*JANUARY EPISODES - Hippies.TV

*REPORT FROM THE FIELD:Imaginary Tour of Jams & Open Mics - Leg #1

*BLUESGUY'S BIRTHDAY JAM - Artists Announced!

*SOUTH BY DUE EAST 2008 - Artist Search

*WEEKEND MUSIC CALENDAR

 

Greetings from the Guerilla Cage!

 

The monitor on the right shows the processing of an 8 layer chroma-keyed transparency, placing a map of Houston next to my talking head while doing narrative on the WEDNESDAY GUIDE TO JAMS & OPEN MICS IN THE GREATER METROPOLITAN HOUSTON AREA, while the monitor on the left is uploading new video to www.hippies.tv in an attempt to keep the site updated with the newest episodes.

I'm in the middle, writing to you.

 

It's a 'product manufacturing day', as we get ready for our local event season (birthday jam & SOUTH BY DUE EAST) and I get ready for the second leg of my  imaginary tour of JAMS & OPEN MICS in the greater Houston Area (starting Monday night at the Mucky Duck)!

 

There are several new CDs to pack off to i-Tunes, cdbaby.com, rhapsody, bestbuy.com and the rest, and two more DVDs to ready for the imaginary tour (jams.guyschwartz.com). If you are a jammer or open micster, you should check out the 4 films already online to find more of them near you! More about the imaginary tour of jams & open mics later in this letter...

 

Among my favorites of the new CDs (besides mine) is the compoilations from SOUTH BY DUE EAST 2006 & 2007, and a gospel album by Don Walsh. More about those when they are up for sale and downloadable.

 

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JANUARY EPISODES - Hippies.TV

10pm Fridays - Comcast Channel 17

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Jan.4  - LITTLE JOE WASHINGTON - Zydeco Cafι

 

Jan.11 - BILLY JOE SHAVER - North Carolina

 

Jan.18 - THURSDAY JAMS & OPEN MICS

         Mark May, Tim Cannon, Ricky Jackson, Dan Workman,

         Wrecks Bell, Lance Aldridge, Reality Project, Tommy Rogers

 

Jan.25 - ANOTHER BLOCK PARTY

         The Gold Sounds, Peekaboo Theory, Novice, The Octanes

         Doo Doo Butter, Sideshow Tramps, Mechanical Boy

 

 

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REPORT FROM THE FIELD:

Imaginary Tour of Jams & Open Mics - Leg #1

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I began the tour on a Sunday, just as I had begun the film.

 

It was only to be one film at that time.

 

The plan on that first day of filming was to start at The Last Concert Cafe around 1pm, then head to Galveston County and work my way back, all the way to Ft. Bend - hitting all 8 jams & open mics in one day! By the time that day was done, jammers at 8 venues told me about another 4 Sunday jams and open mics. I knew then that this project would take some time, and it has become 5 performance-driven films for each day (SUN-THU), and one information-driven film featuring all 5 days - to become a free online reference film for jammers and open mic participants.

 

As I filmed them from August thru November, jammers asked if I'd come back with the finished films, so I decided to come back to all of them - with guitar and CDs in hand, kinda like Little Joe does (except I have a car and made a schedule). It's been a great way to reconnect with old friends and make some new ones. It's also been a great time to listen to CDs from local artists during the 100-250 miles of driving each night.

 

So,  here we are - beginning the second leg of my 'Imaginary Tour of JAMS & OPEN MICS In The Greater Metropolitan Houston Area' at The Mucky Duck on Monday night.

 

A few Sunday's ago, I began the tour at The Last Concert Cafe, just as I had begun the film. This time, the camera stayed in the case. MArlo and I ordered a 'Mama's Big Dinner' and some chili con queso to split, grabbed a table near the the circle of pickers, and listened to them trade a few songs. There were 8 guitars, a mandolin, and David O'dea's banjo. I layed some copies of the Sunday Jams DVD on the table next to a few advance copies of my new CD, grabbed my green Washburn acoustic, and joined the circle - singing a few songs, and playing along with everyone else. Nice way to spend a meal!

 

We drove the Blue Scion down 45 to Cruizer's Ice House in Sante Fe, listening to Kraazy Pete's CD, 'Blood On The Moon'. Pete has still got the edge he had in the heyday of his '60s band, Josefus. Nice work, featuring Leesa Squyres and Laurent, with guest appearances including a steel part from Adam Burchfield. Adam has been hosting the Sunday Jam at Cruizer's for a couple years with drummer/owner Mike Armstrong. Mike is one of several  venue owners who are also musicians in their house band. When I had come to film, there were a reasonable amount of people in attendance, but when we arrived, they were just ending their set to a totally packed house. This Sunday, there was a whole Adam Burchfield cheering section, decked out in Ed Hadley designer duds and other such rock-a-billy style clothing and tattoos. The guys were stylin'and the girls were really cute and hot!

 

Some guys who obviously play together as a band (they knew how to set up each other's gear) were setting up. They were good, and I asked several of them to stay up and play with me & Adam for what turned out to be a very cool set. It felt so good that I tried a new song (I'm The Luckiest Boy In The World) for the first time. Adam played his arse off!

 

Our next stop was scheduled to be Chris Elliott's jam at The Neon Moon in La Porte, but I had found out that they had scheduled a benefit instead, so we went to Galveston for a Bert Wills benefit at The Old Quarter, missing Tommie Lee Bradley, but arriving in time for a set by Hayes Carll. What a young master!

 

MArlo was tired, but let me take the long way back up Highway 146 to put up posters at some of the upcoming venues on the imaginary tour. We checked out the new CD by The Wonderful Organization. Nice, tight and funky! When we stopped at Katie's in Bacliff, I wound up playing bass on some Pink Floyd songs with guitarist James Reese. That was fun, but it was time to go home. It was a good start. It was also the last time MArlo accompanied me during the first leg of the tour. In her defense - she was starring in a play several nights a week...

 

I returned to The Old Quarter on Thursday night, after a visit to The Cock-Eyed Seagull in Clear Lake, where I did an acoustic set with Tommy Rogers. At The Old Quarter, I did a well-recieved set and found the open mic hosted by a guy named Theron Pfieffer, who gave me a live CD and made me a fan.

 

A follow-up visit to Katie's found me onstage with Jim Fulton and Ken Woodard. Those guys know how to groove! Jim owns Lone Star Guitar now. He & I were in a band called Buckshot a long time ago. We recorded at Sugar Hill with Huey Meaux. I wonder who has those tapes?  Randy Wall showed up just in time to join us the band, too! At Ronnie's Ice House, owner Buddy Manchac was not in attendance for the jam. I stayed for an hour, but it appeared that the band who played before me at Cruizer's was playing the afternoon.

 

On Monday I visited Claudio's Piano Bar in Kemah. Steve Revak got me up onstage quickly to play with the house band led by Abel Salazar. Good times! Good food! Next, off to KK's Pub in Pasadena where I ran into a couple of cool suprises! I did some of my tunes with a house band featuring bassist Danny Sparks and guitarist Randy Meadows (Bucky Meadows' kid). The guest drummer for the night was the great Terry Westbrook, who many of you knew from Gilley's and from Scott McGill's band. What a treat! And speaking of treats, in walks Randy Wall again! Not only is Randy a great keyboardist, but he's just played a couple of these new songs at Katie's the night before, and he's a quick study! The music was great, but over too soon. MArlo called and told me that The Unknown Music Show on KPFT-FM90.1 needed a fill-in guest, so it was off to Montrose to play on the radio!

 

Playing at all of these jams and open mics on the outside of town has given me a new appreciation of what KPFT has done for me and all of the local musicians who are fortunate to volunteer and play on it's community airwaves. Again and again, from Sante Fe to Conroe, people have walked up to me and told me how they have follwed my music for years on KPFT, although they had never met me or heard me perform live.

They even knew some of the songs! Thanks, KPFT!

 

At The 19th Hole in the Woodlands on Thursday night, I jammed with Dan Workman and Wes Korner. This jam rocks hard and loud. It was cool to turn my Blues DeVille up loud enough to get a great tone without effects.. Next week includes stops at Bohemio's, The Big Easy and the Spring Tavern. Hope to see you there

 

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BLUESGUY'S BIRTHDAY JAM #8

Big Al, Bodacious Ta Ta's, and more...

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It's looking like a great birthday party this year! On February 17th at 3pm, The New Jack Hippies will gather to make music and video in MArlo & my back yard with our guests, Big Al Bettis, Mandy Mercier, TC & The Cannonballs & Chris Elliott & The Bodacious Ta Ta's!

 

Mark it down on your calendar!

 

www.bluesguy.com/birthdayjamdirections

 

 

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SOUTH BY DUE EAST 2008

New Artists? Tell me!

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I get to hear a lot of new artists, but there are always many more than I have the

time to see/hear.

 

You guys get out there, too. Who have you heard? Please recommend anyone you feel would be right for SOUTH BY DUE EAST 2008.

 

You probably know what we do and what we're looking for -

 

We make films with good audio recordings and keep an archive about Houston area original music and the artists that create the music.

 

We're looking for new artists. Looking to document old artists who were important to the scene at other times in history, too! If you know someone like that - even if they don't play around anymore - let me know.

 

Who have you heard?

 

Contact info is good, too!

 

We don't repeat too many artists in consecutive years. If a band's catalogue is large - too large to properly represent in our short 20-30 minute sets, or if their continued participation brings large numbers of people to serve as crowd extras in our film, then we will have them repeatedly. Our old friends who volunteer for SOUTH BY DUE EAST related activities and work throughout the year(s) get extra consideration.

 

And ultimately it's about the original music.

 

If you were filmed last year, we probably don't want you again for a year or three - unless the band has changed shape, developed a great new repertiore, or taken a new visual stage approach (tell me about it)... or unless our gear fouled up during your recording last year (El Gato Negrito, Another Run, The Hates - only 3 of 70). You are welcome to volunteer, nevertheless - and please do recommend your new favorites.

 

Who have you heard?

 

 

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WEEKEND MUSIC CALENDAR

Courtesy of The BluesHound & Baby Girl / KPFT-90.1FM

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FRIDAY January 4, 2008

    * Armadillo Palace – Blake & Fallon

    * B. Jiggers (Holiday Inn, Galveston) – Green Onions

    * Baker Street Pub (Rice Village) – A-Rival

    * Baker Street Pub (Sugar Land) – Shinolah

    * Baker Street Pub (Willowbrook) – Bad Boyfriend

    * Baker Street Pub (The Woodlands) – Short Bus

    * Big Easy (The) – Sherman Robertson

    * Big Top (The) – Paul Beebe

    * Bugle Boy (The) (LaGrange) – Eliza Gilkyson

    * Cock-Eyed Seagull (Clear Lake) – Back Seat Driver Band

    * Continental Club (The) – Molly & The Ringwalds (7-9:30 pm); Miss Leslie & Her Juke-Jointers w/Tony Booth (10 pm)

    * Corner Pub (The) (Conroe) – Vanessa Peters Trio

    * Coyote's Bar – 2nd Wind

    * Cypress Saloon – Dale Watson

    * Dan Electro's Guitar Bar – Fahl & Folk (7-9 pm)

    * Fitzgerald's – Rhenium/Saturate

    * Hideaway (The) – Snit's Dog & Pony Show

    * Howling Coyote (The) – The Nationals

    * Katie's Bar & Grill (Bacliff) – David Brake & That Damn Band

    * La Strada – Lisa Novak

    * McGonigel's Mucky Duck – Cadillac Sky (7 pm)

    * Mo's Place (Katy) – Texas Unlimited Band

    * My Bar – Mykawa Road

    * Old Quarter Acoustic Cafι (Galveston) – Captain Legendary Band

    * Poor Michael's on The Strand (Galveston) – Stoned Cold Sober

    * Rock Wine & Blues (Humble) – Terry Ely Band

    * Rowdy Buck's Saloon (Crosby) – James Garner

    * Sammy's – Faye Robinson & the Midcity Players

    * Scott Gertner's Sky Bar – The Scott Gertner Band (9:45 pm)

    * Shakespeare Pub (The) – Dave Nevling & the Blues Kats

    * Sherlock's Pub (Clear Lake) – The Max

    * Sherlock's Pub (Humble) – The Crisis

    * Sherlock's Pub (River Oaks) – Rat Ranch

    * Sherlock's Pub (Westheimer) – Cross Check

    * Spring Tavern (The) (Spring) – Rick Lee & the Night Owls

 

SATURDAY January 5, 2008

    * Armadillo Palace – Jackson Taylor

    * B. Jiggers (Holiday Inn, Galveston) – Tommy Dardar Band

    * Baker Street Pub (Rice Village) – Sonic Amber

    * Baker Street Pub (Sugar Land) – Shinolah

    * Baker Street Pub (Willowbrook) – Cross Check

    * Baker Street Pub (The Woodlands) – The Ruse

    * Big Easy (The) – Hash Brown/Christian Dozzler/Texas Johnny Boy

    * Bugle Boy (The) (LaGrange) – Terri Hendrix & Lloyd Maines

    * Cafι Soleil – Jennifer Grassman

    * Cock-Eyed Seagull (Clear Lake) – Cruise Control

    * Continental Club (The) – Moses Guest (10 pm)

    * Corner Pub (The) (Conroe) – Blues Series w/Sherman Robertson & Friends

    * Cypress Saloon – Kenefick

    * FBI Rocks #1 – Fireball/Texas TNT

    * Fitzgerald's – Felipe Galvan sus Carnales/Sister Sister y Los Misters

    * Grand 1894 Opera House (The) (Galveston) – Jerry Jeff Walker (8 pm)

    * Hideaway (The) – Fidelity Maxx

    * Howling Coyote (The) – Brad Absher Band

    * JP Hops House – Shake Russell Band

    * Katie's Bar & Grill (Bacliff) – Undesided

    * Kroger (Sugar Land) – Sweet Mama Cotton (3-5 pm)

    * La Strada – Whitney McCray

    * McGonigel's Mucky Duck – Monte Montgomery (7 & 9:30 pm)

    * Mo's Place (Katy) – Horizon

    * Old Brick Tavern – 2nd Wind

    * Old Quarter Acoustic Cafι (Galveston) – Arthur Yoria

    * Poor Michael's on The Strand (Galveston) – LT & the Zydeco Mob

    * Pub Fiction – John B (patio)

    * Rock Wine & Blues (Humble) – Terry Ely Band

    * Rowdy Buck's Saloon (Crosby) – Misbehavin'

    * Shakespeare Pub (The) – Erin Jaimes & Her Bad Habits

    * Sherlock's Pub (Clear Lake) – The Max

    * Sherlock's Pub (Humble) – Adrenaline

    * Sherlock's Pub (River Oaks) – Rat Ranch

    * Sherlock's Pub (Westheimer) – A-Rival

    * Spring Tavern (The) (Spring) – Mike Volsen Blues Band

    * Super Happy Fun Land – John Rawls/Elaine Greer/Earnie Banks/I Miss Being A Kid/Dumbarton

    * Time Out Sports Bar #1 (Fuqua) – 3 Peace

    * UniTunes Coffeehouse (Emerson Unitarian Church) – Peter Mayer (7:30 pm)

    * Walter's on Washington – Killing the Dream/Ruiner/No Truce/All Teeth/Die Young

    * Warehouse Live – JJ Worthen (CD release)/Thee Armade/The 71s/Three Fantastic/Electric Touch (7 pm; The Studio)

 

SUNDAY January 6, 2008

    * Bogart's – jam

    * Bugle Boy (The) (LaGrange) – Showcase Sunday (1:30-5 pm); jam (5-8 pm)

    * County Line Bar & Grill – open jam w/The Convertibles (4-8 pm)

    * Cruiser's Ice House (Santa Fe) – blues jam w/Adam Burchfield (4-8 pm)

    * Gravity Bar (Galveston) – open mic (8 pm)

    * JP Hops House – NSAI open mic hosted by T.C. Smythe (6 pm)

    * Katie's Bar & Grill (Bacliff) – jam w/The Amigos (7-11 pm)

    * Ken's Club – jam w/Blue Flash (8 pm)

    * Last Concert Cafι – jam (12-5:30 pm); Fahl & Folk (6 pm)

    * McGonigel's Mucky Duck – Loreta Kovacic (6 pm)

    * Mr. Gino's – I.J. Gosey (5-9 pm); Don Lee presents Mann Tann Extravaganza (10 pm)

    * Neon Moon Saloon (LaPorte) – jam w/Chris Elliot & the James Brothers (6 pm)

    * Poor Michael's on The Strand (Galveston) – jam w/Skip Devlin

    * Prego's (Rice Village) – Mickey Mosley (6-9 pm)

    * Rock's (Beaumont) – Scott McGill & Old Dog Mac

    * Ronnie's Ice House (Dickinson) – jam (4 pm)

    * Sambuca Restaurant – Blue Monks

    * Shakespeare Pub (The) – blues jam w/Spare Time Murray

    * Sherlock's Pub (Clear Lake) – Acoustic Villains

    * Sherlock's Pub (Humble) – The Matchsticks

    * Sherlock's Pub (River Oaks) – The Underground

 

That’s it for now! See you where the live music is!