Steel Ties

2012-01-10T13:04:00.000-08:00

New posts for the Photo Gallery coming soon ...
Special events in Northern California, 2011 and 2012.

2011-07-26T15:42:00.000-07:00

7 Walkers
July 5, 2011, Sierra Nevada Big Room, Chico, Calif.

Photos by Alan Sheckter
Photographer and contributing writer for Steel Ties
Courtesy of his website http://www.pbase.com/alansheckter/music
Email Alan

Bill Kreutzmann and 7 Walkers, whose first show place at the Sierra Nevada Big Room in April 2010, returned to Chico, California, on July 5, 2011. Armed this time with an illuminated tie dye backdrop to set the mood, the extremely cohesive and tight foursome kicked out two-and-a-half hours of Grateful Dead songs, New Orleans-reminiscent funk jams, and newer Robert Hunter-penned songs. Setlist: “Space,” “New Speedway Boogie,” “King Cotton Blues,” “Mr. Okra,” “Eyes of the World,” “New Orleans Crawl,” “Mr. Charlie,” “7 Walkers,” “Bottle Up and Go,” “Sugaree,” “He's Gone,” “Turn on Your Lovelight.” The encores were “Big Railroad Blues” and “Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad.”

Photos may not be republished without expressed consent of the photographer

Clockwise, from top left: Papa Mali; Bill Kreutzmann; George Porter, Jr.; Matt Hubbard

Top left, right: Bill Kreutzmann; Papa Mali; Bottom: Bill Kreutzmann, George Porter, Jr.

Top left, right: George Porter, Jr.; Matt Hubbard; Bottom: Papa Mali, George Porter, Jr., Bill Kreutzmann

Top: Papa Mali; Bottom: Matt Hubbard

Big Room GM, Bob Littell, gives a passionate intro

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2011-07-08T16:37:00.000-07:00

Boris Garcia
June 18, 2011, Chico, Calif., KZFR Studios

Photos by Alan Sheckter
Photographer and contributing writer for Steel Ties
Courtesy of his website http://www.pbase.com/alansheckter/music
Email Alan

Boris Garcia website - http://www.borisgarcia.com/home.html

Top - Tom Hampton's dobro; Bottom - Boris Garcia, from left: Bud Burroughs, Bob Stirner, KZFR GM Rick Anderson, Tom Hampton, Stephe Ferraro, Jeff Otto

Boris Garcia, a bluegrassy/Americana band of jammers from Philadelphia, stopped in at KZFR Studios in Chico on June 18, as they finished up a tidy little West Coast swing of shows. The band chatted with "Not Necessarily Nashville" host Peter Ratner and reeled off a bunch of tunes to boot, including "Walking Barefoot," "Fall," "Deaf Dumb and Blind," and a tribute to the town that hosts the Philadelphia Folk Festival, "Schwenksville." Peter told the band, "You make my ears smile." Visit Alan Sheckter’s Photo Gallery to see more photos.

Photos may not be republished without expressed consent of the photographer.

Top - Boris Garcia, from left: Stephe Ferraro, Bud Burroughs, Tom Hampton, Jeff Otto, Bob Stirner; Bottom, left - Tom Hampton, Jeff Otto, Bob Stirner

Clockwise from top left - Jeff Otto, Bob Stirner; KZFR "Not Necessarily Nashville" host Peter Ratner; Boris Garcia, from left: Tom Hampton, Jeff Otto, Bud Burroughs, Bob Stirner, Stephe Ferraro, and KZFR's Peter Ratner

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2011-07-06T14:49:00.000-07:00

SambaDá (Brazilian Samba Reggae from Santa Cruz, California)
Commons Beach Music Series

Commons Beach, Tahoe City, California
Sunday, June 26, 2011

SambaDá puts the soul of their beat into Commons Beach

Review and photos by Julio Staben
Contributing writer for Steel Ties
Email Julio

From the beginning, as we sat on the shores of Lake Tahoe, the Santa Cruz based band SambaDá electrified the crowd of hippies, yuppies – basically a mix in age and persona. SambaDá itself was a pleasant surprise of multi talented musicians, putting on the event free of charge. Six band members played multiple instruments, performing on the beach this fine Sunday afternoon. According to SambaDá percussionist Marcel Menard, two members were unable to be at the show. I can only imagine what another brush stroke would have added, they were superb.

The beautiful shores of Lake Tahoe

SambaDá is a band with mostly Brazilian Samba Reggae influences. Their performance began at 4:30 that afternoon and ended after the second set, around 7 p.m. They are a percussion driven ensemble, as all the members played drums at one point or another during their show. The set was powerful and compelling. Dandha Da Hora, the female lead singer from Salvador, Brazil, danced and twirled in her white fête style dress, her hair cascading down Rasta style. The guitar player, Will Kahn, balanced his technique, blending his way through changes adapting in fine tune to the different styles.

Marcel Menard and Dandha Da Hora

Will Kahn

SambaDá - LtoR: Anne Stafford (sax), Marcel Menard (percussion), Dandha Da Hora (vocals), Gary Kehoe (drums, percussion, vocals), Will Kahn (guitar), Kevin Dorn (bass)

Their music inspired the crowd to dance and move to the groove of the beat. Marcel chatted with me after the show. He said their band has been together since 1998 and they would soon be on the road to Southern California. I asked him how many songs were their own original material, and he told me all but three were composed by SambaDá. The Tahoe based sound company in charge of the audio for the afternoon show did an excellent job.

Dandha Da Hora and Marcel Menard

Commons Beach crowd dances to the Brazilian Samba Reggae beat of SambaDá

Anne Stafford

Anne Stafford played sax, flute and drums, and added a big sound to her multi-range of talent. Kevin Dorn played bass and gave an extra punch to the amazing collaboration of vibrant artists. Another must see group for anyone who wants to feel the beat.

Dandha Da Hora and Kevin Dorn

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2011-06-27T14:09:00.000-07:00

Harmony Festival
Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Santa Rosa, California

June 10-11, 2011
Photos and story by Alan Sheckter
Visit the Harmony Festival website at www.HarmonyFestival.com

Cover design/layout by Pamela Youngs

Harmony Festival
June 11, 2011

Harmony Festival
June 10, 2011

Click on the above thumbnail images to see the Harmony Festival Photo Gallery for both days. Images are from the 33rd annual Harmony Festival, which celebrates the latest trends in music, art, ecology, healthy living and spirituality. The festival includes several stages, pavilions, villages, activities, lounges, speakers and experiences. Photos and story may not be republished without expressed consent of the photographer. Contact Alan Sheckter

Visit Alan Sheckter's Photo Gallery to see more photos from the Harmony Festival.

Music, art, positive social change still reign at the 33^rd annual Harmony Festival

By Alan Sheckter
Photographer and contributing writer for Steel Ties
Email Alan

The free-spirited and the socially conscious entered through the gates of the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa in the name of Harmony June 10-12 to listen, see, learn, camp and share.

Happy High Herbs, drugfree

Before being green was marketed to the masses, the Harmony Festival, now in its 33rd year, was a leading-edge gathering place, beating the drum for a healthy planet and healthy humans. And once again, an estimated 30,000-plus, from teen skateboarders to stylishly graying elders, came to the three-day showcase of musicians, artists, dancers, healers, and philosophers.

Mini-ramp skateboarder

Mother Nature’s beauty brought sunny afternoons in the mid-70s, and cool evenings that called for sweatshirts and modest wrappings, adding to the overall harmony. The 200-acre fairgrounds was impressive, dressed up for the weekend, outfitted with an Artists Pavilion, Sustainable Living Roadshow, Steampunk Garage of eclectic vehicles, Liquid Lounge, Kids Zone, Health and Harmony Village, Goddess Grove, Well-Being Pavilion, Harmony Altar, Eco-Village, and Harmony Teahouse and Café.

A couple relaxing at Goddess Grove

Transformations Art Village

Five stages hosted a variety of performers throughout the weekend, all of whom hold different levels of fame. This report covers June 10-11 activities, not including the late-night Mystic Beat Lounge shows. The main stage and lawn covered only a small portion of fairgrounds, which had so many sideshows and avenues that it literally took two days to visit the mall. The main stage itself seemed to attract two groups of attendees, folks who gathered and settled within close proximity to watch the band and those who took a casual stroll through the main stage field. Within earshot of the music was a beer-tasting area, along with a pillowed Harmony Altar, a mini-community of Hula Hoop enthusiasts, and a super array of colorful crafters like Poison Apple Parasols, Buddhafull Creations, The Gong Chair Experience, and Live Wire Neon. Also on the large main field, situated well back from the main stage, was a very impressive array of international cuisine, including Siam BBQ, India Gourmet, Global Palate Catering, Get Fried Rice, Lydia’s Lovin’ Foods, and Sonoma Teriyaki.

View from on the green

Hula hoop fun during Railroad Earth's set

Eugene, Oregon's "Get Fried Rice"

The common and most popular dimension at the fest was the music. Michael Franti and Spearhead headlined Friday’s festivities, with a rousing and unifying set of reggae, rock, and hip-hop selections that sent messages of love, rebellion and human rights advocacy across the huge main lawn. The band, Carl Young (bass), Dave Shul (guitar), Manas Itiene (drums), Raliegh Neal (keyboards), J Bowman (guitar), and Jolene Rust (vocals) – the first three have been with Spearhead for more than 10 years were all in fine form. With kids invited onstage at the set’s beginning and end, and plenty of shouts from Franti of “How you feelin’?” and “Make some noise,” Franti and friends amped up the crowd. The collection of songs shared by Franti and Spearhead at Harmony included “The Sound of Sunshine,” “Hello Bonjour,” “All I Want is You,” “Everybody On a Move,” “Ganja Babe,” “Hey World (Don’t Give Up),” “Yell Fire,” “Hey Hey Hey,” and a closing number of “Say Hey.”

Michael Franti and Dave Shul, left

Michael Franti fans

In addition to Franti’s headlining performance, the main stage on Friday offered a mélange of popular roots/Americana-meets-psychedelic-jamming acts – Railroad Earth, David Nelson Band, and Moonalice. Eighty-one year old bluegrass legend Jesse McReynolds, who recorded a Jerry Garcia tribute album in 2010, sat in, along with his grandson, on David Nelson Band’s daytime main stage set.

David Nelson Band - main stage

Jesse McReynolds, right, and his grandson Garrett McReynolds

A late-night tribute took place in the Harmony Hall and adjoining Arts Pavilion to honor Jerry Garcia and the recently deceased Owsley Stanley, aka Bear, The Grateful Dead’s early sound engineer and prominent “chemist” for the psychedelic movement of the 1960s. The setting included a raised platform of celebrated poster artists including Stanley Mouse, Mark Henson, and Arne Jin An Wong, all painting on the spot, and a delicious, sensory-pleasing multi-media light show. Via a connecting corridor, attendees were welcomed to an adjoining Rock Art by the Bay show, presented by The Rock Poster Society (TRPS) and Tribe 13. The massive room was filled to the brim with artistic concert posters, handbills, and other art from the mid-‘60s to the present.

Legendary poster artists Stanley Mouse and Mark Henson

Late night dancing tribute to Jerry Garcia

A bevy of Garcia-inspired musicians, many of whom appeared earlier in the day, set the soundtrack. Jesse McReynolds along with members of David Nelson Band, Railroad Earth, Moonalice, and Zero, including guitar ace Steve Kimock, laid out several different player lineups. The first part of the late-night proceedings included “Alabama Getaway,” “Standing on the Moon,” “Black Muddy River,” “Peggy O,” and “The Wheel.” After midnight they reconvened for a set of tunes from the 1973 release History of the Grateful Dead Vol. 1: Bear's Choice, including “Wake Up Little Suzie,” “Black Peter,” “I’ve Been All Around This World” and “Smokestack Lightnin’.” The evening ended well into the morning with an instrumental version of “Stella Blue.”

Late night at Harmony Hall, Jerry Garcia/Owsley tribute - LtoR: David Nelson, Steve Nelson, John Molo, Jesse McReynolds

Late night at Harmony Hall, Jerry Garcia/Owsley tribute - LtoR: Steve Kimock, John Skehan, Roger McNamee, Barry Sless

Saturday’s main stage music lineup topped off with the pride of Oklahoma, the theatrically and aurally psychoactive Flaming Lips. Their dreamlike set was full of psychedelic, trance-like passages over heavy rock rhythms, and poured forth with cannons of confetti, exploding super balloons, laser beams, and the famed transparent crowd-surfing ball, with front man Wayne Coyne inside. Flanked by a couple of dozen female dancers, The Lips’ Coyne, Steven Drozd, Michael Ivins, Kliph Scurlock, and Derek Brown offered an epic version of “Do You Realize?” “She Don’t Use Jelly,” “The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song,” “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots,” and a big chunk of Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” album.

The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne fires confetti into the crowd

The Flaming Lips

Preceding The Flaming Lips and drawing almost as much attention was Vermont’s Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. A super-talented alt-pop dynamo in a shimmery short dress, Potter’s unique stage presence had a bit of Tina Turner and Grace Slick to it, but much more multi-faceted. Potter and the Nocturnals energized the gathering on keyboards, guitar and tambourine, with a diverse set of jam-filled rock, blues and dream-pop selections. Backed by impressive band mates Cat Popper, Scott Tournet, Matt Burr, and Benny Yurco, Potter dazzled the crowd with inspired renditions of songs, including “It’s Only Love,” “Joey,” “Paris (Ooh La La),” “One Short Night,” “Oasis,” and the old Jefferson Airplane hit, “White Rabbit.”

Grace Potter of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - LtoR: Scott Tournet, Grace Potter, Cat Popper

The main stage on Saturday also featured Jamaica’s Rootz Underground, who performed a powerful and energizing set of reggae – with a hint of hip-hop – that included a cover of Bob Marley’s “Soul Shakedown Party.” The José Neto Band played early in the day, with Steve Kimock offering guitar accompaniment through a large portion of the set. Neto played with Harry Belafonte for 20 years, Steve Winwood for 10, and offered a pleasing set of Latin jazz and flamenco-flavored tunes. Opening Saturday’s main stage performances was Jesse McReynolds, this time joined by surprise guest and mandolin legend, David Grisman.

Jose Neto, right, (Harry Belafonte, Steve Winwood), and Steve Komock

Rootz Underground's Stephen Newland

Main stage at noon - David Grisman, left, joins Jesse McReynolds, Garrett McReynolds, and Steve Thomas

Breaking free of the main stage and all of its complements, Harmony’s diverse destinations really opened up. The Goddess Grove and accompanying Oasis Stage, the second largest venue of the festival, was its own lovely intimate, treetop-covered show and pleasure setting. Friday’s performances at The Goddess Grove and Oasis Stage included the L.A.-based Fishtank Ensemble and their fusion of gypsy music, along with San Francisco’s Audiopharmacy’s “indigenous urban hip-hop.” On Saturday, the Oasis Stage hosted local harmonic folk trio Three-Legged Sister; old-timey Americana/roots band Old Jaw Bone; another set by the José Neto Band with Steve Kimock; a set of alt-pop with powerful female vocals and soaring strings by the Bay Area’s Audiafauna; and once they conquered an hour’s worth of sound problems, a mysterious yet whimsical performance by the eight-piece El Radio Fantastique.

Three-Legged Sister, Oasis Stage

Actress, writer and activist Mariel Hemingway also appeared at the Oasis Stage, and spoke to the crowd about practical yoga. “Yoga is more than yoga postures,” Hemingway said. “It’s about what your body tells you about yourself. And being aware of doing what you’re doing while we’re doing it. … To take a deep breath, and slowly inhale and exhale, that grounds you, changes you. It shifts and raises your consciousness and that’s all yoga.”

Mariel Hemingway talks about practical ways to add yoga to our lives.

A bit down the avenue from the Oasis Stage was the self-contained Harmony Teahouse and Café. Completely off the rest of the festival’s grid, this lovely spot featured a variety of salads, rolls and other raw foods; an impressive menu of coffees and teas; a silk and pillow area for relaxing to the ambient sounds of scaled-down audio from musicians, which included Classical Revolution.

The serenity of the Harmony Tea House

The Kids Zone offered a variety of activities for them to express themselves and have fun, and included charismatic and kid-friendly musical performances by the nerdy Ukalady and the sitar-and-pink-accordion playing Gabby La La.

Kids Zone - Ukalady

Across the way at the Eco-Grove, the Wisdom Stage hosted profound speakers all weekend. James Twyman offered “Music is My Religion,” John and Ocean Robbins spoke of “When Hope Takes a Stand: Living With Purpose and Passion in Challenging Times,” and a panel of diverse speakers participated in a round table called, “Today’s Activism: What We can Do Now.” Hemingway, with partner Bobby Williams, appeared again at the Wisdom Stage for a lecture titled, “Be the Best YOU Now,” which promoted caring “for the health of our bodies, minds, and spirits.”

Eco-activist at a panel on "Today's Activism: What You Can Do Now" on the Wisdom Stage

The Eco-Village, which housed its own stage, pavilion, and sideshows, provided a whole other Harmony experience. Kids and their families admired the bigger-than-life Compost Contraption, Living Earth Structures, Toss Out Fossil Fuels game, and the bicycle-powered Conscious Carnival stage. In addition, a constant stream of eco-designers in attendance helped construct the Earth Peace Mandala Project out of provided stones, flowers, twigs, pinecones and sand. The nearby Whole Foods Experience and Well-Being Pavilion offered additional speaker platforms as well as samples, demos, and socially- and earth-conscious products that one won’t likely find at a typical county fair.

Mosaics on Soil

Harmony also offered an outdoor Deep Green Pavilion, dedicated to “an integrated approach to cannabis hemp in the context of health and ecology.” The area included DJs who alternated with speakers devoted to such topics as organic farming, medical cannabis policies and the so-called drug war. In addition, several marijuana-related product exhibitors were on-hand as well as 10 dispensaries, who had products on display and available to documented cannabis patients.

docGreen's Healing Collective booth

For some, the highlight of the Harmony Fest was enjoying one of the headlining musical acts or discovering a band for the first time. For others it could be the experience of sipping an iced chai while sitting atop silk pillows, finding just the right new garment to buy, or being inspired by a speaker who resonated with one’s sensibilities.
After 33 years, the Harmony Festival is still one of the leaders in the vastly growing field of summer festivals. It remains a well-produced, well-managed event that other planners should look up to when combining music, self-expression, positive social change and the celebration of life.

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2011-06-27T14:08:00.001-07:00

Photo Gallery - June 10, 2011
Harmony Festival, Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Santa Rosa, California June 10-11, 2011
Photos and story by Alan Sheckter

Cover design/layout by Pamela Youngs

Harmony Festival
June 11, 2011

Harmony Festival
June 10, 2011

Images from the 33rd annual Harmony Festival, which celebrates the latest trends in music, art, ecology, healthy living and spirituality. The festival includes several stages, pavilions, villages, activities, lounges, speakers and experiences. Photos and story may not be republished without expressed consent of the photographer. Contact Alan Sheckter

Visit Alan Sheckter's Photo Gallery to see more photos from the Harmony Festival.

Click on each image collage for a larger view

Clockwise, from top left: Spearhead's Jolene Rust; Michael Franti; Michael Franti and Spearhead, main stage

Clockwise, from top left: David Nelson Band - David Nelson; Pete Sears, Barry Sless, Steve Thomas; Legendary poster artist Stanley Mouse; Mandala browsing

Clockwise, from top left: David Nelson Band - Pete Sears; David Nelson, Garrett McReynolds, Jesse McReynolds sits in (also at bottom right)

Clockwise, from top left: David Nelson Band - Mookie Siegal; John Molo; Jesse McReynolds

Clockwise, from top left: Railroad Earth's John Skehan (Mandolin, vocals); Railroad Earth's Todd Sheaffer, main stage; Audiopharmacy, Oasis Stage; Zygoat and Teao of Audiopharmacy

Clockwise: Sierra Nevada Brewery, pride of Chico; "Sunny" dispositions; Father and son, enjoying the view

Clockwise, from top left: Railroad Earth fan in the crowd; Swaying to the music; Hula hoop during Railroad Earth's set

Clockwise, from top left: Festive burritos and personalities; Sonoma Teriyaki - "Biggest, baddest teryaki chicken sticks ever"; Nice vibe for shopping; Festive salad in harmony

Clockwise, from top left: Ever-popular face painting; Coco-roons snacks in the Well-Being Pavilion; Greenery on the main field; "Toss Out Fossil Fuels" game in the Eco Village

Clockwise, from top left: Late night at Harmony Hall, Jerry Garcia/Owsley tribute - Roger McNamee of Moonalice; Steve Kimock; David Nelson Band with Jesse McReynolds

Clockwise, from top left: Artist Arne Jin An Wong; Record cover, circa 1970, History of the Grateful Dead Vol. 1: Bear's Choice; Late night dancing tribute to Jerry Garcia; Legendary poster artists Stanley Mouse and Mark Henson

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2011-06-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

Photo Gallery - June 11, 2011
Harmony Festival, Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Santa Rosa, California June 10-11, 2011
Photos and story by Alan Sheckter

Cover design/layout by Pamela Youngs

Harmony Festival
June 11, 2011

Harmony Festival
June 10, 2011

Visit Alan Sheckter's Photo Gallery to see more photos from the Harmony Festival.

Click on each image collage for a larger view

Clockwise, from top left: MC Ari Lesser (right) was mis-scheduled on the main stage but couldn't perform on the Jewish Sabbath; Face painting; Whimsical menu; Henna

Clockwise: Mini-ramp skateboarder; Speaker Alan Sheets, "New Equations", introduces "the nine languages you carry in your body"; Food and clothing avenue

Clockwise, from top left: A piece from the Steampunk Garage; Strolling and chatting; Mosaics on Soil

Clockwise, from top left: Unannounced performer David Grisman; Grisman with Jesse McReynolds; Grisman, Jesse McReynolds, Garrett McReynolds, Steve Thomas

Clockwise, from top left: Guest speaker Mariel Hemingway talks to a new friend; Chief Golden Eagle, member of the Ihunktowan Dakota Nation; Kids Zone mural wall

Clockwise: Jose Neto (Harry Belafonte, Steve Winwood), and Steve Kimock (right); Jose Neto Band's Gary Brown; Old Jaw Bone, Oasis Stage

Top left, right: Rootz Underground's Stephen Newland; The band, Rootz Underground

Clockwise, from top left: Bubble war; Gabby La La at the Kids' Stage; Friends on a picnic table

On the green and sharing good health ... Bottom left, Happy High Herbs (drug free)

Clockwise, from top left: Grace Potter of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals; Matt Burr of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals; Scott Tournet, Grace Potter, Cat Popper

Clockwise, from top left: Cat Popper of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals'; Grace Potter; The main field during Grace Potter and the Nocturnals' set

Clockwise, from top left: The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne; Steven Drozd of The Flaming Lips, along with supporting dancers; The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne awash in confetti

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2011-06-21T14:20:00.000-07:00

Upcoming Events in Northern California

2011-06-17T18:27:00.000-07:00

Blue Man Group
Golden Gate Theatre
San Francisco, California
Thursday, June 16, 2011

Blue Man Group is entertainment with a splash
Review by Julio Staben
Contributing writer for Steel Ties
Email Julio

     Blue Man Group – six artists, and they don’t speak one word or sing a note. Each group of three performs without giving away their identity, so the audience is never aware of who is on stage at a given time.
     Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco is small enough for even balcony seat patrons to appreciate the performance art. On the bill were Kalen Allmandinger, Josh Elrod, Mark Frankel, General Fermon Judd, Kirk Massey, Peter Musante, and Micheal Rahhal, all backed by band members Julian Cassanetti, (strings), Jerry Kops, (Chapman stick and strings), Jason Mackenroth, (percussion), Clement Waldmann, III, (percussion), and Jeff Wright, (percussion).
     The show began with red ticker tape lighting streaming across the top of the stage asking the fans to read out loud, interjecting humor with thought provoking statements.
     Then the music began – loud – and again “made my pants dance” to the thumping of the drums. Sound quality was well defined throughout the performance. The stage set was a technical masterpiece and coordinated perfectly with the four-piece high-powered backup band, all of them on a scaffold high above the stage. The band members were wearing lights on their suits, which made an impact as they accompanied the trio of artists on stage. There were methodical video pieces, flashes of rainbow colored lights, and great music to keep us in awe.
     Blue Man Group is comprised of very creative and professional percussionists, demonstrating innovative drumming techniques. Color paints splashed from their drums, and the pipes and tubes gave the audience a thunderous tempo beat. Fans sitting in the first two rows are given ponchos to wear, a clue this show could get messy. At one point someone yelled out “Free Bird,” referring to the 1974 release by Lynyrd Skynyrd. All three Blue Man characters stopped and looked at each other, giving us a giggle, and began drumming “Free Bird”. It was captivating and magical. They also performed other percussion renditions of a Lady Gaga tune, and to Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata”.
     After the show I shook the hand of a Blue Man who was hanging out in the theater lobby with the crowd. I told him they did a phenomenal job, kept us highly entertained.
     All in all it was an exhilarating, phenomenal performance.

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2011-06-09T13:39:00.000-07:00

U2 360° Tour
Overstock.com Coliseum (formerly Oakland Coliseum), Oakland, California
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Above photo by Julio Staben shows the big screen with a 360 degree view

A perfect day for U2 fans
Review and photos by Julio Staben
Contributing writer for Steel Ties
Email Julio

It took four days to set up stage with the hard work of 436 touring personnel, and all for good reason – the U2 360° Tour. The Overstock.com Coliseum (formerly the Oakland Coliseum) in Oakland, California, was the venue of choice and nearly reached its max capacity. The stage was designed as a one-of-a-kind universal tour construction project to resemble a four-legged spaceship, and appropriately named The Claw. The steel structure was 164 feet high and impressive to say the least.

Setup before U2 came onto the stage - nicknamed "The Claw"

     In just 15 minutes I found a guy selling his $70 ticket for $50. I was going in! Leaving home without a ticket is nothing new for me. I entered the outdoor stadium at 7:15, missing Moonalice and bummed because I really like them.
     First, let me say this about the sound system. If you were sitting directly in front of the stage it was perfect. If you walked to the side of the stage area the sound wasn't quite there. It was muffled and reverberated against the concrete side walls, and the speakers were setup facing the audience. I walked the stadium to make sure this was the case, and it was.
     Lenny Kravitz came up at 7:15 and delivered all his popular hits, “Let Love Rule,” “Fly Away,” “American Woman,” and “Dig In,” just to name a few. The music was powerfully delivered by the nine-piece band. Lenny has enthusiastic presence, and got the crowd going. He played for about an hour, and I was surprised he wasn't called back for an encore.
     U2 came out at 9:30. The audience was eager to see them because of the show that was cancelled two years ago. Bono made a point of thanking everyone for waiting, and then he said, “Some of you were two years younger when you bought those tickets.” He also noted that this area, mainly San Francisco, was the birthplace of some of the best Rock and Roll to be introduced and spread throughout the world.
     The David Bowie 1969 hit single “Space Oddity” started U2 off at full speed. Out they came; the crowd was now overwhelmed with passion. Along with Bono on lead vocals, the high power of their three piece band – The Edge (David Evans) on lead guitar, Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums), and Adam Clayton (bass) – was captivating and technically enhanced by a superb light show. The precision in which the four of them coordinate each song, gives them their musical durability in the test of time.
     The setlist included, “Mysterious Ways,” “Vertigo,” “Beautiful Day,” “With Or Without You,” “Pride (In the Name of Love),” “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “Where the Streets Have No Name,” and “Elevation.”
     Bono mentioned to the crowd they had a G3 meeting the night before – about the possibility of Green Day, Metallica and U2 going on tour together. He also added that Lou Reed was in the crowd, which prompted U2 drummer Larry Mullen to sing a few lines of Reed’s “Perfect Day.”
     The show was non stop hit after hit. In one of the final encores, Bono captivated the crowd when he made a drop into the audience holding onto a red target-shaped microphone to sing his 1995 single “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me.” If you get the chance to catch a U2 show, I recommend you do just that. They spare nothing in the way of bringing greatness to the stage.

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2011-06-04T14:17:00.000-07:00

Jackie Greene
June 1, 2011, Chico, Calif., Sierra Nevada Big Room

Photos by Alan Sheckter
Photographer and contributing writer for Steel Ties
Courtesy of his website http://www.pbase.com/alansheckter/music
Email Alan

Click on the images below for a larger view of each photo

From the Home page click HERE to see more photos

Photos may not be republished without expressed consent of the photographer.

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2011-05-26T20:22:00.000-07:00

Wavy Gravy 75th Birthday Gala/SEVA Foundation Benefit -

Craneway Pavilion, Richmond, California

May 14, 2011
Photos and story by Alan Sheckter
Visit Wavy Gravy at http://www.wavygravy.net/
For a larger view of the photos, visit Alan Sheckter's Photo Gallery
Cover design/layout by Pamela Youngs

Thousands celebrate Wavy Gravy’s 75th and support SEVA
By Alan Sheckter
Photographer and contributing writer for Steel Ties
Email Alan

The clown king of psychedelia turned 75 on May 15 – Wavy Gravy, née Hugh Romney, celebrated the occasion the night before as one would expect, with a bunch of gags to go along with a box office full of proceeds for a good cause. The event was a benefit for the SEVA Foundation, the Berkeley-based philanthropic organization most noted for its work helping restore sight to more than three million people in the Far East and Africa. Wavy Gravy co-founded the group in 1978 and still sits on the SEVA board of directors.

The dozens of musicians and few thousand people in attendance were there in support of SEVA as well as Wavy, who for as long as anyone can remember has steered his activism and clown persona toward easing human suffering. In addition to SEVA, the Hog Farm that it partially sprang from, and a host of other social awareness causes, Wavy founded and still runs Camp Winnarainbow, a Northern California performing arts camp.

Fans line up for a festive greeting.

After a rip-roaring midnight serenade in which The Grateful Dead’s Mickey Hart led some 30 percussionists and guitarists in a happy birthday version of “Wavy Jingo” (a play on Mickey Hart’s “Baba Jingo”), a throned Wavy Gravy was hoisted above the audience at the back of the concert hall and carried to the stage amid hundreds of giant balloons, the ol’ psychedelic relic gave thanks. But above all of the friends and volunteers who helped make the event possible, the raspy-voiced life of the party said, “Thanks most to SEVA and all the blind people who will have their sight back because of this lovely evening.”

Bottom left - Dozens of percussionists play and chant "Wavy Jingo" for Wavy Gravy.
At midnight, Wavy, now 75, is held above the crowd at the back of the house.

Rather than using one of the more typical San Francisco area venues, the musical birthday gala was presented at the Craneway Pavilion, a stunning, massive-windowed warehouse-type room, right on the East Bay at Point Richmond. An old Henry Ford auto plant at which Rosie the Riveter is said to have helped build tanks during World War II, the Craneway was a good setting for a big party inside and walks along the waterfront outside.

Craneway Pavilion

Headlined by Bob Weir and Mickey Hart, who each led one-time conglomerations of musicians, the six-hour show also included sets by Bay Area veterans Zero, Chris Robinson’s Brotherhood, a revived ‘60’s all-female Ace of Cups, Hot Buttered Rum, and a ensemble cast of other assorted musical characters. Richmond’s Green Party Mayor Gayle McLaughlin presented Wavy Gravy with a framed and officially sealed happy birthday wish from the city. The event also included a robust silent auction that featured plenty of art and memorabilia. Wavy acted as emcee, birthday boy and storyteller, and was followed around by mimes of the Clown Conspiracy troupe.

Wavy Gravy and friends introduce Zero.

Wavy gets an official "happy birthday" from the mayor of Richmond.

“I first met Wavy back in ‘74 at one of The Whole Earth Festival held at UC Davis,” said Holly Howard, from Placerville, Calif. Holly said one of the high points of the evening for her was Zero. “[Zero] delivered the most upbeat and strongest performance of the evening,” she said. She went on to say the night’s closing sing-along to “Goin’ Down the Road” was also a favorite. Of Wavy, Holly said, “He is a clown, a hippie, but most importantly, a man who truly cares about people, children and our earth.”

A mellow scene for attendees up front.

“He is a rare bird, a true clown with service running through his veins,” said Julia Postel of Huntington Beach, California. “He and his wife Johanna give and give – all of these benefits raise money for SEVA. His 75th was an excellent production, each performance set up quickly with great sound quality. Loved Zero and seeing Bob Weir and Mickey Hart perform, although not together.”

Steve Kimock plays from one knee.

Bob Weir takes the lead and also goes to his knees.

The marathon event, which actually spanned eight hours for hundreds of VIP attendees, culminated with a Bob Weir-and-friends set that didn’t begin until 1:15 a.m. At the start of the big set, Weir was joined by guitarist Steve Kimock (Zero, The Other Ones), keyboardist Jeff Chimenti (Furthur, Ratdog), bassist Robin Sylvester (Ratdog), and drummer John Molo (David Nelson Band, Moonalice). A long, jazzy-jammed-out “Playin’ in the Band” evolved into “New Speedway Boogie,” with vocals by Chris Robinson, and a revolving door of musicians including Henry Kaiser, Barry Melton, Dave Schools, Nicki Bluhm, Mark Karan, Kimock, Snookie Flowers, and Neal Casal helped share instrumental and vocal duties on “Tennessee Jed,” “Sugaree,” “Brown Eyes Women,” “The Other One,” and “Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad.”

Clockwise: Bob Weir, fronting a band of Bay Area all-stars;
Bob Weir, Chris Robinson;
Other Ones' Moonalice's John Molo;
Nicki Bluhm, John Molo, Bob Weir, Chris Robinson;
Bob Weir, Chris Robinson;
Furthur's Jeff Chimenti

Much earlier in the evening, the proceedings began with a spirited set by progressive bluegrass band Hot Buttered Rum featuring Nicki Bluhm on vocals, and included the single “Busted” as well as The Grateful Dead’s “Bertha.”

Nicki Bluhm with Hot Buttered Rum's Nat Keefe.

Next, Wavy introduced San Francisco’s Ace of Cups, saying that he fondly remembered introducing them at the Fillmore in the late ‘60s. The band included four original players and laid down a surprisingly heavy, hard rock sound.

Clockwise: Diane Vitalich, Mary Gannon and Denise Kaufman, from the original S.F. all-female group, Ace of Cups.

Next up was Zero, a seminal Bay Area jam band, which featured the liver-cancer-fighting Judge Murphy on some fronting vocals, and guest player Barry Sless, along with typical Zero folk Kimock, Bobby Vega, Pete Sears, Chip Roland, and Greg Anton. Zero’s upbeat, fluid jams, which produced several instrumental peaks including those on an epic version of “Catalina,” were right on target.

Clockwise: Zero's Judge Murphy;
Barry Sless;
Steve Kimock;
Old Zero pals Bobby Vega and Steve Kimock;
Zero: Barry Sless, Judge Murphy, Bobby Vega, Steve Kimock;
Zero's Chip Roland (left) and Pete Sears

While burning an air-clearing bundle of sweet incense, The Chris Robinson Brotherhood, featuring lead guitarist Neal Casal, formerly of Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, followed next with an easy-paced set of jam-filled offerings. Robinson, he of Black Crowes fame, led a nice set that included a gorgeous, stretched-out version of “Tumbleweed in Eden,” a rocked-out “Rosalee,” and a nice, mellow rendering of The Grateful Dead’s “They Love Each Other” that featured Bob Weir sitting in on guitar.

Chris Robinson's Brotherhood performs "They Love Each Other": LtoR - Neal Casal, Bob Weir (guest), Robinson, Mark Dutton

Bob Weir and Chris Robinson during their performance of "They Love Each Other."

Mickey Hart led the next musical amalgamation that despite the potential spent half of its allotted time with technical difficulties. The group was a heck-of-an ensemble that included Kimock, Sikuru Adepoju (Planet Drum), Dave Brogan (ALO), Dave Schools (Widespread Panic), Vir McCoy (Hamza Lila), and others. Unfortunately, they spent a great deal of time standing around, seemingly not knowing what to do, while Hart stood atop his drum platform waving his arms and pleading to any technician that would listen to come to his audio aid. Eventually, he and his ensemble settled into a groove that led up to the big birthday witching hour.

Clockwise: Wavy Gravy and friends introduce Mickey Hart;
Mickey Hart;
Mickey Hart and some of his friends;
Mickey Hart and Widespread Panic's Dave Schools

Adrienna Monique of San Jose, who has attended many Hog Farm events and Wavy birthday events over the years, was particularly jazzed at being on staff at his 75th-birthday event. “He represents the child-like free spirit that most of us forget to maintain, and at the same time that peace-loving take-care-of-one-another responsibility that we should hold as equally near as the child-like persona within."

Photos and story may not be republished without expressed consent of the photographer.

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2011-05-23T12:55:00.000-07:00

Prince

HP Pavillion, San Jose, California

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Prince – A symbol of unmatched talent

Review and photos By Julio Staben
Contributing writer for Steel Ties
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Walking up to the HP Pavilion in San Jose, I noticed there wasn’t one distinct type of concertgoer at the show. The crowd was so diverse, from grandkids to grandparents, mothers with their kids, and the fanciest of dress-ups that you could ever imagine.
There was an hour delay before Larry Graham and Graham Central Station took the stage, all of them wearing white. The eight musicians began with ear-ringing volume and never really reached the sound quality that should be associated with a large concert. Loud doesn't always mean good. I’ve attended concerts since the mid ‘60s – considering we’ve come a long way since, with acoustics and sound stage, it seems poor sound quality in the current day can be avoided. On another note, the visual artistry of groove moves by each artist was fully appreciated.

Larry Graham and Graham Central Station take the stage.

Graham showed unbelievable talent with his thumping funk style, but I couldn't differentiate any vocals from the instruments. Much of Graham’s claim to fame has been with Sly and the Family Stone, evident as he ventured into four songs from that era – “Dance to the Music”, “Get You Higher”, “On Higher Ground” by Stevie Wonder, and “Be Myself”. Overall these well-seasoned musicians played their set list in fine tune, but they needed a quality sound person to avoid the use of ear plugs by the audience, and to keep my pants from dancing on their own from the heavy beat of the drums and bass.
After the intermission at 10 p.m., Prince, born Prince Rogers Nelson, hit the stage. The stage, defined by the infamous Prince symbol, took ownership with a light show – sounds of thunder and lightning caught up with the flamboyant artist rising from beneath the stage lifting him right in front of the microphone and a multitude of guitar special effect pedals. His first song was “1999”. At this point the mix was off a bit but got better with each song.

Pre-stage setup is defined by the infamous Prince symbol.

Prince's ear jewelry was wrapped around the outside of his ear, and I might add, at 52, his face appeared ageless. The pop star’s attire was quintessential Prince, silky, and as if he was stepping out of a Middle Eastern harem. His songs “Purple Rain”, “When Doves Cry” and “1999” rocked the audience. Surprise guest Sheila E., known for her work with Prince, came onto the stage singing her hit, “Glamorous Life”, tearing it up with her percussion on the timbales, earning her an outstanding crowd approval. Sheila E. remained on the stage for several of Princes’ tunes. He also had three female vocalists that filled in any possible voids for the songs. His guitar work was superb but there were only four instances where he used that talent.

Top photo: Prince, above is surprise guest Sheila E.

Prince delivered in a way that decades of fans have grown to expect. To the delight of the crowd, the artist mentioned San Jose many times during the show. He asked them to funk with him and then queried, "Don't you all have to work tomorrow?" He returned to perform four encores – his finale included some dance moves that were comparable to the spirit of James Brown, Michael Jackson or Usher. That was well worth a stay until the end of the night’s performance at 11:30.

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2011-05-10T14:43:00.000-07:00

It was the ‘60s, hippies streamline destined for Haight-Ashbury, flashing peace signs along the way within earshot of Scott McKenzie’s song “San Francisco.” Just thumbs up away to another hot spot called Yellow Brick Road in the east bay town of Niles, California, we settled for nothing short of best, still the flower children of our then little town.

The venue offered everything born in the big city – lead guitar, bass, drums, vocals, keys, harp. Though Wakefield Loop had a brief run on the music circuit, not uncommon in the day, they were one of those bands that gave a name to music in the Bay Area. From a garage in the suburbs, to playing the same local stage as The Incredible Fish (Country Joe and The Fish minus Country Joe McDonald), and sharing space with a relatively new kid on the block by the name of Carlos Santana.

The following is a look at the good, a bit less, and the beautiful people of music. The author is Dan Garvey, former lead guitarist for Wakefield Loop. Denny "Magic" Mahdik started it all, setting up in his garage, hopeful and passionate. The band played gigs in and around the San Francisco Bay Area in 1967, up and down the peninsula, rubbing shoulders with equals who have since remained on the circuit, their names all too familiar and impressive. Garvey tells a story of how the trend back in the day was not just a hobby for band and their entourage; it was a way of life, short-lived for some, one reason or another. It’s the story of how the influx of The Beatles, the British Invasion on the whole, had power over an easy target populace who wore the “groupie” tag in high fashion. They were musicians and songwriters struggling to make choices within an ever-faithful committed world for fame and fortune – risky decisions, some opting out on taking chances with a bottom line that tells a story or two.

Introduction and cover design by Pamela Youngs

Editor and Contributing writer for Steel Ties

All photos and poster art (including the poster image used in the cover design) courtesy of Wakefield Loop on Facebook, and Dan Garvey

Loops and Circles
By Dan Garvey
Contributing writer for Steel Ties
Email Dan

     Well, here we are, 44 years down the road, and it feels 10 or 15 years at most. Until recently, the members of Wakefield Loop were all here on this mortal coil. Call it a fantasy if you will, it wasn’t uncommon for us to think the old band might get together one last time. Lord, what we wouldn’t give to hear Cheryl belt out “Chauffeur Blues” once again – but that won’t happen because Cheryl’s gone. She passed away in April of 2008, and no one could ever take her place.
     Wakefield Loop was born in the early part of 1967, Fremont, California, and survived the mid-‘60s San Francisco Bay Area music scene. Named after a street in north Fremont, the original working-band lineup was Cheryl Williams (Baxter), vocals; Dave Simpson, bass/vocals; Denny Mahdik, rhythm guitar/vocals; Chuck Hasbrook, vocals; Larry Payne, drums; and me, Dan Garvey, lead guitar/vocals.
     It was a time of extreme change and uncertainty, change that was often unpredictable, sometimes painful. The military draft, a growing war in Vietnam, dominated a feel for mass confusion amongst the majority of a male populace. Yet it was also a time of seemingly unlimited possibilities and dreams. Every kid who could play more than three chords on a guitar or hold down a steady beat on a drum set had a fair chance of gaining a small level of notoriety and popularity, at minimum within his own social group. And it really was “his”, as there were precious few “hers” involved in the rock music scene at the time. If the right combination of talent and circumstances presented themselves, fame might just be a signature away on a record contract.

A merge of U.S. and British forces – 1964 to 1966

     The British Invasion by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and the likes in 1964, changed the lives of nearly everyone I knew one way or another. For me, and for my Wakefield Loop band mates, the next year’s big influential change came from a local Bay Area group by the generic-sounding, yet clever name of The We Five. They had a national hit in 1965 with the song “You Were on My Mind”. More to the point, they had a female lead singer with a golden voice by the name of Beverly Bivens. Out of the blue, the concept of how to construct a rock band took on a whole new meaning. Then in September of 1966, adding fuel to the flames of change, San Francisco’s own Jefferson Airplane, with lead singer Signe Toly Anderson, came through with their first album appropriately called Takes Off. That cinched the concept of the day and age – great rock music was still great rock music, even with a female singer.
     I started up a band in the latter part of 1965 called The Reasons Why, all north Fremont boys. I named the band after a book I read titled The Reason Why by Cecil Woodham-Smith published in the 1950s, about the British military’s famous cavalry incident “Charge of the Light Brigade”, as I thought it lent a British flair to it. I might have been the only one who knew of that connection. Our band name also became a reference to lyrics from the Byrd’s tune “I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better", written by former Byrd’s vocalist, the late Gene Clark. We were a straight-forward local cover band, with no original material. The line-up was Steve Garillo, rhythm guitar and vocals; Rich Suggs, bass and vocals; Dave Cardoza, keyboards and vocals; and me on lead guitar.

Dan Garvey, far right, playing in his first electric band, The Reasons Why. Photo was taken by Garvey's dad in late 1965. Dave Cardoza is on keys, a very young Rod Rocha on drums, Rich Suggs on bass, Steve Garillio on rhythm guitar.

Our drummer, 14-year-old Rod Rocha, was very good for his age. Unfortunately, his father Gene (with all good intentions no doubt) began taking more and more control of the band, declaring himself manager, eventually wanting to “help” determine our playlist. After a time, I could no longer abide. I had finally reached the point when playing cover songs “Little Red Riding Hood", “Louie Louie” and “Wipe Out” was simply intolerable, so I left the band in the fall of 1966. Bill Remington took over as lead guitar following my departure.
In 1966, Denny Mahdik was with The Perspectives In Sound, a local band that later became known as The Collective Works, whose players hailed from the north side of Fremont. Disagreements concerning The Perspectives In Sound recording future eventually led to Denny moving on, and ultimately with his decision to build another band that was more in keeping with what he felt owned up to state-of-the-art style, and certainly a more flexible member lineup. It was to include a female singer, a new sound with original music, rather than just another British Invasion-style cover band, which was most common at the time. The search was on for its crew.

Founding member Denny Mahdik kicks back, tunes in (January 1967) amongst a wall of fame.

Fired up in ‘67

After my split from The Reasons Why, I joined up with another local by the name of Ed Dorn, who eventually went on to his next band, Elderberry Hedge. Ed later became founding member of the glam-punk band Zolar-X, and finally on to San Francisco’s The Pushups, winners of a San Francisco BAMMIE award in the early 1980s. While I was with Ed in the early days, we specialized in The Beatles, The Byrds and The Rolling Stones, with a few odds and ends thrown in, but again, no original material. That lasted until I got a phone call from Denny one night early on in 1967, asking me if I would be interested in joining his new band project as lead guitarist.

The band Elderberry Hedge, 1967 - The guitar player second from left is Ed Dorn. Dan Garvey played with Dorn before joining up with Wakefield Loop. The core of this band went on to become the early 1970's LA glam band Zolar X.

     I was immediately attracted to the band concept Denny was focused on, as I very much liked The We Five, as well as another Bay Area band, The Vejtables. The Vejtables had the Top 40 hit “I Still Love You", and featured a female singer who also played drums. As I previously stated, Jefferson Airplane was amongst that same general lineup that included female leads, and they were definitely beginning to gather local attention with their first album. Sounded like a winning proposition to me, and though I felt badly about bailing on Ed, I signed up for the duration with Denny. I was the last piece of the puzzle, the last to join the original lineup for Wakefield Loop.
     My first impression of the band’s personnel was, of course, meeting Denny and getting a very strong sense of direction and energy from him – even more impressive that he wanted to do original material.
     Looking back and remembering Cheryl, she immediately impressed me as a very mature individual, and I recall being quite surprised to discover that she was actually only 16 at the time. She already had a children’s book under her belt called The Happening, published by Shakespeare Books in Berkeley, circa 1966. But most importantly, I absolutely loved her voice. Our first singer Chuck Hasbrook (who was also 16 when he joined Wakefield Loop) recently said her voice “came from deep within.”
     My first encounter with Chuck came along after seeing him perform with his band in 1965, to the tune of the 1964 single “Hi-Heel Sneakers”, and I was quite pleased to discover he was part of the band. I have always thought he and Cheryl worked very well together. It was a big disappointment when he was ultimately forced to leave the band after he and his folks relocated out of the area.

Original Wakefield Loop lineup, February 1967, just before Garvey joined in - LtoR: Dave Simpson, Denny Mahdik, Larry Payne, Larry Turner, Chuck Hasbrook, Cheryl Williams

     Dave Simpson was on bass in the beginning. Dave, then 19, was simply a very nice, generally quiet guy, as well as being very competent on bass. Dave took over lead vocals when Chuck left. This happened after we had played at a Battle of the Bands, with an early, and very incredible, Sons of Champlin as the guest band.
     At 17, Julio Staben, another gem of an individual, joined the band on bass guitar. Our drummer at the time was an 18-year-old by the name of Larry Payne, also very nice, but if I felt there was a weakness in the band, it would have been Larry. His original intent was to help Denny out until we found another drummer, a reason that may have had something to do with my opinion. Larry was without a doubt a good drummer, but he was also old school, with a style I felt did not suit the music we were playing. He also didn’t seem to hook up with the bass guitar as well as he should have, to give us a strong rhythm section to build upon.

The Playlist

     Below is the original Wakefield Loop playlist to the best of my recollection, with credits noted for each version of the song.

“Dancin’ In The Street” (Set opener) – 1964 hit single, first recorded by Martha and the Vandellas
“2120 South Michigan Ave.” (Set opener) – 1964 release by The Rolling Stones
“Chauffeur Blues” – 1966 release by Jefferson Airplane
“Blowin' in The Wind” – Bob Dylan release, 1963
“John Riley” – Recorded in 1960 by Joan Baez
“The Nazz Are Blue” – Yardbirds, 1966, Jeff Beck (vocals)
“And I Like It” – Jefferson Airplane from their album Takes Off
“My Back Pages” – Bob Dylan release, 1964, also made popular by The Byrds
“Sit Down I Think I Love You” - Recorded by The Vejtables (1967) and Buffalo Springfield (1966), written by Stephen Stills
“It’s No Secret” – 1966 Jefferson Airplane hit single from their album Takes Off
“Lets Get Together” – Jefferson Airplane, released in 1966, from their album Takes Off
“Cream Puff War” – Jerry Garcia, Grateful Dead album, 1967
“Somebody To Love” – 1967 hit single release, recorded by Jefferson Airplane
“In the Midnight Hour” – Wilson Pickett, 1966 album The Exciting Wilson Pickett
“Down On Me” – 1967 release by Big Brother and the Holding Company, Janis Joplin (vocals)
“3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds” – Jefferson Airplane, released in 1967
“Light My Fire” – 1967 hit single by The Doors, Jim Morrison (vocals)
“White Rabbit” – Jefferson Airplane, 1967 release from their album Surrealistic Pillow
“Plastic Fantastic Lover” – Jefferson Airplane, single released in 1967, also from their album Surrealistic Pillow

     There had to be more, but that gives you an idea of what we were playing in the beginning. We did a number of Jefferson Airplane covers since that was the musical direction we were heading. There were also several original tunes, including “Magic Sky”, a catchy, uptempo folk-rock tune written by Denny and Cheryl, aimed at the Top 40 market and to be our first release if we ever reached that point. We still had to play tunes people recognized and requested in order to keep them interested. I also recall many folks, particularly in Fremont (which in many ways was still an East Bay cow town in 1967), had not yet been exposed to the music of the Jefferson Airplane. Even when we covered their material, to the audience it was strong “new” material in its own right. We were decidedly not the normal local garage band of the time.
     Brad Constantine, keyboardist with The New Grass Garden, another local band that also played at YBR in Niles, recently said, "I remember Wakefield Loop as the best band in Fremont and the band we all wanted to be like. They were pretty cool."
     Some folks appreciated it, and some did not, as in all things different and new.

Loops and hoops, starting fresh

     Wakefield Loop did eventually go into a studio somewhere on the San Francisco peninsula, possibly the San Mateo area, to record a demo of “Magic Sky”. Denny’s recollection is that the deal and terms offered to us were unacceptable, which is undoubtedly true. I do not recall who these guys were, but I remember one of them had something to do with The Count Five’s recording of “Psychotic Reaction”, released in July of 1966. At any rate, I had the distinct impression they wanted to somehow recreate that hit by changing our arrangement of “Magic Sky” to a more frantic tempo, suggesting my lead work be more like what is on “Psychotic Reaction”, which I simply refused to do. Personally, I was always glad nothing came of it, as I think it would have been a disaster. In my opinion, and Cheryl’s as well, these two, whoever the hell they were, were stuck in the early 1960s, with their matching suits and bleached-blonde Fabian-style hair-do’s. It was my thought they had no idea what they were trying to do, let alone have any understanding of us.

Wakefield Loop, 1967 - LtoR: Dan Garvey, Dave Simpson, Denny Mahdik, Julio Staben, Cheryl Williams

Early on, we were booked to open for the British band The Dave Clark Five at Circle Star Theater in San Carlos. Denny set it up, and all appeared solid and good to go, until the agent, Harry Zevin, discovered that not one of us was old enough to sign a contract. Denny still has the telegram from Zevin squelching the deal. That loss truly stung. Another promising gig that never happened was opening for Donovan at the Cow Palace in South San Francisco. In this case, our new manager, Yuri Toropov, had lined up the booking but Donovan eventually cancelled out, for whatever reason. These were two lost opportunities that could have made a pivotal difference for us, which begins the story of Yuri. Our original connection to Yuri had been through Cheryl, who met him in Sausalito at a club called The Ark.

An early promotional sticker for the band, designed by Denny Mahdik.

To see more poster art for Wakefield Loop, click here

Yuri, with hair down to his behind even back then, was the manager of San Francisco’s The Big Little Book Store, and one of the original members of The Diggers, a group of community activists based out of San Franciso’s Haight-Ashbury district from 1966 to 1968. He was soon to become the manager of the band Sopwith Camel, who had a top 40 hit called “Hello, Hello”. The first time I met Yuri was in May 1967 when our band went to San Francisco to discuss the possibility of him becoming our manager. We sat in an area of Golden Gate Park known as the Panhandle. Yuri lived in an old Victorian flat on the corner of Fell and Cole Streets. We sat drinking wine and smoking weed, trying to figure out who this guy was, what he could do for us and what would be expected of us. Yuri clearly was very much a dreamer, not at all a typical businessman, and, at the time, I think that attitude made us comfortable. His connections appeared to be almost legendary, at least within the Haight-Ashbury artistic and political community. We also found out later that he was involved in the talent coordination for the KFRC’s June 1967 Magic Mountain Festival on Mt. Tamalpias, where nearly anyone who was anyone played, including Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker of the band Cream.

“Hello” Yellow Brick Road

That first time we saw Yuri as a group it was no romp in the park, so to speak. He later traveled down from San Francisco to Fremont for the opening night of Yellow Brick Road (YBR) in June 1967, a club with a short life on the music scene of the Niles district in Fremont. He came to hear us perform, where we were in the company of a young, relatively unknown guitar player by the name of Carlos Santana. I will never forget that night, I’m sure none of us will. We knew who Carlos was, and to this day, Dave (our bass guitarist) says he remembers having a hard time hitting the high notes while singing. I assume this was from being nervous, which we all were, of course. We all knew Yuri wanted Carlos’ opinion – apparently we did fine, as Yuri then agreed to take us on. I would have loved being a “fly on the wall” to hear the words that passed between the two of them privately regarding our performance.

Photo by Dan Garvey

Yellow Brick Road of the 21st century, located in the Niles district of Fremont, California. After many incarnations, it is still structurally much the same as it was in its hey day. This photo was taken in the summer of 2007.

Wakefield Loop continued playing at YBR in Niles and various local venues. We played numerous school dances, the Fremont UAW Hall, park gigs, in fact we provided the music for a local fashion show held at the Fremont Hub shopping center, an event that Cheryl had a hand in and lined up for us. We also played at the San Jose Be-in (May 1967), an event that some, until recently, doubted had even occurred. Trust me, it did. However, one of the best gig memories I have is playing at Fremont’s Central Park in June 1967, at a benefit that was the brainstorm of Denny. It was called Banana at Noon and was intended as a benefit for a local private school, The Dawn School for the Handicapped.

Wakefield Loop at the April '67 UAW Hall gig in Fremont, California. LtoR: Denny Mahdik, Julio Staben, Larry Payne, Cheryl Williams, Dan Garvey, Dave Simpson

     Denny, just 18 at the time, demonstrated a very strong talent for marketing and advertising, a talent that serves him exceedingly well to this day. He had come up with the event idea, and was the one who put it together and made it happen, although it was touch and go whether it would be allowed to happen, right up to the last moment. There had already been several large, notorious “Be-in” events around the country, and the City of Fremont was clearly not comfortable having one on its own doorstep. As it was, the Dawn School eventually refused the collected donations, as it did not wish to be publicly associated with “a bunch of hippies”.
     Coincidentally, Banana at Noon ran parallel to the Monterey Pop Festival, so the turnout for our event, though certainly in the many hundreds, was hardly destined to be the mass influx to the thousands of “out-of-town undesirables” the city apparently feared – they were all in Monterey that weekend. The bands that played at our event were local, with the exception of The New Delhi River Band. Of course, the big name bands were also on the bill in Monterey, so in hindsight, it was never likely that we were going to have anything except local bands in Fremont. The only reason New Delhi agreed to play was because we were on the same bill with them the night before at YBR.
     Worth noting, it was at this event that I really got to know two musicians from one of the local bands on the bill known as Of An Ugly Nature. Members Don DeAugustine, whose Ludwig drums were literally covered with various types of fur, and Steve Lind, an outstanding bass player (both just 17), would eventually end up replacing exiting members of Wakefield Loop. Although Ugly Nature was also primarily a cover band, they had a particularly gritty Rhythm and Blues sound that impressed many, including myself. Their singer, Mike Hana, was a very strong vocalist, and, more so, was a damned fine blues harp player! Chuck Tedford, keyboard player for the Fremont’s 1960's band Peter Wheat and The Breadmen, and myself were recently talking about Mike. Chuck, not surprisingly, expressed great praise for Mike’s harp playing back then. Mike was indeed very talented.

Steve Lind and Don DeAugustine with the band Of An Ugly Nature, prior to joining Wakefield Loop. LtoR: Don DeAugustine, Phil Talero, Danny Nelson (laying down), Steve Lind, Mike Hana.

“Goodbye” Summer of Love

On into midsummer of 1967, we played regularly, with gigs in Santa Cruz, Lake Berryessa, San Francisco, Sausalito, San Jose. As I recall, drummer Larry Payne left the band in early July, not long after we did the studio demo of “Magic Sky”, and was immediately replaced with my friend Don DeAugustine. Sadly, I now recall late summer to be a period of growing divisions within the band. Cheryl, Don, and I, spent a lot of time in San Francisco, usually staying at Yuri’s flat in the Haight – his neighbors were Jack Casady and Marty Balin of the Jefferson Airplane, both living upstairs, and Jack’s brother Chick, who lived downstairs. We were getting to know and hang with the S.F. crowd. This served to physically and geographically divide the band, as there are a good many miles between Fremont and San Francisco, and unfortunately, the philosophical divisions were not far behind.

Dan Garvey, early '70s

     Beginning in late summer, we shared rehearsal space with Sopwith Camel in Sausalito. I remember Denny coming up fairly regularly, but I recall seeing less and less of Julio and Dave, both of whom I deeply missed. And, of course, it meant we didn’t have a complete band all of the time. It seemed someone was always missing. Finally, our entire sound system was stolen from the Sausalito warehouse where we rehearsed, and I remember that being the end of the line for Dave.
     Shortly after that, Yuri booked us for what should have been one our most important gigs – The Tavern at Muir Beach, located on the Marin coast, north of San Francisco. Many of the big San Francisco bands played there that weekend, and so did we, but unfortunately Wakefield Loop went on stage without Dave and Julio. Yuri hooked us up at the last minute with a fill-in bass player named Bob, who was from Berkeley, and a marginal-but-passable bass player. He also didn’t know the material very well, but even so, Quicksilver’s Dino Valenti came over after our set and complimented us on our version of his tune “Lets Get Together”, (Cheryl, Denny and I switched verses throughout the song) suggesting it should be recorded. We played almost through to the end of the event, sandwiched in between Sopwith Camel and the Electric Flag.
     Hank Clark, who was there that late summer night at Marin's Muir Beach, recalls, "Actually as it went down, I was standing outside with some people I met talking while you guys were inside playing. They said to me 'I didn't know the Airplane was here!' You sounded so much like the Jefferson Airplane that they stopped everything to run inside.'" Hank continued, "That's how good you all were, those were the days."
     All in all, I guess we came through all right. After the gig a guy and his girlfriend were raving about us, continuously playing a live recording he had made of us. I remember watching Denny driving off into the night, myself not feeling at all confident that we were going to survive as a band. Don and I took off to hang out for the night on the beach. I was greatly impressed by the Electric Flag, and was dealing with the stark realization that the music was changing, becoming more sophisticated by the day, it seemed. Basically having spent a sleepless night, we talked about it, and I recall Don feeling much the same as I did. He had serious doubts about our band’s survival. Cold, tired and hungry, Don and I then hitchhiked back to San Francisco the next morning. All I remember about the drive back was hearing Otis Redding’s "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" on the radio, and thinking how appropriate for the moment.

Don DeAugustine (circa 1972) eventually joined Wakefield Loop, replacing a member of the band.

     As it turned out, that was the last time Denny played with the band. Wakefield Loop had now lost half its members. The loss of Denny was devastating to the future of the band, as he was a veritable force of nature within it. Even though Yuri was our manager, it was Denny, through thick and thin, who continued to schedule gigs in the Fremont area, which was still our home turf when it came down to it.
     I was now beginning to think about hanging it up as well. Anyone who has been involved in a band breakup knows how deeply discouraging it can be. Anyway, I don’t recall at what point I decided to attempt to keep the band going, but I remember Cheryl called me a couple of weeks later, wondering what I wanted to do. She wasn’t sure about her own involvement, long term, but said if I wanted to give it another go, she was willing. She also gave me a pep talk that lives in my heart to this day, refusing to let me stop playing, regardless. What a sweetheart.

Steve Lind, who later became the second bassist for Wakefield Loop, onstage in the late 1970s with The Rocky Sullivan Band. LtoR: Mike Varney, Steve Lind, Rocky Sullivan, and John Cippolina of San Francisco's Quicksilver Messenger Service. At back on drums is Greg Anton (behind Sullivan and Cippolina).

Shortly after that phone conversation with Cheryl, I asked my friend Steve Lind to join us on bass, and then the two of us asked Mike Swindell to fill in on rhythm guitar. In 1966, Steve and Julio had played together with Mike in the local band Opel Sedan. They were very much into The Lovin’ Spoonful at the time, and covered quite a few of The Spoonful’s tunes. Truthfully, I wasn’t at all convinced we needed a rhythm guitarist, as Don and Steve were such a strong rhythm section by themselves. What we really needed was another male vocalist and a keyboard player.

Dan Garvey, left, and his friend Steve Lind got together recently to reflect on times past, plugged in for a private hometown jam.

I had really wanted to bring Chuck Hasbrook back on board, but he simply lived too far away for it to ever work out. And the keyboard player I had in mind was originally suggested by Cheryl – a then very young Dale Ockerman, who years later played with The Doobie Brothers, was the keyboardist in question. Don DeAugustine also knew him, and introduced us. Although the three of us later spent time jamming together, the current band morale had deteriorated to the point where I never even wanted to bring it up with him. So, in that personnel configuration, we played through the fall, just local gigs as I recall, at least once at YBR with The Incredible Fish (Country Joe and The Fish without Country Joe McDonald) We still did a couple of Jefferson Airplane tunes, but were adding more of our own compositions into the band’s repertoire, experimenting as we moved along.

     Cheryl always had a problem becoming hoarse when singing. Yuri tried to get her to take voice control lessons but she didn’t stick with it. I remember at the end of what I think was a late October, maybe even during an early November gig, she left for a few minutes, then returning. She took me aside and told me the inside of her throat was bleeding. I think it really scared her, as her doctor had already told her to stop singing for awhile. Cheryl had developed throat polyps. I have always believed this was the turning point for her.
     We had a few more band rehearsals, but no more gigs that I can remember. Cheryl kept trying to get me to do more lead singing, but I did not have much experience or practice at singing lead and playing lead guitar at the same time. Without a doubt I was far more interested in playing guitar than I was into singing, so I tended to resist the suggestion. Now looking back, I wish that I had helped her out, as she might have been able to continue with less vocal stress. But I don’t think I really understood the seriousness of her problem until it was too late. To my knowledge, she never performed in a band again. Wakefield Loop’s Summer of Love was officially over.
     I distinctly remember having to be the one to call Yuri and tell him we were done. To my absolute shock and surprise, he was fairly upset about it. His demeanor truly caught me off guard simply because we all felt that he had lost interest in us. Yuri had not booked us any gigs for quite awhile, the last one being in early September. That was admittedly very disappointing for us. He tried his best in convincing me to keep it going, but I just couldn’t see it. Without Cheryl, in my mind, there was no unique sound or personality to the band. I was not interested in replacing her, and I most assuredly was not interested in going back to a standard all-male cover band again.
     After 1967, Yuri didn’t have it easy. His marriage ended, and by the late 1980s his family had to rescue him from the street. He lived with his daughter in Oregon until he passed away in 2007. Before that, I had tracked Yuri down in 2002 and spoke with him twice, via phone – the years had not been kind to him. Although his long-term memory still seemed reasonably functional, his short-term memory was shot ... he could not remember, from one minute to the next, what we had been talking about. He did, however, bring tears to my eyes when he warmly suggested several times that the old music was becoming popular again, that I should put the old band back together, and that he would love to hear us once again.
     Nearly a year later, in late 1968, I spoke again with Cheryl. I suggested we give it another go, but she dismissed the idea out of hand, saying she could not do it anymore, that it hurt too much. Even then, and almost a year gone since Cheryl sang with the band, it was beginning to feel as if we were simply going in endless circles, so I let it rest.
     Wakefield Loop had lived a short season of near-misses and was no more. The band was not destined to ever arise from the ashes.

*****
The article Loops and Circles, along with cover art and photos, is the property of Steel Ties, and may not be republished without expressed consent of the publisher. Contact us.

Former members of Wakefield Loop, shown here in recent photos, clockwise from top left: Dan Garvey at right, his wife Roberta, shown here with their friend Tom after a flight trip to Ruth Glacier on Mt. McKinley last summer; Denny "Magic" Mahdik, founding member of Wakefield Loop, rhythm guitar/vocals, steps into line for a shot with old friends, rockers in their own right. LtoR: Frank DeStefano, long-time friend from San Francisco; Cyril Jordan, another friend from Mahdik's childhood days and one of the founding members of the San Francisco '60's/'70's rock band Flamin' Groovies; Jon Sauer, world reknowned wood turner and friend from the old neighborhood; Denny "Magic" Mahdik; Paul Kopf, lead singer for Jordan's latest band The Magic Christian; Julio Staben, left, and his son Zachary; Dave Simpson and his wife Janis, doing what comes naturally at a wedding last year; Wakefield Loop's lead singer, Cheryl Williams Baxter, center, about 10 or 11 years ago, with daughter Lauren at left, and Cheryl's friend, at right.

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2011-04-13T16:50:00.000-07:00

Crosby and Nash
April 2, 2011 - California State University, Chico, Laxson Auditorium

Photos and story by Alan Sheckter

Crosby and Nash: http://www.crosbynash.com/

Crosby and Nash déjà vu –
Still harmonizing after all these years

By Alan Sheckter

Photographer and contributing writer for Steel Ties

Email Alan

It’s been some 40 years since the songs of David Crosby and Graham Nash permanently etched themselves into the psyche of a generation draped in beads and flowers. Crosby and Nash have endured the decades of time and remain relevant voices of song and social justice.

The Setting

The still golden throated, now silver-haired pair rekindled fond memories on Saturday, April 2, at California State University, Chico, with long stretches of applause following just about every song. The two-set marathon included heavy hitters by Crosby Stills and Nash (CS&N), Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (CSN&Y), as well as a liberal amount of Crosby and Nash duo and solo material. The sold-out show at the 1,300-seat Laxson Auditorium was presented by Chico Performances.

The Laxson crowd just before showtime.

Backed by four first-class players that elevated each song, whether it was tender or high-spirited, Crosby and Nash offered a collection of music that was purposeful, well rehearsed, and for the most part error free. As former members of Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame bands The Hollies (Nash), The Byrds and Buffalo Springfield (Crosby), and the famous team of four, CSN&Y, they hit harmonies on a somewhat rough note for the first couple of songs, then picked it up for a well-received show one could label near perfect.

The Band - Steve DiStanislao, Graham Nash, Kevin McCormick, David Crosby, James Raymond

     The 25-plus songs included more than a dozen fabled favorites, while still giving plenty of exposure to some worthy material from more recent years. The sound at the old art deco theater can be a challenge, but it was in good form on this night
     The backing band, folks who have logged many miles with first-rate acts, included guitarist Dean Parks (Steely Dan), hitting on all the right chords for acoustic and electric guitars, and pedal steel on target for songs “Marrakesh Express” and “Teach Your Children.” Kevin McCormick (Jackson Browne, Melissa Etheridge) on bass, and Steve DiStanislao (David Gilmour) on drums, did a solid job on the bottom end. Crosby’s son, James Raymond, already a keyboardist and composer before he rekindled with his father at age 30, has contributed important keyboard accompaniments and harmonies.

The Mood

     Throughout the night the old pals, now both 69, chatted between numbers, often setting up songs by describing the mood of the country or their own frame of mind at the time the tunes were penned. Nash was the straight man and Crosby the jokester, who by the way was not above poking fun at his past time in prison, both mirthful and whimsical as they told old road stories. On another note, they shared their strong passion for human rights and progressive politics, touching on recent events like the revelation General Electric paid no taxes in 2010 and the senselessness and tragic consequences of the burning of the Kuran by a Florida preacher.

Nash and Crosby in their comfort zone.

     The mostly 40-plus crowd, some who likely spent evenings listening to CSN&Y records while de-seeding their marijuana on vinyl gatefold covers, appeared to mirror the performers in terms of aging gracefully, while holding onto their progressive ‘60’s and ‘70’s values. Crosby and Nash sensed the crowd’s familiar spirit and carried out the show as if they were amongst friends, telling intimate stories, both touching and comical. Crosby admitted on occasion he joked with lyrics, changing the title of “Find the Cost of Freedom” to “Find the Coast of Sweden,” and gave an alternate rendering of “Our House” lyrics to “Our mouse is a very, very, very fine mouse. With two cats in the yard, it keeps my mouse on guard.”
     Chico radio on-air host Jan Bielfelt was one of those whose CSN&Y memories go way back to Cleveland. Circa 1969, a young Bielfelt sat front row with some friends at what was expected to be exclusively a CS&N show. “Then during ‘Marrakesh Express’,” she recalled, “a guy with long black hair came across the back of the stage doing a duck walk while playing guitar.” That guy, Neil Young, remained on stage for the rest of the show, she said.
     Local carpenter Royce Peterson shared a time that took him back to the island of Kauai, Hawaii, just after Hurricane Iniki hit in 1992. Nash, who was also a resident of Kauai, organized a benefit in Honolulu that included CS&N, along with other all-time greats Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne. Peterson said he remembers meeting Nash on the plane back to Kauai. “Since we got our asses kicked, he did a benefit for us,” Peterson said proudly.

The Show

     With all of the old CSN&Y music on everyone’s mind, the band instead opened with a hit that predated the super group, offering a solid version of the 1966 psychedelic hit “Eight Miles High,” written and performed by The Byrds’ Gene Clark, Roger McGuinn and Crosby. The choice was an interesting one, signaling that this would not be an all-acoustic evening, and that these guys could still indeed rock – anything from their collective repertoires was fair game.
     “I Used to Be King,” a more obscure, 40-year-old Nash song, was second out of the chute. Another old favorite, the jangly 1982 CS&N hit “Wasted on the Way” followed. Shaky, almost timid harmonies at the outset of that song were quickly conquered and by song’s end, the duo found a harmonic sweet spot that would carry through the evening.
     One fan yelled out his approval, “You still got it!” Crosby retorted in jest, “Still got it and trying to cure it.”
     “Long Time Gone,” an old high-fidelity FM staple from their first classic album Crosby Stills & Nash, followed, Crosby rekindling the sentiment with mid-range vocals that were almost as strong as the 1969 original. The group would cover five songs from this album over the course of the night.
     Then, when Nash smirked and asked the crowd, “Who wants to come down to Morocco with us and smoke a fat one?” it could only mean that another old hit, “Marrakesh Express” was next on their set list to flow from times past.
     At this point, after delivering five big songs from the get-go, Nash poked fun at Crosby when he told the crowd, “We’re going to do every single song that David can remember.”
     The band then shifted to some more modern material, and though not well-known to the crowd, everyone seemed to appreciate exposure to it.. First was “Lay Me Down,” a mid-tempo ballad written by Raymond that appeared on the Crosby and Nash album from 2006, Highlights. Next came “Don’t Dig Here,” from their 2004 project, Crosby and Nash. The clever number, Crosby explained, was about warning future civilizations coming to Earth 10,000 years from now about Yucca Mountain, near Las Vegas, under which a pile of nuclear waste was projected to be buried. The best way to warn them was to place a sign at the top saying, “Don’t Dig Here.”
     The duo followed up in somewhat unusual fashion, outputting the studio version of Crosby’s “Critical Mass,” and without a break, moving into a live version of Nash’s whale-friendly “Wind on the Water,” with the barefoot Nash playing keyboards. The inclusion of recorded material was odd, but worked nevertheless. “Slice of Time,” a new, smooth and satisfying Crosby ballad, was next, followed by Crosby’s “Dream for Him,” from the 1999 album Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
     Nash then did a song that he said came from a bet. Ninety minutes before having to board a plane one day, a friend bet him $1,000 that he couldn’t write a song before he departed. Nash won the bet and offered the crowd the winning number, “Just a Song Before I Go.”
     At the close of an impressive 90-minute first set, came a direct flashback to 1970. The title track of the CSN&Y iconic Déjà Vu album offered the longest, most memorable performance of the night. Not only did Crosby and Nash nail the vocals, but each backing band member took a soulful, stretched out solo that perpetuated the “we have all been here before” experience.
     Back from break, the second set opened with “Our House,” the charming old CSN&Y hit that was a choice of song for soul mates. Crosby claimed a study concluded that “Thirty percent of women who lost their virginity between ’69 and ’73 did it to this song.” The Laxson crowd turned it into a sing-along.
     From the album Crosby, Stills &Nash, a sweet version of “Guinnevere” followed, coming across in perfect harmony by both.
     After Nash scolded General Electric for taking in billions of dollars while not paying any taxes in 2010, Crosby offered the apropos “What are Their Names.“ This song came from Crosby’s much-overlooked 1971 solo album, If I Could Only Remember My Name, which included collaboration from several members of The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane. The song includes the still valid lyrics “I wonder who they are; the men who really run this land; and I wonder why they run it; with such a thoughtless hand.”
     Next was Nash’s fairly recent anti-war ballad, “In Your Name,” and then the Crosby-penned “They Want It All" from the 2004 album Crosby and Nash. Crosby then dedicated “Camera,” a song never performed before this tour, to his late father and his friend, Nash. The beautiful song appeared on the 1994 CS&N album After the Storm. Next on the list, from the 2004 album Crosby and Nash, was “Jesus of Rio”.
     Up next was Crosby’s “Delta,” and according to Nash this was the first performance of the song on the current tour. Crosby thanked Jackson Browne, who in 1983 during Crosby’s admitted worst period of addiction, sat Crosby down at the piano and ordered him to finish writing the song. After “Delta” was Nash’s majestic, passionate “Winchester Cathedral.”

Kevin McCormick, David Crosby and James Raymond

     The energy picked up a bit more with Nash’s rocking “Military Madness,” a song conceived as a reaction to the Vietnam War that held up in the context of what is happening now in the Middle East. Crosby let his “freak flag fly” and dazzled the crowd with a powerful version of another big song from the album Déjà Vu, “Almost Cut My Hair.” The set ended with the ever-enduring “Wooden Ships,” a song of survival written in the late 1960s by Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Paul Kantner of Jefferson Airplane. The Airplane also had success with the song.
     After a hearty standing ovation, and an encore to recruit the audience for a sing-along of “Teach Your Children,” they humbly agreed to do one more, choosing “Chicago,” which included the inspirational send-off lyric, “We can change the world.”

Local Trivia

     The last time one of these musicians came to the area was November 2006, when Graham Nash came to town for a reception celebrating "Eye to Eye: The Photography of Graham Nash," a collection of several dozen large prints showcased at Butte College and in downtown Chico. Crosby and Nash performed an outdoor show at what used to be called the National Guard Armory at Silver Dollar Fairgrounds approximately 15 years ago, and Crosby also performed several years before that in downtown Chico at Cabo’s.

For a larger view of the photos visit Alan Sheckter's Photo Gallery
Photos may not be republished without expressed consent of the photographer.

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2011-04-07T13:51:00.000-07:00

Walking Spanish

Click on the image to listen

March 25, 2011

CD: Walking Spanish – Wishbones

Release Date: March 25, 2011

Produced by: Jackie Greene; Engineered and Mixed by: David Simon Baker; Mastered by: Mike Wells

Recorded and mixed at: Mission Bells Studio, San Francisco, Calif.; Additional mixing at Laughing Tiger Studios in San Rafael, Calif.

Management/Booking/Press: wspanish@gmail.com

Buy the CD: iTunes.com and DigMusic.com

Website: www.walkingspanish.com

Facebook: Walking Spanish on Facebook

Wishbones – a fresh break for Walking Spanish

By Pamela Youngs

Contributing writer for Steel Ties

Email Pamela

Walking Spanish is in the right place at the right time, with a mindset to move forward and shake it up. Their new CD, Wishbones, (released March 25) proves the point – motivation, passion, eclectic taste, go figure.

It was a sell-out crowd Friday night at Old Ironsides in Sacramento, California, the hot spot of a much anticipated album release celebration for band and fans alike.

With now two albums under their belt (Not Yet Now, 2007), Walking Spanish has taken four years to break into a more complex sound and attitude. The difference between their two albums is heard at the onset. Still, their talent and presence onstage continues to reverb with an echo diehard Walking Spanish fans can attest to at show time – Facebook user Sandy Graham posted “Old I [Ironsides] is still smoking for the fire that was Walking Spanish last night!!!”

Front man and founding member Alex Nelson, who recently turned 23, has analyzed, categorized and finalized a list of tasks well into the night and through to the next day. He sounds like an all-time pro twice his age. During the production of Wishbones, Nelson talked of the smooth pace and fun involved in putting together the new album, but even his best to the test leaves something for fine tuning. “I have to change a few things that are bugging me about it. Some guitar parts I know I can do better,” he said.

Walking Spanish - LtoR: Tom Gunterman, violin; Alex Nelson, lead guitars/vocals/songwriter; Chris Haislet, piano/organ/keyboards; Tim Picchi, bass
Photo by Brian Nelson

Along with Nelson, who takes on guitars and vocals, and also wrote all the songs for Wishbones, is Tim Picchi on bass; Chris Haislet on piano, organ, keyboards; Tom Gunterman on violin and Rob Mills, drums. The album was produced by Jackie Greene, who steps into the family circle of true blood as brother of our lead man, and for a few tracks with organ, piano, background vocals. When asked lately what it was like to work with Greene, Nelson said it was a great experience to be teaming up with his brother since they easily share ideas and give feedback the two can understand.

“The Simple Moves” is this writer’s choice for words and random sound. “I love the way Track 7 turned out,” Nelson said. “We spent a lot of time re-thinking how we wanted it to sound, so I’m very happy to hear you like the final cut.” Asked if there is a story behind the lyrics – “It wasn’t really inspired by anything in particular, it was about mood words,” he said, adding, “Some of the other songs may have more specifically derived inspirations behind them, but “The Simple Moves” was pretty simple.”

Nelson confidently summed it up post album release party. “My feelings that night were of gratitude for the past, excitement for the future, and an insatiable love of the present,” he said.

It’s a safe bet Walking Spanish will fall nothing short of full speed ahead. This mix genre of fresh talent, sound, attitude will surprise and please your music palate, regardless of how far you’ve walked and danced barefoot through the halls of time. They’re that good.

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2011-04-07T13:50:00.000-07:00

Linda Bracamonte

Click on the image to listen

September 17, 2010

CD: Linda Bracamonte – Walkin’ A Line With You

Release Date: Sept. 15, 2010

Produced and Arranged by: Ema Roberts; Engineered, Mixed and Mastered by Willy Seltzer at K9 Studios

Buy the CD: CDBaby.com

Website: http://www.lindabracamonte.com/

Linda Bracamonte and company – words that cut through to the bone

By Pamela Youngs
Contributing writer for Steel Ties

Email Pamela

With a pitch measuring high on the scale, all the way down to bluesy notes that come straight from the heart, Linda Bracamonte proves to go the distance on her album Walkin’ A Line With You. Bracamonte’s vocal impact on the new release stands true to form with her 2008 album I Know the Difference Between a Sad Song and the Blues, but this time takes it a few steps further with more force – she is perfectly out of control.

A mix of great, throw in a few solos for eclectic sound; Walkin’ A Line With You compares to the competition of Nashville’s best in song, lyrics.

“Don’t You Lie”, written by Ema Roberts, packs a punch as first track on the album, and continues all the way to the end, wanting for more. Don’t worry, there is indeed more greatness to be had, and heard. Title track “Walkin’ A Line With You”, is a mix of easy jazz with a bit of sass, thanks again to the divine voice of our lead singer. To add more credit to her score, Bracamonte throws in harmony, along with organ and key horns to the title tune, and joins in with Ema to write the song. Ema is lead guitarist for the band and wrote all the songs, most in 2009 – “Talk With Me” (2005) and “Get Ready” (2007). Bracamonte teamed up with him to help write five of the tracks.

Renowned blues musicians Mick Martin and drummer Bruce Pressley of Mick Martin and The Blues Rockers from Sacramento, Calif., have set up with Bracamonte for some harp and drums on a couple of tracks. “I’m So Tired” grabs hold of the blues with that unmistakable sound of Martin on the harmonica, and gives way to solo at half track – another excellent tune written by Ema, who throws in his share of vocals fit for high ranking on a list of jazz greats.

Lance Davis on bass and John Swanson, drums, never fail in bringing their best to the floor, taking on a major role for the new album. “Bad Thing” plays out flawlessly and in sync with Bracamonte’s vocals and Eric Dahm’s keyboard expertise. Kyle Rowland brings a scene to life from the get-go with his harmonica on “Train, Train,” so much so, imagine putting it to stage for a movie soundtrack. Nice work Kyle.

“Get Ready” spotlights a brilliant sax solo played out by Susan Copperman. Russ Skarsten sounds clean and faultless on keyboards for the last song on the album, “It Ain’t About You,” with the track ending on a fresh note, point well taken coming from the one and only Bracamonte herself.

The new album is definitely one to keep on top, at home and on the charts.

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2011-04-07T13:49:00.001-07:00

Ken Koenig

Click on the image to listen

April 18, 2010

CD: Bring It Home

Release Date: 2008

Record Label: Pet Baja Records

Website: http://www.kenkoenig.com/

Booking Info: kmusicman68@aol.com

Buy the CD: CDBaby.com

Also published in: Sacramento Talent Magazine - May 2010 issue

Featured Artist: "Ken Koenig is a man on a mission"

Ken Koenig’s “Bring It Home” opens the door to a new age in music

By Pamela Youngs

Contributing writer for Steel Ties

Email Pamela

Ken Koenig has redefined the boy next door. Humble, spiritual, family first, traits that encompass what most may have thought was a lost virtue, and all play a major role in this singer/songwriter’s life. It is his music combined with these traits that take on the perfect keynote element to give Koenig a different voice, and a refreshing look at the birth of a newfound work of art.

The release of Koenig’s album in 2008, Bring It Home, takes on an entourage of talent, and a mix genre of acoustic, folk rock and pop.

Koenig uses the nickname “Music Man”, and on his website www.myspace.com/kenkoenig, one of the standard subheadings for musicians is “Influences”, and below that is “Sounds Like” – asks the artist to name those who motivate their style and who they sound like. Koenig assuredly posts “Me, with some of my influences”. An attitude for success is a great start – even more notable is the music that comes along with that mind-set.

Vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, harmonica, ukulele, and more, all play a role in Koenig’s life, and he proves that on his album – impressive to say the least. Slim Bawb Pearce adds a nice touch with his Banjo, and Steve Del Rio’s percussion, congas; complete the song “Stay With Me Tonight”. Tony Pacheco (rhythm guitar), Jerry Jennings (lead guitar), and Paul Hawley (bass) are exceptional and complement Koenig’s voice for “Dirt From My Hands”. “Gotta Love This Life” takes on flair all its own with Steve Stizzo on the accordion. Tony Pacheco’s lead guitar for “Never Be The Same” is one of those moments to imagine a solo that could easily take on the spotlight.

The album is an inspiring mix of raw talent, and songwriting that stimulates the soul.

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2011-04-07T13:48:00.003-07:00

Jimmy Crockett

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April 18, 2010

CD: Cadillac Man

Release Date: 2010

Record Label: Pet Baja Records

Booking Info: Jade River Entertainment – http://www.jaderiverentertainment.com/ (916-320-6502), Jimmy Crockett: http://www.jimmycrockett.com/ , Sacramento, Calif.

Buy the CD: CDBaby.com

Also published in: Sacramento Talent Magazine - May 2010 issue

Jimmy Crockett is the “Cadillac Man"

By Pamela Youngs

Contributing writer for Steel Ties

Email Pamela

If there is anyone who can bring the Cadillac Man to life or through the doors of a room filled with smoke and high stakes, it’s Jimmy Crockett. As the story goes, many have seen the gambling fool, but it isn’t often a good songwriter comes along to paint a picture this vivid, with so few words that hit home – you’re stylin’ Jimmy.

The song, “Feelin’ Good” reveals a reason to move, leaves behind any and every glimpse of a bad time, only to take steps forward with a soft touch, hand in tow. Jerry Jennings takes the lead and sets the mood, from this point it’s notable for a bass to take off in fine tune, Erik Kleven does just that, moving on to set the pace in sync with Jennings’ lead.

Crockett wrote all the songs for his album Cadillac Man, and his words tell a story that seem to take heart with anyone who has ever seen the bad, only to fast forward down the best path to recover for the good. Power of the positive, and thinking along in the fast lane.

A rule of soul is there from the start, R&B takes hold that leaves no better sound than the voice of a man who shares his thoughts and attitude with the world. Last on the Crockett 10 list is “She’s Still Comin’ Back”, rocks to a smooth rhythm, adding a blues feel, and picks up the pace a bit. Bruce Spencer is on drums, Craig Long harmonizes for a perfect pitch alongside the excellence of Crockett’s lead vocals. Confidence and great lyrics pull through to tell a story of getting back the best of what we expect.

The Jimmy Crockett band has enough players to create a best seller on the list for Top 10. Crockett writes, sings, plays keys, Jerry Jennings is lead guitar, and a host of bass, percussion, sax, contribute in striking a chord for excellence. Drums, percussion – Bruce Spencer, Michael Colon, Jimmy Bagshaw, Scott Reams, Steven Del Rio, Kurt Shearer – Frank Rios, congas – Grant Reeves, Mike McMullan, sax, have their say in sticking to the beat of success for the future.

With all said, there is relevance for song and lyrics when comparing Jimmy Crockett to Steely Dan. Taking into account Jennings’ lead guitar, putting it side by side with Eric Clapton, as a fan for all of the above and speaking for the masses, audience and media alike, might just say it’s all relevant, with a reason to believe the best still continue to draw in a vast majority of great listeners. On a personal note, Jimmy Crockett and band, we are forever grateful. Carry on, talent this rare is seen as a current trend with expectations to lead the way as unique and to place a mark on legacy.

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2011-04-07T13:48:00.001-07:00

Amy Macdonald

March 8, 2010

CD: A Curious Thing, Release Date: March 8, 2010

CD: This Is The Life, Macdonald's debut album released in 2007

Source: Amy Macdonald's official website http://www.amymacdonald.co.uk/gb/home/

Amy Macdonald ...

Great on acoustic, songwriting, voice and style

By Tony Costanza

Contributing writer for Steel Ties

Email Tony

I heard Amy Macdonald for the first time recently on KPIG, a radio station located in Freedom, California. It isn’t just your usual station, in fact it’s rather unusual – good music, and very funny DJs. While living in Monterey, it was one of my favorites because they play stuff you don’t hear anywhere else.

About Amy Macdonald – her debut album This Is The Life was released in 2007. I fell in love with the song by the same name, and I think I fell in love with her as well. After listening to the first few notes, I was hooked. And once Macdonald started to sing, well, I was positive I loved the song. What a fantastic voice, her pitch is right on, a style all her own. And if that isn’t enough, the Scottish artist has incredible talent – she plays acoustic and her songwriting gets to the heart of the matter, never misses a beat.

Macdonald’s website is interesting. There is a biography, along with information on how to purchase her albums This Is The Life and A Curious Thing, (A Curious Thing was just released in March of this year). It’s no surprise her popularity is growing at a rapid pace in countries like England and Scotland, according to various sources on the Internet. This is one Indie/Pop star you’ll want to keep your eyes on.

Visit Macdonald's website (link below) for a biography, along with information on her newest release A Curious Thing, as well as links you can visit to purchase her music. Amy Macdonald's official website: http://www.amymacdonald.co.uk/gb/home/

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2011-04-07T13:47:00.001-07:00

Linda Bracamonte

Click on the image to listen

January 26, 2010

CD: Linda Bracamonte, I Know the Difference Between a Sad Song and the Blues

Release Date: May 2008

Produced and Arranged by: Ema Roberts; Engineered, Mixed and Mastered by Willy Seltzer at K9 Studios

Buy the CD: CDBaby.com
Also published in: Sacramento Talent Magazine - March 2010 issue

Linda Bracamonte and the blues: A passion for attitude

By Pamela Youngs

Contributing writer for Steel Ties

Email Pamela

Feel the pain baby. The blues is an attitude, a remedy of sorts for what ails. And if there is anyone who can sing it for the cure, enter Linda Bracamonte.
Bracamonte’s CD I Know the Difference Between a Sad Song and the Blues, is a collection of songs written by Ema Roberts, songwriting partner/lead guitarist, and Bracamonte herself, over a two-year period (2005-2007) that stirs up the senses and paves the way, leaving behind any emotional barriers to capture the essence of pure soul, through the heart, and full circle to new beginnings.

“Checkin’ Out” pins it down to a gut feeling, an escape from the mundane and into the wild blues side of life. Written by Ema Roberts, the song describes taking hold and letting go, never to forget the feelings that emerge – embrace the pain, feel the burn.

The tempo slows down to the tune of “I Know the Difference (Between a Sad Song and the Blues)”, the title song for the CD and a collaborative effort on the composing side for Roberts and Bracamonte in 2007. Bracamonte wails of the pain in and out of love as if she were performing side by side with the legendary Billie Holiday.

The Linda Bracamonte band is comprised of talent through and through. Lance Davis is on bass, John Swanson, drums, Matthew Kaiser on keyboards, Ema Roberts, lead guitar. And the singer with the tiny frame and larger than life vocals – California born and raised, Bracamonte reserves the right to hit the high notes with passion and natural ease, a job she does quite well.

This CD covers all facets of love’s habitat, and has a nice balance to set the pace, whether that pace is on the slow-mo side of life or in the fast lane to a speedy recovery of twists and turns throughout the blues. This album reaches for the soul fired up, and is taken to levels that exceed any expectations of California’s all naturally grown.

Visit the Linda Bracamonte website for more details and to listen in on her music.

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2011-04-07T13:46:00.000-07:00

The above poster was created in June 1967 by Cheryl Williams (Baxter), former lead singer for the east bay rock band, Wakefield Loop. The band performed locally during the "summer of love" in the '60s and on into the early '70s at the Yellow Brick Road pub in Niles, California, and basically covering ground all over the San Francisco Bay Area. Williams passed away April 10, 2008, leaving behind a neverending trail of love for family, friends and fans. The poster, shown here as it appeared in its original format, was spread around to announce Wakefield Loop's appearance June 18, 1967 at Concert in the Park in Fremont. The local gig was organized by founding member Denny Mahdik. Special thanks to Dan Garvey, Denny Mahdik and Julio Staben for allowing us to share some beautiful history with the world through Cheryl's passion for music.

Wakefield Loop_1967 LtoR: Dan Garvey, Dave Simpson, Cheryl Williams, Denny Mahdik, Julio Staben.
The band was founded by Denny Mahdik in 1966.

Wakefield Loop poster art

Poster Art - Clockwise, from top left: An early promotional sticker for the band, designed by Denny Mahdik; Poster created June 1967, the Summer of Love, by Wakefield Loop's lead singer Cheryl Williams; Poster by Paul Johansen, 1967; One of the last of Dan Garvey's Yellow Brick Road posters (July 1967). Wakefield Loop played at the Yellow Brick Road in Niles, California, sharing the stage with The Incredible Fish (Country Joe and The Fish minus Country Joe McDonald); and the second of two posters that was used for a UAW gig, circa 1967

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2011-04-07T13:44:00.001-07:00

February 16, 2010

Carlos Santana, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood

It was 1969, Lee Man Soo A-Go-Go Senior Dance, just a couple months before Woodstock, the place was all jump ‘n jive. And why not – not even a question really – Santana and Cold Blood were at center stage blasting out great tunes inside our San Francisco Bay Area high school auditorium. It was a place where we sat and listened to lectures, watched educational film on old time reels about how to stay safe and drug free, how to succeed and be the first to cross the finish line in class and on track at the stadium playing field, and it was a stage that produced some talented actors. I think if you were to ask the majority of students and faculty what exactly happened the night of our Senior Dance, as the power that be was about to dismantle the sound system via orders through the phone wires, they might have a story or two.

The subject came up on Facebook and sparked some memories. Specifically, it was the night the music thrived.

Our teacher, Mark Mattingly, recalled an interesting chain of events. In an effort to enforce curfew, our principal (whom we referred to as the "Dr."), set a few demands via the vice principal, but the bottom line was so “Santana”, and not so typical.

"I was on duty but the Dr. was at his cabin in Tahoe and had told the VP Carl Williams, who was in charge, that it had to end by 11. He tried to stop Santana at 11 but they kept on playing, so he turned off the power and the lights. They just put down their electric guitars and started playing a variety of percussion instruments making that night even more magical," said Mattingly.

No amps, but the acoustics from the pounding of drums warranted bouncing off the walls with glee, and possibly the best test of breaking through the barrier of a regime we so despised as rebels with a cause.

Thank you Mark Mattingly for your recount of a great evening, and for being a part of the “cool teacher” team of Mattingly and Agee. And special thanks to Carlos Santana, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood for the music that still gets us off our feet and onto the dance floor.

Story by Pamela Youngs for Steel Ties - Email Pamela

Photos of Santana and Cold Blood by WHS ’69 yearbook staff

****

YouTube videos:

"Santana and Clapton - Jingo" (Live) from the DVD Crossroads Guitar Festival, June 2004 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas.

Watch it on YouTube.com

"Fillmore, the Last Days" Featuring Lydia Pense and Cold Blood from the DVD Fillmore: The Last Days, with Barbara Maurtiz and Lydia Pense

A note from the Editor: Bill Graham is shown in the single frame, walking along in his famously cool fashion down through the line of diehard patrons waiting to be admitted into the Fillmore West, circa 1970s, San Francisco, Calif. Bill Graham was a successful rock promoter who died at the age of 60 in 1991.

Watch it on YouTube.com

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2011-04-07T13:42:00.000-07:00

7 Walkers, featuring Bill Kreutzmann and Papa Mali
April 6, 2010 - Sierra Nevada Big Room, Chico, Calif.

Photos and story by Alan Sheckter

~*~*~*~*~

New Orleans funk and Cajun, Grateful Dead – a perfect mix

By Alan Sheckter

Photographer and contributing writer for Steel Ties

Email Alan

The first 7 Walkers show of the tour came off without a hitch on April 6 at the Sierra Nevada Big Room in Chico. For two-and-a-half hours, New Orleans funk and Cajun jams met hard-driving Grateful Dead jams with plenty of reverence to both camps. The band is Bill Kreutzmann (drums), Papa Mali (guitar/vocals), George Porter, Jr. (bass) and Matt Hubbard (electric piano/organ, harmonica, trombone). Material included several newly penned Robert Hunter tunes, along with classics from the Dead catalog, "Bertha," "I Know You Rider," "Mr. Charlie," "Death Don't Have No Mercy," "Turn on Your Lovelight," "Sugaree," "Not Fade Away" and Goin' Down the Road (Feelin' Bad)." Big fun!

For a larger view of the photos visit Alan Sheckter's photo gallery

Photos may not be republished without expressed consent of the photographer.

1. George Porter Jr.

2. Bill Kreutzmann

3. and 6. Papa Mali

4. 7 Walkers
5. Matt Hubbard
7. Set List

8. Big Room General Manager Bob Littell

9. Bill Kreutzmann, George Porter Jr., Bob Littell

10. Fun on a Tuesday night

11. Papa Mali

12. 7 Walkers

13. Sierra Nevada selections

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2011-04-07T13:40:00.000-07:00

John Cruz
March 26, 2010 - Acoustic Barn, Newcastle, Calif.

Photos and story by Alan Sheckter

John Cruz: http://www.johncruz.com/

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"Island Style" comes to Newcastle

By Alan Sheckter
Photographer and contributing writer for Steel Ties

Email Alan

About 60 of us gathered for a house concert by Hawaiian singer-songwriter John Cruz on Friday night, March 26 at the Acoustic Barn in Newcastle, Calif., 30 miles east of Sacramento in the Sierra foothills. John’s skillful guitar licks and soft, smoky, and expressive voice punctuated the two-set, three-hour performance that included ballads and upbeat tunes, liberally sprinkled with engaging stories of the islands. John said that audiences have been particularly warm during his current West Coast tour. “There’s been plenty of ‘Aloha’ all over the place,” he said. Sets included many songs off of his two albums, “One of These Days” and “Acoustic Soul,” mostly self-penned songs but also songs by other talented writers such as "Sitting in Limbo" (Jimmy Cliff). The show included “Island Style,” his sing-along tribute to the tropics: “In the islands, we do it island style; from the mountain to the ocean, from the leeward to the windward side.”

For a larger view of the photos visit Alan Sheckter's Photo Gallery

Photos may not be republished without expressed consent of the photographer.

1. The Acoustic Barn

2. The 'room', seven rows of chairs and a sofa

3. Keven ODell, Acoustic Barn proprietor

4. thru 8. John Cruz

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