The Chameleon

Who is gonna be booked next? King Missle? Odd. :crazy:

Yes I think so. I just have to work out some technical issues with my computer and I'll post it there.... for now use the sendspace links...

[color:red]Here is the entire Chameleon Project set from the Elmocambo in support of KJ SAWKA.....for your review and listening. CP 03-24-07 part 1 CP 03-24-07 part 2 setlist.... CP@Elmocambo 03/24/07 So, what else? -->the Lowdown Brown Paper Bag -->Space Dark Lady -->I get lifted (break) -->Nappy Dugout (break) Murderer The Lighter ->Knights of the Jaguar jam On Green Dolphin St. Broken Glass

See Ornett that can can still play. This big in terms of the diversity of acts the 'roo will book. Kudos to them.

Thanks for everyone who came out and packed the Elmo last night. It was rammed to the rafters with the most enthusiastic crowd that was dancing all night. Great show, great audience, great vibe! More of this please!

Remember that classic porn music of the 70's? That good old "bow - chika - wow - wow - chika - chika - bow - wow" has long held a place in my heart as being both hilariously out of place, yet simultaneously gnarly. Theirspace has seen precious few funk acts in its entries, and it's high time that changed. This Saturday, The Chameleon Project will be supporting KJ Sawka at El Mocambo, for the low price of 10 dollah. Decapitate me if you must, but while I don't know wtf KJ is/are, The Chameleon Project will be worth the price of admission alone. -- Mixing a little Rhinocerose with some live improvisation, it's somewhat difficult to describe the tracks TCP has on offer at their Myspace page. Speaking of which, here's the link to their Myspace. Still, I gotta try. There's no verse-chorus-verse-whiny bridge-chorus to their tracks. No vocals, though there's the occasional voice sample. Transcribing the lead guitar would take awhile. Gah! Check out the track descriptions, have a listen, and get this: 3 out of the 4 tracks on the page are available for downloading! Snatch'em up! Heaven in the After... starts us off with an extended hi-hat and t-wah guitar intro. Once the track kicks in we're treated to some slow funk with an emphasis on that darn hi-hat. There's a few basic changes in the bass and drum lines that serve to switch things up nicely while keeping the track within itself. Pullin' Teeth leads off with a simple yet commanding bass line. There's a lot of dreamy processing (RE: reverb) on the guitars. Not too much "sex" in the bass, which I generally associate with funk sounding like this. Overall, zee bass stands out a lot more in this track. Steady kick and snare will keep your head bobbin'. Eris is 100% classic porno music. I can see John Holmes working his magic on the nurse throughout the track. Nearing the end of the track, we get a monologue about dream worlds, with some a guitar-ish sound being run through some twitchy fx. Luxury Fever sounds like it'd make awesome background music for the Sam and Max detective video games that have recently begun seeing episodic releases. It's quirky, yet a little dark and noir-ish. Luxury Fever takes The Chameleon Project out of the immediate realm of funk and lands the group in the jazz and break-ish slash jungle-ish waters, proving that while able to hold onto "their" sound, they can still mix it up into another kind of awesome. Reportedly, TCP tries to make things as seamless as possible, with minimal interruptions between songs, as well as mixing their live performances into and out of surrounding DJ sets. A non-stop funk-out awaits you on Saturday. Get low and dirty. The Chameleon Project, in support of KJ Sawka, with kNeptune @ El Mocambo, Saturday March 24 464 Spadina Ave (416) 777 1777 Price: $10 Story link

Well I think the Ectasy is better on your body simply for the fact you do not have to consume nearly as much. The less the better in my book to feel the effect. Also ecstasy has never made me loose all motor control, throw up and blackout... Alcohol can do this for sure...just like Heroin.

Hey Jaydawg are the rumours I hear true about KJ Sawka making a guest appearance at the Wassabi show?

"Don't Bring me down" by E.L.O.

I agree 100%. Jazz is a language and it is fuckin' hard to learn. I've devoted 14 yrs of my life to it so far and I am just beginning to get inside the music...

Agreed. Apoligizing and taking responsibility, when you are wrong, is an admirable trait and that is what makes you a man or a woman, as the case may be as oppose to a little girl or boy. It's called maturity and Deeps has got it. Way to be....we need more respectful discourse like this..

premajamma.ca or everyoneneedstolightenup.ca or itsonlyamusicmessageboard.ca

Extended Play With Denise Benson KJ SAWKA WITH THE CHAMELEON PROJECT, KNEPTUNE, VISUALS BY DISSONANCE. SAT, MARCH 24. EL MOCAMBO, 464 SPADINA AV. $10 ADVANCE TICKETS AT ROTATE THIS, 2THEBEAT, PLAY DE RECORD, SHANTI BABA. Seattle's Kevin “KJ†Sawka puts the drums in drum 'n' bass. Playing obsessively since he bought his uncle's kit at age 11, Sawka was initially influenced by metal and prog bands including Metallica, Iron Maiden, Rush and Primus. He got into funk, played drums in his high-school jazz band and was introduced to electronic music at 17 when a friend's British cousin came visiting with some LTJ Bukem in hand. “He had all this mystical drum 'n' bass stuff that just blew my mind,†recalls Sawka over the phone from his home. “I knew I wanted to play those beats; it was unlike any drumming I'd ever heard. I've never been the same since.†The drummer fell hard for D&B and electronic music in general, briefly trading in his sticks for a pair of turntables and choosing to DJ as his musical outlet. “But then every time I played a party, people were like 'Dude, where's your drum set?'†Sawka chuckles. “So I incorporated the drums with a turntable off to the side. Then I thought that, instead of playing records, I should start making my own.†By this point, the musician had begun to augment his acoustic drum kit with electronic gear, buying “tonnes of different drum machines†and playing for three years in pop/electronic band 94th Street. Influenced by manic beat producers such as Squarepusher and Aphex Twin and the “fierce, fast and on-the-edge†mix CDs of famed American drum 'n' bass DJ Dieselboy, Sawka started to create hard, dark, high-speed D&B. He also played drums in D&B/breakcore improv trio Siamese, who released two CDs and toured their way across the US before going their separate ways. Playing in Siamese put Kevin Sawka in front of audiences that ate up his ability to play fast-paced, complex breakbeats live. One new fan was fellow Seattle resident Michael Shrieve of Santana. “Michael saw me at a show, was blown away and asked for lessons,†says the still-incredulous Sawka. “I was like, 'Wait a minute. You're the drummer in Santana and you want me to give you lessons?' He's an amazing drummer who really wanted to learn how to play the drum 'n' bass and jungle beats. It's a different twist on drumming, for sure.†Through Shrieve, Sawka was able to record or play live with a serious roster of musicians interested in his D&B perspective, including Bill Frisell, Andy Summers (the Police), Will Calhoun (Living Colour), Amon Tobin, Mike Doughty (Soul Coughing) and innovative jazz drummer Jack DeJohnette. Sawka also upped the gear ante, immersing himself in software like Ableton Live and Native Instruments' Reaktor and Battery, buying Kaos drum pads and still more drum machines, and developing a half acoustic, half electronic set-up. In short order, the drummer programmed beats as well as he could physically play them and was able to create a wall-of-sound live experience. “A lot of people don't really get drum 'n' bass or jungle when they hear it, like 'Oh, that's just weird electronic music,' but they'll really get into it live because then it makes more sense to them. The live drumming puts an 'Ohh, ahh, wow!' factor into that equation.†Whether performing solo or with a full band, KJ Sawka thrills crowds with precise playing, stage props such as glow-in-the-dark sticks and the fact that he never runs out of steam, performing sets of one to four hours or more, depending on venue. These days, he's also devoting time to diversifying his tempos – playing anywhere from mid-tempo breaks to hard breakcore beats – and developing his songwriting. He's excited about his just-mastered Cyclonic Steel album, due out in May as a follow-up to 2005's Synchronized Decompression. “My new album has a lot more range,†Sawka enthuses. “It's a lot more hi-fi and club-friendly than Synchronized Decompression which was my first real attempt at what I'm trying to do. Lately, I've really loved slamming the crowd with the deepest, darkest, dirtiest basslines I can make, but I'm also really into the dark versus the light, the life and death combination. I like a lot of really heavy beats and heavy basslines, and then some beauty on top.†......................... Vibes Rock ’em Sawka Seattle basher KJ Sawka is a one-man drum ’n’ bass wrecking crew By BENJAMIN BOLES KJ SAWKA with the CHAMELEON PROJECT and KNEPTUNE at the El Mocambo (464 Spadina), Saturday (March 24). $10. www.ticketweb.ca, www.torontotronica.com. Audio Clips Click on the icon to begin playback of the audio clip. The icon will then change. To pause the audio, click on the changed icon. Click again to resume play. When drum 'n' bass emerged out of the UK rave scene in the early 90s, the first thing new listeners tended to notice was how alien the breakneck rhythms were. The mangled breakbeats sounded far removed from anything a human might play, despite being based on samples of real drummers. Some drummers, however, saw these new beats as a challenge, and set about developing ways of interpreting them. "I was about 18 when I heard LTJ Bukem's Logical Progression, and that simple, really fast beat – I couldn't even explain what I heard, but it was amazing," recalls Seattle's Kevin Sawka (aka KJ Sawka). I'd heard DJ Shadow before, but nothing like that." Before this revelation hit, Sawka had been paying his dues in various rock bands and was already moving toward fast and complicated rhythms, but it renewed his drive and gave him a mission. Combining his acoustic kit with electronic gear, he began to develop an impressive performance system that allowed him to function as a one-man drum 'n' bass band, culminating in his 2005 album, Synchronized Decompression. "As far as my albums are concerned, the acoustic drums haven't been that prominent, but they definitely are when I play live. The live drums have a huge impact that I just can't seem to get from triggering samples. It's like talking to someone in person rather than over the phone." Sawka is currently wrapping up post-production on the follow-up to his debut, which once again features a variety of guest vocalists and musicians. While Synchronized Decompression was a moody, mellow album steeped in the earlier, more experimental days of d'n'b, his newer material sees him focusing more on club-ready sounds. "This one is a lot more dance-floor-friendly, a little more electronic. There's lots of dark drum 'n' bass. It kind of starts off on the lighter, melodic side of breakbeat and moves on to the darker stuff." In a weird twist of fate, one of his new collaborators, beat-boxer and vocalist Blake Lewis , has suddenly become a minor celebrity after becoming a finalist on this year's American Idol. The underground dance music scene and televised singing contests may have very little in common, but added visibility can't be a bad thing. the end benjaminb@nowtoronto.com NOW | MARCH 22 - 28, 2007 | VOL. 26 NO. 29 Now story link

Not that there is a one-size fits all definition but to me Jazz means a few key things: 1. Part of the music must contain improvisation. 2. There is an element of swing in th rhythm, real or implied. 3. The chords structure/harmony uses at least 4 part chords predominantly. 4. Songs and melodies are interpreted and embellished .

Looks like eye and now will be doing some press on this show. More updates on that as the new editions come out tonight. Things are heating up.

Bokonon what you have just detailed is the Toronto "I have seen everything and am not easily impressed" disease. I have witnessed this from both sides of the bandstand. I think this occurs because Torontonians et every major tour of international talent and big name acts coming through all the time. SO if you are music lover you et to see the best in the world on a regular basis. So then when you go to a smaller local show in town subconciously in your mind you are comparing them to all the other bigname talent you have seen. You then become very hard to impress. I have noticed though when an act does get the Toronto crowd dancing and win them over, they are the best , and loudest audience you can get. It is just really hard to get them to that point. This is obvious to me as when the Chameleon Project has played on the East-Coast people are partying and freaking out before you even lay a note. They are with you from the word go. Smaller town, less bands to compare you to. I think this is the dicotomy.

Really cool video. This is why from the time I was a teenager I always offset my partying with healthy eating, lots of excersize and vitamins. You only get one body and I hope I don't die before I get old.

I take issue with that call. Look at the charts for "Eyes of the world", "Lazy Lightning", "help/slip/Franklin", "Ramble on Rose", "Shakedown St.", "Althea", "Jack Straw" and a host of others, and tell me how many changes you see. Yes he did have some popular 2 chord tunes, but that is not the bulk of their catalogue.... Sorry gotta defend 'em on that.

Bitchin'! Thanks Alabama man.

I am a huge Todd Rundgren fan and he did a run of 6 sold out shows at the Elmocombo in 1978. Here is the link enjoy! Todd Rundgren 10-31-78>11-01-78 @ the El Mocombo

Apple's lossless codec is garbage and not compatible with anything but Apple. I am trying to get out of the conversion game. I think the RIO Karma is looking like the wise choice. No where do I buy one. All the web-sites point to US stores that don't ship here. Thanks for the input.

Hi, I don't like mp3s, and my entire music collection is big encoded to FLAC. Recently my portable MP3 player I was using died. I know want to invest some cash and get a good portable unit with lots of storage. It needs to play FLAC. Any suggestions? It seems really hard to find one that plays FLAC that has more that 4gig memory. Suggestions and where to buy? Thanks.

SO I talked to the band about teasing Nelly and they think I'm nuts. SO I think best I can do is tease the vocal line on guitar. But perhaps to make up for that I'll wear a band-aid on my face. (out of respect)

Nice! Looks like a great double bill!

OK but when the chorus comes in "I am getting so hot I'm gonna take my clothes off". You have to lead the charge.