Roots Review 30

I've spent time of late... with doctors and bureaucrats
I can't relate.

Days got hard so I got harder...
but even honest effort weighs a heavy load.

I ain't dyin', I'm still tryin'
people I been down much harder roads.


But the show goes on thanks to John Powers,








Johnny Charles,








Billy K and Duane Chez...









Arne Englund, Robert Z, Big Boy Kenny, JR Bradfield and HoneyBoy Dupree.







The show is real cause the people make it. EJ Rice, Josh Gebhardt, Bassboards Blues, Kate Weber, Sugarfoot Dengler don't fake it

Yeah I blew a gasket, got spastic, tried to mask it, health-insurance bombastic, but I will deal, I will heal...

And because of Win and Jaimo Flynn, I say it again... it's the people who make it real.

...from my heart, ARL is more than I hoped it could ever be in this short amount of time. Thank you.





Before we wrap this view, I want to acknowledge the rockin', roots-gone-mad, back to back performances of Tweed Schade & the Sugar Daddies at American Roots Live 28 at the Crossroads, and ARL 29 at Bluetone Cafe. Easton will never be the same.

Tweed and Cochise are an act that is not to be missed! They are hot damn', honest to goodness American Roots rockin' madness. Tweed Schade (ah it's a cool name) is a smooth showman. He is authentic, funny, handsome and witty, and yeah he's a cool ride!

(Copyright, Nasty Ned, USA 2006)

(That's Evan Coniglio pictured at top, on right - sound tech at the Rail and one of the hottest young bass players in New Jersey.)

Keeping it real,

Ned

Visit Ned Dot Com Com'on

Roots Review 29

Alright. We are all having fun at the American Roots Live celebrations at Crossroads in Garwood, NJ and the Bluetone Cafe in Easton, PA.

We've had the honor and privilege of hearing and playing with some of the most incredible, veteran musicians anywhere, like Johnny Charles, BB Brauswetter, Mike Caruso, Lee Fink, Gene Downin, Jake Jar el, Mike Flynn, Spiros Soukis, Roger Prieto, Michael Krizan, Rob Fraser, Tweed Schade & the Sugar Daddies, Rob Paparozzi, Todd Lanka, HoneyBoy Dupree, The Congregation, Alan Rogoff, Jimmy Somma, Dean Shot, Big Boy Kenny Nerbak, Duane Chez and the list goes on and on...

We've also had the enviable opportunity of being able to showcase new, upcoming stars like John Powers, The Wiliamzboy, Kelly Caruso, Kate Weber and literally hundreds of (if not more) enthusiastic and talented players and singers, young and old, too numerous to mention here.

Today I want to recognize someone, who from the behind the scenes, as well as from on the stage, has been instrumental in keeping American Roots ticking.

I first knew Ed Pampani (pic) as a photographer, but soon learned he was a damned good drummer, too, AND a wonderful human being.


I think it was BB, who commented after jamming with Ed one night,"man, this guy's a time piece." And that's what Ed Pampani is - a time piece - and just as steady.

Ed Pampani has helped spread the American Roots Movement message with his myspace, blog and other internet presences and along with Win and his camera, Ed Pampani and his camera have been to all of the American Roots Live celebrations from 1 thru 29.

When you come to an American Roots Live show, say hello to Ed. He is indeed a pleasant symmetry and I am proud to call him my friend. We should all be thankful that he is a friend of American Roots. Thank you Ed Pampani.

We'll talk more about Ed and other "behind the scenes American Rooters" like Win and Robert Z and others in coming posts, but for now, we hope to see you soon.

Keeping it real,

Ned

Roots Review 28

How do you define "spirit"?
As a noun you could say spirit is someone's soul, but when you imply someone "has spirit," then defining spirit includes the measure of a person's positive energy, their will, strength, dedication, determination, humility, ability, motivation, inspiration, good sense, faith, humor, honor, decency, respect, respectability, and myriad other intangible character traits.

John Powers has spirit - and without which, American Roots Live would not be where it is today.

Wednesday night's American Roots Live 28 at Crossroads in Garwood, NJ, was like a cross between an Alan Freed's traveling all stars show of the 50's and a modern-day music festival with 30 names on the bill and continuous music. ARL 28 didn't resemble an open mic, although, it was.

Quality act after quality act showed their spirit on our stage before an appreciative audience in an SRO house. And, by the time individual musicians came together to play, they were all notable, accomplished performers that sounded like rehearsed bands.

There really is no other show like American Roots Live.

Getting us started and setting the tone for a great night of music was John Powers, EJ Rice and Josh Gebhardt, then The Wiliamzboy with his rhythmic, well crafted songs.(pic)








ThenTweed Schade (pic) & the Sugar Daddies with Cochise, John, and Gar Francis had us rockin' down that Raritan Line.
Look out Easton, here comes Tweed Schade & the Sugar Daddies.

Then it was Kelly Caruso's turn to take the stage with Daddy Mike on bass Johnny Charles, guitar, Walter Bordonaro, saxophone, Powers on drums and JR Bradfield, guitar.

Kelly (pic below) displayed strong, disciplined vocals as she performed like a star and looked even better than she does in this pic taken by Ed Pampani back in August.













Then came the ARL right hook, all the way from Athens, Greece via NYC, arriving by car with bassist Margery Peters, was Spiros Soukis - my friend from cyber-roots. Spiros tore the house up with his authentic, rockin' American blues guitar and Clapton-like vocals. Look out Easton, here comes Spiros Soukis.










With BB in the house and OREO also in the dim lit room, Dean Shot made his first visit to ARL and we were honored. Dean ripped it up with Jimmy Somma, Freddie Farrow and Walter Foot then invited Bones Sanford to play a little harp on one. We had the "Newark Hillbilly" Robert Z, Ed Pampani, Monsters of Mojo; Jorge, John & John, Bob Brienza, Brad Sicotte, Screamin' Mimi Nowak, Arlene Schar (pic), Soup Boy and more..."

I am so proud of our American Roots Movement and I'm so proud of you.

Then we Loaded the caravan on Thursday and moved American Roots Live 28 to the Bluetone Cafe in Easton, PA where we tore it up again, AND with "more "back to back" awards in order - this time for John Powers, Johnny Charles, Bernie BB Brauswetter and Robert Z - the Bluetone was smokin'.

Another good crowd on hand - chowin' down Aaron's burgers, southern fried chicken, cheese mac and sweet potato fires served up by Christine - kickin back to take in the incredible music swirling through the room by John Powers, Keith McGonigle, Hot Pat, Billy K, Jaimo Flynn from Big Daddy and the Wild Cats, Bernie BB Brauswetter, Rob "Rock" Bianco, Vern Mobley from Fussion Jazz Trio, Johnny Charles, Sonny Young, Robert Z, Jeff Bennison, Randall Smith, Ken Barry, Arne Englund, Rob Fraser from Mike Dugan's Blues Mission, Andy McGregor, Nick T, Roman, Paul Berger from Can't Stop Now, Keith Jr... Keith Sr.. we even had WDIY's Stewart Brodian and Arlene Schar in the house.

Thanks to Joe Karam, Lee Frankel, our sponsors, supporters, friends and volunteers, Elmore Magazine, Richard Skelly, JSJBF and ambassadors Powers, Duane Chez and HoneyBoy Dupree.
We'll look for you at the American Roots Live 29 nearest you, or maybe even see you back to back - that's double the fun!

Keeping it real,

Ned

Roots Review 27

Here's an example of our American Roots Music system.



Listen to the earliest sounds of Son House and Charlie Patton, then the distinctive blues guitar of Hubert Sumlin behind Howlin' Wolf, the electrified slide vibrato of Muddy Waters, then, Buddy Guy, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn, then, come to American Roots Live at Crossroads in Garwood, New Jersey or the Bluetone Cafe in Easton, PA and hear Johnny Charles and Bernie BB Brauswetter whipping like two leaves on a tree in a hurricane - and you have come full circle.

Root to trunk to branch to leaf...

Hearing Johnny and BB on-stage together was an experience we all enjoyed at American Roots Live 27 Wednesday night down at the Crossroads. The two strat-masters, shoulder to shoulder, rocked the house with JR Bradfield on bass and John Powers slappin' the skins.

Making their American Roots Live debut that night, and placing their mark on our stage, was North Jersey's, The Congregation. We were mightily impressed by their interesting material and arrangements, and their musicianship and professionalism. Playing witty, well crafted original songs The Congregation's web site describes as a blending of blues, jazz, rock, soul and "cowboy themes" with a "distinctive flavor of pine trees and exhaust fumes"... they are right on - that's North Jersey - and that's The Congregation.

Thanks Evil Dick, Chuck, Sal and Rich. Hurry back!

Other inspired performances heard this night by Jukebox Jim Cimino singing and playing his red, Ovation double-necked guitar, Bones Sanford, harmonica, Arlene Schar, violin, Robert Z, guitar & vocals, Ed Pampani, drums, Screamin' Mimi Nowak, 'nuff said, Bob Del Rosso, guitar, Len De Piano, keyboards, EJ Rice, drums, Josh Gebhardt, bass and the future of American music, John Powers who kicked off American Roots Live 27 with a crisp set of his own original crowd pleasers including, Airplanes, Highway Lines and others.

On the Road

ARL 27 saw three "back to back" performances this week. Bernie BB Brauswetter, JR Bradfield and Arlene Schar all made the drive to entertain audiences on back to back nights, Wednesday at Crossroads and Thursday at the Bluetone. They are the first to do so since John Powers did it for ARL 24 and has committed to doing again for ARL 28.

...interesting things always happen when John Powers gets together with those musicians across the Delaware. Fan's should consider doing an ARLive "back to back" too.

Anyway, ARL 27 at the Bluetone Cafe in Easton, PA was the place to be Thursday night if you're diggin' dem live roots.

Joining us for the first time at American Roots Live Thursday was Dawn "Sugarfoot" Dengler playing drums and rounding out our guesthost band with AR All Stars JR Bradfield on guitars and vocals and Big Boy Kenny Nerbak thumpin' the bass.

JR Bradfield did the honors this night by beautifully playing the Star Spangled Banner on "stumpy", a guitar he hand crafted from an old tree in his backyard. Come see stumpy one night, JR will be happy to show you how his stumpavarious was made...

Outstanding performances at the Bluetone beyond those mentioned above were put in by American Roots favorites Billy K, Arlene Schar, Vern Mobely, Lori V, Sonny Young, Nick T, Leo, Danny B, Jason, Baja Zero, Eric and Chuck, Jeff, Jim, Jen and Niwana, Rob and of course the legendary Bernie BB Brauswetter.

Many thanks to our venues, ownership and staffs, all of the talented, dedicated musicians and singers who grace our stage week after week, our sponsors, supporters and friends, and the American Roots volunteers and ambassadors Powers and Chez and HoneyBoy Dupree who is gearing up for his show on October 14 at Alice Cooper Town with the Phoenix Blues Society, equipped with Elmore Magazines and the American Roots Movement message.

Please do your part. Come to the American Roots Live show nearest you and encourage your friends to do the same.

Keeping it real,

Ned