Power Surge - Electro Vibe Zaps Winstons

report filed 6/28/01 7:47 am pdt - It's always a pleasure to see a good band for the first time. Especially when they're local. Just something about the grassroots energy between hometown musicians and their following that I like. It's a community thing...

Case in point: Electro Vibe. Caught this very talented band last weekend at Winstons and was thoroughly impressed!

Playing all original, mostly instrumental material, Electro Vibe's sound is high energy, deeply grooved and extremely danceable. Seems like each of their tunes is a confluence of funk, rock, jazz and blues, all spun together into any number of combinations.

Can't really get into great detail because I was having too much fun to take notes during EV's short set. Make a deal with ya - i'll keep an eye, and both ears, open for another opportunity to tap into the Electro Vibe, and will post a more detailed report when that happens...

Meanwhile back at the word factory: We've posted Flying Colors - the Las Vegas Jam Band Society Passes Area 51 Sound Test, a recent column with photos from jambands.com.

Also been plugging away at CD reviews and have posted our take on Schleigho's Live at Ho-Down 2000, as well as, In the Barn, the fine new studio release from Smokin' Grass, for your reading pleasure.

As stated in a past update, due to a variety of factors, we receive too many top notch CDs to crank out a full review on every single one. That's why we came up with a new section of short and snappy info blurbs - to tell the world:

These CDs Don't Suck


Beanstalk - Live At Magnolia Festival. Super jammy power fusion trio (bass, drums, guitar) with thick, chunky grooves and hot, funky dynamics that take listeners on a very hip musical trip.

Pig Iron - Fill Me Up. True-to-tradition bluegrass (that means no drums) from Portland, Oregon, with an authentic, old timey sound featuring acoustic guitar, standup bass, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and four part harmonies.

Tree O Frogs - Butter Your Lips. Swanky sax driven and wahwah soaked funk with a rockin' attitude from the Bay area that also has a very strong sense of post-fusion melodics.

Doyle Bramhall II & Smokestack- Welcome. Fret sizzling guitar god rock that flashes back to 70's style fuzzbox sledghammers, burns though smoldering blues jams, and rains thunderous power ballads on your head. Fans of Cream, Mountain, and the Black Crowes will dig this CD

Also posted a few new and exciting links for your cyber surfing pleasure. Joseph 'Red Dog' Campbell is an original roadie for the Allman Brothers, dating back to the legendary southern rock band's inception in the late '60s. Red Dog has written a new book, 'A Book of Tails,' that is a raucous, insider's first hand account of the sex, drugs and rock & roll lifestyle the Allman Brothers were living in their early years. A Book of Tails can be purchased directly from Red Dog's website, and if you are an Allman Brothers fan, or just wanna know what it's like to go behind the scenes with one of the wildest rock bands of all time, this book is a must for your library.

More new links: Rock & Roll Reporter is a Pittsburgh based monthly covering music and film - lots of articles, interviews, editorials and other cool stuff for rock & roll fans to enjoy. The Music Business Journal refers to itself as "The Internet Publication for the Global Music Business," and that's a fairly accurate summary - this site has everything from articles and interviews on the business side of music to a nice selection of links to international recording industry organizations, music industry conferences, and alot of other useful music biz stuff from around the world.

OK, that's it. Gotta get busy with CDs reviews, as well as transcribing a brand new interview with the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey for an article I'm working on that will appear in the next update, when our adventure in music journalism continues...

Scotty Homan of Psydecar enjoys the view at last weekend's Ocean Beach Street Fair

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