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January 05, 2007
Saturday Night at the Tradewinds (12/06)
I was pretty fried by this time. Four nights in a row and not used to this bluesin' much anymore but I made it out the door.
After all....it was just down the road and it had been waaay too long since a Levi Lloyd show.
I left ahead of schedule to stop for some smokes, cash and gas and arrived early.
Pulled into the empty lot and into a spot. It was early yet so I pulled out a CD I grabbed on the way out the door. I'm ashamed to say that I forgot all about this CD.
This "Live at the Ivy Room" Cd is really good. It was a benefit for Leroy Shyne that I remember attending. And I also remember (with the help of listening to it) that it was a blast!!
I sure miss the Ivy Room. It was a place in Albany just over there on the other side of the Richmond bridge. Too bad it's no longer a music venue. Saw some of the best blues shows there and always had fun.
Glad I dug deep into my collection. Need to do that more often.
The second song on it with Lil' Johnny Lawton, '16 bar' I think it's called, was so lowdown it pulled me in. I stared at the sign that read " Customer Parking Only. Violators will be towed at owners expense" and really dug into the song. Johnny's so awesome. Would love to get a whole show of his someday soon.
I had a smoke while listening and headed into the warmth and coziness of the Tradewinds.
Walked in and took a glance at the band area. Levi had what I thought was a trio and I was so excited!! Hardly ever do you get to hear Levi do just a trio, if ever. I thought this would be the night of all nights. I thought it would be the night where he really steps up and just lays it all out on the table. I was all of the sudden wide awake and the adrenaline was a flowin' full speed ahead!
Standing there and finally gettin' a good look at the stage area, it dawned on me that there was another guitarist. It would be Evan Morgan. He's a good player but I was so looking forward to just some Levi. He's got it in him but when other's are there he'll just pass it around and around and around......it leaves me waiting impatiently. Levi is the real deal when it lets it out. The best I've ever heard Levi is when he's sittin' in or playing with someone else. But I must admit, Levi's one of the better rhythm players I've ever tuned into and I could just listen to that and be happy....for a while at least.
If you've never heard Levi really cut loose on the blues, you're missin' out. Some real gut wrenchin' raw blues guitar. Would love to hear more of it.
The Soulman of Sonoma County, Dee Wills, got up there and belted out some soul, funk and R&B tunes. He paid special tribute to James Brown and did a mini-set of a couple of his tunes. When "I Feel Good" came about, I thought of all the times I cringed when that song was covered and I felt guilty. We all danced joyfully in honor of James.
I was pretty fried so I called it an early evening and went home and curled up with a movie.
Mission accomplished. Four nights, Ok...three and a half nights, of bay area blues!!
I'm ready for Monday and a better year ahead.
Later,
Mo
Posted by Mo at January 5, 2007 03:45 PM