January 18, 2006

Steely Dan principal Donald Fagen will begin his first-ever solo tour March 1 in New Brunswick, N.J. At deadline, 18 dates were on tap through March 28 in Oakland, Calif. The trek comes in support of his third solo album, “Morph the Cat,” due March 7 via Reprise.

On the day of release, the artist will play a hometown show at New York’s Beacon Theatre. The tour set list is expected to be dominated by Fagen’s solo work, with a sprinkling of Steely Dan material. The makeup of the live band has yet to be announced.

“Morph the Cat” is highlighted by the unique blend of Fagen’s imaginative storytelling and the groove-oriented, backing vocal-laden pop for which Steely Dan is renowned.

He woos an airport security screener on “Security Joan” (“Girl you won’t find my name on your list / Honey you know I ain’t no terrorist”), talks shop with the late Ray Charles on “What I Do” (“He says, ‘Don don’t despair — just take some time / You find your bad self — you’re gonna do just fine'”) and imagines a “thuggish cult” taking over the U.S. government on “Mary Shut the Garden Door.”

On-sale information for the upcoming shows can be found on Fagen’s Web site, as well as VIP packages which offer seats in the first 10 rows plus access to soundcheck.

Here are Donald Fagen’s tour dates:

March 1: New Brunswick, N.J. (State Theatre)
March 3: Westbury, N.Y. (North Fork Theatre)
March 4: Upper Darby, Pa. (Tower Theatre)
March 6: Washington, D.C. (Warner Theatre)
March 7: New York (Beacon Theatre)
March 9: Boston (Opera House)
March 10: Atlantic City, N.J. (Borgata)
March 12: Ottawa, Ontario (National Arts Centre)
March 13: Toronto (Massey Hall)
March 15: Cleveland (Palace Theatre)
March 16: Detroit (Opera House)
March 18: Chicago (Chicago Theatre)
March 19: Minneapolis (State Theatre)
March 21: Denver (Paramount Theatre)
March 24: Las Vegas (the Joint)
March 25: Temecula, Calif. (Pechanga Resort)
March 27: Los Angeles (the Wiltern)
March 28: Oakland, Calif. (Paramount)

Source billboard.com.

Composer Steve Reich will celebrate his 70th birthday with a host of special events this fall. Dubbed Steve Reich@70 and due to kick off Oct. 3, the program is a joint venture between the New York venues the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center.

The festivities will begin at BAM with the U.S. premiere of the commission “Variations for Vibes, Pianos and Strings” as part of a dance program by the Akram Khan Company. The piece will be performed by the London Sinfonietta. The evening will also feature a performance by choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker.

Next up is a six-day Professional Training Workshop at Carnegie Hall, focusing on Reich’s instrumental pieces. The workshop will close with an Oct. 18 performance of “City Life.” Three days later, several landmark Reich works will be performed by the artists for whom they were originally written: Pat Metheny on “Electric Counterpoint,” the Kronos Quartet on “Different Trains” and Reich and Musicians on “Music for 18 Musicians.”

On Oct. 22, Reich will sit for a conversation with Carnegie Hall Artistic Advisor Ara Guzelimian before the U.S. premiere for “Daniel Variations,” inspired by the murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.

At Lincoln Center, the focus will be on Reich’s works for voice. The program begins Oct. 28 with “Tehillim” and the New York premiere of “You Are (Variations),” performed by the Los Angeles Master Chorale as conducted by Grant Gershon. Reich’s own ensemble will revisit the video opera “The Cave” from Nov. 2-4, marking its first performance since 1999.

Source billboard.com.

Hip-hop collective Dilated Peoples will on Feb. 21 release its fourth album, “20/20,” via Capitol, a day before kicking off a North American headlining tour. The video for lead single “Back Again” features cameos from the Alchemist and Cypress Hill’s B-Real and can be streamed through Yahoo! Music.

Dilated Peoples’ last album, “Neighborhood Watch,” has sold 143,000 copies in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan and featured the hit single, “This Way,” produced by and featuring Kanye West.

In support of “20/20,” the trio of rappers Rakaa and Evidence and DJ Babu will perform Feb. 20 on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and Feb. 28 on NBC’s “Last Call With Carson Daly.” The tour kicks off Feb. 22 at the House of Blues in Los Angeles, with rap trio Little Brother as the opening act.

Here are Dilated Peoples’ tour dates:

Feb. 22: Los Angeles (House of Blues)
Feb. 23: San Francisco (Mezzanine)

Feb. 25: Portland, Ore. (Berbati’s Pan)
Feb. 27: Vancouver (Commodore)
Feb. 28: Seattle (Showbox)
March 2: Park City, Utah (Suede)
March 3-4: Boulder, Colo. (Fox Theatre)
March 6: Minneapolis (First Avenue)
March 7: Chicago (Park West)
March 12: Burlington, Vt. (Higher Ground)
March 13: Boston (Paradise Rock Club)
March 15-16: New York (S.O.B.’s)
March 18: Baltimore (Sonar)
March 21: Atlanta (Roxy)
March 23: Houston (Warehouse Live)
March 24: Austin, Texas (The Parish)
March 25: Dallas (Gypsy Tea Room)
March 27: Phoenix (Marquee Theatre)
March 28: Solana Beach, CA (Belly Up Tavern)
March 31: Anaheim, Calif. (House of Blues)

Source billboard.com.

moe. will host Snoe.down March 17-19, 2006. This event, which kicks off the week long Adirondack Almost Springfest celebration, will take place at the famed Olympic Center in Lake Placid, NY, home of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics, and at nearby Whiteface. Great Northeast Productions, the organizers behind all of Phish’s legendary festivals, have joined with moe. to make Snoe.down a unique Winter event not to be missed.

Friday and Saturday nights will feature moe. at the Olympic Center’s 1980 Rink Herb Brooks Arena.

As a very special treat for Snoe.down festival attendees, the Verizon Luge Challenge is sponsoring an outdoor performance featuring moe. on Saturday afternoon, March 18th as well as indoor performances by other Artists in the Whiteface Lodge throughout the weekend.

Verizon, a founding sponsor of USA Luge, is bringing the Verizon Luge Challenge to Whiteface Mountain March 18-19. Snoe.down attendees will be able to experience the Fastest Sport on Ice in a safe slope-side setting, with help from USA Luge international medalists, athletes and coaches. Participation in the Verizon Luge Challenge is free, and no experience or lift ticket is required. Adults and children, aged 10 and older after learning the basics of accelerating, steering and stopping from USA Luge athletes and coaches can take practice runs on a recreational version of a luge sled down a track complete with curves and timing equipment.

Additional artists will perform throughout the weekend, including:

SOULIVE: The funky organ trio brings their unique blend of soul, jazz and hip hop evoking Earth, Wind & Fire, Sly & The Family Stone and Curtis Mayfield. The Woodstock, NY, based group has toured with Dave Mathews Band, the Roots and India.arie, and will open for the Rolling Stones in late January.

ASSEMBLY OF DUST: Formed in 2002 and led by Strangefolk founder Reid Genauer, Assembly of Dust will bring their hick-funk sound seamlessly weaving country, jazz and Motown grooves. Following moe.’s Saturday afternoon performance, Assembly of Dust will perform an intimate Apres Luge set in the Whiteface Lodge.

TEA LEAF GREEN: The San Francisco jam based rock and roll band made their moe.down debut last summer to a tremendous response.

DREAD CLAMPITT: This Hip Billy string band brings their funky R&B bluegrass feel.

GORDON STONE: Vermont’s own banjo and pedal steel virtuoso.

RYAN MONTBLEAU BAND: Think Stevie Wonder meets Paul Simon. A jaw-dropping solo performer, as well as the front man of his own six-piece band, playing in both forms at Snoe.down.

Fans will be able to take advantage of a myriad of Lake Placid winter activities. Day skiing and snowboarding at nearby Whiteface will be available from 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM. The Olympic Center arena will open at 5:30 PM on Friday and Saturday. During the concerts fans will even have the option of ice-skating while listening to the show!

Other Snoe.down activities include: Public bobsled and luge rocket rides (weather permitting), outdoor public speed skating (weather permitting), gondola rides to the top of Whiteface, visiting the Olympic ski jump towers and touring the 1932 & 1980 Winter Olympic Museum.

Tickets for Snoe.down are on sale now at the Olympic Center Box Office. Snoe.down tickets may also be purchased by phone at 518-523-3330 or via internet at orda.org