Giving thanks for a fine live music week!

I hope you enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. I certainly enjoyed the live music I heard around town this week. 
I started out by going to the Fort Pierce American Legion where Marschall Van Doren was entertaining the lovely people there with his singing and keyboard playing as he does a couple of times a month. Marschall does a variety of songs, old standbys and favorites and I arrived just in time to sing a few tunes with him. It was worth the drive. 

Wednesday - I started out at Havana Nights and caught a bit of Bobby Gangloff (of Bobby and the Blisters) rockin' the piano there. He is always so entertaining with what I perceive to be a type of  New Orleans style of singing and playing - and he's a really nice guy too.

I had run into some friends at Havana and we soon joined up again at Waldo's on the beach where Voodoo was playing outside by the pool. Wonderful weather, beautiful night and oh my, such great sounds! Jimmy Smith and Lee Rathbun of course and Rick Collins singing and drumming. There was an outstanding bass player but I didn't get his name.  Kent Taylor Brown sat in on guitar, (and probably vocals) but I arrived just as he was wrapping up that set so I missed it. It was a perfect Florida night, black sky and lots of stars to be seen from the deck.

Thursday was Thanksgiving so I didn't get my Kent Taylor Brown fix at the weekly Live Music Party at Dockside Grille. I guess he thought spending time with Emmy and the family was more important than catering to the needs of his fans! Imagine that...

But oh well, I caught up with him on Friday night at the Eagles on Old Dixie. I was joined there by Melinda McKee Branand and we both sang a couple with Kent before cruising over to Kelly's Irish Pub on Miracle Mile to hear the inimitable Vince Caporale and Ed D'Angelo of Deja Vu. They were especially hot and in fact that's how they ended the evening - they had the whole room up dancing to "Hot Hot Hot!"

It is just amazing how much great live music there is to be enjoyed in Vero in just a span of 4 days. But wait...there's more!

The very busy, Marschall Van Doren played at the Vero Beach Vets on Saturday evening and I got to do a few songs with him there. And then on Sunday, I thought I'd go by the Moose Lodge up on 43rd Ave. to see what was happening at the weekly jam session.  I am so glad I did!

All the guys from Tightrope were there with several other musicians  sitting in. There was of course, the infamous Jimmy Smith on bass and vocals, always a pleasure to hear; Marshall Law sitting in on drums when I arrived with Tightrope drummer, Dave Goddard on hand nearby; Albert Andrews, drummer with Stevie and the Hotrods, played some acoustic guitar and sang "Barefoot Bluejeans Night" for one, but also did several more songs - and did them justice. Also in on the jam was a really accomplished lead guitarist, Holt Sutherland. When I heard the sounds he was making on that guitar, I had to get a little closer just to watch him do it!

The  musician that I always enjoy hearing was the piano player, Mark Farner. I got up close again because its a thrill to see his hands doing their work on those keys! Mark is gigging with bands in the area, like Wall Manning and the Revelers and Dave and the Wave at Waldo's. And of course, Tightrope. To get his schedule, E mail him at markpianoman@gmail.com. 

The grand finale was amazingly good and I knew I was going to like it when Jeff Schoff of Tightrope,started singing a song I didn't know but really liked called "Just To Satisfy You." Jimmy Smith accompanied him on vocals and all the musicians did solos including Mr. Rick Nelson on slide guitar.

Somehow it all came together on that number and it was what jams are all about - suddenly it gets exciting and the music comes alive. Thanks guys, I hope I get to hear you do that again sometime. 




  

Mid Week Pile-up!

A beautiful Wednesday in Vero and there are at least two events tonight, if not three, for your consideration: 

There is of course, VooDoo at Waldo's on the beach, always a great time with those great musicians and it should be a beautiful night by the ocean. 

But also, making their debut at the Vero Beach Sports Bar on the east side of U.S.1, (in the McDonalds area) is the wonderful band, Deja Vu, with Vince and Eddie! This should be fun and there will be some of the Kelly's and Dockside crowd there, ready to dance and sing. So come by if you can. They start at 8pm 'til 10pm, and I should be there by 8:30. Let's party!

Note: Deja Vu appears every Friday evening, 8pm to 11pm at Kelly's Irish Pub on Miracle Mile.

Also, got a notice from Bodega Blue on 14th Ave. - they have Bruce Threkland playing tonight, I don't know his music, but its always interesting to see what this sweet little cheese bar has to offer. He starts at 7pm. 

I feel so lucky to have these talented musicians in Vero, so nice to be able to go out and get into the vibe and see friendly faces of people enjoying the old favorites.  When you listen closely to the work the musicians are doing, you realize how much experience and talent they bring to each event. Let's support what we love.

And speaking of music we love: hope to see you all at the Dockside 'Live Music Party' tomorrow night with Kent Taylor Brown! I hear we will also have Mr. Marschall Van Doren sitting in on keyboards! Should be a good time.

Florida Fall Sunday

Hello live music lovers,

This is the beautiful Florida weather we sweated out the summer for, so hope you can get out and enjoy it. Leave the chores 'til later; I just decided to -- because I'm going down to Gloria Estafans Costa D'Este hotel on Ocean Drive to hear the wonderful Bobby and the Blisters band starting at about 4pm 'til about 8pm.  Should be beautiful on the ocean today with all that blue sky and crisp fall air. 

If I'm ambitious enough, I just might ride my bike from South Beach to Central Beach for the pleasure and the exercise.

See you there?
For more info about this event, scroll down to the "Sunday Surprise" post and read about Bobby and the band.

Few and Far Between

Hello all,
I am working on improving the blog so it will be more helpful...Soon I hope.

Meanwhile, wanted to report that Kelly's Karaoke on Saturday night has been suspended, I'm not sure why. So that's not happening...but plenty of other things are.

Don't forget Thursdays, 8:30 til...Live Music Dance Party with Kent Taylor Brown and his 'guest artists.' Happy hour starts all over again at 9pm!

And then of course, Voodoo on Wednesdays at Waldos.
And Bobby and the Blisters at Coste d'Este on Ocean on Sunday afternoons.
See Same Time, Same Place above for times and other events.

More later.
Tricia