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In this edition, we look at:
✔ ST. PADDY'S DAY and plenty of IRISH MUSIC leading up to it!
✔ This WEEKEND'S festivals and concerts, and some 'uns are FREE
✔ The Science & Music of VENUS
✔ An L.A. story of Art stolen by the Nazis
✔ A first look at the coming MUSIC FESTIVAL SEASON
✔ Shows to catch at SXSW
✔ Topanga Blues Fest tix, before it sells-out
✔ A Secret lil' music video archive (does Wikileaks know?)
(Gearheads,be patient! In addition to all the attention we gave to the annual NAMM show back in January, we still have our annual Spring survey of NEW GEAR, NEW INSTRUMENTS, & NEW MUSIC PRODUCTS coming to you soon in a dedicated special edition! You'll get tons o' stuff we saw and explored at NAMM, and even more that we've learned about since then. So don't spend your tax refund check yet!)
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CONTENTS / IN THIS EDITION...
1) FESTIVALS THIS WEEKEND...
2) ST. PATRICK'S DAY Celebrations / IRISH MUSIC now through March 17th
3) "Venus Songs," and if "Women Are from Venus" – Good News for Women's Month
4) Topanga Blues Festival – Tickets go on Sale this Saturday – Get 25% Off
5) Shows to Catch at SXSW
6) Lisa Haley & the Zydekats Secret Video Archive (Does Wikileaks Know?)
7) THIS WEEKEND'S CONCERTS, Etc. (and two after, on the 14th & 17th)
8) The Tale of An L.A. Connection to Art Looted by the Nazis
9) Upcoming Music Festivals.... First Look at the 2017 Season
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Let's get started!
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# 1 news feature...
FESTIVALS THIS WEEKEND...
FESTIVAL, Sat & Sun, 11 am-11 pm Sat, 11 am-9 pm Sun:
Annual "CALIFORNIA IRISH FESTIVAL" with CRAIC HAUS, BRICK TOP BLAGGERS, THE MCKINTTREE BOYS, THE PLOUGHBOYS, WHISKEY SUNDAY, more. In downtown Upland, CA 91786; 323-834-2437; http://www.californiairishfest.com.
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FESTIVAL, Sat only:
5th Annual "ALL-DAY BLUEGRASS GOSPEL FESTIVAL" in 29 Palms, with DANNY AGAJANIAN, BLUEGRASS BRETHEREN, WIMBERLEY BLUEGRASS BAND, THE BRAGGS, and NEHEMIAH. FREE admission, all indoors, food concession, free RV camping (dry camping) Saturday night. Info, 760-447-8623; http://desertcongregationalchurch.org
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FESTIVAL, Sun, Mar 12, 2017, 11 am-9 pm:
Annual "CALIFORNIA IRISH FESTIVAL" concludes in downtown Upland, CA; see listing for Saturday.
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# 2 news feature...
ST. PATRICK'S DAY CELEBRATIONS / IRISH MUSIC, NOW THROUGH MARCH 17th
SUNDAY, MARCH 12, 2017...
Sun, Mar 12, 2017, 7 pm – WHISKEY SUNDAY gets St. Paddy's started early at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena, CA 92675; reservations 626-798-6236; artist info, https://www.facebook.com/whiskeysundayband.
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IRISH MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017
Mon, Mar 13, 4:30 pm – Annual "ST. PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATION" Presented by the Celtic Arts Center at the Mayflower Club, 11110 Victory Bl, North Hollywood, CA 91606; http://www.celticartscenter.com/
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IRISH TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 2017...
Tue, Mar 14, 8-11 pm – Weekly "TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC SESSION" at Timmy Nolan's Tavern & Grill, 10111 Riverside Dr, Toluca Lake, CA 91602; 818-985-3359.
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IRISH WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 2017...
Wed, Mar 15, 8-11 pm – Weekly "IRISH SESSION" at Griffins of Kinsale, 1007 Mission St, South Pasadena, CA; 626-799-0926. Led by MICHAEL KELLY of SLIGO RAGS.
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IRISH THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017
Thu, Mar 16, 5 pm – KEN O'MALLEY plays his weekly residency of multi-instrumental authentic & original Irish music at the Auld Dubliner, 71 S Pine Av, Long Beach, CA 90802; 562-437-8300. Artist info, http://www.kenomalley.com
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Thu, Mar 16, 7-10 pm – "LUCK O’ THE IRISH, SENSES BLOCK PARTY" is a FREE event, with KEN O'MALLEY & THE TWILIGHT LORDS bringing the music, plus "shamrocks, pots of gold, and lucky charms" that fill Main Street in Old Town Newhall at this free evening of entertainment. "Dance a jig to Celtic rock music, grub on gourmet food trucks, and enjoy the libations of green beer and whiskey." Main Street, Newhall (Santa Clarita).
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Thu, Mar 16, 7 pm – "ST. PATRICK'S DAY CONCERT" at Fiddler's Crossing in Tehachapi.
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Thu, Mar 16, 7:30 pm – BELA FLECK & ABIGAIL WASHBURN play the Musco Center for the Arts at Chapman University, One University Dr, Orange, CA 92866; 844-626-8726. Given the proximity of St. Paddy's, we expect they'll do their Irish/Celtic material.
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Thu, Mar 16, 7:30 pm – THE BROWNE SISTERS & GEORGE CAVANAUGH, longtime Celtic/Irish festival faves, play the concert series at the First Congregational Church of Anaheim.
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Thu, Mar 16, 8 pm – THE PLOUGHBOYS present their CELTIC music at Kulak’s Woodshed, 5230-1/2 Laurel Canyon Bl, North Hollywood, CA 91606; 818-766-9913; http://www.kulakswoodshed.com/calendar.html
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Thu, Mar 16, 8 pm – SLIGO RAGS take a break from their Disneyland residency to bring their Irish music to the Muckenthaler Cultural Center, 1201 W Malven Av, Fullerton, CA 92833; 714-738-6706; http://www.themuck.org.
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IRISH FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017 – ST. PATRICK'S DAY!
Mar 17, Noon – SLIGO RAGS plays Macallan's Public House, 330 W Birch St, Brea, CA 92821; 714-529-1224; www.macallanspubbrea.com.
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Fri, Mar 17, 2017, 2:30-3:30 pm – "LEGACY – ST. PATRICK'S DAY CELEBRATION" with Patty McCollom on Banjo, Whistle, Bodhran, Vocals; Barbara Gershman on Hammered Dulcimer, Accordion; Marianne Scanlon on Guitar, Vocals; Anna Johnson, Irish Dancer; at the Emerald Court of Anaheim, 1731 Medical Center Dr, Anaheim, CA 92801; info, mccollomp@sbcglobal.net
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Fri, Mar 17, 2017, 7-9 pm – "ON A LARK - IRISH TUNES ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY," with Jill Cassidy on Irish whistle; Barbara Gershman on Hammered Dulcimer, Accordion; Terry Gucwa on Cello; at Alta Coffee Warehouse & Restaurant, 506 31st St, Newport Beach, CA; http://www.alta-coffee-co.com; info, Barbara Gershman, ]bgershman@socal.rr.com. No charge. Beverages and food available.
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Fri, Mar 17, 7:30 pm – ST. PATRICK'S DAY CONCERT with the YVES LAMBERT TRIO, Celtic Folk Music from Quebec, plus free beer tasting, at the lovely Theatre Raymond Kabbaz, 10361 W Pico Bl, L.A., CA 90064. This brings "the energy, multicultural ambiance, and colorful sounds of Quebecois music, a wonderful mix of Irish and French styles." The band says, “We play as a trio, but sound like a big orchestra."
* Descendants of the early French immigrants passed down French songs and stories, slowly incorporating influences from their Irish and Scots neighbors to create a uniquely Quebecois musical culture. With three nationally acclaimed albums behind them, the Yves Lambert Trio offers a personal and creative interpretation of traditional Quebecois repertoire, with bubbling prowess and ingenuity, that on stage is a personal, touching and memorable musical experience.
* MUSIC VIDEOS: Check out the Yves Lambert Trio doing an Irish medley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCMb-MSOEC4 and doing "Time to get Up Charlie:" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9yyAVdPuvU
* This event is made possible with the help of the Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles and the Quebec Government Office in Los Angeles.
* Get 40% off the advertised ticket price with code TRK40, at https://tickets.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?m=241d6077b39728479d58e072170e1c6f&t=tix&vqitq=527ff9d9-acaa-4482-9752-1c54a4e26143&vqitp=0e39ceb9-969e-4425-8999-f39c3d92e807&vqitts=1488995780&vqitc=vendini&vqite=itl&vqitrt=Safetynet&vqith=9e3184684a363c3b1c0211fcbd696869
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Mar 17, 8 pm – DAVID GRIER plays Boulevard Music in Culver City. Some Irish music promised.
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Mar 17, 9 pm – THE CALIFORNIA HONEYDROPS with EUPHORIA BRASS BAND will include some Irish tunes at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, San Diego, CA.
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# 3 news feature...
"VENUS SONGS," AND IF "WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS" – GOOD NEWS FOR WOMEN'S MONTH
This is about going to Venus. For real. Not Mars this time, but the planet that is the feminine icon, Venus.
If, like us, you are sick of hearing the endlessly repeated "The Russians did it!" as the fake reason (and the scapegoater's escape) for Hillary's loss, maybe you'll welcome this news as much as we do.
NASA is studying a mission of "shared Venus Science Objectives" with the Russian Space Research Institute. In fact, a team of NASA-sponsored scientists will meet with the Russian Academy of Sciences' Space Research Institute (IKI) next week to continue work on a "Joint Science Definition Team" study focused on identifying shared science objectives for Venus exploration.
The visit comes after a report was recently delivered to both NASA Headquarters in Washington and IKI in Moscow, assessing and refining the science objectives of the IKI Venera-D (Venera-Dolgozhivuschaya) Mission to Venus, Earth's closest planetary neighbor.
VENUS IN PLANETARY SCIENCE
"While Venus is known as our 'sister planet,' we have much to learn, including whether it may have once had oceans and harbored life," said Jim Green, director of the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "By understanding the processes at work at Venus and Mars, we will have a more complete picture about how terrestrial planets evolve over time and obtain insight into the Earth's past, present and future."
Venus has intrigued scientists for decades. Similar to Earth in composition and size, it spins slowly in the opposite direction. The rocky world's thick atmosphere traps heat in a runaway greenhouse effect, making it the warmest planet in our solar system with surface temperatures hot enough to melt lead. Glimpses below the clouds reveal volcanoes and an intricate landscape.
VENUS IN MUSIC, CULTURE & THE ARTS
Venus is named for the Roman goddess of love and beauty, the counterpart to the Greek goddess Aphrodite.
It's always been associated with feminine beauty, while Mars, due to its blood-red appearance, has been associated with masculinity and war.
That cultural role for Venus extended from ancient times until we began to understand planetary science and how hellishly hot it is. So the last few times it was bestowed with feminine beauty on a societal scale has been in song, from the 1959 hit, "Venus," by FRANKIE AVALON, to the 1969 "Venus" song written by ROBBIE VAN LEEUWEN that became a 1970 number-one hit in nine countries for Dutch rock band SHOCKING BLUE. In 1981, the latter was sampled as part of the "Stars on 45" medley, and in 1986, the British female pop group BANANARAMA returned the Dutch band's song to number-one in seven countries. The 1969 composition has been featured in numerous films, television shows and commercials, and covered dozens of times by artists around the world. Though in the US, thanks to all those "oldies" radio stations, the Frankie Avalon song is still the one most people recall.
None of which has anything at all to do with the reality of Venus, the planet.
"On a solar-system scale, Earth and Venus are very close together and of similar size and makeup," said David Senske, co-chair of the U.S. Venera-D science definition team, and a scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
Addressing what he anticipates for next week's conference with his Russian counterparts, Senske continued, "Among the goals that we would like to see if we can accomplish with such a potential partnership is to understand how Venus' climate operates so as to understand the mechanism that has given rise to the rampant greenhouse effect we see today."
The IKI Venera-D mission concept, as it stands today, would include a Venus orbiter that would operate for up to three years, and a lander designed to survive the incredibly harsh conditions a spacecraft would encounter on Venus' surface for a few hours.
The only previous lander to survive long enough to send back a few pictures was a Russian spacecraft.
WHEN A DRONE CAN BE A GOOD THING
The science definition team is also assessing the potential of flying a solar-powered airship in Venus' upper atmosphere. The independent flying vehicle could be released from the Venera-D lander, enter the atmosphere, and independently explore Venus' atmosphere for up to three months.
Dramatic clouds that produce breathtaking and colorful sunrises and sunsets when viewed through their tops? Particles from the hellish surface, carried aloft by circulation? The possibility that something stays alive by floating around in the atmosphere, getting its nutrients from whatever blows by? Or "just" gas composition and atmospheric sampling? There could be some "wow" moments.
Best of all, this drone wouldn't be launching missiles to kill anybody.
TOUCHING VENUS
The Soviet Union conducted its Vanera program of Venus exploration from 1961 through 1984. A lander in that series returned the first-ever color images of the surface of Venus in March, 1982.
NASA first visited Venus when the JPL-managed Mariner 2 collected data during a flyby in December 1962, during the earliest age of Mercury spacecraft that each carried only one astronaut, first for parabolic up-and-down penetrations of space above the Earth's atmosphere, then into Earth orbit.
NASA's last dedicated mission to explore Venus was Magellan, launched in 1990 and managed by JPL in Pasadena. Magellan used radar to map 98 percent of the planet at a resolution of 330 feet (100 meters) or better during its four-year mission.
Venus has always been considered the province of the Russians, while Mars has received the concentrated attention of the Americans – even though the first pair of US landings on Mars, both in 1976 and the first on July 4th, were not followed by another landing until the Mars Pathfinder rover, Sojourner, landed on July 4th, 1997.
The spacecraft of the Russian Venera program are still the only ones to successfully land on Venus (1975-1984). The program culminated in sending photos (1982) and data and surviving in the harsh environment, if only briefly, before critical parts melted or burned-up.
VENUS AS THE SHING STAR TO PEACE AND COOPERATION?
The irony is unparalleled. The real Venus is hellish and melts lead on its surface. The mythical Venus, gleaming as the third-brightest object in Earth's sky, is what drives so much of our romantic idealism about exploring the vast reaches of space.
Said Adriana Ocampo, who leads the Joint Science Definition Team at NASA Headquarters in Washington, "This potential collaboration makes for an enriching partnership to maximize the science results from Venera-D, and continue the exploration of this key planet in our solar system."
The current efforts by some in government and the majority of the US corporate mainstream media to create a new Cold War with Russia flies in the face of the necessary cooperation the two nations enjoy in space. While the million-pound International Space Station (ISS) was assembled with US Space Shuttle missions, it has been orbiting with a series of astronauts and cosmonauts – from 15 countries, in all – staffing it full-time since November, 2000. And, since the Space Shuttle program ended with congress refusing to fund the US manned space program with more than a shoestring budget, US astronauts – and everybody else coming or going to or from the ISS – must hitch a ride with the Russians, in their Soyuz.
In "2010," the continuation of Arthur C. Clarke's epic, "2001," tensions between the US and the Soviet Union were brought back from the brink of war because the two nations were successfully cooperating in space. Let's all hope reality can produce the same result without things having to get out of hand to get us there.
VENUS AND WOMEN'S MONTH
After all, the meeting next week between US and Russian scientists will seek cooperation on exploring Venus. And this whole month is Women's Month. And Venus, both the Morning Star and the Evening Star, is supposed to be the beautiful feminine presence. And the feminine is supposed to be the peacemaker. And you just smiled, didn't you?
"Evening Star, shining bright
Fill my world with hope tonight
Soft and warm as candlelight
Make my dreams come true..."
– Steve Engle, composer & songwriter.
More information about Venus can be found at:
https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/venus
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# 4 news feature...
TOPANGA BLUES FESTIVAL – TICKETS GO ON SALE THIS SATURDAY – GET 25% OFF
This event sells out quickly every year. It's the 34th annual "TOPANGA BLUES FESTIVAL" and it happens Saturday, May 6, 2017. Get as much as 25% off by getting your tix early, at:
www.SocalBlues.Org
Tickets go on sale Saturday, March 11, 2017. This show will sell out in advance so you must get them online via PayPal at the event's website. Details and the lineup are on that site, too.
Tickets will not be sold at the gate on show day. When you buy them online, tickets will not be mailed. They will be held for you at will call on show day. Check out the beautiful TOPANGA BLUES FESTIVAL GROUNDS at the website while you're perusing.
Organizers tell us, "We are so excited to party with you on what is always a gorgeous day, listening to four smokin' hot blues bands, dining on some of the most mouth-watering BBQ around, and participating in fun raffles with great prizes! There are only 299 seats at this beautiful, intimate festival, in this quaint, idyllic, Shakespearean outdoor theater, nestled deep in the shady forests of the historic Topanga Canyon. We highly recommend getting your tickets as soon as possible via PayPal because this concert will sell out!"
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# 5 news feature...
SHOWS TO CATCH AT SXSW
Each year, the massive festivals that follow in quick succession in Austin, Texas under the collective banner of SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST – or SXSW for short – bring a book/literary fest, a film fest, and the one everybody talks about, the music festival.
Some of the latter is Folk-Americana. And there is some of all kinds of other things. Everyone there is bombarded with paper flyers, tweets, and all sorts of influences to see particular acts or patronize particular venues. You'll see many headliner names and you either will or won't want to drop all other desires to go see them perform. We want to encourage some off-the-beaten path patronage. So, here are the Guide's recommendations for acts to catch, if you go.
First, this is the last SXSW hurrah for MARIA'S TACO XPRESS as they shutter on April 1st. They've been stalwarts who have hosted SXSW showcase lineups and the "GRAND OLE AUSTIN" concert produced by L.A.-based KG Music Press. Kim Grant tells us, "We'd like to thank Maria and her staff for letting us hold our SXSW day party here for the past 5 years (2017 marks our 6th). It's been a delight to work with such an Austin institution! If you're out at SXSW please stop by." (2529 S Lamar, Austin, TX 78704.)
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Tue, Mar 14, 11:30 am-9 pm – "DOG DAY AFTERNOON" at the Dogwood. Be sure to catch ALICE WALLACE at 12:50 pm, in a very full day of live music at the Dogwood, 715 W 6th Street ("the Good End" of 6th Street – West). This entire day is FREE, no wristband required, and it's on two stages.
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Thu, Mar 16, 11:30 am-9 pm – Annual "GRAND OLE AUSTIN" mega-concert at Maria's Taco Express, 2529 S Lamar, Austin, TX 78704. JULIE (CAROLINA CHICKADEE) kicks-off a yuuuge lineup that includes "known" artists and more you need to discover. Entire day is FREE, no wristband required. Free unofficial SXSW Day Party, all Americana Music. (Times and artists subject to change):
11:30 – 12:00 The Mighty Orq
12:20 – 12:50 AJ Hobbs
1:10 – 1:40 Mark McKinney
2:00 – 2:30 Calico The Band
2:50 – 3:20 Ted Russell Kamp
3:40 – 4:10 Jeff Crosby
4:30 – 5:00 Jon Dee Graham & William Harries Graham
5:20 – 5:50 Angela Perley
6:10 – 6:40 Brent Cowles
7:00 – 7:30 Susanna Van Tassel and Dave Gonzalez
7:50 – 8:20 The South Austin Moonlighters
8:40 – 9:10 Hard Luck Revival
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Fri, Mar 16, Noon-9 pm – "SOUTHBOUND" showcase at Maria's Taco Xpress, 2529 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704. Entire day is FREE, no wristband required. Another free unofficial SXSW Day Party of all Americana Music. (Times and artists subject to change):
12:00 – 12:30 Jericho Woods
12:50 – 1:20 Lilly Hiatt
1:40 – 2:10 Bonnie Whitmore
2:30 – 3:10 Brandy Zdan
3:30 – 4:10 The Mastersons
4:30 – 5:10 Jaime Wyatt
5:30 – 6:10 Travis Linville
6:30 – 7:00 Mike Stinson
7:20 – 7:50 Jesse Jay Harris
8:10 – 8:40 The National Reserve
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Mar 31, 7 pm – ANDRE THIERRY plays Sam’s Townpoint, 2115 Allred, Austin, Texas. $10, all ages. Artist info, http://andrethierry.com/schedule
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# 6 news feature...
LISA HALEY & THE ZYDEKATS SECRET VIDEO ARCHIVE (DOES WIKILEAKS KNOW?)
For those who didn't get enough sweet Cajun fiddle, accordion and quota of fun on Mardi Gras, and can't wait for the annual round of Cajun/Blues/Zydeco festivals to arrive, we have a fun treat to tide you over. Grammy nominee LISA HALEY sent us a link for a lost lil' treasure trove of short videos, a "Retro Treat" from the "Lisa Haley Secret Archives."
In 2006 & 2007, Lisa yodeled her way thru four now-famous "Slim Jim Snapalope Commercials."
"Snapalopes," says Lisa, "were very silly marionettes, made from… Slim Jims! And hunted in the aisles of the MiniMart."
Here are the links:
1. Snapalope “Trap” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8OJpIC8DS4
2. Snapalope “Camouflage”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL0r1X2Mxao
3. Snapalope “Headlights”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yENA87ptHHo
4. Snapalope “Decoy”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iAKpoMfjso
Yes, that’s Lisa also playing violin.
- And -
There's the EMMY-WINNING "Late Mr. Pete Show," featuring Lisa with her previous musical group, ZYDECO PARTY BAND. See all 13 Episodes here:
http://wn.com/the_late_mr_pete_show_1991_channel_5_ktla_los_angeles
Episodes include the EMMY Ceremony with DICK CLARK, STEVE ALLEN, and Lisa & the boys.
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Plus, it seems a good place to share that Lisa Haley's e-newsletters always offer this...
CAJUN PROVERB OF THE MONTH:
“Treasure your long-time friends: Those who look at you and see the person you think you still are!”
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# 7 news feature...
THIS WEEKEND'S CONCERTS, ETC. (and two after, on the 14th & 17th)
Listed chronologically by time and day...
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SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2017
Sat, Mar 11, 2017, 5 pm – "ST. PATRICKS DAY CELEBRATION" with Ken O’Malley and the Twilight Lords and Irish Dancers at the Hilton Los Angeles North/Glendale, 100 W Glenoaks Bl, Glendale, CA 91202. Presented by Irish Center of Southern California.
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Sat, Mar 11, 2017, 7 pm – "AFRICAN GUITAR SUMMIT" with Alpha YaYa Diallo & Naby Camara (Guinea), Kofi Ackah (Ghana), Donne Roberts & Madagascar Slim (Madagascar), at the Japanese American Community & Cultural Center's Aratani Theatre, 244 S San Pedro St, downtown Los Angeles, CA 90012; 213-628-2725; http://www.festivalofsacredmusic.org/african-guitar-summit-event. Presented by World Festival of Sacred Music (full schedule of all events at: http://www.festivalofsacredmusic.org).
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Sat, Mar 11, 2017, 7 pm – G BURNS JUG BAND plays the concert series at the Encinitas Library (http://www.leucadia101.com/library-concerts), 540 Cornish Dr, Encinitas, CA 92024; http://gburnsjugband.com.
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Sat, Mar 11, 2017, 7 pm – "SANTA BARBARA BLUES SOCIETY 40TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION" with JAMES HARMAN, DEBBIE DAVIES, COCO MONTOYA, THE DELGADO BROTHERS with KID RAMOS, at the Carrillo Recreation Center, 100 E Carrillo St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101; http://www.sbblues.org; 805-897-2519.
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Sat, Mar 11, 2017, 7 pm – JC & LANEY plus Hawai'ian slack key guitar champ JIM “KIMO” WEST, play a show called "Acoustic Americana Rockers & Balladeers" at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena, CA 92675; reservtaions, 626-798-6236; artist info, https://www.jcandlaney.com and http://www.jimkimowest.com/lndex.html
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Sat, Mar 11, 2017, 7 pm – BRUCE DAIGREPONT CAJUN BAND plays War Memorial Hall in Balboa Park, 3325 Zoo Dr, San Diego, CA 92101. Zydeco dance lesson at 6:20 pm. Dance to live Louisiana music from 7 to 10:15 pm. Admission $10. Pay at the registration table, get your wrist band. First timers at a BTSC event receive a $5 discount. Info: BTSC@dances.com
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Sat, Mar 11, 2017, 7:30 pm – Canadian folk great DAVID FRANCEY plays the Minard Concerts series in Long Beach, CA; reservations get directions at: 949-887-1628 or via email at JulienMinard@icloud.com. Artiost info: http://www.davidfrancey.com/
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Sat, Mar 11, 2017, 7:30 pm – DARRYL PURPOSE plays Brick 15, 915 Camino del Mar, Del Mar, CA 92014; 858-225-1315 ; artist info, http://www.darrylpurpose.com. Expect material from last year's album written by Paul Zollo.
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Sat, Mar 11, 2017, 8 & 10 pm – KASEY CHAMBERS plays McCabe’s, 3101 Pico Bl, Santa Monica, CA 90405; 310-828-4497; artist info, http://kaseychambers.com.
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Sat, Mar 11, 8 pm – BIG JAY McNEELY BAND, Blues Hall of Fame Member, plays the Arcadia Blues Club, 16 E Huntington Dr, Arcadia, CA. Tix at: http://arcadiabluesclub.eventbrite.com
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Sat, Mar 11, 2017, 8 pm – WILLY PORTER & CARMEN NICKERSON play the concert series at Grace First Presbyterian Church, 3955 Studebaker Rd, Long Beach, CA 90808; 562-420-2292. Artist info, http://willyporter.com and http://carmennickerson.com.
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Sat, Mar 11, 2017, 8 pm – JANET KLEIN & HER PARLOR BOYS play Boulevard Music,
4316 Sepulveda Bl, Culver City, CA 90230; 310-398-2583; http://www.boulevardmusic.com. Artist info, http://www.janetklein.com.
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Sat, Mar 11, 2017, 8 pm – ROBERT CRAY plays the Downey Civic Theatre, 8435 Firestone Bl, Downey, CA 90241; 562-861-8211. Artist info, http://www.robertcray.com.
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Sat, Mar 11, 2017, 8 pm – MICHAEL SMITH (famous for his song, "The Dutchman") plays the Pasadena Folk Music Society concert series at California Institute of Technology in "Little Beckman," the Beckman Institute Auditorium, 400 S Wilson Av, Pasadena, CA 91106; 626-395-4652; www.folkmusic.caltech.edu. Artist info, http://michaelpetersmith.com.
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Sat, Mar 11, 2017, 8 pm – WILLIE K plays the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Dr, Irvine, CA 92697; 949-854-4646. Artist info, http://williek.com.
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SUNDAY, MARCH 12, 2017...
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Sun, Mar 12, 11 am-1 pm – DENNIS ROGER REED, the REED BROTHERS, and DEBORAH LIV JOHNSON play an acoustic show for the FREE "March Music Series," which allows attendees to enjoy the beautiful gardens at Sunnylands Center & Gardens, 37977 Bob Hope Dr, Rancho Mirage, CA; 760-202-2266; http://sunnylands.org. Dennis says, "This historic spot has hosted presidents and high level world leaders."
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Sun, Mar 12, Noon-12:45 pm – "KCSN PRESENTS: MARINA V AT THE VILLAGE AT WESTFIELD TOPANGA," 6220 Topanga Canyon Blvd, Woodland Hills, CA 91367. Free concert series at the Village at Westfield Topanga. Noon. All ages. The stage is located near 24 Hour Fitness and REI. Marina and her partner, Nick, are wonderful musicians. Details at www.MarinaV.com
(Catch this one, grab a bite to eat, then catch the other free concert nearby at 4 pm – see listing.)
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Sun, Mar 12, 2017, 2 pm – KEVIN CARR, a one-man musical theater with fiddle and pipes, plays the Odyssey Theater, 2055 S Sepulveda Bl, L.A. 90025; 310-477-2055; http://www.odysseytheatre.com. Artist info, http://www.kevincarr.org.
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THIS WEEK'S SPOTLIGHT PICK...
Sun, Mar 12, 2 pm -- "SONGS, SONGS, SONGS" at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena, CA; reservations 626-798-6236. With a great cast and dynamic house band, and a chance to learn the stories behind the songs and songwriters you love. It's a tribute to the great songs of our lives, and the stories behind them, hosted by author PAUL ZOLLO.
A special afternoon concert of songs featured in Paul Zollo's classic book, "SONGWRITERS ON SONGWRITING," and its new sequel, "MORE SONGWRITERS ON SONGWRITING," this never-before presented show will feature a host of many of L.A.'s most beloved musicians, all performing famous songs featured in the books. Zollo will share little stories from his books about these songs.
Songs to be performed represent a vast range of songwriting over some six decades, all written by legends featured in Zollo's books, including JOHN PRINE, LEIBER & STOLLER, WOODY GUTHRIE, PAUL SIMON, JOHN STEWART, BOB DYLAN, JAMES TAYLOR, CHRISSIE HYNDE, PATTI SMITH, SAMMY CAHN, P.F. SLOAN, RINGO STARR, LORETTA LYNN, JEFF BARRY, BRIAN WILSON, DONOVAN, ELVIS COSTELLO, MICHAEL SMITH, and more.
Performers include the legendary poet STEPHEN KALINICH (who has written songs with P.F. Sloan and Dennis Wilson), DARRYL PURPOSE, THE BURGANS, (of WE FIVE renown)), DUANE THORIN, LORIN HART, BLISS BOWEN, NEIL ROSENGARDEN, RASPIN STUWART, KEITH CHAGALL, EMILY ZUZIK, CHAD WATSON, PAM LOE, FERNANDO PERDOMO, NATE HERTWECK & JEFFREY CLEVELAND, PAULA McMATH, ROBERT MORGAN FISHER, STEPHEN ELOWE, and more.
The House band is anchored by beloved gallery performer CHAD WATSON, who will be joined by the amazing and versatile guitarist and record producer FERNANDO PERDOMO, plus multi instrumentalist NEIL ROSENGARDEN.
Zollo's "Songwriters on Songwriting" has been called "the songwriter's bible," and is used as text at every college that teaches songwriting. The New York Times and The New Yorker both declared Zollo's interview with BOB DYLAN, contained in the first book, the best one ever done. The late LEONARD COHEN called the interview he did with Zollo "one of the best ones ever done with me."
"More Songwriters On Songwriting," the sequel, was released just months ago and has received great critical acclaim, containing in-depth interviews with songwriters including JOHN PRINE, LORETTA LYNN, JAMES TAYLOR, PATTI SMITH, ELVIS COSTELLO, JOE HENRY, SIA, MATISYAHU, CHRISSIE HYNDE, ROB ZOMBIE, PAUL SIMON, BRIAN WILSON, RANDY NEWMAN, and many more.
This is the first time, and hopefully not the last, that this show, produced by Zollo with local legend Duane Thorin, is being produced.
Duane adds, "We ought to give full college credit for this wildly informative presentation, but just settle for being fully entertained this time."
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Sun, Mar 12, 2017, 4 pm – JAMES HURLEY plus DAVE TUCKER play the FREE monthly " Red Rock Concerts" series presented by Ron Sarfety at Crown Books, 6100 Topanga Canyon Bl #1340, Woodland Hills, CA 91367; http://www.sundayatthebookstore.com. Artist info: http://www.jameshurleymusic.com and http://davetucker.squarespace.com.
(Go out that way early, to catch the other free concert at noon, then grab a bite to eat and catch the one at 4 pm – see the noon listing.)
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Sun, Mar 12, 2017, 4 pm – Weekly "TRADITIONAL IRISH SESSION" at Brendan’s Irish Pub, 1755 E Daily Dr, Camarillo, CA; 805-383-4100.
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Sun, Mar 12, 2017, 4:30 pm – NE’ER DUWELS plus the YOUNG DUBLINERS play an earlySt. Paddy’s show, with the Ne’er Duwels, Staggering Jack, Celtic Pink Floyd, and The Whooligans opening for Young Dubliners, at the GASLAMP Music+Bar+Kitchen, 6251 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Long Beach, CA 90803; 562-596-4718. Artist info: https://www.neerduwels.com.
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Sun, Mar 12, 2017, 4:30-7:30 pm – DENNIS G & THE ZYDECO TRAILRIDERS play the Cajun-Zydeco dance series at the Golden Sails Hotel - PCH Club – 6285 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Long Beach, CA 90803; Info: Dempsey, 562-396-1132 or bontemppappion@aol.com, or David, 909-527-0926 or davidsousa@verizon.net. Some members of the band have worked with Louisiana Zydeco artists that include Willis Prudhomme and JoJo Reed, as well as music legends including Barry White, Ray Charles, The Ink Spots, Johnny Otis, Etta James, and Papa John Creach. Admission $10 at the door. Kids welcome, families, singles welcome. Tasty food available at reasonable prices in the hotel restaurant, opening at 5 pm.
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Sun, Mar 12, 2017, 5 pm – "BRAVE NEW WORLD OR 1984" featuring Storyteller LARRY HANKIN, Singing Satirist GARY GORDON, Poet MARK LIPMAN, Satirist JAMES TRIPP, Song-fighter ROSS ALTMAN, and JANN KARAM, at Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center, 681 Venice Bl, Venice, CA 90291; 310-822-3006. Tired of all the pointless protests? In the best tradition of folk uprising, this will provide plenty of thoughtfully and rebelliously "pointed" takes on society and what we're doing to our chances for a meaningful future.
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Sun, Mar 12, 5 pm – "JAZZ VESPERS," presents "BACHanalia," with BILL CUNLIFFE, piano/conductor; DAWN BISHOP & DENISE DONATELLI, vocals; LARRY KOONSE, guitar; ANNA BUTTERSS, bass; JOE La BARBERA, drums; JAMIE HOVORKA, JON PAPENBROOK, BOB SUMMERS, & JAMES FORD, trumpets; FRED SIMMONS, FRANCISCO TORRES, RAMSEY HAMPTON, CODY KLEINHANS, trombones; BRIAN SCANLON, NATHAN KING, ROB LOCKART, JEFF ELLWOOD, KEITH BISHOP, saxophones; and CHRISTINA HONCHELL offers a meditation. At All Saints Church, 132 N Euclid Av, Pasadena, CA (across from City Hall, two blocks N of Colorado Bl). Jazz pianist, Grammy Award-winning arranger and our composer-in-residence Bill Cunliffe is widely known for his swinging and lyrical pianism and his creativity and invention as a composer and arranger of jazz. He graduated from Duke University and the Eastman School of Music, where he won several Down Beat Awards. Bill was the 1989 winner of the $10,000 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Award, and has received stipends from the National Endowment for the Arts. A number of his jazz instructional books are published by Alfred Publications, his big band compositions are published by Kendor Music and Otter Music, and his choral music is self-published on his website, www.billcunliffe.com. Free, no reservations required. A goodwill offering is accepted. Child care provided for children age 4 and under. Parking is available in the lot North of the Church and on the street; and validated parking is available in the Plaza las Fuentes (entrance under California Pizza Kitchen on Union St.)
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Sun, Mar 12, 2017, 7 pm – WHISKEY SUNDAY gets St. Paddy's started early at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena, CA 92675; reservations 626-798-6236; artist info, https://www.facebook.com/whiskeysundayband.
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Sun, Mar 12, 2017, 7:30 pm – WILLY PORTER & CARMEN NICKERSON play Brick 15, 915 Camino del Mar, Del Mar, CA 92014; 858-225-1315. Artist info, http://willyporter.com and http://carmennickerson.com.
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Sun, Mar 12, 2017, 7:30 pm – MICHAEL PETER SMITH (famed songwriter, wrote "The Dutchman") plays the Dark Thirty House Concerts series, 1132 Pinehurst Dr, Lakeside, CA 92040; 619-443-9622. Artist info, http://www.michaelsmithmusic.com.
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Sun, Mar 12, 2017, 8 pm – DARRYL PURPOSE plays McCabe’s, 3101 Pico Bl, Santa Monica, CA 90405 ; 310-828-4497. Expect selections from last year's fine album of material written by Paul Zollo. Artist info, http://darrylpurpose.com.
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AND THESE TWO, after the weekend...
Mar 14, 8:40-9:30 pm – "TRIBUTE TO JONI MITCHELL" with KAREN HART, BENNETT, and SUSAN TONEY, at the Mint, on Pico, near Fairfax, L.A.
Tix, $15 at the door; advance tix discounted to $10, at: http://themintla.com/event.cfm?id=256146&cart.
ALSO note: venue offers dinner, which gets you a good seat for the show: email TheMintDinnerReservations@gmail.com
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Wed, Mar 15, 6 pm – JACKSON BROWNE performs to support "Rolling Stone" journalist GREG PALAST's film investigating theft of voting rights, at Jerry and Jan Manpearl's, 939 San Vicente Bl, Santa Monica, CA 90402. With discussion of the attack on voting rights by Joy Reid of MSNBC. Wine and buffet and performance by Jackson Browne.
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Palast says, " We are facing a democratic emergency: Our purpose is to expose and prevent the theft of the election of 2018. Our film on the suppression of the vote in 2016, 'The Best Democracy Money Can Buy,' has been viewed by more than one million Americans and has become the source of fighting facts from People For the American Way to Rainbow-PUSH Coalition to the Potomac Coalition."
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Voting rights attorney Barbara Arnwine says, "What Greg Palast has done is heroic, invaluable, and must be seen by every voting rights advocate in America."
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$100 per person or $175 per couple. Tix via an RSVP to ilenepr@sbcglobal.net
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Fri, Mar 17, 2017, 8 pm-midnight – LOONEY’S FORTUNE plays "TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC & SONGS" with PATTI AMELOTTE on Hammered Dulcimer & Accordion; GEORGIANA HENNESSY on Fiddle & Accordion; & MATT TONGE on Guitar & Mandolin, at Griffin’s Grill, 11272 Los Alamitos Bl, Los Alamitos, CA 90720; http://www.griffinsgrill.com/
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# 8 news feature...
THE TALE OF AN L.A. CONNECTION TO ART LOOTED BY THE NAZIS
How a 17th Century Painting by a Dutch Master, Looted by the Nazis, Found its Way Home from an L.A. Living Room
You don't find many stories of history's worst systematic looting that end happily. This one has a charming conclusion.
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Ellen's Silkscreening in South Pasadena – www.ellenssilkscreening.com – is a sponsor each year of the annual day that is the "South Pasadena Eclectic Music & Arts Festival," a free, multistage event with many open houses at visual arts galleries in addition to all the music. Before this, that was the Guide's only connection with that "arts patron" small business.
Ellen's sent us the story because their shop printed, on shirts, the beautiful image of 17th century Dutch master Melchior Geldorp's "Portrait of a Lady." The shirts commemorate the return of that original painting to Poland's National Museum in Warsaw. There is quite a tale in how and why Ellen's customers David Crocker and Craig Gilmore came to send those shirts – and the original painting – to Poland, as a symbol of the pride they take in the restitution of the painting they had owned, without ever knowing it was looted Nazi art.
Their return of the art treasure set a standard for collectors the world over, and was made "in remembrance of the terrible acts committed during WW II."
Below is the full story, as told by By CRAIG GILMORE, published in the Los Angeles Times last December.
Plus, if you are among those who have given Facebook permission to install its spyware in your devices, here is the video link to watch Ellen's design and production of those T-shirts, depicting the 17th century art masterpiece: https://www.facebook.com/ellenssilkscreening/videos/vb.150059812131/10154027579312132/?type=2&theater¬if_t=notify_me_page¬if_id=1486363560061264
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"This painting was looted by the Nazis, then seized from my living room,"
By Craig Gilmore
"Two agents from U.S. Homeland Security’s ICE unit arrived at my door in September looking for a Polish lady — not a person, but a painting: Melchior Geldorp’s 'Portrait of a Lady.' She had, they informed me, been looted by the Nazis from the National Museum in Warsaw.
"Unsure if these gentlemen were indeed who they claimed to be, I didn’t invite them in. But I knew exactly what they were seeking: My partner, David, and I had purchased this very portrait — ostensibly the work of a different artist — a decade earlier from a major auction house in New York.
"Upon their leaving, I stood dumbfounded, holding a packet of information about the alleged provenance of our painting. After calling David at work to drop this bombshell, I began a Googling frenzy, eventually bringing me to Poland’s Division for Looted Art website. Seconds later I was gawking at an old black-and-white photo of our beloved lady, a beautiful portrait painted on oak panel in 1628. Tears welled in my eyes with the realization that, without question, if this were true we needed to do our duty and get her safely home.
"Being an opera singer, I was among a group of vocalists on a government-sponsored tour of Israel some years ago. During a visit to a community center for Holocaust survivors I was asked to sing. The emotion of being surrounded by people who had prevailed through such unimaginable horrors was overwhelming, and I found myself unable. Excusing myself, I attempted to make up for it by spinning several of the ladies around the dance floor — all the while trying not to look down at the numbers tattooed on their wrists.
"Now this memory flooded back to me, and I found myself once again in tears, hyper-aware of how Nazi atrocities affect us still to this day.
"The toll of World War II in Poland — including the deaths of 6 million Poles, Jews, and other outcasts, including homosexuals — is unimaginable. Being gay men, David and I feel a personal connection with these losses and are conscious of how political shiftings can lead to vulnerability. This, added to the knowledge that Poland’s LGBTQ community is still in a struggle for its basic rights, has weighed heavily on our minds.
"As well as human loss, during and after the war, an estimated half-million Polish cultural objects were destroyed or pillaged — first by the Nazis and then the Soviets. Decades behind the Iron Curtain meant Poland didn’t start aggressively seeking its lost patrimony until the late 1990s. The Foreign Ministry’s Division for Looted Art, where I found our painting’s image, lists more than 60,000 missing works. They have retrieved about 600. We are proud to say that ours is one of them.
"Eventually, through a family member who works with Homeland Security, we confirmed the identity of the agents who had so mysteriously showed up, and the wheels of international art repatriation began turning in earnest.
"During the hectic month that followed, I clutched to the words 'global citizenry' as my mantra. The notion of behaving as a global citizen can sometimes seem abstract, but it was glaringly obvious that this situation was bigger than our immediate surroundings. More than that, we realized our beloved lady was, herself, a global citizen, called upon to serve a greater purpose than the beauty she lent to our Silver Lake home.
"At last we had just one last hurdle. We had installed the painting into a beautiful 19th century frame, and felt strongly that it represented the American leg of her journey. We wanted to donate it along with the painting but weren't sure how to go about it. Serendipitously, we received an introduction to Randy Schoenberg, who famously litigated the return of five Gustav Klimt paintings (depicted in the film 'Woman in Gold'). He encouraged me to contact Poland’s Division for Looted Art directly, which I did, sending a copy of my correspondence to Homeland Security. The offer of the frame was gratefully accepted.
"It’s difficult to express how a painting can become such an integral part of your life, even a part of your identity. For 10 years this portrait overlooked our dining table; watching like a matriarch. Presiding over thousands of meals, she silently took in our day-to-day dialogue. She sadly looked over David’s shoulder while he dealt with the unexpected death of his mother; she lent support during the years I worked tete-a-tete alongside an earnest young man, helping him close his educational gaps before moving on to earn his degree at Berkeley. The ups and downs of 10 years, she was there for it all.
"As the day of departure drew near, we did what anyone would do for a loved one who was leaving: We threw a farewell party. Emulating our 17th century lady, David and I sported neck-ruffs crafted from car air filters, and prepared a buffet of Polish sausages, pierogis and vodka punch. Our friends came, marveled at the story, and expressed their personal goodbyes. It was a cathartic evening.
"The evening before she was to leave, we carefully moved her to an easel at the end of our long entry hall. We desired to send her off in a style that honored the time she had graced our household. The next morning we dressed to the nines, chilled champagne for a final toast with the Homeland Security agents, and nervously awaited their arrival.
"Throughout this ordeal, the lead agent had graciously allowed us to feel like we had control over the process. Receiving no formal request for the painting’s return, we felt we were repatriating of our own volition. Reading the necessary paperwork, however, there was no avoiding the terminology being used: seizure. It stung. We signed the paperwork, and then our beloved 400-year-old friend was unceremoniously wrapped in what looked like blankets and pillows from someone’s couch and put into the back of a nondescript vehicle.
"Then she was gone.
"With her we sent off not just the frame, but photos of her American home. We also included a letter to the National Museum and people of Poland. The letter said, in part:
" 'This painting has been a revered part of our household, and we are grateful to have been a safe haven over the past decade of her almost 400-year story. We very much look forward to visiting Poland, and seeing our dear friend hanging at the National Museum, Warsaw.' "
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CRAIG GILMORE, who authored the above piece, is an opera singer and actor. He and his partner, artist David Crocker, live in Silver Lake.
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"Portrait of a Lady" by Melchior Geldorp, being removed from Craig Gilmore's home by police. appears in an L.A. Times photo by Christopher Lapp, and it can be seen at the link.
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That, and more photos are in the L.A. Times archive at: http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-gilmore-polish-looted-art-20161204-story.html?utm_source=2017+Looted&utm_campaign=Going+Shopping+for+You&utm_medium=email
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# 9 news feature...
UPCOMING MUSIC FESTIVALS.... FIRST LOOK AT THE 2017 SEASON
Over 10 million people attend arts fairs and festivals each year in California ALONE!
As always, the Guide presents festivals of interest beyond the borders of the Golden State.
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This feature is a work in progress, and it's a topic we'll revisit frequently, making additions as the info arrives. In this edition, we are emphasizing festivals that present CAJUN, ZYDECO, AND LOUISIANA / DELTA BLUES / NEW ORLEANS music. Of course, other great events are already in here, too – like the annual TOPANGA BANJO-FIDDLE CONTEST & FOLK FESTIVAL, and the South Pasadena ECLECTIC MUSIC FESTIVAL – and many more will be covered in upcoming editions.
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March 16-19, Yorkshire Cajun (UK); Cajun bands, dance lessons and Mardi Gras mask making workshop; http://www.yorkshirecajun.com/
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March 24-26, 2017 — Kemah Crawfish Festival (Texas); Wayne Toups; http://www.gulfcoastfestivals.com.
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April 1 & 2, 2017 — Crawdebauchery Festival (Pompano Beach, FL); Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, Roddie Romero and the Hub; http://crawdebauchery.com .
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April 6-9, 2017 — Annual French Quarter Festival (New Orleans). The four-day weekend festival is FREE and there is no cost to attend any of the performances. The only costs are for food, beverage, and merchandise purchases on festival grounds, and certain off-site special events. In order to keep this festival free and open to the public, outside food and beverages are prohibited. French Quarter Festival is held throughout the historic French Quarter (Vieux Carre) neighborhood in New Orleans, Louisiana. Music stages are located at Jackson Square, Woldenberg Riverfront Park, Bourbon Street, Royal Street, Bienville Triangle, Preservation Hall, the French Market, St. Mary’s at the Ursuline Convent, and Louisiana State Museum’s Old U.S. Mint. ‘World’s Largest Jazz Brunch’ booths can be found in Jackson Square, Woldenberg Riverfront Park, the Jax Brewery parking lot, and Louisiana State Museum’s Old U.S. Mint. Special events take place at various locations throughout the French Quarter. Website: http://fqfi.org/frenchquarter
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SATURDAY May 6; 2017 SOUTH PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – 7:30PM
8TH ANNUAL "ECLECTIC MUSIC FEST" with several stages, some indoors, some outdoors, ALL FREE; one stage is at 1121 Mission St, South Pasadena, CA 91030
One featured band is Lisa Haley & the Zydekats, GRAMMY Nominees, Americana/Cajun/Zydeco.
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April 7-9, 2017 — Tampa Bay Blues Festival (St. Petersburg)
Tab Benoit, Buddy Guy, The Rides featuring Stephen Stills, Kenny Wayne
Shepherd and Barry Goldberg, Coco Montoyo, Samantha Fish, Ana Popovic, Albert
Cummings and others. http://tampabaybluesfest.com
April 7-9, 2017 — Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival (Ponchatoula, LA)
Past festivals have featured bands like Chubby Carrier. Website:
http://www.lastrawberryfestival.com
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April 8-13, 2016 – Dewey Balfa Cajun and Creole Heritage Week
(Lafayette, LA)
There’s nothing like Louisiana Folk Roots’ Balfa Week! Our annual Dewey
Balfa Cajun and Creole Heritage Week is not a school, or a festival, or a
family reunion – it’s all those things and more! It’s “The Greatest Week of
Cajun and Creole Culture on the Planet!” At Balfa Week, you can learn
knee-to-knee with master musicians and culture bearers surrounded by great
folks from across the globe. Our motto is “Jouer. Danser. Manger. Répéter.
(Jam. Dance. Eat. Repeat.)” – and during Balfa Week, you’ll experience all
that and so much more. Balfa Week features: Five days of 10 or more Morning
Intensive Classes on fiddle, guitar and accordion; Twice-daily participatory
teaching sessions on Cajun & Creole Vocals; Five days of instructor-coached
Band Labs; Nightly Dances with fantastic Cajun and Creole bands; Five or
more artist-led Jam des Amis sessions; Intimate afternoon words-and-music
sessions with accomplished and legendary Featured Artists; Afternoon
Lagniappe Sessions on a variety of topics. Website:
http://www.lafolkroots.org/balfaweek/
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April 20-23 – 24th Annual SANTA CLARITA COWBOY FESTIVAL in Newhall (Santa Clarita), CA, just N of L.A. brings top western, trad cowboy, and western swing acts on multiple stages for the daytime weekend "main event" and the biggest stars in multiple venues all four evenings. The main activities of the festival are Saturday and Sunday. But the multitude of extra events ALWAYS sells-out, well in advance. All times, details, and online ticket purchase info are at: www.cowboyfestival.org
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April 21-23, 2017 – Annual Etoufee Festival (Arnaudville, LA)
St. John Francis Regis Church Grounds, 370 Main Street, Arnaudville LA.
(337) 754-5912 or http://www.johnfrancisregis.net/index.php/festival
April 28-May 7, 2016 – New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (New
Orleans, LA)
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April 26-30, 2017 – Festival International d'Louisiane (Lafayette, LA)
Festival International d'Louisiane in downtown Lafayette, LA (Evangeline
Parish, LA).The annual 5-day festival is held during the last full week of
April. Historic downtown Lafayette, Louisiana, is transformed into an
entertainment complex featuring six music stages, food court areas, street
musicians and animators, arts and crafts boutiques, art galleries, beverage
stands, cultural workshops, international cooking demonstrations and a world
music store. http://www.festivalinternational.com
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April 28-May 7, 2016 – New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (New
Orleans, LA)
12 stages at New Orleans Fairgrounds. http://www.nojazzfest.com/
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April 28-30, 2017 – Pensacola Crawfish Festival (Pensacola, FL)
Some Louisiana bands have performed in the past. Check website for lineup
closer to the event dates.
http://www.fiestaoffiveflags.org/pensacola-crawfish-festival
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April 29, 2017 – Adams Avenue Unplugged (San Diego)
Adams Avenue Unplugged in San Diego, CA. 25 stages, 135 acts, 150
performances. Unplugged, formerly the Roots Festival, is a musical walk-about.
Acoustic performances are held inside businesses and on large outdoor stages.
Music is scheduled from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, and noon to 8 p.m. on
Sunday, April 27. Adams Avenue Unplugged is free and open to the public.
Confirm times and dates at Website.
http://www.adamsavenuebusiness.com/event-info/adams-avenue-unplugged/
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May 5-7, 2017 – Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival (Breaux Bridge, LA)
Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival, Parc Hardy, Breaux Bridge, LA. The
Crawfish Festival has also become one of the largest gatherings of world famous
Cajun musicians. All weekend long you can hear the sound of authentic Cajun,
zydeco and swamp pop music rising from the festival. Whether your musical
taste is Cajun or Creole, you can witness over 30 bands perform over the
three day event if you think you have the stamina. It's a perfect opportunity
to see our musical tradition passed from generation to generation. Watch
the Cajun dance contests, and if you're brave, join in. There's no better
way to learn. There are even Cajun music workshops held in the heritage tent.
Website: http://bbcrawfest.com/
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Sat, May 6, 2017 – 34th annual "TOPANGA BLUES FESTIVAL" in Topanga canyon, CA; advance tix required, because it sells-out early; www.SocalBlues.Org
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May 11-14, 2017 — Gator By The Bay Zydeco, Blues & Crawfish Festival (San
Diego) will celebrate its 16th
anniversary May 11-14 at Spanish Landing Park
Headliners include Marcia Ball, Geno Delafose & French Rockin Boogie,
Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys,
Igor Prado Band and Dennis Jones Band. The event draws 20,000 each year, and
offers the dancer five music stages from which to choose, with two main
stages offering 3,000 sq. ft. tented dance floors at each. The event is
situated on mile-long Spanish Landing Park on San Diego Bay directly across the
street from San Diego Lindbergh International Airport. The weather in San
Diego is particularly nice in May with temps at the bay around 75 degrees,
but bring a jacket because when the sun goes down it gets a bit chilly.
Website: www.gatorbythebay.com.
San Diego Gator by the Bay Line up and Excellent Article in the San Diego Union Tribune by George Varga, at:
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/music/sd-me-gator-by-bay-20161116-story.html
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May 12-14, 2017 – Festival Cajun Zydeco (France)
Confirm dates on website: http://www.topela.eu/pages/fr/accueil.php
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May 19-21, 2017 – International Cajun Zydeco Festival (Netherlands)
Festival location: Corner Kloosterweg and Wilhelminalaan, next to the
soccer fields, Raamsdonksveer. Website: http://www.zydecozity.nl/en
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Sun, May 21, 2017 – 57th annual "TOPANGA BANJO-FIDDLE CONTEST & FOLK FESTIVAL" 9 am-6 pm, at Paramount Ranch, Santa Monica Mtns. Nat'l Recreation Area, Agoura Hills, CA. This is consistently, year-after-year, the Guide's TOP PICK as "Best One-Day Folk Festival," with many great acts performing trad-acoustic music on multiple stages and a dazzling array of contestants from many states. Register to compete (promptly), enter the graphic design contest (promptly), or buy advance tix (a HUGE time-saver at the gate), at: http://www.topangabanjofiddle.org
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May 27-28, 2017 – Simi Valley Cajun, Blues Music Festival (CA)
Website http://www.simicajun.org
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June 1-4, 2017 – Blast From The Bayou Cajun-Zydeco Festival (Preston,
CT)
Band list and dates are not published yet. Check with website for details
and contact information.
http://www.strawberrypark.net/2014-cajun-zydeco-festival/#.VmDm8YTtK-I
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June 2-4, 2017 – Michael Arnone's Crawfish Festival (Augusta, NJ)
Website: http://www.crawfishfest.com
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June 17-18, 2017 – Long Beach Bayou Zydeco, Blues, Creole & Cajun
Festival (Long Beach)
Website: http://www.longbeachbayou.com
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June 23-25, 2017 —- Muddy Roots Europe Festival (Waardamme, Belgium)
Website: http://muddyrootsrecords.com/mr_events/mr_europe/
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June 24-25, 2017 — Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival (New Orleans)
11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. both days. Louis Armstrong Park. 901 N. Rampart
Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70116. Admission: Free Website:
https://www.jazzandheritage.org/cajun-zydeco/
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June 30-July 4, 2017 – Waterfront Blues Festival (Portland)
Information not yet available. Website:
http://www.waterfrontbluesfest.com
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July 9-14, 2017 – Cajun-Creole Week at Augusta Heritage Center (West
Virginia)
"It's a great way to get out of the heat and head for some of the most
scenic mountains in the East. Over the years a lot of Floridians have
attended." Music and cooking workshops and dancing. See American Heritage Center
YouTube Channel.
https://augustaheritagecenter.org/augusta-schedule/cajuncreole/
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August 3-6, 2017 – Sailieu Cajun Nights Festival (France)
Email: bayouprod@aol.com. Website: http://www.bayouprod.com/fr/
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August 12-13, 2017 – Long Beach Crawfish Festival
Long Beach Crawfish Festival at Rainbow Lagoon in Long Beach. 2016
information is not posted yet. Please confirm the dates at the website.
http://www.longbeachcrawfishfestival.com
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August 19-20, 2017 – Cotati Accordion Festival (Cotati, CA)
Cotati Accordion Festival in Cotati, California. Festival location is
north of San Francisco. http://www.cotatifest.com
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Sept. 1-3, 2017 – Ninigret Rhythm & Roots Festival (Rhode Island)
Rhythm & Roots Festival at Ninigret Park, Charlestown, Rhode Island.
http://www.rhythmandroots.com/ws/pages/home.php
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Sept. 2-3, 2017 – Sebastopol Cajun Zydeco Festival in Sebastopol, CA
Website is www.WineCountryCajun.com
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October 12-15, 2017 – Festivals Acadiens et Creoles (Lafayette)
Festivals Acadiens et Creoles in Lafayette, LA. Celebrate the rhythm of
Cajun and Creole life at Festivals Acadiens et Créoles Dance to a traditional
waltz. Two-step to the upbeat rhythms of accordions, fiddles and ti fers
(triangles). Step back in time as traditional crafters demonstrate their
artistry. Festivals Acadiens et Créoles pays tribute to the Cajun and Creole
cultures with a combination of FREE festivals. Held the second weekend in
October! http://www.festivalsacadiens.com
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October 28-29, 2017 (Projected) – South Louisiana Blackpot Festival and
Cookoff (Lafayette, LA)
South Louisiana Blackpot Festival and Cookoff in Acadian Village,
Lafayette, LA. The South Louisiana Black Pot Festival & Cookoff is one of the most
unique festivals in Louisiana. Held annually at Lafayette’s Acadian
Village, the festival celebrates its 5th year this October with two days of great
music, dancing, food, camping & jamming. The festival is a cooperative of
south Louisiana musicians, artists and southern culture enthusiasts,
creating an unprecedented gathering of south Louisiana’s hottest roots bands, as
well as a number of groups from all over the country. Live performances
range from Cajun & Zydeco, to Creole, Swing, Hot Jazz, Blues, Bluegrass,
Americana, Irish & Old-Time. Plus, an old-fashioned black pot cook-off, accordion
contest, called square dancing, and ample camping space for tents & RV’s.
Confirm the dates at http://blackpotfestival.com
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Sat. Nov. 25, 2017 (Projected) – Al Berard Music Fest (Henderson,
Louisiana)
Confirm date and location on website. Information at
http://www.alberard.com
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Nov; date not yet set:
Houston/Texas Cajun-Zydeco Events
http://www.zydecoevents.com/texaszydecoevents.html
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Nov. 30 to Dec. 4, 2017 – Louisiana Proud Dance Cruise (New Orleans)
Website: https://www.travelmachine.net/Featured-Cruises/65
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Florida Cajun and Zydeco Events, plus MORE FESTIVALS everywhere, at: http://www.floridacajunzydeco.com
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Our thanks to BRAD SJOBLOM and his long-running SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CAJUN ZYDECO WEB PAGE, at: http://Zydecobrad.com. You can subscribe to his FREE e-newsletter at: Zydecobrad@aol.com (tell him the Acoustic Americana Music Guide sent you.)
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CAJUN-ZYDECO FESTIVAL listings were compiled by JIM HANCE directly from prominent band and festival websites. Changes in lineups and times are common. He cautions, "Refer to both the event websites and websites of your favorite artists appearing at the festivals prior to making your travel plans."
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Stay tuneful! See you next time!
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LEGALESE, CONTACTING US, 'N SUCH...
Boilerplate? Where's the main pressure gauge? And the firebox?
What "boilerplate"? Who came up with that goofy term for the basic essential informational stuff...
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Pssst – Hey, kid. Yeah, YOU: It won't be so "basic" when we add all the links for the global network of music news / music education sites that we're joining; THAT'LL be here very soon, as an ESSENTIAL COMPONENT of the Guide returning to being a MUSIC NEWS journal!
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Direct to the Guide's current editions /
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CONTACT US at / send Questions / Comments to:
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Entire contents copyright © 2017,
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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. That includes both traditional and innovative forms. From the deepest roots to today’s acoustic renaissance, that’s our beat. We provide a wealth of resources, including a HUGE catalog of acoustic-friendly venues (now undergoing a major update), and inside info on FESTIVALS and select performances in Southern California in venues from the monumentally large to the intimately small and cozy. We cover workshops, conferences, and other events for artists and folks in the music industry, and all kinds 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 bluegrass and pre-bluegrass Appalachian mountain music to all the swamp water roots of the blues and the bright lights of where the music is headed now.
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The Acoustic Americana Music Guide. Thanks for sittin' a spell. The porch'll be here anytime you come back from the road.
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