Location: The Iridium on Broadway ... via Memphis, New Orleans, New Jersey and ... Ireland?
A night with the NYC Hit Squad is always a riot. Bottom line, this is a group of super-talented musicians who all have/had pretty incredible day jobs and come together a few times a year to jam on some of their favorite tunes.
My sense is that they don't rehearse and just basically go on instinct. And, regardless of Ricky Byrd's tongue-in-cheek comment "we've been together six years now and haven't gotten any better" they always sound pretty damn good.
Their regular slew of great songs -- Soothe Me, Route 66, CC Rider, Tell the Truth (Who's Been Fooling You), Unchain My Heart, etc. -- was nicely implemented by a few that I hadn't heard them do before (I think) ... such as The Weight, You're My Girl/I Don't Want to Discuss It and a fabulous song by the late Howard Tate, Get It While You Can.
As always, Christine Ohlman's "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" captivated the crowd. And in this season of award shows, she once again wins for Best Earrings of The Year. The woman has a style like no other. I'm very much looking forward to her show next Saturday night at the Stanhope House.
Jeff Kazee did his usual fun version of Van Morrison's Domino, this time highlighted by a perfectly apropos snippet of We're Having A Party in the middle ... amusing given that just about everybody on the stage has performed with the AsburyJukes at some point in their career. He also had a nice turn singing "Delta Lady" by Leon Russell (made famous by Joe Cocker.) Fantastic keys throughout the show, not a surprise.
Always a bit casual and loose, there was a hilarious "stump the Dude" moment with Ricky calling out nationalities with trombonist Neal Pawley coming up with musical quips on the spot. Kudos Neal. Well done.
Hmmm...oh, and every time I looked at Muddy Shews, I kept thinking he was wearing a vintage Jon BonJovi t-shirt ... #justsaying
p.s. in actuality, it was Keith Richards. Sorry. My bad. LOL
It was a fun night with great music, friends and a bit of wackiness. I definitely concur with Ken Dashow, radio dj (yes, they still exist!) for Q104.3 here in the city ... thumbs up.
I ended the evening with a little extra New Orleans style by stopping for a quick bite at one of my regular NYC hangs, Delta Grill. The place usually has some great music coming out of the sound system and something with andouille sausage coming out of the kitchen. *sigh* (insert shameless plug) ... and if you're ever in the REAL New Orleans, stop by family's place, Buffa's, located just off the French Quarter. Get my Uncle Chuck's Bratwurst Jambalaya. Wisconsin meets New Orleans. LOL
With last year now officially done and over, it's time for a quick (not likely) recap of the musical highlights of the previous 365 days.
According to my concert spreadsheet (yes, I'm a geek) and my debit card statement (ugh), I was blessed enough to attend well over 60 concerts this past year. Among other things, this included:
- two trips to the UK (Jovi/Jukes) - a 24-hour trip to Canada (Jovi) - a wild and wacky trip to Chicago (Jukes) - a slew of great benefit events (Baltimore, Starland, Best Buy Theater, Count Basie) - a week of shows while trying to outsmart a hurricane (Jukes) - a super-muddy night in Central Park (Wilco)
...and so many buses and trains around the Garden State that NJ Transit should send me a personal, hand-written thank you note. :-)
There were many memorable nights in arenas, stadiums, auditoriums, pubs, bars and clubs, but some simply stand out more than others. Trying to compare the diverse musical styles and diverse styles of venues is virtually impossible. So, in the end it really comes down to your personal musical experience.
Here are 5 of my top shows of 2011...
1. Early Elton Trio (October, Rockwood Music Hall) Sometimes you find just the perfect combination of material, venue and superior musicianship ... and the result is not a concert, but a journey. From the songs you know every word to (Tiny Dancer, Levon) to those deep cuts that just make you listen. (I am still obsessed with that performance of Madman back in January.)
Good musicians cover a song. Great musicians make it their own.
I hope 2012 will bring a few Early Elton Trio shows, but given the insane schedules of the three artists, it can't be easy to find a date that works for everyone. But, when they do ... I will be the first in line for tickets.
2. Bon Jovi (June, Dublin - night 2) Choosing just one of the 16 shows I went to was a challenge. I mean, really ... the Hyde Park show? Awesome. That Mohegan Sun show in March when Lorenza Ponce opened and then Bon Jovi took the stage with a set list that made me wonder if we had somehow been transported to Europe. (Hey God...in the States...was Jon delirious?) Oh, and that epic night at Madison Square Garden. Three hours. Eight encores.
But, then there was Dublin. My 200th Bon Jovi show brought performances of Bounce, Never Say Goodbye, Love for Sale, Hey God, a cover of U2's Vertigo and the kick-ass combo of Damned/If Loving You is Wrong. We had a fun Q&A session with Jon before the show. And, because of the fan club trip, just about all my Jovifriends were there from Europe, the States and Canada. A good time was had, for sure!
3. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes (November, Cranston, Rhode Island) Same situation with the Jukes. I attended 23 shows this year and a number of them were truly special. There was that incredible night with Little Steven at the Stone Pony in July. There was a fantastic show in Bristol (UK) where Johnny improvised some of the best narrative I had ever heard. There was the intimate show in Chicago where every member of the band just played like they were possessed. (in a good way. LOL)
So, why Cranston? Because there was a different energy that night. The first show after that preliminary run of Poor Fools gigs, maybe it was just everyone being back together...and Johnny knowing he wasn't going to have to play guitar. LOL The crowd and venue were great and it seemed the set list was designed to make me happy as can be (points to anyone who gets the reference.) I decided at the last minute to jump on the bus and go up for the show. Perhaps one of my best decisions of the year.
Ok, there really wasn't a usable video from that show. (Jukesfans aren't quite as ... ummm ... fervent about videos/photos as Jovifans.) So, instead I chose this beautiful performance from the Stone Pony show. No, that gorgeous sky is not a backdrop. It really was that stunning.
4. Barry Manilow (December, Las Vegas) Now, before you start making fun, just think...the man has a ridiculous number of hit songs. He is a born entertainer. This was his final show after a seven-year residency. It's VEGAS.
Is it over-the-top cheesy? ABSOLUTELY. Does that make it any less fabulous? Not at all. Because none of that matters when he belts out Could It Be Magic, Looks Like We Made It, Mandy, Copacabana, I Write the Songs, and my personal theme for that trip, I Made it Through the Rain. Perfect.
5. Outside the Box/Southside Johnny/Jeff Kazee (June, The Stone Pony) Every once in a while, you are just lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. That's how I felt about one night at the Pony. First, Outside the Box did a set of their own material (if you haven't bought their debut album yet, do it now. Click Here.) Then, they covered an Elvis Costello album. All that was great.
But, it was the impromptu jam session that followed that made the night special. Sure, it was a bit messy. Maybe out of tune. Some words may have been missed. Didn't matter at all. To me, it was the embodiment of why people become musicians. Simply for the love and joy of music.
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There you have it. A few thoughts on what shaped my 2011. There were good times. There were bad times. And, damn, there was some great music!
So, what's the coming year going to bring?
We shall see.
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p.s. I CAN'T BELIEVE I somehow forgot about Paul McCartney at Yankee Stadium! What the HECK is wrong with me? How was that not on my list? That was an INCREDIBLE night. Seeing a rock-and-roll ICON in a legendary venue. (okay, would have been better in the old stadium, but I digress.) I really wish I had my current phone that night (rather than my old trusty blackberry) because I could have at least captured a few more images as they were quite cranky about cameras. Also wish I would have splurged for a better ticket. In any case, Sir Paul ... my sincere apologies. Please forgive me.
So I return to NYC and what happens? It frickin' snows! In October! Geez ... the weather in the UK was better! LOL
Speaking of my trip, you can read all about it over at Jukesnet. I still have one more entry to do, but the first four parts are posted: London, Southampton, Cardiff, and Bristol.
Top Ten Moments of the Tour (in no particular order)
1. Johnny's brilliant narrative of what men must give up in the name of love (Bristol) 2. Getting to catch up with my cousin in London after 20+ years 3. Jeff Kazee's super-cool performance of "I'm A Man" (Bristol) 4. The St. David Spa and Hotel in Cardiff 5. John Conte's bass solo in Southampton 6. Spending time with my friend BJSunnynight 7. FINALLY getting to hear "Some Things Just Don't Change" (Wolverhampton) 8. Not getting killed while crossing the street 9. Shopping at Harrod's 10. UK fashion magazines (a subscription to UK Vogue in the States is like $100!)
Here are a few of my favorite images from the shows.
...oh those eyes...
..ok..not the best quality ever, but it was a very funny moment...
..man vs mic..
With the Fall concert season in full swing, things are kicking into high gear here. Looking forward to concerts by Gavin DeGraw, Southside Johnny and the Poor Fools, Outside the Box, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Audra McDonald this month.
As if y'all didn't know ... I love living in NYC. *faked look of shock* LOL
The biggest reason why is because on any given night, there are dozens of amazing concerts going on around this city. And as someone who lives and breathes music, I know that I will NEVER be without somewhere to go to listen and be inspired. But, that also means there is always the possibility that conflicts may arise. Such was the case this past Tuesday when my favorite conductor was at Carnegie Hall and the Early Elton Trio was performing at Rockwood Hall.
Aries don't like to be forced to choose... ...and BAJ is a textbook Aries. *wink*
So I appeased the "classical geek fan girl" in me and went to the CD signing with Valery Gergiev at Juilliard which left me free and clear to go experience the brilliance that is Jeff Kazee/John Conte/Rich Pagano.
Sure, lots of singers and bands play songs by Elton John. But, that's not what this is.
It's about that perfect combination of the material and how it's communicated. It's not about nostalgia, but about hearing a song you know and feeling like you're experiencing it for the first time. And it's about the performers inviting you to join them on an emotional journey. These guys do this in spades.
I always come out of an EE show feeling mentally exhilarated and exhausted all at the same time. This show was no exception. I actually only took one picture during the entire show (which I tweeted.) Other than that, I just sat and listened and felt the music. Incredible.
Not yet recovered from that show, the next night brought the Jon Bon Jovi and Friends benefit event for Poly Prep Country Day School at the Best Buy Theater. I so love going to that theatre -- it is about two blocks from my apartment. (yay! no buses! LOL)
I had planned on attending this for several months as a friend affiliated with the school had purchased a ticket for me. They eventually opened it up to the general public -- as a result, it was nice to have the opportunity to catch up with many friends who I hadn't seen since the end of the tour.
The show opened with a number of performances by students of the school. Some were actually quite good, including this 11-year old rocker girl doing her own songs ... and with the likes of Jeffrey Lee Campbell (Sting) and Shawn Pelton (SNL) no less. Lucky girl!
As is the case with JBJ charity shows (and why I enjoy them so much), the set list was a mix of Bon Jovi songs and great cover songs like Start Me Up, Sympathy for the Devil, Twist and Shout, Under Pressure, The Letter (My Baby Just Wrote Me a Letter) and this one ...
It's always nice to see Jon truly enjoying himself when he does these events. And I was enjoying myself as well ... even during WSYCGH. Haha.
Although I was sitting pretty far back, I did manage to take a few pictures.
...as you can see, Mr. Bon Jovi dressed up for this one...nice jeans, Jonny. I wonder what his ringtone is. I'm thinking it's not "Living on a Prayer" like the woman who was sitting behind me. LOL
...I love this one with Lorenza...
All-in-all it was a fun night. Certainly gave me my Jovifix ... at least for a while.
And, hey! This week's musical fun isn't even over yet. Friday I get to introduce a couple of my Canadian friends to Outside the Box who will be doing a set or two at Bowery Electric.
As expected, just because Bon Jovi isn't on tour doesn't mean the guys (and me, too for that matter!) aren't still running around -- whether it's Jon shooting an Advil commercial (I'm assuming you brokered some sponsorship deal for the Soul Kitchen on this one, Jon. Yes?) or Tico hitting the links in support of a good cause (umm ... I could really use some help with my irons, T. Thanks.) As for me, I ran into one of the guys this past weekend at an event down in Baltimore.
For the past nine years, the Casey Cares Foundation has held their Rock 'N' Roll Bash. The event features an all-star band of musicians and raises a ton of money to help kids with life-threatening illnesses and their families. You know the truth about musicians is ... they spend a lot of time hustling for gigs, but are total softees and always the first ones to step up to do a benefit show. Seriously, it's true.
Anyhoo, I knew two of my favorite people (Christine Ohlman and Jeff Kazee) were doing this gig and it's a cause that is important to me and it sounded like fun, so off on the bus I went.
To say the night was a lot of fun would be a huge understatement.
The band is led by saxophone superstar Mark Rivera who has been playing forever with Billy Joel and Ringo Starr. In addition to Christine (SNL band) and Jeff (Jukes, etc.), the line-up included Tommy Byrnes (Billy Joel), Anton Fig (Letterman), Jeff Carlisi (.38 Special), Derek St. Holmes (Ted Nugent) and Hugh McDonald (y'all know who he plays with, I guess.)
They alternated sets with two tribute bands...High Voltage (ACDC) and Bad Medicine. I will admit, I had some great laughs watching the Bon Jovi tribute band. The frontman really did have some of Jon's moves down, including the Godforsaken "it's alright" section of WSYCGH. Haha.
But anyhoo, the all-star band played three sets I think and covered a slew of songs like Hungry Heart, Brown Sugar, Some Kinda Wonderful, Born to Run and just about every song that has the lyrics "rock and roll" in it. LOL. I really enjoy watching great musicians who are obviously enjoying what they do. And these guys were having a blast.
Master of Music Ceremonies, Mark Rivera
Mark, Tommy Byrnes, Hugh McDonald
Christine Ohlman (and the best earrings ever!)
Jeff and Tommy
Tommy and Hugh
Jeff and Mark
Tommy and Hugh
I loved Christine bringing up a ton of women on stage and doing Brass in Pocket by The Pretenders.
And though I have seen Kazee do this song a few times, I think it was the best version of Van Morrison's Domino yet.
The band played for hours. There was open bar and buffet (including some kick-ass fried green beans!) The venue was really cool (the Ram's Head Live) and I met a ton of fun people of all ages who gave me a million suggestions as to what to see during my whopping two free hours in Baltimore on Sunday. LOL Pretty darn good night.
So, I HIGHLY recommend if you're in the Baltimore/DC area, you should check it out next year -- it seems to usually take place in October. The ticket price is extremely reasonable (hey, we're Jovifans, no ticket price can shock us. Haha.) Oh ... and, if you don't live there, make a mini-trip out of it because there actually is a lot to see ... and the Inner Harbor area was awesome.
What's next? October is insane - Early Elton Trio at Rockwood Hall (yay!), MEMPHIS opening in Memphis (and we say good-bye to Chad Kimball as 'Huey' on Broadway. *sigh*) Then it's five shows in the UK with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. But, I'm kicking off the month with the annual Light the Night walk for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I truly appreciate all of you who have given to this campaign. THANK YOU! Anyone who would still like to donate ... see the box in the upper left corner of the blog.
p.s. Thanks for all the messages in the last couple of days re: me vs the marble staircase. Outcome of bout ... stairs:1, bajg:0, wrist: -1. I'll be fine. Torn ligament. No surgery. :) No bassoon for 4-6 weeks, though. *pout*
Greetings y'all ... hope you are well ... and safe. This whole Irene Hurricane/Tropical Storm has certainly walloped the East Coast of the U.S.
I've been on a road trip around the Northeast (nice timing, huh?) with my friend Tasha ... 4 Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes shows in 5 days basically. You can find my reviews, pictures, etc. over on Jukesnet.
But here are a few quick words on how things have gone so far... 1. War protest in Pittsfield, MA 2. Hurricane Emergency Kit ... beer and Slim Jims? 3. Kazee's Crossing Guard Service 4. Naked BBQ?! 5. Dog vs Pool
...and we're only halfway through the slew of shows! LOL
So follow these links to see what the heck I'm talking about:
note: we take a break from our regularly scheduled Jovi/Jukes ramblings for this special report...no worries, I'll be back with more Jovistuff soon
I will admit it. I am quite addicted to (most) pianist/singer/songwriters. They’ve always resonated with me. Not quite sure why … maybe it’s because I can actually play the piano and I can’t play guitar. Seriously! I suck. And, what’s that about? I can play the frickin’ bassoon – which admittedly most people can’t – and yet, the “every man’s instrument” that the average bloke can at least decently strum while sitting around a campfire totally befuddles me!? Ugh. Ok … rant over. Moving on.
Back to the subject at hand.
Yes, they get me every time – those black and white keys - from Elton John to Michael Feinstein, Billy Joel to Barry Manilow (oh, be quiet … they’re good songs!) And then there’s the “newer” generation of pianist/songwriters … like the fabulous (and quite adorable) Gavin DeGraw.
But today I’m writing about one of my new favorite artists. I was introduced to Jon Regen through the Jukes' Jeff Kazee (yet another pianist/singer/songwriter.)
If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you’ve seen me posting about Jon Regen’s new album, REVOLUTION. In a stroke of brilliance, he started streaming the yet-to-be-released cd in its entirety on his website sometime back. What a great thing! How often do you have the opportunity to listen to a full record before buying it? I liked the concept because it’s usually the obscure track (rather than the single) that you end up falling in love with … right?
So after listening to it for a few weeks, I finally sent Jon a message asking when exactly I could buy it so that I could finally turn my computer off. Being the nice guy he is, he immediately drops a signed copy in the mail to me. Yay! Now, I could have “One Part Broken, Two Parts Blue” on constant repeat! (When you buy the album, you will, too. Trust me.)
Born in New Jersey (what is it with me and Jersey musicians?! haha), to me, Regen’s music really just captures the feel of New York City so well. It's this great mix of jazz and pop, a beautiful way with words (check out "Spirits of the Soul" *sigh*) and a groove that just gets into you.
Gotta love that line: You hold me close then you push me away...there's a doctor you should see about your split personality. :-)
And if you live in/near NYC, join me at The Blue Note on September 12th for the cd release show. You know how to reach me ... @bigapplejen on twitter.
P.S. And well, since I did mention Gavin DeGraw… if you haven’t heard his new single “Not Over You” where have you been? It’s all over the radio. His new album is coming out in September as well. Yay! Check out this great acoustic version with him and Billy Norris. Glad to hear Gavin is recovering well and looking forward to seeing him back on the road.
Greetings friends! Sorry for the delay ... I've been looking for my writing mojo for the past couple of weeks now. If anyone sees it, please send it back my way. :-/
Regardless of my inability to string together words these days, I figured I better just keep plugging along or I'll be still writing about the Bon Jovi UK trip from June while I'm packing for the Jukes UK trip in October!
Anyhoo, on to Hard Rock Calling in Hyde Park.
It seemed that everyone and their brother was coming to this show and it was fantastic to meet up with so many friends - from the Netherlands to Italy to Australia to Germany. Though entry was a bit of a disaster (NOT the fault of the fan club, but the local security who had no clue/care what the process was) I was lucky to get a spot in the third-ish row surrounded by some absolutely AMAZING ladies from the UK.
(don't forget! you can always click on the pictures to make them larger)
(yeah, that white arrow in front of Jon's mic stand ... that would be me!)
I will not lie. It was a long day. I hadn't really slept well since I arrived and was still quite sick at this point (as could be told from my food intake for the day, which consisted of three french fries and four cough drops.)
But, the weather was absolutely gorgeous and the sun was shining ... good thing, because the red jacket just isn't right without the Michael Jackson sunglasses (sorry, Jonny ... it's growing on me ... really it is. LOL)
But, before we get to Jovi, I must mention that helping the day to move along, we were treated to several other artists prior to "our boys" coming on stage -- including Vintage Trouble (who was the support act for every show I saw) and the legendary Ray Davies, among others. But, the artist that really grabbed me was an American guitarist/singer/songwriter named Lissie.
I'm looking forward to checking out her stuff a bit more...an interesting mix of folk and rock...and definitely that "indie" spirit.
So, eventually Bon Jovi took the stage. By now, most of you have seen videos of the show, the special that VH1 Classic did on the event or listened to the live radio broadcast (either that night or since.) Therefore, you already know that it was a spectacular night. The crowd was fantastic ... of course it helped that you had all the fan club members together right at the front, which simply created this incredible singing force! :-)
And for a guy who was very much in need of knee surgery, Jon Bon Jovi was running around that stage, jumping and "dancing" (haha) for a good three hours. Richie's solos were on fire, Tico was pounding as hard as I've ever heard and David was ruling the keys with his blond curls blowing in the breeze. In some ways it felt like the Lost Highway Central Park show ... on steroids. LOL
Here are just a few of the ridiculous number of pictures I took during the show ...
...the great Ray Davies (if you watch the VH1 Classic footage, you can see our friend @DavidsRosie rocking it out in the front row! Yay!)
...one of the absolute best moments of the night..."Hey God!" ...enough said...
...an ELECTRIC performance of "Keep The Faith"
Hey, Hugh...don't hide back there!
..ahhh, there he is!
Honestly, I haven't thoroughly reviewed the photos from the second half of the show, but flipping through, this one stood out for sure! Loved that vest, Richie!
Richie really was just incredible that night ...
...and Jon is right...that opening from Tico is all it takes. Speaking of Tico, a few shot of the elusive one ...
...they did play right up until the curfew or within the few minutes after (when they won't be paying hundreds of thousands in fines)...
...but even an amazing night like this one had to eventually come to an end...
I can't really describe the whole experience -- but it felt like you were part of history in some way. It is definitely a night I will never forget - watching a band I absolutely love along with my friends (both old and new) in a gorgeous setting on a perfect summer evening. *sigh*
Well, perfect until you try to get 65,000-plus people out of a park! But, that's a story for another time. LOL
I still have a lot to cover of my trip - there's Bristol and the two Dublins! So, come back ... I promise it won't be so long until the next post. *wink*
A night with the NYC Hit Squad is always a riot. Bottom line, this is a group of super-talented musicians who all have/had pretty incredible day jobs and come together a few times a year to jam on some of their favorite tunes.
