Down On The Corner

By Paul Moffett

Louisville Public Media's latest fund drive gathered pledges totaling $615,015, a 22% increase over last year's fall fund drive, which was the best ever. No doubt, the recent Republican efforts to defund NPR provided some people with incentive to donate. If you pledged, remember to SEND IN YOUR CHECK. And remember, however much you complain about WFPK's playlist, also remember that your alternative is Clear Channel's eight-song rotation.

Bluegrass fans will no doubt recall the loss of the International Bluegrass Music Association's (IBMA) World Of Bluegrass trade show that was held in Louisville for some years, before moving to Nashville. It was a case of all the bluegrass you could listen to and then some. Now, it seems, there is at leastsome interest on the part of the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau to try to get the WOB show back to Louisville in 2013, as the IBMA's contract with the Nashville Convention Center & Renaissance Hotel expires in 2012. The IBMA will be sending out Requests for Proposals (RFP) soon, and the Bluegrass Anonymous group is also interested in getting the show back to the Bluegrass state. Grassroots interest in the show is also a factor and there is an online petition for those interested in seeing its return. http://www.petitiononline.com/IBMA/petition.html Updates area available at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bluegrass-Anonymous/159536474100039

The Twig & Leaf Restaurant has been granted a local landmark designation, which means it can't be torn down and replaced by a new building. This is both good and bad news, depending on your point of view, but certainly, it is a good idea to slow down the destruction of old buildings to at least give some consideration to their historic value. After all, who goes to Europe to see new black glass and concrete buildings?

Louisville hardcore punk band Black God has released their new CD and they're offering a free stream of "Fundamental Headwalker" at theirBandcamp site at http://blackgodlouisville.bandcamp.com/. The official release party was on April 22.

With the continuing proliferation of interesting musical acts (solos, duos, trios, etc) and the equal amount of recorded material coming out, it gets harder and harder to keep up. Here's the latest example: Softcheque, described as an "avant-garde/experimental trio" has released their new album,Misericord, on vinyl only.

Brandenburg's Signal The Revolution is combining an opening slot for Seven Mary Three with a CD release show at the Phoenix Hill Tavern on Derby Eve, May 6. Smart move.

We Listen For You reports that The Pass ripped it up at Pianos in New York last Friday. The show was recorded (http://www.breakthruradio.com/#/post/?dj=djjezz&post=1067&blog=23&autoplay=1) by Breakthru radio and included two new songs. Their instructions: "Click on DJ Jezz play button after the jump and go to the 8:23 mark to hear ‘It's Less Dangerous' and ‘Girl Don't Wait.'"

Little Heart Records is offering free admission to every Uh Huh Baby Yeah show for a year. All you have to do is find the right Easter Egg. Details at the LittleHeart Facebook page. The offer was posted on Thursday, April 20, so hurry up! As of print date, the Easter Egg had not been found.

In a recent C-J feature on Alejandro Escovedo, he says "You know, I was watching the "Exile on Main Street" documentary the other day, and I thought to myself that, really, after Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee, Little Richard — all those guys — that there has only been only one great rock ‘n' roll band, or maybe two: Bodeco and the Rolling Stones.

CODAS

Egan, David Brooks, 59, died in Louisville on April 3, 2011. He was a guitarist who played in seval ara bands in his youth.

Kiper, Dean, 52, died on March 29, 2011. He was a guitarist who played in several local bands.

Meredith, Vanley "Bud", 92, died in Leitchfield on April 8. He was a bluegrass fiddler and member of AFL Local 11-637.

Smith, Emilie Strong, 102, died in Louisville on April 22, 2011. She was a co-founder of the Chamber Music Society of Louisville after World War II, with help from Miss Fanny Brandeis. She served as its President from 1952-1964