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Here is the latest news from David Gans, producer and host of the Grateful Dead Hour.

Road listening report (part 1?)

One of the many things I enjoy about being on the road is catching up on my listening! So many CDs to review, so many shows to evaluate for my various radio gigs, and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of my own performances. I’ll spare you the report on my own sets, but here is a list (in no particular order) of some of the music I have heard since driving out of Oakland Monday morning:

  • Mike Agranoff, Ain’t Never Been Plugged – “The Wine Song” and “’60s Mudley” are two particular favorites from this disc.
  • Steve Goodman, Jessie’s Jig and Other Favorites – “Door Number Three” is so great, and Goodman’s amazing solo acoustic guitar work on “It’s a Sin to Tell a Lie.”
  • Blind Corn Liquor Pickers, Appalachian Trail
  • The Pretenders, Break Up the Concrete – Chrissie Hynde is one of the great rockers of all time, and this album is right up there with her best work.
  • Grateful Dead 5/1/81 – Bob Wagner’s audience recording, coming soon to the Sirius XM Grateful Dead Channel. The set list is utterly typical of the era, but it’s all very well-played and powerful; this recording captures the excitement very well.
  • Beatles Beatles Beatles – I have a ton of Beatles albums in the iPod because I’m playing in a “Beatles jam band” called Rubber Souldiers and having the time of my life. Revisiting old favorites and becoming intimate with corners of the catalog that I hadn’t studied closely before – the genius of this band is inexhaustible, and so is the pleasure of hearing and playing these songs.
  • Mudcrutch – “Crystal River” in particular.
  • Harry Belafonte, Calypso – My parents listened to this record constantly when I was a kid, and hearing it again is a deep, deep journey into the roots of my musical consciousness. Plus: “Man Smart, Woman Smarter”!
  • Ry Cooder, I, Flattop – the man is a genius, a musical novelist, a national treasure.
  • Bourgeois Gypsies, Faulty Fairytales – I enjoyed my first pass through this CD and I will listen to it again.
  • Rodney Crowell, Sex and Gasoline -great songs, great-sounding record, passionate humanitarian expressions.
  • The Water Brothers Band, Back to the Barn – Pat Campbell sent me this CD. I love this kind of stuff.
  • Hot Buttered Rum – Zac Matthews’ songs. We’ve been playing together since he left the band and I am learning some of these songs to play with him.
  • The Felice Brothers – my pal Mike Shaw gave me this one to check out. I’m enjoying it.
  • Seconds on End, California Sky
  • Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, Tangled Tales. Striking It Rich is one of my favorite records of all time (“I Scare Myself” is a classic!); glad to see him back in the saddle and I am looking forward to further encounters with this disc.
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    Buddy Miller

    Second-hand info but I know it’s reliable:

    Following his show in Baltimore last Thursday evening, Buddy Miller was not feeling well. After consulting doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital, tests revealed some heart blockage. It was determined that surgery was needed right away. He is now resting and recovering and expected to be released from hospital shortly. Buddy and his family would like to thank all for their well wishes and prayers. If you’d like to send wishes to Buddy you can send them to: PO Box 120479, Nashville, TN 37212

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    Gans on tour: southwest and beyond

    Still trying to fill in a Las Vegas play for Tuesday, March 3. Stay tuned…

    Friday, Feb 27, 7pm: House concert in Placitas NM. Email for details & reservations

    Sunday, March 1, 7pm MST: “House” concert at KZMU in Moab, Utah. Live performance at the radio station (1734 Rocky Road, Moab) and streaming online at kzmu.org. It’s the Kokopelli Coffee House with host Backofbeyondananda. Suggested donation $10 and some food to share.

    Monday, March 2, 6:30pm: House concert in Salt Lake City. Suggested donation $10 and some food to share. Email wickenden@gmail.com for more info.

    Wednesday, March 4, 9:00 pm: Flagstaff Brewing Company, 16 E. Route 66, Flagstaff AZ. No cover!

    Saturday, March 7, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm: Grand Lake Farmers’ Market at Splash Pad Park (across from the Grand Lake Theater) in Oakland CA. Free! Great produce, crafts, and prepared foods.

    Saturday, March 7, 6pm: Rubber Souldiers and Batacha play a benefit and auction for the Nonesuch School. Masonic Center, 373 N. Main, Sebastopol CA. $20, or $15 if you bring 3 cans of food for the food bank. 707-696-6800.

    Saturday, March 14, 3-5pm: Saturday Casual & Cozy winter time Music Series at Iron Springs Pub and Brewery, 765 Center Blvd., Fairfax, CA. No cover!

    March 26-29: Suwannee SpringFest, at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak FL (just across the Georgia line). DG plays solo and with Rubber Souldiers! Plus Donna the Buffalo, Emmitt Nershi Band, The Duhks, The Lee Boys, Darrell Scott, Darol Anger & Mike Marshall with Väsen, Blueground Undergrass, Dread Clampitt, more TBA.

    April 17-18: SpringJam 5 at Camp Zoe, Salem MO. The Schwag, NRPS, Donna Jean Gochaux, Moonalice, DG, and more.

    Sunday, May 17: Rubber Souldiers, the Raveups, and others perform “’60s British Explosion Unplugged!” at the Freight and Salvage, 1111 Addison Street, Berkeley

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    My CD The Ones That Look the Weirdest Taste the Best is getting airplay all over the country. If you aren’t hearing it on your local AAA, Americana, or jamband station/show, please help the cause by requesting it! And of course, buying a copy. Lots of info, audio samples, and several ways to buy it, either all at once or individual tracks – see the Weirdest page.

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