Russ Freeman & Girard Sauvignon Blanc

Russ Freeman is the founder and leader of the contemporary jazz group, the Rippingtons. He was raised in Nashville and started playing the guitar at the age of ten under the tutorage of one of his father’s friends who was a Nashville session musician. By the age of sixteen, Russ was also playing sessions. At the age of eighteen, he left Nashville for Los Angeles where his first gigs were playing the background music for Jane Fonda’s workout videos and commercials featuring Anne Murray and Englebert Humperdinck.

In 1986, he formed the Rippingtons, originally conceiving it as a changing lineup of jazz musicians drawn from top session players. The first version featured one of my favorite pianists, David Benoit along with Brandon Fields, Dave Koz, and Kenny G on saxes. By 1993, the band solidified into a six-piece group with Dave Kochanski on keyboards, Jeff Kashiwa on sax, Kim Stone on bass, Tony Morales on drums, Steve Reid on percussion, and of course, Freeman on guitar.

The Oasis Smooth Jazz Awards honored Russ with a Lifetime Achievement Award as well as Producer of the Year in 2001. In 2000, Billboard BET chose the Rippingtons as best group and Oasis gave them the same award for 2001 & 2002. Russ and the Rippingtons are one of the most listenable groups I’ve ever heard and his guitar playing is definitely smooth. Great music to listen to while I work on my consulting projects. Enjoy!

Larry’s World: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-ng9JJAStY

Topaz: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHTl7VWJHPE

Aspen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prx-5eIDdqI  

Jamaican nights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EHMHwaf2rA

East River Drive: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh3InUdZvBs

Brighter Day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0v5vTm_1_k

Cool in the shade: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uXMutSU8XA

Soul Dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMuyLC_SJ4w

Guitarland: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai0MvqxY9II

Moving violation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N4yYsA7dqk

Palmetto Park: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq5yXYLviL8

Urban Wanderer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ga5f_1PBjA

Angel Fire: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orHVogWmMKk

My wife and I got a Groupon to our favorite local restaurant this week and enjoyed a bottle of the 2011 Girard Sauvignon Blanc ($18.00 in stores) with our salmon. I’m a huge fan of Girard wines, particularly their Petite Sirah, but this was the first time I’ve tasted their Sauvignon Blanc. Its aromatics were full of citrus, lemon peel, and a tropical fruits. The taste was a mix of citrus and mango, slightly dry, yet tart. It has a nice softness on the tongue and bright acidity makes for a clean, crisp finish. I can see enjoying a bottle of this when the weather turns warmer as I sit on my deck, watching the stars and listening to Russ Freeman and the Rippingtons.

Cheers!

Chicago Blues & Pinot Evil Pinot Grigio

I’m going to do something a little different this week. Since I’m from Chicago and was raised on the blues, I’m doing a multipart series on Chicago blues starting with a video that includes the work of George Baze, Pistol Pete, Ron Hytower, Lonnie Brooks, Hubert Sumlin, Junior Wells, James Harman, and Magic Slim. I won’t give names, but I sat at the feet and played with a couple of the guys you’ll hear this week. There’s a full hour of music each night, so kick back, put on the video, and taste and see that Chicago blues is good!

Vol.1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUKDcI5cvTE

You’re going to need a lot of wine this week so I suggest getting a 3 liter box of Octavin’s Pinot Evil Pinot Grigo. The wine is sourced from Hungary's Matra region, which lies northwest of Budapest and just southeast of Hungary's famed Tokaj wine region. The wine is pale yellow with a floral nose of tropical fruit and citrus. Crisp and refreshing with typical peachy, citrus flavors and a slightly sweet finish, it’s an easy drinking wine. It paired great with the butternut squash-black bean enchiladas that I made for dinner and it’s light fruitiness is a perfect match for a long session of Chicago blues.

Cheers!

Guitar Cornucopia & Campo Viejo Tempranillo Rioja

There are many fine guitarists I find as I surf the web for likely musicians to review on this blog. I like to have at least ten selections with most of them live performances in order to make the review worthwhile and give the reader a good picture of the musician’s style. But quite often, I run across very talented guitarists for whom only two or three recordings are available. So tonight, I’m presenting a cornucopia of a number of talented musicians with a limited presence on YouTube. I’ll leave it up to the reader to pursue any favorites for further investigation.

Not all of them are unknowns. Danny Gatton was heralded as a master of the Telecaster until he took his life some years ago. I first heard Bill Connors when he emerged on the scene with Chick Corea in the original Return to Forever group. Connors actually has quite a few recordings, but not many live performances. I have a sentimental favorite in Frank Portolese, one of Chicago’s finest jazz guitarists. Frank and I played together through our college years and he played at my wedding.

The styles are diverse, stretching from celtic to jazz to blues. Hope you find something you like. Enjoy!

Tony McManus

Goodbye Pork Pie Hat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqphR8wgWtY&feature=relmfu

Celtic Reel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unFIeE7VZgw

Julian Kleiss

Spirited Chameleon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxUmhSVVq34

Living Under Water: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hcl87ZSGfB4

Mike Dawes

Boogie Shred: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-hJU-68pFQ&feature=related

DADGAD Jazz: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZSzmim4brk&feature=related

Frank Portolese

St. Louis Blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EltYqjD6fM

All the things you are: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XutUdjt_cI

Roman Miroshnichenko

Stairway: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pACg14PhYI

Sliverish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j64cBo01ktg&feature=relmfu

Mark Sganga

Fragile: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4fjSuRx2EU

Suite Judy Blue Eyes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz1KpoIEKrQ

Pete Barrenger

Downtime: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov12JWLQfLk

Instrumental #1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIbKUOmq5BQ

Travis Vega

Eastside Story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLRHHa0fJIw

Club Street: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TemDRnrEWZ4

Bill Connors

Floor to floor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k38--kFO2E&feature=related

Add Eleven: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S8Gt8-95dA

Danny Gatton

Funky Mama: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUpP7CnW4yA&feature=related

Redneck Blues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxZpE9DQM3A

D.R. Auten

Runaway Train: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DFo4Zx1p5M

Angela: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h7TtTM_Puw

Paul Brett

The Gryphon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwekDzSeak8&feature=related

Double Trouble: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIfxfAhjNCw&feature=related

Rick Ruskin

Me and the devil blues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u782y2pq4Rg&feature=related

Ain’t misbehaving: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYUCWhVtNuU&feature=related

Tim Sparks

 I’ll fly away: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-be8E6od4ao

Mississippi Blues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uis3gZ2mraw

With the diversity of musical styles represented by these guitarists, I thought I’d pair them with a “best buy” that should be widely available. The 2007 Campo Viejo Tempranillo Rioja ($10.00) is a blend of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, and 5% Mazuelo. The wine is garnet red with sweet aromas of cherry, raspberry, and vanilla. The palate follows with cherry, blackberry, caramel, peppery herbs, and soft tannins. This is a smooth drinking wine that pairs well with food or works fine on its own. For $10.00, it’s a bargain and a great alternative to that six-pack of beer you planned on consuming during the football games this week end. Plus, it’s heart healthy. Skip the half time shows and sip a glass of Campo Viejo Tempranillo Rioja while you listen to some very fine guitarists.

Cheers!

Carolyn Wonderful & Quinta do Portal Colheita Douro Red

Been out of commission for the past month or so starting a consulting business that I’m happy to say is going quite well. When I last posted, I was doing a special on guitarists born during the seventies and tonight I want to finish it up with an exceptional guitarist and vocalist, Carolyn Wonderland. While she is a dynamite blues guitarist, it’s her vocals that kick butt. The combination of the two is incredible. She reminds me a little of Bonnie Raitt’s early years before she went pop.

She was born in 1972 and is originally from Houston. Started writing and playing the guitar at the age of eight and really owned the Houston blues awards during the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Most recently, she garnered the title of Best Female Vocalist at the 2012 Austin Music Awards. She may be a high school dropout, but she’s got a Ph.D. in blues. Enjoy!

I live alone with someone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT4Lr_oVGQY&feature=related

Austin City Limits: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJV1Lrou55U

Judgement day blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b4fJRPnZT0&feature=fvwrel

Misunderstood: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsVMfARmqaI

Elmore James: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qIKJkkzAVI&feature=related

Wind cries Mary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bFfsgzXzIE

What good can drinkin do: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ba6zuM6wfdE

Come together: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhPKVmW-vRI

When I go away: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ewax6hcAnE

Meet me in the morning: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyQ7AeecUO8

Still alive and well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fua-E9R5nTw&feature=related

Bad girl blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O96oMY1U2UM&feature=related

Two trains: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLKdLNO9xZ0&feature=related

Victory of flying: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTFtfSweRvE&feature=relmfu

I was cruising the wine racks at Costco and stumbled on tonight’s wine, the 2009 Quinta do Portal Colheita Douro Red. The wine is from Portugal (Douro is the home of Port) and is a mix of 60%Tinta Roriz, 25% Touriga Nacional, and 15% Touriga Franca. It was rated a 93 by Wine Enthusiast and at $12.00, I figured it was worth exploring. Glad I did. Its bouquet is full of dark fruit and spice that follows on the palate with touches of chocolate and coffee. It has a rich mouth feel with soft tannins and a long finish. I highly recommend it, especially on a cold winter night with a fire going while you listen to the music of Carolyn Wonderful.

Cheers! 

Zach Deputy & a Summer Rose

Since this is a holiday/party week with the Fourth of July falling in the middle, I thought I present a really different sort of artist tonight. Zach Deputy is literally a one-man band. He hails originally from the coast of South Carolina with family roots in Puerto Rico and St. Croix. He grew up listening to Cruzan rhythms, folk songs, blues, and American roots music, which he’s fused into a unique musical form. To bring this sound to the stage, he uses looping technology to transform his “band” into a one-man dance party playing what he calls "Island-infused, Drum 'n' Bass, Gospel-Ninja-Soul."

While others may employ similar technology, I’ve never heard anyone quite like Zach fusing thumping rhythms, funk guitar, beat box, and a soulful voice with a 4+ octave range. He looks like he’s having a lot of fun during his performances and it’s infectious.

His base is in Hilton Head, South Carolina, but playing 250-300 shows a year means he lives mostly out of a small box truck because he plays almost every night of the year and with that kind of a schedule, he’ll probably be playing a gig near you one of these days. Don’t miss him!

Magic Carpet Ride/Sex Machine/Give Up The Funk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJmQ7kdBodA&feature=relmfu

Tube Steak: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rACg0n1B7B0&feature=relmfu

Put it in the Boogie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXaIFV_KaXc&feature=fvwrel

Coconut: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRF7VuJNKRY&feature=relmfu

Little bit of you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnv1nLFSxtk&feature=relmfu

That Girl: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k5RLXV1jHs&feature=relmfu

Rescue Me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmkE2mEJ90A&feature=related

She Says: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWCS7H1X6e0&feature=relmfu

Act that way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6zhUX0-IYI&feature=relmfu

Twisty Twisty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NcnZyJI1l8&feature=fvwrel

Let’s Dance, Let’s Shout: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jf85tlkRHo&feature=related

Summer has hit Nebraska with a vengeance with temperatures in the mid- to upper 90s and dew points approaching 80 degrees. That means it’s Rose time and tonight I have a very nice one, especially at $6.00 a bottle. The 2011 Marques de Caceres Rosé is 80% Tempranillo and 20% Grenache. It’s a great warm-night quaffer with aromas of strawberries, raspberries and lavender. It’s a crisp, balanced wine with lots of strawberry juiciness. Very refreshing and remember to serve it cold. I found it at Trader Joe’s. So head on out to the deck tonight with a bottle of Marques de Caceres Rosé and boogie along with Zach. I’ll just tap my toes as my new deck has some very cool lights and I don’t want the neighbors to be damaged for life watching me dance. Enjoy!

Cheers!