issues. “I had eye surgery for glaucoma that was completely unforeseen. I asked my doctors, ‘Can it wait?’ ‘No,’ they said because it was a difficult repair and they are now very happy with how it all went. I am not entirely happy with my eyes, but it is early yet. The left eye has already improved. I see, but not clearly.”

“But I did accept,” says Boulez, “for the team here, which is wonderful. And for Muti, who was at the end of his strength and was very anxious to go home to his doctor. I was in the same case with an ophthalmologist here, so I could understand him very well, wanting to get back home to his own doctor.”

Did Muti himself ever contact Boulez at any point along the process? “He was initially so de-energized, but I did get two very nice messages from him later on thanking me.” Read the rest of this entry »

Isolée

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Through gently twinkling melodies and subtle machine beats, German microhouse innovator Rajko Müller, aka Isolée, possesses a rare talent in finding that illusive soul in the machine—the warmth and depth and emotion that is inexplicably a greater sum than the whole of its whirring, clicking, robotic parts (as evidenced by his early release on Playhouse, a sublime remix of Blaze’s house classic “Lovelee Dae”). His debut album “Rest” would follow in 2000, tent-poled by his previously released breakthrough track “Beau Mot Plage” and the eerie “I Owe You.” But only a mere smattering of releases would follow until 2005 with the unveiling of “We Are Monster,” which showcased a greater range, from the post-apocalyptic soundtrack feel of opener “Pictureloved,” to the classic R&B-infused riffing and twisted Americana of “Schrapnell.” Fast-forwarding to 2010, Isolée has remained active on the remix front with unexpected gold found from retreads of French next-big-thing the Shoes, and Ed Banger’s resident disco freak Mickey Moonlight. And while the latter showcases an incredible juxtaposition of off-kilter bending piano notes and warbled bliss with vocals, we wouldn’t expect to hear it, as Isolée is performing a rare live set—his first in Chicago since 2005—in support of his latest release on Dial, “The Fantastic Researches Of Yushin Maru.” But with an upcoming full-length on DJ Koze’s Pampa label set for January 21, Chicago fans will likely be treated to a preview of this much-anticipated release. Strong local support is also lined up for the night, with a live performance from Quadratic and the debut tag-team DJ appearance of techno stalwart Frankie Vega and underground makeparty machine Sevron. And just to make sure all of your senses are immersed in the evening, live visuals will be provided by video artist Kawa. File Under: Do Not Miss. (Duke Shin)

December 2 at Empty Bottle, 1035 North Western, (773)276-3600. 9:30pm. $10.

RECOMMENDED

Although many of us think of the holiday season as being in full swing now that Thanksgiving is behind us, there was a time when Christmas actually began on December 25 and extended to January 6, the full “Twelve Days of Christmas” known to us in song. The season itself would then extend to encompass a full forty days, ending on February 2.

As inconceivable as it would be to us today, the weeks prior to Christmas, or Advent, were actually an austere, penitent time when no music could be played. As such, Johann Sebastian Bach wanted the first sounds of Christmas itself to be particularly jubilant, blazing forth with trumpets, timpani and chorus festively welcoming the newborn Savior.

Eighteenth-century German Lutheran worship services were literally all-morning affairs. The Leipzig services that Bach musically oversaw included biblical readings, hymn singing, organ preludes and postludes, a long and dramatic sermon, and a musical cantata based on the lesson for that day for vocal soloists, orchestra and chorus that Bach himself composed and directed. Read the rest of this entry »

After 2008’s acclaimed “SMV” (Heads Up), made in collaboration with fellow bassists Stanley Clarke and Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller reemerges with a brilliant live recording that shows every side of his musicality, which ranges from jazz-fusion to gospel to neo-soul.

Backed by a symphony orchestra and a fantastic band band that includes Raul Midon (vocals), Roy Hargrove (trumpet) and newcomer Alex Han (alto saxophone), Miller sets the tone by opening  with the instrumental “Blast,” a tune that starts with tablas and sitars and then moves on into more funky territory with the full orchestra in a fiery crescendo. Midon shines both on the acoustic funk  “State of Mind” and “Your Amazing Grace,” the latter being a neo-soul rereading of the gospel classic where the singer reflects on his newfound spirituality in a time where faith seems so hard to find. Hargrove takes the lead on the beautifully melodic “I’m Glad There Is You,” the only tune where Miller sounds to be slightly more subdued, allowing the trumpeter and the orchestra to take center stage.

Among the surprises is a medley featuring “O Mio Bambino Caro” (made famous by Maria Callas) and a fun take on Jorge Ben’s Brazilian soul classic “Mas Que Nada” Also,  Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit,” with guest pianist Herbie Hancock, closes the disc with great style. ”A Night in Monte Carlo” shows every facet of Miller’s talent and musical taste, and it is a great addition to the canon of the Miles Davis Band veteran (Ernest Barteldes)

“A Night in Monte Carlo”
Marcus Miller
(Heads Up)

Saxophonist and vocalist Walter Beasley is one of those rare musicians who is able to see music as a whole and who also has the ability to blur the lines between genres. On his fifteenth release, he delves into soul, R&B, smooth jazz and even hip-hop with equal fluency. Opening the disc singing lead on Bill Withers’ timeless classic “Lovely Day,” he sets the tone for the rest of the album, which follows a smooth-jazz flavor spiced with touches of other sounds.

One of the tracks that immediately catch the listener’s attention is Beasley’s update of Isaac Hayes’ “Ellie’s Love Theme” (credited on the disc as “Ellie’s Theme”), a tune originally featured on the soundtrack of the classic 1971 film”Shaft.” While its composer’s orchestra-laden version was created to create the background for a love scene in the movie, Beasley’s take has more of a neo-soul feel that allows for some free improvisation around the melody. Another great moment comes with “Ooh Child,” a tune made famous by Nina Simone that here receives a more up-tempo feel. Fans hip to new sounds will certainly recognize Drake’s “Find Your Love,” in which multi-instrumentalist Chris Davis supplies a suitable backdrop for Beasley’s sax and wordless vocal grooves.

Among the originals, Davis’ “Expressway” stands out thanks to the funky instrumental backing, which allows Beasley to weave around the few empty spaces. “Backatcha!” is a testament to the saxophonist’s enduring talent. (Ernest Barteldes)

“Backatcha!”
Walter Beasley
(Shanachie)

“Carols for a Cure” has reached its twelfth edition with the same objective: to reunite the performers of currently running Broadway shows in the production of a CD relevant to the holidays. The two-disc album features a collection of both traditional and original material—all recorded to benefit Broadway Cares, an organization dedicated to fighting AIDS.

Previous editions contained plenty of humorous and satirical material (last year they featured a mock treatment to “The Twelve Days of Christmas” from the cast of “Jersey Boys,” for example), this time around the casts mostly went with revamping better-known material within the format of their shows. The disc opens with Chuck Berry’s “Run Run Rudolph,” from the players in “The Million Dollar Quartet,” reimagined if Elvis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis had recorded it back in 1956—complete with Lewis-like piano riffs and Perkins-styled chord solos. “Mamma Mia” contributes a sunny take on O Holy Night,” while “West Side Story” comes up with a touching bilingual version of “O Come All Ye Faithful.”  “The Addams Family” is featured with “It’s Chanukah,” the token song in honor of the Jewish  holiday.

“My Fair Lady” stays true to its character, with narrations from “Henry Higgins” (Thomas M. Hammond) pestering “Eliza Doolitle” (Rachel Moulton) for her cockney enunciation—all using dialogue directly adapted from the famous play. The cast of “La Cage Aux Follies” (including stars Kelsey Grammer and Douglas Hodge) gives a beautiful rendition of “We Need a Little Christmas,” while “In The Heights” comes up with the original “Vengan!,” a catchy Christmas salsa. Read the rest of this entry »

Holiday albums are inevitable for any kind of artist (even Bob Dylan tackled the genre in 2009), and it is hard to bring much innovation to the classics that most people know, especially if you are doing it for the third time.

This is the case of Take 6: after releasing two Christmas albums (1991’s “He Is Christmas” and 1999’s “We Wish You A Merry Christmas,” both on Warner Bros. Records), the Alabama-formed sextet explores the holiday catalogue once again. While the two first were more religious, this time around they include more secular songs, such as “White Christmas” and I’ll Be Home For Christmas” and “Jingle Bells.” The biggest surprise is the suite “Mr. Grinch/You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” a very tongue-in-cheek rendition of a classic that is hardly ever featured in this kind of disc.

The group’s vocals are impeccable. On “I’ll Be Home,” the vocal arrangement goes into a very soulful direction, while “The Sugarplum Dance” blends their classical training with their gospel and jazz influences, especially their vocal homage to Miles Davis. (Ernest Barteldes)

“The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”
Take 6
(Heads Up International)

By John Alex Colón

Enter the box set. Such backward trips through past creations, recent efforts and unreleased recordings are reserved for the end of the road, the geriatric frontman’s shameless grasps at the straws of relevance. With Richie Hawtin’s Plastikman project, such relevance is not only palpable, but also possesses an inertia poised to upend the electronic music live performance.

Hawtin acknowledges his defiance of the natural order and explains that his newest project, “Arkives,” encompasses all things Plastikman in an effort to “go back to some of those ideas we wanted to do back in those early days in Detroit, back to the early Plastikman shows.” His goal is to develop the moniker and live performance, which requires an update for longtime and newfound fans.

Such progression requires a sense of history and Hawtin’s answer is this comprehensive box set, which aggregates seventeen years of Plastikman material. The limited collection must be pre-ordered before December 31, 2010, and only the number of orders placed will be manufactured. Read the rest of this entry »

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Dubfire, half of the legendary progressive house superduo, Deep Dish, is in town for his last Chicago visit of the year. Dubfire’s approach to techno and tech-house ignites many a dance floor, fueled by driving grooves and relentless beats, subtly augmented by synths, vocal samples and infectious minimal techno elements. Dubfire’s Sci+Tec imprint boasts club-movers such as Paul Ritch and Oliver Huntemann, both of whom have partnered with Dubfire’s dark and sultry sound. The accolades continue to roll in for this DJ veteran, and this holiday weekend he joins Richie Hawtin in a coordinated attempt to destroy the Spy Bar massive. (John Alex Colón)

November 26 at Spy Bar, 646 North Franklin, (312)337-2191. 10pm. $12-$29.

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Freakeasy’s two-year run in the underground loft scene is over but the vibe lives on in a post-Thanksgiving soiree at Metro that features Deee-lite’s former songstress, Lady Miss Kier. The Freakeasy 2nd Anniversary Freakin’ Ball celebrates the continued tenure of the fabled Freakeasy initiative and rumor has it this won’t be the last time it visits Metro. Expect the finest underground sounds from the illmeasures DJs, including Striz and Justin Reed, a live set from Brad Miner, Radiohiro and MC Zulu. Additional highlights include live art installations around the venue to complement the musical performances. Presale tickets are available at http://freakeasy.net. (John Alex Colón)

November 26 at Metro, 3730 North Clark, (773)549-4140. 8pm. Tickets $20-$30. 18+.