No particular reason, I love Cat Power....

'Telles alert.....

The latest incarnation of the Sawtelles, the Poptelles, will be performing at Books and Company on Whitney Avenue, Hamden tonight at 7pm. They plan to rework some old classics to fit the new and will unveil "...the last instrument P says he's EVER going to buy, resophonic uke."

Music Royalty Comes Together To Pay Tribute To Fats Domino On New CD: 'Goin' Home'...

Landmark recording to benefit Tipitina's Foundation mission of saving the musical culture of New Orleans; Vanguard Records to release double disc set on September 25th. The line-up includes (subject to change):

John Lennon -- Ain't That A Shame
Dr. John -- Don't Leave Me This Way·
Paul McCartney -- I Want to Walk You Home·
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers -- I'm Walkin'·
Elton John -- Blueberry Hill·
Randy Newman -- Blue Monday·
Dr. John -- Don't Leave Me This Way·
Toots and the Maytals -- Let the Four Winds Blow·
Olu Dara with Donald Harrison -- When I See You·
Lenny Kravitz with the Rebirth Brass Band, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews, Fred Wesley, Pee Wee Ellis and Maceo Parker -- Whole Lotta Lovin'·
Bonnie Raitt & John Cleary -- I'm in Love Again & All by Myself·
Robert Plant with the Lil' Band O' Gold -- It Keeps Rainin' ·
BB King with Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk -- Goin' Home ·
Taj Mahal with The New Orleans Social Club -- My Girl Josephine·
Art Neville -- Please Don't Leave Me ·
Willie Nelson -- I Hear You Knockin' ·
Irma Thomas and Marcia Ball -- I Just Can't Get New Orleans Off My Mind ·
Herbie Hancock with George Porter Jr., Zigaboo Modeliste and Renard Poche -- I'm Gonna Be A Wheel·
Corinne Bailey Rae -- One Night (Of Sin)·
Bruce Hornsby -- Don't Blame it on Me·
Lucinda Williams -- I Live My Life·
Preservation Hall Jazz Band with Walter Wolfman Washington and Theresa Andersson -- When The Saints Go Marching In·
Joss Stone, Buddy Guy and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band -- Every Night About This Time·
Marc Broussard featuring Sam Bush -- Rising Sun·
Allen Toussaint -- Go Fats Domino·
Ben Harper with the Skatalites -- Be My Guest·
Norah Jones -- My Blue Heaven· Soweto Gospel Choir & Robert Plant -- Valley of Tears·
Neil Young -- Walkin' to New Orleans

Article

Kinda cool, wouldn't you say?....

Paul McCartney thrills fans with 'secret' L.A. record store show Lyndsey Parker

Hollywood music emporium Amoeba Records has long been considered one of America's coolest record stores, but it got even cooler when it was paid a visit on Wednesday, June 27 by none other than Sir Paul McCartney.

The legendary former Beatle made a rare appearance at the shop to play an intimate live gig that was by far Amoeba's biggest event yet. Diehard Macca-maniacs camped out on Sunset Boulevard for three days and flew in from as far away as Japan to attend the free "secret" show, and the legendary former Beatle rewarded their devotion with 90 minutes of Fab Four classics, songs off his hot-selling new Memory Almost Full album, and plenty of amusing stage banter and audience interaction to make this a truly special treat for his fans.

After Amoeba shut its doors to the public at 4pm and McCartney warmed up his band with a little freeform piano jamming, the fans who'd been patiently waiting for days were finally allowed inside, and they filed in whooping, cheering, brandishing cardboard signs, and in some cases wearing Beatle-branded clothing from head to toe. "Yes, we're all very excited," announced one Amoeba employee as he tried to keep the audience under control. "If you cut us, we'd shoot rainbows out!"

The excitement grew even more when McCartney's former bandmate Ringo Starr entered the building and walked through the crowd, prompting many shrieking lookie-loos to climb up on the record bins to get a closer look and snap photos. And then, at 8:15pm, McCartney and his band appeared on Amoeba's tiny stage and tore into "Drive My Car," and the store exploded like it was the scene of the Beatles' JFK airport landing four decades ago. McCartney seemed equally elated to be there, cracking jokes throughout the show and frequently making comments about how bizarre it felt to be playing such a small venue. - complete article

Tuesday afternoon, I'm just beginning to see, now I'm on my way....

Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr with Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison on Larry King Live (he's dreadful) celebrating the one-year anniversary of Cirque du Soleil's Love in Las Vegas.

Sarah Borges & the Broken Singles have a return date to Cafe Nine in New Haven on Friday, September 21.

Stop and think it over......

Interesting contrasts in the performances of this song found on Sarah Borges' new album, Diamonds in the Dark:

Reigning Sound (writer Greg Cartwright's) version, live @ Empty Bottle March 4, 2007 in Chicago, IL - here
Sarah Borges & the Broken Singles' version, live at Johnny D's in Somerville, MA - here
Mary Weiss' (lead singer of the Shangra Las) version, live on Conan O'Brien with the Reigning Sound backing - here
The Hives' version, very lame unreleased song performed at Rock am Ring / Germany in 2003 - here

Opera give you a woody? No, it's the other way 'round!...

Woody Allen to Direct LA Opera (AP)

LOS ANGELES -- Woody Allen, directing an opera? In Los Angeles? It will happen in September 2008, according to Placido Domingo, general director of the Los Angeles Opera. The New York filmmaker will make his operatic directorial debut with the opening event of the LA Opera's 2008-09 season. "I have no idea what I am doing," Allen said in a statement Thursday. "But incompetence has never prevented me from plunging in with enthusiasm." Allen is scheduled to direct "Gianni Schicchi," part of Puccini's "Il Trittico," a trio of one-act operas. The two other operas, "Il Tabarro" and "Suor Angelica," will also have a movie director, William Friedkin ("The Exorcist," "The French Connection").

Domingo stated that he has often pursued movie directors to try their hand at opera. It took him four years, his longest such pursuit, to get Allen to say yes. "Gianni Schicchi," set in medieval Florence, is Puccini's only comedy. "To have Woody Allen direct 'Gianni Schicchi' is a match made in heaven," Friedkin said in a statement.

I smell sleepover!!!!!!!

In celebration of Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles debut Sugar Hill Records release Diamonds in the Dark, we are giving one lucky fan the chance to host the ultimate house party! We'll provide Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles to fly to your home and play for you and your friends.

* Open to US Residents only in the continental US.
* Winner to be chosen at random on 9/28/07
* Date and time of House Party TBD

5 Runners-Up receive a Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles fan pack:
- (1) Autographed CD
- (1) Poster
- (1) Sticker
- (1) Button

Enter HERE! and be sure to invite me to the party!

It's Summertime, Summertime, Sum, Sum, Summertime!!!!......

Not necessarily the best, the hippest, but here are some great Ridin' in My Car songs for the Summertime:

Ridin' In My Car (NRBQ)

All Summer Long (Beach Boys)

Stop And Think It Over (Sarah Borges & the Broken Singles)

Hot Fun In the Summertime (Sly & the Family Stone)

Summertime, Summertime (Jamies)

In the Summertime (Mungo Jerry)

Summer in the City (Lovin' Spoonful)

Rockaway Beach (Ramones)

Summertime (Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff)

I'll be adding to this. Got any???

Jim Kane, Bristol's Oldies Guru, demands that I add these:

Summertime (Billy Stewart)

Here Comes Summer (Jerry Keller)

One Summer Night (The Danleers)

Summer Song (Chad & Jeremy)

Summer's Gone (Paul Anka)

Summertime Blues (Eddie Cochran)

Summer Rain (Johnny Rivers)

My Summer Love (Ruby & The Romantics)

Theme From a Summer Place (The Lettermen)

Icky Thumped.....

G-Man got word of the 'secret' White Stripes concert to be at the Fillmore on Tuesday, June 19, so he set his alarm to early Saturday morning and zoomed into Manhattan to get his tickets. Five hundred were to be sold, two max per customer. He was reassured by the guy behind him, a self-proclaimed veteran of these things ( he must have done Paul McCartney at the Hillside last Wednesday), that they were in- no prob. But no go. About 75 people short. Daily Nuggets includes a YouTube video of "the line." Also, here is a concert review and some cellphone pics from The Modern Age.

A truly exquisite review of the concert was posted on Brooklyn Vegan by someone named Bliss (or else that was his signoff):

Fuck Paul McCartney Fuck Interpol Fuck Franz Ferdinand Fuck every other show This was the show of the year so far. This show had everything Nasty Guitar licks Beautiful Heartfelt Blues Meg's Amazing Breasts flapping to and fro An absolutely horrible opening group Stupid Record Company people Hipsters galore Moron Lugheads(specifcally fat guy in red shirt, imbicile in white shirt and jerkoff in the fireman t-shirt of which 2 were thrown out) Your requiste celebs(Drea Demateo, Shooter Jennings, Rufus Wainwright, Jim Jarmusch, Aziz from Human Giant, One of the guys from 30 Rock,Danny Masterson And finally what amazing show would not be complete without shout outs to Yonkers. Bliss

This week's Rolling Stone has both an interview (Inside Icky Thump, where Jack White "tells the stories behind the tunes on the White Stripes' heavy, eclectic new disc.") and a review (3.5 of 5 stars - high praise, but dissing his songwriting, saying he is a 'sonic architect')

I'm over $500 already.....

Sarah Borges & the Broken Singles at Joe's Pub on a Wednesday night in NYC...

Southington, CT to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn in two hours. Not too shabby, glad I decided to leave before noon. G-Man and I decided to go immediately into Manhattan for the afternoon. Chatted with Binky hanging out front of the Public Theatre a few hours before the show before we strolled around, grabbed some jambalaya 'n brews over on St. Mark's and then settled in at the Bleeker Street Bar to watch the Yankees take care of the D'Backs before heading back to Joe's Pub for the 9:30 show (there were three separate-admission shows that night- 7:30/9:30/11:30). Great venue, great show featuring some of the new material. Picked up a few cd's from the "grittily brilliant" (see review below) Ms. Borges post-concert.

AMG gives Diamonds in the Dark very nice review (4 stars):

Review by Rick Anderson The Sugar Hill label made its name releasing top-notch bluegrass and folk records, but it has also carved a nifty little niche for itself in the roots rock genre, putting out the occasional gem of tightly crafted, often country-tinged pop music by the likes of Don Dixon and James McMurtry. Its latest acquisition is the grittily brilliant Boston-based singer/songwriter Sarah Borges, whose second album (and first for Sugar Hill) pulls in influences as diverse as X, Dolly Parton, Wanda Jackson, 1960s bubblegum pop, and the entire state of Texas. The album's opening track is a brilliantly rollicking piece of modern rockabilly, and is quickly followed by a relatively obscure X cover ("Come Back to Me"), which is itself followed by a hand-clapping, finger-snapping love ditty by Greg Cartwright titled "Stop and Think It Over." Elsewhere she delivers a rather standard-issue country weeper (for which she really doesn't have quite the right kind of voice), a sharp and nasty roadhouse blues ("Open Up Your Back Door"), the briskly rocking "Diablito," and a tender and spooky arrangement of Tom Waits' "Blind Love." Very, very nice.

Interesting note: Greg Cartwright's Stop And Think It Over, covered on Diamonds In the Dark, is also covered on Mary Weiss' new album, Dangerous Game.


Joe's Pub at the Public Theatre on Lafayette


Joey Ramone Place near the old CBGB site.

Kathy turns 60 (the new 40) years old today!

The lovely and talented Kathy LaBella was the guest of honor at a surprise 60th birthday/retirement party yesterday. One of the event's highlights was a performance by the legendary minstrel, Chris Dubose (below), who offered a newly-penned composition just for her. The performance was captured on video.



A history of folk icons: Chris Dubose

Hailing from the Daily Grind coffee house in Medway, MA, Chris Dubose rose to the top of the folk scene in 2000 with his debut album, Speak English, Talk Smack. The troubador's latest album, Retired 'N Confused, merges Chris Dubose's hushed hooks with countrified piano flourishes to somehow churn out simply beautiful music. With standout tracks like "Kath's on the Run," look for Chris Dubose to be a major force in the folk landscape for years to come.

Not sure about the sex 'n drugs, but...

Singing seniors redefine rock songs by JAKE COYLE, AP Entertainment Writer

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. - Fred Knittle wears his belt up high. His nose is tethered to an oxygen tank, and on stage he's confined to a folding chair. From this unlikely perch, he's turning rock 'n' roll on its head. Singing Coldplay's "Fix You," Knittle transforms the song into a powerful ballad about a grandfather's healing wisdom. It means something different coming from an 80-year-old retiree suffering from congestive heart failure. Knittle is a singer for the Young at Heart Chorus, whose members range from 73 to 92 years old. Singing songs they shouldn't even know, at an age when they're expected to be sitting quietly somewhere, they subvert all accepted notions of old and young.

Songs by bands like the Radiohead, OutKast and Nirvana take on a new dimension when performed by these 23 foot-stomping senior citizens. "Fix You" or the Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go" become about life and death. - complete article

New music from Dubya...

A history of pop icons: George W.

Hailing from the various youth centers and high school auditoriums of New Haven, CT, but growing up in Texas, George W. shot to the top of the pop scene in 2000 with their debut album, Thanks Again, Dad!. The band's latest album, I'm Not Smart, But I'm Lazy, merges Dubya's syrupy arrangements with punchy strumming to construct a solid record chock full of sugar-coated ditties. With standout tracks like Who Was That You Can't Fool?, don't be surprised if you find George W. at the top of the pop charts and beyond.

Thanks to Bumbershoot.org

Email from Sarah (or her peeps)...

TODAY, June 12, the new release by Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles "Diamonds In The Dark" hits record stores and online outlets!!! To celebrate the new record, you can listen to us today on WBOS Live At Noon (92.9 FM Boston), or online at wbos.com, when we'll play a couple of songs in the studio and chat with Dana Marshall.

Tomorrow, 6/13, we'll head down to New York for a show at Joe's Pub (9:30PM show) for the first show of the record release extravaganza. Hometown record release shows will happen this weekend, the first is at the Narrows Center For The Arts this FRIDAY, June 15. Jimmy Ryan and his awesome band Hayride open.

Or you can join us in our own backyard at Johhny D's in Davis Square, Somerville this SATURDAY, June 16. We'll have new merchandise for sale and lots of surprises - a show you won't want to miss... After that we're off across the USA and Canada, and there's sure to be an SB and the BS show near you. Go to www.sarahborges.com/calendar.html for a complete tour schedule, and be sure to pick up your copy of 'Diamonds in the Dark' today!!!

Review- timeout NY - Listen to USA Pop Candy

NOTE: G-Man and I will catch Sarah & the Singles at Joe's Pub Wednesday night. Will have a report (perhaps). Sarah will, however, have some competition - Paul McCartney will be performing Wednesday evening at the Highline - story

Farm Aid crossplanting hoes with ho's for the family farmer....

New York City to host Farm Aid (AP)

The Farm Aid benefit concert is planting itself in New York City later this year, organizers said Monday. The show will be held at Randalls Island on September 9. Farm Aid co-founders Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp made the announcement with Mayor Michael Bloomberg at Union Square, which has a renowned fresh-produce market. The trio took a quick walk through one of the booths and munched snap peas for the cameras before holding a news conference about this year's concert.

The lineup will include Nelson, Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews. Farm Aid concerts have been raising money for farmers since 1985. The organization's mission includes supporting family farms, changing the system of industrial agriculture, advocating fair prices and encouraging people to buy locally grown food that is organic and humanely produced. It has raised more than $30 million since it began. Last year's concert was in Camden, N.J., and the year before was in Chicago.

"We're so happy that y'all have invited us, Farm Aid, to New York City," Nelson said. "More people eat probably around here than anywhere in the world." Ticketmaster will begin selling tickets Saturday at 10 a.m.

Because I knew you were doing nothing important and had some time to waste....

Lyrics for: American Pie by Don McLean

Songfacts - video from youtube

A long, long time ago...
I can still remember how that music used to make me smile.
And I knew if I had my chance,
That I could make those people dance
And maybe they'd be happy for awhile.
But February made me shiver with every paper I'd deliver,
Bad news on the doorstep; I couldn't take one more step.
I can't remember if I cried when I read about his widowed bride,
But something touched me deep inside, the day the music died.

So, bye bye Miss American Pie,
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry.
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye,
Singing, "This will be the day that I die.
This will be the day that I die."

Did you write the book of love,
And do you have faith in god above,
If the bible tells you so?
Now do you believe in rock and roll?
Can music save your mortal soul?
And can you teach me how to dance real slow?

Well, I know that you're in love with him,
'Cause I saw you dancing in the gym,
You both kicked off your shoes,
And I dig those rhythmic blues,
I was a lonely teenaged bronking buck,
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck,
But I knew I was out of luck, the day the music died.

I started singing, bye bye Miss American Pie,
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry.
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye,
Singing, "This will be the day that I die.
This will be the day that I die."

Now, for ten years, we've been on our own,
And moss grows fat on our rolling stone,
But that's not how it used to be,
When the jester sang for the king and queen,
In a coat he borrowed from James Dean,
And a voice that came from you and me,

Oh and while the king was looking down,
The jester stole his thorny crown,
The courtroom was adjourned;
No verdict was returned.
And while Lennon read a book on Marx,
The quartet practiced in the park,
And we sang dirges in the dark, the day the music died.

They were singing, bye bye Miss American Pie,
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry.
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye,
Singing, "This will be the day that I die.
This will be the day that I die."

Helter skelter in a summer swelter.
The Byrds flew off for the fallout shelter,
Eight miles high and falling fast.
It landed foul on the grass.
The players tried for a forward pass,
With the jester on the sidelines in a cast.

Now the halftime air was sweet perfume,
While sergeants played a marching tune,
We all got up to dance,
Oh, but we never got the chance
`Cause the players tried to take the field;
The marching band refused to yield.
Do you recall what was revealed, the day the music died?

We started singing, bye bye Miss American Pie,
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry.
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye,
Singing, "This will be the day that I die.
This will be the day that I die."

Oh, and there we were all in one place,
A generation lost in space,
With no time left to start again.
So, come on; jack be nimble, jack be quick,
Jack flash sat on a candlestick,
'Cause fire is the devil's only friend.

Oh, and as I watched him on the stage
My hands were clenched in fists of rage.
No angel born in hell
Could break that satan's spell.
And as the flames climbed high into the night
To light the sacrificial rite,
I saw satan laughing with delight
The day the music died.

He was singing, bye bye Miss American Pie,
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry.
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye,
Singing, "This will be the day that I die.
This will be the day that I die."

I met a girl who sang the blues
And I asked her for some happy news,
But she just smiled and turned away.
I went down to the sacred store
Where I'd heard the music years before,
But the man there said the music wouldn't play.

And in the streets, the children screamed,
The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed.
But not a word was spoken;
The church bells all were broken.
And the three men I admire most:
The father, son, and the holy ghost,
They caught the last train for the coast,
The day the music died.

And they were singing....
Bye bye Miss American Pie,
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry.
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye,
Singing, "This will be the day that I die.
This will be the day that I die."

They were singing....
Bye bye Miss American Pie,
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry.
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye,
Singing, "This will be the day that I die."

Will you still feed me, will you still need me....

Writer John Colapinto interviews Paul McCartney in the June 11 issue of the New Yorker. Listen to Colapinto speak about the experience here.

Starting at slide guitar....

Ben Harper to perform the National Anthem Tuesday on slide guitar prior to Game 3 of the NBA finals in Cleveland. The performance will be televised. Game starts at 9:00PM EDT on Tuesday, June 12 on ABC. National Anthem performed about 8:50 PM EDT during the pre-game show. Maybe Ben can suit up and help the Cavaliers.

Harper then plays a sold out show that night at the House of Blues- Cleveland with the Nightwatchman.

Gumbo Fever....

A history of modern global icons: Johnny Gumbo Band
Somewhere out in the barrios of the Left Coast, the Johnny Gumbo Band found themselves at the top of the modern global scene in 1988 with their debut album, Live at the Brass Guitar. The band's latest album, Last of the Red Hot Gumbos, juxtaposes John Ryan's bossa-nova melodies with a native steel drum ensemble to turn out politically aware hits. With standout tracks like "Crashin'," dominating radio airwaves far and wide, Johnny Gumbo Band is an essential addition to any music lover's library.

A history of metal icons: Gutowski
Rising from the pits of who knows where, Gutowski burst onto the metal scene in 1982 with their debut album, Tall, But Sensitively So. The band's latest album, Man of the Minute, joins Markie Gee's haunting lyrics with biting drum solos to cook up a disc overflowing with sludgy anthems. With standout tracks like "How the hell did the Johnnys kick our asses?," look for Gutowski to be a major member in the metal landscape for years to come.

A history of pop icons: Reet 'N Judi
Emerging from the garages of the Maple Hood, Reet 'N Judi climbed to the top of the pop scene in 1985 with their debut album, Nasty Girls. The band's latest album, Coupla Broads Chillin', melds Judi's bouncy hooks and Reet's smokey harmonies with clean singalongs to construct a record boiling over with uber-memorable tunes. With standout tracks like "Isn't Cozie Cute!," already certified platinum in Europe, Reet 'N Judi can count on loads of future success.

Thanks to bumbershoot.org's bio-generator. Try it!

Early Jimmy Buffett (circa 1974) on Wolfgang's Vault....

Get it here

Introduction0:14 The Wino And I Know4:12 Pencil Thin Mustache7:17 They Don't Dance Like Carmen No Mor...4:36 Trying To Reason With The Hurricane...6:10 Saxophones5:05 Door Number Three5:46 Livingston's Gone To Texas5:00 Railroad Lady4:44 Dallas5:31 Pirate Looks At Forty5:13 Peanut Butter Conspiracy5:11

The Coral Reefer Band Jimmy Buffett - guitar, vocals Tommy Cogbill - bass Sammy Creason - drums Lanny Fiel - guitar Greg "Fingers" Taylor - harmonica Mike Utley - keyboards Reggie Young - guitar

Jimmy Buffett has got to be the only artist in contemporary music to take a novelty “Top 10 hit” and turn it into a bona fide entertainment empire. In 1977, after releasing the laidback leisure anthem, "Margaritaville,” and embarking on his humor-filled summer tours, Buffett quickly began developing a core fan base to rival only that of the Grateful Dead. Called “Parrotheads,” these hardcore Buffett fans have made his fun-filled live shows a full fledged entertainment experience. Buffett took what he saw as a growing empire and rolled it into a full-service corporation that included restaurants, bars, clothing-lines and record labels, all tied around his “cocktails and good times” mentality.

Originally emerging from Nashville (where he migrated in the late 1960s) Buffett tried his hand at both folk and country music. He was signed to the CBS division, Barnaby Records, and released two albums that quickly went nowhere. By the early 1970s, he had moved to Key West, Florida, where he realized life was moving considerably slower than the rest of the world. Beaches, tropical drinks, and loud Hawaiian shirts seemed to be the order of the day, and Buffett was not only inspired lyrically by the lifestyle, but also turned it into a huge musical franchise.

This recording comes after the release of his second ABC/Universal album, Living and Dying in 3/4 Time in 1974. By now, he had formed the Coral Reefer Band, and had adapted the happy drunk musical persona. This is a very loose and early look into the musical legend Buffett would eventually become – for Parrotheads, this recording could be the Holy Grail. Recorded in Sausalito, California at the Record Plant as part of KSAN-FM’s acclaimed radio concert series, Buffett used this exposure to introduce a whole new audience to his way of blending humor, music and a carefree lifestyle.

Although many of his early songs were still too risqué for FM radio (“Let’s Get Drunk and Screw” comes to mind) there were still many funny and interesting ditties, among them “The Wino and I Know,” “Pencil Thin Mustache,” “They Don’t Dance Like Carmen Miranda No More,” “Trying To Reason With Hurricane Season,” “Saxophones,” “Door Number Three,” and “A Pirate Looks At Forty,” which was the beginning of the Parrott persona. On “Railroad Lady” he is joined by Jerry Jeff Walker and members of his group, the Lost Gonzo Band, who aided in writing the song when the two acts toured together.

It has been over 30 years since Jimmy Buffett made music like this and was living hand-to-mouth, wondering if his next record would be the last one his label would tolerate. Although his recording career and LP sales have been up and down, he has been able to maintain his status as one of America’s most beloved touring performers. That alone has kept him at the forefront of the music scene.

Shameless self-promotion from the Sawtelles....

here is the link for the BIG doubles show at the NEST in b'port - LINK. all-ages. byob/food. free. all manner of music to listen to and art to look at.

see myspace.com/thesawtelles for all of our upcoming june shows, reviled self-promoters (word on the street) that we are.

hey, anyone want to take on the task of promoting us? heh, I didn't think so, so I guess we've gotta do it. besides, no one is ringing us up to do shows, so we've gotta work it ourselves.

Hey, hey, I was a Monkee.....

Peter Tork of the Monkees, current Storrs resident, popped as a guest of Ch3 weatherguy, Scott Haney, promoting a performance for Darfur aid. Even in this era of endless (mindless) reunions, Tork says that a Monkees reunion, while possible, is highly unlikely. That's a good thing. He and his band, Shoe Suede Blues, have a new CD, Cambria Hotel, and are touring behind it in the Northeast.

Monkees official website
Monkees Wikipedia

Music for Jonathan/Garrett in NYC...

Sort of a summary of a summary of the New Yorker Rock and Pop listings:

Jun 12- Joan Armatrading at World Financial Center Plaza (rivertorivernyc.com free)

Jun 13- Booker T & the MG's at Rockefeller Park (rivertorivernyc.com free)

Jun 13- Sarah Borges & Broken Singles at Joe's Pub

Jun 14- Neville Brothers at Prospect Park Band Shell, Brooklyn (free)

Jun 16- Joan Osborne at Prospect Park Band Shell, Brooklyn (free)

Music to your tastebuds....

Fancypants finds its sweet spot in East Walpole by Jason Turcotte (Walpole Times)

In the same manner they bake their gourmet cookies, entrepreneurs Maura Duggan and Justin Housman started their East Walpole business from scratch. Fancypants Bakery began in the couple’s kitchen in Boston where the two slaved over the oven, baking two dozen cookies at a time. There they used to hand roll the dough and do all the baking from their small GE oven.

"We started working out of the house because it’s so risky starting your own business," Duggan said. "We started slow; I kept my job for the first three months." My, have things changed! Now the two-person operation has tripled in manpower; they have hired four employees and their bakery at 153 Washington St. has given them the room they needed to grow.

Duggan and Housman – who both have a background in education – now bake on Blodgett ovens. A larger, more industrial-looking Hobart mixer allows them to produce dough for close to 600 cookies in a single batch. And a dough sheeter negates the need for manual rolling. The secret to their success was trial and error. Duggan began by visiting Boston area bakeries; she networked and surveyed the products. And she found there to be a lack of a mid-priced cookie. Meanwhile, Housman, who briefly attended culinary school in New York, started mixing and matching recipes to develop an original shortbread concoction.

But as the cookies garnered more attention, the couple needed room to expand. A member of the Massachusetts Specialty Foods Association, Duggan met a woman occupying a space on Walpole’s Washington Street. A year after meeting her, she informed Duggan she was moving downstairs in the renovated mill complex, freeing up an empty space for Fancypants. They jumped at the opportunity. - complete article

MetroWest daily News

Monday, Monday, can't trust that day...

Sarah Borges to include Tom Waits' Blind Love on the new CD, Diamonds in the Dark, which is to be released next week. May catch Sarah and her Broken Singles next Wednesday at Joe's Pub in NYC while visiting the boys of Brooklyn.

It was the 3rd of June, another sleepy, dusty delta day....

Back from the Cape.....Not much music activity during my week at Cape Cod. The Generators are now Gonzo Morelli (go figure) and did not have a gig scheduled, which is good because they would have cut our balls off if they recognized us at a show (the reason). Did not get to the opening of Harry's Blues Bar in Hyannis, but discovered that Elvis frequents the area for golf and other social activities and the King promised to bring his performance gear to next year's function. Thank you very much.

Meanwhile, the Courant's Eric Danton prioritizes this Summer's concert schedule in Thursday's Cal section:

Summer School of Rock - 2007 Summer Concerts Need Help Choosing Which Concerts To See This Summer? Funny You Should Ask ... by ERIC R. DANTON (Courant Rock Critic)

Summer is a glorious time for fans of live music, though it can be tough to whittle the bounty of bookings into a manageable itinerary of rock 'n' roll (or country, blues, folk, whatever). We are here to help. What follows is a week-by-week breakdown of the summer, highlighting a must-see show for each week, with a backup. You know, in case there are scheduling conflicts with cook-outs or Little League games. They're not always the biggest or most obvious shows (Dave Matthews Band again? Meh), but they are generally the most interesting and potentially rewarding live performances happening in a given week.

Week of May 28

Essential: Fall Out Boy - The Chicago band elevated itself from the hordes of similar-sounding pop-punk bands, thanks to catchy hooks and imaginative videos. The band has played roughly a million times in Connecticut, but this is its first headlining show in Hartford's amphitheater. Saturday, June 2 at Dodge Music Center in Hartford.

Plan B: Chris Brown and Hot Jam 6 - The hotshot young R&B singer rounds out a bill that includes Mims, Lil Wayne, Swiss Beatz and Fabolous. Friday, June 1 at the Hartford Civic Center.

Week of June 4

Essential: Feist - Expect intimate, captivating songs from "The Reminder," the most recent album by Canadian singer Leslie Feist. This show opens the U.S. leg of her spring tour. June 8 at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton, Mass.

Plan B: Ween - "Brothers" Gene and Dean Ween transcend parody and head straight to surrealist send-ups of rock, pop and country, poking fun at the self-serious earnestness of so much popular music. June 8 at the Webster Theatre in Hartford.

Complete article/listing....

Who said A-Rod was fooling with Debbie Harry?...

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