Sunny - Bootsy Collins with James Brown

William Earl "Bootsy" Collins (born October 26, 1951 in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA) is an American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter. Rising to prominence with James Brown in the late 1960s, and with Parliament-Funkadelic in the '70s, Collins's driving bass guitar and humorous vocals established him as one of the leading names in funk. Collins is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic. With his elder brother Phelps "Catfish" Collins, Frankie "Kash" Waddy and Philippé Wynne, Collins formed a funk band called The Pacemakers in 1968. In March 1970, after most of the members of James Brown's band quit over a pay dispute, The Pacemakers were hired as Brown's backing band and they became known as The J.B.'s. (They are often referred to as the "original" J.B.'s to distinguish them from later line-ups that went by the same name.) Although they worked for Brown for only 11 months, the original J.B.'s played on some of Brown's most intense funk recordings, including "Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine", "Bewildered(1970)", "Super Bad", "Soul Power", "Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothing", and two instrumental singles, the much-sampled "The Grunt" and "These Are the J.B.'s". After parting ways with James Brown, Bootsy returned to Cincinnati and formed House Guests with his brother Phelps Collins, Rufus Allen, Clayton "Chicken" Gunnels, Frankie Waddy, Ronnie Greenaway and Robert McCullough. The House Guests released "What So Never the Dance" and another single on the House Guests label, as well as a third as The Sound of Vision on the House Guests label. Next Collins moved to Detroit, after Philippé Wynne suggested joining The Spinners, for whom Wynne had been singing. However, following the advice of singer and future Parliament member Mallia Franklin Bootsy had another choice. Franklin there introduced both Collins brothers to George Clinton, and 1972 saw both of the Collins brothers, along with Waddy, join Funkadelic. Bootsy played bass on most of Funkadelic and all of Parliament's albums (with the exception of Osmium) through the early 1980s, garnering several songwriting credits as well. In 1976 Bootsy, Catfish, Waddy, Joel Johnson, Gary "Mudbone" Cooper, Robert Johnson and The Horny Horns formed Bootsy's Rubber Band, a separate touring unit of Clinton's P-Funk collective. The group recorded five albums together, the first three of which are often considered to be among the quintessential P-Funk recordings. The group's 1978 album Bootsy? Player of the Year reached the top of the R&B album chart and spawned the #1 R&B single "Bootzilla". Like Clinton, Bootsy took on several alter egos, from Casper the Funky Ghost to Bootzilla, "the world's only rhinestone rockstar monster of a doll", all as parts of the evolving character of an alien rock star who grew gradually more bizarre as time went on (see P-Funk mythology). He also adopted his trademark "space bass" around this time. Bootsy released two 1980 albums, his first "solo" album "Ultra-Wave", and Sweat Band, on George Clinton's Uncle Jam label with a group billed as Bootsy's Sweat Band. He also was credited for producing the debut of P-Funk spinoffs Zapp and Roger. In 1984, Bootsy collaborated with Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads to produce "Five Minutes", a dance record sampled and edited from Ronald Reagan's infamous "Five Minutes" speech. The record was credited to "Bonzo goes to Washington" (also referenced in the 1985 Ramones song "Bonzo goes to Bitburg", derived from Reagan's starring role as Professor Peter Boyd in the 1951 comedy film Bedtime for Bonzo). After a nearly five-year hiatus, Bootsy had a comeback in 1988 (with some help from producer Bill Laswell). What's Bootsy Doin? flaunted a new sound that foreshadowed the 90's, such as the dancefloor smash "Party On Plastic". Laswell introduced Bootsy to Herbie Hancock, resulting in Perfect Machine. The techno-funk they recrded featured turnables for scratch appeal, and the smoothly-stylized vocals of Leon "Sugarfoot" Bonner of chart-topping Cincinnati Ohio Players. In 1990, Bootsy collaborated with Deee-Lite on their massive hit "Groove Is in the Heart" where he contributed additional vocals. Although he also appeared in the music video playing the bass, the bassline in the song is actually a sample of a Herbie Hancock song called "Bring Down the Birds". Bootsy's Rubber Band became the defacto backing musicians for Deee-Lite during a world tour. The Rubber Band also recorded the EP "Jungle Bass", their first recording in 11 years. In 1992, Bootsy joined with guitarist Stevie Salas and drummer Buddy Miles to form the funk-metal fusion group Hardware. The trio released one album, Third Eye Open, before disbanding. Bootsy collaborated with bluegrass legends Del McCoury, Doc Watson and Mac Wiseman to form the GrooveGrass Boyz. They produced a fusion of bluegrass and funk. In 1994, Bootsy contributed extensively to the Soup Dragons' last album, Hydroponic. Bootsy's New Rubber Band formed this year, releasing "Blasters of the Universe". In 1995, Bootsy played in the remake of Jimi Hendrix's "If 6 Was 9," for Axiom Funk, a Funkadelic-like one-off supergroup produced by Bill Laswell and featuring (Funkadelic members) George Clinton, Bernie Worrell, Bootsy Collins, (the guitar of the late) Eddie Hazel, Gary Shider and Bill Laswell. The group released only one album, and the song also appeared in the soundtrack of the movie Stealing Beauty. Bootsy's New Rubber Band put forth the live release "Keepin' dah Funk Alive 4-1995", recorded over two nights in Tokyo. In 1996, Bootsy collaborated on George Clinton's album "The Awesome Power Of A Fully Operational Mothership". Bootsy has collaborated extensively with Bill Laswell and made appearances on two Fatboy Slim records Illuminati, as well as reading a poem at the end of FatBoy Slims's release in the LateNightTales DJ mix series. Bootsy provided "vocal spice" on the TobyMac album Welcome to Diverse City. He also appears on Nicole C. Mullens' latest album, Everyday People. He has also worked with the Lo-Fidelity Allstars on the album Don't be Afraid of Love, with Praxis, and with Buckethead on several occasions, for example on Buckethead's first album, Bucketheadland. Bootsy was featured in the 2002 film Standing in the Shadows of Motown. In 2004 he appeared on Snoop Dogg's Rhythm & Gangsta album and on the cover of "The Joker" on the Fatboy Slim album Palookaville. He also performed a cover of "Power of Soul" on Power of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix'. In 2000 Bootsy Collins served as "Heineken's Amsterjam 2005" curator and master of ceremonies on Randall's Island, New York, and appeared with Madonna, Iggy Pop, Little Richard, and The Roots' Questlove, in an American TV commercial for the Motorola ROKR phone. Since then, Bootsy has also frequently collaborated with fellow bassist Victor Wooten. In October 2005, Collins co-wrote a song celebrating the resurgence of his hometown team, the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League called "Fear Da Tiger" which features "raps" written and performed by several Bengals players, including defensive end Duane Clemons, offensive tackle Stacy Andrews, and center Ben Wilkerson. An edited version of the song was made into a music video which features cameos by many other Bengals players. It has garnered tremendous local airplay and is viewable on Bengals.com Additionally, Cincinnati Bell is offering "Fear Da Tiger" as a free ringtone for its wireless customers in both polyphonic and MP3 formats. Collins appeared with Little Richard, Bernie Worrell, and other notable musicians as the band playing with Hank Williams, Jr. for the Monday Night Football opening during for the 2006 season. Collins was the only all star to return with Williams for the 2007 season. He also sings "Marshal Law", the theme song of the Cincinnati Marshals indoor football team. He debuted the song on April 29,[year missing] at halftime of a Marshals home game against the West Palm Beach Phantoms. In 2006, ABC Entertainment / A Charly Films Release released a DVD/CD from Bootsy Collins and the New Rubber Band's concert at the 1998 North Sea Jazz Festival. Soon after the release, Collins split from long-time friend and guitarist Odhran "The Bodhran" Rameriz, citing creative differences as the reason. Later that same year, Bootsy released the holiday album "Christmas Is 4 Ever". This represents the very first Christmas-themed album made by any member of the P-Funk musical collective. The album features re-workings of Christmas standards as well as original compositions. Also in 2006, Collins recorded music for the animated television series Loonatics Unleashed. Collins also voiced the character Bootes Belinda in the episode The Music Villain. In April 2007, Bootsy announced plans to begin a restaurant/club with Cincinnati area restaurateur Jeff Ruby called "Bootsy's." The venue operated 2008-2010 before closing. It featured live musical acts, a museum dedicated to Bootsy's musical career and Spanish, Central and South American cuisine. In June 2007, Bootsy Collins, along with Phelps Collins, Clyde Stubblefield, John "Jabo" Starks, and Bernie Worrell, participated in the recording of the soundtrack for the movie Superbad. In December of that year they (sans Worrell) went on to perform the first tribute concert remembering James Brown. In July 2007, Bootsy also told Billboard magazine that he was working on a project by the name of Science Faxtion and an album called Living On Another Frequency in which he serves as bassist and co-producer along with his lead vocalist Greg Hampton. The band also features guitarist Buckethead and drummer Brain.[5] The album was released in November 2008. Bootsy Collins and Fatboy Slim, 2008 Collins promoted Rock the Vote for its 2008 campaign together with Buckethead. Bootsy produced Junkyard Waltz by funk band Freekbass from Ohio, which was released in October 2008. Bootsy has been mentioned in the song "Genius of Love" by Tom Tom Club in the line "Clinton's musicians such as Bootsy Collins raise expectation to a new intention", while "Got more bass than Bootsy Collins" is a line in the song "Rumble in the Jungle" by the Fugees. His influence in popular culture is seen in that he has been referenced by a number of television series. In The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air episode "Sooooooul Train", Geoffrey sneaks into the Soul Train tapings posing as Bootsy Collins, while in The Mighty Boosh episode "The Legend of Old Gregg" an alien creature named 'The Funk' lands on Bootsy's house, giving him his ability to play the bass guitar "like some kinda delirious funky priest", as well as the ability to see around corners. His song I'd Rather Be With You, from the album Stretchin' Out In Bootsy's Rubber Band was featured in the movie Baby Boy and on January 26, 2007, Bootsy, a native of Cincinnati, gave the commencement address at the graduation ceremony at The Art Institute of Ohio - Cincinnati. Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, who cited Collins as one of his primary influences, appeared in unmistakably Bootsy-esque clothing in the video for RHCP's "Dani California", and Bootsy's "What's a Telephone Bill?" was sampled for 2Pac's "Str8 Ballin'" track off the THUG LIFE album. In 2009 Collins collaborated with Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek on the track "Internet Connection". In October 2010 Bootsy was awarded a Bass Player Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award at the Key Club in Los Angeles. In March 2011 Bootsy and his wife visited Franklin L. Williams M.S #7's Little Kids Rock program. On 15 April 2011, Bootsy appeared on Later... with Jools Holland, performing a memorable snippet of funk with Jools. In June 2011 Bootsy played the 10th Annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, TN. In the Fall of 2011, Bootsy began being featured in a TV commercial for Old Navy, in which he is making "boots", made by boots, made by Bootsy" to be sold at Old Navy. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

She's Into Something - Chuck Brisbin & Tuna Project

Formed in the Summer of 2007, Chuck Brisbin & the Tuna Project is recognized as one of the best Blues Bands in the area... But we also play our own mix of Rock, R&B and Blues that we call "Rock-n-Blues". Come on out and get ya some "Tuna". "...you gotta see this band!" “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!

Chicago Storytellin': Singer-Songwriter Jeff Powers in Concert This Weekend at the Elbo Room

              

Storytellin': Singer-Songwriter  

Jeff Powers   

  Makes Chicago Debut At The Elbo Room - Saturday, October 20 

  

"(Powers is a) poet, troubadour, emigre' returning home with tall tales and hard-lived insights...

from his Hendrix-like blues-based guitar riffs and sixties references in "13 Seconds 67 Shots (Kent State Massacre)" to the Buffalo Springfield-like "Gypsy Girl (Ode To Ani DeFranco)" to the folk simplicity of "Standing In The Rain," the journey is well worth taking."  

                                                                                          Joey Alkes/ALL ACCESS MAGAZINE   

"I know I will take some heat for this, but there are times on his self-titled disc that Jeff Powers  sounds like Bob Dylan...maybe not in terms of how he approaches his vocals, but in lyrical content. On "15 Seconds 67 Shots" Powers conjures up the right amount of disbelief and angst over the happenings of that tragic day, and does so in a Dylan-esque manner."  

                                                                                         Chuck Dauphin/MUSIC NEWS NASHVILLE 

   (Chicago, IL) - Acclaimed Midwest singer-songwriter Jeff Powers makes his Chicago performing debut at popular live music venue The Elbo Room, 2871 N. Lincoln Ave., Saturday, October 20. 8-10 p.m. $5. Info:  (773) 549-5549 or www.facebook.com/ElboRoomChicago.

    Powers combines vocals strongly reminiscent of Neil Young with the wordsmith abilities of Bob Dylan; as well as the passionate anger and love of the late John Lennon with some Eric Clapton-esque guitar work.

   The thirteen tracks on his latest self-titled CD songs encompass elements of Americana, Roots, Blues and some Rock. "These are songs i felt I needed to put out first and they work or sit together, if you will, as a whole," explains Powers.

   Each song tells a story - "Wild Child (The Ballad of Brian Power)" is "a remembrance to an urban legend, someone I grew up with and knew very well... he was an exciting and very funny guy who was also crazy dangerous and deeply flawed." "Gypsy Girl (Ode to Ani DiFranco) "was inspired by a radio interview with DiFranco that I happened to hear."

                                                 Jeff Powers - Brief Bio

     While living as an illegal alien and partying like a rock star in Mexico, City for 7 years, Jeff cut his teeth with various blues bands. Though he moved to Mexico City to perform and teach classical guitar, he soon dropped out of the cozy and well-paid classical world to live and play in the down and dirty clubs, jails and places at the end of dirt roads.

     Barely eeking out a living, Powers would cross the entire city with guitar and amp in hand by bus and subway to get to a gig or rehearsal. During his years there he wrote over two-hundred songs and developed his own style of blues guitar based around his classical technique. 

     After returning to his home town of Cleveland, Jeff formed a blues band and started recording original songs and performing with the band and as a solo acoustic act. Powers has been playing in the Cleveland area for fifteen-plus years in Dead Guy Blues and Clarksdale and also as a solo acoustic artist.

     Besides performing his own songs, Power's sets include music by singer/songwriters like: Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Jeff Buckley and blues by: Stevie Ray Vaughan, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson and Lightnin' Hopkins. Jeff incorporates finger picking, slide and a loop station to stretch out on lead guitar and give his solo shows a lot of variety.

   Mixed in with Power's original songs some arranging highlights include: a Delta style version of "Voodoo Chile," Jeff Buckley's magnificent version of "Hallelujah," the Stephen Stills' classic "Treetop Flyer" and a Dobro slide version of Charlie Daniels' "Long Haired Country Boy."

“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

FPR News Fall 2012

In This Issue Breakdown Way Update FPR @ The Dana Hot Tuna at The Beacon Spotlight On: 2013 New iTunes Releases FRESH CATCH! Jorma gets busy this month! He spends the next 3 weeks on the road with good friend Barry Mitterhoff  starting in New Jersy and ending in NorCAL. 10/03  Jorma Kaukonen            Love for Levon Benefit            Izod Center            East Rutherford, NJ 10/04  Jorma Kaukonen            The Birchmere            Alexandria, VA 10/05  Jorma Kaukonen            Rams Head On Stage            Annapolis, MD            * also Peter Mulvey 10/06  Jorma Kaukonen            Kirk Avenue Music Hall            Roanoke, VA 10/07  Jorma Kaukonen            Natasha's Bistro & Bar            Lexington, KY 10/11  Jorma Kaukonen            Infinity Hall            Norfolk, CT 10/12  Jorma Kaukonen            Earlville Opera House            Earlville, NY 10/13  Jorma Kaukonen            Narrows Center for the Arts            Fall River, MA 10/14  Jorma Kaukonen            YMCA Boulton Center for            the Performing Arts            Bay Shore, NY 10/18  Jorma Kaukonen            High Sierra Brewing Co            Carson City, NV 10/19  Jorma Kaukonen            Napa Valley Opera House            Napa, CA 10/20  Jorma Kaukonen            Swedish American Hall at            Cafe Du Nord            San Francisco, CA            Two Shows: 7 & 10 PM 10/21  Jorma Kaukonen            The Big Room at the Sierra            Nevada,            Chico, CA 11/01  Jorma Kaukonen            Dakota Jazz Club Restaurant            Minneapolis, MN 11/02  Jorma Kaukonen            The Redstone Room            Davenport, IA 11/03  Jorma Kaukonen             Stoughton Opera House            Stoughton, WI 11/04  Jorma Kaukonen            Old Rock House            St. Louis, MO 11/10  Electric Hot Tuna            with Bill Kirchen            Fur Peace Station            Pomeroy, OH            SOLD OUT! 11/15  Jorma Kaukonen            Bell's Eccentric Cafe Back            Room            Kalamazoo, MI            * Also Steve Kimock 11/16  Jorma Kaukonen            City Winery            Chicago, IL            * Also Steve Kimock 11/17  Jorma Kaukonen            City Winery            Chicago, IL            * Also Steve Kimock 11/18  Jorma Kaukonen            20th Century Theatre            Cincinnati, OH            * Also Steve Kimock 11/30  Electric Hot Tuna            The Beacon Theatre            New York, NY 12/01  Electric Hot Tuna            The Beacon Theatre            New York, NY Fur Peace Station Upcoming Performances October 13, 2012 Verlon Thompson plus Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen SOLD OUT! October 27, 2012 David Bromberg Quartet SOLD OUT! FPR Workshops October 12-15, 2012 Verlon Thompson Songwriting for Guitarists All Levels This workshop will explore the crossfade of songwriting and guitar: Guitar as a songwriting tool - and vice-versa; songs as a means of finding new territory on your instrument. Rhythm, groove, technique, etc. combined with rhyme-scheming, structure (or not), idea mining, and general tricks of the trade will be part of this study on how to say what you want to say and sound good doing it. ENROLL NOW!! Chris Hillman Hillman's Mad Mountain Rangers: Adventures in Mandolin, Songwriting and Vocal Techniques Level 3 All you "Rangers and Future Rangers" have that one secret desire which we will address in the 2012 class, "singing and performing in front of a live audience". This coming year I plan to spend a lot more time on the "live performance" part of the equation which will include singing, phrasing a vocal to get the most out of the lyric, choosing the right accompaniment (guitar or mandolin) and intonation exercises...Oh and we will be playing Mandolin with no limitation...If you want to play Led Zeppelin, Frank Sinatra or whatever music you are drawn to, Let's do it! ENROLL NOW! Herb Pedersen Banjoville Level 2/3 My goal for the class, "Banjoville", will be to apply my 45 - odd years of playing Scruggs -Style banjo to 5 - string banjo students. We will study traditional bluegrass and the banjo's role in that style of music. Care and set-up of instruments: string changing, head tension, bridge types, positioning and more, will be examined. We will go over, in detail, basic rolls and learn the importance of backup playing. We will also take a good look at how to design the perfectly placed banjo solo and talk about when and where to play it. The role of the banjo and the job of the banjo player will be looked at in the context of playing in a bluegrass band. Students will be asked to get a copy of Jack Tuttle's "Bluegrass Banjo Collection Vol. One" from Back Studio Publications and be familiar with it and bring it to class. The book can be purchased from Jack directly at www.JackTuttle.com . I will bring ALL that I have as the teacher to help folks get started in the right direction. ENROLL NOW!   October 26 - 29, 2013 Jorma Kaukonen with Marjorie Thompson Keys to the Highway Level 2 This workshop explores essential fingerstyle fundamentals using Jorma's repertoire as a vehicle. We will emphasize alternating bass, and melody lines that break out of pattern picking. Variations used within the songs will include chord inversions up the neck, as well as typical licks and fills characteristic of songs in different keys. It will be assumed that students have familiarity with first position chords, and may even have substantial experience as lead or rhythm guitarists. Teaching assistant Marjorie Thompson will support this instruction with the individual mini- tutorials in class, after class review sessions, and class notes that reflect each piece as it is developed, with partial tabs, chord patterns, notations and alternatives. She will also make clean recordings of Jorma's renditions reflecting the class notes. These and other handouts (lyric sheets, etc), along with CD copies of the recordings, will be assembled and sent to each participant in the weeks following as a "Jorma pack" for continued study.   FULL    Stefan Grossman   Rev. Gary Davis: Old Fashion Picking Rags and Marches Level 3 Rev. Gary Davis had a repertoire that spanned over a wide variety of techniques and styles. In our workshop we will learn, discuss and explore his many guitar ideas. Various exercises will be presented to help give you control of Rev. Davis's thumb/index picking technique and his rhythmic pattern. You'll hear lots of great tunes.     ENROLL NOW!   Ernie Hawkins The Blues and Rags of Gary Davis and the Piedmont Tradition Level 2/3    Although he was a unique voice, Rev Davis was clearly part of a larger tradition. It formed him as he reformed it. In these classes, Ernie will will talk about the Piedmont style as a whole, talking about some important players and showing students some of the great songs that come out of this history.   This is a workshop for diehard acoustic blues fans. Beginning with introductions, Ernie will tailor his presentation for the specific interests of the participants, but feature style, repertoire and theory. The examples are drawn from the accessible models of Texas blues and East coast ragtime-blues fingerpicking, particularly the style of Rev. Gary Davis. We will also touch upon the CAGED system which decodes the fingerboard. As a followup, this session can be supplemented by Ernie's instructional DVDs.  ENROLL NOW!   Live From Fur Peace Ranch    Broadcast Dates and Performers:   Check http://woub.org/listen/furpeaceranch for upcoming performers and broadcast dates. ATHENS, OH 91.3 FM WOUB-FM Friday nights at 7:00 PM Sunday 12:00 AM Monday 1:00 AM CINCINNATI, OH 89.7 FM WNKU-FM Sundays 09:00 PM ITHACA, NY 90.1 FM WITH-FM Saturdays at 10:00 AM You may also listen to WOUB-FM's live stream. Or visit WOUB's Archives. Audio files are updated weekly (excluding repeats). Due to right's restrictions, most programs are only available online for four weeks. WOUB welcomes your feedback! Drop them a line: radio@woub.org. Contact Your Local NPR station and let them know that Live From The Fur Peace Ranch! is available to them for free through Airplay Direct.  Fall Birthdays September  David Bromberg October  Grace Slick Bob Weir Roy Book Binder November Rory Block Guy Clark  FPR News    Fall 2012     A Garden of Guitar Players     I remember when Jorma came home with the deed to the Ranch property back in 1989. I truly thought he'd lost his mind. This was not what I had in mind for my life. Ohio? A farm? No, no, no! Clearly, I lost that argument. It didn't take long to figure out what we could do with all of this land. We were going to grow guitar players. It took less than a year.....but we managed to pack up the 90 years (cumulatively) of stuff the two of us had been dragging around with us and headed to the foothills. Despite what my heart was feeling, Ohio was beautiful. We had rented a small farm house just a fur peace down the road from the Ranch. The Ranch however, was not the Ranch we know today. It was land.....essentially untouched since the late 1960's. The work we had ahead of us was monumental. To be completely honest...that work did not start until 1997. There was so much that had to be cleared away...spiritually speaking ...that it mirrored the tall brush and trees and thicket that had been blocking our path. As our lives became clearer...so did the land. When we were ready to accept the responsibility for all things in front of us....the Ranch became a reality. The more we cleaned house the more wisdom we exposed ourselves to...the more enriched it all became. The land had set a stage and created the tone for this inspirational environment...and it was...that we were being inspired every day. It was impossible to imagine just what the Ranch would become....in 2 years, 5 years.....but it was a collective group of souls that include those first five years of students and the staff that walked with us on this journey. Every business has its flaws as do humans....but the most important thing was acknowledging them, understanding them and addressing them. Most of those flaws were stepping stones and not wasted time either. When we envisioned this idea...."websites" were just talk. Only a few businesses had them and they were all IT businesses. That such things would be available to a wide audience some day was unthinkable back then....and we did struggle to find our students. Fifteen years later our garden of guitar players is bountiful. It's nearly the end of 2012 and we are certainly older and maybe a bit wiser. I know that I work too hard but I do love it. My own self improvement and the Ranch's improvement is about recognizing that it's OK to rest...to enjoy what we created and to let the garden grow so we can walk that longer mile ahead. - Vanessa Kaukonen Breakdown Way  Congratulations to Breakdown Way which is celebrating their 10th Anniversary this month!! And it just keeps getting better with new lessons, new apps, interactive Skype lessons . . . . Earlier this summer Break Down Way released an App for iPhone.  Break Down Way is pleased to announce that the iPad version of the app is now ready for download!  You can view the App here, or search "Break Down Way" from within your iTunes store. Break Down Way presents online guitar workshops from Jorma and many of FPR's world class instructors. Through the use of streaming videos with up close shots of the fingering positions you can catch all of the notes, pinches, pulls . . . and much more including access to chord charts, lyrics and the ability to email your questions to the instructors, and interact with other students through Break Down Way's Facebook page. Now all of these great lessons can be had on the go with the Break Down Way App for iPhone and now iPad! New lessons recently released:   "Late Breaking News" taught by Jorma Kaukonen.  "Kissing Angles" taught by Geoff Achison. "Midnight in Malpitas" taught by David Wolff.  Purchase these lessons for only $4.99 each for 30-days, or sign up for a monthly membership ($29.99) and receive all of the fantastic lessons available on Break Down Way! Don't delay visit Break Down Way today!  GOING BACK TO CALIFORNIA IN 2013 It was in California that the Fur Peace Ranch first presented it's "On The Road" workshops.  It's a concept that has proved successful and we've enjoyed spending a few weeks during the Winter in warm and beautiful surroundings.... bringing the spirit of Fur Peace and our award-winning classes to our "On The Road" destinations.  After a few years in California's Desert Springs area we ventured further west and ended up in Maui.  Our last two sessions at the Royal Lahaina in Maui were fantastic and we all have loved the Maui environment as well as that wonderful Aloha spirit.  However, for 2013 we're going back to California. The Fur Peace Ranch "On The Road" workshops for Winter 2013 will be at the fabulous The Dana on Mission Bay.  San Diego's perfect climate is what draws you in and the premier waterfront setting and accommodations at the Dana will be our home on the road.  The Dana is located close to many of San Diego's best attractions.  The Dana is a short trip to downtown San Diego and it is walking distance to Sea World.  It is also next to Mission Bay Park, a 4,600 - acre wonderland, the largest park of it's kind in the world!  What we have always looked for when planning our "On The Road" workshops is a desirable location with excellent staff, services, accommodations and food.  The Dana has it all!  We are familiar with this location as Hot Tuna has stayed there as well as the Kaukonens and Hurlbuts on vacation trips.  The Dana has beautifully designed and appointed rooms and they have room to accommodate any family members or friends that would want to join you on your adventure.  This resort features 2 spectacular swimming pools as well as 2 spas.  It is also the center for many other activities that their guest service staff are willing and able to help you with.  There are water sports and bicycle rentals on sight.  All meals will be served and prepared by the Dana's fine dining staff and the food is fantastic! We are really looking forward to our first workshops of 2013 being in San Diego and in particular at The Dana on Mission Bay.....where the only thing they overlook is Mission Bay!!!  We look forward to you joining us in California for our Winter 2013 sessions. January 14 - 18   Jorma Kaukonen: The Entrance Ramp with Teaching assistants Marjorie Thompson and David Wolff. This is a great introductory level 1/2 class for all of you who have been dabbling in fingerstyle guitar, but haven't taken the full plunge.  This workshop will provide a solid introduction to fingerstyle guitar, including development of that reliable thumb so essential to mastering this style. January 21 - 25 Jorma Kaukonen: Movin' On Down The Road: Level 3 For players with a well honed thumb, and fingerstyle experience. Jorma will demonstrate a variety of licks, runs and embellishments that provide style and nuance, and also represent a vocabulary of tools that may be used in various keys. This is an excellent repertoire- building workshop, and will encourage skills that can also be applied to original music, improvisation and arranging. Barry Mitterhoff: Mandolin Antipasto: Level 2/3 Just like the antipasto, we're going to try a smattering of everything. To start things off, we'll take a traditional tune and play it with downstrokes, slow tremolo, down & up strokes, Bill Monroe downstrokes, tremolo, double stops, crosspicking and other techniques. In short we will play a song using different methods, styles, and rhythms to highlight the contrasts and similarities of songs across genres. Then as time allows we'll learn a fiddle tune, a waltz, a blues, a swing tune, a Monroe tune, a Rev. Gary Davis tune and if there is time we may dip in to the well of Jorma/Hot Tuna tunes as well as improvising on the mandolin. Join us in 2013 for an unforgettable experience and adventure as the Fur Peace takes it "On The Road" to The Dana on Mission Bay. Electric Hot Tuna Returns to The Beacon Theatre November 30 and December 01, 2012 Hot Tuna returns to The Beacon Theatre in New York City for their  annual electric shows.  Past years performances have been off the hook with the addition of special guests since we celebrated Jorma's 70th Birthday.  This year is shaping up to be a hum-dinger!  Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams will be there as they have for the past few years.  Bill Kirchen, Steve Kimock and G.E. Smith will also make a return performance to these annual gigs.  Cindy Cashdollar, who hasn't played with Jorma much since the Blue Country Heart days will be on hand for the weekend . . . there are sure to be some command performances from Jorma's Grammy Nominated album from a decade ago.  To round out the weekend, bluesman, Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin will also be in the house to help you shake away any holiday blues you may have. Tickets are on sale now! Spotlight on: 2013 Instructors  Thus far, 2013 is shaping up to be a great season here at Fur Peace Ranch!  Steve Earle's songwriting workshop sold out in record setting time.  Larry Campbell and David Lindley weren't far behind . . .  Tommy Emmanuel's class will be full in short order.  Jorma's "Songs from Quah" workshops is on the verge of being full, so if you're considering that one . . . don't delay any longer or you may find yourself on the wait list. We've also announced some new workshops since the schedule was first released: April 05-08, 2013  Joining Jorma and Pete Huttlinger will be Toby Walker.  Toby returns to the Ranch to teach "Fingerpicking Hank Williams."  In this course you'll learn swing chords, bluesy licks, walking basses, double stops, improvised single string lines and how to add 'tinsel' to any basic melody. What could be more fun then learning some timeless Hank Williams songs while at the same time increasing your fingerpicking skills, expanding your knowledge of the fretboard and adding some exciting, cool licks to your tool box. By the end of this weekend you'll have five iconic country songs added to your repertoire and the ability to apply what you learned to many other songs that you already know.' May 17-20, 2013  Tom Feldmann will join Woody Mann and David Lindley on his first trip to the Ranch.  Tom will be teaching a great level 1/2 course using the works of Mississippi John Hurt as a vehicle.  Now, not many of you are familiar with Tom, and I'll have to admit, that we weren't at first . . . Tom was recommended to us by one of our good friends and instructor Stefan Grossman.  Upon Stefan's recommendation we did a little poking around and watched some of his performances and agreed with Stefan.  In this class, Tom Feldmann will take you step by step through Mississippi John Hurt's most celebrated songs in the keys of E, A, D, G, and C in standard tuning, as well as Open G and Open D tunings. Whether beginner or intermediate you will learn to pick in the distinctive "Hurt" style and build a large repertoire of classic country blues. August 09-12, 2013  Suffering from Stage Fright?  Dave Revels will be returning to the Ranch for our Couples' Weekend.  Dave currently performs as a member of The  Persuasions, the kings of A Capella.  Before that he performed with The Drifters.  Dave is truly a master of performance and he will be focusing on that aspect in this workshop. Join Dave Revels as he teaches an all levels Natural Guide to Mastering the Art of Performance. No elaborate instruments, props, gimmicks or costly gear needed other than an investment in time . . . time to practice and apply all that you will learn. The focus is on incorporating your personality with the tools learned to enable you to speak and sing before an audience as naturally as taking a breath. Dave Revels will show you his methods to break down the invisible yet palpable barrier that lay between the performer and an audience and make the steps on the ladder to successful communication a little less slippery. September 20-23, 2013  If you have always wanted to come to the Ranch but didn't feel your fingerstyle skills were up to par then you need to join Marjorie Thompson for her level 1/2 class titled "Up the Neck" the Fingerstyle Guitar Toolkit.  This is a great entry level class for all of you budding fingerstylists! While studying with Marjorie you will develop a set of musical tools which will include partial chords up the neck, lead runs, double stops, turnarounds and fills. This toolkit will then be put to use giving color and personality to your guitar playing. Guaranteed to turn your own songs (or covers) from ho-hum to wow! For all of the bassists out there . . . Jack Casady will join the fold in 2013 for Pick-n-Putt weekend.  Jack will be teaching his level 3 Bass Guitar Proficiency course.  This class is for those gaining proficiency at learning the neck and fingering positions, and who have a basic understanding of chord progressions and construction of the song form in general. In this workshop Jack will emphasize right hand technique, with particular attention to accuracy of note placement, rhythm combinations, dexterity, and broadening of tone. With the fretboard hand, Jack will examine finger placement and smooth note execution. November 08-11  Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin rolled into the line up for the Hot Tuna Allstars weekend.  Bob will return to the Ranch to teach his Raw Chicago Blues of Muddy Waters and More Guitar Legends. The guitar sound and style of Muddy Waters and Chicago Blues players like Elmore James, Jimmy Rogers, Robert Lockwood Jr., Eddie Taylor, and Hubert Sumlin was a radical electric evolution of Mississippi Delta Blues in the early 1950s. For today's guitar players, knowing the language and "tone" of "delay time" "Old School" (Muddy's terms) Chicago Blues is both educational and empowering for your playing. Bob played guitar in Muddy's band, standing next to him onstage from 1973-'80. He will take what he learned directly from Muddy and pass this raw electric Blues on to you.  We'll learn how to play classic Chicago Blues electric slide guitar parts in standard tuning, Open-G, and Open-E. We'll work on getting a singing yet percussive tone out of your guitar and amp, that you can use to express your Blues with or without effects pedals. On Saturday night you can watch Bob employ some of these methods as he jams out with the Hot Tuna Allstars in the Fur Peace Station Concert Hall.     ITunes   New Releases     New to iTunes:      iTuna:   Visit Hot Tuna's iTunes Directory   06/26/2012    Hot Tuna Electric   Grand Opera House Wilmington,  DE   A show fans have been dreaming about since thanksgiving 1977... It's been many decades since a full Tuna show featured Bob Steeler on drums...the lineup for this show Jorma, Jack, Barry and Bob Steeler on drums for the complete show. Playing classic Tuna as well as new stuff from Steady As She Goes. The next big surprise was David Bromberg playing Helpless Blues...and finally on the last two tunes  Funky #7,  and the encore of Baby What You Want Me To Do? Steve Kimock sits in...      06/21/2012     Hot Tuna Electric  State Theatre Ithaca, NY  This was the opening show of the summer tour.  This show features Hot Tuna Electric: Jack, Jorma, Barry, & Skoota with Steve Kimock joining in on the encore...featuring many new songs off the most recent Hot Tuna release Steady As She Goes such as Mourning Interrupted, A Little Faster, Children of Zion as well as classic Tuna like Come Back Baby, Funky #7, and Ode for Billy Dean  iJorma: Visit Jorma's iTunes Directory     03/24/1999 Jannus Landing,   St. Petersburg, FL The Jorma Kaukonen Trio featuring Michael Falzarano and Pete Sears playing tunes such as True Religion, Good Shepherd, Gypsy Fire, Walkin' Blues... 06/21/2002 Club West, Eureka, CA This was the sixth Blue Country Heart show...Barry was six days in Cindy Cashdollar was on her second day, the music was a mix of the Blue Country Heart CD and classic Jorma songs. From the Grammy nominated Blue Country Heart CD the band plays songs such as Tom Cat Blues, Bread Line Blues Just Because as well as the classics like Good Shepherd, Uncle Sam Blues, & Death Don't Have No Mercy 01/25/2008   Y.M.C.A. Boulton Center for the Performing Arts,   Bay Shore, NY   This night was a two show night...a rowdy Long Island crowd along with the  energetic Jorma ~ Barry Duo set made the night complete. The download features both early and late shows, with songs such as: Search My Heart, Serpent of Dreams, a couple rarely played Merle Haggard tunes Working Man's Blues and If We Make It Through December, plus Hot Tuna staples Good Shepherd and Trial By Fire.    2013 Workshop Incentives! 1st 2013 enrollment - Regular Price 2nd 2013 enrollment - save $75 3rd 2013 enrollment - save $100 4th 2013 enrollment - save $200 Offer Expires: November 11, 2013