There was a special edition of The Soul Express on Aug. 27 as Dean Farrell presented a three-hour chronology of New Orleans rhythm and blues with a focus on a timeline running from 1949 through the early 60s.
If you missed it, here’s the archive, while a playlist is here.
Featured acts included Johnny Adams, Dave Bartholomew, Roy Brown, Cookie & The Cupcakes, Lee Dorsey, Fats Domino, Frankie Ford, Barbara George, Guitar Slim, Clarence “Frogman” Henry, Jessie Hill, Ernie K-Doe, Chris Kenner, Smiley Lewis, Little Richard, Barbara Lynn, Bobby Marchan, Art and Aaron Neville, Lloyd Price, Professor Longhair, Tommy Ridgeley, Huey “Piano” Smith, Benny Spellman, Irma Thomas, Big Joe Turner and many more!
The Aug. 13 edition of Reynard’s Department Store featured an in-studio visit by Michael Fling, associate artistic director at Goodspeed Musicals as the program focused on the historic “Broadway-to-Jazz” pipeline and why it’s still going strong after nearly a century.
From the 1930s to the 60s, Broadway songs were a major part of the pop music scene. With the advent of rock-and-roll, that changed, but Broadway material remains a dependable go-to for jazz performers.
Fling also provided insight on upcoming shows as well as song- and artist-specific news and notes.
Mention Richard Manuel and the average person would probably shrug their shoulders for the enigmatic member of The Band is hardly a household name.
The Aug. 16 edition of Greasy Tracks hopefully started to change that as we dedicated the program to the incredibly gifted, yet tragic figure that was Manuel.
Insight was also provided into the brilliant, yet complicated Manuel from former Band guitarist Jim Weider, ex-Band tour manager Jonathan Taplin and John Simon who produced the Band’s influential 1968 debut, Music from Big Pink and renowned self-titled follow-up — nicknamed The Brown Album — a year later.
Along with Rick Danko and Levon Helm, Manuel was of the three vocalists in the group and sang lead on some of their most memorable tracks, including: Tears of Rage, King Harvest (Has Surely Come),” “Whispering Pines,” “Chest Fever,” “The Shape I’m In” and a majestic cover of Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released here.”
Author Peter Aaron leads at panel discussion with Lewis along with Weider and veteran producer/engineer Rob Fraboni who worked with a veritable who’s who in the music world, including numerous Band projects. The event starts at 4 p.m.
In addition to the discussion, there will be rare film clips of Manuel as well as a performance of classic Manuel-related tracks by Weider and keyboardist Matt Zeiner who is plays with Weider in The Weight Band.
In addition to tracking through the album, there was an interview with guitarist/vocalist Oliver Wood who provided insight on the latest project by the group — its ninth studio effort and first since 2023’s Heart Is The Hero.
There was also a tribute to Terry Reid who passed away Aug. 4 at the age of 75.
In tune: The Wood Brothers (from left) Chris Wood, Jano Rix and Oliver Wood. (Jerry Friend photo)
Renowned for his powerful voice — Reid’s nickname was “Superlungs” — he sadly is best known for his decision to focus on his solo career and being part of the then-looming 1969 U.S. tour by the Rolling Stones.
He turned down an offer first to join Jimmy Page in the post-Yardbirds band he was forming and later saying “no thanks” to becoming Deep Purple’s vocalist following the firing of Rod Evans.
Reid recommended Page bring in the vocalist and drummer from Band of Joy: Robert Plant and John Bonham. Ian Gillan eventually filled the opening for Purple.
Equally adept as a guitarist, Reid released a handful of critically acclaimed albums that were not chart friendly. His first two: Bang, Bang You’re Terry Reid (1968) and Terry Reid (1969) featured Reid in a trio format with Mickie Most producing.
“Superlungs” on stage: Terry Reid in performance in 1973 (Michael Putland photo)
Having moved to the U.S., Reid’s third album, River (1973), had Tom Dowd producing and David Lindley — who had played in Reid’s touring band for a number of years — on guitar. Graham Nash produced the following Seed of Memory (1976) with a handful of top studio players in for the sessions.
While a solid writer, Reid would often include an interesting cover or two on some of his studio releases.
Highly regarded by his peers, Aretha Franklin once said of Reid: “The three biggest things coming out of England were The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Terry Reid.”
Given the formidable challenge associated with such a diverse mix of groups and artists with roots in Connecticut, Boris focused solely on the rock genre when it came to curating music for the program.
His selections included material from the 1960s through the present and such groups/artists as Miracle Legion, Goose, Tom Guerra, Deep Banana Blackout, The Wildweeds, Max Creek, The Sawtelles, Yesterday’s Children, Toto (the three Porcoro brothers hailed from Hartford), The Remains, The Alternate Routes, Audio Jane, Sister Funk, Liz Phair, Bronze Radio Return, Little Village and Fountainhead to name just a handful.
An interview with Brian Dunne — singer/songwriter and co-founder of Fantastic Cat — was part of a feature on the July 28 edition of The Devo Rock Show.
Devo caught up with Dunne at a recent Fantastic Cat show at Prescott Park in Portsmouth, N.H. Dunne talks about his 10-year career and provides some insight to Fantastic Cat, the New York City-based group he formed in 2021 with Don DiLego, Anthony D’Amato and Mike Montali.
Dunne also discussed his own work, including the upcoming release of Clams Casino (Missing Piece Records), his sixth solo album, which is out Sept. 5. Devo will play a few brand new singles.
Included in the program was music from Dunne’s last solo record, Loser On The Ropes (PMD Records) and Fantastic Cat’s latest, Now That’s What I Call Fantastic Cat! (Missing Piece).
Dunne was born and raised in the Hudson Valley area of New York and currently resides in Brooklyn. His self-released debut solo album, Songs From The Hive, came out in 2015.
His music features his unique sense of humor and insight into the world around him. He plays acoustic and electric guitar and provides powerful vocals both in Fantastic Cat and as a solo artist.
Dunne has appeared at The Philadelphia Folk Festival and has performed on National Public Radio’s Mountain Stage.
He’s currently on tour with Fantastic Cat until the beginning of August and then will be out on his “Clams Tour” to support his new solo effort with dates across the U.S. in the fall. Fantastic Cat also has live dates this fall and early winter.
The July 20 edition of Strictly Roots featured an in-studio interview with members of the New Haven-based punk reggae band Solgyres.
Formed in 2020, the now 10-piece band released their self-titled debut album in 2024. The 14-track effort included an appearance by G. Love of G. Love & Special Sauce who added vocals to “Immortal.”
Saxophonist Hanck and trombonist Dan Gordon of All Things Swamp were interviewed and discussed their respective New Orleans-inspired offerings.
The jazzy, eight-track Dressed (Little Village) from All Things Swamp is the result of a series of informal, yet spirited sessions the nine-piece line-up — like-minded players who only occasionally play together due to being scattered up and down the coast of California due to their regular gigs — recorded.
The selections — while all covers, are a curious, yet extremely complementary mix. Joe Zawinul, Hoagy Carmichael and Robert Palmer are disparate as far as writers go, but their material interpreted by All Things Swamp just swings, in a funky, albeit greasy fashion.
Chicago-born, but Florida-based veteran horn man Hanck brings a great blend of bluesy originals combined with a handful of blues, R&B and soul covers to Grease To Gravy (Little Village).
There’s 1950s gems such as the Dave Bartholomew/Chris Kenner-penned “Sick and Tired” that Fats Domino made his own and Ray Charles’ “Come Back Baby” to some 1960s classics, including James Oden’s “Goin’ Down Slow” and Albert King’s “Overall Junction.” According to Hanck, the leadoff track, “Don’t Let the Green Grass Fool You,” was influenced by Wilson Pickett’s definitive version from 1970.
A number of WRTC programs had a connection to the Independence Day holiday, some albeit a day late.
The America-themed programming started with Friday Class on July 4. Here’s the archive. The theme continued that evening with Crashing The Ether. Check the archive here.
The July 5 edition of Greasy Tracks had a similar aural approach. Here’s the archive.
Following that was a special edition of The Soul Express with Dean Farrell who put together a two-part medley of all 160 singles that went to No. 1 on the Billboard soul chart between 1965-73. If you missed it, here it is!
Part 1 featured the 1960s top of the chart tracks, while Part 2 covered the early 70s.
An interview with Little Feat founding member/keyboardist Bill Payne was part of the June 28 edition of Greasy Tracks which will also featured the group’s latest release, Strike Up The Band (Hot Tomato Records).
There was also be a spotlight on The Blackberries, a powerhouse female backing vocal group active in the 1970s,
Strike Up The Band follows Sam’s Place which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 2024. It’s also their first studio album of original material since Rooster Rag in 2012.
Contributing to Feat’s traditional sound of New Orleans funk colliding with blues-rock fusion are guest appearances by Larkin Poe, Molly Tuttle, Kristen Rogers, Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams. Memphis horn men Art Edmaiston (sax) and Marc Franklin (trumpet) add some tasty brass to a handful of tracks.
In addition to talking about the new album, the current tour — which includes a return to Europe in July and a planned live album recording during “Feat Fest,” a three-night run at Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, N.Y. — Payne shares insight on Carnival Ghosts, a memoir he’s set to to deliver next spring.
Formed in 1969 by Clydie King, Venetta Fields and Sherlie Matthews, The Blackberries trace their roots to the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, Ray Charles and Motown. During their decade-plus together, they were first-choice backing vocalists in the studio and on the road for numerous artists, ranging from Humble Pie to Pink Floyd.
