Congratulations to Kyle & Jennifer on their wedding!!!!

They plan to stop in Cleveland on their journey to Chicago and, if they choose to stop at the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame, they can catch the new Tom Petty exhibit.

Who's next...

This should make Keith's day! First, Van Morrison issues Pay the Devil, a CD of country music which I've come to like, but he HATED. Now, another of his fav boys, Solomon Burke, who opened for Van at Oakdale a few years back, has also issued a country music album called Nashville. The album is due out in September and features duets (doesn't EVERY album these days?) with Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Patty Loveless. - Article from Reuters

They walked Fogerty to get to Dylan....

Bob Dylan in Baseball Hall of Fame AP

COOPERSTOWN, NY- Bob Dylan has played at historic Doubleday Field — music, that is. Now, he's back, and for good, just a block down Main Street in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The museum has added the baseball episode from the famed singer-songwriter's weekly music show, "Theme Time Radio Hour," on XM Satellite Radio to its archive, it was announced Wednesday.

The one-hour episode contains Dylan singing an a cappella rendition of "Take Me out to the Ball Game," along with classic baseball-announcing calls, such as Curt Gowdy's description of Ted Williams' home run in his final at-bat with the Boston Red Sox. It also contains several original baseball compositions, including Buddy Johnson's "Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball?" and "The Ball Game" by Sister Wynona Carr. The CD will be added to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library archive, which features more than 10,000 hours of recorded audio and video, and will be available for researchers.

Paul Simon in concert at Doubleday Field on July 4th - article

Another list - top 100 bands...

To celebrate the pending tenth anniversary of AVRev.com on July 1, 2006, AVRev.com has compiled its list of the top bands in rock history.

The Judges
The group of five judges included three Baby Boomers and two Generation Exers. The Boomers include former Dire Straits guitarist Jack Sonni, as well as University of Southern California Thornton School of Music professor Ken Lopez and AVRev.com’s music editor Charles Andrews. Desktop speaker company XHi-Fi president Howard Schilling and AVRev.com founder and publisher Jerry Del Colliano, Jr. round out the group.


The Results
1. Led Zeppelin
2. The Beatles
3. Pink Floyd
4. The Jimi Hendrix Experience
5. Van Halen
6. Queen
7. The Eagles
8. Metallica
9. U2
10. Bob Marley and the Wailers
11. The Police
12. The Doors
13. Stone Temple Pilots
14. Rush
15. Genesis
16. Prince and the Revolution
17. Yes
18. Earth Wind and Fire
19. The Bee Gees
20. The Rolling Stones
21. The Beach Boys
22. Soundgarden
23. The Who
24. Steely Dan
25. James Brown and the JBs - Complete listing

No jesters, kings or bosses need apply....

Rock 'N World conducted fan surveys to establish the Top 100 Artists/Albums/Songs of All Time. Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Presley did not make the cut for top artists.

ARTISTS The Beatles Aerosmith Rolling Stones Metallica Nirvana Led Zeppelin Pink Floyd The Eagles Queen Guns n Roses Bad Company Korn The Doors Ozzy Osbourne AC/DC Fleetwood Mac Pearl Jam Beach Boys David Bowie Black Sabbath - Complete list

ALBUMS Beatles- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Black Sabbath- Paranoid Nirvana- Nevermind Metallica- Black Album Led Zeppelin- IV Michael Jackson- Thriller ACDC- Back in Black Pearl Jam- Ten Guns 'N Roses- Appetite For Destruction Bruce Springsteen- Born In the USA - Complete list

SONGS Led Zeppelin- Stairway to Heaven John Lennon- Imagine Metallica- Enter Sandman Nirvana- Smells Like Teen Spirit The Eagles- Hotel California Jimi Hendrix Purple Haze Pink Floyd- Another Brick in the Wall Part 2 Rolling Stones- Satisfaction The Doors- Light My Fire Beatles Revolution Beach Boys- California Girls Sex Pistols- Anarchy in the U.K. Black Sabbath- Paranoid The Who- Baba O'Riley Michael Jackson- Billy Jean Beatles- Yesterday Aerosmith- Dream On Boston- More Than A Feeling Guns N' Roses- November Rain Rolling Stones- Paint it Black Complete list

A great day in Harlem...

Owen McNally has a review of the 2-DVD re-issue of the 1994 documentary about the most famous group photo in jazz history, but I cannot find it to link from the Hartford Courant website. In August of 1958, in front of a Harlem brownstone, Art Kane assembled 57 of the greatest jazz stars of all time and snapped a picture that would live forever. It was Kane's first assignment as a professional photographer and is considered the single most significant jazz portrait taken in the 20th century.


To purchase a copy of the photogragh
A Film Review by James Berardinelli

Good Will(iams) Hunting...

Holy shit! Good news: Lucinda Williams playing two gigs with John Fogerty on 9/2 and 9/3. Bad news: They are in Cali. Oh well.

Rainy Saturdays give me the blues....

Trish/George (or is it George/Trish, I can never remember) just returned from their hideaway in Maine where they attended the first annual Maine Blues Festival, sponsored by the Maine Blues Society. They report a nicely staged festival with local acts and a "pub-crawl" format.

Also, just returning from a brief respite (eating, drinking, lounging, golfing, canoeing, collecting hard-to-find erotica) at The Cape, the swashbuckling Valentes rave about Tony Roberts and the Saints of San Carlos, caught at the British Beer Company in Falmouth. The band hunkers down in Key West in the winters and migrates up to the Beantown area for the summertime. The Valentes, meanwhile, keep their migrating habits secret.

While browsing the net, I happened upon a glowing review of Dion DiMucci's (yes, THAT Dion) latest album, a blues effort called Bronx in Blue. Dion always had a good deal of soul in even his early rock/doo-wop stuff (excepting the schmaltzy Abraham, Martin & John & Bobby & Tupac) and he pops up every now and then with critically acclaimed, if not popular, product. In his website notes about the album, Dion explains his introduction to the blues thusly: "Some people think I grew up on Rock & Roll (not so). When I was a kid, there was no Rock & Roll. In the early Fifty’s – late at night, I’d tune into some southern radio station that somehow reached the Bronx, listening to The Blues, Howling Wolf’s How Many More Years, Jimmy Reed’s Bright Lights, Big City." Going to have to give this one a try.

Heather Mills McCartney on Sir Paul 18 years ago per interview with Peter Wilson (her co-star in infamous porn book shoot): "Everyone knows John's the one with all the talent and Paul's the window dressing."

Disappointed to have missed Jim Kane's annual Bristol Friends Reunion at Marinelli's Supper Club for reasons beyond my control. Next year for sure, Jim!

The rain, the park, and other things...

Missed Susan Cowsill at Jazz Fest because she was on earlier in the day than these cowboys could make (she was one of my hot picks), so I'm pleasantly surprised to see she will be performing on July 18 at Cafe Nine. Interestingly, she will sing the National Anthem at Fenway Park the night before. Her area schedule is:

7/16 at Mercury Lounge, New York City, NY
7/17 at Boston Red Sox, National Anthem, Boston, MA
7/18 at CafeNine, 8pm, New Haven, CT
7/19 at The Beachcomber,Wellfleet, Cape Cod, MA
7/20 at Johnny D's, Somerville, MA
7/21 at Narrows Center for the Arts, Fall River, MA

Beehive at Cafe Nine.....

Planning to go down to Cafe Nine with Johnny Gumbo this evening to see Christine Ohlman and Rebel Montez, who will be performing for the first time since the death of guitarist Eric Fletcher. The appearance is in conjunction with New Haven's Arts and Ideas Week. Ohlman appeared Thursday at The Nine's Southern Gospel Night with The Sin Sisters and Nelson Adelard.

UPDATE: Great show last night by CO&RM!!! Tried some Brooklyn Lagers and noticed Renee Zellweger at the bar (although Johnny Gumbo was a disbeliever). Picked up a copy of Wicked Time. Off to the US Open today.

Those oldies but goodies remind me of you.....but I like them anyway

Bristol oldies guru Jim Kane is at it again - and he needs your help. The keeper of the oldies flame is compiling a new "hard-to-find" oldies collection:

Hi guys: I need your input! I am embarking into another CD project with some oldies rock n roll artists, and I need your input. All you have to do is ......SEND ME A LIST OF YOUR "5" FAVORITE GROUPS OF THE 50'S & 60'S. (YOU MAY ALSO INCLUDE FIVE SONGS FROM THESE GROUPS.) I'm not looking for big hit songs. I'm looking for songs you liked and would like to hear again. This request is going out all over the USA. We will take your requests and tabulate the numbers, and then we will produce a 4 cd set entitled "The songs that fell through the cracks!" There will be 110 songs of your favorite artists.

From this set - you will be able to purchase the set at "Wholesale", and then a questionaire will be sent to you in the set- asking for your ratings on each and every song. The top " 20 ' will be made into a single CD, and then sent to Great Britain, with the explanation that these were the top twenty songs (as chosen by oldies fans in the states). This will be distributed throughout the United Kingdom. You will also receive a copy of this cd, with our thanks. If the song was in the top ten of this era, we are not interested. If you can't think of any songs - then just send me the name of the groups. YOU will be joined in a process of choosing what will go into a cd project, which will be distributed all over the globe. Its just like "rate the record" on the old American bandstand with Dick Clark. It should be a lot of fun. So get out those oldies, and help us with this rock n roll project.!

Jim - (Email Jim or post here as comments and I will forward them to him.)

Some Johnnyk offerings:

Wildweeds And When She Smiles/No Good To Cry

Bruce Channel Hey, Baby!

Troy Shondell This Time

Bobby Freeman Do You Wanna Dance

Etta James At Last

UPDATE FROM JIM KANE
Wow! I had no idea just how many oldies fans are out there. There were 10 of us who sent out emails to every state in the USA about this new project. It has been less than a day and combined we received over 2300 emails. I had to clean out my computer twice today. No complaints - keep em coming. Remember the concept - your 5 favorite groups (include 5 songs if you wish also). Top ten hits will not be considered. We are looking for the great songs which slipped through the cracks. If you like a song, tell us about it. We will record 110 songs that you request. I'm happy that I don't have to pick them. If you are receiving this email - this is your music. Joey Dee once told me something about our generation -..."Be proud of this fact - You started rock n roll!" We will accept your nominations for the next 7 days. Then the counting and choices will begin. Thanks for this great response. Jim

Heeeeeeeeey, baby........

Most everyone knows that Delbert McClinton played the famous harmonica on Bruce Channel's 1962 gem Hey Baby, so when he pulled out his trusty old mouth harp at Mohegan Sun's Wolf Den tonight, I half expected to hear that riff. Not really, but it would have been cool. Delbert has a few miles on him since 1962 and his voice strains mightily on many occasions, but he knows all that and gets the job done in very fine fashion. Backed by a stellar band of keyboards, guitar, bass, drums and sax, McClinton turned a noisy casino into a rowdy West Texas roadhouse. The vocals were pure Delbert and the keyboard/guitar/sax solos were hot and tasty; I wish Delbert showed off more of his harmonica talents, but he kept it low key. Dreams to Remember showed off his slow-dancin' side, while Back to Louisiana had the good old boys (and girls) dancing in the aisles and Givin' It Up For Your Love sounded great as I was leaving (alas, not my choice). Maybe I should pull out my old Delbert and Glen LP tomorrow or, better yet, go out and buy Delbert's latest - Cost of Living 2005 New West.

What's going on?....

Strokes cover Marvin Gaye with Vedder, Homme by Jonathan Cohen (Billboard)

The Strokes have recorded a cover of Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me" with Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder and Queens Of The Stone Age's Josh Homme, sources told Billboard.com. The track is slated as the B-side for the "You Only Live Once" single and is expected for a mid-July release. Homme joins the Strokes' Fabrizio Moretti on drums on the track, while Vedder and Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas share vocals. (A band spokesman could not confirm details.)

The Strokes have become fast friends with Vedder of late: the artists teamed up for a performance of the Strokes' "Juicebox" last month at Rolling Stone's 1,000th issue party in New York, and the Strokes were seen rocking out at two of Pearl Jam's recent Big Apple shows. As for the "You Only Live Once" video, it was shot in late April in Los Angeles by director Sam Bayer, famed for Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Clips from the shoot posted on the Strokes' Web site show Casablancas submerged up to his neck in filthy water. The Strokes are in the midst of a summer international tour and will perform Saturday in Mountain View, Calif., as part of radio station Live 105's BFD festival. Franz Ferdinand, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, AFI, Wolfmother and Echo & the Bunnymen are also on the bill.

Excelling....

After a hot, exciting day of pivot tables at an advanced Excel seminar in Springfield, I treated myself to a quick trip up to Northampton center. The results: Other People's Lives Ray Davies Coleman Hawkins Body and Soul Aftertones Janis Ian Let Me Play With Your Poodle Marcia Ball A Honky Tonk reprise Rosie Flores Dance Hall Dreams Rosie Flores

Do you remember the New England Fiddle Contest?

I was listening to the radio while driving to work this morning and was jolted by news that the New England Fiddle Contest (used to be the Peace Train NEFC) was to be held on Saturday, June 10. Brought back memories of huge crowds at Bushnell Park in the 70's before the immensely popular event imploded because of financial and artistic disputes with Peace Train Foundation founder Paul LeMay. A history

Nothin' from nothin' leaves nothin', you gotta have somethin' if you wanna be with me....

Beatles/Stones keyboardist Billy Preston has died at 59 after a long battle with kidney failure related illnesses. According to Reuters, "....He entered the Beatles' orbit in 1969, as the band was on the verge of breaking up, and helped to soothe some of the tension. He performed on both sides of the Get Back/Don't Let Me Down single, which was credited to "The Beatles with Billy Preston" - the first time the band had shared the spotlight with a sideman. He also accompanied them during their last concert that year, the famous rooftop gig in London.

In the early 1970s, he topped the charts as a solo act with the Grammy-winning instrumental Outa Space, Will It Go Round in Circles and Nothing From Nothing. He also wrote Joe Cocker's 1974 hit You Are So Beautiful. At the same time, he was becoming a fixture with the Rolling Stones, recording such tracks as Can't You Hear Me Knocking and Heartbreaker, and playing on several tours."

Glowing AMG review of Billy Preston's obscure 1970 album Encouraging Words

Guitarist Eric Fletcher....

Upon returning from the Cape, I was saddened to read the following on Christine Ohlman's website:

Eric Fletcher, 1954-2006: A Personal Remembrance

On Saturday, May 27, the members of the band assembled on the beach in Madison, Connecticut at one of our favorite hangouts, the Wharf, for what was to be a Memorial Day blowout. Eric Fletcher, with whom Michael Colbath and I have worked for the past 22 years, and Larry Donahue for the past 11, was late--very unlike Eric. As time rolled on we became increasingly concerned and began searching for reasons. We found there were no traffic tie-ups, no evidence of an accident on the road. We called the hospital in his home town and, finally, the police, asking them to go to Eric's home. There, they found him. He'd quietly slipped away, apparently in his sleep. Just like that. Our friend, gone.

Eric was first and foremost a gentleman, and a gentle man. He was also a great, inventive guitar player, totally dedicated to his craft, steeped in the lifestyle, way into it, which is the only way to be if you're truly "in" it.--and he was. He let the guitar do the talking, which, in our business, earns you respect. He had that, from Michael, Larry, and myself--his musical brothers and sister--and from the many, many fans, fellow musicians, and admirers who dug his playing and his stage presence, honoring him with the nickname "The Blond God."

Calling hours are Wednesday, May 31 from 5-8 at The Holmes Funeral Home, 400 Main Street, Manchester, CT, with the funeral on Thursday, June 1 at 10:00 a.m.; service to be held at the funeral home. Visit the Hartford Courant at to sign in and post reminiscences beginning on May 30.

Remember our brother, who has left us so soon. Christine

Htfd Courant obituary

Tummies that should not be bared....

After a couple days of just golf, eating and drinking at the Cape, the boys felt a need to get out and listen to some live music. The Rickster, our gracious host, took us over to the Irish Pub in Harwich to see the Slackers, but we found the Generators playing to a sparse, early Friday bar crowd instead. Their banner read "...rock, pop, blues and a drop of reggae." The Generators are mostly a cover band, although their website has several CDs for sale - Van's Domino, Paul Simon's Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard, Aretha's Chain of Fools, a strange Elton John The Bitch Is Back, a bad rendition of Labelle's Lady Marmalade, Wings' Band On the Run. A very tasty mix.

The band is fronted by Carolina Restaino (left), who sings with lots of bravado, lots of uncovered tummy, but little texture. We were impressed with hubby Steve, the apparent bandleader, on guitars/vocals and keyboard player Sam Simcoe. Rounding out the band are Steve Andreasson (drums/vocals, but no relation to Keith Andreasson) and the weathered-looking bassist, Paul Fazzina.

An Elaine Benes-type dancing display by one of the 40-something women at a nearby table kept all others away from the dance floor, while a very stupid young lad was observed doing a couple dozen jello shots to impress his friends and might be still recovering at press time. Despite Keith's queasiness about Carolina's oft-bared tummy, a good night out.

At right, three unidentified Irish Pub patrons are shown watching the Elaine Benes-dancing.