Friday, January 18, 2013

Hadden on the road again with an outstanding new disc, Rolling Soul, & a big weekend of music options!





Well, let's see...Runny Nose Pete (aka Steve Byam and his band of hooligans) playing gut-bucket blues at Sullivan's 40th & Farnam tonight about 9:30 p.m. (Free show)...Jeremy Mercy & Vern Fergesen playing a free duo Mercies show over at Horseshoe's Whiskey Roadhouse Casino...Josh Hoyer playing a solo show at Lincoln's Wilderness Ridge tonight 7:30-11ish...Sh*%hook has replaced Brad Cordle Band at the Zoo Bar's 5-7 p.m. show, due to illness...touring company for the musical MEMPHIS is happening at the Orphuem in Omaha, Lucky Peterson is at the Holland Performing Arts 1200 Club Saturday Night....and if you missed Hadden Sayers last night at the 21st Saloon (And Wednesday at the Zoo Bar) you missed out...my Sioux City friends can catch them tonight at the Chesterfield...you can pre-order Hadden's brand new disc ROLLING SOUL at www.haddensayers.com

Here's an extended, jazzy version of "Insomniac Blues" that is on the new disc, ROLLING SOUL, recorded at the historic Kessler Theater in Dallas, Texas!
And speaking of Texas, here's Hadden's tribute to all those sweet Texas girls from HARD DOLLAR.

Hadden's song Back to the Blues from HARD DOLLAR STILL gives me goose bumps when I hear it...and it seems that the tune's deserved recognition with a Blues Music Award nomination for Song of the Year last year helped turn more people on to his music. As a long-time fan, I'm hoping that 2013 continues to bring Hadden Sayers more listeners. He's the real deal!


New READER column is online here....now for gosh sake, go hear some live music!


Sayers’ Rolling Soul

Hadden Sayers hits the metro for two shows this week. His new CD, Rolling Soul, drops in February. I first discovered Sayers in the mid-1990s and have been enthusiastically following his music ever since. This is Sayers’ follow up to Hard Dollar, which produced a 2012 Blues Music Award nomination for Song of the Year for "Back to the Blues." Rolling Soul is remarkably an even stronger disc than the excellent Hard Dollar, with a sound that is visceral and in the pocket. The tracks have a muscular intensity and fluid ease. There are a variety of sounds from the slow, simmering “Alone With The Blues” to the sexy “Insomniac Blues” plus plenty of rockin’ riffs. The disc also expands into some soul and R&B that allow Sayers to demonstrate his rich vocal versatility. Check out "That's What You Do." Ruthie Foster also guests on a track. Texas native Sayers is a triple-threat as a skilled guitarist, singer and songwriter. Rolling Soul continues his evolution as a must-see artist. See haddensayers.com. Catch the Hadden Sayers Band Wednesday, Jan. 16, 6-9 p.m. at Lincoln’s Zoo Bar and Thursday, Jan. 17, 5:30-8:30 p.m. at The 21st Saloon.
Playing With Fire Fundraiser
Playing With Fire series founder Jeff Davis reports the headliner for his Feb. 9 fundraiser, England's Ben Poole, was not able to get his visa cleared in time to guarantee he could enter the U.S. for the event. “We have moved the show to the 21 Saloon where we will play only Cassie Taylor,” Davis says. See cassietaylorband.com. The show will go on Feb. 9, 7-10 p.m. at The 21st Saloon, $10 admission.

Hot Notes
Lincoln’s Zoo Bar has blues from Omaha’s fiery Hector Anchondo Band Thursday, Jan. 17, 9 p.m. The Bel Airs boogie down at the Zoo next Wednesday, Jan. 22, 6-9 p.m. The Bel Airs also hit The 21st Saloon next Thursday, Jan. 23, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
The Blues Society of Omaha holds an open general meeting at The 21st Sunday, Jan. 20, 3 p.m. A special show with Murali Coryell 6-9 p.m. will follow. Coryell was last seen in Omaha in October at the Playing with Fire fundraiser as part of Joe Louis Walker’s band.
Runny Nose Pete plugs in at Sullivan’s Bar, 40th & Farnam, Friday, Jan. 18, 9 p.m. Blues great Lucky Peterson plays the Holland’s 1200 Club Saturday, Jan. 19, 8 p.m. Kris Lager Band rocks The Waiting Room Wednesday, Jan. 23, 9 p.m.

Hadden Sayers, 21st Saloon Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013 ...packed house & Hadden tore the place up!


Hadden Sayers Band Zoo Bar Jan. 16 2013


Friday, January 11, 2013

This week's Reader column is online, read on.
Davina and The Vagabonds' show at the 21st Saloon was amped-up perfection. In case you missed it, I'll add a Davina clip from their gig at New Orleans Jazz &  Heritage fest to this week's post so you can get a taste of this fine Minneapolis band!


Don't forget that Hoodoo favorite Hadden Sayers is in the metro next week. Wednesday, Jan. 16, at Lincoln's Zoo Bar 6-9 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 17, at The 21st Saloon 5:30-8:30 p.m. and Friday, Jan. 18 at The Chesterfield in Sioux City.
Hadden has a great new disc about to hit the streets called ROLLING SOUL. 
It's his finest work to date, as good as HARD DOLLAR with some smoldering soul tunes, fine songwriting and choice guitar licks. 
Here's Hadden with his song BACK TO THE BLUES that was nominated for Song of the Year in the 2012 Blues Music Awards. To find out more or preorder the ROLLING SOUL disc, visit www.haddensayers.com


In addition to the updates in this week's column that include new Sunday Roadhouse shows by the great Tom Russell on Wednesday, February 27, 7:30 p. m. and Hayes Carll on Sunday, March 31, 5 p.m., Dean sent me an email today with the annoucement of a show Sunday, February 17, with Austin's Will Sexton and Shannon McNally at the Side Door Lounge. This should be an excellent show for Americana fans. Will is the brother of Charlie Sexton (Arc Angels, Bob Dylan, etc.) and Will is a fine musician and songwriter in his own right. See www.willsexton.com, www.shannonmcnally.com 
and www.sundayroadhouse.com

Here's a set of music from Shannon, Will and Charlie Faye, taped at Music in the Hall in Oxford,  Miss.

While we're talking Sunday Roadhouse, let me give a shout out to Grant Peeples, a new-to-me-artist that I first saw at the Sunday Roadhouse last year. Grant's last two CDs PRIOR CONVICTIONS and OKRA & ECCLESIASTES (both produced by Gurf Morlix) have remained in steady rotation in my music listening.
Give Grant a listen.
And another very fine song called Powerlines. Listen to the lyrics!

And here's some Davina! 





Davina, Hadden & Levi

The swing and New Orleans piano blues of Davina & The Vagabonds take center stage at The 21st Saloon Thursday, Jan. 10, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Sowers’ remarkable vocals are full of sass and soul. Her music is joyous, retro-fueled and fresh as her red lipstick. Davina and the boys also play Lincoln’s Zoo Bar Wednesday, Jan. 9, 6-9 p.m. The Minneapolis Star Tribune praises Davina as the “hardest-working blues woman in Minnesota” celebrating her “throaty but cushiony voice…that’s part Bonnie Raitt, Etta James and a little Amy Winehouse, and her band’s rollicking New Orleans flavor.”
Back to the Blues
Next week Texas blues-rocker Hadden Sayers plays the metro. Sayers is a 2012 Blues Music Award nominee. His memorable song “Back to the Blues,” recorded as a duet with Ruthie Foster, was nominated for Song of the Year. Sayers works as the guitarist in Foster’s band when he’s not making his own music. Sayers is finishing his latest CD, Rolling Soul, due out in February. Sayers’ mixes blues, soul and rock delivered with great vocals and versatile guitar prowess that enhances his fine songs. Hadden Sayers Band hits Lincoln’s Zoo Bar Wednesday, Jan 16, 6-9 p.m. and The 21st Saloon Thursday, Jan 17, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Levi William Send-Off
Lincoln’s Levi William represents the Blues Society of Omaha (BSO) in the 29th International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 29-Feb. 2. The BSO hosts a send-off party for William Sunday, Jan. 13, 6 p.m. at The 21st Saloon. William won the chance to participate in the IBC through a BSO competition in the spring of 2012. The BSO has opened the entry process for bands to compete in the 2013 Nebraska Blues Challenge. See NebraskaBluesChallenge.blogspot.com for rules and entry form. Entries are due no later than Feb. 18, 2013 for the spring Nebraska Blues Challenge. (Full disclosure: I am on the board of the Blues Society of Omaha.)

Hot Notes Levi William also plays Lincoln’s Zoo Bar Friday, Jan. 11, 9 p.m. Tijuana Gigolos are up at the Zoo 5-7 p.m. Lucky Peterson is scheduled at The Holland’s 1200 Club Saturday, Jan. 19. Looking ahead, The Royal Southern Brotherhood is back at The 21st Saloon Friday, Feb. 15, 7 p.m. Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears get down at The Waiting Room Feb. 15 after 9 p.m. The Sunday Roadhouse hosts two shows at the Waiting Room: Tom Russell Wednesday, Feb. 27, 7:30 p.m. and Hayes Carll Sunday, March 31, 5 p.m.

http://www.thereader.com/index.php/site/comments/davina_hadden_levi/

Toy Drive for Pine Ridge Thank Yous

Thank You to everyone who helped with this year's Lash LaRue Toy Drive events.
Lash has been posting some thank you notes this week he received from the children who received gifts this year from the Toy Drive for Pine Ridge.
You can read more at
www.facebook.com/Toydriveforpineridge

Lash posted this as his favorite:
"Thank you for the toys. On that afternoon we played with our presents in our classroom. Everyone, even myself, enjoyed what we got and liked our gifts very much. I would really like to say Thank you very much for the big teddy bear. It made me feel happy and I greatly appreciate it. He takes my nightmares and makes everything better. I named him Ted and he's so special to me. I would never ever let him out of my sight.
Sincerely, Emily
P.S. he's so cuddly"


you can also find photos from this year's toy delivery here
https://www.facebook.com/Toydriveforpineridge/photos_stream

Swingin' into 2013

Swingin’ into 2013
Reader Hoodoo column for 1-2-2013
Minneapolis’ swing and New Orleans-style blues band Davina & The Vagabonds is back at The 21st Saloon next Thursday, Jan 10, 5:30-8:30 p.m. They also gig at Lincoln’s Zoo Bar Wednesday, Jan. 9, 6-9 p.m. Their keyboard and horn-driven sound is big fun and pure musicianship. Davina Sowers’ soulful, soaring vocalizing and retro, glamour-girl va-va-voom give the band a unique sound and sparkling energy. Elmore magazine rightly calls Sowers “a modern day, female version of Louis Armstrong.” Critics compare her vocals to everyone from Etta James and Billie Holiday to Amy Winehouse.
More 21st Saloon
The 21st Saloon kicks off the New Year with Oklahoma's Scott Keeton Band Thursday, Jan. 3. Keeton mixes roots, blues and rock for a good-time show. Acoustic bluesman Stephen Monroe plays Sunday, Jan. 6, 6 p.m.
Lincoln’s Zoo Bar
The Zoo has shows coming up including a double-dose of cool roots music on Friday, Jan. 4, with Mezcal Brothers playing 5-7 p.m. followed by the Scott Keeton Band after 9 p.m. Hoodoo favorite Davina & The Vagabonds takes the stage Wednesday, Jan. 9, 6-9 p.m. Another Hoodoo favorite, Hadden Sayers plugs in the following Wednesday, Jan. 16, 6-9 p.m. Check zoobar.com for the full Zoo schedule.

International Blues Challenge Levi William plays next Sunday, Jan. 13, 6 p.m., at The 21st in a send-off party for the band’s trip to represent the Blues Society of Omaha in the 29th Annual International Blues Challenge  (IBC) in Memphis, Tenn. The International Blues Challenge is hosted by the national Blues Foundation. William and his band were selected in the Blues Society of Omaha’s Nebraska Blues Challenge in the spring of 2012 to go to the 2013 IBC, which happens in Memphis Jan. 29-Feb. 2, 2013. 
Participating in the IBCs is a step up for artists looking to move to the national touring circuit, exposing them to blues labels, promoters and booking agents. Previous notable competitors in the International Blues Challenge include Tommy Castro, the late Michael Burks, Susan Tedeschi, the late Sean Costello, Trampled Under Foot, J.P. Soars, Karen Lovely, Fiona Boyes, Eden Brent, Shakura S’Aida, Stacy Mitchhart and Davina & the Vagabonds. See blues.org/ibc for details on the International Blues Challenge.
The Blues Society of Omaha launched its competition Jan. 1, 2013, to select its band for the 2014 IBCs. See NebraskaBluesChallenge.blogspot.com for details, rules and the official entry form. (Full disclosure: I am on the board of the Blues Society of Omaha.)