911 shaares
243 results
tagged
fromthearchive
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Big Creek Band Playing Sing Me Back Home
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2021-12-01
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear Big Creek Band play some real country music at Blues Fest.
I always say we play all kinds of music at Blues Fest because when you get right down to it, it’s all blues.
Dennis Mathes was the bandleader of Big Creek Band with Sonny Ackerman on guitar and George Hinds on bass. They all played at Blues Fest every year and Dennis and Sonny were out at the park every week helping me build the bandshell.
Also playing on September 16, 2001, were David Pearce, vocals and guitar; Dave Pearson, vocals and guitar; and Mark Hill, drums.
The song we’re playing today features Dave Pearson singing a Merle Haggard song. And it don’t get more country than that.
Now for the interesting part of the story. I was rummaging around in the archives also known as a box of old CDs when I found a DVD labeled Big Creek Band. I looked at that and I thought, this is gold.
The video looks like it was shot on a VHS camcorder and it’s kind of rough with some skips and stops here and there. Fortunately the music was with us and one of the best songs recorded start to finish with no audio issues.
I copied the DVD to my hard drive digitizing it with Handbrake. And I uploaded it to the Something Blue Archives, one of my collections on the Internet Archive.
I used VLC to convert the video to an audio file and then I got the song I wanted from that. There is also a Dennis Mathes original on the video and I’m hoping to find an audio version of that song without the skips and stops. I recorded every show at every Blues Fest so I should have it around here somewhere.
Ok, that was all very exciting but not quite as exciting as this moment, right now, when I get to share this music with you.
Recorded at Blues Fest, on September 16, 2001, Here’s Big Creek Band with Dave Pearson singing the Merle Haggard song “Sing Me Back Home”.
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Big Creek Band Playing Sing Me Back Home
Something Blue Archives
archive.org/details/from-the-archives-of-something-blue-2021-12-01
Something Blue Archives – List Of Concerts
archive.org/details/somethingbluearchives?sort=-publicdate
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2021-12-01
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear Big Creek Band play some real country music at Blues Fest.
I always say we play all kinds of music at Blues Fest because when you get right down to it, it’s all blues.
Dennis Mathes was the bandleader of Big Creek Band with Sonny Ackerman on guitar and George Hinds on bass. They all played at Blues Fest every year and Dennis and Sonny were out at the park every week helping me build the bandshell.
Also playing on September 16, 2001, were David Pearce, vocals and guitar; Dave Pearson, vocals and guitar; and Mark Hill, drums.
The song we’re playing today features Dave Pearson singing a Merle Haggard song. And it don’t get more country than that.
Now for the interesting part of the story. I was rummaging around in the archives also known as a box of old CDs when I found a DVD labeled Big Creek Band. I looked at that and I thought, this is gold.
The video looks like it was shot on a VHS camcorder and it’s kind of rough with some skips and stops here and there. Fortunately the music was with us and one of the best songs recorded start to finish with no audio issues.
I copied the DVD to my hard drive digitizing it with Handbrake. And I uploaded it to the Something Blue Archives, one of my collections on the Internet Archive.
I used VLC to convert the video to an audio file and then I got the song I wanted from that. There is also a Dennis Mathes original on the video and I’m hoping to find an audio version of that song without the skips and stops. I recorded every show at every Blues Fest so I should have it around here somewhere.
Ok, that was all very exciting but not quite as exciting as this moment, right now, when I get to share this music with you.
Recorded at Blues Fest, on September 16, 2001, Here’s Big Creek Band with Dave Pearson singing the Merle Haggard song “Sing Me Back Home”.
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Big Creek Band Playing Sing Me Back Home
Something Blue Archives
archive.org/details/from-the-archives-of-something-blue-2021-12-01
Something Blue Archives – List Of Concerts
archive.org/details/somethingbluearchives?sort=-publicdate
Thanks Marty. Today we’re going to hear jazz from NJHB recorded at the very beginning.
I was planning on starting the New Jazz In Jonesboro concerts at TheArts@311 in 2013. It was Christmas break so I scheduled a session on December 29, 2012, with the founding members on NJHB.
I was rolling tape but I wasn’t really expecting to record an album. Turns out we played pretty good and we did. We recorded live in the studio, with just two mics recording the room, and we did it the NJHB way. We improvised the arrangements. We recorded four songs. I think I was the only musician there who had ever played them before. As I usually do with NJHB songs I made a radio mix for Arkansas Roots.
In our favor we had a room full of outstanding musicians.
Mike Lovell – guitar
Garrett Tyler – drums
Matt Jackson – bass
Hairy Larry – Fender Rhodes
Cody Ballard – tenor sax
and
Joseph Curtis – trumpet and flugelhorn
I was planning on starting the New Jazz In Jonesboro concerts at TheArts@311 in 2013. It was Christmas break so I scheduled a session on December 29, 2012, with the founding members on NJHB.
I was rolling tape but I wasn’t really expecting to record an album. Turns out we played pretty good and we did. We recorded live in the studio, with just two mics recording the room, and we did it the NJHB way. We improvised the arrangements. We recorded four songs. I think I was the only musician there who had ever played them before. As I usually do with NJHB songs I made a radio mix for Arkansas Roots.
In our favor we had a room full of outstanding musicians.
Mike Lovell – guitar
Garrett Tyler – drums
Matt Jackson – bass
Hairy Larry – Fender Rhodes
Cody Ballard – tenor sax
and
Joseph Curtis – trumpet and flugelhorn
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Jazz Writers Big Band Playing “Elegy”
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-08-25
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear a Big Band play a composition written by an Arkansas jazz educator.
I went to school at ASU with Joseph Curtis. After he graduated he was band director at Hoxie and Trumann. He’s now in Law School in Little Rock.
I think the first time I recorded Joseph was when he was playing in an ASU small group called “Jazztette”. Ron Horton wanted me to take some video of him teaching jazz improvisation and I also recorded their concert. I interviewed Dr. Horton and four of the students and produced a documentary, “Jazztette – Teaching Jazz Improvisation”. They played an original jazz composition by Joseph Curtis called “Baile de Trece”.
I also recorded his band, Bluebeck, at KASU Jazz Thursday and Bebopalooza. I got to sit in with Bluebeck on guitar at the Jazz Thursday show. Gary Gazaway was the headliner at the Bebopalooza show and he invited Joseph Curtis and Ron Horton up to play on their closing songs.
Joseph was in NJHB and he played at our first session on December 29, 2012 as well as on many NJHB shows and albums in 2013 including my senior recital.
Joseph has played with my band Bebop Beatniks frequently and he is featured on the album “Church”. He would livestream with Bebop Beatniks from the Twitch Porch.
He participated in the KASU New Jazz In Jonesboro concerts at the public library. I got to play bass once with his band. He also played at New Jazz In Jonesboro with Ken Carroll and NJHB.
He contributed many of his songs to the Jazz Writers Big Band. I recorded most of their shows and the “Jazz Writers Big Band” album.
His brother Clinton Curtis plays amazing alto sax and I have also recorded him many times but that will have to be for another podcast.
Visit the Something Blue website at sbblues.com for links.
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-08-25
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear a Big Band play a composition written by an Arkansas jazz educator.
I went to school at ASU with Joseph Curtis. After he graduated he was band director at Hoxie and Trumann. He’s now in Law School in Little Rock.
I think the first time I recorded Joseph was when he was playing in an ASU small group called “Jazztette”. Ron Horton wanted me to take some video of him teaching jazz improvisation and I also recorded their concert. I interviewed Dr. Horton and four of the students and produced a documentary, “Jazztette – Teaching Jazz Improvisation”. They played an original jazz composition by Joseph Curtis called “Baile de Trece”.
I also recorded his band, Bluebeck, at KASU Jazz Thursday and Bebopalooza. I got to sit in with Bluebeck on guitar at the Jazz Thursday show. Gary Gazaway was the headliner at the Bebopalooza show and he invited Joseph Curtis and Ron Horton up to play on their closing songs.
Joseph was in NJHB and he played at our first session on December 29, 2012 as well as on many NJHB shows and albums in 2013 including my senior recital.
Joseph has played with my band Bebop Beatniks frequently and he is featured on the album “Church”. He would livestream with Bebop Beatniks from the Twitch Porch.
He participated in the KASU New Jazz In Jonesboro concerts at the public library. I got to play bass once with his band. He also played at New Jazz In Jonesboro with Ken Carroll and NJHB.
He contributed many of his songs to the Jazz Writers Big Band. I recorded most of their shows and the “Jazz Writers Big Band” album.
His brother Clinton Curtis plays amazing alto sax and I have also recorded him many times but that will have to be for another podcast.
Visit the Something Blue website at sbblues.com for links.
Thanks Marty. Today we’re going to hear a popular TV theme song recorded at the Craighead Forest Bandshell.
I met Doug Hendrix at the bandshell and soon he was performing there. I got to record him several times. He was from Arkansas and living in Jonesboro but he had spent some time in Nashville working as a songwriter. Beside’s being an amazing songwriter he also plays acoustic guitar, fingerpicking like Chet Atkins or Jerry Reed.
On June 3, 2007, we had a fantastic lineup for Sunday In the Park, Doug Hendrix, George Hinds, Angie Owens, and Ronnie Presley, all fine Arkansas musicians and songwriters.
I met Doug Hendrix at the bandshell and soon he was performing there. I got to record him several times. He was from Arkansas and living in Jonesboro but he had spent some time in Nashville working as a songwriter. Beside’s being an amazing songwriter he also plays acoustic guitar, fingerpicking like Chet Atkins or Jerry Reed.
On June 3, 2007, we had a fantastic lineup for Sunday In the Park, Doug Hendrix, George Hinds, Angie Owens, and Ronnie Presley, all fine Arkansas musicians and songwriters.
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Gary Gazaway Playing Leviathan
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-08-11
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear a contemporary jazz song recorded at KASU Jazz Thursday.
Gary Gazaway’s “El Buho” band was a popular touring act so it was great to get Gary to play at Jazz Thursday. We were putting on monthly shows at TheArts@311 in downtown Jonesboro and, don’t get me wrong, all the bands that played were great. I feature music from all of these shows on Something Blue and on my podcast, From The Archives Of Something Blue.
But we were really excited to get Gary Gazaway to put together a fusion band to play his compositions for us at Jazz Thursday. Gary has played with everyone, all over the world, from Steve Winwood and Joe Cocker to Phish. And he had great musicians in his band including Victor Wooten and my friend, Dr. Perry Osborne, a Jonesboro guitarist who did his undergraduate work at ASU.
Playing with Gary at Jazz Thursday on June 27, 2013 were
Patrick Fusco – keyboards
Doc Samba – Bass
Pee Wee Jackson – drums
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-08-11
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear a contemporary jazz song recorded at KASU Jazz Thursday.
Gary Gazaway’s “El Buho” band was a popular touring act so it was great to get Gary to play at Jazz Thursday. We were putting on monthly shows at TheArts@311 in downtown Jonesboro and, don’t get me wrong, all the bands that played were great. I feature music from all of these shows on Something Blue and on my podcast, From The Archives Of Something Blue.
But we were really excited to get Gary Gazaway to put together a fusion band to play his compositions for us at Jazz Thursday. Gary has played with everyone, all over the world, from Steve Winwood and Joe Cocker to Phish. And he had great musicians in his band including Victor Wooten and my friend, Dr. Perry Osborne, a Jonesboro guitarist who did his undergraduate work at ASU.
Playing with Gary at Jazz Thursday on June 27, 2013 were
Patrick Fusco – keyboards
Doc Samba – Bass
Pee Wee Jackson – drums
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Hairy Larry Playing Bunnies
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-08-04
Thanks Marty. Today we’re going to hear a jazz song played to a rock beat.
During the pandemic I couldn’t play out but I still had to perform so I started livestreaming on twitch. To avoid copyright issues livestreaming I played only originals. After a few months of livestreaming 2 or 3 times a week I had settled in on 16 of my own compositions that I called my streaming repertoire.
I called my stream Hairy Larry Practicing Piano. It turns out that if you practice the same 16 songs week after week for two years you get pretty good at them. I had a routine. I’d record the stream. Then I’d listen back writing the song titles in order and I put a star next to the good takes. Then I’d make a video of the starred songs.
At first I would get two or three songs with stars but later on sometimes they would all be starred. And then I realized I had an album.
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-08-04
Thanks Marty. Today we’re going to hear a jazz song played to a rock beat.
During the pandemic I couldn’t play out but I still had to perform so I started livestreaming on twitch. To avoid copyright issues livestreaming I played only originals. After a few months of livestreaming 2 or 3 times a week I had settled in on 16 of my own compositions that I called my streaming repertoire.
I called my stream Hairy Larry Practicing Piano. It turns out that if you practice the same 16 songs week after week for two years you get pretty good at them. I had a routine. I’d record the stream. Then I’d listen back writing the song titles in order and I put a star next to the good takes. Then I’d make a video of the starred songs.
At first I would get two or three songs with stars but later on sometimes they would all be starred. And then I realized I had an album.
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Suzanne Michell And Fred Wilson Singing Old Rugged Cross
From The Archives Of Something Blue – 2024-07-28
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear a favorite hymn sung at a concert featuring mostly jazz and spirituals.
I first met Suzanne Michell when Vivian and I were working on Blues Fest 91. Vivian’s friend Linda, from college, was living in Little Rock and worked in a place where Suzanne was singing. Suzanne is blind so Linda drove her up to Jonesboro for Blues Fest and she amazed and astounded.
Later, Fred Wilson started driving her to gigs and they were playing as a duo and a trio. And then they got married so that was cool.
I’ve recorded Suzanne in Jonesboro and Little Rock. Besides helping us with Blues Fest year after year she played at Bebopalooza, Jazz Thursday, New Jazz In Jonesoboro, and she even sang at my senior recital.
My favorite recordings of Suzanne and Fred were made at the Brookland United Methodist Church when they would visit us every year or two for Wednesday night special music. They sing everything. When Suzanne Michell came to blues fest with an electric guitar one year I called her electric and eclectic. For our Wednesday night special music she had a flair for picking the right songs and speaking directly to the youth about life and music.
From The Archives Of Something Blue – 2024-07-28
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear a favorite hymn sung at a concert featuring mostly jazz and spirituals.
I first met Suzanne Michell when Vivian and I were working on Blues Fest 91. Vivian’s friend Linda, from college, was living in Little Rock and worked in a place where Suzanne was singing. Suzanne is blind so Linda drove her up to Jonesboro for Blues Fest and she amazed and astounded.
Later, Fred Wilson started driving her to gigs and they were playing as a duo and a trio. And then they got married so that was cool.
I’ve recorded Suzanne in Jonesboro and Little Rock. Besides helping us with Blues Fest year after year she played at Bebopalooza, Jazz Thursday, New Jazz In Jonesoboro, and she even sang at my senior recital.
My favorite recordings of Suzanne and Fred were made at the Brookland United Methodist Church when they would visit us every year or two for Wednesday night special music. They sing everything. When Suzanne Michell came to blues fest with an electric guitar one year I called her electric and eclectic. For our Wednesday night special music she had a flair for picking the right songs and speaking directly to the youth about life and music.
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Daniel Turner Playing Customized Bliss
From The Archives Of Something Blue July 21, 2024
Thanks Marty, Today we’re going to hear a solo guitarist play at the Brookland Methodist Church.
On September 30, 2015, I arranged for Daniel Turner to play at our Wednesday night Praise service. He does a solo act he calls The Infinite Calling and it’s improvisatory ambient music. We usually sang praise music on Wednesday nights, dancing along and doing the hand movements. So when we had special music I tried to bring in acts that were different to expose our kids to a variety of music. When Infinite Calling played that night I think I pretty much suceeded in doing that.
We had a lot of kids showing up for our Wednesday night services. So many that they outnumbered the adults in multiples of 4 or 5. Fifty kids and ten adults was a thing that happened sometimes. And when we were outnumbered like that we just had to blend in, singing, dancing, and doing the hand movements, just like the rest of the kids.
We’re Methodists so we were happy to host musicians who were Lutheran, Presbyterian, Jewish, and even Baptist. Sometimes we had bands singing at our church that couldn’t sing at their own church. But this was the first time we had a Buddhist.
When we had Wednesday night special music we didn’t have a service. The preacher would open with a prayer and then I’d introduce the band. After I introduced Daniel he gave a short Buddhist prayer. It fit right in.
I was worried his music would be a little much for the kids but they loved it. About ten minutes into his set some of the kids were lying on the floor in the aisle. Now we did tumbling in church but even for us that was kind of weird. And then the whispering started, the music sounds much better when you’re lying down. Next thing you know Gretchen and I were on the floor too, enjoying Daniel’s “Customized Bliss”.
That’s what he called his song, “Customized Bliss”, 36 minutes of guitar improvisation, a little bit too long for radio. So I have prepared an excerpt for us to enjoy on Arkansa Roots, about a sixth of his whole piece. I’ll post a link to the whole concert on the Something Blue website at sbblues.com.
So, here he is now, Daniel Turner, live at the Brookland United Methodist Church, recorded on September 30, 2015.
From The Archives Of Something Blue July 21, 2024
Thanks Marty, Today we’re going to hear a solo guitarist play at the Brookland Methodist Church.
On September 30, 2015, I arranged for Daniel Turner to play at our Wednesday night Praise service. He does a solo act he calls The Infinite Calling and it’s improvisatory ambient music. We usually sang praise music on Wednesday nights, dancing along and doing the hand movements. So when we had special music I tried to bring in acts that were different to expose our kids to a variety of music. When Infinite Calling played that night I think I pretty much suceeded in doing that.
We had a lot of kids showing up for our Wednesday night services. So many that they outnumbered the adults in multiples of 4 or 5. Fifty kids and ten adults was a thing that happened sometimes. And when we were outnumbered like that we just had to blend in, singing, dancing, and doing the hand movements, just like the rest of the kids.
We’re Methodists so we were happy to host musicians who were Lutheran, Presbyterian, Jewish, and even Baptist. Sometimes we had bands singing at our church that couldn’t sing at their own church. But this was the first time we had a Buddhist.
When we had Wednesday night special music we didn’t have a service. The preacher would open with a prayer and then I’d introduce the band. After I introduced Daniel he gave a short Buddhist prayer. It fit right in.
I was worried his music would be a little much for the kids but they loved it. About ten minutes into his set some of the kids were lying on the floor in the aisle. Now we did tumbling in church but even for us that was kind of weird. And then the whispering started, the music sounds much better when you’re lying down. Next thing you know Gretchen and I were on the floor too, enjoying Daniel’s “Customized Bliss”.
That’s what he called his song, “Customized Bliss”, 36 minutes of guitar improvisation, a little bit too long for radio. So I have prepared an excerpt for us to enjoy on Arkansa Roots, about a sixth of his whole piece. I’ll post a link to the whole concert on the Something Blue website at sbblues.com.
So, here he is now, Daniel Turner, live at the Brookland United Methodist Church, recorded on September 30, 2015.
DJ Hairy Larry Presents The Rob Alley Trio Playing On A Clear Day
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-07-14
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear a jazz standard recorded at the Craighead Forest Bandshell in 2009.
When I met Rob Alley he was on the faculty in the ASU Music Department. I went to see him play trumpet at The Edge and he was nice enough to let me sit in on a couple of songs. So, when I was booking Sunday In The Park at The Bandshell I gave him a call and he agreed to come and play.
Playing with Rob Alley were David Eckert, bass; and Mike Overall, drums. David Eckert was a librarian at the Jonesboro Public Library and later on he taught bass at ASU. Mike Overall was president of the Jonesboro Jazz Society and Editor of the Jonesboro Sun. His column, Overall Comments, often highlighted the music scene in Jonesboro.
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-07-14
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear a jazz standard recorded at the Craighead Forest Bandshell in 2009.
When I met Rob Alley he was on the faculty in the ASU Music Department. I went to see him play trumpet at The Edge and he was nice enough to let me sit in on a couple of songs. So, when I was booking Sunday In The Park at The Bandshell I gave him a call and he agreed to come and play.
Playing with Rob Alley were David Eckert, bass; and Mike Overall, drums. David Eckert was a librarian at the Jonesboro Public Library and later on he taught bass at ASU. Mike Overall was president of the Jonesboro Jazz Society and Editor of the Jonesboro Sun. His column, Overall Comments, often highlighted the music scene in Jonesboro.
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Rhode Island Red and Hairy Larry Singing Walk Right In
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-07-07
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear some jug band music recorded at the King Biscuit Blues Festival.
It was October 5, 2006 and The Emporium Orkestra was playing at Bunky’s Breakfast on Cherry Street in Helena, Arkansas. That morning Rhode Isalnd Red and I were the early risers so our first set was as a duo. One of the songs we sang was “Walk Right In”.
“Walk Right In” was written by Gus Cannon and recorded in 1929 by Cannons Jug Stompers. In 1963 The Rooftop Singers had a big hit on the song. Rhode Island Red plays it more like the original while I had only heard the sixties hit.
Although we were a duo we sounded like a seven piece orchestra singing harmony vocals, while I played bass and rhythm when Red took the lead. I played my Mississippi saxophone on a rack while Red played the trumpet parts on his kazoo. And it’s Jug Band Music so we both played the drums with our feet and with hand slaps on our guitars.
One morning Rhode Island Red walked in and he had written a song. It’s really short so I’m going to sing it for you now.
We’re Hairy Larry and Rhodes Island Red
And we’re gonna play until we’re dead.
Well we ain’t dead yet. No no. We ain’t dead yet.
Ok now, they may kick me off the air for having too much fun so here’s Rhode Island Red and Hairy Larry singing the Gus Cannon song “Walk Right In”.
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-07-07
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear some jug band music recorded at the King Biscuit Blues Festival.
It was October 5, 2006 and The Emporium Orkestra was playing at Bunky’s Breakfast on Cherry Street in Helena, Arkansas. That morning Rhode Isalnd Red and I were the early risers so our first set was as a duo. One of the songs we sang was “Walk Right In”.
“Walk Right In” was written by Gus Cannon and recorded in 1929 by Cannons Jug Stompers. In 1963 The Rooftop Singers had a big hit on the song. Rhode Island Red plays it more like the original while I had only heard the sixties hit.
Although we were a duo we sounded like a seven piece orchestra singing harmony vocals, while I played bass and rhythm when Red took the lead. I played my Mississippi saxophone on a rack while Red played the trumpet parts on his kazoo. And it’s Jug Band Music so we both played the drums with our feet and with hand slaps on our guitars.
One morning Rhode Island Red walked in and he had written a song. It’s really short so I’m going to sing it for you now.
We’re Hairy Larry and Rhodes Island Red
And we’re gonna play until we’re dead.
Well we ain’t dead yet. No no. We ain’t dead yet.
Ok now, they may kick me off the air for having too much fun so here’s Rhode Island Red and Hairy Larry singing the Gus Cannon song “Walk Right In”.
DJ Hairy Larry Presents NJHB Playing Cold Fusion
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-06-30
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear NJHB play a tribute to nuclear physics.
NJHB, the New Jazz House Band, is a live act hosting the New Jazz In Jonesboro concerts. We did, however, release two studio albums, our first album, “Circular Logic” was recorded at HairyLarryLand in Jonesboro in 2012. And then, on July 20, 2018, we recorded “Quantum Blues” at my new studio, outside of Brookland.
I wrote all three songs on the album, “Cold Fusion”, “Quantum Blues”, and “Entanglement”. All named for concepts in nuclear physics at the frontiers of science. And for NJHB, the songs are short with the longest one just under eight minutes.
Also unique in the NJHB repertoire the band is a jazz trio featuring Tyler Remagen on tenor sax; Spencer Rawlins, bass; and Hairy Larry, piano. Having fewer musicians playing did not stop us from engaging in the NJHB trademark group improvisation.
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-06-30
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear NJHB play a tribute to nuclear physics.
NJHB, the New Jazz House Band, is a live act hosting the New Jazz In Jonesboro concerts. We did, however, release two studio albums, our first album, “Circular Logic” was recorded at HairyLarryLand in Jonesboro in 2012. And then, on July 20, 2018, we recorded “Quantum Blues” at my new studio, outside of Brookland.
I wrote all three songs on the album, “Cold Fusion”, “Quantum Blues”, and “Entanglement”. All named for concepts in nuclear physics at the frontiers of science. And for NJHB, the songs are short with the longest one just under eight minutes.
Also unique in the NJHB repertoire the band is a jazz trio featuring Tyler Remagen on tenor sax; Spencer Rawlins, bass; and Hairy Larry, piano. Having fewer musicians playing did not stop us from engaging in the NJHB trademark group improvisation.
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Billy Jones Bluez Singing I’m A Bluesman
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-06-23
Thanks Marty. Today we’re going to hear an Arkansas bluesman sing a song he wrote about his life in music.
It was October 8, 2013, when I met Mike Doyle in the parking lot at ASU to make our monthly sojourn down to Newport, Arkansas, for KASU Bluesday Tuesday. Mike was the KASU station manager at the time and he would MC the show. I was going to record Billy Jones Bluez for Something Blue.
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-06-23
Thanks Marty. Today we’re going to hear an Arkansas bluesman sing a song he wrote about his life in music.
It was October 8, 2013, when I met Mike Doyle in the parking lot at ASU to make our monthly sojourn down to Newport, Arkansas, for KASU Bluesday Tuesday. Mike was the KASU station manager at the time and he would MC the show. I was going to record Billy Jones Bluez for Something Blue.
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Angie Owens Singing Serena’s Song
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-06-09
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear the coordinator of the Songwriter’s Workshop display her craft.
Angie Owens ran the Songwriter’s Workshop for many years. For a while there she held it at my Blues Alley jukehouse and I attended those sessions regularly and benefited from her lessons and from the song sharing. I wrote the song “Think I’ll Lay Around The House Today” over a couple of the workshops and it quickly became a requested favorite.
Then later when she was at The Edge Coffeehouse I started attending again, enjoying the workshop and the company of my friends in music, John Spencer and Paul Nunis.
She taught me the meaning of the word prosody and I’ll never forget the time when she covered the most common song structures and John Spencer and I would come up with hit songs for each structure. If this sounds a bit technical it’s because songwriting is a craft with it’s own vocabulary and that is what Angie Owens taught at her workshop.
The song I selected to play today is one that Vivian would request. Both Vivian and Angie had daughters later in life. Vivian sometimes wrote about Megan when she worked with her at The Times Dispatch and Angie wrote a song about Serena.
If you’ve raised a family you know there’s nothing easy about it and many young parents worry about whether they’re doing it right. Now you can’t stop a mother from worrying but when you have a child later in life after you’ve already raised a few you can spend a little more time enjoying yourself and a little less time worrying.
And you can focus on the most important part of family life, love.
Ok now, I’ve said it as well as I could but not nearly as well as Angie does in her song.
Here’s Angie Owens singing “Serena’s Smile”.
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-06-09
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear the coordinator of the Songwriter’s Workshop display her craft.
Angie Owens ran the Songwriter’s Workshop for many years. For a while there she held it at my Blues Alley jukehouse and I attended those sessions regularly and benefited from her lessons and from the song sharing. I wrote the song “Think I’ll Lay Around The House Today” over a couple of the workshops and it quickly became a requested favorite.
Then later when she was at The Edge Coffeehouse I started attending again, enjoying the workshop and the company of my friends in music, John Spencer and Paul Nunis.
She taught me the meaning of the word prosody and I’ll never forget the time when she covered the most common song structures and John Spencer and I would come up with hit songs for each structure. If this sounds a bit technical it’s because songwriting is a craft with it’s own vocabulary and that is what Angie Owens taught at her workshop.
The song I selected to play today is one that Vivian would request. Both Vivian and Angie had daughters later in life. Vivian sometimes wrote about Megan when she worked with her at The Times Dispatch and Angie wrote a song about Serena.
If you’ve raised a family you know there’s nothing easy about it and many young parents worry about whether they’re doing it right. Now you can’t stop a mother from worrying but when you have a child later in life after you’ve already raised a few you can spend a little more time enjoying yourself and a little less time worrying.
And you can focus on the most important part of family life, love.
Ok now, I’ve said it as well as I could but not nearly as well as Angie does in her song.
Here’s Angie Owens singing “Serena’s Smile”.
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Joe Lee And Friends playing Kinda Tawny
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-06-02
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear Joe Lee play his own arrangement of the Bill Holman song, “Kinda Tawny”.
“Boppin’ At The Forest” is the third album that I helped Joe record and release. It’s the first one where I recorded the band. On “Sounds Of The Sixties” and “Joe Lee Swings On” I digitized the music from Joe’s master tapes.
Joe had this idea. He wanted to record the charts that he arranged for his band and used when touring in Arkansas, Memphis, and all over the mid south.
Back in the day it took quite a setup to make audio recordings so live audio wasn’t recorded like it is today. But Joe still had the sheet music and he had some friends who knew how to play. So we had a project to work on.
The project was preserving Joe’s arrangements as music and recording the sound of Joe’s current band.
Joe’s new studio was his living room. I ran mic cables into his study where he kept his tapes and a bunch of recording stuff he used at Alley. I hooked the mics into a mixer board and recorded stereo to my computer. So in 2001 I was ahead of the curve doing digital recording.
Playing on “Kinda Tawny” were
Joe Lee – Tenor Sax
Craig Baker – Trumpet
Dru Davison – Bari Sax
Joy Sanford – Piano
Tom Mason – Bass
and
Mike Overall – Drums
All fine outstanding musicians with deep ties to the Northeast Arkansas jazz scene.
The results were spectacular. Joe really knew how to put it together. On “Kinda Tawny” he just kept building and building on the head, adding instruments and changing the parts. Then we’ll hear some great solo work by Craig Baker and Joy Sanford.
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-06-02
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear Joe Lee play his own arrangement of the Bill Holman song, “Kinda Tawny”.
“Boppin’ At The Forest” is the third album that I helped Joe record and release. It’s the first one where I recorded the band. On “Sounds Of The Sixties” and “Joe Lee Swings On” I digitized the music from Joe’s master tapes.
Joe had this idea. He wanted to record the charts that he arranged for his band and used when touring in Arkansas, Memphis, and all over the mid south.
Back in the day it took quite a setup to make audio recordings so live audio wasn’t recorded like it is today. But Joe still had the sheet music and he had some friends who knew how to play. So we had a project to work on.
The project was preserving Joe’s arrangements as music and recording the sound of Joe’s current band.
Joe’s new studio was his living room. I ran mic cables into his study where he kept his tapes and a bunch of recording stuff he used at Alley. I hooked the mics into a mixer board and recorded stereo to my computer. So in 2001 I was ahead of the curve doing digital recording.
Playing on “Kinda Tawny” were
Joe Lee – Tenor Sax
Craig Baker – Trumpet
Dru Davison – Bari Sax
Joy Sanford – Piano
Tom Mason – Bass
and
Mike Overall – Drums
All fine outstanding musicians with deep ties to the Northeast Arkansas jazz scene.
The results were spectacular. Joe really knew how to put it together. On “Kinda Tawny” he just kept building and building on the head, adding instruments and changing the parts. Then we’ll hear some great solo work by Craig Baker and Joy Sanford.
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Snap Crow Legs Playing Will The Circle Be Unbroken
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-05-26
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear a gospel song recorded by a rock band at the Craighead Forest Bandshell in 2011.
When they first played at the bandshell Snap Crow Legs knocked everyone out with their bright, upbeat sound. They soon became regulars playing popular repertoire that included classics from all genres and contemporary rock. On May 15, 2011, they had a little personnel update with Mitch Hollifield as their front man playing acoustic guitar and sharing lead vocals with Greg Phillips.
The recordings I made that day quickly became my favorites and not just because they invited me up to play on three songs. I love it when I go to festivals and the bands invite guests from other bands to play. I really love it when I’m the guest.
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-05-26
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear a gospel song recorded by a rock band at the Craighead Forest Bandshell in 2011.
When they first played at the bandshell Snap Crow Legs knocked everyone out with their bright, upbeat sound. They soon became regulars playing popular repertoire that included classics from all genres and contemporary rock. On May 15, 2011, they had a little personnel update with Mitch Hollifield as their front man playing acoustic guitar and sharing lead vocals with Greg Phillips.
The recordings I made that day quickly became my favorites and not just because they invited me up to play on three songs. I love it when I go to festivals and the bands invite guests from other bands to play. I really love it when I’m the guest.
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Giant Steps Playing Perdido
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-05-25
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear a Duke Ellington tune played at KASU Jazz Thursday.
By Duke Ellington tune I mean composed by Juan Tizol, a longtime member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. “Perdido” was first recorded on December 3, 1941. Miles Davis made it his own. He recorded it with the Tadd Dameron Quintet in 1949, released as “Wahoo”. Then again with Jimmy Forrest in 1952.
Joe Lee loved the song and often played it. The musicians Joe played it with also played in the bands, Nightlife and Giant Steps.
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-05-25
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear a Duke Ellington tune played at KASU Jazz Thursday.
By Duke Ellington tune I mean composed by Juan Tizol, a longtime member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. “Perdido” was first recorded on December 3, 1941. Miles Davis made it his own. He recorded it with the Tadd Dameron Quintet in 1949, released as “Wahoo”. Then again with Jimmy Forrest in 1952.
Joe Lee loved the song and often played it. The musicians Joe played it with also played in the bands, Nightlife and Giant Steps.
This is Hairy Larry inviting you to enjoy Something Blue every Saturday night at ten. This week we’re featuring Striding The Blast, Stackabones, and Yarn. For more about the show visit the Something Blue website at sbblues.com.
Don’t miss Something Blue, Saturday night at 10:00 PM CST, at kasu.org.
Stackabones Live at 118 North (Wayne, PA) on 2024-05-05
archive.org/details/stackabones2024-05-05/
stackabones.bandcamp.com/
Yarn Live at 118 North (Wayne, PA) on 2024-05-05
archive.org/details/yarn2024-05-05/
yarnmusic.net/
Striding The Blast Live at In The Loft at The Edge Coffeehouse on 2017-01-28
archive.org/details/stb2017-01-28/
Don’t miss Something Blue, Saturday night at 10:00 PM CST, at kasu.org.
Stackabones Live at 118 North (Wayne, PA) on 2024-05-05
archive.org/details/stackabones2024-05-05/
stackabones.bandcamp.com/
Yarn Live at 118 North (Wayne, PA) on 2024-05-05
archive.org/details/yarn2024-05-05/
yarnmusic.net/
Striding The Blast Live at In The Loft at The Edge Coffeehouse on 2017-01-28
archive.org/details/stb2017-01-28/
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Striding The Blast Playing Twist Of Fate
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-05-12
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear an original song recorded In The Loft At The Edge.
I’ve played at The Edge Coffeehouse for years either in one of the rooms downstairs or on the front porch. When I learned about their loft it was an eye opener. The room upstairs was usually used for meetings, game nights, or book clubs but it was an ideal performance venue with an obvious stage area in front of two windows overlooking the ASU campus.
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-05-12
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear an original song recorded In The Loft At The Edge.
I’ve played at The Edge Coffeehouse for years either in one of the rooms downstairs or on the front porch. When I learned about their loft it was an eye opener. The room upstairs was usually used for meetings, game nights, or book clubs but it was an ideal performance venue with an obvious stage area in front of two windows overlooking the ASU campus.
DJ Hairy Larry Presents NJHB Playing El Amor Cubano La Mujer O El Caballo
From The Archives Of Something Blue May 5, 2024
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear a Cuban love song written and performed by the Dean of Fine Arts.
When Don Bowyer came to ASU he was looking for someone to play music with so, of course, everybody mentioned me. I was a student in the music department at the time and I played out a lot, including at our monthly New Jazz In Jonesboro show with NJHB, the New Jazz House Band.
We played all original songs and Don Bowyer is an outstanding jazz composer, so he fit right in. On February 2, 2013, he brought music for a song he wrote called “El Amor Cubano: La Mujer o el Caballo?” roughly translated as who is your true love, your woman or your horse? So the title’s funny but the song is actually quite beautiful.
From The Archives Of Something Blue May 5, 2024
Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear a Cuban love song written and performed by the Dean of Fine Arts.
When Don Bowyer came to ASU he was looking for someone to play music with so, of course, everybody mentioned me. I was a student in the music department at the time and I played out a lot, including at our monthly New Jazz In Jonesboro show with NJHB, the New Jazz House Band.
We played all original songs and Don Bowyer is an outstanding jazz composer, so he fit right in. On February 2, 2013, he brought music for a song he wrote called “El Amor Cubano: La Mujer o el Caballo?” roughly translated as who is your true love, your woman or your horse? So the title’s funny but the song is actually quite beautiful.
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Hairy Larry Singing Promises
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-04-28
Thanks Marty, today we’ll hear a song I wrote recorded by some fine Northeast Arkansas musicians.
My song “Promises” was released on the album “Collaborators” by Richard Murray and Hairy Larry. The album is full of songs cowritten by Richard and myself. I’ll save that story for another podcast. “Promises” was written, music and lyrics, by me.
We ended up with nine songs and I knew just who I wanted to record them. On December 2, 2009, I got the band together. Paul Moore on electric mandolin, Corey Emerson, bass, Addison Boling, drums, and I’m playing acoustic guitar. We all lived in the Jonesboro area at the time and we all had strong ties to ASU.
Since all of the songs were originals I was the only one at the session who had ever played them before. I gave Corey some pages with the chords scratched out in pencil, my notes while writing the songs so I wouldn’t forget them. Paul is blind so he plays by ear. And our drummer, Addison, like most drummers was used to playing without written music.
The rhythm section recorded all nine songs in a two hour session. We did two takes on each song and Addison’s time was so precise that sometimes I used pieces of both takes, spliced together on the album. I added vocals, trumpet, and harmonica later as overdubs.
Like most songwriters I write a lot of love songs. When I sing a love song people come up to me after the show and ask if I wrote that song about Vivian. And I usually have to say, nope, sorry, that songs not about Vivian.
But I’m here to tell you now I wrote the song “Promises” about Vivian and I sing it from my point of view. I not only wrote the song about Vivian I’m singing it to Vivian.
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-04-28
Thanks Marty, today we’ll hear a song I wrote recorded by some fine Northeast Arkansas musicians.
My song “Promises” was released on the album “Collaborators” by Richard Murray and Hairy Larry. The album is full of songs cowritten by Richard and myself. I’ll save that story for another podcast. “Promises” was written, music and lyrics, by me.
We ended up with nine songs and I knew just who I wanted to record them. On December 2, 2009, I got the band together. Paul Moore on electric mandolin, Corey Emerson, bass, Addison Boling, drums, and I’m playing acoustic guitar. We all lived in the Jonesboro area at the time and we all had strong ties to ASU.
Since all of the songs were originals I was the only one at the session who had ever played them before. I gave Corey some pages with the chords scratched out in pencil, my notes while writing the songs so I wouldn’t forget them. Paul is blind so he plays by ear. And our drummer, Addison, like most drummers was used to playing without written music.
The rhythm section recorded all nine songs in a two hour session. We did two takes on each song and Addison’s time was so precise that sometimes I used pieces of both takes, spliced together on the album. I added vocals, trumpet, and harmonica later as overdubs.
Like most songwriters I write a lot of love songs. When I sing a love song people come up to me after the show and ask if I wrote that song about Vivian. And I usually have to say, nope, sorry, that songs not about Vivian.
But I’m here to tell you now I wrote the song “Promises” about Vivian and I sing it from my point of view. I not only wrote the song about Vivian I’m singing it to Vivian.