jam band

Song of the Week: "Home In The Country"

Dusty Wright — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 18:41:41 +0000

Song of the Week: "Home In The Country" Dusty Wright June 14, 2023 - 14:41

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Do you know harpist/singer/songwriter Mikaela Davis? If not, I'm here to tell you that she and her five-piece band Southern Star are extraordinary. More than just a "jam band," and a phenomenal Grateful Dead cover act, they write and record compelling original music. And yes, she and her bandmates -- Alex Coté (drums, percussion), Shane McCarthy (bass), Cian McCarthy (guitar), and Kurt Johnson (pedal steel, guitar) -- must be seen live to truly appreciate their magic. There's an early '70s SoCal country rock lilt on her new single written by Cian just released from her forthcoming long player And Southern Star (Kill Rock Stars) out on August 4th. Currently on tour. Check dates here.

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Over Hill, Over Dale, As We Hit the Dusty Trail (a Robin Dale and SRC reverie)

Gary Lucas — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 15:28:29 +0000

Over Hill, Over Dale, As We Hit the Dusty Trail (a Robin Dale and SRC reverie) Gary Lucas April 11, 2022 - 11:28

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SRC cover of SRC’s first album on Capitol

Got a nice note from lead singer Scott Richardson of the legendary SRC band recently, confirming that Robin Dale was indeed the bass player for a couple years in his group and that he was still living in Asia (where I’d met him) and that Robin was still occasionally in touch with Scott. SRC was a legendary psychedelic '60s Detroit band contemporaneous with the MC5, Iggy and the Stooges, and Ted Nugent's Amboy Dukes, but with a mysterious gothic sound all their own owing a lot to doom-laden keyboard passages, classical flourishes, and searing, brain-frying fuzzed-out guitar penetration courtesy of unsung Midwestern guitar hero Gary Quackenbush. After some indie singles (including a decent version of Cream's version of Skip James's "I'm So Glad"), SRC were signed nationally to Capitol in the late '60s, with their first album released in Nov.'69 sporting their apocalyptic minor-keyed single "Black Sheep," which once heard is not easily forgotten (exemplifying as it does the Dark Side of acid ). Fast forward a few years later when I was living in Taipei in the mid-'70s. I had put together yer basic jam band there with Jewish blues harp master Hank Frisch, Swedish rhythm guitarist and singer Jesper Gadelius (a big blonde Aryan galoot who spoke flawless Japanese, Mandarin, Taiwanese, Swedish and English), and a Taiwanese rhythm section of Peter Ing on bass and Aldo Tseng on drums. During the summer of 1975 during one of our jams in the club we loved to hang out at, the Scarecrow, I met Robin Dale, and invited him to come back the next night with his bass guitar. He did, and after a couple of beers we got down to it and jammed our brains out to our mutual satisfaction. He got a nice fat bottom on his Fender Precision bass. Afterwards he revealed to me he had played in this way-ahead-of-their-time proto-punk outfit from Detroit. Who I'd seen lip-synch to their single "Black Sheep" on regional syndicated tv show Upbeat while in high school (about the only place you could ever see The Yardbirds with Jimmy Page on American tv. Not to mention the energetic and campy Jeff Kutash and the Upbeat Dancers). Robin told me about his years working with SRC (which stood for Scott Richards Case -- go figure, as the guy's name is Scott Richardson, but anyway) and the Quackenbush Brothers -- Gary Quackenbush (who sadly bit it in 2015) and keyboard madman older brother Glenn. Best Robin Dale moment in Taiwan though was dropping acid with him a year or so later to watch the obligatory 4th of July fireworks display after the barbecue blow-out held on the pitch in back of the Taipei American School on Bicentennial Night 1976. Things started getting really interesting and "rilllyyy intense" (cue Valley Girl voice) quickly as the acid kicked in, and the shimmering sparkle of the feux d'artifice did not disappoint. Robin had a big black and silver chrome Harley chopper (his main mode of conveyance in the hills outside downtown Taipei) and offered me a ride back to the apartment I was sharing downtown with my strapping Swedish bandmate, who was away visiting his ancestral home at that particular moment. I must say, I had the ride of my life hanging onto Robin's waist for dear life while tripping my brains out as he barreled down the hills and onto the highway straightaways, taking hair-pin turn after breathtaking hair-pin turn whizzing us through the deserted streets of Taipei, image after after-image searing my retinas like so many starburst flares lighting up a battlefield. Finally we were home at the luxury high rise I was crashing in (Jesper came from serious Swedish money, and I'd lucked out to get my own bedroom in his huge apartment complex). I hopped off Robin's chopper shakily, and shook hands with Mr. Dale -- then took the lift to the top floor apartment. The LSD was still coming on strong, I couldn't sleep obviously, half-digested chunks of cheap hotdogs and burgers were a'churning in my stomach after such a ride. Finally my body had had enough of this internal turbulence, and after puking my guts out (great colours on acid) I settled down in bed to read Aleister Crowley's Diary of a Drug Fiend, which I'd copped in Hong Kong at the famous English book store Swindon's (a fantastic store, which sadly closed a year ago -- and a phenomenal novel, well recommended. You can understand why Jimmy Page bought Crowley's Boleskine house in Scotland after reading him some Crowley, this and Crowley's other novel Moonchild). I read and read Diary of a Drug Fiend all night until sunrise -- when, coming down slowly, finally, I dozed off till around 1 pm…and then I was up and at 'em again. Memories are made of this (kids, don't try this at home!).

Robin Dale circa 1967

PS. Upon arriving in NYC spring '77 with my Singaporean bride Ling Ling, after beating a hasty retreat from Taipei (long story, but a good 'un -- another time), I paid a visit to Bleecker Bob's Records, which at that point was situated next to Capezio's on MacDougal right off 8th Street. The runty little pit-bull (né Bob Plotnik) carried all sorts of English import albums and singles, early Punk artifacts, and choice rare albums in his world famous store. I'd known Bob (who was always good for a gratuitous insult) since the Glam-orous '70s hey day. I'd been taking the train down from New Haven and going in there for hot product since my days as a DJ and Music Director of Yale's radio station WYBC. In fact, I bought Roxy Music's first album on import the day it hit Bob’s store, took it back to New Haven, and previewed the whole thing that very night on my long running radio program "The Sounds from England (and Other Delicacies)". Several years on, Bob was kibitzing as always behind the front-of-store counter looking none the worse for wear…we exchanged pleasantries (Bob: "Where YOU been?" Me: "The Far East!") and then I asked Bob whether he had a copy of SRC’s first album. He pointed me to a bin full of albums in the back of the store marked "Detroit Rock"... but there was somebody in front of me currently thumbing through that bin. I waited patiently -- and suddenly this person turned around and made full eye contact with me and it was PATTI SMITH!! Who I’d only previously seen in the pages of Rock Scene magazine, a copy of which I'd copped from the PX at the US Army base in Taipei the summer before. I also recognized Patti from the cover of her Horses album on Arista, which I'd picked up stateside on a visit home. (In fact the AFNT -- the Armed Forces Network, a private radio channel pumped exclusively to US military bases, had played "Land" off Patti's debut album one night in Taipei shortly after it came out with all its attendant publicity hoopla -- and when the long meandering track finished, the snarky DJ said: "Okay Patti -- back to the asylum!") Now here was fucking Patti Smith standing in front of me giving me a deep soulful stare (if not the, uh, proverbial TV Eye), right in front to the back of my skull. Sort of "who IS this weird, intense looking guy…and why is he interested in Detroit Rock??" Said Detroit Rock was kind of Patti's bailiwick apparently, as evidenced by her marrying Fred "Sonic" Smith from the MC5 some years later. In any case, I found the SRC album in the bin, picked it up and saw Robin Dale's mug on the back cover photo (so he wasn't bullshitting me after all)…purchased the album (for 25 bucks! a lot of bread in those days) wrapped in a plastic sleeve...took it back to the apartment Ling and I were subletting on Bleecker Street...slapped it on the old turntable--

and IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT!!

Still doesn't.

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Song of the Week: "Stare into the Sun"

Allison Burnett — Sat, 07 Aug 2021 16:52:11 +0000

Song of the Week: "Stare into the Sun" Allison Burnett August 7, 2021 - 12:52

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Imagine if the music of Bob Dylan were inseminated by all four Beatles. Months later, a love-bastard comes screaming into the world, where, before it can even walk, it is kidnapped by a drunken Brian Wilson. The lonely kid spends his childhood staggering around the beaches of Malibu, learning hot licks on the guitar and dropping Orange Sunshine. Despite all this poor parenting, he somehow matures into a freakishly happy young man -- so happy that no one knows what to make of him. They fear for his future. And then, one day, he stands up at a clambake over at Cher's house and performs his first original song. Now sit back and experience Dusty Wright's "Stare Into The Sun." (From his forthcoming album Lonelyville.) - Mr. Burnett is an author, screenwriter, and filmmaker living in Los Angeles.

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Song of the Week: "Beautiful Stranger"

Dusty Wright — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 13:27:04 +0000

Song of the Week: "Beautiful Stranger" Dusty Wright January 28, 2020 - 08:27

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Marcus King, just 23-years old, has rightfully inherited Greg Allman's baton as the new "voice" of southern rock. From his soulful R&B/blues vocals -- a little Amos Lee's vibe -- and blistering guitar fretwork, he is a major talent worth following. His new album El Dorado is a wonderfully old school affair produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. This heartfelt ballad could easily have been on any number of Allman Brothers albums. Check out his band live, too. They bring the goods.

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Something For Everyone

Dusty Wright — Sun, 19 Jan 2020 00:19:11 +0000

Something For Everyone Dusty Wright January 18, 2020 - 19:19

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Photo credit: d. Bindi

The Everyone Orchestra

Gramercy Theatre, NYC

Friday, January 17, 2020

For twenty years, Matt Butler has been "leading" a revolving cast of jamband musicians in his wonderfully engaging, utterly spontaneous collective called The Everyone Orchestra. Matt carefully curates musicians that he knows can deliver some inspiring improvisational music for an eager audience ready to dance, chant, and swing. He stands with his back to the audience at his conductor's dais, in tophat and tails, scribbling a key on his wipe board, holding it up for the musicians and audience to see, pointing to the drummer or bassist or guitarist, etc., to start the "song," to improv on a riff or beat in the "key" proffered, finding within the groove via the riffing the foundation of the song so the other musicians can fall in. From there, Butler will influence the tempo, the soloists, the volume, maybe even modulating the key to keep everyone on the ready. It is pure magic.

Here's some footage from a previous show to give you an idea of how it goes:

Friday night's jam featured pedal steel guru Robert Randolph, along with bassist Rob Mercurio (Galactic.), keyboardist AC Carter (Tauk), guitarist Chuck Garvey (moe.), drummer Vinnie Amico (moe.), flautist Domenica Fossati (Underground System Afrobeat), trumpeter Mike Maher (Snarky Puppy), and saxophonist Chris Bullock (Snarky Puppy). Right out of the gate, the music was funky and jazzy and groovy. These amazing players were eager to share their individual chops with this free-flowing collective and an all-too-eager audience. Randolph started several of the jams. One in fact featured a wicked riff that seemed nearly impossible to duplicate on the other instruments, but his peers on stage where more than up to the task. The audience ate it up. Moving and swaying and dancing and smiling. It's an evening one truly has experience to fully enjoy the proceedings. Never boring or dull. Just pure music and spontaneous creativity for all to hear and share.

Opening the evening was the Ashville, NC instrumental jamband quartet Marsupial. With hints of progressive rock, psychedelic, and jazz music, these virtuosos provided the perfect bridge for the audience and the forthcoming headliner. I look forward to seeing them again.

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Fare Thee Well...

Dusty Wright — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 13:41:37 +0000

Fare Thee Well... Dusty Wright June 3, 2015 - 09:41

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So if you know anything about The Grateful Dead, you know that this is their 50th anniversary. Their final shows will take place in Santa Clara, CA (2 shows) and in Chicago at Soldier's Field (3 shows). (A live webcast of all five concerts will be available for $79.95 at Dead.net.) To celebrate this historic milestone, Dead.net has just started taking advance orders on their new 80-disc box set -- Thirty Trips Around The Sun -- featuring 30 unreleased shows; one show from every year of touring! (It's planned for a September 18th release date.) You may not have enough time to listen to all 80 discs, but if you're a Deadhead, how can you say no? There will also be a 4-CD sampler set -- Thirty Trips 1965-1995 -- that serves as an introductory sampler to the Dead’s live canon, including 30 unreleased performances — one from each concert in the boxed set – along with the 1965 recording of “Caution.” Also featured is an essay by Dead aficionado Jesse Jarnow dissecting every track in the collection.

The linear narrative of the 80-disc boxed set is individually numbered and limited to 6,500 copies, a nod to the band’s formation in 1965. Along with the CDs, it also includes a gold-colored 7-inch vinyl single which bookends the band’s career. The A-side is “Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks)” from the band’s earliest recording session in 1965 with the B-side of the last song the band ever performed together live, “Box Of Rain” recorded during their final encore at Soldier Field in Chicago on July 9, 1995. The box also has a 288-page book that features an extensive, career-spanning essay written by Nick Meriwether, who oversees the Dead archives at the University of California, Santa Cruz, along with special remembrances of the band submitted by fans. Also included is a scroll that offers a visual representation of how the band’s live repertoire has evolved through the years. The USB drive version will be shaped like a gold lightning bolt with the Grateful Dead 50th anniversary logo engraved on the side. The drive includes all of the music from the collection in both FLAC (96/24) and MP3 formats and is an individually numbered limited edition of 1,000 copies.

The group's archivist David Lemieux waxed poetic to Rolling Stone magazine about a show at the Cape Cod Coliseum in South Yarmouth, Massachusetts on October 27th, 1979: "There was always something about the Dead in New England -- they were pretty darn spectacular. But some of the jams in this one are incredible."

Sadly their legendary show -- 5/8/77 Barton Hall, Ithaca NY -- will not be part of this historic box set, included instead will be their 4/25/77, Capitol Theater, Passaic, NJ gig. Regardless, you should listen to Barton Hall today. Many folks claim this to be the musical zenith of Jerry and his Merry Pranskters. I prefer the Pigpen era of the Europe '72 tour, but this is a rather remarkable set of live music, not perfect, but then no live show is ever perfect.

What a long strange trip, indeed.

A Summer Wind...

Dusty Wright — Tue, 19 May 2015 11:49:40 +0000

A Summer Wind... Dusty Wright May 19, 2015 - 07:49

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The 30th anniversary of SummerStage kicked off last night at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park with the best touring band on the planet -- Tedeschi Trucks Band. And with the Allman Brothers officially retired, Mr. Trucks, and his wife Susan Tedeschi have easily replaced them as top dogs. Rolling Stone magazine may have ranked Derek Trucks the number 16th of the top 100 Guitarists of All Time, but in my book this virtuoso is a top five candidate. He so fluid, nimble, inventive, and identifiable on his Gibson SG that I would argue he's the best rock guitarist on the scene today. (Okay, feel free to prove me wrong with your comments below.) Yes, it's one thing to dominate on the jamband scene, but quite another to dominate the rock music biz.

And it's no stretch to crown Susan as one of the best blues rock vocalists, and her guitar chops are top notch, too. Hell, the entire band is dynamite, whether stretching out in a blues-rock motif or funking up a jazz groove; it's Delaney & Bonnie on steroids. Killer 3 piece horn section (saxophonist Kebbi Williams, trumpeter Maurice Brown, trombonist Saunders Sermons), two drummers (Tyler Greenwell, J.J. Johnson) keyboards/flute (Kofi Burbridge), bass (Tim Lefebvre) and background vocals (Derek Truck's master vocalist Mike Mattison and Mark Rivers). Joining them on Monday night was longtime TTB friend, collaborator and acclaimed guitarist Doyle Bramhall II sitting in on a handful of songs. Their cover of The Beatles' "I've Got A Feeling" was stunning. Modern soul legend Sharon Jones also joined them for two numbers -- Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home" and Etta Jame's "Tell Mama" -- and it was pure magic. Sure, it might have been an overcast, chilly evening, but TTB shot out rays of sunshine. "Bound for Glory" and Little Milton's "More and More" closed the evening on a super huge high, the crowd satiated.

Don't miss TTB's Wheels of Soul tour with with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings and Doyle Bramhall II at outdoor venues all across the U.S. of A.

Song of the Week: "Dear Friend"

Dusty Wright — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 15:27:34 +0000

Song of the Week: "Dear Friend" Dusty Wright November 20, 2013 - 10:27

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From LA, with love, Jonathan Wilson invokes the spirit of SoCal folk-rock meets the Dead meets Pink Floyd mash up on his wonderful new tune "Dear Friend" from his 2nd solo album Fanfare (Downtown Records). Check out his spirited guitar playing. It's no wonder that he was handpicked by Roger Waters for his touring band. One of my favorite albums of the year, too.

Song of the Week: "Part of Me"

Dusty Wright — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:17:43 +0000

Song of the Week: "Part of Me" Dusty Wright June 11, 2013 - 08:17

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Got a tasty, free track from Tedeschi Trucks Bands third album,Made Up Mind. In the spirit of Delaney & Bonnie, Susan and Derek get their R&B groove on. New CD drops on August 20th. Download it now.

Neal Casal One-Take - "Need Shelter"

Dusty Wright — Fri, 25 May 2012 20:33:47 +0000

Neal Casal One-Take - "Need Shelter" Dusty Wright May 25, 2012 - 16:33

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Singer-songwriter/guitarist Neal Casal (Chris Robinson's Brotherhood, Circles Around the Sun) shares an acoustic rendition of his song "Need Shelter" from his new album Sweeten The Distance (Fargo) on Dusty Wright's One-Takes. One-Takes are live performances by artists you know, should know, or will know soon enough.

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