Reach (for an umbrella) Music Festival this weekend...

"Break out the poncho, it could get ugly," emails Pool Hall Stud Barry D this morning. Judging from those guys in the photo at right, he could be dead on, but I think he's talking about the weather forecast for Saturday evening, when we plan to attend the Reach Music Festival at the Simsbury Performing Arts Center featuring:

Earth Wind and Fire

Little River Band

Max Creek

Kory Montgomery Band

3 Penny Acre

Proceeds from the evening will benefit children’s charities including: Make-A-Wish® Foundation, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, The Greater Hartford YMCA, Southington-Community YMCA, the Girl Scouts of Connecticut, and Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Live music this weekend at Bonterra's...

Never anything to do in sleepy old Southington? Bonterra Italian Bistro at 98 Main in Southington center will be having music on Thursday through Saturday nights for four consecutive weeks starting June 11. Jazz, funk and blues will be featured starting at 9pm with no cover and food will be available till 11pm.

Located in the newly renovated clocktower building on the town green, Bonterra loosely translates in Italian to 'good earth' which helps define both the food & drink menus. Fresh, quality ingredients, including housemade pastas & sauces, freshly squeezed juices, and wines that are created from organic grapes and processes.

What are you waiting for?

TONIGHT!, 10th Annual Black-eyed & Bluesfest in Bushnell Park...

Thursday, June 4th, 2009, 5 PM-11 PM
Bushnell Park Pavilion, Downtown Hartford, CT
Admission Absolutely Free!!!

The Bluelights (5:00-6:00 PM)
They are like “Roots Music in Overdrive.” They draw on a wide variety of traditional music to create a new style infused with the energy of the rock ‘n’ roll music of our generation.
Eran Troy Danner (6:15-7:15 PM)
This band is a stripped down, no frills, back to the basics Blues band that has won the acclaim and admiration of true Blues fans everywhere. This red hot trio performs straight forward honest Blues and has opened up for Blues legend BB King, Lucky Peterson, Eddie Turner, Eddie Kirkland, and Blues Traveler.
Alexis P. Suter (7:30-8:30 PM)
Alexis P. Suter has a big voice and knows how to use it. Whether singing about spiritual ecstasy or earthly troubles Alexis makes every song she performs her own. Suter and her top-notch band regularly open Levon Helm’s Midnight Rambles, twice-monthly house parties at Helm’s home and studio in Woodstock NY. That is also where all the tracks on her latest album were recorded last year.
Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez (8:45-9:45 PM)
This beehive knows how to rock, from NBC’s SNL to many festivals around the world, Christine really touches her audience. She just keeps lighting up clubs with her hot guitar and eclectic live shows. Be prepared for a night of big time music.
Bronze Radio Return (10:00-11:00 PM)
Brandishing a soulful, bluesy and highly engaging brand of rock, this hard-working Hartford quintet has been making a lot of noise outside of the Nutmeg state, with tour dates currently on the books from upstate New York all the way down to Virginia. The music will make you dance, sing along and feel good.

One week to go. Do NOT miss this really fun event!...

Tell all your friends. If you have no friends, tell anyone else you know. The 5th annual Southington Rotary Mardi Gras Night will be held on Fat Tuesday, February 24th at Anthony Jack's Wood-fired Grill. In addition to fine food and interesting people (if YOU come, of course), you will be thoroughly entertained by Dr. Ya Ya's Gumbo Party. To quote New Orleans' own Dr. John - "SUCH A NIGHT!" Just imagine, all this and support for the Southington Rotary Club's community programs, too!

Just the facts, Ma'am:

Date/time: Fat Tuesday, February 24, 2009 from 6:00pm to 10:00pm

Where: Anthony Jack's Wood-fired Grill, 30 Center Street, Southington, CT 06489 - directions

Cost: $65/person, includes food stations, beer, wine, entertainment

Why: To support the programs/scholarships of the Southington Rotary Club

Reservations: Co-chair John Kennedy @860.276.8025, Co-chair Trish Walden @860.378.1226, Anthony Jack's @860.426.1487

Dr YaYa's Gumbo Party
Who's Dr. Ya Ya? The original Dr. Ya Ya was a voodoo root doctor in 19th century New Orleans, a successor to Marie Laveau and Doctor John. How'd a band from the Nutmeg State come to be named after him? Dr. Ya Ya's Louisiana specialty was a jimson weed elixir, not the fake nutmegs carved from wood and sold by Connecticut peddlers of old. One hundred & fifty years or so later, drummer Tom Smith got tired of missing Mardi Gras every year because of gigs in New England and asked friends to join together in a party band to celebrate Fat Tuesday. At their 1992 debut, this masked ensemble of popular Connecticut musicians had so much fun that they continued performing sporadically as Dr. Ya Ya's Dirty Rice Revue. The current Dr. Ya Ya's Gumbo Party grew from this mysterious krewe. What's a gumbo party? When a group of friends get together for a gumbo party, everyone brings a different ingredient to toss into the cooking pot. For example . . Bassist Andy "Uncle Chickenbone" Karlok got his start with Greasy Fred & The New Haven Stompers, alongside Dr. Ya Ya singer Rob Jockel. Over the years, Andy has toured America with blues guitarist Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson, backed the incomparable New Orleans singer Johnny Adams and blues legend Hubert Sumlin, could once be found playing bass and theremin with acclaimed Boston lounge lizards The Electric Logs, and is often heard with River City Slim & The Zydeco Hogs. Drummer Tom Smith did his New Orleans rock'n'roll studies loafing on a Coca Cola cooler in the back of Tipitina's - digging Professor Longhair, The Meters, Earl King, Irma Thomas, The Neville Brothers & other greats - and playing a few gigs on Bourbon Street. Now back his native CT, Tom juggles gigs with a ridiculously long list of bands, including The Hickups, Mercy Meadows, The Bandidos, The Alex Butter Field, Eugene Chrysler & the Hillbilly Shakespeares,and whoever else will feed him. Guitarist James Montez met singer Rob Jockel and drummer Tom Smith in New England bar band Dance Committee in the 1980s. James and Tom continue to play and record together in a variety of roots rock acts, including bluesy twang trio The Bandidos, hardcore honky tonkers The Hickups, and rockabillies Eugene Chrysler & the Hillbilly Shakespeares. Keyboardist extraordinaire Scott "Scooter" Van Dyke toured the U.S. with New Orleans-based jam band Brides of Jesus, whose history includes a six-month stint as Meters guitarist Leo Nocentelli's backup group. After heading north, Scooter played with New England faves Gus Factor, the Michael Cleary Band, and Hot Skillet Papas. These days he keeps the funk alive with Lava and Catfish Jam. Vocalist Rob Jockel was one of the founders of Eight To the Bar, helping instigate its 1970s incarnation as a rocking Texas swing band devoted to Bob Wills and Asleep At the Wheel. When 8ttB's sound headed for Motown and jitterbugging, Rob departed in his own direction, singing with Dance Committee and later joining Scooter and Tom in blues quintet Hot Skillet Papas. He also currently fronts the seven-piece Memphis Soul Spectacular, which includes a few Dr YY members. When in New Orleans, he is partial to Uglesiche's etouffée (r.i.p.) and Liuzza's onion rings. Booking: Cutting Edge Entertainment (203) 693-9116

Big weekend for live music....

Litchfield Jazz Festival at the Goshen Fairgrounds (lawn tickets are $35)- lineup

Newport Folk Festival at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, RI (general admission tickets are $69)- lineup (GREAT lineup for Saturday!) - Listen on NPR

Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez at Cafe Nine in New Haven on Saturday.

Southern Culture on the Skids at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA on Saturday.

The Beatles A-Z project at the Daniel Street Music Club in Milford, CT.

It all begins with the Beatles. The music they recorded. The influence they left behind. One evening in March of 2006, Tim Palmieri and Sean Miller were playing music together. Sean was showing Tim how to play "Dear Prudence" when the two musicians thought, "What if two people tried to play every Beatles song that was recorded alphabetically from A to Z?" Thus became the concept of The Beatles A-Z project. The two musicians have been influenced by The Beatles since first being introduced to the music at an early age, which contributed to their vast knowledge of the music, lyrics and the nuances you hear in the original recordings. Their role in presenting this project is to perform each song just as the original recordings were recorded; all the while making each song their own. Another purpose for presenting this, that Tim and Sean both agreed upon, is to share their enthusiasm and passion of the Fab Four. The Beatles recorded over 215 songs from 1962 until 1970. Learning all of the songs is not an easy task, armed with only The Beatles Complete Scores and their musical ability they set out to accomplish this feat. The result of their efforts will be heard on the 5 Sundays in August at the Daniel Street Music Club in Milford, CT.

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.

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.

Late for the Sky (Pilot), with apologies to Jackson Browne...

Morning has broken:
Less than a week to go before Jazz Fest, but this is a weekend not to be wasted. Up at dawn for a 7:07 tee time. Chilly! But it's good to be back playing with Steve, Vin and Gino (substituting for the injured Keith), putting up our usual lackluster numbers. Three birdies, though, not bad for the initial 18 of the season (mixed in with a nine, tree trouble, on the par five 6th hole). But, Jesus, it's cold! Where is that mid-week, summer-like warmth?

Pre-game:
Showered, shaved and fed, The Reet and I pick up Sharie & the Little Guy at 2:45pm for the short trip over to Hubbard Park to catch the 4pm Eric Burdon & the Animals' performance at the 2008 Meriden Daffodil Festival. The morning of golf has not allowed time to catch either Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez or Plantsville's own The Sawtelles, who went on around noontime. We drop off the young ladies at the park entrance and make our way slowly to the bottom of the hill where we park at Maloney's Pub, then hike the half mile back up the hill. It is now quite warm as the sun has suddenly awakened, and I lose the ESPN sweatshirt, wishing I had left it in the car, and don the sunglasses.

Still an hour from showtime, so we sample the craft booths, with The Reet and Sharie picking up some jewelry along the way. I make my way over the the Food Tent, where River City Slim & the Zydeco Hogs are performing. Keith and I caught these guys at the 2007 Apple Harvest Festival and liked them alot. Zydeco is infectious, toe-tapping music. The others catch up shortly to hear a few numbers, but the Hogs don't seem to have the same zip for us today. Knowing it's close to showtime, we hike back over the hill to the Bandshell Stage to stake out our turf for the show. Not much room left, but Keith finds us a small opening in the crowd where we can sit on the grass (we were too lazy to bring chairs, shame on us). Since we are positioned behind those who DID bring chairs, we will have to stand during the performance, but that's ok.

Enough Rope to hang ourselves:
Hmmmm, we wait. And wait. A half-hour passes before some guy steps to the microphone to announce that "...Eric Burden is close to Meriden" so please be patient. Here we go, close to Meriden my ass. More waiting, the crowd gets restless as Announcerguy reappears with the news that, while we wait for Eric (Godeau?), we will be 'rocked' by a band called Rope. Allllllrighty. For Rope (two of whose members, according to the Festival band notes, play with Animal Hilton Valentine in a Connecticut band called Skiffledog), this is both difficult, having an impatient audience, but an opportunity to play before a large crowd, so the power trio launches into some grinding, distorted guitar-based rock that is initially passable, but ultimately painful. As it becomes obvious that they will play their complete set (they were scheduled to follow Burden), an exasperated woman seated behind us pleads, "Make them stop!" Thankfully, they eventually do.

Finally!:
But now Announcerguy tells us that we must have additional patience while they set up for Eric, and suggests that we (a) save our seats, (b) go buy a hot dog, (c) buy a Rope CD, normally $30, but on sale to us, because we've bonded so well, for $5. Although a savings of $25 is difficult to pass up, I do just that. I don't buy a hot dog either. Christ, it's getting chilly again. I am now thankful I didn't leave the ESPN sweatshirt back down the hill in the car!

Announcerguy gives it up to Announcerguy2, a WPLR DJ, who tells us to give it up for Eric Burdon & the Animals. Well, ok. Eric looks older, but fit, with grey, crew-cut hair and sunglasses, which are needed only for appearance for the day has once again turned overcast and quite chilly. "Where's Hilton?" someone cries out from in front of the stage. Burdon, somewhat annoyed, retorts, "I don't KNOW where Hilton is. Ask his wife!" I guess the only other original Animal will not be joining us!

In this dirty old part of the city, Where the sun refused to shine
People tell me there ain't no use in tryin'
Now my girl you're so young and pretty, And one thing I know is true
You'll be dead before your time is due, I know
Watch my daddy in bed a-dyin', Watched his hair been turnin' grey
He's been workin' and slavin' his life away, Oh yes I know it
(Yeah!) He's been workin' so hard, (Yeah!) I've been workin' too, baby
(Yeah!) Every night and day, (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!)
We gotta get out of this place, If it's the last thing we ever do
We gotta get out of this place, 'cause girl, there's a better life for me and you

My expectations for this show are high, much higher than for oldies acts that typically are "and you all remember what you were doing when you heard this one!" crap (like The Turtles at the 2006 Daffodil Festival). Burdon is, at his core, a blues singer, having continued to perform with various incarnations of War, the Animals and his own bands over the years. I am not disappointed. He is in fine voice, still powerful, growling. And his band (Red Young/keyboards, Billy Watts/guitar, Eric McFadden/guitar, Paula O'Rourke/bass and Tony Braunagel/drums) is solid, better than solid, taking full advantage of their many solo opportunities. No pedestrian run-through of the greatest hits here. Each song is stretched, kneaded, with an overriding sense of deep respect for the music, especially the blues, as is obvious with Burdon's comments prefacing a Memphis Slim number (I forgot which) and John Lee Hooker's Boom, Boom, Boom.

Many of the hits (Baby let me take you home, Don't let me be misunderstood, It's my life), but with other stuff worked in over the ninety minute show. A Mardi Gras number, then an a capella snippet of Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans preface a rousing House of the Rising Sun to close the show. For an encore, EB gives some love to Tina Turner (doesn't mention Ike) with River Deep, Mountiain High and then another number I didn't recognize. Great show, worth the wait!

We gotta get out of this place:
The group is completely frozen as we make our way down to the car, catching a brief glimpse of Burdon being whisked into a white stretch limo behind the bandshell. It's late, going to have to blow off the annual Rotary bowling night, but can't help it. We top off the evening with some tasty Italian at Lido's. A very good day.

Revisiting the Iguanas at Cafe Nine

This is my second trip to Cafe Nine in a week, having come down last Wednesday night to see Holly Golightly (however, Ms. Golightly was reportedly stuck in I95 traffic en route from NYC and I was too tired to wait for her). Johnny Gumbo and I stroll into the familiar little corner tavern and spot Mark wolfing down a piping bowl of chili at the bar. It is the first time I've seen Mark since NOLA, where Gumbo and I kicked his ass in pool, but Mark seems not to hold a grudge.

We are now adept at spotting celebrities (having spotted Teri Hatcher and Susan Sarandon at JazzFest) and we quickly find Bianca Jagger and a young Joan Crawford amongst the crowd. Mariano Rivera is blowing a game on one tv and the SOX are winning on another as we watch some Iguanas file in and begin the sound check.

The Iguanas (Rene Coman, bass; Derek Huston, tenor sax; Rod Hodges, vocals/guitar/accordian; Doug Garrison, drums; Joe Cabral, vocals/sax/guitar) are joined tonight by a Zappa-esque young trumpet player. Spokesman Hodges thanks us'all for coming out tonight and Cafe Nine for keeping the faith with live music and then they launch into an extended version of "Oye Isabel" from NUEVO BOOGALOO (1994):

Oye, Isabel, don't listen to the things your papa say
Oye, Isabel, don't listen to the things your papa say

Your daddy don't like me
I could tell from the very first day
Yeah but Isabel I want you
Gonna love you anyway
That's why I'm singing

Oye, Isabel, don't listen to the things your papa say
Oye, Isabel, don't listen to the things your papa say

Tu dices que es muy terco y tiene su
Opinion yo soy terco tambien
Y te compuse esta cancion
Para ti vidita mia

Oye, Isabel, don't listen to the things your papa say
Oye, Isabel, don't listen to the things your papa say

As you can see, some of the Iguanas' lyrics are in Spanish, who, like the French, have a different word for EVERYTHING! But not to worry, we all sing the Spanish verses like we know what we're doing, sort of like "...there's a bathroom on the right". And we're dynamite on the chorus. OYE, ISABEL! The trumpet player's solos are tasty, the crowd is singing and swaying, and Johnny Gumbo has worked his was up to the front of the stage and is dancing next to (against?) Bianca. Now, if they only play "My Girlfriend Is a Waitress" (also from Nuevo Boogaloo) this time. The set is packed with a nice mix of old favorites and material from their most recent Plastic Silver 9 Volt Heart.

I glance at Jack Kerouac up on the wall, guessing he's wondering how he's going to get residuals from the screen version of "On the Road" and I notice that it's almost midnight. The band has been coaxed up to do an encore (no, it's not 'Waitress"). We applaud our appreciation for a job well done, say our goodbyes and drift into the New Haven night. If you have not been there, please do check out Cafe Nine.....and The Iguanas.

Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes at the Milford Oyster Festival

Looking at Southside Johnny (John Lyon) having a blast up on stage, you can just imagine him playing the Jersey Shore bars on hot, sweaty summer nights in the late 60's/early 70's, trading licks with Springsteen and Clarence and Little Steven. And while 'The Boss' is busy making trillions playing the BIG stages and writing important songs about important issues in very important albums, Johnny is playing free shows at the Mohegan Sun's Wolf Den and the Milford Oyster Festival - and seems to be having a hellava time doing it. Lucky us!

I Don't want To Go Home is in my album collection, but I never play vinyl these days so Johnny has been relegated to the back of the line. But mention of him stirs fond memories of his R&B style, his cool duet with Ronny Spector on the Springsteen-penned "You Mean So Much to Me" and the other two hits - "Fever" (also written by Bruce) and the title cut.

After sitting through entertaining sets by Big Fuzz and Darik & the Funbags and browsing the arts/crafts/food/drink/talent, we were ready for some Jukes - and so was the rest of the sizable crowd at the Milford Athletic Complex softball outfield (bet you can't get that close to Mick and Keith at Fenway).

The back of Johnny's shirt is soaked with sweat and he hasn't even started! He's got the sunglasses working even though it is overcast and the bass player shows up after the first song. But First Bass is covered by 'some young guy', who is urged by Johnny to "take five bucks from petty cash" for his efforts as he exits to appreciative cheers. There's lots of Jukes to go around. Two saxes, trombone and trumpet make up a competent and very theatrical horn section. Love these guys! The lead guitar guy croons the backup vocals (and apparently gets all the babes). Rounding out the Jukes is the drummer (no solo, thank God!), a very good keyboardist and the late bass player. No Ronny Spector appearance, dammit. Oh yeah, and Johnny plays a pretty nice blues harmonica.

Johnny and the Jukes work their way through his catalog during the hour and a half show, leaving "I Don't Want To Go Home" until the end and closing with Sam Cooke's "Having a Party". And they seem to be having a party as much as their fans. The only negative is a beachball blitz near the end of the concert that smells of being staged; it gets distracting (and Johnny can't dribble the ball, though he tries again and again and....). Lose it, Johnny. But I nitpik, and Johnny promises to return next year and we're holding him to it.

A good day indeed. If only Ronny had stopped by. Oh well, maybe next year.
Messin' With the Blues

Wanda Jackson/Rosie Flores at Cafe Nine

It's a day after George W. and I shared our 59th, so what the fuck am I doing out 10PM on Thursday night in this urban, bohemian Sam the Clam's waiting for the show to start! Cafe Nine is modestly full as I pay my twenty bucks and amble (yes, I amble) in, wedge myself into a spot halfway down the bar from the tiny stage, and order up a Guinness.

Johnny Gumbo and I discovered Rosie Flores on Labor Day past at the 2004 Rhythm and Roots Festival in Charleston, RI. They throw alot of music at you at those events, but her brand of rockabilly left me thinking I would like very much to see her in a smaller venue. Therefore, when I found the Rosie/Wanda Jackson date on the Cafe Nine schedule, I decided to make the effort. Gumbo had to opt out to care for Suzi, who is recovering from double knee replacement (hope everything is coming along smoothly, Suzzzzzzzz). The boys, JFK and GDK, were willing to accompany me as a birthday tribute, but I let them off the hook. Now, to try to look occupied for a half hour waiting for the show!

Rosie is up first, her cool/hot lead guitar playing backed by upright bass/keyboards/drums. According to AMG, "In 1995 Flores recorded Rockabilly Filly, a spirited tribute to the music she grew up with. The album featured duets with her longtime idols Wanda Jackson and Janis Martin, both of whom Flores brought out of retirement for the project. The album led to a cross-country tour with Jackson, who hadn't played in nightclubs in over 20 years." Her set was a thoroughly enjoyable mixture of rockabilly, blues and even a little tango thrown in. The Jon Voight-ish keyboard player was impressive both interacting with Rosie on the jams and taking his solos.

Good show. Break. I kinda wish I'm going home, but I owe it to myself to see someone about whom Elvis Costello, in an open letter, says "This is to propose that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame finally nominates Wanda Jackson for induction. For heaven's sake, the whole thing risks ridicule and having the appearance of being a little boy's club unless it acknowledges the contribution of one of the first women of rock and roll." Ok, I'll stay.

I'm more curious than excited. Turns out that Rosie and the boys serve as backup for Wanda, who squeezes (she's a few years/carbs removed from those 50's pinup shots) onto the stage looking like the grandmother (perhaps great?) she probably is. Self-effacing and a little shy, she fiddles and chats until she's finally satisfied that everything is in place. Then, suddenly, Wanda turns into a growling cat as she jumps into her set with startlingly energy and impressively strong voice. I'm relieved that it isn't going to be a pitiful nostalgic act; the chick can still bring it. She introduces each song with a bit of history (Elvis Presley's One Night With You preceeded by a mention that she and Elvis toured together before he was a star and that they 'dated' for a year). Charming. I waited for the biggie and she finally did a rocking, if abbreviated, Let's Have a Party toward the end of her show. I'm going to pay for this tomorrow, but I'm glad I stayed for Wanda.

The concert was sponsored by Go Kat Go Radio, a show on WNHU (University of New Haven) "specializing in rockabilly and psychobilly" on Tuesdays from 8-10 PM. Some photos of Rosie from their website - Here

New Haven Advocate article

Black-eyed and Blues Fest at Bushnell Park with Johnny Gumbo

It was the 3rd of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day.... - lyrics - discussion

Attended the free Black-eyed and Blues Fest at Bushnell Park on Thursday evening with Johnny Gumbo. Beforehand, I was able to score a few new Johnny Gumbo tee-shirts at Best Image on Center Street and I must say they are pretty damn spiffy.

Red Hook Ale and a container of jambalaya gets us started.

EC Scott, a BIG 'ol woman and Black Buck recording artist from Oakland, was the first of two acts we caught. High energy, much in the 'mold' of Marva Wright. Very entertaining, backed by her tight, well-attired band 'SMOKE', although I could do without some of the "Let me hear how many out there....yada, yada, yada...." Finished with James Brown's "Try Me", which yours truly called minutes before as EC droned on with her intro (an excellent call).

Tutu Jones from South Dallas and Sherman Robertson from Houston played in the same set, but not together. Tutu was a little full of Tutu. This format was distracting (but not as distracting as the COLD wind that brought temperatures to near 30 degrees!!) and strange. Altogether, the music was ok, but merely ok.

Finished up with a cold one at the real Blackeyed Sally's and a 'fresh' pie at Papa's with TM and escort/dancer/political pundit Kim.

The Iguanas

I received an email from JR inviting me to see The Iguanas on Sunday January 30 at a tiny bar in New Haven called Cafe Nine . I'M IN!!!! Guess I'll have to dust off their two old CD's and play them. I'll keep you posted. Nuevo Boogaloo!

Lots of miles on this group packed sardine-like into Cafe Nine Sunday evening for this hard-to-believe booking. Cafe Nine is long, narrow, quite small, located at the corner of State Street and Another Street with entrances at the State Street front end next to the stage/dartboard area and on the side, back near the (surprisingly clean)restrooms; bar along the inside wall from the front of the stage and tables along the outside wall and next to each of the wooden columns that line the center.

Doors opened at six for the seven o'clock show. No one there at six 'cept a few regulars so we got ourselves a column table about 30 feet from the stage. Nothing to do until tipoff, we look around. Neighborhood tavern. They go for the Bohemian thing here and don't have to work hard to pull it off. Everything kind of beat up, but the feel is very cool. JR came here a couple weeks ago and took in a poetry slam. Kerouac stares from the wall above the bar, next to a case of Hull's sitting atop a liquor shelf. They have an eclectic mix of entertainment, some Saturday afternoon jazz gives way to a traveling blues legend in the evening. Mental note to bring the gang down here some Saturday afternoon before going out to dinner.

I am confused, wondering if my sense of the Iguanas' stature is skewed. There should have been a long line waiting to get in! But by the second round of beers, I find my fears are unfounded. The crowd filters in. Mature, weathered, friendly, commonly-bound as ones in on the secret. By seven the place is packed.

The bandmembers are squeezing their way to the stage from somewhere in the back. I pass them on my way to the (surprisingly clean) restroom. A comment to not start until I get back gets a half-smirk. A few minutes of fiddling around with stuff and let's go!

Up on stage, the lineup shuffles into place: two grizzled veterans to the right share the singing, one playing guitar/accordian (if I only knew way back when how cool I could be with my squeezebox!), the other guitar/sax; two younger sax players to the left, the shorter one employing the Buddy Holly look, we would soon be told, is a special guest; rounding out the group is the rhythm section, bass and drums, who are mostly out of our view most of the time.

I own Neuvo Boogaloo and Sugar Town, so I recognize a reasonable chunk of the music. The crowd knows more of it, JR a bit less, but everyone is into it. At times we get a THREE sax thing going, which sounds like it would be redundant, but it works really well.

He drew tatoos for his friends
They'd sit around and get real stoned
And he fought with guys twice his size
So he wouldn't feel so alone
Angel
They said it was a shame
Angel
They loved him just the same
Angel
They shut him out
They said you had a mean streak in your heart

The show lasts for about an hour and a half, closing with a one song encore. Buddy Holly has been very good- who IS he? Lots of sax and accordion sounds bouncing off the walls. As good as advertised. Nice night in New Haven. A quick final stop at the (surprisingly clean) restroom and we're on our way home. JR pops Nuevo Boogaloo into the CD player...

He walked the street to the corner liquor store
Got some ciagarettes and wine and he backed out the door
It didn't work out quite like he thought it would
Now he's back page news down in the neighborhood

And it's boom boom boom
Boom boom boom
Boom boom all night long
Boom boom boom
Boom boom boom
Boom boom all night long

Alas, they didn't play 'My Girlfriend is a Waitress'!

Awaiting Peter M's report after he sees them at Johnny D's Wednesday (2/2/05) in Cambridge.
Update from PM: Show was fun. We ate, drank, danced, had fun. The extra sax player, Chris, is a guy who went to junior high with Derek, plays in bands in DC. They put on a good show, played two sets, but it started at 830....As usual, the place was full...less than on a thursday or friday, but still full.....seemed like everybody there were fans...Johnny D's gets good people......Johnny D's

Hartford Courant review

A Night at Black-eyed Sally's

Black-eyed Sally's BBQ & Blues Christ, it took so long to get here. What should have been a quick twenty-minute trip east on Interstate 84 to Hartford took about ten years. Oh, we talk about coming here all the time, but, as I've come to realize, I'm all talk and no action (well, for the present, let's leave my sex life out of this!). I love this place! Live blues, spicy Cajun food and short-skirted, big-busted, not-quite-ready-for-primetime patrons flaunting their personalities on the dance floor- what's not to like?

We have reservations for six. Reet got them, has some, but agrees to humor me. I feel the pressure to have the others like the experience since I've been touting it for SO long (You know, we REALLY should go to Black-eyed Sally's sometime. Yeah, sounds great. Next week? Right.).

We arrive. Big line outside, but we find it's for upstairs. Pig's Eye Pub. The young, on-the-make crowd. The older, already-made crowd enters over here, folks. Twenty-six dollar cover because there is a show. Reet insists we get a break with the dinner reservations and the biker-as-doorman finally agrees. Inside is dimly-lit, crowded, noisy, rambling. Great atmosphere. Big horseshoe (well, actually a 'J') bar where we get beers and kaluha sombreros while standing waiting for our table. Jackpot! We turn down an out-of-the-way table and wind up next to the stage, a location that doesn't say 'jackpot' to everyone in our party, but we're here for the blues, man!

Dinner is no pressure. You can't possibly have all six people like this stuff anyway, so why worry. I will like it; the jambalaya looks good. Keith will like it, love it if it beats him up a bit. Once, in response to a Thai waiter's caution that 'very hot' would be akin to gastronomic hari-kari, he urged the clearly amused young man to "bring it on!" The chef was apparently up for this feisty duel and nearly gave our hero a heart attack, and in doing so earned Keith's everlasting respect. Reet dislikes most exotic foods, but likes ribs and orders same. Sharon will like it, I think, for she is a pretty adventuresome diner. Sharie goes for a variety of appetizers. I can't make the call on Vin and Marcia - too little dining history.

Our timing is impeccable; the band starts fussing around the nearby bandstand as we reorder drinks and people-watch, a very interesting pastime in this joint. Our discussion (and that of most of the surrounding tables) centers around the aforementioned babe with legs up to here and a skirt almost down to meet them. Is she late 20s/early 30s, are they real/surreal, is she a wife/girlfriend/stripper/hooker (or possibly a combination thereof), she is with him/them/no one? Inquiring minds must know! In any event, her rubbing up against them as they stand at the bar yields few answers, but much entertainment. A dishevelled young man, who will later attempt an unauthorized drum solo during intermission, hits on our girl and is brushed off as unworthy. A shriek of laughter from the table of women behind us reminds us that a birthday celebration (the cake, candles and bad-singing waitstaff are a dead giveaway) is in session. Dykes night out, someone observes insensitively, noting that they've been dancing together often, not that there is anything wrong with that.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to the George Boone Blues Band!" George Boone, dapper in suit and tie and seated on a tall stool, launches into an elongated blues instrumental that showcases his impressive guitar licks. Backed by his bandmates, the smirking Scotty Pippin lookalike bassist Raoul Bowman and drummer Mark McKay, Boone served up (cool jazz reviewer lingo for played) some very tasty licks and I received an approving nod from my tablemates. Dinner was served. Damn, jambalaya, a nice Bass ale, delicious cornbread and the George Boone Blues Band - it can't get much better than this! A glance to the right at our girlfriend grinding to the music says momentarily that there is an outside chance that it can, but who's to say, certainly not me! George is smokin'.

Conversation is out of the question at this point, but I'm loving this. Dancers infiltrate the dance floor and offer up yet another entertainment center. Head-bobbing, Elaine Benes-type dancing is fascinating to observe. And THEY are having fun, not caring what the too-timid crowd thinks. The music is loud as hell (despite my Catholic-school upbringing, I'm not convinced of the existence of Hell, but that discussion really has no place here). It's into the second set and we are fading fast. Reet's ribs were too spicy and Dave/Marcia were not crazy about the food, but George was a hit, I'd say. Our girlfriend leaves, I forget with whom, but suddenly we are entertained by a group of 40's-type dancers, in full costume, dancing the jitterbug REALLY well. Very cool.

But it is time to go, for we are all 50's something. A hesitation on the way out to listen to George doing some Motown covers (very tasty stuff, too). Good night, let's do this again. We really should. Right.

ctnow.com review

Southington Rotary Jazz 'N Ribs

"Great Jazz, Great Food, Great Cause" was the theme of an evening to truly satisfy the soul and senses. In the jazz club setting of Mt. Southington's Mountain Room, the Southington Rotary Club hosted Jazz 'N Ribs, a fundraiser to benefit the Rotary International PolioPlus campaign to eradicate the polio virus worldwide.

Guests enjoyed succulent ribs and fixins' prepared by chef Patrick Noury, served by student volunteers fron the Southington High School Interact Club, then listened to the hot jazz of the Billy Cofrances QuartetNicole Pasternak. featuring New York jazz vocalist

New haven-based saxophonist Cofrances, who cites Cannonball Adderly, Eric Kloss and Paul Desmond as influences, was backed by Tom Devino-drums, Steve Taylor-bass and Joe McWilliams-keyboards. The musicians seemed inspired by the tasty backdrop of oversized black and white posters of jazz greats such as Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis and delighted the capacity audience with two sets of energized jazz standards. Pasternak, whom Chuck Berg of JAZZTIMES has described as "reminiscent of a young Ella," often traded scat-laced vocals with Cofrances' tenor and alto licks. She even playfully blended in an audience request for Michael Franks' jazz/pop hit, "Popsicle Toes."

Billy's website features some wonderful pictures from the event.