Kaliyuga Highway

More from the Shootout on Highway 99

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 17:04:00 +0000

Shootout on Highway 99

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 17:44:00 +0000

This was filmed by an audience member at Highway 99 Blues Club in Seattle. DK Stewart and I were playing our final encore, without the band.

Rock a While

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:42:00 +0000

My new CD was released on July 20. Buy it here.

Another Oregon Weekender

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 05:57:00 +0000

I'll be back at Duff's Garage Friday night in Portland. On Saturday it's down to Eugene for a return visit to Mac's at the Vets. Jimi Bott and Chris Miller will be with me on both dates, along with Dave Kahl and Dan Fincher.

An Interview in Oregon Music News

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:49:00 +0000

Oregon Music News is currently running an interview with me, in which I try to explain what I'm up to musically these days.

Portland and Eugene

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 21:04:00 +0000

This week I'm heading back down Oregon way for a couple of shows with the expanded version of my band, including the horn section. Working without a net is always fun, but this is way better.

Friday night (Jan. 22) it's a return engagement at Duff's Garage in Portland. We've worked up a bunch of new songs and we'll be pulling out all the stops, with emphasis on Texas blues and Gulf Coast boogie woogie, plus some soulful homage to Sun Ra. It's also an Aquarius Birthday Party night, with all the trimmings. Better bring those dancing shoes!

Saturday night (Jan 23) I'll be making my first appearance in Eugene since the last time I was there with Paul deLay, some years back. The whole high-class sympathy Arkestra will be making the trip with me down to Mac's at the Vets.

Starting at 9:30 pm on both nights, we're gonna party like it's 1959!

Online Again in 2010

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 20:33:00 +0000

I've been quiet lately because my old iMac went into shock after a power spike. For some reason I had it plugged into the cheap strip, not the good one. It's back from the shop and running again, but it's still a little woozie. Guess I'd be woozie too if I had slept for a week.

By the way, there are several new videos of the band on my web site.

Another Touch Down at Duff's Garage

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:04:00 +0000

I will unleash the Howlin' Ra project again tonight at Duff's Garage in Portland. Witrh Chris Miller on guitar, and at least one special surprise guest.

Northwest Pianorama Rides Again

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:01:00 +0000

I'll be appearing as part of Northwest Pianorama with my pals DK Stewart and Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne this coming Thursday (Dec. 3) at the fabulous Triple Door in Seattle. Showtime is 7:30 p.m.

We'll have a terrific band behind us, featuring Peter Dammann on guitar, Don Campbell on bass, and the legendary Jimi Bott on drums.

This will be my only scheduled 2009 Seattle appearance, and I'm looking forward to being back in the Emerald City.

The Howlin' Ra Ship Docks in Duff's Garage

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:55:00 +0000

Since my birthday's this week, I'm looking to have a par-tay!

That means I'll be slavin' over a hot piano in good old Duff's Garage down in Portland this Friday (Nov. 6, at 9:30). I'll have the Willing Victims with me, plus the Mythocratic Transformation Horns and the legendary Chris Miller (Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball) on guitar.

I call the whole aggravation my Howlin' Ra project. You sort of have to imagine Howlin' Wolf singing Sun Ra arrangements of Bill Monroe songs, backed by Mud Boy and the Neutrons in a Texas roadhouse. All disguised as boogie-woogie blues. But later for the descriptions -- this is good time music. So turn up the treble and bop cat bop. The less you think about it, the more sense it will make.

And once again, I'm happy to say, this show is a CBA co-sponsored event.

The Santiago Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:31:00 +0000

In his heyday, the fame of "the hardest working bird in show business" extended beyond U.S. waters:

Like every ballpark, Estadio has peculiarities – a lighted foul pole, 'Home Club' painted in English on a dugout, bullpens beyond the outfield fence containing actual bulls. The arrival of a mascot at home plate delights the foreigners. Yellow-feathered, red-combed, the rooster wearing the uniform of the Cuban national team bears a curious resemblance to the San Diego Chicken. "Look, it's the Santiago Chicken," someone quips. The game slipping away from the home side, the rooster takes his head off to peck at home plate, as though casting some weird voodoo spell. "No, it's the Santeria Chicken," another tour member says ...

Canadian Treasure

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:51:00 +0000

The great Sun Ra said that he respected "all sincere musicians, whatever kind of music they play." Recently I had a chance to play with someone who embodies that ideal: the great Canadian jazz trombonist/pianist/composer Hugh Fraser.

Hugh and his amazing quintet happened to be appearing at Hermann's Jazz Club in Victoria, B.C. last Saturday night. Hermann's is as fine a venue for jazz as you'll find almost anywhere; no need to bring an electronic keyboard because the club provides a fine grand piano. It was the perfect spot to see Hugh and his combo, playing for people who really appreciated the music.

I had met Hugh briefly at a recent benefit for the Victoria Jazz Society, at which we both performed as part of a blues revue. As soon as our party was seated, someone slipped Hugh a note telling him that I was in the audience, and before I knew it I was sitting down at the piano. I led the band in a Sun Ra number, because after all it was a jazz scene. But before I could leave the stage, Hugh was telling me, "No, no, no, stay where you are, you've got to sing the blues."

And play the blues we did. I've never been made to feel more welcome on somebody else's stage. I did one of my numbers ("Meet Me With Your Black Dress On"), and Hugh's band played it as well as it's ever been played. I've shared the stage with some pretty good bands, but none better than these guys (the combo included Campbell Ryga on alto and soprano saxes, Ross Taggart on piano and tenor, Ken Lister on bass, and Dave Robbins on drums -- all of them certifiable A-listers).

Afterwards, I went back into the audience and Hugh took over at the piano and played "Mode to McCoy," his fabulous tribute to McCoy Tyner. I was glad I played earlier, because (believe me) no one could have followed that!

If you've never heard this man's music, by all means check him out! He's got the kind of energy, talent, and heart that made me want to ever do this thing in the first place.

Summit Meeting in Victoria

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:04:00 +0000

I'm looking forward to performing with some great Canadian musicians this Saturday night at the second annual Blues Summit in Victoria, BC. It's a fundraiser for the Victoria Jazz Society, a group I'm very happy to be supporting.

Among those performing will be Tom Lavin from Powder Blues, Lisa Mann up from Portland, and Victoria's own Bill Johnson, with his band. Bill is a legend in these parts, and it's great to get to play with him.

Arkabilly Music: Sun Ra Meets Moon Mullican?

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:03:00 +0000

It's back to Portland this Friday for a return engagement at Duff's Garage, a wonderful club I always enjoy visiting. We had a full house last time at Duff's, and we're hoping for another good turnout.

This time around I'll have Jimi Bott on drums, Don Campbell on bass, Paul Brainard on guitar, and the Mythocratic Transformation Horns (Joe McCarthy on trumpet, Brad Ulrich on baritone sax and clarinet, and Dan Fincher on tenor).

To hear a little sample of what we sounded like last time, go here. Yeah, I know: the piano's way back in the mix, but you can sure feel the groove.

As far as what's new in our show, folks can expect to hear a lot more more of the Sun Ra material people seem to like so much. And we're bringing back some of our oldies, including 1948 (Vanport Flood), because people keep requesting them. Plus I've been spending a lot of time listening to Memphis Slim at the Gate of Horn, one of the greatest blues albums ever made.

Ok, Portland -- hope to see you there!

Art, Protest and the Press

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 19:12:00 +0000

In an essay arguing that "artists have a duty to dissent," a self-described "marketing strategist" makes the following point:

" ... the art community, as a counterpart of the press, has been given special rights written into the Bill of Rights, known broadly as freedom of the press ..."

Really? So Picasso was a kind of Heidi Collins? Rene Magritte was the Wolf Blitzer of Belgium?

It's not that I don't think artists have a right, or even a duty, to protest ... but surely their freedom to dissent doesn't derive from defining art as some sort of appendage to journalism.

Does it?

Still Worried About the World

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:13:00 +0000

David Vest
"Worried About the World (feat. Paul deLay)" (mp3)
from "Way Down Here"

Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

A Portland Date at Duff's Garage

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Thu, 21 May 2009 04:53:00 +0000

Had a ball at Sunbanks! Now it's time to head on down to Portland for my show Friday night at Duff's Garage. I'll have Chris Miller with me on guitar (fresh from his tours with Marcia Ball, Irma Thomas and other greats). Plus the Willing Victims and the Mythocratic Transformation Horns.

Some "secret" surprise guests are expected as well. I know one thing: a good time will be had by all!

Sunbanks Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Fri, 15 May 2009 15:36:00 +0000

I'm off to play the Sunbanks Blues Festival on Saturday. My show starts at 4:30 p.m. I think it's really cool that people can now buy Day Passes at Sunbanks!

"How Do You Define the Blues?"

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 22:25:00 +0000

I'm asked this question so often, I thought I'd answer it here. To me, blues is music that lifts you up without lying to you. It doesn't ask you to believe anything you can't feel. It takes you outside yourself without disrespecting any aspect of your life. And when it's right, when "everything comes together," it takes you to that place where you realize -- sometimes quite suddenly -- that the music is listening. Sun Ra called it "outer space." Others might call it some kind of mythocratic transformation. You don't have to call it anything. Why argue about it, when you can go there right now?

Rockin' Out With Sun Ra

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:07:00 +0000

On Saturday night, April 4, I was a guest on Tom D'Antoni's show on KMHD in Portland. We talked mainly about the Paul deLay memorial show at the Aladdin Theater (which took place the following night), and about the music of Sun Ra. I played some of my favorite Ra tracks as a sort of "introduction" to his music, with emphasis on his juke-joint roadhouse origins. Here's the interview:

Don't miss Ra's astounding live solo version of Take the A Train, which starts at about 21:00 minutes into the show. You'll also hear some of my own music.

R.I. P. Willie King: The Blues Liberator

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:52:00 +0000

Alabama's greatest bluesman is dead. If you've never heard of Willie King and the Liberators, you've been missing out on a good thing. Discovering his music and his message was one of life's great pleasures for me.

For anyone who wants to help with funeral expenses and to create a historic marker celebrating Willie King's life and works, here's an address;

Willie King Memorial Fund
c/o West Alabama Bank
Attention Tammy
PO Box 406
Aliceville AL 35442

Off On A Comet

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:19:00 +0000

Science reporting in an Associated Press article on Comet Lulin apparently can't pass the sixth grade smell test.

Rolling Out Their New Spring Roster

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 02:53:00 +0000

Whatever fee the Washington Speakers Bureau charges to hear this guy speak, it's a bargain -- compared to what it cost us over the past eight years to hear him for free.

Northwest Pianorama Live on CBC

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 07:09:00 +0000

You can listen to Northwest Pianorama's performance at the 2008 Edmonton LaBatt Blues Festival Live on CBC.

The amazing Ann Rabson was filling in for D.K. Stewart that day. CBC producer Dan Cherwoniak took the photo -- see more of his shots by clicking on the link. Or see a really cool fan photo here.

Sun Ra Speaks

noreply@blogger.com (David Vest) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:48:00 +0000

You got to watch these piano players from Alabama. Here's Sun Ra, as quoted in Graham Lock's fine book, Blutopia:

"The impossible attracts me, because everything possible has been done and the world didn't change.