Roots Review 27
Here's an example of the American Roots Music system.
Listen to the earliest sounds of Son House and Charlie Patton, then the distinctive blues guitar of Hubert Sumlin behind Howlin' Wolf, the electrified slide vibrato of Muddy Waters, then, Buddy Guy, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn then, come to American Roots Live at Crossroads in Garwood, New Jersey or the Bluetone Cafe in Easton, PA and hear Johnny Charles and Bernie BB Brauswetter whipping like two leaves on a tree in a hurricane - and you my friend have come full circle.
Two of them on stage together is an awesome experience indeed and one that you may have been fortunate enough to witness if you were at American Roots Live 27 Wednesday night down at the Crossroads. Yes, on stage together - shoulder to shoulder the two strat-masters rocked the house with JR Bradfield on bass and John Powers slappin' the skins.
Also, making their American Roots Live debut that night, and making their mark on our stage, was North Jersey's, The Congregation. We were mightily impressed by their musicianship, interesting material and arrangements and their professionalism. Playing witty, well crafted original songs, The Congregation's web site describes their music as a blending of blues, jazz, rock, soul and "cowboy themes" with a "distinctive flavor of pine trees and exhaust fumes"... they're right on - that's North Jersey, and that's The Congregation.
Thanks Evil Dick, Chuck, Sal and Rich. Hurry back!
Other inspired performances this night by Jukebox Jim Simino singing and playing his red Ovation double-necked guitar, Bones Sanford, Arlene Schar, Robert Z, Ed Pampani, Screamin' Mimi Nowak, Bob Del Rosso, Len De Piano, EJ Rice, Josh Gebhardt and John Powers who kicked off American Roots Live 27 with a crisp set of his original crowd pleasers including, Airplanes, Highway Lines and others.
On the Road
AR 27 saw three "back to back" performances this week. Bernie BB Brauswetter, JR Bradfield and Arlene Schar all made the drive to entertain audiences on back to back nights, Wednesday at Crossroads and Thursday at the Bluetone. They are the first to do so since John Powers did it for AR 24 and has committed to doing so again for AR 28.
Interesting things always happen when John Powers gets together with those musicians across the Delaware. Fan's should consider doing an ARLive "back to back" too.
Anyway, AR 27 at the Bluetone Cafe in Easton, PA was the place to be Thursday night if you dig dem live roots.
Joining us for the first time at American Roots Live Thursday was Dawn "Sugarfoot" Dengler playing drums and rounding out our guesthost band with AR All Stars JR Bradfield on guitars and vocals and Big Boy Kenny Nerbak thumpin' the bass.
JR Bradfield did the honors this night by beautifully playing the Star Spangled Banner on "stumpy", a guitar he hand crafted from an old tree in his backyard. Come see stumpy one night, JR will be happy to show you how his stumpavarious was made...
Outstanding performances at the Bluetone beyond those mentioned above were put in by American Roots favorites Billy K, Arlene Schar, Vern Mobely, Lori V, Sonny Young, Nick T, Leo, Danny B, Jason, Baja Zero, Eric and Chuck, Jeff, Jim, Jen and Niwana, Rob and of course the legendary Bernie BB Brauswetter.
Many thanks to our venues, ownership and staffs, all of the talented, dedicated musicians and singers who grace our stage week after week, our sponsors, supporters and friends, and the American Roots volunteers and ambassadors Powers and Chez and HoneyBoy Dupree who is gearing up for his show on October 14 at Alice Cooper Town with the Phoenix Blues Society, equipped with Elmore Magazines and the American Roots Movement message.
Please do your part. Come to the American Roots Live show nearest you and encourage your friends to do the same.
Keeping it real,
Ned
http://www.nastyned.com/
american-roots.blogspot.com
