Hi Blues Club Friends -
For those who enjoy New Orleans style Cajun music, it's time to celebrate -- It's Cajun Festival time! But more on that in a minute.
First, let's talk about blues on Saturday morning -- Saturday, April 2, 8 am (that's morning, folks) the COOPER RIVER BRIDGE RUN (www.bridgerun.com) includes live blues on the Run course: SHRIMP CITY SLIM quartet (Coleman Blvd at Shem Creek, Mt. Pleasant); JEFF LIBERTY duo, JEFF BEASLEY ONE-MAN BAND, JUKE JOINT JOHNNY & DREW BALDWIN (all on King Street downtown between Wentworth and Ann St. And the music is all FREE -- what a deal!
Then, on Sunday, April 3, 12-6 pm, the 20TH ANNUAL LOWCOUNTRY CAJUN FESTIVAL is at James Island County Park (www.ccprc.com) Admission fee is $10 for adults, free for children 12 and under... LIL POOKIE & THE ZYDECO SENSATIONS and JJ CAILLIER & THE ZYDECO KNOCKOUTS will play, and there's always some great Cajun food for sale, too!
JJ and the band are also doing two nights - both locations of Home Team BBQ, Friday and Saturday, April 1-2, check www.hometeambbq.com for specifics.
Some blues club friends are playing around town too this weekend. Highway 17 Blues Band plays at Smokey's Place on Friday night, April 1, 9pm. Our friend Scott Bucholtz wants you to know that he'll be with the country-style Mason Dixon Band on Saturday Night at Mueller’s Pub off Hwy 17 in W. Ashley (between the Piggly Wiggly and Cici’s Pizza). And our friend Skye Paige will play at Home Team BBQ/West Ashley this coming Tuesday night.
So we hope you have lots of fun this weekend, and we'll see you next Wednesday night for another spectacular installment of the Lowcountry Blues Club jam at Home Team/West Ashley!!
-------------------------------------------
Reminders:
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, March 31, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Happy Spring!
Happy Spring to all! This week's feature article is submitted by Jack Downey:
BLUES YOU CAN USE - What is the blues?
What is the blues? Within the blues there are a myriad of sub-genres that collectively make up that style of music that we celebrate every week at Lowcountry Blues Club. While there are certain styles of play that are easy to recognize as definitive ‘blues’, there are players that choose to perform songs that push the envelope of the ‘standard’ blues genre. The truth is, what started as acoustic music played in the rural Mississippi Delta has grown and evolved into forms that may or may not be instantly recognizable as ‘blues’.
The blues has also spawned completely other forms of music, including jazz, rock and roll, rockabilly, funk, country, southern rock, doo wop, and a host of others. Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, T-Bone Walker, and Jimmy Reed represent some of the definitive blues that marked the early part of the 20th century. British rockers took the art form to a new, more high-energy level…artists like the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, John Mayall, Jeff Beck, Ten Years After and Led Zeppelin, as well as Americans John Lee Hooker, Lonnie Mack, B.B. King, Duane Allman, Johnny Winter, and Jimi Hendrix. From there, a newer wave of blues artists emerged…Gary Moore, Stevie Ray Vaughan, George Thorogood, ZZ Top, and Jeff Healey.
Today, artists like Jonny Lang, Govt’t Mule, Popa Chubby, John Mayer, Walter Trout, Blues Traveler, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Joe Bonamassa, and The Black Keys carry on in a form that would be considered very progressive to someone like Robert Johnson in 1928, but is, nonetheless…the blues. When someone makes a song selection at the weekly blues jam that is something I might initially consider outside of the genre, I listen closer and try to open my mind to how that song represents the blues to that player. Being exposed to different interpretations of ‘the blues’ at Lowcountry Blues Club has helped to deepen my understanding and appreciation of the blues, and has inspired me to share my interpretations with others.
Isn’t that what Lowcountry Blues Club is all about? I think so. I’m looking forward to next Wednesday.
----------------------------------------------
This weekend should be a good one to be out and about, with lots to do around town. As always, we recommend you check out the Charleston City Paper and Charleston Scene for all the news... Here's a few music picks from us though: Friday night March 25th, Sharon Jones and the Dap-King bring their old-school soul and funk (and awesome horns) to the Music Farm, 8pm, $20. On Saturday night our own Highway 17 Blues Band plays at the Bottom Grill and Pub, and our good friend Scott Bucholtz plays with the country-style Mason-Dixon band at Famous Joe's. On Sunday the 27th there's a cool Record Expo at Monster Music in West Ashley from 10 am - 5pm featuring lots of new and used vinyl. And later on Sunday night Mike Watt and the Missingmen play the Pour House with openers The Fairy God Muthas featuring our friend Ballard Lesemann.
----------------------------------------------
Reminders:
Come out each and every Wednesday to the jam at Home Team BBQ/ West Ashley, 8pm, y'all!
March birthdays are Son House, Lightnin' Hopkins, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Eric Clapton.
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, March 24, 2011
BLUES YOU CAN USE - What is the blues?
What is the blues? Within the blues there are a myriad of sub-genres that collectively make up that style of music that we celebrate every week at Lowcountry Blues Club. While there are certain styles of play that are easy to recognize as definitive ‘blues’, there are players that choose to perform songs that push the envelope of the ‘standard’ blues genre. The truth is, what started as acoustic music played in the rural Mississippi Delta has grown and evolved into forms that may or may not be instantly recognizable as ‘blues’.
The blues has also spawned completely other forms of music, including jazz, rock and roll, rockabilly, funk, country, southern rock, doo wop, and a host of others. Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, T-Bone Walker, and Jimmy Reed represent some of the definitive blues that marked the early part of the 20th century. British rockers took the art form to a new, more high-energy level…artists like the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, John Mayall, Jeff Beck, Ten Years After and Led Zeppelin, as well as Americans John Lee Hooker, Lonnie Mack, B.B. King, Duane Allman, Johnny Winter, and Jimi Hendrix. From there, a newer wave of blues artists emerged…Gary Moore, Stevie Ray Vaughan, George Thorogood, ZZ Top, and Jeff Healey.
Today, artists like Jonny Lang, Govt’t Mule, Popa Chubby, John Mayer, Walter Trout, Blues Traveler, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Joe Bonamassa, and The Black Keys carry on in a form that would be considered very progressive to someone like Robert Johnson in 1928, but is, nonetheless…the blues. When someone makes a song selection at the weekly blues jam that is something I might initially consider outside of the genre, I listen closer and try to open my mind to how that song represents the blues to that player. Being exposed to different interpretations of ‘the blues’ at Lowcountry Blues Club has helped to deepen my understanding and appreciation of the blues, and has inspired me to share my interpretations with others.
Isn’t that what Lowcountry Blues Club is all about? I think so. I’m looking forward to next Wednesday.
----------------------------------------------
This weekend should be a good one to be out and about, with lots to do around town. As always, we recommend you check out the Charleston City Paper and Charleston Scene for all the news... Here's a few music picks from us though: Friday night March 25th, Sharon Jones and the Dap-King bring their old-school soul and funk (and awesome horns) to the Music Farm, 8pm, $20. On Saturday night our own Highway 17 Blues Band plays at the Bottom Grill and Pub, and our good friend Scott Bucholtz plays with the country-style Mason-Dixon band at Famous Joe's. On Sunday the 27th there's a cool Record Expo at Monster Music in West Ashley from 10 am - 5pm featuring lots of new and used vinyl. And later on Sunday night Mike Watt and the Missingmen play the Pour House with openers The Fairy God Muthas featuring our friend Ballard Lesemann.
----------------------------------------------
Reminders:
Come out each and every Wednesday to the jam at Home Team BBQ/ West Ashley, 8pm, y'all!
March birthdays are Son House, Lightnin' Hopkins, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Eric Clapton.
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, March 24, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Focus on Dan Wright
This weeks’ feature by Scott Bucholtz
For the last two years, Dan Wright has been Jam Master for the Lowcountry Blues Club -- hosting Jam Nights and ensuring that everyone in attendance goes home in disbelief that we get to witness world class talent up close (and free). Born in Redford, MI, about a mile from the Detroit city limit, his first exposure to music was playing piano with his grandmother when he was a kid. There are many musicians and artists on his father’s side of the family, including his third cousin, Billy Corgan from Smashing Pumpkins (coincidently, Pumpkins original bassist, D’arcy Wretzky is from a town in SW Michigan about 30 minutes from where I grew up). He moved here in January of 2006 after meeting a girl while on tour with a band called Gordon Bennett, from Detroit. They played two nights in Wilmington, NC, where he met her on the last night of the tour. After the band split up, and he finished college, he moved here. Though they aren’t together anymore, they have remained friends. Charleston owes a ‘thank you’ to that young lady!
After his initial experience with the piano, he started as a drummer when he was about 6. In fact, he played drums and percussion through middle school and high school and even went to arts camp on a scholarship and got to play with a full orchestra, etc. While he doesn’t have his drums here, he still wishes that he did. Believe it or not, he didn’t start playing guitar until he was 14. He’d been playing in a band in high school (on drums) and used to pick up his friend's guitar to mess around. Once he got his own guitar, it became his obsession and he never put it down. It seems that we hear that from every great guitar player! Blues Club members may also have noticed Dan playing bass on jam nights, and he can carry a song on keys too.
Shortly after arriving, he found the Blues Club in the Charleston City Paper as he was looking for a place to go play. The first time Dan went to A Dough Re Mi was to see Scott Holt. He couldn’t believe that a hero of his was playing at such a small place. He previously saw Holt at the Chicago Blues Festival, the Windsor Blues Festival in Windsor, Ontario, and at the DTE Energy theater with Buddy Guy in Detroit. That was the first time Dan had ever walked into the “Dough”. He still has a picture with him from that night. That is one of the amazing things about the Charleston music scene. On any given night, you can see world class talent up close and on a budget!
Dan’s biggest influence when he starting playing was Led Zeppelin. That was the band that made him want to be a guitar player. He used to listen to Led Zeppelin constantly. He says, “Physical Graffiti literally changed my life”. This is another familiar tale!
Dan has a pretty open ear for music. To name a few influences, he lists: Stevie Wonder, Bob Seger, B.B. King, Maceo Parker, the Police, Neal Casal, the Meters, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Thelonius Monk. This eclectic list certainly is evident in some of the fantastic performances we all get to experience on Jam Nights. He favors jamming to anything funk that has a wide open minor I/IV chord structure. Similar to the response from most club members, he won’t name any favorite jammers but states: “All of them. It amazes me how many people show up week after week. What we have is something really great”. I know we all agree!
Over the past 10 years, Dan has spent a lot of time in the studio on a variety of projects. He’s recorded a number under his name such as: The White Bread EP in 2001 on Alley Records in Ypsilanti and Live at the Red Dog Saloon, 2002. Those of us in Charleston should be familiar with the Dan Wright and the New Beat EP featuring ”Hard Road”, “Let Your Soul Shine Brighter”, “Get a Handle”, singles that were recorded at Charleston Sound Studios, produced by Jeff Hodges, as well as the Soul Sample, EP also recorded at Charleston Sound Studios, engineered by Joey Cox. These are as good as any independent recording you’ll ever find! Many of these have been on my iPod’s ‘most played’ list for a long time. Dan has also recorded with others such as: Gordon Bennett singles “You Got Me” and “Sweet 16” recorded at Pearl Sound Studios, Novi, MI produced by Chuck Alkazian. Dan is also very proud of the work that he has done with The Tim Hodson Band. The “Listen to Hear” EP was recorded at Charleston Sound Studios, (also produced by Jeff Hodges). They are currently finishing five more songs, and the full length CD should be done by the end of this month. I’ve been lucky enough to catch them many times and getting the opportunity to sit in was certainly a personal highlight. His next goals are to finish recording his next CD and to play more original gigs.
In a career filled with highlights, some of the things he remembers the most are his first nights in hotels on the road, hearing his song on the radio for the first time, picking up his first stack of printed CD’s, reading his name in the “Who’s Who of Detroit Blues” catalog, playing on Beale Street in Memphis… He notes getting to meet Al Green and Buddy Guy here in Charleston (he actually drove them each around town). He affectionately remembers many of the places that he’s played, special events and “every person I’ve met because of music”. Performing the National Anthem two days after 9/11 was an occasion that had a profound effect on him and he’ll always remember.
While speaking like a truly ‘experienced’ musician, some of his best memories are the ones he can’t even remember (or can’t elaborate). A few that do come to mind are: performing at the Magic Bag in Detroit, being chased by hotel security in Atlanta (this story is best saved for his autobiography), falling off of the stage at the Military Street Music Café (another story for another time) and trying to ring Eminem’s doorbell in the middle of the night… he and his band mates stopped their van at Eminem’s driveway on the way back from a gig and as Dan started to get out, two huge security guards bolted out of the house… Fun on the road!
2010 saw Dan win the Southeast Region, King of the Blues Competition and, along with The New Beat, he won the opportunity to represent the State of South Carolina in the International Blues Challenge for the second consecutive year. The notable list of bands that Dan has performed with includes: Coyote Bone, Gordon Bennett, Quiana Parler and Friends, Soul Captive, Hot Shotgun, the Terraplanes, and the Martindales. Of course, currently, you can catch him with Dan Wright and The New Beat, as well as with The Tim Hodson Band, and the Holy City Hooligans with Ben Fagan.
This week is busy for Dan. Thursday, 17th he will be at O’Malley’s downtown with Holy City Hooligans. On Friday, he is at Montreux in Summerville with The Tim Hodson Band. Saturday Night he will be at Southend Brewery, performing in an acoustic trio with Tim Hodson and Will Moore and on Sunday, he has an early solo acoustic show at the Mosaic Café, Mt. Pleasant, 7pm. Keep an eye on the City Paper and Facebook for more of his future gigs!
This weekend, you have numerous opportunities to catch other Blues Club members in action. On Friday you can see Captain Kirk play with The Starling Band at Smokey’s Place, Plane Jane at the North Charleston Wild Wing Café, Sarah Cole & The Hawkes at Wolf Track Inn or JR Getches with the Louie D Project at The Charleston Beer Works. Louie D will also be at Johnson’s Pub Saturday night. The Folly Beach Sea & Sand Festival is Saturday with numerous acts to choose from including Sarah Cole and the Hawkes, Mac Leaphart and Gaslight Street (pick up the new CD “Idle Speed”). Also on Saturday night, you won’t want to miss Rev. Dr. Johnny Mac and the Booty Ranch at Jimbo’s Rock Lounge, or Highway 17 at The Bottom Bar & Grill in Bonneau. Myself? I’ll be playing with the Jonathan Robinson Trio Saturday in Mount Pleasant at The Westbrook Brewing Company St. Patrick’s Day Celebration starting at 12 noon.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Reminders:
Come out each and every Wednesday to the jam at Home Team BBQ/ West Ashley, 8pm, y'all!
March birthdays are Son House, Lightnin' Hopkins, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Eric Clapton.
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, March 17, 2011
For the last two years, Dan Wright has been Jam Master for the Lowcountry Blues Club -- hosting Jam Nights and ensuring that everyone in attendance goes home in disbelief that we get to witness world class talent up close (and free). Born in Redford, MI, about a mile from the Detroit city limit, his first exposure to music was playing piano with his grandmother when he was a kid. There are many musicians and artists on his father’s side of the family, including his third cousin, Billy Corgan from Smashing Pumpkins (coincidently, Pumpkins original bassist, D’arcy Wretzky is from a town in SW Michigan about 30 minutes from where I grew up). He moved here in January of 2006 after meeting a girl while on tour with a band called Gordon Bennett, from Detroit. They played two nights in Wilmington, NC, where he met her on the last night of the tour. After the band split up, and he finished college, he moved here. Though they aren’t together anymore, they have remained friends. Charleston owes a ‘thank you’ to that young lady!
After his initial experience with the piano, he started as a drummer when he was about 6. In fact, he played drums and percussion through middle school and high school and even went to arts camp on a scholarship and got to play with a full orchestra, etc. While he doesn’t have his drums here, he still wishes that he did. Believe it or not, he didn’t start playing guitar until he was 14. He’d been playing in a band in high school (on drums) and used to pick up his friend's guitar to mess around. Once he got his own guitar, it became his obsession and he never put it down. It seems that we hear that from every great guitar player! Blues Club members may also have noticed Dan playing bass on jam nights, and he can carry a song on keys too.
Shortly after arriving, he found the Blues Club in the Charleston City Paper as he was looking for a place to go play. The first time Dan went to A Dough Re Mi was to see Scott Holt. He couldn’t believe that a hero of his was playing at such a small place. He previously saw Holt at the Chicago Blues Festival, the Windsor Blues Festival in Windsor, Ontario, and at the DTE Energy theater with Buddy Guy in Detroit. That was the first time Dan had ever walked into the “Dough”. He still has a picture with him from that night. That is one of the amazing things about the Charleston music scene. On any given night, you can see world class talent up close and on a budget!
Dan’s biggest influence when he starting playing was Led Zeppelin. That was the band that made him want to be a guitar player. He used to listen to Led Zeppelin constantly. He says, “Physical Graffiti literally changed my life”. This is another familiar tale!
Dan has a pretty open ear for music. To name a few influences, he lists: Stevie Wonder, Bob Seger, B.B. King, Maceo Parker, the Police, Neal Casal, the Meters, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Thelonius Monk. This eclectic list certainly is evident in some of the fantastic performances we all get to experience on Jam Nights. He favors jamming to anything funk that has a wide open minor I/IV chord structure. Similar to the response from most club members, he won’t name any favorite jammers but states: “All of them. It amazes me how many people show up week after week. What we have is something really great”. I know we all agree!
Over the past 10 years, Dan has spent a lot of time in the studio on a variety of projects. He’s recorded a number under his name such as: The White Bread EP in 2001 on Alley Records in Ypsilanti and Live at the Red Dog Saloon, 2002. Those of us in Charleston should be familiar with the Dan Wright and the New Beat EP featuring ”Hard Road”, “Let Your Soul Shine Brighter”, “Get a Handle”, singles that were recorded at Charleston Sound Studios, produced by Jeff Hodges, as well as the Soul Sample, EP also recorded at Charleston Sound Studios, engineered by Joey Cox. These are as good as any independent recording you’ll ever find! Many of these have been on my iPod’s ‘most played’ list for a long time. Dan has also recorded with others such as: Gordon Bennett singles “You Got Me” and “Sweet 16” recorded at Pearl Sound Studios, Novi, MI produced by Chuck Alkazian. Dan is also very proud of the work that he has done with The Tim Hodson Band. The “Listen to Hear” EP was recorded at Charleston Sound Studios, (also produced by Jeff Hodges). They are currently finishing five more songs, and the full length CD should be done by the end of this month. I’ve been lucky enough to catch them many times and getting the opportunity to sit in was certainly a personal highlight. His next goals are to finish recording his next CD and to play more original gigs.
In a career filled with highlights, some of the things he remembers the most are his first nights in hotels on the road, hearing his song on the radio for the first time, picking up his first stack of printed CD’s, reading his name in the “Who’s Who of Detroit Blues” catalog, playing on Beale Street in Memphis… He notes getting to meet Al Green and Buddy Guy here in Charleston (he actually drove them each around town). He affectionately remembers many of the places that he’s played, special events and “every person I’ve met because of music”. Performing the National Anthem two days after 9/11 was an occasion that had a profound effect on him and he’ll always remember.
While speaking like a truly ‘experienced’ musician, some of his best memories are the ones he can’t even remember (or can’t elaborate). A few that do come to mind are: performing at the Magic Bag in Detroit, being chased by hotel security in Atlanta (this story is best saved for his autobiography), falling off of the stage at the Military Street Music Café (another story for another time) and trying to ring Eminem’s doorbell in the middle of the night… he and his band mates stopped their van at Eminem’s driveway on the way back from a gig and as Dan started to get out, two huge security guards bolted out of the house… Fun on the road!
2010 saw Dan win the Southeast Region, King of the Blues Competition and, along with The New Beat, he won the opportunity to represent the State of South Carolina in the International Blues Challenge for the second consecutive year. The notable list of bands that Dan has performed with includes: Coyote Bone, Gordon Bennett, Quiana Parler and Friends, Soul Captive, Hot Shotgun, the Terraplanes, and the Martindales. Of course, currently, you can catch him with Dan Wright and The New Beat, as well as with The Tim Hodson Band, and the Holy City Hooligans with Ben Fagan.
This week is busy for Dan. Thursday, 17th he will be at O’Malley’s downtown with Holy City Hooligans. On Friday, he is at Montreux in Summerville with The Tim Hodson Band. Saturday Night he will be at Southend Brewery, performing in an acoustic trio with Tim Hodson and Will Moore and on Sunday, he has an early solo acoustic show at the Mosaic Café, Mt. Pleasant, 7pm. Keep an eye on the City Paper and Facebook for more of his future gigs!
This weekend, you have numerous opportunities to catch other Blues Club members in action. On Friday you can see Captain Kirk play with The Starling Band at Smokey’s Place, Plane Jane at the North Charleston Wild Wing Café, Sarah Cole & The Hawkes at Wolf Track Inn or JR Getches with the Louie D Project at The Charleston Beer Works. Louie D will also be at Johnson’s Pub Saturday night. The Folly Beach Sea & Sand Festival is Saturday with numerous acts to choose from including Sarah Cole and the Hawkes, Mac Leaphart and Gaslight Street (pick up the new CD “Idle Speed”). Also on Saturday night, you won’t want to miss Rev. Dr. Johnny Mac and the Booty Ranch at Jimbo’s Rock Lounge, or Highway 17 at The Bottom Bar & Grill in Bonneau. Myself? I’ll be playing with the Jonathan Robinson Trio Saturday in Mount Pleasant at The Westbrook Brewing Company St. Patrick’s Day Celebration starting at 12 noon.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Reminders:
Come out each and every Wednesday to the jam at Home Team BBQ/ West Ashley, 8pm, y'all!
March birthdays are Son House, Lightnin' Hopkins, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Eric Clapton.
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, March 17, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
"Best Music Venue Relocation"
Hi All -
If you haven't seen the Charleston City Paper yet this week, you should check it out. They were nice enough to give us an award in the Best of Charleston issue, for "Best Music Venue Relocation" with a nice write-up about the blues club jams. And Home Team also got voted as best jazz and blues club, so we can celebrate that as well! We want to always thank Dan Wright for continuing as our awesome jam-master, Greg Levkus for his all-around help, his reliability, and his drums, John Scott for running sound, we also thank our rotating cast of bass players, the dancers, Home Team for having us, and ALL the people who come out on Wednesday nights!! We do appreciate you all!!
Coming up this weekend: Friday night March 11, 9pm, The Victoria Station Band featuring LBC members Tim "The Big Guy" Shaw, Don Taylor, Jerry Newman and Wayne Pimental will be performing at Smokies Place in North Charleston. Located at the corner of Remount and North Rhett. Hundred Hands Down will opening. We hope you can come!
Other options for Friday night include The Louie D Project with J.R. Getches at the Silver Dollar, and Johnny Mac and the Booty Ranch at Home Team/West Ashley, 10pm. So get out there and have some fun!
And remember, if you want us to promote your band, please send all details of your event to lowcountrybluesclub@gmail.com, and put "Attention blog-writers" as the subject heading, please. Also, let us know if you would like to be one of our blog-writers! Or if you'd just like to write a short article that we could put in the newsletter, please submit it to lowcountrybluesclub@gmail.com. Thanks!
And here's an article for you, written by blues club member Jack Downey:
BLUES YOU CAN USE: Tube vs Solid State Guitar Amplifiers
In the guitar world, especially the blues/rock guitar world, there is a seemingly unending quest for ‘tone’. Today we will discuss the aspect of tone that is brought by the amplifier. This is intended to be a completely nontechnical discussion. If you wish to learn about the specifics of voltage vs volume, there is a ton of information available throughout the internet.
Tone. What a sneaky term. Often you will hear words to describe any given amplifier’s tone such as ‘warm’ or ‘bright’ or ‘clean’…all arbitrary terms that cannot be fully understood without actually hearing the amp itself. There are two basic technologies involved with guitar amplification…tube and solid state. Simply stated, tube amps are driven by vacuum tubes, while solid state amps are driven by transistors. When the first guitar amps were developed in the 1940’s, they, as with all amplification technology, were tube amps. As such, they defined the first amplified guitar sounds. In the 1960’s, solid state amplification was introduced. Solid state offered a more affordable (and, arguably, more reliable) solution to sound amplification. Tube amps remained in the market though, and do today, due to the distinctive difference in ‘tone’.
Is the tone of a tube amp superior to a solid state amp? That is a matter of opinion. That opinion is largely based on the tendency of a tube amp’s overdriven tone to be more pleasing to hear than a solid state amp that offers a 'clean' tone at the same volume level. Most guitarists share the opinion that tube amps are the product of choice. As a result, it is not uncommon to see retail prices for tube amps to be upwards of five times or more expensive than their solid state equivalents. I personally own several amplifiers, both tube and solid state, and I find them all to be useful depending on the situation. I have performed and recorded with both types of amps, and both have served me well. Most every guitar amp that sits on the stage at the weekly blues jam is a tube amp. I have played through some that I love, and some that I just cannot stand. Is it worth the extra money to get the tube amp? See for yourself. Come on stage and play your instrument with your own fingers through the professional equipment provided by the house band. Decide for yourself if the tone you can achieve is worth the extra money.
--------------------------------------------------
Reminders:
March birthdays are Son House, Lightnin' Hopkins, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Eric Clapton.
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, March 10, 2011
If you haven't seen the Charleston City Paper yet this week, you should check it out. They were nice enough to give us an award in the Best of Charleston issue, for "Best Music Venue Relocation" with a nice write-up about the blues club jams. And Home Team also got voted as best jazz and blues club, so we can celebrate that as well! We want to always thank Dan Wright for continuing as our awesome jam-master, Greg Levkus for his all-around help, his reliability, and his drums, John Scott for running sound, we also thank our rotating cast of bass players, the dancers, Home Team for having us, and ALL the people who come out on Wednesday nights!! We do appreciate you all!!
Coming up this weekend: Friday night March 11, 9pm, The Victoria Station Band featuring LBC members Tim "The Big Guy" Shaw, Don Taylor, Jerry Newman and Wayne Pimental will be performing at Smokies Place in North Charleston. Located at the corner of Remount and North Rhett. Hundred Hands Down will opening. We hope you can come!
Other options for Friday night include The Louie D Project with J.R. Getches at the Silver Dollar, and Johnny Mac and the Booty Ranch at Home Team/West Ashley, 10pm. So get out there and have some fun!
And remember, if you want us to promote your band, please send all details of your event to lowcountrybluesclub@gmail.com, and put "Attention blog-writers" as the subject heading, please. Also, let us know if you would like to be one of our blog-writers! Or if you'd just like to write a short article that we could put in the newsletter, please submit it to lowcountrybluesclub@gmail.com. Thanks!
And here's an article for you, written by blues club member Jack Downey:
BLUES YOU CAN USE: Tube vs Solid State Guitar Amplifiers
In the guitar world, especially the blues/rock guitar world, there is a seemingly unending quest for ‘tone’. Today we will discuss the aspect of tone that is brought by the amplifier. This is intended to be a completely nontechnical discussion. If you wish to learn about the specifics of voltage vs volume, there is a ton of information available throughout the internet.
Tone. What a sneaky term. Often you will hear words to describe any given amplifier’s tone such as ‘warm’ or ‘bright’ or ‘clean’…all arbitrary terms that cannot be fully understood without actually hearing the amp itself. There are two basic technologies involved with guitar amplification…tube and solid state. Simply stated, tube amps are driven by vacuum tubes, while solid state amps are driven by transistors. When the first guitar amps were developed in the 1940’s, they, as with all amplification technology, were tube amps. As such, they defined the first amplified guitar sounds. In the 1960’s, solid state amplification was introduced. Solid state offered a more affordable (and, arguably, more reliable) solution to sound amplification. Tube amps remained in the market though, and do today, due to the distinctive difference in ‘tone’.
Is the tone of a tube amp superior to a solid state amp? That is a matter of opinion. That opinion is largely based on the tendency of a tube amp’s overdriven tone to be more pleasing to hear than a solid state amp that offers a 'clean' tone at the same volume level. Most guitarists share the opinion that tube amps are the product of choice. As a result, it is not uncommon to see retail prices for tube amps to be upwards of five times or more expensive than their solid state equivalents. I personally own several amplifiers, both tube and solid state, and I find them all to be useful depending on the situation. I have performed and recorded with both types of amps, and both have served me well. Most every guitar amp that sits on the stage at the weekly blues jam is a tube amp. I have played through some that I love, and some that I just cannot stand. Is it worth the extra money to get the tube amp? See for yourself. Come on stage and play your instrument with your own fingers through the professional equipment provided by the house band. Decide for yourself if the tone you can achieve is worth the extra money.
--------------------------------------------------
Reminders:
March birthdays are Son House, Lightnin' Hopkins, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Eric Clapton.
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, March 10, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Upcoming Weekend
Greetings Blues Club Friends --
There's lots to do over the next few days music-wise. Of course on Wednesday, each and every Wednesday, it's the Lowcountry Blues Club jam at Home Team BBQ/West Ashley. On Thursday, you might like to check out Musician's Night with Jeff Bateman and special guests at Art's Bar & Grill in Mt Pleasant, 10pm.
Friday night there's Highway 17 Blues Band at Shooter's in Summerville, around 9:30 or so. Or you could head over to see Jeff Norwood at Surf Bar if you're on that side of town.
Saturday night, there's lots of great choices. The Dan Wright Trio opens up for the Diesel Brothers at the Windjammer, 9pm, only $5. Also, The Hawkes play The Village Tavern in Mt Pleasant at 9pm, $5. And Louie D is at the Brick, downtown, at 10, and that one's free...
In cd news, Jeff Norwood's new one called Push Pilin' has been released, and there's a good review of it in the Charleston City Paper. You can find him on facebook, and at www.jeffnorwoodblues.com -- so check it out!
Also on facebook, our friend Charlie Kendall would like you to know that he's got a new musician page, and he hopes you will "like" it!
----------------------------------------------
Reminders:
To get info in this blog, send all details of your event to lowcountrybluesclub@gmail.com, and put "Attention blog-writers" as the subject heading, please. Also, let us know if you would like to be one of our blog-writers!
March birthdays are Son House, Lightnin' Hopkins, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Eric Clapton.
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, March 1, 2011
There's lots to do over the next few days music-wise. Of course on Wednesday, each and every Wednesday, it's the Lowcountry Blues Club jam at Home Team BBQ/West Ashley. On Thursday, you might like to check out Musician's Night with Jeff Bateman and special guests at Art's Bar & Grill in Mt Pleasant, 10pm.
Friday night there's Highway 17 Blues Band at Shooter's in Summerville, around 9:30 or so. Or you could head over to see Jeff Norwood at Surf Bar if you're on that side of town.
Saturday night, there's lots of great choices. The Dan Wright Trio opens up for the Diesel Brothers at the Windjammer, 9pm, only $5. Also, The Hawkes play The Village Tavern in Mt Pleasant at 9pm, $5. And Louie D is at the Brick, downtown, at 10, and that one's free...
In cd news, Jeff Norwood's new one called Push Pilin' has been released, and there's a good review of it in the Charleston City Paper. You can find him on facebook, and at www.jeffnorwoodblues.com -- so check it out!
Also on facebook, our friend Charlie Kendall would like you to know that he's got a new musician page, and he hopes you will "like" it!
----------------------------------------------
Reminders:
To get info in this blog, send all details of your event to lowcountrybluesclub@gmail.com, and put "Attention blog-writers" as the subject heading, please. Also, let us know if you would like to be one of our blog-writers!
March birthdays are Son House, Lightnin' Hopkins, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Eric Clapton.
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, March 1, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)