Jazz in the Ocean State has seen a myriad of tough times, including, COVID aftershocks, digital streaming, stubborn inflation, and changing demographics. But, just like the changing tides of Narragansett Bay, local jazz is here to stay. Live music venues and great jazz musicians have come and gone, but jazz lovers should not despair. While […]
I’m finally on the mend after a month of pneumonia. I imagine this is what a resurrection must feel like. Meanwhile, since I last wrote another legend has left us in “Brother” Wayne Kramer of the MC5. MC5 were a revolutionary band that in the late sixties fused the guitars of the British Invasion, the […]
It was the ’90s and I loved being in clubs. It was common to be among folks who had made it while I was seeing and playing shows. The Big Three (“The Godmothers” as I like to call them) were at their height — signed to major record labels, touring the country, playing on the […]
If there was a Mount Rushmore for music legends, Smokey Robinson would surely be on it. Robinson, who with lifelong friend and fellow music trailblazer Berry Gordy, literally changed the musical landscape, modern society, and profoundly and positively affected race relations in the United States and around the world. Robinson and Gordy did it by […]
Lots of new music for the month that begins like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Some is ferocious, some is mellow, but all of it is good! Here are some picks: Caitlyn Mitchell – “Pawn”The debut single by Caitlyn Mitchell is a massive ballad. Atop a sea of strings and vocal harmonies, […]
Okee dokee folks… The other day someone mentioned that they were reaching a milestone birthday and they were dismayed that they hadn’t achieved as much as they would have liked in their life. Having reached many age milestones myself, I let them know that all you can really do is give it your best shot. […]
The Quahogs are one of the best bands to come out of Rhode Island in recent years, producing an instantly relatable, resonant sound. They’re the type of band that, as soon as you hear them, you know instantly it’s them. The Quahogs are real. Their music, their lyrics, and their band members are always authentic, […]
Okee dokee folks… The past couple of issues (and many before) I have started my columns discussing subjects that I have opinions about. Some of my views tend to rapidly stir the pot. So, I want to let you in on the not so secret reason behind my pot stirring: I do it to rile […]
Imagine on any given night during the 1950s being able to hear the swinging sounds of Count Basie, the bluesy diva Billie Holiday, or Louis Armstrong, one of the greatest trumpet players of all time? No, I am not talking about the thriving Times Squares jazz scene in the Big Apple, but the fabled Celebrity […]
Okee dokee folks… I like to “stir the pot” a bit. Okay, a lot. I posted my thoughts about something on social media that got a lot of “knickers in a twist.” It’s fun. My post was about open mics. Specifically, it was about “venue bookers” who want you to play their open mics BEFORE […]