I recently wrote a song with lyricist Kimberly Kime called Oh, Appalachia. Kimberly and her friend Roy Cooper produced a video to go with my recording which is on YouTube. I think it's pretty cool!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Tonight in Clearwater!
Don;t forget the Blue Island Beer Club is in Clearwater at the New Harmony Coffee Shop tonight, 9/19!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
When an unpaid gig is a success!
I was contacted by a friend of my wife's and asked if I could round up some acoustic music for a charity fundraiser. The fundraisers are a group of women who meet monthly, chip in a substantial amount of money, have a party and contribute to a local charity, in this case the Children's Dream Fund.
I asked my buddy Bruce whether he wanted to do a Blue Island Beer Club performance, plus I asked two young female singer/songwriter friends if they would like to perform
(Kate Amirault and Jayne Kelli). Everybody said yes, and last night was the event.
It was a success story in a lot of ways. First, it felt good to help raise money for the charity. Second, it was a lot of fun to play with my friends for a group of women at a beautiful waterfront house, where we overlooked the pool and Boca Ciega Bay. And third, we were approached by two different guests about future playing opportunities, including one who is connected to a Nashville publisher that places background/soundtrack music.
I am glad we did it!
I asked my buddy Bruce whether he wanted to do a Blue Island Beer Club performance, plus I asked two young female singer/songwriter friends if they would like to perform
(Kate Amirault and Jayne Kelli). Everybody said yes, and last night was the event.
It was a success story in a lot of ways. First, it felt good to help raise money for the charity. Second, it was a lot of fun to play with my friends for a group of women at a beautiful waterfront house, where we overlooked the pool and Boca Ciega Bay. And third, we were approached by two different guests about future playing opportunities, including one who is connected to a Nashville publisher that places background/soundtrack music.
I am glad we did it!
Friday, July 24, 2009
Playing at a charity fundraiser plus a gig in Safety Harbor
One of my wife's friends asked me if I could come up with any acoustic music to entertain the guests at a charity fundraiser. The event is organized by a womens' group that helps a different charity each month. This month it is the Childrens' Dream Fund.
I asked Bruce if he would join me for a Blue Island Beer Club performance and also asked two friends who are female singer/songwriters to join us. Everyone was enthused and accepted almost immediately. So Kate Amirault and Jayne Kelli will be joining us on Thursday. We are all excited.
And then on Friday, the Blue Island Beer club plays at Taste in Safety Harbor. A fun small restaurant with good food. Perhaps you can join us?
I asked Bruce if he would join me for a Blue Island Beer Club performance and also asked two friends who are female singer/songwriters to join us. Everyone was enthused and accepted almost immediately. So Kate Amirault and Jayne Kelli will be joining us on Thursday. We are all excited.
And then on Friday, the Blue Island Beer club plays at Taste in Safety Harbor. A fun small restaurant with good food. Perhaps you can join us?
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Lyricists
There was a long discussion on a songwriting site recently about people who consider themselves songwriters but only write lyrics. These folks are not musicians for various reasons, but still are moved by music and contribute song lyrics in the hope that someone else will collaborate with them and add the music.
Before I began participating in songwriting forums, I was not really aware that lyricists were common. I knew about songwriting teams like Elton John and Bernie Taupin and Rodgers and Hammerstein, but I thought they were rare and in many cases, were playwrights who needed a spot of music for a Broadway type musical.
It turns out that lyricists outnumber musicians by leaps and bounds in the forum I refer to. The musicians encourage the lyricists to learn the musical side but in many cases they cannot.
I do not have a problem with someone being a lyricist as long as they have a sense of rhythm. A tin ear doesn't really stand in the way of writing lyrics, but a lack of rhythm does. Lyrics must have meter, prosody and rhythm! Some would-be lyricists obviously were not born with rhythm and probably are terrible dancers.
I am working with a couple of lyricists and putting music to their words. It is fun to collaborate because you can bounce ideas off each other.
So if you are "just" a lyricist, I say have fun at what you are doing. But if you can't dance, your words are probably not going to make a good song!
Before I began participating in songwriting forums, I was not really aware that lyricists were common. I knew about songwriting teams like Elton John and Bernie Taupin and Rodgers and Hammerstein, but I thought they were rare and in many cases, were playwrights who needed a spot of music for a Broadway type musical.
It turns out that lyricists outnumber musicians by leaps and bounds in the forum I refer to. The musicians encourage the lyricists to learn the musical side but in many cases they cannot.
I do not have a problem with someone being a lyricist as long as they have a sense of rhythm. A tin ear doesn't really stand in the way of writing lyrics, but a lack of rhythm does. Lyrics must have meter, prosody and rhythm! Some would-be lyricists obviously were not born with rhythm and probably are terrible dancers.
I am working with a couple of lyricists and putting music to their words. It is fun to collaborate because you can bounce ideas off each other.
So if you are "just" a lyricist, I say have fun at what you are doing. But if you can't dance, your words are probably not going to make a good song!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Sailing Adventures?
The title here includes Sailing Adventures but I haven't posted much about sailing lately, so here goes.
Last year, we cruised on our Catalina 42 sloop back to the Bahamas for the 8th time (I think), and spent much of the winter in George Town, Exuma. George Town is a great place to hang out on land or on the water so there are lots of visitors there. One of the events that occurs annually is the Bahamian Music and Heritage Festival. It is a three day celebration of things Bahamian and includes live music on an outdoor stage every evening. Numerous Bahamian recording artists fly in from other islands to perform. Bahamian music sounds very Caribbean but is different from Reggae or Calypso or other well known island music. It features a strong rhythmic bass line, lots of percussion, and usually a personable frontman singing risque lyrics......a formula for fun and dancing.
The visiting boat people usually have a number of musicians in their midst and for the last three or four years have quickly put a band together to join in and show support for the event. In 2008, I was a member of the band which we called Folks on Boats. Our performance was well received. So here is a YouTube clip of our dress rehearsal - a song I wrote for the occasion called Eddie's Edgewater - a local watering hole that features Rake'n Scrape music. We rehearsed on board a catamaran called Freebird and the dress rehearsal took place anchored in the harbor with about 100 dinghies gathered around to hear us.....very cool.
Last year, we cruised on our Catalina 42 sloop back to the Bahamas for the 8th time (I think), and spent much of the winter in George Town, Exuma. George Town is a great place to hang out on land or on the water so there are lots of visitors there. One of the events that occurs annually is the Bahamian Music and Heritage Festival. It is a three day celebration of things Bahamian and includes live music on an outdoor stage every evening. Numerous Bahamian recording artists fly in from other islands to perform. Bahamian music sounds very Caribbean but is different from Reggae or Calypso or other well known island music. It features a strong rhythmic bass line, lots of percussion, and usually a personable frontman singing risque lyrics......a formula for fun and dancing.
The visiting boat people usually have a number of musicians in their midst and for the last three or four years have quickly put a band together to join in and show support for the event. In 2008, I was a member of the band which we called Folks on Boats. Our performance was well received. So here is a YouTube clip of our dress rehearsal - a song I wrote for the occasion called Eddie's Edgewater - a local watering hole that features Rake'n Scrape music. We rehearsed on board a catamaran called Freebird and the dress rehearsal took place anchored in the harbor with about 100 dinghies gathered around to hear us.....very cool.
Monday, June 15, 2009
How Many Songs Do You Write At One Time??
No sure if this is an aberration or not, but I am presently writing parts of at least four songs simultaneously. This does not include the pile of partly written songs and song ideas that are maturing in my notebooks.
I am collaborating with a female lyricist in North Carolina who has an interesting rock 'n roll lyric that caught my eye (an internet connection on the Just Plain Folks website). My job is to write and record the music and fiddle with the lyrics a bit to make them work with the music as it unfolds. It has taken several weeks of on again/off again work to get the song to the point of happiness. There is more to go, but I see it as the home stretch.
Another project involves my musical partner Bruce from the Blue Island Beer Club and another lyricist, (this time from Texas) who found us on the internet - via Soundclick. The lyricist was inspired to write a cool reggae lyric while in Jamaica and it is our job to add the music and record it. We have finished an early run through which sounds quite good. The lyricist and Bruce have come up with some improvements and we are waiting for the right time to get together and put it to bed and get a recording done.
Meanwhile I am writing a new blues instrumental which is in the early stages. I have recorded the chords along with some drums, but the melody is still a bit nebulous. The chorus (do instrumentals have choruses?) is sounding good and I think is unique. So far the verses sound like generic jamming so I have to work more on a specific melody.
Finally, I have had a new lyric floating around in my head whenever I drive or walk anywhere. I have recorded a few bits on my portable so I don't forget it (easily done!), but there is a lot more work to look forward to.
So four songs are actively in the barrel. And there are a lot more in the notebook that I should get back to. I have plenty of time to work on songs, but I really need quiet time at home to make progress on songs, and quiet time has been a rare commodity of late. It would be nice to have a private quiet studio somewhere to get away to, but that is not in the cards at the moment.
So it's time to quit writing blogs and start writing songs!
I am collaborating with a female lyricist in North Carolina who has an interesting rock 'n roll lyric that caught my eye (an internet connection on the Just Plain Folks website). My job is to write and record the music and fiddle with the lyrics a bit to make them work with the music as it unfolds. It has taken several weeks of on again/off again work to get the song to the point of happiness. There is more to go, but I see it as the home stretch.
Another project involves my musical partner Bruce from the Blue Island Beer Club and another lyricist, (this time from Texas) who found us on the internet - via Soundclick. The lyricist was inspired to write a cool reggae lyric while in Jamaica and it is our job to add the music and record it. We have finished an early run through which sounds quite good. The lyricist and Bruce have come up with some improvements and we are waiting for the right time to get together and put it to bed and get a recording done.
Meanwhile I am writing a new blues instrumental which is in the early stages. I have recorded the chords along with some drums, but the melody is still a bit nebulous. The chorus (do instrumentals have choruses?) is sounding good and I think is unique. So far the verses sound like generic jamming so I have to work more on a specific melody.
Finally, I have had a new lyric floating around in my head whenever I drive or walk anywhere. I have recorded a few bits on my portable so I don't forget it (easily done!), but there is a lot more work to look forward to.
So four songs are actively in the barrel. And there are a lot more in the notebook that I should get back to. I have plenty of time to work on songs, but I really need quiet time at home to make progress on songs, and quiet time has been a rare commodity of late. It would be nice to have a private quiet studio somewhere to get away to, but that is not in the cards at the moment.
So it's time to quit writing blogs and start writing songs!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Blue Island Beer Club has been busy!
We played a couple of gigs at Taste, a nice little restaurant in Safety Harbor, Florida, and yesterday, we played in Hernando Beach at an outdoor artists and farmers market. It was only the second time the market had been held and we were the first "band". The weather was pleasant for the first time in about two weeks......we are catching up on our rainfall.
I may get the opportunity to sing with Valerie Carter this week at a jam. Valerie is in town and loves to sing even when she is off work - work to her is singing, recording and songwriting. She is a member of James Taylor's band and has also toured with the Eagles and a host of other top classic rockers.
So much for name dropping. I have been songwriting and recording a bit so I'm getting some songs lined up for another Blue Island Beer Club CD.
I may get the opportunity to sing with Valerie Carter this week at a jam. Valerie is in town and loves to sing even when she is off work - work to her is singing, recording and songwriting. She is a member of James Taylor's band and has also toured with the Eagles and a host of other top classic rockers.
So much for name dropping. I have been songwriting and recording a bit so I'm getting some songs lined up for another Blue Island Beer Club CD.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Blue Island Beer Club
The Blue Island Beer Club is playing at a small restaurant called Taste in Safety Harbor tonight, May 2.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and friends
Here is a cool YouTube of a Jeff Beck concert. Eric joins Jeff on this one. Tal Wilkenfeld is the bass player.
Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Free Song Downloads
The songs in my new collection , Off The Wall, can be downloaded for free at
ColinWardMusic.com
Just click on Music and Off The Wall.
ColinWardMusic.com
Just click on Music and Off The Wall.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Bullets and Beans
I just added the new version of Bullets and Beans to my website. This is a song about a response to the current financial situation.
Go to the website and click on Music, then look in the album called Off The Wall.
http://colinwardmusic.com/
Go to the website and click on Music, then look in the album called Off The Wall.
http://colinwardmusic.com/
Sunday, April 5, 2009
New Songs - Off the Wall
I have been writing and recording a few new songs. You can now access them from my website:
http://colinwardmusic.com/
Click on Music and look under album title Off the Wall.......where you will find some off the wall songs like Distracted and others. Off The Wall is not a physical album (at least not yet), but a collection of songs that have no other home at present.
Let me know if you like any of them. You can download a low-fi version for free or pay a nominal fee for a very high-fi version.
Cheers,
Colin
http://colinwardmusic.com/
Click on Music and look under album title Off the Wall.......where you will find some off the wall songs like Distracted and others. Off The Wall is not a physical album (at least not yet), but a collection of songs that have no other home at present.
Let me know if you like any of them. You can download a low-fi version for free or pay a nominal fee for a very high-fi version.
Cheers,
Colin
Friday, April 3, 2009
New Music Site and new Blue Island Beer Club gigs
I discovered a new site for uploading music which uses WAV files instead of mp3s. This means the recordings sound more like a CD when you listen on line. You can also download a high grade mp3 which sounds close to CD quality for your iPod. If you go to ColinWardMusic.com and follow the music link, you can hear my songs from the ICW Blues CD full length and in high quality mode.
I will be posting some new songs pretty soon but uploading the files is very slow which is the downside to using WAV files!
The Blue Island Beer Club played at Tucsons Southwest Grill in Clearwater last Friday night. It is a very nice place with excellent food at moderate prices. I used to play there with a previous group and it is nice to be back. We will be there again on April 17th. Tucsons is just off Ulmerton Road, just east of US 19.
I will be posting some new songs pretty soon but uploading the files is very slow which is the downside to using WAV files!
The Blue Island Beer Club played at Tucsons Southwest Grill in Clearwater last Friday night. It is a very nice place with excellent food at moderate prices. I used to play there with a previous group and it is nice to be back. We will be there again on April 17th. Tucsons is just off Ulmerton Road, just east of US 19.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Blue Island Beer Club updates!
The Blue Island Beer Club can now be found at http://BlueIslandBeerClub.com which should be easy to remember and find. The site contains links to other websites where we have a presence such as CD Baby.
Since the last blog when I talked about the benefit for Kevin Thomas (which was very successful by the way), there has been a lot of musical activity. I went to see Roger McGuinn in concert in Largo, Florida and had an excellent time. Roger's show was great and brought back memories of the Byrds, as well as lots of great songs from his folkie side. His stories were terrific and the sold out audience loved the show. Roger's guitar playing is really great and his voice is as good as ever. Catch one of Roger's shows if you can.
I also made it out to see Richard Thompson in concert. Some people say that Richard is the best guitar player to come out of Britain, which is really saying something. His one man show was awesome and his solo acoustic guitar and voice sounded like a full band. I swear he was playing three parts at the same time while he was singing. His song writing is also terrific. He is also very personable and entertaining. I recommend catching a Richard show too.
The Blue Island Beer Club will be playing at Tucsons in Clearwater on Friday evening so catch us too!
Since the last blog when I talked about the benefit for Kevin Thomas (which was very successful by the way), there has been a lot of musical activity. I went to see Roger McGuinn in concert in Largo, Florida and had an excellent time. Roger's show was great and brought back memories of the Byrds, as well as lots of great songs from his folkie side. His stories were terrific and the sold out audience loved the show. Roger's guitar playing is really great and his voice is as good as ever. Catch one of Roger's shows if you can.
I also made it out to see Richard Thompson in concert. Some people say that Richard is the best guitar player to come out of Britain, which is really saying something. His one man show was awesome and his solo acoustic guitar and voice sounded like a full band. I swear he was playing three parts at the same time while he was singing. His song writing is also terrific. He is also very personable and entertaining. I recommend catching a Richard show too.
The Blue Island Beer Club will be playing at Tucsons in Clearwater on Friday evening so catch us too!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Blue Island Beer Club at Ringside for Kevin Thomas
I am reposting this as it is getting close!
Our friend Kevin Thomas is presently undergoing rehabilitation following a nasty stroke. Kevin's many friends in the music scene are getting together to play a benefit concert on his behalf at the Ringside Cafe in St. Petersburg. The Blue Island Beer Club will be on stage at 3:30pm on Sunday, March 8 to perform a 30 minute set. There will be lots of good music throughout the day and we hope you will come and see us and the others and help out Kevin. Here is the full schedule:
BENEFIT FOR KEVIN THOMAS
RINGSIDE SUNDAY MARCH 8TH
12 noon to 9 pm
$10 donation
Kevin has been hospitalized for more then three weeks . Bills are piling up. We can all help!! We need everybody to get as many people to this event and contribute.
12:00 PM Introduction jam with Jay Kiernan, Meyer Baron, Jerry Jakala, Scotty Rexroat and Steve Arvey perform New songs "Friends", Guns of Navarone and Pole Dancer.
12:30 PM Mike Jurgenson
1:00 PM John Kelly
1:30 Key of Life
2:00 PM Kevin Holloway, Dennis Wallace, Steve Hagood and John Richard
2:30 Jak Kelly
3:00 PM The Richard Mastry Band
3:30 PM Blue Island Beer Club
4:00 PM Gail Trippsmith
4:30 PM Jim Mason and Al Alvarez
5:00 PM Ronny Elliot
5:30 PM Gladys and Mitch
6:00 PM Leigh and Steve Humes
6:30 Shannon Lolligirl (Kevins Daughter)
7:00 PM Pete Gallager & Pat Barmore & Raiford Starke
7:30 PM The Chicken Chasers
8:00 PM Kirk Adams and Friends
8:30 PM Damon Fowler, Sarasota Slim, Steve Arvey, Jay Kiernan
Blues Blowout
Ringside is located at 2742 4th St N Saint Petersburg, FL 33704
Our friend Kevin Thomas is presently undergoing rehabilitation following a nasty stroke. Kevin's many friends in the music scene are getting together to play a benefit concert on his behalf at the Ringside Cafe in St. Petersburg. The Blue Island Beer Club will be on stage at 3:30pm on Sunday, March 8 to perform a 30 minute set. There will be lots of good music throughout the day and we hope you will come and see us and the others and help out Kevin. Here is the full schedule:
BENEFIT FOR KEVIN THOMAS
RINGSIDE SUNDAY MARCH 8TH
12 noon to 9 pm
$10 donation
Kevin has been hospitalized for more then three weeks . Bills are piling up. We can all help!! We need everybody to get as many people to this event and contribute.
12:00 PM Introduction jam with Jay Kiernan, Meyer Baron, Jerry Jakala, Scotty Rexroat and Steve Arvey perform New songs "Friends", Guns of Navarone and Pole Dancer.
12:30 PM Mike Jurgenson
1:00 PM John Kelly
1:30 Key of Life
2:00 PM Kevin Holloway, Dennis Wallace, Steve Hagood and John Richard
2:30 Jak Kelly
3:00 PM The Richard Mastry Band
3:30 PM Blue Island Beer Club
4:00 PM Gail Trippsmith
4:30 PM Jim Mason and Al Alvarez
5:00 PM Ronny Elliot
5:30 PM Gladys and Mitch
6:00 PM Leigh and Steve Humes
6:30 Shannon Lolligirl (Kevins Daughter)
7:00 PM Pete Gallager & Pat Barmore & Raiford Starke
7:30 PM The Chicken Chasers
8:00 PM Kirk Adams and Friends
8:30 PM Damon Fowler, Sarasota Slim, Steve Arvey, Jay Kiernan
Blues Blowout
Ringside is located at 2742 4th St N Saint Petersburg, FL 33704
Sunday, February 15, 2009
The Blue Island Beer Club at The Ringside for Kevin
Our friend Kevin Thomas is presently undergoing rehabilitation following a nasty stroke. Kevin's many friends in the music scene are getting together to play a benefit concert on his behalf at the Ringside Cafe in St. Petersburg. The Blue Island Beer Club will be on stage at 3:30pm on Sunday, March 8 to perform a 30 minute set. There will be lots of good music throughout the day and we hope you will come and see us and the others and help out Kevin. Here is the full schedule:
BENEFIT FOR KEVIN THOMAS
RINGSIDE SUNDAY MARCH 8TH
12 noon to 9 pm
$10 donation
Kevin has been hospitalized for more then three weeks . Bills are piling up. We can all help!! We need everybody to get as many people to this event and contribute.
12:00 PM Introduction jam with Jay Kiernan, Meyer Baron, Jerry Jakala, Scotty Rexroat and Steve Arvey perform New songs "Friends", Guns of Navarone and Pole Dancer.
12:30 PM Mike Jurgenson
1:00 PM John Kelly
1:30 Key of Life
2:00 PM Kevin Holloway, Dennis Wallace, Steve Hagood and John Richard
2:30 Jak Kelly
3:00 PM The Richard Mastry Band
3:30 PM Blue Island Beer Club
4:00 PM Gail Trippsmith
4:30 PM Jim Mason and Al Alvarez
5:00 PM Ronny Elliot
5:30 PM Gladys and Mitch
6:00 PM Leigh and Steve Humes
6:30 Shannon Lolligirl (Kevins Daughter)
7:00 PM Pete Gallager & Pat Barmore & Raiford Starke
7:30 PM The Chicken Chasers
8:00 PM Kirk Adams and Friends
8:30 PM Damon Fowler, Sarasota Slim, Steve Arvey, Jay Kiernan
Blues Blowout
Ringside is located at 2742 4th St N Saint Petersburg, FL 33704
BENEFIT FOR KEVIN THOMAS
RINGSIDE SUNDAY MARCH 8TH
12 noon to 9 pm
$10 donation
Kevin has been hospitalized for more then three weeks . Bills are piling up. We can all help!! We need everybody to get as many people to this event and contribute.
12:00 PM Introduction jam with Jay Kiernan, Meyer Baron, Jerry Jakala, Scotty Rexroat and Steve Arvey perform New songs "Friends", Guns of Navarone and Pole Dancer.
12:30 PM Mike Jurgenson
1:00 PM John Kelly
1:30 Key of Life
2:00 PM Kevin Holloway, Dennis Wallace, Steve Hagood and John Richard
2:30 Jak Kelly
3:00 PM The Richard Mastry Band
3:30 PM Blue Island Beer Club
4:00 PM Gail Trippsmith
4:30 PM Jim Mason and Al Alvarez
5:00 PM Ronny Elliot
5:30 PM Gladys and Mitch
6:00 PM Leigh and Steve Humes
6:30 Shannon Lolligirl (Kevins Daughter)
7:00 PM Pete Gallager & Pat Barmore & Raiford Starke
7:30 PM The Chicken Chasers
8:00 PM Kirk Adams and Friends
8:30 PM Damon Fowler, Sarasota Slim, Steve Arvey, Jay Kiernan
Blues Blowout
Ringside is located at 2742 4th St N Saint Petersburg, FL 33704
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Showcase on Sunday, Feb 8
The Blue Island Beer Club is off to the JPF Showcase on Sunday afternoon. We will be playing at the Whistlestop in Safety Harbor with a number of other songwriters who participate in the Just Plain Folks songwriter's forum on the internet (Google for the site).
The fun starts at 1pm and continues until about 4. You will hear mostly original songs from a wide range of JPF members. You just never know who might drop by!
Here we are!
The fun starts at 1pm and continues until about 4. You will hear mostly original songs from a wide range of JPF members. You just never know who might drop by!
Here we are!
Friday, February 6, 2009
BB King & Buddy Guy - Legends in Town
The Blue Island Beer Club braved the Florida cold and played at Beaks on Wednesday night. The shutters around the open area were closed and the radiant heaters were on so it was acceptably warm.
But last night we went to Ruth Eckerd Hall where it is nice and warm to see two smoking hot blues legends, BB and Buddy. Buddy took the stage first with his hot band from Chicago. He is about 72 now but can still sing and play with the best of them. He had no trouble climbing off the stage while playing and walking up the aisle, playing for the people sitting by the aisle, walking out one exit and back in another, all while playing a hot lead with the band. Pretty cool! Buddy played several songs from his catalog as well as some blues classics from his peers. His new song Skin Deep is excellent.
I expected BB to come out and join Buddy's band for a short show but boy was I wrong. During intermission, the set was changed and BBs own blues band took the stage complete with horn section and tuxedos. BB joined them after a warm up song and played and sang for almost two hours. BB is a trifle overweight and sits on a folding chair to perform these days (at 83 who can blame him), but perform he did. He still sounds like BB with his terrific voice and guitar licks that are his alone. He told a lot of stories (perhaps too many), but it was very enjoyable to listen to his humble perspective. It was almost midnight when he closed with The Thrill Is Gone. BB sat on stage and signed guitars and other items for the fans who were near the front of the hall.
A memorable evening. Buddy and BB are off to play at the Grammies this weekend.
But last night we went to Ruth Eckerd Hall where it is nice and warm to see two smoking hot blues legends, BB and Buddy. Buddy took the stage first with his hot band from Chicago. He is about 72 now but can still sing and play with the best of them. He had no trouble climbing off the stage while playing and walking up the aisle, playing for the people sitting by the aisle, walking out one exit and back in another, all while playing a hot lead with the band. Pretty cool! Buddy played several songs from his catalog as well as some blues classics from his peers. His new song Skin Deep is excellent.
I expected BB to come out and join Buddy's band for a short show but boy was I wrong. During intermission, the set was changed and BBs own blues band took the stage complete with horn section and tuxedos. BB joined them after a warm up song and played and sang for almost two hours. BB is a trifle overweight and sits on a folding chair to perform these days (at 83 who can blame him), but perform he did. He still sounds like BB with his terrific voice and guitar licks that are his alone. He told a lot of stories (perhaps too many), but it was very enjoyable to listen to his humble perspective. It was almost midnight when he closed with The Thrill Is Gone. BB sat on stage and signed guitars and other items for the fans who were near the front of the hall.
A memorable evening. Buddy and BB are off to play at the Grammies this weekend.
Monday, February 2, 2009
The Colorado Wave
What's a Colorado Wave, you may ask? It is an internet radio station that features independent music radio shows weekly. The Blue Island Beer Club is Waving this week so check us and a fleet of other indies here:
Colorado Wave
Colorado Wave
Saturday, January 31, 2009
How To Get Inspiration To Write Songs
Songwriters often suffer from writer's block, or just don't feel like writing, or think they have no reason to write anything at the moment! So how do you get past those barriers? Well, one smart songwriter has created a challenge known as FAWM which is intended to do just that.
FAWM stands for February Album Writing Month and if you accept the challenge, you will write 14 songs in February. You can post the songs to the website but there is no prize or pressure. You will just focus on your 14 songs - one every two days or several at a time. You can use notes you have made, hooks you have written down, or other ideas, but no old songs.
Most of us cannot write 14 songs and record them properly in 28 days, but a quickie recording is a good idea so you don't forget the chords and melody. You can go back later and develop and complete each song.
So who's in? Go to the website and sign up. Donations are voluntary and there is no penalty for failure, and maybe you will wind up with an album of new songs by March 1. I am going to try!
FAWM
FAWM stands for February Album Writing Month and if you accept the challenge, you will write 14 songs in February. You can post the songs to the website but there is no prize or pressure. You will just focus on your 14 songs - one every two days or several at a time. You can use notes you have made, hooks you have written down, or other ideas, but no old songs.
Most of us cannot write 14 songs and record them properly in 28 days, but a quickie recording is a good idea so you don't forget the chords and melody. You can go back later and develop and complete each song.
So who's in? Go to the website and sign up. Donations are voluntary and there is no penalty for failure, and maybe you will wind up with an album of new songs by March 1. I am going to try!
FAWM
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Beaks Old Florida Report
Last night we played at Beaks Old Florida along with several other musicians. The hosts were Liz and Jay, known as the Singing Monkeyz. Both Liz and Jay are blessed with great singing voices as well as the talent required to use them. Liz is also a very good guitarist and Jay, who can play the drums, accompanies the duo with a cajon (which is Spanish for box) drum.
Also on the bill were Jerry Jakala, the JPF coordinator for our region, Steve Murr a local semi-professional guitarist/singer songwriter, and Regina Aamacha, a transplant to the area from Delaware. Regina is a new friend of ours discovered by us on MySpace. She is a very good songwriter and performer and keeps everyone entertained with her amusing viewpoints.
There were several other artists present and I will touch on them in a later blog.
The Blue Island Beer Club introduced my new original called Bluesman and played Bruce's original Sailed So Well. We also performed Someday the Sun Won't Shine For You (a Jethro Tull song), Here Comes the Sun, and Man of Constant Sorrow (by the Bluegrass Island Beer Club?).
The Blue Island Beer Club
Also on the bill were Jerry Jakala, the JPF coordinator for our region, Steve Murr a local semi-professional guitarist/singer songwriter, and Regina Aamacha, a transplant to the area from Delaware. Regina is a new friend of ours discovered by us on MySpace. She is a very good songwriter and performer and keeps everyone entertained with her amusing viewpoints.
There were several other artists present and I will touch on them in a later blog.
The Blue Island Beer Club introduced my new original called Bluesman and played Bruce's original Sailed So Well. We also performed Someday the Sun Won't Shine For You (a Jethro Tull song), Here Comes the Sun, and Man of Constant Sorrow (by the Bluegrass Island Beer Club?).
The Blue Island Beer Club
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Cold Weather Wimp.........
Last night's outdoor appearance was great, except it was the coldest day of the year here in Florida and the Eternal Florida Folk and Medicine Show is outdoors! Temperatures dropped close to freezing overnight and were well on the way down when we played from 8 - 9:30 or so. Fortunately, the musicians and the audience were all moved under a solid canopy out of the wind where there were several strategically placed propane heaters. Our set went well and we enjoyed hearing the other musicians. I walked out into the parking lot to tune up and it was Really Cold.
We have missed out on a couple of other gigs recently when it rained. Rain is worse than cold since it will ruin the equipment for sure and the audience is just not going to sit in the rain! (not the smart people who come to see us anyway).
A couple of years ago, I played in another group and we had a 6:30 am gig on a Saturday and Sunday morning to entertain the runners in a marathon race. A cold front passed through and the rain was blowing sideways at about 4 am. I was tempted to roll over and stay in bed, but we ended up going anyway. The rain stopped, but it was cold and windy. We were playing under a small canopy and we tied tarps around the "tent" to keep the wind off. A small propane heater kept our hands warm between songs. Roughly twelve thousand runners heard us each day although they only heard about one song each (except for the stragglers who were within earshot for a longer time).
Weather in Florida is warmer than much of the country but it still presents its challenges!
http://cdbaby.com/cd/blueislandbeerclub
We have missed out on a couple of other gigs recently when it rained. Rain is worse than cold since it will ruin the equipment for sure and the audience is just not going to sit in the rain! (not the smart people who come to see us anyway).
A couple of years ago, I played in another group and we had a 6:30 am gig on a Saturday and Sunday morning to entertain the runners in a marathon race. A cold front passed through and the rain was blowing sideways at about 4 am. I was tempted to roll over and stay in bed, but we ended up going anyway. The rain stopped, but it was cold and windy. We were playing under a small canopy and we tied tarps around the "tent" to keep the wind off. A small propane heater kept our hands warm between songs. Roughly twelve thousand runners heard us each day although they only heard about one song each (except for the stragglers who were within earshot for a longer time).
Weather in Florida is warmer than much of the country but it still presents its challenges!
http://cdbaby.com/cd/blueislandbeerclub
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Blue Island Beer Club featured at Jolli Mon's Wednesday!
Yes, The Blue Island Beer Club will be featured this Wednesday, Jan 21, at the very cool Jolli Mon's in Dunedin. Come and celebrate the first full day of George W. Bush's ex-presidency.
The event is the Eternal Florida Folk And Medicine Show hosted by Scotty Rexroat. The music starts at 7 pm and we will take the stage at about 8:30.
You can check the schedule of acts here: www. myspace. com/jollimons
The all important address and phone number are :
941 Huntley Ave.
Dunedin Florida, 34698
Tel: 727-735-0498
And remember that Dunedin rhymes with Done Eatin', not Tuned In.
(we will have our CD, Lone Palm Tree, available for music lovers and souvenir hunters)
The event
You can check
The all impor
941 Huntl
Duned
Tel: 727-
And remem
(we will have our CD, Lone Palm Tree,
| |
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Rising Stars
I attended a jam this week and was pleasantly surprised when Lorna Bracewell appeared. She is one of the most heralded young singer/songwriters in the Tampa Bay area and is thought by many to be on her way to national prominence. Lorna has the number one song of 2008 on Music Tampa Bay and has been on stage at the best venues around including Ruth Eckerd Hall and Skippers Smokehouse, performing along with artists like Amy Grant, Sarah McLachlan, and Dar Williams.
The jam is usually made up of electric instruments and drums. The acoustic musicians who have attended in the past usually were lost in the barroom din, so I was worried that Lorna would be too. But she played and sang just a few notes and the place quieted down and everybody listened.
Lorna plays her acoustic guitar in a way that emphasizes a bass line and a drum rhythm in addition to the usual guitar chords. Her vocal delivery of covers and originals is unique and very appealing. Her voice is huskier than you might guess from meeting her.
It did not take long for her to captivate the audience and make a great impression. If you get a chance, I recommend checking out her CDs or live performances.
Lorna
Colin
The jam is usually made up of electric instruments and drums. The acoustic musicians who have attended in the past usually were lost in the barroom din, so I was worried that Lorna would be too. But she played and sang just a few notes and the place quieted down and everybody listened.
Lorna plays her acoustic guitar in a way that emphasizes a bass line and a drum rhythm in addition to the usual guitar chords. Her vocal delivery of covers and originals is unique and very appealing. Her voice is huskier than you might guess from meeting her.
It did not take long for her to captivate the audience and make a great impression. If you get a chance, I recommend checking out her CDs or live performances.
Lorna
Colin
Monday, January 12, 2009
Now on iTunes and Amazon.com
My solo CD for sailors, The ICW Blues, has recently joined the Blue Island Beer Club CD, Lone Palm Tree, on iTunes and Amazon.com. So you can download the entire CD or choose the songs you really love and download them for very modest fees. The best deal is on Amazon where you can download the entire album for under $9.
Thanks go to CD Baby which is a web based company that distributes music for independent artists, meaning those who do not have a contract with a record company (most of us these days). CD Baby stocks and sells physical CDs and also distributes the songs for download through a variety of vendors, the biggest of whom are Amazon and iTunes.
You can listen to song samples on any of these sites and download the ones you like. Or you can order a CD which will be delivered quickly through the US mail. I am happy to see the downloads available and i hope you will all check 'em out!
Amazon
Colin
Thanks go to CD Baby which is a web based company that distributes music for independent artists, meaning those who do not have a contract with a record company (most of us these days). CD Baby stocks and sells physical CDs and also distributes the songs for download through a variety of vendors, the biggest of whom are Amazon and iTunes.
You can listen to song samples on any of these sites and download the ones you like. Or you can order a CD which will be delivered quickly through the US mail. I am happy to see the downloads available and i hope you will all check 'em out!
Amazon
Colin
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Just Plain Folks Showcase
The Blue Island Beer Club is off to the JPF Showcase on Sunday afternoon. We will be playing at the Whistlestop in Safety Harbor with a number of other songwriters who participate in the Just Plain Folks songwriter's forum on the internet (Google for the site).
The host, Jerry, is setting up his brand new PA system and I know of several good musicians who will be attending.
Be there!
The host, Jerry, is setting up his brand new PA system and I know of several good musicians who will be attending.
Be there!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Recording Technology
The ability to produce professional quality recordings in a small or home studio is being continually improved. Amazing microphones are available at reasonable prices and the software that turns the computer into a recording studio continues to be improved, although digital recording came of age several years ago.
Finished recordings are actually better than CD quality and are converted to WAV files near the end of the process. WAV files are the same as CD quality. If you listen to mp3s on your computer or iPod, the files been compressed to some degree and the fidelity is worse than CD quality, but they still sound pretty darn good. mp3 compression can be done to varying degrees - the smaller the file, the less the fidelity.
I have just upgraded the analog to digital converter in my system. This improves the conversion of analog signals coming from a microphone or instrument into digital bits and bytes. I went from 16 bit 48 Khz (still better than CD quality) conversion to 24 bit 96 Khz. This means my digital recording is more faithful to the analog signal. After the recording is completed and mixed, it is lowered to CD quality, but should be better overall since the mixing was performed with super high quality tracks.
I am anxious to record a song using this equipment and see if the end result is noticeably better. I have been pleased with the sound quality of my prior recordings, but better is better!
Finished recordings are actually better than CD quality and are converted to WAV files near the end of the process. WAV files are the same as CD quality. If you listen to mp3s on your computer or iPod, the files been compressed to some degree and the fidelity is worse than CD quality, but they still sound pretty darn good. mp3 compression can be done to varying degrees - the smaller the file, the less the fidelity.
I have just upgraded the analog to digital converter in my system. This improves the conversion of analog signals coming from a microphone or instrument into digital bits and bytes. I went from 16 bit 48 Khz (still better than CD quality) conversion to 24 bit 96 Khz. This means my digital recording is more faithful to the analog signal. After the recording is completed and mixed, it is lowered to CD quality, but should be better overall since the mixing was performed with super high quality tracks.
I am anxious to record a song using this equipment and see if the end result is noticeably better. I have been pleased with the sound quality of my prior recordings, but better is better!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Small Successes!
Independent musicians have to brag about their small successes since the odds against them having big ones are tremendous unless they are young and beautiful. Alas, Bruce and I do not fit in the latter category so we are bragging about the small ones.
Our Blue Island Beer Club CD, Lone Palm Tree, has received lots of airplay on the internet radio station of Latitudes and Attitudes magazine. Lats and Atts is a national magazine targeted at sailors and cruisers everywhere and is sold in bookstores like Barnes and Noble and Borders as well as marinas and ship stores nationwide. We received a purchase order from Lats and Atts just before Christmas for a box of our CDs to sell in addition to the digital downloads which have been available for a while. Now sailors everywhere can order our CD from the magazine or on line.
Ship Store
Latitudes and Attitudes
The Blue Island Beer Club has also been featured on another internet radio station called Music Tampa Bay for some months. We recently learned that one of our songs, written by Bruce, has been included in the MTB Top 100 of 2008......And The Women.
Music Tampa Bay
Small successes, but we love 'em.
Our Blue Island Beer Club CD, Lone Palm Tree, has received lots of airplay on the internet radio station of Latitudes and Attitudes magazine. Lats and Atts is a national magazine targeted at sailors and cruisers everywhere and is sold in bookstores like Barnes and Noble and Borders as well as marinas and ship stores nationwide. We received a purchase order from Lats and Atts just before Christmas for a box of our CDs to sell in addition to the digital downloads which have been available for a while. Now sailors everywhere can order our CD from the magazine or on line.
Ship Store
Latitudes and Attitudes
The Blue Island Beer Club has also been featured on another internet radio station called Music Tampa Bay for some months. We recently learned that one of our songs, written by Bruce, has been included in the MTB Top 100 of 2008......And The Women.
Music Tampa Bay
Small successes, but we love 'em.
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