We’re looking forward to performing back at some of favorite venues this spring/summer season. We kick off the season back at Terry B’s, a wonderful restaurant in Dexter. Howard and I are there for several dates in May and June. Then we add our favorite drummer, George Eberhardt, for a couple of other gigs around town, including the Water Hill Music Festival. Later in May gigs begin in Charlevoix and Petoskey. We’re back at the Bridge Street Tap Room and also the new Lake Charlevoix Brewing Company. Please see the Calendar Page for details on all of these performances. `Hope you can join us!
Live Music in Naples
This season we’ve enjoyed listening to a number of great musicians performing around Naples. Here are a few of my favorites: I always learn a lot listening to Dan Heck‘s guitar trio at Alto on Thursdays, the same venue where you can hear Dan Miller on Saturdays. Mike Blasucci and Bob Zottola play at Freds. The lobby of the Ritz is a great place to listen to live music – Steve Uscher and then the Jerry Stawski trio on Fridays. Follow the links to their calendars and enjoy some live music in Naples!
Martin Luther King talks about music
The new film, Selma, has reminded us all of Dr. King’s role in civil rights. But he was also a deep thinker in other areas as well. He says about music, “For in the particular struggle of the Negro in America there is something akin to the universal struggle of modern man. Everybody has the Blues. Everybody longs for meaning. Everybody needs to love and be loved. Everybody needs to clap hands and be happy. Everybody longs for faith. In music, especially this broad category called Jazz, there is a stepping stone towards all of these.” Read the whole story on The New Jazz Archive blog.
Jazz in Naples
Next month is the start of a new season of music in Naples. Aurora and I return to The Naples Yacht Club on Tuesdays and Wyndemere every Thursday night. Also look for us at Naples Flatbread on a few Sunday nights. We are performing with Joe Osment at the Naples Art Fair. Click here for details. Here is a recording of Aurora and me playing Dave Brubeck’s “It’s A Raggy Waltz”
We hope to see you at one of these gigs soon!
New music season in Ann Arbor, new gear!
Howard and I kick off a new season of jazz duets in Ann Arbor with four gigs at TerryB’s, (click here to see the details)… and some new gear! Howard will be sporting a brand new <outrageous> fretless six-string bass by F Bass. Six strings? Fretless? Don’t miss this show! I took the more traditional route with just a regular old jazz guitar,… but this one built by Roger Sadowsky. And, oh yeah, it’s left-handed. Both of these instruments were chosen to bring a warmer, woodier sound to our music. C’mon out and tell us what you think?
Jazz Guitar Trio
New photos from a recent gig at the local Mariott Resort. (Thanks, Mary!)
Bridge Street Tap Room Rocks!
This is the coolest new establishment to come to Charlevoix in decades! Drinking Michigan beer, overlooking the harbor, listening to live music,… What’s better than that? My new collaboration with Tom Rasmussen, “The Algorhythms” (he’s an engineering nerd) performs there throughout the summer. Check here for our schedule.
Luis Brito!!!
Over the past few weeks I’ve been lucky enough to work a few gigs with Luis Brito, an amazing young talented bass player in SW Florida. Check out his solos on these songs we recorded live! Sir Duke
All Blues
yes, that’s a six string bass
Samba in Naples!!!
Here’s a version of Samba de Orfeu performed (live!) by Aurora and me a couple days ago.
Samba de Orfeu
‘s not a fancy recording. We just run a line out from each of our amps into my little pocket recorder. So you don’t get to hear the crowd going wild. I’m in the left channel; Aurora’s right.
Hill Street Blues – a new guitar arrangement
My friend, Mike Blasucci, was showing me some new ideas about using triads on the guitar fingerboard. I don’t think this is what he had in mind, but I came up with a new arrangement for a very cool TV theme.
Black Cow
Black Cow is the first song on Steely Dan’s Grammy Award winning album, “Aja”, and a great example of California jazz rock. Here’s a new guitar arrangement, again, with Aurora on bass. Black Cow
Jazz at Hooligans
This fall Hooligans started featuring Jazz Wednesdays. Here’s a photo of Joe Aranda and me getting ready for a set. The amazing George Eberhardt is in the back putting his drum set together. The iPhone recording is our remake of the Impressions classic, It’s All Right.
It’s All Right
Jazz Guitar at Terry B’s
After one more gig at the Weathervane this summer, we’re headed back to Ann Arbor and looking forward to Jazz Guitar Fridays at Terry B’s. Alternating weeks with guitar virtuoso, Gary Allen, I will be performing duets with Howard White on September 13 and with Joe Aranda on September 27. Come on down!
Dave Brubeck’s Raggy Waltz
“It’s A Raggy Waltz” is classic Dave Brubeck – a standard 12-bar blues, but then done up in a 3/4 time and fitted with a bridge that takes you through a bunch of key changes. Here’s a new guitar arrangement accompanied by the incomparable Aurora Wells.
Raggy Waltz
Spring gigs start in Ann Arbor this weekend
We kick off this spring music season Saturday night back at the Main Street Martini Bar and then Sunday afternoon at the Waterhill Music Festival. For May and June the trio with Howard and George will be performing most Thursdays at Boneheads. See the “Gigs” page for more details. ‘hope to see you soon!
Music in Naples at Mercato
Tocando launched another season last night at Naples Flatbread and Wine Bar. Come and join us when we return on Thursday nights in the new year. (For more Tocando dates in the new year, see the GIGS page.)
C’mon down! All of our friends who showed up reported that the food and the service were great.
Baby, now that I found you…
I recently heard an Alison Krauss concert where she covered this old Foundations tune. Here’s a guitar arrangement.
Season Finale
This coming Saturday at the Quarter Bistro will be the final Ann Arbor performance for the year. In November the Florida gigs begin. Saturday’s gig will feature a trio with Howard White on bass on George Eberhardt on drums — that’s different! I play a lot with both of these guys, but this trio format is a first — and that always makes for a more interesting gig. Come and join us!
Bacharach and David
A few weeks ago my twin brother (not really), Hal David, passed away. This amazing lyricist, along with his partner, Burt Bacharach, created some of the most important popular music of the 20th century. Sure, it was sometimes corny and sleepy, but it was always beautifully rich and musical. Here are a couple new guitar arrangements of their songs.
Wives and Lovers
This Guy’s in Love
Happy Labor Day!
Today we wrap up a fun hot summer! In addition to the gigs at the Weathervane in Charlevoix, I picked up a few nights in August at Shanahans (terrific acoustics!) and at Birchwood Farms in Harbor Springs. (Marty, thanks for the referrals!) Mark Dorn’s low res photo (Mark, how old is that phone???) captured me hard at work at the Weathervane last week.
Hal Davis Music 