The day a little g was hatched.

Thanks to all who made RADIOTHON a success for greenarrowradio as we toppled the goal of 800$ with a total of 1280$. THANK YOU.

Todays show looked like this.
In a Gadda Da Vida, Yat Kha
Im Telech, the Idan Raichel Project
Beauty, Wax Poetic
Thylicine, Wayne Warwick Williams
Tabey Tarate, Tartit
Wosoubour, Vieux Farka Toure/Eccodek Remix
Dear God, Sarah McLaughlin
Psychedelia in A, Emily Grogan
One More Day, King Johnson
Do your Thing, Papa Mali
***CONVERSATION WIT PAPA MALI***
Honeybee, Papa Mali
Down the Road, Little Feat
Footsteps, JJ Grey & Mofro
Turpentine, JJ Grey & Mofro
Flatbush & Church Revisited, Vernon Reid & Masque
the Chamber, Neal Schon
Blues for Charles, Julian Kasper
by the Rivers of Babylon, Jorma Kaukonen
Indios do Norte, Forro in the Dark
Asa Branca, F.I.T. Dark feat. David Byrne
Bara, Source w/Abdoulaye Diabate
Wait a Minute, Reuben Wilson
Hot Tub, Cadillac Jones
Sex God, Liquid Soul
Restraint, Keller Williams
Lil Sexy Blues, Keller Williams
Thankful n Thoughtful, Robert Randolph Family Band
I Drink, Southern Crush

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Stars in my Crown by Jorma

A brand new solo release on Red House, Five years after Blue Country Heart, this new release finds Jorma Kaukonen continuing and expanding on that Grammy-nominated work. Not generally a prolific writer, Kaukonen has written a welcome five of the disc’s fourteen numbers this time out. They range from the perfect and prayerful opener “Overture: Heart Temporary,” with its 12-piece string section holding his acoustic guitar and vocal aloft, to the lilting instrumental “A Life Well Lived.” Jorma’s choice of covers has left him room to make them his own, while also adding to the portrait of who he is as an artist, and how he got there. Continuing the journey through American roots music he started in the early 1960’s, Jorma cooks up a tasty collection of down-home blues, bluegrass, folk, country gospel and reggae. Stars In My Crown was recorded in Nashville and is rooted in classic Americana, flavored with a laid-back bluesy feel. This album certainly shows off Jorma’s ability to hears songs in a different light then those who wrote them before him. While he does have quite a collection of backing musicians on this album, it is obvious that Jorma is his own star and another shining jewel in the history of sound. As i sit and listen for the fourth time through, I look forward to locating the quirky tastes of individual personality this guitar master tempts us with as his signature style. And then I look to his website for tour dates….

***** MisterG rating

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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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Radiothon day, the 1st verse.

We had special guest galore…Pete Karensky, the Right Reverend Douglas McNeil, Moustapha, Lotring…we had studio A rockin’ for sure. We thank all of those who called in to pledge their support to greenarrowradio on behalf of WHUS. THANK YOU!

Power of Soul, Band of Gypsys
Wind it Up, Moe
No Woman, No Cry- Honeytribe
Courage, Vieux Farka Toure
Road to Peace, Tom Waits
Something Went Right, George Soule
Home Movies, Jamie McLean band
***Surprise Chat with Jamie McLean***
This Time Around, Jamie McLean band
Tribal Gathering, the Byrds
Heliotrope, Robyn Hitchcock
Jubilee, Patti Smith
Family Band, Tragically Hip
La Flor de la Chamiza, Inti-Illimani
***Conversation w/Jorge Coulon of Inti-Illimani***
Coffee, Papa Mali
Peaches En Regalia, Frank Zappa
Push Comes to Shove, John Hammond
Louisiana Sky, John Popper Project w/DJ LOGIC
Sister Twisted, Kinky
The Good, the Bad, the Ugly, the Dillingers
Theme from Magnificent Seven, the Dillingers

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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.

Icey Conditions…

Blue Honey, Pop Levi
A Style Called Crying Chic, Pop Levi
Don’t Worry About the Gov’t, Talking Heads
Homework, Peter Wolf
Too Close Together, Peter Wolf
Old Friend, Al & the Transamericans
Lost & Found, Al & the Transamericans
Shine my Cadillac, Craig Catfish Griffin
Columbus Stockade, NO Blues
Avalon Highway, ZZ Top
Get Ready, Oteil & the Peacemakers
I’ll be the One, Warren Haynes (live)
Do Right, Jimmie’s Chicken Shack
***Conversation w/J.J. Grey***
War, J.J. Grey & Mofro
Country Ghetto, J.J. Grey & Mofro
Footsteps, J.J. Grey & Mofro
Turpentine, J.J. Grey & Mofro
Tailspin, Moe.
Courage, Vieux Farka Toure
Sidiki, Baba Maal
Dee Moo Woor, Orchestra Baobab
Catfish Blues, Taj & Cultural Club of Zanzibar
Insurreccion, Son Radical
Banal Reality, Organic Grooves
Funky Good Time, Melvin Sparks
***Conversation with Melvin Sparks***
Bad Mama Jama, Melvin Sparks
Minha Magia, Panchito
Tales of Change, James Robinson
Wave upon Wave, James Robinson
While my Guitar Gently Weeps, Jake Shimabukuro
Wa, Kaissa
drumbone, Blue Man Group
Oceania, Bobby Previte’s Coalition of the Willing
Doomed, Galactic
Rocket, Nikki Armstrong

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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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Vieux Farka Toure rocks the Iron Horse

Last night was something special. We arrived early and caught the sound check, which produced one of the coolest and most original guitar jam of the evening…and there were many. We met up with other journalists and discussed Vieux and his father but mostly the home country to them, Mali. The green room was the spot for our conversation. We shared laughter and languages, handshakes and with some heritage, it was as real as the very earth we stand on. The guys at Modiba Productions are doing this tour right. They are a team of people, treating each other and us as family and it really hits you when they are on stage. The crowd was to the back walls and as you looked around they were smiling from thirsty earhole to thirsty earhole, most containing the urge for dancing until the end of the show…oh, this music makes you dance like no one is watching. Vieux was filled with energy and enthusiasm as always on stage and off. Many tracks of his new self titled release are featured during the show, and there are some surprises also. Many of the people in attendance walked away with their copy, I suggest you find yours. O.K….LET’S GO!!

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Also, check out the first music video in Vieux’s career.

produced by Andrea Wozny

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

G. Love at Lupo’s in Providence

The place was packed with a group ready to hip, hop and bounce around to the good time feelings and sound of G. Love & the Special Sauce. There was a nice blend here of new album material both with the Special Sauce and acoustic G. As with the majority of the crowd, Garret doesn’t stay still very long on stage, slapping five with the folks in the front and movin’ and shakin’ it the entire show. The energy and fervor really spill over onto the crowd like a guitar pick being tossed into the front rows. The band rocked and rolled into the early hours and made us all feel cooler than we felt before we walked into the Heartbreak Hotel, and I for one, still feel like the FONZ to this moment after sharing some time being a part of this event. Ayyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeee!!

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G during ‘Shootin Hoops’

the newest of dwarf..SleepyG.

Don’t lie to me, the Rolling Stones
Around & Around, the Rolling Stones
2120 S. Michigan Ave., the Rolling Stones
Tore up Over you, Jerry Garcia Band (live 5/21/76)
Gone Daddy Gone, Gnarls Barkley
Polkarama, Weird Al
Hot’Lanta, The NRG Band
Wosoubour, Vieux Farka Toure w/Eccodek remix
Power & Force, Desiree Bassett
Another Day, Desiree Bassett (in-studio A)
Circles, Desiree Bassett (in-studio A)
Don’t Want you no More, Desiree Bassett (in-studio A)
Aurora, Desiree Bassett
I Like Birds, Eels (live w/Strings)
Hey Man, Eels (live w/Strings)
Porchswing, Bourbon Princess
My Girl, Melvin Sparks
Holla!, G.Love & Special Sauce
Beautiful, G. Love/Tristian Prettyman
Honeybee, Papa Mali
Nobody’s Fault but Mine, NO blues
Tibidi Waka, Vusi Mahlasela w/Derek Trucks
Wine & Women, Pedro Arevalo
Celebrate your Youth, Keller Williams
***CONVERSATION WITH KELLER WILLIAMS***
Cadillac, Keller Williams/Bob Weir
Ninja of Love, Keller Williams/Michael Franti
Restraint, Keller Williams
Girlwatcher, Yellowman (live in S.F.)
distractions 2, the rh factor
Can’t Stop, the rh factor
Wise Man Say, Dubconscious
Tabara, Vieux Farka Toure w/Ali Farka Toure
Ma Hine Cocore, Vieux Farka Toure

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Remembering DJ.

A tough year indeed for us Celtics at heart.

One of the greatest teammates and team players to ever play this game.

Full Name: Dennis Wayne Johnson
Born: 9/18/54 in Compton, Calif.
Died: 2/22/07
High School: Dominguez (Compton, Calif.)Junior College: Los Angeles Harbor (Calif.)
College: Pepperdine University
Drafted: Seattle SuperSonics, 1976 (29th overall)
Transactions: Traded to Phoenix Suns, 6/4/80; Traded to Boston Celtics, 6/27/83 Nickname: DJ
Height: 6-4
Weight: 200 lbs.
Honors: NBA champion (1979, ’84, ’86); NBA Finals MVP (1979); All-NBA First Team (1981); All-NBA Second Team (1980); All-Defensive First Team (1979-83, ’87); All-Defensive Second Team (1984-86); Five-time NBA All-Star 1979-82, ’85).

FOR DJ’s Career stats click here.

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Remembering that steal.

A Keller Williams Conversation

Check out my conversation with Keller Williams. The usual one man band has some rather impressive friends on his new album DREAM. We talk about the album, the dog and so much more that you won’t want to miss out. A little background: Singer, songwriter, & guitarist Keller Williams is literally a one-man jam band. His fascinating live shows feature him solo on-stage with a Gibson Echoplex Digital Pro looping unit, and he creates his backing loops in the moment, building and improvising as he goes on his custom-made ten-string guitar, and thanks to his equally as quirky, upbeat, & semi-surreal songs (which he frequently weaves into extended, half-improvised medleys) and his warm, friendly tenor singing voice, Williams is an utterly unique performer whose musical eccentricities don’t keep him from being immediately accessible. This is easy to tell from our chat.

Enjoy our conversation here.

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Stanton Moore, a musician’s drummer.

Born and raised in New Orleans (and living there still, when he’s not on the road), Stanton Moore is very much a product of geography, culture and creative networking. He grew up in the thriving music scene of his hometown that included Professor Longhair, Dr John, the Meters and countless other Big Easy mainstays. In the early ‘90s, Moore hooked up with guitarist Jeff Raines, bassist Robert Mercurio and keyboardist Rich Vogel and saxophonist Ben Ellman to form the New Orleans-based “steam-roller” funk band known as Galactic. There is so much to one of the hardest working guys in music, be it educating kids, being involved in multiple side projects (His Trio and Garage a Trois), Moore is credited on so many great diverse albums out there, it was just a matter of time before I got a hold of him as a new found friend of greenarrowradio.

Check out our conversation here.

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Add some spices and let ‘er rip.

Push Comes to Shove, John Hammond
I’m Tore Down, John Hammond/G. Love
You Know that’s Cold, John Hammond
Mustang Sally, Buddy Guy/Jeff Beck
Nobody’s Fault but Mine, NO blues
Dead Shrimp Blues, Peter Green
Come on in my Kitchen, Peter Green
Jungle Tango, Jazz Mandolin Project
Ain’t Gonna Work, Leftover Salmon
Bayou Country, Dread Clampitt
Arachnid Stomp, Sam Bush/David Grisman
Struttin’, Tommy Emmanuel
That’s all Right, James Cotton
Boot Knockin’ Blues, James Cotton
Play w/Your Poodle, James Cotton
***Conversation with James Cotton***
Don’t Start me Talkin’, Cotton w/Kenny Neal
That’s What Love will Make you do, Gov’t Mule (live)
Everybody’s up to Something, Brian Setzer
Why You Wanna Bring Me Down, Honeytribe
Harper & the Midget, Twinemen
Breakfast in Bed, Alton/Hortense Ellis
Waiting in Vain, Rolla
Dub the Right Way, King Tubby
There’s Dub, King Tubby
Khaleegi Stomp, Trans-global Underground
Debbie’s Jungle Boogie, Skeebo Knight
Credits, the Aquarium
Channel 9, the Aquarium
Your Mama’s got a Complex, Dr. Lonnie Smith
Fallin’ off the Floor, Stanton Moore
***Conversation with Stanton Moore***
Everybody Wants Some Parts 1-3, Galactic
Bear no Hair, Garage a Trois
Bread & Water, Robert Walter
Will Run, Raq
If it Don’t fit Don’t Force it, Melvin Sparks/Nikki Armstrong
the Hop, Radio Citizen w/Bajka
Beautiful, G.Love w.Tristan Prettyman
Leap of Faith, Sara Wasserman/DJ Logic/Alan Evans

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James Cotton…SUPERHARP

2007 is James Cotton’s 63rd year in the entertainment business. What an amazing adventure this man is experiencing with his little harmonica. Congratulations SUPERHARP! Cotton will be playing the Hungry Tiger in Manchester, Connecticut on February 22nd along with another blues legend James Montgomery. Make sure you bring your boogie shoes for this one! Cotton has always been known for having one of the best bands in the business. The line-up for the past several years has been: Slam Allen, guitar, vocals; Tom Holland, guitar; Charles Mack, bass; Mark Mack, drums; and, of course, Superharp, James Cotton. His eyes light up when he talks about his band, “My audience always tells me how I’m doing. If I look out there and don’t like what I see, I work harder.” His audiences are still on their feet, they enjoy themselves as much as he does, and there are still standing ovations night after night. You will have a memorable evening with an international treasure and a true Living Legend of the Blues.

Check out our quick talk here.

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John Hammond jr–Push Comes to Shove

The collaboration of veteran bluesman John Hammond and contemporary Philly hip-hop/soulman G Love could make some blues purists run for the hills, the duo’s work here shows there is nothing to be running from. G. produces the 64 year old Hammond’s newest release, which John actually tackles some songwriting of his own. If you recall my conversations with Garrett and John last year, we touched on that aspect. This is a release destined for good things, with that ‘lets find some trouble‘ guitar moan and the bar-b-q sizzler of harmonica, blues enthusiasts will be thrilled to the bone. For those of you looking for a cross-over track, try #5 I’m Tore Down, which features a dash of hip hop and rap colliding with the fusion of a well produced album, not an over produced mess.

MisterG Rating *****

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