Karaoke Forums

All are welcome here.  None shall be excluded.  None shall deliberately create an atmosphere which alienates any other site member.  Sole purpose is to share a love of music which is a commonality for most in here.  Many people, different styles spanning the globe.  ALL areas of musicianship, performing, etc. are enjoyed here.  Welcome to this topic thread.  No ad hom attacking will be tolerated. Civil disagreeing is always welcome, it's often a means of learning new ways.  

The objective is to exchange ideas of interest and learn from one-another regarding topic content.

Since not all of us sing,  yet have spent our lives as vocal accompanists, and have participating in other areas of vocal music such as arranging complex scores for barbershop quartets, male glee clubs, coed choirs, and have Directed Glee clubs and put together a cappella groups, this is a place where we can expand into broader areas of either singing, harmony, styles, nuances musicianship, or discuss Karaoke.  All goes if it's about Music and Musicianship !

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

This is the type of stuff Billy could get into singing too..hehehehe !

Now I have to check out Achison !  I really enjoy this style !  Never heard of him. Jimmy Thackery is a familiar name.


Don thanks a millions,  these are some spectacular blues players !  Cooder of course I know, and the bigger names,  yet many since I'm an easterner, I haven't heard of... These guys are great !  Not certain why I've not heard of a couple of these guys !

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Is Geoff Achison in the Portland area now ?  Or is he still in Australia and just makes frequent trips to blues festivals in the states ?

ADDED IN:

Hey Don,  Regarding what was touched on, this is from Vanderbilt.Law and it's an interesting read.  It get's into alot of the area's we were talking about, yet you'll see how detailed it is.

http://law.vanderbilt.edu/jetl/archive/ ... rformance'

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

A big light bulb turns on over my head as I finally put the name to the face. Sure I know this guy!  He is a very good bass player and has worked with many bands out here that I know -- Jim Mesi of course, Paulette and Power, J.C. Rico, Myrtle Brown, Robbie Laws, Paul DeLay, D.K Stewart, Jimmy Thackery.  Both Jim Mesi and D.K. Stewart played in the Paul DeLay band.  Way before that Mesi, DeLay and Lloyd Jones were in Brown Sugar back in the early '70's.  Thanks for pointing out Timmer's website!  Yep, if you're ever after a lot of good blues music, the Portland, OR area is a place to go for sure.

I can't say I know anything about Geoff Achison.  Make sure to check out Paul DeLay and Lloyd Jones too.

Will Do.

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Don, Is Mesi mid-50's ?  or older.  His dexterity is still amazing.

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Yeah, he and Steve Bradley are right around 55.  The later scenes in that documentary film I sent you were from 2003.

Yep, I'm reading now.
http://www.cascadeblues.org/

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

"Talkin' Cars" from the Jesse Samsel Band album "Play Whatcha Feel" featuring Timmer Blakely on bass.



This reminds me of Joe Bonamassa type guitar style when he was with Bloodline. Now there was a gifted 15 year old.

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

I'll have to check him out.  Terry Robb is also a great guitarist from Portland.
In the '80's he mainly played a Strat and did electric blues, but in the '90's, switched over to acoustic and has been doing that ever since.  And of course there's Curtis Salgado who used to sing with Robert Cray in the late '70's. Cray's band was in Animal House.  Curtis also sang with Santana for a year or two in the early '90s.  Curtis tends to get rather animated on stage and hams it up a lot.  Well, Carlos Santana didn't like that much and yelled at him on stage once saying "stop jumping around and just sing the d*mn song!" He had to be reminded at that point that he was a small fish in a big pond!  LOL

Don,  Must've gotten back from a time warp...hehe  

Anyway, just listened to the last 15 minutes of Mesi and Bradley and it's amazing.. Can't thank you enough for this.. It's just a really inspiring story about musicians that love what they do, always wanted to be guitar players when they grew up, and still want to be guitar players when they grow up (at mid-50's today) they just want to play, don't particular love the music industry, but love the guitar, it's all they can imagine themselves doing, no regrets either... Really nice story...

WOW,  the speed that they consistently played that one particular "surf" song in towards the end... Their use of harmonics coupled with lightening picking speed that was consistent with time sig.....playing straight 32nd notes (I think) like Mandolin, or bazouki players, almost flamenco type coordination. It's one of those jaw-droppomg events....(I get a contact high from watching this type thing)...just really energizing... Do you know the particular song I mean ?  Not sure of the name, yet it sounds as if they are getting into the Byzantine, Hungarian minor, Double Harmonic, and Gypsy scales.... I felt like I was in a pub in the middle-east for about 10 minutes....

I think Mesi has got to be a genius, It's his goal not to play predictable or "cliche" turn arounds, and conventional blues riff's or licks, he likes that ""shock" factor..  So he doesn't plan anything conventional, he sort've goes wild, just spaces out and let's his fingers do their thing.... yet it seems to fit perfectly, really tastefully innovative although a spontaneous creation....... Go figure .... If I tried that method, I'd butcher the piece completely....As would most... How many can be that extemporaneous ?

These guys teach in your area too,,,, I'd love to take lesson's with one of them... I'd love to be in the Seattle, or Portland area... Yet since I've never even been to Branson, or Nashville, even CHicago, not sure how those area's compare for blues/Jazz,..  I honestly don't know... Yet here in Connecticut, There's just not a heck of alot of oppt for artists in general.... That's what I miss about the cities...

Anyway...I get a kick out've Mesi saying  "I always hoped one day I'd be famous but... Oh well.. I suppose I haven't done that badly"...  Makes you wonder how many that are famous have made it as far as they'd have liked to make it.  Or do you suppose people always feel..
.."I hoped to have been more than what I became"... I wonder if *most* artists never really achieve complacency while they are still involved in their artform ? If their drive usually creates self-expectations of being something beyond their actual level of achievement, and almost creates a tunnel vision..  They just can't see things with a clear perspective.... when in fact they ARE actually one of the greats....PRoblem is there are ALOT of greats. Yet when you think of it, most actors can't watch plays they've acted in, they so often end up beating themselves up in so many cases..., Many singers cringe at their performances and voices too regardless of how good... People are tough on themselves.....as it says at the end of the DVD though, it's hard to feel like one of the best because in every city there's amazing talent someplace...Many that comprize the talent at this skill level even are unknown outside of their hometown area.. and if you gig in their area, these are the folks that while you are on the road passing thru, one night just seem to "step out've the woodwork" you let them sit in, and spend the rest of the night crying wanting to burn your guitars and amps..... There's smoking talent ALL over... One can NEVER get to confident... It's a long walk home when a 14 year old guitar player who's been playing for 3 years smokes you at your style....believe me, I've gotten my butt kicked MANY times...Not sure if it was in regards to Joe Bonamasa, or KWS....Maybe even Eric Gales, or perhaps Eric Johnson (when he was  younger and new to the seen)....  Yet one of the famous rock or fusion guitarists was watching one of these mid-teen kids not knowing what to expect, and jokingly turned to a bandmate and said....  "Let's get some money together and get someone to break this little brats fingers, this is disgusting"  Sort've like Steve Vai in "Crossroads"..hehe...the new young kid smokes the veteran....

The opening for BB King story was really nice...

I recall Tommy Shannon talking about when SRV was alive, and they were booked to play a concert with BB King..Only thing is, they showed up, and in this instance it turned BB King was the opening act, for THEM....  SRV had a fit... According to Shannon he quite humbly said,  "BB King is king of the blues, what the &^** are you doing having someone like *ME* open for the King of the blues,  that's just not right... He supposedly really was upset... HEHE... Figured that that was blasphemous... Not sure if and how that particular gig ever resolved...

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

To whoever found my thread and returned it home safely after it got loose having escaped  from the forum around 4-5PM EDT for about 4-6 hours....



Thanks  



(See why publicizing these escape episodes such as McNair's prison escape in LA often has a downside ?  Copycat incidents.  My thread escaped the forum for awhile this evening; obviously just went for a "joyride" where else <shrug>...Glad I didn't leave my wallet in it this time tho ! )

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Odie? Kappy? Waddya two doing this late at night? Sippin' some online brewkies and talking guitars?

Kewl, pass me one!  :D

Nah, I'm not at a level to fit in with you all. But I did enjoy the reading.... and the websites. (yes, I'm bored, hubby's in a raging game of Poker.... so I jumped on here for a bit)

BTW, Kappy, has Don ever sent you any of HIS recordings? He's much too modest about his own skill. The guy has a hail of an ear for music, and is an awesome bass player. He took some of my songs (recorded with just my simplistic guitar playing) and really vamped them up with some bass. Really, he's pretty good. And- one of these days- I wanna hear YOU as well.

Don, you should send him a couple of the bluesy numbers from the "Milepost 40" cd.  (oh, and, make sure you scan the inside cover, where the credits are..... just in case he recognizes any famous names there)  LMAO

Totally kidding there.... please don't publicly respond to that last wise A$$ comment.  :wave:

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♥ Laugh your heart out, dance in the rain. Cherish the memories, ignore the pain. Love and learn, forget and forgive. Because you only have one life to live. ♥

Hey you know TONS about Country and Bluegrass, more than either of us probably.
Post away my dear.  Yes I did send Steven a little sampler platter from Jon Koonce And The Gas Hogs, Triggers Revenge and The Rascos.  I'll send some Milepost 40 sometime with the scanned Thank You page!  I need to give credit where credit is due!  LOL

Oh, cool. And, Don....... I KNOW you don't know/understand much about bluegrass. Not alot of people do. So I don't like to discuss that. Besides, my knowledge of it is all purely homegrown. No lessons, I don't read music, don't play my instruments "by the books"..... so I'm just a hick in a conversation like this, with people who play like you do.  :D  I'm just bored. I wish it was morning, I don't want to go to sleep....... but I can't hardly sit up all night. (or....CAN I? ) Muahahaha. Nah, you don't want me on here yackin' tomorrow after a night of no sleep, I'd be too dissoriented and GrUmPy.  :yes:




....... I told ya to not elaborate on that silly comment. I was making an inside little joke with you. Though, I am gonna put it on my resume...... as you know, a "professional affiliation".  :rotflmao:

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♥ Laugh your heart out, dance in the rain. Cherish the memories, ignore the pain. Love and learn, forget and forgive. Because you only have one life to live. ♥

Yes, Don has !   His band is amazing..  He's excellent....  Those guitarists are spectacular, that pedal steel player was really quite a talent !  That's no easy instrument to play either !.... Unfortuneately the songs Don sent were sent via "yousendit" and stuff on "yousendit" self destructs after a limited time...



Charmin this thread is open to all about any aspects of country,bluegrass, blues, folk, etc., guitarists, fiddle players from Charlie Daniels to Nigel Kennedy...etc.. It's interesting how geographically even in the US, different locations even when listening to particular styles have their own particular type of  flavor... Here in NY, and New England, (Boston area) your more inclined to hear Jazz fusion styles, more of a Rock blues style such as the Stevie Ray Vaughan clone types, with more of a cliche guitar blues style... We have few steel guitar players out here, and Surf is almost never heard, country perhaps in PA, and south of where I am, yet not the quality of country and eclectic flavor of musicians grounded in styles that folks in your area are grounded in such as blues/Country/Surf styles you folks seem to have out in the Northwest,,,,Here in the East it's likely more along the lines of the NYC, or LA everything from Indie to 500 types of alternative to classic rock cover.... Yet we don't have the "bluesman" found in the Midwest, South, West and Northwest... I'd say there's a shortage of real bluesman here.... Yet plenty of R&B cover guitarists....that can play fusion, blues, and jazz styles... It doesn't have the "heart" your music has out there.... I can really feel the energy...listening and watching these guys,,,, Makes me homesick for music and musicians.......I don't consider our bluesbands to be as vibrant for some reason as what I'm picking up from watching some of your portland area artists, and I've heard a few Seattle musicians WHOA !!!!  I never knew what I was missing.... I feel like I'm in a third world location in terms of artistic ability here in CT.... Some of the talent in Seattle is really amazing..

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

No formal music lessons are required here!  LOL   You've got a great ear for music and you know what's good and what's sucky!  Talk about bluegrass --
Share your knowledge with us ignorant types!  Seriously.  

I know that to be true in all styles of music. For instance (here comes the bluegrass blabber... haha): My dad was raised in Oklahoma. He got a fiddle at a young age from his Uncle who played & was from Louisiana. My dad never ever had lessons, he can't read a stitch of music. But, luckily, he was blessed with a good ear for tone & rythm. He has a unique style of southern fiddle playing, a bit of a Texas Swing style, a bit of Irish style....but heavily flavored with Cajun. His biggest influences were Doug Kershaw & Harry Choates.

A few years ago, I talked him into joining the Old Time Fiddlers, so he would get into playing more publicly again. (he was in bands for years.... but that died out years ago, when he recoverd from alcoholism) When we joined the OTF, I was surprised at the style of music being played. Alot of the same songs me & my dad played- but very different styling.  And though..... I'm light years away from being anywhere near able to play at the level my dad does, I guess my style is picked up from him, I play in much the same manner, as far as bowing technique and stuff. (though, like I said, I'm very amatuer at it yet) The OTF members heard the difference as well, they immediately started asking where he was from, knowing it was not an "Oregon" style of fiddling. And they always remarked to me that I had my dad's style. Kinda funny though, the differences there really are in styles just across a few states.  (even on the exact same songs)

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♥ Laugh your heart out, dance in the rain. Cherish the memories, ignore the pain. Love and learn, forget and forgive. Because you only have one life to live. ♥

 :roll:  :roll:

You KNOW I got my hands on my hips, and I'm shaking my head in a "Silly Don!!" type of way, right?  LOL

Ya SEE what happens when Charm gets sleepy?  :D

Speaking of............. G'nite both of ya. My eyes are gettin' droopy, and I want my pillow.  :wave:

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♥ Laugh your heart out, dance in the rain. Cherish the memories, ignore the pain. Love and learn, forget and forgive. Because you only have one life to live. ♥