Birds and U2

Wild birds make a quick appearance in a CNN.com interview with Irish band U2 -- consisting of Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen -- about the creation of the new album, "No Line on the Horizon," in Morocco:

Bono: Fez is beautiful little city. It's the religious capital of Morocco, and they have a religious music festival there -- you know, Sufi singers and Bango drummers from all over the world. I was invited to speak there, and I asked the band -- would they be interested in coming along? And surprisingly, they agreed. We set up in a little hotel -- they call them riads -- and it's a hotel around a courtyard. We set up the band in the courtyard with the square sky over our heads and birds flying in used to come [and] s*** on Larry Mullen's drum kit. He wasn't happy with that.

Birds treat everyone equally, don't they?

("No Line on the Horizon" album cover above)

"Birdhouse in Your Soul"

This morning, my favorite radio station played They Might Be Giants' 1990 tune "Birdhouse in Your Soul." It's proven to be quite an earworm, and I can't get the cheerful sound out of my brain.

Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch
Who watches over you
Make a little birdhouse in your soul
Not to put too fine a point on it
Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet
Make a little birdhouse in your soul

See what I mean?

Bird-inspired jazz in SoCal

"Jazz Aviary" offers birders and jazz enthusiasts a chance to appreciate sights and sounds that appeal to both groups. Suze Krebs will perform this Thursday, March 27, in Northridge and on Tuesday, April 1, in Culver City. Tickets cost $20 to $25, and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Los Angeles chapter of National Audubon Society.

Los Angeles Times described Krebs' multimedia concerts with the Soaring Sextet as "a fascinating musical presentation," and LA Jazz Scene called it "one of the most refreshing, interesting, stimulating shows I've ever attended... Krebs and her amazing musicians created something of singular beauty."

See and hear for yourself:
March 27, 8 p.m., in Northridge at Giannelli Square (19451 Londelius St., 91324)
April 1, 8 p.m., in Culver City at The Jazz Bakery (3233 Helms Ave., 90034)