SnC 007 – Wed 22 March 2006

Podcast: Play in new window

Bouncing back with a lively selection of tunes from northern California, Vancouver, New York and Alabama.

Slow Gherkin – Trapped like a rat in Myers Flat
Slow Gherkin have been knocking around since their 1994 debut. The current Santa Cruz based line-up is James Rickman (vocals /guitar), AJ Marquez (vocals/ guitar), Zack Kent (bass), Zack Olson (drums) Phil Boutelle (alto sax), Ross Peard (tenor sax) Matt Porter (trombone) and Peter Cowan (keyboards).
Since 1997 they have been signed with Mike Park at Asian Man Records.
This weblink seems a bit out of date and links on the Slow Gherkin’s own site and Asian Man don’t currently work correctly. But the link does give some info on the band.
Slow Gherkin

Asian Man Records
ASIAN MAN RECORDS is a small, independent records label in Northern California, run by Mike Park out of his parents’ garage. “I’ve been putting out records for over ten years now. I have one full time employee, and my mom helps out by picking up the mail at the post office.”
Mike sounds like a man of sound principle and has a great selection of interesting music available. I promise we’ll be hearing more.
www.asianmanrecords.com

Littleton Jones – Love of your life
Littleton Jones relatively recently relocated to California from New Jersey where he played at the Dancing Goat in South Orange.
Perhaps the proprietors of the Dancing Goat cafe in Framlingham, Suffolk should follow the lead. If they took all the tables and chairs outside onto the Market Hill, along with the coffee machine, there might be room for an acoustic duo! On the other hand, keep it as it is – the coffee and atmosphere are great.
This song is from Littleton’s debut album Somewhere deep inside. His website has some video clips that are well worth a look – they really capture the spirit of live music.
www.littletonjones.com

Paula Toledo – Passport
I played a tune from Paula a few weeks ago, since then she’s been in touch to say she enjoys the mix of music, etc. It’s great the way music (and music podcasting in particular) connects people. Whilst politicians do their best to shore up all the old walls, divisions and national boundaries, they become increasingly irrelevant as we build a whole network of connections around the world.
Paula’s debut album Stay Awhile was part recorded and mixed in France – the setting for this song.
Watch out for her “other” band The Hermit too.
www.paulatoledo.com
www.hermitmusic.com

George Hrab – The Assumption
George Hrab is a multi-instrumentalist philosopher sceptic who writes, produces and performs original material. George firmly believes that the most direct route to someone’s brain is via their funny bone and dance shoes.
George, frequently steps outside his role as a drummer. He has released his fourth independent album titled “Coelacanth”, once again writing and performing on guitar, bass, keys, vocals and drums. This well received album was premiered and performed in its entirety by George’s eight-piece rock-fusion-funk-classical-jazz band, the Geologic Orchestra. His writing — much as his playing — combines a diversity of influences ranging from Ellington’s A-Train to Zappa’s Zombie Woof.
Gigs coming up:
30 March at LoveSexy’s Rock and Roll Pub @ Blaggards, 8 West 38th St. between 5th & 6th Ave. NYC (full 10 piece band)
7 April at Godfrey Daniels ( a not for profit listening club) at 7 East Fourth Street, Bethlehem, PA.

I mentioned on the show that he is a man driven by two obsessions – first the relatively easy stuff about challenging the image usually associated with drummers. The other (and jolly well done for getting this far, dear reader) is that he hopes, one day, FINALLY to break into the fast food industry.
www.geologicrecords.net

The Lascivious Biddies – Famous
Having seen the video of Betty a couple of days ago on the DSC it was impossible to resist popping Famous into the next show. The Biddies sum up all that is great about independent music: talent, fun and a passion for the music. Seeing them playing is a real teat. As ever with really skilled artists it looks effortless.
It’s so sobering to know that the guitarist Amanda Monaco has contracted MS. There’s an announcement at the end of the song about how we can all support the fight against this cruel disease. The link to the Biddies will also link you to ways that you can help.
www.biddies4ever.com

Martha’s Trouble – Brighter from here
(Rob and Jen Slocumb) from their 2002 album Sleeping Dogs.
The Slocumbs’ paths converged in Houston a decade ago, and when they met there was an almost instantaneous recognition that they would make beautiful music together. Jen was born and raised in Canada, while Rob, whose father was an executive with Texaco, moved about the southeastern United States throughout his childhood.
Neither one has any formal music training, but they’ve got more want-to than most groups plying their trade out there on the circuit. This attitude shows up in their music, which chronicles their life and times, and whose tone isn’t the least bit pretentious. “We just try to be real and personal with our songs,” said Jen. “Rob and I make music from our hearts and we share it with our audiences as though they were friends we haven’t seen in a while.”

One that had me hooked from the first bar. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve played it here in the barn.
A newer album Forget October also available through CDBABY, Amazon, etc.

www.marthastrouble.com

Frappr map
New on the site is a map.
I’m feeling very lonely on there as, apparently, the sole inhabitant of planet S’n’C! So, if you can bear to, please add yourself. I wonder where we all are…
Peter