David Jacobs-Strain "Neon Star"

Whoo-hoo! We are bound for WoodyFest, the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival from July 14th through the 18th.

The Music Fog crew hits the road to Okemah, OK for immersion in the 13th Annual Tribute event dedicated to Woody in his hometown. From what we hear, it is a low key affair, free to the public, with lots of bonding happening around the music and that wonderful small town ethos which makes everyone feel welcome.

The line-up is awesome, what with Arlo Guthrie leading the charge, along with Jimmy Lafave (and Rad), Stonehoney, John Fullbright, Sam Baker, and David Jacobs-Strain, among lots of others.

When the festival was founded in 1998, the Woody Guthrie Coalition commissioned a local Creek Indian to sculpt a bronze statue of Guthrie and his guitar with the well-known inscription: "This machine kills fascists." It now proudly stands on Broadway, the main drag in Okemah. The Music Fog crew is always looking at the stickers and slogans on the gig bags, caps and road cases of the musicians that come to our environs to be videoed. Duly noted when we taped David Jacobs-Strain at the Cherokee Creek Music Festival in May. If I might say, Woody would have approved.

David grew up in a progressive community, Eugene, OR, where the twin thrusts of cultural change and environmental consciousness were seemingly part of his birthright. He sees a direct correlation between his upbringing and the democracy inherent in folk music. He comments, “I’m really into hand-made culture—and real people making real music. The voice. One guitar. Even at its simplest, folk music, like the blues, has always been a vehicle for expressing your own situation, whether as an individual or a community. There’s such power in that.” Again, Woody would approve.

David's third CD is Terraplane Angel, produced by the legendary Ray Kennedy. It lives in a potent booyah of blues, roots rock, fingerstyle guitar work and slide, which is nothing short of mesmerizing to watch. He has been touring again with Boz Scaggs, wow-ponder that! What a simpatico night's entertainment! Here is David, with Bob Beach on harp, and Chris Ayer with back up vox on the tune "Neon Star," from his latest album.

- Jessie Scott

Peter Case "Look Out!"

A Peter Case release is always a welcome affair, and this time especially so as he is back to his roots-rocking roots after having emergency open heart surgery last year. One double bypass, accompanied by five days in the hospital and a six-figure medical bill. Case's friends and fans organized to raise the money for the cost of his care. Benefit shows were held in Austin, Houston, and Nashville, along with a three-nighter at McCabe's in Santa Monica, CA. As Peter was recovering and taking time off, he prepped the reissues of two classic albums by his early outfits The Nerves and The Plimsouls, it brought a rekindling of excitement to get a new project underway. “I had to do the mastering and spent quite a bit of time listening to the old records. It really got me going, hearing those guitars," he says.

Case's CD WIG! hits the store this Tuesday, bringing an earthquaking, earthshaking vibe as Peter grunges out, with help from legendary X drummer DJ Bonebrake and guitarist and songwriter Ron Franklin. They entered the studio on a Tuesday, and by the end of Wednesday, it was pretty much laid down. Electric, bluesy, raw; recorded live and direct to analog tape, as it should be. And hallelujah, there is a tour underway, too!

Peter is one of the first artists to be announced to play the Americana Music Festival and Conference, September 8th through the 11th at the Downtown Nashville Sheraton Hotel. Early bird rates have been extended until the end of June, so if you are thinking about attending, now would be a great time to sign up for a conference registration or a wristband. That is true whether you are an industry member or maybe a fan who wants to immerse yourself in the amazing aggregation of talent that is going to be assembled for this event. Between the Honors and Awards Show at The Ryman, and the evenings in the clubs, it quite frankly rocks. And what a great way to help Nashville recover from the flooding, by bringing some tourism dollars into town.

While you are pondering all that, click the play button below to preview a track from the new Peter Case project Wig! called, "Look Out!"

- Jessie Scott

 

Austin Collins & The Rainbirds "Worn"

He is shaggy shorn, lanky and rangy, with a mischievous glint ever present in his eyes. Austin Collins is a Houston native, who made the journey to the music Mecca of Austin about ten years ago for UT, and as he says, he was lucky to get to stay. He is born to the Texas troubadour tradition, and brings warm vocals and confessional lyrics to his music. After two CD releases, 2005's Something Better, and Roses Are Black in 2008, he was named a 2009 AirPlay Direct All Things Americana winner. Just a couple of months ago, he put out his third CD, Wrong Control.

Last week, he was asked to sit in on Austin's PBS outlet KRLU to play live in between segments for the airing of American Masters: Neil Young. You can see the video on his website. I found a cool blog and glowing review of a recent excursion to Mississippi undertaken by Josh Grider, Matt Skinner and Austin at the usually snarky Farce The Music. Let us add to the growing video collection of Austin Collins with one off his latest album, as he is accompanied by The Rainbirds, Dylan McDougall and Craig Bagby, who wrote this song, "Worn."

- Jessie Scott