The Tasty Kings with Blondie Chaplin: “Native Tongue” (2023/2025) CD Review

You likely know, or at least have heard, vocalist and guitarist Blondie Chaplin. He was a member of The Flames in the 1960s, and then The Beach Boys in the early 1970s. He also recorded with The Rolling Stones and The Band, as well as several other artists, and released a few solo albums. The guy has quite a music career. He joined The Tasty Kings for Native Tongue, which was released digitally in 2023, and has now gotten a proper CD release. Why it didn’t get a wide release initially is something I can’t fathom. It features excellent songs performed by accomplished musicians. The Tasty Kings were founded by guitarist Andrew Morse, who wrote the material on this album. The band has had several different members over the course of its history, and now includes Darryl Jones, who also plays bass in The Rolling Stones, and Charlie Sexton, who is known for his work with Bob Dylan and is also a member of Elvis Costello’s band. So, you know, this is a band you might want to pay attention to. This album also features the talents of Charley Drayton on drums (you know him from his work with Keith Richards), Kevin Trainor on guitar, Tony Garnier on bass, George Reiff on bass, Stephen Barber on piano and keyboards, Ian McLagan (of Small Faces) on keyboards (those tracks must have been recorded a while ago, as McLagan died in 2014), and Jose Galeano on percussion. Juliana Sheffield, Sally Allen and Teresa Gattison provide backing vocals.

The album opens with “Done & Dusted.” There is a bit of a Rolling Stones vibe to this song, it taking place in that great meeting place of country, blues and rock. Blondie Chaplin delivers a good lead vocal performance. “Done and dusted/I’m just waitin’ to be/Done and dusted/Nothing left of me.” Andrew Morse wrote this one at the beginning of the pandemic, when everything was shut down and people were afraid to go out. It was a strange experience, to be sure, walking about in a usually-crowded area, and finding no one, the restaurants and everything closed. I remember driving at rush hour here in Los Angeles, and never having to hit my brakes. “Done and dusted/In the city that sleeps.” That’s followed by “Maybe I’m A Queen,” a stirring song, in which Blondie Chaplin sings, “Maybe I believe/Maybe I don’t/Maybe I’ll succeed/Maybe I won’t.” The repetition of the word “maybe” works so well, particularly as there are no certainties anymore. There is a sort of introspective bent to it, but then it turns outward, as it comes to address another person: “Tell me, my love, my love/When we were enough.” The song seems to encompass, or embrace, all possibilities, and so all people. It’s a beautiful and sad song, and Blondie Chaplin gives a passionate and beautiful vocal performance. Milo Deering plays dobro on this track, delivering some wonderful work. This is one of my personal favorites.

Listening to “Birthday Girl” the first time, I couldn’t help but think of my niece, who had turned nineteen just two days earlier. How the time flies. “The years go by, that’s how it goes.” Indeed. There is a nice vibe about this song. “You’re the birthday girl/And the whole wide world loves you.” This is one of the tracks to feature Ian McLagan on keyboards. Then there is a more somber, but dreamlike quality to “South America” as it begins. And the first line hits us hard: “The Statue of Liberty has gone dark.” Yup, that is just about right. It’s a big line, isn’t it? It is interestingly followed by a somewhat more mundane and usual concern: “And there’s nowhere to park.” Certainly, that’s a common frustration, at least for those of us who live in cities. These lines make me think of that whiny sociopath currently occupying the White House: “And his big day was ruined/By the small size/Of his crowd.” But this song is not about that; rather it is a look back at a relationship that fell apart. There is a sad beauty to its sound, to its delivery. “And if just one more time/I could put my lips/On South America/I’d remember for a while/And die with a smile.” I love the guitar work on this track, particularly that lead in the second half.

“Oceans Unfaithful” certainly has a Rolling Stones flavor, and its opening lines grab us: “The sky is right/The wind is wrong/The ocean’s unfaithful/But it won’t take long.” That idea, that image, of an unfaithful ocean is particularly wonderful. “Take my hand/Aces and eights/And lay your head/On the dinner plate/The world is stuck/In black and white/To live my life/In paradise.” That’s followed by “George Floyd.” There have been several songs written about George Floyd. His murder by the police sparked outrage in anyone with a pulse. It was yet one more bit of evidence that this country hasn’t really made any progress at all. If you need further proof of that, just look at who is in the White House now, and think of all the eager little fascists who put him back there. This is a strong and moving song. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “Well, two sets of rules/One black and one white/That’s the best we can do/As you beg for your life/A few on the ground/Tried to shut down/What they saw/But the men of the law/The men of the law/Oh, the men of the law.” This song does not end on an optimistic note, but rather an honest one: “But the river of evil/That runs through the hearts/Of the men/Will do it again/Again and again/And again.”

“Flyboy” is a song touching on Greek mythology, particularly the story of Daedalus and his son Icarus. It has something of a sweet country flavor, and contains what is possibly the album’s best vocal performance. It is powerful and passionate, just fantastic, reminding me a bit of some of Richard Thompson’s work. And that performance is the main reason this track is another of the disc’s highlights. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “He considers the grace/And the shape of a bird/And tries to imagine/Escaping this earth/Slipping the bonds/Of the surly unkind/To go somewhere new/For the rest of his life.” The Tasty Kings then turn to a reggae groove for “Steady Reggie,” a song about a moving company. This one features John Mills joining the group on saxophone and Joel Diamond joining on keyboards, and also contains a lot of good stuff on guitar.

“Kiss Me” has a sweet folk sound, featuring some pretty guitar work. After we’ve gotten comfortable in this wonderful music and atmosphere, Blondie sings the first line, “Maybe you should kiss me.” And there is so much joy in the room that a kiss sounds like exactly the right thing. Though, after a brief pause, he follows that line with this one: “Maybe you should dismiss me.” This is another of my personal favorites. It even contains a Shakespeare reference: “If all the world’s a stage/Maybe we should turn the page.” That reference is to Jacques’ famous speech from As You Like It, which begins “All the world’s a stage/And all the men and women merely players.” A kiss plays a part in “Girl Next Door” too: “But I remember/I kissed her once before/That girl next door.” This is another of the tracks to feature Ian McLagan on keyboards, and there is some really nice guitar work too. It’s a perfect conclusion to an excellent album.

CD Track List

1. Done & Dusted
2. Maybe I’m A Queen
3. Birthday Girl
4. South America
5. Oceans Unfaithful
6. George Floyd
7. Flyboy
8. Steady Reggie
9. Kiss Me
10. Girl Next Door

Native Tongue was released on CD in late January 2025.

Fernando Perdomo: “Waves 2” (2025) CD Review

This year started with a great new release from the always-busy songwriter and musician and producer Fernando Perdomo. Titled Waves, it featured all original instrumental material in the progressive rock world. It was also the first in a projected series of twelve albums, a new one coming out each month this year. That is something that would be a daunting task for most artists, but not for Fernando Perdomo, who will undoubtedly find the time to produce several other albums as well during this time. The second volume in the series, Waves 2, was released on February 1st. As on the first volume, this one features all original material, with Fernando Perdomo playing all the instruments. He also produced the album.

“Brothers Of The Ocean,” the album’s first track, begins with a short vocal section that has a hint of a Beach Boys flavor, and then kicks in with a powerful burst of color and energy, dropping us right into the action. We sense great streaks of light across wide open spaces, and there is a sort of rock opera overture vibe at moments. Halfway through this track, there is a momentary change, taking shorter, slower steps in an interesting dance, before going back into the main theme of the piece. There seems to be a large, bright force at work here, with a world of possibilities opening before us. This track fades out, and is followed by “Journey On A River.” As this one opens, there is the sound of water flowing, and then the track quickly takes on a good rock energy, the drums leading us in. There is some great stuff on both bass and guitar, and I especially appreciate how the guitar lifts us up. And as the title suggests, there is a strong sense of motion, of a journey, one taken with some haste, as well as some cheer. There is an overall positive feel to this track, and that is part of what makes it so appealing.

There is a gentler, more introspective feel to “Queenstown” as it begins. A relaxing, soothing atmosphere is created, over which the guitar is able to ponder, to remember, and to pull us along into those memories, and in doing so makes them our own. This is a pretty track. Interestingly, there is a moment when it seems ready to come to its natural, gentle conclusion, but then suddenly bursts open into another section, the guitar now calling more energy to the telling of its story. The music does relax again, and this time the ending is real. Then there is something magical about the way “Sea To Sea” opens. It settles into a rather soothing space, presenting an opportunity for us to ease back, close our eyes, and let our thoughts take us to a more appealing time, perhaps one of memory, perhaps one of our own creation. All motions here are friendly, loving, and there is no conversation, and so no chance of misunderstanding or argument. It’s wonderful. It is followed by “Black Mountain, Blue Sky.” As this one begins, it seems to promise a magical landscape too, and then suddenly kicks in with a stronger, more grounded sound, the song having a strong pulse. Here we are not alone, the music working to gather people in. It begins to slow toward the end, to unwind. A stranger door unexpectedly opens in front of us as the track reaches its conclusion, and we glimpse once again that magical landscape.

“Everything Under The Sun” has a lighter, more fun sense about it, and I find myself smiling throughout this track. It takes us up the mountainside, with a good deal of joy, and lets us slide back down, or dance back down, if we wish. There is some really good guitar work on this track. This one fades out all too soon. Then “Calm For Now” has a more meditative air, with a somewhat darker, heavier atmosphere. The guitar is the light piercing it, becoming familiar, something we grab hold of and let take us where it will. This track also features some wonderful stuff on bass. That is followed by “This Appearing Act.” There is a 1960s feel to this track, particularly in the guitar work, which drives the music forward. In the second half, there is an unexpected moment where things seem to shut down, to melt in the machinery, then just as quickly find their footing again and continue. One note: on the CD case, the titles of those two tracks, “This Appearing Act” and “Calm For Now,” are reversed.

“Alone By The Ocean” has something of a Pink Floyd vibe as it begins. Sometimes being alone at the ocean can be incredibly soothing, peaceful, and sometimes we find ourselves moving through the possibilities and choices of our lives, and there might be something lamented, which the guitar seems to express here. There is a lot going on in this piece, a lot of energy, and perhaps decisions are reached regarding the direction of our lives. The track gains power in the second half, as it drives forward, and some interesting electronic effects give it another layer. Then “Sunset In Queenstown” takes us to a much prettier place, and features some absolutely wonderful guitar work. This track reflects on the day with some satisfaction and joy, and also looks out toward the horizon, toward tomorrow, and somehow we know it’s going to be okay. It’s a beautiful conclusion to the album.

CD Track List

1. Brothers Of The Ocean
2. Journey On A River
3. Queenstown
4. Sea To Sea
5. Black Mountain, Blue Sky
6. Everything Under The Sun
7. Calm For Now
8. This Appearing Act
9. Alone By The Sea (3 AM)
10. Sunset In Queenstown

Waves 2 was released on February 1, 2025. By the way, for those in the Los Angeles area, I just learned that Fernando Perdomo is going to take part in Busk-Aid L.A., a benefit for wildfires relief that is going to be held on March 30th in Echo Park. That promises to be an excellent day of music.

Songwriters Celebrate The Music Of Bill Morrissey, 3-9-25

Mike Berman and Amilia K Spicer

Bill Morrissey was an important voice in the New England folk scene. He established himself a few years before the really big folk explosion happened in Boston, and so was someone that the younger singer/songwriters looked up to and took inspiration from. If you were into folk music at all, you certainly knew Bill’s work. Bill Morrissey not only inspired the younger group of songwriters, but in some cases helped them by producing their albums. He did that for Ellis Paul, producing Say Something, which was Paul’s first album to be released on CD (Urban Folks Songs and Am I Home were only available on cassette at that time), and also for Peter Keane, producing both The Goodnight Blues and Walkin’ Around. His music got an incredible amount of airplay on the Boston stations. But I didn’t know what, if any, sort of audience he had in other parts of the country. I suppose in my teens, if I had thought about it at all, I would have assumed that he was known in all corners. Our brains worked like that: if I knew him and loved him, then people everywhere must be the same. I remember in high school when people started talking about how they loved Morrissey, I assumed they meant Bill. I wasn’t all that aware of The Smiths at the time and certainly couldn’t name anyone in that band, and that led to some confusing, jumbled conversations. But the main confusion for me was in wondering how my classmates could not be fans of Bill’s music. And when I moved to the west coast in the 1990s, I found Bill wasn’t really known there, at least not by many people. So what a delightful surprise it was to learn that a group of Los Angeles singer/songwriters were going to perform a tribute show. Of course, these folks weren’t always based in L.A., and so brought their appreciation of Bill’s music to this great city from elsewhere. The show was held at Jeweled Universe in South Pasadena as part of the Acoustic Jewels music series, hosted by Mike Berman, and featuring Christopher Lockett, Arielle Silver, Steve Key and Amilia K Spicer.

Mike Berman

Mike Berman kicked off the show at 2:30 with “Barstow,” a song from Bill Morrissey’s self-titled album. You know it. It’s the one where he sings, “I can’t believe I pissed my twenties away/But if you take me back this time, baby, I promise you I’ll stay.” Mike mentioned hearing that song for the first time in Princeton, New Jersey, and also seeing Bill in concert in 1986 around the time of the Red Sox/Mets World Series. He followed “Barstow” with “Grizzly Bear,” also from that self-titled album. It’s a delightful song, with lines like “She’d spent so much time in the mirror, she could not tell left from right” and “I‘d never seen a girl with so many names written on her clothes.”  He wrapped up his set with a gentle, sweet rendition of “Summer Night,” playing harmonica on this one. This song comes from Standing Eight, which was released in 1989. Christopher Lockett was up next, and while he was setting up, Mike Berman told the crowd that it was Chris’ idea to do this tribute show. Chris leapt right in with “Birches,” perhaps Bill Morrissey’s most famous song, and delivered a good rendition. He then talked a bit about Bill’s first album, which was released in 1984, then picked up by Philo and re-issued, and then re-recorded and released again in 1991. He followed “Birches” with “Love Song/New York, 1982,” saying in his introduction to the song that it “has one of the most devastatingly existential lines.” I’m guessing he was referring to the line “But everyone must die alone.” But the lines in which the woman says goodbye and he says that to this day he pretends he never heard her also always strike me. He then wrapped up his set with “Robert Johnson,” a song from Inside, and one that was featured in Robert Mugge’s Hellhounds On My Trail: The Afterlife Of Robert Johnson.

Christopher Lockett

Arielle Silver

When Arielle Silver took the stage, she joked about how she had gotten so caught up in enjoying the other artists that she forgot she was next. It’s great that music has that effect, that power on performers as well as audience members. She talked a bit about getting into Bill Morrissey’s catalogue of music, and about her time working at Club Passim in Cambridge, and then opened her set with one of my favorite Bill Morrissey songs, “Inside.” These are the song’s first lines: “This ain’t Hollywood/It never really gets that good.” Arielle delivered a beautiful rendition of a beautiful, sad song. She then mentioned that she likes doing tributes because it gives her an opportunity to really dive into another songwriter’s material and psyche. She followed “Inside” with another song from that same album, “Man From Out Of Town.” This one begins with these lines: “The house burned down on a rainy night/And they never did find out why.” Arielle had chosen songs that spoke in some way to present-time Los Angeles. The song’s final line is “This house is fireproof.” But my favorite line is “There were curses in the shapes of old men.” Arielle Silver concluded her set with an original song, one that Mike Berman requested she play for it has that lightness coupled with heaviness that Bill was so good at. The song is titled “Asteroids And Chaos,” one of my favorites from her Watershed album. The line “Hold each other through the panic” nearly had me in tears yesterday. Steve Key then started his set with “Letter From Heaven,” a fun number with lines like “It’s a great life here in heaven/It’s a great life when you’re dead.” The song contains references to several deceased musicians, but the line about Lincoln finally getting to see the end of the play is the one that makes me laugh the most. Steve mentioned how he opened for Bill once. He then played “Long Gone,” a song from Inside (that really is one of the best Bill Morrissey albums), first mentioning how Bill’s headstone contains that song’s opening lines: “I’ve been long gone/From the stage to the highway/To the night grille/And everywhere I went/Time just stood still.” And as for a Los Angeles connection, this song’s lyrics mention Malibu. He wrapped up his set with a really nice rendition of “Small Town On The River,” a song that was originally on a Fast Folk compilation in 1982 and also included on his self-titled album.

Steve Key

Amilia K Spicer

Amilia K Spicer was the tribute’s final performer, and she is someone who toured with Bill Morrissey and recorded with him. She talked a bit about that at the beginning of her set, mentioning playing on the new material recorded for the compilation The Essential Collection. She opened her set with “Handsome Molly,” a song from the Standing Eight album. She delivered a beautiful rendition, playing guitar on this song, and joined by Mike Berman on guitar. She then moved to keyboard for “She’s That Kind Of Mystery,” also from Standing Eight. This is a song that John Gorka recorded for his Bright Side Of Down album, and Amilia K Spicer sang on that recording. Mike Berman accompanied her on guitar for this song as well. He then left the stage, and Amilia performed her last song solo on keyboard. This song, “Delayed Effect,” was an original number, a song that Bill Morrissey liked. It was included on her Seamless album, released on 2003. She said that Bill especially liked the song’s opening lines: “He’s got his hands in his pockets/Like it’s keeping him balanced/And he looks like a page nobody read.” Who wouldn’t love those lines? It’s a great song. After her set, all the performers got on stage for one last song, “He Was A Friend Of Mine,” a traditional number that Bill Morrissey and Greg Brown recorded together for their Friend Of Mine album. For this song, Mike Berman played guitar and Christopher Lockett played harmonica. Mike, Steve Key and Arielle Silver each took a verse. It was a wonderful way to wrap up a beautiful tribute to an incredible songwriter. By the way, Mike Berman mentioned that the theme of the next Acoustic Jewels concert will be Bob Dylan’s lesser known material. That will be in April.

"He Was A Friend Of Mine"

Jeweled Universe is located at 1017 Mission St. in South Pasadena, California.

International Women’s Day Celebration at Hotel Café, 3-8-25

Leeann Skoda

At a time when we absolutely should have a female president, this country ought to be doing everything possible to celebrate and honor women. But what is happening on the national level is the destruction of women’s rights. All those important steps forward we as a nation (and as a species) make seem to be so easily erased by the worst among us. Nothing can be taken for granted, nothing can be accepted as a given. It’s difficult to keep from becoming pessimistic when looking at the news, at the state of this sad nation, at the terrible people within its borders who eagerly embrace fascism. Yet I become incredibly optimistic when I am out catching live music, for it is in music venues that we experience the better parts of humanity. Yesterday was International Women’s Day, and for the third consecutive year, a special celebration of female artists was held at the Hotel Café’s Second Stage, a nice, intimate room in the heart of Hollywood (yes, Hollywood does have a heart). It was just the thing we needed to remind us that there are good people still in this country. The slogan for this year’s International Women’s Day was “Accelerate Action,” which seemed apt, for now it’s not only about making some progress, but regaining the ground that was lost. No, not lost, but stolen.

Mykel

 

This year’s lineup was particularly good, and included a couple of my favorite performers from last year’s concert. Though these are serious times, the overall vibe of the night was positive, even cheerful, which is what folks need. Helping to set that tone was the evening’s MC, Gena B. Jones, who started the show at 6:45 p.m. with some standup comedy. She hosted the previous two years as well. She then introduced Mykel, who performed her set solo on keyboard. She played songs from an upcoming EP release. Her first song, “Brace For Impact,” was about a car accident. “Never been this fragile/I’m used to being brave.” Mykel delivered a gorgeous, moving and powerful vocal performance. She followed that with “How Do You Know,” a song that mentions the 405 freeway early on. An artist can count on connecting with any Los Angeles audience by mentioning an experience on that road. She concluded her set with “Hometown Runaway,” the title track from the EP. That EP is going to be out by the end of the year, but there is no date set yet. It’s a release I’m looking forward to adding to my collection.

Gena B. Jones introducing Leeann Skoda

Leeann Skoda was one of my favorite performers last year, and was one of the main draws for me this year. She performed her set solo on acoustic guitar. She opened her set with a beautiful song that had a bit of a Patty Griffin vibe. She followed that with a song she wrote in memory of her grandmother, who, as she mentioned, was the first person in her life to listen to her opinions. “She’s just the same as she used to be/Remember me.” This song too was beautiful, and had me at the edge of tears, as memories of my own rushed in, in great contrast to the present. Leeann Skoda mentioned that she has an album that she recorded but has yet to release, so that’s another disc for us to look forward to. She has, however, released a song from it, “Easy,” and it is that song that she chose to close her set. Vocalist Alex Beck followed, backed by a guitarist. She began with “All The Wrong Places,” in which she sings “I keep looking for gold in all the wrong places/I keep looking for someone to say I was worth chasing.” Her mom was in the audience, and Alex mentioned that she’s lucky to have her on this journey, which was sweet. There was something wonderfully innocent about Alex Beck, and you could see it especially in the adorable smile she had at the end of each of her songs. She wrapped up her set with “Dirty Jokes,” a song that will be on her debut EP, which is coming out at the end of the month. Yes, there is a lot of good music coming out.

Alex Beck

Maybellene Ryder

Maybellene Ryder, taking the name from the Chuck Berry song, was up next. Kiana Keane was on acoustic guitar, supported by Benny on electric guitar. On the first song, Kiana’s guitar went out of tune, and she fixed it during the song. Then afterward she worked to get it sounding even better, telling the crowd, “Some people can talk and do this at the same time, but I can’t.” She added, “One day I’ll have a guitar tech.” She then played “Long Way Home,” a seriously cool song. Each of the performers had mentioned International Women’s Day, of course, but Kiana went a bit further, saying, “I made a vow that I’m not wearing a dress until women get their rights back.” What’s baffling to me is that a lot of women voted to have their own rights taken away. Why would any woman vote for Republican candidates? People are deranged. Maybellene Ryder’s final song, which I believe is titled “Canadian Army,” began in a bluesy realm, and then kicked in to become a fun number, featuring some nice work on electric guitar. Gena B. Jones delivered another short set of comedy, and then introduced Yoyoka Soma, a young drummer (she and her bandmates were so young that they couldn’t hang out in the bar to catch the other acts). You probably saw that video of her drumming to Led Zeppelin’s “Good Times, Bad Times,” when she was just eight years old. Now fifteen, she is even better. She and her band played a couple of original numbers, “Girlfriend” (which was a delicious rock song) and “Glue,” and then closed out their set with a good cover of The Breeders’ “Cannonball.” It was a fun set, and then they had to leave the room again.

Yoyoka

 

Ryann Barnes

Ryann Barnes had a full band backing her, including guitar, bass, drums and backing vocals. But it was her vocal work that really stood out. Her set included “Ava Drinks A Bud Light,” “Falling Behind” and “Good In You.” In introducing “Falling Behind,” she told the crowd, “It’s about going back to those people you shouldn’t go back to.” It’s a wonderful song, reminding us how good pop music can be. “Good In You” is a new song, inspired by those Dolly Parton billboards that say “Find the good in everybody.” There is one of those billboards near me in North Hollywood, and when I’ve been stuck at a red light that goes on a little longer than it should I’ve thought about those words. “But even after all/I still choose the good in you,” Ryann sings here. Hannah Avison was up next. She was another performer that stood out last year, and I was thrilled to get to see her again. Last time she was accompanied by Kalie Shorr, and this time she had Sam Bierman supporting her on keyboard. She played songs from her solo releases, and songs from her Iris IRS project, including “Molecules,” in which she sings “I hope my molecules find your molecules.” This song really grabbed me, in part because I’ve been thinking about death a lot lately. It is a beautiful song. She also played “Drug.” “I take you every weekend/But you’re out of my system by Monday morning.” She wrapped up her set with “Monster,” a song about anxiety, acknowledging in the song’s introduction that everyone in L.A. feels some anxiety. She got the audience involved in this one, having folks respond, “My body’s making me a monster.” The night’s final performer was Kia, who was supported by Carmichael Castaños on acoustic guitar, and by Bruno Cunha on keyboard. She kicked off her set with a good soulful pop song, “Okay, Alright,” which had a jazzy aspect to some of the guitar work. Her next song featured some nice stuff on keys, and then “Bygones” had some great guitar work. But it was her vocal work that was captivating. She wrapped up her set with “Somebody Real,” which was a fun number with a catchy groove. The show ended at 10:09 p.m. It was a great night celebrating the power and talent of women.

Hannah Avison

Kia