The Two Whales Avenue

As a huge fan of bluegrass music I have a keen ear for good old time bluegrass. From Clarence Ashley to Doc Watson to The Stanley Brothers I have listen from the best to the best when it comes to great down home bluegrass. I have stomped my feet to the the fiddle and the banjo many of nights singing along to bluegrass from the 1920's and up. It's hard to find a good bluegrass band in a province that is surrounded by traditional celtic music and what i call lovers of covers, people who don't understand music unless they have listened to it while growing up or they heard it on the radio, something that I pride myself on being not part of. My ears are always open to new music and music that is written by people for people, music from the heart and soul of musicians that lived and are writing directly about their life for people like me. Tonight me and my dear friend Harv took a trip to Port Rexton, a local town outside of Bonavista most famous for their theatrical showings. But tonight a local coffee shop called Two Whales Coffee Shop was hosting a bluegrass band straight from Ontario to play a modest show. As we walked into the place it was a great feeling of walking into someones house, since the coffee shop was actually someones house years ago and renovated into a coffee shop, not much renovation mind you. but it was defiantly warming and hospitable. Me and Harv (owner and operator of Walkhams Gate Pub and Coffee Shop in Bonavista) sat down in the back of the 20 seat kitchen which I was happy to see. It was a great feeling of walking into someones kitchen getting ready for a traditional Newfoundland kitchen party of years ago when friends and family get together to play music well into the night. Tonight was no different. The band was called The Avenues and they will not disappoint us on this night. They were a 3 piece band that ripped through two sets of songs and played not only two cover songs, that I know of , Wild Bill Jones and John Prines' Please Don't Bury Me,  that sounded like it just came off the radio but they also performed original songs that sounded like they were written by bluegrass/country greats. They even had a little bluesy twist onto the songs with the uptempo feel, which I couldn't get enough of being a huge blues fan that I am. After listening to the band that night I came home and slipped on Muddy Waters Country Blues record on vinyl and got taken back to earlier that night. The Avenues were a great band and a great bunch of people that will be playing at various bars and pubs in St Johns this week such as The Rose and Thistle and The Levee. I highly recommend keeping an eye out for them this week and and weekend and catching their show, they will keep you dancing throughout the night and wont disappoint if your a true music fan. Me and Harv walked away happy with what we heard. Thanks Two Whales Coffee Shop for bringing good music to rural Newfoundland that we deserve and hunger for. 

The Late John Prine Blues

In regards for songwriting, to me you can't get much better than John Prine. His style and flow and usage of metaphors are simply amazing. He flows from line to line so effortlessly. His songs paint a picture with such ease and comfort, I can listen to John Prine for hours at a time and never get sick of his style. One of my all time favorite of Prine's songs has got to be The Late John Garfield Blues. Its a really catch song and the lyrics are so intelligent and just full of John Prine wisdom. This version is especially beautiful since Prine is paired with an angelic voiced girl that plays the violin gorgeously in the middle of the song. Its a sweet icing on the cake of a wonderful song. I first heard The Late John Garfield Blues on one of my favorite albums of all time, John's album Diamonds In The Rough. It is filled with not so popular but my favorite Prine songs such as Sour Grapes, Everybody, The Torch Singer, Billy The Bum, Clocks and Spoons and The Frying Pan. But it also has popular tunes such as Souvenirs, The Great Compromise and a song that was a hit for David Allen Cole called They Oughta Name A Drink After You. It also has a Carter Family cover of Diamonds In The Rough which Prine didn't do alot of. If there was ever a John Prine album to recommend anyone this would definitely be the one. John has a spot in the songwriters hall of fame if there ever was one.

Blazing Through Austin

I've had the privileged of knowing a lot of music lovers over the past 10 years of my life. Between the Record Exchange in Salem Mass where I basically lived while living in Salem. They really helped me expand my musical knowledge and I am extremely grateful to those people. Today however there is no Record Exchange where I live in Newfoundland, but I have at least have another music aficionado in Walkhams Gate Pub owner Harv. Harv is really into the whole Austin Texas music scene. From The Flatlanders to Steve Earle. But probably the most prolific and interesting character to fall into the Austin scene has to be Blaze Foley. Blaze is really what makes Austin. He plays for the joy of playing music, with no interest of being famous or making a ton of money. He is an underground legend having played alongside such greats as Townes Van Zandt. Blaze has had songs written about him by Townes, who was a great close friend, and Lucinda Williams. Williams has called him a genius and a beautiful loser. His songs have been covered by the likes of Merle Haggard, John Prine and Lyle Lovett. Blaze is nothing but a musical phenomenon, a straight shooter. His lyrics were honest and true to his life. He wrote and sang more because it was therapeutic than becoming famous. The world needs more people like Blaze Foley, unfortunately Foley died on February 1, 1989. Foley, after helping a friend confront a violent son, the son would shoot Foley in cold blood. The son was acquitted from the murder charge saying it was in self defense. Friends of Foley was outraged with the verdict and rightfully so. We have lost a true artist but never will we lose the art.

Just BS Without The B Is A O K

While holding down the fort at Walkhams Pub the other night Steve Abbott one half of the local Bonavista group Just Bs walked into the pub and suggested to play friday night just for the good of him. The pub haven't had music in a while so of course it was a great idea to get it back to rocking form. So we thought that Friday night would be a good night to play and if it goes well he would do Saturday as well. As 10:30 Friday night rolls round Abbott walks in to a empty room with backs turned to him on the other side of the room, eyes glued to the machines. But that didn't stop him from putting on a solo performance in which he put every inch of his heart and soul into. I didn't mention that this was Abbotts first solo performance in public. Being the first I must say you couldn't tell if he was uncomfortable or nervous. Tackling new songs like John Prine's Souvenirs, in which I for one hopes will be in his set list from now on, Abbott played in front of hardly anyone but made it seem like a packed house. Abbott kept on playing and never let up. It wasn't until 12:00ish until people started flowing into the pub. A happy bunch of music lovers that wanted to hear Abbott wail out their favorites and sing along. It was more of a kitchen party than a concert/performance. At times having duets with Kayla Little and Chester. Even Randy Stead showed off his Newfoundland Ugly Stick skills on one song and had everyone stomping the ground with smiles from ear to ear. Abbott really killed it that night giving the crowd a great show and left them going home that night singing sweet songs into the moonlight. Great job Abbott, I for one can't wait for the repeat performance tonight at Walkhams Pub. Everyone who missed it last night really should take it all in and if you were one of the lucky ones who witnessed it come back show Abbott your support, he more than deserves it.