According to my phone it is now 62 days until Labor Day. To my way of thinking, we are heading into the heart of the summer. Summer unofficially begins with Memorial Day and unofficially ends with Labor Day. The technical boundaries are the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox - I guess. Either way, to my mind, once we get past Independence Day in the US, we have entered the heart of the summer, and Labor Day marks the end of that period. For sure - especially lately - the hot weather can and often does linger long past that date, but after that - there is, at least, the possibility of some reprieves.
I don't really have a point to all this - except we are now officially half way through this year of change and transition. There was at least a inkling of an idea that somehow, magically, all of the bad of 2020 would just fly away on January 1 and we could look back. We were quickly dissuaded from such ideas. Even now, as things seems to be returning to normal (or at least a facsimile of normal), one cannot help but wonder what the future holds....
Featured Friday Playlist recap (Part 2) (songs 14-21):
14. "Dreamlike" by Electric Kif (feat. Aaron Parks)
Latest single from the Miami based jazz band featuring pianist Aaron Parks.
15. "S.O.S." by ilo ilo
Latest single from the L.A. based alt-electronic duo.
16. "Treading Water" by Tom Sless
Next up, we have the new single from Fort Worth, Texas based Americana rock artist Tom Sless.
17. "Wait" by Aaron J Trumm
New Mexico based singer-songwriter and label owner Aaron J Trumm with his "obligatory" COVID single. A great message and a great song.
18. "Heidio Mae'r Locustiaid" by BOI
Welsh band BOI with a track from their new album Coron O Chwinc.
19. "Hot Sweaty South" by Tenth Mountain Division
This was my introduction to Denver based Tenth Mountain Division and their brand new Butte La Rose album which was produced by Railroad Earth's Tim Carbone, and I am a fan.
20. "Good Day Sunshine" by Kate Taylor
James Taylor's "kid sister" reunites with legendary producer Peter Asher 50 years after her debut album for this stunning Beatles cover.
21. "A Little More" by Jennifer Tefft
And we close this segment of music with our second single for feature from Boston-area singer-songwriter Jennifer Tefft. A great tune to take us out for this part of the Playlist.
Let's see... I attended the final show of the Jason Ringenberg residency at The 5 Spot. Jason's guests were Kristi Rose and Fats Kaplin. Fats Kaplin is a wonder, Kristi Rose sings like an angel, and Jason is Jason! The night included: Fats, Kristi, and Jason covering a Gun Club song. And even though, I didn't win the Farmer Jason eggs, Jason did play my request, "Don't Go Back to Rockville" - which I first heard him sing in November 1985 when he joined R.E.M. on the stage of Vanderbilt Memorial Gym. Plus I got an XL Farmer Jason t-shirt! I did have a brain-fart moment and told Jason that The Sluggers played a Gun Club song when they opened for the Scorchers at Cat's Record. His reaction told me I was mistaken, and after giving some thought and digging into brain cells I thought had been lost years ago, I remember that it was Flipper that they covered. Don't ask me why I mistook Gun Club for Flipper except they were both bands that I loved and who had achieved legendary status just a relatively few short years after they formed.
After that, a bunch of folks migrated over to The Family Wash for a J.J. Cale tribute night put together by Pete Finney. An amazing band backed an all-star cast of guests including: Jon Byrd, Kevin Gordon, Mac Gayden, Jonell Mosser, Dave Coleman, Bill Lloyd, Nikki G, Jack Pearson, Pat Bergeson, and Rick Schell. Plus a couple of songs by the awesome East Nashvill band Los Colognes.
A big crowd full of really awesome people at both events on the eastside.
Meanwhile, Darrin Bradbury was representing East Nashville,well, in the deep, deep south of Nashville (Franklin), where he did the recurring Vietti Chili promo and totally owned the moment. You can see it HERE. Darrin comes in at the 37 minute mark. Great news is that Darrin will be doing a full set a MCR in June! I will be on the bus for that!
On to the shuffle which I think speaks for itself:
Today's post will contain no references to Darrin Bradbury, Aaron Lee Tasjan, or Jon Latham. (damn, I just mentioned them...)
Tim Easton is one of East Nashville's most respected songwriters. He is also (my words not his) the spiritual guiding force behind Campfire Propaganda - a loosely connected group of songwriters on the Eastside who feed off of each other creatively.
Over the past several months, Easton has undertaken the daunting task of posting 100 songs in 100 days - as a way to celebrate his 100th published song. He posted his 100th song yesterday, however, one of those songs was a Bob Dylan cover featuring the McCrary Sisters, Megan Palmer, and Aaron Lee Tasjan (damn, I mentioned him again!). All proceeds from that song go to charity.
Because it was Easton's original intention to post 100 original songs, he decided to post song 101. It is called "Sail Away, Sailors". And you can watch it below. According to Tim Easton, "It's the tale of the Alaska youth traveler who gets a job trimming weed then goes to Mexico, then home to Kodiak Island."
Expect one more song tomorrow, called "One for the Ditch" - just because. Tim Easton is currently working on completing his next album. Keep up with Tim Easton by following his Facebook page.
If you are in Nashville next Monday, look for Tim Easton along with Zach Schmidt opening up Week 2 of the Darrin Bradbury Residency. (damn, I mentioned him again, too!)
Oh well, since I mentioned the other two, I should remind you that Jon Latham will do a free show at Soulshine Pizza on Friday to cap off his week as Local Artist of the Week for Lightning 100.
Hopefully, Lemmy is having a celestial beer somewhere... RIP
DISCLAIMER: For one of the first times (if not the first times) in E2TG history, I actually composed part of this post in advance. Over the long holiday weekend, I took time to go over the "Earies" and tried to figure out a game plan for my last three posts of the year (two "Earies" and Artist of the Year). When I figured out what I wanted to do for today's final "Earie" before the AofTY, I knew it was going to be time consuming and so I wrote the next bit in advance.
FURTHER DISCLAIMER: Both yesterday's and today's shuffles produced head smacking moments of remembering artist deserving of "Earies". I can only beg forgiveness for any and all omissions. Despite how it may appear, I do most of #E2TG posts by the seat of my pants. *I know shocking* and to boot, I often have a very disorganized mind. It's part of my charm... Anyway, let's jump right into the last "Earie" before the "Golden Earie"....
(this next bit was written on Sunday and editing since then)
Now, we have reached the penultimate E2TG 2015 Award. Tomorrow, I will unveil the 2015 Artist of the Year. As I frequently write and say, I find it very fortuitous that through a series of unfortunate events that I would have never volunarily chosen to end up in the place I am at the moment I arrived. Arrived without travelling… sure, but it has been a journey. Finding myself smack in the middle of the East Nashville music community in the middle part of the second decade of the 21st Century, I am keenly aware of what a moment I am experiencing. You might think I would be jaded or disillusioned by now, and you would be partially correct. I have been jaded and disillusioned many times, and certainly if you look for them or focus on them, there are plenty of reasons to be jaded and disillusioned by the state of music. But, there are causes for hope. The obvious examples that people will mention - Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson… sure but it goes way deeper and way beyond that. The level of excellence here is incredible. Songwriters, guitar players, bassists, drummers, pedal steel players, photographers, music writers, bookers…. the list goes on,
Now, do not get me wrong East Nashville (or maybe more precisely the other side of Nashville) is not a perfect situation. I have made off-hand (kind of) joking comments about the Nashville Conundrum - referring to the sheer volume of incredible volume of awesome live music and the impossible choices this creates. Choices between two or more shows going on at the same time, choices between going out or staying in to get my own work done or to rest and recover. For a music fan, it is an excellent problem to have - for musicians - not always. It is, I think, a pretty well known fact that some of our community’s best spend a significant amount of time on the road because that is where there is money to be made. Nashville/East Nashville is home base and the spirit of collaboration and community keeps them coming back, but shows that would be events in another city are easily overlooked or passed over here in Nashville.
I do not propose or make any claim to a solution to the monetary issues facing the musicians these days. It seems to me to be a complicated equation. The amount of artistic freedom and autonomy made possible by advancements in technology vs. the increasing difficulty of getting music fans to spend money on independent music. Honestly, it can be discouraging even for someone not directly impacted by it. But, for me it just drives me harder to spread the word about music of substance that needs to be heard more widely and supported.
All that wordiness to say, I am giving the final “Earie” before Artist of the Year to the community of artists who have become a part of my life over the last year and a half. I am going to call out a few people by name, and ommissions are inevitable. In a hypothetic sense, this last “Earie” will be represented by a giant sized “Ear” right smack dab in the middle of 5 Points. You know, that weird intersection of 11th and Woodlawn and those other streets.
1. Aaron Lee Tasjan - I had to single out Aaron Lee for reasons which should become obvious if they are are not already. I had heard about Aaron Lee Tasjan before I actually heard him. The first time I heard him play guitar was on the same day that I met Darrin Bradbury. He was backing up Tim Easton at The 5 Spot. Later, he did a residency at that bar, and I finally got to hear him do his own songs. To say, I was blown away would be an understatement. In fact, I think it took me some time to fully grasp how amazing he was as a songwriter. His mixture of humor, cultural references, and emotional resonance is incomparable. Over time, I learned more about his history and got to meet him and found him to be a really nice guy. The other thing he is - which to me typifies this community, is generous. In 2015, as he began to garner more and more (well deserved) attention, ALT (as he is known) seemed to work even harder at lifting up his fellow musicians and writers. His album, In the Blazes, was one of my most highly anticipated releases and yet it still managed to surprise me. It is a rock and roll record, it is a alt-folk record, it is a alt-country record - it shows off his abilities as a songwriter and as a guitarist.
2. Tim Easton - the mentor and a driving force behind the Campfire Propaganda movement. His experience and wisdom has helped to push these younger songwriters forward, and their influence seems to have revitalized this long-time East Nashville presence. The celebrate his 100th published song, Easton began posting a song a day for 100 days. He is at the tail end of this marathon project.
3. Zach Schmidt - One of the brightest lights in the East Nashville community. Schmidt has an album in the can that will be released in 2016. He has all the attributes of a classic male country music star, and his songs manage to deftly walk the line between tradition and innovation. Watch for Zach Schmidt in 2016.
4. Nellie Marie Clay - Originally from Oklahoma, Clay made her way to Nashville after spending a few years in the far reaches of Alaska. Like Zach Schmidt, she brings a new energy to traditional sounding roots music. Her distinctive drawl and the twanginess of her music made her a force to be reckoned with. Her new album I Never Did What I Shoulda Done is excellent,
5. Megan Palmer - Besides being a go to side musician for the likes of Darrin Bradbury, Tim Easton and others, Palmer is an excellent songwriter in her own right. Her performace of one her best songs, “Knife Twister” backed by an all-star backing chorus that included Julie Christensen, Nellie Marie Clay and others was a highlight of the year. She has a new album ready to go in 2016. It will be worth your while to check it out.
6. Brian Wright - Probably a half dozen of my favorite musical moments of 2015 involve Brian Wright. A powerhouse guitar player, an unequaled songwriter, and a supporter of his fellow musicians. If you ever get the chance to see Brian Wright live - in any configuration, do not miss out!
7. Carl Anderson - Anderson came to Nashville by way of Charlottesville, VA. His album, Risk of Loss, is one of the best of 2015. Such amazing songs.
8. Other songwriters: Andrew Leheay, Lilly Hiatt, Tim Carroll, Tommy Womack, Kiely Schlessinger, Luella Wood, Bob Lewis, Allen Thompson, Russell Thompson, Amelia White, Adrian+Meredith Krygowski, Dave Coleman, Ariel Bui, Yosi Mesbah and so many more. Covering music that can be described as country, alt-country, folk-country, not country, roots rock, alt-folk, rock, blues-rock, jam band….etc. I tend to shy away from putting labels on music (though I understand that for artists it is a necessity sometimes). I think of it as excellent music. Traditionally, Nashville has been known as a town of songwriters, and even though the quality of writing on “the Row” can be called into the question - that tradition lives on around campfires, on porches, and in clubs around the city but concentrated in East Nashville. (And by reference, I include some of the amazing writers who have already won “Earie” Awards)
9. The musicians - once you have a song, the next step is to bring that song to life. And, although that can be done by just the writer and an acoustic guitar, when the song is developed and augemented by the help of some of the best musicians in the world, the results can be amazing. Many of the writers I mentioned are also amazing musicians who frequently back up other writers (Brian Wright, Megan Palmer, and ALT stand out). When you go out and hear music in Nashville, one thing you begin to notice is some of the same faces showing up again and again playing behind a very diverse mix of musical styles. Justin Amaral, Aaron Shafer-Haiss, Steve Ebe, Raun Shultz, David Strayer, Daniel Seymour, Cameron Carrus, Adam Kurtz, and many many more. Some of the above named front their own projects and some do not, but they are all part of the lifeblood that makes this new Music City what it is.
10. The non-musicians - Musicians and songwriters are the reason this scene exists but it would not run if it were for the photographers, managers, bookers, writers, publicists. and behind the scenes folks. I want to call out Stacie Huckaba, Mary Sack, Terry Rickards, Sue Havlish, Karen Leipziger (who is also a songwriter and musician as I recently learned), John McCollum. Skip Anderson, Heather Lose, Randy Fox, and many more.
11. Bands - I should probably mentioned some of the amazing bands who call Nashville home. Covering an incredible diverse range of syles and sounds, Year of October, Dogs of Oz, Turbo Fruits, Blackfoot Gypsies, Humming House, Benchmarks, Fendrick and Peck, and many more.
2016 is going to be an amazing year, and the “Earies” will be back for their second season. But, I’m not quite done with 2015. The Artist of the Year for 2015 will be revealed tomorrow. Stay tuned.
back to live posting
Now for the penultimate regularly scheduled shuffle of 2015!
Reason I love Nashville #(somemadeupnumber...prettybigI'dguess):
To be able to say that I saw Brock Zeman, Blair Hogan, Darrin Bradbury, Megan Palmer, Lilly Hiatt, Jesse Lafser, John Jackson, Brian Wright, Aaron Lee Tasjan and more.... and for that to be in one night not over the course of a week or a month. You know - Monday night!
Brock and Blair will be playing as part of $2 Tuesday at The 5 Spot tonight. Aaron Lee will be part of a line-up at ACME Feed and Seed sponsored by No Country for New Nashville. You probably won't be able to do both, but you should definitely done one or the other if you around.
Probably the highlight of the night was Brian Wright and his incredible band that included Aaron Lee Tasjan on guitar ripping through an mind-blowing version of Big Wilson River's "Astronaut". Long time and careful readers of this blog will remember that Big Wilson River was a Featured Artist/Band way back in 2012. They were probably in the process of breaking up when I was featuring them, and I kind of lost touch until head BWR dude, Darrin Bradbury showed up in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Nashville in late 2013. Anyway, it was a really amazing version of the song, and I was trying to record it when my stupid phone ran out of memory and then didn't save the part I did record. Fortunately there is a video someone made floating around.
"Close your eyes, breathe slow, and we'll begin..." - from "The Pan Within" written by Mike Scott and recorded by his band, The Waterboys from their album This is the Sea.
Last night I took the Blackstone Bus to Music City Roots at the Factory in Franklin. I think the bus is one of this town's best kept secrets. Every Wednesday, the bus departs from The 5 Spot in East Nashville makes a stop at Soulshine Pizza in Midtown and then makes its way down I65 to Franklin.
Reasons it is such a cool, awesome deal: 1. The ride is free. You pay your (usually $10) Roots ticket, select the Blackstone Bus option. 2. They serve samples of different varieties of Blackstone Beer (the longest currently operating local brewery). 3 You get some free hors d'oeuvres courtesy of Monnells. 4. There is usually awesome live music on the bus and 5. You don't have to drive.
About #4 - the scheduled music performer was under the weather, but because Nashville - it turned out that The Worry Dolls were on board. The Worry Dolls are recent transplants from London. I had seen them at a showcase during Americana, and they graced us with some songs on the bus. I nice treat to be sure.
This weeks Music City Roots was pretty eclectic. Host Jim Lauderdale opened the show with a song from his new album - which I now really want to check out. A bluegrass band from Italy played one song. I really dug them a bunch - they are called La Terza Classe. The Orphan Brigade played next, they are a really interesting group of experienced players with a pretty fascinating story. They completed their current album in Kentucky at what is called the Most Haunted House in America. I really liked their music which is kind of moody roots music - I guess. LynnMarie was next with her polka band. They won me over by opening their set with a cover of The Who's "Squeezebox" and a song written about LynnMarie's son who has Down's Syndrome. The latter song really spoke to me.
Ted Drozdowski's Scissormen played the final set of the night and did what they do best - bringing the authentically original take on psychedelic North Mississippi blues music. And for those who read yesterday's post - no, the MCR stage could not contain Ted Drozdowski. Drozdowski is a phenomenal guitar player and his band provide some amazing support.
The closing Music City Jam featured a pretty awesome version of a song Muddy Waters recorded called "Rollin' and Tumblin'". It was amazing to hear the different takes from everyone on stage.
Last night, I went to 3rd and Lindsley to see Bebe Buell and her band. Bebe Buell has been an iconic figure in Rock and Roll for many years. She relocated to Nashville a little over a year ago. She has a relatively new band and her show was a lot of fun. Crystal Gayle joined her and The Blackfoot Gypsies closed the show with some of their high-energy shenanigans. Read more: My review for No Depression.
Another swell shuffle this morning... a mix of songs I am pretty sure you will not see duplicated at one of those run-of-the-mill music sites....
