Saranac Lake‘s Riverside Park is set to host the inaugural North Current Festival on Sunday, Sept 1. The festival replaces Hobofest, a music festival held in Saranac Lake from 2009 to 2018 on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. Organizers retired it last year and a new committee of local residents has formed to create a new festival, based on the Hobofest model while making it their own. The lineup announcement features local and regional acts across several genres.
Burlington-based songstress Kat Wright will headline the event, bringing her sultry, dynamic, delicate yet powerful – gritty but highly emotive sound to the Saranac Lake stage. Also joining the lineup is House of Waters, a Brooklyn-based trio that plays world music rooted in the hammered dulcimer, Rochester-based Mosaic Foundation bringing in the roots, ska, dub, dance-hall grooves, Chestnut Grove, a group from Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania, who plays high-energy rock and roll, and also, Mal Maiz, an Afro-Latino orchestra based in Burlington headed up by Costa Rican “Brujo,” Maiz Vargas Sandoval that features both traditional and modern flair with cumbia, latin, reggae and afro-carribean sounds.
Rounding out the eclectic schedule is Saranac Lake’s own Arthur Buezo from The Blind Owl Band, and Soma Beats, an African dance troupe out of Lake Placid lead by Johnna MacDougall. This lineup is still being finalized. Organizers expect to announce a handful of additions soon.
Northern Current is a nonprofit festival under the umbrella of Saranac Lake Rotary, family friendly and free of charge. More information can be found on their website.
The Peach Music Festival is returning to Montage Mountain in Scranton, PA for its 8th annual event at the end of the month, sporting a lineup that fans have been calling the best of the summer. Peach remains a favorite in many attendee’s hearts for its warm, friendly vibes and nonstop schedule of killer music. The festival begins on Thursday, July 25, shifting from last year’s earlier July 19 start date to the last weekend of the month.
The lineup features multiple Peach Stage sets from headlining acts that didn’t play last year’s event, including three sets from jamgrass outfit, The String Cheese Incident, two sets from Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio’s side project Trey Anastasio Band, as well as a set on Friday afternoon from Blues Traveler. A few acts have graduated from the Mushroom Stage to the Peach Stage, notably Aqueous, who are performing the opening set of the festival on Thursday afternoon, as well as Lotus, performing the late night set on Friday night. Pigeons Playing Ping Pong have gained a set from last year’s one main stage set, now performing both before and after String Cheese’s Thursday set.
Other sets to look out for on the Peach Stage include Billy Strings, a hot commodity on the bluegrass scene, at 5:30 on Thursday, moe. on Friday afternoon at 6pm, Lettuce on Saturday at 3:45pm, and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead on Saturday at 12:00am. The Mushroom Stage features a plethora of impressive acts, kicking off on Friday with Andy Frasco & the U.N., a soulful rock band led by a party animal of a frontman, followed by Vulfpeck alum and virtuoso guitarist Cory Wong, as well as prog rockers Dopapod and BIG Something. Saturday’s lineup features soulful female vocalist Kat Wright, Tom Hamilton’s recent project Ghost Light, Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band, and Colorado funk group The Motet.
The other Stage features a ton of fantastic acts, and catching any one of them would be a good thing to do. Here are a few that you definitely shouldn’t miss though: On Friday, Joe Hertler & and the Rainbow Seekers at 2:30pm, Upstate at 4pm, Cycles at 10:30pm, Magic Beans at 12:30am. On Saturday, Goose at 4:45pm, Mungion at 10:30 pm, and Organ Freeman at 12:30am.
Peach Festival offers a range of amenities to assist in making attendees comfortable including potable water stations, ATMs, food vendors and medical tents, among other things. The Mushroom Stage is located within Montage Mountain’s very own water park, which includes a lazy river and wave pool that attendees can enjoy their favorite Mushroom sets from. Attendees also have access to the lodge, also located in the water park, that sells pizza and other hot food items for those that want to purchase.
Check out the schedule above or create your own personalized schedule through The Peach Music Festival app, which can remind you when your favorite bands are about to start and let you know of any important updates. Check back with NYS Music for more coverage of this year’s Peach Music Festival in Scranton, PA
Beau Fleuve Music and Arts Festival returns for its third year on Sunday August 25 at Silo City in Buffalo for the “Ultimate Sunday Funday.” The festival was created to celebrate the rich history of Buffalo’s art scene and showcase the resurgence of Buffalo art in all forms. For one day only, festival-goers will experience an immersive multi-cultural experience filled with music, food, and art installations.
The festival features three performance stages with more than 30 performers, culture exhibits, a silent disco, a beer-wine garden, and family fun activities that attendees of all ages can enjoy. Located at the heart of the festival, inside the American silos, is the Maison Des Arts stage, which will showcase a performance stage and art installations highlighting a variety of mediums including a live mural painting, photography, and much more. At the Collective Arts Sound Stage, located near the entrance of the festival, fans will be able to experience their favorite bands, graffiti artists, and skateboard pipe dreams. Music performances will span across a diverse array of genres from country and blues to EDM and trap. Highlighted performances from this year include Curtis Lovell, Universal Phunk, Love the Genius, Miller & the Other Sinners, Freak the Mighty and Heather Russel. All of the performances and artists are listed below.
The silent disco is a festival fan favorite and will be held near the river patio, giving fans a scenic backdrop and unique way of experiencing live performances including DJs, spoken word, poets, and musicians. While there are many returning attractions, there are also some new additions to the festival this year. One of these additions is a Next Generation of the Festival Youth Stage, featuring young musicians, poets, artists, and entrepreneurs all under the age of 18.
For more information and tickets visit the website here.
Caffè Lena will continue their Pride Series with a performance by Jonatha Brooke on July 18th at 7:00 pm. Jonatha has an extensive music resume. She has released eight albums under her own label, Bad Dog Records. Her songs have appeared in Disney films and in popular television shows, most notably the theme song for the television show “Dollhouse”. Currently, she has been writing songs with Katy Perry and The Courtyard Hounds.
Jonatha Brooke also wrote and performed in “My Mother Has 4 Noses” which was based upon living with her mother while she went through the later stages of Alzheimer’s. While living with her, she would write down the entertaining bits and pieces of their day to day life. She would encourage Jonatha and was a part of the process, noting when something she had said was particularly good. The title of the play itself comes from her mother, who said, “After all, how many people do YOU know who can say they have FOUR noses?”
Many have been touched by the play, and Jonatha has included a section on the website for “My Mother Has 4 Noses” where people can submit images of their loved ones and write something to honor them.
Jonatha has performed at functions in the past to support the LGBTQ community such as the LCCP (Lesbian Community Cancer Project) and is an ally to the LGBTQ community.
Things I Remember from Earth is the latest album from Maybird, their second release on 30th Century, the label founded by Danger Mouse, and in honor of the new album, the Rochester quartet will play at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn on Wednesday, July 24.
The album has an other-worldly feeling – weaving pop, part psych rock, and part experimental into a sci-fi fantasy. Inspiration for the album came in part from Vonnegut’s The Sirens of Titan. For more on the album, read the NYS interview and the album review.
Update (July 10, 11:15 am): Woodstock 50 promoters have issued a statement after being denied a permit by the Town of Vernon to hold the festival at Vernon Downs in August. They will be appealing the codes enforcement officer’s ruling to the Town of Vernon Planning Board. The board has 30 days to rule on the appeal. A spokesperson for Woodstock issued the following statement late Tuesday:
In response to the denial of an event permit by the Town of Vernon, Woodstock 50 believes certain political forces may be working against the resurrection of the Festival. Local reports claim Woodstock’s filing for the permit was “incomplete” but that is not the case. Woodstock 50 officials were informed by the Town of Vernon that most questions had been answered and asked only that Woodstock submit medical, safety/security and traffic plans by this past Sunday, which it did. With a venue chosen, financing assembled and many of the artist’s supporting Woodstock’s 50th Anniversary event, the organizers are hopeful that their appeal and reapplication tonight will prevail without further political interference.
Syracuse.com is reporting that the Town of Vernon has denied an event permit application to hold the Woodstock 50 year anniversary at Vernon Downs Casino Hotel. The event was scheduled to be held Aug. 16-18 at the harness racing facility in rural Central New York.
Town attorney Vincent Rossi told the site that the application was submitted late and was “dramatically incomplete,” while also adding that Woodstock or Vernon Downs can file an appeal with the town planning board within five days. The board would then have 30 days to rule on the appeal.
Town Code Enforcement Officer Jody Thieme, in the town’s denial letter, cited a provision in the town code that calls for explicit plans for an event, including sanitation, parking, traffic control, emergency first aid, and evacuation procedures. The application, which was filed on July 3, lacked supporting documents detailing these requirements.
Vernon Downs Harness Racing Track
Additionally, town code requires applications to be submitted 120 days prior to an event, which would have been in April. Woodstock filed their initial application in June, according to officials.
Town residents and local law enforcement expressed concerns over the event at a town meeting held Monday night. The standing-room-only meeting was attended by nearly 100 people, many worried about the traffic, noise, and vandalism from the expected 65,000 attendees.
Oneida County Sheriff Rob Maciol and Oneida County Emergency Management Director Kevin Revere have spoken against hosting the event since the possibility of the Vernon site was announced, citing the lack of time needed to properly put it together.
At Monday’s meeting Maciol went a step further, saying, “It is impossible to ensure the safety of the public at this point. If you’re asking me right now, I’m not confident in saying the public will be safe.”
Revere added, “Any emergency management director will say there isn’t enough time to do this properly. The less time you have to plan this stuff, the margin of error goes up tremendously.”
With a mere 38 days left to pull off the festival, the fate of Woodstock 50 is seemingly sealed for good. The festival’s future has been in flux since April when original investors, Dentsu Aegis Network, effectively canceled the festival, sending the matter to court. Woodstock organizers sought to recoup $18.5 million they claimed was illegally taken from a festival account by Dentsu. That claim was ultimately denied at the appellate level.
Promoter Michael Lang had previously announced 80 acts to perform on three stages. Artists originally scheduled to perform include: Jay-Z, Miley Cyrus, The Killers, The Lumineers, Dead & Company, The Raconteurs, Chance the Rapper, Imagine Dragons, Halsey, Santana, Greta Van Fleet, and John Fogerty.
Woodstock officials have not yet commented on the town’s decision or whether they would file an appeal.
Beach balls were flying and raindrops were falling during CountryFest at Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Hosted by 107.7 WGNA, a country radio station out of Albany, CountryFest featured A-list country acts like Eli Young Band, Big & Rich, and Old Dominion. SPAC’s Live Nation Country concerts usually have a large turnout and this was no exception. The amphitheater was filled by the time Eli Young Band took the stage at 6:30 and the fans had already been enjoying themselves tailgating in the parking lot before making their way to their seat or placing their lawn chairs in the perfect place to view the concert.
Eli Young Band kicked off the show with a roar from the crowd. The rain didn’t keep the fans from having a good time singing along to the band’s hits, such as “Crazy Girl” and “Drunk Last Night.” They were a perfect opening act. Getting the crowd pumped with some of their country classics from the 2000’s, Eli Young Band started on the right note. Lead singer Mike Eli’s voice sounded just like the recordings fans know and love. It was very refreshing to hear country music sound as real as the topics being sung about.
The show took a turn when a DJ from Schenectady, New York started playing confusing mash-ups of country hits with early 2000’s hip-hop high school dance songs. Country music has been in its teenage phase of life and experimenting with many different elements of music, some further away from the singing pedal steel and lively fiddle riffs than others. An avenue that many country artists have tried out is rap and hip hop, incorporating the use of drum machines and quick-witted rap verses.
Big & Rich displayed that they are one of those artists that decided to drive head-on into this new sub genre of country music by inviting Texas country rapper Cowboy Troy on stage with them to add clever verses to their old songs and many of the cover songs that they performed. The whole performance felt a little too far from the celebration of country music that one would expect when going to a country music festival. They definitely brought the most “Wow” factor to the show and, for better or for worse, the crowd seemed to enjoy it. There were many parts of the performance where the looks on fans’ faces said, “What is going on?” Mostly when a man in a Spiderman suit came out and they started singing the Spiderman theme song. One commendable aspect of the show that was heartwarming and made any sense was when John Rich invited a United States veteran on stage and asked him to say a few words. After the few minutes of clarity, it went right back into a medley of songs from all different genres, from “American Pie” by Don McClain to “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars, before finishing with their smash hit “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy).” Overall, the whole set left fans happy but slightly confused and wondering if they were still at CountryFest.
The night ended with the high energy, lovable group of guys known as Old Dominion. Their pop-country hits had people singing along and dancing until the end of the night. Matthew Ramsey’s charming personality reached out to many fans in the front by giving out high fives and signing personal items. They played a humanizing acoustic set while sharing their stories coming up as songwriters in Nashville, Tennessee. Playing songs that other country artists such as Blake Shelton and Dierks Bentley have made famous, the frontmen of the band, Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, and Brad Tursi, revealed to the crowd that fans had been listening to their music for a while before Old Dominion was even making music together. Their story was very inspiring and the short acoustic versions shed light on not just how musically gifted the group is, but what brilliant songwriters they are as well. They announced that their new album is coming soon and gave CountryFest a sneak peek at a new song on the record called “Smooth Sailing.” The tune fits perfectly into their sound with a catchy melody and clever lyrics. Country music fans should keep their eyes and ears open for Old Dominion’s next album because if the rest of the record is as good as “Smooth Sailing,” it will be a great listen that embodies the fun aspects of country music.
Formula 5 has made a name for themselves in the past 7 years, performing at a rally for Bernie Sanders, with shows in more than 20 states, festival appearances across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, their own Ben & Jerry’s shake, as well as three studio albums, two live albums and their own festival, Rock the Dock, taking place this Friday in Lake George, in what will be their final performance for Formula 5.
Then, that will be it for Formula 5. The band announced in March that they would go on indefinite hiatus following their Rock the Dock festival on Friday, July 12. The Magic Beans, Eastbound Jesus, Swimmer, West End Blend, Mike Powell, and JT Maple will also perform ahead of their final performance.
We asked fans and former band members for their favorite memories of the band, whose short tenure left an indelible mark on the jam scene in the Northeast.
Larry Shippee
Since that first Tumbledown weekend (2016) when a bottle of acid laced whiskey led to great friends and a love for Formula 5, to almost year later finding out that said bottle of acid whiskey was the catalyst to “Figure Out A Feeling,” to raging in costumes at Horror Camp, to late nights after Nectar’s, to pen rips on stage at ADK Fest, to deer hits, it’s been a WILD RIDE.
Tasha Mase
It was at Putnam Den and Formula 5, Mister F and the Other Brothers were playing. It was the first live music I had seen since moving to the 518. I didn’t know anyone, but it didn’t matter, all that mattered was the music and it was everything you wanted it to be.
Gyasi Owens
My favorite Formula 5 show was the 2016 Halloween show up at King Neptune’s in Lake George. They set up a projector and did a jam over a major battle scene from Lord of the Rings. It was epic. Doing an improv rhyme during a cissy strut jam at Dino BBQ in Troy was also dope!
Sue Davis
I remember talking with all of the guys in the band over the years while they grabbed a bite to eat at the house on their way to their next local gig. They were excited to share their music as they hit the road and cultivated more F5 fans across the country. The Halloween & Ugly Christmas sweater shows were so much fun. I have great memories of the sounds of the crowds as they yelled and applauded at the end of many of their jams. It was always so great to see all their friends who came out to the shows. They always made sure to shake our hands or give us a hug and tell us how great they sounded and how proud they were of the band. It’s been a wild and wonderful ride and I enjoyed my nights out until 3am!
Jared Lindquist
When I was a junior in high school, I skipped my prom to go see my first F5 show at the Stone Church in Newmarket, NH. I really shouldn’t have even been in that club, but after meeting the band for the first time and getting a few songs in, I knew I made the right choice. I believe that show had the debut of “Blue,” it was so new that Matt had to read the lyrics off of a sheet. It became one of my favorite songs of theirs and is always sticks out in my mind as making missing prom worth it.
Mike and Maria Kane
Disc Jam 2015: The Relix tent acoustic set they played a cover of one of my favorite bands songs which was awesome but I think they did a “Catch Me” that day too which might have been the last time I saw mike perform it
King Neptune’s after ADK Fest 2017: This was the first time I saw them really in the heart of their own turf, which I kind of always thought was Albany but was really enthused by the Lake George vibe surrounding the guys
Eastbound Throwdown, September 2017: When F5 stared their set opening up the weekend, it was raining good but Mikey and I didn’t give a fuck and raged the hell out of their set. As the weather broke, so did a lot of others.
The Hollow, April 28, 2018: this was the last time I saw F5 and the last night I partied before I found out I was having our baby.
Rock the Dock 2018: Mike and I shared with all the guys that we’d be having a baby. Matt Richards dedicated the set to us – not on the mic, but to our faces, which was even cooler to me. We have loved this journey. It is sad to see it end but we will treasure the memories, the music, and the people forever.
Jaclyn Osterhout
My favorite moment with Formula 5 is when I was in Colorado and they were creating a song called “Blue.” I listened to them play the same four notes in our Airbnb about 20 times. It was so annoyed until the song came to fruition and now it’s my favorite and how cool that I got to be a part of that.
Alyssa Ladzinski
Watching Formula 5 open up for The Disco Biscuits in Albany was so exciting, seeing how they perfectly hand-crafted their setlist to fit the music and style of that night. And more of a personal memory, ANY time they played “Excalibur,” no matter where I was at a festival or show, you bet I’d find my way over to the stage.
Mike McDonald (former keyboardist)
When asked to write about my favorite moment in Formula 5, I very quickly realized it would be much more difficult to choose than I first expected. Having been a part of it from the beginning and experienced the highs and lows, I can imagine mine (or any member) may differ significantly from what others might think. So I decided to pick 3 from my time with Formula 5: StrangeCreek 2012 – Joe had been in the band roughly 6 months and we had begun to turn a few heads in the jam scene, albeit mostly local to Upstate N.Y. Thanks to some help from Greg Bell, we were able to land a Friday afternoon slot at the very sought after annual festival StrangeCreek in Western Masschusetts. We were incredibly nervous for this show as many bigger bands on the jam scene who we looked up to were on the bill, and it was our first slot at a major regional festival. We started our set on the Vernville stage to a mostly empty field but it very quickly turned into one of the largest crowds we will have ever played. I vividly remember the energy and fun of that set, in part thanks to it being captured by a Wormtown taper. Check out the “Movin On” > “Jam”> “Trampled Underfoot” from this show.
Brooklyn Bowl with Natalie Cressman and Elise Testone, March 2015: Things had been having an upward trajectory in most of late 2014-2015 and we were stoked to have an opportunity to play this legendary venue in Brooklyn. We had the pleasure of having Natalie Cressman of Trey Anastasio Band on trombone and American Idol finalist Elise Testone on vocals as well as playing to a great crowd in Brooklyn.
2015 Garrison Beer Blast – This was one of my last shows with the band and really a homecoming of sorts for the band in Lake George as 2015 proved to be our biggest year of growth so far. We headlined a great one day festival with some awesome bands and some of our best friends and fans in attendance. I particularly felt this was some of our best playing to date and we had an amazing recording of the entire performance along with some videos.
Ed Kulseng
As I sit here and reflect on all my memories with Formula 5 I can’t help but feel remorseful. It feels as though I’m writing a eulogy. A dear friend who always had a magical gift for bringing my favorite people together is no more; it’s really like writing dozens of eulogies. Everywhere I go to this day, I’m stopped by people I’ve met as a direct result of F5. My life and that of my friends is forever different. This is one of the hardest things I’ve had to do. Instead of burying a friend, I’m burying six of my best friends dreams.
If you would asked me seven months ago, I would’ve told you that F5 would be gracing the stages of Madison Square Garden, SPAC, Red Rocks, or just about every other major concert venue around the country but instead I’m here struggling to come to terms with the fact that they may never play again. When I spoke before of F5, I used them as a conduit of inspiration for my musician friends who looked up to them and what they had – tight and blissful improvisions and their ability to draw crowds that would pack The Hollow so tight.
F5 was more than a jam band, and more than my friends. These guys are notorious for doing everything in their power to share whatever spotlight they could harness with other musicians and artists. So many places I’ve been I can say I wouldn’t have gone without them cramming me and Kevin in the van, making room for me at the last minute. The amount of times that F5 stuck their neck out for me or carried me back to the van, propped me up and got me home safe made me feel like a piece of shit. Of every memory I’ve made and every story I’ve told, the good ones always start with “this one time at Formula 5” so I guess I’m just having trouble coming to terms with the fact that no more memories are going to start like that and I might not have as many stories to tell moving forward.
The first time I drink in a bar, F5 was playing The Black Oak in Oneonta. Bill (Shattuck, original bassist) convinced the bouncer to let my underage friend Eric in. The first time I skied, F5 played Hunter Mountain – James gave me my first and only set of skis and Joe taught me. My 21st birthday was F5 at The Monopole. I drove to Hampton for a Phish show and Greg took me in and let me crash. I always hoped they’d play at my wedding and maybe even my funeral. Every time I walked into an F5 show, people knew my name, people knew who I was and welcomed me with a hug. These guys are my brothers and their fans are my family.
For the first time it’s hard to put my F5 hat on, because now I have no more shows to sell, no more merch to push, and now I worry about the condition it’s in. Now that hat is an artifact, a relic of my youth, one I have to preserve. I love this band, they carried me on their backs to adulthood and gave me too much to list. Joe, Greg, James, Matt, Mike and Bill what you have built will never be forgotten, thank you for everything!
Formula 5 Rocks the Dock in Lake George on Friday, July 12th. Other bands include The Magic Beans, Eastbound Jesus, Swimmer, West End Blend, Mike Powell, and JT Maple. Get tickets online or at the box office.
Ask Jimmie Vaughan what he thinks of what the Fabulous Thunderbirds have done since he left the band in 1990, and he chuckles. “I don’t know what they’ve done. I’m busy worrying about myself.”
The T-Birds may have been his highest profile gig outside of Family Style, the one double-Grammy winning CD he recorded with his late legendary brother Stevie Ray Vaughan, but he’s won two Grammys since then as a solo act and plays the Suffolk Theater in Riverhead, New York on Friday, July 12 and Darryl’s Place the next day touring on the release of his latest CD, Baby, Please Come Home.
The Chicago Tribune summed Jimmie up adroitly when they said, “Jimmie Vaughan is one of the great guitarists of the last 30-40 years, though you might not know it – he’s not about calling attention to himself. He’s about substance and economy rather than excess and showmanship.”
While his guitar work with the T-Birds fused the swamp blues sound of Slim Harpo and Lazy Lester with a gritty bar band rock that made the songs “Tuff Enuff” and “Wrap It Up” pop chart hits more than three decades ago, his current style rests comfortably in the retro R&B songs he covers on the new album.
The originals of all 11 numbers were first released in the 1950s including Chuck Willis’s “What’s Your Name,” Fats Domino’s “So Glad,” Jimmy Reed’s “Baby, What’s Wrong,” and T Bone Walker’s “I’m Still in Love with You.” As diverse as that sounds, the arrangements consistently feel like they were recorded in the Duke/Peacock label’s Houston studios between 1947 and ’54. Vaughan’s guitar playing throughout is elemental, retro perfect, on point, prickly and as unlike his late brother Stevie Ray’s sound as Chuck Berry is to Jimi Hendrix.
It is unavoidable that Stevie’s history-making legacy would cast a huge shadow over everything Jimmie has done since his brother died in a helicopter crash in 1990 a month prior to the release of Family Style. Jimmie Vaughan says the pain even today of having to put out that album after his brother’s passing is indescribable.
“We were together every day in the studio. We had a great time. We went to New York, Memphis, Dallas. We had a good time with each other, and we enjoyed it, and we had a fabulous record. We were looking forward to it coming out, and then that happened. I don’t even know how to describe it. I don’t know what to say still.”
Listen to any one of Jimmie’s solo albums back to back with one of Stevie’s, and it makes you wonder how two brothers four years apart in age and living together growing up could be so different. The common thread was Jimi Hendrix.
“We both loved Hendrix. I found the 45 of “Purple Haze” in the garbage can at a TV show. It was a promotional copy that they had thrown away. So, I got it early on before it came out. If you’re already into Muddy Waters, and you hear Hendrix, it’s exactly like Muddy Waters had a kid who went into outer space and came back and knew stuff nobody else knew. But it’s still Muddy Waters.
“I could do “Purple Haze” and “Foxy Lady” with the band I was in. They were all 21, and I was 15, (in 1966). Stevie was there on that set, and then somebody would challenge him. Stevie had to outdo me in his mind. He was my little brother, and sometimes little brothers have to try harder than big brothers.”
Stevie would go on to become the biggest influence in helping blues cross over into the mainstream since Hendrix himself, eclipsing his brother’s popularity by a huge margin. And when they recorded Family Style, it was that process that added a capability to Jimmie’s talents that finally would turn him into a solo recording artist four years after Stevie died. The biggest boost to Jimmie’s solo career came from handling vocals for the first time.
“I never had any vocals training. It wasn’t my goal. So, when I got to Family Style with Stevie, (producer) Nile Rodgers said, ‘Stevie’s gonna sing his songs. What songs are you going to sing?’ I said, ‘Well, I wasn’t really thinking of that.’ He said, ‘Well, you gotta sing.’ So, I said ok. I had to do it. That was a good way to start for me. and I’ve been singing ever since.”
Jimmie’s vocals on Baby, Please Come Home are a perfect complement to his extraordinary guitar playing.
Eric Clapton who lost three members of his entourage in the same helicopter crash that killed Stevie, invited Jimmie to perform at five Royal Albert Hall blues concerts in London soon after the accident. I was working on my Buddy Guy biography at the time and spent an evening with Jimmie, his mother, and the Beefeaters guards in their pub in the Tower of London. The Brits made this American blues journalist feel like royalty. The good cheer was palpable, but it was as if Jimmie were inside a bubble apart from the goings on. I didn’t know what to say to him. “Well, neither did I. I didn’t know what to say to you or anyone. So, it’s just what I had to do, and actually it was the best thing for me at the time to play which is what I’ve always done anyway.”
It was four years after Stevie’s passing before Jimmie released his first solo album Strange Pleasure including the song “Six Strings Down” dedicated to his brother. It was produced by Nile Rodgers and featured Dr. John on bass. Career highlights since then have included a special guest appearance on Bo Diddley’s 1996 album A Man Amongst Men, playing guitar on the tracks “He’s Got A Key” and “Coatimundi.” He played a member of the fictional Louisiana Gator Boys led by B.B. King in the Blues Brothers 2000 film and earned a Grammy for Best Blues Album for his 2001 release, Do You Get The Blues?
In the new millennium he’s recorded with Omar Kent Dykes’ On The Jimmy Reed Highway, Lazy Lester’s Blues Stop Knockin’, toured with Dylan in 2006, and joined Gary Clark, Jr. for the encore of Clapton’s show at Madison Square Garden on May 19, 2017.
If you read between the lines, you could get the impression that Jimmie’ career is about the guitar licks where his brother’s was about the glory.“The thing about Stevie and I playing so differently is just that he would do the Hendrix thing, and he would do Albert King and Hendrix incorporated into his style. He stole their riffs and put it into his playing and did it so well, that it became part of his thing.
“I already was doing a different thing. So, if Stevie were here right now, it would be interesting to see how he played, but when you’re young and you’re out there having a good time and – ”
He pauses.
“This is not to take away from Stevie’s playing. I don’t want you to think that. I’m just trying to explain why he did all that.”
One has to wonder where Jimmie would be today if Clapton hadn’t pulled him back out on stage. “I’m grateful that Eric got me to play ’cause I didn’t know what to do and how to handle a group at the time. I had left the Thunderbirds, and I was just in turmoil. Like, what do you do with all this information? Where do you put it? Where’s my place in it? You know what I mean? So, anyway, that was my first outing, and I’ve been playing ever since. So, I think I was good for me that Eric got me out of the house and away from myself.”
It was a humid Friday night in Saratoga Springs, where people of all ages were buzzing in anticipation for a throwback experience from singer/songwriter Jackson Browne at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. “Have you seen him before?” was one of the questions floating around the amphitheater and the responses varied from person to person. Many different dates of shows spanning from the early ’70s and onward came from the mouths of dedicated fans, proving the long-lasting impact Browne has had in his career. The show started right on time at 7:30 p.m. with the Brooklyn-born indie pop band Lucius.
Photography: Carl Scheffel
Lucius opened the show with a chilling a capella rendition of “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” with the women fronting the band wearing matching red ponchos and body glitter on their faces and palms. Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig stood around one microphone at center stage facing each other and immediately caught the attention of the crowd with their powerhouse harmonies. Though the stage setup allowed for the singers to be intimate and have a clear way to communicate cues for each other, it took away from the audience engagement and closed off a relationship fans desire from a live performance. The one microphone did aide the duo in creating a fading or floating audio and visual effect during their last song “Woman” which played with the depth of the dynamics of the song nicely. The show heavily featured the two fronting ladies, however, the group consisted of three other band members playing their share of instruments, swapping between percussion and guitar frequently. Jackson Browne joined them in the middle of their half hour set to perform “Willin’,” entrancing the amphitheater with their three-part harmonies. Lucius released a compilation album of their back catalog, new songs, and a duet with Roger Waters in 2018 called Nudes.
Loud cheers from women and men alike echoed through the walls of SPAC when Jackson Browne and his band took the stage to close out the show with an impressive two hour set. Browne’s performance was filled with many of his classics that were easy to sing and dance along to even if you didn’t know the words. “Take It Easy,” which Browne co-wrote with The Eagles, was the second song in the more than 20-song set and it brought everyone to their feet. Browne’s easy-going vibe on stage seemed to take the edge off the heat and provided a relaxing atmosphere after the excitement of the 4th of July the day before. Browne joked about his age after there was a guitar mix up, saying to the stagehand, “I think you brought me the wrong guitar,” followed by the stagehand coming back out with the supposed right guitar and a sense of confusion. After a few seconds of conversation and bending down to read the setlist, Browne admitted that he was wrong and that he should have brought his glasses with him on stage. Many of Jackson Browne’s songs relate to immigration and issues that America deals with today. He played songs such as “Walls and Doors” that was written by Cuban singer/songwriter Carlos Varela and “Lives in the Balance” which were both in reference to South America and its culture. “Lives in the Balance” featured a very soulful performance from one of Browne’s backup singers, Chavonne Stewart, whose beautiful voice brought new life to an old classic. Lucius came out to help Browne on the last four songs and it was the perfect climax of vocal harmony and instrumental genius. The two acts were clearly very close and the respect and love for one another made for a really enjoyable performance.
Photography: Carl Scheffel
Lucius setlist: A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes (Ilene Woods cover), Tempest, Right Down the Line (Gerry Rafferty cover), Something About You, Go Home, Turn It Around, Willin’ (Little Feat cover), Two of Us On the Run, Woman
Jackson Browne setlist: I’m Alive, Take It Easy, The Pretender, Enough of the Night, The Long Way Around, Tender Is the Night, You Love the Thunder, These Days, Mohammed Radio (Warren Zevon cover), The Dreamer, Lives in the Balance, Walls and Doors (Carlos Varela cover), Doctor My Eyes, Somebody’s Baby, I’ll Do Anything, In the Shape of a Heart, Running on Empty, Dusty Trails (Lucius cover), City of Immigrants (Steve Earle cover), I Am a Patriot (Little Steven cover) Encore: The Waiting (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers cover)
