mind4music

This year's line-up for Hardly Strictly is the best yet. Many of our picks (we are in full family mode for this thing) are pretty darned obvious to those paying attention but for those needing a little guidance or are just curious, here goes:

SAT - It's pretty much a grab bag until 1:25 when Del McCoury plays the Banjo Stage, followed by Doc Watson, who is then followed by Earl Scruggs at 4:15... a trio of legends in a row that we can't miss!! But it gets tricky... Robert Earl Keen (w/ Danny Barnes on banjo) plays the Rooster Stage at 4:50, and Calexico plays a Los Super Seven set with Joe Ely, Ruben Ramos, et al beginninga at 5:15 on the Star Stage. Youch. And then it's Steve Earle back at the main stage. To see all of this, we have to miss Kelly Joe Phelps, Tim and Greg from Mother Hips, Hot Rize, Gillian Welch, Buddy Miller, and Jimmie Dale Gilmore. Brutal. But if all goes well we won't accidently hear Joan Baez.   read more »  

Well here's something you don't see everyday... a Danny Barnes torrent on etree! A soundboard, no less. It's the Danny Barnes Collective (Barnes ripping it up on elecric guitar, banjo, and samples, Brittany Haas on fiddle, the nefarious Mike Stone on drums, and Don McGreevy on bass) live from this summer's Pickathon up in Oregon.   read more »  

This post at a favorite macro economics site brings up an interesting discussion regarding the true state of the music industry. The author hardly blames file sharing.

In our minds, we are resigned to the fact that any music catching our fancy can only appeal to a distinct audience. Our concern is... how do the artists worth listening to make a living? How can we keep new and good stuff coming?

The Mother Hips -- STILL one of the greatest secrets in rock and roll -- just released a recent San Francisco show that contains a complete recital of Neil Young's classic album "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" plus a couple of bonus covers (Mr. Soul, Barstool Blues).

You can download the tracks on their site via   read more »  

While most of the U.S. is sweltering this August, the SF Bay Area is swathed in fog. Thus, we get the blues.

Mississippi Fred McDowell is the new oldie favorite... we've been listening to his 1959 recordings of wicked country blues. Check out his version of "Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning".

Leadbelly is in the house this summer, and "Bottle Up and Go" is the go-to song.

For the folks in the toastier states this summer, we recommend John Lee Hooker's "Burning Hell" album. In its entirety.

And finally, you don't need to know anything about him... what he looks like, how old (or young) he is...   read more »  

The legendary Vassar Clements just died at the age of 77. Music lovers everywhere have crossed his path... after all, he did appear on over 2000 albums... from Old and In The Way and The Byrds to Johnny Cash and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band... from John Hartford to Paul McCartney.

Some folks call him the Miles Davis of bluegrass.

Well, that band up there keeps getting better all the time.

Fiddler virtuoso Vassar Clements dead at 77 (msnbc)

JamBase Obit

Here's a show worthy of your spare bandwidth....

I'll never forget this night, and you can remember it with me. It's just days after 9/11, and the country is still in shock. I had just been mistaken for a "terrorist with a baby stroller" as I strode my regular Bernal Heights loop... mistaken paranoia from a local dry cleaning lady. 5 cops with drawn guns on myself and my 5-month-old,,, crazy days. (they searched us but didn't quite have the nerve to look underneath the youngsta.) Man did I need this Mule show!!   read more »  

David Lindley played at Freight and Salvage in Berkeley recently, and we caught the first night. Mr. Dave's playing was astounding as ever, and it was a huge enough sound for us,,, but damn was he funny. Especially the new song "Hoffaburger", and the story about the cannon builder for Hunter S. Thompson's blowout sendoff. Also of note were stellar renderings of "Tijuana" and "National Holiday".

The picture above is not from this Berkeley show.   read more »  

Danny Barnes has a new web site and it's giving away free mp3's from albums past, present and future. And, I'm responsible. You are so very welcome. Check it.

The Hotel Congress in downtown Tucson, Arizona is truly one of the most magnificent places in the world for music lovers. As local legend Al Perry would say, it's always a pleasure.

The folks in Europe are keen to the sonoran sounds, since that's where Tucson's finest tour during the summer. We've been paying attention to the extraordinary albums coming out of WaveLab studios the past 10 years or so... examples? Two enduring desert classics we'll mention are Giant Sand's "Chore of Enchantment" and Calexico's "The Black Light." Or try Richard Buckner's "Devotion and Doubt", which is really about the Ozarks but is classic WaveLab.   read more »