Sponsors Kelley Martin Steve Roche Charles Schiele Creative Owen Burke Berkley Sound Dee Ray Groove House Records Chris Hassett Dennis Driscoll Taylor Guitar Special Thanks to Pam Reinagle Deering Banjo Michael Rennie Oasis House Concerts Carnitas’ Snack Shack Pete Bayard Steve Thorn Green Flash Wynola Pizza Chuck Schiele Ingrid Croce Jeff Berkley Hamilton’s Tavern Martha Sullivan Big Kitchen Ben McGrath & Sue Skala William McRae Bill & Shirlee McAndrews PRP Wine Frankie Frey Tim Flack Hanna Kirchenbauer Lori Saldana Veronica Graciano Jack Tempchin Moze Guitars Mission Bay Soccer Team Esta Browning Holy Trinity Concert Series Cathy Radcliffe Claire de Lune Classic Bows Violin Shop Buffalo Brothers Vision Center Harry Mestyanek The Blue Guitar New Expression Music OCTOBER 2011 SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR welcome mat RSAN ODUIEGBO ADOUR Look ing Back what’s inside Alternative country, Americana, roots, folk, Tblues, gospel, jazz, and bluegrass music news F ac ing For ward Welcome Mat...........3 MISSION CONTRIBUTORS Mission Contributors To promote, encourage, and provide an FOUNDERS P alternative voice for the great local music that h Letter from the Publishers Ellen and Lyle Duplessie e here at the San Diego o t is generally overlooked by the mass media; o Liz Abbott : namely the genres of alternative country, Troubadour wish to S Kent Johnson t e v Full Circle...................4 Americana, roots, folk, blues, gospel, jazz, and express our deepest e bluegrass. To entertain, educate, and bring PUBLISHERS C W o Deering Banjo Liz Abbott thanks to everyone who is now, v together players, writers, and lovers of these a Kent Johnson u Recordially, Lou Curtiss l forms; to explore their foundations; and to has been, or will be associated with t expand the audience for these types of music. EDITORIAL/GRAPHICS the San Diego Troubadour in some Liz Abbott Front Porch.................7 SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR, the local source for way or another as advertisers, writ - Chuck Schiele Troubadour Writers Stories alternative country, Americana, roots, folk, ers, columnists, former and current blues, gospel, jazz, and bluegrass music news, ADVERTISING What Is a Troubadour? is published monthly and is free of charge. Kent Johnson staff members, delivery people, and Allen Singer Letters to the editor must be signed and may be DISTRIBUTION to all of our readers, we are very edited for content. It is not, however, guaranteed Kent Johnson that they will appear. Dave Sawyer grateful. Parlor Showcase.....10 All opinions expressed in SAN DIEGO Indian Joe Stewart It doesn’t seen like ten whole TROUBADOUR are solely the opinion of the Dan Long The Troubadour Looks writer and do not represent the opinions of the Paul Cruz years have gone by, but in putting Back staff or management. All rights reserved. PHOTOGRAPHY this special anniversary issue ADVERTISING INFORMATION Steve Covault together, we see how much has Dennis Andersen Ramblin’.....................12 For advertising rates, call 619/298-8488 been packed into this particular Bluegrass Corner or e-mail [email protected]. You can also find WEB MASTER information on our website: Chris Clarke period of time. For us, 10 years is The Zen of Recording www.sandiegotroubadour.com Doug Walker not just a marker, it also represents Hosing Down SUBSCRIPTIONS are available for $30/yr. WRITERS Radio Daze Send check payable to S.D. Troubadour to: the Troubadour ’s ever-widening cir - Peter Bolland Stages San Diego Troubadour Lou Curtiss cle of supporters, friendships that Publishers Liz Abbott and Kent Johnson P.O. Box 164 Will Edwards have been made, a gradual increase La Jolla, CA 92038 Simeon Flick Highway’s Song........14 E-mail: [email protected]. in our readership, and the opportu - our traditional open mic session in Patty Hall Notes from a Truck Stop WHERE TO FIND US Can’t find a copy of the nity to be a part of San Diego’s addition to performances by sever - Paul Hormick Musings from Terry Roland San Diego Troubadour? Go to Kent Johnson unique music scene. To have al of San Diego’s most popular per - www.sandiegotroubadour.com and click Frank Kocher on FIND AN ISSUE for a complete list of watched the evolution of this pub - formers, including Peter Sprague Jim McInnes Of Note.......................17 locations we deliver to. lication from the first issue up and Leonard Patton, Berkley Hart, Bart Mendoza The Riders SUBMITTING YOUR CD FOR REVIEW Mark Pulliam until now – almost 120 issues to Robin Henkel, Steve Poltz, and A.J. If you have a CD you’d like to be considered for Terry Roland Sons of Edison review, please send two copies to: San Diego Croce. Watch for some surprise Raul Sandelin date – is indeed gratifying. Troubadour, P.O. Box 164, La Jolla, CA 92038. Chris Klich Elizabeth Schwartz Ten years is a milestone that artists as well. Taylor Guitars and SUBMITTING A CALENDAR LISTING Billy Watson Sven-Erik Seaholm calls for celebration and we are Deering Banjo have been good Email your gig date, including location, address, José Sinatra Melly Frances and time to [email protected] by enough to donate two wonderful Steve Thorn planning to do just that. On the 22rd of the month prior to publication. Jimmy “Diesel” White Sunday, October 9, friends of the instruments for an opportunity ‘Round About............18 ©2011 San Diego Troubadour. D. Dwight Worden drawing as well. Tickets can be Troubadour will gather together at October Music Calendar Sunset Temple in North Park to purchased online: http://www.sandiegotroubadour.co The San Diego Troubadour is dedicated to the memory of Ellen and Lyle Duplessie , recognize our accomplishments The Local Seen........19 whose vision inspired the creation of this newspaper. over the past 10 years and to raise m/10th-anniversary-celebration/ Photo Page a glass to the future of the paper. Come and join us! This fun-packed evening features www.sandiegotroubadour.com 3 OCTOBER 2011 SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR full circle Deering Banjo Brings Tradition into the Future by Will Edwards ment that dominated popular music in this country from the late 19th century opular music has always been all the way up until the late 1930s. influential in our culture even as When Gibson started manufacturing Pthe popular musicians have amplified electric guitars and Charlie changed time and time again. Pop Christian brought the idea of amplified music has introduced the listening pub - guitar to the Benny Goodman sextet in lic to new political ideas and it has the late ’30s, the banjo fell by the way - even been the catalyst for important side and the electric guitar took its cultural movements in history. Today, Carolina Chocolate Drops place. Further guitar innovations con - popular music from bands like American-made banjos and is recog - tinued at Gibson, Fender, Gretsch and, Mumford and Sons and the Avett nized around the world as the premiere other famed guitar makers while the Brothers is present on the radio air - company to look to for innovations banjo was relegated to the field of “tra - waves across the U.S. But, it’s not just related to the banjo. Greg Deering start - ditional” music, rather than popular new music that these bands are intro - ed playing the banjo at the age of 12. music. But, once again the banjo is ducing. Among other things, they are Equipped with a love of building, espe - being heard… and even amplified! reintroducing the listening public to an cially machining and woodworking, Deering is the only banjo manufac - instrument with a long and influential Greg developed new manufacturing turer in the U.S. that makes all their history of its own: the banjo. techniques. Many of Deering’s inno - own parts in house (Greg has even vations are aimed at designed and built many making quality instru - of the workshop’s custom ments affordable for the tools). This do-it-yourself average person while approach is indicative of still meeting a a trend you can see for professional yourself at the player’s exact - Deering factory – ing standards. they feel compelled Ultimately, to improve all the Deering time. In a recent Greg and Janet Deering made a name for collaboration with Mumford and Sons Jeff DaRosa of the themselves, It is wise for any instrument manu - Learn more about Deering Banjo Drop Kick Murphys while remaining facturer to remain prominent in the online at Even though Mumford and Sons (a nationally recognized true to their own marketplace (especially if they’ve got a http://www.deeringbanjos.com. You can hail from distant shores (West London, Irish-punk band from roots and the traditional good product!). Deering Banjo partici - find them on Facebook England) and the Avett Brothers formed Boston) Deering devel - banjo community. pates in major music festivals all over (http://www.facebook.com/deering.banj 3,000 miles away, in distant Concord, oped dramatic The fact that a the U.S., trying to expand awareness of, o) and twitter (@Deering_Banjos). North Carolina, both bands have had advances in elec - Deering Banjo is and interest in, the banjo. Traditional their definitive sounds shaped by San tric-acoustic banjo the instrument of and contemporary players alike show - Diego. That’s because San Diego is pickup technology. choice over other case Deering Banjos at the RockyGrass home to Deering, “The Great American Anyone who has manufacturers for Festival, MerleFest, and Walnut Valley Banjo Company,” and it is Deering that played an acoustic many mainstream Festival in Winfield, Kansas. Deering designed and built the banjos used by instrument on an electri - musicians has helped also supports music in the schools and both bands. fied stage can attest to how encourage a significantly Greg and Janet’s daughter Jamie is Deering Banjo has a distinguished likely and horrid feedback broader interest in the spearheading efforts to cultivate even history of making the banjos that the can be.