June/July 2016 #219 $5.00 US New England’s only independent Blues newsletter mailing the schedules of our outstanding, hard working TheBlues Bands and BluesBlues Clubs to dedicated Blues Fans Audiencesince for 25 years. © ATB/TBA 2016 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Performance schedules and Blues news from the most talented local New England Blues Bands and Blues Clubs and Blues Festivals! Is that enough Blues for you? • Eddie Scheer, vocalist and multi talented musician, leader of the Love Dogs, talks to Art Simas about how he balances life and his music. Promo photo by Ken Boege • Blues news from her point of view, from our intrepid Ex President. Karen “Sistah K” Nugent • A new Festival in Antrim, NH- Bluesberry Jam with Big Bill Morganfield! • North Atlantic Blues Festival • Westford, MA Blues “n” Brews Festival • Barnful of Blues Festival with Luther “Gtr. Jr.” Johnson & The Magic Rockers!! are all coming up, how lucky are we, right here in New England? photos by Diana Shonk Leader of the Love Dogs Fetches Happiness in Living with Fa m i l y, Friends which we do about 4 or 5 times a year, we played 4 or 5 songs a n d M us ic, that we have never played before. Someone might come up with an idea and we all make it happen.” Every Day In the beginning, when he was dreaming about putting a band together, Scheer said, “I was simply thinking about the By Art Simas people who I thought would fit my musical ideas well. And look what happened. It’s just amazing that we’re all still together after all this time. “If you had asked me twenty two years ago if we’d have the same line up, I would have said, ‘No way!’ ” Original and/or ongoing Love Dogs include Alizon Lis- sance on keyboards and vocals; Glenn Shambroom on guitar and baritone sax; Myanna on tenor and alto sax; Steve Brown on drums; Scheer on vocals and percussion, and Jesse Williams on bass from 1994 to 2000. Randy Bramwell took over the bass duties in 2001. Former players and current fill-in guests include: Jesse Williams, Sax Gordon Beadle, Mario Perrett, Bruce Mc- Grath and Mark Paquin. Scheer said everyone who ever played with the Love Dogs “came to play” and have fun every gig. “Everyone brings dif- ferent qualities to the band. And I’m lucky that it’s all meshed together as well as it has. It’s kind of unbelievable to tell you the truth.” He added, “Steve Brown is my favorite drummer Promo photo by Ken Boege because he plays the jump and New Orleans stuff better than anyone; plus he’s the comedian of the group. Alizon has her own show playing keyboards, accordion and vocals. On any When the Love Dogs play those first notes at a gig, the given night she’ll bring her own material … so she’s got her audience has no choice but to succumb to a joyful light-head- own thing going and is so talented. edness accompanied by an infectious smile on every “I’ve been lucky to play with Glenn (Shamb- face. There is no doubt – this is the beginning room) for over thirty years. Because he plays of laissez les bons temps rouler! for the next guitar and baritone sax, he’s like two few hours. different musicians. On the horn he’s Yet how can that same feeling more of a Jazz guy with a Gerry remain within the members of the Mulligan style; on the guitar he’s band for more than twenty two so great with the early Rock years? And more amazingly, most stuff from Chuck Berry and have remained on that initial mu- the Beatles, and he’s also a good sical journey that began in 1994. Blues guitarist. He’s really the For front man and leader, one who has enabled us to do so Eddie Scheer, it all starts with a many different things musically. collective love of all varieties of mu- “Myanna is usually the featured sic, and AM radio in the 1960s. “We’re soloist on alto and tenor sax. She’s a all of similar ages and we all came up tremendously energetic and very creative listening to AM radio. In those days you heard musician.” everything that you could possibly hear… such as Love Dog horns at Gilrein’s- “And Randy is the ‘Iron Man’ who holds it all to- Sly and the Family Stone, the next song is from Worcester, MA gether. When we don’t know where to go (musi- The Who, the Stones, then Barbara Streisand or - photo by Diana Shonk cally), we all follow his lead,” Scheer said. Diana Ross, then Dolly Parton, and on and on. So In the early years, Scheer said the Love Dogs spent we all have that appreciation for all different styles of music. many years on the road. From 1996 to 2002, it was no surprise “We know hundreds and hundreds of songs,” Scheer if many or all of the Love Dogs would be lounging and sleeping continued. “But in just about all of our performances, we’ll play on a friend-of-a-friend-of a friend’s couch, floor or assorted de- something that is never in any set list. It’s that spirit of adventure signer recliners just doing whatever needed to be done to keep that we all have which is a big part of what keeps us going. playing and reaching new audiences from coast to coast. “For example, in a recent dance night gig in Leominster, From those experiences (over and over again), Scheer said, 2 Keeping the Blues coming to you, LIVE! thebluesaudience.com • The Blues Audience newsletter 2016 “We got to know each other really really of gigs and can we come up with songs well. It was like a marriage – only there all night long. We can play a Blues club were 6 people in the marriage.” Alas (and and play mostly stuff off our records or Thank God!!) “We’re all older now and we can play a private party and play Rock we can’t do that kind of stuff anymore … and Soul all afternoon. It’s the variety that I’ve got 2 daughters who are still pretty makes it work.” young, so I’m not away from home very Besides the gigs with the Love Dogs, much. If you’re a trio or a quartet, you Scheer co-coordinates several other col- may be able to make it happen, but it’s laborative ventures with many of his mu- a lot harder now for a bigger band to sical colleagues. On Tuesdays from 8 to 11: survive – financially – on the road. Eddie 30 p.m., you’ll find Ed and fellow Love added, “We’ve been lucky. We’ve been to Dog Randy Bramwell at the helm of the Europe about 5 times and had a blast over Corrib in Brighton Center playing hosts there, and we have a pretty big following to a Best of Boston musical all stars. For on the West Coast, especially in Oregon Photo of Eddie Scheer by Phil Monica instance, a few weeks ago he had Cheryl and Washington.” Arena, Cheryl Arruda and Danielle What the audience sees on stage is Miraglia doing girl group tunes; then the The Creative Process the result of a well-planned but totally following week it was duo guitar masters, Creating music has never been a organic process of give-and-take and Roberto Morbioli from Italy and Bos- chore or a burden for Eddie. “That’s my knowing what goes where, when. Scheer ton’s Rick Russell. Another week featured passion. That’s what I live for. I’m very admitted, “We really don’t rehearse any- Lydia Warren, PhD, and Mike Welch; Sax lucky that I found this thing at a very more,” (that’s because they really don’t Gordon Beadle and Mike DiBari … and young age and have been fortunate to have to). it goes on and on. “Eddie Scheer’s Tuesday get good enough to do it professionally The band has several early summer Night All Stars” originated originated in and make it work for all these years. I’m gigs coming up in parks or local band- 2010 at the former (and much missed), eternally grateful in many ways, includ- stands … Belmont, Sudbury, Hampstead, Smoken’ Joe’s across the street. Now in its ing that I have this great group of people NH and more will be on the way. Check sixth year, Tuesday night at the Corrib is that I can play with. I never take that for their listing on page six. “These type of the place to be. granted,” he added. gigs are a nice shot in the arm for us be- “Most of the time I’ll come to the cause playing for an all ages crowd is a lot Being a Leader band with an idea of a song and we’ll all of fun.” Scheer said. “That’s another secret “I think being a leader has to do work it out on stage. We’ll play something to the band – we can do all different types continued on page 5 a couple of times and we’ll talk about (l-r) Randy, Eddie, Myanna and Glen at the Strange Brew- photos by Diana Shonk our ideas, what to put in and decide what Alizon Lissance at the sounds good and what doesn’t sound Bull Run at our 20th good.