The best moments of Soulive’s last visit to Vermont, in April of ‘08 occurred when the core trio had the stage to themselves and ripped it up without interruption for over thirty minutes, reminding what a powerful band they’d become in their (close to a) decade together. The high points of the Halloween run at Higher Ground exceeded even that altitude.
Soul Mining is Daniel Lanois’ story, but it’s chock full of the people he’s shared his life with. Yes, there are chapters about his studio experiences with folks such as the Neville Brothers, Emmylou Harris, U2, and Bob Dylan, but he also acknowledges the people he feels shaped him into who he is.
New Jersey-bred jam legends Blues Traveler came to Brooklyn Bowl this past weekend for a pair of sold out performances at our favorite venue in New York City. The shows were a homecoming of sorts for the band, which cut its proverbial teeth at joints like the Wetlands Preserve and Nightingale’s during the late ’80s and early ’90s before finding commercial success.
[All photos by Rob Chapman]
The quintet was joined by quite a few guests over the course of the weekend including Paulie Z from Z02, Lisa Bouchelle, Chris Barron of the Spin Doctors, Matt Whyte of Earl Greyhound and John Cusimano of The Cringe. Even Rachel Ray, Cusimano’s wife, was in the house and left the band some deviled eggs, which we’d imagine were yum-o.
Photographer Rob Chapman was in the house for Saturday’s show. READ ON for a batch of Blues Traveler photos from Brooklyn Bowl by Rob…
Longtime GSW devotee Lynn Kestenbaum has directed and produced a 15-minute documentary about God Street Wine’s reunion shows in New York City this past July featuring interviews with nearly all of the band for our friends at State of Mind. Take a peek at this fantastic flick…
In other God Street Wine news, guitarists Lo Faber and Aaron Maxwell performed an acoustic set last Friday at Mexicali Live! in Teaneck, NJ. READ ON for the setlist, audio and video from the performance…
For the third year in a row, the Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival brings elements of a summer festival indoors for the Chicago winter. Over the course of three days
We’re still abuzz from Phish’s fantastic interpretation of Little Feat’s seminal 1978 live album Waiting For Columbus that we wanted to continue to pay tribute to the highly influential, yet somehow criminally underrated band.
This week we’re placing that act’s classic trucker anthem, Willin’, into the squared circle – a song that has been rumored as the reason that Lowell George was asked to leave Frank Zappa’s Mothers Of Invention, and thus the impetus for the formation of Little Feat. The track originally appeared on the band’s self-titled debut sung in a sparse, talking, country-blues style by George and featured Ry Cooder backing him on steel guitar. The definitive version of tune was reworked for Little Feat’s sophomore release Sailin Shoes, and given the full band treatment with country-rock harmonies and some great piano work courtesy of Billy Payne.
Contestants:
The Black Crowes have no problem wearing their influences right on their sleeve with the band owing a great debt to Little Feat’s potent mix of rock, soul, gospel, jazz, country and funk. The Robinson Brothers & Co. have been covering Willin’ consistently since all the way back in 1992, with Chris channeling the ghost of Lowell George. Source:2009-11-07
As an added bonus, here’s The Crowes with John Popper and the members of Wilco from a HORDE tour stop on August 27, 1995…
READ ON for more covers of Willin’ from the likes of moe., Uncle Tupelo, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Dylan, The Byrds and others…
If you’ve heard a recording or watched videos of Buffalo Springfield’s first performances in 42 years at last month’s Bridge School Benefit, it should come as no surprise that the
Bruce Springsteen will make a rare appearance on late night TV on the November 16th episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Fallon, a longtime Springsteen fan, will welcome The
Something tells me it’s been a while since anyone around here has watched a Beavis & Butthead clip, so today we’ve got a classic – Blues Traveler’s Runaround. Surprisingly, Butthead
Contemporary jazz aficionados Skerik, Brad Houser and Mike Dillon have spent the better half of their musical careers contorting the face of jazz music. The three musicians have contributed to several projects (Critters Buggin, Garage A Trois) each initiating a full spectrum of sonic chaos, while heroically taking a stand against smooth jazz and expediting the genre to the grave.
On Sunday October 31 the three resurrected smooth jazz in the form of the Dead Kenny G’s. Dillon (drums, percussion, vocals), Houser (bass, baritone sax), Skerik (sax, keys) and friends performed the genre’s revitalized incarnation at The Blue Nile in New Orleans.
As one would expect, fans were decorated in their Halloween best, reeking havoc in the name of a good time. Dillon, Houser and Skerik all sported deadly costumes (complete with buoyant curls) of smooth jazz poster boy, soprano saxophonist Kenny G. The musicians played to the audience’s enthusiasm with a dissonant trifecta of saxophones; Skerik, Houser and friends experimented with a bizarre blend of acid jazz full of restless squawking while Dillon monkeyed with his drums. READ ON for more…