Peter's music has been heard on hundreds of radio stations and has been on SiriusXM rotation for over a decade. As a multi-award winning artist, Peter's music has also topped Billboard's Classical and Crossover charts.
For Captain Beefheart, a maverick-artist-musician, who was not just a complicated man but highly demanding and by most accounts very difficult to deal with. It was appropriate that Beefheart's Magic Band was to prominently feature a bassist as accomplished, bold and adventurous as Mark Boston, a.k.a Rockette Morton.
Born on July 14, 1949, Mark began life in the small town of Salem, Illinois before his family moved out to Lancaster, California when he was 13. With a bassist and steel player for a father, Mark gained a great appreciation for country and bluegrass along with the R&B and rock’n’roll that was on the rise. Within a year of the Boston clan moving out to Lancaster, Mark befriended a young guitarist by the name of Bill Harkleroad.
At a time when the bass guitar was seen as the dummy’s instrument, Mark left quite an impression on Bill with his talent and equipment, leading to the two joining forces to form BC And The Cavemen. With Mark’s mother sewing some outfits for them, the band developed a decent reputation, and the two would also play in a band with Jeff Cotton and John French known as Blues In A Bottle. And then a local hero came calling. Or perhaps screaming and howling!
In that same Lancaster scene, Captain Beefheart And His Magic Band were making a big splash as a top flight blues rock outfit, with 'Safe As Milk' having made a strong impression and 'Strictly Personal' being a strong record as well. But even with a sound that was speaking to people, one that perhaps would have been a more pragmatic one as far as a career goes, Don Van Vliet just wasn’t meant for conventional norms.
The Captain had all these ideas, ideas far too out for many, including early members. He needed new musicians, younger and more impressionable ones that wouldn’t object to his ideas. Already having John and Jeff in the band, now 'Drumbo' and Antennae Jimmy Semens, he then recruited Bill, dubbed Zoot Horn Rollo. And on bass, he found Mark Boston, who took the name Rockette Morton due to his love of outer space. And the classic Magic Band was born.
Trout Mask Replica (TMR) wasn’t an easy album to make. Yet even with all the bizarre ideas and the difficulty in preparing those ideas into music, Mark was a total champ through it all. The Beefheart sound is one of great dichotomy, and Mark can capture all of it. He’s so tight and precise, and yet there’s this raw grit and dirt. He’s highly intelligent and sophisticated in his playing, and yet there remains this childlike sense of wonder and curiosity.
He takes after all the great traditional American music, yet out into a whole other realm of time and space. The bass traditionally serves the role of grounding the harmony while locking in with the drums to provide a foundation, yet Mark’s playing often serves as another melody line in the music. In a lot of ways, he’s like a third guitarist that just happens to be playing bass.
The TMR on its own is a legacy few can compete with, and yet Mark contributed to more classic records like "Lick My Decals Off, Baby", "The Spotlight Kid", and "Clear Spot". There on Decals, you get the equivalent of Godfather II. With Mother Art Tripp on marimba and drums rather Jeff on guitar, you get an album that captures a great deal of TMR's brilliance while being brilliant in its own unique way.
Then you get to 'The Spotlight Kid', with bass godliness on cuts like “When It Blows Its Stack”, resulting in a bass solo that often opened shows, yet Mark proves himself just as talented on traditional in-the-pocket styles as demonstrated on cuts like “I’m Gonna Booglarize You Baby”. And that thing about bassists being failed guitarists? In the 'Clear Spot', with Mark taking guitar and the rhythm section now being a mini Mothers reunion of Art and Roy Estrada, yet nobody missed a beat. Throughout the record, Bill and Mark’s kinship really shines, their weaving right there with what Bill and Jeff had done, or what was done with Alex St Clair early on.
Of course, dealing with Don was quite a task of its own, so it’s inevitable that Mark and the others would all end up departing by 1974. He and Bill soon formed a group of their own called Mallard. For two albums, the first with Art and having some writing help from John French 'Drumbo', Mallard showed itself a pretty decent blues rock outfit. And giving that it was Mark who finally had a chance to create something that was truly his own rather than helping some achieve their vision, it’s understandably the work that he takes pride in. And over time, he’d end up making a solo record and create some cool artwork of his own, as well as performing with 'Drumbo' in the reformed Magic Band, allowing the music to live and breathe on stage again.
If you’re a Beefheart fan, how can you not love Rockette Morton? Not only a uniquely talented bass player but such a great stage presence full of joy, along with a lovably quirky personality and such a sweet guy. Easily one of my favorites from Magic Band members, you can’t help but smile when thinking about Mark. He’s been through some rough weather, including his health scares, and yet he’s still the same Mark we’ve known and loved all the years.
Happy birthday Mark! Thank you for all you have given us and look forward to more.
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Patrick Moore is a freehand drawing artist and freelance music writer.
Surekha Vijh, who was once a journalist in India, says, "I see a beautiful scene and spontaneously try to capture the image with my camera. It is almost like talking to whatever I see"
By Larry Rinaldo WASHINGTON: Surekha Vijh, featured in the monthly artist program in suburban Washington as a photographer and poet, received rave reviews in her debut photo exhibit in Falls church, Virginia Taken in the last couple of years, Surekha’s artistic photos portrayed natural scenes. Touching both mother nature and the human side, a beautiful photo of male and female with cherry blossoms, geese with their chicks and a magnificent regal peacock, which is not an American bird, but it was a sight to see in the photo taken in New Vrindavan, West Virginia. With his beautiful beak, regal head gear and majestic wings spread across like a canvass of colors. The ‘tree of life’ and ‘canyon’ taken in upstate New York and the reflection of Krishna’s swan boat in New Vrindvan, showed a different perspective. “The photographs are unique and lively; nature captured at its best,” commented Shiva. A standing-room-only crowd assembled to view the mounted photographs and hear from the two featured photographers. The local artists were there to explain their work. And, not to be overlooked, the gathering mingled and enjoyed snacks and beverages. [caption id="attachment_86473" align="alignnone" width="640"]
Surekha Vijh with her work.[/caption]
Surekha Vijh and Don Rothacker, two selected artists of the month, presented their stunning photography at Art and Frame in Northern Virginia. Sixteen photographs depicted American landscapes, as seen from the piers, into the ocean, some painted with orange sky.
Surekha’s six unusual photographs were among other things, delivered a beautiful message across about nature’s celebration and dance. She also recited a few of her poems from her recent poetry book, “A Leap into Water” to an enthusiastic art loving crowd.
The poems were reflective and projected some of the truths of life. From one hundred-some-odd poems, the titles read were, “The bell”, “A dance of creation”, “Will you come down?”, “Memories” and “Inclination”.
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Surekha Vijh: Photography for me is to capture the moment for posterity.[/caption]
“I see a beautiful scene and spontaneously try to capture the image with my camera. It is almost like talking to whatever I see,” remarked Surekha, an Indian-born journalist and poet. “Photography for me is to capture the moment for posterity.”
There were ten photographs by Don Rothacker, of panoramic views of Florida bridges and waterways. The photos, taken over the last few decades, were shot in Tampa, Florida when on holiday trips with his wife. He was so inspired by the sunset view from the pier and he had to capture it on film with reflections in water.
Don’s photo exhibit was titled "Lover's Key"; although, there are no photo's of any lovers or keys in the exhibit. Lover's Key is a small island off the Southwest coast of Florida (Fort Myers/Naples area); situated in the Gulf of Mexico among a string of other islands or keys. Originally, this key was isolated and could only be reached by boat. Hence, rumors arose, that lovers sought it because of its seclusion; thus, the nickname: "Lover's Key".
“The most dramatic lighting conditions usually occur from sunrise to mid-morning and late afternoon to sunset. Most of my photos are about dramatic lighting conditions of seascapes. Most of the photos were taken around sunset time; simply because, I have difficulty getting up for the sunrises,” Don, a former engineer explained.
“I was fascinated by a group of photos of a north Florida beach showing sky, sand and jutting piers, at dawn and dusk. Then there was one romantic scene of just one arm each of a man and woman clasped and resting on the ground covered in depth with what must have been at least twenty pounds of just fallen, pink cherry blossoms,’ said Howard Tobias, one of the attendees.
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Surekha Vijh's exhibition.[/caption]
“The highlight for me was a poetry reading by the author. Her intonation, phrasing and emphasis enriched the experience for me and, judging by their smiles, for many others. I look forward with anticipation for next month’s art event.” Howard added.
“Another intriguing photo idea was a picture of sunset accompanied by another of Surekha’s poems “A Vista”, which enhanced the thought and the mood.” said another attendee Christel Hignett.
Interestingly, the organizers also wheeled over some vintage autos showing design changes from years gone by.
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Friends at Surekha Vijh's exhibition.[/caption]
The event was held at the Art and Frame studio on Park Avenue in Falls Church. Owner Tom Gittins has kept the tradition of displaying art work by artists, whether they are painters, photographers or sculptors. First Friday kept this tradition in Falls Church with a live band, vintage vehicles exhibited in the parking lot. Falls Church stands for the love of Art. Gittins, is a co-founder and supporter of First Friday.
No wonder the walls of the Art and Frame shop were alive with vibrant photographs. This photo exhibit, live music and a vintage car display brought many locals visitors including neighboring towns to celebrate, the outdoor and indoor art and music, just before the end of summer and the beginning of fall season.
