Music

JAM BRITANNIA

The sun never sets on Ozric Tentacles' musical empire

Legends of the U. K. underground Ozric Tentacles will be bringing their instrumental, free form, experimental music to Colorado in support of their new album The Hidden Step. This album is their sixteenth studio album and second U. S. release. The album was recorded at the band's new studio in guitarist Ed Wynne's house, thus allowing the band more freedom during recording.

"It is an absolute luxury. We do know how lucky we are that we are able to record at our own pace, roughly, without people banging on the door and saying your time is up -- I mean, life still intervenes and you can't just spend a year making an album. Much as we have tried to in the past, we've had to speed up a bit in recent years," says keyboardist Seaweed.

The result is The Hidden Step, a seven-track album with a far-east vibe and an Egyptian theme. "There is a bit more live drums than there was on Waterfall Cities É a bit more ethnic stuff," says Seaweed. "You know our albums sort of wander into that ethnic stuff and back out again, and we've got quite a lot on this one. We were feeling quite in the mood for it. And we got John doing an almost completely flute-driven piece which is a bit of a first for us." Seaweed is speaking of John Egan, flutist and occasional vocalist. Zia Geelani on bass and Rad on drums and percussion round out the British quintet.

"We tend to look more towards north Africa and oriental inspiration, Indian inspiration, Arab inspiration, reggae dub, you know a lot of different genres that the American bands don't seem to cover so much, and that is very much from us growing up in England in sort of post-punk times when there was a lot of reggae ska. There was a lot of experimental electronica É the world music was just starting to come in during the '80s kind of thing so it is very much a sum of our influences," says Seaweed, "and they are obviously different than the influences of the Dead or Phish."

Yet the American press continues to draw comparisons between jam band legends Phish and the Grateful Dead, and what is seen as their British counterparts. It is really a misleading comparison, tending to focus more on the fan base and lifestyle than musical influences and genre. "I can see the comparisons in terms of more the kind of lifestyle or the kind of the way the fans approach us and the kind of loyalty that some fans give us. And in a way you can say [Ozric Tentacles] is a European version of an American thing, but obviously because we are European, and British specifically, we are very different. Musically I don't actually think there are all so many parallels between us and Phish and the Dead," says Seaweed.

Another common thread is the presence of tapers. "We absolutely encourage people to record with microphones. When we first started coming to the States we were very honored that people wanted to run all these tapes off the board," says Seaweed. However, with advances in technology and the superior quality of the recordings coming straight from the soundboard, some of the bootlegs were being commercially marketed and Ozric had to alter their taping policies.

"We were a bit upset," says Seaweed, "and so were the people who were doing the tape trading, to be honest. It had nothing to do with them really É there were just too many getting out and getting sold. So now the policy is that we will record from the desk É but anybody is welcome to bring microphones because tape trading is still alive and well and I love it. I'd hate to see people not swapping Ozric gigs because they are different from each other, you know. We are a band that tries not to repeat. Even if the set list looks the same on paper I can assure you the gig won't be the same. We do improvise and stuff so it is nice to have them preserved."

Ozric Tentacles has been recording and touring for over 18 years, bringing to light another similarity between the bands: longevity. "Along a sort of idealistic level [it's] because no one else is doing it really. I mean we are always expecting some young bucks to turn up and show us how to do it properly. For some reason no one really has picked up quite the same mantel that we have been carrying and we don't yet see a particular successor in the wings. So we carry on doing it, you know, because it is our mission in life to play this music."

--Jessica Vogelgesang

Ozric Tentacles will be playing with Star People at the Gothic on November 10, at the Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins on November 11, and at the Fox Theatre in Boulder on November 12.

HIP HOP: IT DON'T STOP

nGomA uses The Soiled Dove to introduce hip hop to LoDo

Local hip hop duo nGomA hosts a CD release party Friday, November 10, at The Soiled Dove in LoDo. Hailed for its quality and caliber among local releases this year, nGomA's second record Do-u- no? has been available since late August. The party on Friday is the official release event featuring three other hip hop acts. It also marks the return (or shall we say, the proper introduction) of hip hop to Lower Downtown.

This won't be your typical live music event. Using a combination of local DJs and live acts, Reese and Dap of nGomA want to give the audience a "showcase" of the diversity among hip hop acts in Denver. Soiled Dove owner and manager Frank Schultz was impressed by Do-u-no? and let the band create the lineup and format for the evening. Along with fans of nGomA and hip hop, Schultz hopes that the high-profile Friday night event will draw other LoDo music lovers into the room and open up a wider fanbase.

The show is packed with performers. From 8-9 p. m., DJ Espionage works the room. Then DJ Knee takes over until the performances begin at 10 p. m. First up is local trio Council of Word, playing a short set highlighting their recently recorded three-song EP. Then VooDoo Economics performs another short set followed by hip hop with an acid jazz feel from Koru. nGomA hits the stage last.

While planning to promote the new album, Reese and Dap decided that a live act with a full band, DJ, and rap artists would better connect with the audience. The recent addition of Kent Young on bass, DJ-120, drummer Count D and Mark-O on keyboards (both formerly of Lord of Word) brings a new and interesting element to hip hop performance. In the past, some hip hop artists have cited problems with the performance aspect of their work, which uses a lot of prerecorded instrumentation. Bands like The Roots are a great example of how a live band combination can work.

The support for live hip hop in Denver is slowly getting better, and this event is a great opportunity to see a wide variety of talent in one spot. Lower Downtown, especially, has shown little interest in the genre. The Soiled Dove, as always, is working to create a great, diverse, interesting musical atmosphere. Tickets for the event are only $5 at the door. nGomA will also open up for national act Common at the Gothic Theater on November 24.

--Judy B.

For more info, contact The Soiled Dove, 1949 Market Street, 303-299-0100. Also check out www. ngoma-online. com or hear Do-u-no? at Twist and Shout Records, 300 E. Alameda.

I never knew how big rap groups like Wu Tang could hammer things out and keep all of those giant egos in check. Of course there are only six in Jurassic5, and to tell you the truth, last I checked, Wu Tang was like at 15 one show, and three the other. Now on to the other rap group that tried to do something that these guys can doÑ harmonize. Remember Bone-Thugz-N-Harmony? Harmony?

The point is, Jurassic5 can carry a very heavy load that others think they can pack around. The rapping here flows like honey on some songs and on others chops up like a cord of wood is going to come flying through your stereo.

The sound here is very bebop driven, with some original sound loops and samples. Now there is the oxymoron of the rap communityÑ original samples. Sorry about that, but you just have to listen to this to get what I mean.

I don't get a gangsta' rap feel from this at all either. This has Gin & Juice written all over it. Hell, on track five, the loop going on is just that, a hell of a party happening in the background. I almost got high listening to the song and was just waiting for some fine hotties to come pouring out of my stereo speakers. Damn.

This fine effort even has Sherman Helmsley from "The Jeffersons" introducing track number eight. You tell me, how damned cool is that? That shows me that these guys are serious about the rap they lay down, not about some kind of image being crammed down your throat. If you like good, groovy, almost oldstyle rap, you must snag the CD brought to you by Jurassic5 via Interscope Records. A+ --Tenswing

If you want to slip some new jazz into your collection, but you're afraid of accidentally picking up something you'd hear at a dentist's office, go for the funk.

Constant Elevation is the latest effort from local megaband United Dope Front, a collection of eight excellent musicians who fuse together some of the funkiest jazz this side of the Mississippi.

Are you tired of trying to turn on the romance with Barry White? Drop these guys in at the right moment, and you're guaranteed to make, as Chef might say, love gravy. Finally, jazz that's smooth without being "smooth jazz." A- --Chris J. Magyar

I can't think of a better title for the opening track than the one Eric Shiveley gave it: "How It Happened." We get an immediate whiff of Counting Crows, and a slow segue into R. E. M.-ness that carries the rest of the album. Mr. Shiveley tends to wear his musical influences like a cheap cologne.

Fortunately, by the time "Sweeter Than Before" (track two) hits its chorus-- complete with a wa-wa guitar that's straight off of Monster-- it's hard to care where this music came from. Shiveley does more than just a fair impression of Michael Stipe's overly pronounced vocalsÑ he also creates a decent set of lyrics that invite the listener to sing along. Shiveley has that one secret ingredient so many local musicians lack: he's got something to say.

Besides, by so deftly conjuring up professional, world-famous bands, Shiveley has proven that he has the wherewithal to record a classic-sounding album. The mix is near perfect, easily the best I've heard on any Colorado recording this year, and as a result Shiveley never steps into a wrong note, never takes a wrong turn in his songwriting. To sum it all up, what Everything lacks in original sound, it makes up for in every other respect.

If you're a fan of the deep college rock that seems to be dying on the radio, run out and buy this CD. Shiveley promised me this would be the best local CD I've ever encountered. I'm not sure about thatÑ the Cherry Bomb Club still takes the honors in that categoryÑ but it's definitely not a stretch to say that everything is good.

B+ --Chris J. Magyar

Despite some atrocious harmonica work on the first track, "Throw Me A Line," this album serves its purpose well, which is to rock the house like it's 1983.

This album will fit in your collection if you like to sit around wishing you were drinking Bud out of a bottle at the local dark and dingy. Chances are, you'd be happier actually sitting in that bar and listening to Midnite Jammer (or something like it), but if you must bring the experience home, here's your chance. The vocals are professional, the lyrics are cheesy, and the guitars are strummed just hard enough to be rock and roll.

B- -- Chris J. Magyar

BEAT DIET

The last time I went to the Denver Coliseum was to see Nirvana in 1993, but there was no way in hell I was going to miss the sick jungle lineup slated for Together Productions' "Moonshine Over America Tour 2000."

Upon my arrival at the Coliseum, DJ Dara welcomed me to the jungle with his trademark vinyl stylings. Dieselboy then proceeded to set the tables on fire with his own side-splitting stash. When AK 1200 returned to the stage for a tag-team threesome with Dara and Dieselboy, my initial reservations about the venue subsided completely. Even though I didn't show up until after 10, I didn't have to miss a single headliner. For this, I was grateful.

The Denver Coliseum proved to be a more than adequate venue after all. Venders provided a variety of substenance for commonly undernourished partygoers, second level drinking fountains provided an alternative to costly bottled water, and physical human congestion was never even remotely problematic until the mass exodus at 2 a. m. Many partygoers of legal drinking age also appeared to appreciate the obviously unusual sale of beer.

Granted, there were some complaints about the 6 p. m. to 2 a. m. time frame, but all in all, Together put on a dope show. For the record, Together did everything they could to obtain after hours permits from the city of Denver and fell just short of the Mayor's signature, but the plethora of afterparty possibilities made the transition hardly unbearable.

For more info on the "Moonshine Over America Tour," check out www.moonshine.com, www.overamerica.com or www.togetherproductions.com...

Are you sick and tired of endlessly surfing the airwaves of mainstream commercial radio? Trying desperately to satisfy your hearty appetite for underground electronic music? Sounds like you need a valve job. Radiovalve, that is. Radiovalve. com provides its users with 24-hour techno Internet radio of the highest order. One look at its weekly programming schedule featuring international DJs Woody McBride, DRC, Kruder & Dorfmeister, and Richie Hawtin (Plastikman), as well as local favorites E23, GelO, and Tribal Touch will have you hooked. Radiovalve program director Brian Comerford got his start as the weekly host of Electronic Air, KGNU's Saturday night electronic music broadcast, before launching Radiovalve from Fiske Planetarium in February of 1998. What the hell are you waiting for? Turn it on!

--orange peel moses