Courtesy of videographer Peter Blaha, here is “Life Is a Jam” from my set at the Mill Valley Masonic April 17 2010, opening for Jemimah Puddleduck.
Archive for the ‘music’ Category
Live solo “Life Is a Jam”
Thursday, April 22nd, 2010British blogger interviews DG about “Life Is a Jam”
Friday, April 16th, 2010Short interview with British musician/blogger Gary Grainger about my new online single “Life Is a Jam.”
And I am still flogging these limited-edition advance CDs of the single – Three takes of the song, each with a unique jam. The band is DG, Mark Karan, Mookie Siegel, Joe Kyle, Jr., and Dave Brogan.
Gans gigs: Bay Area this week, North Carolina this month, and more
Thursday, April 1st, 2010Happy SPRINGTIME, everybody!
Below you will find a complete listing of confirmed gigs for the spring and summer. Coming right up are a Dead jam in San Francisco this Friday and two Bay Area farmers’ market gigs next week. More events are being planned and will be posted as they’re confirmed.
I’m always looking for house concert opportunities in the vicinity of the music festivals; if you’re interested in hosting one, please get in touch.
David Gans shows
Friday, April 2, 10pm: Dead Dreams (Dave Stein, David Gans, Jeff Faust, Mark Corsolini, and Ray Hauck) acoustic Dead night at the Connecticut Yankee, 100 Connnecticut Street, San Francisco. $10
Thursday, April 8, 8:30am to 1pm: Marin Farmers’ Market at the Marin Civic Center in San Rafael CA. Free! Great organic produce, prepared foods, etc.
Saturday, April 10, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm: Grand Lake Farmers’ Market, at Splash Pad Park (Lake Park and Grand Avenues), Oakland. Free! Great organic produce, prepared foods, etc.
Saturday, April 17, 8:30pm: DG opens for Mark Karan and Jemimah Puddleduck at the Mill Valley Masonic, 19 Corte Madera Avenue, Mill Valley CA
April 23-24: Shakori Hills Grass Roots Festival of Music and Dance, Silk Hope NC
Tuesday, April 27: DG and Friends @ Jay Sanders’ Mindtonic Music Series at Rocket Club, Asheville NC
Wednesday, April 28: Greensboro NC (tentative)
Thursday, April 29: DG and Friends at Mo Daddy’s, Asheville NC. $7
Friday, April 30: DG and Friends at the Reel House, Boone NC
Saturday, May 1: TBA
Thursday, May 6, 8pm: The Curios, Michael Foley, and DG at the Freight and Salvage, 2020 Addison Street, Berkeley.
Friday, May 14: Rubber Souldiers at the Mill Valley Masonic, 19 Corte Madera Avenue, Mill Valley CA
Thursday, May 20: XTra Ticket and DG at the Sail Inn, Tempe AZ
Friday, May 21: Flagstaff AZ
Saturday, May 22: Mountain High Bar, Cedar Crest NM
May 28-30: Desert Rocks Music Festival, Moab UT
Wednesday, June 16, 4-8pm: Fairfax Farmers’ Market, in Bolinas Park, Fairfax CA. Free! Great organic produce, prepared foods, etc.
July 2-5: Grateful Fest at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park in Nelson/Garrettsville OH
July 29-August 1: Gathering of the Vibes, Bridgeport CT
August 13-15: A Bear’s Picnic, Laurelton PA
September 9-12: Terrapin Hill Harvest Festival, Harrodsburg KY
As always, more information on these performances at http://www.dgans.com
Jef Jaisun on Jim Marshall
Thursday, March 25th, 2010This is from my friend, musician and photographer Jef Jaisun:
Jim shot my promo pix in 1972. By 1975 he’d inspired me to pick up a camera myself, and I’ve been doing it ever since. Wish that had happened 10 years earlier.
Twenty years ago I wanted to use a photo of his on a t-shirt… Muddy Waters and Big Mama Thornton, circa 1967. I called him up and asked if he wanted royalties or what. His response, “Just send me a shirt, you old hippie!”
About 10 years ago I saw the original photo hanging on the wall at Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago. Much to my surprise, it depicted Big Mama and Muddy’s entire band. The April 1968 poster I’d worked with, promoting concerts at Pepperland and Berkeley Community Theater (produced by Barry Olivier), had cropped them out.
Jim Marshall set the gold standard for rock photography, and photographed many of the greatest blues and jazz artists of our time. He was a friend and a mentor, and I don’t know what any of us would be doing today without his inspiration and his iconic images in our lives. His Leicas belong in the Smithsonian. He belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In fact, they should name an entire wing after him. No disrespect meant to my fellow photographers (and I’m sure there’s none taken), but for all practical purposes, without Jim Marshall an entire generation of our visual musical heritage would likely not exist.
He was one of a kind. Just like his photos.
Ted Templeman interview from my archive
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010Responding to a request from a guy who is researching a book on Van Halen, I scanned my October 1981 interview with producer Ted Templeman.
Interesting and sad to read now, with Mo Ostin and Lenny Waronker and Jerry Wexler and all those other great record men gone.
“I’m an officer of the company…. if an artist like Pete Townshend or Paul Simon has a problem in the studio, he can talk to an executive who can actually make records…. they don’t have to explain their technical problems to some guy who used to sell overcoats.”
I think Ted got into some trouble over what he said about Van Morrison, e.g. “He’s a marvelous talent, a fantastic singer – but he’s fired everyone who’s ever worked with him: all his producers, his managers, his attorneys, his wives, his kids.”
Lowell George “couldn’t get out of bed to play the solo on ‘Rocket in My Pocket,’ so I had Bonnie Raitt come in and play it. He got so infuriated that he got out of bed and came down and player the solo that’s on the record.
“I got him to *sing* that song, too. He was singing it kind of wimpy, and I said, ‘Lowell, you’re singing like a pussy. Come on, SING!’ He got so pissed off, he literally jumped off the ground.”
It’s PDFs, not text. One of these days I’ll get it OCR’d. Worth reading, if you’re interested in the music business.
DG trio @ Sutter Creek this Saturday 3/6
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010Saturday, March 6: Sutter Creek Theater, Sutter Creek CA. 916-425-0077. I will be leading a trio – myself plus Zac Matthews on mandolin and Mike Sugar on bass.
Gans gigs: Bay Area this weekend, festival preview, etc
Friday, February 26th, 2010First of all, thanks to all who listened and contributed to KPFA during the annual Grateful Dead marathon. We had a great time and raised around $23,000 for the station. Peter Rowan dropped by in the afternoon, guitar in hand, and David Nelson visited in the evening. You can hear those portions of the broadcast – plus an interview with author Jim Tuedio – on my blog . And you can make a donation to KPFA any time at http://www.kpfa.org
I have a busy weekend coming up, and a weird sleep schedule due to an early-morning start time (weather permitting) in San Rafael on Sunday.
Monday night I’ll be at the Freight with Rubber Souldiers, opening for Wake the Dead in a benefit for the Haiti relief efforts of Doctors without Borders. A splendid time is guaranteed for all!
If you’re planning to come to the Marin Farmers’ Market Sunday morning, please check the weather before you head out; if it’s raining hard, I will have to stay home.
The summer festival season is starting to take shape. I’ll be scheduling other performances around the festivals, including house concerts. If you’re interested in hosting a house concert, please contact me.
And as always, please stay tuned to dgans.com/gigs.html for the latest.
P.S. I am getting ready to release a “digital single” – a song called “Life Is a Jam,” recorded in December with a GREAT band: Mookie Siegel (David Nelson Band) on keyboards; Mark Karan (Ratdog, Jemimah Puddleduck), guitar; Joe Kyle, Jr (The Waybacks), bass; Dave Brogan (ALO), drums; Zac Matthews (Hot Buttered Rum) and Bear Kittay, background vocals. We’ll be offering three takes, each with a unique jam at the end. Stay tuned.
P.P.S. East Bay residents, please be on the lookout for the Spring 2010 issue of Edible East Bay; I wrote and photographed a story on Blue Bottle Coffee (see page 20). You’ll also find articles there on two other local favorites: Barlovento Chocolates and the Taco Grill (located in the Fruitvale Public Market in Oakland). Readers elsewhere will find the text of my story here (and while we’re on the subject, extra special thanks to Leticia at the Taco Grill for providing lunch for the phone volunteers at KPFA on marathon day!).
Whew! Nuff said. Here are the gigs:
Saturday, February 27, 8 pm: The China Cats, David Gans, and Jeni Swerdlow’s DRUMMM at the Starry Plough, 3101 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley CA. $10
Sunday, February 28, 9 am to 1 pm: Marin Farmers’ Market at the Marin Civic Center in San Rafael CA. Free! Great organic produce, prepared foods, etc.
Monday, March 1, 8pm: Wake the Dead and Rubber Souldiers play a benefit for Haiti relief at the Freight and Salvage, 2020 Addison Street, Berkeley CA. Tickets are on sale now!
Saturday, March 6: Sutter Creek Theater, Sutter Creek CA. 916-425-0077. I will be leading a trio – myself plus Zac Matthews on mandolin and Mike Sugar on bass.
Thursday, April 8, 8:30am to 1pm: Marin Farmers’ Market at the Marin Civic Center in San Rafael CA. Free! Great organic produce, prepared foods, etc.
Saturday, April 10, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm: Grand Lake Farmers’ Market, at Splash Pad Park (Lake Park and Grand Avenues), Oakland. Free! Great organic produce, prepared foods, etc.
April 23-24: Shakori Hills Grass Roots Festival of Music and Dance, Silk Hope NC
Thursday, May 6, 8pm: The Curios, Michael Foley, and DG at the Freight and Salvage, 2020 Addison Street, Berkeley.
May 28-30: Desert Rocks Music Festival, Moab UT
Wednesday, June 16, 4-8pm: Fairfax Farmers’ Market, in Bolinas Park, Fairfax CA
June 25-27: Full Moon Jam in June, Arizona Beach Lodge, Port Orford OR
July 2-5: Grateful Fest at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park in Nelson/Garrettsville OH
July 29-August 1: Gathering of the Vibes, Bridgeport CT
August 13-15: A Bear’s Picnic, Laurelton PA
September 9-12: Terrapin Hill Harvest Festival, Harrodsburg KY
Gans gig update
Monday, February 8th, 2010Added a show in the Sandia Mountains east of Albuquerque next Saturday…
David Gans – “solo electric” except as noted
Friday, February 12, 7pm: House concert in Placitas NM. Contact me for more info.
Saturday, February 13, 8-11pm: Mountain High Bar, 12220 N. Hwy 14 (next door to Ribs BBQ), Cedar Crest NM. $5. 505-281-4227
Saturday, February 20, 9am to 1am: the annual KPFA Grateful Dead Marathon. Also celebrating my 25th anniversary of broadcasting!
Wed Feb 24, 8pm: BK3 live in the KPFA performance studio.
Saturday, February 27, 8pm: The China Cats, David Gans, and Jeni Swerdlow’s DRUMMM at the Starry Plough, 3101 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley CA. $10
Sunday, February 28, 8:30am to 1pm: Marin Farmers’ Market at the Marin Civic Center in San Rafael CA. Free! Great organic produce, prepared foods, etc.
Monday, March 1, 8pm: Wake the Dead and Rubber Souldiers play a benefit for Haiti relief at the Freight and Salvage, 2020 Addison Street, Berkeley CA. Tickets are now on sale!
Saturday, March 6: Sutter Creek Theater, Sutter Creek CA. 916-425-0077