Let me introduce myself for those of you who don’t know me. My name is Fred Perry, and I’m a musician, song writer, record producer, label owner, music publisher, and currently the owner of Reservoir Music on Route 28 in Shokan. Pretty obviously, music is a large part of my life, which explains how I’ve come to be writing this column. In this and future columns, I will write about past, present, and future musical happenings in the Hudson Valley, New York city and state, and the world at large. My goal is to entertain and inform, so please let me know how I’m doing at that. My email address is [email protected], or you can write to me at The Townsman.
The New Year started off with a bang in the Hudson Valley, with lots of music to choose from, all top notch. At the New World Home Cooking on Route 212 between Saugerties and Woodstock, Uncle Funk held court all night long. This great band features Jerry Marotta, Tony and Pete Levin, Jesse Gress, and Joe Beesmer. These guys have played and recorded with just about everybody in the music biz, from Peter Gabriel to King Crimson to John Lennon, Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, Tom Waits, Buddy Rich, Gil Evans, Paul Simon, Wayne Shorter, Jaco Pastorius, Stevie Nicks, Pink Floyd…need I go on? I have it on good authority that this was a smokin’ show, although I did not attend.
Further east and south, and for those of you with a more rock n roll sensibility, The Basement in Kingston presented, for at least the second New Year’s Eve in a row, Pitchfork Militia, the rockinest psychobilly band this side of the Mississippi. I’ve seen these guys many times, and if countrified rockin psychobilly with a comedic stroke is your cup of tea, these guys are the best around!
I was at Pitchfork’s New Year’s Eve show last year, and it rocked, but this year I wound up at Harmony in Woodstock, where the Chris Zaloom Band served up some tasty rockin’ blues. Always fun, these guys did not disappoint, and owner Sha Wu generously set out a most scrumptious feast for his loyal and faithful patrons, easily making Harmony Woodstock the place to be this New Year’s Eve!
And if that wasn’t enough music to get you through the weekend, Burt’s Electronics brought the annual New Riders of the Purple Sage show to the Bearsville Theater on New Year’s Day this year, capping a fantastic musical weekend with my old friends, Buddy Cage, David Nelson, Michael Falzarano, Johnny Markowski, and Ronnie Penske.
I wish you all a happy, healthy and prosperous new year, and I look forward to meeting you again in the pages of The Townsman.