{"id":30730,"date":"2021-11-11T08:54:25","date_gmt":"2021-11-11T13:54:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/?p=30730"},"modified":"2021-11-11T08:54:30","modified_gmt":"2021-11-11T13:54:30","slug":"on-stage-blues-project-is-back-celebrating-its-60s-roots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/?p=30730","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Blues Project is back, celebrating its 60’s roots"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Steve Katz of Blues Project<\/p><\/div>\n

The 1960s was a magical time for music in Greenwich Village in New York.<\/p>\n

Many acts who went on to be classified as all-time greats were playing in small clubs in the Village \u2013 clubs such as Gerde\u2019s Folk City, The Bitter End, Cafe Au Go Go, Cafe Wha?, The Gaslight Cafe and The Bottom Line and acts such as Bob Dylan, Tim Buckley, Dave Van Ronk, Fred Neil, Lenny Bruce, Tim Hardin, Richie Havens, The Fugs, John Hammond and Linda Ronstadt.<\/p>\n

One of the best bands from the Village in the mid-60s was the Blues Project \u2013 a band featuring Danny Kalb, Steve Katz, Andy Kulberg, Al Kooper and Roy Blumenfeld.<\/p>\n

The band dissolved in the late 60s with Katz and Kooper moving on to form another great band \u2013 Blood, Sweat & Tears.<\/p>\n

Fast forward to 2021 and you\u2019ll find the Blues Project back on the road. On November 13, the Blues Project will be in the area to headline a show at Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985, www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>). <\/p>\n

The current line-up features two of the band\u2019s founding members \u2013 Steve Katz on guitar and Roy Blumenfeld on drums. The new members are Scott Petito on bass, Chris Morrison on guitar and Kenny Clark on keyboards.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s down to Roy and me,\u201d said Katz, during a phone interview Monday morning from his home in Connecticut. \u201cFour of the five are still alive while Andy passed away 20 years ago. Al and Danny are unable to play because of health issues.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe first got together in 1965. Even since the members went separate ways back in the 60s, we\u2019ve always had reunions. We\u2019ve had reunions since 1980.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the fall of 1965, The Blues Project played alongside the likes of Big Joe Williams, Son House, Bukka White, Skip James, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters and Otis Spann, to name a few. It was these legendary sold-out performances at the famed Cafe Au Go Go in Greenwich Village that eventually led to the release of their phenomenal debut album,\u00a0\u201cLive at the Cafe Au Go Go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started out at the Night Owl Caf\u00e9 and then we moved to the Caf\u00e9 Au Go Go,\u201d said Katz. \u201cThere were so many great shows at the Cafe Au Go Go \u2013 so many great musicians.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe played there a lot. For a long time, we were like the house band. Caf\u00e9 Au Go Go was the first gig that started to break us.\u201d<\/p>\n

The band began\u00a0recording\u00a0its first album live at\u00a0the\u00a0Cafe Au Go Go\u00a0in late November 1965 and then the album was finished with another week of recordings in January 1966.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn our first album, our lead singer Tommy Flanders left the band after a few songs,\u201d said Katz. \u201cAfter that, the vocals were done by me, Al and Danny.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were a fabulous live band. Our recordings never showed what we could do. They never presented the band the right way. Our label Verve\/Folkways didn\u2019t care. They were awful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Straight out of New York, the Blues Project soon toured all over North America. Back then, California, was the place to be, with San Francisco and Los Angeles as the two epicenters of the new age of rock and roll. The five New Yorkers played there and conquered the West.<\/p>\n

In San Francisco, the birthplace of the hippie counterculture movement and of the psychedelic rock, they achieved the admiration of their local peers. The not-yet famous Grace Slick, for example, dreamed to be the band\u2019s new female singer after sharing the bill with them at the Avalon Ballroom when she was still a member of the Great Society.<\/p>\n

Ed Denson, manager of Country Joe and the Fish, who became an instant fan after seeing them at the Matrix, said, \u201cTheir stage presence and their performance have an authority which comes from the secure knowledge that they are one of the best groups going. For the three weeks that they were here they were indisputably the best band in the city.\u201d
\nKalb, Katz, Blumenfeld, Kulberg and Kooper were all skillful musicians who mastered their instruments. They were so talented and versatile that they set a high standard for other performers of their generation.<\/p>\n

Returning to New York, the band recorded their second album\u00a0\u201cProjections\u201d\u00a0in the fall of 1966 \u2013 a diverse set of songs that spanned genres, including blues, rock, R&B, psychedelia, jazz, folk-rock. Soon after\u00a0\u201cProjections\u201d\u00a0was completed, the band began to fall apart. Kooper left the band in the spring of 1967\u00a0and the band completed a third album,\u00a0\u201cLive At Town Hall,\u201d\u00a0without him.<\/p>\n

In 1967, at the peak of their success and after the release of their third album,\u00a0\u201cLive at Town Hall,\u201d\u00a0the band\u00a0appeared at one of their last gigs — the legendary Monterey International Pop Festival. Videos from their set at Monterey showed audience members listening with reverence \u2013 mesmerized by what they were hearing from the New York quintet\u2026. especially the Kooper-penned track, \u201cFlute Thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of what we\u2019re playing in our shows now are songs from \u2018Projections\u2019 and \u2018Live at Caf\u00e9 Au Go Go,\u2019\u201d said Katz. \u201cEven though we don\u2019t have a flute player, we still play \u2018Flute Thing.\u2019 Our organist plays the flute parts on an ocarina-type instrument.\u201d<\/p>\n

Katz, who in 2015 released his memoir book, \u201cBlood, Sweat, and My Rock \u2018n Roll Years: Is Steve Katz a Rock Star?,\u201d is no stranger to Jamey\u2019s House of Music.<\/p>\n

\u201cI played Jamey\u2019s solo a few years ago,\u201d said Katz. \u201cIt\u2019s a really great room with good sound. And Jamey is great to work with.\u201d<\/p>\n

The current line-up for the band is multi-generational. Katz and Blumenfeld were making records before the other three were even born but now in 2021, they are all on the same page musically.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis tour lasts two weeks and that\u2019s enough,\u201d said Katz, who turned 76 in May. \u201cThere is a lot of driving around. I\u2019m getting too old to do this, but I\u2019m really loving it.\u201d<\/p>\n

So are fans of the Blues Project who have been loving the band\u2019s music for more than 55 years.<\/p>\n

Video link for the Blues Project — https:\/\/youtu.be\/I8Zp-vmAuEg<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Video link for the Blues Project \u201cFlute Thing\u201d live at Monterey \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/1oIE95Ro9Ms<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show on November 13 at Jamey\u2019s will start at 8 p.m. with<\/p>\n

Tickets are $40 in advance and $48 at the door. It is also available via livestream for $20.<\/p>\n

Another show at Jamey\u2019s this weekend will feature David Coppa and Scrapple on November 12.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Carl Palmer<\/p><\/div>\n

Carl Palmer, who will headline a show on November 11 at 2300 Arena (2300 South Swanson Street, Philadelphia,\u00a0www.2300arena.com<\/a>), is another major figure in the history of rock music \u2013 especially prog rock<\/p>\n

Palmer\u2019s music history takes him back to rocking England in the mid-1960s.<\/p>\n

After playing for a few small local bands in London in 1966, Palmer was invited to join Chris Farlowe and the Thunderbirds. In 1969, Palmer became the permanent drummer for The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, which was known world-wide for its hit single, \u201cFire.\u201d<\/p>\n

After a stint with Atomic Rooster in 1970, Palmer joined forces with Keith Emerson, who had been the keyboard player with The Nice, and Greg Lake, who had just left King Crimson.<\/p>\n

The three British lads formed a band called Emerson, Lake & Palmer which later also was called ELP.<\/p>\n

With nine RIAA-certified gold record albums in the US, and an estimated 50 million records sold worldwide, ELP was one of the most popular and commercially successful progressive rock bands in the 1970s.<\/p>\n

Palmer is the only surviving member of the trio. Emerson died in March 2016 at his home in Santa Monica, California. In December 2016, cancer claimed Lake\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

After ELP disbanded in 1980, Palmer became part of another classic British progressive rock band \u2013 Asia.<\/p>\n

Of all the bands in which Palmer played a key role, the one with the greatest legacy is Emerson, Lake & Palmer \u2013 and Palmer is still keeping that band\u2019s legacy alive with his 2021 World Tour,\u00a0\u201cCarl Palmer’s ELP Legacy Tour 2021-2022.\u201d<\/p>\n

Palmer, guitarist and vocalist Paul Bielatowicz\u00a0and bassist\u00a0Simon Fitzpatrick \u2013 a.k.a. Carl Palmer\u2019s ELP Legacy \u2014 are in the middle of a 14-show U.S. tour that started on November 3 and will conclude on November 21. This tour is a musical celebration of ELP.<\/p>\n

After his September 2021 tour (including dates with Alan Parsons Project) was postponed due to COVID concerns, Palmer\u00a0came back to the states in November live shows since 2019. These shows, which will feature only\u00a0Palmer\u00a0and his band, mark the first return to live performances since the onset of the pandemic.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had two years off,\u201d said Palmer, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from a tour stop in Virginia. \u201cThis is the first time we\u2019ve managed to get in. We had to get special permission since Simon and I live in the U.K. Paul lives here in the states. We couldn\u2019t come in until the end of October.\u201d<\/p>\n

Palmer, who has homes in the U.K. and Cyprus, was also unable to travel to the island in the Mediterranean.<\/p>\n

\u201cNicosia shut down and England is on Cyprus\u2019 red list,\u201d said Palmer. \u201cThey have to wear masks in the streets there. For the last two years, I had to remain in England.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, the door to America is open for Palmer and his mates \u2013 much to his delight.<\/p>\n

According to Palmer, \u201cFinally! The band and I are very eager to get back on stages in America, and around the rest of world, where possible. The show will have some material we have not played in years, as well as ELP\u2019s best loved material. Visually, we will include footage in the show that reflects the highlights of ELP\u2019s career.\u201d<\/p>\n

The current stateside shows mark the beginning of three-year drive to promote the 50th Anniversary and beyond of Emerson, Lake &\u00a0Palmer. Also planned during the celebration period will be a limited-edition expansive biography of the band; a new\u00a0Palmer\u00a0art collection based on the five main ELP studio albums; a documentary; KARN EVIL 9, a major Hollywood film (now in development with Radar Pictures) and a special tour announcement that will reunite\u00a0Palmer\u00a0in performance with the late Emerson & Lake through modern technology.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re doing a lot to celebrate ELP\u2019s 50th anniversary,\u201d said Palmer. \u201cWe have a live box set that comes in several versions.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new set — \u201cOut of This World: Live (1970-1997)\u201d \u2013 features five major concerts from the trio\u2019s history on a seven-CD\/10-LP set. Encased in special, black, matte slipcase with hot foil finishes, each album has been reimagined with beautiful new designs on deluxe gatefold double LPs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe put in recordings of the Isle of Wight show and the concert at Montreal\u2019s Olympic Stadium,\u201d said Palmer. \u201cThere is the show from Ontario Speedway and the one from Royal Albert Hall. The Phoenix one (the 1997 Phoenix Union Hall show in Arizona) we had to send for. We found it in Sheffield. We only had one master. We did our very best to get it as good as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

A deluxe coffee table book, \u201cEmerson, Lake & Palmer,\u201d will be released soon. It tells the story of ELP in the members\u2019 own words. Additionally, Radar Pictures is working on a science fiction film based on the \u201cKarn Evil 9\u201d suite from \u201cBrain Salad Surgery\u201d — an album released by ELP in 1973.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ELP book is a massive book,\u201d said Palmer. \u201cEveryone in the group tells the story of the first five albums. And the \u2018Karn Evil 9\u2019 film should be out in 2024.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m also working on a technical reunion show. Back in 2018, I investigated using holograms. The demos they sent me were O.K. But I won\u2019t be using holograms. I can definitely put this show together without them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had two recordings of concerts at Royal Albert Hall in London with absolute excellent footage and great audio. It\u2019s great live footage of Keith and Greg playing.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was the first time Greg was in the middle for two nights. The two of them were playing together and we didn\u2019t usually play like that. Usually, I was in the middle. The technical shows will feature me playing live with the videos. We\u2019re working on it now.\u201d<\/p>\n

With nine gold albums by ELP, Palmer is faced with the task of deciding which songs to play in the live shows.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn America, I look at the radio lists,\u201d said Palmer. \u201cI look at what got played a lot.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know what pieces are incredibly important to ELP fans \u2013 songs such as \u2018Tarkus,\u2019 \u2018Pictures at an Exhibition,\u2019 \u2018Hoedown,\u2019 \u2018Fanfare for the Common Man,\u2019 Carl Orff\u2019s \u2018Carmina Burana,\u2019 \u2018Lucky Man,\u2019 and \u2018Knife Edge.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cI put an hour and 45 minutes together pretty easily. That\u2019s a good length. An hour-and-a-half or a little longer are the best for these shows.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really don\u2019t do any new material. With 18 pieces in the back catalog that everyone wants to hear, the demographic isn\u2019t very keen to new material.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Carl Palmer \u2013\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/kjLtpSTN8r8<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at 2300 Arena will start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20, $40 and $60.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Jesse Terry<\/p><\/div>\n

Veteran singer\/songwriter Jesse Terry has performed many memorable shows in this area, including sold-out shows at Burlap and Bean and World Caf\u00e9 Live. He also played in Chester County at The Spotlight Concert Series a few years ago and now is making a return appearance.<\/p>\n

On November 13, The Spotlight Concert Series at Trinity Presbyterian Church\u00a0(<\/a>640 Berwyn Avenue, Berwyn,\u00a0http:\/\/spotlight.trinityberwyn.com<\/a>) is presenting \u201cOn The Road and In The Round\u201d featuring singer\/songwriters J.D Malone, Craig Bickhardt, Tom Hampton and Jesse Terry along with drummer Tommy \u201cThundersticks\u201d Geddes.<\/p>\n

Trinity Presbyterian Church started the Trinity Spotlight Concert Series in 2015 to feature artists who perform original music for all generations. The concerts are held in a beautiful sanctuary and are open to the public. Everyone is invited to join for any of our family friendly concerts. There is no charge for admission. A free will offering will be accepted, and the recommended donation ranges from $15-25 per person.<\/p>\n

Craig Bickhardt is a critically acclaimed folk\/Americana performing songwriter with major writing credits, a poet\u2019s voice, a virtuoso guitar style and a veteran\u2019s experience.<\/p>\n

JD Malone is a veteran of the local Philly music scene who writes and sings songs about love and hate, angels and demons and the universal struggle to feel safe under the stars.<\/p>\n

Tom Hampton, who played with Poco, is a singer-songwriter and everyone\u2019s favorite sideman and studio musician.<\/p>\n

\u201cI played this series twice before,\u201d said Terry, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon while driving from Connecticut to a gig in Delaware.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a beautiful space with gorgeous stained glass. This event has great energy \u2013 and great musicians. We\u2019re playing in the round, and I know there will be some collaborations.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve played with Craig before. I\u2019ve met J.D but have never played with him. We will also have Tom Hampton on pedal steel, mandolin and just about any stringed instrument there is, and Tommy Geddes, who is the perfect drummer for singer\/songwriters.\u201d<\/p>\n

In normal times, Terry plays around 150 shows a year, from Bonnaroo to the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the 30A Songwriters Festival to AmericanaFest.<\/p>\n

After graduating from Berklee College of Music he landed a five-year staff writer gig on Nashville\u2019s Music Row penning material for major TV networks. Terry’s lyrical mastery, emotional depth, and soothing voice have often been compared to the likes of Jackson Browne, Jason Isbell, Paul McCartney and James Taylor.<\/p>\n

The Grand Prize winner of The John Lennon Songwriting Contest and The CMT\/NSAI Song Contest, he has garnered worldwide acclaim including an official endorsement by Stonebridge Guitars International.<\/p>\n

Terry is an internationally touring, award-winning singer-songwriter whose intimacy with audiences, sincerity, and approachability has solidified him as a favorite at festivals and live venues nationwide. In addition to several EPs and collaboration records, he has released seven full-length albums \u2013 \u201cThe Runner,\u201d \u201cEmpty Seat on A Plane,\u201d \u201cStay Here With Me,\u201d \u201cStargazer,\u201d \u201cNatural,\u201d \u201cPeace,\u201d and \u201cWhen We Wander.\u201d<\/p>\n

He found quite a few ways to stay busy and productive during the pandemic shutdown.<\/p>\n

\u201cI made two double albums funded by wonderful fans,\u201d said Terry. \u201cI also wrote a children\u2019s book and signed a publishing deal with Schiffer Publishing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Schiffer Publishing Ltd.\u00a0is a family-owned\u00a0publisher\u00a0of nonfiction books founded in 1974. Based here in Chester County in Atglen, its coverage includes children’s books, antiques, architecture and design, arts and crafts, collectibles, lifestyle, regional,\u00a0and military history.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe title of the book is \u2018If I Were the Moon\u2019 and it\u2019s adapted from my song of the same name which is on my new album, \u2018When We Wander\u2019,\u201d said Terry. \u201cI wrote it with my wife Jess and the main character is my daughter Lily.<\/p>\n

\u201cI recorded \u2018When We Wander\u2019 in Nashville at Skinny Elephant Studio. I used the same producer who had worked on many of my albums — Nielson Hubbard. We recorded it in September 2019. It was recorded live with Liz Longley and Mia Rose Lynne singing harmonies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Longley is a Downingtown High grad who lives in Nashville. She has recorded several award-winning albums and is an in-demand session artist for her vocals.<\/p>\n

\u201cRecording live, we did two or three takes \u2013 usually two,\u201d said Terry. \u201cWe had a lot of old friends in Nashville on the record including Will Kimbrough and Eamon Loghlin.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was scheduled for a May 2020 release, but it got pushed to 2021. We got it out in May which gave us a chance to play shows in the summer. We started back in June with a lot of outdoor shows. In August, we got to play the Blue Bird Caf\u00e9 in Nashville, which is one of my favorite places to perform.\u201d<\/p>\n

The other album Terry made during the pandemic was \u201cForget-Me-Nots Volume 1 and 1.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe rented a lake house in Prosperity, South Carolina in March and April this year,\u201d said Terry. \u201cI played everything on click tracks and then sent the tracks to Nielson in Nashville. I did 22 songs. It was six weeks of painstaking work. The album will be released in February 2022.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Jesse Terry \u2014\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/2Wo60XzPcDM<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and the concert will begin at 7 p.m.<\/p>\n

Requirements for Attendance:
\n1. Eventbrite RSVP Tickets are required.
\n2. Proof of Vaccination is required.
\n3. You must properly wear a mask at ALL times while in the church building.<\/p>\n

There is no charge for admission, but a free-will offering of $20 per person is recommended.<\/p>\n

J.D Malone (jdmalone.com<\/a>) will also be performing at Avola Kitchen and Bar (625 North Morehall Road,\u00a0Malvern) on November 11 and 30 Main Bistro (660 Lancaster Avenue, Berwyn) on November 19.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

BEYRIES<\/p><\/div>\n

Just like Carl Palmer who was waiting in England for the green light to come to America as soon as pandemic restrictions got lifted, BEYRIES was waiting in Canada for access to America and its music venues.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could fly from Canada to the states but couldn\u2019t come by car,\u201d said BEYRIES, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from Cambridge, Massachusetts.<\/p>\n

\u201cLand travel opened two days ago. I came in yesterday by car at Lacolle. I\u2019ve come for a five-show tour. It\u2019s my first time since the pandemic. It\u2019s pretty exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of BEYRIES shows will be in Philadelphia on November 11 at Kung Fu Necktie (1248 North Front Street, Philadelphia, 215-291-4919, kungfunecktie.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Am\u00e9lie Beyries, professionally known as\u00a0BEYRIES, is a\u00a0Canadian\u00a0folk-pop singer and songwriter from\u00a0Montreal. Her debut album,\u00a0\u201cLanding,\u201d was released in 2017\u00a0and her sophomore album,\u00a0\u201cEncounter,\u201d came out in in November 2020.<\/p>\n

\u201cI recorded \u2018Encounter\u2019 in winter 2019\/2020,\u201d said BEYRIES. \u201cI recorded it at a studio in Montreal called Studio Alex. It\u2019s owned by Alex McMahon who produced my album.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded it over months starting in January 2019 and finished it a year after. It was a week here and a week there. We took our time. I finished some lyrics during the lockdown.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fortunately for BEYRIES, there were no time constraints in the making of the album.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was vital to me to be able to record and then go back,\u201d said BEYRIES. \u201cI couldn\u2019t imagine making a record in three weeks. I need time to reflect on what I\u2019m doing and what I\u2019ve done \u2013 time to look back at the lyrics.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, time is my best ally. I don\u2019t like to be pressured. We live in a world that is so fast so it\u2019s important to me to take my time.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe finally finished the album. Then, with the pandemic, we put away the album\u2019s launch. It was supposed to be August 2020 and it got pushed to November 2020.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did a show that was filmed at the Place des Arts in Montreal. And I did an album launch with a live broadcast. I also worked on two separate projects during the pandemic. I\u2019m working on a French album now and then another English album. When I sing in French, it\u2019s another dimension.\u201d<\/p>\n

BEYRIES was born and raised in the Montreal neighborhood of Outremont and raised in a bilingual atmosphere. She was also raised in a musical home.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always played music,\u201d said BEYRIES. \u201cMy mother and my grandmother played music. My grandmother had a 1923 Heintzman & Co. piano.<\/p>\n

\u201cI played piano from when I was really young \u2013 playing little melodies \u2013 and then played in a choir in high school. I wanted to learn guitar on my own \u2013which I did. I\u2019m very proud that I pursued my studies and can do both. When I write songs, I\u2019m bouncing between worlds.\u201d<\/p>\n

When BEYRIES was 28 she was diagnosed with\u00a0breast cancer<\/a>. While undergoing treatment, she began writing songs to deal with her emotions, and eventually worked with producer Alex McMahon to complete her first album.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving breast cancer is the reason I started music,\u201d said BEYRIES. \u201cThat was 11 years ago. Treatments went well and I\u2019m cancer-free now. And, I\u2019m still making music.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for BEYRIES — https:\/\/youtu.be\/-3su0Oaj7W8<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Kung Fu Necktie on November 11, which also features Shilpa Ray, will start at 7:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $17.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming acts at Kung Fu Necktie are Planet Booty on November 12, Sponge on November 13, and Unto Others on November 16.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Davy Knowles<\/p><\/div>\n

Davy Knowles, a singer\/songwriter\/guitar virtuoso from the Isle of Man, has played venues all around the Delaware Valley for the last decade-and-a-half including the World Caf\u00e9 Live, the Grand Opera House, Sellersville Theater, Hard Rock Caf\u00e9 and Electric Factory.<\/p>\n

On November 12, he will add a new venue to that list when he headlines a show at 118 North (118 North Wayne Avenue, Wayne, www.118northwayne.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Knowles is currently touring in support of his new record, \u201cWhat Happens Next.\u201d<\/p>\n

On his aptly titled Provogue Records debut, which was just released on October 22, Knowles\u00a0boldly steps forward with timeless and cohesive songwriting; sleek modern production; and a lyrical, play-for-the-song guitar approach informed from soul, folk, rock, and blues. The 12-song album is just as influenced by The Black Keys, Fantastic Negrito, Gary Clark Jr., as it is Muddy Waters, Junior Kimbrough, and R.L. Burnside.<\/p>\n

Produced by Eric Corne (John Mayall, Joe Walsh, Joe Bonamassa),\u00a0\u201cWhat Happens Next\u201d\u00a0is something of a departure from Knowles\u2019 fired-up and reverent take on blues and Americana. Instead, it features poetic songwriting and soulfully emotive vocals. The 12-song body of work offers forth a peaks-and-valleys album experience winding through brawny riffs, jazzy blues balladry, and vintage soul.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is my sixth album not counting the live releases,\u201d said Knowles, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon from his home in Chicago. \u201cWe spent three-and-a-half days in the studio doing the band tracks and another few days doing vocals and overdubs. It was two weeks total to record the 12 tracks.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted 12 songs for the album, and we knew which 12. I don\u2019t tend to write for a specific project. I write continually and have a lot of songs on the stovetop. For this album, some songs were new, and some were a couple years old.\u201d<\/p>\n

One new thing was the absence of focusing on guitar solos.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis album was more about the songs,\u201d said Knowles. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t about guitar solos. There was no emphasis on solos \u2013 no hurry to get to them. But I will be stretching the songs out when I play them live.\u201d<\/p>\n

The album also featured a change in direction \u2013 with regard to geography.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were scheduled to go to Horse Latitudes Studio in Los Angeles in March 2020,\u201d said Knowles. \u201cWe were playing some shows on the way out and ended way. I got a call from my wife who was distraught because of the pandemic and shutdown. We ended up turning the ship around.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs awful as the pandemic was, we learned how to navigate it. I didn\u2019t want to do livestream. There is something very impersonal with livestream. Instead, we started \u2018Club Quarantine\u2019 with online membership. It was similar to Pledge Music.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor 100 days, I did a different song every day. It was a lot of work, but it also was a lot of fun. That morphed into \u2018Davy Knowles Unlocked.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Members of \u201cDavy Knowles Unlocked\u201d get access to a whole world of exclusive entertainment including multiple updates a week (including downloads, videos and more), Zoom meetings with Davy with Q&A\u2019s, and live performances, a members-only store featuring exclusive interactive items not found anywhere else, and regular competitions and giveaways. Additionally, each new member receives a free live album to download.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was willing to do anything to keep making music,\u201d said Knowles. \u201cI\u2019m just trying to stay busy and earn money in an honest way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Knowles, who grew up in Port St Mary on the Isle of Man,\u00a0first burst onto the scene at the age of 20 with his band Back Door Slam.<\/p>\n

The Isle of Man is located in the Irish Sea between Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales. The island is not part of the United Kingdom or European Union but is a possession of the British Crown with an independent administration.<\/p>\n

The Isle of Man, also known simply as Mann, is a self-governing crown dependency. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann.<\/p>\n

For the longest time, its sole claim to fame musically was that it was the birthplace of the Gibb Brothers \u2014 better known as the Bee Gees.<\/p>\n

That changed about 18 years ago with the emergence of Back Door Slam \u2014 a young trio that played a scorching style of power-packed blues. The group released its debut album \u201cRoll Away\u201d in the states in 2007. The driving force of the now-disbanded group was vocalist\/guitar ace Davy Knowles.<\/p>\n

When he was still just a child, Knowles was exposed to blues music through his family\u2019s music collection. Over the years, he has become a die-hard blues fan who has fed himself a diet of music by blues artists such as Albert King, Otis Rush and Muddy Waters \u2013 as well as British blues practitioners like Eric Clapton and Rory Gallagher.<\/p>\n

Now, guitar-based blues songs are just part of his repertoire.<\/p>\n

Knowles will also be playing the Reading Blues Festival on November 20.<\/p>\n

Video link for Davy Knowles — https:\/\/youtu.be\/2WboRlx4kM0<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at 118 North on November 12 will start at 8:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $25.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at 118 North are Dogs in a Pile on November 11, Brown Sugar on November 13, Billy Hector Band on November 14 and Vinny Paolizzi on November 16.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Ally Venable<\/p><\/div>\n

If you\u2019re a music fan who loves top-flight blues guitar work, you should be aware of Ally Venable.<\/p>\n

The native of Kilgore, Texas may be just 22 but already has joined the ranks of the Lone Star State\u2019s stellar guitar gunslingers.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re not aware of Venable, you should be.<\/p>\n

And if you listen to her music and want to see her perform live, you have no reason not to.<\/p>\n

After just playing a gig at the Santander Arena in Reading earlier this week opening for Buddy Guy, Venable has three shows in this area over the next nine days.<\/p>\n

On November 12 and 13, she will have shows supporting Kenny Wayne Shepherd. The show on Friday will be at the Scottish Rite Auditorium (315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood, New Jersey, scottishriteauditorium.com<\/a>) and the show on Saturday will be here in Chester County at the Colonial Theatre (Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610- 917-1228,\u00a0www.thecolonialtheatre.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

On November 19, Venable will perform at the Keswick Theatre (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650,\u00a0www.keswicktheatre.com<\/a>) supporting Christone \u201cKingfish\u201d Ingram.<\/p>\n

Venable is a talented guitar player, singer, and songwriter. She is the 2014, 2015 ETX Music Awards female guitar player of the year, and she and her band were the ETX Music Awards blues band of the year in 2015 and 2016.<\/p>\n

Venable was just 14 when she released her debut EP,\u00a0\u201cWise Man\u201d\u00a0in 2013. Next was the album,\u00a0\u201cPuppet Show,\u201d which debuted at No. 7 in the Billboard Blues Albums Chart. Her second album,\u00a0\u201cNo Glass Shoes,\u201d finished at number 16 in the RMR Electric Blues Charts for 2016.<\/p>\n

Her 2019 \u201cTexas Honey\u201d album impressed veteran producer Jim Gaines enough that he signed on to produce her most recent album \u201cHeart of Fire.\u201d The album is an 11-song collection of mostly original material \u2013 the lone exception being Bill Wither\u2019s \u201cUse Me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, the Texas blues ace is touring behind \u201cHeart of Fire,\u201d which was released earlier this year on Ruf Records.<\/p>\n

Venable sang in church when she was a kid, started performing country music after hearing Miranda Lambert, and turned to the blues once she discovered Stevie Ray Vaughan.<\/p>\n

\u201cI discovered who Stevie Ray Vaughan was and I discovered blues guitar,\u201d said Venable, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon from Reading.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what got me into playing guitar. I discovered him and then started discovering other blues artists like Buddy Guy. I was 12 when I started playing guitar and I\u2019m 22 now.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mom surprised me with Buddy Guy tickets when I was a freshman in high school. I was playing in a tennis match for my high school team. My mom came to the match, brought my clothes and said \u2013 we\u2019re going to Dallas.\u201d<\/p>\n

The mother-daughter made a two-hour trip west to Dallas to watch Buddy Guy perform at the House of Blues.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just mesmerized,\u201d said Venable. \u201cI had been playing a lot of country music when I started. When I discovered Stevie Ray Vaughan and Buddy Guy, it changed everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Venable has gotten better and more polished with every album and her work on \u201cHeart of Fire\u201d keeps the pattern going.<\/p>\n

\u201cI recorded \u2018Heart of Fire\u2019 in Tennessee with Jim Gaines,\u201d said Venable. \u201cThe studio was in the country \u2013 near an Amish community.<\/p>\n

\u201cJim made me feel super comfortable in the studio. And he had a lot of great musicians that he used.\u201d<\/p>\n

The album, which was recorded at Bessie Blue Studio in Stantonville, Tennessee, featured guest appearances by Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Devon Allman.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did all the music in a week,\u201d said Venable \u201cBut I was sick and couldn\u2019t sing. So, we went to Memphis later to do the vocals. That benefitted me because I could take a step back and listen to what we had already done.\u201d<\/p>\n

In just 10 years, Venable has gone from an impressionable guitar tyro to an accomplished veteran \u2013 from a kid learning about Buddy Guy to a top-flight player opening for Guy and performing with him onstage. The most impressive thing about this is that it\u2019s just the start.<\/p>\n

Video link for Ally Venable — https:\/\/youtu.be\/u0T5iu1Eijw<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Scottish Rite Auditorium on November 12 will start at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $69.50, $59.50 and $39.50<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Colonial Theatre on November 13 will start at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $49.50 and $69.50.<\/p>\n

The show at the Keswick Theatre on November 19 will start at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $29.50, $39.50 and $49.50<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tom Rush, one of America\u2019s most revered folksingers, doesn\u2019t rush when it comes to recording and releasing albums.<\/p>\n

He released his first album, \u201cTom Rush at the Unicorn,\u201d in 1962. His most recent album \u201cVoices\u201d will be released in April 2018 via West Chester-based Appleseed Records. His two prior records were also Appleseed releases \u2013 \u201cCelebrates 50 Years of Music\u201d in 2013 and \u201cWhat I Know\u201d in 2009.<\/p>\n

Altogether, Rush has put out 26 albums in 56 years \u2013 and just eight since the turn of the century.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, he is much more active when it comes to live performances. Rush is a consummate performer who always delivers an entertaining show when he takes the stage to perform his songs and choice songs by other artists.<\/p>\n

On November 13, Rush will play in the area when the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/a>) hosts \u201cAn Evening With Tom Rush Accompanied By Matt Nakoa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rush stayed active during the pandemic via a project he calls \u201cRockport Sundays.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI started \u2018Rockport Sundays\u2019 back in December,\u201d said Rush, during a recent phone interview from his home in southern Maine. \u201cIt\u2019s a subscription through Patreon. I was living in Rockport and posted a new episode every Sunday at midnight.\u201d<\/p>\n

When he was first starting the series, he posted this message on his website \u2013<\/p>\n

\u201cI have something I really want to do, and I\u2019m going to need your help to do it. I\u2019m starting a weekly series of online offerings \u2014 old songs, new songs, stories, pages from a book I\u2019m working on. Since they\u2019ll be coming out of my studio in Rockport, Mass, I thought I\u2019d call the series \u201cRockport Sundays\u201d.<\/p>\n