Jimmy Z

Harvelle's legend Jimmy Z was on his game tonight. Like pawn to rook 4, the sax/harmonica player for Etta James, gives it up for the believers of the blues.


Joining him on drums was Lavell Jones - on guitar - BR, Vince on bass and sitting in at the end of the night was Mr Key Frances.


The white haired king of cool played his way into the eardrums of the attendent.


- Posted live from Harvelle's using BlogPress & the Hipstamatic photo app on the iPhone

Location:4th St,Santa Monica,United States

Koffeehouse. Sessions. BOOM!

The first Thursday of the month at Harvelles is Koffeehouse, which encompasses an open mic starting at around 7, followed by sets by up and coming singer/songwriters.

Tonight's roster included the Dylanesque Ken Will Morton, the enormously popular Brock Baker (pictured below),


The Other Side Of Morning, who brought their heavy psychedelic folk - complete with a flying-V guitar - to roaring applause of approval,



and Boom Boom Boom who brought their original all acoustic bluesy flava and proved their songwriting and musical ability. And minimally too - percussion/upright bass/guitar (+harmonica) - three pieces, no electricity. You could understand all the words too.




Sponsoring the night was the Fender Music Foundation - a non profit that gives instruments to music education programs. Publicly supported, their website is well worth checking out. (Shout-out to CJ!)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Santa Monica,United States

Back to Soul Funk : Back To Reality

DJ Vicious Lee made Ryan Cross' weekly jazz/funk throwdown an awesome place to be this Quatro De Mayo.

Ryan's roster of mega talented jazz cats never fail to disappoint.

Cedric Anderson put the groove in his pocket and did double-dutch with it. Cedric gets the party going and got everybody to sing along to "Skin Tight".

Dennis Hamm stretched out on the keys and our hero Ryan - of course - tamed the monster standup bass (as usual). He breezed through an extended solo, incorporating parts of "Come Together", "Billy Jean", "Brick House" and "So What" - digging deep into the neck, at times bowing the bee-jezus out of it.

Popp was on hand to slice and dice his guitar and guest bassist- Keith Rouster- burned hard on the left-handed 6 string.

And making the night an event was the aforementioned DJ Vicious Lee - the grandmaster cuttin' on 2 turntables. Dude spins the hottest sets. Check him as he rocks the house every Sunday night at Harvelle's as part of the Toledo Show.

Ryan Cross and co. reconvene next Tuesday with special guests tba.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:4th St,Santa Monica,United States

Kirk Fletcher : Blue Monday

How does it feel?
To treat me like you do?

Those are the first 2 lines of the
classic 80s New Order track "Blue Monday". Decades later Kirk and the Gang give new meaning to the term.

Listen to Kirk play the blues. Commiserate with others who hate Mondays or who just enjoy hangin' at Harvelle's.

Travis Carlton on bass, Luke Miller on keys and Vincent Foster on the drums back Kirk. Sam Meek also sat in on guitar.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:4th St,Santa Monica,United States

John Lee Hooker Jr : Gangsterz Of Funk

Loud greasy sizzling John Lee Hooker Jr warns "don't stand too close to the stage or you'll get burned."

Blues gangster JLH Jr was born to do this and probably came out of Mrs. Lee Hooker's womb wearing dark sunglasses.

The man can sing the blues, he's got the funk.

Gangster + Funk = Gunk. Greasy bluez gunk. On a Saturday night.

At Harvelle's of course.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Kirk Fletcher on a Monday : Easy like a Sunday

Kirk is the Vans™-wearing new school blues cat who shreds, throws down and brings some of the best players around to jam. He has a new CD, and his Monday night residency at Harvelle's has become a must-see stop for fans of r&b, soul and blues. Kirk Fletcher's band includes James Gadson on drums, Paulie Cera on vocals and sax, Luke Miller on keys, and tonight, "Ready" Freddie Washington on bass.

"Ready" Freddie Washington - 

the man who put the funk in Patrice Rushen's "Forget Me Nots" 

(Freddie Washington on iTunes™)

Kirk Fletcher has a new album. 

it's on iTunes

Adrian Hibbs rockin' the keys

Josh Smith tears it up

James Gadson - funkiest man alive

Rob Bacon

Alvino Bennett sitting in on drums

Luke Miller jams on the keys 

Freddie Washington on bass

Rob Bacon

Paulie Cera vocals and sax

Kirk Fletcher

Alvino Bennett

Bill Steinway

Sam Meek on lead guitar

Kirk's classic black Vans™