MyWeek in Music April 18th to April 25th
by Scott Zensen
Photos by: Scott Zensen
This has been a busy week, therefore I will be splitting the article into two pages. Barbara Nesbitt at Kirin Sushi, Lou's Birthday Bash, and The Acoustic Alliance will be here. And Sven-Eric Seaholm and Michael Tiernan's dual CD release show and the show at Desi N Friends with Tim Flack and Brooklyn, Steph Johnson and Audrey Surface and other notable musicians will be on a separate page due to the length of this weeks article.
The Second Article is avaiilable now!
In the next section I have several blank spots and need help filling them out. If anyone knows who these people are and can help me put a name to their pictures. I would appreciate it and will put the info up as quickly as i get it!
Its been a wonderful week of music. If you didn't get out there and listen to at least some of it, well then you missed some special times. Usually I get out to a lot of shows each week and I did see quite a few, but not as many as I would have liked. Getting back to 7 to 10 shows a week is still a little ways off down the road because I still have so much to do on the site and so little time to do it. I probably bit off more than I can chew but I won't let that stop me.
I started MyWeek In Music off with going to a show on Friday a little later in the week than usual. I went to Kirin Sushi to listen to Barbara Nesbitt. Kirin Sushi is a quaint little sushi restaurant in Ocean Beach on Voltaire St. The show usually starts at 7 pm which is why I like to go to see whomever is playing there, because I still have time after the show is over to go to another show that night. I got there early and talked with Barbara as she was setting up. The restaurant had made a little more room for the artist to setup and sing than they normally provide and for once it didn't look like the musician was going to sing in someone's ear while they were eating. The closest booth can be a trifle close...even for good music. Barbara Nesbitt is about the finest singer/songwriter in town and that is not my opinion alone. Plenty of other people would agree with me. Normally she would sing with her band at other venues but there isn't a lot of extra room for many other musicians. Barbara has quite a few original songs and is just finishing up a new Cd that will be out very soon. but when she plays at Kirin the customers really like to hear familiar songs when there eating for some reason. Having played there many times Barbara learned this and has adapted. So I find it interesting and fascinating that Barbara knows a good selection of cover songs. I have listened to Barbara many times and she never did anything but her own songs at other venues. It was fascination because she is so damn talented she sings those cover songs like they were her very own. Songs by Janis Joplin and a lot of other people and they are done in her style like they were originally arranged just for her perfectly for her voice. It really shows what a wonderful range she has, she really has a golden voice! I once said that the Angelic choir sits in heaven in Envy.
Chance had looked upon me because a lot of close musical friends had shown up to listen as well. Two of the friends (Mike Spurgat and Bill Coomes) were two of her band and they were coaxed up to sing along on a couple of songs. When they sing together it is a soothing melodic sound that you don't want to stop. Unfortunately songs are only a few minutes long, breaking the spell. But its long enough to be pleasantly enjoyable and last the whole evening. During the break as I laughed with friends as they shot Edamame beans at each other, my ride had showed up and it was time to leave for the main event that night at Lestat's.
Tonight was Lou's Birthday Bash at Lestat's. Lou is the long established rock of Lestat's Sound booth and talent booker. If not for all of Lou's hard work we wouldn't have a Lestat's. so this was a celebration of almost a dozen local musicians who wanted to thank Lou for being there and all he has done for the local music scene in Normal Heights. The bill was amazing. Top of the list was supposed to be Gregory Page (since the stage there is named after him. But he was out of town on in a large recording studio and couldn't make it. First to the stage was the fantastic Robin Henkel doing all his blues magic on his guitar. He sings great too, but its his fingers dancing across strings that keep people glued to their seats. He did quite a few songs and then Anna Troy took the stage and she asked him to stay and accompany her since Robin is somewhat a mentor to Anna they often play together. Not that Anna needs any help from anyone getting people to enjoy her songs. She has a magical style all her own. A perfectly suited voice for her craft, she is a wiz on the guitar herself. Her day job is teaching others to play, she has even graciously offered to help teach me but I have never taken her up on it. Probably the biggest mistake I have ever made and I have made some large mistakes in my life.
Lisa Sanders is one of my favorite local singers. I know, I have a lot of favorite singers but I just can't pin it down to just one or two people. there is just two much talent in San Diego and frankly why limit ourselves. My favorite song by Lisa is "Angels" and another is "What's Love". both songs were done tonight but both are not yet for sale on a CD. But they will be on the next CD due out later this year. She sort of call's herself a cowgirl and I don't know if you would call her that or not, all i know is I like her voice, I like her songs and she can sing anywhere and if I can get there and afford it. then I would come to listen. She didn't disappoint anyone tonight, she was fantastic. they next person to honor Lou was Anya Marina a pretty blond waif of a girl with a wispy style that is great to listen to. A friend of mine told me she is an actress as well and also is a DJ at 94.9fm. She has a lot of fun with her lyrics and she's not bad on her guitar but it almost looks too big for her. But she plays it fine. I had never heard her before and liked what I heard but I think i will have to listen to her again sometime. The next girl up (and Lou seemed to have invited quite a few girls to play) was one of the most talented guitar players I have had the privilege to watch. Her name was _____________and she even had some sand paper attached to her guitar. She used her guitar as a drum, the sand paper as another sound effect and if you think those are gimmick's their not she could play, strum, pick, slap and do things to a guitar so well and so fast that it was amazing to watch. It sounded simply amazing!
Jamie Robb was next and one of the interesting things about her is she plays a left-handed guitar. The only other person I know that played a left-handed guitar was Paul McCartney but I know there are countless others who do as well. Someone I talked to that night said they didn't care much for her singing or playing but I remember enjoying it. I guess my standards are low. I don't think I am being influenced by a pretty face. but I really don't look at things like that and try to judge entirely on what I like in singing and songwriting. She fit the bill for me! a long time favorite singer took the stage but I had not heard her in quite a while probably not since last summer. She does a lot of touring, but I believe her roots are from here. But I am not certain she still lives here. Her name is Julie Mack and she simply is a great songwriter and a great singer and she has a beauty to her that is reminiscent of Indian Princesses possibly of the Sioux origins but I am no expert by any means. I just mean she has high cheek bones and looks like she has some Indian heritage somewhere in her genealogy. Her songs are very enlightening but my favorite song of hers is a cover she did on her CD Starlight Bungalow #37. The song was originally done by Dramarama and again in the 80's by Buck Cherry but I really like it done by Julie. The song was called "anything anything" and if you click on it in my radio player above and listen to the whole song even after the silent space. You will hear her doing more at the end...a live version at Lestat's (I assume, but they mention Normal Heights). Anyway her version is better than the original to me! Unfortunately I don't think she did it at Lou's b-day bash. I just remember it fondly.
The next gentleman__________up was a really good guitar player and he had a nice voice too! Good songs, but he kept reminding me of someone and I still can't put my finger on it. Not his playing style or voice even it was how he looked, not necessarily like I knew him before. But to tell the truth I think he reminds me of Homer Simpson's next door neighbor Flander's. But he was really good and I think he came down from L.A. but plans to come down to San Diego more often to play.
It was getting late and Lou had promised a surprise. Lou is often on stage as he fixes a sound problem or is hooking up 1/4 lines but he was just standing there and Aaron Bowen comes out and we assume Aaron is the surprise. He takes off the guitar and hands it to Lou and he straps it on and the rest of the band appears and viola! Lou is the lead guitarist of his very own band for the night. They played four songs but I can't remember all the songs. They were covers but he wailed on the guitar as the lead singer Aaron Thompson from the local punk band "Strangers Six" did several of the songs and then Isaac Cheong came out and sang two of the songs including an old Monkees song "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone". they were really turning it up and the audience was eating it up and having a ball. No one expected Lou to get up and play. Of course some people knew I was with Lou when he borrowed Doktor Dave's Amp a couple of weeks before but I didn't know he was playing on his birthday.
That wasn't the end of the night either, more entertainment was on its way! After Lou's band exited Josh Damigo came up and did quite a few songs from his album "Pocket Change" and other select songs. Josh is a powerhouse when you see him in action. He can captivate an audiences attention quickly and blow your mind with his talent. Its no wonder he win's a lot of awards for his singer/songwriting ability. And a nicer guy you won't meet. After Josh left the stage a keyboard was put on stage and a very cute girl took up her seat behind it. Her name is "___________" and her songs were very insightful but she sings and looks like she is a young teenager just out of high school but I don't think that is the case here. Her style is very innocent sounding, like a little girl lost in the big city. But such a nice voice and very sincere. Then Aaron Bowen took the stage for real this time along with a friend ____________who played the drums on a full kit. Aaron then wow'ed the crown showing his prowess with the guitar, doing jazz riffs and his friend would answer with a representation of what Aaron played but in drums. Kind of "a la" Dueling Banjos. Or like Buddy Rich did with some of the jazz greats he played with! It was short one song but then what do you do for an encore after that! But Lou's encore was to bring out Rob Dees and his comedy styling's. He did a few songs and was even backed up on the first slightly by his buddies Josh Damigo and Isaac Cheong. But he finished the show doing his Vegetarian song leaving the crowd laughing and wanting more! Derek Evans closed the show. Derek a=has a unigue picking and hammer style of playing the guitar. His songs are good and usually about something that has happened in his life. But still the unique thing about derek's songs is the way he plays that guitar. You can just watch him play and amazed he is getting those sounds from a guitar in the way he plays it. Its pretty cool actually and not something I think I will ever master in my life time. It was a fun night! There were other shows I wanted to go to that night that had very cool things going on like at the Boat and Ski. Jeff Johnson who had to quit Sweettooth for a time, while he was pursuing an education, was back at the Boat and Ski. And Sweettooth was talked into playing and I hear it was a great show there as well. Man I wish I had not missed it, but I can't be everywhere, but I try!
Saturday night was just as cool as Friday because it was that time of the year for another Acoustic Alliance. A quarterly show (sometime more) put on by Listen Local San Diego. And the line up was every bit as cool as every other Acoustic Alliance show. The Acoustic Alliance is set up with around twelve musicians, four at a time singing in the round. Each musician sings a song and then it comes back to the first one again until they have sung three songs and then there are three different sets. It makes for a very cool evening of music and then to top things off the Cathryn Beeks Ordeal sings for the after party show. tonight's lineup was for first set was Josh Wright, Jordan Reimer, Hotrod Harris and Marie Haddad. Second set was Jac, Kim DeVine, Andrew Gil, and The Castners. Third and final set was William Walter, Mary Grasso, Christopher Dallman and Annie Dru.
Now the cool thing is that some of the artists will bring a partner with them that will play another instrument. Josh Wright had another member of his band Eight Minutes To Twilight to play guitar with him. Josh Wrights sound is reminiscent of some of the more popular punk bands like 30 secs to mars or other similar bands that have a male vocalist with a very clear and nice voice. Josh filled that bill well. I really enjoyed his songs in the round. The next one up is actually a bit of a phenomenon or prodigy if you will. A 14 year old girl who sings like an angel and writes great songs, plays guitar very well and I have heard she plays violin too! And I can barely learn more than 4 or five chords and can't strum worth beans. (so far!) Now some people might have a problem with a child being in a Bar plauying but Jordan has full support of her family and her family goes with her to every event. Making sure she doesn't get influenced by any bad that might occur in this kind of venue and others its a very positive way for a support system that I wish other young people had in this day and age. She is very pretty and when I catch her in the corner of my eye I see my own daughter at that age, she had very similar looks when she was that age. I was impressed tonight when Jordan was singing her second song of the night and there was a serious sound problem. But like a trooper she continued to play through her song and finished it, the sound eventually was fixed before the end of the song. Not many adults even here in San Diego would have kept going and finished their song, many would of stopped until the sound was fixed.
After Jordan was Hot Rod Harris. One of the supported of Listen Local but a great singer in his own right. Amazingly this was his first Acoustic Alliance that he played in, most of his singing can be heard at places like Hot Java Cafe in Carmel Mountain, San Diego County where he runs a weekly program of open mic's and shows! Often singing himself, a very solid songwriter but you often hear him singing covers of great country or other artists. I actually think he reminds me of Willie Nelson except I like Hot Rod better! the last in the first set is Marie Haddad a very beautiful young lady who has a wonderful voice and plays keyboards with a solid but awesome piano sound. If I had to pick a style of singing or piano playing I would say she reminds me slightly of Kate Bush. If none of you remembers her she sang in the 80's occasionally with Peter Gabriel. Marie's sound is much better in my opinion but I wouldn't be surprised if maybe Kate bush may have been one of her inspirations but then maybe I was the only one who liked Kate Bush. she didn't exactly burn up th echarts. but I enjoyed her a lot. Marie's songs are fun and playful, beautiful and well written and I really enjoy listening to her tonight and recently on her CD. I hope to hear her again soon.
The Next round had a guy named Jac up next and he brought a guitar player with him Jeremy Spencer from his hard rock band I think? he said he never (or at least not often) sings acoustic, prefering songs probably closer to Audioslave or Creed, since that is more within his vocal style. But I will tell you here and now. I don't know if I have ever heard any man's voice be so beautiful and powerful. I think its a mistake for this guy to limit himself to just a harder rock sound. His voice is is like Lenny Kravitz only stronger and a little more beautiful like Terrence Trent D'Arby in sheer quality of vocal delivery. I have heard his Demo CD with his band and I definitely liked what he did at the Acoustic Alliance better. And as everyone who knows me well. Knows that I came from a harder rock background as far a tastes go. After Jac was Kim DiVine a gorgeous young lady with a lot of talent who is moving to L.A. to pursue her dreams a little more aggressively. Nothing wrong with that if you have the talent and she does. I have discussed with other people how we think she could improve on her sound but its just our opinion and as far as "I" am concerned, I am not expert. I just know what I like. Everything Kim sang tonight was wonderful! I just wish she would not control her voice so much and go through more changes vocally to extend her range. But that's just my opinion.
After Kim was another guy I had never heard before by the name of "Andrew Gil". Apparently he is one of the few out there who doesn't have a MySpace account and doesn't feel he has to promote himself. But he has a large following of fans who prove his point. I thought he was pretty good. He didn't wow me, but then I kind of like female singers more unless they are just so talented it makes your head hurt! For example: Josh Damigo. But there are a few guys who impress me vocally like Matt Silvia, Christopher Dale, Michael Tiernan and Svcen-Eric Seaholm and Simeon Flick to name a few local artists and a whole lot of people in the corporate music market! After Andrew and last in the line-up of the second set was The Castners. It was Amy and David Castner's Anniversary this night and they decided to share it with us. The Castners are in a group called Compass Rose and although they are not the only talents in the band. In my opinion they are the backbone of it! David's vocals and songwriting is solid and his guitar skills are more than adequate. In fact I think he is an excellent guitar player and Amy is an accomplished violinist. One of the qualities I like about how Amy plays the violin is she seems to be multi-dimensional in her playing. When she sits in with other people she doesn't just do the same 'ol, same 'ol, every time and she varies her playing and it just seems to have more depth to it. I really enjoy listening to them. Tonight I heard Amy sing out a little more and was impressed at her vocal range. she may have shown thins more often but I haven't seen them as often as I 'd like.
The last set was probably my favorite. But that may be because I am a big fan of Mary Grasso. I haven't heard her that often and I just recently discovered her for myself even though she has been playing for a few weeks here. The first time I heard her was at the 710 Club in PB. But since then I have been a fan, even while at the Acoustic Alliance I was recommending to people to listen to her set. So I guess that bias's me slightly. Oh Well? The first up in the last set was an out of towner from Virginia. Now he makes jokes about Virginians but I think Barbara Nesbitt is from there? But maybe Virginia Beach isn't in Virginia? You'd think someone with a degree in Geography would know where every city was located, but you notice I am not doing any geography. Not a lot of job potential in that field right now and not as interesting to me now as it once was. My first impression of William Walters was this guy is really talented but he has a lot of ego because he knows it. On his first song up I went to take a picture and through the viewfinder. And he actually had me laughing to myself because he was smiling in a pose as he was singing. It cracked me up but no lie this guy is good and he knows it. Too bad the pics I took of him didn't come out too well. I got a lot of really good pictures at the Alliance but not all of them came out. After Walters was Mary Grasso and I already said how I feel about her music. I think if I had to choose between going to one show or another and Mary was in one of them then I would choose going to her gig first. I am that impressed with her songs and style. The next guy in the line-up was new to me too. I had not heard Christopher Dallman before but for some reason I can't remember what he sounds like or whether he was good or not. My friend Adam seemed to think so, but somehow I must have been distracted or something.
The last person in the third set was a duo. It was Annie Dru a local favorite and her friend Amy Mayer. They were thinking of calling themselves the Flimz's. I have heard Annie before at Hot Java but it had been a long time. Great songwriting and great singing. The duet was great but what made a stronger memory of their set was that they joked quite a bit and were quite funny...at least Annie's friend was quite funny. The Acoustic Alliance is always fun but tonight was an even better show for your dollar because the after show was The Cathryn Beeks Ordeal. Cathryn is one of my top five female singer/songwriters and I don't think I have ever heard her do anything badly. But I love the Cathryn Beeks Ordeal. the whole band is truly cool but the harmonies that transpire between Cathryn and Matt Silvia are one of the main reason's I like the band so much. They did a song this night that was from another band that both of these great talents were in together and a few months ago that was one of my favorite finds of a month. Listening to a CD I acquired at a show and not knowing anything about it. then sitting there and hearing voices I knew, I knew and an unmistakable guitar style. I just knew it was Cathryn and Matt and I busted out the liner notes and found out I was right. That band was 8 Ball Rack and they had some great songs there too! If you get a chance to go see the next Acoustic Alliance then I am sure there will be some impressive music waiting to happen for you too!
Now I went to two more shows this week that were pretty big shows with a lot of performers. But in the name of trying to cut down on size, I hesitate to go through all of them. But to just write a short paragraph on such a great show would be a travesty. But I think I will try to just tell you the highlights of them in order to make sure you keep your interest because this article may be getting a little long in the tooth. So to make sure your interested. I think I will split the article into two different pages. If you are interested in The show at the Belly up with the Dual CD Release by Sven-Eric Seaholm and Michael Tiernan and the Show at Desi N Friend's with Brooklyn and Tim Flack, Steph Johnson and Audrey Surface and many others then Click Here! But a little later today! Regardless don't forget to check out the Gallery for all these shows.
Note: I took around a thousand pictures this week. Gonna have to reduce that next week. That is why I am running late. I won't be putting all of them up, only the ones I think are good enough and maybe not all of those. But they won't be available till later today or this evening and even the second article page is available now! Sorry for the inconvenience. Please stop back by often. Boths article's will be up for a week and then will be available in the back issues.
Ciao
Come have some Sushi while listening to great music and have a few Sake Bombs. Restaurant for all ages. the Sake isn't!
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