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It was very difficult to write this week’s column, in light of the tragedy in Japan. This event will have repercussions around the world in so many areas of life that are unrelated to the initial event. The magnitude of the disaster is almost inconceivable, and I’m sure the music community in our area will rise to the occasion, as they always have in the past, to organize benefit concerts and other events to help relieve the suffering of the Japanese people. If I hear of anything, I’ll be sure to let you know here.
The annual Rock and Roll Hall Fame Induction ceremonies were held this week. I told you who this year’s inductees were in a previous column, so I’m not going to revisit that again, but on WDST’s website this week, several on-air personalities and writers made up their lists of the top ten artists who deserve to be inducted, but have not yet been. I couldn’t resist adding my two cents worth to that idea. Here’s my list:
The ALLMAN BROTHERS continue their 16 show run at the Beacon Theater in Manhattan with 5 shows this week. On Friday, March 18, you’ve got your choice between driving to Tarrytown to see local legend, LEVON HELM, at the Tarrytown Music Hall, staying closer to home for former Grateful Dead vocalist, DONNA JEAN GODCHAUX at The Bearsville Theater, or coming to see me pound the skins for BEKI BRINDLE at Harmony in Woodstock. On Sunday, March 20, comedian RON WHITE brings his act to UPAC in Kingston, and please don’t forget about Thursday night Karaoke with Miss Angie at The Bearsville Theater. Trust me, it’s a blast!
The annual Rock and Roll Hall Fame Induction ceremonies were held this week. I told you who this year’s inductees were in a previous column, so I’m not going to revisit that again, but on WDST’s website this week, several on-air personalities and writers made up their lists of the top ten artists who deserve to be inducted, but have not yet been. I couldn’t resist adding my two cents worth to that idea. Here’s my list:
- Love – The 60’s art-rock band were way ahead of there time, and had a revival in the beginning years of this century, just before their leader, Arthur Lee, passed away. Check out their masterpiece, “Forever Changes” or the equally good “Da Capo”.
- Guns n Roses – Short lived but monumentally influential 80’s rock band, who burst out of the gate with the greatest debut album of all time, the aptly named “Appetite for Destruction” and one of the all-time greatest albums period. Unfortunately, they self destructed immediately afterwards, but they certainly left their mark.
- Gram Parsons – The single most important figure in what became known as Americana music, but back in his day, was called country-rock, which as my friend’s The Snakehandlers say, is neither. Often overlooked in the Gram Parsons equation is his partner in the Flying Burrito Brothers, ex-Byrd bandmate Chris Hillman, who should receive equal credit. Pick up “The Guilded Palace of Sin” or Gram’s solo masterpiece, “Grievous Angel”.
- J. Geils Band – Before they went pop and had multi-platinum hits, The J. Geils Band released two of the most hard rockin’ blues albums ever made, “The J. Geils Band” and “The Morning After”.
- Little Feat – Fronted by former Frank Zappa guitarist, Lowell George, the story goes that Zappa kicked George out of The Mothers of Invention because Frank recognized that he was a bandleader, not a sideman. Pick up any of their albums with Lowell George. They’re all great.
- Faces/ Small Faces – I put these two together because Faces was born from the remnants of Small Faces when Steve Marriott left to form Humble Pie with Peter Frampton, and was replaced by Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood. Small Faces had about a dozen number one hits in a row in England, but sadly only broke through once in America, with the psychedelic anthem, “Itchycoo Park”.
- Donovan – Starting as a Bob Dylan inspired folkie (and a pretty good one at that), Donovan went on to record a string of great psychedelic songs with producer Mickie Most, featuring members of The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Cream, and The Jeff Beck Group as his backing musician’s. “Sunshine Superman” and “Epistle to Dippy” are my favorites, but “Hurdy Gurdy Man” is pretty great as well.
- Joe Cocker – One of the best white RnB singers of all time, Joe deserves induction for his performance at the 1969 Woodstock Festival alone. His first album is still his best, but after almost passing into obscurity, he staged a comeback with an amazing version of “Cry me a River” and is still as good as ever now.
- T Rex – Ringo Starr knew how good these guys were. That’s why he made a movie about Marc Bolan, the band’s frontman and resident genius. “Electric Warrior” is their most popular album, but my favorite track is only available as a bonus track on the re-issue of “Tanx”. I won’t say what it is, but if I run into you somewhere and you ask me, I’ll probably tell you.
- Johnny Winter – Muddy Waters’ called him his adopted son and he’s still one of the legendary guitarslingers. My favorite album of his is still “The Progressive Blues Experiment”, but if you can’t find it, pick up “Johnny Winter” or “Second Winter”, on which he does a scorching version of Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited”. Some of his recent albums are amazing too, like “Guitarslinger” or “Third Degree”.
The ALLMAN BROTHERS continue their 16 show run at the Beacon Theater in Manhattan with 5 shows this week. On Friday, March 18, you’ve got your choice between driving to Tarrytown to see local legend, LEVON HELM, at the Tarrytown Music Hall, staying closer to home for former Grateful Dead vocalist, DONNA JEAN GODCHAUX at The Bearsville Theater, or coming to see me pound the skins for BEKI BRINDLE at Harmony in Woodstock. On Sunday, March 20, comedian RON WHITE brings his act to UPAC in Kingston, and please don’t forget about Thursday night Karaoke with Miss Angie at The Bearsville Theater. Trust me, it’s a blast!
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Hi folks. Well, Spring is just around the corner, and I’m a happy man. I hope you all had a great week and are now ready to go out and spend some money supporting local live music. Speaking of which, last week, I profiled The Organiks, and last night, almost at the last minute, I found out that The Bruce Katz Band was going to be playing up in Tannersville. Now Bruce is the keyboard player in The Organiks, so naturally, I drove up there to catch the show, and I was happy I did. The band rocked right out of the gate, breaking in their new guitar player, Jimmy Bennett, an old favorite of mine from The Alexis Suter Band and The Bennett Brothers, and the beautiful thing was, it was almost an Organiks gig, as my favorite drummer, Randy Ciarlante, was sitting in on drums. Well, it was a couple of hours of pure delight! I’m telling you folks, make it a point to catch these guys. They’re always great.
To those of you who went out to the Dave Mason show at The Bearsville Theater, only to find that it had been rescheduled, I’m sorry. I should have warned you that Dave is notoriously unreliable, and it might have been a good idea to check with the venue first. But, I will repeat what I’ve said before. This guy is a major league talent as a songwriter and guitar player, so it’s worth putting up with his shenanigans. When he finally does show up, everyone’s gonna be happy. The show has been rescheduled, and as soon as the new date is announced, you’ll read it here first.
As of this writing, the musical pickings are a tad slim in our local area for this week, but tonight, March 10, does kick off the first show of a sixteen show run with The Allman Brothers at The Beacon Theater in Manhattan and also is the first night of five shows by Further (basically, The Grateful Dead) at the Best Buy Theater in Manhattan, with three more nights to follow at Radio City Music Hall later in the month. Lucinda Williams also drops in to Webster Hall on West 11th Street for two shows over the weekend, so maybe this might be a good weekend to head down to the city, where winter is already completely over, and pick up on The Dead, The Allmans, and Lucinda, all in one weekend. That’s a lineup that’s pretty hard to beat! For those of you who can’t make it to the city, there is one spectacular musical event going on in our area this weekend. On Friday, March 11, Blue Chicken and Myles ‘Mojo’ Mancuso will be at The Falcon in Marlboro, a short drive, and very easy to get to. For those of you with a short memory, Blue Chicken, who were my pick of the week a few weeks ago, is a band made up of members of Levon Helm’s Band with the addition of Sid Maginnes, the guitar player from The David Letterman Show, and Randy Ciarlante on drums. Opening for Blue Chicken will be Miles ‘Mojo’ Mancuso, the 16 year old guitar wunderkind who is a fixture at Keegan Ales and many other venues in our area. This kid has a beautiful career ahead of him. He’s like catching Kenny Wayne Shepard or Jonny Lang when they were still kids, before they hit the big time. A great double bill.
Alright, it’s gonna be short and sweet this week. I got a lot o’ rockin’ to catch up on! See ya!
To those of you who went out to the Dave Mason show at The Bearsville Theater, only to find that it had been rescheduled, I’m sorry. I should have warned you that Dave is notoriously unreliable, and it might have been a good idea to check with the venue first. But, I will repeat what I’ve said before. This guy is a major league talent as a songwriter and guitar player, so it’s worth putting up with his shenanigans. When he finally does show up, everyone’s gonna be happy. The show has been rescheduled, and as soon as the new date is announced, you’ll read it here first.
As of this writing, the musical pickings are a tad slim in our local area for this week, but tonight, March 10, does kick off the first show of a sixteen show run with The Allman Brothers at The Beacon Theater in Manhattan and also is the first night of five shows by Further (basically, The Grateful Dead) at the Best Buy Theater in Manhattan, with three more nights to follow at Radio City Music Hall later in the month. Lucinda Williams also drops in to Webster Hall on West 11th Street for two shows over the weekend, so maybe this might be a good weekend to head down to the city, where winter is already completely over, and pick up on The Dead, The Allmans, and Lucinda, all in one weekend. That’s a lineup that’s pretty hard to beat! For those of you who can’t make it to the city, there is one spectacular musical event going on in our area this weekend. On Friday, March 11, Blue Chicken and Myles ‘Mojo’ Mancuso will be at The Falcon in Marlboro, a short drive, and very easy to get to. For those of you with a short memory, Blue Chicken, who were my pick of the week a few weeks ago, is a band made up of members of Levon Helm’s Band with the addition of Sid Maginnes, the guitar player from The David Letterman Show, and Randy Ciarlante on drums. Opening for Blue Chicken will be Miles ‘Mojo’ Mancuso, the 16 year old guitar wunderkind who is a fixture at Keegan Ales and many other venues in our area. This kid has a beautiful career ahead of him. He’s like catching Kenny Wayne Shepard or Jonny Lang when they were still kids, before they hit the big time. A great double bill.
Alright, it’s gonna be short and sweet this week. I got a lot o’ rockin’ to catch up on! See ya!
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Greetings all! Another week has passed and we’re another week closer to Spring. Hopefully we’ve seen the last of the big snow storms, and can now start to think about getting out of the house soon, and supporting local musicians.
In this week’s column, I’m going to start a series that will focus on some of the amazing musicians who live in the Hudson Valley, and occasionally, even play locally. My first choice of subjects is The Organiks, a terrific blues, roots, and countrified soul outfit, with an occasional nod to the jazz world, who, when they’re not on tour with some of the biggest names in the music business, make their homes right here as your neighbors.
The Organiks don’t really have a leader or stand-out star. What they do have is four such types, who have banded together in what used to be called a “supergroup”, and I don’t use that term lightly.
Keyboard player, Bruce Katz, is a classically trained Berklee graduate, but that doesn’t stop him from being down, dirty, and funky. He’s a master of the Hammond B-3 and piano, has been nominated three times for the prestigious Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year award, and counts Gregg Allman, John Hammond, and Pinetop himself, as fans. He’s a member of Gregg Allman’s touring band, and also tours with John Hammond and his own band, The Bruce Katz Band. Bruce is a former member of Ronnie Earl’s Broadcasters and has appeared on over 70 albums with Ronnie, John Hammond, Duke Robillard, Jimmy Witherspoon, Little Milton, Big Mama Thornton, David ‘Fathead’ Newman and many others. While with Ronnie Earl, their album, “Grateful Heart” won the Downbeat Critic’s Poll for Best Blues Album. Bruce occupies a unique space where blues, jazz, rock, soul and Americana collide.
If The Organiks do have a front man, I guess it would be Jay Collins. Jay plays all manner of saxes, mostly tenor, but also plays a bit of flute and is one of The Organiks two lead singers. Originally from Portland, Oregon, Jay now makes his home right here with us. He spent the 90’s in the East Village, immersing himself in the jazz and Latin scenes. He was invited to join Gregg Allman’s band, and in 2004, met Amy Helm, Levon’s daughter. The two were married three years later, so Levon, possessor of a sharp musical mind, invited Jay to play with him as well, which he now does. Jay has also toured with James Hunter and leads his own band, The Jay Collins Band.
If Jay’s the front man, then drummer Randy Ciarlante is The Organiks’ secret weapon. For my money, Randy is the best drummer in the Hudson Valley, but he’s also an amazing, soulful singer. He’s a veteran of The Band, The Honky Tonk Heroes, Eric Anderson’s band, and The Woodstock All-Stars, with Cindy Cashdollar and Larry Packer. Randy and Jay alternate lead vocals in The Organiks.
Finally, we have Chris Vitarello on guitar and vocals, an impeccable player who’s credits include stints with Arlen Roth and jazz legend, Jimmy McGriff.
All of these guys are, or could be, bandleaders themselves, but they’ve chosen to pool their talents into The Organiks, a band that is more than the sum of it’s parts, and it’s parts alone are pretty impressive. Now that you know who they are, you’ve got no excuse to not go see them when they play in your neck of the woods. Visit www.theorganiks.com for more info.
This week’s picks are few in number, but powerful in style and quality.
Friday, March 3 – LORETTA LYNN at UPAC in Kingston. The Queen of Country brings her timeless show into Kingston. Currently enjoying a revival, due to her pairing with Jack White as producer on her last album, this is a great time to catch up with Loretta, or check her out for the first time.
Saturday, March 5 – DAVE MASON at The Bearsville Theater. The co-founder of Traffic, and writer of such hits as “Feeling Alright” and “Only you Know and I Know”, Dave is also one of the greatest guitar players on the planet! I caught up with him a few years back in Las Vegas, and he was outstanding! Hopefully, he’ll be the same here.
Tueday, March 8 – DR. JOHN returns to Woodstock at The Bearsville Theater for a Fat Tuesday celebration of New Orleans music.
All of these shows are “can’t miss”, so I won’t be picking only one. Just make a cash withdrawal from your bank and attend all three. And for those of you who will be in NYC next week, it’s the start of The Allman Brothers’ annual March shows at The Beacon Theater, Further pulls into the city for an extended run, and Lucinda Williams pays us a visit as well, so get ready!
In this week’s column, I’m going to start a series that will focus on some of the amazing musicians who live in the Hudson Valley, and occasionally, even play locally. My first choice of subjects is The Organiks, a terrific blues, roots, and countrified soul outfit, with an occasional nod to the jazz world, who, when they’re not on tour with some of the biggest names in the music business, make their homes right here as your neighbors.
The Organiks don’t really have a leader or stand-out star. What they do have is four such types, who have banded together in what used to be called a “supergroup”, and I don’t use that term lightly.
Keyboard player, Bruce Katz, is a classically trained Berklee graduate, but that doesn’t stop him from being down, dirty, and funky. He’s a master of the Hammond B-3 and piano, has been nominated three times for the prestigious Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year award, and counts Gregg Allman, John Hammond, and Pinetop himself, as fans. He’s a member of Gregg Allman’s touring band, and also tours with John Hammond and his own band, The Bruce Katz Band. Bruce is a former member of Ronnie Earl’s Broadcasters and has appeared on over 70 albums with Ronnie, John Hammond, Duke Robillard, Jimmy Witherspoon, Little Milton, Big Mama Thornton, David ‘Fathead’ Newman and many others. While with Ronnie Earl, their album, “Grateful Heart” won the Downbeat Critic’s Poll for Best Blues Album. Bruce occupies a unique space where blues, jazz, rock, soul and Americana collide.
If The Organiks do have a front man, I guess it would be Jay Collins. Jay plays all manner of saxes, mostly tenor, but also plays a bit of flute and is one of The Organiks two lead singers. Originally from Portland, Oregon, Jay now makes his home right here with us. He spent the 90’s in the East Village, immersing himself in the jazz and Latin scenes. He was invited to join Gregg Allman’s band, and in 2004, met Amy Helm, Levon’s daughter. The two were married three years later, so Levon, possessor of a sharp musical mind, invited Jay to play with him as well, which he now does. Jay has also toured with James Hunter and leads his own band, The Jay Collins Band.
If Jay’s the front man, then drummer Randy Ciarlante is The Organiks’ secret weapon. For my money, Randy is the best drummer in the Hudson Valley, but he’s also an amazing, soulful singer. He’s a veteran of The Band, The Honky Tonk Heroes, Eric Anderson’s band, and The Woodstock All-Stars, with Cindy Cashdollar and Larry Packer. Randy and Jay alternate lead vocals in The Organiks.
Finally, we have Chris Vitarello on guitar and vocals, an impeccable player who’s credits include stints with Arlen Roth and jazz legend, Jimmy McGriff.
All of these guys are, or could be, bandleaders themselves, but they’ve chosen to pool their talents into The Organiks, a band that is more than the sum of it’s parts, and it’s parts alone are pretty impressive. Now that you know who they are, you’ve got no excuse to not go see them when they play in your neck of the woods. Visit www.theorganiks.com for more info.
This week’s picks are few in number, but powerful in style and quality.
Friday, March 3 – LORETTA LYNN at UPAC in Kingston. The Queen of Country brings her timeless show into Kingston. Currently enjoying a revival, due to her pairing with Jack White as producer on her last album, this is a great time to catch up with Loretta, or check her out for the first time.
Saturday, March 5 – DAVE MASON at The Bearsville Theater. The co-founder of Traffic, and writer of such hits as “Feeling Alright” and “Only you Know and I Know”, Dave is also one of the greatest guitar players on the planet! I caught up with him a few years back in Las Vegas, and he was outstanding! Hopefully, he’ll be the same here.
Tueday, March 8 – DR. JOHN returns to Woodstock at The Bearsville Theater for a Fat Tuesday celebration of New Orleans music.
All of these shows are “can’t miss”, so I won’t be picking only one. Just make a cash withdrawal from your bank and attend all three. And for those of you who will be in NYC next week, it’s the start of The Allman Brothers’ annual March shows at The Beacon Theater, Further pulls into the city for an extended run, and Lucinda Williams pays us a visit as well, so get ready!
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Howdy y’all, and welcome to another week’s Reservoir Music Notes in The Townsman. I’m so excited about our summery weather this week that I can barely write, but I’ll try.
I haven’t received any feedback on last week’s column, which is kind of discouraging. I hope somebody out there cares about live music, because if nobody does, pretty soon, there ain’t gonna be anywhere to hear music in a live setting. The weather’s warming up soon, so show your love by getting out of the house and catch some music live. You know you’ve got cabin fever anyway, so it’s a win-win situation.
We’ve got a pretty good week coming up and March promises to be very exciting, with shows by Dave Mason, Doctor John, Loretta Lynn, and quite a few other world class, top shelf musicians visiting our area. Here’s this week’s picks:
Thursday, Feb. 24 – This is a little different than what I usually recommend. It’s unusual, but a ton of fun. Make that 2 tons of fun. It’s MISS ANGIE’S KARAOKE NIGHT at The Bearsville Theater. This happens almost every Thursday at the theater, unless a band is booked, and it’s not your parent’s karaoke night. It’s really cool and a lot of fun, and there’s usually quite a few actual really good singers who show up. It’s a great way to loosen up and blow off a little steam before the weekend starts. It starts at 9 and admission is FREE!
Friday, Feb. 25 – Also at The Bearsville Theater, local favorites, “3”. These guys have had a major label deal and toured nationally, so this is a great opportunity to catch them up close and personal at home in an intimate setting.
Friday, Feb. 25 – For those of you that don’t mind a little drive, JIM WEIDER, one of the guitarists from The Levon Helm Band, will be bringing his own band to The Turning Point in Piermont, NY. Jim is considered a master of the Telecaster, and this tiny room is reknowned for bringing national acts to it’s stage.
Saturday, Feb. 26 – THE KANE BROTHERS BLUES BAND at The Bearsville Theater is this week’s PICK of the WEEK, even though Taj Mahal and Robert Cray are in town, which is really sayin’ something, but with their track record, the low $15 ticket price, and factoring in the drive time, well, this show can’t be beat! Plus, local youngster, CONNOR KENNEDY is the opening act, and I’ve been hearing lots of good things about him as well. Rather than go into detail about where these boys have been in their careers, I’m just going to direct you to www.bearsvilletheater.com, where all their accomplishments are detailed, and where you can also find out more about all of the shows at The Bearsville Theater.
Saturday, Feb. 26 – The ROBERT CRAY BAND pulls into The Paramount Center for the Arts in Peekskill, NY for the night. Robert is one of Eric Clapton’s favorite modern guitarists, and is worthy of the distinction. This show will not disappoint even the most critical music fan.
Sunday, Feb. 27 – Rounding out the weekend, and the month, is the immortal TAJ MAHAL at UPAC in Kingston. Word is that Taj will have an actual band with him at this show, which, I think, is pretty unusual for him. Taj’s early work with Jesse Ed Davis and Chuck Blackwell is on my all-time favorites list, and his more recent work, while not having the edginess and uptempo energy of those days, is still fantastic, so this is a rare opportunity to catch him locally.
Have a great week everybody!
I haven’t received any feedback on last week’s column, which is kind of discouraging. I hope somebody out there cares about live music, because if nobody does, pretty soon, there ain’t gonna be anywhere to hear music in a live setting. The weather’s warming up soon, so show your love by getting out of the house and catch some music live. You know you’ve got cabin fever anyway, so it’s a win-win situation.
We’ve got a pretty good week coming up and March promises to be very exciting, with shows by Dave Mason, Doctor John, Loretta Lynn, and quite a few other world class, top shelf musicians visiting our area. Here’s this week’s picks:
Thursday, Feb. 24 – This is a little different than what I usually recommend. It’s unusual, but a ton of fun. Make that 2 tons of fun. It’s MISS ANGIE’S KARAOKE NIGHT at The Bearsville Theater. This happens almost every Thursday at the theater, unless a band is booked, and it’s not your parent’s karaoke night. It’s really cool and a lot of fun, and there’s usually quite a few actual really good singers who show up. It’s a great way to loosen up and blow off a little steam before the weekend starts. It starts at 9 and admission is FREE!
Friday, Feb. 25 – Also at The Bearsville Theater, local favorites, “3”. These guys have had a major label deal and toured nationally, so this is a great opportunity to catch them up close and personal at home in an intimate setting.
Friday, Feb. 25 – For those of you that don’t mind a little drive, JIM WEIDER, one of the guitarists from The Levon Helm Band, will be bringing his own band to The Turning Point in Piermont, NY. Jim is considered a master of the Telecaster, and this tiny room is reknowned for bringing national acts to it’s stage.
Saturday, Feb. 26 – THE KANE BROTHERS BLUES BAND at The Bearsville Theater is this week’s PICK of the WEEK, even though Taj Mahal and Robert Cray are in town, which is really sayin’ something, but with their track record, the low $15 ticket price, and factoring in the drive time, well, this show can’t be beat! Plus, local youngster, CONNOR KENNEDY is the opening act, and I’ve been hearing lots of good things about him as well. Rather than go into detail about where these boys have been in their careers, I’m just going to direct you to www.bearsvilletheater.com, where all their accomplishments are detailed, and where you can also find out more about all of the shows at The Bearsville Theater.
Saturday, Feb. 26 – The ROBERT CRAY BAND pulls into The Paramount Center for the Arts in Peekskill, NY for the night. Robert is one of Eric Clapton’s favorite modern guitarists, and is worthy of the distinction. This show will not disappoint even the most critical music fan.
Sunday, Feb. 27 – Rounding out the weekend, and the month, is the immortal TAJ MAHAL at UPAC in Kingston. Word is that Taj will have an actual band with him at this show, which, I think, is pretty unusual for him. Taj’s early work with Jesse Ed Davis and Chuck Blackwell is on my all-time favorites list, and his more recent work, while not having the edginess and uptempo energy of those days, is still fantastic, so this is a rare opportunity to catch him locally.
Have a great week everybody!
- Published on
As promised last week, I’m starting this week’s column with a reprint of a letter that my friend, Bar Scott, a fairly successful musician who lives in Woodstock, wrote a while back, which lays out the pitfalls of being a musician. I find it particularly ironic that in an area that is known worldwide for music, there’s almost nowhere to play, and it’s almost impossible to make any money at it. This letter was written about our local situation, but it’s the same almost everywhere, especially in this country. Why is it that Europeans, Asians, and South Americans appreciate and support American music more than we do here at home? I mean, what’s up with that? It’s pitiful! Well people, you know what they say, use it or lose it! Here’s the letter:
I got an email from someone last week in advance of a show I was doing this past Saturday night at the Colony. He was expressing his disappointment that he wouldn't be able to be at the show and wished me luck. The last phrase of his emailsaid: "Have fun and make a lot of money." "Hah," I thought to myself, "wouldn't that be something?" It wasn't the fun part I was chuckling about; it was the making lots of money part. I spent a lot of time that day thinking about the fact that most people don't know how musicians make a living, so I thought I'd take a minute and use Saturday night's show - a success, I think, both musically and attendance wise - as an example.
Here goes: My concert at the Colony had a $10 ticket attached to it. 60 people paid to get in, which equals $600. Great.! Off the top, the Colony pays the person who takes tickets $20, which leaves $580. Then the Colony and I split the rest: $290 for them (to cover the mortgage, heat, staff etc) $290 for me. My $290 covered $75 for my pianist (underpaid in my opinion, but the best I. could do); $50 for my assistant (who sells CDs, does sound, helps me load and unload my gear and drives two hours each way to do so also underpaid); and, finally, $175 for the ad that I put in.Wood9tockTimes. My pay? A loss of $30. We musicians call it "paying to play." I did sell a lot of CDs - $260 worth, so that's good, but here's the catch: investors own my records, so for everyone that I sell, I send them $10. I sold 22 CDs, so I'll send the five people who gave me the money to make those CDs $220. That means that I made $40 on CD sales. But I lost $30 on the income from the door, so in the end, I made $10 at my show on Saturday night. It used to be that I lost a lot of money at my shows, so at least it's getting better year after year. This is why it is so important for you to go out and support the musicians that you love. Your dollars at the door make it possible, literally, for them to keep doing what they're doing. The math that I've just described is typical for me at a local gig. The only time I do much better is when another musician hires me and I'm guaranteed a fee for showing up and singing what they've asked me to sing. In that scenario, the other artist is taking the same risk that I took Saturday night. It's a game that we all play, and I for one, am willing to do it over and over again because I love what I do and because I feel strongly that it's what I'm on this earth to do. There's another side of the story, too, which I won't go into here, but that's the story of how much it costs to make a recording in the first place. If you're interested in that, I've written an article about it that's posted on my web site. You'll find it at barscott.com under the "Articles that Bar Has Written" link on the home page. '
Thank you everybody, for making my musical life possible.
Bar Scott, Woodstock, NY
I welcome your thoughts and feedback on this situation. You can write to me c/o The Townsman, or at my email address, reservoirmusic@gmail.com
Here’s this week’s live music picks:
Thursday, Feb. 17 – THE DON AND BUNK SHOW featuring DON PRESTON and BUNK GARDNER, original members of THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION @ The Bearsville Theater – This should be a real treat. Frank Zappa’s gone, but fortunately, some people are still carrying the torch, and who better than these two, who were there at the beginning, and stayed along for the ride through the glory years. Zappa was a one of a kind original, and Don Preston and Bunk Gardner are two of a couple dozen people in the world who know how to play his music properly.
Saturday, Feb. 19 – Another cool show at The Bearsville Theater. It’s THE BIG TAKEOVER’S CD Release Party. For those of you who haven’t heard this band, they’re an authentic reggae band from right here in the Hudson Valley, except for their female lead singer, who’s originally from Jamaica, hence the descriptive word “authentic”. Opening acts are Royal Khaos and local Onteora High School heroes, The Paper Planets.
Saturday, Feb. 19 – For anybody who’s going to be in the Capital region, TREY ANASTASIO from PHISH brings his solo project into the Palace Theater in Albany. For Phish fans, this is a can’t miss. For anybody else, it’s hit or miss, but overall, probably more hit than miss, and there’s a pretty good possibility that some amazing music will be made along the way.
Sunday, Feb. 20 – THE JOHNNY MONSTER BAND returns to The Bearsville Theater. I haven’t heard these guys myself, but they opened for Johnny Winter last week, and from all reports, practically stole the show, so this is probably worth the price of admission, and on a Sunday night in Woodstock, it’s the only show in town.
Have a great week.
I got an email from someone last week in advance of a show I was doing this past Saturday night at the Colony. He was expressing his disappointment that he wouldn't be able to be at the show and wished me luck. The last phrase of his emailsaid: "Have fun and make a lot of money." "Hah," I thought to myself, "wouldn't that be something?" It wasn't the fun part I was chuckling about; it was the making lots of money part. I spent a lot of time that day thinking about the fact that most people don't know how musicians make a living, so I thought I'd take a minute and use Saturday night's show - a success, I think, both musically and attendance wise - as an example.
Here goes: My concert at the Colony had a $10 ticket attached to it. 60 people paid to get in, which equals $600. Great.! Off the top, the Colony pays the person who takes tickets $20, which leaves $580. Then the Colony and I split the rest: $290 for them (to cover the mortgage, heat, staff etc) $290 for me. My $290 covered $75 for my pianist (underpaid in my opinion, but the best I. could do); $50 for my assistant (who sells CDs, does sound, helps me load and unload my gear and drives two hours each way to do so also underpaid); and, finally, $175 for the ad that I put in.Wood9tockTimes. My pay? A loss of $30. We musicians call it "paying to play." I did sell a lot of CDs - $260 worth, so that's good, but here's the catch: investors own my records, so for everyone that I sell, I send them $10. I sold 22 CDs, so I'll send the five people who gave me the money to make those CDs $220. That means that I made $40 on CD sales. But I lost $30 on the income from the door, so in the end, I made $10 at my show on Saturday night. It used to be that I lost a lot of money at my shows, so at least it's getting better year after year. This is why it is so important for you to go out and support the musicians that you love. Your dollars at the door make it possible, literally, for them to keep doing what they're doing. The math that I've just described is typical for me at a local gig. The only time I do much better is when another musician hires me and I'm guaranteed a fee for showing up and singing what they've asked me to sing. In that scenario, the other artist is taking the same risk that I took Saturday night. It's a game that we all play, and I for one, am willing to do it over and over again because I love what I do and because I feel strongly that it's what I'm on this earth to do. There's another side of the story, too, which I won't go into here, but that's the story of how much it costs to make a recording in the first place. If you're interested in that, I've written an article about it that's posted on my web site. You'll find it at barscott.com under the "Articles that Bar Has Written" link on the home page. '
Thank you everybody, for making my musical life possible.
Bar Scott, Woodstock, NY
I welcome your thoughts and feedback on this situation. You can write to me c/o The Townsman, or at my email address, reservoirmusic@gmail.com
Here’s this week’s live music picks:
Thursday, Feb. 17 – THE DON AND BUNK SHOW featuring DON PRESTON and BUNK GARDNER, original members of THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION @ The Bearsville Theater – This should be a real treat. Frank Zappa’s gone, but fortunately, some people are still carrying the torch, and who better than these two, who were there at the beginning, and stayed along for the ride through the glory years. Zappa was a one of a kind original, and Don Preston and Bunk Gardner are two of a couple dozen people in the world who know how to play his music properly.
Saturday, Feb. 19 – Another cool show at The Bearsville Theater. It’s THE BIG TAKEOVER’S CD Release Party. For those of you who haven’t heard this band, they’re an authentic reggae band from right here in the Hudson Valley, except for their female lead singer, who’s originally from Jamaica, hence the descriptive word “authentic”. Opening acts are Royal Khaos and local Onteora High School heroes, The Paper Planets.
Saturday, Feb. 19 – For anybody who’s going to be in the Capital region, TREY ANASTASIO from PHISH brings his solo project into the Palace Theater in Albany. For Phish fans, this is a can’t miss. For anybody else, it’s hit or miss, but overall, probably more hit than miss, and there’s a pretty good possibility that some amazing music will be made along the way.
Sunday, Feb. 20 – THE JOHNNY MONSTER BAND returns to The Bearsville Theater. I haven’t heard these guys myself, but they opened for Johnny Winter last week, and from all reports, practically stole the show, so this is probably worth the price of admission, and on a Sunday night in Woodstock, it’s the only show in town.
Have a great week.
- Published on
Hello again my loyal and faithful readers. I hope you’ve all had a great week and kept warm. I don’t know about you, but I know exactly how many days there are until Spring. Until then, stay warm and try to get out once in a while to support live music.
I was looking through some old newspapers before I converted them to packing materials recently, and I came across a letter written by a fairly successful local musician that outlined the financial pitfalls of being a musician who plays out locally, or anywhere. I don’t think too many non-musicians ever really thought about what goes into making live music happen, or how much time, effort, work, and money the artist puts into it before it’s displayed to the world, so I’m going to make this letter the whole of my column in a few weeks. Trust me, there’s a lot more to it then you think.
Conspicuous in it’s absence from my live music picks has been one of the best musical events in our area, or anywhere, for that matter. I’m talking about Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble, and the reason I have not mentioned them is that the price is out of range for most locals, BUT – I must say that even though the ticket price is high, all music fans should experience a Midnight Ramble at least once. I know nobody has any extra money right now, but when you do, do yourself a favor and attend a Midnight Ramble. There’s always a great opening band or two, but the main attraction is The Levon Helm Band itself. Stellar musicians all, but special mention must be made of musical director, Larry Campbell, a 5 year veteran of Bob Dylan’s Band, Phil Lesh and Friends, and producer of the most recent album by Jorma Kaukonen, as well as the co-producer of the last two Grammy winning Levon Helm CD’s, “Dirt Farmer” and Electric Dirt”. Larry is also on board to produce the next Hot Tuna CD, and I haven’t even scratched the surface! Google him if you want more. One of the best all-around musicians anywhere, Larry plays just about every stringed instrument known to man: guitar, fiddle, mandolin, lap and pedal steel guitars, banjo, and probably a few that I don’t know about. Just to give you an idea, when Larry quit Bob Dylan’s Band, Bob had to replace him with 3 people! The amazing thing is that Larry plays each of those instruments better than most people who have devoted their lives to mastering only one of them, and, he’s completely self taught! Never had a lesson in his life! Add to Larry and Levon’s talents the soaring, angelic voices of Larry’s wife, Teresa Williams, and Levon’s daughter, Amy Helm, The scorching guitar of Jimmy Weider, who’s good enough to be the number one guitar player in any other band, the amazing horn section, the piano of Brian Mitchell (and sometime guest, Donald Fagen of Steely Dan), and you’ve got yourself one of the best bands on the planet! Plus the Rambles take place in Levon’s home, in his studio known as The Barn, so guests are in for an intimate treat that just can’t be found at any commercial concert for any price! Let’s put it this way – one of my friends paid $290.00 apiece for nosebleed seats for Eric Clapton and Stevie Winwood at Madison Square Garden, and those weren’t scalper’s prices. That was the actual ticket price. In comparison, the Rambles are a bargain! And to anyone who offers the argument that Clapton is a bigger star than Levon, let me remind you that “Music From Big Pink” changed Clapton’s life, eventually bringing him to Woodstock, where he wanted to join The Band! So, think again, loyal readers. Do it at least once. A splendid time is guaranteed for all! More Ramble info at www.levonhelm.com.
This week’s live music picks –
Friday, Feb. 11 – NINA VIOLET at Market Market in Rosendale. Nina is a quirky, fun artist who usually performs by herself with electric guitar accompaniment, which is kind of unusual, and Nina is an unusual, but very talented musician, singer, and songwriter.
Friday, Feb. 11 – For those of you on the other side of the river, BIG JOE FITZ’S BLUES PARTY pulls into The Rhinecliff Hotel for the night. Big Joe is known for his blues radio show on WDST, 101.1 on the FM dial, every Sunday night at 10 o’clock, immediately following the only great radio show left on the planet, Little Steven’s Underground Garage.
Saturday, Feb. 12 – SYD STRAW at The Bearsville Theater. Syd has been around forever on the periphery of my musical vision, always playing with world class musicians. The only record I ever had of hers was The Golden Palominos, which was pretty good, and featured the talents of Michael Stipe, Richard Thompson, Jack Bruce, Matthew Sweet, and T-Bone Burnett. The band she’s bringing to The Bearsville Theater is no exception, featuring Eric ‘Roscoe’ Ambel (Del-Lords, Steve Earle, The Yayhoos), Francis X (Gang of Four, B-52’s), and the guitar player from Yo La Tengo.
Saturday, Feb.12 – GARLAND JEFFRIES at The Falcon in Marlboro. Listen, it’s a short drive, but worth it. I’ve heard the place is beautiful and they don’t even charge a cover. Instead, it’s by donation. The Falcon needs to be supported, and Garland Jeffries is a great way to do it. Best known for his anthemic hit, “Wild in the Streets”, Garland is an old school rocker who is making a rare appearance in our area. DON’T MISS IT!
Saturday, Feb, 12 – THE BALL AND CHAIN REVUE, featuring 3 great bands which all feature husbands and wives performing together, at one of my favorite venues, Club Helsinki in Hudson. The B&C Revue consists of The Jack Grace Band, Vicious Country, and The Five Points Band. Jack Grace fronts the rockinest drinkin’ and carousing country rock n roll band around, and The 5 Points Band are known as The Addams Family of Woodstock. I haven’t heard Vicious Country, but the band features Popa Chubby and his wife Galea, so it’s definitely gonna be rockin’.
Monday, Feb. 14 – ROBERT GORDON at The Turning Point in Piermont. Robert is the foremost proponent of authentic Rockabilly music on the East Coast. I used to see him every other week at the old Lone Star Café in Manhattan, and he never disappointed! His bands back then included Link Wray, Chris Spedding, Rob Stoner, Howie Wyeth, and the late, lamented, Danny Gatton. If you don’t know who those people are, Google them and you’ll see what kind of talent Robert brings to the stage. Worth the drive!
It’s hard to pick just one show for this week’s Pick of the Week, but if I had to, it would be the Ball and Chain Revue, which should just be a lot of fun, and has been described as “like juggling, while on fire and driving through a snowstorm, but funnier”. Of course, you can’t go wrong with Syd, Garland, or Robert, either, so, have fun, and enjoy your week.
I was looking through some old newspapers before I converted them to packing materials recently, and I came across a letter written by a fairly successful local musician that outlined the financial pitfalls of being a musician who plays out locally, or anywhere. I don’t think too many non-musicians ever really thought about what goes into making live music happen, or how much time, effort, work, and money the artist puts into it before it’s displayed to the world, so I’m going to make this letter the whole of my column in a few weeks. Trust me, there’s a lot more to it then you think.
Conspicuous in it’s absence from my live music picks has been one of the best musical events in our area, or anywhere, for that matter. I’m talking about Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble, and the reason I have not mentioned them is that the price is out of range for most locals, BUT – I must say that even though the ticket price is high, all music fans should experience a Midnight Ramble at least once. I know nobody has any extra money right now, but when you do, do yourself a favor and attend a Midnight Ramble. There’s always a great opening band or two, but the main attraction is The Levon Helm Band itself. Stellar musicians all, but special mention must be made of musical director, Larry Campbell, a 5 year veteran of Bob Dylan’s Band, Phil Lesh and Friends, and producer of the most recent album by Jorma Kaukonen, as well as the co-producer of the last two Grammy winning Levon Helm CD’s, “Dirt Farmer” and Electric Dirt”. Larry is also on board to produce the next Hot Tuna CD, and I haven’t even scratched the surface! Google him if you want more. One of the best all-around musicians anywhere, Larry plays just about every stringed instrument known to man: guitar, fiddle, mandolin, lap and pedal steel guitars, banjo, and probably a few that I don’t know about. Just to give you an idea, when Larry quit Bob Dylan’s Band, Bob had to replace him with 3 people! The amazing thing is that Larry plays each of those instruments better than most people who have devoted their lives to mastering only one of them, and, he’s completely self taught! Never had a lesson in his life! Add to Larry and Levon’s talents the soaring, angelic voices of Larry’s wife, Teresa Williams, and Levon’s daughter, Amy Helm, The scorching guitar of Jimmy Weider, who’s good enough to be the number one guitar player in any other band, the amazing horn section, the piano of Brian Mitchell (and sometime guest, Donald Fagen of Steely Dan), and you’ve got yourself one of the best bands on the planet! Plus the Rambles take place in Levon’s home, in his studio known as The Barn, so guests are in for an intimate treat that just can’t be found at any commercial concert for any price! Let’s put it this way – one of my friends paid $290.00 apiece for nosebleed seats for Eric Clapton and Stevie Winwood at Madison Square Garden, and those weren’t scalper’s prices. That was the actual ticket price. In comparison, the Rambles are a bargain! And to anyone who offers the argument that Clapton is a bigger star than Levon, let me remind you that “Music From Big Pink” changed Clapton’s life, eventually bringing him to Woodstock, where he wanted to join The Band! So, think again, loyal readers. Do it at least once. A splendid time is guaranteed for all! More Ramble info at www.levonhelm.com.
This week’s live music picks –
Friday, Feb. 11 – NINA VIOLET at Market Market in Rosendale. Nina is a quirky, fun artist who usually performs by herself with electric guitar accompaniment, which is kind of unusual, and Nina is an unusual, but very talented musician, singer, and songwriter.
Friday, Feb. 11 – For those of you on the other side of the river, BIG JOE FITZ’S BLUES PARTY pulls into The Rhinecliff Hotel for the night. Big Joe is known for his blues radio show on WDST, 101.1 on the FM dial, every Sunday night at 10 o’clock, immediately following the only great radio show left on the planet, Little Steven’s Underground Garage.
Saturday, Feb. 12 – SYD STRAW at The Bearsville Theater. Syd has been around forever on the periphery of my musical vision, always playing with world class musicians. The only record I ever had of hers was The Golden Palominos, which was pretty good, and featured the talents of Michael Stipe, Richard Thompson, Jack Bruce, Matthew Sweet, and T-Bone Burnett. The band she’s bringing to The Bearsville Theater is no exception, featuring Eric ‘Roscoe’ Ambel (Del-Lords, Steve Earle, The Yayhoos), Francis X (Gang of Four, B-52’s), and the guitar player from Yo La Tengo.
Saturday, Feb.12 – GARLAND JEFFRIES at The Falcon in Marlboro. Listen, it’s a short drive, but worth it. I’ve heard the place is beautiful and they don’t even charge a cover. Instead, it’s by donation. The Falcon needs to be supported, and Garland Jeffries is a great way to do it. Best known for his anthemic hit, “Wild in the Streets”, Garland is an old school rocker who is making a rare appearance in our area. DON’T MISS IT!
Saturday, Feb, 12 – THE BALL AND CHAIN REVUE, featuring 3 great bands which all feature husbands and wives performing together, at one of my favorite venues, Club Helsinki in Hudson. The B&C Revue consists of The Jack Grace Band, Vicious Country, and The Five Points Band. Jack Grace fronts the rockinest drinkin’ and carousing country rock n roll band around, and The 5 Points Band are known as The Addams Family of Woodstock. I haven’t heard Vicious Country, but the band features Popa Chubby and his wife Galea, so it’s definitely gonna be rockin’.
Monday, Feb. 14 – ROBERT GORDON at The Turning Point in Piermont. Robert is the foremost proponent of authentic Rockabilly music on the East Coast. I used to see him every other week at the old Lone Star Café in Manhattan, and he never disappointed! His bands back then included Link Wray, Chris Spedding, Rob Stoner, Howie Wyeth, and the late, lamented, Danny Gatton. If you don’t know who those people are, Google them and you’ll see what kind of talent Robert brings to the stage. Worth the drive!
It’s hard to pick just one show for this week’s Pick of the Week, but if I had to, it would be the Ball and Chain Revue, which should just be a lot of fun, and has been described as “like juggling, while on fire and driving through a snowstorm, but funnier”. Of course, you can’t go wrong with Syd, Garland, or Robert, either, so, have fun, and enjoy your week.
- Published on
Well folks, it’s been a tough weather week, so I hope some of you at least got to go out and hear some live music. There’s some good shows this week too, but we’ll get to that later.
If any musicians are reading this, please allow me to take a moment for some undisguised self promotion. In case anybody reading this doesn’t know, I am the owner of the best, most complete, full service music store in the Hudson Valley, Reservoir Music Center. If anybody’s looking for something unusual that they can’t find at their local cookie cutter music store, please do yourself a favor and stop by Reservoir Music on Route 28 in Shokan. We have a very unusual selection of inventory that you won’t find many other places, from vintage tube amps and vintage Martins, Gibsons, Fenders, and Gretsch’s, to exotic Chinese instruments, Hammond organs, Leslie speakers, vintage Ludwig drums, Deering banjos, Seagull, Blue Ridge, and Taylor guitars, one of a kind prototypes, and rock and roll and movie memorabilia. Plus a large selection of vinyl records. If you can’t find something you like here, you’ll at least have a good time not finding what you’re looking for.
Here’s this week’s recommended musical events.
Friday, Feb. 4 – TODD SNIDER, one of our brightest Americana singer/songwriters, brings his many talents into CLUB HELSINKI in Hudson for what promises to be a great show.
Saturday, Feb. 5 – It must be birthday day, because tonight you can celebrate the birthday of two musical luminaries. At the BEARSVILLE THEATER, 5 reggae bands and assorted revelers will be celebrating the birthday of reggae’s brightest star, BOB MARLEY, and at KEEGAN ALE in Kingston, we have the SECOND ANNUAL JERRY MAROTTA BIRTHDAY BASH. Last year was rockin’, and this year will follow suit. With an all-star band featuring Jimmy Eppard, Pete Levin, Charlie Knicely, Nicole Hart, and of course, Jerry, I think I’m gonna have to call this my PICK of the WEEK. Jerry’s played and recorded with Peter Gabriel, Elvis Costello, Paul McCartney, Hall and Oates, Stevie Nicks, John Mayer, Robbie Robertson, and many more, and the other folks in this band have resumes almost as impressive. A splendid time is guaranteed for all!
Sunday, Feb. 6 – Rounding out the weekend is another great show at CLUB HELSINKI in Hudson. Once local, now internationally famous, 5 time Grammy winning lap steel and dobro player, CINDY CASHDOLLAR, takes the stage with RORY BLOCK, for an astounding evening of musical virtuosity. Cindy’s licks have graced the recordings of Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Jorma Kaukonen, The Band, Ryan Adams, and countless others. Most recently, she’s toured with Dave Alvin of The Blasters in his Guilty Women. Rory Block is no slouch either. The winner of 5 W. C. Handy awards and numerous other honors, she has recorded and performed with everyone from Jorma, Bob Weir, and Mark Knopfler, to Keb Mo, Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, Stevie Wonder, and more. The Blues Foundation calls her “The top female interpreter and authority on traditional country blues worldwide”, The New York Blues and Jazz Society calls her “A national treasure”, and Robert Johnson’s grandchildren say that she should be awarded “A doctorate in their grandfather’s music” and that when she plays, “It is as if their grandfather is here all over again”. You know what, this week we’re gonna have to have two PICK’s of the WEEK! This is too good to not be the pick, but so’s Jerry’s party, so, two picks this week.
Have a great week, and we’ll see you next week in The Townsman.
If any musicians are reading this, please allow me to take a moment for some undisguised self promotion. In case anybody reading this doesn’t know, I am the owner of the best, most complete, full service music store in the Hudson Valley, Reservoir Music Center. If anybody’s looking for something unusual that they can’t find at their local cookie cutter music store, please do yourself a favor and stop by Reservoir Music on Route 28 in Shokan. We have a very unusual selection of inventory that you won’t find many other places, from vintage tube amps and vintage Martins, Gibsons, Fenders, and Gretsch’s, to exotic Chinese instruments, Hammond organs, Leslie speakers, vintage Ludwig drums, Deering banjos, Seagull, Blue Ridge, and Taylor guitars, one of a kind prototypes, and rock and roll and movie memorabilia. Plus a large selection of vinyl records. If you can’t find something you like here, you’ll at least have a good time not finding what you’re looking for.
Here’s this week’s recommended musical events.
Friday, Feb. 4 – TODD SNIDER, one of our brightest Americana singer/songwriters, brings his many talents into CLUB HELSINKI in Hudson for what promises to be a great show.
Saturday, Feb. 5 – It must be birthday day, because tonight you can celebrate the birthday of two musical luminaries. At the BEARSVILLE THEATER, 5 reggae bands and assorted revelers will be celebrating the birthday of reggae’s brightest star, BOB MARLEY, and at KEEGAN ALE in Kingston, we have the SECOND ANNUAL JERRY MAROTTA BIRTHDAY BASH. Last year was rockin’, and this year will follow suit. With an all-star band featuring Jimmy Eppard, Pete Levin, Charlie Knicely, Nicole Hart, and of course, Jerry, I think I’m gonna have to call this my PICK of the WEEK. Jerry’s played and recorded with Peter Gabriel, Elvis Costello, Paul McCartney, Hall and Oates, Stevie Nicks, John Mayer, Robbie Robertson, and many more, and the other folks in this band have resumes almost as impressive. A splendid time is guaranteed for all!
Sunday, Feb. 6 – Rounding out the weekend is another great show at CLUB HELSINKI in Hudson. Once local, now internationally famous, 5 time Grammy winning lap steel and dobro player, CINDY CASHDOLLAR, takes the stage with RORY BLOCK, for an astounding evening of musical virtuosity. Cindy’s licks have graced the recordings of Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Jorma Kaukonen, The Band, Ryan Adams, and countless others. Most recently, she’s toured with Dave Alvin of The Blasters in his Guilty Women. Rory Block is no slouch either. The winner of 5 W. C. Handy awards and numerous other honors, she has recorded and performed with everyone from Jorma, Bob Weir, and Mark Knopfler, to Keb Mo, Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, Stevie Wonder, and more. The Blues Foundation calls her “The top female interpreter and authority on traditional country blues worldwide”, The New York Blues and Jazz Society calls her “A national treasure”, and Robert Johnson’s grandchildren say that she should be awarded “A doctorate in their grandfather’s music” and that when she plays, “It is as if their grandfather is here all over again”. You know what, this week we’re gonna have to have two PICK’s of the WEEK! This is too good to not be the pick, but so’s Jerry’s party, so, two picks this week.
Have a great week, and we’ll see you next week in The Townsman.
- Published on
Welcome to the working week, as Elvis Costello so succinctly put it, oh so many years ago. Was it really 35 years ago when Elvis C. released his first records? Yes, I guess it was. I bought the first British 45’s at Discophile on 8th Street in Manhattan in the summer of 1976, and they immediately blasted me out of my comfort zone. It took 27 years for Elvis Costello and The Attractions to be inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 2 years longer than the minimum 25 years since their first record’s release. This year, The Hall celebrated their 26th anniversary by inducting Neil Diamond, which seems pretty astounding to me, considering that Stevie Ray Vaughn, T Rex, Willie Nelson, The Moody Blues, and Joe Cocker are still waiting for their number to be called. Induction ceremonies for this year’s class, which also includes Alice Cooper, Tom Waits, Leon Russell, Dr. John, Darlene Love, Jac Holzman, founder of Elektra Records, and Art Rupe, founder of Specialty Records, will take place in March at The Waldorf-Astoria in Manhattan. Interestingly enough, Leon Russell is being inducted as a sideman, not for his own body of work.
Last night was The Malibooz and The Doughboys show at The Bearsville Theater, and The Doughboys were quite a surprise. I knew that they were favorites of Little Steven’s Underground Garage, so I should have been prepared for some blasting rock and roll, but the band outdid themselves, performing original songs and well known rock and roll classics from the 50’s and 60’s at an extremely high energy level. Memorable songs included The Yardbirds’ “Over, Under, Sideways, Down”, The Rolling Stones’ “Paint it, Black”, and the best version of Bo Diddley’s “Hey Bo Diddley” that I’ve ever heard, outside of the master himself. Hopefully we can get these boys up here again for their own headlining show.
It’s pretty amazing that in the depths of winter, with snow falling practically every other day and temperatures near zero, we can still manage to have a full week of exciting and uplifting music to entertain us. This week’s recommended shows:
Friday, January 28 – For those of you who will find themselves downstate, BLONDIE CHAPLIN will be making an all too rare appearance at Brooklyn’s Rock Shop. If the name isn’t familiar to you, it should be. Blondie and his brothers and cousin were in a band called The Flame, and were discovered in their native South Africa by another band of brothers and cousins, The Beach Boys. Brought to America as the only outside act to be signed to The Beach Boys’ Brother Records, Blondie later became a member of The Beach Boys, singing lead on “Sail on Sailor” and other songs during that period. In the 80’s, he moved to New York and toured with The Band and Rick Danko’s solo projects. It was during this period that Blondie and I became friends and laughed about the fact that my younger brother sold him his gold top Les Paul during a sojourn in LA in the 70’s for $250.00. That guitar is still Blondie’s main axe! What a bargain, and what an investment! That guitar today is worth around $30,000, and could be worth as much as $90,000. Since we never positively dated it, we can’t be absolutely sure of the value, but that’s still some rate of return! But, I digress. While living in New York, Blondie also put together a solo project called Skollie, with fellow South African expatriates, Keith Lentin and Anton Fig, best known for his long running spot as David Letterman’s drummer. Also in the 80’s, Blondie appeared on the 20th Anniversary Byrds reunion album. Since the Bridges to Babylon Tour in the 1990’s, Blondie has been backing vocalist and occasional guitar player with The Rolling Stones. Impressed yet? If you’re in the city this Friday, drop by The Rock Shop. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Also on Friday, January 28 - An all-star band debuts at The Towne Crier in Pawling. Calling themselves BLUE CHICKEN, half of this band comes from Levon Helm’s band, and the other members are Randy Ciarlante, best drummer in the Hudson Valley, former member of The Band, and current drummer for The Organiks, and Sid McGinnes, guitar player from The David Letterman Show. This show is definitely gonna be worth the drive to Pawling.
Saturday, January 29 – Closer to home, JOHNNY WINTER brings his band into The Bearsville Theater. The man Muddy Waters called his son has been carrying the torch for the blues for years, and is certainly one of the greatest practitioners of the form on electric guitar ever! And why isn’t HE in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Saturday and Sunday, January 29 & 30 – Back to NYC for ROBERT PLANT at The Beacon Theater, no introduction needed for Led Zeppelin’s former singer and frontman, who’s re-entered the charts recently showing a softer side via his albums with Allison Krause and this year’s Band of Joy, one of my favorites of the year. Seriously, if you can make it to the city this weekend, this is my Pick of the Week.
Sunday, January 30 – Americana sweetheart, IRIS DEMENT, brings her most unusual voice into Club Helsinki in Hudson. As I’ve mentioned before, Club Helsinki is the coolest club around, and Iris is one of the most unique vocalists you will ever hear. Highly recommended.
Enjoy your week and stay warm.
Last night was The Malibooz and The Doughboys show at The Bearsville Theater, and The Doughboys were quite a surprise. I knew that they were favorites of Little Steven’s Underground Garage, so I should have been prepared for some blasting rock and roll, but the band outdid themselves, performing original songs and well known rock and roll classics from the 50’s and 60’s at an extremely high energy level. Memorable songs included The Yardbirds’ “Over, Under, Sideways, Down”, The Rolling Stones’ “Paint it, Black”, and the best version of Bo Diddley’s “Hey Bo Diddley” that I’ve ever heard, outside of the master himself. Hopefully we can get these boys up here again for their own headlining show.
It’s pretty amazing that in the depths of winter, with snow falling practically every other day and temperatures near zero, we can still manage to have a full week of exciting and uplifting music to entertain us. This week’s recommended shows:
Friday, January 28 – For those of you who will find themselves downstate, BLONDIE CHAPLIN will be making an all too rare appearance at Brooklyn’s Rock Shop. If the name isn’t familiar to you, it should be. Blondie and his brothers and cousin were in a band called The Flame, and were discovered in their native South Africa by another band of brothers and cousins, The Beach Boys. Brought to America as the only outside act to be signed to The Beach Boys’ Brother Records, Blondie later became a member of The Beach Boys, singing lead on “Sail on Sailor” and other songs during that period. In the 80’s, he moved to New York and toured with The Band and Rick Danko’s solo projects. It was during this period that Blondie and I became friends and laughed about the fact that my younger brother sold him his gold top Les Paul during a sojourn in LA in the 70’s for $250.00. That guitar is still Blondie’s main axe! What a bargain, and what an investment! That guitar today is worth around $30,000, and could be worth as much as $90,000. Since we never positively dated it, we can’t be absolutely sure of the value, but that’s still some rate of return! But, I digress. While living in New York, Blondie also put together a solo project called Skollie, with fellow South African expatriates, Keith Lentin and Anton Fig, best known for his long running spot as David Letterman’s drummer. Also in the 80’s, Blondie appeared on the 20th Anniversary Byrds reunion album. Since the Bridges to Babylon Tour in the 1990’s, Blondie has been backing vocalist and occasional guitar player with The Rolling Stones. Impressed yet? If you’re in the city this Friday, drop by The Rock Shop. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Also on Friday, January 28 - An all-star band debuts at The Towne Crier in Pawling. Calling themselves BLUE CHICKEN, half of this band comes from Levon Helm’s band, and the other members are Randy Ciarlante, best drummer in the Hudson Valley, former member of The Band, and current drummer for The Organiks, and Sid McGinnes, guitar player from The David Letterman Show. This show is definitely gonna be worth the drive to Pawling.
Saturday, January 29 – Closer to home, JOHNNY WINTER brings his band into The Bearsville Theater. The man Muddy Waters called his son has been carrying the torch for the blues for years, and is certainly one of the greatest practitioners of the form on electric guitar ever! And why isn’t HE in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Saturday and Sunday, January 29 & 30 – Back to NYC for ROBERT PLANT at The Beacon Theater, no introduction needed for Led Zeppelin’s former singer and frontman, who’s re-entered the charts recently showing a softer side via his albums with Allison Krause and this year’s Band of Joy, one of my favorites of the year. Seriously, if you can make it to the city this weekend, this is my Pick of the Week.
Sunday, January 30 – Americana sweetheart, IRIS DEMENT, brings her most unusual voice into Club Helsinki in Hudson. As I’ve mentioned before, Club Helsinki is the coolest club around, and Iris is one of the most unique vocalists you will ever hear. Highly recommended.
Enjoy your week and stay warm.
- Published on
I just finished reading Patti Smith’s book, “Just Kids”, which is a great read that I highly recommend to everybody. It’s an autobiography, but focuses mostly on Ms. Smith’s relationship with Robert Mapplethorpe, the artist best known for his homoerotic photographs, but as Ms. Smith makes clear to her readers, he was much more than just that. Their relationship was loving, supportive, and extremely heartfelt. I was moved to tears as I read the closing lines, as apparently was the wife of the late Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC), who upon finding some of Mapplethorpe’s work in a gallery brochure, famously commented, “Lord, Jesse. I don’t believe what I’m seeing!”, thus spearheading Helms’ efforts to have a Mapplethorpe gallery tour cancelled and federal funding to the National Endowment for the Arts withdrawn, roughly twenty years ago, about a year before Mapplethorpe died of AIDS related complications.
The chronicle of Patti’s life from suburban kid to internationally known poet, artist, and rock star is quite interesting and never boring. She mingles with all sorts of people, from rock stars to royalty, and always manages to stay true to herself. I saw a bit of myself in her, albeit Patti did her dance on a higher level than I’ve managed to achieve, but we both crossed paths with a lot of the same people, which wasn’t hard to do if you were in Manhattan at that time.
I’m not going to give too much away, but there’s a great anecdote in the book about her meeting with Jimi Hendrix, who used to live in this area, and left for the 1969 Woodstock Festival from his house in West Shokan. As Patti relates it, she ran into Jimi shortly after he opened his recording studio, Electric Lady, and Jimi told her his vision for the place. “He dreamed of amassing musicians from all over the world in Woodstock and they would sit in a field in a circle and play and play. It didn’t matter what key or tempo or what melody, they would keep on playing through their discordance until they found a common language. Eventually they would record this abstract universal language of music in his new studio.”
“The language of peace. You dig?” “I did”, said Patti.
This is only one of the many fascinating stories she tells in this excellent, well written autobiographical tome. The pages are littered with the people who were part of her life: Janis Joplin, Bobby Neuwirth (another former area resident), Allen Ginsburg, Johnny Winter and his manager, Steve Paul, Andy Warhol, Jim Carroll, Lenny Kaye, CBGB’s and the bands who started there in the ‘ 70s, plus artists, fashion designers, museum curators, and just plain folks. Just kids, as Ms. Smith says. READ IT!
I finished the book in the morning, and as I was headed in to my store to open up, I was looking forward to writing about it. When I got to the store, I immediately switched on the radio, as I do every day, and what should be playing but Patti’s version of “Gloria”, the only other version besides the original Van Morrison recording that matters. This has always been one of my favorite Patti Smith tracks, probably THE best thing she ever did besides the amazing “Ask the Angels” from Radio Ethiopia. She puts a really cool spin on the song, and makes it her own. As I listened again, and after reading her book, I realized that the beginning, when she sings about, “leaning on the parking meter” was probably written about Mapplethorpe. There’s actually a part in the book when Robert is waiting for her outside of some event that they could only afford one ticket to, where he is described as leaning on the parking meter and smoking a cigarette. Anyway, I thought it was cool that the song was playing as I prepared to write this column.
Recommended live music events for this week:
TONIGHT! January 20 – The Malibooz with Walter (“Magnet and Steel”) Egan, with special guests, The Doughboys, (3 time winner of Little Steven’s Underground Garage Coolest Song of the Week and #3 Coolest Song of the Year) – Bearsville Theater
Friday, January 21 – David Sancious (former keyboardist and guitarist with Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Sting, Peter Gabriel) – Bearsville Theater
Saturday, January 22 – Eilen Jewell – Club Helsinki, Hudson, NY – Eilen is the best kept secret on the music scene. Great songs, vocals, and band. Her guitar player Jerry Miller is world class, as is Club Helsinki, and Eilen herself. Club Helsinki is housed in a beautiful 19th century building, is the best club in our area, and deserves your support.
Sunday, January 23 – Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings (This is the band that Amy Winehouse used for her multi-platinum album, “Back to Black”, and one of the finest soul bands operating today. Catch them if you can!) – UPAC
Tuesday, January 25 – Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt – The Egg, Albany. John Hiatt is an American treasure, and one of our absolutely best songwriters, and, HE ROCKS! Lyle Lovett is Lyle Lovett. Everybody knows who he is. He’s Julia Roberts’ ex.
See you next week.
The chronicle of Patti’s life from suburban kid to internationally known poet, artist, and rock star is quite interesting and never boring. She mingles with all sorts of people, from rock stars to royalty, and always manages to stay true to herself. I saw a bit of myself in her, albeit Patti did her dance on a higher level than I’ve managed to achieve, but we both crossed paths with a lot of the same people, which wasn’t hard to do if you were in Manhattan at that time.
I’m not going to give too much away, but there’s a great anecdote in the book about her meeting with Jimi Hendrix, who used to live in this area, and left for the 1969 Woodstock Festival from his house in West Shokan. As Patti relates it, she ran into Jimi shortly after he opened his recording studio, Electric Lady, and Jimi told her his vision for the place. “He dreamed of amassing musicians from all over the world in Woodstock and they would sit in a field in a circle and play and play. It didn’t matter what key or tempo or what melody, they would keep on playing through their discordance until they found a common language. Eventually they would record this abstract universal language of music in his new studio.”
“The language of peace. You dig?” “I did”, said Patti.
This is only one of the many fascinating stories she tells in this excellent, well written autobiographical tome. The pages are littered with the people who were part of her life: Janis Joplin, Bobby Neuwirth (another former area resident), Allen Ginsburg, Johnny Winter and his manager, Steve Paul, Andy Warhol, Jim Carroll, Lenny Kaye, CBGB’s and the bands who started there in the ‘ 70s, plus artists, fashion designers, museum curators, and just plain folks. Just kids, as Ms. Smith says. READ IT!
I finished the book in the morning, and as I was headed in to my store to open up, I was looking forward to writing about it. When I got to the store, I immediately switched on the radio, as I do every day, and what should be playing but Patti’s version of “Gloria”, the only other version besides the original Van Morrison recording that matters. This has always been one of my favorite Patti Smith tracks, probably THE best thing she ever did besides the amazing “Ask the Angels” from Radio Ethiopia. She puts a really cool spin on the song, and makes it her own. As I listened again, and after reading her book, I realized that the beginning, when she sings about, “leaning on the parking meter” was probably written about Mapplethorpe. There’s actually a part in the book when Robert is waiting for her outside of some event that they could only afford one ticket to, where he is described as leaning on the parking meter and smoking a cigarette. Anyway, I thought it was cool that the song was playing as I prepared to write this column.
Recommended live music events for this week:
TONIGHT! January 20 – The Malibooz with Walter (“Magnet and Steel”) Egan, with special guests, The Doughboys, (3 time winner of Little Steven’s Underground Garage Coolest Song of the Week and #3 Coolest Song of the Year) – Bearsville Theater
Friday, January 21 – David Sancious (former keyboardist and guitarist with Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Sting, Peter Gabriel) – Bearsville Theater
Saturday, January 22 – Eilen Jewell – Club Helsinki, Hudson, NY – Eilen is the best kept secret on the music scene. Great songs, vocals, and band. Her guitar player Jerry Miller is world class, as is Club Helsinki, and Eilen herself. Club Helsinki is housed in a beautiful 19th century building, is the best club in our area, and deserves your support.
Sunday, January 23 – Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings (This is the band that Amy Winehouse used for her multi-platinum album, “Back to Black”, and one of the finest soul bands operating today. Catch them if you can!) – UPAC
Tuesday, January 25 – Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt – The Egg, Albany. John Hiatt is an American treasure, and one of our absolutely best songwriters, and, HE ROCKS! Lyle Lovett is Lyle Lovett. Everybody knows who he is. He’s Julia Roberts’ ex.
See you next week.
- Published on
Hi folks. Happy New Year and welcome to my second column for The Townsman. Being as I’m still new to this column writing stuff, I’m just now getting the knack of writing a week ahead to meet deadlines. As a result, there were some happening shows and events last weekend that I neglected to include in last week’s column, most notably, the Gregg Allman Band at UPAC Saturday night and Patti Rothberg at Harmony Woodstock on Friday night. Sorry about that oversight. I’ll try to do better in the future and make sure that nothing worthwhile goes unmentioned in this column, so you can do one stop shopping for your live music needs, right here.
On that note, there’s a couple of shows coming up at The Bearsville Theater that should be pretty great. The first one is this Saturday, January 15. It’s the opening night of a new series at the theater that will be a tribute to artists whose body of work have influenced the music scene from the 50’s to the present, with no regard for genre. As the theater puts it in their description, “from Muddy Waters to Roger Waters, Haggard to Jagger, Warren Z to Jay Z.” Opening night will be a tribute to the great Warren Zevon, with a house band consisting of A list Woodstock musicians and special guests. With a low ticket price of $10.00, this is an event not to be missed.
Following up on the next Thursday, January 20, is the Woodstock debut of a couple of great bands from California and New York City, The Malibooz and The Doughboys. The Malibooz is primarily a surf band that has been together for 40 years, since the members were in high school together, but their latest CD is a tribute to the British Invasion of the 1960’s that was spearheaded by The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and The Dave Clark Five, amongst others. They went to the world famous Abbey Road Studios in London to record, and pulled in the likes of Spencer Davis, Donovan, Chad and Jeremy, Tony Hicks of The Hollies, Andrew Loog Oldham, and members of The Troggs and The Shadows as guests. The album is a genuine and authentic tribute to the Malibooz musical influences.
The Malibooz includes Walter Egan, best known for his million selling top ten hit of 1978, “Magnet and Steel”, an American Music Awards nominee for Song of the Year, produced by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Stevie also sang on the record, and, now revealed here for the first time, the song was actually written about Stevie. But that’s only the beginning of Walter’s resume. He has been a member of Spirit, Jackson Browne Band, Linda Ronstadt Band, The Brooklyn Cowboys, and has a long and illustrious solo career. Walter’s partner in The Malibooz, Johhny Zambetti, fronts one of the “top ten LA bands”, according to Music Connection magazine. Together, The Malibooz songs have appeared in over 30 movies and television shows.
Opening for The Malibooz will be New Jersey’s The Doughboys, three time winner of Little Steven’s Underground Garage Coolest Song of the Week, and Number 3 band on Little Steven’s Coolest Song of the Year list.
More information about these and other shows coming up at the Bearsville Theater can be found on their website, www.bearsvilletheater.com.
This just in – Due to Friday’s snowstorm, the Pitchfork Militia show at The Fernwood in Palenville has been re-scheduled for Friday, January 14 at 9 PM. This promises to be a very special performance as the show is dedicated to Pitchfork frontman Peter Head’s close friend, Dennis Lucas, an artist and musician, who passed away just before the New Year. For those of you who couldn’t make it to The Basement on New Year’s Eve, this is your chance to see and hear a great psychobilly band. There’s a reason these guys have such a strong and loyal following. They’re the rockinest band in the Hudson Valley, and The Fernwood is a great place to see them. The place drips with character.
Enjoy your week and keep rockin’.
On that note, there’s a couple of shows coming up at The Bearsville Theater that should be pretty great. The first one is this Saturday, January 15. It’s the opening night of a new series at the theater that will be a tribute to artists whose body of work have influenced the music scene from the 50’s to the present, with no regard for genre. As the theater puts it in their description, “from Muddy Waters to Roger Waters, Haggard to Jagger, Warren Z to Jay Z.” Opening night will be a tribute to the great Warren Zevon, with a house band consisting of A list Woodstock musicians and special guests. With a low ticket price of $10.00, this is an event not to be missed.
Following up on the next Thursday, January 20, is the Woodstock debut of a couple of great bands from California and New York City, The Malibooz and The Doughboys. The Malibooz is primarily a surf band that has been together for 40 years, since the members were in high school together, but their latest CD is a tribute to the British Invasion of the 1960’s that was spearheaded by The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and The Dave Clark Five, amongst others. They went to the world famous Abbey Road Studios in London to record, and pulled in the likes of Spencer Davis, Donovan, Chad and Jeremy, Tony Hicks of The Hollies, Andrew Loog Oldham, and members of The Troggs and The Shadows as guests. The album is a genuine and authentic tribute to the Malibooz musical influences.
The Malibooz includes Walter Egan, best known for his million selling top ten hit of 1978, “Magnet and Steel”, an American Music Awards nominee for Song of the Year, produced by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Stevie also sang on the record, and, now revealed here for the first time, the song was actually written about Stevie. But that’s only the beginning of Walter’s resume. He has been a member of Spirit, Jackson Browne Band, Linda Ronstadt Band, The Brooklyn Cowboys, and has a long and illustrious solo career. Walter’s partner in The Malibooz, Johhny Zambetti, fronts one of the “top ten LA bands”, according to Music Connection magazine. Together, The Malibooz songs have appeared in over 30 movies and television shows.
Opening for The Malibooz will be New Jersey’s The Doughboys, three time winner of Little Steven’s Underground Garage Coolest Song of the Week, and Number 3 band on Little Steven’s Coolest Song of the Year list.
More information about these and other shows coming up at the Bearsville Theater can be found on their website, www.bearsvilletheater.com.
This just in – Due to Friday’s snowstorm, the Pitchfork Militia show at The Fernwood in Palenville has been re-scheduled for Friday, January 14 at 9 PM. This promises to be a very special performance as the show is dedicated to Pitchfork frontman Peter Head’s close friend, Dennis Lucas, an artist and musician, who passed away just before the New Year. For those of you who couldn’t make it to The Basement on New Year’s Eve, this is your chance to see and hear a great psychobilly band. There’s a reason these guys have such a strong and loyal following. They’re the rockinest band in the Hudson Valley, and The Fernwood is a great place to see them. The place drips with character.
Enjoy your week and keep rockin’.