Sir Richard Bishop
with Freeze Puppy + Z+
(Sat 27th Feb 2010 / 8pm / £6 adv)
Qu Junktions is overjoyed to welcome the maverick guitarist Sir Richard Bishop back to the Cube. Yep.. the 'The Freak of Araby' is here. A dexterous and charismatic performer who draws on exotica, magick and global folk musics to intoxicating effect. He was a founder member of ethnic-improv tricksters Sun City Girls, and also has a history as a rare bookseller, film maker and contributor to the Sublime Frequencies label. A frequent traveller, his guitar explorations reflect the shadow worlds of India, North Africa and other points along the Gypsy trail, as well as his own Middle Eastern heritage as a half-Lebanese American.
Performing on Spanish guitar, 12 string or electric, he sythnesises influences like Django Reinhardt, Ali Akbar Khan, Omar Khorshid and Chet Atkins into his own unique and mesmirising style. New album 'The Freak of Araby' is out now on Drag City.
“During the last 4 years he has shared the stage with the likes of Lydia Lunch, the Dead C, OOIOO, Animal Collective, Om, Joanna Newsom, Pan Sonic, and Os Mutantes, to name a few. He has done extensive touring (and performed live with) Earth, Bonny Prince Billy, Six Organs of Admittance, Devendra Banhart, Bill Callahan, and he’s jammed with Donovan.. “ bolachas.org
“Bishop is half-Lebanese, so it's tempting to see this as some kind of "back to the roots" affair. In the Detroit suburb where he grew up, Rick and his brother Alan were exposed to a lot of Middle Eastern music; their grandfather used to play the oud and a double-reeded flute as well as records by the likes of Fairuz and Oum Kalthoum. If you hear echoes of Morricone or surf music here, that makes sense-- pretty much any time you amplify Middle Eastern jams you realize how far that approach to sound has reached.” Pitchfork album review
Tonight's special guests are Freeze Puppy, a skilled player in his own right, who steers Surf guitar, Sardinian folk, Zimbabwean mbira and British guitar pop into addictive, perfectly formed miniatures.
Plus Z+ in new (maybe electric) 3 piece formation. Here is a singer who's misty and melancholic voice hovers over plaintive and melodic strumming guitar and gentle dissonance. All is eerie, all is heartfelt, all is touched by meaning. Music to feel your way into the evening with. He has the touch.
Performing on Spanish guitar, 12 string or electric, he sythnesises influences like Django Reinhardt, Ali Akbar Khan, Omar Khorshid and Chet Atkins into his own unique and mesmirising style. New album 'The Freak of Araby' is out now on Drag City.
“During the last 4 years he has shared the stage with the likes of Lydia Lunch, the Dead C, OOIOO, Animal Collective, Om, Joanna Newsom, Pan Sonic, and Os Mutantes, to name a few. He has done extensive touring (and performed live with) Earth, Bonny Prince Billy, Six Organs of Admittance, Devendra Banhart, Bill Callahan, and he’s jammed with Donovan.. “ bolachas.org
“Bishop is half-Lebanese, so it's tempting to see this as some kind of "back to the roots" affair. In the Detroit suburb where he grew up, Rick and his brother Alan were exposed to a lot of Middle Eastern music; their grandfather used to play the oud and a double-reeded flute as well as records by the likes of Fairuz and Oum Kalthoum. If you hear echoes of Morricone or surf music here, that makes sense-- pretty much any time you amplify Middle Eastern jams you realize how far that approach to sound has reached.” Pitchfork album review
Tonight's special guests are Freeze Puppy, a skilled player in his own right, who steers Surf guitar, Sardinian folk, Zimbabwean mbira and British guitar pop into addictive, perfectly formed miniatures.
Plus Z+ in new (maybe electric) 3 piece formation. Here is a singer who's misty and melancholic voice hovers over plaintive and melodic strumming guitar and gentle dissonance. All is eerie, all is heartfelt, all is touched by meaning. Music to feel your way into the evening with. He has the touch.