Ramblin On

We're back!!

2008-06-06T09:09:00.002-05:00

Just thought we'd let you know that the Ramblin Jug Stompers blog is rolling along again, and we promise that we'll post more often. Really. We promise.
Things have been going swimmingly with the new album, which we have been recording at Bender Studios whenever we have a few extra hours to spare - which unfortunately isn't too often thses days.
We haven't decided on a title for the album yet, so please help us out with a few suggestions.
"Decoratin the Mahogany"
"Mix Me a Hike"
"Ain't No Cakewalk"
"Highballin"
"Flippin a Rattler"

The Day Job

2007-03-10T14:13:00.000-05:00

Bowtie here -

The day job comes to (almost) all musicians. Playing music isn't part of my job description but a group of us got together to make this video help publicize the MapInfo Map World Conference.

I think the hats are a nice touch, don't you?

What a hoot!

2007-02-22T19:21:00.000-05:00

Ramblin Jug Stompers hosted our first Callithumpian Hootenanny at Tess' Lark Tavern on Monday, Feb. 19, but you can bet that it won't be our last. Special guests included the marvelous MapInfo Mountaineers, the tireless Frank Jaklitsch, the fearless Nicole Peyrafitte, the charming duo of Almost Awake, the mournful Moanin Ed Atkeson and our own Mr. Tambourine Man, Dale Metzger.
And while each of our pals played some wonderful music, the real thrill of the night was the performance by guiatrist David Malachowski and Half Naked (the pared-down acoustic version of Naked).
As most of you know, David had been seriously ill, and his hospital stay, extensive tests and ongoing follow-up treatment has left him is serious debt. But he certainly hasn't lost his talent on the fretboard, playing three songs with Half Naked. Then we fused forces as the Ramblin Half Naked Jug Stompers for a rousing rendition of Mr. Eck's song, "Pony."
The Hoot was another benefit for the Malachowski Medical Fund (the second that we'd organized and the third that we'd performed at), and we raised $640. Add that onto the $1,500 that we raised at our January Lark Tavern show, and the total comes to more than $2,100.
We are so proud of our fans and the generosity that they have shown toward David in his time of need. Thanks again, all you Jugheads. You're the best.
We'll be sure to give you plenty of advance warning before the next Callithumpian Hootenanny, but it certainly won't happen right away. After the first one, we need a couple of months to recover from all of the excitement (and Guinness).
We're already lining up the guests for the next one, however, including folks like Jim Gaudet and Sarah Pedinotti, who had hoped to be there this month but were unable to attend.

On the air

2007-02-21T19:31:00.000-05:00

Ya just can't live on the salary that Ramblin Jug Stompers make, so our illustrious mandolin-dobro-jug player Mr. Eck has got himself a brand new job. He is now the producer and host of "Performance Place" on WAMC Northeast Public Radio (90.3 FM), and it's a perfect fit for musicological kind of guy like him. The show features live (really live, not pre-recorded live) performances by all kinds of musicians and bands, and it can be heard most weekdays from 11:20 a.m. til noon. He's already hosted performances by some of our favorite local singer-songwriters like Rosanne Raneri and Sarah Pedinotti, as well as a 93-year-old jazz saxophonist and a Greek opera singer. You never know what you're gonna hear, but you can bet that it's gonna be good. If you can't tune in on your radio, give a listen online by logging onto http://www.wamc.org.

And Happy Birthday, too

2007-01-17T18:12:00.000-05:00

We almost forgot. Best birthday wishes go out to David Malachowski, as well as singer-songwriter and all-around Jughead Frank Jaklitsch, who's been one of RJS' staunchest supporters. Hope you both had a fine celebration. And many more to come...

Thanks to you...

2007-01-17T17:56:00.000-05:00

Ramblin Jug Stompers first anniversary show at Tess' Lark Tavern on Monday was a whopping success, thanks to all of you. We managed to raise more than $1,400 for the Malachowski Medical Fund to help out our pal David Malachowski. He had a life-threatening medical problem during the holidays resulting in a weeklong stay in the hospital, some very expensive tests and more ongoing recovery treatment.
Thanks to RJS alum Moanin Ed Atkeson, who joined the band for a delightful rendition of "Tennessee Waltz." And special thanks to David's daughter Lindsay, who made a lovely little speech on her father's behalf, as well as the fine folks at Elmore magazine, who donated subscriptions as an incentive to donate.
But most of all, thanks to all of you Jugheads who opened your hearts and your wallets to a good friend in need. You guys are great.
We're playing another benefit for the Malachowski Medical Fund at 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27 at the Bearsville Theater just outside of Woodstock. We'll be sharing the bill with Mechanical Bull, Bret Mosley and Liana Turner. Admission is $10, all of which goes directly to David.
Most importantly, if David's recovery continues along at its current pace, he plans on attending the show at the Bearsville Theater, and hopefully, he'll even break out his guitar to do a little playing with several of the performers.
Thanks again for all of your help. Obviously, we couldn't have done it without you.

Anniversary celebration

2007-01-10T11:36:00.000-05:00

We are happy to announce the first anniversary of the musical marriage between Ramblin Jug Stompers and Tess' Lark Tavern. RJS first performed at the Lark (453 Madison Ave., Albany) back in January, 2006, and we've been back every month since then. (That's the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m., for those of you who haven't had the joyous experience of being there in person.)
We've worked our way through several waitresses in the past year, but Natasha (the current cutie with a tray) seems to be in it for the long haul. "I just love it when you guys play here," she told me on Monday. "Your crowd is so nice and friendly." Just thought you Jugheads might want to know that.
Anyway, the big anniversary show is at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 15, and of course, you're all invited. Hopefully, we'll be able to coax a few of the old RJS alumni (like Moanin Ed and Ryder) up onstage with us for a few songs throughout the show. And our pal Kevin McKrell (fabled singer-songwriter, leader of the fab Celtic-goes-bluegrass band the McKrells and former musical partner of Bowtie) has threatened to stop by, too. He sat in with us at the Old Iron Spring Festival in Ballston Spa back in the spring, and he's been itching to get together with us again ever since.
By the way, RJS will be donating all of our proceeds from our anniversary celebration to our friend, David Malachowski, who was beset by unexpected (and very expensive) medical problems over the holidays. David - who has played guitar in Savoy Brown and the Commander Cody Band, as well as serving as bandleader for a country singer named, what was her name again?, oh yeah, Shania Twain - is in need of some financial assistance, so we thought we'd help out a bit. So if you haven't bought your "Crooked Songs" CD or t-shirt yet, this would be a good time to do it, and help out a good friend and musician in need, while you're at it.

And while Tess' Lark Tavern is still Ramblin Jug Stompers' home base, we are thrilled to have a home-across-the-Hudson, too. The Ale House (at 680 River St., Troy) is our second home - great food and drink, funky atmosphere and owner Brian Gilchrist hosts some of the best musicians around - whether it's locals like the Lustre Kings and the Kamikaze Hearts or cool national touring acts like Bill Kirchen, Chris Knight and Deke Dickerson.
The Ale House also hosts regular bluegrass jam sessions led by Mike McMann, and members of RJS have been stopping by to join in the communal pickin festivities during the recent months.
Anyway, RJS played the Ale House back in December (with our pals Almost Awake sittin in on a half dozen tunes, just to add some spice to the affair), and we're thrilled to be back in the House spotlight again at 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20. Admission is just $5, so bring your hungry/thirsty selves on down and join in the festivities. Of course, you can expect the usual unexpected surprises for this show. It just wouldn't be a RJS show without 'em, would it?

Stop the presses!

2007-01-10T11:04:00.000-05:00

The Ramblin Jug Stompers' press juggernaut (emphasis on the "jug") continues to roll on. Look for a story about us in the next issue of the Albany alternative news weekly, Metroland. That's right, the fearless writer Erik Hage was allowed access to the inner recesses of the RJS secret clubhouse just this past Monday evening, and his story is scheduled to appear on Thursday, Jan. 11. The talented photographer Joe Putrock was also on hand, furiously snapping away as RJS stomped our way through several songs that we'd never played before. (Hopefully, you won't be able to tell that from the photos.) Anyway, be sure to pick up a copy of the free mag to see our smiling little faces. (We were supposed to be smiling, weren't we, Bowtie?) You'll probably also be able to find the story online at http://www.metroland.net.

For art's sake

2007-01-10T10:32:00.000-05:00

Who is art, you might ask? Well, it's not WHO, but rather WHAT.
As you may already know, Ramblin Jug Stompers not only make music, but some of 'em make art - visual art, that is - as well. Perhaps you've visited the art websites of Mr. Eck or Wild Bill. (If not, you'll find the links at http://www.jugstompers.com).
And if you want to see their art in person, just head down to the brand new Albany Center Galleries at 39 Columbia St., Albany. Mr. "Michael" Eck and Wild "G.C. Haymes" Bill both have two works of work currently on exhibit in the gallery's 30th Anniversary Exhibition, on view through Feb. 3.
In addition, two more pieces by Wild Bill will be included in the "Digital Art" group exhibit at the Digital Artist's Space at 27 2nd St., Troy. The exhibit opens on Jan. 19 with a meet-the-artists reception from 6-8 p.m. and runs through March 2.
And look for Ramblin Jug Stompers to perform at the Albany Institute of History and Art at 125 Washington Ave., Albany for the opening reception of the Institute's next exhibition from 6-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 2. What better way to celebrate Groundhog's Day? And admission is free, of course.

"Crooked Songs" is here!

2006-12-06T18:51:00.000-05:00

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.

"Crooked Songs" press juggernaut rolls on

2006-12-06T18:13:00.000-05:00

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.

Troy Savings Bank Music Hall survives!

2006-11-14T17:59:00.000-05:00

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.

No Show Jones Shows Up!

2006-11-14T00:18:00.000-05:00

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.

Spare time? What's that?

2006-11-10T20:30:00.000-05:00

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.

Let's Have a Party!

2006-10-31T20:07:00.000-05:00

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.

Why Can't I Be You?

2006-10-26T06:06:00.000-05:00

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.

Post-modern jug band?

2006-10-24T17:09:00.000-05:00

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.

Jugstompers Web Log is launched!

2006-10-23T23:05:00.000-05:00

More news and updates about Ramblin Jug Stompers are soon to come... stay tuned!