Tommy Emmanuel, more than the guitar.

The pleasure was all mine getting a moment to talk with Mr. Emmanuel. His work is that which I hear differently every time I get a taste. Tommy Emmanuel has a professional career that spans over four decades and continues to intersect with some of the finest musicians throughout the world. A household name in his native Australia, Tommy has garnered hundreds of thousands of loyal fans worldwide. Tommy’s unique style – “finger style” – is akin to playing guitar the way a pianist plays piano, using all ten fingers. But to me, this conversation reveals more than the love of songwriting and guitar playing, but a respect for the learning, teaching and the soul inside of style. If I am introducing you to someone new here, I hope you take more than a short moment to dive in, if you are one of the many who already are amazed by what you see and hear when Tommy Emmanuel plays, listen to our conversation here to perhaps see into ‘the mystery’.
I want to thank Tommy, his management and Kevin Richards at Favored Nations for helping me meet up with Tommy.

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A Moment in the ‘HuH?’ with Bassnectar.

I want you all to be sure to open your minds and check out some true genre bending sonic sounds that will work its way into your heartbeat sometime during its spin. Underground Communication by Bassnectar is freeform project that merges music, art, new media, social involvement, and community values; dedicated to a constantly-evolving ethos of collaborative creation, self-reinvention, and boundary-pushing experimentation…now doesn’t that fit like a g-love for greenarrowradio..hmmmmm?
It is unjust for me to drop my feeling about this album or to point you in a direction of any one song…it is one you need to dissect and digest for your self.

For starters, spend a moment in the huh with Bassnectar and MisterG here.

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What’s happening with Rob Wasserman

Shortly before he makes his way to Europe with Lou Reed for the BERLIN project, I had an opportunity to talk with Rob Wasserman about what has been going on recently and to see if there might be a look into some sounds to come. Known by many for his Grammy award winning album Duets, his creative partnerships with many great artists from Reed and Elvis Costello to members of the Grateful Dead family including Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir, Rob is getting a chance these days to make some music for himself and has actually shared some of that to premier on greenarrowradio. It is a pleasure to hear someone speak so naturally about the bass and the approach to creating new sounds without ever compromising the integrity of the music. In this conversation, there is an inside look at who Rob is working with these days and where he stands in his efforts to put together a special album with DVD documentary, the Woody Guthrie Project has been an on-going effort for Rob and we find out where that project stands today. I want to thank Clare , Sara and of course Rob for taking the time to speak with me and bring brand new (and wildly hot) music for my listeners and their open minds and thirsty earholes. So stay tuned to WHUS and greenarrowradio for more of this previously unreleased and fresh music.

Check out our Conversation here.

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Stratospheerius’ Joe Deninzon

Lead by electric violinist/vocalist/mandolinist Joe Deninzon, Stratospheerius unleash their fourth collection of songs. Hot on the heals of their acclaimed CD, “Live Wires“, “Headspace” brings their live energy into the studio. Vocal rock anthems like “New Material, “Old Ghosts“, and “Today is Tomorrow“, shout alongside some ripping instrumentals. From the bluegrass punk of “Gutterpunk Blues“, to the psychedelic roller coaster ride of “Mental Floss“, and the bigger and louder sequel to the Heavy Metal Hora “Heavy Shtettle II“. The disc also features a unique cover of The PoliceDriven to Tears“. This album is filled with memorable hooks alongside the ‘without a net’ instrumental jams the group has built its reputation on. Influences range from the Mahavishnu Project, Mr. Frank Zappa and the mighty Zeppelin, to Dave Matthews, Radiohead, Jeff Beck, and Bela Fleck.
I had the chance to chat with Joe to discuss the new album, the strangest billings he’s been a part of and….well just LISTEN TO OUR CONVERSATION HERE.

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with thanks to Anne at LeightonMedia

Beau Sasser of Akashic Record

Akashic Record is the funk brainchild of drummer Tom Arey and hammond organ whiz Beau Sasser formerly of the perennial Boston jamband , Uncle Sammy. The group began as a trio, utilizing the guitar work and composition skills of Roman Zeitlin(Zap Mama), and quickly gained national notoriety with a performance at the 2003 New Orleans Jazz Fest. Morphing into a quintet lineup in 2004, the group solidified with frontman Brian Thomas on trombone, Timo Shanko on tenor sax and Johnny Trauma on guitar.Playing consistently in the Northeast, their floor shakin’ live show continues to thrill capacity crowds night after night. Beau and his band mates will bring this family friendly funking good time to Tyrone Farm in Pomfret CT this Sunday May 27th. Hey boo boo bring yer pic-a-nic basket.

Check out my chat with Mr. Sasser here.

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Embrace Bomb Squad’s Brenna Gethers

I recently had the opportunity to talk with Ms. Brenna Gethers, the front woman of the Connecticut based funk group the BOMB SQUAD. Some might recognize her name from being a finalist on American Idol a few years ago, but the future looks to be fortified with some straightforward attitude and a little down home happy funk that is sure to please all those true music seekers. Those seekers need to look no further than on June the 9th at the Danbury Music Festival in Danbury CT, and again on June 22nd at the Skybox in Fairfield. You know that I’ll be at one of these events and I will be looking for you. To tempt your open minds and thirsty earholes even further, I will be getting some new material to PREMIERE on the show in the very near future. So stay tuned in!!

Check out Brenna taking a moment to talk with me here.

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Re-Visiting with Pedro Arevalo

Our good friend Pedro Arevalo will be visiting the area with Dickey Betts and Great Southern May 24-27 at the Ridgefield Playhouse and the Mohegan Sun Casino. I look forward to bringing you fine open minded and thirsty earholed listeners a first hand review of one of these shows, but strongly suggest you get out there yourself and get a feel for this rockin’ live show! In our visit, we talk about what has been going on in the last year, side projects and there are some real clear hints of some new, unheard recordings coming home with me to be spun just for you all…..stay tuned for the goods.

Pedro Arevalo and MisterG catching up here.

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Pedro Arevalo

Anyone for some FUNKY SAX?

A saxophone legend, Berklee alum, and all-around funk genius, Sam Kininger is building his fan-base and repertoire simultaneously at clubs across the country. Kininger has been in legendary funk/soul groups since the beginning, including, but not limited to Lettuce, Soulive and the Brotherhood of Groove. As a solo artist Sam Kininger has developed a distinctive, organic sound on the saxophone that is strongly expressive. He consistently demonstrates his technical dexterity and rhythmic precision while maintaining an honest and innovative exploration of musical improvisation.
Sam will be bringing his “knock the walls down” sound of funk and groove to the Main Pub in Manchester CT on May 19th and if you like you sax funky, I will see you there.

Check out Sam and I talkin’ turkey here.

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the Poogie Bell Band Brings IT

Poogie Bell‘s drums is what you hear on many of the world’s finest jazz, neo-soul, R&B and hip-hop records. Performer, record producer, composer, and arranger, you’ve heard his work with artists including Chaka Khan, Marcus Miller, Stanley Clarke, Roberta Flack, Erykah Badu, David Bowie, John Scofield, David Sanborn, Angelique Kidjo, Al Jarreau, Vanessa Williams, Victor Wooten, and Randy Crawford. Native of New York and a second generation musician he has been immersed in music since he was born. Taking cues from his father, a jazz musician and professor of music, Poogie has always had an inherent connection to music. As hard as it may be to believe, he started playing at the age of ten months old and made his concert debut when he was two and half at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Hall with his father. By the time he was five he’d already appeared on The Mike Douglas Show with Pearl Bailey. As a kid it wasn’t unusual for Poogie to see the likes of drummer Max Roach, saxophonist Ornette Coleman, pianist Marylou Williams, bassists, Paul Chambers, Ron Carter and Richard Davis in his living room jammin’ with his father. Poogie is doing his own project with The Poogie Bell Band!

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You can catch the Poogie Bell Band at the Main Pub on Saturday night, April 28. Listen to my conversation with Poogie RIGHT HERE.

Talking with Ellie Vee of the Charms

When Little Steven began signing bands to his new label, Wicked Cool Records, one of the bands at the top of the list was Boston-based purveyors of the garage rock movement, the Charms. On February 14, the Charms make their Wicked Cool debut with Strange Magic, their fourth release. The Charms’ sound garnered them attention from the very beginning when lead singer/songwriter Ellie Vee and guitarist Joe Wizda formed the band in 2002. Their first demo immediately caught the ear of Bill Kelly (Teenage Wasteland) and Gene Simmons, who was so impressed by what he heard that he called Ellie Vee personally to offer his feedback. The demo also landed in the hands of their manager Steev Riccardo who pushed the band to record their first CD Charmed I’m Sure. The disc was released in January 2003 on Red Car Records, a label stared by Riccardo, Vee and Wizda. Reaction to the CD was immediate with heavy airplay on college radio and specialty garage rock radio shows, and media coverage in local publications. Before long the Charms became one of the most popular bands in Boston. This band is even more red hot in a live setting, but the studio work gives you a great feel for this band living inside the world of high powered rock-n-roll.

Check out Ellie Vee & MisterG chatting here.

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DJ Mister Rourke to the Quiet Corner

April 6th TURNTABLE MADNESS and LIVE REGGAE: Mister Rourke, Axel Foley, DJ Reazon,and Zion Blood: Heading to Tyrone Farm in Pomfret Connecticut.
Prepare yourself for new concepts as scratch musicians Mister Rourke, Axel Foley and DJ Reazon improvise together live on six turntables, manipulating every imaginable noise from their arsenal of samples. Rourke is considered a pioneer of using the turntable in a live band setting. He has performed with his eight piece ensembles Fat Bag, The Formula, and with countless bands in genres including Hip Hop, Funk, Dub Reggae, Free Jazz, Electronica, Blues, Ambient, Moroccan, Trip Hop, R&B, African and even Gospel. His work has earned him three Boston Music Awards, he has been featured in the Boston Globe, jambase.com, Hip Hop Nation, Billboard Magazine, MTVs The Real World and HBO’s The Chris Rock Show. His music has also been used in short films, commercials, video games, made-for television movies, and a variety of local art exhibits. The DJ’s will be joined by Zion Blood, a Boston based progressive dub reggae trio which has been playing in Boston for the past 2 years. Their style is innovative, their compositions are original and the playing is spot on.

Check out my convo with DJ Mister Rourke here.

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Tony Tyler MORE!!!!

Music Matters Entertainment and Jamland Productions presents an evening with Wet Willie, with opening act the Tony Tyler Trance, on Saturday, April 7 at Club 29 in Decatur, GA. This is the full Wet Willie lineup, including founding members Jimmy & Jack Hall! Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see these icons of Southern Rock. Jack Hall of Wet Willie has recently joined Alabama blues greats Mojo:Saint. I’m pleased to announce that Mojo:Saint has just been added to the lineup, and will go on at 8:30. I had the chance to record another conversation with Tony Tyler, who about a year ago was just getting it all started and I believe you will see what I mean when I say “My how he has grown”. As the opportunities get more and more, Tony seems to have a good grip on where he wants to be and what he needs to do. We discuss the above mentioned show, a little on the new album and as always some fun banter.

Listen to Tony Tyler conversation here.

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Get out and see TOUBAB KREWE.

On April 6th at the Main Pub in Manchester, come on out and witness Toubab Krewe, a fusion of West African music and some “dirty south” influences that combined create a hybrid of rock and roll yet tapped into. The magnetic instrumental quintet formed in early 2005 and has attracted a diverse and devoted national following, captivating crowds everywhere from the Bonnaroo Music Festival and the Blue Note to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The band’s energetic performances and acclaimed self-titled debut have won them praise from the New York Times, Global Rhythm, and Afropop Worldwide. I had the opportunity to speak with percussionist Luke Quaranta recently and would like to introduce some new ears to this splendid sound.

Check out the conversation with Luke Here.

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A double dose of Cherryholmes

Friday March 23rd and Saturday March 24th, Cherryholmes brings its family style bluegrass show to the stage of Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts at the Storrs campus of the University of Connecticut. The band goes by the family’s surname, and got its start after Jere and Sandy Cherryholmes took the family on a road trip to a bluegrass festival. The trip was meant to be a spirit-lifter after the death of their daughter Shelley. The festival inspired the couple, who were homeschooling their children, to add music to the educational agenda. Molly and B.J. played fiddle, Skip played guitar. Eldest sister Cia, 22, took up banjo and became the band’s singer and songwriter as well. Now, after only four years of performing, Cherryholmes have been signed to country star Ricky Skaggs’ label. The family’s tour bus is headquartered in Goodlettesville, a suburb of Nashville, Tenn., where they moved two years ago. But the bus is rarely in the driveway — the Cherryholmes family is on a stage most nights of the year. And I am pleased to bring a quick conversation with Jerry Cherryholmes, as he was able to step away from rehearsal long enough for a quick chat.

Listen to our conversation here.

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Bill Payne of Little Feat

Well, here’s the deal. Both Billy and I had a scratchy reception. We forged ahead as it was the only time that would work for us. There was some good chatter back and forth about the visit to The Wolf Den on March 18th 2007, the latest Little Feat excursion to Jamaica, and I do try and pry a little into what Billy is up to in a solo artists vane. Payne, who co-founded Little Feat with the late, great Lowell George 35 years ago, has been Little Feat’s keyboardist – and its pilot – throughout the band’s existence, writing and singing such beloved classics as ”Oh Atlanta,“ ”Day or Night,“ ”Time Loves a Hero“ and ”Gringo,“ while ”steering a ship that was rudderless,“ as he puts it. He’s also contributed to hundreds of records as a sideman. The list of the artists Payne has recorded with is as lengthy as a small-town telephone book, ranging from Jackson Browne to Beck to Jimmy Buffett – and that’s just some of the ”B“s. Although the quality of this recording is sub par, I still wanted to make it available.

Check out our scratchy chat here.

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Inti-Illimani heading to Jorgensen

The group was formed by students at Universidad Técnica del Estado at Santiago, Chile in 1967. In 1973 as they were on tour abroad, Pinochet came to power. Having heard of the numerous extra-judicial killings of many fellow artists by Chile‘s army, they took up residence in Italy. They continued their efforts supporting democracy internationally; samizdat copies of their work continued to be widely distributed in Chile. In September 1988, days after they were no longer banned from their home country, they began touring Chile again. They helped organize the voting down of the referendum that would have re-elected Pinochet. Recently, they were actually supported by Chile as representatives of Chilean culture. Much like a Zen affirmation, Inti-Illimani’s music floats within your soul with sounds of traditional Latin American music with the windows open paying attention to its surroundings. Come out March 15th to see this very special group as they celebrate a new album release and their 40th anniversary at our Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts.

Check out my conversation with founding member Jorge Coulon here.

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Doin’ our Thing w/Papa Mali

Papa Mali and I have been trying to connect up for a little bit now and we finally put the pieces together. He has been touring around with Galactic supporting his swampy hot sophomoric release dubbed DO YOUR THING. This album here is one for the books. I tell you, it takes on a storm of sounds, some noticeably familiar to our senses…while others really gives us time to reflect and others still…..time to bob and weave like a funky soul chicken. DO YOUR THING really is an album worth personifying and giving an identity to, it could become one of your best pals. It is warm and welcoming, like Papa Mali himself and it welcomes you in for some spiced gumbo that knocks your socks off. In our chat we get a chance to discuss the new album, the first album and some shared friends in Stanton Moore and J.J. Grey. You can check out Papa Mali’s show coming to Lupo’s with Galactic on March 27th, be sure to bring your voodoo dancing boots and your positive spirit to this one folks.

Check out our conversation here.

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Melvin Sparks-A FUNKY Good Time.

The night was set..there was a very nice crowd at the Main Pub in Manchester, CT. Melvin was in rare form I thought. You know, it is always good but there was this medley at the end of the night that just blew the house down. A Parliament and P-Funk type jam ensued out of the fog, and I know my head is still spinning from this funkin’ good time. We had real serious dancing grooves going on, sexy mamas out there shaking their booties and there was even a couple of your favorite WHUS DJ’s spotted in the crowd AND on the dance floor. In this conversation, Melvin tells a tale revolving around his first on stage experience with the late/great Mister James Brown.

Check out our chat right here: you dig.

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Melvin and G right before the show.

What’s new w/J.J. Grey & Mofro?

I took some time recently to catch up with our friend J.J Grey of the Florida based group Mofro. The new album is doing well and the first leg of the tour has been reportedly “blowing J.J. away”. The fans have been ready for a new album and there should be no disappointment when the get through listening to COUNTRY GHETTO. This album has some noticeable differences throughout and is still, like the others filled with solid songwriting, thoughtful care and flare and possibly an album like no other. But, check out our quick catch up session and get it from the man himself. I’d like to thank J.J and Megan from Madison House Publicity for helping make this happen once again.

Check out our Catch Up Session here.

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Desiree Bassett: Keepin’ R-n-R Alive!

Desi was hanging out in studio A once again….We discussed her recent trip to L.A. at NAMM, a timetable on heading into the studio and as usual, she rocked the station to its knees. Check out the link to her in studio session with me and give the video from the WIMBASH a look-see as well. You will thank me. It is good to know rock and roll is safe.

Listen to our in STUDIO A time here.

Watch the VIDEO here.

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Desi And Joe Satriani NAMM 2007