Du Cafe?

Beausoleil is the first group your humble blogger ever worked with that had a coffee urn in the dressing room. The smell of fresh-brewed coffee filled the Friday night air--a nice change!

They mentioned that they had a rather enjoyable dinner at a local restaurant just before the show, so perhaps they wanted to make sure that the great food didn't make them feel too content.

And judging from the dancing, the coffee did the trick!

Timber & Nails

Mary Ann Rossoni is an incredibly dedicated songwriter. Your humble blogger goes way back with her, playing coffee houses and sitting in on songwriting critique sessions with her.

Nobody respects the song more than Mary Ann, and nobody respects the fact that songwriting is more than inspiration--it's a craft, like woodworking or acting, that requires the honing of skills.

Mary Ann has been unafraid to workshop her songs with other songwriters, listening to their praise and criticism and acting accordingly. And when she and her musical partner went their separate ways about a decade ago, she knew she had to improve her guitar and singing skills because she could really only lean on herself on-stage to deliver those precious songs.

Your humble blogger remembers that when she was approached by a record company who wanted to sign her, instead of--like many other artists--jumping at the chance, she brought in professional representation to ensure it was a fair relationship. Like with her music, she knew that good things come from hard work.

And she's not just focused on her career, she cares about others bigtime: Your humble blogger should note that when he put together compilation CDs to benefit good causes, Mary Ann was always one of the first artists to say "yes." In fact, she specially wrote one song, Emma Lee, for one of the CDs, a song she has now refined and placed on Timber & Nails, her latest release.

The Narrows welcomes her on Thursday, November 8, and we hope you'll come to the show and hear the fruits of her labors.

Read the Providence Journal's review of her new CD here. If you go here, scroll down a bit for a write-up by the Providence Phoenix.

Italy Comes to the Narrows

Beppe Gambetta

Couple of new shows being added to our spring line-up:



Friday March 28
Beppe Gambetta

He lives in Italy, but much of his musical heart lies in the USA, where many of his influences--including Narrows alums Leo Kottke and Tony Rice--call home. He also cites Gypsy jazz guitar icon Django Reinhardt as an influence and often collaborates with Dawg music great David Grisman. This is a must show for serious students of the guitar. Hear what he sounds like by visiting his myspace page. Also, visit beppegambetta.com.

$15/$17

April 3
Greg Brown

He's a huge presence on the Americana/folk scene as a performer and a songwriter (Willie Nelson, Carlos Santana, Shawn Colvin and Mary Chapin Carpenter have covered his songs), and is likely to sell out the Narrows again. Get your tickets early for this one. http://www.gregbrown.org/.

$28/$31

Pendragon: Celtic Before It Was Cool

Rhode Island area treasures Pendragon did their annual October show at the Narrows Saturday night.

As you may know, Pendragon was onto the Celtic thing back when people said "sell-tic" as opposed to the hard "c" sound. A few fotos from Saturday night.

Karla Bonoff Debuts at Narrows

Friday night marked the debut of LA singer/songwriter Karla Bonoff at the Narrows, and it was a heck of an introduction. Producer/side guy Kenny Edwards kicked things off with several tunes from his first ever solo CD--he's made a ton of records (he's Bonoff's producer) but never got around to his own.

(As noted in an earlier entry in this blog, your humble blogger is a big fan of Mr. Edwards--to the point when I was introduced to the multi-instrumentalist-producer-former Stone Poney before the show I showed uncharacteristic enthusiasm, like a "fan." This apparently was unnerving to witnesses, according to other Narrows' volunteers. Your humble blogger pledges never to show an emotional crack in his professional music armor ever again.) BTW--for more info on the Stone Poneys, click here.

A youngish 56-year-old Bonoff played the tunes that made her fame as a songwriter, including "Somebody To Lay Down Beside Me," covered by Linda Ronstadt, and "Tell Me Why," a hit for Wynonna Judd. Ms. Bonoff noted that her song "All My Life, " a big hit for Ronstadt and Aaron Neville, is apparently popular at weddings "though I wouldn't know."

Despite being a night of ballads and mid-tempo numbers, the quality of the songwriting, Bonoff's stellar vocals, and the understated-yet-solid musicianship from Bonoff, Edwards and guitarist Nina Gerber engendered the energy to bring the crowd to its feet.

A quirky aside--Ms. Gerber brought her dog on stage for the show. Tootsie Gerber, unlike the appreciative audience, seemed to sleep through the music. It's the first time a dog has "performed" on the Narrows' stage.

Springsteen's "Magic" Is

Yeah, I know we're all too cool to admit we like Bruce Springsteen...but, hell, the guy has taken artistic risks--specifically The Seeger Sessions--and challenged himself in other ways. Bruce is a true artist.

Your humble blogger did not have one single Springsteen CD (Wait a minute--I might have the Seeger Sessions CD; can't remember) in his collection, until he heard the first single off of the "Magic" CD, called "Radio Nowhere." Since your humble blogger has had too many years behind a radio microphone not to take notice of a song with the word "radio" in there, he went and purchased it (with a Newberry Comics' coupon, for under 11 bucks). I'm also a big fan of Little Steven, who, with the other E Streeters, has rejoined Bruce for the recording and a tour.

Other than the fact that the CD is a bit too bassy (part of the way Bruce gets that immense "Wall of Sound" anthemic quality to his stuff), it's fun, interesting and clearly showing a guy at the height of his powers.

As for its political commentary, you can read about that here if you'd like. Yeah, yeah, I agree with all the sentiments on the record--but the world according to Bruce is of less interest to me than whether the record is--as a sum of all its parts--worth my time.

It is.

Stone Poneys Founder Backing Karla Bonoff

Friday, October 12 the Narrows welcomes singer/songwriter Karla Bonoff for the first time--but since your humble blogger is a man who reads the liner notes, he'd like to announce that Kenny Edwards will be backing Ms. Bonoff.

Kenny who?

Didn't you ever read the credits on a Linda Ronstadt album? He helped found The Stone Ponys, baby (Remember "Different Drum?") with Linda. He'd done much more over the years, of course.

Check him out here.

Dark Horse Documentary

Beatle George, sometimes known as the Dark Horse, will be the subject of a documentary that will be shown in movie theaters.

More here.

Mistrial for Wall of Sound Guy

It's a mistrial in Phil Spector's murder trial.

More.

Meet Mountain Girl

Grabbed this from a radio trade paper known as Friday Morning Quarterback:

The University of Massachusetts already has one graduate and one undergraduate course that focus on Grateful Dead, and now the school will take it a step further with a university conference on the enduring legacy of the Dead experience.Unbroken Chain: The Grateful Dead in Music, Culture and Memory will be held from November 16 to 18 at UMass Amherst and will bring together more than 50 presenters for 20 panel sessions ranging from music composition and improvisation to an examination of the band’s business model, as well as a musical performances, gallery exhibits, movie screenings and other presentations. Panelists will include “Mountain Girl” Carolyn Garcia, first wife of guitarist Jerry Garcia; David Gans, host of Grateful Dead Radio Hour for the past 20 years; Dead midi wizard Bob Bralove; and Dan Healy, who designed and built the “Wall of Sound,” famed enabler of the Dead’s improvisational style. There also will be a keynote address by Dennis McNally, longtime Dead publicist and author of Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead. “The academic world is not as removed from so-called reality as people think, especially those in the academic world,” said McNally. “In the Rock & Roll world, there are pockets of meticulous intelligence and literacy, people like Jerry Garcia and (bassist) Phil Lesh.” The weekend also will include performances by American Beauty Project and Dark Star Orchestra, whose rhythm guitarist Rob Eaton and keyboardist Rob Baracco will take part in several of the panel discussions.

Boys Weekend At The Narrows: The Photos

We started with Mark T. Small and Paul Geremia on Friday night...then Richard Shindell on Saturday night.

Above, there's Paul Geremia not long after we coaxed him out of the dressing room where he was making sure his 12-string guitar was tuned. He tuned because he cared! Next to him is guitar wunderkind Tony Medeiros, of the Chili Brothers and other collaborations, who sat in a bit with Paul. By the look on Tony's face, what do you think he's thinking? Maybe we should have a caption contest!

Down below is fleet-fingered blues cat Mark T. Small, who gave away his debut CD on Whaling City Sound to everyone who wanted one. It is fab, by the way, and not because it was free!

Above, Richard Shindell proves why he's the "thinking person's" folk musician on Saturday night, with lyrics that make you ponder without being ponderous.

CBGB's Guy Loaded, Not Broke

The Village Voice is reporting that the late Hilly Kristal--thought to be broke--was worth millions.

He was the guy behind legendary NY punk rock club CBGB's.

More here.

Pierre & Chris Coming

Not yet posted on the regular Narrows' schedule at http://www.ncfta.org/.

March 15
Pierre Bensusan

If you dig acoustic classical guitar with a strong dose of pop and jazz, this show is for you. Pierre is from France but is known and loved in the USA and across the globe for his interesting tunings and different approach. Steve Vai says "Listening to Pierre Bensusan is rejuvenating. Beside his extraordinary touch and tone, the notes and melody appeal directly to the tender side of our human nature." Leo Kottke: "Pierre’s music gives me the shakes. No other guitarist shares his strange gifts of sophistication, accessibility and downright joy. Even at its most complex, Pierre’s music only needs ears to be enjoyed." George Winston: "One of the truly gifted musicians of our time - he plays the guitar as if it were the very soul of himself." Most importantly, the volunteers at the Narrows love Pierre for his kindness and his willingness to share a glass of wine with everybody! www.pierrebensusan.com.
$20, $23


May 2
Chris Smither

Rolling Stone named his song "Origins of Species" in its top 100 songs for 2006. Jazz diva Diana Krall covers his "Love Me Like A Man" on her latest album. Get your tickets early for this one, as this folk/blues legend is hotter than ever! www.chrissmither.com.

$22, $25

Money Don't Get Everything It's True

Old guys The Rolling Stones continue to rake it in...so does Bon Jovi...

What can a poor boy do, but play in a rock 'n' roll band?

More here.

Phil Spector: More Than A Nut

With the Phil Spector verdict just hours away, it's probably appropriate to bring up the fact that despite clearly being nuts, Phil Spector was a heck of a producer and a force in rock music.

I've been reading Tearing Down the Wall of Sound by Mick Brown, and thought you might enjoy some stuff about Phil.

--Phil Spector is an accomplished jazz guitar player. In his early years, he played on recording sessions with the Drifters and the Coasters.

--While Phil adopted several children, he's had biological children as well. On Christmas Day, 1991, nine-year-old Philip Jr. died of leukemia.

--Phil loved the Ramones. He thought they were the best rock and roll band in America. He produced "End of the Century" which came out in 1980, their most commercially successful album.

--The Beatles recorded Spector's "To Know Him Is To Love Him" on a demo for Decca Records--and were rejected by the label. The song, by the way, was based on the epitaph on his father's gravestone: "To Know Him Was To Love Him." Spector's father, Ben, committed suicide in 1949. Phil idolized his father, and apparently has never gotten over his death. Phil's mother, Bertha, would tell him when he was a kid: "Your father killed himself because you were a bad child."

--Sonny Bono worked for Phil Spector as a gofer, promotions person, back-up singer (along with Cher) and what-have-you.

--Narrows' alum Leon Russell played keyboards on a number of Phil Spector's productions.

--Phil's actual first name is "Harvey," which is what his family called him when he was growing up.

--Want more? Click here.

Happy New Year From The Duke and The Drunk (stuntmen)

Nothing says lovin' than the holidays at the Narrows.

These shows are not yet on the official schedule:

Friday December 28
Drunk Stuntmen

When we last checked in on these Narrows' faves, they were touring in support of their terrific CD "Trailer Life," one of the best rock 'n' roll records you'll hear. The Drunk Stuntmen's music is kind of Southern rock, kind of country (they do a terrific revved up version of "Whiskey River"), kind of Tom Petty-ish, kind of rootsy--but 100% fun. Come to this one even if you've never heard of them. A great New Year's present to yourself. You'll love 'em! www.drunkstuntmen.com. By the way, they're working on a new CD!

$12, $14



Saturday December 29
Duke Robillard

He's the guitarman for many in the Rhode Island area and in faraway places as well. Not only is he a master bluesman (he founded Roomful of Blues), he's a master entertainer who'll have you smiling and tapping your feet. If you have a spouse, partner or friend who's not necessarily a roots fan, this is a good "date night" concert, because the Duke knows how to put on a show for everybody. www.dukerobillard.com. Total class with sass, baby.

$18, $20

The Faces to Tour

The Faces will tour the US & UK next year--yeah, the Rod Stewart/Ronnie Wood faces.

More here.

Festival Fotos--Emptying The Vault

Just emptying the photo vaults from the recent Narrows Festival of the Arts. Above it's Ryan Fitzsimmons and his rockin' band--a rare sight, since Ryan is mostly known by Narrows patrons as a solo act.

Down below it's Louie Leeman and Cheap Sneakers along with Jeri Karam. And finally, Biz Nazo puppets lead the children's parade at the festival.

photos.

Would You Come To See The Chesterfield Kings?

Your humble blogger is always looking for the latest thing, even if it's retro.

The Chesterfield Kings, hailing from Rochester, NY, apparently were instrumental in fostering the 1980s' neo-garage band movement. Lately, they've been making noise with their first release on Little Steven Van Zandt's Wicked Cool Records, "Psychedelic Sunrise." They appeared on Conan O'Brien's show a few days back.

Question: Would anyone from our loyal Narrows audence (or otherwise) come to see them?

Henry Butler & Leo Nocentelli at the Festival

The Big Easy was a big time part of the Narrows Festival of the Arts. Pianist Henry Butler & guitar whiz Leo Nocentelli teamed up for a set to prove it.