The Doohickeys: "Merry Happy Whatever" (2025) CD Review

It's that time of year again, friends. You can feel it in the air, even in Los Angeles, where the weather is suddenly getting cold (and by cold, for those of you who have never been to southern California, I mean temperatures in the fifties). We are approaching that holiday that has somehow made itself king of all holidays, Christmas. I'm not sure just how festive folks in this country are going to feel this year, but there is certainly holiday music to suit your needs, whatever mood you find yourself in. The Doohickeys' new EP has a title that I love, Merry Happy Whatever. It's a title you can take two ways: the "whatever" could be in place of "Christmas" or "Hanukkah" or "holidays," or the "whatever" could be the third in the line of adjectives after "merry" and "happy." Some folks are adamant that we say "Merry Christmas" rather than "Happy Christmas." Those folks are, of course, insane. Merry, happy, whatever. The Doohickeys are a country band led by the duo of Haley Spence Brown and Jack Hackett, a group with a playful spirit. The musicians backing them on this disc include Adam Arcos on bass; Jacob Brown on guitar and backing vocals; Kevin Brown on drums, vibraphone, bells and percussion; and Jordan Bush on pedal steel, clarinet, saxophone, banjo and harmonica. There are also some guests on various tracks. The EP features original material, and was produced by Eric Corne.

Merry Happy Whatever gets off to a delightful start with "Santa Needs A Beer," a fun country number about the impressive project Santa undertakes every year, and what he deserves as a result. "Since I know that it ain't easy doing this year after year/I don't put out milk and cookies, I pour that man a beer." Both Jack and Haley take turns on lead vocals. "It's a lot of hard work to bring Christmas cheer," they tell us. Indeed. That goes for all of us who attempt to be cheerful. And so, hey, this song is for all of us. We all need a beer. Though not the ones they mention by name toward the end of the song. Bud? Miller? Good lord, no. Sam Adams and Guinness for me, thanks. Then we get the EP's title track, which has a delicious, classic vibe, featuring some nice work on saxophone. This song is about making the mistake of assuming which holidays people celebrate, and it offers a solution. "I never knew what to say/So now I use this phrase/Merry happy whatever to you." I love this! There are moments that had me laughing out loud, such as these lines: "Some folks got a god, some don't believe/Some folks meditate, some go to church/And some poor folks can't get the day off work." And the backing vocals echoing "Or Jew, or Jew, or Jew" and "Hindu, Hindu, Hindu." This one also finds both Haley and Jack taking turns on lead vocals. Ethan Edenberg, Eric Jackowitz, Tom McGovern, Jacob Brown, Ben Masters and David Todman all provide backing vocals on this track.

I love the way "Put It On Credit" opens. The first phrase "It's that time of the year" is a typical Christmas song line, and so our brains automatically begin to fill in the rest of the line with various possibilities that we've heard. But The Doohickeys take it in an unexpected direction, concluding that first line with this: "when bank accounts are low." And right then everyone can relate. "When you start to worry about the gifts you gotta buy/Christmas won't be ruined if you just take our advice." And then the song kicks in to become a fun number, as they advise us to "Put it on credit." "No need to thank Santa, thank American Express." Ah, I think many folks do just that. This track features some nice work on banjo and fiddle (that's special guest Eleanor Whitmore on fiddle). "Want a boat, put it on credit/A new fur coat, put it on credit." I must remember to play this song for my girlfriend. This is a total delight of a song.

The band creates a relaxed, cool island atmosphere for "Sunny & 72." "Living in L.A. makes me miss the snow," Jack sings at the start. Sure, we all like the way a landscape looks covered with snow. But driving in it? Forget it. While it might not feel like Christmas here in Los Angeles when it's sunny and warm, I'll take it. Special guest Hayley Orrantia joins the group on vocals for this one. "I'd feel a little better if this was sweater weather." This is the perfect song for those of us who have chosen to make a warm place home, but I think anyone can enjoy the song. It contains some great stuff on guitar. "Seasonal depression kind of sounds insane/When you're living in a city that never rains." The EP then concludes with "Santa Is A Stoner." I love that this disc began with Santa needing a beer and ends with him getting high. Hey, who doesn't get through the holidays without medicinal aid? This one has a good bluesy sound. Here are the song's wonderful opening lines: "'Twas the night before Christmas, I was sprawled on the couch/A big fat joint hanging out of my mouth/The tree was lit up, and so was I/That plate full of cookies sure caught my eye." Haley is on lead vocals for this one, tearing into the blues. And, yes, this song also contains some cool work on harmonica. It is a blues number, after all. And Sasha Smith delivers some nice work on organ. You know, it makes total sense that Santa Claus would get high, because he'd have to stretch time out in order to get to all those houses in one night. This track is a fun way to wrap up this wonderful holiday treat.

CD Track List

1. Santa Needs A Beer
2. Merry Happy Whatever
3. Put It On Credit
4. Sunny & 72
5. Santa Is A Stoner

Merry Happy Whatever is scheduled to be released on December 5, 2025.

Warren Zevon: "Epilogue: Live At The Edmonton Folk Music Festival" (2025) CD Review

Los Angeles recently held a tribute concert to Warren Zevon, and a CD tribute album is scheduled to be released in January. And for the Black Friday version of Record Store Day, a special Warren Zevon double album is being released. Titled Epilogue: Live At The Edmonton Folk Music Festival, this album contains Warren Zevon's set from August 9, 2002, which happened to be his final concert performance (apart from a short set on David Letterman's show). So historically it's an important show. But it also happens to be a really good show. It features a few of his most beloved songs, including "Lawyers, Guns And Money," "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" and "Werewolves Of London," along with some other gems. It was not a full-band show, but rather a duo show, with Matt Cartsonis joining Warren Zevon on acoustic guitar, electric guitar, dulcimer, banjo, fiddle and backing vocals. This release also contains special liner notes written by Matt Cartsonis, with him sharing his memories of the show and of his time with Warren Zevon. If you don't manage to get a vinyl copy of this release on Black Friday, no worries, for it is also being released on CD in early December. 

The set opens with "Lawyers, Guns And Money," a great song from a great album, Excitable Boy. In this duo setting, the song has a more intimate feel, and somehow those opening lines are even more striking here: "Well, I went home with a waitress/The way I always do/How was I to know/She was with the Russians too?" And it is still a lot of fun, a song that is completely engaging. "Yes, I'm down on my luck," he sings, and we all kind of feel it these days. That's followed by "I Was In The House When The House Burned Down," with Warren Zevon delivering some nice stuff on harmonica at the beginning. And speaking of strong opening lyrics, check out the lines which start this one: "I had the shit 'til it all got smoked/I kept the promise 'til the vow got broke/I had to drink from a loving cup/And stood on the banks 'til the river rose up/I saw the bride in her wedding gown/I was in the house when the house burned down." There is a fantastic energy to his vocal performancer, and there is more good stuff on harmonica throughout the track. This song comes from Life'll Kill Ya, released in 2000. It is one of my personal favorites from this live recording.

There is then some stage banter, which is presented as a separate track and given the title "I Don't Play Too Many Festivals." Warren Zevon certainly shows his sense of humor, telling the crowd: "I feel privileged to be able to play this Edmonton Folk Festival. I don't play too many festivals. I don't play too much folk music. And I don't really go outdoors very much." The audience laughs, of course. He also introduces Matt Cartsonis, who came up from Los Angeles. "I don't know exactly how you feel about Los Angeles up here. I don't really care." Nice! He then delivers a cover of Joni Mitchell's "A Case Of You," a song from her fantastic Blue album. It is a beautiful love song about a love that is already over, and its opening lines contain a reference to Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: "Just before our love got lost/You said I'm constant as the northern star." "But I am constant as the northern star" is a line that Julius Caesar says in the first scene of the third act, just before he's killed. "If you want me, I'll be in the bar" is a funny line that I think of whenever I'm at a place I'm not all that interested in being. But those are not the lines that especially stood out to this Edmonton crowd. Not only is Joni Mitchell from Canada, but this particular song mentions her country: "I drew a map of Canada/Oh, Canada." Perhaps that influenced Warren's choice, perhaps not, but that line gets a cheer from the Canadian audience. Warren Zevon delivers a wonderful rendition. "I could drink a case of you." That leads straight into "Detox Mansion," a song from Warren Zevon's Sentimental Hygiene, released in 1987. "Now I'm doing my own laundry/And I'm getting those clothes clean." There is a somewhat humorous delivery of that line, particularly the word "clean." There is also a great energy to this number, even an intensity to the playing. "Well, it's tough to be somebody/And it's hard not to fall apart," he sings here. Indeed. And, perhaps surprising in a duo setting, this song becomes a sort of wild jam. That helps make this track one of the disc's highlights.

"Hit Somebody! (The Hockey Song)" comes from My Ride's Here, which at the time was Warren Zevon's new album, having been released just a few months before this concert. Before he starts the song, someone in the audience shouts something to him. He responds, "Say what, you love me?" He then jokes, "Then I will test your love." At the song's first mention of hockey, there is an audible cheer. Aw, Canada. This song also mentions Canada directly: "What else can a poor boy from Canada do?" "But he wasn't that good with the puck/Buddy's real talent was beating people up/His heart wasn't in it, but the crowd ate it up." Warren is on piano for this one. He also plays piano on "Werewolves Of London," always a favorite. This is a playful rendition. At one point he sings, "Werewolves of Edmonton again." And I love his surprisingly straightforward delivery of "Hey, I'd like to meet his tailor" here. Warren Zevon is clearly having a good time with the song. At one point he comments wryly, "Folk music," then adds, "English folk music."

Warren Zevon remains on piano for "For My Next Trick I'll Need A Volunteer," a song from Life'll Kill Ya. I love the humor of Warren Zevon's music. Check out the opening lines from this song: "Well, I can saw a woman in two/But you won't want to look in the box when I'm through." So, any volunteers? "I can pull a rabbit out of a hat/I can pull it out, but I can't put it back/I can make love disappear," he tells us. This track also features some good stuff on harmonica. The next song, a short number titled "A Tune With No Name," was composed by Matt Cartsonis, his only composition on this album. It's a cool banjo instrumental tune. Some folk music for the folk festival crowd. There is some playful banter at the end of the track. "We're going to play a brand new song for ya," Warren then tells the audience. "I just wrote this a few weeks ago, and I thought it would utilize Matthew's extraordinary banjo pyrotechnics." The song is "Dirty Life And Times," and indeed it features some good work on banjo. "This is not on any album," Warren adds. But it would end up on 2003's The Wind, Warren Zevon's final studio album. This is yet another of the disc's highlights. "And sometimes I wonder what tomorrow's gonna bring/When I think about my dirty life and times."

"Poor Poor Pitiful Me" is a song from Warren Zevon's self-titled 1976 album, a song that was a big hit for Linda Ronstadt. It's a song that first finds him laying his head on railroad tracks before learning the train doesn't come through anymore. That's rough. I'm digging this folk rendition, with Matt on fiddle. In this version, Warren sings, "I met this girl in West Edmonton" instead of "West Hollywood." That's followed by "Play It All Night Long," a song from Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School, with Matt again on fiddle. "Grandpa pissed his pants again/He don't give a damn/Brother Billy has both guns drawn/He ain't been right since Vietnam." This is a fantastic song, with a sort of urgency to the vocal delivery. The disc concludes with a traditional number, "Canadee-I-O." "We've gone to reasonably great lengths to learn a real folk song for you," Warren tells the audience in the song's introduction, adding that he learned it from listening to Nic Jones. He delivers a beautiful, passionate vocal performance.

CD Track List

1. Lawyers, Guns And Money
2. I Was In The House When The House Burned Down
3. "I Don't Play Too Many Festivals"
4. A Case Of You
5. Detox Mansion
6. Hit Somebody! (The Hockey Song)
7. Werewolves Of London
8. For My Next Trick I'll Need A Volunteer
9. A Tune With No Name
10. Dirty Life And Times
11. Poor Poor Pitiful Me
12. Play It All Night Long
13. Canadee-I-O

Epilogue: Live At The Edmonton Folk Music Festival is scheduled to be released on vinyl on November 28, 2025, and on CD on December 5, 2025 through Omnivore Recordings.

Grateful Dead: "Dave's Picks Volume 56" (2025) CD Review

Thanks to my mom's gift of a subsription to Dave's Picks, four times a year a new Grateful Dead concert on CD arrives in the mail. And for the final installment of 2025, two complete shows (or almost complete - the encore from the first show didn't fit onto the second disc) have arrived. That's right, Dave's Picks Volume 56 contains four discs rather than the usual three, featuring a whole lot of great music from the band's short trip to London in the spring of 1981. The band played four shows at the Rainbow Theatre, and this four-disc set contains the first two shows, those of March 20 and 21, 1981.

Disc 1

The first disc contains the entire first set from the show on March 20th. The band kicks things off with "Feel Like A Stranger," always a great choice to set things in motion, with its beat, its energy and with those lines "So let's get on with the show" and "It's going to be a long, long, crazy, crazy night." Everything is sounding crisp and clean and excellent. This is a "Stranger" that will have you dancing and shaking. Jerry Garcia's guitar work is popping. I would have loved another twenty minutes of this song. The band then slows things down with a sweet rendition of "Friend Of The Devil." There is a soothing aspect to this rendition at the beginning, with some nice harmonies, promising it will be okay out there on the road. We can always come home to the Dead, wherever they may be. And I love that moment when the music lifts us to another, brighter level. Jerry's guitar is doing the work there, climbing out of the darkness, and pulling us along too. The band then eases into "C.C. Rider," which works well coming out of "Friend Of The Devil." It begins to grow and build, the guitars leading the way. "And I'm on the run," Bob Weir adds at one point. Brent Mydland delivers some delicious stuff on keys. This is a really good "C.C. Rider."

The band follows "C.C. Rider" with "Althea," from what was at the time the band's most recent record, Go To Heaven. It has an easygoing vibe, with a really good vocal performance by Jerry, the kind of delivery that gives each line a little more meaning, a stronger connection to us. And then the jam has smoe power to it, leading to a definite conclusion, a little exclamation point on it. Things then get fun with a good version of "Mama Tried," which goes straight into "Mexicali Blues," and we feel our worldly cares disintegrating, cast off into the dust and ether. The tone then changes, as the band goes into "Loser," but we are in similar terrain thematically; or, at least, we can imagine the characters from both songs coming across each other at some point, while both are in trouble. Does Jerry forget the lyrics? Not sure, but no matter. There is a good deal of power to his delivery at times, and a wonderful intimacy at other times. Once "New Minglewood Blues" gets going, it finds its own particular energy. "Preacher man call me a sinner, but his little girl call me a saint." Ah yes, it's all a matter of perspective, isn't it? This rendition features some excellent stuff on keys. And then check out that guitar work. This rendition gets better and better, building in energy. "Yes, and it's T for New York City," Bob sings here. Did he forget where he was?

"Candyman" follows. It's interesting how Bob keeps providing energetic numbers, and then Jerry mellows things out with his choices. This is a tremendous rendition, featuring some passionate playing as well as vocal work. Some incredibly beautiful and moving moments. "Hand me my old guitar." And this time Bob chooses a mellower number, with "Candyman" leading straight into "Looks Like Rain." This is a particularly good version of "Looks Like Rain," tender when it needs to be, with power in the right spots, and guitar work that feels like it splashes on our faces like rain. Jerry then chooses a solid rocking number to close out the first set, "Deal." The jam here is great, driving us forward, straight up the mountain, no need to pause to ask for directions. Holy moly! After that, we need a little break.,

Disc 2

The second disc tonains the complete second set (but not the encore). It opens with an audience favorite, "Scarlet Begonias," a fantastic choice to start the second set because of its great joy. It seems to promise a wonderful ride, a celebration everyone can join. And right from the start there is a strong energy to this version, heard especially in Jerry's vocal delivery. It's like they are picking up right where they left off with "Deal." The dance calls down any and all passing celestial beings, who are eager to join, see what this carnal thing is all about. They take on physical form in order to take part, and rejoice in their limbs. Things get looser, and that section just before the band goes into "Fire On The Mountain" is especially good. I love that transition. And now everyone is together, corporeal and celestial, dancing on that mountain top, starlight pouring down on the festivities. Sparks rise up to meet it. Darker creatures lurk at the perimeter, vibrating and peeking in occasionally, but no worries. The beat keeps us all grounded, and the dance itself holds away any trouble or despair, or even longing.

The band then eases into "Lost Sailor," picking its way through stranger, uncertain territory. Ah, have we been too long at sea? But the waves begin to rock us in a way that feels welcoming, warm and familiar. "Drifting and dreaming." That leads straight into "Saint Of Circumstance." "This must be heaven," Bob sings at the beginning. Oh, yes, it often felt like that, didn't it? It's so good we were able to touch a piece of it. "I'm still walking, so I'm sure that I can dance." The music builds to a glorious explosion of light. They take a breath then before beginning "He's Gone." It's a sweet rendition. "Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile." The beautiful jam can't help but make us smile. "Going where the wind don't blow so strange." There is a wonderful vocal jam at the end, which takes on a spiritual bent at one point. The jam begins to stray into spacy territory, then seems to be heading into "Samson And Delilah." This is fun, and it goes right into "Drums," with some cool stuff on talking drum early on. "Drums" gets into some interesting places, a deep howling that raises the fire spirits from their caverns, rattles them from their slumber, brings them to action. And sooner, much sooner than I would have expected, we are in "Space." It seems that both "Drums" and "Space" have been shortened on this release, presumably because of limited time. Now the forces from above reach down to interfere with reality. Voices from all electronic items chatter, speak in code to each other.

But before those voices can harness us, the band marches into "Truckin'" and all electronic demons flee before its force. "Sometimes the lights all shining on me/Other times I can barely see." And who knows what will happen next? The music makes me excited to find out. It takes us to some interesting places of its own before then bringing us to "Wharf Rat," a damp city night, two characters set apart from the rest, the song taking us into their world. And when one of them says, "But I'll get back on my feet someday," the line speaks for us too. And the line "I'll get up and fly away" is delivered with such determination that no one can doubt the truth of it. "Wharf Rat" leads straight into "Around And Around." And actually the band decides to wrap up the set with a double dose of Chuck Berry rock and roll: "Around And Around" and "Johnny B. Goode." I love how playful Bob gets at one point toward the end of "Around And Around." And the energy is especially high on "Johnny B. Goode." The encore that night was "U.S. Blues," but it is not included here.

Disc 3

The third disc contains the entire first set from the March 21st show. It opens with a good rock and roll number, "Alabama Getaway," which has a strong energy from the start. The band is kind of starting where the previous night ended, and as if to make that even more clear, they follow "Alabama Getaway" with a Chuck Berry song, "Promised Land," going straight from one to the other. And so of course it makes perfect sense that both nights would be included in one volume of this concert series. After a pause, the band gently slides into "Peggy O." This is a pretty rendition, with a tender approach to the playing in that gorgeous instrumental section. This is a really nice version. Bob then leads the band into a hopping "Me And My Uncle," the band taking us to some specific lands in these early songs. That leads right into "Big River," keeping things moving. Bob gets confused about the lyrics for a moment, and the band is then cooking during Brent's lead, and getting folks boogieing for sure. Then "Tennessee Jed" has a good groove. "Rich man step on my poor head." Yes, but it seems we'll be all right. The music carries us through all kinds of weirdness. This song is the blood pulsing through our veins, and it's in our steps on the ground. This is a good, fun version. An unexpected dance of lights plays over each shoulder.

We then get into the blues with "Little Red Rooster," with its own pulse, and those hounds begin to howl. The guitar joins them, and the keyboard keeps both demons and angels at bay, speaking the language of both. The music dances on two levels at once. This becomes a really good rendition, and is followed by "Althea." Yes, "Althea" was played at two shows in a row. (I'm sure John Mayer loves this set for that reason.) The notes from Jerry's guitar are dancing in air, visible, if only for a moment. And I love hearing Jerry sing the Hamlet lines. This version is particularly good then, Jerry's voice itself clearing the smoke, a voice of remembering. Phil Lesh's bass line influences my heart. I feel my heart vibrating with his rhythm. This is a fantastic "Althea," among the best I've heard. Then we get "Let It Grow," approaching us with some urgency. The world spirals around us, and then outward, reaching into the farther stretches of the cosmos. Things fly plast, the dance quickens, giants orchestrating the past and taking pieces from the future to spice things up. Soon things are getting wild, before the music opens and returns to that main theme. But the band is not finished taking us to those outer places, and does so during that cool and exciting jam. They go straight from that into "China Cat Sunflower," delivering us into that magical realm, granting us access, painting the scene and causing it to laugh. The band gently transitions into "I Know You Rider," which itself gains energy soon enough, building in power and featuring some wonderful work by Phil on bass.

Disc 4

The fourth disc contains the second set and encore of the March 21st show. It opens with "Jack Straw," with the energy and power of the song picking up in the second half. There is a bit of a pause then before the band chooses "Ship Of Fools." "And all that could not sink or swim was just left there to float." Jerry's guitar wants to lead us away, but we don't get too far, spiraling around above, looking down at the action. And from there we find ourselves very close to a precipice, but the waters soon calm again and the song gently concludes. After a moment, the band goes into "Estimated Prophet," and now things get even more interesting. The band stretches out on that groove, but it is Jerry's guitar work that makes this version something special. The guys begin to reach for stranger territory, different places. And so when "Eyes Of The World" starts, it feels like a shift in directions, that familiar groove rising to take over, to lead us into a brighter spot, a place of yellows and greens. There is an insuppressible joy to this song. The jam takes on an unbridled energy earlier than I would have expected, and the jam after the final verse soon shows hints of moving toward "Drums." That section leading to it is wonderful, and it actually builds again before going into "Drums."

This "Drums" first grooves on a good, fast beat before going into a bit of darker, odder territory. But even the most fearsome of creatures wants to play. At least for a moment. It is not a very long "Drums," but it is twice as long as the "Drums" on the second disc. I think a little is still cut from it, but not nearly as much as from that earlier track. Same goes for "Space," which kind of creeps up on us here, adjusting our frequency to its own, and then playing Earth's history back to us but dubbed in an alien tongue. A giant tunnel spins around us, but we focus on the groups of pipers moving toward us from the other side. And we find ourselves at the beginning stages of the party that is "Not Fade Away," This version begins in a delicious, funky place, with some slices of blues too. The fantastic opening section is somewhat different from what the band often did with this song. Then the familiar explosion leads to the vocals. This song promises the party will continue. This version contains a cool jam that doesn't feel at all like "Not Fade Away," and gets bluesy when the vocals come back, which is interesting. That song leads into a wonderful rendition of "Black Peter." We feel we are in the room, by this man's death bed, and at the same time imagine our own day of dying, hoping a couple of friends will be there, even if it's just a rehearsal and we all have to reassemble the next night. The band then wraps up the set with "One More Saturday Night," ending with a solid rock and roll number. The encore is "Don't Ease Me In," a fun song to finish off the night.

CD Track List

Disc 1

1. Feel Like A Stranger
2. Friend Of The Devil
3. C.C. Rider
4. Althea
5. Mama Tried >
6. Mexicali Blues
7. Loser
8. New Minglewood Blues
9. Candyman >
10. Looks Like Rain >
11. Deal

Disc 2

1. Scarlet Begonias >
2. Fire On The Mountain >
3. Lost Sailor >
4. Saint Of Circumstance
5. He's Gone >
6. Drums >
7. Space >
8. Truckin' >
9. Wharf Rat >
10. Around And Around >
11. Johnny B. Goode

Disc 3

1. Alabama Getaway >
2. Promised Land
3. Peggy-O
4. Me And My Uncle >
5. Big River
6. Tennessee Jed >
7. Little Red Rooster
8. Althea
9. Let It Grow >
10. China Cat Sunflower >
11. I Know You Rider

Disc 4

1. Jack Straw
2. Ship Of Fools
3. Estimated Prophet >
4. Eyes Of The World >
5. Drums >
6. Space >
7. Not Fade Away >
8. Black Peter >
9. One More Saturday Night
10. Don't Ease Me In

Dave's Picks Volume 56 was released in early November, 2025. My copy arrived on November 3, 2025. This release is limited to 25,000 copies. Mine is number 15181.

Kelly's Lot at Therapy At The Roar Room, 11-16-25 Concert Review

Kelly's Lot playing "Mama's Blues"

Kelly's Lot delivered two delicious sets of blues and blues-related music last night at the Roar Room. It was not the full band, but four members, and so referred to playfully in the concert promotions as "Kelly's Lot 4 Wheel Drive." The band was made up of Kelly Zirbes on lead vocals, Perry Robertson on guitar and backing vocals, Matt McFadden on bass and backing vocals, and Mike Sauer on drums. The venue is called Therapy At The Roar Room, and Kelly Zirbes mentioned how the blues itself is good therapy, both for the musicians and the audience. Music in general, and perhaps the blues in particular, can help us make sense of a world that has gone sideways, or at least make us feel better about living in it. And Kelly's Lot is all about connecting with folks and offering a hand during the hard times, as well celebrating the good times. 

"Rise Up"

Yesterday was a grey, rainy day, a perfect day for the blues. Though, really, every day in these strange times is a perfect day for the blues. It was an early show, scheduled to start at 5 p.m. or thereabouts. At 5:18, Kelly asked the crowd, "How are you all doing?" Lots of performers ask that question as a way of saying hello, but Kelly truly wants to know. You can hear that desire to really connect in her voice and in the music. She wasn't even on the microphone yet when she asked that, but was in front of the stage, still a part of the crowd. The band opened the show with "Train," a song with a delicious, funky rhythm, and featuring a great guitar lead by Perry. Perry also delivered some impressive guitar work on "Rise Up," which followed. And very quickly the audience was immersed in the music, getting the therapy we all so desperately needed. There were some great grooves, as in "Aces" and "It Ain't Always." And that last line of "It Ain't Always" stays with us: "But it's always you and me." And in that moment, it was about the band and the audience. Mike delivered some fantastic stuff on drums on "Can't Take My Soul." And then Perry switched to acoustic guitar for "Mama's Blues," a slower, soulful number featuring a beautiful vocal performance by Kelly. "I'm called to the music." Oh yes! Perry remained on acoustic guitar for "Taking Time," a love song. "When I think of you, it turns me all around." Matt delivered some seriously cool stuff on bass. We should all be taking time for love. What else is there?

"Hush Up"

"Everything is crazy in the world today," Kelly sings at the beginning of "Just Tell Me The Truth." And while that song might seem like a reasonable demand, it is also really about listening. It's going to take those connections, and honesty, for us to "find a way to heal," just as she sings here. That was followed by "Boogie Bus." "Get on board," we were urged. And by then, I think everyone was firmly on board. The band followed that with "Reason For The Blues," "Tired" and "Mr. Chairman." "Tired" in particular featured a fantastic vocal performance. The first set concluded with a playful rendition of "Hush Up," with a lot of audience interaction. The first set ended at 6:25 p.m.

"Woe Is Me"

At 6:49 p.m., the band was back on stage for a second set of great blues. In fact, the set began with one of those perennial blues lines, "I woke up this morning." The first line of "Come To This." That was followed by "Woe Is Me," a song with a great groove for the group of folks dancing in front of the stage. That led straight into "Boom Boom Boom," which in turn led right into "Revolving Door." "So hold on tight, let's get this right." It seems this band gets everything right. "Lock Me Up" was a delight, a number that took the audience back to another time, and even included a cha-cha-cha ending. "Anyone here believe in personal responsibility?" Kelly asked after that song. And several people in the audience playfully responded, "No!" As I mentioned, the band always strives to create a strong bond with the audience, and the audience feels that, responds to it, joking with the musicians, feeling a part of the course of the show. The band then went into an energetic rendition of "Nobody Here But Me." That was followed by "Redbone," with Perry on acoustic guitar. It was so great to see these guys play this song again, even if Kelly got lost at one point. "Give it up for Matt for covering my ass," Kelly said afterward. That was followed by another song I hadn't seen the band do in years, "Strong Girl," which is actually from the same album as "Redbone." It's a hard rock number, and the crowd got into it. "I am not an angry chick," Kelly said at the end of that one.

"Let It Breathe"

Kelly delivered a beautiful, moving performance on "Let It Breathe," with Perry on acoustic guitar. Kelly then said, "Let's do something fun," and the band went into "Just A Heart," which has some delightfully playful elements. That was followed by "Savior," a wonderful song from the band's new album, Late Bloomer, one that includes some nice whistling by Kelly. They followed that with "Took It Back," a seriously cool song, and then with a cover of "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" with a little nod to James Bond. They wrapped up the second set with the high-energy "Drive." The show ended at 7:57 p.m.

Set List

Set I

1. Train
2. Rise Up
3. Aces
4. It Ain't Always
5. Can't Take My Soul
6. Mama's Blues
7. Taking Time
8. Just Tell Me The Truth
9. Boogie Bus
10. Reason For The Blues
11. Tired
12. Mr. Chairman
13. Hush Up

Set II

1. Come To This
2. Woe Is Me >
3. Boom Boom Boom >
4. Revolving Door
5. Lock Me Up
6. Nobody Here But Me
7. Redbone
8. Strong Girl
9. Let It Breathe
10. Just A Heart
11. Savior
12. Took It Back
13. These Boots Are Made For Walkin'
14. Drive

Here are a few more photos:

"Train"

"Train"

"Train"

"Can't Take My Soul"

"Can't Take My Soul"

"Let It Breathe"

"Let It Breathe"

Therapy At Roar Room is located at 3645 Foothill Blvd. in Glendale, California.

Hannah Gill: "Spooky Jazz Vol. 3" (2025) CD Review

Sure, Halloween might be over, but that doesn't mean the spooky times are in the past. There are plenty of strange vibes remaining in the air, some darker than we might desire, and some playful. Vocalist Hannah Gill has followed her 2024 release Spooky Jazz Vol. 2 with the third volume in this delightful series, and here it is all playful, all totally enjoyable. On Spooky Jazz Vol. 3, she delivers some obscure gems in the chill-filled chapter of the Great American Songbook. Joining her on this album are Gabe Terracciano on violin, Ricky Alexander on clarinet and saxophone, Justin Poindexter on guitar, Gordon Webster on piano, Philip Ambuel on bass, Ben Zweig on drums, and Danny Jonokuchi on trumpet and theremin, largely the same band that backed the vocalist on Spooky Jazz Vol. 2. Arrangements here are by Danny Jonokuchi.

Hannah Gill opens this album with a playful spoken word piece titled "Intro: Music To Be Murdered By," her own take on the Alfred Hitchcock bit at the beginning of his 1958 record. "Naturally, the record is long-playing, even though you may not be." And she is clearly having a great time here, establishing a playful mood. And then things take off with "Spider In The Web," a song The Dooley Sisters released in 1958. Hannah Gill gives us a very cool renditon. There is something undeniably sexy about her vocal delivery. She is adept at catching every listener in her own special web, and we are her quite willing victims. This track also features a delicious lead on saxophone, followed by a cool lead on violin. But it is the guitar lead that has the most haunting vibe, taking us into mysterious territory on that dark highway. The trumpet then raises us all from our graves and demands that we shake our bones. Who could deny such a command? And when Hannah Gill begins belting out certain lines just before the end, the world is just bloody perfect.

"Old Devil Moon" is probably the most well-known song on this album, having been recorded by many artists over the years. The version here is delicious, beginning on drums, and then containing a moment with just bass and drums before her vocals come in. As she sings of that "devil moon in your eyes," we hear the devil beckoning us in her voice. Who could resist? Who would even try? This track contains a great lead on trumpet, and then a completely delightful and wonderful lead on piano. That's when things really begin to cook. Hannah Gill and her band are taking us on a magic carpet ride here. That's followed by "The Richest Guy In The Graveyard." "Woke up this morning," she sings at the beginning, letting us know this is a blues number. And it is a totally delightful blues number, featuring some great work on violin and an alluring vocal performance. "Now what's the good of earning with no time for spending/You know you're simply heading for a horizontal ending." Wonderful! This is a song that urges folks to slow down, enjoy life, or they'll be enjoying death. This track treats us to a cool, mellow sax lead, followed by some really nice work on piano. And what a delightful final line!

Hannah Gill delivers one of the album's most gorgeous and captivating vocal performances on "Moon Ray," the Artie Shaw number. As she sings of magic charms, we know that she has those in abundance. We hear them in every note she sings, and we can feel them coursing throughout our bodies as we listen to her. "So, moon ray, put an end to all my sorrow/Bless me with sweet tomorrows/Bring back my love to me." Ah, are we talking about raising someone from the grave? The guitar seems capable of casting whatever spell is necessary to effect that. This track also contains a great lead on piano. This is one of my personal favorite tracks. It is followed by "I'm Gonna Haunt Ya" (by the way, the titles of the two tracks are reversed on the back of the CD case). This is an incredibly fun number from the start, a total treat and delight. "I want you/You'd better want me too/'Cause if you don't, I'm gonna haunt ya, gonna haunt ya, gonna haunt ya all through the night." To me, that sounds more like the most wonderful promise than a threat. There is some fantastic stuff on violin on this track. Things are hopping, moving, swinging. Check out that fantastic lead on piano. And here we get a drum solo too. It's brief, but great. So, yes, this is another of my personal favorites.

"As Long As You Live (You'll Be Dead If You Die)" is another totally fun and lively number. "So here's a final word of warning/You're gonna wake up dead some morning." Oh yes, so let's enjoy ourselves now. And with this music playing, it's inevitable that we're going to enjoy ourselves. This is a great song for a Halloween party, a great song for any party, and it features some delicious work on violin. It's followed by "My Friend The Ghost," a playful, and yet sweet number, with a spooky aspect delivered on theremin. This one also features an excellent lead on violin, as well as some wonderful stuff on piano. I feel that the world has gotten better during the course of this album. The music is that enjoyable.

"He's A Demon, He's A Devil, He's A Doll" is delivered with an undeniable fondness. "But then he turns on those charms/And there I am in his arms/And I forget why I'm mad/I ought to tell him, drop dead/But I keep loving him instead." The guy in question has clearly created his own spell, and we understand, because we ourselves have fallen under Hannah Gill's spell. Yes, that's how good this album is. This track features some wonderful stuff on trumpet. Then "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" begins to weave its own spell immediately with that percussion, and then increases its potency with the violin. Hannah Gill's vocal performance has a gorgeous, haunting aspect. "I walk along the street of sorrow/The boulevard of broken dreams." And the bass line mesmerizes us. This song sweetly subdues us, and there is a special magical power to the violin in the second half. The album concludes with one of its best tracks, "Wolves In The Tree Line," an original composition. "There's monsters in the memories, devils in your eyes." It's a bluesy number featuring some exciting guitar work and another sexy vocal performance. A wonderful ending to a delicious album.

CD Track List

1. Intro: Music To Be Murdered By
2. Spider In The Web
3. Old Devil Moon
4. The Richest Guy In The Graveyard
5. Moon Ray
6. I'm Gonna Haunt Ya
7. As Long As You Live (You'll Be Dead If You Die)
8. My Friend The Ghost
9. He's A Demon, He's A Devil, He's A Doll
10. Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
11. Wolves In The Tree Line

Spooky Jazz Vol. 3 was released on August 22, 2025 on Turtle Bay Records.

Ethan Daniel Davidson: "Lear" (2025) CD Review

Two big passions in my life are music and Shakespeare, and at times the two overlap. Most often that combination is related to Romeo And Juliet, a play which has inspired a lot of music over the years. But of course music plays a part in many of Shakespeare's works, including Twelfth Night, The Tempest, As You Like It, Othello and even Hamlet. My favorite of Shakespeare's plays is King Lear, and, yes, that one too contains music, with the Fool singing to Lear (though many productions treat the songs as prose). But this is a play that hasn't inspired composers in the way that, say, Romeo And Juliet or A Midsummer Night's Dream or The Taming Of The Shrew has. And so I was especially thrilled to hear Ethan Daniel Davidson's new album, Lear, which is interestingly his second album to be in some way inspired by Shakespeare's play. Earlier this year he released Cordelia, and if you are familiar with that album, you'll recognize that the cover of this new album is the negative of the cover of that release. Apparently both albums come from the same sessions. King Lear is an incredible work of art, with tremendously moving passages (who can refrain from crying when Cordelia and Lear are reunited?), and also some horrifying moments, dealing with themes of power, family, aging and madness. It is a play that leaves you with plenty to think about. On this album, Ethan Daniel Davidson delivers original material that likewise gives us much to consider, taking us on a dive inward just as Lear ended up having to do, while also looking at the larger picture. He has a fantastic group of musicians joining him, including Luther Dickinson (of North Mississippi Allstars) on guitar and vox mando-guitar, Rayfield Holloman on pedal steel and keys, Byron House on bass, Marco Giovino on drums and percussion, Alvin Youngblood Hart on backing vocals and guitar, Duane Betts on guitar, Jimbo Mathus (of Squirrel Nut Zippers) on backing vocals, and Dale Wilson on backing vocals.

The album opens with "Stop Breaking Down," a song that almost immediately nods to Johnny Cash's "Ring Of Fire" and Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry": "When some say love is a burning thing/I can only hear that lonesome whippoorwill sing." And that's not the only nod to another song. He sings, "You can lose everything in the blink of an eye/But you won't miss your water until your well runs dry," a reference to the William Bell song. Ethan Daniel Davidson delivers a beautiful song of introspection and ache. "Anything we could say has already been spoken/The only reason I say anything at all is because I am broken." Yes, it's a song for everyone who is hurting and isn't sure how to stop. "I don't even see through the same eyes anymore/So what was I doing coming back with all this pain?" Those lines make me think of both Lear and Gloucester in the fourth act when the two meet. That's followed by "Count The Knives," a song that Ethan Daniel Davidson originally included on his 2015 album Drawnigh, that version with a different band. On this new album, the song is a soulful and beautifully sad country number, featuring some nice pedal steel work. The style and slower pace help certain lines stand out more in this version, such as "The hardest time you'll serve is in your own jail." This track contains a passionate vocal performance, aided by some good backing vocal work. And later that line becomes "Your greatest escape will be from your own jail," leaving us to think about what sort of jail we've each created for ourselves. This is a moving and beautiful song.

A landscape dominated by darkness and coldness is created in the opening moments of "The World We Wanted," a landscape we recognize. "This must be the world which we wanted/Puritans and autocrats/This must be the world which we wanted/It used to be round, but now it's flat." Everything has been flattened, and everything seems to have the same importance, given the same weight, which makes nothing at all seem important. And then of course there are the people who believe the world is truly flat. What happened to us as a species? Ethan Daniel Davidson then adds, "That's not darkness descending, it's just vagueness/Like a plague, it is swallowing you." The lines are delivered plainly, without anger, without energy to change things, and that acceptance is actually what might jolt us awake. Let's hope so. This track has a haunting vibe, and it features some good work on bass. It is one of my personal favorites. "This must be the world which we wanted/We have built it with our own hands." Then "Bad Company Brought Me Here" takes a few moments to establish an intriguing atmosphere. "I'm wearing stolen clothes," Ethan tells us then. He delivers a captivating, almost mesmerizing vocal performance, not raising his voice, but speaking plainly to us. "You are no one until you learn how to make yourself disappear." This song mentions Shakespeare's play directly: "You can go anywhere you want to/You just can't go back the way you came/Little aged men of empires/And old men become King Lear/Bad company, bad company brought me here." These lines are also stand out for me: "I'm filled with dread, I'm filled with unease/That there is something I might have missed."

Special guest Duane Betts plays lead guitar on "Not Breaking Hearts," the album's only song to have a more upbeat, cheerful country vibe (even if the lyrics aren't quite cheerful), and one that was released as a single. And, yes, there is some good stuff on guitar, as you'd expect. "Oh, they must not be breaking hearts like they used to anymore/Oh, the moon is bound to lose/To those early morning blues." These lines also strike me: "But your voice on the phone/Reminds me I'm alone/I have been low, I have been mean." Then Alvin Youngblood Hart plays lead guitar on "How Can One Keep Warm?" Now things are slowed down again. I love how Ethan Daniel Davidson allows time for the mood to overtake us, for us to become immersed in a song's world before delivering the first lines. And these lines make us think of King Lear on the heath: "And the storm clouds form/In our exile in time/In which the self is born/How can one keep warm?" That last line, the song's title, might also lead you to think of Edgar when disguised as Poor Tom. And soon Ethan Daniel Davidson mentions that character directly, quoting a line from the play: "Poor Tom's a-cold." This line too reminds us of Lear's folly: "And I treated my loves as if they were things I could hold." This is a striking and powerful song, containing some strong work on guitar, as well as more good stuff on bass. The vocal performance might at times make you think of Neil Young.

As "Waiting For Me" begins, it reminds me a bit of Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home To Me." "If I ever make up my mind/If I ever get myself free/If I ever leave me behind/Will you still be waiting for me." This is a soulful number, featuring some wonderful backing vocal work. As with all the songs on this extraordinary album, some lines and phrases stand out, such as "the weeds that I grow." This track also features some pretty work on pedal steel. And I love that instrumental section in the second half, a nice jam with something of a late 1960s, early 1970s vibe. I appreciate how it is given the time to stretch out a bit, and that helps make this another of my personal favorite tracks. The album then concludes with "Goodbye." While in "Waiting For Me," Ethan sang about dragging his chains with him, here he sings, "I look upon my life unchained/As if it were a brand-new joke." The line about birds being "imprisoned in the sky" is striking. Ethan Daniel Davidson really can craft some memorable and meaningful lyrics. "And I wanted you from hello/But I needed you from goodbye." That line tears into you, doesn't it? He also delivers some good work on harmonica here. "The face of you is already the face of a dream."

CD Track List

1. Stop Breaking Down
2. Count The Knives
3. The World We Wanted
4. Bad Company Brought Me Here
5. Not Breaking Hearts
6. How Can One Keep Warm?
7. Waiting For Me
8. Goodbye

Lear was released on November 14, 2025.

Fernando Perdomo: "Waves 11" (2025) CD Review

Fernando Perdomo is nearing the end of his incredible year-long project. Waves 11 is the penultimate release in his Waves series, a group of albums of original material, one released on the first of every month in 2025. Not only did Fernando Perdomo write all of the material, but he plays all of the instruments on every track. It makes me pause occasionally to think, just what the heck have I been doing with my year? I'm not sure anyone else has been so productive. What is particularly impressive (or infuriating, if you want to compare your own personal output) is that the music on every disc of this series is excellent. The tracks on Waves 11 will take you on fantastic journeys both outward and inward.

Fernando Perdomo drops us right into the water in the opening moment of the album's first track, "Cold Waves." It is magical and exhilarating, a glorious shock to our system that works in waking us, reviving us, readying us for whatever it is to come. The music is like bright light, not just around us, but within us, as if we have quickly become part of this exciting realm. And then with "Coldwater Starship" we are lifted above those waves, taken on a journey outward. There is an excitement here too, an energy, and we trust it, certain it won't falter, won't leave us halfway there, for this vehicle seems powered by our own desires, our own curiosity. And soon we realize that we ourselves are the vehicle, that we are able to fly through the light, or swim through it.

The tone changes then with "Stilling," which has a steady, insistent rhythm beneath the guitar work. And soon the guitar seems to merge with the percussion, the guitar taking on more of that rhythm. Interestingly, from there, the guitar work becomes more beautiful, and it is in those moments that it feels we are being offered some comfort, some promise that things are going to turn out all right. Somewhere along the way, we turn inward, with that knowledge, with that promise. This is a wonderful, effective piece. It is followed by "Oceanchild." Here a magical world opens before us, part physical and part spiritual, both familiar and unknown. And before we know it, we are part of that world, within it. It is a place of jewels and dark metals, and there is the feeling that we alone must work our way through it. There might be guiding voices, but they speak only in fragments, in a language we only partially understand. They wish us the best, but won't do the work for us, watching us as we find ourselves breaking through to a wider, more peaceful, more illuminated space. And then we don't need guidance as much. Our own wonder guides us.

There is a stronger energy to "Seagulls Attack!!" and a good groove. I especially like the bass work on this track. While the track's title might conjure Alfred Hitchcock images, this song has a kind of fun, playful vibe. And if you listen on headphones, there is a moment when the guitar moves from one ear to the other, as if spinning around us. And perhaps it is then the birds attacking from all sides, but there is no sense of real danger, nothing terribly ominous here. It begins to fade out soon after that. Then with "Gringo Island," there is some joyful, pleasant, energetic guitar work that makes me feel like I am on vacation at some exotic and cheerful location, the music welcoming me with a dance. This is a track that will have you feeling good immediately, and we certainly need that these days. Toward the end, it relaxes somewhat, providing a more soothing atmosphere, a place to lie back without worries.

There is a dreamlike vibe as "The Fall" begins, the music offering a place of relaxation and contemplation. Soon it feels that the sun is slipping beneath the waves, but leaving gorgeous streaks of light behind to help guide our visions and dreams. Soft reds and purples like large velvet pillows. As the song ends, our dreams continue. By the way, on the CD case, the song titles for the sixth and seventh tracks are reversed. Then we are taken to a less familiar place in "Beneath The Waves," a more lonesome place where our own thoughts echo back to us. Though there is no need for panic. We let our thoughts reach out into the darkness, but exploration can happen only in our immediate vicinity. Then there is a moment when things become more tense, but a certain rhythm to that tension keeps us calm. And as the track ends, it is almost soothing.

This album concludes with a piece divided into two parts. As "The Ocean And All Its Glory Pt. 1" begins, it feels like a fish approaches us in the distance. And then, even before we can identify it, we are immersed in that world. We are of that place, finding its rhythms are our own, and there is a majesty to it, to its realm. And also a more human joy. "The Ocean And All Its Glory Pt. 2" quickly becomes a fantastic dance with a sort of slow funk thing happening. It is magical, exciting, and yet also solid, concrete, with a force that is moving upward, as if to create its own new realm. I love how we're unsure just where this will take us, but are thrilled to be along for the ride toward the unknown. There is the feeling that all the knowledge we could want is just around the corner, and this music will get us there. There is a glorious and stunning power here. We've left everything else behind and are completely caught up in the great progress.

CD Track List

1. Cold Waves
2. Coldwater Starship
3. Stilling
4. Oceanchild
5. Seagulls Attack!!
6. Gringo Island
7. The Fall
8. Beneath The Waves
9. The Ocean And All Its Glory Pt. 1
10. The Ocean And All Its Glory Pt. 2

Waves 11 was released on November 1, 2025.