The Red Room @ Cafe 939 PresentsSteve Oristaglio and Friends

The Red Room @ Cafe 939

presents:

Steve Oristaglio and Friends

- Boston, MA April 14th, 2010

The Red Room at Cafe 939 is pleased to welcome Steve Oristaglio on April 14th, 2010.

Steve Oristaglio and the Full Circle Band debut on the Boston music scene with a passion for playing rock 'n' roll, blues, and pop favorites. This exciting multi-talented band of Berklee musicians and tour professionals lights up the night with fresh sounds, driving beats, and the sultry vocals of guest star Maggie Seelig. Oristaglio and his band will also be performing with the opening acts, Chris Lax and Hillary Reynolds.

Also appearing: Chris Lax and Hillary Reynolds.

Tickets for this show are $10 for General Public. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased in advance at Ticketmaster.com or the Berklee Performance Center Box Office.

About The Red Room at Cafe 939:

The Red Room at Cafe 939 is a state of the art, all ages venue located in the Back Bay. As part of Berklee College of Music, The Red Room at Cafe 939 is largely student run and features a wide variety of musical genres to include folk, pop, rock, and jazz. Past shows include The Click Five, Tyrone Wells, Rachael Yamagata, and Owl City.

“I Get Blamed for Everything I do” - The Ten Foot Polecats

The Ten Foot Polecats

“I Get Blamed for Everything I do”

Hillgrass Bluebilly Records - HBE00B02

Review By Georgetown Fats

The Blues emanating from the North Mississippi Hill Country are characterized by an uncompromisable down home sound. While their colleagues in the Delta moved north to Chicago in search of a better life, North Mississippi Hill Country musicians stayed home. The musicians of the North Mississippi Hill Country passed up pompadours, sharkskin suits and personas for hard agricultural based existence. With few outside influences, this hardscrabble existence seeps into every note of the music.

Though the Ten Foot Polecats are not a North Mississippi Hill Country act, their ties to the music and pathos are undeniable. Rather then water-down their sound with rock roots, or churn out another Chicago Blues disk the Ten Foot Polecats embraced their lo-fi blues punk roots to offer up their first full length release on the Hillgrass Bluebilly Records. “I Get Blamed for Everything I do”, released on March 23rd, is 13 tracks of raw Deep Blues Punk.

The Ten Foot Polecats are Jay Scheffler on vocals and harp, Jim Chilson on the five-string guitar Dave Darling on the drums. From the opening strains of “Chickenhead Man”, a cover of a T-Model Ford classic, the Polecats pay homage to their roots and musical mentors, but go beyond imitating the existing North Mississippi Hill Country sound by adding a punk level of energy.

“So good to me”, penned by Scheffler, proves the band are not just punks. Chilson and Darling groove on a slow and sleazy blues riff while Scheffler howls and spits out lyrics in a style reminiscent of the great Chester Burnett.

The Polecats once again stomp on the gas and hit breakneck speed from the opening of Tommy Johnson’s “Big Road”. "Big Road" is a cover song that is always well received in live performances has been reproduced perfectly on the disk. No ounce of energy is wasted. Scheffler howls and snarls out his vocals while offering some lead work on the harp, Darling’s work on the drums is nothing short of primal, and Chilson’s picks and strums a polyrhythmic guitar at a frenetic pace.

Much like the b-sides to an old 45, The Polecats instrumental “Scratch Ticket” offers a great change-of-pace in the middle of the disk. They may be directed by their blues/punk roots but “Scratch Ticket” is by far more than a 1 chord rocker.

“I’m going crazy”, a holdover from the “Sterno Soup” EP, was given just a few tweaks from the initial recording. Kudos to Sean Wertheim at Nobscot Studios for proving adept capturing the true tone of the band in a lo-fi setting and squeezing just a little bit more out of an already strong track. “Barhoppin” shows that Chilson can do more with a bottle neck than just swill whiskey from it, and “A Couple of More Miles” is probably my personal favorite of the original material. This reviewing can not recall another ballad based off a run-in with the local police. Chilson and Scheffler offer up a poignant scene, albeit with just a little tongue-in-cheek humor.

Paying tribute to two more mentors, “I Get Blamed for Everything I do” closes with covers from Charley Patton and RL Burnside’s catalogs. Both tracks pay tribute to the original recordings without rehashing the tunes note-for-note.

By offering up an updated version of the North Mississippi Hill Country music The Ten Foot Polecats have garnered support within the Deep Blues, Psycho-Billy and Traditional Blues circuits. Having been signed to the Hillgrass Bluebilly Records label The Ten Foot Polecats will have the support of a label that has embraced acts representing the roots of American Music. With record label support, networking and a string of blazing live shows, expect more great releases from this trio.

The Ten Foot Polecats will be on tour nationally supporting “I get Blamed for everything I do”. For more information check them out at;

www.myspace.com/thetenfootpolecats

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Ten-Foot-Polecats/30598614388?ref=ts

In addition to being a non-caped crusader, Georgetown Fats is a monthly contributor to The Boston Blues Society newsletter and chief cook and bottle washer at the Boston Blues, Brews & BBQ Blog.

Cliff Belcher's "Shot through the heart"

Shot Through the Heart

Cliff Belcher

Review by Georgetown Fats

As an amateur journalist, and self-professed music snob I have long since gotten over the rationale of why others go to shows. Most people go to a show to hear their favorite songs, played identically the same way they were recorded. I keep paying my admission/ticket price and bar tab for a different reason.

I’m interested in knowing what HAS NOT been released/or in the pipeline. I trudge out to dingy club after dingy club to hear the song live before it is recorded. Stumbling over a hidden gem is why I keep hunting down new great music you have not heard yet.

How The Boss and I managed to connect with Cliff Belcher is a long an involved tale involving a Red Sox Hat (me), Memphis (the three off us), too much beer (me again), a favorite tight black T-Shirt (the Boss & I for differing reasons) and a guy who’s genuine warm personality is only eclipsed by his bass playing abilities (Cliff, all the way). Some of you know Cliff Belcher as Watermelon Slim’s touring bass player, due to Cliff’s outgoing nature, we’re happy to know him as more than his ‘day job’.

Though as a member of “The Workers”, he is quickly becoming a star within blues circles, Cliff is about as honest and genuine an individual as the musical style he prefers. His genuine personality is reflected within his own music.

“Shot Through the Heart” is a genuine interpretation of music once found on the days of Excello Records. With Jimbo Mathis on drums and guitar and Eden Brent on vocals and piano, Belcher has surrounded himself with the A-List of Mississippi and they add to Belcher’s well-written tune. Again, Belcher’s genuine character surfaces. Rather than interpretation of the classic sound, Belcher and company reproduce that soda shop sound with amazing authenticity.

Due to the buzz created by his first release, Belcher is currently shopping offers in order to out the most truest representation of his own sound. Hopefully with the stagnation of what is available on the airwaves, the retro sound will catch back on.

Just a reminder, you heard it here 1st...

TEN FOOT POLECATS

Media Contacts:

Keith Mallette (Hillgrass Bluebilly Records and Entertainment)

Contact: keith@dirtyfootfamily.com

Website: http://www.dirtyfootfamily.com

Jim Chilson (Ten Foot Polecats)

Contact: tenfootpolecats@aol.com

Website: http://www.myspace.com/thetenfootpolecats

Phone: 781-258-2471

Ten Foot Polecats sign with Hillgrass Bluebilly Records and Entertainment

“I Get Blamed For Everything I Do” CD Release scheduled for Tuesday March 23, 2010

Boston/Worcester, MA, March 23, 2010 - Ten Foot Polecats are proud to announce that they have been signed by Hillgrass Bluebilly Records out of Austin, Texas. Their debut full length CD “I Get Blamed For Everything I Do” is due for physical release on Tuesday March 23, 2010. It exhibits the menacingly textured vocals of Jay Scheffler, the hyperkinetic guitar work of Jim Chilson, and the primal beat thumping of Dave Darling. Known as a record label that is at the forefront of the raw & primal roots revolution movement, Hillgrass Bluebilly, and Ten Foot Polecats seem like a perfect match.

Midwestern, Southern and Northeast United States Tours are currently being scheduled in support of the album starting in May 2010 along with local New England dates and CD Release parties. More announcements will be forthcoming.

TEN FOOT POLECATS (Boston, MA)

Ten Foot Polecats are a three piece Punk Blues band with their deep roots drawn from the North Mississippi Hill Country. Even though they are basically in their sophomore season, they have made quite an impression on the National and local Boston and Worcester Massachusetts music scenes as they are currently one of the few blues based bands booked across the state in the rock, punk, and psychobilly circuits. Nationally, Ten Foot Polecats have been showcased at the 2009 Deep Blues Festival in Minnesota, The 2008 & 2009 Keene Music Festival in New Hampshire, the 2008 Boston Music Festival, and are scheduled to appear in the 2010 Muddy Roots Festival in Nashville, Tennessee. They have also toured the United States in 2009 and played venues in New York, Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota, Washington, Oregon, and New Mexico. Ten Foot Polecats are creating their own sound and blurring the barriers between musical genres that have been created by some and adhered to by way too many.

HILLGRASS BLUEBILLY RECORDS AND ENTERTAINMENT (Austin, TX)

Hillgrass Bluebilly Records and Entertainment is based out of Austin, Texas and is one of the premiere organizations that are entrenched in bringing a new rebel attitude to a burgeoning Roots and Americana movement. They have forgone the current sterile music market and are now delivering the new sound of the old ways and putting the hunger back into the listening experience that has been missing from today’s popular music. Hillgrass Bluebilly promotes the rebirth of passion, conviction & instrumentation, an equality of sound and skill that isn't trying to sell you anything, and just bringing truth in music as it goes back to its roots.

Hillgrass Bluebilly Records and Entertainment is both a record label and a show/tour promoter. Although their home base is in Austin, Texas, they also have satellite chapters in Arizona, Indiana, Florida, and Louisiana. They have worked with such artists as Scott H. Biram, Bob Log III, Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Wayne “The Train” Hancock, Left Lane Cruiser, Possessed by Paul James, William Elliott Whitmore, Soda, Tom VandenAvond, C.W. Stoneking, Boomswagglers, and now Ten Foot Polecats. This past year Hillgrass Bluebilly’s double tribute compilation CD “Hiram and Huddie” was nominated for an Independent Music Award as it showcased some of today’s finest primal and raw roots revolution rebels as they paid tribute to the great Hank Williams & Leadbelly. Their artists have also been involved in film, television & radio. Such outlets have included Slowboat Films “The Folksinger”, song appearances in the movie, “The Waitress”, on television series such as “My Name is Earl” & “The Bounty Hunter”, as well as live appearances on various television shows.

###

Jon Short - Worcester - Gilrein's

Jon Short

Live at Gilrein’s - Worcester MA

Saturday - February 6th, 2010

Originality and innovation may be shunned in Boston, but it is heartily embraced in Worcester. It may be the hardscrabble streets for a city still locked in the throes of the economic down turn, or that local blues musicians have forsaken Boston, a city and scene which has forsaken them, but there is a vibrant blues scene down in Worcester.

Leading this scene is ‘Mississippi’ Jon Short, a local Worcester musician currently in demand for both the “Blues in Schools” as well as garnering significant attention on the national level. Short combines an authentic roots style blues sound with pop quality vocal tone. In a just musical world, ‘Mississippi’ Jon Short should be garnering scads of radio airplay with his crossover appeal.

Alternating between Lowebow cigar-box hillharp (two string baritone didley bow), blues harp, resonator guitar, vocals and a hobo percussion section (leather suitcase kick drum, child’s plastic tambourine, and assorted nicknacks), Short consummate entertainer capable of breathing life into old standards, entertaining with his own material, as well as holding down polyrhythmic lines in order to fill out the one-man-band sound. The man can spin a story to the level some of the greats from the Mississippi Hill Country.

Short’s new release, “Have Blues, Will Travel” features “Asian Longhorned Beetle”, an amusing tale of the infestation of the trees around the city. You will find yourself singing along before you even realize the what you’re singing.

Short’s website is http://www.jonshort.com/, if you find yourself within the Worcester area or downstate New York, catch the man live. If you have kids, and want to raise them right, then advocate to your local PTA on the value of musical history by having Short bring his session to your kid’s school.

The New England Winter Blues Festival - February 6th, 2010

The New England Winter Blues Festival – at Tupelo Salisbury
Saturday, February 6th at 8PM

Featuring

MR. NICK and the DIRTY TRICKS

THE RACKY THOMAS BAND

THE RADIO KINGS.

RYAN HARTT and the BLUE HEARTS

For $22 bucks a seat, that’s a whole lot of Harpin’ going on at The Northshore’s best new club….

Geezer's Garage Night - February 26th, 2010

FEB 26th Garage Nite at the Granite Rail will be a party for our own.

Good Shepard and Spirtual Leader Preacher Jack, in Honor of his Birthday, and his 50 years of Rock'n'Roll.

Featuring;
BAYOU BOYJOEY FINGERS
PREACHER JACK
METEORMIGHTKENNY HIGHLAND & FRIENDS
THE TEN FOOT POLE CATS
GEEZER DELUXE

PREACHER JACK NITE GEEZERS GARAGE HAPPY BIRTHDAY PREACHER 50 YEARS OF ROCK "N" ROLLTime: 7:00PM Friday,
February 26thLocation:Granite Rail Tavern 16 Cottage AVE"