R.I.P. Ann Rabson...

Blues pianist/singer/songwriter/guitarist Ann Rabson died on Wednesday, January 30, 2013 in Fredericksburg, Virginia after a long battle with cancer. She was 67. Co-founder of the hugely successful trio Saffire--The Uppity Blues Women, Rabson was a legendary force on the keyboards as well as being a deeply soulful vocalist. She recorded eight albums with Saffire and one solo CD for Alligator Records, and released three solo albums for other labels. Her most recent was 2012's Not Alone (VizzTone Records). Rabson's prodigious talent, along with her take-no-guff attitude, struck a chord with music fans around the world. Considered one of the finest barrelhouse blues pianists of her generation, Rabson -- an accomplished guitarist since she was a teen -- didn't start playing piano until she was 35. DownBeat magazine said that "Rabson plays bluesy, honky-tonk piano with staggering authority" (read more)

Drive-By Truckers playin' at Tips tonight!...

Drive-By Truckers  are an alternative country/Southern rock band based in Athens, Georgia, though two out of five current members (Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley) are originally from The Shoals region of Northern Alabama, and the band strongly identifies with Alabama. Their music uses three guitars as well as bass, drums, and now keyboards. Like many alternative country acts, the Drive-By Truckers record in analog (using 2 inch, 16-track open reel tape recorders). However, unlike the majority of their contemporaries, the Drive-By Truckers have consistently pushed their labels to also release the band's records in a vinyl format.

You can catch these guys in these area venues:

• March 7th - Toad's Place, New Haven, CT
• March 8th - Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel, Providence, RI 
• March 14th - Calvin Theater, Northampton, MA
• March 15th - Capitol Theater, Port Chester, NY

Freeeeeeeezing Sunday morning trail mix...

Baseball (Carla Bley) ECM Selected Recordings
Road Dog (C.J. Chenier) Step It Up!
Fussing and Fighting (Bob Marley) Raggae Fever Vol I
Hot Tamale Baby (Buckwheat Zydeco) On a Night Like This
Let Him Run Wild (Beach Boys) Summer Days and Summer Nights
Cruel World (Solomon Burke) Live at the House of Blues
Sailin' Shoes (Robert Palmer) Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley
Dead Flowers (Willie Nelson) Stars & Guitars-Live
Endangered Species (Esperanza Spalding) Radio Music Society
Krooked Blues (King Oliver's Creole Jam) Louis Armstrong & King Oliver
Yesterday's Love (Sarah Borges & the Broken Singles) The Stars Are Out
Mozart Piano Trio In C Major (Amelia Piano Trio) "Live"
I Can Stand a Little Rain (Esther Phillips) Jazz Moods-Hot
Junior (Milt Jackson) Early Modern
Truck Driver's Blues (Rosie Flores) A Honky Tonk Reprise
True Love Ways (My Morning Jacket) Rave On, Buddy Holly Tribute
I'm Yours (Mel Torme) A Foggy Day
Soul Sister (Allen Toussaint) The Allen Toussaint Collection
Maureen, Maureen (Zoe Muth) Old Gold
The Next Train To Baltimore (Melvern Taylor) Fabuloso
Sweet & Lovely (Thelonious Monk Quartet) At Carnegie Hall
Backatown (Trombone Shorty) Backatown
In My Dreams (Al Anderson) After Hours
Funk Is In the House (Walter "Wolfman" Washington) Funk Is In the House
Heart Shaped Bruise (Elvis Costello/Lucinda Williams) Delivery Man
Little Bit More (Rosie Flores) Dance Hall Dreams
Perfect To Me (Al Green) Everything Is Everything
That Tone of Voice (Amy Rigby) Diary of a Mod Housewife
La Guera Felix (The Iguanas) Sugar Town
A Lover's Prayer (Dion & the Belmonts) Dion Hits
Roller Derby (Leon Russell) Carney
Art of Love (Laura Nyro) Live: The Loom's Desire

Everybody's working for the weekend...

New Strokes' One Way Trigger for you.  In the early 2000's, really before they even had an album out, their live stuff (from NYC club, shared on Napster) was new and exciting.  Now, not so much.  They were decent at Jazz Fest a couple years ago.  Always hoping, because I like the band.

JR (the artist formerly known as Johnny Gumbo) has tix to see Dr. John and his new band (recently fired the old one) at Jazz Alley in Seattle on Feb 2nd.  Beware, Groundhog Day.

The Low Cut Connie Northeast Tour apparently bypasses Cafe Nine this time around.
Jan & Feb dates so far are...
Tue 29th Jan      New York, NY        The Mercury Lounge
Fri 1st Feb          Arlington, VA          IOTA Cafe & Bar
Sat 2nd Feb       Philadelphia, PA     Ray's Happy Birthday Bar
Wed 6th Feb      Allston, MA             Great Scott
Thurs 7th Feb    Northampton, MA   The Elevens
Fri 8th Feb         Woodstock, NY       Bearsville Theater
Sun 10th Feb     Brooklyn, NY           Rock Shop

Jake Bugg (see Concert Blogger article) to appear at Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival to be held April 12/13/14 and 19/20/21 in Indio, Cali.

No Love?...

The band, No Love, feat. Mel Lederman (Victory at Sea, Thalia Zedek), Sarah Borges, Ian Adams (ZL, Rock City Crime Wave, 8-Ball Shifter), Mike Joy (Shore Leave) and Cameron Keiber (The Beatings, Eldridge Rodriguez)

Bigger than The Inauguration, bigger than MLK Day - IT'S JR's BIRTHDAY!

Black Keys at Jazz Fest 2013!...

This afternoon's email from Terrie (of the infamous Shoe Ladies), announcing that this year's Jazz Fest lineup was just released, set all kinds of things into motion.  A text from G-man saying that the Black Keys are FINALLY playing there, also Ben Harper w/ Charlie Musselwhite.  Call to Pool Hall Stud Barry about rooms n flights.  Who knows where PHS Marky G is (he is ALWAYS "out of the office").   Peter is passing on this year's Fest.  Chris says maybe next year.  Johnny Gumbo remains deceased, but after the Manti Te'o hoax, who knows whether Gumbo ever really existed!

Mark has the flights booked for the second weekend and is already mouthing off about kicking my ass at pool.  I think he and Barry (a/k/a The Pool Hall Studs) have pool cue envy, if you catch my drift. We need a place to play since Ryan's Pub pulled their table out a couple years ago.

First Weekend Lineups - Apr 26 - Apr 27 - Apr 28

Second Weekend Lineups - May 2 - May 3 - May 4 - May 5

Second weekend first-glance favorites:

• Thursday, May 2: Patti Smith, Theresa Andersson, Rosie Ledet, Mia Borders, Johnny Sansone, Ingrid Lucia
• Friday, May 3: Willie Nelson, Jimmy Cliff, Tab Benoit, Marcia Ball, Amanda Shaw, The Iguanas
• Saturday, May 4:  Fleetwood Mac, Frank Ocean, Little Willies (featuring Norah Jones), Terrance Blanchard, Los Lobos, Stanley Clarke/George Duke Project, Joe Krown Trio
• The Black Keys, Hall & Oates, Trombone Shorty, Wayne Shorter, Taj Mahal

2013 Newport Jazz Festival (I'm going, thanks to a great Xmas gift from Peter!)...

Friday, August 2, 2013 at International Tennis Hall of Fame
Natalie Cole

Bill Charlap Trio with special guest Freddy Cole



Saturday, August 3, 2013 at Fort Adams State Park
Wayne Shorter's 80th Birthday Celebration:
Wayne Shorter Quartet featuring Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci & Brian Blade plus special guest Herbie Hancock

Esperanza Spalding - Radio Music Society

Michel Camilo Sextet

Terence Blanchard Quintet

Robert Glasper Experiment

Gregory Porter

Bill Charlap Trio with special guests Bob Wilber & Anat Cohen

Edmar Castañeda

Ray Anderson Pocket Brass Band performing works made possible by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

Rez Abassi Trio

Amir ElSaffar Two Rivers debuting commissioned work made possible by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

Mary Halvorson Quintet



Sunday, August 4, 2013 at Fort Adams State Park
Chick Corea & The Vigil with Christian McBride, Tim Garland, Marcus Gilmore, & Charles Altura

Eddie Palmieri Salsa Orchestra

Dizzy Gillespie™ Big Band under the direction of Paquito D'Rivera

Hiromi: The Trio Project with Anthony Jackson & Steve Smith

Joshua Redman Quartet

Roy Haynes Fountain of Youth Band

Steve Coleman Projects:
Five Elements, Talea Ensemble and Duo with Tyshawn Sorey

Jim Hall Quartet featuring Julian Lage

Jon Batiste & Stay Human

Dirty Dozen Brass Band

Dee Alexander: "Songs That My Mother Loved"

Lew Tabackin Quartet with Randy Brecker, Peter Washington & Lewis Nash

Donny McCaslin Group

David Gilmore & Numerology featuring Claudia Acuña, Miguel Zenón, Luis Perdomo, Christian McBride, Jeff "Tain" Watts & Mino Cinelu

*Artists subject to change.

Wynton Marsalis interview in Wall Street Journal...

The baby-faced trumpeter and composer on good manners, mafia-movie chic and the greatest concert he ever saw

ACCORDING TO WYNTON Marsalis, jazz "places a premium on originality and individuality." Personal style has always has been a key element to the genre, to the music itself and beyond. "When people dress well, they play well," said Mr. Marsalis, 51, in an interview at the gleaming new offices of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York (JALC). He added with a laugh, "My thing is if we don't sound good, at least we look good." To ensure the latter, he's got a wardrobe of natty suits, and wore a Brooks Brothers gray pinstripe three-piece to our interview (Brooks is the official clothier of JALC).

But it is all the aspects of jazz—style, history, culture—that the virtuoso trumpeter and composer works ardently to preserve. Mr. Marsalis, who was born and raised in New Orleans, has been the artistic director of JALC since he co-founded the nonprofit institution in 1987, and was recently named managing director.  (Read more)

Cool show...

Tough medicine from the Doctor...

Dr. John fires longtime managers, members of his Lower 911 band

(Times-Picayune) In the wake of one of the most successful years of his decades-long career, Mac “Dr. John” Rebennack has cleaned house both onstage and backstage. In recent weeks, Rebennack has fired his longtime managers, his booking agent, and the veteran members of his band, the Lower 911.  The Lower 911 backed Rebennack for the last time at the House of Blues on Dec. 28-29. The musicians -– bassist David Barard, guitarist John Fohl and drummer Raymond Weber -– had heard rumblings that a change was coming. Rebennack told them face to face prior to the first of the two House of Blues gigs.  Barard had backed Rebennack since the 1970s. Fohl has been with him for 11 years. Weber became the Lower 911’s fulltime drummer about a year ago. He replaced the late Herman Ernest, Rebennack’s drummer and confidant of more than 30 years, who died of cancer in March 2011.  "I have no beefs with none of the guys," Rebennack said Thursday night. "They worked hard. Anybody that's a hard worker, that's big props to them.(Read more.)

Early 2013 live music..

Starting this Sunday, the Hartford Public Library commences its Baby Grand Jazz Piano Series 2013 at 3PM.  I've attended a couple of these; great music in a cool, relaxing venue.  The series will run for 16 weeks.  This Sunday's performance features the duo Saskia Laroo (trumpet) and Warren Byrd (piano/singer).  SCHEDULE 

As part of the Hartford Public Library's Indie Pop Series, our favorites, The Sawtelles, will perform on Feb 10th at 1:30PM (prior to the Baby Grand).  On Thursday, Jan 10th, they have a very cool gig at Blackeyed Sallys in Hartford.

New Orleans' fabulous Iguanas will be at Cafe Nine on Saturday, January 12th.  Always a great show.  They are touring in support of their new album, Sin To Sin.

You can catch Shelby Lynne at City Winery in NYC on Jan 14/15; Diane Birch will be there on Jan 7/8; Janis Ian on Jan 10 and Bette LaVette on Jan 11.