Ramblin Jug Stompers are pleased as punch to announce the birth of thir first CD, "Crooked Songs: Live at Caffe Lena." Yahoo! A fine 'n' funky little slab of laser-friendly plastic, the CD was recorded at one of RJS very first gigs - way back on March 4, 2006 at the venerable Saratoga Springs coffeehouse that's also been home to such folk faves as Dave Van Ronk, Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie, Loudon Wainwright III and David Bromberg, to name just a few of the greats to have graced Lena's stage.
The CD is raw, ragged and rough-hewn - just like every jug band recording should be. We performed in front of a sold-out crowd that night, and if you were lucky enough to be there, then what you heard then is exactly what you'll get with "Crooked Songs." Absolutely no overdubs. No tweaks. No sweetening.
Just a dozen great songs like the chuggin "Midnight Special," the rambunctious ``KC Moan" and the ever-ramblin "Eight More Miles to Louisville." We weren't even intending to make a record when we asked our pal Tom Lindsay to record the show. We just wanted to hear what we sounded like. (It's hard to tell sometimes when Mr. Eck is blowing a jug in your ear, ya know?) And our pal Ryder Cooley was there, too, adding her accordion and singing saw to that trademark RJS sound. It sounded so good that we decided to release it, and now here it is.
Ramblin Jug Stompers will be celebrating the release of "Crooked Songs" with a party and performance at Caffe Lena (47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs) at 8 p.m. Friday, December 15. It's going to be One Serious Callithumpian Throwdown. An Epic Night of New Post-Modern Old-Timey Music. A No-Holds-Barred Blast of American Ramble & Stomp. (I'd continue, but I've run out of capital letters.) So come on up, and share in the fun. So call the Caffe (518.583.0022) for your reservations now and be part of the Jug Stompin revolution.
It just wouldn't be the same without you.
December 6, 2006
"Crooked Songs" press juggernaut rolls on
And, of course, along with the release of our debut disc, we're also launching our first major press campaign.
We're doing two fine radio shows this week. You can hear Mr. Eck and Cousin Clyde bantering with local legend Jimmy Barrett on his looooong-running radio show, "Kaleidoscope," on the Edge (104.9 FM), airing at 9 a.m. Saturday, December 9. Too early for ya? Especially on a weekend? Well, never fear, "Kaleidoscope" will be re-broadcast at 7 p.m. Sunday, December 10. (That's right after the Bills whup the Jets.) So you can hear us twice - and get a sneak preview of "Crooked Songs: Live at Caffe Lena" almost a full week before it's officially released.
Ramblin Jug Stompers will be in full Stompin mode at 11:20 a.m. Thursday, December 13, as we invade the studios at WAMC (90.3 FM) for a live performance on "Performance Place," which is a sub-set show of the daily "The RoundTable." Other recent "RoundTable guests include Gene Wilder, Walter Cronkite, Maya Angelou and Hillary Clinton, so I guess we're in pretty good company. I when I say that we'll be playing live, I do indeed mean "live," so hopefully Bowtie will tune up before this one.
WAMC has always been good to RJS. We've played twice at the WAMC Performing Arts Studio (aka the Linda Norris Auditorium) - once as part of their Buck Owens Tribute Night and once with one of our fave Americana singer-songwriters, Tim Easton. In fact, the Easton show (in which RJS opened the night with a show of our own and then returned during Tim's show to back him up on a handful of impromptu tunes) was broadcast on WAMC just last month.
But radio is only part of RJS' press attack. We'll also be featured in The Daily Gazette out of Schenectady on Wednesday, December 13. The fearless Gazette writer Philip Schwartz will be featuring the Jug Stompers on his "Live in the Clubs" column. I say fearless because Philip dared to sit down with all four Jug Stompers at once for an interview last week at Tess' Lark Tavern. In recent weeks Philip has featured sensational singer-songwriter-folk legend Greg Brown and guitar phenom Kaki King, so once again, RJS are in damn good company. We can't wait to see what he manages to pull out of this free-wheelin chat.
We're doing two fine radio shows this week. You can hear Mr. Eck and Cousin Clyde bantering with local legend Jimmy Barrett on his looooong-running radio show, "Kaleidoscope," on the Edge (104.9 FM), airing at 9 a.m. Saturday, December 9. Too early for ya? Especially on a weekend? Well, never fear, "Kaleidoscope" will be re-broadcast at 7 p.m. Sunday, December 10. (That's right after the Bills whup the Jets.) So you can hear us twice - and get a sneak preview of "Crooked Songs: Live at Caffe Lena" almost a full week before it's officially released.
Ramblin Jug Stompers will be in full Stompin mode at 11:20 a.m. Thursday, December 13, as we invade the studios at WAMC (90.3 FM) for a live performance on "Performance Place," which is a sub-set show of the daily "The RoundTable." Other recent "RoundTable guests include Gene Wilder, Walter Cronkite, Maya Angelou and Hillary Clinton, so I guess we're in pretty good company. I when I say that we'll be playing live, I do indeed mean "live," so hopefully Bowtie will tune up before this one.
WAMC has always been good to RJS. We've played twice at the WAMC Performing Arts Studio (aka the Linda Norris Auditorium) - once as part of their Buck Owens Tribute Night and once with one of our fave Americana singer-songwriters, Tim Easton. In fact, the Easton show (in which RJS opened the night with a show of our own and then returned during Tim's show to back him up on a handful of impromptu tunes) was broadcast on WAMC just last month.
But radio is only part of RJS' press attack. We'll also be featured in The Daily Gazette out of Schenectady on Wednesday, December 13. The fearless Gazette writer Philip Schwartz will be featuring the Jug Stompers on his "Live in the Clubs" column. I say fearless because Philip dared to sit down with all four Jug Stompers at once for an interview last week at Tess' Lark Tavern. In recent weeks Philip has featured sensational singer-songwriter-folk legend Greg Brown and guitar phenom Kaki King, so once again, RJS are in damn good company. We can't wait to see what he manages to pull out of this free-wheelin chat.
November 14, 2006
Troy Savings Bank Music Hall survives!
Whoa! The Stompers just played a gig at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall today, and we're still high! How cool was that? One of the most acoustically perfect concert halls in the world - and they asked a jug band to play there!?! Yeah! The sound was fantastic, and there was a great crowd out in the theater despite the fact that it was a pretty rainy, dismal day. So thanks to all you folks out there who stopped for some funky goodtime music - some old Blotto fans, the Red Hat gals, plenty of the Stomper faithful and whole bunches of first-timers, too. Hope you signed our mailing list while you were there. (If not, just send your email address to livemusic@jugstompers.com, and we'll be sure to let you know where we're playing.)
We got to try out a couple of new tunes, too - a spiffy new arrangement of Jesse "The Lone Cat" Fuller's jug band classic "San Francisco Bay Blues" and fine rendition of that old Walter Brennan favorite, "Old Rivers." (Nice call on that one, Bowtie. It sounded just fine.)
All of the Stompers have been to see some great shows at the Music Hall, but none of us had ever had the pleasure of playing on that stage before, and it was a genuine treat.
In case you're interested, there are some other excellent shows on the Music Hall's upcoming concert schedule, including the David Grisman Quintet (Nov. 18), the Taj Mahal Trio (March 3 - hey, that's Wild Bill's birthday) and the fabulous double-bill of Doc Watson and Abigail Washburn (April 1). For a full schedule, log onto http://www.troymusichall.org.
We got to try out a couple of new tunes, too - a spiffy new arrangement of Jesse "The Lone Cat" Fuller's jug band classic "San Francisco Bay Blues" and fine rendition of that old Walter Brennan favorite, "Old Rivers." (Nice call on that one, Bowtie. It sounded just fine.)
All of the Stompers have been to see some great shows at the Music Hall, but none of us had ever had the pleasure of playing on that stage before, and it was a genuine treat.
In case you're interested, there are some other excellent shows on the Music Hall's upcoming concert schedule, including the David Grisman Quintet (Nov. 18), the Taj Mahal Trio (March 3 - hey, that's Wild Bill's birthday) and the fabulous double-bill of Doc Watson and Abigail Washburn (April 1). For a full schedule, log onto http://www.troymusichall.org.
No Show Jones Shows Up!
OK, so perhaps after reading our previous posting you think that the Stompers are just waaaaaay too busy to go out and do something TOGETHER. Wrong again. All four of the Stompers were actually salivating at the prospect of seeing the one and only living country music legend George Jones in concert. That's right - all four Stompers in the same theater (that would be the Palace Theatre in Albany on Sat. Nov. 11) all at the same time. And we weren't even gigging. Can you believe it? It was kinda glorious, to say the least - and quite downright bizarre to say the most. Want to know more? Read Wild Bill's review at http://www.timesunion.com, and the next time you happen to see him, ask Bowtie where he was sitting for that show! And ask him what he had to do to get that ticket.
November 10, 2006
Spare time? What's that?
Ever wonder what your fave Jug Stompers are doing when they're not in the spotlight stompin jugs? Well, wonder no more 'cause we're gonna tell ya.
Clyde also plays in a very cool band called the Rumdummies with some of our other fave local musicians like drummer Al Kash, guitarist Todd Nelson and vocalist-harmonicat Pat Conover. They play some way-cool swamp-rock on their debut CD, "Too Dum to Quit," and if you wanna catch 'em live in action, they're playin at Brown's Tap Room (421 River St., Troy) at 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17.
Mr. Eck, meanwhile, is showcasing his visual art skills with a one-night-only exhibition of his stunning paintings at the Palace Theatre (19 Clinton Ave., Albany) that same night. "Jazz On Stage ... Up Close and Personal" is a fundraising gala for the Albany Center Galleries (161 Washington Ave., Albany). More than a dozen of Mr. Eck's intricate, intriguing portraits of jazz and blues musicians will be on display. Mr. Eck is the featured artist of the exhibit, which will also feature work by such art stars as Leigh Wen, Wendy Ide Williams, Gail Nadeau, David Brickman and Willie Marlowe, as well as such close personal RJS friends as Ryder Cooley, John Caldwell and Dana Rudolph. Pretty heavy company, to say the least.
Bowtie and Wild Bill are also busy that same night - they're a couple of the stars of the Firlefanz Puppets production of Eugene Ionesco's Theater of the Absurd classic, ``Rhinoceros,'' directed by puppetmaster Ed Atkeson at Steamer No. 10 Theatre (500 Western Ave., Albany). The dynamic duo will be doing three performances - 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 17 and 18, as well as a 3 p.m. matinee on Sunday, Nov. 19.
So ya see, it's a bit tricky keeping the Ramblin Jug Stompers from rambling away from the stompin grounds.
Clyde also plays in a very cool band called the Rumdummies with some of our other fave local musicians like drummer Al Kash, guitarist Todd Nelson and vocalist-harmonicat Pat Conover. They play some way-cool swamp-rock on their debut CD, "Too Dum to Quit," and if you wanna catch 'em live in action, they're playin at Brown's Tap Room (421 River St., Troy) at 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17.
Mr. Eck, meanwhile, is showcasing his visual art skills with a one-night-only exhibition of his stunning paintings at the Palace Theatre (19 Clinton Ave., Albany) that same night. "Jazz On Stage ... Up Close and Personal" is a fundraising gala for the Albany Center Galleries (161 Washington Ave., Albany). More than a dozen of Mr. Eck's intricate, intriguing portraits of jazz and blues musicians will be on display. Mr. Eck is the featured artist of the exhibit, which will also feature work by such art stars as Leigh Wen, Wendy Ide Williams, Gail Nadeau, David Brickman and Willie Marlowe, as well as such close personal RJS friends as Ryder Cooley, John Caldwell and Dana Rudolph. Pretty heavy company, to say the least.
Bowtie and Wild Bill are also busy that same night - they're a couple of the stars of the Firlefanz Puppets production of Eugene Ionesco's Theater of the Absurd classic, ``Rhinoceros,'' directed by puppetmaster Ed Atkeson at Steamer No. 10 Theatre (500 Western Ave., Albany). The dynamic duo will be doing three performances - 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 17 and 18, as well as a 3 p.m. matinee on Sunday, Nov. 19.
So ya see, it's a bit tricky keeping the Ramblin Jug Stompers from rambling away from the stompin grounds.
October 31, 2006
Let's Have a Party!
Yes, now all can be revealed about Ramblin Jug Stompers secret tribute at the Why Can't I Be You extravaganza. The big bash on Sunday, Oct. 29 was a kind of musical Halloween costume party, except that the costumes were musical, not visual. A whole bunch of bands and solo acts from the Albany area gathered together to play musical selections by other Albany bands and solo performers. Get it? Anyway, RJS were out in full force to pay homage to one of Albany's most enduring (and often overlooked) musical icons - David Allan.
David was a longtime writer for Metroland magazine and currently a disc jockey on WABY, aka Moon Radio (1160 AM) (http://www.saratogamoon.com), where he holds down the weekday 2-6 p.m. slot. Wild Bill first met David when WB was a wee lad playing in the Henry Graiver Jug Band, and the band performed live on David's WRGB-TV show, "Pick a Show." Coincidentally, Mr. Eck once won a prize when he phoned in to "Pick a Show." (What was that prize, Mr. Eck? I forget.)
All of which is neither here nor there, in the long run because back in the early '70s, David was also a singer and songwriter who recorded such albums as "David Allan," "Town and Country," "Until We Meet Again" and "Songs You Wrote Requesting," as well as "The Best of "Pick a Show'."
But RJS selected one of David's more recent songs - "Let's Have a Party, Albany" - which he wrote and recorded in 1986 for the City of Albany's tricentennial celebration. The original recording featured David, the PYX-106 morning radio team of Mason and Sheehan and Blotto Recording artists, the Sharks. There was also an all-star chorus featuring such prominent Albanians as Jim Coyne, Fats Jefferson, Uncle Vito, Cranberry the Clown, the Guardian Angels, the Albany Patroons cheerleaders and, yes, even Sergeant Blotto, among many others. Recorded at Saints and Sinners Sound Studio at the College of St. Rose, it was released as a 45 RPM single with all proceeds going to the local charity, Hope House.
DISCLAIMER: Yes, it just so happens that Mike Kelley of the Sharks sang most of the lead vocals on that original recording, and he now plays keyboards with Blotto, in addition to several other bands. In fact, Uncle Mike Kelley has played several gigs with RJS, too.
Now back to Tess' Lark Tavern - So Wild Bill belted out a rousing rendition of "Let's Have a Party, Albany" with fine musical accompaniment from the rest of RJS. (Mr. Eck even played kazoo in public for the first time.) The standing-room-only crowd of musicians hipsters and adult-beverage consumers readily got into the swing of things, singing along with the Stompers on the hook-filled chorus. The whole mini-marathon night of music was a blast, and many Guinnesses were consumed. In fact, the response was so overwhelmingly positive that RJS are going to keep "Let's Have a Party, Albany" in our regular (or irregular, as the case may be) repertoire.
If you missed it (or just want to re-live those glorious memories), log onto http://www.thehiddencity.com and check out the myriad photos of Why Can't I Be You by the always fantastic Bryan Thomas. Thanks to Bryan, as well as hosts John Brodeur and MotherJudge (who can be seen in several of the RJS photos auditioning for a spot in the band), all of the musicians who performed and all of the folks who came out to support the Albany music scene.
David was a longtime writer for Metroland magazine and currently a disc jockey on WABY, aka Moon Radio (1160 AM) (http://www.saratogamoon.com), where he holds down the weekday 2-6 p.m. slot. Wild Bill first met David when WB was a wee lad playing in the Henry Graiver Jug Band, and the band performed live on David's WRGB-TV show, "Pick a Show." Coincidentally, Mr. Eck once won a prize when he phoned in to "Pick a Show." (What was that prize, Mr. Eck? I forget.)
All of which is neither here nor there, in the long run because back in the early '70s, David was also a singer and songwriter who recorded such albums as "David Allan," "Town and Country," "Until We Meet Again" and "Songs You Wrote Requesting," as well as "The Best of "Pick a Show'."
But RJS selected one of David's more recent songs - "Let's Have a Party, Albany" - which he wrote and recorded in 1986 for the City of Albany's tricentennial celebration. The original recording featured David, the PYX-106 morning radio team of Mason and Sheehan and Blotto Recording artists, the Sharks. There was also an all-star chorus featuring such prominent Albanians as Jim Coyne, Fats Jefferson, Uncle Vito, Cranberry the Clown, the Guardian Angels, the Albany Patroons cheerleaders and, yes, even Sergeant Blotto, among many others. Recorded at Saints and Sinners Sound Studio at the College of St. Rose, it was released as a 45 RPM single with all proceeds going to the local charity, Hope House.
DISCLAIMER: Yes, it just so happens that Mike Kelley of the Sharks sang most of the lead vocals on that original recording, and he now plays keyboards with Blotto, in addition to several other bands. In fact, Uncle Mike Kelley has played several gigs with RJS, too.
Now back to Tess' Lark Tavern - So Wild Bill belted out a rousing rendition of "Let's Have a Party, Albany" with fine musical accompaniment from the rest of RJS. (Mr. Eck even played kazoo in public for the first time.) The standing-room-only crowd of musicians hipsters and adult-beverage consumers readily got into the swing of things, singing along with the Stompers on the hook-filled chorus. The whole mini-marathon night of music was a blast, and many Guinnesses were consumed. In fact, the response was so overwhelmingly positive that RJS are going to keep "Let's Have a Party, Albany" in our regular (or irregular, as the case may be) repertoire.
If you missed it (or just want to re-live those glorious memories), log onto http://www.thehiddencity.com and check out the myriad photos of Why Can't I Be You by the always fantastic Bryan Thomas. Thanks to Bryan, as well as hosts John Brodeur and MotherJudge (who can be seen in several of the RJS photos auditioning for a spot in the band), all of the musicians who performed and all of the folks who came out to support the Albany music scene.
October 26, 2006
Why Can't I Be You?
Why Can't I Be You IV at Tess' Lark Tavern, 453 Madison Ave., Albany, at 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29. Free. Also featuring the Decadent Royals, Bryan Thomas, MotherJudge, Guiltless Cult, Laura Boggs and many more.
It's Halloween, and once again the musicians of the Capital Region will be dressing up in their favorite musical costumes. By which I mean that it's once again time for the annual Why Can't I Be You event. Although Mr. Eck has participated over the years, this is the first time that Ramblin Jug Stompers are tossing their collective hats into the ring.
The concept is that Capital Region musicians perform one or two songs by other Capital Region musicians, so of course RJS took the the task oh-so-seriously. Wild Bill suggested that perhaps it would be fun to play "The Flight of the Eagle" by super baritone sax jazz man Nick Brignola...but play it on kazoos.
But as it turned out, Mr. Eck had an even better idea. Of course we can't tell you what it is, but it certainly should be too much fun. OK, OK, OK - we'll give you a hint. The song is 20 years old. If you think about it hard enough, you might actually figure it out, but that's it. No more hints. No more begging for hints, either. If you want to find out what song we're playing, you're just gonna have to be there. For sure.
It's Halloween, and once again the musicians of the Capital Region will be dressing up in their favorite musical costumes. By which I mean that it's once again time for the annual Why Can't I Be You event. Although Mr. Eck has participated over the years, this is the first time that Ramblin Jug Stompers are tossing their collective hats into the ring.
The concept is that Capital Region musicians perform one or two songs by other Capital Region musicians, so of course RJS took the the task oh-so-seriously. Wild Bill suggested that perhaps it would be fun to play "The Flight of the Eagle" by super baritone sax jazz man Nick Brignola...but play it on kazoos.
But as it turned out, Mr. Eck had an even better idea. Of course we can't tell you what it is, but it certainly should be too much fun. OK, OK, OK - we'll give you a hint. The song is 20 years old. If you think about it hard enough, you might actually figure it out, but that's it. No more hints. No more begging for hints, either. If you want to find out what song we're playing, you're just gonna have to be there. For sure.
October 24, 2006
Post-modern jug band?
RAMBLIN JUG STOMPERS at ALBANY CENTER GALLERIES (on the second floor of the Albany Public Library, 161 Washington Ave., Albany. 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26. FREE!
The art world will never be the same after Thursday night! Ramblin Jug Stompers are stompin our way into the Albany Center Galleries from 7-9 p.m. (Oct. 26), and we're takin no prisoners - abstract, impressionist or otherwise.
The bash is the final event for the exhibit, "Jan Galligan Presents: Workspacedout; 1976-2006, A Thirty Year Introspective," curated for the gallery by Mr. Jan Galligan. It's a pretty wild show, chockfull of old and new conceptual (and often text-heavy) work by members of the (very) loose Albany-based art collective, Workspace. Some of the spotlight artists on the walls and in the cases, as well as on film and in performance include Galligan, JC Garrett, Spencer Livingston, Richard Edson, Joachim Frank and Cathy Frank. Of special interest to RJS fans, Wild Bill and one-time Stomper (literally) Moanin Ed Atkeson were also members of the Workspace art squad and both are well-represented in the exhibit.
Anyway, RJS are throwin caution to the wind and playin this one by ear. Moanin Ed will likely make a guest appearance or two. And other special guests just might drop by, too. (Hey, Ryder, this one is perfect for you.)
Galligan has been discussing the possibility of playing all sorts of random video and film while the Stompers do our thing, harkening back to the Factory days (daze?) with us playing the part of the Velvet Underground to Galligan's Warhol.
"The idea with the Stompers' performance is that, hopefully, their music and our dancin will be so intense that we'll knock all of the art off the walls," Galligan explains.
Truthfully, we have no idea what might happen while we're playing, but, of course, anything is possible when RJS crank up somethin like "KC Moan" or "Old Plank Road." You might want to bring along an extra pair of underwear - just in case.
Oh yeah, I forgot the best part - it's free.
Perhaps we'll even get John Cirrin onstage to explain post-modernism while RJS blitz through "Fireball Mail" in the background. That would be simply delightful.
The art world will never be the same after Thursday night! Ramblin Jug Stompers are stompin our way into the Albany Center Galleries from 7-9 p.m. (Oct. 26), and we're takin no prisoners - abstract, impressionist or otherwise.
The bash is the final event for the exhibit, "Jan Galligan Presents: Workspacedout; 1976-2006, A Thirty Year Introspective," curated for the gallery by Mr. Jan Galligan. It's a pretty wild show, chockfull of old and new conceptual (and often text-heavy) work by members of the (very) loose Albany-based art collective, Workspace. Some of the spotlight artists on the walls and in the cases, as well as on film and in performance include Galligan, JC Garrett, Spencer Livingston, Richard Edson, Joachim Frank and Cathy Frank. Of special interest to RJS fans, Wild Bill and one-time Stomper (literally) Moanin Ed Atkeson were also members of the Workspace art squad and both are well-represented in the exhibit.
Anyway, RJS are throwin caution to the wind and playin this one by ear. Moanin Ed will likely make a guest appearance or two. And other special guests just might drop by, too. (Hey, Ryder, this one is perfect for you.)
Galligan has been discussing the possibility of playing all sorts of random video and film while the Stompers do our thing, harkening back to the Factory days (daze?) with us playing the part of the Velvet Underground to Galligan's Warhol.
"The idea with the Stompers' performance is that, hopefully, their music and our dancin will be so intense that we'll knock all of the art off the walls," Galligan explains.
Truthfully, we have no idea what might happen while we're playing, but, of course, anything is possible when RJS crank up somethin like "KC Moan" or "Old Plank Road." You might want to bring along an extra pair of underwear - just in case.
Oh yeah, I forgot the best part - it's free.
Perhaps we'll even get John Cirrin onstage to explain post-modernism while RJS blitz through "Fireball Mail" in the background. That would be simply delightful.
October 23, 2006
Jugstompers Web Log is launched!
More news and updates about Ramblin Jug Stompers are soon to come... stay tuned!
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