Recording in Hudson, NY

I'm going up to Hudson, NY to do some recording for a few days this week. Henry Hirsh will be engineering. He's built an amazing studio out of an old church and has all sorts of great vintage gear that really makes the gear nerd in me drool. Plus it will be great to get out of the city for a few days and focus on making a great recording. I'll post more details as the tunes get finished...

Two Divas, Two Venues, Tonight

Tonight is going to be busy...

First, I'm excited to be working with the sensational Nell Bryden. We're playing Joe's Pub at 7pm. She has a super strong voice that blends country and soul and has style to boot.

After that I'll be rushing out to Brooklyn to play Southpaw with Marva Whitney. Yes, the same Marva Whitney who sings on all those great JBs tracks. I remember first hearing her on James Brown's Funky People collections and listening to those tracks over and over again. It'll be her first NY show since 1969 when she played the Apollo with James Brown.

Hannibal Birthday Show

Almost left out the Mighty Hannibal's birthday show at Highline Ballroom!

Here are some pics:

What I Did On My Summer Vaction

Nothing worse than someone with a blog who never posts. But, man have I been busy. Here are some highlights from July and August.

Played the Prospect Park bandshell twice! First with The Sweet Divines:


And second with Naomi Shelton and The Gospel Queens:



Did some recording at Seaside Lounge with Cici James. Hopefully it will get released soon...but sometimes these things take a while I know. It was a blast do to -- we did all the takes live with minimal micing which really added to the excitement. JB Flatt, Al Street, and Brian Wolfe. What a band!


And then played a few fun Ambulance LTD shows:

Did a run of shows with Ali Hoffman:


and to top off the summer, played a triple bill with The Sweet Divines, Maxine Brown, and Otis Clay! It was all part of the Brooklyn Soul Fest:






Here's a vintage clip of Otis Clay doing "Trying To Live My Life Without You" on Soul Train, 1972 (which we also got to play at the Soul Fest).

The Sweet Divines @ Prospect Park

I'm playing Prospect Park this Fri July 17 with The Sweet Divines, opening for Robert Cray. (I think Robert played on every single PBS blues special ever made, jamming with BB King, Buddy Guy, etc).

It's my first time playing Prospect Park Bandshell...and hey the last show I saw on that stage was Bob Dylan!

We go on at 7:30pm sharp. See you there.

RIP MJ

What a loss...

Despite all the controversies, jokes, and comebacks that never happened, Michael Jackson was still a hero to me. Yeah, he got real weird near the end...but he made Thriller!

When I was a kid I had three favorite albums (real Vinyl LP 33 1/3 albums):

1) Thriller

2) Sgt Pepper

3) Back to the Future Soundtrack (hey it was the 80s and I was 6.)

2 of those 3 are still some of my favorite records ever. (although Huey Lewis is kinda awesome, and I still have a guilty pleasure for "Power of Love")

I would come home and put on Beat It over and over and over again and dance around the table. And it was real no-hold-barred dancing, not some ironic head bobbing. Eddie Van Halen's guitar solo blew my mind, Vincent Price's spooky voice mesmerized me, and Billy Jean gave me this cold feeling but still I had to move when I heard it. I just couldn't get enough of that album.

The music he made with Quincy still stands up 30 years later and I love it just as much as I did when I was 6. Bye, MJ.

Gospel on Christopher St

I'm playing this Friday with the amazing Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens. It's a real honor to play with them -- the gospel is so genuine and the band is great (led by the singular Cliff Driver). And of course, Naomi is real force of nature.

Come check it out... they have a new record out on Daptone, too.

Fat Cat Billiards

75 Christopher St

8:30pm

Friday, June 5th

Metal is Man's Music no More

Misstallica are Masters of Mayhem.

Last night was ladies night -- of metal. First was Queen Diamond, a King Diamond tribute band. There was face paint, upside-down cross mic stand, and the bass player looked like she was about 14 and was wearing an eye patch. Amazing.

Next up were Misstallica. About 5 minutes in you forget the whole kitsch factor and just revel in pure Evil. They played Metallica better than Metallica...the audience was going nuts, headbanging, rushing the stage, everything. I knew I grew my hair long for a reason. Did I mention they were all chicks? And about 19 years old? 

Girls Girls Girls closed the night -- an all girls Motely Crüe band. Vixen Neil, Nikita Seis, Tawny Lee, and Mistress Mars. Leather, hair spray, shredding, chugging jack daniels from the bottle, the whole nine. Vixen's voice is in much better shape than Vince's is these days...Shout At the Devil! Yeah, I don't just listen to soul music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H_4ze6gRXA

Renaldo Domino - Saturday May 23

Come out if you can this Saturday for my show with Renaldo Domino -- a Chicago based soul-badass. He did a lot of recording in Chicago on Twinight in the late 60s and early 70s quite a bit of which has been released on the fantastic Numero label. More on his story can be found here.

It's going to be quite a night playing his intricate arrangements...we're even adding strings.

DIG DEEPER presents
Renaldo Domino
backed by the Sweet Divines and Divine Soul Rhythm Band

SAT MAY 23
Five Spot Soul Food Restaurant
459 Myrtle at Washington
Midnight
$15 doors / $10 advance
Tickets at: http://www.ticketalternative.com/Events/6473.aspx

Lee Fields is one baaaaaad mutha.

I'm still high off the gig I did with him a few weeks back. He's really one of a kind. He can do the straight funky JB style like he invented it, but can also really lay into a ballad. It was just a magic night...and a real honor to play music with him.

He has record coming out on Truth and Soul, which is worth checking out (backed by The Expressions). 

I hope to get to play with him again soon.

Here's me and The Sweet Divines playing with Lee at The Five Spot:

Getting Ready for Renaldo Domino

I'm psyched to be learning the tunes for my upcoming gig with Renaldo Domino. It's put on by the good people at Dig Deeper and will be at the Five Spot in Brooklyn (459 Myrtle Ave). The band will be The Sweet Divines.

Renaldo Domino is a lesser known name, but he has some deep soul. It's going to be great learning these parts.

Here's a clip of some of his old tunes:

In the studio with Zozo Afrobeat

It's been a long time in the making, but Zozo Afrobeat is finally doing more recording. I was in the studio last night and laid down the bass track for Zozo's version of "Water No Get Enemy" by Fela Kuti. It was a blast and it's always fun to work with Kaleta (who played with Fela for many years).

Here's a taste of the OG version: