:: Monday, November 14, 2005 ::

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:: Les Coles Monday, November 14, 2005 [+] ::

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Gabriel Gratzer: One man and his guitar

Tokyo (Nov. 10)—Argentine bluesman Gabriel Gratzer wraps up a 1-1/2-year world tour with a series of gigs in Tokyo starting Friday. The Daily Yomiuri spoke over the telephone with the gaucho of the blues earlier this week during Gratzer's visit to Taiwan, where he was playing a blues festival.

"It's amazing. I never knew the Taiwanese were so into the blues," Gratzer said. "[But] the blues is universal. It's the roots of everything...It appeals directly to the heart of people."

Not only does this universal appeal reach as far afield as Taiwan, it clearly made it to Buenos Aires, too. But hasn't tango historically expressed the blue side of Argentina?

Asked if he saw any connection between the blues and tango, beyond both being played in a minor key, Gratzer said: "Maybe the older blues of the late 1930s--when blues started moving into the cities--and tango have something in common. But tango is more sophisticated in its form and composition, even the lyrics. But the sense is perhaps the same. And indeed, both musics came from Africa."

Gratzer first fell in love with the blues when he heard the Beatles.

"'For You Blues,' 'Lady Madonna'...had a very strong blues influence," he said, "So I looked behind, to see where their music was coming from, and I started discovering what the blues was all about."

This search led Gratzer to British blues bands, such as John Mayall, Alexis Korner, and then American artists such as Albert King, B.B. King, and Buddy Guy.

But electric blues bands did not fit Gratzer's inner vision of the true blues--one man and his guitar.

"That's the image of the blues I had in my head--one man with his guitar--just that--his guitar and his singing," Gratzer said.

Gratzer found this image personified at a concert he attended in the 1980s by Cristina Aguayo, an Argentinian gospel and blues singer. This feeling was immediately reinforced by some Robert Johnson recordings Gratzer heard soon afterward.

"I knew I was on the road, it felt like being home," Gratzer said of this encounter with his ideal form of blues.

Since Gratzer started playing with Aguayo in 1989, the blues has been a road more traveled for Gratzer. Along the way, he has organized blues festivals, edited a blues newsletter, and cut four very impressive CDs. He has also opened for just about every international blues act that has performed in Buenos Aires: Billy Branch, Dave Myers and John Primer to name a few.

But for Gratzer, the truth in blues remains one man and his guitar.

"In blues, it's all about the beat and the feel. And the first beat is your heart. If your heart don't work, you die--same as the blues," Gratzer said.


Gabriel Gratzer will play:
Nov. 11, 8 p.m. at The Warrior Celt in Ueno, Tokyo, (03) 3836-8588;
Nov. 13, 7 p.m. at Club Wire in Shinjuku, Tokyo, (03) 3207-6953;
Nov. 14, 7 p.m. at Rossa Fiesta in Roppongi, Tokyo, (03) 3475-1322;
Nov. 16, 7 p.m at Rock Factory in Roppongi, Tokyo, (03) 5545-4242.


Source: Les Coles, The Daily Yomiuri

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On the Web:
Gabriel Gratzer

:: Les Coles Thursday, November 10, 2005 [+] ::

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Southern Comfort Katrina Aid-Vol. II

This in from Blues Brother Doug Allsop over at Buffalo Records.



This in from Blues Brother Doug Allsop over at Buffalo Records.

For the last 20 years or more, Shige Kinoshita (Chocolate Cream
Productions) has been promoting tours by various soul and funk
musicians. Among those have been many New Orleans brass and funk bands
(including last year's first visit to Japan by Papa Grows Funk, one of
our most popular artists).

He has organized two charity concerts, proceeds from which will go to
the New Orleans Musicians' Clinic, an organization that Buffalo Records
has known for several years now. A division of a New Orleans hospital,
they are dedicated to helping musicians in need. Normally, they
primarily provide medical care to musicians without insurance, but in
the aftermath of this year's hurricanes and floods, they are helping
musicians on all levels: rent, clothing, medicine, schoolbooks for
children, etc.




Friday, Nov. 11
Shibuya O-West (03-5784-7088)
Open/Start: 18:00

Tickets are ¥3,000 in advance, ¥3,500 at the door.

In addition to hours of great music, we will also be holding a raffle
for some great prizes, including 5 iPods and other items graciously
donated by PBI International (Tabasco Sauce).

:: Les Coles Thursday, November 10, 2005 [+] ::

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Sugiya-san remembered

Further to my posting yesterday the sad news of the passing of Sugiya-san, the owner of B-Flat jazz club in Akasaka, Tokyo, jazz vocalist Pamela MacCarthy has posted some words of remembrance and tribute to Sugiya-san on her excellent blog,
Meladramas.

I personally shall allows owe Sugiya-san a debt of gratitude going back to the Keynote days in Harajuku (the predecessor of B-Flat), for it was there that I first met Pamela MacCarthy on assignment for The Daily Yomiuri.

:: Les Coles Thursday, November 10, 2005 [+] ::

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Mr. Sugiya of B Flat, Akasaka passes

I have just heard from a colleague at work that Mr. Sugiya of B-Flat, akasaka has passed.

Sugiya-san was a great lover and supporter of jazz in Japan.

He was also a garsicous and genorous man, having donated the use of his club for a Katrina benefit concert last month.

:: Les Coles Thursday, November 10, 2005 [+] ::

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:: Les Coles Tuesday, November 08, 2005 [+] ::

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Southern Comfort Katrina Aid

This in from Blues Brother Doug Allsop over at Buffalp Records.



This in from Blues Brother Doug Allsop over at Buffalo Records.

For the last 20 years or more, Shige Kinoshita (Chocolate Cream
Productions) has been promoting tours by various soul and funk
musicians. Among those have been many New Orleans brass and funk bands
(including last year's first visit to Japan by Papa Grows Funk, one of
our most popular artists).

He has organized two charity concerts, proceeds from which will go to
the New Orleans Musicians' Clinic, an organization that Buffalo Records
has known for several years now. A division of a New Orleans hospital,
they are dedicated to helping musicians in need. Normally, they
primarily provide medical care to musicians without insurance, but in
the aftermath of this year's hurricanes and floods, they are helping
musicians on all levels: rent, clothing, medicine, schoolbooks for
children, etc.


THE SHOWS:

Wednesday, Nov. 9
Shibuya O-East (03-5458-4681)
Open/Start: 18:00

Artists will include:
MITCH's Funky Jam: Mitch lived in New Orleans for a while, and his
band is the real thing NOLA brass band sound!)
Bluestone: Former members of the Savoy Truffle -- Osaka's Allman
Bros. Band -- in a new trio)
Mari Kaneko: The Janis Joplin of Japan. Gotta see her.
Little Jive Boys: Headed by multi-instrumentalist Koichi Fujii, this
band is hot! Blues, swing, jive, lots more


Friday, Nov. 11
Shibuya O-West (03-5784-7088)
Open/Start: 18:00

I don't know most of Friday's bands personally, but I do know Steve
Gardner, blues guitarist and singer. He's originally from Mississippi,
another state that was hard hit by the hurricanes, so this cause is
extra close to him personally.

Tickets are \3000 in advance, \3500 at the door. See attached flyer
for full artist line-up.



In addition to hours of great music, we will also be holding a raffle
for some great prizes, including 5 iPods and other items graciously
donated by PBI International (Tabasco Sauce).


We hope to see you at one (or both!) of the shows. If you know anyone
who might be interested, please forward them this mail.

See you there!

Doug

:: Les Coles Monday, November 07, 2005 [+] ::

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Jammin' for the Big Easy

Don't forget, folks will be Jammin' for the Big Easy at B-Flat in AKASAKA tonight to raise money for those affected by Hurricane Katrina. (Click for map)

Lineup
I've polled this as the new "brains" behind the linup is playing favorites and promoting personal interests...


Here's a story on the gig from The Japan Times, which expressed more interest in the event than The Daily Yomiuri, my own newspaper.

Benefit for New Orleans

New Orleans isn't just the birthplace of jazz; it's also home to a huge number of working musicians. Many of the jazz, funk, blues and R&B; musicians who made their homes in the Big Easy or along the Gulf Coast lost everything they had when Hurricane Katrina hit.

The loss of not only their homes, but also their instruments and equipment left many without any means to make a living. Most of the clubs where the music flourished have closed, leaving them without work of any kind. Now they need the help of music lovers to get back on their feet and return to the stage.

On Oct. 25 a benefit concert for these musicians will be held at Akasaka's jazz club B Flat. The charities for the event are Tipitina's and the Jazz Foundation of America. Tipitina's has long been a career-making club. With a bare-bones interior and a big dance floor to get down on, the club's hot lineups have been a mainstay of the music scene in New Orleans for 30 years. After the hurricane, they set out to locate and help musicians. The Jazz Foundation of America has been helping musicians for 16 years. They pay for insurance, offer loans in emergencies, provide legal assistance and generally assist jazz musicians in need.

In the best spirit of New Orleans, where even funerals are marching celebrations, the evening will be a party. Many local musicians will be donating their talent to the event. Trumpeter Mike Price, vocalists Pamela MacCarthy and Donna Burke, funk/rock pianist Kaleb James, New Orleans native Richard Newman and Japan's own Funky Beat Inc. will all take the stage, but expect plenty more friends and musicians to show up as well. Democrats Abroad Japan is helping organize this benefit, but they will keep none of the proceeds and have sworn to give no speeches of any kind.

The benefit is Oct. 25 from 7 p.m. Suggested donations are 5,000 yen at the door, but any donation will be accepted. There will be a cash bar. For more information, contact Pat Elleven at pat.elleven@gmail.com or Matt Kass at makass@att.net. A map and directions to B Flat can be found at www.bflat.jp, Tipitina's Web site is at www.tipitinas.com while The Jazz Foundation of America's is at www.jazzfoundation.org

The Japan Times: Oct. 14, 2005

:: Les Coles Monday, October 24, 2005 [+] ::

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B.B. King Among Blues Artists Inducted Into Delta Blues Hall of Fame

(Oct. 20)—Blues legend B.B. King is among four people being inducted tonight into the Mississippi Delta Blues Hall of Fame at Delta State University.

The others were guitar greats Eugene "Sonny Boy Nelson" Powell and Richard "Hacksaw" Harney. This year's special honoree is John Tefteller, a record collector and music historian.

The inductions are part of the annual Peavine Awards ceremony held at the museum.

The event will be held at Delta State's Bologna Performing Arts Center.
Source: WPMI 15

:: Les Coles Thursday, October 20, 2005 [+] ::

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Musicians trickle back into the Big Easy

NEW ORLEANS (Oct. 19)—Roland Guerin's standup bass helps break the silence that enveloped this city for weeks, offering evidence of New Orleans' renowned music scene coming back to life.
Yet the birthplace of jazz remains a shadow of its once vibrant self — where music poured from block after block of the French Quarter and beyond late into the night.

Since Hurricane Katrina, the crowds are smaller, the streets darker, the venues limited and pay for musicians often minimal. Guerin, who returned for his first gig since Hurricane Katrina, took a cut in pay to play and said some musicians are performing for tips alone.

"Folks are so happy just to see something familiar," he said. "That's what matters right now."

In the weeks after the Aug. 29 hurricane, New Orleans music could be heard just about everywhere but in New Orleans. The city's musicians have entertained with borrowed instruments in Louisville; reunited at a Manhattan TV studio; toured in Mexico; played a rousing rendition of "When the Saints Go Marching In" at a jazz festival in Detroit; even had crowds hopping to zydeco in Los Angeles.

But back in the Big Easy, club and bar owners have had a hard time getting in touch with musicians scattered across the country. Like most of the city's residents, they've been slow to come home.

"They're suffering like everyone else," said Dave Facer, a manager at Maple Leaf Bar in the city's Uptown neighborhood. "Many of them have lost their homes. Some are debating whether to come back."

Not until recently have they been seen or heard around here.

When Old Point Bar in Algiers Point reopened a month after the hurricane, musicians soon followed, "walking in off the street to play," said owner Warren Munster.

Maple Leaf Bar also had live music, "but sporadically," Facer said. Some nights there's only a musicians or two, some nights there are full bands, he said.

"It just depends who's around."

Blues guitarist-singer Jesse Moore is the only one of his five-member New Orleans-based band back in town.

"I could not wait to get back," Moore said. "I know I'm one of the lucky ones. My apartment was fine ... A lot of guys can't come back."

Guerin, commuting from Baton Rouge, appeared on a morning show at a New Orleans TV station, then performed Saturday night at Snug Harbor, his band reduced from a quintet to a trio. He greeted the few regulars strolling Frenchmen Street with big hugs and handshakes as he talked about how he longed to return and how important it is for other musicians do the same.

"There are components that make New Orleans what it is," he said. "Music is one of those components. Looking at the news, knowing so many musicians were gone, there was a sense the heart and soul of the city was gone."

For club owners, strict curfews have been a stumbling block. Under the current curfew, streets in the city's recovering neighborhoods remain off limits between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. Business owners say the curfew, while an improvement from the earlier 6 p.m. and midnight curfews, still puts a damper on the city's nightlife.

"We're trying to piece it back together," Facer said.

Source: AP

---

Don't forget the Katrina benefit at B-Flat, Akasaka on Tuesday, Oct. 25

See here for details:

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?fm20051014l1.htm

:: Les Coles Wednesday, October 19, 2005 [+] ::

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Inaugural Sweet Gum Bottom Blues Festival

Greenville, Miss. (Oct. 19 )—Greenville's inaugural Sweet Gum Bottom Blues Fest proved to be a weekend of laughter, music, dancing, good southern food and fellowship, set against the backdrop of a brilliant, cloudless blue sky and clear, cool night.

"Isn't this perfect weather? Could you ask for a nicer day?" Priscilla Davis of Greenville, a volunteer with the humane society booth, said with a smile.

It certainly proved a great day for music lovers and the musicians who proved victorious in Saturday evening's acoustic blues competition.

A musician from the "Great White North" won the hearts of the festival audience, taking home a check for $1,000 as winner of the competition.

Rick Fines of Peterborough, Ontario, won the top prize with his unique guitar styling, sly tongue-in-cheek humor and a distinctive voice, described by audience members as "a mix of Leon Redbone and Randy Newman."

Festival goers joined in on the fun during the afternoon as Fines performed his award-winning song, the amusing "Riley Wants His Life Back," just one of several original compositions the musician/songwriter shared with the audience.

The versatile musician transformed a song by fellow Canadian Gordon Lightfoot ("The greatest blues musician of Canada") into a blues number. He also performed blues standards from the 20s and 30s, "Lay Me Down a Pallet on the Floor" ("Here's one from way back in the 20s when I was just a young woman getting started myself").

Fines, who arrived in town early to perform in last Thursday's Concert in the Park, praised the city for its hospitality. "People have treated me so well, making sure I had plenty to eat and that I was happy," he told the audience.

"I'm so happy, in fact, I'm not sure I want to go homeŠbut if I do go home, I hope to come back very soon."

Junior Thomas, who hails from Stockton, pleased the audience with his harmonica playing. With the assistance of skilled blues guitarist Luther Warble, on loan from his band, Triple X, Thomas wowed the crowds with numbers by Jerry McCain, Johnny Winters and more to take second place honors.

Sam Pointer of Birmingham took home a $500 prize for the best interpretation of the music of Greenville's own bluesman, Ed Bell, a top blues performer of the 20s and 30s. Other competition performers included Jay Kirgis of Leland, Miss., Jeff Norwood of Camden, S.C. and Curly Cooke and Paul Green of Seattle.

A hotbed of blues
Ansel Strickland, who organized the musical acts and the sound system for the event, told the audience some 80 years ago Greenville was "a hotbed of blues music."

"The area known as Sweet Gum Bottom was the center of it. Ed Bell was a big part of that. He also toured and recorded around the country. Today, if you put together the top 20 blues recordings from the 20s and 30s, I guarantee you Ed Bell would have a few songs on that record," Strickland said.

"This is all part of Greenville's heritage we are celebrating here today."

Strickland also praised "the city and the citizens of Greenville" for supporting the event.

"We've tried to give you something completely different with each of these actsŠNancy (Idland) and I hope this is just the beginning of something great for the city of Greenville," he said.

Some of those who stayed through the acoustic blues competition and the high-energy plugged-in show featuring headliners Willie King and the Liberators and Little Jimmy Reed, echoed Strickland's words.

Several expressed hopes the smaller-than-hoped-for turnout wouldn't mean the end of the blues festival for Greenville.

Blues in the open air
"I enjoyed every minute of it. They were all great musicians and the sound was wonderful. I feel so fortunate to have been a part of Greenville's very first blues festival - and I certainly hope it won't be the last," Judy Messina of Greenville said.

"This was great," Mary Ann Hamilton of Greenville said late Saturday night as she held up her blues festival T-shirt, now covered with the signatures of the many musicians who had performed on Saturday. "To be able to hear all this live blues music and not be in some cramped, smoky space, but out in the open air on a beautiful night - how terrific is that?"

She watched a nattily-dressed gentleman known only as "Thomas" joyously dancing around to Reed's music and smiled.

"It's great to see people having a good time."

As for the criticism of some the $7 admission was too high, Sue Arnold of Greenville disagreed.

"Look at how many acts - seven, eight - we got to hear for seven dollars. Think about how much you'd spend to go to the fair in Montgomery, not to mention the gas it would takeŠthis was a bargain," she insisted.

Priscilla Davis thinks a $5 admission would have probably brought more people in, but agrees the evening was well worth it.

"Those who missed it really missed something. For an evening, everybody forgot their problems, Katrina, prejudices and so forth, and really enjoyed the festivities and the music. I found it strangely healing. Hats off to Nancy Idland and everybody who had a hand in putting on this event."

Both Davis and Messina expressed hopes the Sweet Gum Bottom Blues Festival can become a big draw for Greenville in the same way the Hank Williams Festival is for neighboring Georgiana.

"Look what has happened down thereŠthis could be a really good thing for Greenville," Messina said.

Family fun in the sun
While the festival ended with plenty of blues, it kicked off on Saturday morning with beignets, "bouncy castles" and craft vendors, magic shows and crafty hats created from newspapers. "Family Fun Day' lived up to its name.

Five-year-old Chapman Gregory enjoyed checking out a vintage John Deere tractor, while old and young alike admired the antique cars and trucks on display nearby. David Nordgren won the People's Choice award for his vintage vehicle.

Katherine Tillery, age five, of Greenville, enjoyed her pretty pink "mask,' courtesy of face painter Jacki Sport of Luverne, a perennial big draw at festivals.

Another popular stop was the booth of Bill Jackson the caricaturist, with lines of folks waiting to have a humorous portrait drawn on the spot. Kids could also dress up in variety of garments and pose for an instant portrait.

Vivian Killingsworth of Greenville was enjoying a weekend outing with her young grandson, John David Thomas, who happily downed a cotton candy-flavored shaved ice. "We're having a great time," Killingsworth said.

Food proved a big part of the festival. The volunteers from Greenville Elementary School ran out of their camp stew before the day was over, and the Miss Greater Greenville Scholarship Board's "Finger Lickin' Good" booth was doing great business with their fried green tomatoes, smoked turkey legs and other southern specialties.

Two ladies came away winners from the Pecan Cook Off sponsored by Just Julie's. Ann Miller of Greenville won best entrée and $100 with her sweet potato casserole, while Carolyn Black of Greenville took home best dessert honors and $100 with her recipe for pecan dainties.

Priscilla Davis got to sample several dishes, and said she loved "the cheese grits, boiled peanuts, sweet tea and barbecue."

Linda Horn of Greenville, who praised the fried green tomatoes and jambalaya, said she also "never passes up a funnel cake."

"Family fun day was just that - fun. I loved seeing all the kids engage in crafts, face-painting and outdoor activities. Kudos to all those creative volunteers," Horn added.

Some homeless pets also got a day out courtesy of the Butler County Humane Society volunteers. Volunteer Kandys Killough was thrilled when Baby, a puppy featured in a recent Lifestyles article in this paper, found a new home with Cathy and Leander Pickens of Greenville.

"We had to put our dog downŠand I think the best way to get over the pain is to get another puppy to love and enjoy," Pickens said.

Ramona Martin of Greenville, who helped man the cookbook booth for Saint Thomas Episcopal Church, said Saturday's festival "epitomized everything that is great about small-town life."

"There were plenty of activities for children, and they were able to roam around freely and safely. The weather was beautiful and everyone was in a fantastic mood and so happy to see each other."

"We hope everyone had a great time this weekend, and for those who missed it, I truly think they missed a treat," Greenville Main Street Executive Director Nancy Idland said. The Sweet Gum Bottom Blues Festival was sponsored by Main Street, the Alabama Council on the Arts, the Greenville Area Arts Council and a number of local sponsors.

:: Les Coles Wednesday, October 19, 2005 [+] ::

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Eddie "The Ed Man" Stauffer passes

Sad news just in from Blues Brother Paul Buckingham

Apparently Eddie "The Ed Man" Stauffer passed away today.

The Ed Man was a cornerstone of the blues scene in Tokyo and brought many great acts over here.

He will be sadly missed.

Bye Ed

:: Les Coles Wednesday, October 19, 2005 [+] ::

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