Music News You Can Use - May 2014

Here we are in May, and I am still reeling (as in clogging, happy feet) from April's music.

   The first week of April, Steve Key was up to help promote our April 26th show, and we played open mikes at the Freight and the Ivy Room, where I had the added pleasure of sitting in with Maurice Tani on a tune.  (Saw his show at the Freight last night -- what a songsmith and performer!!)    The following week I sat in on a radio show at KWMR with Ken Frankel.  He had some rare tapes of him playing old time tunes with Jerry Garcia back in 1963.  Very cool!   Ken was promoting Vandaveer for his club, Studio 55; and the next evening I was there enjoying the show. Vandaveer is Mark Heidinger, backed by Rose Guerin (gorgeous vocals) and J. Tom Hnatow (such tasteful and expressive guitar) -- good songs, thoughtful arrangements, and very worth your ear time. 

 
  The next weekend I was down in Atascadero, rehearsing with Steve Key and Dulcie Taylor for our April 26th show.  Steve invited me to play guest sets at a couple of his showcases, and as usual, I heard some excellent music.   Check out Trevor McSpadden and Tim Jackson. 

   

The two weeks leading up to the show were devoted to more practicing and promoting.  And with all of that, still working on my recording project with Kevin Harris, and volunteering at FAR-West and the Freight.  Did I mention I spend a lot of time on music these days?  (How does Dorcas put up with me?)

 
  So all this chatter and you are probably saying well then, how did the 26th show go?  It went okay, I guess; I mean I didn't suck much. All right, I'll stop being coy:  it went pretty well, actually it was OMG awesome in so many ways!!   Studio 55 is such a fine venue, and we had a superb sound man, Pete Soper.  We had a great turnout, including a number of people I hadn't seen in years.  (What an honor -- thank you!!)   I have raved about Steve Key and Dulcie Taylor in a number of previous newsletters, and they really delivered exhilarating performances that night. Wow!! Tim Jackson, tasteful guitar monster extraordinaire, backed Dulcie and Steve, my friends Brian Bloom and Patty Hammond backed me so solidly, and Aireene Espiritu and Dorcas Moulton joined in beautifully on two songs as well.  What an evening!!  Thank you all, so much -- we'll have to do this again as soon as I've recovered.  Note:  all pix by Dorcas Moulton taken April 26th, more here.   I'll be posting some video in the coming weeks.

 
  Hope you are all staying busy and having some fun too.  Your turn to send me some news.
all the best,
John
Roy Zat
Croizat
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Music News You Can Use - April 2014

Here comes April and I am pretty excited about April 26th especially.   I am thrilled to be opening for Dulcie Taylor and Steve Key at Studio 55 in San Rafael and hopefully you already have this date on your calendars.   Trust me, it is going to be a special show.  Studio 55 is a wonderful listening room, and Steve and Dulcie are such pros.   Treat yourself to an evening of well-crafted songs and support live music (we thank you!!)   Here is the link to more info.
 

Steve Key and I are doing a couple of songs at the Freight and Salvage tomorrow (no fooling) and then on Wednesday at the Ivy Room.  (Got to let people know about our Studio 55 show.)  On April 12th, we are having a full rehearsal down in Paso Robles, and I'll be doing a couple of shows down there (on my calendar).

 

A lot of what was happening for me in February was still happening in March: working on FAR-West conference preparations; helping with the Freight; and a lot of recording with Kevin Harris.  Wish I had a song link or two to share with you, but I am going to wait until the songs are a bit more finished.   I will say that I am very happy with how things are going.   Aireene Espiritu sang a beautiful duet with me on "A Promise And A Rose"  (what a lovely voice she has -- visit her website!!) and Dorcas Moulton played some very sweet accordion on a couple of songs and will be singing with me on "Going For A Ride."   Stay tuned.

 

I did get out a bit and heard some fun music in March.  "Do Wrong Right" played Cafe Leila and that was fun (come on guys get a website).  Had the pleasure of playing at a fundraiser put together by Andrew McKleroy.   He plays in an awesome  Brazilian band -- Zamico -- check them out.

 

And finally -- I have been dusting off "Orange Blossom Special" for my friends up at Ruth McGowan's in Cloverdale.   Here is a version played by a whole line up of amazing fiddlers.  How many do you recognize?

 

Your turn -- send me some news.  Always nice hearing from you.

John

Roy Zat

Croizat

Whatever

 

Music News You Can Use - March 2014

Hi Ya -- Is February the shortest month of the year or something?   Where did it go?!!

I saw two fine songwriters at the beginning of the month.  Christopher Smith and Steve Key are such fine songsmiths and performers, and the Bazaar Cafe is a wonderful place to hear music up close and personal.    Check them all out.

The next day I had a fun time with my Don't Look Back pals at Cafe Leila in Berkeley -- and what a turn out!!  Thank you loyal fans -- even in the pouring rain!!   We are going to need to upgrade our sound system if this keeps up -- hmmm, Kickstarter?

What else happened in February?  A lot of work on the FAR-West 2014 conference, and some for the Freight.  And, two fun music parties!!   Thank you Phil and Melissa, and Jackie and Fred for your hospitality and bringing together so many nice people and fine players, yourselves included.    Jackie and Fred have a band to check out here -- Jackie has an amazing voice and Fred is a guitar monster.   The Bay Area is overrun with talent -- like about everywhere else these days -- just do a random walk through YouTube.

Which brings me to my latest YouTube discovery:   Kenichi Ebina doing his Michael Jackson tribute.   Beyond his very cool moves, his  flexibility and stamina amaze me.  I am still learning how to tap my feet and play guitar at the same time.   Check out his other videos too.

Big news:  I am recording some new songs -- long overdue, I know.  I am working with Kevin Harris, a veteran producer and writer who I chased down after hearing records he had done with Larry K. Potts and Laura Zucker.     He is very good at helping me sound good -- here is a preliminary mix of the first one we've been working on together.   More coming.

Coming up on March 14th, I will be playing at the Ruth McGowan Pub  in Cloverdale with some friends, which is always a treat.  If you are up that way, I would love to see you.   (If you are not up that way, go see Claire Lynch at the OCA -- she is one of the best!!)    Oh, and please do put April 26th on your calendar if you haven't already.  I'll be playing with Dulcie Taylor and Steve Key at Studio 55 in San Rafael -- it will be a very special evening.

That's a bit of my story.   It's raining now and California is very happy.

all the best,

John
Roy Zat
Croizat
Whatever

Music News You Can Use - February 2014

Hello and Happy February -- hope 2014 is off to a good start for you.   January was a 

nice break after the holidays.  I had a couple of nice gigs early in the month -- Ruth McGowan's and the Kensington Market -- and then I just laid around.  Well not really;  I don't know how to do that. Among other things, I've been going through videos made at the end of 2013. In case you don't spend all your time on Facebook and missed these, you can find them on my Youtube page, here.

I have been listening to a lot of blues lately -- looking for some blues notes to put on my fiddle. Here are few masters for your enjoyment:  here, here and here.   So much inspiration, so little time!!

Saw a great show last week at the Freight & Salvage, by another one of the masters of our time, David Grisman, with his jazz sextet. All of them are from Mars, clearly not mere mortals -- amazing chops individually and lovely ensemble playing.   Here are a couple of videos from two earlier shows to give you a taste:  here and here  - Wow !!

What a fabulous theater for acoustic music the Freight is!  If you live in the SF Bay Area, and even if you don't, I hope you are already aware of what a jewel the Freight is.   I am proud to serve on the Freight board; though it has been quite a busy job lately, with Steve Baker, the long time director, retiring and the search for his replacement starting up. 

Speaking of boards, I am also involved with the Folk Alliance Region West (FAR-West) Region; and we are already working on preparations for their annual conference in October.  It is in Oakland this year.   (Geez, I retired to play music full time, and this is what I get myself into?!!)  Folk Alliance is such a great community, and if you are a folkish musician of any sort you should check it out (here).   There are several shows open to the public at the conference, and they usually have an amazing line-up of talent you won't find anywhere else.  I'll be reminding you as we get closer to the event.

And speaking of events, I have two gigs to tell you about.  I'll be playing with the Don't Look Back String Band at Cafe Leila, in Berkeley on February 8th. DLB is always a lot of fun. 

Further out, I am VERY excited to be opening a show at Studio 55 in San Rafael for two fabulous singer songwriters:  Dulcie Taylor and Steve Key. I met Dulcie and Steve through FARWest, and they are both fine writers and performers. The show will be on April 26th -- Please save the date.  Here is the show info.

A bit of what I've been up to -- how about you?  Send me some news I can use.
 

all the best,
John
Roy Zat
Croizat
Whatever

Music News You Can Use - January 2014

Happy New Year -- we survived the December holidays !!  Pretty hectic, but fun and heart warming for me, and I hope the same for you.

Good music discoveries in December:
I continue to be impressed by the Central California music scene and Steve Key is right in the middle of it.  I was part of  Steve's tribute show for Karen Tyler, a fine blues singer songwriter from Paso Robles.  I heard and saw a wonderful parade of talented performers, some of whom like Steve,  Dulcie Taylor and Phil Lee I have mentioned in past newsletters.  Too many to list all, and unfortunately, some don't have much on the web I can point you to, but listen to a bit of Dorian Michael. Dorian led the backup band for the whole Karen Tyler show -- hot !! 

And I discovered a great venue in Paso Robles   The next time you are in the area try to see a show at D'Anbino Cellars.  You will not be disappointed.  Or, catch any of the Songwriters At Play shows that Steve runs.

On that same December trip south, I was at Brad Colerick's concert series Wine and Song at the Firefly Bistro in South Pasadena.  Brad brings in a lot of excellent musicians from all over, and I had the privilege of sharing the bill with Marc Black from New York.  A number of other fine players joined, including Brad and Chauncey Bowers - and good music was made!!   Here's a video from that night.   And, here is a video of one of my favorite Brad Colerick songs.

Closer to home, I also had a good time playing at the Ruth McGowan Pub the weekend before Christmas with my long time pal, Floyd Latimer.  Ruth's is a fun place and we'll be back there this Friday (but without the Christmas songs).     I'll be at another favorite playing spot this Sunday, the Kensington Market.  Really looking forward to that!!  Please check out my website for more info on all of this:  www.royzat.com

My resolution for 2014 is to keep doing what I am doing:  playing music, staying in touch with family and friends, hearing new music, and making new friends.   I am a lucky man !!

Best wishes to you for a great year ahead --

John
Roy Zat
Croizat
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Music News You Can Use - December 2013

Hello and Happy December.  I am still very much in a November frame of mind actually, visiting with my daughter in Washington DC, prowling the museums and parks.  What a town!!

Here are some musical discoveries for you.  And another.   There is a whole series of these sessions - search for TS5 on Youtube.   Amazing facility and amazing line up of talent !!   (Thanks to Paul Herzoff for getting me started on these.)
 
My house concert in Penngrove, earlier in November, was a great success; and we raised some money for a very good cause.   I am editing the video now.  I will be posting some highlights later this month, and hopefully get you interested in hosting a house concert to raise money for a cause you are involved in.  House concerts are the best!!

I made a lot of music in November and made some new music friends, in Maui no less!!  (Yes, I've been doing some traveling.)  It was such a treat to stay as a guest of John and Cecelia Bowman at Cecelia's family home in Wailuku.  Their hospitality and that of Cecelia's family was so warm and welcoming.  It was sure hard to leave.

Got some nice gigs coming up in December.   I'll be playing at the Firefly Bistro in South Pasadena on the 11th. The Firefly is a great place and Brad Colerick's Wine and Song Wednesday nights are excellent and well attended.  I am honored!!  I am also honored to be playing at Steve Key's Songwriters At Play shows on the 12th and 13th.  I'll wrap up my gigging at Ruth McGowan's on the 20th. Calendar details below, more info at www.royzat.com.  If you are out and about at any of these places, it is always great to see you.

Okay, guess I'd better get to the Christmas list and do my part for the economy . . . Hope you have a lovely holiday season, with lots of love and friendship surrounding you.

all the best,

John
Roy Zat
Croizat
Whatever

Music News You Can Use - November 2013

Hope you had a Happy Halloween and got more tricks than treats.  I have two neighbors who convert their front yards into graveyards and monster havens -- quite a destination for the goblins.  I gave out over 400 pieces of candy before I ran out.  Scary thought (and a lot of fun).

And OMG did I hear a lot of great music in October!!  I attended the FAR-West Music conference in Irvine, and played a number of showcases there and on the way down and back. 

Here are some links for you to check out.  

Phil Lee and here is his website, with more videos.   He is an entertainer!!

Red Moon Road a great Canadian band, with lots of videos on Youtube.  Here's one more.

JC and Laney  - Powerful vocals and songs!  I had a blast playing in their showcase room at the conference -- joining on some of their songs and having them with me on a few of mine. 

Dulcie Taylor  great songs and delivery.  Here is another.

Dan and Laurel   they play so beautifully together, and her violin playing is to die for!!  Many more videos on Youtube.

This is just a teeny tiny bit of the fabulous music I heard, and I feel guilty only listing a few folks here.   Check out the FAR-West website for more of the great musicians and bands that performed there.  And guess what, you Bay Area  folks??!!  The conference will be in Oakland the next two years, and you can come, even if you are not a performer.  There is so much excellent music to see and hear there.

Speaking of excellent music (what a segue), I am playing with poet Marv Hiemstra this Sunday in Cotati. Marv is a unique talent and writes clever and fun poems.  It is a real pleasure accompanying his readings with my fiddle.  The following Sunday I am playing a house concert near Petaluma.  House concerts are the best way to enjoy live music!!  Details are on my website: www.royzat.com 

And oh yeah – my van quest has ended.  I got a Dodge Caravan and have already built a bed in the back.  Coming to a driveway near you...

Tis the month of being thankful, and I am very.  Hope you have a lot of blessings to count too.

All the best,
John
Roy Zat
Croizat
Whatever