NRBQ Returns to the Twin Cities

 NRBQ, which stands for the new rhythm and blues quartet, and I go back over 40 years. I had first heard of the band while living outside of Washington DC where there is a very hip music scene and I remember reading in the Unicorn Times stellar reviews of the band’s performances.

In 1979 I moved back to Minnesota to attend the university, and in the fall of my sophomore year NRBQ was scheduled to play the Whole Coffee House. As the name implies, this was a non-alcohol venue in the basement of the Coffman student union building and that as much as I wanted to see the show, my roommate, on my advice,  was going to take a young woman to the show for their first date and I didn’t wanna be a third wheel.  Later that night my roommate returned to our dorm room raving about the band and how they had the audience eating out of the palms of their hands.  Perhaps the coolest thing about that show, was, to the best of my knowledge, the last time NRBQ used the magic box at a show in the Twin Cities, although I could be wrong on this point.  That would’ve been in the fall of 1980.  

The 1980s and 90’s  turned out to be a very busy time for NRBQ in the Twin Cities.  It seemed over the course of the next 20 years NRBQ played at least twice a year in the Twin Cities, including, it seemed, every free music festival from barbecue contests to the Taste of Minnesota, to Grand Old Days to the grand opening of the Saint Paul Mississippi Riverfront redevelopment, Bandanna Square on St. Patrick’s Day, as well as numerous club dates most often at First Avenue but also at the Cabooze bar and Famous Dave’s as well. Minneapolis music critic, Tom Surowicz famously named his music column after one of the band’s albums, “Grooves in Orbit”.   For a while it seemed as though the Twin Cities had adopted the Louisville band as its own.

While every NRBQ show is a unique and special event, a few of the shows in the twin cities during this time stand out.

To be an NRBQ fan is to come to know the band intimately, including the quirky personalities, mood swings, idiosyncrasies and strained relationships that you get anytime you throw four talented and artistic individuals together.  Ladle on heaps of praise and predictions that they are on the verge of being the next big thing in rock music, and you’re bound to have some volatile reactions by the band to all the stress. One show in particular that sticks in my mind was a show at First Avenue in the late 80s or early 90s where the band was in one of their particularly facetious moods.  From the opening song to the last encore, Big Al and to a lesser extent, Terry and the rest of the band would break into an acappella ode to their “home town”, Minneapolis.  

In this made up tune, “Minneapolis, my hometown” the band referred to Minneapolis as their hometown and how good it was to be back in their hometown and every chance they got between songs, and sometimes in the middle of songs, they would break out into an a cappella made up song “Minneapolis, my hometown delivered in the most insipid and annoying, facetious manner. It was the equivalent of their flipping off the entire town.  The only problem was this was long before the town had done anything (e.g. George Floyd murder) to deserve such treatment.  I have long wondered what specific act of passive aggressive “Minnesota Nice” set off the lads from Louisville / Woodstock, NY transplants. 

As Perhaps the most surreal NRBQ show I witnessed in the Twin Cities was the show in the parking lot of Dixies restaurant during the 1990 Grand Old Days street festival.  Less than a mile as the crow flies, Minnesota’s then Governor, Rudy Perpich, was hosting Mikail Gorbachov at the Governor’s mansion.  Gorbachov had  just announced glasnost and his loosening of control over the citizens of the Soviet Union who were experiencing their first, nascent tastes of freedom. 

As military and state patrol helicopters flew security overhead, NRBQ was tearing the heads off the crowd down below on Grand Avenue in St. Paul with an absolutely scintillating performance. I will never forget Big Al’s version of George Jones‘ “White Lightning’” early in the set, replete with hearty belches at the end of every verse in the chorus.

As I recall, other highlights from that show were rousing versions of the band’s classic “It Comes to Me Naturally” which it seems every bar band in America was covering at the time and the crowd favorites “It was an Accident” and “Riding in My Car”. Most memorable was the festive mood and good will everyone had for the leader of the Soviet Union and the prospect for world peace. Somewhere I have a “Gorbachov for President” button I purchased that day.

NRBQ returns to Minneapolis this Sunday, December 3rd at an intriguing venue, the Parkway Theater. When I learned that the band would be augmented by their horn section, the Whole Wheat Horns I immediately thought of my old friend and trombonist Carl Querfurth who is a frequent member of said horn section.  I did get a hold of Carl but alas he only plays the band’s Northeast shows.

The day before the concert I was hospialized with an abcessed tooth that made my face swell up so bad I had to call an Uber at 4 a.m. to take me to the Emergency Room.  I shot the above video of NRBQ performing "Get a Grip"  the next day but wasn't up for doing a review of the show due to my health.

Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound Rewrites Night of the Iguanas

You could feel Tennessee Williams' presence under the canopy at the Hook and Ladder on a hot and humid Sunday night in South Minneapolis.  But what many concert goers expected would be the night of the Iguanas got up-ended by the powerful funk and poly rhythms of Cebar's Tomorrow Sound.

 I knew we were in for a special night when Mike Fredrickson, Tomorrow Sound's propulsive bassist and band barometer, climbed up on the bank of speakers to take a peek at the audience prior to their opening set.  Fredrickson's face transformed into one big mischievous grin as he peered around the corner of the speakers before turning back to his band mates to relay his impression of the crowd.  Whatever   Fredrickson said must have been truly inspiring as Tomorrow Sound came roaring out of the blocks.  Led by Fredrickson's ferocious bass playing , the likes of which this writer has not witnessed since seeing a young Kenny Gradney in the mid 70's at the peak of Feat's fame, and the incomparable drumming of Reggie Bordeaux, guitarist/vocalist Cebar and multi-instrumentalist Bob Jennings conjured up one funky treat after another to the delight of the many sweaty dancers.

Robert Gordon (March 29, 1947-October 18, 2022): Rockabilly Vocalist Extraordinaire and Collaborator with Great Guitarists

 I am a little late in acknowledging the passing of Bethesda, Maryland native and perhaps the best pure rockabilly voice since Elvis, Robert Gordon, who died of leukemia last October.  Gordon deserves all the credit in the world for single-handedly reinvigorating the American music genre of rockabilly.  

In addition to being blessed with a great set of pipes, Gordon also had the good fortune to work with some of the greatest guitarists in history.  Having a discerning ear for guitar players should be  of no surprise to anyone familiar with the D.C. area's wealth in guitar talent, where Gordon grew up.  Gordon hooked up with guitar god Link Wray early in his career only to be topped by his short but storied collaboration with the king of guitar, Danny Gatton.  The mixing board tape of Gordon and Gatton's live tour which later became the legendary bootleg "The Humbler" is deserving of its iconic status in the pantheon of rock music's G.O.A.T.

 As if Wray and Gatton were not enough, Gordon worked with the great British guitarist Chris Spedding throughout his career.

I first encountered Gordon in 1977 at the University of Maryland's Ritchie Coliseum where Gordon

opened for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.  I immediately went out and purchased his album "Fresh Fish Special" which only confirmed Gordon's immense talent in my mind.  Growing up in Northern Virginia there was great diversity in music influences among my friends but one artist we all could agree on was Robert Gordon.  When I moved back to my home state of Minnesota to attend college I continued to follow Gordon and tried to attend the few shows he performed in Minneapolis.  I loved his album "Are You Gonna Be the One" with the Marshall Crenshaw numbers and Danny Gatton's guitar work.  When he played First Avenue in support of that album the review of the show had about two sentences on Robert before the concert reviewer blew his journalistic wad praising the virtues of this "unknown guitarist", Danny Gatton.  Considering First Avenue was the house that Prince built (so to speak) and its stage was no stranger to great guitarists, I had to chuckle reading the Gatton initiate's review.

Having decided to stay in Minneapolis, my opportunities to see Gordon were few and far between.  I seem to recall a brief and rather disappointing performance by Robert at the Cabooze Bar sometime in the late 1980's or early 1990's but that was about it.  That is until he blessed Minneapolis with one of his rare performances from the tour Robert Gordon and the Gang They Couldn't Hang.  Robert and his Gang were in fine form that night leaving me with fond memories of the preeminent rockabilly artist of our time .  

For my review of that show click here:  Robert Gordon & his Gang Can Still Hang With the Best of Them  

International Blues Guitarist Otis Grand Dies at Age 73

I was terribly saddened to learn of the passing of another great blues guitarist, Otis Grand, who died on June 9, 2023.  Grand, whose real name was Fred Bishti, was born in Beirut, raised in the San Francisco Bay Area but found his fame in Britain.  He was regarded as one of the best blues guitarists on the European circuit yet kept in touch with his many friends in the U.S. blues scene. Under appreciated in America, Grand also wrote and sang and put out several blues cds that were as good as any in the blues genre.  With exquisite taste in singers, side men and women and material, I have 2 or 3 of Grand's cds in heavy rotation on my disc player most weeks.  His collaborations with the cream of the crop of U.S. blues singers like Sugar Ray Norcia and Curtis Salgado capture some of their best work.  For those unfamiliar with Grand's work, here is one of my favorite Grand originals,"Finish Line", off of his cd "Nothing Else Matters" featuring Curtis Salgado on vocals and a stellar horn section that includes  the late great Bob Enos and Ritch Lataille from Roomful of Blues and Sax Gordon among others.

In  2013 Grand returned to the place of his birth, Beirut, Lebanon where he and his Blues 65 Band was the closing concert at the Zouk Mikael's International Music Festival under the stars in an ancient amphitheater.  A generous friend, Otis invited many of his American blues musician friends to play in his band and share in a most unique and special life experience.  Mr. Grand will be sorely missed.

Alejandro Escovedo Trio Get In Your Face at the dakota

 June 2, 2023 Minneapolis, MN

The last time Alejandro brought a band to town it was pre-covid and the band had just survived a close call when their vehicle hit a deer on the way to Kansas City.  Escovedo, who had been on the road constantly since recovering from a serious illness years earlier, announced to the crowd that his current tour would be his last.  At least for a good while.  It was July 3, 2019 and the band had the 4th of July off but were doing a show in Madison, WI on the 5th. It was not the first time I drove for over 5 hours to see Escovedo and was hoping it would not be the last.

Fast forward to June of 2023 and Escovedo was back.  This time with a slightly pared down band, just drums and keyboards to accompany his capable guitar work.  As usual, he picked incredibly talented musicians, Mark Henne on drums and Scott Danbom on keyboards and violin, to accompany him.  Although Escovedo's reputation in the music world is such that musicians line up 10 deep for a chance to add him to their resume, I have toyed with the idea of what a "help wanted" ad for a spot in his band would look like.  I imagine it would read something like "versatile musicians wanted, steeped in improvisation,  not easily flustered and comfortable with any genre from punk to folk or country to jazz".

The reason I mention this is because I am sure neither Henne nor Danbom ever thought they would be doing experimental theater, playing table side at a jazz club, when they signed on to be in Escovedo's band.   So seven songs into his performance at the already intimate dakota jazz club, Alejandro asked that the house light be turned up.  Danbom traded his keyboards for a violin and Henne his drums for a tambourine and they ventured out into the audience to serenade us tableside. But that is quintessential Escovedo.  Restless, ever changing, mixing things up and never resting on his laurels, of which there are many.

But I am getting ahead of myself.  The show for my son and I started with the trailing, ethereal guitar notes to "Way it Goes" as we were being seated at 7:30 pm.  I later learned from AE's setlist that he had opened with "Wave".  Word to the wise to be prompt and when they say "music at 7:00 pm" they mean it.

"Dearhead on the Wall" was next, followed by a rousing version of another track off Boxing Mirror,
"Break This Time", which featured some chunky rhythm guitar work by Escovedo.  While I have become somewhat spoiled by the long list of great lead guitar players Escovedo usually brings on the road with him, it was refreshing to hear Escovedo's guitar work with emphasis on rhythm front and center.

Escovedo continued with his career retrospective playing "This Bed is Getting Crowded" off of Street Songs of Love followed by "Teenage Luggage" off  his collaboration with Italy's Don Antonio, The Crossing.  Escovedo took the opportunity to mention how he was looking forward to returning to Italy later this year to work on another project with his friend Don Antonio.

Alejandro dedicated the next number, Ian Hunter's "I Wish I was your Mother" to his doctor.  The performance was especially poignant in light of the fact that his doctor (who saved his life) recently lost his mother and this was her favorite song of Alejandro's.

It was at this point that the house lights came up and the trio ventured out into the audience to play a 3 song acoustic set of  "Something Blue", "San Antonio Rain" and a song he rarely plays live "Last to Know".   Below are a snippet from "San Antonio Rain" and the full "Last to Know".

Following the acoustic set the band returned to the stage and kicked off with one of the nights highlights, a powerful rendition of "Sally was a Cop".  After being relegated to a tambourine the previous three numbers Henne was chomping at the bit to get back to his drum kit.  You can see why Escovedo picked him to play in his band.  The Austin transplant and native Philadelphian propulsive syncopated drumming was exactly what the song called for.  It also helps to have a solid harmony singer in addition to being a great drummer.  

Next up was "Too Many Tears" before a clever reworking of his closest thing to a hit single "Always a Friend"  which he transformed into a medley with Smokey's "Tracks of My Tears" and "Lively Up".  No Escovedo show would be complete without "Castanets" after which he took an extended break causing many in the crowd to to think the night was over.  He rewarded those who stuck around with a heartfelt "Sister Lost Soul" dedicated to all his friends who have left us too soon before ending on a punk rock note with "Chelsea Hotel 78".  

Later this summer Alejandro, Nancy and their two dogs are renting an RV and driving to Calgary.  Normally this would be a beautiful road trip but sadly there are currently approximately 400 forest fires raging across Canada. I pray this turns out better than their Honeymoon when they were stranded in a hurricane down in Baja.  Please be safe and we will be praying for rain.

Curtis Salgado Band at KJ's Hideaway, St. Paul, MN Make Magical Music Memories

 

If there is a better band on the circuit today I have yet to hear them.  The immensely talented and ever affable Curtis Salgado brought his crack band into the intimate confines of KJ's Hideaway in downtown St. Paul on a Friday night in May.  When they were done, the audience was left with a thoroughly satisfying evening of good music performed to a "T" and delivered with  humor and context that only comes from an authentic soul survivor of the Bar Wars.  

Perhaps most remarkable is the level of Salgado's game these days.  At a time when audiences have come to expect that when they go to see one of their music legends that they will be at some stage of diminished capacity.  That is clearly not the case with Salgado or his guitarist Alan Hager, both of whom are performing at the peak of their music prowess.  

I can't say enough about Mr. Hager's guitar playing.  Perfect tone, economic riffs with subtle embellishments that covers the range of styles from cool jazz to nasty slide to flat-out rock n roll and delivered in such a nonchalant, effortless manner that belies its difficulty and complexity.  Watching Hager play last night I couldn't help but think of Denny Freeman, the king of taste, tone and effortless playing.  Salgado has found the perfect foil in Hager both as a player and songwriter.

Surrounding them is an excellent rhythm section of younger but seasoned pros:  Patrick Seals on drums, John Walcott on bass and Gabe Plotkin on keyboards.  Plotkin, who was just on his second gig with the band, was the consummate pro nailing even the more difficult material like  his Booker/Fess inspired solo on "Hail Mighty Caesar".

Throughout the night Salgado maintained a conversation with his audience setting up each number with context or an interesting anecdote.  His taste in material was impeccable; appealing to music geeks as well as the casual listener.   Salgado won over the geeks early in his first set with the Syl Johnson cover Star Bright, Star Lite:

Other notable cover material included OV Wright's "Born All Over", Little Milton's "I Found Me a New Love" featuring stinging guitar work by Alan Hager and a powerful performance of Big Joe Williams "Baby Please Don't Go".

 He hit my favorite selections off his latest CD, the phenomenal "Damage Control" performing "Count of Three" after prefacing it with a "Five Royals" story and for all the criminal defense attorneys like me, "Your Gonna Miss My Sorry Ass" which is a big hit with some of my clients.

Curtis was in fine form and clearly enjoying himself even taking a request of one of most popular songs, "I Want My Dog to Live Longer".  Special mention goes out to the band's roadmanager/soundman who sat next to me most of the night.  What I took for an ipad was actually the new digital handheld version of a soundboard and they must work as the sound was excellent all night.   For the night's final selection Curtis ventured out into the audience to emphasize his gratitude for the very appreciative audience. All in all the Curtis Salgado Band delivered one of the most enjoyable evenings of music that this writer has experienced in a very long time.

This was my first show at KJ's Hideaway but I will be back if they keep booking acts like Salgado which are ideal for smaller venues. It is nice to go to a venue with a relaxing atmosphere like KJ's with its low-key friendly staff, good beer selection (cocktails and wine as well) and decent menu.

Minnesota Gives Blues Legend A Fond Farewell

April 27, 2023.  Mystic Lake Showroom

Minnesota Blues fans gathered to pay their respects to one of the last truly great blues artists still on the circuit.  It is pretty much just Bobby Rush and Buddy Guy left from the greatest generation of blues artists that migrated up from the South to Chicago to break into blues scene.   Buddy seemed to emphasis the point with his selections of material.

Mr. Guy opened with a rousing version of his signature song, “Damn Right I’ve Got the Blues”.  It was immediately apparent he hadn’t lost his guitar playing prowess.  Right before segueing into his next song, he looked out into the audience and said “I hope everybody here likes the blues because if you don’t you came to the wrong fucking house!”  Buddy then says “Next I’m gonna play something so funky you can smell it stink!”  Launching into ...

The Passing of a Legendary Blues Guitarist

 It was with great sadness that I learned of the passing on Christmas Day of Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson.  Perhaps most famous for being a long time member of Muddy Waters Band and later the Legendary Blues Band,  Luther also fronted his own band, the Magic Rockers based in the Northeast United States.  In addition to his recordings with the Muddy Waters and Legendary Blues Bands, Johnson had an extensive discography both as  the main artist but appearing as a guest artist as well.  Johnson's guest appearance on the Nighthawks critically acclaimed  "Jacks and Kings Sessions" garnered a grammy nomination.  Luther's unique sound, a combination of hard-edged Chicago blues and southern (Memphis) soul made for compelling live performances of which there were many.  Lovingly known as "Gunther" by some of his Magic Rockers band members for his sometimes manic driving behavior on tour, Luther was old school as in the "show must go on".  Luther had a sense of humor too.  A long time sufferer of diabetis, Johnson titled one of his album's "Doin' the Sugar Too".  For the uninitiated I would recommend that excellent cd as well as "Slammin' the West Side" both with his band the Magic Rockers.

Below is a gem of a video courtesy Ferrini Productions YouTube Channel shot at the Nightstage Club in Cambridge, MA.  Luther starts with a rousing version of Come Baby with Ron Levy on piano and Jerry Portnoy on harp.  Later Luther brings  up on stage Pinetop Perkins.  Great performances and interviews all around!