Five Questions with Peter Case

Hamburg native Peter Case is returning to Buffalo to perform two shows this week. The first will be a free, full-band rock and roll show (with Case on guitar and vocals, Mark Winsick on guitar and backing vocals, Jim Whitford on bass and vocals, and Rob Lynch on drums) at 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 25, as part of the Larkin Live concert series at the Larkin Square in the, you guessed it, Larkin District in Buffalo. (Kudos to Seamus Gallivan and crew for dong a fine job on the concert series).

The second show will be a solo performance at 7 p.m. Sunday, July 29, at the Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst Street near Grant Street in Buffalo. Admission for this Private Concert Series show will be $20.

Case is one of the greatest songwriters of our generation, if I may offer an opinion, and has been in several formats, going back to his work first with the Nerves, then gaining popularity and some fame as the singer/guitarist/frontman for the Plimsouls, including the classic “A Million Miles Away.” The multiple Grammy Award nominee has released a host of solo records, for major, middle, minor and independent labels, and was the focus of Tom Weber’s excellent “Troubadour Blues” singer/songwriter documentary film from 2011.

I caught up with Peter online and, as you can probably tell, asked him five questions.

KJH: What will people get to hear from you July 25 at Larkin Square with Jim Whitford and Mark Winsick, and solo July 29 at the Sportsmen's Tavern, and what will be the difference?

PC: I love playing with Jim and Mark (and Rob) and we go way back so its blast to play electric rock and roll and blues with them, a lot of which we've worked out over the years, and some of which is always "off the cuff," put together in the moment onstage, which we can do 'cause we've known each other so long. It’s a show I only do with them, or the Plimsouls, musicians I know really well.

My solo show is what I go around the country doing, also in Europe and the UK... it’s songs and music I can't present in that spontaneous band lineup, it’s a different type of thing. It’s mainly at this point what I'm known for, what I was doing when I was nominated for the GRAMMY s 3 times,,, its my main gig.

It was inspired by several shows I saw in Buffalo as a kid: John Hammond Jr, solo at Kleinhans, James Taylor solo at Kleinhans after his second record, and Dave Van Ronk, solo performance, outdoors (in March snow!) by Buff State ... at one point I hitched rides over to Boston and saw the great blues singer Lightnin' Hopkins perform solo there, and it was electrifying and a big inspiration.

The solo thing isn't me "unplugged." It’s the way I play everywhere, and I'd like Buffalo to hear it.

KJH: You were a big part of, and basically the focus, of Tom Weber's film "Troubadour Blues." What was it like being filmed for such a movie and how do you feel the film turned out?

PC: It was weird: he filmed the movie for ten years, so I get to watch myself aging when I see it! But it’s been great, because it give people a behind the scenes look at the solo thing we've just been talking about.

KJH: You told me in an interview and have said on stage at times, to paraphrase, that conservative/Republican presidential terms are good for folksingers and material. What are presidential election years like?

PC: I'm not up anywhere giving political speeches. But I think people know how I feel. Hey, I'm in the 99%, but so is just about everybody else!

KJH: I am a big fan of your song "Words in Red" from "Wig!" and I think of it whenever I hear, mostly, right-wing politicians and preachers using the Bible and religion to attack others. Do you get a strong response for this song?

PC: Yes, that song has been very popular. I'm not anti-religion, I have a "higher power" that I believe in... the song is about "spiritual materialism"... putting money over love.

KJH: You've been singing, playing guitar and writing songs for about 40-45 years. Has the journey taken you where you expect or want, and can you predict where it may take you in the future? Any new projects to speak of?

PC: 40 years! I just can't bring myself to say that... even tho' its true. There’s people whose grandparents weren’t born when I started playing. So lets just keep it to ourselves, ok? I'm writing a book, nearly done, on its last draft I hope. Songs for an album coming, producing other people, touring touring touring, it’s how I make it... at some point I hope to find some way and place to fall back, but right now my retirement plan is to die on stage somewhere. And the new songs might be best ones yet. That’s the way I look at it.

Canal Street String Band - Sportsmen's Tavern

 

            The Canal Street String Band has been rather busy in a bunch of ways, performing indoors and outdoors, official concerts, yoga centers and lots of other places. This time, we caught them in a more expected site, The Sportsmen’s Tavern,  for the first of a two-set show,  May 26 and the band really delivered.

            The three-piece bluegrass, swing, country, old-time and folk band (you can throw in a bunch of other influences) is made up of Phil Banaszak on fiddle, mandolin, guitar and vocals; Dave Ruch on guitar, banjo, mandolin, spoons, jaw harp and vocals; and Jim Whitford (disclosure: our neighbor) on bass, Dobro, guitar and vocals. This award-winning and VERY talented group of musicians sounds impressive in theory, and they work together quite well as a band, the intricate rhythms of the Canal Street String Band’s music and the interplay between each other never getting in the way or hiding anyone else; the band has a CD, “Introducing the Canal Street String Band” at its web site.

            Not being as well versed in old-time music as I’d like, I may have goofed up some of the song titles, but here is how the first set went; if you know the correct song names, don’t hesitate to let me know.

            The band opened with a country swing bluegrass song (courtesy of Bob Wills) called “Miss Molly,” with Whitford on Dobro and Ruch on guitar nicely texturing some fine jazzy fiddle from Banaszak; the next song was an absolutely gorgeous version of “Shenandoah,” slow and elegiac, with the same instrumentation, and Whitford and Banaszak traded lovely lead work. Whitford played bass on a run-through of “Turkey in the Straw,” and Whitford sang lead on the almost too-much-fun romp of Hawkshaw Hawkins’ “Car Hoppin’ Mama.”

            Next up was the instrumental “Song for a Found Harmonium,” not only enjoyable but one of my favorite new song titles; Banaszak played mandolin and Whitford went back to the Dobro for “Rambler Gambler” and “Keep My Skillet Greasy.” Ruch’s guitar and vocal work may seem more supportive at times, but it is the steady, on the mark work that allows the solo playing to succeed, and when he handles leads, you can tell he is having a blast. Ruch moved to bouzouki and Whitford to guitar joining Banaszak’s fiddle on the instrumental “Wrap That Rascal,” another fun song to which Ruch commented,  “We believe ‘Car Talk’ should replace its theme song with this song.” No word on whether or not the “Car Talk” hosts decided to stop doing new shows in response.

            The Canal Street String Band then added some audience participation (always chancy when someone with a voice like mine is in attendance) with the a cappella sea shanty “Scarafina,” on which Ruch joyfully takes the lead in slightly rewriting the song to be based in Buffalo. This was followed by a Banaszak original (with a bit of help from Ruch) called “Shadowland,” an excellent moody, dark waltz with Banaszak on mandolin. The set was ended with three basically instrumental songs, from traveling music to old-timey, with Banaszak continuing to impress on mandolin.

           

Electrorespect 5 - Nietzsche's

             Electrorespect 5, the annual tribute to the late, and truly great, musician and artist Mark Freeland, held at Nietzsche’s May 5, was another resounding success musically and spiritually.

            The event continues to be coordinated and orchestrated by Carla Levorchick, Mark’s longtime partner, friend, advocate and protector, and as usual, she put in countless hours and effort into another gathering of the tribe.

            The evening opened with Ed Koban and Matt Knott performing “The Feather Meets the Dot,” with Koban playing Native American flute and Knott percussion and dulcimer. It was a lovely, peaceful piece and reflected Freeland’s friendship with Koban and interest and respect of Native American music and culture.

            Kinfolk, a keyboard and percussion duet, performed next, and showed good intentions and occasional talent. On the front stage, Pillow Queen was hurt by some caterwauling vocal problems, causing me to write “ouch” in my notes as the band punished Electroman’s “True Love,” or at least the lines from the chorus, “True love/that’s what I’m living for,” over and over and OVER. Whether it was an interpretation gone way wrong, performance art or an endurance test, it was awful in a way that Freeland may have given a thumbs-up to; me, not so much. Pillow Talk also played a song that sounded way too much like “Lady” by Styx. (For those of you offended by criticism of bands at a tribute, please feel free to make use of the comment function below).

            Cowboys of Scotland, a band led by longtime Freeland friend, compatriot and sometime collaborator Bud Redding (keyboards and vocals) and Steve Myers (guitar, bass, vocals and paint brush), delivered an energetic, emotional set blending tribute to Freeland. Redding composed and the band has performed a rock opera based on the life of Freeland, “Original: The Mark Freeland Story,” from which they played a song, as well as performed “Funk Monster Rap,” a song Redding performed in one of his early bands, Funk Monsters and Woman. Redding has credited Freeland with teaching him how to rap (Freeland was a very early rap fan and enthusiast). Myers created a rather good painting based on some Freeland artwork, The band also played two Freeland songs, “Cowboys of Scotland,” the obvious influence of the band’s name, and the classic, fun and forceful “Go Go Go,” with some muscle from guitarist Robert Raithel and drummer Doug Jones. Redding and Cowboys of Scotland have worked hard to helping keep Freeland’s music alive.

            David Kane, an early member of Electroman who wrote and devised some of the band’s greatest songs with Freeland, performed next, with Darren Cage, who played in later versions of Electroman for years (as well as with Kane in later Nullstadt) on guitar and backing vocals and some percussion tracks. They were joined by a couple of vocalists, including the poorly disguised Donald Kinsman, Kane’s partner and co-creator of Nullstatdt, and Biff Titsle (Anal Pudding). The band performed several David Bowie songs, dating back to when Kane and Freeland performed in Erectronics and loved to cover Bowie; this night, the band played such Bowie classics as “Fashion” and “Station to Station.” But the absolute best part of this set, and one of the best parts of the entire night, was when the band started the long, wonderful introduction to “Girl Power,” co-written by Kane and Freeland, and one of the best songs any Buffalo band has ever recorded (it appears on Electroman’s “Come” album). While the song has been covered before, and well at times, something that has always been missing from those versions is the punchy, almost high-pitched hammer-like keyboard chords Kane pumps in the late part of the intro just before Freeland unleashes a wild solo, As that part of the song neared, it actually seemed like the audience tensed in anticipation of hearing if Kane could/would do it; my wife, photographer Val Dunne, who shot Freeland for years, grabbed my arm and yelled into my ear, “I think he’s gonna do it.” It came to that part…and bam, Kane hit the keyboard part as no one else has done, and the audience basically looked at itself and cheered. The whole of “Girl Power” sounded wonderful and was the best way for Kane to end his set.

            The next set was offered up by Nick Garden and the Hall of Fame Band, either with tongue piercing cheek or a textbook example of a violation of truth in advertising laws. The vocals were painful at times, including on “You Make Me Want to Love You,” and the attempt to cover the Fems’ “Go to a Party” featured keyboards way more prominent than the guitar, a major mistake, as would be covering this song when you consider who followed this band.

            Ending the show, appropriately enough, were the Fems Fatale, the three members of the Fems still living in Buffalo, namely John Walters on guitar and vocals, Kent Weber on bass and vocals and Lou Mang on drums. Smartly, the band basically plugged in, turned the volume up and kicked some ass. The Fems Fatale particularly nailed a fantastic version of “Violation,” and ended with a breathtaking version of Electroman’s “The Day You Came into My Life.”

            Some people complained on my other blog about the need for shows honoring the music, art and person that was/is Mark Freeland, and others just went straight to the personal attack. As long as musicians, friends and fans fondly remember Mark, there will be Electrorespect shows.

Pointless Brothers Reunite for Two Shows

 

            It’s time for another cool, has-it-been-that-long band reunion, as the Pointless Brothers Band, one of the best and most popular bluegrass, acoustic, swing and folk rock bands from Buffalo, will perform two shows with its original lineup, only the second time in 21 years it has done, in July.

            The first show will be held from 7-10 p.m. Monday, July 16, at the Sportsmen’s Lounge, 326 Amherst Street near Grant Street in Buffalo, with admission $10, and the second will be a free show from 7-9 p.m. Tuesday, July 17, at Bassett Park, Young and Klein Roads, Williamsville. The Pointless Brothers are celebrating the band's 35 years of music.

            The Pointless Brothers Band is made up of: Mike Stern, electric and acoustic guitars and mandolin; Charlie Ranney on banjo and backing vocals; Judd Sunshine on bass and backing vocals, and Peter Seman on violin and lead vocals.

            Not so coincidentally, I am listening to the Pointless Brothers “Hyperspace,” their song on the “Airwaves Showcase Volume 1” vinyl album of Buffalo College of Musical Knowledge (BCMK) Records artists as I write this paragraph. I have a feeling there will be lots of friend reunions at these shows as well.