Nick Edelstein

Archive for May, 2008

Celeb Birthday: T-Bone Walker

Wednesday, May 28th, 2008

“T-Bone” Walker was born today (May 28th) in 1910! Wow that means if he was alive today, he’d be 98!!! It’s a true testament to his work that, so many decades after his passing, his music continues to touch new ears on stages across the world. I’m betting there isn’t a single Blues band alive that has not played at least one T-Bone song, whether they knew it or not. Often when I’m on YouTube or Myspace, I find songs credited to more recently popular artists that were actually written by T-Bone. My favorite is “Stormy Monday.” The lyrics touch me differently every time, and no matter how hard we try it never sounds quite the same. There is simply a magic to it which takes on a life of its own. The words have a great power to them even after all these years, I think because there is still great economic struggle in our society. Though we try to ignore it, we are still a nation teeming with poor, suffering souls. T-bone’s music, like most original Blues artists’, was genuine in every sense. I can only hope to be as prolific as Walker, and I think all artists aspire to the longevity his work will undoubtedly enjoy.

Tags: Blues, guitar, legend, longevity, singer, suffering, t-bone, walker
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Jeff Healey has passed on …

Sunday, May 25th, 2008

“Onward, through the night…” -some of my favorite Yes lyrics. Even though that song speaks of something entirely different than death (I think) they were my first thought when preparing to write this post. I was truly saddened to read in Performer Magazine that the famous guitarist had died on March 2. Thank God I was lucky enough to see him perform. My friends have described his tone as “totally 80s” but I see him on a different plane; his melodic and harmonic harmonies, intense solos, and overcoming physical limitations (blindness) were a constant inspiration to me over the years. My favorite Montreax Jazz Fest. video is of Healey. His big break was appearing in Roadhouse (with Patrick Swayze). And yes, I own a copy of the film. And yes, I bought it years ago because Jeff is in it. My favorite Healey song? “Angel Eyes.” You can watch a video of it here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=tRov2XscQJc
Jeff truly was a world-class guitarist, all-around musician and entertainer. His stage presence was like that of James Brown or Jim Morrison – raw, uncensored power. May his music continue to inspire new generations!

Tags: angel, anniversary, blind, celebrity, death, famous, guitar, healey, jeff, movie, obituary, passed, patrick, roadhouse, swayze
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Celeb Birthday: Bob Dylan

Saturday, May 24th, 2008

Born in 1941, his original last name was Zimmerman. I think … Sort of rehashes the argument of whether or not I should change my last name for “marquee appeal.” Obviously I voted “nay” but many folks I know, including one of my cousins, voted in favor of a fake last name (or completely new fake name). Anyway back to our celeb. My favorite Dylan song is “Desolation Row.” I had the honor of seeing him perform it once, at Music Midtown here in Atlanta. I could not understand a single word, but sang along faithfully while surrounding concertgoers watched [me] in complete confusion. The lyrics are packed with allegory. I won’t bore you with my analysis, but suffice to say I think it’s one of the best compositions ever – lyrically. Musically, well … I would yield to any number of his radio-friendly hits. If you are in the market for your first Dylan album, I would recommend Highway 61 Revisited. ~NE

Tags: bob, composition, desolation, dylan, highway, lyrics, prose, row
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Digital Cafe Tour, Top 50 chart!

Thursday, May 22nd, 2008

Dear family and friends, I’m thrilled to announce our placement in the Top 50 chart on www.DigitalCafeTour.com! The congratulatory email I received is pasted here:

“Nick Edelstein Band, Congratulations on being selected as a Top 50 Winner of Live 2.0 Independents’ Day! Top 10 and Top 4 will be next in our announcement schedule. Good luck in the next round of selections!
Best Regards,
Tom Walker, President, DCT”

As always, I’ll keep you posted when I get more info. Thanks for ALL of your support, you’re the best fans IN THE WORLD! ~Nick

Tags: cafe, chart, contest, digital, live, music, nick, top 50, tour, video
Posted in Press | 1 Comment »

Celeb Birthday: Pete Townshend

Monday, May 19th, 2008

Born in 1945, this Rock icon is one of two surviving founders of The Who. Perhaps one of the most famous bands ever, The Who were part of the British Invasion and wrote countless hits such as Who Are You, Won’t Get Fooled Again, I Can See For Miles, and Baba O’Riley (known for its anthemic synth intro, and chorus “teenage wasteland”).
Since Pete is still with the living, we’re not remembering him, but we do celebrate his contribution to Music and the culture of humankind. Thanks Pete! ~NE

Tags: baba o'riley, british invasion, pete townshend, rock, the who
Posted in Tangents | 1 Comment »

bought some new CDs …

Monday, May 12th, 2008

I’ve been listening to these bands off and on for years, but never actually owned any of their music! So I went to my fave store -Decatur CD- and picked up some new tunes! :)
They’re in order of best to worst, in my opinion, but they’re all really excellent:

Gov’t Mule, Deja Voodoo
REM, Accelerate ***from Athens, GA
Joe Cocker, Ultimate Collection
Natalie Cole, Snowfall on the Sahara
King Johnson, Luck So Strange ***local Atlanta band
Horace Silver, You Gotta Take A Little Love
Zappa, Zappa Plays Zappa

Tags: CD, cocker, cole, gov't mule, horace silver, johnson, natalie, new music, rem, zappa
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Celeb Birthday: Robert Johnson

Thursday, May 8th, 2008

This incredibly prolific Blues icon was born May 8th, 1911. I could go on and on about his music’s influence, but at the moment of this writing I’ve got Crossroads stuck in my head. So I’ll blog about that.
Johnson’s song was already famous when Eric Clapton entered the Blues scene, but his fresh Rock version propelled Crossroads – and the Blues – into new heights of popularity. A movie of the same name was made starring Ralph Maccio (sic?) and guitarring by the incredible Steve Vai and Ry Cooder. Vai wrote and played most parts of the movie’s soundtrack, including a famous duel scene, and Cooder played all of the slide parts. There’s some incredible music on that soundtrack if you haven’t heard it
Thanks for helping me remember this Blues icon, long live his legacy! ~Nick

ps: Hear my version of Crossroads - www.discRevolt.com/nick

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Southeast Performer Mag v.2

Monday, May 5th, 2008

Dear Friends, I’m pleased to bring you my AMAZING review by Southeast Performer Magazine! Thank you for all the support I’ve received over the years! ~Nick
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“Nick Edelstein – Live In 2007
Recorded by Robb Holmes, Cliff Anderson, and by Nick Edelstein
Mixed by Nick Edelstein at NESS Records. Mastered by Ben Cornthwaite at Lakefront Studios in Conyers, GA.

Athens music native Nick Edelstein takes the listeners on a terrific ride through the world of blues with an online release of live recordings held in venues throughout the Southeast.
A record chock-full of strong blues material including classic blues standards such as “Crossroads,” “Stormy Monday” and “Hound Dog,” the artist’s handywork on lead guitar is impeccably precise, as each live song spills with fervent balance, delivering punchy lead solos galore.
Edelstein also shows his intimate and personal side with soft-spoken material, on endearing works such as originals, “Sign From Above,” flawlessly recorded at Athens radio station, WUGA-FM, and “Ripple,” recorded at Pucketts Farm in Charlotte, NC.
Although much of the live recordings are very murky and muddy, what is most important is Edelstein’s craftsmanship on blues guitar.
“Crossroads” churns the album from the start, launching the album’s fiery energy and tenacity from the get-go. Certainly a highlight displaying his most superior guitar work falls in the intro and throughout “Red House,” a dazzling, mesmerizing statement of guitar-driven blues-rock.
Much of the record has some breathtaking guitar work, and his voice suits the blues man, with performances of liquid gold, compared to the swift speed of a dozen horses at Churchill Downs, as notes flourish like a roaring freight train.
Though he has much room to grow and improve, his potential is boundless. He even throws in some great riffs and chops that speak of his influences, possibly reminiscing Eric Clapton, Eric Johnson and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Santana’s artistry comes to fruition in a frighteningly well-spoken version of “Europa.”
It’s good to hear much of Edelstein’s background through short bits of interviews on WUGA-FM, as he dwells into his work, and his further studies in Comparative Literature. (NESS Records) – Shawn M. Haney, http://www.performermag.com”
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Tags: 2007, album, Blues, dpd, live, magazine, music, nick edelstein, online, performer, positive, Press, review, rock, southeast
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Suprise show w/Shufflejunkies!

Sunday, May 4th, 2008

Did ya like that alliteration? I indeed have the great pleasure of being friends with not one, not two, but all three Shufflejunkies! Y’all who attended my Feb. 16 gig in Dahlonega (@ Crimson Moon) know that Shufflejunkies opened up. They did me a favor that night, and thanks to fate I was able to return that favor not long afterwards – and at the same venue!

Shufflejunkies, Georgia’s newest Blues-Rock trio, played Crimson Moon on May 2. I grabbed my acoustic, rode shotgun in Andy’s truck, and did a riveting 45-min. opening set! I got to see my friend Greer, and Dana’s staff was friendlier than ever. Thanks to Bob’s awesome engineering our sound was rockin’ all night. My next Crimson Moon show is Saturday, May 31!!!

www.thecrimsonmoon.com