Grateful Dead: "Dave's Picks Volume 59" (2026) CD Review

In September of 1991, the Grateful Dead came to Boston for six shows. Many Dead fans have since argued that those shows were the last great run for the band. Sure, the Dead still had some excellent shows ahead of them. But a full run of excellent shows? I was fortunate enough to attend all six. The first one was great, memorable especially for the second set opener of "Help On The Way" into "Slipknot!" into "Fire On The Mountain," something the Dead did only that one time. And each succeeding show was better than the last. The fifth show was released as Dick's Picks Volume 17 (that show featuring the first ever "That Would Be Something"). And now it makes total sense that Dave Lemieux has chosen the final show of that run to release as Dave's Picks Volume 59. That show was something special. Many of us left that show not only ecstatic, but exhausted. Six phenomenal shows that had us dancing and tossing ourselves into the outer reaches of existence. Coming back down to Earth was difficult, but necessary. We needed some rest after that journey. But what a great thing it is to revisit that show now, to revisit the end of that journey. 

Disc 1

The first disc contains the entire first set. The band begins with some playful tuning, which at times sounds like a song (or a couple of different songs), led by keys. At this point in the band's career, there were two guys on keys: Bruce Hornsby on piano, and Vince Welnick on keyboard. Both had been in the band for approximately a year at the time of this show, following the death of Brent Mydland in the summer of 1990. This tuning is presented as its own track, as it is more than seven minutes, twice the length of most bands' songs. Most bands wouldn't even include this on a live album, but the Grateful Dead have always been something special, and the fans (myself included) would have been a bit disappointed were it not included here. There are some sweet, even pretty moments, the tuning becoming a gentle, welcoming jam. And then we are into "Jack Straw," which feels like just exactly the right choice. I love Bruce repeating, "Might as well be me," a great touch. It is clear right then the band is ready to give everything at this show. The vocals aren't always as powerful as they could be, but this is a good rendition, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart pushing everything forward with some dynamic drumming. That's followed by "Cold Rain And Snow," a song that is always appreciated. And the guys' voices on "rain and snow" are fantastic. Everything seems to be working perfectly, particularly during the jam. "I'm going where those chilly winds don't blow."

Bob Weir decides then it's time to get good and bluesy, and leads the band into a seriously cool rendition of "Wang Dang Doodle." "Gonna romp and stomp 'til midnight/Gonna fuss and fight 'til daylight." This is totally delicious, a highlight of the first set, featuring some nice work on keys. And when they were singing, "All night long, all night long," I remember hoping they'd play all night long. Final show of the run, final show of the tour. So why not? Certainly the energy was there. And then Jerry Garcia begins hinting at "Candyman," and it isn't long before everyone is on the same page, and the band begins the song. This rendition has moments of touching beauty, and of powerful passion, great peaks and valleys. And Jerry's guitar like swimming through a vibrant sea, then coming up for air and seeing the whole world has suddenly calmed. Another first set highlight, it is followed by a fun "Mexicali Blues," taking us to another place, another time, something the Grateful Dead was so adept at doing. There is some wonderful stuff on keys, but also pay attention to the fun Phil Lesh is having on bass in that section. That song leads straight into "Cumberland Blues." This is one of the songs that stood out to me that night, one of the songs we were talking about afterward. And now, hearing it again all these years later, I see why it stood out. The band is cooking here. Check out Jerry's guitar work. Check out those harmonies. Check out that stuff on piano in the second half. All over a hopping rhythm. A highlight not just of the first set, but of the entire show. Glad to find that my memory on some things is reliable. 

The set could have ended there, and no one would have complained. We were all satisfied, as I recall. But the band still had more in store for us before the break. After a bit of tuning, the band went into "Picasso Moon," Bob counting the band into it. This is a song I never cared all that much about, but on that night even this one had a certain power, a certain appeal, a certain attitude, a certain spirit. It's like some of the joy of "Cumberland" found its way into "Picasso Moon." This is probably the best version I ever saw the band do. Then Phil got a chance to sing, bringing great joy to all those in the Phil Zone with a nice rendition of "Box Of Rain." This song always puts me a reflective and accepting frame of mind. This song was the encore of my first show, and it was also the last song the Grateful Dead ever sang. "It's all a dream we dreamed one afternoon long ago." And that's how the first set came to an end.

Disc 2

The second disc contains the first half of the second set. The band kicks it off with "Dark Star," a sure sign that the band means to take us to interesting, unusual places. Interestingly, the band played part of "Dark Star" just two nights before (in the pre-"Drums" slot), but didn't finish it. So when the band began it this night (after a sort of tuning jam), I expected to get just the second half of the song, and beginning, as they do here with a wonderful jam, it seems that's precisely what they're going to do. The jam is fairly tight, not going too far out yet, but setting the tone, the atmosphere, a jumping-off point that is delicious on its own. And there is a great flow to the music. Beautiful. The guys begin to test the edges, poking and prodding and thus expanding the bounds. And then Jerry delivers the song's first verse. No one was upset, of course, just surprised to hear that first verse twice in three shows. The jam then takes us into interesting territory, the energy never lagging, and it seems there are little hints of "The Other One" at one point, before the edges begin to tear, and tiny beasts of light rush in to make repairs, or to feast. And then it's more difficult to hold on, so much easier to let go, to let the music decide the course. Something is bubbling up from below, and we watch as it begins to overtake us, lifting us to a different plateau. And as we step out onto it, the band going into "Saint Of Circumstance." Ah, yes! But did we really get two half-"Dark Stars," and not one full one? That made us wonder, but only briefly, as the special glory of "Saint" drove the past from our thoughts. "Got to be heaven, 'cause here's where the rainbow ends." We can see it, or at least hear it. This is an especially good rentition of "Saint Of Circumstance," helping putting us within reach of whatever it is we are going for.

As "Saint" is ending, "Eyes Of The World" emerges. A song that never fails to make me happy, to get me dancing. It eases in, though it knows precisely where it's going, and then we are there, before we even know it. And all the joy is there, that rhythm carrying us through and beyond, the song a celebration of everything we hold dear, of everything we hope to be. Several suns rise throughout the festivity, each one bringing us more knowledge within its light, and more joy. And time no longer matters, is no longer a factor. "The seeds that were silent all burst into bloom and decay/The night comes so quiet, it's close on the heels of the day." Jerry's guitar leads us into a beautiful world of its own creation, planting seeds and watching them burst into life. And while those wither, others burst to life all around them, so there is no reason to despair. This is a wonderful, cheerful "Eyes." And there is a brief "Other One" tease at the end just before the song finds its way into "Drums." A solid, quick pulse, running up a hill. An opening of doors, one after another in quick succession. And what is it that spills in, or out, through those doorways? Time returns, the ticking alerting us. Though what it might mean to us at this point is anyone's guess. For now we have entered a playful, joyous realm, and we are curious about its parameters, watching light bounce off the various surfaces, shoot off into other directions, changing its hue, its components. Heavier, more powerful elements speak, command. They come from a dark shard of eternity, leading the galaxies in a dance. And then strange creatures flutter by, passing through the light and then ceasing to exist. Metal explodes, clashes, and darkness arrives in waves. And as "Space" begins, the music fades out.

That's how the second disc ends. There is no filler material. The second disc contains only forty-eight minutes of music, so certainly more could have fit on it. I have mixed feelings about this. One one hand, as my friend Jon says, they could have put that "Help">"Slip">"Fire" on there. On the other hand, I sometimes don't like the flow of a show to be broken up. And it not being included gives me hope that the full show might at some point be released.

Disc 3

The third disc contains the rest of the second set and the encore. It begins where the second disc left off, as "Drums" turns into "Space." And this "Space" does feel like it is coming to us from some other realm, some place of dubious solidity, of questionable reality, yet a place that is recognizable. Haven't we been here before? Something seems familiar, if only we could hold that piece for more than an instant. Heavier, darker things descend around us, and bright stems of light rise up to meet them. Glass figurines shatter, the pieces dancing briefly before disintegrating. And "Space" moves right into "The Other One," a really nice segue, keeping us in that interesting place, and adding other textures to it. Various elements swirl around us, dancing, but intent upon some end, and suddenly Bob delivers the song's first verse. And darkness rushes at us from several sides, thumping, multiple hearts beating around us. Jerry's guitar seems to point the way out, but then finds more interesting material here in this strange, unsettling land. Then things come together again, and Bob delivers the second verse. That leads back into "Dark Star." Yes, this time we get the second verse. And that verse ends gently, easing out into the ether. We feel lighter now, even soothed. And interestingly, there are elements of "The Other One" present here, if only for a moment. And the band lets itself explore the area, and are eventually welcomed by small sprites, who were probably there all along waiting for that receptive moment.

And the band finds itself settling into "Attics Of My Life," featuring some absolutely beautiful vocal work. This is another song I remember being thought a highlight immediately, and, again, my memory proves accurate. This is a gorgeous, moving rendition of "Attics." It's so good to be held in the arms of this song, as we are here. "When I had no wings to fly, you flew to me." What a beautiful rendition. And then as we're still enjoying that feeling, "Good Lovin'" begins to rise, to approach. Ah yes, give us a song to dance to, a fun number, a celebration, which feels right at the end of this special show. I remember the joy in the room at this point, everyone dancing, everyone's arms raised. These were the moments we all lived for, yearned for, and when the magic was present, enjoyed. What a great way to wrap up this set. And what better encore is there for the final show of a run than "Brokedown Palace"? And that's the song the band gives us. I remember feeling so much love in the room while the band played this song. We knew then we'd experienced a great run and that it was time to go home. "Going home, going home/By the waterside I will rest my bones." But, surprisingly, the band was not done. They went into "And We Bid You Goodnight," the only time they played it that year, and the final time they ever did it. It was such a treat that night, and the crowd was ecstatic. You can hear some of it on this recording.

After that, it would be insane to complain about anything. However, let me just say that this disc contains only forty-four minutes of music. Forty-four fantastic minutes, granted. If there is no plan to release the other Boston shows, a bit of filler might have been included here. But again, I am hopeful that the other four shows will be released at some point (while I'm still alive), especially the fourth show. My memory of that one is that it had the most beautiful "Space" I ever saw the band perform. 

CD Track List

Disc 1

1. Tuning Intro
2. Jack Straw
3. Cold Rain And Snow
4. Wang Dang Doodle
5. Candyman
6. Mexicali Blues >
7. Cumberland Blues
8. Picasso Moon
9. Box Of Rain

Disc 2

1. Dark Star >
2. Saint Of Circumstance >
3. Eyes Of The World >
4. Drums

Disc 3

1. Space >
2. The Other One >
3. Dark Star >
4. Attics Of My Life >
5. Good Lovin'
6. Brokedown Palace >
7. And We Bid You Goodnight

Dave's Picks Volume 59 was released in early August, 2026. My copy arrived on August 2nd. This release is limited to 25,000 copies. Mine is number 7383.

Katie Knipp: "Live At Theater 5150" (2026) CD Review

Katie Knipp is a singer and songwriter whose voice I fell in love with back in 2018, when she released Take It With You, an excellent album of all original songs. She's released several other great albums since then. Her new one is a live album. Titled Live At Theater 5150, it features largely original material, along with a few cool covers, recorded at a show she did on January 10th this year. This is not her first live album. Live At The Green Room Social Club was released in 2022. Only three of the sixteen songs on this new album were also part of that earlier live album. And it's certainly not a bad thing to have new versions of those three songs, "I Don't Sing For You," "Chamomile And Cocaine" and "Gone To Town." Katie Knipp plays piano, guitar and harmonica. She is backed by Chris Martinez on guitar, Pancho Tomaselli on bass, Neil Campisano on drums, and Steve Utstein on organ and electric piano. The album was produced by Katie Knipp and Pancho Tomaselli.

The first track includes a short introduction from Mark Kassenbrock, and then Katie Knipp asks the crowd, "Hey, everybody, is it okay if we blast your faces off a little bit?" The band goes into a delicious, heavy rendition of "Santa Cruz Blues," a song from that Take It With You album that turned me on to this artist. And everything is right. In addition to a powerful, fascinating vocal performance, Katie Knipp delivers some good work on harmonica. And the band rocks. No one is holding back here. That's followed by "I Don't Sing For You," which also comes from Take It With You. At the beginning, her voice is supported by some good work on keys. And then the rest of the band comes in, but it is still the stuff on keys that is a focus. Apart from her voice, I mean. Katie Knipp has an undeniable allure. She is a presence, a power. There is a very cool, impressive lead on keys in the second half. The band seems to be summoning some elemental creature from deep within the earth's crust, calling it to rise, to dance, to do its bidding. And if you pay attention, you can hear the earth itself stirring.

"You guys are the best audience in the whole world," Katie Knipp tells the crowd in a stage whisper. She then counts off "Bullet Train," a song included on her 2021 EP The Well. Her performance here is stellar, captivating. When she sings, "this feels so good," she holds onto the word "good" until we all feel it in our bones, coursing through our veins. I love the line, "I want to hear you talk shit when you're eighty-five," something I don't recall being in the original studio recording. There is something loving, something surprisingly gentle when she sings "My love" at the end. That's followed by the first cover of this album, "If I Was The Devil," a song by Justin Townes Earl, who died in 2020. This is a track with a steady blues heartbeat. And for a moment, there is an ache in her voice as she sings, "You might not believe in me." This track features some good work on organ.

Katie Knipp takes us in a somewhat different direction with "Dirty Cables," a song from her 2024 album Me. There is a bit of a pop element heard here. It's a moving number, at first seeming to be about being a singer in a bar where perhaps no one is paying attention. But then we learn of the bad news that arrived during her show. This is an excellent song. When she sings, "and a rock grew heavy in my gut," we hear it, we feel it. Also from Me comes "The Devil's Armchair." Katie introduces it as a song about addiction. After a short, somewhat dark guitar opening, the song kicks in to immediately become captivating, mesmerizing. Her voice rises from whatever darkness, whatever pain she's been immersed in, and does so in dramatic fashion, like she could command the devil. She could compel the demons to submit, to obey, having spent a good amount of time in their company, and having won them over. "A moment of bliss, another empty kiss, another empty kiss." The jam near the end includes some wild guitar work, that instrument having clearly been among the demons itself. This is one of my personal favorites. At the end of this track, she announces they'll do one more song and then take a fifteen-minute intermission, so it's pretty clear this album doesn't include the complete concert.

"Metro In Paris" is a fun, sexy, jazzy number from Take It With You. When she sings about going up to her room and tells us, "and you'll be satisfied," we are hers completely. And the keys ensure we are under her spell. Katie delivers a completely delicious vocal performance. Listen to the way she sings, "You can't deny what you need/When you looked away but then smiled to yourself/It told me everything/So let me take you home." Holy moly! I need to see her perform, and I need to see her perform this song. I also love that lead on keys toward the end. That's followed by "Outlaw Doc," a song from Me. "This is a song about a man named Tom Bell. He robbed stage coaches." Then she adds playfully, "It's fun to get stories that aren't in my diaries sometimes, you know?" This track has a great, heavy blues rock sound. "Please, please," she sings toward the end, the line delivered a cappella. How could anyone deny her?

The second of the album's covers is "John The Revelator," her rendition having a delicious, raw blues groove and featuring some cool stuff on keys, as well as another captivating vocal performance. She seems to be living at the edge here, which is perfect. This track also contains some wonderful percussion, and in the middle there is a short drum solo, followed by an unusual bass lead that is fantastic. Each of the band members gets a chance to shine here, encouraged by Katie. I do wish the solos were a bit longer, but no worries, this rendition is dripping with cool. Then "Get Outta My Dream" begins on keys. This one is a rocking number that features some excellent, fun stuff on keys, and has a fantastic energy. I imagine this rousing number had folks in the audience dancing. That's followed by "Sad Eyed Lover." "This is a song about a guy that blamed everybody else and was very whiny," Katie says in her introduction, and I immediately think about the whiniest man alive, that conman and rapist occupying the White House. "So I dumped him," she shouts. So it's not about that guy. This song was the lead track from The Well. It is another high-energy number, with a powerful vocal performance, one full of attitude. This one too contains a drum solo.

The album's final cover is "State Trooper," a song from my personal favorite Bruce Springsteen album, Nebraska. Apparently, Katie Knipp is also a big fan of that album. "My favorite thing to do is just watch the sun go down, have a good cocktail in hand, and listen to the Nebraska album," she says in introducing this one. She then adds, "Highly recommend." Good advice. She puts her own personal spin on this song, delivering a cool rendition with a great, raw power. There is a heavy, rocking thing happening, and the track contains some excellent guitar work. That's followed by "Chamomile And Cocaine," another song from The Well. It has a totally delicious groove. This is a particularly good rendition, in large part because of her vocal delivery. She is in complete command of the world here. And we know we are in the right hands. The guitar takes over in the middle, a powerful lead that interestingly begins while she is still singing, and then continues beyond that.

"Here's an oldie," Katie says, introducing "Gone To Town," a song that was included on Nice To Meet You. It is one of the three songs here that was also included on Live At The Green Room Social Club. It quickly establishes a seriously cool groove. "Didn't know I was so strong," she sings early in this one. Ah, but everyone else in the room, I bet, was aware of her strength. This track contains a strong guitar lead, and a good lead on organ. It's followed by "Stillness," which she introduces as "A song for the times." It's a song with a reggae vibe. Check out the power as she sings, "You'd better run." Wow. The album concludes with an excellent rendition of "Mud," the lead track from Me. Her voice is smooth as she sings the line, "Your voice was once velvet," and then rises in power. Yes, yet another captivating vocal performance. At the end, she introduces the band.

CD Track List

1. Santa Cruz Blues
2. I Don't Sing For You
3. Bullet Train
4. If I Was The Devil
5. Dirty Cables
6. The Devil's Armchair
7. Metro In Paris
8. Outlaw Doc
9. John The Revelator
10. Get Outta My Dream
11. Sad Eyed Lover
12. State Trooper
13. Chamomile And Cocaine
14. Gone To Town
15. Stillness
16. Mud

Live At Theater 5150 is scheduled to be released on September 18, 2026. 

Drool Brothers Perform At International Pop Overthrow, 8-7-26

David Bash introducing first band of the festival

International Pop Overthrow is a sort of roving music festival that has been happening since the late 1990s, celebrating power pop music and bands whose material has a similar vibe. It began in Los Angeles, founded by David Bash, and soon spread out from there to many other cities. Now it is back in the great city of Los Angeles, and is being held at Redwood Bar & Grill downtown and at Bar 10 inside Corbin Bowl in Tarzana. David Bash is still choosing the festival's lineup, which is cool, and last night's show at Redwood featured a local band that I have quickly grown to love, Drool Brothers. That was the main draw for me, but I'm always excited to get turned onto new bands, and the others on the bill were largely new to me. The lineup also included Sanglorians, Mo Troper, Lori Garrote & The Chaos, Evil Maria, and Turning Violet.

There was a nice surprise and treat as we entered, that being a three-disc compilation titled International Pop Overthrow Volume 27, handed to folks as they paid their $10 cover. That release was brought to us through the good folks at Omnivore Recordings, and produced by David Bash, who was carrying gear into the venue when I arrived. This show was the opening night of the festival, which runs through August 16th and will bounce between the two venues so that David can be there for all the music and introduce the artists. And of course that means that music fans don't have to choose between two stages, two venues, on any given night. 

Sanglorians

The first show of the festival opened with the Sanglorians, who took the stage at 7:44 p.m. David Bash introduced the band, mentioning that Daniel Brummel was also in the band Ozma. The band delivered a completely enjoyable set that included covers of "I'm A Man You Don't Meet Every Day" and The Proclaimers' "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)." Those were great, but one of my favorites from the set was "1984." "This one's called '1984,' because we're still there," Daniel said in introducing that one. No argument from anyone in the room. They also delivered a really nice rendition of "Brian The Brave," an instrumental number that featured some excellent guitar work. The set ended with "Trip Around The Sun," another highlight.

Mo Troper

Mo Troper, an artist based up in Portland, was up next. When David introduced him, he mentioned that Mo is a huge Beatles fan, and that the audience was certain to hear that influence in his music. And we did. And that certainly was not a bad thing. He performed solo on electric guitar. The problem is that the guitar was turned up much too loud. It was as loud as the guitars in the first band. Those had been loud, but it made sense because of the drums. But there were no drums backing Mo Troper, so the guitar could have, and should have, been turned down. And turned down a lot. The guitar was much louder than the vocals, and though it was obvious Mo Troper has a great voice, there were times when it was difficult to make out the lyrics. His set included "I Fall Into Her Arms," "You Always Loved Me," "In The Band," "Let's Get Back To The Music." He wrapped up the set with "For You To Sing."

Drool Brothers

The Drool Brothers took the stage at 9:14 p.m. The sound was much better for their set. Not perfect, but much better. But this time the lights in front of the stage were much dimmer. Those lights were now all set on blue, so the band was kind of in the dark. I have no idea why changes like that would occur. The band opened with "Kaleidoscope," always a good choice because of the line "Enjoy the show." They followed that with "Have Fuzz Will Travel." Those are the first two tracks from the band's wonderful Psychology album. "Do you guys have duct tape?" Chuck asked after "Have Fuzz." He needed a quick fix for his microphone stand. The sound guy did have tape and was soon putting things right. And the band then went into "It's A Drag," from Positive Reinforcement Cookies, following it with the title track from Psychology. "It's a disco song, so you can dance if you want," Chuck told the crowd. And people did. That great bass line basically demanded that people dance. That song led into "Get Off Your Ass And Jam." Also from Psychology came "The Song That Nobody Heard," a delightful and catchy pop number. Natalie then sang lead on "Stupidity," a highlight of the set. A rocking rendition of "Alice" followed, featuring some great drumming. And after a kick drum adjustment, the band wrapped up the set with "She's Got The Beat." "That song should be a hit," David said afterward. No argument there. The set ended at 9:50 p.m.

Lori Garrote & The Chaos

Lori Garrote & The Chaos were up next. Lori first mentioned how much she loved the Drool Brothers' set. Then the band launched into its first song, "Be Free." Someone in the audience brought her own little bubble machine, and was aiming bubbles at the stage. After the second song, Lori said, "I absolutely love the bubbles." The lights in front of the stage had been switched from blue to white, so it was easier for those in the audience to see the band. I was having trouble, however, hearing the lyrics. There was one song where I could not make out a single word Lori sang. Not one. The instruments were much too loud, and the vocals were lost. If I can't hear the lyrics, I lose interest pretty quickly. And that's what happened. I left before the end of Lori Garrote's set. It's a shame, because I did want to hear Evil Maria and Turning Violet. I'll have to check them out another time. This was the second show at Redwood in a row where there were sound issues. Well, if you're planning on going to International Pop Overthrow tomorrow, it will be at Bar 10, and the sound has been quite good the few times I've been there.

Redwood Bar & Grill is located at 316 W. 2nd St. in Los Angeles, California.

RJ Chesney: "A Southern Man" (2026) CD Review

It's been seven years since singer and songwriter RJ Chesney released his last album, Amateur Revolution, which was a collaboration with HP Gunderson and was one of the best albums of that year. A lot has happened since 2019, including a global pandemic (remember that?). And during that time, RJ Chesney was at work writing new material. Now he has a new album ready. Titled A Southern Man, it features mostly original material that he wrote or co-wrote. While these days there are negative connotations to the idea of a southern man, RJ Chesney himself was born in Macon, Georgia, and raised in Biloxi, Mississippi, and it's difficult to conceive of places more "southern" than those towns. Those places play a part in the material on this album. This album also works as a reminder that there are good people everywhere, just as there are jackasses everywhere. Joining RJ Chesney on this release are Jason Hiller on electric bass, upright bass and organ; and Zachary Ross on electric guitar, resonator guitar, slide guitar, acoustic guitar and backing vocals. Jason Hiller and Zachary Ross also produced the album. RJ Chesney is also joined by Marty Rifkin on pedal steel and dobro; John J.T. Thomas on piano, electric piano, organ, and accordion; Chris Joyner on organ; Anton Laplume on acoustic guitar; David Goodstein on drums; Deacon Marrquin on drums and percussion; and Maesa Pullman on backing vocals.

The album opens with "Unforgiving Heart," which has a cool country vibe. Check out these opening lines: "You've got a ticking bomb/Inside your chest/Left unattended/Well, you know the rest." Interesting lines, right? The beating heart instead being a ticking bomb. A darkness within that can't be destroyed by alcohol. The great Marty Rifkin delivers some wonderful work on pedal steel. "You've got a hurricane/Inside your brain/How long can that levee/Hold back all that pain/So much hurt/So much anger." These days it's difficult to not have a lot of anger bubbling up inside. Can we forgive? Of course if we don't, we are only hurting ourselves more. "It's pumping poison every time it beats/Come on, let it go/Bring your suffering to an end." This song was written by RJ Chesney and Zachary Ross. That's followed by "A Southern Man." The title track opens with lines that have a different feel these days than when I was a child: "I love my country/And the flag for which it stands." It's difficult, because when we hear statements like that, they usually come from the worst among us. Kind of sad, right? And RJ continues, "It holds such promise/For every woman, child and man." With those lines, we begin to feel a slight fluttering inside, a memory of what it used to mean. Is it possible it could mean that again? This is a song in which RJ Chesney mentions Macon, and being born there. "I love the heart of Jimmy Carter/And the soul of Johnny Cash." We can't help but want to celebrate this country then, hearing those lines. And it is when RJ becomes defiant, and we see how that defiance actually reflects the best of this country, that we are completely on board, and unexpectedly more hopeful: "You don't get to tell me when to kneel or when to stand/You don't get to tell me who to love/You don't get to tell me how to be a southern man." Ah yes, maybe this country still has a heart after all. John J.T. Thomas delivers some good work on electric piano, and this track also contains some nice work on guitar.

"Afraid Of The Ball" has more of a traditional country flavor, featuring excellent work on pedal steel. It is a song about baseball, a song about fear and how it can end up controlling our lives, keep us from achieving our dreams. An incident on the field "haunts him to this day," while "his heart still holds those baseball dreams today."  This is another song to mention Macon. Mary Scholz provides backing vocal work on this track. That's followed by "Billy Please Come Home," which has a sweet, and catchy folk vibe. "It's cold outside/And your chair is even colder/Billy, I have a crazy, loving heart/I hear you crying, crying in the dark/There's wildness stirring in my spirit." This track has a delicious rhythm and features some good stuff by Marty Rifkin on dobro. The line "Your Smith & Wesson is warm inside my hand" strikes an ominous chord, even while the rhythm instructs us not to worry.

"My Silent Storm" has a softer, prettier sound at the start, and features a beautiful vocal performance. This is one of those songs that just completely wraps itself around us, takes over, shuts everything else out. Soon we feel we are living the song. "There's madness in the air/And sadness in the moon/It feels like late December/On the 21st of June." In addition to that phenomenal vocal performance, this song contains some gorgeous guitar work. RJ Chesney employs a different sort of vocal performance at the beginning of "The Devil Is Beating His Wife," approaching spoken word, which grabs out attention. "As a child, in my dreams I could turn myself into the wind." Later he returns to that sort of delivery for a line that made me laugh out loud, "I bought me some sea monkeys." Do they still print those advertisements in comic books? Somehow I doubt it. When he sings, "Sea monkey mama with a purse on her wrist," we recall that image. And I love the contrast between that image and the reality that surrounds it, one of domestic violence, more extreme than the contrast between the image of the sea monkeys and the reality of brine shrimp. "Now I got me a girlfriend/We're kicking our habits one day at a time," he tells us. "We're going to break into that house and rescue my mother/My sister and my brother." This track contains an excellent bass line. And I love that passionate guitar work toward the end, the lament and pain of that instrument hinting that perhaps the situation was never resolved.

RJ Chesney changes gears then with a fun rendition of "Holy Roller," which was written by Maesa Pullman and Shira Myrow, and originally recorded by Maesa Pullman & Kyle McNeill. Maesa Pullman and Jason Hiller provide the backing vocals here. "I see you reaching up for the sky/Baby, can you teach me how to get so high." And then RJ Chesney asks, "Baby, can you teach me how to lose my mind?" This one contains some wonderful stuff on both guitar and keys. That's followed by "I Gotta Go Lord," which was written by RJ Chesney and Hans Petter Gundersen. "The walls are closing in/And darkness has risen up all the way to my chin." And yet there is still hope, there is still energy heard in this music. "My old lady wears pitch black glasses." Maesa Pullman delivers some nice backing vocal on this track too. Then "My Heart Is My Home" has a sweet, comforting, friendly vibe. Here is a taste of the lyrics: "Listen to the evening hum/To the rhythm of life/Pounding on the walls/Like a living drum/Listen, dance and sing/Let the voices of love fill the air with harmony." This is a song for those who might feel out of place, who might be afraid to express their true selves. This one was written by RJ Chesney, Maesa Pullman and Zachary Ross. Maesa delivers some pretty backing vocal work again on this track.

This album contains a cover of "Suzanne," though not the song written by Leonard Cohen, but rather the one written by Kyle McNeill. "You let me cry my broken songs/Oh, Suzanne, you made a mess of me/Suzanne, you broke my fishing rod/You drank my beer and you killed my god." I especially love that last line, "You drank my beer and you killed my god." Interestingly, there is an ethereal element here, heard partly in the guitar lead in the middle. That's followed by "Orphans Of The Sky," which has a good beat and contains some nice work on keys. Both Maesa Pullman and Rosa Pullman provide backing vocal work on this one. "We are diamonds, we are dust/Raindrops and rust." RJ Chesney mentioned Macon in a couple of songs at the beginning of the album, and then concludes the disc with a song titled "Biloxi," a song written by Jesse Winchester. RJ Chesney gives us a pretty rendition, delivered at an unhurried pace. "The sun shines on Biloxi/The air is filled with vapors from the sea."

CD Track List

1. Unforgiving Heart
2. A Southern Man
3. Afraid Of The Ball
4. Billy Please Come Home
5. My Silent Storm
6. The Devil Is Beating His Wife
7. Holy Roller
8. I Gotta Go Lord
9. My Heart Is My Home
10. Suzanne
11. Orphans Of The Sky
12. Biloxi

A Southern Man is scheduled to be released on September 25, 2026.

The Mike Jacoby Electric Trio: "Welcome To The Family" (2026) CD Review

The Mike Jacoby Electric Trio's last release, 2024's Rocket Fuel Logic, found the group performing new renditions of material that Mike Jacoby had previously included on his solo albums. The trio's new album, Welcome To The Family, contains all new material, songs that speak to, and of, our current reality, with its uncertainty, met with both apprehension and hope, both anger and humor. The trio is made up of Mike Jacoby on vocals, guitar, piano and organ; Don Read on bass and backing vocals; and Mike Levin on drums, percussion and backing vocals. Special guest Art Bailey joins the trio on piano on a few tracks. The album was produced by Mike Jacoby.

The album opens with its title track, and so the song and the album begin with a welcoming: "Welcoming to the family/Welcome now." But even in that first moment, because of the tone, we question that welcoming's sincerity. "Don't let 'em scare you away/All the good people can stay." Soon the song offers reason for caution: "You've come a long way from a distant place/Look over your shoulder, keeps your eyes cast down/Never assume that there's no one around." And then it's clear that new folks are not welcome here. This country has turned dark, has turned against everything it was supposed to stand for. This was possibly never a great country, but it had ideals, it had potential. Now it doesn't even have those things. Yet this song is still hopeful, even empowering, as Mike sings, "Stand up for what you know is true/Create a world how you want it to be/Including you and including me." The line "All the good people can stay" might get you thinking, pondering, because of the subjectivity of the line. Who gets to define what constitutes good? If it were up to many of us, all the immigrants would be welcome, and all the Republicans would be detained for indefinite periods and then sent away. All of this country's problems would be gone in an instant if every last Trump voter were removed from this place. There is a great energy to this song, along the lines of what Willie Nile does. An excellent start to the album.

"The 75/24 Split" comes on with a strong, cool force, the lyrics sung with a snarl, with attitude, from the perspective of a trucker. It is a song about a highway interchange in Tennessee, a spot known for its heavy traffic. It's a lot of fun, and features some good drumming. "Man, I hate this" he sings, and immediately the guitar takes over. This track also contains some great stuff on bass. Interestingly, the song moves from traffic to a more personal thing, a split in a marriage. "Fifteen years of marriage now going down the drain/The kids have left, we barely speak/We stay in our own lane" (the word "lane" obviously further drawing the comparison to traffic). These lines make us question the song's narrator, whether he might be to blame after all. Apparently, a lot of folks blame truckers for the congestion at that spot on the highway. Then "Red, White & Blues" begins with the lines, "My country, 'tis of thee/Sweet land of liberty/Of thee I sing," the vocals supported by some simple work on piano. Then the song kicks in, and describes a situation, a world we know all too well. "Billionaire baby BS tech-bro/Brag about his money and his powerful friends/He's getting away with everything and sure paying dividends/Poor folks have to follow every rule/Rich folks get to choose." The truth of those lines strikes us. The system has always been corrupt, always been rotten. It's just more obvious these days how certain people are taking advantage of it. This track contains some great stuff on guitar. "I'm singing 'My Country, 'Tis Of Thee'/While last rites are given to democracy."

Art Bailey joins the group on piano for "Tell Them," a fun number with a bouncy rhythm and a delicious energy. "I get two hundred bucks just for passing Go/You can tell them I said so, tell 'em I said so." That's a nice nod to the game Monopoly, which was originally designed to show how harmful monopolies are, yet one more thing this country has lost sight of. "I'm spending my time being hugged and kissed/Tell them I don't care if they don't approve/Tell them that the rhythm section is bound to groove." Oh, yes. And then there are these lines: "I'll let you know how it all turns out/A little love is what it's all about." There is a more intimate feel to "You And Me Both," a song of a relationship, of trouble, of heartbreak. Check out these lines: "You and me both/Count the bruises on our arms/You and me both/Try not to care." And these: "Life keeps on happening each moment, every day/Whether we can deal with it or not." Those lines are striking, particularly these days when more and more we find ourselves unable to deal with it. The song might be about a couple, but it feels like it also addresses a larger landscape. "Are we just scared to death of living in the now/Maybe now's the time for getting clean." 

"Together" has a lighter vibe as it begins, and there is something adorable about that opening section. "You know me, and I know you/Together we get along/You are here, and I am here/Together we belong." Then after a breath, the song takes on a greater force. It remains in the same realm, but with more energy, more vigor. And this line grabs me: "Wherever I have to go, I'd rather go with you." Everything is manageable with that special someone, isn't it? There is some wonderful guitar work in the second half of this track. That's followed by "Love On Love," Art Bailey joining the group again on piano, delivering some wonderful work. It's not long before this one kicks in. This one also has a brighter energy. "I'm not one for standing still/If you want me there, of course I will/I'm driving up and down the hill/I've set my sights on you." There is some delicious harmonica work in the second half. Then "You Poor Thing" is one I love right from its opening, when a very cool vibe is established. There is a certain attitude in the vocal delivery. Here are the opening lines: "You should leave before the anger gets to you/Before you do something you might regret/Who knows what goes on inside that head of yours/You poor thing, you never will forget." And check out that delicious bass line. This is one of my personal favorites. "You poor thing, I only wish you well," he repeats at the end.

Then "85%" begins with a series of advertising slogans. How sick are we that we can pick out the products related to each of these old slogans? It's so sad that our brains retain that useless information; meanwhile I can't remember the names of people I met the other day. "Bombarded by the advertising/Click bait before realizing." This song has a great, solid rock energy. It is followed by "Fine American Craftsmanship," with lines like "Mammals mating/Carbon dating/What's with these kids today?" I love the dark humor that Mike Jacoby employs on this album. "Tarot readings/Daily feedings/Of mother's chicken soup." The Mike Jacoby Electric Trio wraps up the album with "And It's Gone," another of the disc's highlights. "Sometimes you get what you're never looking for/She said that, and I believed." This track features some excellent drumming, even before that great rhythm section near the end. "You can suck, but you know you're not allowed to bite." There is an interesting final section, the line "Gone and it's gone" repeated in a loud sort of whisper.

CD Track List

1. Welcome To The Family
2. The 75/24 Split
3. Red, White & Blues
4. Tell Them
5. You And Me Both
6. Together
7. Love On Love
8. You Poor Thing
9. 85%
10. Fine American Craftsmanship
11. And It's Gone

Welcome To The Family was released on July 31, 2026.

Greg Copeland: "Empire State" (2024) CD Review

Greg Copeland released his first album, Revenge Will Come, in 1982 on Geffen Records (both Jackson Browne and Rick Vito play guitar on it), and didn't release his second, Diana And James, until 2008. It then wasn't quite as long a wait before his third album, The Tango Bar, which came out in 2020. And then in 2024, he released Empire State, an EP containing five original tracks (though one is not a song). This release features Val McCallum on guitar and slide guitar; Tyler Chester on bass, keyboards and piano; Jennifer Condos on bass; Jay Bellerose on drums and percussion; Greg Leisz on pedal steel guitar, guitar, mandolin and mandocello; and Sara Watkins on violin.

The EP opens with "Boon Time." After a nice, even pretty, introduction on guitar, this song's first lines grab us: "One day/All alone/Feather bed/Long gone/Gun shot ringtone/Honey, what do we do now?" What do we do now? There is a good bluesy edge to the song as he sings, "Boon time/Bound to come and go." And at one point, as he sings that line, his voice is supported mainly by some interesting percussion by Jay Bellerose, who also played on both Diana And James and The Tango Bar. "Had a wife/Had a plan/Had a job/I could stand/Somewhere in dreamland/Honey, what do we do now?" What a cool song to start this disc. It's followed by "We The Gathered." This one kind of creeps in, creating an interesting atmosphere, one that soon envelops us. There is a somewhat haunting vibe, and an intensity to the rhythm. "Peace and brotherhood/Where could they be/Somebody's gonna tell you/Might as well be me/You're gonna want that machete/Better leave your heavy load." The rhythm begins to become more insistent, more prominent, and soon it becomes our own rhythm as we find ourselves immersed in this intriguing number. The guitar work seems to twist the air around us, until we can feel it pressing against our arms, our necks. "Nation in pieces/People in pain/Systematic bullshit/Thick as sugarcane." It is a powerful number featuring some excellent drumming.

Then "4:59:59" has a softer folk sound as it starts, and features an intimate vocal delivery, which works so well as Greg Copeland begins the song by telling us it is just about quitting time. Greg Leisz plays guitar, mandolin and mandocello on this one, and his playing is key in creating the song's tone. And Sara Watkins plays violin on this track, delivering some beautiful work. There are some darkly playful elements to this one, as when Greg sings, "Oxy-cotton candy," a combination of "Oxycontin" and "cotton candy" that seems just right for many people. And I love these lines: "I burned other people's bridges/So I could be alone." Another line that stands out is "You just tip your hat and tell him the time of day," because of its double meaning. There is the meaning of paying attention to someone (usually used in the negative sense of ignoring the person), as well as the literal meaning of telling him what time it is. That is followed by "Coyotes," a short track, featuring animal sounds as well as some distant city sounds. I see coyotes more and more here in Los Angeles, even in places where I never saw them before. The other day I saw a pair of them strolling down the street right outside my apartment building in North Hollywood. And there are times when it sounds like they are surrounding Prospect Studios, where I sometimes work. The EP concludes with its title track, "Empire State," this one featuring some wonderful work by Greg Leisz on pedal steel, helping to set the tone at the beginning. There is a strangely comforting vibe to this song, a sound you just want to wrap around yourself, even if a darkness is in there with you. "Fire in the firehouse/Fire at the pearly gates/City girl signing off/From the Empire State/See you out west/If you want a new mistake."

CD Track List

1. Boon Time
2. We The Gathered
3. 4:59:59
4. Coyotes
5. Empire State

Empire State was released on September 6, 2024.

Fernando Perdomo Records Live Album At Kulak's Woodshed, 8-2-26

As you might be aware, Fernando Perdomo has been releasing an album of new original material on the first of every month this year (he did it last year too), instrumental music that is often soothing. Music for introspection and exploration, music that takes listeners on wonderful journeys. This year's series of albums is titled Clouds, and for the ninth volume in the series, Fernando Perdomo decided to do something different, to make it a live recording. It's an interesting and unexpected decision, particularly considering the type of music involved. But everything Fernando Perdomo does is interesting and unusual, so it should not have come as a surprise. Also, it makes some sense for Clouds 9 (possibly, and understandably, changed to Cloud 9) to be something special. For this recording, Fernando Perdomo returned to one of his favorite haunts, Kulak's Woodshed in North Hollywood. And, interestingly, he had two guests join him at certain points in the show. Those who have been following the Waves and Clouds series know that on those albums Fernando Perdomo has not only composed all the material, but played all the instruments. So having guests at this show also marked an interesting departure from the established pattern.

As he started the show, Fernando Perdomo mentioned the Waves and Clouds series, saying that "this year I decided to take it from the water all the way up to what I consider the other ocean, which is the sky." And he briefly mentioned the idea of Cloud 9, including a nod to George Harrison. And then he got right to the music, the first piece opening in a beautiful space, immediately taking the audience to cloud nine. Together we stepped into a magical and warm land, a welcoming place, Fernando delivering some gorgeous guitar work. With the second piece, he took us into stranger territory. It was fascinating to watch him create these sonic landscapes. Fernando had four guitars to choose from at this show, and he switched to the second guitar for the third piece, and switched to another guitar for the fourth. It was after those first four numbers that he invited his first guest to join him. That was Bradley Bobbs, who did a spoken word performance about clouds, while Fernando accompanied him on guitar, actually at one point playing one guitar against another. Bradley Bobbs began the piece with a reference to Winnie the Pooh, and injected some humor throughout. There was also a Joni Mitchell reference at the end.

Fernando Perdomo went back to performing solo, the next piece taking us to some wild, psychedelic territory, bright explosions in an otherwise dark sky. At one point he unplugged the guitar, and played the cord, getting some interesting sounds from touching the end of it, even putting it in his mouth. That ended up being one of my personal favorites. He then switched guitars again, and this next piece began in a somewhat gentle place, but with hints of something else at work within. And soon there was a great rumbling of the disturbed gods. From there, it became even more interesting, taking us farther out. "What is cloud guitar?" Fernando then asked. "Cloud guitar is guitar not being guitar." He talked about how he was always interested in music that took him to another place, which is interesting, because that was just the sort of thing he was creating right then. He also talked about getting into Tori Amos in the 1990s, and becoming interested in the guitar work of Steve Caton. "I realized that this instrument could sound more like a cloud, or more like water and waves."

He then invited Steve Caton up to play with him, and this was a special treat. Steve began with a short solo that contained a nice nod to "Over The Rainbow," and then Fernando joined him, and the two sounded fantastic together, taking us to some wonderful places almost immediately. They created fascinating realms, building off each other's work. The music at this show, as Fernando mentioned at one point, was largely improvised, though perhaps working off a few earlier ideas. And so there was that sense of excitement to it, not knowing just where the music would take them, not knowing just where they would take us. Fernando and Steve did the rest of the show together, playing several different pieces. There were moments of great beauty, soothing and comforting moments, and also some playful moments, like when Steve did a bit of Deep Purple's "Smoke On The Water," and when a little way into a piece, Steve asked Fernando, "Did we bother tuning?" After a lot of wonderful journeys, Fernando told the crowd, "I think we have time for one more, and this one is going to be very special." "I can't wait to hear it," Steve said. They began by drifting into a standard, before Fernando put a stop to it and asked Steve to talk a bit about his background and about his father, Roy Caton, who was part of the Wrecking Crew. They then eased into a song, one that was pretty and soothing, and not a standard. That ended right at 10 p.m., which was the time they'd planned on wrapping things up, but Steve started to play something else and Fernando encouraged him. And so the two did one final, shorter piece before calling it a night. And what a night!

After the show I asked Fernando how much of what was played would end up on Clouds 9, or Cloud 9. He said ninety-five percent of it, so this entry in the series might be different in yet another way and be a double album, because this show was approximately two hours. I'm looking forward to hearing this music again. Look for that album on September 1st. 

Kulak's Woodshed is located at 5230 1/2 Laurel Canyon Blvd. in North Hollywood, California.