JOE GOLDMARK STEELS THE '60s
 Joe Goldmark is one of the Bay Area's most
prolific recording artists with five of his own CDs and appearances with Jim Campilongo and the 10-Gallon Hats, Mental Revenge and sessions, sessions everywhere.
His latest,
Seducing the '60s, takes us back to a time when the music, like really meant somethin', man. The CD kicks off with Neil Young's "Helpless" then ticks through other '60s gems like The Tremeloes'
" Here Comes My Baby," Bob Dylan's "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands," Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire," Steely Dan's "Dirty Work," The Who's "The Kids Are Alright," Motown singer
Brenda Holloway's "Every Little Bit Hurts" and Gram Parson's "Hickory Wind." The song selection, uniting as it does many facets of the musically rich 1960's, forms the CD's bedrock. Covering
the '60s is tough. So many have done it that it's easy to slip from honoring the '60s into milking them, a trap that Joe Goldmark sidesteps nicely.
Vocal variety is another aspect of the CD's depth. Two are Mental Revenge tracks that Goldmark laid down with Gary Wayne Claxton during the '90s. Brandi Shearer,
who's a singer-songwriter these days, gets torchy on two tracks, and Bart Davenport, bluesman from The Loved Ones sings lead on three tracks. Even the background vocals are loaded with Bay Area tunesmiths
Dave Gleason, Mike Therioux, Pat Johnson and Garth Webber.
A wealth of '60s styles and vocal styles combine to make this perhaps Goldmark's best CD yet. http://www.joegoldmark.com/recordings.html JINX JONES RUMBLES & TWANGS
  Jinx Jones'
new CD, Rumble and Twang, starts with a scorchin' instrumental of his own, "Flat Gettin' It" and that
sets the tone for the CD, which does flat git it, wall-to-wall. And "The Professor's" guitar work? We've got some guitar players in the West; Jinx hangs with the best, and it's back
to school for the rest. If this CD doesn't make 'em take notice, we're doomed. How many different things can a guitar be expected to do within the framework of
Americana song? Mortals might think of 15-20, but Jinx seems to have about 937 or more at instant command. Take the closing seconds of "Either Way I Lose," for
example. Nobody but Jones would have played that out with such a perfectly understated flourish of harmonics. Then he shifts from this seven or eight seconds of bliss into "I'm Coming Home," a
Johnny Horton rocker with a Duane Eddy riff. Then it's onto bop-swing with "Swedish Pastry." Then it's onto honky-tonk heartbreak standing at the "Border of Right and Wrong."
Along about track six, he hauls out his secret weapon, Roy Buchanan, the Bay Area's late guitar player of guitar players, whose mantle Jones wears most
graciously. For all their chops, Buchanan and Jones are good because they know restraint. Surf music with restraint is next on the menu with "Baja" where it's great
to hear surf in a picking style. "Mr. Right Now" arrives just in time for the fun. "I may not be Mr. Right, but I'm Mr. Right now."
It helps too to have Joe Kyle on bass and
Jamie Lease on drums. Those guys are solid in the pocket. Rumble and Twang. Come for the songs, and stay for the guitar work. http://www.jinxjones.com A FOLKING GOOD CD
  There are always rumblings from the Bay Area's
thriving twanger-songwriter community, though they tend to live in the shadow of John Belushi's guitar smashing scene in Animal House.
Fortunately, the performers that Richard Rice
has collected on Hootenanny Hit Parade Volume 1 are a lot stronger than our preconceived ideas about "folk" music or the CD's title.
Standouts include twangers A.J. Roach's contribution "Hard Being Right,"
Jenny Kerr's pathos-laden "Tijuana Waltz," Sam Misner and Megan Smith's "Madeline (Fall Away)," Claudia Russell's clever and amusing check-in to Hotel "Oh, California," and Amy and Karen's
heartfelt "Two Soldiers." There are several other hits, some in twang and others not, but all mod cons. Richard skimmed the cream off his monthly shows at the International Cafe to create a
first-rate acoustic CD.
www.sfhootenanny.com. |
VIVA LA HUELGA! HICKS WITH STICKS STRIKE OF '07
 The Hicks with Sticks
strike has brought some progress-minded support for the website. We'd hit rock bottom with site problems related to hosting, mail, and growth. We're still wallowing in the sub-basement. The
arrow is at last pointing up, but there's a long way to go.
The plan is to keep the site free for as long as possible, but it runs at a loss and the upgrades are going to cost
something, so we're planning a big party and fund-raiser at the Hicks with Sticks special scheduled for Saturday, June 23rd at the Knockout with 77 el Deora/Shut-Ins. More later.
Meanwhile, thanks to
Susan, Mike, Laura and Sharif for coming to the aid of the oppressed HWS strikers and allowing them to return to their McJobs with dignity.
HILLBILLY MEDIA WATCH: SET BRAIN TO "OFF"
Now, from the Big Whoop Department, comes a bulletin that new country has struck the Bay Area airwaves again. We'd hoped for an end to it when "The Bear"
folded in 2002, but alas, another toothless predator, this time "The Wolf," has arrived at 95.7 FM with cowboy hats and pop music programmed by cutting edge corporate drones from Salt Lake City.
  And more, from the Marianas Trench of dumbed down television, the Fox Network has hired Jeff Foxworthy, court jester for the "You might be a redneck..." crowd, to
host the new game show smash "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?" Inquiring minds want to know how smart can one be while watching Foxworthy on Fox?
Utah Sue's forwarded link to  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJuNgBkloFE is
must-see, jaw-dropping video from the Dumbistan heartland. Borat has to be behind this, right?
(See also, First Church of the Last Laugh, Saint Stupid's Day, April 1, www.saintstupid.com) ALL THE NEWS THAT PRINTS IN FITS
Thee Parkside
seems to be headed for a new life, or at least new ownership as the business has been sold. No word yet on what it's future will be... More new bands are in the news. Look for Misisipi Rider
to leave it's duo format as its ranks grow with reinforcements on steel guitar, stand-up bass, and now, fiddle. www.myspace.com/misisipiriders
... Jack Spade and the Two Deuces already have a few shows under their belt and are planning assaults on clubs throughout the Bay Area. www.myspace.com/jackandtheassslappers
... The revamped Plain High Drifters are back in action with Tom Armstrong on bass, and doing a solo
set prior to the full band's St. Patty's Day show at the Riptide. It's great to have Tom back in action. www.myspace.com/plainhigh
... Loretta Lynch and Axton Kinkaid have just released new CDs. Hopefully these will lead to more shows for both bands. "Loretta's baby" is older now so maybe mom
can go play and Axton definitely needs more space in the Bay Area's twang collective twang mind.
Www.lorettalynch.com, www.axtonkincaid.com ...
More DJs in the news. The East Bay twangs in the "Whiskey River" Monday nights at Acme Bar in Berkeley. $1 Beam shots and honky-tonk drinkin' songs at midnight too!... Over in Oaktown, DJs
Rockin' Raul and Tanoa "78rpm" spin the "Boppin' & Rockin'" party every Monday at Easy Lounge. Drink specials there also. http://www.easy510.com ... Pete Chase's "Shellac Shack," on Mondays at Homestead in SF will be down for 3-4 months while he goes to Lala Land to make a movie... Second Fridays of the month are roaring at
The Knockout when "Night of the Oldies" kicks in with DJ's Primo, Fancy Dan and Lost Cat. www.theknockoutsf.com ...
77 el Deora is back from their European Low Countries tour. Find the full adventure in their blogumentary at http://www.rawkabilly.com... Twangers mourned the passing of Denz Havoc in March. Denz, who had lived a rockabilly life to the hilt, developed a
heart condition a few years ago. He is survived by his son, Cory. RIP, Denz. |
