5. Kerrytown – I’m lucky enough to live in my favorite part of Ann Arbor. The neighborhood is relatively quiet, and the location A– right in between State Street and Main Street – is perfect. Throw in the People’s Food Co-Op, the Kerrytown Market and a thriving arts community and it’s the ideal living situation.
- TV/New Media Reviews
- Courtesy of Sony
4. Rashaan Roland Kirk – The oft-overlooked multi-instrumentalist reshaped jazz with manzello, stritch and his incredible talent. Critically derided as a “gimmick,” Kirk deserves to be placed in the jazz pantheon beside saxophone legends Coltrane, Dolphy and Shorter.
3. 88.3 WCBN FM – My show, unofficially titled Black People & The Beatles, may have an awful time slot (Sundays, 3-6 a.m.), but it’s worth staying up for. You’ll hear Albert Ayler’s “Ghosts,” Paul McCartney’s demo for “Mother Nature’s Son” and a ton of great, jazz, soul, blues, reggae and hip hop in between.
2. Jessica Alba – With Jessica Alba starring in the upcoming “Into the Blue” as a bikini-clad treasure hunter and her performance as a stripper in “Sin City” recently released on DVD, this fine actress is omnipresent. Her flawless features are the definition of breathtaking – and her movies are pretty good too.
1. Nomo – The best band in Ann Arbor tore up The Blind Pig Saturday night with their vicious Kuti/Coltrane mashup. I can’t think of a better way to raise money for Hurricane Katrina relief than to throw a soul-soaked dance party. With a new album in production, expect this Michigan sensation to commence national domination.