Thursday, April 28, 2011

Featured Bio: Billy Gadol

Featured BIO: Billy Gadol
By Scott Bucholtz

“Who is that guy?”. When you hear that question asked on a Wednesday night at Fiery Ron’s Home Team BBQ, it can only mean one thing: there is a new guy on a stage tearing it up and getting everybody’s attention. Now remember, the place is filled with musicians that may not be the easiest to impress. Billy Gadol has warranted that question TWICE. First with his guitar and then again sometime later with his voice. I can’t understand how some group has not yet signed up this double threat!

Born and raised on Long Island in a family of musicians, Billy, his flight attendant wife (Cherie) and six month old son moved to the Charleston area following 9/11. With a great opportunity in a growing company, the timing was right. Nearly 10 years later, this proud father wanted to mention that their son is a straight A student at a prep school. Obviously, things are working out. When he was in grade school, Billy played the trumpet and developed an ear for music. Then a local guitar store going out of business gave him the opportunity to get his first guitar (for $35) and he never set it down! He’ll also play a little piano, bass, drums and pedal steel. He says he “can still eke out a few notes on the trumpet, but it's not pretty”. He graciously makes a point of acknowledging his parents for their support and encouragement and hopes to bless his son in the same way. I have had the opportunity to share a stage with my own son. There might not be any larger reward that knowing that you have passed this passion on to your next generation!

After years of playing his electric guitar (un-plugged in front of the TV), he really missed the camaraderie of playing with other musicians. So, he looked on Craigslist and “went on a few auditions in search of the right fit but nothing ever clicked”. He'd heard that Home Team BBQ had great beer and food so when the Blues Club moved from Mt. Pleasant to West Ashley, he decided to go. Why did he wait?! He remembers debating whether or not to bring a guitar because it had been so long… “Anyway, getting off the couch and showing up was the right move. More people should do the same”. Good advice.

Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa and Jimi Hendrix inspired him to play (we’ve certainly heard that before). However, equally influential were vocalists like David Bowie, John Lennon, Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra, Terrance Trent d'Arby, Jeff Buckley, Bjork, Tori Amos and Ella Fitzgerald. He states that “these singers emote and have a certain sizzle to their voice which really speaks to me”. Others like Peter Gabriel, Jeff Beck, The Beatles, Band Of Horses, Foo Fighters, The Police and all '80s New Wave remain favorites. While I’m not sure about the ‘80s New Wave music, he has certainly been inspired and influenced by the all time greats and those who were/are truly originals!

When asked about his favorites in the Blues Club, he mentions that there are too many great guitarists to acknowledge so he says, “let's talk rhythm section: Wayne Mitchum, Jojo Wall, Mark Schleis, Jerry Ray and Tony Cobin are great bass players. Quentin Ravenel, Greg "The Motor" Levkus , Lumpy Lenthe and Scott Bucholtz (Thanks!) can drum with the best of them. The keyboard talents of Bill Nance and Jon Hager are staggering… Also, there are a number of born entertainers. Skye Paige, Mike Llewellyn and Sarah Cole come to mind. Let's just say that folks would be surprised by the talent that shows up on most Wednesday nights and the dancers are the icing on the cake. I'm sure I've left a few people out – please forgive me. It's a real honor and privilege to share the stage with the aforementioned pros”. Those words ‘honor and privilege’ truly nail the sentiment of us all and are the prevailing thought in any discussion on the Lowcountry Blues Club Jam Night!

As for favorite songs for Jam Night? He cites Joe Cocker's version of "The Letter" and states "Little Sister" is another. If he “could find a Stewart Copeland, I'd love to give ‘Driven to Tears’ a whirl”. For Karaoke, it's Sinatra's "I've Got You Under My Skin" or Bowie's "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide". The diversity of his interests is another common thread among all of the fantastic musicians whose stories that I get the pleasure of sharing.

Billy had been in and out of many bands back in NY but none yet in Charleston. I think he would jump at the right opportunity that would enable him to pursue original music while maintaining the proper family balance (what is everyone waiting for? Sign this guy up). One of his bands back in NY, The Ghouls, was offered a recording contract in Denmark “but we turned it down because we were going to be huge in the USA”. He says he’s “still kicking myself ”. In the early '90s, The Ghouls, had a #1 song on NYU's college station and played live in their studio on a number of occasions. Although it's been a while, he loves recording and being in the studio. He puts ideas down on his computer using Logic and GarageBand all the time but he doesn’t count that as real recording experience. He adds, “if anyone needs a guitar part for their recording, I'd love to contribute”.

As we all are discovering, so many of our Club members have had experiences on an international scale. With a veiled plea for secrecy, he volunteers that he sang back-up for Barry Manilow at Radio City Music hall for 12 shows with his high school choir. He also played piano and sang "The Girl From Ipanema" in the Plaza Hotel lobby – where’s the video?? What’s funny to me is that song was actually a fixture on the set list of my first working band - we can look back and laugh together! Higher on the ‘hip’ meter, while living in NY, he was fortunate to play such legendary venues as CBGB's, Cafe Wah? and other great NYC clubs. He even had the good fortune to work at the world renowned Manny's Music on 48th St. where he met scores of famous musicians.

Being the most famous music store in the world, Manny’s was a destination spot for The Beatles, Stones, Who… While working there, Billy had the incredible opportunity to wait on and assist legends like James Taylor, George Benson, Stevie Wonder, Zakk Wylde… On a lucky day, these superstars would take a seat right in front of Billy (and others) and just play. One such occasion stands out among them: one afternoon Billy spent significant one-on-one time with violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman. Mr. Perlman was trying out microphones for a home studio and Billy raves about how gracious and friendly he was.

Billy is an entrepreneur and loves to talk about business development. He has started a guitar pedal company called FLEXeFX, Inc. The pedals, the website, the internal and external design elements are all works in progress. If you’re interested, ask him about it! After years of making contacts in the industry, he has lined up a list of industry giants that will give his product a trial as soon as he has prototypes. He’d also like his peers to test and critique them while at Home Team BBQ on Wednesday nights. From what he explained to me, I think he has had a stroke of genius! Something to look forward to for sure.

“Who is that guy?” Billy Gadol. Your band and its followers might benefit from getting to know him!

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As always, this weekend you will have many opportunities to see awesome live entertainment. Look for the 21st Annual Folly Beach Sea and Sand Festival this Saturday. Slated to perform are Gaslight Street, Sarah Cole & The Hawkes, Jeff Norwood, and more! Plane Jane will be at the N. Charleston Wild Wings on Friday. Both Friday and Saturday give the opportunity to see Johnny Mac & The Booty Ranch at the Sand Dollar. The Louie D Project is downtown at the Silver Dollar on Friday and on the Vendue Rooftop Saturday. Heyrocco is at the Music Farm on Friday night with Co and The Explorers Club. Captain Kirk will be with Starling at The Bottom Grill & Bar in Bonneau Saturday. Old You is gaining the title of hardest working band around – they’re at Tasty Thai Thursday, on the Vendue Rooftop Friday at 6, then at Kickin’ Chicken at 10:30, Saturday they’re at the Rye Bar in Athens and Sunday they’ll be back on the Pour House deck. Yours truly will be with the Mason Dixon Band Friday night at Boomer’s in Goose Creek (formerly Wings, etc.) and look for us at 3:00 Saturday afternoon at the 36th Annual Colleton County Rice Festival.


FromTyler Boone, we have info about a FREE SHOW at the Village Tavern on Apr 30, doors at 6, show at 8:
From opener to headliner:
Sleeping Policeman - (Myrtle Beach - acoustic trio)
Sun-Dried Vibes - (Charlotte - Reggae Band)
Tyler Boone - (Charleston - rock, pop, blues trio)
Meet the Sky - (Charleston - rock, indie

Also we just released my new single "Austin" for free download as well with also my first EP "Stuck Between" as well for free - www.tylerboone.bandcamp.com

-Tyler Boone
843-437-9166
www.facebook.com/tylerboonemusic

And check out your favorite local paper for plenty more options for your weekend fun...

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Reminders:

Don't miss our next jam: Wednesday night at Home Team BBQ/ West Ashley -- sooo much fun!!

April's featured artist was Muddy Waters. May's artists are Blind Willie McTell (1901), Robert Johnson (1911), Little Walter (1930), and Taj Mahal (1942).

Join us on facebook and twitter, and check out some of our recordings from the Wednesday jams at http://www.reverbnation.com/lowcountrybluesclub

It's time to pay your dues for 2011 if you haven't already done so. Just come out to a jam, and give us $10 for an individual, $25 for a band or family, or $100 for a corporate membership. Or you can mail dues to The Lowcountry Blues Club, P.O. Box 814, Isle of Palms, SC 29451.

LMW, April 28, 2011

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Try some Euro Blues

Here's some info sent to us from our good friend Gary Erwin: Ever wonder about "Euro blues?" Well, here is your chance to learn more...

PROFESSOR BOTTLENECK, the irrepressible slide guitarist/singer/songwriter from the Delta of the Schwalm River in Germany (!), is in the process of criss-crossing South Carolina and Georgia with Shrimp City Slim & friends for two action-packed weeks of shows.

Born in 1949 in the smoldering ruins of post-war East Germany, he fell in love with American blues, swing, and jazz via Armed Forces Radio. His formative years included playing in rock 'n' roll bands, attending high school in India, and later raising a family and becoming a high school philosophy teacher...a very interesting guy!

He plays regularly throughout Germany, Holland, and Belgium and has released five slamming'CDs of mostly original numbers.
Check him out at www.myspace.com/professorbottleneck or www.professor-bottleneck.com
He is doing duo and band gigs while in the area and here is his schedule. We hope you will come out and show a little love:

Thurs 21, 4-6 pm: N Charleston, SC (Farmers Market; duo w/SCS)
Thurs 21, 9:30 pm: Sullivans Is., SC (Dunleavy's Pub; duo w/SCS)
Fri-Sat 22-23, 9 pm: Savannah, GA (Jazz'd; trio w/SCS & Clamchop, drums)
Sun 24, 8 pm: Pawleys Is, SC (PI Tavern; duo w/SCS)
Tues 26, 8:30 am: Live on The Bridge radio (www.1055thebridge.com)
Tues 26, 8 pm: N. Chas, SC (The Mill; duo w/Juke Joint Johnny)
Wed 27, noon: Live on WLMA radio (on-line www.wlma.net)
Wed 27, 8:30 pm: Greenwood, SC (TW Boons; duo w/SCS)
Thurs 28, 6:30 pm: Charleston, SC (Blues BBQ cruise w/full SCS band)
Fri 29, 6-9 pm: Kiawah Island, SC (Freshfields; w/full SCS band)

Thanks for the info, Gary!

Also this weekend - Friday night, April 22, Blue Mother Tupelo plays Home Team/Sullivans with Jeff Norwood opening, and our friends in Plane Jane play Wild Wing on Rivers).

For Saturday night, April 23, Scott Bucholtz says: I’ll be with The Mason Dixon Band Saturday night starting at 9:30 at Famous Joe’s in West Ashley. Johnny Mac and the Booty Ranch will be next door at Jimbo’s Rock Lounge starting at 10, everyone should go see Johnny and pop in before or during a break to check out the Mason Dixon Band!

And check out your favorite local paper for plenty more options for your weekend fun...

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Reminders:

Don't miss our next jam: Wednesday night at Home Team BBQ/ West Ashley -- sooo much fun!!

April's featured artist is Muddy Waters, born in April, 1915.

Join us on facebook and twitter, and check out some of our recordings from the Wednesday jams at http://www.reverbnation.com/lowcountrybluesclub

It's time to pay your dues for 2011 if you haven't already done so. Just come out to a jam, and give us $10 for an individual, $25 for a band or family, or $100 for a corporate membership. Or you can mail dues to The Lowcountry Blues Club, P.O. Box 814, Isle of Palms, SC 29451.

LMW, April 21, 2011

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Focus on: English Charlie!

“English Charlie” - Bio by Scott Bucholtz

Known in other circles as “Charles Wyke-Smith” a corporate Vice President, a best-selling author, product/software designer, strategist, speaker, consultant and pioneer in the field of interactive media development, “English Charlie” has become a prominent member of the Lowcountry Blues Club. While his corporate image may not seem like a natural fit for the “Blues, Beer and BBQ” scene, I would counter with the fact that the same traits that have made him a success in business are the same traits that ultimately provide success in music. Drive, passion, talent, infectious enthusiasm and an outgoing personality. Far too often, the term “musician” has a negative connotation. In our efforts to dispel the myth, Charlie is a great ambassador.

Born in Derbyshire, England he grew up in a little village about 12 miles from Sheffield. His father was an acoustic player who had somehow managed to learn a bunch of Americana tunes. His mother was a classically trained pianist and used to play Chopin beautifully – Charlie still thinks Chopin’s Nocturnes are the most haunting and evocative music every written.

Having watched his Dad play since he was born, he surprised his father when he was about nine, by playing the flamenco tune “Romanza” to him. He’d been watching him play it for weeks and found he could copy it pretty easily. Charlie recorded a version of it just prior to his father’s death, and his family played it at the funeral – certainly that was a poignant tribute. Music can certainly communicate so far beyond words.

Of course, in England back in the sixties it was all the Beatles all the time. Consequently, he quickly learned all their stuff (and the Rolling Stones too). His older brother sang really well and they would perform concerts before they were 10 - his first taste of live shows and audience appreciation. Better to start young!

In his teens, he listened to Bob Dylan the Grateful Dead and a lot of English progressive rock – Family, Jethro Tull, Blodwyn, Pig, and off-the-wall artists like Pete Brown (who also wrote Cream’s lyrics). He was also heavily influenced by the singer-songwriter Roy Harper, who started as a folk artist and eventually produced multi-tracked vocal and guitar epics that blew Charlie away. Of course, Led Zeppelin recorded “Hats off to Roy Harper”. Charlie says, “Where do you think Jimmy Page got all that open tune guitar technique from?”

In school, Charlie joined a band with musicians who were a few years older and played Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, lots of Jethro Tull… He fondly recalls getting thrown out of clubs because he was only 13 and had to try to explain that he was part of the band (he often had to sneak back in for the next set). He still has some nice recordings from that time that they had made for the local BBC station.

Once he heard “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” by Genesis it changed his ideas of what live music could be and he started to write longer more complex music. He now identifies Peter Gabriel as the artist that he has most admired. Another huge influence was Steely Dan. A perfect blend of blues, rock and jazz, with its “obscure, nostalgic lyrics full of broken love and lost chances” – he cites “Aja” as his favorite song.

In his 20s, he was working for a lighting company in London staging big concert and conference events in London and even did a number of Pink Floyd shows at the massive Earl’s Court venue and toured Europe with Santana and Emerson, Lake and Palmer. He had a lot of fun but didn’t sleep for weeks and soon got burned out and focused entirely on the conference staging. There must be some good stories from those tours! He later got to work on and produced some big events in the 80s while traveling all over Europe and the States, and even South America and Africa. He eventually got a lot of work in San Francisco which provided the opportunity to leave cold, damp London. He lived in San Francisco for twenty years where he started a design company and got involved in CD-ROM development and later the Web. He did play in two bands there – Moving Partz, a 10-piece band with dancers, and then he started a jazzier band The Icons. That was his first effort at writing an entire show and it was exciting to play at venues like the Hotel Utah and Full Moon Salon in SF and have people enjoying the songs.

When he moved here in 2006, he started playing his songs at open mic nights so that he could meet local musicians and that is where he started playing with sax player David Sarnoff. They formed a band called Mental Note featured about ten of his new original songs and also revived some of the old Icons tunes – they played their first gig at the Music Farm in November of 2008, and then recorded a nine-track album with local engineer Jeff Leonard at Ocean Industries, the studio on Folly Beach Road owned by Eric Bass of Shinedown. He later met local guitarist J.R. Getches through a mutual friend and J.R. turned Charlie onto the Blues Club, for which he is very grateful.

Charlie says that the “Blues Club has just been a great way for me to get out and play live”. He is now involved with a software startup called PeopleMatter and just doesn’t always have time to rehearse and play out. He mentions that there are so many good musicians there and he especially enjoys listening to Dan Wright, Billy Gadol, Jack Downey and Charlie Kendall. He hopes to get back in the studio and record some new originals – he loves the whole recording experience. “I could spend every day in the studio”. He is trying to persuade his favorite drummer, Quentin Ravenel along with J.R. Getches to join him.

He states that he has “never felt so welcome anywhere as at Blues Club and it’s just a great pleasure to hang out and get to perform with so many good players”. He also volunteers a big “thanks to Dan, Greg Levkus, Big Tim, and Lua for putting it together every week, John Scott for the sound mixing, and Madison, Keith, Jill and all the crew at Home Team”. I’ll certainly second that emotion!

Another thing that Charlie has in common with our friend J.R. Getches is a personal B.B. King story. He met The King backstage at the Rainbow Theatre in London many years ago between his sets – “he just a had a charisma I’ll never forget and was very friendly – he sat and talked about the South in the 40’s while he picked out licks on his red Gibson 335, (Lucille) – he never put it down, and when they called him, he just said ‘Gotta go’, got up and walked right back on stage, still playing”. Outstanding!

Charles Wyke-Smith is another sterling example of the talent that stands next to us each and every week as part of the Lowcountry Blues Club. Each member’s BIO has highlighted the fact that we get to listen to, watch and perform with not only the Charleston area’s best talent, but talent on a regional, national and truly global scale. Spread the word!

This weekend the entertainment in Charleston is totally off of the charts!! The best $8 you can spend will probably be at the Music Farm Friday Night for the LESLIE CD release party. Opening for Leslie will be the incredible The SHANIQUA BROWN as well as HeyRocco! Another event that I HIGHLY recommend is the 4th Annual National Independent Record Store Day all day Saturday at Monster Music & Movies featuring in-store performances by LESLIE, Mac Leaphart, HeyRocco! and many others.

As always, our Blues Club friends will be featured all over this weekend. Captain Kirk will be with STARLING Friday night at Skynyrd’s in St. George and then at the North Park Grille on Saturday. New friends OLD YOU are at the Vendue Rooftop while Wet Willies will feature Shane Clark on Friday night or you can experience PLANE JANE at N. Charleston’s Wild Wing CafĂ©. If you haven’t seen them yet, you must see FOWLER’S MUSTACHE either Friday at the Windjammer or Saturday at O’Malley’s Bar & Grille. Sarah Cole & The HAWKES is at New Moon Pizzeria on 4/15, Sea & Sand Festival Saturday afternoon and Saturday night.

Don’t forget next Tuesday at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center you can catch the Steve Miller Band with Gregg Allman. Before you know it, it’s jam night then time to rest up for the weekend and await Skye Paige and The ORIGINAL RECIPE at the Village Tavern.

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Reminders:

Our young friends in Heyrocco have a chance to go to the Bonnaroo Music festival! They are in a competition, and need your vote! If you have already voted - thank you!! If not, just look on their facebook page for a link - you hit "download" which gets you a free song, and they get a vote - easy - do it!

April's featured artist is Muddy Waters, born in April, 1915.

Join us on facebook and twitter, and check out some of our recordings from the Wednesday jams at http://www.reverbnation.com/lowcountrybluesclub

It's time to pay your dues for 2011 if you haven't already done so. Just come out to a jam, and give us $10 for an individual, $25 for a band or family, or $100 for a corporate membership. Or you can mail dues to The Lowcountry Blues Club, P.O. Box 814, Isle of Palms, SC 29451.

LMW, April 13, 2011

Friday, April 8, 2011

Vote for Heyrocco!

Hi All -

I'm late getting this blog out after having a busy day yesterday, then heading out to see our jam-master Dan Wright play a great show at the Windjammer last night. I wish all of you could have been there - he put on an awesome show with great energy! A young band called A Fragile Tomorrow also played - you should check them out when you get the chance - three brothers and their friend who write great rock songs with beautiful harmonies...

In other news, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks recently played in Charleston, and after their show, they stopped by Juanita Greenberg's where Sarah Cole was playing with the Hawkes, and Susan sat in and played a song or two with Sarah!! You can find a video clip on youtube or facebook -- how I wish I had been there!

And, our young friends in Heyrocco have a chance to go to the Bonnaroo Music festival! They are in a competition, and need your vote! If you have already voted - thank you!! If not, just look on their facebook page for a link - you hit "download" which gets you a free song, and they get a vote - easy - do it! They are currently #3 in the nation (!) but need your help to stay up there!

So, what's going on this weekend? There's always so much, so check the Charleston City Paper, Charleston Scene, and facebook. But some highlights: Tonight, Friday night the 8th, there's Jonny Lang at House of Blues in Myrtle Beach, sure to be a great time.

And Gary Erwin tells us that Sunday, April 10, 2-7 pm, is the 7th annual BLUES BY THE SEA - www.bluesbash.com/kiawah (print your own EZ brochure with full details - like lawnchairs, coolers, food/bev) and www.freshfieldsvillage.com for venue info.
Freshfields Village Green - Kiawah Island, SC - Presented by Kiawah Island ATAX Committee

JAMES COTTON with DARRELL NULISCH
IKE & VAL WOODS
MARCELO y VIVIANA (duo)

FREE

(NOTE: 6 pm that evening: MARCELO y VIVIANA at Lucy's Grill, just outside the gate of Seabrook Island - 2 minutes from BLUES BY THE SEA - www.lucysgrill.com )

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Reminders:

Come out on Wednesday night for the LBC jam at Home Team BBQ/West Ashley - you don't want to miss it!!

April's featured artist is Muddy Waters, born in April, 1915.

Join us on facebook and twitter, and check out some of our recordings from the Wednesday jams at http://www.reverbnation.com/lowcountrybluesclub

It's time to pay your dues for 2011 if you haven't already done so. Just come out to a jam, and give us $10 for an individual, $25 for a band or family, or $100 for a corporate membership. Or you can mail dues to The Lowcountry Blues Club, P.O. Box 814, Isle of Palms, SC 29451.

LMW, April 8, 2011