PIGEON JOHN: DRAGON SLAYER
(Quannum Projects; Oct. 12, 2010)
Quannum Projects is set to release LA-based Pigeon John's new album Dragon Slayer on October 12, 2010, the follow up to critically acclaimed Pigeon John...And The Summertime Pool Party. Known for his wildly energetic performances, Pigeon John, deemed "a showman in the tradition of Cab Calloway and August Darnell" by the Los Angeles Times, will be wowing crowds again with live dates this fall.
Dragon Slayer houses the signature Pigeon John humor and smarts but with a whole new sound. With the aid of General Elektriks' Hervé Salters, he produced the whole record, including, for the first time, recording and chopping up his own instrumentation rather than just flipping samples and banging on an MPC.
Pigeon John explains, "I'm enjoying the new record because of Hervé's touch on it. The songs ran out of my hands and grew up like children. Control went out the window, and the songs stood on their own two feet without my help. Dragon Slayer is the best TV pilot ever written. That's all I have to say, plus give me a pint..."
The dragon that Pigeon John slays isn't just the malaise of a quarter-life crisis; it's all the little obstacles and stories that come together to make a person. It's that moment of realization, as PJ details on the head-nodding harmonies of "Buttersoft Seats", when buying a nephew's new Jordans suddenly becomes more important than owning the hottest whip on the block. Or how, with the right mind state, sipping coffee in your backyard can turn you into "a young Sean Connery in Cabo"; at least while "So Gangster" sets the soundtrack. On "Ben Vereen" only Pigeon John could create a hook like, "I hate you so much" that goes well with a smile on the face and a kick in the step. Dragon Slayer showcases Pigeon John's sophisticated and witty storytelling ability while not binding to any one genre.
Pigeon John, whether backed by a live band or simply by beats (always complimented, of course, with his smooth moves), has incredibly commanding stage presence and charisma.
Of his love for the live show, Pigeon John says "It's is where the rubber meets the road. A show can never be leaked or recreated. It's traditional, in a sense, just the performer and the people. Vaudeville almost. The potential to flop is inches away from washing over the crowd and winning them. And that danger is what I'm into. You can't fake a show... or an orgasm."
Having shared the stage with the likes of Matisyahu, Of Montreal, Mike Patton, Lyrics Born, RJD2 and Nneka, Pigeon John can woo any crowd, rock and hip-hop alike. He'll be out there like a road warrior once again this fall, and on through next year.
Experience the greatness live on these select dates.....
The Dragon Slayer Tour
Pigeon John
DJ Abilities (from Eyedea and Abilities from Rhymesayers crew)
Dark Time Sunshine (feat. Onry Ozzborn from GreySkul)
Date | City | Venue |
|
Sept. 30 | Santa Barbara, CA
| Velvet Jones
| |
Oct. 1 | San Diego, CA | The Loft | |
Oct. 2 | Los Angeles, CA
| Siren Studios - Thrillist
| |
Oct. 2
Oct. 4 | Visalia, CA San Fran., CA
| The Cellar Door Cafe Du Nord
| |
Oct. 6 | Seattle, WA
| Nectar Lounge
| |
Oct. 7 | Portland, OR
| Backspace | |
Oct. 8 | Boise, ID
| The Reef
| |
Oct. 9 | Bozeman, MT
| Zebra Cocktail Lounge
| |
Oct. 10 | Salt Lake City, UT
| Urban Lounge
| |
Oct. 11 | Denver, CO
| Larimer Lounge
| |
Oct. 12 | Boulder, CO
| Club 156
| |
Oct. 14 | Madison, WI | High Noon Saloon
| |
Oct. 15 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry
Oct. 16 Chicago, IL Morseland
Oct. 17 Rock Island, IL TBD
Oct. 18 Cleveland, OH TBD
"The L.A. hip-hop/funk/pop maestro takes you on a tour of his (rough) life and (smooth) musical influences, making witty jokes and vehement comments about everything from dating to drugs. Older readers may hear the influence of Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band; younger readers... just go buy this, trust me: It's its own high." - Entertainment Weekly
"Nebraska-born, LA-bred, racially mixed rapper Pigeon John could gripe about what he's not (rich, famous, laid). But the comedic, alienated, singsongy MC's third indie album demands empathy, not pity. Setting proudly assed-out spiels to cheery early De La Soul-style beats and catholic samples (like alt-rockers the Pixies), " the one and lonely" Pigeon John boasts about dining at Taco Bell and macking on mallrats. He cuts his cutesiness, though, with a world-weary tirade toward Jesus and a sad ballad about his homies growing old. Without tragedy, it's hard to be a clown." - VIBE
"Good times hip-hop from college-rock nostalgic" - SPIN
"Pigeon John uses hip-hop to charm and disarm with a classic style and miles of savoir-faire, infusing his black-everyman lyricism with a particular potency and power. Paired with poppy upbeats and whimsical melodies, P.J.'s lighthearted look at harsh realities is akin to fellow L.A. rap iconoclasts the Pharcyde at their freshest." - LA Weekly
"There's not just skill and bump in this music, there's fun in it. Remember when everyone was so shocked at how much they liked Andre 3000 being ridiculous and brilliant at once? He's got company." - Music For Robots
"Pigeon John isn't just one of the freshest voices to emerge in Hip-Hop this millennium, he may also be the realest. The Inglewood native has never fronted about packing heat or slinging rocks despite the rough environment he came up in. In fact, the Quannum MC carving out a niche in Hip-Hop as the Average Joe not afraid to just be himself." - ALLHIPHOP.com
Pigeon John's discography:
Pigeon John is Clueless (2002), Pigeon John Is Dating Your Sister (2003), Pigeon John Sings The Blues (2005), and Pigeon John and the Summertime Pool Party (2006)
About Quannum Projects:
Quannum Projects was first conceived in 1991 under the moniker "Solesides Records", by artists Blackalicious, DJ Shadow, Lateef the Truthspeaker, Lyrics Born and journalistsDJ Zen (Jeff Chang) and Jazzbo (Joseph Patel). After evolving into Quannum in 1997, and enjoying massive grassroots success with the release of Blackalicious' debut Nia in 2000, the Quannum family has continued to expand with releases from such diverse artists as SĂŁo Paulo's Curumin, vintage keyboard guru General Elektriks and electronic hip-hop duoApsci. In addition to Pigeon John's Dragon Slayer, 2010 will also see an EP release fromLateef the Truthspeaker around Christmas and complete re-release of classic Quannum catalog titles in 2011.
