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May 7 - Ladies Night with David Gatlin 10 p.m.
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May 8 - Thomas Jackson Orchestra 10 p.m.
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www.myspace.com/thomasjacksonorcherstra
Jackson has been a presence on the Hattiesburg music scene for years. With a band, he has lived out his boyhood T.Rex fantasies. By himself, he has continued to hone his songcraft somehow making a new creation within the same frames that everyone uses, much like the comic strips he once drew. Like any good songwriter, Jackson experiments with the economy of language. The fact that he has any number of songs that contain the word "blues" in the title is not a gimmick, or even a series; it is that common destination where we all arrive to deal with life's impasses. ( Mik Davis Hattiesburg American) "Raw, powerful, experimental and should be taught in schools, are just a few words and phrases that might be used to describe the experience of Thomas Jackson's new song "Poundcake Blues". As one who has followed Mr. Jackson's career with a certain fanfare, I can say that this might be a turning point in his artistic evolution. Mr. Jackson's vocals carry an emotional edge tinged with guttural anger which synchronizes perfectly with the dark sounds of a blues guitar that seems to have seen too many late nights. With a beating rhythm that is sexual and aggressive Poundcake Blues isn't listening for lonely hearts, its listening for hearts on the edge. Like some dark magician, Thomas Jackson calls up demons for a drink of bitter biting whisky at midnight. With this song Thomas Jackson conjures the specter of desire turned rancid like a heart in a glass of sour milk. (Pat Huff anthropologist) The Hattiesburg-based Thomas Jackson Orchestra stomps out a mean hard-drinking, raunched-out vibe that's hard to beat. A MySpace taste will turn your head if you are uninitiated. (Jackson Free Press) Thomas Jackson has been a presence on the Hattiesburg music scene for years. With a band, he has lived out his boyhood T.Rex fantasies. By himself, he has continued to hone his songcraft somehow making a new creation within the same frames that everyone uses, much like the comic strips he once drew. Like any good songwriter, Jackson experiments with the economy of language. The fact that he has any number of songs that contain the word "blues" in the title is not a gimmick, or even a series; it is that common destination where we all arrive to deal with life's impasses. Thomas Jackson by Joseph Williams | Chief Copy Editor If you've ever run against the law, been burned by crazy women, or have generally fucked up, you've got a friend in Thomas Jackson. He sings desperation and hums madness like lullabies for self-destructive Southerners who can't sleep till dawn breaks. In his happier moments, his white boy blues flirt with Buddy Holly pop rock influences, and on his darker days he writes songs with a lusty devil on his shoulder. His recently released Pound Cake Blues is an example of the latter. Having been called "a turning point in his artistic evolution," this single is a haunting noir anthem, a dark justification for the bad decisions we've made and a harsh whispered promise for more to come. Whether it's for a fine addition to your record collection or for fear of Mississippi's darkest musical demons, Jackson is sure to leave you looking over your shoulder.
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May 9 - Scissormen 10 p.m.
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www.scissormen.com
www.myspace.com/scissormen
Scissormen are devils or demi-gods, depending who you ask. To some crusty blues fans, they're rock 'n' rollers muddyin' up the music's waters. But to people who understand that the blues is still a vital style that can be every bit as hip and creative as what's on the stages of Warped or Coachella, they're saviors. And those are the folks the band's been playing in front of for the past two years. Touring behind their debut CD Jinx Breakers (Hi-N-Dry Recordings) - which was produced by Morphine's Billy Conway - they've seared a path with their incendiary live performances from festivals to premiere nightclubs to blues rooms to juke joints to coffeehouses to punk rock shows from Maine to Mississippi and out to the West Coast. Ted Drozdowski, the Nashville-based band's slide guitarist and leader, understands that Robert Johnson, Jimmy Page and Johnny Ramone share the same spiritual connection. So he turns his guitar into an Ouija board and channels all three in blazing, over-the-top performances which typically find him leaping up on tables and running out in the street, playing slide with everything from martini glasses to old worn-out boots. "I came up in punk and psychedelic rock bands, but playing the blues the way we play it means everything to me," says Ted. "This is music with teeth and guts and heart, and it rocks like hell when it's done right. And we do it right! I caught the fever from musicians like R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough and Jessie Mae Hemphill, who taught me to put every bit of my heart and soul into this music. So that's what I do." "We work hard to give people who hear us live a show they'll never forget. And we work hard to keep this music kicking and moving forward, just like Jessie, Junior and R.L. did, and a handful of the best musicians from the Mississippi hills still do. We honor the past, but we're all living in the present. And so is our blues." Recently Scissormen have been finishing up their full-length debut. Meanwhile, Jinx Breakers is available from their web site www.scissormen.com, where you'll also find free MP3s and learn more about the band, or via www.hi-n-dry.com.
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May 10 - Electric Mudd 10 p.m.
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www.electricmudd.com
www.myspace.com/themudd
"Some of the most highly motivated and talented players to grace the southern plane of music in the last few years....." An Honest Tune Mag.
The Electric Mudd formed when David Burchfield, Nick Sosebee, and Jason
Boyles decided to leave a former band and explore new territory. This
new emergence with Jack McWilliams was based on the musical language
they developed when growing up together. They pounded out fresh
material and in a few short months asked Brian Ware to join them. Soon,
they were playing to larger crowds at legendary blues landmarks like
Airport Grocery and Hopson's Plantation in Clarksdale. In February 2002
a new member enriched the band. He saw the "diamond in the rough", and
helped polish the group into professionals. Often seen by the other
members as much like a father, Chuck Davis ran the sound and like a
good coach got the band on the same page, all the while playing the
keys all night long ...
By late 2002, it was clear they had a loyal, steadily growing fan base.
They started jamming with musicians like Cary Hudson, Cody Dickenson,
and The Kudzu Kings. With the help of producer Jeffrey Reed, Electric
Mudd started recording their new album, "Call It What You Will" in
February 2003. During the sessions the band brought in Robert Chaffe of
The Kudzu Kings to sit in on four songs. The 10-song album is a
wonderful snapshot of the band's danceable Delta swamp boogie. If you
see them live, remember, the band never plays the same song the same
way. They blend rock 'n' roll, blues, jazz, folk, funk, and soul.
Tragically Chuck Davis passed in January of 2004, having long guided
the other members in keeping their hands out of the proverbial cookie
jar. After his devastating loss, the band was inspired by his legacy
and decided he would want them to continue on and keep the music he
helped create flowing. They looked and looked and looked and when they
found Levan, they knew they had found his protégé. Levan has quickly
become a friend as much as a band mate. Journeying to America in search
of the Blues, Levan is originally from the Republic of Georgia.
Born in the Mississippi Delta, infused with the blues, and soul music,
The Electric Mudd have formulated the recipe for Delta Swamp Boogie.
David Burchfield plays warm guitar leads that bring out the best in the
rest of the band. Percussionist Jack McWilliams and Drummer Jason
Boyles team up to strike a thunderous rhythm while David Casiday's
electric bass supplies a tight groove. Levan Lortkinpanze fills out
their sound with his keyboards, flute and harmonica. Guitarist Kell
Kellum, who joined in 2005, completed the band.
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May 14 - Ladies Night with Bob oh Brown 10 p.m.
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May 15 - The Gash Hounds 10 p.m.
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May 16 - Jason Ricci & New Blood 10 p.m.
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www.jasonricci.com
"As a lover of live music, a JRNB show is absolutely exhilarating. Imagine the best virtuoso-filled "jam band" you've ever seen (think early '90's Phish, old Fleck tones, Allmans, Robert Randolph, Derek Trucks, etc.) and then double the energy and stage presence."
- Blake Taylor (Writer for Cincinnati City Beat in response to Brad Kava's s
"Ricci links the jazz mastery of Howard Levy, with the blues precision of Jerry Portnoy and hits speeds that make John Popper look like he's standing still."
- Brad Kava (Mercury News)
Jason Ricci is that rare individual that only comes along once in a generation — an artist with the unique ability to help shape and redefine the sound of his chosen instrument and forever change the course of music history. His style is varied and his influences far reaching, having spent countless hours absorbing everything from Sun Ra to Little Walter, the Rolling Stones to the Pixies, Lou Reed to Govt. Mule, and everything in between. The depth of his music criscrosses the audible landscape leaving no stone unturned as he fully explores blues, jazz, funk, rock, punk, and even drawing inspiration from the current crop of jam bands, all while still retaining the stamp of his own inimitable style.
In just a few short years, Jason Ricci has compiled a musical resume and Blues credibility that most musicians don't achieve in a lifetime. By the time he was 21, he had won the Sonny Boy Blues Society contest, had performed on the main stage at the King Biscuit Blues Festival, been featured on the Memphis evening news, and had worked with Susan Tedeschi, Billy Gibson, and Bobby Little.
Before you knew it, Jason was gigging with Jr. Kimbrough's son, David, and frequently performed with Junior himself as well as with R.L Burnside in clubs throughout the South. During this period Jason recorded Down at the Juke with Kinney Kimbrough.
After Junior's death, Jason returned home to Portland, ME and formed a band with guitarist Nick Curran. A year later, Jason won the Mars National Harmonica Contest, beating out over 1,000 contestants, and earned himself the opportunity to perform with the Fabulous Thunderbirds. Hohner harmonicas quickly signed Jason on as an endorsee.
After touring nationally with Big Al and the Heavyweights, Jason released a solo album, Feel Good Funk, but he needed new blood to take his music where he wanted it to go. Jason joined with young guitar phenom Shawn Starski, flamboyant Argentine drummer Maki Bergara, and veteran first Beale St. bassist Slim Louis to form, appropriately, Jason Ricci and New Blood.
JRNB has been on a rigorous, 300 gig-a-year schedule for a couple years now, thrilling audiences, defying musical genre labeling, and constantly evolving. No two JRNB shows are alike. After one deportation and one retirement, Steve Johnson now supplies an infectious swing on drums, and Todd "Buckweed" Edmunds brings a jazzy funky groove on bass that adds a whole new dimension to the band's sound.
The band has released two albums – Live at Checkers and Blood on the Road, and the awards and accolades have flowed in – including the coveted "Muddy Waters Award" for most promising new talent.
However, Jason Ricci is no flash in the pan. He is a seasoned, road-tested and proven musician with a fire and passion to take his music to unheard of heights and innovations. He is an inspiration, a rare talent, and is a performer not to be missed.
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May 17 - Old Union 10 p.m.
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www.oldunion.com
www.myspace.com/oldunion
Imagine a musical road trip through Memphis and Muscle Shoals with
side trips to Texas and Detroit, ending up in Macon and you have a idea
of the distinctive American rock and roll of Old Union. With musical
influences as varied as the individual members, the music of Old Union
has been described as fresh and new, yet with a cool retro vibe.
Old Union was formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2001 by Chuck Foster
(keyboards and lead vocals), Johnny Zvolensky (guitars), Steve "Spotty"
Swertfeger (guitars and vocals), David Bryndal (drums) with the recent
addition Professor Jason Williams (bass). The strong, well-crafted
songs and soulful, gritty vocals of Foster remain the heart and soul of
the band. With additional songwriting from Zvolensky, Swertfeger and
Old Union has acquired the reputation as one of the best song-oriented
bands working today. With superb musicianship from the timeless
songwritting of Foster, the twin guitar work of Swertfeger and
Zvolensky and the locked in, solid-as-a-rock rhythm section of Bryndal
and Williams, Old Union hits the stage with an aggressive rock edge
drenched in Southern soul.
Old Union's debut CD; Forgiveness Or Permission, released in
December of 2003, drew favorable reviews from "Hittin The Note", "An
Honest Tune", "Glide" and numerous newspapers around the country. The
CD, which featured guest vocals from rock legend, Bonnie Bramlett led
to a successful Bramlett/Old Union Northeastern tour including a
critically acclaimed appearance at the Edmonton Folk Festival. Their
non-stop touring schedule has taken them from coast to coast with
appearances at such high profile festivals as Bonnaroo, High Sierra
Music Festival, Blue Ridge Harvest Festival, Chattanooga's Riverbend
Festival, Nashville's Riverstages and Dancin in the District, Terrapin
Hill, Down On The Farm and Uphonia. They have appeared with such
artists as Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, North Mississippi All Stars,
Ratdog, Govt. Mule, Allman Brothers Band, Black Crowes and The Charlie
Daniels Band. The intensity of their live shows has earned them a loyal
fan base that is growing with every show. Their hometown Nashville club
shows are legend, drawing a who's who of musicians on stage to jam
including former Allman Brother Jack Pearson, rock and roll Hall Of
Famer Steve Cropper, Bonnie and Becca Bramlett, Jimmy Hall, Tony
Futado, members of The Charlie Daniels Band and numerous others.
Old Union began working on their second CD in the fall of 2005 with
producer John Carter Cash, who was drawn to the band by their
songwritting ability and called their sound; "lyrically poignant,
sonically explosive, emotionally charged and culturally significant.
The best new rock music I've heard in years."
When it's all said and done, Old Union are just five guys trying to
write songs that honor their heroes and play good music for good
people. They are simply carrying on the grand tradition of celebrating
the glorious joy of American rock and roll at its purest.
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May 21 - Ladies Night with Taylor Kilderbrand 10 p.m.
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May 22 - Zoogma 10 p.m.
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www.myspace.com/zoogmaband
Forging elements of funk, jazz, livetronica, world, and rock, Zoogma is a band with a vision. Coming straight out of Oxford, Mississippi, Zoogma is the offspring of five musicians with a desire to bring a fresh and inventive sound to the forefront of their live shows and to the ears of their listeners. After an impromptu jam session during the fall of 2007, the five members of Zoogma knew that there was something special behind the notes that came to life that day. Holding a shared belief that the local music scene in Oxford was in need of something new, and realizing the potential of their abilities, Zoogma played a very successful first gig in November, which left many in attendance stunned and exhilarated by the beast of sound that was unleashed that night. Riding the wake of praise, Zoogma is putting together its schedule for 2008 which is sure to leave a lasting impression and make Zoogma into a force to be reckoned with...
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May 23 - Good Enough For Good Times featuring members of Galactic & Charlie Hunter Trio at 10 p.m.
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May 24 - Sons of Roswell w/ Special Guest 10 p.m.
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www.myspace.com/sonsofrosswell
As the weather cooled and the leaves faded from the trees, the 4 members set out on their mission of Rock n' Roll dominance. There was nothing in the area that could compare to the Earth shattering vocals of Kevin Keenum or the rock n' roll revival riffs of Keenum and guitarist Jay Burgess. Add to that the thunder of sound radiating from J.D. McCorkle's fort of drums, mixed with the strong and steady backbone provided by Chris James on bass to get the perfect combination. Sons of Roswell paved a road all their own to escape the confines of the town that is as worn out as the records it once produced. Mixing their own unique style with hints of those who came before, from the Who and Zeppelin, to the sounds of the area's past.
Sons of Roswell Spent most of 2006 in the studio and playing around the Southeastern US. Now with the release of their debut full length album, the band is on a mission. From Muscle Shoals to the rest of the world, the time has come for Rock n' Roll to prevail. There is no better time than now. Sons of Roswell has arrived.
"Sons of Roswell rock with echoes of the past and bright originality. Great songs with memorable hooks. I love this band!"
-Jimmy Nutt, Studio Engineer (Drive-By Truckers, Jimmy Buffet, John Paul White and more)
"Sons of Roswell delivers a sound both comfortably classic, yet refreshingly distinct. Simply put...These Guys Rock!"
-Chad Green, ASCAP Nashville Membership Representative
"Sons of Roswell, a quartet that takes the Black Crowes' blues-rock formula and spikes it with hillbilly moonshine."
-www.macon.com
"The Sons of Roswell know how to make songs sound contemporary without delving into the 70's rock pastiche that so many artists imitate. It's pretty apparent that living in the shadows of Muscle Shoals recording legends didn't intimidate the four members of The Sons, and perhaps some of that Southern magic rubbed off on the band while in the recording studio. With a fantastic debut album and some terrific, visceral tracks, it won't take long for The Sons to get noticed by record executives."
-Andrei Bulawka, www.cdreviews.com
"I am not shitting you. If you love the Rock, this album needs to be in your possession. I promise you you will love it and want to have its baby."
-Alabama Ass Whuppin
"Vocalist Kevin Keenum and company present an even mix of bluesy hard rock and punk rock attitude served with a distinctly southern flavor. As a result, the boys of Roswell have created an album packed with strutting, cocksure, optimistic tracks that provide a refreshing alternative to the whiny, jaded music that predominately populates the pop music charts."
-David Feltman, Performer Magazine
Seventies rock, particularly of the "Southern" variety, has been a popular mining source for young rock bands in recent years, but most seem solely drawn to that period's arena rock bombast and shallow riffs, ignoring the fact that delicate, contemplative material was masterfully yarned by groups like The Band in the same era. Muscle Shoals four-piece Sons of Roswell seem drawn to both sides of the coin, indulging in tough bar-rock stomps, but staying just as gritty when they dial back their amps for the shuffling country-rocker "Losing My Mind."
-The Tennessean
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May 28 - Ladies Night with Jason Bailey 10 p.m.
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May 29 - Owen Beverly & David Gatlin 10 p.m.
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May 30 - Earthbound 10 p.m.
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www.myspace.com/earthboundweb
Describing music, a non-verbal language, in words is always a difficult task, but the music of Earthbound can best be understood in terms of the diverse influences from which the band draws the inspiration and performance. The experience of witnessing the band perform, may at times be a veritable schooling in rock'n'roll, certainly a multi-genre encompassing term. Their repertoire draws from and combines traditions such as Americana, folk, country, bluegrass, jazz, psychedelia to create a sound attuned not only to the collective effects of these..
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May 31 - Willie Heath Neal Band 10 p.m.
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www.myspace.com/willieheathneal
Willie Heath Neal came into this world a country song, born January 27, 1971, in the back of a Gwinnett County police car in Atlanta, Georgia. He grew up poor with no father figure around, finding inspiration in his mother's heroes, Hank Williams and Elvis Presley. His mother had dreams of a career in country music as a honky tonk singer, but, between her dream and the reality of a day job, there was little time for motherhood. At a young age, Willie, his brother and three sisters were placed in foster homes.
As a teen he was wild and reckless. In order to graduate high school on time, he agreed to a three year stint in the Navy. While in the military, Willie and two other servicemen formed a three-piece punk rock band. The band became an outlet for dealing with the authority of military life and aggression stemming from his childhood. Briefly stationed in Asia and eager to perform, the band played shows on the punk rock circuits in Singapore and Hong Kong. Barely 21 years of age, the acceptance he felt from the clubs in Asia would change his life forever. It was then he realized he wanted to make music his life.
Upon return to the U.S., the band found themselves stationed in San Diego. At the end of their obligated service they decided to stick around in an attempt to break into the California punk rock circuit. In just a few months the band was broke. Willie and the drummer returned home to the Atlanta area and continued playing for three years, gaining plenty of local attention. Despite modest success, Willie's prior exposure to artists like Steve Earle and Wayne Hancock left him missing his country roots. It wasn't long before he hooked up with a rockabilly band and began slapping upright bass. With his new found passion, he relocated to Florida, slapping bass for a psychobilly band signed to an independent label. After several months touring the Southeast, he lent himself out as a hired gun, playing in country and honky tonk bands from New Orleans to Savannah.
Being a hired gun left little time for songwriting, Willie's primary role in previous bands. So, combining some old songs with a couple of new ones, he put together a band with a traditional country set-up, went into the studio and recorded a record with a new twist on the Country sound. Gaining attention from California to Europe, Willie signed a recording contract with UK based Raucous Records, bringing him to the attention of Cargo Music, a distributor for Raucous in the U.S. Cargo felt Willie would fit perfectly on their Headhunter label, and quickly signed him to a stateside deal. Willie has toured the southeast relentlessly since 1993 sharing the stage with Wayne Hancock, Hank Williams III, The Reverend Horton Heat, and Mike Watt to name a few. On his self-titled debut he brings his personal blend to the fire with a unique country sound blending hints of everything from Elvis Presley to Merle Haggard on-through Hank Williams and Steve Earle. Straight out of backwoods Hickville, USA, it's got something that most country bands today don't have enough of.....COUNTRY!
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214 South State Street
Jackson, MS 39201 |
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