From the NPR website: She & Him, Gillian Welch, Jim James, Calexico And More At The Newport Folk Festival
WFUV, July 25, 2008 - As it approaches its 50th anniversary next year, the Newport Folk Festival is expanding its focus in 2008, showcasing an impressive array of not only folk music (Richie Havens, Gillian Welch), but also indie rock, including Jim James (of My Morning Jacket), Calexico, and She & Him. NPR.org will webcast performances by all of these and more, live from the Newport Folk Festival on Aug. 2-3. WFUV's Rita Houston hosts along with Bob Boilen from All Songs Considered.
Since 1959, the Newport Folk Festival has been an American institution. It was founded by folksingers and managers such as Theodore Bikel, Oscar Brand, Pete Seeger, George Wein, and Albert Grossman. Some of the most important folk musicians in history have come through the Rhode Island town, including Johnny Cash, Howlin' Wolf, Joan Baez, and Bob Dylan, whose controversial plugged-in performance at the Newport Folk Festival was the stuff of legend. - complete schedule
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Re-Born on da Bayou....
Creedence Clearwater albums to be reissued
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The first six albums of California rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival are being reissued on September 30 with bonus tracks and new liner notes, Concord Music Group said on Tuesday. The reissued albums, which have been digitally remastered and will be presented in DigiPaks, are: "Creedence Clearwater Revival," "Bayou Country," "Green River," "Willy & the Poor Boys," "Cosmo's Factory" and "Pendulum," all originally released from 1968 to 1970. Among the many extras are unreleased studio versions of "Down on the Corner" and "Born on the Bayou," which were recorded with Booker T & the MGs. The tracks appear on "Willy & the Poor Boys" and "Cosmo's Factory," respectively. - complete article
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The first six albums of California rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival are being reissued on September 30 with bonus tracks and new liner notes, Concord Music Group said on Tuesday. The reissued albums, which have been digitally remastered and will be presented in DigiPaks, are: "Creedence Clearwater Revival," "Bayou Country," "Green River," "Willy & the Poor Boys," "Cosmo's Factory" and "Pendulum," all originally released from 1968 to 1970. Among the many extras are unreleased studio versions of "Down on the Corner" and "Born on the Bayou," which were recorded with Booker T & the MGs. The tracks appear on "Willy & the Poor Boys" and "Cosmo's Factory," respectively. - complete article
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Thanks, nieces Caitlyn and Elizabeth, for your Yanks/Sox tickets, available because of a conflict with the Kenny Chesney concert at Gillette Stadium Boston Herald concert review. His Poets & Pirates Tour also features LeAnn Rimes, Keith Urban and, yes, that 'ol country singer, Sammy Hagar.
Lost track of them, found in The Herald:
STEVE CROPPER & FELIX CAVALIERE “Nudge It Up a Notch” (Stax): B
Paired in Nashville by producer Jon Tiven, the two ’60s icons prove soul never grows old. Cropper, legendary guitarist for Booker T. & the MG’s and Otis Redding, is still nimble-fingered, while the organ and vocals of Rascals frontman Cavaliere remain “Groovin’ ” sharp. Teaming with Tiven to write the 12 songs on “Nudge It Up a Notch” (in stores Tuesday), they don’t get very creative, but do knock out pleasant pop and r & b that would have sounded at home in the Stax catalog 40 years ago. Download: “One of These Days.” (Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals, with the Cowsills, appearing tomorrow at 7 p.m. at the Hatch Shell, free.)
Lost track of them, found in The Herald:
STEVE CROPPER & FELIX CAVALIERE “Nudge It Up a Notch” (Stax): B
Paired in Nashville by producer Jon Tiven, the two ’60s icons prove soul never grows old. Cropper, legendary guitarist for Booker T. & the MG’s and Otis Redding, is still nimble-fingered, while the organ and vocals of Rascals frontman Cavaliere remain “Groovin’ ” sharp. Teaming with Tiven to write the 12 songs on “Nudge It Up a Notch” (in stores Tuesday), they don’t get very creative, but do knock out pleasant pop and r & b that would have sounded at home in the Stax catalog 40 years ago. Download: “One of These Days.” (Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals, with the Cowsills, appearing tomorrow at 7 p.m. at the Hatch Shell, free.)
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Pinstripes in Beantown....should The Reet wear her Jeter #2 jersey?...
Well I was small, they took us to old Mechanics Hall
We got to see the mighty Ted Williams,
Put one over the right field wall
All that nostalgia comes out every day, you see,
On the Fenway where I've dreamed dreams
The Fenway by Jonathan Richman
Don the stylish #2? After Joba's up-'n-in Friday night to that weird sweat machine, Kevin Youkilis, I'm thinking it's not a wonderful idea. Maybe we should bring the Ray Allen #20 as a backup. Will Tim Wakefield retaliate with a 45 mph knuckleball to Jeter's ribs? Thanks to tix from Somerville's own NancyK/JoeK, we're in town, baby, to see the carnage continue Saturday afternoon. What's a good spot to grab a burgah?
Nashville East? Jack Nicklaus and Kenny Chesney threw out ceremonial first pitches, while LeAnn Rimes sang the national anthem. Who ya got today?
Whew! Manny didn't kill us last night, he killed the Sox instead by yanking himself from the lineup. Bad contract negotiations means sore knees. Sorry, Manny being Manny!
Has (Sweet) Caroline Kennedy ever thrown out the first pitch at Fenway? Maybe pair her up with longtime (read pre-teen) admirer perv Neil Diamond after all these years?
Friday, July 25, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
NRBQ live at the Bottom Line 8/24/78...
NRBQ is:
Terry Adams - keyboards, vocals, wind
Al Anderson - guitar, vocals
Tom Ardolino - drums
Joey Spaminato - bass, vocals
Keith Spring - tenor sax
Donn Adams - trombone
NRBQ has never been a hit making machine but the group has continually made some of the best albums of any roots-oriented American rock ’n’ roll band. To call NRBQ a rock band is probably inaccurate, but they certainly have no problem playing it. As you will hear on this second of two shows recorded at New York’s Bottom Line club in 1978, the band effectively performs a myriad of musical styles ranging from rockabilly, country swing, ‘60s pop, freeform jazz, and they do it all well. After all, we are talking about a band that plays covers by everyone from Sun Ra to Carl Perkins.
Featured here is a wealth of NRBQ classics including “Green Light” (covered the following year by Bonnie Raitt), “That's All,” “Wacky Tobacky,” “I Got A Rocket In My Pocket” and the Beatlesque “I Love Her, She Loves Me,” which appeared on NRBQ At Yankee Stadium, the LP out during this tour. (complete summary)
Another Fabulous Farquahr tribute...
While looking through my car this morning for something I'd lost, I came upon my old Farquahr tape while I immediately played. Then I came home and decided to Google them. I was saddened to see that Frank had died. We had some great times listening to their band, both live and on tape.
Joellen Hopkins, now of Albuquerque, NM, originally from Putnam, CT
Farquahr overview from Mariners website.
Joellen Hopkins, now of Albuquerque, NM, originally from Putnam, CT
Farquahr overview from Mariners website.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
When I was sixteen, ran away.....
Mention Dion (DiMucci) to someone and he/she may quickly dismiss him as either a washed-up 50's pop star (The Wanderer/Lonely Teenager/Runaround Sue - some of the era's best) or a washed-up 60's folkie (Abraham, Martin and John - okay, I hated that, too), but you should know better. This guy is significantly more than that. The guy picks a mighty fine guitar and can really sing the blues. His 2004 Bronx in Blue and last year's Son of Skip James were critically acclaimed, if popularly ignored. He's coming for a 4-night stint (Thu-Sun, August 28-31) at Mohegan Sun's Cabaret Theatre. Anyone else wanna go?
Per AllMusicGuide....When Dion DiMucci, one of the early great rock & roll stars, knocked out Bronx in Blue in 2005, it caused a rumbling stir among critics, if no one else. To be honest, no one expected much -- not even Dion, who hadn't made music for the masses since 1968 with his last big hit, "Abraham, Martin and John." He nailed down a few hip records in the early '70s and has made plenty since, but American audiences don't get to hear them for all the usual reasons. If the biz wasn't itself, his turn of the century classic, Déjà Nu, would have sold a million or two. Bronx in Blue was a killer blues record. Yeah, a blues record. It was on this tiny little label with inadequate distribution, and whatever...you know the story. But if you were lucky enough to hear that disc, you could hear the same Dion who issued those hip blues records for Columbia in the mid-'60s, produced by Tom Wilson. The years melted away and Dion's unique take on the blues via the street corners, record shops, and alleyways of the Bronx came pouring through the speakers like some message from another world. For anyone cynical enough to think it improper for Dion to title this record Son of Skip James, quit reading right now; you won't get it at all. DiMucci played the Newport festivals and was as deeply under the sway of James, John Hurt, Fred McDowell, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Muddy Waters as Dylan, the Band, Fred Neil, John Fahey, Tom Rush, and the like.
DiMucci's voice is a thing of wonder; he has lost none of his vitality and none of his range, and his control over it is simply amazing. He also plays a pretty mean guitar. He didn't need any big-name producer or all-star band, either. Dion produced Son of Skip James himself, plays acoustic guitar and harmonica, and sings his rear off. Rick Krive accompanies him on piano on a few tracks, and Bob Guertin is on percussion and Hammond B-3 on others. That's it.
Damn it, I'm going. You?
Per AllMusicGuide....When Dion DiMucci, one of the early great rock & roll stars, knocked out Bronx in Blue in 2005, it caused a rumbling stir among critics, if no one else. To be honest, no one expected much -- not even Dion, who hadn't made music for the masses since 1968 with his last big hit, "Abraham, Martin and John." He nailed down a few hip records in the early '70s and has made plenty since, but American audiences don't get to hear them for all the usual reasons. If the biz wasn't itself, his turn of the century classic, Déjà Nu, would have sold a million or two. Bronx in Blue was a killer blues record. Yeah, a blues record. It was on this tiny little label with inadequate distribution, and whatever...you know the story. But if you were lucky enough to hear that disc, you could hear the same Dion who issued those hip blues records for Columbia in the mid-'60s, produced by Tom Wilson. The years melted away and Dion's unique take on the blues via the street corners, record shops, and alleyways of the Bronx came pouring through the speakers like some message from another world. For anyone cynical enough to think it improper for Dion to title this record Son of Skip James, quit reading right now; you won't get it at all. DiMucci played the Newport festivals and was as deeply under the sway of James, John Hurt, Fred McDowell, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Muddy Waters as Dylan, the Band, Fred Neil, John Fahey, Tom Rush, and the like.DiMucci's voice is a thing of wonder; he has lost none of his vitality and none of his range, and his control over it is simply amazing. He also plays a pretty mean guitar. He didn't need any big-name producer or all-star band, either. Dion produced Son of Skip James himself, plays acoustic guitar and harmonica, and sings his rear off. Rick Krive accompanies him on piano on a few tracks, and Bob Guertin is on percussion and Hammond B-3 on others. That's it.
Damn it, I'm going. You?
Monday, July 21, 2008
Ladies and gentlemen, now getting funky for the New York Yankees....
Songwriters devote album to baseball by Derek Caney (Reuters)
NEW YORK- Dusk is setting on a cool evening at Yankee Stadium, as Yankee pitcher Andy Pettitte sets down the San Diego Padres. Steve Wynn and Scott McCaughey, two songwriters behind new band The Baseball Project, are doing what they love: sipping beer and talking baseball and music. The Baseball Project is celebrating the release of its first album, "Volume 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails," on Yep Roc Records earlier this month. It is a record solely about baseball, which is not a subject people might associate with veteran rockers like McCaughey and Wynn.
The subject turns to "walk-on" music -- music baseball players select to be played on stadium loudspeakers when they come up to bat -- that McCaughey and Wynn might select for themselves if they were ball players. Wynn says, "Maybe 'Waiting For My Man," a song by the Velvet Underground about a dope addict and his dealer. Scott McCaughey quips, "All right, I'll pick 'Sister Ray,"' referring to a 17-minute Velvet Underground song consisting primarily of abrasive white noise and off color lyrics. complete article
On Letterman:
The Baseball Project
NEW YORK- Dusk is setting on a cool evening at Yankee Stadium, as Yankee pitcher Andy Pettitte sets down the San Diego Padres. Steve Wynn and Scott McCaughey, two songwriters behind new band The Baseball Project, are doing what they love: sipping beer and talking baseball and music. The Baseball Project is celebrating the release of its first album, "Volume 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails," on Yep Roc Records earlier this month. It is a record solely about baseball, which is not a subject people might associate with veteran rockers like McCaughey and Wynn.
The subject turns to "walk-on" music -- music baseball players select to be played on stadium loudspeakers when they come up to bat -- that McCaughey and Wynn might select for themselves if they were ball players. Wynn says, "Maybe 'Waiting For My Man," a song by the Velvet Underground about a dope addict and his dealer. Scott McCaughey quips, "All right, I'll pick 'Sister Ray,"' referring to a 17-minute Velvet Underground song consisting primarily of abrasive white noise and off color lyrics. complete article
On Letterman:
The Baseball Project
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Cindy smokin'....
Didn't catch Lucinda Williams this time around (she was headlining the Green River Festival in Greenfield, MA Saturday night), and it was our loss 'cause she ripped it up in Trumansburg two nights before.From the Ithaca Journal: Usually the first day of the GrassRoots Festival is a mere appetizer for the rest of the weekend, but this year the annual gathering in Trumansburg got off to a running start with headliner Lucinda Williams, who played a hard-rocking set Thursday evening on the Grandstand Stage. Taking the stage at 8:58 p.m. (two minutes before her scheduled 9 p.m. start), Williams, sporting a “You Rock” t-shirt, kicked off with two new songs, “Real Love” and “Tears of Joy” sandwiched around “2 Kool 2 Be 4-gotten,” from her acclaimed 1998 album “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road.” “Car Wheels” was well represented throughout the night by “Joy” (which incorporated the riff from Led Zeppelin's “Heartbreaker”), “Drunken Angel” and “Right in Time,” which is probably one of the most sensual rock songs ever written. ......The pace really picked up when Williams strapped on an electric guitar. The high point of the set soon followed with “Come On” (from her 2007 album “West”), which came off sort of like the Pretenders meets Crazy Horse — Williams shouted out the chorus while her band Buick 6 rocked out behind her. In fact, Buick 6 impressed throughout the night, especially guitarist Doug Pettibone, who wailed on “Out of Touch” (from 2001's “Essence”) and many other songs; indeed, the four-piece band sounded like the “Exile on Main Street” Rolling Stones many times during the set. Williams seemed to be having a good time throughout the night, at one point stating “I wish the whole world could be like this.” -full article
Cool feature on Lucinda's website- Concert set lists
Saturday, July 19, 2008
I'd like y'all to meet my friends....
Guest artists performing at the Billy Joel concert at Shea Stadium Friday night:Guest artists performing at the Billy Joel concert at Shea Stadium Wednesday night- (NY Times review):
Billy Joel/Paul McCartney- Let It Be:
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Live music explosion.....
We tried to figure a way to get to the Green River Festival (with a side of golf at Crumpin Fox) in Greenfield, MA with the Andersons this weekend to hear Lucinda Williams, Jimmy Vaughn, Lou Ann Barton (my fave), Eilen Jewell, Mavis Staples, etal, but it was not to be.But there are many tasty alternatives:
Plantsville's own Sawtelles will be appearing Friday night at Jitters Coffeehouse in Plainville and on Saturday night at the Funky Monkey in Cheshire.
The 17th annual Hartford Festival of Jazz, free (Fri/Sat/Sun) at Bushnell Park. Included in the festivities is a Sunday jazz mass at Christ Church Cathedral at 10am, which reminds me of the Jazz Fest Mass this past May in New Orleans. Complete schedule
On Saturday at 6pm, the Squirrel Nut Zippers will appear as part of New Haven's Music on the Green series. Per their MySpace page, the Zips ".... feature original and founding members Katherine Whalen, Jimbo Mathis, Chris Phillips, Je Widenhouse and Stuart Cole. On tour the band will be performing material from the entire catalogue.....Since 2002, the members have kept themselves more than busy. Katherine Whalen has released several solo albums, most recently the critical favorite Dirty Little Secret. Jimbo Mathus has also released several acclaimed solo records, all while working as musical director for legendary blues musician and Grammy winner Buddy Guy. Phillips was enlisted as composer for the Comedy Central TV show Lil’ Bush and spent time touring with the Dickies. Widenhouse has performed throughout the country with his traditional jazz combo the Firecracker Jazz Band. Not to be outdone, Cole has written Dancing to Morocco, a travel guide of dark and dusty bars in Northern Africa, and has been performing extensively with Dexter Romweber. The band performed around 50 shows in 2007, and has just begun a series of summer tours. Look out for a new live record late in 2008, and a new studio record in 2009."And there's always something tasty at the Musicians' Living Room, New Haven's Cafe Nine, where the Soul Merchants play on Friday night. According to my (MySpace) sources, the Merchants are....a mighty 8 piece band hailing from the basements of Central Connecticut. Their sound combines a love of reggae and rocksteady niceness with the respect and nod toward the infectious classic soul sounds of the 1960s. Featuring a full horn section, infectious Farfisa organ riffs, sweet vocal harmonies and a guitar lead that would make Nigel Tufnel blush. Featuring former members of Ska King Crab, Nigel Six, Johnny Too Bad and the Strikeouts, Golgo 13, Natural Funk Selection and Throwing Star of David. They slide on over to Sully's Pub in Hartford on Saturday.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Something tells me I'm into something good...
Spur of the moment, The Reet, G-Man and Johnnyk headed southeast Saturday night to Mohegan Sun to feed Reet's craving for some (gambling) action. I quickly checked the Wolf Den schedule to have an alternative to throwing my money away and came up with Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone (the original lead singer!). Granted, the Hermits were not the Beatles, but they had a string of catchy pop hits during the British Invasion and I'm not so much the music snob that I didn't listen to them.The Reet listened at her nearby video poker post, while G-Man and I stand at the bar (Sam Summer for Dad, LI Ice Tea for G) for the 8pm show. Not a bad show. Peter Noone's voice is amazingly intact and he easily hits all the notes. Quite the showman. Highlights are Because, a tribute to the Dave Clark Five, and the almost-whispered Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter. A nod to the threesome seated at the bar, who tastfully filled in the backing vocals during the song.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Groovin' on a behive queen 'n tex-mex on a picture-perfect Friday night in Hamden...
Gooljean Gool (Bobcat baseball head and brother of Rejean Gool) once bounced a tee shot about 100 yards down the fairway into the cup for a hole-in-one on a spring day long, long ago here. He couldn't do that now. No, his skills have not eroded over the years (he never had any), but now this tract of land on Dixwell Avenue is no longer the Meadowbrook Country Club. It's gone!
It is about 6:30pm. We've already had some tasty Mexican (Eating Raoul) and witty reparte at DaVins, so we're contented boys and girls. Vin directs us to park at the middle school, where we assemble our belongings (folding chairs, coolers, even a blanket!) and follow the crowd down the hill, across the field/fairway, past the vending trucks, up the hill to a viewing spot about 50 yards from the stage. The park has a wonderful natural slope down to the stage for a viewing area and it's filling in fast. We settle in and we await Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez.
Per AllMusicGuide, Christine Ohlman is a "....writer, singer, book editor, record collector and performer, ....probably best known to the general public for her work as vocalist in the Saturday Night Live band, specifically the G.E. Smith years. Both were founding members of the Scratch Band that specialized in the soul drenched rock she has continued to release with her own group Rebel Montez....She has also contributed her husky pipes to albums from the diverse likes of Charlie Musselwhite, Kenny Neal, Eddie Kirkland, Big Al Anderson and Ian Hunter. Ohlman sang the theme song for 30 Rock and was one of the singers for Bob Dylan's 30th Anniversary Concert at Madison Square Garden in 1993. In her non-vocal work, she was an original contributor to All Music Guide and edited Andrew Loog Oldham's book 2Stoned."
I originally met Ms. Ohlman in 2006 at the Meriden Daffodil Festival while purchasing one of her CDs after her show at the bandshell stage there. She had just packed everything up to leave, but graciously she directed me over to the back of her station wagon to get one. When I mentioned that I was leaving the following week for Jazz Fest in New Orleans, she related to me her great love for the recently-ravaged city. I emailed my post of the show to her that night and she replied in kind, thanking me and sending me the link to a piece she had written for the New Haven Advocate about her experience in New Orleans at the first post-Katrina Mardi Gras. I introduced her to Johnny Gumbo at a Cafe Nine show, which subsequently led to her appearance at the Southington Apple Harvest Festival. I'm a big fan of her music.
The Beehive Queen (the beehive is her tribute to Ronnie Spector) and her band, Rebel Montez (Michael Colbath-bass/vocals, Larry Donahue-drums/percussion,Cliff Goodwin-lead guitar), are in great form and first-rate soundsystem throws it out to us perfectly. Prior to launching into It's All Over Now, Christine tells us that, although the song was made popular by the Rolling Stones, their version would be closer to the original, done by the Valentinos'. The boys love the hour-long set; the girls do not.
Los Lobos follows after a brief intermission. Bad time to hit the head, for there are hundreds lined up, single-file, at the two available locations. Oh well, hold it in for later. We settle in for some more great music. The band is tight, energetic. Curiously, despite wonderful musicianship and solid vocals, the only songs that are catching my attention are the covers. Their style reminds me somewhat of the Iguanas, but I find the latter to have catchier songs. Not to quibble, Los Lobos is still very good. I finally make my way through the crowd down to the shorter lines at the port-o-johns to get some relief. Whew! We stay for the start of the encore, but it's late and the boys must be awake early for golf, so we sneak away before "La Bamba" closes the show. Not sure what was going on, but the stage was filled with people as we drove down Dixwell on our way home. A good time was had by all. (note: Los Lobos rocking out for the kids- article
Concerts continue during the summer at the bandshell. However, tonight's pairing may have been the best, for acts like The Fifth Dimension, Mickey Thomas' Starship and the Temptation Review don't hold much promise, at least for this cowboy.
It is about 6:30pm. We've already had some tasty Mexican (Eating Raoul) and witty reparte at DaVins, so we're contented boys and girls. Vin directs us to park at the middle school, where we assemble our belongings (folding chairs, coolers, even a blanket!) and follow the crowd down the hill, across the field/fairway, past the vending trucks, up the hill to a viewing spot about 50 yards from the stage. The park has a wonderful natural slope down to the stage for a viewing area and it's filling in fast. We settle in and we await Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez.
Per AllMusicGuide, Christine Ohlman is a "....writer, singer, book editor, record collector and performer, ....probably best known to the general public for her work as vocalist in the Saturday Night Live band, specifically the G.E. Smith years. Both were founding members of the Scratch Band that specialized in the soul drenched rock she has continued to release with her own group Rebel Montez....She has also contributed her husky pipes to albums from the diverse likes of Charlie Musselwhite, Kenny Neal, Eddie Kirkland, Big Al Anderson and Ian Hunter. Ohlman sang the theme song for 30 Rock and was one of the singers for Bob Dylan's 30th Anniversary Concert at Madison Square Garden in 1993. In her non-vocal work, she was an original contributor to All Music Guide and edited Andrew Loog Oldham's book 2Stoned." I originally met Ms. Ohlman in 2006 at the Meriden Daffodil Festival while purchasing one of her CDs after her show at the bandshell stage there. She had just packed everything up to leave, but graciously she directed me over to the back of her station wagon to get one. When I mentioned that I was leaving the following week for Jazz Fest in New Orleans, she related to me her great love for the recently-ravaged city. I emailed my post of the show to her that night and she replied in kind, thanking me and sending me the link to a piece she had written for the New Haven Advocate about her experience in New Orleans at the first post-Katrina Mardi Gras. I introduced her to Johnny Gumbo at a Cafe Nine show, which subsequently led to her appearance at the Southington Apple Harvest Festival. I'm a big fan of her music.
The Beehive Queen (the beehive is her tribute to Ronnie Spector) and her band, Rebel Montez (Michael Colbath-bass/vocals, Larry Donahue-drums/percussion,Cliff Goodwin-lead guitar), are in great form and first-rate soundsystem throws it out to us perfectly. Prior to launching into It's All Over Now, Christine tells us that, although the song was made popular by the Rolling Stones, their version would be closer to the original, done by the Valentinos'. The boys love the hour-long set; the girls do not.
Los Lobos follows after a brief intermission. Bad time to hit the head, for there are hundreds lined up, single-file, at the two available locations. Oh well, hold it in for later. We settle in for some more great music. The band is tight, energetic. Curiously, despite wonderful musicianship and solid vocals, the only songs that are catching my attention are the covers. Their style reminds me somewhat of the Iguanas, but I find the latter to have catchier songs. Not to quibble, Los Lobos is still very good. I finally make my way through the crowd down to the shorter lines at the port-o-johns to get some relief. Whew! We stay for the start of the encore, but it's late and the boys must be awake early for golf, so we sneak away before "La Bamba" closes the show. Not sure what was going on, but the stage was filled with people as we drove down Dixwell on our way home. A good time was had by all. (note: Los Lobos rocking out for the kids- article Concerts continue during the summer at the bandshell. However, tonight's pairing may have been the best, for acts like The Fifth Dimension, Mickey Thomas' Starship and the Temptation Review don't hold much promise, at least for this cowboy.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Da blues got da blues....
Chicago blues scene wanes as genre grows tired (AP)
CHICAGO - Blues guitar virtuosos and honey-voiced singers filled the Chicago streets with music during the 1950s. Muddy Waters' guitar seeped from corner juke joints. Willie Dixon strummed bass guitar beats, echoing the city's blues sound. Now more than a half century later, a music that was born in the rural South and raised in the urban North, has grown old and tired. Its fan base is aging, key blues haunts have shuttered and some of its up-and-coming musicians are struggling. Nowhere is the decline more evident than in Chicago, arguably the city that made the genre famous. - article
CHICAGO - Blues guitar virtuosos and honey-voiced singers filled the Chicago streets with music during the 1950s. Muddy Waters' guitar seeped from corner juke joints. Willie Dixon strummed bass guitar beats, echoing the city's blues sound. Now more than a half century later, a music that was born in the rural South and raised in the urban North, has grown old and tired. Its fan base is aging, key blues haunts have shuttered and some of its up-and-coming musicians are struggling. Nowhere is the decline more evident than in Chicago, arguably the city that made the genre famous. - article
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Marcia wants some Tex-Mex...
Hi-I wouldn't know Los Lobos if they came and applied for a job, but anyway they are playing at Meadowbrook Park right down the street, for free, on Friday night. Anyone interested? We could do Mexican first-lemme know. -MarciaMarcia, Marcia, Marcia. If you read my (admittedly lagging) concert suggestions (johnnykconcerts), you would have known. Sounds like a great way to start the weekend. Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez open; they're great too. You in, Andersons?
From AllMusicGuide.. Los Lobos were one of America's most distinctive and original bands of the '80s. They may have had a hit with "La Bamba" in 1987, yet that cover barely scratches the surface of their talents. Los Lobos are eclectic in the best sense of the word. While they draw equally from rock, Tex-Mex, country, folk, R&B, blues, and traditional Spanish and Mexican music, their music never sounds forced or self-conscious. Instead, all of their influences become one graceful, gritty sound. From their very first recordings, their rich musicality was apparent; on nearly every subsequent record, they have found ways to redefine and expand their sound, without ever straying from the musical traditions that form the heart and soul of the band. - tour dates/set lists 1983-2008 Here's a sample:
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Don't forget the Motor City...
Exclusive: Read Jack White's poem for Detroit - Detroit Free Press article
'Courageous Dream's Concern,' by Jack White
I have driven slow,
three miles an hour or so,
through Highland Park, Heidelberg, and the Cass Corridor.
I've hopped on the Michigan,
and transferred to the Woodward,
and heard the good word blaring from an a.m. radio.
I love the worn-through tracks of trolley
trains breaking through their concrete vaults,
As I ride the Fort Street or the Baker,
just making my way home.
I sneak through an iron gate, and fish
rock bass out of the strait,
watching the mail boat with its tugboat gait,
hauling words I'll never know.
The water letter carrier,
bringing prose to lonely sailors,
treading the big lakes with their trailers,
floats in blue green chopping waters,
above long-lost sunken failures,
awaiting exhumation iron whalers,
holding gold we'll never know.
I've slid on Belle Isle,
and rowed inside of it for miles.
Seeing white deer running alongside
While I glide, in a canoe.
I've walked down Caniff holding a glass
Atlas root beer bottle in my hands
And I've entered closets of coney islands
early in the morning too.
I've taken malt from Stroh's and Sanders,
felt the black powder of abandoned embers,
And smelled the sawdust from wood cut
to rehabilitate the fallen edifice.
I've walked to the rhythm of mariachis,
down junctions and back alleys,
Breathing fresh-baked fumes of culture
nurtured of the Latin and the Middle East.
I've fallen down on public ice,
and skated in my own delight,
and slid again on metal crutches
into trafficked avenues.
Three motors moved us forward,
Leaving smaller engines to wither,
the aluminum, and torpedo,
Monuments to unclaimed dreaming.
Foundry's piston tempest captured,
Forward pushing workers raptured,
Frescoed families strife fractured,
Encased by factory's glass ceiling.
Detroit, you hold what one's been seeking,
Holding off the coward-armies weakling,
Always rising from the ashes
not returning to the earth.
I so love your heart that burns
That in your people's body yearns To perpetuate,
and permeate,
the lonely dream that does encapsulate,
Your spirit, that God insulates,
With courageous dream's concern.
'Courageous Dream's Concern,' by Jack White
I have driven slow,three miles an hour or so,
through Highland Park, Heidelberg, and the Cass Corridor.
I've hopped on the Michigan,
and transferred to the Woodward,
and heard the good word blaring from an a.m. radio.
I love the worn-through tracks of trolley
trains breaking through their concrete vaults,
As I ride the Fort Street or the Baker,
just making my way home.
I sneak through an iron gate, and fish
rock bass out of the strait,
watching the mail boat with its tugboat gait,
hauling words I'll never know.
The water letter carrier,
bringing prose to lonely sailors,
treading the big lakes with their trailers,
floats in blue green chopping waters,
above long-lost sunken failures,
awaiting exhumation iron whalers,
holding gold we'll never know.
I've slid on Belle Isle,
and rowed inside of it for miles.
Seeing white deer running alongside
While I glide, in a canoe.
I've walked down Caniff holding a glass
Atlas root beer bottle in my hands
And I've entered closets of coney islands
early in the morning too.
I've taken malt from Stroh's and Sanders,
felt the black powder of abandoned embers,
And smelled the sawdust from wood cut
to rehabilitate the fallen edifice.
I've walked to the rhythm of mariachis,
down junctions and back alleys,
Breathing fresh-baked fumes of culture
nurtured of the Latin and the Middle East.
I've fallen down on public ice,
and skated in my own delight,
and slid again on metal crutches
into trafficked avenues.
Three motors moved us forward,
Leaving smaller engines to wither,
the aluminum, and torpedo,
Monuments to unclaimed dreaming.
Foundry's piston tempest captured,
Forward pushing workers raptured,
Frescoed families strife fractured,
Encased by factory's glass ceiling.
Detroit, you hold what one's been seeking,
Holding off the coward-armies weakling,
Always rising from the ashes
not returning to the earth.
I so love your heart that burns
That in your people's body yearns To perpetuate,
and permeate,
the lonely dream that does encapsulate,
Your spirit, that God insulates,
With courageous dream's concern.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Friday, July 04, 2008
Thursday, July 03, 2008
July is here; so are the Sawtelles!...
Go see them!Jul 4 12:30P *CANCELLED* Hamden, CT
Jul 6 11:00A Coventry farmer’s market, Coventry, CT
Jul 11 6:00P Two Boots Pizza Bridgeport, CT
Jul 19 8:00P Funky Monkey Cafe, Cheshire, CT
Jul 28 10:00P Beatnik 2000 @Cafe Nine, New Haven, CT
Jul 31 7:00P 5th Thursday @NEB, New Haven, CT
Jul 31 10:00P Ken Safety’s Open Mic Show, Cheshire, CT
Aug 8 8:00P Borders Meriden, Meriden, CT
Aug 22 12:30P Hamden Farmer’s Market, Hamden, CT
Aug 24 11:00A Coventry Farmer’s Market, Coventry, CT
Aug 28 7:00P *NEW* Passiflora, New Hartford, CT
Sep 5 12:30P *NEW* Hamden Farmer’s Market, Hamden, CT
Oct 3 12:30P Hamden Farmer’s Market, Hamden, CT
Oct 12 12:30P CT Garlic and Harvest Festival, Bethlehem, CT
Oct 31 7:00P Books & Co Sofa Series, Hamden, CT
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
I've got blisters on my fingers!....
Lost Beatles interview unearthed by Howard Shannon, Producer (BBC)
For 44 years a canister of film had been stored in a damp garage in South London; unopened, unloved and almost thrown away. But, finally, somebody took a look inside - and realised they had unearthed a piece of pop history. This is the story of a lost Beatles interview - which is to be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Tuesday for the first time since it was originally recorded.
The nine-minute interview took place in the studios of Scottish Television on Thursday, 30 April, 1964. It was thought to have been recorded on a tele-cine machine in London, and stored in a can, now rusted with the passing of decades. Which makes it all the more remarkable that the fragile film has survived at all. complete story
Listen to an extract here.
For 44 years a canister of film had been stored in a damp garage in South London; unopened, unloved and almost thrown away. But, finally, somebody took a look inside - and realised they had unearthed a piece of pop history. This is the story of a lost Beatles interview - which is to be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Tuesday for the first time since it was originally recorded.The nine-minute interview took place in the studios of Scottish Television on Thursday, 30 April, 1964. It was thought to have been recorded on a tele-cine machine in London, and stored in a can, now rusted with the passing of decades. Which makes it all the more remarkable that the fragile film has survived at all. complete story
Listen to an extract here.
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