music

Jon Pousette Dart returns to the Iron Horse 7/18.

The Pousette Dart Band have played the Iron Horse many times from the early to mid eighties onward. Jon Pousette Dart returns for a duo show on 7/18. Alice Howe and Freebo open this evening of acoustic music.

Our conversation begins with Jon’s childhood in Suffern NY just 30 miles north of Manhattan. Jon’s father and grandfather were well known artists. Both generations prior were visual artists with grandfather Nathaniel an artist, editor, art advertising businessman while Jon’s father Richard was an abstract expressionist artist, a photographer and sculptor. This creative environment was immersive for Jon and his older sister; encouraging and open to experimentation. Neighborhood bands were formed at an early age. Except these bands included Burgess Meredith’s son and Soupy Sales’ kids, enabling this fledgling teen garage band, Tony & the Tigers, television exposure!

We chat about Jon Pousette Dart’s visit to his grandparents Nantucket summer home and “being dicovered” by Rock n Roll promoter Don Law who brought him to Boston. We discuss the vibrant musical community in Boston/Cambridge at the time (early and mid 70’s) and being booked for national rock tours with a wide variety of British and American stars including James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Billy Joel, and J Geils. The two biggest rock tours of that era; “Peter Frampton Comes Alive” and “Yes Fragile Tour”, both had the Pousette Dart Band included!

Our conversation includes the ups and downs of the industry for the band including Jon heading to Nashville to write jingles. We chat about how the music ‘business’ has changed as well over time. Discussions of songwriting challenges and what the current tour entails finish out our chat. Of course, there’s music along the way! We begin with “Women In My Dreams”, “County Line”, “Fall On Me” and finish with “Amnesia”. Jon Pousette Dart is joined by long time accompanist Jim Chapdelaine on this show.

Details at Pousette-Dart.com as well as IronHorse.org

The amazing Alice Howe and Freebo open the 7/18 Iron Horse show.

Karla Bonoff, master songwriter, to perform at Shea Theater, 6/27.

Karla Bonoff’s career spans decades of an industry that has radically changed. Her music and talent has not. The songs from her ten albums showcase that a gorgeous melody and a lyric that rings true is timeless. Bonoff will bring that incredible catalog of songs to the Shea Theater on THIS FRIDAY 6/27.

Our conversation is wide-ranging; from her early training in Southern California to her open mic sets at LA’s Troubador, the center of a burgeoning singer songwriter scene. Karla tells stories of her friendships and collaborations with folks like Jackson Browme, James Taylor, Elton John and members of the soon-to-be Eagles. We talk about her collaboration in a band with Wendy Waldman, Kenny Edwards and Andrew Gold called Bryndle; a band ahead of their time. All these friendships led to folks like Linda Ronstadt and Bonnie Raitt recording her songs paving a way for her individual success.

Ou conversation touches on her popularity in Japan, her feelings about hearing her songs performed by others, her work in film and TV soundtracks. We also examine how much the “music industry” has changed and which era she prefers. We finish with a discussion of folks’ influence on her career and personal life such as JD Souther and Linda Ronstadt.

Our segment features THE SONGS! We open with “I Can’t Hold On” from her excellent live release. We include “Lose Again” a song that hooked Linda Ronstadt into a major collaboration over years with Karla. We include versions of Bonoff’s work by Bonnie Raitt and Wynona Judd as well as a JD Souther song in tribute to his passing. Karla’s “Goodbye My Friend” and Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville’s grammy award winning version of “All My Life”.

Karla Bonoff’s live shows feature her on guitar and piano while the amazing Nina Gerber accompanies her on electric guitar. Stunning virtuosity in an intimate setting of the Shea is an opportunity NOT TO BE MISSED! SheaTheater.com for ticket details.

The Secret Chord channels Leonard Cohen on NineVoltHeart.

Three members of The Secret Chord joined me in-studio in advance of their local show in Amherst Massachusetts on Feb 7. Gordon Kramer, Ruth Critcher and Jody Spitz performed four Leonard Cohen songs and discussed his music and influence during our lively discussion. In concert, the trio are usually joined by Ray Gregonis (bass), Jess Sproule (keys), and Patrick Kelley (drums). Their local show will be help at the Cherry Hill Cohousing Commons at 120 Pilpit Hill Road in North Amherst. Doors at 6:30 for their 7:00 concert.

Leonard Cohen had a long and interesting musical career from poet/songwriter to the leader of a large choir/ensemble. He wrote three novels, thirteen books of poetry and released fifteen albums of his own original music during a fifty year span. He started later than some at age thirty-two (debuting at Newport!) and had his career derailed by difficult producer Phil Spector, a stint on a Greek island, five years in a zen monastery in California, as well as having his manager embezzle all his earnings and his sell copywritten songs! Despite these setbacks, Cohen perservered and became a beloved artist to many culminating in a Canadian Hall of Fame honor and the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame induction.

The Secret Chord has learned dozens of Cohen’s songs and performed “The Window”, “First We Take Manhattan”,”If It Be Your Will” and “Tower Of Song”. Along the way we heard Cohen recite Joni Mitchell’s “The Jungle Line” with Herbie Hancock on piano.

Our discussion entails several other musical projects from our members beyond Cohen’s music as well as a discussion of Leonard’s spiritual messages and musical impact. Give the segment a listen and head to Amherst on February 7 to hear the full band treatment of this amazing catalog of songs. More info on the band can be found at The Secret Chord.band