Glenn Jochum

2008-08-20T07:15:00.001-07:00

Sunday, August 17, Harbes Family Farm, Earthtones

Mother Nature made up for Friday night with yet another ideal late summer day. Was long looking forward to playing this venue for the first time with Rick because it seems like a good fit — folk and countrified folk to go with the corn on the cob, hayrides, and lemonade. Not to mention a fellow with a megaphone bellowing "Yeehaw..." every so often and entreating people to sign up for potato sack races. Missing in action was the perennial favorite, Warren the Banjo Man.

At times we seemed to blend in a little TOO much for my liking in spite of a much better tip day than the more likely high-yielding venue of the day before... a friend in attendance noted that as Rick and I were earnestly throwing out tidbits of rock trivia people were otherwise occupied with their corn. Hey, the corn is REALLY good. What can I say?

At the end of the gig, which these days means leaving the audience with the feel-good "Ripple," I looked down at my left hand and saw that I had permanent creases from the frets on my blackened fingers. I little respite after three consecutive days of concerts is obviously needed.

Was nice to finally meet owner Monica and one of her employees, Judith, who was serving up mozarella, basil, and tomato samples on baguettes.

2008-08-20T06:46:00.000-07:00

Saturday, August 16, Route 48 Vineyards, Earthtones

A picture-perfect day to play our sole gig of the summer here. The vineyard has undergone some incredible additions in the form of a fountain and tables with umbrellas. Rick and I set up under the white pine tree, which provided shade for at least the first third of the afternoon. A group of 20-somethings from Chicago that featured cigar-smoking women requested Sweet Home Alabama" and "Sweet Home Chicago" and instead got "City of Chicago" and blues in the form of "Can't Hold Out." Sounds like they had a bit of a sweet tooth. When pressed for who they preferred, the Cubs or the White Sox, they were vociferously unanimous in support of the Cubbies. This group added to the party atmosphere by dancing in the center of the courtyard.

A tall, urbane gentleman from Lexington, Kentucky approached me after hearing a John Prine song and purchased Nasty Weather. After playing "Paradise" later on, I would have another Prine fan check in with us. He said he loved Prine but feared that if we kept playing his songs we would lose our entire audience. A Dylan devotee also requested some Bob and we obliged with "My Back Pages," which he said was his favorite Dylan. He did, however, ask to sing and I had to invoke the no karaoke rule.

The most bizarre request of the day was for Mariah Carey. This same table also wanted "Hotel California" and some other incongrous choices. However, the alpha male of the group did tell us that we made his day playing whatever we played.

At the end of the performance, Rick and I were able to taste the featured peach wine, which was delicious, and at the vineyard's Little Cigar Shop, Rick bought some cigars for a dinner party he was attending. A wonderful spirit named Jim, a corporate attorney, told us that we played his favorite music, citing Dylan...

2008-08-19T13:34:00.001-07:00

August 15, Copaigue Library, Earthtones

In spite of leaving two and a half hours to reach our destination and armed with some pretty detailed instructions, I managed to lead Rick and myself astray just enough to make set-up interesting. It got tricky by Deer Park Road and I had to roll a window down at a stop light to ask a very helpful man for directions. His last words were, "Follow me," before a chorus of carhorns serenaded us and forced me to jettison off into a highway hell. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to take the Sunrise Highway west or east after that and so I correctly opted for west. But it seemed as if it was taking forever to get where we were going without any more signs for Copaigue so I kept wondering if I should have gone east. After what felt like about ten miles I finally saw the sign and took it and then we found our way into the charming village of Copaigue but of course got stuck in rush-hour traffic.

At any rate, we pulled into the library parking lot with about 55 minutes to set up and quickly found Lisa Taylor. She apologized in advance that there was an Our Lady of Assumption Festival of some kind going on and it might draw many of the 70 people who signed up away from our concert. At 5:50, she began letting the 30 or so folks who showed up into the decent-sized concert room. We were up on a stage, which gave it more of a concert feel and I know I've never been so chatty.

It was a polite and attentive crowd and although I'm not altogether sure that we were what they thought we were supposed to be, we had four or five people, including a guy who claimed to play guitar, come up to tell us they enjoyed it. One guy told us we made his night. A woman who was related to a little boy named Jack whose christening we played at in June 2007 was there with her children.

I wasn't really supposed to be selling CDs at the library out of respect for their policy so I didn't make any sales but we were well compensated and all in all it was an enjoyable venue for us. While we were playing, a long line of thunderstorms was entering the area and we road home in torrential rains after stopping for a quick Mexican dinner in the village of Babylon. A wild ride indeed!

2008-08-11T05:57:00.000-07:00

Friday night, August 8, Osprey Dominion Vineyards, Acoustic Inner Sleeve

Had to cancel this gig and find a replacement at the last minute because I lost my voice after the back to back Inner Sleeve performances last weekend. I babied my voice after losing it on Monday evening and even took a day off from work, trying everything from slippery elm lozenges to throat coat tea with honey to avoiding all dairy products. But by Thursday I knew I wouldn't be able to harmonize and still had no range so I just decided in the interest of fairness to the public and the place that hired me I just had to shut it down and get a stand-in.

So I called my friend Cork Maul and he gladly accepted and then I did the hardest thing there is for a musician to do — went and listened to him at the very gig I had to give up. It was a beautiful night, with thunderstorms rumbling through Nassau and western Suffolk Counties and making the sky a visual delight. Anvil-shaped battleship-gray clouds and beautiful towering cumulonimbus clouds shared the sky, and yet all we got was a few minutes of sprinkles.

Corky was at the top of his game mixing in original compositions with bits of popular music like Mother Nature's Son, El Condor Pasa, and Moondance into the mix. Thanks, friend, for bailing me out.

Seth (Inner Sleeve) who was to be my playing partner, took it in stride and I got another gig at Laurel Lake Vineyards to make up for it.

Sunday, August 10, Piping Plover Cafe, Earthtones

It was a delight to return to action after a 21-day layoff, although our start was less than auspicious. We set ourselves up on the patio under a big standing umbrella but a passing shower clipped us, delaying our start for about 15 minutes. Finally, we just decided to move ourselves under the total protection of the umbrella and we were able to go on.

For the most part, very few patrons came outside, and who could blame them, with the air conditioning going full blast and feeling so refreshing inside the cafe. Still, we had people tossing us tips on the way out and one woman told us that Full Circle, a Byrds song, was beautiful.

We were joined by Rick's wife, Ellie, and her friend Donna, for the second half of the afternoon, and they served as a wonderful audience.

Afterwards, co-owner Jenny came out and chatted with us as we packed up. She and her husband Ken had survived a sleepless night coming back from visiting relatives in Atlantic City. Brave souls.

2008-08-04T06:46:00.001-07:00

Monday, August 4

A disturbing trend is taking place that I just have to address — last-minute cancellations. I've Iost six dates this summer from three venues and was double-booked at another (luckily they worked it out after much back and forth and late-night phone calls) and yet I understand that business is business and profit takes precedence but I have never encountered a summer in all of my years of playing where so many venues are leaving the musicians hanging on short notice.

It may force me to rethink my whole approach to try and protect this much smaller business of playing music. Those establishments who have cancelled or doublebooked should really take a minute and try to understand what that does to the musician. It forces him or her to lose revenue without any chance of making that revenue up because there is no time to rebook at another venue when it is done last minute. For those venues who have cancelled like this, I may have to ask for a contract that will protect both parties — the venue AND the band.

Not sure if it's the wobbly economy that is the culprit but everyone seems to be hurting and that may be forcing venue managers and owners to find ways to not only trim their entertainment budgets but to pay more attention to what their clients tell them they want or in some cases to book a wedding to bring in some big quick bucks. Totally understandable from a business perspective, but if they do that, they should be subject to paying the musicians what they would have received if they had played (and not in wine!) because that day is now lost and there is no chance for recouping the pay that is gone. Surely if you are bringing in $15,000 for a wedding you can pay the musicians who you have reneged on a few hundred dollars and still make a huge profit.

I also believe it is a two-way street and if a band has to cancel last-minute even if there is a family emergency, the band should either be held to find a suitable replacement, play an engagement for free at a later date, or possibly pay the venue the fee they would have received on that given day. Fair is fair, ultimately. It is the only way that we can honor one another's word and commitment. And not get too badly burnt monetarily.

I implore people to think of the little guy or gal trying so hard to make a living, who will play their hearts out for you in all weather conditions and ask for little in return relative to what they have to expend in terms of energy, gas, and the intangibles of heart and soul.

2008-08-04T06:36:00.000-07:00

Sunday, August 3, Inner Sleeve, Osprey's Dominion, Peconic

Perfect weather day. Nice breeze, low humidity, gorgeous azure skies. To think that only six weeks ago it was raw and freezing and felt like late April instead of Father's Day.

Was great to see my classmates from Huntington High School — Vicky and Joel Bender and Dave and Denise Cohen, who treated us to cheese and grapes and mango salsa and chips between breaks. Dave also called Beachboy Mike Love, a client, because I knew he was coming and wore a Beachboys Summer Tour of 1993 t-shirt (sadly Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, and Carl Wilson were still in the group then) and then he put me on the phone with Mr. Love. I stammered a bit like Ralph Kramden but no doubt it was Mike Love, the voice of California Cool on the other end. I mean, this man is an icon and the Beachboys were a huge inspiration to my generation.

Also thanks to the Ruiz family and especially Rebecca, a big Beatles fan, for coming out to support us.

Another group of folks, whose names we never had a chance to get but took my business card, were also a great audience. There was a guy at that table who I would have loved to talk in depth to, who asked for a Christy Moore song.

And special thanks to Pete for all of his help with cables, bookings, and making us feel welcome

2008-08-04T06:28:00.000-07:00

Saturday, August 2, Inner Sleeve, Four Doors Down, Mattituck

Got there a bit late for the Pig Roast and benefit for Hannah Prokop but there were still some hard-core folks left. And still a bit of the pig...

Enjoyed chatting with Rocky DiVello (father of musician John) and Jim (Who Are Those Guys) and Liza Gorman, who stayed through the first set. Thanks Jim for your help with the intricacies of the sound system. Helps to hear a sound engineer's bits of wisdom.

It was a great gig in that we had two groups of people during the night who kept us on our toes... The first was led by Annie, who used everything God gave her on the dance floor and got everyone around her up and working out as well.

At the beginning of our third set, another group of a dozen or so people came in and got it going again. Sorry, we were working so hard we didn't get any of your names but you all made this a really memorable show. We left our hearts out there on the dance floor.

2008-07-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday, July 20, Earthtones, Corey Creek, Peconic

Another day you could fry an egg on a sidewalk. Luckily a breeze usually kicks up mid-afternoon at Corey Creek and this day was no exception.

Even before I played a note, a man named Luis came in from the fields and purchased Nasty Weather.

Got to finally meet Erin, one of two of the managers from Corey Creek and sister vineyard Bedell's. As well as one of Suffolk County's Finest, moonlighting as security and with lots of great stories to tell...

Not sure if it was because we were both exhausted (Rick needs to rest that non-healing elbow) and this was my third day in a row playing in high heat and/or humidity, but the crowd was unusual with the exception of some folks from Connecticut and Rhode Island. A fairly transient crowd that refreshed itself frequently and wasn't easy to connect with...

The most interesting thing about this gig was that other musicians were in the audience — namely Jean and the Obvious and Joe Allegue. They were both incredibly supportive and Joe stayed until the end and talked to us through the entire pack-up.

Rick's camping next weekend and after a private party at Ernie's with Inner Sleeve, it's off to my sister's annual garage band next weekend in Schenectady...

2008-07-21T06:46:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 19, Jamesport Vineyards

It had been a month layoff for Inner Sleeve and we weren't expecting much because of the sizzling heat. In fact, manager Jacob and his bayman sidekick (I'm getting worse with names if I don't write them down) helped us rig a tarp over the lattice-work gazebo, which would make a big difference, so all but Ernie played in relative shade. Still wound up drinking a quart of water at the gig and another later that night...

For some reason we all took it up a notch and played our hearts out. A lot had to do with two groups of people who made the gig special — a group of 20 or so women from Westhampton celebrating Karen's birthday, and a later-arriving group of 20-somethings who called themselves the East Quogue gypsies. They brought their chairs up right in front of us and kept us at the top of our game until the very end.

They kept calling Ernie Woody Harrelson...

Hope we see both groups again down the road...

Also deserving of mention were the amazing oysters being served at the oyster bar... a little horseradish, Tabasco, and lemon made for a little bit of heaven from the bay...

2008-07-21T06:41:00.000-07:00

Friday, July 18, Chowder Pot Pub, Greenport

Got this gig by way of Who Are Those Guys so thanks a lot Marty!

After playing here many times in summers past and hosting my first two CD parties here, it was a surprise to see the gazebo being used as a tiki bar, meaning that the bands set up against the building in the grassy area.

Began playing for the dinner crowd and one little four-year-old named Sophia was dancing from the start.

The other highlight was a table of three (and an infant) who were attentive throughout and stayed right to the end. The one fellow was from Brazil and I apologize for forgetting his name but he bought Nasty Weather and My Vacation and said he loved the music.

Great burgers and beers. Thanks Jamey...

2008-07-14T07:32:00.000-07:00

Sunday, July 13, Bedell's Vineyards

Earthtones

This one felt right from the very start as Rick and I returned to our usual format, playing all of our favorite ballads in the opening set, many of them before the crowds arrived.

One of the highlights was seeing Rick's friends Janet and Jim, who stayed for the final two and a half hours and visited with us afterwards.

The other was this little boy who kept throwing change in our tip jar throughout the concert.

It was great to see Keith, Matt (from Corey's) and the rest of the crew again...

Not a huge crowd, but most of the people who were there stayed throughout much of the afternoon and our cup overfloweth...

Really got on a roll with the country/western folk portion of the show that included Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Sr., and Willie Nelson...

And Christy Moore's City of Chicago went over well...

And we actually took at least one break...

2008-07-14T07:19:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 12, Michael's, Riverhead
Earthtones

I had been trying to play at Michael's for several years and it finally happened thanks to the openness of Ernest, who booked me. The man is a breath of fresh air, a straight shooter and the industry needs more like him.

We opened at 6 pm and rearranged our traditonal set to fit the audience, which was primarily a lot of women in their 20s and early 30s. They wanted Summer of 69 by Bruce Springsteen and Elvis (Jailhouse Rock), Brown-Eyed Girl, and The Gambler (OK, this one is starting to crop up more and more along with Sweet Caroline).

A really pleasant surprise was that an old friend from the Riverhead Women's Softball League, Maddy, showed up with her partner Ann and they are huge country music fans. They bopped and sang along to the music and when Rick's daughter Julie showed up with his wife Ellie, Ann began coaxing Julie to sing with us.

It's tough when you don't do this all of the time and as musically gifted as Julie is both instrumentally and vocally, most of the material we cover is not stuff she knows. So it was a pretty touching moment when father and daughter collaborated on the popular song "Bubbly."

Special thanks to Trish, for her enthusiasm behind the tiki bar...

2008-07-02T12:47:00.001-07:00

Saturday, June 21, Jamesport Vineyards—The debut at Jamesport was a toasty one and we played under the familiar arbor, which provided little shade. So we all wore hats for protection, but the heat and direct sun proved draining. Only the week before, we were freezing. The new manager, Jake, was a breath of fresh air, loving Neil Young, the Dead, and the Band. Ernie’s back held up miraculously and among our guests were Sue and Madelaine from the East Setauket area. He hired us for two more gigs in September and referred us to his friend’s bar on Fire Island.

Sunday, June 22, Corey Creek Vineyards, Peconic—The weather forecast was grim, the sky looked tornadic, and the breeze suggested storms weren’t far off, but by the grace of the musical gods the rain stayed well to our north across the Sound. The result was one of my favorite concerts of all time, with sun taking over by 4 p.m. and a delightful breeze kicking in. As Rick said, “You look out over the vineyards south to the horizon, without a house in sight, and you imagine yourself in Provence. After the gig, we sat with manager Matt and employee Dan, and sipped wine while eating cheese from Italy and Spain.

Saturday, June 28, Antares Café, Greenport—Cancelled, and our season there ended. We had a nice run last summer, as did a few other musical acts, but according to owner Matt, customers wanted to dine in silence. Will now have to fill these dates if possible, which might be tough so late in the season.

Saturday, June 28, Clovis Point, Jamesport—A friend of Rick’s recommended us for a fund-raiser being held by the marines and it proved to be a windfall for us. In spite of the wind nearly knocking over the huge umbrella we played under, we had a nice crowd outdoors and turned our speakers around to face the crowd on the deck and in the tasting room. At the end of the gig, a gentleman came over and asked us how far west we played and when we said, “Copiague this year,” he said, “I mean WEST. I would like to hire you for my private party tomorrow in Queens.” It turned out that he was Clovis Point vineyard owner Nash Misk. Tasting room manager Carmella loaned us a golf cart to move our equipment and packed up a six-pack of wine for both of us.

Sunday, June 29, Jackson Heights—Rick and I got started at 1 and in spite of getting off on the Grand Central way too soon on Northern Boulevard and having to go through 120 streets and numerous red lights, we made it to our destination on 87th St. and 35th Ave. to our host’s party. Our host was out in search of another tent when we arrived but Lourdes made us feel welcome and soon after we met Nash’s wife Marilyn, several Mannys, and a host of other folks that would make this gig such a special occasion. The party spanned three backyards and we set up under a tent in the middle one. This proved to be our saving grace as an hour into our first set the sky opened up and the lightning and thunder chased us all indoors. With the help of Jill we managed to secure the equipment under the tent and some extra tarp. Rick was fearless, poking the top of the tent periodically with a broom to eliminate pooling. Amazingly, the storm was short-lived and we were back playing within 50 minutes. In addition to mojitos, there were Argentinean steaks and Portobello mushrooms and Cuban seafood salad laced with cilantro. We played until nearly 8 p.m. after starting at 3:30. When we broke, Inez and Maria sang a lovely song in their native Spanish tongue a capella. Our hosts were most gracious and even purchased a full set of my CDs.
Saturday, June 21, Jamesport Vineyards—The debut at Jamesport was a toasty one and we played under the familiar arbor, which provided little shade. So we all wore hats for protection, but the heat and direct sun proved draining. Only the week before, we were freezing. The new manager, Jake, was a breath of fresh air, loving Neil Young, the Dead, and the Band. Ernie’s back held up miraculously and among our guests were Sue and Madelaine from the East Setauket area. He hired us for two more gigs in September and referred us to his friend’s bar on Fire Island.

Sunday, June 22, Corey Creek Vineyards, Peconic—The weather forecast was grim, the sky looked tornadic, and the breeze suggested storms weren’t far off, but by the grace of the musical gods the rain stayed well to our north across the Sound. The result was one of my favorite concerts of all time, with sun taking over by 4 p.m. and a delightful breeze kicking in. As Rick said, “You look out over the vineyards south to the horizon, without a house in sight, and you imagine yourself in Provence. After the gig, we sat with manager Matt and employee Dan, and sipped wine while eating cheese from Italy and Spain.

Saturday, June 28, Antares Café, Greenport—Cancelled, and our season there ended. We had a nice run last summer, as did a few other musical acts, but according to owner Matt, customers wanted to dine in silence. Will now have to fill these dates if possible, which might be tough so late in the season.

Saturday, June 28, Clovis Point, Jamesport—A friend of Rick’s recommended us for a fund-raiser being held by the marines and it proved to be a windfall for us. In spite of the wind nearly knocking over the huge umbrella we played under, we had a nice crowd outdoors and turned our speakers around to face the crowd on the deck and in the tasting room. At the end of the gig, a gentleman came over and asked us how far west we played and when we said, “Copiague this year,” he said, “I mean WEST. I would like to hire you for my private party tomorrow in Queens.” It turned out that he was Clovis Point vineyard owner Nash Misk. Tasting room manager Carmella loaned us a golf cart to move our equipment and packed up a six-pack of wine for both of us.

Sunday, June 29, Jackson Heights—Rick and I got started at 1 and in spite of getting off on the Grand Central way too soon on Northern Boulevard and having to go through 120 streets and numerous red lights, we made it to our destination on 87th St. and 35th Ave. to our host’s party. Our host was out in search of another tent when we arrived but Lourdes made us feel welcome and soon after we met Nash’s wife Marilyn, several Mannys, and a host of other folks that would make this gig such a special occasion. The party spanned three backyards and we set up under a tent in the middle one. This proved to be our saving grace as an hour into our first set the sky opened up and the lightning and thunder chased us all indoors. With the help of Jill we managed to secure the equipment under the tent and some extra tarp. Rick was fearless, poking the top of the tent periodically with a broom to eliminate pooling. Amazingly, the storm was short-lived and we were back playing within 50 minutes. In addition to mojitos, there were Argentinean steaks and Portobello mushrooms and Cuban seafood salad laced with cilantro. We played until nearly 8 p.m. after starting at 3:30. When we broke, Inez and Maria sang a lovely song in their native Spanish tongue a capella. Our hosts were most gracious and even purchased a full set of my CDs.

June 15, Osprey's Dominion, Inner Sleeve

2008-06-17T06:32:00.000-07:00

Totally blindsided by the weather on this Father's Day. Dressed in shorts and tee shirt only to find that the temperature barely broke 60 and their was a strong sea breeze most of the day. As a result of this and perhaps the fact that the Strawberry Festival was going on, the winery had the smallest crowd I've seen in the ten years or so I've played there, which is roughly 40 times...

However — and a big however — the Giordano and Bartelli families from Farmingville/Brooklyn, along with cigar-smoking Jon and Nate, from NYC and Montreal respectively, made it all worth while. As did the guy in the Brooklyn Dodgers hat who danced with his partner to "Things We Said Today." These folks moved in under the tent when the weather worsened and we had a bout of showers. And they stuck it out.

What also brought the metaphorical sun out was the fact that Jenny, from Lieb Cellars, was "moonlighting" in the tasting room.

Highlight: American Girl (sans drums)

Hurry back, Ernie. We miss your beat...

Saturday, June 7, Borghese Vineyard, Cutchogue

2008-06-09T09:45:00.000-07:00

This debut for Earthtones at the oldest vineyard on the North Fork came about because manager Deborah found one of my business cards from years past in her files... she went out of her way to advertise in advance for our performance online and in print, from Newsday.com and Hamptons.com to the Suffolk Times, Borghese's Web site, and a beautifully done roadside chalkboard sign.

It was a scorcher but nothing like what lay ahead for the ensuing days. In fact, Rick and I enjoyed a brief breeze that materialized as predicted at about 2 p.m. and was gone within fifteen minutes or so.

Personal highlights included visits by the former owner of the Candleworks shop in Greenport (who was gracious enough to buy a CD to see if "you improved any,") members of the Red Hat Society who posed for pictures behind us while we played, and a bridal party who requested a love song (we obliged them with Love Song by Elton John) on our break...

It was a pleasure to play here and meet the count and his wife, Annamarie (I hope I have this right) in a gorgeous setting with unlimited potential. We're back for an encore on September 13 and can hardly wait. It might even be a bit cooler by then...

Musical highlight: For Everyman

Friday, June 6, Four Doors Down, Mattituck

2008-06-09T09:39:00.000-07:00

To quote Buffy St. Marie, Magic was Afoot and God was Alive on this evening, an evening that turned into a soiree and a windfall for Earthtones. When Pat McGowan went behind the bar and told everyone to clap for the band, he got the crowd into it. Andrew Cooper, singer-songwriter from Mattituck, was a huge spirit-lifter and wanted more Neil Young (or any Neil Young for that matter) since I don't think we played any. Deniece made the night a total success by inviting us back for several encore performances. Highlight: Zephyr Song Lowlight: Sitting, Wishing, Waiting

Debut of Summer Season at Inn At the Blue, East Marion, May 24 Earthtones

2008-06-03T13:39:00.000-07:00

It was pretty cold for late May but Rick and I managed to make it through the night, thanks to the help of Howard, who brought his squeezebox and John the Sailor (I think his name was), who sang a few songs with us (Roy Orbison, Del Shannon, Bonnie Raitt, and Shirelles) to warm the blood. We were also joined by some brave souls who ventured outside from the coziness of the bar to listen... lots of requests for Johnny Cash and a country artist named David Murphy (?). The people at Inn At the Blue make it worth the while... Billy, Michael, Bruce, and "Jez." And a cat named Ollie. As well as a Whiffle-playing father and son team.

Jamesport vineyards, Aug. 26, Inner Sleeve

2007-08-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

Seth, Jimmy, and I (Inner Sleeve) battled the heat and humidity and were pleasantly surprised that the promised thunderstorms never materialized. The yellowjacks were out in full force, however, apparently as intruiged by the vineyard's wine as the customers were. Not a bad crowd at all considering the weather, which would have been a lot worse if the sun had been blazing all day. Enjoyed playing "That's Alright Mama" and a few encores for a couple at the show's close. We return there October 13 and 27, if memory serves.

Looking forward to playing a private party in Melville next Saturday at a horsemanship training school barbecue.

Songwriter's concert, Antares Cafe, Aug. 25

2007-08-27T06:41:00.000-07:00

This was a terrific event that exceeded my expectations. All who promised they would show did so, in spite of conflicting obligations and schedules. Bluespicker extraordinaire Bruce MacDonald led off the show and set the bar very high, and was joined by Sayville singer/songwriter Hank Stone midway through on harmonica. Stone then did his own quirky set based largely on his new CD, Rough Folk. Ahmad Ali, WBAI personality currently running on the Green Party for Steve Levy's job, followed with some velvet-throated soul selections. Rick Hall and I collaborated on some of our original tunes and country/folk singer-songwriter Liza Coppola sang her songs from the heart reminding this writer at times of Buffy St. Marie. David Nyce, the singing Mayor of Greenport, dazzled the audience with his clear tenor featured on songs like Veronica. He unearthed the only tune he wrote for his wife and co- gallery owner Jennifer, "Whisky and Memories," making for an emotional moment. Big Joe Sferlazza sang some blues numbers and had the crowd in stitches followed by actor Chris Young, who did his amazing spoken word piece, "Child of the Media." The night concluded with Orient poet Billy Hands reading from "You Can't Trade Up" and "Marry a Girl With Money." Big Joe and New Suffolk composer/pianist George Cork Maul wrapped up the night with more rollicking and raunchy blues. Thanks Matt, for the chance to do this. You and your waitstaff have been wonderful this summer and we hope to do some sporadic music again next year.

2007-08-27T06:24:00.002-07:00

August 19, Trinity Church, Greenport-Song of Peace and War

Those of you who missed this event should be flogging yourselves. The musicianship was of the highest level and there was so much synergy. The highlight for me, although there were no lowlights, was seeing Fode Sissoko-Fakoli, a Sengalese master drummer and kora player, play and sing an original creation entitled, "Rain." He prefaced the piece by saying how in his country rain is essential to survival. I thought of how fortunate we all are not to wake up in a country plagued by famine, disease, and coups. Fode played with the Nigerian drummer, educator, social activist, and recording artist Babatunde Olatunji...

route 48 vineyards-earthtones-8/18

2007-08-21T08:21:00.000-07:00

It was fun doing our only Route 48 Vineyard gig this year on Saturday with the chill of fall in the air. What made the gig was the guy from upstate NY who told us he heard "I'll Never Find Another You" on the radio on the way down and was hoping for an encore. When we played it, he said he felt that eerie intuitive feeling we all get at times... Thanks Debra, Joe, and Rose for making the experience so much fun... The limo didn't hurt either.

Osprey's Dominion, Aug. 12

2007-08-13T09:34:00.000-07:00

It's always great to return to Osprey's under their big tent... I would only change one thing. The spacious grounds are so breathtaking that many folks don't sit under the tent and you don't always get that intimate concert feel that you sometimes did before the tasting room was expanded.

Speaking of which, it feels so good inside, especially on a day like yesterday when the heat and humidity was starting to return, that you can easily understand why people might not venture outside. So folks, in the future, please move into or closer to the tent and help close the gap of those wide open spaces. Then you can always take a break and go inside and enjoy the AC.

Inner Sleeve hadn't played for a month and it's always a little tricky getting the perfect sound for a trio. But correct it we did and had some moments where we nailed it like, "What's So Funny About Peace, Love, and Understanding?," "Green River," and "Love Me Two Times."

It was also great to see Seth's friend Dan in the audience. Dan teaches drama at Suffolk Community College and unfailingly brings a ton of enthusiasm to our gigs...

There was the usual table clamoring for "Free Bird" to no avail but it was fun chatting with the drummer from that table in between sets. He was a great sport, putting up with the old joke about drummers being different than a pizza because at least a pizza can feed a family of four... nothing personal of course.

peconic winery Aug. 11

2007-08-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

What an ideal gig at the Peconic Winery in Cutchogue on Saturday! The staff at Peconic Winery is among the nicest group of people I've ever worked with. They feel like family. The weather was picture-perfect — no humidity, about 75 degrees, little breeze to deal with.

Enjoyed the couple from Huntington who wanted to hear Jimmy Buffett songs and bought My Vacation... as well as the little boy who requested James Taylor. And my daughter's grade school teacher, there with her husband, who we got to talk to after the concert...

Rick had been to the Concert of the Vibes for two days, and had some throat issues, but rallied and regained his vocal prowess after the first set...

And Michelle, we'll try to learn God Only Knows for you although I don't have the angelic voice that Carl Wilson did...

Even though Peconic is going through some renovations, they have a great set-up with the tent at the back of the property and it affords an initmate setting with the audience...

Harbes Farm, July 29

2007-07-30T12:11:00.000-07:00

Those huge storms that soaked central Suffolk County yesterday and never made it to the North Fork forced cancellation of our gig at the lovely Harbes Farm in Mattituck. We were all set up and ready to play and banjoman Warren McKnight kept building us up to the big crowd on hand. Then, at one o'clock (showtime), it started to rain very lightly. What sealed the deal for us was a truck driver from Selden who showed us the Doppler radar on his cell phone, depicting a line of slow-moving thunder storms forming all the way from Queens to Rocky Point.

Long story longer, we cancelled based on this information and the light rain, and it proved to be a disastrous move but one we felt compelled to make to protect our equipment. We hope the good people at Harbes understand our position given that there is no shelter there but a huge maple tree under which we play.

Incidentally, the corn and lemonade there are like nothing else found on the North Fork...

antares cafe

2007-07-24T07:18:00.000-07:00

Enjoyed a night of occasional music at Antares Cafe in Greenport Saturday playing with folk-rock partner Rick Hall. Highlights included him dueting with his brother Mike on a self-penned song, "Mosquitoes," plus our renditions of "Ghost Dancer," "The Hector "("*The Drek of the Edmund Fitzgerald"), and "Goodbye to the City." The latter three are originals from my three CD's to date. We also played our rendition of "Amy" for the waitress of the same name. On Saturday, August 25, I'll be co-hosting a songwriters' night there featuring David Nyce and Shanna Young, among other local talents.

*so named by Andy Suntup

EARTHTONES “Summer” Schedule 2007

2007-07-19T09:44:00.001-07:00

Saturday, June 2,
Antares Café
Manhasset Avenue, Greenport,
Brewer Shipyard
(second right after the blinking red lighton Sound Avenue in Greenport)
3:30pm to 7:30pm

Sunday, June 10
Private Party

Saturday, June 23
Osprey’s Dominion Vineyards
Main Road, Peconic,
1:30pm to 5:30pm

Saturday, July 7
Corey Creek Vineyard
Main Road, Peconic,
2:00pm to 6:00pm

Saturday, July 14
Scrimshaw Restaurant on Preston’s
Wharf in Greenport
Partners in Rhyme:
Billy Hands, the Axlegrease Poet of Orient, teams up with Glenn Jochum and Rick Hall for a meet-the-artists book and CD signing and night of verse and song.
8:00 pm to 12:00am

Saturday, July 21
Antares Café
3:30pm to 7:30pm

Saturday, August 11
Peconic Bay Winery
Main Road, Cutchogue,
1:00pm to 5:00pm

Saturday August 18
Rte. 48 Vineyard,
Route 48, Cutchogue,
2:00pm to 6:00pm

Sunday, August 19
Trinity Church
Greenport, Songs of War and Peace
(with assorted performers),
12:00pm to 2:00pm

Friday, August 24
Inn at the Blue
East Marion,
8:00pm to midnight

Saturday, August 25
Antares Café
Twenty Minutes of Fame
(Songwriters Showcase)
3:30pm to 7:30pm

Saturday, September 15
Corey Creek Vineyard
Main Road, Peconic
2:00pm to 6:00pm

Sunday, September 23
Bedell’s Vineyard
Main Road, Cutchogue,
1:00pm to 5:00pm

Saturday, September 29
Riverhead Railroad Festival
and Hobo Homecoming Gathering
Griffing Ave, Riverhead
1:00pm to 1:40pm

Sunday, October 28
Bedell’s Vineyard
Main Road, Cutchogue
1:00 pm to 5:00pm

2007-07-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

July 14 Scrimshaw Restaurant, Greenport

Anyone who got to see Billy Hands, the Axlegrease Poet of Orient read his work, or to see the crew of Hands, Rebekah White, Chris Linn Young, George Cork Maul, and yours truly reprise The Peculiar Journey of Art Strange was in for a treat. And Chris further blew minds with his Child of The Media...

Jamesport vineyard gig on July 15

2007-07-16T10:09:00.000-07:00

My band Inner Sleeve and I would like to thank Kelly for taking such expert care of the fans who strolled into Jamesport Vineyard and mentioned they were there to support our music. She's the hardest-working woman in show business... this was a great gig from many standpoints — we seemed to have our sound working well, the bad weather held off as we all baked in the mid-July sun, and after we played Feel A Whole Lot Better by the Byrds, the crowd started to come to life...