Those who have experienced New York's CMJ Music Festival in late October know that the air in the city turns vibrant, humming with more electricity than it normally does. On this brisk fall night in late October, that is especially true at Paddy Reilly's Music Bar on 29^th and Second, where the Prodigals are about to take the stage. Among the most successful Irish rock bands to come out of New York City in recent years, The Prodigals have enjoyed an ongoing waltz of  touring and performing across the U.S. and Ireland for more than ten years. They've recorded seven albums, a substantial body of work, which has received significant critical acclaim.

In a city which can arguably be at times frantic and harsh, the opposite is true tonight; the atmosphere at Paddy Reilly's is undeniably warm and festive, resembling the energy at one of those legendary family reunions or neighborhood block parties that run late into the night, fueled by music and wine and topped with laughter and dancing. As they take to the stage, The Prodigals transform from a group of friends into a live wire or, as John O'Regan puts it, a "Molotov cocktail of Irish music and rock 'n' roll." Their dynamic chemistry is palpable on stage and their smiles reveal friends who, both on stage and off, are disarmingly gracious. The Prodigals are: Gregory Grene on vocals and button accordion; Dave Fahy on vocals and guitar; Chris Higginbottom on drums; Ed Kollar on bass; and Darren Maloney on banjo.

As lead musician and bandleader for The Prodigals, Grene is a musician's musician whose record on stage as well as off, speaks of a music lover who has been true to his heart (and his ears) every step of the way. By day, he is Director of Music at DraftFCB, a powerhouse multi-national ad agency with headquarters in Manhattan. As music producer for over the last ten years, Grene has had his finger on the pulse of new music ever since he can remember. He's part of the reason that ad agencies today are regarded as important tastemakers (similar to select video game developers) versus just followers who jump on the bandwagon of the hottest music, and license it to sell more Coca-Cola. Grene has negotiated music contracts with heavyweights ranging from the Beatles to Goldfrapp; he's supervised recordings with acts as diverse as top reggae singer Abija in Kingston, Jamaica and a 60-piece orchestra in the historic Abbey Road studios.

Grene and his fellow band members blend traditional Irish melodies and rock music in a way that is both viscerally engaging and organic. This helps drive The  Prodigals' longevity and success. Most recently, two of their tracks, The Open Reel and Bunch of Red Roses, were featured in New Line Cinema's "Pride and Glory," released in theaters nationwide in late October. Thanks to Grene's initiative, The Prodigals came under the radar of music supervisor for the film, Nic Harcourt, the venerable West Coast DJ and Music Director at KCRW, who is responsible for putting Coldplay, Damien Rice, Moby and Norah Jones, on the map.

The Prodigals will release a 'Best of' album in early January 2009.  They continue to prove that they have staying power by pushing the boundaries of their sound, continually tapping fresh sources of inspiration, and maintaining a wholly unique personality and spirit. For more information about the band, visit www.prodigals.com.

For over the past 11 years, he's been the voice of Spaceways Radio on 90.7 KPFK-FM. On Friday nights from 8 to 10pm, Niño is the peaceful sage transmitting love and positive vibrations to devoted listeners across the city. Often times, he's accompanied by special
guests including other DJs, live performers, legendary musicians, and most importantly, his nine-year-old son, Azul. Niño's radio show provides an intimate place where music junkies can get their fix of music spanning across various genres. It's pretty spectacular how, no matter where you are - whether stuck in traffic or lounging at home - Niño's 2 hour set makes you feel like you're HOME. For the past fifteen years, Niño has also been making music in all its aspects (as producer, performer, concept nurturer, etc.) He's made over two dozen albums that have received both critical and underground acclaim and he's played a hand in the making of countless more albums. Niño's mission to make music is a spiritual matter as he describes: "I work with a lot of wonderful musicians and songwriters on a wide variety of soulful projects. For me, it's a cosmic thing. I'm being led by a calling in my heart." Niño has an incredible ear and a reputation for nurturing and driving new and existing talent to new heights. His musical projects are extensive including Build an Ark, Ammoncontact, The Life Force Trio, and many more. In Fall 2008, he'll be releasing a record with long-time collaborator, friend, and multi-instrumentalist, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson titled "Suite for Ma Dukes" (Mochilla). He's also busy working on another new recording project titled "Carlos Nino & Friends: High With a Little Help From My" (Plug Research), which will be released in February 2009.

Outside the Colburn School of Music in Downtown L.A. sit four young men enjoying a fading blue sky after a rigorous three-hour rehearsal. This is the Calder Quartet - violinists Ben Jacobson and Andrew Bulbrook, cellist Eric Byers, and violist Jonathan Moerschel - artists in residence at Colburn since Fall 2007, where they landed fresh from a two year residency at the Juilliard School of Music in NYC. On the classical music scene, they have established a national presence. In the last year, the quartet's presence in LA has been palpable. In late May, the Calder Quartet made their debut at the Walt Disney Hall opening a program featuring the music of modern composer, Thomas Adès. That same day, they released their latest record, "Maurice Ravel-Thomas Adès-W.A. Mozart" (available on Itunes). "We love every piece on the album and picked pieces that would flow together and complement Thomas Adès' "Arcadiana," the centerpiece of the record." The album also gave the quartet a chance to promote other great arts organizations in town; they recorded it at the Colburn School and commissioned original album artwork by Dave Muller, a local artist from MOCA's permanent collection. The Calder Quartet is helping to bridge the gap between the classical and the modern and making it relevant and provocative for a new generation of listeners. Earlier this month, they could be heard live on KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic" and at the El Rey, performing both times with indie rock sensation, The Airborne Toxic Event. On December 5th, they will perform and dazzle at Colburn's Zipper Hall. For ticket info, visit www.colburnschool.edu or www.calderquartet.com. 

Celebrated as one of the worlds most electrifying and influential bands, Azymuth is known for their trademark sound, 'Samba Doido,' meaning Crazy Samba. Hailing from Rio de Janeiro's vibrant studio scene, in the late sixties, keyboardist and songwriter Jose Roberto Bertrami and legendary drummer Ivan 'Mamao' Conti met bassist Alex Malheiros in 1972. Their first session together was on the "Mustang Cor de Sangue" album with Marcos Valle, in 1973. Bertrami's wild impassioned keyboards combined with Mamao and Malheiros' risky rhythms quickly attracted attention. It was only a matter of time before their brand of new Brasilian music would find its own audience. Their first self-titled album was recorded, in 1975, was an instant classic and re-released, in 2007, by Far Out Recordings in the UK. Following an astounding live performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival, in 1977, they inked an international deal with Milestone Records, bringing Azymuth a larger worldwide audience. Their first Milestone's outing Light As A Feather spawned the single "Jazz Carnival," which sold over 500,000 copies and held the UK top 20 spot for eight weeks. It's a dance floor and proto-house classic still getting spins. Samba Doido is their swing! The world finally understands what crazy samba means in their feet and hearts. In the ensuing years, there have been many albums, solo, covers and collaborations, including a recent album with Madlib and Mamao titled Sujinho. In 2008, Azymuth are still as poignant as ever! With twenty albums under their belts and a few more grey hairs, the energy still hasn't stopped and the trio is a force to be reckoned with! 

For more info on Azymuth and the show, please visit:http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=71953245

LA proves once again that the longevity of its cultural landmarks is not one of its strengths. The latest in its recent deaths is Cafe Largo, a club on Fairfax Blvd. - across from Canter's Deli - known for showcasing the talents of some of the greatest singer-songwriters of our time: Aimee Mann, the late Elliot Smith, Fiona Apple, and many more. For the last twelve years, Largo was also the testing ground for material by some of today's most controversial "either-love-em-or-hate-em" comedians: Sarah Silverman, Zach Galifianakis, Patton Oswalt, and Greg Proops, just to name a few.

Fortunately for Angelenos, all is not a loss. Largo did reopen its doors on June 2. This time around, at a new location on La Cienega Blvd., in the guise of a larger theatre called the Coronet Theatre, a 60 year-old outfit that seats about 280 music devotees.

And what's more, one can now view and (perhaps, soon enough) own a documentary that captures the magic of that ol' Cafe Largo location: the intimate stage shining with brilliant performances by the artists mentioned above and many more; the dimly lit club with its 100 seating capacity; the clinking of cocktails and dinner plates; and the laughter of a small joyous audience soaking it all in. Musical genius and producer, Jon Brion, opens up the 112- minute documentary and then, it fairly trades off between musical and comedic acts.

"Largo" is screening tomorrow, Wednesday evening at 9:45pm as part of LA Film Festival's documentary competition. If you're in town and available, I highly encourage
you to go check it out. It's definitely one for the music library. For more info, visit www.lafilmfest.com.