Brittni Paiva and Nobilo Icon Sauvignon Blanc

When I think of the ukulele, I think of Tiny Tim singing Tip Toe Through the Tulips. Not a very appealing picture. But as I was cruising the YouTube videos the other night, I stumbled on Brittni Paiva, a 19 year old from Hawaii who plays the uke like I’ve never heard it played before. Check out her version of Paul Desmond’s Take Five. Amazing! It’s an incredibly difficult song to play as it’s in 5/4 time and quite complex. I know, I’ve played it. She plays it better than any guitarist I’ve ever heard do it. And don’t miss her arrangement of Carlos Santana’s Europa. I’ll never look at a Uke the same again. Wow!


Interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKImhBqQj0M&feature=related

Take five: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tNdNFACU00&feature=related

Europa: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxsPrVa7yv0&feature=related

Somewhere over the rainbow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JArvrYw50X4&feature=fvw 

Journey Home: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtWS6HUT9so&feature=related 

Riding Honoli’I: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YokyjGpIzf8&feature=related 

At the Kaleo Café: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OfxLlhA9yo&feature=related 

With a classy act like Brittni, you need an equally classy wine, so how about a 2008 Nobilo Icon Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. This is a classic New Zealand Marlborough wine with a burst of grapefruit, lime, and green apple bouquet followed by the same on the palate with a wonderful richness and vibrant finish. Wine Spectator rates this a 92. It’s a great drink-alone wine, especially for summertime. Of course, I recommend ignoring the seasons if the wine is good and this one certainly is, especially at $17.00 a bottle. Enjoy it while you listen to Brittni shatter your stereotypes of ukulele players.

Cheers!

Orianthe & Hess Cabernet

Tonight I’ve got a couple of powerhouses on line. Orianthe Panagaris is a 24 year old Australian gut-wrenching guitarist endorsed enthusiastically by Carlos Santana. She was slated to be the lead guitarist on Michael Jackson’s comeback tour, but alas, that’s not going to happen. Some of her chops are a bit like Santana’s—soulful and filled with emotion. And as if her guitar work isn’t incredible enough, she’s got a fabulous voice. Bluesy and powerful. If you’d like to listen to more of her music, check out her Myspace site at http://www.myspace.com/orianthi

Jam: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXf8oJq049w

Crossroads Concert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDhV-xXDWsE&feature=related

Now or Never: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBtzmfwONkU&feature=related

Song for Steve: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnsmV9yYHA8&feature=related

Drive Away: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9zO7qZfWpY&feature=related

Really nice jam: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK9rfCpjOQc&feature=related

The thrill is gone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5plU18_ukrY&feature=related 


Going down: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noCVCbcECPs&feature=related

Lights of Manos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOiSdmC6M7k&feature=related

And speaking of powerhouses, try a bottle of 2006 Hess Allomi Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. I found it on sale for $23.00. There is nothing subtle about this wine. Raise a glass of this deep purple ambrosia to your nose and you’re hit with fruit, fruit, and more fruit. Dark berries, chocolate, cassis, and a nice spice with solid tannins. It’s aged 18 months in oak which gives it a hint of vanilla and nutmeg followed by a long, elegant finish. Really full bodied wine. This one of the best I’ve ever tasted. If you see it, buy it!

Cheers!

Kotaro Oshio and a Great Cabernet Value

Tonight I’ve got one incredible musician. I stumbled on him while listening to Petteri Sariola whom I’ll review on Sunday. Kotaro Oshio is one very versatile guitarist. He’s got da funk, the classics, a beautiful lyrical style, and for all you bassists, he plays a mean slap bass on his six string Martin D-18. I love Dancing Crickets where he introduces his “band:. First comes the bass, followed by the lead guitarist (Jimi Hendrix). He launches first into Purple Haze, then Smoke on the Water. And if that isn’t great enough, he takes a seat and moves into a classical number by Rodrigo, then back to his funk, etc., etc. Check it out!


Dancing crickets ( his introducing his band which is just him, of course): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oek5jiErMg4&feature=related

Improvising: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdIBkjdC-2I&feature=related

Promises: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpkF5uaKPBc&feature=related 

Indigo love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njuwj72ZI7Y&feature=related 

Purple Highway: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQUUMVqnjwY&feature=related

Space Fantasy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3hsJqYTAik&feature=related 

Fantasy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgItVhWQl8M&feature=related 

Hard Rain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaoq01CA0DI&feature=related

Pink Candy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WenqnklRHlQ&feature=related 

Red Shoes Dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSJ2bh-whz0&feature=related 

Amazing grace: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktGu-_QzRAA&feature=related 

Since he’s such a smooth player, how about a really smooth Cabernet Sauvignon. Chateau St. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet ($13.00) is full of dark fruit aromas and taste. Blackberry, cassis, and vanilla dominate. Mild tannins and a long finish. Really nice wine, especially for the price and goes great with Kotaro Oshio. Enjoy!

Cheers!

Andrew Winton & Artesa Pinot Noir

Andrew Winton is an acoustic guitar virtuoso hailing from western Australia.He plays lap steel guitar, including a beastly big 7-string version of the instrument as well as a Weissborn and standard 6-string acoustics. Really nice vocal’s to accompany his moody blues. His slide work is outstanding. There must be something about this genre in Australia because he reminds me a little of John Butler whom I will review at a future date. Or perhaps, John Butler reminds me of Andrew Winton. Either way, both are outstanding. Check out his website at: http://www.andrewwinton.com/ 

Pink Palace: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THsXXBPERC0&feature=PlayList&p=50B19479887488E6&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=64 


When your number’s down: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKnngyCIctA 

Barrel O Monkeys: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDQM8IkbH2k 

Can’t slow down: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QblbRcEmqW8&feature=related 

Hyperactivity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61OAsUF9UP8&feature=related 

Fatty Hambone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gubf337ToKc&feature=related 

TheseTimes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93m0SBYCdCo&feature=related 

And to really enjoy his music, open a bottle of Artesa Pinot Noir (2006; $21.00). Beautiful wine with a bouquet of strawberries followed by cherry, strawberry, and vanilla on the palate. I really like this wine. It’s wonderful for sipping while working on your latest novel and listening to some good music. I had my office window open and a cool breeze brought the percussive sound of crickets chirping in rhythm to Andrew’s music. Who knew they liked lap steel blues? Enjoy!

Cheers!

Dobro Player Jerry Douglas & Angeline Sauvignon Blanc

It’s been a beautiful summer here in Nebraska. Cooler temperatures than I ever seen for the past ten years I’ve lived here. And tonight is a gorgeous evening, temp about 65 degrees, clear, star-strewn sky and a great night for drinking wine and listening to THE best dobro player I’ve ever heard, Mr. Jerry Douglas. He often plays with Alison Krauss & Union Station, some of the finest bluegrass players around today. Now, for those of you who don’t know it, the dobro is a kind of bluegrass slide guitar. Its tone can be anything from haunting and mournful (see We Hide & Seek) to a rousing romp (Cincinnati rag). We Hide & Seek has been one of my favorite songs of Jerry’s for years, so I’ve included early and more recent versions of the song. I also love his picking on Hey Joe. However, just a word about Hey Joe. I used to do this song with a band when I was a teenager. I loved Jimi Hendrix version of the song. But as I’ve gotten older, I now pay more attention to the words, which, frankly, disgust me. My daughter is a social worker who works with abused women and children and knowing what she deals with, the song’s words make me ashamed of my gender. So, apologies to those who’ve experienced abuse. Try to ignore the lyrics and just listen to the dobro. Also, check out a young Bela Fleck (to be reviewed at a future date) playing Cincinnati rag.


We Hide & Seek: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0eLq90iqtk&feature=related

We Hide & Seek v.2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75cz2L1SpNg&feature=related

Little Medley: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynj3BobUDfQ

A tribute to Peador O’Donnell: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClKSED3yM3w

Wild Rumpus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubi9C_v6bIM&feature=related

Hey Joe (with Tim O’Brien): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62db5rMc2ns

Cincinnati Rag (with Bela Fleck): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7feS-ITKmUU&feature=related

Now, since it’s summer, I’ve got a really nice 2007 Angeline Sauvignon Blanc from California ($10.00) to go with the music on this fine summer night. It’s very close to a New Zealand style with a bouquet of citrus and apples and a taste hinting of grapefruit and lime. Very crisp and refreshing, with a clean after taste. Try it and enjoy Jerry Douglas.

Cheers!

75 Cabernet and the Uilleann Pipes

Tonight, I’ve got something a bit different. Years ago, I saw the movie Braveheart and fell in love with music. The featured instrument playing the theme song was the uilleann pipes. They have a mournful sound that stirs the soul and can bring me to tears, and no one plays them better than Davy Spillane. I heard him play Caoineadh Cu Chulainn when I saw Riverdance. So, as tomorrow's Monday and I have to return to work after a week of vacation, I’m feeling kinda melencholy tonight so I thought I present a selection of his music.

I’m pairing it with a very nice 2005 cabernet sauvignon from the 1975 wine company, about $20.00. It dark ruby color with a bright bouquet of cherries and cranberry. The taste reveals cherries, cassis, vanilla and a touch of spice with very light tannins. It’s a lighter cabernet, almost reminiscent of a pinot noir. And being a lighter red it should compliment the mournful mood of the uilleann pipes.

Caoineadh Cu Chulainn (Riverdance Solo): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSjmvU_8xLY 

Midnight Walker: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAGaUiQpho8

Worship: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdEn_KRjSIE&feature=PlayList&p=4B0B9E934379205D&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=46 

Mystic Seacliffs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWDps00tivI 

Equinox: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39Hp8M6DEbM

Call Across the canyon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WgxtNJIcpY&feature=related

Cheers!

Kreativ Award, Favorite Guitar Posts, & B.R. Cohn Silver Label Cabernet

Well, whaddaya know. I was nominated by Rick Daley (http://mydaleyrant.blogspot.com/ ) for a Kreativ Blogger Award. Thanks Rick! Most of the time I think I’m just doodling along drinking wine and listening to guitarists while I struggle to write thriller novels. BTW, writing thrillers is great for stress relief. If you have a bad day, you can create the source of that bad day and kill it off…violently, painfully, unmercifully. You get the picture.


I guess this comes with some responsibilities (Damn! Shouldn’t have finished off the whole bottle of 2006 B.R. Cohn silver Label Cabernet!). First, I’m supposed to tell you seven things you might find interesting about me. Hmm.

1. I have a Ph.D. in Medical Microbiology…translated, I’m a geek. I did try to have a geekectomy, but it was unsuccessful. I love science, technology and pondering the impossible.
2. I’m a Christian. That may sound like an oxymoron, or maybe you think it’s just moronic, but it’s true. Please don’t send me questions about creation and evolution. My hair may be silver gray, but I’m not THAT old and I wasn’t there. I will say categorically that I’m not a young earth creationist. Most of what I see them spout is male bovine external solid waste. That was polite of me, wasn’t it?
3. I play both the bass guitar and acoustic guitar and have a deep appreciation for all kinds of music. Used to be a professional bassist and got myself through college playing in blues and jazz-fusion bands. I also write songs and sing with a voice that sounds like a goose with digestive problems on a hot muggy day. I love guitar music and my tastes run from Christopher Parkening (classical) to Joe Satriani (shredder). The latter sometimes shocks people, especially the younger set. One day while blasting Metallica’s “Enter Sandman, (a great psych-up song) in my car with the windows open, a teenager pulled along side me and said I had great taste…for an old man. Young whippersnapper!
4. I like, no, love, wine, cognac, and Armagnac. Lest you think I’m a lush, this stuff is too expensive to guzzle. You swirl, gaze, sniff, and sip delicately while sitting in front of a crackling fire with a good book, or out on the deck under a star-strewn sky listening to the serenade of the night. I’m also a beer snob. You won’t find Bud, Miller, or Coors in my house. Microbrews only. I read wine magazines and am amazed at the prices of the wines they review. Who has $100 buck to blow on a bottle in this economy? So I only drink & review wines that either list or are on sale for under $25.00.
5. My mid-life crisis is novel writing. I’ve completed three novels and am halfway through the fourth in a series of thrillers where the lead character is Liam Michaels, the Archangel Azrael, who lives in Chicago and is here to take out terrorist groups, etc., all of whom are actually led by demons and fallen angels.
ATTENTION: I AM GIVING AWAY E-COPIES OF THE “RISE OF THE FALLEN” FREE, FREE, FREE! SO IF YOU’D LIKE ONE, EMAIL ME AT dmichaelolive@gmail.com. Just trying to build readership.

6. Next, I ‘m supposed to nominate seven of my favorite blogs for the Kreativ award. They are, in no particular order, as follows:
The Blues Blogger: http://thebluesblogger.com/

Ron Clegg: http://ronclegg.wordpress.com/

Guitar god: http://www.blogcatalog.com/blog/guitar-god-guitar-blog

Tucson Bass Player: http://tucsonbassplayer.blogspot.com/

The Blog Wine Cellar: http://www.blogwinecellar.com/

The Intern: http://internspills.blogspot.com/

Krapsody: http://www.krapsody.com/  
7. I’ve emailed all the culprits to tell them they too will have to fulfill these “responsibilities”
8. Lastly, place the award on your blog site.
Now, in honor of the award, I thought I’d recap some of my favorite guitar pieces of the past year. I’m pairing it with 2006 B.R. Cohn silver Label Cabernet Sauvignon, about $20.00. You may recall I got a fantastic deal on the gold label version of this wine: $25.00 for a wine that’s normally about $57.00. It was one of the best I’d ever tasted. Well, the Silver label is no slouch either. It’s full and rich with explosive flavors of berry, cassis and black cherry along hints of vanilla. Tannins are delicate and aging in French oak gives it a bit of complexity. Very nice for listening to some great guitar.
1) Phil Keaggy, Salvation Army Band: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDPM4-YIF9c
2) Eric Roche:
a) She Drives Me Crazy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-tO6IFwBXI
b) Van Halen’s Jump: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J045nbHuKrE
c) Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen spirit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zxZcUrfX0o
3) Antoine Dufour, thirty Minutes in London: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCJL3Buw0l0
4) Preston Reed, Ladies Night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=356ViUx1Ktc
5) Kelly Valeau, Another Brick in the Wall: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gInwUzAOxj8
6) Eric Turnbull, Bomba Checka: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T90ELHF8rIM&feature=related
7) Andy McKee, Art of Motion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmE3QaGetn4&feature=channel
8) Don Ross, Michael Michael: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkidVP0AcQ8
9) Eric Mongrain,
a) Air Tap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbndgwfG22k&feature=related
b) PercusienFa http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUQzXQhAgvw&feature=related
10) Rory Block, Crossroad Blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqTUoV67M60
11) Larry Carlton, don’t Give It Up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a23R6DYXWQI&feature=related
12) Tommy Emmanuel, Classical Gas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQJ1k2HMoRU&feature=related
13) John Goldie, Summertime: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHUHT95agXg&feature=related
14) Mark Knopfler & Eric Clapton: Money for Nothing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlPjxz4LGak&feature=fv0w 
Cheers!