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On the Road Again, to Forestville and back to Sandrini's

I took a road trip and played at the grand opening of Nightingail Bakery in Forestville. My cousin Beth Thorpe was opening a bakery up there in Sonoma County, and it was packed with family and friends from all over. My dad, Robert Craddock, AKA The Jazz Guy, played his EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument) and then I played a little set.

It was a very strange set up, but it was a fun and festive occasion and a good time was had by all. Due to the strange configuration of the stage, the pictures don't look so great. But here is a picture that Scott Hilton, a Bakersfield Real Estate agent, took of me when I played at Sandrini's in beautiful downtown Bakersfield. It was from his cell phone and he was a little inebriated, but you get the idea. Not only is Scott Hilton Paris' brother, but he also knows Mark Paul, who played Zach on "Saved by the Bell" personally (I wonder if he can introduce me to Elizabeth Berkely from "Saved by the Bell" and "Showgirls")?

Hasta la vista,

Cr@$#!!!!!

7th Standard is now Merle Haggard Drive!

I went to the ceremony today at the Harley Davidson dealer on what is now Merle Haggard Dr. If someone has an extra ticket for tonight's show, call me.

50th Grammy Awards Show

As I drove through Bakersfield at 10:30 PM on Monday night, the crescent moon looked like a big orange bowl in the western sky. It was really eerie, and I wondered what kind of soup it held, but decided that it was a bowl of orange sherbert instead.

Last night I watched the Grammys, and I thought it was a pretty entertaining show. Amy Winehouse was the big winner, and that was kind of a shock, since she had to perform via satellite from London, being denied a visa. She was all tattoos and mascara, and a very unusual voice. Kind of a retro R&B sound, but pretty good nonetheless. I was glad for her, hope she can stay out of trouble, but thought perhaps they could have given a few of the awards to other people.

I liked the “duet” of Alicia Keys and Frank Sinatra. She is really classy and was wearing a very pretty green dress. They combined the live music with the film of Sinatra very well, and I thought it was a great start for the 50^th Grammy Awards show. Later on she performed one of her own songs, won some awards, and was just about perfect in every way. Her name is even cool, for someone who not only sings but plays keyboard, and always sings in the right “keys.”

I also liked the duet with Keeley Smith and Kid Rock. He had a smooth sophisticated look, kind of a gangsteresque black suit with fedora. He was uncharacteristically charming, and even though he blew his part on “Old Black Magic” by totally losing the beat (It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing, Kid) he at least showed proper respect and acknowledged that Dave Koz was playing the Sam Butera role, though Koz was playing alto sax and of course Butera was a tenor man. Kudos though, for even knowing his name.

I liked the Carrie Underwood number, though it was really cheesey, or perhaps it was because it was so boldly cheesey. “Before He Cheats” is a great song, but they daringly did it with a really different arrangement, like a cross between Flashdance choreography and Stomp. What with all that, it still somehow managed to be Country. She was up against Winehouse for some of the awards she didn’t get, but at least she triumphed in the Country category.

Kanye West is so full of himself, and mostly it is just annoying, mainly because his music is not very good. He is someone I love to hate, but he at least put on a good show, what with his black light, light goggles, and a song that took on the haters (that would be me) in the kind of direct confrontation that won my grudging admiration. “Stronger” did win for best rap solo performance. It was followed by an emotional tribute to his mother, who died this year. He had “Mama” shaved into his head.

Tina Turner and Beyoncé performed “Proud Mary,” and it was a kick to see songwriter John Fogerty’s reaction from the audience. He performed later with Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard, but the look on his face while Tina did Proud Mary seemed to say that, I wrote that song, but Tina owns it. Beyonce was really working her mojo, and she had all the right equipment, but Tina Turner is a force of nature. Ike Turner died earlier this year, but there she is, still amazing.

The biggest surprise of the night was Herbie Hancock winning for best album. As he remarked, a jazz artist hasn’t won it for 43 years. He was referring to Getz/Gilberto, a classic bossa nova jazz album that was also hugely popular. I remember Santana won for Supernatural, and the next year he was a presenter. As a joke, he said that A Love Supreme by John Coltrane won. But mostly jazz doesn’t get recognized. Some critics have a theory that they give awards not so much for the album, but for their career overall. Herbie has certainly done a lot, from Maiden Voyage, through his work with Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter, The Head Hunters, and his funky stuff like Rock-it. This album was the music of Joni Mitchell. He also won an award for his solo on Both Sides Now, from the album. And he performed Rhapsody in Blue as a piano duet with Lang Lang and a full orchestra. Along with Amy Winehouse, it was really a great night for Herbie Hancock. Michael Brecker died this year, but he won for best jazz album, Pilgramage, and another for his solo on “Anagram.” It was sad to see Max Roach and Michael Brecker pass away last year.

Feist didn’t win, either as best new artist or for her song, “1234,” but it sure made an impression on me. It was also featured in an iPod commercial, and I saw her do it on Letterman as well. There is something simple, yet profound about the song. And great to hear it build up from just her voice and guitar to a full chorus with brass and banjo. She performed again on the show, and it was one of many high points.

I heard a song on the radio, “Radio Nowhere,” and thought it sounded great. I wondered who it was, though it sounded like Bruce Springsteen. For some reason, I thought it was someone else, though obviously it was The Boss. He did win, and that saved me from having to Google the lyrics to find out who did it. The song has mysterious drama that builds tremendous power. It is from the aptly titled album Magic.

Nominated, but neglected in the award area, were Corinne Bailey Rae and Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift made a slight lapse, rubbing it in that she had just turned 18, but her dream was to be on the Grammy show before she was 18. She just missed it, and poor Taylor. Boo hoo. Corrine Bailey Rae was also someone I caught on Letterman, and she has such a pretty voice and a unique sound. She is on the Starbucks label, which is a pretty hip label, so don’t hold that against her.

Steve Earle, Prince, Vince Gill, Joni Mitchell, and The Beastie Boys all won awards. The Beastie Boys won a couple but it was for pop instrumental. Weird. And Lucinda Williams was nominated for a few, but in the Rock category. Robert Plant and Allison Krause won, together, in a duet. Willie Nelson, Ray Price, & Merle Haggard won for “Lost Highway,” but Merle was left out of the list that I saw. Hey, I know he was on that song. I have a promotional CD and I distinctly heard all three of them, they recorded and went on tour as “The last of the breed.”

Finally, I really wanted Tom Higgenson and The Plain White Ts to win for the song, “Hey There, Delilah.” My niece told me about the song because I named one of my dogs Delilah, and then I kind of started liking the song. A lot. I saw The Plain White Ts perform in Bakersfield in the Walmart parking lot. It was an awesome show that climaxed with “Hey There, Delilah” as thousands of kids lit their lighters and/or snapped photos with cell phones. I read that Tom Higgenson, the band’s singer and the writer of the song in question, was going to take Delilah DiCrescenzo to the Grammys as his date (with her boyfriends permission, so no hanky panky—but still)! It seems that Delilah DiCrescenzo is a Columbia University graduate and a steeplechase runner who’s training for next year’s Olympic trials. Higgenson was quite taken with Miss DiCrescenzo, and claimed to have a song about her brewing. It was just his akward attempt at a smooth pick up line, but about a year later, he made good on his promise. Now the song is ubiquitous (being everywhere at the same time, constantly encountered, widespread). “When I'm at the gym, it's playing; when I'm at the pool, it's playing,” says Delilah. “Part of me wants to scream at the top of my lungs that it’s about me. Another part of me wants to cower and say it’s not.”

Is that a great story or what? Kind of like the red haired girl that Charlie Brown pursued, and then it was revealed that Charles Schulz really did have a crush on a red haired girl, and he later got to be friends with her, though by then she was married, and so was he. Or how about Antonio Carlos Jobim? He later became friends with “The Girl From Ipanema.” Anyway, Tom Higgenson, you might not get the girl, but what a great song came out of your suffering!

RECORD OF THE YEAR

"Irreplaceable," Beyoncé

"The Pretender," Foo Fighters

"Umbrella," Rihanna, featuring Jay-Z

"What Goes Around Comes Around," Justin Timberlake

"Rehab," Amy Winehouse (Winner)

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

"Echo, Silence, Patience and Grace," Foo Fighters

"These Days," Vince Gill

"River: The Joni Letters," Herbie Hancock (Winner)

"Graduation," Kanye West

"Back to Black," Amy Winehouse

BEST NEW ARTIST

Feist

Ledisi

Paramore

Taylor Swift

Amy Winehouse (Winner)

SONG OF THE YEAR

"Before He Cheats" (Carrie Underwood)

Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins, songwriters

"Hey There Delilah" (Plain White T's)

Tom Higgenson, songwriter

"Like a Star" (Corrine Bailey Rae)

Corinne Bailey Rae, songwriter

"Rehab" (Amy Winehouse)

Amy Winehouse, songwriter (Winner)

"Umbrella" (Rihanna)

Shawn Carter, Kuk Harrell, Terius "Dream" Nash &

Christopher Stewart, songwriters

Guitar Hero?

In a recent article in the Bakersfield Californian by columnist Robert Price, entitled: Guitar Hero is a blast, but does it foster learning?, Price wonders whether the popular video game will help kids learn music. I just wanted to weigh in with my own 2 cents on the matter.

I recently saw that Slash, the top-hatted guitarist formerly of Guns & Roses, and now Velvet Revolver, was featured in the new version. He was also an avid player, but felt that his own extensive guitar chops didn't necessarily give him any advantage. Even when he was playing songs he himself wrote and played on.

So, I guess that Guitar Hero would be a way to get a little better coordination, improve your manual dexterity, and maybe even get you more physically involved, which would be good exercise, but to really master a musical instrument, you would have to go beyond. But if it gets kids interested in music, I am all for it.

The other interesting story about Guitar Hero was that they were being sued by The Romantics because they thought the version of "What I Like About You" sounded TOO much like them. One can only wonder how that case will play out.

Speaking of musical toys, I saw one the other day in Albertson's grocery store that was a digital drum set, game where you had to hit the pads in rhythm with flashing lights. I was tempted to buy it myself, if only it had MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) output. It was only $14.95! It is right over the frozen food thingie.

Finally, on TV I saw an infomercial that had this piano that rolled out like a little black and white red carpet. The keyboard could be rolled up like a carpet, and there was a small box containing the electronics. It could be hooked up to speakers (sold seperately) or else you could listen on headphones. It was touted as an excellent instrument to enable kids to practice piano, and was reasonably priced. Don't think it will replace real instruments in all situations, but for a learning tool, it looked like it had a lot of potential. It's called the roll-out piano. It is one of those, not sold in stores, as seen on TV, kind of things, but still, at the risk of being accused of shilling for Giovanni, you can check it on the web at www.buythepiano.com

Caveat Emptor!!!

Wayne “The Train” Hancock at Fishlips Wednesday, December 12th, 2007

I saw Wayne “The Train” Hancock at Fishlips last Wednesday, and it was the second time I had the pleasure of hearing his excellent show. The last time an over enthusiastic fan had to be ejected by bar owner Kipp Sullivan, but though there were enthusiastic fans this time around, they confined their adulation to bowing down like Garth and another Wayne (we are not worthy!) or lighting lighters like in stadium rock shows.

I sat quietly in back, just listening intently. I might have appeared to be asleep, but sometimes I would just drift in and out of consciousness, lost in the music. In addition to Wayne’s warblin’, I especially enjoyed the guitar stylings of Eddie Biebel on lead guitar and the rhythm slappin' Huckleberry Johnson on Standup Bass. Wayne would set the tempo on his guitar, swingin’ steady like a crazy windmill, and sing, yodel, and sing some more. If you closed your eyes, you could easily imagine you were hearing Hank Williams Sr.

There was a big producer in Nashville who decreed that country singers would no longer be allowed to sound like Hank, with that nasal, twangy sound. Jimmy Bowen was his name, and I think it was a shame what he did. Thanks Goodness we have mavericks like Wayne Hancock to uphold the traditional country sound. In my opinion, the sound we are hearing out of Nashville these days is totally watered down. People like Wayne, Hank III, and Dwight might be shut out, but they should wear the scorn of Nashville as a badge of honor.

Wayne Hancock also upholds the tradition of Hillbilly Swing, which melded the rhythms of the Swing Era, such as when Lester Young played tenor with Count Basie, with country music. Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys come to mind, but in a lot of ways Lefty Frizzell, and oh yes, Hank Williams Sr. were also in that bag.

Though the roots of his music go way back, there is something urgent and vital about his music. Not just a retro revivalist, his music resonates in the here and now as well. Some of the tunes Wayne did were actually jazz tunes that harkened back to that time, like his swingin’ version of “If You’re a Viper.” In between there were also Cajun tunes, lots of tunes about Texas--like “Shootin’ Star from Texas”--Oklahoma, and Kansas City. Topics like Catfish, Johnny Law, “The Road,” and of course, heartbreak and loneliness, round out his repertoire.

If he ever comes back to Bakersfield, don’t you dare miss him.

PS: I tried to win a cool black Epiphone guitar that they raffled off to benefit a charity that provides for soldiers stationed in Iraq. I didn’t win, but Wayne autographed it for the lucky lady who did. The guitar was provided at a huge discount by The Music Zone, located at 2808 Chester Avenue. I just wanted to make sure they got credit because one of the owners, Wayland Peddy, is a friend. Wayne’s girlfriend, Gina Galina, was also entered in the contest, and even though she drew the winning ticket, she didn’t win either.

The last time she and Wayne came through Bakersfield, she also sang, but this time she declined the invitation. I heard she hurt her finger, but it must have healed by now. Hope she is OK. I was hoping that she would sing. Wayne made her choose the last song, and it was “California Blues.”

Post Halloween Melt-Down

Here I am in Post-Halloween Melt-Down—like when you left your bag of candy on the heater overnight. Actually, we had lots of Trick-and/or-Treaters come by, and I learned a lot of valuable lessons: First, don’t hand the bowl over to a greedy horde of kids—just give them each a couple of pieces and drop them into their bags. Second, if you want kids to come by, it helps to have a lot of decorations, and get in the spirit of things. Sitting on the porch is better than having people ring your bell. Third, after 9 PM you will get mostly kids that are too old to Trick-or-Treat, and they don’t even pretend to have costumes. If they drive up in a car, that is more of a drive-by than legitimate Trick-or-Treating. We had pumpkin lights, but then about 9:30 we said: “kill the pumpkins.”

Also, dogs don’t really enjoy Halloween, and even if you are just next door on your neighbor’s porch, giving candy to kids, they will frantically dig under the fence, bark at everyone, and make a big nuisance. No, they don’t enjoy being dressed in Halloween costumes and posing for pictures. But they will tolerate it, if they are promptly rewarded with snacks. Trick-or-Treat?

As Cy Coleman said, and Frank Sinatra sang:

Those fingers in my hair
That sly, come-hither stare
That strips my conscience bare
It's Witchcraft

And I have no defense for it
The heat is too intense for it
What good would common sense for it do?

'Cause it's Witchcraft
Wicked Witchcraft
And although I know it's strictly taboo

When you arouse the need in me
My heart says “Yes, indeed” in me
Proceed with what you’re leading me to

It’s such an ancient pitch
But one I would not switch
’Cause there’s no nicer witch than you

Porter Wagoner, RIP

I was sorry to hear that Porter Wagoner has passed on. He will be missed. I remember watching his TV Show when he was working with Dolly Parton. He gave her a break, but then she just kept getting more and more famous.

My condolances to the Wagoner family, and to all of Porter's fans.

Listen to 75 Songs Chosen Especially for YOU!!!!!

LT, our office manager, who is also a corporal in the US Marine Corp, showed me how to set up this music player on MySpace. If she is ever promoted to Lt, then she could be Lt LT. Remember Major Major from Catch 22?

Anywho, if you want to listen to the 75 Songs I chose especially for you, just go to the link below:

www.myspace.com/bakersfieldmusic

Fishlips October 20th, 2007, Trainwreck w/ Kyle Gass of Tenacious D

I wrote about this show in my blog on Myspace, www.myspace.com/bakersfieldmusic I even started a rumor that Jack Black would be there. But then I made the mistake of giving the taco stand a second chance--the one that had exacted Montezuma's Revenge on this poor gringo the last time I tried it. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. It is a shame, because it would be a great place if only it didn't make me sick. They have very authentic Mex food, with Lengua and Menudo, and all that.

Boy, will I be sorry if I miss Jack Black, but since I started the rumor myself, I doubt that he will be there.

After I got up I practiced guitar and learned new songs. I did some where I tuned down to Eb. "Positively 4th Street," "Long White Cadillac," and "I Got Stripes. " They all use the Eb tuning, and then are really easy to play. I also did "Understand Your Man," "Commercial Affection," "Lord Knows I'm Drinkin'," "Broke, Lovesick, and Driftin'," and "Blame the Vain." Finally, using the capo on the 5th fret I played "I Want You" by Bob Dylan. I play it like it is in C, but with the capo, it is actually in F. I tuned just the E string down to D, Drop D Tuning, and played "Here For the Party." Finally, I put the capo on the 1st fret and played "Big River."

Tomorrow, Sunday, October 21st, I will be doing an Open House at 825 Sunset Meadow Drive and I am going to bring my guitar, practice some more, and maybe, just maybe, perform a few songs at the Kern River Belle on North Chester, since it is located so conveniently on the way home from North Country Meadows. This jam is billed as being from 5 PM until 9, every Sunday Evening, but they really don't get going until 5:30 or 6. Beer is cheap, the bartenders and band members are friendly, and sometimes pickers from Trout's drop in. 2 bands alternate every other week, but the one I expect tomorrow is the one that has a pedal steel.

This is my first blog post on Bakotopia. I didn't really have any burning issues to get off my chest, but just wanted to try it out.

The picture is my dad and I jamming at his house in San Jose. My niece was going up there and I wish I could have gone. It is Octoberfest and my other niece's birthday. I had to stay in Bakersfield because of my dogs, and other commitments. If someone has a ranch with a herd of cattle for Delilah, my Australian Cattle Dog, to chase, it would make such trips a lot more feasible.

Ciao, bella

CrA$#!!!