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 Jeffrye's Journal |
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Copyright ©2003-06 JGT. Last modified Sunday, December 24, 2006 11:59 AM |
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Jeffrye's Journal
I've been getting some last-minute gigs that don't show up on my schedule so I thought I'd share what all I've been up to lately...this is where I get to drop many of my favorite names. Check my links page to visit websites of many of my companions.
June-November 06 * March-May 06 * February 06 * January 06 * July-December 05 * June 05 * May 05 * April 05 * March 05 * February 05 * January 05 * December 04 * November 04 * October 04 * September 04 * August 04 * July 04 June 04 * May 04 * April 04 * March 04 * February 04 * January 04 * December 03 * November 03
June-November 2006
Well yes, it's been a while since my last update. Here's what's been happening...
My latest album "Lake Affect" has been getting airplay at several independent radio stations in Australia, Europe, South America and the good ol' USA thanks in part to the RadioDirectX promotional agency. Although sales remain light it scores big in the "feel good" factor to know that I've been getting my music played all over the place. I continue to get playlists and very nice reviews from these DJ's and I was even featured in an ambient music podcast from France at DBC Radio TV Musique that was netcast on 10/10/06. I had to prevail on my good friend and master sound designer Tristan Des Pres to translate what the DJ said about me and my music and I was glad to know it he really liked it. We've posted some of the reviews on the Lake Affect webpage so you can see for yourself.
June saw several new Austin Connection podcasts get recorded and posted. This podcast series has a banner month with over 44,000 hits and thousands of downloads and it feels really good to help promote so many fine songwriters. It's a nice way to stay connected with them as well, I don't get out as often as I used to. There were some R&R gigs with the Starters and one-shots with George Ensle and Alton Rex and at the Marilyn Rucker CD release party. I did sound at another 3rd Coast songwriter roundtable and these continue to grow in popularity.
This month I also got to master some fine CD's from Island Soundworks in St. Thomas including a hip-hop rap project from an artist who calls himself "FP". This was a little outside the usual box for me but it was an interesting challenge and they were really happy with my contribution to the overall sound of the CD. They now have a single and a video from that album that are getting some play throughout the islands and is making some noise here on the mainland.
July started a slowdown in gigage and podcast recordings that lasted into the fall. I did my last two shows with the Starters - we reached critical mass sooner than usual and we went our separate ways. It was (mostly) fun while it lasted, I got my R&R ya-ya's out and was reminded of the difficulty in keeping six different players on the same page. I've sung this song before.
I got a press pass to the Summer NAMM show that was held in Austin for the first time and had a great time taking in all the new musical stuff. I ended up doing an hour-long podcast show about it and it became one of the most downloaded shows of the whole series. Big surprise that. SAK and I got to spend a day out on Lake Travis with some friends and had a great time swimming and boating around. Lakes are my favorite place to swim and that water felt great to me. I could use more of this.
August was a typically hot Austin time and the work fairy must have gone north to escape the heat. I had a great gig at the Green Mesquite BBQ with Mike Austin by my side but it was miserably hot on that patio and that did little to enhance the experience. What is it with Austin and outside summertime shows? We also held our first Austin Connection fundraiser and took in dozens of dollars towards some equipment upgrades. Thanks to the five of you who made donations, it all helped.
There were a couple of soundman gigs to do but all in all a very slow month. I hit my double-nickel birthday with several friends out at Donn's Depot at the weekly Chris Gage show and a good time was had by all. There was lots of cognac and lots of jammin' and CG and I closed the place. A definite high point in an otherwise slow month. Podcast hits were also lower this month but SAK told me that this is not unusual for the summer - there's usually a downturn in internet use at this time.
September was a lot like August. A couple of podcasts, a couple of gigs (including Ski Shores with Danny Britt) and the SWERFA conference at the end of the month. I was invited to talk about podcasting on a panel discussion digital media and I got to get in a few showcases while I was there. A couple of them went very well and I made lots of new connections especially for future podcasts. I got to hear a ton of good music there as well. The annual late night Beatles Jam lasted into the wee hours of the morning and it was a total blast.
October saw a burst of Austin Connection podcast recording activity right after SWERFA including The Laws, John Flynn, Edge City, Abi Tapia, Butch Morgan Jon Emery and Greg Klyma. This really made up for the lackluster summer activity in a major way. I also got to do my annual underground solo show down inside the Longhorn Caverns in Burnet TX. They set me up in a new "room" with better acoustics and excellent natural reverberation and it was a great sounding show. I also got to drag out the old drum kit to do a wedding party with the Mike Clifford band. It was good reconnecting with them and we had a fine time - I even remembered many of the tunes and the boys told me with tongue planted firmly in cheek that "I didn't suck". High praise indeed...
November started with an invitation to talk to a classroom full of digital media students at St. Edwards University about podcasting and sound design. Another nice change of scenery for sure. I got to partner with my old buddy Steve Brooks at B.B. Rovers pub once again. One of my favorite songwriters Kim Miller asked me to join her at her show at Cypress Creek down in Wimberley TX and we made some really fine music that night. Pity much of the crowd seemed more interested in the sound of their own raucous voices that night, they missed some sublime music.
I seem to be getting called upon to play soundman more and more these days and although I'd always rather be on stage being the soundguy runs a good second. And a gig's a gig, right? I got to do just this at the Mandy Mercier CD release party at Guero's in south Austin and it was also a real blast. Guero's has a really nice stage on a large outdoor patio with its own bar and has a great ambience and lots of foot traffic to keep things interesting.
Well, we're all caught up for now. Thanks for reading and stay tuned.
March-May 2006
March/April/May 2006 - The Kerrville Folk Festival is in full swing and it goes on as sublime as ever despite the oppressive heat and the hill country deluges that seem to come this time every year. I was planning on giving it a pass this year when fellow Austin conspirator Marilyn Rucker became a finalist in the annual New Folk songwriting contest and asked me to play guitar for her appearance. Right about the same time I learned that my good friend from Brunswick, Maine - Jud Caswell - was also a finalist and would be performing right after us in the competition.
Jud, along with Dave Rowe became my best musical buds during my 4 year tenure in central Maine. It was a really good to see and hear my old friend once again. He turned in a terrific set during a competition replete with terrific sets. Marilyn and the rest of the band turned in a really fine performance as well and a good time was had by all. 32 finalists appeared over 2 days but there could be only one - and I'm glad I didn't have to be one of the judges because the overall performance level was so very fine from all of them. Still a winner would be announced later that night.
I hung out with Jud at Camp Kantagree passing around cold beer and hot songs and we got caught up on our lives. I got to mingle with so many musical peers out at Kerrville, it made for an excellent day. Steve Gillette, Jeff Talmadge, Amilia Spicer, Steve Brooks, Jack Williams, Lisa Rogers, George Ensle and a host of others made for a warm, musical and memorable Sunday at the KFF. It was good to see Liz Rouse back in the same spot hosting the best and the brightest at her campsite. We all miss you Bruce...
Since I wasn't staying over I had to leave for the 2.5 hour drive home around dark. I was tired and finding a cup of coffee at 8:30 PM on a Sunday was problematic. Somewhere between Fredricksburg and Johnson City my cell phone rang (still a relatively rare occurrence). It was Jud informing me that he had won the Kerrville New Folk songwriting contest and I was overjoyed to hear this news. He came a long way, it was his first time there and among a field of excellent songwriters he was chosen. Congrats my friend.
You can hear Jud and a quartet of his newer songs (including the two he played at the contest) on his upcoming Austin Connection Podcast. He had occasion to come to Austin for a KUT-FM live broadcast so he made time to come by Casa Braesgate and record his show. I feel doubly lucky to spend such a fine day at Kerrville and to top it off with a great podcast that I can share with everyone - just go to www.austinconnection.net and download your own copy of any or all of the fine shows there, they're free.
There is other news - I joined a classic rock cover band called "The Starters" in April and I've been having a great time playing many of the same songs I used to do back in the day with five other "chronologically-challenged" fellows who also love this fine old music. I get to trade my Taylor acoustic for an Aerodyne Tele or my custom made Strat, turn up the Fender combo amp and slip on an old, comfortable pair of R&R shoes. The timing was fortunate as my acoustic giggage was waning even further. The Fox and Hound ceased live music operations and the fine solo gig I found in Bastrop at Two Brothers Pizza went away after only 2 appearances as well. The rock band performs 3-4 shows a month, the remuneration is low (six band members) but the enjoyment quotient is very high. We have been playing clubs mostly around NW Austin, Cedar Park and Round Rock - Shooters. Shenaniganz, Rhino's & Jocks, The Roadhouse, Mulligans, the Dam Pub and other similar places. Look for us at www.thestarters.net.
My new ambient chillout CD album "Lake Affect" is getting airplay and accolades from all over the globe thanks in part to a service that promotes music to independent radio stations and DJ's everywhere. It's a good but interesting feeling to get playlists via email that tell you that your music is being played in Belarus, Poland, Spain, Scotland, Italy, Australia, England, Ireland and several places here in the states as well. This album will join "Cheshire Moon" as a digital download at iTunes, Rhapsody and many others thanks to CDBaby <www.cdbaby.com> which is a great place to find and purchase independent music and support your favorite songwriters.
I also played a couple of gigs with a fine acoustic duo, "Byrd & Street". These were a good change of pace and they play some really fine mellow original music. I'm also doing sound for a monthly "songwriter in the round" show at Cafe Caffeine hosted by Edge City. I've missed performing with Danny Britt but work has been light for everyone around here lately. That about wraps it up for now. The Podcast series continues to grow - over 22,000 hits to the website in May alone - and I hear from fans from all over about these shows and how much they enjoy them.
That's enough for now...take care and thanks for keeping up with my crazy little world. jgtFebruary 2006
The good news is that my gasoline bills have gotten significantly smaller lately, the bad news is because I've had a real downturn in gigs for the past few months I haven't had to drive as much so that's why. February the annual Folk Alliance conference came to Austin. I was one of over 2000 registered participants at this conference and it was estimated that at any given time approximately 150 songwriters were performing throughout the downtown Austin Hilton. Three floors of authorized showcases featuring the bigger names and four floors of guerilla showcases full of all the folks still bubbling under like yours truly.
I love this conference, it's like concentrated go-juice fueling a glut of performers doing their best to attract some business, make some good friends and great music all at the same time. And we do. For these five days sleep is highly overrated and java is a food staple. I was invited to perform in a quartet of showcases as a solo performer and I also did some support playing for my good friend Amilia K Spicer (from LA) and the band Edge City as well as a few others that just happened by. I even had some folks pick along with me during one of my Austin Conspiracy showcases and that was a real treat for me. There has also been the occasional Fox and Hound gig with Danny Britt and Red Dawg and some soundman work with Albert & Gage but that's about it gig-wise.
Most of my energy has been getting a new album completed and ready for distribution and keeping the new Austin Connection podcast series running with a new act posted every week. The new album is a real departure from my usual stuff; it's an album of all-instrumental ambient chillout electronica titled "Lake Affect". This is an outgrowth from my days as a soundtrack composer for Sega and other video game companies as well as my love for all-instrumental music. This album features downtempo grooves and soothing synth washes that grow and change over time - very soothing to listen to. It sounds great in surround sound too. Look for a link to this new CD on my homepage or the CD page on this website.
The Austin Connection podcast series is going gangbusters. We had over 15,000 hits on this website in February alone! These half-hour audio MP3 shows are quite the thing these days and I'm working hard to make this one stand out above the others with great audio quality and great talent to start with. If you haven't checked it out point your browser here <www.austinconnection.net>. A broadband connection is highly recommended for downloading the shows. We're featuring some of Austin's best and brightest performers and I plan on adding a new one every week. And maybe one of these days I will get a guest interviewer in here so I can do my own show...stay tuned.January 2006: The Austin Connection podcasts are up and running, to great reviews!
Second half of 2005
Well it seems that I've fallen behind in my journal updates so here's the readers' digest version.
Since July I seemed to average 6-8 appearances a month mostly in the usual places - Fox and Hound, Artz and the other usual suspects. However December has come up light to say the least. The highlight was being the soundman for the Austin Lounge Lizards show at the Live Oak Coffee House. A good time was had by all at this first time sell-out concert. The Therapy Sisters opened the show; it was so good to see a tumor-less Lisa back on stage and in excellent form.
Usually this is a time of lots of parties and requisite entertainment but this year not so much. I've been keeping good company on stage, the music seems to get better all the time but business could be better. The studio has been set up to facilitate the production my TWO upcoming albums; a new JGT rockin' songwriter record and something new - an electronic ambient chillout effort entitled "Lake Affect". SAK says this one will be good for those of you with insomnia...she goes to sleep to my recording late at night which is my favorite time to get creative.
I'm gearing up to start something new - podcasting. I am going to start a regular podcast series produced right here at Cheshire Moon Studios and featuring Austin's fine crop of performing songwriters playing live and waxing eloquent about themselves and their music. Look for the webpage to appear sometime late in January 2006. You'll be able to download any or all of these podcasts and play them back at your leisure on anything that will handle standard MP3 files. This is totally platform agnostic; it will play back on virtually everything once you download them - even burn them to regular CD's if you have the right conversion software. I hope you'll come back and check out this new feature. Stay tuned...
June 2005
A trio of Fox and Hound Thursdays, two of them with Danny Britt and one with Stephen Taylor. There was some championship basketball game that cut our show in half on the 23rd. I finally get some friends out to see us play downtown and just like a briss - we were cut short. I played a 25th HS reunion atop the F&H on the 10th with rocksmith Misha ben David. It was miserable hot up there and went too long and everyone kept wondering who we were but we got 'er done.
On the 17th I was pleasantly surprised to meet up with an old friend and bandmate, Peter Renfro late of the SF Bay area. Except for an Oh! Ridge band reunion several years ago in San Diego I haven't seen Pete in a very long time and it was great to see him and catch up. He played bass and lead sex symbol in a great band I was in back in the early 80's in SoCal, "Radio Romance". We reminisced about our glory days over some great BBQ at Artz Rib House while my friend Stuart Adamson and scintillating sidekick Hillary were performing. I wanted to give him a truly Austin experience and those two really helped - so did the ribs.
On the 24th I experienced truly novel show venue; I did a solo spot "down under". No, not Australia - I really mean down under as in the Longhorn Caverns in Burnet TX as part of their acoustic performance series. What a trip...setting up and performing totally acoustically in a natural subterranean amphitheater. Dark, damp and cool...what a great place for a show - I had great fun doing this and I got to repeat the experience with my friends Edge City two weeks later. The only thing missing was a flock of bats...
May 2005
I had a couple of Fox and Hound Thursday shows with Danny Britt and found out we knew even more songs together than we had thought. Played out at the Circle C golf course clubhouse with MK and my PA system died. This will end up being a major repair expense and if I'm lucky I will get it back sometime in August (no lie). I did one more gig with the Mike Clifford band out in Thorndale at the Ponderosa and then parted company with them for good. These things happen. The rest of the month was a washout. Lots of self-reflection occurred with few revelations to show for it. Onward...
April 2005
April was highlighted by the annual "Austin Kessler" birthday bash at the Live Oak UU church. This is always a fascinating amalgam of Austin's acoustic music scene aka the "Kerrville crowd". There was lots of great music and connection and frozen margaritas flowed freely from fascinating industrial mixers. I tried to surprise everyone by playing some piano tunes and it seemed to work. Evidently some people haven't actually listened to my last album, the one with all the keyboard work on it...oh well.
BTW my last CD "Cheshire Moon" is officially out of print and now a collector's item. What kind of collector I can only speculate, mind you. There may be a few copies left at www.planetcd.com and www.mytexasmusic.com but that's about it. I have a new acoustic EP CD titled "Singular Tunesmith" currently available in limited quantities at my gigs and by email request - only $10. I have started work on a new, fully produced album that looks to be a return to my pop/rock roots. I expect it to be finished by the end of the year so stay tuned.
Played a few of the usual gigs with the Mike Clifford Band and a couple of unusual ones as well. I got to recall my suburban rock & roll roots and play drums for that band at "Cindy's Gone Hog Wild" and "Angels". I had a total blast and AFAICT it all went swimmingly...felt real good too. I had a couple of gigs siding with Danny Britt as well, always a pleasure. I had a show scheduled on the 27th at a local bookstore courtesy of Steve Uhler but since no one showed up we talked about Stephen Sondheim shows and the great music found therein. It was still a reality check though. Some days you're the windshield, some days you're the bug.
March 2005
There were two important and moving events that occurred within weeks of each other. The first was a benefit show for Austin landmark Chris Gage who injured his back pretty badly and like most musicians had no insurance to mitigate the severe costs of recovery. The benefit show was attended by over 500 close personal friends of the beneficiaries (no exaggeration there) and the affection shown for Chris and Christine was slightly overwhelming, even for me - and I was just one of the many who came out in support. Lots of love shown that day and lots of great music as well. I had such a good time just being there I didn't mind not performing at all. (BTW he is recovering nicely)
The second event was as unwelcome as the previous was welcome...the sudden and untimely passing of Bruce Rouse; a warm man who (along with his wife Liz) was instrumental in elevating the house concert to a new level of prestige and professionalism. Being chosen to be the opening act for Vance Gilbert at one of their house concerts a few years ago was the musical highlight of that year for me and my first higher level affirmation in the Austin folk community. They always had room for me at their table at Kerrville and I (along with most others) was treated like family at their gatherings and he will be missed by many. The celebration of his life that occurred at the Live Oak UU Church on the 2nd was a great reaffirmation of his life and his role in the musical community and I was proud to be among the performers on that stage, happy to be all together and all sharing a beautiful sadness at the same time.
I did a twin-spin at the Fox and Hound on the 10th & 11th - first with Danny Britt and second with Stephen Taylor. Also did an early duo acoustic gig with Mike Clifford at Circle C. The MCB did another private party on the 12th in the biggest house any of us had ever been inside of; It was like playing in a museum.
The middle week of March was Austin's annual South by Southwest music, film and interactive media festival. It's when Austin does its best to become Hollywood for a week. Hundreds of acts from all over the country and the world come to Austin to do their 20 minutes in front of (what they hope are) the movers and shakers of the entertainment industry. And for the umpteenth year in a row I had nothing to do with the entire debacle (like many of my peers). I don't know what they look for when choosing acts to perform but they don't seem to find it here. Still, had anyone asked...
The 18th brought an intimate house concert in Cedar Park supporting Stephen Taylor. On the 23rd Steve and I were joined by the fine talents of Karen Mal for a main stage show at the Austin-Bergstrom airport - one of the ways Austin tries to hold onto its claim as the "live music capitol of the world". Travelers between destinations get their own show - ticketed passengers only please!
On the 26th my favorite L.A. songbird Amilia K. Spicer performed at a Paul Barker house concert with yours truly in tow. Along with Steve, one of her way-too-talented California guitarists, we put on what felt like a truly magical show. AKS consistently does great work and it's always a highlight of my musical year when we get to perform together. Steve is one of those rare musicians who really listens as he plays and it was a delight to share the stage (floor, actually) with them both.
The 27th brought the MCB out to a new out-of-town venue named "Cindy's Gone Hog Wild". Biker bar? You bet! We were supposed to perform for a multitude of Harley aficionados at the culmination of an Easter hill country ride but they never showed up. We had a good time nonetheless and put on a good country-rock show for the 15 people who were there. The show must go on you know. The 31st found me back at Artz Rib House supporting Dave Hooper and his bi-coastal story songs once again. Stay tuned...
February 2005
Two more Thursdays @ Taz Country with the MCB followed by a complete disregard for our extended verbal contract when the gig abruptly ends. Farghing bastiges! What ever happened to the usual and courteous 2-week notice? The MCB ended up in Houston on the 5th for a private shindig for an upper-class learning academy and its benefactors. The attendees (another cowboy theme - go figure) routinely spent more on party auction items than the stipend for the hard-workin' band which can put a crimp in one's perspective. It was a good time for sure but a very long day for these traveling musicians.
On the 11th i joined Dave Hooper for his opening slot at the Live Oak Coffee House. We opened for Freebo and Jim Photoglo - a great pair of performing songwriters who reek of professionalism and talent. I hate that. 8^) We were good, they were great! Then the month took a bad turn - no more work until the second week of March.
January 2005
Three more Thursdays at Taz Country with the Mike Clifford Band (MCB); feels like a regular gig. Somewhat optimistic in hindsight. The fourth Thursday was at the Fox and Hound with Stephen Taylor once again. The same crowd continues to not show up once again - getting all-too predictable. Played Ginny's Longhorn Saloon for the first time in a long while on Saturday the 8th with the MCB. Lots of fun, good crowd and a shortfall of breathable air. I can't wait for that non-smoking ordinance to pass, I am weary of being assaulted by the very folks I'm working to entertain. OSHA should be ashamed.
The ides of January brought the quadrennial Austin Conspiracy concert at the Waterloo Ice House. I was one of four performing songwriters to bring their craft to downtown Austin. It was a good night, even for the homeless bunch in the corner. Friday the 21st brought back lots of memories - not all of them good. The MCB played a huge frat party just off the UT campus. It was cacophony in a cement bath house witnessing hundreds of students who looked way too young to be in college party like it was 2005. It was a cowboy motif (in Texas?) and they had a much better time than I did. Was I ever that young even when I was that young?
December
The holiday month began on the heels of a three-week work drought, not a great way to enhance the Xmas atmos. Gifts to buy, a visit from Mom to get ready for and the coffers were drying up like a week-old coffee cake. Thanks to the diligence of the young and as yet unsullied Mike Clifford we had a couple of holiday parties and club gigs to help flesh out the month. On the 8th a coterie from the Austin Conspiracy of Performing Songwriters performed for the Westminster Retirement Home in midtown Austin to a most appreciative group of seniors. I finally found the xmas spirit that evening and nary a "humbug" was uttered since. Then the Mike Clifford Band performed on the big stage at La Zona Rosa on the 10th and we had a blast playing on such a grand stage. Mike had a previous engagement so we did the first set as a trio with yours truly holding the reins and the boys performed with panache.
On the 14th Cheshire Moon Studio was booked for a DVD shoot featuring Phillipe Bertaud, a classical guitarist new to Austin direct from Nice, France. Using producer Gabriel Folse with a digital steady-cam we shot a teaching demonstration of a few guitar pieces while I captured the audio for post-production inclusion. This was a real experience and we all hope Phillipe can make some inroads at the next NAMM show and maybe get a publishing deal for his advanced guitar teaching method. Had a gig with Suzanne Smith fall out at literally the last minute when the club got cold feet...bad business that. The Mike Clifford Band performed at The Cedars Xmas party on the 19th but it was an empty house due in no small measure to all the bad publicity the club had gotten the previous week. This watering hole may dry up soon as well. Picked up a quick party with Lee for a friend of his the next night - a few extra shekels for the holiday shopping.
We had a great time with so many of our dear friends at the annual Albert & Gage Xmas party that weekend. Lotsa great food and music. Chris dropped his mandolin in my lap so I had something to occupy my hands for the jam. The next night Danny Santos and I went busking on the famous 37th street trail of Xmas lights and we sang for many hundreds of merry strollers. We planned to repeat the experience during the next two nights but the frigid cold front that descended on us proved unhealthy to fine guitars and middle-aged fingers so we had to give it a pass. On Xmas eve eve the still-as-yet unnamed trio featuring Stephen Taylor, Lee Crowell and yours truly did the late shift at the Fox and Hound. SAK brought mater down to hear her alpha progeny and his posse strut his stuff to another compact crowd at the ol' F&H. Downtown Austin looked resplendent in all its hi-rise finery and holiday lights.
A merry and very family-like Xmas was had by the entire Braesgate bunch. I'm not sure what looked better - the tree or the dinner table. On Boxing Day Danny Santos invited me to join him at Artz Rib House for his next show and along with Seymour Guenther we played until the cows came home (and surrendered their ribs to the cause). On the 30th The Mike Clifford Band started it's 2-month long run of Thursdays at Taz Country in Pflugerville. This is going to be a fun and steady gig and I'm already missing my old Telecaster. We played a New Years Eve party the next night and except for all the annoying balloon popping by the hoi poloi a fine time was had by all. Here's to a creative, busy and more prosperous 2005! Thanks for coming along.
November
Evidently Mike Clifford was happy with my audition and booked me for a few more gigs this month. This was a good sign. I certainly had fun shouldering my Stratocaster and pickin' away to a lot of fun tunes all night, a fine change of pace. On the 5th I did another gig with Chip Dolan, this time at Freda's Fish House in Cedar Park. I went thru a few new changes that night, Chip's not afraid of the black notes - really kept me on my toes. The 11th saw the debut of our new trio (Stephen Taylor, Lee Crowell and yours truly) for the evening show at the Fox and Hound and I was really proud of how well we sounded on our first gig. I could get used to this. Steve's tunes provide a good counterbalance to my own, a nice mix. We still need a good name though
The 12th was a party with the Mike Clifford Band and for only our second outing we sounded really fine. Mike finally lets it slip that I have the job but and he's savvy enough to keep two of everything on his roster so if one guy can't make it the other usually will. This leaves some wiggle room to keep my other projects alive while Mike hustles up as much work as he can get. The 13th was a chance to revisit my old stompin' grounds, B.B. Rovers Pub along with Steve Brooks. We had a fine house that night and it felt really good to be back there again. During this week Jan Seides and I did a radio jingle for a spa somewhere out there and although it was hit or miss for a while, the client liked the final results and that's always a good thing. I could stand to have more work like that.
The 19th was another severely under-attended gig with the Mike Clifford Band out at the Cedars up near Spicewood. What a shame to play a large and clean country music bar (!?) and have to make it a paid rehearsal. Still we're already starting to gel like a band and I'm really liking this. I guess I wasn't paying close attention to my calendar though, this ended up being my last gig of the month and the beginning of a jobless three weeks, not a great way to enter the holiday season. Things are shaping up better for December though so I hope you all have a fine holiday season and I'll be back next month.
October
October came in on the heels of the annual Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference out at the Lakeway Inn. I spent most of Saturday kibitzing with the hoi poloi and rubbing elbows with many of the best acoustic performers in the area. There was much fine music to experience, seminars to miss and friends to hang with. I ended up performing in showcases with Todd Hoke, Calvert & Mims and Steve Brooks and it felt great to share those shows with them. We ended the night (around 4:30 am I think) wreaking havoc at the traditional "Beatles" jam raising the rafters with the force of 18 voices and guitars all focused on the tunes that launched a thousand dreams.
That next week brought my buddy Stephen Taylor into Cheshire Moon Studios to cut the basic tracks for a new song release "On Our Sleeve" - the finished version of which can be found on Stephen's website. Chris Gage put the finishing touches on it at MoonHouse studios and I think the tune turned out really well. I don't get asked to play Hammond Organ much anymore so it made for a delightful change of pace. Then another Fox and Hound gig, this time with Steve Brooks, made for a great late show.
The following week I did my first gig with Mike Austin, a good friend and a wild man with a licorice stick and a swingin' tune. I had a great time with his songs and I look forward to more of the same. During these weeks I keep rehearsing with Lee Crowell and Stephen Taylor and searching for a name for our trio that we all could agree on - not as easy as it sounds. We decided on "Dave's Not Here" only to discover later on that it was already taken by a very different type of Austin band so the naming process is still in flux. The band however sounds very promising with a real emphasis on the original songs by Stephen and I and I'm really enjoying having others supporting my music for a change.
On the 22nd I had a double header at the Fox and Hound. The early show upstairs with Lee and then I played drums for Ben Bell and his band for the late show. At least I didn't have to find parking downtown on a Friday Night. The next week I really got lucky and got to perform a party along with Christine Albert and she is a total gem to perform with. Nice work Mrs. Gage...and you too Mr. Gage. On the 29th I played with Chip Dolan and his band at the Green Mesquite and once again it was a marvelously musical night. The BBQ wasn't bad either. On the 30th I had my audition gig as lead guitarist for a country band headed by a fellow named Mike Clifford. The Cedars out on Hwy. 71 was exceedingly devoid of patronage but we four had a fine time. More on this band next month.
September 2004
This month was a surprise, things got busier than I had anticipated (always a good thing) and I got to perform at some new venues with some new folks. Suzanne Smith opened for Ray Wylie Hubbard out in Marble Falls and took me along to embellish her new tunes with my trusty six-string. We did a good show and I got to meet RWH and the band and took in their set as well. It's no wonder he's a Texas institution...or maybe should be in one. The next night Suzanne and I joined Chip Dolan and friends for a good ol' show down to the Green Mesquite BBQ in S. Austin. It was a real blast performing alongside such good players and CD has some good tunes of his own that I enjoyed a lot.
The 10th brought another rooftop happy hour show with songman Stephen Taylor at the Fox & Hound Pub. It was hot and humid and carrying the PA up and down 3 flights ain't no picnic but all in all a good gig. Steve has a natural groove to his music that compliments my suburban roots swing quite well and we share several musical and geographical similarities that make it easier to swing 'dat thing. I just mastered a live performance CD for him that sounds like you're really there taking it all in, check it out at his show when you get a chance. The 12th brought a day-long benefit show for the local DNC at the Live Oak UU Church in N. Austin and the music was non-stop for almost 4 hours. I got to jam with several acts and even got in a bit of my own stuff to a very appreciative and highly motivated crowd. I completely wore out a new set of strings that day.
Back at the F&H again on the 17th - I'm starting to feel right at home here and the outdoor shows usually get a good crowd too. If only the downtown parking wasn't so awful (5 PM Friday - go figure). I can recite all the sandwiches on their menu by now as well. Friday the 24th started a new recording session for fellow coconspirator Jan Seides who is doing a solo EP here at Cheshire Moon Studios. Since her husband is a top-notch audio engineer I am obligated to do a good job or else! No pressure though...heh, heh...
On the 25th Edge City invited me to join them in a truly underground show - down inside the Longhorn Caverns outside Burnet TX. What a trip! Down inside about 1/8 of a mile (seems longer) to a natural amphitheater where reserved tables and chairs were set up for the guests, many of whom brought along dinner and wine to share during the show. This was a truly novel musical experience for me, we sounded really fine with all that organic reverberation working in our favor. Even the bats were cool! The hardest part was the hike out, it was all uphill and quite slippery. There's never a roadie around when you really need one.
On the 28th my friend Mike Austin had his official CD release party (Thick & Thin on Moonhouse Records) at the Cactus Cafe and he sounded at the top of his game, especially with Chris Gage tickling the ivories. We came to listen and it was truly magical (I really enjoy MA's music and I have wished for a long time to perform alongside this man and in October I finally got my wish). The month finished out with the Southwest Regional Folk Alliance conference in Lakeway which was amazing and I will cover that more in depth in my October journal..stay tuned.
August 2004
August is my favorite month of the year. Hot summer days quenched in secluded mountain lakes (or so I imagine) and a large share of family birthday activity. August is a good month to get out of town, preferably for northern climes and that's exactly what I did. After a couple more shows at the Fox and Hound Pub (with Misha and Stephen again) and a sun-drenched outdoor gig at Buckeye's in Canyon Lake supporting the prolific Steve Brooks I boarded that 737 for Essex Junction, VT. Seems there was a Tveraas family reunion at my brother's farm in celebration of Mom's 75th cycle around good ol' Sol. Ma and I share an unusual connection - we have the same birth date some 22 years apart. My late father was an August baby as well so along with some assorted weddings and things August is quite the big month in our family. We had a wonderful week together although my brother Mike made sure we didn't sit idle for very long.
He re-introduced me to the joys of riding a Kawasaki 650 over those verdant country roads as well as canoeing, bicycling, hiking to the top of the state and learning how intense the color green can actually be. This sure as hell ain't Texas. Fresh (and free) apple cider, Cabot cheese outlet, Ben & Jerry's factory and a private tour of the Rigel Mandolin Factory in Cambridge VT. The head cheese, Peter Mix took time out of his Saturday to show us around and indulge us with some fine sounding (and looking) instruments and now that winning lottery ticket is more important than ever.
Mama Rose is doing great, especially at 3/4 of a century young. My nephews and nieces never cease to amaze me with their personal diversity and ability to take the world head-on without flinching. It's a good thing brother Mike is a breeder, he had two less fruitful brothers to make up for. His wife Jan has an amazing ability to hold the whole thing together and make sure it all works and I am always impressed by her boundless energy. Must be the tofuti...
I ended the month with a last minute performance at a benefit for the DNC. I pulled out some favorite old Phil Ochs tunes that fit the occasion much better than my sad love songs would and although somewhat under attended some $$$ was raised for the cause and a lot of great music was played. Thanks to Artz Rib House for providing the venue on short notice. September is already here and there are far too many empty slots on my calendar...stay tuned.
This was a good month for all concerned. As one tour fell through another opportunity reared up and proved to be a real winner. First off I got to open a new venue or more to the point a revamped one - the Fox and Hound Pub in downtown Austin. A classy place with four levels of pubness including a covered rooftop stage for happy hour appearances. I performed there a couple of times this month and had a fine time along with my buds Misha ben David and Stephen Taylor. I also got to see and hear the fabulous Greencards twice in a row that week and was knocked out with their virtuosity and energy and I imagine great things in the offing for these folks. I also got to reprise my Llano doubleheader at the Cafe Del Rio and was surprised to see so many gendarmes patrolling route 29 so diligently. I actually drove the speed limit both nights...not that I don't always mind you.
What came next simply made my summer one for the books. I was hired to fly to Island Sound studios in St. Thomas USVI and play the part of a whole band for an up and coming songwriter Carol Miller on her new album. I was recommended by the studio owner (Dan McGuinness) and I kinda felt like the out-of-town "fixer" flying in to take care of business. And take care of it we did; on 14 songs I managed to arrange and perform on lotsa fine guitars, bass, drums, mandolin and keyboards. I felt some considerable pressure - it's one thing to do my own material but when someone else's expectations have to be met or exceeded the thinking cap gets a real workout.
Working 8-12 hours a day for 6 days we managed to do the instrumental tracks for the entire record and when she first heard what we had done to her "little songs" I was quite happy and relieved to see that she was so impressed (and also relieved I'd bet). I look forward to getting the final copy of this project sometime soon. Sue Ann got to recreate with my musical St. Thomas friends Janet Reiter and Nicky Russell while I worked in the studio. We managed a day or two to just hang out and enjoy the island and thanks to our friends a good time was had by all. SAK and I even sang some karaoke at Carol's show one night...that's some mighty powerful rum they make in those parts.
The Austin airport became like a second home for me - after flying to and from the Virgin Islands I got to perform twice inside ABIA during the next week. Austin prides itself on its musical heritage (or so the story goes) and having live music in the airport for the travelers is usually appreciated by many waiting on a connection. Perhaps the booking goddess will chose to have me back again sometime soon. Here comes August...
June came in like a lemur and went out like a tangelo - such are the mysterious ways of central Texas. It was a good month to get out of town for a while so that's exactly what I did. Danny Santos took me on a 10 day tour through the midwest to play several shows and promote his album "Done Gone Got Lucky" (Wind River Records). We loaded the mighty Astro Van and headed for Cape Girardeau MO to do and outdoor happy hour show at Molly's Cafe - just a block from the mighty Mississippi river. It was about 95 degrees and 95% humidity and a wet time was had by all. The heat proved too much for my PA system as well and caused the amplifier to shut down (for good it turns out). Then up to Naperville IL for a house concert at the home of Alan Shaw, owner of Wind River Records. I think we made a good impression.
We crossed over to Sioux Falls SD for two quick gigs (and more BBQ) and then down to Coffeyville KS for a humanities series for retired and low-income folk. Talk about a dead town...80% of the storefronts were empty, very depressing. From there we headed to Columbia MO for a radio interview and back to Cape Girardeau for a big house concert and then the 12-hour drive back to Austin. This was the first extended road trip I've done in quite a while and there was some new self-discoveries to be had. It seems that the ol' go-anywhere, do anything boy scout I used to be is long gone and replaced with someone who is a little more, shall we say...particular? Let's just say there will be far less taken for granted and a lot more info up front the next time out. Still all in all a good musical experience amidst a zillion hectares of corn and soybeans.
We returned to Austin to do a trio of appearances with all the Vatos in tow at the Cactus Cafe, Tavern in the Gruene and Artz Ribhouse. The month ended with a terrific show at Threadgills World Headquarters where Lisa Rogers and Steve Brooks both celebrated the release of their new political CD's. I was asked to join them both and spent the entire show on stage pickin' along with a lot of very clever and pointed songs. Check them out for yourself at the URLs below:
http://members.aol.com/hisissy/pharmacy.html
http://www.stevebrooks.net/index2.htmI have some more traveling to do in July so stay tuned...
May 2004 was an interesting month hereabouts. Not a great deal of performing work but what there was rode a real high line. I spent several days brushing up on my rusty drum chops getting ready for my first R&R drum gig in quite a while. There are few things I enjoy more viscerally than playing full kit with a good band and enjoy it I did. But first I had another solo night at the Cafe Del Rio in Llano on the 14th. This night was somewhat under-attended but that's only rock and roll. The Chipotle Chicken was worth an encore though. I'll return back there in July, hopefully so will the audience.
After a couple of fulfilling rehearsals with Jim & Seymour the drumming gig with Edge City finally happened at the Hardcore Texas festival near Round Top TX on Friday the 21st. We performed on a great stage with a pro sound crew in a large green field from 2 to 4 PM under the blazing Texas sun to pretty much no one except the sound crew and the vendors. On second thought perhaps starting a festival on a Friday afternoon when most everyone is still working may not be such a good idea after all? Despite the dearth of listeners the band really rocked and I had a total blast on that drum riser keeping time and raising hell.
Mi compadre Danny Santos and a small variation of los Bluegrass Vatos were also appearing at the same festival shortly thereafter inside a local dance hall and I took my snare and brushes over and we played to the same crowd as we had earlier that afternoon. All in all the music was like the weather - HOT! It was a shame it went pretty much unheard. I hope Saturday was better for that festival, I'd like to do it again next year if it's properly promoted.
Sunday the 23rd was another just-for-fun night. I got the gig at the Tavern in the Gruene provided I could field a proper band, something I hadn't done in a while. I got Marley Foreman and Bruce Logan on bass and drums respectively and my good friend Misha Ben David came along on 2nd guitar and vocals. We had so much fun doing primarily classic rock covers from our formative years that the night went by like a wayward Learjet. We really rocked the joint and with any luck we will get to do it again. "Can't get enough" indeed!
Kerrville New Folk Finalist Lisa Rogers (of the Therapy Sisters) came by the next day to get her latest CD finalized. Perhaps it is time to put a folk singer in the White House, eh? Obviously much more talent in LR than the incumbent pretender. Wednesday the 26th I gave a lunchtime unplugged performance at the Down the Alley Bistro in Georgetown drinking too much coffee and entertaining the hoi poloi with a plethora of sixties cover tunes for a change of pace. Add some music to your day...
My new friend and longtime Gonzo Band member Bob Livingston had me out to perform lead guitar duties on his fabulous Cowboys & Indians music for a private party and again I had a total blast. His latest CD is a great listen, I highly recommend it.
Saturday the 29th had to be the highlight of the year so far for me. For the first time I got to perform on the main stage of the Kerrville Folk Festival in front of thousands of acoustic music fans and the view from up there was wonderful. California-based Amilia K. Spicer asked me once again to accompany her for this major Texas show. I love her music and the way she performs it and our styles really seem to compliment each other even if we only get to play together a couple of times a year so I was all over it.
Amilia hit the stage and came alive (in much the same way that Frampton doesn't) and I don't think I was able to stop smiling for our entire set. She's my lapidary angel and her performance leaves all those karaoke American Idle wannabe's in the dust. It was a great opening to a long night of fine acoustic entertainment that included David Olney, Bill Morrissey, Carrie Newcomer, KM's good friend Ellis Paul, Jimmy LaFave and ending with Slaid Cleaves (much to SAK's delight). There are some new photos from this on my pictures page. Performing at the KFF is definitely a major highlight of my time here in Texas, it's a most wonderful festival for so many reasons. Now if they could just do something about the unrelenting hill country heat...
June brings a 10 day excursion throughout the midwest supporting Danny Santos and his new album "Done Gone Got Lucky" so stay tuned.
April started out slowly but picked up a good deal of steam and then faded as slowly as it had begun. The 4th brought Austin Kessler's first annual birthday bash to the Live Oak auditorium and it was a doozy! Hundreds of AK's closest friends assembled, many with guitar in hand to party hearty and make a ton of great music. I did my part by not eating the cake and running the sound system for all the musical guests and for the most part it all went very well. Appearance highlights included Dave Hooper, George Einsley, Freebo, Jim Photoglo, Jenny Reynolds, Kerry Polk, Kristin DeWitt, Slim Richie, Karen Abrahms and the Convict Hill Gang. Oh yes, and yours truly. It was a great night but now none of AK's old hats will fit him anymore...
On the 13th Danny Santos & I did a live radio performance and interview on KFAN-FM in Fredricksburg for the domestic release of Danny's latest CD "Done Gone Got Lucky" (Wind River Records) and to promote our appearance at the upcoming "Old Settlers Festival". Danny chose my studio to record this album in and chose me to co-produce it with him and we're both really proud of this record, I hope you all look for it and pick one up ('cause if you don't he may never finish making the payments for his studio time!). On the 17th Danny and his band, the Bluegrass Vatos performed at the Old Settlers Festival to a large crowd in a natural amphitheater while the smell of fine Salt Lick BBQ permeated the air. We had a great time and the band was in excellent form. I got to bang on my snare drum all set and it was all good. Right after our performance Danny and I drove out to Kellers Old Store near Mason TX and did another show as a duo. A long drive home afterwards but lots to talk about after a really musical day.
On the 20th Abi Tapia (another Austin Conspirator) and I did a public service show at the Veterans Hospital in Temple TX. The Conspiracy sponsors these monthly shows gratis and it becomes a real feel-good day. On the 22th Danny Santos and the BV's performed at Artz Rib House and a good time (and much brisket) was had by all. On the 23rd & 24th I did a solo double header out in the hill country at the Cafe Del Rio in historic (?) downtown Llano TX. It had been a while since I had done my own act and it was a refreshing change of pace. I think I really impressed them mostly because I played quietly (evidently unlike some of their other acts) and did lots of tunes the patrons could recognize. I really had a chance to improve my Spanish vocabulary since very little English was spoken by the employees there. The food and the service was quite fine and if you're ever out that way I recommend the Chipotle Chicken.
My last gig in April was with the irredeemable Eddie Collins back once again at Artz. It was mostly a bluegrass night 'cause that's what Eddie is best known for. I got to stumble around on bass all night (I have got to really learn all those bluegrass standards!) and once again the the food and the music were both great. That brings us into May which looks really empty from here although a few really good things do develop so stay tuned and thanks for your interest. And special thanks to my lovely and talented webmistress who does such a fine job keeping this website up-to-date and humming. BCNU next month.
March 2004 was a light month for performance but a heavy one for travel. The ides of March were spent making a road trip to central Florida, a place relevant for two big reasons. First it is the place where Sue Ann spent her "Wonder Years" and second it is the new home of Rose Tveraas, my first mother. We were able to stone several birds with one kill as it were during this trip. Combined with my recent sojourn to San Diego I feel like I now know Interstate 10 far too well. SAK got to show me the trappings of her youth and I got to show her the trappings of an incredibly large (and slightly creepy) retirement community called appropriately enough "The Villages". Any similarities to "The Prisoner" TV series were all too common and I'm sure (mostly) unintentional. Ma is very happy in her new element.
On the 6th I played at one of my old haunts, B.B. Rovers Pub up in Jollyville. It was a fine and well-attended evening and a welcome change from doing all these support gigs and getting to strut my stuff again all solo-like. As usual the take-home pizza was excellent as well (thanks Dave). On the 12th I performed alongside my fellow conspirator Steve Hopkins as he did an opening slot for Sarah Pierce and her fine band. This was another excellent night at the Live Oak Coffee House which has become just about my favorite venue in town.
On the 26th I joined Edge City for an interesting show on "Antique Alley" out in Round Top TX. This was the first night of a week-long area antique fair and it took several stops at different fairs on the indicated road before we found the right place. Attendance was on the light side but the band was in fine form and we all enjoyed the music even if few others did. That's all for this month but April looks like a doozy so stay tuned.
February '04 - the big news this month was the annual Folk Alliance conference held this year in my old hometown, San Diego. Before I get to that let me tend to the first part of the month. On the 9th I went along with Danny Santos as a member of his "Bluegrass Vatos" (Vato Grande - that's me) to perform for the Oklahoma state legislators at the Will Rogers Auditorium in OK City. This was my first road trip with Danny and Wes Green (mandolin) and we had a fine time. The show went pretty much as expected and I tried to remember as many Mike Kearney licks as I could since I usually play percussion with the Vatos instead of guitar. Who knew a couple of such nice fellows knew so many tasteless jokes and were willing to use them on a long road trip?
Friday the 13th brought the annual Austin Conspiracy of Performing Songwriters benefit at the Live Oak coffee house...lucky for us, no? Abi Tapia, Steve Brooks, Edge City, the Therapy Sisters, Kerry Polk and yours truly performed to a large and receptive crowd and once again a good time was had by all. The new Live Oak has become one of my very favorite venues to perform at here in the Austin area. As a bonus I got to perform with most everyone along the way as well. The sound both onstage and in the house is superb and the whole place resonates with such a warm, musical vibe that it becomes truly inspirational. Not bad for a UU church now, is it? Nice crowd too. We all sold some CD's and made some decent change to offset our growing expenses to attend the Folk Alliance showcase I mentioned earlier.
Got together with Lisa Rogers and some other Conspiracy members along with some borrowed lighting and got some new publicity photos taken. It's about time too, my last official shots were seven years old and beardless. Long past time I got new ones anyway. Lisa did a great job on them too - thanks! Lisa also did a bang-up job on the Conspiracy display board we showed at the FA conference, made us all look better.
The 19th was my last gig this month, an evening with my bi-coastal friend Dave Hooper at Artz Ribhouse. Good music, good folks and fine BBQ made for a great evening and I got to play the gorilla once again. Don't ask.
On the 23rd I left for San Diego with my compadres Danny Santos and Steve Brooks. We all had business and pleasure to attend to at the Folk Alliance Conference - four days of too much music and schmoozing in the name of making business connections for touring. Everyone who was anyone was in attendance despite the skyrocketing costs involved. Most folks do a half dozen showcases or so and divide the rest of the time attending workshops, making business connections and listening to the army of acoustic performers that are in residence there. I managed to do 18 showcases, a third of them as a soloist and the rest as a support player for other acts such as Edge City, Amilia K. Spicer, Jubilant Bridge and Danny Santos. I had a total blast despite a severe lack of sleep. I had decent attendance at all my solo showcases and everything from better to worse with the others.
Amilia Spicer (from L.A.) is a total sweetheart and her music resonates with me in a way few others have and I'm proud to be her guitarist of choice whenever she's in the area. Jubilant Bridge (from Denver) used to be a trio was now a duo looking for someone to fill in on their fine tuneage. I was honored to be asked and I thoroughly enjoyed our shows together. I'm told the feeling was mutual. Edge City and I go back a few years already and it's always an adventure rocking down those rooms.
There were hundreds of performing songwriters and acts at this conference most of whom were involved with sanctioned and guerilla showcases in meeting rooms and hotel suites. This isn't an activity for beginners and it showed. No matter where you pointed your ears some really fine music was beckoning you to come closer and listen - it pretty much never stopped for the better part of four days. Hence the lack of sleep. Special thanks go out to the folks that took the time to attend my shows, it felt really good to see you out there. These are some of the musical friends and acquaintances I chatted up and/or listened to during the show (in no particular order):
(CAUTION: shameless name dropping ahead!) Juliet Wyers, Annie Moscow, Eleni Kelakos, Karen Mal, Albert & Gage, The Winstons, Jenny Bienemann, Carla Ulbrich, Jim Photoglo, The Dreamsicles, Troy Campbell, Jack Williams, Jean Synodinos, Lowen & Navarro, Berkley Hart, Dan Connor, Sweet Mama Cotton, Slaid Cleaves. All the Conspiracy folkers, Jenny Reynolds, Ellis Paul, Joe Rathburn, Too High String Band, Terri Hendrix & Lloyd Maines and a host of others. There were some old San Diego performers I tried to connect with but never seems to make it happen especially MIA - Dave Beldock and Deb Liv Johnson.
You'd think this was enough for any sane person - and you'd be right. But not this guy. There was one last blast scheduled to happen. My dear friends Jeff Lee and Jerry Gontang managed to put on an Oh! Ridge reunion at a club in Santee on Sunday night partially in honor of my being in the area anyway. I have known these boys since 1975 and there's been a lot of fine music made together thru many of those years. So you'd think we'd have it down by now, wouldn't you? So many old and dear friends came out to listen to us old farts go thru the paces once again and for the most part it was like no time had gone by at all. There was the occasional memory lapse especially by yours truly but these days that's nothing new.
But oh...those harmonies! It all came back and it was so good to sing and play as a trio doing the songs we all grew up doing, most of them second nature. It was a wonderful coda to my trip and I am very thankful to Jeff & Jer for making that happen. And it was good to show my stalwart Austin companions the sillier and more commercial side of music as I knew it for so many years. Special thanks to all my venerable compadres that made the scene with us that night, it was so good to see you all! Good to see you Wayne and thanks for the hat Mike!
It was like coming home. The whole trip felt like coming home, from the first scent of the SD air and the tall palm trees to the rumble in my stomach from the fish and machacha burritos (YUM!). The good feeling was tempered somewhat but dealing with the price of gasoline out there though - $2.21 to $2.51 a gallon! Why there isn't an open revolt about this I'll never know. It's good to be back here in Texas where you just push a hose into the ground and take what you need. We made a quick sojourn to Ocean and Pacific Beaches and got our feet wet and sandy before heading back home through 21 hours of mostly desert. Next month looks kinda light schedule-wise so stay tuned. TTFN.
Leapin' Lizards! 2004 came in like a lamb, kinda quiet and wooly. January is usually a slow time of year for entertainers and for me this year was no exception. Most folks are pretty "partied" out after the holidays and it's harder to get them out of their homes for fun. I got together with a couple of guys to talk about an acoustic performing project. We played a few tunes and found we were all on the same page regarding a lot of classic acoustic performances. Stay tuned for more info on this one.
I performed at the Westminster Rest home on the 14th to some serious music fans who were delighted to have some live entertainment come to their facility. They were gracious listeners and I'm not sure who came away with the better end of the bargain. On the 17th I got a second chance out at the Common Grounds Coffee House in far east Round Rock. Several good fans and friends came out in support and we all enjoyed the solo acoustic show - kinda like a house concert with lots of coffee options.
The 18th found me back at the Tavern in the Gruene rockin' with Edge City. If it wasn't for a big football game keeping much of the attention of the patrons we would have killed! It was a good, loud night all around. These are the only electric R&R nights I get to perform lately and I really cherish them - it feel good to be able to cut loose with a little electricity and a little volume to pump up the vibe.
Friday the 23rd was another fine night with Jenny Reynolds and friends at the Waterloo Ice House. I like performing with her and I will miss it. The 25th was a really interesting night - Danny Santos, Paul Sanchez and I (and one other who's name I can't seem to remember - my bad) all performed with Mr. Eddie Collins at Artz Ribhouse. Eddie was the nexus as he performed with all of us as "Mr. incredibly versatile sideman" at his monthly in-the-round gig there. Eddie took the time to get familiar with all of our tunes and performed with us on guitar, mandolin and banjo (his most notable instrument). It was great for me to have someone like Eddie playing in support of my tunes for a change and I enjoyed it greatly. I could get used to that.
The month ended with a soundman gig at Live Oak for three-time US flatpicking champion Steve Kaufman along with Eddie Collins and his band. The place was packed and once I heard Mr. Kaufman I understood why - he's one incredible flatpicker! Tasty, humorous and understated he was a musical gentleman as he ripped thru classic and newer guitar and fiddle tunes guaran-damn-teed to make you want to never pick up your guitar again.
The big news in February is the annual Folk Alliance conference in San Diego. I and many of my compadres will be out there hawking our wares and schmoozing our little brains out. I already have 15 showcases scheduled - far more than any rational person would undertake. I've written and recorded one new tune for this show and I hope to get at least one more in the can before we take to the highways. More on this next month. TTFN.
Going into this month it looked pretty lean but some last-minute calls made a big difference. On the 12th I split the bill at Mr. Jimmy's Coffee House with Danny Santos and we had a splendid time folkin' around with a full house. Danny and sideman Mike Kearney kept me on my best musical behavior - another great night. The 13th found me siding with Jenny Reynolds again, this time at the Waterloo Ice House 38th St. The irrepressible Michael Austin shared the bill with us and it was another wicked show, this time with licorice stick (Snake Farm indeed!). I really like performing with JR, her music feels like going home for me. I look forward to more.
The week preceding Xmas found me outside for a few nights on 37th street busking with Danny Santos and Seymour Guenther. We played holiday songs old and new for the myriad of passers-by and the abundance of holiday spirit and smiles made each night a joyous one. The filling tip jar didn't hurt either. I don't think I muttered the usual "humbug" once these nights. Well, maybe once. On the 20th I got a call from a slightly frantic Bob Livingston (of Lost Gonzo Band fame) who needed a guitarman for a gig at Gruene Hall and I came recommended to him as a last minute replacement (thanks CG!). So he took a chance on me and I took a long and fast drive to Gruene and we had a great four hours entertaining a fairly full Gruene Hall crowd, many there to see Jerry Jeff Walker's show later that night. I like making new musical friends...
On the 28th Steve Taylor and I ended up back in Gruene again, this time at the Tavern in the Gruene for what looked like a slow Sunday night but ended up as a fun time with a great local crowd. Steve and I share some similar background and he's an easy fit for me onstage. We both know different songs by the same performers and it's always a first-rate time sharing the stage with him. That about does it for this month. BCNU soon.
November was a strange month for this performing songwriter. It started with a soundman gig for Kim Miller at the new Waterloo Ice House on 2222 & 360 in NW Austin. Kim is a really fine performer with a very engaging style and it was a good show. The following weekend brought a wedding reception at the Gristmill in Gruene featuring Danny Santos and his Bluegrass Vatos. Just call me Vato Ringo, I held down the percussive groove for the band. After co-producing Danny's latest album earlier this year I feel I now know his songs backwards and forwards.
I performed the solo break set @ Artz Rib House on the 10th traditionally called the "bummer set" in honor of al the sad ballads usually sung there. It's always nice to get out and do a solo show and remind folks that indeed I do other things besides support a cadre of other performers around here, and you can't beat Artz BBQ! On the 14th I performed as lead guitarist alongside Jenny Reynolds at the Live Oak Coffee House which also featured David LaMotte. Jenny was in fine form that night and the acoustic space of that new venue is really inspirational - especially good since it's also a UU church sanctuary. I really enjoyed playing that show.
On the 16th I got an all-too-rare chance to play drums alongside Eddie Collins and Bill Dower for a 60's R&R review at the same Church for part of their dedication ceremony. It was a total blast beating tubs again, I hope there's more like this next year. That next week I finished adding tracks to the upcoming album by Larry Keen of Dillon, Colorado. Larry is an old friend and former bandmate and after a long layoff he decided to record a new album and with the aid of the latest ProTools recording technology I was able to add guitars, keyboards, drums and harmonica to his tracks from here and send them back there for his engineer to mix. I look forward to hearing the final results, it was great to make music with my old friend once again.
The 21st brought a chance to get my chicken-pickin' fingers dusted off as I held down the lead guitar spot for Stuart Adamson and his band at Ginny's Little Longhorn Saloon. I always have a hoot playing with SA and his boys and that night was no exception and the usual Ginny's crowd was fun and receptive too. The 22nd brought a bigger rock show at Big Dave's saloon with Edge City. We had two fabulous drummers with us that night and I only wish we had a recording of that night, it was really something. I don't get enough chances to turn it up these days so we always have a lot of fun at these shows.
Although somewhat under the weather, I did a solo gig at the Common Ground Coffee House in Round Rock on the 29th. The crowd was gracious as I did my best to entertain despite coughing up a lung or two. Good thing I didn't have much to do for the next 2 weeks...
Copyright ©2003-06 JGT. Last modified Sunday, December 24, 2006 11:59 AM
