What’s new with Jazz and the Blues News?
If you luuv music your gonna love this
By Eric Benson
And so it goes another year comes and goes, the calendar days race by with the hour glass telling us where and when and when we are running late. The acceleration of the holidays reaches a feverish pitch with shopping and checking our list and checking it twice until that morning ready or not when presents are rapped and tied in a bow, as is our year and it is time to move on to the next year with our glad tidings, our hopes for renewal and resolutions made. Wishing you all peace and renewal in the year to come until we meet again.
Blue Monday Party & invitational jam returns to the Barkin’ Dog Grill the second Monday Jan 12th with the Ultra Lounge Group hosting with special guest Jamie Duberly Trombonist and arranger, and Ross McGinnis master Caribbean steel drum and percussionist. The group features Johnny Valdes guitar, Tim Allen bass, vocals, Dave Hawks on drums, Pat Governor & Eric Benson on Keys. The jam features Jazz, R & B, Latin, Caribbean, Funk and a little of everything else with special guests sitting in for listening and dancing. Show from 7 to 10:00 PM with food and drink available in all age venue. Call the Dog for reservations: 572-2341.
The Gallo Center for the Arts continues with their diverse booking in January features: the legendary Marcus Roberts’s solo Jazz & Classical piano, Johnny Rivers the 16th, Beatles Tribute 28 & 29th.
The State Theatre brings in one of my fav’s in Blues and popular music Elvin Bishop on Jan 24th. His platinum hit “Fooled Around and Fell In Love” is all good but Elvin puts on an amazing show with Blues and R & B with seasoned musicians. If you love the blues and a good time, come down, he never disappoints!
And new to the downtown is Restaurant Urbano’s, ( in the location formerly of Clayton’s Restaurant) is in process for being able to have live music at that venue with great food and full bar available. They hope to have live music brought in by January. We did Blue Monday 7 years in that location and was a wonderful room for the music.
Live music in DEWZ Wine Bar in Jan returns on Friday and Saturday nights 7 to 10:00 PM, incorporating the best local musicians playing in the intimate wine bar environment. What I have booked for all you music lovers: Friday Jan 2nd TBA, Sat 3rd, and 24th; John King & Robin Montgomery Jazz guitar duo, Friday 9th: Chris Murphy & Gary Nelson Third Parry acoustic Beatles tribute, Sat 10th Josh Rosenblum, Friday 16 & 30th Tim Allen plays Elton & Billy Joel and popular, Sat 17th Francesca Bavaro, Friday 23rd Home Grown’s Pat Durr guitar & vocals, and Sat 31ts your truly Eric Benson & Larry Stewart piano and guitar duo with vocal guests.
Lowdown on the jam session in the downtown: Barkin’ Dog Thursday night jazz jams with Dave Dow, Queen Bean Sundays open mic night also in an all age environment.
Remember please support our local live venue’s for live music and the arts. So take some time out to hear some live music and the arts of our own town as well this month, think globally and act locally.
All the best, peace out! Eric Benson, cell 209, 918-7033.
