Sunday Night Blues Jam

One of the best things to do on a Sunday night in New Haven: go to the blues jam at Cafe Nine. This week The Cobalt Rhythm Kings will be hosting and playing, with Mark Zaretsky on both harmonica and clipboard. He keeps track of the folks sign up for a turn onstage.

The Kings will play a short set and then call people up to play. It's a mix-and-match jam session as you see combinations of the musicians in the room. Guitar, bass, drums, horns, keyboards, voice, all with talent. On any given Sunday you might hear anything from the flute to heavy blues guitar shredding. One night the shredding was done by a young woman with long blonde hair who also happens to be a talented cello student.

The mood is mellow with more musicians than civilians. The rest of us sit back and watch guys walk in with axes in hand, sign up then hang out and relax until their names are called. And they can all play. I always hear impressive chops. The host band provides a drum kit, keyboards and guitar amps for plugging into, so the changes are quick. The house provides its excellent P.A.

The format is very conducive to a quick visit. Go for an hour, have a beer and listen seemingly random musicianship. Short and sweet. But warning--the effect can be addictive as the changing lineup unfolds before you. You hear a few songs and think, that was a nice treat and get up to leave while the next player plugs in or adjusts the mike. But then they start playing and it's interesting and you stay for a little more. And then it happens again with the next person called to the stage. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

At some point the realization sets in that this weekly session, with different bands hosting each week (a rotating list of regulars), is one of New Haven's hidden gems. The sign over the door says the musician's living room. Indeed.

Chatham County Line and Phil Rosenthal @ Cafe Nine 7/17/2010

Phil Rosenthal opening for Chatham County Line
1.
2. Hurricane
3. Darling Nellie Gray (banjo)
4. Down the Road
5. Muddy Water
6. Pretty Polly
7. Carrie
8. Three Mandolins
9. I'm in a Lonely Situation
10. Who Will Tend my Garden
11. Our New England Home

Phil Rosenthal is the real thing, in strong voice and with confident picking, playing mosty guitar, some banjo and one blistering fast instrumental on mandolin. He lives in Guilford, two towns east of New Haven and plays in town occasionally.

Chatham County Line said they were a little chagrined to have one of their idols open for them, but it made sense as Phil was solo and they rock harder. I loved their set-up. No amps. One mike stand with a mike on top for vocals and fiddle and two mikes waist-high arrayed in a V to pick up the guitar, banjo and mandolin. The bass had a microphone planted under the bridge and everything went through the P.A. so they pretty much mixed it themselves the old-timey way by stepping up and back. They sounded fantastic, mixing with their feet.

Kathy Sledge on the Green 7/17

Kathy Sledge mined the Sister Sledge songbook, covered Michael (Jackson--Never Can Say Goodbye), Stevie (Wonder), Billie (Holiday) and mixed in some new songs. Singing strong and backed by a crack band including an ace horn section, she had people dancing in the aisles. "You've Got the Best of My Love". "(These are the) Good Times". "We are Family". "Le Freak" It was the greatest hits of 80's R+B.

I wish all the naysayers had seen the beautiful scene on the New Haven Green tonight.

Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three 5/19

Two hours into their set at Cafe Nine, Pokey LaFarge and his band covered the old jugband tune, Sweet Potato Blues. Two guitars, string bass and harmonica/washboard/snare. They play old-timey music, originals and covers. Right now they're playing the old Jimmy Rogers song In the Jailhouse Now. Pokey plays guitar, sings and blows kazoo.

Steve Wynn

So they played two albums: Medicine Show and Days of Wine and Roses. The fans loved it, headbobbing to ebery tune. Me, not being as familiar, I was just loving the guitar play.

Steve Wynn + the Miracle 3

Cafe Nine Saturday 5/8/10

The former frontman of the Dream Syndicate play two Dream Syndicate albums live, straight through, two sets. Good solid guitar rock.

Paul is mixing the sound tonight (Warren's band is playing Rudy's). Paul likes it loud. Warren's sound is always impeccable, at least when the band cooperates, but Paul's sound tonight is as good as it gets.

Why is there a guy at the bar wearing headphones?

James Velvet + the Lonesome Sparrows

CD Release Party for Black Velvet Royalty at John Slade Eli house 4/10/2010.

The Lonesome Sparrows have a nice old-timey sound, mixing up guitars, fiddle, mandolin, dobro, banjo and electric bass.

1. Such a Night (Dr. John). With great dobro work by Dick Neal. "If I don't do it somebody else will.". They played it Mardi Gras at Cafe Nine.

2. "Here's one from the new album, celebrating a great Anerican tradition, the three-day weekend" Holiday Weekend

3. My Blue Boat

4. New song written in a traditional ballad form. (with fiddle and banjo)

5. .There's a house for sale in Washington, DC. -- political song

6. Song about summer...

7. Sad country song

8. The Ballad of John Alley -- a song he wrote 20 years ago.

9. The Royal Heart
Marie, in the second verse, is on the cover of the new record
"Last night I met the king of New Haven...."

10. The Wrath of God
"Too bad we did not remember to keep God on my side" !!!

11. gotta keep going

12. Jesus, Elvis and Me
It's about art--good thing we're in an art gallery--black velvet art....

There were a couple of more songs, but by then I was more interested in listening than blogging through my Blackberry. After all, the point of going was to hear the music not play with my phone.