April/May 2008

Dec/January 2008

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Back Issue Articles:

Chris Fitz

Im Memoriam: Al Arsenault

Bruce Marshall

Professor Harp

Recent Parties

Roomful of Blues at the Stone Church from February/March issue 2006

Click here to go to Mike Micheals' jam at 3 G's in Worcester, MA

Nick Adams and Darrell Nulisch at Acton Jazz Café- March 18, 2006

• Old News •

We had a blast at The Love Dogs' 12th Anniversary Party
at Johnny D's in Somerville, MA on April 15th!

After circling the city of Boston and the city of Somerville, I finally found my way to Johnny D's ON TIME! I met up with Nancy Weston, Stan and Betty Bee Bop Bishop in the parking lot down the street from Johnny D's. Stan is a friend of Nancy's from Lynn. Nice guy, cheerful owns a leather and jewelry shop in Gloucester. Betty had come all the way down from Vermont, not far from where I live in NH. She was in a serious partying mood, lookin' good in black stockings and cowboy boots, drinking tequila and generally high fiving and having a good time. Nancy knows alot of nice people. Do you know her? She is "Adventure Girl" great people. Nancy had reserved us a table and we ordered dinner (it was 8:30- trés continental). I was looking forward to the food at Johnny D's because I had eaten there a long time ago and it was really good!
(I think it was at Holly Harris' anniversary, or birthday - I think- Hubert Sumlin was there, I remember. I went down stairs and visited with Hubert and Dave Maxwell, it was all very copascetic.)
I had a potato soup that night and it was really delicious... But last Saturday I was disappointed with the food. Enough said. You know I like to accentuate the positive! It was really fun to be in Boston with friends seeing the Love Dogs. They played my favorite ORIGINAL Love Dogs hit "Too Old To Die Young" which is my all time favorite swing tune, it is sooo true. Too late for me, too!

Alizon was in fine form on the 88's and you can see be the photo at the top that she plays a mean accordian, too. Alizon is very cool and really adds her energy to the show. She has a CD that has some really nice original songs on it. Not all swing or blues, you'll find a couple of tracks folk, folk rock and a couple r+b in the mix. Very cool, very talented girl! Great entertainer.

So is Ed. He is a real entertainer and a good singer with a crystal clear voice, that he knows how to use. They have a classy band and it is no wonder they are so popular. They were playing lots of new songs off their new CD. I haven't got it, I have to get that for my radio show. I am speculating... but could the name be "Does Your Dog Bite? (tee hee hee) The band was full of energy lots of impressive sax and trombone solos

and the dance floor was crowded, I gave away some newsletters, I have found that the Boston crowds are offended if you ask for money. They are kind of jaded, what with so much free stuff being circulated, they look at me like I am a fungus when I ask for even a dollar. Not everyone, but enough to make me not want to risk the rejection so I gave them away for free. Maybe one of them will clue into the newsletter and subscribe! If you don't get out there and let them see you, how will they know? And you never, never know, you never, never know.

I tried to get it together to go to the Mai Cramer benefit for the Pine Street Inn but it got too late, so quick and with the trouble I had getting to JD's, getting lost, etc. But I heard from my friend Kenny Larsen, on his way home from the benefit, said that Peter Hi Fi's new band ws good, they have a lead singer. Sugar Ray was there with Mudcat and Neil and Troy Gonyea on guitar. Ronnie closed the show and invited Weepin' Willie up un the stage for a final jam. The show was sold out and a big success.

I had to get home at a reasonable hour because the next day was Easter and my brother, Peter and his wife Sylvie and their son Pete were here and I hadn't even seen them yet, so I wanted to be up early and go over and see them at my parent's house. So, I digress, but it was a really fun party, I was sorry I couldn't stay all night. Was there a cake? Does anyone know? Got any pictures you want to show me? click here: dshonk@bluesaudience.com

Roomful's STANDING ROOM ONLY and Sugar Ray's SUGAR RAY & THE BLUETONES FEATURING MONSTER MIKE WELCH made the 2005 top 50 playlist in Living Blues!

 

NEWS FLASH

October 9, 2007 The Blues Audience 16th Anniversary Party at Gilreins, Worcester, MA

BIG FUN! WE ALL HAD CAKE!

This article appeared in the October/November #166 issue of The Blues Audience newsletter.

Formed in Spring 1994, The Love Dogs came together when their front man, Ed Scheer, wanted to put together a vehicle to play his own original blues songs. Scheer was previously a drummer who sang from behind the drum set. “At the time I was playing with a lot of blues pe ople, and I was writing a lot of blues related material,” Scheer said.  “There was a big glut of guitar trios, basically the Stevie Rai Vaughn school of blues. I was looking to do something that wasn’t so guitar heavy, that had a little bit more to do with the rhythm and with some horns and a little more songwriting.” So he formed this six piece band that featured a woman on piano and another woman on saxophone with a rhythm section that specialized in jump, swing, jazz, and blues.
 The Love Dogs, Scheer believes, have always had as much artistic motivation and taste as well as the business drive for gigs and name recognition. “We definitely pride ourselves on being good musicians,” the singer said. “I think what separates us from some other bands is that we really are an ensemble. Everybody really has the chance to shine.”
His band also helps the crowd have a good time. “The number one job for us is to have fun. We really feel like if we’re not having fun, then we can’t expect the audience to. It’s all about putting out a good vibe.”
The Love Dogs used to play a lot of road gigs. But that slowed because Scheer now has a two year old daughter. In the last five years, Scheer has also found it more difficult to market a band with so many players. “Back in the late 90s and the early 2000’s, we were working a ton and we were on the road a ton. In the last five years all around the country, the blues scene has shrunk a bunch. We still manage to stay busy because we do lots of different things.” The Love Dogs play blues clubs, jazz clubs, festivals, swing events, private parties, and weddings.
After 13 years there has only been one personnel change, and The Love Dogs still keep the sound fresh. “We did our first CD in 1996. We still play a lot of stuff off that first CD, and people still request songs off that CD,” Scheer said. “Through the years you play songs a lot, and they tend to mutate a little bit, and we like that part of our band.”
Berklee College of Music graduate, Alizon Lissance, who now teaches at Berklee’s Harmony Department plays keyboards and sings. Myanna Pontoppidan is the lead instrumentalist on saxophone. Scheer said he did not plan on having the two women for back up on Ray Charles tunes and other numbers calling for girl singers. “When I hired Alizon to be in the band, I knew she was a singer. I definitely had the idea that I would be the main singer but she would also have her spots. She’s always been a singer and a terrific solo performer. Myanna’s singing actually came along later. Our original bass player was the second background singer. He and Alizon used to do all the harmonies. Myanna just stepped up to the plate and said she’d do it.”
The Love Dogs also feature Randy Bramwell on bass, “Downtown” Steve Brown on drums, and Glenn Shambroom on baritone saxophone and lead guitar. Time spent together traveling brought them all closer. “Everybody knows just how far they can push each other and when to stop,” Scheer said. “I think there’s a lot of mutual respect.”
{Ed. Note] Check out their schedule on page 6 and catch them live, you will be glad you did! In fact, why not join us at GILREIN’S in Worcester, MA on Friday October 19th for a Blues Audience 16th Anniversary Party with a super cheap raffle with tons of prizes and ANNIVERSARY CAKE for everybody!- Diana