Tom Ardolino

Tom Ardolino, a self-taught drummer who for 30 years provided the impassioned but steady pulse for NRBQ, one of the longest-lasting and most beloved rock groups never to have a Top 40 single, died on Jan. 6 in Springfield, Mass. He was 56.

His death was confirmed by an NRBQ spokeswoman. She did not specify a cause, but Mr. Ardolino had been in poor health for some time.

NRBQ (the initials stand for New Rhythm and Blues Quartet, although it was a quintet early in its existence) was known and critically praised for its freewheeling, genre-bending approach, which could embrace rockabilly one minute and avant-garde jazz the next. [NY Times]

R.I.P. Tom Ardolino.

Tom's group NRBQ (original member Terry Adams along with Scott Ligon, Pete Donnelly, and Conrad Choucroun) are on tour now and play in NYC TONIGHT (1/17) and tomorrow (1/18) at The Iridium with special guest Jake Jacobs. They play an early and a late show (8 PM and 10 PM) both nights. Tickets for all four shows are on sale now.

They've also got another NYC show scheduled to happen on April 14 at Brooklyn Bowl. Tickets for that show are not on sale yet but check ticketfly for updates.

All dates and a video of NRBQ with Tom Ardolino behind the kit below...

Continue reading "NRBQ 2012 playing 2012 shows; RIP Tom Ardolino"

Marc Ribot @ LPR in June (more by Benjamin Lozovsky)

Guitar genius Marc Ribot has a lot of upcoming shows, all of which are listed below. They include Iridium in NYC tonight (9/15), the re-opening Roulette on Friday (9/16), The Living Theater in NYC on Sunday, Le Poisson Rouge with Akiko Yano on 10/11, and the upcoming ATP in Asbury Park, NJ on 10/1.

Head below to also hear and download a mixtape that ATP just made featuring arists that are appearing at the NJ festival at the end of the month, Marc Ribot (whose tour dates are down there too) included....

Continue reading "Marc Ribot playing shows, ATP made a mixtape "

An article in today's Wall Street Journal:

This week, the Iridium will begin broadcasting three to four live performances a week through a partnership with Livestream.com, the Manhattan-based platform and network that facilitates the web streaming of live events--be it a jazz show, red-carpet arrivals or a space-shuttle launch.

Iridium owner Ron Sturm decided to tap into the Livestream network as a way to make sure that what happens at the Iridium doesn't stay in the Iridium. "We are trying to grow beyond our four walls," he said...

...Livestream also has a dedicated concert page that houses enough acts and venues to give it a festival feel: A viewer can hop among streaming or archived concerts from venues such as Birdland, Joe's Pub, SOB's and the Knitting Factory Brooklyn. "These venues are not Madison Square Garden--this is about finding a balance to help small venues with up-to-date technology, so it's not a crazy investment on either side," Mr. Haot said. "If we promote it and they promote it, we can increase the audience by 10 times."

Nels Cline plays with the Les Paul Trio at Iridium tonight (7/11)

by Klaus Kinski

Doug Gillard @ Irving Plaza NYE (more by Chris Gersbeck)

I got heavily obsessed with Guided By Voices after the demise of the "classic '93 - '96 line-up" which featured Robert Pollard, Tobin Sprout, Mitch Mitchell, Kevin Fennell, and Greg Demos (a line-up that reunited in 2010 and has been blazing a sweaty, beer soaked trail across the US since) (this past weekend's Sasquatch Festival included).

I've now seen the classic line-up twice thanks to the reunion, but prior to that my live experience was always delivered by Robert Pollard, Nate Farley, Doug Gillard, Kevin March, Tim Tobias and, later on, Chris Slusarenko. I often had to be rolled out of those shows in a wheelbarrow, and memories of those shows are muddied and schizophrenic, but two things I always took away from a GBV experience was A) that I had had the time of my life and B) that lead guitarist Doug Gillard was, and is, easily one of the most agile guitar gods in rock 'n roll. I mean, forget about shredding and other wanky guitar-athleticism bullshit. What Doug brings to the table is a prodigal level of rock-solid, rock guitar purity and proficiency. Doug is an absolute master of his craft, and you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone out there these days who can get such a thunderous onslaught from his Les Paul and his amps. So it shouldn't come as much of a surprise to find that your man Klaus has been following Doug's solo career with great interest and it is because of non-GBV-related Gillard news that I write to you fine people today.

On Saturday June 4th, Doug will be part of an ensemble of musicians paying tribute to Captain Beefheart at Bowery Poetry Club.

Gary Lucas (Beefheart alumni, Jeff Buckley), Nona Hendryx (Labelle, Talking Heads), Nina Persson (The Cardigans), Nathan Larson (Shudder To Think), Cynthia Sley (Bush Tetras), Doug Gillard (Guided By Voices), Eric Slick (Dr. Dog), & Weasel Walter (Behold The Arctopus), will be joined by musicians from the rock, jazz, metal, progressive, blues, experimental, & classical worlds to perform faithful and interpretive versions of songs from Beefheart's entire catalog, from his 1966 debut "Safe As Milk" to his final record "Ice Cream For Crow", released in 1982.

Captain Beefheart died on December 17, 2010 from complications from multiple sclerosis, so it's fitting that ALL PROCEEDS from this show (a reasonable $10) will go directly to The National Multiple Sclerosis Society. If you can't make it to the show, watch the live stream. And consider donating to the MS Society.

Besides the MS/Beefheart show, there are many more opportunities to catch Doug live. Speaking of beef, on Saturday June 11th, get your non-vegan ass to the Big Apple BBQ in Madison Square Park at 1:00pm on Saturday June 11th. While you're feasting on various forms of carrion with gristle and BBQ sauce dribbling from your lips (editor's note: Klaus!), the band Bambi Kino will be performing. Bambi Kino features Mark Rozzo (Maplewood), Ira Elliot (Nada Surf), Doug Gillard (Ex Guided By Voices), Erik Paparazzi (Cat Power) and were formed to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Beatles' first concerts in Hamburg Germany. Back in those days, the Beatles were essentially a cover band themselves, and Bambi Kino's setlist is culled from the Beatles' set list from back in those days. So it's like a cover band covering a cover band who were doing their own versions of the whole blues thing. And it's free! More about who's playing the Big Apple BBQ, HERE.

You can also catch Doug when he goes on tour with Tommy Keene and Sally Crewe and the Sudden Moves. Doug recently wrote and recorded songs on Sally's upcoming 5-song EP "Transmit/Receive". Tommy is touring in support of his new LP, and Doug Gillard will have a new vinyl 7" he'll be promoting. The tour lands at the Rock Shop on September 10th, 2011. Complete tour dates below.

Oh, and before I forget... Doug is recording tons of guitar for the upcoming Nada Surf LP, which is due out in Fall of 2011. Look out for that as well as a tour in support of said LP. Nada Surf's Matthew Caws joined Doug on stage at Irving Plaza on New Years Eve when he opened for GBV.

Catch Guided By Voices, Wavves, and Surfer Blood during the Northside Festival on June 18th, yo.

Catch Bush Tetras (Cynthia Sley is also playing the Beefheart show) at Le Poisson Rouge on Friday, June 10th.

Gary Lucas's other upcoming shows include a July 3rd appearance at Iridium Jazz Club and a July 9th show at the Rubin Museum of Art.

Doug tour dates and the Beefheart flyer below...

Continue reading "Doug Gillard is doing stuff (Captain Beefheart show w/ Gary Lucas, Beatles band, Tommy Keene tour, Nada Surf LP)"

"Terence William 'Blondie' Chaplin is a musician from Durban, South Africa who first became known to international audiences through his brief stint in the early 1970s as a singer and guitarist for The Beach Boys. Chaplin was also listed as a co-producer, sang lead vocals with fellow South African musician Ricky Fataar (drummer) and composed, with Fataar, "Here She Comes" and "Hold On Dear Brother" on the twenty-third official Beach Boys album, Carl and the Passions - "So Tough", released in 1972. He is well known in recent years as a long term backing vocalist, percussionist and acoustic rhythm guitarist for the Rolling Stones on their tours.

Blondie Chaplin, along with drummer Ricky Fataar, joined the Beach Boys when original drummer Dennis Wilson suffered a hand injury which left him unable to play the drums for almost two years. For the Beach Boys, it was a period in which long-time member Bruce Johnston had departed the band, and one-time leader Brian Wilson's participation in the group was very limited. As a result, Chaplin and Fataar joined the Beach Boys as full-fledged members and not merely as backing musicians. Chaplin left the group in 1973 after a dispute with the Beach Boys' management" [Wikipedia]

Blondie Chaplin has at least two (technically three) U.S. shows scheduled in the near future. The first two happen TONIGHT, January 24th at Iridium Jazz with the Les Paul Trio. There are 8pm and 10pm shows that will set you back $40 just for the ticket (not sure about the food and drink minimum). A cheaper and more-Brooklyn option is to check out Blondie on Friday, January 28th at the Rock Shop for just $10. He plays that show after a 7:30pm opening set by Kaleigh Baker. I'm not sure exactly how long he'll play though, but he will be out of there by 11pm because that's when doors open for the just-added Peter Bjorn & John show happening at the same venue. Tickets are on sale now!

PB&J's January 27th show at Santos Party House is sold out. Oh, and LA is getting a 2nd show too, though I don't know the exact details of that one (the previously announced one happens Sunday).

Continue reading "Peter Bjorn & John add a Rock Shop show (same day as Blondie Chaplin who also plays Iridium tonight)"

Last night's (and tonight's) show at Iridium Jazz Club was billed as "Jeff Beck invites you to a Very Special Evening - A Celebration of Les Paul with the Imelda May Band". The best way to describe it would be "The Imelda May Band played covers with the amazing Jeff Beck as their guitarist, a really awesome saxophone player and a couple of special guests". The show was being filmed by PBS for a special that is set to air around Christmas (and is being released on DVD).

Before the show started, they quickly filmed Jeff handing a plaque to Les Paul's son. The plaque will hang in the venue, which is where Les played every Monday night up until his recent death. Today, June 9th, would have been his 95th birthday.

The Irish Imelda May's band included her husband Darrel Higham who may have sang more songs than anyone all night, a drummer and an upright bassist. And there was a 3-piece horn section that included the crowd-pleasing Leo Green on sax. The setlist covered lots of standards ranging from Moon River to Rock Around the Clock. People clapped every time Jeff did a short solo in one of the songs. People made other weird crowd noises every time he switched guitars. Everyone was itching for him to jam out a little more. The NY Times says...

"Roughly speaking, Mr. Beck's long and passionate set was divided into three parts. The opening section, beginning with Elvis Presley's "Baby, Let's Play House" was pure rockabilly and allowed Mr. Beck to acknowledge some of the influences he absorbed after his initial exposure to Les Paul: Scotty Moore and Cliff Gallup in particular, but also with occasional Link Wray, Duane Eddy and Roy Buchanan flourishes thrown in. That part of the show also included a tune associated with Mr. Beck's own repertory, a reading of Johnny Burnette's "Train Kept A Rollin'" that was truer to the song's origins than the Yardbirds hit versions and other later recordings by Aerosmith and others.

After Imelda May took the stage, the show soon switched over to renditions of Les Paul's greatest hits, with Mr. Beck replicating some of the original solos, notoriously tricky, especially when not overdubbed, and transforming others by adopting a more stinging tone. In addition to "How High the Moon," he tackled "Vaya con Dios," "Mockingbird Hill," "Bye Bye Blues," "Tiger Rag" and, most challenging of all, "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise."" [NY Times]

The first guest of the Gibson-sponsored night was Gary U.S. Bonds (whose credits include touring with the Beatles... as headliner). He sang one song with the band. It was his hit "New Orleans" and it was arguably the biggest highlight of the night. Jeff Beck introduced him by saying something like, "when I found out he was playing around the corner, I had to get him on this show." You can catch Gary TONIGHT (6/9) at BB King's (billed as "GARY U.S. BONDS - BIRTHDAY SHOW with Special Guests"). Happy Birthday Les. Happy Birthday Gary.

The second guest, who fit right in with the rockabilly theme Imelda May and band have going on, was Stray Cat Brian Setzer who performed "Twenty Flight Rock" with Jeff and band. He also then returned a couple of songs later to play guitar on "Shake Rattle & Roll".

The biggest guest of the evening, David Bowie, never left his seat in the audience (well, while the show was happening anyway).

They do it again tonight, with even bigger special guests rumored (member of the Rolling Stones among them). A video from last night below...

Continue reading "Jeff Beck, Imelda May & some friends honored Les Paul @ Iridium Jazz Club (Gary U.S. Bonds plays BB Kings tonight) "

"A Celebration Of Les Paul"

Legendary guitarist Jeff Beck is playing invite-only shows at Iridium Jazz Club in NYC on June 8th and June 9th. The intimate gigs, where Jeff will be joined by the Imelda May Band, will pay tribute to fellow legendary guitarist Les Paul who performed at the club regularly right up until his death last year.

I have two pairs of tickets to give away to the June 8th show, courtesy of Iridium and Gibson Guitar. Details on winning them, and video of Les and Jeff jamming, below...

Continue reading "Jeff Beck celebrating Les Paul @ Iridium Jazz Club (win tix) "

"Les Paul, the guitarist and inventor who changed the course of music with the electric guitar and multitrack recording and had a string of hits, many with wife Mary Ford, died on Thursday. He was 94.

According to Gibson Guitar, Paul died of complications from pneumonia at White Plains Hospital. His family and friends were by his side.

As an inventor, Paul helped bring about the rise of rock 'n' roll and multitrack recording, which enables artists to record different instruments at different times, sing harmony with themselves, and then carefully balance the "tracks" in the finished recording." [AP]

Les continued to perform right up until the end! Almost every Monday at Iridium Jazz Club right here in NYC (where "You Never Know who will show up"). RIP Les!
Videos below...

Continue reading "Les Paul, RIP "

Les Paul @ Iridium Jazz Club - August 4, 2008

I don't usually say much about the legendary Les Paul on this site, but the above pictures (by Fresh Bread) inspired me. Les is 93 years old! Les performs two shows every Monday night at NYC's Iridium Jazz Club on Broadway and 51st St.