Some Events Worth Writing About

On June 8, 2015June 8, 2015 By PopeswamiLeave a comment

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” Benjamin Franklin

Well, I am hoping that going to local music events is worth writing about. However, Ben Franklin is no longer around to give me his opinion. On the other hand, if he had been around and had heard all this music he would be in shock and total disbelief. The evening of May 27 and all day June 6 we were privileged to hear some wonderful artists.

Randi Driscoll and Friends – Java Joe’s – May 27

Randi Driscoll

This was an event that included Randi Driscoll on keyboard and vocals, with Noah Heldman on percussion and guitar, Larry Mitchell on guitar, Shawn Rohlf on guitar and vocals, Jamie Shadowlight on violin, guitar and vocals, Monette Marino on djembe, and from Alabama, the John Martin Davis Band.

Randi opened the event performing one of her songs unaccompanied on keyboard and vocals, followed by one with Noah Heldman accompanying on percussion. All at once I realized that this is a very professional and talented performer. Musically, her sound is a bit country, a bit pop, with a touch of jazzy blues. I guess the catch-all category would be singer-songwriter.

John Martin Davis Band, Left is Daniel Davis, Right is John Martin

From there, she introduced the John Martin Davis Band, who played several numbers in a quasi-bluegrass-folk-Southern roots style. For this event the band consisted of John Martin on guitar and lead vocals, with Daniel Davis on banjo and vocals. They are a very impressive group. They ended with The Doobie Brothers’ “Black Water” with Noah on percussion and Jamie accompanying on violin; quite fun!

Jamie Shadowlight

Then, a big surprise – Jamie Shadowlight without violin! She sang a couple of her songs and played guitar. This is only the second time I have heard her sing. I really like her quiet, breathy singing style.

Shawn Rohlf

Next up was Shawn Rohlf, noted for his work with Shawn Rohlf and The Buskers (and the 7th Day Buskers). Shawn did some self-penned songs on acoustic guitar and vocals. He is a terrific storyteller via song.

Larry Mitchell

L to R: Larry Mitchell, Monette Marino, Jamie Shadowlight

After a quick break, Grammy Award winning guitarist and producer, Larry Mitchell arrived and the next set was opened with Larry doing some solo guitar with Noah Heldman on percussion. Then Randi joined in with some of her songs and Jamie on violin. Then it was decided that Larry and Jamie would do a number together, and they asked Monette Marino to come up from the audience and keep rhythm on Noah’s djembe. They did a long instrumental improvisation where all three took the lead at different times. This was an amazing, hypnotic number; very transcendent and beautiful. Larry’s rapid-fire runs on guitar remind me of Al DiMeola, while the spaces he puts between these runs and chords remind me of John McLaughlin. I would say he is right up there with the best of them. And, he was suffering from a bad cold and a bit feverish at the time! I can’t imagine how good this would have been if he had felt better!

L to R: Noah Heldman, Larry Mitchell, Randi Driscoll

L to R: Noah Heldman, Randi Driscoll, Larry Mitchell, Jamie Shadowlight, Shawn Rohlf

From there, all the players reconfigured on stage with Larry, and played more of Randi’s songs, plus on the final number they had several others in the audience who were singers come up and sing with them. After the show we all got to mingle about before leaving. This event definitely ranks high on my list of local performances.

Art Around Adams – Kensington, Normal Heights, University Heights – June 6, 2015

True Stories – L to R: David Fleminger, Danny Cress, Bart Mendoza, Orrick Smith

This is an annual event featuring visual arts, crafts, and several music stages, both outside and inside. While I am not sure how many musical performances there were, it seems there were at least 100 artists and groups involved. The music began at noon, and we decided to go to the Blindspot Records stage outside Smitty’s Garage to see Bart Mendoza and True Stories. True Stories consists of Bart Mendoza on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, David Fleminger on lead guitar, keyboards and vocals, Danny Cress on drums, and Orrick Smith on bass. As usual, they were amazing, playing mid-60s mod and British invasion rock as well as many self-penned songs of the same style. One pleasant surprise was when they did B Bumble & The Stingers’ “Nutrocker”, an early 60s rock take-off of the Nutcracker Suite. This is a tight band who makes it look so easy to “do that thing they do”.

Fast Heart Mart (Martin Stamper)

From there we had a little time to look at the arts and crafts before seeing Fast Heart Mart (Martin Stamper) at the Shanti Spa and Gallery. Martin played guitar, harmonica, and banjo and sang many originals as well as a few traditional folk songs. There were also some sing-a-longs. There were lots of fun stories between songs and some off-the-wall tunes about aliens, dogs and God. Martin is a member of Western Collective, and that group performs many of his songs. To describe his music, I would say it is well rooted in Americana and folk, with a quirky twist and sort of cosmic; quite enjoyable.

Steph Johnson Trio – L to R: Steph Johnson, Fernando Gomez, Rob Thorsen

We had to leave Fast Heart Mart before his set was over so we had time to get to the next stage at Integrative Health. This was the jazz stage, and was outside. Here we were blessed with the fantastic playing of the Steph Johnson Trio, consisting of Steph Johnson on guitar and vocals, Rob Thorsen on string bass, and Fernando Gomez on drums. This was the highlight of the day for us. Steph has a very soulful way of singing, and her guitar playing is like a funky Wes Montgomery, if one can imagine. It seems that before forming this jazz trio Steph had an r&b/funk band and that makes sense. She played some Wes Montgomery, as well as Stevie Wonder, a funky jazz version of Cole Porter’s “Anything Goes”, and many self-penned songs. Bassist Rob Thorsen had some inspiring solos and there were also a few drum solos for Fernando Gomez, showing off some pretty slick moves. Steph is such a joyful person with an authentic concern for others and for nature and it shows through her music and being. We will definitely be going to more of her performances.

L to R: David Fleminger, Danny Cress, Normandie Wilson

From there we headed to Kensington for some delicious pizza at Haven Pizzeria, after which we were close by the Kensington Library stage where Normandie Wilson was performing. Normandie was playing keyboards and singing, and was accompanied by David Fleminger on guitar and bass, and Danny Cress on drums. She played some new songs, as well as some from her two most recent albums. There were a few instrumentals and most were vocals, primarily all self-penned. She also did a wonderful arrangement of Burt Bacharach’s “The Look of Love”. Normandie’s sweet vocals never sounded better and David’s accompaniment on guitar and bass filled-out the sound nicely. While there, we ran into Maggie Taylor, Jesse Grabow, and Bill Romero. After Normandie’s performance, David had to tear down quickly to get to DeMille’s Beer Garden stage for his performance with Alvino & The Dwells. We all followed.

Alvino & The Dwells – L to R: David Fleminger, Didier Suarez, Tony Suarez

Alvino & The Dwells are a sort of 60s surf/power trio, full of reverb and high voltage energy. I have wanted to see them for over a year but my schedule seems to always take me out of San Diego when they are performing. I finally had my chance, and wowie zowie are they great! We were immediately transported to 1962, before the British invasion, to the days of the Chantays, the Surfaris, the Ventures, and of course Dick Dale and the Del-Tones. It was the era of the secret agent man and James Bond, of Gidget and Moon Doggie, and of Tiki Bars. This is an instrumental band, featuring David Fleminger on reverb/vibrato guitar pyrotechniques, Tony Suarez, who largely held down the bass parts on some kind of self-created baritonish guitar, and Didier Suarez on John Bonham-power drums. Song-after-song, they blasted away into space in search of Project Mercury, and I believe they found it!

Scott Mathiasen

We stayed right where we were, too stunned to get up, and were prepared to hear the Shifty Eyed Dogs, but alas, there were scheduling conflicts, so we got the band leader, Scott Mathiasen going solo electric guitar and vocals. Scott has a blues-rock style of singing, and the songs were very much in the old hard rock blues style of the early 70s. These were all original tunes. He did quite well, and it only made me want to see the full band even more.

I have to say that while the Steph Johnson Trio was the highlight of the day, David Fleminger really proved his credentials as one of the best and most versatile guitarists in San Diego. I’ve seen him do so many different styles and all with masterful skill. And Normandie, I can’t say enough about Normandie and her songwriting as well as impeccable delivery, after extreme jet lag no less (she had just finished performing with Red Pony Clock the night before in San Francisco). It all made for an amazing day of music.

We came home fully musically sated. Tomorrow I head to Connecticut and won’t be back until Friday.

The Wonder of Wyrd

On May 25, 2015May 25, 2015 By PopeswamiLeave a comment

“Nothing may happen without wyrd, for it is present in everything, but wyrd does not make things happen. Wyrd is created at every instant, and so wyrd is the happening.”
Brian Bates – The Way of Wyrd: Tales of an Anglo-Saxon Sorcerer 1983

Finally or Firstly

Spilling over from my last post, and my list of beloved classical pieces, I totally missed Gustav Holst’s “The Planets”!!! Gracious sakes, how did I miss that one? That puts my count to a nice round twenty-one selectable and delectable Pisces, which is where I shall astrologically leave it. Speaking of astrology, I have promised for several months to write about the concept of wyrd in music. So now that the Popeswami’s Moon Unit is in the 7Stones’ house of The Rising Sons, and Jupiter’s Child is aligned with Martians, then the 21st piece is “The Planets”, and the band, Love, will steal the stars. Could it be the awning of the sage of equestrians?

Going back to the subject of Martians, “You’re a Martian” was a musical observation of Schwump when he first recorded this odd-ditty in 1976 with The Residents. And, in 2013 The Residents toured under the theme, The Wonder of Weird; so this brings us full circle to the Wonder of Wyrd. See what I did there?

Henceforth I shall attempt to give the square roots of the concept of “wyrd” and how this influenced a fascinating genre of music that began to flourish in the 1990s, blossomed in the early 2000s, and continues today.

NOTE: My primary reviewer feels that this is far too analytical and cerebral for a blog post. So be forewarned. It does get rather detailed.

Hand/Eye Wyrd Folk Compilation

Isn’t Esoterica Lovely?

The term “wyrd” is closely associated with an ancient Anglo-Saxon view of the universe that goes back well over a millennium, and probably back to oral traditions. The word “wyrd” has an etymology that stems from Common Germanic “wurdiz”, and to the Proto-Indo-European root “wert-“, meaning “to turn” or “rotate”. It is associated with today’s usage of the words “fate” and “destiny”, but has a deeper meaning than the simple application of those words. The spelling “weird” first appears in Scottish and Northern English dialects in the 16th century. But by the 18th century the word “weird” began to mean “odd” or “strange” in connection with the supernatural, and eventually began to be applied as it is today to everyday situations that appear to be unusual. Modern paganism and mysticism has attempted to restore the use of the term “wyrd”, as well as the original meaning of the word “weird”.

In “What is Wyrd?” which was published in Cup of Wonder No. 5 (October, 2001), Arlea Hunt-Anschutz writes: “The most fundamental concept of heathenry is wyrd. It is also one of the most difficult to explain and hence one of the most often misunderstood…Wyrd literally means “that which has turned” or “that which has become”. It carries the idea of “turned into” in both the sense of becoming something new and the sense of turning back to an original starting point. In metaphysical terms, wyrd embodies the concept that everything is turning into something else while both being drawn in toward and moving out from its own origins. Thus, we can think of wyrd as a process that continually works the patterns of the past into the patterns of the present.”

The British psychologist, Brian Bates, has written extensively about the concept of wyrd. In his introduction to The Way of Wyrd” (1983) he wrote: “Wyrd is the unfolding of our personal destiny…But…It does not see our lives as “pre-determined”. Rather, it is an all-encompassing view which connects us to all things, thoughts, emotions, events in the cosmos as if through the threads of an enormous, invisible but dynamic web. Today, scientists know intellectually that all things are interconnected. But the power of Wyrd is to realise this in our inner being, and to know how to use it to manifest our personal destiny.”

Continuing, Bates says “…our Anglo-Saxon ancestors believed in a universe where lines of power ran through the earth, spirits inhabited the trees, streams and stones, and where magicians were able to look into the future through the mysterious power of runes. People understood their universe as held together by an interlaced web of golden threads visible only to the wizards. And still today, The Way of Wyrd transforms our experience of personal destiny – who we are, and how we can manifest our personal potential. It is a way of personal healing… Today, through a deep connection with wyrd, we are inspired to see our lives in a new and empowering way. It restores our experience of the healing power of love, nature and creativity. It is about letting into our lives the guidance of an extended universe of spirit. It brings ancient wisdom together with modern science in the service of enhancing our lives, and the integrity of our human presence on the planet.”

I bet many of you didn’t know any of this. I bet many of you didn’t care much, either. But there is no one reading this that hasn’t for at least a moment in their lives, considered “the big picture” – considered their destiny and asked why things were the way they were. I’m not referring to attending religious ceremonies, and performing rituals, but digging deep into ourselves and wondering what it is all about.

So what does this have to do with music? Well, we are all familiar with the close association music has with every aspect of our lives, from the sacred to the profane. From the time the first human uttered words tonally (or atonally), created instruments or contraptions to blow through, vibrate, pluck, or pound, we have associated these sounds with everything we do, we dream, we ponder, or imagine. Today we have music representing various cultural and religious traditions and customs, and dealing with all sorts of social concerns as well as our relationships with nature, with the cosmos, and with each other. When the concept of wyrd was revived in recent times, music began to be associated with that concept.

The Birdtree – Orchards & Caravans

The Music of Wyrd

My first exposure to wyrd folk was through a now-defunct Website that mysteriously appeared with the title “Psychedelic Albums”. This was late in the year 2003. In 2004 the owner of this site created a category he referred to as “Wyrd Folk” but later changed this to “Psychedelic Folk, Drone, Improv, Experimental Acoustic”. This is where I learned about some of the current big names in the genre such as B’eirth of In Gowan Ring, Prydwyn of Green Crown, and Tim Renner of Stone Breath. The owner of this site turned out to be a fellow named Simon Allen, from Sheffield, England. We corresponded frequently and he shared many music sources with me. One source was Brad Rose of Tulsa, Oklahoma, who had two imprint labels, Digitalis and Foxglove, and an online newsletter, Foxy Digitalis. He also recorded under the name, The North Sea, and was part of other bands such as Juniper Meadows and Corsican Paintbrush. Another Website, The Unbroken Circle, was run by Mark Coyle from the UK. It was an excellent historical resource that described “wyrd folk” and the artists that performed it. Coyle also had a sister Website, Woven Wheat Whispers that served as an outlet for CDs and downloads for these artists. Simon Allen also began an imprint label, Barl Fire, where artists performing wyrd, experimental, and other related acoustic music forms released some wonderful albums. Unfortunately, Allen pulled the plug on the Psychedelic Albums site in 2006, and by early 2008, Barl Fire was gone as well. Likewise, Mark Coyle closed both The Unbroken Circle and Woven Wheat Whispers sites in 2008 after someone hacked into the site and caused him several problems. Brad Rose continued on with his imprints and Website for a few more years but finally discontinued his recording labels and then in 2013 his Foxy Digitalis site merged with Decoder, an Internet ‘zine with a broader focus, and so it was no more. Tim Renner, from Southeastern Pennsylvania, not only has formed several groups in a variety of folk sub-genres, but has operated a Website and album store, Some Dark Holler, that continues today under the name Dark Holler Arts. Groups formed by or associated with Renner include Stone Breath, Breathe Stone, Moth Masque, Mourning Cloak, The Spectral Light and Moonshine Firefly Snakeoil Jamboree, Crow Tongue, and others. There are several other Websites catering to those interested in wyrd folk, experimental folk, and other related unconventional music forms that sprung up in the late 90s and early 00s and many still exist. I believe the biggest heartache for me was the closing of The Unbroken Circle, for it was a treasure trove of information about the beginnings of wyrd folk, with an immense reference section related to the many sub-genres of modern folk.

A characteristic of these artists is to release their music independently, often on homemade CDrs on their own imprint. Another characteristic was to form music collectives such as the San Francisco-based Jeweled Antler Collective, where a small core of artists, or an artist, works with a continuously rotating list of artists and a “music session” is represented by a group name under which they record. Many of these sessions are totally improvised, and the “recording studio” may be outside near a stream or meadow incorporating all the sounds around them into the music; artists like Juniper Meadows from the US, Sedayne from the UK, and Anaksimandros from Finland come to mind. Recordings often include sounds by the artists themselves such as coughing or sneezing, or even talking to one another in the background. Generally the music is acoustic, but not always. For example The Does and Family LSD use traditional electric rock instrumentation.

The Franciscan Hobbies – Masks & Meanings

Many of these recordings are wordless, with the human voice being used as an instrument or as part of the ambience if heard at all. The music can be anything from a traditional Western structure with beautiful melodies and harmonies, to a Middle-Eastern sound such as from Josephine Foster or Mike Tamburo, or to atonal free-form chaos, and everything else in between. When there are lyrics, they leave no aspect of the human condition untouched, with an emphasis on subjects that are often avoided in more conventional music forms. One can sense the feeling of darkness, existential loneliness and pessimism, and of fateful resignation in some of the lyrics. Sometimes there is an ominous concern but yet a curious wonderment regarding the unknown or the spirit world. Some artists will uncover lyrics from centuries old songs that reflect similar dark, fatalistic views and superstitions. But not all the lyrics are about fearful and depressing subjects. Some are happy, even joyous, but still have that element of fate tied to it. Such lyrics, old or new, I believe are what make these songs part of the wyrd folk genre. The instrumental recordings, while often by artists who also perform lyrical wyrd folk, are another sub-genre and perhaps this is why Simon Allen changed his listing of such artists from “wyrd folk” to “psychedelic folk, drone, improv, and experimental acoustic”, which is a more accurate description of the variety of sounds. A more recent word used to group all these styles together is “neofolk”, with “free folk” being a sub-genre.

Many people associate the idea of “wyrd” with pagan traditions, Wicca, or Satanism. This genre does not represent such religions or traditions any more than any other music form. There are indeed Christian artists, such as Caedmon, who have been classified as “wyrd” just as there are others who are committed pagans such as Omnia. And yet there are others that are “unclassifiable” when it comes to spiritual orientation, such as Stone Breath, Sharron Kraus, Marissa Nadler, and Terry Earl Taylor. Some artists, such as Pamela Wyn Shannon, Circulus, The Wyld Olde Souls, and Spires That in the Sunset Rise, tap into the ancient Anglo-Saxon heritage of magic and mysticism, but without overtly making a definitive commitment to these beliefs; they are merely observing and reporting. Spires is more avant-garde in musical structure than the others mentioned here.

Bert Jansch – Jack Orion

Wyrd folk, as in psychedelic music, has its primary origins in the 60s, when the youth of that era were experimenting with psychedelic drugs, Eastern religions, mysticism, magic, alternative lifestyles, and the like. Just as psychedelic rock of the 60s reflects these interests, so does 60s folk. While the term “wyrd folk” did not come into usage in modern music until the late 1980s, it has been retroactively applied to artists from the 60s onward. Music that has retroactively been given the label “wyrd folk” has a more metaphysical aspect to it, and in the UK the artists tapped into the ancient Anglo-Saxon shamanistic expressions described earlier. Early popular artists that could be tangentially connected to the genre include Donovan and The Incredible String Band. Also notable would be Fairport Convention, Pentangle and specifically John Renbourn and Bert Jansch. Jansch’s album “Jack Orion” is noted as an early example of what would later be considered wyrd folk. In the early 70s this really took off in the UK, with groups like Comus, C.O.B., Magna Carta, Forest, Trees, Fresh Maggots, Spriguns, and a host of others. However, in the US, it did not seem to catch on, and psychedelic music gradually melded into either progressive rock or hard rock and metal. Psychedelic aspects of music continued to bubble under the surface around the world for decades, surfacing mostly within the rock genre. But something happened in the late 90s that was a turning point. I have yet to figure this out. Some of the earlier artists of this genre, beginning in the late 80s through mid 90s, were Current 93, Sol Invictus, In Gowan Ring, and Mourning Cloak.

Stone Breath – Songs of Moonlight and Rain

Around 2004, these related folk styles began to spring up everywhere, especially in the US and the UK but also throughout the planet. From Ireland come United Bible Studies and Agitated Radio Pilot. From Russia (with love) we have Julia Vorontsova who follows the traditions of the Russian bards. Japan’s Makoto Kawabata is noted for his work with Acid Mother’s Temple and the Melting Paraiso U.F.O. and related groups, but some of his solo work could be classified in this genre. In Scandinavia you have groups from Sweden, Norway, and Finland but the Finns seem to have been the most prolific, tapping into ancient folk traditions. There are artists such as: Anaksimandros, mentioned above; Paivansade; Uton; Pekko Kappi; Lau Nau; Islaja; Es; Keijo (Virtanen); Vapaa; Kukkiva Poliisi; and one of my favorites, Kemialliset Ystavat. Most of these Finnish groups/artists are classified as “free folk”. Most are instrumental. In New South Wales, Australia there is a collective of musicians centered around brother and sister, Michael and Kristina Donnelly. Groups related or attributed to them include Brothers of the Occult Sisterhood, Terracid, Alligator Crystal Moth, 6majik9, ffehro, Soarwhole and are primarily in the free folk sub-genre. The Jeweled Antler Collective is centered around Steven R. Smith, Loren Chasse, and Glenn Donaldson. Groups to come out of this collective include Thuja, The Birdtree, Skygreen Leopards, The Franciscan Hobbies, Hala Strana, The Child Readers, The Ivytree; The Buried Civilizations; The Once and Future Herds; and D. Smolken (who was originally from Poland). What seems to set these artists apart from the others mentioned here is that there are Eastern European elements that seem to run through the music coming out of the Jeweled Antler Collective, perhaps due to the influences from D. Smolken of Dead Raven Choir, Garlic Yarg, and Wolfmangler. Wolfmangler actually veers into dark metal drone more than folk.

Other notable US artists would be: Fursaxa from Philadelphia; Poppy Sward and Green Mistletoe from Oswego, NY; Hush Arbors and The Golden Oaks from Virginia. From Tyne and Wear, UK comes Sean Breadin who is responsible for several artists: Eleanor’s Visceral Tomb; Shibboleth; Venereum Arvum; and Sedayne. All are grounded in ancient Anglo-Saxon music, with many handmade instruments designed to be true to ancient construction and sound. The album “Winter Heresy” by Shibboleth is a very dark, primitive, instrumental work that sounds like it is performed by ancient spirits in a dank, dark dungeon. Malaysian born David Tibet (now living in the UK) has been instrumental in the promotion of wyrd folk and was one of the earliest artists in related sub-genres, recording as Current 93. He is also closely associated with the dark ambient sounds of Nurse With Wound and the more rhythmic acid house of Psychic TV. Phil Legard from the UK is another prolific artist recording as Xenis Emputae Travelling Band and The Pneumatic Consort. And I must not forget English Heretic, which mixes paranormal experiences with psychedelic folk and electronic sound. Do not listen to English Heretic recordings alone and in the dark as you never know what might visit you!

In Gowan Ring – Abend the Knurled Stitch O’er the Glinting Spade

Recommended Albums

The following are just a small sample of items that I strongly recommend. Some are nearly impossible to obtain today with some titles having releases of less than 100. Others are much easier to locate.

1. Stone Breath – Songs of Moonlight and Rain
2. Stone Breath – A Silver Thread to Weave the Seasons
3. In Gowan Ring – Abend The Knurled Stitch O’er The Glinting Spade
4. Current 93 – All The Pretty Little Horses – The Inmost Light
5. Kemialliset Ystavat – Alkuharka
6. English Heretic – The Sacred Geography of British Cinema: Scene One: A Hilltop Hanging From Witchfinder General
7. Paul Giovanni and Magnet – The Wicker Man (original soundtrack album)
8. The Juniper Meadows – Pine Needles and Cones
9. The North Sea – Locust Grove
10. Hush Arbors – If There Be Spirits, Let Them Come / Cleaning The Bone
11. Green Crown – Washed In Her Blood
12. Green Mistletoe – God of the Blood of the Woods
13. Poppy Sward – Fawn
14. Xenis Emputae Travelling Band – Under a Soular Moon
15. Shibboleth – Winter Heresy
16. Sedayne – Astray Volume 6: Green As God The Touched Brow Of The Winter
17. Terracid – Transcendent Reign Inheritor
18. Brothers of the Occult Sisterhood – Animal Speak
19. Charlotte Greig and Julian Hayman – Live at Resonance FM
20. The Franciscan Hobbies – Masks and Meanings
21. The Birdtree – Orchards & Caravans
22. Omnia – Chrone of War
23. Sharron Kraus – Beautiful Twisted
24. Spires That in the Sunset Rise – Four Winds The Walker
25. The Spectral Light and Moonshine Firefly Snakeoil Jamboree – Scarecrow Stuffing

The Spectral Light & Moonshine Firefly Snakeoil Jamboree – Burning Mills

And these compilations are totally necessary:

26. Lammas Night Laments, Volumes 1 – 14: a collection of wyrd-folk music from 1966-1980 (14 CD set compiled by Mark Coyle)
27. John Barleycorn Reborn, Volumes 1 – 3 (6 CD compilation in 3 sets of 2 CDs each)
28. Invisible Pyramid: Elegy Box (6 CDs)
29. Gold Leaf Branches (3 CDs)
30. Wailing Bones, Volumes 1 – 14 (14 CD set of extended instrumental compositions)

From the 60s and early 70s we have the following:

31. Donovan – Fairytale
32. The Incredible String Band – The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter
33. C.O.B. – Moyshe McStiff And The Tartan Lancers Of The Sacred Heart
34. Comus – First Utterance
35. Caedmon – s/t
36. Stone Angel – s/t
37. Seventh Sons – Raga
38. Peter Walker – Rainy Day Raga
39. Pearls Before Swine – These Things Too
40. Forest – Full Circle
41. Trees – The Garden of Jane Delawney
42. The Trees Community – The Christ Tree
43. Jade – Fly on Strangewings
44. Trader Horn – Morning Way
45. Mandy Morton and Spriguns – Magic Lady
46. Amazing Blondel – Fantasia Lindum
47. The Sallyangie – Children of the Sun
48. Linda Perhacs – Parallelograms
49. These Trails – s/t
50. Agincourt – Fly Away

So that’s it. Don’t ask me to do this again!

The Mystery of Long Life

On May 18, 2015May 18, 2015 By PopeswamiLeave a comment

“I made up my mind
If this is the way life has gotta be
I’m gonna do the same thing
The same thing they been doing to me”
B.B.King – I’m Gonna Do What They Do To Me

It seems that musicians either die very young, from an excessive lifestyle, or they live very long lives – especially in the world of jazz and blues. Pittsburgh’s Joe Negri is 89, Les Paul died at the age of 94; Chet Atkins at the age of 77. Local blues legend Tomcat Courtney is 83 and jazz saxophone great, Joe Marillo, is going to be 82 this month. Jazz guitarist, Bucky Pizzarelli, is 89. Kenny Burrell is 83, as well as Joao Gilberto and John Pisano. Singers Bob Dorough and Jon Hendricks are in their 90s, and Tony Bennett is not far behind at 87. Is it the music that keeps them going? Most continue to perform into their 80s and 90s. Marian McPartland had a show on NPR, “Piano Jazz”, nearly until her demise at age 95. Pittsburgh’s great doo-wop DJ, Porky Chedwick, was 96 at his death and still had a radio show. Some of these players had a life of excess in their early years but then calmed down as they matured. Others have had a hard life in other ways, yet they persevered. Many have had a life on the road for most of their adult lives. Yet, they seem to live longer than the norm. Life insurance companies should take note of this. I have had this realization come to the forefront of my thought lately.

Mundell Lowe

Left to right, Jaime Valle, Bob Boss, Bob Magnussen, Jim Plank

Mundell Lowe and Alicia Previn Lowe

Left to right, Jaime Valle, Mundell Lowe, Bob Boss, Bob Magnussen

Mundell Lowe’s 93rd Birthday Celebration

May 10th was Mothers’ Day. It was also the evening we got to see jazz guitar virtuoso, Mundell Lowe. Mundell’s birthday was April 21; he turned 93. But he was in Europe, on tour, when he turned 93, so the celebration was on Monther’s Day, at Dizzy’s. Ever since I became aware that this legendary jazz guitarist lived in San Diego, I kept watching for when he would perform locally. I had actually written it off thinking that he had retired from performing. Luckily, I was wrong, and was home when he performed on May 10. This performance included two other jazz guitar greats, Jaime Valle and Bob Boss; together, they were called “The Three Guitars” that evening, supported by string bassist, Bob Magnussen, and drummer, Jim Plank. Also, for two numbers, Mundell was joined on violin by his step-daughter, Alicia Previn Lowe. Yes, that is “Previn”, as in Andre Previn, her father. Sometime after Andre Previn (age 86) and singer Betty Bennett (age 93) divorced in the late 50s, Mundell and Betty were married, making Mundell Alicia’s step-father. Bob Magnussen and Mundell Lowe have performed and recorded together on and off for decades. Just a sampling of other people Lowe has performed or recorded with include: Billie Holiday, Bobby Darin, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Bill Evans, Charles Mingus, Stan Getz, Doc Severinsen, Andre Previn, Barry Manilow, Sarah Vaughan, and Harry Belafonte. I’m leaving out several others.

The evening began with two songs performed by Valle, Boss, Magnussen, and Plank, which gave us a rich taste of what was to come. Since we had front row seats I got a close up view of their fretwork. Their playing was impeccable, with sweet, delectable solo work that simply amazed me. Then, Mundell Lowe joined in for several more popular and jazz standards, with each of the three guitarists alternating solos. Each has a distinct style with a distinct tone. Age has not affected Lowe’s abilities – his playing was still jaw-dropping. There were also a couple bass and drum solos where both Magnussen and Plank were able to show off their vast talents. At one point the others left the stage for Lowe to perform solo guitar on “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face”, which was performed delicately and beautifully. Alicia did two songs with Mundell, the first with just solo guitar and violin. The second added the bass and drums. Alicia is violinist in an Irish band, In Tua Nua, and was a founding member of the Young Dubliners. Her violin was green. After the show we got to talk briefly with the players. It was quite a wonderful way to end Mother’s Day.

B.B. King Dedication

B.B. King passed away on Thursday, May 14 at the age of 89. On Friday evening we went to Proud Mary’s for dinner and to see Cadillac Wreckers. I’ve written about this jump/swing blues group before, and they did not disappoint. On a chair, in front of the band, the group had placed the album “B.B. King Live at the Apollo” and a rose. In addition to their standard repertoire, they performed some King-penned numbers including his huge hit, “The Thrill is Gone”. As singer/blues harpist Dane Terry said, “we are here to celebrate B.B. King’s life and his contributions to American music”. Larry Teves (Chickenbone Slim) also stopped by to watch the band.

My first exposure to B.B. King was in 1964, when my brother, who lived in California sent a reel-to-reel album home to my parents in Pennsylvania. The album was “A Salute to Tommy Dorsey”, with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra led by Sam Donahue, recorded in 1961. On this album, the vocals on “Yes, Indeed” were sung by someone named B.B. King and an unknown female vocalist. This album did not feature King’s distinct guitar playing. In fact, as an 11-year-old, I knew nothing about King at that time. Later, when listening to WAMO-FM in Pittsburgh, I noted they played many blues artists, including King. Two songs I distinctly remember were “Chains and Things” and “I’m Gonna Do What They Do To Me”. These were played on the program titled “The Underground” and hosted by Porky Chedwick on weekend afternoons and Brother Love (Ken Reeth) most evenings. The B.B. King songs were mixed with folk, blues, psychedelic, and other obscure rock and jazz songs. It would be common to hear a song by Tim Hardin followed by B.B. King, and then followed by The Doors and jazz flautist Jeremy Steig. Later, in college in the early 70s I got to hear many blues artists as well as more of B.B. King. In the era of CDs, I purchased the B.B. King box set, “King of the Blues”, spanning his entire career on four CDs. It is amazing to see how his style moved from solid electric blues to more popular music with more singing than guitar playing. And then, he moved back to more standard blues later in life. King had a distinct style that was never fast and flashy, and instead went for a more deliberate, emotive style as if the guitar was talking, or wailing. In all cases his music made total sense musically and emotionally. A classic song that I have and love is a recording of his live performance with Bobby Blue Bland on the song “Sorry”. Here, he talks to the audience about relationships as he and Bobby play and sing. It is fun to listen to and easy to imagine being part of that audience.

Other Stuff

I don’t mention much about classical, or serious music here. Well, here is a listing of the top 20 of the classics for which I have a warm spot in my heart:

1. George Gershwin – Rhapsody In Blue
2. Darius Milhaud – La Creation du Monde
3. Zoltan Kodaly – Hary Janos Suite
4. Serge Prokofiev – Symphony No. 1 (Classical Symphony)
5. Johannes Brahms – Symphony No. 4 in E minor (Tragic Symphony)
6. Bela Bartok – Concerto for Orchestra
7. Richard Wagner – Tannhauser Overture and Venusberg Music
8. Lucas Foss – Baroque Variations
9. Paul Hindemith – Mathis der Maler
10. John Cage – Variations IV
11. Johann Sebastian Bach – Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland (orchestral version)
12. Igor Stravinsky – The Rite of Spring
13. Philip Glass – Powaqqatsi
14. Luciano Berio – Visage
15. Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky – Manfred Symphony, Op. 58
16. Modest Mussorgsky – A Night on Bald Mountain
17. Sir Edward Elgar – Symphony No. 2
18. Ralph Vaughan Williams – Symphony No. 7
19. Hector Berlioz – Symphonie Fantastique
20. Robert Schumann – Manfred

And that’s it for this time. I head to the heart of Minnesota on Tuesday. The following weekend is jazz saxophonist, Joe Marillo’s 82nd birthday celebration at Dizzy’s. I am planning to go.

A Slice of My Life Working Backwards

On May 4, 2015May 4, 2015 By PopeswamiLeave a comment

“If the doors of perception were cleansed
Every thing would appear to man as it is,
Infinite.”
William Blake

“There are things known
and there are things unknown,
and in between are the doors.”
Jim Morrison

“Between thought and expression
lies a lifetime.”
Lou Reed

We keep going to music events and I then get caught up in the weeds and do not have time to write about them, let alone all the other things I’ve planned to write about. But there’s a lot swimming about in this old head that needs to come out. I will dispense with recent events and then move on to other important matters.

Across the Street at Mueller College – May 1, 2015

Friday night we went to the Across the Street music event at Mueller College to see Connor Correll with Q Ortiz, Red Willow Waltz, and Jamie Shadowlight. It was an evening of peaceful, spiritually uplifting, and thought provoking acoustic music. And it was the first time I had seen Jamie play guitar and sing! In fact, seeing her play guitar and sing her songs was my original motivation for going.

Jamie Shadowlight with Mandi Griggs and Jasmine Commerce

Jamie was up first. For the first few songs she had a friend, Jasmine Commerce, accompanying her on violin, and Mandi Griggs (a member of Red Willow Waltz) kept rhythm on cajon, while Jamie played acoustic guitar and sang. Then Jamie went solo voice and guitar for the remainder of her set. While Jamie is noted for her artistry on violin I don’t understand why she has not done more with vocals. She has a breathy, ethereal, sensual alto vocal style. The lyrics to her songs are pensive, a bit metaphysical, and observant. While she claimed to be just learning guitar, she is obviously a quick learner. The mood was relaxed, with a room full of loving friends, so everything built upon everything else to create a resplendent ambiance.

Connor Correll with Q Ortiz

After Jamie’s set, Connor Correll with Q Rich Ortiz was up. Connor played guitar and sang while Q played cajon. Connor continued the mood with songs of a spiritual nature, some of which pondered our purpose in life, some bearing much soul searching, and some full of joy. They were beautifully written, and beautifully sung. Q’s rhythm patterns complimented the rhythm guitar; a very enjoyable duo.

Red Willow Waltz with Jamie Shadowlight

The final set was Red Willow Waltz, consisting of Vanessa Contopulos on vocals, guitar, and ukulele, Mandi Griggs on cajon, and Laura Rose Anderson on vocals, ukulele, guitar, and harmonium. Jamie joined them on violin. This set was of a lighter, more exuberant nature. Vanessa’s clear, sweet vocals blended perfectly with Laura’s robust, emotive singing style. Both did solo vocals that were outstanding. I noted a bit of country twang to some of Laura’s vocals, especially when she played guitar. It made me wonder whether she had ever fronted a country band at some point. Vanessa and Laura switched back and forth from guitar to ukulele, depending on the song. For the final two songs Laura played harmonium and Vanessa played guitar. All songs were originals, penned by either Laura or Vanessa, with one dedicated to what was happening in Baltimore this past week. Vanessa and Laura are music therapists by profession and some of their songs tapped into that experience.

This was an uplifting way to spend Friday evening after a hectic work week.

Adams Avenue Unplugged

Going back a week, we had planned to spend the entire weekend of April 25 and 26 at Adams Avenue Unplugged. As fate would have it, our first destination was to the veterinarian’s office where we unexpectedly had to drop off our little doggie for observation and treatment. Once that was taken care of we headed to the event. With 25 stages and over 170 performances it was hard to decide who to see, but prior to the event I had planned to see HarpO first, and that was nixed because of our dog’s situation. (Due to HIPPA laws I cannot reveal her illness, … or is that just for people?). The day was unseasonably cool and windy. It was overcast and it tried to rain for a few seconds here and there throughout the day.

MohaviSoul

So next on the agenda was the bluegrass band, MohaviSoul. This was our first time seeing this group. It was a very enjoyable set with a mix of covers and originals. I really liked their cover of “Midnight Train” but unfortunately it is not on either of their CDs. Talking with the band afterward I found that the fiddle player, Dan Sankey, is from Connellsville, PA, which is close to where my ancestors settled before my grandfather moved to the Washington, PA area. And, the guitarist, Mark Miller, was originally from Wheeling, WV, where my oldest brother now lives and within minutes of where I grew up in PA. Small world. Other members include Randy Hanson, Jason Weiss, Orion Boucher, and Will Jaffe.
During the MohaviSoul performance, we got a call from the vet that our dog, Sandy, was ready to go home. So, we rushed to the vet’s, then home, and then back to Adams Avenue. We parked close to where we had parked earlier. We were so lucky to find this space!

Joe Marillo

We were hungry, so we headed to the end of the block from Kensington Park where MohaviSoul had played, to The Haven Pizzeria for lunch, where Joe Marillo would be performing. After getting seated, Joe spotted us and came over to talk. He will be celebrating his 82nd birthday in late May. We chatted about aging, keeping a positive perspective, and some of the books he was reading. Somehow we got on to the subject of MSNBC and the fact that we both loved to watch the Rachel Maddow Show. Joe is known as “the Godfather of the jazz scene in San Diego”. He has won several awards, including one for lifetime achievement and another from the NAACP for his efforts in hiring African-American musicians. In the 60s he worked with Stan Getz among others. I am told that in the 50s he once bought Charlie Parker a drink at a bar next to Birdland.
Joe was performing solo tenor sax and flute that day, with a backing tape of a variety of standards including a few by one of his favorites, Antonio Carlos Jobim. His improvisational skills on tenor sax are without equal. He did not play his flute until the end of his set when he realized he had not played it, and so he did one more song with flute. There will be a musical birthday celebration featuring Joe at Dizzy’s later in May and we hope to attend.

Dead Rock West

We then headed down to Java Joe’s to catch Dead Rock West. It was packed but we were lucky to find a couple seats together. We got there in the middle of their set. They were an acoustic duo for this performance, consisting of Frank Lee Drennen on vocals and guitar and Cindy Wasserman on vocals. All songs we heard were originals. Frank has a dynamic presence and plays his acoustic guitar hard, and loud! Both Frank and Cindy are commanding vocalists and their harmonies are awesome. I would love to hear their full band some time.

Gregory Page

We stayed at Java Joe’s for the next performer, Gregory Page. I found it curious when this sharply dressed gentleman set up a gramophone and placed a 78 rpm on the spindle. Gregory played guitar, “gramophone”, sang, read poetry and told stories. Smooth is a word that keeps coming up in my mind when I try to find words to describe his performance. Although many of the songs were penned by Gregory, they were done in styles from before WWII. He played the gramophone while reading his poetry, and on one song he segued to the gramophone, incorporating it into the song – all seamlessly done. He told stories about his family, about his visit to the hinterlands of Australia, and tied them in with his music. He was accompanied by a drummer, with only a snare and high hat. Musically, the style moved from early 1900s to more modern folk and pop styles. His guitar playing was subtle and refined, and he actually did some slide work on one song, all with masterful execution.
I had planned to see Joey Harris after this, but we had to get home to take care of the dog, so this was the last set for us that day.

The Western Collective

We returned Sunday to a much warmer and sunnier day. And our dog appeared to be much better. Western Collective was first on the list, at Adams Park at 35th Street. I have written about Western Collective before. They are: “Fast Heart” Martin Stamper on guitar, banjo, and vocals; Justin Werner on guitar, harmonica, and vocals; Trent Hancock on bass and vocals; Chad Farran on cajon; and Jamie Shadowlight on violin. To call them simply a bluegrass band would be myopic. The group embraces a variety of styles, penned by several of the band’s members who bring with them their own unique musical and life experiences. There was one cover, which also happens to be the only cover song on their CD, Leonard Cohen’s “Anthem”. There is always a happy, relaxed vibe when they play.

Caitlin Ashley

After hearing The Western Collective, we dived into El Zarape for some tasty Mexican cuisine. They were packed, so it took a bit longer than we expected. However, the next group on our agenda was Robin Henkel and Whitney Shay, and Lestat’s was running a little off-schedule, so when we arrived there Robin, Whitney, and Caleb were still outside, taking selfies. It was another packed house, listening to Caitlin Ashley. Just as we did at Java Joe’s we watched for someone to leave and then snatched-up their seats. So, we got a chance to hear this young and relatively new singer, with a distinct style and interesting lyrics. I was glad to see so many in the packed room being supportive. Caitlin was accompanied by Mason James on acoustic guitar, and three unknown persons on electric bass, cajon, and ukulele. She sang and occasionally accompanied herself on ukulele. She has a very nice stage presence, great song writing and a pleasant vocal style. I think this event was a terrific boost to her ego. She appeared to be authentically amazed at the positive response to her songs. Sorry for the horrible photos of Caitlin Ashley and Robin Henkel & Whitney Shay – just haven’t got the hang of taking them at Lestat’s.

Robin Henkel with Whitney Shay

We stayed right where we were to hear the next group …someone who we have seen and enjoyed on a multitude of occasions…the peerless Robin Henkel with the lovely and dynamic Whitney Shay, accompanied on double bass by the entertaining Caleb Furgatch. Either I have a very short memory or this was the best performance I have seen by these three. While a lot of the songs we have heard them do before, there was something about them that sounded fresh and new. Perhaps subtly different arrangements or maybe it was just the improvisation was exceptionally hot? All I can say is that this was an exciting performance. Caleb is so much fun to watch on bass as he closes his eyes and gets deep into the music and keeps everything moving in the right direction. Robin continues to convince me that he is thee authority on Delta/country blues guitar. And how Whitney can make gutsy, gritty blues and r&b singing sound pretty and nasty all at once is inspiring. We walked out at the end, totally energized.

Blue Frog Trio

Left to right: Dave Keefer, Patrick “Blue Frog” Ellis, Jackson Patrick

Next stop was the Air Conditioned Lounge. I love names like this. At one time I considered writing a novella titled “My Generic World”, and the Air Conditioned Lounge would fit right in. However, what we heard there was not generic. I had first heard Blue Frog Ellis in an electric blues band at the 2014 Spring Harp Fest. He is a dynamite blues harpist. What I didn’t realize is that he is just as good on guitar. Since Lestat’s schedule was running late and it was a bit of a walk to the AC Lounge, we did not see the beginning of the set. But what we saw confirmed my memory from the Harp Fest. What we had was Patrick “Blue Frog” Ellis on vocals, guitar and harmonica, Dave Keefer on vocals, acoustic guitar and resonator, and Jackson Patrick on bass and vocals. They played a mix of 70s rock standards such as the Allman Brothers’ “Midnight Rambler” and “Melissa”, as well as some originals and blues standards. All three sang, and Dave and Blue Frog took turns with rhythm and lead – both being accomplished players. After their set we got to talk to the guys. I know that Patrick “Blue Frog” Ellis and Jackson Patrick are US Navy Vets; Blue Frog was a Seal. Not sure if Dave Keefer is a Vet, but the band was promoting their work with the Wounded Warriors Project, in helping to teach music to disabled Vets. Some great guys, there. The Blue Frog Band will be performing at “Gator by the Bay” at Spanish Landing Park in San Diego later this month.

Bart Mendoza & True Stories

I have wanted to see True Stories for a long time, but it never seemed to work out with my crazy work schedule taking me out of San Diego whenever they were playing. Finally, I got to see what I have been missing – staying in our spot at the AC Lounge. True Stories’ lineup consists of: Bart Mendoza on vocals and guitar; David Fleminger on vocals, guitar, and keyboard; Danny Cress on drums; Orrick Smith on bass; and latest addition Normandie Wilson on vocals and keyboard. Now, I have seen Normandie, Bart, and David in Casino Royale and in other musical arrangements, but I had never realized that they could rock out like they did! This was such a pleasant surprise. They covered many songs from great 60s bands like The Beatles, The Byrds, The Yardbirds, The Zombies, The Who, and others. They also did some originals that were arranged in a style much like the mid-60s rockers. In fact, I tried wracking my brain to figure out who they were covering only to find they were covering themselves. I never realized David played keyboards, and could play in such a wicked 60s psychedelic style, akin to Ian Bruce-Douglas of Ultimate Spinach. His guitar lead work was also quite impressive. Bart took most of the lead singing parts and was right at home whether covering The Who, The Beatles, or anyone else.

Blue Frog Ellis stuck around to hear them. He was quite impressed, also. They really kicked some ass and got people dancing! Suddenly I was transported to The Aftermath coffee house near Claysville, PA circa 1969 and my teenage years.
Now, I understand this event is titled “unplugged” and with the exception of some amplification for electric bass and vocals, most of the acts we saw complied with the “unplugged” concept. So how did True Stories sneak onto the roster with a fully electric band? In my mind it is exactly what 60s rock was all about – defying the rules! So if I was asked about this, my response would be, “The kids are alright”.

Other Thoughts – Bits and Pieces

To balance out my musical experience, I have obtained a couple new prog metal releases on the Sensory CD label, Iris Divine – “Karma Sown” and Jaded Star – “Memories from the Future”. Iris Divine is from northern Virginia, playing in a metal style similar to Pantera, Alice in Chains, and even a hint of Dream Theater. They seem to reach beyond just heavy metal to more of a progressive synth-based metal style that is edgy and exciting with a fantastic male vocalist who actually sings. Jaded Star is a Swedish prog metal band with an amazing female vocalist, Maxi Nil, and virtuoso guitarist, Kosta Vreto. This is a strong debut album with lots of power and emotion.

I also landed a near mint copy of Nat Freedland’s double LP documentary “The Occult Explosion” from 1973. It will fit nicely with my other LPs in the same genre by Barbara the Gray Witch, Louise Huebner, Anton LaVey, Coven, Jacula, Antonius Rex, Abiogenesi, Paul Chain, Aleister Crowley, Charles Manson, The Manson Family Jams, and Lucifer/Black Mass (Mort Garson). I guess Will Jima also fits into this category with his two spoken word albums about “the UFO people” and the end times, with electronic sounds as background. All make for a lovely trip into the dark side of human imagination. Nothing you would want to have as a steady diet. Some of these are definitely not for the faint of heart. Others are as funny as Hell (no pun intended). Note that these recordings are not in any way like the death metal and black metal groups that flourished in the late 80s and continue to spread a very depressing or destructive message, often tied to various hate groups.
This leads nicely as an introduction, or advertisement, for the future blog entry I have planned to do for several months on “The World of Wyrd”. I plan to discuss the area of pagan folk, wyrd folk, and perhaps some other musical phenomena that are related tangentially.

Tripping, and Stumbling, in the Dim Light Fantastic

On April 26, 2015April 27, 2015 By PopeswamiLeave a comment

“There are only forty people in the world and five of them are hamburgers.”
Captain Beefheart (aka Don Van Vliet), from Rolling Stone interview by Langdon Winner, May 14, 1970

There has been a ton of activity in the 7stones uni-verse lately and it has been hard for this Popeswami to keep up. Going back the past couple months, there have been two tremendous music events we have attended. And, there is other important stuff to talk about as well, so let me get right down “tuit”.

Women in Jazz

The 6th annual Women in Jazz performance occurred at 98 Bottles, Saturday evening, March 28. The objective of this event is to highlight Women’s History Month and the music of female composers. The local all-female jazz players included: Allison Adams Tucker, voice; Steph Johnson, voice & guitar; Ellen Weller, flute & saxes; Melonie Grinnell, piano; Jodie Hill, bass; and Laurel Grinnell, drums.
Let me just say that this was mind blowing! Such talent! Melonie Grinnell, while a very shy personality, was very vocal and articulate through the ivories, with some jaw-dropping solo work as well as supportive ensemble playing. Steph Johnson just has to be one of the most soulful guitarist/singers I’ve seen locally, with a style all her own. Her gregarious personality shows through her playing and singing. She is really fun to watch. Ellen Weller brought a more academic, music conservatory approach, often veering into the avant-garde in her arrangements. One of her compositions reminded me of Cecil Taylor’s jazz experiments – a brilliant, calculating, free/modal jazz number, and the other players were right with her. Allison Adams Tucker has a beautiful voice, and her version of Bernstein’s “Somewhere” from West Side Story got me really emotional… or was it her in combination with the band’s impeccable interpretation? Allison’s sweet, pure voice was a nice balance to Steph’s more bluesy singing style. Drummer Laurel Grinnell is very young – I would guess early 20s, but her time on the drum stool sounds like decades of experience. The amazing thing about this ensemble is that other than rehearsing for this show, they had never played together! You would never know if they had not said it. We left the event totally blissed-out!

Spring Harp Fest

Cadillac Wreckers

Lance Dieckmann & Bayou Brothers

Bubba McCoy

Zachary Cole

Chet Cannon & The Committee

Billy Watson

The 16th Annual Spring Harp Fest was held at Harry Griffen Regional Park on Saturday, April 4. It was a beautiful day, bright and sunny but with mild temperatures – perfect for an outdoor festival. We got there early, and had to leave late in the afternoon to take care of other responsibilities, but at least we got to see most of the local acts we came to see. The festival opened with Cadillac Wreckers, featuring Dane Terry on blues harp. As expected, they were tight with great harp playing by Dane. Dana Duplan, on guitar, was excellent as ever, and the rhythm section was tight. Next up was Lance Dieckmann with the Bayou Brothers. This was a powerful set with a mix of blues and zydeco, which worked nicely together. Lance is one of the most powerful blues harpists I’ve ever heard, and a powerful blues singer as well. Next up was Bubba McCoy, featuring Big Jon Atkinson on guitar, who would later front his own band, The Nationals, on blues harp. Bubba did some excellent harp work as well as some gutsy singing. As his own promo says, “Bubba has a square head and sounds like it!”. The last set before noon was Zachary Cole, another powerful harpist with a great rhythm section and a singer who put his heart and soul into it.
After lunch and the unknown players jam, Chet Cannon and The Committee provided another great set. Chet is another great blues harpist who is also a powerful vocalist. For whatever the reason, he reminds me of Burl Ives, if Burl had let it all hang out and got into the blues big time. And finally, we saw Billy Watson’s set. Billy is another great harpist – and with a great sense of humor! He is a very animated player with a tremendous band, The International Silver String Submarine Band.
That’s where we had to leave it, missing locals Troy Sandow, Big Jon Atkinson & the Nationals, featured star player – nationally known Kim Wilson, and more locals Steve Bulger & 145th Street, and Harmonica John Frazer. Maybe next year.
I would be hard pressed to pick a best of the day, but the most enjoyable set for me was Lance Dieckmann and Bayou Brothers. But there was something about every set that was exciting for me.

Other Happenings

Youth Lagoon – Wondrous Bughouse

I have been into the weeds at work, flying all over the country, training, auditing, writing, revising – all so that I can bring home the Pork Soda.
I also entertained a friend and old colleague I used to work with in Ohio over 15 years ago. Since then we both left the Buckeye State – he to owning a resort on Lake Superior in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and me to California. Had a great time last Saturday. Sunday, however, is something else. We took a road trip to the mountains – another gloriously beautiful day. However, our lunch on the road brought me food poisoning, causing me to miss 2½ days of work and cram a week’s worth of work into a half week, with many near-perfect storms, including technical malfunctions during the Webcast I hosted on Friday. I saved up my energy by not going anywhere after work (still wiped out after the food poisoning) and missing some great performances by some of my friends for the El Cajon Boulevard celebration at the Lafayette Hotel. Missing this and conserving energy was all so that we could enjoy the big Adams Avenue Unplugged event this weekend. I will write more on this in a future post.
In the meantime I picked up some amazing music in the form of CDs. My biggest find was a totally trippy album, “Wondrous Bughouse”, by Youth Lagoon, recorded in 2013. I heard Youth Lagoon on a community radio station in Brooklyn last week and just had to pick up a copy. Youth Lagoon is Trevor Powers, a San Diego native who now lives in Idaho. I don’t know what kind of mushrooms they grow in Idaho, but Trevor obviously has overdosed on them. This other-worldly swirling, dizzying recording will make you high without organics or chemicals. His voice is filtered through a vocoder with lyrics half-recognizable that speak of things metaphysical, when you can figure it out. I love this CD. Strongest similarity is the album “Start a People” by Black Moth Super Rainbow, which is another killer album that is essential in any modern psychedelic music collection. Other acquisitions include “The Making of Freak Out!”, a 4-CD collection of Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention’s first album from 1966. This is the first time the original vinyl recording has been accurately transferred to CD, plus you get 3 cd’s worth of outtakes, interviews, and other goodies. Also purchased were restorations of The Mothers of Invention albums “Absolutely Free”, “Lumpy Gravy” & “We’re Only In It For The Money” (in a 3-CD set called “Lumpy Money”), and “Greasy Love Songs” – which is actually the original LP version of “Cruising with Ruben & The Jets” with several extra goodies. And, then there are a couple CDs of one of my favorite alternative folk/bluegrass bands, Crooked Still, “Hop High” and “Shaken by a Low Sound”. Both are excellent and reflect some of the darker sides of Americana and folk/bluegrass, with excellent use of cello and the beautiful voice of Aoife O’Donovan.
Coming soon to my mailbox is the first authorized re-release of the late psych-pop private press eponymous LP of Michael Angelo (that’s actually Michael Angelo Nigro). The original master tapes were long lost and the Guinn label is no longer in existence. There were only 500 LPs issued in 1977. Void Records in Germany had done a horrible noise-reduction-remastering from an original LP about 10 years ago and it sounded like it was recorded under water. Beatbox in Korea did a CD release that was hopeful, but I discovered they used the Void LP to make the CD, which did nothing to help matters. This time Mexican Summer found a mint copy of the original Guinn LP and they promise that it will sound much improved over the Void & Beatbox versions. Let’s hope so. The music is so beautiful in a McCartney-esque manner that it deserves a decent reissue. I have ordered both the LP and CD, and they are on their way. I can’t wait!
And this catches up the past month’s worth of experiences and happenings – well almost all experiences. There was that time while playing Beastie Boys‘ “Hello Nasty” CD, but some things a Popeswami cannot reveal to those who have not undergone initiation.

What’s Happening, Man!

On March 29, 2015April 8, 2015 By PopeswamiLeave a comment

“I said now Cecil’s got his new piece; He cocks it, shoots it BANG! between three and four. He aims it at the sailor; He shoots him down dead on the floor. Oh, you shouldn’t do that; Don’t you know you’ll hit the carpet, don’t you know you’ll mess the carpet?”

– Lou Reed, from “Sister Ray” , The Velvet Underground – White Light/White Heat 1967

As I write, I’m listening to Air – “Sexy Boy”, from the album, Moon Safari. (All of Air’s albums are wonderful chill music!) Sort of apropo for all the LGBT backlash and Indiana political idiocy of the moment. But I don’t want to talk about that. I “just got back from Carolina” to continue my quote from Lou Reed’s “Sister Ray”, which in Lou’s own words “was done as a joke – no, not as a joke, but it has eight characters in it and this guy gets killed and nobody does anything. It was built around this story that I wrote about this scene of total debauchery and decay. I like to think of ‘Sister Ray’ as a transvestite smack dealer. The situation is a bunch of drag queens taking some sailors home with them, shooting up on smack and having this orgy when the police appear.” Greenville, South Carolina was a really nice, quaint town with a very developed downtown dedicated to the arts and fine cuisine. In other words, I enjoyed my visit. There was a piano bar at the Westin, which I walked past every evening when going to dinner. I never stopped by. So I ask myself “Why?”. And myself says back to me, “Uh, I dunno. Tired, I guess.” I’ll accept that. I really hated that while flying home Thursday night I was missing some great things happening in San Diego. First, there was The Zombies tribute at Bar Pink, hosted by Normandie Wilson and Bart Mendoza, with True Stories, Scott Mathiasen & Mojo Working, Wayne Riker, Shake before Us and others. And, at the same time over at Lestat’s we had Western Collective, 22 Kings, and The Yes Team. I was heartbroken. But I don’t want to whine. After all, I have seen some really great performances the past three Friday evenings!

Liz Grace and The Swing Thing

Liz Grace fronts the excellent country band, Three Chord Justice, but has now branched out to apply her vocal skills to pop and jazz music, from the swing band era into the early ’60s. She was backed by her husband, drummer Mark Markowitz; saxophonist & keyboardist, Leo Dombecki; John (sorry, can’t recall the last name) on guitar, and a string bassist for whom I can’t remember his name at all….now, just because I cannot recall their names, please don’t think that this reflects on their abilities. On the contrary! These guys were new additions to the band, in place of Bob Ryan on guitar and Doug Walker on bass, who appear on their CD. We saw them Friday the 13th at Proud Mary’s Southern Bar & Grill in Kearney Mesa, proving that Friday the 13th does not have to be unlucky. They ran through a repertoir of great standards including: “Autumn Leaves”, “La Vie en Rose”, “Fever”, “Fly Me to the Moon”, “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66”, “Days of Wine and Roses”, “Summertime” and a few instrumentals like “Music to Watch Girls By”. The versatility of the band and Liz together made for a pleasant music experience. After seeing Liz with Three Chord Justice and hearing her solo CD, “No Justice”, I wondered if she would bring a country flavor to these standards. But no, she delivered them as if she had been transported to that era, with her very sweet, clear, perfect pitch voice. The band was tight, and each took turns with some incredible solo work. I was eyeing John’s guitar all evening, a gypsy-styled acoustic electric – he let me try it and I noted how amazingly light the instrument was, with a very crisp, pure tone. John’s solo work was thoughtful and tasteful – a little like Gabor Szabo, with none of the flashy “let’s see how many notes I can fit into a bar” kind of showmanship. Instead, he complimented the singer all the way. This is a band I want to see again, and again, and again.

Missy Anderson

Taking a turn to soul and blues, the next Friday at Proud Mary’s we saw Missy Andersen and her band, consisting of guitarist Heine Andersen, Michael McKinnon on bass and Michael J. Minor on drums. Missy grew up in Detroit, spent time in NYC honing her skills, and now lives in San Diego, and man ‘o man am I glad. Missy has been nominated for best Soul Blues Artist, Female in the 2015 Blues Music Awards in Memphis; not a minor feat. Missy did a few covers, like Billie Holiday’s “God Bless the Child”, but there were also many self-penned songs from her latest CD, In the Moment. Heine’s guitar was so much fun to watch! He would move from groovin’ Cornell Dupree and Bobby Womack R&B styles to more frenetic fretwork akin to Mike Bloomfield. And Missy – Missy hit on every emotional heartstring with that soulful voice. Sometimes the words I choose just don’t do the singer justice and this is one of those times. Go hear her for yourself if you are in San Diego or Riverside Counties. I also loved the interaction between Missy and the players – especially drummer Michael Minor who was having way too much fun, we could tell. We left with huge smiles that would not come off for the rest of the evening. Yeah!

Chickenbone Slim and The Biscuits

It was to Proud Mary’s again we proceeded to go this past Friday night. This time to have fun watching and listening to Chickenbone Slim and The Biscuits. As Chickebone’s Website says “If you like your blues with a down home greasy feel, …Chickenbone plays in a traditional blues style, part Chicago, part Texas, part Mississippi, and all right!” That quote says it all. I can’t match it for describing their playing. I didn’t catch the name of the bass player this go ’round, but he and Dane Terry (of Cadillac Wreckers fame) were filling in on bass and harmonica. Drummer, Malachai Johnson, kept everything in order, laying down some solid beats while Chickenbone layed some blues on ya! All I can say about Dane Terry is – dynamite! I love hearing him play blues harp and he and Chickenbone played off each other on several numbers adding to all the fun. He didn’t disappoint, playing some of the favorites I enjoy hearing, like his theme song “Good Evening Everybody”, and Slim Harpo’s “Shake Your Hips”. They did several numbers from some of the great bluesmen, including one by local legend, Tomcat Courtney. Got to visit with Chickebone (Larry Teves) and Dane Terry during a break. Walked out with a Chickenbone Slim guitar pick! Another fun-filled evening.

In Other News

I am deeply saddened by the passing of two music legends this past month – Daevid Allen and Michael Brown. Daevid hailed from Australia, was one of the original members of Soft Machine, then when he could not return to the UK from France due to visa issues, he formed the band, Gong. Gong became a tremendous influence on me in the mid-70s with their merging of a jazz-rock fusion style and total psychedelic insanity. After leaving Gong in the mid-70s, and heavily influencing the group Can AM des Puig who recorded the legendary “Book of AM“, he moved to Majorca, Spain and recorded the album “Good Morning” with Spanish band Euterpe. The Gong albums of “The Flying Teapot Trilogy” as well as Gong’s selections on the Greasy Truckers’ Live at Dingwalls Dance Hall LP are some of my favorites of this genre. The “Good Morning” album is also a favorite. Allen came out of the beatnik era – heavily influenced by William Burroughs and Sun Ra. He was 77.

Michael Brown was keyboardist and songwriter for ’60s baroque psych band The Left Banke. He penned their two major hits “Walk Away Renee” and “Pretty Ballerina”. A hit for The Cherry People, “And Suddenly”, was also part of The Left Banke repertoire and penned by Brown. After leaving The Left Banke, he joined The Stories, who with Michael on keyboards and arrangements, had a hit with “Brother Louie”. He also had a hand in the formation of the band Montage. Brown was 65. Well that’s it for now. Tonight heading to 98 Bottles for the 6th Annual Women in Jazz concert. Then it is off to San Rafael, California tomorrow.

Spock is Dead (just as Bach is dead)

On March 14, 2015March 15, 2015 By PopeswamiLeave a comment

That is the exploration that awaits you! Not mapping stars and studying nebula, but charting the unknown possibilities of existence.

Leonard Nimoy

Yes, Spock (aka Leonard Nimoy) has passed on to the other side. While it saddens me to realize this, it also makes me feel old. As a matter of fact, I passed an arbitrary milestone on my recent birthday. I now fall into the capriciously dictatorial category of “elderly”. Yeesh! It is just another affirmation that I need to seize every moment. Carpe diem! Talking about birthdays, Leonard passed away on mine. Talking more about birthdays, I have noted that several of my friends in and out of music, but especially in music, are Pisceans along with me. I puzzle over this. Part of me, the logical part, recoils at the validation of astrology. Yet, there have been numerous confirmations, coincidences, and connections in my life that are only explained with this supposed pseudo-science. But despite my logical side, I am one to leave the door open to many things – hey, it is how I have stayed youthful in my general outlook – a Peter Pan syndrome, perhaps. But I most certainly think our human brains are sorta, kinda, limited, you know? Our ability to know and understand “IT ALL” is rather tiny compared to the universe of everything in the time/space continuum. So perhaps, just like fairy tales and religions, astrology attempts to explain what we don’t yet understand. Just as humans attributed to demons what we now know to be bacteria and viruses, perhaps someday we will have a better understanding, and will say “Aha! That is what we tried to explain through astrology!” Until then, as Kiki Dee once sang, “I’ve got the music in me!”

So I’ve been seeing a lot of live acts in our local community in my limited time since I last posted here. And let me tell you, they have been great! Such talent we have here in San Diego!

Stardate Saturday, February 14, 2015, Valentine’s Day

Blue Velvet

Valentine’s Day fell on a Saturday this year. Blue Velvet plays most every Saturday night at the Caliph. We spent our evening there, listening to the finest lounge act in Southern California, with Kevin Cavanaugh on vocals and keyboard, Maggie Taylor on vocals, and Normandie Wilson on vocals. I swear that every time we see them perform they get better and better. New songs, and new ways to perform old songs. Now that they are down to two female vocalists, Kevin has taken more singing parts and many of their older songs have been rearranged. And it is all for the better!

Stardate Sunday, February 15, 2015

Robin Henkel and his Horn Band with Whitney Shay

This group never disappoints. Robin is one of the best country blues guitarists I have ever seen. Whitney is one of the best interpretive singers in the blues/rhythm and blues genre I have ever Whitnessed. Sunday night after Valentine’s Day, the group performed for free at Lestat’s in Normal Heights. Robin and his band, consisting of Robin on guitars and vocals, Jodie Hill on double bass, Troy Jennings on baritone and soprano saxes, David Castel de Oro on tenor sax and clarinet, and Gary Nieves on drums, started out the set with Mose Allison’s “Your Molecular Structure” and led right into Diane Krall’s “Stop This World”. After a few other numbers, some rather avant garde, Whitney joined in with Duke Ellington’s “Kissin’ Bug”. Whitney sang several old R&B numbers like Little Esther (Phillips’) “Double Crossing Blues”, Etta James tunes, including “Dance with Me, Henry” (written by Johnny Otis, Hank Ballard and Etta James) and the group ended with Big Mama Thornton’s “Hound Dog”. Each instrumentalist took their turn soloing in various songs, and Whitney’s gutsy, bluesy singing was just what the old head needed. It was a wonderful evening of blues and jazz.

Stardate Thursday, February 19, 2015

Tomcat Courtney

Thursday night is Tomcat’s night at Proud Mary’s Southern Bar and Grill. We had not seen him for quite a while so we went the third Thursday in February. We had desserts and listened to some Delta blues played by a true legend. Tomcat is 86 now, and still going strong. He keeps a rhythm by tapping his foot on a little wooden block while he plays guitar, harmonica, and sings. Between songs he told stories about his time with Lightnin’ Hopkins, his main influence. Tomcat, as a child, learned to tap dance by listening to the trains crossing the bridge near his home in Texas, and imitating the rhythm. He then left Texas in the mid-1940s, while he was still in his mid-teens, to tap dance in the circus. While in the circus, he learned he could sing. After seeing Lightnin’ Hopkins, he decided he wanted to sing and play guitar. He still writes songs, as well as playing many of the old standards. Two self-penned songs we heard that night were “Sundown San Diego” and “Railroad Street”. He also played one of my favorites, “Cook My Breakfast”, an old Lightnin’ Hopkins tune. I got to talk to Tomcat when he was taking a break, and got my picture taken with him. It was quite an honor to meet him.

Stardate Saturday, February 21, 2015

Kawehi

Okay, Kawehi is not a local, but I have anticipated seeing her perform live for a long time. I would not have known about her at all had it not been for my former guitar instructor, Tony Janfolone, Sr., posting one of her videos on Face book. When I saw she was going to be playing San Diego at The Loft, I had to get tickets. And I am so glad we did. There were actually four acts performing that night. The first was a very local UCSD campus performer, Tojou (Jake Espinueva), who did “beat box flute”. He was only on about 15 minutes, and I was anxious to see Kawehi, so I was glad when he was done. It was interesting, but just not what I was waiting for. Then a local group, On Fifth, consisting of Shereen Fahrai and Fedra Ramirez on vocals and acoustic guitars did another 15 minute set of acoustic folk. Nicely done, but a weird fit for what Kawehi is noted for. They would have fit perfectly at a 60s peace rally. A longer set was given to Zoya Music. Zoya Mohan, born in India, raised in Southern California, and graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston, was a bit in the folk idiom, but also her music had a world beat flavor. She at one point cited Ani DiFranco as an inspiration for one of her songs – which did not get past me unnoticed, since I enjoy the music of DiFranco. It was an interesting set, and I picked up her CD which had all original tunes, and it did not disappoint. One song that stood out in her performance was her self-penned tune, “Fire”. She was accompanied by her band, flautist, Frankie De Rosa, and percussionist, Robbie Simmons.

Then Kawehi came on. Now, let me explain a little. Kawehi is a loop artist. She plays midi keyboard, guitar, ukulele, and looping station, also setting the beat via beat box. She is amazing to watch, precise in her timing, angelic in her singing. She started the set with Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer” of all things – pretty edgy stuff to begin your set with. She did her self-penned hit “Anthem” as well as a number of other self-penned songs and a cover of Gary Jules’ “Mad World” on solo guitar and voice followed by a mash-up of several pop tunes including “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey, “Put a Ring On It” by Beyonce, “Shake it Off” by Taylor Swift, DJ Khaled’s “All I do is Win” and others – even a Brittany Spears song. She also did a solo ukulele song with vocals in Hawaiian. Ending the set with Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel” was such a far cry from her opening number. Hers was a terrific performance; witty, enthusiastic, up-beat, and just plain fun to watch and listen to. After the show, Kawehi met any and all who wanted to meet her, autographing CDs (and kissing them) and posing for photos.

Stardate Friday, February 27, 2015: the date of my birth, the day of Spock’s death

Taryn Donath Trio

I have previously written about Taryn Donath and her amazing keyboard talent. For my birthday, I wanted to see her trio at the Speakeasy in the Gaslamp. We got there early, and I’m glad we did since many seats were reserved in this small venue, but we managed to get some decent seats where we could see all three players: Taryn Donath on keyboard and vocals, Troy Jennings on saxophones, and Matthew Taylor on drums. This was an evening of delectable jazz and jazzy blues; Taryn and her band mates did not disappoint in the least. Taryn’s keyboarding was jaw-dropping – while the set was primarily instrumental, her selected vocals captured the essence of the bluesy lyrics. Troy was exceptionally hot that night – even more so than when we saw him with Robin Henkel weeks before, and Matthew was spot-on all evening with some fabulous solos of his own. You can tell when a band is really connecting with each other by the look of pure joy in their eyes when communicating. They had this; sax solo feeding off keyboard solo, and drums feeding off both and holding it all together. They played standards like Hancock’s “Watermelon Man” as well as some of Taryn’s self-penned songs, including a hypnotic version of her CD title track “Gardenia”. Gardenia is a beautiful song and while performing it, Taryn had a look of ecstatic surrender on her face as if the music was really playing her. I got to talk to band members during breaks. What a fun group! And Taryn put my review of her performance at the Adams Avenue Street Fair last year on her home page! I’m honored.

Stardate Saturday, February 28, 2015, Planet Earth/Crossing Over to Infinity

Shadowlight & !ZeuqsaV!

“Songs of the Seeker: A Journey into Wonder”

At the Moxie Theatre, the Saturday after my birthday, Nancy and I journeyed with electric violinist, Jamie Shadowlight, and visual projection artist, Xavier Vasquez, with assistance from Mikan Zlatkovich, into a world of wonder and beauty. Recording and photos were prohibited but we did get a photo with Jamie afterward. This was experimental, multimedia artistry – totally improvised and yet a cohesive, flowing “path” to a final purified resolution. During the past several months, Jamie and Xavier had traveled to the desert, the ocean, the mountains, and the city to provide a variety of beautiful video clips that were mixed, processed, and altered to coincide with Jamie’s electric violin, using a delay and wah pedal. Jamie had found that the sound of OM could be made on the violin using the low 5^th C string. With it she was able to imitate the sound of OM such as heard by Tuvan throat singers. Using harmonics she was able to make the sound of Tibetan singing bowls – in fact, at one point I could swear it was Xavier who somewhere in his lap top and electronics had a singing bowl or a recording of such. The room was darkened – and the only light was focused on the projection screen onstage. Jamie sat in the dark onstage to our far right, and Xavier sat in the dark to the far left. Not until the end did I notice that Mikan was in the aisle above several seats using some form of hand-held device to assist with the production. I still am not sure exactly what he was doing. This was a one-of-a-kind performance, never to be reproduced the exact same way however, there was sort-of a promise that they could do various other mixes with this. In fact, Jamie asked Xavier and Mikan to “jam” another improvisation using the video clips. The room was darkened again for a five-to-ten minute encore. In the video clips of the main production Jamie was wearing red, in search of meaning and spiritual purification. In the live performance she was in white signifying the quest had been accomplished. Beautiful, mesmerizing, psychedelic, awesome, are mere words to attempt to describe this amazing happening.

This performance reminded me of the performance of BIOME (Allen & Patricia Strange, and Frank and Boots McCarty) at Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Student Union that I witnessed in or around March of 1972. Patricia Strange played violin while the others used electronics and obscure percussion to produce an other-worldly performance that set me on the path to exploring electronic and avant garde music, and expanding my musical horizons in general.

Stardate Friday, March 6, 2015

Jamie Shadowlight

A Jazz Exploration of The Beatles

At 98 Bottles, we were privileged to be in the presence of musical greatness: Jamie Shadowlight on violin, Mikan Zlatkovich on keyboard, Mackenzie (Mack) Leighton on contra bass, Richard Sellers on drums, and special guests Carmelia “Toot” Bell and Arnessa Rickett on vocals. They did a jazz treatment of some of the more popular Beatles songs, such as opening number “Come Together”. There were beautiful interpretations of “Lady Madonna”, “Here, There, and Everywhere”, and more. Their version of “Blackbird” was haunting, subtle, and evocative, complete with pizzicato violin, droning synth/keys and softened rhythms with drummer Sellers using mallets on the set and bassist Leighton laying down a repetitive line to glue it together. “Norwegian Wood” had a long building group improvisation that kept me on the edge of my seat. “Eleanor Rigby”, to me, was the highlight of the night and they really kicked it into gear. Jamie stepped out to let the trio rock out on “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” including fantastic solos from each, but Seller’s solo was simply scrumptious – keeping the obtuse lyrical rhythms going in this solo was a sight to behold. They closed with Toot Bell and Arnessa Rickett contributing vocals to “Don’t Let Me Down”, followed by an encore “All You Need is Love”. All performers were in top form. “A splendid time was guaranteed for all.”

Stardate Saturday, March 7, 2015

Blue Velvet

Kevin & Normandie’s Birthday Bash

I will end this returning back to where we began. Two of the three members of Blue Velvet (Normandie Wilson and Kevin Cavanaugh) share the same birthday – March 7. It also happened to be a Saturday night, which is Blue Velvet’s standing gig at the Caliph. While I had to get up early to leave for Atlanta the next morning, and we lost an hour for Daylight Savings Time, “wild horses couldn’t drag me away” from these dignified proceedings. Blue Velvet was at their best, and the place was packed with adoring fans, many of whom were other artists from the San Diego music scene. While we didn’t stay long, we got to visit with several people and had a wonderful time.

Since then, I have been to Atlanta and returned. We went to see another great artist, Liz Grace, at Proud Mary’s on Friday the 13^th. I will have more to say next time on that. Plus, I have made some new musical honored mentionables that deserve some honorable mention. There is a lot happening in the local music scene – too much to see. I am still figuring out a way to transport myself to various venues within a split second, as the crew of the Enterprise once did. But alas, Spock is dead. And I have come to the end of this journey. Live long and prosper.

Where Have I Been? Where Am I? Who Am I? Why Should I Be?

On February 16, 2015February 16, 2015 By PopeswamiLeave a comment

“How slight a thing will disturb the equanimity of our frail minds!”

Charles Dickens, from Oliver Twist, 1838

I hate reporting from the road, so since I’ve been gone for four weeks, save a few hours each weekend, I held everything until now. 2015 has already turned out to be interesting, to say the least. Several lounge albums came my way unexpectedly, including late 60s Butler, PA duo, The Specialists, “Tomorrow’s Standards” complete with the misspelling, “Tommorows” right on the front cover! Another General Assembly (Show) LP from the early 70s, and mid-70s New Jersey lounge weirdness from The Muzzy Band, “How Was It?”. (Frankly, it was awful – but I love it, still, for the sad, sad humor.)

Breaking away from the lounge recordings, another slab of plastic arrived here, The Serpent Power, “Ourobouros”, a limited edition on 180 gram virgin vinyl from Locust Music. I got #229 of 500. This consists of two compositions, 1 & 2, which are free form psychedelic excursions into strange places while in the KPFA studio in 1969.Participants include: Bob Cuff, rhythm guitar; Clark Coolidge, drums; Jim Moscoso, bass; David Meltzer, guitar/vocals; and J.P. Pickens on banjo. Others sitting-in on these sessions include Daniel Moore on shenei, bells, conch shell, and Christian on alto sax. The music was spontaneous – this collective had never worked together as a unit before!

While my wife was healing from back surgery, I put together a CD of songs she liked, some of which she requested for the comp. I have to admit, it turned out nicely, consisting of the following:

Orleans – Still the One

The Stylistics – You Make Me Feel Brand New

Beverly Bremers – Don’t Say You Don’t Remember

Stealers Wheel – Stuck In The Middle With You

The Marshall Tucker Band – Heard It In A Love Song

Earth, Wind, and Fire – September

Carly Simon – The Right Thing To Do

Olivia Newton-John – I Honestly Love You

Toto – Hold The Line

Pure Prairie League – Amie

Rita Coolidge – We’re All Alone

Kenny Loggins with Stevie Nicks – Whenever I Call You Friend

Exile – Kiss You All Over

Paul Davis – I Go Crazy

Benny Mardones – Into The Night

Janice Ian – At Seventeen

Phoebe Snow – Poetry Man

Marty Balin – Hearts

Israel Kamakawiwo’ole – Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World

Then it was off to Asheville, North Carolina. I really did not expect to go to any performances while there, but sure enough, I stumbled onto a solo acoustic guitarist, Chris Rhodes, who did several covers from the 60s and 70s. He had a CD available that I picked up – all original tunes in a jazz/blues style. We talked and I found out that he used to live in LA, and had friends in Normal Heights in San Diego. He played venues along the coast from Rosarita, Mexico to Long Beach, leaving the area in 2001 for North Carolina.

My next stop was Houston, Texas. While I did not have time to go out evenings to hear anything I made it a point to make contact with Jandek, the outsider artist who has kept his true persona a big mystery. Jandek has been recording albums since 1978, and has never revealed his true identity all this time. He only began performing live in 2004, and is very selective of who accompanies him – always top performers in the avant garde scene or local experimental artists where he is performing. He usually ignores efforts from “fans” who contact him. I invited him to dinner and he responded. While he reminded me of his policy – not to communicate with anyone other than those who arrange his concerts – he wanted to thank me for my invitation and hoped I enjoyed my stay in Houston. He had tried to arrange for a San Diego performance at one of the universities but it fell through. Perhaps I can do something to change this. Hmmmm. Jandek is on the far right.

On to Pittsburgh, my favorite big city in the USA, and my old stomping grounds. My good friend, Jim Ulery, made arrangements for us to go to the James Street Gastropub & Speakeasy on Thursday night, where there was a jazz jam, coordinated by famed jazz drummer, Roger Humphries. Talk about small world, one of my students used to work at the Speakeasy and knew Roger Humphries & his bass player, Dwayne Dolphin. So I made myself known to both Roger and Dwayne. In an email to my friend, Tony Janflone, Jr, he said to say hi to Roger. Well these connections opened further conversation with these guys and before you know it, Roger is introducing Jim to George Heid. What he didn’t realize is that George was Jim’s drum instructor only about 40 years ago. George had also been the drummer in the Super Blues Band, a jazz/rock trio which also included Tony Janflone, Sr (my guitar teacher) and George’s brother Bill Heid on keyboards. We were sitting there and I was talking about saxophonist, Kenny Blake, and how great it would be to see him live. Kenny’s album, “Interior Design”, had made it to #15 on Billboard’s Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart in 1991. Tony Janflone, Jr. appeared on that and his follow up album, “Rumor Has It”, which charted at #20 in 1992. Well, wouldn’t you know, Kenny was there and did one song with the group. When he left the stage, I went over to talk to him. We got to talking about Tony and he raved about his playing. Being an open jam evening, there were several student players from one of the local universities who took turns performing with the jazz giants on stage. As for the music, it was straight ahead progressive jazz, from cool bop to Latin jazz. Humphries had played with Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Mann, to just name a few. Besides their own compositions, they did numbers by Horace Silver, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and others. Wonderful artistry with a lineup of saxes, trumpet, piano, electric bass, and drums with an occasional trombone. A wonderful evening. Roger Humphries band.

Kenny Blake on sax.

Then it was on to Springfield, Illinois, and single digit temperatures in the morning, getting up to the high twenties most days. This was the week of Lincoln’s birthday so there were many Lincoln celebrations but no music events close enough to endure the cold weather to get to. It was a week of consulting and hibernation.

Got back to warm San Diego on Valentine’s Day and Nancy and I went to the Caliph that evening to hear Blue Velvet. They are now a trio consisting of Kevin Cavanaugh, Maggie Taylor, and Normandie Wilson. Surprisingly, they are even better than before, with many new numbers and reworked old ones. I had requested “My Funny Valentine” and Normandie did an amazing job with this difficult song. They also acknowledged us, mentioning that this was Nancy’s first outing after having major surgery. A real nice touch. Dave Fleminger was there and shared our table. He is currently engineering Normandie’s next solo album. Can’t wait to hear this one.

Tonight we will head to Lestat’s West to hear the Robin Henkel Horn Band with Whitney Shay. It has been awhile since we’ve heard them. Should be a nice treat.

And that catches us up to the present that just passed a moment ago. I am home for a week so I will try to get into some topics that I’ve neglected for far too long, which is part of what I wanted to do with this all along.

Exotic Beginnings

On January 17, 2015January 17, 2015 By PopeswamiLeave a comment

Apologetics

Some of you have been following me since my beginning post on Sett.com, so you know to expect a variety of music-based topics. It seems however that my most recent post did not do much toward expanding my readership, or fulfilling the reading pleasures of my most loyal followers, and may have even left some of you confused. When I called this whole thing “mappinghappenings” you may not have realized that the happenings could be imaginary or that the travelling could just be inside my head. “But that’s the way it is”, to quote Ella Fitzgerald. And, what is the difference in talking about something totally fabricated and something that happened to me 50 years ago, where the memories inside the same old head are rattling around with those imaginary events? As a matter of fact, unless I am reporting on what is happening right this instant…no, that one is gone now…this one…oops, it’s gone, too; you see, “in the moment” cannot be written. And if I write about the future, it has not happened yet, so you are only reading my expectations or predictions for what might happen. If I write about the past, whether it is recent or long past, my past or someone else’s past; it is all coming out of my mental storage unit, called “the brain”.

Now, the past includes facts as well as interpretations of those facts. And, there are time-based facts, such as events, and there are facts that do not change with, nor are influenced by, time. For example, the formula E=mc₂ is a constant fact, but the discovery of this fact is time-based, some time shortly before Einstein published this discovery in 1905. In “fact”, this discovery actually just came to Einstein as he thought it out, inside his head.

So, what am I getting at? It is all in the mind. Memories are like photos. And we know that the photo may not be a totally accurate description of what was, because it only reflects what the lens could detect when the shot was taken. The capability of the lens is based upon both time-based and constant facts. Memories can actually be more fiction than fact; “more of gravy than of grave”, as Charles Dickens’ Scrooge once said. So, just read it “in the moment” and if it connects with you, that is great. When speaking of the past that actually happened, I will attempt to be as accurate with the facts as I can.

And here is where I want to begin. My beginning. The day I was born, the top single in the U.S. was “Till I Waltz Again with You” performed by Teresa Brewer. I do not consciously recollect ever hearing that song. I have no idea what it sounds like. But up to the age of about seven, I had collected a host of songs in my little head that I still fondly recall, although I could not tell you at what age I first heard them. Some are tied to events in my life but I cannot guarantee that it was during those events that I first heard any of these songs, or that they first registered in my memory. Most were hits at the time. But some were not, such as the recording of “’Round Midnight” by Miles Davis and Michel Legrand. I remember hearing this on the car radio when we were visiting Cucumber Falls, near Uniontown, PA, in the late 50s. I searched high and low for this song and then in 1975, a friend bought me an LP of Miles Davis’ early recordings, and I immediately recognized the song I had heard on that trip!

This recording of “’Round Midnight” needs a close listen, since the arrangement by Legrand has so much going on – all the exquisite little parts make a wonderful whole; it is a great example of how to do an orchestral arrangement. ‘Round Midnight was composed by Bernie Hanighen, Cootie Williams, and Thelonious Monk, and stands out as one of my all time favorites. This recording includes jazz greats Phil Woods on alto sax, Jerome Richardson on baritone sax, Paul Chambers on bass, Kenny Dennis on drums, Barry Galbraith on guitar, Betty Glamann on harp, Herbie Mann on flute, Bill Evans on piano, John Coltrane on tenor sax, Eddie Costa on vibes, Miles Davis on trumpet and Michel Legrand, conductor/arranger.

Exotica

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Another song from around that same time period that stuck with me my entire life was Martin Denny’s version of “Quiet Village”. “Quiet Village” was written and first recorded by Les Baxter in 1952, for his album Le Sacre du Sauvage (Ritual of the Savage), but the classic version that is most remembered was recorded by Martin Denny in 1956, formerly the pianist in Les Baxter’s band. Denny first released it in 1957 on his Exotica LP, with added bird calls and frog sounds created by his percussionist, Augie Colon, and other members of the band. The song was released as a single in 1959 and became a major hit, making it to number two in the pop charts that summer. Denny actually appeared on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand in 1958. Denny recorded the song a couple more times in the 60s, one with a bossa nova rhythm and one using moog synthesizer, but it is the 1959 single that is most remembered, and is the version that was emblazoned into my memory. I never knew who did this or how to find it until I heard it on a compilation CD my parents obtained in the late 90s. I was quite excited about this discovery and had to obtain that same compilation, just for this song.

There are several stories about how it was that Denny decided to incorporate the sounds of the tropical jungle into his music. He had a regular gig at the Shell Bar in Hawaiian Village in Honolulu beginning around 1955 and also had a love for collecting ethnic and obscure musical instruments from around the world. He incorporated these instruments into his combo, which included Augie Colon on percussion and Arthur Lyman on marimba/vibraphone. While at the Shell Bar he noted that bullfrogs in the tropical bar setting would croak when he played, so he began incorporating an approximation of their sound as well as bird calls made by Colon and Lyman into his music. It went over so well that he used this idea when recording his first LP, Exotica.

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Arthur Lyman decided to strike out on his own in 1957, and continued in the Denny fashion of using the sounds of tropical birds and fauna in his music. Both would remain friends while competing for the same audience. Lyman had a hit with “Yellow Bird”, whose exotica version is another song I was fascinated with as a child. Augie Colon also did a couple albums in the early 60s. Martin Denny replaced Arthur Lyman on vibes and marimba with Julius Wechter, who also later left Denny to form the Baja Marimba Band. Sandy Warner, the voluptuous model who graced the majority of Martin Denny’s album covers, tried her hand in recording an album with Steve Allen, titled Fair and Warner.

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Les Baxter laid the ground work for the exotica genre beginning in 1952 but the trademark sound that is commonly associated with the genre began with Martin Denny’s first LP. Arthur Lyman took it a step further. The three would be considered the primary leaders in the exotica musical phenomenon. The heyday of exotica would be approximately from 1957 through 1963, though there are many examples from before and after that period. There were many other notable exotica artists in that time period, George Rains being one of my favorites with his LP Lotus Land, which I only discovered about five years ago. The style’s influence could even be argued as being one of the stepping stones to the psychedelic music era. Indeed, eden ahbez, with his 1959 LP Eden’s Island, is considered to be one of the earliest artists in psychedelic music, as well as an example of exotica. Both genres were based on escapism with incorporation of sounds of other cultures from across the planet. All this coincided with the increasing use of air travel both in the business world as well as in the vacationing public. Travel agencies lured customers to exotic places with pictorial brochures that I am sure were the fodder for exotica album covers.

Kim Fowley

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There were songs in other genres that stuck in my mind from early childhood. One such example was the novelty song “Alley Oop” by the Hollywood Argyles from 1960. I bring this up because that song was written and recorded by Kim Fowley, with assistance from Gary Paxton who sang the ditty and some studio musicians who included Sandy Nelson on “garbage can and screams”. They named themselves the Hollywood Argyles because Argyle Street ran next to the studio. Kim Fowley died two days ago, January 15, 2015, at the age of 75, from bladder cancer. Two years ago, at the 30^th anniversary of Ugly Things magazine, magazine editor and publisher Mike Stax, had invited Kim to MC the UT tribute concert at the Casbah in San Diego, but he could not make it due to ill health. I was at that concert weekend and came that close to actually meeting Kim. I have two of his albums, Outrageous from 1968, and Living in the Streets from 1978. I have both in LP and CD formats. Kim was a great behind the scenes catalyst in Southern California rock, and if there was true justice in rock music would have already been in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame.

And with that, I close. R.I.P., Kim.

The Study of Tubular Prisms

On January 14, 2015 By PopeswamiLeave a comment

“Life is strange
How it differs from the rocks”
Crown of Creation, Jefferson Airplane, 1968

I always love a good concert. It has been awhile since I’ve been to one at a larger venue. Most performances I’ve attended in the past few years have been smaller, more intimate settings. But recently I decided to splurge and spend some money to go see a band that I have wanted to see ever since I heard them on a small college radio station near Palomar, CA.

So let me start at the end instead of the beginning. On the way home from seeing the Handy Mannequins at the out-of-the-way Solar Flare Arena (a former rave setting hidden in the mountains between Temecula and Pauma that was updated to arena status about a decade ago), I passed a white van with the name “Gobbling Knobs” inscribed on the side. Gobbling Knobs is another band, and ironically their lead singer, Chlamydia Jane, was formerly the singer for the Handy Mannequins. Chlamydia has been replaced by retired jazz-lounge veteran, Miss Hortense Roadheaver, which made a big difference in the Mannequins’ proto-punk/rave-up sound. With Ms. Roadheaver on board, they have expanded their musical palette exponentially.

The opening act tonight was Belladonna & Her Wicked Stepladders, who did a fantastic set. After concluding with a lengthy hypnotic dirge from their CD release, “Damn Hankies”, they left the audience yelling for “More Belladonna!” But twenty minutes after they left the stage, and Handy Mannequins hit the stage, de-tuning their instruments, I knew this was going to get interesting. There was no real introduction as their fiddling about transitioned into a free jam. Sniveling Sam Liverwurst did his imitation of Snakefinger on guitar, then Psycho Pin Cushion Pete on drums rolled into a Gene Krupa “Sing Sing Sing” rhythm while Sniveling Sam performed Benny Goodman’s clarinet licks on guitar. Joe-Harlan Honkers weaved his sax stylings in and out and Bartholomew Benchmarker’s bass kept the bottom from falling out of the mix. Up to this point I had never before heard Hortense and worried about the change from Chlamydia and what effect it would have on their performance. Suddenly there appeared an apparition at the side of the stage in a white wedding gown and eye patch. It was septuagenarian, Hortense Roadheaver, who strutted onto the stage – the left side of her head shaved; the right side left as a tangled mess. Hortense grabbed the mic, clinging to it like a crutch, gurgled and spat on the floor, then in a husky, gravelly, nicotine-and-whiskey-damaged voice she croaked “Hi, I’m Hortense – let’s give a hand to Sniveling Sam, Pin Cushion Pete, Joe-Harlan and Bartholomew – better known to the world as the Handy Mannequins! Are you ready to get really high tonight?” and the audience enthusiastically responded with a “Hell, yeah!” This was certainly becoming some enchanted evening. I quickly forgot about my Chlamydia.

They quickly transitioned that wild jam into their punk anthem “Bananas in My Nostrils” and Hortense ripped a few vocal cords spitting out the lyrics in intense fashion, adding a bit of cabaret swagger to the mix. The band fed off her aged energy and knocked it up a half-notch – guitar and sax roaring out over the cymbal-heavy drums. There was no waiting for applause. They went right into the next song, “Melvin the Mummy Molester”, which was a sad song about the loneliest Egyptian on Earth. As the band moved into a slow funeral march, as if walking down Bourbon Street, Hortense gave an intense reading of this ballad with her lower lip quivering. I was not sure if she was having a stroke or just feeling the lyrics. It sure kept this member of the audience on the edge of his seat! Suddenly with a loud crash they blasted their way into the next number “I’ve Got Three Arms, I’m a Freak!” The only lyric to this song is the title, and it is done with the audience in a call-and-response style. I truly believe I saw a human arm crawling across the stage for a brief moment. They had a lot of fun with this one.

The performance continued song after song, until the last one, which gave poor Hortense a break from singing. This was a long version of their tribute to either a type of DMT or a hard candy, “Square Purples”. It began slow, laying down the modal theme with sax and guitar. Then, the guitar began to meander and the next thing you know, Bartholomew’s bass gets in on the fun with guitar and bass appearing to compete in a race to an imaginary finish line. The bass player seemed to be in a musical nirvana. With a big smile on his face and eyes closed Bartholomew’s fingers frantically raced up and down the fret board. The drums pounded out a steady rhythm holding everything together. I noted a huge puddle of sweat appearing beneath the drums and I wondered if they would float away! Hortense fell into a trance and waltzed around the stage in some type of dance macabre – both beautiful and grotesque. Suddenly she picked up a harmonica and blew it into a mic-fed vintage tube Maestro Echoplex I had been coveting all night. Her bluesy harp stylings heaped upon the guitar-bass race to the finish was so intense that people began to pass out. Others just got up and left. After Joe-Harlan’s intro he didn’t have much else to contribute to the piece so he just nodded off, but his snoring added a certain ambience to the composition. I had to stay for the entire hour-long jam, just like years ago when I had to stay in the theater for the end of David Lynch’s nightmarish film, “Eraserhead”.

I left the concert with their LP, “The Study of Tubular Prisms”, autographed by the band, and Hortense kissed the album cover leaving her ruby red lipstick in the form of her huge mouth, with a cookie crumb stuck to it, no less. I headed home, and after passing the Gobbling Knobs’ van and wondering about my dear Chlamydia, I saw that human arm again, crossing the road. I swerved to miss the arm and collided with the car to my left. I blacked-out, awakening in my own bed – it had all been a dream. But what a lovely dream it was.

There is actually no Solar Flare Arena, nor Handy Mannequins, nor Gobbling Knobs. Hortense and Chlamydia are evidently both figments of my subconscious. I checked my record collection and could not find the Tubular Prisms LP. But I did have the memories.

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