TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAYLIST

Sunday, June 13 , 2010
KSFR, Santa Fe, N.M.
Webcasting!
10 p.m. to midnight Sundays Mountain Time
Host: Steve Terrell
101.1 FM
email me during the show! terrell@ksfr.org

OPENING THEME: Let it Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres
Dogfood by Iggy Pop
Come On Stomp! by Thee Vicars
Death of an Angel by The Kingsmen
The Birdog by King Salami & the Cumberland 3
Cheap Thrills by Ruben & The Jets
Palenque by Felix y Los Gatos
Thunderbird ESQ by The Gories
A Different Kind of Ugly by The Sons of Hercules
This Town Makes Me Feel So Lonely by Muck & the Mires
Red Rose Tea by The Marquis Chimps
Demolition Girl by The Jackets

Yolanda by Johnny Dowd
Rock 'n Roll Murder by The Leaving Trains
Jaguar by Thee Milkshakes
Cutlass by The Goblins
Day Of The Triffids by The Monsters
Hooky by J.J. & The Real Jerks
Coming Back Alive by The Stomachmouths
Jungle Fever by Charlie Feathers

Oil by Felecia Ford & King Shark
Ain't Got No Dough by Peter Case
Time Won't Let Me by The Plimsouls
Slow Death by The Flamin' Groovies
Daddy Wants A Cold Beer by The A-Bones
Beat Party by Ritchie & The Squires
Are You Gonna Be There (At The Love In) by The Chocolate Watchband
Ode to Billy Joe/ Hip Hug Her by Wiley & The Checkmates

The Shaggy Hound by Richard Johnston
Rainin' In My Heart by The Pretty Things
Cut That Out by Pinetop Perkins & Willie "Big Eyes" Smith
Blue Berry Blue by Die Zorros
Everybody Thinks You're an Angel by Mose Allison
CouCou by Fishtank Ensemble
Milky White Way by The Trumpeteers
CLOSING THEME: Over the Rainbow by Jerry Lee Lewis

THIRSTY EAR DAY ONE

Lots of great music on the first day of this year's Thirsty Ear Festival at eaves Ranch. For those willing to withstand the wind and the dust (I still can't believe that nobody took the opportunity to sing some Woody Guthrie Dustbowl songs) it was a great time, as usual. And heck, Eaves Ranch is supposed to look like a dusty old western town. This year it was just dustier.

It was a bittersweet fun with the word that this will be the last Thirsty Ear to be held at Eaves Ranch -- where it's been held almost every year since 1999 (In 2001 it was at Bonanza Creek movie ranch and in 2004 it wasn't held at all). At this point I'm not quite sure what the future of the festival is. But it's been a great run.

All my snapshots from this year's festival can be found HERE.

Here's my favorite music from Day 1:

Although he's not that well-known, Richard Johnston was one of the true highlights of the first day. This was his second Thirsty Ear appearance, the first being back in 2007.

For those unfamiliar, Johnston is a Memphis street musician, who earns a living giving performances on Beale Street. Usually he plays as a one-man band playing guitar or one of his home-made diddley bows with his bands and drums with his feet. He had a couple of his homemade cigar-box contraptions with him Saturday. "You don't have to spend $2,500 on a guitar to have a lot of fun," he said.

But he also expanded his one-man band show saturday with the addition of Santa Fe's own Peter Williams on bass for several songs. With Peter, Johnston sounded a lot like The Black Keys.

I bought a copy of Johnston's Official Bootleg #1. The album, recorded several years ago, is good, but it doesn't come anywhere close to his live performances.

As much as I loved Johnston, I think my favorite performance Saturday was Asleep at the Wheel.

I'd only seen them once before -- at Club West circa 1984. Some of the current members of the band might not have even been born at that point. But if anything, this band is even tighter than the old days, Eddie Rivers, who also has played with Wayne Hancock, is a monster on steel guitar -- and he doubles on sax. Jason Roberts is a great fiddler and singer, and singer Elizabeth McQueen is a delight. But deserving the most credit is frontman/founding member/western-swing visionary Ray Benson. He's the glue that holds it all together.

While I loved all the classic western-swing songs they did, ("Oh You Pretty Woman" is the one that got stuck in my head) I've got to say that Wheel's version of "Hot Rod Lincoln" Saturday nearly rivaled Commander Cody's and Bill Kirchen's versions.

Felix y Los Gatos was the last band I saw at last year's Thirsty Ear Festival, so I guess it's appropriate that they were the first I saw this year.

Last year the rain forced the Cats to abandon the outside main stage and play inside the hotel. But this year they were able to reclaim the main stage. And they did it like pros.

For those who've never seen them, Felix and the boys, who call Albuquerque home, play a mean mixture of ranchero, zydeco, country, blues and rock. Mostly they do originals, though they did sneak in a cover of The Rolling Stones' "Miss You" as well as their version of "Don't Mess with My Toot Toot." While Felix's version of this zydeco classic is a lot of fun, I have to admit I was relieved that this year that they didn't make it last 45 minutes like they did last year.

The Thirsty Ear Festival continues today with performances by Dave Alvin & The Guilty Women, Hayes Carll, Darrell Scott, Alex Maryol and more.

More Info on "Billy Richardson's Last Ride"

Thanks to John Rucker for finding the lyrics to "Bill Richardson's Last Ride," a song performed by Grandpa Jones that I played on The Santa Fe Opry last night and downloaded from eMusic recently.

As you can see, the song has nothing to do with the governor of New Mexico -- although political foes of the current governor might find metaphorical significance in the fact the song, originally recorded by Vernon Dalhart in 1926, is about a train wreck.

Rucker also found this page with more information on the song.

Here's those lyrics, (which came from this page.) :

BILLY RICHARDSON'S LAST RIDE

Through the west wood Virginia mountain comes the morning mail,
Number three was westbound, the fastest on the rail,
Pulled right into Hinton, the junction along the line,
The Baldwin mounted engine made the run on time.

Billy Richardson's son at Hinton was called to make the run,
Pulled the fastest mail train from there to Huntington.
Fireman 'ported on duty just along the line,
Reading them train orders, left Hinton right on time.

Billy said, "Dear fireman, how happy I would be,
If I could die while pulling a train like number three."
Wanted to die on duty in his engine cab so free,
While pulling eastbound number four or westbound number three.

Fireman said, "Billy, you know you're old and gray,
Your name is on the pension list, you should retire some day."
Billy said, "Dear fireman, the truth I'm tellin' you,
I'll die right in my engine cab and nothing else will do."

Pulling down the river came westbound number three,
Sterning through the cotton hills*, and danger could it be.
His head-end struck a mail train while pulling down the line,
He'll never pull his train again through Huntington town on time.

He pulled the fastest time freight, he pulled the U.S. mail,
He pulled the fast excursion to the music of the rail.
He lost his life on duty in his engine cab so free,
While pulling in Montgomery on westbound number three.

Now ladies if your husband is a railroad engineer,
You know he's in lots of danger and death is ever near.
You know he loves you dearly when he is by your side,
Remember while it's his next run might be his farewell ride.

THE SANTA FE OPRY PLAYLIST

Friday, June 11, 2010
KSFR, Santa Fe, NM
Webcasting!
10 p.m. to midnight Fridays Mountain Time
Host: Steve Terrell
101.1 FM
email me during the show! terrell@ksfr.org

OPENING THEME: Buckaroo by Buck Owens & The Buckaroos
Billy Richardson's Last Ride by Grandpa Jones
Red Red Robin by Rosie Flores
Hot 'N' Cold by Ray Condo & The Hardrock Goners
Mona Lee by Jason & The Scorchers
Country Woman by The Cals
Dig What You're Puttin' Down by Peter Case
Humpty Dumpty Heart Hank Thompson
Rainy Day Woman by Waylon Jennings
A White T-Shirt And A Pink Carnation by The A-Bones
Don't Let the Stars Get In You Eyeballs by Homer & Jethro

Bad Times (Are Comin' Round Again) by The Waco Brothers
Sure Feels Like Rain by The Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band
Please Big Mama by Rudy Gray
Wine Wine Wine by Bobby Fuller
A Living Hell by The Bottle Rockets
A Date With Her Memory by Cornell Hurd
Don't She Look Like a Rodeo Queen? by Kris Hollis Key
Second Fiddle to sn Old Guitar by Jean Shepherd
Dodging A Gal From Dodge City by Spike Jones

Thirsty Ear Festival Set
(Thirsty Ear is Saturday & Sunday at Eaves Ranch)

Zydeco Tonight by Felix y Los Gatos
Chicken & Gravy by Richard Johnston with Jessie Mae Hemphill
Rolly Poly by Asleep at the Wheel with The Dixie Chicks
Molly and Tenbrooks by Sam Bush
Hank Williams' Ghost by Darrell Scott
Wanda & Duane by Dave Alvin

Bad Luck Everywhere You Go by C.W. Stoneking
When Dorey's Behind the Door by Al Duvall
Room to Room by Terry Allen with Lucinda Williams
New Mexico by Johnny Cash
Let Her Go God Bless Her by The Louvin Brothers
More And More by Webb Pierce
Snake Walk by Clothesline Revival
Be My Love by NRBQ
CLOSING THEME: Comin' Down by The Meat Puppets

Steve Terrell is proud to report to the monthly Freeform American Roots Radio list

PAOLO SOLERI SAYS SAVE PAOLO SOLERI

Check out the news release from Soleri's Consanti Foundation below:

Also today the state Cultural Properties Review Committee passed a resolution asking Santa Fe Indian School to reconsider its decision to demolish Paolo Soleri Amphitheater. The City Council passed a similar resolution on Wednesday.

Please check out my story in Saturday's New Mexican.

Consanti Foundation on Paolo Soleri Theater

TERRELL'S TUNE-UP: WHEN THE SHARK BITES

A version of this was published in The Santa Fe New Mexican
June 11, 2010

King Shark is back. And he’s got lots of fine reggae music for Santa Fe.

Shark, aka Alphanso Henclewood, was born 52 years ago in the Greenwich Farms neighborhood of Kingston, Jamaica. It’s an area populated mainly by people who make their living in the fishing industry. But it has also produced way more than its share of musicians — the most notable probably being Earl “Chinna” Smith, a guitarist whose résumé includes work with Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, Jimmy Cliff, Ziggy Marley, Burning Spear, Lee “Scratch” Perry, King Tubby, and King Shark.

Moving from New York, Shark first came to Santa Fe about 10 years ago. (The love of a woman first brought him here, he said in a recent interview.) It was here in Santa Fe that he set up his company, Montego Records. In 2000 he released a compilation, King Shark and All Star Friends, which was recorded in Jamaica and featured tracks by artists including Prince Alla, Vicious Irie, Charlie Chaplin (a Jamaican), Michael Prophet, and Shark.

He left Santa Fe for several years. “I went to Texas,” he said. Dallas, to be exact. But earlier this year, he returned, settling down in the Pecos area. And he’s been busy.

Shark recently completed Rasta Life, a 56-minute film about the music of his homeland. He produced and directed, while Eduardo Griego edited the documentary. Opening with Chinna Smith playing bluesy jazz licks on an acoustic guitar, the film mainly consists of singers he knows doing what they do best — singing. These include artists like King Alla, Earl Zero, Pretty Rebel, Lucani, Peter Ridkind, and Ernest Wilson.

While there is some studio footage, most of these performances are spontaneous (or at least spontaneous-feeling) a capella performances. It’s lots of fun, even though those of us not fluent in Jamaican English have a hard time following some of the dialogue. The music is easy to follow, however, and that’s what really counts. This movie will be available to the public soon.

Another new treat from King Shark was a CD he gave me full of songs mostly by the musicians appearing on Rasta Life. (Among these is a new one by King Shark himself, “She’ll Be Mine,” performed in the “lover’s rock” style.)

Many of these tracks are available to download from the Montego Records website. Warning: this site is a little difficult to navigate. If there’s a way to search by artist, I haven’t figured it out yet. But the music’s good and reasonably priced — 89 cents for MP3s, $1.38 for higher-quality WAV versions of the songs.

Felecia Ford

Speaking of websites, last month Shark launched a new one, RastaLives.com. Though much of it is still under construction, several articles are up, and it has loads of biographies of the King’s musical pals.

And King Shark has been recording some music here too. Recently he’s been recording at Frogville Studios with Felecia Ford of Hundred Year Flood. (Full disclosure: I helped direct Shark and Ford to each other when King told me he was looking for a strong female vocalist.) Ford told me last week that she was doing vocals on “The Oil,” a song about the BP oil spill that she co-wrote with Frogville Records tycoon John Treadwell. The background music was recorded previously by King Shark, back in Jamaica.

So if Santa Fe ever becomes internationally famous as a reggae capitol, King Shark will surely be behind it.

Some other recommended international treats for your ears:

* Trans-Continental Hustle by Gogol Bordello. Eugene Hütz, the Ukrainian gypsy punk rocker behind this roving band, recently moved from New York City to Brazil. That’s why there’s suddenly a huge carnivale influence in the already multinational blend of sounds that is Gogol Bordello. The good news is that it works. Hütz and crew might be maniacal when they perform, but he’s smart enough to be subtle about adding new sounds.

Another new factor in the Gogol record is the addition of Rick Rubin as producer. That made a lot of Gogol fans worry: will the next Gogol album sound more like Slayer or Neil Diamond?

Fortunately, it sounds like neither. If anything, the acoustic instruments, especially Hütz’s guitar, seem a little more prominent than in past recordings. But there are still enough crazed rockers to keep old fans happy. In fact, in “Immigraniada (We Comin’ Rougher),” Gogol’s rhythm section has a little Slayer in it when it goes to the chorus.

My only beef here is that none of the 12 tracks instantly grabs you by the throat the way “American Wedding” did on Gogol’s previous album, Super Taranta!, or the way “Not a Crime” did on 2005’s Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike. None of the new tracks would put a damper on a Bordello show, but none of them, at least so far, seem like an obvious contender to become a Gogol classic.

* Woman in Sin by Fishtank Ensemble. I love Little Willie John. And I enjoy an occasional Transylvanian folk tune and Kurdish fiddle stomp.

Well, here’s a group that happily plays all of the above. This Oakland-based band is led by singer/fiddler/saw-player Ursula Knudson and her husband, Fabrice Martinez, who also plays viand violin tromba, a stringed instrument that amplifies its sound through a metal resonator and metal horns. Martinez is a native of France who traveled with a real-life gypsy caravan through Europe.

Sometimes Fishtank sounds like an acoustic Gogol Bordello. Sometimes they sound more like the Hot Club of Cowtown. And every so often, such as in the 1920s-flavored “CouCou,” Knudson’s voice reminds me of Katharine Whalen of the Squirrel Nut Zippers.

Knudson sings a passable “Fever.” But my favorite is the six-minute “Kolo Suite,” a medley of traditional Serbian tunes with a Transylvanian finale that’ll make the vampires boogie.

This record is good, but I’ll bet Fishtank Ensemble is even better live. And they’re coming our way. The band is scheduled to play the Albuquerque Folk Festival at noon June 19 at Expo New Mexico (real people still call it the state fairgrounds).

PICNIC TIME FOR PRESLEY

Two of my favorite American icons are coming together ... at last.

Elvis Presley and Mr. Potatohead!

The Associated Press reports:

The first of the Elvis potato heads will be released for Elvis Tribute Week in August. The toy will be in a jumpsuit. A second version — with the likeness dressed in black leather — will be on the market for Christmas.

That's a hunka hunka burnin' spud!