Joshua Tree Association of Musicians and Songwriters

A division of New Moon Records

PO Box 203

Joshua Tree, CA 92252

www.new-moon-records.com

 

Gig reports and editorial comments for the week Dec 20, 2006

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Hey, Hey, Hey-

 

Well, the Winter solstice is tomorrow.  The silence is descending on us.  I love this time of year, it is the most inward time.  It gets me so introverted I feel like hiding from people.  I hope the season is pleasant and supportive to you.  I hope you find what you need in the silence of his time of the year.

 

Here is an excerpt from our family Christmas letter that we sent out this year, this pertains to the ideas in this newsletter:

 

(music) Playing hillbilly music has been a revelation to me. After working all my life to promote my music and myself (with limited success) it is so amazing to play music that everyone likes. The phone rings regularly to book the band with no promotional effort on my part. Audiences that I previously had to shock and hustle for attention, now are quiet and attentive and appreciative (or dancing in the aisles). There is magic in playing music that is entirely from the heart, and people understand it! The biggest mistake I made in the past as a musician was to underestimate my audience. Just because folks listen to the (common denominator/mass appeal) stuff on the radio and TV doesn’t mean that they can’t appreciate something real when they hear it. I might add that Damian has upgraded the group by joining us on acoustic bass. He plays with so much character. I hear the hillbillies in my family’s past speaking through him.

 

Please check out the New Yorker article in the Political supplement, ‘Can social scientists redefine the “war on terror”?’ This is the best thing I have seen to illustrate both the ineptitude of our administration and the possibilities that exist for more intelligent leaders.

 

Dat’s all for now.

 

Work like you don’t need the money.
Love like you’ve never been hurt.
Dance like nobody’s watching.
Sing like nobody’s listening.
Stay in tune.

 

Da prez

 

“Skepticism is the first step toward truth.”-a controversial editorial by my good friend Dave Deming that landed him in front of a senate sub-committee and got him a lot of hate mail …see JAMS Environmental Supplement

 

…Can social scientists redefine the “war on terror”? …“President Wants to Increase Size of Armed Forces”…see JAMS Political Supplement

 

Garrison Keiller’s Christmas letter, also, “fed-up citizens and social activists from across the world are inviting everyone to take part in Buy Nothing Christmas”…see JAMS Attachment

Al is not here this week- no ‘announcements’

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***gig reports***

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Water Canyon Coffee Company –Yucca Valleys’ music café

Music now Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat…

Yucca Valley at 55844 29 Palms Highway.  760 365 7771

 

This week on the Water Canyon Stage

 

Tuesday evening 6-9PM

Kenny’s Brown Bag Session

 

Thursday Night Songwriting, Poetry , and Rhythm Club 7-9PM

***Sponsored by the Sunrunner***

Winter Solstice Celebration- Angelique, Penny Seator, Sunshine, Tom Merritt  read, Johnny Ray Martin plays+ other special guests

 

Friday Night 7-9PM

Tim Easton

 

Saturday Brunch set 11AM-1PM

Clive Wright

 

Saturday Evening set 8-10PM

Alice and Albert

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Harriet’s “The Bar Where Everyone Falls Off The Wagon”

 

Thursday, Dec 21, 2006 Classic Rock with Biker Larry and The Black Rope 7 pm Biker Larry and The Black Rope would be the band that is playing in the bar scene in the first Star Wars Movie.

 

Friday Dec 22nd, 2006 The Hot Rod’s Xmas Party! 7 pm

Do you remember rock n roll radio? Thats what The Hot Rods are all about –

 

LATE NIGHT SHOW DEC 22 with Brant Bjork and The Bros! 11pm Brant Bjork . . .desert boogieman decided to find a band to back his trip. 

 

Saturday, Dec 23rd, 2006 The Shadow Mountain Band 5pm- 7 pm

The Hot Rods X-Mas Party! 730pm

 

Sunday, Dec 24th Open 11am-5pm

 

MONDAY DEC 25th CLOSED MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

Saturday Dec 30 The Shadow Mountain Band / Dead Rock West

5-7 pm The Shadow Mountain Band! Folk/hillbilly/Americana group

7 pm - With a name like Dead Rock West, you’d be correct in assuming there are occasional country and folk influences, but really thats just touching on the bands capabilities.

 

Sunday Dec 31 Celebrate New Years Eve with The SIN CITY ALL-STARS!!! $50. per person 7 pm - Moonbeams and Moonshine! -includes a DELICIOUS 4 course dinner (TBA), champagne toast and the best damn band in the land!! Make your reservations now!!

 

Monday, January 1st, 2007!! Celebrate New Years Day AND The Thrift Store All Stars ONE YEAR ANNINVERSARY Pajama Party!!!

* Last New Years Day The All Stars took the stage at Pappy’s for the very first time! Since then, Sundays have become “the new Saturdays” at Pappy’s. “Sunday Church,” as we like to call it, has attracted such artists like; Robert Plant, Shelby Lynne, Calexico and many more.. .Start the new year off with a big fat smile on your face!

 

Full details- www.myspace.com/pappyandharriets  for ALL upcoming shows and any other info you may need.. 760 365 5956 PandHPALACE@aol.com 

Please Visit www.pappyandharriets.com 

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ONE OF THE HOTTEST ACTS TO HIT OUR VALLEY, “WARSAW” WILL PLAY THE WATER CANYON ON THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS, DEC 26, STARTS 8PM, ADMISSION  $10.00

 

The intermission will be played by South African “JonZulu and Izits” who will sing in both English and Zulu. This band will also feature International guitarist “Clive Wright”. facewaves@earthlink.net

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HIGH DESERT POET SHAWN MAFIA TO PERFORM AT PALM SPRINGS ART MUSEUM’S FREE COMMUNITY THURSDAY NIGHT ON DECEMBER 21, 2006!

 

On Thursday, December 21, 2006 the Palm Springs Art Museum’s LIVE OUT LOUD Poetry Series will feature a performance by high desert poet Shawn Mafia. Mafia, known for reading his dark noir poetry accompanied by equally moody tunes, will read from a variety of current works. Some pieces will be enhanced by members of his band The Ten Cent Thrills. The reading will take place at 6 p.m. in ZONE 101 at the Art Museum and coffee will be provided by Palm Springs Koffi. Admission is free.

 

For more information, call 760.325.7186 or visit us online at psmuseum.org.

 

For more information on Shawn Mafia, visit www.shawnmafia.com.

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Radio 60 upcoming schedule…. Friday, December 22, Patti & Beav’s, 35-756 Date Palm Drive, Cathedral City, Ca., 92234, 760-770-7335, 7pm-11pm…Saturday, December 23, Duke’s Steakhouse, 360 N. San Jacinto Avenue, Hemet, Ca., 92544, 951-929-7060, 9pm-1am.…Call Greg Veach at 760-831-9805 for info and bookings…

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Hello Folks! The Midwinter Night’s Yeow! concert series has taken a year off in 2007, but two acts from the popular show are playing a couple of dates, in the spirit of the season.

Sourdough Slim will be joined by the Saddle Pals, with help from the Faux Renwahs for a fast paced evening brimming with humor and harmony.

Hope To See You There!!

Saturday, December 16, 2006  At the Sutter Creek Theatre Sourdough Slim and the Saddle Pals with the Faux Renwahs http://www.suttercreektheater.com/index.shtml

Purchase Tickets: 866.463.8659 or 209.295.6440 Events Line: 209.267.1070 or toll free 877.547.6518

Saturday, January 13, 2007 At the Westside Theatre in Newman, CA. Sourdough Slim and the Saddle Pals with the Faux Renwahs

 

If you’ve never been there check out this popular venue, a nicely refurbished old moviehouse, now a nightclub. Comortable atmosphere with full bar and snacks.

 

You will find it on the Web at: http://westsidetheatre.org/calendar.html.

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I am playing some shows over the next few weeks- so get the gang together and haul down to one of these fine establishments!

 

Tue, Dec 26th 2006  8:00 pm  Nectar Lounge  Seattle, WA  Map  Opening for Intervision 5 from Portland. www.intervision5.com My Seattle return!

 

Sat, Jan 13th 2007  7:30 pm  Cafe Enchante  Huntington Beach, CA  Map  Finally playing a gig in Huntington at the neighborhood haunt! Wed, Jan 17th 2007  9:00 pm  Prince O’ Whales  Playa Del Rey, CA  Map  Back in Playa for one more round.

 

I hope you all are enjoying the hustle and bustle… I know this time of year is a mixed bag, but my advice (like you really wanted it anyway)? Enjoy every moment you can and be thankful you’re alive. I know I am. Rock n roll y’all. – Trevor

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Beatnik - Visit www.jtbeat.com

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Kokopelli’s Go to www.myspace.com/kokopelliskantina 369-6660

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Folks, as you know, we solicit gig reports and comments from musicians about what they are doing. If you crave info about other events and reports from venues, I suggest you check out the Sun Blast, Edited and published by my friend Steve Brown.

The Sun Blast is a free, weekly e-mail newsletter produced by The Sun Runner Magazine, and distributed on Thursday evenings.  It contains listings for arts and entertainment events in the hi-desert for that Friday through the next Thursday, as well as some of the major events of other desert areas.  More detailed listings are available in the Calendar section of www.thesunrunner.com. To sign up for the Sun Blast, visit www.thesunrunner.com.  It’s free, easy, and fun. For those who don’t know The Sun Runner Magazine, it is The Magazine of California Desert Life & Culture, based in 29 Palms, and entering its 13th year of publication.

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A DIFFERENT KIND OF MUSIC - EXTREMELY WORTHWHILE EVENTS

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The current show at The Hi-Desert Playhouse is the perennial Christmas favorite, “A Christmas Carol”. Complete with live orchestra and a large cast this faithful rendition of Charles Dickens’ story opened on Friday last and runs up to Christmas.

 

“A Christmas Carol” is on stage Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons through December 23rd. For information and tickets call the Hi-Desert Box Office on 366-3777 or go to hidesertplayhouse.com …Graham Williams

sold-out shows give way to added christmas carol matinee

cast of over 60 actors and musicians haunt the playhouse pleasantly

 

JOSHUA TREE, CA The Hi-Desert Playhouse is announcing an added show due to the unprecedented success of Byron Tidwell’s “A Christmas Carol” now playing at the Hi-Desert Playhouse through December 23rd. Performances are this Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm, along with a special added holiday matinee this Saturday at 2:30 pm. To order tickets, call the Box Office at 760.366.3777, or order tickets online at hidesertplayhouse.com using the new, easy-to-use Vendini ticketing system where you can select your specific seat and print your tickets in advance.

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James Hammons’ art has gallery space at Route 62 in Yucca Valley. He will be displaying mixed medium (gold leaf, watercolor, acrylic, oil) originals, signed framed prints, and signed prints.

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Mixed Media by Luther Broome will be on display through February 3rd at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum.

 

 

 

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JAMS Announcements-

NOW POSTED AS AN ATTACHMENT FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE

(And mine)

*note, since our attachments editor, Al, doesn’t stay up as late as I do, we will have to cut off announcements for the week at noon on Tuesday.

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comments

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I must admit that the concert at the Integratron was one of the best concert’s I’ve attended in recent memory. It was my first time inside the dome, and I was blown away by the sound. The audience was silent, no amplification upstairs, and Chris and Thomas were amazing…some of the most beautiful duet work I’ve ever witnessed.  Was an evening of acoustic perfection the way it was meant to be. Sound traveled directly from the performers voices and instruments into the listener’s ear without any type of manipulation or distortion. And Tim was great, as usual, with the added benefit of being able to hear every nuance of his playing. Johnny Ray

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And Merrrry Christmas ….!!

…..from Surreal World just west of Mt. Shasta.  This is where Santa actually comes from I’m pretty sure.  There are odd lights at night.

What else…oh, Max is sizing up the camera for its nutritional value.  I understand it’s about the same as a package of Top Ramen, maybe a little less toxic.

..And please accept from us Lord Buckley’s summary of a good life:

“Pure existence, it’s such a gas!”

Al, Ann and Max

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Hi there, This is our latest goings-ons at the Palms.

For more about this see our Blog at http://www.myspace.com/thesibleys

 

The Palms is a paradox. Early in the evening Chad and his cool buds set up a turntable and a Mac laptop system plugged into the PA: pumped out some good obscure tunes, that sounded like a meaty club sandwich of the Greatful Dead, Lou Reed and the Harlem Boys Choir, stacked onto one ’70’s grooving plate. I didn’t have time to ask him what the name of the recording was, but it was vintage-arcane-cool–a preamble vibe. The Bar was packed with all sorts of people, that traveled far and some surely crawled in from the night before. Out back, a fire blazed sans our patio funiture, like some of the other Wonderfests. It must have been too cool for our local pyros. If you want to see a whole bunch of famous people, you have go to a really remote place, like The Palms, where magic and wonder can be glimpsed if not immediately known. One had the feeling new pages were being written in Wonder Valley. A Saturday night of many friends, hanger-ons, LA fashionistas, and in general, young beautiful people and local starved skinny wonderites. If they weren’t famous you couldn’t really tell anyway, the crowd smelled nice, extremely skinny: girls wore tight Eskimo clothes and dudes donned 1870’s fur trapper attire. If you were from Wonder Valley, there is the all-season methadone look that, in the right light, never goes out of fashion, young or old. The two camps met on the dance floor, beer in hand, video-phone in the other. An extra cute girl bought a case of Corona from the bar and opened them all on one table and set up a temporary Corona Aid station for those who didn’t have a beer. A few birthdays were being celebrated, our own James Sibley sang happy birthday during our set for b-dayers and to himself. We started our set with “Born in a Bar.” There was a great crowd, our other birthday celebrator Chris Robinson, singer for the Black Crowes was incognito there in the bearded crowd everyone was a bit vague and unsure which skinny dude with a beard he was. The Black Crowes huge, tastefully discreet yacht-like tour bus flanked the building in the jam packed parking lot. The Sibleys knocked out a few tunes, the crowd gyrated on the dance floor. When the Jam Band made up of Chris Robinson and our friend Chad and some the other members of the Crowes hit the stage sometime had passed before they got all those guitar amps up there! They cleaved some old blues numbers and country classics, Gene Vincent and other glories of Americana, the crowd loved them, Chris’s soulful voice compelled people to either stand there trace like or dance with anyone around, they showed there really is no division of people when it comes music lovers, young, old, desert, city, it didn’t matter where you came from the point is you where there! When the band announced they needed tequila Mom brought them up a whole bottle of Cuervo, which they drank with gusto. Everyone took the music with them and the magic of a special night in Wonder Valley. Laura

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Nice to talk with you! Thanks for the address. Here’s the info on Summersongs:

 

Summersongs is a songwriting camp for adults interested in songwriting. We have all levels of ability, from beginners who write their first song at camp, to advanced. Penny Nichols started Summersongs on the East Coast to create a supportive community for songwriters. She wanted to feed the songwriters who, in turn, feed their communities. In my experience she has been supremely successful. I get inspired and nurtured as an artist at Summersongs. I write new songs every time I go, as the air is thick with inspiration, and I get to hear so many wonderful songs. I go home all fired up and happy as can be.

 

Summersongs West, is now located at Zaca Lake, the only natural lake in Santa Barbara County. It is a beautiful, spring-fed lake, rich in history and legend. The retreat center there has lodges, cabins, and jacuzzis. $349.00 pays for food, lodging, and all classes over the weekend. We are expecting 30-40 people, and will sell out at 80, so reserve your space while there are still openings left.

 

Wintersongs West will be  happening the last weekend in January, and it’s a great introduction to the Summersongs experience. It starts on a Friday afternoon, and ends Monday morning.

 

Here’s the web address, where you can register:

 

http://www.summersongs.com/

 

 

The Summersongs atmosphere is rich in inspiration and support. It is a non-profit organization, founded for songwriters.There’s no heirarchy or separation between students and teachers, the feeling there is that we are all in this together, and we are all teaching eachother, and in this aspect alone, it is a unique music camp experience. I had a strong feeling of homecoming and felt that I had finally found my tribe the first time I went. I have been hooked ever since, and an active member of the West Coast Summersongs community. We have monthly song circle gatherings to share new material and support. I reccommend it most highly!

 

Love and peace to you this holiday, Rebecca Troon

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Season’s Greetings - and wishing you a beautiful 2007.

 

“Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering. There’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in. ” — Leonard Cohen

 

Peace! Janet

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The Three Year Anniversary- Tom Merritt

 

Wave goodbye to our year three

Of songwriting, rhythm and poetry

For Thursday nights have come alive,

With words and notes and all that jive

 

We have created an environment

Of fellowship where hours are spent

With bards and musicians galore

And every week there’s something more.

 

Sort of like pulling a rabbit out of the hat

And we have Steve Lester to thank for that

If you’re a musician it’s a safe bet

He’ll hit you up to do a set.

 

Bard’s have come from far and near

In hope’s that we will lend an ear

And hear the words they have to speak

And come and listen again next week

 

Thank you Steve and Darlene for being there

And creating a place where people can share

Their gifts and talents and works of self

Instead of them sitting unshared on a shelf

 

Another three years is what we seek

On every Thursday of the week

With people gathered there to meet

Who are now known as the cultural elite.

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Thanks, Tom

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We’re looking for a full time sales person.  If you know someone you can recommend, send ‘em our way.  Fax resume to 760-365-2119

 

Salary plus commission $30,000-$50,000 per year average Grp medical and dental Paid Holidays and vacation

5 days per week, 9 am-6pm  Off Sundays and 1 other day M-F

 

Steve Tharp

 

“your oasis of quality since 1979″

Kelly’s Future 57220 29 Palms Hwy. Yucca Valley, USA 92284 760.365.4957

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I have the following for sale:

 

Gibson Hound Dog spider cone dont have a case or bag for it http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Dobro-Hound-Dog-Resophonic- Guitar?sku=517823 $800 had it about a year

 

-Gibson Les Paul Jr http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Gibson-Les-Paul-Junior-Electric- Guitar?sku=517341 with gig bag . couple years old played very little $650.00

 

-SKB Les Paul Case $80

Walt Young…. youngwalt@earthlink.net 

 

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BMI is the home to the greatest songwriters in the world… from Willie Nelson to Eminem, from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Kanye and Juanes. And, nobody speaks louder than BMI when it comes to rights, royalties and resources. We can help you get a handle on the business of the business and turn new media into new money.
BMI - More Power To YOU! welcometobmi.com

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da prez is has been a BMI songwriter since the 60s, and a BMI publisher since the late 70s

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The Cynthia Bug Off Contest
Fire up your synthesizers and challenge yourself to record a wild and crazy piece of electronic music. Then, enter your composition (up to three minutes long) in the Cyndustries 2006 Aleatoric Music Competition for the chance to win a brand new Cyndustries Zeroscillator! Entries will be accepted until January 4, 2007. For full details, visit www.cyndustries.com.

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If you know anyone whom you think would like to receive this newsletter, please have them send me an email to info@new-moon-records.com . Also, lately, some of the big inet providers are filtering out newsletters of this type (blind copied) assuming it is spam. If anyone you know received this publication before and doesn’t receive it now, it is probably for that reason. If you have that problem, you need to set the filtering to allow emails from www.new-moon-records.com through. If you don’t use filtering, just be sure that the address info@new-moon-records.com is in your address book. Finally, if you would prefer to not receive this newsletter, or have received it by mistake, send an email back saying ‘cancel newsletter’ in the heading. Your excuse may be written, if you like, no less than 100 words, in the body of the email.

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“Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.” Groucho Marx