TnJ 374 (12/29/11)

2011 TOAST-n-JAM BEST OF SAMPLER

-HOUR ONE-

the DECEMBERISTS – Calamity Song (2011 the King Is Dead)
TOM WAITS – New Year’s Eve (2011 Bad as Me)
IMPERIAL ROOSTER – Korhn Sirup Sundae (2011 Decent People)
the CIVIL WARS – Barton Hollow (2011 Barton Hollow)
BEN HARPER – Rock n’ Roll Is Free (2011 Give Till It’s Gone)
the BLACK KEYS – Gold on the Ceiling (2011 El Camino)
GALACTIC w/ SOUL REBELS BRASS BAND and COREY HENRY – From the Corner to the Block (2011 the Other Side of Midnight – Live in New Orleans, 10/29/10 Tipitina’s, New Orleans, LA)
BLACK JOE LEWIS & the HONEYBEARS – Livin’ in the Jungle (2011 Scandalous)
TV on the RADIO – Repetition (2011 Nine Types of Light)
MY MORNING JACKET – You Wanna Freak Out (2011 Circuital)

-HOUR TWO-

PHISH – Theme from the Bottom > Black-Eyed Katy (2011 Hampton/Winston-Salem '97 [box set], 11/23/97 Veteran's Memorial Coliseum)
GRAYSON CAPPS – Rock ‘n’ Roll (2011 the Lost Cause Minstrels)
TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND – Midnight in Harlem (2011 Revelator)
BRUSHFIRE STANKGRASS – Funk Epidemic (2010 One for the Salamanders)
the INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS – the Hitchhiker (2011 We’ll Do It Live)
the JAYHAWKS – Mockingbird Time (2011 Mockingbird Time)

# # #

Keep an eye on the blog in the next few days and I’ll post my yearly listmania (^_^) TOAST

# # #

2011 MUSICAL YEAR IN REVIEW

This Thursday (12/29), tune in, turn on, and jam out with the sweetest sounds from this year's crop. Not just the best studio releases, but the best live releases (both official and unofficial), the best local music, and as always, the best bands you must see live. It'll be one for the record books - hope you can join me (^_^) TOAST

# # #

TnJ 373 (12/22/11)

"What's it all about?" "It" being the whole jam band thing, I guess. Here's as good a place to start as any. A primer for a friend looking for an "in," perhaps. And though I could certainly do a few more lists like these to get everyone in I feel should be represented, I'm calling this JAM BAND 101. Enjoy (^_^)

-HOUR ONE-

DAVE MATTHEWS BAND – Warehouse (1997 Live at Red Rocks 8/15/95)
JIMI HENDRIX – Jam Back at the House (1994 Woodstock, c. 1969)
moe. - Meat (2000 L)
PHISH – the Moma Dance > the Wedge (9/3/11 Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Denver, CO)
STRING CHEESE INCIDENT w/ JOHN COWAN – Can't Stop Now (6/19/03 Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Telluride, CO)
YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND – Kentucky Mandolin (2008 Mountain Tracks Volume 5, 7/21/07 Columbus, OH)

-HOUR TWO-

ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND – Whipping Post (1997 Fillmore East February, 1970)
LED ZEPPELIN – You Shook Me (8/31/69 Texas International Pop Festival, Dallas, TX)
GOV'T MULE – Mule (4/28/07 Santa Fe Brewing Company, Santa Fe, NM)
UMPHREY'S McGEE – Hangover (12/30/04 the Riviera, Chicago, IL)
WIDESPREAD PANIC – Travelin' Light (2010 Live in the Classic City II, MM)
GRATEFUL DEAD – the Music Never Stopped (1999 So Many Roads 1965-1995 [box set], 10/14/80 the Warfield, San Francisco, CA)

# # #

TnJ 372 (12/15/11)

Once again, guest toast Clinton Huling gets it done, excavating rare treasures from his archives (^_^)

-HOUR ONE-

JIMMY REED – Christmas Present Blues (2009 In the Christmas Groove)
AFRICAN MUSIC MACHINE – Black Music Gold [Pearl] (1972 Black Water Gold)
EDDIE HAZEL – California Dreamin’ (1977 Game, Dames and Guitar Thangs)
JIMI HENDRIX – Hear My Freedom (2010 West Coast Seattle Boy – the Jimi Hendrix Anthology)
KING CURTIS – Instant Groove (1969 Instant Groove)
JERRY GARCIA & FRIENDS – Slippin’ Into Christmas (11/23/72 Armadillo World Headquarters, Austin, TX)
JIMMY McGRIFF – Jingle Bells (1963 Christmas with Jimmy McGriff)
EDDIE HARRIS & LES McCANN – Shorty Rides Again (1971 Second Movement)
RAY CHARLES – the Little Drummer Boy (1985 the Spirit of Christmas)

-HOUR TWO-

CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD – Never Been to Spain (11/2/11 George’s Majestic, Fayetteville, AR)
CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD – Ride (11/2/11 George’s Majestic, Fayetteville, AR)
CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD – Mr. Charlie (11/2/11 George’s Majestic, Fayetteville, AR)
MARSHALL TUCKER BAND – Melody Ann (1979 Running Like the Wind)
NEIL YOUNG – Pocahontas (11/17/92 WTTW Studios, Chicago, IL)
RECONSTRUCTION – Strugglin’ Man (7/7/79 the Keystone, Palo Alto, CA)
MIKE BLOOMFIELD – the Ones I Loved Are Gone (1969 It’s Not Killing Me)

# # #

TnJ 371 (12/8/11)

-HOUR ONE-

WIDESPREAD PANIC – Postcard (12/31/10 Pepsi Center, Denver, CO) livewidespreadpanic.com
STOCKHOLM SYNDROME – Apollo (2011 Apollo) stockholmsyndromeband.com
RYAN ADAMS – Invisible Riverside (2011 Ashes & Fire)
DARK STAR ORCHESTRA – Feel Like a Stranger (7/8/10 All Good Music Festival, Masontown, WV) darkstarorchestra.net
ROBERT EARL KEEN – Play a Train Song (2011 Ready for Confetti) robertearlkeen.com
GRAYSON CAPPS – Coconut Moonshine (2011 the Lost Cause Minstrels) graysoncapps.com
FORMER CHAMPIONS – [Worthless] Human Artifacts (2011 Former Champions) homegrownmusic.net
moe. - Downward Facing Dog (2012 What Happened to the La Las) moe.org

-HOUR TWO-

moe. w/ WARREN HAYNES – Opium (2011 Warren Haynes Presents – the Benefit Concert, Vol. 4, 12/21/02 Asheville, NC) warrenhaynes.net
JOE CARO – Sludge (2011 Home Alone) joecaro.net
DOORS – Back Door Man > Love Hides > Back Door Man (6/5/70 Seattle Center Coliseum)
DOORS – Soul Kitchen (2008 Live at the Matrix '67, 3/7/67 San Francisco, CA)
GREGG ALLMAN – I Can't Be Satisfied (2011 Low Country Blues)
ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND – Melissa (1992 An Evening with the Allman Brothers Band – First Set)
ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND – In Memory of Elizabeth Reed (7/19/79 Merriweather-Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD)

# # #

OAKHURST LIVE on KBAC WEDS 12/7

Tune in, turn on, and jam out with an afternoon Toast-n-Jam session in KBAC's Studio 2, 3 p.m., featuring Colorado's jamgrass up-and-comers: Oakhurst.

# # #

Here's the link to listen to Oakhurst live on KBAC...
# # #

TnJ 370 (12/1/11)

-HOUR ONE-

KELLER WILLIAMS INCIDENT – Man Smart [Woman Smarter] > Kidney in a Cooler (6/21/02 Bonnaroo, Manchester, TN)
OAKHURST – Bitterroot Hop (2008 Jump in the Get Down) porchmusic.com
DECEMBERISTS – Row Jimmy (2011 Long Live the King EP) thedecemberists.com
TOM WAITS – Satisfied (2011 Bad as Me)
NICK MOSS – Here Comes Moses (2011 Here I Am) nickmoss.com
KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD – Come on Over (2011 How I Go)

-HOUR TWO-

ROBERT RANDOLPH & the FAMILY BAND – Squeeze (2011 Live in Concert) robertrandolph.net
ROBERT RANDOLPH & the FAMILY BAND w/ WARREN HAYNES and DANNY LOUIS – Shake Your Hips (2011 Warren Haynes Presents – the Benefit Concert, Vol. 4, 12/21/02 Asheville, NC) warrenhaynes.net
BLACK SABBATH – Jack the Stripper / Fairies Wear Boots (1970 Paranoid)
JANE'S ADDICTION – Curiosity Kills (2011 the Great Escape Artist) janesaddiction.com
UMPHREY'S McGEE – Miami Virtue (2011 Death by Stereo) umphreys.com
PHISH – Stash > NICU (2011 Hampton/Winston-Salem '97 [box set], 11/23/97 Veteran's Memorial Coliseum) phish.com

# # #

TnJ 369 (11/24/11)

Extra Grateful Thanksgiving Edition...

-SET ONE-

GRATEFUL DEAD – Hard to Handle (4/29/71 Fillmore East, New York, NY)
GRATEFUL DEAD – Sugar Magnolia (2007 Live at the Cow palace – New Year’s Eve 1976)
GRATEFUL DEAD – Deal (5/8/77 Cornell U)
GRATEFUL DEAD – Bertha > Good Lovin’ (7/8/78 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO)

-SET TWO-

GRATEFUL DEAD – Uncle John’s Band > Playing in the Band > Uncle John’s Band (6/8/80 Folsom Field, Boulder, CO)
GRATEFUL DEAD – Bird Song (4/28/85 Frost Amphitheatre, Palo Alto, CA)
GRATEFUL DEAD – Shakedown Street (12/14/90 McNichols Arena, Denver, CO)

ENCORE:

GRATEFUL DEAD – Dancing in the Street (5/8/77 Cornell U)

# # #

BIRDLAND BIRTHDAY BASH

D Numbers and Moksha? This is likely to be a show worth seeing!

Go here for more (^_^) TOAST

# # #

THANKSGIVING SPECIAL NEXT WEEK

Tune in, turn on, and jam out this Thursday night (11/24) for an EXTRA GRATEFUL THANKSGIVING edition of Toast-n-Jam (^_^)

# # #

TnJ 368 (11/17/11)

-HOUR ONE-

MY MORNING JACKET – First Light (2011 Circuital) mymorningjacket.com
HYMN for HER – Drive (2008 Year of the Golden Pig) hymnforher.com
HEAVY PETS – a Doy and His Bog (2011 Swim Out Past the Sun) homegrownmusic.net
DISCO BISCUITS – Spraypaint (2011 Otherwise Law Abiding Citizens) discobiscuits.com
D NUMBERS – Paradise Moonshooter (2010 Onda) dnumbers.com
TINARIWEN – Iswegh Attay (2011 Tassili) tinariwen.com
KELLER WILLIAMS – Dance of the Freek (2004 Stage, 3/11/03 the Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach, CA) kellerwilliams.net

-HOUR TWO-

INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS – Well, Well (2011 We’ll Do It Live) thestringdusters.com
ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND – Whipping Post (1992 the Fillmore Concerts, 3/13/71 Fillmore East, New York, NY)
METALLICA – Disposable Heroes (2011 the Bridge School Concerts – 25th Anniversary Edition)
RODRIGO y GABRIELA – One (2008 Live in Japan) rodgab.com

# # #

TnJ 367 (11/10/11)

-HOUR ONE-

TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND – Bound for Glory (2011 Revelator) tedeschitrucksband.com
DELANEY & BONNIE & FRIENDS – Comin’ Home (1970 On Tour with Eric Clapton)
PEARL JAM w/ NEIL YOUNG – Walk with Me (2011 Pearl Jam Twenty OST, 10/23/10 Bridge School Benefit, Mountain View, CA)
NEIL YOUNG and CRAZY HORSE – Cowgirl in the Sand (1969 Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere)
ALBERTA CROSS – Driving with Myself (2011 the Rolling Thunder EP) albertacross.net
HYMN for HER – Grave (2010 Lucy & Wayne and the Amairican Stream) hymnforher.com
the MACPODZ – 9 Lives (2011 the Truth EP) themacpodz.com

-HOUR TWO-

UMPHREY’S McGEE – Conduit (2011 Death by Stereo) umphreys.com
MOKSHA – Entranced (2011 Here to Go) mokshatime.com
BOOKER T. JONES – Crazy (2011 the Road from Memphis) bookert.com
BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO – Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad? (1988 Taking It Home) buckwheatzydeco.com
LOS LOBOS – Teresa (2005 Acoustic en Vivo) loslobos.org
DAWES – Coming Back to a Man (2011 Nothing is Wrong) dawestheband.com
STRING CHEESE INCIDENT – Come as You Are (2003 On the Road, 5/24/03 Sedona, AZ) stringcheeseincident.com
GRATEFUL DEAD – Throwing Stones (1987 In the Dark)

Let me point out to Joe Caro that, while I applaud your ability to make an album on your Mac, maybe you’ll want to invest in a professional CD mastering service next time. None of our industrial quality players would play your disc, “Home Alone.” Was gonna spin “Sludge,” for the curious. Thanks for the coaster, dude (^_^)

# # #

TnJ 366 (11/3/11)

-HOUR ONE-

OLD CALIFORNIO – Sundrunk Angels (2011 Sundrunk Angels) oldcalifornio.com
NATHAN MOORE – Train of Thoughts (2011 Dear Puppeteer) nathanmoore.org
DARK STAR ORCHESTRA – Mr. Charlie (8/12/10 Party in the Park, Rochester, NY) darkstarorchestra.net
HOT RIZE – Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning (2002 So Long of a Journey, c. 1996 Boulder Theater, Boulder, CO)
CHRIS THILE & MICHAEL DAVES – Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms (2011 Sleep with One Eye Open) punchbrothers.com
TIM O’BRIEN – Walkin’ Boss (2005 Cornbread Nation) timobrien.net
INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS – No More to Leave You Behind (2011 We’ll Do It Live) thestringdusters.com
BIG DADDY LOVE – Home Tree (2011 Let It Grow) homegrownmusic.net
REVEREND RAVEN and the CHAIN SMOKIN’ ALTAR BOYS – Shake Your Boogie (2010 Shake Your Boogie) reverendraven.com

-HOUR TWO-

BLACK JOE LEWIS & the HONEYBEARS – Mustang Ranch (2011 Scandalous) blackjoelewis.com
NEW MASTERSOUNDS – Passport (2011 Breaks from the Border) newmastersounds.com
JOHN SCOFIELD – Hottentot (1998 A Go Go) johnscofield.com
PHISH – Prince Caspian (12/31/96 Fleet Center, Boston, MA)
PRIMUS – Jilly’s on Smack (2011 Green Naugahyde) primusville.com
PINK FLOYD – Shine On You Crazy Diamond parts 1-5 (11/14/74 Empire Pool, Wembley, London)

# # #

ALBUM REVIEW

The Jayhawks – Mockingbird Time


It’s been about 15 years since this version of The Jayhawks line-up collaborated. It was worth the wait.

Mark Olson left in 1995, at the group’s artistic and popular peak. The band carried on as best they could, and Olson even rejoined with Jayhawks co-leader Gary Louris as a duo for a short time a few years back. Rumor has it they suspected there was at least one, amazing, absolutely classic Jayhawks album yet to be recorded. Turns out they were right.

“Mockingbird Time” may well go down in history as their best, and it certainly stacks up with their landmark releases, “Hollywood Town Hall” and “Tomorrow the Green Grass,” which recently got the reissue/re-master treatment if you missed them the first time.

The first single off the new disc, “She Walks in So Many Ways,” is a fitting re-introduction to their sound: jangly, harmonic, power-folk. But, as is often the case with singles, it’s hardly the best this album has to offer.

One of the standout qualities of this disc is the almost-forgotten songwriting art of the bridge, and on songs like the sublime title track and especially “High Water Blues,” the bridges practically steal the show. “High Water Blues” is unusually manic, even rockin’ for this band. So far it’s my favorite song of the year.

The lush instrumentation in tracks like “Hide Your Colors,” and “Tiny Arrows” buttresses the complex arrangements and helps carry the listening experience through. Yes, this album is a listening experience, overflowing with delicate, fractured beauty and the kind of raw emotional power hardly ever captured on a recording.

There isn’t a single track here I’d consider tedious listening, or filler, as most albums are burdened with. I used to dismiss The Jayhawks as just another neo-hippie folk band, but even the folkiest tracks here, like “Pouring Rain at Dawn” or “Black-Eyed Susan,” contain tiny surprises (like those imported Kinder Eggs) and elevate my overall estimation of the band.

“Stand Out in the Rain” plays like an epic, but clocks in at a concise 4 minutes. It’s one tiny epic after another on this album. The album’s closer, “Hey Mr. Man,” plays like a classic Jayhawks number, bringing us full circle, but also implies what’s to come. If we’re lucky, Olson and Louris may decide to re-convene the classic line-up for another session, but if not, this is as good a swan song as any.

These days, an actual album – a collection of songs with a dynamic range yet an underlying cohesion as well as layers which only peel away with repeated listening – is a rarity. This is one to appreciated, even relished, in its entirety.

# # #

(Released September 20, 2011, Rounder Records)

by Chris Diestler

# # #

TnJ 365 (10/27/11)

Halloween Musical Costume Party!!!

-HOUR ONE-

JERRY GARCIA BAND – That’s What Love Will Make You Do (1980/2004 After Midnight – Kean College, 2/28/80)
SOULIVE w/ TASH NEAL and the SHADY HORNS – Lucille (2011 Bowlive – Live at the Brooklyn Bowl, c. 2010) soulive.com
YELLOW DUBMARINE – Octopus’s Garden (2011 Abbey Dub) yellowdubmarine.com
BOOKER T. and the M.G.’s – Eleanor Rigby (1968 Soul Limbo)
LOS LOBOS – Are You Experienced? (7/7/99 O’Gara’s Garage, St. Paul, MN)
CAKE – War Pigs [live] (2007 B-Sides and Rarities) cakemusic.com
BIG CHIEF MONK BOUDREAUX & the UPPRESSORS w/ RAS TREE – Spirits in the Material World (2008 Spirits in the Material World – a Reggae Tribute to the Police)
INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS w/ PAUL HOFFMAN – Canary in a Coalmine (3/18/11 Fox Theatre, Boulder, CO) thestringdusters.com
DEL McCOURY & CO. – High on a Mountain (7/19/02 [late show] Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival)

-HOUR TWO-

ROY JAY – Deal (Promo – RJB does the Dead) royjayband.com
KELLER & the KEELS – Mountains of the Moon (2010 Thief) kellerwilliams.net
BORIS McCUTCHEON & the SALTLICKS – Suzanne (2011 Utrecht) frogvilleplanet.com
THOM YORKE – After the Gold Rush (2011 the Bridge School Benefit – 25th Anniversary Edition)
LARRY SCHMID – Sweet Jane (2011 Seeds and Stems) greatcaesarsghost.com
GOV’T MULE – Dazed and Confused (2010 Mulennium, 12/31/99 the Roxy Theatre, Atlanta, GA) mule.net
TR3 – Hocus Pocus (2011 from Space and Beyond, 11/09 Evanston, IL) timreynolds.com
WIDESPREAD PANIC – Chest Fever (11/12/09 Fox Theater, Oakland, CA) livewidespreadpanic.com

# # #

PANIC ACOUSTIC

The so-called Widespread Panic "Wood Tour" has dates nearby in Denver (February 10-12, 2012) and Aspen (February 17-19, 2012). Tickets on sale in November. Details here.

Woodspread Panic?

(^_^) TOAST

# # #

T-n-J UNDERCOVER

Tune in, turn on and jam out to another Halloweeny "Musical Masquerade," with bands performing as other bands - nothing but cover songs.

I've already locked Gov't Mule as Led Zeppelin and Los Lobos as Jimi Hendrix into the mix (thanks, Yolanda), and other good bets to appear are Jerry Garcia Band as Little Milton, Soulive as Little Richard, Keller Williams as the Grateful Dead, Boris McCutcheon as Leonard Cohen (from the new live album), Widespread Panic as The Band, and, get this: the Infamous Stringdusters (with Greensky Bluegrass) as The Police.

There'll be other surprise "musical costumes" too (^_^)

This Thursday 10/27 after Frogville on KBAC 98-1 Radio Free Santa Fe.

# # #

I should also mention a bunch of bands are doing just this - musical costumes - at Santa Fe Sol this Saturday (10/29). Todd & the Fox as Pink Floyd, BoomRoots Collective as the Beastie Boys, the Strange as the Black & White Striped Keys, etc. Only $5, starts around 7pm. Party!

# # #

EPIC PHISH RUN - MSG NYE NYC

And lo, it came to pass that many planned to make the pilgrimage to New York City for a celebration to end all celebrations: 4 nights of jammy, Phishy goodness.

Early ticket requests expire Monday at 12 noon (Eastern), general public on sale this Saturday (10/29). Here the link. Fare thee well.

(^_^) TOAST

# # #

TnJ 364 10/20/11

-HOUR ONE-

GRATEFUL DEAD – Stella Blue > Good Lovin’ (11/29/80 University of Florida, Alligator Alley Gym, Gainesville, FL)
MiZ – Dopesick Blues (2011 East Hope Avenue) mikemizwinski.com
KENNY VAUGHAN – Mysterium (2011 V) kennyvaughan.net
ANTHONY LEON & the CHAIN – Sons (2011 the Pistol, the Bottle, and shaded pastures) reverbnation
IMPERIAL ROOSTER – the Beast On the Backs of Our Children (2011 Decent People) reverbnation
KING CRIMSON – Court of the Crimson King / the Return of the Fire Witch / the Dance of the Puppets (1969 In the Court of the Crimson King)

-HOUR TWO-

DISCO BISCUITS – We Like to Party (2011 Otherwise Law Abiding Citizens) discobiscuits.com
PEARL JAM – Black (1998 Live On Two Legs)
JJ GREY & MOFRO – Lochloosa (2011 Brighter Days CD/DVD, 1/22/11 Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA) jjgrey.com
ELVIN BISHOP – the Night Time Is the Right Time (2011 Raisin’ Hell Revue) elvinbishopmusic.com
TOM PETTY & the HEARTBREAKERS – Mary Jane’s Last Dance (2009 the Live Anthology, 9/21/06 Gainesville, FL)
the BEATLES – Something (1969 Abbey Road)
WILCO – Open Mind (2011 the Whole Love) wilcoworld.net

# # #

DEAD FUNNY

KBAC guru Ira Gordon passed this along (^_^) TOAST

# # #

WIDESPREAD HALLOWEEN SOLD OUT - AVAILABLE in HD

All Spread Heads know their Halloween setlists have a reputation for greatness. The Chicago shows are sold out, but will be filmed in HD for our enjoyment.

Click here for more info and get ready to rock (^_^) TOAST

# # #

TnJ 363 (10/13/11)

-HOUR ONE-

WARREN HAYNES w/ RUTHIE FOSTER – River’s Gonna Rise [live] (2011 promotional single) warrenhaynes.com
HANK 3 – Gutter Town (2011 Ghost-to-a-Ghost / Guttertown) hank3.com
the HEAVY PETS w/ DAVID GRISMAN – Song for John (2011 Swim Out Past the Sun) theheavypets.com
UMPHREY’S McGEE – Hajimemashite (2011 Death by Stereo) umphreys.com
MOKSHA – Awaken My Love (2011 Here to Go) homegrownmusic.net
FELA KUTI – Palm Wine Sound (1977 Fear Not for Man)

-HOUR TWO-

RATDOG – Jam > Feel Like a Stranger (9/15/02 Telluride Blues & Brews Festival, Telluride, CO)
PRIMUS – Lee Van Cleef (2011 Green Naugahyde) primusville.com
DeVotchKa – All the Sand in all the Sea (2011 100 Lovers) devotchka.net
BUXTER HOOT’N – Go Get Your Gun (2011 Buxter Hoot’n) buxterhootn.com
MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD – East to the West (2006 Yell Fire!) michaelfranti.com
YELLOW DUBMARINE w/ MISS SARA KRYSCIO – I Want You [She’s So Heavy] (2011 Abbey Dub) yellowdubmarine.com
the BLACK LILLIES – the Arrow (2011 100 Miles of Wreckage) theblacklillies.com
the AVETT BROTHERS – the Ballad of Love and Hate (2007 Emotionalism) theavettbrothers.com

# # #

TnJ 362 (10/6/11)

-HOUR ONE-

STRING CHEESE INCIDENT – Howard (3/12/11 Broomfield, CO) livecheese.com
BOOTSY COLLINS w/ DR. CORNEL WEST – Freedumb [When-Love-Becomes-a-Threat] (2011 Tha Funk Capital of the World) bootsycollins.com
GALACTIC w/ CYRIL NEVILLE – Gossip (2011 the Other Side of Midnight – Live in New Orleans, 10/29/10 Tipitina’s, New Orleans, LA) galacticfunk.com
JOE MOSS BAND – My Life (2011 Drive Time – Live at Chan’s) joemossband.com
NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS – Whiskey Rock a Roller (2004 Under the Influence – a Jam Band Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd) nmallstars.com
LYNYRD SKYNYRD – Call Me the Breeze (1974 Second Helping)
WHITEWATER RAMBLE – When I’m Gone (2010 All Night Drive) whitewaterramble.com

-HOUR TWO-

the JAYHAWKS – High Water Blues (2011 Mockingbird Time) jayhawksofficial.com
FALLING WATER – Early Frost (2011 the Slow Down EP) fallingwatermusic.com
DAWES – That Western Skyline (2/1/11 Odd Fellows Hall, Davis, CA) dawestheband.com
BLITZEN TRAPPER – Destroyer of the Void (7/20/11 Bluebird Theater, Denver, CO) blitzentrapper.net
JOHN LENNON – Remember (1970 John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band)
THELONIOUS MONK – Ruby My Dear (1952 Genius of Modern Music Volume 1)
JOHN COLTRANE – Acknowledgement (2002 a Love Supreme [deluxe edition], c. 1965)
DEREK TRUCKS BAND – Rastaman Chant (2010 Roadsongs) derektrucks.com

# # #

TnJ 361 (9/29/11)

-HOUR ONE-

PHISH – Punch You in the Eye (8/16/98 Lemonwheel, Loring AFB, Limestone, ME)
PRIMUS – John the Fisherman (1990 Suck On This, c. 1989 the Berkeley Square, Berkeley, CA)
WIDESPREAD PANIC – Papa Legba (6/19/11 Brady Theater, Tulsa, OK) livewidespreadpanic.com
ANTHONY LEON & the CHAIN – Shotgun (2011 the Pistol, the Bottle, and shaded pastures) reverbnation
BLACKIE and the RODEO KINGS – Stoned (2004 Bark) blackieandtherodeokings.com
COMANCHERO – One Foot in the Grave (2011 the Undeserved) comancheromusic.com
DAVE LITTRELL – Steall Falls (2011 Now I See) homegrownmusic.net
JJ GREY & MOFRO – Brighter Days (2011 Brighter Days CD/DVD, 1/22/11 Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA) jjgrey.com

-HOUR TWO-

JJ GREY & MOFRO – Air (2011 Brighter Days CD/DVD, 1/22/11 Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA) jjgrey.com
DRASTIC ANDREW – Closure (2011 Save the Machine) drasticandrew.com
WILCO – Art of Almost (2011 the Whole Love) wilcoworld.net
the DEAD – Space > Rhythm Devils Jam > China Doll (5/7/09 Pepsi Center, Denver, CO)
JERRY GARCIA BAND – Reuben & Cherise (11/23/77 Palace Theater, Waterbury, CT)
the OTHER ONES – Franklin’s Tower (8/3/02 Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI)

# # #

CONCERT REVIEW - WILLIE NELSON

WILLIE NELSON – 9/17/11 Santa Fe Opera, Santa Fe, NM

The t-shirts and posters at the merch booth lauded Willie Nelson as an American legend and, at age 78, that’s a moniker he’s certainly earned. He’s earned another label of dubious merit over the years: unapologetic pothead.

However, if he was stoned tonight, how could anyone tell? He tore through song after classic song, often at breakneck speed, and never, ever dropped a note or lick or lyric that I caught. All with a posture indicating he could probably do it with both hands tied behind his back. Some say this almost listless urgency is just his style and has been for years, but even on ballads like “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground,” or “Georgia on My Mind,” which elicited thunderous applause from the largely well-behaved audience before he’d sung half their first verses, Nelson seemed just this side of in a hurry to get finished and on to the next gig.

Not to say the set list wasn’t an impressive string of hits – some his, some not – but with his sparse, honky-tonk lineup, I was hoping for at least a hint of intimacy. What I got was a show just lively enough to imply he wasn’t merely going through the motions.

The first 3 songs were “Whiskey River,” “Still is Still Moving to Me,” and “Beer for My Horses,” from 1973’s Shotgun Willie, 1993’s Across the Borderline, and Toby Keith’s 2002 release, Unleashed, respectively. A nice triptych to open with, covering a wide swath of his catalog, and the crowd cheered for all of them, but if this was going to be a “Willie Nelson’s Greatest Hits” show, somewhat obscure choices. His musical statement out of the gate seemed to be, “I’ll play what I damn well please, and you’re gonna enjoy it.” And guess what? We did.

The show played like one long country super-medley, since he barely stopped to take a breath between any of the songs, so I almost didn’t notice there was an actual medley of early Nelson compositions: “Funny How Time Slips Away/Crazy/Night Life.” All of these unquestionable classics were hits for others during Nelson’s lean years. The first was a hit for Billy Walker in 1961, the second a hit for Patsy Cline in 1962, and the third a hit for Ray Price in 1963. Nelson would not become a star in his own right until a decade later, but these songs prove he had talent, even when hardly anyone knew it yet.

Of course, Nelson isn’t the only one to have had others record hit versions of his songs. Rhodes Scholar Kris Kristofferson, another living legend of the outlaw country subgenre, wrote “Help Me Make It through the Night,” and it was recorded and/or performed by literally scores of artists besides Nelson (including Elvis Presley, though Sammi Smith recorded the most famous version). During this number he took the opportunity to show off some licks which I can only classify as “gypsy jazz,” then played right into “Me & Bobby McGee,” perhaps Kristofferson’s most well-known number (thanks to the late Janis Joplin).

Then came the Acuff-Rose classic, “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,” and loud applause came too. You know a song’s a classic when the applause comes at the beginning as well as the end. This is a song nearly everyone is certain Nelson must have written (though he didn’t), but it did help make him famous as a recording artist in his own right back in 1975 when he cut it for the classic album Red-Headed Stranger.

Now, at almost the exact middle of the show – when most shows get bogged down in self-indulgence, experimentalism, and trying out new material – the floodgates were finally open, and a seemingly unending barrage of Nelson’s biggest hits came one after the other. Most performers save this part of the set until just before the big encore (or FOR the big encore), but again, Willie’s gotta do it Willie’s way. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the biggest of the big hits got the biggest reaction: “On the Road Again” and “Always on My Mind.” The jaded cynic in me wants to say I yawned my way through them, but hearing them live, with everybody singing along, was even better than hearing those recordings for the first time.

After Nelson paused for a millisecond to name-drop Waylon Jennings, “Good Hearted Woman” actually got a couple of the expensive seat-holders up and dancing before security managed to calm them down.

He even took time to pay homage to one of country’s true originals, Hank Williams, with “Jambalaya (On the Bayou),” “Hey, Good Lookin’” and “Move it on Over,” leaving me to wonder what kind of show ol’ Hank might be doing today, had he not died so young. Of course, he’d be pushing 90, but Nelson’s pushing 80, and seems fine with his lot: carrying the traditional country torch.

There was even a series of songs Nelson classified as “spirituals,” though I’d just classify them as old-timey: “Nobody’s Fault but Mine,” “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” and “I’ll Fly Away.” The first’s origins are so obscure that most who’ve recorded it over the years simply label it a traditional, though some attribute it to Blind Willie Johnson, who recorded it in the early 20th century. The 2nd was derived from an actual Christian hymn and was cut famously by the Carter Family in 1935. “I’ll Fly Away” was published around the same time by a well-known hymnal writer of the day, though Wikipedia states the song’s true origins are secular. Allison Krauss and Gillian Welch revived it for the 2000 film release O Brother Where Art Thou? I recall the film’s soundtrack sparking a popular revival of old-time country. Listening to Nelson for 2 hours reminded me of great old-time songs I’d nearly forgotten, and rekindled my appreciation for that style of music. Trouble is, precious few “new country” artists are carrying that aesthetic into the future, as anyone who’s listened to country radio for 15 minutes could tell you – but I’m certain another revival will spark interest again down the road. Everything old circles back into vogue eventually.

“Me and Paul,” Nelson’s dusty old gem from 1971, was one of the night’s biggest surprises for me. I mistook it for a new song since I couldn’t recall ever hearing it before. I was quick to dig out the original when I got home and compare it to the experience I’d just had at the concert. One of the verses struck me as something he could have just as easily written yesterday: “Almost busted in Laredo / But for reasons that I’d rather not disclose / But if you’re stayin’ in a motel there and leave / Just don’t leave nothin’ in your clothes.” Actually the whole song seems like it could’ve been written yesterday, with lyrics like “After takin’ several readings / I’m surprised to find my mind’s still fairly sound,” and “At the airport in Milwaukee / They refused to let us board the plane at all / They said we looked suspicious.” And that’s what I noticed about this collection of songs from Willie Nelson, the standard-bearer: they are timeless. And so is he.

He already seemed ancient and wise to me when I first looked through my mom’s record albums over 30 years ago, but he and his songs don’t seem to have aged at all since. Nelson, or at least Nelson’s voice, is weathering the effects of old age better than some. He’s got almost a decade on Bob Dylan, but Dylan’s voice blew out ages ago. I’m always impressed by an artist who can perform songs with the barest of instrumentation, no fireworks, no razzle-dazzle, just let the music do the talking. His costume changes amounted to: 1) taking off his cowboy hat and donning his trademark red bandana (just in time for the line in “Me and Bobby McGee,” I noticed), and 2) taking off the bandana and finishing the show with no headgear at all. Other than that, just a black shirt, black pants, black shoes, that bizarre red-white-and-blue guitar strap that looks like it attaches to the bottom of the guitar. Just like always, right?

Maybe that style of performance is nearly extinct. Maybe us old-timers (I feel that way sometimes, but then I always have) are the only ones left who appreciate it in this instant-streaming-pop-culture-overload-hard-to-tell-the-difference-between-news-and-advertising world. Maybe the next generation just hasn’t re-discovered it and made it their own yet. George Jones once sang, “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes,” referencing the country greats who’d shuffled off this mortal coil. Nelson’s filling ‘em for now, and proudly.

A few of my favorites – “Poncho and Lefty,” for example, or “Time of the Preacher,” went unsung, leaving me to conclude that Nelson’s catalog is so deep, it would be almost impossible to do all the greats in one sitting. This isn’t unusual for a band like the Grateful Dead or the Allman Brothers, but some of their live jams stretch into the 20-30 minute range. I don’t think Nelson let a song go longer than 2 minutes all night. Like I said, he unilaterally played them swiftly, yet effortlessly. I’m not sure he was actually keeping proper time with the accompaniment. We were all on Willie time.

If his time is short, as alas, it must be, at least he’s making hay while the sun shines. As for his last wish? A new song entitled “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die” dropped a hint, and steered the show toward a fitting close. If it ends up being Nelson’s epitaph, I know a few good people who’ll be happy to carry out his final request.


# # #

TnJ 360 (9/22/11)

Guest Toast Eric Davis digs deep and lays down a thick Springsteen tribute, just in time for his (Bruce's) birthday tomorrow (^_^) TOAST

-HOUR ONE-

BRUCE SPRINGSTONE – (Meet the) Flintstones (1982 Live at Bedrock 12”)
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & the E STREET BAND – Thundercrack (1974 unknown venue)
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & the E STREET BAND – And the Band Played (1973 radio broadcast)
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN BAND – You Mean So Much to Me (1971 Damrosch Park, New York, NY)
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – Eloise (1972 demo)
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – If I Was the Priest (1972 demo)
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – Bishop Danced (1973 WBCN Boston)
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – Vietnam (Nebraska outtake)

-HOUR TWO-

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & the E STREET BAND – County Fair (1983 Born in the U.S.A. outtake)
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & the E STREET BAND – I Want You (WMMR Philiadelphia)
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & the E STREET BAND – Who’ll Stop the Rain (unknown source)
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & the E STREET BAND – Boom Boom (c. 1988)
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & the E STREET BAND – Heartbreak Hotel (1978 the Roxy, Los Angeles, CA)
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & the E STREET BAND – Jersey Girl (1986 Live 1975-1985)
JOHNNY CASH – I’m on Fire (2000 Badlands – a Tribute to Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska)
the BAND – Atlantic City (1993 Jericho)
DAVE EDMUNDS – From Small Things [Big Things One Day Come] (1982 D.E. 7th)
WARREN ZEVON – Cadillac Ranch (1982 Capitol Theater, Passaic, NJ)
PEARL JAM – Growing Up (2003 Holmdel, NJ)

# # #

THIS WEEK'S THEME

Bruuuuuuuuuuce!!!

# # #

ANTHONY LEON & the CHAIN CD RELEASE PARTY

Well, it's about damn time. Can't Wait (^_^) TOAST



# # #

TnJ 359 (9/15/11)

-HOUR ONE-

ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA – Peaches en Regalia (2008 Zappa Plays Zappa DVD) zappaplayszappa.com
FLAMING LIPS – Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots part 1 (2002 Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots) flaminglips.com
7 WALKERS – 7 Walkers (2010 7 Walkers) 7walkers.com
REVEREND PEYTON’s BIG DAMN BAND – Some of These Days I’ll Be Gone [slide guitar version] (2011 Peyton on Patton) bigdamnband.com
WILLIE NELSON – the Great Divide (2002 the Great Divide)
ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND – In Memory of Elizabeth Reed > Drums > In Memory of Elizabeth Reed (5/16/09 the Gorge Amphitheatre, George, WA)

-HOUR TWO-

PHISH – It’s Ice (2009 the Clifford Ball [box set], 8/17/96 Plattsburgh Air Force Base, Plattsburgh, NY)
MOKSHA – the Seed (2011 Here to Go) homegrownmusic.net
TROMBONE SHORTY – Nervis (2011 for True) tromboneshorty.com
IVAN “FUNKBOY” BODLEY – the Hate Monkey (2011 Look at That Cookie) funkboy.com
CRUSHED VELVET and the VELVETEERS – London Black parts 1, 2 & 3 (1974/2011 the Big One OST) crushedvelvet.bandcamp.com
TV on the RADIO – You (2011 Nine Types of Light) tvontheradio.com
MY MORNING JACKET – Outta My System (2011 Circuital) mymorningjacket.com
MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD – Rock the Nation (11/26/04 the Fillmore, San Francisco, CA)
SANTANA – Black Magic Woman > Gypsy Queen (1977 Moonflower)

# # #

TnJ 358 (9/8/11)

-HOUR ONE-

moe. – Okayalright > She Sends Me (2002 Warts & All, Vol. 2, 2/23/02 the Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA) moe.org
Interview > Roy Jay (recorded 9/7/11 KBAC-FM, Santa Fe, NM)
ROY JAY – Zeke Mountain (2011 Joy Ray) royjayband.com
the JAYHAWKS – Stand Out In the Rain (2011 Mockingbird Time) ***due out 9/20/11*** jayhawksofficial.com
SPRING CREEK – Evening Turns to Ashes (2011 Hold On Me) springcreekbluegrassband.com
GRATEFUL DEAD – Big Boss Man (2/18/71 Capitol Theater, Port Chester, NY)
GUITAR SHORTY – Too Late (2010 Bare Knuckle) guitarshorty.com

-HOUR TWO-

HOLY GOATS – Something to Tell You (2011 Next Round) theholygoats.com
GRAYSON CAPPS – John the Dagger (2011 the Lost Cause Minstrels) graysoncapps.com
STRING CHEESE INCIDENT – Impressions > Coal Train Jam > Impressions (7/10/04 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO) livecheese.com
TINARIWEN w/the DIRTY DOZEN BRASS BAND – Ya Messinagh (2011 Tassili) tinariwen.com
SOUND TRIBE SECTOR 9 – Luma Daylight (9/8/06 Fox Theatre, Boulder, CO) livedownloads.com
NEW MASTERSOUNDS – Walk in These Shoes (2011 Breaks from the Border) newmastersounds.com
UMPHREY’S McGEE - Wellwishers (2011 Death by Stereo) umphreys.com

# # #

TnJ 357 (9/1/11)

-HOUR ONE-

TODD SNIDER – Conservative, Christian, Right-Wing Republican, Straight, White, American Males (2011 Live – the Storyteller) toddsnider.net
TODD SNIDER – Rose City (2011 Live – the Storyteller)
TOM WATTS – Space Oddity > Sun King (9/1/11 Live at KBAC-FM, Santa Fe, NM)
ADAM STERN – Weights and Measures (2009 Twang Shui) adamsternmusic.com
ADAM STERN – Progabilly (2011 High Country Gentleman)
TOM WATTS – All Blues > Samba Pa Ti (9/1/11 Live at KBAC-FM, Santa Fe, NM)
TOM WATTS – Imagine > All Apologies (9/1/11 Live at KBAC-FM, Santa Fe, NM)

-HOUR TWO-

NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS – Jr. > Stay All Night > Lord Have Mercy > Stay All Night (2009 Do It Like We Used to Do, c. 2008 Memphis, TN) nmallstars.com
GRATEFUL DEAD – Althea (1997 Terrapin Station Live, 3/15/90 Capital Centre, Landover, MD)
TROMBONE SHORTY – Big 12 (2011 For True) tromboneshorty.com
DUB IS a WEAPON – Persistence (2011 Vaporized) homegrownmusic.net
ULTRAVIOLET HIPPOPOTAMUS – Square Pegs Round Holes (2011 Square Pegs Round Holes) uvhippomusic.com
EASY STAR ALL-STARS w/ BUNNY RUGS and U-ROY– Lovely Rita (2009 Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub Band) easystar.com
LOS LOBOS – Dream in Blue > Rock & Roll, Hoochie Koo (7/7/99 O’Gara’s Garage, St. Paul, MN)

# # #

CONCERT REVIEW - CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD

CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD - 8/23/11 Santa Fe Brewing Company, Santa Fe, NM

For the stalwart few who still enjoy good, old-fashioned rock-n-roll, a night with the Chris Robinson Brotherhood backs up the old adage "they just don't make 'em like that no more."

Granted, some of the songs haven't quite crystallized into their most perfect form yet, and some of the solos kind of fizzle and crash before achieving orbit, but altogether a great set from a combo with a lot of potential.

Eric Davis of SantaFe.com posted a great review here.

# # #

TnJ 356 (8/25/11)

-HOUR ONE-

STRING CHEESE INCIDENT – Just One Story (3/11/11 Broomfield, CO) livecheese.com
DISCO BISCUITS – Portal to an Empty Head (2011 Otherwise Law Abiding Citizens) discobiscuits.com
SAM ROBERTS BAND – Graveyard Shift (2011 Collider) samrobertsband.com
JIMMY DASHER – 3 In the Front (2011 the Waiting Game) jimmydasher.com
the WHO – Underture (1979 the Kids are Alright, 8/17/69 Woodstock Festival, Bethel, NY)
the WHO – Slip Kid (1975 the Who by Numbers)
WILCO – I Am Trying to Break Your Heart (9/4/03 McDonald Theatre, Eugene, OR) wilcoworld.net

-HOUR TWO-

WIDESPREAD PANIC – Maggot Brain > Use Me (6/27/10 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO) livewidespreadpanic.com
ZIGABOO MODELISTE – Ate Ball Waltz (2011 New Life) zigaboo.com
INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS – Get It While You Can (7/17/10 String Summit, Horning’s Hideout, North Plains, OR) thestringdusters.com
MILKDRIVE – Changa Chang (2011 Road from Home) milkdrive.com
REVEREND PEYTON’S BIG DAMN BAND – Mississippi Boweavil Blues (2011 Peyton on Patton) bigdamnband.com
ANA POPOVIC – Slideshow (2011 Unconditional) anapopovic.com
le CHAT LUNATIQUE – Minnie the Moocher (2009 Under the Covers) lechatlunatique.com
RUSH – a Farewell to Kings (1977 a Farewell to Kings)

# # #

TnJ 355 (8/18/11)

Many thanks to KBAC guru Ira Gordon for taking the controls last week, and I hope he's having a toasty time in Hawaii this week. Looks like I missed out on some fine ear candy (^_^)

-HOUR ONE-

COUNTING CROWS - Rain King > Introduction to Sullivan Street > Sullivan Street (2011 Live at Town Hall DVD, c. 9/18/07 NYC) ***release date 8/29/11***
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Seeds > Johnny 99 (4/29/09 the Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA)
NEIL YOUNG - Broken Arrow (2008 Sugar Mountain - Live at Canterbury House, 11/9/68 Ann Arbor, MI)
BRUCE COCKBURN - Wondering Where the Lions Are (1990 Live [Canadian import], c. 1989)

-HOUR TWO-
JIMMY CLIFF - Guns of Brixton (unknown source)
the CLASH - English Civil War (2008 Live at Shea Stadium, c. 1982)
BURNING SPEAR - War (5/4/06 El Rey Theater, Albuquerque, NM)
ROLLING STONES - Midnight Rambler (10/17/73 Forest National, Brussels, Belgium)
GRATEFUL DEAD - Hey Jude (1997 Live at Fillmore East, 2/11/69 NYC)
PINK FLOYD - Atom Heart Mother (4/29/70 Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA) wolfgangsvault.com

# # #

TnJ 354 (8/11/11)

-HOUR ONE-

DIRE STRAITS – Tunnel of Love (1980 Making Movies)
UMPHREY’s McGEE – Slacker (12/31/04 Riviera Theatre, Chicago, IL) umphreys.com
NEW MASTERSOUNDS – Free Man (2011 Breaks from the Border) newmastersounds.com
TROMBONE SHORTY – Do to Me (2011 For True) tromboneshorty.com
TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND – Come See About Me (2011 Revelator) tedeschitrucksband.com
DONNA the BUFFALO – Living in Babylon (2002 Live from the American Ballroom, c. 2001) donnathebuffalo.com
RAILROAD EARTH – Long Walk Home (2010 Long Walk Home) railroadearth.com

-HOUR TWO-

LEFTOVER SALMON – Get No Better (8/10/02 Mishawaka Amphitheater, Bellvue, CO) leftoversalmon.com
STEPHANIE HATFIELD – Leave Somehow (2011 the Tracks) stephaniehatfieldmusic.com
ZACH DEPUTY – Into the Morning (2011 Into the Morning…into the Night) zachdeputy.com
BIG GIGANTIC w/ STS9 – a Place Behind the Moon (2010 a Place Behind the Moon) biggigantic.net
PHISH – My Friend, My Friend > McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters (8/7/93 Darien Lakes Performing Arts Center, Darien Center, NY)
CORNMEAL – Oh Leah Lee (2010 Live in Chicago, IL Vol. 1, c. 2009) cornmealinthekitchen.com
ROY JAY – John Brown [electric] (2011 Joy Ray) royjayband.com

# # #

JOHN PRINE ABQ TIX ON SALE MONDAY 8/15

Wednesday, November 16, 2011 at UNM's Popejoy Hall, one of America's best songwriters: John Prine. Special guest Loudon Wainwright III. Tickets on sale Monday 10:00 a.m. here.

# # #

GUITAR SHORTY STUDIO 2 INTERVIEW

Woo hoo!

I get to chat on the air with Guitar Shorty live this Tuesday on KBAC @ 2pm.

Be sure to tune in - who knows, there may be ticket giveaways and/or some live shredding to be had! Then make sure to catch his full set live on the Plaza Bandstand that evening (8/9) in Santa Fe.

Go Shorty! Go Shorty! Go! Go! Go Shorty!

(^_^) TOAST

# # #

August 10, 2011: The interview audio is now posted for streaming here. Includes 2 songs performed live!

# # #

JAMBANDS AHOY

Santa Fe jam fans get a rare double shot of live shows next week at Sol Santa Fe (formerly Santa Fe Brewing Company).

First, re-creating the Grateful Dead experience one show at a time since 1995, it's Dark Star Orchestra on Thursday (8/11).

Then, on Friday (8/12), the return of Chicago's finest jamgrass outfit: Cornmeal. Serious side-aching dancing to be had, everybody!

These shows are both all ages affairs, and if you mention Toast-n-Jam at the door Thursday when you show up tie-died for Dark Star, they'll cut you a serious break on a ticket for Cornmeal the next night right then and there - only $5 (^_^)

So get out there and see some music!

# # #

TnJ 353 (8/4/11)

-HOUR ONE-

GRATEFUL DEAD – Big Railroad Blues (9/10/83 Santa Fe Downs, Santa Fe, NM)
GRATEFUL DEAD – Casey Jones (11/29/80 University of Florida, Alligator Alley Gym, Gainesville, FL)
GUITAR SHORTY – Slow Burn (2010 Bare Knuckle) guitarshorty.com
BEN HARPER – Spilling Faith > Get There from Here (2011 Give Till It’s Gone)
BEASTIE BOYS – Nonstop Disco Powerpack (2011 Hot Sauce Committee Part Two)
BIG GIGANTIC – Foxy (2009 Fire It Up) myspace.com/biggigantic

-HOUR TWO-

DISCO BISCUITS – Kitchen Mitts (2006 the Wind at Four to Fly) discobiscuits.com
EUFÓRQUESTRA – Backbone (2009 Soup) euforquestra.com
TURBINE – Blue Light City (2011 Blue Light City) homegrownmusic.net
MY MORNING JACKET – Victory Dance (2011 Circuital) mymorningjacket.com
the JAYHAWKS – Tiny Arrows (2011 Mockingbird Time) jayhawksofficial.com
BORIS & the SALTLICKS – Peeler (2010 Wheel of Life) borismccutcheon.com
JERRY GARCIA – Mission in the Rain (1976 Reflections)
GRATEFUL DEAD – U.S. Blues (6/30/85 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD)

# # #

THE SOURCE

Light a candle (or perhaps something else) in honor of what would have been Jerry Garcia's 69th birthday this Monday (8/1).

Definitely wouldn't have this show without him.

Favorite Jerry lines? Leave a comment below - I'll share the best on the air this Thursday (^_^)

# # #

Just had to share this quote from Dead biographer Dennis McNally:

Once, on stage, I asked him a question and ended it by saying, "Boss." Parish turned and said "You can't call him boss, the situation is the boss." And Jerry laughed and said, "Hey, you can call me boss, but don't expect me to make any decisions." (Which wasn't true, but sounded good).

# # #

TnJ 352 (7/28/11)

Wow! Author Nate Downey (who just got 2nd place in the Santa Fe Reporter reader's poll for Best Locally Authored Book of the Year: "Harvest the Rain") went the extra mile in carefully crafting an amazing setlist for tonight. Many thanks (^_^) TOAST

-HOUR ONE-

GRATEFUL DEAD – Scarlet Begonias > Fire on the Mountain (11/30/80 Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA)
GRATEFUL DEAD – Drums > the Wheel (11/30/80 Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA)
INCUBATORS – Dead River Blues theincubators.net
ROBERT HUNTER – Terrapin Medley (1980 Jack o’Roses)

-HOUR TWO-

GRATEFUL DEAD – Close Encounters > St. Stephen (1/22/78 University of Oregon, McArthur Court, Eugene, OR)
GRATEFUL DEAD – I Need a Miracle > Shakedown Street (1/15/79 Springfield Civic Center, Springfield, MA)
GRATEFUL DEAD – When I Paint My Masterpiece (7/9/95 Soldier Field, Chicago, IL)

# # #

TnJ 351 (7/21/11)

-HOUR ONE-

PHISH – Tweezer (10/11/10 Broomfield, CO) livephish.com
HOT CLUB of COWTOWN – Osage Stomp (2010 What Makes Bob Holler) hotclubofcowtown.com
LIPBONE REDDING – Chickahominy (2011 Unbroken) lipbone.com
PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND w/ TOM WAITS – Tootie Ma Was a Big Fine Thing (2010 Preservation – An Album to Benefit Preservation Hall & the Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program) preservationhall.com
MIKE ZITO – Show Me the Way (2011 Greyhound) mikezito.com
WARREN HAYNES – River’s Gonna Rise (2011 Man in Motion) warrenhaynes.net
FUNKADELIC – Super Stupid (1971 Maggot Brain)

-HOUR TWO-

GARAGE á TROIS – Resentment Incubator (2011 Always Be Happy, But Stay Evil) garageatrois.net
CRUSHED VELVET and the VELVETEERS – Memphis Stomp (1974/2011 the Big One OST) royalfamilyrecords.com
PETER TOSH – Legalize It [original Jamaican mix] (1976/2011 Legalize It [Legacy Edition])
SOL DRIVEN TRAIN – Watermelon (2011 Watermelon EP) soldriventrain.com
JIM LAUDERDALE – Cruel Wind and Rain (2011 Reason and Rhyme) jimlauderdale.com
INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS – Well, Well (3/18/11 Fox Theatre, Boulder, CO) thestringdusters.com
ADAM STERN – Stripper Fight (2011 High Country Gentleman) adamsternmusic.com
JAMES BROWN – Funky Drummer (1970 King single, 1991 Star Time [box set])
BOOTSY COLLINS w/ JIMI HENDRIX – Mirrors Tell Lies (2011 Tha Funk Capital of the World) bootsycollins.com
PHISH – Tweezer [reprise] (10/11/10 Broomfield, CO) livephish.com

# # #

FREE LIVE MUSIC AHOY!

Lawd! Anyone who's never checked out Sister Carol before (and admittedly, I was guilty until Monday), she is the real deal. Rarely has a performer's mere presence wowed a crowd as she did on the Santa Fe Plaza this week. She led her band and her audience with such certainty it was like she was the gravitational center of the galaxy and we couldn't help but dance in orbit.

Also on the Plaza earlier this week was jazz legend Mose Allison. Though not as animated as Sister Carol (and at 83, who can blame him?), Mose nevertheless wields a commanding presence of his own. Festival organizer David Lescht proudly announced from the bandstand a new attendance record had obviously been made for Mose's performance. I don't have an official count, but my estimate was about 2,000 friends, neighbors, and visitors on hand.

More great shows to come in the next few weeks, including Lipbone Redding (7/26), Hot Club of Cowtown (7/28), Cracker (8/4), and Guitar Shorty (8/9), with local support from the likes of Boris McCutcheon, Broomdust Caravan, Bill Hearne's Roadhouse Revue, Joe West, and Anthony Leon & the Chain, all worthy of sharing the stage with the national acts and worthy of your ears. Check out the full schedule at santafebandstand.org

Did I mention all Santa Fe Bandstand shows are free?

Speaking of free, you might want to check out Route 66 Summerfest in Albuquerque this Saturday (7/23): about a mile's worth of Central Ave. will be closed for a giant street fair with a couple dozen bands. Headlining the free event is the legendary Maceo Parker. Check cabq.gov for info on shuttles, buses, parking and such.

GO SEE LIVE MUSIC!

# # #

TnJ 350 (7/14/11)

Yes, when I add up all the weekly shows from the original Toast-n-Jam run, and all the weekly sessions since re-lighting the show, it totals a big 350 !!!

Just so I can feel the history every week, I'ma keep numbering that way from here on out (^_^) TOAST

# # #

3-FER MADNESS !!!

-HOUR ONE-

BLACK CROWES 3-FER:
JIMMY PAGE & the BLACK CROWES – What Is and What Should Never Be (6/28/00 Star Lake, Pittsburgh, PA)
BLACK CROWES – Share the Ride (2010 Croweology)
BLACK CROWES – Ballad in Urgency (12/5/10 Reno, NV) liveblackcrowes.com

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK 3-FER:
CHEECH & CHONG – Dave (1972 Cheech & Chong)
GALACTIC – Garbage Truck (2011 the Other Side of Midnight – Live in New Orleans, 10/29/10 Tipitina’s, New Orleans, LA) galacticfunk.com
THE POLICE – Message in a Bottle (1995 Live!, c. 1979 Boston)

SOULIVE 3-FER:
SOULIVE w/ OTEIL and KOFI BURBRIDGE – Butter Biscuit (2011 Bowlive – Live at the Brooklyn Bowl, c. 2010) soulive.com

-HOUR TWO-

SOULIVE – Up Right (2009 Up Here)
SOULIVE – Come Together (2010 Rubber Soulive)

LIVE IN NM SOON 3-FER:
MOSE ALLISON – My Brain (2010 the Way of the World)
BEN SOLLEE and DANIEL MARTIN MOORE – Try (2010 Dear Companion)
BOB DYLAN – Chimes of Freedom (1964 Another Side of Bob Dylan)

LONG LIVE THE DEAD 3-FER:
JERRY GARCIA ACOUSTIC BAND – Trouble in Mind (1987/2010 Ragged But Right, 10/24/87 Lunt-Fontanne, NYC)
GRATEFUL DEAD – Samson and Delilah (??? mystery source - likely 2/5/78 Uni Dome, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA)
PHIL & FRIENDS – Passenger (10/24/00 the Fillmore, Denver, CO)

# # #

TnJ 176 (7/7/11)

-HOUR ONE-

JAMES McMURTRY – Bayou Torture (2009 Live in Europe) jamesmcmurtry.com
TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND – Love Has Something Else to Say (2011 Revelator)
NEW MASTERSOUNDS – Fire Eater (2006 Live at la Cova, c. 2005 Menorca, Spain) newmastersounds.com
the BAND – Chest Fever (1968 Music from Big Pink)
SANTANA – Soul Sacrifice (2009 the Woodstock Experience, 8/6/69 Woodstock Music & Art Fair, White Lake, NY)
le CHAT LUNATIQUE – Bus of God (2007 Demonic Lovely) lechatlunatique.com
TODD SNIDER – the Devil You Know (2011 Live – the Storyteller) toddsnider.net

-HOUR TWO-

OLD CALIFORNIO – Allon Camerado (2011 Sundrunk Angels) oldcalifornio.com
STOCKHOLM SYNDROME – Ray of Heaven (c. Jan 2009 JamCruise 7) stockholmsyndromeband.com
GRAYSON CAPPS – Jane’s Alley Blues (2011 the Lost Cause Minstrels) graysoncapps.com
BORIS GARCIA – Christmas in June (2010 Today We Sail) borisgarcia.com
CORNMEAL – Calling Me Back Home (2009 Live in Chicago, IL Vol. 1) cornmealinthekitchen.com
LIPBONE REDDING – Sacred Ground (2011 Unbroken) lipbone.com
BRAVO JOHNSON – Bird (2011 Come Taste the Sun) bravojohnson.com
IMPERIAL ROOSTER – DWI Marijuana Blues (2011 Decent People) reverbnation.com/theimperialrooster

# # #

TnJ Flashback (#131 from 12/26/05)

Thanks to Ira Gordon for letting me run this flashback edition of T-n-J so I could get out-of-town for a few days (^_^) TOAST

-HOUR ONE-

GRATEFUL DEAD – Going Down the Road Feeling Bad (12/31/82 Oakland Auditorium, Oakland, CA)
GRATEFUL DEAD – Loose Lucy (5/26/95 Seattle Center, Seattle, WA)
KELLER WILLIAMS INCIDENT – Moving Sidewalk (6/21/02 Bonnaroo Festival, Manchester, TN)
DEL McCOURY BAND – Nashville Cats (2/21/01 Fox Theater, Boulder, CO)
YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND – If You’re Ever in Oklahoma > Mason’s Children > Pusherman (12/31/99 Wolf Tongue Brewery, Nederland, CO)

-HOUR TWO-

WILCO – Spiders [Kidsmoke] (2005 Kicking Television, c. May 2005 Vic Theatre, Chicago, IL)
WIDESPREAD PANIC – Second Skin (4/29/05 Jazz Fest, New Orleans, LA)
BOB DYLAN – Down Along the Cove (2005 Bonnaroo Music Festival 2004)
TREY ANASTASIO – Sand (2003 Plasma, c. 2002)
JERRY GARCIA BAND – Forever Young (2005 Pure Jerry 05, 9/2/89 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD)

# # #

WIDESPREAD PANIC - 6/22/11 Kit Carson Park, Taos, NM

Hey, cool! Found this on the Widespread facebook (thanks to Katy) - you can tell it's me from the back 'cuz I've got my "chicken & snake" album cover pin on the back of my hat (^_^)

This show was crazy good, especially second set ("Machine > Barstools" and "Red Hot Mama" with Eric McFadden super amazing).

Here's some more pics: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2217410355241.136073.1247073873&l=520307fffa

TOAST

# # #

TnJ 175 (6/23/11)

-HOUR ONE-

TR3 – Kabbalah (2011 from Space and Beyond, c. 2009) timreynolds.com
BOOTSY COLLINS w/ BUCKETHEAD & (Z-CLASS) – Minds Under Construction (2011 tha Funk Capital of the World) bootsycollins.com
ULTRAVIOLET HIPPOPOTAMUS – TIJ (2011 Square Pegs Round Holes) uvhippomusic.com
SOUL of JOHN BLACK – Strawberry Lady (2011 Good Thang) thesoulofjohnblack.com
ERIC CLAPTON and STEVE WINWOOD – Them Changes (2009 Live from Madison Square Garden)
PETER TOSH – Stepping Razor (1977/2011 Equal Rights [Legacy Edition])
MOKSHA – Easy A (2010 Mammal or Machine) mokshatime.com
TODD SNIDER – Conservative, Christian, Right-Wing Republican, Straight, White, American Males (2004 East Nashville Skyline) toddsnider.net
PHIL LESH & FRIENDS w/ WARREN HAYNES – Just a Little Light (7/3/00 Mesa del Sol Amphitheatre, Albuquerque, NM)

-HOUR TWO-

*** featuring special guest toast picks from the original co-toast, Jennifer (O'Connor) Dodge ***

WIDESPREAD PANIC – Last Straw > One Kind Favor (6/19/11 Brady Theater, Tulsa, OK) livewidespreadpanic.com
WIDESPREAD PANIC – Chilly Water > Contentment Blues (6/19/11 Brady Theater, Tulsa, OK)
WIDESPREAD PANIC – Flicker (2008 Free Somehow)
WIDESPREAD PANIC – Can’t Find My Way Home (4/3/96 Von Braun Civic Center, Huntsville, AL) livewidespreadpanic.com

# # #

CONCERT REVIEW

THIRSTY EAR FESTIVAL – June 10-12, 2011, Santa Fe, NM

One of the first people I met at this year’s festival summed up the Santa Fe music scene pretty well. His name was Bo, and he had come all the way from Amsterdam for some festivarian action in the states. “I cannot believe that more people aren’t here,” Bo said. “In Europe, Calexico is big, very big band.” I assured him it was early yet, and not everyone had crawled out from under their respective rocks for the evening, but secretly I wondered if this was as much of a showing as Santa Fe was going to give.

Under not-quite-blistering-but-not-quite-comfortable 90-degree sunshine, a couple hundred music lovers had gathered for another Thirsty Ear Festival at the old Santa Fe Brewing Company (now apparently dubbed “Santa Fe Sol”). This year, unlike years past, the festival staked its claim closer to town, with acts playing different venues like Corazón (where Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers reportedly wreaked havoc with an amazing set on Friday, June 10) and the beautiful Lensic Performing Arts Center (where Shawn Colvin played for those who’d rather have a nicely-dressed, sit-down kind of night on Saturday, June 11), as well as the aforementioned Sol. All events were separately ticketed, unless you ponied up for the “all pass,” which made it feel more like a film festival than a music festival, but everyone seemed glad not to be trapped in the oppressive heat and dust of the Eaves Movie Ranch for once.

Cedric Burnside Project turned in an enjoyable performance on the outdoor stage at Saturday’s Sol date. Since they’re used to southern humidity, Santa Fe’s dry heat didn’t seem to faze them. Cedric started the set on guitar, and later switched to drums. Through an unusual acoustic mixture of blues and hip-hop, Cedric smiled the entire time. Despite the fact there was room to pack a few hundred more in the crowd, at least we came off as appreciative. “I wish we could play for 2 hours up here,” he said. “You’re making us feel very welcome.”

Sunday, June 12, dubbed “Community Day” by festival organizers, focused on local acts and the admission price was a pittance in comparison to Saturday. The crowd was sparser than Saturday’s and skewed a little older, demographically. Luckily for the bands, a good number came prepared to boogie. The highlight of the day was an Albuquerque gypsy-jazz combo called Le Chat Lunatique. Their set – Sunday’s (as well as the Festival’s) last – was a little more experimental than those who’d come before. An almost perfect balance of complex instrumental arrangements and what I will call “song-y” numbers you could dance to and sing along with made for a great closer to a great festival.

I only made it to the Sol shows for this year’s Thirsty Ear, so I can’t say what the attendance was like at the other venues. I agreed with Bo from Amsterdam: the crowd seemed a little thin. I think moving the festival from the remote movie ranch location was a good idea, but maybe Santa Fe doesn’t have enough of a live music fan base to split the locations and spread them around town. Then again, maybe one day, in a distant future where all the 20 year-olds don’t leave Santa Fe for Austin, TX or Portland, OR, or even Albuquerque, NM, festivals like this will take root and draw bigger crowds.

Or maybe we should just resign ourselves to apologizing to guys like Bo from Amsterdam for not packing the house.

# # #