4194 - ONE FLEW SOUTH - Last Of The Good Guys (2008)

ONE FLEW SOUTH
''LAST OF THE GOOD GUYS''
MARCH 11 2008
45:19

1/Last of the Good Guys
Marcus Hummon/4:30
2/My Kind of Beautiful
Andy Griggs / Marcus Hummon / Darrell Scott/4:00
3/Junkie
Marcus Hummon/4:43
4/Life
Billy Mann/4:14
5/She's a Gift
J.D. Souther/3:52
6/Sara
Marcus Hummon / Royal Reed/3:20
7/It Is Good
Marcus Hummon / J.D. Souther/3:30
8/Shameless
Marcus Hummon / Royal Reed/3:47
9/Let the Day Carry You
J.D. Souther/3:27
10/Makin' It Rain
Marcus Hummon / Royal Reed/3:37
11/Blue Highways
Bill Deasy / Royal Reed/4:02
12/Too Old to Die Young
Scott Dooley / John Hadley/2:17

Eddie Bush/Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Gut String Guitar
Chad Cromwell/Drums
Dan Dugmore/Pedal Steel
John Gardner/Djembe, Drums
Marcus Hummon/Guitar (12 String Acoustic), Guitar (Acoustic), Mandolin, Piano
George Marinelli/Guitar (12 String Electric), Guitar (Electric)
Dave Matthews/Keyboards, Percussion
Mark Prentice/Bass
Mike Rojas/Organ (Hammond), Piano, Synthesizer, Wurlitzer
Darrell Scott/Mandolin
Michael Severs/Guitar (Electric)
Wanda Vick/Banjo, Dobro, Mandolin
Jonathan Yudkin/Cello, Viola

REVIEW
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
One Flew South is almost disarmingly old-fashioned: not old-timey, or even a throwback to classic country, but rather a revival of the harmony-heavy, mellow country-rock of the '70s. All through their 2008 debut, Last of the Good Guys, the trio of Royal Reed, Chris Roberts, and Eddie Bush harmonize like the sons of Crosby, Stills & Nash, Poco, and the Eagles, so it shouldn't come as a great surprise that this sound caught the ear of J.D. Souther, running mate and songwriter for the Eagles. Souther co-wrote several songs on Last of the Good Guys, helping to give the album an authentic, laid-back '70s vibe, but the trio is sharp enough to draft in Marcus Hummon -- a writer behind hits for Rascal Flatts and the Dixie Chicks -- to give this a modern pop flair. Indeed, the two songwriters even collaborate on "It Is Good," a tune that perhaps favors Souther's sensibility, yet the entire album does achieve a delicate balance between his warm, relaxed, soulful, soft rock and Hummon's gift for contemporary adult pop, but too much credit shouldn't be placed at these writers feet, as One Flew South are very much their own band; they're just working with a kindred spirit. Their harmonies are easygoing and plentiful. Eddie Bush co-writes half of the album's 12 tracks and plays some gorgeous guitar; Chris Roberts has five writing credits; while Royal Reed (who has three credits) is an appealing, everyman frontman, all things that give them their own identity as a group. And the most appealing thing about Last of the Good Guys is that it is a record where the sum is greater than the individual parts; it's subtle, well-crafted music that comes on smooth yet lingers after it's finished playing.

BIOGRAPHY
by Steve Leggett
A country-rock harmony trio in the tradition of the Eagles, Poco, and Crosby, Stills & Nash, with a little Alabama and the Beach Boys thrown in for good measure, Nashville-based One Flew South actually have their origins in New York City when El Paso-born Royal Reed and New Orleans-born Chris Roberts met while appearing in the Broadway musical The Civil War in 1998. Also appearing in the production was country vocal legend Larry Gatlin, who became a mentor to Roberts and Reed and suggested they expand to a trio. Enter South Carolina-born singer and songwriter Eddie Bush, and One Flew South became official in 2005. The trio recorded some demos and shopped them to Decca Records, who quickly signed One Flew South and put them in the studio with producer Marcus Hummon and a crack session band. The resulting debut album, Last of the Good Guys, was released by Decca in 2008.

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4193 - HANK DAVISON & FRIENDS Real Live (1996)

HANK DAVISON & FRIENDS
''REAL LIVE''
JUNE 18 1996
69:05

1 - Get Your Kicks On Route/3:11
2 - Feel Good About It/6:06
3 - Living It Up/4:21
4 - Intro (BTBW)/2:06
5 - Panhead '49/4:01
6 - Come On Ad Say Yeah/5:03
7 - Nutbush City Limits/4:24
8 - Prisoner Blues/3:46
9 - Slow Blues In C/6:33
10 - Summertime Blues/4:49
11 - Hoochie Coochie Man/7:46
12 - The Liar/4:36
13 - Highway Star/6:00
14 - She's Gone/5:47

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4192 - CAPTAIN BEEFHEART AND THE MAGIC BAND - Doc At The Radar Station (1980)

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART AND THE MAGIC BAND
''DOC AT THE RADAR STATION''
1980
38:31

1/Hot Head
Don Van Vliet/3:22
2/Ashtray Heart
Don Van Vliet/3:26
3/A Carrot Is as Close as a Rabbit Gets to a Diamond
Don Van Vliet/1:38
4/Run Paint Run Run
Don Van Vliet/3:39
5/Sue Egypt
Don Van Vliet/2:57
6/Brickbats
Don Van Vliet/2:43
7/Dirty Blue Gene
Don Van Vliet/3:51
8/Best Batch Yet
Don Van Vliet/5:01
9/Telephone
Don Van Vliet/1:31
10/Flavor Bud Living
Don Van Vliet/1:00
11/Sheriff of Hong Kong
Don Van Vliet/6:33
12/Making Love to a Vampire With a Monkey on My Knee
Don Van Vliet/3:10

Captain Beefheart/Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals
Drumbo/Bass, Drums, Guitar, Marimba, Slide Guitar
Eric Drew Feldman/Bass, Keyboards, Mellotron, Piano, Piano (Electric), Piano (Grand), Synthesizer
Bruce Fowler/Trombone
John French/Bass, Drums, Guitar, Marimba
Gary Lewis/Guitar
Gary Lucas/French Horn, Guitar
Jeff Moris Tepper/Guitar, Slide Guitar
Don Van Vliet/Arranger, Chinese Gong, Clarinet (Bass), Gong, Harmonica, Sax (Soprano), Vocals
Robert Williams/Drums

REVIEW
by Steve Huey
Generally acclaimed as the strongest album of his comeback, and by some as his best since Trout Mask Replica, Doc at the Radar Station had a tough, lean sound owing partly to the virtuosic new version of the Magic Band (featuring future Pixies sideman Eric Drew Feldman, New York downtown-scene guitarist Gary Lucas, and a returning John "Drumbo" French, among others) and partly to the clear, stripped-down production, which augmented the Captain's basic dual-guitar interplay and jumpy rhythms with extra percussion instruments and touches of Shiny Beast's synths and trombones. Many of the songs on Doc either reworked or fully developed unused material composed around the time of the creatively fertile Trout Mask sessions, which adds to the spirited performances. Even if the Captain's voice isn't quite what it once was, Doc at the Radar Station is an excellent, focused consolidation of Beefheart's past and then-present.

BIOGRAPHY
by Jason Ankeny
Born Don Vliet, Captain Beefheart was one of modern music's true innovators. The owner of a remarkable four-and-a-half-octave vocal range, he employed idiosyncratic rhythms, absurdist lyrics, and an unholy alliance of free jazz, Delta blues, latter-day classical music, and rock & roll to create a singular body of work virtually unrivaled in its daring and fluid creativity. While he never came even remotely close to mainstream success, Beefheart's impact was incalculable, and his fingerprints were all over punk, new wave, and post-rock.
Don Vliet was born January 15, 1941 in Glendale, CA (he changed his name to Van Vliet in the early '60s). At the age of four, his artwork brought him to the attention of Portuguese sculptor Augustinio Rodriguez, and Vliet was declared a child prodigy. In 1954, he was offered a scholarship to study in Europe; his parents declined the proposal, however, and the family instead moved to the Mojave Desert, where the teen was befriended by a young Frank Zappa. In time Vliet taught himself saxophone and harmonica, and joined a pair of local R&B groups, the Omens and the Blackouts.
After a semester at college, he and Zappa moved to Cucamonga, CA, where they planned to shoot a film, Captain Beefheart Meets the Grunt People. As the project remained in limbo, Zappa finally moved to Los Angeles, where he founded the Mothers of Invention; Van Vliet later returned to the Mojave area, adopted the Beefheart name and formed the first lineup of his backing group the Magic Band with guitarists Alex St. Clair and Doug Moon, bassist Jerry Handley, and drummer Paul Blakely in 1964.
In their original incarnation, the Magic Band were a blues-rock outfit who became staples of the teen dance circuit; they quickly signed to A&M Records, where the success of the single "Diddy Wah Diddy" earned them the opportunity to record a full-length album. Comprised of Van Vliet compositions like "Frying Pan," "Electricity," and "Zig Zag Wanderer," label president Jerry Moss rejected the completed record as "too negative," and a crushed Beefheart went into seclusion. After replacing Moon and Blakely with guitarist Antennae Jimmy Semens (born Jeff Cotton) and drummer John "Drumbo" French, the group (fleshed out by guitarist Ry Cooder) recut the songs in 1967 as Safe as Milk. After producer Bob Krasnow radically remixed 1968's hallucinatory Strictly Personal without Beefheart's approval, he again retired.
At the same time, however, Zappa formed his own label, Straight Records, and he soon approached Van Vliet with the promise of complete creative control. A deal was struck, and after writing 28 songs in a nine-hour frenzy, Beefheart formed the definitive lineup of the Magic Band -- made up of Semens, Drumbo, guitarist Zoot Horn Rollo (born Bill Harkleroad), bassist Rockette Morton (Mark Boston), and bass clarinetist the Mascara Snake (Victor Fleming) -- to record the seminal 1969 double album Trout Mask Replica.
Following 1970's similarly outré Lick My Decals Off, Baby, Beefheart adopted an almost commercial sound for the 1972 releases The Spotlight Kid and Clear Spot. Shortly thereafter, the Magic Band broke off to form Mallard, and Beefheart was dropped by his label, Reprise. After a two-year layoff, he released a pair of pop-blues albums, Unconditionally Guaranteed and Bluejeans and Moonbeams, with a new, short-lived Magic Band; following another fallow period, 1978's Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) marked a return to the eccentricities of his finest work.
After 1982's Ice Cream for Crow, Van Vliet again retired from music, this time for good; he returned to the desert, took up residence in a trailer, and focused on painting. In 1985, he mounted the first major exhibit of his work, done in an abstract, primitive style reminiscent of Francis Bacon. Like his music, his art won wide acclaim, and some of his paintings sold for as much as $25,000. In the 1990s Van Vliet dropped completely from sight when he fell prey to multiple sclerosis; however, releases like 1999's five-disc Grow Fins box set and the two-disc anthology The Dust Blows Forward maintained his prominence. Van Vliet died of complications from multiple sclerosis on December 17, 2010 in California; he was 69 years old.

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4191 - THE BRUCE KATZ BAND - Three Feet Off The Ground (2000)

THE BRUCE KATZ BAND
''THREE FEET OFF THE GROUND''
AUGUST 15 2000
57:15

1/Beef Jerky
Bruce Katz / John Lennon/4:20
2/In the Shadow
Bruce Katz/7:12
3/Wrecking Ball
Bruce Katz / Neil Young/4:27
4/Way Down Time
Bruce Katz/6:34
5/Three Feet off the Ground
Bruce Katz/4:14
6/Walk With Me
Bruce Katz/6:23
7/You're It
Bruce Katz/4:23
8/Jet Lag
Bruce Katz/5:17
9/The Hook
Gerald Albright / Chuckii Booker / Bruce Katz/4:49
10/Key to the City
Bruce Katz / Ralph Rosen/5:00
11/Switchin'
Bruce Katz/4:36

Julien Kasper/Guitar
Bruce Katz/Hammond B3, Organ (Hammond), Piano
Blake Newman/Bass (Acoustic), Double Bass
Duke Robillard/Guitar
Ralph Rosen/Drums

REVIEW
by Alex Henderson
It has been said that instrumentalist Bruce Katz has one foot in jazz and the other foot in the blues, but those aren't the only styles that interest the organist/pianist; rock, soul, and gospel are also part of what he does. All of those influences assert themselves on Three Feet Off the Ground, which tends to be more aggressive and rockin' than the album that preceded it, 1997's Mississippi Moan. "Wrecking Ball" and "Beef Jerky" (which brings to mind Lee Morgan's "The Sidewinder") are definitely among the more forceful things Katz has recorded, and his guitarist Julien Kasper sounds equally uninhibited. Although Katz is a talented acoustic pianist with a healthy appreciation of Albert Ammons, his piano playing takes a back seat to the organ this time. Katz's Hammond B-3 dominates the CD, and one is reminded how appealing he is on the instrument. As an organist, Katz has a gritty, earthy sound that is somewhere between Jimmy Smith and Stax hero Booker T. Jones (of Booker T. & the MG's fame). Three Feet Off the Ground is a release that blues, jazz, and rock fans alike will want to hear.

ABOUT
Bruce Katz is a three time (2008, 2009, 2010) Nominee for the Blues Music Award (W.C. Handy Award) for "Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year", selected by the Blues Foundation of Memphis, TN.

While Blues is a very important part of his music, Bruce's music has more angles and influences, occupying a unique space where blues, "soul-jazz", jam-band rock, and all aspects of Americana Music collide into a style of original music all his own. He is equally comfortable playing Hammond B-3 Organ and Piano.

Besides leading the Bruce Katz Band, Bruce co-leads the CKS Band and is currently a member of the Gregg Allman Band, the Delbert McClinton Band, Jaimoe's Jasssz Band, and plays regularly with John Hammond and other artists as well.

Over the past twenty five years, Bruce has been an in-demand sideman as well as leading his own band. He has played and recorded with many of the leading names in blues and roots music, appearing on over 70 albums with artists such as Ronnie Earl, John Hammond, Delbert McClinton, Duke Robillard, Joe Louis Walker, Little Milton, Maria Muldaur, Jimmy Witherspoon, Eric Mingus, Paul Rishell, Mighty Sam McClain, Debbie Davies, David “Fathead” Newman and many others.

Bruce has performed at festivals world-wide, including the North Sea Jazz Festival, Edinburgh Blues and Jazz Festival, Glastonbury Festival, Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, Boston Globe Jazz Festival, Nice Jazz Festival, Notodden Blues Festival and many, many others.

Bruce has a lengthy background in classical piano. After hearing a Bessie Smith record when he was 10 years old, he started teaching himself blues and early jazz on the piano. He then heard boogie-woogie and swing music and continued his musical journey into more aspects of jazz and American roots music.

Bruce attended Berklee College of Music in the mid-1970s, studying Composition and performance. For the next fifteen years, he performed with many of the leading musicians in New England, and played “on the road” for long stretches of time. After a particularly long stint of touring in the late '80s with Barrence Whitfield and the Savages, he decided to come off the road and enrolled at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston where he earned a Master's degree in Jazz Performance and studied with Geri Allen, Paul Bley, Cecil McBee and George Russell. It was during this time that he conceived of and started writing music that became the Bruce Katz Band. Five months after graduation, he met Ronnie Earl, who soon invited him to join his band, The Broadcasters. During his nearly five-year stint with Earl, Katz toured the world and performed on six albums, writing and co-writing many of the tunes, such as "The Colour of Love," "Ice Cream Man," and "Hippology." The album “Grateful Heart” (Bullseye) won the Downbeat Critics Poll for Best Blues Album of 1996.

In 1992, Katz debuted his first solo album, "Crescent Crawl", on the AudioQuest label. He released "Transformation" the following year. Just before the release of "Mississippi Moan", his third solo album, Katz left the Broadcasters to concentrate on a solo career. At that point, the Bruce Katz Band began touring the U.S. and Europe, and has been his primary focus.

Bruce’s 2008 CD, “Live! At the Firefly" (Brown Dog Music/Vizztone) , was received with critical acclaim. The new CD rose to #11 on the National Living Blues Radio Chart, and received substantial play on XM/Sirius Satellite Radio Bruce has also been the subject of a recent feature story in Blues Revue magazine as well as reviews and features in Jazz Times, Downbeat and many major international blues and jazz magazines.

In addition to performing, Katz teaches piano, Hammond organ and theory privately at his studio in West Shokan, NY. He taught previously at the Berklee College of Music in Boston for 14 years in the Harmony and Piano Departments. He also conducts Master Classes in Hammond B3 and Blues History, which he has done at various music festivals worldwide.

Formerly from Boston, Bruce has been based in Woodstock, NY since 2005.

The Bruce Katz Band maintains an active touring schedule throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe.

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4190 - GHOST RIDERS - Five (2013)

GHOST RIDERS
''FIVE''
2013
57:34

1.Pray for Me/4:05
2.Gettin' My Love/4:09
3.Cajun Jesus/3:55
4.Gone with the Wind/5:19
5.Own This Town/4:03
6.Long Live Southern Rock/3:20
7.Mr. Manager/4:25
8.Money Magnet/3:45
9.Fried Chicken Baby/2:46
10.My Sweet Papa/4:27
11.Won't Let You Down/4:51
12.I Pity the Fool/4:08
13.An Act of Murder/5:55
14.You're Here/3:43

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4189 - JAY COLLINS - Rivers, Blues, And Other People (2012)

JAY COLLINS AND THE KINGS COUNTY BAND
''RIVERS, BLUES AND OTHER PEOPLE''
APRIL 6 2012
52:40

1.Mighty Mississippi/4:11
2.The Engine/4:19
3.Mary Ann's/4:43
4.Yesterday Is Gone/6:16
5.Leave a Light on For Me/4:31
6.Tonite I'll be Staying Here With You/4:43
7.Song I Have For You/5:12
8.Sleep with One Eye Open/5:39
9.Waiting For Snow to Come/4:50
10. When You Got a Good Friend/3:28

“In the winter of 2010, I brought the members of my ace New York City group, the Kings County Band, up north to record some music in a barn where I have had the pleasure of performing nearly every Saturday night for the last 5 years: Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY. We were joined by the cream of Woodstock’s crop of players which includes Larry Campbell, Donald Fagen, Bruce Katz, Jim Weider, and Levon Helm. I feel fortunate to live here, and to know and play with these people, a few of whom are giants of American music.
In addition, guitarist Scott Sharrard, my band-mate and colleague from the Gregg Allman Band, contributed some blazing guitar work.
The resulting CD, entitled “Rivers, Blues, and Other People”, is mostly a collection of my songs that we have been playing live during the last 5 to 6 years, plus a few good “covers” done in our own, soulful way. It is the best recording I have ever had the privilege of putting my name on.”

ABOUT
"Jazz is a huge part of what I learned about music, but it's just a small piece of what I do," says singer-songwriter, saxophonist, flautist, pianist and bandleader Jay Collins. With his Kings County Band, Collins mixes up blues, Afro-Cuban rhythms and classic soul into a modern patchwork of root-bound sound.

One of the most sought-after touring musicians in American music, Jay is perhaps best known for his saxophone and flute work with many artists including Gregg Allman, Allman Brothers Band, Levon Helm (of The Band), Donald Fagen and the Dukes of September (w/ Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs), James Hunter and jazz greats such as the late Andrew Hill, Jacky Terrasson, and the late bassist LeRoy Vinnegar. In recent years, Mr. Collins has also become recognized for his gritty singing and his singular songwriting.

“Collins’ soulful croak definitely deserves to be heard” - Time Out, NYC

Coming up as a young player on the late '80s and early '90s music scene in Portland, Oregon, Collins caught what he considers to be the city's last wave of a golden age.

"Lots of jazz musicians from L.A. had migrated there in the '80s for the quality of life," he explains. "You could still learn to play just by hanging around with older musicians, and learning “on the job." Collins played some of his first sax gigs with Portland jazz mainstays Ron Steen and Mel Brown then went on to play with West Coast bassist Leroy Vinnegar and to record with hard bop drummer Dick Berk.

After cutting his teeth in Portland, Jay Collins made the move to New York City and quickly became a force to be reckoned with. His focus was hard-hitting instrumental jazz. By 1993 Collins had established himself in New York’s East Village, assembled a band, and by the end of the '90s had recorded three CD’s: Uncommon Threads, Reality Tonic and Cross Culture, all on small independent labels. He recorded and toured with French pianist Jacky Terrasson on Blue Note Records as well as the legendary pianist and composer Andrew Hill, whom he'd first met in his Portland days. "In the East
Village in the '90s there was all kinds of music going on….little places with live bands every couple of blocks."

During his time on New York's Lower East Side, Collins also immersed himself in the rhythmically charged world of Latin music. He spent 1996-2004 leading local sensation Mambo Macoco (with master percussionist Eddie Bobe’), playing with Nuyorican percussionist Bobby Sanabria Y Ascension, and touring Cuba and the Caribbean. "Learning about Afro-Cuban rhythms and their connection to American and New Orleans music are the keys to what I'm doing now," says Collins.

“This robust tenor saxophonist is a great example of a player whose varied experiences nurture a deeper musical personality.” - Village Voice, NYC

In 1999 Collins felt the pull to change musical direction; he formed a new band and began to move beyond the boundaries of instrumental jazz. "I needed something more…. I was into experimental jazz and had always liked words and poetry, so at first I tried putting my poetry to music," he says, though he had never actually sung in public until he was 30 years old. "At first, my idea was to have someone else sing, but then I decided to take singing lessons and do it myself. " Collins also kept up his sax and flute chops as a sideman while working out his original songs and vocals on piano. Ironically, it was while playing a jazz gig that he was recommended for a spot with legendary rocker Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers Band.

The new gig with Gregg helped convince Jay to develop his singing voice further, and embrace another direction towards blues-based rock. It was a natural move, for Jay had grown up playing along with his stepfather’s collection of records by blues legends. "I knew the songs of Robert Johnson, Freddie King, B.B. King and the Allman Brothers because I grew up hearing them," he says. "My stepfather is a guitar player, he's African-American, and his record collection was heavy on the blues. Working with Gregg sent me back in that direction. It's also really informed my singing! I've learned a lot just from being onstage, night after night, standing next to such a great singer like Gregg.”

It was during this time he started his own group, Jay Collins and the Kings County Band.

In 2004, the first CD by the Jay Collins Band, Poem For Today (Hipbone Records) featured Collins on sax and vocals, Dred Scott on piano and Diego Voglino on drums and Moses Patrou on percussion and backing vocals. "I was still transitioning from instrumental jazz. The vocal influences are mostly Tom Waits, Ray Charles and Dr. John," says Collins.

"With a surprisingly gruff voice, he delivers his rollicking original tunes that blend the down-and-out sensibility of Tom Waits with the barrelhouse American roots sound of The Band.”
-San Francisco Chronicle/Contra Costa Times (CA)

At the recording sessions, Collins met vocalist Amy Helm (Ollabelle) and went on to join Amy's dad, Levon Helm (the former vocalist and drummer of The Band), as a member of his band, playing at Helm's Midnight Rambles in Woodstock. Jay played on 2 grammy-winning albums with Levon -- Electric Dirt (2009), and Ramble at the Ryman (2011).

“Working with Levon taught me so much about playing simple! His groove on the drums was relentless and when he sang a song, you believed every word.”

Jay self-released his band’s 2nd CD, The Songbird and the Pigeon in 2007, and began regularly performing with his band in New York City, up-state NY, and the surrounding Tri-State areas.

While continuing to tour with both Helm and Allman, and front Jay Collins and The Kings County Band, Jay has also worked in the last few years with British neo-soulman James Hunter, singer Ray LaMontagne, drummer Jaimoe (ABB), guitarist/singer Chris Bergson, guitarist Ed Cherry, and toured in 2010 with the Dukes of September (featuring Donald Fagen, Boz Scaggs, and Michael McDonald).

Jay’s newest (2012) self-released CD is called “Rivers, Blues, and Other People", and here is what he says about it:
“I have made my home the last few years in Woodstock, NY, which is an area populated by some of the very finest musicians in America. I feel fortunate to know and play with many of these people, a few of whom happen to be legends of American music! These friends joined me and my group of New York City "aces”, the Kings County Band, to record some music in Woodstock in the winter of 2010 at Levon Helm Studios. I was very grateful to have some of my colleagues from Levon’s band, Larry Campbell and Jim
Weider, there to help us out on a few, and Levon himself even played drums on one! My group, consisting of Scott Sharrard, Dred Scott, Jeff Hanley, Moses Patrou, and Diego Voglino, played brilliantly throughout, with Sharrard contributing some righteous guitar solos. Bruce Katz who, along with Sharrard, is my band-mate in Gregg Allman’s group, blessed us with his New Orleans-style piano, and my friend, the great Donald
Fagen (the other-half of Steely Dan), put down some strong piano work on “Waiting For Snow To Come”.

Co-producer Charlie Martinez kept things organized by lending us his discerning ears, keeping meticulous notes, and helping out Justin Guip on the engineering duties. Out of the 10 songs we put down, 6 are songs written by myself, and 4 are original arrangements of older, “cover” songs that we like to play on live gigs.
Our music has a lot of things in it, so it’s hard to categorize, but like I always say, good music is just good rhythm, good melody, good harmony, and “a little bit of soul”!! I’m proud of this new recording, and I sincerely hope you enjoy it!"

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4188 - TRISTAN CLOPÊT - (Name It What You Want) (2011)

TRISTAN CLOPÊT
''(NAME IT WHAT YOU WANT)''
2011
37:22

1/A Summer in Sussex/4:00
2/A Chat with My Brain/3:41
3/When You Were Younger/3:30
4/Idiosyncrasies of the Resolute/4:59
5/La Naissance/3:11
6/Toutes Directions/3:31
7/Hond on Lover, Hold on Girl/3:42
8/An Introduction...to Forward Thinking/3:27
9/Fife and Drum/3:18
10/The 4:45 Through Remembrance/4:03
All Tracks By Clopêt

Matt Behan/Choir/Chorus
Ulf Björlin/Trombone
Johnny Butler/Sax (Baritone)
Dave Chaitt/Choir/Chorus
Rich Chwastiak/Percussion
Tristan Clopêt/Vocals
Paola Conery/Choir/Chorus
Alma Fernandez/Viola
Jordan Hudock/Keyboards
Caleb Laven/Choir/Chorus
Timothy Loo/Cello
Philip Muellerschoen/Choir/Chorus
Joel Pargman/Violin
Jessie Punchatz/Choir/Chorus
Jacob Read-Harber/Drums
Dayna Richards/Trumpet
Raymond Richards/Bass
Sam Robles/Sax (Baritone)
Fernando Sanchez/Drums, Percussion
Mike Weiss/Choir/Chorus

About Tristan
The Toronto-born Clopet started his musical career at a young age playing gigs in New York. A summer at Berklee College of Music in Boston convinced him that music was the only thing he ever wanted to do with his life, but not before having a Plan B. He enrolled at the University of Miami and despite making the dean’s list at one of America’s best private universities, Tristan took a big leap of faith and made music his full time gig. “Why put my life on hold? Why do anything else if this is what I love to do and I think I can make a living at it too?”
” Duende ” was Tristan’s debut EP where he successfully explored love, addiction and redemption.In the summer of 2009 he showcased Duende on a eleven-city tour, appearing on the CBS Morning Show and the Florida Grammys.
This was followed by the significant launch of ” Purple ” his second EP in early January 2010, a third nine-city tour, and the continuation of his popular “Living Room Sessions” series where Tristan records a cover of his favorite songs and posts them on YouTube. Having opened for Sony platinum recording artist Sandi Thom, Grammy-Award winners, Inner Circle and most recently Academy-Award winners, The Swell Season, Tristan continues to be in demand and make headway as a performing artist.
Now with his debut LP, ‘Name It What You Want,’ , Tristan took advantage of offers from seasoned record producers, Raymond Richards (Local Natives) and Justin Gerrish (Vampire Weekend). Together they created a ten-song, tour-de-force of clever songwriting, lush harmonies and dancing rhythms. The first single, ‘A Chat with my Brain,’ deals with the paradox of separating oneself from the mind that embodies it. The album immediately received critical acclaim being named 'The Best Indie Release of 2011' by Alternative Press Online.
But contrary to most rising stars in the music business, world domination isn’t on the docket. ” Honestly, I’m so grateful to be going back on the road and just playing the best I can. I live my life on the principal of trying to make each day a little better than the last and the creative belief that my best work is yet to come. If I can get in front of fans, show them what I’m about and get an enthusiastic audience reaction, then that’s all I could really ask for.”

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4187 - NORA JANE STRUTHERS (2010)

NORA JANE STRUTHERS
''NORA JANE STRUTHERS''
2010
44:58

1/Willie/3:54
2/Mocking Bird/4:00
3/Thistle/3:37
4/Look Out on the Mountain/4:26
5/Greenbrier County/3:40
6/The Blight/3:21
7/Evelyn/4:09
8/Cowgirl Yodel #3/2:33
9/Build You a House/3:40
10/One Notch Tighter/3:11
11/He's a Free Man/3:33
12/Say Darlin' Say
Traditional/4:54
Tracks By Struthers, Except 12

John Catchings/Cello
Dennis Crouch/Bass
Stuart Duncan/Fiddle
Macon Gray Gurley/Vocal Harmony
Rob Ickles/Guitar (Resonator)
Emily Miller/Vocal Harmony
Tim O'Brien/Fiddle, Vocal Harmony
Nora Jane Struthers/Arranger, Guitar, Vocals
Bryan Sutton/Claw Hammer Banjo, Guitar
Brent Truitt/Mandolin, Mixing, Octave Mandolin, Producer
Scott Vestal/Banjo

REVIEW
by Alex Henderson
When the use of synthesizers was becoming increasingly common back in the early '80s, some folks argued that electronica would ultimately be the death of acoustic music. But time has demonstrated that electronica was simply an option -- not a requirement of some sort -- and that the audience for acoustic music remained. In fact, it doesn't get much more acoustic-oriented than this self-titled 2010 release by singer/songwriter Nora Jane Struthers, who thrives on the use of traditional bluegrass instruments (including fiddles, banjos, and mandolins) even though she isn't a bluegrass artist in the strict sense. Struthers, rather, is best described as a folk-rock/Americana artist who has been greatly influenced by country (including the old-time acoustic country of the '20s and '30s) and bluegrass. Some electric pedal steel guitar probably would have sounded great on this 45-minute CD, which is her first album as a solo artist. But that is merely speculation; what can be said with certainty is that Struthers (who wrote everything on this album except the traditional "Say Darlin' Say") really shines in an acoustic setting -- and all those bluegrass instruments serve her well on rootsy originals such as "Greenbrier County," "Evelyn," "Look Out on the Mountain," and the Patsy Montana-ish "Cowgirl Yodel #3." Struthers' evocative lyrics are full of rural imagery, which is interesting when you consider that she grew up in New Jersey (although Virginia is her birthplace) and was a school teacher in Brooklyn. And when she sings about life in rural and small-town America, she does so without the slightest trace of irony. This is unapologetic roots music, pure and simple -- and Struthers shows considerable promise on this excellent CD.

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4186 - BRUCE KATZ BAND - Mississippi Moan (1997)

BRUCE KATZ BAND
''MISSISSIPPI MOAN''
OCTOBER 7 1997
56:21

1/Hep-Ology
Bruce Katz/4:29
2/Night of Joy
Bruce Katz/3:55
3/Hanging on the Cross
Bruce Katz/5:39
4/Norton's Boogie
Bruce Katz/3:50
5/Mississippi Moan
Bruce Katz/5:44
6/In the Garden
Traditional/4:05
7/Elmore's Glue
Bruce Katz/4:37
8/Jackalope Bar-B-Q
Julien Kasper/2:53
9/The Prowler
Bruce Katz/6:22
10/I'm Gonna Love You
Bruce Katz / Mighty Sam McClain/4:25
11/Compared to What
Gene McDaniels/4:17
12/Praise House
Gene McDaniels/6:05

Mike Costello/Harmonica
Tom Hall/Sax (Baritone), Sax (Tenor)
Julien Kasper/Guitar
Bruce Katz/Organ (Hammond), Piano
Mighty Sam McClain/Guest Artist
Mark Poniatowski/Bass
Ralph Rosen/Drums

REVIEW
by Scott Yanow
The music on this CD is comprised mostly of instrumentals, with Bruce Katz sticking primarily to piano, performing just a few numbers on the organ, the instrument for which he is best known. Katz's style ranges from Albert Ammons and Jimmy Smith to the flash of Jerry Lee Lewis. The selections include straight blues, a few stomps, some solo boogie-woogie, a couple of more advanced jazz tunes, and vocals by Mighty Sam McClain on "Hanging on the Cross" and "I'm Gonna Love You." Due to its variety and strong jazz content, this release (which also features guitarist Julien Kasper and Tom Hall on tenor and baritone) is easily recommended to both blues and jazz collectors.

ABOUT
Bruce Katz is a three time (2008, 2009, 2010) Nominee for the Blues Music Award (W.C. Handy Award) for "Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year", selected by the Blues Foundation of Memphis, TN.

While Blues is a very important part of his music, Bruce's music has more angles and influences, occupying a unique space where blues, "soul-jazz", jam-band rock, and all aspects of Americana Music collide into a style of original music all his own. He is equally comfortable playing Hammond B-3 Organ and Piano.

Besides leading the Bruce Katz Band, Bruce co-leads the CKS Band and is currently a member of the Gregg Allman Band, the Delbert McClinton Band, Jaimoe's Jasssz Band, and plays regularly with John Hammond and other artists as well.

Over the past twenty five years, Bruce has been an in-demand sideman as well as leading his own band. He has played and recorded with many of the leading names in blues and roots music, appearing on over 70 albums with artists such as Ronnie Earl, John Hammond, Delbert McClinton, Duke Robillard, Joe Louis Walker, Little Milton, Maria Muldaur, Jimmy Witherspoon, Eric Mingus, Paul Rishell, Mighty Sam McClain, Debbie Davies, David “Fathead” Newman and many others.

Bruce has performed at festivals world-wide, including the North Sea Jazz Festival, Edinburgh Blues and Jazz Festival, Glastonbury Festival, Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, Boston Globe Jazz Festival, Nice Jazz Festival, Notodden Blues Festival and many, many others.

Bruce has a lengthy background in classical piano. After hearing a Bessie Smith record when he was 10 years old, he started teaching himself blues and early jazz on the piano. He then heard boogie-woogie and swing music and continued his musical journey into more aspects of jazz and American roots music.

Bruce attended Berklee College of Music in the mid-1970s, studying Composition and performance. For the next fifteen years, he performed with many of the leading musicians in New England, and played “on the road” for long stretches of time. After a particularly long stint of touring in the late '80s with Barrence Whitfield and the Savages, he decided to come off the road and enrolled at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston where he earned a Master's degree in Jazz Performance and studied with Geri Allen, Paul Bley, Cecil McBee and George Russell. It was during this time that he conceived of and started writing music that became the Bruce Katz Band. Five months after graduation, he met Ronnie Earl, who soon invited him to join his band, The Broadcasters. During his nearly five-year stint with Earl, Katz toured the world and performed on six albums, writing and co-writing many of the tunes, such as "The Colour of Love," "Ice Cream Man," and "Hippology." The album “Grateful Heart” (Bullseye) won the Downbeat Critics Poll for Best Blues Album of 1996.

In 1992, Katz debuted his first solo album, "Crescent Crawl", on the AudioQuest label. He released "Transformation" the following year. Just before the release of "Mississippi Moan", his third solo album, Katz left the Broadcasters to concentrate on a solo career. At that point, the Bruce Katz Band began touring the U.S. and Europe, and has been his primary focus.

Bruce’s 2008 CD, “Live! At the Firefly" (Brown Dog Music/Vizztone) , was received with critical acclaim. The new CD rose to #11 on the National Living Blues Radio Chart, and received substantial play on XM/Sirius Satellite Radio Bruce has also been the subject of a recent feature story in Blues Revue magazine as well as reviews and features in Jazz Times, Downbeat and many major international blues and jazz magazines.

In addition to performing, Katz teaches piano, Hammond organ and theory privately at his studio in West Shokan, NY. He taught previously at the Berklee College of Music in Boston for 14 years in the Harmony and Piano Departments. He also conducts Master Classes in Hammond B3 and Blues History, which he has done at various music festivals worldwide.

Formerly from Boston, Bruce has been based in Woodstock, NY since 2005.

The Bruce Katz Band maintains an active touring schedule throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe.

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4185 - MOTHER JONES - Better Days (2010)

MOTHER JONES
''BETTER DAYS''
2010
38:26

1. Tired of Being Tired/5:42
2. True/4:27
3. Within Our Reach/4:01
4. Tryin' Till You Die/3:01
5. Better Days/3:51
6. Mercy On Me/5:13
7. Herb Sexy Cow/3:21
8. It's Not Me/3:28
9. Ooh Do Do/5:22

Album Notes
By CDBaby
Mother Jones' 3rd album, "Better Days", features several guest artists including Jeremiah Roiko, Nate LaPointe, Christine Sherman, John Jakubek, Jim Doyle, Dave Price, Jennifer Palumbo, Jeff Pierce and Ben Marcus. The album was recorded at Jakutone Studios by John Jakubek, with additional tracking done at Leopard Fez Studios by Steve Janowski. It was mixed at Outer Space Studio by Barry Conley and mastered at Capitol Records by Evren Goknar.

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4184 - DIXIE WITCH - Let It Roll (2011) (REPOST)

DIXIE WITCH
''LET IT ROLL''
NOV 9, 2011
35:55

1/Let It Roll/4:08
2/Boogie Man/3:15
3/The High Deal/4:31
4/Red Song/3:44
5/Saving Grace/4:04
6/Sevens/4:19
7/Anthem/3:20
8/Automatic Lady/2:10
9/Second Chance/3:28
10/December/2:56
All Tracks By Dixie Witch

Curt Christenson/Bass, Vocals
Trinidad Leal/Drums, Vocals
Craig Riggs/Vocals (Background)
JT Smith/Guitar

REVIEW
by Eduardo Rivadavia
Has it really been five years since Dixie Witch's third album, Smoke and Mirrors, whupped a donkey's ass with an electrifying jolt of down-and-dirty, heavy Southern rock? Where the hell has the time gone? Well, wherever it went, it was put to very good use by the hard-living and hard-touring power trio, ‘cause their fourth trip into the studio, 2011's Let It Roll, took them to a whole new level of power and maturity. That's right, Dixie Witch really are all "growned" up now, but they're hardly sailing topographic oceans; they're just going about their blue-collar business with much more confidence and guile than ever before. Perhaps the 2009 addition of new guitarist Joshua "JT" Todd Smith had something to do with this turn of events, given the mostly killer, no-filler songwriting on hand, but singing drummer Trinidad Leal also clearly stepped up his game, his soulful howls commanding center stage with authority. Hear him growl his best on the title cut, "Sevens," "Second Chance," and others, then lay back when it suits the likes of "Boogie Man" and "Saving Grace," but it's the overall sonic variety that will likely turn the most heads. "Red Song" and "December" may be two of the band's most viciously memorable statements ever; "Anthem" sees them knocking back shots at the intersection between Grand Funk and Monster Magnet; and both the laid-back "The High Deal" and "Automatic Lady" mine classic Southern rock vibes reminiscent of Blackfoot. Ultimately, it seems Dixie Witch have finally mastered the art of bridging ancient classic rock influences with present-day vitality for maximum results, achieving a level of roughshod rocking, barroom brawling, beer-swigging, bottle-breaking-over-skull accomplishment with Let It Roll that most pundits honestly never saw in them. Good on them.

BIOGRAPHY
by Wade Kergan
Drawing deep from the well of Southern rock and hard rock in general, Dixie Witch is, fittingly, from Denton, Texas. Trinidad Leal (drums and vocals), Clayton Mills (guitar), and Curt Christensen (bass) have been playing together since 1999. The trio's first record, Into the Sun, was produced by the band for Texas-based Brainticket Records and released in the summer of 2001. After extensive touring, including a stint supporting fellow heavy rockers Alabama Thunder Pussy, Dixie Witch signed with Detroit's Small Stone Records for its 2003 follow-up, One Bird, Two Stones. A third album, Smoke & Mirrors, followed in 2006, and, after touring through America (including multiple appearances at the SXSW music conference and Emissions from the Monolith festival) and visiting Europe for the first time, Dixie Witch recruited new guitarist Joshua “JT” Todd Smith in 2009. Now based in Austin, Texas, the band issued its fourth album, Let it Roll, through Small Stone in the summer of 2011.

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4183 - DIXIE WITCH - Smoke And Mirrors (2006) (REPOST)

DIXIE WITCH
''SMOKE AND MIRRORS''
APRIL 11 2006
44:24

1/Set the Speed/Dixie Witch/4:32
2/Shoot the Moon/Dixie Witch/2:24
3/S.O.L./Dixie Witch/2:36
4/Out in the Cold/Dixie Witch/3:51
5/Ballinger Cross/Dixie Witch/6:28
6/Getaway/Dixie Witch/2:52
7/Bridges/Dixie Witch/3:14
8/What You Want/Dixie Witch/2:49
9/Thursday/Dixie Witch/3:19
10/Gunfight/Dixie Witch/2:51
11/Last Call/Dixie Witch/9:28

Curt Christenson /Bass, Vocals
John Davis /Organ (Hammond), Piano
Trinidad Leal /Drums, Vocals
Tony Maimone /Organ (Hammond), Piano
Clayton Mills /Guitar

REVIEW
by Eduardo Rivadavia
If nothing else, the three-year interval between Dixie Witch's second and third albums declared their shared core philosophy as that of a touring -- not a studio -- band, and anyone who has witnessed the Texan trio's tee-total live performances is likely to forgive the long wait for new material for that very reason. However, for those not yet so fortunate, 2006's Smoke and Mirrors is notable for providing a closer approximation of that experience than either of its shiny round plastic predecessors. The hard-charging triple threat of "Set the Speed," "Shoot the Moon," and "S.O.L." opens the album much like they would one of the band's concerts: with the in-your-face, ear-ringing charge of guitarist Clayton Mills (distinctly more at ease showing off his flashy chops than most retro-rock axemen) and soulful growl of vocalist Trinidad Leal (always charismatic despite pounding the skins in back), while also resolving most any translation loss from real to reel. Thus, by the time Dixie Witch retract their claws in order to groove more relaxed and reflectively across "Ballinger Cross," and recycle the Black Crowes' "Seven Seas" for the still very likable "Out in the Cold," the ideal in-concert pacing is well and truly established. Unfortunately, the neither-here-nor-there indecision of a forgettable tandem ("Getaway" and "Bridges") finally blows the band's impressive head of steam so far, but the recurrence of several additional standouts (including the slide guitar-enhanced "What You Want" and the absolutely stunning ten-minute dreamlike instrumental sendoff "Last Call") recovers the impetus with enough time to deliver Smoke and Mirrors to a suitably rousing finale. Hope you enjoyed the show, so long, good night, and careful driving home, folks!

BIOGRAPHY
by Wade Kergan
Drawing deep from the well of Southern rock and hard rock in general, Dixie Witch is, fittingly, from Denton, Texas. Trinidad Leal (drums and vocals), Clayton Mills (guitar), and Curt Christensen (bass) have been playing together since 1999. The trio's first record, Into the Sun, was produced by the band for Texas-based Brainticket Records and released in the summer of 2001. After extensive touring, including a stint supporting fellow heavy rockers Alabama Thunder Pussy, Dixie Witch signed with Detroit's Small Stone Records for its 2003 follow-up, One Bird, Two Stones. A third album, Smoke & Mirrors, followed in 2006, and, after touring through America (including multiple appearances at the SXSW music conference and Emissions from the Monolith festival) and visiting Europe for the first time, Dixie Witch recruited new guitarist Joshua “JT” Todd Smith in 2009. Now based in Austin, Texas, the band issued its fourth album, Let it Roll, through Small Stone in the summer of 2011.

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4182 - DIXIE WITCH - One Bird, Two Stones (2003) (REPOST)

DIXIE WITCH
''ONE BIRD, TWO STONES''
JUN 22, 2003
48:57

1/Get Busy/3:55
2/Goin' South/4:26
3/More of a Woman/3:34
4/The Wheel/4:44
5/On My Way/4:09
6/Drifting Lady/4:38
7/Makes Me Crazy/6:31
8/Turbo Wing/4:27
9/Here Today Gone Tomorrow/4:44
10/Traveler/7:49

Trinidad Leal/Drums, vocals
Curt 'CC' Christensen/Bass and Vocals
Clayton Mills/Guitars
J.D. Pinkus/Producer, Vocals

REVIEW
by Eduardo Rivadavia
Unlike most of its hard-rockin' new millennium counterparts, Texas trio Dixie Witch rarely explodes into manic spells of stoner rock head-banging, but rather tends to lay back and coast along laid-back highways paved by Southern rock grooves. The piss-poor production values aside, there's much to love in the band's second album, One Bird, Two Stones, which features a wealth of inspired head-nodding anthems like "Drifting Lady," "Makes Me Crazy," and especially the Skynyrd-esque "The Wheel." Singing drummer Trinidad Leal employs a convincing Dave Wyndorf-styled moan 'n' yowl technique on both the unusually hard-driving "Turbo Wing" and the more typical stride of "On My Way," while the standout "More of a Woman" simply flips the guitar riff from Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion" inside out. And to wrap things up with a flourish, lengthy, lazy closer "Traveler" offers an admirable tour de force by guitarist Clayton Mills, including electric, slide, and acoustic work. With so much strong material weighing in the album's favor, it's really a pity having to deal with such a frustratingly muddy sound mix, but then perhaps this is as Dixie Witch intended. Whatever the case, most lovers of gritty and honest Southern rock are likely to forgive these technical issues in order to see through to the great tunes below.

BIOGRAPHY
by Wade Kergan
Drawing deep from the well of Southern rock and hard rock in general, Dixie Witch is, fittingly, from Denton, Texas. Trinidad Leal (drums and vocals), Clayton Mills (guitar), and Curt Christensen (bass) have been playing together since 1999. The trio's first record, Into the Sun, was produced by the band for Texas-based Brainticket Records and released in the summer of 2001. After extensive touring, including a stint supporting fellow heavy rockers Alabama Thunder Pussy, Dixie Witch signed with Detroit's Small Stone Records for its 2003 follow-up, One Bird, Two Stones. A third album, Smoke & Mirrors, followed in 2006, and, after touring through America (including multiple appearances at the SXSW music conference and Emissions from the Monolith festival) and visiting Europe for the first time, Dixie Witch recruited new guitarist Joshua “JT” Todd Smith in 2009. Now based in Austin, Texas, the band issued its fourth album, Let it Roll, through Small Stone in the summer of 2011.

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4181 - DIXIE WITCH - Into The Sun (2001) (REPOST)

DIXIE WITCH
''INTO THE SUN''
2001
55:00

1/Into the Sun/6:24
2/Throwin' Shapes/3:51
3/CC/5:17
4/Freewheel Rollin'/12:13
5/Thunderfoot/4:41
6/Makin' Time/4:24
7/The Bomber/6:08
8/Into The Sun (Live)/11:54

Trinidad Leal/Drums and vocals
Curt 'CC' Christensen/Bass and Vocals
Clayton Mills/Guitars

BIOGRAPHY
by Wade Kergan
Drawing deep from the well of Southern rock and hard rock in general, Dixie Witch is, fittingly, from Denton, Texas. Trinidad Leal (drums and vocals), Clayton Mills (guitar), and Curt Christensen (bass) have been playing together since 1999. The trio's first record, Into the Sun, was produced by the band for Texas-based Brainticket Records and released in the summer of 2001. After extensive touring, including a stint supporting fellow heavy rockers Alabama Thunder Pussy, Dixie Witch signed with Detroit's Small Stone Records for its 2003 follow-up, One Bird, Two Stones. A third album, Smoke & Mirrors, followed in 2006, and, after touring through America (including multiple appearances at the SXSW music conference and Emissions from the Monolith festival) and visiting Europe for the first time, Dixie Witch recruited new guitarist Joshua “JT” Todd Smith in 2009. Now based in Austin, Texas, the band issued its fourth album, Let it Roll, through Small Stone in the summer of 2011.

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4180 - WYLAND BLUES PLANET BAND - Blues Planet II (2012)

WYLAND BLUES PLANET BAND
''BLUES PLANET II''
2012
75:27

1. Down On The Water 1/3:55
2. Oil Everywhere/4:34
3. Come Home/3:16
4. Going Down To New Orleans/3:44
5. Saved By The Sea/5:23
6. The World Is Crying/5:32
7. Next Day Blues/3:42
8. Days Gone By/7:18
9. No Future/4:08
10. Get My Baby Back/4:53
11. Natural World Music/5:02
12. Feeling Kind Of Blue/5:02
13. Somebody Stole Our Planet's Love/4:57
14. Nature's Way/4:20
15. Your Day Is Coming/5:58
16. Blues Guitar Harp Duet/3:43

TAJ MAHAL/VOCALS, GUITAR, BANJO
NICK-I HERNANDEZ/VOCALS, GUITAR, PERCUSSION
ROD PIAZZA/HARMONICA, VOCALS, PERCUSSION
MISS HONEY/PIANO, PERCUSSION
HENRY CARVAJAL/GUITAR
RUSTY ZINN/GUITAR, VOCALS
DAVE KIDA/DRUMS, PERCUSSION
JONNY VIAU/SAXOPHONE, PERCUSSION, WASHBOARD
HAN VAN SICKLE/BASS, PERCUSSION
WILLIE K/VOCAL, GUITAR, UKELELE
STEVE TURRE/TROMBONE, CONCH SHELLS
MITCH WOODS/PIANO, ORGAN
AMY HANAIALI'I GILLIOM/VOCALS
ANDROMEDA TURRE/VOCALS
ANDROMEDA TURRE/VOCALS
MICK WEAVER/ORGAN
JOE SUBLETT/SAXOPHONE
DARREL LEONARD/TRUMPET, BASS TRUMPET
TONY BRAUNAGEL/DRUMS, PERCUSSION
JON CLEARY/PIANO
JOHNNY LEE SCHELL/GUITAR
LARRY FULCHER/BASS
DR. MICHAEL WHITE/CLARINET
DELFEAYO MARSALIS/TROMBONE
SR. KIRK M. JOSEPH/TUBA, SOUSAPHONE
GINO BELTRAN/BASS, PERCUSSION
ARLEE LEONARD/VOCALS
ROSELYN LIONHART/VOCALS
BENNY JONES/BASS DRUM
KERRY HUNTER/SNARE DRUM
ROMY KAYE/VOCALS, PERCUSSION
NANCY GROS/VOCALS, PERCUSSION
ROGER LEWIS/BARITONE SAXOPHONE
JEREMY THOMAS/TRUMPET
MARIO ABNEY/TRUMPET
JESSE STOLTZFUS/VIOLIN
AMZIE ADAMS/WEISSENBOURN SLIDE GUITAR, DULCIMER

REVIEW
By John Berger
Music has often been an important vehicle in inspiring social change. With “Blue Planet
II” mono-monickered celebrity artist and environmental advocate Wyland harnesses the
power of the blues to deliver an important message about protecting our ocean and fresh
water resources.
All too many “educational” projects are more about “The Message” than the music —
especially when written for young audiences — but “Blue Planet II” isn’t one of them.
Yes, Wyland’s lyrics about pollution, acid rain (“No Future”), the population explosion
(“The World is Crying”) and the BP?Oil Spill of 2010 (“Oil Everywhere”) are intended to
educate and inspire action but that’s only half the value here.
The talented musicians who came together in New Orleans to pool their talents as the
Wyland Blues Planet Band are playing serious down-home “ya gotta hear this” blues that
deserves national play in its own right. From the first bars of the first song there’s
no question that these folks are for real. Two Hawaii residents are among them.
Amy Hanaiali‘i Gilliom is a delightful surprise as the featured vocalist on “Feeling
Kind of Blue” and again on “Somebody Stole Our Planet’s Love.” Hawaii knows she’s
versatile, but who knew she could be so convincing singing the blues? Right on, Amy!
Hawaii blues veteran Willie K takes the lead vocal on “Going Down to New Orleans,”
backs Gilliom on “Feeling Kind of Blue,” and plays guitar on other selections. A
pianist named Miss Honey rips it up on “Somebody Stole Our Planet’s Love” and “Your Day
is Coming,” and Hawaii favorite Taj Mahal gives the project authentic old-school soul
as the featured voice on “Oil Everywhere” and “Days Gone By.”
Two other musical traditions — African-American gospel and New Orleans brass bands —
are brought together in “Nature’s Way.” A final instrumental track gives the core
musicians a well-deserved chance to stretch out and jam.
Truth be told, there are also some songs here about love, sex and relationships. Even
the most ardent environmentalist needs time off for rest and recreation.

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4179 - WYLAND BLUES PLANET BAND - Blues Planet (2011)

WYLAND BLUES PLANET BAND
''BLUES PLANET''
NOVEMBER 22 2011
72:04

1. Going Back To The Ocean/3:55
2. My Home Is Your Home/4:34
3. Dirty Oil/3:19
4. Just Keep Playing The Blues/4:44
5. A World Of Beauty/3:42
6. Shark Fin Blues/4:50
7. Someone Got To Pay/3:15
8. Blues Planet/3:55
9. Soulful Sea/3:44
10. Ready To Go/4:28
11. Little Ocean Pearl/4:47
12. Prehistoric Blues/4:40
13. Blues Planet Jam/7:10
14. Stars/4:59
15. Feeling The Blues/4:08
16. All Gone Now/5:54

TAJ MAHAL/VOCALS, GUITAR, BANJO
NICK-I HERNANDEZ/VOCALS, GUITAR, PERCUSSION
ROD PIAZZA/HARMONICA, VOCALS, PERCUSSION
MISS HONEY/PIANO, PERCUSSION
HENRY CARVAJAL/GUITAR
RUSTY ZINN/GUITAR, VOCALS
DAVE KIDA/DRUMS, PERCUSSION
JONNY VIAU/SAXOPHONE, PERCUSSION, WASHBOARD
HAN VAN SICKLE/BASS, PERCUSSION
WILLIE K/VOCAL, GUITAR, UKELELE
STEVE TURRE/TROMBONE, CONCH SHELLS
MITCH WOODS/PIANO, ORGAN
AMY HANAIALI'I GILLIOM/VOCALS
ANDROMEDA TURRE/VOCALS
ANDROMEDA TURRE/VOCALS
MICK WEAVER/ORGAN
JOE SUBLETT/SAXOPHONE
DARREL LEONARD/TRUMPET, BASS TRUMPET
TONY BRAUNAGEL/DRUMS, PERCUSSION
JON CLEARY/PIANO
JOHNNY LEE SCHELL/GUITAR
LARRY FULCHER/BASS
DR. MICHAEL WHITE/CLARINET
DELFEAYO MARSALIS/TROMBONE
SR. KIRK M. JOSEPH/TUBA, SOUSAPHONE
GINO BELTRAN/BASS, PERCUSSION
ARLEE LEONARD/VOCALS
ROSELYN LIONHART/VOCALS
BENNY JONES/BASS DRUM
KERRY HUNTER/SNARE DRUM
ROMY KAYE/VOCALS, PERCUSSION
NANCY GROS/VOCALS, PERCUSSION
ROGER LEWIS/BARITONE SAXOPHONE
JEREMY THOMAS/TRUMPET
MARIO ABNEY/TRUMPET
JESSE STOLTZFUS/VIOLIN
AMZIE ADAMS/WEISSENBOURN SLIDE GUITAR, DULCIMER

REVIEW
By John Berger
Music has often been an important vehicle in inspiring social change. With “Blue Planet II” mono-monickered celebrity artist and environmental advocate Wyland harnesses the power of the blues to deliver an important message about protecting our ocean and fresh water resources.
All too many “educational” projects are more about “The Message” than the music — especially when written for young audiences — but “Blue Planet II” isn’t one of them. Yes, Wyland’s lyrics about pollution, acid rain (“No Future”), the population explosion (“The World is Crying”) and the BP?Oil Spill of 2010 (“Oil Everywhere”) are intended to educate and inspire action but that’s only half the value here.
The talented musicians who came together in New Orleans to pool their talents as the Wyland Blues Planet Band are playing serious down-home “ya gotta hear this” blues that deserves national play in its own right. From the first bars of the first song there’s no question that these folks are for real. Two Hawaii residents are among them.
Amy Hanaiali‘i Gilliom is a delightful surprise as the featured vocalist on “Feeling Kind of Blue” and again on “Somebody Stole Our Planet’s Love.” Hawaii knows she’s versatile, but who knew she could be so convincing singing the blues? Right on, Amy!
Hawaii blues veteran Willie K takes the lead vocal on “Going Down to New Orleans,” backs Gilliom on “Feeling Kind of Blue,” and plays guitar on other selections. A pianist named Miss Honey rips it up on “Somebody Stole Our Planet’s Love” and “Your Day is Coming,” and Hawaii favorite Taj Mahal gives the project authentic old-school soul as the featured voice on “Oil Everywhere” and “Days Gone By.”
Two other musical traditions — African-American gospel and New Orleans brass bands — are brought together in “Nature’s Way.” A final instrumental track gives the core musicians a well-deserved chance to stretch out and jam.
Truth be told, there are also some songs here about love, sex and relationships. Even the most ardent environmentalist needs time off for rest and recreation.

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4178 - MISSISSIPPI BONES - Tracks (2012) (REPOST)

MISSISSIPPI BONES
''TRACKS''
FEB 2012
34:58

1/American Surreal/3:10
2/Over the Counter Culture (Thank Yuu Very Much, Mr. Moore)/2:59
3/The Conspiracy Theorist/4:01
4/Johnny Switchblade/3:33
5/Jade Fire/3:50
6/Crused By the Weight of the Monolith/3:15
7/Jacurutu/3:47
8/Swamp Lady/3:07
9/Dungeon Hustle/4:49
10/The Goblin Song/2:27

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4177 - CAPTAIN BEEFHEART & HIS MAGIC BAND - Bat Chain Puller (Bonus Tracks) (2012) (REPOST)

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART & HIS MAGIC BAND
''BAND CHAIN PULLER (BONUS TRACKS)''
2012
58:12

1/Bat Chain Puller/5:07
2/Seam Crooked Sam/3:09
Guitar: John "Drumbo" French
3/Harry Irene/3:27
4/81 Poop Hatch/2:36
5/Flavor Bud Living/1:50
Guitar: John "Drumbo" French
6/Brick Bats/4:27
7/Floppy Boot Stomp/3:57
8/Ah Carrot Is As Close As Ah Rabbit Gets To Ah Diamond/1:37
9/Owed T' Alex/3:19
10/Odd Jobs/5:15
Guitar (End Section): John "Drumbo" French
11/Human Totem Pole (The 1000th And 10th Day Of The Human Totem Pole)/5:50
12/Apes-Ma/0:44
Bonus Tracks
13/Bat Chain Puller (Alternate Mix)/5:06
14/Candle Mambo/3:27
15 Hobo-Ism/Don Van Vliet, Denny Valley/8:19
Tracks By Don Van Vliet, Except As Indicated

John "Drumbo" French/Drums
Denny "Feelers Rebo" Walley/Guitar
Jeff "Morris" Tepper/Guitar
John Thomas/Piano (Acoustic), Piano (Rhodes), Synthesizer (Mini Moog (Bass And Effects))
Don "Captain Beefheart" Van Vliet/Vocals, Harmonica, Soprano Saxophone

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4176 - DELTA MOON - Hellbound Train (2010)

DELTA MOON
''HELLBOUND TRAIN''
APRIL 6 2010
39:45

1/Hellbound Train
Tom Gray/4:11
2/Room 429
Tom Gray/3:23
3/Lonely
Tom Gray / Mark Johnson/3:35
4/Get Gone
Tom Gray / Mark Johnson/3:20
5/True Love Lies
Tom Gray / Mark Johnson / Franher Joseph / Darren Stanley/3:34
6/You Got to Move
Mississippi Fred McDowell/2:59
7/Stuck in Carolina
Tom Gray / Mark Johnson / Franher Joseph/5:00
8/Ain't No Train
Tom Gray / Mark Johnson/3:27
9/Ghost in My Guitar
Tom Gray / Mark Johnson/4:11
10/Take the Back Road Home
Tom Gray / Mark Johnson / Franher Joseph / Darren Stanley/3:10
11/Plantation Song
Tom Gray/2:55

Tom Gray/vocals, lap steel guitar, keyboards
Mark Johnson/guitar, six-string banjo
Franher Joseph/bass, backing vocals
Darren Stanley/drums, percussion
Backing vocals tracks 1, 5, 9 and 10: Francine Reed
Tenor Saxaphone, track 3: Kenyon Carter
Congas, Track 9: Edwin Charon

REVIEW
by Hal Horowitz
Atlanta's swamp-blues kings add another notch to their belt of tough, Southern, slide guitar-dominated blues/roots rock with this, the band's fifth studio release. Although little has changed musically since slimming to a quartet, frontmen/guitarists Tom Gray and Mark Johnson's songs have continued to refine their sense of groove, and Gray is increasingly comfortable with his lead vocal status. The group's confident dynamics and the combination of Gray's homey sandpaper voice with the intertwining guitar leads, perhaps best exemplified by "Stuck in Carolina"'s low-boil funk, keeps getting more incisive. Although there are plenty of solos, they are in service to the tunes, not vice-versa, surely an anomaly for acts that boast the sheer firepower of these two guitarists. When Gray nails a grimy, rust-colored riff as he does on the opening title track or the obsessive "Lonely," it seems like something ZZ Top would kill for in that band's earlier days. Add the dueling/overlapping guitar lines and the result is a gritty, distinctive attack that is driving when necessary, yet subtle enough to keep the spotlight on Gray's detailed, occasional story-song lyrics that often find him or his protagonists down but not quite out somewhere in the South. Country overtones inform "Take the Back Road Home," altering the approach somewhat, similar to the haunting unplugged, acoustic ballad "Plantation Song" that closes the disc. It's a sporadically spooky, even ghostly vibe, a point Gray articulates on "Ghost in My Guitar" with a distinct Dr. John feel enhanced by bubbling congas. Johnson's six-string banjo and the occasional guest saxophone also shows that though Delta Moon isn't straying from its core sound, there are plenty of ways to tweak the basics without changing the result. Even after five albums over the past eight years, it seems that the group is just starting to explore the possibilities inherent in their blues-based Southern genre. It's a style that could be confining, but in their hands, never is.

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4175 - JAY COLLINS & THE KINGS COUNTY BAND - The Songbird And The Pigeon (2008) (REPOST)

JAY COLLINS AND THE KINGS COUNTY BAND
''THE SONGBIRD AND THE PIGEON''
NOVEMBER 13 2008
46:26

1. If You Don't Stand for Something/4:42
2. Sounds Like Home/5:20
3. The Songbird and the Pigeon/4:07
4. Good Morning Grey/4:32
5. Shotgun Past/3:56
6. All My Tears/5:29
7. Financial Consultation/3:22
8. My Dreams Came Back/4:31
9. The Money Hole/4:18
10. Waltz for a Boy/6:18

Dred Scott/piano,keys
Diego Voglino/drums
Moses Patrou/percussion,vocals
Jeff Hanley/bass
Scott Sharrard/guitar
Jay Collins/lead vocals, tenor and baritone saxophones, flute

The Songird and the Pigeon emphasizes diversity--an equal measure of roots music as well as Latin percussion--and a growing confidence in his singing and songwriting abilities. Recorded in Brooklyn at the Bunker Studios, the album once again features Dred Scott and Diego Voglino along with Tim Luntzel on bass and Moses Patrou on vocals. Guitarists Ed Cherry and Chris Bergson sit-in as does guitarist Scott Sharrad who came in for the recording and ended up staying with the band. Amy Helm is also on board for a vocal appearance on the gospel-tinted "Waltz for a Boy."

"We pared things down…it's a stronger, more unified record," says Collins. The Nawlins-grooved title song takes on spirituality versus religion while Collins also included what he calls some of his "stranger" pieces, like the beat-inspired "Financial Consultation, a poem set to an Afro-Cuban percussion section. "Shotgun Past" is a "murky, strange, John Lee Hooker kind of thing, with humor interjected." And there's the playful funk of "The Money Hole:" "That's the one where we really open it up," he says.

The album closes with the old time saloon sound of "My Dreams Came Back Last Night," delivered just by Collins on vocals and Scott on piano. "On the first record I wouldn't have attempted anything like that. I wasn't confident enough to pull that off before, but my powers as a singer have started to equal where I am instrumentally," he says. "It wasn't easy to suddenly shoot off in another direction and it's been a process of finding the courage," he says. "I think I've come a long way as a singer and songwriter and this is the first recording I've made which fulfills the impulse I had to expand when I turned 30. I've finally made the record I was capable of making."

ABOUT
"Jazz is a huge part of what I learned about music, but it's just a small piece of what I do," says singer-songwriter, saxophonist, flautist, pianist and bandleader Jay Collins. With his Kings County Band, Collins mixes up blues, Afro-Cuban rhythms and classic soul into a modern patchwork of root-bound sound.

One of the most sought-after touring musicians in American music, Jay is perhaps best known for his saxophone and flute work with many artists including Gregg Allman, Allman Brothers Band, Levon Helm (of The Band), Donald Fagen and the Dukes of September (w/ Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs), James Hunter and jazz greats such as the late Andrew Hill, Jacky Terrasson, and the late bassist LeRoy Vinnegar. In recent years, Mr. Collins has also become recognized for his gritty singing and his singular songwriting.

“Collins’ soulful croak definitely deserves to be heard” - Time Out, NYC

Coming up as a young player on the late '80s and early '90s music scene in Portland, Oregon, Collins caught what he considers to be the city's last wave of a golden age.

"Lots of jazz musicians from L.A. had migrated there in the '80s for the quality of life," he explains. "You could still learn to play just by hanging around with older musicians, and learning “on the job." Collins played some of his first sax gigs with Portland jazz mainstays Ron Steen and Mel Brown then went on to play with West Coast bassist Leroy Vinnegar and to record with hard bop drummer Dick Berk.

After cutting his teeth in Portland, Jay Collins made the move to New York City and quickly became a force to be reckoned with. His focus was hard-hitting instrumental jazz. By 1993 Collins had established himself in New York’s East Village, assembled a band, and by the end of the '90s had recorded three CD’s: Uncommon Threads, Reality Tonic and Cross Culture, all on small independent labels.  He recorded and toured with French pianist Jacky Terrasson on Blue Note Records as well as the legendary pianist and composer Andrew Hill, whom he'd first met in his Portland days. "In the East
Village in the '90s there was all kinds of music going on….little places with live bands every couple of blocks."

During his time on New York's Lower East Side, Collins also immersed himself in the rhythmically charged world of Latin music. He spent 1996-2004 leading local sensation Mambo Macoco (with master percussionist Eddie Bobe’), playing with Nuyorican percussionist Bobby Sanabria Y Ascension, and touring Cuba and the Caribbean. "Learning about Afro-Cuban rhythms and their connection to American and New Orleans music are the keys to what I'm doing now," says Collins.

“This robust tenor saxophonist is a great example of a player whose varied experiences nurture a deeper musical personality.” - Village Voice, NYC

In 1999 Collins felt the pull to change musical direction; he formed a new band and began to move beyond the boundaries of instrumental jazz.  "I needed something more…. I was into experimental jazz and had always liked words and poetry, so at first I tried putting my poetry to music," he says, though he had never actually sung in public until he was 30 years old. "At first, my idea was to have someone else sing, but then I decided to take singing lessons and do it myself. " Collins also kept up his sax and flute chops as a sideman while working out his original songs and vocals on piano.  Ironically, it was while playing a jazz gig that he was recommended for a spot with legendary rocker Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers Band.

The new gig with Gregg helped convince Jay to develop his singing voice further, and embrace another direction towards blues-based rock. It was a natural move, for Jay had grown up playing along with his stepfather’s collection of records by blues legends. "I knew the songs of Robert Johnson, Freddie King, B.B. King and the Allman Brothers because I grew up hearing them," he says. "My stepfather is a guitar player, he's African-American, and his record collection was heavy on the blues.  Working with Gregg sent me back in that direction.  It's also really informed my singing!  I've learned a lot just from being onstage, night after night, standing next to such a great singer like Gregg.”

It was during this time he started his own group, Jay Collins and the Kings County Band.

In 2004, the first CD by the Jay Collins Band, Poem For Today (Hipbone Records) featured Collins on sax and vocals, Dred Scott on piano and Diego Voglino on drums and Moses Patrou on percussion and backing vocals. "I was still transitioning from instrumental jazz. The vocal influences are mostly Tom Waits, Ray Charles and Dr. John," says Collins.

"With a surprisingly gruff voice, he delivers his rollicking original tunes that blend the down-and-out sensibility of Tom Waits with the barrelhouse American roots sound of The Band.”
-San Francisco Chronicle/Contra Costa Times  (CA)

At the recording sessions, Collins met vocalist Amy Helm (Ollabelle) and went on to join Amy's dad, Levon Helm (the former vocalist and drummer of The Band), as a member of his band, playing at Helm's Midnight Rambles in Woodstock. Jay played on 2 grammy-winning albums with Levon -- Electric Dirt (2009), and Ramble at the Ryman (2011).

“Working with Levon taught me so much about playing simple! His groove on the drums was relentless and when he sang a song, you believed every word.”

Jay self-released his band’s 2nd CD, The Songbird and the Pigeon in 2007, and began regularly performing with his band in New York City, up-state NY, and the surrounding Tri-State areas.

While continuing to tour with both Helm and Allman, and front Jay Collins and The Kings County Band, Jay has also worked in the last few years with British neo-soulman James Hunter, singer Ray LaMontagne, drummer Jaimoe (ABB), guitarist/singer Chris Bergson, guitarist Ed Cherry, and toured in 2010 with the Dukes of September (featuring Donald Fagen, Boz Scaggs, and Michael McDonald).

Jay’s newest (2012) self-released CD is called “Rivers, Blues, and Other People", and here is what he says about it:
“I have made my home the last few years in Woodstock, NY, which is an area populated by some of the very finest musicians in America. I feel fortunate to know and play with many of these people, a few of whom happen to be legends of American music! These friends joined me and my group of New York City "aces”, the Kings County Band, to record some music in Woodstock in the winter of 2010 at Levon Helm Studios. I was very grateful to have some of my colleagues from Levon’s band, Larry Campbell and Jim
Weider, there to help us out on a few, and Levon himself even played drums on one! My group, consisting of Scott Sharrard, Dred Scott, Jeff Hanley, Moses Patrou, and Diego Voglino, played brilliantly throughout, with Sharrard contributing some righteous guitar solos. Bruce Katz who, along with Sharrard, is my band-mate in Gregg Allman’s group, blessed us with his New Orleans-style piano, and my friend, the great Donald
Fagen (the other-half of Steely Dan), put down some strong piano work on “Waiting For Snow To Come”.

Co-producer Charlie Martinez kept things organized by lending us his discerning ears, keeping meticulous notes, and helping out Justin Guip on the engineering duties. Out of the 10 songs we put down, 6 are songs written by myself, and 4 are original arrangements of older, “cover” songs that we like to play on live gigs.
 Our music has a lot of things in it, so it’s hard to categorize, but like I always say, good music is just good rhythm, good melody, good harmony, and “a little bit of soul”!! I’m proud of this new recording, and I sincerely hope you enjoy it!"

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