Ultralove Me Baby

Spring has just slipped the tip in, but in Santa Monica, it feels like summer.

The beaches are bustling, the promenade is perfect and even Mondays feel like it's still the weekend. Ultralove runs things on Monday and the night is geared for the ultralove-er in you*. If you haven't yet heard 'em throw down, you're in for a funky good time.

Ultralove employs a 6 piece ensemble which includes Doug Showalter (g), Seth Murphy (d), Mike Gunn (b), Adam Berg (keys) and singers Soul Star and Love Logiq. Note: this past week, Jon Piazza (aka Jon Swift) played keys. Strumming a black acoustic guitar - unless he's busting moves with the audience - Ultralove raps and sings with the ease of a man doing what he was born to do, making music with such ease and joy, it's not hard to see why the dance floor is consistently packed when the band plays.

Ultralove has a CD out "[revolution]" which is available at the gig or on [Amazon] and [iTunes™].

Big blog shout-out to Trisha, Lauralee, Dirty Birdy, Guy and *Shalamar!!

2 Guys Walk Into A Bar...

Ultralove and Brew.

Ultralove plays every Monday night without fail! His blend of modern hip-hop acousti-soul churns out hook-laden groove music that the ladies (as well as everyone else) seem to find irresistible. Brew runs things onstage Wednesdays with his group House Of Vibe All-Stars. The All-Stars include a fresh variety of singers, rappers and players of all sorts who come by and join in the party, which Brew conducts like a funky Andre Previn.

Vintage Trouble : Top Of The Pops!

Trouble Tuesday?

Tonight, Vintage Trouble performed on the show "Later Live With Jools Holland". The band introduced themselves to the world on live TV with the blistering track "Blues Hand Me Down" from their album The Bomb Shelter Sessions.

Congrats to the guys, VT is trending worldwide as I write this....

Vintage Trouble : We Are The Champions

Topping off their Tuesday night residency here, the boys from Vintage Trouble are gonna strut their stuff on the Westside one more time before heading across the Atlantic. First stop - an appearance on UK show "Later" with Jools Holland. The format of the show includes 5 bands from different aspects of the music world. The episode they are appearing on will also feature performances by k.d. land, Dr. John and Tom Jones. After that they will be out with Queen guitarist Brian May's spring tour. After that...??

(watch this space or their website for future developements.)

Tonight is the final Trouble Tuesday.

Like the birth of a new nation, there's an uprising going down and tonight, it's on the Westside.

Tonight is final chance to see Vintage Trouble live.

Something old, something new.

Something borrowed and something blue.

Vintage Trouble.

The blog wishes VT well in it's travels and looks forward to hearing about all the adventure upon your return.

Til we meet again....

Adrian Hibbs :Cooool!! (and the Gang!!)

Adrian Hibbs stepped his game up this past Tuesday, throwing down two sets of soulful originals backed ably by a 7 piece band, whose pieces fit together like a sonic jigsaw puzzle. Keeping the dance floor stocked and the club on fire, Hibbs brought his uptight pocket grooves to the right place; keepin' it real (real funky)!!

The "gang" was stacked with players well known around Harvelle's; specifically sax man Paulie Cerra, drummer Vincent Fosset Jr and Sam Meek on guitar. Additionally, Kasi Jones rocked the house with her dynamic vocals in tandem with Mr. Hibbs, who at times channelled Donny Hathaway, singing and playing his keyboard with grace, ease and much melody. (The rest of the band included Ed Cartwright Jr, Robin Rountree and Paul Literal.)

keep up with Adrian Hibbs::

[reverb nation] :: [cd baby] :: [myspace]

Please Note:

Tuesday at Harvelle's is the final Trouble Tuesday; Vintage Trouble's swan song performance before their European tour. Tuesday's just won't be the same! And tonight is the smoothed out hip-house funk of the man they call UltraLove. A grooved out Monday hang is the perfect way to ease into the week. See you there?

Brenna Whitaker : Tuesday Night Revisited

While the band Vintage Trouble conquered the UK, singer Brenna Whitaker took Trouble Tuesday in a different direction. Jazzing and blues-ing, she commanded the packed house who responded in kind.

Well... guess who's back?

Brenna will be at Harvelle's Friday - April 1 (I feel journalistically obligated to say that this is no joke). I encourage all who are unfamiliar with her, to come check her out.

...and for a whole 'nother vibe, the owners of Trouble Tuesday - the mighty Vintage Trouble - will be playing Saturday night!! Their Saturday night shows at Harvelle's are legendary, so this is gonna be a hot one. Vintage Trouble is blowing up bigtime and gearing up for their second trip to the UK in May, this time as support for (Queen guitarist) Brian May's tour. UK readers take note!!

Hilary Van Lier : New Tracks!!!

Hilary Van Lier is the chanteuse with the mostest!! She writes great songs and she sings like delicious candy! Sweet and satisfying!! I'm quite happy to hear new tracks by this reclusive and beautiful vocalist!! (When you coming back to Harvelle's Hilary?)

Hilary mines deep down in her soul for feelings, accesses them raw, and polishes 'em til they're reflective and smooth. This is what I wanna listen to!!

Now available on iTunes, do yourself a favor, and treat yourself to Hilary's Layin' Low EP. [buy it here]

NOW, do the following:

-If you're on Facebook, LIKE her [Facebook page]

-Check her out on Reverb Nation [reverb nation]

-Follow Hilary on Twitter [twitter]

-Buy Hilary's track "Can't Pretend (Wear Me Down)". It's exclusively on iTunes [buy it here]