Estela and the IPG rock!

The weeks and months fly by – hard to remember who said what when, who did what and when? Running from here to there and then back again, but first you have to take a detour to wherever the road bends for a few.

That’s how it’s been the last few weeks. Just go, go, go. Rehearsals with both Los Gringos and Devotion, working, reuniting with some old work colleagues, doing some gigs, hanging at open mikes, supporting other friend’s at their shows, and of course, watching the LA Avengers.

The calendar’s full, it’s crazy, and I’m digging it!

Last week, stopped by Texas Loosey’s open mike to check it out, and did a few tunes. Linda Bruce was there, and joined me for a couple of duets, and we butchered some classics. Guess we will have to get the key right or something.

Last night, checked out a couple of musical things. First, a few of my pals (including Chris Hastings, who engineered The R & D Project) have started a new loud, LOUD rocknroll band and I stopped by the studio to check out their rehearsal. I didn’t catch the name (don’t know if there is one, actually) but they have about 6 solid tunes in the set (not including a Judas Priest cover). Loud riffs and screaming in a confined space will always be a good thing to kick off a Sunday evening. And I can’t forget Nancy’s killer lasagna!!!

Next on the Sunday trip through the South Bay was the monthly SouthBayMusicScene.com Songwriters Showcase at Suzy’s. Got there in time to catch about five minutes of Griffin Gissendanner, then Scott Stewart took the stage with his iPod/guitar performance. The Lou Reed rhythm guitar sat over the U2 meets Radiohead mixes from the iPod. It was pretty interesting and unique use of new technology.

The highlight was Estela, and the debut of the sister act Estela and the IPG. Estela was on the showcase with me last month playing solo, so her tunes were very familiar (and good). But the addition of her sisters Anita and Rosie take it to a whole other level. They are both very talented, and have obviously been playing together, with very sophisticated, experienced chops that belie their youth (they are 21 and 19 respectively). The addition of harmonies, superbly placed bass riffs, and a drummer with a sense of space really meshed with Estela’s emotionally charged vocals.

This week it’s an overnight trip to Chicago, more group rehearsals, Friday’s Red Car gig, another Avenger game Saturday, and who knows what else…

Whew -

Stace England – Greetings from Cairo, Illinois

My pal Stace England has put the finishing touches on his project Greetings from Cairo, Illinois and you have to check out this CD.

First of all, you need to know that Cairo is pronounced like Karo syrup, not the Egyptian city.

Second, you need to know that Stace has really put together a significant collection of historically accurate tunes here. Now, writing songs is tough. Writing good songs is incredibly hard. Taking historical legends and stories, and turning out compelling tunes with such variety and style as found here is next to impossible.

It is apparent that Stace has a passion for Cairo, and he has obviously done tons of research. The results are songs that capture the soul of a city – one on the verge of death – dredging up the memory of real events that impacted the racial and social realities of the time, and left scars all over Southern Illinois that are still visible today.

Stace uses a broad range of musicians and styles to help him achieve this task, and the songs veer from the authentic folk blues of Henry Spaulding’s “Cairo Blues” to “White Hats”, a tale of prejudice which reunites him with former band mate Shaun Mason. Mason and his LA-based band Gutter Swans provide a highlight to the festivities with their slide-soaked swamp rockin’. Other standout tracks in strong rotation around these parts are “Far From The Tree” and “Can’t We All Get Along”.

However, the marquee name here will be Jason Ringenberg, the legendary former lead singer of Jason and the Scorchers, the guy who invented cowpunk and kicked opened the barn door for every alt-country band that has put a safety pin in a cowboy hat since. His reading of “Prosperity Train” sounds like an outtake from the Scorcher’s classic “Lost and Found”, which should be taken as a compliment to both the songwriter and the singer. The presence of this track will hopefully get Stace the exposure this recording deserves.

So, check out the Listen/Buy link at Stace’s website, and spend $10!

Reminiscing about the Red Car

Thanks to everyone who showed up Saturday night at the Red Car! The place has great food and micro brews, and I hope everyone had as much fun as I did. Among the friends at the bar were Gnashville Sounds label mates Shaun and Glenn from Gutter Swans, and Shaun joined me for most of the last set and added some very cool acoustic guitar licks!

Apparently, the management enjoyed the music and the guests, since they invited me back again. So, stay tuned for more gigs at the Red Car! I like doing these shows since it allows me to play a variety of things, new songs, covers, etc.

After we closed down the Red Car EJ, Pat and I ventured up to Friends of the Vine in the Hollywood Riviera and shared a few bottles of wine. FOTV has a cool atmosphere and a strong selection of wines, and is primed for an acoustic venue. The music they were playing on their stereo ventured from EW&F to Five for Fighting, and we asked (OK, EJ asked) Fred the proprietor if they ever had live music. The answer was “yes” and I introduced myself, and then headed to the car for some CD’s. Who knows if it will happen, but it’d be a fun gig.

For those interested, here’s the approximate song list from Saturday:

Set 1
Walked Away
King of Fools
Stay the Night
What We Had
Lonely Girl
Could’ve Been Mine
Follow Your Heart
Time Enough For Love
Last Ten Years
Can’t Help Falling In Love
Wanderin’ Soul
Here Comes A Regular
7 Bridges Road

Set 2
Boys Don’t Cry
Quiet Time
Will You Still Change With Me
And I Did Not Know
Break My Heart
Let The Girl Go
I Forgot To Forget
When I Close My Eyes
No Regrets
Moon Comes Around

Set 3
Someday
Whiskey and Memories
You Could’ve Been Mine
Cross That Line
The Inside
All That Matters

Red Car Brewery and Borders shows

Hung out at Suzy’s last night for the open mic night and played towards the end of the night when most of the regulars were already home in bed.

Apparently there is a decent open mic on Monday’s at Texas Loosey’s – might check that out in a few weeks. And there is a lingerie show, too? Hmmm….

Upcoming gigs:

Remember, I’ll be at the Red Car Brewery this Saturday from 7 – 10PM. Come on down and enjoy some micro-brewed ales and music.

Also, I’ve been invited to perform at several Borders locations in May and June. This is a whole new avenue of promotion for me and I’m pretty excited about it!

Here are the dates:

May 6: Pico Rivera
May 7: City of Industry
June 10: Costa Mesa – South Coast Plaza
June 11: Pico Rivera
June 17: Brea

The shows are 2 hours each – from 8-10PM – and I will be doing songs from both CDs, as well as throwing in a few surprises!

You can check out the Borders website for locations and directions.