Sunday, January 31, 2010

Over 30 years and the music continues

Last night at the Bluff View Concert performance of David Huckfelt and Benson Ramsey there were lots of laughs, house seemed full with 24 in attendance; and David and Benson were incredible. Before the show I put up a Christmas present from my wife, she framed some old posters that I used to take on the way out of Bluewhale Coffeehouse concerts... get this 30 years ago!


First up... The Pines




















Next here is a picture of the posters:











Then of course I had to find out whatever happened to the Bluewhale Coffeehouse, because it wasn't too long before all the audience had to ask, and performers wanted to find out to play there too, this came out of the UWGB brochure I found online at: http://www.uwgb.edu/inside/pdf/2005-11_inside_withd.pdf

Saturday, January 30, 2010

iPad

This is hilarious... I was told last night that this Mad TV skit is a few years old and that they couldn't believe Apple went ahead and named their new tablet the iPad anyway. Of course, maybe it was a shwred move... guess they got me blogging about it.



If you were in a hole about the skit like I was, maybe you don't even know what a real iPad is, or will be when they release it this week.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Home by Higher Ground

I've always loved this Bonnie Raitt song (yes I know it's a cover of a Karla Bonoff song) Per the video the Parkington Sisters are in the piece, but their contribution is not mic'd. It does leave me wondering how they might be related to the Parkington in Higher Ground though...filmed 11-28-09 at the Wellfleet Harbor Actor's Theatre hosting the anual variety show Yule for Fuel Benifit. Cheryl Parkington; guitar and vocals, Jean Sagara; mandolin and vocals, Randy Patterson; guitar and vocals, Mike Murzyn; bass and vocals; backed by special guests the Parkington Sisters L-R Rose, Lydia, Ariel, Nora, Sarah .

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Forever young

So a highlight of my year is getting a great live recording of Allison and Matt covering this song during our May House concert. Crystal clear... thanks you two rock!



of course I never heard of Alphaville because only Dylan is truly Forever Young



and of course the song you are hearing during NFL Pepsi throwback commercials.

Baker Street

The window glows on the 2nd floor
At 2204 Baker Street.
It’s been on for months, but no one notices
Life goes on to the same beat.

Can some one live without any one else?
Even to hear a stranger’s hi?
She neatly sits as the silence grows
Barely a whispered sigh.

The only ones who take note are the children
Mischief-makers to many
But they are the ones who seek her out;
They look for the old Granny.

Old, that eternally changing yardstick
She picks up the Big 5-0- card
A single card, and no call in two weeks
When reality hits, it hits hard.

Too many think they turned to bottle
To self-destruct or just give up.
She opened her wine like a brothel
And she poured her queen’s cup.

The window glows on the 2nd floor
And the gentlemen are about
All the wealth and glamour she adores.
Just about then she blacked out.

The window glows on the 2nd floor
At 2204 Baker Street.
It’s been on for months, but no one notices
Life goes on to the same beat.

By Dave Schipper © 2010 Rose Riversongs

I finished this dark piece the other night, and thought I would share the odd connections that can be weaved into a lyric. The Baker Street from Scotland was no where in my mind; there is a Baker Street six blocks away from work. 2204 is my street address from childhood, and the old houses in Winona have always made me wonder about someone being in there and forgotten about. The twist from, "tonight the bottle let me down" was inevitable for a sad departure; but this woman had a flair for life and just never let anyone in. Or so it would seem.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

The Trishas "Blue" from MusicFog.com

Leave it to MusicFog.com to introduce me again to a wonderful band, The Trishas.Per their MySpace they are :

The Trishas got together towards the end of 2008 for what they thought was gonna be one show, a tribute to songwriter Kevin Welch at 2009's Steamboat Music Festival. The four songstresses, Jamie Wilson, of the sweetheart band of the hill country The Gougers, Liz Foster, late of Liz & Lincoln, Kelley Mickwee, formerly of Jed & Kelley, and Kevin's daughter Savannah Welch, permanently and evermore of the Welch clan, came together to do just that, sing...for the sake of the songs. And sing they did, around one microphone until there wasn't a single dry eye in the place.From the moment they stepped off the stage, it was obvious to all attending that this wasn't just for one show, no matter what they said.

To give you an idea of the sound you'll hear, think of what would happen if Texas dirt, Mississippi River water, City Lights, and Apple Pie all sat down in a pickin' circle at an Austin, TX backyard party. This combination creates a kind of soul that no definition is worthy to define, and plants a seed of bluegrass that gives blues a place to grow from. Add a couple country accents, a lot of truth to be told, and rhythm you couldn't shake a stick at...but you'll want to...and you've got The Trisha




And earlier they we recorded :

Super matchup ... disappointment in Winona

Some of you know that I work at the best supplier of licensed hard good items in the sports industry, WinCraft. Being in the midwest pulls our associates right into the action of all national sports, and sometimes our favorite teams. Well my Packers burned out with a blaze in Arizona, and the poor Vikings fumbled away their opportunity. Well there's always the winner products to make at WinCraft.

The Super Bowl also brings media attention and I thought that Kira and Michael from WXOW did a great job that I thought I would share with you... here's a link to the story and video. http://www.wxow.com/Global/story.asp?S=11877909

Monday, January 25, 2010

Dave you should talk...

Ok I do listen, promote and buy.. but do I visit enough concerts? Well I have excuses like an occasional gig, church stuff, and family stuff, but I missed a great performance by Simone Perrin in Winona. Now I'm left with begging her to play my house concert.

When will people wake up...

You know I shouldn't be bitter, but we're all human and sometimes the worse emotions sneak in. A friend and fellow blog writer, Clay Rieness sold out the Pump House, and Tracy maybe had 35 people when she came to LaCrosse the first time. I hear a long time local player Johnsmith is now playing the Pump House and it too is sold out, while The Pine House concert might have 18 or 28 people depending on the maybes. Good for John and Clay, bad for the music industry. This was the first year I saw Tracy, and she was excellent. What got me thinking about the tie in to attendance was the video's description:

"Tracy Grammer and Jim Henry at the Gravity Lounge Sept 26, 2007. Unfortunately for Bob Dylan all the REALLY cool people in Charlottesville went to see Tracy rather than he and Elvis C." Maybe it's all about being cool... I'll have to work on that HA.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Old fart candidate number 2

Ok... ever since Chip Taylor wow'd me by playing with Cari Rodriquez and then Kendal Carson, he has owned the Old Fart of the year. Last year Billy Joe Shaver snuck in because I had three or four people thru the year telling me about him. I'd say, Yep he's always been good. Well this year Chip should win it again with his helping Kendel with her new cd release, and releasing a great solo cd of Yonkers NY; but he has stiff competition from 73 year old Kris Kristofferson. I loved the songs I picked from his new cd, Close to the Bone. Here's a video taste:



And a review from RollingStone Truly the legend has put out new material that fits like a glove into the sound I loved growing up.

Here is how iTunes describes it:

New category...

The magic of love will be a new category brought on by one of my favorite songs by Sometymes Why. Kristen, Aifoe, and Ruth's three part harmony are so easy to listen to... and gracious if I ever saw them in concert, pretty easy to watch sing to... pure magic... if they have magic hands... I'm guessing there's more magic in those bones, vocal chords and eyes too.

I think this is a category I'll fun with in the future...



See all the last three years awards at: http://thezemmyawards.blogspot.com/

Thursday, January 21, 2010

The Pines Saturday Jan 30th

Right now... the plan is 7:30 and clear skies for a beautiful date night in January, so why not head over to a house concert known for intimate concerts where the artist gets to know the audience. Yes the hosts, Dave and Lori will have some fresh cookies, decaf coffee, and maybe some hot apple cider. Feel free to bring your own beverage, no corking charges here, HA!

Now the artist... The Pines... let's start with their website bio:

In a world swimming in singer/songwriters, it's difficult to rise above the masses and create a truly unique sound that captures ears and stimulates the mind. The Pines are a band that has taken on this feat, honing their musical craft to near perfection with a sound that wavers on the edge of traditional acoustic/roots music, but embraces the nuances of today's indie-rock and blues music.

Meeting in a Mexican barrio in Arizona, fellow Iowans David Huckfelt and Benson Ramsey began playing music together, forming The Pines. Committing to a musical career, they returned to their Midwestern roots and settled in Minneapolis, a music haven that has launched the careers of such folk and rock legends as Bob Dylan, The Jayhawks and The Replacements.

In 2004 The Pines released their debut self-titled album on the Iowa-based Trailer Records, establishing themselves as an emerging force in the roots music world with their haunting blend of indie-rock, folk, and blues with intelligent lyrics. In 2007 The Pines released Sparrows in the Bell on the world renowned acoustic/roots label Red House Records. The album had critics buzzing and was named one of the top roots releases of 2007 by Q Magazine. With the release of Tremolo, , their second release on Red House, The Pines continue to show their growth as artists as well as an unparalleled wisdom in their songwriting and musicianship.

The son of Greg Brown's producer and sideman Bo Ramsey, Benson was surrounded by folk and blues music and continues to let those influences shine, even on louder electric songs. David also has a deep love for traditional music, and together the two of them craft music that evokes the ancient while incorporating newer rock and pop grooves. Both strong writers and musicians, David and Benson have distinct voices that complement each other, causing audiences and critics alike to tout them as a powerful young force in American roots music. Steadily touring around the country, The Pines have shared the stage with some of the biggest names in music including Bon Iver, The Holmes Brothers, Jolie Holland, The Arcade Fire, and Spider John Koerner.


Now to that I would add that after Lori and I saw them at the Simply Folk 30th Anniversary show up at the BigTop, we both said WOW...now wouldn't you want to see them at the house concert... YEE HAW... they're coming.

Here's not the greatest video from a sound... but you can a drift of David's Dylan's voice and poetry..



More to come, and here's hoping you come; and here's a link to the map: http://bluffviewconcerts.blogspot.com/2010/01/map.html

A...hole from El Paso

I can't tell exactly why this song came into my world this year... but it's playing heavily on my playlist that I'm narrowing down the rightful winners.... Classic Kiny Friedman... the guy that should have won the Govenor of Texas race, "why the hell not!"

"Invierno Aqui" by Clay Riness

A little tune I composed for an HD video of winter scenes being produced by The AVS Group. Thought you might like it, Dave.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

The Annual Winner...

If you have haven't followed the premise of The Zemmy Awards, it basically built on categories that I have dreamt up over time. And if no one aces out last year's winner... they win again... enough said. This one will be very difficult to outseat Nanci & Emmy covering Kate Wolf's song, Across the Great Divide. That said I found a live video that doesn't come close to the intimacy that the recording does.

But here it is..



Here is the category on http://thezemmyawards.blogspot.com/
Best cover of a Kate Wolf song EVER: Across the Great Divide by Nanci Griffith...I think this will likely stay here until someone ace’s it out.? See the 2007 Zemmys for a video of Nanci's cover.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

A Zemmy Nominee - Ordinary Town

As usual this time of year I take some time looking back at my iTunes and see what I have been listening to... and this song from a Cd purchased at a Tracy Grammer CD is up toward the top. I was lucky to find a nice video of it.

The Commitments - Mustang Sally

My favorite movie about music is "The Commitments" when this out of work guy (Jimmy) in Ireland decides to put together a band playing Motown groove music. It's the reason I ended up seeing Mustang Sally with all the passion that I can. If you can't feel it after this song, you got to rent the movie.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Amy Speace is the Real Thing..... definitely!

Here's a commitment... every new video of Amy doing her song "The Real Thing"... will be posted to this blog.

Now you have to listen to her interplay with the audience toward the end...



Great sound quality on this one...



Now I have passed her a note on how similar she looks to Virginia Madsen... see what I mean... hard to tell which is which:


Sunday, January 17, 2010

Banjo by The Beggars


For a while I have really loved The Beggars. They are this cool trio in Austrailia that have a mix of the Smothers Bros and of course Peter Paul and Mary in a sound uniquely Austrailian. I just bought their CD Desert Flower and I'm looking forward to living it the next week. Catch up with them at their website:
http://beggars.com.au/ Here is a clip from a recent blog and a video.
The past year was a productive one for The Beggars we were able write and record our second album “Desert Flower” and things have started happening for us in Europe, we made our second tour over there playing 14 concerts in October and arranged a January 2010 release for “Desert Flower”. But the highlight of the year for us is the way European Radio really got behind “The Banjo Song” the first single from Desert Flower and pushed it to the top of the European CMA chart. ECMA is the oldest Country music chart in Europe and its also very pleasing to see so many other indie Aussie artists represented on the ECMA chart.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Speaking of Zemmy winners...

How about a past winner... the Beggars from Australia... I hear they have a new cd out.

More information to follow.

Elvis Costello a folk Grammy?

Well this one might not be just a pick a big name in a small category; I saw him on Austin City Limits and his performance was outstanding. I might have to consider him for a Zemmy... now that's one he's never won before.

Here he is getting a little pub on David Letterman... David loved the remove their panties in Ypsilanti ... now was it him or T-Bone Burnett that wrote that line... I would love to know.

Of course having a big name in a small category makes me feel sad for how it might have pushed out. Oh well he does shine at it.. in the Austin City Limits, Jerry Douglas joined on his outstanding dobro work.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Sweet Pea - AT&T Commercial

Ok I had a Paste magazine subscription for two years, and while I regret sometimes cancelling it... mostly today's music is far to depressing or poorly written rock songs with no pizzazz or harmonies. I did find a few gems, and will be forever grateful for finding Amos Lee thru the mag. Here is a cover of a song you likely heard by him and didn't know it... Sweet Pea... AT&T Cingular, "you're the only reason I keep on coming home."... what a wonderful thing for a musician to get paid by a cellphone company.

In keeping with some of my new audience, if you hang on thru the whole song... I'll tell you the chords used in the song.

Peace... and go out and buy Amos Lee... he's wonderful

If you forgot the commercial.. here you go. Yep it sounds like he might be using a Uke in it.



Now I'm not the first to cover it on YouTube... now here's Selah J. Rauw with her new red lipstick and beauty mark... of course if I had her voice with my guitar work... they would be both better videos... HA.

I remember what I love about Kendel Carson

She has a voice that can bring you to tears in a slow ballad, and oh so smooth of a fiddle player.

Absolutely inspirational.

I had a few cds of Lowen and Navarro and always loved their harmonies. I did not know the Lowen had ALS.... What a powerful statement of passion and love for life in the video.

Here's the video text:

Title track of Lowen & Navarro's new album "Learning To Fall", releasing in July 2008. In November 2007 Eric Lowen & Dan Navarro gathered 30 friends personally affected by the fatal, incurable, degenerative neuromuscular disease ALS, aka Lou Gehrig's Disease aka Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Eric Lowen himself was diagnosed with ALS in March, 2004. Half of those afflicted with ALS live three to five years after diagnosis, though some pass quicker and some live longer, like Stephen Hawking, who has survived over 45 years with the disease, though in a severe state of paralysis for the past 25. Eric is one of the lucky ones.

The group included PALS (People with ALS), family members, supporters and caregivers, joining voices in a song about hope, persistence and life as we know it. You'll see John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting and his family among the gathered friends. This video also is viewable on John's charitable website at the following link: http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com

Every time you watch the video at that site, a donation is made to Augie's Quest, a charity dedicated to finding a cure for ALS.

Go to http://www.lownav.com for more on Lowen & Navarro and the new album.


I want to thank my fellow blogger friend in Wisconsin for turning me on to the video: http://thewhitsuntidesingers.blogspot.com/2010/01/learning-to-fall-lowen-navarro-latest.html

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Rachel Great UKES!

It was just over the holidays when I considered buying a ukulele... I will never be as cute as Rachel... Way to go kid.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Lay around the Shanty

During 2009 I had my wonderfully intelligent son graduate high school, and with it comes the party invites. One of them included an invite to bring my instruments, oh twist my arm. Dustin's buddy Sam is a wonderful bass player and a buddy of his dad was a wonderful singer. He introduced me to this song... what a blast. Loved to run into the video this week...

Here's the video description:

The word "legend" is often used to describe veteran folk/rocker Jonathan Edwards, whose 1971 million-selling song "Sunshine" ("go away today...") brought him instant fame. Since that time, Jonathan has been going strong. He has recorded 15 albums, collaborated with artists like Emmylou Harris and Jimmy Buffett, performed in theater, commercials, movie soundtracks, and a TV series, and produced records. In this program, Jonathan visits MiND studios to discuss and perform his classic party song, "Shanty". Also, check out Jonathan's other MiND studio performances of "One Day Closer" and "Sunshine".

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Introducing Marian Call

Thanks to the Wildy World's top 50, I now know who Marian Call is... and watch these two videos and you will too. The first video has great song about Alaska followed by a great cover Joni Mitchell's California. Yep so she has great tastes too.

Plus she's a nerd... love the addition of the typewriter in concert for her "Nerd Anthem". This is a song that I bought on iTunes and I'd recommend it too.