| Author | Message | ||
     Court |
Oh boy...oh boy....oh boy! I love it when the planets line up and stuff, cooler than really should happen, just up'n happens. Make it happen on Fat Tuesday? . . . then put yourself down for bonus points. Here's the deal ..... Next Tuesday night, yeah FAT TUESDAY, the 8th of February the one and only TOMMY CASTRO is winding up to bring down (actually with the stage in the basement, we may need to rethink that whole deal) B. B. Kings Blues Club in Times Square! I first got turned on to Tommy Castro listening to the No "Foolin'" CD. There's a song "Sweet Little Angel" that I love playing back to back with Hendrix's "Angel". Castro exhibits the gift of "Achieving total axe oneness" that Hendrix did. Don't believe me, check out what folks like Carlos Santana and B. B. King had to say. Like I said....this is HUGE! If you are a Bueller in the area, this would go on my "can't miss" list. Take a look at this surreptitiously obtained photo of the band....look closely? See what I see? Seems that "Blues of a Feather Flock Together".  If you can make it, I'll be there in the Buell garb...see ya there! Am I totally stoked? . . you bet I am! Court | ||
| Tripper  |
I'm looking... not a great picture.... Is that a Pegasus tattoo? | ||
| Lornce  |
Can't tell about the tattoo but that's an XB wheel in the lower left corner. Pretty esoteric "product placement". | ||
| Court |
>>>that's an XB wheel in the lower left corner. Sharp eyes....too cool or what? I can't wait to hear this album. We have "No Foolin'" (my engineers are from Poland and, like me, work best to music) on in the office today. Funny part is that the two fella's who arrived last night from Hyundai in Seoul, Korea and speak not a word of English . . . seem to love it as well. Apparently foot tapping transcends language barriers! | ||
| Reepicheep  |
Court, you are seriously sneaky! Good spot Lornce! | ||
| Court |
For the record, I did not do that. Picture was sent to me. But I am going to make time to check out Tommy Castro and Co. while they are in Gotham...I gotta hear this new CD. | ||
| Reinhart  |
Court, my people have a 'Spy Photo' that seems to be proof positive that Erik is going to take a well deserved 'Day Off'. Looks like he is heading your way for a slice of The Big Apple and a big helping of "Fat Tuesday". Have you heard any word from E.B.? Inquiring Mindz want 2 know!  | ||
| Court |
I've heard not a word. I've a car ready to collect him, if need be, at the aerodrome and have dispatched messages that bordered on abuse calling suggesting it is not too late, in his advancing years, to aspire to be as worldly as folks like us. The last one may well have sent him over the edge. If I am found in the alley twinxt 42nd and 43rd with the imprint R-E-D-N-E-F in my forehead, you'll know what happened. I've got a bike and some very interesting opportunities to ride on Tuesday afternoon. Your intel is better than mine....her lips are sealed. Best intel security device Buell has in it's arsenel was hired years ago.  | ||
| Bluzm2  |
Stop it Court! You're killing me! I've seen Castro once up here a while back. He's great fun in person. Great show, enjoy it for me too! BTW, did you ever get to watch the Clapton tape? I have it and am in the process of burning DVD's. Oh yeah, you don't have a DVD player right? Brad | ||
| Court |
>>>>Oh yeah, you don't have a DVD player right? Actually, that is no longer an accurate statement. You may recall when this topic last arose I was made light of for being, perhaps, one of the most parsimonious amongst our number. Some well meaning soul tried to induce me to purchase by pointing out that they cost but $39 USD. My reply was..."well, as soon as they become popular the price will go down". Shortly thereafter my wife, Suzy Saks, popped the $39 smackeroodies and I was in business. Anyway...I now own, at considerable expense, a DVD player. I bought the Clapton Crossroads DVD's and watched parts of them before Son #1 (the musician) skipped town with the box set. The Buell world seethes with good folks and no sooner does the Mutant Offspring, with all 9 guitars in tow, leave town than a bootlegged copy of Clapton in England from 1986 arrives. The DVD is awesome; Phil Collins may have peaked in this performance backing Slowhand. Of note, is the fact that we have rather atomistic group composed of nothing but music DVDs including Paul Simon (yeah, I play along with American Song on a 12-string while standing in the shower..what of it?), Carly Simon in Grand Central Station and Martha's Vineyard and so forth. The SRV, Buddy Guy, Clapton, B. B. King collaboration on Crossroads was quite to die for. I got contacted today about doing something in connection with an upcoming Buddy Guy appearance at B. B. Kings on March 23rd so I'm going shopping for a polka dot shirt! Court | ||
| Lornce |
Oh man, Buddy Guy at B.B. King's. That'll be smmmokin. Man has more "presence" than'll fit on a stage. Enjoy. | ||
| Leftcoastal  |
A few years back, when my wife Penny was managing musicians, we got some free tickets to see Buddy Guy at the Hollywood House of Blues. 'Smmmokin' would be seriously understating that show! Any one in reasonable travelling distance should make it a point to catch the March 23 show - guaranteed good time to be had! AL | ||
| Reinhart |
My people in Virginia ran Courts B&w Tommy Castro photo thru the digital image history systems.Court I would skip the Poka-Dot Tie for it will clash with a Brite Orange Jump Suit.  | ||
| Court |
Al: That says much. Many of the folks, perhaps new here, may not realize that "your wife Penny" is perhaps one of the most enthusiastic people I've wandered accross. She, in contrast, makes me appear "mildly excited". Then, of course, there is the fact that she's much younger and better looking than you and I. I'm betting the FAT TUESDAY bash rocks Times Square to the quick. And, having the power to disconnect the power in the ConEd vault on 42nd and 7th Avenue, I'm not a guy you'd want to dissapoint. | ||
| Davegess |
FOR ALL YOU GUITAR GODS OUT THERE http://www.jsonline.com/bym/news/feb05/299255.asp Nice story | ||
| Bomber  |
buddy guy is THE bluesman of his generation -- other have great chops, true ennuf, but Buddy puts em all in the shaed - the man scares gansters from across town when he plays -- woemn weep, small boys cry for their momas, and the rest of the city experiences brown outs when he gets to getting -- I'm a long time Clapton fan, but watching him and Buddy Guy trade sevens left no doubt in my mind -- Court -- though I rarely give fashion advice, I would suggest you skip the polka-dot shirt, just get a greyed-out wife-beater, a really greasy pork pie hat, the chepeast, darkest shades you can lay you hands on, put a toothpick in the corner of your mouth, and bust on in | ||
| Reinhart |
Bomber..You just had to give Court some fashion advise. I see he had to modify the band on pp hat.  | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Now that's funny! I'll bet Court will want a blow up of it framed for the "Buell Archives" office... Nice job. | ||
| Bomber |
Rienhart -- too funny by half -- it's good to see your artwork again (we first met in Oct of Y2K, at a SLimey Crud Run, right after I'd bought the MaDeuce, and you kindly sent me a number of eamils with the Sisters of Chrome, which won't, of course, get you home) for several months) | ||
| Firebolt020283  |
happy mardi gras(fat tuesday for you non cajun or french people) | ||
| Court |
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| Davegess |
COOL! | ||
| Reinhart |
I thought Court spent time in the Marine Corps not the Navy.... Yes, the Navy Sea Bee's. You know their Moto "CAN DO!". Court Can Do and always Does....You Boo Koo #10 Canfield.  | ||
| Court |
I had a darned 1,000-word tome written about loosing my Castoginity. I read it, deleted it and started again, fearing arrest for exceeding the maximum superlatives per page limits. Let's talk shall we. Look...for several reasons, that started with going to school with the kids in KANSAS to some odd association with friends of friends in New York City, I've met more than my quota of musicians. Most are dandy. When I got wind of the chance to tune into the” live at B. B. King's” debut of Tommy Castro's "Soul Shaker", I expected great music. The termage "exceeded expectations" comes up woefully short of the tale I am about to share. The afternoon started a bit rocky. The Buell was in the basement. The weather was fine, but a muddy hill separated me from pavement. I'll spare the details about the Buell XB9SX riding yours' truly down the hill and the ensuring need to break out the Boy Scout manual about "direct pressure" to stop the bleeding between my index finger....ahh..never mind. Suffice to say, I was "invested" in going to meet the guy I'd heard so much about. I had no idea what I was in for. Blood loss under control, I arrived at B. B. King's at 3:15PM, at the invite of Miki Nord (deserving herownself of a separate review) to have a chance to meet Tommy and show off the snappy Blue Buell. My trip there was filled with ideas of "Double your Blues", "Maximum Blues" and even the idea of a smokin' burn-out and Tommy wielding an axe in the middle of Times Square (100 yards away) poster labeled ....."Smokin". Buells, like celebrities, don't "hide" well in Times Square. By the time I emerged from the bowels of the complex looking for a sign of life, the NYPD had "discovered" the Buell, parked about as legally as trying to put your Piper Cub next to Air Force One. A minute or two of what I call "Buell soothe" had the ticket voided and officer Duffy astride the Buell thinking it "just felt right". Just as I hide the bike up along side the club, in front-of the "now Appearing" marquis, up comes a taxi and out jumps none other than Tommy Castro totin' a "bag full o' Strat." Motorcycle riders (he's not one) and musicians (I'm not one) have so many common bonds it's unbelievable. His telltale ornery grin and genuine smile told me we'd seen the same world from slightly different angles but shared the view of the "big picture". I liked this guy, I liked him a lot. Like an alien and a farmer exchanging fascinated looks following the landing of a flying saucer in a farm field, he wanted to see the Buell and I was begging to see what was in the bag. He was as keen on the Buell as I was on the Strat. I didn't need to have the "great musician" rumors confirmed to know that I'd just met a down right nice person, about as genuine as they come. There was no hurry, no "take the picture, I gotta get". It was "heck, I'm in no big hurry, it's good to meet you". Tommy was off to sound checks and I to ditch the Buell and head back to the club to meet the SCU (Spousal Control Unit) at 7:00PM. She arrived by taxi just as I walked up. Miki (you bet there's gonna be another story) was operating at about the energy of the 3rd electron in the "K" shell af an atom for those of you into Quantum physics. Her enthusiasm, in concert with intel from Wisconsin, gave fair warning of what was to come. Think you have seen live music? So had I. I mean I just watched Eric Clapton raise the live show bar at MSG a couple months ago. I was wrong, way wrong.  I'd heard lots of what I just knew had to be hype and hyperbole but when the lights dimmed...well Res Ipsa Loquitur. Music's a funny thing. Sometimes, like Chinese food, it's not as much the product as it is the quality of delivery. Live music? When it comes to delivery, Tommy Castro DELIVERS! I'd expected to be impressed, not bowled over. I expected others to dance on tables, not me. I had, in my mental register, Tommy Castro as a "Blues Musician". That's a bit like calling a Buell "satisfactory transportation". Blues?...B. B. King and Carlos Santana were impressed? That's a good start in my world. But, just as the "blues noose" is snugged and you want to enter your Benny Carter mindset ... what’s this dude up'n do? He goes rocker on me! A couple songs into the set, Vickie is making Mellenkamp comparisons. I laughed when I read the same thing in a review today. Castro's guitar style's on par with the best, it's his enthusiasm that makes his live show a "walk on fire to get to" event.  Okay...here I am on the table ...whooping, shouting and gettin' big-time down. I've figured out the San Franciscan and POOF.... here comes a change up, “Anytime Soon”, just one of the chart busters on the CD! Bottom line, this is one of the most powerful live musicians I’ve ever seen. That’s cool by itself. The icing on the cake is that Tommy Castro is about as nice and as genuine a fellow as you’re ever gonna meet. He was as generous with his time as he was genuine with his fondness for Buells. I swear, I don’t understand the motorcycle / music connection, neither does Tommy. But, like kids’ laughter, I don’t have to understand it to know I like it. Oh my gosh…I’m back to 987 words. Miss Tommy Castro on CD or “appearing in a town near you” at your peril…and by the way TAKE YOUR BUELL! Court Canfield New York City P.S. - Billboard jazz charts came out today. Castro's "Soul Shaker" CD is there in #2 just ahead of Eric Clapton. I rest my case.  | ||
| Awprior  |
Court, What is the Buell connection? (the logo on the back) Maybe I missed something... I will definitely be checking out that CD in the next week. | ||
| Court |
Alex: If you are anywhere in the CA area (you can check the other tour dates on the www.tommycastro.com website) be sure to arrive at the gig with you Buell. You'll find out..... | ||
| Awprior |
Court, Currently camped out on the banks of the Mississippi in Illinois, but there are a few shows that are close by. I'd hope the winter is gone by the time they arrive so I can ride! | ||
| Court |
Hint: Stay there until Saturday night March 26, 2005 and I'll show you a side of Buell you've never seen and won't believe. | ||
| Awprior |
Duly noted. I'll be here. Check your email later on this evening. | ||
| Firemanjim  |
Can you believe this--look where he's gonna be playing!!!! Mar 4 Fri Vacaville, CA The Opera House *TBA FARQUE!!!!ME!!!!Guess who's actually off work????? |
