Danny Draher CD cover

Danny Draher CD cover Blues Blues Blues, Live from The Bitter End, N.Y, N.Y.

Double Dynamite Records

Review by Jeff Levine

Danny Draher is an accomplished international blues and jazz musician. Starting out in Chicago, at Chess studios, Danny has recorded and toured nationally and internationally with Dr. John, Etta James, Paul Butterfield and Allen Toussaint.

Danny’s awards include: Nominee Blues and Jazz artist 2016, Josie Music Awards, 2016 Connecticut Blues Society Representative at the International Blues Challenge, and Master Blues Artist 2015, New York Blues Hall of Fame

I had the chance to see Danny at the 2017 International Blues Challenge, and brought home his latest release.  This recording features a stripped down four piece combo with Danny on guitar and vocals, Stanley Banks on bass, Lonnie Gasperini on the B3 organ, with Mike Clark and Adrian Harpham on drums. Danny composed and arranged all the songs, and the CD was recorded with excellent sound quality live at the legendary Bitter End in New York City. The guitar has a rich tone, with just the slightest overdrive. The vocals are clear and bright.

These original compositions are pure modern blues with a sultry fell. “Going Home” and “My Desire” have a swampy feel reminiscent of Tab Beniot. “Disco Woman” is my favorite with an extended B3 and guitar solos. The audience liked it quite a bit — you can hear them cheering — and this is one of the few spots on the CD where you actually hear the audience, but only cheering, no talking or clinking of glasses. “Don’t Know Much” is a slow and sultry instrumental that harkens back to the Chess days. “Big Fun” picks up with a shuffle featuring Danny scat singing along with the guitar. The CD closes with a pair of instrumentals. “Love For You” is the jazziest selection on the disc, and is the perfect blend of B3 and guitar.

If you make it to the east, be sure to look for Danny. His CDs are available on his website and at his shows. http://www.dannydraher.com

 

Total Time: 60:32

Li’l Girl / Going Home / My Desire / Disco Woman / Don’t Know Much / Big Fun / Tonight / Blues For CL / Love for You / 32nd and 3rd

Eric Clapton Live in San Diego

Live In San Diego (with special guest JJ Cale)
Reprise Records

Eric Clapton Live in San DiegoRecorded in 2007 in San Diego, this is an all-star affair with Eric Clapton joined on stage by stellar artists that include guitarists Doyle Bramhall II and Derek Trucks, the late JJ Cale joining for a full set of his own music, and even Robert Cray for a number. They are highly complimented by Willie Weeks on bass, Tim Camron and Chris Stainton on piano, and Steve Jordan on drums. You just know with this pack of masters that you’re in for what was surely an incredible night.

This show is Clapton’s thirteenth live recording and it is heavily filled with material from Derek & The Dominos and Cream. The former band’s music finds Derek Trucks superbly filling in the slide greatness first delivered by Duane Allman so many years ago. This is an Eric Clapton show, so you know that there will be nods to the bluesmen that influenced his career and you’ll find covers of Robert Johnson, Albert King, and Jimi Hendrix all included. Of course JJ Cale was also influential to Clapton as well as a good friend. The pair had released their Grammy Award winning joint album The Road To Escondido the previous year. Cale, introduced by Clapton as a gatecrasher, appears for five numbers mid-show including a trio from that album as well as his compositions “After Midnight” and “Cocaine” that Clapton had huge success with himself.

The true highlights of this performance comes with the three guitarists sharing slick riffs between each other. It comes across brilliantly on tracks like Hendrix’ “Little Wing,” The Dominos’ “Anyday,” and Blind Willie Johnson’s “Motherless Children” first heard on Clapton’s 1974 album 461 Ocean Boulevard. Robert Johnson’s “Little Queen Of Spades” comes in at a whopping nearly seventeen-and-a-half minutes of greasy bluesy goodness. Trucks slide guitar on the instrumental portion of “Layla” is sensational and the show closes out with Robert Cray joining in with the band for a burning run at “Crossroads.”

This is Eric Clapton as you want to hear him. Live on stage with all the musicians inspiring one another. A stellar cast that you may never see together again during a concert tour for the ages.

The twin-CD release of this concert came out in September and has recently been joined by a DVD/Blu-Ray available on the market that includes footage of Clapton and Cale rehearsing two of their numbers for the show.

Total Time: 1:47:49

Tell The Truth / Key to the Highway / Got to Get Better in a Little While / Anyday / Anyway the Wind Blows / After Midnight / Who Am I Telling You? / Don’t Cry Sister / Cocaine / Motherless Children / Little Queen of Spades / Further On Up the Road / Wonderful Tonight / Layla / Crossroads

Award-Winning Sunbanks Festival 2018

The four-day 2017 Sunbanks Music Festival returns to Electric City, Washington from Thursday, May 18 through Sunday, May 21 for another fun-filled weekend featuring national and regional artists performing a diverse selection of rock, R&b, rockabilly, funk, Americana, blues, and more. The Sunbanks Lake Resort hosts this semiannual music festival against the backdrop of Banks Lake near Grand Coulee Dam. The Sunbanks Music Festival is a seven-time Washington Blues Society B.B. Award recipient for “Best Music Festival” in the state.

The festivities begin on Thursday evening with Acoustic Music in the Cantina – an intimate rock garden amphitheater located behind the grand log cabin lodge. Then the party continues Friday through Sunday on the main stage with featured acts performing in an awesome setting surrounded by the stunning scenery of the lake framed by the rolling foothills.

Festival-goers can enjoy a variety of accommodations; tent camping, RV sites with full hook-ups, rustic cabins, as well as 1, 2, and 5 bedroom villas with all the amenities of home. The resort also features a boat launch and moorage, miniature golf course, and beach access behind the stage with views that rival music festivals far and wide. The lodge features a restaurant and bar, and also houses a boutique, general store, a TV/ lounge area, an espresso café, and massage therapy is available by appointment.

Day Passes are $55.00 for one day or $120.00 for three days. For more information, floor plans, and photos of Sunbanks cabins, villas, and sites; please visit the resort web site at: http://www.sunbanksresort.com/accommodations/ For Reservations Call Toll Free: 888-822-7195 Local: 509-633-3786.

This year’s line-up will be:

Thursday, May 18
8:00 Lew Schmngy
9:00 Nick Vigarino
10:00 Cody Ray Raymond
11:00 The Hoyer Brothers

Friday, May 19
4:30 Jesse James & the MOB
6:00 Billy Stoops & the Dirt Angels
7:30 Bobby Holland & the Breadline
9:00 Dusty 45’s
11:00 Hambone Wilson Band

Saturday, May 20
1:00 Stingy Brim Blues Project
2:30 Trevalyan Triangle
4:00 Bakin’ Phat
5:30 AC Porter & the Livewires
7:00 Lisa Mann & Her Really Good Band
9:00 Sugaray Rayford Band
11:00 Daniel Castro Band

Sunday, May 21
1:00 Brett Benton
2:30 Eric Rice Band
4:00 Ian McFeron Band
5:30 Charlie Butts & the Filter Tips
7:30 Andy T Band with Alabama Mike

Dustbowl Revival

Dustbowl RevivalSteeped in bluegrass, swing, hot jazz, Pre-war blues, Southern soul, New Orleans funk, the Dustbowl Revival is an American roots orchestra based in Venice, California with eight full-time members — and they play it all, mashing the sounds of traditional American music into a genre-hopping, time-bending dance party that coaxes fresh fire from familiar coal. But this isn’t a throwback band; it’s a celebration of the sounds that have kept America moving for more than a century, performed with all the flair of a medicine show and rooted in the sweat and swagger of a juke joint song swap. Beloved for their free-flowing and joyous live shows that combine their funk rhythm and brass section with a fast-picking stringband section, Dustbowl Revival has opened for bands as diverse as Trombone Shorty and The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, toured China as a guest of the state department and headlined festivals all over the world. This is a band that is participating in the evolution of American roots music, tipping a hat to what has come before while looking ahead to what’s on the horizon.

Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi Avenue, will host Dustbowl Revival on Friday, June 2 for an 8:00 pm show. Tickets for this 21 and over show are $13.00 advance and $15.00 day of show.

Dustbowl Revival will also perform in Eugene at the Hi-Fi Lounge, 44 E 7th Avenue, at 10:00 pm, on Saturday Jun 3. Advance tickets are $10.00, day of show at the door is $12.00. 21 and over only.

Tickets for both shows are available through Ticketfly.com.

Roy Rogers and the Delta Rhythm KingsRoy Rogers is one of the world’s preeminent slide guitarists as well as a renowned producer, having produced recordings for John Lee Hooker and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott. Roger’s artistic exploits have led to eight Grammy nominations as both a performer and producer, and Rogers’ ability to electrify crowds and bring audiences to their feet is well known. Always eclectic in his approach, Rogers love of performing shines through at his appearances and he is constantly stretching the boundaries of his instrument. Roy Rogers was nominated for a W.C. Handy in 2003 for Best Blues Guitarist, and many periodicals, including Rolling Stone, USA Today, Billboard, Guitar Player, and Acoustic Guitar, have celebrated his virtuosity and style of slide guitar.

Roy Rogers and The Delta Rhythm Kings will return to Portland for a show at The Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta Street, on Tuesday, May 23. The show will start at 8:00 pm and is open to all ages with minors okay when accompanied by a parent or guardian. Tickets are $24.00 for general admission and can be purchased in advance through TicketBiscuit.com.

 

Southern Avenue CD cover

Southern Avenue
Stax Records

Southern Avenue CD coverWhen you release an album on the famed Memphis-based Stax Records label, you know that there are going to be a lot of expectations from the start. This label has a long record of releasing some of the seminal blues, R&B, gospel, and soul of all time, including Sam & Dave, Otis Redding, Albert King, and The Staple Singers. So you better set your standards high when you put together your material for a release on this label, and beyond any doubt Southern Avenue has done things as required and have hit it just right.

Southern Avenue is a vivid conglomeration of all things that are soulful and full of life in this remarkable debut recording. Even their name is a homage to the label naming themselves after the street the runs in front of Stax’s original studio front door. Formed by band leader Ori Naftaly who moved to Memphis from Israel following his falling in love with the city and Southern music culture after participating in the International Blues Challenge, and he has found the perfect partner for his musical ventures with vocalist Tierinni Jackson who shares his visions.

The band is amplified by a solid rhythm section with Daniel McKee on bass and Jackson’s sister Tikyra on drums.  Jeremy Powell makes everything hum with his keyboard work and Naftaly is on fire throughout the disc with exceptional guitar mastery. Marc Franklin from The Bo-Keys inserts burning horn arrangements and North Mississippi All Star Luther Dickinson joins Naftaly for a couple tracks with his slide work.

The songwriting is all original with the exception of the cover of George Jackson’s composition Slipped, Tripped And Fell In Love,” a Memphis classic best known for its release by Ann Peebles recorded at the nearby Hi Records. Ballads like “Love Me Right” and “Wildflower” showcase Jackson’s amazing vocals and the diverse range of modern soul the band presents. The church is also present in the opening “Don’t Give Up” armed only with Naftaly on guitar and hand claps to begin with that drives the message home and “Peace Will Come” with some intense Delta styled guitar playing. “80 Miles From Memphis,” takes you back down to the Delta as well with rousing rockabilly-infused bluesy guitar.

It is fitting that this release comes from the famed Stax Records as it is a reminder of the excellent history the label and the City of Memphis has with the very best in soul, R&B and blues music and its artists. This is following in that classic presentation. A traditional approach with a very modern flavor. Southern Avenue is welcome addition to the the city’s and label’s reputation for above the sight’s expectations.

Total Time: 38:27

Don’t Give Up / What Did I Do / It’s Gonna Be Alright / Slipped, Tripped, and Fell In Love /  Love Me Right / 80 Miles From Memphis /  Wildflower / No Time To Lose / Rumble / Peace Will Come

 

Greyhounds
Greyhounds Anthony Farrell and Andrew Trube.

Greyhounds; Anthony Farrell and Andrew Trube.

As Greyhounds, guitarist Andrew Trube and keyboardist Anthony Farrell have been making music and touring for 15 years while refining and developing a sound Trube describes as “Hall and Oates meet ZZ Top.” The band also has long ties to Memphis, home of the soul that inspires them.

During their long musical partnership, Trube and Farrell have written songs for, among others, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, toured with American Idol winner Taylor Hicks, and for several years worked together as part of JJ Grey and Mofro, playing 200 dates a year.

The band in 2013 was signed by Memphis-based Ardent Music for a three-album deal. Ardent Music, the independent record label based out of legendary Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, expects to build on the fanbase the band has developed both on the road and as a staple of the Austin music scene.

On Tuesday, May 16 and Wednesday, May 17, Greyhounds will be appearing at McMenamin’s White Eagle Saloon & Hotel, 836 N Russell Street at 8:00 pm. Tickets can be purchased in advance through CascadeTickets.com and at the door day of show for $10.00. 21 and over only.

Greyhounds will also be performing earlier in the week in Eugene at Sam Bond’s Garage, 407 Blair, on Sunday, May 14 at 9:00 pm, and in Bend at The Volcanic Theater Pub, 70 SW Century Drive, on Monday, May 15 at 7:00 pm. Contact the venues for admission prices.

Brent Black of criticaljazz.com leaves no doubt about AC Myles’ talent — “Blues-rocking guitarist AC Myles is an artist whose musical stock seems to be an arrow pointing straight up. The real deal folks! Dig it!”

A Fresno, California native and the only son of production workers, Myles grew up in the migrant worker areas of that Central California town and spent his later teens and twenties touring with his band, eventually finding his way to the San Francisco area playing sideman to a wide array of acts, most notably bluesman Fillmore Slim and soul singer, harmonica player, and songwriter John Nemeth. With his keen ear and sincere passion, AC has now become a gifted entertainer and musician and is maturing into one of the more potent guitarists and vocalists in the blues/rock genre. AC has cultivated a style that echoes a modern Johnny Winter, Steve Marriot, and Elvin Bishop, and his personal appearances have a “take no prisoners” approach, which along with a healthy dose of humor, usually brings even the toughest audiences to his side.

The AC Myles Band will be appearing for two shows at The Birk in May. On Friday, May 5, he will be holding a 7:30 pm performance, then on Saturday, May 6 the band will take the stage for an afternoon show starting at 2:00 pm. Both shows are $10.00 admission. The Birk is located at 11139 Hwy 202 in Birkenfeld.

Valerie June

Valerie JuneMulti-instrumentalist and Tennessee native Valerie June performs a diverse collection of American roots music that encompasses traditional spirituals, Americana, classic blues, folk, soul, and bluegrass through stark acoustic rhythms and uncanny slide guitar, as she effortlessly shifts between eras and genres. She can be haunting and melancholy, singing of the ghostly darkness of loneliness, or full of warmth and charm, at one moment seductive in a sensual come-on, fragile and vulnerable, the next in a display of naked honesty. Valerie June transports you to another world the moment you hear her voice. It is a voice that has been winning over audiences around the world in a seemingly short few years since she first burst upon the music scene.

June is currently on tour in support of her highly-acclaimed new album The Order Of Time. The follow-up to her breakout 2013 release Pushin’ Against A Stone, the new disc seals her place amongst the finest of roots musicians exploring new paths while maintaining a truthfulness to the past.

Valerie June will be appearing at The Aladdin Theater on Saturday, June 3 for an 8:00 pm show. Unfortunately tickets are sold out through the venue, but can still be found online through several ticket brokers. Please be wary of such outlets and verify their authenticity before ordering.

Julie Amici

Julie Amici will be celebrating the release of her new Yellow Roses EP on May 29th at Lake Theater & Cafe. The project is the result of a 6-month collaboration between Julie Amici, Dean Mueller, and their producer Alan Jones. The release party feature Timberbound as the opening act followed by performances that feature the songs written for the CD.

In the last couple of years, Julie Amici has been nominated for the “Best New Act” and “Best Traditional Act” CBA’s Muddy Award’s. The Yellow Roses EP is a significant departure from the jazz and blues vibe that Dean & Julie are most noted for and takes a significant turn in the America direction with all original compositions. To help with the recording, they enlisted one of their regular guitar players, Alan Hager, from the Curtis Salgado Band, keeping continuity with their blues past. To move in the acoustic/Americana direction, they enlisted the help of Gavin Duffy on banjo and mandolin and Jenny Estrin on violin. Gavin and Jenny are both members of Timberbound, a regional folk act lead by Joe Seamons. 

Timberbound will be kicking off the party with a set featuring its own renditions of folk songs, taking the audience on a tour of old sawmills, logger’s cabins, and fisheries of the Pacific Northwest. The debut viewing of the “Yellow Roses” video will start the second set and then the TImberbound cast will then be joining Julie Amici, Dean Mueller, Alan Hager, and Alan Jones for a stirring live rendition of the Yellow Roses EP. 

General admission tickets for this event are $15.00 with a limited number of VIP Table seating for $80.00 (seats four, located in lower section closest to the stage) Tickets are available in advance at laketheatercafe.com. Show time is 7:00 pm.