20 Years Never Sounded So Good

The California Guitar Trio--guys from Japan, Belgium & the USA--brought their 20th anniversary tour to the Narrows Friday night.

Just when you think they're way out there with ethereal, otherworldly sounds, they switch gears and play surf rock.

It's an approach that's kept this unique group of super players on the road, in the studio and at the Narrows for years.

If you're a serious guitar listener, check these guys out on-line if you missed the show.

Neil Young LOUD

The Providence-Fall River corridor loves Neil Young--more specifically Neil Young tribute band Forever Young, as a sold-out crowd brought their coolers on Friday night to hear this Rhode Island ensemble.

They've played the Narrows a time or two, and the crowds seem to continue to build.

Guess they know how to do Neil Young right!

Songs included "Heart of Gold," "Down by the Riverside," "Mr. Soul" and many other favorites, particularly those with piercing guitar, often courtesy of Mark Cutler. This group, and their fans, like it"Neil Young LOUD."

Well all right!

Robert Cray. Wednesday, February 23, 2011. 'Nuff said!

Solo Sarah: The Voice, The Songs w/ A Sense of Humor

Sarah Borges, longtime backed by The Broken Singles, is now solo, no doubt due to the economics of keeping a band on the road along with her ensuing motherhood in July.

She opened Saturday night for Los Straitjackets at the Narrows, armed with nothing more than her guitar. I figured she'd be backed by her husband, guitarist--and Broken Single--Lyle Brewer. He was otherwise engaged, so it was up to her.

The Taunton native more than pulled it off. But not surprising, really, considering she has a powerful voice, a vault of terrific songs she wrote or covered (add to that Ricky Nelson's "Travelin' Man"), and a saucy sense of humor that might earn her recognition as "the Bette Midler of acoustic music."

Plus, she's a road-hardened and talented guitar player in her own right.

In short: Sarah Borges 2.0 seems to have found its footing quite nicely. We look forward to more shows, and more recordings too, in the years ahead. Welcome, Solo Sarah!

England Swings

Former Van Morrison back up singer James Hunter made the room his own Friday night at the Narrows.

It was a sellout! Thanks to all who made it possible!

It was soul from the 50s and 60s updated through the voice, guitar and songs of Mr. Hunter, who came to us from "across the pond," where I think R & B has always been better appreciated. England swings America better than we do.

Bostonian Jesse Dee opened and received a standing O for his R & B interpretations.

Narrows Hits Historic Mark: Six Days A Week

From what I remember it's never been achieved in the Narrows' 9 year history: MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday.

Monday, March 21: Peter Wolf. Sorry sold out. Good for him. He's worked hard over the past couple years recording and promoting his music. He's better than ever!

Tuesday, March 22: Jazz guitar great Al Di Meola makes his Narrows' debut. Me and my rock 'n' roll friends used to say back in the 1970s when we heard a high level local guitarist: "He's like Al Di Meola."

Wednesday, March 23: Pianist George Winston, the Windham Hill records guy, makes his Narrows debut. I was browsing at a record store the other day and came across a George Winston tribute to The Doors. Never knew that.

Thursday, March 24: Leon Redbone. Last time he was here, I was "backstage" with him taking his photo. No flash, he told me. I said, hey, my camera needs flash or the picture won't come out right. He said don't worry, it will be fine. He was right. Came out cool, didn't it?

Friday, March 25: Aztec Two Step, along with Buskin & Batteau: Despite never really having a big hit, Aztec Two Step are a strong draw in these parts. That's because they're some of the hardest working folks you'll run into. Good guys too.

Saturday, March 26: Chely Wright. To my ears, she had one of the best recordings of 2010. Here's my write up.

Our Grammy Winners

Below are the Narrows' artists who won a Grammy on February 13, 2011. Congrats!!!

Best Americana Album

Mavis Staples "You are Not Alone."

Best Traditional Folk Album

Carolina Chocolate Drops "Genuine Negro Jig."

Best Compilation for Movie...

Our guy, the late Stephen Bruton along with T Bone Burnett for "Crazy Heart."

And The Grammy Goes To....

Sunday night, it's the Grammys, and artists who have played the Narrows are on the docket. Here's who:

Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals

Leon Russell & Elton John's "If It Wasn't For Bad." Leon Russell has played the Narrows a couple of times, if memory serves. This recording is kind of a "hand up" from Elton to his idol who has fallen on tough times particularly health wise.

Best Rock Instrumental Performance

Los Lobos "Do the Murray."

Best Country Instrumental Performance

The Infamous Stringdusters "Magic #9."

Darrell Scott "Willow Creek."

Best Americana Album

Los Lobos "Tin Can Trust."

Mavis Staples "You are Not Alone."

I should mention that our Darrell Scott is a member of Robert Plant's "Band of Joy," which is up for a Grammy in this category.

Best Bluegrass Album

Peter Rowan "Legacy."

Best Traditional Blues Album

James Cotton "Giant."

Charles Musselwhite "The Well."

Jimmie Vaughan "Plays Blues, Ballads and Favorites."

Best Contemporary Blues Album

Bettye LaVette "Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook."

Hubert Sumlin "Live! In Chicago." This is actually a Kenny Wayne Shepherd album featuring our guy Hubert.

Best Traditional Folk Album

Carolina Chocolate Drops "Genuine Negro Jig."

Maria Muldaur "Maria Muldaur."

Best Contemporary Folk Album

Richard Thompson "Dream Attic."

Best Compilation for Movie...

Our guy, the late Stephen Bruton along with T Bone Burnett for "Crazy Heart."

Friday Night Blues

Mid-winter blues with former Muddy Waters guitarist Luther "Guitar Jr" Johnson backed by The Magic Rockers, Friday night at the Narrows.

Not only was the music hot, Mr. Johnson and the band spiffed up for the occasion. We like that.

It's going to be a bluesy late winter & spring at the Narrows. Robert Cray February 23; Joe Louis Walker February 26; Tommy Castro March 19; Joe Moss April 15.

Not to mention blue-eyed British soul man James Hunter February 18, and Blues Traveler front man John Popper April 28.

Did I miss anyone?

Check Out Patrick Norton's Blog

Narrows honcho Patrick Norton has created a blog!

He brings a serious insider's knowledge of the doings of the Narrows' artists. Plus he has a passion for music.

You can access his blog through www.ncfta.org or by clicking here.

JTE Keeps Getting Better

Harlem River Blues--Justin Townes Earle--When we booked him in 2008 at the Narrows, we expected someone special and probably out there alone on the edge. Heck, he's the offspring of the fabulous and famously troubled Steve Earle. Something probably rubbed off. We saw it in his performance--and in his world-weary eyes--and we hear it in this latest recording. Harlem River Blues is a project we suspect Springsteen strives for when he's pursuing his inner Woody Guthrie. A touch of Woody, Johnny Cash, and some gospel too. Check out this performance on David Letterman's show--it's got all 3! And Paul Shaffer on organ too!

A practical note: Justin is a likable singer, so you can play him in the car when you're with those who don't appreciate rough hewn vocals. You know--they roll their eyes when they hear Bob Dylan or Woody Guthrie, or come to think of it, Justin's dad, Steve. "He can't sing," they tell us. "Yes, but it's a great song, and it's authentic," we reply. "Yes, but why can't he sing?" Maybe a good question, but not one that needs directing at Justin's work, although he's not Bing Crosby either.

Great songs (all originals), fine performances, understated production values and Americana lyrics like "I was wastin' my night, calling in my favorite songs on the local radio" that warm this old deejay's heart. See him sing those in a record store performance, which includes his dad getting a call on his cell phone just before his son starts playing. Cool.

BTW:I took the photo above shortly before he played the Narrows in 2008. He was hanging around, alone, outside on Anawan Street, drinking coffee (I presume) and apparently chain-smoking. Man, he had an edge. BTW part two: Justin is active on Twitter. You can follow his shenanigans if social networking is your thing.

A Welcomed Melting

We put away the ice picks for at least a little while!

Jeffrey Gaines' warm vocals and songs raised the temperature for the audience Friday night, despite the glazing of the region in seemingly interminable ice.

It was his Narrows debut, and he attracted a good number of new faces to the Narrows. Welcome! We hope you'll visit us on a regular basis.

Boston-born Mieka Pauley opened with a strong set that attracted new followers.

Changing the Rules!

Comedy in a center for the arts?

As usual, the Narrows Center for the Arts is changing the rules!

Over the past months, the Narrows has been building its audiences for shows featuring comedians.

Just as when the Narrows brings in new, usually young musicians. Few may attend. Then more. Then more. Then the artist--for example Eilen Jewell--sells out shows!

We think that's what centers for the arts should do! Nurture talent. Maybe change the rules for nurturing talent.

Last Friday, we changed the rules again with another comedy show, this time featuring (in the photograph) Joey Carroll, who has extensively entertained our troops overseas, Joe Holden and Jack Lynch. A good sized audience was there, maybe our largest for comedy.

We're serious about laughter, and people seem to be loving it.

The next comedy showcase will be in the spring, and we hope you'll join us! Watch this space.

Six Years Blogging

A note to thank everyone following Backstage at the Narrows since it launched in January 2005, or who joined in over the six year journey. That means you.

The backstory: I was reading the paper in early 2005 and saw that "Blogger" was providing the opportunity to blog for free. So I fired up the computer and checked out how it worked. Since it wasn't too difficult, I figured I'd add it to my volunteer duties at the Narrows Center for the Arts. Back then there weren't many of us, and we'd do one or two shows a week, with some breaks in-between. A slower pace than today.

It was fun, and I appreciate the hard work of Patrick and Maggie Norton, Bert Harlow and others to keep the music playing even when things were a bit tight. Got to hang out with stars, haul equipment like a rock 'n' roll roadie, emcee and generally enjoy the sounds and talk music with my friends.

With the blog, it became even more fun--though I remember asking people from the stage if they knew what "blog" meant. Most didn't for a few years. Not sure how many were reading it; still not sure, frankly, although people tell me they do. There's probably some way to electronically track how many are checking it out, but I've never gotten around to figuring out how to do it.

I hope you enjoy perusing Backstage at the Narrows as much as I enjoy writing and taking photos for it. There are more than a thousand entries which constitute a permanent on-line, easy-to-reference "first draft" of the Narrows' history. Proud to have provided it, and consider myself fortunate.

No biggie, though. Did it, and continue doing it, just for fun.

Power Pop for the People

It was shake some action night at the Narrows with power popsters The Spampinato Brothers leading the charge.

Led by an NRBQ founder, Joey Spampinato, the group played in the grand tradition of The Raspberries, Cheap Trick, and yes The Rolling Stones and The Beatles.

Covers included "Out of Time" from the Stones, and "You're Gonna Lose that Girl," and "You Can't Do That," from, of course, the Fab Four. But The Spampinato Brothers are far from being a cover band. But if they were, they'd be one of the best.

You may have seen bass player Joey Spampinato in the "Hail Hail Rock 'n' Roll" movie with Chuck Berry, Keith Richards, Linda Rondstadt and just about everybody else.

Totally fun night.

Should Count Toward Church Time

You Are Not Alone--Mavis Staples--Narrows alum and soul singer supreme Mavis Staples continues to mix the secular and sacred, in the tradition of the Staples Singers, this time with Wilco's Jeff Tweedy in the producer's chair. Recorded at the Wilco Loft in the Windy City, You Are Not Alone is currently in the top twenty in the Billboard Gospel Album chart, even though it contains secular tracks like John Fogarty's "Wrote A Song for Everyone," which appeared on Creedence Clearwater's Green River LP in 1969, and Randy Newman's "Losing You," from the eye-twinkling pianist's Harps and Angels project a few years back. This is, in fact, a rock 'n' gospel album, featuring sometimes-stinging guitar and a more mainstream rock feel. Ms. Staples' flawless and powerful vocals are the show, of course, and it goes without saying that she could sing the phone book and make it scriptural. "I don't know where Tweedy's been all my life," she says in the promotional video. She's right. You Are Not Alone works and is a quality listen.

Note to Narrows history buffs: while Wilco has never played the Narrows, Jay Bennett, who had a nasty split from Tweedy and the group, did. Those of us around in the Narrows' early years remember Bennett as a fabulously talented yet troubled guy who seemed to regret his falling out with his former musical partner Tweedy. He died accidentally in 2009, in part because he couldn't get the medical treatment he needed. Learn more about him and download a free posthumous release here.

Boston Songwriter Night

Boston songwriting night. Ellis Paul, left, and Meg Hutchinson below. Friday night was warm and relatively low-key at the Narrows. Both Paul and Hutchinson are based in the Boston area, though Paul (who was celebrating his birthday btw) is originally from Maine and came to Boston College to run track. Ms. Hutchinson hails from the snows of the Berkshires.

David Johansen Unplugged

New York Dolls front legend David Johansen kept it simple with simple guitar accompaniment as he did his "Funky But Chic" or John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom Boom Boom" at the Narrows Thursday night.

Of course, those who have followed his career weren't surprised since the razor thin vocalist, still sporting skinny jeans and leather, has various personas, including folk/bluesman, jump jazzer Buster Poindexter, Sirius radio jock, and actor.

One persona, perhaps not widely known, is his down-to-earth friendliness. Narrows staff loved working with him.

Let's Talk Spring and Summer, Shall We?

Some great shows just added at the Narrows.

On March 18th Anders Osborne will make his debut, originally scheduled for New Year's Day. A blizzard earlier in the week messed things up. Although we can't be sure, we think we have a better shot this time because it will almost be spring! By the way, if you're unfamiliar with Mr. Osborne--as was your blogger--his sound is along the lines of classic rock, even though he wrote a number one hit for country artist Tim McGraw ("Watchin' the Wind Blow By"). Learn more here.

May 21 it's Jesse Winchester. Enough said.

And August 20 (wow, we're already talking late in the summer), it's singer/songwriter David Wilcox, whose photo, taken at the Narrows in 2006, is above. If memory serves that 2006 show was a sell-out so it might not be too early to get your tickets for that one.

Life on the Road

The snow that didn't hit Fall River Friday evening did hit parts of Connecticut, slowing travel to a crawl for Po' Girl, as they raced on the highways to make their Narrows debut.

A plane delay earlier in the day didn't help.

Group member Benny Sidelinger flew in for the gig separately, and had the fun (!) of performing as the opening act while we waited for the rest of the group--who were actually not that late as it turned out. Guitarist/banjoist Benny sees himself as a sideman, and didn't cherish being the center of attention, although his mom, dad and fiancee in the audience seemed delighted. Area musician Louie Leeman, who performed at the Narrows on New Year's Day, kindly brought in his guitar for Benny, whose own guitar was with the rest of the group.

Despite the stress (and lack of food), Po' Girl enchanted with their mixture of folk, jazz and what have you--some call it "urban roots"--performing a strong set.

Unfortunately, after the gig some of the group was facing a 45 minute drive to their sleeping quarters in Plymouth (oops, they didn't know it wasn't exactly next door).

Life on the road.

Sometimes These Are The Best Shows

Your humble blogger was a little disappointed that the Anders Osbourne show didn't happen Saturday night because the blizzard messed up travel. (I've been enjoying his latest American Patchwork recording.)

But I shouldn't have been because the substitute show was special--at a special price of only $10!

Curtis Prince (left), scheduled as the opener for the Anders Osbourne show, blues guitar wizard Mark T. Small, singer/songwriter Louie Leeman, and frequent Narrows opener Jeremy Lyons joined together to put on an intimate show of songs, stories and even lightning fast riffs.

And a sense of history, particularly from Mark T. Small, who pointed out that "without John Lee Hooker, ZZ Top would have been playing Zippity Do Da."

Your humble blogger suggests for future reference: when you see the Narrows pull together a show at a special price, consider attending as did the folks who attended this show. It will no doubt be a sound investment of your entertainment dollar and will enrich your life too.

Wow, Great New Shows Just Added

Got the weekly notice from Kathy at the Narrows that in a few weeks we'll be hosting the New York Dolls' frontman David Johansen January 13. You may know him as Buster Pointdexter or his solo song "Funky But Chic."

PLUS

Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson February 11.

PLUS

Robert Cray February 23.

PLUS

Ralph Stanley March 5.

PLUS

Tommy Castro March 19.

PLUS

Chely Wright March 26.

PLUS

Neil Innes (remember The Rutles?) May 14.

PLUS

All the other great performers already scheduled like Judy Collins, Eilen Jewell, Aztec 2-Step, Rodney Crowell and many more.

Visit www.ncfta.org.

Good Cookin' with a Camino

Congrats to the Narrows' new fave Elizabeth Cook for having one of Rolling Stone mags top songs of 2010, "El Camino."

The track is from her Welder recording, and tells the story of a liaison with a mulleted guy who drives a 1972 El Camino, a guy who wears shirts "trippin' on LSD," and whose car "is creepy man, not in a gangster kind of way, but in a perv kind of way."

She and her group played the Narrows special show for donors in November. On the right is Ms. Cook with Narrows treasurer Tom Murray during the show's intermission.

See the Rolling Stone brief write up.

Yule Grass for Y'All

Darol Anger's Republic of Strings brought the season's cheer to the Narrows on Friday night. Mr. Anger, on the right in the photo, and his ensemble melded bluegrass and classical and spun it into a Christmas "yule grass" show.

Mr. Anger was a longtime member of the acclaimed Turtle Island String Quartet, and played in the David Grisman Quintet and other groups. If you've listened to NPR's "Car Talk," you've heard Mr. Anger's music. He plays on the theme song.

Rock's Greatest Generation

A representative of what is arguably rock 'n' roll's Greatest Generation, Ian Hunter, made his Narrows debut Saturday night.

Hunter, 71 years young, was Mott the Hoople, the glam rock band from the 1970s. Their hits include All the Way from Memphis ("You look like a star but you're really out on parole"), a cover of Lou Reed's Sweet Jane ("Standing on the corner, suitcase in his hand"), and David Bowie's All the Young Dudes, which gave Mott the Hoople a career after they were on the verge of being the next big thing that never was.

After Mott, Hunter went on to a solo career and songwriting. His greatest commercial successes were his Cleveland Rocks (the theme song of the Drew Carey Show, recorded by the Presidents of the United States), Ships, sung by Barry Manilow, and Once Bitten Twice Shy, covered by Great White. Did I miss anything, fans?

Saturday night he was in great voice, with plenty of energy, spurred on by former Wings member Steve Holley on drums and guitarist extraordinaire Andy York.

Hunter is one of the oldest of Rock's Greatest Generation, but Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bob Dylan, Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman, Paul McCartney, David Crosby, Dan Hicks, Steven Stills, Grace Slick, Jorma Kaukonen, John Sebastian,Pete Townsend, Ray Davies, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Jeff Beck, Leon Russell, Van Morrison, Judy Collins, Donovan, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, etc. aren't far behind. And many still pack venues, despite being on the scene for 40 or more years. To put that in perspective, if you were living in the 1960s, it would be like performers from the 1920s still competing in the concert halls and on the record charts. With the exception of Louis Armstrong, I don't think that was happening much if at all.

So Hail! Hail! Rock's Greatest Generation. Long may you live. Hope to see you, like Ian Hunter, at the Narrows soon.

Nanci Griffith Makes Her Narrows Debut

What can one say? Nanci Griffith warmed us on a frosty December night.

Top Shows of 2010

It's getting to be that time of year again.

What were your favorite shows at the Narrows?

Some of mine in no particular order:

J. D. Souther

Ralph Stanley

Ralph Stanley II

Hapa

The Holmes Brothers

Paula Cole

James Hunter

Hot Club of Cowtown

Shelby Lynne

Carolina Chocolate Drops

How 'bout you?

Tickets Moving Swiftly

Hmmm...let's see...

Last I checked there were 25 tickets to the Nanci Griffith show left.

Several dozen for the 7 Walkers/Bill Kreutzmann, George Porter etc. show.

And we're starting to run out of tickets for Ian Hunter and Johnny Winter, but there should be some available if you move pretty soon.

Be sure to check out the 2011 schedule, and maybe get a Christmas present or two. Marshall Crenshaw, Eilen Jewell, James Hunter, Buckwheat Zydeco, Leon Redbone, Steve Forbert, Dave Mason and many more.

www.ncfta.org.

Shake Some Action

Keeping Time--Jenny Dee and the Deelinquents--Remember the line "you had me at hello"? Boston's Jen D'Angora and her group had me at their version of the Flamin' Groovies tune "Shake Some Action," which, as posted on the Jenny & company site, has won the endorsement of co-writer Cyril Jordan. (You may be familiar with the Flamin' Groovies' version from the movie "Clueless." ) Keeping Time, though, is mostly filled with her original songs performed "retro," recalling 60s "girl" groups like The Shangri-Las. "I've been a fan of that music since I was really young and my interest was rejuvenated as I started getting into Blondie and the New York Dolls--their interpretations of songs by The Shangri-Las and other groups fascinated me," she writes on her website. Jenny Dee and the Deelinquents come to the Narrows January 21, opening for the Spampinato Brothers. Get warmed up by this video of the group performing "Shake Some Action" last year in the UK. And, I couldn't resist, a video of The Flamin' Groovies too.

Quirky Cool Country

Welder--Elizabeth Cook--She's got a voice like Dolly Parton's and she's played the Grand Ole Opry. She's country as heck, and funny too. And she's got the looks of a supermodel. So how come you (and formerly me) don't know her? Maybe it's because she's quirky, and sometimes, you know, people don't appreciate that kind of thing. Quirky people's brains are, ahem, different.

Some of her lyrics as evidence of her sublime quirkiness:

"If I wake up married, I'll have to annul it/ Right now my hands are in his mullet." (From "El Camino." Also from that song "I told him your car is creepy man/And not in a gangsta kind of way/But in a perv kind of way.")

"She stripped for awhile in Connecticut/Got married at least 5 times/Everyone of them men was crazy about her/So she married a couple of 'em twice." (From "Heroin Addict Sister," in which she also writes "She's a certified underwater welder/She can cook, clean and crochet/She can flash a smile from her sweet weary soul/That'll melt all your doubts away.")

"When you say yes to beer, you say no to booty." (From "Yes to Booty"--you get the picture.)

"Likes to talk about Elvis, but only in the Sun years." (From "Rock N Roll Man," in which she also writes "He's got sheets over the windows and records on the floor/A poster of Jimi Hendrix on his bedroom door." I don't know about you, but I've known people like that.)

Welder was produced by Don Was (who's produced The Rolling Stones, among many others). Buddy Miller, Dwight Yoakam and soon-to-be-Narrows alum Rodney Crowell contribute assorted background vocals.

Unless you've got something against quirky cool country, you'll love Ms. Cook, as did the Narrows audience when she made her debut earlier this month (that's her in the photo signing).

Say no to beer, but yes to quirky.

Boogaloo Dudes

What do you call the sound of the subdudes. Hard to put a name to it, but rock, folk for sure. And, being from New Orleans, one can hear The Big Easy. Heck, I even thought Doobie Brothers.

Guitars, accordion, lots of harmonies, gentle toe-tapping rhythm.

What's safe to say is that people love it--witness the sold out show Friday night at the Narrows! Might be awhile before we see them again. Their website says they're cutting back touring in 2011 to focus on side projects.

You might see them on HBO: They just did filming for Treme.

9 Years! What A Rush!

Saturday night the Narrows marked its 9th anniversary with a sold out Tom Rush concert. Can you believe it? Nine years!

Thanks to Bert Harlow, Patrick Norton, Deb Charlebois, Peter Belanger, Brian Shriver, Congressman Jim McGovern, Sam Shapiro, and so many others--especially our patrons.

Your humble blogger for the first time missed the anniversary concert but Narrows volunteer Herb Tracy was there, took the above photo and writes:

"Tom was in fine voice and his playing was stellar. At times during the show you could hear the proverbial pin drop or roars of laughter at his banter. But it was a rousing rendition of Galveston Flood as an encore that brought the audience to its feet. As those who've seen him before know, he makes a personal connection with his audience while on stage and off. Last night was no exception. During the break and after the show Tom spent times with fans genuinely enjoying the stories they brought to him about what his music means to them.

"He introduced us to his first song for children--about a child's experience with a magic fish. Tom has an 'interactive' coloring book to go with it. And, as he said, 'I'm the author and the child is the illustrator.' What better collaboration could you want? Will a children's album follow? We'll have to wait and see."

Nice job Herb. Thanks! Anybody else at the concert want to add to Herb's observations?

We Salute Our Donors with Quite a Cook!

Funny. Who knew Elizabeth Cook was that funny?

Maybe we should have suspected since she's well known for her song "Sometimes It Takes Balls to be a Woman."

Friday night was an exclusive concert for the Narrows' donors, and Ms. Cook was the perfect match. Great songs, fabulous singing, great playing by her husband, guitarist Tim Carroll and bassist Bones Hillman (remember Midnight Oil?).

And funny. Her mom, she said, is from West Virginia. "50 million people and 5 last names." Elizabeth is from Central Florida, which, she said, is part of the south. Once you get to Orlando though, "it's New Jersey then Cuba."

If you're a Sirius satellite radio subscriber, you might be familiar with her show "Elizabeth Cook's Apron Strings" a mix of music, recipes and household tips.

Speaking of radio, the concert was streamed live on mvyradio.com, which should have it posted in its archives soon.

Yer Bonerama

It hit 75 degrees in New Orleans today, and despite the 40-something temperatures in the Spindle City, NOLA's Bonerama chased the chills at the Narrows.

Kicking off with The Star Spangled Banner on this Veterans Day, Bonerama fused rock, trippy prog, jazz, and whatever, even doing the rarely if ever covered (from the Beatles' White Album) Yer Blues ("My mother was of the sky/My father was of the earth/But I am of the universe/And you know what it's worth"). At times they reminded your humble blogger of the old Blood, Sweat & Tears, with the emphasis on electric guitar (Remember Steve Katz?) despite being a horn-dominated ensemble.

Generous

Above are the wonderful group Red Molly, who performed a lovely bluegrassy show at the Narrows Friday night. I took this photo "backstage." If you missed them this time, be sure to keep an eye on the Narrows schedule, because no doubt they'll be returning in 2011.

Many groups sell CDs at their performances, usually at around $15 apiece. Red Molly, however, let people decide how much they wanted to pay. As they joked on-stage, the more people who have their music, the more likely they'll be invited on "Oprah." They're probably right. Anyway, knowing the generosity of Narrows patrons, chances are at least some paid more than the standard $15.

Red Molly's kindness to their fans got me thinking.

By coincidence, I'm reading You Are Not A Gadget, a book by Jaron Lanier, one of Time magazine's 100 people in 2010 who most affect the world. He's a guy who knows computers, the Internet etc. He describes himself as a "digital technologist." He is also a musician who is worried about what the Internet is doing to the earning potential of people paying the bills based on "mental activity," such as musicians, filmmakers and writers.

Over the course of my 9 years at the Narrows, I have spoken to musicians--some well known across the country and beyond--who are barely getting by as they create the soundtracks of our lives. They make us tap our feet and laugh. They comfort us in bad times, and help us enjoy good times. They encourage us to think, to love, to live life. They help us survive jobs we may not enjoy, and, even worse, unemployment. They hold our hands when a loved one passes, and provide the songs we sing with our children. They enrich us with their life's work.

So, in this light I respectfully suggest that those of us who partake of "free" downloads might reconsider such actions. Am I wrong?

Remembering

The Narrows crew continues to mourn the loss of longtime Narrows supporter Ronnie Brandt, who passed away recently.

We thought we'd post his photo, since many knew his smile but maybe not his name.

"Tries To Be Good"

"I'm glad I found Slaid Cleaves, because my life would have been poorer without him."

--Stephen King

A good crowd enriched their lives Thursday night at the Narrows, as singer/songwriter Slaid Cleaves brought his bag full of story songs to our stage for the first time since 2006, according to our records. You can look it up.

We're particularly fond of Slaid because he was one of the first performers ever to play the Narrows back about 9 years ago. He was at the Narrows before the Narrows was cool!

Through the years, his motto has remained the same: "Grew up in Maine. Lives in Texas. Writes songs. Makes records. Travels around. Tries to be good."

Too Cool to Miss

Praise & Blame--Tom Jones--Powerful vocals. Powerful songs. Tom Jones, who turned 70 this year, has tossed the tux to get into a rootsy wrassle with John Lee Hooker's "Burning Hell" (watch TJ do it on Jools Holland's show), Bob Dylan's "What Good Am I?" and other gospel-like tunes. Jones "reinvents himself but is always the same guy," says producer Ethan Johns in this clip about making Praise & Blame. Which is about right--remember when he did--who would have thought?--Prince's "Kiss"? And it was perfect! (Note for history buffs: Johns is the son of famed producer/engineer Glyn Johns, whose name you may have spotted on a Stones or Beatle album.) Backing musicians in addition to Johns include Gillian Welch and Rhode Island's Dave Rawlings, Stax legend Booker T. Jones and Tom Petty associate Benmont Tench. This is a keeper that may not get its due because roots fans will overlook a bump and grinder. Resist the urge. This one's too cool to miss.

And Now For Something Completely Different...

"I'm a cross between Pete Seeger and Don Rickles," said Vance Gilbert during his debut at the Narrows Saturday night.

This delightful self-effacing performer--who started in jazz and is a mainstay in the folk scene--charmed the audience with his soulful vocals and stand-up comedy stage banter.

When your humble blogger went "backstage" to shoot a behind-the-scenes photo (above) before the show, he rose to the challenge to make it fun and different.

As one of our longtime audience members (Fred) pointed out, a Vance Gilbert performance is a personal experience. It certainly was!

A sad note: Before the concert, Vance learned his 82 year old step father had just passed away in CT. Our condolences to him.

Howlin' for The Black Keys

Brothers--The Black Keys--These two guys from Akron are doing what musicians--like Led Zeppelin, Canned Heat, the Rolling Stones, the Animals and others--did in the 1960s: take sounds from way back and make them your own. The Stones and the others took blues music and transformed it for a new age. The Black Keys are taking classic rock--with more than a touch of the likes of Screamin' Jay Hawkins and even Gary Glitter--and molding it for a new generation. Call it retro, call it garage. It works!

All the songs were written by The Black Keys except for "Never Gonna Give You Up," written and recorded by soul singer Jerry Butler (Who covers Jerry Butler?), but the riffs sound familiar, even though you may not be able to pinpoint why. And the songs are more than songs--they feel like atmosphere. It's old, it's new. It's everywhere too. This morning I heard their "Howlin' For You" from Brothers in a car commercial. Not a bad thing. If you're, like me, late to The Black Keys--they have been around for about a decade--Brothers would be a nice introduction.

Texas Tornado

The Lone Star State's Jimmie Vaughan made his Narrows debut Sunday night before a sold out venue of appreciative fans (including guitar god Duke Robillard)!

Accompanied by a blazing band and roadhouse singer Lou Ann Barton, the Fabulous Thunderbirds founder showed why he is one of the most celebrated guitarists in the world.

R.I.P.

Learned of a death in the Narrows family just before the Jimmie Vaughan show Sunday night.

Ronnie Brandt passed away suddenly this weekend. Narrows honcho Patrick Norton led the audience in a toast to his memory before the concert.

Our condolences to his family and friends. He was remembered fondly by members of the crew at the Narrows.

The Temptations are Still Here!

Still Here--The Temptations--Yes, those Temptations. "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" Temptations, "Ball of Confusion," Temptations, "My Girl" etc. Great songs, very cool sweet and, in the late 1960s, psychedelic soul. Only one member these days is original, but throughout their hit-making history they kept changing personnel anyway. Never mind that. Still Here is a wonderful listen, a recording the Temps call a "concept album" because it reflects various styles from their history. If you like soul, you'll like Still Here.

Raul Malo: The Voice

He's got the subtle heartbreak in his voice that Roy Orbison possessed--and he brought it to the Narrows Thursday night for the first time along with his band and kind of Tex-Mex sound.

Raul Malo, formerly of The Mavericks, charmed from his first note.

The concert was streamed live on mvyradio.com and hopefully will be in the archives in the near future.

Did You Know This About Peter Wolf?

Peter Wolf, solo artist and J. Geils singer, makes his Narrows debut in November, although he has attended at least one show (Shelby Lynne's) at our fabled location.

Peter lived an interesting life even before he came to national attention as the wild man voice of the J.Geils Band.

Some fun facts:

--His father was a musician and had his own radio show in New York City; his mother was a teacher; his grandmother, an actress.

--His older sister was a dancer on Alan Freed's television show.

--As a child he took part in a child music series with Woody Guthrie.

--Peter has dyslexia, a condition which makes it difficult to play an instrument. He studied piano, guitar, drums and violin.

--When he was seven his family moved to the Berkshires due to his father's work at Tanglewood, and young Peter used to hang out in the studio of Norman Rockwell, developing an interest in painting.

--Peter hung out with Bob Dylan in Greenwich Village in Dylan's early years.

--Peter's high school was in Harlem, not far from the Apollo Theater, where Peter watched shows by Ray Charles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson and others.

--Peter roomed with David Lynch (Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks) in Boston while studying art at Boston's Museum of Fine Art. He also befriended Jon Landau, later Bruce Springsteen's manager and a writer for Rolling Stone magazine.

--Peter had an apartment in Cambridge, MA which became a refuge for touring musicians, including Muddy Waters.

--Barry Tashian, of New England legends Barry and the Remains, and later a member of Emmylou Harris' group, roomed with Peter.

I could go on.  Learn more at www.peterwolf.com.

Cheryl Wheeler made her annual appearance at the Narrows Friday night--but this time she was accompanied by a lovely book called Nice Rendition, Cheryl Wheeler's Lyrics in Calligraphy.

Sixty artists have done beautiful work in interpreting the lyrics from 73 of Cheryl's songs.

The book will continue to be for sale at the Narrows for a couple more weeks. Also check out www.nicerendition.com.

Notwithstanding Pompatus

Bingo--Steve Miller Band--The smooth production rock powerhouse who gave us "pompatus of love," is back after almost 2 decades, and doing blues with the help of veteran R & B singer Sonny Charles. Like most, perhaps all, of Steve Miller's work, what's not to like? It's catchy, it's fun, it's quality, and it's mostly silky smooth (except, maybe, for a rhythmically jarring rendition of Howlin' Wolf's "Who's Been Talkin"). Soon-to-be-Narrows-alum Jimmie Vaughan had a hand in writing 3 tracks, by the way.

For those who may not be ultra-serious blues students, there's a possibility you are unfamiliar with the tunes on Bingo. You might know B.B. King's "Rock Me Baby" (reportedly the most covered blues song of all time), though. But, no matter. This is a fun, fine recording you can listen to a lot without growing tired. I'm mean, have you ever tired of hearing "Rock 'N Me,""Jet Airliner," or "Swingtown"? Not me. Okay, I am tired of "The Joker," "pompatus of love" notwithstanding.

Marc Cohn Surpasses

Listening Booth:1970--Marc Cohn--This guy, a Narrows fave and best known for "Walking in Memphis," may finally put that song behind him with this interesting recording of important tracks from 1970. "It was the year that the Beatles broke up. Simon and Garfunkel too...but it wasn't really 'the '70s' yet. 1970, at least musically, still felt like the '60s somehow," he writes in the CD notes.

When I saw the song listing on the CD, I was less than enthused about another cover of Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed"--a great song, but hasn't it been covered enough? But Marc makes it worth hearing with new ears, along with Cat Stevens' "Wild World," Bread's "Make It With You," and Badfinger's "No Matter What."

But he makes this more than a trip down memory lane for those listening to Top 40 radio at the time. He reaches for deep tracks, like John Lennon's "Look at Me," from the Plastic Ono Band album that contained the better known "Mother," and "Working Class Hero," and blends it with the Beatles' "I Am the Walrus." And "The Only Living Boy in New York," from Simon and Garfunkle's Bridge Over Troubled Waters album containing the better know title track, "Cecelia," and "The Boxer." And the Dead's "New Speedway Boogie" from Workingman's Dead, an album containing the better known "Uncle John's Band." Frankly, I don't think I've heard "The Only Living Boy in New York" or "New Speedway Boogie" before, so this is an introduction to those songs for me.

As for moving beyond "Walking in Memphis,": "Listening Booth: 1970" surpassed it on Billboard. So there.

His Name is Luka

A packed, enthusiastic Narrows audience Saturday night greeted Ireland's Luka Bloom for his first visit to our fabled stage.

He charmed us with his own compositions as well as inspired covers such as "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," written by late Englishman Ewan MacColl and made famous by Roberta Flack. His beautiful guitar sound was also of note, filling the space with acoustic warmth.

Though he may be from the Emerald Isle, his is not a Celtic show, although his accent is--or more precisely Irish, dropping the "th" sound and filled with self-deprecating wit.

If you missed this visit, be sure to catch him next time.

The Working Artist

Marc Ribot was one of the first musicians ever to play the Narrows, way back in 2002.

We were pleased to have him return after so many years to do what might be termed an "avant garde" set at the Narrows Thursday night. And as you can see in the photo, he seriously preps before a performance.

Not surprising, since he is the "go to" guy for Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, producer T-Bone Burnett and others. If you heard Raising Sand by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, you heard Marc Ribot. It won a slew of Grammys.

Most recently he performed on John Mellencamp's mono release, No Better Than This, recorded in a hotel room in San Antonio, Texas, where Robert Johnson recorded in the 1930s; at the oldest African-American church in America, which is located in Savannah, Georgia; and in Memphis, Tennessee at Sun Records, where Elvis, Johnny Cash, Howlin' Wolf and others cut sides in the 1950s. "The experience of doing that in that room was amazing," he said, noting with a chuckle that perhaps more studios should have been built with parquet linoleum floors.

Marc's most recent solo release is called Silent Movies.

Though I didn't get a chance to ask him about it, he apparently will be appearing as part of the back up band in the upcoming Elton John/Leon Russell collaboration.

Top 10 Most Influential Guitarists of the 1960s

I was looking at the Rolling Stone's list of the greatest guitarists of all time--and got to musing if greatest meant the same as most influential.

I concluded it didn't, because the prowess on the frets award probably should go to a jazz guitarist that comparatively few listen to.

How about the top 10 most influential guitarists from a single era? How about the 1960s? A time which began around 1963 and ended in the early 1970s. Here's my thinking:

1. George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney (yes, Paul played guitar on those records too)--I've counted these three guitarists as one because the records they produced inspired at least one generation to play guitar. That's influence.

2. Brian Jones, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor--These guys, of course, played guitar in the Rolling Stones, and as an ensemble they made great and influential guitar-centered records.

3. Bob Dylan--He changed the world when he went electric. Now, that's influence.

4. Dave Davies--One song: "You Really Got Me." His brother Ray wrote the tune, apparently on a piano. But, unless a session guitarist (rumored to be Jimmy Page) sat in, Dave gets the credit. The riff won't go away, and overshadows Ray Davies' other songs, many of which are arguably better.

5. Roger McGuinn--The jingly-jangly sound that was his trademark was lifted by Tom Petty, one of the most important recording artists over the last 3 decades, who, at times, seems to be a Roger McGuinn tribute artist.

6. Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir--They influenced the whole jam band movement through their work with the Grateful Dead.

7. John Fogarty--It's easy to forget how important Creedence Clearwater was in the late 1960s. For all intents and purposes, Fogarty was Creedence. Love his version of "Suzi Q."

8. Eric Clapton--Cream. Derek and the Dominos. Period.

9. Jimi Hendrix--Clapton, Hendrix and Jimmy Page (below) were important in launching the influential Album Oriented Rock phase.

10. Jimmy Page--He influenced several generations of air guitarists. Try to listen to Led Zep's "Black Dog" without moving your hands.

Honorable mention: Gram Parsons, who wasn't much of a player, but his vision of Cosmic American Music was critical in spawning the guitar-centered country rock in the 1970s, and later Americana.

Agree? Disagree? Who are your top 10?

Electric Blues Guitar 101 from a Guitar Hero

So you want to be an electric blues guitarist. What do you need to know and do?

I posed such questions to a guitar hero, Kim Simmonds, who was at the forefront of the late '60s wave of British blues that gave the world the Yardbirds, Cream, Eric Clapton and others, including his band Savoy Brown.

I interviewed him before the Savoy Brown performance at the Narrows Center for the Arts on Saturday, September 18, 2010. I wanted to get hands-on practical advise for the aspiring guitarist. And he gave it.

First of all, "my advice has always been to focus in on one particular music," he said. "Hone in on the style at the exclusion of everything else. I mean to this day I can't play a Beatles song." When he became interested in guitar, he listened to jazz, old style R & B, etc., but by the time he was a teenager he realized he wanted to play the electric sounds emanating from Chicago courtesy of Muddy Waters and others. So he focused on that style as he learned to play his instrument.  

Another piece of advice to the would-be electric blues guitarist: "Don't start on the acoustic guitar because it's very difficult to make the swap...The first thing you should do if you want to play good electric blues guitar is start with electric guitar and an amp. Because it's a different head space altogether." While he plays acoustic blues when he performs solo, he says he's still learning how to play the acoustic guitar.

Thinking about becoming a lead guitarist in a blues band? "You don't play scales. You don't do anything technical...you start off listening to records, you start off getting licks, you know, you get one or two licks, you play those, you get a couple more licks, and you build up a library of guitar licks..." He never knew what a scale was until he was in his 30s, well after he became a blues guitar star. "It's all about feeling, you know, and playing scales is too technical." 

He adds new original licks to his repertoire nearly every performance. "Which is a big surprise to myself. I'm trying that hard every night to play the instrument...it's a very nice feeling to have. It means that you're on the edge, it means that you're really pushing yourself, and you're trying to improvise."

Anybody out there can play what I play, he says. "But can you play it and mean it? That's the only difference." When you play a simple phrase, it has to carry meaning. "You've got to find a way to make that full of meaning," like Muddy Waters and other classic old-time blues guitarists did.

"I intend to live to a ripe old age"

Tonight British blues guitar pioneer  Kim Simmonds returns to the Narrows with his band Savoy Brown.  Figured I'd  dig up the 2007 interview:

During your last visit to the Narrows you played with such joy. Is it always fun these days?  

KS: The "joy" is always there. It's a blessing. Tough to hold on to if you take it lightly. I try to not make it "work" which this business of being a traveling musician can quickly become. Therefore I take less gigs so that the ones I do play, I can give 1000% to the audience and to the music. I can't give any less...it's the way I'm built.  

What recordings are you listening to these days? Any recommendations?

KS: I like listening to the artists I grew up with. All the old blues and rock records are still fresh to me. I like people like Mose Allison and Tony Joe White and Dion and so forth. Older artists that still make great new music. I've been also listening to The Smiths lately which will tell you just how crazy my tastes are!  

How about your recording plans?  

KS: I'm currently recording my next solo acoustic CD tentatively entitled "Out Of The Blue" for release next May. I have the songs written but now I'm waiting on a special Martin from the Martin factory and also I've been promised a couple of newer Guilds so there will be a guitar shoot out in my studio soon....may the best guitar win.  

Solo performing versus playing with a band...any preference?

KS: The positives and negatives for each. I was surprised to hear James Taylor talking of the difficulties of putting on a one man show. I would have thought it was second nature to him. There is a real challenge to standing on stage alone with just an acoustic guitar. I love the challenge. With a band you can relax on stage and just let it happen (if the band is good)...you can't relax just by yourself. Of course on the upside there is a wonderful solitary vibe that goes along with traveling and playing alone which appeals to the Celt in me.

What kind of gear do you use, and why?

KS: I use Gibson guitars because they give me a beefy sound and one that exemplifies the "UK blues sound" that I am apart of. I was also using Marshall amplifiers for the same reason but recently I've switched to a Dailey amplifier that has much the same characteristics as a Marshall but with hand made components etc.

What's your favorite kind of audience...quiet and attentive, or kind of rowdy, shouting out requests, that kind of thing. The Narrows has both, and in-between.

KS: For solo acoustic performances I like an audience that's not too quiet because then I may get too self conscious. Attentive but responsive I suppose is what I mean. As regards the band shows...I don't mind...quiet is good...boogie loud is also good...crazy maniacal is also good!!! Really, with the band, there is nothing better than a loud, ready for the moment audience.

What are your long-term future plans?

KS: I intend to keep being a traveling musician until I'm.......really old. It keeps me healthy and inspired. I also draw and paint every day at home (as well as practice the guitar) so even if I wasn't a professional I would still do those things. More and more I am grateful for the ability and blessing that have made me able to make a living at doing what others consider a hobby. I will continue to record band and solo records and with luck, I intend to live to a ripe old age!

Old School Returns

More from the Narrows Festival 2010 last Sunday:

Deep funk hit the outdoor stage with Nashville-based the Dynamites featuring longtime soul vocalist Charles Walker.

Mr. Walker's story reminds us of that of Narrows fave Bettye LaVette: Starting in music decades ago; tasting mainstream success but never breaking out huge; taking a hike from the music biz; rediscovery by a new generation.

There's an old school soul movement, wrote USA Today back in 2008:

"This summer artists such as James Hunter...Ryan Shaw, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and The Dynamites featuring Charles Walker are doing more than waxing nostalgic. Though commercial radio bypasses them in favor of glossier R&B and their niche-label record sales remain modest, these acts are wowing live audiences coast to coast with fresh songs and slamming performances."

James Hunter, by the way, played to a packed Narrows house a few months back, so maybe there's something to this.

Not Just a Regular Joe

Continuing with coverage of the Narrows Festival 2010:

On the inside stage, a Chicago fellow named Joe Moss (above) gathered his troops around 3 p.m. Sunday.

Your humble blogger, who was emceeing two stages (one inside the Narrows proper and one down the street at a park sporting the "Gates of the City"), wasn't able to hang out and listen. But fortunately we had the ears of mvyradio.com morning host (5:30 to 11:00 a.m. M-F) Laurel Redington tucked next to the sound board:

"Joe Moss completely blew my mind. He plays it off like he has no talent, a humble, gracious guy...and then he launches into his set and your jaw drops! Joe should be known by circles outside the die-hard blues fans! His voice has depth and raspy passion. His guitar playing is outrageous...plays as well behind his head and with his teeth! His band is tight, soulful and groove-y!"

'Nuff said!

She is the Morning DJ on WMVY!

Continued follow up to the Narrows Festival of the Arts 2010, held Sunday:

Our friends at mvyradio.com were at the festival recording the performances for future archiving for your enjoyment on their website.

Program head and mid-day host Barbara Dacey (right), celebrating 25 years at the station, was overseeing production at the main stage. In the photo above she's introducing headliner Shemekia Copeland. Morning host Laurel Redington (left) worked the inside stage.

The station is based on Martha's Vineyard, but truly serves the world via the Web with a programming mix rarely, if ever, found on commercial radio. If you are unfamiliar, give a listen!

Narrows Festival 2010

The 9th annual Narrows Festival of the Arts is now in the history books, and it was truly a memorable one.

The weather, while a trifle cool Sunday, stayed dry for the outdoor stage performers, from Amy Speace (photo) at 12:30 p.m. until headliner Shemekia Copeland's encore at 7 p.m. A few minutes later, some raindrops sprinkled the area.

Indoors, roots-oriented The 'Mericans kicked the day off at 11:30 a.m., followed by jazz fusionists Marcus Monteiro Quartet, blues guy Joe Moss, and singer/guitarist Andrea Belanger.

Also performing on the outdoor stage, funkster Charles Walker and the Dynamites, rushing in from New York City, and Entrain from Martha's Vineyard.

More photos coming up.

A Stomping Good Time!

A sold out room greeted the Carolina Chocolate Drops Friday night as they made their Narrows' debut.

The group's repertoire reflects the forgotten black string band tradition down south. Thanks to National Public Radio and others, including the Narrows, this tradition is once again being explored.

It all sounds so serious, but it wasn't Friday night as the band members joked around, stomped their feet and led the fans in sing-alongs.

Our friends at mvyradio.com streamed the show live; it should be archived on their site in a few days.