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June 25, 2008 |
- The Blasters announced today
that Jerry Angel, their drummer of 14 years has left the band.
Jerry has joined a band called Shurman, who will be offering much
work and touring than the Blasters. Taking over the drum stool
will be 'Original Blasters' drummer Bill Bateman. We wish Jerry
all the best and welcome back Bill.
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June 21, 2008 |
- Blasters Newsletter #56 is
out now. It's the All Chris Gaffney Tribute issue. Featuring 19
pages of comments from just a few of Gaff's friends and band
mates. Also reviews of the April 30, 2008 Gaffney memorial
concert. American Music #56
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June 3, 2008 |
- Blasters Newsletter #56 is
due out soon. It will be an all Chris Gaffney Tribute issue with
words from the musicians in these pages who knew him. While you
wait, take a look back at this very-fun interview I did with Chris
back in 2000 for his last solo album.
American Music # 26
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April 29, 2008 |
- The Chris Gaffney Memorial
-- April 30, 2008 Long Beach, CA -- Comedian Andy Kindler and the
Gaffney family will be hosting a night of stories and music
at "The Cellar." Special guests
include Dave Alvin and The Guilty Men, The
Hacienda Brothers, The Cold Hard Facts,
The Blasters, Bill Kirchen, and many other friends.
- The Cellar’s information is available at:
www.myspace.com/thecellarlbc Address: 201 E. Broadway, Downtown
Long Beach, located on the Promenade at Broadway
- The memorial celebration begins at 3pm.
Donations are graciously accepted and deeply appreciated.
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April 17, 2008 |
- Chris Gaffney, a beloved husband, revered
entertainer, precious father, dear uncle, trusted friend,
cherished brother has succumbed to liver cancer
- Chris Gaffney passed
away this morning, April 17, 2008 in the Orange County hospital in
California with his wife Julie at his side. He suffered a fall at
home last night and died in his sleep after being admitted to the
hospital. Further details are unavailable at this time. Funeral
arrangements are yet to be announced.
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April 10, 2008 |
- Johnies (Harvey's)
Broiler Is To Be Rebuilt
- Downey CA -
Bob's Big Boy signed a lease and the operator
intends to rebuild the structure trying to uphold the integrity of
the 1958 building. This is amazing everyone!!! Simply historic
that this has occurred. All of your support and efforts all of
these years have paid off in a huge way. We are indebted to all of
your efforts over the past seven years. This is a huge win for our
community and for American culture. ----
Analisa (Friends of Harvey's/Johnie's Coalition)
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March 24, 2008 |
- Our good friend Chris
Gaffney has been diagnosed with liver cancer and has been forced
off the road. Please visit his web site to leave messages for
Chris and his family and donate to the
'Chris
Gaffney Recovery fund.'
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March 19, 2008 |
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February 29, 2008 |
- Dave Alvin releases new digital single,
"Drunk"
from the Gene Taylor Blues Band On
YepRoc.com and
DaveAlvin.net
-
Who says a song needs more than one chord? Rhythm
and Blues pioneer Jimmy Liggins didn't think so and his 1953
jump blues hit "Drunk," a tribute to the joys and travails of
inebriation, certainly proves it.
Jimmy Liggins was the guitar playing brother of another R+B
legend, pianist / singer /songwriter Joe Liggins (composer of
blues standards like "The Honeydripper" and "Pink Champagne")
and Jimmy was also a boxer who fought under the name Kid Zulu.
The Liggins brothers were mainstays of the fertile 1940s and 50s
Central Avenue music scene in Los Angeles. Joe Liggins was still
performing in the 1970s when my brother Phil, Gene Taylor and I
would catch him playing piano and singing in little dive bars
around LA and Long Beach. He was an extremely talented and nice
man. I wish I would've have also met Jimmy. I bet he could've
taught me a lot about the complex mysteries of a one chord song.
Over the years Jimmy Liggins' one chord classic has been a
staple in therepertoire of many barroom blues, western swing and
rockabilly bands (I've even sung it once or twice with my band,
The Guilty Men). This version of "Drunk," though, was recorded
live last December at the Café Boogaloo in Hermosa Beach,
California when I was part of a short west coast tour with The
Gene Taylor Blues Band. Keyboard master Gene Taylor is singing
and rocking the piano, Bill Bateman is swinging the drums and
John Bazz is walking the stand up bass while I imitate some
honking saxophone riffs on my electric guitar. The gigs were a
special holiday reunion with my hometown pals and I had a blast
to say the least. Our off the cuff take of "Drunk" was recorded
and mixed by the genius engineer, Mark Linett and executive
produced by noted R+B scholar Hudson Marquez. This track is a
bonus outtake from a live CD by The Gene Taylor Blues Band that
will be available later this year. Until then, I hope you enjoy
"Drunk" and remember to always drink responsibly.
- Dave Alvin, February 23, 2008
"Drunkl" is the
7th digital single available exclusively on-line :The
others: "Perdido Street Blues" "Two Lucky Bums" "Mobile Blue" "Earl's Rhumba" "Peace"
and "Highway 61"
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February 21, 2008 |
- Dave Alvin releases new digital single,
"Perdido Street Blues" On
YepRoc.com and
DaveAlvin.net
- There are many ways of playing the blues and
this is one of them. Back in the early days of jazz they would've
called this approach to blues, "viper music." That term always
sounded pretty good to me. "Perdido Street Blues" was composed by
the under appreciated Lil' Hardin Armstrong (the one time wife and
pianist for Louis Armstrong) and was originally recorded back in
1926 by clarinet master Johnny Dodds and his New Orleans
Wanderers. I was 14 when I first heard his version and, besides
being blown away by Dodds' clarinet virtuosity, what captivated me
was the minor/major key modulations that make up the song
structure. With its low down almost spooky groove and melody, "Perdido
Street Blues" is definitely some old time, back-in-the-alley viper
music. For many years I've toyed around with the idea of cutting
the song as a guitar based piece but never got around to doing it.
Recently, after playing a few gigs with blues/boogie woogie piano
master Gene Taylor, I thought it might be fun to finally cut "Perdido
Street Blues" with Gene doing what he does best on the keyboards.
Besides Gene, I was thrilled to be joined by another fellow
Blaster, John Bazz, thumping mean stand-up bass. Rounding out this
unique group are Greg Leisz (my longtime producer and guitar hero)
on the slippery electric lap steel guitar and current Guilty Man
drummer Steve Mugalian on the snazzy drums and percussion. For
this track I played my beloved 1934 National steel bodied guitar
while Craig Parker Adams did his usual expert job recording
everything live at his Winslow Court studio in Los Angeles,
California.
I can't explain what a big kick it was to go
back into the studio with Gene and John for the first time
together since when we were in The Blasters years ago. Time and
fate permitting we can hopefully do some more recording in the
future. Until then I hope you enjoy our little bit of viper blues.
- Dave Alvin, January 9th, 2008
- "Perdido Street Blues" is the
6th digital single available exclusively on-line :The
others: "Two Lucky Bums" "Mobile Blue" "Earl's Rhumba" "Peace"
and "Highway 61"
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January 16, 2008 |
- The latest edition of the
Blasters Newsletter is out now.
American Music # 55
January 2008
- Read about: The
Gene Taylor Blues Band goes on tour. Also, American Music on
Youtube.com. Plus all the latest news.
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Archive of old
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