Is This Jazz? Axes at the Fort: The Newport Jazz Festival returns

Every year at The Newport Jazz Festival, we are treated to an immense spectrum of performance that displays not only the deep history of jazz, but also the sounds of its future. This year will be no different. To give you a head start to figuring out the lineup, here are a few selections from each day that you should go dig.

There are a ton of really big names on the opening day, Friday, August 2, but none is more legendary than Herbie Hancock. To list his credits and to try to convey the importance of his music in this article would be redundant because at this point I just have to assume that anybody who digs jazz, digs Herbie. His is truly a face destined for the Mt. Rushmore of jazz pianists, so it should be a requirement to see any set he is on. Next on your list of legends is the less well known, but deeply revered, Sun Ra Arkestra, directed by Marshall Allen. They perform the repertoire of their former leader, the pianist and visionary composer Sun Ra, combining “big band swing, outerspace jazz, Afropageantry, singing, dancing and chanting.” Also on Friday will be the bass virtuoso Thundercat, who has been cutting his teeth for years as a sideman, singer and writing partner, playing with some the biggest names in music, including Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell and Michael McDonald. The last act to check out is Domi & JD Beck, a duo collaboration between keyboardist Domitlle Degalle and drummer James Dennis Beck who are both known for their next-level playing ability and deep-pocketed grooves. Check out their videos online to get a sense of the sonic realm they live in.

Headlining the Fort Stage on Saturday, August 3, is the immense force that is saxophonist and composer Kamasi Washington. From his groundbreaking triple album The Epic to his most recent opus Heaven and Earth, Kamasi has risen to the heights of the jazz world and has transfixed audiences across generations with his electrifying band and soul-searching improvisation. Also performing will be the legendary Dianne Reeves who is not only one of the greatest vocalists in the game, but also a five- time Grammy Award winner. She has played all over the world and has shared the stage with some the best to ever play this music. One of the acts I’m most excited to see on Saturday is Jenny Scheinman & Allison Miller’s Parlour Game. Miller is one of the preeminent living jazz drummers, and their self- described sound “explores swing, gogo, backbeats and ballads.” To round out the day, go check out the young lion, vibraphonist Joel Ross and his “Good Vibes” project. Ross is a relative newcomer to the larger jazz world, but he has shared the stage with Herbie Hancock, Louis Hayes, Christian McBride and Stefon Harris and has been performing all over the world, with a debut album on the way.

Helping to close out the festival on Sunday, August 4, will be Newport favorites Tank And The Bangas. Ever since winning NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert in 2017, they have been on a whirlwind success tour around the world and have taken what was already a brilliant sound and heightened it. They are loud, funky and fun as hell. The group I am most excited to see over the entire three days is Sons Of Kemet; a sax, tuba and two drum set quartet out of London, lead by saxophonist and composer Shabaka Hutchings. They pull from a deeply rooted rhythmic language and play with an unmatchable energy that can be heard on their latest, explosive album Your Queen Is A Reptile. Since these festivals are known for their unique collaborations and one-off performances, I would also suggest checking out In Common, which is a super group composed of the mega quintet of Walter Smith III, Matt Stevens, Joel Ross, Harish Raghavan and Kendrick Scott. I have no idea what they’ll be playing, but with that line-up, it’s definitely a can’t-miss performance.

These few are only the beginning. The historic Newport Jazz Fest will feature a wide range of incredible artists such as Cécile McLorin Salvant, Ron Carter, Common, The Bad Plus, and plenty of special one- time performances that you may never see again. For more information and to purchase tickets, head to newportjazz.org.

Happening Around Town

The John Allmark Jazz Orchestra; first Monday monthly @ The Met (Pawtucket)

Groove Merchants; Mondays @ Fifth Element (Newport)

Travis Colby and Lisa Marie; every Monday @ Strings Bar and Grill (Johnston)

Jazz Jam; Tuesdays @ Ten Rocks (Pawtucket)

Leland Baker Quartet; Wednesdays @ Acacia Club (Providence)

Jazz At The Parlour; Sundays (Jam third Sunday, Ed Tomassi fourth Sunday) @ The Parlour (Providence)

Modern Sound Series; last Sunday monthly @ Tea In Sahara (Providence)

Is This Jazz?; (Providence) visit isthisjazz.tumblr.com for listings

To add your listing, email [email protected].

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

Cultural Evolution: Journalist on the scene at Woodstock discusses the media then and now

Ty Davis is a journalist and publisher, known for launching the Rhode Island-based alternative paper NewPaper during the 1970s, a paper that later was purchased by The Boston Phoenix and renamed The Providence Phoenix under Davis’ leadership. As the 50th anniversary of Woodstock approaches, I asked Davis about some of the key differences between today’s entertainment and culture media and the media climate during the original festival, an event Davis covered for The Providence Journal.

Bill Bartholomew (Motif): In many ways (factually, anecdotally), Woodstock as an event and brand has been defined through media coverage and regurgitation of that initial coverage. How authentic is the version of Woodstock that is popular public opinion today?

Ty Davis: I don’t know what the popular opinion of Woodstock is today. My guess is that most people get their concept of it from the four-hour movie that tried to capture three days of events. Given that limitation, the movie gives a fair idea of what happened so I think people use that.

When I got back to RI after Woodstock, I was appalled by the early coverage, which was along the lines of “dope-smoking hippies have taken our kids and hooked them on drugs!” My article in The Providence Journal debunked that hysteria with: yes, drugs were available, but most of the kids were there for the music and communal spirit.

Personally, I didn’t bring in any drugs with me and didn’t trust any items from strangers no matter how nice they seemed. I might have taken sips of alcohol from brand-name bottles – possibly – but nothing more than that.

The thing that a lot of people missed at the time and thereafter was that Northeast America was a collection of “tribes” based around one’s religion, ethnicity, politics and/or neighborhood when growing up – much more so than today. Woodstock (and rock ‘n’ roll in general) gave young people a shared interest that ignored all of those restrictions. That freedom from confines was exhilarating! Woodstock was a celebration of that, and that was something that the movie didn’t actually show.

BB: Did the media coverage of Woodstock launch a new brand of concert/event journalism?

TD: Tough call. So far as I know, I was the first writer of a purely rock ‘n’ roll column in a major newspaper (over a month before Rolling Stone appeared) in 1967. However fanzines such as Crawdaddy! were already treating rock seriously – since the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds and the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper really – so proper coverage was already being published. However, Woodstock really blew it open as every major city newspaper and TV station had to cover the event. Remember, the Woodstock traffic closed the NY Interstate incredibly and, as announced from the stage, Woodstock was suddenly the fourth largest city in New York state for three days. Editors took notice of happenings like that!

One story I’ve always thought interesting: I was in the press bus at one point when a young, female New York Times reporter burst in to ask if anybody had an idea of how many people were in attendance. We all shook our heads. She volunteered that she had been talking to a policeman at the entrance, that he had guessed 400,000, and she was going with that. I have no idea what the cop based his estimate on, but I’m sure he missed all the people in the fields behind the stage and the fields beyond the concert area. I believe 500,000 is much more likely and, quite possibly, more than that. It was impossible to tell.

BB: How did your coverage of Woodstock fit into the broader narrative of the ’60s? In other words, do you feel like you’ve contributed to the history books when it comes to understanding the late 1960s U.S. counterculture (and how that spilled into the mainstream)?

TD: Sure! Has concert journalism improved since your time at Woodstock?You betcha! Seriously, prior to Woodstock, media mostly treated rock concerts as kid events that didn’t deserve coverage. After Woodstock, media had to cover concerts, especially as the audience grew up and became the ones to whom media had to cater for an audience. Now, with the dwindling traditional media but expanding online media, just about every performer can get some sort of press, even in an e-zine. Publications like Motif and my old alternative weekly, The NewPaper (later The Providence Phoenix) provide(d) an important service by introducing general interest audiences to important new artists, musical and otherwise, that they might never have experienced, especially with the shrinking news hole of most major papers.

BB: What does “Woodstock’s 50th Anniversary” debacle say about today’s music / culture audiences as compared with the original Woodstock audience? Does the revival of Woodstock seem disingenuous to you?

TD: Well, the “debacle” certainly carries on the traditions of the original Woodstock in being totally unorganized and woeful in execution. However, it’s half a century later and the things that were novel about the original are boring/standard in the Anniversary show. In short, nobody really cares about the Anniversary show except for the 70-year-olds wanting to relive old memories like soldiers walking through an old battlefield. I certainly had no interest in forcing my offspring to travel to Bethel, NY, in order to proclaim: “Yeah, that hill right there is where I pitched my mom’s World War One tent. Never did get that sucker back! Not that my mom fought in the war, of course!”

My Last Word (I promise): Rhode Islanders should be proud to know that Woodstock and all the other outdoor festivals of popular music owe a huge debt to the first Newport Jazz Festival held on the grass courts of the Newport Casino tennis club on the island in 1954. The festivals were amazing and set the standards for the future!

Bill Bartholomew is a podcast host, musician and media contributor in Rhode Island

The Roots Report: An Interview with Kurt Vile

Credit: Erik Kabik Photography

Okee dokee folks… A few months back my bandmate Dan Lilley came to rehearsal with a CD in his hand and said, “This guy is on Neil Young’s website as a recommended listen.” A few weeks later we were playing at City Winery in Boston and I went into the bathroom, well, you know what for. Music was playing on speakers in the bathroom; I personally find that odd, but, anyway, I really liked what I was hearing. I went back to the green room and mentioned it to Dan. He told me that was the CD that he had brought to rehearsal. That artist was Kurt Vile. This was the song, “Pretty Pimpin”-check it out on YouTube (youtube.com/watch?v=y26OdHnif7U). Vile is known for his solo work and has recorded eight studio albums, but was also a member of the band The War On Drugs (from ’05-’09). Vile’s music is guitar-driven rock and has a bit of a Tom Petty/Lou Reed feel to it. Have a listen to the song “Loading Zone” from his latest CD, Bottle It In (youtube.com/watch?v=7mbh43HgT4U). I had a chance to speak with Kurt by phone the other day in advance of his upcoming show at the Columbus Theatre in Providence on July 27.

John Fuzek (Motif): Hi Kurt, where are you calling from? Kurt Vile: I am in Philadelphia, that’s where I live. JF: You have pretty much always lived there, except for Boston for a bit, correct? KV: Yeah, long time ago, like 2001-2 JF: You started out doing “Lo-Fi” recordings about 20 years ago, what were you doing these on? KV: Um, well, honestly, since my teens I was just recording in my bedroom or people were recording me at their house. In my bedroom in my teens I was just using a tape recorder, but you know, I guess, anything that I released from my early 20s on was recorded on a Roland digital eight track … it took Zip discs… JF: So you were doing multi-track recording by then, I thought you might have had an old Fostex cassette four track or something similar. KV: That would be cool, I never had the cassette four track, I’m into cassettes and reel-to-reel, I have some various reel-to-reel recorders in my basement; it’s nice on the brain to not be looking at a computer screen when I record, I was never good at computers…I like the simplicity of tape, I’ve tried to get into the computer recording at home but there’s always just something popping up, some message, some error, you know? There’s always some kind of upgrade, all these things, your computer is connected to, social media, you can’t focus, that’s why I like reel-to-reels, I’m trying to get back to a place where I’m making really great reel-to-reel recordings in my basement, that’s where I’m at now, that’s my goal the next year or two to have a fully functioning studio down there JF: I wish I still had my reel-to-reel eight track, I went from a cassette four track to that and then to digital stuff KV: Yeah, the problem with the digital stuff is that it becomes obsolete, right, they upgrade and then, I’m in the same boat, I really got to, I like like the idea of getting an archive together, not unlike Neil Young’s archive, except just not make it available to the public, I’ve got to unload that digital eight track, I’ve got to unload those Zip discs before it’s too late, I have an Otari half inch eight track and I do love to turn that thing on…I also have various quarter inch machines and stuff, it’s funny, too…I use computers, especially when someone knows what they’re doing, I know that’s the highest fidelity that you can get with Pro Tools, it’s hard to tell the difference, still, when I’m working with tape in my basement there’s no denying you can just saturate the tape, make sure the input is up, even if it clips it will most likely sound cool anyway, it’s pretty pure sound just going onto that tape, keep things simple for a while until you can clear your head, it’s just some form of getting away from the real world anyway, really… JF: So, is it an actual studio down there or just a basement with a lot of gear? KV: It’s in the works, I would say that the control room, if you can call it that, is coming together for sure, but like the room where I can crank some amps and stuff, that side needs some work, it’s definitely a “vibey” work space for sure, I can definitely record in there, yeah JF: You mentioned Neil Young and his archives, the reason I became aware of you was in a roundabout way through the recommendation on his website. KV: Well, I think it was the people that work his archive were just being nice, that would be amazing if Neil himself wanted you to but that’s the beauty of Neil, he really doesn’t listen to anybody until you can’t ignore them, you’re name just has to get thrown around there a lot, but the people at the archive knew I was a big Neil fan and I have opened for him, I am buddies with (his current backing band) Promise of the Real, but Neil himself, no… JF: You have actually opened for him KV: Once, but I also played with Promise of the Real at Willie’s (Nelson-father of Lukas & Micah Nelson of Promise of the Real) ranch, they played with me on “Pretty Pimpin” and a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Roll On John” at the ranch, that was magic, too, those are sort of my connections with the Neil Young world JF: That’s cool, I play in a Neil Young tribute band and, don’t laugh, but the first time I actually heard your music was when we were at a gig at City Winery in Boston and was in the bathroom and the music was being played over a speaker in there, I told the guy in my band about it and he told me that it was your CD that was playing in there… KV: Ha! Cool! JF: I was getting into it, I like guitar driven music, I’m a guitar player, I like guitar driven, it’s very organic music, you get into the groove and play, it flows KV: Thanks, man! JF: When I was listening to your stuff I sensed a Lou Reed and Tom Petty influence there KV: I would say that Lou Reed is my earliest of the classic rock, he influenced me in my teens, yeah, Tom Petty, I always loved him, too, kind of interesting, I re-watched his Running Down A Dream Documentary and they asked him what are your influences and he said, “uh, the radio”, what I was going to say was that there are certain Tom Petty songs that I loved as a kid, there was this diner jukebox at your table and I would always play “Learning To Fly”, I still that’s one of the greatest Tom Petty, classic songs in general, so yes, they were various dimensions from my high school upbringing or whatever, influences JF: I saw that you were a fork lift operator, did that life influence your music? KV: That was definitely where I embraced Classic Rock Radio, you know doing repetitive tasks at the brewery, working in the box room, once in a while there would be a college radio show that played more obscure stuff but the best thing on the radio that you would settle for would be Classic Rock, and yes, it does have a blue collar sense to it JF: Who else would you say influenced you? KV: So many, do you mean Classic Rock? Since we are talking about Classic Rock Radio, Springsteen, Stones, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, but then my dad, I grew up with my dad playing Bluegrass music and old time stuff JF: Is that why he gave you a banjo when you were young? KV: He got me a banjo because he probably wished that I’d become a bluegrass musician, his favorite song to this day of mine, which is on the banjo is “I’m an Outlaw” from the I B’lieve I’m Going Down album. When I play my banjo it has an ethereal, hypnotic quality that you can’t quite get out of the guitar because of the high drone string…almost like a sitar, or Appalachian folk JF: You have kids so is being on the road tough for you? KV: Definitely at first, it was intense for a while but the the tours are winding down and getting a little shorter, the previous tour of Europe was 6 weeks and some lengthy States tours…and Australia…they visited me when I was on tour in Australia, and Norway in the middle of the last tour…but when I am home I am around 24/7 JF: That is cool that you have toured the world, how is your fan base in other countries? KV: It varies but I would say that Australia is one of my favorites and we always do well there, I would say that it’s going good everywhere! We’ve been trucking along for ten years professionally…it gets a little better very record…this one we’re selling out venues… JF: Do you want to add anything about what to expect from the show? KV: Man, I am excited just to come back there, it’s definitely an epic Rock and Roll show, it will definitely be better than last time we were there…and I hope that you can make it out ’cause if you are in a Neil Young Tribute band we have to stick together!

Kurt Vile and his band the Violators will be at the Columbus Theatre on Saturday, July 27. For more about Vile and the show take the “Freak Train” over to: ColumbusTheatre.com or KurtVile.com That’s it for now. Thanks for reading. www.JohnFuzek.com

Friday Night Live: The smallest state’s smallest (and hottest) concert series

If you’re searching for a hip new music spot, give this summer’s Friday Night Live, the small-scale concert series at Mulligan’s Island, a chance. Its brand new stage was recently host to The Legacy Band and Show, a Providence-based outfit featuring classic Motown rhythms, Caribbean style percussion and a larger-than-life persona, exemplified by their use of bright white suits, and even whiter sequined caps.

Bands with stadium aspirations might be disappointed when faced with a Friday Night Live crowd, though attracting stadium-sized crowd is not the concert series’ goal, because personality and intimacy create the most meaningful performances. This is where Friday Night Live shines brightest.

On the night I attended, camp chairs dotted the entrance road near open car doors and trunks. An array of “wacky waving inflatable tube man” style dancers drifted across the infield grass giving entertainers, employees and their fellow concert-goers a few good laughs. It’s anyone’s guess as to what caused this new dance craze — perhaps a few too many local brews from the bar; Whalers, Narragansett, and Revival also make appearances at Friday Night Live. Roadies and other music-lovers were nodding or tapping along to Legacy’s energetic show. Prior to seeing them in person I’d be quick to question their maxim — “When you hit the stage, it’s Showtime” — however, after I caught myself singing along with frontman Mr “Dynamite” Cherry to a cover of “I Love Music” by The Ojays, I realized I had succumbed to the allure of both the band and the show. Friday Night Live continues every Friday at Mulligan’s Island in Cranston until August 9. RI cult favorites such as Steve Smith & The Nakeds and Neal and the Vipers are scheduled to perform in the coming weeks, and the concerts are free.

Keep On Movin’: Shoegazing: Lazy Magnet’s strong attraction

Lazy Magnet’s Tide

Lazy Magnet is the longtime recording project helmed by PVD musician Jeremy Harris, who began recording music 25 years ago in Swampscott, Mass. The music from his original run ranges from improvisations on the works of John Cage to screamo to a collection of techno songs mostly titled “Pure Psychic Zero” 1-5.

Harris relocated to PVD and continued to make recordings until 2014, but recently decided to revamp the project with Tide, a true-to-form shoegaze record. Though much of the Lazy Magnet material sound like home recordings, this album is a fully realized work that goes way beyond basement jams.

Tide started as a deep dive genre study, and was one of a handful of song form explorations. “I get curious about production techniques and how they developed within the context of historical music scenes,” said Harris. He studied styles like jungle, gabber, techno, footwork, nightcore and shoegaze, and he got to the point of having “six or seven half-finished” genre study albums on his hard drive.

For an album, he settled on the extravagant feedback and guitar clamor of shoegaze. “Ultimately, I felt more comfortable adding to the shoegaze idiom rather than convincing myself that it was legit to co-opt the sounds and ideas of jungle or footwork, cultures I’m deeply removed from,” said Harris.

A one-man show, Harris plays, records and mixes all the Lazy Magnet material. Songs like “Cure for Heaven” and “Kicking Over Tables” are straightforward shoegaze that bring you right back to the ’90s. The impenetrable wall of flange, reverb or whatever the kids are using these days sounds like you are being thrust into the primordial soup where life was conceived a million years ago.

I’m imagining someone tinkering with five of those Digitech pedals from Guitar Center everyone had when I was in high school. All joking about pedals aside, Harris’ well-executed production and mixing is the whole key to Tide’s success, which could easily come off as shoddy if not executed properly.

The lyrics are often not fully discernable under all that noise, but Harris’ baritone lends a contemplative quality to the music. The songs go beyond high-quality facsimiles and build upon the genre. “Evergreen” is a moodier tune more reminiscent of the Jesus and Mary Chain, and the roaring “Success” is an upbeat, catchy number about suicide. The closer, “Completion,” has a jangly edge that reminds me of the Dream Syndicate or REM.

“Sweet” sprawls on a bit too long and “At All Times” gets a little sappy, but most of the tunes I had no issue going back to again and again. Tide is a good entry point into the Lazy Magnet universe, especially for Kevin Shields fanboys wondering where My Bloody Valentine would have left off. Harris noted that he recently put together a full band for live performances, so hopefully we’ll hear some more from him soon.

Tide, as well as Lazy Magnet’s back catalogue can be purchased at: lazymagnet.bandcamp.com/album/tide-2019

Sweet Dreams — How Ya Dune

From the depths of somewhere in the area (I’m assuming) rise Sweet Dreams, with their impressive debut, How Ya Dune. The album contains the best elements of British punk bands like the Buzzcocks, with more modern college rock bands like Buffalo Tom or Superchunk.

For releases like this one, I visualize an imaginary “rager alarm,” which I picture to be shaped like the “sign of the horns” hand gesture, that alerts the community to a release of this magnitude (permit request from Mayor Elorza’s office still pending). With hooks that hit like an eight-inch dagger right to the spine, the choruses of “Heaven Sent” and “Can We Still Get High” were legitimately stuck in my head all week.

Eric Smith’s laid-back, upper register vocals remind me of Wayne Coyne or Frank Black without all that yelling. Fuzzy, simple guitar riffs, a solid rhythm section and tight harmonies throughout are exactly what’s called for in these unfussy, well-executed rock tunes. The lyrics are evocative without being overly direct. “Close Encounters” is ostensibly about a brush with aliens, and the chiller, lo-fi “Glowing Cloud,” laments “Your stories sound bad, but that’s just how you tell them / all your shit sucks but that’s the shit you’re selling.”

How Ya Dune, the most auspicious debut I have heard in a while, can be purchased at: sweetdreamspvd.bandcamp.com/releases

Newport Bridgefest

Adding onto the ever-increasing Newport Festival universe is Newport Bridgefest. The idea is that it “bridges” the gap between the Jazz and Folk fests and features separate events over the course of the week that will appeal to both audiences. Next to these two huge festivals it understandably flies under the radar, but is worth checking out.

The bulk of the programming is the “Busking at Bowen’s.” From 6 – 9pm, Mon – Thu, the Bowens Wharf Pilot House will host performances, which as of this writing are still TBD.

On Thursday, the free One More Once concert, described as Jazz and Folk Fests founder George Wein’s swan song, closes out Bridgefest. The evening will also feature Jazz Fest artistic director Christian McBride and the Newport Jazz Assembly Band. Unfortunately, all seats have been reserved.

The concert is free, but if you’d like to make a contribution to executive producer Jay Sweet’s 367k salary (per his 2017 Form 990 filing), there’s also a pre-concert reception at the Newport Festivals Museum at Fort Adams with $75 tickets where Sweet will speak about plans for the museum, and attendees will have a chance to hobnob with Wein and McBride.

Bridge Fest runs from Mon, Jul 29 to Thu, Aug 1. More information can be found at:newportbridgefest.com

Mister Frizzle

The time has come for a shameless plug for my band, Mister Frizzle, at the News Cafe on Thursday, August 1, performing with Plug and The Really Heavy. If you want to see some electrifying drumming by me and decent performances by everyone else, please drop by!

The Roots Report: Send in the Crowds: Fuzek lauches his latest rant

Okee dokee folks… I have a hard time comprehending the crowd-funding phenomenon. Maybe I should rephrase that, I have a had time understanding the things are are funded by crowd-funding. Most of what I come across that folks are looking to fund are personal CD projects. I guess because we live in America people are entitled to put their dollars where they want to, but should they just because they can? I know I am going to go into another “get off my lawn” rant, but hey, it’s what I do, so here goes! I have always funded my recordings myself: as a solo, duo and producer. The first “albums” I put out were with my duo, and we worked hard, played gigs and saved our money to pay for the projects. Neither one of us had money, but we didn’t ask anyone for it and we only recorded when we had enough saved. When I produced the Twelve Steps of Christmas CD I borrowed a couple of thousand to enable the production. It didn’t turn a profit, and I had to pay that money back on my own so that project cost me money. Even though the holiday compilation lost money, in the big picture it was a winner because the various artists’ songs received a lot of airplay and the disc wound up in top holiday playlists every year for many years after. I learned the hard lesson that the window of opportunity for working with holiday albums was very small, and learning lessons is part of what makes you a wiser and better person.

I tend to be a do-it-yourself type of person, consider myself fairly resourceful and often practice sweat equity. We did the album art ourselves, and to save money, we folded and inserted our own tray cards and booklets into the cassettes and CD cases. Basically we had a lot of ourselves invested and worked for every bit of what it took to make things happen.

Nowadays, people routinely think nothing of asking for $10,000 to fund a CD project and, as I see most of the time, they do raise it. I have used crowd-funding to try to pay for things, but NOT for my own gain. I have used it to fund public events — namely The Providence Folk Festival (PVD FF).

Now this is why I have a hard time understanding crowd sourcing. In Star Trek’s The Wrath of Khan, Spock says, “Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” Logic doesn’t always prevail. You would think that an event such as this that benefits MANY local, regional and national musicians and is FREE and open for anyone to attend would be a sure hit in the crowd- funding world. Well, I have news for you, it’s not. And it’s hard to understand why some events get funded and others don’t.

Anyway, what is my point? As usual I don’t really know, but we do need a lot more damn money to fund the Providence Folk Festival! If you want to learn more or help, then get the folk over to: ProvidenceFolkFestival.com. End of rant. Read on…

A few months back my bandmate, Dan Lilley, came to rehearsal with a CD and his hand and told me that “this guy is on Neil Young’s website as a recommended listen.” A few weeks later, we were playing at City Winery in Boston and I went into the bathroom, well, you know what for. Music was playing on speakers in the bathroom; I personally find that odd, but, anyway, I really liked what I was hearing. I went back to the green room and mentioned it to Dan. He told me that was the CD that he had brought to rehearsal. That artist was Kurt Vile. I had a chance to speak with Kurt by phone the other day in advance of his upcoming show at the Columbus Theatre in Providence on July 27. To read that interview take the “Freak Train” over to motifr.com/kurtvile

That’s it for now. I am always adding to my concert photos at fb.com/motifri. Thanks for reading. JohnFuzek.com Rhythm & Roots: A Cajun exposition

Summer is here, the sun is hot and our Vitamin D is at near-lethal levels, causing an incessant urge to attend festivals, dance like crazy and let go of inhibitions while surrounded by thousands of strangers. Screw the correlation studies; there’s just something about the summertime that makes this vivacious conviviality quite alright. Lucky for the residents of Lil’ Rhody, you don’t have to travel far to get your festival fix.

Rhythm & Roots, the “hottest festival in New England,” is coming back this upcoming Labor Day weekend, August 30 through September 1, for its 22nd year.

Chuck Wentworth, co-founder and RI native, conceptualized the idea in 1981, drawing inspiration from the Bob Jones-run Newport Folk Festival. It started as the Cajun & Bluegrass Festival and was held in Escoheag for 17 years until Wentworth and his co-founder stopped working together on the festival. In 1998 the festival was rebranded as Rhythm & Roots and moved to the much larger Ninigret Park, a 227- acre former naval base, in Charlestown.

“It’s a big, flat, really nice venue,” Chuck says. “There’s plenty of space for the festival grounds, for camping and parking.”

Charlestown is midway between Boston and New York, and is right off of Route 1, making it very accessible. Despite being held in the smallest state, Rhythm & Roots, which has remained independently run, draws people from all over the country.

“It’s a national festival,” Chuck says. “We book mostly nationally touring bands with a couple of locals.”

A few bands on the roster this year include the Knickerbocker All-Stars, a local band that plays “Rhody blues,”; The Dustbowl Revival, a Cali-based, 8-piece likened to Fleetwood Mac and Nathaniel Rateliff; and The Mavericks, a Miami based, genre-defying group that plays a fusion of Tex-Mex and rockabilly. There will also be soul, funk and, most definitely, Zydeco bands playing tunes that will make you dance your face off. Four stages will be strategically placed on the grounds, each hosting a different band, so variety is a non-issue. And if a certain tune has got your soul itchin’ to groove, shake it out on the 5,000- square-foot wooden dancefloor in the dance tent.

Rhythm & Roots hosts some world-class musical acts, but calling it a mere music festival would be a significant understatement. Ninigret Park will essentially be transformed into a Mardis Gras-Esque slice of New Orleans for the holiday weekend.

According to a dedicated festival-goer, “It’s a place where people and music collide, creating an experience that supersedes any man-made event.”

There will be about a dozen carefully curated food vendors serving up cuisines like barbecue, Creole, Thai and Mexican. Vegetarian? They got you covered with non-meat options. And what’s a festival without adult beverages? There will be craft beer and wine, too.

For the shopper and art ogler, there will be about 30 craft vendors selling and showing off their artwork, clothes and toys.

Immerse yourself in the experience and community by camping for the weekend on the festival grounds. If you’re not into roughing it, upgrade to the French Quarter section for a glamping adventure. Don’t worry about missing out on your caffeine fix, Rhythm & Roots will have plenty of coffee for the bleary- eyed camper to get those energy levels back to proper grooving condition.

And the festival is absolutely family friendly — bring the entire brood! Just leave the furry ones behind, for safety. Kids will enjoy free music lessons, games and nightly movies. Children under 12 get in for free and there’s reduced admission for teens.

The choice to keep Rhythm & Roots independently run hasn’t come without hardships, but for Chuck, the decision was an easy one.

“If we went the corporate route, we would really lose our vibe,” Chuck says. “We’ve always been independently produced, which gives me the freedom to run it the way we want, and I prefer it this way.”

Rhythm & Roots takes place Aug 30 – Sep 1 at Ninigret Park 5 Park Ln, Charlestown. For more information, go to rhythmandroots.com

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.

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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.