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.
October 31, 2006
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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