FOUR FABULOUS FEMALE SINGER/SONGWRITERS

Go to LINK   pp. 252 through 264 of the latest issue of Paraphilia or paraphiliamagazine.com for my photofeature on Leslie Knauer, Jonneine Zapata, Ruby Friedman and Kizzy Kirk, Los Angeles' current greatest singer/songwriters who just happen to be of the XX chromosome persuasion. They all amaze in their respective, separate ways.

RUBY FRIEDMAN ORCHESTRA live 7.31.12

Amidst Maxfield Parrish colors of The Federal Bar stage, the always magnificent Ruby Friedman Orchestra performed 7.31.12 at the North Hollywood club, taking a break from recording their newest release.

If ever a band delivered live, it's this one: amusingly visual, excitingly musical, powerfully emotional, enduringly splendid. Guest singer pictured above is Maiya Sykes from The Endangered.

Next live show is Sept. 22, Pershing Square, downtown L.A.
Catch 'em before you can't...

PHOTO OPS:
Left to right, Rovena Cardiel, Evita Corby, Kizzy Kirk and Johnny Lim, the latter two of Feral Kizzy, a high energy rock band much touted by Ruby herself.

Rovena Cardiel and Evita Corby
backstage

Left, a nice grab shot of Rovena Cardiel

RUBY FRIEDMAN ORCHESTRA live 2.28.12

Exuberant in all her extrovert glory, singer/songwriter extraordinaire, the emotive Ruby Friedman of eponymous
Ruby Friedman Orchestra excited all 2.28.12 at the Hotel Cafe, Hollywood, showing off (besides my inadvertent alliterations) their new repertoire for their forthcoming release. As yet untitled, it's due out summer 2012, and predictably should be excellent.

One of the gig's RFO songs already heard on television's "Sons of Anarchy," the beautiful "Drowned" kept looping in my brain for the next day/week/month with its resolute chorus "I will go further out than where you drowned," to me a metaphor of ambition in our treacherous music business.

Above, Ruby whistles the overture to the set. (No, it wasn't "Patience" by Guns N' Roses, although this band has been known to rock out covering AC/DC.) Below, the rest of the Orchestra for the evening.

"Drowned" at the Cafe Hotel video

PHOTO OPS:

A veritable Dire-o-rama this time! Paraphilia Magazine co-editor Dire McCain above showing off her animal anima, and below channeling Cindy Sherman's art oeuvre.

Smiling for the camera with Dire in assorted configurations below are Ron Garmon and his main squeeze Romona Machado, Steven W, (the one who resembles a more Punk version of his pal John Barrymore III,) Muso Journalist Supreme Chris Morris also of Watusi Rodeo radio program fame, and Dire's pal Christine with the ink.

Lastly, our party spotted these unforgettable shoes. Lack of shadows cast despite bright outdoor lighting outside the club suggests possible vampirism afoot...

NOTE: link directly back to http://fastfilm1.blogspot.com if all elements such as photo layouts or videos aren't here.

RUBY FRIEDMAN ORCHESTRA LIVE at the ECHO

The always incredible Ruby Friedman Orchestra live at the Echo, Los Angeles 7.24.11, in prep for their London/U.K. promotional jaunt next week. Replete with hoedown stompers to power ballads with real emotion, their original repertoire remains heartily and lustily all over the map! Lots more on the RFO here LINK.

HEY, that's my job!
Drummer Alex Elena personally outsources rock-documentation from onstage mid-song.

Which reminds me: their portraits but not noms des musique/cladistic nomenclature have been elucidated in these virtual pages, so to rectify, the Orchestra's own description of membership here forthwith:

Alex Elena -- Marching Beats, Orders, and Ranks
Ulf Bjorlin -- Tenderloin Tromboner
Adam Zimmon - String Swooner
Dorian Heartsong -- Vagabond of Bass Vagaries
Ruby Friedman -- Non-Servile Servant and Whistling Dixie Girl
Nicholas Johns -- Ivory Ebony Space Sounder
Nick Page -- Banjo and Iron Horseshoes Player
Jodie Schell -- Will-O-The-Wisp Backing Mega-Mouthpiece

Photo Ops: Above, Paraphilia Magazine's editor Dire McCain and staff photographer Richard Meade, R-Rated antics in the middle, flanked by Dire's pal Christine and far right, Rico Cardinale, hairstylist extraordinaire and Fastfilm's friend since 1966.

Dire and Richard looking marginally more respectable.

NOTE: link directly back to http://fastfilm1.blogspot.com if all elements such as photo layouts or videos aren't here.

Recent sightings: LITTLE CAESAR, RUBY FRIEDMAN ORCHESTRA

LITTLE CAESAR at the Key Club, Hollywood, this June. My pictorial history of this amazing hardest rock/soul band can be found throughout here: LINK

Also enjoyed recently this past June,
Ruby Friedman Orchestra at the Rhino Records "Pop Up" (temporary) store, with a few more photos of the Orchestra this time.

Very Edith Piaf!

Photo ops at RFO: below, Mark London and Evita Corby

Writers Kenneth Rains Shiffrin and Dire McCain (also editoress of Paraphilia literary/cultural flashpoints magazine.)

NOTE: link directly back to http://fastfilm1.blogspot.com if all elements such as photo layouts or videos aren't here.

RUBY FRIEDMAN ORCHESTRA reaches for the stars

Ruby Friedman Orchestra, replete with full-time trombone and part-time guesting backup singers, rattled the rafters of The Troubadour for a Jan. 16th gig. Again, RFO's salient points: songs you actually can remember on the way home from the gig and beyond, RFO recordings already gracing U.S. network television as theme songs ("Shooting Stars" for "America's Got Talent,") hot band overall, and the full-throated Ruby warbler herself on resplendent, emotional vocals, occasionally to be witnessed punking out for maximum impact as seen here.

Photo ops sector: Ruby and some of her L.A. pals; below, Jimmy Recca (from Ron Asheton/Machine Gun Thompson's The New Order and The Stooges in the '70s,) Dire McCain (Paraphilia Magazine Editor,) Evita Corby (rock&roll couturier,) and Ruby Friedman still towering above it all in her 6" platform stiletto heels.

Below: left, Jimmy and Evita; right, Dire, Jimmy, new L.A. denizen Ed Bucciarelli, Evita, yours truly temporarily sans customary shades, guitarist Andrew Scott (Raw Power Rangers,) photo by David Arnson (Insect Surfers and Raw Power Rangers.)

Last pic, left to right: Muso Journalist Supreme Chris Morris, Dire dancing some unholy take on the can can, Andrew, David and Jimmy.