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Welcome, cousins to Episode #1 of the Cornbread Cafe—your new fave hang-out for the best in a sprawling menu of American Roots music.
I am the mongrel, and I’ll be your waiter today. Cazh and cozy, we’re located at the five-corners of Blues, Americana, Folk, Country, and Gospel. And you can sometimes catch an express to Rock ’n’ Roll at the bus stop across the way. We are the Internet’s new hang-out for the best in a sprawling menu of American Roots music.
Each week, we’ll be serving up appetizers of event schedules, side items of music news, and the occasional sweet treat of an interview. But our heaping portions of house-made entrées are why the parking lot’s always packed. So sit back. Relax. And tuck in to one whole hour of stick to yer ribs tunes, including “Remember Wild Horses,” by Birds of Chicago, off their 2016 release, Real Midnight, and Echo Sparks with “Torch Song,” from Ghost Town Girl, but let’s kick off this first course with a new single by Karianne Jean Perpoli, entitled “Cactus,” here at the Cornbread Cafe.
When you’re running a music show, fresh ingredients are a must, and we have those in good supply. But if you don’t keep both the kitchen AND the dining room impeccably clean and tidy, the customers aren’t gonna keep coming back. That’s why when you visit the show notes to each episode, you’ll find everything spic and span. If you stumbled into the Cornbread Cafe through your local independent online newsthing, well, then you already know how to find the show notes. If you found your way here through iTunes or Google Play: Music, or some side door, just go to cornbread.cafe (and yes, that’s a real domain name) to find track names, links to the bands’ websites, photos, and news. A place for everything—everything in it’s place.
Now, this first episode was released just a little before Valentine’s Day, so perhaps you’ll forgive me if my selections are weighted a little heavily towards the subject of romance. But, because that little flying ankle-biter drops in on the lonely as well as googley-eyed swooning lovers, I made sure to put a couple of songs of heartache on special tonight.
Hailing from Wenatchee, Wash., Gideon’s Daughter dispenses a little girl-to-girl advice in “Never Gonna Love You,” from their latest release, Steel Octopus Arms, which you can pick up right now through CD Baby or Bandcamp. I bring this up because I was JUST at their website, like, a week ago, and everything was there, and I just went to check today and see that they have a coming soon page up. I’m betting that this means great things from the band, but it also means I can’t tell you to just go to their site to pick up the release. And that’s cool—both CD Baby and Bandcamp are perfectly respectable outfits.
After that Jordan Patterson guides us solidly into the Blues cuisine section of the menu. Off his latest release, The Back on Track Recording Project, he pleads, “Can We Fall in Love Again?” I don’t know ladies—what do you think? Listen and let me know if he’s made a convincing argument.
We’ll wrap this block up with Joe Olnick’s “Glendale Avenue,” from Defiant Grooves, released just this past fall. We’ll polish this course off with Joe Olnick’s “Glendale Avenue,” from Defiant Grooves, released just this past fall. It’s a little bit like what might happen if Eric Johnson sat down with the Allman brothers and picked up where Led Zeppelin left off with” Over the Hills and Far Away.”
Now, let’s fire that order for “Never Gonna Love You,” by Gideon’s Daughter.
It’s true that most of the Roots and Folk festivals take place mainly around Harvest time. But not all, dear brothers and sisters, not all…first up is Wanderlust: Hawaii, which they describe as a one-of-a-kind festival bringing together the world’s leading yoga teachers, top musical acts and DJs, renowned speakers, top chefs and winemakers, and much, much more — all in a setting of breathtaking natural beauty. Not Now, all this is going on in O’ ahu, Hawaii, February 23–26, and last I checked, you could still get tickets via wanderlust.com. Check out their site, and you’ll see that, while it’s definitely not a Roots-specific festival, it might be the four days in paradise you need before 2017 gets much older.
On deck is the Okeechobee Music Festival taking place in Florida March 2–5. The festival’s home, Sunshine Grove, is widely regarded amongst the best music festival destinations in the world, featuring lush grassy flat lands, a sandy beach, stunning tufts of tropical jungle and a majestic grove that houses the main stages. Tickets at okeechobeefest.com/
And that same weekend is the McDowell Mountain Festival. This 100% nonprofit music festival uses its success in attracting audiences to promote Community, Culture, and Charity in and around Phoenix, Arizona. This year, the Festival is celebrating its 14th year, attracting visitors to the State with previous headliners such as Beck, Porter Robinson, Kid Cudi, The Avett Brothers, and more. Go to mmmf.com for tickets and more information
Like any good waiter, right now I’m checking back with you to refill your coffee, clear off some plates, and let you get back to enjoying this feast of great tunes.
A new Old-Timey morsel from Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams entitled “Did You Love Me At All,” should send you to their website, larryandteresa.com to find out more about them and their self-titled debut album. When you see the list of artists they’ve worked with, either together or individually, you’ll understand how a debut album can be so pristine. We’re talking about Paul Simon, Mavis Staples, BB King, Elvis Costello, The Dead, Roseanne Cash, Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan, among others. Remember that you heard Larry and Teresa here at the Cornbread Cafe FIRST.
I’d be remiss, this week, if I didn’t include a tune from our friend, Xavier Dphrepaulez, who, as Fantastic Negrito, just won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album for his 2016 release, “The Last Days of Oakland.” In keeping with the theme of this episode, I’m actually going to play “The Time Has Come,” from his debut, self-titled EP.
Another debut album, No Fences, from And the Neighbors yields pure Roots bliss with “Long Season.” I got to meet the core creative duo, Debra DeMuth and Dave Houghton last summer, and have been looking for every chance I can find to turn people on to this release which also features Terry Adams from NRBQ and Robin Lane of Robin Lane and The Chartbusters as well as Neil Young’s Everyone Knows This Is Nowhere, among others.
Love comes back to town as we finish up the show with “Stay Up Late,” by Codie Prevost, off of All Kinds Of Crazy and then Keeton Coffman, with “The Mountain,” from Killer Eyes.
Right now, though, you’ll be getting a taste of Virginia, with the delectable title track from the new release by Tanya Gallagher.
Well, how was everything, folks? Good? Are you full? Glad to hear it. And you finished everything! That’s great, because the one thing we don’t have are doggie bags. Remember, you can find all the information and links that we mentioned in the show notes. Check them out either at your favorite Indie news site that carries this show or swing by and see us at cornbread.cafe. If you know of musicians who’d like to be featured on the Cornbread Cafe, tell ‘em to drop by and introduce themselves.
This show was engineered and hosted by me, the mongrel, and I’m looking forward to serving up more great Roots to you and your kin next week. No reservations needed. Just bring your appetite for great music.
Roots Music Report
#1 Bluegrass Chart
The Infamous Stringdusters
Laws of Gravity
Label: Compass
#1 Country Chart
Gillian Welch
Boots No. 1: the Official Revival Bootleg
Lable: Acony
#1 Blues Chart
John Mayall
Talk About That
Label: Forty Below
Festivals
Wanderlust Hawaii
Space: O’ ahu, HI
Time: February 23–February 26, 2017
Wanderlust is a one-of-a-kind festival bringing together the world’s leading yoga teachers, top musical acts and DJs, renowned speakers, top chefs and winemakers, and much, much more — all in a setting of breathtaking natural beauty.
Space: Okeechobee, FL
Time: March 2–March 5, 2017
The festival’s home, Sunshine Grove, is widely regarded amongst the best music festival destinations in the world, featuring lush grassy flat lands, a sandy beach, stunning tufts of tropical jungle and a majestic grove that houses the main stages.
Space: Phoenix, AZ
Time: March 3––March 5
McDowell Mountain Music Festival is a 100% nonprofit music festival that was established in 2004 and quickly became a musical destination for festivalgoers. This year, the Festival is celebrating its 14th year attracting visitors to the State with previous headliners such as Beck, Porter Robinson, Kid Cudi, The Avett Brothers, and more.
McDowell Mountain Music Festival is a great opportunity to experience the spirit cultivated when people join together to enjoy themselves and help the community.
