The Knife to feature Light Asylum's Shannon Funchess on new album - 10.19.2012


The Knife have reportedly been at work on a new album this year, their first non-opera since 2006's Silent Shout. And while a release date is still not set in stone, some details have emerged, most notably that they've been working with Shannon Funchess, singer of electro-goth outfit Light Asylum.

In an interview with Dazed Digital, Funchess confirmed it: "I recorded with them after we left here last time, and in a couple of days I'm going to Berlin to record some more... They're totally sweet people!"

Light Asylum released their self-titled album this year, which is fantastic, just in case anyone missed it.

Willis Earl Beal joins Cat Power on tour, cancels headlining dates - 10.19.2012


Willis Earl Beal has been touring steadily throughout 2012 in support of his new album Acousmatic Sorcery, and starting tonight, he'll be joining Cat Power on her tour in support of Sun. As a result a handful of Beal's headlining dates have been canceled.

Canceled Dates:

10/20 San Francisco, ,CA - Bottom of the Hill
10/22 Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios
10/23 Seattle, WA - Barboza
10/24 Vancouver, British Columbia - Electric Owl

Cat Power/Willis Earl Beal:

10/19 Montreal, Quebec - Metropolis
10/20 Toronto, Ontario - Kool Haus
10/22 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
10/23 New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom
10/24 Boston, MA - House Of Blues
10/27 Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Music Theater
10/28 Chicago, IL - Riviera Theatre

R.I.P. David S. Ware - 10.19.2012


NPR reports that accomplished and prolific jazz saxophonist David S. Ware died yesterday at the age of 62. A statement on his website reads, "His physical body failed but his spirit was completely ready to move onward."

Ware was born in Plainfield, N.J., in 1949. He began playing saxophone in high school, and in the 1960s befriended jazz legend Sonny Rollins, at which point Ware began to more seriously pursue a career in music. While attending music school in Boston, he formed the group Apogee with drummer Marc Edwards and pianist Gene Ashton, and later joined the Cecil Taylor Unit after moving to New York City.

In 1989 Ware formed the David S. Ware Quartet, with Edwards, pianist Matthew Shipp and bassist William Parker. Ware released a bulk of his material with the David S. Ware Quartet, spanning nearly two decades until their last album together, 2007's Renunciation. Ware started a different band afterward, and released Shakti in 2009. Ware was diagnosed with kidney failure in 1999, and for a decade underwent dialysis treatment, until finally receiving a kidney transplant after putting out a public plea.

AUM Fidelity's Steven Joerg released the following statement on Ware's website: ""A giant" doesn't even begin to describe this man. David had a whole lot more to teach us. We will be eternally grateful for all that he offered and revealed in his time here on this earth. wa `alaykumu s-salāmu wa rahmatu l-lāhi wa barakātuh David"