S T E M W A Y  P R O D U C T I O N S -  3 4    W A L K E R   S T .   N E W  Y O R K , N Y,   1 0 0 1 3
September 30, 2001
What's Good - By Frank Wood

Here's what's up:

This coming sat oct 6th ,there's a benefit schedulted for the Port Authority Police at TOBACCO ROAD (355 West 41st @ the coner of 9th ave: tobaccord.com). They have obtained a 24hr liquor permit and plan on having bands around the clock until Sunday night. I will be meeting with them to help out. So far I'm supposed to provide the bands for Sunday Morning around 7am! That is gonna be rough, but hey it's a good cause, so if any bands out there are interested in playing, contact me here at Stemway.com, ASAP.

Thursday nite and nyc is back.

There is no lack of things to do. I started at THE CUTTING ROOM (24th St, between Broadway & 6th Ave) I was there to see the band SQUINT (www.squintnews.com). They changed their lineup since last I saw them, gone are the sax player and added are a new bass player and a new singer, making them less jazzy and more of a rock band. It's a good change. From there it was off to the LUNA LOUNGE ( Ludlow St. between Houston & Stanton Sts.) for a quick one before going to ARLENE's. There was a band at LUNA called The VOICES, 2 chicks fronting a 3 piece unit. It was mello but unmemorable, so I left to go see a band recommended by a friend at ARLENE's. They were called the BIONIC FINGER, they were supposed to be a grrrl band, but I think I'm gonna have to take him to see what a real grrrl band is. They were 4 girls, and that's about it. While I was there I ran into some friends and decided to check out the next band up. SwampBytche was fronted by three fine looking young ladies (Chelsea, Nicollette and Venus - I think, my notes got wet). They sang and danced thru more than 6 songs, mixing rap/hiphop/pop& rock while Monty led a tight band with some amazing guitar work. I'll let you know when they're playing again. Then it was off to MOTOR CITY to help one of the HELSINKI HELLCATS celebrate her birthday. Happy Birthday Jonna!

On friday I was headed for the city to tape a video of a band. I was shareing a cab with Jonna when traffic came to a halt. We were in downtown Brooklyn. so we stopped there for a drink before taking the train in. Smith Street (in Carroll Gardens & Cobble Hill) is turning into quite a hot spot. We stopped in a bar called QUENCH (282 Smith St at the corner of Sackett St), the place was packed and with alot of people in their 20's and they had an awesome jukebox. I went to the LUNA LOUNGE to meet with a friend. While we were there he noticed that the bass player was an old friend of ours Charlie Buckland. He's a great musician/songwriter who used to do a musician's workshop at both of the clubs I used to GM (the RHYTHM CLUB and the LIQUID LOUNGE). He was playing with another old friend JOSH ROY BROWN, these guys rocked the roof off the place, they just put out a new cd so they will be playing around town. Then it was over to MOTOR CITY for Pat Pervert and Greaser Greg (the Dutchman) for a nitecap.

Saturday was Stemway.comand NYRock.com and FrankWoodPresents Jazz at the GROOVE (125 MacDougal st @w3st.) At 1pm GARY WOFSEY's NOY JUST JAZZ ORCHESTRA (this 13 piece group had a 10 piece horn section) started the day and I was wondering thru my hangover what was I thinking when I agreed to be up and in the city on a sat morning. (1pm is morning on sat for me). Gary excelled on 3 different kinds of trumpets, and at one point he played both of them at the same time(mental note: book him at a gay club, tips should be good.) They were followed by the duo of SACHIKO and MITSU and their breezy jazz standards. Look for SACHIKO and her smooth voice to sing with Gary's band in the near future.

SUPERGROOVE
was the next group, and this 8 piece all Japanese jazz/rock unit was great. The leader was Katsu Tashiro on guitar and vocals with Satoshi helping out, also on guitar and backup vocals. With "Mackey" on drums, Hiro on Congas,and Mikki on bongos driving along with Yamma on the bass, while Eiji on trumpet and Yasuyuki on Sax were playing tight arrangements.. Yasuyuki was astounding on some extended solos that were mesmerizing. These guys will be back. Maury Epstein and his trio of Rob Weiss and yhelped cool down the crowd with more mello jazz standards. Finally JOY RYDER and the NY RHYTHM ALL-STARS took the stage w/o their bass player who didn't show due to a miscommunication. Iwas able to make a call to Reggie Poe (one of the city's best talents) and he was there in time for the 4th song. THANK YOU REGGIE. Dave Dawson was on the drums and "Lefty" Randy Gaffney on guitar were their usual unflappable selves. Stu "the Professor" Newman was hanging with the band (as our special guest), which allowed Randy to play the bass lines on his guitar until the calvary (Mr.Poe) arrived.

Another special guest was Yasuyuki Takagi (from SUPERGROOVE) on sax and he showed he could get down with some serious r&b grooves. Once Reggie arrived the band went into overdrive,with Randy and Stu exchanging electrifying guitar solos along with Yas. Joy had the standing room only, sellout crowd dancing on the tables and chairs. Joy said that the tip bucket proceeds would go to the RED CROSS and the crowd responded accordingly. When Joy closed it out with a James Brown classic, she suddenly switched in mid song to "AMERICA THE BEAUTFUL", while the band continued with the James Brown grooves the crowd didn't know whether to dance or cry, so they ended doing both,as Joy ended by standing tall with her flag draped head held high as she defiantly flashed the peace sign high. The crowd wouldn't let the band leave on that, so they came back with the Buddy Miles/Band of Gypsies classic "CHANGES".

It was a long day, but it wasn't over yet. Next it was over to Flaming East (219 2ave,b/w 13&14 st) for their GLAM 2001 nite, featuring MIMIROCK and the DETOX DARLINGS. Mimi was as theatrical as usual with all of her special effects and hard rockin band, but the DETOX DARLINGS stole the show back. JENNA DARLING is an overwhelmingly stunning, statuesque blonde bombshell whose vocals are only matched by the DARLINGS backing her. It was SPYDER DARLING (guitar) and JOHNNY "HOUSE" DARLING (drums - because he plays as big as a house) combined Birthdays along with CHARLES DARLING's(guitar) 3rd anniversary with the band, so there was a raucous turnout of old rock'n'roller friends. The bass player, KEN DARLING, was playing his first gig with the band and he proved worthy of the task. NY WASTE editor-in-chief and top photographer LUCKY LAWLOR was snapping away, making for a great birthday celebration. After their set, MORGAN took over and started spinnin' and then the suerfabulous MICHAEL T. had the house jumpin and moving with his brand of rockin dance tunes old and new. Time for a nitecap, and cool down so it was off to MOTOR CITY to cap a long and draining day.

Don't forget to support the many benefits for the heroes and victims of our wake call, starting with TOBACCO ROAD's show on the 6 of oc

WOOD'S PICKS

Monday Oct 1st

Elefunk @ the C-NOTE (ave C & 10th st) 11pm -Ada and Heather lead their 9 piece jazz band
thru their paces
Tuesday Oct 2nd
DJ's Rivercat & Mikeyrat @ MOTOR CITY BAR (Ludlow, b/w Delancey & Rivington sts)9pm-4am -they call it TWANGIN' (rockin' rockabilly)
Wednesday Oct 3rd
DJ BRUCE's GLAM CONNECTION @ SIN-SIN (85 2ave,c/o 5 st) glam rock at it's best
Thursday Oct 4th
ORCHARD LOUNGE & GRILLE (Orchard st@Houston) -Stemway.com presents after work jazz with Jack Grace from 6-9pm Curtis Dean and James T. 9pmtill Midnight.
REARVIEW @ ARLENE GROCERY (95 Stanton st) -good rock, great venue + other bands
The NERVE! @ CONTINENTAL (Bowery & St Mark's pl) 8:30pm -power pop rock from d/d free band that rocks with the best of them
GOD-the BAND @ the SIDEWALK (aveA & 6st) 10pm -quirky,funny rock by 5 tuxedo-clad guys
Friday Oct 5th
JOHN LENNON TRIBUTE@ FUN (130 Madison st)8pm -sponsered by VH 1, CBSfm101, RedBull, British Airways and many others
DENI BONET (www.debibonet.com) @ ARLENE's 8-10pm -another female r&r violinist, but she's not LOURDS, but then again no one is.
Saturday Oct 6th
Stemway.com & Frank Wood present a Jazz brunch @ CLUB GROOVE. 1pm-9pm
GRAVEYARD SLUTS @ MANITOBA's (aveB,b/w 6&7) -great straight-ahead R&R,and great bar
WUSSY @ FLAMINGO EAST (219 2ave) 11pm -part of GLAM 2001 nite,wild dance club & solid band
Sunday Oct 7th
ROSE BARTU @ NASCIMENTO (1068 1ave) 7-11pm -jazz violin from classically trained ROSE
Take Care,
Frank Wood