Thanks to all Chicken Pluckers who made January 25, 2012 a record night at Blind Willie's on the monthly get together of the MOJO DOJO featuring Mace Hibbard-tenor sax, Russell Gunn-trumpet, Marlon Patton-drums, Kevin Bales-piano and Nick Johnson-guitar. Big Thanks also to Col. Bruce Hampton for his singular rendition of Bobby Blue Bland's "Yield Not to Temptation."
Still the champ, Col. Bruce Hampton (Dykes High, '65) was in rare form onstage and in storytelling backstage at the Downtown Kitchen in Canton GA. on Jan 21 2012. Along with Kinah Boto, Rev Jeff Mosier, Lawson Feltman, I had a joyful and rare experience jamming the classics including Yield Not to Temptation, Basically Frightened, Working On a Building. Indescribable!
Really enjoyed renewing the 1940's Radio Hour experience at Theater in the Square for a 2+ week run in December 2011.
Crazy weekend of November 18 Friday Jazz at the High was swingin' hard with Joe Alterman, Justin Chesarek and tenor master John Sandfort (a marathon gig), Saturday night a good rockin warehouse party with Hinkle, O'Rourke and Williams and rounding it off with a 7am rehearsal followed by a service at Ptree Corners Baptist.
Gigs have been good! Monday Nov 7, 2011, however, it got surreal when I shared the stage to introduce Holly Firfer (CNN, Star-94) who introduced Erica Jong (Fear of Flying) at the Book Festival of the Marcus JCC of Atlanta. Lot of female energy in the room! I did not admit to the crowd to having snuck Fear of Flying way back when! Thanks for all of the enthusiasm for AM 1690 at our table in the lobby.
Wednesday October 12 saw the MOJO DOJO back at Blind Willie's in a 7-piece config which included Mace-sax, Melvin-trumpet and Wes on trombone. Mayhem and great grooves were the order while Jay Brown manned the video freestyle and from the tripod.
Wednesday August 24, the MOJO DOJO was onstage at Blind Willie's with a revamped lineup and a fresh repertoire including new - to us! - songs from Wilson Pickett, Percy Mayfield, James Cotton and other soulful performers of the 50's and 60's. It was a fun crowd, a smokin' band and a rockin night in the Highlands in Atlanta. The crowd included Col. Bruce Hampton and Pharoah Gummit.
On Saturday July 9 'headed west out past my old home on the Dallas Highway to beautiful Paulding County's Raccoon Creek Bluegrass Festival. It was a pleasure to revisit this festival after many moons. Saw the Grascals fine show on stage and picked in the summer heat in the camping area with some great musicians including Atlanta's Jody Hughes. Atlanta and Nashville's Emory Gordy (bass w/Elvis, Billy Joel, Emmylou, etc) was keeping the crowds fed with great bbq from a hard working food service crew.
On Wednesday July 6 was honored to sit down to record an interview with pianist Johnny Knapp at his home, along with Col. Bruce Hampton. Knapp played with jazz and showbiz legends including Billie Holiday, Tal Farlow, Paul Chambers and Mary Martin. He was in the house on his steady gig at Los Angeles' Ambassador Hotel when Bobby Kennedy was shot, had the only parking space at the Apollo Theater and enjoyed a friendship with Miles Davis. According to Hampton, Knapp is the Forest Gump of the music biz!
A fine vibe from the crowd and great playing on the bandstand at Churchill Grounds on Peachtree in Atlanta made for a memorable night July 2 over the holiday weekend as my quartet took the stage. Justin Chesarek-drums, Mike Kelly-guitar and the incendiary Mace Hibbard-alto and tenor left the crowd happy. They left me with some good laughs as well; good times!
An interesting and beautiful day of gigs on April 23 starting with a country wedding in Rutledge GA in Hard labor Creek State Park with Jody Hughes and Bob Knysz followed by an evening party in Roswell GA with Hughes and, new to Atlanta, Austin TX native Brent Warnock, a force on mandolin and banjo. An all-Latin first set followed by smokin' bluegrass in the second set.
Recent 2011 editions of Backstage Atlanta on AM 1690, the weekly interview segment, have included conversations with piano virtuoso Jean-Yves Thibaudet - in town for 4 nights as soloist with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Conyers GA native - jazz trumpeter Marcus Printup and Kenny Ascher (Dykes High, '62) - pianist and composer including the music from the Muppets Movie and A Star is Born and Joe B. Mauldin, bassist for the Crickets with Buddy Holly. Peabo Bryson stopped by to spend some time talking about his career and show at Georgia Tech's Ferst Center.
Had a fine December 2010 in Atlanta playing some nice affairs. Played one in the most scenic downtown event space - Ventanna's - where the activities for the guests included helicopter rides from the helipad on top of the building. The trio was cut loose early that night so the dj's could get the funk going. When heading upstairs to retrieve gear cases, I was conscripted to fill the last seat for a helicopter flight. Without success I tried to explain that I was in the band and just working. The ladies would not take "no" for an answer and the next thing you know I was on the roof walking around the front of a 4-seater chopper, then getting strapped in with head-set and mic! There was a couple in the back and Pilot Ken Rogers and I in front. It was windy and clear as we took off heading south over downtown then over a lit up Turner Field in a big counter-clockwise turn over the city. Grant Park was a black swatch in the night. Rogers brought her back & set it down right on top of the pad ending my first (and only mildly harrowing) chopper ride.
To start the Thanksgiving weekend, on Wednesday evening November 24 I sat in with the Mike Veal Band at their long running weekly session at the Tin Roof Cantina (on Briafcliff @N. Druid Hills). This group has a great sound and is unafraid to tackle any song out of classic rock. The group is made up of some of Atlanta's best rockers including Barry Thrasher-guitar, Tommy Vickery-bass, Tom Grose-keys and vocals, Sean O'Rourke-drums and Mike Veal on vocals. Thanks, cats. Enjoyed m'sef!
On Monday evening November 8, 2010 at the Atlanta Jewish Book Festival visiting author, ethno-musicologist, filmmaker, composer and violinist Yale Strom was in town to promote his new book on the legendary clarinetist Dave Tarras: King of Klezmer. In a demonstration lecture at the Morris and Rae Frank Theater in the Marcus Atlanta Jewish Community Center with Sam Skelton-clarinet, Don Discenza-accordion, Scott-contrabass, the author Strom on fiddle and an enthusiastic audience, the group performed never recorded songs from Tarras' archives for the first time ever in the Southeast.
Played solo guitar and sang on Sunday October 24 for the North Buckhead Civic Assoc Fall Fling block party on Mountain Drive. It was great to be in the old neighborhood playing for the folks including so many kids that attend Sarah Smith Elementary where I was in the First Grade class of '63!
The crowd, the music and the band was electrified Thursday October 21, 2010 at Blind Willie's as the MOJO DOJO hit till the wee hours. Lester Walker-trumpet, Mace Hibbard-tenor, Yonrico Scott-drums and Nick Rosen-piano were in high gear the whole night. Special guest vocalists included the one and only Tommy Dean and Rhonda Scott.
On Sunday September 5, 2010 the MOJO DOJO performed in a benefit for our friend Nick Longo who has been beset by a health issue. The benefit was at the Northside Tavern and was organized by Jon Liebman. In the band Dr. Gordon Vernick (trumpet) and Dr. Geoff Haydon (piano) were Nick's teachers at the School of Music at Georgia State University. Sam Skelton (sax, now Director of Jazz Studies at Kennesaw State U) was a contemporary of Nick's one year behind him at GSU. On drums was Justin Chesarek who recently completed his Masters in Jazz Studies at GSU. We've known Nick many years now and were honored to participate.
On Tuesday June 29, 2010 the craziness continued when I attended soundcheck for the Sting concert at Chastain Park . I was with my friend Teri, whose sister and bro-in-law are close with Sting. Some corporate types from Xerox were also there. As we arrived, onstage was Sting, the Royal Philharmonic and a couple of corporate chicks sitting in singing.
He asked for some guys to come up next so I raised my hand and he asked me and three others to head up for "Englishman in New York." Once up there one of the Xerox guys said, "Hey, this isn't Roxanne." Sting graciously switched songs and we commenced to singing Roxanne. He got it started and we had fun singing and switching off from verse to chorus, etc.
Told him who I was with & pointed her out. He said hey over the mic to her. Leaving early, he spotted us at the top of the stairs and asked, "where are you going, Teri?" I mimed the sledge hammer. "Oh, going to work. See you. Your friend's a good singer and is ready for his second career."
Right on, Sting!
On Friday June 25, 2010 the one and only Emmylou Harris came to visit on the Midday Mix..and stayed on air for an hour-and-a-half! She was eloquent, natural, beautiful and completely humble. I didn't want to see her go! The response was overwhelming on the AM 1690 website, facebook, twitter and in-person.
Atlanta music legend Emory Gordy, Jr. was also present. He was a gracious guest with a shared history with Emmylou. They met in Gram Parson's band in the early 1970's when she was singing and he was playing bass. They continued to work together in Emmylou's Hot Band and many other situations. Gordy was the producer of Emmylou's Ballad of Sally Rose. He has compiled a dream list of musical credits as a player and producer including work with Elvis Presley, Bill Monroe, Billy Joel, George Jones, Neil Diamond, and many many others.
At Emmylou's concert at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens that night, well wishers enthusiastically offered encouragement and support for me and AM 1690. As well, Emmylou - at two different points in her concert - waxed poetically about WMLB and independent radio, as she had during our on air interview.
Liked her a lot! Thanks, Emmylou and thanks, Emory.
COMPOSITION
I began 2010 with the debut of 3 new songs on January 4 2010 at Atlanta Symphony Hall in a film short shown at the Gala Concert by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival.
