September 11, 2010

The leaves are turning, while the flowers are still in bloom. That doesn't usually happen here in the foothills of the Rockies, and the colours make up in small part for what a shitty summer we've had. Only weather-wise...musically the season was great, with fun shows at a number of festivals and clubs. Last night's show was the Rocky Mountain Folk Club, and it was great. A big audience for the inaugural show of their 2010-11 season, lots of music and laughter. Tonight's gig is at Mikey's Juke Joint, home of my weekly Tuesday solo gig when I'm not touring. I'm joined by my Electro-Fires rhythm section (Suitcase James on bass and Kevin Belzner on drums) and Mike Clark on tenor sax fo an evening of electric/eclectic roots & blues, kicking off at 9 pm.

So, as I mentioned on Facebook, if the "Reverend" Terry Cook thinks he can ignore the parts of the constitution he disagrees with (freedom of religion is very carefully and specifically protected) then he shouldn't have a problem with anyone else doing the same...telling him to shut the fuck up (1st Amendment) and taking away his guns (a fanatical "christian" minister from Florida ? I'd be amazed if he didn't own a few under the mis-applied 2nd amendment). And if he really wants to live in a country with essentially one religion and basically no separation of church and state, I know just the place for him...IRAN.

Next week is a quiet one, Tuesday at Mikey's and a fund-raiser for the Alberta Wildlife Association on Saturday (Red & White Room at McMahon Stadium).

Still A Month From Autumn

If, like me, you are driven crazy by talking heads who start moaning on June 1st "Where's Summer ?", you probably are smart enough to know that seasons change by the solstices and equinoxes, not by the school calendar and the advertising schedules of shopping malls etc. That being said, with approximately a month until Autumn, man it feels autumnal out there. Here's hoping for a nice September/October !

A big thanks to everyone at Rusty Reed's House of Blues (management, staff, and the kick-ass house band) and everybody who came down to see the show. Saturday night was exceptional fun - the band was on fire, the house was full, and numerous musicians in town for the Labatts Edmonton Blues Festival dropped by. "Hurricane" Dave Hoerl and Brandon Issaks of Hurricane and the Twisters, Steve Kozak and Roger Brandt all sat in and numerous local and traveling musicians sent the good vibes to the stage. The new club is great, with a menu to match. Although next time I either want a higher stage or my own "dancing Drunks" police (I took a microphone to the head both nights).

Got up on 5 hours sleep to make my afternoon gig in Calgary, only to be held up for AN HOUR in downtown Edmonton by runners for a marathon. I reached the booker for the venue (Parkland Community Association) and he decided between the shitty weather and my likely delay we should cancel. However, Parkland is planning some events over the coming Autumn so look for a re-booking there.

This week it's Mikey's Juke Joint solo on Tuesday night, Mount Royal College for a guitar clinic on Wednesday afternoon, the Ironwood Stage & Grill on Friday (wih Suitcase and Kevin on bass & drums and accordionist Howard "Schmengie" Chapman. I'm waiting for one license from CBC to send the re-master of "Evenings Among Friends" (a "live" solo disc) for manufacture, so stay tuned for a "re-release party."

Turning A Page

Last night at Mikey's Juke Joint was a total blast ! Thanks to John and Oli from the land down under for the opening set, and thanks to buddy Bryan Bowers for joining me ( sans autoharp) on a version of "Po' Lazarus"...he hung out at my gig before getting up at 6 a.m. on his birthday to go hiking in the Rockies. Speaking of birthdays, I want to thank all the well-wishers for the outpouring of birthday greetings last week; it was truly great. One of the many non-negotiable percs of being a roots artist is the sense that time doesn't run out on you and you can keep doing what you do. No messy hair-pieces or dye-jobs, and no oldies packages in casinos (thank the stars).

The rest of this week is busy, with a private function on Thursday, two nights at old pal Rusty Reed's House of Blues (Edmonton) and Sunday afternoon for the Parkland Community Association. I'm in the very last stages of re-releasing "Evenings Among Friends" (my live solo disc from 2000) with a couple new tracks and a wonderful re-mastering job by Dave Horrocks of Infinite Wave Mastering. Pending manufacturing delays I might have it in hand by Labour Day. Also on the horizon is the release of my blues mandolin instructional dvd from Learn Roots Music.

I had to go yesterday to Megatunes, Calgary's great indie music store, to sort out our business dealings before they shut their doors. Although there was good news (they were sold out of my stuff and instead of carrying cds home I'm waiting on a check) it was like sitting at the death bed of a dear friend. I keep reading about vinyl and even cassette making a come-back, and yet distributors and retailers of independent music keep dropping like flies...will it ever end ? Keep on supporting the music you love by attending shows, purchasing worthwhile recordings, and in general keeping the faith.

Sweet Home Alberta

After a crazy five weeks, I'm home for most of the Autumn now, and my Tuesday nights at Mikey's Juke Joint resume tonight. It was a great condensed rush of the summer festival season and I want to thank the Pincher Creek Cowboy Poets Gathering, The Solstice Festival in South Calgary, Vancouver Island Music Fest (and Derek Bird at Vancouver CBC who recorded the mainstage for "Canada Live"), The Harrison Festival of the Arts, The Dream Cafe (Penticton, BC), The Island Mountain Arts School and Arts Wells Festival in Wells, BC, The North Country Stomp (Driftpile First Nation, Alberta), The Blue Loon Grill (Clearwater BC) and the Calgary International Blues Festival.

There are upcoming gigs at the Ironwood, Rusty Reed's House of Blues (Edmonton) and others, so please check the calendar from time to time. R.I.P. Megatunes - another of the brilliant independent recorded music stores expires at the end of this month.

Summer tour, 2nd leg

A week of teaching slide/fingerstyle guitar at Island Mountain Arts School and performances in the Sunset Theatre and St. Gregory's Church (all in Wells, BC) finished out July in high fashion. It was good to see friends Linda McRae (too brief) and Ken Whitely (too much fun). Then it was on to the Driftpile First Nation at Lesser Slave Lake for a set at the First North Country Stomp, followed by a hang with Romi Mayes and Jason Nowicki (Romi's guitar player and a member of the Perpetrators). A long holiday-clogged drive home where I'm doing the rock star stuff : bank, litter bokes, laundry, change strings and re-pack the car for tomorrow's drive to Clearwater (North of Kamloops on the Yellowhead Highwayin BC) for 2 nights at the Blue Loon Grill. Home in time to play with old pal Morgan Davis at the Calgary International Blues Festival (a late show in the ballroom of the Ramada Inn) on Saturday. Tuesdays resume at Mikey's next week, and there's lots more going on, so check the calendar !

The Next Leg

The next leg of my summer touring starts today, after watching my pal Tom Russell play a great set at the Calgary Folk Festival yesterday (the workshop after, with Ian Tyson, Corb Lund, Geoff Muldaur and Tom was also excellent). I teach and perform from Monday the 26th to Saturday the 31st at the Island Mountain Arts Festival in Wells B.C., just a stone's throw from the historic gold rush town of Barkerville. Then on Sunday I play with The Electro-Fires at the North Country Stomp, Driftpile First Nation Reserve, Alberta. Wednesday- Thursday August 4th-5th I'm at the Blue Loon Grill in Clearwater, B.C. and home in time to play with old friend Morgan Davis at the Calgary International Blues Festival. All these good folks have websites with schedules posted, so please check them out, and catch a show if I'm in your neck of the woods.

Last show this leg of the summer tour, at the Dream Cafe in Penticton BC. One of the finest music rooms in the country, definitely the best in Western Canada. Dinner with my wife, son and daughter-in-law, two sets, and back to Calgary for a week. Amazing music this time out from Adrian Belew, Joan Osborne and the Holmes Brothers, David Lindley, and Debashesh Battachyria (and a brief visit with Cassius Khan and Salil Bhatt - too brief). Back to Calgary for Mikey's on Tuesday !