The band with the great pedal steel guitar player will be playing at Sycamore in Ditmas Park on Saturday night. I just got this email from John, who is one of the band members.

OK, this video is at best underexposed.  But still, it will give you a
chance to hear the expressive voice of Sydney Wayser.  If you like it,
you can always go down to The Rockwood Music Hall at 7 pm tonight and
see Sydney and her band.  Not a bad way to end the long Labor Day
Weekend.

Sydney Wayser, Rockwood Music Hall,196 Allen Street (F Train to Second Avenue, use the First Avenue exit, cross Allen Street and walk a half block south), 7pm.

 –Eliot Wagner

I listened to my iTunes a lot this summer and I wanted to share my favorite music this summer…

1. My number one favorite new musical discovery and listen this summer was: The Adrian Hibbs Project

Gosh I love this guy's music. I "discovered" him on Block Island where this summer he played at the Spring House bar on Friday nights. . But he used to live in Brooklyn and was a regular at the now defunct Black Betty in Williamsburg. In the winter he lives in New Orleans where he performs regularly. The Adrian Hibbs project only has a four song EP (available at CD Baby) But I love it. Especially the song: "Compromise."

2. My number two favorite listen this summer was:

Schumann: The Songs of Robert Schumann, Vol. 07 – Dorothea Röschmann & Ian Bostridge

The Myrthen songs by Robert Schumann are so beautiful they make your heart ache. This was a CD I got from my dad.

3. My number three favorite listen this summer was:

Tracy Chapman: Where You Live

Beautiful singing and pared down arrangements on a group of poetic and powerful songs.

4. My number four favorite listen this summer was:

Gustavo Santaolalla's Ronroco

This 53-year-old Argentinean composer has written soundtracks for "Brokeback Mountain," "Che," and "The Motorcycle Diaries." His music is a fusion of traditional Latin and ambient music.

5. My number five favorite listen this summer was:

The Rolling Stones Let It Bleed

What can I say. It's a chillingly awesome record. 

Special Mention: One of my favorite songs was "Don't Forget Me" sung by Neko Case on her new album Middle Cyclone (another favorite album of the summer. The song is by Harry Nillsson.

Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds is the name of the band and I'll be
talking about them in more detail in the next week or two.  In the
meantime, this video showcases their song Freight Train.  But because
it's a making of the song type of video, Freight Train doesn't actually
come in until 1:07 into it.  Stick with it though, it's worth it.

–Eliot Wagner

John
Fogerty, who usually
plays arenas for big bucks will be playing Pier 17 at The South Street
Seaport for free tonight at 7pm.

As you probably know, John was the leader of Creedence
Clearwater
Revival
back then, and has also written one of the best ever songs
about baseball, Centerfield.  He has a new country tinged album
released yesterday, with the grammatically incorrect title of The Blue
Ridge
Rangers Rides Again.  I've had a chance to listen to that album and
it's flat out a lot of fun.

That album consists mostly of covers, with only one Forgerty song. 
Among the songs are Rick Nelson's Garden Party (with Don Hendley and
Timothy B. Schmidt of the Eagles) and When Will I Be Loved with Bruce
Springsteen singing backup.

While I doubt Bruce will show (although you never know with him),
plenty of other of your fellow New Yorkers will probably crowd onto
Pier 17, so if you are planning to go see John, get there early.

John
Fogerty, Pier 17 at The South Street Seaport, A or C Trains to
Broadway-Nassau or 2 or 3 Trains to Fulton Street (exit at Fulton
Street and walk east to Pier 17), 7pm, free.

 –Eliot Wagner

I'm giving you a few days notice on this.  John Fogerty, who usually
plays arenas for big bucks will be playing Pier 17 at The South Street
Seaport for free this coming Wednesday, September 2, at 7pm.

As you probably know, John was the leader of Creedence Clearwater
Revival back then, and has also written one of the best ever songs
about baseball, Centerfield.  He has a new country tinged album due out
tomorrow, with the grammatically incorrect title of The Blue Ridge
Rangers Rides Again.  I've had a chance to listen to that album and
it's flat out a lot of fun.

That album consists mostly of covers, with only one Forgerty song. 
Among the songs are Rick Nelson's Garden Party (with Don Hendley and
Timothy B. Schmidt of the Eagles) and When Will I Be Loved with Bruce
Springsteen singing backup.

While I doubt Bruce will show (although you never know with him),
plenty of other of your fellow New Yorkers will probably crowd onto
Pier 17, so if you are planning to go see John, get there early.

John Fogerty, Pier 17 at The South Street Seaport, A or C Trains to
Broadway-Nassau or 2 or 3 Trains to Fulton Street (exit at Fulton
Street and walk east to Pier 17), 7pm, free.

 –Eliot Wagner

A good place to hide out from the rain on Saturday would be The
Rockwood Music Hall over on the Lower East Side.  It has a pretty good
line up from 9 pm to 2 am.

9pm: Sasha Dobson: An OTBKB Music favorite, Sasha will be playing will
a full band.  No doubt she will be playing songs from her upcoming EP,
now scheduled for release in October. Mostly mid tempo rock with
inventive, jazz-inspired vocals and some tasty guitar work.

10 pm: Fionn O Lochlainn: Fionn is a mostly acoustic singer songwriter with wonderful vocals.

11pm: Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds: A blues based rock band. 
Pierre over at The Gigometer recommends their live show highly (I've
heard them but not yet seen them).

Midnight to 2am: Brooklyn Bugaloo Blowout: A band with a floating
memebership.  Tonight's edition includes Leah Siegel, Chris Cheek, Bill
Sims Jr., Andrew Sherman, Tony Mason and Tim Luntzel.  Their songs
include I Got Loaded and The Fkin'g Knicks.  As their Myspace says, "it
should be a party."

The Rockwood Music Hall, 196 Allen St. (F Train to Second Avenue, take
the First Avenue exit, cross Allen St. and walk 1/2 block south).

 –Eliot Wagner

As Yogi Berra once said, "you can observe a lot just by watching." 
Over the past year, I saw a couple of Norah Jones (a Brooklyn resident
once again) gigs with a mostly country covers band with
Norah playing lead guitar.  What I've noticed over that time is how
much Norah has progressed in her guitar playing.  And what kept running
through my mind was "I'll bet that Norah's next album has her playing
guitar and not piano."  Idle speculation, sure, but that's what I kept
thinking.

Well, it's no longer idle speculation.  A recent press release confirms it: "Another
noticeable change on Jones’ upcoming album is that she plays mostly
guitar. 'I actually write more on guitar than I do on piano,' she says.
'It just felt more natural for me to play it on these songs.'   And, of
course, Norah's new publicity photo (seen here on the left) has her
holding a guitar, though not her usual candy apple red Fender Mustang.

Also interesting are Nora colaborators on this project: writers Jesse Harris (who wrote five of the songs on Come Away With Me), Ryan Adams and Okkervil River's Will Sheff, as well as producer Jacquire King (Kings of Leon, Tom Waits and Modest Mouse), and musicians Joey Waronker (Beck, R.E.M.), James Gadson (Bill Withers), James Poyser (Erykah Badu, Al Green), Brooklyn's own Marc Ribot (Tom Waits, Elvis Costello) and Smokey Hormel (Johnny Cash, Joe Strummer).

The album is scheduled to drop in about two months.  We'll see what
Norah has up her sleeve then.

 –Eliot Wagner

Back in the beginning of July, I posted the first of what musician Dave
Carroll promised would be three videos about his futile battle to get
United Airlines to pay for the repair of his guitar, broken when he
flew with United from Chicago to Nebraska.

Dave has now posted the second video in his United Breaks Guitars
trilogy and it does have its chuckles.  Keep watching to the very end
for the payoff.

–Eliot Wagner

I recently received the following email from Abe Bradshaw at 2Minutes59
Records, a record company based in Park Slope which has released some
very good music over the years:

Most of you know that the name of the record label, 00:02:59, is pulled
from a line in the song "Hitsville UK" from the album Sandinista!
by
The Clash.  Hopefully more of you know that we released a track by
track tribute (by 36 different artists!) to this strange and beautiful
album
called The Sandinista! Project back in 2006.

Jimmy Guterman – the guy who came up with the crazy idea of The
Sandinista! Project just approached me with another crazy idea. 
He
said, "Joe Strummer's birthday is coming up on August 21st… let's
offer a free download of the entire album on August 21st."

Because I'm crazy too, I said, "OK."

So – be sure to visit 2minutes59.com on August 21st for info on how you
and all of your friends can download this sprawling, yet totally
engaging,
epic for FREE for 24-hours.

**************

I've visited the 2Minutes59 site and the URL
for the download is there.  The problem with it is that it is not a
link and you can't cut and paste it.  So I'll give it to you in link
form:

http://blog.guterman.com/2009/08/20/sandinista-free

Remember that this link will only work today, Friday.

 –Eliot Wagner

Mike Viola was a New York City fixture for years, first with his band
The Candy Butchers and then on his own.   A couple of years ago he
moved to LA and his appearances in New York are now fewer and farther
between.  But Mike's in town tomorrow night at Joe's Pub and I
recommend that you take the opportunity to see him live.  You might
already know him as the voice singing That Thing You Do in the movie of
the same name.  But if you don't, here's a murky video clip of Mike
(along with singer-songwriter Jim Boggia) musically free associating before he gets to that previously mentioned
song:

Mike Viola, Joes Pub (F Train to Broadway-Lafayette, walk north on Lafayette Street, or 6 Train to Astor Place), Thursday August 20, 9:30pm, $15

Tuesday, there's a pretty good twofer show over at Southpaw: Mitch Easter
and Amy Speace.  Mitch was in the band Sneakers in the 70s and Let's
Active in the 80s.  He's also been a producer working with R.E.M.,
Marshall Crenshaw and Suzanne Vega among others.  He also engineered
Amy Speace's recent record, The Killer in Me.

Amy Speace, who I've recommended here before, is a singer-songwriter
whose music could be called Americana, alt country and folk.  Her
recent album, The Killer in Me grew out of the break up of her
marriage.  So you'll hear some introspective songs, but Amy will mix in
some lively stuff too.  This is probably the last time to see Amy in
Brooklyn before she packs up and leaves the metropolitan area and moves
on to Nashville.

Mitch Easter and Amy Speace, Southpaw, 125 Fifth Avenue (between Sterling Pl. and St. Johns Pl.), 8pm

 –Eliot Wagner

It was announced yesterday that Les Paul died last Thursday.  If you
had to sum up what Les was in one word, that word is innovator.  He not
only created music, he created instruments (although it is not
absolutely certain that he was the first to create a solid body
electric guitar, he was at least one of the first persons to do so; and the iconic Les Paul guitar, although what his contributions to that were are somewhat disputed) 
and ways to record them (multitracking, overdubbing and electronic
effects).  It is no stretch at all to say that Les created the template
for music as it has existed since the mid 20th century.

Les had an interesting take on why he became an inventor:  “Honestly, I
never strove to be an Edison. The only reason I invented these things
was
because I didn’t have them and neither did anyone else. I had no
choice, really.”

The clip today will give you a look at what Les did and how he did it. 
It also includes a Les Paul and Mary Ford hit, How High the Moon.  I
picked this song because it always seemed to be coming out of the
kitchen radio when I was in elementary school.

For more information on the life of Les Paul, check out this obituary in The New York Times or the article on him in Wikipedia.

–Eliot Wagner

Should be quite a show: Blondie. Pat Benatar and The Donnas perform this Thursday at the  Seaside Summer Concert Series located in Coney Island’s Asser Levy/Seaside Park across the street from the New York Aquarium. The show starts at 7:30.

The public is encouraged to bring their own chairs. A limited amout of $5 rental chairs in a specially designated area are available ona first-come first-served basis.

Last Friday at Celebrate Brooklyn, right before headliners Grace Potter
and The Nocturals went on, Park Slope's own Sen. Chuck Schumer appeared
on stage to, as he said, celebrate two phenomenal woman, Sonia
Sotomayor and Grace Potter.  We all know about Chuck and Sonia, but
Chuck and Grace?

Here's how I think Chuck learned about Grace.  Chuck is a member of the
Senate Judiciary Committee, whose chair is Senator Pat Leahy.  It's well
known that Leahy is a  Deadhead. But he knows other music as well.

Grace, talking about a benefit concert for Obama the band did last year, explained: 
"Sen. Pat Leahy introduced us via satellite, and said all these things
about us, and our song, “Ah Mary.” I thought it was so awesome, and I
was surprised he knew so much about us."

I'll bet that Leahy told Chuck not to miss Grace and the band when they
played Brooklyn.  And I'll wager that Chuck took his colleague's well
supported musical advice.

 –Eliot Wagner

August seems an unusual time to release a record, but James Maddock's
Sunrise on Avenue C landed last Tuesday.  It's James' first album
(there
was an EP a few years back) since his previous band, Wood, released
their first and only album, Songs from Stanford Hill 10 years ago.  I'm
here to tell you that Sunrise on Avenue C is worth your attention.

James stock in trade is the mid-tempo rocker, and he sings with an
engaging gravelly voice someplace between Steve Forbert and
Rod
Stewart.  James has been able to round up an all star band for this
release, including Leslie Mendelson on piano, Aaron Comess (formerly
with The Spin Doctors) on drums and Eleanor Whitmore (Kelly Willis
among others) on strings.

Sunrise show off James' strength as a songwriter.  The 12 songs which
make up the album run from optimism (Chance), moments of grace (Stars
Align), the sublime (Sunrise on Avenue C) and the ridiculous (Dumbed
Down).  James is able to mix humor into his songs without any of them
becoming novelty numbers.  And he is able to make both When the Sun's
Out and Straight Lines anthemic numbers.

I've seen James play small clubs over the past two years.  It's great
to have his songs finally out there and have Sunrise on Avenue C around
to brighten up your day.  It's available as a CD and as a download from
all the usual places.

 –Eliot Wagner

As noted last time, there are many good choices for music tonight:

Kristin Diable: OK, she left Brooklyn to return to her native
Louisiana, but she's back tonight and her combination of roots, Americana and blues music sung
in a sultry voice will win you over. The Living Room, 154 Ludlow
Street (F
Train to Second Avenue; use the First Avenue exit), 10pm.

James Maddock: A winning combination of mid tempo rock, a few ballads a
wonderful sense of humor and a great band. This will be a two hour
show.  James has just released his first full album in 10 years,
Sunrise on Avenue C.  The Rockwood Music Hall, 196 Allen St. (F Train to Second Avenue, First Avenue exit), 10pm -Midnight.

The Brooklyn What:  I hear echoes of The Ramones, The New York Dolls
and mid-60s garage bands in their songs.  Their first album is titled
The Brooklyn What for Borough President.  Thye're clever and fun and
they rock. Trash Bar, 256 Grand Street (between Driggs and Roebling; G
Train to Metropolitan Avenue, walk on Metropolitan Avenue , go under
the BQE and  continue  about three blocks to Roebling, left on Roebling
two blocks, right on Grand), 8pm.

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals / Deer Tick / Jones Street Station: 
All these bands play some variant of rock.  GP&N are blues based
rock and something of a jam band; Deer Tick is someplace between indie,
alt country, Americana and folk and Jones Street Station is new to me. 
But this is one of the last of the last non-benefit shows at Celebrate
Brooklyn and it should be a good one if the weather cooperates.
Celebrate Brooklyn, Prospect Park (enter at 9th or 11th Streets), gates
6pm, show 7pm.

 –Eliot Wagner

There's so many good musicians who are OTBKB Music faves playing on
Friday, I'll give you a couple of days to think about who you would
like to see.  Remember, when you have a number of good
choices, whatever choice you make will be a good one.

Kristin Diable: OK, she left Brooklyn to return to her native
Louisiana, but she's back tonight and her combination of roots, Americana and blues music sung
in a sultry voice will win you over. The Living Room, 154 Ludlow
Street (F
Train to Second Avenue; use the First Avenue exit), 10pm.

James Maddock: A winning combination of mid tempo rock, a few ballads a
wonderful sense of humor and a great band. This will be a two hour
show.  James has just released his first full album in 10 years,
Sunrise on Avenue C.  The Rockwood Music Hall, 196 Allen St. (F Train to Second Avenue, First Avenue exit), 10pm -Midnight.

The Brooklyn What:  I hear echoes of The Ramones, The New York Dolls
and mid-60s garage bands in their songs.  Their first album is titled
The Brooklyn What for Borough President.  Thye're clever and fun and
they rock. Trash Bar, 256 Grand Street (between Driggs and Roebling; G
Train to Metropolitan Avenue, walk on Metropolitan Avenue , go under
the BQE and  continue  about three blocks to Roebling, left on Roebling
two blocks, right on Grand), 8pm.

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals / Deer Tick / Jones Street Station: 
All these bands play some variant of rock.  GP&N are blues based
rock and something of a jam band; Deer Tick is someplace between indie,
alt country, Americana and folk and Jones Street Station is new to me. 
But this is one of the last of the last non-benefit shows at Celebrate
Brooklyn and it should be a good one if the weather cooperates.
Celebrate Brooklyn, Prospect Park (enter at 9th or 11th Streets), gates
6pm, show 7pm.

 –Eliot Wagner

This was Mekons weekend in New York.  First they played Friday night at The Bell House in Gowanus; if it wasn't a sell out it was pretty close to that. 
Then Saturday they played a sold out Mercury Lounge down on the Lower
East Side.  Summing up the history of The Mekons from their founding to
the present, The Chicago Tribune noted: "the Chicago- and England-based
collective dabbled in nearly every musical possible style, writing
about topics ranging from capitalist oppression to social uprisings and
Cold War politics."  And you can dance to it too.  But the best way to
get a handle on this band is to see them.  So here's a clip of the song
Hard to Be Human from a show few months back.

 –Eliot Wagner

The name of the band listed on The Rockwood Music Hall calendar for
Tuesday night was "Shit Storm."  Unlike almost every other band on that
calendar, it didn't have a link to a website.  OK, it's really a band
who doesn't want its name out there, I thought.  A bit of asking around
and I was told that it's Sasha Dobson, who has a big (that is, paying)
gig next week and can't play under her name this week.  Since I like
the new material Sasha's been playing, I decided to go see her.

I got to The Rockwood early Tuesday night and had 20 minutes to kill. 
I ended up in Sugar, the dinner up the block, eating a Black and White
and watching the people pass by on the sidewalk.  I looked up in time
to see three women with guitar cases strapped to their backs walk by. 
And although I only see their backs, I recognize them.  "It's Sasha,
Catherine and Norah; OK, this is going to be a Puss N Boots show," I
thought.  So I finish my snack and get back to The Rockwood, where the
8 o'clock band is finishing up.

I'm actually able to find a seat at one of The Rockwood's three tables
(the one against the wall).  That seat ends up putting me right in
front of Norah, which means I can finally read the name of the candy
apple red guitar she plays.  In the past, I've been able to see that
it's a Fender and that it's neither a Telecaster nor a Stratocaster. 
This time I'm finally able to read the model, which I now know is a
Mustang.

I've seen Puss N Boots (formerly Dixie Fried and the successor band to
The Sloppy Joannes) before and this show fits right into the band's
usual M.O.: Sasha on amplified acoustic, Norah on lead and Catherine on
bass; the lead vocals are maybe 60% Sasha and 40% Norah, with Catherine
getting one lead as well.  This show is all covers and there are covers
from folks like Wanda Jackson, George Jones, Johnny Cash and Buddy
Holly, as well as funny and self deprecating remarks from Sasha and
Norah and funny and outrageous remarks from Catherine.

But the standout song of the night for me is, as it has been for a
while, the cover of Wilco's Jesus, Etc. with Norah front and center (I
previously posted it here).  It's so good that she should think about
putting it on her next record (which she's now recording).

One hour is what a band gets at The Rockwood and when the hour was up,
the band and much of the audience scattered.  Norah was probably on her
way to The Living Room where members of her now disbanded Handsome Band
were playing.  I needed some sleep so I just went back to Brooklyn.

 –Eliot Wagner

Monday, I was at a table at The Living Room with my friend John, waiting
for Jonatha Brooke and her band to take the stage.  The place was
pretty crowded and a woman comes over to the table, looks at the
remaining empty chair and asks if we mind if she sits there.  "Not at
all," I said.

John and I continue to talk and at one point I mentioned my column here
in Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn.  A very short time after that, the
woman at our table asks me if I'm a music writer.  I say that I am, and
then she hands me CD; her CD.  We talk a bit.  I learn her name is
Eleanor and that she uses just her first name professionally.  It turns
out that she knows one of John's relatives.  I tell Eleanor that I'll
listen to her CD.  Then Jonatha Brooke comes to the stage and starts
her excellent and rocking show.  When the show ends, John, Eleanor
and I all go our separate ways.

When I got home Monday night, I put Eleanor's CD, which is titled Us,
into my computer and listened to it.  It's just an EP with four tracks.  But
there's a lot to like on Us.  Eleanor's voice is smooth and quite
melodic.  Her songs are jazz based and remind me just a bit of Sasha
Dobson's earlier songs.  The mood on Us is mellow, but an interesting
form of mellow.

Eleanor will be playing a few dates in Brooklyn and Manhattan starting
towards the end of August, and I plan on following up on
her.

(Photo by Todd Chalfant)

 –Eliot Wagner

Nice double bill over at The Living Room tonight.  First up at 8pm is
Israel Gripka.  You may remember I included Israel's album, New York
Town in my faves for the first half of 2009.  He's a talented
songwriter who despite his youth, has taken in the best that the 70s
has to offer.  Although great with a band, he may be in solo or duo
formation tonight. Whatever formation he's playing in, he's really
worth your while to catch.

Jonatha Brooke follows at 9pm.  Although I've only seen Jonatha once
(in Chicago at that), I found her music to be enjoyable and her to be
an engaging performer.  Jonatha's currrent album, The Works, contains
songs she crafted from Woody Guthrie's unpublished lyrics.  I suspect
that she'll be playing stuff from that record as well as other material.

Israel Gripka (8), Jonatha Brooke (9), The Living Room, 154 Ludlow Street (F
Train to Second Avenue; use the First Avenue exit).

 –Eliot Wagner

From the outside, The Lakeside Lounge on Avenue B and 10th Street looks
like a nondescript dive.  Two stores joined in the back in a 1930s'
vintage apartment building, the southernmost store looks like a bar
with some signs in the windows advising of which musician  is playing
the place when.  The other store is a mostly empty room with a bench
against the left wall and a few tables and chairs in front of that.  If
you look a bit closer, you'll also see a stage area in the front.  It's
hard to really see that it's a stage because it's only raised about
three inches from the floor.

What you can't really see, though, is the spirit of the place.  Owned
by
musician Eric "Roscoe" Ambel (even if you don't know him,you've heard
him; he
does the lead parts in Joan Jett's I Love Rock 'N' Roll), the Lakeside
is very musician friendly.  And the one musician who seems to feel that
vibe the most is Amy Rigby.

I've seen Amy play at a number of places in New York City over the
years.  But the one thing that became apparent to me was that Amy's
shows at the Lakeside were invariably her better ones.

So Wednesday night I made my way over to Avenue B for the NYC
appearance of Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby. Last year Amy married
Wreckless Eric, one of the performers on the old Stiff Records back in
the 70s.  After that marriage, they also married their careers and
started recording and performing as a duo.

 And I have to say that the old Lakewood magic was evident once again. 
Eric and Amy have meshed their sound well.  Eric's lead guitar and bass
were quite pleasing and Amy's rhythm guitar anchored the songs.  She
also played keyboard on a few songs, and a what looked to be a brand
new electric guitar, which she should think about playing more.  Their
songs for the evening reached back into the catalog of both Amy and
Eric, came from their duo album from last year, logically titled
Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby, and included a few cover tunes as well.

And there were the zingers: Eric looked at the people looking through
the window at the show and noted that they were too cheap to come
inside to see a free show.  Amy told us about how she went to the bar
where her daughter's band was playing and saw the kid playing bass and
rocking out, smoking and drinking beer.  Amy said she was very proud of
her, but only for the bass part.

Yes, the Lakeside is a nondescript dive.  But it has heart and
Wednesday night it was a great place to be.

 –Eliot Wagner

There are many reasons beside the music to head over to the Lakeside
Lounge on the Lower East Side tonight to see Wreckless Eric and Amy
Rigby.  Here are just a few:

Historic: Wreckless Eric is one of the original crew over at Stiff
Records back in the 70s, who hit the airwaves with Take the Cash, Whole
Wide World and Hit 'n' Miss Judy.

Romantic:  Eric and Amy met on night in England when the local
promoter, knowing that Amy was performing Eric's Whole Wide World in
her show, invited Eric to be there.

Geographic: Amy lived here, first on the Lower East Side and then in
Williamsburg, for more than 20 years.  She's one of our own and has the
outlook on life to prove it.

Bloggistic (yeah I know that it's not a word, but maybe it should be):
When not writing songs, Amy is a fantastic blogger about the usual
things, which in her case not only include life, love and family but
also the trials and tribulations of an American musician living with
her English musician husband in rural France.  And I'll note for the
record that Amy's blog, The Diary of Amy Rigby, has a link to this very
blog.

So this two person rock 'n' roll band will be pulling into The Lakeside
tonight.  Expect the songs to be a combination of yours, mine and ours.  The show starts around 9:30, but this show will probably fill
the tiny place quickly so get there early.

Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby, Lakeside Lounge, Avenue B and 10th
Street, 9:30 (F Train to 14th Street, transfer to either the 14A or 14D
bus, exit at 10th Street (14A) or 11th Street (14D) and walk to Avenue
B). No cover.

 –Eliot Wagner

No need to leave Park Slope the next two nights as there are shows
worth your attention Monday and Tuesday.

On Monday, the July show of
The Brooklyn Songwriters Exchange will be held a Union Hall.  Here's
what they say about tonight's bill: "This show with be an in-the-round evening lead
by Rebecca Pronsky and
featuring local artist Rod Alonzo, plus
southern belles Shannon Wurst 
(from Fayetteville, Arkansas) and Rebecca Loebe (from Atlanta,
Georgia).  The four     songwriters will perform solo, each sharing a song,
then onto the next and so on, and back round again."

Brooklyn Songwriter's Exchange, Union Hall, 702 Union Street (just east
of 5th Avenue) Monday, July 20, 7:30PM doors, 8PM show, FREE

On Tuesday, Robbie Fulks and Jenny Scheinman return to Barbes for what
will your next to last chance of catching them together, probably
ever.  Here's what Robbie has to say about this:

"Gimme just one more last chance! Jenny Scheinman and I did the 'last' of our Barbes (9th St. and 6th Ave., Park Slope, Brooklyn NY) duo
series a couple weeks ago. Turns out we jumped the gun. The other day
as we were sitting at her apartment, staring morosely at each other,
separated only by a moldering bowl of granola and a heaving sack of
amniotic fluid, it came to us of a sudden — before long one of us will
be living in another town and the other toting a howling homunculus in
a papoose and probably done with music altogether, and in the meantime,
here we sit with hands under buttocks, scanning each others' distended
stomachs, adrift in pointless envy of Ryan Adams. Why not 'put our
hands to good use,' to quote Arturo Gatti's trophy bride?

"To
summarize: fiddle and guitar, very pretty singing music, hipster
nightspot, no cover, all remaining Tuesdays in July at 7PM."

Robbie Fulks and Jenny Scheinman, Barbes, 376 9th Street (just east of
6th Avenue), Tuesday, July 21, 7PM, No cover but $10 suggested donation.

 –Eliot Wagner

Roy Nathanson and Sean Sonderegger are playing a gig on Sunday, July 19 at Sycamore, a great newish bar on Cortelyou Road.

Nathanson, who is a co-founder of the Jazz Passengers, occupies a musical orbit that encompasses jazz, spoken word and new music. Roy on alto sax is not to be missed.

The Sycamore show is a double-bill featuring a stripped down version of Roy Nathanson's
Sotto Voce and Sean Sonderegger' s Warrior Circle will be performing some new originals as well
as old favorites. Here are the 'tails.

7:00 PM Roy Nathanson's Sotto Voce
Roy Nathanson-Alto Sax, Voice
Sam Bardfeld-Violin, Voice
Tim Kiah-Bass, Voice

8:00 PM
Sean Sonderegger' s Warrior Circle
Sean Sonderegger- Tenor Sax, Flute
Ezana Edwards-Trumpet
Isaac Darche-Guitar
Greg Chudzick-Bass
Alex Wyatt-Drums

Sycamore: 1118 Cortelyou Road,  Brooklyn, NY 11218

On Thursday, Richard Grayson went to the Seaside Summer Concert Series at Asser Levy/Seaside Park and came back with a fascinating report and a reminiscence about his summer of 1969. The rest with pictures is at his blog, DUMBO Books of Brooklyn.

The big deal this weekend in Brooklyn is Siren Fest (officially the Siren Music Festival) in Coney Island,
which the Village Voice has been producing since 2001. There are 14
bands on two stages; here's the schedule:

Main Stage (West 10th Street and The Boardwalk)

    1:00 Tiny Masters of Today
    2:00 Micachu & The Shapes
    3:00 Japandroids
    4:00 Frightened Rabbit
    5:00 Grand Duchy
    6:00 The Raveonettes
    7:30 Built To Spill

    DJ between sets: Justine D

Stillwell Stage (Stillwell Avenue and The Boardwalk)

    1:30 The Blue Van
    2:30 Bear Hands
    3:30 Thee Oh Sees
    4:30 Future of the Left
    5:30 A Place To Bury Strangers
    6:30 monotonix
    8:00 Spank Rock

    DJ between sets: Deadheat DJs

Although I haven't seen The Raveonettes live, I really liked their last
album (and just for the record, even though the Raveonettes' guitarist
and I have the same last name, we're not related).  And when I ran into
my high school classmate and music critic Billy Altman in Austin this
past March, he had just seen Brooklyn's Tiny Master of Today and was
quite enthused about them.

Siren Music Festival, Coney Island: D,F,N or Q Trains to Stillwell Avenue or F or Q Trains to W. 8th Street; 1-9 PM, Free

 –Eliot Wagner

If someone is in the center of the various musical currents swirling
around the neighborhood, that someone would be Park Slope resident Adam
Bernstein.  Originally from New Jersey, where he was in the 14 piece
folk/rock/klezmer/funk band All God's Children, Adam moved to Park
Slope in 1998.

The reason for that move was to  become the Jazz Program Director at
the Berkley Carroll School.  Adam says that the purpose of that program
was to make sure that middle school to high school kids "could learn to
play the music." Although Adam left that position at the end of the
last school year, he plans to keep pursuing education.

Adam is also a member of the Laurie Berkner Band, a family and kids'
band.  He's known Laurie for 20 years and once, while the two of them
were living in the same building in Union City, NJ, Laurie needed a
bass player for an appearance on the Today Show.  She called upon Adam,
and the two have been working together since.

One of Adam's musical loves is jazz, and he plays music in that idiom with the David Driver
Quartet and with the band Solar, which now is at least on
hiatus.  Adam's bandmate in Solar, Eli Yamin, recently played at the
White House.

And like most musicians, Adam is working on a new record.  He has a
home studio, which, Adam explained "in a normal person's house would be
the living room."

Although Adam says doesn't tend to hang out these days, he does seem to
know many musicians.  He asked me if I ever heard of a musician named
Leslie Mendelson.  Of course I had (as you steady readers of OTBKB
Music know).  Adam explained that she was in a songwriters' circle with
her many years ago and she came in every week with really good new
songs.

Even Borough President Marty Markowitz has recognized Adam's talents;
in 2005, Marty presented Adam with a proclamation recognizing his
accomplishments in jazz education.

 –Eliot Wagner

Last week's video from the Sons of Maxwell, United Breaks Guitars, now
has over two million viewings, an an
update from songwriter Dave Caroll, and responses from United Air Lines and Taylor Guitars.  Although the story of the video
was also picked up by ABC, CBS and CNN, you readers of OTBKB Music
had it before they did.

But there are other, older songs about broken guitars.  This one,
Perfectly Good Guitar, by John Hiatt, is from 1993.

–Eliot Wagner