Speaking of dancing, there are zydeco dances at Ashkenaz every Tuesday night and at the
Eagles Hall in Alameda every Friday. Here is the SF cajun/zydeco website where you can find
out what is going on. If you want to
learn zydeco dancing, take one of Lisa Lee's classes. (Dorcas and I have been enjoying them for
over a year.) There is so much great
cajun/zydeco music in the SF Bay Area, we really must be part of Louisiana.
One more for you: Andre Thierry is playing in Berkeley
at Cloud 9 this Saturday, February
2nd. Andre is one of the best zydeco
accordionists around and the place will be jumping!!
Ordinarily, I would miss a show on the first Saturday of the
month because since November of 2011, I have played that night at Chester's
Bayview Cafe. We've known that a
change of ownership was in the works for several months, and it is now
finalized. A lot of good music has been
made at Chester's and I will miss
hanging, listening and playing there.
Thank you, Fred Aryan, for being such a good host to so many local
musicians.
And I have still more good music to tell you about. Aireene
Espiritu is a songwriter worth checking out. I had the pleasure of hearing her at a house
concert in Berkeley last Saturday,
with Clyde Leland. Here is one of her songs
performed a couple of years ago. Dorcas
and I sat in with her on that one and on a couple of others at the concert. Clyde is a good writer too, check out his OccuPie video.
Many of you know I am spending more time down in LA helping
care for my mom (95 this April). I was down at the beginning of the month and
my friend Peggy Glenn invited me to drop in on her songwriter
"hang". Seriously
accomplished writers there and an honor to participate. Also, went out to the Firefly in South
Pasadena for the Wine
& Song series run by Brad
Colerick. Dulcie Taylor was the
featured performer and it was a treat to hear her again. I met Dulcie at the Folk Alliance conference
in Irvine last October, and she has
quite a resume. Here is one of her well crafted songs.
Good food, good music and a very nice
evening at the Firefly, and I am going back tonight to hear Fur Dixon and
Brantley Kearns -- and see if I can get a guest set there one of these
days.
I want to broaden my performing horizons as part of my trips
south, and I am very pleased to have hooked up with Steve Key recently. Steve is a talented writer and performer
"in the business" for quite awhile. Kathy Mattea picked up one of his songs and he
has a lot of good ones worth listening
to. He lives near San
Luis Obispo now and runs the Songwriters At Play series, with
music three nights a week at venues in the Central
Coast area. I had a guest set with him last Sunday, at
the Sculpterra Winery in Paso
Robles. It was cool and a bit windy in
the sculpture garden, but what a line up of talent ! Steve opened the afternoon, accompanied by
guitarist Dorian Michaels. I followed Steve, and then had the pleasure
of more listening. The featured artist
was a duo out from Nashville, Burns
& Kristy. They are both pro writers
and it showed. Terry has a gorgeous
voice, and Ron sings well also and sure can play that guitar. Check out some of the videos and music on
their website.
A whole lot of great music in January indeed. But, I do have one regret. I missed Claire
Lynch at the Freight & Salvage.
She is one of my all time favorite artists, and I had a rehearsal. Darn !!
I hope you come back soon, Claire.
Coming up in February is the 14th annual San Francisco Bluegrass and Old Time
Festival. I am not performing (I'm
neither bluegrass nor old time :-), but I'll be MCing several shows, including
the Casey Dreissen show on opening night,
February 7th. Casey is a
fiddler of the highest and most unique order.
I couldn't get the videos to work on his website, but listen to "Country
Blues" on his 3D CD here. Wow !!
There are too many other good shows at the SFBOT Festival to mention, so
check out the schedule.
My only gig in February will be playing with Dorcas Moulton
and Patty Hammond at one of my most favorite venues, the Kensington Farmers Market,
on Sunday the 10th. There is seating
and good food, and it is such a pleasure to play for families and slip in a few
kids songs. Remember "The Wheels
On The Bus" ?
Having only one performing date in February gives me more
time for getting out to see other folks.
Certainly I'll be catching some cajun/zydeco, and I am planning on going
to check out Stevie Coyle's new shop, Mighty Fine Guitars in Lafayette
and the Teresa Tudury concert there
on February 16th. I am also hoping to
catch Patty Hammond playing with one of her bands, Kickin The Mule, or The Praline Trio, to
mention just two.
That is a bit of who I have been listening to. Your turn.
Who do you like to listen to and where you go to hear good music ? (I need to know what my competition is doing :-)
Have a great and very musical February --
John
Roy Zat
Croizat
Whatever
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