Big Leather Couch

Back from NOLA and a wonderful weekend with Andy, Janice and Nancy.

We walked all over the city in two days - Garden District, French Quarter, Marigny Bywater area...

We ate some grand food. Had beignets at Cafe DuMond while watching the end of the Ochsner Triathlon - which became a bi-athelon since the water was too rough to do the swim.

A great dinner was had at Praline Connection on Frenchman Street.

We also enjoyed a wonderful meal at the Gumbo Shop.

Saw some great music. We did go to Preservation hall and got to see Jazz there with the Tommy Sancton New Orleans Jazz Band.

On Bourbon Street we hung at the Tropical Isle - Bayou Club because T'Canaille were a great Cajun/Zydeco band.

Unfortunately, the one act we wanted to see, John Boutte canceled right before show time.

All in all a fantastic weekend. It was sad to see it end.

And we had the most spectacular weather - both days 80 degrees and zero humidity.

Will have pictures in the next few days. Nancy had to stay behind for work, so I drove home by myself yesterday.

Hopefully she comes home tomorrow.


Will be deleting a bunch of links in my friend area in the next few days also. Some are no longer blogging and some just don't come by any longer, so there is no need for the links - JAY. your link is staying dude!

Hope your weekend was the enjoyable break from the hectic workweek...well, that is IF you have a hectic workweek and IF you work. I know there are a number of people out in the blogosphere who, for whatever reason do not work or work from home. Now I could deal with working from home.

Had to complete two album reviews this weekend. All I can say before they are published is that one was a struggle to deal with and one was a pleasure, though difficult to write about.
Both were instrumental guitar albums. One with multiple guitar tracks and synthetic backing instruments. The other was fingerstyle acoustic guitar. Unless you go all educational and technical on technique - which I am not qualified to do - how do you describe each song? With a band or even a solo artist who has vocal, you can comment and dissect the songs.

Well, I did it and one artist is not going to be happy and one will be pleased.

Headin' to NOLA this Thursday evening to meet up with best bud Andy and his bride Janice. Have know them for almost 40 years. Due to circumstances beyond their control they could not make the wedding, so they have never met Nancy.

We will be staying at the Dauphine Orleans Hotel and seeing music on Friday and Saturday evening. Sunday might bring on an airboat tour so we can see some gators and snakes and hear banjo music no, that was Georgia. Will be their first time there and mine also! I have been in the city the night before the cruise, but did not get a chance to do anything after our family dinner. Should be a blast!

MUSIC ON THE COUCH

MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2011
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THE SUGAR PROPHETS
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BUSY!!!!! Last week was 103 client invoices and then this weekend, I spent about 10 hours finishing up the DVD Project for a client's husband's 40th birthday. I think it turned out fantastic...and so did she after we reviewed it yesterday at lunch.

I have 4 edits to make to it and it will be complete. I also have another meeting for a new client to do one for another birthday celebration.

All-Star break for baseball going on right now...I am struggling in one of my fantasy leagues...doing well in another and sitting in the middle of the third.

Need to review my pitching staff on the bad team and make some adjustments.

The trip to New York is off. Nancy's schedule to Louisiana and our current finances have interrupted that trip. But it looks like I might be joining my best friend Andy in the Dominican in February for a few days of relaxation...

Then we have the cruise with my family over Thanksgiving and a possible trip to San Antonio for Christmas...though that one is still T.B.D.

Finally for today....got this link from brother Rich this weekend in an email that had the subject "Now Aren't You Glad This Is Not You?"

I can tell you in all my years doing parties...This was NEVER me...but this guy is one crazy MoFo...check it out HERE

Hope you can join me this evening as I interview JOSHUA STEDMAN a young funk/soul/rock musician and songwriter who knows how to spin a phrase. Before Joshua, MICHEL SOKOLOWSKI of the group SOKOBAND will take a seat on The Couch. Sokoband is a trio of superb musicians who weave their skills through improvisational jazz-rock instrumentals.

Show time is 9:00pm central and you can listen or even join the chat room HERE, or listen to the show after it ends at MUSIC ON THE COUCH or you can subscribe and have it delivered to your iTunes doorstep each week, just like the milkman of yore would drop off those glass bottles of milk into your milk box each morning before dawn...for that feature, just click HERE.

Thanks to all for the suggestions regarding the text spam...good friend DANA from "Amid Life's Crisis" did remind me that as a Verizon subscriber I can go onto my account and block the phone numbers I do not want to receive text messages from...all is good and safe in the world again!

So, it seems that Little Ms. Annie of ANNIE & BURL LIVE on BlogTalk Radio has challenged me to a duel to the death contest of Name That Tune. The two kids were doing their show last evening and The Burl (he is know to all his friends, relatives and creditors as THE Burl) mentioned my new show "Music On The Couch" which will premier on February 8th at 9:00pm central time (shameless plugs will continue!) and Annie feels like she can beat me in this musical trivia contest...

The challenge has been accepted and now we await a time and place for me to show the world that she can not compete with me....

y'all know I am now going to lose this contest by a landslide and look like a dang fool...but what the heck-a-doodle - it should be fun anyway.

So, yesterday I was working on booking some additional guests for the show and stopped by the website of a gentleman we reviewed here on The Couch last year...Mr. Charlie Morris, who is one hell of a musician and songwriter.

I knew Mr. Morris spends time in Switzerland each year and was looking at his schedule when something on the front page caught my eye...

I was really floored to see it and it made me smile!

Since it is that time of year, let me announce I will NOT be giving up meat or bread or pasta or anything else for Lent...

Just needed to clear the air on that...

Traveling back to Dallas on Monday and will be there through Wednesday, but this trip is not as intense as the last one, so I should be visiting and posting the whole time...I just hope it gets a little warmer before I go.



HAVE A DANG FINE WEEKEND ALL

Here's hoping y'all had a nice weekend.

Woke up on Friday in New Hampshire at about 5:00am EDT. Flew back to Memphis, arriving around 1:00pm CDT met up with Nancy and the boys and headed out to Muscle Shoals, AL.

Arrived at about 5:00pm and headed right to the ball fields. Made it back to the hotel somewhere around 11:00pm.

Game was played with some moisture throughout, but nothing horrible.

Saturday we were set to play at 5:00pm and then at 7:00pm. Woke to rain, rain rain and games delayed 3 hours. Our first game began closer to 9:20pm. And then the skies opened. We only got in two innings. Never even got close to playing the second game that night.

Sunday woke to find out we had our second game at 10:00am. See, i they did not get us a second game, they had to refund the entry fee.

The field was a quagmire. The complex had run out of Diamond Dust (The stuff they put on the field to absorb moisture). Now, I have run tournaments in the past when rains had wrecked havoc and we had run out of Diamond Dust.

So, what did I do? I went to PetsMart and bought huge bags of kitty litter - HECK-A-DOODLE, it does the same darn thing. But apparently, the people running this tournament did not think it was necessary.

The boys played four innings (just enough to make the game official) and then they put a rain hold on it. The radar showed no break. The field had water all over it and they say "Wait an hour and we will see..."

What a bunch of hooey. Luckily, our coaches finally said "We are not putting our players back out on that field" and we all headed home.

Stopped for some lunch and then headed to Nancy's. By the time we got there, unloaded the car and I made it home, it was 4:30pm and I am dragging - seriously dragging.

That and four nights on not so comfortable beds and I have some back spasms...so I am off to bed.

Tomorrow, Scott Krokoff is joining Doc, Dangerous and myself on the Radio Happy Hour, so today some more of this man's really great music.

I will be back on track tomorrow...so hang in with me and don't forget about your buddy in Memphis.

Thanks to y'all for the wonderful birthday wishes for Mom Joan. She was touched that y'all said such nice things...

We are beginning to take on water down here in Memphis...it really would be nice to see the sun again...

This is "Holy Fire"

Welcome back my friends to where the music never ends...and that will be evident this week. Today I am on the way to Atlanta and due to some delays with mail data, will be there through Friday.

Strangely enough, my flight is now half the cost as is was when I booked it a month ago when I was only staying until Wednesday.

So, I have set up a post each day to bring a new band or artist.

I thought Bruce and the E Street Band did a hell of a job last night...

Let's first disclose the winners of last week's CDs...

Pat Monahan's CD Last Of Seven is on the way to TUG of "Just Tug Photos" and the Glasvegas CD will be flying 'across the pond' to our friend TOPCHAMP of "Bad Jokes and Oven Chips". Topchamp, I need your snail mail address.

Now...Bruce Springsteen's new brilliant work Working On A Dream will be finding a home in a castle with a Queen if MIMI of "Mimi Writes" will open the drawbridge and let the messenger in. Mimi...snail mail please.

To begin this week, first out of the block is the band The Pimps Of Joytown...think Curtis Mayfield mixed with Sly & the Family Stone, add a dash of Santana and thrown in a little rock and roll for good measure.

This is a case of the book not being like the cover for me. Looking at the track listings, I was expecting more of a rap/hip hop sound coming from this band - and that is how iTunes classified them, but hitting play, I was immediately thrown into a chair dance.

Their web site is not complete, though they have a myspace page HERE. They are a foursome with band members Brian J., Hagar, Mayteana and Chauncey.

Myspace pages don't give you a lot of information on bands many times and this is one of them.

This is from their PR bio:

The genre-defying Pimps of Joytime pay homage to funk, afrobeat, latin and hip hop, combining loops and live playing in a way that is seamless and infectious. The joyful noise you'll hear is a heady musical gumbo sure to get you moving. Their eclectic debut album "High Steppin'" is available now on Wonderwheel Recordings.

The Pimps of Joytime are the ultimate desert island band. PJT’s can turn a lifetime in isolation into a party that never ends. This multi-ethnic group hits all the marks and crosses all the barriers, bridging the gap between underground funk, soul, pop, dance, afrobeat and latin, filling every song with soulful harmonies and great vibes.

Brian J is the band’s ringmaster. He started PJT’s in Brooklyn back in 2005, where they cut their teeth while playing clubs in Williamsburg and the East Village. On stage, he’s the lead singer and guitarist, and in the studio, he’s the funkiest one-man-band this side of Minneapolis.

Mixing samples and dance beats with tasty live musicianship and sweet vocal harmonies, The Pimps of Joytime have evolved into the current five-piece that gets crowds on their feet from London to New York to San Francisco. Somehow, PJT’s found a way to put a modern twist on a retro sound, creating dirty, ass-shakin’ grooves like no one else out there.

2008 was a great year for The Pimps of Joytime—they put out two albums on DJ Nickodemus’ Wonderwheel Recordings, “High Steppin” and “Funk Fixes and Remixes”. 2009 is gonna be even better—with a new record on the way and a team in place to bring this band to the masses across the USA and beyond.

I have both of the CD's mentioned above ready to share with two guests here on The Couch.

Check them out and cast your ballot...as always the band is aware they are being introduced here on The Couch...so leave a comment and let them know what you think...
From the High Steppin' CD, first up is "Street Sound" and then from the Funk Fixes & Remixes CD, "Funky Brooklyn"

Leaving today on a 3-day business trip. Yesterday was crazed and I only visited a few of you...over the next three days I am not sure how many visits I will slip in, so please understand.

This week, for RUBY TUESDAY we will give you a shot that was in our Graceland video from last week. This is a display inside the Elvis Car Collection building.

I just love the old fins on the cars and the bright red of the gas pump. Hope you enjoy...

Remember to click on the banner above to head over to Mary/The Teach's blog ans see all the other entries...

So, 24 has begun with a blast! I missed this show...and LOST begins in a week or so...

Gonna leave you with another tune by Mr. Charlie Morris...I am lovin' this guy! This is from the live WHAT A SCENE! and is called "Swamp Hoe"...

ENJOY....

It's Friday!!!!!!!

You know, I had a post for HNT and totally forgot about it. It is going to be my first post for HNT and now all y'all are going to have to wait until next week.

Maybe I forgot because as of Monday Mom Joan and Dad Vince begin their summer sojourn. 2.5 months of car travel from Florida to Virginia (via the auto train) to Long Island / New Jersey to Saratoga Springs to the Berkshires to Cape Cod back to Long Island to Scranton, PA to South Carolina to Memphis and then finally back home in mid-September.

They do this every summer and it is amazing that one of them have not been found lying on the side of the road! JUST KIDDING!

Safe travels...Love you and can not wait for you to pull into Memphis. They will be meeting darlin' Nancy at that time and I look forward to it.

If you did not see it in the comments, Nancy thanks all of you who left heartwarming messages about the loss of Sam.

My Dear Vinny, Thank you for sharing the loss of our beloved pet Sam with all your wonderful readers. My addition to your post is to let everyone know of the 11 years Sam was part of our family, I can honestly say he was one hell of a cat. Even in the waiting room yesterday I had brought some treats and as Peter was holding him I offered a palm full … Sam politely put his paw on my hand with one claw inserted (ouch) to let me know HEY I may be sick but don’t you dare take those treats away. A huge hug & kiss to everyone for their kind comments.

Not sure what the weekend holds for us as I write this early Thursday evening. As I have mentioned son Peter is playing in the Mississippi State Championships, which began today. I have not heard a report on how his team did today. They need to get out of their bracket to continue on to playing on Saturday. If they are playing Nancy and I will hit the road early Saturday morning to get down near Jackson, MS to watch.

If, unfortunately, they do not advance, we will stay closer to home. Probably head over to the pool here at my complex and quench our thirsts with some cold brews.

We are planning on hitting the video store for an OLD MOVIE NIGHT this evening. I will let her select two of her favorite classics and we will crank up the surround sound, make something yummy for dinner and make some popcorn and just cuddle on the couch.

What are your plans for the weekend?

Have you checked out the summer show on CBS "Swingtown"? Set in 1976 it is the story of a Chicago suburb and the revolution of sex going on for the people that live there. I have found it real interesting and the soundtrack is most excellent. Liz Phair is the musical coordinator and is doing a great job. When I heard she was involved I was not sure if I would enjoy the soundtrack, but I have.

In the premier episode the newest addition to the neighborhood meets the couple across the street and they are the swinging couple. At one point Quaaludes are brought into the picture...I can't remember them being available anymore in 1976, but I could be mistaken...the years are sort of fuzzy...

OH dad... remember this is only a humor blog! Or is it??? bwahahahahahahahahahahaha

If you have not noticed, we have added a few new blogs to our FAV listing. If you have not already done so, check out Phfrankie Bondo's "Steamboat Slough". Phfrankie is musically hip and a pretty cool dude.

Also stop and say hey to "Charlene-in-AR". Charlene has been bopping around the bloggosphere for a little while now and finally decided to take the plunge. I actually met her during my match.com days. She and Nancy have met and you will be amazed at Charlene's (pronounced Char-lean) open, honest and blunt take on her interesting (for Doc B. - compelling, intriguing, captivating) account of her life.

Also, remember that Roger from "Idaho Daily Photo" is having a photo contest on his new site "Awarding Creative Photography" site. Post a photo you have taken on your site and go over and let Roger know. We missed the first submission deadline, but will most definitely get involved next week.

And on Tuesdays, our friend The Teach / Mary hosts "Ruby Tuesday". Just post a photo of something Red and let Mary know you are involved.

That's it for the week kiddies...OH, unless you want to check out this cute ditty Dad Vince sent to me yesterday. If you are a boomer, you will enjoy it... I did, though it most certainly DOES NOT fit me...

But this Tuneage sure does....

ENJOY....

"AMERICA"
Simon & Garfunkel

Some want to travel to Europe, and that would be nice, but I feel like it would be a sin to do that before seeing all that my incredible Country has to offer. Now I have been to many States (25 actually) and seen some incredible things.

The map below shows all of the states I have actually spent a night in over my life. Have I seen the natural beauty of all of these states? Unfortunately no, as some stays have been due to business, but I have seen many wonderful sights, including: (click to enlarge all photos)

In New York, south of Rochester is Letchworth State Park, (left) a relatively unknown work of nature. It is the largest canyon east of the Grand Canyon (a place I have never been to), and is full of nature at it's best.

Also the Finger Lakes region of New York State. Lush forests, beautiful lakes, wineries to tour...so much to do.

The caverns in Virginia, specifically Luray (right) and Skyline (the website seems to be down now, but you can try it HERE or read about the caverns HERE). I visited them as a child and had the opportunity to bring Matt to see the Luray Caverns when he was about the same age as I was.

The incredible White Mountains of New Hampshire, (left) on fire with fall colors...colors that I did not even know existed in nature. The Adirondacks of New York. The Smokeys of Tennessee (left below) and North Carolina. The Rockies in Colorado where I was able to ski at 13,000+ feet at Arapahoe Basin, (right below) above the tree line in a complete white-out where you skied with your feet and not your eyes.

The incredible beaches of Long Island (left below) where I grew up. I have always thought East-West beaches were the best. The wave action and the sand is different from North-South beaches. But you can not discount the beaches of the New Jersey Shore, Daytona Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami Beach, or The Keys (center below) of Florida and Hampton Beach in New Hampshire and the Outer Banks (right below) in North Carolina.


The beauty of Boston (left below) and Philadelphia (center left below) and Washington, DC (center right below) and Gettysburg (right below). Our history literally unfolds in front of your eyes.


What is the one place in the US that you have visited that struck you as the most perfect natural beauty? For me it has to be Niagara Falls.


What is the one place in the US that you have not been to, but want to visit before you leave the world? I think the Grand Canyon,


But after viewing the video linked below there are so many others also.

I received this incredible video from Dad Vince yesterday and wanted to share it with all y'all...

Enjoy....