Showing posts with label LeeLee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LeeLee. Show all posts

When Real Life and Blog Life Become One...

Sparks Of Insanity By Vinny "Bond" Marini Thursday, August 06, 2009 22 Of Your Sparks

I went over to visit my friend LeeLee of “Thoughts & Meanderings” yesterday. She has been bitten by the FB bug so she does not blog as much as she used to.

Today was a post with the Eric Clapton song “Tears In Heaven” and a note that it was for her friend JL4.

I shot over to visit to see what it was about and from the posts nothing looked different. But in the comment section for the last post was a comment. In part it said this:
This is his daughter. If I knew the password for this blogger account I would be making a formal post and not just a comment. But unfortunately I don't know it and couldn't even begin to guess…I'm sad to report that my dad passed away early in the morning on July 31st.. Quickly, painlessly and easily. For those familiar with his earlier posts I'm sorry to say: the monster won. But never was there a more worthy adversary.

What a sad thing for a child to have to do. And I also thought about the fact that his blog will stay on his last post forever...a very funny posting BTW…This was it in it’s entirety:

California Commissions New Quarter

I did go back to the beginning of his posting time; he began blogging about 2 months before I in January of 2006.

OK, so the guy was a Red Sox fan…can not hold that against him (well, I would have given him some grief if I had known of his blog...in one of his first entries he states; "Oh...and I absolutely have a life-long love affair with the Boston Red Sox. Remember the snobbery part mentioned above? That applies to anyone coming on here going "go Yankees" or anything imbecile like that as well. I don't like the Yankees or Yankee fans. If that upsets you, get over it.")

JL4 was a Republican, who back in 2006 wrote "I'm a republican who is deeply troubled with the actions of the current administration, and no...that doesn't mean I'm becoming a democrat and I now want to hear your babbling baloney either."

The guy was very funny. He had a great sense of humor. I will continue to read through his posts while they exist.

I asked myself why...why am I compelled to read a blog written by a man who admittedly, without meeting me, doesn't like me simply because I am a Yankee fan. A man who on his profile answered the question "You're wearing a sweater that stretches down to your feet. What color belt do you put on?"
With the answer, "I'm not gay, therefore I don't wear sweaters."

It could be because in some strange blcidence (in MIMI of "Mimi Writes" speak that is blog + coincidence), he and I are/were similar in some ways.

JL4 says in one of his first posts, "I use the ... 3-dot thing a lot. Why I don't know. Gramatically(sic), I couldn't tell you the first thing about what it means. I guess for me it's just a way of expressing the way I pause for thought or effect. In most cases it will be for effect, because true thought rarely enters my head." Well, if you have been here more than two days in a row, you know the "... 3-dot thing" lives here on The Couch.

But, I'll tell you what? When or if I figure out why I now feel compelled to read on, I will share it with y'all.

Another thing I keep coming back to his daughter hopeful to put up one last post for her dad and not knowing his password.

A few years ago, I thought about sending my password and instructions on what to do if something ever happened to me to either Matt or my best friend, as I was living alone in Memphis and had just had my first real scare (kidney stones, all alone, having to call the ambulance with no one nearby to reach out to)...but that, even then, seemed too freakin' morbid...

Now, with Nancy, it is easy.

I wonder though…have you thought about that? Do you have a contingency plan in place for your blog? Hell, do you have a will?

Jorma & Jack at the Fox Theater in Boulder, CO on December 13th 2000. "Death Don't Have No Mercy"



Finally Friday....

Sparks Of Insanity By Vinny "Bond" Marini Friday, December 12, 2008 23 Of Your Sparks

Got most of the lights fixed tonight, but did not have the big ladder for the one last strand that fell like the stock market...will get that done tomorrow and then it is off to Greensboro for the Christmas Party this weekend.

Bought Nancy a new dress for her birthday later this month. She picked it out --- I picked it up...EXCEPT...they gave me the wrong dang dress...

YUP..you got it folks...ready set

HECK-A DOODLE!!!!!!!!

SO, I am back to the store tomorrow with a picture of the one the woman was SUPPOSED to give me...Should have pictures on Monday...

Not enough hours in the day...not enough days in the week...not enough weeks in the year...

I get moved tomorrow at work, so I have to be in a tad early...BUT..I get a window!!! WOOOO!!!

Yup, as of tomorrow, just like TRAVIS from "Trav's Thoughts", I get a window to look out on! Unlike Travis, whose window looks over the Puget Sound, I get a class-A vision of the parking lot!

Hey it beats looking at the woman who sits in the cube next to my old one. LOL

My friend LEELEE from "Thoughts And Meanderings" has a video of Bruce and the band on Conan O'Brien and I have to tell you...Clarence Clemons is looking more and more like Wesley Snipes...it is almost scary...Don't believe me...go check it out!

OK, it is late...but PLEASE head on over and wish DIANNE from "Forks Of The Moment" a very HAPPY BLOGGOVERSARY!!!!

She is not feeling well and I know she will appreciate the shouts of congrats from all y'all...tell her Bond sent ya...

Until Monday...

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!!!!!

Brian Setzer Orchestra "Rocking Around The Christmas Tree"

ENJOY......


Floundering Friday...And A Special Gift!

Sparks Of Insanity By Vinny "Bond" Marini Friday, October 24, 2008 17 Of Your Sparks

WOW long a** day...we are starting to build the mail plan for 2009 and that means numbers, numbers, numbers...figuring out days we will mail based upon past swarm dates for Termites all across the country...they deciding who gets 1 mailing, 2 mailings, 3 mailings or 4 mailings...


Then I have to calculate the types of mailings and the print run splits and work on estimates and send out Requests for Quotations..

And did your head explode yet? LOL

It was chilly and rainy here all day long...yuk...

Finally got home late and had to seal and freeze all the meats I bought at the grocery store yesterday. Got to eat dinner at about 8:30pm and sat down to watch the World Series.

Next thing I knew, my eyes were beginning to flutter and I had not written one word of this post...

So, here is the brilliance you get for today! LOL


Remember...all next week is NEW MUSIC TUNEAGE TUTELAGE!!!!

Come on by and find some new music...maybe you will hear something that causes your auditory senses to tingle and you can put in your case for receiving the CD.

Now I just found out that a couple of the artists are no longer sending out CDs, not sure I will feature them next week or not, but if I do I will alert you to the fact that they will not be available for give-away...but will direct you to a place you can order them.

Am I even making sense today?


Make sure you shoot over to MATT MAN'S and MICKEY-T'S sites to find out how much trouble they got into yesterday as Mickey is visiting Bagwine, OH!


And then finally, today I received a very very cool gift in the mail from my friend LeeLee. It came with a letter in which she writes:

"When we were visiting North Carolina recently, I stopped in a favorite little gift shop in Raleigh. I heard this lovely music playing in the background. Being curious by nature especially about music I like, I asked who the artist was. It sounded like Leo Kotke, but more than anything it sounded very American and very Southern.

He told me it was by a North Carolinian named Etta Baker and he heard the music on NPR (of which I am a fan). He recalled that buying the CD was a help to Music Maker Foundation.

I was intrigued and when I got home I did a little research and found the CD. Knowing you enjoy excellent music and like a story behind the music, I thought this would be something you would enjoy. Ms. Baker certainly is a talent...and I am certainly a fan.

These recordings were made in her living room and in the first song you can hear a bird singing along with her playing. How fantastic."

Well, LeeLee, you are most certainly correct in that I love excellent music and also love the story behind the music and I am THRILLED by this special gift!!!

From the CD, we find out the following:
"Etta Baker of Morgantown, NC was born in 1913 and has been playing guitar since she was 4-years old. She is the premier woman Piedmont blues guitar instrumentalist. Her only contemporary was the late Elizabeth Cotton of Carrboro, NC. Etta maintains a beautiful yard and garden. She is constantly working on new arrangements as she plays guitar everyday. These recordings were made at her home and yes, a finch really did fly in her living room, sat atop the door and performed a wonderful duet" - Tim Duffy.

None other than the brilliant Taj Mahal wrote:
"Possessing a stunning beauty her husband refused to let her travel and perform away from home....This gracious grandmother was the was the source of a great deal of joy and surprise when I found that she still played guitar after I had heard her early recordings in the 60's. One of the signature chords of my vocabulary comes from her version of "Railroad Bill" This was the first guitar picking style that I ever learned."

Ms. Baker recorded a CD with Taj entitled ETTA BAKER in 2004 that I am going to have to track down and appeared on a CD entitled 10 DAYS OUT- BLUES FROM THE BACKROADS, with Kenny Wayne Shepard which also includes a DVD that shows Kenny & Etta playing guitar in her kitchen.

From the sheet that LeeLee included:
Music Maker Relief Foundation strives to help true pioneers and forgotten heroes of Southern music gain recognition and meet their day to day needs. We support the health and well being of these legendary musicians.

I had to share a couple of the songs on this CD (recorded in 1999) with all y'all today. The CD is entitled RAILROAD BILL. The first tune is Ms. Baker along with her friendly finch and is entitled "Carolina Breakdown". Then we will let you hear the title track "Railroad Bill"...and finally, one of my all time favorite tunes which was a staple for the Grateful Dead in concert "Going Down The Road Feeling Bad". The entire CD is filled with gems like these.

March 31, 1913 –September 23, 2006

Hope you ENJOY.....Have a marvelous weekend!







Tuneage Tutelage - The Allman Brothers - Wrap Up

Sparks Of Insanity By Vinny "Bond" Marini Friday, October 03, 2008 18 Of Your Sparks

Want to start off by sending some Birthday wishes out today. Our most excellent friend LeeLee is celebrating her 50th today. Stop by and wish her well. She is traveling and spending her birthday with family, which is real cool, but it will be even cooler if she has all sorts of birthday wishes when she checks in. She is a big music fan and I thought this cake was appropriate for her.


Second up, this weekend the funny, sarcastic Sparky Duck celebrates a birthday and even gets to see Bruce Springsteen to celebrate. Head over and give him a quack and wish his Oregon Ducks well as they take on USC on Saturday! What other kind of cake would you give a duck?

Finally, tell Anndi Happy Birthday as she celebrates today.

Let 'em know Bond sent ya!


Gee, I have received this wonderful honor yesterday from one of our newest friends, DIANNE. I really need to arrange my awards again (hell I need to bring out the new template, but I have not had the time to tweak it)...Thank you Dianne..she said some nice words also..."I pass the Arte‘y Pico on to BOND. One of my newest friends. He truly should be a music professor, a guru of the arts. He does his homework; he presents eclectic choices in music plus all the other things his “couch” offers up."




ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND - Part 4

To read Part 1 go HERE
To read Part 2 go HERE
To read Part 3 go HERE

We end this week of Allman Brothers with some basic facts, more pictures (remember, all photos enlarge by clicking on them), and music for you to enjoy...

ALLMAN BROTHERS DISCOGRAPHY:
November 1969 - The Allman Brothers Band
September 1970 - Idlewild South
July 1971 - At Fillmore East (Live)
April 1972 - Eat a Peach (Part Live)
September 1973 - Brothers and Sisters
August 1975 - Win, Lose or Draw
November 1976 - Wipe the Windows, Check the Oil, Dollar Gas (Live)
February 1979 - Enlightened Rogues
1980 - Reach for the Sky
1981 - Brothers of the Road
October 1990 - Seven Turns
July 1991 - Shades of Two Worlds
March 1992 - An Evening with the Allman Brothers Band: First Set (Live)
May 1994 - Where It All Begins
1995 - An Evening with the Allman Brothers Band: 2nd Set (Live)
November 2000 - Peakin' at the Beacon (Live)
March 2003 - Hittin' the Note
March - 2004 One Way Out (Live)

"Retrospective" live albums are various recorded, unreleased, archived concerts during the early years of The Allman Brothers Band. Most were recorded before the death of lead guitarist Duane Allman.
1991 - Live at Ludlow Garage: 1970
1996 - Fillmore East, February 1970
2002 - American University 12/13/70
October 2003 - Live at the Atlanta International Pop Festival: July 3 & 5, 1970
2003 - S.U.N.Y. at Stonybrook: Stonybrook, NY 9/19/71
2004 - Macon City Auditorium: 2/11/72
2005 - Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY: 5/1/73
2007 - Boston Common, 8/17/71

Compilations and box sets
Beginnings (1973), a re-release of the band's first two albums
The Road Goes On Forever (compilation, 1975)
Dreams (box set, 1989)
A Decade of Hits 1969-1979 (compilation, 1991)
The Fillmore Concerts (2cd box set, 1992)
Ramblin' Man (compilation, 1992)
Hell & High Water: The Best of the Arista Years (compilation, 1994)
Legendary Hits (compilation, 1995)
Mycology: An Anthology (compilation, 1998)
20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Allman Brothers Band (compilation, 2000)
Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: The Allman Brothers (compilation, 2003)
Stand Back: The Anthology (compilation, 2004)
The Essential Allman Brothers Band: The Epic Years (compilation, 2004)
Gold (compilation reissue of expanded The Road Goes On Forever, 2005)

SINGLES:
1969 "Black Hearted Woman"
1970 "Revival" - US #92
1972 "Ain't Wastin' Time No More" - US #77
1972 "Melissa" - US #86
1972 "One Way Out" - US #86
1973 "Ramblin' Man" - US #2
1973 "Jessica" - US #65
1975 "Nevertheless" - US #67
1975 "Louisiana Lou and Three Card Monty John" - US #78
1979 "Crazy Love" - US #29
1979 "Can't Take It With You" - US #105
1980 "Angeline" - US #58
1980 "Mystery Woman"
1981 "Straight from the Heart" - US #39
1981 "Two Rights"
1990 "Good Clean Fun"

BAND LINE-UPS:
(1969-1971)
* Gregg Allman - organ, piano, guitar, vocals
* Duane Allman - guitar, slide guitar
* Dickey Betts - guitar, slide guitar, vocals
* Berry Oakley - bass, vocals
* Butch Trucks - drums, tympani
* Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson - drums, percussion

(1971-1972)
* Gregg Allman - organ, piano, guitar, vocals
* Dickey Betts - guitar, slide guitar, vocals
* Berry Oakley - bass, vocals
* Butch Trucks - drums, tympani
* Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson - drums, percussion

(1972)
* Gregg Allman - organ, piano, guitar, vocals
* Dickey Betts - guitar, slide guitar, vocals
* Berry Oakley - bass, vocals
* Butch Trucks - drums, tympani
* Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson - drums, percussion
* Chuck Leavell - piano, synthesizer, background vocals

(1972-1976)
* Gregg Allman - organ, piano, guitar, vocals
* Dickey Betts - guitar, slide guitar, vocals
* Butch Trucks - drums, tympani
* Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson - drums, percussion
* Chuck Leavell - piano, synthesizer, background vocals
* Lamar Williams - bass, vocals

(1978-1980)
* Gregg Allman - organ, piano, guitar, vocals
* Dickey Betts - guitar, slide guitar, vocals
* Butch Trucks - drums, tympani
* Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson - drums, percussion
* Dan Toler - Guitar
* David Goldflies - bass

(1980-1982)
* Gregg Allman - organ, piano, guitar, vocals
* Dickey Betts - guitar, slide guitar, vocals
* Butch Trucks - drums, tympani
* Dan Toler - Guitar
* David Goldflies - bass
* David "Frankie" Toler - Drums
* Mike Lawler - Keyboards

(1989-1990)
* Gregg Allman - organ, piano, guitar, vocals
* Dickey Betts - guitar, slide guitar, vocals
* Butch Trucks - drums, tympani
* Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson - drums, percussion
* Warren Haynes - guitar, slide guitar, vocals
* Allen Woody - bass, background vocals
* Johnny Neel - keyboards, harmonica

(1991-1997)
* Gregg Allman - organ, piano, guitar, vocals
* Dickey Betts - guitar, slide guitar, vocals
* Butch Trucks - drums, tympani
* Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson - drums, percussion
* Warren Haynes - guitar, slide guitar, vocals
* Allen Woody - bass, background vocals
* Marc Quiñones - drums, percussion, background vocals

(1997-1999)
* Gregg Allman - organ, piano, guitar, vocals
* Dickey Betts - guitar, slide guitar, vocals
* Butch Trucks - drums, tympani
* Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson - drums, percussion
* Marc Quiñones - drums, percussion, background vocals
* Oteil Burbridge - bass, vocals
* Jack Pearson - guitar, vocals

(1999-2000)
* Gregg Allman - organ, piano, guitar, vocals
* Dickey Betts - guitar, slide guitar, vocals
* Butch Trucks - drums, tympani
* Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson - drums, percussion
* Marc Quiñones - drums, percussion, background vocals
* Oteil Burbridge - bass, vocals
* Derek Trucks - guitar, slide guitar

(2000)
* Gregg Allman - organ, piano, guitar, vocals
* Butch Trucks - drums, tympani
* Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson - drums, percussion
* Marc Quiñones - drums, percussion, background vocals
* Oteil Burbridge - bass, vocals
* Derek Trucks - guitar, slide guitar
* Jimmy Herring - guitar

(2001-present)
* Gregg Allman - organ, piano, guitar, vocals
* Butch Trucks - drums, tympani
* Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson - drums, percussion
* Warren Haynes - guitar, slide guitar, vocals
* Marc Quiñones - drums, percussion, background vocals
* Oteil Burbridge - bass, vocals
* Derek Trucks - guitar, slide guitar

Live/Studio Musicians:
* Thom Doucette - Harmonica and Percussion(for the At Fillmore East concert and various albums)
* Randolph Carter - Saxophone (for the At Fillmore East concert)
* Bobby Caldwell - Percussion(for the At Fillmore East concert)
* Elvin Bishop - Vocals(for the At Fillmore East concert)
* Steve Miller - Piano(for the At Fillmore East concert)
* Les Dudek - Lead and Acoustic Guitar on Brothers and Sisters
* Johnny Sandlin - Acoustic Guitar, Percussion on Win, Lose or Draw
* Bill Stewart - Percussion on Win, Lose or Draw
* Joe Lala - Percussion on Enlightened Rogues
* Jim Essery - Harmonica on Enlightened Rogues
* Bonnie Bramlett - Backing Vocals on Enlightened Rogues


"Blue Sky" - Eat A Peach


"Seven Turns" - Seven Turns


"Come On In My Kitchen" - Shades Of Two Worlds


"Stormy Monday" - Live At The Fillmore East


"Statesboro Blues" - Live At The Fillmore East


Resources: wikipedia; Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; Allman Brothers Band web site; The book, “Skydog – the Duane Allman Story” given to me by my friend TurnBaby; My own knowledge of this band.



YA'LL HAVE A MOST WONDERFUL WEEKEND!

Eat A Peach For Peace!



Mini-Tutelage - Joe Bonamassa

Sparks Of Insanity By Vinny "Bond" Marini Thursday, July 24, 2008 21 Of Your Sparks

Thought I would share the original of the fireworks photo I submitted yesterday...loses a little of it punch without the solid black, in my humble opinion...




OK, HOW THE HELL HAVE I NOT HEARD OF THIS GUY????
JOE BONAMASSA!!!



Our good friend LeeLee brought him to our attention within the last week. After seeing the video she posted, I began doing some research on him and when I began to read his bio on his website, I just began shaking my head...

HOW THE HELL HAVE I NOT HEARD OF THIS GUY????

His pedigree is in a musical world that I live in...this is from his website:

Blues-rock guitar virtuoso, vocalist and songwriter Joe Bonamassa kicked off 2007 with the honor of being named Best Blues Guitarist by Guitar Player Magazine’s readership in their annual Reader’s Choice Awards. The year continues with the release of SLOE GIN, Bonamassa’s seventh solo album, and fourth on his own J&R Adventures label. A mix of heavy blues, big rock and textured acoustic tracks that Joe says was in part inspired by Rod Stewart’s legendary 1969 debut solo LP, it reunites him with producer Kevin Shirley (Joe Satriani, Black Crowes, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin).

Born in Utica, NY on May 8, 1977 – the day that would have been blues icon Robert Johnson’s 66th birthday – the now L.A.-based Joe Bonamassa’s own musical experience began with playing guitar at age four on a short-scale Chiquita given to him by his father, a guitar dealer and player himself.

By the time he was seven, he’d stepped up to a full-scale model and was uncannily mastering Stevie Ray Vaughan licks. At ten, he was gigging at venues in upstate New York, where he came to the legendary B.B. King’s attention. After initially hearing Bonamassa play, King – who personally asked Joe to open for his landmark 2005 80th birthday celebration tour – said, “This kid's potential is unbelievable. He hasn't even begun to scratch the surface. He's one of a kind.”

By the time he was twelve, Joe was touring with King, which led to opening slots for many other stars including Buddy Guy, Foreigner, George Thorogood, Robert Cray, Stephen Stills, Joe Cocker and Gregg Allman. Storied producer Phil Ramone once said of him, “prodigies come few and far between. I saw him take an audience apart.”

Bonamassa’s journeyman touring has built an audience of fans as legion and generation-spanning as his famed collaborators, and his live shows – over 150 a year – are breathtaking in their intensity. Beatles promoter Sam Leach compared the first time he saw Joe to his initial glimpse of the Fab Four at the Cavern Club – “I got that same feeling of excitement…Joe is the premiere Blues/Rock artist on the planet.”

Joe’s recording career launched in the early ’90s when he met Berry Oakley, Jr., son of the Allman Brothers Band bassist, and they formed Bloodlines, also featuring Robby Krieger’s son Waylon and Miles Davis’ son Erin. They released a self-titled CD praised for its hard-charging fusion of blues, funk, boogie and roadhouse rock.

The full range of Bonamassa’s talents, though, came into sharper relief after the group disbanded. His virtuoso playing finally had the room it needed, and his strength as an expressive singer emerged. “I started belting things out and found this voice I never knew I had,” he says. “I’d play around with emulating some of my favorite singers, Paul Rodgers, Gregg Allman, Rod Stewart. Ultimately, it’s allowed me a freedom as an artist I hadn’t felt before.”

HOW THE HELL HAVE I NOT HEARD OF THIS GUY????

Well, thanks to LeeLee I now have...and I am telling all y'all about him (except for those of you who will write that you knew about him all along and ask if I am living on a distant planet that is).


This is from an instructional CD...a quick listen to some tasty licks:


And one of the songs I bought at the iTunes store...but since you can not upload those files to lifelogger I went out and grabbed this on the net...
From his newest album SLOE GIN, this is entitled "Black Night"



Joe Bonamassa - Guitar
Anton Fig - Drums
Rick Melick - Keyboards
Carmine Rojas - Bass




Music On The Couch