Brief Notes On New Jazz Releases

Here are notes on a few new jazz albums you might want to check out.

Bill Banfield’s Jazz Urbane: “Take Time To Listen” – The title of guitarist Bill Banfield’s new album comes from something his father told him. We must take the time to listen to those who have something to teach us, to those who have come before. Interestingly, Bill Banfield is himself an educator as well as musician and composer. And he shows us that there are things to be learned from the music itself. The title, to my thinking, is also encouraging folks to enjoy complete albums, to take the time to immerse ourselves in the worlds and stories of these songs, rather than just catching snippets of music the way people now get their news. Take Time To Listen is a solo album, with Bill Banfield delivering his own interpretations of popular numbers, along with some original compositions. It begins with “This Time,” which has a thoughtful and yet inviting sound, which works to soothe us and draw us closer. I’ve said it before, but you can never go wrong with Gershwin. On this album, Bill Banfield delivers an excellent rendition of “Summertime,” his guitar somehow functioning as both band and vocalist.  And his playing has the excitement of a vocalist riffing at moments in the second half. Bill Banfield follows that with Carole King’s “You’ve Got A Friend,” a song that was a hit for James Taylor. His guitar work indeed has a friendly feel, and also a lively vibe, like a friend urging us to go out and enjoy the day with him or her. “Closer I Get To You” also has a warm vibe, which is nice. But my favorite moments are those when there is some excitement added to his playing in the second half, when it feels like he seizes the moment to express something that has just occurred to him. There is a good energy to his rendition of “Autumn Leaves,” his playing having a surprising joy at times. He also gives a more vibrant sense to The Isley Brothers’ “For The Love Of You,” keeping listeners in the moment. That’s followed by an original composition, “Brooke,” a rather beautiful and earnest piece that becomes exciting in its own way as it progresses, a song that is both sweet and fun. “AM Song For Birdie,” another original piece, feels like a bright morning, before you enter the human stream, when you might have some moments alone with nature and your own thoughts. There is joy here, and a playful sense. May all of our days begin this way. “Song For Earl” is a tribute to guitarist Earl Klugh, and features some excellent playing. Bill Banfield also covers Earl Klugh’s “Mirabella,” a song from the 1980s release Late Night Guitar, delivering a wonderful rendition. He concludes the album with a cover of “Someday My Prince Will Come,” breathing fresh life into the number. This album was released on July 19, 2024.

Cali Mambo: “Cali Mambo” – Cali Mambo is the new project of pianist Dred Scott, along with Tom Beckham on vibraphone, Matt Pavolka on bass, and Moses Patrou on percussion. These four accomplished musicians explore Latin jazz, paying homage to some of the composers who are responsible for its popularity. The album opens with a bright rendition of George Shearing’s “Cali Mambo,” enjoyable from the start. It has such a cheerful vibe, in part because of the work on vibraphone, the instrument playing a prominent role. I also love those moments of interaction with the bass. It isn’t until the second half that Dred Scott delivers a strong and vibrant lead on piano. And throughout the track, there is some excellent percussion. The group follows that with “Star Eyes,” giving the song a delicious Latin vibe. I appreciate the joy of the sound. This is music that should draw smiles from even the most dour of folks, especially Dred Scott’s piano lead. There is also something quite catchy about this rendition. That is followed by “Poinciana,” a tune that may or may not have been developed from a Cuban folk song. Whatever its origin, it’s a wonderful number. Particularly delightful is that work on piano. Another highlight is “La Engañadora,” whose Cuban origins are not in doubt. This song feels like the warmth and cheer of summer, and as it begins to take off, it is like the music itself grabs you by the hand and leads you into a dance. And before you can think, you are immersed in great joy and action. They then slow things down with “Danza Cubana #2,” but, as should be clear from its title, that does not mean the dance is over. But it has become more thoughtful, more intimate. Then “Guachi Guaro” features some excellent and lively work on vibraphone, as well as a seriously good lead on piano. The group also delivers a fun rendition of “You And The Night And The Music,” which features a swinging and exciting lead on piano. There is one original composition on this album, “Lulu,” written by Dred Scott. It’s a warm and pretty number that has its own catchy elements. It’s the kind of tune that were it to have lyrics you’d be singing along almost immediately. The album concludes with Dizzy Gillespie’s “Manteca,” a piece that is always enjoyable. It is a great, spirited number to wrap things up. One note: the CD case also lists “Footprints” among the tracks, but it is not on the disc. This album is scheduled to be released on September 20, 2024.

Shawn Maxwell: “J Town Suite” – Shawn Maxwell’s new album is inspired by the place where he grew up: Joliet, Illinois. Before getting into the music, I have to mention the Shakespeare reference and error in the disc’s liner notes. The notes, written by Neil Tesser, begin with this reference to Romeo And Juliet: “Joliet, Joliet- wherefore art thou?” The next line begins, “About 35 miles southwest of Chicago.” The problem is that the word “wherefore” does not mean “where,” but rather “why.” Juliet is not asking where Romeo is, and in fact she is shocked to find him in the yard below her. She is asking why he must be a Montague. She is speaking about his name, about his family. Okay, now to the music. Shawn Maxwell plays alto saxophone, soprano saxophone and flute on this album. He is joined by Michael Barton on bass, Collin Clauson on keys, and Greg Essig on drums. The album opens with “Steelmen March,” named after the mascot at his high school, Joliet Central High School. And it is, indeed, a march, at least for a time, but a darker one. This isn’t necessarily going to push the football team to a victory; it is much more interesting than that.  The work on keys ponders and explores, and the music begins to build during that lead. I particularly like the drum work there. While having a serious quality, there is also warmth and affection in Shawn Maxwell’s lead in the second half. That’s followed by “Fries Or Rings In The Back,” inspired by a takeout place that was open late. This one eases in, giving us the sense of a city late at night. There is something lonesome about it at the start, particularly Shawn’s work on soprano saxophone. But then we get the sense of being joined by other lonesome folks wandering about in the dark and drawn to this one place that is still open. All I know of Joliet is what I learned from The Blues Brothers, which is that there is a penitentiary there. The track “In The Shadow Of Statesville” is named after the nearby Crest Hill prison. There is an eerie vibe as it begins, and Shawn Maxwell is on flute. Creatures creep in the shadows, and there is danger as you make your way along, perhaps whistling to yourself to keep the monsters at bay, keeping your light close. “Jerry” is dedicated to the teacher who convinced Shawn to play saxophone, and it has a pleasant vibe. I love those short sections with the funky rhythm on drums near the beginning, and then it gets more and more interesting from there, and features some beautiful work on sax. He goes back to flute for “Tap, Keg & Tavern,” which has a gloriously loose vibe, and features some excellent percussion. That’s followed by “Hickory Street,” a short piece that has such a cheerful and uplifting vibe. The album’s final track, “Ghost Mall On Jefferson,” has a dark, solemn feel as it begins, and features saxophone and bass. Probably every city has one of these malls that was once bustling and now is empty. But when you’re alone in one, you get the urge to just shout out into the void, and this piece conveys that feeling. This album was released on May 1, 2024.

Planet D Nonet: “Echoes Of Harlem: A Salute To Duke Ellington Vol. 2” – In February 2023, Planet D Nonet released the wonderful Blues To Be There: A Salute To Duke Ellington, which featured compositions by Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Now they’ve delivered a second volume, this one featuring mostly material written or co-written by Duke Ellington. It is a treat, and contains just under eighty minutes of music. The album gets off to a swinging start with a lively rendition of “Happy Anatomy,” a piece written for the film Anatomy Of A Murder. This arrangement by Trevor Lamb features excellent work by Charlie Miller on trumpet and by Chris Tabaczynski on tenor saxophone.  That’s followed by “Flirtibird,” also from Anatomy Of A Murder, this one having a seriously cool style from its opening moments. This is completely delicious, and contains some great stuff by Alex Colista on alto saxophone. “Rocks In My Bed” features a gorgeous and incredibly cool vocal performance by Camille Price, and her presence helps make this track one of the album’s highlights. There is also plenty of outstanding work by the brass section. Really, everything about this track is working just right. This one was written by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Then check out James O’ Donnell’s sensational work on “Echoes Of Harlem,” the song used as this release’s title track, and one that maintains that good bluesy vibe. I also like Michael Zaporski’s work on piano here. “Blood Count” is the album’s only piece not written or co-written by Duke Ellington. It was written by Billy Strayhorn and included on Duke Ellington’s …And His Mother Called Him Bill, which featured material composed by Strayhorn. Planet D. Nonet delivers a beautiful rendition, with an arrangement by Jeff Cuny and featuring some wonderful work by Alex Colista on alto saxophone. That’s followed by a hopping rendition of “Juniflip,” the entire band delivering some good stuff. It is interesting how the bass really starts to cook during that lead on piano, almost like bassist Trevor Lamb is demanding a solo, which he then takes, one of my favorite moments of the track. James O’Donnell then provides the vocals for a sweet rendition of “Azalea.” That’s followed by “La Plus Belle Africaine,” here listed as “La Belle Plus Africaine,” which eases in, that opening section featuring some interesting percussion and cool stuff on clarinet. And then it just explodes, the beginning of an intriguing ride. The arrangement is by Trevor Lamb, who delivers some strong work on bass. Another highlight is “Caravan,” featuring John “TBone” Paxton on vocals, the last of the discs tracks to include vocals. It also features some excellent work on drums and percussion. This is an exciting rendition. This album gives us one more piece from Anatomy Of A Murder, the main title, also known as “I’m Gonna Go Fishin’,” and it is a delight. Seriously, this track is certain to make you smile. This music is making me want to revisit that film soon. The album concludes with “Sophisticated Lady,” delivered as a piano solo. This album was released on July 19, 2024.

Veronica Thomas: “They Say It’s Wonderful” – Vocalist Veronica Thomas’ new album features some excellent standards, many of them coming from movies. It was produced by John Proulx, who also plays piano on these tracks and did the arrangements. Veronica Thomas is also backed by Bob Sheppard on saxophone and flute, Mike Gurrola on bass, and Kevin van den Elzen on drums. The album opens with “Almost In Your Arms,” a love song from Houseboat, where it is sung by Sophia Loren. Veronica Thomas delivers a version that swings, that has a livelier, more cheerful vibe, particularly in her vocal approach, which works perfectly. Plus, this track features wonderful leads on both bass and piano. She then slows things down and pulls us in closer with her rendition of Cole Porter’s “Get Out Of Town,” which has a feeling of intimacy, particularly at the beginning. This track contains some really nice work on saxophone. That’s followed by “Invitation,” an instrumental version of which plays during the opening credits sequence of the 1950 film A Life Of Her Own, and then during the opening credits sequence of the 1952 film Invitation. The version here swings in certain sections, and Veronica Thomas offers a strong and varied vocal performance. The title track, “They Say It’s Wonderful,” begins with some beautiful work on saxophone, and features an equally moving vocal performance. There is more great stuff on saxophone throughout the track. And then Veronica Thomas clearly has a good time with “If I Were A Bell,” her vocal approach having a sense of play. Plus, this track features a drum solo, which makes me happy. “Dindi” contains another beautiful vocal performance. This one also features some pretty work on flute. Another highlight for me is “Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered,” mostly because of Veronica’s heartfelt performance, but also because of the piano work.  Veronica Thomas also delivers a cool rendition of “Speak Low,” with her vocals supported by just drums for a bit near the beginning. This version moves at a good pace, and features some excellent work on flute. And check out that drumming toward the end. Veronica Thomas also delivers a pretty song co-written by John Proulx, “Stuck In A Dream,” with lyrics by K. Lawrence Dunhan. “I could fall in love/That may not be smart/For then where would you be/Stuck in a dream with me.” “A Sleepin’ Bee” features a cool bass line and some strong work on saxophone. “Too Late Now” comes from the 1951 film Royal Wedding, and I have to say I much prefer the way Veronica Thomas delivers it. There is more honesty to this rendition. It is one of the album’s best vocal performances. She wraps things up with “Two For The Road,” with John Proulx joining her on vocals. This album was released on July 12, 2024.

Dogs Run Free Episode 5: Richard T Bear Interview

In this episode, I talk with Richard T Bear about his excellent new album, The Way Of The World (if you haven’t yet read my review of this disc, you can find it here), as well as some of his earlier releases. He also tells some great anecdotes involving the Grateful Dead, Stephen Stills, Richie Havens and Billy Squier. He talks a bit about the new project he’s working on. And at the end, he treats us to a special rendition of “Breathe,” which is my favorite song from the new album.

 

David Serby, John Surge, and Rob Waller Play Twang City at DiPiazza’s, 7-27-24

Rob Waller & Friends playing "Open Door"

DiPiazza’s is a pizza-and-beer spot down in Long Beach, where there is a decent-sized stage on the right side of the room. And last night there was a lineup so good that it was worth the one-and-a-half-hour drive down from the valley on the 405 freeway: David Serby, John Surge And The Haymakers, and Rob Waller & Friends. It’s an intimate room, as only half the place is set up for the music, and the other half, I guess, remains a sports bar during the show. On the wall near the stage is the famous Maxell tapes advertisement image from the 1980s, you remember, the guy on the arm chair facing the speaker. It’s still a cool image. Less cool was the price of beer at this place. An IPA that cost me $6 at the Mayan was $10.47 here. I’m not sure how they arrived at that specific price, but I’m willing to bet some sort of evil entity was consulted. I’ll tell you this, it tasted the same as a six-dollar glass. The concert was part of the Twang City series, hosted by John Surge And The Haymakers, occurring on the fourth Saturday of every month.

David Serby

David Serby was up first. He has an excellent new album out, Low Hanging Stars, and this show was in part to celebrate its release. He and his band were on the stage at 8:12, tuning up so as to be ready for their 8:15 start time. He got things off to energetic start with “Why Leave Los Angeles.” Leaving is something we’ve all considered at some point or another, and taking ninety minutes for a drive that without traffic is thirty might be an understandable reason. But, hey, the music scene makes it worth staying, no question. During the pause toward the end of “Don’t Even Try,” David Serby asked how the sound was, and said he loves it there. The sound was great. After that song, he said that those who know him won’t be surprised to learn that he left the copies of his CD in his garage. That was funny, considering that the show was, after all, a CD release party. But, hey, the focus has always been on music, not merchandise. From that disc, he then played a fun rendition of “Trying To Get To Encinitas.” Another of the set’s highlights for me was “Is It Lonely In Here,” also from the new album. It featured a great beat and an excellent vocal performance. The rest of his set featured material from that album, including ”Fishtail Cadillac,” “The Jukebox Is Broken,” “Lonely Motel Days” (which he introduced as his wife’s favorite), and the title track, “Low Hanging Stars.” His set ended at 8:56 p.m.

John Surge And The Haymakers

John Surge And The Haymakers were up next, with bass player Teresa Cowles sporting a Twang City T-shirt. They opened their set with “Your Wonderful Life,” a perfect choice to set things in motion. After the briefest of pauses, they went into “You Don’t Know Me,” keeping the energy high. A nice lead on guitar during that song received applause from the audience. That was followed by one of my favorites, “Gun Sale At The Church,” a song from the Your Wonderful Life album. Another of the set’s highlights was “I Remind You,” which John Surge said might end up on the next album. I hope it does, because I want this song in my music collection. He followed that with the title track from his most recent release, Almost Time, which he did have copies of at the merchandise table. John Surge And The Haymakers delivered a seriously fun rendition of John Stewart’s “Gold,” which has the line “California girls are the greatest in the world.” Could that line be another answer to David Serby’s question “Why Leave Los Angeles”? The band concluded the set with an excellent cover of “Six Days On The Road.” Their set ended at 10:08 p.m.

Rob Waller & Friends playing "If I Move"

Rob Waller recently posted that beginning in August, he and bandmates Paul Marshall and Victoria Jacobs will begin performing again under the name I See Hawks In L.A., so last night’s set might possibly have been the final of the Rob Waller & Friends shows. Dan Wistrom was not with them this time. Instead, Ed Tree (from David Serby’s band) was on electric guitar (but not backing vocals), and Richie Lawrence was on accordion. They opened their set with “If I Move,” and that song’s line about a memory lurking in any direction they might choose stood out last night. It feels that those memories are a strong part of their music, and the band is embracing them and even breathing fresh energy into them. They followed that with “White Cross,” which featured a nice lead on accordion, and then a fun version of “Poour Me,” which was an early highlight of the set. “Highway Down” is a song that I’m always happy to hear, and last night it had a somewhat different sound than usual. They also delivered a delightful rendition of “Ohio.” One element I always love about that song is Victoria Jacobs’ backing vocal part. It was a particularly good rendition of the song, and afterward Rob Waller talked a bit about where that song came from. “Can you ever go back home? So far, the answer is no.” Interestingly, that once again put us in mind of the very first song of the night, David Serby’s “Why Leave Los Angeles.”

"Drinkers Hall Of Fame"

As good as all of that was, the real heart of the set began with Paul Marshall singing lead on “Drinkers Hall Of Fame,” a wonderful country number he wrote way back in the days before he met Rob Waller. Victoria Jacobs then sang lead on “Open Door,” a song from Hallowed Ground, released several years before she joined the band. It was so good to hear that one, and Richie delivered some wonderful stuff on accordion. That was followed by yet another treat, a beautiful rendition of “Know Just What To Do,” one of the best songs from On Our Way, but one I’ve rarely heard them do. Afterward, Rob Waller mentioned missing Paul Lacques and how he was nervous about doing that song. Well, it was unquestionably a highlight of the show. That was followed by a cover of Willie Nelson’s “Me And Paul,” played in tribute to Paul Lacques. They wrapped up the show with “Good And Foolish Times.” When Rob Waller called it out to his bandmates, someone in the audience cheered and shouted, “It’s my favorite one.” And it felt like a celebration, a perfect ending to a fantastic night of music. The show ended at 11:32 p.m.

Here are some photos from the night:

"Why Leave Los Angeles"

"Trying To Get To Encinitas"

"Is It Lonely In Here"

"Your Wonderful Life"

"Gun Sale At The Church"

"Gun Sale At The Church"

"If I Move"

"Poour Me"

"Open Door"

"Me And Paul"

Richard T Bear at The Write-Off Room, 7-26-24 Concert Review

Richard T Bear playing "The Letter"

Richard T Bear put on one hell of a great show last night at The Write-Off Room in Studio City. The show focused on music from his new album, The Way Of The World, which came out in March, along with some songs from his previous release, Fresh Bear Tracks, and some excellent covers. The band was made up of Richard T Bear on vocals and keys, Laurence Juber on guitar and backing vocals, Ricky Cortes on bass and backing vocals, and Tony Braunagel on drums, with Lauri Reimer joining them on vocals on some songs.

They took the stage at 8 o’clock, and T Bear joked, “Good evening, I’m Johnny Cash,” Laurence Juber adding to the joke by playing a brief Cash lick on guitar. They launched into “The Way Of The World,” the title track from the new album, a great start to the evening. The song featured some excellent work on guitar. Afterward, Richard said the song was in homage to Bob Dylan, that he was thinking of how Dylan might approach the subject when he was writing it. They followed that with “Your Husband’s Got A Gun,” which had a wonderful groove. And Laurence’s guitar lead received some appreciative applause. I also enjoyed the playful aspect of the song. Richard established a good rapport with the crowd early on. When introducing “Jewel,” he mentioned that there was a story behind it, but said he’s spare us the sordid details. “No, tell us,” someone shouted out. “Okay,” he agreed, and told an anecdote about a woman named Julie who was given the nickname Jewel. You hear a bit of it in the song’s lyric, “You got your nickname Jewel from your famous friend.” This song had such a cool vibe, and featured some delicious work on keys and a beautiful guitar lead.

"They Can Kill You"

Lauri Reimer joined the group on backing vocals for “They Can Kill You,” a song with a good, funky bass line. The album version features horns, but even without the horns, this song is something special. “What a beautiful way to go,” indeed. Richard T Bear followed that with “Before The Fall,” introducing it by saying it’s a mashup of Mozart, Brian Wilson and Amy Winehouse. It’s one of my favorite tracks from the album, and the band delivered an excellent rendition last night, with Lauri again on backing vocals. Lauri then left the stage, and the group went into “A Change Will Do Me Good,” a song that Richard T Bear mentioned went to number one in The Netherlands. There was a fantastic energy to this song last night, particularly in his vocal performance. Plus, I always dig that Bo Diddley rhythm. And at one point during the song, T Bear called out, “Bo Diddley.” He then switched gears, delivering a beautiful rendition of “Breathe,” my personal favorite song from the new album. And from the reaction of folks around me, I am far from alone in my love for this song. “I left my crystal ball at home/Wishing it would turn to stone.”

"Give It Up"

Every song played up to that point came from the new album. The first song not from that release was a great cover of The Zombies’ “She’s Not There,” a song that T Bear included on Fresh Bear Tracks. He gave it a cool, kind of psychedelic intro, and then a strong groove. These guys put their own wonderful spin on the song. It was part blues, part soul, part jazz, part rock. And what a great vocal performance! Plus, they jammed on it, and the jam, which featured some particularly good stuff on guitar, just got better and better as it went. They followed that with “Give It Up,” a song that was also included on Fresh Bear Tracks, but whose origin was many years earlier. T Bear talked a bit about that in his introduction to the song, mentioning that he found a cassette labeled “Stills/Bear,” and had to go purchase a cassette player to listen to it. What he discovered was a seriously good song, and so he went about finishing it. On the album version, Laurence Juber trades licks with Walter Trout and Stephen Stills, Stills obviously being the song’s co-writer. The band delivered a fun rendition last night. That was followed by “All Your Love,” played in tribute to the great John Mayall, who died earlier this week. Ricky Cortes played bass in John Mayall’s band for several years, and Laurence Juber had also worked with him, so it was a particularly powerful and moving moment. “All Your Love” was written by Otis Rush and included on The Beano album. Laurence was on vocals for this one, and also delivered some outstanding guitar work. The song was a great blues jam. “This is my take on John,” Richard T Bear then said, and they played “Goin’ Down Slow” to wrap up the set with another wonderful blues number. The first set ended at 9:10 p.m.

"The Letter"

The band was back on stage twelve minutes later, T Bear telling the crowd, “I’m going to fulfill a request because it was on the list anyway.” The band then opened the second set with a cover of “The Letter,” with Lauri Reimer on backing vocals and tambourine. Their version was inspired by the Mad Dogs & Englishmen rendition, not the original Box Tops version, and it featured a wonderful lead on keys.  They followed that with a fun cover of “Tulsa Time,” with Lauri Reimer again on backing vocals and tambourine. After that, Richard T Bear went back to original material, playing a request for “Love To Be Lonely,” a song from Fresh Bear Tracks. This is such a beautiful song, and it was a treat to hear it last night. He followed that with another song from Fresh Bear Tracks, “Woe Is Me,” a cool blues number featuring some phenomenal work on guitar. This ended up being a highlight of the set.

"Hey Pocky Way"

T Bear asked those in the audience if they were Cat Stevens fans, and from the response it seemed that most were. He said they were going to do a Cat Stevens song, but in a minor key and as reggae. And they launched into “Wild World,” giving it their own reggae interpretation, quite different from that of Jimmy Cliff. This song featured some delicious work on drums. Just before the end, T Bear said to the others, ”Let’s do a record ending,” and they did their best to fade out the song, which was funny. The last original song of the show was “Bring On The Night,” which was included on Richard T Bear’s first record, Red Hot & Blue, released in 1978. It’s a song he also revisited on the more recent Fresh Bear Tracks. T Bear mentioned that Mike Finnigan played on both album versions. Anyway, the version the band delivered last night was excellent and featured some exceptional work on keys. There was a great section where the keys were supported by just drums. The group then got the audience dancing with a cover of “Hey Pocky Way,” which led directly into “Iko Iko,” in turn segueing into “When The Saints Go Marching In” to close out the show. The concert ended at 10:10 p.m. It was quite a night. I highly recommend checking out this band when you get the chance. Apparently, T Bear has a special birthday show scheduled for August 11th, with Deb Ryder.

Set List

Set I

1. The Way Of The World
2. Your Husband’s Got A Gun
3. Jewel
4. They Can Kill You
5. Before The Fall
6. A Change Will Do Me Good
7. Breathe
8. She’s Not There
9. Give It Up
10. All Your Love
11. Goin’ Down Slow

Set II

1. The Letter
2. Tulsa Time
3. Love To Be Lonely
4. Woe Is Me
5. Wild World
6. Bring On The Night
7. Hey Pocky Way >
8. Iko Iko >
9. When The Saints Go Marching In

Here are some more photos from the show:

"Your Husband's Got A Gun"

"They Can Kill You"

"They Can Kill You"

"All Your Love"

"Goin' Down Slow"

"The Letter"

The Write-Off Room is located at 11502 Ventura Blvd. in Studio City, California. It is a cool venue, with a fairly laid-back atmosphere, and, most importantly, good sound. It’s in the spot where Oil Can Harry’s used to be. Remember those Saturday night disco parties?