FEATURES
Around the corner from the Waverly Inn and the Spotted Pig, a who’s who of rock n’ roll miscreants assembled at the Jefferson Market Library on 6th Avenue for the first notable social gathering of the Fall Season. In a room high above the former courtroom where Mae West was tried and convicted for obscenity, Nick Tosches washed down Parliaments with extra-dry Japanese beer, received guests from the erotic dancing trade and checked over his notes. He was at the library to read from his new book, ‘Save The Last Dance For Satan’ published by Kicks Books.
Kicks is an exciting new publishing venture by industry vet Miriam Linna, co-founder of Norton Records, former Strand employee and president of the Flamin’ Groovies International Fan Club. Protegé sisters Charly and Gigi Himmel assisted Mrs. Linna with preparations for the evening and sold a limited edition perfume, ‘TOSCHES’, along with copies of the new book. (MSRP $12.95). Frank Collerius and Marie Henson of the Jefferson Market Library were exemplary hosts.
Other notable notables in attendance included Louise Murray (of the Jaynettes), her husband Donald Murray (of the Jesters), Lenny Kaye, Andy Shernoff and Scott Kempner (of the Dictators), Michael Downey (of Figures of Light), Eric Davidson (of the New Bomb Turks) and Countess LuAnn de Lesseps (or a she-male who wandered in from 7th ave, this reporter could not make a definitive call.)
The event was filled to capacity as Mr. Tosches waited for the right energy to build in the darkened library before he was to speak, on high, from the catwalk overhead. The crowd began to chant ‘TAW-SHUS, TAW-SHUS’ and as I banged along on a bookcase next to me a man turned to me, glaring, and snapped, “Hey Buddy! This ain’t a pub, this is a LIBRARY!”
Complete gallery HERE.
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 Wardell Quezergue, portrait 2007
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PROLOGUE: Lincoln Center wrapped up their 2011 ‘Out Of Doors‘ season with its 2-day Roots of American Music Festival, co-produced with Spike Barkin. One of the best things about being in NYC in the summer is all the fantastic free music. Summer Stage, River To River Festival, Celebrate Brooklyn, etc. are all great institutions. But pound for pound, Lincoln Center Out of Doors is by far the most varied, challenging, inclusive, multi-cultural, multidisciplinary and rewarding of the bunch. AND it is ALL COMPLETELY FREE (many of the other festivals reserve the best acts for ticketed fundraiser shows).
After a typical good (and long) day at LCOOD, you feel as if you have just taken a great college course where your ideas about music are reshaped, re-contextualized, and made more exciting many times over. While the aforementioned summer series’ fill the calendar with sure-fire crowd pleasers and ‘it’-bands, Lincoln Center’s public programming, helmed by Bill Bragin and Jill Sternheimer, plays to a higher musical intelligence. If some shows fail, it’s because a risk was taken, not because the choice was too obvious. So thanks for filling my head, heart and eyes with some wonderful experiences this summer.
I shot a bunch of film there this year that will take a little time to sort and edit. But with all things worthwhile, I think there will be a greater value in that than the following day’s hyperventilating blog post. (which I did as well, see the Girl Group review on brooklynvegan.com)
Photos and commentary (taken from my tweets from that day)
“Don’t miss the greatest conglomeration of curiosities gathered under one tent…” (Jim Dickinson, ‘Oh How She Dances’ )
Sid Selvedge and Sons of Mud-Boy (Cody and Luther Dickinson): shambly, rambly, shaky and beautiful… stirring up winds and strange delta ju ju on ‘Goin’ to Brownsville’. Sleepy John and Furry in the metaphysical house.
(more…)
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A Todd P show it wasn’t, thankfully. Last Friday night, August 12, West Village resident Susan Spehar hosted the innovative roots ensemble Ollabelle in her historic townhouse on Hudson Street. A group of approximately 30 friends and supporters of the band sipped wine while enjoying the unamplified, intimate show gently unspooling in the home’s large living room. The lineup featured the original members of the group including a very pregnant Amy Helm (daughter of Levon), Fiona McBain and Tony Leone (folk music super couple), Byron Isaacs and Glenn Patscha. This was the second time Ollabelle had played at the house, the first time being to raise money on Kickstarter to complete the recording of their 4th album ‘Neon Blue Bird’.
The concert marked the independent release of the album through Thirty Tigers, now available on iTunes and Amazon.
A warm-hearted Susan and her effervescent daughter, Jules (who manages Brooklyn band Lucius, keep your eye out, they’re good!), played excellent hosts, having prepared mozzarella sandwiches, cubed watermelon and home made brownies and blondies. The home itself is notable as the former residence of Jane Jacobs, author of the landmark urban planning essay ‘The Death and Life of Great American Cities’, written in one of the upstairs rooms.
After the official show, Tony, Fiona, Glenn and a small group of friends lingered whittling down the remaining wine and food. The gathering shifted to the patio where Tony picked up the mandolin, playing songs with Fiona and singer songwriter Liz Tormes. This photographer gladly put down his camera to sing shaky harmonies on a couple early John Prine songs. New York moments don’t get much better than this.
– Full Slideshow Here –
words and photos ©Jacob Blickenstaff, 2011
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Last year when I was in New Orleans for the roots music festival The Ponderosa Stomp, I had the great fortune to meet both Dave Bartholomew and Cosimo Matassa, two absolute giants and heroes of mine. If you’ve ever enjoyed a rock ‘n roll record…ever… you pretty much have these two remarkable men to thank.
Dave Bartholomew is a prolific band leader, song writer and producer most famous for his symbiotic relationship with Fats Domino but when you start reading the credits on any significant New Orleans R&B record from the 1950′s, you will see his name almost every time.
Cosimo Matassa is a humble genius who placed the mics, ran the tapes, and diplomatically managed the personalities of Rock & Roll’s early royalty (read: Little Richard, Professor Longhair, Ray Charles, Guitar Slim, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, etc., etc.)
To know them is to love them. Thank you both sharing a bit of your time.
photographs © Jacob Blickenstaff 2010
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NRBQ, or ‘Terry Adams’ New NRBQ’, or the band formerly known as the ‘Terry Adams Rock and Roll Quartet’, depending on who you ask, played the Iridium on Sunday, June 26. There is fervent debate among Q-Heads about the rightful naming of this incarnation of the band. For more background on the issue you can read a statement from Terry on the NRBQ website here as well as this thoughtful article on boston.com here.
As an enthusiastic Q-neophyte lacking the decades of storied NRBQ shows under my belt to compare it to, all I can say with any authority is that this was a really enjoyable, rockin’ show in a neon-lit basement club in Times Square on a Sunday night. Hal Willner hung out with a friend at a table in the back balancing out the table of baffled European tourists near the stage in the otherwise lightly populated room. The current line up features Scott Ligon on guitar, Pete Donnelley on bass and Conrad Choucroun on drums – Art Baron and Greg Ward sat in on trombone and alto sax, respectively . Everyone in the band had plenty of chops and musicianship to fill the big shoes of their predecessors, the band served as gifted support to propel the unique vision of Adam’s music forward after 40+ years of being at it.
The band is playing selected dates in July and August – http://www.terryadams.net/appearances.html They also released a new album ‘Keep This Love Goin’, available directly from the NRBQ website.
more photos here
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