Listening Room Blog

A happy Listening Room birthday to Hall of Famer Eric Clapton, who turned 65 today.

Say what you will about the man, but he remains one of the premier electric blues guitar players of the modern era, and gets credit for helping expand the blues fan base.

So, happy birthday to Mr. Clapton. 

Clapton was part of the British blues explosion of the 1960s, along with Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and a host of others. He remains probably the most recognizable name from the era.

But think of the man’s complete resume. He founded the first real supergroup in Cream, was part of any number of classic rock bands, including Blind Faith and Derek & the Dominoes, and produced what I still consider one of the greatest rock albums of all time – Layla and Other Love Songs, the sole release from Derek & the Dominoes.

He played with everyone from Duane Allman to Steve Winwood, has jammed with absolutely everyone in the business, and somehow managed to crank out hit songs over more than four decades.

Clapton is one of those guys that we’ve come to take for granted, and maybe the new generation of music fans miss the impact that guys of Clapton’s generation had on today’s music.

So give him his day. Happy birthday Eric.

You never know what can turn up at an amature sale.

This story comes from Listening Room columnist Roberto Parente, who stumbled onto this report from NME.com about a British music fan who found a full recording of a 1971 Led Zeppelin concert at a car boot sale — the name for gatherings where folks sell items from the trunk of a car.

In this case, music fan Vic Kemp paid “two or three pounds” for a never-released 1971 Zep concert at St. Matthew’s Baths Hall in Ipswich, according to the article in NEM.com.

That’s some find.

(photo courtesy of ledzeppelin.com)

NME.com says no official recordings were ever made of the Ipswich show, although there are a few bootlegs out there. And there are only a few of those still floating around.

The show reportedly includes Led Zeppeiln classics that range from “Immigrant Song,” to “Whole Lotta Love,” to “Stairway to Heaven.” Remember that “Immigrant Song” was off Zep’s debut, and “Whole Lotta Love” went gold in 1970. So it’s in their heyday.

Either way, it’s a fun story, particularly for music collectors.

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Last minute recommendation from the Listening Room: Singer/songwriter Tim Palmieri will be at Opus 465 in Armonk tonight for an acoustic set of covers and original music.

Join us there. It should be worth the trip.

Palmieri has already made a name for himself with The Breakfast, as well as a number of side projects. Those include Beatles A-Z, a side group that has covered every Beatles song alphabetically twice. So the guy knows how to have fun on stage.

Palmieri and The Breakfast have a half-dozen albums to their credit, including Psychadelic Breakfast, released in 1999, and 2006’s Moxy Epoxy. And it seems he has a hard time staying off the stage.

That’s a very good sign.

A native of New Haven, he and The Breakfast have played alongside noted artists like Umphrey’s McGee, Tea Leaf Green and Mike Gordon of Phish. Tonight’s show will be a chance to see Palmieri in the raw as pure entertainer.

A few of us from the Listening Room will be on hand, so come say hello. Opus 465 is at 465 Main Street, Armonk, NY.

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Johnny Thunders may have started off as an unlikely candidate for punk icon, but that’s just what he became.

Born John Genzale, Thunders stole his legendary alias from the DC Comics character Johnny Thunder when he co-founded the New York Dolls.

But long after his death in 1991, Thunders continues to be immersed in punk lore — in addition to his work with the Dolls and his band The Heartbreakers, he released six solo albums and has been the focus of nearly 50 bootleg, live, compilation and tribute albums.

Few punk rockers this side of Sid Vicious have that kind of staying power.

Thunders was an Italian-American kid from Jackson Heights when he fell into the burgeoning New York City punk scene. He started off with the stage name Johnny Volume, hooking up with local musicians and delving into the scene.

In the early ‘70s he joined the band Actress, which included future Dolls bandmates Arthur Kane and Billy Murcia. By 1971, the band added guitarist Sylvain Sylvain and singer David Johansen. The New York Dolls were born.

Thunders was the raunchy, if sloppy, driving guitar behind the  Dolls’ brief success. The band became the face of the Big Apple punk world, scoring big with the song “Pills” off their first album. However, it was short lived, and the band broke up in 1975.

After the band’s demise, Thunders formed The Heartbreakers with Dolls drummer Jerry Nolan and bassist Richard Hell, who had just left Television and would later make a bigger name for himself with Richard Hell and the Voidoids.

The Heartbreakers had limited success, and Thunders was involved in a series of other projects. He also launched a solo career. He released six solo albums, starting with 1978’s So Alone and ending with Copy Cats, released in 1988.

However, his career was marked by rampant drug use. He died of an overdose in New Orleans in 1991 under suspicious circumstances — his body was found in advanced rigor mortis and his apartment had been ransacked. His friend and fellow punk legend Willy DeVille, who was also a neighbor, was reportedly one of the first to see the body.

But Thunders has lived on in music. Countless albums bearing his music have been released over the years, including the recent tribute box set, Born To Lose.

Rolling Stone magazine likened Thunders’ lingering appeal to that of Sex Pistol Sid Vicious. The difference, the magazine said, is that Thunders had talent.

That’s probably the real tragedy of Johnny Thunders.

(NOTE: This is part of my ongoing series of reports on guitar players who fly under the mainstream radar. Keep checking The Listening Room for future installments of guitar players you should know – JF)

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We recently gave you a rundown of recommended upcoming shows to check out, but don’t overlook Bryan Adams at Purchase College.

The Canadian-born, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter will be at the college’s concert hall on April 25. Tickets for the show, which will be Adams’ local stop on his Bare Bones national tour, are now on sale. Check out what seats are available through this link.

Adams himself has described the tour as “an acoustic rendition of the last 30 years of my life.”

And he’s made a lot of music over the past 30 years.

(photo courtesy of bryanadams.com)

Adams has released 10 studio albums, four live albums and a handful of anthologies since 1980, when he put out his debut album. But it wasn’t until his third album that he hit the bigtime. Cuts Like A Knife, released in 1983, put him on the charts and kept him there for a heck of a long time. His follow-up releases didn’t do too poorly either.

But don’t think Adams is simply about music. He’s also a social activist through “The Bryan Adams Foundation,” which promotes education and opportunity for children on the continent and overseas.

In addition, Adams is an established professional photographer whose work has been published in magazines as prominent as Vanity Fair, Vogue and Esquire.

So, there’s a pretty lengthy resume behind him when he takes the stage at Purchase College. Of course, the night will be about the music.

Check it out.

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It’s hard to find anything for free these days, so hats off to Lincoln Center and Target department stores for sponsoring a series of free shows at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center.

Titled Target Free Thursdays, the shows are held at the Atrium, a space dedicated largely to ticket sales, promotionall gatherings and tasty — if pricey — food, wine and other beverages. Now you can catch free shows as well.

I was lucky enough to catch the debut show with a friend last night, and it’s a highly recommended experience. Despite the costly price of food and drink — nothing is ever entirely free — the space is eye-catching, relaxing and quaint, with good acoustics. If you haven’t been by, it’s on Broadway between 62nd and 63rd streets.

You can check out the list of the shows  through this link.

Last night’s show featured Bonga and the Vodou Drums of Haiti, a roots music ensemble led by noted Haitian musician Gaston “Bonga” Jean-Baptiste. The seven-piece group provides a full cultural assault, with music, dance and storytelling woven into the performances.

As Jean-Baptiste notes on his website, he and his son and fellow drummer, Tiga, “use handcrafted drums from Bonga’s collection with a deft and precision rarely seen outside of Haiti.”

For anyone who has a penchant for Caribbean roots music, or for anyone who seeks exposure to it, this is a good choice.

And it was a good choice to kick off the Atrium series.

A few words of advice about the Atrium shows: Since they are free shows and it’s a limited space, you really have to arrive early and grab a seat or, if you’re really lucky, a table. Once the place gets full they do shut the doors and you’re forced to wait outside until someone leaves. Not many leave.

And, as I said earlier, the food and beverage is very much at New York City prices. So, either bring your wallet or don’t come hungry and thirsty.

But if you’re looking for music with a variety of different bents, check out the Atrium.

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The most striking thing about Tal Wilkenfeld is her appearance.

Small in stature, the 20-something Australian-born bassist looks like a mere teenager on stage, holding an instrument that at times seems oversized for her.

But rest assured that Wilkenfeld holds her own on the bass. Just ask Jeff Beck, Chick Corea, Prince and a number of music  legends who have increasingly sought out the waifish bassist’s formidable talent.

Wilkenfeld’s most noteworthy gig has been alongside Jeff Beck, with whom she’s toured and recorded for several years. But her musical career has had significantly more breadth.

Born in Sydney, Wilkenfeld began playing guitar at age 14, and dropped out of high school two years later to pursue a music career. She migrated to the U.S. and began studying the instrument — only to switch to bass at age 17.

Then things took off.

Within just a few months of picking up the bass, Wilkenfeld was endorsed by Sadowsky Guitars, and began forming her own band in New York City. She made the rounds in the Big Apple jazz circuit and gained enough attention to land some high-profile gigs.

Her big break came in 2006 when, at just 20 years old, she performed with the Allman Brothers Band and recorded her debut album, Transformation. The album, which was written, arranged and produced by the young bassist,  prompted jazz great Chick Corea to hire Wilkenfeld and hit the road with her in tow.

Touring Australia with Corea, Wilkenfeld then caught the eye of Hall of Fame guitarist Jeff Beck, who added her to his band.

“What can I say about Tal Wilkenfeld?” Beck is quoted as saying on Wilkenfeld’s website. “How does one describe an astonishing talent? The answer is you don’t. You listen and watch as 45,000 people did in Chicago at the Crossroads Festival 2007.”

“I have witnessed special moments in my time, but to see all those ‘dyed-in-the-wool’ blues fanatics and guitar freaks go bezerk half way through her solo left me emotional, and that is an understatement,” Beck said. “The word proud is barely adequate.”

Still, Wilkenfeld has remained busy on a number of other musical projects. In addition to Corea and Beck, she’s played alongside the likes of Prince, Eric Clapton, Robben Ford, Gov’t Mule, Buddy Guy, Sting and a host of others.

The beauty of it is she’s still just a kid — even if appearances can be deceiving.

(NOTE: This is part of my ongoing series of reports on guitar players who fly under the mainstream radar. Keep checking The Listening Room for future installments of guitar players you should know – JF)

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If you missed them at Rory Dolan’s yesterday, the popular Irish-American band Shilelagh Law —a fixture in Westchester’s and Rockland’s Irish pubs — will play St. Patrick’s Day in Manhattan following the big parade. The band plays Connolly’s Klub 45, at 121 W. 45th St., Wednesday at 4 p.m. The five-piece band belts out songs that fuse Irish folk with modern rock. Denis McCarthy is a mean fiddler and takes Guns N’ Roses “Sweet Child of Mine” to a really Irish place. You’ll also hear Irish anthems like “A Nation Once Again.” But they’re most beloved for their hometown songs like “Meet Me on McLean” (a shout out to Yonkers/Woodlawn) and “Christmas in New York.”  Visit them at www.halfthebottle.com.

You never know what to expect with the White Stripes — what sublime sounds Jack White will invent on his guitar, making it sound like an utterly new and awesome instrument, highlighted by the primal beats of Meg’s drumming. Now one of rock’s most creative pairs had been featured in a film rockumentary. Under Great White Northern Lights had screenings at a number of theaters this week, including a midnight showing in NYC last night. (I opted for sleep.) The White Stripes movie follows Jack and Meg on a Canadian tour in 2007, as they play every Canadian province in places that include boats and bowling alleys. A live album that shares the name of the film will be released March 16. If you can’t wait that long, NPR is streaming the album for free.

We here at the Listening Room have tried to keep our readers up to date on upcoming shows. So, here we are again.

We’ll leave the Big Apple alone for now, but here’s a rundown of some noteworthy shows scheduled for the Lower Hudson Valley in the coming month or two.

(photo courtesy of henryrollins.com)

Singer, songwriter, artist, author and talkshow host Henry Rollins kicks off our list. The former Black Flag frontman will be at he Tarrytown Music Hall this coming Sunday.

On April 8 there’s a good pairing: Alejandro Escovedo and Graham Parker are on stage. This will be a good show, and if you don’t know Escovedo you might be in for a pleasant surprise. If you don’t know Graham Parker then shame on you.

The historic Tarrytown venue will also host former Yankee-turned-jazz guitarist Bernie Williams on April 23. This is no joke: If you haven’t heard the man play you might be surprised. He stands on his own merit musically, whether or not his first career was shagging fly balls.

Then on April 25, the Music Hall is due to feature two legendary musicians: Former Byrd’s co-founder Roger McGuinn and John Sebastian, who has earned his musical stripes both with the Lovin’ Spoonful and as a solo artist.

Speaking of which, the Irvington Town Hall Theater has the Lovin’ Spoonful on stage on April 11.

Talking about legendary music, the Paramount Center for the Arts in Peekskill has the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on their calendar for March 26.

Moving north, the Towne Crier in Pawling has Suzanne Vega scheduled for April 30.

Finally, we’re liking some of the upcoming shows at the Turning Point Cafe in Piermont. If you haven’t been, it’s like watching quality music in your basement, albeit with a better sound system. But it’s a very intimate place to see a show.

Among the more notable shows at the Turning Point will be Shemekia Copeland on March 27. She’s the daughter of the late, great blues legend Johnny “Clyde” Copeland. She’s also worth the price of admission. The Piermont cafe was a regular stop for her father, and it’s nice to see Shemekia keeping the tradition alive.

Then, on April 10, the cafe has David Johansen pencilled in. Johansen was a punk legend as frontman for the New York Dolls, and later scored both as a solo artist and under the stagename Buster Pointdexter. He’s also worked as an actor and recently reformed the Dolls.

Our sleeper pick is also at the Turning Point. That’s on April 23, when Kim Simmonds and Leslie West are scheduled to perform. West is one of the premier rock guitarist of all time, and fronted Mountain, best known for the classic “Mississippi Queen.” But don’t overlook Simmonds. He’s one of the most overlooked electric blues players of rock era. A former co-founder of Savoy Brown, he was a contemporary with Clapton, Beck, Page and others from the rock-blues generation.

Also, looking ahead a little the Turning Point will host Willie Nile on May 7.

That’s it for now, but keep reading the Listening Room for upcoming shows, features and other music goodies.

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Pearl Jam just announced its US tour for this spring. Me = Giddy. I knew the tour was coming, but May is sooner that I expected so yay.

If you’re ambivalent about PJ, or if you’re a PJ hater (I know you’re out there), check em out live. It’s a sick show, taking their music to another level. The band’s developed kind of a cult following for live shows and most fans are repeat concert goers. Personally, I’ve been to close to 20 shows in five states and literally dream about the shows. As a plus, Band of Horses open (Is there a ghost in my house is such a cool song) and bluesy rockers Black Keyes will open May 20 in New York. The band always has great openers – like Kings of Leon, Bright Eyes, Sleater Kinney. Enough hype. Here’s the lineup.

DATE          CITY                VENUE
May 3rd       Kansas City, MO     Sprint Center
May 4th       St. Louis, MO       Scottrade Center
May 6th       Columbus, OH        Nationwide Arena
May 7th       Noblesville, IN Verizon Wireless Music Ctr.
May 9th       Cleveland, OH       Quicken Loans Arena
May 10th      Buffalo, NY         HSBC Arena
May 13th      Bristow, VA         Jiffy Lube Live
May 15th      Hartford, CT        XL Center
May 17th      Boston, MA          TD Garden
May 18th      TBD                 TBD                   TBD
May 20th      New York, NY        Madison Square Garden March 16, 12pm PDT
May 21st      New York, NY        Madison Square Garden March 16, 3pm PDT

Public Ticket Sale: Public tickets for the Columbus, Noblesville, Hartford, Boston and Bristow shows go on sale Friday, March 19th. The remaining shows go on sale Saturday, March 20th. Via Tickemaster.  Ten Club members can find presale info at http://www.pearljam.com/ten-club/tickets

The Juicy Grapes will be bringing their soulful, funky rhythms to Westchester County — hitting the Lazy Boy Saloon in White Plains March 19 (free/21+) and the Rum Runner Cafe in Peekskill May 14 ($7/all ages).

The Juicy Grapes hail from Norwalk, Conn., and have played that state’s Gathering of the Vibes festival, earning the band some grassroots street cred and helping to grow their musical family.

The band’s shows are energetic, with a unique vibe. In their own words: “The lyrics will make you chant; the rhythms will make you swerve.”

After releasing the album “For Sale” in late 2008, the band has returned to the studio and is working on its as-of-yet-untitled album for an early summer 2010 release.

The Juicy Grapes features Joe Tripuzzi on bass, Tara on vocals, Steve DeFala on sax, guitar and vocals, Bruce Hammer on drums and Jim McKeeman on guitar and vocals.

The Robin Trower Band was hardly the first power trio, nor was he the first to draw comparisons to Jimi Hendrix — Frank Marino was out there at about the same time and Eddie Hazel was haunted by the comparison.

But Trower was a sensation, somehow belting out screaming licks and quick riffs without losing the soulful blues feel that thrashers usually misplace along the way.

And the beauty is that Trower’s still doing it.

(photo courtesy of nuvo.net)

The defining Trower album for me was Robin Trower Live, released in 1976. I was drawn to live albums at an early age because I preferred the raw and spontaneous sound that comes form a stage performance. He didn’t disappoint.

But Trower was already well into a successful music career by then. Born in Essex, England, he played in various local bands before hooking up with Gary Brooker. In 1967, Trower joined Brooker’s band, Procol Harum. He was now a major player on the scene.

He was out of the band by 1972, launching a solo career and hooking up with bassist Rob Dewar along the way. The following year the two formed The Robin Trower Band, a power trio that eventually came to include drummer Bill Lordan.

In all, Trower released 24 albums either with the band or as a solo artist, including last year’s release, What Lies Beneath. Five of the albums went gold, including his hallmark 1974 release, Bridge of Sighs.

But that’s hardly been the whole story. He’s also been featured on several releases with Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry, and did a few projects with former Cream bassist Jack Bruce.

Still not slowing down, Trower is planning a European tour in the fall. Hopefully we’ll get him back in the states before he decides to hang up his axe.

(NOTE: This is part of my ongoing series of reports on guitar players who fly under the mainstream radar. Keep checking The Listening Room for future installments of guitar players you should know – JF)

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Punk mainstay Bad Religion is celebrating 30 — yes 30 — years together as a band. To mark the occasion, the band is releasing a live album that will be recorded during their spring 2010 House of Blues tour in California (their home state) and Nevada. The 30 Years Live download will be given to fans who sign up for the band’s mailing list online. The album will be available through May 18. Visit: http://www.badreligion.com/mailinglist.html

Miki Berenyi was a guitarist and a singer by default.

The London-born Berenyi began playing bass as a teen in a band she formed with Emma Anderson, who would later be her bandmate in Lush – their greatest accomplishment as a dueo. It wasn’t long before Berenyi picked up the six-string guitar and stuck with it.

When Lush was formed in the late ‘80s, Berenyi picked up singing duties as well.

Much more of a strummer than thrasher, Berenyi nonetheless evolved into a striking on-stage presence whose two-guitar chemistry with pal Anderson carved Lush’s sound into a mesmerizing and intriguing musical style.

So, yeah, she belongs on the list.

Lush released four albums in all, including a debut mini-LP that began building a loyal fan base for the band. With Berenyi and Anderson picking up songwriting duties – and sharing guitar and vocal duties – Lush fared relatively well.

But when drummer Chris Acland committed suicide the band was done.

Berenyi kept herself in the mix after Lush split up in the late ‘90s, and contributed to works by The Rentals and others. She also released some solo work over the years, but fans still lament her seeming disappearance. One blogger even cited rumors that she became a gardener.

In fact she became a magazine editor, even as Anderson went on with her own band, Sing Sing, for several more years.

(NOTE: This is part of my ongoing series of reports on guitar players who fly under the mainstream radar. Keep checking The Listening Room for future installments of guitar players you should know – JF)

Follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/jfitzgibbon