Americana In The Park, 9-15-24: Photos

The Americana In The Park music series continued today with sets by Rick Shea & Tony Gilkyson and Mustangs Of The West. It was a beautiful day in Gandara Park in Santa Monica. I missed last week’s Los Straitjackets show because it was 110 degrees in the valley that day, and I just couldn’t gather the energy to do anything or go anywhere. In fact, I believe I had melted into the cheap carpeting of my crummy apartment. But that heat wave is in the past, and things have returned to normal.

Rick Shea & Tony Gilkyson

Rick Shea & Tony Gilkyson kicked off the show just after 4 p.m. with a new song written by Rick Shea. The sound was excellent, as we’ve come to expect at these shows, and Tony remarked about how good it sounded in the monitors too. Rick and Tony took turns at lead vocals, but both musicians played on every song. Their set included “Rattlesnake Boy,” “Mexicali Train,” “Big Red Six,” “She Sang Of The Earth,” “Goodbye Guitar” (in his introduction to that one, Tony told the audience the song was well-suited for those folks who feel compelled to buy guitars), “Big Rain Is Comin’ Mama” (in the introduction to this song, Rick said he wrote it in 2020, but that it wasn’t political and rather was apocalyptic), “Well Traveled Man,” a particularly wonderful rendition of “Mariachi Hotel,” “Death In Arkansas” and “Juanita (Why Are You So Mean).” They wrapped up the set with “Man About Town,” a song written by Terry Gilkyson, Tony’s father. An excellent set by two great voices in music.

Mustangs Of The West

It was a fairly short break before Mustangs Of The West took the stage. They opened with “Sea Of Heartbreak,” the title track of one of two albums the group released in 2023, and a perfect choice to set things in motion. These guys delivered an absolutely delightful rendition. Afterward, Suzanna Spring remarked, “What a perfect day to be out here.” Indeed! She also mentioned that the show was their last gig of a short tour. A child went up to the stage to ask her to plug his lemonade stand, which she then did. Clearly, that child is not afflicted with any kind of shyness. They followed that with “How Blue” from their 2020 release, Time. Their set also included “We All Lose Sometimes,” “Anytime I Try,” “Crooked Road,” “Try, Try Again,” “Fiery Angel” (a pretty song that found Suzanna moving to keyboard), “A Little Undone” (which had a great groove – I especially loved the bass line), “Blue Rodeo” (with drummer Suzanne Morissette on melodica), “Long Gone Down The Road” (in the introduction, Suzanna said: “This is a road song. Every band has to have a road song”), “On The Other Side Of This Love,” “Bad For Each Other” (a rocking number that violinist Aubrey Richmond sang lead on, doing a little Thorogood stutter on the word “bad” at the end), “Time,” “Seven Summers,” “T-shirt From California” and “Down At The Palomino.” The Palomino Club closed before I moved to Los Angeles, but I did attend some of Ronnie Mack’s Barn Dance shows at El Cid. Not the same, I guess. It’s a shame, because I think I would have loved that place, and I live fairly close to where Palomino Club was located. Anyway, that song was written by John Beland, but with an extra verse by the Mustangs. It was a great set. Folks wanted an encore, but it was not to be.

This music series continues next week with Molly Miller Trio and The Azar Lawrence Experience. Gandara Park is located at 1819 Stewart Street in Santa Monica, California. There is a free parking lot reserved for these shows, so no worries about finding a spot.

Acoustic Jewels In South Pasadena Features A Rare Solo Set By Rob Waller

Rob Waller

The Hawks are back to performing as the Hawks. But that doesn’t mean lead singer Rob Waller is not doing any more solo shows. In fact, last night he played a truly solo show, apparently only the second time he’s done so (which seems crazy to me). Mike Berman hosts a monthly music series at Jeweled Universe in South Pasadena, located on the strip where Eclectic Music Festival has been held. It’s a cool spot, a store selling jewelry and clothing, with artwork on the walls. And there is a stage there. The series, which is titled Acoustic Jewels Showcase, features talented singers and songwriters. Last night’s show was a treat, not only because of a rare solo performance by Rob Waller, but because Arielle Silver, whom I’d seen open for Ellis Paul, was also on the bill. And to top it off, Steve Key joined Mike Berman for a set, the two trading songs, along with some anecdotes. So, yes, it was a special night.

"Beautiful Narcotic Place I Reside"

At 7:35 p.m., Mike Berman introduced Rob Waller, who opened his set with “Libre Road,” a song I don’t think I’ve heard him perform in quite a long time (if ever, now that I really think about it). It was included on the I See Hawks In L.A. album Grapevine. He told the story of going down to Mexico, a sort of spur-of-the-moment trip, and deciding to take the Libre Road rather than the toll road (I would have made the same decision), and being somewhat surprised at finding no one else traveling the road that night. Well, before long, he learned why. Some people had set up a fiery roadblock, and, with machine guns, forced Rob to the side of the road. But there was nothing worth stealing in the car, and so they continued on their way. “We were terrified for like forty-five minutes, then went and had a good time,” Rob said. What a story! Rob then mentioned that Anthony Lacques, an original member of the Hawks, was in the audience (you might also know Anthony Lacques from his Stoney Spring albums). Rob followed “Libre Road” with “Turn That Airplane Around,” a song from the first Hawks album. He delivered a moving rendition, with a sweet, gentle vibe. On that album, that song is followed by “Beautiful Narcotic Place I Reside,” and last night he decided to follow it with that song as well. He vocalized Paul Lacques’ solo in the song, a wonderful moment. He then chose another song from Grapevine, “Hitchhiker,” afterward mentioning that it was originally called “Good Luck Hitchhiking.” For me, the big highlight of the set was “The Mystery Of Life,” another song from the band’s first album. This was the song where he really demonstrated the power and beauty of his voice. It was so damn good. While everything up to that point had come from those early albums, he wrapped up his set with a relatively new song, “Jug Of Misery.” This one has not yet been included on a Hawks album, but will likely be on the next release. (You can hear a version of the song at the end of my interview with Rob Waller.)

Arielle Silver

After a short break to give people a chance to look around the store and use the bathroom, Mike introduced Arielle Silver. She kicked off her set with “What Really Matters,” a song that was released as a single and then included on her A Thousand Tiny Torches album. A strong opening number. “Smokescreens and daydreams don’t help when you’re running.”  That album was released in 2020, the year the pandemic started and concert tours were put on hold. That year, Arielle Silver began “Tomes & Tunes,” a video series in which she spoke with other artists (remotely, of course) about books they were reading and then swapped songs. Interestingly, as she mentioned after “What Really Matters,” she had each of the other three musicians who performed last night on that series. Mike Berman, Steve Key and Rob Waller all joined her on episodes of “Tomes & Tunes.” (And Hawks fans will want to know that the other members of I See Hawks In L.A. also appeared on episodes.) Arielle focused on music from her latest album, 2023’s Watershed, following “What Really Matters” with “Asteroids And Chaos,” then “Ghost Ships,” “Worth Waiting For” and “Clipped Wings.” Mike Berman had mentioned in his introduction that “Asteroids And Chaos” was his current favorite song from the album. The line that stands out for me is “Hold each other through the panic.” It feels like the key to getting through a lot of the craziness of the world. My favorite song the first time I saw her perform was “Ghost Ships,” and that one might still be my favorite. It is a beautiful song, and it features some pretty work on guitar. Last night, one line eluded her, but that only worked to bring the audience in closer. And after the song, she mentioned that one of her favorite moments at a concert was seeing Ani Difranco completely forget the lyrics to one of her songs. “Worth Waiting For” is an unabashed love song. On “Clipped Wings,” she played harmonica, apparently for the first time in concert, for she mentioned getting the holder earlier in the week. “The darkest night taught me to see.” She wrapped up her set with “Headlights,” a song from A Thousand Tiny Torches.

Steve Key

Mike Berman and Steve Key closed out the night with a set that found the two of them trading songs. In the introduction, Mike mentioned how Steve had songs on some of those great Fast Folk compilations. Those discs introduced me to several incredible artists. Steve mentioned that Jack Hardy was something of a mentor to him. He then began the set with “Somebody Still Cares,” a song that was included on one of the Fast Folk discs in 1985. It was actually the first track, as Steve indicated last night, saying “Side one, track one.” What a wonderful way to begin the set. Mike Berman then played “Hills Of California,” a song from his Where I’m From album, released last year. In his introduction, he mentioned that the song was partly inspired by the Hawks, but mainly from a recurring dream of mountains. “Some say we really don’t belong here/Some say the ending time already has begun.” This song has that wonderful southern California sound and vibe.  Steve key then talked about putting out a record in 1988 and not being able to sell it because at that time people wanted cassettes and CDs. That led to him playing one of his most popular songs, “Record Time (33, 45, 78),” a song I can’t help but love, in part because of the line “I hesitate at the door to the future.” Oh yes, in some ways I refuse to go through that door. He delivered a delightful rendition last night. “I wonder if I’m stuck in the past/Or if it all repeats, just like a CD.” Mike Berman followed that with a relatively new song, one that is going to be included on his next album, which is to be released early next year. It’s titled “Blanket Of Light (Oh Mercy),” and is an excellent song. “He found mercy, but mercy would never stay/She comes in the night like a blanket of light/But she always leaves the same way.” Steve next played a song that he co-wrote (sorry, folks, I’m not sure the title of it, but maybe it’s called “People Who Move Like I Do”). Mike too played a song that he co-wrote, “No Luck At All,” a powerful and striking song. Steve wrapped up the song with “Golden,” first reading the poem from his phone. It was a beautiful conclusion to a wonderful evening of music.

Mike Berman

Jeweled Universe is located at 1017 Mission St., in South Pasadena, California.Visit the venue’s website for a list of upcoming concerts and other entertainment.

Andy Statman: “Bluegrass Tracks” (2024) CD Review

Andy Statman is two incredible musicians in one. Some folks know him as a clarinet player who focuses on klezmer music, while others know him as a talented mandolin player working in the bluegrass realm. It is that second Andy Statman that we’ll focus on here, the Andy Statman who learned from (and later recorded with) David Grisman. His new album, Bluegrass Tracks, features a mix of original material and covers, most of them instrumental tunes. These tracks were recorded in September of 2019, and feature some of the last work of the great Byron Berline, who died in 2021. Joining Andy Statman on this release are Byron Berline on fiddle, Ron Stewart on banjo and fiddle, Bryan Sutton on guitar, and Mike Bub on double bass, along with a couple of special guests on certain tracks.

Andy Statman opens the album with “Stoney Lonesome,” and the energy is high right from the start. Those opening moments are like an announcement that we are going to have some fun with this album. Ricky Skaggs joins him on mandolin on this track, so you know there is just a whole hell of a lot of great mandolin work here, and that means a cheerful vibe. The other musicians do get opportunities to shine too, but most of the excitement is in the mandolin work. You can’t go wrong kicking off a bluegrass album with a Bill Monroe tune, and these guys do an absolutely wonderful job with it. It is the first of two Monroe tunes on this disc. Then Ron Stewart switches from banjo to fiddle for “Sycamore Street,” so we get two fiddles on this one. Again, there is a good deal of energy. This is an original composition by Andy Statman. It has such a fun, enjoyable vibe. This is music that helps us keep looking on the bright side of life even as we face difficulties. I am particularly fond of the guitar work. And that mandolin work in the second half is absolutely wonderful.

As “Two Pants Suit” begins, it has a more somber sound, but only briefly. As soon as the mandolin comes in, things become lighter, happier. There is a great, playful attitude here, like the music is strutting about the place, creating smiles in its wake. And there are some good conversations here among the instruments. The bass gets its say in the second half. This is another original composition. It is followed by “If You Only Knew,” a sweet, mellower, easygoing number with a good vibe about it. It is an original number that feels familiar. There is something soothing about it, making us feel relaxed and optimistic. Special guest Tim O’Brien joins the group on guitar on this one, and there is a lot of beautiful guitar work. The pace picks up again with “Bile ‘Em Cabbage Down,” a traditional number, this rendition having an arrangement by Andy Statman. It features some fantastic work on banjo and guitar. That guitar lead is particularly impressive. This one also features guest Tim O’Brien on vocals. He comes in approximately halfway through, after the fun tone has been established. The fiddle urges us all to gather round and dance. There is some strong work on mandolin right at the beginning of this track, and then it is toward the end that we get some more great stuff on that instrument. This is the album’s only track with vocals.

The album’s second Bill Monroe number is “Brown County Breakdown,” and it is another track to feature two fiddles, and they dominate the early part of the track. Great stuff! We are then treated to a really nice lead on mandolin, that section signaling a change. There is a playful aspect to the playing here. The fiddles then carve steps out of sunlight, and the guitar immediately dances up those steps. Before long, everyone is engaged in this great dance above the surface of the world. That’s followed by “Blessing,” a more contemplative tune, with a pretty sound, a sound that is welcoming and also expresses gratitude. Then in the second half, once that is established, it begins to move more firmly toward a joy that feels within reach. This track features two fiddles. Then we get “Those Old Early Morning Blues.” Oh yes, bluegrass blues. It has a cool groove, and still an uplifting effect, particularly in the work on mandolin, but also the fiddle. This is the sort of blues that extends a hand to pull us up, sets us on our feet, and reminds us we can do whatever it is we aim to achieve. A delicious mixing of worlds.

In “Charleston Ramble,” the mandolin leads the dance. This track features some great stuff on banjo as well, and some impressive work on guitar in the second half. I tend to forget that there are problems in the world when I listen to music like this. Problems seem incongruous with the existence of this music. “Charleston Ramble” is followed by “I Wouldn’t Do It,” which has a delicious and cool groove. It’s a different kind of dance, certainly catchy in its own way, in part thanks to the bass. This track features a good bass solo. “Katy Hill” is a traditional number, with an arrangement by Andy Statman. It comes at us at a fast pace, flying, dancing along. If you’re going to join in, you’d better decide quickly. Hop this train, join this dance, as it speeds across the landscape. Ricky Scaggs joins Andy Statman on mandolin on this track, adding to its great fun. The album concludes with another lively and fun number, another dance, “Starday Hoedown,” this one an original composition, featuring two fiddles. It’s everything you might want from a bluegrass number.

CD Track List

1. Stoney Lonesome
2. Sycamore Street
3. Two Pants Suit
4. If You Only Knew
5. Bile ‘Em Cabbage Down
6. Brown County Breakdown
7. Blessing
8. Those Old Early Morning Blues
9. Charleston Ramble
10. I Wouldn’t Do It
11. Katy Hill
12. Starday Hoedown

Bluegrass Tracks was released on September 6, 2024 on Shefa Records.

Matt Lomeo: “When You Call” (2022) CD Review

The music scene here in Los Angeles is tremendous. If you go out often enough to catch live music, you’ll start to recognize certain players who seem to play all the time with a good variety of artists. People like Ted Russell Kamp, John McDuffie and Carl Byron are certainly among their number, folks that artists want to have playing with them whenever possible. Matt Lomeo is another of these guys. He has played harmonica with a lot of folks in recent years, and hosts a weekly jam at Ireland’s 32. In 2022, he released When You Call, his first full-length album, featuring all original material that he wrote or co-wrote. Matt Lomeo sings and plays harmonica on these tracks, and is joined by Billy Watts on guitar; Terry Wilson on bass, keyboard, guitar and vocals; James Cruce on drums and percussion; Teresa James on piano and vocals; Kevin McKendree on organ and electric piano; and Darrell Leonard on horns. You might recognize some of those names as being members of Teresa James And The Rhythm Tramps. The album was produced by Terry Wilson, one of the members of that band.

In the album’s opening track, “One More 1 & 1,” Matt Lomeo sings, “I used to drink good whiskey in this barroom/Laughing, having fun with my sweetheart/But since she left me, I stick with the cheap stuff/I need one and one to get me through the night.” Oh man, that is the roughest result of losing a woman, not being able to drink the good stuff. As you’d expect, this lead-off track features a strong harmonica lead, and that’s my favorite part of the song. There is also some nice stuff on keys. Plus, this track has horns and some great backing vocal work. By the way, Teresa James is another of those folks that perform with many artists in addition to leading her own band. Matt Lomeo changes gears then, taking us out to an island with “Unsentimental You.” There is a deliciously playful aspect to this song. These are the song’s first lines: “When we kiss, it thrills me so/But if it thrills you, I don’t know/‘Cause once you’re gone and the kissing’s through/I’m lucky if I hear from you.” I love the way he delivers the song’s title line. I’m also quite fond of the drumming on this track. Really, everything about this song is delightful, including its cha-cha-cha ending.

“Accepting Applications” has something of a classic rhythm and blues vibe, with a bit of a 1960s sound and flavor. It features great stuff on backing vocals. “Accepting applications for a broken heart/I’ve been down so long I don’t know where to start/I thought our love could be new/But now I only feel used.” There is a good lead on harmonica halfway through. That’s followed by “She Was The Best,” the harmonica introducing this one. There is a sweeter vocal delivery on this track, Matt delivering some really nice work. I dig this song, even though it employs that “self”/“shelf” rhyme, something I really wish songwriters would avoid. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “Still you gave me all your love so willingly/But I learned far too late/The fruits of passion/They would be sweeter than any love yet to be.” This is more great stuff on harmonica toward the end. Then “When You Call,” the album’s title track, features a strong groove and nice work on keys. There is a bit of a funky edge at moments. “I’m working on my spirit/I’m working on my mind/I’m working on my body/I hope you’re right on time.” It’s right around those lines that this track gets especially fun.

“Got A New Woman” has a cheerful, playful vibe that is immediately enjoyable. “One thing, babe, I need you to understand/Is that I got a new woman now/You had one chance for me to be your man/And, darling, you blew it/Now if you think I’m gonna love you/You ought to know that I ain’t gonna do it.” I love his vocal approach. Plus, this track features some cool work on guitar, and of course some great stuff on harmonica. Seriously, that harmonica lead in the second half is one of my favorite parts of the album, that instrument speaking as eloquently as any voice is able. This track is one of the disc’s highlights. That’s followed by “27,” a song about being a singer. “The nights are long, the closing lights are lonely/I’m by myself again when the party’s through/With a ragged throat and a couple small bills to fold/And tomorrow night I have another show to do.” The song’s title refers to the character’s age. If you know anything about music at all, you know that 27 is a dangerous year for musicians, and so we wonder when he sings “I need a honky tonk angel to send me up to heaven” if he is speaking literally or figuratively. This song has a light, cheerful country vibe.

Matt Lomeo slows things down with “Take The Boulevard,” in which he sings, “This boulevard goes for miles and miles/Times are hard, they’ve been hard for a while.”  I wonder which street he had in mind when writing those lines, for there are many boulevards in Los Angeles that go for miles and miles. However, this one goes to Calabasas (which he rhymes with “where your ass is”), so I’m guessing the road in question is Ventura Boulevard. Anyway, he gives a very cool, passionate vocal performance here. Plus, this track contains more strong work on harmonica. This one was written by Matt Lomeo and Terry Wilson. That’s followed by “Outside Of A Song,” in which he sings, “It was some work to do/To get over you.” And he wonders if that work is quite through. Nice. This is a slow, intimate number, featuring some cool work on guitar. A beautiful instrumental section concludes this one, and, yes, there is some wonderful stuff on harmonica in there. Then “Why Do I Cry?” is a lively number that goes through some changes, each section taking us back to earlier times with its delicious country and rock and roll vibes. “It’s been months since you left on an airplane/Believe me, I was happy to see you go/And though a tear wet my eye for love gone wrong/I knew it’d dry when springtime flowers come.” This track also features some wonderful stuff on keys.

Another of the album’s outstanding vocal performances is on “Van Nuys Blues.” “Well, I guess I need a change of scene/In Hollywood, my money ain’t green/I sit and think aloud/How I miss the usual crowd/Down on Sunset Boulevard.” Such a cool vocal delivery. And check out that work on keys. This is a song about moving to Van Nuys as quickly as possible. Probably the only song about that, actually. My girlfriend has only lived in L.A. for five or six years, but she’s already taken on that typical L.A. attitude against Van Nuys, which I find hilarious. I’ve had some great times in Van Nuys, and I think of that wonderful Los Abandoned song, “Van Nuys (Es Very Nice).” And it is in Van Nuys that the bar is located where Matt Lomeo hosts that weekly jam. This song mentions that bar by name. But I love even more when he sings that he has a parking space (something everyone in L.A. understands the importance of). This song is delightful. I think it could be enjoyable even to those who have no idea where Van Nuys is, but certainly will be a treat for those who do know Van Nuys. And near the end, he offers some playful scat. I love it. “Van Nuys is the place to be.” Then in “Took My Bar And Left” he sings, “I like a dim-lit bar room where they know my name.” This one features some wonderful work by special guest Paulie Cerra on tenor saxophone. You might have heard Paulie Cerra’s work on the new Kelly’s Lot album, and actually Matt Lomeo has also played with that band. Anyway, in this song Matt sings about a woman who begins chatting up all the bar’s regulars. Hey, I knew she was trouble the moment Matt Lomeo sang, “She never misses a night of karaoke.” I rank karaoke close to having blood drawn on the list of things I want to avoid. The album concludes with a reprise of its title track. “Don’t know when you’re coming/But I know where I’ll be.”

CD Track List

1. One More 1 & 1
2. Unsentimental You
3. Accepting Applications
4. She Was The Best
5. When You Call
6. Got A New Woman
7. 27
8. Take The Boulevard
9. Outside Of A Song
10. Why Do I Cry?
11. Van Nuys Blues
12. Took My Bar And Left Me
13. When You Call (Reprise)

When You Call was released on June 24, 2022.