On Wednesday November 7th Dweezil Zappa brings his band and his "Choice Cuts" tour to the newly renovated Cabot Theater in Beverly Mass.

In case you're not familiar with Dweezil Zappa, he is the guitar slinging son of legendary music icon, composer and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Frank Zappa.

Since his late father's untimely passing in 1993 at the age 52, Dweezil has been working to keep his father's legacy alive.

And what a vast and diverse legacy it is! At the time of his passing, Frank Zappa had released 62 albums that transcended a multitude of musical genres, many which garnered critical acclaim around the globe.

Despite this vast, prolific catalog of music, Zappa flew under the radar of most mainstream rock and roll fans, particularly in the United States.

Although Zappa had the occasional release that garnered a modicum of commercial airplay, such as "Valley Girl" and "Dancing Fool", the vast majority of Frank's albums received very little commercial air play. Sadly, his commercial "successes" were not at all representative of his multitude of discographic brilliance.

Despite this fact, in the decades since Zappa's first release (a double LP entitled "Freak Out" released in 1966 under the band name The Mothers of Invention), Frank has continued to build a burgeoning, faithful following that continues to grow to this day.

Much like classic composers such as Igor Stravinsky or Bela Bartok, Zappa's music was not easily understandable by the masses. You either got it or you didn't. And much like anchovies on a pizza, Zappa's music is not for everyone. But if you like anchovies, that pizza is delicious.

Frank's untimely passing left a vast void in the hearts of his fervent fan base. I can personally attest to this fact.

Enter Frank's son, Dweezil, a guitar prodigy in his own right. In 2006, Dweezil put together a band with the mission of keeping his father's musical legacy alive.

Whether it's recreating Frank Zappa's classic 1974 album "Roxy & Elsewhere" in its entirety or putting together an ensemble of tunes that spans the breadth of Frank's catalog, Dweezil has been keeping the flame of his father's genius alight for a new generation of fans by performing of some of his father's most beloved compositions.

In the years that have passed since 2006, numerous Frank Zappa alumni, such as Jean-Luc Ponty, Steve Vai, Terry Bozzio, Napoleon Murphy Brock, Ray White, George Duke and Flo and Eddie, have graced the stage with Dweezil and contributed to this mission.

This year's tribute tour is aptly named "Choice Cuts" because Dweezil and his band will play “a collection of the meatiest tracks” and some of the the “boldest compositions” from his father’s voluminous catalogue.

A brief look at the average setlist of the Choice Cuts Tour confirms that you will not be disappointed!

And guess what? There are still some prime seats available, so you'd better get those tickets via the link below before someone else does!

thecabot.org/event/dweezil-zappa

About the Cabot:

The Cabot is both a cultural and an architectural Gem.

Built in the 1920s, it is one of only a couple of hundred similar venues remaining  throughout the United States out of the more than 20, 000 that were originally built in that era.

Over the course of its history  it has gone through many incarnations and it has now become the cornerstone of the revitalized downtown area of Beverly Mass.

The venue still maintains its vintage ambiance, with original period artwork and ornamentation, along with its excellent sightlines and acoustics.

Recent upgrades have included the installation of comfortable new seats on the entire first floor, a raised observation platform in the orchestra area, a world-class sound system and a newly renovated bar/lounge area with a full liquor license.

This perfect mix of the vintage and the modern has transformed The Cabot into a world-class venue.

"Have mercy! I've been waiting for this show all day!"

Who could forget ZZ Top's breakout album "Tres Hombres" and that incredible iconic version of "Been Waiting for the Bus ---> Jesus Just Left Chicago"??

If any song captures the essence of West Texas blues/blues rock that song does. And if any band epitomizes that "West Texas Blues Rock sound" it's ZZ Top.

Arguably one of the best power trios of all time, ZZ Top's body of work speaks for itself.

And now the heart and soul of that sound, Billy Gibbons, is bringing that "West Texas Blues thang" to the historic Cabot theater on Friday night, 10/26 (Psst. That's tomorrow night).

Rightfully in the same category as legendary Ax Men like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton Jimmy Page and Carlos Santana, Gibbons will always stand with these Giants astride Guitar God Mountain.

It's not too late to score a ticket to witness this guitar slinging blues rock icon shredding on stage at The Cabot.

But you'd better move quickly because this show is almost sure to be ANOTHER Cabot sell-out. Follow the link below for tickets.

https://thecabot.org/event/billy-f-gibbons-featuring-matt-sorum-austin-hanks

On Wednesday, November 7th Dweezil Zappa brought his "Choice Cuts" tour to the historic Cabot Theater in Beverly Massachusetts.

Dweezil, the guitar-slinging son of legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Frank Zappa, dubbed this tour "Choice Cuts" because he and his band would perform “a collection of the meatiest tracks” and some of the “boldest compositions” from his father’s voluminous repertoire.

The current incarnation of Dweezil's band includes long-time mainstays Scheila Gonzalez on sax and keys and Kurt Morgan on bass, as well as several new faces including Ryan Brown on drums, Chris Norton on keys, Adam Minkoff on guitar, vocals, keys and percussion and the wonderful addition of female vocalist Cian Coey.

Dweezil and the band delivered as promised to a near-sellout crowd of Zappa-philes with a stunning three-hour set. The performance, that included 33 total tracks, brought thunderous applause throughout the night replete with numerous emotional standing ovations.

Virtually all periods of Frank's career were covered including "Choice Cuts" from some of his most beloved albums including Roxy and Elsewhere, Zappa in New York, Uncle Meat, Overnight Sensation, One Size Fits All, Zoot Allures, Apostrophe, Chunga's Revenge, 200 Motels, Ship Arriving Too Late, Just Another Band from LA and of course Joe's Garage.

The show had several personal highlights for me including: the "Dog Breath" suite, Sleeping in a Jar, Pygmy Twylyte, and a nice run of Zoot Allures --> Yellow Snow --> Uncle Remus.

An additional highlight was Dweezil inviting local guitarist Jake Estner out on stage to jam during King Kong. Estner responded with a Zappa-esque solo of his own that fit in quite nicely.

According to Estner:

"I do a lot of guitar vids on Instagram, and that’s how Dweezil found me and contacted me. We Skype'd one day over the summer just to chat guitar and stuff.

Then a week before the show he texted me and invited me to come play [at The Cabot].

I was nervous for days, but when I got there, he and his whole band were super friendly and welcoming. Fun night."

Also noteworthy was an amazing version of The Torture Never Stops that featured new vocalist Cian Coey in all her glory as well as Dweezil using a customized Gibson SG semi-fretless slide guitar to invoke the requisite "torturous" sound effects.

The epic set wound up with a killer version of "Joe's Garage" that had the audience tearfully singing along in unison.

As the audience cried out for more, the band came back for an epic encore.

It started out with an obscure 50's sounding doo-wop cut with accompanying falsetto vocals called "Oh in the Sky." According to Dweezil this song "was only performed live once by the Mothers of Invention on BBC television" in the late 60s.

The encore finished up with a suite of some of my personal favorites from the album Roxy & Elsewhere including: Cheepnis, Son of Orange County and More Trouble Everyday.

The standing ovation after the encore went on for minutes. The band's curtain call ended the show with a heartfelt group bow to the crowd.

As band members lingered on stage shaking hands with joyful fans and passing out setlists, I asked the bass player, Kurt Morgan, if there were any more setlists available on stage. He said "sorry no" as he glanced my 15-year-old, slightly tight-fitting Frank Zappa tee shirt. As I started to walk away, crestfallen and dejected, he hustled back beyond the drum kit and came back with one for me. I thanked him profusely with a Cheshire Cat grin on my face. It was a really kind gesture and helped make this night even more special.

I also enjoyed a really nice funky musician style handshake with Dweezil as I thanked him for keeping his father's Legacy alive. We both smiled.

As the theatre emptied, and we concert-goers all filed outside, many long time Zappa fans, including myself, fondly swapped stories of times we had seen Frank perform live.

What a great night.

Thirty years ago, The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band released a live album entitled "Almost Acoustic."

This long out of print live album, recorded in 1987 at The Wiltern in Los Angeles and The Warfield in San Francisco, has long been considered a rare and desirable jewel in the Garcia catalog because of both it's scarcity and the fact that it circled back to Jerry's acoustic pre-Grateful Dead roots. Roots which were forged in the crucible of the early 1960’s folk-revival.

Thirty years later this somewhat obscure, yet beloved classic has been reissued on CD, digital download and a special double LP vinyl reissue.

Despite me being a long-time Deadhead and JGB fan, I had never heard this piece before. So, I felt privileged when I was asked to review this rare classic.

It arrived a couple of days ago in shrink-wrapped CD format, so I eagerly unwrapped it and popped it into my CD player.

I was not disappointed. The disc contained 14 total tracks and is a easy, relaxing listen.

At times the album was reminiscent of Grateful Dead's Reckoning and/or the Jerry Garcia Band's first live album with exemplary versions of "Deep Elem Blues", "I've been all Around This World", "Oh The Wind and The Rain", and the Cornerstone of the Hunter/Garcia catalog, "Ripple".

At many points (to my delight), the album's frequent "high lonesome sound" harkened me back to an even earlier era of classic bluegrass and Appalachian folk songs with cuts like "Swing Low Sweet Chariot", "I'm Here to Get My Baby Out of Jail" and the Flatt & Scruggs classic, "Gone Home".

Everybody's going to have different "favorites" when they hear this album, and I had several candidates. I suppose if I had to choose one or two, I'd choose "Spike Driver Blues," which was originally done by Mississippi John Hurt and "I'm Here to Get My Baby Out of Jail" which was originally popularized by the Blue Sky Boys in 1936.

From beginning to end, this album is a pleasure to listen to, and it is a "must have" requirement for any Garcia fan.

For those of you who listen to and collect vinyl, this limited-edition reissue, will be released on 180-gram vinyl on Record Store Day, November 23rd.

Vinyl collectors and Deadheads alike had better move quickly because this vinyl package will be limited to only 5000 copies which will include two green and black marbled LPs with individually numbered foil-stamped gatefold jackets.

And of course, the album will also be available on CD and digital download.

Joan Baez is one of the most prominent and iconic singer-songwriters to ever grace the stage. Her career arc, which was forged in the crucible of the early 60's folk revival, spans six decades. She has released over 30 albums, most of them to critical acclaim. In 2017 she was elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

This past October of 2018, Joan Baez's self-titled first album was re-released in its original analog format on vinyl and for digital download by Craft Recordings. It was also released in an exclusive red vinyl format limited to 750 copies (available at Barnes & Noble).

In 2011, the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences inducted this album into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

This album is also considered one of the most culturally significant and important American popular albums of the 20th century. So much so that in 2015, the Library of Congress selected it for special recognition and preservation for its "cultural, artistic and/or historical significance to American society and the nation's audio legacy". Pretty heavy stuff.

As someone who is old enough to vaguely remember Ms. Baez as a prominent figure in the 60s protest scene and as a performer at Woodstock, I wasn't really familiar with her history as a pioneer of the 60s folk revival or of the prominence of her voluminous discography.

Thus it was my pleasure to listen to this album and all of its songs for the very first time with no preconceived notions.

If you're interested in musical history (as I am) this album is an ethnographer’s dream. Recorded at the Manhattan Towers Hotel Ballroom in New York City over the course of four nights during the summer of 1960 when Joan was just 19 years old, its 13 traditional folk songs are plucked from the zeitgeist of various cultural musical traditions including English, Irish, Scottish, Yiddish, Mexican and Americana. The album was originally released on the independent record label, Vanguard Records

It's a simple album that was recorded using only two microphones to capture Joan's soaring soprano and falsetto along with the melodic accompaniment of her guitar. Some tracks have a second acoustic guitar played by Fred Hellerman of The Weavers.

The crisp 46-minute-long recording is also an easy, pleasurable listen for any folk music fan with each of the songs having a story to tell.

If you like traditional folk music and/or are fan of Joan Baez, I recommend adding this to your collection.

Some of my favorites off this album are:

"East Virginia" which sounds very much like one of my favorite traditional songs: "Poor Wayfaring Stranger" and has lyrics very similar to the Bill Browning standard, Dark Hollow;

"House of the Rising Sun" which had previously been performed by Woody Guthrie in 1941 and Lead Belly in 1944 and was later made famous by Eric Burdon and The Animals in 1964;

"Donna Donna" A traditional Yiddish folk song;

"John Riley" a 17th century English ballad derived from Homer's Odyssey;

"Henry Martin" a traditional Scottish folk song;

And "El Preso Número Nueve" which translates to "Prisoner Number 9". Joan sings this song beautifully in Spanish accompanied with flamingo style guitar.

Track listing Side 1:

1. "Silver Dagger" 2:30

2. "East Virginia" 3:38

3. "Fare Thee Well" 3:15

4. "House of the Rising Sun" 2:52

5. "All My Trials" 4:36

6. "Wildwood Flower" 2:30

7. "Donna Donna" 3:09

Track listing Side 2:

8. "John Riley" 3:50

9. "Rake and Rambling Boy" 1:50

10. "Little Moses" 3:25

11. "Mary Hamilton" 5:54

12. "Henry Martin" 4:10

13. "El Preso Número Nueve" (Prisoner Number 9) 2:47

I've been a fan of the Travelin' McCourys for nearly a decade.

From the first time I saw them live at Wakarusa in Ozark Arkansas in 2012, to my most recent show at the City Winery in Boston this past November 2018, I've tried to catch them live whenever possible.

This has included seeing them at Strings & Sol in Puerto Morales Mexico (where I helped Robbie recover his mislaid banjo), and at Hillberry in Eureka Springs Arkansas as well as attending their family's festival, DelFest (aptly named in honor of their iconic father, Del) in Cumberland Maryland from 2013 - 2017.

Because I've seen them live so many times, many of their songs have become some of my personal bluegrass favorites.

Incredulously, it's hard to believe that they haven't put out a studio album until recently. But that is indeed the case.

Better late than never, right?

So after nearly a decade of relentless touring on their own, or with their legendary father, or while presenting The Grateful Ball (an ongoing collaboration with The Jeff Austin Band), it's exciting to see that their critically acclaimed, self-titled debut has deservedly earned the band its first-ever Grammy nomination for Best Bluegrass Album in this year's upcoming Grammy awards. 

As I said earlier, I most recently saw them at Boston's City Winery this past November.

Unfortunately, I had a flat tire on the way to the show, so by the time I got there, they were halfway into their set.

But given what I saw, I've come to realize that these guys have coalesced into one of the premier bluegrass bands in the genre.

As per usual, The McCoury brothers - Ronnie (mandolin) and Rob (banjo) and the rest of the band, Jason Carter (Fiddle), Alan Bartrum (Bass) and Cody Kilby (Guitar) were sharply and impeccably dressed.

Despite the abbreviated set, I did get to see some of my favorite songs including "Lonesome On'ry and Mean", "The Shaker" and "Cumberland Blues", as well as a bluegrass rendition of the Grateful Dead's "The Other One".

Their vocals and vocal harmonies were as rich and as beautiful as I've ever heard them.

Between their confident, professional stage presence, their intricate instrumental interplay, and their tight, crisp vocals with spot-on harmonies and the occasional yodel, I found myself experiencing a bodacious bundle of bluegrass bliss.

These guys truly get better every time I see them.

Since Ronnie's wife originally hails from southern New England, she and several of his in-laws were in the audience. 

The playful banter between Ronnie and his extended family added an additional wholesome, loving vibe to the evening.

All in all, it was an excellent show.

I wanted to give a shout out to the City Winery's new venue manager, Max Puglisi, who has seemingly ironed out all the kinks of the recently opened venue after its rocky, uneven debut.

Max took the additional step to personally seat us upon our late arrival. We were especially thankful for this professional gesture.

Thanks to Max's hard work and the venue's excellent acoustics, I would have no problem sending my friends to see a show at this venue.

Nice job Max.

After the show we bought the McCourys' debut CD at the merch table. As soon as we got back to our vehicle, we popped it into the CD player for a rocking ride home.

I have listened to it several times since.

It's a crisp well-engineered CD and the sound is great. It's an easy, enjoyable listen from beginning to end and it contains several of the songs that I've come to enjoy over the years that I've been following these guys.

It's easy to see why it got a Grammy nomination and and if they win the coveted accolade, they certainly deserve it.

I'll be rooting for you guys. Best of luck!

For more information on The Travelin’ McCourys including their upcoming tour schedule, please visit their website.

When most people hear the name Mark Knopfler, they immediately think of Dire Straits, one of the most iconic bands from the period spanning the late 1970s through the early 1990s.

However, Knopfler has also had an equally impressive solo career that has spanned several decades from the late 1990s thru the present.

Knopfler’s most recently released studio album, which came out in November 2018, is entitled "Down The Road Wherever." It is Knopfler's ninth solo album.

Knopfler works with a lot of personnel on this album, but the core band consists of:

Mark Knopfler – guitars, vocals

Richard Bennett – guitars

Guy Fletcher – keyboards

Jim Cox – keyboards

Ian Thomas – drums

Glenn Worf – upright and electric bass

Danny Cummings – percussion.

The album consists of 16 tracks (including bonus CD tracks) mostly inspired by his life experiences.

It's a well-produced, well-engineered album with excellent sound.

Listening to Knopfler's familiar, dreamy vocals and equally distinct laid-back guitar play made me feel like I was hanging out with an old friend.

Throw in a little bit of subtle funk here, a little bit of easy-going jazz sax and piano there, and the feeling that you've put your feet up in a soundproofed room with no distractions, this album will put you in chillax mode.

Knopfler's interplay with the rich backing vocals on "Back on the Dance Floor" is pretty cool as is his slightly funky, slightly bluesy slide guitar on "Just a Boy Away From Home".

"Good on You Son" takes you on a musical journey with multiple guitar interplay, an interesting Santana-esque percussion interlude followed by some sweet jazzy saxophone.

"Nobody Does That" has that Tedeschi-Trucks big band feel to it with its horns and sax.

I'm not sure why but "One Song at a Time" made me think of the recently-deceased Andy Goessling of Railroad Earth. I guess it was the penny whistle. I miss you Andy.

I felt like I was sitting on a nice cushy sofa in a jazz piano lounge as I listened to "Slow Learner." Great piano work.

"Heavy Up" had a slightly funky, kinda steel-drum Caribbean sound that was accentuated by the backing female vocals. (Now I want to go eat some jerk chicken and curried goat and crack open a Red Stripe).

The album winds down with a short, sweet acoustic ballad about a musician hitching hiking home through the snow called "Matchstick Man" and then fades into nothingness.

Overall this album is a relaxing, low-key, easy listen that I really enjoyed. I would not hesitate to recommend this to my friends.

"Down The Road Wherever" it's available in multiple formats including digital download, CD, double vinyl, and deluxe CD with three bonus tracks.

If you're a collector, it's also available in a lavish box set that includes the album on both vinyl AND deluxe CD PLUS an additional 12” vinyl EP with 4 bonus tracks, a 12” print of the artwork and a 12” guitar tablature of "Back On The Dancefloor."

"DOWN THE ROAD WHEREVER" Track List including deluxe CD bonus tracks:

1. Trapper Man

2. Back On The Dance Floor

3. Nobody’s Child

4. Just A Boy Away From Home

5. When You Leave

6. Good On You Son

7. My Bacon Roll

8. Nobody Does That

9. Drovers’ Road*

10. One Song At A Time

11. Floating Away

12. Slow Learner

13. Heavy Up

14. Rear View Mirror*

15. Every Heart In The Room*

16. Matchstick Man

*Deluxe Edition CD bonus tracks

The lineup for this year's DelFest 12, was chock full of great acts that I had never seen before.

At the top of this list was Lindsay Lou.

Born into a coal-mining family that later moved to Michigan's upper peninsula and raised in an extended family with a grandmother who was both a Civil Rights activist and a Christian, I get a sense of all of those roots in her music.

Throughout her Saturday 5/25 Potomac Stage set, her calming stage presence, soothing demeanor, coupled with her seemingly effortless phrasing, sweet sultry vocals and her laid-back "awe shucks" Del McCoury-like interactions with the crowd left me wonderstruck.

Yes - right there I became a Lindsay Lou fan.

Lindsay and her band eased into their Saturday afternoon set with a John Prine tune called “Pretty Good”. Ronnie McCoury joined her on stage and sweetly intertwined his mandolin picking throughout the song.

Lindsay introduced her next number, a Blaze Foley tune called "Oval Room" as a song that was "written in 1984 but is just as relevant today".

She was right. In fact, if she hadn't told me it was written in 1984, I would have thought it was written in the past year or so. "He’s a businessman, he's got business ties. He got dollar signs in both his eyes. He’s the president, but I don’t care......".

Other noteworthy moments in her set included:

An amazing cover of the Grateful Dead's "Eyes of the World" performed with Front Country's Melody Walker and Jacob Groopman.

My personal highlight of the entire set was when Sierra Hull and Melody Walker joined Lindsay on stage to form a momentary "all girl power trio" which performed spirited versions of "Super Power" and "Shining".

Toward the end of the set, Lindsey observed that "the Railroad Earth bus had just pulled up". At that point, she beckoned Railroad Earth's newest member, Mike Robinson, to join her up on stage and he obliged. He played at trio of songs with her that included a great version of "Street People".

Shortly thereafter Railroad Earth's omnipresent fiddle player, Tim Carbone, also joined her on stage for a couple of tunes.

Her wonderful set wound up with a kick ass version of Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock" that sent everyone off to the next show with smiles on their faces.

I loved this set so much that I later purchased it from the Digital Sound Board vendor booth, and I played it at least three times on my 11-hour drive home.

So yes, I am now officially a Lindsay Lou fan and groupie.

Well, it's July, and that means it's time for the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival.

Nestled in the foothills of the Catskill mountains in Oak Hill New York and set on the sprawling picturesque pastureland of Walsh Farm, Greyfox Bluegrass Festival is one of the oldest continuously running bluegrass festivals in the United States.

The Grey Fox Music Festival runs from Thursday, July 18 thru Sunday, July 21, 2019 (Camping gates open early on Wednesday, July 17th).

Now in its 35th year and in its 11th year at its current setting,  Grey Fox has hosted virtually every notable luminary of the bluegrass, progressive string, and acoustic musical genres.

Although this festival draws approximately 18,000 - 20,000 people over its four-day period, festivalgoers never feel crowded.  Grey Fox's ample space and layout along with its tranquil, pastoral setting, makes for a peaceful, laid-back multi-generational family-oriented event.

With six stages, not only does the festivalgoer get to enjoy the live performances of their favorite artists, if one chooses they can also participate in instrumental workshops and/or enroll their children in the Grey Fox Bluegrass Academy for Kids (now in its 21st year).

This year's lineup is as exciting as ever (with more than a hundred and seventy-five performances scheduled) and includes an amazing array of artists such as The Del McCoury Band, Leftover Salmon, Tommy Emmanuel, & The Steep Canyon Rangers.  Also this year features Grammy award-winning Travelin' McCourys, The Gibson Brothers, Sierra Hull, The Lil' Smokies, The Hillbenders and so much more. And if that wasn't enough to satisfy that bluegrass sweet tooth, this year's artist-in-residence Billy Strings, (along with the Billy Strings Band) is the icing on that bluegrass cake. Yummy.

Sadly, with the Bluegrass community still reeling from the recent, tragic passing of bluegrass mandolin genius Jeff Austin, The Jeff Austin band will not be able to perform. However, Larry Keel and The Larry Keel Experience has stepped up to fill the void and will be joining forces with The Travelin' McCourys to continue tradition of The Grateful Ball.

Grateful Web, Grey Fox and all of Jeff's fans extend our deepest condolences to Jeff Austin's family and friends.

The producers of Grey Fox also give back to their community by hosting a food drive that helps benefit local food banks. For those who haven't purchased Festival passes and only want to go on Sunday, Grey Fox grants free admission on Sunday to those who bring a donation for the local food banks.

Sunday's performance begins at 10 a.m. with a gospel show by the host band, Dry Branch Fire Squad. The final performance on Sunday is by the students of The Grey Fox Bluegrass Academy for Kids.

As with any outdoor camping Music Festival, festivalgoers should come prepared for a variety of weather conditions and temperatures variations including hot, humid, sunny days potentially interspersed with sudden thunderstorms and rain. So, don't forget your suntan lotion, rain gear, and mud boots.

Also don't forget your instrument, as the friendly campground is filled with nightly picking parties.

For more information about the festival, the food drive, the Bluegrass Academy for kids and/or to purchase tickets, please use the following link: greyfoxbluegrass.com

The 35th Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival had many highlights, most notably the omnipresence of the hottest talent on the Bluegrass circuit, Billy Strings.

However, one of the main "subplots" that many wondered about was the status of "The Grateful Ball" given the recent, sudden and tragic passing of mandolin genius and original Grateful Ball participant, Jeff Austin.

That great big hole in the fabric of the Bluegrass universe caused by Jeff's absence was clearly evident at Grey Fox. Many bands payed homage to Jeff throughout the weekend (most notably the version of "15 Steps" The Billy Strings Band played with banjo prodigy Kyle Tuttle from the Jeff Austin band sitting in), and many teary eyed fans continued to express their continued love and grief for their fallen idol (including me). It was clearly evident that Jeff's presence was sorely missed throughout the weekend.

Imagine having to fill Jeff Austin's shoes. I'm not sure exactly how it happened, but Larry Keel and the Larry Keel Experience stepped into the breach to keep "The Ball" rolling.  Thank goodness.

On the day of "The Ball" both The Grammy award-winning Travelin' McCourys and The Larry Keel Experience played kick ass sets in the Grey Fox Catskill Tent.

It was Friday about 3:30 and it was sweltering hot in The Catskill Tent. Jerry Douglas and the Earls of Leicester had just finished their own kick-ass set.

The Travelin' McCourys were due to play next at 3:45. When 3:45 arrived, the band was not on stage. I took a peek backstage and didn't see the band.

Prior to the Earls of Leicester's set, I had the honor of watching Jerry Douglas tune his dobro and to chat with Alan Bartram and Earls's mandolin player Jeff White, so I knew at least Alan was in the house.

As the minutes passed, it seemed like hours especially in the sweltering heat. Suddenly there was a flurry of activity backstage as Jason Carter, Cody Kilby and Rob and Ronnie McCoury arrived. Moving with a frenetic sense of urgency, they quickly unpacked (as a bemused Larry Keel looked on), set up and launched into their set with the best version of "Lonesome On'ry and Mean" I think I've ever seen them play.

Perhaps it was the adrenaline rush of arriving late for a gig, but Jason Carter's voice was exceptional on that tune and his extended yodeling sent me into bodacious bluegrass bliss.

Other highlights of their abbreviated set included "The Shaker" and a rousing version of "Little Maggie" to close out their set.  They exited the stage to thunderous applause.

After a  brief chat and quick selfie with Rob and Ronnie McCoury, I ambled back to my tent (which was less than 50 yards away from The Catskill tent) for a break and to "rehydrate".

While sitting in my camping chair, I could clearly hear a sensational set by the Irish based quartet We Banjo 3 coming from The Catskill Tent. And by the amount of applause I heard it was evident that the audience thought it was sensational too.

During the set changeover, I sashayed back to The Catskill Tent to check out The Larry Keel Experience.

I've seen Larry Keel play several times including at DelFest a couple of times and down in Mexico at Strings & Sol. They've always performed in a trio that included Larry, his wife Jenny on bass and Jared Pool on mandolin. When I got to the side stage area, I was pleasantly surprised to see banjo prodigy Kyle Tuttle (who most recently was playing with Jeff Austin Band) had joined them.

Their set took off like a runaway freight train as Larry launched into an epic version of” Groundhog".

At some point Billy Strings joined them on stage. I can't remember exactly when, but Billy was most definitely there as they covered Tom Petty's "Running Down a Dream" during which Larry and Billy faced off in an incredible flat-picking guitar duel that left the audience screaming for more.

After Billy Departed, Larry busted a string. It was a marvel seeing Larry working feverishly fast as he switched out his broken string while the band covered for him.

The set wound down with "I'm On My Way Home Again". It was during this song that I became aware of the beautiful bond Larry and his wife, Jenny share when they're on stage together. A wink here, a smile there, you can just tell those two are tight. It definitely brought a smile to my face.

After their set I chatted with them both briefly backstage and got an excellent photo of them.

It was really tough to leave the vicinity of The Catskill Tent. After successive sets by Tim O'Brien Bluegrass Band and The Billy Strings Band kept everybody fired up.

Before you knew it, it was 10:30 - time to hike "up the hill" to The High Meadow Stage for the eagerly anticipated Grateful Ball.

When I got to the High Meadow backstage area, the person monitoring the gate had some confusion about my combination of wristband and press credentials. It eventually got sorted out, but I missed the set opening with Cumberland Blues.

As I got to the pit area, The McCourys and The Keels were cranking out one Dead standard after another that included Mama Tried, Jack Straw and Brown Eyed Women much to the delight of the crowd of Deadheads that surrounded me.

Then Billy Strings joined them on stage as they performed the Skull and Roses classic, Me and My Uncle with Billy handling the vocals.

I'm not sure exactly where Billy exited, but the rest of the set included a wonderful rendition of Bird Song that moved me to tears. Followed by After Midnight and West LA Fadeaway to wrap up their set.

After they exited, the crowd cried out for more. Shortly thereafter the smiling ensemble returned to the stage for their curtain call and performed a spirited version of Loose Lucy.

At the song's conclusion, they all locked arms and did a group bow to us all.

All in all, it was a great set.

I'm sure Jeff was looking down from somewhere with a great big impish Jeff Austin-esque smile on his face. He was certainly there in spirit and felt in everybody's heart.

We miss you Jeff.

The Cabot Theater in Beverly MA will be screening Jimi Hendrix's "Electric Church" on August 10th at 8pm.

This film is a documentary of Jimi Hendrix's final USA Festival Appearance of his "Cry of Love Tour" and takes place at The Atlanta International Pop Festival over the weekend of July 4th, 1970.

Amazingly the video of this concert performance sat forgotten and undeveloped for nearly 40 years in cameraman Steve Rash's barn.

The Atlanta International Pop Festival is considered the last, great pop festival of the Woodstock Era and it is Jimi Hendrix's last United States appearance before his untimely death a few months later.

The Atlanta International Pop Festival did not take place in Atlanta, but instead in a Soybean field adjacent to a race track in Byron, Georgia, a small town 100 miles away.

The AIPF was a hastily put together Woodstock-esque trainwreck in a town that was outmatched and ill-equipped for the sudden invasion of "hippies". It is estimated that the attendance topped out at a mind boggling 500,000 for Hendrix's set.

Hendrix performs his set, which didn't begin until 12:30 AM, with his longtime friend and US Army Airborne buddy Billy Cox (Band of Gypsys) on bass and the late Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix Experience) on drums.

Many people don't realize that  Hendrix served in the United States Army's storied 101st Airborne division from 1961 - 1962 along with his friend Billy Cox. He was honorably discharged due to an injury.

As a longtime Jimi Hendrix fan who at one time had as many as 30+ LP's of Hendrix on vinyl, I eagerly look forward to seeing this footage.

A quick glance at the setlist from this performance makes me salivate. 

Not only does it have all the standards that are constantly overplayed on the radio like Foxy Lady and Purple Haze, it also contains some of my all-time favorite Hendrix tunes including "Message of Love", "Red House, "Room Full of Mirrors" and arguably my favorite Hendrix tune "Hear My Train a Comin'."

I can't wait. See you there.

About the Cabot:

The Cabot is both a cultural and an architectural Gem.

Built in the 1920s, it is one of only a couple of hundred similar venues remaining  throughout the United States out of the more than 20, 000 that were originally built in that era.

Over the course of its history it has gone through many incarnations and it has now become the cornerstone of the revitalized downtown area of Beverly Mass.

The venue still maintains its vintage ambiance, with original period artwork and ornamentation, along with its excellent sightlines and acoustics.

Recent renovations have included the installation of comfortable new seats on the entire first floor and balcony, a raised observation platform in the orchestra area, a world-class sound system and a newly renovated bar/lounge area with a full liquor license.

This perfect mix of the vintage and the modern has transformed The Cabot into a world-class venue.

The FreshGrass Music Festival is a festival like no other. Set in Western Massachusetts's picturesque Berkshire Mountains, along the historic Mohawk Trail (now MA Route 2), in the industrial river valley town of North Adams, Fresh Grass takes place on the vast property of The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.

Affectionately referred to as "Mass MoCA," with dozens of galleries and multiple performance spaces, it is renowned as one of the largest centers for contemporary visual and performing arts in the United States.

Mass MoCA's sprawling campus is a converted factory building complex populated by an assemblage of interconnected mid to late 19th-century factory buildings. These impressive brick buildings were once a huge textile plant called The Arnold Print Works, which operated there from 1860 to 1942.

Interspersed among the labyrinth of buildings and the food vendors are the partially preserved remnants of machinery from the plant's industrial steam-powered manufacturing past.

These ancient, slightly rusting steel stacks, frameworks from overhead conveyor belts, ramps and walkways are interspersed with modern contemporary art elements to give the campus a phantasmagorical "steampunk" vibe.

FreshGrass's multifarious setting, it's eclectic variety of music from around the world, also differentiates it from other festivals on the bluegrass circuit.

Yes FreshGrass has its share of traditional bluegrass acts (such as The Steep Canyon Rangers, Travelin' McCourys, Alison Brown and Balsam Range), and progressive string acts (such as Greensky Bluegrass and Leftover Salmon), but what sets it apart from most other festivals is its willingness to keep it "Fresh" and bring in a variety of music from other cultures from around the world.

This year included such diverse acts as Väsen (from Sweden), Hanggai (from the outer Mongolian steppes), Tinariwen (a Taureg speaking band from the deserts of Mali), and Calexico (a Tejano, Tex- Mex, Indie band from Arizona).

The closest similarity to FreshGrass that I can think of is Albuquerque's ¡Globalquerque! (which takes place on the large sprawling campus of The National Hispanic Cultural Centers and also features bands from around the world).

FreshGrass Friday

Due to the combination of my procrastination and much worse than regular Friday Boston area traffic, I got to North Adams about 9:00 PM. Fortunately, the box office was open till 11:00 PM, so I quickly got my press credentials. The check-in process was speedy and efficient.

I then hustled over to the off-site camping area called "Camp Aggie" to set up my tent. Camp Aggie is about four miles outside of town.

The check-in process at Camp Aggie was also speedy and efficient. When I started to set up my tent, I suddenly realized that I had forgotten my tent pegs. Panic set in. Fortunately, I remembered that I passed a Walmart about a quarter of mile down the road. So, I solved that problem quickly. Phew.

As I was frantically setting up my tent, I was fervently looking at my watch, knowing that the Travelin' McCourys were going to be going on at 10:45. I finally got situated around 10:00 and got over to Mass MoCA by 10:15.

Because it was so late, I quickly glided through the entrance, and I was able to get myself to the enclosed outdoor "Courtyard D" area. Luckily, I was able to grab a spot right on the rail, stage left, where I eagerly awaited the Travelin' McCourys.

Courtyard D is surrounded on all sides by imposing 3-4 story tall, brick, 19th-century factory buildings which enclose the stage and invoke the feeling of being in a red sandstone box canyon.

It's hard to continually come up with superlatives to describe the Travelin' McCourys without being redundant. And last night was no exception.

The boys came on stage and opened with a flaming hot version of "Passing Through," during which flatpicking star Cody Kilby got to display his lightning-fast, intricate, nimble flatpicking prowess.

The McCoury’s proceeded to blaze through a set list that included Heartbreak Town, Long Black Veil, The Shaker, Midnight Flyer, and Battlefield. There were several "breakdown" instrumental interludes interspersed. The tight, fast-paced set wound down with a couple of Grateful Dead standards: Cumberland Blues and Loose Lucy.

Mandolin player Ronnie McCoury introduced the set's encore/finale by remarking that "they all had to be down in Louisville Kentucky, (a 14-hour drive) by tomorrow night".

At which point fiddle player extraordinaire Jason Carter took the helm and finished up their set up with a rousing rendition of "Southbound." An apt choice, indeed.

The boys then gave a group bow to the crowd before they headed off. They were treated to thunderous applause, and we all walked away, smiling.

FreshGrass Saturday

I woke up to the dew-covered plush grass fairground at Camp Aggie. As I enjoyed my morning coffee while sitting in my camo-print camping chair, I watched the moon slowly glide through the crystal clear cloudless blue sky as it made its way to slowly set over the white limestone bluffs and the early Autumn foliage of the nearby hills. It was one of those "stop-and-smell-the-roses" moments.

I didn't get to the Mass MoCA campus and into the festival until about 2:00 PM. That's okay - "it's a marathon, not a sprint" is my festival mantra, and it was unseasonably hot with temperatures in the 90s.

On my way to the stage areas, I checked out the merch building. I was happy to see that the Travelin' McCourys CD was sold out (as was The Steep Canyon Rangers CD).

I walked into Courtyard D and maneuvered myself right up to "the rail" in front of the stage as a band called "Väsen" had just started their set.

Väsen is a Swedish folk music trio from Uppsala, Sweden, consisting of Mikael Marin (fiddle), Roger Tallroth (guitar), and Olov Johansson. Olov was playing one of the most bizarre instruments I had ever seen. It turns out it's called a "nyckelharpa" (which literally means "key harp" in Swedish). It's about two and half ft long, has 16 strings, 37 keys and is played with a bow. At times it sounded like a harpsichord, other times more like a fiddle, other times a cello.

Despite my having never heard of a nyckelharpa before, I was surprised to see a young lady standing to my left, proudly brandishing her own nyckelharpa with a big smile on her face.

I enjoyed Väsen's set very much. I also enjoyed their dry wit and stage banter playing up their Swedish accents and cracking up the audience several times. Guitarist Roger Tallroth told a hilarious story of how he named one of his songs after his daughter Elsa's cosplay character: Robin. I enjoyed Väsen so much that I bought their CD after their set and had them autograph it (which was also a hilarious episode).

About this time, the temperature had soared into the 90s as I headed over to the main stage area (called Joe's Field). As I approached Joe's Field, I was greeted by music that sounded like a rowdy, raucous Irish band like the Dropkick Murphys. However, when the growling, guttural vocals started, I didn't understand the language, so I started to wonder if my brain was getting fried from the heat.

No, it wasn't heat stroke, it was because the language was Mongolian, and the band was called "Hanggai."

Yep, Hanggai is from Inner Mongolia, and their music is a blend of traditional Mongolian folk music and more modern styles like hard rock and punk rock. This blend of styles was even reflected in their stage presence as some of the band members wore more traditional garb, whereas others wore leather, sunglasses and had punk rock hairdos. It made for an interesting and extremely enjoyable show (I liked them enough to go over to the merch building only to find out that they had sold out of all their CDs several shows ago).

After my failed attempt to buy a Hanggai CD, I caught a couple of songs by "Jade Bird" in Courtyard D. Jade Bird is a London-based singer-songwriter who first who gained notoriety in 2017 while playing a showcase event at South by Southwest in Austin Texas.

A couple of songs into her set, because of the heat, I decided I needed a chill-out break, so I sat in the shade with peace for about an hour.

Once I got my second wind, I headed back out to Joe's field to catch the remainder of "Down on the Porch: A Bluegrass Tribute to Creedence Clearwater Revival," featuring Alison Brown. As I got there, Greensky Bluegrass's Paul Hoffman joined Allison on stage to jam out the CCR standards "Born on the Bayou" and "Fortunate Son" as well as the more obscure "Long as I See The Light." From what I heard of the set, it sounded like a fitting tribute to CCR to me.

Next up on Joe's Field was Mavis Staples. Despite having a sore throat and thus a particularly raspy voice this night, the 80-year-old American gospel and soul singer and civil rights activist brought her A-Game.

Opening with Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth," she croaked and crooned her way through an amazing set, which included her favorites "Change" and "Do it Again."

Stopping every now and then for some tea and honey to ease her sore throat, she remarked, "don't get hoarse" and "you've got to save your pipes."

I think her civil rights activist persona started to shine through when she launched into "Change."

"Can't go on this way

Things gotta change around here

Say it loud, say it clear

Things gonna change around here."

After which, she jokingly declared her candidacy for the Presidency of the United States (which explained the myriad "Mavis For President" t-shirts I saw in the crowd) and yelling out, "We've got work to do!!!!".

Great set, Mavis.

Greensky Bluegrass followed Mavis's set with its typically great set of their own highlighted by artist in residence Aoife O'Donovan joining the boys on stage for several tunes and by killer version of "In Control" and "Atlantic City."

After Greensky's set, many people headed home for the evening, but the hearty late-nighters that hung around for the late-night show were not disappointed when "Leftover Salmon" took the stage in Courtyard D.

It was a great LOS set. These guys age just like fine wine, and they just keep getting better and better.

The first part of the set was the full band. And it rocked. I wish I had a better grip on their song names, but sadly I don't. Otherwise, I would sing the praises of one of Drew Emmitt's songs in particular. Partway into their set, the jazz band within the jam band, Sockeye, took over.

Sockeye consists of keyboard player Erik Deutsch, bass player Greg Garrison, and drummer Alwyn Robinson, and they're super trippy/jazzy with extended jazzy jams and no vocals.

At one point in their set, I swore they were playing some super jazzy Led Zeppelin, yet I couldn't quite recall the song's name.

It bothered me so much that after several days, I felt compelled to reach out to keyboard player Erik Deutsch and he told me it was indeed a Led Zeppelin song - "Going to California."

After the extended Sockeye jam, the rest of the band returned to the stage. The second half of their set was punctuated by an impassioned Vince singing his poignant politically oriented "Love is Going to Win Again."

The set closed out in grand fashion with GSBG's Anders Beck joining the boys on stage for some extended jamming.

Good stuff.

FreshGrass Sunday

My FreshGrass Sunday started when I ran into a group of friends as I entered the festival.

They dragged me over to Joe's Field to check out Sam Amidon. Unbeknownst to me, apparently, he's a well-known regional artist since many folks were abuzz talking about him. Sam's banjo style was quirky with weird syncopation, but still very enjoyable. The song that stood out to me the most was something called "Walking Boss".

Next up at 2 PM on Joe's Field was the band I have been waiting for all weekend, Tinariwen. Tinariwen is a Tuareg speaking band from the southern Sahara Desert area of the northern Mali. (For the geographically challenged, Mali is a landlocked country in the northwest area of Africa below Algeria. It is mostly desert.)

I first saw Tinariwen in 2012 at the Wakarusa Music Festival in Ozark, Arkansas. I was so completely blown away by the spiritual bliss of that performance that I have been a fan of theirs ever since.

This year they strode out onto the Joe's field stage in their flowing desert robes at the peak of the weekend heatwave. It was extremely hot. So was Tinariwen's set.

Their stage presence, with their flowing, multicolored desert robes, face scarves, and turbans from a faraway land, is magnetic and mesmerizing.

Their music, which is primarily electric guitar-driven, with chant-like vocalizations, is both exotic and hypnotic and fills my soul with joy and the need to dance and sway and smile.   As I looked around at the crowd during their set, it seemed that everyone else felt that way too.

When their set ended, they exited the stage to thunderous applause.

If you're looking for music that is strange, beautiful, exotic, and thoroughly entertaining, go check out one of their shows or buy some of their CDs (I own three myself).

As the afternoon heat started to break, 2018's IBMA "Entertainer of the Year Award" winners, Balsam Range, took the stage at Joe's field for the penultimate performance of this year's FreshGrass Festival.

Their set, with its blend of old-time bluegrass and contemporary newgrass, was a perfect follow-up to bring us back to the bluegrass groove. Their set was great. A couple of highlights were when they did their song "Voodoo Doll" and then threw in a Jimi Hendrix style Voodoo Child extended riff at the end.

Balsam Range also provided one of my personal surprise highlights of the entire FreshGrass Music Festival when they covered The Beatles song "If I needed Someone." Now that blew me away.

FreshGrass's final performance on the Joe's Field stage was by Arizona-based Tejano-esque band, Calexico, and Sam Bream, who goes by the stage name Iron & Wine.

(Thus, they were presented as "Calexico and Iron & Wine").

They are touring jointly to promote their new collaborative album entitled "Years to Burn."

Since I'm not familiar with neither Sam Beam's nor Calexico's discography, I can only give you impressions of their set. It was great. The set meandered between many musical styles, including beautiful Hispanic accordion and Mariachi style trumpet music, jazzy spacey interludes which at one point conjured up images of Pink Floyd, soft, heartfelt ballads, and good ole rock and roll.

(On a side note: throughout their performance, I was thoroughly fascinated by Calexico guitarist Joey Burns' Eastwood / Bigsby "Airline" electric guitar. It's a wicked cool guitar.)

The set wound down in a hilarious moment of unfortunate serendipity: At the moment, the band was singing a song about a freight train, an actual freight train roared by on the railroad tracks which lay behind a thin veneer of trees about 50 yards to the left of the stage. This made everybody (even the band) laugh out loud and then clap. However, when the freight train continues to roll on for minutes on end, and the band completed its song, Sam Beam remarked, "I was going to play something soft. I guess we're going to have to switch gears." That also got a chuckle out of the crowd.

So, the band wound up closing out 2019's FreshGrass Festival by rocking out.

So just like that, 2019's FreshGrass Music Festival came to an end. As we all filed out of the Mass MoCA complex, I saw many smiling faces and listened to several interesting conversations about the various performances. All of them were positive, and everyone seemed to have an excellent time.

So, did I.