Sunday, April 08, 2007
Burnley Retrospective
Well, gang, I'm back home from the Burnley Festival. All in all our show went really well and we were well received. Also had a chance to meet HarpDog and JC from the the Blindman's Blues Forum, and saw but couldn't connect up with Houndog, so by my rough count that was 6 members of the forum all together (including me, Delius and Dino from my line up). If you're not a member, you should google the forum and check it out, it's a great 'place'.
We decided to take the train, save on gas. Great idea in principle, but with all the gear and lap steels I needed my suitcase weighed almost 100 lbs. Not very smart. But the ride down was really relaxing and gave us a chance to just hang out (which doesn't happen enough). Most of the way down we talked about the religion thread on the forum. That's odd coincidence number one- we have an ex --divinity student and an ex-religion and philosophy major in the band. I know that's so *not* blues band, we should have been talking abut wiskey and wimmen, but we were on a train so I think that evens things out.
Get to the train station in Burnley. No Taxi to be found. Two mile walk to the venue. Finally flag a cab big enough to get us there and a really nice Pakistani gentleman talks blues with us all the way to the hotel. So, you've got 3 Scots, an Alaskan and a Pakistani talking blues in England. Small world.
Hotel is nice, very English pub and all the other headliners are staying there too.
Quick shower and gear check and we're off to the theatre. Cabbie getting us there is the brother of the first cabbie and so, again, we talk blues all the way to the theatre. Line-check, sound check and off to the green room for some food. Oh, somehow I managed to get *so* much volume out of the Fender Twin they had for us that the sound guy complained he had me totally out of the mains. Arrrgh. Ok. Line check, sound check, turn down, second sound check and then off to the green room where we talked about the creation thread, Epigenetics, grid stability in 6L6 amps and wimmen. Ok, thats a little more blues band- gear and girls. The band is now acting 10 years younger.
Great gig. I love the tone of my old Magnatone lap steel blasting in a big theater and reflecting off the walls. It's a huge woody tone with a really large dynamic range for an electric instrument. We played two encores, and for the second one we played a lap-steel version of 'bring it on home to me' at a slow, teasing tempo. It was one of those soul-cleansing moments that reminds me of why I love to play music, sitting on the edge of the stage and bringing the band volume so low that I sould sing from the edge of the stage without a mic and hear the audience breathing. Any idea on how good a band you need to try that?
Done. Time to sell CDs and talk to folks. Met lots of nice people, business cards go flying out of my hands. We drag our tired selves off to the hotel. Yep, same cabbie, wants to know all about our show and were we staying around for Tommy Castro. Nope, as it turns out, we're recording. Too bad, I like Tommy Castro and haven't seen him in a few years.
It's at the hotel after midnight that things start to get interesting. Johnny Mastro and the band drifted into the hotel bar not long after we did, and we got to talking. Turns out that he's from my hometown in upstate new york 30 years ago. We went to college 10 miles from each other and I went to school with his older brother and sister- she was my ex-girlfriends running buddy. Turns out we know most of the same people. Talked with these guys almost until sun-up about things that Johnny and I had forgotten for years, all the people we'd not kept in touch with after graduation because we were different. A couple of blues-playing misfits in schools of career minded adults. Reassuring to run into someone that had the same experience. All this time I thought it was just me.
Over breakfast, Dave and I talk about the Archetypical journey of the modern hero, Carl Jung, Modern Psychology and the genome project. DIno is immersed in a book. Les is the quiet Beatle this morning. We take turns debating who gets to be Ringo and John. No one wants to be Paul.
Cab ride in the morning to the train station. Different cabbie. Too bad, this guy is grouchy. Lost my phone at the train station, but the guy that found it calls Dino and tells us he'll send it back in the post.
It's on the train that the beers, red bull and talk about women starts. And while we're waiting for a train I catch a reflection of the band in a window, and it hits me how much we look like a band. We're tired and unshaven. We're wearing a mix of stage clothes and street clothes, sunglasses and we're standing in a tight huddle on the platform talking in low voices, even though there is ample room to spread out. Strangers give us our space, but we can catch the stray eye puzzling over who exactly these guys are, what band is this anyway? But we're still taking about metaphysics, gear and women, though, and realizing we'll be able to include Dino in the conversation when he finishes his book in the next 5 minutes. He's lost in some fantasy world, different from ours. No matter, we've other long excursions coming up. This was an easy trip, by comparison.
But the trip was a reminder of how much I love playing music with these guys, and hey- I'd travel with these guys anywhere.
We decided to take the train, save on gas. Great idea in principle, but with all the gear and lap steels I needed my suitcase weighed almost 100 lbs. Not very smart. But the ride down was really relaxing and gave us a chance to just hang out (which doesn't happen enough). Most of the way down we talked about the religion thread on the forum. That's odd coincidence number one- we have an ex --divinity student and an ex-religion and philosophy major in the band. I know that's so *not* blues band, we should have been talking abut wiskey and wimmen, but we were on a train so I think that evens things out.
Get to the train station in Burnley. No Taxi to be found. Two mile walk to the venue. Finally flag a cab big enough to get us there and a really nice Pakistani gentleman talks blues with us all the way to the hotel. So, you've got 3 Scots, an Alaskan and a Pakistani talking blues in England. Small world.
Hotel is nice, very English pub and all the other headliners are staying there too.
Quick shower and gear check and we're off to the theatre. Cabbie getting us there is the brother of the first cabbie and so, again, we talk blues all the way to the theatre. Line-check, sound check and off to the green room for some food. Oh, somehow I managed to get *so* much volume out of the Fender Twin they had for us that the sound guy complained he had me totally out of the mains. Arrrgh. Ok. Line check, sound check, turn down, second sound check and then off to the green room where we talked about the creation thread, Epigenetics, grid stability in 6L6 amps and wimmen. Ok, thats a little more blues band- gear and girls. The band is now acting 10 years younger.
Great gig. I love the tone of my old Magnatone lap steel blasting in a big theater and reflecting off the walls. It's a huge woody tone with a really large dynamic range for an electric instrument. We played two encores, and for the second one we played a lap-steel version of 'bring it on home to me' at a slow, teasing tempo. It was one of those soul-cleansing moments that reminds me of why I love to play music, sitting on the edge of the stage and bringing the band volume so low that I sould sing from the edge of the stage without a mic and hear the audience breathing. Any idea on how good a band you need to try that?
Done. Time to sell CDs and talk to folks. Met lots of nice people, business cards go flying out of my hands. We drag our tired selves off to the hotel. Yep, same cabbie, wants to know all about our show and were we staying around for Tommy Castro. Nope, as it turns out, we're recording. Too bad, I like Tommy Castro and haven't seen him in a few years.
It's at the hotel after midnight that things start to get interesting. Johnny Mastro and the band drifted into the hotel bar not long after we did, and we got to talking. Turns out that he's from my hometown in upstate new york 30 years ago. We went to college 10 miles from each other and I went to school with his older brother and sister- she was my ex-girlfriends running buddy. Turns out we know most of the same people. Talked with these guys almost until sun-up about things that Johnny and I had forgotten for years, all the people we'd not kept in touch with after graduation because we were different. A couple of blues-playing misfits in schools of career minded adults. Reassuring to run into someone that had the same experience. All this time I thought it was just me.
Over breakfast, Dave and I talk about the Archetypical journey of the modern hero, Carl Jung, Modern Psychology and the genome project. DIno is immersed in a book. Les is the quiet Beatle this morning. We take turns debating who gets to be Ringo and John. No one wants to be Paul.
Cab ride in the morning to the train station. Different cabbie. Too bad, this guy is grouchy. Lost my phone at the train station, but the guy that found it calls Dino and tells us he'll send it back in the post.
It's on the train that the beers, red bull and talk about women starts. And while we're waiting for a train I catch a reflection of the band in a window, and it hits me how much we look like a band. We're tired and unshaven. We're wearing a mix of stage clothes and street clothes, sunglasses and we're standing in a tight huddle on the platform talking in low voices, even though there is ample room to spread out. Strangers give us our space, but we can catch the stray eye puzzling over who exactly these guys are, what band is this anyway? But we're still taking about metaphysics, gear and women, though, and realizing we'll be able to include Dino in the conversation when he finishes his book in the next 5 minutes. He's lost in some fantasy world, different from ours. No matter, we've other long excursions coming up. This was an easy trip, by comparison.
But the trip was a reminder of how much I love playing music with these guys, and hey- I'd travel with these guys anywhere.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Burnley, ready or not!
Brace yourself, the band is on it's way to the Burnley National Blues Festival for our Friday night appearance. If you're going to the festival, expect a high-energy set for sure.
And, I always enjoy hanging out afterwards and talking shop, so look for me by the band's merchandise stall because that's where I'll be once we're finished. I usually bring my steel guitars along if you're curious about how they actually work- they are an odd breed of guitar.
And, if you're planning on staying home, well, you're going to miss all the fireworks! Off to pack, over and out for now. Hopefully we'll get some drummer-cam pictures for you to see the show from our perspective!
And, I always enjoy hanging out afterwards and talking shop, so look for me by the band's merchandise stall because that's where I'll be once we're finished. I usually bring my steel guitars along if you're curious about how they actually work- they are an odd breed of guitar.
And, if you're planning on staying home, well, you're going to miss all the fireworks! Off to pack, over and out for now. Hopefully we'll get some drummer-cam pictures for you to see the show from our perspective!
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Solo CD release party, June 15
Talk about putting the cart before the horse. I know some of you think that waiting for my solo CD is like waiting for an Elvis sighting. So, to put my money where my mouth is, I schedled the release party at the Lemon Tree, Friday june 15 over lunch. I'll see if I can get an evening slot at a place like the Blue Lamp the same day.
Should get the recording finished the week after the Burnley Blues Festival, I have all the studio time booked- a solid week of recording. That should get it done. It's shaping up to be an interesting disk, with mostly lap acoustic. despite what I told Dave last week I think I am going to dust off my piano. Hmmm, some national steel too. arrgh- too much material. What a curse.
So, mark your calendars! And trust me, it'll be in the Lemon Tree Brochure (http://www.lemontree.org)
Should get the recording finished the week after the Burnley Blues Festival, I have all the studio time booked- a solid week of recording. That should get it done. It's shaping up to be an interesting disk, with mostly lap acoustic. despite what I told Dave last week I think I am going to dust off my piano. Hmmm, some national steel too. arrgh- too much material. What a curse.
So, mark your calendars! And trust me, it'll be in the Lemon Tree Brochure (http://www.lemontree.org)
Monday, April 02, 2007
New CD Review on BluesMatters website
Scottish Music Reviewer Eric Scott had this to say about the new live CD:
This is the record of the annual benefit concert Son plays at in Anchorage, Alaska and it demonstrates that, like a good baseball pitcher, he has some truly ‘nasty stuff’ coming out of his lap steel guitar. Dark, mysterious and dirty in the lower registers, wicked and cutting up high, Mr. Henry remains a modern master of tone and shape- an unstoppable force at next weekend’s Burnley Blues Festival, for those of you within driving distance.
read the complete review here
This is the record of the annual benefit concert Son plays at in Anchorage, Alaska and it demonstrates that, like a good baseball pitcher, he has some truly ‘nasty stuff’ coming out of his lap steel guitar. Dark, mysterious and dirty in the lower registers, wicked and cutting up high, Mr. Henry remains a modern master of tone and shape- an unstoppable force at next weekend’s Burnley Blues Festival, for those of you within driving distance.
read the complete review here
From my buddy Bob Parsons
My friend Bob Parsons has been writing down road and gig stories, and sent this to me a few weeks ago. I'd forgotten most of this and had a good laugh reading this......
----------------------
I have been very privileged to play with some real ballsy players. Let me just embarrass a dude right here and now.
I played 3 years with Son Henry. He never missed a gig, although he was sick a couple of times. here's a side note — don't hang with that guy when he's doin Dayquil! As I lug my stuff to the gig, still keeping it to one trip, I look back on all the stuff Son packed into his Suburban to get him through the night. Tremendous committment to a certain sound that he needed. Sometimes he'd bring 400 pounds of gear. And the guy was so road-tested. He broke a string on his lap steel at Blues on the Green, kept talking to the crowd the whole time he found a new string and replaced the broken one. The bnd is vamping through all this and I got so caught up in watching this lesson in multi-tasking, I totally forgot to play anything to help him out. Then he looks back and says "Play something will ya, and help me out here!". Duh, oh yeah, that's right, I'm a musician...
Besides, being sick, playing, playing through crappy electricity, microphones emitting blue sparks (come on, how do you go back and put your lips back on a mic that just hit you so hard it burnt your pickups off your strat?) Son calls me from the hospital the day we are to cap off Ocean Fest. He's strapped to a gurny, can't move his head, because some kid smucked Son in the backside with an S-10 pickup going 50mph — and he's talking about MAYBE needing help with his gear that night!!! Geez Louise... what's your excuse!
----------------------
I have been very privileged to play with some real ballsy players. Let me just embarrass a dude right here and now.
I played 3 years with Son Henry. He never missed a gig, although he was sick a couple of times. here's a side note — don't hang with that guy when he's doin Dayquil! As I lug my stuff to the gig, still keeping it to one trip, I look back on all the stuff Son packed into his Suburban to get him through the night. Tremendous committment to a certain sound that he needed. Sometimes he'd bring 400 pounds of gear. And the guy was so road-tested. He broke a string on his lap steel at Blues on the Green, kept talking to the crowd the whole time he found a new string and replaced the broken one. The bnd is vamping through all this and I got so caught up in watching this lesson in multi-tasking, I totally forgot to play anything to help him out. Then he looks back and says "Play something will ya, and help me out here!". Duh, oh yeah, that's right, I'm a musician...
Besides, being sick, playing, playing through crappy electricity, microphones emitting blue sparks (come on, how do you go back and put your lips back on a mic that just hit you so hard it burnt your pickups off your strat?) Son calls me from the hospital the day we are to cap off Ocean Fest. He's strapped to a gurny, can't move his head, because some kid smucked Son in the backside with an S-10 pickup going 50mph — and he's talking about MAYBE needing help with his gear that night!!! Geez Louise... what's your excuse!
Sunday, March 25, 2007
CD Release Party: the Globe Inn, Thursday March 29th
Next stop the Globe Inn in Aberdeen. We're recording live AND releasing a new CD.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Drummer-Cam photos from Kemnay
A little photo essay from Les, a drummer-cam of last nightst gig in Kemnay. That the Son Henry Band, a monster talent like Bob Hall on the piano and a 125 friend and you've the makings for a party. And that's just what it was. I think I have the photos more or less in chronological order.
All in all an amazing gig. Bob Hall and Hillary Blythe played a great opening set of boogie woogie and some old blues classics and a couple of original tunes too. After a short break to let Donald the blues DJ work his magic it was all us, with Bob sitting in on the piano. Having Bob involved totally turned things on their ear in great ways- lots of off-the-cuff blues and boogie, a head-cutting session over a Slim Harpo selection. Phew.
OK, more of the same at the Globe in Aberdeen on Thursday, and then we're off to Turrif on Friday. Hopefully we'll see you there.
All in all an amazing gig. Bob Hall and Hillary Blythe played a great opening set of boogie woogie and some old blues classics and a couple of original tunes too. After a short break to let Donald the blues DJ work his magic it was all us, with Bob sitting in on the piano. Having Bob involved totally turned things on their ear in great ways- lots of off-the-cuff blues and boogie, a head-cutting session over a Slim Harpo selection. Phew.
OK, more of the same at the Globe in Aberdeen on Thursday, and then we're off to Turrif on Friday. Hopefully we'll see you there.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Live CDs are finally here...
Yep, here is the proof, and I have a stack of boxes to prove it as well. Finally, seems like this one has been a long time in the making!
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Audio on myspace?
Do any of you actually download the stuff on myspace? I've got a bunch of unreleased live recordings that I'm thinking of putting out there, but don't really want to put the time into it if it's not something that y'all want.
on the fine art of friends and money.....
What a great way to loose a good friend. Shame too, I'd much rather have a house full of friends than a bank full of money. But it seems like a rule written in stone that if you end up loaning someone money you'll end up loosing a friend in the process.
Next time, I'm just going to call it a gift and not take anything but no for an answer. Too strange otherwise.
My father always used to say never sell your car to a friend, in the end you won't have either one , and I think that's sort of the message here too.
Next time, I'm just going to call it a gift and not take anything but no for an answer. Too strange otherwise.
My father always used to say never sell your car to a friend, in the end you won't have either one , and I think that's sort of the message here too.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Globe Inn, March 29
This'll be the last gig in town before we head off to the Burnley Festival!
We're going to set up a little early so I can run y'all through some of the new solo material. It's really heavy on the lap-steel (acoustic that is), and so far the material has been well received.
I'll also be recording the band set, possibly as a CD release, more likely that it'll be some audio files we'll send to everyone on our mailing list. So, if you're a lurker but not on my mailing list there's a good reason to sign up, and it's as hard as clicking the link at the top of the page.
Oh- this gig is also the OFFICIAL RELEASE DATE of the new live CD too.......
We're going to set up a little early so I can run y'all through some of the new solo material. It's really heavy on the lap-steel (acoustic that is), and so far the material has been well received.
I'll also be recording the band set, possibly as a CD release, more likely that it'll be some audio files we'll send to everyone on our mailing list. So, if you're a lurker but not on my mailing list there's a good reason to sign up, and it's as hard as clicking the link at the top of the page.
Oh- this gig is also the OFFICIAL RELEASE DATE of the new live CD too.......
Ribbon of the road
I asked my father, but he didn't know
how to choose between a woman and the open road
from "Ribbon of the road", recorded tonight.
The problem isn't having enough material for this solo record, it's clearly having a back-log of material that adds up to too much. What a good problem to have...
how to choose between a woman and the open road
from "Ribbon of the road", recorded tonight.
The problem isn't having enough material for this solo record, it's clearly having a back-log of material that adds up to too much. What a good problem to have...
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Recording, part 2
Yes, folks, we're recording in anger these days.
Spent several hours at Musical Vision yesterday recording some lap steel tracks and managed to finish two that I'm happy with:
1. Sackcloth and Ashes
2. Water and stone
And then, to make matters worse, was up to the wee hours of the morning working on guitar parts to
3. Mirror man
4. Born to roam
Tonight we're back at it, and we'll be finishing off
5. Fork in the road
6. Name for a number
7. The celebrated Mother in Law Blues
And then package everything off to sing and mix. Lots of this will come out on the next solor record, and the rest will be available for download on Snocap or myspace or something (not sure yet).
Ok, that's me done coming up for air in the middle of this creative frenzy. If you're waiting on me to return a phone call or something, I apologize. I'm focused and need this done. Man, I haven't even taken the trash out this week but that's probably something I can't let slide much longer.....
Peace!
Spent several hours at Musical Vision yesterday recording some lap steel tracks and managed to finish two that I'm happy with:
1. Sackcloth and Ashes
2. Water and stone
And then, to make matters worse, was up to the wee hours of the morning working on guitar parts to
3. Mirror man
4. Born to roam
Tonight we're back at it, and we'll be finishing off
5. Fork in the road
6. Name for a number
7. The celebrated Mother in Law Blues
And then package everything off to sing and mix. Lots of this will come out on the next solor record, and the rest will be available for download on Snocap or myspace or something (not sure yet).
Ok, that's me done coming up for air in the middle of this creative frenzy. If you're waiting on me to return a phone call or something, I apologize. I'm focused and need this done. Man, I haven't even taken the trash out this week but that's probably something I can't let slide much longer.....
Peace!
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Bob Hall, Son Henry in Kemnay, March 23
Need a great excuse to get a little out of Aberdeen? Here it is, then!
On March 23rd we'll be playing a gig with British Blues Piano legen Bob Hall in the Fetternear Hall in Kemnay (see the map). The night will start with a relaxed set from Bob Hall and Hilary Blythe performing lots of great piano based blues. From there we'll drag Bob into the middle of my band and play a few hours of classic Chicago Blues for danging into the wee hours of the morning.
It's an honor for us to support someone of Bob's caliber. If you were at the opening of the Dundee Blues Bonanza last year when Bob sat in with us, you remember that this is a dynamic combination. You'll hear lots of new material, stuff that I've never taken to a gig yet, but with this line-up it's going to be something else.
Seating is limited, so send me an email at info@sonhenry.com to reserve seats.
See you there!
Sunday, February 25, 2007
New Band Photos
We had some new pictures taken and I've redone the web site to show you the WHOLE band. Click here to see the image! More pictures to follow after the Globe Gig!
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Day one results
Well, a few very productive hours in the studio today. All the guitar parts for:
Stranger Blues
Hole in my soul
Long way Home
Bound to ride that train
one foot in front
solitary blues
are done. Some harp, singing and percussion and these are all finished! Going to take a break from this for a bit, though. Need to spend a little time editing the lyrics to these songs so they're really sharp.
Stranger Blues
Hole in my soul
Long way Home
Bound to ride that train
one foot in front
solitary blues
are done. Some harp, singing and percussion and these are all finished! Going to take a break from this for a bit, though. Need to spend a little time editing the lyrics to these songs so they're really sharp.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Recording Tomorrow!
Hey y'all
Work on the long-promised solo CD resumes tomorrow (Thursday) when I take that old National of mine into the Musical Vision Studio here in Aberdeen. I've made a list of the songs that need to be recorded and it's grown really long, but since tomorrow is the first day in this studio I imagine we'll try for getting three complete songs down and be sure to really get a feel for the place. But, if it goes well, there'll be a whole bunch of stuff coming out this year.
As a surprise, I'll be taking my new Stella guitar with me as well- it's an old, cheap plywood guitar that Billy Allardyce found on Ebay. It's got a classic sound for the old-school blues, it's something about the plywood top and old dirt from some grandmother's attic. No matter, I've got a tune or two for it, and if we're rolling tomorrow it'll get it's air time!
Really, there's no way to release all this music on CD, there's just too much of it, so I'm looking into the option of taking bunches of it straight to digital distribution. Tunes, Tune Tribe and a couple of other outlets and by-pass the CD process completely. Some will probably end up as free downloads on MySpace too.
OK, I'll check in tomorrow night, let you know how it all turned out. In the meantime, happy Valentine's Day!
Son
Sunday, February 11, 2007
back in the studio
Well, it had to happen!
Starting Thursday I'll be back in the studio for some more recording, but this time I'll be finishing up that solo disk I've been working on forever. It's going to be an interesting mix of some tunes on the National, a bunch of acoustic and electric lap steel and some songs on the straight guitar. I'm anticipating that the songs will stand by themselves without the need for over-dubbed parts, but in all honesty being in the studio is like having a really big box of crayons to play with- might be hard to avoid the temptation to fill things out a bit. There's one or two songs that would really benefit from a little bass and drums too, so we'll see.
We've started the 'organization' process- slicing up the material that I want to record into easy to manage groups. For example, recording all the songs on the national in one pass (even though they won't end up on the disk like that), preening the guitar parts and the lyrics and generally making sure that the first set of songs are ready to be put under the microscope. It's an interesting process, and truthfully, sometimes these songs just don't measure up. Needless to say we'll record more than will appear on the final disk.
So, fingers crossed! I'll let you know how this goes....
Starting Thursday I'll be back in the studio for some more recording, but this time I'll be finishing up that solo disk I've been working on forever. It's going to be an interesting mix of some tunes on the National, a bunch of acoustic and electric lap steel and some songs on the straight guitar. I'm anticipating that the songs will stand by themselves without the need for over-dubbed parts, but in all honesty being in the studio is like having a really big box of crayons to play with- might be hard to avoid the temptation to fill things out a bit. There's one or two songs that would really benefit from a little bass and drums too, so we'll see.
We've started the 'organization' process- slicing up the material that I want to record into easy to manage groups. For example, recording all the songs on the national in one pass (even though they won't end up on the disk like that), preening the guitar parts and the lyrics and generally making sure that the first set of songs are ready to be put under the microscope. It's an interesting process, and truthfully, sometimes these songs just don't measure up. Needless to say we'll record more than will appear on the final disk.
So, fingers crossed! I'll let you know how this goes....
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Horns?
It's true.
We've added Ken Shorten on trumpet and David Hair on misc. saxophones. They've both got years of experience and can play their backsides off. They really make the sound of this band bigger than I'd ever believed possible!
Not sure when the first gig wil be, we're scrambling to get tunes together. Could be as early as the end of next month....
We've added Ken Shorten on trumpet and David Hair on misc. saxophones. They've both got years of experience and can play their backsides off. They really make the sound of this band bigger than I'd ever believed possible!
Not sure when the first gig wil be, we're scrambling to get tunes together. Could be as early as the end of next month....
Sunday, February 04, 2007
on the fine are of kicking ass....
What a great band I've got. It's not every night that you open for Jimi Hendrix. I mean,even if it's a tribute band, the crowd expectations are really high and not a lot of people go to see the support act. It's like being the dishwasher or something.
But with nothing to loose, these guys just corked one off. Amazing. Crowd of people pressed to the edge of the stage, digging it. Wow. Awesome all the way around.
I'm obviously wiped out, it's late and I need to crash. So rather than babble on incoherently, let's just leave it at this. Way to go guys!
But with nothing to loose, these guys just corked one off. Amazing. Crowd of people pressed to the edge of the stage, digging it. Wow. Awesome all the way around.
I'm obviously wiped out, it's late and I need to crash. So rather than babble on incoherently, let's just leave it at this. Way to go guys!
Friday, February 02, 2007
Don't believe it's a small world?
Then you need to get to a Lemon Tree gig somewhere. Because there you can hear an Alaskan guitarist, mixed by a lassie from Scotland, and sit at the same table with a painter born in Bethel Alaska, a few folks from Shetland Islands, a Scottish Lap-steel maker and an assortment of folks from England and France.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Home Page Updates!
Well, I'm not a web developer, but sometimes I sure feel more like a web guy than a guitar player. But, all griping aside, I did some updates to my homepage at www.sonhenry.com.
Schedule page, recordings, news- lots of new stuff to crow on about. Take a look!
Schedule page, recordings, news- lots of new stuff to crow on about. Take a look!
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Supporting Hendrix and Rob Tognoni
Check it out- Saturday February 3rd at the Lemon Tree supporting the Hendrix tribute band, and the following Sunday afternoon opening for Rob Tognoni. Going to be a busy weekend!
http://www.lemontree.org for advanced tickets to the hendrix show!
See ya!
http://www.lemontree.org for advanced tickets to the hendrix show!
See ya!
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Friday, January 19, 2007
New Myspace Page
Well, we've finally taken the plunge and joined everyone at myspace. I'll be putting video and mp3's there, and making some unreleased stuff available for download. Here's the URL:
www.myspace.com/sonhenry
Stop by and have a look and a listen! Grab what you like and please spread the word.
See you soon, somewhere!
www.myspace.com/sonhenry
Stop by and have a look and a listen! Grab what you like and please spread the word.
See you soon, somewhere!
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Live Recording, Globe Inn, March 29
Just a quick heads up- I've made arrangements to record the band live at our gig at the Globe Inn in Aberdeen. We'll be ready and primed for the gig at the Burnley festival, so it seems like a logical time to do a little extra recording! Not sure that we'll do any more than mix it up and throw it out on myspace.
Oh, if you don't have the link, here's how you get to our myspace page:
http://www.myspace.com/sonhenry
Go check it out, because we need a few friends!
Oh, if you don't have the link, here's how you get to our myspace page:
http://www.myspace.com/sonhenry
Go check it out, because we need a few friends!
Burnley National Blues Festival, April 6th
This is so cool! We'll be on the main stage at the Burnley National Blues Festival on Friday, April 6th. Here's the URL to the festival site:
http://www.burnleymechanics.co.uk/blues.php
Expect a great show, get seats down front. The guys and I are really primed for this one!
http://www.burnleymechanics.co.uk/blues.php
Expect a great show, get seats down front. The guys and I are really primed for this one!
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Old Friends, best friends
A quick shot of an old favorite guitar getting some stage time at a recent gig!
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Twas the night before Christmas......
Twas the night before christmas
and all through the house
the band was getting restless
there was no bass player about
and so in my leather jacket
and backwards beret
I put on my shoes
and went looking for Dave
then out from the street
there arose such a racket
that the cigarettes fell
out of my jacket
and looking through the window
of a rusty old van
who should I spy
but the long lost bass man
locked in the van
along with the keys
was davey the bass player
and 8 bottles of beer
when finally with a coat hanger
we did get him out
he jumped into the night air
and stumbled about
at the top of his lungs
full of good christmas cheer
"Happy Crishmash to all,
And Nappy Hew Near"
But from down the street
we did hear the yell
of punters, "play freebird"
oh bloddy hell.......
and all through the house
the band was getting restless
there was no bass player about
and so in my leather jacket
and backwards beret
I put on my shoes
and went looking for Dave
then out from the street
there arose such a racket
that the cigarettes fell
out of my jacket
and looking through the window
of a rusty old van
who should I spy
but the long lost bass man
locked in the van
along with the keys
was davey the bass player
and 8 bottles of beer
when finally with a coat hanger
we did get him out
he jumped into the night air
and stumbled about
at the top of his lungs
full of good christmas cheer
"Happy Crishmash to all,
And Nappy Hew Near"
But from down the street
we did hear the yell
of punters, "play freebird"
oh bloddy hell.......
last gig of the year tonight
Cafe Drummonds, Aberdeen. Band on at 9:30
Great year, hard to believe that it's over already. Openers for Tam White, Blue Lisa, Ray Bonneville, Mem Shannon and gigs from Estonia to Alaska and all points in between. A new CD, and some great reviews and a live CD off to duplication. A youtube video that drew praise from some heavyweights in the steelguitar world. An awesome year. So how do you wrap it up? Gotta get to Drummonds tonight and find out....
Next year? A new live CD, a new band cd in the studio and a solo cd. And the life of a road dog, have lap steel will travel!
See you tonight, and happy, safe holidays to all. Thanks for your friendship and support.
Great year, hard to believe that it's over already. Openers for Tam White, Blue Lisa, Ray Bonneville, Mem Shannon and gigs from Estonia to Alaska and all points in between. A new CD, and some great reviews and a live CD off to duplication. A youtube video that drew praise from some heavyweights in the steelguitar world. An awesome year. So how do you wrap it up? Gotta get to Drummonds tonight and find out....
Next year? A new live CD, a new band cd in the studio and a solo cd. And the life of a road dog, have lap steel will travel!
See you tonight, and happy, safe holidays to all. Thanks for your friendship and support.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
and while we're at it.....
If you haven't read it yet, jump down t the previous post or this won't make a lick of sense.....
The real trick is going to be making this an integated whole, between the band and the solo gigs, no? It's going to be one thing to havethe solo gigs veer off in a new and interesting direction (not to mention a portable one too- can you imagine taking 5 guitars on a train?). But, to some extent this needs to fit well with the band too. Here's why-
First, the original songs need to be, to some extent, portable between both gigs. Otherwise, don't you run into a radical conflict, where a listener's expectations are far from being met- it seems like a big jump from raw, delta blues to lap-steel hendrix covers, no? Does it matter?
Second, the songwriter is happier if he's got a consistent target to write for, otherwise songs just stay in the books and never get a chance to tell their story on the stage.
And so, I'm open to feedback here- how important is it to have a performer present a consistent set of material from gig to gig? And by this I don't mean playing the same familiar songs the same way every night, but rather that everything seems to hang together. Or do you prefer to be surprised by what can creep into a set list on any given night?
I have my bias here. But I always like to hear from you guys. My email is at the top of the page here, so if you feel inclined, I'd welcome the feedback (as long as it's not a pitch to sell me Viagra or a Nigerian email scam), and I won't put you on a junk mail list.
OK, off to spend some time at the piano. Be well!
The real trick is going to be making this an integated whole, between the band and the solo gigs, no? It's going to be one thing to havethe solo gigs veer off in a new and interesting direction (not to mention a portable one too- can you imagine taking 5 guitars on a train?). But, to some extent this needs to fit well with the band too. Here's why-
First, the original songs need to be, to some extent, portable between both gigs. Otherwise, don't you run into a radical conflict, where a listener's expectations are far from being met- it seems like a big jump from raw, delta blues to lap-steel hendrix covers, no? Does it matter?
Second, the songwriter is happier if he's got a consistent target to write for, otherwise songs just stay in the books and never get a chance to tell their story on the stage.
And so, I'm open to feedback here- how important is it to have a performer present a consistent set of material from gig to gig? And by this I don't mean playing the same familiar songs the same way every night, but rather that everything seems to hang together. Or do you prefer to be surprised by what can creep into a set list on any given night?
I have my bias here. But I always like to hear from you guys. My email is at the top of the page here, so if you feel inclined, I'd welcome the feedback (as long as it's not a pitch to sell me Viagra or a Nigerian email scam), and I won't put you on a junk mail list.
OK, off to spend some time at the piano. Be well!
Saturday, December 16, 2006
finding a new voice.....
Every once in a while a gig opens your eyes to new possibilities, and helps you find a new voice. It's as though the dynamics of the room, the acoustics and the personalties of the audience all lead you towards an answer or a change that you've been working towards. And SNAP, everything is in place.
Here's the dilemna- The National works fine in a sit-down cafe, but not in a pub. And, I've been feeling a little removed from the music, in the sense that these old songs have gone back to being someone elses's stories. So, last night at Satchmo's in Dundee I had a bar stool all to myself on the stage, and Leon Hunter was kind enough to let me experiment. And experiment I did, I took 5 guitars to the club and just played.
It turns out that the night just gelled with an old Jesse Mae Hemphill song, that set in motion a string of old Mississippi Hill Country style songs. Some RL Burnside and other stuff played with that vibe. And instantly the room went from one of ignoring the background music to dancing or shuffling in place, moving close to the stage and sitting there listening and throwing out song ideas. So, there was some James Taylor played on an electrified slide guitar at full volume. and other odd stuff, but somehow it all worked. And the original songs I've been wrestling with, lots of them just fit the bill.
I had a long drive home last night in the wee hours of the morning, and I was still zipping from the aftermath (it's 11 am the next day now) while I was prying my eyelids open with coffee this morning. I love it when the doors open like this, because most of the time it's not very subtle and is what one of those large bank vault doors opening must sound like.
Oh, about the 5 guitars? I only need two from here on out, and a very cheesy, very small amplifier to make it all work. Phew, I'm back to being portable again which is a comfort because moving FIVE guitars for a solo gig is a little over the top. But we did answer the question.
And for Dave and Mario who will want to know what happens to all the old delta stuff, it'll still be there guys, we're just going to transmogrify it a bit and make it a little more relevant to the life of a working-class guitar player with 4 kids living in the 21st century. Add volume and presto.....
Here's the dilemna- The National works fine in a sit-down cafe, but not in a pub. And, I've been feeling a little removed from the music, in the sense that these old songs have gone back to being someone elses's stories. So, last night at Satchmo's in Dundee I had a bar stool all to myself on the stage, and Leon Hunter was kind enough to let me experiment. And experiment I did, I took 5 guitars to the club and just played.
It turns out that the night just gelled with an old Jesse Mae Hemphill song, that set in motion a string of old Mississippi Hill Country style songs. Some RL Burnside and other stuff played with that vibe. And instantly the room went from one of ignoring the background music to dancing or shuffling in place, moving close to the stage and sitting there listening and throwing out song ideas. So, there was some James Taylor played on an electrified slide guitar at full volume. and other odd stuff, but somehow it all worked. And the original songs I've been wrestling with, lots of them just fit the bill.
I had a long drive home last night in the wee hours of the morning, and I was still zipping from the aftermath (it's 11 am the next day now) while I was prying my eyelids open with coffee this morning. I love it when the doors open like this, because most of the time it's not very subtle and is what one of those large bank vault doors opening must sound like.
Oh, about the 5 guitars? I only need two from here on out, and a very cheesy, very small amplifier to make it all work. Phew, I'm back to being portable again which is a comfort because moving FIVE guitars for a solo gig is a little over the top. But we did answer the question.
And for Dave and Mario who will want to know what happens to all the old delta stuff, it'll still be there guys, we're just going to transmogrify it a bit and make it a little more relevant to the life of a working-class guitar player with 4 kids living in the 21st century. Add volume and presto.....
Sunday, December 10, 2006
what a great way to wrap up the year!
If you were at the Blue Lamp last night this won't be news.....
I'm so proud of they guys in the band. We had a double header with the Glebe Street Blues Band last night and they tee'd it up and hit it hard and straight. If you're wrapping up a great year, that was the gig. Dino and Angus were a cement floor, absolutely rock solid. And if you've been watching Dave lately you know he just keeps getting stronger and stronger. Damn, what a great band!
My favorites of the evening? "Don't go cutting off your hair", a dedication to the late Sammy Meyers was spontantous and right on the money, including a perfect Peter Green-tinged solo by Dave, and the "Voodoo Chile" rendition with the Sputnik imitation (a lap steel on legs played behind my head).
Wow, I'm exhausted, and off to catch some sleep. Thanks to all of you that bought CD's last night! Hope they make great stocking stuffers!
Last band gig of the year is at Cafe Drummonds on the 21st. It'll be a good one, so mark your diaries!
I'm so proud of they guys in the band. We had a double header with the Glebe Street Blues Band last night and they tee'd it up and hit it hard and straight. If you're wrapping up a great year, that was the gig. Dino and Angus were a cement floor, absolutely rock solid. And if you've been watching Dave lately you know he just keeps getting stronger and stronger. Damn, what a great band!
My favorites of the evening? "Don't go cutting off your hair", a dedication to the late Sammy Meyers was spontantous and right on the money, including a perfect Peter Green-tinged solo by Dave, and the "Voodoo Chile" rendition with the Sputnik imitation (a lap steel on legs played behind my head).
Wow, I'm exhausted, and off to catch some sleep. Thanks to all of you that bought CD's last night! Hope they make great stocking stuffers!
Last band gig of the year is at Cafe Drummonds on the 21st. It'll be a good one, so mark your diaries!
Friday, December 01, 2006
So where is that solo CD?
Great gig at Drummonds last night, sorry if you missed it...
Eric the Social worker, a couple of guys visiting from Calgary, Collin, Dave, Sherry Mike and Jane all asked about the solo cd- as in when is it going to be finished?
Soon.
Having enough material isn't the problem, it's what material goes together well enough for a cd so that it's an even consistent statement that reflects the 'artist's mindset' at a given point in time. This guy is a little over the road these days. Is it a country or delta blues record? Lots of lap steel? Some electric or ensemble playing? Talk about your basic pointless emotional and artistic crisis- here we are.
So, whadda we gonna do?
How about this as a plan- I've booked time in a local studio in december to take one and only one guitar in for a 4 hour block of recording. We'll record a couple of complete songs and keep the good stuff. Take a second block of time with another guitar and record another bunch of songs, and keep rotating untill we get a good, consistent package. The rest of the stuff I'll put out on my website for folks on my email list to download as a freebie.
GACK! Don't ask me about the live cd, it's all ready to go (artwork and all), but that's waiting on the label to get it out- hassle them at info@frontporchrecords.co.uk...
OK, that's me rant for the day. Off to write a few new songs!
Eric the Social worker, a couple of guys visiting from Calgary, Collin, Dave, Sherry Mike and Jane all asked about the solo cd- as in when is it going to be finished?
Soon.
Having enough material isn't the problem, it's what material goes together well enough for a cd so that it's an even consistent statement that reflects the 'artist's mindset' at a given point in time. This guy is a little over the road these days. Is it a country or delta blues record? Lots of lap steel? Some electric or ensemble playing? Talk about your basic pointless emotional and artistic crisis- here we are.
So, whadda we gonna do?
How about this as a plan- I've booked time in a local studio in december to take one and only one guitar in for a 4 hour block of recording. We'll record a couple of complete songs and keep the good stuff. Take a second block of time with another guitar and record another bunch of songs, and keep rotating untill we get a good, consistent package. The rest of the stuff I'll put out on my website for folks on my email list to download as a freebie.
GACK! Don't ask me about the live cd, it's all ready to go (artwork and all), but that's waiting on the label to get it out- hassle them at info@frontporchrecords.co.uk...
OK, that's me rant for the day. Off to write a few new songs!
Monday, November 27, 2006
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Kemnay Photos!
Chris Overton surprised me with photos from the Kemnay gig, here are some of them. More later. Thanks Chris!
Another YouTube video
I found some more footage from the Stirling Tollbooth this sumer, a real mellow version of the guys playing "love in vain". You cancheck it out here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkt895kZT8g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkt895kZT8g
Wow, the new Sons of Kemnay....
We had such a great time in Kemnay last night, warm welcome, nice room full of people and great acoustics.
I had a feeling it was going to be a great gig when we were driving down the highway into town and say a series of small signs on the roadside, about the size of an A3 sheet of paper that read:
SON HENRY
BLUES BAND
NOVEMBER 25
TICKETS AT HAIR SHOP
With publicity like that, well, we knew we were in the right track. And the thing abut Scots is that they're very much like Alaskans in their open-minded attitude towards music and willingness to have goot time. So, once everything was loaded in and set up we relaxed to hear Paul Tasker's new band the Doghouse Roses, an acoustic duo that reminded me of the Cowboy Junkies. Great music to relax to, and eat a pizza (which we did with reckless abandon)
At 10 pm it was our turn, and the guys corked off a great set right from the opening number. My instruction were to play a 'listening' set first and a dancing set later so people would hang around till the end. We managed to keep people sitting till around the 3rd number and then everyone (inclulding the band) was up and dancing and carrying on. So, we ended up with two long sets of dancing and carrying on.
Thanks to all of you that joined us last night, and those of you that took the CDs home! And to Dave and the rest of the crew that worked so hard to put on the show, thanks as well- you all did an excellent job with all the organizing and such. And for the honor of being tagges ' Honorary Sons of Kemnay'? Well, what can I say? We are really flattered....
I had a feeling it was going to be a great gig when we were driving down the highway into town and say a series of small signs on the roadside, about the size of an A3 sheet of paper that read:
SON HENRY
BLUES BAND
NOVEMBER 25
TICKETS AT HAIR SHOP
With publicity like that, well, we knew we were in the right track. And the thing abut Scots is that they're very much like Alaskans in their open-minded attitude towards music and willingness to have goot time. So, once everything was loaded in and set up we relaxed to hear Paul Tasker's new band the Doghouse Roses, an acoustic duo that reminded me of the Cowboy Junkies. Great music to relax to, and eat a pizza (which we did with reckless abandon)
At 10 pm it was our turn, and the guys corked off a great set right from the opening number. My instruction were to play a 'listening' set first and a dancing set later so people would hang around till the end. We managed to keep people sitting till around the 3rd number and then everyone (inclulding the band) was up and dancing and carrying on. So, we ended up with two long sets of dancing and carrying on.
Thanks to all of you that joined us last night, and those of you that took the CDs home! And to Dave and the rest of the crew that worked so hard to put on the show, thanks as well- you all did an excellent job with all the organizing and such. And for the honor of being tagges ' Honorary Sons of Kemnay'? Well, what can I say? We are really flattered....
Friday, November 24, 2006
back in the saddle
Been a couple of weeks off, much needed here. Sorry about the long absence....
Couple of big gigs coming up- the first Forfar Blues and Bridie festival is December 4, and I'm alternating sets with Gerry Jablonski at the Caledonian Pub and the Plough. Gerry's one of my favorite guitar players, so it should be fun, and talk about contrasting styles? And any time you get to launch a new blues festival is very cool as well.
From there, watch out for a solo set in December at Satchmo's in Dundee AND the mother of all double-header gigs at the Blue Lamp in Aberdeen on December 9th and Cafe Drumonds on November 30. More you-tube video to shoot at those two gigs as well.
Peace all, stay in touch!
Couple of big gigs coming up- the first Forfar Blues and Bridie festival is December 4, and I'm alternating sets with Gerry Jablonski at the Caledonian Pub and the Plough. Gerry's one of my favorite guitar players, so it should be fun, and talk about contrasting styles? And any time you get to launch a new blues festival is very cool as well.
From there, watch out for a solo set in December at Satchmo's in Dundee AND the mother of all double-header gigs at the Blue Lamp in Aberdeen on December 9th and Cafe Drumonds on November 30. More you-tube video to shoot at those two gigs as well.
Peace all, stay in touch!
Monday, November 06, 2006
Looking for horn players
And you thought I was kidding!
The band needs a horn section- Trumpet, Tenor Sax, Trombone or Bari Sax. Lot's of original material to be played, and I want to nufge the band in that Texas swing direction (and not towards a blues brothers tribute act)
The band needs a horn section- Trumpet, Tenor Sax, Trombone or Bari Sax. Lot's of original material to be played, and I want to nufge the band in that Texas swing direction (and not towards a blues brothers tribute act)
Sunday, October 22, 2006
last gig aftermath
Was that the best solo gig I've ever played? No, probably far from it actually. But it did confirm for me that there's something interesting and fun to changing over to an electric guitar-based set. My guitars sounded great, and I didn't feel like I was fighting them the whole time on stage. I never seem to get that feeling from my acoustics, and as much as I love my old national it was (all whining aside) great to NOT have it there to serve as a crutch.
So, owing a very heavy debt to Little Jimmy Reed for the rack-harp lessons, and some very insightful advice from Ray Bonneville I think this is the direction we're going to go for a while. Friday showed me what songs work and what ones clearly don't, and so we'll be leaving a bunch of material behind. But the good news is that I can get caught up on some of the songs I've written that don't work on a resonator guitar. It's all a balance. But I've always been a firm believer in going where the muse leads, and there's some interesting signs pointing in this direction.
Oh, and yeah, I'm really excited about how well my floor board worked as well. I got lots of help from Mac running the sound board who understood exactly what I wanted. But the electronics worked great and I'll keep it!
So, owing a very heavy debt to Little Jimmy Reed for the rack-harp lessons, and some very insightful advice from Ray Bonneville I think this is the direction we're going to go for a while. Friday showed me what songs work and what ones clearly don't, and so we'll be leaving a bunch of material behind. But the good news is that I can get caught up on some of the songs I've written that don't work on a resonator guitar. It's all a balance. But I've always been a firm believer in going where the muse leads, and there's some interesting signs pointing in this direction.
Oh, and yeah, I'm really excited about how well my floor board worked as well. I got lots of help from Mac running the sound board who understood exactly what I wanted. But the electronics worked great and I'll keep it!
Sunday, October 15, 2006
All I want for Christmas
All I want for Christmas is a horn section. Baritone Sax, Tenor, Alto and a Trumpet player.
Really, that's it. I don't even need a card.
Really, that's it. I don't even need a card.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
A new guitar or two...
Well, there are some new additions to the family here. After loosing an old friend to the airline baggage handlers, and realizing it was time to part with a couple of other guitars that hadn't seen a gig in a bit it was time to indulge. Expect to see this at the Lemon Tree in November-
The one in the case is an ES-125T, it's a thin-bodied ES-125 jazz box with a big old P-90 pickup on it. It's a great guitar for the swampy solo stuff I've been playing in standard tunings. All the old Jimmy Reed sounds great on it as well.
So, why the change? Fair question, I suppose. Here's the logic- I'd like to change over to a set of guitars I can use for a solo gig where my electric lap steel seems less radical. It always seems to fit poorly with an acoustic national and a regular acoustic guitar. So, we'll translate the slide material to the my old silvertone and the straight guitar parts to the 125T, amplify everything andthen the lap steel fits better. It's a great change in other ways too- opens up some rhythmic techniques on these guitars that don't come out or simply don't work on an acoustic guitar.
I suppose the national will still get around. I know I don't ever want to risk travelling with it again.
Off to practice and write. Hope y'all have a great weekend!
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Memphis in the meantime...
OK, I'm back. What a great trip.
Ended up spending two days in Memphis lasty weekend. Got there Friday night and stayed in the Days Inn Graceland across 'Elvis Presley Blvd' from the Graceland mansion. the hotel was great- a guitar shaped swimming pool and Elvis movies nonstop on 4 channels in the hotel. Getting there late at night there was only one thing to do- head out for Bar-b-que.
Turns out A-R Barbeque was right down the road and was some of the best I've had in a long time. I ate myself silly. Beans and coleslaw, and a big brisket sandwich. Ahhh. Heaven.
In the morning some friends and I hopped aboard a tour bus and went through the mansion. It was smaller than I expected, but right on the money- great shag carpeting on the roof, exactly like I imagined Elvis would decorate his place.
Then, off to lunch and more barbeque.
In the afternoon I did the tours of Sun Studios and the Stax Museum of Soul. Inspiring to be there, both places. Absolutely magical.
That night we hit Beale Street. Not what I expected at all. Early in the night it was nothing but Stevie Ray cover bands playing the same set list over and over. I finally sat on the street in front of Big Gary, who played all the old Jimmy Reed stuff. Covers, but still good and not 'Pride and Joy' and 'Cold Shot'. Later on it was off to hear this kick-ass rockabilly band, who's name I've lost. The beer was good, what can I say.
No matter, it's great to be home and ready to play again. Check in sometime soon at a gig, lots of other stories to tell!
Ended up spending two days in Memphis lasty weekend. Got there Friday night and stayed in the Days Inn Graceland across 'Elvis Presley Blvd' from the Graceland mansion. the hotel was great- a guitar shaped swimming pool and Elvis movies nonstop on 4 channels in the hotel. Getting there late at night there was only one thing to do- head out for Bar-b-que.
Turns out A-R Barbeque was right down the road and was some of the best I've had in a long time. I ate myself silly. Beans and coleslaw, and a big brisket sandwich. Ahhh. Heaven.
In the morning some friends and I hopped aboard a tour bus and went through the mansion. It was smaller than I expected, but right on the money- great shag carpeting on the roof, exactly like I imagined Elvis would decorate his place.
Then, off to lunch and more barbeque.
In the afternoon I did the tours of Sun Studios and the Stax Museum of Soul. Inspiring to be there, both places. Absolutely magical.
That night we hit Beale Street. Not what I expected at all. Early in the night it was nothing but Stevie Ray cover bands playing the same set list over and over. I finally sat on the street in front of Big Gary, who played all the old Jimmy Reed stuff. Covers, but still good and not 'Pride and Joy' and 'Cold Shot'. Later on it was off to hear this kick-ass rockabilly band, who's name I've lost. The beer was good, what can I say.
No matter, it's great to be home and ready to play again. Check in sometime soon at a gig, lots of other stories to tell!
Sunday, September 10, 2006
barbeque at my place!
Amazing things happend when you have a welder for a friend!
My buddy Dave sent me an email a while back of a picture he'd found on the web of a great BBQ accessory, one of those pictures that was making it's way around the internet. Man, I had to find a set of these to add some comic relief to my backdoor cooking. My cooking is funny enough by itself, but it does need a little help...
So, to make a long story short, it turns out he's not just a welder he's an artist too, and made me these to amuse the kids and annoy my wife. Thanks Dave! Because now I have the most popular gas grill in town
Off to Graceland too!
Oh, expect a travel-log over the next few weeks, because we're going to Memphis and Nashville! I'll try and post pictures along the way....
Been kinda quiet here lately...
Long time, no writing. My apologies, it's been a little busy.
We've been working on the new songs for our next record, and had a great rehearsal last week. I think we've got a string start on seven or eight new songs. The feel of these is pretty close to that Glenn Highway Blues-vibe, real rootsy. Except this time it's nice to have a second guitar player to bat ideas around with, makes the foundation a little sounder.
More in a bit!
We've been working on the new songs for our next record, and had a great rehearsal last week. I think we've got a string start on seven or eight new songs. The feel of these is pretty close to that Glenn Highway Blues-vibe, real rootsy. Except this time it's nice to have a second guitar player to bat ideas around with, makes the foundation a little sounder.
More in a bit!
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Gearing up for the next record
Well, I'm going into the studio to do a little recording in November. That can only mean one thing- time to write a bunch of songs. So, here we go again. But what about the big concept for the record?
So far the tunes are an odd mix of redneck alt-country and country blues. With apologies to Eric the Social Worker, lots of these songs are in open tunings. My goal is to jam the CD up with lots of short songs- about the length of 'Richer than a Sheik' from the previous record. Short and to the point, thats the ticket.
Oh, I've got a few songs already done, too. We'l need to see how well they fit with the new stuff.
Here's the catch- getting the instruments to the studio. It's not really safe for them to fly, and I think I've proven that lately. So, how to get them there? I'm working on that..
But, we're committed. The studio is booked, and so are the players. Point of no return, my favorite place!
So far the tunes are an odd mix of redneck alt-country and country blues. With apologies to Eric the Social Worker, lots of these songs are in open tunings. My goal is to jam the CD up with lots of short songs- about the length of 'Richer than a Sheik' from the previous record. Short and to the point, thats the ticket.
Oh, I've got a few songs already done, too. We'l need to see how well they fit with the new stuff.
Here's the catch- getting the instruments to the studio. It's not really safe for them to fly, and I think I've proven that lately. So, how to get them there? I'm working on that..
But, we're committed. The studio is booked, and so are the players. Point of no return, my favorite place!
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Blues for My Brother Update
For those of you that don't know, Blues for My Brother is an annual benefit for a homeless shelter in Anchorage that I coordinate. As you might imagine, Alaska is a tough place to be homeless, and every year musicians from around the world get together to raise money for the shelter, and raise awareness of homeless issues in our communities.
We're really lucky that Brittish blues piano legend Bob Hall has agreed to play the benefit this year. I've had the good fortune to play with Bob at a couple of festivals, including a long session together at the Dundee Blues Bonanza. He's an amazing player and a real genleman. It's going to be a great show.
I'll try and get to town the weekend before the show to coordinate the last minute details (like getting my amp repaired, save me some time KB, ok?) and get some hang-time with y'all. I'll be dragging Bob down to Portage and Homer for some sightseeing.
Lots to work on, but we'll be recording the show this year AND making copies of last years recording available.
What do we need? We always need Silent Auction items- copies of CD's, T-shirts and other stuff like that are always welcome. If you're in a band, own a club or simply want to help by donating something, thanks! Just send me an email at info@sonhenry.com and I'll get you all the details.
We're really lucky that Brittish blues piano legend Bob Hall has agreed to play the benefit this year. I've had the good fortune to play with Bob at a couple of festivals, including a long session together at the Dundee Blues Bonanza. He's an amazing player and a real genleman. It's going to be a great show.
I'll try and get to town the weekend before the show to coordinate the last minute details (like getting my amp repaired, save me some time KB, ok?) and get some hang-time with y'all. I'll be dragging Bob down to Portage and Homer for some sightseeing.
Lots to work on, but we'll be recording the show this year AND making copies of last years recording available.
What do we need? We always need Silent Auction items- copies of CD's, T-shirts and other stuff like that are always welcome. If you're in a band, own a club or simply want to help by donating something, thanks! Just send me an email at info@sonhenry.com and I'll get you all the details.
Got my guitars back....
Took over a week, but I got what's left of my guitars back. My lap steel got pretty beatup, and my resonator guitar was crushed- a solid brass guitar and it's smashed. Normally I'd carry these on to the plane, but the last trip everything went into the baggage hold, covered in fragile stickers.
I'm all for fighting terrorists, but if you read the news you'll see what effect this is having on musicians all over the globe, from the Russian symphony to little guys like me. Photographers, and other artists that need to travel by air to practice their craft.
If the end result of all this is that artists can no longer travel because they can't get the tools of their trade safely to their destination then I think the terrorists have won.
(Before you send me telling me to get a grip, let me remind you that 9/11 impacted people I knew, people I know and people I care about)
I'm all for fighting terrorists, but if you read the news you'll see what effect this is having on musicians all over the globe, from the Russian symphony to little guys like me. Photographers, and other artists that need to travel by air to practice their craft.
If the end result of all this is that artists can no longer travel because they can't get the tools of their trade safely to their destination then I think the terrorists have won.
(Before you send me telling me to get a grip, let me remind you that 9/11 impacted people I knew, people I know and people I care about)
Monday, August 14, 2006
Live, from Estonia
Some pictures taken by my friend Andres Roots and his wife Siret. I think they tell most of the story. What you can't see is what a great time it was, and how waem and friendly everyone was.
The travel was a disaster. I've got a guitar still in Helsinki, and another one somewhere in Heathrow. They may or may not be on their way home in a truck or on a plane- no one seems to know.
At the same time, well, I had a chance to hang with some great people. If you have the chance, google the band Bullfrog Brown, and see what you think- authentic acoustic blues from the wilds of Estonia.
Ok, the pictures.....
The travel was a disaster. I've got a guitar still in Helsinki, and another one somewhere in Heathrow. They may or may not be on their way home in a truck or on a plane- no one seems to know.
At the same time, well, I had a chance to hang with some great people. If you have the chance, google the band Bullfrog Brown, and see what you think- authentic acoustic blues from the wilds of Estonia.
Ok, the pictures.....
Friday, August 11, 2006
Estonia or bust
Hey gang- on my way to Tallinn for Augustibluus. Sitting in Heathrow right now waiting for my flight in the wake of yesterday's massive terrorist scare and arrests.
So far everything is running on time and seems quite. The airport is pretty deserted, about 25% of the people I'd expect- normally I never get a seat here to wait for the plane, but today I could sleep comfortably on a couple of different benches. So, I think everything will be ok, and if I make it tonight along with my guitars then everything will be really good.
And if I miss my flight I'm going to hop the high-speed ferry from Helsinki!
So, with a little luck this time tomorrow we'll be tuning up for a set of country blues, and dragging Andres Roots (among other) up to play.
See y'all tomorrow.
So far everything is running on time and seems quite. The airport is pretty deserted, about 25% of the people I'd expect- normally I never get a seat here to wait for the plane, but today I could sleep comfortably on a couple of different benches. So, I think everything will be ok, and if I make it tonight along with my guitars then everything will be really good.
And if I miss my flight I'm going to hop the high-speed ferry from Helsinki!
So, with a little luck this time tomorrow we'll be tuning up for a set of country blues, and dragging Andres Roots (among other) up to play.
See y'all tomorrow.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Goodbye Susan, and thanks..
Four-time Iditarod Champion Susan Butcher passed away from cancer this week. It's a sad day.
As a kid, she was one of my hero's- turning her back on an easy life-style and taking on the hardest race in the world, winning four times. But she was also a great role model for people everywhere, like my daughter, because she was in incredible woman that never quit. There just don't seem to be role models like her around anymore, and so the loss of a person like her is a huge loss for all of us.
Thanks Susan, sorry to see you go...
As a kid, she was one of my hero's- turning her back on an easy life-style and taking on the hardest race in the world, winning four times. But she was also a great role model for people everywhere, like my daughter, because she was in incredible woman that never quit. There just don't seem to be role models like her around anymore, and so the loss of a person like her is a huge loss for all of us.
Thanks Susan, sorry to see you go...
Where did the videos go?
I took the videos down, seems like they didn't fit inside the blogger shell,but you can still access them through youtube here:
She's my home
Voodoo Chile
If you're just now reading this and wondering what I'm talking about, we recorded some video at the Stirling Tollbooth in July and published two songs on www.youtube.com. Check it out and lt me know what you think!
She's my home
Voodoo Chile
If you're just now reading this and wondering what I'm talking about, we recorded some video at the Stirling Tollbooth in July and published two songs on www.youtube.com. Check it out and lt me know what you think!
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Next Stop, Augustibluus (Estonia)
with a quick warm-up at the Globe in Aberdeen along the way on August 3rd.
Just got my tickets sorted out with the Augustibluus organizers and I've mentally started the packing process. The immediate problem is what to do about a guitar for this trip because American Airlines smashed my national case to bits.
And, just a reminder, I'm doing a solo performance AND a lap steel workshop. The last workshop I did at the Dundee Blues Bonanza was one of my favorite parts of that festival and really well received, so I'm looking forward to this one too.
See some of you there, perhaps! If you're reading the blog from Estonia, be sure and introduce yourself...
Just got my tickets sorted out with the Augustibluus organizers and I've mentally started the packing process. The immediate problem is what to do about a guitar for this trip because American Airlines smashed my national case to bits.
And, just a reminder, I'm doing a solo performance AND a lap steel workshop. The last workshop I did at the Dundee Blues Bonanza was one of my favorite parts of that festival and really well received, so I'm looking forward to this one too.
See some of you there, perhaps! If you're reading the blog from Estonia, be sure and introduce yourself...
This just in, from the Herald
As a post-script to our last gig in Stirling, the Herald had this to say:
One of the most exciting new arrivals on the British scene since the 1960s blues boom
One of the most exciting new arrivals on the British scene since the 1960s blues boom
Saturday, July 08, 2006
And out we go for manufacturing. I've been agonizing about the whole jewel case vs. card wallet packaging. I think we'll go for real jewel cases, even though I like the wallets better- seems like more folks prefer the jewel case because they're easier to find, and look better.
Doesn't really change the quality of the music, though.
Once this one is out the door I get back to work on the solo CD, try and have it ready for the shelter benefit in November.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
My 10-string tuning
I got asked about this several times, here's how that guitar is tuned from low to high (string number followed by scale degree, from low to high):
10: (1)
09: (3)
08: (5)
07: (6)
06: (7)
05: (1)
04: (3)
03: (5)
02: (7)
01: (1)
I'll post notes when I can find the shaarp-symbol on my keyboard...
10: (1)
09: (3)
08: (5)
07: (6)
06: (7)
05: (1)
04: (3)
03: (5)
02: (7)
01: (1)
I'll post notes when I can find the shaarp-symbol on my keyboard...
Bonanza Thanks!
I've heard that there was some negative feedback about the way the bonanza had run. so, I'm on my soapbox now....
To Bob Telford, Hennie, Kat and the rest of the organizing committee, you did an excellent job- thanks so much for all you did for my band and for Lisa Monroe, to make us feel so welcome (again, in fact). It's always an honor to be with you all in Dundee, and I know all the hard work that goes into this every year. It's a thankless job, and it's amazing how you handle a weekend of crisis management with such style.
And to Leon and the gang at Stachmoe's, everyone at the Marquee Club, and all my friends that packed into tight spaces to listen to us play, without you all this wouldn'tbe any fun- you're really the heart of why this is such a great event!
See everyone next year!
To Bob Telford, Hennie, Kat and the rest of the organizing committee, you did an excellent job- thanks so much for all you did for my band and for Lisa Monroe, to make us feel so welcome (again, in fact). It's always an honor to be with you all in Dundee, and I know all the hard work that goes into this every year. It's a thankless job, and it's amazing how you handle a weekend of crisis management with such style.
And to Leon and the gang at Stachmoe's, everyone at the Marquee Club, and all my friends that packed into tight spaces to listen to us play, without you all this wouldn'tbe any fun- you're really the heart of why this is such a great event!
See everyone next year!
Monday, July 03, 2006
Dundee Retrospective
Phew. It was a great Blues Bonanza. From what I hear it was the best yet.
Early on, I had a chance to hangt out with Little Jimmy Reed, Bob hall, Bottleneck John and the guys iin the band. Great to catch up with everyone, most of them I haven't seen in a year or so. Excellent guys all the way around.
We had a great gig on Friday night at the Marquee club, following Little Jimmy Reed's awesome set. Although it was really, really hot in the club (I think the heat may have been on) the band managed to soldier through a 90 minute set of our original material and then Lisa Monroe's Texas blues. To those of you that were expecting a lot of lap steel that night, well, I apologize- it was a stratocaster kind of night!
Had to be up way too early to get to Dexter's for the workshops. Learned all about 1st position harmonica playing from Little Jimmy Reed who can really nail the 'Jimmy Reed' tone and style. Robin did a bit of piano and the we did a 20-30 minute session on Lap Steel, with the help of Dino and John. Lesson learned- always do a lap steel workshop with a bass player and a drummer.
Really didn't get too much of a chance to hang out, because it was off to eat and then move gear into the basement of Satchmoe's for an acoustic set. Dino helped me set up all the gear, including a recording rig that captured the entire set in digital splendor. Not sure what I'll do with it, but the recording is pretty good. Needs a little clean-up, but it's pretty good.
Then 6 flights of stairs later (3 up and 3 down) we had the PA loaded and we were back at Satchmoes setting up for an electric gig. What a packed house thanks all of you that jammed yourselves in there! It was an intense 2 hours, and 2 sets later (and a pretty fair version of Voodoo Chile) we were all done. Exhausted, but done. Off to a curry house.
And that's where it ended. Dehydration, exhaustion and the flu put me flat on my back, and out for the remainder of the festival. From what I hear Lazy Poker did an excellent job filling in for us as Blue Lisa's backing band at the yard. Man, I hated missing that gig, but what can you do- it's the first gig I've cancelled in 15 (yes, fifteen) years.
So, back to work, next stop the Stirling Tollbooth! See you Friday,July 14th.
Early on, I had a chance to hangt out with Little Jimmy Reed, Bob hall, Bottleneck John and the guys iin the band. Great to catch up with everyone, most of them I haven't seen in a year or so. Excellent guys all the way around.
We had a great gig on Friday night at the Marquee club, following Little Jimmy Reed's awesome set. Although it was really, really hot in the club (I think the heat may have been on) the band managed to soldier through a 90 minute set of our original material and then Lisa Monroe's Texas blues. To those of you that were expecting a lot of lap steel that night, well, I apologize- it was a stratocaster kind of night!
Had to be up way too early to get to Dexter's for the workshops. Learned all about 1st position harmonica playing from Little Jimmy Reed who can really nail the 'Jimmy Reed' tone and style. Robin did a bit of piano and the we did a 20-30 minute session on Lap Steel, with the help of Dino and John. Lesson learned- always do a lap steel workshop with a bass player and a drummer.
Really didn't get too much of a chance to hang out, because it was off to eat and then move gear into the basement of Satchmoe's for an acoustic set. Dino helped me set up all the gear, including a recording rig that captured the entire set in digital splendor. Not sure what I'll do with it, but the recording is pretty good. Needs a little clean-up, but it's pretty good.
Then 6 flights of stairs later (3 up and 3 down) we had the PA loaded and we were back at Satchmoes setting up for an electric gig. What a packed house thanks all of you that jammed yourselves in there! It was an intense 2 hours, and 2 sets later (and a pretty fair version of Voodoo Chile) we were all done. Exhausted, but done. Off to a curry house.
And that's where it ended. Dehydration, exhaustion and the flu put me flat on my back, and out for the remainder of the festival. From what I hear Lazy Poker did an excellent job filling in for us as Blue Lisa's backing band at the yard. Man, I hated missing that gig, but what can you do- it's the first gig I've cancelled in 15 (yes, fifteen) years.
So, back to work, next stop the Stirling Tollbooth! See you Friday,July 14th.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Long Way Home: Son Henry Live at the 4th Avenue Theater
Y'all know I've been working on a live record since November of last year, tweaking the mixes and such. Well gang, everything is all together and the CD is going out for replication!
Last year we recorded the entire 'Blues for my Brother' show in Anchorage on November 11th at the 4th Avenue Theater. Mike Buzzinski captured the whole thing on a 24 track recorder for us, and the rough mixes were great. So, we've taken my entire set AND added some great songs from Lisa Monroe's and Ottomatic Slim's sets too. All in all it's over an hour of live material, exactly as it came down, including all the bad jokes, exploding amplifiers and stage comments too.
I think you'll like it. We'll have them back from manufacturing by the Globe gig in August. Not sure if we'll call it a CD release party, but it will be a party all the same!
Oh, the track listing:
1. Let the Good TImes Roll
2. Bad Boy
3. Long Way Home
4. Bring it on home to me
5. Messing with the kid
6. Hip shake
7. You were wrong
8. Help me
9. Beautician Blues
See you in Dundee this weekend!
Monday, June 26, 2006
Lap Steel workshop, Saturday morning at Dexter's
Just a quick heads-up for everyone!
I'm going to give a short lap-steel workshop at the Dundee Blues Bonanza this weekend. It will be Saturday Morning, July 1 at Dexter's. The times of the workshops are posted here:
http://www.dundeebluesbonanza.com
I'm not sure when mine is exactly during the suite of workshops. But it's really worth it to be there (I know I will) because Little Jimmy Reed is doing a workshop as well. Even if you're not a player, it might just be interesting to hear how this stuff works.
For my part, I'll show you how to get started playing lap style without any special equipment.
Ray Bonneville gig, blue lamp on Saturday...
Thanks to all of you that made it to the blue lamp on Saturday for the Ray Bonneville show, and thanks to Chris Simmonds for taking the risk and putting the show on. I knew it'd be a great show, and glad so many of you felt the same.
Ray played an awesome pair of sets. I don't normally get so excited about modern players, truthfully- you guys know my tastes run to the older pre-hendrix catalogue and all that scratchy old vinyl. But there's something powerful about the minimalism of his music- a guitar, a harmonica, a pair of feet and a great voice.
If you haven't checked out his music, look here:
And see what you think.
It's the simplicity, the directness of the songs and the complete lack of pretense that I like here. Mellow guy with some honest things to sing about. Not many of them around.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Web Site Overhaul
Just finished a minor overaul to my web site. I added some new images and stuff, so be sure and check it out! CLICK HERE
Monday, June 05, 2006
Acoustic CD
Well, I'm finally finishing my acoustic blues cd. I've gone back to the beginning, and I'm re-recording everything. So far I'm really hapy with the performances and the sounds- which is really saying something because my national is really hard to capture.
So far, I've got great takes of:
Hole in my soul
Deeper and Deeper
Long way home
Tom Rushen's blues
Tonight I'm recording guitar and lap steel parts for:
Sattelite
Luke's Blackcloud blues
Alone
Nuca Mas, Corazon
Water Rising
Love in Vain
One red rose
I'll keep you posted on the progress here, but so far it's going really well and really quickly. I'm shooting to have this CD available this fall, so I'm working hard and fast on this one!
So far, I've got great takes of:
Hole in my soul
Deeper and Deeper
Long way home
Tom Rushen's blues
Tonight I'm recording guitar and lap steel parts for:
Sattelite
Luke's Blackcloud blues
Alone
Nuca Mas, Corazon
Water Rising
Love in Vain
One red rose
I'll keep you posted on the progress here, but so far it's going really well and really quickly. I'm shooting to have this CD available this fall, so I'm working hard and fast on this one!
Sunday, June 04, 2006
The Blues and Beyond Club, Cupar
We had the good fortune to perform at the BLues and Beyond Club in Cupar on Friday evening. It was an easy 2-hour road trip from Aberdeen, and nice to get out of town to play for an audience of blues lovers.
Charlie Milne, Brian Poole and the rest of the gang are spear=heading the drive to keep blues alive in the Cupar area, and they do a great job. The club is held monthly at Watts Bar in downtown Cupar, a nice room that looks to seat around 100-150 comfortably. When we arrived they were busy hanging posters to add a real blues vibe to the house.
I started the evening off with a solo set that was well-received. 'Hole in my Soul' and 'Deeper and Deeper', two original songs, are really fast becoming favorites of mine to perform. I've also added a couple of Charlie Patton songs to the set as well. And, after several gigs wrestling with the sounds of my acoustic, the lap-steel acoustic guitar really seems to be settling in as well. All in all I really enjoyed that part of the night.
OK, from there it was off the to the 'lectric part of the night. Kicking off with 'Big Town Playboy', a nice lazy shuffle in E, the dance floor was packed. We thought we'd be playing a listening set at first, but it wasn't to be- dancing was the event of the night. No problem there, we easily slid into funky stuff, shuffles and some old Texas and Chicago blues. Lot's of originals as well. All in all the guys did great, and this line-up seems to get better, dramatically better, with every gig. By the time we reach Dundee we'll be razor sharp.
Thanks again to Charlie, Brian, Vivien and everyone else that made that show happen and for making us feel so welcome! Hope we see all of you again soon!
Charlie Milne, Brian Poole and the rest of the gang are spear=heading the drive to keep blues alive in the Cupar area, and they do a great job. The club is held monthly at Watts Bar in downtown Cupar, a nice room that looks to seat around 100-150 comfortably. When we arrived they were busy hanging posters to add a real blues vibe to the house.
I started the evening off with a solo set that was well-received. 'Hole in my Soul' and 'Deeper and Deeper', two original songs, are really fast becoming favorites of mine to perform. I've also added a couple of Charlie Patton songs to the set as well. And, after several gigs wrestling with the sounds of my acoustic, the lap-steel acoustic guitar really seems to be settling in as well. All in all I really enjoyed that part of the night.
OK, from there it was off the to the 'lectric part of the night. Kicking off with 'Big Town Playboy', a nice lazy shuffle in E, the dance floor was packed. We thought we'd be playing a listening set at first, but it wasn't to be- dancing was the event of the night. No problem there, we easily slid into funky stuff, shuffles and some old Texas and Chicago blues. Lot's of originals as well. All in all the guys did great, and this line-up seems to get better, dramatically better, with every gig. By the time we reach Dundee we'll be razor sharp.
Thanks again to Charlie, Brian, Vivien and everyone else that made that show happen and for making us feel so welcome! Hope we see all of you again soon!
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Should we do a soundclick site?
Just curious-
Dave has been recording our lives shows, and the recordings are pretty good for ones made with a couple of mics in a live room. So, we're wondering, if we set up a soundclick page and put songs on there as we find stuff we like, how many of our friends would go there and download them?
Email me at info@sonhenry.com and let me know what you think!
Dave has been recording our lives shows, and the recordings are pretty good for ones made with a couple of mics in a live room. So, we're wondering, if we set up a soundclick page and put songs on there as we find stuff we like, how many of our friends would go there and download them?
Email me at info@sonhenry.com and let me know what you think!
Friday, May 26, 2006
Live at Cafe Drummonds
First gig in almost 14 months at Cafe Drummonds here in Aberdeen! Good to be back, it's a great room! Oh, we'll be back there AGAIN on the the first of June- that's next Thursday!
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Glenn Highway Blues Review
From this month's Southwest Blues-
-------------------
Alaska is the last real American wilderness. Vast and widely unpopulated, nature calls the shots here, and those weak of spirit cry “Uncle” early and high tail it back to whatever white bread civilization they came from.
Not surprising then that Alaskan Son Henry’s release “Glenn Highway Blues” is as wild and untamed as the state it was conceived in. This is blues from the gut – unvarnished and unpretentious. All nine tracks are penned with ink culled from Son’s sweat and tears. The rhythm section (John Clark on drums and Joel Lockman on bass) is tight and economical on each track – driving the beat and yet snuggly in the pocket every time.
This builds the perfect base for Son to do his “thang” – big, bold electric and slide guitar playing, some rustic harmonica flavorings and, of course, the lap steel playing that is quickly defining the man as a force to be reckoned with. Son’s vocal style is earthy and relaxed, the perfect vehicle to deliver his tales of love both won and lost.
As with the very best of all blues, the songs deal with every day life, love and relationships. Damn this man for writing “Second Glance”. Its desperation and resignation hit me so hard every time I hear it that funny watery stuff comes to my eyes. It scares me when someone details the longings of my soul before I’ve even defined them myself. Son is good at that – VERY good. “Heartache In My House” is another outstanding cut. The beat is down home groove. The message is the reality that sometimes home is not quite the cozy castle it should be.
Temporarily relocated to Aberdeen, Scotland, Son initially put “Glenn Highway Blues” out as an independent release It has recently been re-released and distributed from new blues and roots music label Front Porch Records (www.frontporchrecords.co.uk), unleashing Henry on the unsuspecting United Kingdom, who have responded by making him their new favorite adopted son.
They better enjoy him while they can. His suitcase is always packed and ready to head off to the next adventure. We can only hope he continues to document his life with the same flair as he has here.
-------------------
Alaska is the last real American wilderness. Vast and widely unpopulated, nature calls the shots here, and those weak of spirit cry “Uncle” early and high tail it back to whatever white bread civilization they came from.
Not surprising then that Alaskan Son Henry’s release “Glenn Highway Blues” is as wild and untamed as the state it was conceived in. This is blues from the gut – unvarnished and unpretentious. All nine tracks are penned with ink culled from Son’s sweat and tears. The rhythm section (John Clark on drums and Joel Lockman on bass) is tight and economical on each track – driving the beat and yet snuggly in the pocket every time.
This builds the perfect base for Son to do his “thang” – big, bold electric and slide guitar playing, some rustic harmonica flavorings and, of course, the lap steel playing that is quickly defining the man as a force to be reckoned with. Son’s vocal style is earthy and relaxed, the perfect vehicle to deliver his tales of love both won and lost.
As with the very best of all blues, the songs deal with every day life, love and relationships. Damn this man for writing “Second Glance”. Its desperation and resignation hit me so hard every time I hear it that funny watery stuff comes to my eyes. It scares me when someone details the longings of my soul before I’ve even defined them myself. Son is good at that – VERY good. “Heartache In My House” is another outstanding cut. The beat is down home groove. The message is the reality that sometimes home is not quite the cozy castle it should be.
Temporarily relocated to Aberdeen, Scotland, Son initially put “Glenn Highway Blues” out as an independent release It has recently been re-released and distributed from new blues and roots music label Front Porch Records (www.frontporchrecords.co.uk), unleashing Henry on the unsuspecting United Kingdom, who have responded by making him their new favorite adopted son.
They better enjoy him while they can. His suitcase is always packed and ready to head off to the next adventure. We can only hope he continues to document his life with the same flair as he has here.
Monday, May 15, 2006
Get Ready! Lisa Monroe is coming to town...
Lisa Monroe is coming to Scotland, she'll be at the Dundee Blues Bonanza backed by my band. It'll be a great show! Time/day TBA, check this space for details when I get them.
You'll love her show. For those of you with my new CD, that's Lisa singing 2 of the songs. She's gonna rock the house for sure!
You'll love her show. For those of you with my new CD, that's Lisa singing 2 of the songs. She's gonna rock the house for sure!
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Blues in Britain review
If you've got the magazine this month, it was an interesting review, and we appreciate the column space. Some of the bits we liked the best:
They are a tight little unit that clearly know their shit
They are a tight little unit that clearly know their shit
Monday, May 01, 2006
Life with 2 guitars
Why go to two guitars?
Well, the big difference for me is that I can stop playing and really sing. It's hard to focus on two things at once and some of my songs really require concentration to hit the runs or hit and maintain high pitches. So guitar #2 covers that main parts of the song so everything stays sounding full. That's just whats in it for me.
On another level, when you get two guitar players schooled in old Muddy Waters, there's a great deal of counter point and dissonance going on. You can't fake that with a single guitar. A guitar and a keyboard can get you close. Two guitars are magic.
Also, there are musical parts that can only be played with one guitar player in standard tuning and another in say, open G. The chords sound different because of the intervals involved.
Oh, playing lap-steel in a trio is fine. But having a second guitar player there opens up more keys for me where the chord voicings aren't as full or are a little odd. So, blues in F#minor or B minor on a steel guitar is totally cool with a second player. AND, I get to play harp too. AND, I think having a second guitar player makes you work harder too.
OK, so it's all about me from the sounds of it. Well, the music is different in a good way, that's really what's important.
Well, the big difference for me is that I can stop playing and really sing. It's hard to focus on two things at once and some of my songs really require concentration to hit the runs or hit and maintain high pitches. So guitar #2 covers that main parts of the song so everything stays sounding full. That's just whats in it for me.
On another level, when you get two guitar players schooled in old Muddy Waters, there's a great deal of counter point and dissonance going on. You can't fake that with a single guitar. A guitar and a keyboard can get you close. Two guitars are magic.
Also, there are musical parts that can only be played with one guitar player in standard tuning and another in say, open G. The chords sound different because of the intervals involved.
Oh, playing lap-steel in a trio is fine. But having a second guitar player there opens up more keys for me where the chord voicings aren't as full or are a little odd. So, blues in F#minor or B minor on a steel guitar is totally cool with a second player. AND, I get to play harp too. AND, I think having a second guitar player makes you work harder too.
OK, so it's all about me from the sounds of it. Well, the music is different in a good way, that's really what's important.
Don't be shy....
I got an email from an old friend that I knew way back in Alaska (we'll call him Joe). Joe decided to hit the email link that's found in a couple of places here and shoot me an update on where he was. It was great to hear from him, I had an old email address and it looks like he's changed over to gmail, so I'd lost him.
My point?
Letters from home. Comments about the last gig. Complaints about the loud shirt I was wearing. Suggestions for a place to play or a song to cover. Whatever it is, don't be shy about getting it off your chest....
My point?
Letters from home. Comments about the last gig. Complaints about the loud shirt I was wearing. Suggestions for a place to play or a song to cover. Whatever it is, don't be shy about getting it off your chest....
Friday, April 28, 2006
Blue Lamp, April 30 (Sunday afternoon)
Just in case you didn't get my mass-mailing today. We're taking over the Blue Lamp in Aberdeen on Sunday afternoon for a great day of blues- electric and acoustic. Here's the schedule:
2 pm: doors open
3 pm: solo, acoustic country blues
4 pm: band takes over for two sets.
It's all very complicated, but I'll play a set of acoustic slide guitar based country blues, and probably break out the acoustic lap steel as well. From there we're playng two band sets and making our first real gig as a 4-piece band.
Don't let that last bit slip by un-noticed. We've added a second guitar player to the band after a year of working as a trio. It's great for all of us, opens up some material that we can't play as a trio- covers and originals. Lets me play some harp too.
2 pm: doors open
3 pm: solo, acoustic country blues
4 pm: band takes over for two sets.
It's all very complicated, but I'll play a set of acoustic slide guitar based country blues, and probably break out the acoustic lap steel as well. From there we're playng two band sets and making our first real gig as a 4-piece band.
Don't let that last bit slip by un-noticed. We've added a second guitar player to the band after a year of working as a trio. It's great for all of us, opens up some material that we can't play as a trio- covers and originals. Lets me play some harp too.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Another great CD
Just a thought, for those that aren't plugged into Kelly Joe Phelps. I discovered him years ago as a slide player- he's probably the best acoustic lap player around. He stopped playing slide at all a couple of years ago, focusing on his fingerpicking style instead.
The live CD he recorded, 'Tap the red cane whirlwind' is a monster disk, some original songs and a couple of traditional blues from Skip James and the Reverend Gary Davis. Next to the original, I think his version of Hard Time Killing Floor is probably the best around. Cardboard box of batteries is my favorite song on the disk, though.
I'd totally forgotten about this disk- I had it loaded up on my MP3 player and haven't listened to it for a long time. But on my way back home I was sleeping on a long flight and using my earphones as a cheap line of defense against a terminally talkative person sitting in the middle seat. Hard Time Killing Floor woke me up out of a deep sleep in mid flight, and the CD kept me awake until the last note. I won't tell you what CD it was to put me back to sleep.
Ironically enoough, the person next to me had been carrying on a one-way conversation for about 6 hours. Odd how people can do that, no?
Princess Irene
I've been playing that old Leadbelly song "Goodnight Irene" for years. Interestingly enough, it turns out my grandparents (all 4 of them) came to the U.S. at different times on a ship named the Princess Irene. I found this out from the Ellis Island Web Site, which now has all the immigration records on-line. It's a pretty powerful thing to see that someone was brave enough to leave everything behind at the ripe old age of nineteen. Man, I wasn't good for anything at that age, to think they had the presence of mind to make a decision of that magnitude is intimidating.
It's not blues, but on a beautiful Easter Sunday morning it seems appropriate. Hope you all, no matter how you chose to celebrate or what you believe, find a small corner of peace today.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Blues Central, Anchorage on Monday
It was a treat to play with some old friends Monday night at Blues Central in Anchorage. John Clark, Joel Lockman and I held court for an hour or so, playing songs off the new CD. Those guys are top-shelf, and played butts off. It was great. From there, we dragged up Patti Greene, Alison King, Bob Parsons, Special Ed Christenson, Todd Glazer to play. Gary Lamar and Texas Jimmy left guitars at home, too bad! But a good time was had by all.
Odd, but really nice to be back home playing a Blues Central too. Shelby did a great job with the live sound, room was great!
Oh, and the life-saver of the gig? KB! Thanks for the amp KB!
Odd, but really nice to be back home playing a Blues Central too. Shelby did a great job with the live sound, room was great!
Oh, and the life-saver of the gig? KB! Thanks for the amp KB!
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Reunion with Friends, blues style
Back in Anchorage, can't wait to play Monday Night!
Details and photos, for now I'm changing strings and getting re-acquainted with my old national...
Details and photos, for now I'm changing strings and getting re-acquainted with my old national...
I'm all for Airport Security....
But let's stop picking on guitar players, ok?
I'm posting, which means I made it from Aberdeen to Alaska. It took over 37 hours of travel time what with:
1. The computers being down in Aberdeen and my flight out being an hour late.
2. Missing my flight to San Francisco out of Paris by 5 minutes (see above)
3. Going from Paris to Atlanta, and sitting on the runway for an extra hour waiting for 35 other passengers to get there.
4. An extra hop from Atlanta to San Francisco
5. Going as far as Seattle on Thursday and sleeping in the Seattle Airport
6. Arrive in Anchorage on Friday 16 hours late.
All of that isn't really surprising these days, you travel and you get delayed and re-routed. No big deal.
What I noticed is that EVERY time I had to go through a security check I got flagged for a 'random' search. EVERY time. Once in Aberdeen, 3 times in Paris, twice in Atlanta, Twice in San Francisco and once in Seattle. Random. In Paris they even went so far as to take my guitar apart. I was well-dressed and polite until the screwdriver came out and my guitar was turned into pieces while they were closing the door of my flight.
Some interesting observations:
1. Everyone with a guitar got the same treatment.
2. People with Baby Strollers were also subject to random searches.
3. Skanky people slid on by.
I am in complete support of airport security. After all, my baby brother is an Airline Pilot. But I can't help but wonder if we've now instituted profiling against guitar players and young mothers. Odd combination, no?
Sorry, that's my rant for the day.
I'm posting, which means I made it from Aberdeen to Alaska. It took over 37 hours of travel time what with:
1. The computers being down in Aberdeen and my flight out being an hour late.
2. Missing my flight to San Francisco out of Paris by 5 minutes (see above)
3. Going from Paris to Atlanta, and sitting on the runway for an extra hour waiting for 35 other passengers to get there.
4. An extra hop from Atlanta to San Francisco
5. Going as far as Seattle on Thursday and sleeping in the Seattle Airport
6. Arrive in Anchorage on Friday 16 hours late.
All of that isn't really surprising these days, you travel and you get delayed and re-routed. No big deal.
What I noticed is that EVERY time I had to go through a security check I got flagged for a 'random' search. EVERY time. Once in Aberdeen, 3 times in Paris, twice in Atlanta, Twice in San Francisco and once in Seattle. Random. In Paris they even went so far as to take my guitar apart. I was well-dressed and polite until the screwdriver came out and my guitar was turned into pieces while they were closing the door of my flight.
Some interesting observations:
1. Everyone with a guitar got the same treatment.
2. People with Baby Strollers were also subject to random searches.
3. Skanky people slid on by.
I am in complete support of airport security. After all, my baby brother is an Airline Pilot. But I can't help but wonder if we've now instituted profiling against guitar players and young mothers. Odd combination, no?
Sorry, that's my rant for the day.
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