What are you doing New Year's Eve.....

We ceased going out for NYE a number of years ago, opting instead for dinner parties, murder-mystery parties or just plain watching television. We have no plans for this year (update: Labellas are coming over for steaks 'n NY Football Giants). But if we did have a life, what are the music options?

Toast of the Nation - NPR has just announced that they will broadcast a 12-hour special, originating from Tipitina's in New Orleans, which will....."feature a number of local musicians who have not performed in their home town since Hurricane Katrina"....and include...."performances from Washington, Boston, New York, Portland OR, and elsewhere." Starts at 6PM EST. complete article

If you are in the Northeast, you can catch former Wildweeds/NRBQ singer-guitarist Al Anderson & The Crumbs (NRBQ drummer Tom Ardolino, Mark Knopfler bassist Glenn Worf, Double Trouble keyboardist Reese Wynans and West Hartford guitarist Jim Chapdelaine)playing two shows at the Iron Horse in Northampton, MA. The Hartford Courant's Thursday entertainment section, Cal, has a nice interview with Big Al by Eric R. Danton - here.

If you like your jazz, greet the New Year at Szechuan Tokyo in West Hartford with Don DePalma (piano), vocalist "Tiny Joe" Eleazer, Craig Garfinkel (bass), "Rob the Drummer" Gottfried (drums!!)and special guest musicians.

The Apple Harvest Setup Committee gang goes to Black-eyed Sally's

Friday night in Hartford for the UConn/Quinnipiac game found the AHSC gang (JK/Gumbo/Steve/Rod) easing on down to Black-eyed Sally's for some post-games cocktails 'n blues. Our familiar burly, but friendly doorman informs us that Ramone and the Monster would be starting shortly and at a $5 cover we're inside searching for the barkeep and a spot to land. I order up 2 Long Trails, a Bass and a Tanqueray 'n tonic while the boys discover a cozy (?) spot to right of the stage next to the bathrooms (which allows us to commence an informal game of 'rate the rack').

Ramone and the Monster is a CT quartet consisting of a pair of Middletown brothers (a McCartney-lefty on bass and sibling on drums), a Windsor-born organ player and a Boz Scaggs-type lead guitarist. They all alternate turns at singing lead, which makes for some nice changes, and play a tasty variety of music in a funky style (think Young Rascals), mixing Leon Russell, Ray Charles, New Orleans funk, etc. But, as Johnny Gumbo notes, the transition from song to song is uneven, which becomes distracting and loses their momentum. When they are good, they are very entertaining, which in turn makes the dance floor very entertaining as well. Johnny Gumbo is beckoned to the dance floor by a couple of lasses and, as you probably know, Gumbo needs VERY little encouragement to shake his moneymaker (to paraphrase Steve Miller, he's a dancer, he's a prancer, he's a midnight lancer).

An Earth, Wind & Fire number was surprisingly good with Boz showing off a very decent falsetto. We stay for a long first set and call it a night as Stevie Wonder's Superstition keeps the crowd dancing. I have not found any website for this band, but I'd see them again. Maybe a C+ (by the way, an '8' wins best rack in a somewhat disappointing field).

Guitar George Baker

I took in a quick set of Guitar George Baker at the USS Chowder Pot III in Branford on Wednesday evening as part of my mission to choose entertainment for the 2nd annual Southington Rotary Mardi Gras Night at Anthony Jack's. Event co-chair, Johnny Gumbo, was unable to attend because he was busy with OTHER THINGS.

The 'Pot' put George somewhat at a distance across a dance floor from the rawbar where I was seated with a cold Bass in hand and the Nebraska/Michigan game in sight, but that's the deal with these gigs and he seemed fine with it. Accompanied by drums and bass, Guitar George's set of jazz/blues featured a Christmas medley of Mel Torme's Christmas Song and a nice Charles Brown-like rendition of Merry Christmas, Baby, a freshened-up version of BB King's The Thrill Is Gone, and some breezy instrumental jazz.

Hailing from New Roads, LA, Baker's impressive resume includes stints as music director/touring with Marvin Gaye for three years and as a member of the house band at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem.

His new CD/DVD, Mojo Lady with the George Baker Experience is available on his website. George plays each Wednesday evening at the Chowder Pot and once a month at Cafe Nine in addition to being featured on BET/Jazz TV "Live from the Club at Blue Palm".

New music for Christmas....

Music has always been an important element of gift-giving at Kennedy/Flynn/McGowan Christmas get-togethers and this year is no exception. Everyone gets cross-pollinated with offerings from others (and the group has very fine music taste, if we do say so ourselves). Let's take a look:

Love and Bombs (Jake Brennan & the Confidence Men) - we all agree that we must hear more from this guy, who shares his band and other things with Sarah Borges. Garrett & johnnyk agree that this Boston-based guy sounds very much like Elvis Costello on a number of his cuts.

Best of Leon Russell (Leon Russell) - nice recap of Leon's very tasty stuff; he will be appearing at The Narrows in Fall River, MA soon.

Our New Orleans 2005 (Various Artists) - THE recommended Katrina tribute album with Dr. John. Irma Thomas, Allen Toussaint, etc.

Employment (Kaiser Chiefs) - need to listen more to these guys to tell if we like them; touted as the new Kinks by some.

London Calling (The Clash) - original LP and The Vanilla Tapes

Party Favors (Al Anderson) - accumulating more of Big Al's discography and liking it; the Windsor, CT native will give two New Year's Eve shows in Northampton, MA.

There Will Be a Light (Ben Harper & the Blind Boys of Alabama) - spreading the gospel of this GREAT album. By the way, Ben just married long-time partner, actress Laura Dern. article-Five Blind Boys of Alabama spread the glory

Sunrise Over Sea (The John Butler Trio) - JBT's highly acclaimed second album from down under.

Howl (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club) - JFK & GDK going to see them in Beantown soon

After the Gold Rush (Neil Young) - don't let it get you down, it's only castles burning- a classic.

Triple Treasures (Roy Orbison) - 3 CDs of Roy!!!

No Direction Home: The Soundtrack (Bob Dylan) - some good Dylan for the Dylanless Andy.

Get Behind Me Satan (The White Stripes) - we've touted them for quite some time now; get this CD!

In Between Dreams (Jack Johnson) - good stuff from the surfer dude.

Unplugged in New York (Nirvana)

THANK YOU, Judy, for the Cleveland Browns blanket!!!!

The twelve musical days of Christmas...

1. Just one look (Doris Troy)
   
2. I second that emotion (Smokey Robinson & the Miracles)
   
3. Quarter to 3 (Gary U.S. Bonds)
   
4. Four dead in Ohio (Crosby/Stills/Nash/Young)
   
5. My true story (The Jive 5)
   
6. 25 or 6 to 4 (Chicago)
   
7. Seven little girls sitting in the back seat (Paul Evans & the Curls)
   
8. Eight days a week (Beatles)
   
9. Love potion #9 (The Searchers)
   
10. Ten years gone (Led Zeppelin)
    
11. Eleven Roses (Hank Williams Jr.)
    
12. Rainy day women #12 & #35 (Bob Dylan)
    

Okay, wiseass, let's see you do better! (Well, they'll stone you when you're trying to be so good)

may your days be merry....and bright

It's just a few days before Christmas, so EVERYONE must now sing.
Turn your speakers up and join in....
AND THAT MEANS YOU!!!!

CLICK HERE

Sing along while you play penguin baseball - here

(just click on the screen when you're ready,
then again to swing the bat)

Hall of Fame
323.7 - Jonathan Kennedy
323.5 - Johnny Gumbo
322.3 - Jordan Meier
320.3 - The Reet

Purchased for myself while Christmas shopping....

Thelonious Monk Quartet With John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall - I won't pretend to be a jazz expert, but this CD is pretty damn good (when a reviewer says 'damn', you know he's self-importantly implying that he's just bursting at the seams to say 'fucking', but has the dignity not to). Read the linked review by Ben Ratliff in the NY Times to tell you WHY it's so good and give you some historical perspective.


Try John Mayer Trio - Do, indeed, try this...Mayer is pretty gritty for a preppie guy...and funny... "let me take you back to the birthplace of the blues - Fairfield, CT."...He sounds a little like Dave Matthews in the beginning (in a good way, not a rip-off way), but then settles in to being the leader of this solid blues trio.

The Prisoner Herbie Hancock - A quick visit over to Integrity 'N Music yields this 1969 tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King.

Velvet Underground reunion DVD set for release

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Archival label Rhino Records has set a January 24 release for the DVD debut of the Velvet Underground's "Live MCMXCIII," which chronicled the legendary act's brief 1993 reunion tour. Previously only available on VHS, "Live" was taped June 15-17, 1993, at Paris' Olympia and features such classic cuts as "Venus in Furs," "Femme Fatale, "Rock'n'Roll," "Sweet Jane" "I'm Waiting for the Man," "Heroin" and "Pale Blue Eyes."

"Live" features the final performances of VU guitarist Sterling Morrison with bandmates Lou Reed, John Cale and Maureen Tucker, as he died of cancer in 1995, shortly before the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The DVD has been remixed in 5.1 Surround Sound. In related news, Reed and his band are gearing up for a winter European tour, which will begin with a February 23 performance at the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. Two warm-up shows are on tap for February 11 in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and February 13 in New York.

I wanna Sunday kind of love.....

Reading the paper, listening to John Coltrane's Lush Life...

Besides Beatles and Beach Boys, George W says he listens to 'Dan' McLean on his iPod; perhaps W should have considered driving his Chevy to the levee...(no Let the Mighty Eagle Soar?)....be sure to view JibJab.com's year end roundup

For those who haven't, it's about time to listen to the White Stripes' Get Behind Me, Satan; Jack and Meg are just way too good to ignore, even if the last 'rock' album you took out was your scratchy old Buffalo Springfield Retrospective (or was it Michael Jackson's Thriller ?)....

Listening to King Pleasure Sings/Annie Ross Sings....

Hi Judy....go put on Johnny K Has the Blues This Christmas...

Listening to Abbey Lincoln's Who Used to Dance; she does a marvelous take on Dylan's Mr. Tambourine Man on this CD. I saw Ms. Lincoln at the Hartford Holiday Inn in the early 80's in a Sunday evening Hartford Jazz Society concert (when I was a member). She has wonderfully unique song phrasing. Try her (you can get a nice selection at Integrity 'N Music in Wethersfield).

Continuing on to Dr. John's Duke Elegant - performing the music of Duke Ellington (an unusual, brilliant interpretation of Sir Duke)

Email from Johnny Gumbo: "How 'bout a review of Long Road Home, collection of John Fogerty and CCR tunes now that the 35 year old feud is over with Fantasy Records? I'd do it, but who has the time!" - Well, Gumbo, make time and share with us. Gumbo composed a mighty fine review of the Willie Nelson concert he attended at the Palace in Waterbury last month. He now has me in the mood for some John Fogerty - slapping on Blue Moon Swamp - ooooooooo, let the blueboy play!

Postal delivery for Garrett from Amazon.com - 2 CDs - 1)Bob Dylan Self-titled and 2) Bedouin Soundclash Sounding a Mosaic ....think Sting singing reggae...kinda

The see dead scrolls.....

Granted there is still time to bite the big one, but you musicians who don't find yourselves on this list just may have stayed out of rock 'n roll heaven for another year. From Reuters/Billboard, here is a look at some of the notable artists who died in the past year.

Swing-era clarinetist/bandleader ARTIE SHAW, 94, died December 30, 2004, in Thousand Oaks, Calif. By some accounts, Shaw sold more than 100 million records during his career as a performer/composer/arranger. His first million seller came in 1938 with a swing makeover of Cole Porter's usually languid "Begin the Beguine." Shaw's theme song, the minor-mode, noir wail "Nightmare," also sold 1 million copies. His lifelong conviction that art should trump commerce led him to walk away from his career several times. In 1954, he put down the clarinet for good, although he later returned to the music scene as a bandleader.

Singer/songwriter JIMMY GRIFFIN, 61, January 11 in Nashville. Best-known for his work with 1970s soft rock act Bread, Griffin gained acclaim as a songwriter with cuts recorded by Rudy Vallee, Ed Ames, Lesley Gore, Bobby Vee and others. Following the breakup of Bread in 1977, Griffin formed many other groups, the most successful of which was the Remingtons, who scored a top 10 country hit.

Songwriter/drummer JIM CAPALDI, 60, January 28 in London. Capaldi was a member of British rock act Traffic from its formation in 1967 until it disbanded in 1974. Traffic was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. Capaldi released his first solo album in 1972. He remained in demand as a musician/writer, working with such artists as Bob Marley, Carlos Santana and Eric Clapton.

Wait, don't relax just yet. - more - sadly, Lou Rawls

TGIF.....

Don't touch my bags if you please, Mr. Customs Man....
Arlo Guthrie, after taking part in two sold-out shows for NOLA aid at Tipitina's, raised additional funds and collected musical equipment for the musicians of New Orleans by holding "Christmas on The City of New Orleans." Arlo and Friends stopped, performed and fundraised starting December 7th in Chicago and arrived December 17th in New Orleans. - complete story - more

You ain't a beauty but, hey, you're alright....
(AP) TRENTON, N.J. - A New Jersey lawmaker is hoping to get mileage from Bruce Springsteen's classic album "Born to Run." State Sen. Raymond Lesniak is driving a proposal introduced Thursday to create specialty "Born to Run" license tags for Garden State drivers. Proceeds would go to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, a Springsteen-supported charity. - complete article

At last, my perfume has come along....
Estee Lauder has dragged out the Etta James' classic At Last for its new perfume advertisement; Mercedes used it a few years ago. What a wonderful, wonderful song. By the way, Etta James is still alive and kicking hard, recording some top-rate blues CDs. After you've searched for and obtained At Last (a must!), try a recent CD like Burnin' Down the House: Live at the House of Blues or Let's Roll. You can leave your hat on.

Meriden jazz club a reality soon?....a followup story

I have been interested in the progress of the Essence Lounge jazz club since reading a Record-Journal story last Spring. After a lengthy period of silence, I dropped a note to the reporter asking for a followup; apparently others did also and the news is encouraging:

The buzz on Colony - Record-Journal editorial 12/15/05

The Cotton Club is one of the most lasting legends of jazz. It’s where Duke Ellington and his orchestra rose to fame in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Ellington’s show featured singers, dancers, comedy acts and more at the club, which was initially in Harlem. Director Francis Ford Coppola made a movie about it in the 1980s. Thanks to weekly radio broadcasts, Ellington’s music reached a nationwide audience and earned him, and the Cotton Club, a distinct place in American history.

Capturing the spirit of those days is the aim of Meriden resident Floresia Allen, who is working to open a jazz club on Colony Street, above Fischer’s Fine Foods. If all goes according to plan, the Essence Lounge will be in full swing in about two months. Allen, who recently applied for a liquor permit for the club, has been talking with arts organizations and musicians about her plans. Ideally, the club will feature live music every night, providing a relaxed, entertaining atmosphere for a mature audience, sophisticated fare for a sophisticated clientele.

Whenever there’s talk of revitalizing downtown, it invariably leads to discussion about why people would want to go there. A new façade won’t do the trick alone; there needs to be a destination, a lure of some kind. It could be any number of things, a school, a sports complex, an arts center, and it doesn’t have to be just one thing. A jazz club fits that vision nicely because it can be a draw all its own but also one that works well in concert with others.

Allen’s vision seems to have already generated the necessary buzz. People are asking about the club, and when it will open. Newly elected City Councilor Dave Salafia, who owns Fischer’s, plans to feature Allen and her New Orleans cuisine in one of his upcoming Thursday night dinners. All this is very promising for Colony Street in particular and downtown Meriden in general. It’s exciting to consider that something as lively as a jazz club could soon be a city staple.

Previous post about the Essence Lounge project - here -

Cotton Club from PBS website

I got dem 'took my name off those damn awards' blues....

If I were WC Handy, I'd be mighty pissed right now. I would also be dead, so the point would be moot. According to All Music Guide, WC Handy was "....the "Father of the Blues," (who) brought the music of rural Southern blacks into the mainstream by copyrighting old songs and writing new songs, spurring the blues into the mainstream of popular music during the 1910s and '20s. He was also a highly trained veteran of the music world who led all manner of groups: string quartets, brass bands, and a touring minstrel-show group."

The Blues Music Awards USED to be named after WC Handy. They are no longer, changed to bring broader visibility to the music. Actually, it makes perfect sense because no one knew what the awards meant when they were the "Handys." (Well, I guess that's why they call it the blues, WC.)

The Blues Foundation, based in Memphis TN, recently announced its 2006 nominees. "Among the veterans and newcomers nominated for the first time are Tab Benoit, Elvin Bishop, Tommy Castro, Rich Del Grosso, Sonny Landreth, Doug McLeod, Big James Montgomery, Sista Monica Parker, James “Blood” Ulmer and The Mannish Boys. Many artists racked up multiple nominations, but Marcia Ball, Magic Slim and the late Little Milton topped the list with four nominations each. Shemekia Copeland, Bobby Rush, Hubert Sumlin and Kim Wilson each had three nominations among the 25 album, artist, band and instrumentalist categories. For the first time, category names honor two living blues masters: B.B. King Entertainer of the Year and the Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year."

Upon perusing the listing of nominees, johnnykmusic notes that Maria Muldaur, Solomon Burke, Rory Block, and Marcia Ball are in my record/CD collection and have been seen in concert over the years.

I saw Maria Muldaur in the mid-70's at the old Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford, CT (paired with Leon Redbone), again in the early 80's at 36 Lewis Street Restaurant in Hartford, CT (during her born-again period), and finally at the 2005 JazzFest in NOLA (part of an amazing tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe with Marcia Ball, Angela Strehli and Irma Thomas). I've always loved her music; those who think of her just in terms of the pop hit Midnight at the Oasis (check out the LP, very good) are missing a wonderful folk/blues performer. I have many of her recordings, going back to her jug-band music days with ex Geoff, and her latest, Sweet Lovin' 'Ol Soul, is a highly recommended early blues CD.


Solomon Burke opened for Van Morrison a couple years ago at the Oakdale and almost (SOME I attended with would say DID) stole the show from the more aloof Van. Burke has revived his career with some solid CDs (try 2002's Don't Give Up On Me), covering Van Morrison, Bob Dylan and others. If you have a chance to catch him in person, DO IT!

WWUH Radio used to produce folk concerts in the basement of a house on Farmington Avenue in Hartford in the early 80s. It was a very intimate setting and we saw a number of concerts there including a very young and talented Rory Block. Bought an album from her that night (I still have it somewhere), which she autographed for me. Kinda lost track of her in recent years, but perhaps this spurs me to catch up.

I'm a relative newcomer to the Marcia Ball fanclub, for years being enamored with Lou Ann Barton instead (still am). But Marcia's name and music kept appearing until I had to pay attention. Lucky me, she is dynamite! Got to see her at 2005 JazzFest (both her own set and the Sister Rosetta Tharpe tribute), then again at last Labor Day weekend's Rhythm & Roots Festival in Charleston, RI with Johnny Gumbo. I recommend Dreams Come True, an album of Marcia Ball, Lou Ann Barton and Angela Strehli with a band led by Dr. John.

The awards ceremony is set for May 11, 2006 at the Cook Convention Center in downtown Memphis.

Vinnie on the mend......

Good friend and golf partner Vin (real name Dave, don't ask) is recovering from neck surgery and needs some TLC. Well, I don't know where, but he's not going to get it here. But I'll tell you what I can do for him - here's his EMAIL address so EVERYONE can send him a note telling him to get off his ass and get going!!!! I can feel the love! Vin's significant other, Marcia, is recovering from foot surgery and is nowhere near the baby that Vinnie is.



Vinnie's top 5 favorite albums:

Ethel Merman- The Ethel Merman Disco Album

Australia's Queen of Yodeling- Mary Schneider Yodeling the Classics

2 Live Crew- As Nasty as They Wanna Be

Michael Bolton- Time, Love and Tenderness

Pat Boone- In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy

she was workin' in a topless place and I stopped in for a beer...

You just went out and got Sirius Satellite Radio because you're a diehard Howard Stern aficionado and now Bobby Zimmerman decides to have a weekly music show on XM Satellite Radio. So what do you do? Music or dirty jokes and strippers? Well, don't tell anyone, but Dylan plans to trump Howard by interviewing only folk-singing strippers on his show. It should be interesting to hear his DJ banter - Bobby isn't much for banter, based on the few times I've heard him (try to) speak.

Bob Dylan to host weekly radio music show - Reuters

Legendary folk rocker Bob Dylan will start a new career as a radio DJ when he launches a new weekly music show on XM Satellite Radio next March. The station said on Tuesday the show would feature music hand-picked by Dylan, writer of some of the enduring classics of popular music since the 1960s such as "Mr Tambourine Man," "Like a Rolling Stone" and "The Times They Are A-Changin'."

"Dylan will offer regular commentary on music and other topics, host and interview special guests including other artists and will take emails from XM subscribers," XM said. Now 64, Dylan's anti-establishment folk songs were the anthems of a generation and he has released over 44 albums in a career spanning more than four decades.

"Songs and music have always inspired me. A lot of my own songs have been played on the radio, but this is the first time I've ever been on the other side of the mic," Dylan said in a statement. His memoir "Chronicles Vol. 1," published in October 2004, was a huge best-seller in the United States.

XM Satellite and its main rival Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. are battling for supremacy in the nascent market for subscription radio and both have been luring high profile names to their stables to boost their profiles. XM says it has more than 5 million subscribers.

lyrics - Tangled Up in Blue

knock, knock.......land shark

Critic Melinda Newman of Reuters reviews a number of this year's holiday albums including an updating of A Charlie Brown Christmas (blasphemy?), Brian Wilson, Michael McDonald (yuck), Kate & Anna McGarrigle and Anita Baker. She says about Diana Krall's offering of Christmas Songs:

"Diana Krall featuring the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (Verve): In the style of Rosemary Clooney or a number of other sassy jazz gals, Krall serves up a delectably stylish menu of classic holiday melodies, including an appropriately melancholic "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve." Her expressive phrasing adds new dimensions to "Let It Snow" and "Winter Wonderland." This is the perfect album to put on when it is down to just you, your sweetie, the yule log and some eggnog at the end of the party."

(note: just be careful your wife/hubby doesn't show up unexpectedly)

And please, when I go out with you, don't put me on display ...

Early 60's pop music (pre-British Invasion), in addition to rock/rockabilly, doo-wop, surf/cars and schmaltzy movie themes, included the 'girl groups.' Though trashed by many rock purists as irrelevant and shallow, the genre was smart, sexy and hook-driven. Songs were generally quite short and didn't deal with very deep issues, but that was the point - teenagers weren't supposed to save the world, they had REAL problems to deal with! Yes, Phil Spector was front and center with his wall-of-sound stable of interchangeable groups, but there were many, many others as well who added their own textures to the style.

Among the dozens of boxed sets of music available for the holidays is One Kiss Can Lead to Another from Rhino Records, a compilation of obscure (meaning no Spector) girl group songs chronicling the era. Perhaps someone will give it to me as a present this year! Four CDs (120 songs), priced at about $60 amazon.com.

"In the past 40 years the music featured on One Kiss has served as a touchstone for a wide variety of artists, most notably 1970s New Yorkers (the Ramones, Bruce Springsteen, New York Dolls, Blondie-- even Martin Scorsese), 1980s Brits (the Smiths, Jesus & Mary Chain, the Field Mice, the Cocteau Twins), and contemporary indie stars (Saint Etienne, Magnetic Fields, the Avalanches, the Concretes)." - Pitchfork review (9.8 rating)

Boston Pheonix review (3.5 stars) - Stomp & Stammer review

Some reference materials: - history of rock.com - girlgroups.com - spectropop.com

Oh, the weather outside is frightful.....

I was planning to take in Sarah Borges with Peter and Andy tonight at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge (Peter and I saw her show at The Narrows last month), but a two-hour trip from CT in this weather for a late-late show is not a fun idea. Will have to wait for her Cafe Nine appearance on Friday, Jan 6. Keith A raised the issue of whether seeing Sarah three times in three months constitutes stalking.

Took in UConn Huskies hoops (bastards, not bitches) last night at the HCC (no longer "The Mall") and noted that Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline is considered a tres cool anthem during time-outs. Not sure that entices the student section to rush out and purchase 12 Songs, Neil's latest CD, but I think brother Jose might.

I'd better be attending to my task of putting the lights on the Holiday tree before The Reet returns with her freshly-baked Holiday cookies or my chestnuts will be roasting on an open fire . Putting on a little Professor Longhair to brighten the festivities. One set of lights doesn't work!!!!!! Don't panic, spread them out more. Perfecto!

Hearing, at a Catholic funeral, Morning Has Broken by the singer-songwriter turned Muslim-US terrorist designee, Cat Stevens, made me wonder what would have happened if Cat had been elected into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame this year (he was nominated, but not elected). Would George W. have allowed him to attend as a sort of "Peace Train" gesture? Interestingly, Mr. Bush had a similar experience in 2000; he was also nominated, but not elected, yet got to be President anyway (perhaps he was being followed by a moon shadow). Mr. Stevens, now Yusuf Islam, currently spends his time doing subversive terrorist things like helping earthquake victims in Asia.

Still awaiting CB's exclusive Herbie Hancock report (hint).

The new Strokes CD, First Impressions of Earth, to be released on January 3. It will be interesting to see if the backlash from their over-hyped, but quite worthy first album Is This It?, which killed the followup Room On Fire, will still exist. - Story from coolfer.com

It's ALIVE!!!!!!!.....sorta

New Deal Keeps N.Y. Punk Venue CBGB Open by LARRY McSHANE Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- The legendary punk venue CBGB, known as the launching pad for influential bands such as the Ramones and Talking Heads, announced an agreement with its landlord Wednesday to keep the club's doors open through October 2006, when it must move. CBGB's lease expired in August, with the landlord announcing it wanted the club out after a five-year fight. But Mayor Michael Bloomberg's office helped reach an agreement that avoided a court battle with the Bowery Residents Committee, a homeless advocacy group that owns the lease on the property. - complete story

(note: Joey Ramone was dead and unavailable for comment on the above story) -

Previous posts about CBGB

Carolyn B visits Herbie Hancock in the Big Apple

Why watch television when you can be there in person! That's exactly the reasoning that had CB in NYC Wednesday morning to see Herbie Hancock's live performance of Sister Moon with Sting on Good Morning America. CB has promised an exclusive report for johnnykmusic (photos below).

From herbiehancock.com: Sting and Herbie Hancock to perform live on Good Morning America. Tune in Wednesday, December 7th for a very special live performance of Sister Moon on ABC's Good Morning America. Sting and Herbie Hancock will join forces to jolt the country awake on December 7th with a live performance of Sister Moon as arranged for Sting's knockout performance on Herbie's latest album, Possibilities. In-demand jazz guitarist Lionel Loueke, who wrote the arrangement used on the album, will be joining Herbie and Sting for the performance. Loueke joined Herbie on the road for his lauded "Headhunters '05" touring group that brought down the house at Bonnaroo 2005, where Herbie was named the event's first-ever "artist in residence."

Herbie and CB together on the GMA set.

Sting and Herbie Hancock performing Sister Moon on Wednesday morning on Good Morning America
(photo courtesy of CB)

Good news on the doorstep....

WE ARE BACK!! So states the Louisiana Music Factory on its website. And that's good news for music lovers everywhere! For this store isn't just a place to buy a CD (but you CAN find marvelous and hard-to-find music there), it's a meetinghouse for musicians in NOLA and a performance venue for some of the greatest musicians in the world in a setting where you can reach out and touch them.

Aaron Lambert,Big Chief Alfred Doucette, James Andrews and Joe Krown play at the LMF re-opening celebration

Message from the website: Thank you for all the support and orders via our website! This will help us to continue to spread the great music of Louisiana. We are now processing the orders. Please be patient and be assured that we are doing the very best we can under difficult conditions. No credit cards will be charged until we are able to ship the orders. If you would like to help the New Orleans music community, please consider doing some of your Christmas shopping from our website. Our New Orleans: A Benefit Album for the Gulf Coast-Various Artists - AMG review

Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out

Bought the Bruce Springsteen Born to Run 30th anniversary edition package (together with a twelve-pack of Magic Hat) for the family Christmas party grab bag. And I traded for it. Hey, it was a great gift!

P.S. Garrett did the same with his Bob Dylan No Direction Home CD and a fifth of Grey Goose.

Has this family no shame!!!! Or just great taste.

Jazz

Being a first-wave boomer, my first exposure to 'jazz' was my parents watching the Lawrence Welk Show on Saturday nights, complete with the Lennon Sisters and Myron Floren, the featured accordianist. Not very stimulating stuff. I suppose I heard some big band music too, but I don't recall anything specific. During the sixties, I recall seeing Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong occasionally on the Ed Sullivan Show, but I paid little attention to them.

In the late 70's, while working in West Hartford, I would tune my radio to University of Hartford FM radio station WWUH (history), where jazz was played every morning from 9-12. While I used it, at first, as background music (along with classical), I began to find it to be an interesting alternative to the declining quality of FM rock. WHCN had been an independent Hartford FM rock radio station to which I listened faithfully for years. It was hip, but professional, taking the best attributes of college radio and combining it with entreprenuerial spirit. They would often have in-studio interviews with touring artists and it would be common to hear them sing/play for 30-45 minutes at a time. No rigid format schedule reigning in the interview. But one day as I was listening, I experienced a strange sense that something was different. Alas, the station had been sold to a regional group and was slowly tweaking the format to be more mainstream, not blatant, but noticable.

So I discovered WWUH, probably with the help of the Hartford Advocate (now owned by the same company that owns the Hartford Courant, but then a fledgling underground rag), and it became my station of choice in the immediate Hartford area (it had a very limited broadcasting range). And I discovered that I found the jazz programs, weekday/saturday mornings, to be interesting and cool. And I discovered two major influences - Mort Fega and Integrity 'n Music.

Mort Fega, a transplanted NYC jazz DJ/record producer, had recently moved to West Hartford and become involved in the local jazz scene. He hosted a WWUH Saturday radio show, "Focus on Jazz", not only playing music that I had not heard before, but giving short personal anecdotes about the artists in a laid-back, hip-as-hell manner. A music style that seemed so dated to me previously suddenly became very cool. I began listening to more and more jazz, buying albums and finding jazz clubs to sample live jazz performances. Fega began producing Monday night concerts at the 880 Club on Maple Avenue in Hartford, using his extensive contacts to bring in big names. He also produced an album for Bobbie Rogers, a local vocalist associated with the Chic Chichetti Big Band.. In 1986, Fega moved to Florida. Mort Fega passed away on January 21, 2005 at the age of 84.

Saturdays with Mort (Fega) by Rob Mariani

Integrity 'n Music

to be continued.....

Jazz is in the Air (Hartford Advocate)

Hartford´s storied jazz scene will get a welcome blast of fresh air this Thursday when talented vocalist Lindsey Muir gives her pipes a workout at the grand opening of the Mezzanine, a glamorous 1940s-style jazz lounge in the renovated G. Fox Building.

Muir, a relative newcomer to the music world, made a splash in August during her performance at the acclaimed Litchfield Jazz Festival where she launched her debut album You´re Nearer - Love Songs of the ´30s & ´40s . Joining Muir will be Hartford-based musicians, Dezron Douglas, Craig Hartley, Ben Bilello and the New York-based tenor saxophonist, Albert Rivera. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the music will commence at 7:30 p.m.

The Mezzanine is located at 960 Main St., Hartford. (860) 524-9590. Free and open to the public. --A.B.

(note: you/we missed the date, but the venue seems promising enough to put it on your entertainment to-do list.)

Put me in, coach....

UPDATE: SHS lost to Xavier 44-30 CIAC recap

Good luck tonight to the Southington High School Blue Knights, who will be playing for their 2nd (1st in 1998) CT state LL football championship vs. Xavier High School at Ken Strong Stadium in West Haven.

Realizing there are not anywhere near as many football songs (excluding college fight songs)as baseball songs (Take Me Out to the Ballgame, Centerfield, etc.), I search:

All Revved Up And No Place to Go (Meatloaf) - "I was a varsity tackle and a hell of a block, When I played my guitar I made the canyons rock-but-, Every Saturday night I felt the fever grow, Do ya know what it's like, All revved up with no place to go" Football, Beer & You (Teter Jay) - "Cause when it's football time in Tennessee, A brewski hits the spot, The Titans take the gridiron, And their givin' all they've got, A pigskin and a cold one, Was all I thought I'd need, Until that day at Hooters, When you brought them wings to me."

Can I get an Amen! Any others?

Some people...

You might want to catch the White Stripes' appearance tonight on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart at 11pm EST on Comedy Central (that's 10pm CST and about 10:45 MST, I think). If you do, please stick around another half-hour for the Colbert Report with Stephen Colbert, my fav show on television these days (yes, even fav-er than Curb!). It took the former Daily Show reporter a couple weeks to get everything in place, but his deadpan delivery is funny, biting, topical and his mannerisms are right-on. Three thumbs up! - New Yorker review

Moths, I think....johnnykmusic readers are STILL waiting for the Andersons' report on their Vegas concert experience with the.......incredibly thin diva, Celine Dion. Hoping for some juicy after-party tidbits.

BUT, while you wait for Sharie's sure-to-be-blockbuster, you might peruse the blog of Bored Housewife, which Blogger plugged as a 'blog of note' yesterday, sending thousands scurrying to her site. Not sure if she wants the notoriety, but she'll have to deal with it for awhile. Pretty interesting stuff from a Ute mom of twin boys. And she's taking a rock n roll history class at U of Ute, so there IS a tie-in for you skeptics!

Some NOLA thanks to Mark G.

Have a Ho-Di-Ko-Di-Ya-La-Ma-La holiday 11/22/05 Chris Rose

I talked to Dr. John on the phone the other day. He said he's doing fine and will be coming to New Orleans in early December for the first time since the storm. At least, I think that's what he said. I mean, it was Dr. John; I don't even think his mama ever knew what the hell he was saying once he got started talking.

With Dr. John, you just kind of nod your head and every now and then, say: "Yeah you right, Mac. You bet." The Night Tripper speaks a language unique unto himself. And yet -- and this is the killer part -- his is perhaps our city's most recognizable voice, with that accent born of primordial stew and swamp gas, hoodoo and magic spells, incense and roux, known the world over and immediately associated with New Orleans. - complete article

ROXANNE......on second thought

Old prostitutes find work in rural Australia

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Prostitutes as old as 70 continue to work in rural Australia, pushed out of the cities due to strong competition from younger and more attractive sex workers, the author of a study said on Tuesday. Brothels are legal across most of Australia, but states have strict laws against soliciting and running brothels in residential areas, and near churches or schools. - complete story

Songs about prostitutes:
Elton John, "Island Girl"
AC/DC, "What Do You Do For Money Honey?"
Elton John, "Japanese Hands"
Elton John, "Sweet Painted Lady"
Digital Underground, "Good Thing We're Rappin'"
Janis Ian, "Pro Girl"
ZZ Top, "Mexican Blackbird"
Isaac Hayes, "Lady Of The Night"
Donna Summer, "Bad Girls"
Rick James, "P.I.M.P. The S.I.M.P.

THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES THE INDUCTEES FOR 21st ANNUAL INDUCTION CEREMONY

The list of 2006 nominations included Cat Stevens, Black Sabbath, John Mellencamp, Miles Davis, Sex Pistols, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, the Patti Smith Group, Joe Tex, J. Geils Band, the Paul Butterfield Band, Dave Clark Five and the Sir Douglas Quintet.

From RRHOF website: The following artists will be inducted at the Twenty-First Annual Induction Ceremony, which will be held Monday, March 13th 2006 in New York at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel:

Black Sabbath, Blondie, Miles Davis, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sex Pistols



Meanwhile:

I am, I said, to no one there......(actually, he is getting decent reviews on his 12 Songs CD, said to be a return to his songwriting roots.)

Also, not yet in:

The Singing Nun

Journey

1410 Fruitgum Company
Previous post at nomination date

Boston Folk Radio (on my laptop)

This may be old news to Beantown music lovers, but I just discovered a wonderful radio program, Highway 61 Revisited (Saturdays 7am - 11am), on WUMB Folk Radio, UMass-Boston.

For example: Richie Havens' version of She's Leaving Home from Sgt. Pepper; Bonnie Raitt doing a live version of John Prine's Angel From Montgomery; Greatful Dead's Box of Rain; Byrds' The Bells of Rhymney ; The Band 4% Pantomime (with Van Morrison sitting in) .

They will be doing a retrospective next Saturday morning on Rubber Soul.

The station recently polled its listeners about "what artists top their iPod playlist? Imagine you could fit only 10 artists (folk or any genre) on your iPod . . . who would they be?" - complete top 120 listing

Top 5 were: Bob Dylan Cheryl Wheeler Patty Griffin Dar Williams Richard Shindell

(Okay, I plead ignorant about the music of all except Dylan, although I've heard of Dar Williams and Patty Griffin.)

Rubber Soul's 40th anniversary

With the release in 1965 of this rushed-into-production-for-Christmas album, the Beatles began the change to more varied musical styles, complex arrangements, and sometimes-darker subject matter. Revolver gets top billing on many of the "best of" lists, but Rubber Soul has always been my favorite. It was such a hip change for them at the time that many in the Beatles' pop fan base began to abandon them. Interestingly, two songs, "Drive My Car" and "Nowhere Man," were not included on the USA release. They are on the CD version.

There will be lots of press hype surrounding the anniversary of the December 3rd release date (December 6 in the USA), but I found a potentially interesting tribute CD containing covers by Ben Harper, the Donnas, Cowboy Junkies on Daedalus' music website - This Bird Has Flown. The title refers to Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown).

..."You can’t muck with greatness, but you can sometimes put together a dang good cover album. A case in point is this track-by-track recapitulation of a landmark Beatles disc by a gaggle of adult-alternative and indie rock artists. With banjos and mandolins, the Yonder Mountain String Band recasts “Think for Yourself” as a bluegrass tune, while Ben Harper infuses “Michelle” with a reggae flavor. Mindy Smith’s “The Word” is a little bit country, while Ted Leo's “I'm Looking Through You” is a little bit rock 'n' roll. One of the most exhilarating tracks is the Donnas’ “Drive My Car,” which mimics the original arrangement but takes on a sweetly distinctive flavor because of the female voices. Another nice reworking is Low's “Nowhere Man,” enhanced by the harmonies of husband and wife duo Mimi Parker and Alan Sparhawk. Other highlights are a folksy “You Won't See Me” by Dar Williams, a typically laconic “Run for Your Life” by the Cowboy Junkies, and an alluring deconstruction of “If I Needed Someone” by Nellie McKay."

Here comes Bonnie!

bonnieraitt.com

Bonnie received a lukewarm review of a recent concert in elay where the reviewer made some of the points I've voiced about her getting too mellow, too often....."the lyric and gently grooving arrangement remind that Raitt made the transition from blues belter to middle-of-the-road crooner long ago." When I last saw her about four years ago in Wallingford, CT (I've seen Bonnie in concert about ten times, including a strange pairing with her dad, Broadway legend John Raitt), I enjoyed Jon Cleary's opening set more than Bonnie. When she picks it up, she's still great and I'm not stuck in a time warp longing for just her old stuff, but there is WAY too much mid-tempo dirges these days. Hey, I don't blame her for going for the bucks; early on she put out SO much great music that never was commercially successful, so no need to apologize for finding the niche that makes her some cash. And it's not like her new material is bad, it's just not interesting enough for this old snob.
Bonnie plays Detroit 10/17/05

Update: Bought the CD (along with Sarah Borges' Silver City and Maria Muldaur's Sweet Lovin' Ol' Soul) and found that Bonnie is getting funky again, thanks, in part, to two John Cleary songs - Love On One Condition and Unnecessarily Mercenary.

Bonnie Raitt is about to release her new CD, Souls Alike, a set of songs from promising young songwriters. She is touring in support of the CD and, from all reports, these songs will be a little edgier than her more recent stuff. Here's hoping. Jon Cleary (who was great at the Maple Leaf Club in NOLA during JazzFest last Spring) will again be on keyboards, James Hutchinson on bass, Ricky Fataar on drums and George Marinelli on guitar. Bonnie will be at the Warner Theatre in Torrington, CT on October 22 (Saturday) with Maia Sharp and at Foxwoods Casino on December 16.

San Francisco Chronicle interview
Unofficial site
Rolling Stone review

Picked up on a quick trip to Borders with G-man

Music Aerial- (Kate Bush) Mountain Soul- (Patty Loveless) Exile on Main Street- (Rolling Stones) Blue Moon Swamp- (John Fogerty) The Alternative to Love- (Brendan Benson)

Books Teacher Man- (Frank McCourt) Vernon God Little- (DBC Pierre) John Henry Days- (Colson Whitehead)

I'm walkin' to New Orleans

Speculation abounds concerning the fate of NOLA in general and some of its major cultural festivities in particular. It seems that the mood is to do SOMETHING for each event to maintain continuity. But how it will play out is anyone's guess.

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Johnny Gumbo sent an email: New Orleans Blues- Not a very happy story. By the way, Happy Birthday, today to Dr. John...IKO....IKO! (and a post from Time Magazine)

New Orleans Today: It's Worse Than You Think. Neighborhoods are still dark, garbage piles up on the street, and bodies are still being found. The city's pain is a nation's shame By CATHY BOOTH THOMAS/NEW ORLEANS (Posted Sunday, Nov. 20, 2005)

On Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, the neon lights are flashing, the booze is flowing, and the demon demolition men of Hurricane Katrina are ogling a showgirl performing in a thong. The Bourbon House is shucking local oysters again, Daiquiri's is churning out its signature alcoholic slushies, and Mardi Gras masks are once again on sale. But drive north toward the hurricane-ravaged housing subdivisions off Lake Pontchartrain and the masks you see aren't made for Carnival. They are industrial-strength respirators, stark and white, the only things capable of stopping a stench that turns the stomach and dredges up bad memories... Time On-line

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New Orleans Planning Shorter Mardi Gras -here

Musicians fear New Orleans jazz traditions will die
By Russell McCulley (Reuters)

NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - Philip Frazier, who leads the New Orleans jazz group ReBirth Brass, was one of the lucky ones. His house and tuba survived Hurricane Katrina mostly intact. But hundreds of his fellow musicians were not so fortunate. The floodwaters that swept through this city nearly three months ago destroyed not only homes but also the instruments local musicians use to make a living, and cast doubt on the future of New Orleans' vivid musical traditions.

"We were very blessed," Frazier said of ReBirth's revival after its members had relocated as far as Houston and Baltimore. "We were fortunate that we were able to regroup and go out and continue to make a living for ourselves." Katrina scattered musicians across the country, and shuttered many clubs and concert venues. More critically, perhaps, it halted the convention and tourism industries that supplied much of the audience.

........There are hopeful signs. The mammoth New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival says its 2006 event will take place on schedule, and some music clubs have reopened to enthusiastic crowds of mostly local fans. Tipitina's is hosting its first post-Katrina "fais-do-do," a Sunday afternoon ritual for Cajun dance aficionados, followed by a practice session for Mardi Gras Indians, the bead-and-feather bedecked troupes who parade during New Orleans' huge and famously decadent pre-Lenten festival. - complete article

2006 jazz fest

Me and Peter and Sarah Borges at the Narrows.....

It's to be a Fall River Saturday night with Peter McGowan and our new-best-friend, Sarah Borges and I wonder during the two-hour drive from CT whether the johnnykmusic-touted young lady will live up to the high expectations I have for her performance. Since purchasing her "Silver City" CD (Silver City being her hometown of Taunton, MA), I've given out a number of copies to friends to quite favorable responses. Could have waited for her return appearance to Cafe Nine in New Haven on Friday, January 6, but here I am.

Found the warehouse building (among many of same) down by the waterfront beneath the Braga Bridge in Fall River, parked and met Peter up in the third-floor lobby area of the Narrows Center for the Arts. We quickly checked out the concert venue, then scooted out for a bite to eat before showtime - Al Mac's Diner, right out of Barry Levinson's wonderful movie, Diner, set in Baltimore circa 1959. We were instructed to "take anything along the window," so we obediently slipped into one of the two available booths. Our hostess took our drink order for two Red Dogs (I think it's a Miller faux-grunge beer- unfortunately, not nearly as dangerous as it sounds), handed us a hand-written listing of specials and told us that our waitress would be with us shortly - she then reappeared momentarily AS said waitress! I guess she was playing both parts - ACTING! Okay, two bacon, cheddar, hurt-us-badly burgers, medium rare. Nope. No can do rarities here, you'll have to settle for the low end of medium. Okay, fine. You're the boss.

A quick trip to the packy for a six o' Bass (Narrows is a byob venue) and we're back to the warehouse. The art show reception in the lobby has ended and cleared out, we settle up on the tickets and enter. It's still pre-showtime and a few people are seated in the three sections of ten-deep church pews that face the stage. As we make our way along the back wall of artist cubicles (some open for viewing), we bump into a tall, thin long-haired girl who greets us with a friendly, "How're you doing tonight." It's Sarah! Mentioned that I was planning to catch her at Cafe Nine in January and she said how great they treated her when she played there in September.

We homestead a pew to the right of the stage awaiting the opening act that Peter has seen before and gave lukewarm review about, The Heygoods. Husband/wife duo with quirky style and some interesting subject matter. I didn't like them.

After a very brief intermission, Sarah and her band (members of Jake Brennan & the Confidence Men) take the stage and launch into about an hour of her Silver City songlist coupled with a few other artists' numbers (didn't catch the names) thrown in.

Sarah and her band at the Narrows Center for the Arts 11/19/05 (photo courtesy of Backstage at the Narrows).

She sounded great and has a wonderfully engaging stage presence. She has been compared with Lucinda Williams and Chrissie Hynde. I see more rock influences than blues; and I will refrain from describing her guitar playing as 'kick-ass' (she does have some pretty cool moves) because she defers to The Edge guy (Mike Castellana)for the guitar/pedal steel solos. I'd like to see Borges and the guys take some chances with their songs, not sticking to playing them just as a live version of the CD, but that will probably come in time. Very solid show. Looking forward to her Cafe Nine show. Be there, aloha.

Who IS she?
Portland Phoenix article

P.S. The Narrows Center for the Arts is a neat place for a concert and has some very good shows coming up. The MC is a likeable chap who writes a blog, Backstage at the Narrows, but telling us that he is divorcing and going through a mid-life crisis is a little more information than this cowboy wants to know.

Jim Kane's Road Trip Oldies Contest

Winners so far:

CD#1 - John Johnson (4 correct)

CD#2 - Paul Massey (5 correct)

CD#3 - Teresa Porter (9 correct)

CD#4 - Laura Landry - Paramus, NJ (6 correct)

CD#5 - Ed Thomas - Springfield, MA (8 correct)

CD#6 - Betty Franklin - Wildwood, NJ

CD#7 - Tony Proto - New Haven, CT

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Jim Kane, Bristol's Oldies Music Guru, has gotten involved with the "Save the Music project". With advice and help from some of the oldies artists, Jim has put together a collection called "ROAD TRIP", which contains 201 songs (7 CDs) from our era. It will be sold in many stores around the country. He is having a contest for the next seven weeks with the winner awarded one of the CDs. Go to the site and try your luck! Contest Site Jim Kane's Oldies Music CD Collection

Johnny Gumbo reunites with Willie Nelson at the Palace Theatre

a special report to johnnykmusic by Johnny Gumbo 11/13/05

Willie and family………

Got an opportunity to reconnect with an old musical friend on Sunday night at The Palace in Waterbury (a great venue, by the way, reminiscent of the of the way theaters used to be with the marble steps, high painted ceilings, gold flecked wood trim, and side balcony boxes…great acoustics). It almost seemed a little grandiose for a Willie concert. As we settled into our seats in the right lower mezzanine, I had some trepidation about seeing Willie live again after 15 years. I wondered if the magic would still be there. But I was happy to drag out my shit-kickers, black leather vest, western necktie and cowboy hat as I knew I would not stand out at a Willie concert (although most were dressed much more average-Joe like). Willie’s music has always had a blue-collar, down home quality that is universal in its appeal.

I first got interested in Willie back in the early ‘70’s just before his breakthrough album, Red Headed Stranger (wore that 8-track sucker out in my little Ford pick-up) and probably have more of his albums/CD’s than any other performer. Over the course of the next 20 years, got to see him in a number of venues from shit-kickin’ bars to big coliseums (even got to light up a fattie with him one night after a performance in the parking lot of an auditorium in Mobile, Alabama). I had just exited the Air Force and the “outlaw” image that he and the late Waylon Jennings portrayed fit right in to my mindset. So I wanted this night to be the same as I remembered many others. Willie’s concerts are foot tappin, do-your-own-thing happenings all wrapped up in warm fuzzies.

Didn’t have to wait long. No opening act, some brief promotional hype and then, as is his nature, Willie walked quietly on stage dressed in his usual garb…jeans, t-shirt, sneakers, hair in two long braids under a red bandana….waved a couple of times while the rest of the band got into place, picked up “Trigger” (his Martin N-20 nylon-string acoustic) and once again, as he has for every concert he’s ever done, launched into “Whiskey River” as a huge Texas state flag unfurled behind the band. AHH! I was back home. From there we were taken in rapid succession through many of the standards (my personal favorite, the medley “Crazy”, “Night Life” and “How Time Slips Away”). As usual the band and he were in complete sinc…his sister, Bonnie, on piano, Paul English (“Me and Paul”) on drums, Bea Spears on bass guitar, and Mickey Raphael on harmonica. Noticeably absent was Jody Payne, back-up guitar. Don’t know if he was just absent tonight or had stopped touring.

By the time we had worked our way through some of the oldies (Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain, Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys ) to “On the Road Again”, “Always on my Mind”, and “Poncho and Lefty”, I was ready for “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground”. Willie is a master songwriter and his nasal tone has a way of just pulling you in and holding you there on every note. And you forget what a superb guitarist he is. When he and Bonnie get rolling on some instrumentals, like “Down Yonder”, it’s pure honky-tonk. By the time we got to “The City of New Orleans” I knew the evening was getting to the point of being over, but, like always, I didn’t want it to end.

As I thought about it, I realized that, even though the music was the same, there was a little less energy in his step, a little less zip in his on-stage presence. And then it hit me, the guys gettin’ old (72) and so are the band. Bea Spears was wearin’ a baseball hat and t-shirt (always had a big cowboy hat and western shirt), Paul was still dressed in black but just played a snare drum, and Bonnie had to be helped to and from the piano. And if they were gettin’ old, then “the gumbo” must be gettin’ old, too. Well, it ain’t true. Willie’s still the man, an American icon, and his music crosses every genre (his latest CD “Countryman” is a collection of reggae music) and, I’ll be back to see him, waiting for that flag to unfurl and those immortal words…”Whiskey River take my mind……”

Johnny Gumbo 11/13/05

willienelson.com
AMG biography

Clubbing the Cape with Reet, John & Judi

Saturday night at British Beer Company in Hyannis
Much younger crowd at this version of the BBC. Arrive from our 11 mile trip from Mashpee just as Rhode Island-based The Complaints are starting their first set of rock covers (U2, Counting Crows, Strokes, etc.) mixed in with original stuff from their two CDs, Fear/Criminal Mind. The place is packed, so we position ourselves along the rail to the right of the band for good listening and people-watching. Reet/Judi are not at all smitten with the LOUD music (perhaps a bit peeved at not being carded at the door), preferring the previous night's retro fare, but I enjoy The Complaints. Judi scores a free copy of their newest 3-song CD for me.

The Complaints: Dean Petrella - guitars, lead vocals Chris Cruz - bass, backing vocals Tony Marotti - drums (and dancing girlfriend) Update: not blown away by the 3 songs on the CD, but I recommend highly seeing the band live. thecomplaints.com

Reet & Judi wanted to dance with this guy, but he instead opted for the drummer's girlfriend (not pictured). Note - The Complaints take lots of photos of their fans at each show and post them to their website. -Pics of Saturday night

Friday night at British Beer Company in Falmouth
We hear The Dave Foley Band starting up with some Bob Dylan as we finish our meal and I coerce the group into staying for a set. Tasty song choices (Little Richard, old Elvis, Stray Cats, Johnny Cash, Eddie Cochran) played in a rockabilly style gets a table of young people near the band up and dancing. We tap our toes, sip and observe.

The Dave Foley Band: Dave Foley - Electric Guitar, Harmonica & Singing Rich Holbrook - Upright Bass & Singing Mal Shaw - Drums davefoleymusic

Kate Bush returns, purr and muse intact

By Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune music critic

Renaissance maiden, feminist homemaker, cosmic sensualist, idiosyncratic recluse, piano prodigy -- Kate Bush was an oddball even during her heyday in the '80s. Only two years ago, when her once luminous career had lapsed into a decade of silence, the British magazine Mojo commissioned a cover story on her titled "English Eccentric Weirdfest." Now she's back with her first album since 1993, the double-CD "Aerial" (Columbia).

Once again producing herself, writing all the music, and working with a trusted core of musicians, she has made no attempt to update her sound or reinvent her persona. "Aerial" sounds like it could have been made in 1985 as easily as '05. And why shouldn't it? Masterworks such as "Hounds of Love" (1985) and "The Sensual World" (1989) have aged far better than many albums of their time. "Aerial" affirms that the power of her strange muse has not dimmed. - complete article

Pitchfork review
Yahoo artist page
AMG biography

Hockey night in Hartford (Bobcat hockey, that is)

Scored some Quinnipiac v Harvard hockey tickets from Jimmyk and invited Johnny Gumbo to come along. Can't get there too early, so we parked along Bushnell Park and sauntered up Ann Street to Tapas for a pre-faceoff drink - Stella for me, Newcastle for Gumbo. Lots of construction around the Civic Center with the tearing down of the mall, replacing it with high-end, high-rise apartments and retail space. But we finally negotiate our way through the build-out maze up to the GMAC corporate box where our host is Ed Sweeney, '88 QU hockey captain, who played in the alumni contest earlier in the day. A very entertaining game before an enthusiastic crowd of about 5,000. The Bobcats (nee Braves) STUN the Crimson (was Tommy James from Harvard?) 5-2 in their virgin ECAC match!!!

What better way to celebrate such an IMPORTANT win than a walk down to Blackeyed Sally's for a nightcap and some good music. The doorguy, once he was able to unglue his eyes from the entering talent, informed us that the Savage Brothers Band, with complete horn section, would be going on presently. We, no fools, quickly added another half hour and felt it was still okay - we'd commit. The 'Bros finally take the stage and go non-stop for the next hour-plus until we decide to call it a night. No original material in the songlist, but a great selection of songs played in a tight, funky manner to a crowd that most likely has seen them quite often if we observe correctly. The list: Starting with two Stevie Wonder songs (we thought it might be a tribute concert for a moment) - Very Superstitious and (I forgot, must ask Gumbo), Sam & Dave's Hold On, Wild Cherry's Play That Funky Music, White Boy, Santana's Oye Como VA (sounding very Iguanas-like), Tower of Power's What Is Hip? and ending with Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On (great song, also done by Jack Black on the VERY fine Hi-Fidelity soundtrack). I've missed some, wil fill in after consulting with Gumbo.

Listened to Al Anderson's Pay Before You Pump on the way home and Gumbo recognized one of Al's songs having been recorded by zydecat Wayne Toups. Later.

Big Al Anderson

Here she comes in a hot pink pedal pusher
Bouffant hair from the Curl Up and Dye
Cat momma shades with the rhinestone customizing
Tell me I ain't one lucky guy
You may remember Al Anderson as the larger-than-life, shaggy lead singer of the legendary Wildweeds, whose "No Good to Cry" was the ridin' in my car song of the summer of '67 in these parts. Anderson then joined NRBQ as guitarist/songwriter from 1971 until leaving amicably in 1993 to pursue a Nashville songwriting career. I have just purchased two solo projects, Pay Before You Pump (1996) and After Hours (2004), which are dominating my CD listening time ever since they arrived.


Big Al Anderson official Website
Hartford Advocate retrospective article on The Wildweeds
NRBQ official website

Hello, I'm Johnny Cash

If you wake up some morning and find they are doing a film of your amazing life with a companion tribute concert (cd/dvd available in deluxe packaging) with all the current stars who ignored you in the later years of your life (or never even knew you were still alive), BEWARE! - you're most likely dead.

But if you get Jerry Lee Lewis to perform, it might almost be worth it!

Jerry Lee Lewis Rocks Johnny Cash Tribute
By Beth Harris, Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES - Jerry Lee Lewis stole the show from Norah Jones and Kid Rock when the musicians performed at a taping of a Johnny Cash tribute. Lewis teamed with Kid Rock on the Cash classic "I Walk the Line." An upcoming biopic that goes by a similar name and stars Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon will be released in theaters Nov. 18.

Lewis later returned to the stage of the Pantages Theater in Hollywood, where the performances were taped Tuesday night for "I Walk the Line: A Night for Johnny Cash," airing Nov. 16 on CBS. Waiting for stagehands to make adjustments, a few fans yelled out to Lewis to perform his hit "Great Balls of Fire." "I know what you'd like to hear. I know what I'd like to do," said the 70-year-old singer. "They got me down for a little bit lower key."

To entertain the restless crowd, Lewis started in on "Will the Circle Be Unbroken." After a few verses, the stage crew cut him off and the audience booed. It was just a false start, though. Once the cameras were ready, Lewis played the entire song, with the crowd on its feet, clapping and singing along. "I guess that was a take," Lewis said, smiling.

Jones was accompanied by Phoenix on guitar as she sang "Home of the Blues." Kris Kristofferson and Jones sang "Guess Things Happen That Way." Shooter Jennings and his mother, Jessi Colter, who was married to Waylon Jennings, teamed up for a rollicking version of "Jackson." Other performers tackling Cash tunes were Martina McBride, Allison Krauss and Dwight Yoakam. Also on the show are Sheryl Crow, Coldplay, U2, Brad Paisley and Montgomery Gentry.

It's the second time the network has organized a music special tied to a major movie. CBS also promoted Jamie Foxx's Oscar-winning portrayal of Ray Charles with a star-studded tribute show.

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Johnny Cash & Million Dollar Quartet
On December 4, 1956 a recording session with Car Perkins was winding down. Jerry Lee Lewis had been playing piano on the session. Presley had called in and was listening to the playbacks. They started singing and playing together and Phillips called newspaperman Robert Johnson saying that there might be a story and photo opportunity. Phillips also called Johnny Cash, who was on Sun's books at that time. Even though Presley was now signed with RCA, Phillips switched on the mikes and recorder while the jam session took place, with a range of country, gospel and hits of the day. The session later came to be known as the Million Dollar Quartet jam session.

A mix of rock 'n' roll and country music brought about a short-lived style known as rockabilly. Johnny Cash was one of rockabilly's first Stars. Johnny Cash lived close to Sun Records and had been rehearsing regularly with guitarist Luther Perkins and Marshal Grant who had just started playing bass. He felt that they had it right and started calling in at Sun every day asking to see Mr Phillips, but always told he was not in yet, or he was at a meeting. Finally Cash was waiting outside when Phillips came into work. He said "I'm John Cash and I want you to hear me play." Phillips invited Cash in and liked what he heard, inviting Cash to return with his group. Excerpt from The Sun Rose
and The World Rocked from Golden Graham Online website.

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Cash sets posthumous new record on album chart By Fred Bronson
LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - More than 46 years after making his first appearance on the Billboard album chart, Johnny Cash has rewritten chart history by coming up with the highest-debuting title of his career.

"The Legend of Johnny Cash," the 41st charting album by the Man in Black, entered The Billboard 200 at No. 11 in the week ended October 30, as promotional efforts gather momentum ahead of the November 18 release of the Cash movie "Walk the Line." That makes this new set the third highest-charting album of Cash's career. The only two LPs to chart higher were "Johnny Cash at San Quentin" (No. 1 for four weeks in 1969) and "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash" (No. 6 in 1970). Pushed down to fourth place is "Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison" (No. 13 in 1968). - complete article - CD review

Who IS she??

Bought the CD - VERY good! She will be playing a joint called the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, MA on Saturday, November 19 and return to CAFE NINE on Friday, January 6!!!!!!

I recently discovered that Sarah appeared at Cafe Nine in New Haven in early September. "Great rootsy rockers this month as well. On Sept. 2, Boston's Sarah Borges brings shades of Lucinda Williams and Lone Justice's Maria McKee to the club. She's considered by many an artist to watch." Damn!

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Even jaded pros sit up for unheralded singer
By Chris Morris
NASHVILLE (Hollywood Reporter) - Sometimes an unheralded young talent can take even the old pros by surprise. That's exactly what happened in Nashville recently. Los Angeles-based Sin City Marketing was throwing a show at the Exit Inn during the Americana Music Assn. conference. During the company's all-hands-on-deck affair, a slip of a girl named Sarah Borges took the stage, plugged in her guitar for a few numbers, uncorked a wall-rattling wail and blew everybody's head off.

A veteran and not unjaded record distributor, watched the performance in slack-jawed bedazzlement. As many in the Exit Inn house did, he showed up the following night for Borges' official AMA show at the Basement -- ignoring a gig by one of his company's own acts in the process. At the end of the show, he stood outside the club, waiting for Borges to sign a copy of her Blue Corn Music debut "Silver City" for him. - complete story

AMG Biography - Walking that fine line between punk and country, Sarah Borges emerged from Boston with her alt-country debut, Silver City, in 2005. Influenced by a wide range of artists including Mahalia Jackson, Sid Vicious, Hank Williams, and Merle Haggard, Borges has a sound that encompasses rootsy barroom country and hard-edged American rock with a fair amount of ease. Signed to Blue Corn after a well-received gig at South By Southwest in 2004, Borges went into the studio to work on her debut. Some tracks from the demo sessions were good enough to make the final cut, and the album was released to critical praise. She spent a good portion of the summer of 2005 touring and promoting Silver City alongside such respected players as Dave Alvin. - CD review

Artist review - Blue Corn Music