Music on TV - Week of 10.17.11: Pearl Jam 20, Mayer Hawthorne

The Cameron Crowe directed Pearl Jam Twenty makes TV debut on PBS Friday, October 21. (Vinyl Films)

Pearl Jam on American Masters? It boggles my 1991 mind to hear that, but the Cameron Crowe-directed documentary on the Seattle band is making a pre-DVD debut on television as part of PBS' illustrious series (airing this Friday -- check local listings for time). Culling from over 1200 hours of rarely seen footage, plenty of concert shots and a days worth of recent artists interviews, Crowe has put together a meticulous document that any fan -- and most non-fans as well -- to be pleased with.

Far from being a Pearl Jam superfan, I nonetheless feel a connection to the band, having seen them as Mookie Blaylock at a freezing Moore Theater back in December of 1990 -- where Soundgarden members joined the festivities performing Temple of the Dog numbers before Alice in Chains came on as the "Toys for Tots" headliner (scroll down below to see a clip of Chris Cornell relaying Temple of the Dog memories.) I was also in attendance for the taping of their "Alive" music video. And later, while wandering around the first Lollapallooza in 1991, I ran into Eddie Vedder and informed him "you're gonna be part of this lineup next year." He guffawed and gave his best "awe shucks," but there was recognition (ever so slight) that this was going to happen. Rest = history.

Watch Chris Cornell on Temple of the Dog on PBS. See more from American Masters.

As an added bonus, those tuning in via Seattle's KCTS will get a 13 minute mini-documentary on the burgeoning current Northwest music scene, called Something in the Water. The min-Rock Doc features bits of performances from Shabbaz Palaces, Pickwick, The Head and the Heart, Macklemore and the Total Experience Gospel Choir. (You can watch it online here.)

Meanwhile, blue-eyed soul purveyor Mayer Hawthorne is back with his sophomore release, How Do You Do?, which builds on the his debut, realizing a lot of Hawthorne's potential. Besides the Hawthorne's bread and butter neo-soul, there's added styles thrown in organically here, woven together to give the DJ's unique sound. Hawthorne brings his fancy suit to Conan on Monday.

Picks for the week
Monday, October 17
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Sia (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: John Doe (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Cobra Starship featuring Sabi (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Foo Fighters featuring Roger Waters (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Cliff Martinez, Kylesa (REPEAT)
OWN: The Rosie Show: Boyz II Men
TBS: Conan: Mayer Hawthorne
Tuesday, October 18
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Kelly Rowland (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Fleet Foxes (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: LMFAO (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Pearl Jam (REPEAT)
Wednesday, October 19
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Pitbull (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Wilco (REPEAT)
COMEDY CENTRAL: The Colbert Report: Coldplay
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: The Horror (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Blondie (REPEAT)
Thursday, October 20
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Mute Math (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Mastodon (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Tony Bennett (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: J. Cole, Frightened Rabbit (REPEAT)
Friday, October 21
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Glen Campbell (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Elbow (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Fools Gold, Roll the Tanks (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Arctic Monkeys (REPEAT)
PBS: Pearl Jam Twenty: Pearl Jam
Saturday, October 22
BBCAMERICA: The Graham Norton Show: Aloe Blacc
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Radiohead (REPEAT)
PBS: Austin City Limits: The Decemberists, Gillian Welch