Duke Robillard.

I am groovin`with Guitar Groove-A-Rama by Duke Robillard.

If you are looking for a blues guitar library you will find it in this recording.

Duke is all over the place on this one.

The liner notes are very helpful explaining the different styles
he is digging in using all kind of guitars to faithfully achieve the sounds
he is after.

On the first track "Do the Memphis Grind" a swampy little tune he wrote
he uses a Strat, although he owes his style
on this one to the Telecaster sound.

On "Gambler Blues" he is using a new Gretch White Falcon
while on the next track "Down Along the Cove" he is also using
a 65 Epiphone Cortez flattop.

On "Sewed Up" he plays a 1952 Gibson L7C and so on.

It is a really fun album that i like a lot and i love to jam with.

It is released on Stony Plain Records
and it`s made in Canada.

It is a must have for Blues Lovers.

No matter what type of Blues you are into you
will learn some new licks and tricks on this one.

St.Patrick`s Day.

Yesterday, Saturday , was St.Patrick`s day .

The snow from the day before was still there, now turning to ice,
so the pub-restaurant owners were having a hard time clearing the pavements
for the hordes of Irish customers.

Irish groups such as The Pogues
were performing at Roseland
and The Chieftains at
Carnegie Hall and so many other
less known bands all around the city at the so many Irish pubs.

I stayed home, occasionally staring out of my window to get a glimpse
of what was going on at one of the most popular Irish Restaurants in the city
just across the street.

I listened and jammed along to the fine blues tunes Max Bauer was playing
on his show on WKCR called "Something Inside Me."
While working on the lyrics of a new tune i wrote
i found myself jamming along with one of my favorite players
who always inspires me Mr.Sonny Landreth.

Kathleen liked the sounds she was hearing coming out of my
Gibson 335 and i explained to her
that the little red stompbox responsible for the final touch was
a Dyna Comp and Sonny`s
influence had persuaded me to buy it.

Lady sings the blues.

Last night i went over to BBKing`s
to listen to a very special lady singing the blues.

Nikki Armstrong is always impressive.

I`ve witnessed her performing many times and she is always hot.

Especially in a room like Lucilles`s where she lets herself blossom.

She is all over the place interacting with the audience,
letting them sing along as she leads her band of very good musicians
smoothly from pianissimo to crescendo with her voice and moves.

As I was coming down the stairs an hour before midnight
I watched The Commitments
who were performing in the big room, but quickly entered Lucille`s
just as Nikki and the boys were grooving to an uptempo shuffle.

She welcomed me and, while Rob Chaseman, the sax player,
was taking a solo, she offered me a glass of Champagne
from the chilling bottle one of her admirers in the audience
had sent over to her.

I was standing there slowly sipping my bubbly
while listening to Nikki's heartfelt interpretation of Junior Well`s song
"Little by Little" sent chills down my spine.

A little later Nikki invited me up on the stage to sing a song with her
and we found ourselves improvising some little rhymes she came up with.

That was fun!

Phish and Paul.

Ten years ago my drummer in Athens-Greece had tried
in vain to turn me on to a band he really liked,
Phish.

Now i have at least three students who are into them.

Michael brought me their 2000 "Farmhouse" cd for to teach him
how to play songs from that album and the other day
he brought me another double cd, this time "A Live One"
from 1995.

Michael yesterday told me that he saw them live 30 times.

The more i listened to them the more i get hooked.
I like their compositions and the modal improvisations
of Mr.Trey Anastasio.

Actually it all started from showing Michael a Trey Anastasio
lesson out of an older Guitar Player issue.

I`ve got me a a copy of the latest Paul Weller
cd titled "As Is Now" that i really like.

His songwriting is at it`s best, and the songs are captured with
a Live intensity that comes alive through the speakers.

Play it Loud!

I remember the way i was introduced to him by another musician
back in Athens,when he brought me one of Paul`s cd telling me
that this guy`s voice reminds me of Yours. Mine.

Oz Noy.

Kathleen and I are in Saugerties.

We stay at our friends Martin and Nancy`s beautiful house
taking care of their three adorable pussycats Buddy,Romeo and Stella.

Being away from the city is a good way to recharge your batteries.

Eveything up here is still covered with snow
looking pure and white.

I always get inspired up here and i come up with good tunes.

Tuesday night before leaving the city i had the oportunity
to see live one amazing guitarist Mr.Oz Noy.

I first read about him at my
Guitar Player August 2006 issue
and his Master class tips there was very inspiring.

So when i `ve got an invitation to Turtle Bay Bar & Grill
where he was playing guitar for Jeff Kazee
i was more than happy to go.

We introduced ourselves and then i stayed for the whole first set
enjoying a band of amazing musicians and especially
Oz doing his magic with his Tele
a Blackface Twin and lots of stomboxes.

Check him out when he is in Your Town.

It was 40 years ago today......

Saturday morning i woke up with a feeling that something was missing.

My Guitar Player had not arrived yet.

I thought about calling the magazine and ask them where my new issue was. As a subscriber i am always one month ahead, so after checking out that the last issue i had was the March one i stopped worrying.

I love going through their lessons pages every month and always learn something new.

I spent the day studying,playing and writing and it was late evening when i finally checked out my mail-box and Yes It Was There.

"The great guitar albums of 1967" is the cover story and i was suddenly reading all the inside details about all these amazing albums that came out 40 years ago and changed my life forever.

They all came out within the same year and that`s astonishing!

I remember listening to The Beatles new album "Sgt.Pepper`Lonely Hearts Club Band" at my six years older cousin`s new stereo and i was blown away by the sound coming out of the speakers.

It was the same cousin (a famous lawyer now in Athens) who gave men "Sunshine of your Love" as a present for my tenth birthday and then my life was changed forever.

I didn't know then what i discovered today,that it was recorded right here in New York just a few blocks from where i Now Live in Atlantic Studios and that Eric Clapton during a break from tracking hit Manny`s on 48th street and purchased a Vox wah-wah that he used on his song "Tales of Brave Ulysses" and forever changed the recorded guitar sound for the second time.

That's the kind of info i love to get from reading The Guitar Player!