Sunday, April 30, 2006

Ronnie Foster Group update: ADRIAN GARCIA

Bassist Adrian Garcia has been playing with the Ronnie Foster Group at The Artisan lately, filling in for Blaise (for newbies, the other members are Santa Fe's Jerry Lopez, Jamie Hosmer, and Gabriel Falcon). I first met Adrian one night when he was gigging with local jazz guitar ace Michael Anthony Henegan at a west side restaurant owned by a friend of ours. I recall thinking at the time 'man, I'd love to have that cat in my band.' Adrian is fabulous. Formerly of the "Storm" show, and now a member of the 'Hairspray" show band along with Santa Fe's Dave Richardson, Adrian is rock-solid, fluid, percussive, powerful, and always tasteful (and his sound, the tone is excellent, makes it really easy to hear what he's doin'). He really fits together nicely with Gabriel. I would love to gig with Adrian. Man, the band was smokin' tonight. Adrian and Gabe were drivin' the train. The excellence, just unreal.

Yo, Ronnie, we playin ball tomorrow? Henderson? I can do that. Chaz has gotta work, but I can be there.

Below: Adrian with FBass designer George Furlanetto. Below that, Adrian on tour with Sheena Easton, during a show in Niagra Falls, NY.

Below: nice cat I hooked up with today, drummer and seriously cool all-round artist Dave Jaeger.

Click his name and visit his website. He's done some really fine graphics and photo work, and is an accomplished percussionist with a long resume. He and I are talkin' puttin' something together. Adrian says he'd play (man, that would be so cool!). I need to find a keyboardist/arranger, sax man TonyQ wants in, maybe we get us a trombone player and I'll just dust off my old late '70's Crusaders-ish "Birdland" book for starters. Hmmm...

Also, Jerry introduced me to yet another fine cat, Andy Ebon, VP of Marketing for Strokeland Records and owner of EBS Virtual Communications in Vegas. A pleasure and a privilege to have the introduction. Very nice man.

Lotta hip music available through the Strokeland site. Be sure to check it out.

Thursday, April 27, 2006

UPDATE: a message from Jerry Lopez

My friends,

We have NOT as of this moment established a deal with the PALMS. They want us there, and we want to be there, but there are a lot of logistical matters to iron out.

So, we definitely WILL NOT be there this Monday, But if all goes well, we will be there the following Monday May 8th.

I will keep you all posted. Don't worry, if it doesn't work out there, we'll find a place to continue the "healing".

A bands gotta do what a band's gotta do!

- Jerry Lopez

PS. The Ronnie Foster band (Ronnie Foster, Gabriel Falcon, Jerry Lopez, Jamie Hosmer, Blaise Sison) are appearing this week on Thursday (tonight) and Saturday night at the ARTISAN Hotel just East of interstate 15 at 1501 W. Sahara, 89102 (702-214-4000)

Also, the Sunday night Jam at Hurricane bar and grill remains the top spot for great hang and music on Sunday nights! Check it out.

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

WILD.STANDING.ROOM.ONLY.CROWD.AGAIN

Monday, April 24th. Yikes! What a show tonight. More later. I got off the plane from Florida at about 8:20 p.m. (my Mom has been in the hospital, I left Friday to go tend to her. Mr. Next-of-Kin, my real job any more). Cheryl picked me up at McCarran. We went home, got the digital camera, and went straight to The Palms. Got a few good pics. We stayed till the end, me with jet lag and all, couldn't leave, it was SO good.

BobbyG says the best of the new arrangements has gotta be "Ain't That Peculiar?"...One thumpin', humpin', stompin' best-of-breed assemblage of pure nasty funk
(tough call, they're all so good). Wish I had that cut on CD or mp3, man! I'd be drivin' around town with it up on richter-scale nosebleed, windows down...'take that, gangsta-rap homie-wannabees' (some of those cats remind me of that nebbish grey dude in the opening caught-in-traffic scene of the movie "Office Space").

A couple of pics below. My man Bobby Black was there shootin' pics with his major piece of photographic artillery. I hope he'll send a few our way. His stuff is awesome. Here I am crawlin' around doin' friggin' break-dance and yoga contortions on the floor up close to the stage tryin' to get good angles, and Bobby's sittin' in the back calmly grabbing killer shots incognito!

Bobby, bail me out, dude, my pics suck next to yours, bro'...LOL! Thanks to everyone for coming to the show. Let's hope the Suits "get it" and do a long-term deal. The Lounge will be the new "hang" for hip music lovers in Vegas, guaranteed (we will certainly produce the show performer crowd, if the last two Monday nights are any indication, the Vegas showroom A-List was out in force).

BTW: Check out Lenny Lopez's new "Ritmo" band website: www.theritmo.com. As their gigging schedule fills in, I'll keep y'all posted.

Recall my prior blog post on Ritmo.

Other news: the hot CECILIA NOEL! Just got an email announcing next Saturday's performance by Cecilia Noel, at The Temple Bar in Santa Monica. If I didn't have so much else going on right now, I'd drive down there just for that, sounds like it'll be "Shock and Awe" (as Jerry called her act). I posted about her on the blog (w/some audio and video cuts) earlier. (scroll down)

Much love to everyone in the Santa Fe tribe. I'm glad to be home. Don't forget Ronnie Foster's 10 p.m. gig Thursdays and Saturdays at The Artisan Hotel. That is a great venue, and Ronnie and the guys throw down big-time. Ronnie's piano chops are beyond description. Check him out if you haven't yet.

Monday, April 24, 2006

4-24, TONIGHT, The PALMS, without YOU, we are NOTHING

10 p.m. tonight, y'all come. Let the Healing begin yet again.

UPDATE: Bro' Lenny Lopez has a new band ("
Ritmo") and a new website: www.theritmo.com

Monday 4-24 update

Tonight, THE Lounge at the Palms, 10 pm, Jerry Lopez, the Mayor Fat City, and his City CounciL of Supreme Funk and Salsa will again issue their musical edict of excellence: "Let The Healing Begin..."

Also: Dr. Lenny's new group "Ritmo" now has a website: www.theritm
o.com Check it out!

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

WILD.STANDING.ROOM.ONLY.CROWD

Santa Fe and The Fat City Horns just hit this one outa the park, ripped the cover clean off the ball and sent it screaming into the next time zone. Yikes! This town has a lot of superior musical and vocal talent. Fourteen of the very best of them were onstage at The Palms Monday night, and most of the rest who weren't gigging were in the audience. Lotta love in that room, all the way around. One amazing evening. Let's do it again next week. Thanks to all of you for showing up to support this great band, all of you who so obviously "get it." The new arrangments were spectacular -- "You Need a Hero," "Ain't That Peculiar," and "Use Me." Everybody dug them to the max. You really can't just call them "covers," they are creative, sophisticated original "treatments."

In my prior post I wrote "I predict a wild SRO crowd." YES!!! (I wish my sports outcomes predictions were that good, LOL!)

BTW- Last night photographer and performer Bobby Black brought me a CD of his shots from one of the Santa Fe Boulder Station gigs. I can't wait to look through them and post some for y'all. Bobby does great work, check out his website. UPDATE BELOW: Here's just one quick pic upload from Bobby's CD -- The Petersons' guest night at Boulder Station. The compression you get from that big telephoto lense, man! "...gonna keep on tryin', 'till I reach the Higher Ground..."

UPDATE: just got an email from brother Blaise (re the Family Stone Experience):

Hey Bobby, if you can make it, FSE is performing this weekend at the new Red Rock casino Fri. and Sat. in the main lounge. We hit @ 9:00pm doing 75 min. shows both nights. Come down and hear all the Sly and the Family Stone hits!

www.familystoneexperience.com
www.myspace.com/familystoneexperience

Thank You....for lettin' me be mice elf..... Blaise.
__________

UPDATE2, OFF-TOPIC: Indulge proud Papa for a sec, OK? My ace grantwriter and not-for-profit program developer Daughter recently prevailed over nearly 100 candidates to be selected as the new Executive Director of First Tee of Southern Nevada, where, I have no doubt, she will do great work. I scanned her new business card:

I would predict that Santa Fe and The Fat City Horns might well be asked to throw down the "Nast" at a First Tee fundraiser before long. Below, Danielle (bottom) and her late big sister Sissy, 1974 in Seattle:

While we're indulging, meet the equally fabulous Grandson, Keenan (click his pic. Man, that serve! 12 years old, LOL!!).

Sunday, April 16, 2006

Monday, April 17th 2006, THE Lounge in The Palms

The long and eagerly awaited Monday night gig return of our beloved Santa Fe and The Fat City Horns, 10 pm. New arrangements are reportedly on tap. The venue is "THE Lounge," just inside to the right of the main valet entrance on Flamingo. Beautiful room, the acoustics oughta be great. I predict a wild SRO crowd.

UPDATE: setup and rehearsal



Saturday, April 15, 2006

To the entire Santa Fe tribe, on- and offstage, on the occasion of Easter

At this time of deep reverence and reflection for so many of us, may all of us who are so blessed in this life not lose sight of the religion of Jesus during a time of the most intense story about Jesus. We have the capacity -- and the moral obligation -- to make this world the just, loving, and peaceful place of His longing. In a very real sense, without you, He is nothing.

We can do it. That is the simple faith that carries me forward, a faith fortified by my having come to know all of you.

- BobbyG

Ritmo - Brother Lenny's new band

Español
n. - cadencia, ritmo
  1. Balanced, rhythmic flow, as of poetry or oratory.
  2. The measure or beat of movement, as in dancing or marching.
I got invited to come to the Stirling Club at Turnberry tonight to hear the debut of Lenny Lopez's new band "Ritmo." The roster includes Lenny on vocals and percussion, Joe Bergeron on percussion, Blaise Sison on bass, Gabriel Falcon on drums, Felix Buehler on guitar (tasty chops, dude!), and Mike Gonzalez on keyboards. The Music Director at The Stirling Club is the beautiful, talented, and gracious Kelly Clinton. Check out her awesome website.

Lenny first sat in with the house group, and then did a set with his new band Ritmo. They cooked. The crowd was delighted. I was delighted. My cup runneth over to continue to bear witness to all this excellence, and to continue to meet all these extremely nice people. Kelly, thank you! Below: Lenny and Kelly. Below that: Dr. Lenny soars on vocals, as usual.

It was a way cool evening. Bobby Black was there and also sat in. What a voice! More later. I gotta go crash. I got hoops with my nephew and niece tomorrow.

UPDATE: MickiJay profiles Gabriel

My favorite percussionist, GABRIEL FALCON!!! What a pair of hands on this guy. I like the way his hair flies and his shoulders move. He's a drummin' funk machine.

He plays timbales, congos, bongos and is self-taught although he credits his father, Noe Falcon for influencing him as a kid. Noe wrote, sang, played bass and guitar. Gabe has two sisters and five brothers (he's second to the eldest) who are all musicians! The family toured for twenty years as the "Fabulous Falcons". The family moved to Azusa, and in 1973 it all began. In the 1990's, he found his niche with salsa and latin jazz.

He has played with vocalist Maria Conchita Alonso as her percussionist, and these days backs Clint Holmes (since January, 2005 when he replaced Lenny Lopez), the Ronnie Foster Band at Sedona and of course, he's essential with Santa Fe and The Fat City Horns.

As for being influenced, he mentions Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Clyde Stubbelfeld, Tito Puente and Shiela Easton. I'm sure there's more.

Now for the personal stuff: he's engaged and will be inheriting a 16 yr old daughter, he lives in the south east and is 43 years young. What a catch!!

He's recorded a lot of independent projects with the family and Sante Fe. Gabe said it was a pleasure working with Bruce Conte from Tower of Power and Jeff Lorber, who he has backed up. He's got history to him.

In 2001, Jerry Lopez was looking for a percussionist and called Gabe. He auditioned at Storm at Mandalay Bay. Obviously, he got the gig.

He's got some hobbies like building car models, watching videos, and of course, he practices daily. I remarked about his body movement when he's playing and he said that it comes "naturally".He's got a 2003 Chevy Trail Blazer and likes to hit the road to check out Mesquite and California. There's nothing like the open road to clear your mind, if you can drive and find an "open road".

Did you realize he's the guy who does the set-up? He puts all of the instruments, amps, and cables together the morning of the show and tears everything down when it's over. Whata a job. This man cares a lot, and we care for him too!

-- MickiJay

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Ronnie Foster update

Keyboardist extraordinaire (and hoops maniac) Ronnie Foster of the Clint Holmes show is moving his weekend jazz gig (featuring Santa Fe's Jerry, Jamie, and Gabriel, with Blaise Sison on bass) from The Sedona Club to The Artisan Hotel (south side of Sahara, just east of I-15). Music starts at 10 pm this Saturday. I will certainly be there. Join us. Ronnie's piano chops are beyond description -- at once crushing and delicate, and his vocal ability is exquisite. I've been fussin' at him about getting a CD out and a website up. This music business giant deserves much broader visibility.

UPDATE:12:10 am, Easter Sunday

The gig at the Artisan is a smashing SRO success. The spacious lounge is just beautiful and leather sofa sitting-room comfortable, the acoustics are fine. Lenny Lopez says "this is gonna be the new Hang." Clint Holmes (below) came by and sat in. He did an Al Jarreau/Bobby McFerrin-worthy scat singing / vocal percussion "4's" solo with drummer Gabriel Falcon during a pumped-up rendition of "Rio" that brought the house down. It was a love feast. The new "Hang."


Sunday, April 09, 2006

Happy Birthday, Amigo!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Jerry Lopez, happy birthday, our fearless leader. May your long life of making the world a better place continue in health, happiness, and success for decades to come. We will all come to the Palms to joyously celebrate your birthday belatedly next Monday night.

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Update message from Jerry Lopez

Folks,

Just a reminder that we are getting closer to APRIL 17th, the night we open at the PALMS casino in "THE lounge". We will start at 10:15, and we're all really looking forward to being back onstage together. We'll have a few new pieces of music for you, and we're always excited about that!

ALSO, Please go check out our friends the Level 8 band, and Shipleyfunk band at Hooters Hotel/Casino at the Martini 13 Lounge 10-2 am nightly.

AND, the HURRICANE BAR AND GRILL on Sunday nights!!! the best jam session in town, with all the "real cats"!

PLUS, the RONNIE FOSTER band every Friday and Saturday night at SEDONA restaurant on Flamingo and West 215

You will find members of Santa Fe playing in ALL of these bands, and we all value your support of LIVE MUSIC in LAS VEGAS.

THE HEALING is "fittin" to commence!

-Jerry Lopez