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SAN DIEGO ROUBADOUR Alternative country, Americana, roots, folk, Tblues, gospel, , and news

October 2009 www.sandiegotroubadour.com Vol. 9, No. 1

what’s inside

Welcome Mat ………3 Mission Contributors Villa Musica Full Circle.. …………4 Jim McInnes, Part 2 Recordially, Lou Curtiss Front Porch... ………6 Moog Exhibit at MoMM Saba Parlor Showcase …10 Charles McPherson Ramblin’... …………12 Bluegrass Corner The Zen of Recording Hosing Down Radio Daze Stages Highway’s Song. …14 Lester Bangs October Bluegrass Shows Of Note. ……………16 Eddie Lenhart Waves Mary James Yale Strom Kim Divine The Gangsters ‘Round About ...... …18 October Music Calendar The Local Seen ……19 Photo Page

OCTOBER 2009 SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR welcome mat Villa Musica Hosts Top

RSAN ODUIEGBO ADOUR Australian Guitarist Pair Alternative country, Americana, roots, folk, blues, gospel, jazz, and bluegrass music news T by Frank Kocher began playing with his brother at age four, taught like his brother by their father, and began appearing with Slava in perform - illa Musica, a San Diego community ISSION ONTRIBUTORS ance in 1999. He was the only guest artist The Grigoryan Brothers: Slava & Leonard M C music center, will present the to appear on ‘ Sonatas and Fantasies and has To promote, encourage, and provide an FOUNDERS Australian classical guitar duo the alternative voice for the great local music that Ellen and Lyle Duplessie V been a member (with his brother) of Saffire: provide many of the people that have Grigoryan Brothers in concert October 16. is generally overlooked by the mass media; Liz Abbott The Australian String Quartet. He performs become part of the Villa Musica mission. The event is set for the Neurosciences namely the genres of alternative country, Kent Johnson and tours as a solo artist, and is known for Two prominent people in helping Chatwin Americana, roots, folk, blues, gospel, jazz, and Institute, 10640 John Jay Hopkins Drive, his dedication to jazz as well as classical with the organization’s growth have been bluegrass. To entertain, educate, and bring PUBLISHERS with tickets available for $30 ($20 for sen - Liz Abbott genres, as an arranger and composer. communications and grant writer Sarah together players, writers, and lovers of these iors; $10 for full-time students). The con - forms; to explore their foundations; and to Kent Johnson In addition to Distance , the brothers Lifton and graphic designer Jen Knudson. cert starts at 7:30pm. expand the audience for these types of music. EDITORIAL/GRAPHICS have teamed up for three other CDs, which “A great deal of the people who are “We have added a special pre-concert Liz Abbott include 2007’s Impressions . involved with Villa Musica originally began SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR, the local source for Chuck Schiele talk with the artists at 6:30pm,” said Dr. Villa Musica is San Diego’s community as participants in the classes and courses. alternative country, Americana, roots, folk, Fiona Chatwin, director of Villa Musica. ADVERTISING music center, enabling people of all ages Now they are involved in grant writing, and blues, gospel, jazz, and bluegrass music news, “Also, the Bondi Bar and Kitchen in the is published monthly and is free of charge. Kent Johnson and backgrounds to discover, explore, and the board of directors. They have found a Gaslamp district donated intermission Letters to the editor must be signed and may be BUSINESS CONSULTANT enhance their music skills as part of a net - musical home,” said Chatwin. edited for content. It is not, however, guaranteed reception refreshments, which will be Joanna Schiele work of musicians, educators, and lovers of The classes have been taking place in that they will appear. included.” Chatwin is also an Australia DISTRIBUTION music. The organization got its start in church facilities in the La Jolla area, as to All opinions expressed in SAN DIEGO native, who has known the Grigoryans and Kent Johnson November 2005 as a 501(c )3 non-profit date Villa Musica has been a “center with - TROUBADOUR are solely the opinion of the Dave Sawyer their manager for years. writer and do not represent the opinions of the corporation and Chatwin, who was com - out walls,” as Lifton terms it. For the past Mark Jackson “They are two of the most charming, staff or management. All rights reserved. pleting doctoral studies at UCSD, was inter - six months the focus has been on grant Indian Joe Stewart entertaining, down to earth guys. They have Dan Long ested in an organization to answer to the writing and fund raising in order to find a ADVERTISING INFORMATION a wonderful Australian sense of humor and For advertising rates, call 619/298-8488 Paul Cruz lack of music education in the city schools facility where the center can offer private are really approachable; they are superb or e-mail [email protected]. You can also find STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER and wanted to create a communal place for lessons, unavailable now. Chatwin said a musicians too.” information on our website: Steve Covault musicians in San Diego. The earliest public couple of sites have been considered. A www.sandiegotroubadour.com The Grigoryan Brothers are regarded as WEB MASTER efforts by the organization happened in July soundproof facility in a diverse location fair - SUBSCRIPTIONS are available for $30/yr. Australia’s finest classical guitar duo. Their Will Edwards 2006 with a series of music camps for age ly close to the La Jolla area, where the cen - Send check payable to S.D. Troubadour to: music incorporates many styles, including WRITERS 11 to 18 year-olds, focusing on voice with ter has established itself for three years, San Diego Troubadour jazz, Latin, and other contemporary music Michael Alvarez Chatwin as lead instructor. would be ideal; locations might include P.O. Box 164 forms. While both are experienced players Peter Bolland Soon, the Villa launched its own Pacific Beach, North Clairemont, or east of La Jolla, CA 92038 Lou Curtiss of classical music, they have side projects in E-mail: [email protected]. Community Choir. This non-audition group UCSD. Students come from as far away as Will Edwards other musical areas, including a jazz band continues to meet weekly, with members Santee and Rancho Bernardo. WHERE TO FIND US Can’t find a copy of the Patty Hall that features younger brother Leonard. They San Diego Troubadour? Go to Paul Hormick from several generations. The center has Another upcoming project at Villa recently released a CD titled Distance , which www.sandiegotroubadour.com and click Frank Kocher expanded the classes offered and this fall Musica in 2010 is an important collabora - on FIND AN ISSUE for a complete list of Mary Mann features the improvisation and exploration classes include early childhood music, begin - tion with the Bayside Community Center in locations we deliver to. Jim McInnes that they have long incorporated in their Bart Mendoza ner guitar and violin, flute and percussion Linda Vista. Chatwin is working with SUBMITTING YOUR CD FOR REVIEW live shows. The disc showcases their eclec - Patty Hall ensemble, and many other classes, and work - Bayside executive director Jorge Riquelme If you have a CD you’d like to be considered for tic talents as they play music from a variety Raul Sandelin shops. Most classes are open to beginner to start an orchestra for children based on review, please send two copies to: San Diego Sven-Erik Seaholm of source material, including original com - Troubadour, P.O. Box 164, La Jolla, CA 92038. level musicians and singers, and as Chatwin “El Sistema” from Venezuela. This revolu - José Sinatra positions and works by American jazz icon points out, auditions are not required. tionary teaching method, featured in a 60 SUBMITTING A CALENDAR LISTING Allen Singer Ralph Towner and Australian composers Email your gig date, including location, address, D. Dwight Worden “We have an exceptionally good faculty Minutes feature last year, has been shown Wolfgang Muthspiel and Nigel Westlake. and time to [email protected] by that can take you to Carnegie Hall or to for over 30 years to effectively teach very the 22rd of the month prior to publication. Cover design: Chuck Schiele Their father, Edward, also wrote a composi - sing at a backyard barbeque, depending on young children to play classical music tion and both their father and mother, Irina, ©2009 San Diego Troubadour. the musician,” she said, “But everyone is instruments as young as age four, and play instruments on the . welcome.” includes all interested children including Slava and Leonard Grigoryan have been The San Diego Troubadour is dedicated to the memory of Weekend workshops featuring expert those living in poverty. The ethnically Ellen and Lyle Duplessie , whose vision inspired the creation of this newspaper. playing together for over eight years. Slava, musicians, , and performers have diverse population in Linda Vista includes the older brother, is an established solo artist been a regular part of the center’s curricula some economically disadvantaged children who has been performing with many top since early 2007. These have included class - who will be welcome in the Orchestra, with orchestras worldwide since 1994, including es by classical guitarist Celino Romero, a financial aid for those who qualify. the London Philharmonic, Israel Symphony workshop and concert with Nashville song - In the meantime, even without walls for Orchestra, and the Hong Kong Sinfonietta as writer Lisa Aschmann, and other opportuni - now, Villa Musica continues to provide San well as many chamber and string quartet ties for more experienced musicians and stu - Diego musicians and music lovers with a ensembles. He has also toured international - dents. The center also sponsors recitals and musical home. ly with his brother and as a solo artist, and concerts by visiting artists, which include released six solo CDs and many collabora - the Grigoryan Brothers this month. tive recordings. He won an ARIA award for Classes regularly involve 75 to 110 stu - Best Classical Album in 2002 with Sonatas dents in quarterly classes, an annual base of and Fantasies , and with his brother was around 450. The classes have not only been nominated for another ARIA award in 2003 a valuable resource for the students as a for their first recording, Play . place to learn and play but have also helped Leonard, nine years younger than Slava,

www.sandiegotroubadour.com 3 OCTOBER 2009 SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR full circle Jim McInnes: The Face of San Diego Radio for Nearly 40 Years, Part 2

by Raul Sandelin With Jim on bass, Land Piranha “played McInnes in 2007 continued from last month’s issue ’60s garage tunes like Paul Revere and the Raiders, , and MC5 with a little Cheap Trick and even Ritchie Blackmore’s couple of months after McInnes was Rainbow thrown in.” Land Piranha gigged fired by KGB, local San Diego musi - until 1981, often at the Spirit Club, and were cians banded together to throw Jim a A featured on a live compilation album titled big going away party at the Catamaran Hotel’s Who’s Listening? McInnes with Modern Rhythm, 1999 Cannibal Bar, featuring ten bands and drawing After a long hiatus, Jim joined Modern what hotel management described as one of its Rhythm in 1999, a band that had formed biggest-ever Sunday crowds. “In fact,” Jim continues, “the high-pitched locally in 1982 and included former members Soon, McInnes was scrambling to retool his sound bite ‘What!?!’ that is still used during of Land Piranha, Burning Bridges, and Claude broadcast career. Fortunately, the competition KGB bits was sampled from a Firesign Theater Coma’s band, the I.V.’s, as well as drummer was more than happy to take him. And, Jim skit, although I can’t remember which one.” Jack Pinney of Iron Butterfly, Glory, Shames, went to work as the afternoon drive jock for The humor consisted of creating non-sequiturs and Jacks fame. McInnes inserted himself on McInnes interviewing Ian Anderson, 2003 103.7 The Planet, the other “classic rock” sta - McInnes in Land Pirhana, 1979 using soundbites from comedy records, rhythm guitar with, as he puts it, “the occa - tion at the time. With his typical sense of movies, and TV, and juxtaposing those with sional ham-fisted solo.” Modern Rhythm, a humor and knack for puns, and longing for Jim is funny. Now, 100 percent of radio jocks live bits and other sampled material. Couple blues, swing, and boogie outfit, played their the more obscure boundaries of rock, McInnes try to be funny. There was a jock once who that with an uncanny eye for the topical and first gig with McInnes on the KGB Skyshow developed an on-air Sunday show called went into hysterics every time he changed the naturally absurd, and KGB has developed a parking lot stage in 1999, and went on to play “Vinyl Resting Place,” which featured B-Sides word “rainbow” to “rainblow,” hysterics that brand of humor that has stayed fresh for 35 the OMBAC Coming-Out Party for six years and other lesser-heard tracks. “Resting Place” culminated only after the traffic on Clarence years. (opening for the Farmers, the Smithereens, lasted two-and-a-half years until the Planet Weed Boulevard had been delivered. Despite Jim also describes this KGB humor as and even the Platters) as well as Streetscene in switched formats in 2005. the fact that DJs have been hanging upside “intelligent comedy,” which brings up a last 2001-2 and an estimated 120 other gigs until In the meantime, Jim approached KSDS down, wearing underwear intended for the point: Jim McInnes is smart. He goes beyond McInnes left in 2006. Today, without a band, Jazz 88.3. Always a quiet aficionado of jazz opposite gender, and riding bicycles designed the standard bob-and-weave, jive, jump, and Jim continues to jam around town and with going back to his days at “free form” WIBA- for circus chimps for decades, the pass rate on wail most often found on rock radio and is friends. Still, he remains intrigued by “the art FM in Madison, McInnes has an extensive the Air Jock Funny Test is less than one per - just as able to dive into his brain and pull out of playing in a band where the whole is more knowledge about the genre although, he cent. This puts JM in the PM on the FM in an a literary quote as quickly as a piece of rock than the sum of its parts.” McInnes with Julian Lennon, 1998 admits, it was difficult at first shaking his 30- elite category. Moreover, McInnes helped trivia. He learned to speak what he calls McInnes is also well known as a friend of “kitchen Russian” long ago, which helped get year reputation as a “Rock Jock.” Nevertheless, develop what could best be described as KGB the McInnes family resume. His wife, Sandi the San Diego music scene and a connoisseur him around Moscow when he was sent there he was eventually able to convince manage - humor, the brand of comedy that KGB has put Banister, whom he met in 1979 when she was of the outer, less-populated edges of popular by KGB. He even understands a smattering of ment that his jazz pedigree was for real and out from the News Brothers of the 1970s to working for the competition – KPRI – is the music. “I know what it’s like to be in a band,” “restaurant Japanese.” He is well-read and he’s been working regularly at Jazz 88.3 since the KGB Chicken to Delaney and Prescott, promotions manager at Fox 5 (KSWB). His Jim says. In 1974, there was zero exposure for likes to read. And, when he’s not writing traffic 2006. At the same time, he found a place in then, Berger and Prescott in the ’80s to the stepdaughter, Danyell has followed her parents San Diego musicians. “I simply tried to breathe reports and newscasts, McInnes writes a town to work off his well-known knack for number-one rated “Dave, Shelly, and Chainsaw into the media business, working now at Cox some life into the small but thriving music monthly column in the San Diego Troubadour . one-liners. Besides working at Jazz 88.3, he Show” of today. Media after spending several years at KSON, scene here.” As already mentioned, he spent In the last ten years, he has even taken up oil also nailed down radio’s equivalent of a 9-to-5 “We were all listening to George Carlin, the KBEST, KIFM, and KFMB Channel 8. Jim’s two 10 years mentoring both the KGB Homegrown painting. job, doing traffic and news for KFMB-AM and Credibility Gap, , and especially stepsons, however, did venture away from the and later the on-air “Homegrown It wasn’t always like this Jim is quick to “traffic with personality” on the sister station, the Firesign Theater,” McInnes remembers. family industry. Dustin, also known as Dirty, Hour.” And, he’s mc’d hundreds of local add: “I was a poor student in high school, Jack-FM. For the latter, he also maintains a The original News Brothers – Brad Messer and who toured as a tech/ with shows, making friends with all of San Diego’s poor grades, no social skills,” McInnes says. blog. Today, he can be heard over 45 times per Brent Seltzer – along with the program direc - Rocket from the Crypt and is a musician in his rock royalty along the way. But, he’s also But, a couple of teachers turned that around. day on the two KFMB stations. tors of the early ’70s were especially influ - own right with his band Beehive and the designed a number of eclectic radio programs The result today is San Diego’s thinking man’s Thus, these are the two radio lives of Jim enced by Firesign Theater. Jeff Prescott, whom Barracudas, went on to become a high school too. From 1977’s “Modern World,” which fea - Rock Jock. McInnes: The first life he spent at one of the McInnes describes as an immense comedic tal - teacher. Oldest stepson Lee is a master ser - tured emerging punk, to “Off the Wall” to Beyond it all, the guy who has interviewed country’s top radio stations for nearly 30 years. ent, joined KGB in 1975, and a host of other, geant in the U.S. Army, now serving in Iraq. “Private Stock” to “Rock n’ Roll Museum,” and rubbed shoulders with Frank Zappa, The second life has entailed jumping between now-legendary KGB personalities such as Still the tug of 1970s FM radio is still dedicated to early rock pioneers such as Jerry Rush, Def Leppard, Cheap Trick, Yoko Ono, four stations in the last seven years, at present Gabriel Wisdom, Mike Berger, Bill Hergonson, there. As we conclude our interview by phone, Lee Lewis, , and Link Wray, Jim Julian Lennon, the Stones, Angus Young and working for three of those stations simultane - Erik Thompson, and the late John Leslie Jim apologizes because he needs to let out his has created Sunday night and lunch hour for - Bon Scott from AC/DC, Robert Plant and ously. joined soon after. In the 80s, Cookie dog, Zeppelin, now barking in the back - mats that reach deep into both the blossoming Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin, Ian Anderson, Yet, because of Jim’s consistent on-air “Chainsaw” Randolph and Chris Boyer would ground. Realizing the potential cliché of nam - underground and the forgotten vaults of rock Huey Lewis, Bob Seger, Kiss, Heart’s Ann demeanor and level-headed tone, it’s as if he’s join the station, forming a link between the ing one’s dog after yesteryear’s biggest rock ‘n’ roll. As he puts it, “I like turning people on Wilson, ZZ Top, the Moody Blues, Steve Allen, never budged in nearly four decades. Although 1970s talent and the morning show headed by band, Jim pauses for a moment, then, justifies to stuff I like.” Doc Severinson, Ed McMahon, astronaut Scott the call letters have changed, JM on either the Dave Rickards and Shelly Dunn that has been the canine’s nomenclature by adding, “You see: Another trait that singles Jim McInnes out Carpenter, Ray Manzarek, and many others is FM or the AM is still holding court in the AM a staple on KGB, more or less, since 1991. She’s a Black Dog .” from the huddled masses of “air talent” is that and the PM. The fact that Jim has lived these truly a solid family man. Proudly, Jim recites two radio lives has only underscored his insti - tutional status in San Diego radio. There are many ingredients that have made Jim McInnes such as success in radio, many reasons why, as mentioned last month in part one of this article, he has risen above the usual schlock of commercial radio. In a business where the key to success is selling the spon - sor’s product, it’s difficult to stay genuine. One of the reasons McInnes has garnered so much respect is his encyclopedic knowledge of pop - ular music, from rock to jazz to blues to the more experimental fringes. This is because McInnes is a musician himself. As stated, he started playing guitar in high school. Adding bass to that, he has been playing for some 45 years. Humbly, he’ll tell you that his playing is “more enthusiasm than skill.” But, after all of these years, he definitely holds his own on stage, becoming a local musician of some renown. He played in college bands while still in Illinois and even put together a jam band called the Bizarro Brothers during his few years in Madison. After moving to San Diego and becoming a fixture in the local scene, he co-founded Land Piranha in 1979. “In retro - spect, it seems like we were destined to be an opening act for the Penetrators, because we must have played half our gigs with them!” (the Penetrators, featuring Dan McClain, who would later morph into Country Dick Montana, listed McInnes as a “spiritual advi - sor” on one of their albums.)

4 www.myspace.com/sandiegotroubadour OCTOBER 2009 SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR full circle t l u a v o C

e v e t S

Recordially, Lou Curtiss : o t o h P P h

SAM HINTON when Sam sang “Lost John” and told a story o Folk Festivals held between 1967 and 1987 t o : P

about the song. I couldn’t wait to get home (17 of them at SDSU, and one each at the S h t o and tell my Dad that someone we had on a e Globe Theater in Balboa Park, San Diego t v o e :

C

P record played at my school and he lived High School, and UCSD). During that time o e t v e

here in San Diego. a (in the ’70s) he ran a series of concert/class - r u

F l t

i es at UCSD called “The Folk Musicians,”

g From that time on I heard Sam from e n time to time on the radio and also from which featured artists like Jimmy time to time on television and we even went Driftwood, Thomas Shaw, Sandy and to see him play a couple of times. When the Caroline Paton, Utah Phillips, Michael early coffee house scene started, I remember Cooney, Alan Mills, and others (many of seeing him more often. At some of the early whom also appeared at the Folk Festivals). San Diego Folksong Society meetings, at the When the Folk Festival’s ended at SDSU, Ballad Man in La Jolla, or the Upper Cellar Sam continued to do house concerts for me and Circe’s Cup in the San Diego State area and play at area clubs like the Old Time as well as some others. If there was a Cafe and Drowsy Maggie’s. When the Lou Curtiss Hootenanny going on for a good cause in Festivals started up again in 1994 he was those days, Sam was a part of it (I remem - ready to continue doing them. He continued to relisten to a lot of Sam’s performances. To ber seeing Sam and about 1960 or to appear at the now called Adams Avenue each Festival he played, he brought some - so at a Peace Walk and concert at the Roots Festivals until his retirement. The last thing of the familiar and something of the Church of the Brethren in North Park). one he did was in 2001. obscure. He taught us about the music In a way Sam marked the beginning of Phil Harmonic with Sam on his 90th I can’t really get around the idea of start - while he was entertaining us with it. In a set t seems like Sam Hinton and his songs my involvement in all these Folk Festivals . birthday at SD Folk Song Society ing and continuing a series of festivals now where he performed “The Barnyard Song” have always been a part of my life. I I In the summer of 1962 Michael Cooney was without the advice and encouragement of or “The Eagle’s Whistle” for the ten thou - first ran into the name when my Dad and I one to continue the group, so Curt Bouterse a student at San Diego State and he wanted Sam Hinton. He came to me after the sec - sandth time, he would also pull out an old were poking through 78 records at a war and I passed out a leaflet and called a meet - to bring Sam Hinton out to the College for a ond or third festival and said the work I was pop song from the age of vaudeville, or a surplus store in Lake City, Washington ing to talk it over, speak our mind, and concert but needed an on campus organiza - doing was too important for him to take any song that he proudly announced that he (north of Seattle a bit, it’s now part of the decide to do something about it. The result tion to do that and so he formed the pay for doing it but rather to take his pay had learned just last week and share it with city). It was a place called the Three G.I.’s was the Campus Organized Folksingers & Campus Organized Folksingers. The concert and use it to bring another traditional per - us. In a lifetime in which Sam learned and (they advertised on the radio “I’m George! Folksong Society, with Sam as an honorary came off and all was well. In the fall former out. But please don’t publicize it, he performed some 5,000 songs and shared I’m Don! I’m Buford! We’re the three G.I.’s, co-chairman and inspiration. Michael had moved on and there was no said. He didn’t want those who did take pay most of them with us, we here in San Diego those happy go lucky guys. We don’t pay no During the ’60s I ran into Sam at a vari - to feel bad, and maybe they needed it more are truly blessed to have had him with us rent, cuz our business is in a tent”). They ety of places. I was on the move a lot and so than he did. for so many years. The responsibility we had what seems to me in retrospect about was Sam. I saw him at festivals in Newport, In getting all the tapes from those festi - now have is to keep his legacy alive. an acre of 78 records, all of them nine cents UCLA, Berkeley, Washington DC, and clubs vals together for the UCLA and Library of each. It was 1949 or 1950 and Dad bought a and house concerts. I heard him on the Recordially Congress libraries, I’ve had an opportunity Folksay album on the Asch label with a Canadian Broadcasting System with Alan Lou Curtiss couple of songs on it and a Mills (I only learned later that he had a solo record on the ABC label of “Lost John” CBC network series of programs). Here in and “Old Man Atom.” San Diego, along with his radio and TV Almost two years later we came to San work, he appeared at (and did part of the Diego and it took me a year or so to run organizing of) a San Diego Folk Festival out into Sam Hinton again. I don’t remember at Cal Western University (currently the whether it was a school assembly at Point Loma Nazarene University) in 1965 Southwest Junior High School or some - (two years before we started the ones at where on the radio but it was probably the SDSU), which featured , the radio because I seem to remember already Kentucky Colonels, Stu Jamieson, Bess knowing about him before the assembly. I Hawes, and Sam. made the connection with the old 78 record He was part of all 20 of the San Diego Sam on the radio, 1948

www.sandiegotroubadour.com 5 OCTOBER 2009 SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR front porch

There’s Something About Mary by Patty Hall our own LP record to play on the new family ents enrolled her in New York’s private and hi-fi. My sister Debbie chose Through progressive Little Red Schoolhouse. In a ebruary 9, 1963 was an ordinary Children’s Eyes , a live album by the Limeliters. December 1963 article in Hootenanny maga - Saturday night in the Hayward hills. I’d My brother Mike’s selection: a record of Alvin zine, Mary recalled, “In our class of ’35, there Ftaken a bubble bath, washed and set and the Chipmunks. For me, it was a no- were no less than ten kids who played the gui - my hair on hard plastic rollers, and in true 14- brainer—I bought the album titled simply, tar. We didn’t drink as teenagers. We were too year-old fashion, fallen asleep listening to Peter, Paul and Mary . busy playing that guitar to get loaded. On KEWB-91 AM, the local teen-programmed I nearly wore out that record, and soon, Saturday nights we would go to the Henry radio station. I awoke the next morning, grog - seemingly by osmosis, I had learned every Street Settlement House, where they had folk gy from a night of vivid dreams. Feeling dis - song. Now it was official – although I was yet dancing. After the dancing was through, there oriented, and with a strange feeling in the pit to see the group in person, I was a fan. From was an hour or so of singing where anyone of my stomach, I sat down and wrote in my there it was a natural step to collect anything could get up and give out a tune.” “Keep Out” diary: and everything about the group, and so I spent It was there in the Travers home that Pete February 10, 1963 hours doing so – pasting magazine articles, Seeger (who had become a family friend) occa - newspaper promos, TV Guide listings, black- sionally used the basement for music The weirdest thing happened. All last night was and-white photos onto scrapbook pages. And rehearsals. As a result, Mary got to know such filled with vivid dreams about going to see Peter, then pouring over them – nothing seemed to folk luminaries as Brownie McGhee and the Paul, and Mary perform in Berkeley. When I escape my scrutiny. I haunted record stores for Reverend Gary Davis. Later, when she was a woke up, it was so depressing because I can’t go posters, and weekly trips to the downtown teen, she sang in a group organized by Pete see them in concert today. Then, for no reason I store to pick up the “KEWB-91 Fabulous Seeger called the Songswappers. couldn’t wait to read the Sunday paper, and when Forty Survey,” which was a one-page chart. I I looked in the “El Dorado” section of the May 17, 1963 was thrilled that on April 13, 1963, “Puff the Oakland Tribune – ESP! There was their picture Today was Sunday. Finally finished another let - Magic Dragon” and their album Moving , both on the front page! Every time I think of them I ter to Peter, Paul, and Mary and I tried so hard charted at number three. almost cry because I want to go see them so to make it appealing. I pray every night that I badly. Patty February 11, 1963 will get an answer or reply and hope that I do Got my test back in science. Got an A. There’s no for I like them so so much. I resolve to be a I hadn’t made plans to attend the Peter, school tomorrow (Lincoln’s birthday). It’s the folksinger when I grow up. Patty P. S. Decided to Paul and Mary concert that Sunday afternoon strangest thing – I think I am infatuated with buy a . P. in Berkeley because, quite frankly, it hadn’t Peter, Paul, and Mary. I think it’s because I iden - been high on my list. But now, after this trans - The Songswappers we weren’t, but by tify with them and want to be so much like them, forming night of dreams, I felt left out and spring of ’63, I’d helped organize a hootenanny especially Mary. I think it’s because of all those strangely heartbroken that I wasn’t going to band at Hayward High called the dreams I had. Patty join the other fans at the Berkeley Community Songspinners, a name that was obvious nod to Mary Travers Theater. Little did I know that all of this was Although the full group had certainly cap - Mary’s high school group. I was now able to prelude to a long love affair with one of tured my attention (I was mildly intrigued show off my budding banjo skills and songs and corn silk hair, I was struck dumb. My came out, and when I was finally face to face America’s most well-known folksinging with the be-suited and bearded fellows, Peter I’d memorized off my PP&M albums. There idols, now, finally, in front of me, in person. and showed them my scrapbooks, both oohed groups. and Paul), my growing fascination was with were five of us, and in selecting our material There was Peter, the Talmudic intense one, and ahhed over my efforts, and sent me off My sudden adolescent love affair was not Mary. Lithe and blonde, mysterious and we good-naturedly upheld a Hatfields-McCoys and Paul, the funny loose-jointed one. And with hugs and kisses. I was on Cloud Nine, without backstory. The previous summer, husky-voiced, the graceful and womanly Mary style feud: vs. Peter, Paul, then – there was Mary. despite the fact that my true idol had not while at Camp Celio, a Camp Fire Girl Camp Travers was everything I wanted to be. And I and Mary. It was this ragtag group of friends Tall and lanky, full of unbridled energy, shown her face backstage. But, it was okay. It in the Sierras, I’d heard, for the first wanted to know everything about her. It was - who, knowing how heartbroken I’d been to and flipping her hair like a mane, she was a only made the lissome, ethereal Mary Travers time, two songs played on accordion by one of n’t long before I did. have missed Peter, Paul, and Mary’s February Palomino pony. Her voice was husky, and she all the more intriguing and mysterious. my camp counselors. The melodious sweet - Mary Allin Travers was born on 1963 concert, promised to escort me to see my sang with her eyes closed, one foot in front of Following that first concert, becoming ness of these two tunes, wafting through the November 9, 1936, in Louisville, Kentucky, to beloved group the next time they came to the other, hand outstretched, palm up, Mary Travers became a full-time pursuit. pines, stopped me dead in my tracks. When I novelist Robert Travers and a newspaper town. beseeching the audience to merge with the Admittedly, most of that was about the hair. asked what they were, she told me the titles: reporter who wrote under the pen name The concert date finally rolled around on emotion of each song. Here she was, in real Mine couldn’t grow fast enough, and the fact “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” and Virgina Coigney. Both parents were active in November 15, 1963. I chose an all-black outfit life, Mary-the-mysterious, who sang and that it was thick and curly and dishwater “,” adding she’d learned them from union activities, and Mary’s first public per - and we all piled into Barbara Wallis’ mom’s swayed, tossed her hair, and didn’t speak a sin - blonde didn’t deter me. Clandestine bathroom an album by a new folk singing group called formance was at five years old on a picket line. station wagon, and arrive 30 minutes before gle word on stage. Later I read that her stage meetings with Miss Clairol and Curl Free, aug - Peter, Paul, and Mary. The Travers family migrated to New York concert time. When the houselights finally silence was an enforced part of the plan, so she mented by morning sessions at the ironing Later that fall, my father took my brother, City, just ahead of a massive flood that wiped dimmed, and the three finally ran out onstage, would appear more intriguing and alluring. board, my sister Debbie commandeering the sister, and me to his favorite record store on out their family home in Louisville. Settling hand-in-hand, all blue suits, beards, , And only after she began talking on stage iron, resulted in semi-straight, almost plat - Berkeley’s Telegraph Avenue to buy each of us into a house built by Aaron Burr, Mary’s par - years hence, would I realize how completely inum tresses that I could sort of swing and this had muzzled her outspoken, thought-pro - hide behind, just like Mary. voking views about world peace and social I couldn’t fight the height thing (I stood 5’ justice and rollicking sense of humor. 3” to Mary’s 5’ 10”), so I took to wearing And so, there I sat, transfixed, in the three-inch heels and solid color sheath-style fourth row of the San Jose Civic Auditorium dresses to school. I insisted that my mom alter (ticket price $4.50), drinking in the perform - a Simplicity pattern in order to duplicate a ance in with all my senses. Following the con - blue crepe dress Mary had worn in some of cert, my friends pushed me backstage, to show her photos. the group my scrapbook and to see if we could get some autographs. Peter and Paul both continued on page 14

6 www.myspace.com/sandiegotroubadour OCTOBER 2009 SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR front porch Moog Exhibit Showcases an Innovator’s Spirit

by Mike Alvarez honor his memory and advance the phonic rock vocalist Lana Lane, and cause of electronic music. As Moog- Moog’s son Matthew. In a humorous t first glance, the Museum of Koussa opened her presentation, she aside, Michelle Moog-Koussa revealed Making Music in Carlsbad, stated that their goals are to “teach that as children, she and her siblings ACalifornia, appears to be the children science through Moog instru - were referred to as “Mini-Moogs.” embodiment of a paradox. The ultra- ments, preserve Bob Moog’s archives, Erik Norlander is perhaps the busiest modern facility, nestled amidst a and to create the Bob Moog Moog artist of the modern era. He can sparkling collection of equally new ‘Moogseum’ in Asheville, North list performance and production credits structures, houses a whole assortment Carolina.” She expressed their hope with Rocket Scientists, Lana Lane, and of musical instruments and artifacts that Moog’s legacy would “inspire Asia featuring John Payne. He has that date back many decades. The vari - future engineers, musicians, and inno - recorded several solo albums and has ous guitars, ukuleles, drums, keyboards, vators. Musicians brought these instru - taken on many side projects, most horns, gramophones, and amplifiers ments to life. They provided feedback recently Roswell Six, the supergroup could easily merit the term “antique” for their evolution. They inspired my collaboration with science fiction or “vintage.” In all honesty, the same father, and his instruments inspired author Kevin J. Anderson. This might be said about some of the items them.” On hand was a group of such evening’s performance was notable for in the new exhibit, “Waves of musicians called the Volt Per Octaves, a its energy and polish, featuring classics Inspiration: The Legacy of Bob Moog,” husband, wife, and daughter team from his vast catalog including which opened on August 29 and con - whose mission is to create music exclu - “Neurosaur,” “Dreamcurrents,” tinues through April 30, 2010. A good sively with Moog equipment. They “Trantor Station,” “Sky Full of Stars,” number of them showed technological demonstrated this on a stage set inside and his traditional finale, “Space: hallmarks of a bygone era like patch the exhibit, to the delight of the many 1999/UFO.” Deftly maneuvering Bob Moog cords, reel-to-reel tape units, and oscil - synthesizer aficionados present. Such is amidst a complex rig of Moog instru - loscopes. Yet to simply characterize their devotion that husband Nick ments, he expertly combined virtuosity these as artifacts of yesteryear does a Montoya has a Moog logo tattooed on and technology to create a richly complex progressive rock tour-de-force that Moog manufactured and popular - disservice to the forward-thinking his bicep! orchestrated sound that was both mod - in several movements. Having long ized. This duet performance showed visionary that was Dr. Robert A. Moog. Items come from private collections ern and retro. A longtime devotee of since retrieved his modular Moog from the contrast between the two artists’ His innovations revolutionized the as well as the Moog Archives, which progressive rock, he is dedicated to Norlander, it now towered over his side styles. Emerson displayed a more disso - way music is made. Artists like Wendy contributed over 250 pieces. A num - bringing the genre into the modern of the stage. He put it through its paces nant and experimental approach, Carlos, Tomita, and Jean-Michel Jarre ber of them are even signed by the age. “I grew up on progressive rock, on ELP classics like “From the whereas Norlander’s is more melodic eagerly used the new palette of elec - man himself. Of particular interest are and the Moog synthesizers really are a Beginning” and “Lucky Man”. With and precise. They finished by inviting a tronic sounds to create a whole genre rare prototypes of historical units, huge part of that sound. It’s everything typical British humor, he likened it to drummer on stage for an extended jam of experimental music. The sounds of including a 1964 modular synthesizer from Minimoog leads to Taurus pedal “a 1940s telephone switchboard.” An of the ELP arena classic, “Fanfare for Moog synthesizers penetrated into that once belonged to electronic com - basses — that’s really the sound of unexpected pleasure was “Close to the Common Man,” giving both key - mainstream popular music as well, poser Herb Deutsch, and the prog. So as I began to develop my own Home,” an exquisite solo from boardists a chance to strut their stuff. infiltrating the airwaves through songs Minimoog Voyager. Early versions of voice as a keyboardist, the Moog sound the Black Moon album. Emerson’s casu - This performance, as well as the exhib - by such wildly diverse acts as Yes, the Moogerfooger guitar pedal occupy was absolutely essential.” And indeed, al approach to his set was a very appro - it are good indications that Bob Moog’s Emerson Lake and Palmer, Giorgio a place of honor in a display window. Norlander practices what he preaches. priate choice. Because he is not com - legacy will be long-lived. A legendary Moroder, Parliament Funkadelic, Rush, As visitors progress through the muse - His own modular Moog synthesizer, monly seen in such an intimate venue, musician is still going strong while an Devo, and Stevie Wonder. The signa - um, they can view numerous photos called the “Wall of Doom” by fans, is a it gave listeners a very rare and up- artist who was once his protege shares ture “fat analog sound” of a Minimoog and articles. There is also a richly behemoth of a rig that he constructed close experience. the stage, carrying the torch into the keyboard can be heard in hit singles detailed text commentary accompany - after borrowing Keith Emerson’s instru - The evening concluded with both future. The museum exhibit gives the like ’ “Lido Shuffle,” Heart’s ing each exhibit that relates the history ment for a sampling project. “I had gentlemen re-taking the stage for an public a rare opportunity to view some “Magic Man,” and Herbie Hancock’s of each item and its significance in this amazing instrument in my studio encore, starting with “The Princely truly historic instruments and inven - “Chameleon.” Dr. Moog held a remark - Moog’s career. The museum will con - for a couple of weeks. I was just Hours,” a song Norlander composed tions, many of them from Moog’s own able fondness and respect for such tinue to host Moog-related events knocked out by it — this was the most specifically for the Bob Moog archives. And, finally, his daughter is musicians, as evidenced by the numer - throughout the exhibition’s run, fea - beautiful, most expressive, most alive Foundation. After laying down the running a foundation that serves as a ous quotes on placards that were post - turing synthesizer pioneers and experts synthesizer I had ever played. From rhythmic and textural groundwork, he focal point for his work, ensuring its ed throughout the exhibition. He con - Larry Fast, Brian Kehew, George Duke, those sessions I decided to find and/or cued Emerson to take a number of preservation and making it accessible sidered his work to be “more than an Herb Deutsch, John Eaton, David build my own modular Moog synth.” solos, one of which was on the to the public so that that it can contin - engineering exercise. Every good idea Borden, and Josh Oxford. He concludes by saying, “The sound of Theremin, an electronic instrument ue to inspire future generations. of ours has come about through the The grand finale of the evening was Moog synthesizers is like no other. It collaboration with musicians.” He a special performance by legendary has a living, breathing quality to it never worried that his inventions Moog artist Keith Emerson and 21st along with a rich, velvety tonality that would replace artists because “you have century Moog standard-bearer, Erik is just so musical. A Moog synthesizer to be a musician in order to make Norlander. Fans of both men traveled will sit in a track in a way that no music with a synthesizer.” He consid - from as far away as Palmdale, other synth will — it occupies a partic - ered music to be a transcendental lan - Cleveland, and New Jersey in order to ular sonic space and therefore fulfills a guage and regarded himself primarily witness this incredibly rare pairing. unique purpose in an arrangement.” as a toolmaker. Based on overheard conversations it Keith Emerson, whose multi-plat - The exhibit’s opening was a gala was easy to deduce that many atten - inum career has spanned decades, is affair, with a reception hosted by dees were musicians themselves. One best known as one-third of the progres - Michelle Moog-Koussa, the executive gentleman enthusiastically exclaimed, sive rock trio Emerson, Lake and director of the Bob Moog Foundation “Keith Emerson is my idol!” Palmer. Their unique fusion of rock, and, of course, the inventor’s daughter. Luminaries in the audience included classical, , and blues has been This foundation was established to Synergy synthesist Larry Fast, sym - captured on landmark recordings like Trilogy , Tarkus , Works , and Brain Salad P h

o Surgery . Their epic stage performances t o :

sometimes featured a touring orchestra B o

b as well as Emerson’s levitating and pin -

K

o wheeling grand piano (with the maes - n i g tro strapped aboard, never missing a note!). He also playfully shot flares above the audience with his ribbon controller (another Moog accessory). But showmanship aside, it is Emerson’s virtuosity for which he is most famed. This evening marked the 40th anniver - sary of the Isle of Wight Festival, an event that is commonly acknowledged as having launched Emerson, Lake and Palmer to international superstardom. While accustomed to performing in huge arenas, he was equally at home in the small museum auditorium, sharing humorous career anecdotes between Keith Emerson, Michelle Moog-Koussa, Erik Norlander at the gala opening. songs. Particularly impressive was his solo piano interpretation of Tarkus , a www.sandiegotroubadour.com 7 OCTOBER 2009 SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR front porch

you], you pull away from everything. I lost all focus and moved away from the things Finds Renewal that made me whole,” Saba reflects. With the re-launch of Spinster Records, Saba is also renewing her commitment to music as a profession. “I’ve found the moti - in Music and Community vation again and I’m not willing to give that up.” Moreover, she’s rediscovered the value of working within a community and work - ing to create the right environment around by Will Edwards days and months. By reinvesting in Spinster identity are connected in someway to the her – part of the idea behind Spinster Records now, Saba is finding a cause that people and places in her hometown. Records itself. “[I want] to support artists n October 17, Saba, a San Diegan motivates her to also give herself musical Between 2003 and 2006, Saba had a who are willing and wanting to do it inde - with an established and successful direction. But, that’s not to say that she’ll be tight-knit and very social group of friends in pendently – musicians who are dedicated to history as a songwriter, will be re- picking up where she left off, exactly. All San Diego. They’d hang out, play shows and Saba O the craft of making music.” launching a project from the past. Since her three of the original acts on the label have have drinks at the Ould Sod in Normal Saba still lives in LA and commutes to music career started in 2001, she has faced progressed in their own right since the Heights. Initially this was a great outlet in San Diego added to the stress of adjusting. San Diego regularly to visit with family, many of the challenges that make a career label’s lapse in cohesion a few years ago. which creative people could share their out - However, having her independence back rehearse and perform with her band. There in music so hard. But, she has also over - While it may be a good thing to regroup, looks and relate to each other. But, over the and having assurance that she’d made the is new music and some of her influences come plenty of personal hurdles. Spinster Saba says that’s not really the intention. course of a few years her experience became right decision was a consolation that helped have changed. But, she still finds the same Records, an independent that “We’re starting over.” anything but engaging. “The intention her slowly build a group of friends. “It was excitement in writing that she’s always she founded in 2003 will come back to life Originally, Spinster Records took shape behind [each day] changed from hanging a gradual thing where I started to feel more found. “I lost sight of what music does for as Saba herself renews her commitment to as an all-girl coalition. This was in part out with other songwriters [and friends]. It at home. LA can feel like a really lonely me. But, it still has the same level of impor - music, friends, family, and life. because Saba, Steph Johnson, and Joanie felt like Groundhog Day . Every day was the place if you don’t have a good group of tance for me.” Where her music career is Mendenhall all had experienced challenges same and every night was the same.” She IN THE BEGINNING friends.” concerned, her measure of success has that were unique to being women in the was watching a slow-motion progression Spinster Records began as a foundation for As Saba put her roots down in LA, her changed dramatically. “When I started out music scene. “My perspective may be differ - that she felt she needed relief from. “It launching Saba’s debut EP Letters to Doe in music also began to flow again. She man - doing music in San Diego, that was my one ent,” says Saba, “but I feel there’s a sort of became very depressing. I didn’t have much 2004. By creating the label Saba was signal - aged to establish herself in LA’s music scene and only focus,” Saba says. She says she novelty attached to the idea of being a to write [songs] about,” she recalls. Those ing a shift in her own career at the time, and in 2008 she released her third record – feels that way again. “My head is in the female musician. I can’t tell you how many years culminated in the release of her sec - moving toward a more professional an EP suitably titled The Fallout . As the title game, finally.” times I’ve been compared to Jewel – the first ond record Elbow Club – a darker set of approach that included a broad view of implies, Saba was writing about the fallout [female] artist someone thinks of [in San songs that captured the songwriter’s mood BACK TO BASICS music as both an art and a business. Early of social challenges, life-changes, and (per - Diego]. That was a frustration at the time.” at the time. “ Elbow Club was the last CD I After eight years of writing, recording, and on, the label was little more than a business haps most difficult) relationships. Songs like Their common ground led to all three put out in San Diego and I just remember it performing in Southern California, Saba has façade. Over time, however, Spinster “Sad Little Boys” and “So Empty Now” were artists sharing a desire to change San Diego’s being a really heavy record.” The album was discovered, misplaced, and rediscovered her Records attracted interest from other local dark portrayals of love lost and love assumptions. “We were trying to focus on successful enough, but Saba still felt she passion for music. She can reflect on the artists who were seeking a similar founda - betrayed. But, despite the morbid themes, promoting female singer-songwriters.” But needed to move on and move away. influence that she has had on her communi - tion for their music careers. there was a creative return to music as a in its newest incarnation, Spinster Records was familiar territory since ty and the influence that her community Several months after the Letters to Doe healer and other songs like “Best Damn will be open to all. “If I like an artist, it she’d gone to University there. It seemed has had on her. Her music has new depth, release, Saba was introduced to Joanie Thing” showed a more upbeat and positive doesn’t matter if they’re a male or female.” like she’d have some new outlets for music supported by a broad range of experiences Mendenhall at the San Diego Music Awards’ perspective. “The sound [on The Fallout ] is and still remain close enough to home that and personal triumphs. Having led some - acoustic music showcase at Claire de Lune in THE FORGOTTEN YEARS different,” says Saba. “Less heavy, less dark.” she wouldn’t feel isolated or detached. After thing of a double life, working in industry- North Park. Joanie was interested in joining So, what happened to Spinster Records the moving she had nothing else planned. “I RECOVERY AND RENEWAL minded LA while creating in community- the label. Soon after their introduction, Steph first time around? That is a story of art had no job, no apartment, and I figured it The journey through time and music, love, minded San Diego, Saba is also aware that a Johnson (2009 SDMA Nominee) also joined meeting life. In 2006 Saba moved to Los would just work out somehow.” She worked and suffering appears to have brought Saba career in music is more than one thing. Spinster Records. “It became this really cool, Angeles, but not only to pursue music. odd jobs (including a disastrous two-day full circle. However, she isn’t the same artist Saba will hold a special re-launch party tight-knit group of people who were all There were other reasons to make the move. stint as an assistant in guest services at the in 2009 that she was in 2001. She’s keeping for Spinster Records on October 17 at working independently,” Saba remembers. “It wasn’t so much about going to LA to Beverly Hilton) and spent most of the next what she loves most – music, family, and Lestat’s (3393 Adams Ave., San Diego, CA “We each had our own styles and we each pursue music, quite honestly,” Saba recalls. year adjusting to a new city and finding her friends – and moving forward rather than 92116). Other details are available online at had our own goals. But at the same time “It was about needing to leave the situation niche within it. backward. Having lost her focus in the past, www.lestats.com and there was a momentum being built.” I was in.” Saba grew up in San Diego and Living in LA as a student had been a very she’s eager to avoid repeating some of her www.myspace.com/sabaloo . That momentum is something that Saba has lived here for most of her life. As would different experience and being away from mistakes. “Its funny how when you pull is hoping to reconnect with in the coming be expected, most aspects of her personal the life she’d known for the last few years in away from the things [that are important to

8 www.myspace.com/sandiegotroubadour OCTOBER 2009 SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR front porch

www.sandiegotroubadour.com 9 OCTOBER 2009 SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR parlor showcase

by Paul Hormick

istorically, prominent jazz musicians have usually excluded San Diego from their Htour dates. Not a megalopolis and filled with folks who might be more interested in appre - artist in residence ciating the sun and surf than making it to club dates and concerts, San Diego has not offered much of an audience for jazz performers. Besides, we’re also way down in the lower left hand corner of the country, not a convenient stopover for per - formers for whom budgeting travel dollars is always a concern. We have therefore been lucky that, since 1978, alto saxophonist Charles McPherson has made his home here and been a charles mcpherson mainstay for many local clubs and music venues such as the old Elario’s, Jazz Live at City College, and Dizzy’s. From the time that he hit the national scene in 1960, when Charles Mingus hired him to perform in his ensemble, McPherson has maintained a prominent national, and for that matter interna - tional, profile in the jazz world. Besides his asso - ciation with Mingus, McPherson has recorded with Barry Harris, Art Farmer, Kenny Drew, Toshiko Akiyoshi, and has released over 20 albums and CDs as the leader of his own ensemble. For a time he was a member of the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra and worked with Wynton Marsalis as part of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. He has been a bandleader, touring with his own ensem - ble, and has toured with Lionel Hampton, Billy Eckstine, Nat Adderley, and other world- renowned jazz performers. If there were ever a Charles McPherson catego - ry on Jeopardy, one of the answers would proba - bly read something like this: “Provided the saxo - phone solos in this film’s biopic of Charlie Parker.” A contestant would win $200 with the question “What is the film Bird ?” Parker, whose nickname was Yardbird or simply Bird, was jazz’s greatest innovator. In 1988, when Clint Eastwood made the film biography of the alto saxophonist, he chose McPherson to dub the saxophone parts to a great number of the scenes in the film, which depict Parker soloing. When he could, Eastwood used actual recordings of Parker, but many of the old recordings were not in good enough shape for the film. He hired as many of the musicians who actu - ally played with Parker as he could, such as Red Rodney, but it was McPherson who recreated the solos that Forrest Whittaker, the actor who played Parker, mimed his way through. McPherson just celebrated his 70th birthday, but doesn’t look it in the slightest. He lacks the love handles and that spread that men get when they pass middle age. There is a bit of spring in his step, and a common sight in his neighborhood is McPherson on an early morning bicycle ride. If it weren’t for the gray that peppers his hair, he could easily be mistaken for a much younger man. “Just taking care of myself,” which included a tough battle to give up cigarettes several years ago, is the way he sums up his formula for staying so youthful. “And, actually, the way I feel is not much different than the way I felt when I was 40,” he adds. Be bop, the jazz on steroids, which developed in this country in the late 1940s, is what McPherson plays. And it is what he has always played. While , Chick Corea, and other jazz musicians were turning up the amps and bringing rock influences into their mix, McPherson remained true to his bop roots. No matter how hard you try, searching eBay or visiting old record stores, you’ll never find a recording of McPherson “going electric.” For him the opportunities of exploration and expressiveness that are within the realm of bop are so fertile that there was never any desire to step outside its conventions and aesthetic. Be bop is demanding not only of the musicians who play this muscular music, but of the audience as well. Still, McPherson’s solos, while they are filled with the hard energy of bop, are not apt to leave an audience out in the cold. McPherson explains that, no matter where he takes a solo, he always wants his music to retain a melodic struc - ture. “But don’t confuse melodic with melody,” he says. “Melody is a specific succession of notes that a composer has laid down. In jazz it is the song itself. Being melodic is the ability to come up with a musical phrase to connect one musical idea with another. Being melodic is having a tone center, having a strong melodic pull.” While he is soloing, McPherson searches for and plays what he calls “the most powerful and significant notes.” Explaining what these notes are, even to people who may be schooled in

10 www.myspace.com/sandiegotroubadour OCTOBER 2009 SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR parlor showcase

music, is akin to explaining how Superman can fly. would have sufficed. But the scene to check out handwriting.” McPherson says that it’s almost a mystical was in New York. With such famous hot spots as McPherson believes that this individuality was process, something that cannot be taught, to find the Village Vanguard, Birdland, and a thriving club more pronounced in the past and has been lost in the best note at a particular time for a given tonal scene on 42nd Street, it was the jazz capitol of the recent years. “One reason for that is academic. center, with many things at play, both rhythmic, world. When McPherson turned 20 he and a Years ago they didn’t teach jazz in high school or when the note happens, and harmonic, how that friend, trumpeter Lonnie Hillyer, saved up enough colleges. When a player was starting out, learning note fits into a given scale or mode. money to make their living expenses for a few how to play, he was in a local situation. There This musical alchemy is an interactive process; months and headed to New York. Though they weren’t even all that many records back then. McPherson listens to his band’s rhythm section stayed with friends to save money, after three Instead of a hundred records coming out every and the cues that they give him, however, for him months their cash was getting thin, and it was day, there might be a couple of records coming to really succeed in conveying a melodic idea, the looking like the two young musicians would have out every month. Most of what the young fellows Jazz Camp, 2004 rhythm section has to be tuned into him as well, to head back home. They then found out that had to go on was what the older players would to be alert as to where he wants to take things, to Charles Mingus was looking for a saxophonist and show them. There wasn’t anything written down the notes he is choosing, and how he is forming trumpeter to replace Eric Dolphy and Ted Curson, for a player to go by. The older players would his musical lines. When he hires his musicians for who were leaving Mingus’ ensemble to form their show him or tell him verbally. Because of that his ensembles, which often include his son, own musical unit. The multi-instrumentalist Yusef regional styles developed. Back then you could Chuck, on drums, he tries to get the best musi - Lateef, who was from and knew both listen to a horn player or a piano player and tell cians possible, but it’s just as important to make McPherson and Hillyer, recommended the young by the way he played where he came from, you sure they have the right chemistry to play togeth - men to Mingus and got him to drop in on a jam could say ‘He’s from Texas.’ ‘He sounds like he’s er and that they can get tuned into what he plays session where McPherson and Hillyer were play - from Chicago – or Saint Louis.’ and the musical places he wants to take his solos. ing. He hired them on the spot and had them per - “Now you’ve got all these records that every - McPherson was born in Joplin, Missouri, in a form with him that evening. body listens to. And you have programs of jazz home that, as he remembers, was not a particular - McPherson recorded and performed with studies in high school and college, and they have ly musical one. Neither of his parents was a musi - Mingus for the next 12 years. Perhaps reflecting an a wealth of information. They churn out these cian, and there were only a modest number of immensely diverse heritage – Mingus could trace young players who really know how to play,” records to spin on the platter. But from the earli - his roots to England, China, Sweden, and Africa – McPherson says, noting that there are people McPherson with a student est age he remembers the effect music had on he straddled a number of jazz genres, from be graduating from colleges with bachelor degrees in him. “From the time that I was four years old I was bop, to avant-garde to free jazz, almost always jazz studies who know all their scales, inversions, attracted to music. When I was a small child, there performing with larger ensembles. McPherson’s riffs, and licks. He fears, however, that the empha - were bands that would come to town in summer - liking remained for smaller units that could swing sis on didactics and knowledge reduces the time and they would play in the park. My family more. Occasionally, he satisfied his urge to swing chance that the next generation will produce a would go, and I loved that,” he says. And it was by performing in smaller ensembles of his own. Miles Davis or Theoloneus Monk. “The downside the saxophone, with its shiny metal and intriguing He began recording on the Prestige label back in to the academics is that it destroys the sound and curves, that drew his attention. “All the mechanics the early sixties and recorded over a score of artistry of the individual. Things are blurred in this that you see on the instrument were a little fore - record albums and CDs. more modern era, and I believe that the age of boding for me. They looked so complicated,” he Besides his musicianship and reputation as a individual genius for jazz has passed.” says. “But the pearls were quite attractive. The musical iconoclast, Mingus was just as infamous Just as Mark Twain observed that a classic is a instrument itself spoke to me. I liked the sound of for his sometimes sandpaper on sunburn person - book that everyone praises but no one reads, jazz it.” He played in his school orchestra, but the ality and fiery temper. He was the only person is the music that everyone expresses affection school didn’t have enough saxophones to go ever to be personally fired by Duke Ellington for and admiration for, yet few people actually around. (This goes back to the times when schools getting into an on-stage fight with trombonist Juan choose to listen to it. Next time you want to see would provide musi - Tizol. McPherson an overwhelming lack of enthusiasm, suggest to cal instruments to tells a tale of one your friends an outing to a Jeff Hamilton Trio con - their students.) The night at a club date, cert or that it might be good idea to catch Benny young McPherson set - taking offense at a Green at a club date. They will look at you with a tled on playing trum - I put the money in number of patrons combination of confusion and mild disdain, as pet and flugelhorn. who he felt were not though you had just suggested that they all have When he was ten, paying the proper their spleens surgically removed. McPherson is McPherson moved the juke box, heard respect to the resigned and philosophical when it comes to the with his family to music, Mingus left lack of popular appeal for the music that he plays. Detroit in what turned the stage, went to He says, “If it weren’t for Japan and Europe, jazz out to be a turn of Parker, and then… the restroom and would be dead. Outside of a few clubs and some events that guided his retrieved a toilet people who are very devoted to it, jazz doesn’t interests. The house — Charles McPherson plunger, which he exist in the . The reason for that is his family moved to used to attack his that jazz is real music. It is not sexualized; it is was right down the offenders. void of that. When people went to see Sarah street from the McPherson jokes Vaughn or Billy Holiday, or Frank Sinatra, it wasn’t their version of Joe the plumber in Europe will be Bluebird, a very important jazz club whose house that he would not stand too close to the band - because Sarah Vaughn was going to show off her someone who appreciates the arts, music. In Japan band was made up of jazz giants Barry Harris, leader on stage, fearing that someone that Mingus ass or her boobs. Frank Sinatra wasn’t going to go they are enamored with all things American. Jazz is Pepper Adams, Thad Jones, Paul Chambers, and had angered might send a bullet in his direction. out singing shirtless or descend on stage on a American, so they take an interest in it.” Elvin Jones. As McPherson played in his front yard McPherson also composes. Although he never rope in a cloud of smoke. Now, those things, the McPherson remains enviably active. He released he would watch the club’s patrons as they made ventures into the avant-garde or free jazz realms smoke and sexuality, that is the current state of his latest CD, Manhattan Nocturne , just last year. He their way down the street for an evening’s per - as Mingus had, his compositions share with those our pop consciousness. That’s what people go for. keeps a busy calendar, continuing to tour and per - formance. Even at that early age, unable to exact - of Mingus the same sense of surprise. He says, People go see a performer with a nice ass with a form, with dates in this country and overseas. Once ly put his finger on what it was, he was impressed “When it comes to my compositions I feel Mingus’ persona, and that celebrity may or may not be a again, San Diego’s luck continues. He has a stand - with the way the jazz fans looked, how they influence the most. Even in the creative process great singer. That’s not what they’re there for. For ing gig at Anthology, performing there once a dressed and how they conducted themselves. itself, I was influenced by his approach. I remem - pop culture the sexuality is 99 percent of the month. Having celebrated his 70th birthday this Their demeanor set them apart; he somehow ber I’d be over at his house while he was working show; that’s the attraction.” year, he has one response: “I need to hurry up! knew that these people were privy to something on writing some piece of music, and I’d see how He believes that jazz survives in Europe There is so much more music I want to write and beyond what he knew, and that intrigued him. he would go about putting things together, how he because Europeans, although they are affected by perform. There is so much more that I want to do!” His mother bought him a saxophone, an alto, would work things out.” pop culture and music, are a tad more apprecia - when McPherson was 13. He liked the larger and Of all the instruments that are commonly asso - tive of art and music. He says, “Joe the Plumber, deeper voiced tenor saxophone, but the smaller ciated with jazz – piano bass, drums, etc. – the alto fit him better at that age. He took music les - saxophone reveals the character of the player y h son from Harris, who lived close by. He also stud - most readily. Besides feel and phrasing, each sax - p a r ied at Detroit’s Larry Teal School of Music. Then ophonist creates an individual sound. Within sec - g o t o

one day, while he was discussing music, the saxo - onds most jazz enthusiasts can distinguish if it’s a h P

phone, and the kinds of music that he liked with a recording of Lester Young or Paul Desmond by s k r friend, the friend suggested that McPherson might the timbre that those men produced with their a P

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enjoy Charlie Parker. In a neighborhood candy horns. McPherson’s sound is strong and deliberate u a P store McPherson found a recording by Parker on but not the slightest bit overblown, as the tenor / y g the jukebox. As he relates this story, at this point players such as or John Zorn have o l o h his voice grows hushed, as though he is giving the taken the instrument. His vibrato is a bit under - t n details of the rituals in the Shaolin temples. He stated. It is there, enhancing the longer notes, but A says, “I put the money in the juke box, heard isn’t obvious or detracting from the sound or the Parker, and then…” His voice trails off as he solo. “Your sound is something of your own, just remembers the significance of the event that who you are and something that you work on,” would guide his life and career. After his introduc - says McPherson. “There are several ways that you tion to Parker he soon learned that the Bluebird work on it. You play long notes, go from loud to featured the music he heard in the candy store. soft, you work on vibrato. You also have to work Being underage and unable to get through the on where your air comes from; you have to make club’s door, McPherson spent countless nights sure that your air comes from your diaphragm. outside on the street to hear as much as he could Ultimately, each saxophonist will develop a of the new and exciting music. unique sound. It can be compared to when you’re In his late teens McPherson began playing in grade school learning to write. All the kids are around Detroit. Had he been a journeyman horn sitting at their desks trying to copy and make their player, staying and performing around the area letters the way the teacher is writing on the board, but after a while everybody develops their own www.sandiegotroubadour.com 11 OCTOBER 2009 SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR ramblin’

Bluegrass CORNER

by Dwight Worden IN THE “Q” It should be pointed out that just THE ANNUAL IBMA AWARDS follows in second place with four wins. It as each processor has its own must be noted, however, that Alison Krauss t’s always good talking to my The first of October brings the annual “sound,” so too does each impart a has won a stunning 26 Grammy awards giv - mom. Sure, it might seem an Sven-Erik Seaholm International Bluegrass Music Association unique character in its saturation. ing her more Grammys than any other obvious statement to make, just (IBMA) Awards show hosted at the historic I neighboring frequencies will also as it would if I were to declare that Ryman auditorium in Nashville. These are be affected, while a cut becomes she is special – which she so total - the highest awards in bluegrass – the narrower the more you turn it ly, like – is. I’m not really sure why equivalent of a “bluegrass Grammy.” As the down. This sounded great for mas - this would prompt me to speak as Troubadour goes to press with this issue, The ClassicQ for instance, is tering mixes and dialing in bass if I were a girl raised in Encino, but we do not yet know who the winners are as based upon the designs of British- tones and had the coolest distor - female vocalist. the sentiment/observation remains they will not be announced for another style (slightly warm and fuzzy) tion when oversaturating the out - MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR. The compe - just as self-evidently true. As I week. But, we do know who some of the EQs, like Neve. These are thought put. I used this to great effect on a tition has been tight in this category, with think back on all of the gifts and biggest winners have been in prior years, to have a more “musical” sound to wimpy electric guitar track. lessons imparted to me in her so let’s take a look at that. Del McCoury (Del McCoury Band) holding them in general, and I found this top honors with four wins over Ronnie inimitable motherly fashion, I am MOST INDIVIDUAL AWARDS Dobro player plug-in to be very true to that aes - Bowman (Lonesome River Band and the most taken by her “hands-off” Rob Ickes has thetic. It can noticeably leave its Ronnie Bowman Committee) and Dan approach to artistic mentoring. won ten – own fingerprint on things, howev - Tyminski (Alison Krauss and Union Station) Something I understand, as I have count ‘em ten – er, and some may find it a little with three wins each. a singer/songwriter/rock-star son individual aggressive when using it on full (drewandrews.org) whom I also awards for INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR. mixes or high-transient sources like want to see succeed artistically and Dobro Player of Bluegrass places a heavy emphasis on vir - percussion or glockenspiel. There Maybe it’s the big virtual knobs commercially. When I need some the Year. Rob tuosity on the instruments, so this is consid - are lots of options and its interface (sorry Mom), but the RetroQ was help, she points out things in a has dominated ered an important category, emphasizing is beautifully laid out, so it remains far and away my favorite of these way that allows you to see that the awards in instrumentation by the band as opposed to easy and intuitive to use. four excellent plug-ins. I know it you’ve already got the all tools you his category for individual virtuosity. Leading the field by a has only three bands and seems need in your possession. That’s Rob Ickes: 10 IBMA Awards the last decade, large margin is Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky kinda old-fashioned (duh), but I why I can make the somewhat out- having won top honors in: 1996, 1997, 1998, Thunder with eight awards won in: 1998, just can’t get enough of the musi - of-left-field claim that PSP 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2008. 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006. cally sweet results I have consis - Audioware (pspaudioware.com) is And, the odds are that he is likely to win his In a distant second place is the band tently gotten out of this thing. The like my mom. 11th award this year for dobro Player of the California with three awards. While I really liked the way the highs are like spun sugar, airy and Wha..? Year. GOSPEL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF saturation sounded in the angelic. The bottom is ballsy, but Last month, you may remember Next in line with the most individual THE YEAR. Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver ConsoleQ , I found it far less cushion-like. The mid-range is both that I praised and drooled all over awards are player Stuart Duncan, have dominated the gospel category, and instinctive to me in use. It took a accurate and full of personality. the company’s excellent oldTimer player Ronnie McCoury, and for good reason. This great group has taken bit of trial and error to figure out Just as the oldTimer has quickly compressor/limiter plug-in. I have dobro player with eight indi - home the top award an impressive six the inner/outer ring style to the become my “go-to” compressor, so been using it on absolutely every - vidual awards each. These three standouts times, with the next closest recipient being knobs. Scrolling the outside of a has the RetroQ become the first thing and am only more in love are followed by bass player Missy Raines Blue Highway with two wins. knob determines which frequencies stop for EQ-ing vocals, bass, drums, with it. It’s my new favorite plug- with seven individual awards. Following So, just for fun (remember, music is at are affected, and its corresponding and guitars. in, period. Missy are Tony Rice (guitar), Adam Steffey heart not a competitive sport!) let’s do the inner knob controls cut or boost of I mentioned my mom at the Released at the same time as that (mandolin), Jim Mills (banjo), and Michael math to see who has won the most awards that eq band. I did catch on even - start, because when she heard I was product, PSP sQuad ($249) , is a Cleveland (fiddle), with six individual overall if we were to count all the wins, tually and was really impressed writing about something as “excit - bundle of four excellent sounding awards each. That’s a very talented bunch including where the individual artist shared with how much I could do to ing” as some new EQ plug-ins, she equalization (EQ) processors. Each of bluegrass pickers who rightfully top the the award for being part of a group. transform the attitude my audio – said, “Oh, that sounds ex-CITING,” “unit” in the bundle has its own list of individual award winners. Ronnie McCoury takes the lead with using only EQ! with her trademark deadpan deliv - unique strengths and hence, partic - However, bluegrass is more that talent - this kind of analysis having won an amazing ery. Well, maybe it’s not as exciting ular uses they are best suited for. ed instrumental performers. Bluegrass is a 29 awards: nine for being part of the Del to read as it is to hear, but I know Common to all four is FAT double- band “team sport.” Vocals and harmony McCoury band’s winning Entertainer of the I’M thrilled, anyway! And I got to sampling, 64-bit double precision singing are an important part of the genre, Year, eight for winning Mandolin Player of compare software to my mom, so floating point computations and so let’s look at who the big winners have the Year, two for being part of the Del Those looking for a less intrusive like – cool, And stuff. the ability to “overload” the out - sounding EQ need look no further been in those categories. McCoury Band in wining Instrumental Sven-Erik Seaholm is an award-winning put, introducing pleasing distor - than PSP’s proprietary preQursor Group of the year, one for being in the Del independent , performer, and tion artifacts to the audio signal via McCoury band’s win for Song of the Year, plug-in. This one takes a more recording artist. His company Kitsch & Sync a saturation stage based upon PSP’s three for being part of the Del McCoury “surgical” approach in one sense, Production (kaspro.com) provides recording, excellent Vintage Warmer 2, mastering, consultations, and CD manufac - band’s wins for Album of the Year honors, in that the four frequency filters ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR. This is consid - known industry wide for its won - turing services. He performs October 17 at two for participating in the Del McCoury are Bell types, with progressive Q ered to be IBMA’s highest award. It is derful sound quality. This gives one Zen House Concerts band’s wining of Instrumental Album of the factors. This means that the more (zenhouseconcerts.com). granted to the group that, over the year, has everything from fuzzy-retro vintage Year, and four for being a part of winning you boost a band, more of its been the best overall, taking into account tones to ultra-clean modern ones. instrumentation, vocals, touring, recording, Recorded Event of the Year awards where and other activities related to bluegrass Ronnie collaborated with artists outside his music. It should come as no surprise that band. Phew! Now that’s impressive. the perennially favorite Del McCoury Band Rob Ickes, our record holder in the has won the most Entertainer of the Year individual award category with 10 individual Awards, taking home the trophy a stunning awards as Dobro Player of the Year, has nine times: 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, won an impressive cumulative total of 16 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004. No other band is awards: 10 for Dobro Player of the Year, two even close, with the Grascals, Alison for Gospel Recorded Performance of the Krauss and Union Station, and the Nashville Year with his band Blue Highway, one for Bluegrass Band tied for second place with Song of the Year with Blue Highway, one for two wins each. Album of the Year with Blue Highway, and one for Blue Highway’s winning Emerging VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR. In this cate - Artist of the Year. gory IIIrd Tyme Out and Doyle Lawson and Each of these two bluegrass standouts, Quicksilver share the title with seven Ronnie McCoury and Rob Ickes, is a hard awards each. A listen to IIIrd Tyme out with working and intelligent practitioner of his Russell Moore singing lead or to Doyle art, and each is a member of band that has Lawson and his wonderful band will quickly been successful and stable for many years. convince the listener that these two groups So, if you are looking for a key to this kind have earned all these awards for outstand - of success: work hard, practice hard, be ing singing. smart about what you do, join and stay with FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR . Rhonda a stable and talented band, and bring lots of Vincent, of Rhonda Vincent and the Rage, your own talent to the mix. But, alas, both has won the female vocalist of the year Ronnie and Rob are still young with lots of award an impressive seven times: 2000, music and awards ahead of them, so you 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006. Alison might want to stay out of the categories in Krauss, of Alison Krauss and Union Station, which they compete! 12 www.myspace.com/sandiegotroubadour OCTOBER 2009 SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR ramblin’

Hosing Down Radio Philosophy, Art, Culture, & Music by José Sinatra Daze StAgeS

by Peter Bolland ment, envy, fear. You turn to drugs and alco - hol, first for the sheer fun of it, then eventually APOLLO AND DIONYSUS as a daily maintenance program to keep from feeling your feelings. How ironic. usic is the result of an unlikely Either tendency, the Apollonian or the marriage of opposites: planning Dionysian, if embraced in isolation without its Mand spontaneity, control and sur - ameliorating opposite, becomes a parody of render, structure and fluidity, order and chaos, itself, a prison of its own device. Dionysian crystalline clarity and purple haze. At the spontaneity becomes tired and empty ineffec - songwriting stage, the arrangement and instru - tiveness. Sure you can sing a good tune, but mentation stage, the recording stage, the per - you can’t tune your guitar. On the other hand, formance stage – every moment in the mani - Apollonian order and control becomes stiff and festation of music is guided by a mysterious lifeless – there’s nothing left to control but the confluence of paradoxical tendencies – the control itself, you’ve choked all the life out of Jim McInnes urge to deliberately create and the urge to life, like polishing furniture in a home no one The piercingly incisive José Sinatra effortlessly participate in a creation already lives in. by Jim McInnes taking place. In other words, successful artists Legend has it that when David Crosby learn how to marry their inner creative ener - brought his friend Jerry Garcia of the Grateful OCTS AND ENDS Personal in that there are messages in Shut Up and Talk to Me gies with the creative energies of the universe Dead into the studio to play pedal steel guitar there that seem to be directed to me per - I’ve heard it said, as you have (but I’ve itself. We can’t, and don’t, do it alone. Nor on “Teach Your Children” during the infamous heard it many more times than you, and sonally. They involve people like Tom love working at the KFMB studio com - does music make itself. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young Déjà Vu ses - I’ve kept a meticulous tally, which you Cruise and Britney Spears . . . maybe I’ll plex in Kearny Mesa, home of Channel For the ancient Greeks, Apollo and sions, Garcia set up his rig and told the engi - haven’t) that in order to love someone be able to figure them out soon, like dur - I8, Jack-FM, and Talk Radio 760. Great Dionysus represented these two essential ener - neer to push “play” so he could hear the song gies. Apollo was the god of music, prophecy, else, one must first love oneself. Once ing the week following Christmas. Oh, people, plenty of parking and an in-house for the first time while he played along to get and medicine. He was associated with intellect, that’s accomplished it follows that one there I go, getting ahead of myself again caterer make my work day easier. his bearings. Instead, under Crosby’s direction, deliberation, control, order, reason, and clarity. the engineer pushed “record.” When the song must go through some sort of nasty in the helter-skelter of summer’s end. We have a few really wild syndicated talk show hosts on 760. Dionysus was the god of wine. He was associ - ended, Garcia said, “Okay, I’m ready. Let’s take divorce with oneself in order to transfer I’ll never forget what my second wife I arrive at work every morning during ated with chaos, spontaneity, emotions, and one.” that love to another. If one is not a said to me when I offered so long ago to Glenn Beck’s show. Beck has a good instinct. On the surface, Apollo seems the “Got it,” replied Crosby from the control take her own summertime blues upon bigamist or moral pervert, the love is duly voice. I think a lot of people tune in to most admirable. It is our Apollonian tenden - room. myself. Tears began sandbagging her vio - transferred, and the object of one’s affec - hear his good voice say something that cies that enable us to lift form out of formless - “What?” asked Garcia. tion is presented with little more than an let eyes. She had just turned 18 a day or will irritate them. Legendary San Diego ness, ordering the infinite possibility of this “Yeah,” said Crosby, “we’re done.” empty, lonely, pathetic husk, entirely two before, and her voice pierced the disc jockey Steve West called me a few next moment into a concise, well-crafted Having never heard the song before in his devoid of that vibrant glow of self-assur - stubborn oak of the door to the chamber of days ago to ask me if I liked being on stroke. Without discipline, deliberation, and life, Garcia played one of the greatest pedal lots of sometimes tedious practice our creative ance that the modern chick finds so fash - my heart. For the first time it seemed as if during Glenn Beck’s show, adding that steel parts ever recorded on a blind first take. juices drain away into shapeless puddles. On ionable. To muddy things further, no matter we were truly communicating. She said, he listens every day because Beck pisses Dionysian, right? the other hand, without our Dionysian tenden - Yes and no. Garcia had spent the previous how much love she is offered, she’ll very delicately, something I am unable to him off. Hey, the guy’s really popular. Trying to be like Mr. Rogers won’t cut it cies, our well-made structures would stand three years learning the pedal steel with great always know she’s receiving sloppy sec - recall at this moment. Anyway, it was per - on the radio (although I’d listen.) sterile and lifeless, void of the very essence of focus and discipline, sitting in with his friends onds. And I don’t know about you (let’s sonal. After Beck comes the self-professed all great art – that nameless je ne sais quoi that the New Riders of the Purple Stage on count - But the summer’s gone, and my love pretend for another moment) but I could “Great American,” Sean Hannity. falls forever beyond the well-creased cuff- less nights in clubs all around the bay area. goes out to October. What memories she never go for such a tramp. Hannity doesn’t talk, he lectures. His linked reach of Apollo. Garcia’s success on “Teach Your Children” was Every year at around this time, I seem holds with me! “Monster Mash” topping voice is always on the brink of self-right - Go into Guitar Center on any Saturday and no accident. It was the perfect synthesis of to be reaching the apex of my cantanker - the charts back in ‘62 . . . I, making a fairly eous outrage, which makes him funny. you’ll see hordes of adolescent wannabe rock Apollo and Dionysus. ousness. I’m incredulous about the great brilliant video to accompany it 30 years He seems like a smart guy. I don’t think stars with ripped jeans, wallet chains, and stu - Dig out your copy of Déjà Vu and listen to diously tousled hair test driving Stratocasters number of fine San Diego singer/songwrit - later . . . racing over to the five and dime Hannity believes even half of the anti- Garcia’s part on “Teach Your Children.” Ask through Marshall stacks, buying into the notion ers I’ve been attempting to enjoy on local every year after school on the first of the Obama, anti-Democratic Party stuff says. yourself this: will you be ready when your that their inner Hendrix is only a Visa swipe time comes? Have you done your homework? morning television shows throughout the month to visually feast on the new masks He’s just in it for the money (which is really good.) Good for Sean! If liberal talk away. What most of them don’t realize is that Do you show up prepared? Have you mastered summer. Is that plug for an upcoming and costumes for Halloween (now they radio was as successful as conservative before Jimi lit his guitar on fire at Monterey, fig - your craft? And then ask yourself this: are you show or CD worth the slaughterhouse-like start appearing at the friggin’ end of talk radio, Hannity would be Obama’s uratively and literally, he spent ten years in his ready to let go? Are you willing to abandon August!) . . . scarring my forehead in a presentation the station allows? The biggest booster. room practicing nine hours a day. The story control and surrender to the moment? Are you traffic accident on the second day of sound is unbelievably atrocious, the “sets” After Hannity comes the oddly com - goes that Hendrix’s seminal performance of ready to trust the sacred energy welling up pathetic, and how often is a single song October in 1972 . . . falling in love, hope - pelling Michael Savage. Savage (real “The Star Spangled Banner” early Monday within you and binding you to all things? not broken into by a commercial? May I fully, on the second in 1987 at a party at name, Michael Weiner, like a hot dog,) is morning on the last day of Woodstock was Are you willing to strike the right balance suggest the formation of some kind of Mojo Nixon’s house . . . falling in love obviously an intelligent man. He holds a completely improvised. He had never performed between Apollo and Dionysus? it before. Jimi’s Dionysian side came out to play non-union union among you extremely tal - once more on the sand in Ocean Beach on PhD in nutritional ethnomedicine and is Peter Bolland is a professor at Southwestern with a vengeance, yet never before had his ented troubadours to request a decent the evening of the third a year later (this said to have formulated Rockstar Energy College where he teaches eastern and western phi - Apollonian mastery been so patently obvious. losophy, ethics, world religions, and mythology. concession or two from the station before time a brunette) . . . I could go on, but only Drink, from which he made a fortune before giving the company to his kids. Before Eddie burst out of the After work he is a poet, singer-songwriter, and you again freely offer to help them fill three of you would understand. author. He has a band called the Coyote Problem. On the air, Savage can go from spinning Pasadena house party scene to re-invigorate their hour? Or has drinking too much of This month, on the Saturday, the 10th, He also leads an occasional satsang at the Unity parts of some great old rock and roll arena rock in the seventies and turn us all into Center and knows his way around a kitchen. You I’ll be emceeing the Oktoberfest in Ocean your own morning bath water made you songs and telling funny stories about his a generation of tappers, he was just a quiet, can write to him at [email protected] Beach once again, and, once again, I’ll be drunk? Okay, you’ve proven to everyone dog to bellowing at the top of his lungs studious kid. As a boy he took an old 45 r.p.m. that you love yourself. Now try to get over singing psychotically inappropriate songs about god-knows-what. Michael has ruf - single of Cream’s “Crossroads” and slowed it it; serenade your viewers in a style they during the stein-holding and sausage eat - fled more than a few well-placed feath - down to 33 r.p.m. so he could fastidiously deserve, a style no local station seems ing contests. There will be lots to eat and ers. Savage is one of only 16 people learn every single note of Eric Clapton’s mas - terful performance. Patience, control, disci - capable of supporting at this time. drink and a lot of very fine live music to banned from entering the U.K. pline, commitment – these are qualities In the mid-’80s, Troy Danté and I did smooch and dance to . . . all with superb Try this. Hold your nose and yell at Dionysus knows nothing about. the Channel 8 Sunup program. I watched a sound and zero commercial interruptions. the top of your lungs. There, you’ve just done your Mark Levin impression. Levin’s For the more thoughtful ancient Greeks, videotape of it yesterday. Obviously busy 21 and up for the beer garden area, so show follows Savage and it makes Apollo and Dionysus were not really gods liv - with other things, you didn’t.. Back then, please understand that if you’re underage Savage seem like Mr. Rogers. The funny ing on Mount Olympus. They were merely and haven’t yet copped a reliable fake. at least one local station allowed local thing is, Levin bears more than a passing personifications of energies, organizing princi - I.D., you’ve got a lot of growing up to do. acts to appear with sweet, eternal dignity. resemblance to Billy Joel. So imagine ples and modes of consciousness found within The sound was undistorted and balanced. And October’s the perfect lady to start that, as well. Mark Levin spends his the human psyche. Each of us comes bearing The songs were aired complete. The name it all with. Give her your love and she’ll whole show yelling about Obama and the gifts of Apollo and Dionysus. Which one Dean Ellwood is scratching its way back take you in, husk and all. Just treat her health care reform. I’ve met Levin and do we call on most often? Which one are we suppressing? into my mind now – he must have been with respect and don’t get any creepy he seems like a nice lawyer from New Give in to either completely and watch the artist in charge. Someone find him and ideas. She my bitch, nome sayne? York, which he is. He makes me angry, yourself whither away. If you’re too Apollonian make him a part of your life; you’ll thank just like he’s supposed to, but for all the wrong reasons. Good show. you have no passion. In your obsessive need to me for it. And thank him for me. But thank The remaining two syndicated shows control everything you end up utterly discon - me most of all. feature Jerry Doyle, who’s usually kinda nected from the meat and marrow of life. You Until I see with my own eyes President genial, and the often hilarious Phil live in your own head. Your disdain for the Barack O’Brian’s birth certificate, he’ll Hendrie, a man with whom I worked at messiness of other people and for life itself remain a foreigner to me. In that he’s truly KGB 20 years ago. Hendrie often portrays locks you away in a dry, dusty closet of loneli - dedicated to doing good. What a concept. his own guests and callers. Amazing. ness – a very neat closet, but a closet nonethe - I’ve been listening a lot to the White Hear them for yourself on San Diego’s less. If you’re too Dionysian you’re just as inef - fective, only worse. You hurt other people Album ( The Beatles , to the purist) lately, Talk Radio 760 KFMB , where you’ll hear because you don’t even know they’re there. and the more I listen, the more I under - me providing news and/or traffic infor - mation for these gentlemen. You worship at the throne of your own moods stand what a very personal album it is. and feelings, trapped under the powerful sway of often destructive emotions – anger, resent - www.sandiegotroubadour.com 13 OCTOBER 2009 SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR highway’s song

two best-selling albums, and was receiving reg - Mary Travers, continued from page 6 ular media coverage, in magazines a diverse as Hootenanny , Ladies Home Journal , and from Patty Hall’s diary Cosmopolitan . A July 1963 article in Look mag - BEING MARY TRAVERS – 1963 azine summed up the PP&M’s enormous Lose weight (no more fried bologna appeal. “The trio occupies an uncomfortable sandwiches and cokes after school) but lucrative middle ground in the world of Buy high heels (really high heels) in . They are not authentics, who different colors spring from a true folk culture, nor are they Sew sheath dresses in different colors reporters, who recreate an authentic style. But (solid) they certainly cannot be counted among the Find bangle bracelets (silver, lots of them) legion of hack vulgarizers, the tasteless re- arrangers who have caused many old-time folk Practice “ooohing” in front of mirror buffs to curse the current rage and fake- Straighten hair (“Curl Free”) singing it has spawned.” Bleach hair (Clairol “Baby Flaxen Blonde”) More concerts, more albums, TV appear - PP&M in the early days ances, and magazine write-ups followed, and Set hair (use orange juice cans and my admiration for PP&M in general, and Mary Dad’s beer) be dubbed the folk revival) and began envi - Travers in particular, continued unabated. I Iron hair (every morning) sioning and then methodically blueprinting a was able to attend more concerts, and eventu - Toss hair (whenever I think about it) folk supergroup. He auditioned and finally set - ally Peter would recognize me, greeting me by Wear all black or special Mary dress tled on (a young Cornell student name backstage, as I showed him how my Mom made me. who he managed) to team up with Noel scrapbooks had grown. But as much as I loved Hold hand out (palm up) when I sing Stookey and Mary, who had since divorced and her, Mary remained an elusive figure. Though Be quiet on stage (no talking in was struggling to make ends meet as a single Peter, and usually Paul, would come out after between songs) mom. each concert, to greet fans, sign autographs, Become a Democrat (I think) Milton Okun was hired as the group’s and give hugs and kisses, there was no Mary. musical director, and Grossman set the group Then, at a concert in 1966, out came the to work in regular rehearsals and began setting One by one, friends and family became trio, Peter and Paul looking essentially the up concerts and TV and radio appearances. He my gentle enablers. My parents and brother same, but Mary, glowing and gorgeous in a also dictated the groups on-stage look: blue and sister were very supportive of my mission. beautiful crepe maternity sheath. I knew Mary suits, ties, neatly trimmed Van Dyke beards for A school buddy, Donna Steinberg, a budding had married photographer and the guys, and long blonde hair and designer social commentator and talented artist, cap - so was stunned and delighted at this new dresses for Mary. Grossman’s hunch that tured Mary in wryly captioned sketches that development (her daughter Alicia was born America might take to a well-rehearsed, chore - she passed to me in notes every day after later that year). Now, there was yet another ographed, mixed gender group that resembled fourth period. I’d convinced other friends how thing to admire – Mary Travers as mother! clean-cut beatniks, was spot on. People went I wanted to be addressed, and by the time And so the years passed. I went away to wild for this group, who was as visually strik - Hayward High yearbooks were issued in June college, still emulating Mary when I thought ing as they were musically interesting. . 1964, most of the autographs to me began about it, but not as obsessively. I kept up with Fame swiftly followed. It was only a man - “Dear Mary.” All my friends well knew what I the trio, attending concerts, and still trying to ner of time before the biblically named Peter, wanted to be called, and who I wanted to be, keep my hair straight. And I’d begun to take a Paul, and Mary (Noel Stookey going by his even before I grew up and graduated from greater interest in Mary’s politics and intellect. PP&M singing at the historic March on Washington, 1963 middle name, Paul) became as well-known by high school. I especially relished the fact that as all of the acronym PP&M as by their group name. us became Flower Children, so too did Peter, with prominent performers along with their delightedly segued into yet another wonderful The talented Milton Glaser of Pushpin Studios Paul, and Mary, becoming ever more articulate recorded works. During this time, she also admiration-inspiring era: Grandmother-hood. was enlisted to design all of the group’s albums released several solo albums. And now, I had Later, in the early 1990s, an older and Mary Travers didn’t finish high school, spokespersons for world peace, poverty, and and press materials, and even came up with a instead dropping out in the 11th grade and civil rights. As I matured, I found new and dif - yet more reasons to admire the indomitable mellower Mary Travers presented a cabaret distinctive cursive typeface that has come to taking a series of jobs ranging from portrait ferent Mary Travers traits to admire, and Mary Mary Travers who did a lot more than flip her show at the Nashville Jewish Community be associated almost exclusively with the trio. artist model, riding instructor, and clerk at an morphed into my activism mentor. I didn’t mane of hair and look pretty on stage. Center. More beautiful than ever, she was a ad agency. Her real interest was singing, how - April 12, 1963 care so much anymore about her hair or Then, in 1978, after seven years of each stately presence, perched gracefully on a high ever, and eventually, she landed a part in the Today it rained, rained, rained. Faked it and pointy high heels but was far more interested flying in a personal direction, PP&M decided stool, one foot on the floor, singing (against chorus for Mort Sahl’s Broadway musical The took a day off from school. Practiced ukulele for in her unique brand of rational feminism and to reunite to present a series of reunion shows tasteful piano accompaniment) and speaking Next President . hours and learned the introduction to “A outspokenness. Though she still didn’t talk and, after beginning rehearsals, began consid - into a hand mic. No hair flipping. No flounc - Mary also joined the ranks of other young ‘Soalin’” by PP&M. I’m going to write them a much on stage, she was quite forthright in ering that they might reunite on a more regu - ing. Just Mary and us. Her performance was entertainers (among them Bill Cosby, Woody letter to ask for personal information and an magazine interviews. lar basis. intimate and accessible, and during the hour- Allen, and Cass Elliott) hoping for a break per - autographed picture. Patty In 1971, after an intensive decade of per - By this time, Mary’s emerging feminism and-a-half show, she sang, talked (boy did she had merged with her lifelong, ongoing dedica - talk!), shared memories, was funny, and kept forming in the many coffeehouses around Though my ongoing stream of fan letters forming concerts worldwide, issuing many tion to social justice, and she became more all of us on the edge our seats. . By this time, she was mar - to PP&M would go largely unanswered, I did albums (in the process, garnering three and more outspoken about world politics. A And then, in the mid-1990s, PP&M were ried, with a young daughter Erika. Mary had manage to get myself on the group’s Christmas Grammys, five platinum LPs, and command trip to El Salvador in 1983 as a member of the booked to play a benefit concert at the Grand performed several times with singer and stand- card list, which meant I’d be recipient of the performances before JFK and Queen on United States-Central American Relations Ole Opry in Nashville. Our son David was a up comedian Noel . At one of innovative holiday greetings and other materi - Elizabeth), the trio decided to call it quits. Committee moved her tremendously, and she young man of about eight, and I was dying to these shows, she’d attracted the attention of als Pushpin Studios designed for the trio. One, Paul wanted to explore his deepening commit - said the human rights issue there was the most have him meet my old idols. A silent auction , an owlish folk impresario a full size calendar poster, the trio dressed up ment to Christianity and Peter would pursue shocking she had witnessed to date. Later, win garnered us a special tie-dye shirt and with an uncanny knack for spotting salable Bonnie-and-Clyde style. Another was a small, writing and producing. It was Mary who con - similar trips took her to the Soviet Union and backstage passes. When we arrived backstage, talent. turn-of-the-century themed flipbook, with tinued on as an entertainer, performing as a South Korea. all three of the trio were there to meet and Grossman, who was already managing photos of the Victorian-costumed group solo music act while also hitting the lecture In 1986 Mary became a grandmother, and greet us, and husband Barry documented the Odetta, and would soon be taking on a scruffy cavorting wildly. These annual “Pushpin” circuit to deliver talks on folk music and socie - at a subsequent concert in Nashville, she evening in some wonderful photos. young soloist named , was a shrewd greetings are still among my most treasured ty. She also began hosting her own nationally brought her granddaughter out on stage and More years passed, and I kept up with the and prescient businessman. He’d gotten whiff possessions. syndicated radio program, “Mary Travers and sang to her. Clearly, she had gracefully and trio’s doings, now via the Internet, still tucking of the expanding interest in folk music (yet to By early 1963, Peter, Paul, and Mary had Friends,” a one-hour show featuring chats clippings I found into the back recesses of my aging scrapbooks. I attended concerts when I could, and began collecting PP&M historical memorabilia via eBAY, thinking I might, some - day, entertain the notion of writing something about them. Then several years ago, Mary shared with the world that she had leukemia, and was seeking a bone marrow donor. A match was found, and following her transplant, things looked good for several more years. She con - tinued appearing in concert with Peter and Paul. And then, last month, the news came. I’d tried to steel myself a bit during the last few years, beginning when I’d first learned of Mary’s illness, and had seen web photos of her onstage, still radiant and smiling, but in a wheelchair, hooked up to oxygen. I knew in my rational mind that the end might be near, but one never really believes an idol will ever pass from this earth. The double whammy was that, like all of the other bad tidings I’d

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14 www.myspace.com/sandiegotroubadour OCTOBER 2009 SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR highway’s song

by Dwight Worden was awake and playing his banjo during the the stage with the likes of Sonny Landreth, process to make sure his “banjo playing Keith Richards, David Lindley, Derek an Diego is, perhaps surprisingly, a wires” weren’t crossed. The surgery was Trucks, and Norah Jones. Like his vast and rich location for great bluegrass done to address a tremor in his right banjo- eclectic repository of recordings, a Tony Smusic. There is a bluegrass event picking hand, and it was successful Furtado show has something to offer every - every Tuesday evening somewhere in the As you might expect, this unusual one. Tickets and info are available at area (visit www.socalbluegrass.org and approach to surgery made the big time www.acousticmusicsandiego.com or call http://northcountybluegrass.org for info on national news, including a report on ABC’s (619) 303-8176. the two clubs sponsoring these events, or “Good Morning America” and there is a Two days later, on Saturday, October 24, visit KSON radio’s Bluegrass Bulletin Board very interesting video of the surgery on Poway Center for the Performing Arts pres - for a complete listing of all area bluegrass YouTube. Check it out at: ents bluegrass kingpin and living legend events: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjX6Erm Ralph Stanley backed by the award-winning http://www.waynerice.com/kson/bgevents.ht KY14. Eddie now bills himself, with justifi - group Cherryholmes. m). In addition, there are special concerts cation, as the “bionic banjo player.” Beginning in the 1940s Ralph Stanley, throughout the year, not to mention the Aside from his early fame with the together with his Clinch Mountain Boys, fea - Ralph Stanley Summergrass Festival held every August in Country Gentlemen and the interest gener - turing Ralph and his brother Carter Stanley, Vista. In keeping with our rich tradition, ated by his brain surgery, Eddie and wife performed and recorded some of the best, October 2009 looks to be a great month. Martha are currently making some fine most classic American roots and mountain Award winner, a member (with his late broth - Cherryholmes has stormed to the top of The non-profit San Diego Bluegrass music and have a busy touring schedule. music ever produced. Ralph was a friend as er Carter) of the International Bluegrass the bluegrass music world since winning Society will be presenting the great Eddie The two have been playing together for well as a rival to Bluegrass music founder Bill Music Association’s Hall of Fame, and a mem - the 2005 International Bluegrass Music Adcock with his wife Martha in concert on more than three decades. They have won Monroe (Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass ber of the world-famous Grand Ole Opry. Association Award for Entertainer of the October 17. Eddie Adcock was a member of many awards and have been multi-time Boys). Ralph never called his music “blue - Ralph Stanley is truly one of the few remain - Year. Their self-titled debut album on the original Country Gentlemen, one of the Grammy finalists. The duo has been called grass” since that was the name used by Bill ing “first generation” bluegrass legends. Skaggs Family Records in 2006 received top bands of the 1950s, 1960s and ’70s. “stellar musicians and vocalists” by Cashbox Monroe, preferring to call it “mountain Cherryholmes, performing with Stanley, their first Grammy nomination for Best Eddie’s banjo playing has been described by magazine; and Billboard names them “...one music” and referring to the music of Bill are legitimate modern stars in their own Bluegrass Album, and their second the Magazine of as “leg - of the bluegrass circuit’s top acts.” So, you Monroe as “so-called bluegrass music.” right. They are, no doubt, the best perform - Grammy-nominated album Black and White endary.” can expect some great traditional music To give you an idea of the respect attrib - ing bluegrass family band of the new centu - came in at number one on Billboard’s along with some wonderful wit and chatter uted to Ralph Stanley and his music, he was ry. The band is comprised of husband Jere Bluegrass Album Chart. Cherryholmes’ lat - from the lively and outgoing Eddie. made one of the musical stars of the O’ Cherryholmes (bass), wife Sandy (man - est album, Don’t Believe earned the band its The Eddie and Martha Adcock concert Brother Where Art Thou? movie, performing dolin), and their four children: Cia (banjo), third and fourth Grammy nominations for will be held at the First Baptist Church of his classic “O Death” and in 2006 he was Molly (fiddle), Skip (guitar), and B.J. (fid - Best Bluegrass Album, and crossed them Pacific Beach, located at 4747 Soledad awarded the National Medal of the Arts by dle). The band’s roots are based in blue - over into the Best Country Instrumental Mountain Road, Saturday October 17, 7pm. President Bush. He has recorded approxi - grass, Celtic, and jazz music, and they play Performance category for the track There will be an opening set by local band mately 200 albums, is a multiple Grammy it all with great skill and verve. “Sumatra.” Highway 76, fresh from an impressive per - Locals may remember when the formance at Summergrass. Highway 76 fea - Cherryholmes were just starting out and tures banjo player Chris Beucler, Steve Toth made an appearance at the annual Julian Eddie & Martha Adcock on dobro, Dan Sankey on fiddle and man - Bluegrass Festival about five years ago, or dolin, and Given Harrison on bass. may remember their appearances in Admission is free and the public is wel - Fallbrook. Even then we knew they were Recently, Eddie earned himself fame for come. A good will offering will be taken going places. If you have never seen the undergoing brain surgery while playing his with all funds going to the band. Cherryholmes, you are in for a treat as they banjo. Eddie’s three-part surgery, termed In concert Thursday, October 22, is are excellent performers and songwriters Deep Brain Stimulation, involved the banjo great Tony Furtado. The concert will and put on a great stage performance, implantation of electrodes into the brain as be held at Acoustic Music San Diego, locat - including buck dancing. So, I know you all well as insertion of a palm-sized battery- ed at 4650 Mansfield, off Adams Avenue, at are still glowing and recovering from the powered generator within the chest wall, 7:30pm. Furtado started off with a bang at last two months, which brought us the plus lead wires to connect the two. The age 19 by wining two prestigious national Summergrass Festival with ten great blue - technologically advanced procedure was banjo competitions. However, his interests grass bands, as well as separate concerts by performed in multiple stages over the in music were and are still much broader guitar phenoms David Grier and Dan Crary. month of August in Nashville, Tennessee, at than just bluegrass. Over the years Tony has But you’ll want to gear up for October and Vanderbilt Medical Center, a teaching and played with Greg Allman, Susan Tedeschi, take advantage of the chance to see these research hospital that is a world leader in Taj Mahal, Leftover Salmon, and Eric great performers–you won’t regret it! neurological studies and surgeries. Eddie The Cherryholmes Johnson, among others. He has also shared Ralph Stanley with the Cherryholmes will perform October 24 at the Poway Center for the Arts,located at 15498 Espola Road in Poway. Show time is 8pm.

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Mary Travers, continued from page 14 Grossmont College Celebrates Yale Strom, continued from page 17 tion is something that seems to have First Annual Lester Bangs disappeared recently as we listen to the music we are force fed by robotic radio Memorial Reading and the odes played on American Idol. This CD touches your soul and your heart and never lets up. Yale Strom has created a CD that makes you want by Raul Sandelin more, so you play it again, over and over, always finding new themes, new n the evening of Thursday rhythms, and emotionally laden vocals September 17, Grossmont with notes that shake your soul. OCommunity College in El The CD sings to the six million lost, Cajon held a reading of faculty and bringing them back to the rest of us PP&M in their later years student literary works dedicated to the still here who are alive and dancing to great music journalist Lester Bangs Bread with Borsht, Brothers . Indeed, Yale Eddie Lenhart received during the past few years about aging (1948-1982). The event was held in the Strom has created a CD for everyone. folkies, the devastating news about Mary college’s Hyde Gallery visual arts space. Its melodies will make you move your Levittown reached me in that detached, virtual, all-to- It is planned that this will become an feet, shed a tear, laugh out loud, and impersonal manner: a forwarded e-mail. Mary annual event. forever remember the songs of a peo - Travers was dead. Lester Bangs was born in Escondido ple who wandered through many by Frank Kocher Oddly enough, I began receiving condo - and grew up in El Cajon. He is credited lands and mixed in the cultures they Levittown is the third and latest lence e-mails and phone messages from high as being the first so-called “gonzo” absorbed along the way. This is truly Lester Bangs offering from San Diego singer/song - school buddies and other old pals (some of journalist for developing a style of world music, culturally created in writer Eddie Lenhart. The Pennsylvania whom I haven’t been in touch with since the reporting that put the reporter in Eastern Europ, but cross-fertilized with native plays a mixture of alt-country, ’60s). These folks, now in their 60s, each direct conflict with his subject matter, ed Cajon Valley Junior High, El Cajon sounds from as far away as Turkey, the pop and . recalled how integral a part of my teenage life namely the rock stars he was reporting High, Grossmont Junior College, and Middle East, and North Africa, brought Mary Travers had been, and knew I might be Lenhart has a pleasant if not distinc - on. Bangs realized that 1960s counter- San Diego State College . His best friends to life again in those long gone, ghost- feeling blue. And they were right. Even tive vocal presence and an ability to culture had created its own Big in junior high were two future pillars inhabited Jewish communities that still though I had only met her face to face one nail a catchy melody on many of the Business – the music industry – and its of the San Diego music scene – Jerry exist in our DNA. time, I was mourning the loss of Mary Travers, tunes here, especially on the slower, own aristocracy – the musicians who Raney, founding member of Glory and L’Chaim (“to Life!”) to a treasury of whose grace, mystery, beauty, talent, and social countrified songs on the disc. Also, he were often blindly idolized in the the Beat Farmers, and Jack Butler, culture and music that plays out on activism had made an indelible impression on has surrounded himself with some name of rebellion. Bangs set out to leader of the Bratz and Private Domain. this wonderful, intelligent CD. who I had become. major local studio talent, whose efforts remove the facades surrounding the Later, he also played harmonica in one And although I now realize that I certain - make the best cuts sound even better wealthy rock musicians who posited of Raney’s early bands – the Dark Ages. ly wasn’t the only girl in 1964 saving PP&M and improve the other efforts. Steve He was a regular at the Hi-Ho Club, a newspaper clippings, writing fan letters, and themselves as counter-cultural heroes. Wetherbee produced at his Golden concert venue then located at Parkway Blues Gangsters, continued from page 17 ironing out the kinks in my hair, so much of Writing primarily for Track Studio, and if his slick efforts then magazines, Bangs also Bowl in El Cajon. And, many people to who I was, and became, in those formative, at superb lick from Ellison. By the time make some of the pop songs sound understood that the whole phenome - this day remember Lester hanging out times desperate, teen and young-adult years the song hits the half way point and like the Beatles sat in, this is a good non of popular music was symbolic of at the many rock clubs and coffee (when the emotional parts of our brains are Maddocks joins in on the chorus, you’ll thing in Lenhart’s case – the seeming society as a whole. And, he used his shops that dotted the main drags from still in the process of hardwiring themselves) be singing the chorus too; it’s got a choirs of background vocals help cover reviews and articles to analyze culture El Cajon to the beaches. was inspired by Mary Travers. Mary had been hook that insidious. Custom made for a lack of power in the lead singing and He did much of his early writing my model for so many of the things I wanted and human nature beyond just the any dance floor that caters to an R&B the ace instrumentalists raise the musi - while living in the San Diego area. to be, at so many different stages of my life. At scope of music. He is credited with per - crowd, I could see this tune getting cal ante of the project a notch. Multi- Often, he would drive to L.A. to do first, my wardrobe guru, my hair mentor, my forming one of the finest dissections of covered. instrumental whiz Dennis Caplinger is interviews and attend shows, then, song stylist. Later, a model of who I wanted to 1960s-versus-1970s America in a piece The Perils of Life , isn’t for every - featured, and several sharp members drive back to San Diego to write. Some be as a working (performing!) wife, mother, he wrote about titled body. If your thing is airbrushed pop of Eve Selis’ band were recruited for and social activist. Finally, in most recent “Bring Your Mother to the Gas of his early work is very referential to or “alternative” anything, this won’t the disc, including guitarist Mark years, as she aged and embraced her elder sta - Chamber” (1972). He also forecast the San Diego, especially the East County. hit you. But anyone who enjoys rock Intravia (aka Mark Twang) and key - tus, Mary had become my secret “crone emergence of not only in his “Two Assassinations and a Speedy ‘n’ roll, blues, or classic psychedelia boardist Sharon Whyte. coach” – the kind of older, wiser woman with 1976 “Innocents in Babylon” but also Retreat into Pastoral Nostalgias” will find a lot to enjoy on this disc. The “My Heart” opens things with a outrageous views, a feisty sense of humor, and sensed that another form of Jamaican recounts the nervous days of June 3-6, album is both well worth investigating pleasant pop-country effort, with a kindly forthrightness that tells it like it is. music known as “dub” would soon 1968 when Robert Kennedy and Andy and a worthy addition to this group of Lenhart telling some tales from his I read that Mary faced her impending play a role in the U.S. “Dub,” after it Warhol were shot. However, the setting players’ canon. experience to a catchy hook as perfect death with grace and dignity, kindness, and spread into Little Kingston in the is El Cajon as Bangs drives his girl - harmonies swell on the chorus over good humor. Though Peter’s and Paul’s brief Bronx, would evolve into a new, half- friend around town, all the while try - Caplinger’s banjo, Whyte’s organ, and statements on the PP&M website candidly spoken music called Rap and germi - ing to write a philosophy paper for one with plenty of nifty lead fills by acknowledge Mary’s at-times difficult person - nate in the weekend basement parties of his classes. Intravia. This establishes a pattern for ality and rough edges, their profound grief at throughout New York’s black commu - Grossmont College’s annual Lester the rest of the disc, as the better tunes follow this template, and the ones that her loss flowed out of every sentence. Each nities. Bangs Memorial Reading is a fitting don’t work as well stray from it. On stated, in his own words, what a gift it had Lester Bangs has been immortal - tribute to a hometown hero. Sure, he “Without Him,” Lenhart drives home a been to know her and how difficult it was to ized in song by such diverse rock leg - had faults and died young as a result. spiritual message about his Creator, envision a world without Mary Travers. And ends as Bob Seger, REM, and the But, he also is a life-lesson for young but the tune plods and doesn’t click, you know what? In a much more modest, but Ramones. East County kids who desire to think despite a bridge that sounds like that it no less grateful way, I know exactly what they Yet, he was very much a San Diego literally “out of the Box.” (Please belongs on the back side of Abbey mean. kid and a part of the local music scene remember that “the Box” translates to Road . “As She Walks” is much better, a before pursuing his writing career in “El Cajon” in Spanish.) memorable mid-tempo ballad that Detroit and . He attend - scales musical heights with its chorus. Lenhart’s autobiographical title tune uses lyrical imagery well, and the alt- county ballad scores points for its per - sonal connection. He puts on his rock - er hat for “Love Strong,” a hodge - podge of riffs that doesn’t gel, then is back on firmer footing with “Oklahoma.” Here, in the disc high - light, Lenhart sustains a relaxed feeling and lets the burn-in-the-brain hook of the song do its work. In “The Game” he mixes things up, fiddle dueling with power-rock guitar licks as the song moves in and out of country and rock modes. The country ballad “Boy” is another highlight, as Lenhart is clearly most at home in this genre, and the pristine production boosts the impact again. Unfortunately, “In the Light” follows with a trip back to rock street; despite good work from Intravia, this type of thing isn’t really suited to Lenhart’s vocal style and falls flat. The country-rock “Time” is much better, slide guitar powering harmony vocals with a strident beat. Levittown represents a very well- played and produced collection of songs, most of which work well. Several of the slow country ballad tunes will stay in the listener’s head for a long time.

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Waves Mary James Yale Strom & Kim Divine The Blues The Sound of Ocean Beautiful Savior Hot Pstromi Square One Gangsters Beach, California by Mike Alvarez Borscht with by Frank Kocher The Perils of Life On her terrific new country rock Former San Diego singer/songwriter by Mary Mann album Beautiful Savior , Mary James Bread, Brothers Kim DiVine has established herself by Bart Mendoza An Ocean Beach moment as sings with the conviction and passion already, with two well-received It’s amazing the obstacles some endearing and delightful as the CD that is commonly found in the best by Allen Singer acoustic albums followed by an excel - release party for Waves only comes love songs. And indeed that’s precisely lent EP, Hummingbird , in 2006 (all as people overcome in their effort to around so often. A visitor from out of what these are: love songs. But instead Borsht with bread, tea in a glass, a Kim DiVincenzo). That disc featured make music. Such is the case with the town would imagine that the recent of being directed toward some hunky sugar cube clenched between the teeth her with a full band on most of the Blues Gangsters, who have traveled event took place in a small town, not flavor-of-the-month who’ll someday do while drinking, this new CD by Yale tracks, bringing a degree of luster to some distance and three decades to in the middle of one of Southern her wrong, she sings her heart out to Strom and Hot Pstromi brings back the her songs that wowed many reviewers, get their new, eight-song, album, The California’s largest cities. Children her Lord and Creator. It is precisely tales my old grandparents recounted of garnered a number of awards, and has Perils of Life , made. danced with balloons, older couples those very qualities of passion and con - their lives in Komix, Poland, a small a lot of folks anxious for more of the For anyone involved in San Diego’s spun each other around, and everyone viction that lend this upbeat collection town now haunted by Golems from a same. music scene in the early to mid-eight - in between filled their faces with beer of catchy tunes the gravity that lets lis - long gone old world. The CD evokes Her new CD, Square One , picks up ies, the Blues Gangsters are a true all- and catered Hodad’s burgers. teners know she means business. As memories of my grandma koshering right where Hummingbird left off. A big star band. Guitarist/vocalist David Everybody seemed to know each detailed on her website, hers was not chickens while singing old Jewish folk - reason is the smart move to record at James Rinck III ruled local stages with other. an easy path through life, so when she songs in Yiddish, silently dreaming San Diego’s Light of Day studio, with his group the Wallflowers, while lead Only Chuck Schiele could create shares the answers she has found, it is about her former life in the schtetl. Hummingbird producer Keith guitarist David Ellison spent time with something like that. Arguably one of from a position of strength and clarity. Yale Strom’s terrific CD is a journey Orfanides. He again manages to let such diverse local favorites as the Ocean Beach’s most successful musi - Musically speaking, this is a well- home several generations later for a DiVine have the spotlight and plays Rockin’ Dogs and the Town Criers. cians, with several bands, awards, and produced recording with songs that people whose souls are still wandering most of the other instruments himself, Meanwhile, singer and lyricist Kristi recordings under his belt, Schiele com - are instantly likeable. Melodic hooks but who are now rooted in new lives while framing her music in tasteful Maddocks was a founder of Everybody piled the Waves album as a touching are liberally incorporated into bold and and places far removed from their background harmonies, keyboards, Violet. Rounding out the group is the tribute to OB. Each of the 12 local spacious arrangements. While the most Eastern European homes. This great and layers of guitars. The result is rhythm section of bassist David artists featured wrote a song about apparent emphasis is on a modern gift of music is tied to Jewish folk radio-friendly, polished pop arrange - Fleminger (Manual Scan, the Answers) Ocean Beach, which was recorded, country sound, the album often strad - songs and melded with the rhythms of ments that aren’t overly slick and and Matt Johnson (the Grave Digger V, mastered, and assembled into Waves: dles the line between that genre and all the places Jews have lived around enhance the musical impact of the Wallflowers). The Sound of Ocean Beach, California melodic pop, with forays into folk and the world where they have been DiVine’s catchy writing. The group’s members are primarily 92107 . classic rock. Guitars are featured promi - touched by the local culture and DiVine is a good singer with a voice scattered throughout California and The album kicks off with “Ballad of nently throughout, with keyboards, fid - music. The tunes are infused with a that isn’t a four-octave siren or the Arizona, with Rinck based in Kenya, the OB Spaceman” by Skip Phillips and dle, mandolin, dobro, and banjo added sound that I can only describe as hypnotic throb of a warble singer. She brought together after reconneceting the Pescadero Pickers, a hilarious dead - at strategic points for added color. It’s Jewish blues/jazz, Roma (Gypsy) music, sings her lyrics with an earnest, clear, on the Che Underground Blog website, pan bluegrass song about a spaceman all held together by a very capable and all things Middle Eastern and pen - high voice that imparts just the right which spotlight’s San Diego’s music coming to save Obecians from earth. rhythm section. tatonic. It takes you on the road of the amount of emotion. For most of the scene, with a starting point of groups The album then moves to a dance- Accompanied by a well-respected Jewish Diaspora with music local to songs, it is about the songwriting and that performed at UCSD’s Che Cafe worthy “92107 (yeah…)” by Chuck cadre of stellar local musicians, includ - each country along the route but not her vocal range, anyway. during the early eighties. Schiele and Bad Science Fiction in the ing guitarists “Cactus” Jim Soldi and unique in its heartfelt similarities and “Letting Go” starts off, as DiVine Despite the short recording time, tradition of solid SoCal rock. Mark “Twang” Intravia, keyboardist sounds. This is an exciting CD as well sings verses over keyboards that give the recording is cohesive and definitely Coco and Lafe slow it down with Sharon Whyte, and multi-instrumental - as an historic one. It introduces and way to a rousing, full band chorus that worth searching out. The key to its “Ocean Beach,” a sweet and stirring ist Dennis Caplinger, James gives a extends the Klezmer themes and music sounds like Orfanides is channeling sonic success is Fleminger, who also ballad to the beach community, with a strong and varied vocal performance into a European borscht-like mixture of Coldplay. The dynamics work so well produced and mixed the project, sound generally reserved for songs that is emotive and pleasing. Her deliv - many musical colors and sounds. that the tune is instantly memorable. A bringing out sonic nuances and provid - about ex-lovers. Chi Club picks up ery is at times evocative of her influ - The CD iincludes a mélange of dif - folk-rock approach is taken on “Little ing flashes of piano and organ on vari - afterward on “No Bad Day,” a surf- ences, which include Wynonna, Bonnie ferent musicians, starting with Yale Things,” with personal lyrics, guitar ous tracks rock song with a ska beat. “Newport Raitt, and Reba McIntyre. On the Strom on violin and Hot Pstromi mem - and harmonies, and DiVine using the The bands name explains their Avenue” by the Gomango Kids has a sprightly country dance number “Little bers Fred Benedetti on guitar, David opportunity to show some good vocal sound, to a point. The music found jammy, happy Grateful Dead feel, and Down Home,” her performance takes Licht on percussion, Jeff Pekarek on chops. On “Raining,” the band pushes inside does include some blues-ish is followed by a very Jimmy Buffet- on a little of Dolly Parton’s manner of bass, Sprocket Royer on bass, Elizabeth a very catchy melodic hook, with plen - workouts, heck, two songs even fea - esque “Ocean Beach” by John Gorski. phrasing lyrics. The Southern rock song Schwartz providing soulful vocals, ty of power keyboards amping up the ture the word “blues” in their titles. The Journeymen heat things up “Come to the Well” shows her adding Tripp Sprague on saxophone, Norbert choruses. “All Night” is quieter but But the closest I can figure is Velvet with a jazzy instrumental jam in a little of Linda Ronstadt’s fire to the Stachel on saxophone/multi wood - equally catchy, using a repeated refrain Underground – give a listen to Tiger “Forever Obecian.” After zoning out to mix. The band sounds tough and tight, winds, and Peter Stan on accordion. over string swells to burn into the lis - Shark Blues, which would do Lou this grown-up sound, it’s hard not to bringing more than a few echoes of The CD roams through 12 songs, tener’s memory. A slower ballad, proud. High marks to Ellison’s guitar laugh out loud when the next song Lynyrd Skynyrd and Alabama to the each unique and each a musical piece “Without You,” follows, but it is anoth - work, which keeps songs from ever comes on, “Oh, Oh, I’m Deranged” by table. Most of these songs were written of a musical puzzle that takes you er strong cut, with strong vocal by getting near cliché – he has an arsenal Chuck Edwards, an ode to drinking or co-written by Ms. James, and it’s a through an exciting journey of Eastern DiVine up front, another winning of tasty licks and isn’t afraid to use and doing nothing at Pacific Shores, to true testament to her musical sensibili - European Jewish dance and folk music. melody, and plenty of dramatic them – think prime Clarence the tune of “Home, Home on the ty that they contain so many memo - The migration of many Jewish people buildup. The strong tunes keep com - White/Byrds and you wouldn’t be far Range.” A dark and slightly sexy rable passages. “Flowers, Angels and to the U.S. in the first half of the 20th ing, “We Could” is more smooth pop off the mark. “Dancer on the Waves” by Danya Ad Jesus,” “She Sings,” and “Bring the century also popularized the Klezmer with driving drums and guitars, nailing The top track here, the clear single, and the Shimmy Sisters follows, about Rain” feature chord sequences and music that the new immigrants a hook with another great arrange - is “We Are Washed Clean,” a true epic; revolution in Ocean Beach, in the tra - melodies that have real staying power brought to New York City’s Yiddish ment. I’m thinking Jefferson Airplane, pre- dition of the Age of Aquarius. hours after one listens to them. “In My theatre district along Second Avenue. All 12 songs feature very personal 1970. Maddocks’ voice is terrific, hit - Phish fans will melt to “Buddy the Eyes” is a slow acoustic tune that starts You can also hear Klezmer’s influence lyrics about relationships and affairs of ting just the right emotional note, with Surf Dog” by Meld, a classic jam song out sounding like the Roy Orbison clas - on 1930s jazz in the swing band music the heart, most written in the first per - Ellison once again providing stellar about a surfing dog who finds love on sic “Love Hurts” but develops into a played by Benny Goodman and his son. Many are given a powerful and backing. That said, Fleminger emerges the waves. John Miller brings us back truly lovely ballad. The album closer is trumpeter Ziggy Elman. During the almost heroic flavor by the arrange - as MVP here, with a killer Hammond to serious in “Treated Me Well,” a rock the title track, based upon a well- same time, Klezmer music was the ments, lyrics, and vocal treatment. organ solo – the surge at 2:29, just love song for California. known church melody, but arranged in heart and soul of the Catskills borscht “What’s It Gonna Be” appeared in pre-guitar solo is inspiring. The popular Blackbirdz closes off such a way that it artfully fits into the belt, a place in New York State where slower, acoustic form on Hummingbird ; However, not everything works. If the album with “Livin’ in OB,” a no style set by the rest of the album. Jews vacationed and were welcomed the rock version of the tune here, like there is a low point, it’s “High Society hurries, no worries dub song that had James leaves no doubt as to the at the local hotels and resorts, because “Letting Go” and “We Could,” is (Borderline Blues),” which sounds every body at the CD release swaying message she wishes to send through they weren’t permitted in other resort another highlight. DiVine again is in rushed and seems to lose direction, as and bobbing their heads. her music. She doesn’t cloak it in areas. Gradually, the comedians telling command on the vocal while the well as including vocals that come Waves is a sweet, touching, and obtuse lyrics or imagery. Quite the jokes to a background Klezmer beat music chimes and swells, echoing the across like a guide track. But you know? sometimes hilarious tribute to one of contrary, the album title itself makes made their comedy universal and the guitar veneer of U2 and Coldplay. That’s minor. This album is about feel, the most tight-knit communities in San known the strong religious convictions music became accessible to all. Things close quietly with an acoustic and that it’s got by the bushel. Diego. If you live in OB, this album will she expresses through these songs. For Listening to this music filled me version of “All Night.” Take a tune like “Tropical Year,” make you feel proud, and if you don’t those who believe, this is a no-brainer. with many emotions, both joyous and Square One is certainly a big step which has excellent vocals from Rinck, live in OB, well, you’ll want to move. Get it. For those less faithfully inclined? sorrowful. This type of emotional reac - forward by Kim DiVine, showing fulfill - as well as plenty of groove and a They might be pleasantly surprised at ment of the promise shown in her ear - continued on page 16 how much they’ll end up liking it. continued on page 16 lier work. It is a great listen. www.sandiegotroubadour.com 17 OCTOBER 2009 SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR ’round about

OCTOBER CALENDAR WEEKLY

thursday • 1 saturday • 10 sunday • 18 every sunday Jerry Gontang , Desi & Friends, 2734 Lytton Shawn Rohlf & Friends , Farmers Market, St., 7pm. John Foltz w/ Cahill & Delene , Milano Coffee SD Folk Heritage Train Song Festival w/ Robin Sue Palmer Quintet , Mississippi Room, DMV parking lot, Hillcrest, 10am. Scandinavian Dance Class , Folk Dance Co., 8685 Rio San Diego Dr., 7pm. Henkel/Allen Singer/Baja Blues Boys/Trails & Lafayette Hotel, 2223 El Cajon Blvd., 1pm. Bluegrass Brunch , Urban Solace, 3823 30th Center, Dancing Unlimited, 4569 30th St., Sue Palmer Trio , Bing Crosby’s, 7007 Friar’s Rd., Rails/Tanya Rose/Ken Graydon/Patty Hall , Old Lighthouse , Ascension Lutheran Church, 5106 St., 10:30am. 7:30pm. Fashion Valley Mall, 7pm. Poway Park, 14134 Midland Rd., Poway, 10am. Zion Ave., 4pm. Daniel Jackson , Croce’s, 802 5th Ave., 11am. Open Mic , Thornton’s Irish Pub, 1221 Jolie Holland , Acoustic Music San Diego, 4650 Sharon Hazel Township , North County Pride Roger Daltrey , Humphrey’s, 2241 Shelter Island Broadway, El Cajon, 7pm. Open Blues Jam w/ Chet & the Committee , Mansfield St., 7:30pm. Celebration, 238 the Strand, Oceanside, 5pm. Dr., 7:30pm. Michael Tiernan , En Fuego Cantina, 1342 Shirthouse Bluegrass Band , Wynola Pizza, Downtown Cafe, 182 E. Main St., El Cajon, Peter Sprague Trio , Old Town Theatre, 42051 2:30pm. Camino Del Mar, 7:30pm. Main St., Temecula, 7:30pm. 4355 Hwy. 78, Julian, 6pm. Open Mic , Across the Street @ Mueller Nack & Neck , It’s a Grind, 204 N. El Camino monday • 19 Gustavo Romero , Neurosciences Institute, Robin Henkel , Wine Steals, 1243 University 10640 Hopkins Dr., University City, 4pm. College, 4605 Park Blvd., 8pm. Ave., 8pm. Real, 7pm. Poway Bluegrass Jam , Templar’s Hall, Old Celtic Ensemble , Twiggs, 4590 Park Blvd., 4pm. Charles Burton & Danny DiCarlo , Pal Joey’s, Nena Anderson , Bar Pink, 3829 30th St., 9pm. Chet & the Committee , Gino’s Wine Bar & 5147 Waring Rd., 8pm. Restaurant, 8384 La Mesa Blvd., 7pm. Poway Park, 14134 Midland Rd., 6:30pm. Traditional Irish Session , The Field, 544 5th Headshine , Winston’s, 1921 Bacon St., 10pm. Red, White & Blues Fundraiser , Humphrey’s Ave., 7pm. Open Mic , Skybox Bar & Grill, 4809 Willy Porter , Acoustic Music San Diego, 4650 Clairemont Dr., 8:30pm. Mansfield St., 7:30pm. Backstge Lounge, 2241 Shelter Island Dr., 7pm. Open Mic , E Street Cafe, 125 W. E St., Joe Rathburn/Nicole Torres/Lou Evans Jr. , Encinitas, 7:30pm. Open Mic , South Park Bar & Grill, 1946 Fern friday • 2 Small Potatoes , Fallbrook Woman’s Club, 238 St., 9pm. W. Mission, Fallbrook, 7:30pm. Athenaeum, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla, 7:30pm. Jazz Roots w/ Lou Curtiss , 8-10pm, KSDS Glenn & Jennifer Smith , Wynola Pizza, 4355 Mindi Abair , Anthology, 1337 India St., (88.3 FM). Hwy. 78, Julian, 6pm. 7:30&9:30pm. tuesday • 20 Open Mic w/ Happy Ron , Java Joe’s @ Cafe every thursday Zydeco Shakedown , World Beat Center, 2100 Carlos Olmeda/Jason Ford/Richie Blue , Libertalia, 3834 5th Ave., 8pm. Robin Henkel , Terra, 3900 Vermont St., Park Blvd., 6pm. Swedenborg Hall, 1531 Tyler Ave., 8pm. Monsters of Folk , Spreckels Theatre, 121 José Sinatra’s OB-oke , Winston’s, 1921 Hillcrest, 6pm. Robin Henkel Blues Trio , Iva Lee’s, 555 N. N. El Lisa Olson , Java Joe’s @ Café Libertalia, 3834 Broadway, Time TBA. Bacon St., 9:30pm. Chet & the Committee Open Blues Jam , Camino Real, San Clemente, 7pm. 5th Ave., 8pm. The Bluegrass Special w/ Wayne Rice , Downtown Cafe, 182 E. Main, El Cajon, 6pm. Thelonius Monk Tribute w/ the Gilbert Sue Palmer Trio , Bing Crosby’s, 7007 Friar’s Rd., 10pm-midnight, KSON (97.3 FM). Wood ‘n’ Lips Open Mic , Friendly Grounds, Castellanos Quartet , Dizzy’s@ S.D. Wine & Fashion Valley Mall, 8pm. wednesday • 21 9225 Carlton Hills Blvd., Santee, 6:30pm. Culinary Ctr., 200 Harbor Dr., 8pm. Cash’d Out/Midnight Choir/Canyon Band , Belly every monday Joe Rathburn’s Folkey Monkey , Milano Chris Botti , Humphrey’s, 2241 Shelter Island Up, 143 S. Cedros, Solana Beach, 9pm. Charles McPherson , Anthology, 1337 India St., Coffee Co., 8685 Rio San Diego Dr., 7pm. Dr., 8pm. 7:30pm. The Zapt Dingbats , Turquoise Cafe, 873 Turquoise St., Pacific Beach, 7pm. Open Mic , Turquoise Coffee, 841 Turquoise Carlos Olmeda , Java Joe’s @ Café Libertalia, Ken Filiano/Richard Thompson/Russell Bizzett/ St., P.B., 7pm. 3834 5th Ave., 8pm. Tripp Sprague , Dizzy’s@ S.D. Wine & Culinary Open Mic , Lestat’s, 3343 Adams Ave., 7:30pm. sunday • 11 Ctr., 200 Harbor Dr., 7:30pm. Moonlight Serenade Orchestra , Lucky Star Chase Morrin , Pannikin Coffee, Flower Hill Pro-Invitational Blues Jam , O’Connell’s Pub, Restaurant, 3893 54th St., 7pm. Firehouse Swing Dance w/ the Zzymzzy 1310 Morena Blvd., 8pm. Mall, Del Mar, 8pm. The Gregory Page Show , Java Joe’s @ Café Quartet , Belly Up, 143 S. Cedros, Solana Beach, Songwriter’s Showcase , Larry’s Beach Club, Drew Andrews , Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., 4pm. thursday • 22 Libertalia, 3834 5th Ave., 8pm. 9pm. 1145 S. Tremont, Oceanside, 8pm. Eliza Gilkyson , Acoustic Music San Diego, Traditional Irish Session , Thornton’s Irish Sirak Baloyan y Su Sonora Antillana/Latin 4650 Mansfield St., 7:30pm. Lila Downs , House of Blues, 1055 5th Ave., Pub, 1221 Broadway, El Cajon, 8pm. Groove Combo , Anthology, 1337 India St., 7pm. Chet & the Committee , Patrick’s II, 428 F St., every tuesday Open Mic/Family Jam , Rebecca’s, 3015 9:30pm. Tony Furtado , Acoustic Music San Diego, 4650 Juniper St., 8pm. 9pm. Mansfield St., 7:30pm. Paul Nichols , The Vine Wine Bar & Bistro, 2502 Alpine Blvd., Alpine, 6pm. Jazz Jam , South Park Bar & Grill, 1946 Fern California Transit Authority w/ Danny St., 9:30pm. saturday • 3 Seraphine & Mark Bonilla , Anthology, 1337 Traditional Irish Session , The Ould Sod, 3373 monday • 12 India St., 7:30pm. Adams Ave., 7pm. BLUSD Int’l Blues Challenge Show , Belly Up, Open Mic , Beach Club Grille, 710 Seacoast 143 S. Cedros, Solana Beach, 3:30pm. , Belly Up, 143 S. Cedros, Solana Poncho Sanchez/Luna Llena , Belly Up, 143 S. every friday Beach, 7pm. Cedros, Solana Beach, 8pm. Dr., Imperial Beach, 7pm. Del Dios Highway , Wynola Pizza, 4355 Hwy. 78, California Rangers , Larry’s Beach Club, 1145 Chet & the Committee All Pro Blues Jam , S. Tremont, Oceanside, 4:30-9pm. Julian, 6pm. The Harp, 4935 Newport Ave., 7:30pm. Tom Baird & Friends , Cosmos Coffee Cafe, 8278 Fred Heath Blues Band , Stockdale’s Fine tuesday • 13 friday • 23 Jack Tempchin & Friends , Calypso Cafe, 576 Southern Cuisine, 6523 University Ave., 6pm. La Mesa Blvd., 7pm. N. Coast Hwy. 101, Encinitas, 7:30pm. Peter Sprague & Fred Benedetti , San Dieguito Lou Curtiss’ Song Circle , Kadan, 4696 30th St., Grand Canyon Sundown , Wynola Pizza, 4355 David Patrone , Bing Crosby’s, 7007 Friar’s Rd., Hwy. 78, Julian, 6pm. Open Mic , The Royal Dive, 2949 San Luis Rey Fashion Valley, 7pm. United Methodist Church, 170 Calle 6pm. Rd., Oceanside, 8pm. Magdalena, Encinitas, 7:30pm. Pierre Bensusan , Dizzy’s@ S.D. Wine & Robin Henkel , Chateau Orleans, 926 Turquoise Jazz Night , Rebecca’s, 3015 Juniper St., 7pm. St., 6:30pm. Patrick Berrogain’s Hot Club Combo , Prado Temptations/Four Tops , Valley View Casino, Culinary Ctr., 200 Harbor Dr., 8pm. Restaurant, Balboa Park, 8pm. Open Mic , Bella Roma Restaurant, 6830 La 16300 Nyemii Pass Rd., Valley Center, 7:30pm. Lavay Smith & her Red Hot Skillet Lickers , Jolla Blvd. #103, 8pm. Anthology, 1337 India St., 7:30pm. Open Mic , Portugalia, 4839 Newport Ave., Jessica Lerner/Lou Evans/ Kenny Eng , O.B., 9pm. Open Mic , L’Amour de Yogurt, 9975 Carmel Swedenborg Hall, 1531 Tyler Ave., 8pm. wednesday • 14 Larry Washington CD Release , Dizzy’s@ S.D. Mountain Rd., 8pm. Erica Davies , Java Joe’s @ Café Libertalia, Wine & Culinary Ctr., 200 Harbor Dr., 8pm. Open Mic , Egyptian Tea Room & Smoking 3834 5th Ave., 8pm. Trails & Rails , Serra Mesa-Kearny Mesa Parlour, 4644 College Ave., 9pm. Library, 9005 Aero Dr., 6:30pm. Bart Mendoza/Wendy Bailey/True Stories/ every wednesday Dave Mason , Poway Center for the Arts, 15498 Danny Cress/Billy Fritz , Java Joe’s @ Café Chuck Schiele & Friends , Farmers Market, Espola Rd., 8pm. Fishtank Ensemble/Brass Menazeri , Dizzy’s@ Libertalia, 3834 5th Ave., 8pm. S.D. Wine & Culinary Ctr., 200 Harbor Dr., Newport Ave., Ocean Beach, 4-7pm. every saturday Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash , Tio Leo’s, 5302 7:30pm. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy , Belly Up, 143 S. Christopher Dale & Friends , Handlery Hotel, Napa St., 8pm. Cedros, Solana Beach, 9pm. 950 Hotel Circle N., 5pm. Blues Jam , South Park Bar & Grill, 1946 Fern Sue Palmer Quintet , Croce’s, 802 5th Ave., St., 9pm. Dave Mason , Poway Center for the Arts, 15498 7:30pm. Firehouse Swing Dance , 2557 3rd Ave., 7pm. Espola Rd., 8pm. Randi Driscoll/Larry Mitchell , Anthology, 1337 saturday • 24 Stevie Ray Vaughn B-Day Tribute , Belly Up, 143 India St., 7:30pm. S. Cedros, Solana Beach, 9pm. Jesse Cook , Humphrey’s, 2241 Shelter Island Bayou Brothers , Belly Up, 143 S. Cedros, Charmaine Clamor , Anthology, 1337 India St., Dr., 8pm. Solana Beach, 4pm. 9:30pm. Richie Furay Band/The Rocksliders , Belly Up, Trails & Rails , Wynola Pizza, 4355 Hwy. 78, 143 S. Cedros, Solana Beach, 8pm. Julian, 6pm. saturday • 31 sunday • 4 Adam del Monte , Old Time Music, 2852 Phil Harmonic Sez University Ave., 7pm. Sara Petit , Wynola Pizza, 4355 Hwy. 78, Julian, 6pm. Shady Side Players , Rebcca’s, 3015 Juniper St., thursday • 15 , Acoustic Music San Diego, 10am. 4650 Mansfield St., 7:30pm. Dan Levenson , Old Time Music, 2852 University Robin Henkel , Wine Steals, 1953 San Elijo, Ave., North Park, 7pm. “I shut my eyes Adrienne Nims & Sheldon Rosenbaum , Cardiff, 7pm. Acoustic Friends w/ Jim Earp , Rebecca’s, 3015 Encinitas Library, 540 Cornish Dr., 2pm. Juniper St., 8pm. Halloween Storyteller Night , Templar’s Hall, Earl Thomas , Anthology, 1337 India St., 7:30pm. Old Poway Park, 14134 Midland Rd., 7pm. in order to see.” Cecilio & Kapono , Humphrey’s, 2241 Shelter Chirgilchin Throat Singers , Dizzy’s@ S.D. Wine Island Dr., 7:30pm. Loggins & Messina , Humphrey’s, 2241 Shelter & Culinary Ctr., 200 Harbor Dr., 8pm. Island Dr., 7:30pm. — Paul Gauguin Robin Henkel Band w/ Horns! , Lestat’s, 3343 Sue Palmer Trio , Bing Crosby’s, 7007 Friar’s Rd., Adams Ave., 8pm. Fashion Valley Mall, 8pm. Vince Gill , Harrah’s Rincon, 777 Harrah’s friday • 16 Sharon Hazel Township , Portugalia, 4839 Rincon Way, Valley Center, 8pm. Newport, 8pm. Folding Mr. Lincoln , Wynola Pizza, 4355 Hwy. Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys/ 78, Julian, 6pm. Cherryholmes , Poway Center for the Arts, monday • 5 Grigoryan Brothers , Neurosciences Institute, 15498 Espola Rd., 8pm. 10640 Hopkins Dr., La Jolla, 7:30pm. The Jazz Pigs , Athenaeum, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla, noon. Steely Dan , Pechanga Resort & Casino, 45000 Pechanga Pkwy., Temecula, 8pm. sunday • 25 Poway Folk Circle , Templar’s Hall, Old Poway Park, 14134 Midland Rd., 6:30pm. Josiah , Pannikin Coffee, Flower Hill Mall, Del Wayne Riker’s Fretbook Guitar Workshop , Old Mar, 8pm. Blue Monday Pro Jam , Humphrey’s Backstage Time Music, 2852 University Ave., 2-6pm. Lounge, 2241 Shelter island Dr., 7pm. Nick Z/Jaden , Java Joe’s @ Café Libertalia, James Lee Stanley , Dark Thirty House Concret, 3834 5th Ave., 8pm. Lakeside, 7:30pm. Reservations: 463-9622. North County Cowboys , Hensley’s Flying Catie Curtis , Acoustic Music San Diego, 4650 Elephant Pub, 850 Tamarack Ave., Carlsbad, Mansfield St., 7:30pm. tuesday • 6 8pm. Chet & the Committee , Patrick’s II, 428 F St., Little Feat , Belly Up, 143 S. Cedros, Solana Baja Blues Boys , Ramona Oktoberfest, 9pm. Beach, 8pm. Ramona Comm. Center, 434 Aqua Lane, 9pm. wednesday • 7 saturday • 17 tuesday • 27 Lou Curtiss’ Song Circle , Kadan, 4696 30th St., Shawn Colvin , Anthology, 1337 India St., 7:30pm. Barbecue & Music Festival w/ Los Lobos/Dave 6pm. Luciana Souza , Neurosciences Institute, 10540 Alvin/Texas Tornados & more , Viejas Casino, 5000 Willows Rd., Alpine, 10am-10pm. Adrienne Nims & Raggle-Taggle , Rancho John Jay Hopkins Dr., 8pm. Bernardo Library, 17110 Bernardo Center Dr., Steve Poltz & the Cynics/The Farm Band/7th Chris Clarke , Wynola Pizza, 4355 Hwy. 78, 10:30am. Day Buskers , Belly Up, 143 S. Cedros, Solana Julian, 6pm. Beach, 8pm. Kathy & Carol/Lou & Virginia Curtiss , Templar’s Buddy Wuddy Blues Show w/ Robin Henkel , Hall, Old Poway Park, 14134 Midland Rd., wednesday • 28 Lestat’s, 3343 Adams Ave., 9pm. Poway, 7pm. Eddie & Martha Adcock/Hwy. 76 , 1st Baptist Sue Palmer Quintet , Croce’s, 802 5th Ave., 7:30pm. Church, 4747 Mt. Soledad Rd., 7pm. thursday • 8 Wayne’s World w/ Wayne Riker/Laura Kuebel/John Dodge/Veronica May , Old Time thursday • 29 Tomcat Courtney , Palomar College Music, 2852 University Ave., 7pm. Performance Lab, Rm. D-10, 1140 W. Mission Eldar Djangirov Trio , Anthology, 1337 India St., Adrienne Nims & Spirit Wind , Ramona Library, Rd., San Marcos, 12:30pm. 7:30pm. 1406 Montecito Rd., Ramona, 6pm. Shawn Colvin , Anthology, 1337 India St., 7:30pm. Kelly Joe Phelps , Acoustic Music San Diego, Joe Rathburn & David Beldock , Milano Coffee 4650 Mansfield St., 7:30pm. Co., 8685 Rio San Diego Dr., 7pm. Tom Baird & Friends , Rebecca’s, 3015 Juniper Sue Palmer Trio , Bing Crosby’s, 7007 Friar’s Rd., friday • 9 St., 7:30pm. Fashion Valley Mall, 7pm. Novamenco , Anthology, 1337 India St., 7:30pm. Heloise Love , Wynola Pizza, 4355 Hwy. 78, Lindsay Tomasic w/ String Planet , Canyonfolk Julian, 6pm. House Concert, Harbison Canyon. Band in Black , Hennessey’s Tavern, 2777 Reservations: [email protected] Roosevelt St., Carlsbad, 9:30pm. Robin Henkel , Chateau Orleans, 926 Turquoise St., 6:30pm. Sven-Erik Seaholm/BViolin/Peter Bolland , Zen House Concert, Four Seasons Yoga Studio, Tom Smerk , Friendly Grounds, 9225 Carlton 7770 REgents Rd. #111, La Jolla, 8pm. friday • 30 Hills Blvd., Santee, 7pm. Rick Deez/Isaac Cheong/EJP , Java Joe’s @ Mountain Tribal Gypsies , Wynola Pizza, 4355 Shawn Colvin , Anthology, 1337 India St., 7:30pm. Café Libertalia, 3834 5th Ave., 8pm. Pearl Jam/Ben Harper , Viejas Arena, 5500 Hwy. 78, Julian, 6pm. Sue Palmer Trio , Bing Crosby’s, 7007 Friar’s Rd., Tim Flannery , Acoustic Music San Diego, 4650 Canyon Crest Dr., 8pm. Fashion Valley Mall, 8pm. Rick Ruskin , Old Time Music, 2852 University Mansfield St., 7:30pm. Sharon Hazel Township , Beauty Bar, 4746 El Rob Szajkowski & Dan Libertino , Pannikin Ave., 8pm. Cajon Blvd., 8:30pm. Lindsay Yung/Josh Damigo , Java Joe’s @ Café Coffee, Flower Hill Mall, Del Mar, 8pm. Johnny Polanco , Anthology, 1337 India St., Jamey Johnson/Randy Houser , Viejas Casino, Libertalia, 3834 5th Ave., 8pm. 9:30pm. Bruce Betz , Pannikin Coffee, Flower Hill Mall, 5000 Wilows Rd., Alpine, 9pm. Del Mar, 8pm. Baja Blues Boys , Par Lounge, San Vicente Inn, 24157 San Vicente Rd., Ramona, 9pm.

18 www.myspace.com/sandiegotroubadour OCTOBER 2009 SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR @ C the local seen TE ROCE IBU ’S P M TR

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Coral Macfarland Thuet Daniel Jackson & Holly Hoffman

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Mark Stewart & Stacey Earle Howie Ferguson P h o t o t l t : l

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Mary Dolan Bill Hartwell @ Swedenborg Hall Josh Damigo wins at the SDMA P h o t t l o u :

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Lisa Sanders & Brown Sugar @ Claire de Lune young banjo player @ Julian Bluegrass Festival Ila Viking Mountain Ghost @ Folkey Monkey

Risa Goldberg www.sandiegotroubadour.com 19