Lee Way Studio

Last week; Dani, Zack and I spent a couple of days at Lee Way Studio recording some tracks. Kevin Houston was at the controls with Dave Smith on bass. Steve Potts from Booker T and the MG's joined us on drums. Pictured from left to right is Zack, Jock, Kevin, Dani, Steve and Dave. We've got a great sound coming up so I'll keep you posted there.

I have updated the photo album on the right. Check it out.








This week we start our run at GoldStrike. Yes, we are there for 2 weeks. And don't forget Tuesday, we're in Collierville for the fireworks and celebration. We go on at 8:00. Music starts at 5:30 with "The Aims Gang" and "Almost Famous".

More later...

EP's Delta Kitchen

Yep, we're going back. I don't mean Garry Goin, he's there on the week-ends. EP's on Wednesday nights. Check the calendar, we're there 3 times this month. We start sometime around 8 or 8:30, I dunno which. Make plans, the food's great and well, you know the music. Zack on guitar, Chris Geswein on bass and Chris Cook on drums. Oh yeah, Dani will be there, don't ya know. Like you didn't know who was singing. I heard a rumor, Cook is busy later this month and somebody said Pete Mendillo will be "banging the drum" on the last 2 Wednesdays. I guess we'll see, huh?

Here's some real music news. I picked up an old Hammond piper organ. Yeah, it's got flip levers, a tape recorder, a mic and push button rhythm. Get the picture. It's one of those 70's model from a generation that thought they could learn to play the piano by number. No you won't see it on stage.
I'll let you know how this goes.

See ya Wednesday?

Back from Gulf Shores

I'm back. Yeah it's been a week or so, but family first. Scout Base camp with Colby this week-end was a hoot. There was about 10,000 campers there in Tunica. You know, we played there a couple of years ago. It was in Millington then. How about that for a segway to music.

I have posted some pics from Shrimpfest. You can find them in the Photo Albums on the right. There's some more on the way, but you can enjoy these for now. It was a good trip down there. From Memphis we went down Hi-78 to Tupelo and then Hi-45 all the way to Mobile. Mostly 4 lanes and less traffic makes for a shorter drive. Don't tell anyone though, it may get crowded.

You know I finally saw Dr Zarr and the Amazing Funk Monsters. They're from Memphis and I go to the gulf to see 'em. What's up with that? It was good to revisit the disco. They've got some pics posted from the Shrimpfest too.

Stick around, ok so stickboy didn't get to go, 'cause there's always more...

I'm BACK!!!

Ok, it's been awhile. A long, hot summer and yes, almost tuneless. So here we go again. I've been practicing w/ 2 versions of Dani. Huh, what's that about? New songs and a couple of new faces. First you can find us this Saturday at Newby's on Highland. We are opening for Django Walker(son of Jerry Jeff). Oh yeah, the we thing is a little different. Zack is still there on guitar, but there's Chris Cook on drums and Chris Geswein on bass. More on them later.
You can catch us next week-end at Whistler's in Bartlett. That'll be on Friday the 1st.

Ok ok, the 2 version thing. If you noticed the calendar update(i know, i've been out of touch), we've got some gigs at the Horseshoe in Tunica. The "we" thing there is, Dani(of course) , Gene Nunez on guitar, Jeremy Smith on drums and Louis Meek on bass.

And the picture up top, it's from Southaven Springfest back in April. That's Neil Bowen in the middle, Dave Kropf on drums and you know who on both ends.

I'll be back, promise.

Southaven Springfest

Grab you a cup o' coffee, 'cause there's lots to catch up on. First, Dani was featured and on the cover of "Memphis Woman" magazine. Yours truly was called on, interviewed and quoted in the article. So yes, I made Memphis Woman Magazine. Although I can now play drums according to the picture's caption.

Moving on, the scenery has changed on stage. At Isaac Hayes last week-end we brought along Neal Bowen on bass and Gene Nunez on lead guitar. They'll be there for the festival this week-end too.

So what happened to Zack? I told you earlier Jordan opted out, well Zack followed suit and you can find them playing as "Crazy and the Crutch". Good luck guys.

Yep, we're opening for Sister Hazel this Friday at Southaven Springfest. Snowden Park's the place and we're on at 8:00.

have ya noticed? the pictures of the Fried Glass Onions CD's have disappeared. I dunno what happened. I'll figure it out later. Did you see the "something to do- site of the week" on the right?
Check it out.

Southern Creed

Recognize this? I know you remember"Fire Cracker". Those of you who were around Memphis in the 70's do. And I mean around places like High Cotton, The Ritz(on Madison), Solomon Alfred's or even Ali-goppo's on Highland. Whoa, I can't believe I remembered those. Anyway, they're coming back this Saturday to the New Daisy.
Other Reunion News: Duck Dunn has a website now and is touring w/ Booker T & the MG's. You know Steve Cropper is there too.

Since I'm on the subject of reunions, we're back at the Shanti this Thursday. Come on in!

Rum Boogie

Rum Boogie was Thursday night. I'm not used to these hours. Cool gig though. Ran into Billy Gibson. He was playing early w/ David Bowen. Check out Dani and Zack singing Redhouse.
I've got some studio news I'll post later, Fried Glass Onions 2 is on it's way.

Memphis Italian Festival

Friday night went good at Isaac Hayes. Jeremy did a great job on drums and I've posted a couple more pics in the Photo Album. Jeremy was supposed to join us Saturday, but he's got a baby boy now and it was check-out time from the hospital. With all that said, Zack played drums at the"will play for change" tour. It was simulcast live on the internet at IndieHeaven.
So check this out, I got to revisit my first concert as a teenager: "Grand Funk Railroad". Mark Farner was one of the guests at the Memphis Italian Festival. Yes he opened w/ "Foot Stompin' Music". WHAT A BLAST! Larry Raspberry and the Highsteppers were the back-up band(that was a treat by itself), but Farner brought his own drummer(check out his hat). You can enlarge the pic.

More News

We're gearing up for a busy summer. With life's schedules, Dave(our drummer) can't make all our dates so we are in need of a sub. Mark Stauffer, from Visible School, has recently joined us and should be at Isaac Hayes Club on May 7th. Vince has announced that he needs to commit more time to the newly released CD,"Volume 4" from Crossway Worship Band. With that news, we are trying out a new bass player as well. Cousin Vinnie is gonna stay on w/ us through the Bixby Blues & BBQ gig.
Hampton, Virginia's "Bay Days" festival has invited us back this Sept. Last year we opened for Chely Wright and what a blast that was. This year we're on another stage and headlining. We may play 2 different days and open for Bo Diddly.
More news coming, we're waiting on some replies so I'll save on those for another blog. It's late, I'm outta here!

Whirlwind Week

I know, it's been awhile so here's what's up. Last week Wednesday afternoon, I got a call from Eddie Dattel(Inside Sounds), needing a keyboard player for the "Fried Glass Onions" CD release party on Saturday night. "Sure, I'd love to", so he sends me a set list of about a dozen songs and rehearsal is Friday.
Cram time, cause the next morning(Thursday) we were on channel 3's "Live @ 9" show from the Peabody Place lobby. What an experience!
Friday comes quickly and I meet the band; Bob Simon, Robert Hall, Richard Hage and Malcolm Cullen.
Saturday's here already,
two sets w/ Kevin Paige, Eddie Harrison, Matt Isbell, Rick Nethery(Beat Generation), Charles Ponder(Z Da), Daddy Mack Orr and of course, DANI.
One last set of spontaneous Beatles jam. That was a blast!
Make sure you visit the PHOTO ALBUM.
Oh BTW, Isaac Hayes Club has booked us twice a month through the summer. Keep an eye on the calendar.

Jimmy Craig

Stringing up? That's 2 practices in a row.

Zack Mack

At 19, (don't tell him) that boy can play!

Cousin Vinnie

Bass player extraordinaire. Graduate of Berklee. Need I say more?

Glass House

We did something out of the ordinary for me Friday night. Dear wife and I went to the Glass House on S. Main and listened to Bebop Broadcasting Network. Dave Kropf and Neal Bowen of BBN are playing as part of the jazz trio. Very enjoyable!
Hmm, could be a future site of a Dani acoustic show...

"Fried Glass Onions"

"Memphis Meets the Beatles". We are on a complilation CD of Memphis bands playing Beatles tunes. Recorded at Inside Sounds Studio and released December 2004. We recorded "Old Brown Shoe", the only song written by George Harrison on the CD. You can get a copy on Dani's website. You can also hear other Memphis musicians such as John Kilzer, Kevin Paige and Eddie Harrison to name a few. Volume ll is in the works and due out later this year.

Pictured in the studio are L-R: Eddie Dattel, Jimmy Craig, Zack Mack, yours truly, Vince Leffler, Dani, Mike Sinc & Kevin the engineer.

Rehearsal for Emergenza

Practice this week has been great! We're really excited about Dave Kropf, our new drummer. Tonight's Emergenza event will be Dave's first gig with us. This is a world wide contest for unsigned artists. Round 1 is at Hi-Tone in Memphis. Each band gets 30 minutes to set-up, play and tear-down. Voting is by a show of hands from the audience. There will be 8 Memphis bands competing each night this week. All genres of music are participating, so this ought to be an interesting gig.

I'll let you know how it goes...