Jazz&BluesView
By Eric Benson
If you luv music you’re gonna love this
Hope you all survived the hollidaze and came back reinvigorated with plenty of New Year’s resolutions to catapult us into a brighter, optimistic new year. I myself am still working on last year’s resolutions and cannot bring myself to face the new one quite yet, yes I am a procrastinator but I like to think of myself as a person that needs more time than most people to adjust to change, contemplate things and ah show up late! Well with that said plenty of things goin’ down in the Motown downtown in the New Year!
Blue Monday Invitational Jam returns to the Barkin’ Dog Grill this Jan 9th with Ultra Lounge, with special guest Prince tribute with Tim Allen on piano and vocals and Conrad Johnson on bass and vocals from the Before Dawn Band. They will do a set of Prince’s hits. We will be playing everything from straight ahead Jazz, funk, Latin, Rhythm and Blues and yes some POP with special guests sitting in for dancing and listening. The band is a super group of all the best players in the area with 7-piece house Band hosting. The Blue Monday Band features: lead vocalist, guitar and bass player Dave Sousa, Johnny Valdes guitar, Tim Allen bass, vocals, Dave Hawkes on drums, Eric Benson & Pat Governor on keys, and horn section: Andrew Rosenblum Sax, trumpet, and Jamie Dubberly trombone. Show from 7 to 10 PM with food and drink available in an all age venue. Call the Dog for reservations: 572-2341. If you play, come on down and sit in with the best musicians in the area, it’s gonna’ be smoking!
The Gallo Center for the Arts is bringing in some great shows. I’ve been there for Sheila E (of Prince), Blue collar comedian Ron White, (luv that redneck material) Robben Ford Guitar Army, and the Guess Who, and Brian Setzer formerly of the Stray Cats Rockabilly Christmas show. For January bringing in: TOP Singers Our Town 5th & 21st, 12th, Drum Line, 13th George Winston pianist, and also Zazu Pitts Memorial Orchestra, (one of the better Motown tributes around), 14th The King, the music of Elvis, and the 18th, Rent, the musical.
Off the beaten path: the West Side Theatre in Newman for Jan. brings in: Cosplayers & photographers from Northern California Jan 7th, Journey Revisited, Journey tribute band with our own local Dave Hawkes on drums 14th, Sourdough Slim wild wooly revue country music, song and humor 21st, and Santana Tribute Caravanserai on the 28th. The theatre is a great place to see a show in this small intimate setting. Check out the Westside web for the details.
Come back out for third Thursday Art Walk 5 to 9:00 PM for some great art and music in the downtown! Lowdown on the jam session in the downtown: Barkin’ Dog Thursday night jazz jams with Dave Dow, Queen Bean Sundays open mike night also in an all age environment.
Remember please support our local live venues 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.
