Ellen and a software update

First the picture. My daughter, Jess, got a new tablet for her computer and first up was to finish her drawing of Ellen, our favorite bartender. Ellen works at Largo in L.A. and is a triple threat: 1)She's smart and quick 2) she's pretty and 3) she knows baseball. What else could you ask for from a bartender. :-) And if that isn't enough, she is a photographer. You can check out her pictures at http://www.largo-la.com .

Item number two... New software! I spent the day researching and testing and finally found the right software for pushing the song titles from my stream on to Live365's Player Window. So, if it has been a pain for you to go to my website to see what songs have been played, you don't have to do that any more. Next up will be to make the "Last 20" on my website work without the refresh button.

This Weeks Play List

The Knitters – The Modern Sounds of the Knitters (2005) It was a shock many years ago when the members of X and The Blasters threw down their power chords and did acoustic country covers. As we all get older, it now just seems natural that leaders of these great L.A. bands continue to discover their roots (even if their roots now include some old X tunes). They were surprisingly good 20 plus years ago and even though it isn’t a surprise anymore, this is a really enjoyable CD.

Son Volt – Okemah and the Melody of Riot (2005) Sun Volt has returned. Or at least Jay Farrar and a band. One of the leaders in the alt-country world, Jay Farrar has resurrected his rock and roll side and this CD does indeed rock. It is a great sound, with jangling guitars and country melodies and always a feeling that something special is happening.

Jill Sobule at Largo

Okay, I know what you’re saying to yourselves: What is it with Jill Sobule and Sam Phillips? You’ve seen them a dozen times each in the last year. Why? There are so many other acts out there? The answers are rather simple. With Sam, it is her beautiful songs and voice. I could watch the same show week in and week out. Her kind of beauty, inside and out, is just so rare in popular music. With Jill, you just never know what you are going to get; other than a fun show. And she didn’t disappoint last Tuesday.

At one of Jill’s shows, a few months ago, Jill joked about being diagnosed with A.D.D. With her need to change the shows on a whim, and her being able to link bits of dialog into songs that you wouldn’t imagine in a million years, I have to agree with her doctor. Then there is that whole fidgety thing. Almost from the time we walked in to Largo, Jill was wandering around, with guitar in hand, strumming it and chatting with people. Maybe she was just worried someone was going to steal her guitar (it didn’t look like her usual one… I could be wrong). But I’d like to think that she just had so much nervous energy that she needed something to do with her hands, and the guitar seemed like the best way to relieve it.

Opening the show was Posey Manufacturing, which is Kevin Posey and his dancing (and sometimes singing) sidekick. Now I feel really bad here because I do not remember his name. But this is not a man you forget. He has striking looks: The lines of a David Bowie, with the presence of a young Tim Curry. Add to that the obvious hours at the gym and it doesn’t matter that he has a ballerina outfit on with pasties to cover his nipples; you really have trouble taking your eyes off of him. So, here is how it works… Music and some background vocals are piped in. Its eighties Joy Division with some juicy ballads thrown in to change the pace. The sidekick (God I feel bad for not remembering his name) dances around Kevin and the stage. And Kevin, with his dreamy vocals, sings about boys who’ve f*cked him over. This is performance art as much as it is rock and roll. They are putting together a full show (they usually only perform a 3 or 4 songs) which I look forward to seeing some day. With each of these Largo performances they continue to try out different things. This week they took a page from Jill’s book and had an audience member come up to hold a lyric sheet. Unlike Jill they put a horse harness in his mouth and had him sit on his knees while Kevin grabbed his hair and sang. We were laughing as much as we were enjoying the music. As I’ve stated before, Kevin doesn’t need the “Show”, but this is what he wants to do and it is working.

Jill did a solo show for us; which is just fine for me. The solo shows allow her to do whatever she wants. I told Maria, who had never seen her before that Jill can be very political. So, of course, tonight she wasn’t at all. She brought up Karl Rove a couple of times, but just let the name act as the joke. Her focus seemed to be on her love songs. I think the show may have shifted because of the audience. There were a lot of new fans in the crowd and they laughed A LOT at the songs in the beginning. I’ve never heard the audience laugh so loud during her songs. Its not that they aren’t funny, it is just that we have heard them before. That may have been distracting to Jill and she may have shifted her focus after that. Just a thought. I could be totally wrong. We also got a special performance of “Supermodel” with three women from the audience joining her on stage. Jill said that she usually doesn’t perform it because without the band it sounds like Seals and Crofts. Part way through the song she threw in a bit of “Summer Breeze”, just to make her point. During her encore she did “I kissed a girl” and had Kevin and company come up on stage. He was supposed to sing the chorus (“I kissed a girl”), but had trouble. During the middle of the song Jill says, apologizing to the audience, “I didn’t know he was gay”.

It was a fun night. After the show, I had to double check with Jill on the name of a friend of hers who had gone on to porn, therefore giving Jill the idea for a song. I believe this woman may be a distant relative of mine. LOL

Once again, we have artwork from my daughter Jessie.

This Weeks Play List

Collin Herring – The Other Side of Kindness (2005) Jessica turned me on to this Texas based artist. From the opening chords you realize this ain’t no ordinary CD. A little bit Americana and a lot of Alt Country; this CD rocks. With only 10 tracks (and two of those are instrumentals) this is one of those rare CDs that you wish had more songs on it. The Other Side of Kindness has become an instant favorite. For more info on Collin, you can visit his web site at: http://www.collinherring.com

Brandi Carlilie – Brandi Carlile (2005) We saw Brandi open for Shawn Colvin earlier this year and were impressed. There is a simple beauty in her music, probably coming from her years living in rural Washington State. Her voice isn’t really country and it’s not classic rock either. As I was listening to “What Can I Say”, I thought, maybe she is a female Jeff Buckley. This is a very enjoyable CD; one that is going to grow on me a lot over time. http://www.brandicarlile.net/

The Eyeshadows – Hanging out at Largo, waiting for The Section Quartet to take the stage, I met Tansy, the guitar player for this local band. With a punk pop sound, these ladies are fun to listen to. And so, I thought I’d play a bit for you all. http://www.theeyeshadows.com

John Hiatt – Master of Disaster (2005) How do you review CDs from an artist who has so much talent but may have peaked in the late 80’s? I love everything that John Hiatt has created over the years, and it really isn’t fair to compare his new music to classics like “Bring the Family” and “Slow Turning”. But with every new CD, I hope for a masterpiece. Maybe someday we’ll get another one. Meahwhile, “Master of Disaster” is another good CD from John. Recording with some of the North Mississippi Allstars, this is a very rootsy CD; very acoustic sounding and not as bluesy as some of his recent releases.

Jennifer Corday – Driven (2004) The first time I saw Jen, she was fronting a band called “Corday and the Curious”. This was back when Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge were busting open the male dominated ranks of rock; and Jen fit right in with those women. I was impressed not only with her music, but with her charisma; both on and off the stage. She understood that as a local talent, you had to take care of business off the stage as well. So, after her performance she made the rounds, signing people up to her mailing list and just treating everyone like they were good friends. Over the years, her music has matured and her writing has continued to improve. This CD may be her best with lots of stories about lost love. Although that can lead to a dark CD, there is so much hope and drive, that you never feel like she is wallowing in it. If you’re looking for a good time in The OC, or are involved in an anti-smoking campaign for kids, look Jen up: www.corday.net

The Section Quartet, Sam Phillips and Peter Case at Largo

It was another fun night at Largo Tuesday. One of the things I really love about The Section shows are how they feel more like a party at their house than an official concert. We were the first ones in and Eric and the band are just wandering around. Sam sees us and walks up to us: “Welcome to Largo (shakes hand). May I show you to your seats?” “We don’t have seats tonight Sam. We have to sit at the bar.” “Okay, can show you to your bar seats then?” Or something like that. Then Eric comes over and we chat for awhile. The whole band is working the room chatting with friends old and new.

Up first was Andrew Lynch; I hope I have his name right. He only did a few songs on piano, but impressed the crowd. It would be nice to hear more. Maybe next time.

It was then Eric, Daphne, Lea and Richard’s turn. I can’t remember which songs they performed, but the covers included: Radiohead (of course), Alejandro Escevedo, The Clash, The Muse and Jeff Buckley. After about 15 minutes, they brought Sam up on stage. Sam performed two songs: "Edge of the Word" and Tom Waits “Green Grass”. She has preformed “Green Grass” at virtually every Section show this year. Do you think she likes the song? I know I do. It is a beautiful song and she is perfect for it.

The Section then hammered out another song before bringing up Peter Case. I couldn’t believe it when they decided to do a version of the Plimsouls’ “A Million Miles Away”. And it really worked. It is one of the great songs from the New Wave era. He followed with a song called, “I shook His Hand” from his first solo CD. It included some harmonica solos which worked real well with the quartet behind him.

The Section played a couple more songs and then the evening was over. I’m looking forward to more shows this summer. You can find out more about The Section Quartet by going to their web site: http://www.thesectionquartet.com

Oh, and Jess drew a picture of Daphne during the show. She then re-did it on her computer.

A Sort of Concert Review

One of OC's treasures is Jennifer Corday. She has become a perennial winner at the OC Music Awards and has so much spirit and energy when she plays that it is always a pleasure seeing her; even if the gig calls for 90% covers. She puts her own spin on other people's music and yet makes it recognizable enough for the drunks... I mean patrons in the bar. We saw her in an Irish bar in Newport last weekend and had a blast as usual. About half the evening we sat out in the patio while she played in the bar. This meant that we had a view of her back through the window, but where only 10 feet away. At the end of her first set, she suddenly wheeled around and tossed me a percussion devise of some sort through the window. I became her drum machine for that song. But the highlight of any Corday show is her version of "I Will Survive". She does a very funny rap in the middle about getting over the asshole that left her and improving herself through kickboxing and surgery. At some point she usually mentions getting breast implants. Jennifer is NOT known for being well endowed; so this is really a joke line. She then follows it up with "Small ones". But that night we beat her to it with Jessie, Shannon and I yelling "Small ones" right after she said, "I got breast implants". She threw some obscenity at us and laughed and continued on with the show. Poor Maria had never heard this version of the song before. She thought we were being rude. Jennifer's own material is good and has been getting better with every year. Her song "Pie" made an MTV collection a few years back. Her web site, for those who are interested is http://www.corday.net/ .

This Weeks Play List

Richard Thompson – Live From Austin TX (2005) It’s Richard Thompson. What else needs to be said? This was recorded in 2001 on the Austin City Limits stage with just a trio that includes Michael Jerome on drums and Danny Thompson on upright bass. You don’t get much more energy from a mainly acoustic performance than this. And RT’s guitar playing… He is truly one of the greats.

The Bangles – Doll Revolution (2003) They were an important part of the New Wave era; showing that women could rock and create hits. Today, they may not be as relevant as they once were, but these women, now entering their 40’s, still know how to create or recreate solid songs. Their version of Elvis Costello’s “Doll Revolution” is worth half the price of the CD alone.

They Might Be Giants – Flood (1990) They have always been an interesting oddity that I would happen to hear somewhere and enjoy; but never investigate. Then I saw the documentary on them and just fell in love with everything about them. This is a classic CD with songs like “Birdhouse in your soul” and “Particle Man”. It should be in all serious and not serious collections.

Spottiswoode And His Enemies – Building a Road (2005) In reviews of this CD, more often than not, Tom Waits’ name seems to find it’s way in. Maybe it is because Jonathan Spottiswoode likes to mix things up; throwing in horns where they don’t seem to belong and finding unique ways to tell his stories. All of this is good and surprisingly very accessible. You can find more of this wonderful strangeness at http://www.spottiswoode.com .

Mike Scott – Still Burning (1997/1998) The passionate singer and leader of The Waterboys has released a couple of solo CDs. None have gained much notice in the U.S. I was a late comer to Mike’s work, so I’ll leave it up to the long time Waterboys fans to argue the quality of his recordings. I love them all.

This Weeks Play List

The Soundtrack of our Lives – Origin Vol. 1 (2005) I love this CD. Is there something in the water that gives Swedish rock bands such a great sense of melody? Not that I’m an Abba fan, but when you add two and two… TSOOL has a great sound, with great melodies and solid arrangements. Abba they’re not. And thank God. I’m not sure if there is anyone in English speaking nations that is doing this better. Did I mention that I love this CD?

Maria McKee – Peddlin’ Dreams (2005) There are only moments on this CD where you recall the powerful singer who was supposed to lead rock into that dimension some people called “Cow Punk” (the synergy of punk rock and country music). Those days are long gone and this is a kinder gentler MM. It’s a simply produced CD that lets Maria’s softer singing take center stage.

Crowded House – Together Alone (1995) To call a Crowded House CD a classic is redundant. With songs like Private Universe and Distant Sun, it is hard to call it anything else though.

Toy Matinee – Toy Matinee Special Edition (1990/2001) Talk about great songwriting… I guess I have a theme going, excluding Maria McKee. Crowded House and Toy Matinee are two of the greatest songwriting groups of the last 15 years. And TSOOL isn’t far behind. Toy Matinee was the brainchild of the late Kevin Gilbert and Patrick Leonard. Kevin was the main songwriter behind Sheryl Crow’s first CD. He is one of the unknown greats in the business. The music moves from progressive pop, to just pure pop rock and roll. You have probably heard some of the hits from this CD and didn’t even know who they were. So, enjoy as I spin a few of these masterpieces for you.

Paul Thorn Live at Zoey's

What a stroke of luck. Maria asked me to help her son move into his new apartment in Santa Barbara on Saturday. And that evening Paul Thorn was playing in a little coffee shop in Ventura called Zoey’s. We had once again missed a chance to see Paul in Hollywood on Friday because of Wicked, so finally, after 2 or 3 years of missed opportunities, I wasn’t going to let this one go by: Even though we had driven to Hollywood and back on Friday and now Santa Barbara on Saturday. Even though we didn’t have reservations. Even though I had my daughter Jessie with me and the odds of hearing songs like “Viagra Falls” were good. I wasn’t gonna let Paul leave the Southland without seeing him.

Zoey’s is a very cool little place. If you ever find yourself in Ventura, on Main St. (the main strip), check it out. It is a very small coffee/food shop with seating in the very small courtyard. There is a stairwell at the end of the courtyard (when I say courtyard, think 200 square feet… barely a yard) and up the stairs is a small room that fits 50 people. It is so small that Paul was distracted when the bartender at the far end of the room made our lattes.

So we had dinner downstairs. The place is so casual that Paul stopped by our table and asked us if he could borrow our paper (his friends had deserted him and he wanted to keep busy). After a bit of a scare (“We’re sold out tonight”), we found out there were still a few seats left and after finishing our mini pizza’s (cooked on the bbq) up we went for the concert.

Paul is everything I thought he’d be. His Southern self-deprecating sense of humor is not only part of his music, it is a part of everything he says and does. Almost every song had a story and every story had us rolling off our seats. I love to describe him as a trailer park version of John Hiatt, and his “true” stories about trailer park life are so funny and sad at the same time that you’re almost crying while you’re laughing. People always talk about his wonderful songs, but his voice is soulful, his guitar playing is near perfect, and his verbal timing is absolutely perfect.

Paul did two 45 minute sets. The first focused on his classic “Ain’t Love Strange” CD; maybe one of the best unknown classics available at your local trailer part, oops, I mean record store. In both sets he did songs from throughout his career, including the title track from his first CD, “Hammer and Nail” (a song inspired by his ring battle with Roberto “no mass” Duran).

We all had a great time, with Jessie and Maria walking away with signed CDs.

Wicked

I know, this has nothing to do with The Promise, but I thought I'd share...

The traffic in L.A. is getting ridiculous. I left before 5pm Friday night, picked up my daughter and then my niece, and got to the Pantages just minutes before the start of the show at 8pm. Hmmm, I think I’ve done this rant before. Nevermind.

I absolutely love Wicked. We saw it in New York last summer and I was ready to go back the next night. A year later, the play still has that effect on me. The cast was excellent. We didn’t see the original Glinda in New York, but the current one is easily as good. I thought the actress who played Elphaba wasn’t up to the original, but she did a fine job and hit the big numbers when called for. The head of the school was played by Carol Kane, who I love. She did a great job also.

When we saw the play in New York, we were in the 5^th row. Friday night we were in the second to last under the balcony. I think we may have been too close in New York because I don’t remember the lighting being so spectacular. The sound was also excellent. I was worried being under the balcony, but they found a way to get the sound to us with a minimum of echo. I don’t think there is a bad seat in the house for this show.

So, what is it that makes this play so special? Part of it is the main underlying themes about being different and misunderstood. If you grew up feeling that way, you can’t help but be moved by Wicked. But this isn’t just a serious play. There were plenty of laughs throughout with lots of references to the original Oz (when Elphaba shows up at her sister’s house, her sister asks her what she is doing there and Elphaba says, “There’s no place like home”). For those of you who have read the book, my niece Tracey said that it really didn’t follow it at all, but she loved the play nonetheless.

Wicked plays in L.A. through mid July and then returns to So. Cal at the Performing Arts Center in The OC next summer. I can’t recommend this play enough.

This Weeks Play List

The White Stripes – Get Behind Me Satan (2005) The critics are talking like this is a major leap for the band. All that is really going on is that they have replaced the guitar with a piano as the driving instrument in many of the songs. This isn’t anything amazing, but it is very interesting and they do pull it off. The sound hasn’t really changed otherwise. And don’t get me wrong, I really do like this CD.

Frank Carillo and the Bandoleros – Bad Out There (2004) That middle American rock done so well by people like John Mellencamp and Bob Seger, is alive and well here. The music will keep your foot taping and you’ll probably even find yourself humming along in no time. There isn’t a bad song on this CD. For more info, check out their web site at: http://www.frankcarillo.com .

Porcupine Tree Live at The Grove of Anaheim

Okay, this is a bit late, but… well, I’ve been busy.

I have only listened to the latest Porcupine Tree CD, Deadwing. So for me, much of the music was new. But that didn’t matter. In one of those rare evenings, I found that I loved everything they played. PT is where I believe rock was heading before bands got greedy and/or pretentious (greedy and pretentious at the same time… ouch), and then were deserted by both radio and the fans. In the 70’s this band would have been big. Not that this is a 70’s sound… hmmmm, well maybe. The concept (not the sound) is very similar to the first couple of Kansas CDs: Tight sound, great leads, good melodies, complex but assessable music. The sound is a little bit metal, a little bit rock and roll and a lot of… Ambrosia. Or maybe Toy Matinee. That’s the sound the vocals reminded me of. They weren’t the hard intense metal vocals. That combined with superior songwriting, made it easy to just love everything they played. Steven Wilson (lead singer and main lead guitar) is one talented guy. The rest of the members of the band are no slouches either; highlighted by the intense and tight drumming (perfect mic setup according to my audiophile friend Kim) which drove the band. They are coming back in October and I plan on being there.

There was a lot of joking going around during Robert Fripp’s show. This is because what he does best is create soundscapes. And, that is all he did that night. So, near the end of the first piece, some guy turns around and says to us, “this next part is great”. Of course no one has a clue what the next part is, but it isn’t much different from what he has been playing; at least on the surface (more on that in a minute). Finally Kim turns to the guy sitting next to us and said, “Well, what did you expect” and he said, “Exactly this”. But for those who really listened, each song had a feel and a mood. I was able to visualize possible movies that this would have been the soundtrack to. The first piece was dark and scary. It was like a scene where a person was walking through the house and the killer was behind one of the doors. The tension and anticipation could be heard in the music. Maybe not something to thrill fans with, but still very interesting. The other interesting aspect to his show was that he had apparently split his guitar pickups into two sections sending each to a different box, allowing him to create multiple types of sounds at the same time. When you then layer it using loops, it becomes very impressive. 40 minutes of that was quiet enough though.

I am playing a few songs from Porcupine Tree's, "Deadwing" on The Promise. Check it out.

This Weeks Play List

The Clarks – Between Now and Then (June 21, 2005) The Clarks have been recording for almost 15 years, and it shows. This retrospective, due out next week, is packed with solid rock and roll; full of hooks and great melodies. If I were to try and draw comparisons to another band, it would have to be the Greg Kihn Band. In the 70’s, before they hit it big, the Greg Kihn band was the toast of the San Francisco bay area. Their live shows were legend. You would listen to an album and say, “Why hasn’t this band made it”. That’s where the Clarks are right now. You can check them out at: www.clarksonline.com .

The Wallflowers – Rebel, Sweetheart (2005) Jakob continues to create powerful rock and roll. This CD sounds so comfortable; it is easy to take for granted. But as is the case with all great music, it is driven by good meaningful lyrics and a now very solid band.

Peter Himmelman – From Strength to Strength (1991) I guess this is family week, with Bob’s son and son-in-law added to the list. This is a classic; a very spiritual CD with great melodies.

This Weeks Play List

Before I list the new CDs added to the play list this week, I thought I'd direct you to my quicky review of The Mars Volta live performance at the Greek Theatre this week. Check it out here.

Okay, on with the new music...

Shelby Lynne – Suit Yourself (2005) Some 30 years ago Neil Young walked into the studio, got drunk, turned on the tape machine and recorded the brilliant “Tonight’s The Night”. It was raw, emotional and simply recorded. And ever since then, many an artist has decided that what they need to fill out their discography is to record an album that sounds like a first take in a studio. If I had any doubt that Shelby Lynne was recording one of those CDs, it just took a quick look at the CD, with what appears to be typed labels on both the cover and the actual CD. Okay, so we get the point. This is supposed to be a simple and raw CD. And it is. It’s a beautiful CD too. But then, it is hard with a voice like Shelby’s to go very far wrong. Because there is no big produced hook on this CD, you have to give it a few listens to really fall for it. It’s no “I Am Shelby Lynne” and for that matter it sure isn’t “Tonight’s The Night”, but neverheless,it is a good CD.

Shivaree – Who’s Got Trouble? (2005) Compared to 1999’s “I Oughtta Give You a Shot in the Head for Making Me Live in This Dump”, this CD is downright normal. Okay, I have to admit, I only brought up that CD because it is one of my all time favorite album/CD titles. But seriously, Shivaree may have moved closer to the mainstream with this CD, but they are still a unique band with one of the great unknown vocalists: Ambrosia Parsley. She’s part young girl, part sultry torch singer. For me, her cover of Brian Eno’s “Fat Lady of Limbourg” was worth the price of admission. Check them out at www.shivaree.com .

Spamalot – Original Broadway Cast Recording (2005) What can I say? I’ve been a Monty Python fan most of my life and for one of the boys to win a Tony for best musical… Well, we have to celebrate. They’re not dead yet!

Bonnie Raitt – Give it Up (1972) I have been way behind in getting Bonnie onto my stream. She is one of the great women in rock and roll. This album, her sophomore effort already displays the qualities that have made her famous: Her throaty vocals and classic slide guitar.

Tomorrow Tomorrow

Between the Mars Volta concert on Saturday and the Aids walk on Sunday, I had nothing left by the time it came to getting this weeks set out. But I promise... Tomorrow morning there will be a new set of music. Included in that set will be new music from Shelby Lynne and Shivaree and maybe a bit of Spamalot.

I enjoyed reading all of your comments on Sam Phillips' show. Please feel free to comment on any of my posts.

A Little Sam Phillips at Largo

Annie wrote me the other day and said, “I’m back online after a month.” She then began listing concerts that were coming up (Annie’s concert emails are a great source for live shows). And then she said, “And of course Sam Phillips is playing tomorrow.” WHAT! WHAT?

So I packed my daughter, Jessie, in the car and off we went to see Sam. Actually, it was a David Palmer performance (keyboardist for Joe Henry and others) and Sam was only going to sing a few songs. But with Sam in the studio and working on Gilmore Girls this year, I’m taking every opportunity to see her.

The opening act was Mark Goldenberg, who did some wonderful unaccompanied jazz guitar playing. Then David came on and played some amazing songs; covering a wide range of styles, from Elliot Smith to Sonny Rollins. After about 4 songs, he invited Sam to come up and sing. With just his brilliant improvisational piano behind Sam, we got to see a very different Sam Phillips. Sam likes to call herself a torch singer these days, and who can argue with her. But her band has its own unique sound. With David, Sam had a torch piano player behind her. It gave her songs that real jazz torch singer sound: A sound that she’s only flirted with so far. It was stunning. Okay, Sam is always stunning (especially in Black, which she loves to wear onstage), but this was special. It was the jazz side of Sam, and although they are the same songs she plays with the band, they felt so different.

During the performance, Sam would look back strangely at David. I thought it was because of his improvising of her songs, but actually it was because he was humming with the songs; and not the tune of the song. Sam was surprised by it, but seemed to really love it.

Below is her set list. A highlight continues to be Tom Waits’ “Green Grass” from his latest CD. She owns that song now, as far as I’m concerned. She is talking about possibly recording it. I hope so. It really fits the music she is writing.

1. Say What You Mean
2. Edge of the World
3. Green Grass (written by Tom Waits)
4. Reflecting Light

After Sam left the stage, Eric Gorfain (the lead violin for the Section Quartet) joined David, a drummer and a bongo player and proceeded to perform some classic 60’s/70’s styled improvisational jazz. It was really good. It brought back memories of people like Jean Luc Ponty and Chick Corea, who I used to enjoy in the 70’s. David created these wonderful soundscapes that allowed Eric to soar on top of. I can only imagine how good it would have been if they actually had a sound check.

Okay Sam news. The goal for the next CD is fall, but no guarantees. T-Bone’s new CD has been pushed back because of production assignments, so look for it next year. T-Bone’s live tour will be something you’ll tell your grandkids about. Don’t miss it. Gilmore Girls has been picked up for at least one more, maybe two more years. So Sam has a steady job for now.

This Weeks Play List

Gabrielle – Wide (6/14/2005) Gabrielle is part of the New York scene that includes artists like October Project and Sylvia Tosun (both played here on The Promise). And this new CD, to be released in June includes ex-New Yorkers like Julian Coryell. They want us to believe that she carries the spirit of Joni Mitchell and Peter Gabriel in her music. I’m not sure about Joni, but I do hear Tori Amos and Kate Bush. Some of the music on this CD is wonderfully produced with a “world beat” sound. Other songs are just straight singer/songwriter pieces. It makes for a very interesting experience. Just as you’re getting into this moody Middle Eastern thing, she switches to a life in the biz song. It takes a lot of confidence to go into these two very distinct areas, and Gabrielle pulls it off. Her web site is www.mudmusic.com and you should check out her artwork while you’re there. She is a very talented woman.

pinkeye d’gekko – Dry Clothes for the Drowning (2004) PDG, as they like to shorten the name, plays a lively roots rock and roll. I’m sure their live shows are a blast and you can even invite mom and dad. For touring info and such, go to: www.pdgrocks.com .

John Prine – Fair & Square (2005) One of the great American songwriters puts out his first CD since surviving cancer. His voice may not be what it used to, but the talent is still there.

Keren Ann – Nolita (2005) I saw Keren earlier this year at the Hotel Café and fell in love with her music. This is her new CD which continues her European styled vocalist approach to music. Going back and forth between French and English, I close my eyes and think: Claudine Longet wasn’t this good. Keren can be found at www.kerenann.com .

This Weeks Play List

Cowboy Junkies –Early 21^st Century Blues (2005) I remember the first time I heard the Cowboy Junkies: It was their amazing cover of Lou Reed’s “Sweet Jane”. So it was no surprise to me that I would enjoy this CD of covers. Highlights for me include the two Springsteen covers, “Brothers Under The Bridge” and “You’re Missing”. Other than John Lennon’s “I Don’t Want To Be A Soldier”, which is given a rap section, this is all very Cowboy Junkies music. If you’re a fan, you will love this side excursion.

Loudon Wainwright III – Here Come The Choppers! (2005) What a fun CD this is. Where do I start? There is a fantastic song called “Make Your Mother Mad” about how daughters will side with their fathers in a divorce just to piss off mom. Has anyone ever covered this before? I loved it. “Half Fist” is a wonderful tale about Loudon Wainwright the first. I haven’t quite figured out what the idea behind visiting Hank Williams grave the day Mr. Rogers died in “Hank & Fred”, but it makes for fun discussion. And I laughed and related to “My Biggest Fan”, which is self explanatory. The title track is a surreal image that most of us who have lived in Los Angeles can easily picture. If you’ve been down the Miracle Mile, you will love this song. I love this CD. Great home spun songs. He is a superior writer showing off his craft.

Myshkin’s Ruby Warblers – Corvidae (2004) This is strange and wonderful CD. It’s bluesy and yet not at all predictable. It’s an indie release that deserves some attention. You can find them at http://www.myshkinsrubywarblers.com .

Dave Potts – One Night In The South (2003) His voice reminds me of Marc Douglas Berardo, an indie favorite here at The Promise. His folkish songs about the south are engrossing and grabbed me immediately. You can find out more about Dave at http://www.davepotts.com

Martyn Joseph – Whoever it was that brought me here will have to take me home (2004) This CD, actually released in 2003, continues his tradition of great songwriting. It is maybe the best written CD of this week’s additions. It’s that good. Find out more at http://www.appleseedrec.com .

Aimee Mann – The Forgotten Arm (2005) This is a theme CD about addicts and alcoholism and all the pain that follows them and the people around them. It is not a happy CD and is one that asks to be taken seriously. Nevertheless, it is classic Aimee Mann: The departure is only in the constant theme. You’ve got to give credit to Aimee, who is a borderline indie artist, to release a risky CD like this. It will pay off for those who listen to it.

Porcupine Tree – Deadwing (2005) Okay, so once in awhile I need to slip a progressive rock CD in here. There are a couple of songs that fit into The Promise’s play list. If you are into prog rock, this is a not miss CD.

Lene Lovich – Lucky Number The Best of (2004) There used to be a story I loved to tell that described me. It was many many years ago and I was in a record store (no CDs yet) returning a Lene Lovich album. I had gotten it as a gift and asked the clerk if I could return it and get something else. He smiled and said, “Sure, you don’t look like a Lene Lovich fan anyway”. And I said, “Well, actually, I already have it”. I loved the idea that people couldn’t read me: That they couldn’t see that I loved this hip/strange music coming from England. Today, listening to this best of CD it seems so much tamer than 25 years ago. And me? I wish people understood me just a bit better.

Not This Week

Some of you may have noticed that the play list went down over the weekend. Well, that was part of a bigger problem that I spent Sunday night on. We moved our web/mail server to a data center because of a problem with SBC. That coupled with the fact that I'm headed out to St. Louis this morning means that there will be no new set this week. The good news is that there will be lots of new old stuff to listen to. I always overbuild my play list for times like this. This extra section is always filled with lots of older sets that you may not have heard. So, please stay tuned.

Next week, I promise (a little pun there), lots of new music including: Aimee Mann's latest, "The Forgotten Arm", last years release of Martyn Joseph's "Whoever it was that brought me here will have to take me home", maybe a bit of Porcupine Tree, plus indie artists Dave Potts and Myshkin's Ruby Warblers (gotta love that name). And then there is the stuff I haven't even listened to yet!

Shawn Colvin Live at the Coach House

“I hope you like women with guitars” said Brook Ramel part way through her set last night. Luckily we do, ‘cause that is what we got. Brook, along with Brandi Carlisle gave excellent performances; but the night belonged to Shawn, who hasn’t been to Southern California in a few years. “When was I last here?” Shawn asked. “A couple of years ago. You went to Disneyland”, I said (notice I didn’t say yelled? You don’t need to yell when you are within speaking distance ::::big grin:::: ). “I went to Disneyland? Oh yeah I did. Well my daughter is 7 now and…”. And that led to a story about her daughter farting in a Chinese restaurant. The good old Shawn is back, telling wonderfully new stories and singing her songs with a love that hasn’t been there for the last few years.

But Shawn was a bit distracted. You could tell when she first came out and hadn’t even decided what her first song was going to be. Shawn is one of the few artists with the talent and guts to go on stage without a set list. But usually she at least knows what she wants to start with. After a couple of songs she was sort of fumbling around and I said, “Tell us a story”. “Okay. I wasn’t going to tell you this one but…” And then she proceeded to tell us the story of her accident that she had that day. It was her little Ford rental going full force into a Korean woman’s Volvo. Shawn lost, with airbags exploding and, well… She had us in stitches, which luckily for her she wasn’t in. But you could see that some pain was starting to settle in. This may have been the reason for her sitting on a stool throughout the show. And that is all I really need to say about this show. The beauty of a Shawn Colvin concert is that you never know what songs she is going to play (because she doesn’t) and she’s always got great stories to tell you. Her voice is always so beautiful and she is such a good guitar player; even if she denies it (“Please turn down the monitors for my guitar, I don’t want to hear all of my mistakes”).

There were actually very few covers last night. She opened with a Chris Whitley song and did a few other standards: The best of which was probably Merle Haggard’s “White Line Fever”. She seems much happier with herself and her music these days. We only got one new song from the album she is working on though. It sounded good and it will be so nice to have new Colvin material to listen to, someday.