Akitsa & other: May 2008

Saturday, 31 May 2008

Inara George gets fatherly guidance from Van Dyke Parks

Mike Andrews, the producer of Inara George's new album, "An Invitation," calls it "the father-and-daughter record she never got to make." That might sound strange to students of Los Angeles rock history, who know that the singer's father, Lowell George, the eccentric and brilliant leader of the rock band Little Feat, died in 1979 of a heart attack at age 32.

But it's not so strange when you observe the relationship between Inara George and the paternal figure who collaborated with her on the album. Eccentric and brilliant in his own right, arranger-conductor Van Dyke Parks was her father's best friend and occasional studio partner. In fact, when Parks recorded the new album's orchestral parts at Sunset Sound studios in Hollywood late last year, he was working in the same room where he'd done production for Lowell and Little Feat in the early '70s.

"An Invitation" is more than the realization of a long-anticipated personal collaboration. On a symbolic level, it marks a convergence of two generations steeped in the city's musical DNA.

On one side is the era of freewheeling creativity that churned at Warner Bros. Records in the late '60s and early '70s, when Parks and Lowell circulated with the likes of Ry Cooder and Randy Newman, Captain Beefheart and the Mothers of Invention. The other part of its legacy is the current bohemian indie-pop scene that has nurtured Inara, bringing her into contact with fellow free spirits such as Eleni Mandell and Becky Stark. (Their informal trio, the Living Sisters, performs today at the Topanga Days Festival.)

So here they are, the old-school Parks, in overalls and bow tie, and the beaming daughter of Topanga, now with a musical bond to add to their lifelong friendship.

"I think I met Inara on the day she was born; I'm not sure of that, but certainly shortly thereafter," says Parks, 65. "So all of this is really a profoundly satisfying moment for me."

George, sitting near Parks in the Hollywood house where she lives with her husband, movie director Jake Kasdan, smiles in agreement, savoring the full-circle shape this partnership represents.

"It was just as much a part of his thing as it was mine once I handed it to him," she says of the new music. "I mean, to have somebody like Van Dyke make an orchestration of your little song, very few people have had that experience, and it's really exciting."

Actually, quite a few people have had the experience of working with Parks, as arranger, producer, composer or accompanist, but it's still a pretty select group, starting with such names as U2, Fiona Apple, the Byrds, Randy Newman, Tim Buckley and Brian Wilson.

A big part of it all

Born in Mississippi and raised in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Parks moved to California in the early '60s and became a key figure in the decade's creative explosion. Working at Warner Bros., he produced Newman's first album, and his own 1968 work "Song Cycle" has endured as a cult classic of daring pop expressionism.

His legend grew when he served as lyricist for Brian Wilson on the Beach Boys' storied epic "Smile," which was eventually shelved and only completed and released this decade.

When Parks took his seat at Disney Hall for Wilson's performance of the album in 2004, the audience gave him a standing ovation.

Parks became disillusioned with the music industry's accounting practices in the early '70s, and though he's kept his distance from the business, he's worked steadily and put out four more albums of his own, the last in 1989.

He's a little coy on the subject of a new one, saying that his use of large ensembles would require a major investment. Still, the material is there. "I write songs all the time," he says. "I think it's safe to say I have an album of songs. . . . I think I'm going to put one or two of them up on MySpace because I want to remind people that I have an interest in the song form as the most powerful political weapon of our time, and I want to be part of it."

Parks also has connected with younger artists, working in recent years with Rufus Wainwright, the Scissor Sisters, Silverchair, Vic Chesnutt and Joanna Newsom, among others.

"It's rewarding to be useful and to escape the ageism which is rife in this town," he says. "What I want is to just grow musically. And the way that I nurture that essentially is by having the opportunity to arrange for people. That will probably be my epitaph.

"I've always maintained my best instrument is my ear," he continues. "I'm assiduously interested in exactly what's happening. What are the notes she's playing and what are the notes she's singing? Is she slightly flat or is she slightly sharp? Can this word be heard? Should this word be referenced, commented upon, at that time or later, or telegraphed perhaps?"

Roundabout destiny

If it took longer than expected for this seemingly inevitable collaboration to occur, you can blame George's late entry into music.

"I think if there was something that I did get from being the daughter of 'somebody' it's that I hesitated in that direction," says the 33-year-old singer. "I just didn't think that that was a thing I should do. I wasn't really interested, and also I didn't want to have any comparisons. I feel like there's no way I could be better than him. Even to be compared to him seems like disaster."

Instead, George pursued acting, but eventually she "fell into" music, playing with the bands Lode and Merrick before working as a solo artist.

"I never sensed that she was ambitious, and I never felt that she was anything but just gifted," says Andrews, who also produced her 2005 debut album "All Rise." "Her voice welcomes you. It doesn't stun you or trouble you, it just soothes."

When the album comes out in August from the L.A. independent Everloving Records, George's career figures to get a bump. So far it has unfolded at a relaxed pace, in part because of her attraction to side projects. In addition to the Living Sisters, she's been kept busy by the Bird and the Bee, her jazz/electronic project with Greg Kurstin.

"When I had all my eggs in one basket, it wasn't as much fun," she says. "It is a bit of a balancing act, but I think you just make sure you say yes to the things that you really want to do and no to the things that feel they're extra fat."

"An Invitation" will receive extra exposure because George and Parks plan to tour, a rare activity for the arranger.

"I have decided at the age of 65 to only do what fascinates me," says Parks, who also will perform July 16 and 23 with George and a small group at Tangier in Los Feliz. "I want to make an effort on this record."

That's good news for the label and George's other supporters, who know that it's not easy to get this kind of album made.

"We were fortunate that someone wanted to pay for this record," says Andrews. "To convince a record company to spend money on an artist that's not famous, combined with an artist who has a track record of not selling records, that's a gamble. But I think it's like beachfront real estate on an island that no one's ever visited, and once people get there, they're gonna be like, 'Wow.' "

richard.cromelin @latimes.com

Sunday, 25 May 2008

Kenny Chesney - Chesney Reigns Over 2008 Cma Ceremony

Country singer KENNY CHESNEY reigned supreme at the 2008 Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas on Sunday (18May08) - winning entertainer of the year for the fourth consecutive time.

The star took home the coveted prize which was voted for by country music fans for the first time at this year's (08) 43rd ceremony.

He told the celebrity-studded audience, "This one is really actually special because long before I had a hit record, the fans always came to the shows. And I want to thank you guys for voting and for being there for me."

Other big winners on the night included Grammy-winner Brad Paisley, who won the award for best male vocal and best video for his hit single Online, and former American Idol winner Carrie Underwood who took home top female vocalist for the second year running.

Taylor Swift, who won two Country Music Television awards last month (Apr08), took home the top new female vocalist prize - with Jack Ingram winning the men's equivalent.

Vocal group of the year went to Rascal Flatts, vocal duo of the year was won by Brooks + Dunn, with Lady Antebellum winning best new vocal group.

Sugarland scored a double for Stay - winning song of the year and single record of the year.

Legendary country star Garth Brooks was honoured with the Academy of Country Music Crystal Milestone Award - to represent his long and successful career in the industry.

The ceremony was hosted country superstar Reba MCEntire and included performances by award-winners Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood.

See Also

Stevie Wonder, like the rain, is intermittent

Attending a Stevie Wonder concert is a bit like panning for gold: Priceless nuggets occasionally turn up, but you may need to sift through quite a bit to find them....

Amy Winehouse - Whinehouse Will Not Face Charges Over Crack Pipe Video

Singer Amy Winehouse will not face charges over a video that allegedly showed her smoking a crack pipe, police have said. She was interviewed under caution by police ...

First A Strike, Now Runaway Production

ABC-TV production crew members, already experiencing sleepless nights as they worry about the possibility of an actors' strike shutting down the industry this summer, now have new reason for concern. The Los Angeles Times reported today (Wednesday) that ABC Studios plans to move production of Ugly Betty to New York in order to take advantage of an increase in that state's film tax credit. The move reportedly will cost two-thirds of the show's 150 crew members their jobs. The newspaper said that it was unclear whether other shows produced by the network would also pull up stakes and move to New York. Cast members of Ugly Betty have been told to report for work in New York for the beginning of production of the show's third season by June 30. (Ironically, that is also the date that the current SAG contract expires.) Ugly Betty, the Times suggested, could be the first of several TV shows to relocate to New York following passage of a new law tripling the state's film tax credit.

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Clooney to move house because of Spears

Actor George Clooney is reportedly moving out of his house and he blames Britney Spears.
Clooney revealed that he only realised the popstar lived so close when he heard the helicopters over her house on the day she was taken to hospital earlier this month.
The Hollywood star believed someone had broken out of prison because of the noise being created and told Newsweek that he was now planning to leave his Los Angeles home.
He said: "I just found out, like, 10 days ago I must live within, like 300 or 400 yards from Britney Spears. I found out because I came home at 10 at night and there was [sic] all these helicopters over my house with these lights.
"I think, 'Someone's broken out of prison...' I get my baseball bat, which is what you always get in every film, and I called up my assistant, who I thought was in my guesthouse.
The actor/director revealed he quickly realised his home wasn't at risk, but that he was living near Spears.
He joked: "So now I have to move."

Sir Paul Mccartney - Mccartney Liverpool Gig To Go Ahead

An historic performance by SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY in his hometown of Liverpool, England will go ahead - despite fears the concert would be cancelled over financial issues.

The former Beatle's gig at the city's Anfield football stadium has been green-lighted after Liverpool City Council gave $3.4 million (GBP1.7million) to his company, MCCartney Productions Ltd (MPL), to stage the event.

According to the BBC, not agreeing the deal "was likely to result in the concert being cancelled".

The $3.4 million covers costs such as stage and lighting hire, licence fees and insurance for the gig - but organisers are reluctant to confirm the Capital of Culture-organised event will definitely go ahead.

Phil Redmond, creative director of the Liverpool Culture Company, told the BBC, "I am as sure as anybody in my position would be at this stage, but I'm not going to come out here and say to MCCartney's people, 'This concert will happen no matter what the cost.'

"I'm not going to say, 'This concert will go ahead regardless,' because at the end of the day there always comes a line when you say this is not worth it."

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