FREE SAN DIEGO ROUBADOUR Alternative country, Americana, roots, Tfolk, gospel, and bluegrass music news September-October 2004 THIRD ANNIVERSARY ISSUE Vol. 4, No. 1 official program adams ave. street fair - what to see , where to 7 S t a g e s • 8 0 M u s i c a l A c t s • go , how to get there • O s v Welcome ………………3 e h Street Fair Headliners …8 r t Performing Artists …10-19 o 4 o Schedules, Map ………12 0 B 0 s F P t Welcome Mat ………3 o f Mission Statement o a Contributors d r , C Full Circle.. …………4 A r San Diego Music Awards & Lou Curtiss t s s s t e Front Porch …………6 Stag & CeeCee James r 7 A Victoria Robertson C , Acoustic Music San Diego r d a Adams Ave. Street Fair o f o See pp. 8-19 t F Of Note. ……………19 s 0 Victoria Robertson B 0 Joe Morgan o 4 Northstar Session o t r Ramblin’... …………20 h e s Bluegrass Corner v Zen of Recording O José Sinatra Jim McInnes’ Radio Daze Funk • Country • World • Blues • Jazz • Folk • Zydeco • Rockabilly • Latin ‘Round About ....... …22 Sept.-Oct. Music Calendar The Local Seen ……23 nce again, the last weekend in September brings and many more — and continues to draw musicians to San Diego from all over the country who seek fame and exposure. Photo Page us the the largest, most diverse, free music festival Othat may exist in the world today. At the Adams Fun and family-oriented, there is so much to enjoy at the Avenue Street Fair, located between Bancroft Street and 35th Adams Avenue Street Fair: Three beer gardens, carnival rides, Street in Normal Heights, more than 80 different musical acts a pancake breakfast, and more than 400 food and arts and will take the stage over a two-day period: Saturday, September crafts booths. 25, 10am-9pm, and Sunday, September 26, 10am-6pm. This Inside these pages, you will find schedules, artist profiles, event features every musical genre imaginable, defining our a map, and anything else you’ll need to know to fully experi - city as eclectic and progressive. In addition to headliners of ence this special weekend. For further information, visit: national renown, the local music scene is also well represented www.GoThere.com/AdamsAve. — the scene that spawned the careers of Jewel, Jason Mraz, San Diego Troubadour • September-October 2004 wweellccoommee mmaatt SAN DIEGO ROUBADOUR Alternative country, Americana, roots, Tfolk, gospel, and bluegrass music news Welcome MISSION CONTRIBUTORS To promote, encourage, and FOUNDERS to the 23rd annual adams avenue street fair provide an alternative voice for the Ellen and Lyle Duplessie great local music that is generally Liz Abbott overlooked by the mass media; Kent Johnson namely the genres of folk, country, Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends roots, Americana, gospel, and PUBLISHERS We’re so glad you could attend, come inside, come inside bluegrass. To entertain, educate, Kent Johnson —Emerson, Lake and Palmer and bring together players, writ - Liz Abbott ers, and lovers of these forms; to explore their foundations; and to EDITORIAL/GRAPHICS expand the audience for these Liz Abbott t’s hard to believe that a homely little block party on April 3, 1982 has types of music. ADVERTISING/DISTRIBUTION grown into the Adams Avenue Street Fair, Southern California’s largest free Kent Johnson For advertising rates, call 619/298- music festival. 8488 or e-mail [email protected]. I PHOTOGRAPHY On that crisp spring afternoon, a barbershop quartet kicked off the pro - San Diego Troubadour Steve Covault ceedings at 4 p.m. on a mere half block of Adams Avenue, just east of Felton Street. A P.O. Box 164 Wally Cunningham La Jolla, CA 92038 dance group, a boys choir, and a light jazz combo performed afterward. E-mail: [email protected]. WRITERS D.D. Bass The fair was capped by the illumination of the Normal Heights Sign over Adams SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR, the local Zach Cole Avenue at Felton Street, a sheet metal and neon sign that had been dark and derelict source for alternative country, Lou Curtiss for a number of years. Neighborhood activists, under the banner of the Normal Americana, roots, folk, gospel, and Simeon Flick Heights Community Association, pulled together to obtain funds to restore the sign. bluegrass music news, is published Phil Harmonic monthly and is free of charge. Letters Paul Hormick They organized the block party to celebrate the rekindling of the community’s to the editor must be signed and may Jim McInnes beloved floating monument. be edited for content. It is not, how - Bart Mendoza ever, guaranteed that they will Eventually, the date of the Street Fair was moved to late September to take advan - Sven-Erik Seaholm appear. tage of warmer weather. From these humble beginnings, the free fall festival grew to José Sinatra All opinions expressed in SAN DIEGO D. Dwight Worden add food, arts and crafts vendors, carnival rides, and a few more bands. A pancake TROUBADOUR, unless otherwise stat - John Philip Wyllie breakfast on both days of the festival continues to be a unique, ”neighborly,” and ed, are solely the opinion of the writer and do not represent the opinions of popular aspect of the event. the staff or management. All rights ADAMS AVENUE By 1992, the fair had expanded by seven blocks and had a music stage on either reserved. ©2004 San Diego Troubadour. STREET FAIR end of the event. Music coordination was handled by Kevin Morrow, noted talent STAFF buyer for the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach. Morrow booked music acts like Mick WRITE TO US! EVENT COORDINATOR : Taylor of the Rolling Stones, Robbie Krieger of the Doors, No Doubt, and many other Marco A. Anguiano We’d love to hear from notables. Mr. Morrow left San Diego after the 1993 Street Fair to work for the House VENDOR COORDINATOR : Judy Moore you! Send your com - TALENT COORDINATORS : Annie Ross, of Blues in Los Angeles. ments, feedback, and Victor Payan suggestions by email to: In 1994, Lou Curtiss, proprietor of Folk Arts Rare Records at 3611 Adams Avenue, PROGRAM EDITOR : Liz Abbott [email protected] PUBLICITY COORDINATOR : Chris Mattson lobbied the Adams Avenue Business Association, co-producers of the Street Fair, to or by snail mail to: San Diego Troubadour, P.O. Box 164, GRAPHICS : Rodrigo Mesa add another music festival in the spring to showcase folk and traditional music. La Jolla, CA 92038-0164. PRODUCTION ASSOCIATES : Christina Curtiss produced the San Diego Folk Music Festival at San Diego State University for Kish, Dan Ramet BEER GARDEN MANAGERS : Mark & over 20 years. The festival was re-born as the Adams Avenue Roots Festival in April of Marilyn Merrell, Chad & Christine 1994. The San Diego Troubadour is Wilson Curtiss’ considerable knowledge of popular music was also applied to the Adams dedicated to the memory of STAGE MANAGERS : Bud Kader, Dana Shocaroff, Caeser Churchwell, Avenue Street Fair and he became the music curator for the event. In 1994, the num - Ellen and Lyle Duplessie , Lawrence (L. J.) Johnson, Ray whose vision inspired the Beltran, Mariana Ramirez ber of stages was increased to seven and the number of acts grew to 70. In addition, creation of this newspaper. BLOCK CAPTAINS : Warren Simon, the City of San Diego anointed the Street Fair one of San Diego’s 20 “traditional Hillcrest B.I.D.; Charles Bowling; Corey Quintana; Dora Black; events,” a status that helped spare the event from city-related expenses such as police Shannon Baird; Jeff Mulroney DAMS VE USINESS SSOCIATION and fire protection for a number of years. A A . B A ELECTRICIAN : Gary McDonnell BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT : Hawthorne Although, the event continues to be free, the Adams Avenue Street Fair has pro - President Rentals vided funding for Adams Elementary School, the Normal Heights Community Mike Magers, Smitty’s Service LABOR SUPERVISOR : Ramiro Navarro, Business Improvement District Association, and Adams Park. It also helps pay operating expenses for the Adams Vice President Council Russ Vuich, Western Commercial Avenue Business Association (AABA), which produces the Street Fair, as well as the R.E. Brokers SOUND & S TAGES : Audio Design Adams Avenue Roots Festival, Taste of Adams Avenue, the San Diego Adams Avenue Secretary SECURITY : Ray Hondl, Job Corps Dave McPheeters, Zac’s Attic Security Class, Elite Show Services Antique Street Faire, and an array of public improvement projects on Adams Avenue Treasurer MERCHANDISING : Betty Anguiano, in partnership with the City of San Diego. These public improvements — trees, lights, Marlene Goldstein, Pet Me, Please! Rosie Duran (dog & cat boutique) RECEPTIONIST : Linda Hanover sidewalk repairs, storefront improvements — along with the special events, are Raymond Cintron, Hummingbird MUSIC COMMITTEE : Lou Curtiss, Chair; intended to make the Adams Avenue business district a shopping destination for Confections Annie Ross; Bart Mendoza; Chris Karen Cobb, Spill the Beans Henry; Chris Mattson; Dana neighborhood residents and visitors alike. Lou Curtiss, Folk Arts Rare Records Shocaroff; Eleonor England; George Welcome to the neighborhood. Welcome to Adams Avenue. Come back again real Doug Generoli, Pi Financial Rodriguez; Kent Johnson; Makeda Dread, World Beat Center; Marco A. soon. In the meantime, enjoy the Adams Avenue Street Fair! Phil Linssen, Kensington Veterinary Anguiano; Mike Metzler; Victor Dave McPheeters, Zac’s Attic Payan; Virginia Curtiss Meredith Morgenroth, Road Rebel Marco A. Anguiano Entertainment AABA S TAFF Executive Director Robert Rael, Mojo Designs EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR : Marco A. Adams Avenue Business Association Michael Rammelsberg, Rosie Anguiano O’Grady’s ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR : Judy Moore Sundi Sage, Timeless Collectibles Dick Van Ransom Magana, NORMAL HEIGHTS KIDS Mariposa Ice Cream Robert Bodle 3 September-October 2004 • San Diego Troubadour full circle The San Diego Music Awards: Double Motive Rewards Talent, Benefits Schools by Bart Mendoza needed a countywide thing anyway,” says in 1994 at Symphony Hall, in 1995 at Hellman.