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Friday, January 31, 2014

Music News & Interviews; Tuneful TV; Live Performances today & tonight, Jan 31, 2014


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LOTS here. Let’s get started!
 
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Quickie…

Birthdays of note

The Guide has been remiss. Time to play catch-up:

Jan 27 ~ Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1736)
Jan 27 ~ Lewis Carroll (1832)
Jan 29 ~ The State of Kansas (1861)
Jan 30 ~ Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882)
Jan 31 ~ Franz Peter Schubert (1797)
 
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In this edition…

♪  PICKS for tonight
♪  TICKET ALERTS
♪  NEWS FEATURES
.   √  LAST CHANCE TO OWN A VINTAGE SEAT FROM THE FORD AMPHITHEATRE
.   √  EARLY BIRD RATES END TODAY FOR AMERICANA MUSIC CONFERENCE
.   √  THE INTERVIEW: “MANDOLIN CAFÉ” FOUNDER SCOTT TICHENOR by Annette Siegel
♪  MUSIC ON TV tonight
♪  WEEKEND MUSIC FESTIVALS
♪  Friday’s ONGOING MUSICAL EVENTS
♪  FRIDAY’s Today/Tonight-Only MUSIC EVENTS
 
 
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♪  PICKS for today / tonight

√  THE DOYLE & DEBBIE SHOW brings its lampoon of country music from its long run in Nashville to McCabe’s in Santa Monica, 8 pm.

√  HEART OF THE FIRE (new name for the “Samhain Band”) of skilled Irish players, at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena, 8 pm.

√  MURIEL ANDERSEN with TIERRA NEGRA bring acoustic guitar artistry to the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad, 7 pm.

√  MURALI CORYELL from New York starts a two-night stand at the Arcadia Blues Club, 8 pm.

√  PACIFIC SYMPHONY presents “TORADZE PLAYS SHOSTAKOVICH” with Russian pianist ALEXANDER TORADZE for three nights in Segerstrom Hall in Costa Mesa, 8 pm.

√  MARINA V finally plays a full evening, at the Baleen in Hotel Portofino in Redondo Beach, 9 pm-midnight.

√  CLIFF WAGNER (Old Number 7) does an “intimate solo performance,” followed by THE GREG FELDEN BAND, at the Cinema Bar in Culver City, 9:30 pm.

√  Aussie SEAN WAYLAND & his QUARTET play Alva's Showroom in San Pedro, 8 pm.

√  ROYAL NEW ZEALAND BALLET presents the North American premiere of “GISELLE” with ballet superstars Gillian Murphy and Qi Huan at the Music Center in downtown L.A., 8 pm.
 
 
 
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♪   TICKET ALERTS

Tix go on-sale today, Friday, January 31, for two shows; early discount ends for one event…


1) Concert is Mar 4, in L.A.:
"ALL FOR THE HALL" featuring VINCE GILL & EMMYLOU HARRIS, with HEART, JASON MRAZ, & special guests, all in a “guitar pull” format, hosted by RITA WILSON, at Club Nokia in L.A. Live complex near Staples Center. Doors at 7 pm. Tix are $49.50, $65, $95, $125, plus applicable fees. Proceeds benefit the Country Music Hall Of Fame & Museum. Tix go on sale Jan 31 at 10 am, and can be purchased via www.AXS.com or from 10 am-5 pm, (Mon-Fri) at the Staples Center Box Office at 1111 S Figueroa St, L.A.


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2)  Show is Apr 18, in L.A.:
BILL MAHER brings his acerbic wit and observations on morons in politics, religion, and anywhere else he has found them. At the Nokia Theatre in L.A. Live complex near Staples Center. Doors at 7 pm. Tix $35, $49.50, $65, $79.50, $125, on sale Jan 31 at 10 am.


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3)  Reservations due by 5 pm today, or pay $5 more at-the-door; event is Sat, Feb 1, 11 am-1 pm, in Hollywood. “HOW TO PITCH YOURSELF, Talk to the Media and Network Like a Rock Star” with “author, media and presentational coach and award-winning Hollywood correspondent” GAYL MURPHY, "The Celebritizer." Info at www.lawim.com; tix $25 before 5 pm, $30 thereafter, at reservations@lawim.com
 
 
 
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♪  NEWS FEATURES


√  LAST CHANCE TO OWN A VINTAGE SEAT FROM THE FORD AMPHITHEATRE

Can you beat this for your backyard / house concert series / song circle?

The folks at our favorite L.A. outdoor venue, the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre (or simply, “The Ford”) completed a major part of their thorough renovation and modernization project last year. That included replacement of all the seats.

Now, they report, “Over the summer, we were fortunate enough to find good homes for many of our recently removed amphitheatre seats. Before we send the remaining seats off to the great theatre in the sky, we're giving you all one last chance to own this piece of memorabilia.”

Accordingly, they’re having a “FEBRUARY FIRE SALE -- ALL SEATS MUST GO! Singles $10, Double $15, Triple / Quadruple $25.”

Online advance purchases of vintage seats must be made by today, January 31, 2014. Online purchase info is at  HYPERLINK "http://www.FordTheatres.org" www.FordTheatres.org.

Seats may also be purchased in person one-day ONLY, Saturday, February 1, from 10 am-2 pm. In-person purchases are cash only, no bills larger than $20. All purchased seats must be picked-up ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, by 2 pm. All sales are final. The pick-up location is the County of Los Angeles Parks & Recreation storage facility, located at Veteran's Park, 13000 Sayre St, Sylmar 91342. Questions? Call 323-856-5791.

The John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, across the canyon from the Hollywood Bowl, is quite historic. A seat or two or four might be just what you need for the porch or patio – or your backyard concert series.


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√  EARLY BIRD RATES END TODAY FOR AMERICANA MUSIC CONFERENCE

The 15th annual “Americana Music Festival and Conference” aka “Americanafest,” and the critically-acclaimed Americana Honors & Awards program are the Americana Music Association’s biggest events. The association is a professional not-for-profit trade organization whose mission is to advocate for the authentic voice of American roots music around the world, and it produces events throughout the year.

This year’s festival and conference will take place September 17-21, 2014, in Nashville. The event brings together fans and music industry executives alike, offering four days of celebration through seminars, panels and networking opportunities by day and raw, battery–recharging performance showcases each evening – many featuring name-brand music stars. The Americana Honors and Awards Show is the featured performance of the festivities, held at the historic Ryman Auditorium, original home of The Grand Ole Opry. In 2013, that show was broadcast live on AXS TV, and featured on PBS in an edited one-hour version called “ACL Presents: Americana Music Festival 2013.”

Registration for the 2014 festival / conference events are on-sale now, and the “SUPER Early Bird Rates” expire today, January 31.

Act today to get the $265 for members / $365 non-member rate, a 50% savings of the walk-up price. Register at www.americanamusic.org

After you’ve done that, get your room reservations. The conference is at Nashville’s premier boutique hotel, The Hutton Hotel, which is offering a special rate for Americanafest attendees. Call 615-340-9333 to make your reservation and tell them you are attending the Americana Music Festival & Conference.


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√  THE INTERVIEW: “MANDOLIN CAFÉ” FOUNDER SCOTT TICHENOR

Guide correspondent Annette Siegel sits down with the web’s guru of “all things mandolin.”

by Annette Siegel

NAMM is an exciting, tasking, inventive, musical and noisy experience. It’s also a great opportunity to meet people in person you’ve only emailed or talked with on the phone. Such was the opportunity to meet up with SCOTT TICHENOR, owner and webmaster of the Mandolin Café.  It is home to all things Mandolin.

Scott was kind enough to give the Guide some of his time. He’s taller than I imagined, very sweet, understated, and he brings obvious knowledge to the conversation. Scott was there for “the Café” and the business contacts he meets, and that allows him to report about NAMM from a mandolin point-of-view.

Here’s my interview with Scott while sitting in the busy, crazy, world that is NAMM.

AS - Why did you come to the show this year?

ST - I came to mine information, make contacts and I’m always surprised every time. I come here with low expectations and it’s usually exceeded. For example; the first day, I meet with Mel Bay about some things, cause I’ve never met him in person. I turn around and there’s the person from Wiley Publishing (the “For Dummies” books). So I talked to them, made a contact with a marketing person; it was totally off my radar, I had no idea they were here. I should have [known]… but that’s just an example of the things that happen. He was hanging out with a major mandolin company and I found out some information I didn’t know… it was kind of like, Oh… now I put two-and-two together. That kind of thing.

The other reason I come here is I need to get away from the computer and see the people that I’m dealing with, and it pays dividends, things happen in person that will never happen over the web.

AS - What gave you the idea/inspiration to start the Mandolin Café?

ST - In 1994, I went to the Boston Macintosh conference and I bought the only book that was available in the industry on how to build a website… there was one book, that I knew of. I read it cover-to-cover and started building a website – someone from a music store had asked me to build a website. So I built something for myself, first: the Mandolin Café, and they looked at that and said, ‘Ok, build us a site.’ I was really hooked on it as soon as I saw it, and the only other mandolin website was Dan Beimborn’s “Mandolin Archive” and now we’re working together. He actually disappeared from my life for about 10 years. Once, I was ready to chuck it all, because I’ve been run-off of a bunch of dedicated servers. I was getting a lot of traffic… this was in the old days when you shared servers. And he came in and got me a dedicated server and bailed me out big time. It’s a big site; it needs more than one person working it. I have a couple of people that help me.

AS - The name, Mandolin Café?

ST - The early websites looked like restaurant menus. You had text at the top and you would click on it… they were all text-based. I’m kind of a foodie anyways… so Mandolin Café… there ya go.

AS - How has the Café changed over the years?

ST - We’re user-input now, and an awful lot of the content is by users; which is what website’s need to be. Users, that’s why sites like Yelp and some of those foodie sites work. It’s forum traffic and the classifieds that are the two big functions for the Café.  So that’s content being added by other people. In the early days, you basically presented information and if they liked It, they might come back the next day – and if they didn’t see anything, they probably wouldn’t.

I had a forum in 1998, a lot of people don’t even know that, and it actually got clear-wiped off, data and all the content… everything.  I didn’t even think to save it at the time; it was all an experiment. I wiped it off several times, up until 2002; then I started saving it.

AS - You can still find so much if you do a search.

ST - Yes, there are posts from September 2002, usually be me or a couple of other people.

AS - Were you always a mandolin geek, or afflicted later in life?

ST - I started playing guitar when I was about 6, and played guitar till I was like… 24, when I moved to Kansas City to teach high school. I was trying to get into a band, and they needed a mandolin player… so they gave me a mandolin. I tried-out for a band, played it for a summer, and got hooked.

AS – What’s your background, Scott?

ST - I taught high school for two years. I loved teaching, but I had to coach at the same time. I was an athlete in college on scholarship; long distance runner. But school districts need teachers that can coach. The opening they had was for basketball, which I knew almost nothing about, so we were probably the worst team in the state, 0-18 or something like that. So I had to coach the sports and didn’t really enjoy that. So I left teaching and went into jobs that were IT-related. That led me into desktop publishing, and eventfully into the web.

I was in administrative management in a large corporation, contract manager, so I was managing large contracts and oversaw those services. But I also did a lot of individual supervision, so that kind of got into that H&R thing.

It’s not one of my strengths, dealing with people on the site. Problem people is not my strength, which is why Ted (Eschliman / Jazz Mando) [came on board]. I didn’t have any discipline problem as a teacher. I taught at a real tough Kansas City-based school. The kids that got used to me would actually take my class because they felt safe. It was a school where you could be in physical danger.

AS – Let’s get back to the music. How many mandolins do you have now?

ST - I have a lot of instruments move through my house that I own, but I only have one that I keep and play.

AS - Which is?

ST - It’s a 2001 Nugget Deluxe #233.

AS - So where would you like to see The Mandolin Cafe go in the future?

ST - There’s a new version of the software that runs my forum, the company has a new generation, the blogging’s a little better. So what they’re doing is reaching out more into the social groups; more into blogging, information mining and sharing. At some point, I need to move to that new platform, and I want to take more of the static content and shoehorn into that database. Because I’m not going to live forever, I want be able to have that in some kind of format, so I can hand that off. Because right now, there’s a lot of old geek stuff… you know, hand-done. A lot of the site is. Most of the people think of the Mandolin Café as the forum. A lot of people think that. It’s a fair amount of data, thousands of pages. There’s that, and I’m always looking for writers, people that are industry, journalist, that have newspaper or magazine experience, and people that are musicians that have those skills.

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Before I knew it, our allotted time was up. We parted with mutual thank-yous. It was fascinating to see different dimensions of someone I had known only as the web’s mandolin guru. Scott dashed off to meet another mandolin contact. I was off to see who and what would await around the corner at the NAMM show.
 
 
 
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♪  MUSIC ON TV tonight

Friday nights – all night – have become, by far, TV’s best night for Roots / Americana music.

8-8:30 pm  “BLUEGRASS UNDERGROUND” is a 2013 edition with BAUSOLEIL avec MICHAEL DOUCET, On KLCS. (Repeats 3-3:30 am.)

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8-9 pm  “STORYTELLERS” is the 2012 season opener with JILL SCOTT. On Palladia.

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8:30-9 pm  “JAMMIN’ AT HIPPEE JACK’S” is a 2013 edition with GOOSE CREEK SYMPHONY. On KLCS. (Repeats 3:30-4 am.)

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9-10 pm  “AUSTIN CITY LIMITS” is a 2014 edition with indie rockers PORTUGAL.THE MAN and LOCAL NATIVES. Probably not too folksy this time out. On KLCS. (Repeats 4-5 am.)

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10-11 pm  “LIVE FROM THE ARTISTS DEN” isn’t folksy tonight, either, with THE KILLERS and TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB. On KLCS. (Repeats 5-6 am.)

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11 pm-12:30 am  “LIFE IS GOOD FESTIVAL” from Canton, Massachusetts, in 2013, with HALL & OATES, JACK JOHNSON, DAWES, TRAMPLED BY TURTLES, AMOS LEE, DELTA RAE, and GOOD OLE WAR. On Palladia.

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11:30 pm-midnight  “DOLLY RARTON: SONG BY SONG” is a 2013 episode of the series, this one exploring the provenance of her 1973 hit, “Jolene.” On Ovation.

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Early Sat, 12:30-2 am  “ELVIS: ALOHA FROM HAWAII” is a 1973 TV special. On KOCE, aka PBS SoCal.

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Early Sat, 1:30-2 am  “TAVIS SMILEY” has a new 2014 show with violinist HILARY HAHN. On PBS World.

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Early Sat, 3-5 am  “JOHN MAYER: WHERE THE LIGHT IS” is a 2007 concert at L.A.’s Nokia Theatre. On Palladia.

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Early Sat, 4:30-5 am  “SUN STUDIO SESSIONS” is a new 2014 edition with singer-songwriter WILL SEXTON, joined by AMY LaVERE and ALLISON MOSSHART. On PBS+.

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Early Sat, 5-6 am  “MUSIC CITY ROOTS FROM THE LOVELESS CAFE” is a 2013 edition with ROBIN & LINDA WILLIAMS, SCOTT MILLER, THE WHISKEY GENTRY, TOMI FUJIYAMA, & TILLER’S FOLLY. On PBS+.

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Early Sat, 5-6 am  “CMT CROSSROADS” from 2012 brings JOE WALSH & “FRIENDS” KENNY CHESNEY, BRAD PAISLEY, SARA EVANS, HUNTER HAYES, LUKE BRYAN, & BILLY GIBBONS. On Palladia.
 
 
 
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♪  FRIDAY’S MUSIC SCENE…


♪  WEEKEND MUSIC FESTIVALS
♪  Friday’s ONGOING MUSICAL EVENTS…
♪  FRIDAY’s Today/Tonight-Only MUSIC
 
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♪  WEEKEND MUSIC FESTIVALS
 
 
Fri, Jan 31; Wed-Sat, Jan 29-Feb 1,
FESTIVAL & CONFERENCE,
in Northern Nevada:
♪  30th Annual “NATIONAL COWBOY POETRY GATHERING” in Elko, Nevada, fills all the lodgings for a hundred miles, and brings stage performances, showcases, music and poetry, awards, western art exhibitions, and a lot of saddle pal camaraderie.
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Info at: www.westernfolklife.org/National-Cowboy-Poetry-Gathering-General-Info/national-cowboy-poetry-gathering-home-page.html
 
 
 
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♪  ONGOING MUSIC & ART EVENTS
 
 
Through January, in L.A.:
"JOHN FOGERTY: WROTE A SONG FOR EVERYONE, " is the wonderful temporary exhibition at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, on display through this month. It features artifacts from his personal collection, and it is named after his current album, hailed by fans and critics alike. John Fogerty’s music was considered rock when he first made it with CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL, but, current and retro, it’s classic roots-rock-Americana now. The album received a rare 5-star lead review in Rolling Stone. Included with regular museum admission, which also includes the temporary exhibition, “RINGO: PEACE & LOVE.”
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At the Grammy Museum, 800 W Olympic Bl (entrance around the corner on Figueroa), L.A. 90015; check for museum hours: 213-765-6803;  HYPERLINK "http://www.grammymuseum.org" www.grammymuseum.org.

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Ongoing (opened Jan 17),
in Santa Monica:
"CIRQUE DU SOLEIL" presents "TOTEM" under the Big Top at the Santa Monica Pier.
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"TOTEM traces the fascinating journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly. The characters evolve on a stage evoking a giant turtle, the symbol of origin for many ancient civilizations. Inspired by many founding myths, TOTEM illustrates, through a visual and acrobatic language, the evolutionary progress of species. Somewhere between science and legend, TOTEM explores the ties that bind Man to other species, his dreams and his infinite potential." -- the show's promo.
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"Spectacular, artful. Breathtaking and deliciously ironic." -- The Toronto Star.
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"TOTEM is visually ravishing" -- The Boston Globe.
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Tix by phone, at 800-450-1480.
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Tix & info online, at:
http://m.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/totem/americas/usa/california/santa-monica.aspx

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Through Feb 13,
Theatre,
in San Pedro:
8 pm  “AN EVENING OF ORIGINAL ONE-ACTS” opens the “Pick of the Vine: Season 12” at the Little Fish Theatre in San Pedro.
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Info & tix at www.littlefishtheatre.org
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Runs Jan 10-Feb 15: Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm; Sundays, Jan 26-Feb 2 at 2 pm; Thu, Feb 13 at 8 pm.
 
 
 
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♪  FRIDAY’s Today/Tonight-Only MUSIC
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Friday, January 31, 2014
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Fri, Jan 31, in Burbank:
1-3 pm  THE WOODYJAMES BIG BAND plays one of the two stages at Viva Cantina, 900 Riverside Dr (next to L.A. Equestrian Center), Burbank; 818-845-2425 or 818-515-4444;  HYPERLINK "http://www.vivacantina.com" www.vivacantina.com.
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More shows here, on one or the other of the venue’s two stages, 5-8 pm and on both stages beginning at 8:30 pm; see listings.
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All shows on both stages are no cover. Venue is known for its Mexican food and full bar. Okay to park free across the street at Pickwick Bowl (free, nearly unlimited parking for Viva patrons).

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Fri, Jan 31, in Burbank:
5-8 pm  THE RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE play one of the two stages at Viva Cantina, 900 Riverside Dr (next to L.A. Equestrian Center), Burbank; 818-845-2425 or 818-515-4444;  HYPERLINK "http://www.vivacantina.com" www.vivacantina.com.
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More shows here, on one or the other of the venue’s two stages, 1-3 pm and on both stages beginning at 8:30 pm; see listings.
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All shows on both stages are no cover. Venue is known for its Mexican food and full bar. Okay to park free across the street at Pickwick Bowl (free, nearly unlimited parking for Viva patrons).

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Fri, Jan 31, in Monrovia:
6-10 pm  Weekly “MONROVIA FAMILY FESTIVAL” is a year-’round street fair with live music in venues and on street corners, plenty of it acoustic, in picturesque old downtown Monrovia. It includes the trad-roots-dulcimer-friendly “KATTYWOMPUS CONCERT & JAM” at 7 pm at Dollmakers Kattywompus, 412 S Myrtle Av, Monrovia 91016; info, 626-357-1091.

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Fri Jan 31, in San Diego Co (Carlsbad):
7 pm  MURIEL ANDERSEN performs with TIERRA NEGRA at the Museum of Making Music, 5790 Armada Dr, Carlsbad 92008; 760-438-5996; a division of the NAMM Foundation,  HYPERLINK "http://www.namm.org" www.namm.org.
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Muriel is simply amazing. She’s the only woman ever to have won the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship. She knows everybody in the world of guitar-playing virtuosity, and she always assembles the best when she tours.
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Tix at: www.museumofmakingmusic.org/events

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Fri, Jan 31, in SFV (Northridge):
7-10 pm  Weekly “FRIDAY NIGHT MUSIC SHOWCASE” brings Barry and Melissa Cullison, Bryan Chan,and Brad Swanson to Pho-King Delicious, 9350 Corbin Av, Northridge 91324.
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Lineup, schedule, etc:

♪  7-7:45 pm --- Bryan Chan is “always trying to achieve the goal of giving blues music the heart, soul and respect it deserves.” Catch a You tube video of Bryan at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcrIBv1ug4c www.jimeatonmusic.com

♪  8-8:45pm--- Barry and Melissa Cullison come from a musical family. Their dad played guitar and sang country music while their mom accompanied him on harmonica and dulcimer and sang harmony. Music was the preferred pasttime and jam sessions with friends were always occupied the weekends. Brother and sister harmony can sometimes sound like a special effect -- when Melissa harmonizes with Barry's music, people seem to enjoy his songs all the more.

♪  9-9:45 pm--- Brad Swanson is a singer songwriter multi-instrumentalist. Many of his songs have been featured in TV shows such as; CSI, Ghost Whisperer, Smallville, Dawson's Creek, and more.
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No cover. Venue offers a variety of noodle dishes, salads, spring rolls, soups and sandwiches, and Vietnamese pho.

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Fri, Jan 31, in San Pedro:
7-9:30 pm  ROB KLOPFENSTEIN & guests joining him at the piano, at the Whale & Ale, 327 W 7th St, San Pedro; 310-832-0363;  HYPERLINK "http://www.whaleandale.com" www.whaleandale.com.
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No cover for bar or dinner patrons. If you sing, you’re invited to join Rob.

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Fri, Jan 31, in WeHo:
7:30 pm  THE WOOD BROTHERS plus AMY HELM play the Troubadour, 9081 Santa Monica Bl, West Hollywood 90069; 310-276-6168.

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Fri, Jan 31,
live theatre,
in Santa Monica:
7:30 pm  “THE STRANGE UNDOING OF PRUDENCIA HART” plays the Edye Stage at the Broad, at Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St, Santa Monica 90401; 310-434-3200.

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Fri, Jan 31, in Altadena:
8 pm  HEART OF THE FIRE is the new name for the “Samhain Band” of formidable Irish music purveyors CHRIS LOKEN, ZAC LEGER, AEDAN McDONNELL, JOHN McKENNA, & PETER ROMANO, at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena 92675.
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What happens when you put together five of the top Irish musicians in L.A.? An explosion of rhythm and sound that has heart and fire. Celtic Rhythms brings to you another spirited evening of Irish and trad music. The evening is sure to be "great craic" (that's fun in Irish), as they combine strong elements of the traditional with their own unique and creative musicality, and perform an exciting array of traditional and contemporary songs and tunes.
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Three years ago, musicians, dancers and actors were hand-picked to give birth to a brand new show: "Samhain, the Story of Halloween." The show was extremely successful and has run the end of October every year since with rave reviews and a growing fan base. Last year's show was so magical, the members of the band decided to take the music of "Samhain" on the road.
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But the name brought questions, since the “Samhain Band” seemed like something you could only hear around Samhain, in October. Their music has heart, and it has fire, and so "Heart of the Fire" was born.
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The band is:
CHRIS LOKEN on fiddle
ZAC LEGER on flute, pipes, banjo, & mandolin
JOHN SOMMERS on fiddle, mandolin, banjo, guitar
AEDAN McDONNELL on Irish harp, accordion, and dancing
JOHN McKENNA on button accordion, bodhran, and vocals
PETER ROMANO on guitar and vocals
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Here are notes on some of the players.
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Chris Loken masters the fiddle with lyrical drive and style. He began his study of music from a young age on both piano and violin, and found a love of Irish music through the band, Evergreeen, during his high school years. Stints at Duquesne University and Berklee College of Music rounded out Chris' formal training, bringing a wide variety of styles to his playing. Chris can be heard around LA playing with Waking Kate, the Brilliant Gypsies, Speyside and The Ploughboys.
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Zac Léger (Uillean Pipes, Banjo, Flute, Mandolin) Zac Léger has been touring and playing music professionally for over a decade. He holds numerous medals on various instruments from both the U.S. and Ireland, including an All-Ireland piping medal, one of few Americans to hold this prestigious title.
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Aedan MacDonnell (Celtic Harp, Accordion, Step Dance) Aedan is an award-winning harper, a vocalist, dancer and multi-instrumentalist. She began classical piano, tap and ballet at the age of 7, and turned to the Celtic harp as a young adult. She breathes beauty into her music, and glows in the most earthy, personable, fun, giving, and gracious way as she embraces her love for the art, the music, the culture, and her audience. Aedan wrote and produced the Samhain show that got this whole thing rolling.
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John McKenna (Vocals, Button Accordion, Bodhran) John is a BIC: Bronx Irish Catholic born to Irish immigrant parents (Counties Longford and Leitrim). John draws you in with his wit and charm, and brings the Irish magic to his audience through his music. John is also an avid Record collector and actually owns a "Muggle" t shirt.
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Peter Romano (Guitar, Vocals) Peter Romano is an innovator of Celtic Music. Growing the music he first learned and loved in a small village pub in Ireland, he has become known for laying down fiery grooves on guitar to drive these spirited melodies and delivering passionate vocals to meet the intensity of inspired lyrics. In between performing and putting together the next big show, Peter teaches individuals to play instruments and sing, so they can share this love of music.
+
Tix, $20. Call for reservations, 626-798-6236 (10 am-10 pm, 7 days).

++++++

Fri & Sat, Jan 31 & Feb 1, in Arcadia:
8 pm  MURALI CORYELL from New York, with ALPHONSE MOUZON on drums, plus THE BOBBY BLUEHOUSE BAND opening, for a rare two-night stand at the Arcadia Blues Club, 16 E Huntington Dr (just E of Santa Anita), Arcadia 91006; 626-447-9349; www.arcadiabluesclub.com
+
Doors at 7 pm for the best seats, bar, pool tables, and ordering food (generous portions). Music starts at 8 pm. Fun place, but bring earplugs. Seriously.
+
Advance tix online at http://arcadiabluesclub.ticketleap.com

++++++

Fri, Jan 31, in Santa Monica:
8 pm  THE DOYLE & DEBBIE SHOW plays McCabe’s, 3101 Pico Bl, Santa Monica 90405; 310-828-4497.
+
For McCabe’s this is a rare comedy musical revue. And it brings Nashville's long-running Doyle & Debbie Show. Achieving cult-like status in their Music City hometown, this lampoon of country music's idolization of iconic duos (and the subsequent battle of the sexes) is taking a road trip and coming out west to McCabe's. Bruce Arntson and Jenny Littleton wield the vocals of vintage country stars and the acting chops of Broadway veterans, taking audiences on a freewheeling joyride through a wickedly funny script and a slew of equally hilarious original songs. Conan O'Brien is a fan, and has featured D&D over the last few months. Doyle & Debbie perform "their top hits... to the very best of their ability."
+
Tix, $20.

++++++

Fri, Jan 31; Thu-Sat, Jan 30-Feb 1, in OC (Costa Mesa):
8 pm  PACIFIC SYMPHONY presents “TORADZE PLAYS SHOSTAKOVICH” for three nights in Segerstrom Hall at Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Dr, Costa Mesa; 714-556-2787;  HYPERLINK "http://www.ocpac.org" \t "_blank" www.ocpac.org.
+
Recognized as a masterful virtuoso with deep lyricism and intense emotion, Russian pianist ALEXANDER TORADZE joins Pacific Symphony to introduce a journey into the music of Shostakovich. Music Director Carl St. Clair dives into Symphony No. 10, perhaps the composer's best work, which is at once melancholy and intense.
+
Go early for the “Concert Preview” at 7 pm; it’s included with your ticket price.
+
Tix at 714-755-5799 or www.PacificSymphony.org

++++++

Fri, Jan 31, in San Pedro:
8 pm SEAN WAYLAND QUARTET plays Alva's Showroom, 1417 W 8th St, San Pedro 90732; reservations, 800-403-3447.
+
Sean Wayland was born in Sydney, Australia and now resides in New York. He is well known and respected for his prolific writing and unique harmony and rhythm.
+
Sean has worked for a number of internationally renowned musicians including: Allan Holdsworth, Wayne Krantz, David Binney, Madeliene Peyroux, Tim Miller, Ingrid Jensen, Jon Gordon, Dave Smith, Isaac Darche, Jon Iragabon, Dan Pratt, Ike Sturm, Matt Geraghty, The Three Degrees, The Dangit -Bobbys, Moses Patrou, Jay Collins ,Cornell Dupree, Jesse Harris, Sheryl Bailey, Gerald Hayes, Dale Barlow, Justine Clark, Phil Slater, Jackie Orsascky, Steve Hunter, James Muller and Steve McKenna.
+
Sean has released 14 critically acclaimed CDs, featuring musicians such as Adam Nussbaum, Dennis Irwin, Seamus Blake, Chad Wackerman, Steve Kirby, Alvester Garnett, Jesse Harris, James Muller, Jochen Rueckert, Matt Penman, Donny McCaslin, Will Vinson, Keith Carlock, Adam Rogers and Tim Lefebvre.
+
It's Sean Wayland on piano and keyboards, Ben Eunson on guitar, Josh Davis on bass, Mark Ferber on drums.
+
Complimentary coffee, tea, hot cocoa and "Alvas" bottled water are provided. Bring your own food & drinks
+
Tix, $20.

++++++

Fri, Jan 31, in L.A.:
8 pm  WHITNEY MONGE plays the acoustic “FRIDAY NIGHT MUSIC SERIES” at MUSE on 8th, 759 S La Brea Av, Los Angeles 90036; 323-933-MUSE (6873); www MUSEon8th.com

++++++

Fri, Jan 31, in Huntington Beach:
8 pm  ZACH NYTOMT and LIBBY KOCH play the Huntington Beach Art Center, 538 Main St, Huntington Beach 92648; 714-374-1650; info@songwriterserenade.com

++++++

Fri-Sun, Jan 31-Feb 2, in downtown L.A.:
8 pm  ROYAL NEW ZEALAND BALLET presents the North American premiere of “GISELLE” at the Music Center, 135 N Grand Av, Los Angeles 90012.
+
“GISELLE” brings ballet superstars Gillian Murphy and Qi Huan in a critically-acclaimed production, the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s dynamic dancers bring you a “creative and glorious” revisiting of the ballet first performed in Paris in 1841.
+
One of the oldest surviving most dramatic and beautiful of all ballets, Giselle brings prima ballerina Gillian Murphy in the title role of a peasant girl in Germany during the Middle Ages who lives for dance despite frail health. Giselle’s heart is broken by a prince (Qi Huan), but her undiminished love saves the man from supernatural forces. "Giselle" harnesses the power of forgiveness and redemption to vanquish the anguish of love and betrayal. The North American premiere features ballet superstars Gillian Murphy and Qi Huan. In Los Angeles for four performances only
+
Tix at: 213-972-7211 or  HYPERLINK http://www.musiccenter.org www.musiccenter.org

++++++

Fri, Jan 31, in Sierra Madre:
8 pm  “AN IDEAL HUSBAND,” Oscar Wilde's classic comedy, continues at the Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 W Sierra Madre Bl, Sierra Madre 91024.
+
Those new to Wilde will understand why he is considered one of the greatest English writers (though born in Dublin) of his time (1854-1900).
+
Opening Night Gala performance tonight, followed by Champagne reception and light buffet. Ample free parking behind theatre.
+
Runs through Sun, Feb 23. Performance times are Friday and Saturday at 8 pm, Sundays at 2:30 pm; and Sun, Feb 9 at 7 pm and Thursdays, Feb 13 and Feb 20 at 8 pm.
+
Tix, $25; seniors and students $22; children age 12 and under $15. Phone, 626 355-4318. Online tickets: www.sierramadreplayhouse.org

++++++

Fri, Jan 31, in SFV (Chatsworth):
8 pm  An undisclosed “AMERICANA / ALT COUNTRY / TRAD COUNTRY BAND” performs at the Cowboy Palace, 21635 Devonshire St, Chatsworth; 818-341-0166.
+
This is L.A.’s last real honky tonk. No cover, full bar, lots of fun. Go early for the nightly free dance lesson.

++++++

Fri, Jan 31, in Burbank:
8:30 pm  LATASHA LEE & THE BLACK TIES bring “the classic soul of this Texas vocalist” on one of the two stages at Viva Cantina, 900 Riverside Dr (next to L.A. Equestrian Center), Burbank; 818-845-2425 or 818-515-4444;  HYPERLINK "http://www.vivacantina.com" www.vivacantina.com.
+
Also starting at 8:30, on the venue’s other stage, it’s the DICK & JANE FAMILY ORCHESTRA, GOLDEN SOMBRERO, and SPINDRIFT.
+
More on one or the other stages here 1-3 pm and 5-8 pm. See listings.
+
All shows on both stages are no cover. Venue is known for its Mexican food and full bar. Okay to park free across the street at Pickwick Bowl (free, nearly unlimited parking for Viva patrons).

+++

Fri, Jan 31, in Redondo Beach:
9 pm-midnight  MARINA V plays the Baleen, located in Hotel Portofino, 260 Portofino Wy, Redondo Beach 90277; 310-379-8481; www.hotelportofino.com
+
Russian expatriate Marina brings her piano and acoustic guitar prowess and, as the L.A. Times says, her “hauntingly beautiful” voice. She is an award-winning singer-songwriter.
+
No cover, all ages. More at www.MarinaV.com

++++++

Fri, Jan 31, in Long Beach:
9 pm  KEN O’MALLEY & THE TWILIGHT LORDS play the Auld Dubliner, 71 S Pine St, Long Beach; 562-437-8300; www.aulddubliner.com

++++++

Fri, Jan 31, in Murrieta:
9 pm  THE AMERICAN WAKE play for their first time at the Shamrock Irish Pub & Eatery, 39252 Winchester Rd #145, Murrieta 92563; www.theshamrockirishpubandeatery.com; 951-696-5252.

++++++

Fri, Jan 31, in Culver City:
9:30 pm  CLIFF WAGNER (Old Number 7) does an “intimate solo performance,” followed by THE GREG FELDEN BAND, at the Cinema Bar, 3967 Sepulveda Bl, Culver City.
+
Cliff tells us you will experience his “feminine side.” He adds, “If you haven't seen Greg, you have to hear him and his band. Americana at its finest.”
+
More at http://gregfelden.com
and
www.oldnumber7.net
+
No cover. Venue is the size of a postage stamp and barstool seating is competitive, but it’s always a good, friendly crowd. Bring $ for the artists’ tip jar.
 
 
 
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More, soon, for the rest of your musical weekend.
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♪  The Guide will be making CH-CH-CHANGES – turn, embrace the change -- in 2014. Some folks will like some, others will not. There will be points of departure to make room (and time) for the new. We’ll do what we can, because as always, we operate with the editor’s motto, “One does what one can.”
 
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Direct to the current editions /
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MOBILE-DEVICE-FRIENDLY editions load quickly at
.
www.acousticamericana.blogspot.com
.
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CONTACT US / Questions / Comments / SUBSCRIBE to our notices, etc., all at
.
tiedtothetracks@hotmail.com
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Contents copyright © 2014,
Lawrence Wines & Tied to the Tracks.
All rights reserved.
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The ACOUSTIC AMERICANA MUSIC GUIDE endeavors to bring you NEWS and views of interest to artists everywhere, more specifically to musicians and the creative community, and music makers and fans of acoustic and Folk-Americana music, both traditional and innovative. We provide a wealth of resources, including a HUGE catalog of acoustic-friendly venues, and schedules of performances in Southern California venues large and small. We cover workshops and other events for artists and folks in the music industry, and all kids o’ things in the world of acoustic and Americana and accessible classical music. From washtub bass to musical spoons to oboe to viola to banjo to squeezebox, from Djangostyle to new-fangled-old-time string band music, from sweet Cajun fiddle to pre-bluegrass Appalachian mountain music to proto blues.
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The Acoustic Americana Music Guide. We’re on it.
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Thursday, January 30, 2014

A String-Star Filled Thursday, Jan 30, 2014



.
It’s overcast and you can’t see the stars in the sky. But you can see – and hear – some true stars of string instruments on any of several stages tonight.
 
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Quickie item…

Happy Birthday to L.A.-based touring singer-songwriter JOHN M.
 
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In this edition…

♪  PICKS for Thursday

♪  TICKET ALERT

♪  NEWS FEATURES

.    √  THE SHOW PONIES LAUNCH “VIDEO THURSDAYS”

.    √  THE FAREWELL DRIFTERS, "TOMORROW FOREVER," 
just released on Compass Records

♪  ONGOING MUSIC & ART EVENTS

♪  THURSDAY-Only MUSIC EVENTS
 
 
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♪  PICKS for Thursday

√  “AN EVENING OF SLACK KEY GUITAR VIRTUOSOS” with STEPHEN INGLIS and JIM KIMO WEST, at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena, 8 pm. 

√  MURIEL ANDERSEN performs with TIERRA NEGRA at the Soka Performing Arts Center in OC (Aliso Viejo), 8 pm.

√  LOS LOBOS, plus an opening set by SAYAD SABRINA, at the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, 9 pm.

√  "HONK TONK HACIENDA" this week brings “elegant and hot swing from the 1930s,” with THE MOONRISE CLUB and THE BENNY B at El Cid in Silver Lake (L.A.), 8 pm.

√  Uke master ABE LAGRIMAS plays his CD release show with his new group, THE NORTH, at the Blue Whale in L.A., 9 pm.

√  PACIFIC SYMPHONY presents “TORADZE PLAYS SHOSTAKOVICH” with the renowned Russian pianist playing the first of three nights in Segerstrom Hall in OC (Costa Mesa), 8 pm.
 
 
 
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♪  TICKET ALERT

“LOST BORDERS: WATER, CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE WEST” is our “not-music-but-worthwhile” pick that combines science and performing art when it happens on Tuesday, February 25, at USC at 7 pm.

Tix are free, but online reservations are required, starting today at 9 am, at:
www.visionsandvoices.usc.edu

The event is in the Friends of the USC Libraries Lecture Hall, Doheny Memorial Library 240, on the USC Campus in University Park (L.A.)

Theatre and earth sciences intersect in “Lost Borders,” a multidisciplinary event exploring the lack of water in the American West and the fragility of our land. Water has long been a defining issue of the American West, affecting state borders, agriculture, economics, immigration and settlement — and now it is a major factor in the climate-change crisis. The event will combine a play, “The Chisera,” by USC playwright Paula Cizmar, with a multimedia presentation of desert images and a conversation facilitated by USC geologist Sarah J. Feakins.
 
 
 
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NEWS FEATURES for
Thursday, January 30
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Two fresh ones today. Yesterday’s edition was chockfull of News Features that are still relevant and still available.
 
 
√  THE SHOW PONIES LAUNCH “VIDEO THURSDAYS”

They are an uber-talented young L.A. acoustic roots band that features a “Daniel Pearl Memorial Fiddle” winner and two vocal competition champs. They delighted folk festival crowds in 2013 and played a short-notice show to a packed house at the Coffee Gallery Backstage just before NAMM. Seeing them perform should be high on your “to-do” list.

They’re called THE SHOW PONIES, and they’ve launched a clever new thing to keep their fan base involved and building broader awareness of them by asking recipients to share the link each week of their freshly posted music single posted on “Video Thursday.”

Today’s addition to the SHOW PONIES growing online catalog is the old tune, "Cindy."

Go watch it at:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=vSXh4XtptpE&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DvSXh4XtptpE%26feature%3Dyoutu.be

The band tells the Guide, “Starting on January 2nd we decided to [do this] every Thursday. So far, so good. This month we’ve released five new videos, and thanks to your sharing, a lot of people saw them. We're looking forward to what videos February has to bring.”

In all, they have an even dozen music videos on their YouTube channel. And with that promise to add a new one every Thursday, it’s worth a free subscription, at:

www.youtube.com/subscribe_widget? p=theshowponiesband
 
 
= + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + =
 
 
√  THE FAREWELL DRIFTERS, "TOMORROW FOREVER,"
just released on Compass Records

As soon as you encounter "roots pop" as a description, you get what it means.

Whether THE FAREWELL DRIFTERS, on Nashville-based Compass Records, are your cup of tea, both the "genre-ization" and review quotes from The Bluegrass Situation and Paste Magazine will help you with this and lots of other new music.

The Bluegrass Situation writes of this new album, "'Tomorrow Forever' is an energetic, almost cinematic album,” while Paste calls it, "The Best of What's Next."

The Farewell Drifters bring a Brian Wilson-like sensibility to the folk-rock movement, with intricately arranged harmonies and atmospheric, string-swathed studio shading. These are the stand-out characteristics on "Tomorrow Forever,” the quartet’s first album for their new label, released January 28.

The Farewell Drifters have begun a half-the-US tour, which includes gigs at SXSW and the Folk Alliance International Conference.

While their current tour doesn't get west of Texas and Kansas, their music will. (Complete tour dates at: http://thefarewelldrifters.com/tour )

Collaborating with roots pop producer Neilson Hubbard (Matthew Perryman Jones, the Apache Relay) helped solidify the band’s voice, elevating their crystalline harmonies and acoustic foundation with gutsy electric guitar and orchestral-style drums to create a sound that’s earthy, layered, and more powerful.

The stomping title track, “Modern Age,” and the catchy “Bring ‘em Back Around,” support the album’s theme — a hopeful look at the future and the importance of always seeking the silver lining.

Over the past two years, the band has been prominently featured by American Songwriter and Paste Magazine, while landing on several indie tastemaker lists such as Pop Matters' "Top New & Emerging Acts" and Under The Radar’s "Top 11 Albums."

If you want to findthe the album's individual tracks online, here are the titles: 1. Modern Age; 2. Bring 'em Back Around; 3. Brother; 4. Coming Home; 5. Tomorrow Forever; 6. Motions; 7. Tennessee Girl; 8. Neighborhoods Apart; 9. Relief; 10. To Feel Alive; 11. The Day You Left; 12. Starting Over.

More on The Farewell Drifters at:
http://thefarewelldrifters.com

More on Compass Records at:
www.compassrecords.com
 
 
 
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♪  ONGOING MUSIC & ART EVENTS
 
 
Ongoing (opened Jan 17),
in Santa Monica:
"CIRQUE DU SOLEIL" presents "TOTEM" opening today under the Big Top at the Santa Monica Pier.
+
"TOTEM traces the fascinating journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly. The characters evolve on a stage evoking a giant turtle, the symbol of origin for many ancient civilizations. Inspired by many founding myths, TOTEM illustrates, through a visual and acrobatic language, the evolutionary progress of species. Somewhere between science and legend, TOTEM explores the ties that bind Man to other species, his dreams and his infinite potential." -- the show's promo.
+
"Spectacular, artful. Breathtaking and deliciously ironic." -- The Toronto Star.
+
"TOTEM is visually ravishing" -- The Boston Globe.
+
Tix by phone, at 800-450-1480.
+
Tix & info online, at:
http://m.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/totem/americas/usa/california/santa-monica.aspx

++++++

Through January, in L.A.:
"JOHN FOGERTY: WROTE A SONG FOR EVERYONE, " is the wonderful temporary exhibition at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, on display through this month. It features artifacts from his personal collection, and it is named after his current album, hailed by fans and critics alike. John Fogerty’s music was considered rock when he first made it with CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL, but, current and retro, it’s classic roots-rock-Americana now. The album received a rare 5-star lead review in Rolling Stone. Included with regular museum admission, which also includes the temporary exhibition, “RINGO: PEACE & LOVE.”
+
At the Grammy Museum, 800 W Olympic Bl (entrance around the corner on Figueroa), L.A. 90015; check for museum hours: 213-765-6803;  HYPERLINK "http://www.grammymuseum.org" www.grammymuseum.org.
 
 
 
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♪  THURSDAY-Only MUSIC EVENTS
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Thursday, January 30, 2014
~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~ 


Thu, Jan 30; Wed-Sat, Jan 29-Feb 1,
FESTIVAL & CONFERENCE,
in Northern Nevada:
♪  30th Annual “NATIONAL COWBOY POETRY GATHERING” in Elko, Nevada, fills all the lodgings for a hundred miles, and brings stage performances, showcases, music and poetry, awards, western art exhibitions, and a lot of saddle pal camaraderie.
+
Info at: www.westernfolklife.org/National-Cowboy-Poetry-Gathering-General-Info/national-cowboy-poetry-gathering-home-page.html

++++++

Thu, Jan 30, in Long Beach:
5 pm  KEN O'MALLEY plays his weekly residency of authentic and original Irish music at the Auld Dubliner, 71 S Pine Av, Long Beach 90802; 562-437-8300.

++++++

Thu, Jan 30, in OC (Fountain Valley):
5:15 pm  Weekly “FOUNTAIN VALLEY BLUEGRASS JAM” at Orange County Archery, 18792 Brookhurst St, Fountain Valley 92708.

++++++

Thu, Jan 30, in VC (Camarillo):
5:30 pm  Monthly “ROUND TABLE PIZZA & SONG CIRCLE in Camarillo 93010. Info at Songmakers website, www.songmakers.org

++++++

Thu, Jan 30, in South Pasadena:
6-9 pm  BARRY “BIG B” BRENNER plays his weekly “Burgers, Beer, & Blues” residency at Firefly Bistro, 1009 El Centro St, South Pasadena 91030; 626-441-2443 for dinner reservations.
No cover. You may contribute to the artist’s tip jar. Venue has full menu and full bar.

++++++

Thu, Jan 30, in Monrovia:
6:30 pm  THE LICATA BROTHERS, L.A.’s latest young guitar prodigies, play a short-notice show at Friends Café, 425 S Myrtle Av, Monrovia; 626-600-6269; www.friendscafemonrovia.com
+
A few months ago in New Orleans during their family vacation, their parents took them to the Big Easy. They were busking in the French Quarter and were invited to come in and play at the world-famous Preservation Hall. After each tune, they were told, “stay.” They spent the whole evening performing there. That should give you the idea that these two kids are really good.
+
Tonight, they’re playing “your favorite tunes from the ’50s, ’60s, Americana, and more. It’s a good opportunity to experience these two rising stars.
+
No cover.

++++++

Thu, Jan 30, at USC:
7 pm  “POETRY SLAM WITH LIVE MUSIC” is “A Celebration of USC Students’ Work” at Ground Zero Performance Café, on the USC Campus in University Park (L.A.).
+
Admission is free and open to everyone, BUT, advance reservations are full, and you need to sign-up on the standby list (see below). Standby tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Check-in begins at 6:15 pm.
+
Poetry resides on the page, but it lives on the stage. Presented in conjunction with the Visions and Voices performance of “The Langston Hughes Project,” this unique collaboration of words, rhythm and melody — with piano, bass, drums, sax and guitar — brings together student writers from across the university with musicians from the USC Thornton School of Music. It promises a dynamic evening of performance poetry with live musical accompaniment. Organized by Ron McCurdy (Music), Gabrielle Pina (Master of Professional Writing), Brighde Mullins (Master of Professional Writing) and Michèle Turner (Black Alumni Association). Co-sponsored by the Master of Professional Writing Program and the Black Alumni Association.
+
For more info and to sign-up for the waitlist, go to www.visionsandvoices.usc.edu

++++++

Thu, Jan 30, in Burbank:
7:30 pm  WHITEY O’KANE plays country dance music tonight at Viva Cantina, 900 Riverside Dr (next to L.A. Equestrian Center), Burbank.
+
Venue is known for its Mexican food and full bar. Park free across the street at Pickwick Bowl. No cover. 

++++++

Thu, Jan 30, in Altadena:
8 pm  “AN EVENING OF SLACK KEY GUITAR VIRTUOSOS” with STEPHEN INGLIS and JIM KIMO WEST, at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena 92675; reservations, 626-798-6236.
+
This promises to be a night of stunning six-string slinging and song.
+
Stephen and Kimo don’t get a chance to play together very often, but when they do, watch out --this is a rare chance to see these masters of Hawaiian slack key guitar tear it up on the same stage.
+
Two-time “Na Hoku Hanohano Award” winner and Grammy nominee Stephen Inglis is recognized as one of the most diverse musical artists in Hawai’i today. Equally at home on the acoustic and electric guitar, the art of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar has been at the heart of his music in recent years. With a deep love for many kinds of music, Stephen’s songwriting blends tradition with innovation in a diverse and effective tapestry. Stephen tours nationally with the slack key festivals, as a soloist and with Hawaiian Music legend Dennis Kamakahi. The duo’s album, “Waimaka Helelei,” won the 2012 “Na Hoku Hanohano Award” for “Slack Key Album of the Year.”
+
“His material and stylish performances rank with the best.” ~ Wayne Harada, Honolulu Advertiser newspaper.
+
Jim “Kimo” West is known as one of the world’s top “slack key” guitarists and brings his own unique musical perspective to this great acoustic guitar tradition. The gentle sound of “ki ho’alu” as it is known in Hawaii is heard throughout the recent Oscar-nominated film, “The Descendants”. He is a recent winner of the Hawaii Music Awards, a two-time Na Hoku Hanohano (the Hawaiian “Grammy”) nominee and a two-time winner of the LA Treasures Award for his contributions toward the perpetuation of ki ho’alu. Kimo is a featured performer at slack key guitar festivals in Hawaii as well as festivals and small concert venues on the mainland His playing has been featured in a number of films, TV spots, the Disney Channel and NPR.
+
“West's knowledge of slack-key guitar is vividly expressed in both his keen performances of covers as well as his own dynamite songwriting. “Maui Skies," a West original, is as evocative as its title promises; the liquid flow of West's guitar achieves that perfect balance of caressing the ears while awakening the mind to pictures of blankets of clouds hovering over a bed of blue ocean.”-Jazz Corner, Dec 1, 2012.
+
Tix, $20.

++++++

Thu, Jan 30, in downtown L.A.:
8 pm  DUSTBOWL REVIVAL plus THE RECORD COMPANY play the Edison, 108 W 2nd St, Los Angeles 90012; 213-613-0000.

++++++

Thu, Jan 30, in Silver Lake (L.A.):
8 pm  Weekly "HONK TONK HACIENDA" at El Cid, 4212 W Sunset Bl, Silver Lake 90029; www.ElCidLA.com; 323-668-0318.
+
This week, it’s “elegant and hot swing from the 1930s,” with:

♪  THE MOONRISE CLUB
♪  THE BENNY B

Every Thursday, El Cid turns into “Honky Tonk Hacienda” with bands, songwriters and musical instigators tearing it up with Outlaw Country, Roots, Old Time and Americana.
+
No cover before 8:30 pm, $5 thereafter. Doors at 7 pm, music starts at 8. Ample street parking; valet parking available.

++++++

Thu, Jan 30, in OC (Aliso Viejo):
8 pm  MURIEL ANDERSEN performs with TIERRA NEGRA at the Soka Performing Arts Center, 1 University Dr, Aliso Viejo 92656; 949-480-4278.
+
Muriel is simply amazing. She’s the only woman ever to have won the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship. She knows everybody in the world of guitar-playing virtuosity, and she always assembles the best when she tours.
+
Tix, $20, available at 949-480-4380 or
http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?agency=SOKV_PLAGENCY&pid=7635887

++++++

Thu, Jan 30; Thu-Sat, Jan 30-Feb 1, in OC (Costa Mesa):
8 pm  PACIFIC SYMPHONY presents “TORADZE PLAYS SHOSTAKOVICH” for three nights in Segerstrom Hall at Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Dr, Costa Mesa; 714-556-2787;  HYPERLINK "http://www.ocpac.org" \t "_blank" www.ocpac.org.
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Recognized as a masterful virtuoso with deep lyricism and intense emotion, Russian pianist ALEXANDER TORADZE joins Pacific Symphony to introduce a journey into the music of Shostakovich. Music Director Carl St. Clair dives into Symphony No. 10, perhaps the composer's best work, which is at once melancholy and intense.
+
Go early for the “Concert Preview” at 7 pm; it’s included with your ticket price.
+
Tix at 714-755-5799 or www.PacificSymphony.org

++++++

Thu, Jan 30, in L.A.:
8 pm  “L.A. HOOTENANNY” happens at Villains Tavern, 1356 Palmetto St, Los Angeles 90013; 213-613-0766.

++++++

Thu, Jan 30, in Murrieta:
8 pm  SULTANS OF ROCK are decidedly not acoustic, and may not be very Irish, at the Shamrock Irish Pub & Eatery, 39252 Winchester Rd #145, Murrieta 92563; www.theshamrockirishpubandeatery.com; 951-696-5252.

++++++

Thu, Jan 30, in SFV (Chatsworth):
8 pm  An undisclosed “AMERICANA / ALT-COUNTRY / TRAD COUNTRY BAND” plays the Cowboy Palace, 21635 Devonshire St, Chatsworth; 818-341-0166.
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This is L.A.’s last real honky tonk. No cover, full bar, lots of fun. Go early for the nightly free dance lesson.

++++++

Thu, Jan 30, in Agoura Hills:
9 pm  LOS LOBOS, plus an opening set by SAYAD SABRINA, at the Canyon Club, 28912 Roadside Dr, Agoura Hills 91301; 818-879-5016; www.canyonclub.net
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More than three decades have passed since Los Lobos released their debut album, “Just Another Band from East L.A.” Since then, they’ve repeatedly disproven that title — Los Lobos isn’t “just another” anything, but rather a band that has consistently evolved artistically while never losing sight of their humble roots.
+
Doors at 6 pm for dinner; show at 9 pm. Note that you are unlikely to have a seat unless you eat there.
+
Tix, $39.50 / $65 + applicable fees. Under 18 must be accompanied by a paying adult.
+
The sooner you purchase tickets / make reservations, the better your seats. Call 818-879-5016 for dinner reservations; these are held until 7 pm the night of the event.

++++++

Thu, Jan 30, in L.A.:
9 pm ABE LAGRIMAS plays his CD release show with his new group, THE NORTH, at the Blue Whale, 123 Astronaut E S Onizuka, Suite 301 (3rd floor), Los Angeles 90012; www.bluewhalemusic.com
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Ukulele master Abe tells us, "THE NORTH, a piano trio with Romain Collin (piano), Shawn Conley (bass), and myself (drums), are not only making our first Los Angeles appearance but we're also celebrating the release of our much anticipated debut CD entitled 'Slow Down (This Isn't The Mainland).'"
+
Abe said this morning (Jan 30), “We just returned last night from a 2-week trip to Hawaii where we recorded our second album. Tonight, we will be playing material from our debut CD as well as some new material that will be on the second record.”
+
Abe had said previously, "For those of you who supported our Kickstarter campaign (where we successfully achieved our goal!) and other fundraising efforts, this album is possible thanks to your generosity. So come out, bring your family, friends, and see what you are a part of."
+
He adds, "This concert is part of our CD promotional tour which include performances in Honolulu, San Diego, Boston, and New York. We look forward to seeing you on the 30th! Yes we will have our CDs available so pick one up and we'd love to sign it for you after the concert."
+
More about the new CD being released at tonight's concert ~ "Slow Down (This Isn't The Mainland)" was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Grammy Award-winning engineer Jeremy Loucas. THE NORTH is Romain Collin, Shawn Conley, & Abe Lagrimas, Jr.
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More at www.abelagrimasjr.com
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Cover, $10.
 
 
 
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More, soon, as always.
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♪  The Guide will be making CH-CH-CHANGES – turn, embrace the change -- in 2014. Some folks will like some, others will not. There will be points of departure to make room (and time) for the new. We’ll do what we can, because as always, we operate with the editor’s motto, “One does what one can.”
 
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Direct to the current editions /
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MOBILE-DEVICE-FRIENDLY editions load quickly at
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www.acousticamericana.blogspot.com
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CONTACT US / Questions / Comments / SUBSCRIBE to our notices, etc., all at
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tiedtothetracks@hotmail.com
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Contents copyright © 2014,
Lawrence Wines & Tied to the Tracks.
All rights reserved.
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The ACOUSTIC AMERICANA MUSIC GUIDE endeavors to bring you NEWS and views of interest to artists everywhere, more specifically to musicians and the creative community, and music makers and fans of acoustic and Folk-Americana music, both traditional and innovative. We provide a wealth of resources, including a HUGE catalog of acoustic-friendly venues, and schedules of performances in Southern California venues large and small. We cover workshops and other events for artists and folks in the music industry, and all kids o’ things in the world of acoustic and Americana and accessible classical music. From washtub bass to musical spoons to oboe to viola to banjo to squeezebox, from Djangostyle to new-fangled-old-time string band music, from sweet Cajun fiddle to pre-bluegrass Appalachian mountain music to proto blues.
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The Acoustic Americana Music Guide. We’re on it.
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Sent via DroidX2 on Verizon Wireless™


Wednesday, January 29, 2014

NEWS plus Wednesday’s LIVE MUSIC, Jan 29, 2014


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The Guide continues its tributes and remembrances of PETE SEEGER with a separate edition today as our “part two,” available in a separate click. Yesterday’s Guide contains part one of our tribute to Folk-Americana’s incomparable icon, who died Monday evening at the age of 94.

THIS edition has a cornucopia of News Features on various musical topics, plus tonight’s live music scene.
 
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Quickie recognitions…

Happy birthday to bass player / singer-songwriter MARK “POCKET” GOLDBERG.

January 29th is also the birthday of Tea Party darling PAUL RYAN. And, it’s “National Cornchip Day” (the day after “National Kazoo Day,” the day before “Escape Day,” followed by the combined “National Popcorn Day” and “Child Labor Day,” from which some may derive some significance).

Uhh, okay, fine. We DO have real news in this edition. Seriously.
 
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In this edition…

♪  PICKS for Wednesday

♪  NEWS FEATURES:

.    √  A WHIRLWIND SATURDAY at NAMM  by Annette Siegel

.    √  “THE DROP: SUZY BOGGUSS” TONIGHT AT THE GRAMMY MUSEUM IN L.A.

.    √  BANJO LEGEND BILL EMERSON & SWEET DIXIE HAVE NEW RELEASE


.    √  “REEL ROCKUMENTARIES” FILM SERIES RETURNS TO SAN PEDRO

.    √  CAJUN artist GANEY ARSEMENT goes for AMERICANA AUDIENCE with album, “LE FORGERON”

.    √  LEVON HELM, in a VIDEO BLAST FROM THE PAST

♪  ONGOING MUSIC & ART EVENTS

♪  WEDNESDAY-Only MUSIC EVENTS
 
 
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♪  PICKS for Wednesday

√   “THE DROP: SUZY BOGGUSS” is a performance-interview commemorating the release of her new CD, “Lucky,” at the Grammy Museum’s Clive Davis Sound Stage in L.A., 8 pm.

√   AJ CROCE, son of legendary singer-songwriter Jim Croce, plays Largo at the Coronet in L.A., 7 pm.

√   PACIFIC SYMPHONY begins the first of three nights of “A BERNSTEIN APPRECIATION” in Segerstrom Hall at Orange County Performing Arts Center in OC (Costa Mesa), 8 pm.
 
 
 
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NEWS FEATURES for
Wednesday, January 29
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♪  A WHIRLWIND SATURDAY at NAMM

Guide correspondent Annette Siegel covers a lot of ground in a single day at the music industry’s biggest show

by Annette Siegel

Plotting my day in advance for NAMM was essential, knowing I would only have so much time and energy to see all I could in the one day I could be there.

My first stop was a meeting with SCOTT TICHENOR, the owner and Webmaster of the “Mandolin Café,” the place to go on the web for anything you want to know about that eight-stringed instrument and those who play it, or want to learn to play it better. The interview is lengthy, so it will be published separately (watch for it).

Then it was off to the Anaheim Convention Center’s Hall E, which I knew would feature more of what interests acoustic string players. That brought a stop to visit with BRUCE WEBER. Some may not know that he sold his company, Weber String Instruments, to the Two Old Hippies Stringed Instruments brand, where it joins Breedlove and Bedell under the same banner. Bruce spoke of the many changes he has seen in his life with his son and Weber, now in Bend, Oregon.

Oasis, Inc. makes a humidifier for acoustic instruments, and I talked with the folks at their display. Properly humidifying your instruments is among the most important factors to prevent damage to your instrument and avoid shrinkage and cracks. I’ve tried the Dampit and was curious about their product. They were kind enough to give me a sample to try at home and showed me how to put it in a case or instrument. I’ll let you know after some evaluation time.

Jeff Hoffee from Hoffee custom cases was there to show his carbon fiber instrument cases, made in the USA. They are beautiful, as well as very protective of your instrument. Not inexpensive, but worth it for your nicer instruments.

Collings Instruments were showcasing their new tenor guitar model. I tried it out, but with all of the noise in the Hall it’s hard to give you a meaningful review. Same with one of the mandolins I picked up. There is something to be said for the booths that feature an enclosed area where you can truly hear an instrument without all the distraction and cacaphonous Decibels around you.

A planned highlight was the journey upstairs to visit the Taylor Guitar suite. They sure know how to showcase their instruments and take care of their customers. With their own stage for musicians and interviews and excellent sound, it’s a great hideaway. Of course, there is plenty of Taylor gear on hand to try, and unlike other exhibitors, they have a sales counter, so you can take home something, from a t-shirt to something substantial.

My only venture into Hall C was to check-out Clarke’s Tin Whistles from the UK. They are a relatively inexpensive instrument to buy and very easy to tote around. Yes, I had to enact a transaction to take a couple home to try. They come in various colors, and that’s a cosmetic consideration. Unfortunately for the Clark people, they were put right next to the Ludwig drum booth. I’m sure this made a very long NAMM for them.

Our staff from the Guide wrapped-up the day with Muriel Andersen’s annual “All Star Guitar Night” benefit concert. Muriel, the only woman player ever to win the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship, knows everyone in the business, and always books the best for her annual trademarked show. The night’s lineup was an incredible array of musicians, showing us their talent in two or three songs / tunes each. Most of it was acoustic guitars, and that made it especially delightful.

And there you have it. NAMM in a day. All of it can’t be done, but even one day there is amazing.

*** You can contact Annette Siegel at www.LivingTreeMusic.com
 
 
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♪  “THE DROP: SUZY BOGGUSS” TONIGHT AT THE GRAMMY MUSEUM IN L.A.

Her new album, “Lucky,” is a collection of acoustic-based arrangements of MERLE HAGGARD classics. Tonight brings a performance-interview commemorating the CD release.

Suzy Bogguss is one of country music’s most pristine and evocative vocalists. With the release of the Illinois native’s 1989 major label debut, “Somewhere Between,” Bogguss quickly became one of the key artists that defined those golden days of ’90s country. She scored a string of Top 10 singles with country radio staples like “Outbound Plane,” “Drive South,” “Hey Cinderella,” “Letting Go” and “Aces,” and her 1991 album of that name was certified platinum. In addition, she scored a trio of gold albums and notched more than 3 million sales. With her latest release, “Lucky,” on Suzy’s own label Loyal Dutchess, the singer comes full circle, returning to her early inspiration, Merle Haggard. “Lucky” is remarkable in its freshness. Its acoustic-based arrangements, while sparse, crackle with vibrancy. Each song is driven by the perfect marriage of Bogguss’ delicate voice and the adventurous, yet tasteful, playing of the band. It’s indicative of what Haggard himself would do in the studio.

Tonight, you can celebrate “Lucky,” just days before its release, and buy a copy before it becomes available elsewhere. In addition to an interview, Bogguss will take audience questions and perform a selection of songs.

Doors open at 7:30 pm, and the event begins at 8 pm  “THE DROP: SUZY BOGGUSS” happens at the Grammy Museum’s Clive Davis Sound Stage, 800 W Olympic Bl (entrance around the corner on Figueroa), L.A. 90015.

All proceeds benefit the GRAMMY Museum. Doors at 7 pm for the best seats.

Tix, $15, at 213-765-6803 or www.grammymuseum.org

The Guide suggests you avoid the expensive parking at Staples Center by parking a few blocks away, or riding the Red Line subway ($1.50 each way) from one of the free park-and-ride lots at the Universal City or North Hollywood Stations. The Grammy Museum is a three-block walk down Figueroa from the 7th St / Metro Center Station.
 
 
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♪  BANJO LEGEND BILL EMERSON & SWEET DIXIE HAVE NEW RELEASE

Called a “Banjo Legend” by the Washington Post, BILL EMERSON is certainly one of the most influential musicians in today’s Bluegrass music.

Nashville-based Rural Rhythm Records made an unusual announcement January 28 for a new single from BILL EMERSON & SWEET DIXIE. A single, warranting a press release? Written by SWEET DIXIE member and featured vocalist Chris Stifel, the single “Dancin’ Annie” is the title track of the upcoming BILL EMERSON & SWEET DIXIE album scheduled for release on CD and digital formats on March 4th. The label obviously expects good things and is ramping-up early.

“Bill Emerson embodies the best of what bluegrass music is all about. ‘Dancin' Annie’ couples Bill's precise, crisp banjo playing with soulful vocals to give the listener nearly three minutes of bluegrass perfection. It's excellent!” ~ Kyle Cantrell, Sirius XM’s “Bluegrass Junction.”

The “Dancin’ Annie” album will be Bill’s fourth on Rural Rhythm Records. That includes his solo album “Eclipse” from 2011. The new album will have 12 songs, including two new originals by renowned bluegrass and country songwriters Pete Goble and Leroy Drumm. The tracks are “Days When You Were Mine,” “This Heart You Have Broken,” Bill Emerson’s instrumental “State Line Ride,” “He Knows My Name” by Rob Mills, “Two Hands on the Wheel” by Nancy Pate, and two songs from SWEET DIXIE band members, including the first single, “Dancin’ Annie,” by Chris Stifel, and “Whistle Stop” by Wayne Lanham.

When the full album arrives, it will bring an acoustic blend of traditional and contemporary bluegrass, classic country, dynamic instrumentals and rich gospel songs featuring three distinct lead singers; Chris Stifel, Teri Chism and Wayne Lanham.

And that’s representative of one current in today’s music – an effort to broaden appeal by giving roots music and bluegrass a sound that’s akin enough to country to draw that audience. Still, this isn’t a project by wild-eyed new-fangled types who don’t know their bluegrass. BILL EMERSON first established himself in 1957 as a banjo virtuoso and history-maker. He was a founding member of the famed Bluegrass ensemble THE COUNTRY GENTLEMEN, and he was billed as a featured artist while he performed with JIMMY MARTIN during the height of that bluegrass legend's career. Emerson is the man who introduced the classic "Fox on the Run" to bluegrass, and he was the founder and shaper of COUNTRY CURRENT, the world renowned bluegrass ensemble of the United States Navy Band.

We ’spect things to get interesting. Meantime, check-out the new single.

More at: www.bluegrassville.com/billemerson
And at their label, www.ruralrhythm.com
 
 
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♪  “REEL ROCKUMENTARIES” FILM SERIES RETURNS TO SAN PEDRO

Grand Vision Foundation, the nonprofit arts and education organization that operates the Warner Grand Theatre and Grand Annex in San Pedro, announced yesterday their schedule of screenings for the second annual “Reel Rockumentary Film Series.” Four award-winning and highly acclaimed music-themed documentaries will screen, one time each, from February through April 2014 on the big screen at the Warner Grand Theatre. They are:

“Good Ol’ Freda” (2013) on Sun, Feb 9
“The Last Waltz” (1978) on Fri, Feb 14
“Woodstock” (1970) on Fri, Mar 14
Muscle Shoals (2013) on Fri, Apr 11

These events are co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) and the San Pedro Film Society, Art in Motion, and the San Pedro International Film Festival (SPIFFest).

Taran Schinder, Artistic Director of the Grand Annex / Grand Vision Foundation, tells us, "Grand Vision has a long history as the Friends Group to the Warner Grand, and now, we also play a new role in town, producing live music at the Grand Annex. We’re connecting the two with Reel Rockumentaries, by putting iconic concerts and the behind-the-scenes stories on the big screen and celebrating rock and roll history.”

Tickets for each screening are $12 general admission, $10 for students, seniors and military. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased online at www.grandvision.org.

The screening of “Woodstock” occasions a “Cosplay” event (a word that combines “costume” and “play.” Screening attendees are encouraged to come dressed as hippies, and prizes will be awarded for the best costumes.

2014 Reel Rockumentary Films:

“GOOD ‘OL FREDA” (2013) screens Sunday, Feb 9, at 7 pm. Directed by Ryan White (“Pelada”), it tells the tale of the Beatles' devoted secretary and friend, Freda Kelly. Freda was there as history unfolded, and she tells her stories for the first time in 50 years. One of the few films with the support of the living Beatles, it features original Beatles music and offers an insider perspective on the lads from Liverpool who changed the music industry.

“THE LAST WALTZ” (1978) screens Friday, Feb 14, at 8 pm. This is Martin Scorsese’s famous account of Levon Helms' and Robbie Robertson's legendary rock group, The Band. The series is billing it as a "Rocker's Date Night." The film offers a glimpse at one of the greatest groups of the 1960s, and includes brilliant performances by The Band, Muddy Waters, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Van Morrison, Emmylou Harris, the Staple Singers, and more. The all-star camera crew and superb stereo sound mix create what is considered to be of the best-looking and sounding rock films ever.

“WOODSTOCK” (1970) screens Friday, March 14, at 8 pm. The series gets some "flower power" with the iconic film that covers the three-day 1969 event that remains the most famous music festival of all time. The film includes performances by Jimi Hendrix; The Who; Joe Cocker; Jefferson Airplane; Crosby, Stills and Nash; John Sebastian; Santana; Sly and The Family Stone; Sha-Na-Na; Arlo Guthrie; Richie Havens; and Joan Baez. It has been called “the benchmark of concert movies and one of the most entertaining documentaries ever made.” Directed by Michael Wadleigh, “Woodstock” received the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature as well as a nomination for Best Sound.

“MUSCLE SHOALS” (2013) screens Friday, April 11, at 8 pm, and concludes the series. “Muscle Shoals” is a true story about Alabama’s FAME Recording Studios during the 1960s. Directed by Greg ‘Freddy’ Camalier, FAME Recording Studios became the surprise hitmaker for some of America's most defining music. Overcoming crushing poverty and staggering tragedies, FAME Studios founder Rick Hall brought black and white together in Alabama's cauldron of racial hostility to create music for the generations. Greg Allman, Bono, Clarence Carter, Mick Jagger, Etta James, Alicia Keys, Keith Richards, Percy Sledge and others bear witness to Muscle Shoals' magnetism, mystery, and why it remains influential today.

More on the film series, concerts, and other events at the foundation’s pair of venues, at www.grandvision.org
 
 
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♪   CAJUN artist GANEY ARSEMENT goes for AMERICANA AUDIENCE with album, “LE FORGERON”

“Le Forgeron,” despite its mixture of tracks in Cajun French and English, is Ganey Arsement’s intentional giant step away from Cajun and into Americana. Influenced by the music of Sonnier and Kershaw in the eighties and nineties, as well as the music of Buddy and Julie Miller, the CD covers a broad spectrum of genres ranging from Cajun, Zydeco, Blues, Country and Texas Swing.

A twenty-year veteran in the Cajun music industry, Ganey Arsement has shared the stage with some of the most revered names in the genre. A former member of the bands Balfa Toujours and the Basin Brothers, Ganey has performed with Jo-EL Sonnier, Doug Kershaw, Wayne Toups, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, Sheryl Cormier, Jesse Lege’ and many others.

Nine of the songs on “Le Forgeron” are original tunes composed by Ganey. Six of the tunes are in English (one with English and French), and the remaining tunes are in Cajun French. The entire CD is a tribute to his great-grandfather, his greatest musical influence. The opening track is Ganey’s modernized version of his great-grandfather’s song, featured in its original form as the album’s final track.

The production of Le Forgeron was funded in part by the Louisiana Division of the Arts, which recognized Ganey as a valuable asset to the musical community of Louisiana and awarded him an “Artist Career Advancement” grant.

This album blends the pulse of the accordion and the moaning of the fiddle in Cajun music, and mixes them with gut-wrenching emotion derived from a screaming electric guitar and rocking rhythm section. There is the twang of a tearful Country song here, too. The label refers to the totality as “AmeriCajun.”

Devon Leger, writing in No Depression, says, “I've been a fan of Ganey Arsement for a while now, not just because of his powerful accordion playing or excellent Cajun singing, but really because he's a great French language songwriter. There aren't a ton of Cajuns actively writing songs in French these days, so it's meaningful to have a good writer bringing out new songs. Arsement is a good English writer, as well. He writes what he knows.”

The album has fifteen tracks; English titles indicate English lyrics:
1. Le Forgeron (3:17); 2. La Verite’ (3:45); 3. John Dale’s Zydeco (2:44); 4. La Pistache a Tante Nana (3:47); 5. Petite ou la Grosse (3:42); 6. C’est Trop Tard (3:34); 7. Pipeliner Blues (5:45); 8. Quand les Temps Après Finir (4:39); 9. Bayou Anglais (3:20); 10. Here, in My Arms (4:28); 11. In the Pines (2:29); 12. A Small Town (4:13); 13. I’m Sorry (2:44); 14. Back to You (2:51); 15. Le Two-Step du Forgeron (2:58).

While it’s not acoustic Americana, we choose to tell you about it because the album was named one of the “Top Ten Roots Albums of 2013” by:
√  Philadelphia City Paper
√  OffBeat Magazine (December 2013)
√  Americana Music Show

More at:
www.ganeyarsement.com
 
 
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♪  LEVON HELM, in a VIDEO BLAST FROM THE PAST

Before he died, LEVON HELM held concerts at his barn in Woodstock, New York, and he called these “The Midnight Ramble.” On January 28, from Southport, Connecticut, Roy Ward reported, “Last night, the Midnight Ramble Band, including the great Larry Campbell, played at the Capitol Theater in Portchester, joined by Bill Payne and David Bromberg. Among a lot of other songs, they played this one.”

He sent a link for The Band, "Shape I'm In," album version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=oHCVTM6obmo
 
 
 
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♪  ONGOING MUSIC & ART EVENTS
 
 
Ongoing (opened Jan 17),
in Santa Monica:
"CIRQUE DU SOLEIL" presents "TOTEM" opening today under the Big Top at the Santa Monica Pier.
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"TOTEM traces the fascinating journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly. The characters evolve on a stage evoking a giant turtle, the symbol of origin for many ancient civilizations. Inspired by many founding myths, TOTEM illustrates, through a visual and acrobatic language, the evolutionary progress of species. Somewhere between science and legend, TOTEM explores the ties that bind Man to other species, his dreams and his infinite potential." -- the show's promo.
+
"Spectacular, artful. Breathtaking and deliciously ironic." -- The Toronto Star.
+
"TOTEM is visually ravishing" -- The Boston Globe.
+
Tix by phone, at 800-450-1480.
+
Tix & info online, at:
http://m.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/totem/americas/usa/california/santa-monica.aspx

++++++

Through January, in L.A.:
"JOHN FOGERTY: WROTE A SONG FOR EVERYONE, " is the wonderful temporary exhibition at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, on display through this month. It features artifacts from his personal collection, and it is named after his current album, hailed by fans and critics alike. John Fogerty’s music was considered rock when he first made it with CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL, but, current and retro, it’s classic roots-rock-Americana now. The album received a rare 5-star lead review in Rolling Stone. Included with regular museum admission, which also includes the temporary exhibition, “RINGO: PEACE & LOVE.”
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At the Grammy Museum, 800 W Olympic Bl (entrance around the corner on Figueroa), L.A. 90015; check for museum hours: 213-765-6803;  HYPERLINK "http://www.grammymuseum.org" www.grammymuseum.org.
 
 
 
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♪  WEDNESDAY-Only MUSIC EVENTS
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Wednesday, January 29, 2014
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Wed-Sat, Jan 29-Feb 1,
FESTIVAL & CONFERENCE,
in Northern Nevada:
♪  30th Annual “NATIONAL COWBOY POETRY GATHERING” in Elko, Nevada, fills all the lodgings for a hundred miles, and brings stage performances, showcases, music and poetry, awards, western art exhibitions, and a lot of saddle pal camaraderie.
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Info at: www.westernfolklife.org/National-Cowboy-Poetry-Gathering-General-Info/national-cowboy-poetry-gathering-home-page.html


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Wed, Jan 29, in Venice:
5:30 pm  Twice-monthly “OPEN MIC” at the Talking Stick Coffee Lounge, 1411 Lincoln Bl, Venice 92091.

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Wed, Jan 29, in San Diego:
6 pm  “SAN DIEGO SONGWRITERS MEETUP” at New Expression Music, 4434 30th St, San Diego 92116; 619-280-9035.

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Wed, Jan 29, in Murrieta:
6:30 pm  THE SHAM JAM hosted by SIMON & HUNTER at the Shamrock Irish Pub & Eatery, 39252 Winchester Rd #145, Murrieta 92563; www.theshamrockirishpubandeatery.com; 951-696-5252.

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Wed, Jan 29, in VC (Simi Valley):
6:30 pm  SONGMAKERS twice-monthly “SIMI VALLEY HOOT” in Simi Valley. Location and info at www.songmakers.org

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Wed, Jan 29, in L.A.:
7 pm  AJ CROCE, son of legendary singer-songwriter Jim Croce, plays Largo at the Coronet, 366 N La Cienega Bl, L.A. 90048;  HYPERLINK "http://largo-la.com" http://largo-la.com; 310-855-0350.
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Willie Nelson says, “A.J. Croce has wisdom beyond his years. With his music, he represents his generation with a profound sense of honesty in his lyrics and quality in his delivery. The future of entertainment is safe in his hands!”
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A.J. Croce will unveil his most ambitious recording project to date, entitled “TWELVE TALES,” due out February 4 on Compass Records. In anticipation of this new release, AJ is bringing his talents and original material to the Los Angeles area this week. Croce began his career at age 17 opening for B.B. King and has since spanned genres from jazz to Americana to blues to pop. Croce has written with artists including Willie Nelson, Arlo Guthrie, Ben Harper and Steve Poltz and headlined festivals and shared the stage with artists including Ray Charles, James Brown, Lyle Lovett, and Rod Stewart. Additionally, Croce has performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show with David Letterman, Conan, and Austin City Limits, and received praise from The New York Times, Rolling Stone, People Magazine and more.

More at www.ajcrocemusic.com
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Catch some videos of AJ performing at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ajcrocemusic
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More at:
http://compassrecords.com/AJ-Croce 
and
http://shorefire.com/client/AJ-Croce

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Wed, Jan 29, in South Pasadena:
7 pm  Weekly “WINE & SONG” showcase series with invited recording artists and performing host BRAD COLERICK, all playing acoustic, at the Firefly Bistro, 1009 El Centro St, South Pasadena 91030; 626-441-2443; www.WineAndSong.com

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Wed, Jan 29, near LAX:
7 pm  Weekly “GUITAROLOGY” showcase at Melody Bat & Grill, 9132 S Sepulveda Bl, Los Angeles 90045; 310-670-1994.

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Wed, Jan 29, in L.A.:
8 pm  “THE DROP: SUZY BOGGUSS” is a performance-interview commemorating the release of her new CD, “Lucky,” at the Grammy Museum’s Clive Davis Sound Stage, 800 W Olympic Bl (entrance around the corner on Figueroa), L.A. 90015; 213-765-6803;  HYPERLINK "http://www.grammymuseum.org" www.grammymuseum.org.
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Her new album is a collection of acoustic-based arrangements of Merle Haggard classics.
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Suzy Bogguss is one of country music’s most pristine and evocative vocalists. With the release of the Illinois native’s 1989 major label debut, “Somewhere Between,” Bogguss quickly became one of the key artists that defined those golden days of ’90s country. She scored a string of Top 10 singles with country radio staples like “Outbound Plane,” “Drive South,” “Hey Cinderella,” “Letting Go” and “Aces,” and her 1991 album of that name was certified platinum. In addition, she scored a trio of gold albums and notched more than 3 million sales. With her latest release, “Lucky,” on Suzy’s own label Loyal Dutchess, the singer comes full circle, returning to her early inspiration, Merle Haggard. “Lucky” is remarkable in its freshness. Its acoustic-based arrangements, while sparse, crackle with vibrancy. Each song is driven by the perfect marriage of Bogguss’ delicate voice and the adventurous, yet tasteful, playing of the band. It’s indicative of what Haggard himself would do in the studio. Celebrate “Lucky,” just days before its release. In addition to an interview, Bogguss will take audience questions and will perform a selection of songs. Doors open at 7:30 pm.
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All proceeds benefit the GRAMMY Museum. Doors at 7 pm for the best seats.
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Tix, $15, at 213-765-6803 or www.grammymuseum.org
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The Guide suggests you avoid the expensive parking at Staples Center by parking a few blocks away, or riding the Red Line subway ($1.50 each way) from one of the free park-and-ride lots at the Universal City or North Hollywood Stations. The Grammy Museum is a three-block walk down Figueroa from the 7th St / Metro Center Station.


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Wed-Fri, Jan 29-31, in OC (Costa Mesa):
8 pm  PACIFIC SYMPHONY plays “A BERNSTEIN APPRECIATION” for three nights in Segerstrom Hall at Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Dr, Costa Mesa; 714-556-2787;  HYPERLINK "http://www.ocpac.org" \t "_blank" www.ocpac.org.
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The first American-born conductor to become a superstar, LEONARD BERNSTEIN changed the face of music. Together with other artists who were privileged to work with the fabled conductor, Pacific Symphony Music Director CARL St.CLAIR offers a heartfelt tribute to the man he calls the greatest influence on his musical life.
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Program:
Bernstein:  Symphony No. 2, “Age of Anxiety”
Bernstein:  Slava!
Bernstein:  Arias and Barcarolles
Bernstein:  Selections from “Trouble In Tahiti”
Bernstein:  Selections from “Wonderful Town”
Bernstein:  “Somewhere” from “West Side Story”
Bernstein:  Overture to “Candide”
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Featured members of the symphony:
Carl St.Clair, conductor
Benjamin Pasternack, piano
Dawn Upshaw, soprano
Jamie Bernstein, special guest host
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“Music Unwound” enhancements are thanks to a generous grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
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Tix at 714-755-5799 or www.PacificSymphony.org

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Wed, Jan 29, in Venice:
8 pm  JENNI ALPERT begins an every-other-week residency with special guests at Witz End, 1717 Lincoln Bl, Venice 90291.
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Jenni tells us, “Come on down and join the fun. I will be performing several new songs that will be on my my new record which is in the making for later this year. If you are a songwriter, feel free to say hello and I will get you up for a song.”
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She adds, “Also excited to announce some very exciting news that will be taking place in Austin, TX during SXSW so please stay tuned for showcase information.”
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Wednesday Jan 29, 8 pm; guests: secret surprise.
Wednesday Feb 12, 8 pm; guests: Tracee Perrin, Pontea.
Wednesday Feb 26, 8 pm; guests, Devyn Rush, Chris Joyner.

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Wed, Jan 29, in SFV (Sherman Oaks):
8 pm  Weekly “ACOUSTIC CORDIALE” showcase at Café Cordiale, 14015 Ventura Bl, Sherman Oaks, 91423; 818-789-1985.

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Wed, Jan 29, in SFV (Chatsworth):
8 pm  An undisclosed “AMERICANA / ALT-COUNTRY / TRAD COUNTRY BAND” plays the Cowboy Palace, 21635 Devonshire St, Chatsworth; 818-341-0166.
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This is L.A.’s last real honky tonk. No cover, full bar, lots of fun. Go early for the nightly free dance lesson.
 
 
 
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More, soon, as always.
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♪  The Guide will be making CH-CH-CHANGES – turn, embrace the change -- in 2014. Some folks will like some, others will not. There will be points of departure to make room (and time) for the new. We’ll do what we can, because as always, we operate with the editor’s motto, “One does what one can.”
 
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MOBILE-DEVICE-FRIENDLY editions load quickly at
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CONTACT US / Questions / Comments / SUBSCRIBE to our notices, etc., all at
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tiedtothetracks@hotmail.com
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Contents copyright © 2014,
Lawrence Wines & Tied to the Tracks.
All rights reserved.
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The ACOUSTIC AMERICANA MUSIC GUIDE endeavors to bring you NEWS and views of interest to artists everywhere, more specifically to musicians and the creative community, and music makers and fans of acoustic and Folk-Americana music, both traditional and innovative. We provide a wealth of resources, including a HUGE catalog of acoustic-friendly venues, and schedules of performances in Southern California venues large and small. We cover workshops and other events for artists and folks in the music industry, and all kids o’ things in the world of acoustic and Americana and accessible classical music. From washtub bass to musical spoons to oboe to viola to banjo to squeezebox, from Djangostyle to new-fangled-old-time string band music, from sweet Cajun fiddle to pre-bluegrass Appalachian mountain music to proto blues.
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The Acoustic Americana Music Guide. We’re on it.
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PETE SEEGER is remembered by musicians and many who knew him ~ Jan 29, 2014


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Today, the Guide has two editions. The other one is a News and Live Music edition. This one is a special edition, and it's "part two" of our tribute to PETE SEEGER, who died Monday evening.

Yesterday’s edition of the Acoustic Americana Music Guide brought our initial tribute to the Folk-Americana music icon, and legend of human rights and social activism. But it immediately became clear that more was being said and written and needed to be shared with our readers.

Here, collected from various sources, are words about Pete, many that express his influence in very personal stories, some for the first time.

Arlo Guthrie wrote:

Pete Seeger:
I usually do a little meditation and prayer every night before I go to sleep - Just part of the routine. Last night, I decided to go visit Pete Seeger for a while, just to spend a little time together, it was around 9 PM. So I was sitting in my home in Florida, having a lovely chat with Pete, who was in a hospital in New York City. That's the great thing about thoughts and prayers-You can go or be anywhere.

I simply wanted him to know that I loved him dearly, like a father in some ways, a mentor in others and just as a dear friend a lot of the time. I'd grown up that way - loving the Seegers - Pete & Toshi and all their family.

I let him know I was having trouble writing his obituary (as I'd been asked) but it seemed just so silly and I couldn't think of anything that didn't sound trite or plain stupid. "They'll say something appropriate in the news," we agreed. We laughed, we talked, and I took my leave about 9:30 last night.

"Arlo" he said, sounding just like the man I've known all of my life, "I guess I'll see ya later." I've always loved the rising and falling inflections in his voice. "Pete," I said. "I guess we will."

I turned off the light and closed my eyes and fell asleep until very early this morning, about 3 AM when the texts and phone calls started coming in from friends telling me Pete had passed away.

"Well, of course he passed away!" I'm telling everyone this morning. "But that doesn't mean he's gone."

***

Peter Krantz, at 11:47pm:
Wow, not Pete Seeger???!!!! I figured he was indestructible! So sad, the world is diminished with his loss.

***

Judy Collins photo:
At the 2013 Clearwater Festival. Toshi Seeger, Tinya Seeger, Judy Collins and Pete Seeger.
Via Marcia Stehr.

https://fbcdn-photos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1/c1.0.719.960/s600x600/1013504_679610702089838_817047279_n.jpg

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Jim Lauderdale:
The last time I saw Pete was a few years ago at the Ann Arbor Folk Festival. He led the crowd in a sing along to Amazing Grace and it was one of the most moving beautiful things I have ever experienced. His grandson, Tao (who is a fine musician), was with him and it was very touching to see how he cared and loved him. He was a man who lived by his beliefs and convictions. Truly helping to make the world a better place. He helped bring about change and was unafraid to take a stand about such things like civil rights and the environment when it was unpopular and dangerous. He lived with strength, grace and kindness. What an inspiration. Thank you Pete for your music and the way you lived. Rest in peace. --- Jim

***

Jerry Yester:
A few major markers in my life are: hearing the Weavers Carnegie Hall concert #1 for the first time; getting my Vega Pete Seeger long neck banjo with Pete's signature inside; September 23rd 1964, waiting with the MFQ backstage at the Hollywood Bowl to go on for the No on Prop 14 Benefit concert, five feet away from my Hero (I was too backward and shy to say Hello); and seeing Pete in his TV debut after the blacklist, on the Smothers Bros. show singing "We're knee deep in the Big Muddy and the big fool says to push on". There were lots of others involving Pete. There were lots of moments with Dave Guard, my #2 Hero, and Pete was his #1. What an amazing man Pete was. It's hard to imagine in my quite normal self involved world, someone who consistently gave so much to so many, on a daily basis. Thanks so much Pete for all you gave to me. I think you and Toshi are reunited. Bless you both

***

Peter Krantz:
I am amazed by how many of my FB friends knew Pete Seeger personally or had at least met him. While this may testify as to the great musical connections of my FB friends, I think its more due to Pete's outgoing nature, sharing spirit and wonderful sense of community! If we indeed are "the tribe" that many think we are, then Pete was our "shaman"!

***

Suzzy Roche:
Pete Seeger will live forever... a brave soul...a believer...an adventurer. A national treasure for sure.

***

Robert Morgan Fisher:
THIS IS A MAN: Pete Seeger suffered for his art, and his art was all about making life better for everyone. They used to detain him at airports and destroy his handmade guitar ("searching for drugs" supposedly--he never touched the stuff). Stand up and be counted, don't let the bastards get you down. That's what Pete Seeger taught me. Thank you, Pete.

***

Paul Zollo shared Peter Zollo's photo.
nice - the two most important Petes in my life - Seeger & Zollo - my brother Peter has idolized and loved Pete as much as I did, and my dad did, our whole lives. I was lucky to get to interview Pete several times - this one in NY where I took this photo; afterwards we went out for lunch with Pete and Toshi with the hopes of a long talk with Pete. But he was hungry - and instead of talking much, he polished off two complete lunches. My office is a shrine to him - with letters, cards and even a leaf he sent me back in 1988, after our first interview. He said "all songwriters are links in a chain." But without his link, songwriting would never have been the same. Love you Pete.

***

Peter Zollo:
(Photo) with Pete Seeger, one of my heroes, who died last night at 94. He's my answer to the question, "If you could have dinner with anybody, who would it be?" I had lunch with Pete, his wife Toshi, and my brother Paul Zollo about 10 years ago in NYC. How lucky and amazing.

***

Bill Burnett:
Very sad to learn of the death of Pete Seeger, a true American and a truly great artist, singer, player, and eternal flame spirit. Here's a post I did about him a few year's back at The Songmine. We never did get Pete his Nobel prize. Maybe posthumously?

***

Jeff Kossack:
Sad day losing anyone, but saddest for losing Pete Seeger, one of folk's founding fathers, and carrier of the flame...

The best tribute I can think of would be to make good music, today and always...

Fare thee well, Pete Seeger...

***

Lisa Nemzo:
Pete Seeger hosted a local talent show at the Newport Folk Festival one summer- I was 13 or 14 yrs old. I played one of my originals and he told me I was very good and to never give up! To believe in myself. He was a very encouraging and supportive man.

In 2011, I asked his permission to use a few lines from "Where Have All the Flowers Gone " at the end of my song and music video "Arlington". His reply was, may I hear it and what is the intention for the video? I answered it was to promote peace and to honor the fallen veterans and help those returning with PTSD. Permission came swiftly from him and his sister. I was beyond thrilled. When I read the news of his passing, it felt like someone close to me had died. Sadness and the loss of a hero in many ways. He modeled standing up for what you believed in. An American folk hero. He will be missed.

***

www.BoomUnderground.com:
FAREWELL TO PETE SEEGER who gave us decades of music & social activism. Thank you for all of it, Pete & for reminding us to "Turn, Turn, Turn." RIP

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DeAnna Davis-Rice Âû:
RIP Pete Seeger, we have lost a important voice, an important musician, a great great man. My prayers to his family. X*{

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Media Matters for America:
Thanks to Pete Seeger for reminding us what it means to be a good person--and a good American. We'll miss you, Pete.

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Rick Shea shared Bryan Thomas's photo:
2-year-old Pete Seeger with his musical family.

https://fbcdn-photos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1/s600x600/1653509_10152158045451069_1864454216_n.jpg

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Kristin DeWitt and Gene Mynahan shared a link.

House Unamerican Activities Committee, August 18, 1955, with Pete Seeger.

http://www.peteseeger.net/HUAC.htm

Kristin DeWitt:
This is just fascinating. And inspirational.

***

The Harry Chapin site shared Jen Chapin's post, from near Brooklyn, NY:
My brother just texted me that Pete Seeger has died. I'm crying a little, not from sadness so much as deep gratitude and wonder for this life.

***

Annie Wenz:
Celebrate Pete Seeger... Such an inspiration! May we all learn from him. Sing together. Make a difference. Leave something beautiful behind!

My Pete story... Several years ago, I was approached by my good friend Rik Palieri who'd been friends with Pete for years. Rik had toured with some great guys in Germany & they decided to put together "Deutsch American Folk tours" where songwriters would use music as an example of bringing people together, in the US & Germany. Pete was endorsing & Martin Guitars was sponsoring the tour.

Rik was talking with Pete who was giving all sorts of input & guidance. Pete said "You need women too!"... so I was asked... (yaaay!)

The tours were SUCH an amazing, amazing experience. I've always been so grateful to Rik & to Pete for making sure we carried & passed that torch...

(Thanks to Jake Jacobson for the great photo capturing Pete's Joy!, & to Bernd Häber for continuing to pass Pete's torch as well)

Jake Jacobson:
So many pictures of Pete today. (Photo) This one is at Newport in 2009. Remember him with your actions.

***

Matt Cartsonis, at 12:37 am, just after the news of Pete's death; near Santa Monica, CA:

I first met Pete Seeger the same way everybody else of my generation did… through "Birds, Beasts, Bugs and Little Fishes" and "Concert at Town Hall". "3 Saints, 4 Sinners and 6 Other People". I learned how to yodel on "Way Out There, and got my first bump-ditty banjo licks from his little red book.

I got to know who he was through "The Incompleat Folksinger" and the subscription to Sing Out! Magazine my aunt and uncle got me in high school… where, in his column, "Johnny Appleseed, Jr.", he once published his mailing address.

I made contact with him via that address when I was working as a so-called counselor for juvenile delinquents in Key West, Florida. I had a copy of Pete's book, "The Steel Drums of Kim Loy Wong" that I'd dragged with me from Arizona, and we had all these 55-gallon drums all over the Navy yard where I lived, and thought it would be good angst reduction therapy for the juvies to pound on said barrels with sledgehammers to make musical pans. And, thanks to Pete's instruction, we managed to actually do it-- but they didn't look like modern steel drums. So I wrote to Pete about it. And he wrote back, explaining why. And tonight I really wish those mice in Poughkeepsie hadn't made nesting material out of that letter.

Three months later I was up at Vassar, and met Pete in person at the Clearwater annual meeting. We were introduced, and he says, "Matt, do you play the banjo?" and hands me his. The one we all know. He takes my guitar and we sit down and pick for about an hour. I'm not sure I've gotten over that moment yet. No… I am sure. I haven't. And won't.

Then there were the crazy shenanigans with Kim, Norman, Geoff Brown… recording "The New Hamburg Soft Shoe" down in the City, and playing on the train-- and being told to shut up by the conductor--"passengers are complaining."

Then… the summer working on the Revival up in their barn (Toshi plucked me out of the Clearwater office where I'd been volunteering answering phones). Pete waking me up at 6am with banjo licks "We've got to take the truck down to Newburgh to get those folding chairs for the Strawberry Festival…"

Holy cow, there are a lot of stories.

Through the years I saw Pete and Toshi sporadically-- sometimes in Arizona, a couple of times here in California, and I tried to time my infrequent trips back to New York to coincide with the first Friday of the month, when the Beacon Sloop Club has its regular meetings, traditionally ending with a Pete-led hoot. Sometimes Kim and I would drop in up at the house. As Pete got older, his memory of me faded a little, but Toshi's didn't…

For those who never got to meet Pete or Toshi… they were everything you'd hope they'd be. And it is going to be a very, very weird world without them. So long, Pete. It WAS good to know you.

Matt Cartsonis later added:
I neglected to mention, by the way, that one of the main reasons I went to Vassar College in the first place is because Pete (I'm not a stalker, just like to be around quality) and the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater were around Poughkeepsie. Figured that to do good stuff, the first step is to show up. Much to the degradation of my grade point average… but, well, I can affirm: in the long run, no regrets.

***

Chad Watson shared Matt Cartsonis's photo; Chad wrote:
We will miss you, sir! Thanx Matt for the great stories... (Photo: Matt Cartsonis with Norman Plankey and Pete Seeger).

***

Tom Prasada-Rao:
Farewell Pete Seeger - you were such an inspiration! I'll never forget the day at the Portland Folk Alliance when you tracked me down to give me a pep talk. Thank you for your magnificent life!

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Pat Wictor:
My first time seeing Pete Seeger up close was at a house concert on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, 14+ years ago. Standing 10 feet from him, what I remember most was his outstanding musicianship. He played the banjo with nuance I'd never seen, pulling jazz chords and moving lines out of it. Of course, he led us all in singing together - and I understood for the first time that he could lead us so well because, among his many brilliant qualities, he was a master musician. I'll bet he's learning more songs from the ancestors, even now.

***

Gene Mynahan:
"This machine (banjo) surrounds hate and forces it to surrender." ~ Peter "Pete" Seeger (May 3rd, 1919 ~ January 27th, 2014)

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Michael Ann Azoulai:
"The key to the future of the world, is finding the optimistic stories and letting them be known"-thank you Pete Seger. You are a legend. RIP.

***

Angela Easterling:
Wonderful obituary by Chris Morris. What a life and what an inspiration.

Folk Music Legend Pete Seeger Dies at 94
Folk singer Pete Seeger, who established the …
variety.com

***

Gene Mynahan, at the conclusion of the State of the Union speech:
No mention of Pete Seeger's passing, is that correct or did I just miss it?
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Fakepage Foraccessonly:
The President did not mention Pete in the SOTU, and he should have. Pete, with Bruce Springsteen and other music luminaries, all performed in that amazing concert in DC two days before Barack Obama was Inaugurated in 2009. They expressed the hope for the change we're still waiting for. The President did make fitting remarks about Pete earlier today.
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Gene Mynahan:
...Nobody engendered the Progressive movement in this country more so than Mr. Seeger, nobody.

***

Greg Newlon:
rip Pete...if the rest of us would only contribute 1/1000 of what you did....

***  ***  ***

Many comments were made about Matt Cartsonis' essay on Pete Seeger (included in the foregoing). Some comments are so good we decided to share them:

Julie Maxey Zipperer:
RIP Pete Seeger! here's a beautiful tribute to him from a friend of mine, Matt Cartsonis!

David Serby:
Please read my pal Matt Cartsonis' beautiful tribute to Pete Seeger. Thanks, Matt for sharing your moments and memories.

Karen Hinderstein:
Thanks Matt. Love you.

Mark Lennon:
Thanks Matt, his legend will live because of people like you.

Carol McGovney:
Thank you Matt, for sharing great memories of The Legend, Pete Seeger, his kindness his talent his Goodness.

David Plenn:
Perfect: one storyteller celebrates another storyteller. Thanks for sharing, Matt.

Russell Paris:
http://youtu.be/cvnsB_kVNYI

Miriam Cutler:
Thanks for your beautiful post...crying...

Jonathan Wyner:
I'm so affected by his passing. Pete was one who championed truly American music and spirit - elevated from music by the folks to music by and for PEOPLE. His social justice spirit was woven into my life….and all the best to Kim, Jesse, Joel, Cory, Alice….on my mind.

John Sidle:
Last night we saw Sara Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion in concert. They mentioned Pete and sang one of his recent songs. We all ended up singing "This Land Is Your Land." I don't think they knew of Pete's death. It was a magical evening.

John Sidle:
Saw Pete around 1958 when I was a kid. He sat way up on a ladder back chair hunched over a mandolin playing "Woody's Rag." I thought he would fall over backwards! Next time at Fox Hollow Folk Festival around 1965. It was held outdoors on the Beers family property. I remember Pete's old 12-string with the triangular sound hole. There was a group of four or five of us (I think David Bromberg was there) and I believe we played together for a tune or two. Next morning, we campers were awakened to the strains of "Pretty Saro"... Pete piping on recorder down in the hollow. Truly, this is the end of an era.

Saralinda Subbiondo:
Beautiful. .thank you, Matt. So sorry for the loss of your friend xo

Tim Davis:
Love this, Mr. C. Thanks for keeping Pete alive - through you and your music. Just as Pete did w so many folks... and songs... and ideas... that came before him. I guess that's why they call it folk music. Though "human" music might've worked too. RIP Pete.

Jessie Rothwell:
love love love this story. Thanks, Matt.

Stephen Patt:
Keep the music flowin, bro...a loss to all of us, but he led a long and glorious life. See ya soon, s

Robert Morgan Fisher:
Tell it. Godspeed, Pete.

Richard Parks:
Thanks for taking us up to Beacon, Matt, and thanks for this remembrance.

Matt Cartsonis:
Richard, I am extraordinarily happy that happened. Was just remembering.

David Katz:
I'm glad you are around to remember him, genuine era on and fine writer that you are.

Pierce Gardner:
Your stories are heartfelt and touching. Thanks for sharing them with us. Pete was one of a kind, that's for sure, but he'll live on, in his music, and the memories of all who knew him.

Gary Austin Workshops:
I met Pete Seeger once. It was in the green room at The Greek Theatre in LA. He and Arlo had just done a concert and I told Pete "you're my hero." He told me that I shouldn't think of him as my hero. He told me why and I don't remember what he said. My sense memory tells me that to idolize another is to avoid doing and being that which one admire's in the "worshipped one."

Louisa Rachel Solomon:
Thanks, Matt. I'm so sorry -- it's always too soon with these giants. I feel lucky to know YOU and get to hear your stories.

Neal Skorka:
Thanks Matt. Beautifully said. I listened to Pete and the Weavers when I was a kid, spent two years working aboard Clearwater, and met my wife there, too. So Pete, unbeknownst to him, has always been part of the foundation of my life....I just never realized it till today. Imagine how many other people he has touched.

Matt Cartsonis:
It's sort of like contemplating the confines of the universe. And I'm not being cosmic.

Neal Skorka:
Yep. And he had 94 years to touch that universe.

Phoebe McKinney:
Now that was a great story to read about him. Thanks for sharing it, Matt. I remember Pete Seeger playing in the Vassar Chapel, and then meeting him sometime later in Cold Springs. He was such a humble and genuine man. I have been telling my colleagues here in Liberia all day long about an American hero named, "Pete Seeger," and how he made music his whole life for peace, justice, and solidarity. They were the ones who actually started calling him a hero after I told them about Seeger. And I couldn't agree with them more. RIP, you beautiful, peace-filled man.

Gary Austin Workshops:
MATT, Wendy Ishii sent this to me and it's meant for you. "Oh Matt, I have been thinking of you all morning and listening to your recording of "Sailing Time" as the tears flow... holding your hand in sorrow... xxx oo"

Matt Cartsonis:
"It's time to go now…"

Tirosh Schneider:
Thank you Matt, this is beautiful. He was the first concert I ever went to (at about 3 years old), and I haven't stopped listening to him since. Every story I hear is further confirmation that he is a real-life hero -artistically, politically, and personally. Thank you for carrying on his legacy and his spirit.

Dan Perloff:
First Warren and now Pete, coincidence, I think not.

Matt Cartsonis:

Ask Chris Morris.
Speaking of whom:

http://variety.com/2014/music/news/pete-seeger-dead-folk-legend-1201073804/

Folk Music Legend Pete Seeger Dies at 94. Variety.com

 
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So long, Pete. It’s been good to know you.
 
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Direct to the current editions /
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www.acousticamericana.blogspot.com
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CONTACT US / Questions / Comments / SUBSCRIBE to our notices, etc., all at
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tiedtothetracks@hotmail.com
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Contents copyright © 2014,
Lawrence Wines & Tied to the Tracks.
All rights reserved.
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The ACOUSTIC AMERICANA MUSIC GUIDE endeavors to bring you NEWS and views of interest to artists everywhere, more specifically to musicians and the creative community, and music makers and fans of acoustic and Folk-Americana music, both traditional and innovative. We provide a wealth of resources, including a HUGE catalog of acoustic-friendly venues, and schedules of performances in Southern California venues large and small. We cover workshops and other events for artists and folks in the music industry, and all kids o’ things in the world of acoustic and Americana and accessible classical music. From washtub bass to musical spoons to oboe to viola to banjo to squeezebox, from Djangostyle to new-fangled-old-time string band music, from sweet Cajun fiddle to pre-bluegrass Appalachian mountain music to proto blues.
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The Acoustic Americana Music Guide. We’re on it.
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