JULY 2021 Volume 23 Issue 1 Best I’ve Ever Seen or Heard Talking with artists about concerts or albums they’ll always treasure by Gary Stoller This Month: Guitar Slinger Bill Toms: “My First Love Is Soul Music” Photo: Dean Zobec Known for his guitar slinging, Bill Toms wants his new album sician Bubs McKeg and featuring Will Kimbrough on guitar. to carry a lyrical message: “hope, compassion and the idea that Though much of the album was recorded remotely, it sounds actions speak louder than words.” like the full Hard Rain band, including a three-piece horn sec- tion, charging forward together in the studio. That may be an appropriate message during these tragic COVID-19 days. Recording of the album, Keep Movin’ On, The band, which often elicits musical visions of Bruce Spring- by Bill Toms & Hard Rain, began in February 2020 and then steen and Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes, consists of continued remotely when the pandemic struck throughout the Steve Binsberger on keyboards, Tom Breiding on guitar, Tom country. Valentine on bass, Phil Brontz on saxophone, George Arner on trumpet, Stephen Graham on trombone and Herr on drums. “I would record over loops and send to my producer Rick Wit- Toms’ gruff, expressive vocals and guitar are featured on every kowski,” says Toms, who has released 12 solo albums and was song, and Witkowski and other guest musicians contribute the lead guitar player for Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers. guitar, bass, strings and vocals. “He would play drums or have our drummer Bernie Herr come in. The guys would get the rough versions and send in parts. It “The influences are wide and deep,” Toms explains. “I was influ- was fleshed out that way.” enced by Bruce, Tom Petty and the Clash. Then, always a student, I explored deeper into blues, rock and roll and soul. My first love Keep Movin’ On contains nine songs written by Toms and a is soul music. My older sisters always had Motown, Stax and final song, “American Dreamer,” written and sung by blues mu- Atlantic Records playing — and British pop, of course.” Photo: Tamara Guo Bill Toms with the band, Hard Rain Toms says he loves Southside and his Jukes, but he was more I ask Toms the immortal deserted-island question: What three influenced by Otis Redding and the Memphis Horns, the leg- albums are his favorites that he would want with him if ma- endary horn section of Andrew Love and Wayne Jackson who rooned for a lifetime? He says Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers’ backed Redding, Isaac Hayes and Wilson Pickett and played on Damn the Torpedoes, Bruce Springsteen’s Darkness on the Edge numerous Stax Records albums. Of Town and the Clash’s London Calling. “Listen to Otis Redding’s song ‘Chained & Bound,’ and it pret- Toms says the best concert he attended was one by Bob Dylan ty much points to my idea of using horns,” Toms says. on November 10, 2019, at Robert Morris University’s 4,000- seat UPMC Events Center in Pittsburgh. He attended the I ask him whether Keep Movin’ On’s seventh song, “Walk in show with his wife, two daughters and a son-in-law. My Shoes,” is a nod to Joe South’s 1970 hit “Walk a Mile in My Shoes.” “I felt like I was passing something to the young ones — like teaching them Shakespeare,” Toms recalls. “The band was top- “Interesting thought,” he responds, “but, no, that song was a notch, and the show included the song ‘Lenny Bruce,’ which reaction to our political and social climate for the past few is rare to hear, and one of my favorites, ‘Simple Twist of Fate.’ years. It seems very hard for people to understand the struggles Like any person who picks up a guitar and writes a song, I was of others until it affects them. The greatest gift you can give is influenced by Bob Dylan. His manipulation of words always to understand how others feel.” fascinated me. Seeing him in person, you see the presentation and phrasing are a gift, not to be taken for granted. It was grati- Toms played in Grushecky’s band 1987 -2006, and his favorite fying to see my kids getting it.” Grushecky album from that time is End of the Century. “Joe is a great songwriter and also a very dedicated, disciplined Another best-I’ve-ever-seen concert for Toms was the Band in musician,” Toms says. “I learned that discipline and focus from Atlantic City, New Jersey, in the 1990s. He opened the bill with him and to play every gig like it’s your last.” Grushecky and the Houserockers. Toms, who grew up in Pittsburgh and now lives about 10 miles “Just watching Levon Helm from the side of the stage was a from downtown, began playing guitar at age 15. dream,” Toms recalls. “Meeting Levon, Garth Hudson and Rick Danko was amazing. They are beautiful souls.” “After I played trumpet from the age of 8, a girl said, ‘You’d look good playing guitar.’ Being shy and introverted, that was The concert that influenced Toms most as a musician, though, enough for me. Plus, I loved music.” wasn’t headlined by a big name. Toms has many favorite guitarists but names four that have “Right after I started playing guitar, a band of older kids played been influential. at our school for an assembly,” he says. “Because of them, I was hooked. I still see one of the guys every so often and tell him “Chuck Berry is where we learn; Keith Richards for rhythm I’ve been cursed ever since. By the way, he’s a lawyer.” and color and all the in-between-the-note stuff; Pops Staples for how to play soul, and Albert King for how to bend a note.” acousticlive.com JULY 2021 in New York City T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Julie’s Joint w/ Bettman & Halpin, John Zipperer w/ Nick Kirgo, Petty Chavez Live-Streamed Online Shows Weekly Live Streamed Concerts Jul 27 All shows listed are adjusted to All shows listed are adjusted to Guest Curator* Jaime Michaels,* Jono Manson, Rj Cowdery ****Eastern Daylight Time**** ****Eastern Daylight Time**** Wednesday Sunday Karyn Oliver Todd Snider 12:10pm Wednesday Lunch Hour Live Sundays @ 12 Noon “What it Is” (on hiatus) https://www.facebook.com/KOsings The Purple Building, Nashville, TN East Nashville’s Premiere Rehearsal Studio ilyAIMY https://purplebuildinglive.com/ 7-8:30pm Live from the Lair https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=ilyaimy%20live%20 The Kennedys from%20the%20lair Sundays 2pm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtS6NT28QHc&list=PL8j69Zus Suzie Vinnick g8rRj-Qt89xqfKCe8ysZQzZMN 7pm Wednesday Night Online Pajama Party at StreetJelly.com! http://www.streetjelly.com/suzievinnick Mary Gautier (with Jaimee Harris) 3pm Sundays w/ Mary Jonathan Byrd and the Pickup Cowboys https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSqoTtRmxns 7-10pm Shake Sugaree Americana Residency Social Distancing Concerts Chuck Brodsky http://www.jonathanbyrd.com/livestream https://www.facebook.com/pg/streamingconcerts/events/ Sundays 3pm This page, organized by folk music media hhttps://www.konnectclub.com/branded/300010176518 Thursday guru Gordon Nash, is meant to be a clearing- Susan Werner Violet Bell Livestream Lunch house for listings of streaming concerts (all Shows: 7pm Susie on Sundays Live Online (on hiatus) Every Thursday at noon EDT genres). To find online concerts by date, scroll https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=susan%20werner%20live https://www.youtube.com/violetbell https://www.facebook.com/violetbellmusic/ down. videos/798551254008038 Monday Berklee College of Music Youtube Jonatha Brooke Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie) Live from Home Channel 2pm Kitchen Covid Concerts 7pm Thursday Nights https://www.youtube.com/user/berkleecollege?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=jonatha%20brooke https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOtn115fCfFKIxG7_Quv9ZA Monday: Watch live concerts featuring visiting artists Wednesday: Listen to original music and arrangements by students The Mastersons 6pm Mastersons Mondaze Saturday Learn from students, faculty and visiting artists Friday: https://www.facebook.com/themastersons/ Jim Infantino Stageit 5pm Live on YouTube https://www.stageit.com https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Jim+Infantino Heather Pierson 7pm Musical Meditation Mondays FAI Community Livestream Concerts https://www.facebook.com/HeatherPiersonMusic Heather Pierson & Shawn Nadeau https://folkconference.org/livestream/ 4pm Saturday Afternoon Special Folk Alliance International’s listing of online live https://www.facebook.com/HeatherPiersonMusic streaming concerts Rob Hinkal (ilyAIMY} Check on other shows in the calendar at the link above 7-10pm rob’s VOM (Virtual Open Mic) https://www.youtube.com/robsopenmics Vance Gilbert 7:30pm Vance’s AcousticPajamaParty https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ query=Vance+Gilbert’s+Monday+Night+Acoustic+Pajama+Party Tuesday SONiA disappear fear 2pm Terrific Tuesdays https://www.facebook.com/disappear.fear Jess Klein 7pm Livestream Concert https://www.facebook.com/jess.klein2 https://www.instagram.com/msjessklein/ Archives: https://www.youtube.com/ playlist?list=PL8T4Zrx4fCL9NHtIL9jBaCVv_7hIaiyoO Music My Mother Would Not Like 8pm Livestream Zoom Concert https://www.facebook.com/MusicMyMotherWouldNotLike Jul 6 Guest Curator* Kitty Donohoe,* Annie Caps, Jan Krist, Jill Jack Jul 13 Moore House Concert w/ Andrew McKnight, Naked Blue, Tony Denikos Jul 20 acousticlive.com JULY 2021 in New York City T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 23 10:30-Held For Ransom www.facebook.com/christopherstreetcoffeehouse Manhattan 24 8:30-WASS Open Mic 2nd Thursday ea.