After the initial excitement of learning that Jandek would be gracing the city of Ft. Worth with his presence this Saturday, July 21st at Rose Marine Theater, we started to wonder exactly what kind of show he was going to put on. My understanding of his live performance M.O. to this point is that he has traveled to different cities and played with a different group of musicians in each destination, focusing mostly on improv and avoiding all of his hit singles. For tomorrow's show, he'll be playing with some fairly well known Texas musicians: Will Johnson of Centro-matic (drums), Ryan Williams of Baptist Generals (bass), highly respected pedal steel player Susan Alcorn and long time Austin banjo player Ralph White.

Concert organizer and SXSW booker Craig Stewart tells us that the whole thing started in 2005 when he contacted Corwood Industries and asked if Jandek would be interested in playing his first Texas show in Austin. He agreed, played a show, and then contacted Stewart in 2007 to find out if he and his colleague Cathy Ross would be interested in booking a Jandek performance and concert film screening for SXSW. After Jandek's much talked about SXSW performance, Corwood once again reached out to Stewart and requested a show in Ft. Worth with Houston's Susan Alcorn. Once the booking details for the show were finalized, Stewart, Ross and fellow SXSW employee Tierney Stout put the rest of the musicians together in a collaboration with Corwood and created the Jandek in Ft. Worth Myspace page to promote it.

We sent out an email to each of these musicians and asked them a couple questions about the Jandek show and their thoughts on being asked to play it. Not everyone was able to get back to us, but we did manage to get some answers from Will Johnson and Susan Alcorn. Here they are:

What did you know of Jandek before you were asked to play this show? What did you think of his music?

(Will Johnson)I've followed along for some amount of years now, since the summer of '90. I picked up two jandek records down at waterloo in austin. My college friend quickly informed that there wasn't much more to learn about the person or people involved, outside of the very music i was holding in my hand that day, and that only heightened my curiosity. I guess i've bought about eight or nine more since then. At first it took a little while to get my head around the guitar playing, but i was immediately taken with the presentation and uniformity of the records, the sound of the recordings, the mysterious houston address, the voice and lyrics. iIve always felt like the method, dedication and perseverance of creating in this way is to be respected even if the music isn't really one's cup of tea. In talking to other folks that have followed along, after seeing the documentary and checking various websites, i've found that i know about as much now as i learned on that first day, and that's part of the beauty of Jandek. the definition is all the listener's own.

(Susan Alcorn) I must confess my ignorance. I had never heard of Jandek when I was approached to do this performance. The person who asked me seemed nice and I had that night open, so I accepted the gig.

How were you approached about the show, and what was your initial reaction to the invite?

(WJ) My bandmate (Matt Pence) was originally asked to do it. He seemed excited, but he knew i'd followed jandek for a while and was kind enough to pass the drumming duties along to me. my initial reaction was equal parts nervous and geeked. i was on an escalator in the Atlanta airport and immediately started to sweat it a little.

(SA) I was contacted by telephone. I think it was Craig who called, though I'm not sure. I was in the middle of a music project and had forgotten to write the information. Two days later I was in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I couldn't even remember Jandek's name and had forgotten about the concert when a friend telephoned me saying that he had read about it.

Have you had any contact with the representative from Corwood Industries? If so, could you describe it?

(WJ) No. No contact so far.

(SA) If Craig is a representative of Corwood Industries, then yes I have had contact. If you're referring to Jandek himself, we have not met.

What are you expecting on Saturday? Is there much of a plan as far as what will be played, how long it will be played, or any other details?

(WJ) I've heard of no plan as to what songs we're gonna do, or how we're gonna do them. I only know what time i'm supposed to be there and what instrument i'm supposed to play. That's where that excited/nervous chemical kicks in i guess.

(SA) I haven't the slightest idea what we'll be doing Saturday night except that the show starts at 7 PM. For me that is not unusual. As a musician, as an improviser, and as a human being, I feel it is important to think and act on the spot and to be real.

What kind of impact do you think Jandek's recent live performances have had on his overall mystique and image? Is it a good thing that he is finally playing live?

(WJ) I do think it's a good thing. I went to the show in austin a couple of years ago and walked away with another bundle of questions, and also the satisfaction of knowing i had finally heard the voice and seen the creator live. Every show appears to be very in the moment and with different musicians involved each time, and i think that's what makes each one its own unique event. Even as we now have the knowledge that the person playing live appears to be the same person that appears on the records, it feels like the mystique is moving on in a new way through these live shows.

(SA) As for the impact of Jandek and his mystique, I can't answer that. Is it a good thing that he's playing live? Well, he as a human being, just like you and me, if he wants to play live, then I think it's a good thing that he is playing. There are aspects of music, subtleties and nuances, that can only be shared and experienced live -- in the moment and in the same room.

Do you feel that you have anything in common with Jandek as a musician?

(WJ) Not really sure. Maybe i'll have a better idea about that after saturday night.

(SA) What I have in common with Jandek as a musician. From what little I have heard, I know that his music has an honesty and that he's communicating things that go beyond words and notes. I hope that, at times, I'm able to do the same.

when susan alcorn first met the rep backstage, she remarked, "you must be jandek" and he said, "no, sterling smith." he was extremely cordial and personally conversed with each musician at length. the thing he most enjoys about living in houston is "the humidity and the vegetation." i've known mr. smith for several years and only discovered his "art" within the past couple of years. he is VERY serious about his music and about life, in general. he definitely wants to be left alone.

jandek. one of the nicest mysterious things around so far.

Best show of the year.

More later.

'bout to be some Jandek on the best radio station in the world -- http://bang.rice.edu/

I think the vast majority of the crowd was very much into the performance. I was a little intimidated when it was announced that it'd be 2 hours uninterrupted, but I don't think it felt like an endurance test after all. Thor must have been one of the few in the audience (maybe 150 people?) to think that the show felt like a mistake.

I thought the musicians were all fantastic. The vocals weren't exactly pretty, but what to expect? The lyrics were basically lots of simple declarative sentences and often dead or dying metaphors, by which he managed to stay utterly impersonal and vague even though just about all the songs were first-person.

my two cents

just sayin

I want to comment back (and I'd love to hear more from people who were at the show), but I'm working on a review of the show and I'll just let that be my comment. Hopefully I'll have it posted some time on Monday.

i thought that the players could of unlearned some shit and tried to have a wink of respect for Jandek. I mean who cares about the drummers technique. i thought the sound was good. Jandek got smeared by an insensitive band and any dynamic in the music that happened seemed purely accidental. He did seem to steer the music a bit.The band was overpowred him. The band didnt pay attention to one another really. It was just bollocks for people to scribble onto their resumes. A FLAT COKE!
Only one person really seemed to put the care into the performance. Thank you Ryan Williams. You did not wank all over the place.

i was at that show, and i can tell you with confidence, thor christiensen is a fucking moron.

Pop: Who is Jandek? Does anyone care?

Singer - and his voice - should have remained a mystery

By THOR CHRISTENSEN / The Dallas Morning News

FORT WORTH – When Jandek half-moaned, half-sang, "I don't know who I am," Saturday night, he and his audience became one.

Fans don't have a bloody clue who Jandek is – and up until recently, that was part of his charm.

For nearly 30 years, the Houston singer kept himself so shrouded in mystery he was dubbed the "indie rock Sasquatch." Starting in 1978, he released dozens of cryptic albums full of morose folk-blues dirges, but he refused to perform live, give interviews, or provide any information about himself.

In a world of fame-hungry musicians, Jandek simply wanted to make records and be left alone.

Or so it seemed. As his legend grew in wake of the 2003 documentary Jandek on Corwood, he decided to lift the veil. In 2004, he performed his first concert, and 25 shows later, he walked onstage Saturday night at the 250-seat Rose Marine Theater for his North Texas debut.

It felt like a mistake. Back when he was a hermit, the weird secret of Jandek was intoxicating. But now that he's here, standing onstage for all to see, Jandek is no longer Jandek: He's one more performer trying to entertain us with his music, and not doing a very good job at it.

To put it bluntly, Jandek is among the worst singers on earth.

Out of key. Out of tune. Off pitch. None of these phrases come close to describing the moaning, groaning voice that made the two-hour concert seem like an endurance test. Nearly as bad was his harmonica playing, which made Bob Dylan seem like Toots Thielman by comparison.

Your guess is as good as anyone's what Jandek's epic songs were about. One surreal tune seemed to be about being drugged and robbed in a hotel. Others sounded like jokes with the punch lines missing.

The show's one salvation was Jandek's ad hoc band, made up of upright bassist Ryan Williams (Baptist Generals), drummer Will Johnson (Centro-matic), steel guitarist Susan Alcorn, and ex-Bad Livers fiddler-banjoist Ralph White. For musicians who'd never played together before, they jelled nicely: Part free-form jazz, part avant-garde country, their jams gave the show an edge Jandek lacked.

Dressed all in black, his eyes hidden by a fedora, the rail-thin singer said nothing to the crowd of 100 or so and barely acknowledged them: When one fan screamed "Welcome to Fort Worth! OWW!" the singer grinned.

But as quick as Jandek's smile appeared, it vanished, and it was back to poker-faced business as usual.

so, was it amazing?

No, someone already won the tickets and they have been notified. I guess we COULD announce the winners, but we just don't ever do it.

they never seem to announce the winners

So whatever happened to the contest? Is that off or are you keeping the winner anonymous?

Jandek:Will:Funland

Whodathunk!

For a million reasons, I feel this has the potential to be even more "special" than any of the other Jandek performances. That may be in the mind of the beholder, I guess we shall see.

too bad there is no

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/weshotjr

article

I second that sentiment, 1:40. He's one of the most solid drummers around, and his taste and minimalism should lend itself well to the improvisational nature of the show. Too bad I'll be out of town.

And look at that, you're already linked on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jandek

Why did you attach a picture of Ben Fleming to this Jandek article?

This show will be worth going to just to see Will play drums.

It almost sounds like some kind of bizzaro Rock Lottery

Tierney rocks!! YAY!