Cody Canada & The Departed "Water Your Own Yard"

The Music Fog crew started the day with the crunch of snow underfoot, as we made our way to the City Market for provisions for the duration. Ya gotta have supplies! We are behind closed doors, well that actually is a singular door, anyway, at the Steamboat Grand Hotel. We are loving life here at MusicFest in Steamboat. Beans and Aaron once again got in touch with their feminine sides on the set decoration, and artists came by all day long. We had visits from Brandon Jenkins, Midnight River Choir, Gary P. Nunn, Dirty River Boys, Matt King, and Band of Heathens. Yes, you will be seeing these folks all upcoming in the not too distant future on Music Fog. Couple of other highlights today; we caught a bit of Uncle Lucius in the Grand Ballroom, and I got to emcee Reckless Kelly in the MusicFest tent. It was packed solid, and that feeling that is such a part of this event was in full force there. A whole lot of people here loving the music, and celebrating being here.

We started the day with Cody Canada and Seth James, representing the newly formed band The Departed. We all have been waiting to hear what they are up to, and it was bluesy and badass just like you would expect. Fine songwriting with soulful singing and playing. The Departed just had its debut show on December 29th at Gruene Hall, and also will be playing in the new ACL Live Facility coming up on February 11th in Austin. We have a taste for you right here, first video up from our MusicFest 2011 coverage, "Water Your Own Yard," a cautionary tale, indeed, from the pen of Tom Skinner.

- Jessie Scott

Charlie Faye with Will Sexton "Whirlwind"

Sitting in the quiet before the 'storm' of MusicFest at Steamboat Springs 2011, which is just getting underway. Gotta catch your breath a bit, and not because the altitude is so extreme, but that's part of it, for sure. I don't buy the "drink water for altitude sickness" cure, preferring beer, thanks. I am watching a celebrity travel show on TV, that is shining a light on exotic locations and exotic hotels. Kinda funny, as the Music Fog crew is ensconced on location again. I love my travel. Once we setup shop here, and start recording, we'll bring you a few performance videos during the long weekend, with more to come over the following weeks.

What a year 2010 was for Charlie Faye. Nothing like dreaming big and doing it…she pledged to spend 10 months in ten different cities, putting bands together in each and then recording with each. As she and I have been in orbit in different parts of the planet, I haven't seen her to ask how it all went. But I did get progress reports on her as the year went on, and I think a good, productive time was had by all, and that included members of Calexico, The Eagles, Violent Femmes, Ian Moore, among many others. There, of course, is an album in the works...wonder if this song will be included? Wow, we have been holding this video for almost a year, and what a year it was for Music Fog too! Let's revisit Folk Alliance in Memphis this past February. Charlie Faye along with Will Sexton on "Whirlwind." Whew!!!

- Jessie Scott

Jake Shimabukuro "Bring Your Adz"

Music Fog is migrating westbound for MusicFest, and will be arriving in Steamboat Springs, Colorado tomorrow if the Good Lord is willing. Gotta do our studio build out, then hit record and play...and the beat goes on! It seems somewhat unusual to me that CDs are slated to come out this early in the year, but hey, there are no rules. And so we welcome today's offering of a brand new album, Peace Love Ukulele, from Jake Shimabukuro. "The ukulele," he says, "is the instrument of peace - and if everyone played the ukulele, the world would be a better place." That said, if everyone played with the level of virtuosity he brings, the world would be Utopia! Jake will be joining the lineup for the Old Settler's Music Festival, which is set for April 14th though the 17th in Austin, along with other award-winning artists; The Avett Brothers, Sam Bush, Tim O’Brien, Langhorne Slim, Green Mountain Grass, Elliott BROOD, and Emmitt-Nershi Band.

All I can say, as we embark on our first event coverage of the nascent year, is there are plenty of cool festivals coming for 2011. And there are plenty of opportunities ahead to showcase talented artists here at Music Fog. Today we source a song from Jake's new album called "Bring Your Adz."

- Jessie Scott

PS There is another song on this album I would like to mention here, a tribute to the courageous American soldiers of Japanese ancestry who fought and sacrificed their lives in World War II. "Go For Broke" was the motto of these second-generation (Nisei) Japanese-American soldiers from Shimabukuro's native Hawaii. The men of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, 100th Infantry Battalion, the 1399th Engineering Construction Battalion, and the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) fought for the U.S. against their ancestral land at a time when those of Japanese heritage were often viewed with suspicion. Also, I wanted to recommend a wonderful book I just finished that was set in that era, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, a novel by Jamie Ford.