Keep On Moving: Exile at The Razor – Rolling Stones at Gillette Stadium, Foxboro on July 7

I first saw the Rolling Stones in fall 1989 on their Steel Wheels tour. At the time, being an adolescent punk rocker, I didn’t give a shit about “corporate rock” like the Stones. My dad, who loves the Stones, had tickets for the show at the old Foxboro Stadium. Someone had cancelled last minute so he had an extra ticket for the show and asked me to go. I weighed for a second like any moronic teenager whether to continue skateboarding or see the Rolling Stones. The deciding factor was that I liked their new single “Mixed Emotions” and even a jaded teenage punk had to respect Keith Richards. I loved the show and ever since the Stones have been my second favorite band of all time. The Stones were considered old and washed up in 1989, so surely 30 years later they might as well be the Egyptian pharaohs, right? Here is the thing with the Stones: They may wrinkle but they don’t get old.

The No Filter tour hit Gillette Stadium, right next door to where I saw them 30 years ago. It started ominously for sure when it had to be delayed a month because Mick Jagger had to have heart surgery. Heart surgery for the lead singer would put any band on the shelf, but when the singer routinely runs about 5 miles during the course of a show and oh yeah… is in his mid-70s — one would think that was the end. But this isn’t your average band; this is the Rolling Stones. The show kicked off in a blaze of ragged glory with Richards hitting the opening riff of “Street Fighting Man” and Jagger dancing and a- prancing in an outfit that I’m guessing might have been a nod to either Becky Lynch or the Bruins between the black and gold? Why else would anyone wear a black leather jacket in the heat that was still hovering in the high 70s at this point? I say ragged because out of the gate the Stones were sloppy as they tried to find their groove through standards “It’s Only Rock “N’ Roll” and “Tumbling Dice.” By the time the Stones got to “She’s So Cold,” chosen (allegedly) by an online poll, the band started to lock in. I say allegedly on the song vote because outside of Stimbot, who is going to vote for “She’s So Cold” over more deserving songs in the poll like “Live With Me” and “Out of Control”? Not to mention as far as the Stones temperature girl songs from the ’80s, “She Was Hot” wipes the floor with “She’s So Cold.” The Stones brought out the opener Gary Clark Jr. to do an old blues cover “Ride Em On Down,” which showcased some fine guitar work, but to me was more of a snore. The highlight of the show was when the Stones came out to the middle of the arena to do a couple acoustic numbers where the song selection could not have been better. They did a mind-blowing version of “Play With Fire” followed up with “Dead Flowers,” which is about as good as it gets. The two-song, Richards-fronted set of “Slipping Away” and “Before They Make Me Run” were really the last surprises, but who really wants a surprise from a band that is 57 years in? The only surprise with the Stones would be if they ever stopped.

The rest of the night was hits galore with “Paint It Black,” “Miss You,” and the ever iconic “Gimme Shelter” reverberating through the night. Post-heart surgery, Jagger still runs all over the place while Richards and Ronnie Wood trade slashing riffs looking like giddy half dead pirates. Charlie Watts is still a one-man engine room on the drums, powering the mothership. As for the ship analogy — the difference between Stones and the Titanic, is when the Stones hit the iceberg, the iceberg sinks.

Email music news to [email protected] The Roots Report: Sunshine Tour Heads to Twin River

Okee dokee folks… “Soft Rock” came about late in the ’60s and perfectly mellowed in the ’70s. That era spawned many great bands and songs that are still heard today. Three groups that rocked us gently then will be casting their light sounds in Lincoln when the Sunshine Tour pulls into Twin River on Friday, July 12. Pablo Cruise, Orleans and Firefall, the pinnacle players of the soft rock genre, will be bringing their many, many hits and more to the casino’s Event Center stage.

I have been a fan of these three bands since the mid ’70s. So much of a fan that last year I booked John Hall (and Fly Amero) of Orleans to headline the Providence Folk Festival. I used to call these bands a guilty pleasure of mine but nowadays, I consider myself a proud fan. The instrumentation, catchy melodies and lush harmonies are what gave these bands and their songs over 40 years of staying power. Last week I spoke with founding members of each Sunshine Tour band about what they have been up to and what to expect from the show.

Pablo Cruise released its first album in 1975, but it wasn’t until 1977’s A Place In The Sun that they gained widespread notoriety with songs such as “Whacha Gonna Do” and “A Place In The Sun.” The Bay Area band consisted of David Jenkins (guitars, vocals), Cory Lerios (keyboards, vocals), Bud Cockerel (bass, vocals) and Steve Price (drums, percussion). When asked about the band name their response was always, “’Pablo’ represents an honest, real, down-to-earth individual, and ‘Cruise’ depicts his fun- loving, easy-going attitude toward life. Original bass player Bud Cockerel had previously played with the band A Beautiful Day, known for their song “White Bird.” Bud left the band in ’77 to start a new project with his wife, Patti Santos, who also had been in A Beautiful Day. Bruce Day was brought in as the new bass player, and his first album with the band was 1978’s Worlds Away album, which spawned the hits “Love Will Find a Way,” “Don’t Want to Live Without It” and “I Go to Rio.” In 1985 the band took, what turned out to be, a 20-year hiatus.

In 2005, they got back together and have been touring and recording ever since. Today the band consists of original members Corey Lerious, Steve Price and David Jenkins, as well as new members Larry Antonio and and Robbie Wyckoff. I called founding member Corey Lerious at his SoCal home and we chatted about his work and the band. When asked what he did during the hiatus Lerious replied, “I worked on TV and film scores…I am a composer, you never stop doing that! One thing I did a lot of work on was ‘Baywatch’…they have all just been re-released in HD to over 120 countries!”

I wondered about the new members of the band and Corey told me, “Robbie was on tour with Roger Waters and sang all of the David Gilmour parts, he also worked on Disney projects… Larry is a top session bass player and is in high demand and is extremely busy but always makes time for Pablo Cruise …the band we will be playing with is the best we have ever had and we still have three original members!”

When asked about new material, Corey talked about their latest single “This Time” and he added, “It’s always nice to keep bringing things out, especially with the band we have now!” As for what we should expect from the Pablo set on the 12th Corey said, “We play the cream of the crop of the repertoire…there is also a lot of comedy, we have great chemistry in the band…it’s a fun and friendly show!” For more, luxury line to: PabloCruise.com

The band Orleans, originally formed in Woodstock, NY, by John Hall, brothers Lance and Larry Hoppen, and Wells Kelly, has been performing fairly regularly, with founding and new members since 1972. The band produced chart-topping hits including “Dance With Me,” “Let There Be Music,” “Love Takes Time,” “Reach” and, of course, their most famous, “Still the One.” Over the years, original members Larry Hoppen and Wells Kelly passed away and other members have come and gone, but the core of the band still remains. Today, Orleans includes John Hall on guitar, vocals; Dennis “Fly” Amero on guitar, vocals; Lance Hoppen on bass, vocals, Lane Hoppen on keyboards, vocals; and Brady Spencer on drums, percussion, vocal. I spoke with John Hall via phone just after Orleans’ soundcheck for a show they were playing in New Jersey.

We talked about the current line-up of Orleans and John mentioned, “We have Lance and Larry’s younger brother, Lane, on vocals and keys…they have that ‘family blend’ of voices…I have been singing with Hoppens since 1972…and Fly is a terrific guitar player and singer and quite a character…we still have the vocal harmonies and this group is a great blend.”

Many people may not know that John Hall has connections to Janis Joplin, so I asked him to recount that story to me. “Johanna (John’s wife at the time) was writing for The Village Voice and she had just interviewed Janis and she and Johanna came back to our flat, it was around Christmas time, and we sat around singing blues versions of Christmas carols…then I played her one of my songs and she said that it sounded like a song by a young guy and then she turned to Johanna and said, ‘You’re a writer; why don’t you write a song for me’…it was the first song that Johanna and I wrote together…when Janis Joplin says ‘write me a song’ you don’t say no!…she played the song every show until she died.”

The song that they wrote was called “Half Moon” and it was included on Joplin’s posthumous Pearl album, and was also recorded by the Fifth Dimension, Chaka Kahn as well as being included on the first Orleans album.

I said to John, “I know that you are not a politician anymore (he was a Democratic Senator from NY 2006-10) and I know that you are still socially active, but I have to ask what you think about the current state of things in the US, do you have any feelings on it?”

“How could I not?” John immediately replied. He continued, “I spent a lot of time working directly on political and environmental causes, right now I’m on the sidelines, but I can still be the peanut gallery!…every record we ever made had at least one environmental or political song on it…I am proud of that…in ’73 we had a song called ‘It All Comes Back Again.’” John began to recite the lyrics to me, “There’s a man in the White House selling everyone a used car…” He added, “We had a song called ‘Wake Up’ on the second album…it was an environmental gospel song…people have been telling me how timely it is… Johanna and I wrote it and we were talking about it and she said, ‘too bad it’s so timely’…we thought by now we would have solved all of these environmental problems!”

I asked Hall what an Orleans set list consists of. “There are 18 albums of Orleans stuff…we do a couple from the first album…Fly, Lance and I wrote a song called ‘Beautiful World’, I think we played it at the Providence Folk Festival, that will probably be in the set…’Crazy’ from my solo band and ‘Power’ from the MUSE concerts have been in the set as well…and of course the hits!” For more, dance over to: OrleansOnline.com Firefall‘s origins can be traced back to bands such as The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers and Spirit. One Firefall founding member, Rick Roberts, had sung (uncredited) on The Byrds “Untitled” LP and replaced Gram Parsons in the Flying Burrito Brothers. Later Roberts signed with one of Stephen Stills’ song publishing companies and recorded a solo album. A song he’d written with Stills and Chris Hillman (Byrds), ‘It Doesn’t Matter,’ was recorded by Stills. Another founding member, Jock Bartley, was a member of Gram Parson’s band The Fallen Angels. Roberts and Bartley connected and soon put together a band with bassist, ex-Spirit member, Mark Andes, and singer-songwriter Larry Burnett. They added ex-Flying Burrito Brothers / Byrd’s drummer, Michael Clarke and Robert’s high school friend David Muse on flute, sax, keys and harmonica. The name Firefall was taken from a summertime tradition of dumping a cascade of flaming embers off Glacier Point in California’s Yosemite National Park. The mid-70’s began the string of hits produced by the band. Songs such as “You Are the Woman,” “Livin’ Ain’t Livin,,'” “Just Remember I Love You,” “Strange Way,” and “Cinderella” were radio mainstays.

I spoke with two of the original members of the band about the Sunshine Tour show coming to Twin River on July 12 — Jock Bartley and David Muse. Speaking to Dave Muse by phone he told me it’s a good time to see the band as bassist Mark Andes will be out of commission starting in August for 6-8 weeks with a hip replacement. I asked Muse about his health as he has had his fill of medical issues, cancer and heart. He told me, “For an old guy I still get around a lot!…playing music is the fun part but getting there is the hard part…I get paid to travel but I play music for free!” He spoke of touring and flying and added, “When I was with Marshall Tucker we traveled by bus…I hated that…it was like riding in a Navy submarine and you couldn’t get out until you hit port.”

I mentioned to Muse that I thought his flute solos were an integral part of the Firefall sound and he replied, “Everyone plays a part…like the spokes of a wheel…Ricky sang, Jock played guitar…I was the last guy they brought in so maybe I was the icing on the cake, I guess?”

Since there are three bands and a lot of great musicians on this tour I was curious if sitting in with other sets is something that happens. Muse says, “I have but it depends on logistics…sometimes we are back at the hotel after the set…anytime I get a chance to play with someone, I do…it’s always a possibility but it hasn’t happened much for this tour.” Muse told me that the show is packed with hits and “If you haven’t seen Firefall now is the time…the rest of the bands are really good as well…but if you like Firefall and like the hits I think you’ll really like what we do!”

I also had the opportunity to talk by phone with another founding member, Jock Bartley. He had gotten in late the night before from a show in Alabama, “My flight back to Denver was nearly canceled but wound up delayed 5 hours…hey, it’s rock and roll, shit happens!”

I had read so many names coming and going from the Firefall line-up that I mistakenly thought Bartley had come and gone from the band as well, I stood corrected. “I have been the one guy who has been in the band for 43 years!… Firefall is lucky to have three original members currently in the band…a lot of ’70s touring bands don’t even have that many…I was the one guy who never, ever left and when the dust settled I guessed I was it…”

Firefall has been part of package tours and special occasion shows such as the Rock and Romance Cruise. Jock told me that they are a lot of fun and you get the opportunity to meet other bands that you never had the chance to in the past. “We’ve played, on these cruises, with America, Orleans, Little River Band, ELO and so many others…half the bands get on in Fort Lauderdale and play on the way to Cozumel and then they get off and the other half gets on and plays on the way back!” He added, “It’s a pretty charmed life I live…coming out of the ’90s, Firefall was just another band from the ’70s that had hits…we started playing these package tours and were originally closer to the bottom of the bill, but we were soon pushed to the top because people started remembering the hits and then they would hear Dave’s flute solo on ‘Strange Way’…that’s the highlight of a Firefall show.”

I revealed to Jock that Firefall was originally a “guilty pleasure” band of mine and that folks used to roll their eyes at me when I would mention them. Jock confessed, “’You Are The Woman’ is our biggest hit but in my mind it’s the lamest, white bread song that we do when we have songs like ‘Cinderella,’ but thank God we have a hit that big…for a while people were going ‘Firefall, you’re the ‘You Are The Woman’ band and they would look down their noses at you…but we prevailed…the musicianship was great and that song has withstood 40 years but believe me I have to play that same solo every night but it’s the song that everyone knows!”

One of my personal favorite Firefall songs is “Sweet and Sour” and when I informed Jock he thanked me as that was his first song to be included on a Firefall album. I expressed that I have never had the chance to see Firefall live and have always wanted to and was excited when I heard about the show so I changed my own gig so I could attend. He told me, “You’re smart to do that! There’s a lot of of history and a lot of hits especially with a line-up like Pablo Cruise, Orleans and Firefall!” I gave Jock the final word for the interview and he added, “We will probably play about 45 minutes and we will play the hits, we have to…people buy tickets to hear the hits…the cool thing about Firefall is that besides the hits we still can jam…you’ll get flute solos and extended guitar solos and it’s a lot of fun…we are so honored and happy to still be doing it…we haven’t played in RI for a long time so come on down!” For more, ember over to FireFallOfficial.com

Firefall, Orleans and Pablo Cruise will be at Twin River on Friday, July 12. Show starts at 7pm. This is a not to miss event. For more about the Sunshine Show, beam over to: www.TwinRiver.com. That’s it for now. I am always adding to my concert photos at www.facebook.com/motifri. Thanks for reading. www.JohnFuzek.com

Is This Jazz? An Interview with Greg Abate

Saxophonist Greg Abate has been leading the charge of post-bop excellence around the state and remains a constant fixture in the area when he isn’t touring around the world. To coincide with the release of a new live album, Gratitude, he and I spoke on the phone about the new album, his music and his ever-evolving career. Ben Shaw: What was the organizing principle behind this new live album?

Greg Abate: I tried to keep it around a certain theme. I had written a tune, a samba, called “Gratitude,” so I was looking to do an album to go with my thoughts about being grateful for being able to write tunes, to keep doing this, etc. I brought back a couple of tunes that were on previous recordings like “The Stratosphere,” “Farewell Phil Woods” and “The Love Of Life,” and wrote some new tunes that were based on that feeling of gratitude.

The rehearsal was just a run-through of the melodies of these tunes about three weeks prior, where we just went top to bottom, no solos, over in about an hour. So when we got to the gig it was live, in-the- moment jazz, which is what I really like.

BS: You switch horns a lot on this record; does each one let you explore a different facet of your voice?

GA: Neil Weiss [of Whaling City Sound] had said, “Greg, you play all those horns well, so why not do them all on this record?” Originally I wanted to cut it down, but he convinced me otherwise. It’s a challenge, to play and record [Joe Henderson’s] “Inner Urge” on tenor, and the waltz and the samba lent themselves well to the flute. All the horns have their own voice and I have a voice on each of them, and I enjoy having that variable sound.

BS: How has the collaboration between you and Tim Ray evolved over your long-standing working relationship?

GA: It’s been four albums now. We had actually played a duo gig in the early ’80s at a monk monastery and have played many gigs since. I play with several pianists and bassists because nowadays everybody is busy and going all over the place, but Tim, John, Martin and I all hook up really well. Also, Neil liked the idea of the evolution of the band over a few recordings.

BS: How is modern music shaping the music you’re making?

GA: I like doing different things, I’m not too keen on avant-garde or fusion anymore, but I’m a post-bop player and consider myself a modern, flexible type of artist that has a voice in the tradition but isn’t a purist. I like to stretch out more, especially in live settings, to play Latin and Brazilian music as well, but the straight-ahead melodic playing is so infinite to me and keeps it all fresh.

BS: Does teaching provide with you with new perspectives, either on your own approach to the horn or in the music that you make?

GA: Yes it does, I learn a lot from them. Since they’re from a different generation, I can show them things and see the responses they give, and somehow find answers to my own questions through teaching and have learned a lot about my own playing as a result. It’s a bit harder than it was 10 years ago; I’m still trying to really push them and be concerned about getting it right. And it’s tiring, but it’s also a workout for my mind, which is great.

BS: As someone who has seen the jazz scene around Rhode Island evolve over many years, what sort of state do you feel like we’re in right now?

GA: There’s not many venues around, other than Chan’s, that do jazz. There’s not even a jazz club in Providence, which is a shame; most cities have at least one. The support is not there, and the people who have venues who might want jazz just don’t know what it is or don’t have a love or understanding of it. You have to love this stuff to want to present artful things. But when I’m traveling through the country, and through Europe, there are a lot of clubs and people will come out and want to hear this stuff, standards and original music.

BS: What new concepts have you been working on lately?

GA: I love playing harmony and changes the piano. On the horn, I’m trying to think chromatically and play things that aren’t habitual. Lately I’ve been writing etudes. I have a bunch of charts that are all hand-written, which is a good meditation first thing in the morning — two pages of free writing and then I’ll play them. I’m also inspired, but not doing a lot all the time, which keeps me excited by the gigs that I do and I can’t get bored with it.

For more information and links to music, visit gregabate.com. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

Ben Shaw is a local composer, performer, and writer. Find him at benjaminshawmusic.com.

The Roots Report: Woodstock Tripping: Heading back to the scene

Okee dokee folks… “We are stardust, we are golden” and we are coming up on the 50th anniversary of Woodstock. To celebrate, my girlfriend and I took a trip to Bethel, NY, where it all happened. This was not my first time there.

At the time of the 25th, my duo Fuzek-Rossoni had just played our second show with the legendary Richie Havens. He liked us and invited us up to play at the 25th anniversary concert they were having in Bethel. The same weekend was the the Woodstock II concert that was happening in Saugerties; the Bethel concert could not legally be called Woodstock. The night before the Bethel event we had a gig, so we left around 1am and drove all night to get there.

When we arrived at 5:30am it was “monsooning,” so we parked in a field behind the stage and saw the soggy sun rise. We fell asleep in the car for a bit, but when we awoke it was still raining. But that didn’t stop the horde of people gathered on the hill in front of the stage and only made sliding down that hill in the mud more fun … for them! We headed over to figure out when we were supposed to play, but things seemed very disorganized. Near the main tent was a circle of people sitting on the ground and it appeared as if they were all tripping.

We couldn’t find Richie, but parked next to the stage was Arlo Guthrie’s tour bus — at least I was 99% sure it was. The weather was giving me a massive migraine so I grabbed a “Bethel ’94” t-shirt at the tent and we headed back to the car to sleep a bit more.

As we sat in the car and listened to the rain we heard a loud “THUNK!” and felt the car move. We dashed outside to see what happened. Just getting up from against the side of the car was an incredibly stoned guy with a Frisbee in his hand. He merely said, “Dude, I’m sorry, I ran into the side of your car trying to catch it.” The guy simply shook it off, smiled, and ran into the field to play more Frisbee. Mary Ann [Rossoni] and I looked at the imprint of a human body in the side of her car, which we called a tank/boat because it was big, old and built like one. We were less concerned about the dent than we were about the guy. We couldn’t understand how he just got up and walked away after his Frisbee dive into the fender. I am sure that if it wasn’t for the the drugs that were making him feel so good, he would have been in agony!

We got back into the car and sat for a while longer. The rain wasn’t going to let up and my headache was worse. After a discussion we said, “Fuck it, let’s go home.” Well, that wasn’t going to be so easy. The car had sunk into the mud and the tires were spinning. Someone from the farm headed over with a front-end-loader tractor, lifted up the back of the car with the bucket and pushed us out onto the road!

After driving for a bit we stopped at a diner, had some food and I promptly went outside and vomited on the sidewalk. Damn migraine! We headed home disappointed about not playing, but all things considered it was probably the best choice at the time.

Last week my girlfriend and I visited the relatively new Bethel Woods. It is located at the site of the original Woodstock concert, but now it is all landscaped, has parking lots, a concert amphitheater and a museum. After paying the $19.69 ticket price for museum admission, we headed in to check out the collection. The first part of the museum deals with a little history leading up to the festival such as the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam War. As you move along from exhibit to exhibit there are multimedia presentations; artifacts such as contracts, letters, signs, photos, clothing and instruments; and some interactive displays. They have the motorcycle that promoter Michael Lang rode around the festival grounds and the vest that he wore most of that time. Other cool things were some of the original sound gear-amps, speakers and microphones; Jack Cassidy’s (Jefferson Airplane) bass and outfit from the concert; Richie Haven’s guitar and assortment of necklaces he wore; the set lists of each band as well as what they were paid. Of course there is a gift shop with lots of tie dye, 1969 and Woodstock shirts, jewelry, posters and basically anything you can think of with the Woodstock logo on it. They even have peace sign necklaces made from the original fencing used to (TRY to) keep non-paying folks out!

After spending a bit in the gift shop (sucker) we headed out to the grounds to explore. The hill and the site of the stage are still there and are relatively untouched. Off to the side is a monument that was dedicated to the festival. I wandered around the stage area while my girlfriend walked up and down the hill absorbing the ancient, hippy vibes.

Afterward, we drove over to the place where the Fuzek-Rossoni-mobile had gotten stuck in the mud 25 years earlier. Nothing had really changed there; it was still muddy. We drove a few streets over to see the original Yasgur’s Farm barn and house that was down the end of a little dirt road and is still in the Yasgur family according to a plaque outside. People still live there and it was kind of weird, but I got out and took a few photos of the barn anyway. Up in the barn windows are a faded painting of Janis Joplin and a peace sign. The next day we headed home, but stopped at the site again to soak up a little more peace and love, then detoured a bit up to Saugerties to see The Band’s “Big Pink” and Levon Helm’s barn. If you are looking for a little hippy trip, get back to the land and set your soul free at bethelwoodscenter.org

That’s it for now. There is a folder of photos from Bethel and I am always adding to my concert photos at facebook.com/motifri. Thanks for reading. JohnFuzek.com

The Montgomery Blues Jam: Newporter headlines Great American Hemp and Blues Fest James Montgomery is a busy guy. The blues legend is constantly touring. “I’m one of these guys who’s never gone off the road. I’m probably performing about 100 gigs a year right now,” he tells us. We caught Montgomery somewhere between performances in Texas and in Ireland, where he also coordinates a blues festival. Ireland? Aren’t the blues a uniquely American musical form? “The blues are considered by some to be America’s greatest cultural export,” Montgomery explains. “Music is always cyclical, and it’s coming around, but right now the blues are more popular than ever in Europe.” The European audiences are more up to speed on the blues in many ways than Americans. Montgomery is working on a new album tributing the work of Paul Butterfield. He’s producing, advising on or appearing in a number of upcoming documentaries. “I was brought on as a blues consultant for a fictional movie with Morgan Freeman, and we ended up making a documentary called Delta Rising, with Willie Nelson and a number of other people.” Another film focuses on his brother, Jeffrey Montgomery, who was a ground-breaking gay rights activist in Detroit. Yet another is being made about legendary American blues player and Montgomery mentor James Cotton. Montgomery helps organize an annual music event as part of the prestigious Woods Hole film festival, raising money for health care for musicians. Participants have included Aerosmith, J Geils, John Belushi and many other big names. They also raised money for beginning filmmakers, which led to him getting involved in a variety of film projects. You can see Montgomery live in a few spots this summer – as a Newport resident, he is in town from time-to-time. His biggest upcoming show is the Great American Hemp and Blues Fest. “This is going to be really exciting. It’s the first ever American Hemp & Blues festival. They’re billing it as the biggest Phish pre-event ever. So even though there will be blues, it’s appealing to a wider demographic. There’s going to be a wacky marching band out in the parking lot, we’ll have a performance by one of the best Grateful Dead tribute bands in the area, called the Mystic Dead, there’s a reggae band and a great band called Muddy Ruckus – I call them the delta White Stripes. Inside we’ll have a ‘Shakedown Street,’ an aisle with a bunch of vendors to educate people about hemp and the latest products – all cutting-edge stuff related to the emergence of the hemp industry. We recommend people coming to see Phish – they get there well in advance – just wander in. If they have a Phish tic they get a reduced price, and can have a good time with some live music, rather than sitting around the parking lot.” Montgomery will also be selecting from the jammier side of his repertoire. “We’re a jammy band anyway because we based ourselves after Paul Butterfield and they were actually the first jam band ever. Even though they started out as a strict Chicago blues band, he was such an innovator that by the time they put out their second album, East-West, they had the first real integrated band, and it was also based on Eastern modes, and when they performed live they did these extended blues solos that inspired jam bands … like Quicksilver Messenger Service and the Grateful Dead. Since we modeled it on him, we have songs where my guitar player will break into a solo for like five minutes. We’ve always had a jam element.” What’s the tie in with hemp? “Well, it’s interesting because hemp has been around for thousands and thousands and thousands of years. Then there was a big hemp scare. But we know that hemp has many, many, many uses. Now that those days of movies like Reefer Madness are gone, it’s time to treat the subject differently and educate people about it.” • The Great American Hemp & Blues Fest takes place July 10, 1 – 6pm at Mohegan Sun, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd, Uncasville, Conn. Tix at mohegansun.com.

Keep On Moving: Dune Diving: Sweet Dreams’ message in a bottle

Sweet Dreams – How Ya Dune?

On their debut EP, How Ya Dune?, Sweet Dreams kick things off with “Heaven Sent,” which has a power pop meets You’re Living Me Over Me-era Dinosaur Jr. vibe, especially with the production. Singer/Guitarist Eric Smith may lack J. Mascis’ guitar pyrotechnics, but he does a good job of capturing the tone of those early records.

“Glowing Cloud” brings me back to that time in the ’90s where staring at one’s shoes was so big that they named a genre after it with bands like Ride and My Bloody Valentine. Smith even has a lyric in there, “calling me on my land line,” that gets you in the mood of those times. The rhythm section of Kevin Bowden (bass) and Handsome Pete Lima (drums) do the heavy lifting, driving tunes like “Phantom Paw” and “Charlie Red Star” forward. The swirling “Can We Still Get High” is one of those tunes where you can’t tell at first if you hate it or if it is the best thing on the record. I’m going to go with the latter because it is chock full of all the aforementioned indie guitar swing influences. How Ya Dune? is available now on Bandcamp and Spotify streaming services, and you can catch Sweet Dreams at the next Scurvy Dog mega parking lot show.

Velvet Crush — Return for the First Time in 20 Years! I first heard about Velvet Crush from reading the Nice Paper, which used to rave about them in the early ’90s. It built up quite the mystique as the band name was cool and one couldn’t just look up the band name on the internet like today, which added to the mystery. The layers slowly were peeled away over time from hearing that Velvet Crush was Matthew Sweet’s backing band and Sweet also produced one of their albums. Eventually I bought a cassette version of In The Presence Of Greatness and fell in love with the tune “Die a Little Every Day.” Velvet Crush are the classic power pop band that takes something like The Byrds and mashes it with Big Star and smears on The Knack as frosting. I never got to see Velvet Crush and these are their first RI shows in more than 20 years — who knows when or if there will be another chance.

Velvet Crush are at POP in Providence on Jul 5 with doors opening at 7pm. Velvet Crush are also ringing in Bastille Day with a show at the Columbus Theatre on Jul 14. If you can’t make these shows, Velvet Crush will also be playing ONCE in Somerville on Jul 6.

I&R – Bankrupt City

I&R is the brainchild of RI expatriate Josh Cournoyer, who has relocated to Nashville. For the making of Bankrupt City, Cournoyer gathered with a collection of friends that included MorganEve Swain (The Huntress and Holder of Hands /Brown Bird). We talked to Cournoyer about the making of the Bankrupt City a few months go when he was in town to play a show. Now that Bankrupt City is out, let’s dive in. The biscuit kicks off with “Silhouette” which is your average driving mid-tempo rocker with a cool guitar sound. I can’t really think of a musical reference but I picture it being something that would play at a bar that the two leads dance to an post-divorce drama movie. Someone should get in touch with Cournoyer for the licensing rights. “Venice” is a standout that reminds of what Pavement would be if they listened to less Television and more The Band. “Addendum” is one of my favorites here for its subtle swing and big chorus. “Addendum” would be the perfect tune for dancing around a campfire on the beach. The title track is my other favorite as it is a driving slice of power pop gold. I caught I&R last December, and it is a great show with all kinds of guests coming up for a song or two. Don’t miss out!

I&R celebrate the release of Bankrupt City with a show with Zach Schmidt and Safari at the Columbus Theatre on Jul 12.

Levitt AMP Woonsocket Music Series

One of the coolest things happening this summer is a Friday night free concert series in River Island Art Park in Woonsocket. The concerts are family friendly with places for kids to play, a bar for the adults, rotating options for food, and great music. The concerts are every Friday (except July 5) from 5 – 9pm. The organizers have launched a “Passport to Woonsocket” promotion with a chance to win $1,000 that they are crediting me with inspiring (it was Fuzek). Anyway, the gist of the promotion is that one picks up a passport at one of the Friday night concerts and collect 15 stamps from local businesses to be eligible to win a $1,000 prize.

Coming up this month are:

July 12 — Steve Smith and the Nakeds with OB Howard: Steve Smith and the Nakeds are going on 45 years strong with a well-earned position in the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame.

July 19 — Luther Guitar Jr. Johnson and The Brian James Quartet: This Grammy Award winning musician is known as one of the premier blues artists to emerge from Chicago’s music scene. Johnson served a long sideman apprenticeship with both Magic Sam and Muddy Waters.

July 26 — Doobie Powell and VIDA Praise Team: Hailing from Hartford, Conn, Doobie lives out his faith through his passion for music. He’s produced five critically acclaimed albums.

Revival Fest

Revival Fest returns to Dusk for a 4th of July block party to out-patriotic all other block parties. This year the organizers aren’t wasting any time getting the party started. If I show up at 4pm, I’ll miss three bands — Joy Boys, Eric and The Nothing, and Sugarcones — that I’d want to see. Other bands I’d be excited to see at this show include The Benji’s, Atlantic Thrills, Ravi Shavi, Cherry Pit, and Spocka Summa.

Revival Fest returns to Dusk in Providence on Jul 4. Revival Fest kicks off at 2pm with School of Rock.

5 Shows That Don’t Blow:

Buck Meek (Big Thief) is at the Columbus Theatre on July 6.

Low Cut Connie are at The Narrows Center For The Arts in Fall River on July 12.

The Big Kahuna 4 featuring Puddle of Mud, Sponge, 40 Below Summer, and more happens at FMH on July 13.

Julie Rhodes, Town Meeting, and Gentle Temper are at Askew in PVD on July 14.

Electric Six are at Alchemy in PVD on July 17.

Email music news to [email protected]

Jazz Insights: George M. Cohan

Rhode Island’s long list of jazz musicians began with George M. Cohan.

George was born in Providence during 1878. He was to grow up to become a leader in Broadway musicals. His credits include, being a giant entertainer, actor, composer, lyricist, jazz singer, dancer, producer and playwright. George was considered among the most important music contributors during his peak, which took place at the turn of the 20th century.

Throughout his life he was to publish more than 300 hits. His most famous hits included “Yankee Doodle Boy” and “Over There.” After a long and successful career, George passed away in 1942. Rhode Island will always remember George M. Cohan,, for his outstanding contributions to our nation’s important music. Is this Jazz? Work and Art, part 3

To help shine a light on the lives of working musicians, I’ve been interviewing my peers about performing and balancing their lives to make the music happen, and asking if they see a difference between playing for art’s sake or as a job.

For this final article I talked to percussionist Ryan Kowal, a fantastic Providence-based improvisor and composer with whom I’ve had the pleasure to collaborate on multiple occasions. I’ve always found a kindred spirit in Ryan because we both have full-time jobs on top of our lives in music, so I was excited to hear his thoughts on balancing the two and get more insight into his personal journey.

Ben Shaw (Motif): How long have you been performing?

Ryan Kowal: In junior high I was involved in a community jazz band with students and adults that would play out a few times a year, and I’ve been actively playing with different groups ever since, usually in the New England area. I lived in Boston for a few years and got involved with a group of musicians there that I still perform with.

BS: How often do you play out and with how many different ensembles?

RK: On average, once or twice a month. Since I am not relying on gigs to make a living, I am able to be selective about which performances I want to play. There is a revolving group of musicians that I play with most often (probably 20 to 30 people) and most of my gigs are permutations of that. It’s nice because we all get to catch up and have a good time when performing. We aren’t worried about jumping from gig to gig, learning covers and trying to search out the next opportunity. Not relying on making a living from performing takes a lot of the stress out of it, so we can just relax and put forward a great gig. It is great to have a community of musicians around me that I know I can rely on.

BS: Did you consider trying to do music full time?

RK: I did, but the reality of a full time musician is different than what people think it is, as you have illustrated in the earlier articles in this series. Every full-time musician I know, as well as many of the larger name national acts that I know of, have to supplement their income with something other than performing and writing. Many teach, which I am not really interested in. Outside of music, I am an auditor with a public accounting firm.

BS: Do you regret not pursuing it?

RK: Nope! I get to play with the musicians I want, the music I want, and the gigs that I want. I am not relying on it for making a living, I don’t have the stress that comes from that. For me, it is purely a joyful thing. I don’t have to sacrifice anything artistically in service of a paycheck.

BS: How do you balance work and family life with still continuing a creative practice?

RK: It is definitely a challenge. I don’t have as much time as I would like to compose and practice, but having commitments outside of music keeps my mind fresh and ensures that the time that I do have to put toward it will be productive. With a limited timeframe, I have to be focused and can get a lot done. Also, since all my deadlines are self imposed, I get to enjoy the time I get at my instrument without any looming end dates.

BS: What’s should people consider if they’re thinking about working a full-time job while still playing?

RK: Be aware that you won’t have as much time to put toward your craft. There will be times it will have to take a back-burner while other commitments are satisfied, but that being said, you will have full artistic freedom. You will be able to create exactly what you want with no guidelines. It is definitely rewarding to be able to make and perform exactly what you want. There is a tradeoff between creative sacrifice and time sacrifice, but I’ll choose creative freedom every time.

BS: Lastly, what’s one thing you wish people knew about when they see live music?

RK: Just to remember that what you are seeing in a performance represents hundreds or thousands of hours practicing, rehearsing and writing. There is much more that goes on behind the scenes than most people think. When I am performing, I am doing it to share the culmination of all that work with people. I want people to enjoy it, or at least expose them to something new or interesting.

For more information on Ryan visit ryankowal.com

Ben Shaw is a local composer, performer, and writer. Find him at benjaminshawmusic.com

Keep on Moving: What Lies Between: Courtney Swain’s latest heads for high seas

Courtney Swain – Between Blood and Ocean

Courtney Swain, the singer and keyboardist for Boston’s experimental rock group Bent Knee, has taken the next step in an impressive solo career with her latest full-length, Between Blood and Ocean. For the type of genre pigeonholing journalists love, Between Blood and Ocean is a formidable task. Citing influences like Moses Sumney’s Aromantisicm and Dirty Projectors’ self-titled for the album, Swain explores everything but the kitchen sink.

She started piano in kindergarten and started singing as a teen while growing up in Japan, moving to the States to attend Berklee College of Music, where she met the members of Bent Knee. The album is at times equal parts Gary Newman, St. Vincent and King Crimson. The impressionistic balladry of “Helka” and “Sand Angels” creates a landscape of fractured beauty, which clashes with “White Trees” and its off-kilter auto-tune. But it’s Swain’s intention to fly directly into the sun, her soaring vocals bringing together her music school pedigree and noisier more experimental elements.

Between Blood and Ocean is more of a full band sound than her previous solo releases, which were produced during an RPM (Record Production Month) challenge where artists produce an entire record in a single month. The tour de force “Silver Needle of Pine” is like a cross between Regina Spektor and Radiohead, underlined by virtuosic drumming. “Black Sheep” has undeniable jazz influences, and “I’d Kill” brings in industrial noise elements à la Nine Inch Nails.

BB&O’s vivid soundscapes and highbrow musicality have obvious appeal for musicians, but could be good for the adventurous laymen. The catchy “Don’t Look At Me” could’ve been a late-era WBRU single along the lines of Metric.

I caught up with Courtney as she was about to embark on a tour with Bent Knee that includes The Met in Pawtucket this Thursday.

Jake Bissaro: Bent Knee has a lot of clout in the Boston area; why did you choose to bill yourself as a PVD artist? Any impressions of the music scene here?

Courtney Swain: I live in East Providence, and I really like Rhode Island and its quirks! I’ve been here for almost five years, and it’s been a great chapter of my life. I honestly haven’t spent much time going to shows here, but my impression is that there seems like a lot of interest for local and national, but not so much regional acts.

JB: People have noted the mix of genres in your music. Is that a purposeful thing, like, “I have a few softer ones, better throw in this heavy tune?”

CS: It really isn’t. If I could write in one specific genre, I think I probably would, but I just go wherever the song takes me. A lot of the people I play with studied music in the academic environment, and you end up learning a whole bunch of styles in a condensed period of time. In a negative sense, I think you end up losing a “home base” identity, but it’s super fun and interesting not to be limited by any style.

JB: How did this batch of songs come about?

CS: I usually write in big spurts — I could never just sit consistently in front of a deadline. For this album, I wrote all the songs during a residency awarded by the Turkey Land Cove Foundation. I lived on Martha’s Vineyard for two weeks, and did pretty much nothing but create. It was a great experience.

JB: This album is way more of a full band sound than your previous releases, right?

CS: Definitely. Albums I made in the RPM challenge were a great experience, but there’s a limit to what you can do. In a way, this feels like my first album. I was able to take time to put it together and involve other people in the process. JB: How did you find working at Big Nice Studio?

CS: It was amazing. Bent Knee also spent a ton of time there last year, and the guys that run it are like family. Brad [Krieger]’s big thing is to make the process about feeling comfortable and having fun. It’s not like “Oh, check out this awesome microphone I just bought.”

JB: Any tracks in particular that mean a lot?

CS: “Snowflakes” and “Sand Angels” are a few of my favorites, both of which I wrote toward the tail end of the residency and are both about loving yourself and self-care. I was kind of intimidated by being by myself for two whole weeks, but I ended up loving it. The songs are about looking within yourself and bringing together the person we are and the person we want to be.

Listen to Between Blood and Ocean here: courtneyswain.bandcamp.com/album/between-blood-and- ocean

You can catch Courtney on tour with bent knee at The Met on Thu, Jun 20 with Thank You Scientist.

R.i.P iTunes

You may have heard that Apple recently announced the phasing out of its iTunes platform. Nobody seemed particularly sad to see it go, but I think it officially marks the passing on of the buy (or download)-to-own music format in favor of the streaming models.

I’ll always fondly remember those halcyon days before an algorithm told us what to listen to. Getting those iTunes gift cards, figuring out what to buy, then spending hours lovingly curating my digital library, combining the iTunes tracks with digital CD rips and illegal torrent downloads. Only to have it all wiped completely obsolete by streaming services *sigh.*

Surprisingly, this new world order doesn’t mean that the bloated, corporate music labels are in trouble; it appears these streaming models are actually reviving them. According to Pitchfork, for every $100 of consumer spending on CDs or vinyl, a label’s profit is $8; for every $100 spent on iTunes downloads, it’s $9; and for every $100 spent on streaming, a label’s profit is $13. As you might expect, this means an ever-shrinking piece of the pie is going to the artists. Experts also find that the streaming culture has been really good for artists at the top, but works to further squeeze out the mid and lower-tier musician.

So is there a solution? I admit to bending to the indisputable convenience of Spotify Premium, but getting out to shows, letting a touring act crash on your floor or buying the leftover XL t-shirt from your buddy’s band always helps, if only a little bit. Roots Report: Pinball Wizard Hits the Big Screen: Can’t-miss music events from stage to screen

Okee dokee folks… The other night I went to see the film Rocketman, a pseudo-biopic about Elton John — I think it’s being advertised as a “rock ‘n’ roll fantasy.” I was a huge fan of Elton back in the ’70s, have seen him in concert a couple of times and even shook his pudgy hand. The first time I experienced Elton live was on July 4, 1976, the bicentennial of this country. I was 15 years old, and this wild and crazy stadium show was only the second concert that I ever attended, and it still ranks as one of the most memorable. But back to the film. The way that the story is presented is what makes it. The song and dance numbers are akin to a Broadway musical featuring Elton’s music as the score, mostly the good stuff. The sequencing of the songs is not accurate, but it doesn’t matter — they are not used for historical timing, but more as a tool to move the story along. The scene transitions are some of the more creative that I have seen. This film is original, funny, sad and clever, and the cast works well. Rocketman made me reminisce about the soundtrack of my youth and the days when music was amazing and rock stars earned their place in music history. Check it out! In the meantime, read on…

Someone who should have a biopic film made about her is the late Sarah Good. She was a musician, artist and a friend to many in the RI arts and music community. Sarah passed away in February 2018 from breast cancer and her husband, Michael Darigan, founded the The Sarah Good Foundation (SGF) to honor “the creative, vivacious, bad-ass entrepreneurial spirit that allowed Sarah to support herself as an artist/businesswoman her entire adult life.” The second annual Sarah Good Foundation benefit concert is happening June 23 at Nick-a-Nee’s in PVD from noon to midnight. Morgan Johnston is the first recipient of the SGF award, given to women artists and entrepreneurs who plan on using their creativity and work ethic to launch successful small businesses. She will receive her award then play a set of music. The music line-up includes The House Combo, Tanya McIntyre & The Professors, Biscuit City, Free Radicals with special guest Mark Cutler, Gary Cummings, Heidi Nirk, and Neal Vitullo. Tickets are available at the door.

Common Fence Music with Hope & Main will be partnering to bring a free concert series to Hope & Main’s Schoolyard Market located at 691 Main Street in Warren every second-to-last Sunday of the month from June through September. The market will be open from 9am – 1pm while live music and activities will be presented from 10am – 12:30pm. The series will feature a diverse range of performers alongside Hope & Main’s eclectic array of member businesses, local farmers and artisans. Adults are invited to enjoy brunch beverages in the beer garden while kids build their own instruments in the family craft tent. The Schoolyard Series kicks off on Sunday, June 23, with a performance from RI’s own hometown Cajun band, Magnolia. On Sunday, July 21, it’s Boston-based West African/Caribbean quartet Kalfou. Bringing the spirit of the street fair to the Schoolyard Market on Sunday, August 18, is Latin band Robertico Arias y su Alebreke. Bluegrass band Four Bridges closes the season on Sunday, September 22. For more about the series, get with Julio and go down to commonfencemusic.org

A few months back, Joanne Lurgio’s popular Tuesday Night open mic was halted at the Pub on Park. This left a huge void for original songwriter music open mics in the state. She laid low for a bit pondering her next move, and it wasn’t a long wait because Joanne is back with a new Tuesday Night Open Mic! Right now she is running them once per month on the first Tuesdays. The venue is the The Punjab Indian Cuisine restaurant located at 1565 Plainfield Pike in Johnston. Lurgio says, “It is an early night … I encourage players to stay until the end and support the other players when possible so those at the bottom of the list have as nice a listening audience as the top of the list.” The signup list goes out at 6:30pm and music is from 7 – 10pm. Punjab features a full bar and authentic Indian Cuisine so, as Joanne adds, “Grab a bite and/or beverage, and support the venue supporting live music.” July 2 is the next first Tuesday so make your plans now!

My band, Forever Young — A Tribute to the Music of Neil Young, will be at The Assembly Theatre in Harrisville on Saturday, June 29. This gem of a theater in Northern RI is presenting more and more shows. Put it on your radar! Tickets are available on Eventbrite; hope to see you there! And remember I am always adding to my concert photos at facebook.com/motifri. Thanks for reading. JohnFuzek.com