Another great night at The North End

Last night's weekly Tuesday jam at The North End was another winner, though it didn't feel like it to me at first. After a bit of warmup, though, things started to heat up nicely. Andrew Black and Heaven Davis both visited early on, but neither sang this time. Pete Waddell turned in a fine frontman performance, he gets better every week; likewise, newcomer Rich Tomanio has been playing bass with solid authority. A couple guitarist evacuees from New Orleans sat in and did a very nice bluesy set! I wish I had written their names down. They'll be in town another week or so, before they have to return to whatever's left of their lives. Larry Griffith told me we'll get an influx of quality musicians here, it seems he's quite correct. It only makes sense for musicians to choose Atlanta for refuge and possible relocation.

And finally, our Midnight Madness set went a little farther than usual - we had Theron Peterson on drums, Zoom on bass, Terry Bradley on slide and Gates Nichols and Keith Barnhart on dual keyboards. I brought out my redhead (or 'copperhead', depending on mood, just like the real ones) Ibanez hotrod guitar, and that just put me into the Hendrix mood. My pedal system has all the right Hendrix tones, and it was only natural to go into the feedback, spacey sounds and severe whammy-bar abuse that made Jimi famous (think Star-Spangled Foxy Purple Voodoo Banner). We did other things too - a funky, reggae version of "Thrill Is Gone", for instance. And I think I can say with confidence that "Bo Diddley" has never before been morphed into "Smoke On The Water". Another satisfying night.

GP solo show at The Crimson Moon, Dahlonega GA, Sept. 2 2005. Note the rosebud and tabasco bottle. The indian head was hand-carved by someone's husband during a long illness.

Rockin' the North End with Andrew Black

Tonight I had a nice little surprise gig - I had the night off from Larry Griffith Band at Kennesaw Billiards, but got invited instead to play with Andrew Black at the North End Pub, much closer to home. Also onstage were Jimmy Mouton on drums, and Jon Schwenke on bass. (I figure I've played about 200 shows with Jon since 2001, he's a great player and great guy.) We did stuff ranging from "People Get Ready" to Robin Trower's "Day Of The Eagle", plus some of Andrew's originals. I must say this was one of the hardest-hitting shows I've done in a very long time.

Tomorrow evening I'll be going into the studio with Andrew and Jimmy, and several other players to record a demo for our upcoming corporate act, Andrew Black and Sound Foundation. That band is aiming high, playing tight intense music from Earth Wind & Fire, Foreigner, David Bowie, and other high-end artists whose music is rarely attempted by most musicians.

George playing sometime before Nov. 2004 - note that Buddy Guy's autograph has not yet been written below the bridge. 

First Post

This is my first post. Testing, testing.
Is this thing on?

G

Music Report for Aug. 25, 2005

Hello Friends,
I'll keep this one pretty simple as I'm on the go today. I've been having "an interesting life" - my car was broken into, I was used as bait in a police sting to capture the crack dealers who had it, and I'm just now in the process of getting my window replaced. The whole story is so bizarre and involved it could be a movie - ask me about it some time. I've actually spoken with an author friend about the possibility of selling the story, he thinks it's a great candidate for a screenplay. Anyway, on to upcoming music.

BIG thanks to our friends who helped us rock Doc's last week (especially you, Shakin' Sheri!). Doc's tells us that they never ever get as good a party going with any other band, and they've booked us for one weekend every month thru 2005.

This Friday (Aug. 26) I'll be with Larry Griffith Band at Meehan's Ale House, an Irish pub in Alpharetta. Meehan's is a new venue for us, so please c'mon out and help us warm up the new place. It's on State Bridge Road, just south of Kimball Bridge (see details below).

Also, I will be doing my first solo show at The Crimson Moon in Dahlonega on Friday, September 2nd at 8PM. I had a great time at Crimson Moon when I played the Blues Crawl Festival there a few months ago. I do hope you'll come on in, and if I may suggest, Dahlonega is an interesting place to stay and spend a holiday weekend. Charming little old-town feel, the gold museum, mine tours, the Buisson Arts Center, lots of arts & antiques, and of course there's The Smith House for an unforgettable dining experience. I would just love it if some of my musician friends joined me for a song or two, as well. See details below.

And finally, fond farewells to everybody's friend Leszek Wawer, a longtime jam regular. Leszek is moving his beautiful family to Chicago, where he'll be establishing our northern blues outpost. We'll miss you buddy!

Speaking of lost jam buddies, does anyone see Drew or Preston anymore? Preston went to Berklee in Boston, but I dunno what happened to Drew. Tell 'em hi, I miss them at the jams.

OK, thanks for being family, I hope to see you soon.
George

Upcoming public shows:

Sundays - The Club at Kennesaw Billiards (directions below)
Tuesdays - Open Jam at The North End Pub (directions below)

August 26, Meehan's Ale House
11130 State Bridge Road, just south of Kimball Bridge
Alpharetta, GA 30022 770-475-2468
web: http://tinyurl.com/cget3
map: http://tinyurl.com/7hamz

September 2nd, The Crimson Moon (solo show)
24 North Park Street
Dahlonega GA 30533 706-864-3982
web: http://www.thecrimsonmoon.com
map: http://tinyurl.com/7gdjj
See also: http://dahlonega.org

Sundays:
The Club at Kennesaw Billiards 770-514-9900
Kennesaw Promenade on Cherokee St. (Wade Green Rd.)
3600 Cherokee Street Northwest Suite 107
Kennesaw, GA 30144
9PM-1AM

Tuesdays:
The North End Pub & Grill
5970 Atlanta Hwy (Hwy 9 at McFarland Rd.)
Alpharetta, GA 30004 678-867-6750
http://www.thenorthendga.com
8:30-12:30 (but sometimes jams on until closing)
GOOD food, kitchen open until 2AM!

If you have any questions, please feel free to call or write me.

Music Report for Aug. 11, 2005

First, my thanks to all you folks who came to my Birthday Bash at The North End Pub on August 2nd. The cards and gifts were wonderful but just having you there, in a party mood, made the whole evening. We rocked the place, especially when we did "Leave Your Hat On" and all the ladies were dancing, some even dancing on chairs (especially you, Special K). Some old friends I haven't seen in far too long came out, too - great to see you folks again. Many thanks to all the players and patrons for a wonderful evening. Please forward this letter to your friends and bring them out next time.

Too bad our friend Coach Jerry Glanville was out of town (coaching at University of Hawaii - tough gig, huh?). He rarely misses a Tuesday night at The North End if he's in town, and that night would've been just his speed. Best of luck to ya out there Coach, we have your cowbell ready when you return. The rest of you can see what he's up to at http://www.coachglanville.com

I actually got a shiny new guitar for my birthday, a B.C. Rich. I haven't played it yet, as it's only 2 inches long, but I know it's gonna be hot because it's got butane in it. Yes, it's a cigarette lighter but it's a very appropriate gift for a guitarist, even a nonsmoker like me. Thank you, Dr. Z. The good doctor also plays bass with us at the Tuesday jams, using a wonderful rare Alembic bass.

This week we got by with a little help from our friends Lara Polangco, Andrew Black, Terry Bradley, Keith Barnhart, Mike Hinton and many others. Lara and Terry's duet, with Lara playing my Variax set as a 12-string acoustic while Terry played his beautiful style of slide guitar, was one of my favorite moments, but there were many more. I recorded much of the evening, but ran out of battery too soon to catch it all. (Where's that !@#! drum-beating rabbit? I'm gonna...) Shouts out to The Arthurs, a couple new family members we'll probably see a lot more of. Arthur 1 is a guitar student of mine, and he brought his buddy Arthur 2. A2 has a very unique and efficient technique of applauding without setting down his beer, by using his free hand to smack the back of his shaved head. That's usin' the old bean! Both had a great time drinking cheering & dancing, and were greatly enjoyed by the rest of us. Welcome to the family, amigos.

Last Saturday was a road trip with Elvis (see below), and our usual acoustic bassbeater Franklin Bunn wasn't able to join us, but he was ably replaced by Mike Gallo, formerly of Greg Allman Band, Lou's Blues Revue and a jillion other bands. Welcome to the family, Mike. We played the "Who's In Your Cellphone" game all the way back from Columbus, where you compare directories to see who you know in common. That always stimulates a lot of interesting stories, and it seems Mike knows half the music industry.

Earlier that day, I videotaped a few songs with Larry Griffith at Comcast's TV studio. The songs will be played at random (think early MTV, back when they had music) in a cable-only show about Atlanta musicians. I'll keep you informed when I get more details.

Last night I spent the evening recording a jazz demo with Mike LeVasseur and Ms. Michael Broderick. We'll be shopping that demo around town, please let me know about venues that would hire a jazz trio. Private parties would be nice too, book now for the holiday season gigs.

Congrats to friend Beau Hall on the upcoming release of his new CD, titled "UNH!" Check out http://www.beaurocks.com

UPCOMING STUFF:
This Friday and Saturday, I'll be with Larry Griffith Band at Two Urban Licks, a very nice barbecue restaurant downtown. Please come join us for some fine food and atmosphere. Directions below.

Sunday night, of course, is the Kennesaw Billiards jam with Larry Griffith Band. Directions below.

Tuesday morning, August 16th, is the 28th anniversary of Elvis Presley's passing away. As you know, I work frequently with a professional Elvis impersonator (Harold Shulz), specializing in the very young Elvis show (1955 Sun Sessions trio). Watch Fox 5 Good Day Atlanta between 6 and 9AM, we'll be doing several live spots spread out across the morning show. Last year we wound up playing a total of 11 songs. Be sure to tape it, if you can get the VCR to stop blinking 12:00.

You can also catch Harold/Elvis on Turner South's original show "200 Cadillacs". The one-hour special explores Presley's love of giving lavish gifts to friends and strangers, including jewelry, mink coats, the entire dog inventory at a pet store, 48 horses and, most notably, 200 Cadillacs. The show will air at the following times:
August 16th 10:30PM
August 20th 10:30AM
August 25th 10:30PM
Read more at TurnerSouth.com: http://tinyurl.com/cpthv
and see some interesting videos there, too.

Monday I'll be rehearsing with Andrew Black and the Sound Foundation. That project is coming along very nicely, and if you get a chance to hear us I strongly urge you to do so. You'll hear popular music that is usually too difficult to be attempted (think Earth Wind & Fire, for instance) played by the most kick-ass musicians I know, and all of us sing. You gotta hear this.

Tuesday will of course be North End Pub's jam night, so catch an early nap, make sure the VCR worked right, then come out to dine & party with us. Directions below.

Next Friday & Saturday we'll be at Doc's in Smyrna, just outside the perimeter. Please come party with us. Directions below.

And finally, as you know most Internet chain letters are either lies or traps or both. Here are three things that are absolutely true, with confirmation links:

Put ICE in your cell phone to help emergency workers:
Paramedics will turn to a victim's cell phone for clues to
that person's identity. You can make their job much easier
with a simple idea that they are trying to get everyone to
adopt: ICE.

ICE stands for In Case of Emergency. If you add an entry in
the contacts list in your cell phone under ICE, with the
name and phone no. of the person that the emergency
services should call on your behalf, you can save them a
lot of time and have your loved ones contacted quickly. It
only takes a few moments of your time to do.

Paramedics know what ICE means and they look for it
immediately. ICE your cell phone NOW!
Confirmation:
The Washington Post, 7/18/2005: http://tinyurl.com/dwqc9
Paramedic.org: http://tinyurl.com/buexr
Snopes: http://www.snopes.com/crime/prevent/icephone.asp

"Osama Captured" email is a VIRUS
Emails are going around saying Osama has been captured, and offering links to photos and videos. Don't fall for it, they're infected. If you ever do get news of something this big, just go to http://www.cnn.com and see it there (if it's real).
Confirmation:
http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/osamacaptured.asp
http://www.internetweek.com/security/164300290

The Social Security bankruptcy is nothing compared to the incredibly sad state of our National Debt, increasing by an average over $2 BILLION per day! See the actual, unspun numbers:
http://www.publicdebt.treas.gov/opd/opdpenny.htm
Where are all the people now who were rightly screaming for a balanced budget 10 years ago?

And finally, yesterday (August 10th) was the late Leo Fender's birthday. He and Les Paul were the two most influential men in all guitar history. While Les Paul was the first to pitch his solidbody electric guitar to Gibson, he was laughed out of the building. It was Leo Fender who actually built & sold the solidbody in 1951, and its wild popularity prompted Gibson's exec to say "Find that guy with the stick guitar and get him back in here, fast!" While Les went on to invent the tape echo and multitrack recording, Leo's designs have influenced nearly every other electric guitar and amplifier ever made since; they are the most popular and most copied in the world. He went on to found and design for MusicMan, then G&L. I still play and love my 1981 MusicMan amp, and my 1997 Stratocaster (a guitar which, like me, debuted in 1954 but unlike me was so perfectly designed that it has hardly changed at all since then). Thanks, Leo.

That's plenty for now, friends. I hope to see you soon.

Upcoming public shows:

Sundays - The Club at Kennesaw Billiards (directions below)
Tuesdays - Open Jam at The North End Pub (directions below)

August 12-13, Two Urban Licks, downtown Atlanta
820 Ralph McGill Blvd. Atlanta 30306
For reservations, phone 404-522-4622 or reserve online:
http://www.opentable.com/single.aspx?rid=3431&restref=3431
web: http://www.twourbanlicks.com/
map: http://tinyurl.com/dj3kr

August 16th, Good Morning Atlanta on Fox 5 TV
7AM-9AM

August 19-20 - Doc's 10PM to 3AM (really!)
2750 Cobb Pkwy SE, Smyrna 30080 (770) 953-9354
web: http://www.docsatlanta.com
map: http://tinyurl.com/ey24n

August 26, Meehan's


Sundays:
The Club at Kennesaw Billiards 770-514-9900
Kennesaw Promenade on Cherokee St. (Wade Green Rd.)
3600 Cherokee Street Northwest Suite 107
Kennesaw, GA 30144
9PM-1AM

Tuesdays:
The North End Pub & Grill
5970 Atlanta Hwy (Hwy 9 at McFarland Rd.)
Alpharetta, GA 30004 678-867-6750
http://www.thenorthendga.com
8:30-12:30 (but sometimes jams on until closing)
GOOD food, kitchen open until 2AM!

Music Report for May 13, 2005

Hi Friends, sorry to hit you twice in one week but here's stuff you gotta know right now.

Congrats to Ken & Elena at The North End Pub. They have been named among the Top Ten in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's A-List competition - not once, but in THREE categories! But whether they come out on top depends upon how YOU vote. Friday is the LAST day you can vote, so please do! I quote Ken:

We just found out THE NORTH END made it into the top ten on AJC's A-LIST competition in 3 categories!!!

Unfortunately voting for the best in each category began on May 2nd and it ends on May 13th. You can vote once each day so we are behind in the voting. We could really use the publicity so we are asking all of you to vote as often as you can over the next few days.
When you vote it will ask for your basic info as part of their contest but you can select not to be contacted by them.

Here is the link-
http://www.accessatlanta.com/bestof/content/bestof/2005/index.html

These are the categories we are TOP 10 in -
• Live music club
• Neighborhood bar
• New club

THANKS! THANKS! THANKS!
Ken and Elena

============================================
Well now, that's impressive! Those of you who've been out already know, the rest of you should come see & hear for yourselves. If only we'd known sooner that the voting began on May 2nd.

NEXT ITEM: I'm scheduled to play Rexx & Harry's BBQ Blues Party this Saturday, May 14th (I understand I misquoted the date in my previous email) with Larry Griffith, in the 3:30 PM timeslot. I've already sent you all the directions & such, but if you need them again I'll be happy to resend to you. Remember to bring your outdoor stuff - blanket, sunscreen, bugspray, and maybe a chair, favorite drinking mug, camera and binoculars might be handy. We will be recording for a live CD, and we want lots of you to be part of the joyous crowd noise. Previous years' CDs will be there for sale (along with various other good stuff). You don't need to pack food or drink, it's all you can eat & drink for $20 (proceeds go to WRFG Radio).

Of course, I want you to save just enough energy to come party with us at Kennesaw Billiards on Sunday night, and I'll also see you at The North End on Tuesday.

Finally, a bit about Geoff Achison, who delivered every bit of the astonishing show I promised you before. First he played a solo acoustic set that contained all the percussion, bass, rhythm and melody you could want - alone. Folks, I've been doing this for 40 years and I am still amazed at what I saw him doing. Some of you were there, you know what I mean. Then the band came up and they did two more long sets. How he kept up that much energy for one set let alone nearly 4 hours is beyond me. Barry Richman joined him for the last two songs, and that combination was beyond description. Too bad if you missed it.

That's all for now, REMEMBER TO VOTE NOW! LAST DAY!
Here is the link-
http://www.accessatlanta.com/bestof/content/bestof/2005/index.html

Best wishes,
George Price

(PS, although I'm rarely up early enough or late enough to hear it, the Good Morning Blues show on WRFG 89.3 FM from 6AM to 10AM is MOST excellent! It'd be just lovely if you call them at 404-523-8989 during the show and tell them how much you enjoyed the Saturday party. While you're at it, request some Larry Griffith music. If you get Blackjack, AJ, or Bill or Pat Hudson tell 'em I said hi. Thanx!)

Music Report for Mar. 21, 2005

Well, it's been a quiet week at Lake Wobegon... no, wait, that's a different report.

First, my congratulations to Kid Brothers, an excellent Atlanta corporate band, on the occasion of their 20th Anniversary. The official date was last Saturday, and in celebration they put on an excellent rare public appearance at Poor Richard's in Norcross. The music was great, the house was packed and responsive. Videos and a slide show between sets covered the years of world travels. I had the honor of playing a couple songs with them too. Best wishes for your next 20 years, guys!

Sunday night at the North End Pub & Grill was fun too. How could it not be with Greg High, Andrew Black, Tommy Vickery, Keith Barnhart, Mike Hinton, Brad Jeter and other great players? This time we wound up doing fun old covers from Zep, Sabbath, Edgar Winter, Steely Dan and more. I highly recommend the Sunday jams at the North End, directions will be included later in this message.

TONIGHT (3/21) I will be filling in with Larry Griffith, Jon Schwenke and Ricky Fargo at the Monday jams at Crystal's in Marietta. That's a great crew that always makes great music. I also play with them regularly at Kennesaw Billiards on Wednesday nights (listed below).


Now, the list of weekly Jams I'm involved in:

Tuesdays:
The North End Pub & Grill
5970 Atlanta Hwy (Hwy 9 at McFarland Rd.)
Alpharetta, GA 30004 678-867-6750
http://www.thenorthendga.com
8:30-12:30 (but sometimes jams on until closing)
GOOD food, kitchen open until 2AM!

Wednesdays:
The Club at Kennesaw Billiards 770-514-9900
Kennesaw Promenade on Cherokee St. (Wade Green Rd.)
3600 Cherokee Street NW Suite 107
Kennesaw, GA 30144
9PM-1AM

Music Report for Feb. 15, 2005

Well, it's been an interesting weekend. I wound up with two sudden-notice gigs that I greatly enjoyed. Friday night I played at Eyedrum with Ken Lockie's band, Cowboys International. Ken is a quiet pleasant guy, which gives you no clue he used to be Johnny Rotton's roomie - but more importantly, he's widely credited as being one of the founding fathers of the "New Romantic" movement that influenced much of the music we remember from the 80's. Ken was also an early member of PiL and The Clash. A quick Google on his name will turn up lots of stuff.

Then on Saturday I served as sole accompanist for Marlyn Campbell, a vocalist I worked with in South River Band. (Imagine Julia Roberts, only prettier, with a voice) That experiment went quite well, and will be much better in the future. I'll notify you as soon as we get something else booked.

Now the regular Jam Report:
Last night at Crystal's On The Square went well, even if it was a bit thin - after all, Crystal's is fun but not what most folks would consider a Valentine's Day destination. Ms. Michael Broderick performed beautifully on "My Funny Valentine", a duet that let me go crazy with some of those big chords and substitutions that can rarely be used with a band. Directions to Crystal's later in this message.

Tonight I'll be hosting at The North End Pub & Grill, a nice venue in north Alpharetta. The North End always draws talented jammers. If you haven't been, c'mon out! Directions follow.

Wednesday night I'll be back with Larry Griffith, Ricky Fargo, Jon Schwenke and Pete Battista at Kennesaw Billiards. That's a nice venue, please come on out and jam &/or party with us.

And finally, in the Helpful Hint category, I've learned about two very good websites for roadmaps. Forget Mapquest, MapBlaster and the rest, these are the next generation and very cool. Best is http://www.map24.com which is an active Java-based map system. Second-best is the beta version of http://maps.google.com Try them out, using the addresses below!

Music Report for Jan. 19, 2005 - Elena's Birthday

Hi Friends, just a note to keep you in touch. Remember that tonight (Wednesday) is jam night at Kennesaw Billiards. That's a nice, roomy venue that treats us well and we want to make it as successful as possible. The band is hot, even if the weather isn't. Directions are at the bottom of this email.

Last night at The North End turned into another epic showcloser, in keeping with owner Elena's birthday. Greg High, Keith Barnhart, Mike Hinton, Gates Nichols, Theron Peterson and I spent the last half hour (overtime) going hawg-wild on stuff ranging from Joe Walsh to Deep Purple (closing with "Highway Star", if you can believe that!). The electricity, the skill, the sheer telepathic connection between the players was incredible! Stuff we never imagined we could do was pouring out of us. My sympathies to our friends who left too soon. I hope Tweek got it all recorded - he's been recording in preparation for making CDs of the live performances at The North End. Ask for current status of that project next time you visit.

Mike "Cathead" Nunn has put together a beautiful full-color poster for The North End jams, featuring photos of various performers. We'd love to have you take one and hang it in your office or other public place. Please ask. Mike's company does graphic arts for advertising agencies and other clients, and they do fabulous work!

-------------------------------------
Here's a note from another friend of mine, Pat Dennis, who I highly recommend you check out. A true master musician, Pat plays a multi-instrument solo act. If you're anywhere near one of his shows, check him out.

Hi ya'll, I'm still at DeGrouchy's Main Street Cafe in Canton, across from the theatre, every Wednesday from 6:00 - 9:00. the food is excellent and they have a full bar.

I'm playing piano, guitar and alto sax to all your favorite songs. We have been slow, as most places have been, so I'd really like to see there.

Bring your wife or girlfriend, but not both.

See you at the Main St. Cafe.

Pat

After the restaurant I recommend Kennesaw Billiards where my friends George Price, and Larry Griffin will be playing. We were there a couple of weeks ago and they were great. The Club at Kennesaw Billiards Kennesaw Promenade on Cherokee St. (Wade Green Rd.) 9PM-1AM
--------------------------------------------
And finally, here's a list of the weekly jams I'm involved with:

Mondays: Crystal's On The Square
southeast corner of the old square, Marietta http://www.crystalsonthesquare.com/bandschedule.html
9PM-1AM

Tuesdays: The North End Pub & Grill
5970 Atlanta Hwy (Hwy 9 at McFarland Rd.)
Alpharetta, GA 30004 678-867-6750
http://www.thenorthendga.com
8:30-12:30 (but sometimes jams on until closing)
GOOD food, kitchen open until 2AM!

Wednesdays: The Club at Kennesaw Billiards 770-514-9900
Kennesaw Promenade on Cherokee St. (Wade Green Rd.)
3600 Cherokee Street Northwest Suite 107 Kennesaw, GA 30144
9PM-1AM

Music Report for Jan. 5, 2005

This is another year, and we're having another series of great jams at the North End Pub & Grill. Last night was a great one, in that we had a sudden surplus of THREE hot keyboard players who kept things smokin' all evening. Add to all that the talents of recording artists Barry Richman, Andrew Black, Jon Schwenke, Greg High, and more than a dozen other performers and you know we had an explosive mixture! Also, at Andrew's suggestion we sent the tip bucket around to collect donations for the tsunami relief fund. The house band also agreed to throw in all of our tips, for a total of $92 that will go to charity (probably UNICEF, I'll be researching the best choice later today).

Missed that one? Too bad, see you next Tuesday. But wait, there's also a hot Wednesday night jam we're building up at The Club in Kennesaw Billiards. That one features Larry Griffith, Jon Schwenke, Ricky Fargo and myself, in a nice big room with a dance floor and not too much smoke.

If you miss the Wednesday jam, Monday will be rolling back around far too soon anyway, but at least we can boogie your blues away at Crystal's in Marietta (also featuring Larry, Jon & Ricky).

So, we've got ya pretty much covered - come see us to get rid of those pesky early-week blahs. See you soon!

Mondays:
Crystal's On The Square
southeast corner of the old square, Marietta
9PM-1AM

Tuesdays:
The North End Pub & Grill
Hwy 9 & McFarland, Alpharetta
9PM-1AM

Wednesdays:
The Club at Kennesaw Billiards
Kennesaw Promenade on Cherokee St. (Wade Green Rd.)
9PM-1AM

If you have any questions, please feel free to call or write me.

Best New Year Wishes,
George Price

Music Report for Dec. 17, 2004 - Holiday Superjam

Hi Friends, if you've been to any of the Tuesday jams at The North End you know how good they have been. Well, they're about to get better! We have a special event coming this Tuesday, Dec. 21st, as our old friend Jimmy Dormire of Confederate Railroad will be back in town. If you don't know Confederate Railroad, you haven't been paying attention to country music - they've earned lots of awards and nominations (including Grammy) and multi-platinum album sales. Jimmy is a scorching guitarist in all styles, and we'll be havin' a big time. Don't miss out!

More about Confederate Railroad: http://www.confederaterailroad.net (read the "About" section) or just Google 'em and see how many hits you get...

Add this talent to the fine house band I'm privileged to work with (drummer Theron Peterson and bassist/keyboardist Gates Nichols, also of Confederate Railroad) and all the talented guests who've become regulars there (Andrew Black and Barry Richman, among many others) and you can see it's gonna be spectacular!

Our soundmeister, Tweak (also of Confederate Railroad) has gotten the stage and the room to sound really good, and has been experimenting with digital recording of the music there. He tells me he has fancy new recording gear on the way. If it arrives in time, this evening may just turn into a live CD, and it'll be a good one.

Now, to my guitar and bass students - I know most of you are still under 21, but I've checked and it's OK for you to come out with your parents and enjoy the show. Some of you may even get a chance to play with us. We're starting this special evening at 8PM, and there's no school the next day. C'mon out, I want you to see this up close, meet the players, and see how we do things.

OH, and be sure to try the food! I'm not kidding, it is WAY above average, and the kitchen stays open late.

The North End Pub & Grill
5970 Atlanta Hwy (Hwy 9 at McFarland Rd.)
Alpharetta, GA 30004 678-867-6750
http://www.thenorthendga.com

Super Easy Directions: From the south, come up 400 to McFarland Rd (exit 12). Turn left across 400 and go until the road Ts into Highway 9 (Atlanta Hwy). You're there. From Gwinnett, come in on Hwy 20, turn south on 400, and go two exits to McFarland and turn right. From other directions, adapt what I just said. Here's a map: http://tinyurl.com/555vg

That's enough for now - I have another very cool jam to tell you about at Kennesaw Billiards on Wednesday nights, but I'll save that for another post.

best holiday wishes,
George Price

Mike Martin goes Bigtime!

Hello Friends,
This is a note about my friend and sometimes mentor Mike Martin. If you haven't heard him, you're about to. Mike is an amazing player in every genre - jazz, classical, rock, whatever - but has somehow been overlooked and underutilized. That appears to be about to change. He's been picked up by some bigtime rockers, and will be getting a lot more exposure for his formidable skills. You'll even have a chance to catch him on TV, so get your blank tape ready. Please check this note out from one of my true guitar heroes.

-------------------------
Mike's Notes December 2nd, 2004

Hello everyone! There has been much activity going on around here. I apologize for the delay in sending out the newsletter but things have really been just that busy! So without further ado, here's the news:

FOZZY
Over the past couple of months I have been offered the lead guitar post with the heavy metal group known as FOZZY. For those of you who know about the group, not much is needed to be said. For those of you scratching your heads wondering about the words "heavy metal" in a Mike Martin email, let me explain....

FOZZY is a great rock band that is basically comprised of members from Salem Ash and Stuck Mojo. Both groups are old friends of mine from years ago when I first moved to the fair city of Atlanta. The lead singer for the group is the internationally famous wrestler Chris Jericho. (this is about the time I expect many of you to really be wondering if I have lost my mind!)

Fear Not! I actually started my career as a shredder from back in the day. I was a little too young to get a chance to take advantage of the post 80's rock debauchery but my love for all things Jazz, Classical and Jimi Hendrix kept me busy!

For those of you not familiar with heavy rock, Stuck Mojo was, in my humble opinion, one of the BEST modern heavy bands to come out of the
90's. It is my absolute pleasure to get to play guitar with Rich Ward and the guys in this project. I have been blessed to play with some of the finest musicians in my career. No matter what style of music I have been called to perform, I have lucked into playing with the best. FOZZY is no exception to that.

For more info on all things FOZZY and Rich Ward please check out these links:

www.fozzyrock.com
www.thedukerocks.com

Both sites have full bios and pictures so you can get a sense of the history that is here.

The Big News
Playing for FOZZY means some pretty cool stuff
1. MTV music video shot in San Diego a couple of weeks ago soon to be in rotation.
2. World Tour. We will be playing all over the US, Europe, Japan and Australia in 2005 to support the release of "all that remains" due in stores January 18th, 2005
3. Performing on national television

That's right. Live on TV.

This monday, december 6th, on the SPIKE channel, we will be appearing live on the WWE RAW program. The show starts at 9:00pm so tune in and check me out with the FOZ!

We are also doing a run of the southeast over the next two weeks:

"The Fall That Remains Tour 2004"

Monday, November 29
Baltimore, MD
Thunder Dome
3612 Hanover Street
410-354-4700
All Ages
$9.98
Doors - 8:00PM

Friday, December 3
Playground Bar
873 Broad St
Augusta, GA 30901
706-951-6924
$10 - 21+
Support Act - American Devils

Saturday, December 4
The Jinx Nightclub
127 W Congress
Savannah, GA 31401
912-236-2281
10 Adv / 12DOS 21+
Support - Murder Junkies

Monday, December 6
Amos' Southend
1423 South Tryon Street
Charlotte, NC 28203
704-377-6874
$10
Support - American Devils

Friday, December 10
Soho
5751 Milgen Road
Columbus, GA 31907
706-568-3316
$10 - 21+
Support Act - American Devils

Saturday, December 11
Rivalry's
3986 Northside Drive
Macon, GA 31210
478-474-6684
$12, $10 w/WWE ticket stub
18+
Support - Camelspur

Sunday, December 12
Rhythm and Brews
221 Market Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402
423-267-4644
$10 18+
Support - A


If we are coming to a town near you please stop in for a great show!

The Mike Martin Trio will still be performing around Atlanta and the southeast as my schedule permits. We will be recording a cd this winter with a scheduled release for spring of 2005. In between tour responsibilities for FOZZY and Rich Ward I will be touring to support my cd.

www.mikemartin.net will be getting a facelift in the coming weeks too so please check back for updates! In the meantime, here are some sound clips for your enjoyment:
http://www.allrightnow.com/fws/news.htm#Mike_Martin_091904

I hope to see you at the shows and that you enjoy the RAW performance on monday. You can send any and all feedback or comments to me by replying to this email and I promise I will read them all!

Thank you for you continued support!

Peace and Love,
Mike Martin
www.mikemartin.net

Music Report for Dec. 1, 2004 - New Jam Venue: Kennesaw Billiards

Hi Friends, I told you Larry Griffith would get us a Wednesday gig soon, and sure enough he did. The new venue is Kennesaw Billiards (a.k.a. KBs) and it's located logically enough in Kennesaw.

Kennesaw Billiards 770-514-9900
3600 Cherokee Street Northwest Suite 107
Kennesaw, GA 30144

Take I-75 to Wade Green Rd, exit 273. Turn west (probably your left, unless you're coming from north of there). Go until Wade Green becomes Cherokee St. NW. You should see Kennesaw Billiards at the corner of Cherokee and McCollum Pkwy NW. (This is unverified, I'm using MapQuest.com, but should be OK.)

Also, we still have the jams on Monday nights at Crystal's On The Square in Marietta, and Tuesdays at The North End (Hwy 9 & McFarland Rd.) and both of those jams are drawing major talent and good crowds. The Tuesday jam was EPIC last night, and soundmeister Tweak has begun experimenting with multi-track recordings of the jams. What he got last night was great, I think with a bit of mixdown it could go right to CD. Many thanks to Andrew Black, Barry Richman, Steve Mays, Mike Hinton, and other guests for a stellar show!

Gotta run, more updates later. I've just returned from a great trip to Memphis with the Elvis trio (Harold Shulz & Franklin Bunn) and have cool stories to tell. I also have 21 shows in the next 31 days to tell you about, but I still have a few nights unused so book me while you can.

Remember, the last thing I want to do is burden you with unwanted spam, so if you don't want to hear from me I promise I will remove you from my mass mailing list upon request.

best wishes,
George Price

FLASH: New Jam Venue - Crystal's

Hello friends,
Larry Griffith just called with two more jam nights, to replace the one we lost when Fee-Lay Gumbo closed.

Mondays at 9PM at Crystal's On The Square in Marietta. Crystal's is very easy to find, it is on the main square as the name implies. No, they don't serve teensy hamburgers on yeasty buns. They do serve up a good time. We start there tonight, I hope to see you there.

Crystal's
150 Roswell St NE Marietta (770) 792-8840
For map & directions: http://tinyurl.com/6wxt3

He also has one in the works for Wednesdays, but nothing final yet. This being a holiday week we don't know quite yet whether it would start this week anyway. I'll keep you informed.

I mentioned in my previous email, which about 75% of you received, that my trip with Lola to play at Buddy Guy's Legends in Chicago resulted in her getting a record deal with Alligator Records. If you're interested, and didn't get that story, let me know and I'll send you a copy. I also mentioned that I'm beginning a new method of sending out emails - the method works, but the first program I tried was not so good. I'm now trying WorldCast, let me know if you have any troubles with it, or if you just want to be removed from the email lists (which I'm in the process of refining).

best wishes,
George Price

Music Report for Nov. 22, 2004 - YES! We got a record deal!

Hello Friends, Before the big news, this disclaimer: This is the first time I'm using a new method of emailing. It is supposed to help me consolidate & clean up my email lists, and I will of course remove anyone who tells me they don't want to hear from me. If you get multiple emails (you shouldn't) or see any other rough edges on the process, please let me know so I can make everything right. Thanks!

As many of you know, I went up to Chicago this weekend to play with Lola at Buddy Guy's Legends club on Friday. This was to be a showcase for Legends, for Alligator Records, and for a few other invited dignitaries. Unfortunately, we didn't actually get to play with Buddy as he had an early flight out to Florida for a show there on Saturday, but he was very nice to us and was kind enough to sign our guitars and a couple Legends t-shirts. We were told, however, that he did something very unusual when we played; he left his usual perch at the end of the bar and came around to the showroom to watch, and that we should take that as a great compliment. So, I do. The show felt good, but it was all over much too soon. After we played, we got lots of nice compliments from the patrons & staff, and Bruce Iglauer, president of Alligator Records, asked Lola for a meeting the next day. The next day, we dropped her off and waited. And waited. The tension was thick. When she came back, she told us she had The Deal!

What all this means for Lola and the rest of the band isn't certain yet, and Lola has been reluctant to give us much detail, but I do know I'll be lit up for a week. As new information comes to me, I'll keep you informed. Meanwhile, you better come to our shows while you can still get up close! *chuckle*

Links:
http://www.alligator.com
http://www.lolagulley.biz
http://www.buddyguys.com

Also, a couple reminders about the Atlanta jam scene: our beloved Wednesday nights at Fee-Lay Gumbo are no more, the restaurant closed its doors last week. If you were one of our Wednesday friends, please don't waste a trip out there. I haven't heard from Larry Griffith yet if he has something else in the works for Wednesday, but if he does get another gig lined up I'll sure let you know.

Meanwhile, there is a HOT NEW JAM at The North End in north Alpharetta, at the corner of McFarland Rd and Hwy 9. It's supposed to be a bluesy jam, but as you know, "things happen" when musicians follow their muse. The host band consists of me, Theron Peterson on drums, vocals and harmonica, and Gates Nichols (of Confederate Railroad) on bass and keys. The sound is kept sweet by Tweek (also of Confederate Railroad) who makes the stage a joy to play on, and to listen to.

Recent guests have included Andrew Black, Barry Richman, Greg High, John McKnight, Terry Bradford, Mike Hinton, Brad Jeter, Lara Polangco, Leszek Wawer and more. The performances have been epic! They will be back, and more players are coming out as word spreads.

Oh, and the FOOD! Everything I've tried so far has been way too good, and quite filling. Come hungry and enjoy. Lots of nice beverages too.

Players, bring your instrument (except drums, of course). We have a couple amps, but you can bring your own if you like. Listeners, just relax and have fun with us. No cover charge. We start playing about 8:30, and bringing the guest artists up after the first set.

Super Easy Directions: From the south, come up 400 to McFarland Rd (exit 12 I think). Turn left across 400 and go until the road Ts into Highway 9. You're there. From Gwinnett, come in on Hwy 20, turn south on 400, and go two exits to McFarland and turn right. From other directions, adapt what I just said. Here's a map: http://tinyurl.com/6nxtc

That's all the news for now. Please feel free to forward this to anyone who might enjoy a good time.

best wishes,
George Price

Music Report for Nov. 17, 2004 - Fee-Lay Gumbo CLOSED

It is my sad duty to report that Fee-Lay Gumbo has closed, so no jams there tonight. To all those who came out and played with us, or just hung out with us there, thanks for the good times. Now stay tuned, I'll be letting you know about any new jam gigs.

I'm still doing the Tuesday jams at The North End (corner of Hwy 9 and McFarland Rd in north Alpharetta), and those jams have been EPIC! Just ask Andrew Black, Barry Richman or Greg High what we did after midnight last night.
*chuckle*

I look forward to seeing you all again soon.

George Price

PS, please forward this to other jamgoers promptly to save them a trip tonight.

Music Report for Nov. 15, 2004 - New Venue

Hi Friends,

There's finally something cool going on in the Alpharetta-Cumming area.

I'm hosting a new jam at The North End in north Alpharetta, at the corner of McFarland Rd and Atlanta Hwy (Hwy 9). It's supposed to be a bluesy jam, but as you know, "things happen" when musicians follow their muse. The host band consists of me, Theron Peterson on drums, vocals and harmonica, and Gates Nichols (of Confederate Railroad) on bass. The sound is kept sweet by Tweek (also of Confederate Railroad) who makes the stage a joy to play on, and to listen to.

Recent guests have included Andrew Black, Barry Richman, Greg High, Terry Bradford, Mike Hinton, Brad Jeter, Lara Polangco, Leszek Wawer and more. The performances have been epic! They will be back, and more players are coming out as word spreads.

Oh, and the FOOD! Everything I've tried so far has been way too good, and quite filling. Come hungry and enjoy. Lots of nice beverages too.

Players, bring your instrument (except drums, of course). We have a couple amps, but you can bring your own if you like. Listeners, just relax and have fun with us. No cover charge. We start playing about 8:30, and bringing the guest artists up after the first set.

Super Easy Directions: From the south, come up 400 to McFarland Rd (exit 12 I think). Turn left across 400 and go until the road Ts into Highway 9. You're there. From Gwinett, come in on Hwy 20, turn south on 400, and go two exits to McFarland. From other directions, adapt what I just said. Here's a map:
http://tinyurl.com/6nxtc

Please feel free to forward this to anyone who might enjoy a good time.

best wishes,
George Price

PS, as for my other gigs, I'm still also playing Wednesday jams with Larry Griffith at Fee-Lay Gumbo (near Town Center Mall on I-75, see http://www.feelaygumbo.com). This weekend I'll be doing some Chicago gigs with Lola, including opening for (and possibly playing with) Buddy Guy. Last night we (Lola) took 2nd in the Atlanta qualifiers for the International Blues Challenge. So close! Next weekend, I'll be with the Elvis trio (http://www.webspawner.com/users/convertible) doing a few shows in Memphis on the Memphis Queen riverboat. Other gigs come & go, I'll keep you notified if something extra cool comes up. I hope to see you all soon!

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"Force without wisdom falls of its own weight."
-- Horace, Roman poet and satirist
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Amazing fact: CNN reported on 7/27/04 that the "peaceful transition" in Iraq is going so well that the USA is running out of bullets, and is buying them from Britain and Israel.
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Remember, the 9/11 attackers weren't Afghani, nor Iraqi. They were Saudi. If you want to fight terror, buy less petroleum.

New Jam Venue: Blackjack Grill

Dear Friends, I'll be opening a new open mic jam night with Larry Griffith at Blackjack Grill on Thursdays at 8PM, starting this week on April Fool's day. We'd love to have you come out and enjoy the evening with us. The Blackjack Grill is between Roswell and Marietta on East Piedmont Road at Hwy 120 (Roswell Rd. NE), in the Publix shopping center.

Blackjack Grill
1050 E. Piedmont Rd. Marietta 30062
770-971-4222

So, I'm hosting jams at Blue Moon Pizza on Mondays with Larry Griffith, Wednesdays at Darwin's with Lola, and Thursdays with Larry again at Blackjack. I also have various weekend bookings, usually with South River Band. Plenty of chances to come out & party. The Monday and Thursday jams are in restaurants, so they're family friendly, relatively smokeless and early.

After the April 1st show, I'll be taking a week off for spring break. You may see me frolic on the beach in the upcoming video, "Grumpy Old Men Gone Wild" (not sold to minors). No lessons or shows that week.

Best wishes, George

(Please feel free to forward this to anyone who might enjoy a good time. And about that video... April Fool!)