The EKB 2016 Year in Review

It's that time! Time to reflect on all the fun had in the previous year. 2016 was full of challenges, heartbreak, and uncertainty, but we had a lot of fun, too! Here's the best (of what I could actually remember) to come out of this year. 

Favorite Albums/Shows of 2016:

·         Bruce Katz – Out from the Center: Katz is one of the top five of musicians touring today. His latest album is even more accessible to everyone, but still keeps that funky Katz flair. Putting more emphasis on Chris Vitarello’s guitar work [the album is officially titled: Out from the Center (Featuring Chris Vitarello)] the band’s 2016 release beautifully blends their talents into a collection of songs that will keep your toes tapping and your ears interested.

·         Bonnie Raitt – Dig in Deep: With a career that spans five decades, Bonnie Raitt is one of the legends. Her 2016 release keeps her in the game. Fresh new album, same great Bonnie. She’s still out there touring, in fact, she was in Lincoln this fall and I’m so glad I went. While her voice is aging, the show lacked none of the talent, soul, and excitement that I expect from Bonnie.

·         Buddy Guy – Born to Play Guitar: 80 years old, began performing in the 50s, and put out his 17th solo studio album in 2016. Need I say more?

·         Davina & The Vagabonds – Nicollet and Tenth: I love a live album. It’s the next best thing to being there. This is especially true of DATV’s latest release because of all the wonderful covers that are such a big part of who they are. Nicollet and Tenth features unique takes on Sowers’s originals, but also includes the ragtime and Louisiana favorites that we enjoy at live shows. Spending our 15th wedding anniversary with them in Des Moines was definitely a bright spot in 2016.  

·         Gov’t Mule – Tel Star Sessions: A 2016 release of 1994 music. Not everyone can get away with releasing old “crap” that was never meant to see the light of day, but these cats can. Having lost their original bass player, Allen Woody, old school fans enjoy hearing music from the early years when the band was a power trio, fresh out of The Allman Brothers Band. The really fun part of this album is hearing early takes on familiar songs. Even better, “The Same Thing” has never been recorded at all, so us die-hard Mule fans have a new/old studio track to get into.

·         Kris Lager Band – Rise & Shine: Kris and the guys continue to grow with this album. I love the edgy direction they’ve been going. I’m looking forward to hearing these songs jammed out live.

·         Mad Dog & The 20-20s – EP: The world needs more ska. Period. And these cats do it right. They tore up a packed house during Lincoln Calling. I think the local scene is paying attention.

·         Marcus King Band – Marcus King Band: This is the best “new” band out there. While Marcus King has been on the scene for a while, he grew nationally in 2016. I had the opportunity to see them at Knuckleheads in Kansas City, and it was totally worth the drive. A legitimate guitar slinger, with a voice like Ray LaMontagne, King bring more soul than his age suggests. Both Marcus King Band and the first album Soul Insight are diverse, interesting, and lyrically intelligent. I can’t get enough. But don’t take my word for it… Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks each lend their guitar to a track on MKB and Haynes produced the album.

·         Mavis Staples – Livin’ on a High Note: Mavis brings it again. And thank goodness. What the world needs now is more Mavis.

·         Mike Zito – Make Blues Not War: Zito is always making us feel better with his blues. His latest release does not deter from the mission. Quintessentially Zito, Make Blues Not War seamlessly combines blues and rock into fun, danceable, even thoughtful at times, music.

·         Tedeschi Trucks Band: Let Me Get By made my 2016. By far this band’s best effort yet, Let Me Get By ventures out musically, offers even more thought-provoking lyrics, and better showcases the talents of its members. Trucks’s guitar, Tedeschi and Mattison’s vocals, and more prominently featured horns make their 2016 album the one that should have won the Grammy.

I had the great fortune of seeing this tour on two separate nights in the spring and the Wheels of Soul Tour at Red Rocks this year. I can’t wait for their next live album. It sounds like it’s right around the corner. http://www.jambase.com/article/tedeschi-trucks-band-prepping-new-live-album-studio-album

·         Tinsley Ellis – Red Clay Soul: Tinsley is one of the most creative songwriters I know. Having released an album a year for the last four years, he still manages to make them interesting, exciting, thoughtful, and fun. Red Clay Soul is good, solid Tinsley; I can’t get enough of “All I Think About.” We were lucky in Lincoln to get to see him three times this year at The Zoo Bar!

Other 2016 Highlights:

·         Lincoln Calling: I had a blast at this festival. I discovered so many great local and touring artists outside of what I normally play, listen to. I love all music and it was soothing for my soul to experience new music and revisit genres I hadn’t explored in a while.

·         ZooFest: This is always one of my favorite weekends of the year. New experiences (Lee Fields & The Expressions, The Mighty Jailbreakers), old favorites (Mike Zito, Dale Watson), and all the friends you could want to drink, dance, and get sunburned with.

·         Two trips to Red Rocks: We saw Tedeschi Trucks Band on August 5th and Gov’t Mule on August 25th. It was a good month.

·         Dale Watson’s Chicken Shit Bingo: I got to play and didn’t have to drive to Austin! (Though I would love to go to Austin…) In case you’re curious, it was a borrowed chicken, and yes, it pooped freely.

·         EKB 12-8-16: I had Mike Zito live in the studio, a pre-recorded phoner with Samantha Fish to air, Josh Hoyer live in the studio to talk about the Nebraska Funk & Soul Alliance, and at the last minute, I added a live phoner with Kelley Hunt. What a whirlwind day!

·         Blues Blowout this year was extra special with Blues Bits and the event with Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds. I had a great time with them live on my show, and I danced my face off that night at The Zoo. Thanks to all who support the blues on KZUM. We’ve really got something special here. And on that note…

·         Perhaps the biggest event of the year, for me, came at the very beginning of 2016. In 2015, fellow blues programmers and the Omaha Blues Society put together a nomination package that earned our station a Keeping the Blues Alive Award from The Blues Foundation. A huge national honor, we were immensely grateful and humbled by the award. The best part? Tuesday Bluesday guy let me tag along to Memphis with him to pick up the award at a special brunch held during the International Blues Challenge (IBC).

The IBC was basically blues camp. People from around the world chatted, boogied, and made connections to each other, the music, and the magic of Beale Street. We cheered on crowd favorite and hometown hero Hector Anchondo all the way to the finals, and were so proud he represented Nebraska in the Top 8. Together, we definitely increased awareness of the good life.

Thank you for reading. What a year! I plan to expand on most (if not all) of these events in the coming weeks, so check back. There are great stories to be had in all of them.

http://everykindofblue.com

Lincolnites Turn Out to Honor Magic Slim

Easter Sunday saw many religious celebrations throughout the city, but there was another celebration, perhaps just as important to the folks who were there, at The Zoo Bar.  Magic Slim, a staple of the Lincoln community for decades, passed away on February 21, 2013.  He played, toured, and loved life right up to the end, and it is impossible to know how many lives he touched.  He was a friend, family man, and an internationally renowned Chicago blues artist, and on March 31^st, Lincoln turned out to celebrate the life of one of our own. 

The Bel Airs kicked off the party, and were followed by The Tijuana Gigolos, The Lil’ Slim Blues Band, and The Zoo Bar House Band.  Several folks stepped in to jam, and the audience was lively and appreciative.  The crowd was especially responsive to Shawn “Lil’ Slim” Holt’s announcement that Levi William would be joining him and the Teardrops.  Holt’s motto has been “The Future of the Blues,” and indeed, he his taking the reins in a big way.  We wish these guys the best of luck out there. 

The mixture of friends, musicians present made Magic Slim’s Celebration of Life one of the happiest, liveliest, and most genuinely fun events this town has ever seen.  All proceeds at the door went to Ann Holt; all the musicians donated their time.  Thanks to Pete, Jeff, Amanda, and The Zoo Bar staff who also made it possible.  And Slim, even in your absence, you threw one heck of a party.  Thanks for being part of our lives. 

Guthrie's Message Falls on Friendly Ears

If you attended the show on March 26th with Arlo Guthrie at the Rococo Theatre, you were treated to an evening of merriment – and contemplation – that reached all generations.  He did at least as much storytelling as he did playing – solo – it was just him, 3 guitars, a 12-string, and a grand piano on stage.  Guthrie was in fine form, both musically and poetically.  Nary a missed note (though several jokes alluding to them), he picked and played his way through crowd favorites like “City of New Orleans,” “The Motorcycle Song,” and “Coming into Los Angeles.”

The focus of this tour, however, is the celebration of Arlo’s father, Woody Guthrie’s 100^th birthday.  Both generations made social issues a priority in their songwriting, and careers in general, and the stories told from decades ago still seem to resonate with audiences today.  Guthrie did a wonderful job of making present-day connections with his father’s songs and stories of the early 20^th century like, “1913 Massacre” and “Deportees (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos).”

Indeed, it was a treat to hear songs written by Woody Guthrie, which were only recently put to music by his son and others.  Arlo closed the evening with a stirring, yet simple, rendition of “This Land Is Your Land.”  Even though some in the audience were ready to sing a long and a soft murmur settled over the crowd, it wasn’t until Guthrie came back out for the encore, when the audience was encouraged to participate. 

Once again emphasizing the power of a group of people singing all at once, Guthrie concluded with another one of his father’s songs, recently set to music.  Spreading peace and good will has always been a priority for Guthrie, and last night he had the help of a wonderfully receptive and responsive audience.  Truly, it felt more like a family reunion than a concert.

As witty and humorous as he is thought-provoking, Guthrie made nearly every story light-hearted, cracking jokes at every turn.  In fact, he was so effective that the audience even beat him to a punch line.  In a story about playing with another great folk legend, Pete Seeger says it’s time to hang it up; he can’t sing as well or play as well… Arlo says, “Well, look at our audience…”  Last night’s audience apparently related, because he had to pause for laughter before he said, “They don’t hear so well, so…”

In all, it was a beautiful, brisk night in Lincoln to enjoy an international folk legend among the company of friends.  

Dr. John and Blind Boys of Alabama Play for a Die-hard Crowd

It was a night full of beautiful music, mixed emotions, and a surprise around every corner.  When we arrived at the Bourbon, we found out that Dr. John was in the hospital, wouldn’t be performing, and the venue was offering a full to partial refund for the event.  Now, I have to admit, my first thought was, “Well, that would be our luck…” and had a Dr. John moment of my own (“I was in the right place, but it must’ve been the wrong time…”)  Of course, my next thought went immediately to the man, in hopes that he was alright.  And while I never expected him to show, I am not surprised that the good Dr. didn’t want to let his fans down. 

I heard several folks indicate they would be getting a refund, most were jazzed to see The Blind Boys of Alabama anyway, and a few even shared our sentiment – we’ve already got a sitter, so…

We reflected that the Blind Boys should feel good – that everyone who had come in was there to see just them.  And they didn’t disappoint.  The slow spirituals had us swaying, and when they kicked it up-tempo, the tunes ranged from gospel to New Orleans funk.  The already appreciative crowd stepped up the volume when 87-year-old founding member Jerry Carter shook the microphone at us, and kudos to those charismatic guys for still bringin’ the music. 

Eventually, a buzz broke through the crowd and sure enough, Dr. John came slowly across the stage and sat at the baby grand.  He played and sang with as much ferocity as we’ve come to  expect (in spite of seeming – with good reason – rather “out of it”), and even though it was only twenty minutes or so, our souls felt filled and we got what we came for.  I have to say, the collaboration between Dr. John and his band and The Blind Boys of Alabama was a rare musical treat that we in Lincoln were blessed to have been offered.  

But those who went over to the Zoo Bar later felt like they were in the right place at the right time as the music didn’t stop at the Bourbon!  The encore performance was organized by local musician Josh Hoyer (at the keys) and featured Sarah Morrow (trombone player for Dr. John) and Joey Williams (lead guitar, vocals for Blind Boys).  Two of the Blind Boys actually sat and listened to their colleagues play a couple tunes before being guided up to the stage to sing themselves.  The magnitude of the impromptu performance was evidenced by the size of the smile on Hoyer’s face as all four guests jammed on the home stage.  It was definitely a special moment.  We truly are lucky to live in a place that values and maintains a home for live music like that. 

Still Smokin'

Growing up, I was a fan of Smokin’ Joe and Bnois King, but Close to the Bone is a departure from what even I know.  That said, it may be just what fans of this full-throttle duo have been waiting for.  While the band is known for its high-energy performances and “Smokin’” guitar solos, the acoustic version lacks none of the energy and spectacular musicianship that the group is known for.   

Kubek and King wrote or arranged all but one song on Close to the Bone, making this highly-original set of songs stand out among other blues albums.  I particularly enjoyed the soulful sway of “Drowning in Red Ink,” and the foot-stompin’ “Jump the Moon,” but then, I’ve always been a sucker for a Dobro solo.  And with so many great tracks, who says you need to have a wailin’ guitar solo to have a good time?

                                                               smokinjoekubek.com
                                    Close to the Bone will be released September 18th.  

REVIEW: Anders Osborne’s Black Eye Galaxy

In case you haven’t heard, Anders Osborne’s latest release, Black Eye Galaxy, hit the shelves in May, but Osborne has never stopped touring.  I was fortunate to see his hour-long set at Mt. Jam in New York this year.  I would expect any artist playing for 15,000 music lovers to bring their A game, and Osborne did not disappoint.  In a word, it rocked.  Hard.  But as is often the case, the live performance brought a level of energy and excitement that is difficult for a studio album to convey. 

Black Eye Galaxy starts out strong with “Send Me a Friend,” heavy on the guitar and full of distortion.  (It seems like we’ve all been listening to a lot of Black Keys lately…)  In that vein, most tracks on the first half of the album bring edgy lyrics, muddy vocals, and dirty guitar riffs.  It’s straight-up rock-n-roll.

Osborne has countered these tracks with an almost Neil Young feel to the rest of the album.  “Louisiana Gold” and “Tracking My Roots” add a folksy element to the collection that is an interesting contrast to the edgy guitar and rough vocals that grace the first half of the album.  

The highlight of the album is the title track which features a nice, long, spacey jam.  I forgot where I was for a minute… but I was eased back into it with the perfect mellow guitar solo. 

In the end, I thoroughly enjoyed this album in chunks. I'm not sure I'd listen straight through again, but I will definitely listen to individual tracks. Over and over... 

Track 7, Man in Motion

“This is sleepy music, mama…” I hear from my four-year-old in the back seat.

“You’re right, baby.  I’m too tired to listen to this right now…” 

As I reach for my purse, a swell of strings delicately flows from the speakers of the family van.  The van that would soon be carrying us eastward toward The Mountain.  As this thought crosses my mind, I am overcome with excitement.  My favorite band, my favorite place… in eager anticipation I find the new disc – the download because my husband and I could not wait for our pre-ordered CD to come in the mail… I pull out the plain silver disc, donned only by my own handwriting and shove it in the slot on my dash.  My hands carry my finger to the advance button; I push the tracks forward to number seven….

Immediately, my son says, “Ok.  This is rock-n-roll, mama.  This is a rock-n-roll song.”  Ten seconds later, “Is this Warren Haynes?” 

Yeah, that’s my boy.