Live music explosion.....

We tried to figure a way to get to the Green River Festival (with a side of golf at Crumpin Fox) in Greenfield, MA with the Andersons this weekend to hear Lucinda Williams, Jimmy Vaughn, Lou Ann Barton (my fave), Eilen Jewell, Mavis Staples, etal, but it was not to be.

But there are many tasty alternatives:

Plantsville's own Sawtelles will be appearing Friday night at Jitters Coffeehouse in Plainville and on Saturday night at the Funky Monkey in Cheshire.

The 17th annual Hartford Festival of Jazz, free (Fri/Sat/Sun) at Bushnell Park. Included in the festivities is a Sunday jazz mass at Christ Church Cathedral at 10am, which reminds me of the Jazz Fest Mass this past May in New Orleans. Complete schedule

On Saturday at 6pm, the Squirrel Nut Zippers will appear as part of New Haven's Music on the Green series. Per their MySpace page, the Zips ".... feature original and founding members Katherine Whalen, Jimbo Mathis, Chris Phillips, Je Widenhouse and Stuart Cole. On tour the band will be performing material from the entire catalogue.....Since 2002, the members have kept themselves more than busy. Katherine Whalen has released several solo albums, most recently the critical favorite Dirty Little Secret. Jimbo Mathus has also released several acclaimed solo records, all while working as musical director for legendary blues musician and Grammy winner Buddy Guy. Phillips was enlisted as composer for the Comedy Central TV show Lil’ Bush and spent time touring with the Dickies. Widenhouse has performed throughout the country with his traditional jazz combo the Firecracker Jazz Band. Not to be outdone, Cole has written Dancing to Morocco, a travel guide of dark and dusty bars in Northern Africa, and has been performing extensively with Dexter Romweber. The band performed around 50 shows in 2007, and has just begun a series of summer tours. Look out for a new live record late in 2008, and a new studio record in 2009."

And there's always something tasty at the Musicians' Living Room, New Haven's Cafe Nine, where the Soul Merchants play on Friday night. According to my (MySpace) sources, the Merchants are....a mighty 8 piece band hailing from the basements of Central Connecticut. Their sound combines a love of reggae and rocksteady niceness with the respect and nod toward the infectious classic soul sounds of the 1960s. Featuring a full horn section, infectious Farfisa organ riffs, sweet vocal harmonies and a guitar lead that would make Nigel Tufnel blush. Featuring former members of Ska King Crab, Nigel Six, Johnny Too Bad and the Strikeouts, Golgo 13, Natural Funk Selection and Throwing Star of David. They slide on over to Sully's Pub in Hartford on Saturday.

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.

Da blues got da blues....

Chicago blues scene wanes as genre grows tired (AP)

CHICAGO - Blues guitar virtuosos and honey-voiced singers filled the Chicago streets with music during the 1950s. Muddy Waters' guitar seeped from corner juke joints. Willie Dixon strummed bass guitar beats, echoing the city's blues sound. Now more than a half century later, a music that was born in the rural South and raised in the urban North, has grown old and tired. Its fan base is aging, key blues haunts have shuttered and some of its up-and-coming musicians are struggling. Nowhere is the decline more evident than in Chicago, arguably the city that made the genre famous. - article

Marcia wants some Tex-Mex...

Hi-I wouldn't know Los Lobos if they came and applied for a job, but anyway they are playing at Meadowbrook Park right down the street, for free, on Friday night. Anyone interested? We could do Mexican first-lemme know. -Marcia

Marcia, Marcia, Marcia. If you read my (admittedly lagging) concert suggestions (johnnykconcerts), you would have known. Sounds like a great way to start the weekend. Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez open; they're great too. You in, Andersons?

From AllMusicGuide.. Los Lobos were one of America's most distinctive and original bands of the '80s. They may have had a hit with "La Bamba" in 1987, yet that cover barely scratches the surface of their talents. Los Lobos are eclectic in the best sense of the word. While they draw equally from rock, Tex-Mex, country, folk, R&B, blues, and traditional Spanish and Mexican music, their music never sounds forced or self-conscious. Instead, all of their influences become one graceful, gritty sound. From their very first recordings, their rich musicality was apparent; on nearly every subsequent record, they have found ways to redefine and expand their sound, without ever straying from the musical traditions that form the heart and soul of the band. - tour dates/set lists 1983-2008 Here's a sample:

Don't forget the Motor City...

Exclusive: Read Jack White's poem for Detroit - Detroit Free Press article

'Courageous Dream's Concern,' by Jack White

I have driven slow,
three miles an hour or so,
through Highland Park, Heidelberg, and the Cass Corridor.
I've hopped on the Michigan,
and transferred to the Woodward,
and heard the good word blaring from an a.m. radio.
I love the worn-through tracks of trolley
trains breaking through their concrete vaults,
As I ride the Fort Street or the Baker,
just making my way home.

I sneak through an iron gate, and fish
rock bass out of the strait,
watching the mail boat with its tugboat gait,
hauling words I'll never know.
The water letter carrier,
bringing prose to lonely sailors,
treading the big lakes with their trailers,
floats in blue green chopping waters,
above long-lost sunken failures,
awaiting exhumation iron whalers,
holding gold we'll never know.

I've slid on Belle Isle,
and rowed inside of it for miles.
Seeing white deer running alongside
While I glide, in a canoe.
I've walked down Caniff holding a glass
Atlas root beer bottle in my hands
And I've entered closets of coney islands
early in the morning too.
I've taken malt from Stroh's and Sanders,
felt the black powder of abandoned embers,
And smelled the sawdust from wood cut
to rehabilitate the fallen edifice.
I've walked to the rhythm of mariachis,
down junctions and back alleys,
Breathing fresh-baked fumes of culture
nurtured of the Latin and the Middle East.
I've fallen down on public ice,
and skated in my own delight,
and slid again on metal crutches
into trafficked avenues.

Three motors moved us forward,
Leaving smaller engines to wither,
the aluminum, and torpedo,
Monuments to unclaimed dreaming.
Foundry's piston tempest captured,
Forward pushing workers raptured,
Frescoed families strife fractured,
Encased by factory's glass ceiling.

Detroit, you hold what one's been seeking,
Holding off the coward-armies weakling,
Always rising from the ashes
not returning to the earth.

I so love your heart that burns
That in your people's body yearns To perpetuate,
and permeate,
the lonely dream that does encapsulate,
Your spirit, that God insulates,
With courageous dream's concern.

Happy birthday, George W. Bush and JohnnyK!

Born 7/6/46 in CT.....and inseparable since...

others born July 6

Happy birthday, Sister Mary Agnes!...

A real, live nephew of my Uncle Sam....

4th of July wishes from the Gumbo:

300 days until JazzFest

July is here; so are the Sawtelles!...

Go see them!
Jul 4 12:30P *CANCELLED* Hamden, CT
Jul 6 11:00A Coventry farmer’s market, Coventry, CT
Jul 11 6:00P Two Boots Pizza Bridgeport, CT
Jul 19 8:00P Funky Monkey Cafe, Cheshire, CT
Jul 28 10:00P Beatnik 2000 @Cafe Nine, New Haven, CT
Jul 31 7:00P 5th Thursday @NEB, New Haven, CT
Jul 31 10:00P Ken Safety’s Open Mic Show, Cheshire, CT
Aug 8 8:00P Borders Meriden, Meriden, CT
Aug 22 12:30P Hamden Farmer’s Market, Hamden, CT
Aug 24 11:00A Coventry Farmer’s Market, Coventry, CT
Aug 28 7:00P *NEW* Passiflora, New Hartford, CT
Sep 5 12:30P *NEW* Hamden Farmer’s Market, Hamden, CT
Oct 3 12:30P Hamden Farmer’s Market, Hamden, CT
Oct 12 12:30P CT Garlic and Harvest Festival, Bethlehem, CT
Oct 31 7:00P Books & Co Sofa Series, Hamden, CT

I've got blisters on my fingers!....

Lost Beatles interview unearthed by Howard Shannon, Producer (BBC)

For 44 years a canister of film had been stored in a damp garage in South London; unopened, unloved and almost thrown away. But, finally, somebody took a look inside - and realised they had unearthed a piece of pop history. This is the story of a lost Beatles interview - which is to be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Tuesday for the first time since it was originally recorded.

The nine-minute interview took place in the studios of Scottish Television on Thursday, 30 April, 1964. It was thought to have been recorded on a tele-cine machine in London, and stored in a can, now rusted with the passing of decades. Which makes it all the more remarkable that the fragile film has survived at all. complete story

Listen to an extract here.

BEWARE, The Summer of the Whore...

Since johnnykmusic is on the A-list for rock publicists seeking a buzz for their clients, I received notice of the debut solo effort of Shannon McArdle (formerly of Mendoza Line) called Summer of the Whore. So, be on notice when you're out and about on the Summer evenings of 2008.

Publicist Roberta Moore Patterson writes:

When Shannon McArdle left the Mendoza Line in 2007, she was also leaving behind a marriage to fellow member, Timothy Bracy. Along with a cast of contributors, the Mendoza Line recorded a remarkable body of work that wrestled with the intoxication of life and love on the edge of the new millennium. McArdle met Bracy in the late 1990s in Athens, Georgia and struck up a musical collaboration as well as romantic relationship. Along with an early incarnation of the Mendoza Line, the band made the move to New York City, establishing themselves as a rollicking, well-read rock band with a love for The Replacements, Bob Dylan, and the Velvet Underground. After four albums with the group and another project with Bracy called Slow Dazzle, Shannon McArdle is heading out on her own with an unflinching report from the frontlines of divorce. Summer of the Whore is a unique, fearless view of her life from the summer of 2007, finally ready for delivery in the summer of 2008. Shannon explains, "It's very strange going back and listening to the record. When I wrote and recorded the songs last summer, my emotions were completely exposed. I had no interest in veiling them in any way. Subtlety was not something that appealed to me at the time. I'm glad for that." Shannon McArdle's latest is not the feel-good album of the year, but it is an honest, singular work, rich in melody and the occasional bitter smile. Sometimes a season seems to last a very long time, but soon the air and the trees change and maybe we change as well without effort. Fortunately for her listeners, McArdle captured the Summer of the Whore before it passed her by.

McArdle will be appearing Friday, August 8 in Brooklyn, NY @ Park Slope and Tuesday, August 19 in New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge.

ESPN take me out to the ballgame...

Celebrating 100 years with 'Battle of the Bands' ESPN.com

Baseball fans remember 1908 as the year the Chicago Cubs last won the World Series. But it was also memorable for another reason: "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" was born. To commemorate the 100-year anniversary of baseball's most famous tune, "Baseball Tonight" has asked nine popular musical artists to record a rendition of the song and engage in a battle of the bands. Each version will debut during "Baseball Tonight" at 10 p.m. ET, except where noted, and then be posted on this page.

After all nine have been posted, SportsNation will have an opportunity to vote on its favorite one, beginning at 8 p.m. ET on June 29. The top three vote-getters will be announced on July 6, and the winner will be revealed on July 13. Kicking things off was a recording from ESPN baseball analyst Peter Gammons. His version, which is not eligible for the voting, was performed as a tribute to the late Bo Diddley.

Another Pleasant Valley Sunday (here in status symbol land)...

Muggy as hell for golf this morning (deal with it!)......Will be without my iPod, 'cause G chose to leave it atop the car as he drove to track to workout (found it crushed in the street upon his return)...Gumbo emails from Spokane about Spokane Hoopfest (Gumbo, with double knee replacement, has chosen not to participate in the slam dunk contest this year)...

Buddy, can I borrow your turntable?...

A tasty morsel from the Gumbo...

The Most Expensive Albums of All Time Vinyl sales are starting to make a comeback on retail store shelves. Here are five you can't find on them. (by Matthew Shepatin, Esquire)

#1. "That’ll Be the Day/ In Spite of All the Danger," The Quarrymen (1958) -- $180,000-$200,000 According to a list of UK’s most valuable records of all time, the top spot goes to The Quarrymen, a little Liverpool skiffle band that featured Ivan Vaughan on bass. Mr. Vaughan introduced his schoolmate John, who formed the outfit, to another friend, Paul, who joined the band a few weeks later. The 10-inch acetate -- which featured the first ever recording by the quintet that would launch The Beatles -- includes a cover of Buddy Holly’s “That’ll Be the Day.” The other single is an original composition that McCartney co-wrote -- interestingly, not with Lennon, who sings lead vocals on both songs, but rather George Harrison. The one existing copy of the 1958 gem is owned by Paul McCartney and worth a reported 100,000 pounds. McCartney included a digitalized re-recording of it on 1995’s Beatles Anthology Volume 1.

#2. Double Fantasy, John Lennon (1980) -- $150,000 On December 8, 1980, John Lennon signed a fan’s copy of his Double Fantasy album. Five hours later that fan murdered the peace-loving icon outside the entrance of the Dakota Building. The record was found at the crime scene and later used as evidence at assassin Mark Chapman’s trial -- his fingerprints were lifted off the cover. In 1999, autograph dealer Moments In Time sold the LP for an auction record $150,000. Good news: the dealer has put it back on the block for around $600,000.



#3. Yesterday and Today, The Beatles (1966) -- $45,000-$85,000 In 1966, record company Paraphone recalled the album after retailers freaked over the cover art: the Fab Four dressed in butcher smocks, covered in baby parts and raw meat. The Holy Grail of what’s become known as “The Butcher Cover” record is the Livingston collection, named after the 1960’s Capitol Records President Alan Livingston, who signed the Beatles. Livingston stowed away a box of 24 sealed Butcher albums in his home, only to be brought to light twenty years later by his son. According to at least one Beatles memorabilia site, the value of the Livingston LP has tripled in the past years with the price for a single stereo copy hitting $85,000, with the market value for the entire collection approaching a million dollars.

#4. The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, Bob Dylan (1963) -- $10,000-$40,000 Considered by many to be the most valuable U.S. album, it contains four tracks that were ultimately deleted from its final release in 1963 -- “Talkin’ John Birch Society,” “Let Me Die in My Footsteps,” “Rocks and Gravel,” and “Gamblin’ Willies Dead Man’s Hand.” A number of these original copies were accidentally released into circulation with restamped labels. Today, mono copies likely sell in the high $10,000s while the two existing stereo copies fetch upwards of $40,000.


#5. The Velvet Underground & Nico, The Velvet Underground (1966) -- $25,000 Montreal resident Warren Hill’s first attempt to sell his rare album on eBay turned sour when the winning bid of $155,401 in December 2006 turned out to be a fake. Before you brand Mr. Hill a schlimazel, consider that he bought the 12-inch acetate for 75 cents at a New York City flea market in 2002. A real buyer finally came forward, shelling out $25,000 for the fabled Warhol LP, which features different versions of the final release in different order.

Hippy dippy weather forecast- 71 and dead...

"Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity."

George Carlin mourned as a counterculture hero (AP)

LOS ANGELES - George Carlin, the frenzied performer whose routine "Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television" led to a key Supreme Court ruling on obscenity, has died. Carlin, who had a history of heart trouble, went into St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica on Sunday afternoon complaining of chest pain and died later that evening, said his publicist, Jeff Abraham. He had performed as recently as last weekend at the Orleans Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas. He was 71. article

For your Monday morning enjoyment...

Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles perform at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis, TN. Sarah and the boys will be returning to Cafe Nine in New Haven on Friday, August 15.

Don't dare take someone's seat or you'll die...

They are back for their 15th season. Southington Concerts on the Green, Wednesday nights at 7. Not exactly cutting-edge bands, but fun, small-town flavor. And if you miss a concert (or attended and MUST have more), you can catch replays on the telly at Cox Cable position #14 (10am Tues, 7pm Fri, noon Sat). Concerts are held on the Town green and utilize a mobile band stage gifted to the Town in 1999 by the Southington Rotary Club with financial help from other civic groups and local businesses.

This Wednesday's concert features Smokehouse, strong country hit of now and then.

Johnny Gumbo Party Band on tour...

Johnny Gumbo captured during a break between sets in Colorado. Gumbo says that he's excited about his band's new album, which is getting rave reviews in obscure, pointless music blogs like the following:

Musicblogs-R-Us- After playing endless shows in the scumy coffee houses of Whocaresville, Washington in the 1960's, The Johnny Gumbo Party Band found themselves at the top of the the folk scene in 1969 with their debut album, This Thang Too Spicy For Ya?. The band's latest album, Western Horizons, hijacks Gumbo's poignant vocals with delicate finger-picked guitar to evoke simply stunning compositions. With standout tracks like "Accidents, I've had a few, but then again, too few to mention," and "Intersections are for stopping??" dominating radio airwaves far and wide, The Johnny Gumbo Party Band is an essential addition to any music lover's library

No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers' dirty looks....

SCHOOL's OUT FOR THE SUMMER!



Best summer cruising song; got any more?

List#1) Are You Gonna Go My Way - Lenny Kravitz "409" Beach Boys "No Particular Place to Go" Chuck Berry "Born to Be Wild" Steppenwolf "Crosstown Traffic" Jimi Hendrix "American Pie" Don McLean "Born to Run" Bruce Springsteen "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" Meatloaf "Highway to Hell" AC/DC "On the Road Again" Willie Nelson "I Can't Drive 55" Sammy Hagar "Maybellene" Chuck Berry "40 Miles of Bad Road" Duane Eddy "Hit the Road, Jack" Ray Charles "Wheels" String Alongs "Stick Shift" The Duals "The Wanderer" Dion "Ramblin' Rose" Nat King Cole "Route 66" Nat King Cole "Detroit City" Bobby Bare "500 Miles" Bobby Bare "Let's Go Trippin'" Dick Dale "Little Deuce Coupe" Beach Boys "Six Days on the Road" Dave Dudley "Dead Man's Curve" Jan and Dean "Little GTO" Ronny and the Daytonas "Little Honda" The Hondells "King of the Road" Roger Miller "Mustang Sally" Wilson Pickett "America" Simon and Garfunkel "I Can See for Miles" The Who "Crossroads" Cream "Hitchin' a Ride" Vanity Fair "Roadhouse Blues" Doors "Truckin'" Grateful Dead "Goin Up Around the Bend" Creedence Clearwater Revival "Country Roads (Take Me Home)" John Denver "Take It Easy" The Eagles "Ventura Highway" America "Hot Rod Lincoln" Commander Cody "Ramblin' Man" Allman Brothers "Keep on Truckin'" Eddie Kendricks "Carefree Highway" Gordon Lightfoot "Convoy" C.W. McCall "Life in the Fast Lane" Eagles "Barracuda" Heart "Cars" Gary Numan "Drivin' My Life Away" Eddie Rabbit "Cruisin'" Smokey Robinson "Drive" Cars "Pink Cadillac" Bruce Springsteen Golden Earring - Radar Love Stealers Wheel - Stuck In the Middle With You The Cars - Let's Go Derek and the Dominos - Layla John Mellencamp - Authority Song Wall Of Voodoo - Mexican Radio Billy Ocean - Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car Beatles - Drive My Car Beach Boys - Little Deuce Coupe Eagles - Take It Easy Chuck Berry, "No Particular Place to Go" George Thorogood, "You Can't Catch Me" J. Geils Band, "Hard Drivin Man" Little Feat, "Willin'" Creedence Clearwater Revival , "Travelin' Band" Steppenwolf , "Born to Be Wild" David Lindley, "Mercury Blues" Eagles, "Take It Easy" Dave Dudley, "6 Days on the Road" Lowell George, "Two Trains Running" The Band, "The Night They Drove Ol' Dixie Down" The Meters, "Ride Your Pony" Wilson Pickett, "99 1/2" REM, "Driver 8" Royal Crescent Mob, "Walking Down the Street" Was (not Was), "Elvis' Rolls Royce" WAR, "Low Rider" James Brown, 20 All Time Hits Ry Cooder & Ali Farka Toure, Talking Timbuktu Charlie Parker, The Savoy Sessions Charles Mingus, Blues & Roots Pat Metheny, Still Life (Talking) Neil Young, Rust Never Sleeps Steely Dan, Aja U2, War The Police, Synchronicity Anything by The Grateful Dead Sonny Boy Williamson, "Bring It on Home" Robert Johnson, "Terraplane Blues" The Sonics, "Boss Hoss" Eddie Cochran, "Summertime Blues" and "Somethin' Else" Alice Cooper, "School's Out" Golden Earring, "Radar Love" Canned Heat, "On the Road Again" Bob Dylan, "Highway 61 Revisited" Bobby Sykes, "Diesel Smoke and Dangerous Curves" Big Star, "Big Black Car"

List#2 1. Summer Lovin' - Grease 2. Summertime, Summertime - Jamies 3. Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days Of Summer - Nat King Cole 4. Happy Together - Turtles 5. Summer in the City - Loving Spoonful 6. School's Out - Alice Cooper 7. Joy To The World - Three Dog Night 8. Surfin USA - Beach Boys 9. California Sun - Riverias 10. Summertime's Calling Me - Catalinas 11. Summertime - DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince 12. Summer - War 13. Saturday In The Park - Chicago 14. Girl Watcher - O'Kaysions 15. Remember (Walking in the Sand) - Shangri La's 16. I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash 17. Hot Fun In The Summertime - Sly and the Family Stone 18. We Got The Beat - Go Go's 19. Summer Wind - Frank Sinatra 20. Summertime Blues - Eddie Cocheran 21. Up On The Roof - Drifters 22. Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini - Bryan Hyland 23. Sunshine On My Shoulders - John Denver 24. Vacation - Go Go's 25. Sunshine Superman - Donovan 26. Centerfield - John Fogerty 27. Summer Of '69 - Bryan Adams 28. Vacation - Connie Francis 29. Downtown - Petula Clark 30. Low Rider - War 31. Beach Baby - First Class 32. Summertime USA - The Pixies Three 33. A Summer Song - Chad and Jeremy 34. Wildwood Days - Bobby Rydell 35. Just You 'N' Me - Chicago 36. Daydream Believer - Monkees 37. Boys of Summer - Don Henley 38. Kokomo - Beach Boys 39. Spill The Wine - Eric Burden and War 40. Magic - The Cars

LOVE THAT DIRTY WATER!....

What do you say, Walter Ray!

It's a Sawtelles Tuesday....

Hot off the email (ouch!):

Tonight! We'll be featuring along with Lach, from the Sidewalk NYC, at The Space. Check thesawtelles.com for our upcoming July Is Sawtelle Birthday Month shows. They're piling up!

We will be playing a benefit MS Bikeride down at Sherwood Island Sunday (not sure of exact time as of yet but will post as soon as I know), courtesy of mr's Critelli and Lasala, who couldn't make it and kindly suggested us for a sort-of-able replacement. Completely unplugged 'cause we can, and because that's how they do it on the isle.

ciao

Happy Father's Day!

Father's Day present from G-Man:
Rain Dogs- Tom Waits
The Hard Way- James Hunter

A Father's Day Video for the Dad Who Has Everything:

What Father's Day gift do you get for that hard to please Dad? 2 Hot Girls in the Shower is a PG-rated comedy advice show with short episodes that run between one and two minutes. Our content is for mature adults who enjoy immature comedy. Created and written by Kim Evey (Producer - Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show & The Guild) and Julie Wittner (Unhitched, Pushing Daisies).

Amy, what a waste....

Racist video by her loser hubby (story:

WE LOVE Jesus Shuttlesworth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....

Oh yeah, baby. If you missed it, or want a rush reliving it, read this (be sure to read the comments, too).

Here's to you, Jack....

Born 6/12/1908 (last year the Cubbies won the World Series), John A. Kennedy imposed his unique Catholic view of life upon all who knew him. I was one who knew him. He was one of a kind. At my brother Joseph's suggestion, please raise a glass and toast his memory. Cheers on your 100th, Dad.

From Nancy K:
So Johnny K - I went to the movies tonight with a girlfriend and then remembered I had to toast JAK's 100th so we went to Johnny D's to grab some dinner and have some drinks and this guy was performing - ever hear of him?? I was thinking he was right up your alley - he definitely had a following who were really into his music- John Hammond

JK- Thanks, Nanc

AND HOW "BOUT THEM CELTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Westie Punk responds...

Gus P, a founding member of the legendary Westie Punks as well as one of the greatest trivia minds ever to come out of West Haven CT, has belatedly, yet astutely, offered his unique perspective in response to the Something to chew on... posting about the 25 top songs of the century listing. The listing includes JK/Reet's wedding song, You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling by the Righteous Brothers.

Augustus offers thus:
Sorry for the late response, but i don't read my e-mail very often. Lists of things are always fun, as they cause us to think about the junk we have stored (uselessly, in my case) within our brains. Lists, of course, are very subjective - even that impressive group that chose those 25 songs. Naturally, I have a problem with some glaring omissions from the list (keep in mind that often times i imitated Elvis during kindergarten 'show and tell,' so late 50's and early 60's songs made a big impression on me. Here are my beefs:

'danke schoen' by wayne newton - tell me you can prevent yourself from snapping your fingers when you hear that. and a vision of that slicked up pompadour hairdo on the ed sullivan show - please!! 'ahab the arab' (even before 'mission accomplished') by ray stevens. jumped on his camel clyde (not frazier). jo ann campbell's 'i'm the girl on wolverton mountain' in response to claude king's song. has there ever been another case of a 'take that' record in the history of music? lastly (as they're coming to medicate me), 'please mr custer' by larry verne. 'hey charlie, duck your head pfffft. hmm, you're a little bit late on that one, charlie. oooh, i bet that smarts.'

We can discuss more next month at Southington CC. I'm sure you can't wait. Gus

New album for James Hunter....

G-man taped Conan O'Brien's Monday night show, surprising me with an appearance by James Hunter touring behind his latest, The Hard Way. Conan gave him a good ten minute spot to show off the band. Sounded good, but the song was uninspiring.

His Grammy nominated album, People Gonna Talk, is one of my all-time favorites. Caught him twice at the Iron Horse in Northampton, once alone in November 2006 (post), the other time in April 2007 (post) with Keith/Sharie, where Robert was in disappointing voice. Hunter appears tomorrow night at the Blender Theater at Gramercy in NYC with special guest Allen Toussaint.

Live performance of The Hard Way:

Sharie, The Rockville Rocketress, must be thrilled...

Substitute for H.B. No. 5476, Session Year 2008, AN ACT ESTABLISHING A STATE MUSIC HALL OF FAME.

To specify that the music hall of fame to be established shall be located in the town of Rockville.

PA 08-136—sHB 5476, Commerce Committee, AN ACT ESTABLISHING A STATE MUSIC HALL OF FAME
SUMMARY: This act extends, from February 1, 2008 to January 1, 2009, the date the Connecticut Music Hall of Fame Committee must report to the Commerce Committee. By law, the committee must develop a plan to create and operate a hall of fame to recognize Connecticut residents distinguished in the field of music. The plan must include a recommended location, criteria for hall of fame members, and rules for operating the hall of fame. EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage vote summary

Who should be in?
Gene Pitney, the Rockville Rocket
Al Anderson (with and without the Wildweeds)
The Five Satins (In the Still of the Night)

Make it two, boys in green!...

Rollin' down the Imperial Highway
With a big nasty redhead at my side
Santa Ana winds blowin' hot from the north
And we was born to ride

Roll down the window put down the top
Crank up the Beach Boys, baby
Don't let the music stop
We're gonna ride it till we just can't ride it no more

From the South Bay to the Valley
From the West Side to the East Side
Everybody's very happy
'Cause the sun is shining all the time
Looks like another perfect day

I love L.A. (We love it)
I love L.A. (We love it)



Jack and Dyan: "We love Elay"

Shoulda gone....

Sometimes you just blow it, as I apparently did in missing this week's Alison Krauss/Robert Plant tour stops, according to the glowing reports from the Hartford Courant and the Boston Globe

Keith/Sharie raving about the Eric Clapton concert (with guests Robert Randolph & the Family Band) at Mohegan Sun Area, reporting that, while the voice is a bit shaky these days, the guitar playing is fabulous. Now Sharie will only play EC CDs.

Sweet Baby James was the choice to inspire Celtic Nation to "Beat LA" with his low-key acoustic national anthem. Nice. Where are the Dropkick Murphys?

From Marcia V - How can you not want to hear a band with name like Squirrel Nut Zippers, described as a "fusion of Delta blues, jazz, and swing"-free on the New Haven Green Sat 7/19, 6 to 7:30 pm. Then we could do dinner? We're in!

Got them June blues...

10th Annual Blackeyed & Bluesfest at Bushnell Park, Hartford, CT
Thursday, June 5 (5pm-11pm) with:
Tinsley Ellis
Gina Sicilia
The Mike Crandall Band

Berlin Blues Festival - Berlin Lions Fairgrounds, Berlin, CT
Saturday, June 7 with:
Jimmy Thackery & the Drivers
Tinsley Ellis
The Alexis P. Suter Band
Jeff Pitchell
The Mike Crandall Band
The McDonald/Teague Band
The Tom Sanders Band
Eran Troy Danner
website

A Bristol oldies guru remembers Bo Diddley...

Bo Diddley, a Rock N Roll Legend, has passed away. Bo was one of the pioneers of Rock N Roll. Here is my Bo Diddley experience. I helped my kids put together a rock group, called The Fabulous Showstoppers. The Showstoppers played all over the state of Florida. On a spring day in 1989, We were to play at Little Darlins Rock N Roll Palace, in Kissimmee, Florida. As it turns out I meet Bo Diddley, ready to have dinner before it was his turn to take the stage. I asked him to follow me out to the audience area of Little Darlins to watch my kids play some oldies. He was very impressed. So much so, he invited us to dine with him backstage in the kitchen area of the club. He started telling stories about the early days of Rock N Roll. He showed us his world famous cigar box shaped guitar. One thing sticks in my mind, He said to me he always had chicken wings soaked in oil before he went on a stage. He had been doing that for 35 years. He explained that the oil coated his lips and throat. (Bo never missed a gig due to a sore throat.) He treated my kids with the greatest respect, which threw them for a loop. Here was the great Bo Diddley paying them compliments. When Bo Diddley took the stage that night, it was just like magic. The crowd jumped to its feet and for over an hour they never sat down. It was sure an electric feeling. This my personal experience with a legend. If there is a Rock N Roll Heaven, rest assured Bo Diddley is playing there tonight and many nights to come! He was a great man. Jim Kane

Yes, it's another sleepy, dusty Delta day...

Ode to Billie Joe

95% (19 out of 20 Questions Correct) Take Ode to Billie Joe Find more quizzes at Quibblo.com

I was out choppin' cotton and my brother was bailin' hay. But you knew that, didn't you?
Ode to Billie Joe by Bobbi Gentry - songfacts.com

Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley, have you heard (you're dead)...

"If you ain't got no money, ain't nobody calls you honey." R.I.P. Ellas Otha Bates

From npr.org- One of the fathers of rock 'n' roll died Monday at the age of 79. Bo Diddley was born Ellas Bates in Mississippi and grew up in Chicago, where he played guitar on street corners before being discovered by Chess Records. He leaves behind a sound that helped build a musical movement.

Diddley's signature rhythm, among the most distinctive beats in rock 'n' roll, can be heard on songs like "Who Do You Love?" and "Bo Diddley." Scholars trace the pattern to church tambourines, West African drumming, and a hand-patting rhythm called Hambone that goes back to slavery. But Diddley told the public radio show American Routes that he found it someplace else. - complete article



Here's a list of songs that have the Bo Diddley beat:
The Who - "Magic Bus"
George Michael- "Faith"
U2 - "Desire"
Bruce Springsteen - "She's the One"
David Bowie - "Panic in Detroit"
Duane Eddy - "Cannonball"
Buddy Holly/Rolling Stones/Patti Smith - "Not Fade Away"
Johnny Otis - "Willie and the Hand Jive" The Stooges - "1969"
Shirley & Company - "Shame Shame Shame"
The Strangeloves/Bow Wow Wow - "I Want Candy"
The Blues Rockers - "Callin' All Cows"
Elvis Presley - "His Latest Flame"
Steppenwolf - "Magic Carpet Ride"
The Guess Who - "American Woman"
Grateful Dead - "Man Smart, Woman Smarter"
Talking Heads - "Ruby Dear"
The Fall - "Bo Demmick"
Guns 'n Roses - "Mr. Brownstone"
Los Angeles Times

Cool pic, Sarah Borges & the Broken Singles at the Cavern Club in Germany...

Get yer Sawtelles this June...

Plantsville icons list schedule:

Jun 7- Billy O’s English Pub, Southington (rt 322/84 near the southington truck stop and the DQ) w/HOUND. 9pm and free

Jun 8- Southington High School - 11a.m. see J perform in the ballet Graduation Ball, en pointe for the first time in over 10 years! $15?? /door

Jun 8- Manchester Art Association’s Spring Show, music hosted by the Rock Yer Socks folks. Free. All-ages. Main and Center Streets in downtown Manchester. Music at 2pm. Super Sunday Hamster Blender is also playing!! Others tba.

Jun 14- Avon Old Farms School – 1 and 6pm. See J perform again in two pointe numbers, Moonlight Sonata and Veins. $15?? at the door. Moonlight starts the show.

Jun 17- The Space- o/m feature at 9pm. If you have not played there in awhile they now serve food!

Check our myspace.com/thesawtelles site for updated info.

Remember, July is Sawtelle Birthday Month. We have shows at café nine, two boots, neverending books, the funky monkey and various farmer’s markets to celebrate.

Something to chew on...

Article emailed from Johnny Gumbo on top 25 songs of the century, so I went to Wikipedia for the lowdown on this project. Per Wikipedia, ..."Songs of the Century" list is part of an education project by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the National Endowment for the Arts, and Scholastic Inc. that aims to "promote a better understanding of America’s musical and cultural heritage" in American schools. Hundreds of voters, which includes elected officials, people from the music industry and the media, teachers, and students, were asked in 2001 to choose the top 365 songs of the 20th century with historical significance in mind. The voters were selected by RIAA, although only about 15% (200) of the 1,300 selected voters responded. Here are the top 25:

1 "Over the Rainbow" Judy Garland
2 "White Christmas" Bing Crosby
3 "This Land Is Your Land" Woody Guthrie
4 "Respect" Aretha Franklin
5 "American Pie" Don McLean
6 "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" The Andrews Sisters
7 West Side Story (Album) Original Cast
8 "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" Billy Murray
9 "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" The Righteous Brothers
10 "The Entertainer" Scott Joplin
11 "In the Mood" Glenn Miller Orchestra
12 "Rock Around the Clock" Bill Haley & His Comets
13 "When the Saints Go Marching In" Louis Armstrong
14 "You Are My Sunshine" Jimmie Davis
15 "Mack the Knife" Bobby Darin
16 "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" The Rolling Stones
17 "Take the A Train" Duke Ellington Orchestra
18 "Blueberry Hill" Fats Domino
19 "God Bless America " Kate Smith
20 "Stars and Stripes Forever" Sousa's Band
21 "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" Marvin Gaye
22 "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay" Otis Redding
23 "I Left My Heart In San Francisco " Tony Bennett
24 "Good Vibrations" The Beach Boys
25 "Stand by Me" Ben E. King
Yahoo article

I ask, who the hell would show up at this concert?...

I was reading through the Cal section of today's Hartford Courant, minding my own business, when I was accosted by a half-page ad for Air Supply at the Palace Theater, Waterbury this Saturday. WTF! Scared the hell out of me! Tickets are $40-$60, but I don't know whether you pay them or they pay you. It's gotta hurt either way.

Regrouping, I offer that the Ct. Blues Society Band Challenge 2008 continues tonight at Black Eyed Sally's in Hartford. The lineup:
8:00-8:30 Blues on the Side
8:45-9:15 The JSwine Band
9:30-10:00 Patty Tuite & The Boilermakers
10:15-10:45 Steel Trees
11:00-11:30 The Blue Lights (winner)

Cool find: vinyl record memorabilia clocks by JennKisk...

Minding my own business on Monday when I happened upon an intriquing website, JennKish.com, featuring clocks made using old vinyl record albums. She will do custom clocks, too. Check it out.

And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make....

Paul McCartney awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Yale University. (video clip courtesy of SeanP) - 2008 Yale Commencement


Here's Dr. Paul on the Back in the US 2002 Tour playing Sgt. Pepper and The End.

Happy Decoration Day!...

All Music Guide review of Decoration Day
by the Drive-By Truckers

Wikipedia overview

Coming soon, ready or not- Johnny Gumbo Piano Shirt Tours...

Admit it, you've always imagined what it would be like to roll with the Gumbo at Jazzfest. Well, now you can. While details are still sketchy (not unlike the Gumbo), you can be assured that this will not be your run-of-the-mill tour, not with Johnny Gumbo at the helm. And that's what you must ask yourself before you commit, can you HANDLE the Gumbo?

Only on the Johnny Gumbo Piano Shirt Tour can you:

Be greeted at the airport by your personal driver with fresh, spicy fried chicken and cold beer for your ride into the Big Easy.

Stay in deluxe accommodations selected personally by the Gumbo.

Learn to kick ass at Ryan's Irish Pub playing pool and downing Abita Ambers with the legendary Pool Hall Studs.

Have access to Gumbo's incomparable wardrobe, possibly (but no promises) the Piano Shirt.

Wake up in the morning, bleary-eyed from the previous night's activities, only to suddenly focus on Gumbo's big bare ass staring back at you from across the room.

Learn to buy shoes, lots of them, from the experts- The Shoe Ladies.

Constantly text message Oriana From Oregona for five days straight, sometimes from 50 yards away, and not actually meet until accidentally bumping into one another.

For Keith and Sharie, who are to see one of the Piano Man's 75 shows at Mohegan Sun...

Set list of Friday night's show (Courtesy of Eric Danton's blog)
1. Prelude/Angry Young Man
2. My Life
3. The Entertainer
4. The Downeaster Alexa
5. Allentown
6. Zanzibar
7. New York State of Mind
8. Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)
9. Keeping the Faith
10. Don't Ask My Why
11. She's Always a Woman
12. Captain Jack
13. The River of Dreams
14. Highway to Hell (Chainsaw on lead vox)
15. We Didn't Start the Fire
16. It's Still Rock and Roll to Me
17. You May Be Right
Encore
18. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
19. Only the Good Die Young
20. Piano Man

Frankly, Scarlett, we're disappointed...

The combination of our girl doing an album culled from the incomparable Tom Waits' catalog was intriguing. I listened to it a couple times to be sure. I am. It sucks.

Anywhere I Lay My Head Scarlett Johansson (reviewed in Rolling Stone)
The girl's got indie cred, no doubt. Lost in Translation wrapped her in a dynamite alt-rock soundtrack, and she's sung with the Jesus and Mary Chain. So it makes sense that, for her debut, Scarlett Johansson takes on the indestructible songbook of indie totem Tom Waits. Produced by TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek, the experimental result finds her draped, sonically speaking, in costumes as ornate as those 16th-century period gowns she rocked in The Other Boleyn Girl. It's a reasonable strategy, since Johansson's voice is unremarkable and her pitch sometimes unsteady; she's a faintly goth Marilyn Monroe lost in a sonic fog. Sometimes that's fine: "I Wish I Was in New Orleans" is carried by a haunting music-box melody, "Fannin Street" has lush choral vocals bolstered by David Bowie, and "Song for Jo" (the set's sole original) sweeps the singer along in sound whorls recalling "Tomorrow Never Knows." But the synth-pop version of "I Don't Wanna Grow Up," famously covered by the Ramones, makes you wish Joey was still around to take the mike.

More jazz for your summer...

The Litchfield Jazz Festival has announced its 2008 schedule:

Friday, August 1:
5:30-7pm Friends of the Festival Gala at Winvian Resort & Spa
7:45 pm Paquito D’Rivera with Zaccai Curtis Trio
9:15 pm Bebe Neuwirth

Saturday, August 2:
noon Winard Harper Sextet
1:45 pm Nicole Zuraitis Quartet
3:30 pm Kenny Werner Trio
5:15 pm Wayne Shorter Tribute Big Band
7:00 pm Dave Brubeck Quartet
8:45 pm Conrad Herwig’s Latin Side of Miles & ‘Trane
After party and open jam, immediately follows Heritage Hotel, Southbury, CT

Sunday, August 3:
noon Claire Daly’s "Rah! Rah!" Band
1:30 pm Peter Madsen Trio
3:15 pm Jimmy Greene Quartet
5:00 pm Cyrus Chestnut Trio
6:45 pm John Pizzarelli, Dear Mr. Sinatra with Orchestra

Hot town, summer in the city...

It looks as if the summer jazz series in Hartford's Bushnell Park will not die after all. Courant jazz critic Owen McNally reports today that the Hartford Jazz Society will take over the management previously handled by renowned bassist/educator Paul Brown, while Prudential Financial and the Greater Hartford Arts Council will provide the financial support. The four-week series will feature:

July 7- Roy Campbell's TAZZ and Matthew Tripp's Trio
July 14- Jim Hobbs' Brothers of Heliopolis and Dominique Eade
July 28- Tim Berne's Bloodcount and William Parker Quintet
Aug 4- John McNeil/Bill McHenry Quartet and Gerald Cleaver's Violet Hour

article

The Fab Farq legend continues...

While I was way down yonder in New Orleans (in the land of the dreamy scenes, there's a garden of eden, ah-you know what i mean), Bill Dempsey dropped this note in response to Notes from Ned from November, 2006:

I worked in a bluegrass/folk group "Open All Night" and we did a version of "Dear John Deere". Lately, I've been thinking of recording the song. (I've done three self produced CDs.) Found a recording of the "Roadside Review" with "Dear John Deere". My understanding is the song was written by "Barnswallow Farquahr" or Doug Lapham from the group "The Fabulous Farquahr". Anyone else have any more info please let me know. Thanks!

(note: Freddie Boom Boom Cannon's Way Down Yonder)

Mother, you had me, but I never had you....

Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there!

Mother (Pink Floyd)
Mother, do you think they'll drop the bomb?
Mother, do you think they'll like this song?
Mother, do you think they'll try to break my balls?
Ooooowaa Mother, should I build a wall?
Mother, should I run for President?
Mother, should I trust the government?
Mother, will they put me in the firing line?
Ooooowaa Is it just a waste of time?
Hush, my baby. Baby, don't you cry.
Momma's gonna make all of your nightmares come true.
Momma's gonna put all of her fears into you.
Momma's gonna keep you right here under her wing.
She won't let you fly, but she might let you sing.
Momma's gonna keep Baby cozy and warm.
Oooo Babe.
Oooo Babe.
Ooo Babe, of course Momma's gonna help build a wall.
Mother, do you think she's good enough,
For me?
Mother, do you think she's dangerous,
To me?
Mother will she tear your little boy apart?
Ooooowaa Mother, will she break my heart?
Hush, my baby. Baby, don't you cry.
Momma's gonna check out all your girlfriends for you.
Momma won't let anyone dirty get through.
Momma's gonna wait up until you get in.
Momma will always find out where you've been.
Momma's gonna keep Baby healthy and clean.
Oooo Babe.
Oooo Babe.
Ooo Babe, you'll always be Baby to me.
Mother, did it need to be so high?

Other songs for Mother:
Mother John Lennon
Your mother should know- Beatles
Mother in law Ernie K-Doe (written by Allen Toussaint)
I want a mom that will last forever Cyndi Lauper
Mother stands for comfort Kate Bush

The blues ain't goin' nowhere...

Johnny Gumbo forwarded an article about the oldest surviving Delta bluesman Honeyboy Edwards turning 93.

story - history

Edwards' take on the blues: "Blues ain't never going anywhere. It can get slow, but it ain't going nowhere. You play a lowdown dirty shame slow and lonesome, my mama dead, my papa across the sea I ain't dead but I'm just supposed to be blues. You can take that same blues, make it uptempo, a shuffle blues, that's what rock 'n' roll did with it. So blues ain't going nowhere. Ain't goin' nowhere."

Jeff and Michael Dyson, founders of the Blue Shoe Project