20 Days in November - Day 8: Reckless Kelly

A few weeks back I saw that Reckless Kelly was scheduled to play at the The State Theatre along with Scott Miller and I immediately purchased tickets. I would have made this decision even if Miller was the headliner - but to have both in the same building - a no brainer. I arrived just at showtime and the venue was already full - evidently a lot of people had similar views in waiting to listen to both acts. Miller is touring with Reckless Kelly as a solo act - so The Commonwealth had stayed home. The acoustics at the theater were perfect for him solo, each distinct note was crystal clear - even at the back bar. Miller and I have something in common in the sense that he hails from Augusta County Virginia just like out dog Augusta, who hails from the Augusta County SPCA. Many of his songs reflect living in the region or traveling to neighboring West Virginia. See "Appalachian Refugee" and "Indiana Sin". His best songs: "Drunk Around Town" and "Amtrak Crescent"; most of which are available on For Crying Out Loud and Reconstruction. Highly recommended.

The venue became even more crowded when Reckless Kelly took stage - with a sudden rush to the front. We've been following this band for several years after seeing a fleeting glance of their talent at an Austin City Limits festival. I immediately purchased Under the Table and Above the Sun with "Let's Just Fall", "Nobody's Girl", and "Vancouver" becoming instant favorites. And to my luck - the band performed each one this evening. Reckless Kelly's nucleus are brothers Cody and Willy Braun - Cody on fiddle, harmonica, and mandolin and Willy the singer, songwriter, and as Robert Earl Keen says: "...and hurricane force guitar slinger". The brothers grew up in Idaho, and first played in their fathers swing band with younger brothers Micky and Gary - who eventually formed Micky & the Motorcars. Talking about a musical family; wow - what a musical family. After playing a few years based out of Oregon, Cody and Willy relocated to Austin and have been one of the most popular alt-country bands in the state.

I was expecting this type of sound, but unexpectedly was attending an all out rock concert. And I mean concert. There was no fooling around between songs - as soon as one finished they unleashed into the next. And they can play. Drummer Jay Nazz and Chris Schleke on bass set the background - but at times its David Abeyta on electric guitar that steals the show. The guy is awesome - yet unassuming and no grandstanding. And paired with Willy Braun on electric or acoustic - this was a rock band. Loved it - particularly the extended version of "Helter Skelter". They performed songs from most every album in their portfolio - which made most of the fans surrounding us very happy as they cheered the intro chords after recognizing a favorite. I only recognized one song from their latest CD, Bulletproof - "American Blood" - although I'm sure there were more. But during their encore they did play a song I've heard a few times on satellite radio - the entertaining "Wiggles and Ritalin". And they closed with a rockin' Alejandro Escovedo tune. After an evening of listening to the band - I'm itching for a trip to Austin. Fortunately The Randy Rogers Band comes to town Sunday. Thanks for a great show.

More photos are available at the MyJoog Gallery.

20 Days in November - Day 7: WPA

Tonight I decided to skip Bob Dylan and instead attend a show at nearby Barns of WolfTrap featuring Works Progress Administration (WPA). WPA is composed of "superstars" Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket), Luke Bulla (Jerry Douglas Band), and Sean Watkins (Nickle Creek). Along with Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek), Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), Greg Leisz (Joni Mitchell, Bill Frisell, Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello and the Imposters, Randy Newman), and Davey Faragher (Elvis Costello and the Imposters, Cracker), these artists recorded 17 songs together at recording engineer Jim Scott's L.A. studio. A dozen of these made it into their self titled CD, wpa, in which you can listen to tracks and purchase from the MyJoog home page. Because of other obligations, WPA did not perform this evening as a full band - instead by Quintet - with Phillips, Bulla, and Watkins joined by Sebastian Steinberg (bass) and Jerry Roe (drums).

The Barns is a great music venue; the acoustics are phenomenal and it has an interesting design. Phillips said that it reminded him of the Country Bear Jamboree, without the bears, but with a full bar. I lucked out with my seat, purchasing a ticket a showtime and receiving a front row, center seat. Got to like that. The Spring Standards opened and were a big hit as evident by the long line of CD buyers at intermission. This is one band that you need to view live in order to appreciate. During every song the trio play multiple instruments simultaneously. While singing, Heather can play the keyboards with one hand and maintain rhythm on a drum with the other - all without missing a beat. Both James play the guitar while using their feet to beat symbols or a bass drum. Or play the trumpet with one hand and whisk away on percussion with the other. They are generate interesting sound with the xylophone or drumming the rim of the drum. And despite the distraction of watching them play in this unusual style - they are really amazing musicians - go out and see this group.

WPA followed and what an entertaining show. Phillips, Bulla, and Watkins come off as friends playing in your basement - joking amongst themselves, taking responsibility for equipment problems, or when taking too long to tune an instrument. As for the music, the first impression is that you are among serious professionals. It actually starts with the rhythm section and Roe and Steinberg. The acoustics are so clear in the venue that the drums and bass are heard perfectly - subtle - but a necessary presence. I spent most of the night watching Roe effortlessly set the tone for each song. The second impression is that the amalgam of bluegrass and alt-rock works - and as Bulla and Watkins explained, they are pulling Phillips over to the Bluegrass side - or at least an alt-country\bluegrass combination. This is evident in Bulla's “Who’s Gonna Cry For You” and “Remember Well”; several of Watkin's songs including "Somebody More Like You", "Cherokee Shuffle", and “Not Sure” - sung by Bulla; a Del McCoury cover; as well as a "tragic" song about lesbians from the great bluegrass band Weezer. Bulla shines on the fiddle and Watkins can pick the guitar. He was probably mimicking the mandolin on several of these songs. But even these bluegrass styled tunes were not performed in the traditional bluegrass style - more of an alt-rock flavor - not surprising with the drums and electric bass on board. But this is also a result of Phillips influence. The opening song tonight as well as the CD was his "Always Have My Love" - closer to the Wet Sprocket sound; my favorite track. They also performed his "Good As Ever", the powerful "Rise Up", and a hilarious tale concerning a "dog drive-by shooting". But Phillips does get his country on in "A Wedding or a Wake" - this is a fun song to watch them play. Appropriately, for me, they finished the night with a Dylan cover - but a real treat watching three songwriters perform their trade. I look forward to Merlefest where hopefully, the full ensemble will appear.

20 Days in November - Day 6: Bobby Long

Our streak almost came to an end again, but I made it to see some of Bobby Long at Jammin' Java. I had thought about heading to Alexandria's Vermilion to see Timothy Bracken - but wasn't up for another late evening. I had read several reviews that had described Long as "Dylanesque" and since I might be heading to the Patriot Center Wednesday for the Bob Dylan, why night take a listen. Obviously comparing anyone to Dylan invites undue pressure for someone to live up to. But based on Long's own ability, he's good - a judgment shared by the 50 women in attendance. What I liked most was his guitar playing - nice and crisp. Listen to "Two Year Old" or "Penance Fire Blues" or "sad Woman Blues". I concentrated so much on the guitar playing that I couldn't tell you much of the content of the songs. But in general, this was a relaxing musical evening - just sitting and listening. Tonight Jammin' Java was transformed into a English pub - without the bitters.

CD Review: Steep Canyon Rangers - Deep in the Shade

Way back in high school, I had a social studies teacher who would, every month, bring in members of our high school band to introduce us to the sounds of bluegrass. By doing so he hoped to save us from pop-culture and help perpetuate the traditions of Bill Monroe and Bobby Osborne - and, it was during these sessions in which I first heard "Rocky Top" and "My Little Georgia Rose". Many years later, he most be proud - for bluegrass is experiencing a major renaissance with the popularity of Dailey & Vincent, Dale Ann Bradley, Sam Bush, as well as the subject of this review: the Steep Canyon Rangers. The band emerged out of Asheville, North Carolina to be awarded the ’Emerging Artist of the Year’ in 2006 at the IBMA awards. The Rangers are comprised of Woody Platt (guitar and lead vocals), Graham Sharp (banjo, harmony vocals), Mike Guggino (mandolin and harmony vocals), Charles R. Humphrey III (bass and harmony vocals) and Nicky Sanders (fiddle and harmony vocals) - your typical string ensemble. And they hope to continue the old school traditional bluegrass style, but bring it to the largest audience possible. At times they fuse blues, roots, and country into their overall sound, all the while maintaining bluegrass traditions. And their latest CD, Deep in the Shade, continues this trend.

The CD is produced by famed songwriter and recording artist, Ronnie Bowman, but what got my attention even more is that, even though Woody Platt sings lead vocals, he didn't pen any of the tracks. Instead, Graham Sharp authored a majority of the songs, with the remaining coming from Mr. Humphrey and Mr. sanders. "Have Mercy', the first track, immediately highlights the great harmonies that are apparent throughout the album. Plus some nice fiddle playing. They transition to "newer" grass in "I Thought That She Loved Me" with less harmonies but more jamming. They slow it down with "The Mountain's Gonna Sing"; what a peaceful song - /Rock Me Off To Sleep/. One of my favorites. They celebrate the thought of returning home in "Turn Up the Bottle", where we first here guitar and banjo picking elevated to the level as the fiddle. Get your dancing shoes on for this one. "Nowhere to Lay Low" is the first track with an outside influence - an alt-country feel. Love the transition between the mandolin and banjo. The a cappella, Sylvie, is excellent - showcases the amazing vocal harmonies and range of the band members. This gospel song is my favorite track - sad to hear the song end. "There Ain't No Easy Street" contains some clever songwriting that I can relate to: /u-turns all around/been looking for a short cut/ but dead end is all I found/every light turns from green to red/. Not surprisingly, the instrumental "Mourning Dove" showcases Sanders on the fiddle as it "talks" to us, but there's also some fine mandolin picking. They cover Haggard's "I Must Be Somebody Else You've Known" giving the outlaw country song a string feel. The last three tracks are very similar in that they provide us more tight harmonies and intertwining of the fiddle, banjo, and mandolin. This is a product of a professional band that easily transition from instrumental solos without missing a beat.

In sum, this is a CD which will keep Steep Canyon Rangers' fans very happy. And as the band continues to expand its outreach this fan base will grow proportionally.

20 Days in November - Day 5: A Double Feature

Tonight we had three choices really good choices - particularly for a Monday night: the talented Sophie Milman at Blues Alley, outlaw country artist Jason Boland & The Stragglers at IOTA Club, or JV's Restaurant's 62nd Anniversary Celebration. I chose the latter two. JV's has been a Falls Church institution for - obviously - six decades. Their slogan is "AGELESS CHARM WITHOUT YUPPIE BASTARDIZATION", which translates into - come inside, share a PBR with a blue collar worker or biker and listen to great rockabilly. Not only is the restaurant a haven for Washington D.C. based artists, but national acts constantly route themselves to JC's door. My favorite time to go is now during football season. On Sundays they provide free music from 5:00-8:00; a perfect complement to the afternoon games. Ms. Dross decided to break their anniversary celebration into two parts. The first tonight, with longtime performers including Patty Reese and Billy Hancock as well as a party this Saturday the 15th. Here's the word: "starting at 430 p.m.. . . . . Jvs tribute to Bluegrass Music and Mr. Arlie Walton who started it all at JVS back in the early 60's. A lot of pickers from the past and present will be performing. Bob Cook, The Kirk Brothers, Wayne Fairfax, John Paganoni , Kevin Church, Pete Milano, Dave Goldman and many more. . . So come enjoy the show and specials. At 9 p.m. The party will continue with The Tommy Lepson Band. Tommy has won numerous awards and plays at JVS on a regular basis. . . . . . . No cover!"

After a couple beers, I headed to Iota to listen to Jason Boland & The Stragglers. He doesn't find himself in this area that often, so I felt compelled to see this performance. So did about 75 other fans. A strong turnout for a Monday night - the Oklahoma contingent on Capital Hill must have come out in force. Boland is a continuation of the outlaw country tradition started by Billy Joe Shaver, Waylon Jennings, and Merle Haggard. And Boland has lived a similar "outlaw" life associated with these individuals. In fact its come full circle, from the hard living destructive lifestyle to current sobriety. His change in lifestyle hasn't occurred with an elevated sense of moral superiority. No preaching here - particular when the band brings in their own cooler of beer and go through a six pack each during the show. But his experiences make him authenticate. One of the worse aspects of the pop-Nashville crowd is listening to a 20 something pretty boy crying about the difficulties of life. Yea right - get back to me in ten years after you have a family and are struggling to pay your mortgage. Boland is your anti-Nashville establishment alt-country singer.

But Boland does explore the dangers of going to extremes and his own personal transformation in his latest CD, Comal County Blue. Start with "Bottle By Me Bed" and the lyrics “Now I’m going back home / It’s down this path I’m led / And I’m no longer empty like the bottle by my bed”. A great song. The title track is another good song, as is Noah Jeffries and his fiddle in "Blowing Through the Hills". And this segues into the band - Boland has surrounded himself with professional musicians that can play. The rhythm section is bassists Grant Tracy and drummer Brad Rice. Jeffries contributes the mandolin in addition to the aforementioned fiddle; and Roger Ray rounds out the cast. ow, most of the evening I cast my eye his way because this guy can play. He started with the peddle steel, then move to the electric guitar and dobro. The peddle steel gave the band the traditional twangy country sound - but when Ray move to the electric guitar - watch out - the the Stragglers transformed into a Southern Rock band. I really enjoyed listening to the transition within songs when ray would take lead and then slowly ease up and pass the baton to Jeffries. Real smooth. During the remainder of the evening they played songs from previous CDs, Pearl Snaps (Somewhere Down in Texas and Drinkin' Song), and The Bourbon Legend. They even threw in Don Williams and "Tulsa Time". There was a lot of hooting and hollering on this Monday evening at Iota. The alt-country movement will continue to invade Northern Virginia as Reckless Kelly and the Randy Rogers band come into town later in the week. See you there.

CD Review: Sons of Bill - One Town Away

After seeing the Sons of Bill last month, their management sent us a download copy of their latest CD, One Town Away. And after listening to the tracks, it is even more apparent that SOB is the East Coast version of Cross Canadian Ragweed or The Randy Rogers Band or Reckless Kelly. Part alt-country and part southern rock, this CD incorporates tight instrumentals with excellent songwriting. Some of my favorite lyrics are "when you don't fit in at church and bars - you bite your lip and hide your scars" and "Hank Williams may have been a love sick drinker, but being a love sick drunk don't make you Hank". Most of the songs are actually part love songs - or at least describe the consequences that result from broken love. See "Broken Bottles", "One Town Away", "Charleston", "So Much For The Blues". In fact the last may be my favorite - great harmonies - and "throw my ass back at the door" - they're getting closer to Townes - just cut out the GD.

The first track, "Joey's Arm", is an honest look at the South; get your bass and steel guitar on for "Going Home" - on a song that rambles down Route 29. The tragedies at Virgina Tech and perhaps Columbine must have influenced "Never saw It Coming" - which portrays the band's ability to produce a sophisticated tale with social implications. This is a powerful song. "Rock and Roll" is self explanatory - with great guitar work - even though they claim not "to play rock and roll" - is this a true story? They slow it down in "Charleston" - love the pedal steel with the soft vocals. You know, this may actually be my favorite song; I want to go to Charleston and to Battery Park. The CD ends with "The Song Is All The Remains" - another song that shows that this band is tight, fast or slow. This is a great country ballad: "think you can find redemption in the highlights of the stage" - "when the show is over and once again you're all alone" - "you hope God is still listening". Another powerful song.

What a great CD - one of the tops of 2009; go out and get One Town Away. Or go see the Sons of Bill live.

20 Days in November - Day 4: Eric Lindell

We came close to ending this run rather early - being tired from three consecutive nights out, but the thought of seeing Eric Lindell was a prime motivator. And we were able to arrive at The State Theatre just in time. Lindell is an Alligator Records artist in the New Orleans blues mold of Ronnie Baker Brooks, Lonnie Brooks Blues Band, or Kenny Neal; not the Chicago blues of Little Ed & the Blues Imperials. This was most telling in their version of "Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover" which was more Allen Toussaint than Willie Dixon. Loved the piano on that song - and Lindell traded his guitar for a tambourine. I don't think you'd find that in Chicago.

As you can tell, many blues purists wouldn't even list Lindell as a Blues artist, his style incorporates classic R&B, soul, New Orleans Funk, and rockin' blues. He has a friendly stage presence - laughing with the band which was even more evident with this night's crowd. They were a small, but raucous group of true believers. Almost all sang along to every song, called out requests, or as in the case for two ladies in front of me, submitted a constant stream of catcalls to the band's 18 year old drummer. Needless to say an entertaining evening. He played songs from his three previous CDs, Change in the Weather - 2006 Casanova; Low on Cash, Rich in Love 2008; Gulf Coast Highway - 2009 - with my clear favorite being a Delbert McClinton-ish "If Love Can't Find A Way" - the first track from his current release. Another favorite was the funky "Lady Day & John Coltrane". I also really enjoyed slide guitarist, Thomas Johnson's song; his voice has shades of JJ Grey. All in all, Lindell can play. And with a full band - they were rockin'. That's why its better to go out on Sunday night and see live music, than to stay home and sit through another food challenge show.

Up next, JV's Restaurant's 62 Anniversary party on Monday night.