News Notes and Spins – Nov. 1, 2012

Tia Fuller, Katie Herzig, Sera Cahoone, Corey Harris, Jill Sobule, Phillip Bailey, and India.Arie, among others, all have one thing in common… they are all original Colorado natives who moved to other places… Sera to Seattle.  Tia to NYC.  Katie to Nashville.  India.Arie to Atlanta, Philip and Jill to Los Angeles… Corey first to Maine and then to Virginia.  They’re not the only ones — artists move to or move from here all the time.  Dan Fogelberg, Joe Cocker, John Denver, Glenn Frey, John Oates, Richie Furay, Stephen Stills, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Tommy Bolin, and countless others have lived here… some for a couple of years, others longer; some are still here.

No one has told the story better than legendary former local rock critic, radio dj, local music historian and author, and current Colorado Music Hall of fame director G. Brown, whose book “Colorado Rocks!: A Half-Century of Music in Colorado” is a must have for anyone even casually interested in what’s gone on here musically much of the past 60 years now.  Expect to pay a few times what it originally sold for however.  The book has been out of print for at least a few years now and very good to excellent condition editions can run you $50-75 +/- …I’ve seen wrapped editions listed for upwards of $125.

Occasionally, an album from one of these artists shows up on our monthly charts.  Most recently it’s been Tia Fuller’s wonderful new album “Angelic Warrior,” which features resident and native jazz great Dianne Reeves on one vocal track, “Body and Soul.”  Katie Herzig’s latest has shown up here and there as well the past year, as has the O’Brien Party of Seven release that features former Colorado resident Tim O’Brien with sister and current Colorado residents Mollie O’Brien and Rich Moore and their kids.

Columbine High School (Littleton) graduate Sera Cahoone is an accomplished singer-songwriter on the Sub Pop label out of Seattle, where she moved when she was 21.   Her latest, “Deer Creek Canyonhas been picking up some spins at KUNC and KRCC and I have no doubt will continue to pick up spins throughout the state in the coming couple of months.

The question is always, do we include those who grew up here as kids, went to our local schools, and maybe our colleges and universities, and then moved on to other places?  KUNC’s music director, Benji McPhail, made it a point – when he emailed me that they had put Sera’s new album in rotation as a Colorado artist release.   Sera’s new album, “Deer Creek Canyon” is all about the place she grew up, and where her mom still lives.  Sera may have moved to Seattle years ago, as a young woman seeking her own life and stories, but has remained a much loved native Coloradoan with a great musical story of her own to tell – largely influenced by her life and experiences here.

Still, some folks contend that unless an artist is actually living here and contributing to the live music scene they cannot justifiably be considered a “local” artist.  IF that’s the case there are a lot of acts we would have to consider as long gone and no longer local… including the likes of the Apples in Stereo (Kentucky) or Slim Cessna (Rhode Island) or Todd Park Mohr (Chicago) … hmmmm … yeah, no.  😉

Speaking of Coloradoans who were not born here, but were raised here, went to school here, and are as much as part of who we are as anyone – legendary jazz guitarist, Denver East High School grad, and University of Northern Colorado alum Bill Frisell (born in Baltimore) has teamed up with local jazz trumpeter and Denver University alum Ron Miles (born in Indianapolis) for an exquisite album called “Quiver.”  As adventurous as it is, I expect it will do well with jazz djs around the state in November and December – watch for it.

STATION NEWS:

OpenAir 1340 on air personality and web director Brandee Castle has left her post at Colorado Public Radio.  CPR will be listing her open position on their employment page within the next couple weeks.  However, she will still be involved with OpenAir in some capacity in the future so it’s not a true goodbye.

OpenAir’s First Birthday Bash will take place at the Hi-Dive in Denver on November 9th at 9pm.  Meet the OpenAir hosts and catch live performances from A. Tom Collins, Flashbulb Fires, and Bonnie and the Beard.  Since OpenAir launched on Oct. 31, 2011, more than 80 bands, most of which have Colorado ties, have visited CPR’s Performance Studio to record their music and talk with OpenAir hosts, making them a leader in promoting music from here in Colorado on broadcast radio.

KBUT (Crested Butte) has hired a new general manager/executive director.

Okay — Time for an experiment.  I got served notice recently that it would be nice if I linked each entry to a website where folks could check out the music … that’d be a bit more time consuming than I’d prefer, so here’s a link to a playlist I have up on Spotify that features a lot of this month’s Top 40 most spun titles.  You will need a Spotify account for this to work.

VIDEO PLAYLIST This month’s video playlist begins with a classic from Victoria Woodworth, recorded at Caribou Ranch in 1980.  It also includes a new video and song from Jeff Finlin, a new video from Chris Daniels, along with Flobots, The Yawpers, The Epilogues, Churchill, SHEL, Sofie Reed, a live performance video from Leftover Salmon, Achille Lauro, and Petals of Spain.

TOP 40 TITLES OCTOBER 2012

(278 titles tracked / 159 titles reported as played)
(LM) TM Genre/format [added]
(D) = debut, first time on chart
(R) = re-entered chart

(2) 1. The Lumineers – The Lumineers (Dualtone) Indie/New Alternative [Mar-12]
(13) 2. Bop Skizzum – Coloradical (self) Urban Contemporary / Modern Rock [Sep-12]
(D) 3. Esme Patterson – All Princes, I (Greater Than Collective) Indie/New Alternative [Sep-12]
(4) 4. Chris Daniels – Better Days (self) Americana / AAA  [Jul-12] *
(12) 5. Chris Thompson & Coral Creek String Band – Forty Years (self) Americana / bluegrass [Sep-12] *
(14) 6. The Knew – Man Monster (self) Alternative Rock / AOR [Jun-12]
(3) 7. Leftover Salmon – Aquatic Hitchhiker (LoS Records) Americana/AAA [Apr-12]
(R) 8. Strange Americans – A Royal Battle (self) AOR / AAA [Jun-12]
(1) 9. The Yawpers – Capon Crusade (self) AOR / AAA / Alternative Rock [Sep-12]
(D) 10. The Epilogues – Cinematics (Greater Than Collective) Indie/New Alternative [Oct-12]
(22) 11. Achille Lauro – Flight or Flight (Hot Congress Records) Indie/New Alternative [Mar-12]
(16) 12. Churchill – The Change EP (A&M/Octone) AAA/adult alternative  [Mar-12]
(5) 13. Grant Farm – The Grant Farm (self) Americana/alt-country-rock [Mar-12]
(18) 13. Katie Glassman – Snapshot (self) Americana /country-swing [Jan-12] *
(15) 14. The Haunted Windchimes – Out with the Crow (Blank Tape) Folk/Americana [Apr-12]
(8) 15. The Swayback – Double Four Time (self) Alternative/Modern Rock [Mar-12]
(7) 16. Danielle Ate The Sandwich – {like a king} ( Youngest Daughter Records) Folk/Americana [May-12]
(27) 17. Tennis – Young & Old (Fat Possum) Indie/New Alternative [Feb-12]
(D) 18. Wovenhand – The Laughing Stalk (Sound Familyre) Indie/New Alternative [Sep-12]
(D) 19. I’m With Her – Songs We Said Goodbye To (Boss Koala Records) Americana/AAA [Oct-12]
(D) 20. Beats Noir! – Where the Sun Goes Down (self) Urban Contemporary / Modern Rock [Oct-12]
(25) 21. Flobots – The Circle In the Square (self) Urban Contemporary / Modern Rock [Aug-12]
(9) 22. Sofie Reed – Simplicity Chased Trouble Away (self) Blues [Aug-12] *
(D) 23. Tia Fuller – Angelic Warrior (Mack Avenue) Jazz [Sep-12]
(10) 24. Ending People – Fill Your Lungs (Cash Cow Productions) Indie/New Alternative [Aug-12]
(R) 25. Robert Cline, Jr. – All the Right Reasons (Mockingbird Records) Americana/country-folk [May-12] *
(R) 26. Longest Day of the Year – Turn Into the Ground (self) Americana/alt-country-rock [Nov-11]
(R) 27. The Congress – Whatever You Want (self) AAA/AOR [Apr-12]
(D) 28. Chris Malley and Bob Schlesinger – Split Shot (self) Jazz [Oct-12]
(21) 28. Jeff Brinkman – Strange (self) AAA/AOR [Aug-12]
(20) 29. Chimney Choir – (ladder) (self) AAA/Adult Alternative [Mar-12]
(6) 29. O’Brien Party of 7 – Reincarnation, The Songs of Roger Miller (Howdy Skies Music) AAA/Americana [Jun-12]
(22) 29. Raincheck – Raincheck (Dazzle Recordings) Jazz [May-12]
(31) 30. Petals of Spain – Late Night Visitor (self) AAA [Sep-11]
(R) 31. Flashbulb Fires – Gasconader (self) Indie/New Alternative [May-12]
(11) 31. Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Live at Hodi’s (self) Americana/alt-country [Jan-12]
(23) 31. SHEL – SHEL (Moraine Records / Mad King Records) Folk/AAA [Aug-12]
(R) 32. Mama Lenny & the Remedy – Punches and Hugs (self) Rhythm and Blues (Apr-12)
(D) 33. Science Partner – Rocky Mountain News (Hot Congress Records) Indie/New Alternative [Sep-12]
(R) 34. Head for the Hills – Live (self) Americana/bluegrass [May-12]

ADDED: OCTOBER 2012
Beats Noir! – Where the Sun Goes Down
Boa & the Constrictors – Married to the Blues
Bonnie and the Beard – Cascavel
Bronze – Snake Oil
Calder’s Revolvers – Steady By Your Side
Chris Malley and Bob Schlesinger – Split Shot
Elephant Revival – It’s Alive
Gasoline Lollipops – Dawn
Greyweather – Greyweather
I’m With Her – Songs We Said Goodbye To
Jill Brzezicki – The Horizon
Jonny Barber & the Rhythm Razors – Golden Plates
Leslie Brown – Tenderly
Meet the Giant – The Polymer EP
Polarity – King of Hearts
Prettymouth – Satan in Clothes
Rich With Friends – One Step Closer
School Knights – FRE​(​EP)
Shawn Waggoner – Goodbye Raven
Stray Grass – Written in the Stars
String Cheese Incident – Can’t Wait Another Day [single]
Ten Pound Elephant – Ten Pound Elephant EP
The Babysitters – Have A Seat
The Epilogues – Cinematics
Trichome – Trichome EP

FELL OUT OF TOP 40 OCTOBER 2012
7. Bad Weather California – Sunkissed
13. Coles Whalen – I Wrote this for You
17. El Toro De La Muerte – Dancer These Days
19. Otis Taylor – Otis Taylor’s Contraband
20. The Moetones – Lowbrow
24. The Royal – Forever
26. Mosey West – Merica
28. John Oates Band – The Bluesville Sessions
29. Bonnie & The Clydes – Wrong Side Up
30. Katie Herzig – The Waking Sleep
30. Susannah Thompson – Watch Me Fly
31. Great American Taxi – Paradise Lost
32. Carbon Choir – Sakhalin
32. Fred Hess Big Band – Speak
32. Lindsay & the Lost Caravan – You Don’t Know Me

STATION BY STATION

KAFM (Grand Junction)
1. Leftover Salmon – Aquatic Hitchhiker
1. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
2. Grant Farm – The Grant Farm
3. Chris Thompson & Coral Creek String Band – Forty Years *
4. 4H Royalty – Where UFOs Go To Die

KBUT (Crested Butte)
1. Chris Daniels – Better Days *
2. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
3. Halden Wofford & the HI Beams – Live at Hodi’s
4. Katie Glassman – Snapshot *
5. Grant Farm – The Grant Farm

KDNK (Carbondale) HOT SPINS
Grant Farm – The Grant Farm
Leftover Salmon – Aquatic Hitchhiker
O’Brien Party of 7 – Reincarnation, The Songs of Roger Miller
The Haunted Windchimes – Out with the Crow
The Lumineers – The Lumineers

KDUR (Durango) HOT SPINS
A Shoreline Dream – “333”
Air Dubai – Be Calm
Euforquestra – Let Us In
Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Live at Hodi’s
The Moetones – Lowbrow

KGNU (Boulder)
1. O’Brien Party of 7 – Reincarnation, The Songs of Roger Miller
1. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
2. Grant Farm – The Grant Farm
3. Chris Daniels – Better Days *
3. Danielle Ate The Sandwich – {like a king}

KRCC (Colorado Springs)
1. Leftover Salmon – Aquatic Hitchhiker
2. Mango fan Django – Indigo Dreams
2. The Haunted Windchimes – Out with the Crow
2. The Yawpers – Capon Crusade
3. Chris Daniels – Better Days *

KRFC (Fort Collins)
1. Esme Patterson – All Princes, I
2. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
3. The Yawpers – Capon Crusade
4. Bonnie & The Clydes – Wrong Side Up
4. Robert Cline, Jr. – All the Right Reasons *

KUNC (Greeley)
1. The Lumineers –    The Lumineers
2. Danielle Ate The Sandwich – {like a king}
2. Zach Heckendorf – The Cool Down
3. Catch Bees – Newman’s Open Choir
3. Churchill – The Change EP

KUVO (Denver)
1. Tia Fuller – Angelic Warrior
2. Fred Hess Big Band – Speak
3. Eric Gunnison – Trios
3. Polarity – King of Hearts
4. Raincheck – Raincheck

KVNF (Paonia)
1. The Haunted Windchimes – Out with the Crow
2. Grant Farm – The Grant Farm
2. The Swayback – Double Four Time
3. Andy Thorn – Fire In The Sky
3. The Lumineers – The Lumineers

OPEN AIR 1340 (Denver)
1. Esme Patterson – All Princes, I
2. Wovenhand – The Laughing Stalk
3. Flobots – The Circle In the Square
4. The Yawpers – Capon Crusade
5. The Lumineers – The Lumineers

The Colorado Sound
1. Bop Skizzum – Coloradical
2. Strange Americans – A Royal Battle
3. Chris Thompson & Coral Creek String Band – Forty Years *
3. I’m With Her – Songs We Said Goodbye To
4. Beats Noir! – Where the Sun Goes Down

BY GENRE/PROGRAM FORMAT

Americana/Alt.country/Alt.country-rock
1. Chris Daniels – Better Days *
2. Chris Thompson & Coral Creek String Band – Forty Years *
3. Leftover Salmon – Aquatic Hitchhiker
4. Grant Farm – The Grant Farm
4. Katie Glassman – Snapshot *

Blues/Rhythm & Blues
1. Sofie Reed – Simplicity Chased Trouble Away *
2. Mama Lenny & the Remedy – Punches and Hugs
3. Eef – Bluesalicious
4. Otis Taylor – Otis Taylor’s Contraband
5. John Oates Band – The Bluesville Sessions

Dance/Funk/Hip-Hop/Urban Contemporary
1. Bop Skizzum – Coloradical
2. Flobots – The Circle In the Square
3. Rebel Tongue – Movin’ On
3. Ten Pound Elephant – Ten Pound Elephant EP
4. Air Dubai – Be Calm

Folk/folk-rock/singer-songwriter
1. The Haunted Windchimes – Out with the Crow
2. Danielle Ate The Sandwich – {like a king}
3. I’m With Her – Songs We Said Goodbye To
4. Chimney Choir – (ladder)
5. O’Brien Party of 7 – Reincarnation, The Songs of Roger Miller

Indie/New Alternative
1. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
2. Esme Patterson – All Princes, I
3. Achille Lauro – Flight or Flight
4. Tennis – Young & Old
5. Ending People – Fill Your Lungs

Jazz
1. Tia Fuller – Angelic Warrior
2. Chris Malley and Bob Schlesinger – Split Shot
3. Raincheck – Raincheck
4. After Midnight – Hit the Jive Jack
5. Fred Hess Big Band – Speak

Pop/Adult Contemporary
1. Petals of Spain – Late Night Visitor
2. Coles Whalen – I Wrote this for You
3. Places – No More Wasted Days
4. Petals of Spain – Lady Luck [single]
5. The Royal – Forever

Rock/AAA/AOR/Modern Rock
1. The Knew – Man Monster
2. Strange Americans – A Royal Battle
3. The Yawpers – Capon Crusade
4. The Epilogues – Cinematics
5. Churchill – The Change EP

* = serviced to radio by Rocky Mountain Music Network

The Colorado Sound – V4 EP41 2012 + Pepper Tree (review) + Alchemy (video)

I guess it was a week or so ago when I mentioned to my wife I had not heard anything in years from John William Davis, and I wondered how he’d been since I last saw him round about 2005 or maybe 06.  His debut album, Dreams of the Lost Tribe, has remained a vibrant part of my music consciousness for fully a decade now, a wonderful still frame of deep Southern mysticism and mythology …of swamp moss, diamond backs, hurricanes, bull gators, floods and deep spiritualism.  So, it was with considerable joy that I caught a post by John on Facebook this week – announcing a new recording; this one a stripped down guitar and vocal release, no less a work in lyrical imagery or in his incredibly adroit guitar style.  On the first single, Pepper Tree, he begins by telling us he’s been staring at a crack in the wall indeterminately, waiting for it to blink, before enjoining us to be aware of the chimpanzee in the tree who he imagines looks a “whole lot like you and me.”  In the telling, a baboon wants to kick the chimp’s ass and a crocodile wants to “gobble you up with that pepper seasonin’.”  Cocaine contrails and perfume bombshells, an angel with bent wings and a tail on fire…. and in all of it a lesson for living … “if you ever get stuck up in the pepper tree, you’d better hang on tight if you happen to sneeze.”

We’re blessed here in Colorado to have a couple of fellas who know how to use words to paint stories with details that lesser songwriters can only imagine and then attempt to conjure with vapid cliches.   As John William Davis is just releasing his new work, Jeff Finlin is preparing one – a kickstarter project in place, and a new video accomplished with the help once again of award winning steel guitarist and up and coming filmmaker Sally Van Meter.  Enjoy.

PLAYLIST

(D) = debut of new album, ep or single release.  (N) = a new track from previously debuted album or ep.  (D) and (N) => linked to artist/band.

The Samples “Tom Joad” from Return to Earth (2001)
Acoustic Junction “Strange Days” from Strange Days (2000)
(D) Ten Pound Elephant “Talk to Me” from Ten Pound Elephant (2012)
Petals of Spain “Working 9 to 5” from Late Night Visitor (2011)
FaceMan “Feeding Time” from Feeding Time (2012)
(N) I’m With Her “Hang Among the Stars” from I’m With Her (2011)
Firefall “Cinderella” from Firefall (1976)
Chris Thompson & the Coral Creek String Band “Catfish John” from Forty Years (2012)
Ash Ganley and Lyons Rock Council “Elysian Fields” from Dark Fuel (2006)
(D) John William Davis “Pepper Tree” from Dead Simple, Vol. 1: You Talk Funny (2013)
Cary Morin “Sing It Louder” from Sing It Louder (2011)
(D) Jill Brzezicki “The Horizon” from The Horizon (2012)
After Midnight Jazz Band “A Smooth One” from Midnight in Madison (2010)
Dan Fogelberg “Part of the Plan” from Souvenirs (1974)
Big Head Todd & The Monsters “Broken Hearted Savior” from Sister Sweetly (1993)
(N) Jeff Brinkman “Face” from Strange (2012)
(N) Bop Skizzum “Known It All Along” from Coloradical (2012)
Places “Honesty” from No More Wasted Days (2012)
(N) Beats Noir! “Going Nowhere (feat. Venus Cruz)” from Where the Sun Goes Down (2013)
The Blender Cats “Somethin’s Gotta Give” from Just Like This (2012)
Megan Burtt “Walls Come Down” from Megan Burtt (2008)
Halden Wofford & the Hi Beams “Hippie In My House” from Midnight Rodeo (2006)
Palmer Divide “Knockin’ At Your Door” from Shenandoah Train (2009)
Esme Patterson “My Young Man” from All Princes, I (2012)
Lumineers “Ho Hey” from The Lumineers (2012)
Strange Americans “Roses On Ice” from A Royal Battle (2012)
Shirley “4th of July” from From A Bright Clearing (2012)

The Colorado Sound – V4 EP40 Oct 2012

LOL … I almost forgot to post this week’s playlist… only thing made me remember was a post or two on my facebook page thanking me for playing some of this week’s new music from Boa & the Constrictors and Eef .. two of the new blues records this month.  This time of year is one of the most exciting for new releases, and this week was no exception.  The Boa & the Constrictors record was an advance, so I can’t share anything from that with you, sorry to say… as is the new Beats Noir! record, “Where the Sun Goes Down,” and I’m With Her‘s “Songs We Said Goodbye To,” which is due to drop officially on Nov 2.

On another note, I’m always looking for great recordings from the past and happen to have come across one I’m hoping to add to the library soon — from an old friend Victoria Woodworth .. check out this video from a recording done at Caribou Ranch in 1980.

PLAYLIST

Slim Cessna’s Auto Club “Viceroy Filter King” from Always Say Please and Thank You (2000)
Sixteen Horsepower “Black Soul Choir” from Sackcloth ‘n’ Ashes (1996)
Ending People “Beat of My Heart” from Fill Your Lungs (2012)
Flashbulb Fires “Dark Ghost (I’ve Got Arms)” from Gasconader (2012)
Rebel Tongue “Lose Hope” from Movin’ On (2012)
(D) Boa & the Constrictors “Married to the Blues” from Married to the Blues (2012)
(D) Eef “I Ain’t Gonna Wait Forever” from Bluesalicious (2012)
Arliss Nancy “Should’ve Been There” from Simple Machines (2012)
Jon Snodgrass “Remember My Name” from Visitor’s Band (2009)
(D) Shawn Waggoner “Placebo” from Goodbye Raven (2012)

(N) I’m With Her “Lost My Way” from Songs We Said Goodbye To (2012)
Words In Flight “Only A Dream” from Music Is… (2012)
Leftover Salmon “Ain’t Gonna Work” from Euphoria (1997)
Andrew Vogt “Phil Woodshed” from Cats Afoot (2010)
(D) The String Cheese Incident “Can’t Wait Another Day[single] (2012)
Kyle Hollingsworth “She” from Then There’s Now (2009)
Katie Glassman “Bye Bye Boise” from Snapshot (2012)
Robert Cline Jr. “Mockingbird” from All The Right Reasons (2012)
(N) Jeff Brinkman “Halo” from Strange (2012)
Devotchka “The Enemy Guns” from How It Ends (2004)
Achille Lauro “Lightning” from Flight or Flight (2012)
(D) The Babysitters “Gigantic Sunglasses” from Have A Seat (2012)
(D) Beats Noir! “Where the Sun Goes Down” from Where the Sun Goes Down (2013)
Petals of Spain “I Gotta Know” from I Gotta Know (2012)
The Apples in Stereo “Same Old Drag” from New Magnetic Wonder (2007)
Mama Lenny and the Remedy “Dangerous To Touch” from Punches & Hugs (2012)
(N) Chris Malley and Bob Schlesinger “Illegal Snakes” from Split Shot (2012)