Nothing like a Friday, day-long Compilation/Review Update seminar down in Groton to get those juices flowing! Sufficiently juiced by 4:15 PM, I jump into the Friday night rush hour traffic along I95 west toward New Haven to meet the boys (mild-mannered Keith, swashbuckling Vinny V and the noted rapper Rant On) for Lucinda Williams' free concert on the New Haven Green. God, this traffic sucks! I promised them I'd be there by five, but it's almost quarter to six and I'm only crossing the Q-Bridge.
Finally arrived at Vinny's. I'm awarded a beer as we pack Vinny's car with the essentials for the concert - chairs and beer.
Friday evening pre-concert for Lucinda Williams on New Haven Green
Amy Black & Sarah Borges Muscle Shoals Revue at Cafe Nine - excellent
Day two begins in similar fashion to day one - the Pool Hall Studs making snoring/other loud familiar noises in the other room as I arise just after daybreak. Because of my eight hours of French Quarter/Jazz Fest walking yesterday, I've developed a large blister on the bottom of my right foot; not a good thing. Oh well, suck it up. I dress, get coffee, stroll the Warehouse District, call The Reet. Another perfect day, weather wise. Back to the room mid-morning to try to blog Thu/Fri.
Toast to Johnny Gumbo
Eventually, Mark is up/dressed. While we wait (and wait) for Barry to go through his human-rain-delay morning routine, we walk the two blocks up Tchoupitoulas to Lucy's Retired Surfer Bar, our morning go-to spot to plan the day. Crowded already. Great $4 Bloody Marys. We make a toast to the late, semi-great Johnny Gumbo, the iconic Big Easy personality who left us several years ago. Call to Barry for plans. Lunch. Nola, will meet there.
One of the Jazz Fest lunch staples is a trip to Emeril's Nola restaurant for Miss Hays' stuffed chicken wings. "These wings are deboned, stuffed with a mixture of ground pork, chopped
shrimp, mushrooms, onions, celery, cilantro and fish sauce. They're
baked, then fried and served with a garlicky homemade hoisin dipping
sauce." We do a couple orders with BloodyMarys/Abita Ambers to start, then on to an entree of Shrimp & Grits. Now THAT'S a lunch!
It's Saturday in the park. No, that doesn't work, Chicago was yesterday. Saturday's lineup includes Marcia Ball, Jerry Lee Lewis, Aaron Neville along with closers Elton John, Ed Sheeran, TI, Terence Blanchard, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Rockin' Dopsie. We arrive at the Gentilly end of the Fairgrounds around 2. The line for tickets goes on seemingly forever. Good move to get all tickets on Friday. We find Marc Broussard (he'll be at Hartford's Infinity Hall on June 7) sounding great on the Gentilly Stage. Next stop is Kermit Ruffins at Congo Square Stage viewed from the side on the track. Hey, it's getting REAL crowded in here today! Combo of perfect weather, a Saturday (always the biggest day) and Elton John on the bill spells massive crowd! We find the Jersey boys & girls in the Blues Tent for the Royal Southern Brotherhood, Cyril Neville's southern rock supergroup (“They are not a band – they are an extravaganza” – John Hiatt) that includes Devon Allman (Gregg's son), drummer Yonrico Scott, bassist Charlie Wooten and guitarist Bart Walker. Really good.
A brief trip to the Lagniappe Stage in the Grandstand for the Radiators' Ed Volker's Trio Mollusc, then I split from the others to go back to the Blues Tent for my pick of the day, Aaron Neville. I missed his 2012 show where he debuted his doo wop stuff, so I want to hear it now. It's hot as hell, so a seat inside and a few drops from the mist lines feels like heaven. Aaron does not disappoint, running through a bunch of old Neville Brothers, Wild Tchoupitoulas and his solo stuff. Curiously, after a rousing When the Saints Go Marching In, he chooses to do Tell It Like It Is - diffusing the energy in the room. On to Amazing Grace, which was the Nevilles' Jazz Fest closer for many years. For me, it has lost some of its punch. In any event, loved Aaron.
Just up around the bend in the track to Acura. As I make my way, I can hear Elton launching into Rocket Man. The crowd is immense, solid wall of people, but I make my way through until I can see the stage from the track (but, in reality, I see the large screens showing the stage!). Again, I was skeptical of booking aging rockers for Jazz Fest, but again I am proven wrong. He sounds in top form, his piano playing is strong and energetic. And it's really weird to see 20-somethings walking along singing Rocket Man, burning out his fuse up here alone. Parents' record collection? I stay for about 45 minutes, then head back to the Jazz Tent for the end of Terence Blanchard's set (and to rest my weary legs). Out the front gate over to the Seahorse to reconnect with the Pool Hall Studs, who have found yet another private source of transportation back to the Staybridge.
A quick cleanup and we're out to Root over near the Convention Center for dinner, where our somewhat pompous barkeep tells us all about expensive tequilas. Hot and Sour Lemonfish (Coriander Seared Lemonfish, Fried Glass Noodles, Red & Green Curry Paste, Horseradish “Snow,” Hot & Sour Soup) is very good.
Tired, but no longer hungry, I bid the Studs good evening. They continue on to Manning's where they bump into Allen Toussaint, dressed to the nines, just exiting from the Mayweather/Pacquiao fight. They also run into the Jersey crowd and accompany them to Kangaroo Vic's on Tchoupitoulas for a nightcap. I am fast asleep. Another good day at Jazz Fest.
Lagniappe Stage in the Grandstand
Aaron Neville at Blues Tent
Back of beer tent, near toilets for Elton John. Insanely crowded!
A good night's sleep on my luxurious pull-out couch bed. The PHS do not wake until late morning, so I'm up, dressed and walking - across Poydras, down Tchoupitoulas past Mother's and Restarant August (another simmering feud, something about Barry miffed at not being allowed the dinner menu while seated at the bar), across Canal Street, all the way up Bourbon (freshly hosed down, so not TOO smelly) to Esplanade, then over to Frenchman, where I see the new location of the Louisiana Music Factory. This walk, in retrospect, was not a well thought out idea, for we will be on our feet the whole day.
Stud sighting at Parkway's
Mark and Barry FINALLY awake from their slumber, then work out/run, announce themselves sufficiently buff, complain that I did not bring them up any food from the hotel breakfast buffet that they would NEVER eat at, shit/shower/shave, dress. Sensitive to my thought that we COULD be getting out to the Fairgrounds a bit earlier this year, we set out, grab a cab out to the Parkway Bakery & Tavern at the corner of Hagan/Toulouse for some poor boys. It's a small neighborhood joint with a big reputation for their poor boys. I grab a table while Mark waits in the long line until Barry finds out that if you get a table in the bar, the bartenders will take your order. We find a table in the back of the bar near the back door. Lots of people in and out picking up orders. Mark offered to hold the door for one young lady, loaded down with a bunch of bags. "No need, honey, that's why God gave me this big booty" as she used said booty to bump the door open. The Studs are starving and order Stud-sized shrimp and ???. I go for the more human size BBQ steak. Very good, but we agree that it does not quite compare with Mahoney's.
We're about seven blocks from the Fairgrounds, so we decide to walk it. Gorgeous day. Getting pretty warm. Bright sunshine, no clouds, temperature in the 80s. The grounds should be dried out from the 1st weekend rains and Monday's severe storm. The ticket line is short; we purchase tickets for all three days, each of which is up to $70. Our expectations for today's music are low, No Doubt and Chicago as the closers? Disappointing, but let's see what we can find. I suggest Gal Holiday & Her Honky Tonk Revue over at the Sheraton Fais Do Do Stage. We arrive early in her set and find Gal looking and sounding hot as the weather, a simple shift-type dress, boots, and a short cut to her dark hair. Oh, did I mention that she shaved one side of her head? Great look! She tells us she's from originally western Maryland, but after 16 years living here, she's a New Orleans girl through and through. Great voice, great backup band playing in a sort of country-swing fashion. Some originals, some Hank Williams, some Dylan. Very, very good start.
Luther Kent & Trick Bag at Gentilly Stage: Luther's been around for awhile but I've only caught him
Piano Shirt Friday?
once before. His biography says he was lead singer for the touring Blood, Sweat & Tears in the early 70's, but record contract issues kept him from ever recording with the group. Big man, rough, soulful voice backed by a huge band which features once of the sax players often, Good sound. We stick around for a good chunk of his set. We've finally found the New Jersey crew. More hugs, laughter, tears while everyone samples the liquid concoction that they've smuggled in.
Damn, it's getting warm, so New Jersey Mark suggests we go into the Miller Lite Tent (he's got some free passes) at the back of the Acura Stage for Galactic with Macy Gray. It gets us out of the sun with free beer and funk to boot! But I've targeted Shooter Jennings back at Fais Do Do as a possibly good show so Mark G and I leave the group and make our way over there. His set has just started, Looks a bit like his old man, Waylon. As he introduces his next song, it's quickly apparent that he is NO fan of Nashville (something like "My Favorite View of Nashville Is From Afar"), but all those anger issues result in some great songs. Hell of a backing band, too. The dude on pedal steel/harmonica is fabulous! "So, a few years ago a guy from Nashville said he was doing a tribute album for George Jones and asked folks to write original songs and submit them, so I wrote a couple songs for him. Turns out the guy was full of shit, but here's one of those songs I wrote." Funny story, great song. Great show, Shooter. Best of the day!
JK, Elisa, Pool Hall Studs at Gentilly
Chicago closing at the Acura Stage: Does anybody know what time it is? Does anybody really care? I don't. And I tell the others that there's no way I'm going to see No Doubt or Chicago, today's "big name" closers at Acura and Gentilly respectively. MAYBE I'm a bit of a music snob, but I loved the Chicago Transit Authority (saw them twice at Yale Bowl in the late 60s) through their first 3 albums until Terry Kath died and everything went to mush. And there's, like, one member left! But I'm a team player and I go along. Okay, okay, they do sound pretty good (except for some generic songs that sound like Journey). I'm getting killed by everyone. We venture into the crowd closer to the stage to meet up with Elisa, longtime friend of the Pool Hall Studs. I met her years ago just as she was moving from New Orleans out to Denver for professional reasons, but she and her husband have recently returned to NO permanently and are finishing up renovating a place in Marigny. Hugs, laughter, tears. The sun is lowering in the background as Chicago continues to prove my assessment of them MAY have been a bit harsh. Last song: 25 or 6 to 4 Killer good. Okay, OKAY!
And, of course, what would Jazz Fest be without the Pool Hall Studs' dressing for Marshall's annual themed dinner. Personally, I would not trust ANY read from that caddy!
The waiting is over, here come the Pool Hall Studs (aka Mark & Barry) pulling into the driveway in Mark's big ass, my-dick-is-bigger-than-yours black truck to pick me up for our trip to the airport, where we will be flying down to New Orleans for my 10th (not consecutive, since I missed with an excused absence last year) Jazz & Heritage Festival. Tearful hugs/kisses all around and then we're off.
Lunch at the airport, but mistake in having a Two Roads draft. I think you know why. Mark does, as I need to climb over him on the plane to go to the head. I get a text from Terrie, of the infamous Shoe Ladies, welcoming us to New Orleans. Unfortunately, we are in Tampa, waiting on our flight to Nola. The Shoe Ladies entourage, which ranges anywhere from 3 or 4 up to a dozen, has assembled from all parts of the continent - Florida, Toronto, British Columbia - since Tuesday. They set up their command post down in the Quarter at the same hotel, same suite each year (except that one year where Jon Bon Jovi and his crew pulled rank- those were some seriously pissed off Shoe Ladies). They are dining tonight at the Square Root on Magazine.
We finally land at Louis Armstrong Airport, where we would normally be greeted by longtime transportation guru Garland, no waiting, spicy fried chicken up front and ice cold beer in the back for our 20 minute trip into the city. But, as George Harrison once albumed, all things must pass, and Garland has moved on to other ventures. Not to worry, we quickly get a cab and are in our Staybridge Suites luxury suite (hey, how come I always get the fucking pullout couch!) right across from Mother's. I won't go all Arlo Guthrie on you and tell you about the Johnny Gumbo/Mother's feud in three-part harmony and pictures with circles and arrows on the back. You can look it up.
We had some contact with the New Jersey contingent (Mark, Lisa, Kenny, Kip et al) about meeting for dinner, but it was decided that we were arriving too late for that. We'll see them out at the Fairgrounds tomorrow. We cab up Magazine Street (hey, there are the Shoe Ladies in the window of Square Root!) to the Bouligny Tavern, where we set up at the bar. Lots of small plates are ordered/shared, all good, several outstanding. We text Terrie that we are are the street and they are welcome to join us for a drink, but she informs us that they have moved on to the bar at The Roosevelt and that we, rather than they, need to make the move because "the gentlemen are not wearing heels." Well, I guess Terrie doesn't know the Pool Hall Studs well, but that's a story for another time.
Sufficiently stocked with food and drink, we leave Bouligny Tavern and head over to The Roosevelt for the reunion. Hugs, laughter, tears, etc., a couple rounds of drinks and catching up, photo op (see below). Welcome to Jazz Fest 2015!
Well, it's been awhile, but maybe this will get me going:
Byus (Terrence Blanchard) Choices Gold Lion (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) Show Your Bones 6'1" (Liz Phair) Exile in Guyville Danko/Manuel (Drive-By Truckers) The Dirty South The New JuJu Man (Manhattan Transfer) Jazziz Dec2004 A Friend Like You (Ruthie Foster) The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster Amadaun Johnny (Goodnight Blue Moon) How Long Please Accept My Love (Gregg Allman) Low Country Blues Tequila Calling (Big Sandy & His Fly-rite Boys) Night Tide I'm going Away to Wear You Off My Mind (King Oliver's Creole) Louis Armstrong/King Oliver Right To Complain (Trombone Shorty) Backatown
Getting ready for Jazz Fest 2015. Cubes coming out on Tuesday!!!! Lineup
Pool Hall Studs. No comment needed.
Met up with the infamous Pool Hall Studs on Fat Tuesday at Infinity Music Hall in Hartford to see Buckwheat Zydeco and talk about Jazz Fest plans for 2015. I have no other friends who dare go (since the death of Johnny Gumbo), so these guys are stuck with me after a year's absence (absinthe?). I kinda know where the recently-opened partner to the Infinity Music Hall in Norfolk is, but how the hell do you get there? After circling the area a couple times, I finally ease into the parking garage and make my way into the IMH bar. Decent spot, not very crowded though. No PHSs. Of course not, they are always late. Back out to the lobby. Oh, THERE they are- in all their glory. Hey, hey, fuck you, etc. greetings exchanged.
Need tickets. A nice lady approaches with an extra $20 ticket for one of us. Looks us over and offers it to me, declines my offer to pay and gives me a hug, amusing/annoying the Studs greatly. First beers, of course, now on me. Inside is open to the stage, with a small section of chairs set up in the rear, a bar against the back wall. There is a balcony for those who choose not to mingle with the masses. Not really crowded, a mixture of ages, blended genders, etc., many 'dressed' for the occasion. Briefly, pictured the PHSs in drag, but choked on my beer. Yikes! Anyway, the accordian-wielding Buckwheat (born Stanley Dural Jr. 11/14/47 according to The Big Me's ubiquitous phone), despite getting up there in years (allegedly), is leading his hot bandmates through The Hits. I'm advised that I can take pics with my phone, but no flash. Thank you very much, Dickhead. It's Mardi Gras, for Heaven (or Hell) sakes.
It's a very brief night for this cowboy (unlike those two!), for I have work to do. So I leave them to say goodnight to Buckwheat for me. More to come.
Updates: The Ghost of Johnny Gumbo is rumored to be attending this year's French Quarter Festival because "Jazz Fest has lost its soul by bringing in all these national acts." Johnny always was a purist (and, sometimes, an asshole). You had to love him. Piano Shirt Friday?
Keith and Sharie are also appearing, post French Quarter Festival and pre-Jazz Fest, in New Orleans with friends Rose & Brian. Cooking with Emeril is on their schedule, but they are leaning on Barry for some interesting new eating spots. Is the Mother's boycott still on?
From Peter on Christine Ohlman show:
Just saw a great show at Amazing in Framingham.....50 people, but a really
good show ...but what a downer.....finally at the encore people got up and
danced.....The last time I saw her at the grog in Newburyport I was disappointed, but
this time she was great...but the venue sucked
"Happened to be in the Big Apple over the weekend for a reunion with a
cousin and dropped by BB King's place on 42nd. Guess who? My favorite Latin
performer. Unfortunately, the play list was limited to one song. Oh well, I
guess his taco stand back in Mex is still doing well."
Chris D is an author, teacher, sportsman, troubadour and all-round something-or-other based in southeastern MA who, when not following all things Crimson (with the possible exception of King Crimson or Crimson and Clover), occasionally shares his music experiences with Johnnykmusic. He recently attended Lucinda Williams' appearance at The Orpheum in Boston:
"Lucinda show was good rock, more to my taste than Jan's. She's not trying to
cultivate a following any more; more interested in paying tribute to
rock'n'roll. Rousing show in a cold theater." Read review below photo.
Lucinda Williams rocked into Boston on Wednesday Nov 19, playing
a cold and underpopulated Orpheum Theatre. Her band played one long, extended
set, increasing the heat from her first murmured number, Blessed, to a rocking crescendo two and a half hours later when she
covered Neil Young’s Keep on Rockin in
the Free World. As Lucinda gained steam, the power of her band, driven by
old mate Butch Norton on his drumset, pushed her to abandon her acoustic guitar
and pick up the electric. Butch knocked one of his drums off its moorings as he
pounded away on one of the later numbers, but the band didn’t skip a beat.
Stuart Mathis took lead and solos all night, offering both slide
accompaniment and hard rock licks. Bassist David Sutton enjoyed the large
stage, too, even providing a bass substitute for Gregg Allman’s keyboard on a
cover of Just Ain’t My Cross to Bear.
Lucinda gave her traditional tribute to “beautiful losers” early in the set, on
Drunken Angel and Lake Charles.
Lucinda can no longer be considered a singer-songwriter; the
tracks of her Car Wheels have been erased with time. Like Dylan, she has
learned the joy of a rockin’ band; as she says, “I need protection from the
enemies of love. . . .. I need
protection from the enemies of rock’n’roll.” If you are thinking of catching a
show, be ready for full throttle.
And she seemed quite content with giving up the stage to her
bandmates, who have the perfect answer to “Who Took My Joy?” Though not
completely gracious, Lucinda seemed at least even-tempered and happy.
Still a Fool (Angela Strehli) Deja Vu
Heard It Through the Grapevine (Creedence Clearwater Revival) Cosmo's Factory
If I Turned to You (The Iguanas) The Iguanas
What Is Success (Allen Toussaint) The Allen Toussaint Collection
Suite For Lady & Prez (Sheila Jordan) The Crossing
Jive At Five (Zoot Sims) Down Home
Good Morning Heartache (Dinah Washington) Dinah Washington: Eight CDs
The Wolf & the Lamb (Tal Farlow) Trinity
Never Tell Your Mother She's Out of Tune (Ellen McIlwaine) Up From the Skies
Spanish Harlem (The Mamas & Papas) California Dreamin'
Take It All (Adele) 21
Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum (Bob Dylan) Love & Theft
A Song For You (Donny Hathaway) Donny Hathaway Collection
This Time (Tracy Chapman) Crossroads
Roman Holiday (The Sawtelles) Dime Museum
Only a Fool Would Say That (Steely Dan) Can't Buy a Thrill
Together Again (Emmylou Harris) Elite Hotel
The singer wrote her hit ‘Carey’ while camping out in a seaside cave on Crete in early 1970
After we arrived, Penelope and I rented a cinder-block hut in a nearby
poppy field and walked down to the beach. As we stood staring out toward
Turkey, an explosion went off behind us. I turned around just in time
to see this guy with a red beard blowing through the door of a cafe. He
was wearing a white turban, white Nehru shirt and white cotton pants. I
said to Penelope, “What an entrance—I have to meet this guy.” He wasn’t
hurt, but all the hair on his arms and legs had been singed from the
blast. He was American and a cook at one of the cafes. Apparently, when
he had lit the stove, it blew him out the door. That’s how Cary [Raditz]
entered my life—ka-boom. (complete article)
As a kid growing up in the transistor radio era of rock music, the Everly Brothers were not the center of the universe. Yet, they were consistently there, hit after hit, until you said, "Hey, those harmonies are really cool. And what the hell is with that steel guitar thing?" Funny, those things you take for granted sometimes smack you in the face when you revisit later on. This must have been quite an evening:
CLEVELAND - The music of the Everly Brothers was celebrated by a sold
out crowd Saturday night. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
honored the singers for the 19th edition of their Music Masters Series. Fans of the Everly Brothers not only filled every seat inside the State Theatre, they also filled the stage. Musicians
from around the world have been influenced by the Everlys' music. This
concert was their opportunity to say thank you. Stars like Graham Nash,
Peter Asher, Vince Gill, Shelby Lynne, J.D. Souther, Allison Moorer,
and Emmylou Harris were on hand to honor their heroes. (more)
The roster of the 2015 New Orleans Jazz Fest likely
won't be unveiled until January. But fall is the season when the lineup
takes shape, as major acts sketch out their touring plans for the
coming year.
Longtime Jazz Fest producer/director Quint Davis and his team at
Festival Productions Inc.-New Orleans, along with their partners at AEG
Live, the international live entertainment powerhouse, are already
filling in the blanks for 2015. The closing acts on the major stages -
Acura, Samsung Galaxy (formerly Gentilly) and Congo Square - will be
locked down in the coming weeks. (more)
Johnnykmusic suggestions:
Benjamin Booker, Drive-By Truckers, Jake Bugg, Zoe Muth & the High
Rollers, Dex Romweber Duo, Lucinda Williams, James Hunter, Tony Joe
White, Shelby Lynne, Justin Townes Earle, Low Cut Connie
(americansongwriter.com) Lucinda Williams will release a double album, Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone, on September 30. It’s the 61-year-old Grammy winner’s first collection of new songs since 2011′s Blessed. It will be released on her new label Highway 20 Records, via Thirty Tigers.
Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone‘s
twenty songs include “Compassion,” based on a poem written by Williams’
father, acclaimed poet Miller Williams, and a cover of JJ Cale’s
“Magnolia.”
Guest musicians include guitarists Bill
Frisell, Tony Joe White, Faces keyboardist Ian McLagan, and Elvis
Costello rhythm section members Pete Thomas (drums) and Davey Faragaher
(bass) and Wallflowers guitarist Stuart Mathis. The Wallflowers’ Jakob
Dylan sings harmony on “It’s Gonna Rain.”
Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone Track Listing: Disc One:
Compassion
Protection
Burning Bridges
East Side Of Town
West Memphis
Cold Day In Hell
Foolishness
Wrong Number
Stand Right By Each Other
It’s Gonna Rain Disc Two:
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Big Mess
When I Look At The World
Walk On
Temporary Nature (Of Any Precious Thing)
Everything But The Truth
This Old Heartache
Stowaway In Your Heart
One More Day
Magnolia
(concertblogger.com) All music journalists like to claim to find “the next big thing”, but 25 year-old Benjamin Booker might be IT. Although, he is already opening for Jack White even before his debut album hits stores on Tuesday, August 19th
– so I hardly discovered him. His self-titled debut was produced by
Andrija Tokic, producer of Hurray for the Riff Raff, and another former
White opener, The Alabama Shakes. The album opener and single Violent Shiver grabs you with an
immediate riff, making you think of Chuck Berry. Booker describes his
music as “punk blues.” Throughout the album you certainly hear that
attitude and vibe of punk and blues (maybe some Strokes, Black Keys type
instrumentation & old school rocknroll)…but it is THAT voice that
hooks you in and makes you press play again and again. It’s hard to
believe Booker’s 25, the voice so raspy you think he’s spent a lifetime
yelling, making his voice hoarse. (more)
Cigarettes and Coffee (Otis Redding) Very Best of Otis Redding
Don't Get Around Much Anymore (Dr. John) Duke Elegant
You're the Man (Shelby Lynne) Suit Yourself
Explosion (Ely Paperboy Reed) Come And Get It
For Everyman (Jackson Browne) For Everyman
What's the Matter, Baby (Timi Yuro) Classic 60's Hits
Blee Bop Blues (Manhattan Transfer) Anthology
Candy Lips (Johnnie Ray) A Proper Introduction
Moon Dreams (Gerry Mulligan) Re-birth of the Blues
Ohio (Black Keys) Brothers
Me Needing You (The Pretty Things) Get a Buzz
Ain't Goin' Nowhere (James Hunter) The Hard Way
The Circle Married the Line (Feist) Metals
Last Train (Allen Toussaint) The Allen Toussaint Collection
One Monkey (Gillian Welch) Soul Journey
Pool Hall Studs and I saw the Dex Romweber Duo (Dex on guitar/vocals and sister Sara on drums) along with about 50 people (if you count the members of the opening acts) late on a weekday night at Cafe Nine in New Haven.Sorry you couldn't make it.
(Rolling Stone) Long before the Stripes, there were the Flat Duo Jets, Dexter Romweber's ferocious guitar-drums duo from North Carolina who blazed through the Eighties and Nineties playing some of the most face-melting roots-rock ever heard. Jack White has paid tribute to the influences of the Jets and the wild-eyed Romweber in a variety of places. In 2009's It Might Get Loud, a guitar summit pairing White with Jimmy Page and the Edge, White declared that seeing the Jets for the first time "opened up a whole new inspiration for me about the guitar." And he was downright effusive in the 2006 cult-classic Romweber documentary Two Headed Cow, calling Romweber "a huge influence on my music… one of the best-kept secrets of the rock & roll underground." In 2009 White recorded a seven-inch with Romweber, and in 2011 he reissued the Jets' long-out-of-print 1991 album Go Go Harlem Baby on his Third Man Records imprint.
(Blue Note Records)- After playing live together since 2008, Sasha Dobson, Norah Jones and Catherine Popper have at last taken their collaboration into the studio. No Fools, No Fun–their debut album – will be released on July 15 by Blue Note Records. The trio, known as Puss n Boots after flirtations with such monikers as Fangbanger, Dixie Fried and Shitstorm, will support the album with an East Coast run that kicks off on June 22 with an appearance at the Clearwater Festival in Croton-On-Hudson, NY. They will return to The Bell House in Brooklyn, one of their favorite hometown haunts, on July 15, play the 9:30 Club in Washington DC on July 17 and perform at the Newport Folk Festival (July 26-27). (more)
Tour
6/22 – Croton-On-Hudson, NY @ Clearwater Festival
7/12 – Greenfield, MA @ Green River Festival
7/15 – Brooklyn, NY @ The Bell House
7/17 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
7/18 – Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts
7/22 – Hamden, CT @ The Ballroom at The Outer Space...
7/23 - Hamden, CT @ The Ballroom at The Outer Space...
Singer Dianne Mower Closes Out A Hartford Jazz Mainstay
Performs June 28 As Final Performer At Japanalia Eiko
(CTnow.com) On Saturday, June 28, singer Dianne Mower and a cast of top-notch
musicians will head to Hartford's Japanalia Eiko to perform a diverse
program of songs by Burt Bacharach, Dave Brubeck and everything in between. This is nothing new; for the past half-decade, Mower has been a
steady performer at Dan Blow's West End clothing boutique, which started
hosting live jazz five years ago. What's different this time is that
Japanalia is closing, and Mower's will be the final show in the space.
The end of Japanalia, Mower said, "means leaving a hole in the
Hartford jazz scene, a big hole. It's one of the few venues where you
can actually give a concert and people aren't ordering food… It's like
you brought the band to your home and you invited your friends over.
They set it up so beautifully that you are always a star, even though
you are always among friends." (more)
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote As Tears Go By in 1964, but did not initially record it for themselves, instead, they gave it to Mick's girlfriend, Marianne Faithfull, who had a big hit with it. The Stones then recorded it and had a bigger hit. Faithfull would spiral into a long period of alcohol and drug abuse before getting clean in the late 70's. She's still around and has recorded some cool stuff, though her ravaged voice is an acquired taste. Truly one of the hottest babes of the 60's (IMHO).
The Twitterverse is abuzz with whispers of an imminent release of a new studio album, The Big Me, from Marky G & His Creole Crusaders. Always thought to be the weaker of the rap/R&B duo, Pool Hall Studs (who for years underwhelmed the New Orleans music scene with late-night throwdowns at dba and Lucy's, often in collaboration with the late, almost-great, Johnny Gumbo), G ventures into reflective, silky smooth, lounge-lizard style vocals (picture a six four SNL Bill Murray with a crew cut) with cuts like JK Is THE Man (with a gentle bossa nova beat), the Billy Joel-ish I'm Madly in Love With Me and the twangy Who's the Better Cowboy, Barry?, a not-so-subtle nudge at his ex-Studmate, Barry D.
For The Big Me, G calls upon an all-star cast of musicians: his Jazz Fest buddy Pete Murano (Trombone Shorty) for lead guitar, Johnny (Hot Licks) K on upright bass, Scarlett O'Hara on fiddle and homemade watermelon gadgets, Barry D on drums/percussion/backing vocals/dinner reservations, and The Sultry Senecals on harmonies/footwear/dinner reservations. Available for pre-order now on PHS Records.
Song listing:
Like Ferrell, But Way Funnier (a self-assessment)
Out of the Office Today (so go pound sand)
Face Plant on Tchoupitoulas (ode to Johnny Gumbo)
Madly in Love With Me
The Angels Want to Wear My Red Sox (with apologies to Elvis Costello)
(Stereogum.com)The Black Keys played their first show since the release of their new album Turn Blue
at Alabama’s Hangout Festival. The set was comprised of a good chunk of
new material, including the first live performance of “Gotta Get Away.”
Watch the full show minus the first song (“Howlin’ For You”) and check
out the setlist below. (more)
SETLIST
“Howlin’ For You”
“Next Girl”
“Run Right Back”
“Same Old Thing”
“Dead And Gone”
“Gold On The Ceiling”
“It’s Up To You Now”
“Bullet In The Brain”
“Strange Times”
“Money Maker”
“Ten Cent Pistol”
“Gotta Get Away”
“She’s Long Gone”
“Tighten Up”
“Fever”
“Lonely Boy”
“Turn Blue”
“Nova Baby”
“Little Black Submarines”
“I Got Mine”
Playlist: Saturday in the Park (Chicago) Another Saturday Night (Sam Cooke)
Another Lost Saturday (Pool Hall Studs) Saturday Night Fish Fry (Frankie Ford)
The Heart of Saturday Night (Tom Waits)
If the Shoe Fits (The Scandalous Shoe Ladies) I've Got Five Dollars (Faron Young)
Saturday Morning Song (Tom T. Hall)
Saturday's Child (The Monkees) Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting (Elton John)
Saturday Love Machine (Johnny Gumbo Party Band)
Come Saturday Morning (Sandpipers)
Almost Saturday Night (John Fogerty)
White Rabbit (Jefferson Airplane) Live at
Every Night About This Time (Dirty Dozen Brass Band) Goin' Home: Tribute to Fats Domino
Summer (War) Best of...
Silver Rider (Robert Plant) Band of Joy
Help Me, Rhonda (Beach Boys) Summer days, Summer Nights
Trust (The Sawtelles) Tryptych
Don't Drive Me Away (Rob Stone & the C-Notes) No Worries
Ugly Truth (Lucinda Williams) Blessed
I'll Hold Your Head (Shelby Lynne) Revelation Road
Big Boss Man (Jimmy Reed) Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues
You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby (Dr. John) Mercernary
Turn Out My Lights (Justin Townes Earle) The Good Life
Lovin' In Vain (Rosie Flores) A Honky Tonk Reprise
On Your Way (Alabama Shakes) Boys & Girls
My One And Only Love (Chick Corea) Akoustic Band
How Deep Is the Ocean (Miles Davis) Ballads & Blues
Not able to make it this year for the first time in ten, but do not worry, you will have a great time anyway! I will miss the Pool Hall Studs (kinda), the Shoe Ladies' entourage, the Mark/Lisa Jersey Shore contingent, Marshall's Krewe, the late, almost-great Johnny Gumbo, etc. Hope to be back in 2015.
Have a Bloody Mary at Lucy's on me (Mark/Barry will cover)! Enjoy!
All of the parties cited above really know their music and need no help from me, but I'm going to throw out my favorites for 2014 Jazz Fest Weekend#2:
Hurray For the Riff Raff- Okay, at the risk of overselling, you must see them for at least one of the three opportunities you will be afforded: 1) Thursday night at One-Eyed Jack's, 2) Friday at the Fest (2PM at Samsung Galaxy) and Friday night at First Presbyterian Church (can you byob?)
Alabama Shakes- I wanted to see them the most! Closing Samsung Galaxy on Friday (so keep your spot from HFTRR). Tough choices because The Iguanas (new album, Juarez, very good), Chaka Khan and the Lost Bayou Ramblers also close.
Mia Borders- Also on Friday, but you'd have to get out to the Fairgrounds early (leaves out the PHS) because she and her band go on at noon! Worth it.
Alejandro Escovedo and the Sensitive Boys- Also on Friday, catch them after HFTRR and before Alabama Shakes at the Fais Do Do Stage
Johnny Winter- Saturday. Yeah, go see Bruce, always cool, but he's on for about 5 hours so you owe it to yourself to check out Johnny at Blues Tent at 5:30
Chick Corea- Very sorry to miss one of my all-time jazz favorites! Sunday at 4PM at the Jazz Tent.
The Deslondes- Who? Yeah, I just stumbled across them myself, but these local guys are pretty damn good. A couple are from HRFTRR and they've opened for Alabama Shakes. Catch them on Sunday at 1PM at Lagniappe Stage.
Shorty is now The Man to close Jazz Fest (and I love him), but other very fine options are John Fogerty at Samsung, Aaron Neville at Blues Tent, and Terrance Blanchard at Jazz Tent.
Oh, nevermind, just disregard the above and do whatever the hell you want, 'cause you cannot lose (except maybe Christina Aguilera).
Finally, a handy little money-saving tip that Johnny Gumbo passed along to us a few years ago: "Always eat your dinner at the bar; that way, you do not have to tip." Gumbo was chock full of those little nuggets of wisdom (and thrift)! So, have fun, play hard and gulp down a cold Abita Amber on me; The Studs have it. Wink.
Send me pics, video, comments, etc on Twitter, Facebook. I'll post.
"Sweet Jane" – Alejandro Escovedo & Richard Barone
"Cool It Down" – The Bizarros
"Romeo Had Juliet" – Cheetah Chrome
"Femme Fatale" – Cindy Lee Berryhill
"Vicious" – BP Fallon & The Strypes
"Oh Sweet Nothing" – Bobby Bare Jr.
"I'm Waiting for My Man" – Garland Jeffreys
"Perfect Day" – Louise Goffin
"Waves of Fear" – The Fauntleroys
"I Love You Suzanne" – Rosie Flores
"Coney Island Baby" – Steve Wynn & The Miracle 3
"Candy Says" – Sharon Needles
"Smalltown" Joe Dallesandro"
"White Light/White Heat" – Alejandro Escovedo & Richard Barone
"All Tomorrow's Parties" – Richard Barone & Cindy Lee Berryhill
"Rock and Roll Heart" – Chuck Prophet
"Sally Can't Dance" – Jesse Malin
"Real Good Time Together" – The Fleshtones
"Walk on the Wild Side" – Suzanne Vega
"Kill Your Sons" – Wayne Kramer
"Pale Blue Eyes" – Lucinda Williams
"Run, Run, Run" – The Black Lips
"Sister Ray" – The Baseball Project
"What Goes On" – Sean Lennon
"Street Hassle" – Alejandro Escovedo
"Satellite of Love" – Spandau Ballet
"I'll Be Your Mirror" – Richard Barone
"Rock and Roll" – All-Stars
I'm
so excited to announce the record release shows for my new album, Radio
Sweetheart. I'll be playing almost all of the shows with my compadres, Girls, Guns and Glory, who also have a new record, Good Luck. We're offering an exclusive
download to anyone who buys advance tickets to any of the record release
shows listed below. Me and Ward Hayden from GGG performing a low fi
version of Sonny and Cher's 'Baby Don't Go'. Doesn't get better than
that! Simply send a screenshot of
your ticket purchase receipt to sinclair@sarahborges.com, and we'll
respond with the download. Easy as pie.
If you don't see your city on the list below, keep checking back, we're adding new dates daily.
Well, the suspense is over. At around one o'clock on Tuesday afternoon, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival released the 2014 festival lineup - and it is pretty damn good! The headliners, scoffed at by Fest purists like the late cynic Johnny Gumbo, are outstanding (even given that Christina Aguilera is one of them). But it is the depth that is impressive. Forget the first weekend and Thursday of 2nd, 'cause we are not arriving until Thursday night.
On Friday, psyched about Alabama Shakes, but hoping everyone gets a chance to see locals-by-way-of-Bronx Hurray For the Riff Raff (great show at Cafe Nine last year), the legendary Alejandro Escovedo, Mia Borders, the Iguanas (hoping on a smaller stage), Lost Bayou Ramblers. And that's not mentioning Chaka Khan, Amanda Shaw and Pharoah Sanders!
Saturday will be insane with Bruce and the boys - could break records (not necessarily a good thing, viewing-wise). But beforehand we get Allen Toussaint, Johnny Winter, The Head & the Heart.
Sunday, we have Shorty closing (with our best bud Sneaky Pete on guitar). Really looking to see Delbert McClinton, Chick Corea and John Fogerty (there's a bathroom on the right). The Radiators are back! Aaron Neville, Terrence Blanchard.
hello folks. happy 2014! we've finally got some gigs this month.
tomorrow, tues 14th we'll be at Klekolo World Coffee, court st Middletown 8p. free.
thurs
16th at Three Sheets/ ex-elm bar ex-rudys for Kriss Santala's singer
songwriter nite. music STARTS 9p w/Bill Beckett, we're on second at
9:30 followed by Matt Thomas (MT Bearington) and ending with Sam
Perduta. open mic follows.
thurs 23rd the SSP !! will be opening the DressUps/Bronson Rock show at the Outer Space. music starts with us at 8pm. $5.
Speculation continues about who will show up at this year's Fest. No, we are not talking about that persistent 'Return of Johnny Gumbo' rumor, we're talking about who will be included in the official lineup release on January 14. Looks like one of my long time favorites, Chick Corea, is certain (since he posted it on his website). Hurray For the Riff Raff?
While we wait, does anyone look familiar in this Jimmy Fallon skit (Mark, you tight-pants guy)?
(CNN) -- Singer Phil Everly -- one half of the
groundbreaking, smooth-sounding, record-setting duo, the Everly Brothers
-- has died, a hospital spokeswoman said. He was 74.
During the late 1950s and
early 1960s, Phil Everly and his brother, Don, ranked among the elite
in the music world by virtue of their pitch-perfect harmonies and
emotive lyrics. Rolling Stone
labeled the Everly Brothers "the most important vocal duo in rock,"
having influenced the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel and
many other acts. Along the way, they notched 35 Top 100 songs -- more than any other vocal pair.
The Everly Brothers'
sound -- with Don's lower register generally ringing in perfect thirds
with Phil's higher voice -- was the backbone of dozens of hits. The two began as
songwriters before signing a deal in 1957 with Cadence Records. They
became international sensations over the next five years with tunes such
as "Bye Bye Love," "Wake Up Little Susie," "When Will I Be Loved" and
"All I Have to Do Is Dream." In terms of record sales, their chief
rivals during this stretch were Elvis Presley and Pat Boone.
Their style -- a product
of their blend of rock 'n' roll with Appalachian folk, bluegrass and
other genres more closely aligned to their Kentucky roots -- helped them
earn inductions in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame. (more)
Nothing like a Friday, day-long Compilation/Review Update seminar down in Groton to get those juices flowing! Sufficiently juiced by 4:15 PM, I jump into the Friday night rush hour traffic along I95 west toward New Haven to meet the boys (mild-mannered Keith, swashbuckling Vinny V and the noted rapper Rant On) for Lucinda Williams' free concert on the New Haven Green. God, this traffic sucks! I promised them I'd be there by five, but it's almost quarter to six and I'm only crossing the Q-Bridge.
