You and your bandmates have spent the last several months writing, arranging and rehearsing your music, and finding your own sound. You’re now feeling more than ready to take to the stage and share your collective musical vision with your friends and fans, but no self-respecting club owner will even book you without first hearing […]
Note from the Editor: For those who don’t know, Lou Curtiss passed away on July 8 at the age of 79. The Troubadour will be rerunning selections of Lou’s column, Recordially, Lou Curtiss, from the vast archive of his writings, dating back to 2001, at least through the end of the year and perhaps beyond. […]
Hello Troubadourians! I received an email the other day from a reader asking my opinion on which amplifier he should buy. He had explained his intended use to me (in some detail, I might add), and he had narrowed his selection to three small amplifiers. I responded with my impressions and opinions on each amplifier […]
Whitney Shay has been tearing up the stages of San Diego for quite a few years now, the petite and elegant songstress applying her impressive pipes to a variety of musical styles in a multitude of collaborations. Show tunes, torch songs, ballads, classic rock ‘n’ roll, and soul, and blues are only some the styles […]
When Stephen Hawking died, I figured I better try to sound smart. So I read Hawking’s Brief History of Time “cover to cover,” first the front cover, then the back cover. Plus, I stared at a few pictures inside as I tried to become one with such concepts as “particle-wave duality.” Yet, in the myriad […]
Sacha Boutros looks across our table at me. “How about this one,” she says, “Shine on, shine on harvest moon…” She sways a bit with the magic lilt of the song. Boutros is singing lightly, even still her mezzo-soprano carries to other tables in the restaurant. I see a few smiles as folks glance over […]
When we lost Aretha Franklin, we lost an American icon, a towering genius of musical prowess. But, in an important way, her beauty never left–it lives within us, and when we listen to her music, all of the power and magic is fully present. Music doesn’t die. Nothing real ever does. There’s a timeless essence […]
Developing an appreciation for the music of John Coltrane is almost a requirement for all serious musicians, students, historians, and fans alike. My contention is that this practice represents the ultimate reward in and of itself. Coming to terms with ‘Trane’s enormous contribution should not feel like work; rather, it is an enduring joy and, […]
Another great Summergrass has concluded and been filed away in the memory banks. Held over the weekend of August 17-19, the weather was warm, with cool breezes prevailing most of the time, as a nice crowd enjoyed the hot music on the main stage. The traditional green parachute was up shading the audience area, as […]
