Sam Baker "Pony"

Sam Baker called me early in the morning yesterday from Charlotte, NC. There was occasional dinging in the background, as if he were riding on an elevator. He is on the road with John Fullbright and Natalia Zuckerman through July 2. They are sharing the stage together, playing on each other's songs. He speaks of a generosity of spirit, and of the give and take of this, quoting Kevin Welch's song "…that makes me a millionaire." These folks do music for those of us that need that kind of energy. It transcends the voice and music to become a more intimate connection. It speaks to your soul.

I asked Sam how he crafted the recording process. He told me he likes to do it all at one time, in the studio. "My voice has different textures. I generally like to get a sonically consistent sound. I do that in a short period of time. Kind of a dream-like fog, which can color how we all hear that body of work. It adds a certain narrative, a sonic sequential. I am able to work with some beautiful players, but it takes some time to relax into each other's lives. The entity that comes can be both on the conscious and subconscious levels. I think you get a little broader bandwidth in the subconscious." Throughout our conversation, he mentioned other artists he is impressed with, calling them "the new players." Artists like Carrie Elkin, Danny Schmidt, Band Of Heathens, Grace Pettis, and Dustin Welch. "So many wonderful young writers and players. They are great people to tour with. Special guest Kevin Welch got up with us in Norfolk, and we just seem to roll together."

We hope you get to catch this limited run, and we trust that there will be more trio dates scheduled in the future. Sam Baker is on his way to teach at a three day retreat leading up to the Winnipeg Folk Festival. Then he heads to WoodyFest in Okemah, OK and then onto the Telluride Americana Weekend. Music Fog will be at both of the latter festivals. See you there? C'mon!!!!

-- Jessie Scott

The Bowmans "On The Road"

I can't believe I have never mentioned Tony Lawson on Music Fog!  He is the steadfast and true general manager for one of the coolest stations in the country, WDVX, in Knoxville, TN.  Tony and company were broadcasting out of an RV in a trailer park for five long years, before the radio station moved into the brand new Knoxville Visitor's Center.  There is a stage in the corner, from which music emanates for lunch in the form of a live show called The Blue Plate Special.

Tony books amazing people, and they simulcast a live monthly evening show on the last Wednesday of every month.  Tennessee Shines Live At The Bijou, is housed in a grand gem of a theater and hosted by Jim Lauderdale. It is a glittering evening of virtuosity in a town that realizes that music is an important part of its past, and an integral part of its future. Ahhh, if all places could be so head's up.  The Bowman's, Sarah and Claire, played Tennessee Shines on May 26.  Of course they did. Tony knows!

On the road.  Those words just resonate with me.  And so many artists have incorporated them into the titles of their songs: Dylan, Tom Rush, Canned Heat, Dave Dudley, Willie Nelson, the list goes on and on. The Bowmans add to that glorious catalog with their song "On The Road," off their first album, Far From Home.  The girls have been putting some miles behind them this year, having toured Germany and Switzerland. You can find out the latest on them on their band tab at FaceBook. We caught up with them in Memphis where we were happy to have them come aboard the Music Fog bus!

-- Jessie Scott

Shinyribs "Bolshevik Sugarcane"

The first time I booked Kevin Russell to play for us at Threadgill's, it was three years ago for our SXSW coverage on X Country (XM). He came in just as the menu specials were being written on the blackboard and before we started taping his set, he sang down the list of what was being offered that day. It was a long, involved, mouthwatering ad-lib of a riff to be sure. But that's just the kind of guy he is.

Inventive, loose, living in the moment. From MySpace, here is an, um, explanation(?) - we think self penned, "The mysterious quantity lurking in the afterglow of yesterweek. A gamey diamond of a find for any fan of the utmost mystical wooden teapot of song known as American Song Bag. A modern day renegade born of the white rice and rain in the lonely, humid southeast of Texas. Raised by Karankawan Wizards. Awarded the congressional medal of the obtuse in 1967 by then President Lyndon Johnson. Inventor of Frequency Shifter used in the growing of medicinal eggs. Educated at Glory Abounds Academy For Isothermal Static. Professor of Economic Threat Access. Steaming with uncertain attributes only seen in the general population during the Scotch-Irish domination of Western Carolina and Eastern Tennessee. Dangling participle of roots music." Well hell, THAT explains everything!

Though this is a band project, things get fuzzy when you know that Kevin is AKA Shinyribs Russell, and that he is the frontman from The Gourds. With him on stage is Keith Langford's pounding drums, Jeff Brown running on bass, and Winfield Cheek smoking the Yamaha. There is a brand new CD that came out two weeks ago called Well After Awhile, produced by George Reiff, with appearances by Ray Wylie, Mark Rubin, Bukka and Sally Allen, Scrappy Judd, Phoebe Hunt, and Michael Fracasso. And there is a video for you here of a song not on the CD. Ha-ha. If you click on the link for "Bolshevik Sugarcane," it takes you to an interesting place. What does it mean - Orwell anyone?

Kevin sends this out for all the hard work they are doing over at the capitol. Whatever capitol that might be. Remember to take you hands out of your pocket and roll like a rocket, while you groove at the end of the song to a musical lick from the Marvin Gaye tune "Hitchhike," coupled with a vocal piece of R-E-S-P-E-C-T, just a little bit!

-Jessie Scott