True Groove All Stars, featuring James Chance, at Cutting Room, March 11

“Not since Paul Simon has an American artist so expertly brought an international sound to mainstream, popular music. ...By fusing a variety of genres, cultures and sounds, Tomás Doncker's True Groove All-Stars are elevating music to its highest possible level..." (veggiefans.net) 

Featured performers include: 

- Tomás Doncker, the Godfather of Global Soul 

- experimental post-modern rocker Marla Mase 

- Kevin Jenkins, A-list singer/songwriter/bassist 

- pop-soul diva Lael Summer 

- legendary downtown NO WAVE Icon James Chance 

PLUS these fabulous True Groove Artists: Heather Powell, Sam Claiborne, Natalie Smith, Charlie Funk, Lola Danza and Mamadou Diaite. 

To stream the show live:  

https://www.gander.tv/venue/cutting-room

8:00pm-9:30pm 

Website:

TrueGrooveRecords.com

James Chance w/DJ Jonathan Toubin, Saturday, 12/21, Brooklyn Bowl

Early Contortions photos unearthed by James Nares

Here are several recently discovered & rarely seen shots of the original Contortions. They were sent to James Chance from James Nares, an original member of the band. Here is what James Chance had to say about them: 

Here are the photos James Nares sent me. Besides being an artist & filmmaker, James Nares was the guitarist in the very first edition of the Contortions circa late 1977 to early '78. 

The photo above was taken in late Jan or early Feb '78. By that time, our original bassist, Reck, had been forced to return home to Tokyo when his visa expired, and been replaced on bass by George Scott, who played with a group called the Jack Ruby Band and was introduced to me by Lydia Lunch. The lineup on the top photo from Max's, left to right, is myself, George Scott, Adele Bertei, James Nares, Pat Place & Chiko. This lineup did 1 Max's date and a weekend at CBGB opening for the Cramps before Chiko also had to go back to Japan and James Nares also decided to leave.

The picture taken in the garage (below) was, I believe, our first photo session - one of the other shots from it was used on the flyer for the first ever Contortions gig at Max's Kansas City in early Dec 1977. The personnel in the garage shot is, left to right, Adele Bertei, James Nares, myself, Pat Place, & Reck, our Japanese bassist. There was also a Japanese drummer, Chiko, who was also the original bassist in Teenage Jesus & the Jerks. The other 3 shots (above) were taken in the dressing room at Max's, and it's very likely also at that first gig. Unfortunately, James doesn't seem to know who took these photos. 

Contort Yourself: (from left) Adele Bertei, James Nares, James Chance, Pat Place, and Reck

James Chance touring & recording: Italy & France

Photo by Matthew Eisman/Getty Images North America

James Chance is happy to announce some new European tour dates for late November/early December in Italy and France. He'll be backed by Les Contorsions. The trip will include a recording session in Bordeaux from Dec. 2-5.

Here are the tour dates for Nov 26 thru Dec 7:
 

Nov 28: Rome / Italy - Init
Nov 29: Bari / Italy - Teatro Communal
Nov 30: Bologna / Italy - Freak Out
Dec 06: Bordeaux / France - Le Comptoir du Jazz 

                                    Dec 07: Tulles / France - Les Lendemains qui Chantent

James Chance related items of interest

Its been a little while since we've posted anything, so here's a little something to tide you over - two items relating to James & No Wave that may interest you:

- First up, our friends Pat & Emily from Nightclubbing have a new column up this week at Bedford & Bowery featuring footage of DNA shot at the Mudd Club in 1979. See that here.

- Secondly, Marc Miller over at 98 Bowery just launched an online exhibition of No Wave film related photos & ephemera. See it here. This includes the above poster, plus a photo of Anya Phillips (from Amos Poe's The Foreigner) we've never seen before, and other items of interest.