|
The Queen of Quirk Column
April 2007
By VERONIQUE CHEVALIER
 ecords Worth A Listen
One Person Bands
Quitzow
Quitzow
Label: Young Love Records
To get an idea of the certain je ne sais quoi that is Quitzow, imagine tossing the vocal harmonies of The Shirrelles, the unpredictable time signatures of Led Zeppelin, the retro-electro sonics of Jean-Jacques Perrey, and the oddball lyrical insight of Patti Smith into a hopper with your favorite R. Crumb comics. Songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Erica Quitzow is a formidable one-stop musical shopping center. If you prefer pop not to rock your belief system, then I'd advise skipping this record. Lesser minds will not be able to grasp the diverse talents of this woman, who excels equally at guitar, violin, cello, bass, drums and synth. She also lends her considerable talents to another musical project called Setting Sun.
Bride of Dynamite
Rio en Medio
Label: Gnomonsong
If you have been searching for post-apocalyptic lullabies for faerie foundlings, or gypsy orphans, look no further than this hauntingly lyrical recording. Danielle Stech-Homsy is an eccentric who creates sweet paeans to odd subjects, utilizing layered vocalizations, spoken word, found samples, and ukulele accompaniment. Originally from the enchanted land of New Mexico, and born of bohemian parents, Ms. Stech-Homsy is the embodiment of a 21st Century troubadour. Her tales are sometimes translucent, but never inaccessible. Tiny Tim might have made the ukulele broadly popular to a new generation, but under the judicious hand of this artist, it becomes an instrument of transcendence.
Snails R Sexy
Hans Fjellestad
Label: Accretions Records
Hans Fjellestad is not simply another run-of-the-mill multi-instrumentalist. He is also an accomplished filmmaker, having received much cinematic acclaim, especially for his 2004 project entitled Moog, about the pioneer of electronic music. So it is no surprise that he also displays a great aptitude for the making of "artificial" music. Fjellestad has an extensive discography both as a solo artist, as well as a collaborator with many legendary players on the international experimental music scene. His music, while not exactly designed to appeal to the masses, is not without its touches of whimsy. And his healthy sense of humor is readily apparent in the title of this, his newest recording. Music for libidinous mollusks never sounded so good!
Top
| Back
Theatrical To Do's
"All About Walken" at the Paul G. Gleason Theatre in Hollywood
"All About Walken" (AAW) is to theatre what the Campbell's soup can is to art. Show creator Patrick O'Sullivan is finding his proverbial 15 minutes by making much ado about one of Hollywood's most beloved acting oddities, Christopher Walken.
A dual citizen of his native Ireland, as well as of his adopted American homeland, O'Sullivan is still cheerfully unaffected by his show's growing popularity. (Such media mainstays as CBS Radio, Bloomberg, and Fox News have thus far lauded AAW). In fact, earlier, on the very day that I was to attend the production, I was standing in line at the Cherokee postal station, a branch of the US Postal Service in Hollywood, when I received a phone call from one of the friends with whom I was to attend that evening's production.
After I'd rung off and stepped out of line to retrieve a package at the call window, I heard a man's voice boom out, "Are you by chance going to `All About Walken' tonight?" When I spun around to determine who the eavesdropper to my mobile phone conversation was, I was treated to a wave and a beaming smile from, coincidentally enough, none other than Mr. O'Sullivan himself, who happily went on to inform me, and our numerous companions in the queue, that he was the show's creator, and he'd be happy to talk to me a bit about his "baby" after we each concluded our respective postal transactions.
With a rising hit on his hands, it's not difficult to comprehend why this blonde-haired Jim Carey look-alike is waxing enthusiastic with such gleeful "Golly Gee" gusto about his creation to anyone who will listen. His passion for the project is infectious, and I'd venture to say that the only way his show wouldn't make it to Broadway, and/or the big screen would either be his untimely demise, or a cease-and-desist order from Mr. Walken himself. (Although the former would be a sad loss, the latter would truly be a crime!)
The venue where AAW is currently enjoying yet another extended run, the Paul G. Gleason Theater, a converted storefront on Hollywood Boulevard, is just a few doors down from a purveyor of exotic footwear, apparently the primary supplier for all the ladies of the evening for blocks around. The gritty setting was somehow apropos for this less-than-reverent homage to Mr. Walken.
The cast is comprised of the show's creator, as well as an ensemble of 8 other very talented and funny actor/comedians, both male and female. Auditions were posted on Craigslist, and considering how fantastic this cast is, I can only imagine how fun the auditions must have been to peer in on.
I would be hard-pressed to name my favorite Walken, because each cast member effectively presented a different facet of the multi-dement-ional actor, but I definitely have a few favorite bits. My hands-down winner for the best "Out Of Left Field" performance goes to Amy Kelly for imitating actress Jennifer Tilly auditioning for a role in the show as a, yep, you guessed it- Walken impersonator! I have long harbored deeply burning curiosity as to how and why the blowsy Ms. Tilly ever got as far as she did in film, but after witnessing Ms. Kelly's sketch, I now have my answer. Inspiration comes in many forms, indeed.
Another high- (or low- depending upon your threshold for kitsch) point for me was with Kenzo Lee as Woody Allen's loveable schlemiel, to Lilly Holleman's Duane (Annie Hall's disassociative and suicidal younger brother). The diminutive Holleman is possessed of a singular knack for nailing the quintessential psychotic gaze for which Mr. Walken is so widely recognized. I wonder if ever, in his wildest moments, the fun-to-imitate actor dreamed he would make such prime drag king material?
An unabashed audience favorite was the perfectly re-enacted, now classic "More Cowbell" skit from Saturday Night Live. I wouldn't have believed that the original could have been improved upon, but trust me when I say that the AAW version totally rocked!
Bad hair was a running sight gag throughout the production, and I've a sneaking suspicion that the local thrift stores are most likely pondering who to thank for what must surely have been a welcome run on sales of their most shopworn pre-owned wigs. I won't go into the groaners derived from Mr. Walken's name that were bandied about, and I can't even begin to describe the guilty pleasure the audience derived from the multiple sly references to a certain unsavory erotic practice involving the remains of the dearly departed.
A little goes a long way in "All About Walken", but what a way to go! Much as Seinfeld brilliantly managed to make an undeniably fascinating show "about nothing", O'Sullivan's opus does wonders with a dab of Walken. I understand he now has his sights set on launching a similar vehicle for all things Jack (Nicholson, that is). Personally, I am waiting with baited breath for "All About Tilly"…
Top
| Back
Carousing at the Cabaret
Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School
It is with great interest that I recently learned of the existence of Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School, which brings together the heretofore unrealized combination of drawing and sketch sessions featuring burlesque beauties as models; de rigueur drinking games and bawdy contests, all of which occur simultaneously within a barroom setting. Better yet is the fact that the concept is being franchised, and is catching fire the world over.
The Dr. Sketchy's concept was founded by a then-23 year old Molly Crabapple, former life model, and art school dropout, who was disillusioned by the stultifying atmosphere to be found in traditional academic life drawing courses.
Miss Crabapple readily admits that her stint at modeling gave her the gumption to eventually try her hand at performing as a burlesque dancer with various cabaret acts around New York City. She also began illustrating posters to promote the city's burgeoning burlesque scene.
It did not take her long to realize that the saucy burlesque performers embodied, ahem, broad appeal as potential life drawing subjects, and thus was born the idea for Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School. The impetus for her salon grew out of the dearth of inspiration she'd endured through all those lackluster drawing sessions in art school.
(As a former art major myself, I have to concur that I found my school's life drawing classes dull as well. In fact, I used to apologize to the poor models for my less-than flattering likenesses of them, and my drawing prof, who used to regularly award me "C-minuses" on my assignments, repeatedly urged me to switch majors to something, anything, besides art. I eventually took him up on his admonition.)
As news spread of the rollicking good time to be had at her drawing salons, Miss Molly found inspiration to create her first book, Dr. Sketchy's Official Rainy Day Colouring Book, which she is now promoting, on what she lovingly refers to as a national propaganda tour. The book, which she co-authored with John Levitt, was written and illustrated after two solid months of 12-hour days, and it also serves as a tutorial on how to start a Dr. Sketchy's salon.
It's a fun fill-it-in-yourself tour through the world of cabaret life drawing that is the essence of Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School. The illustrations in the book feature languid doe-eyed sirens replete with all manner of coy feminine frippery that adds just the perfect touch of so-naughty-it's-nice enhancement to their womanly proportions.
The authoress/artiste has positioned her salon concept in a unique niche that attracts a diverse crowd. Dr. Sketchy adherents range from current and former art students, illustrators, to designers and assorted hangers-on interested in maintaining their drawing skills, whilst gathered in an atmosphere of adult-themed camaraderie.
If only there'd been Dr. Sketchy's when I was a student…But then, if there had been, perhaps I would not be the writer I am today!
(continued ...)
Top
| Back
<
| page 1
| page 2
| >
|
