Steve Miller to release 3 CD/DVD rarities box - 'Welcome to the Vault'

The news couldn't be better for fans of Steve Miller, who has decided to open his musical archives with a highly-anticipated collection coming this fall...

STEVE MILLER OPENS HIS ARCHIVES WITH WELCOME TO THE VAULT

 

LANDMARK 3CD + DVD ANTHOLOGY INCLUDES:

38 PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED RARITIES,

INCLUDING ALTERNATE VERSIONS, LIVE PERFORMANCES

AND FIVE PREVIOUSLY UNHEARD STEVE MILLER BAND SONGS

FROM THE '60S AND '70S.

 

DVD FEATURES 21 INCREDIBLE LIVE PERFORMANCES SPANNING SIX DECADES

 

UNPRECEDENTED BOX SET ALSO INCLUDES RARE PHOTOS AND MEMORABILIA

FROM ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAMER'S PERSONAL COLLECTION

 

ALSO AVAILABLE AS A 52-TRACK DIGITAL COLLECTION

 

FIRST TRACK AND PRE-ORDER AVAILABLE NOW

 

WELCOME TO THE VAULT ARRIVES EVERYWHERE ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11

Renowned guitarist, multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter, bandleader and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Steve Miller has opened up his voluminous archive of recordings for the first time ever to present a milestone 3CD + DVD box set. WELCOME TO THE VAULT covers Miller's genre-blurring six-decade career over 52 audio tracks, pairing a number of greatest hits and certifiable rock 'n roll classics with 38 previously unreleased recordings that span demos, rehearsals, outtakes, vintage concert performances and 5 newly uncovered original Steve Miller Band songs recorded in the 1960s and 1970s.

 

The accompanying DVD collects 21 live performances, among them legendary rare TV appearances and concert videos.

 

WELCOME TO THE VAULT is accompanied by a 100-page hardbound book of photos, memorabilia and artifacts from Miller's personal collection, as well as an exclusive 9,000-word essay by renowned rock journalist David Fricke. Steve Miller Band's WELCOME TO THE VAULT, also available as a 52-track digital collection, arrives Friday, October 11 via Sailor/Capitol/UMe.

 

WELCOME TO THE VAULT is heralded by today's premiere of "Rock'n Me" (Alternate Version 1), a different take of the classic #1 hit from 1976.

 

LISTEN TO "ROCK'N ME" (ALTERNATE VERSION 1)

AND PRE-ORDER WELCOME TO THE VAULT

 

WATCH TRAILER/INTRO VIDEO

 

Fricke writes in his liner notes: "Miller wrote 'Rock'n Me' with a different setting in mind. He was still without a working band when the English prog-rock giants Pink Floyd asked him to be their special guest at a massive festival on July 5th, 1975 at Knebworth, England. Miller called Lonnie Turner, Les Dudek - a guitarist in Boz Scaggs' band - and Doug Clifford, the former drummer in Creedence Clearwater Revival. They rehearsed for a single afternoon, working up a half-dozen R&B standards, a couple of Miller hits and a surprising debut, 'The Window,' an early version of which appears on WELCOME TO THE VAULT.

 

"'But I knew what was going to happen,' Miller says. The Floyd 'were gonna put me on at sunset. There won't be any lights, and I'm just chum. I needed a song to rock the whole joint.' Miller showed 'Rock'n Me' to the band at practice; they played it live for the first time in front of 100,000 people at Knebworth. 'We closed with it, and it killed them,' Miller says proudly."

 

WELCOME TO THE VAULT opens in 1969 with the Steve Miller Band covering Little Walter's "Blues With a Feeling" at the Fillmore West in San Francisco, a previously unreleased 10-minute blowout unlike anything else in Miller's official studio or live catalog. Faithful to the form yet undeniably visionary, the track instantly sets the pace for what is to come. A turbulent "Super Shuffle" recorded live at Steve Miller Band's breakthrough appearance at 1967's Monterey Pop Festival, is fast followed by such previously unreleased revelations as an early version of "Going to Mexico" (originally found on 1970's NUMBER 5) as well as solo acoustic takes on BRAVE NEW WORLD's "Kow Kow Calculator" and "Seasons," recorded on the road in 1973.

 

The evolutionary sessions for 1976's FLY LIKE AN EAGLE and 1977's BOOK OF DREAMS - Steve Miller Band's "multi-platinum fusions of crisp funk and blues undercurrents, progressive-rock electronics and hit-single pith," according to Fricke - are captured via alternate takes including a striking view of "Fly Like an Eagle" as a 12-minute work-in-progress suite. WELCOME TO THE VAULT further includes a number of alternate version of iconic Steve Miller Band tracks mostly recorded prior to their commercial releases, and a recent big band reinterpretation of "Take the Money and Run" featuring fellow Texas guitar hero Jimmie Vaughan recorded live at New York's Jazz at Lincoln Center, where Miller is involved as a performer, educator and curator focusing on blues music.

 

Indeed, the blues in all its forms can be heard throughout WELCOME TO THE VAULT, in versions of songs of Willie Dixon, Robert Johnson and Otis Rush, as well as country and R&B variations like Roy Acuff's "Freight Train Blues" and Mickey and Sylvia's classic "Love Is Strange." Miller's own personal links to the lineage and history of guitar music are also prominently featured, including a 1990 version of Jimmy Reed's "I Wanna Be Loved," recorded with his close musical friend and godfather, Les Paul, during the electric guitar pioneer's famed Monday night residency at New York City's Fat Tuesday's.

 

WELCOME TO THE VAULT closes with a pair of landmark tracks also released here for the first time that include Texas blues guitar legend T-Bone Walker performing his 1952 hit, "Lollie Lou," on a tape made the year before in the Miller Family living room by Steve's father George, a passionate jazz and blues fan and home recording enthusiast. The collection finishes more than 60 years later with Miller himself performing "Lollie Lou" at "T-Bone Walker: A Bridge from Blues to Jazz," the December 2016 tribute concert curated by Miller at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

 

As if all that weren't enough, the WELCOME TO THE VAULT DVD features 21 incredible live performances, including rare footage from 1967's Monterey Pop Festival, a Dutch TV filmed performance of the Fillmore West from 1970, a 43-minute September 1973 concert at New York's Palace Theater broadcast on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert (unseen since the '70s), an ABC In Concert performance with James Cotton (1974), a performance of "Abracadabra" from Michigan's Pine Knob from that album tour in 1982, and selections fromAustin City Limits (2011), as well as Miller's intimate 1990 performance with Les Paul at New York City's Fat Tuesday's.

 

Long regarded as one of rock's most dynamic and creative live acts, the Steve Miller Band will team up with Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives for a 36-city U.S. tour. Miller calls it "An Amazing Evening of Original American Music - Classic Rock Meets Classic Country." The trek gets underway June 13 at Des Moines, Iowa's Wells Fargo Arena and then travels through a two-night finale at Woodinville, WA's Chateau Ste. Michelle on August 30 and 31.

 

STEVE MILLER BAND

WELCOME TO THE VAULT

(Sailor/Capitol/UMe)

RELEASE DATE: October 11, 2019

 

CD 1:

1. Blues with a Feeling (Live) (1969) *

2. Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around - Alternate Version (1969) *

3. Super Shuffle (Live) (1967) **

4. It Hurts Me Too (Feat. Steve Miller Band) (Live) (1967)

5. Industrial Military Complex Hex - Alternate Version (1970) *

6. Living in the USA (1968)

7. Kow Kow Calculator - Alternate Version (1973) *

8. Going to Mexico - Alternate Version (1966) *

9. Quicksilver Girl - Alternate Version (1968) *

10. Jackson-Kent Blues - Alternate Version (1970) *

11. Crossroads (Live) (1973) *

12. Hesitation Blues (1972) **

13. Seasons - Alternate Version (1973) *

14. Say Wow! (1973) **

15. Never Kill Another Man - Alternate Version (Live) (1971) *

 

CD 2:

1. The Gangster is Back (Live) (1971)

2. Space Cowboy - Instrumental Version (1969) *

3. Space Cowboy - Alternate Version (Live) (1973) *

4. The Joker (1973)

5. The Lovin' Cup (1973)

6. Killing Floor (1975) *

7. Evil (Live) (1973)

8. Echoplex Blues (1973) **

9. Rock'n Me - Alternate Version 1 (1976) *

10. Rock'n Me - Alternate Version 2 (1976) *

11. Tain't it the Truth (1976) *

12. Freight Train Blues (1976) *

13. True Fine Love - Alternate Version (1975) *

14. The Stake - Alternate Version (1976) *

15. My Babe - Alternate Version (1982) *

16. That's the Way It's Got to Be (1974) **

17. Double Trouble (1992) *

18. Love is Strange (1974) *

19. All Your Love (I Miss Loving) - Alternate Version (1992) *

CD 3:

1. I Wanna Be Loved (Live) (1990) *

2. Fly Like an Eagle - Alternate Version (1974) *

3. Space Intro (1976)

4. Fly Like an Eagle (1976)

5. The Window - Alternate Version (1974) *

6. Mercury Blues - Alternate Version (1975) *

7. Jet Airliner - Alternate Version (1976) *

8. Take the Money and Run (1976)

9. Dance, Dance, Dance (1976)

10. Swingtown - Alternate Version (1976) *

11. Winter Time (1977)

12. Who Do You Love? (1984)

13. Abracadabra (1982)

14. Macho City - Short Version (1981)

15. Take the Money and Run - Alternate Version (Live) (2016) *

16. Bizzy's Blue Tango* (2004)

17. Lollie Lou (T-Bone Walker) (Live) (1951) *

18. Lollie Lou (Steve Miller) (Live) (2016) *

 

* PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED RECORDING

** PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED SONG

 

DVD:

Monterey International Pop Festival - 1967

- Mercury Blues

- Super Shuffle

 

The Fillmore West - Dutch TV Show El Dorado (Pik-In) - 1970

- Kow Kow Calculator

- Space Cowboy

 

Don Kirshner's Rock Concert - 1973

- Star Spangled Banner

- Living in the USA

- Space Cowboy

- Mary Lou

- Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma

- The Gangster is Back

- The Joker

- Come on in My Kitchen

- Seasons

- Fly Like an Eagle

- Living in the USA (Reprise) 

 

ABC In Concert with James Cotton - 1974

- Just a Little Bit

 

Pine Knob, Michigan - 1982

- Abracadabra

 

Steve Miller and Les Paul at Fat Tuesday's - 1990

- I Wanna be Loved

- CC Rider

 

Live from Austin City Limits - 2011 

- Fly Like an Eagle

- Living in the USA

 

# # #

 

An Amazing Evening of Original American Music - Classic Rock Meets Classic Country

Featuring Steve Miller Band & Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives

 

JUNE

13 - Des Moines, IA - Wells Fargo Arena

15 - Tulsa OK - River Spirit Casino - Paradise Cove Margaritaville

16 - Rogers, AR - Walmart AMP

21 - Alton, IL - Liberty Bank Amphitheater Summer Concert Series

22 - Dubuque, IA - America's River Festival

24 - Grand Rapids, MI - Meijer Gardens

25 - Interlochen, MI - Kresge Auditorium

28 - Rochester, NY - Rochester International Jazz Festival

30 - Sterling Heights, MI - Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill

 

JULY

1 - Highland Park, IL - Ravinia Festival*

12 - Prior Lake, MN - Lakefront Music Festival

14 - Duluth, MN - Bayfront Festival Park

16 - Kettering, OH - Fraze Pavilion

18 - Baltimore, MD - MECU Pavilion

20 - Lynchburg, VA - Riverfront Park Concert Series

21 - Bensalem PA - Xcite Center at Parx Casino*

24 - New York, NY - Pier 17

25 - Boston, MA - Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion

27 - Rangeley, ME - Rangeley Health & Wellness Pavilion

28 - Kingston, NY - Hutton Brickyards

30 - Selbyville, DE - The Freeman Stage at Bayside

31 - Vienna, VA - Wolf Trap

 

AUGUST

2 - Mashantucket, CT - The Grand Theater at Foxwoods Casino

3 - Bethlehem, PA - Musikfest

11 - Albuquerque, NM - Sandia Resort and Casino

13 - Denver, CO - The Mission Ballroom

14 - Vail, CO - Gerald R. Ford Amphitheatre

16 - Billings, MT - Cove Creek Outdoor Pavilion

17 - Missoula, MT - Big Sky Brewery

19 - Salt Lake City, UT - Red Butte Garden

21 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre

22 - Paso Robles, CA - Vina Robles Amphitheatre

24 - Stateline, NV - Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys

27 - Salem, OR - Oregon State Fair

28 - Airway Heights, WA - Northern Quest Resort & Casino

30 - Woodinville, WA - Chateau Ste. Michelle

31 - Woodinville, WA - Chateau Ste. Michelle

 

* Steve Miller Band only

 

In addition, Miller will continue his exploration of the blues at New York's Jazz at Lincoln Center with "Cannonball Adderley and The Blues," a spirited celebration of saxophone legend Cannonball Adderley. Set for Saturday, December 14at JALC's Rose Theater, the event will see Miller joined by vocalist Brianna Thomas and the Patrick Bartley Sextet, led by one of NYC's most acclaimed young saxophonists. Tickets and additional information can be found HERE.

Must-hear releases include a mix of new music, reissues and live discs

An EP that wraps up a tribute to the Firefly science fiction western TV series, one of the strongest debuts in memory, a brilliant return for Boz Scaggs, an expanded two-disc reissue of the debut from Lords of the New Church and a new live set from Erasure are all available now.

Artist: The Fallen Stars
Title: Leaves on the Wind — Vol. 3: Can't Take The Sky From Me (Kiss My Squirrel Music)
You might like if you enjoy: Joss Whedon's "Firefly," the Jayhawks, Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris
Tell me more: When Firefly first aired on the Fox network in September 2002, it immediately captured the attention of discerning fans (now known as "Browncoats") of science fiction with its unique cast of authentic characters, blend of outer space and Western landscapes, and sharp storytelling. Although the Joss Whedon-created series was cancelled after a mere 14 episodes, the influence of the series was profound (indeed the film "Serenity" was released in 2005 to critical acclaim). Look no further than the Fallen Stars' compelling trilogy titled Leaves on the Wind, with Vol. 3: Can't Take The Sky From Me having just been released. On volume 3 of Leaves on the Wind, musical duo Bobbo and Tracy Byrnes have crafted songs inspired by the final four episodes of "Firefly," as well as offering up their emotive take on Whedon's theme song for the series ("The Ballad of Serenity"). Fans of the first two "Leaves on the Wind" titles will pleased that "Can't Take The Sky From Me" is the equal with its Americana-styled songs capturing the magic of the series in song. The countrified rocker "Naked" serves as a duet for Tracy and Bobbo, whose voices shine alone or together in the spirited choruses. "Carry Me" is especially poignant, with an acoustic flavor and sweet melody that plays out in the verses and choruses. The rollicking "Home" and yearning "Here I Am" also capture the creative power of the groundbreaking sci-fi series. A portion of the proceeds from all three Leaves on the Wind titles go to support Equality Now, an organization working to end violence and discrimination against girls and women around the world. Information: thefallenstars.com.

Artist: Danny Wilkerson
Title: Wilkerson (SpyderPop Records)
You might like if you enjoy: ELO, Jellyfish, Paul McCartney, XTC
Tell me more: Listeners hungry for new music that is melodic, intelligent and ambitious almost beyond measure will be floored by Wilkerson, the brilliant debut from singer-songwriter Danny Wilkerson. The sonic ghosts of the Beatles, the Zombies, Jeff Lynne and XTC can be heard but to be sure the songs here are original and performances uniformly inspired. With songs this exceptional it doesn't hurt that Wilkerson is joined by an all-star cast of supporting players including Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (of Jellyfish, Imperial Drag and Beck fame) on keyboards and backing vocals, guitarist Pat Buchanan (Hall & Oates, Cyndi Lauper, Don Henley), multi-instrumentalist Joe Siders (The New Pornographers) and many others. If Jellyfish had teamed with Burt Bacharach it might sound something like the infectious opener "Everybody Loves to Love." The propulsive "Enough For Somebody" is buoyant and exuberant, perfectly capturing the joy of youthful love. Backed only by a string section, Wilkerson's inviting vocals shine on the probing "Endless Haze"; the Beatlesque "When Your Number's Up" puts his masterful talents as songwriter on display. The shimmering "How She Lost My Heart," lofty "Carry The One" and baroque pop "Let It Go Tonight" are late disc standouts. Produced and engineered by bleu, and mastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios in London, "Wilkerson" is an amazing debut. Information: spyderpop.com.

Artist: Lords of the New Church
Title: Lords of the New Church: Special Edition (Blixa Sounds Records)
You might like if you enjoy: X, The Dead Boys
Tell me more: More than 35 years after its original release in 1982, the reissued and expanded deluxe edition of the self-titled debut from Lords of the New Church connects with surprising sway. The band was a supergroup of sorts, teaming punk rock pioneers Stiv Bator (The Dead Boys), Brian James (The Damned), Dave Tregunna (Sham 69) and Nick Turner (The Barracudas). The band's collective pedigree wouldn't have meant much if the Lords of the New Church didn't rock with the authority and musical might so clearly showcased across the two-disc set. The songs here highlight the band's skills to blend ferocious early punk sensibilities with classic melodic songcraft; the anti-war "Russian Roulette," goth rocker "New Church" mesmerizing rocker "Open Your Eyes" and cowpunk-flavored "Li'l Boys Play With Dolls" showcase the range of the quartet. A second disc chronicles the band's blistering full-length live performance at My Father's Place in 1982. An illustrated 12-page booklet with revealing liner notes penned by Craig Rosen adds additional depth to the title. Information: Blixa.com.

Artist: Boz Scaggs
Title: Out of the Blues (Concord Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Tinsley Ellis, Bon Scaggs
Tell me more: With his signature vocals at the helm, Box Scaggs delivers a great set of performances on the aptly-titled Out of the Blues. The self-produced collection features a mix of outstanding remakes as well as original compositions by songwriter and long-time friend Jack Walroth (including the great Chicago blues-styled "Radiator 110" and playful New Orleans rocker "Little Miss Night and Day," the latter co-penned with Scaggs). Perhaps the most affecting track on the top-tier set is a version of Neil Young's "On The Beach," the title track from Young's fifth solo album. When Scaggs sings "The world is turning / I hope it don't turn away" the listener can hear the pain and power in Scaggs' voice; the selection of this track may well have been influenced by the terrible fire that burned down the artist's home and all its contents in a massive wildfire that struck Napa, California in 2017. Scaggs has also assembled a number of famed studio pros to help bring heft to all blues-minded nine tracks — indeed drummer Jim Keltner, bassist Willie Weeks, keyboardist Jim Cox, and guitar greats Doyle Bramhall II, Ray Parker Jr. and Charlie Sexton shine at every turn. Information: BozScaggs.com.

Artist: Erasure
Title: World Be Live (Mute Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Depeche Mode, Yaz
Tell me more: There was a time when live albums were seemingly a part of most established artists' discography. Listening to the terrific two-disc World Be Live from Erasure is to wish more popular artists would release concert recordings. The seminal synth pop duo Erasure (singer-songwriter Andy Bell and keyboardist Vince Clarke) is featured performing 24 tracks on the fast-moving release. World Be Live was recorded across two shows at the Event Apollo in London at the close of the group's sold-out UK World Be Gone tour. All the hits are too, and sound great. "Opening with "Oh L'Amour" and "Ship of Fools," fans are treated to favorites "Chains of Love," "Who Needs Love (Like That)," "Always," "Sometimes" and "A Little Respect" along the way. Erasure also digs deep into their catalog, performing tracks such as the lovely ballad "Mad As We Are," the catchy "Just a Little Love" from their 2017 "World Be Gone" album and even a rousing cover of Blondie's "Atomic." "World Be Live" is available in 2CD, triple vinyl and digital formats. Erasure is currently on tour and is scheduled to perform at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles on Aug. 21, 24, 25, 26, and at Symphony Hall in San Diego on Aug. 22. Information: ErasureInfo.com.



Robert Kinsler

2015 Doheny Blues Festival delivers on all fronts

The death of blues music great B.B. King just days before the arrival of the 18th edition of the Doheny Blues Festival meant that the annual celebration in Dana Point, CA would likely find a number of performers offering fitting tributes to the King of the Blues.

That proved to be the case throughout the two-day festival (May 16-17, 2015) with just about every performer either acknowledging Riley B. King or even covering (or dedicating) a song in his honor. Not only was King rightfully considered "The King of the Blues," he had performed at the Doheny Blues Festival three times in the past - most recently in May 2009 (You can read my Orange County Register review of King's set at the 12th edition of Doheny Blues Fest here).

Bonnie Raitt at Doheny Blues
Festival in Dana Point.
Photo: Bob Steshetz

Headliner Bonnie Raitt and her long-time band offered one of the event’s most heartfelt tributes during their outstanding headlining set on the main Doheny Stage on Sunday night. Playing a two-song tribute, keyboardist Mike Finnigan recalled his participation in a King recording session two decades ago and how special that was before leading the ensemble through a high-powered “I've Got News For You.”

Then Raitt took over lead vocals on a song that both she and King have each featured in their live shows, the spirited Chicago blues rocker “Never Make Your Move Too Soon.” Raitt’s spicy lead vocals and slide work anchored the performance, but there was a swelling point where Finnigan and guitarist George Marinelli did a tandem solo section capturing the unspoken sentiment of the sadness of King’s departure mixed with the joy that he gave so much in his amazing career.

Raitt’s full 90-minute performance was a triumph, in part because of her enduring talents as a singer and slide guitarist, but also for her unique gifts as an artist able to interpret great songs. I caught all or part of 19 sets over the two-day fest and few moments were as powerful as her tender renditions of John Prine’s “Angel From Montgomery,” “I Can't Make You Love Me” (penned by Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin) and “Dimming of the Day” (a Richard Thompson song she dedicated to her late brother Steve).

Although Raitt's set was the final one to play out over the 18th edition of the Doheny Blues Festival, it proved to be just one of many memorable appearances to play out on the three stages along the shores of the Pacific Ocean at beautiful Doheny State Beach.

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Paul Rodgers headlines day 1.
Photo: Bob Steshetz

The legendary rocker Paul Rodgers headlined on the Doheny Stage on the first day of the event, performing a 90-minute set that covered his 45-year career in spades. Armed with loads of hits, a life-long appreciation of the blues that gave birth to Free, Bad Company and The Firm, Rodgers brought all those elements together during his set. With Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Howard Leese (of Heart fame) by his side and a solid rhythm section in tow, the set couldn't have been stronger. Rodgers has long since recognized that the enduring power of his songs is rooted in their connection with the audience, so his live performances thrive on sing-along crowds like the great one on hand in Dana Point. While it's no surprise fans were screaming along with Bad Company rockers like "Can't Get Enough," "Shooting Star" and "Feel Like Makin' Love," what was more impressive were the moments when the audience dove head first in singing along with little or not prompting during "Run With the Pack" and "Burnin' Sky."

Rodgers also celebrated the release of his most recent album (2014's "The Royal Sessions") with a potent performance of "Born Under a Bad Sign," a Memphis blues song that allowed the 65-years-young singer to showcase his amazing pipes. Rodgers' fast-moving set closed with a rousing version of the Free classic "All Right Now" and a British blues-drenched take on the T-Bone Walker classic "Stormy Monday."

Rodgers' impressive first-time appearance at Doheny was icing on the cake for Saturday concertgoers; the day had featured a number of fine performances on all three stages. Shari Puorto had kicked things off before noon on the Backporch, blending blues and funk while backed by a solid four-man band. An early highlight was "Out Of My Mind," a Texas-styled uptempo number where she got out onto the tables to get the party started on a high note.

The early afternoon was bolstered by strong outings from Swedish outfit Trickbag (experts on extolling Chicago blues) on the Sailor Jerry Stage, and then Eric Lindell teaming with Texas guitar great Anson Funderburgh offering up more than an hour of great blues on the Backporch. I only caught a bit of the North Mississippi Allstars, but was fully impressed with the group's high-octane slide-guitar blues. 

Those artists set the stage for some of the heavy hitters, including Los Lobos, whose understated approach doesn't always provide a great display at a big outdoor concert setting. The group's decision not to play their biggest hits – namely "Will the Wolf Survive?" and their cover of "La Bamba" - was also puzzling. Still, music lovers had to be pleased with the East Los Angeles-spawned troupe's '50s styled rocker "Evangeline" and the Southern-fried blues gem "Kiko and the Lavender Moon."

Guitarist Eddie Perez of The Mavericks.
Photo: Robert Kinsler

In addition to Rodgers' night-ending set, my favorite appearance on day one was The Mavericks. Although the band's sound touches on the blues, the Mavericks' sound is rich in an eclectic brew that includes Americana, Latin, folk, Tex-Mex and rockabilly. No matter how one might describe the band, the Mavericks delivered an incredible 75-minute performance on the Jerry Sailor stage. 

Featuring material off their two most recent LPs (2013's "In Time" and 2015's "Mono"), singer-rhythm guitarist Raul Malo, lead guitarist Eddie Perez and keyboardist Jerry Dale McFadden led the band through standouts such as the instantly-infectious "What You Do To Me" and "Back in Your Arms Again" early on, with latter-half classics such as an amazing cover of Roy Orbison's "Blue Bayou" and rousing "Dance in the Moonlight" thrilling new and long-time fans - many of whom (like yours truly) who were on their feet for the entire set. 

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Brandon "Taz" Niederauer proved he is already among the blues
brightest young stars. Photo: Bob Steshetz

In addition to the aforementioned Raitt, there were two other Sunday sets that were as powerful, both playing out on the Sailor Jerry Stage. An early afternoon set by Otis Taylor was powerful from start to finish, highlighted by the explosive power of Taylor's four-member band (featuring outstanding fiddler Anne Harris) and 12-year-old guest Brandon “Taz” Niederauer (who simply amazed everyone in the crowd). The young New York guitarist delivered artful, speedy and powerful rhythm and lead guitar work throughout the 65-minute set. Hypnotic versions of “Hey Joe,” “Red Meat” and the explosive “Rain So Hard” were among the songs where Taylor, “Taz” and the musicians thrilled a crowd packed in front of the stage.

Equally powerful was the return of brothers Dave and Phil Alvin (who last performed here with the Blasters’ original lineup in 2011), this time able to feature a batch of new songs thanks to the release of their 2014 collection “Common Ground: Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin Play and Sing the Songs of Big Bill Broonzy.” Sure enough, the brothers performed a number of gems from that collection as well as the playful “What's Up With Your Brother” (off Dave’s 2011 solo album “Eleven Eleven”) and the Blasters’ staple “Marie, Marie.”

Boz Scaggs at Doheny.
Photo: Bob Steshetz

Delivering solid sets that nevertheless didn’t rise to the level of the day's best were blue-eyed soul soft-rocker Boz Scaggs (making his best showing with an energetic “Lido Shuffle”) and blues-rocker Beth Hart (displaying her strong soprano on “Might As Well Smile”).

Doheny Blues Festival is always a place where fans can catch a wide-ranging field of artists who cover the genre’s far corners. On Sunday, Chicago blues lovers got excellent turns from Big Jon Atkinson and the Nationals, and Lurrie Bell. Austin singer-guitarist Carolyn Wonderland performed her affecting Texas blues-rock brew on the Backporch Stage, while a little later the Rebirth Brass Band brought a New Orleans-styled party to the main Doheny Stage.

You can more details about the 2015 Doheny Blues Festival via writer George A. Paul's review posted on his Music Minded blog here.

2015 Doheny Blues Fest: Paul Rodgers, Bonnie Raitt, The Mavericks, Boz Scaggs, Dave & Phil Alvin, Beth Hart

The holiday season isn't the only joy in full swing. Hardly a day goes by without more good news as it relates to the next Doheny Blues Festival and who is set to perform in Dana Point, California on May 15 and 16, 2015.

The latest announcement that Bonnie Raitt and Boz Scaggs will be joining an already-strong field that includes Paul Rodgers (Bad Company, The Firm, Queen), Beth Hart, The Mavericks, and Dave and Phil Alvin (of The Blasters) will surely please fans of blues-rock and Americana.

Rodgers will be performing in support of his terrific 2014 release The Royal Sessions, a disc he recorded at Memphis' Royal Studios.

Raitt, Hart, The Mavericks and the Alvin Brothers have also released strong albums over the past few years so the sets should all provide for a good mix of classics and new material. Can't wait!

Be sure to get your tickets now via the official Doheny Blues Festival Web site: http://www.dohenybluesfestival.com/

Sights and Sounds: Elvis Presley, writer Ben Wener, Johnny Winter, Ted Nugent, Pistol Day Parade

Happy Friday everybody. Here is your morning roundup...

Photo: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

In 1970 - after spending much of the 1960s making movies - Elvis Presley made a highly-celebrated return to the concert stage. Elvis: That's the Way It Is is a long-unavailable documentary that looks at Elvis' rehearsals and road back to music that is being remastered by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Click here to see the trailer and learn more.

As many Southern California-based readers know, long-time Orange County Register pop music critic Ben Wener left the newspaper last month voluntarily as part of a buyout that impacted approximately 75 writers, editors and photographers at the publication. Fortunately, Ben continues to write on a freelance basis (welcome to my world...) and has had several reviews published in the Hollywood Reporter. You can read his review of several jazz greats who performed at the Hollywood Bowl on July 17 including Boz Scaggs here. You can read his review of Steely Dan's July 12 concert at The Forum here.

Johnny Winter at the Doheny
Blues Fest in 2012. Photo: Bob Steshetz

Sadly, I never saw Texas guitarist Johnny Winter at the height of powers, and actually only watched a bit of his set at the Doheny Blues Festival in May 2012. But his impact on the blues scene, including influencing a number of blues fans, was notable. Read the nice celebration of his legacy penned by Randall Roberts in the Los Angeles Times here. Billboard also has a nice appreciation of the guitarist, who died while on tour earlier this week.

I think one of the lessons of the loss of giants such as Winter is that if you have a chance to catch a legend in concert, don't wait. For example, over the years I have sought out to attend to attend shows to catch aging masters before time ran out. John Lee Hooker, Link Wray, Joe Willie "Pintop" Perkins, James Brown and Glen Campbell are among the other greats I caught live not long before they stopped performing or were taken from us far too soon...

Ted Nugent on July 14.
Photo: Bob Steshetz

Finally, I caught the forever loud and proud Ted Nugent for the first time (okay second time; I did catch him as part of a brief Damn Yankees reunion at the NAMM show in 2010. You can read my coverage of that in The Orange County Register here) when he performed at the second night of his two-night run at the City National Grove of Anaheim on Monday, July 14, 2014. I had heard that his political rants were the norm, so I expected that. But to the 65-year-old Detroit rocker's credit, he sure played the heck out of his guitar and seemed pumped up from start to finish. From his high-powered opening ("Gonzo") to the satisfying night-ending one-two punch of "Cat Scratch Fever" and an extended "Stranglehold," I did come away with a somewhat deeper appreciation of his powers playing the electric guitar.

Pistol Day Parade in Anaheim on July 14.
Photo: Bob Steshetz

I was also very impressed by the opening band, Detroit-based Pistol Day Parade. The band, whose hard-rocking straight ahead approach recalls 3 Doors Down and Chris Daughtry impressed early with the infectious "Better" and not long after with the power ballad "Where I Lay." The quintet closed with the ultimate sing-along, the catchy "Rockstar's Girlfriend."
Visit the band's official Web site to learn more.

Music Worth Buying: 'Mystery Science Theater 3000: XXIX' collection, 'The Dukes of September,' Break of Reality

Why would I include the latest Mystery Science Theater 3000 collection in a roundup of noteworthy new music titles?

Look no further than the first of four episodes on Mystery Science Theater 3000: XXIX (set for release by Shout! Factory on Tuesday, March 25), a rightful skewering of the 1957 teen exploitation flick Untamed Youth. The film not only features early rock 'n' roll hero Eddie Cochran ("C'Mon Everybody," "Summertime Blues") but has the distinction of boasting the first-ever on-screen performance of a rock song sung by a female (famed actress Mamie Van Doren). To be sure the movie itself is dated and campy, but thanks to the clever work of the writers and performers of MST3K, hilarity ensues. Among the extras on the new collection is an interview with the aforementioned Van Doren, and the original theatrical trailer for Untamed Youth. The other three films that get a well-deserved Satellite of Love treatment include Hercules And The Captive Women, The Thing That Couldn't Die and The Pumaman. Laughter aplenty! Information: ShoutFactory.com. 

Get Mystery Science Theater 3000: XXIX


Televised earlier this month as part of PBS' "Great Performances" series, The Dukes of September is now available on both DVD and Blu-ray courtesy of 429 Records. Captured live at Lincoln Center in November 2012, the Dukes of September Rhythm Revue (featuring Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs and a top-tier group of seven other musicians and two back-up singers) features not only some of the trio's biggest hits but rock and R&B nuggets such as "Love T.K.O." and "Sweet Soul Music."  There are all kinds of highlights on the disc (which looks and sounds fantastic), notably Fagen leading the way through Steely Dan's "Kid Charlegmagne" (which features some masterful guitar work from Jon Herrington) and an inspired "Lido Shuffle." For more information, visit www.429records.com/dukesofseptember.

Get The Dukes of September Live


Blending rock and classical with an authenticity rarely reached, cello-anchored band Break of Reality is back with a new collection titled Ten set for release on March 25 that features 10 instrumental compositions co-written by Patrick Laird (cello) and Ivan Trevino (drums, percussion). From the melancholy-blanketed rocker "Helix" to the more atmospheric "Star" and cinematic "Storm's End" and "Nine Deep," Laird, Trevino and cellists Laura Metcalf and Adrian Daurov, and several guest players, create a world that is at once familiar and new. Magic music making indeed. Information: www.breakofreality.com.

Purchase TEN here


Robert Kinsler