3/18/17 Dad Hartman's 80th Birthday Bash

Playlist:


A Stranger To Himself
U Can't Touch This (snippet)
Everybody's Talking
Listen To Love
Cocaine
First Cut Is The Deepest
Midnight Rider
For Whats Its Worth
Baby Wanna Dance
If I Were A Carpenter

Belinda Christensen-James Backing vocals on the songs that she knew

At the tail end of the celebration of Cathy Hart's dad 80th birthday I managed to pop in at Checkers to sit in   I was basically kind of a loss of what to do, but judging by how many songs I did sing I'm surprised I sung that many.  A lot of debuting of new songs, in fact five of the songs were not attempted till tonight, including the much overplayed Cocaine.  But nobody seems to play that one much anymore (but they will of Wonderful Tonight)

This time I was trying to do a bit more improvising on the songs, notably For What Its Worth and Cocaine, in order to cover up the mistakes I simply played the blotched chords twice or four times in a row.  I was working up on the arrangement of Oh Death but I didn't want to play it at a birthday celebration of somebody. I may hold off singing that song till maybe a solo gig.

A Stranger To Himself has become stuck in my mind recently as I continue to fiddle around with it.  I can't do the Fairport Covention arrangements, nor the Traffic but the capo at the forth fret has giving the song  a whole new meaning.  Since Listen To Love is being promoted as my new single from Jubilee, I decided to play that one as well as Baby Wanna Dance for original songs.  I think the original songs are better since I know the words and not have to rely on cheat sheets to sing the lyrics. Midnight Rider I can't sing the high notes but rather go for a more unconventional growl, but I'm not sure if I will dust that one off anyone than I have to. First Cut Is The Deepest was another debut, very rough indeed but polish it up and it might work in a future jam.

Lorie Parker was kind enough to bring her congas so I got to hold the beat for the Acousta Kitties and when Rick Gallo and Dan Hartman took the stage.  Highlights was Daddy Hartman singing along to You Never Call Me By My Name.  It's sad to see him being confined to the wheelchair and not being able to dance to any of the songs but very cool to see him sing along.  It makes you take a look at life and realize that be it 56 or 80 it still a short time to be here on this planet and I do thank God for the gift of playing music, even if it's rough as sandpaper.   As always thanks to Cathy Hartman Spina, Lorie Parker and Julie Jules Gordon for their love and support and of course Mark Randolph and Belinda.

(Jeff Craft, Kenny Webb, R.Smith, Kevin Simnacher playing Spooky: Photo: Kevin Simnacher)

NO POPCORN JAM-Rumors 3/19/17

With:

Terry McDowell-Host
Jeff Craft-Lead Vocals Harmonica and Keyboards
Kevin Sinmacher-Lead Guitar
Kenny Webb-Bass Guitar
Nick Lnenicka-Harmonica


Songs:

Who's Been Talking
Born In Chicago
Spooky (ARS version)

https://youtu.be/CpT7nlQ1YVY

Notes: Tim Wiley was up there but didn't jam.  We talked about the disappearance of Ben Benard who moved to Illinois and left everybody behind.  There's more to that story but it's not worth repeating.  Joe Hutchcroft was also there but didn't play nor did Kevin Faulkner or Tim Canfield.  Jeff stuck with a bit more blues songs and I basically did a staggered four/New Orleans Shuffle beat on both Who's Been Talking and Born In Chicago, I didn't figure a straight blues beat would work. Then  Herm showed up but I stayed to watch Iowa lose to TCU in overtime and then went off to  the Nature Center to do a bit of walking.   It's getting too nice to waste the whole day after my turn on drums is over.  It's always fun to jam with Kevin and Kenny Webb is always fun to watch when he plays bass.  Only wish I could have a couple more songs to jam with him on.

PS: Dueling Harmonicas part 2, Jeff and Nick traded licks on Born In Chicago and Who's Been Talking