If you’re in the Seattle area and have not been down to the Royal Room in Columbia City, I would suggest you make a special trip. Especially on a Thursday night. Last night I saw the 1 Uppers.

The Uppers are somewhere between alt country and traditional. They play mostly originals … I think. Meaning that their material fits so seamlessly into the pantheon of Americana that you are not quite sure if it’s theirs or a Hank Williams or Buck Owens tune that you have not heard. The band is six pieces. Bass, drums, two electric guitars, lead singer on a Gibson acoustic and a fabulous pedal steel player. Many of the selections will feature a nice dose of two-part harmony.

These guys get duded up in matching grey/silver retro suits. A real sharp look that says “we are in this for the audience and we enjoy making the extra effort to get into character.” I have heard them a few times and they keep getting better and writing new tunes.

Photo Credit: Truman Buffet

Oh and did I mention they were danceable? Pretty easy to do that cozy up texas swing and two step thing. Also on tap on alternate Thursdays are the Buckaroosters and Varmint. So git on down to the Royal Room for toonz, drinks and good food. You’ll see me there.

Eric Tingstad

Walking up Nashville’s lower Broadway on the way to a showcase for Grace Adele & The Grand Band, it was clear it would be standing room only in Robert’s Western World. Phil Harris, of pH Balanced Recordings, and Grammy-winning engineer, put on a party April 14 showcasing a whole lot of talent where the room was filled to the rafters. Literally, the main floor and balcony were filled to capacity that hot, sunny afternoon.

Robert’s Western World is a legendary honky tonk, but this event featured several Americana artists. Grace Adele and The Grand Band is a 4-piece female-fronted string band based in Nashville. On acoustic guitar, Grace Adele fronts Keenan Wade on mandolin, Josh Huber on upright bass, and Kristen Weber joined in beautifully on fiddle in Chase Potter’s absence. They were showcasing their Nashville debut, The Grand Sessions, a 10-cut recording of original material. My basic metric measuring how good a band really is contrasts live performance with recorded material. No one will be disappointed in the live interactive performance. These folks had more than 100 dates on their 2011 touring calendar and their polished show scales very well against their studio work. The difference, of course, is the energy in the room when four acoustic musicians are there to entertain you.

Grace Adele has a natural charm as she invites the audience to participate rather than spectate. No room for dancing on this occasion, I’m sure people often enjoy western swing to tunes like “Town’s Too Small.” Lively and engaging it got people’s attention from the first waltzing measures. Other tunes from the CD included ” Never Lost,” “Over You,” Sweet and Lonesome” “Brown Eyes” and “Something to Say,” highlighting western swing, bluegrass, country, folk, and a touch of indie rock. They covered Ernest Tubb’s “Thanks a Lot” to great affect in the 45-minute set.

If there is one critical point to make about this show, slower tunes don’t translate well in a room like Robert’s. The impassioned ballad, “Over You” is arguably the best cut on the CD. This tune is best left for a listening room in order to feel every tear-stained note. Conversely, another great album cut is “Sweet and Lonesome” which has more color and depth live than the recorded version.

One of the more impressive characteristics of this band is how well relatively young players steep their talent in vintage music styles. Much like Carolina Chocolate Drops, there is genuine craftsmanship in the music The Grand Band makes. And at the tip of the iceberg is the sheer authenticity of Grace Adele’s voice. Whatever the “it” is found in music that works, Grace has “it” without artifice.  For those who love the female pioneers of roots music, another is about to emerge, albeit in a totally different era. She’s a ray of sunshine beaming across a sea of female artists attempting to do what she does  naturally.

These guys come in to a plain room and make it a rock concert venue in hours.  After the set up The band gets up for sound check.  Everyone is pumped for the crowd we all know is coming. After soud check it’s time to relax before fans arrive and the show must begin.

When the firs band The Riot hit the stage everyone know the rock was on. These guys have a great stage presence backup by great musicianship,  There ability, They are a very Jimmy Eat World kinda band, but all seem to dig them and the building crowd is getting more excited.

We begin change ore and local Hip Hop artist Bockade takes the stage for a few songs. he ‘ go hi hype man along and they blast througt the tracks an d get a great response from the hip fans in the club.

Next we had final set up for Taunted By Tomorrow.  These guys have an incredible thin going for them.  They have the music (gives me a real modern alice in chains vibe), they also have the look,  The look like they live on the stage or tour buss.  The put on a incredibly powerful show and with the crowd growth at the event they had successfully take some new fans and primed everyone for the headliner.

The Headline True Becoming is local to Mt. Carmel, PA. And they always bring new music, and tricks when returning to the brady.  This time that was a video crew to get some live video capture.  The Fans loved it, they got a stellar reaction from all in attendance and put on an engaging show.

The boys of Bad Moon are seasoned professionals who know how to get their groove on. With front man Tom Whisenhunt on guitar, and lead vocals, Richard Sanders on bass, and Peter Burger on sax, they’ve recently added the inimitable Vic Mastrianni on drums. Then they kicked things up a notch by inviting Hammond B3 player, Larry van Loon, and Rougie Ray on harmonica and vocals. About halfway through the show John Cage was invited to the stage and delivered a powerful version of Otis Redding’s “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay.”
And let me tell ya the house was rockin’.  Check out this quote from visiting Chicagan, Chuck Praeger:

“Bad Moon’s show at Bourbon Street on Printer’s Alley was the perfect mix of guitar, sax, keyboard, drums, and vocals. Blues and jazz all rolled into one. Perfect mix and the talent to make it all come together. They put their own stamp on everything they played. I’ll be looking them up whenever I am on the music hunt – Nashville, New Orleans or wherever.”

Bourbon Street is renowned as one of the best blues clubs in the country, and the recipient of the prestigious Keep The Blues Alive Award from the International Blues Foundation.

Priding themselves on “playin’ the blues what don’t get played,” Bad Moon featured originals mixed with covers from some of America’s best blues men. Audiences can regularly hear Robben Ford’s  ”Moth to a Flame,” Taj Mahal’s ”She Caught the Katy,” Tony Joe White’s Undercover Agent for the Blues,” and Bonnie Raitt’s “Three Time Loser” among many other tunes that get your mojo motor runnin’.

Photos courtesy of Renee Rome © 2011

If you don’t know Ray Woods, you will. If you don’t know Kal David, you should. Getting to hear both of these guys together was a real treat. The gig took place at Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace on Friday night, November 4, 2011.

Most drummers employ an enormous array of toms, snares, and double kick drums to roar and bang. Most drummers don’t sing lead. Solid Ray Woods is not your typical drummer.

It somehow seems wrong to say that Ray *plays* drums; it’s more like he *is* his kit. His whole body rocks, bounces and sways as the complex yet subtle rhythms rattle along. He and his instrument are one.

His kit does, indeed, include a kick drum and snare, but Ray is mostly surrounded by cymbals. Big ones, itty-bitty ones, and everything in between. But don’t start imagining lots of big crashes. Ray specializes in energizing synchopatated rhythms and spicy tonality.

And he’s singing at the same time. The most soulful tones emanate from his throat. He has a blues sensibility with an added pinch of Marvin Gaye. Ray draws on songs from the last seven decades, from New Orleans to Detroit, Chicago to Los Angles. Yet his music is always fresh and very melodic.

Damian Lester on bass and JP Houston on keys comprise the rest of Ray’s usual band. These guys rock, fitting every required groove and even adding some exquisite harmony from time to time.

The crowd was also treated to the inimitable blues guitar of guest artist Kal David. Kal is one of our great blues treasures. Etta James, Johnny Rivers, John Mayall and a ton of other giants have collaborated with him.

It’s a given that impeccable musicians such as Ray and Kal will produce top-knotch sounds, but Kal only got to shine toward the end of the evening. We needed to hear more of him really unleashing his enormous talent.

The gig took place at Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace on Friday night, November 4, 2011. Pappy’s is the prime watering hole, grub purveyor and music spot in Pioneertown, California. Established as a stage set in the mid-40′s, Pioneertown was the location for countless Western movies and TV shows. Pappy’s fits the Old West ambience to a T, with adobe walls and rough-hewn wood floors. With seating for dinner, room to dance, a very long bar and two performance stages, it almost always draws a crowd.

I arrived almost an hour before Kal and Ray started playing, and was disappointed to find that all tables were reserved. So I grabbed a stool at the far end of the bar and had to stand up and crane my neck to get a view. In fact, I was essentially in another room. But none of that stopped me from dancing, laughing and getting teared up by the performances of these magnificent musicians.

It was a packed house for what was one of the best live performances this reviewer has seen to date in Nashville. Petty was on top of his game singing about a half dozen self-penned songs many put into the country rock category.

In a previous review, Petty was dubbed the Mick Jagger of country music. Traditional country music  has stepped aside for younger artists heavily influenced by decades of rock icons. For the new generation of country artists,  live performance must include a certain attitude, and a sultry swagger to click with the audience. Petty engages with his audience with confident charisma and very few emerging stars have the kind of energy he sparks from the stage.

Petty has a large and loyal following from his home in Greensboro, North Carolina. You’d be surprised to see how many traveled over seven hours to Nashville on a week night to see this show. They wouldn’t have missed it, because that’s how his fans roll. It’s truly heartening to see so many people behind an artist they clearly have so much love and support for.

Among his memorable tunes, “Shotgun,” “This Old Truck,” “Country Song and a Bible Verse,” and “I’ve Done My Time.” The latter tunes are perhaps the best of Petty’s repertoire to date, and he performed them to perfection.

Now it’s just  a matter of time to see what will happen next. Word on the street is  more than a few record labels sent their suits to hear Petty. Without confirmation, we can’t be certain, but we are certain whomever Jody Lee Petty signs a contract with will find a star ready to hit his stride.

Photo courtesy of Lee Haywood

B.B. King Brings The Aloha to Hawaii

During a tropical April evening, B.B. King along with his queen “Lucille,” came to Honolulu and reigned over the audience of 18,000 at the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena.

The orchestra opened with two instrumental blues-jazz numbers, before B.B. King made his way onto the stage. As expected, the audience roared upon his presence, and never really settled to their seats from then on.

On this evening, I had the honor of photographing Mr. King’s mystical performance during his layover concert en route to Australia.

If one is ever fortunate enough to see B.B. King play up-close, undoubtedly his hands will captivate you, as they slide from fret-to-fret, bending Lucille’s guitar strings to generate mesmerizing riffs.  I don’t know if I would necessarily call it a trademark, but B.B. King’s style of play is not only evident in his guitar-playing, but also in the manner he expresses his feel for the music – his contorting facial expressions, the pursing of his lips and the gentle leaning of his head seem to be his way of projecting his passion for the blues onto his audience.

That evening, the audience was right there with him – pulsing and just feeling the music. I noticed one audience member with her eyes closed, not once looking up at the stage but slowly swaying to “One More Kiss.” Nearby, a couple was dancing with each other, as if Mr. King was playing their song – Yes, B.B. King’s music has that kind of effect on people.

Like a grandfather figure, Mr. King took time between songs to “talk story” and connect with his audience – sharing stories of his childhood, and explaining the motivations of his music. He is known to pass out guitar picks to his audiences, and that evening was no disappointment. As I was snapping frame-after-frame with my camera, he leaned over towards me with an assuring smile, and handed me two guitar picks. The evening couldn’t be any better – being feet away from a living legend; shooting his photographs on assignment; and then being handed guitar picks by the Man himself!

Those picks are now saved for two young daughters who have been guitar students for the past five and three years respectively, and were in the audience with my wife.

Asking my youngest daughter, age 8, what she thought of B.B. King’s concert – she described it, “As if he was making his guitar sing … he was sooo awesome!” My oldest, age 11, shared that she wants to learn more about blues guitar (a topic to be brought up with her guitar teacher).  I couldn’t be more proud (sniffle) to know that my girls actually appreciated the music of a guitarist I consider one of the best on the planet.

Mr. King went through the repertoire of his own songs, and some borrowed songs like, “When The Saints Come Marching In.” It did not matter the song was not a B.B. King composition, the audience digged it anyway and their jubilant bop proved it!

As expected, Mr. King saved the best for last, playing his trademark song, “The Thrill Is Gone.” The audience let out their loudest roar of appreciation, and once again on their feet swaying to the groove. The orchestra’s beat was profound, and then came in B.B. King, belting out the song’s intro riff with dearest Lucille – the audience roared louder, then settled in with the rhythm of this heartbreak song.

Despite his age, the King of the Blues doesn’t hint at retirement. Some critics have said he has slowed down considerably, and maybe so … but what can you expect from a man who at 86, has traveled the world over, sharing his gift with many fortunate souls! Taking a bit of liberty with Mr. King’s famous song, I’d say “The Thrill Was Never Gone!” and any critic in their right mind who can’t appreciate what this man has done for music lovers, can’t be taken seriously.

The critics can say what they will, but B.B. King will always be welcomed on this rock in the middle of the Pacific pond to share his Aloha-generating blues.

For photos of B.B. King’s concert, visit www.infinitypacificphoto.com