July 2012
Hey Everybody!
Boom! Boom! Well, it’s here...Independence Day 2012. I’m sitting with a blank mind, staring at a blank page, hoping to come up with something clever to write about what Independence Day means to me. I know I take my freedom for granted, I do. After all, I was born and raised in America’s Dairyland... I am entitled to everything I have, and damn! I wish I had more! I am independent and free...free to write this newsletter which is more often than not dripping with sarcasm and cynicism. We’re in the midst of an election year, so I have to dig even deeper for the gratitude that is staring me in the face. I try to ignore the playground politicians, wrapped in flags lined with contributions, donations, and pricey park-your-jet-over-there, while you sit-down-and-dine-with-me dinners. They’re ambitiously vying for space in the sandbox, stomping on each others castles and forts, and finishing big with a kick-sand-in-your face exit. GOTCHA! See...I have the freedom to express that opinion without fear of repercussions or harm. I have choices and am free to choose as I please...I can watch “The Daily Show with John Stewart” or I can watch “Operation Repo”. I can put gas in my car or take a bus. I may poke fun at a lot about US, because I’m free to do so, but I do love being an American and this Fourth of July, I’m going to celebrate the holiday with loved ones, eating great, locally-grown food prepared on my made-in-America grill, while blasting John Phillip Sousa music loud and proud..through my made-in-China speakers!
So...get out and enjoy the holiday...any way you choose...just keep it safe and legal. To my friends caught in the middle of Mom Nature’s crankiness... hang tough, I wish you relief.
One more thing...If you have something coming up that needs attention, like a new release, a cool gig, a festival, a new cat...just let me know...I’ll blab about it. Musicians, bands, media, festivals, clubs, authors, radio programmers, festival promoters, labels, etc... anybody with news related to the Blues and American Roots music world, send it my way. Questions, comments, suggestions... let me have 'em. Send all VIEW FROM A BROAD email to: queenie@christinevitale.com Visit my website: christinevitale.com
If you don't want anything to do with VIEW FROM A BROAD, just hit reply and send it back. No problem. Don’t worry about my feelings, I won’t hurl myself off a bridge with a bag of rocks. I’ll just put you on my *&^$% list...
Now for the important stuff!
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Howl on, Baby! Howl on! THE HOUND KINGS are here! THE HOUND KINGS are here!
Not to hound you or anything (unless you’re the talent buyer for a major venue or festival), but Howl on! This hot, new acoustic trio, comprised of blues veterans Alabama Mike, Anthony Paule, and Scot Brenton, is getting fired up and ready to roll. Finally! They are putting the finishing touches on their first CD release which will be in your hot little hands the first week of September! You know this is good... It is oh, so good! For more information and updates, to get on the mailing list, and for free MP3s, contact me at queenie@christinevitale.com
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I have been a fan of MARIA MULDAUR for many years and so a kick for me to include her in A VIEW FROM A BROAD. This year, Maria is celebrating fifty years in the music business. Now that’s a career! Her next (40th) album will be released in late Sept/early Oct, on the Stoney Plain label. It is a tribute to Memphis Minnie, and joining Maria in this labor of love are Bonnie Raitt, Phoebe Snow, Ruthie Foster, and Rory Block. I’ll keep you posted as more details become available to me.
The following shows are with her Red Hot Blusiana Band.
+July 17 & 18 ~ The Iridium, NYC theiridium.com
+July 19 ~ The Falcon, Marlboro, NY liveatthefalcon.com
+July 20 ~ The Guthrie Center, Great Barrington, MA guthriecenter.org
+July 22 ~ Memorial Park @ The Maynard Public Library, Maynard, MA
+July 27 ~ Twisted Oak Winery, Murphys, CA twistedoak.com
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TIP OF THE TOP...
...recently returned from cutting a swath through Southern California, leaving in their wake a plethora of unruly, overjoyed fans, and oh-so-pleased talent buyers.
Meanwhile back at the ranch:
+7/6 6PM ~ The Poor House Bistro, San Jose, CA poorhousebistro.com
+7/15, 7PM ~ Lou’s Fish Shack, Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco
+7/21 ~ Tip of the Top will be featured performers at Pleasant Hill Blues Festival. For details go to: bluesandbrewsfestival.com
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LARA PRICE works just about more than anyone I know. She’s making her music everywhere...and that’s a real good thing. Here are just a few of her dates:
+July 7 & 8 ~ w/ Delta Groove recording artist The Terry Hanck Band, at The Alameda Co Fair. alamedacountyfair.com
+ July 11 ~ Special guest at Keith Crossan’s Pro Jam at Biscuits & Blues, San Francisco biscuitsandblues.com
+July 20 ~ The Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, 7:30PM hmbbrewingco.com
+July 28 ~ with the Keith Crossan Band at Jazz on the Plazz-Los Gatos, 5PM jazzontheplazz.com
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A Big Howl for consummate sideman ANTHONY PAULE. This guitar man never lets much grass grow under his feet, as is proof here. If you’re in San Francisco Thursday 7/5, check out his Country chops at The Saloon. I’ll be there...this I gotta see.
+7/4 ~ Half Moon Bay Fourth of July Celebration - with Wendy DeWitt and Andy Santana and Grant Walters 1:00-4PM
++7/5 ~ The Saloon, North Beach, San Francisco with - Christopher "Jack Champion" Ford's Old School Country Band 4:30 to 8:30
+7/7 ~ ThePoor House Bistro, San Jose, CA - with Glenn Walters and the Hoodoo Rhythm Devils Retrospective 6:00 PM poorhousebistro.com
+7/13 ~ George's Nightclub San Rafael, CA-Glenn Walters and the Hoodoo Rhythm Devils Retrospective georgesnightclub.com
+714 ~ Grand Dell, San Jose, CA - with The Tom Bowers Band thegranddell.com
+7/18 ~ Club Fox, Redwood City,CA - Frank Bey with The Anthony Paule Band 7:00PM clubfoxrwc.com
+7/20 ~ Biscuits & Blues, San Francisco, CA - Frank Bey with The Anthony Paule Band biscuitsandblues.com
+7/21 ~ Half Moon Bay Brewing Company - Frank Bey with The Anthony Paule Band 7:00PM to 10:00PM hmbbrewingco.com
+7/22 ~ The Poor House Bistro, San Jose, CA - Frank Bey with The Anthony Paule Band 6:00PM poorhousebistro.com
+7/27 ~ Redwood City Blues Festival, Redwood City, CA - Frank Bey with The Anthony Paule Band 6:00PM to 8PM palbluesfestival.com
+7/28 ~ Redwood City Blues Festival, Redwood City, CA - with Andy Santana 1:00PM
+7/28 ~ River Rock Casino - with Glenn Walters 10:00PM to 2:00AM OUCH! riverrockcasino.com
A big Howl for ALABAMA MIKE!
Music journalist Lee Hildebrand wrote a super feature on Alabama Mike, for The San Francisco Chronicle, check it out! http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Alabama-Mike-s-singing-the-blues-full-time-3618620.php
+7/15 Head on out to Po Boyz Summer Blues Fest 2012, Folsom, CA and catch a set by Alabama Mike. Included in the lineup: Lurrie Bell, John Primer, and Rod Piazza, 2-6PM
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For you ANDY SANTANA fans...here’s a good one!
7/28, 1:00PM ~ ANDY SANTANA at The Redwood City Blues Festival, Redwood City, CA. featuring Anthony Paule, Mike McCurdy, and Paul Revelli. palbluesfestival.com
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The silver lining man...KEITH CROSSAN...YES! The Keith Crossan Pro Jam is hitting hard Wednesday nights at Biscuits&Blues, San Francisco, CA and the highlights are:
+7/11 ~ Special Guest-Lara Price laraprice.com
+7/25 ~ Special Guest -Daniel Castro danielcastro.com
+7/18 ~ The Keith Crossan Big Band at Jazz on the Plazz in Los Gatos, CA, 6:30PM
jazzontheplazz.com keithcrossan.com
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+July 14 ~ Bay Area’s Teddy Bear of the Blues JC SMITH will be raisin’ the rafters at The Poor House Metro Fountain Blues Festival After Party. You know he’s gonna be actin’ up. The Poor House Bistro, San Jose, CA the poorhousebistro.com jcsmithband.org
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BOB ANCHETA is leaving 109.9 KINK-fm, Portland, OR - and it makes me sad.
During a recent communication, Bob informed me that he’s stepping away from the mic and moving on to a new phase in his life, so I took the liberty of asking a few questions:
-When is your last broadcast day? July 8th last show from the 25th annual Waterfront Blues Festival 7-10pm
-Do you remember your first day? March 1st , 1970 KVAN, a little 1,000 wat AM station that played progressive rock and blues.
-What's your favorite memory?..(besides meeting me on the Blues Boat)…lol! Ha.........My favorite memories are many but I can't forget the first radio station I worked for had no bathroom, we wizzed off the porch. KGON was an exciting time for music and non stop promotions and concerts, and KINK , I always dreamed of working there and I finally got to do it 12 years ago, and to end my career there is a dream come true.
-What will you do with all your free time? I own a voiceover company www.internetjock.com I will still run the company with the help of a few others, we have grown by leaps an bounds and I'm not quite old enough to get social security yet. I will also spend much time at my lake place. Lake Merwin Campers Hideaway only 50 miles from Portland in Washington under Mt St Helens. I can bring my laptop and run Internetjock from the middle of the lake.
Anything you want people to know? A message for your fans? Tell all the record people the KINK Sunday Night Blues Room still will continue with Steve Pringle who once once an intern for me at KGON many years ago, he is the perfect replacement. I will miss this business dearly, but its time for a new chapter. Confucius once said "Find a job you love and you will never work another day in your life" I did and I am the luckiest guy in the world. If you need to reach me after July 8th my E Mail is internetjock@frontier.com I love you all!!!
We’re going to miss you Bob!
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+July 5, 4:30-8:30PM ~ CHRISTOPHER FORD aka Christopher "Jack Champion" Ford's Old School Country Band will be letting his hoe down, er I mean hair down, at The Saloon in North Beach, San Francisco, CA. Christopher’s...I mean Jack’s guest star for this show is none other than Anthony "Napa Cornbread" Paule. Anthony playin' Country Tunes?! Ha! Betcha didn’t know he is a closet Country Western Guitar player. Here’s a chance for really big treat... Anthony playing such classics as: The great Santo and Johnny Canadian Country Duo's Hit "Sleepwalk", or Floyd Cramer's stark soulful "Last Date". Be there to experience as Anthony backs Jack on such great classics as: Conway Twitty's "Workin' Girl", or Red Simpson's Highway Patrol. christopher-ford.com
Check out Christopher’s alter-ego Quarterman Jack as he spins hillbilly hits on his show”Bakersfield Backbeat”, Sat 2-4PM pacific, and Sunday 8-10AM pacific at RadioValencia.fm.
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JOHN “JUKE” LOGAN is back and better than ever, so watch out! I just finished a Juke-a-thon phone conversation with the new, tough, Juke... Oh, my! He has shaken that nasty cancer, and is diving no-holds-barred into a brand new project for his Jukehouse Productions. Another CD release…Nah!... kids's stuff...too predictable. What's shaken out there in Jukeland transcends another CD release……..interested? excited?! heck yeah! I am. More to come…. mocomborecords.com
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Have you ever caught NOEL HAYES’ program on KPOO radio, “Wednesday Blues With Noel”? Well you should. You can hear the real blues, straight Urban Blues every Wednesday from 9 AM (pacific) until noon (pacific). If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, tun in to 89.5 FM, or if you’re out there in some other part of the world, go to: www.kpoo.com and you will not have to listen to a rock band saying they are a blues band... or a band that sounds like Jimmy Hendrix or Janis Joplin...no cheap imitations here just... the real deal.. check it out.
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When all encompassing blues authority DAVE RUBIN told me he’d just written another book, this one on Blues Ukulele...I said What?!? Dave, you’ve got to be kidding! ...but, he wasn’t. Published by Hal Leonard, the book titled “Hal Leonard Ukulele Blues Method” will be available at Guitar Center, and can be ordered from Amazon.com and Music Dispatch. Also, check out Dave’s “Jeff Beck Signature Licks” .
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+7/4 &5 ~ American Roots music sage, and DJ extraordinaire HARRY DUNCAN brings his “Roots & Rhythm Dance Party with DJ Harry Duncan” to Sweetwater Music Hall, Mill Valley, CA. Doors open at 9:00PM, music starts at 10:00PM sweetwatermusichall.com
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DEB SEZ....Here are a few blues music highlights for the month of July, from The Golden Gate Blues Society rep, and blues music guru DEB LUBIN:
+7/15, 2-6PM ~ The Golden Gate Blues Society is hosting our first preliminary International Blues Challenge round, at The Grand Dell Saloon, Campbell, CA.
Participating bands are: Pinkie Rideau & Blind Resistance; The Smokin’ Kingsnakes;
and Scary Larry & The Monsters. tggbs.org
+7/7 & 7/8 ~ Hayward/Russell City Blues Festival, at City Hall Plaza in Hayward
+7/14, noon-8PM ~ The Metro Fountain Blues Festival, St James Park, downtown San Jose. The lineup includes John Primer & Lurrie Bell (billed as a Chicago Blues Guitar Shootout); Canned Heat; Ruthie Foster; and Elvin Bishop. fountainbluesfestival.com
+7/27 & 7/28 ~ The Redwood City Blues Festival, Courthouse Square, Redwood City palbluesfestival.com
Have a great 4th of July!
Until next time...
Be Safe, Be Happy & Believe
Ciao,
Christine