it's thanksgiving week in the u.s., and late on a monday night. my eyes are blurring, so can't type much, but i do want to present episode 169 for your listening pleasure. wherever you are tonight, i hope you can take a listen.

as mentioned, here're some links...

music:
the cobalt season
danny scherr
toy house

lyrics:
mark eitzel
jonah matranga
vic chesnutt

wishing the best to all,
russell

Posted by russell at 09:26 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

it's poetry night on the simplemuzik podcast! :) if you have time, i really hope you can join in and take a listen. many many thanks go out to our musical guests tonight - kathleen dunbar and marianne barlow. if you don't already know them, i hope you'll click their links and visit what they're up to.

you can also find more (wiki) stuff on our poets:
rainer maria rilke
stanley kunitz
leonard cohen

oh, and don't forget - kathleen dunbar is playing a set at the red vic this upcoming friday night, 11/13, 8pm-ish to 9:45ish. For more info, visit here.

peace,
russell

Posted by russell at 05:58 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

this sunday will bring us the 81st annual academy awards! so, in honor of films-gone-by, tonight's podcast features my top 10 favorites of 2008. lists like these are always subject to (and inevitably do) change as i explore and find things i've missed, and i'm sure '08 won't be an exception. i promise to keep you in the loop as new things come to my attention... :) but - that said - these're my favorites so far...

10 - vicki christina barcelona -
ny times review, roger ebert review.
9 - encounters at the end of the world -
ny times review, roger ebert review.
8 - the reader -
ny times review, roger ebert review.
7 - doubt -
ny times review, roger ebert review.
6 - chris & don: a love story -
ny times review, wiki article.
5 - the wrestler -
ny times review, roger ebert review.
4 - milk -
ny times review, roger ebert review.
3 - The boy in the striped pajamas -
ny times review, roger ebert review.
2 - synecdoche, new york -
ny times review, roger ebert review.
1 - man on wire -
ny times review, roger ebert review.

+ some things i missed in '07:
11 (Dec 2007) - the diving bell and the butterfly -
ny times review, roger ebert review.
12 (Dec 2007) - grace is gone -
ny times review, roger ebert review.
13 (2007) - unborn in the usa -
ny times review, and related - the 2006 documentary lake of fire.

and the artists from tonight!
kathleen dunbar - myspace.com/kathleendunbarmusic
nick guerrero - myspace.com/nickguerrero
julius caesar - myspace.com/thekoedonarmada

if you have time, i hope you'll take a listen to episode 131. i'm thankful you're here.

yr friend,
russell

ps - for previous top tens, visit episode 079 (2007) and episode 026 (2006)...

Posted by russell at 06:06 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

here's to hope.

Posted by russell at 09:05 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

no words.

Posted by russell at 08:22 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

wow. i don't usually believe in plugging products, but this is simply amazing. time machine saved my entire computer exactly as was. this is an incredible and unexpected relief. if you are not using OSX.5 i cannot recommend it more highly.

thank you apple.

<3
russell

Posted by russell at 05:18 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

i have sad news. the long-awaited and expected has happened. my 53 month old computer has died. the mac genius says it was due to complications resulting from a faulty logic board. sigh. the old mothership has been intermittently erratic for some time... i knew she wasn't well. so it's not a shock. but the suddenness of it all is a bit unnerving. one moment she was here, and the next - suddenly gone. all things considered, all is well. i'm able to report from my trusty (for now) laptop lifeboat. and hopefully i didn't lose any crucial files.

the new workstation is trying to download my most recent timemachine update as i type. if this works, i will feel quite lucky. keeping my fingers crossed! needless to say, this week's podcast is a little bit in limbo pending the success of the transition... but hopefully i'll be talking to you soon. :)

as can be predicted, i'm watching election returns tonight, hoping for the best. hope things're well where you are.

russell

Posted by russell at 04:56 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

i mentioned foundreality.com on the podcast wednesday night, but forgot to give a link. you can find it at www.foundreality.com. i hope you'll visit. :)

happy saturday,
russell

Posted by russell at 07:23 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

just got back from d.c. i recorded a podcast while there, and will edit and post it in the next few days... in the meantime, here're some pics!


obelisk & flags.


sunset from the lincoln memorial.


memorials give me mixed feelings.


i like calder!


calder sans smithsonian.

hope everybody is well!
russell

Posted by russell at 04:36 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

that's how i feel tonight. the past week has been absolutely crazy with unforeseen computer problems, so i'm very happy and relieved and thankful that episode 62 is here on schedule! it's a small thing. yes, i know. but one much savored by me. i feel a sense of accomplishment. generally speaking, i'm not a highly tech-savvy person, so, when things don't work as they're supposed to, it usually takes me way too much time to unravel. and, honestly, being the "computer-tech guy" for simplemuzik - by default - is just about the most dreaded part of the job for me! no. fun. seriously. but, alas - happily and thankfully - it paid off. and episode 62 is here to prove it! whew.

as a result of my skittishness about over-taxing an ailing system, i kept my talking to a minimum this week, and tried to keep the focus on the artists and what they're doing. and that seems fitting to me, because we have some really amazing music and talent this week. i'm excited by the way the boundaries of the show, musical and otherwise, are stretching and growing... i see it as a deeply beautiful thing, and i know i'm lucky to be sharing this with you. i'm happy that you're here.

with that in mind, i'm honored to introduce some new artists to the podcast this week! i've mentioned jesse and elliott before, and want to thank them for so being patient with me as i've tried to find the right context for their songs. i think we did. and tonight is it. as you'll hear on the show, their bands govangogh and tungsten-sf (respectively) are doing stuff worth your attention. i hope you'll pursue them, and find out more. also, i want to send huge thanks and a big welcome-back to true margrit and curt yagi for joining us again. there's some great music this week, and i'm honored to share it with you. i hope you'll take a listen, and learn more about the artists below...

govangogh - www.govangogh.net
tungsten-sf -www.tungstensf.com
true margrit - www.truemargrit.com
curt yagi - www.curtyagi.com

also, as i mentioned in the last segment, i hope you'll check out my friend john levitt's novel dog days. it was released yesterday! you can read a review here. and you can buy it here.

john himself can be found at - www.jlevitt.com. you should say hi.

hope everyone is well tonight.

happy halloween!
russell

Posted by russell at 04:25 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

just remembered a few more links! i don't have mp3's for jeff adams or govangogh (yet), but hopefully i will soon. in the meantime, you can check out jeff's music and paintings at: www.amija.com, and the music of govangogh at: www.govangogh.net. thanks to both jeff and jesse for saying hi!

also, a reminder to visit the artists featured last night:
true margrit - www.truemargrit.com
sparklebritches - www.myspace.com/sparklebritchesmusic
curt yagi - www.curtyagi.com
leslie gage - www.myspace.com/lesliegage
gery tinkelberg - www.gtink.com

thanks,
russell

Posted by russell at 06:07 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

i'm travelling, but just wanted to say hi, and send well wishes! also, wanted to let you know that i recorded episode 057 last night, and will post soon.

'till then,
russell

ps - don't forget slyway and varona this weekend. i'll be back in sf - hoping to see you!

Posted by russell at 06:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

just wanted to give a heads-up that my #4 movie of 2006 (see: my top 10 list for 2006) "jonestown: the life and death of people's temple" is airing this week on pbs (starting tonight).

the movie gives a deep and thoughtful representation of passion and idealism, and how religious fanaticism can go horribly wrong. it's a grim story, with a terrible ending, so may not be for everyone. but i feel it's important to engage - especially if we're going to meaningfully interact and understand what it means to be human together - all the fear and desperation and longing that makes us who we are. both good and bad. in ways, i think it connects with the intensity and emotional power within all of us we've been talking about on the podcast. i mean, what sparks that? what causes us to open to an idea or philosophy or way of life? or close? or worship or fear another person?

the story of jonestown seems to show us that it's possible for transcendant good to come from the same idealistic motivation that inspires brokenness and desperation and destruction. or vice versa. which is completely scary and unsettling, right? but i don't wanna run away from it. i really wanna understand. if you're interested in that too, i hope you'll check it out.

showtimes:
kqed - pbs san francisco listing
official "american experience" page:
official "jonestown" documentary site
listen to the npr radio documentary:
father cares: the last of jonestown
san francisco chronicle:
related jonestown articles

thanks!
russell

ps - episode 32 will feature live music (and an interview) with simplemuzik icon nick guerrero. stay tuned!

Posted by russell at 05:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (44) | TrackBacks (0)

i'm gonna be out of town with work this week, so won't be updating a show wednesday. i'll miss sharing with you! in lieu, there's a top-secret episode (#26) available now on itunes and feedburner. the show features me (with raspy, broken, voice, sorry!) talking about my favorite top 10 movies of 2006. have i mentioned i love movies? i'm watching the oscars right now as i type...

i also want to send out thanks again to alex calder for being with us last week. i'm gonna leave episode 25 linked on the player above for another week, so alex will get full exposure. if you haven't already, you should go check it out!

thanks also to everyone who came out to see us play at the red vic on friday night! it was a joy for me, and i was happy to be able to share the evening with so many supportive friends. <3 on the down side (as you can hear on episode 26), my voice is still wounded and recovering. but it was all worth it. no question. :)

hope you'll take a listen to the oscar top-ten show! for feedburner, click here: http://feeds.feedburner.com/SimpleMuzikPodcast

my top 10 movies of 2006 are:
10-wild blue yonder
09-half nelson
08-united 93
07-little miss sunshine
06-manderlay
05-the new world
04-jonestown: the life and death of the peoples temple
03-jesus camp
02-the bridge
01-notes on a scandal

have a great week!
russell


friday night: losin' my voice and lovin' it!

Posted by russell at 04:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (42) | TrackBacks (0)

hello all,

i'm happy to announce that episode 20 features our first-ever non-musical guest! AJ was kind enough to drop by and talk about her experiences with improv, ideas about religion. and (even more!) she was patient enough to indulge me as i rambled on about my own semi-related interests and questions. it's a fun hour. i hope you'll listen and enjoy. and, hey, if you liked it, maybe you should be our next guest DJ? i hope so. i'd love to hear from you, so if you have time, say hi, ok?

this weeks link:
the mannequins on myspace - www.myspace.com/mannequinsmusic

have a great week!
russell

Posted by russell at 06:13 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

special thanks to www.larissapickens.com for endless help and support making the simplemuzik podcast possible! if you have web design needs in the metro NYC area (or the rest of the world for that matter), this should be your go-to design stop.

peace!
russell

ps - episode 3 is on its way.

Posted by russell at 05:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)