Two Great Shows at the Beachland, Marcia Ball Band 19 August 2010, Paul Thorn Band 21 August 2010

Last week I was a very happy music fan as two of my favorite touring acts played at the Beachland Ballroom. On Thursday blues diva Marcia Ball brought her band in, and on Saturday singer songwriter Paul Thorn did the same. Both are Beachland favorites, and both bands gave outstanding performances that were well received by the close to capacity crowds.
Marcia Ball has been stopping in Cleveland almost yearly for close to twenty years and has developed a loyal Northern Ohio following. She is truly one of the greats in today’s blues and roots music worlds. She is a very good singer and songwriter, and a great piano player. She is backed by a four piece band of solid music veterans, lead by her long time bass player Don Bennett. Over the last several years she has let her band share a bit more of the spotlight, especially guitar player Mike Schermer and saxophonist Thad Scott. Schermer is the writer of the song “Big Sister’s Radio,” which has been covered by several country and blues artists over the last few years.
Last Thursday’s show featured songs from all parts of Ball’s career, including some New Orleans favorites, songs from her last release “Peace, Love, and Bar B Que,” and a few new songs from an upcoming project. Amongst the highlights from the “Peace, Love and Bar B Que” CD were “Partytown,” a tribute to New Orleans; “Married Life,” about life on the road; the title tune; and the beautiful ballads “Fallin’ Back I Love with You” and “I Wish You Well.” The best new tune was a ballad dedicated to Ms. Ball’s father “This Use to be Paradise,” about what the Louisiana coast has gone through over the last few years, especially this past summer.
As always, I can’t wait until next summer when Marcia Ball and her band travel north from their Austin, Texas home once again. For more about her and her music visit www.marciaball.com.
Paul Thorn has only been traveling north from his Tupelo, Mississippi home to perform for several years but he too has a solid Cleveland following. Last Saturday’s show was his best Cleveland show yet, filled with great music and story telling. He played old favorites like “Mood Ring” and “I Have a Good Day (every now and then)”, and featured songs from his recent release “Pimps and Preachers,” including the title track, “Tequila is Good for the Heart,” and his dedication to his mother “That’s Life.” Paul and his band gave their A performance at the Beachland last Saturday, and the audience ate it up. For more information about Paul Thorn and his music visit www.paulthorn.com.
This was another great weekend of music at the Beachland, and, like always, they have a lot of great shows coming up, including The Breeders on September 2; Donna the Buffalo on September 8; and a benefit for the Roots of American Music program featuring Glass Harp on October 9. Check out the Beachland’s full calendar at www.beachlandballroom.com.
Photo by Rick Perk

McGuffey Lane “10” 2010 Lick Records, Distributed by E1 Entertainment

McGuffey Lane’s new CD “10” is the best thing they have recorded in a long time. Out of the ten songs that are on it, more than half of them would have fit nicely in either of their first two albums they made back in the early eighties. Although they have made several CD’s since they have reformed ten years ago, it wasn’t until original bass player Steve George Reis rejoined the band several years ago that the old McGuffey Lane sound really started to come back, both in concert and in recordings. With Reis on bass, that has allowed multi-talented Molly Pauken to play mandolin and other assorted string instruments. That has brought back that little touch of blue grass that has been a part of McGuffey Lane’s country rock sound.
The new CD has ten songs on it and amongst the highlights are “I Am Who I Am,” “It’s a Good Day,” and “Nobody But a Fool,” all penned and sung by lead guitarist John Schwab. The best cut on the album, from a sentimental point of view, is Reis’s great traveling tune “Song for the Road,” which the band has been doing in concert since back in the day but had never recorded before. Two songs that will be concert favorites off the disk are a duet between Schwab and Reis about refusing to grow old “I Ain’t Given’ in to Getting’ Old,” and “Bartender,” a vacation song which sounds like the sequel to “I’m in Jamaica,” which was on their 1984 album “Day by Day.”
McGuffey Lane will be traveling throughout Ohio and the Midwest in support of “10” through the fall. They headlined the Lorain International Festival this past June and hopefully will return to Northern Ohio soon. For more information on their shows visit www.mcguffeylane.com.
McGuffey Lane’s “10” is on Lick Records and distributed nationally by E1 Entertainment. You can pick it up at your favorite CD store, your local Wal Mart, as well as ordering it online at the band’s website.

Coryell, Auger, Sample Trio, Nighttown, 8 August 2010

Attending a lot of shows in venues like the Beachland, the House of Blues, and Nighttown, I have seen many acts hailed as the “next big thing.” I also get a lot of emails from publicists and managers hailing their latest acts as “the next big thing.” And, yes, occasionally I have even hopped on a bandwagon or two. If you asked me today who I have seen recently who might be on their way to big things, the first thing that would pop in my head would be the Coryell, Auger, Sample Trio that played Nighttown last Sunday.
This was their second time through Nighttown and they were quite impressive. Playing original music they call “funky lounge rock,” these three talented musicians put on a terrific show. They are unique for several reasons, the first obviously because they are the sons of three of the legends of that wonderful time back in the seventies when jazz and rock actually collided for awhile. Second, this is currently a side project for all three of them, but it is taking up more of their time as their popularity is spreading.
Both Carmen Auger and Nick Sample are current members of Auger’s father Brian’s band the Oblivion Express. Julian Coryell is a studio musician in Los Angeles, who does a lot of time working in Japan. But when these three musicians get together wonderful things happen. Last Monday they played 15 selections that featured Coryell’s guitar work, Auger’s drumming, and Sample on bass. New this time around were several songs that also featured Coryell on vocals. They featured songs from their first album “Cooley Returns,” as well as songs from an upcoming release. Amongst the highlights were the new songs “Song for our Fathers,” and three that featured Coryell’s vocals: “Saint Bad,” “School Boy Crush,” and “My Funky Business.”
The Trio’s sound is a mix of seventies fusion rock/jazz, with a bit of power trio rock thrown in, topped off with a touch of both surf rock and lounge music. The musicianship is outstanding, their stage presence is very professional, and the song writing is top shelf. These guys are really good. Yes, they really could be the next big thing.
Auger and Sample will be back at Nighttown next month when Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express does their annual Nighttown shows on September 2 and 3. They will hook back up with Coryell sometime in the late fall for more Trio shows. They recently spent time in the recording studio with their fathers working on a projection that they will call Coryell Auger Sample Generations. A spring CD release is planned, and hopefully some shows with the Trio and their fathers next summer. For more info about the Coryell, Auger, Sample Trio visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/CORYELL-AUGER-SAMPLE-TRIO/373282267852.
As always there are a lot of great shows coming up at Nighttown including Cleveland born NYC jazz guitarist Rick Stone on Sunday, August 22, the above-mentioned Brian Auger shows on Thursday and Friday September 2 & 3, and the Freddy Cole Quartet on Saturday, September 4. Check out Nighttown’s complete music schedule at www.nighttowncleveland.com.

Photos by Dave Hostetler

Four for August 2010

Four for August

Recently I have received several emails complimenting me on concert reviews for CoolCleveland, but also asking me what upcoming shows would I recommend. Several of the emails came from readers whom haven’t yet attended a show at a venue like the Beachland or Nighttown or the House of Blues, but would like to. I looked at the concert calendar for Greater Cleveland and over the next four weeks four shows at three different venues highlight a busy August concert scene. They represent four different genres of popular music, all three acts were outstanding on their last visits to Cleveland, and all would be good reasons to also check out the venues.

On Sunday, August 8 at 7:00 P.M., at NightTown in Cleveland Heights, the jazz outfit Trio, a next generation All-Star group from Los Angeles featuring Julian Coryell on guitar, Karma Auger on drums, & Nick Sample on bass, will be performing. This is a side project for all three performers who currently tour with their more famous fathers. The last time through town they brought a younger than usual crowd to Nighttown and gave a great performance of jazz in the rock-influenced style pioneered by their fathers back in the Seventies.
It can be such a hit or miss proposition when dealing with the offspring of established musicians. For every Rosanne Cash, some one who succeeds despite being in a parent's shadow, there are many who don't. The members of Trio are already seasoned veterans of the music world, and are all talented musicians in their own rights.
My notes from their last Nighttown show describe their music as George Benson meets Rare Earth meets Funkadelic meets Dicky Betts. And, of course, you couldn't help but notice the influences of the elder Auger, Coryell, and Sample. The trio did a great job of keeping the audience's attention with instrumentals with catchy titles like "Nadine," "Beautiful," "The Purple Panther," and "Walking the Dragon." Most of the songs left room for solos and improvisation from all three members. Both the songs and the performance were very good. For more info about Trio visit www.myspace.com/coryellaugersampletrio. To check out other great shows coming to NightTown visit www.ClevelandNightTown.com.

On Friday, August 13 at 8:00 at the House of Blues is the return of all original members of the early eighties super group Asia. During their last show at the House of Blues two years ago, Guitarist Steve Howe, drummer Carl Palmer, bassist/vocalist John Wetton, and keyboardist Geoff Downes put on an outstanding show that included the hits from their landmark early eighties albums; fresh new material from their 2008 CD Phoenix, including “An Extraordinary Life”; and they even went back into the past with a some songs from their original bands (Yes, ELP, King Crimson, the Buggles). They are currently touring in support of their 2010 release “Omega.” Tickets are $35 in advance. For more information about Asia visit www.originalasia.com. To check out all the great stuff going on at the House of Blues go to www.hob.com/Cleveland.

On Thursday, August 19, at 8:00 P.M. at the Beachland Ballroom blues and boogie-woogie legend Marcia Ball and her band return. The Louisiana born, Texas based Ms. Ball is a multiple winner of W.C. Handy awards, and is considered by many the finest blues pianist performing today. This is a chance to see one of the greats of today’s blues and roots music scene. Tickets are $25 in advance and will go fast. For more info about Marcia Ball visit www.marciaball.com. At her last Beachland show the full house in attendance loved every minute of it, whether it was sitting still listening to a beautiful ballad or up on their feet dancing to a boogie number.
Often praised for her piano playing, she is just as good of a singer, whether it’s a New Orleans dancing in the street number or a soulful version of Randy Newman's "Louisiana 1927." Marcia Ball is truly one of the living legends of American roots music.

And closing out the month, also at the Beachland, is the August 21 return of the Paul Thorn Band. A Paul Thorn show is part old time revival, part roots music, part blues show, part rock and roll concert. He is becoming another one of those Cleveland darlings, a regional artist from somewhere else who comes through town once a year or so, and solely by word of mouth each time the crowd gets a little bigger. He is from Tupelo, Mississippi, and is a great songwriter, a solid performer, and an American musical original. His observations of the world around him are priceless. If there was any justice in the world, he'd be sitting on the top of the music industry. For more about Paul Thorn and his music visit www.paulthorn.com. As always, there are a lot of great shows coming up at the Beachland, visit www.beachlandballroom.com for more information.

I highly recommend each of these shows for a great night out of live music. All three clubs have pretty extensive websites with directions, places to park, and lists of upcoming events.

Desiree Boardwine "Wonderland" 2010

Desiree Boardwine “Wonderland”
2010 Gateway City Records

Over the last several years singer/songwriter Desiree Boardwine has been a pretty busy young lady. Besides graduating high school in the spring of 2009, and attending college full time this past year, she has taken bands to the Tri-C Rock Off Finals twice at the House of Blues; lead her family onto national television by making the finals of the CBS Morning Show Best Family Band in America contest; and just recently won the Grand Prize in the Time Warner Cable Random Acts of Music Songwriting Contest.

She has also just finished her first CD release, a five song EP titled “Wonderland.” On all five tracks she is joined by a group of young but seasoned area musicians, lead by guitar virtuoso Brian Poston and her brother Brett on keyboards. She is a very talented songwriter, and her music shows a lot of originality as well as influences from Pat Benatar to Janet Jackson.

On Saturday, July 24, at the Arena in Streetsboro she will be headlining a release party for both her CD and the professionally done video which was one of the prizes in the Random Acts of Music contest. Doors open at 7:00, with music starting at 8:00. Special guest will be Los Angeles based singer/songwriter Amy Kuney, who has had her music featured on MTV, One Tree Hill, and the Gilmore Girls. Opening act will be The Crazed. The Arena is located in the Streetsboro Plaza, at the intersection of Route 14 and 303 East in downtown Streetsboro.

Tickets for the evening are only $12 at the door, and if you bring a copy of this article you will get in for half price.

For more about Desiree Boardwine and her music visit www.ourstage.com/profile/desireeboardwine. For more about Amy Kuney and her music visit http://www.myspace.com/amykuney. For more information about The Arena Sports and Entertainment Complex in Streetsboro visit www.myspace.com/arenaniteclub.

"Midwest Coast" (2009) and "Baroque Music for Trumpet" (2010) both by Josh Rzepka

Josh Rzepka has had a busy last couple of years. Besides finishing his Masters at Boston University in musical performance (after a degree in music from Oberlin), he has released two solid CDs of music. The first "Midwest Coast" is filled with ten original compositions of various jazz styles, while the second "Baroque Music for Trumpet" is made up of 17 tracks of traditional classical music. Quite a contrast, but this young man from the Akron is talented enough to pull both of them off.
"Midwest Coast" finds Rzepka fronting a talented quartet with local keyboard legend Jackie Warren on piano, Peter Dominguez on bass, and Ron Godale on drums. The music on the disc ranges in influences from Latin America to Harlem. "Boroque Music for Trumpet" finds Rzepka playing melodies written by Handel, Vivaldi, Purcell, and Telemann amongst others. He gets a little help from soprano Rebecca Freshwater on a beautiful version of Handel's "Let the Bright Seraphim."
On Thursday, July 8, Rzepka will be performing selections from both CD's at NightTown in Cleveland Heights. He will be backed by the band who recorded "Midwest Coast" with him. If you want to see one of Northern Ohio's most promising up and coming talents I'd check out this show.
Photo by Robert J. Saferstein.

Getting Caught Up on Some CD Reviews

We get so many CDs at CoolCleveland to review, sometimes we get backed up on them. We try to do at least one review a week, usually tying it in with a performance of some sort. A lot of great stuff gets lost in the shuffle, and we feel bad when we miss out on reviewing a good piece of music.
Cleveland is filled with talented musicians, no matter what the style or genre. From jazz to hip hop to polka to ethnic to classic rock to grunge to show tunes and what ever else can be put on a disk, someone in Northern Ohio can do it well. So instead of doing an in depth review of one CD this week, I thought I'd go through the stacks of CDs that have arrived over the last year or two, pick out a few of the better ones, and make a comment about each. Here we go…
Ki Allen has been doing jazz and blues around Cleveland for years. The talented singer did a CD with veteran guitarist Bob Fraser called "Calling Card" and it is filled with great versions of some jazz and show standards. She will be playing around town all summer, check out her schedule at www.kiallen.net.
Jaclyn Bradley will be doing everything this summer from giving voice lessons to singing the national anthem at Lake Erie Crusher games. The very talented vocalist has a CD out "Hollywood Be Thy Name," which she recorded in Los Angeles before returning to her hometown of Cleveland. Check more out about Jaclyn at www.jaclynbradley.com.
Unsparing Sea, a group consisting of cellos, accordion, and harp, as well as guitars, keyboards, and drums, have gotten some good regional press for "In Diamond Caverns," which they released late last year on Broke.Tusk.Collective, a local indie label. A lot of talent in this band, check them out at www.unsparingsea.com.
Motter Flynn is a group of college age kids from the southwest suburbs who have out a CD titled "Rigate Pitygraphs." They are good singer songwriters, with a touch of everyone from Dave Matthews to Tom Petty in their music. Check them out at www.motterflynn.com.
Joshua Smith, a flutist with the Cleveland Orchestra, has released "J.S. Bach Flute Sonatas," a solo project along with harpsichordist Jory Vinikour. Smith is very talented, and this disk would make great dinner time music in anyone's home. It is a national release on California classic label Delos Productions.
One of the more unique CDs we received is "Russian Duo," which features traditional Russian chamber and folk music played by Oleg Kruglyakov on the balalaika (a Siberian version of an acoustical guitar), and Terry Boyarsky on piano. Check them out at www.russianduo.com. They will be playing all over the place this summer and fall.
Joe's Garage is a North Ridgeville quartet whose CD "Lost in Overdale" is filled with strong ballads and musicianship. Check them out at myspace.com/joe39sgarage.
Dan Miraldi will be playing the Winchester on July 3 in support of his CD "Thirsty." He's a recent college grad who has been a part of the Cleveland music scene since high school. Watch out for this guy, this CD is really good, at times he sounds like a 70's folk rocker, other times like a young Elvis Costello. Check him out at www.danmiraldi.com.
Josh Rzepka is a very talented, classically trained trumpeter from Akron, via Oberlin College and Boston University. His first CD is "Midwest Coast," features local legend Jackie Warren on keyboards, and has 10 original tunes covering jazz styles from Latin America to Harlem. Another great CD from a very talented young man with a great future.
Frigid Touch is the latest project of techno singer/songwriter Christopher Foldi. Recorded on his Macintosh Powerbook, the disk features ten original tracks and a great cover of the Classic IV's "Spooky." Yet another talented guy who has a bright future, check Christopher Foldi and his various musical projects out at www.frigidtouch.com.