MUSINGS & RAMBLINGS

I'm sorry I missed Righteous Fists of Harmony and The Bobby Young Project who were on earlier. Mz. Dee was in the house and she sang with Bobby and that I was really sorry to miss.
Even though being late, there was still plenty to be heard.
Walked through the crowd outside, gave my donation, wedged myself through crowd again and made it pretty near to the front and there.... The Pulsators were going at it!!

They were soundin' great with that original Pulsator sound.
It wasn't long before they had Tommy Tutone up to sit in.
I've been seeing his name a lot lately with the Pulsators backing him around here and all, and I have heard it before but I just couldn't place where I heard it from.
I mean, I know it was in the music world but of what genre and such, I had no idea.
So here he is in the flesh, not three feet from me, I'm standing there right in front of him, sorta dancing, just watching this guy. I'm wondering still who the hell he is. He takes us into some energized rock stuff-hard to explain but very original. He had some times where he would jump up and kick both feet up behind him and the energy from him was infectious.
I never recognized any of the songs until that 80's hit "Jenny I got your number..... 827-6309....." (or something like that) and I thought nothing of it and even thought he did a great job covering it!!
In defense of myself...I was very busy raising kids in the 80's and never cared for the 80's punk rock new wave sound much anyway.

So still clueless, at break, I was outside talking with a friend and we finally clued into the fact that that was indeed his song.
I'm not calling him a one-hit-wonder or anything but a co-worker (who loves his stuff and knew right off the bat who he was) told me he had another hit but couldn't recall it. Help?

He was a lot of fun. The Pulsators did a great job backing him and it couldn't have been that easy. Thanks Gang!

Next up was one of my favorite local other-than-blues bands.... The Sorentinos.
Ok...Ok....it has some blues in it but mostly it's a type of Rock/Americana/Folk/Blues....I don't know.... they're just great!
The songwriting, it's all about the songwriting here.
Danny has many under his belt.
Started off with one of my new favorites- Black leather Jacket.
I love that part, "You look goooood...in your Black Leather Jacket". The way it's drawn out in harmony is pretty cool.
Another original and then it was a mini-set if covers?? I don't get it although they do them well. Not much time at benefits and all and with all them great songs.... why?

They ended it with "Daddy Nicotine" which is an old favorite of mine written by Danny. Great band and every so often I just have to catch up to a whole night of....
The Sorentinos.

After that was The Trailer Park Rangers.
All I have to say is that they were my favorite of the night.
I know...I know... I don't get either because they venture pretty far from my idea of blues but it was just so....so.....so refreshing!
The guy is a musical genius that David Carter. The arrangements and the way the band just intertwines or weaves them together. It's a musical journey of sorts and it leaves you just hanging on and waiting to see where it will take you.
I don't know....that's about as good as it gets from me and don't even ask me to describe what sound it is because again...I'm clueless!
All great, GREAT players.

So far we've had some pretty great stuff from some of Sonoma County's finest original artist.

You know what...I almost forgot...Tommy Tutone and Johnny Campbell did an unplugged set that was fun. That was in between there somewhere.

After The Trailer Park Rangers was The Volker Strifler Band. I just love that Shufflelupagus instrumental he opens with.
It was a real good set from Sonoma County's rising stars.
Not much else can be said because we've already said so much about this band.

After that was A Case of the Willies.
Wow...it had been so long since I'd seen them!
Willy Jordan was funkin' it up! Yep, The King of Sonoma County Funk, Mr Willy Jordan. Actually, he don't live here no more but he's still the King of Sonoma County Funk. The guy can really play some badass drums but that commanding voice is what steals the show. That and that awesome horn section! Wow!
Willy, Volker, Carl, David, Glenn....love ya, Guys.
Sure miss you too.

My very first Volker Strifler sighting was with this band here about...I don't know... ten, twelve, fifteen years ago. Every once in awhile he would get to do a song of his during the night and I always wanted to hear more. I already had his very first CD, "Full Moon" -the one he did with his German band way back when and it is so good. It would frustrate the hell out of me him not playing his songs but aah well....
I've even got some old reviews I did back then for SonomaTunes.com and sure enough, I'm bitchin' about it.
Get to hear plenty of them now.
That song "help me"...is on all three of his Cds and I do believe a Ford Blues Band Cd too. I just knew he would go somewhere when and if he started focusing on his own stuff and it seems he is.

I missed most of Detroit Disciples and whatever else came after that because I was beat and work was approaching fast. My feet were really hurting for some odd reason.
The Disciples were sounding good as I was walking out the door but I was just happy I got to hear Tommy Miller sing one before I left. I love his voice.

It was just so much fun all the dancers, the crowd, the music, the place was packed, and it felt like the good old days hanging out in Cotati for the music.
There was much more going on but my main focus was the music and that's pretty much where I stayed.

Johnny Campbell and crew did one hell of a job putting it together and the music was just flowin' with rapid change ups and it didn't feel stressed at all. The line up was Superb and the sound was AWESOME! Hats off to the sound and stage guys!!!

Hats off to the Tradewinds for hosting it. It's too bad we have to have benefits but they sure can be fun. Sure brought back some great memories.

Mo