Stephen Stills and Three Zinfandel Evangelho Contra Costa County

Today is veteran’s day, and I got to thinking about my Dad who fought in World War Two, liberating the concentration camps of Buchenwald and Dachau. I have a photo album from his wartime experiences and the pictures of the concentration camps are truly memorable. After viewing them, I will never forget man’s capability for evil. I wasn’t quite the “good soldier” when the draft came to go off to Viet Nam. Fortunately, I have a severe case of asthma that kept me stateside. But as I drove to work today, I heard Stephen Stills song Treetop Flyer, and thought of my Dad, one of the “Greatest Generation” whereas I was one of the draft dodging generation. So, tonight, I’m featuring Stephen Stills in honor of all those veterans who’ve fought whether they wanted to or not.

Stills was born on January 3, 1945 and is an incredible musician best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield (Something’s Happening Here), and Crosby, Stills, & Nash (and later, Young). He’s maintained a solo career of late, although there have been several CS&N reunions. Stills was ranked #28 in rolling Stone’s 2003 list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". In spite of that, I think he’s underrated. His use of altered tunings and a fabulous fingerstyle made him one of my favorites back in my college days. Stills became the first person to be inducted twice on the same night into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with CSN and Buffalo Springfield.

His raspy voice lends itself well to his acoustic folk/blues style and matches perfectly with his guitar. Make sure you check out Treetop Flyer and Crossroads. But if you’re my age (59 tomorrow) and care for a bit of nostalgia, go straight to his compositions with CS&N and listen to Carry On, Long Time Coming, Woodstock, and, of course, Suite Judy Blue eyes.  I’m sure you’ll enjoy him.

Treetop Flyer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUmIO_MG5IU

Crossroads/You can’t catch me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3_x2I8FQ8Q

4 & 20: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvuNwH7kCCA

Helplessly hoping: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA2W1SZejc4&feature=related

Do for others: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OSaIUKi8p4

It won’t go away: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0nu_TEhkbk

Thoroughfare gap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9T5B8Dqi6Y

Mr. Soul: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BudSroH5Hoc

Stateline blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiIYYQO7fXk&feature=related

Daylight again/Find the cost of freedom: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb-_fjHHmLI&feature=related

Carry on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvEEv14bI_o&feature=related

Long time coming: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5Dt0_zAcHo&feature=related

Woodstock: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3MUH8tFZTA&feature=related

Suite Judy Blue Eyes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzF_MoXOU1E

Stephen’s music pairs well with a 2009 Three Zinfandel Evangelho Contra Costa County ($18.00). This Zin is sourced from ancient vineyards in Contra Costa County and is a blend of 76% Zinfandel, 12% Petite Sirah, 6% Carignane, 4% Mataro, and 2% Alicante Bouschet.

The wine is purple-black in color with explosive aromas of blackberry, plum, coffee and a touch of chocolate. It’s a mouth filling wine with a sleek and refined texture. Soft tannins lead to a very long berry and coffee finish. A very nice wine to go with the music of Stephen Stills. Enjoy!

Cheers!

Michael Hedges & Mount Ecken Saratoga Cuvee Pinot Noir

Michael Hedges was perhaps one of the most innovative acoustic guitarists in the history of the instrument. He described his style in phrases like “violent acoustic”, “heavy mental”, “acoustic thrash”, “wacka-wacka”, “new edge”, “edgy pastoral”, “savage myth”,  and “deep-tissue gladiator guitar”, but when you listen to him, I think you’ll agree that he defies classification.

Hedges began studying classical guitar at Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma. From there he moved to Baltimore to study at the Peabody Conservatory where he combined his classical training with various innovative techniques to the steel-string guitar. As he said in an interview,  “I went to the school of modern 20th century composition. I listened to Leo Kottke, Martin Carthy, and John Martyn, but my head was headed more towards Stravinsky, Varese, Webern, and a lot of experimental composers like Morton Feldman.”

After leaving the Peabody, Michael’s compositional and performance skills exploded in sophistication, resulting in his dynamic “one-man-band” performances. Guitarist Will Ackerman, the founder of Windham Hill Records, heard him while he was playing in Palo Alto, CA and later recalled, “Michael tore my head off. It was like watching the guitar being reinvented.” Michael’s genius was first recognized in his 1984 Grammy-nominated recording, Aerial Boundaries.

But not only was he a great musician, he was a great performer as well. For my money, if you want a true taste of his music, pick up a copy of the 1987 live recording, Live On The Double Planet. It captures some of the intensity of his concerts and includes his ferocious version of Bob Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower,” one of my all time favorite songs.

Michael Hedges won Guitar Player’s readers’ poll award for “best acoustic guitarist” five years running—and was subsequently named by the magazine as one of the “25 Guitarists Who Shook the World.”  Sadly, he died in a one-car crash on State Route 128 in rural Mendocino County, about 100 miles northwest of San Francisco. On December 2, 1997, the 43-year-old Grammy nominee was found dead down a steep embankment. He apparently had died several days earlier while driving home from San Francisco International Airport after a Thanksgiving visit to his girlfriend in Long Island, N.Y. He and his music are sorely missed.

Watchtower: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqGHE5GqZ44&feature=related

Gimme Shelter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prF59Qp1mTc&feature=related

Ragamuffin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ulWPVb8t44&feature=related

Jitterboogie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnaEZaUMk-s&feature=related

Funky Avocado: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNMCeQorOSA&feature=related

Ignition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WmNjjBst6A&feature=related

Lucky star: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwzrlOrmkKw&feature=related

She drives me crazy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZAyXFvDsBs&feature=related

Eleven small cockroaches: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQhpgjkxoyI&feature=related

Ignition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WmNjjBst6A&feature=related

Lucky Star: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwzrlOrmkKw&feature=related

While my guitar gently weeps: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKn0hdvTL6A&feature=related

Rickover’s dream: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncVeCggyQKQ&feature=related

Because it’s there: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN3439l4HR0&feature=related

Come together:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJvkB-JYBlY&feature=related

Ritual Dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPB-ShG_UWY&feature=related

Cello Suite # 1 in G major by Bach: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfnm__lNNUg&feature=related

With Michael Hedges, I suggest a Mount Ecken Saratoga Cuvee Pinot Noir ($22.00). Bright ruby color with a bouquet of cherries, plums, and vanilla. The taste is full of sour cherry preserves, red raspberry, and cookie spices. It’s a medium bodied wine with a silky texture that ends with a complex mixture of red fruit. It’s an elegant wine to drink remembering the loss of a great musician. 

Acoustic Eric Johnson & Château Majoureau, Bordeaux Supérieur

Tonight, I’m featuring an all-acoustic set by one of the worlds greatest electric guitarists, none other than Eric Johnson. Born August 17^th, 1954 and hailing from Austin, Texas, he best known for his electric work, especially his incredible tone. His repertoire incorporates jazz, fusion, rock, gospel, country, and western into a unique and wonderful style. Guitar magazine called him one of the most respected guitarists on the planet.

Although he’s had his own group and recorded solo for many years now, in a past life he was quite the session guitarist and played with artists like Cat Stevens, Carol King, and Christopher Cross.

His own work has included several critically acclaimed works including the Grammy nominated song, Zap, of his 1986 Tones album and his 1990 Grammy winning song Cliffs of Dover off his Ah Via Musicom. His music is a great way to decompress from the week. Hope you enjoy him!

Classical piece: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsTHAJnaHJE&feature=related

Classical Soul:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAhtFjetqdc&feature=related

Song for Life: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMK0ybEaDaI&feature=related

I’m finding you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHzD7DgsH9I&feature=related

April come she will: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxbG9sZY7eI&feature=related

Tribute to Jerry Reed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IVg2vCEReQ&feature=related

Song for George: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGrtGQ_0-m0&feature=related

Acoustic in Alabama: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pQ9O1meQo0&feature=related

Once upon a time in Texas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7pvXEpSpiQ&feature=related

Promised man: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2SGoJRAz-I&feature=related

The world is waiting for the sun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOvLSxthEB8&feature=related

Guitar Masters, Johnson, Peppino D’Agostino, & andy McKee: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rzXfa0vtZY&feature=related

 I’m pairing Eric with a 2008Château Majoureau, Bordeaux Supérieur, ($15.00). This is a red Bordeaux blend of 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Cabernet Franc. It’s a great wine, especially for the price. Rich, black cherries and blackberries flood the nose. The taste was brimming with blackberry, dark plum, and spice.  For the price point, this wine is very complex. The acid is in harmony with the spice and fruits with a clean, fruit and mineral finish. All in all, a very nice wine and paired with an acoustic concert by Eric Johnson, it’s a great way to kick off the week end. Enjoy!

Cheers!

Alex Kabasser & Vall Llach Embriux

Alex Kabasser is an Austrian guitarist, born September 1983. He grew up in Klagenfurt, Austria and picked up the guitar at the age of nine. He started out studying electric guitar and the music of Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Paul Gilbert, and John Petrucci, but discovered classical guitar and the music of Bach, Villa-Lobos, and Segovia in 2003. He studied classical music for two years at the conservatoire in Graz, Austria under the tutelage of Dietmar Kres. But in 2005, he met up with another Austrian acoustic guitarist , Thomas Kleeb, whom I reviewed about three years ago, and was heavily influenced by his musical style. Since then, he’s focused on fingerstyle acoustic and as you’ll see, is quite the virtuoso. Hope you enjoy him.

Irish Statement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKzpiwlYP2E

Minuet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIXFAUmPiik

Sadepisara: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYDNUR6kvcA

Foxi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_-yGzzu7Wk

Heads up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yisfIolSII0

Homebox: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFK-VoKLpVM

The beauty in between: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLFj3AMbuks

Mexico: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zofni-02Ebw

Symphonie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDXLvl6oJ5A

Ragamuffin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gcH09MTGjI

Dexter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-ILbbr_Bks

With Beppe Gambetta & Uli Boegerhausen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAx8dEYvsH0&feature=relmfu

I love Alex’s music and style, so I’m pairing him with one of the best wines I’ve tasted this year, namely, the 2007 Embruix (pronounced "Embroosh") from de Vall Llach in the Priorat of Catalan, Spain. The Catalans call it Priorat, most others in Spain say Priorato - however you choose to pronounce it, the Priorat has become something of a cult wine producing region, creating wines that can cost up to 5 times that of a quality Rioja. This particular wine is made from the estate's younger vines and is a blend of 30% Garnacha, 30% Carinena, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance Merlot and Syrah.

The wine is a deep, glass-coating purple color with enchanting aromas of blueberries, plums, and mulling spices. It’s a full-bodied, dense, savory wine with a complex palate of blackberry, raisins and chocolate flavors. The tannins are soft and the finish is long and mouth watering.  And at $19.00 a bottle, it’s one of the best values I’ve found. Paired with the guitar of Alex Kabasser, it’s an unbeatable duo. Enjoy!

Cheers!