Sarah Borges at Johnny D's...

Email report from Andy McGowan: On spur of moment, I went to see Sarah Borges at Johnny D's in Davis Square, Saturday night 7/22. $10 cover only, saw the end of Andrea Gillis' set. She sings back-up for Sarah sometimes. Andrea was great, really rocked I thought, and I told her so when we were watching Sarah's set and she stood next to me downing a Budweiser. Borges came on about 11:30. The place was pretty full when we got there. Surprisingly it thinned out thru the Borges set. (That was weird??...maybe 'cause she came on at 11:30??) There was definitely an audience, but then I turned around and it was getting less and less. Why I don’t know, this was her homecoming. The sound quality was great. (nice to find a place where you can here the music great but you are not getting BLOWN away) She was excellent, as was the rest of the group, Binky(?), and an electric pianist/guitar player who sat the whole time even when playing guitar. This guys name ---??, from Framingham apparently….Ken and I after the show never asked him who he was. Noticed Jake Brennan was there…he is only slightly bigger than Binky…remembered those two from the video Kay played at the "Xmas Music Festival" we had in Southington. She gave him props for writing one of the songs she sang.

News from Sarah's website: "Also on the horizon: demos for a new record! We'll go back into the studio next month to get down on tape what we've been working on on the road." Sarah & the Broken Singles will appear at Cafe Nine in New Haven, CT on Saturday, September 16.

Beehive soul in the Fall....

Knowledgeable sources have confirmed that the Southington Apple Harvest Festival has signed Christine Ohlman and her band, Rebel Montez, to perform on Saturday, October 7. Ohlman was a founding member of the legendary Scratch Band in the 70's and has been the vocalist with the Saturday Night Live band since the early 90's. You can catch an early dose of her deep-fried Southern soul at Blackeyed Sallys in Hartford on Saturday, August 19.

Thanks, Marsha, for a peek into your/Vin's diaries...

HER (Marsha's) DIARY:
Tonight I thought he was acting weird. We had made plans to meet at a bar to have a drink. I was shopping with my friends all day long, so I thought he was upset at the fact that I was a bit late, but he made no comment. Conversation wasn't flowing, so I suggested that we go somewhere quiet so we could talk. He agreed but he kept quiet and absent. I asked him what was wrong; he said nothing. I asked him if it was my fault that he was upset. He said it had nothing to do with me and not to worry. On the way home I told him that I loved him, he simply smiled and kept driving. I can't explain his behavior. I don't know why he didn't say,"I love you too."

When we got home I felt as if I had lost him, as if he wanted nothing to do with me anymore. He just sat there and watched TV. He seemed distant and absent. Finally, I decided to go to bed. About 10 minutes later he came to bed and to my surprise he responded to my caress and we made love, but I still felt that he was distracted and his thoughts were somewhere else. He fell asleep - I cried. I don't know what to do. I'm almost sure that his thoughts are with someone else. My life is a disaster.

HIS (Vin's) DIARY:
I shot the worst round of golf in my life today..... but at least I got laid.

Editor note - Actually, today Vin shot one of his best rounds....... Marsha?

Damn, they didn't invite me....

As a big, Big Al Anderson fan, I was excited/disappointed to read Hartford Courant music critic Eric Danton's report of the former Wildweed/NRBQ guitarist/vocalist's impromptu performance at Sully's Pub in Hartford on Friday night. I was available.

Big Al at Sully's by Eric Danton It was supposed to have been a quick, impromptu set of ballads, but Big Al Anderson played a full-on concert Friday night at Sully's Pub in Hartford. Al and guitarist Jim Chapdelaine did 20 tunes for what was pretty much a spur-of-the-moment thing. Anderson, in town to help his friend and band member Chapdelaine promote a new piece of legislation intended to benefit the arts in Connecticut, called Chap Thursday night at 10:30 and suggested they find a gig for Friday. Voila: Sully's.

Big Al rarely performs live anymore, in Connecticut or anywhere, so the show tonight was an incredible treat. Hearing him play so many songs also showed the depth and breadth of his ability as a songwriter and, not incidentally, a guitarist. He did a few NRBQ numbers, including "Ridin' In My Car," and also played his first-ever hit, the Wildweeds' "No Good To Cry." Chapdelaine sang a few songs by his old band, Mr. Right, including the grim "Family Tradition." But my favorite song of the night was Anderson's "Another Place I Don't Belong," a contemplative song that sounded even more so played on acoustic guitar.

He also played a new tune, a devastating, sad country ballad that I didn't catch the title of. Balanced with a few bawdy numbers, including one packed with double entendre about whether size matters (he and Tim Nichols wrote it for Toby Keith, "who didn't have the balls to record it," Al said) and the wry NRBQ number "It Was a Accident," the show felt more like a well-paced, well-planned concert than a quick and dirty diversion for a Friday night. Eric Danton's blog

Does anyone really know what time it is?......

Marybeth off with her group of wild women to see Huey Lewis & the News and Chicago (probably promoting the dreaded Chicago XXX) at the Meadows. MB promises a detailed report (about the concert). REPORT: Marybeth reports that she and the girls met some hot young studs and made short work of them....or MAYBE she said that, despite the showers, she really liked Huey Lewis (voice in fine form and hair dyed), but was a little disappointed with Chicago (strong horns, but very few original members and weak vocals)? Hmmm, I forget exactly, but sounds like they had a great time in either case!

You've been thinking And I've been drinking We both know that it's just not right Now you're pretending That it's not ending You'll say anything to avoid a fight Girl don't lie, and tell me that you need me Girl don't cry, and tell me nothing's wrong I'll be alrightone way or another So let me go, or make me want to stay

Beatnik spirit is alive and well at club; Cheshire man makes documentary about Cafe Nine’s Beatniks

By Jeffery Kurz, Record-Journal staff
 
CHESHIRE — “AM, FM, MBAs and Ph Ds, HMO’s and ICUs, there’s nothing left but your life to lose.” Add a conga drum and you have, via the syncopat­ed patter of Floatin’ Fred, a pretty good updating of beatnik poetry. For the past seven years, the beatnik spirit of the 1960s has been alive and well every Monday night at a small club in New Haven, Café Nine. Now the venue’s revival spirit has been captured on film, in a documentary called “300 Mondays: Beatniks, Music, and the Birth of a Scene.” The 1 ½-hour documen­tary intersperses wide­ranging performances, in­cluding poetry, percussion, folk music and a healthy dose of avant­garde fare, with artists sit­ting around talking about why they do what they do.

“You always see some­thing new at a beatnik show,” observes Frank Critelli, a Meriden song­writer and performer, in the film. “And after 300 shows, that’s quite a feat.” The video was shot on a single night, the 300th “Monday,” on Feb. 17. Check your calendar and you’ll notice the date land­ed on a Friday this year, which attests at least to the quirky nature of the whole enterprise. Actually the idea, says filmmaker James Camp­bell, was to try to capture the largest turnout possi­ble, and everyone knows Friday night’s a better bet than Monday. Critelli said Café Nine typically schedules cele­brations on Friday. “When they do special shows they do a Friday night extrava­ganza,” he said. Campbell said he was intrigued by “the openness of it. You’re never quite sure what you’re going to get.” The film will show at Firehouse 12 in New Haven Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. following a reception. Afterwards, a party will take place at Café Nine, which is about a block away. Campbell will also have DVDs available for purchase. - complete article

Me, Susan, Gumbo and a few close friends...

I voted to get out to the fairgrounds early at Jazz Fest to catch Susan Cowsill, whom I had never heard but kept reading glowing reports of her music. But, NO! Everyone was too tired from the previous day to oblige. Oh well. So it seemed like a good idea to catch her on a Tuesday night early show at Cafe Nine in New Haven, CT, part of her northeast tour that included the previous night's appearance at Fenway Park to sing the National Anthem (and watch Will Farrell throw out the first pitch using his Luis Tiant windup). And it WAS a good idea, but, unfortunately, not many others felt similarly, for when Gumbo and I popped in (JUST in time to avoid the nasty thunderstorm), we found just a dozen people milling around and that included some of the band! At least we know those in attendance had good taste. But Susan and her band sucked it up and played a very solid hour+ set mostly, I assume, from her solo album Just Believe It. Cowsill, a former member of the Continental Drifters, currently lives in New Orleans and lost a brother, Barry, to Hurricane Katrina. Her song Crescent City Snow tells of the contrast of a rare peaceful December 2004 snow in New Orleans with the fury of Katrina; she dedicated Lucinda Williams' wonderful Drunken Angel to her late brothers, Barry and Billy. An odd, but enjoyable, offering was the Beatles' Baby, You Can Drive My Car. Good show, too bad New Haven was unaware. The band : Aaron Stroup (lead guitar), Tad Armstrong (bass/vocals), Susan (guitar/vocals), Russ Broussard (drums). Photo taken from Tad Armstrong's tour blog. Gumbo and I were very impressed with drummer Broussard (Gumbo was less impressed, scared even, by some of the women in attendance). - Bassist Tad Armstrong's tour blog

The chick's got soul....

While writing this (Saturday night), I'm listening to WHUS 91.7fm's Soul Express w/ Dean Farrell (9-12 Saturday evenings)with guest Christine Ohlman contributing gems from her Southern soul music collection and offering informative comments for us less-knowledgable fans of the genre. Catch her live sometime, with her band Rebel Montez or guesting with the Mohegan Sun All-stars; you will be grandly rewarded. Rumor has it that Johnny Gumbo is close to signing Christine for this year's Apple Harvest Festival, subject to some scheduling conflicts with her SNL gig.

From Christine's collection:

1. STAND UP LIKE A MAN - Bettye LaVette
2. HOW STRONG IS MY LOVE - Ruby Johnson
3. HERE I AM - Jackie Moore
4. WHO WAS THAT? - Tina Britt
5. WHAT CAN I DO WITHOUT YOU? - Linda Jones

6. I'M QUALIFIED - Otis Clay
7. (MAMA COME QUICK AND BRING YOUR) LICKING STICK - George Torrance & The Naturals
8. I FOUND ALL THESE THINGS - C.O. Love
9. I'M A MAN - Timmy Willis
10. LET ME BE YOUR BOY - Wilson Pickett

11. JUST ANOTHER REASON - The Fascinations
12. BE STRONG ENOUGH TO HOLD ON - Bettye Swann
13. MY MAMA TOLD ME - Inez & Charlie Foxx
14. I LOVE YOU MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY - Mable John
15. TROUBLE WITH MY LOVER - Betty Harris

16. BEST IN TOWN - The Hodges Brothers
17. I'M GONNA LOVE SOMEBODY ELSE'S WOMAN - Roy C.
18. THE PAIN GETS A LITTLE DEEPER - Darrow Fletcher
19. LILLIE MAE - Bobby Womack
20. CRY ON MY SHOULDER - Phil Flowers

21. HE CALLED ME BABY - Ella Washington
22. ONE OF THOSE GOOD FOR CRYIN' OVER YOU DAYS - Clydie King
23. TROUBLES, HEARTACHES AND SADNESS - Ann Peebles
24. I WANT TO BE LOVED - Ann Sexton
25. AFTER LOVIN' YOU - Jean Wells

26. I DIG GIRLS - J.J. Jackson
27. I'M THE BOSS - Ernie K-Doe
28. NOTHING CAN CHANGE THIS LOVE - Z.Z. Hill
29. THE TURNING POINT - Jimmy Holiday
30. YOU'LL LOSE A GOOD THING - Kip Anderson

31. IF YOU LOVE ME - Marva Whitney
32. DON'T DESTROY ME - Margie Hendryx
33. BABY, I'M SATISFIED - Jackie Lee & Dolores Hall
34. NOW RUN AND TELL THAT - Denise LaSalle
35. I CAN'T GET OVER LOSING YOU - Jean Wells

Soul Express 2006 playlists

Yeah, it's the weekend....

Very nice comments from the crowd at the William S. Thomson Golf Scramble dinner about In It For the Money, who provided some great blues and rock during the cocktail hour and clever intro music during the awards portion.

Program aims to keep musicians in Big Easy By Doug Simpson, AP (New Orleans)- Dan Oestreicher is a 23-year-old saxophone player, not long out of college, who has lived with friends since Hurricane Katrina's floodwater drove him from his apartment. A new housing program aims to turn him into a homeowner. Oestreicher is one of dozens of New Orleans residents who have signed up to help build the so-called Musicians' Village, a collection of houses in a section of the Ninth Ward flooded after the storm, in exchange for a bargain price on a brand new house. He said he liked the idea of living near fellow musicians. He also likes the idea of paying $500 a month to own a brand new, three-bedroom house worth about $90,000. - complete article

Latest trip to Northampton...

Business travel to Chicopee on a gorgeous Friday begets a side trip north to Turn It Up for some new music:

A Tribute to Howlin' Wolf (Various Artists)- Artists include Taj Mahal, Christine Ohlman and Lucinda Williams

Grant Street (Sonny Landreth)- Sonny live!

Mixed Bag (Richie Havens)- The classic Havens disc.

Live From the American Ballroom (Donna the Buffalo)- Johnny Gumbo and I have seen The Buffalo each of the last two Labor Day weekends at Rhythm and Roots in Rhody.

Get a Buzz (The Pretty Things)- These guys were contemporaries of the Rolling Stones during the British Invasion. This compilation disc was playing all the time I was browsing and it wasn't long before I had to have it.

Dear Sir (Cat Power)- Jonathan likes her and I've read lots of good reviews, so I'll give her a go.

Latest CD update from Bristol oldies guru, Jim Kane...

These are the guys involved in the new oldies CD project - Spencer Davis - Fabian - Johnny Rivers - Ben E. King - Jerry Gross - Jay Black

The concept is very simple - There will be a 4 CD set sold - entitled {The Songs that Fell through the Cracks}. This set will retail in stores and the internet for $59.00 plus shipping. The set will wholesale for $29.00 (Which includes shipping) There will be 108 songs.

Here is the best part - There will be ballots issued with the set. You rate each song from 1 - 5. Five being the best. You send the ballots to me, and the "25" highest rated songs will be put on a separate CD entitled "America's Lost Treasures", and will be shipped to the UK. There is a standing order for 300,000 of this CD.

This is a very unique opportunity - because you will be part of a process in choosing just what songs will go on this cd. It will be marketed in the UK and Australia as the songs the baby boomers chose. These songs were rarely played on the radio, so it is as if you are hearing them for the very first time. All of the artists have had top 40 hits during the 50's & 60s. These are some of their songs that didn't get much air play.

I can assure you of one thing - I have heard these songs - and they are really great. In my opinion, some are even better that the hit songs from some of these artists. So if you have a love of the oldies, this set will round out your collection. The first thousand who return their ballots will have their votes tabulated.

Your cost will be $29.00 (Shipping is included!!!) Just over 26 cents a song. This will be available to you until August 30, 2006 - for the wholesale price. After that date they will be $59.00 plus shipping. Don't miss out on this, take advantage, and buy it wholesale.

You won't be sorry - This is a fabulous collection!!!!!!!!!!! Jim Email

Jazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Well, it's not Utah jazz (go figure), but it's pretty good shit. The revitilized Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz Series has returned to Bushnell Park in Hartford with the following schedule:

Jul 10 - Clark Terry

Jul 17 - David 'Fathead" Newman/Curtis Fuller

Jul 24 - Junior Mance Trio

Jul 31 - Eddie Allen & Salongo

Aug 7 - George Coleman

Also, the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz will be held July 14-16 (Fri-Sun) at Bushnell Park. On Sunday, as part of the festival, a jazz mass will be celebrated at 10am at the Christ Church Cathedral.

Also, the annual Litchfield Jazz Festival will be held August 4-6 at the Goshen Fairgrounds in Goshen, CT. The lineup:

Fri - Cyrus Chestnut Trio, Dionne Warwick

Sat - Robert Glasper, Terell Stafford Quintet, Trio Da Paz, Carol Sloane, Lee Konitz Quartet, Eddie Palmieri

Sun - Eddie Marshall Ensemble, Dena DeRose Trio, Bill Charlap/Renee Rosnes, John Scofield Trio, James Moody Quartet, Dr. John

"You never know what your history is going to be like until long after you're gone." - G.W. Bush

Happy birthday, George W. Bush, born July 6, 1946. Take today off (why should today be any different). Oh yeah, I almost forgot, happy birthday to Johnnyk, born on the same day.

Email (followed by voicemail message) from oldies guru Jim Kane: "Yes you have made it to elite status! You are an official "OLD FART" ! All the pain and suffering have been worth it. I think it is your love of rock n roll that keeps you going (an occasional Budweiser might also help). HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!!!!! From one old fart to another!!!!!!" - Thanks, this Bud's for you, Jim!

Hello, Lou Ann Barton....

Bob Dylan is doing a summer tour of minor league baseball parks (a pretty cool concept in itself) and will play New Britain (CT) Stadium, home of the Minnesota Twins' Rock Cats, on Tuesday August 29. But the REAL news is that Lou Ann Barton ("one of the finest purveyors of raw, unadulterated roadhouse blues from the female gender that you'll ever hear."-AMG) will be appearing with Jimmy Vaughan, brother of Stevie Ray and co-founder of the Fabulous Thunderbirds! I've been a long time fan of Ms. Barton, but she NEVER tours, so I think I'll take this one in. Also on the tour are Junior Brown and Elana James & The Continental Two.

Never slow down, never grow old, Mr. Gammons

The timing is unbelievable. Peter Gammons, ESPN baseball god, suffered a brain aneurysm on Cape Cod last week, while his new CD on Rounder Records, Never Slow Down, Never Grow Old, featuring Theo Epstein (guitar), Bronson Arroyo (guitar/vocals) and Tim Wakefield (vocals), is due out on July 4th. Here's hoping Peter actually gets to grow old. 1 Model Citizen 2 She Fell From Heaven 3 Promised Land 4 Cinderella Superstar 5 Death or Glory 6 Nyquil Blues 7 Bad Teeth 8 Love's Made a Fool of You 9 Tanqueray 10 Wake Me, Shake Me 11 Carol 12 Come, Labor On

Songfacts.com

A neat little website, songfacts.com selects listings of songs, explains why they are interesting and gives you lyrics, facts and anecdotes about each song.

Many things can make a song interesting. It could be why it was written, the circumstances surrounding it, the effect it had, or any number of other factors. The songs on this page give us something to talk about. Some of them inspire, others teach, and some broke new ground. These are some of the songs that inspired this website. Click on the title to get the Songfacts. example - Across The Universe - The Beatles One of John Lennon's last efforts with The Beatles. He made a meditation refrain sound beautiful.