Tuneweek, 03-14-2009: Potpourri Polka

Congratulations to our friends Fabrizio Poggi and Chicken Mambo. Their "Mercy" CD was voted Buscadero magazine critics' top Italian CD of 2008. Buscadero is the Rolling Stone magazine of Italy, that nation's most important music magazine. Not only was the CD the top in Italy, but it finished 7th in the voting for all international CDs.
The other top international CDs included Mudcrutch (Tom Petty), Ryan Adams, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Van Morrison, and John Hiatt ... stellar company! Some unusual video of a rehearsal with Guy Davis after pizza in Piacenza in 2007:
Chicken Mambo Pizza
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Performance Alert: The Todalo Shakers, one of Grampy's favorite old-timey bands, will be performing on the 19th. I try to catch any band with Eric and Suzy Thompson in it. Here's Suzy's e-mail on it:
Thurs. March 19 at 8 PM
The Todalo Shakers - Eric & Suzy Thompson, Frannie Leopold, WB Reid, Steven Strauss
Freight & Salvage
1111 Addison (near San Pablo), Berkeley
$18.50 in advance, $19.50 at the door
Freight website
Todalo Shakers web page:

Oh boy! It's time for our annual Todalo Shakers get-together. Frannie Leopold will make her way down from Mendocino, WB Bruce Reid will make the long drive from Seattle, Steven Strauss will only have to come from Oakland, and they'll join Eric & Suzy Thompson for a night of vintage jug band, swingy pop songs from the 1920s, ragtime fiddling, and the like.

Todalo is pronounced "TOAD -a - lo" and it is a term closely allied to "diddy wah diddy". Todalo Shaking is mentioned in songs by Mississippi John Hurt and by our heroes, the Memphis Jug Band.

Over the past year, we've worked out a bunch of fun new songs like "Mama Don't Give All the Lard Away", "Beaver Slide Rag", "Handy's Memphis Blues", and of course we'll be singing the perennial favorites like "Sweet Lovin' Old Soul", "Cocaine Habit", "Jake Limber Leg Blues", and the ever-popular "Under the Chicken Tree"! Frannie plays her old Martin guitar, WB fingerpicks the 6-string banjo (affectionately known as "The Enforcer") and doubles on fiddle, Eric plays lead guitar and raggy mandolin, Suzy saws on the fiddle, Steven Strauss gets a good raspy sound with the bowed bass, and everybody sings.

The Todalo Shakers were singled out as one of the "Best Live Music" acts by the Reader's Choice Poll in the Chronicle a few years back, for their stellar performance at the Berkeley Old Time Music Convention. Because we're so spread out geographically, we don't perform as a band very often, but when we do, we sure have a great time doing it. Please come join us at the Freight if you are able!
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Review of Bela Fleck's new documentary on banjos:
Bela's Flick
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The SF Jazz 2009 Spring Schedule:
Jazz Jump
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A bit o' the auld sod, Moving Hearts, their PR blurb:
Moving Hearts was formed in 1981 by Irish luminaries Christy Moore and Donal Lunny (both of Planxty). In 1984 the Irish folk-rock-jazz fusion group released its critically acclaimed genre-defining album, Storm, and established itself as one of Ireland's most influential bands. Soon after, the ever-evolving group of musicians went their separate ways to pursue individual projects that included performing on soundtracks for movies such as Gangs of New York and Michael Collins, winning a GRAMMY for a collaborative New Age album (Davy Spillane), heading a Rock School in Ireland (Matt Kelleghan), performing as principal percussionist with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and recording with artists such as U2, Van Morrison and Elvis Costello (Noel Eccles), and touring with artists such as Genesis and The Corrs (Anto Drennan). Although they were only together for four years, Moving Hearts had a profound effect on the development of modern Celtic music.
Here they are:
Moving Hearts
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J.J. Cale released his
debut album, Naturally, in 1971. Born and raised in Oklahoma, the singer
wrote songs that became big hits for Eric Clapton, Lynyrd Skynyrd and
others, including "Cocaine" and "After Midnight." an NPR feature:
Fresh Cale
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The USGS filmed this bear at a scratching pole:
Pole Dancer
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A lot of great upcoming world music shows at Berkeley's own Freight & Salvage:
Tue, Mar 17 - the Black Brothers
Sat, Mar 21 - Melanie O'Reilly & Ashling
Wed, Apr 1 - Mike Marshall/Darol Anger/Vasen
Sat, Apr 4 - Bill Tapia & Mihana
Sun, Apr 5 - Moira Smiley & VOCO
Thu, Apr 9 - Kalman Balogh Gypsy Cimbalom Band
Fri, Apr 10 - Los Cenzontles
Sat, Apr 25 - Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys
Thu, May 7 - Piper Link
Sun, May 10 - Cascada de Flores
Fri, May 29 - Youssoupha Sidibe
Check out their calendar here:
The Freight
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Read of the Week: Jazz History Treasure:
Treasure Trove
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While we're talking history, a fantastic clip from the only film of this all-girl orchestra that performed in the "Melody Land" number in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1927. The ladies switch instruments during the course of the song, a very skilled group:
Groovin' Gals
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That's all for this week, get out and catch (or play) some live music!
Grampy Bob