Deal Casino @ Bowery Electric NYC

Over the past two months, the buzz surrounding New Jersey’s Deal Casino has grown into a low roar. In December, they won several honors at the Asbury Park Music Awards including: Top Pop/Rock Band, Top Live Performance, and Top Male Vocalist. Then last week, NJ.com named them one of 35 New Jersey Bands You Need to Hear in 2015. After spending the past year playing the Jersey shore/Philly circuit, Deal Casino made their New York City debut on a cold, winter night downtown at the Bowery Electric.

Opening the set with “Tomorrow,” a cut off their second EP, The Runaways, it is easy to see why Deal Casino has been working non-stop; the band is fierce. Not only do they rock it out, they do it with attitude and fearlessness. This night, much of the set list focused on their last two EPs, especially the newly released Heck. Listening to their progression from their first EP Cocaine Love, through The Runaways and now Heck, the songs and the band itself are constantly evolving. While love found and lost remains a pulsating theme, the stories told have become more complex and interesting.

For the full review, jump over to Deal Casino @ Bowery Electric NYC at OnStage Magazine.

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Sometimes in Winter

In the late 60's a band came onto the scene with music incorporating a little jazz, a little folk and a little rock. They had a horn section, played a variety of music and would record songs by writers such as Laura Nyro, James Taylor, the Rolling Stones and Billie Holiday.

Over the years band members would come and go, but the era where they had their greatest success was when David Clayton-Thomas was their lead singer. The band was Blood, Sweat and Tears.

Many of their songs are quite well known: "Spinning Wheel,"  "And When I Die," and "You Made Me So Very Happy," to name a few. All those songs were sung by Clayton-Thomas. But there was one song by BS&T which always stood out to me, and with seasonal storms and cold weather throughout the country, it seems like a good time to shine a little light on it.

From the Grammy winning Album of the Year, Blood, Sweat and Tears, and written and sung by Steve Katz, one of the founding members, the song is "Sometimes in Winter."

"Sometimes in Winter 

I gaze into the streets 

and walk through snow and city sleet 

behind your room 

Sometimes in Winter 

forgotten memories 

remember you behind the trees 

with leaves that cried 

By the window once I waited for you 

laughing slightly you would run 

trees alone would shield us in the meadow 

makin' love in the evening sun 

Now you're gone girl 

and the lamp posts call your name 

I can hear them 

in the spring of frozen rain

Now you're gone girl 

and the times slow down till dawn 

It's a cold room

and the walls ask where you've gone 

Sometimes in winter 

I love you when the good times 

seem like memories in the spring 

that never came 

Sometimes in winter 

I wish the empty streets 

would fill with laughter from your tears 

to ease my pain"

and a rare live performance from 1971...

The stark crispness of the vocal contrasts perfectly with the lush orchestration. Wonderful.

It's just a song to keep you warm...sometimes in winter.

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Good Music...A Defining Answer

In my last post "Research? How About Just Listen," I wrote about the latest 'scientific research' which tells us today's pop music is boring, simple and basically uninspired. I also gave a few suggestions for good music, and have since been hearing a whole lot of "well, what about..." and "how could you not include...?"

Was there any specific criteria on which I based what I consider good. Hell no. If you hadn't noticed, check out the name in the title of the blog. My name, my blog, my rules...Kat's rules. By the way, those rules are subject to change, depending on my mood and for whom they are intended ;)

Basically, good music must make me feel something. It doesn't need to be a masterpiece, but it must be passionate. It doesn't need to be complicated, but it must speak to me. It doesn't need to move mountains, but it needs to move me.

In saying that, let me offer a few more good music selections

Elton John "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" ...complex, yes. but so moving and powerful
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles "Ooh Baby Baby" ...not at all complex, just smooth and soulful
Kenny Wayne Shepherd "Blue on Black" ...smokey blues, killer vocal, great chorus...all you need
Frank Sinatra "The Way You Look Tonight" ...good music isn't just rock, soul, or the blues. it's classics and classical as well.

Maybe it's time to expand your horizons. You may not like it all...but then again you just might.

Just taste it.

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Urban Bleu: Boldly Breaking Out The Blues

"Forged from the blues and cleaved with equal doses of jazz, rock and soul…Urban Bleu is carving out a path from Utah, in their quest to take the airwaves by storm. The unique sound of Urban Bleu centers on a progressive blend, more city than bayou country, and is balanced by great harmonies along with a kindred blend of instruments."

Urban Bleu recently answered a few questions about how they began, their early influences and just how the musical magic happens. This interview first appeared on Technorati.com. Additional pictures, video and links have been added to this post.

Urban Bleu is: Aaron Fowler (Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar, Blues Harp), Django Lachlan (Bass Guitar, Vocals), Dan Robbins (Drums)

Kat’s Theory (KT): Right out of the gate let me tell you, when a band lists their musical influences as ranging from Stevie Ray to Deep Purple to The Beatles to Johnny Cash to Earth, Wind & Fire to The Rippingtons…you instantly get my attention.

KT: Aaron, I know your dad first turned you on to Stevie Ray Vaughn at around the age of 10…that’s like starting your music education on a college level. Was it Stevie Ray’s extraordinary ability or was it his depth of soul that first spoke to you?

Aaron Fowler (AF): The way he could make that guitar talk is what really attracted me, and that takes a combination of depth and ability to pull off.

KT: After Stevie Ray, who was the next musical influence?
AF: There were a lot that came after. Like Hendrix, Clapton and Page, but Stevie was always my main influence.

KT: Django, You’ve said when you and Aaron got together, you decided to play what you felt and break some rules. How do you manage to find the right balance between straight blues and the jazz connection of your past?
Django Lachlan (DL): Jazz and blues are very similar anyway. It just works

KT: Although the two of you have been playing together for over eight years, the band suffered a life-altering tragedy in 2009 when your tour van crashed into a semi, instantly killing Django’s long-time love. You’ve said Carmel’s spirit helped drive the band into a more focused vision. With some passing of time, does it seem the early path of the band has changed or just become more defined?
AF: It has definitely made us stronger and has allowed us to see that life is too precious and too short to give up on our childhood dreams. In her life and after her death, Carmel has been part of the spirit of Urban Bleu.

Aaron Fowler

KT: I know Aaron placed an ad in the paper for a bass player, and that’s how you two met. I was just curious if there were other applicants?
AF: Ha ha, I remember a bass player named Julian that auditioned before Django. He told me that we would never be anything more than a good bar band. Needless to say I never asked him to come back.

KT: This sound of yours, call it fusion, a blend, whatever…if you close your eyes and listen, traces of all those musical influences come through. Blues is the frontman, but the urban feel licks at its heels pretty good. How do you manage to stay true to the blues while firing up the city feel?
AF: Most of it comes naturally and I don’t usually try to force it. We all come from similar but different musical backgrounds and try to let the music organically happen.

KT: What is the music scene like in Utah? It’s hard for me to visualize it being a big blues area. Am I wrong in that?
AF: You are right, the blues scene in Utah is a bit sparse, but I think it is growing one fan at a time. Thank God for the World Wide Web (laugh).

KT: I’ve always felt when a band writes most of its own songs, it sometimes has a more difficult time developing a following, as opposed to a band that does some covers, where the audience has some recognition to the sound. The one exception I feel to that, is the blues. To me, once you hear that blues beat start, if it’s good, you’re gonna take notice. Was there any resistance to your sound when you first started out?
AF: Oh, (there) has been plenty of resistance but we always let that motivate us to do better. We play our music to make people feel better, like the Blues Brothers once said “We are on a mission from God.” Just kidding, but seriously, we are.

Django Lachlan

KT: Django, you whack on that bass pretty well. Listening to “What Do I Gotta Do”  the bass is so solid, when Aaron steps in with the crying guitar, it’s a seamless blend. How would you define your approach in developing your bass line?
DL: I really wanted to show my skills in this song but on the same hand, give Aaron his chance to shine as well.

KT: Aaron, you and Django have been a team for a while, but it seems being a drummer with you guys is not the most secure position. What’s behind all the changes on the skins?
AF: You tell me! I don't know, they all left for different reasons...but they get better each time we get a new one. 

KT: Aaron, your voice is perfect for the blues…raspy as hell…like you’ve been down in the dirt and just crawling out to sing. Was life that tough or are you just lucky to have found the right vehicle for your voice?
AF: I would like to tell you a really cool story about how my voice was forged by some great adventure, about me going to hell and back, and some of it would be true... though my voice was a god given gift.  

KT: Django, why the bass? Did you start on guitar and switch or just always feel the rhythm?
DL: It’s always been bass, I love the power.

KT: In writing your songs, how do you go about it? Do you work together or start separately and hook-up up a certain point?
AF: Usually one of us writes either a guitar or bass melody, and/or lyrics and then we work together until the song is complete. There really isn’t an exact formula to it.

KT: Is Dan (Robbins) involved in the writing at this point?
AF: Since Dan has been with us, he has been writing all of the drum parts.

KT: Now that Utah is Urban Bleu nation, what’s the plan for the rest of the country?
AF: Shhh… Stay tuned….

Urban Bleu continues to push the limits of their live performances, adding an army of devoted followers along the way. With their unique sound and masterful skills, Urban Bleu is on a road where singing the blues will only be about the music.

Many thanks to Urban Bleu for their time.

Check out Urban Bleu at:
Urban Bleu Website
Urban Bleu Facebook page
Twitter @UrbanBleu

Listen to Urban Bleu's Music at:
Urban Bleu on Myspace
Urban Bleu on ReverbNation

Watch Urban Blue Videos:
"Alley Cat"
"Worst Enemy"

Article first published as:
 "Urban Bleu: Boldly Breaking Out the Blues" on Technorati.com

A Night With Sister Sparrow & The Dirtybirds

Bowery Ballroom, Manhattan.

Sister Sparrow & the Dirtybirds are a nine-piece band fronted by one sassy as hell singer with a huge voice.  Arleigh Kinchloe is Sister Sparrow.  The Dirtybirds are definitely not her backup band. Each of the boys brings their own tasty morsels to the table. No basic instrument lineup here, they start with an alto sax, trombone, baritone sax, trumpet...add in guitar, bass and drums...and finish it with harmonica used as a main event.  Nice indeed.

Blues, soul, rock...call it what you will, but they are a tight group with talent, great musicianship and an exciting stage presence. As the main writer for the group, Sister Sparrow has created some interesting ways to present her vocal style.  The Dirtybirds, comprised of family and friends, are individually showcased through the set, allowing you to feel the strengths of each member. Tasty as hell.  A couple of covers, "Up On Cripple Creek" and most notably The Stones, "Miss You," also show their skills of arrangement and interpretation.

Review: Make them a go-see.

Some extra samples today.

"Make It Rain"
"Untie My Shoelaces"
"Freight Train"
"Quicksand"

 Taste them all.


Opening act for Sister Sparrrow & the Dirtybirds was American Babies. Quick review...up & down. Some memorable moments. Their keyboardist Adam Flicker is certainly the real deal, and their harmonies were better than decent, but beyond that...an opening act.

For the story of the evening leading up to this show...check out "Oy, What A Night" on Kat's Theory of Life.

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