It’s been a couple of weeks since Dan was able to confirm that Alvin Youngblood Hart is performing a solo acoustic tonight.  I remember, because I nearly passed out from hyperventilating when I heard the news.  As I’ve mentioned in the past, I worship this musician, and he’s playing tonight!  One night only.  Hang on a minute; I’ve got to go breathe into a paper bag. 

I need to give yet another brief mention on JRS (Jason Ricci Syndrome for those of you philistine heathens not in the know).  I saw Anna of the death-by-chocolate cake at the Teresa Lynne gig and asked about our friend Andrea and why she wasn’t there (Anna, Andrea, and I journeyed together to The Little Bear to hear JR&NB a few days before the Outlook gig).  Anna informed that she’s still too overwhelmed from the two JR&NB gigs.  An entire week later.  One of the more severe cases of JRS I’ve heard about in a while.  Don’t worry, Andrea, you’ll be fine.  Just never the same. 

Tomorrow night Johnny and The Po Boys—Mad Dog, Felonius Smith, and Johnny Johnston—are bringing the down-home blues and dancing fun.  Then Friday night we have The Informants, and I copped this from their site: 

… they assembled a backing band of first rate veteran musicians from some of Denver ’s best known acts including Sol~Fed~Joe, Easy Bill and the Big Beat, Funkiphino, The Dalhart Imperials, The Fabulous Boogienauts, and Dirty Pool. McMurray and the other new Informants, Mark Richardson (keyboards, trumpet, accordion & vocals), Paul Christophersen (drums), Kenny Plum (tenor sax), Jonny Love (tenor/baritone sax & flute) and Paul Shellooe (guitar), concluded that the music should underscore Pastine ’s searing vocals, unbridled charisma, and intoxicating stage demeanor. They concentrated on the roots music that had inspired them; vintage R &B, jump blues, soul, rockabilly, jazz and rock-n-roll. This unique creation, dubbed juke joint boogie, became a spicy stew of Memphis, West Side Chicago, Harlem, New Orleans and other deep South delicacies, surefire to get an audience off their seats, shakin ’ on the dance floor, gyratin’ on the table tops, slip-slidin’ across the bar, and shimmyin’ out into the streets at closing time!

Yeah, I’ll be there!

How about we jump ahead to April for a minute.  Here’s what T.S. Eliot had to say about the coming month in the opening of his (depressing) masterpiece The WasteLand:

            APRIL is the cruelest month, breeding

            Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing

            Memory and desire, stirring

            Dull roots with spring rain.

I got a newsflash for you, Mr. Eliot:  April is going to f----g ROCK at the Outlook!  Not a waste land, but a jam land!  As a matter of fact, Thursday, April 10^th with Jon Némth (be still my heart) is enough to be thrilled with the entire month.  His latest CD offering, Magic Touch was nominated for a 2008 Blues Music Award.  Here’s what Bob Margolin had to say about this talent:

“I remember telling friends up North in '80 that they should go see Stevie Ray Vaughan, but they weren't impressed because he wasn't famous yet. It will give me great pleasure to say, "I told you so!" about John Németh. You'll see." Blues Revue, Dec/Jan 2005

And then there’s this: 

"Definitely one of the finest new artist performing Blues in the country today. Catch him now so you can say you saw him in the early years of his soon-to-be giant career!"  Greg Johnson, Blues Notes, 2004

I attended a gig this past summer, and immediately bought all of his CDs.  He is an infectious performer with a voice.  And here’s what I reported then:

For those of you with the great misfortune of missing John Németh the other night, we pity you.  Mr. Németh is the caliber of artist one rarely encounters.  We at the Outlook refer to him as The Voice.  Yes, he can wail on a harp with exceptional skill, but that voice.  And his original songs are stupendous, rendered with passion, humor, and a notable level of confidence and skillfulness.  He’ll be back at the Outlook in the Spring.  Stay tuned, as he’s another young man the world will know and crave.  8-22-07

So that’s April 10^th.  Then, on the 11^th and 12^th, giving us three consecutive evenings of superb music is some guy who I hear is really good.  What in the hell was his name again?  Oh yeah, Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin, Prodigal Son of the Outlook.  How could I forget that?  BOB’S COMING!

Shit happens when Bob comes to town.  Musicians show up from far and wide and some of them even screw up the courage to sit in with him.  We usually can expect amazement from the Delicious Erica Brown (I’m gonna make that name stick one way or another), the Delightful Jill Watkins (soooooo delightful), and the Playful Kate Keiser.  However, a vicious city rumor has it that a certain 2008 IBC solo/duo winner will also be sitting in with Bob on the 11^th.  Here’s what said IBC winner had to say about his first meeting and jamming with Bob: 

Well, I'm looking forward to jammin’ with him. I felt so sorry for him at the jam at the Rumboogie in Memphis. Everybody and their mother wanted to sit in & he didn't know me from Adam. A lot of people were buggin’ him about having me sit in. A lot of people were buggin’ him period. He'd say to all these people (including me) "Hey, I can only do what I can do". I had to laugh. I don't know how many times I'd been in those shoes, & you just can't satisfy everybody. I didn't really care if I sat in.  I remember that I was so tired, but other people kept asking me if I was going to, so I felt like I had to try. If it wasn't for the contest (even if it was), I believe one of the most memorable moments in Memphis was getting to see Willie Big Eyes Smith play the drums at that jam. There were a lot of drummers there, but after I heard him, there was only one. There was something in the way he played a shuffle that gave me life when I was exhausted. It was immediate, awesome, and amazing. When other drummers got up there, there was such a big drop off.

Can’t wait to hear Bob and Lionel together.  Until then, see you tonight.  I’ll be the one breathing into a bag. 

BOB’S COMING!

Honey Sepeda