Tag: San Francisco

Pianist Holly Bowling Reimagines Phish’s “Chicago Wedge,” Announces San PhranArt Vinyl Release Party

Known for her classical reinterpretations of Phish and Grateful Dead jams, San Francisco pianist Holly Bowling is soon to issue her arrangements of Phish’s “Chicago Wedge” (July 20, 2014) and “Glens Falls Twist” (Oct. 23, 2013) on vinyl.

Bowling released her debut album Distillation Of A Dream: The Music Of Phish Reimagined For Solo Piano through Royal Potato Family last year, which featured a reimagining of the Vermont quartet’s “Lake Tahoe Tweezer” (July 31, 2013) that Bowling has also issued on vinyl. The latest vinyl compilation will be a companion to continue the series of her piano “jam transcriptions,” and is pressed on 150-gram red transparent vinyl with album artwork from a linocut Isadora Bullock print. Only a 500 limited-edition run is available; copies can be picked up here, or for those heading west for Phish’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium shows, Bowling will host a record release party at PhanArt’s San PhranArt Show on Tues., July 19 at Mezzanine.

Here’s what Bowling shared about her second record via Facebook:

Catch Bowling at Twiddle’s Tumble Down in Burlington, VT, July 29 and 30, and at the Night Lights Music Fest in Sherman, NY, on Aug. 27, before she heads to the southeast. And watch as Bowling walks viewers through her “jam transcription” process for the “Chicago Wedge” in the video below:

July 14, 2016
PhanArt Announces Lineup for San Francisco, Burlington Shows

Trapped in time and don’t know what to do about scoring that next only-found-on-lot shirt to add to the collection? Relax, and seek out a PhanArt show coming to a tour near you this summer, including debuts in San Francisco, California and the Green Mountain State. If you’re heading west to see the Phish from Vermont’s two-day Bill Graham arena run, stop by the aptly dubbed San PhranArt Show on Tues., July 19 at Mezzanine in San Francisco. And later on this month, PhanArt will host A Country Crisp Sunlight on July 30 at Club Metronome in Burlington, VT, as part of Twiddle’s Tumble Down festival.

The San PhranArt Show will feature Phish-inspired merchandise from more than 20 artists and vendors. Think a one-stop shop for all things music: special edition tour shirts, posters, pins, stickers, photography, Henrietta’s Secret bikinis and more in one location. Hand-selected for this exhibition are artisans like Ryan Kerrigan, Super Rad Cape Co., TRiPPs Prints, Isadora Bullock, Ant Pharms Tour Pins and Designs, Fred Sutter, Level 42, Drivenpunk Glass and Terry O’Brien. The Mockingbird Foundation will also be on hand selling The Phish Companion 3. And stick around for the Pink Talking Phish after-party at Mezzanine from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. with Will Magid’s Alligator Spacewalk.

PhanArt‘s A Country Crisp Sunlight at Club Metronome coincides with Twiddle’s Tumble Down, a weekend music experience at the Waterfront Park in Burlington. This showcase will feature some of the finest fan-based creations from White Light Foundation, the Phactory, the Shakedown Shop, Burns Designs Art by Joshua Letourneau, Pin Me Down, YEMshades, Dirty Birdz Goods, JEMagination, Sneaky Pig Productions, the Eden’s Rose Foundation and Greg Horowitz Photography. Holly Bowling will provide the soundtrack for the day — Grateful Dead and Phish piano interpretations — with a noon performance at the historic Nectar’s, which is located below the art-show venue.

Since 2013, PhanArt exhibitions have been hosted in Atlantic City, Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami and Philadelphia, and the events, produced by Pete Mason of PhanArt and NYS Music, continue to promote unique artisan goods, while strengthening the music community and raising funds for charitable arts causes. And as always, PhanArt shows are free to the public, and both upcoming exhibits will be held from 12 to 5 p.m.

July 12, 2016
Jefferson Airplane’s Paul Kantner Dies at 74

Iconic San Francisco musician Paul Kantner died Thursday, Jan. 28, of multiple organ failure and septic shock.

A founding member of the Jefferson Airplane, Kantner, 74, suffered a heart attack earlier this week, reported the San Francisco Chronicle, adding that he had experienced many health problems in recent years.

With Jefferson Airplane, Kantner defined the mid-1960s psychedelic sound and created hits like “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit” featuring Grace Slick’s narcotic vocals. Most notably, the band was the first headliner at Bill Graham’s legendary Fillmore Auditorium and performed at Woodstock. Kantner and Slick transformed the group into Jefferson Starship in 1974; Kantner departed 11 years later, although the couple had a daughter together.

In 1996, Kantner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and he continued touring up until his death. Most recently, Steve Malinski witnessed Kantner perform with several bandmates for a 50th anniversary celebration at the Ridgefield Playhouse in Connecticut this past August:

The Starship’s presence on stage was bold and cohesive – original members of the Airplane Paul Kantner and David Freiberg kept the sound true and original to the Airplane along with longtime Starship drummer Donny Baldwin, keyboardist Chris Smith and guitarist Jude Gold. The animated and exhuberant Cathy Richardson fulfilled the big-shoes role created by Grace Slick’s powerful vocals, to whom she gave a tip of the hat to near the end of the set. Together they made the performance feel engaging to the audience with down to earth, unscripted banter and humor between songs, which has been a consistency for the group through the past several years.”

Paul Kantner at the Woodstock 40th Anniversary Concert, Bethel Woods Aug. 15, 2009

Paul Lorin Kantner is survived by three children: sons Gareth and Alexander, and daughter, China. At press time, funeral arrangements had not been released.

January 29, 2016