Richie Havens & Rockledge Pinot Noir

Tonight I’m featuring one of my favorite folk/guitarists from the 70’s, namely Mr. Richie Havens. Born in Brooklyn on July 21^st, 1941, Havens was the eldest of nine children. At an early age, he began organizing his neighborhood friends into street corner do-wop groups and was performing with The McCrea Gospel Singers at 16. At age 20, Havens left Brooklyn, seeking artistic stimulation in Greenwich Village. He saw the Village as a place to escape to, in order to express himself. He had first went there during the beatnik days of the 1950s to perform poetry, then drew portraits for two years and stayed up all night listening to folk music in the clubs. It took a while before he thought of picking up a guitar.

Havens' reputation as a live performer earned him widespread notice. His Woodstock appearance proved to be a major turning point in his career. As the festival's first performer, he held the crowd for nearly three hours (in part because he was told to perform a lengthy set because many artists were delayed in reaching the festival location), and was called back for several encores. What is incredible to me is that the song, :Motherless Child/Freedom that became both Havens and a Woodstock anthem was completely improvised after he ran out of tunes

Following the success of his Woodstock performance, Richie started his own record label, Stormy Forest, and delivered Stonhenge, one of my favorite albums of the 1970’s. Havens uses open tunings and, although his chords are not difficult, his rhythms are incredible. You might notice, as I did when I sat ten feet from him at a concert he gave at my alma mater, DePauw University, that he sings without his upper false teeth. It’s an interesting little fact, but doesn’t diminish the virtuosity of one of the great folk guitarists of modern times.

Woodstock opening:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1pMeyy__r0

Freedom: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA51wyl-9IE

Here Comes The Sun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBbXKsKXyNU

Fire and Rain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol4O61bxzoA&feature=related

What You Gonna Do About Me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxahJlMI6NQ&feature=related

Wonder Child: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdCx-1afCgM&feature=related

I Can’t Make It Anymore: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpfpFKzA4h8&feature=related

Handsome Johnny: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyBS39ybcEE&feature=related

License to Kill: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JltNLkh03ME&feature=related

All along The Watchtower: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEEtohsNX0E&feature=related

High Flying Bird: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hptrdJ7Xvic&feature=related

Lady Madonna: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg7fYblgnNk&feature=related

What About Me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZmkIa89SgQ&feature=related

Tombstone Blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOQXvUiKnYM

I’m going to pair Richie with a 2010 Rockledge Pinot Noir ($20.00). This is a concentrated wine with Burgundian balance rarely found in a Carneros Pinot Noir. It’s deep ruby color explodes with a nose of cherries, raspberries, and cranberries, while the palate is full of intense red fruit. Nice long finish with moderate alcohol content. Very nice for listening to vintage folk guitar on a cool night that signals the end of summer. Enjoy!

Cheers!

Robben Ford, Larry Carlton, and Rockledge Pinot Noir

Tonight, I’m featuring the music of two of my favorite guitarists whose styles compliment each other beautifully. Robben Ford blends blues and jazz. Although his first instrument was the saxophone, which he played into his twenties, he began teaching himself guitar at age thirteen after hearing the two guitarists from The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Michael Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop. He toured with blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon and later with jazz saxophonist Tom Scott and the L.A. Express. He caught the attention of George Harrison who invited him to join him on his "Dark Horse" tour of the U.S. and Canada, raising his musical profile even further. He went on to tour with the Yellowjackets, Michael McDonald, and Miles Davis. After all that jazz, he returned to his roots, namely the blues, forming his group the Blue Line.

Larry Carlton, also known as Mr. 335, for the trademark Gibson ES335 that he often plays, has had an equally illustrious career. Interestingly, his early career included a stint as the musical director for an Emmy-nominated children’s show, Mrs. Alphabet, where he also performed as one of the characters, Larry Guitar. He performed and recorded extensively with the Jazz Crusaders and became one of L.A.’s most in-demand session players, backing stars from every imaginable genre, ranging from Sammy Davis, Jr., and Herb Alpert to Quincy Jones, Paul Anka, Michael Jackson, John Lennon, Jerry Garcia and Dolly Parton as well as playing many of the leads on the rock group Steeley Dan’s albums. He has more than 3000 studio sessions under his belt and by the early 1980s had picked up four Grammy nominations. In 1981, in collaboration with Mike Post, he won one for the theme to Hillstreet Blues.

While working on one of my favorite albums, Solid Ground, Larry was the victim of random gun violence, and was shot in the throat by gun-wielding juveniles outside Room 335, his private studio near Burbank, California. The bullet shattered his vocal cord and caused significant nerve trauma, but through intensive therapy and a positive frame of mind, Carlton completed work on Solid Ground in 1989. He bounced back stronger than ever forming the non-profit group, Helping Innnocent People (HIP), which aids victims of random gun violence and his guitar playing is as smooth and mello as ever.

The duo of Robben Ford and Larry Carlton blend blues and jazz at its best. So, kick back and enjoy some smooth blues.

Unplugged: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I25qKgzaqLY&feature=related

Encore Blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2ip-vigDxw&feature=related

Burnable: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiK0ET0CwaY&feature=related

Cold Gold: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3NnRN6rO1A&feature=related

Live in Tokyo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVR_IEvoKNI&feature=related

Opening in Tokyo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SN7BiULT3Y&feature=related

Derek’s Blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSqWwYKORIo&feature=related

Cold Cold: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfJZoQdm-cM&feature=related

Cordoba Guitar Festival: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0HsB3eMtzc&feature=related

Put it where you want it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpiDJ16BW0s&feature=related

The Prince:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjT_vEskaKk&feature=related

Blues Project: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbTn59ejgaE&feature=related

With this smooth blues duo, I suggest a 2010 Rockledge Pinot Noir ($20.00). It’s a deep ruby color with a powerful nose of cherries, raspberries, and cinnamon. The palate reminds me of a French Burgundy, rich with a surprisingly long finish. It’s great for a summer evening tapping your feet and nodding your head in time to the smooth blues music of the Carlton-Ford duo. Enjoy!

Cheers!