The Toledo Show : If you don't know...

Now you know!!

The Toledo Show is a wild burlesque fantasy ride from a not-so-distant galaxy!! The sexy dancers bump 'n' grind while Toledo sings soliloquies from his soul, painting pictures of gritty nights and sleazy women, while the band plays heavy duty funk-jazz with a definite edge. This long-running extravaganza is exclusively at Harvelle's every Sunday night.

Vintage Trouble : Hands Across The Water

Vintage Trouble is about to invade England. Those Brits ain't gonna know what hit 'em!! If you follow this blog even casually, you know about Vintage Trouble. Together now for just a year, they have signed a management deal with Doc McGhee. Doc has managed the careers of Motley Crue and Bon Jovi. He took those bands to the highest levels and made 'em both household names. Doc needs a new band he can make as big as them. Hello Vintage Trouble!!

The confirmed dates as they have been printed are the following : Tue 8th Feb - Gibson Rooms, Showcase, Wed 9th Feb - Proud Galleries, Camden (Music Week presents "Breakout") and Sat 12th Feb - Barfly, Camden, HMV best new bands show.

There won't be a "Trouble Tuesday" for a couple of weeks, which kinda sucks. I'm addicted to my Tuesday nights at Harvelle's. The "Troublemakers" are a great group to hang out with. And it's always fun watching the people who are there for the first time as they witness the band and the jaw-dropping power they project. Lead singer Ty Taylor is a master at pleasing the crowd. He sings, he shakes, he sweats, he shouts, he smiles...

and it's all for you!!

I think they're gonna kick ass in the UK.

They do it at Harvelle's every Tuesday.

UltraLove : Good Times!!

Ultralove is a breath of fresh air. Sort of like a cool young Steely Dan with a dynamic front man. Ultra Dan? Steely Love? But let's not forget that Ultralove's players are top-notch and dazzling. Like "the Dan" they throw it down with precision and soul. Their employment of modern poetic lyrics infused with the voices of Love Logiq and Soul Star are two of the many layers of sound. The band proper - Mike Gunn on bass, Seth Murphy on drums, Adam Berg on keys and Douglas Showalter on guitar are as smoothed out and/or edgy as they wanna be. Ultimately, they make intellectual danceable music and the audience seems to agree.

Showalter is blessed with the ability to play the "funk chord" (the greatest chord ever). The funk chord is that little rhythm chik-a-chik that characterizes funk and soul. Most famously made popular by the 1970's band Chic, Douglas plays it with a magic infused by the spirit of guitarist Nile Rodgers.

Mike 'Ultralove' Wagner fronts the band. Soul Star and Love Logiq provide the hot background vocals that are an integral part of the UltraLove sound.

Adam Berg on keys can channel Billy Preston or just lay back and bring atmosphere.

Mike Gunn on bass, Seth Murphy on drums and Douglas Showalter on guitar.

Speaking of Nile Rodgers, he has revealed he is fighting an "aggressive cancer" and is recovering from "radical surgery". In a recent blogpost, Rodgers called his October diagnosis the instant when "everything in my happy-music universe imploded". After consulting several physicians, Rodgers said he underwent surgery to remove the tumour. He is now recovering at home, and wants to "share an appreciation of life, music and people". "(Chic) did fun music meant to lift the spirit – and I'm proud of it."

Here's to a speedy and full recovery!!

Read Nile's blog [Nile Rodger's blog]

UltraLove plays at Harvelle's every Monday night.

Check out the UltraLove CD "Revolution".

Harlow Gold : Burlesque FantasyIn The Huffington Post

The word is out...

Huffington Post piece on Harlow Gold.

Monday Night : UltraLovin' It

Ultralove is cool.

And all you have to do is see him live to know.

When you're at an Ultralove show, it's like you're at a party and you're welcome. It's laidback, fun and cool. The dance floor is full and the drinks are flowing*. The Ultralove band is sharp, insane and deep in the pocket. Rhythm section Seth Murphy (drums) and Mike Gunn (bass) hold... it.... DOWN!! These are the guys you want in your backline. And forget about it- Douglas Showalter (guitars) and Adam Berg (keys) are impressive, original and unforgettable. The hooks stay long after the show is over. I've heard members of the Harvelle's staff singing "Imma Be" way past last call. It's truly infectious. I must also mention Love Logiq and Soulstar who provide a hot vocal ambience that fills the room.

Slow your roll sweet peaches... Ultralove plays every Monday night at Harvelle's in Santa Monica. They have a CD available "Revolution" on iTunes and Amazon. *Don't drink and drive.

Arthur Adams : This Is The Future Of Blues

Arthur Adams is like those films that they made back in the 50s, 60s and 70s of what the future would look like as movie makers imagined.

He's exactly like that.

Except he sings and plays the blues. And he is here NOW!!

This is the future of blues; the reinterpreting and playing of the classics - like St Louis Blues, Crossroads, Red House & Lil Red Rooster and jamming on E-A-B (or some 1-4-5 progression) all night long.

Cartoon saxophone player Bleeding Gums Murphy taught us that "the blues don’t make you feel better, they make other people feel worse." And John Lee Hooker said, ‘The blues don’t make you feel sad. It makes you feel good.’ Music is like medicine.”

Arthur Adams is medicine.

For now and forever.

Gary Allegretto : Blow the Roof off the Sucka!

A Friday night is always a good reason to get out and hear some blues. Whether it's been a good week or a bad, a long week or a short one - the blues provides relief from all of the above. And you can't go hear blues on a Friday night at The House Of Blues or somewhere else in Hollywood... it's just not the same as hearing it in an a cool old bar like Harvelle's, where the lights are low and the beverages are heavy.

Tonight's blues explosion was courtesy of harmonica powerhouse Gary Allegretto. Gary's the big bad wolf of harmonica blues. Huffing, puffing, snarling, smirking, Gary's harp playing is as mind bending as it is note bending. Gary can play any kind of blues - slow, fast, Southern, Chicago, boogie-woogie, old, new - whatever. He's one of a kind and one of the best!!


Gary Allegretto is also the founder of Harmonikids - a non-profit dedicated to providing harmonicas to special needs children. Their involvement in Katrina and more recently Haiti is all documented on their website [Harmonikids website].