As a weekly music columnist, there are many bands, musicians, and people who work with them, who come to my attention, and are deserving of being profiled in these pages. Articles are upcoming on many of these members of our musical community, including the band, Yard Sale, Michael Johnson, a fine young guitarist from Grahamsville, who just might be the next young guitar prodigy to come down the pike, and Justin and Kevin from Upstate Moving Images, who selflessly give of themselves to help up and coming bands produce video images of their performances! However, this week, we’ll be focusing on a group of people, led by Carmen Senski and Mor Pipman, who have been producing high quality music at The Old Glenford Church, which Mor and her husband, Eric Hurliman, currently live in!

     The series, dubbed Music Night at The Old Glenford Church,  just celebrated it’s third anniversary presenting original music at Mor and Eric’s home! Performers in just the past few months have included Deni Bonet, Yard Sale, D.B. Leonard, Todd Nelson’s TN3, Mamalama, and new Hudson Valley sensations, The Duke McVinnie Band! Upcoming shows include Robert Burke Warren in March and The Jonny Monster Band in April! Sound has been provided by Virgil Fowler since the first show!

     The music takes place on the last Friday of each month, and the series is a benefit for the Hudson Valley Sudbury School, which both Carmen’s and Mor’s children attended, and which brought them together and gave birth to this exemplary music series! The original idea was to have a big concert that would benefit the school, but in order to finance this idea, Carmen decided to have some smaller shows first. Mor volunteered the church, and Music Night at The Old Glenford Church was born!

     And it’s not just a music night. The music takes place in the house behind the church, where Mor and her staff whip up the most delicious meals on the planet in the kitchen, (which are also available for home delivery, for a nominal fee). In the church proper, Deandra Drew hosts movies for the kiddies (and the kid in all of us), while the grownups are digging the music! So, it’s a very family friendly event, and Mor and Eric are very community oriented, allowing various artistic and musical groups to use the church as an occasional performance space and community center!

     This is simply one of the best things happening anywhere! For a tiny admission fee, and a very reasonable price for food, you can come out to a place where everybody’s your friend, listen to some top notch music in a lovely venue, eat some yummy and healthy food, bask in the warm vibe, help support a great learning environment for the students at The Sudbury School, and go home feeling satisfied on every level! Maybe Carmen should invite The Rolling Stones to play at The Church. They might finally get some satisfaction!

     More information and scheduling is available at www.reverbnation.com/oldglenfordchurchandhall and HVSS Music Night on Facebook.

     And now for the live music picks. Not a whole lot going on, but here’s what there is, and it’s all in the city! Hudson Valley’s a wasteland this week!

     Wednesday, February 27 – SCOTT MILLER, former lead singer of The V-Roys, a great band out of Knoxville via Nashville, is at Hill Country Barbecue tonight.

     Thursday, February 28 – Big show tonight! THE WHO, or as I like to call them, Thee Oooh, are at The Theater at Madison Square Garden with ELVIS COSTELLO opening! Either one of these acts could headline in the main room, but The Who in a room this size hasn’t happened in decades! This is gonna be a great show!

               Also tonight, THE RED HOOK RAMBLERS are at The Knitting Factory Brooklyn. Never heard of these guys, but you gotta love their name! And at The Brooklyn Bowl, Ska legends THE SKATALITES!

     Friday, March 1 – THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND kicks off their annual month long party at The Beacon Theater. Check their website for exact dates.

     Saturday, March 2 – THE SKATALITES are back at The Brooklyn Bowl, and an amazing Hudson Valley RnB band, SISTER SPARROW AND THE DIRTY BIRDS, return to The Bowery Ballroom!

     Monday, March 4 – The immortal BOOKER T at City Winery (He’ll be at Bearsville Theater next week)!

     Tuesday, March 5 – The great New Orleans belter, MARCIA BALL, is at City Winery with local luminary CINDY CASHDOLLAR opening. This and The Who are my Picks of the Week!

     Have a great one!

     

     

     You know, it’s not always easy to write this column. I usually wait until Sunday night so I can write about the weekend’s shows, and sometimes I’m tired by then. Sometimes I just plain don’t feel like writing cause I’ve got too much on my mind, and my head is spinning! Tonight is one of those nights, but I’m gonna do my best to tell you something you don’t know, and then hit the hay!

     Well, the GRAMMYS were tonight, and there was a lovely tribute to Levon. Led by Elton John on piano, Mumford and Sons, Mavis Staples, T-Bone Burnett, and Alabama Shakes’ vocalist Brittany Howard traded verses on “The Weight”, Helm’s signature closer.

     There was also a Bob Marley tribute that featured Sting, Rihanna, Bruno Mars, and Ziggy and Damian Marley performing the Marley classic, “Could You Be Loved”.

     David Bowie has a new album coming out next month, his first in a decade! Titled “The Next Day”, the album features local residents, Gail Ann Dorsey, Tony Levin, and Earl Slick, amongst others. Bowie has been working on the record in secret for over two years!

     March also sees the premier of the HBO movie “Phil Spector”, starring Al Pacino as the troubled genius. Focusing mostly on his trial and conviction for murder, the film premiers on HBO on March 24. You can see the trailer here:

http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/videos/al-pacino-radiates-intensity-in-phil-spector-trailer-20130205

     Alright, that’s enough news for this week. Here’s a few shows to keep you entertained until next week.

     Thursday, February 14 – The only show in town for Valentine’s Day is guitar god, ALBERT LEE, at The Egg in Albany.

     Friday, February 15 – Ramble veteran and Levon Helm favorite, CHRIS BERGSON, pulls into The Bearsville Theater tonight with a band of musicians all associated with Helm, so you know it’s gonna be good! But if you had any doubts, know this – Bergson’s 2008 release was named #1 Blues CD of the Year by Mojo magazine, the most intelligent and thorough music magazine on the planet! And his 2011 release was named #2 for the year by Mojo! I think you probably wanna go to this! More info at http://www.bearsvilletheater.com/events-calendar/chris-bergson-band-friday-february-15-2013.

If your in the city, Woodstock’s own young guitarslinger, CONNOR KENNEDY is at The Rodeo Bar.

     Saturday, February 16 – A really cool band from the 80’s, SOUL ASYLUM, returns to The Bowery Ballroom in Manhattan tonight. They had a hit with “Runaway Train”, remember?

     Alright, that at least gets you through the weekend. Yer on yer own till Wednesday. Have a good ‘un!

     Last Friday night at The Bearsville Theater, The Duke McVinnie Band showed, yet again, why they are quickly becoming the hottest band in the Hudson Valley! Duke and the band brought their “A” game to Woodstock, playing the first set with guests, Malcolm and Sandrine Burn. All the elements the band’s mostly musician fans have come to expect were there: the tremolo drenched guitars of McVinnie and Matt Cullen, the haunting melodies, the unexpected changes, the tightness of the band, the psychedelic cello of Jane Scarpantoni, the virtuoso playing of everybody, and most of all, the world view of Duke McVinnie himself, which informs the entire project!

     Producer Malcolm Burns, looking like he stepped out of The Red Dog Saloon circa 1965, added a totally different, unique, and wild element with his organ playing, using his feet, elbows, hands, and whatever else he could hit the keys with, to create the cool sounds he was getting out of what sounded like a cheesy Farfisa or Vox Continental. However, I didn’t get a close enough look at it for a positive ID! His wife, Sandrine, provided beautiful background vocals for The Duke’s growly, Leonard Cohen-like voice!

     The Burn Family was gone for the second set, which signaled a return to the guitar oriented sound of the band. I am a guitar guy, so it was nice to have the focus back on guitar sounds, but Malcolm Burn is such a major talent, that in the overall scheme of things, he and Sandrine bring too much to the table to be ignored, and I hope they become permanent members soon! That said, it was refreshing to hear Matt Cullen’s surf-raga rock guitar take over, with help, as always from Jane Scarpantoni’s Jimi Hendrix-like cello playing, and The Man himself – Duke McVinnie! Don’t want the rhythm section to feel left out, so let me say that drummer Manuel Quintana, percussionist Tom Goss, and bassist Colin Almquist (of Voodelic), all played at the same high level of inventiveness, creativity, and musical chops, as everyone else in the band!

     I’m gonna go out on a limb here, and say that The Duke McVinnie Band is the most unusual combo in the Hudson Valley, and probably beyond! The way they combine the myriad different elements of McVinnie’s music to form one exotic, esoteric sound, makes them different from any other band I’ve seen in a long time! And please don’t think these guys are some sort of neo-classical, Woodstock folky, mellow acoustic band. No, everyone’s plugged in, and they rock! In their own way! Let me just say this, you will not be bored!

     If you yearn for something different, something that will lift you out of your blues-rock, singer-songwriter comfort zone, well then, you gotta check these guys out. If you can’t dig what The Duke McVinnie Band is layin’ down, you’re probably dead! www.dukemcvinnie.com, and here’s a link to a You Tube performance from a year ago. They’ve gotten even better since then. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlP-g4F-gZE

     In other important news, The Man in Black, Johnny Cash, will soon be honored by the United States government with his very own postage stamp! Coming soon, as a “Forever” stamp, that will be one stamp that I, and I’m sure many others, will line up to buy. How cool would it be to send your mail with Johnny Cash in the corner of the envelope! Whoever opens that letter will do whatever you request! LOL.

     The ninth annual Mountain Jam will take place June 6-9 at Hunter Mountain. Line up will be the same as the other 8 Mountain Jams! No, just kidding! I’m pleased to say that Phil Lesh of The Grateful Dead is the headliner, and there are a lot of new and exciting bands scheduled this year! Put it on your calendar now!

     I’m pleased to report that last week’s mid-Winter live music drought is officially over! There were more overall events this week then at any time since I started writing this column! And quite a few of those have found their way into my weekly picks. Here we go!

     Wednesday, February 6 – Local luminary and international woman of mystery, GENYA RAVAN will be making an extremely rare appearance at Iridium in Manhattan! This is a must see if you’re anywhere near mid-town. Genya was the driving force behind Ten Wheel Drive, produced The Dead Boys, and started the first female band to play their own instruments, Goldie and The Gingerbreads! Further downtown, the foremost proponent of John Fahey style trance-raga guitar, LEO KOTTKE, is at City Winery, and up in Albany, one of the best young bands I’ve seen, Ramble and Mountain Jam veterans, GRACE POTTER AND THE NOCTURNALS, are at The Egg, one of the best venues to see and hear music, anywhere!

     Thursday, February 7 – Another one of my favorite young bands, BLACKBERRY SMOKE, returns to Irving Plaza in Manhattan. I saw them here last summer, courtesy of Shore Fire Media, they were awesome, and I wish I could go again! I probably can’t, so why don’t you, and tell me how it was? BTW, Blackberry Smoke will also be at the first ever Hunter Mountain Country Festival this summer, along with Willie Nelson and a dozen modern country hat bands! Strange bedfellows indeed! Also tonight, Former MC5 guitarist, WAYNE KRAMER, one of Rolling Stone’s “Hundred Greatest Guitarists of All Time”, is at Bowery Electric, Asbury Park RnB singer, SOUTHSIDE JOHNNY and his new band, THE POOR FOOLS, are at City Winery, and music legend AL KOOPER begins a two night engagement at BB King’s, all in Manhattan!

     Friday, February 8 – AL KOOPER finishes up at BB King’s, guitarist extraordinaire, ALBERT LEE begins a three night run at Iridium, another awesome guitar player, TODD WOLFE, who played lead guitar for Sheryl Crow for five years before leaving to start his own Blues-Rock band (who are WAY better than Sheryl), at The Rodeo Bar, and up in Woodstock, NYC boogie woogie Rock n Roll band, LOW CUT CONNIE, who’ve been described as, “A cross between Jerry Lee Lewis and The Replacements” bring their Jack White and Rolling Stone magazine approved craziness to The Bearsville Theater! www.lowcutconnie.com. Oh, and, of course, I would be remiss if I forgot to mention that THE CHEATING HEARTS, the Alt-ered Country and Rock n Roll band featuring Jimmy Eppard, Just James, Chuck Cornelis, and Yours Truly, are back at Keegan Ales in Kingston for another 3 hour show with no cover! Come see what the fuss is all about!

     Saturday, February 9 – Very special ROCKABILLY RUMBLE AT THE RAMBLE at Levon’s barn, featuring Jimmy Vivino, Lee Rocker (of The Stray Cats), Earl Slick (David Bowie’s guitar player, who also replaced Brian Setzer in The Stray Cats to create a new band called Phantom, Rocker, and Slick), Marshall Crenshaw, David Letterman Band drummer, Anton Fig, and Rockabilly revivalist Robert Gordon, who’s kept the torch burning for Rockabilly for decades! This will be awesome! In the city, ALBERT LEE continues his second of three nights at Iridium, and IAN HUNTER, late of Mott The Hoople, is at City Winery.

     Sunday, February 10 – Two shows, both in Manhattan, both the last of a two and three night run! ALBERT LEE at Iridium and IAN HUNTER at City Winery. Pick one and go! Sunday night’s a good night for live music!

     Monday, February 11 – Remember the band Cinderella? They had a few hits in the 80’s and 90’s, and then disappeared. My friend sang back up with them, and she told me that their target audience for their first CD was 12 year old girls. Target audience for their second CD was 15 year old girls, and by the time they got up to their third CD, 17 year old girls! Well, their first two CD’s were kind of teeny bopperish, but by the time they did get up to their third release, they had transformed into a mighty fine, blues-metal pop Rock n Roll band! Check out their cover of Janis Joplin’s “Move Over”. Lead singer TOM KEIFER, who’s performing at The Highline Ballroom tonight, sounds eerily like Janis! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPijkUKZc6Q

     Tuesday, February 12 – Wow! Busy night, especially for a Tuesday! I suppose that’s why every show tonight is in the city! We start with punk legends, THE DEAD KENNEDYS at The Gramercy Theater. RnB and Funk innovator, GEORGE CLINTON is at BB King’s, with THE P-FUNK ALL STARS. From Nashville, we have a fabulous Western Swing band, THE TIMEJUMPERS, who’s fiddle players both  were guests on the last Brooklyn Cowboys CD, at City Winery. At The Rodeo Bar, Levon’s piano player, BRIAN MITCHELL. At Joe’s Pub, Americana Royal Couple, BRUCE ROBISON AND KELLY WILLIS. And wrapping up the night, local resident, MARCO BENEVENTO, of the very talented Benevento-Russo Band, will be performing a highly, highly recommended Tribute to James Booker, the late New Orleans piano genius, at The Brooklyn Bowl. There were no Picks of the Week this week. Due to the extremely high quality of every show, it was impossible to pick any over any other this week, but this show, due to the historical importance of James Booker as a musician, and the fact that this may be a one time event, surely make this as close as we can come this week to a pick of the week!

     Thursday, February 14, Valentine’s Day – I wish there was more to recommend, musically, for Valentine’s Day. I guess y’all will have to settle for a romantic dinner for two, OR, you could take in ALBERT LEE at The Egg in Albany! Or both!

     Don’t forget, if you lose your copy of The Townsman, this column is also on the Web at www.reservoirmusiccenter.com, www.brooklyncowboys.com, and www.hvmusic.com. All columns are archived on the Reservoir Music site.

     And please don’t forget to check out my bi-weekly guest spot on John Madeo’s Little Delaware Jamboree radio show on WIOX, 91.3 FM, every other Monday night around 8:30. Next show is February 18. Also on the web and mobile devices at www.wioxradio.org.

     Have a great week!