Tara Nevins "Train 45"

Tonight there is a gala concert at the Izod Center in East Rutherford , NJ, a star studded tribute to the late Levon Helm. So many will gather in salute of his music, to raise money for the Love For Levon Benefit to Save The Barn to keep his legendary Rambles in Woodstock going. How is this for a lineup: Gregg Allman, Jakob Dylan, John Hiatt, Mavis Staples, Marc Cohn, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Warren Haynes, Robert Randolph, Joe Walsh, My Morning Jacket, and of course The Levon Helm Band with Larry Campbell. Honestly, the list goes on and on, and if you are anywhere near the New York metro area, this is the place to be. Of course you can donate (buy a T-shirt) to this worthy cause even if you are not around.

Tara Nevins of Donna The Buffalo fame has today’s entry. Word is DTB is working on a new album, though I am not sure when it will see light  of day. You might know that Larry Campbell produced Tara’s solo effort of last year, Wood & Stone. It was when the Music Fog crew caught up with her, at our Fall Music Fog Marathon at Marathon Recorders in Nashville during AmericanaFest. Here is “Train 45,” with Rose Sinclair and Chris Henry.

-Jessie Scott

Animusic "Resonant Chamber"

The electronic destination sign above the front windshield of the bus proudly proclaimed 'New York. Yesterday was a bright and shiny morning, with just a  hint of autumn in the air. I started a new chapter, going from the hard scrabble world of Texas music, to the street smarts of New York. A few days ago, someone questioned why I would leave Austin. It is quite simple, really; it's to be employed in an exciting situation which will allow me to shine a light on the music I love in a different way. After my job at XM ended, I hightailed it out of town to Austin. The thing to remember when you move somewhere with a less expensive cost of living, is that they pay less, too. That is if you can find a job at all.

And so the new day dawns. Oh, did I mention that I am back in the city of my birth? It has been a long time since I have lived here. The streets are a bombardment of stimuli; architecture, fashion, snippets of conversation, people everywhere. So here comes a video with no people at all. That doesn’t necessarily mean no people were used in the making of it! We just don’t know, but it sure is beautiful. It is Animusic HD, “Resonant Chamber.”

-Jessie Scott

Michael Fracasso "Saint Monday"

Before there were ‘weekends’ it was a common practice for working class folks in the Industrial Revolution to take off on Monday. Saturday was often half a day and it was pay day at that, so with money in one’s pocket, the time of leisure got extended, often due to overindulgence at the tavern. Michael Fracasso captures the melancholy, extending the moment into this century as he ascribes that behavior to hookers and musicians in the song “Saint Monday.” It is the title track from his latest album, which came out last year. Michael came to see Music Fog during the Cherokee Music Festival outside of Llano, Texas in 2011. His voice is a thing of beauty, jewel-toned, gentle, haunting. That he draws the parallel to musicians is a sad commentary on how hard it is for our artists to make a living these days. There are some Texas tour dates coming up for you to see him.

-Jessie Scott