D Note love letter 4/25/13

D tails,

Howdy do? We do D. How?

For those of you that haven't experienced the highland rock and roll of Angus Mohr, we suggest you check them out Saturday night. They do classic rock and roll in an epic fashion, including bagpipes. Their version of Dylan's Hard Rain is one of the best we've ever heard.

Speaking of classic rock, The Legendary Hitchhikers do a beautiful Tom Petty Tribute and will be playing a family show on Sunday afternoon at 3pm ($10 for the adults).

Some good big band music Saturday afternoon. Free

Some free jazz next (uh, free in the monetary sense) next Tuesday night.

Ahhhh, music!

Yours,

D Scribe

Extra credit: This week we feature a new poem by...myself. May it forever change your perception of a certain song we all know and love.

UPSCALE POETRY

"Doe, a deer, a female deer"

You hold in your mind the image of a deer.

A female deer.

Hold it there for a moment.

Look how beautiful she is.

"Ray, a drop of golden sun"

We have added the sun to the picture.

The deer is now there in the sun.

You can feel the sun.

(And note the adjective "golden".)

"Me, a name I call myself"

Now, by juxtaposition, you have yourself.

You have the thing that you call yourself.

This "me" escalates out of the "doe" in the "ray".

You are a female deer outside in the sun.

"Fa, a long long way to run"

You are a deer running in the sun!

And you have a long, long way to go.

"Sew, a needle pulling thread"

The needle is the deer (you) leaping as it sews,

Leaping there in the sun, sewing a crazy quilt.

"La, a note to follow sew"

The notes are the leaps of the deer, you, the needle,

leaping up the mountain, up the cloth, up the scale.
The deer slows, near the top of the mountain now, tired,

her voice straining to reach the next note...

"Tea, a drink with jam and bread"

You, she, deer, calls for a rest,

to stop for a refreshing picnic.

"Which brings us back to doe doe doe doe"

The food brings you back to yourself,

nourishes you, literally becomes you

and you're ready to start again

escalating up the endless scale.

D Note love letter 4/18/13

D flowers,

Here's to water! (even in it's frozen form, snow.) Good for the flowers.

This weekend we have a the Rolling Stone-esque rock and roll of The Duke Street Kings on Friday night followed by the Journey-esque music of Eclipse. Then Saturday night we have the incredible flamenco guitar master Steve Mullins and his projects The Rim Of The Well and The Muro and Mullins Guitar alliance. At 9:30p Saturday, we have a 420 show with the Primus tribute band Mr. Knowitall. This is one of those tribute bands where you shut your eyes and can't even tell the difference. We end the night with one of our favorite all time weird sing-along bands, The Inactivists. Here's to fire! Good for the smoke.

19 [5:00p] Fundraiser for Cancer w/ The Duke Street Kings. [9:00p] Eclipse (Journey Tribute Band) $5	20 [10:30a] Zumba $8 [4:00p ] Family Music Train presents: Raising Cain (80's Rock). $7 adults/$3 kids. [7:00p] The Muro and Mullins Guitar Alliance, Rim Of The Well. $15/$12 students [9:30p] Mr. Knowitall (Primus tribute band) and The Inactivists $5
21 [10:00a] Free Form Yoga ($5 - $10 Suggested Donation) [12:00pm-6:00pm] 303 Choir "Local Heart" Benefit w/ Paa Kow By All Means Band [8:00p] Salsa Dancing (lesson at 8pm, Conjuntos Colores at 9pm) $8	22 [7:00p] Zing The Big Band $7 [9:30p] Catsmelvin	23 [7:00p] Tuesday Swing Night feat. The Stilettos	24 [8:00p] The Big Blues Jam	25 [6:30p] Geeks Who Drink trivia quiz. [9:30p] Beer Pong

Also. Here's to air! Here's to earth! Elemental, my dear Watson.

Extra Credit: Here's a beautiful sequence of Haiku from Issa, one of the great masters from the 18th century. This translation is from the Penguin book of Haiku. Dig how the Haikus work on their own and in the sequence.

For fleas, also

Slowly, slowly, climb
Up and up Mount Fuji,
O snail.


Far-off mountain peaks
Reflected in its eyes:
The dragonfly.


For fleas, also, the night
Must be so very long,
So very lonely.


Stop! Don’t swat the fly
Who wrings his hands,
Who wrings his feet.


With bland serenity
Gazing at the far hills:
A tiny frog.


Emerging from the nose
Of Great Buddha’s statue:
A swallow.


Spring rain:
The uneaten ducks
Quack.


Red sky in the morning:
Does it gladden you,
O snail?

D Note love letter 4/11/13

D tails,

Adam DeGraff here, ye ol' impresario for ye ol' D Note. We are ironing out all the kinks in the transition from the DeGraffs to the The Rosenbergs and I'd have to say that overall it has been pretty smooth. Thanks for hanging with us. Long live the D Note!

Some great indie bands this weekend. Friday night brings The Constant Tourists, a gypsy jazz band that exhibits exquisite pop sensibilities followed by Idlewhile, super tasty alt country rock (for fans of The Lumineers and Churchhill.) The Deadwood Quartet on Friday night is a blues rock folk band from Boulder. Atomga is awesome afrobeat, James and The Devil is just hard core Colorado music (and REALLY fun). Check out the sweet websites for all of these bands.

Also check out our legendary salsa night Sunday night if you haven't had a chance yet. Beginners welcome. Great date night and great for singles too. Tuesdays we have swing dance lessons and a killer swing band, The Stilletos. The Big Blues Jam on Wednesday night has really taken off. You will hear some of the best blues this side of the Mississippi care of Dan Treanor and friends. Check out the rest of the schedule below.

11 [6:30p] Geeks Who Drink trivia quiz. [9:30p] Beer Pong	12 [5:00p] Bill McKay (of Left Over Salmon). Free. [7:00p] The Constant Tourists $5 [9:00p] Idlewhile $5	13 [10:30a] Zumba $8 [4:00p] Music Lessons Of Westminster Garage Band Recital [7:00p] Deadwood Quartet. $5 [8:30p] Benefit for Natalia w/ Atomga, James And The Devil, Lead by Design, Atomga, James and the Devil, Collierad. $5-$10 suggested donation
14 [10:00a] Free Form Yoga ($5 - $10 Suggested Donation) [2:00p] Baby Boogie, bring your kids into dance! [8:00p] Salsa Dancing (lesson at 8pm, Conjuntos Colores at 9pm) $8	15 [7:00p] Open Mic Night (Open Stage-sign up at 6:30pm)	16 [7:00p] Tuesday Swing Night feat. The Stilettos	17 [8:00p] The Big Blues Jam

Thanks for your support!

Yours,D scribe

Extra Credit: Here's one from Mary Ruefle, out of the recent issue of Boston Poetry Review.BROKEN SPOKE

You grow old.
You love everybody.
You forgive everyone.
You think: we are all leaves
dragged along by the wind.
Then comes a splendid spotted
yellow one—ah, distinction!
And in that moment
you are dragged under.

D Note love letter St. Patrick's Day '13

D Fault

The D Note is at least partly your fault. You are to share in the blame. Of course we mean blame in a good way. Take a trip down the asphalt (who's fault?) and come see us this weekend.

This will be one of those legendary D Note weekends. First off we have an early St. Pat's day show Friday night with the high energy Irish rock and roll of Indigent Row at 9pm. We're so lucky to get these guys on St. Pat's weekend as they are in high demand. Opening for them at 7pm is Gipsy Moon, a great Irish tinged bluegrass band featuring the offspring of the legendary Vince Herman.

Saturday night we a truly epic night starting at 4pm when Music Train Presents the traditional Celtic music of Loneacre. Following this is the beautiful Balkan folk music (with elements of gypsy jazz) sung by the world renowned Azra. And finally, for another left turn we have the amazing B52s cover band Hey Lady playing at 9pm. This band made us fall in love with the B52s all over again last time they played.

Sunday the fun doesn't stop. At noon we have another Irish traditional band Fennec playing a free concert. Then at 2:30p we have The Back Beat Jazz band playing. And of course we will end the night with our legendary salsa night.

That's the weekend! (throw in yoga and Zumba for good measure)

If that wasn't enough Dave and Mernie have started up three very cool new events on the weekdays. Tuesday nights are now Jump Blues Tuesdays with swing lessons at 7:30p followed by live music with Tommy Price and the Stilettos. Wednesdays we still feature a blues jam, but now it is with the host band Los Terrificos (featuring the great Dan Treanor). And Thursday after trivia we now have Beer Pong!!! A great idea from Greg Rosenberg. Thanks to Kendra for helping to get that going. It has been a blast so far.

Things are happening apace. APACE!

St. Patrick's Day Pre-Party Hoe Down [7:00p] Gipsy Moon (Irish-tinged Bluegrass featuring the great Vince Hermann's offspring) [9:30p] Indigent Row (Irish R&R) $7	16 [10:30a] Zumba $8 [4:00p] Music Train Family Concert Series Presents St. Patrick's Celebration. $7 adults/$3 kids [7:00p] “Azra Sings “ – Traditional music from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Balkans featuring accordianist Edo Sadikovic. $15 [9:30p] Hey Lady! (Amazing B52's Tribute Band!). $5
17 [10:00a] Free Form Yoga ($5 - $10 Suggested Donation) [12:00p] St. Patrick's Day Lunch Concert w/ Fennec (traditional Irish quartet). FREE [2:00p] Baby Boogie, bring your kids into dance! [2:00p] Back Beat Jazz Band [8:00p] Salsa Dancing (lesson at 8pm, Orquestra La Brava at 9pm) $8

And that's the weekend.

Yours,

D Face

Extra Credit: We always take the opportunity this time of year to feature an Irish poet of which there are many; Yeats, Oscar Wild, Seamus Heaney, James Joyce, Van Morrison, Sinead O'Connor, Shane Macgowan, etc etc. Here's one from Bono.


She Moves In Mysterious Ways

Johnny take a walk
With your sister the moon
Let her pale light in
To fill up your room
You've been living underground
Eating from a can
You've been running away
From what you don't understand...
Love

She's slipping
You’re sliding down
She'll be there
When you
hit the ground

It's all right, it's all right, it's all right
She moves in mysterious ways

Johnny take a dive
With your sister in the rain
Let her talk about the things
You can't explain
To touch is to heal
To hurt is to steal
If you want to kiss the sky
Better learn how to kneel
On your knees boy

She's the wave
She turns the tide
She sees the man inside the child

It's all right, it's all right, it's all right
She moves in mysterious ways

lift my days, light up my nights
Love

One day you will look... back
And you'll see... where
You were held... how
By this love... while
You could stand there
You could move on this moment
Follow this feeling

It's all right, it's all right, it's all right
She moves in mysterious ways

The spirit moves in mysterious ways

Move with it
She moves with it

--


/)dam I)eGraff

www.dnote.us

weekend update 2/21/13

D tribe

We have found that the best kind of music to dance to is West African. It is uplifting spirit. Not to mention the body. That is why we are excited about Koffi Togo this Friday night at the D Note. Here's a description of the show from their FB page:

"We want to let you know that Koffi Togo Vibe will be at The D Note in Arvada next Friday, Feb 22nd! If you have not experienced our unique TogoJazz style music, you are in for a treat! We are unlike any other band around. Koffi Togo Vibe's goal is to open your eyes and connect your soul to a new musical experience by playing exotic, dance music in all meters including the 3s, 5s, 7s. Our music has the heart pumping foundation of West African percussion rhythms, fused with the beautiful melodies of guitars, keyboard, trumpet, saxophone and trombone! There are twelve of us! So, the music is full and the sounds are amazing!
Once you try on our TogoJazz Sound you will be hooked!!! We hope to see you all there. It's an all-ages show so bring the whole family...We play at around 9:00, but there is a fun band playing before us! And - it's FREE! So, you can't beat the price :)  Peace, Koffi Togo Vibe"

In other news, KGNU recommended Steve Itterly to us which is assurance of excellence so we will listen to his trio attentively Friday at 5pm. Arvada West Dog Park is having their fifth annual benefit at the D Note Saturday at 3pm. An all girl Journey cover band is playing Saturday at 7p followed by one of our favorite "house" bands The Jake Leg Shakers followed by something odd from KC, the electro punk band Odd-o-matic. Check out dnote.us for the rest of the scoop!



22
FREE ALL NIGHT!
[5:00p]
Steve Itterly Trio (fantastic blues/jazz)

[7:00p]
The Dirty Shoes Band (swinging blues)

[9:30p]
Koffi Togo (West African dance music)

23

[10:30a]
Zumba $8

[3:00p]
Benefit concert and silent auction for Arvada West Dog Park w/ SoHo Band. $5-$10 suggested donation.

[7:00p]
Journey Girls (All female Journey tribute band) $5

[8:30p]
The Jake Leg Shakers $5

[10:30p]
The Odd-o-matic (punk electro from KC)


We'll be saving a spot on the dance floor for you,

D ants in my pants

Extra credit: Pop star and poet Kishi Bashi played the Bluebird on Tuesday night and wowed the crowd. If you haven't been introduced to Kishi Bashi, here are the lyrics to Manchester for a primer. And here is a link to the song if you want to check it out.

Manchester

i wrote me a book
i hid the last page
i didn't even look
i think i locked it in a cage
wrote a novel
cause everybody likes to read a novel...

it started with a word,
and it started pretty well
about a rare and fragile bird
that I couldn't even spell
on the table
i think i left it on the table...

i found the last page in the sky,
cold and sweet, like an apple

oh hello,
will you be mine?
i haven't felt this alive in a long time
all the streets are warm today

i read signs
i haven't been this in love in a long time
the sun is up, the sun will stay

The very last breath of the hero of our tale
were you only to guess
did he truly prevail
in the the sequel?
I guess I'll have to write a sequel...

my favorite part's when I die
in your arms like a movie
it's tragic, but now the story has it's proper end.

oh hello,
will you be mine?
i haven't felt this alive in a long time
all the streets are warm and grey

i read the signs
I haven't been this in love in a long time
the sun is up the sun will stay
all for the new day

will you be mine?
the days are short and I wrote me my last rhyme
all the streets are warm today
I read the signs
I haven't been in this love in a long time.

it's been a long time





--

D Note 10 year anniversary. Love letter #520

D Parts,

On this day 10 years ago we opened the D Note for business. Back then Grandview Avenue was a sleepy street and it took a kind of sheer determination for us to get off the ground. It took a village really. Goethe says that if you commit to something worthwhile the universe will meet you more than half way and that has certainly been the case with the D Note. There are have been some nights that are so spectacular that we can't even believe the D Note is a place we helped create. As the legendary Phil often says, "Tonight is one of the 1001 greatest nights of music we've ever had at the D Note."

This weekend will be no exception as we are celebrating in grand D Note style. Come say goodbye to the DeGraffs and lift your glasses to many years to come for the Rosenbergs.

Tomorrow night, Friday, February 15, we start with Laughing Hands at 7pm. Laughing Hands is an acoustic world music band and was one of the first to blow our minds a decade ago. It features flamenco master Steve Mullins and his charismatic brother Brian on stringed instruments, percussionist Ed Contreras and Mike Fitzmaurice, composer and bassist extraordinaire. This show will feature dozens of exotic instruments and one of a kind compositions. It will be like nothing else you have ever heard before.

After Laughing Hands, at 9pm, we have opera music performed by Opera On Tap and Cabaret Otaku, including selections from The Magic Flute, Carmen, Lakme and Rossini's duet for two cats.

We end Friday night with the great Lionel Young, possibly the best blues man alive. Lionel is the only artist ever to win the IBC (International Blues Challenge) in Chicago twice, beating out thousands of other performers both times. He also used to play the D Note every Friday night in our early years. He is just amazing. For a few years Lionel played the D Note every Friday night and it was a heady time.

Then Saturday, Feb 16, we have Slo Children at 7pm, a band made up of Adam and Jeremy DeGraff and Adam Ferrill, Jax Delaguerre and Alejandro Castano. This set will consist of all songs about the D Note herself and will feature performances by Micah Lundy (from Zebra Junction), Allen Galton (from Wonderlic) and Melissa Ivey.

At 8:30pm we have Stonebraker, a terrific rock band from Arvada. They are good friends of the D Note and really warm up the room.

We end Saturday night with Oakhurst, one of our favorite Colorado roots Americana dance bands and the owners of sister bar, The Appaloosa.

The cover for both nights is $10. Come help us celebrate a decade of great music and community love!

Yours,

D scribe

Extra Credit: In a loose sense anything that is poetic can be called a poem. And, in an even looser sense, all poems are love poems. With that in mind we'd like to present to you here a love poem of a documentary about the D Note that Geoff LaPlant made 8 years ago. You might even recognize yourself in this film somewhere. We love that the film opens with Phil opening the door for the camera and saying, "Welcome aboard!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cytQV6IYIKo

D Note love letter 2/7/13

D Verses,

Welcome to D Note point two. Dave and Mernie are bringing some fresh energy and it will be great to see what they bring to the table over time. Long time D Noter Geoffrey Bruce came in on Monday night during open stage and in his inimitable Queen's English said to me, "This place is bigger than either you or the new owners. It belongs to everybody now." I thought that was well said. Ironically this is the first time, after probably 500 or more of these love letters, that I have used the pronouns "me" and "I". The reason I always use "us" and "we" is precisely due to the idea that Geoffrey stated so beautifully. The D Note was always about family and community and we are very pleased to see the locus of this community continue under new care.

It is worth your time to pre-check out all of the music we have this Fri and Sat night. Bluegrass into indie pop into kick ass rock on Friday night, w/ That Damn Sasquatch, Lunar Light Parade, Whiskey Agreement. How's that for Diversity?

Saturday night we have quaint and romantic ethereal indie pop w/ GoodLuckSpider into charasmatic harmony driven songwriter perfection w/ I'm With Her (featuring ANGIE STEVENS AND HALEY RYDELL) and then into more kick ass rock w/ The Broken Everlys.

Throw in Zumba and big band, yoga, baby boogie and salsa and you got yourself a weekend!

Next Tuesday there is a special comedy event w/ 4 up and coming Denver comics. $15. See attached poster for details. Then after the comedy we'll celebrate Fat Tuesday w/ Dan Treanor and the Afrosippy Band. $5 suggested donation.

And a reminder that our 10 year anniversary is happening next weekend w/ Lionel Young, Oakhurst, Opera On Tap, Laughing Hands, Slo Children, Stonebraker and more. Hire your babysitters now.

[5:00p] Katey Laurel [7:00p] That Damn Sasquatch (bluegrass) [9:30p] Lunar Light Parade (dance pop) [9:30p] The Whiskey Agreement	9 [10:30a] Zumba $8 [4:00p] Super Credit Union Fundraiser w/ Sentimental Sounds Big Band. $10 [7:00p] GoodLuckSpider [8:30p] I'm With Her (feat. Angie Stevens and Haley Rydell) $7 [10:30p] The Broken Everlys
10 [10:00a] Free Form Yoga ($5 - $10 Suggested Donation) [2:00p] Baby Boogie, bring your kids into dance! [4:00p] PJ Hahn, $4 (kids free) [8:00p] Salsa Dancing (lesson at 8pm, Conjuntos Colores at 9pm) $8	11 [7:00p] Open Mic Night (Open Stage-sign up at 6:30pm)	12 [7:30p] Steve O'Neill (stand up comedy) $15

Yours,

D nut

Extra Credit: Beck’s latest album comes in an almost-forgotten form—twenty songs existing only as individual pieces of sheet music, never before released or recorded. The idea is that it is up to you to learn the song yourself, like in the olden days. You can hear different renditions of these songs on youtube, which is cool too. Each of the 20 songs sheets included on the album are designed by a different artist. These are up on display as part of the D Note art show this month. Beck is one of those songwriters with the skill of a poet so we'll showcase some lyrics from the new "album" here.


       

         Rough on Rats
       


       
          Your crawfish fingers and your dirty dregs

          Your sideways stingers and your wooden legs

          They're throwing out jewels like rotten eggs

          'Cause it's Christmas in Siam

          And we're rough on rats
       
       
          Your scarecrow spiders and your shipwreck bones

          The fossilized bibles of Geronimo Jones

          His star spangled army in their roadhouse clothes

          'Cause a hero can't bronze his soul

          And we're rough on rats
       
       
          There's shattered glass on the dance floor

          A cop chaperoning a doll

          The testament of a landlord

          Who's living in a hollow log
       
       
          The burlap flowers and the cocaine dirt

          The horn of plenty in a desert of hurt

          The corduroy boy in the killjoy shirt

          He's a stereotype on ice

          And we're rough on rats
       
       
          So what do you think you could take from the heap

          Where the haystack needles are piled up cheap?

          You can buy what's useless and steal what you
          need

          In the pink penitentiary

          And we're rough on rats
       


--

(pink penitentiary?)