FREE SAN DIEGO ROUBADOUR Alternative country, Americana, roots, Tfolk, gospel, and bluegrass music news May 2003 Vol. 2, No. 8 what’s inside Welcome Mat………3 Mission Statement Contributors Full Circle..…………4 Indian Joe Stewart Lou Curtiss Front Porch…………6 Fire on the Mountain Angela Correa Sam Hinton Folk Festival Julie Marie and Makeda Parlor Showcase...…8 Hatfield Rain Ramblin’ …………10 Bluegrass Corner Radio Daze José Sinatra Paul Abbott Of Note.……………12 Angela Correa Taylor Street Grey de Lisle Frank Williamson Cactus ‘Round About .......…13 Local Yokels Asylum Street Spankers May Music Calendar The Local Seen……15 Photo Page Phil Harmonic Sez: Life is much too serious to be taken seriously The Lou Curtiss Sound Library Presents Roots Music Video Showcase Rare Country Music • Blues • Jazz • Cajun & Zydeco • Latin • Roots • Rare Music on Film third friday of the month May 16 • 7-10 p.m. LeStats Coffee house • 3343 Adams Avenue • normal heights The Lou Curtiss Sound Library at Folk Arts Rare Records 3611 Adams Avenue, San Diego, CA 92116-2213 • Phone: 619/282-7833 San Diego Troubadour • May 2003 welcomewelcome matmat Alternative country, Americana, roots, folk, gospel, and bluegrass music news SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR, WRITE TO US! MISSION CONTRIBUTORS the local source for alterna- tive country, Americana, We want to hear from you! To promote, encourage, and roots, folk, gospel, and Send us your comments, provide an alternative voice for PUBLISHER WRITERS bluegrass music news, is feedback, or suggestions to: the great local music that is Lyle Duplessie Liz Abbott generally overlooked by the published monthly and is Paul Abbott [email protected] mass media; namely the genres EDITOR free of charge. Letters to Lou Curtiss or write to: of folk, country, roots, Ellen Duplessie the editor must be signed Emily Davidson San Diego Troubadour Americana, gospel, and blue- and may be edited for grass. To entertain, educate, GRAPHIC DESIGN Tim Day P.O. Box 164, content. It is not, however, and bring together players, Liz Abbott Chuck Deluxe La Jolla, CA guaranteed that they will writers, and lovers of these Ellen Duplessie 92038-0164 PHOTOGRAPHY appear. forms; to explore their founda- Lyle Duplessie tions; and to expand the audi- Ellen Duplessie All opinions expressed in Phil Harmonic ence for these types of music. Mildred Moreno SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR, Paul Hormick unless otherwise stated, To receive advertising rates and DISTRIBUTION Beverly Keel are solely the opinion of the information, call 619/298-8488 or Kent Johnson Jim McInnes writer and do not represent e-mail [email protected]. Ellen Duplessie Tom Paine the opinions of the staff or San Diego Troubadour José Sinatra management. All rights P.O. Box 164 ADVERTISING La Jolla, CA 92038 Gus Williker reserved. Kent Johnson E-mail: [email protected]. D. Dwight Worden ©2003 San Diego Troubadour Ellen Duplessie John Philip Wyllie 3 May 2003 • San Diego Troubadour fullfull circlecircle Indian Joe Stewart: Local Music’s Little Big Man by Lyle Duplessie top. Punished for playing the play a lick. Joe struck a deal ing students at the contraption at inopportune with the kid—he would teach boarding school music idden amongst the times, which was just about him how to play in exchange for by the Beatles, Stones, boulders and brush most of the time, the little brave use of the guitar. Once a day at Kinks, Dave Clark Hhigh atop Mount nevertheless felt it was still 5 p.m. the top ten hits would be Five, and others, Woodson is the lodge of one of worth all the risk. on the radio. Relying on his always in exchange for local civilization’s stellar musi- As fate would have it, and Indian ingenuity and keen sens- the use of their cians, Joseph Stewart. Those though oblivious to it, much of es, Joe could listen to a song just instruments. who have made music with him, what his father did seemed to one time, then play it note-for- Also, while at the and there’s a heap many musi- direct young Joe more and more note. Surf guitar instrumentals school, Joe was put in cians who have, know him as toward realizing the musical were the rage at the time, and charge of its newly as a master guitarist in both Indian Joe. Part musician, part portion of his vision. Since his this music gave Joe plenty of acquired pool table. Experience technique and theory to count- mystic, this noble savage has family owned a furniture store, opportunity for exercising his at the table would provide Joe less students around the county. been a colorful feature in the he was in one of the few homes guitar playing skills. with a lucrative way to earn Moreover, he’s a quick and music scene for many moons. for miles around that had a tele- some extra wampum down clever lyricist, tune smith, and Born in New Brunswick, vision. With it Joe vividly recalls future trails. By the time Joe and arranger. His absolutely stun- Canada of Scottish and Native seeing Elvis’ appearance on the the school parted company, he ning and brilliant ability as a American parents, Indian Joe Steve Allen Show. In 1958 he had become legendary for his composer and guitarist can be learned at an early age to follow received a build-it-yourself crys- guitar and pool-playing prowess. heard by those fortunate enough his Indian wit and instincts. Joe tal radio set for Christmas. Soon After escaping the reserva- to get their hands on a copy of describes the small, isolated vil- Joe learned how to pull in rock tion-type life of college in the his acoustic, finger-picking mas- lage of his boyhood days as ‘n’ roll music from the American early ’70s, Joe realized that terpiece, Visions of the Southwest. “having more moose than peo- side of the U.S.-Canadian bor- music wasn’t in his future on the Over the decades Joe has been a ple.” When not much older der. About 1961 when Joe was Canadian side of the border. He visionary bandleader as well as a than a papoose, he received his 13, his parents reluctantly took to the road on his motorcy- solid, faithful partner in such first of many visions. In this bought him his own guitar. As cle, guitar strapped to his back, outfits as Ricochet, the Legends, vision he saw a guitar, a pool he recalls, it was “classically and traversed the U.S. He spent Tumbling Dice, the Hygh table, and a motorcycle. At the unplayable.” Many of us know time shopping his skills in Lonesome Band, and Indian Joe time, of course, he didn’t under- the kind: inch-high action, flexi- Nashville and Austin. The cul- and the Chiefs. stand it, and there was no tribal ble non-reinforced neck, impos- ture and timing in those cities If you or someone you shaman around to interpret. sible to keep in tune. It was just weren’t right for a long-haired, know is looking to improve When he told his family elders the kind of monster seemingly In the spring of 1962 Joe clear-eyed Indian type like Joe. their guitar chops, bone up on about it, their response was to built with the sole purpose of and his parents took a trip to So rather than making good theory, or come up with a great take the boy to the doctor, who dissuading any young, aspiring England. That’s when he first music, the situation only made solo artist or band for just the prescribed some big pink pills. artist from fulfilling a musical heard of the Beatles. When their for bad medicine. It was time to right occasion, send Indian Joe a So much for white man’s medi- dream. Yet Joe learned from this music reached the New World break camp. smoke signal or, better yet, cine! But in time this vision guitar that it was much more in late ’63 and early ’64 he was In the summer of ’78, Joe e-mail him at would take Indian Joe down a about the music in the player’s primed, prepped, and prepared set up his teepee in San Diego. [email protected]. trail of music and adventure. mind and heart than even the for their impact. With the He’s been here since. He has Although there was a piano playability of the instrument. In British Invasion, Joe was teach- passed on his considerable skills in the parlor of Joe’s boyhood time Joe got this guitar to sing home, it was seldom used. In as few could have done. fact his very practical business- About this time his parents man father didn’t want his son thought Joe needed the civiliz- to have anything to do with ing influence of a proper music. When about six years English-style boarding school. old, Joe met a neighbor who Of course they wouldn’t let him lent the youngster a little no- take his guitar along, but little name dime store guitar. It wasn’t did they imagine that he would long before the boy began to meet plenty of kids at the school discover on his own the musical with guitars. He soon met a stu- secrets hidden in that little flat dent with a guitar who couldn’t 4 San Diego Troubadour • May 2003 fullfull circlecircle Recordially, Lou Curtiss ell, as you‘re read- ing any more. care about how much it’s Wing this, the 30th Del Rey has been a part of worth and that they have it Annual Roots so many festivals and is one and you don’t.