This Month we'll start out with a brief update on the Dunhams Radio Show which airs on WZGC92.9 in Atlanta.

This Month on The Dunhams Radio Program

By - Rob Turner

Every Sunday night on WZGC 92.9 "Z93"

10pm - Live Artist from The Brandyhouse

11pm (ish) - The Living Room Sessions (live performance and interviews conducted in the actual home of this enigmatic jamband couple)

Midnight (ish) - The Grateful Dead Hour (thank you David Gans!!)

1am - ???? - Dunham Nugs, culminating with an extended "Phat Jam" from one artist.

Upcoming Live Radio Broadcasts from The Brandyhouse with The Dunhams on Z93 (10pm each night).

April 15 - Uncle Sammy The Boston boys nearing the end of their first Southern tour!! (See New Groove of the Month, written by one of the more recent, and affable citizens of Atlanta jambandom)

April 22 - Post-Turniptown Session with Yonder Mountain String Band Bluegrass played with youthful vigor, and veteran chops.

April 29 - Bloodkin Hard-rockin', gritty rock n' roll played by guys who can actually write great songs as well.

May 6 - Very Special Post-Music Midtown guest artist - do NOT miss this one!! Where were you New Year's Eve?????

Living Room Sessions (11pm-ish)

April 15 - North Mississippi All-Stars
April 22 - Wu...I mean To...Be Announced
April 29 - Little Feat (re-broadcast of 1998 visit)

Listen to The Dunhams, Sunday nights 10pm to the wee hours of the morning for more information, and to win music prizes and tickets.

LITTLE TURNIPTOWN OVERNIGHT MUSIC JAM
April 20, 21, 22 Ellijay, GA
(Directions here - http://www.overnightjam.com/directions.html)

By - Rob Turner

The most exciting Music Festival of the year to date in Georgia is slated for 4/20 weekend, roughly an hour North of Atlanta. The Turniptown Festival is special because it blends some of the pillars of eclectic rock (Blueground Undergrass, Colonel Bruce Hampton and The Code Talkers) with some of the hottest bands in the country (Sound Tribe Sector Nine, Big Wu, Yonder Mountain String Band), and also some of Atlanta's finest artists (Deep Blue Sun, Barry Richman Band, and the mesmerizing Ghost Trane). Sprinkle in some lesser known acts (check out Sauce Boss and The Ingredients, and Bluestring from Athens) and you have yourself one heck of a Festival. It will be located at Georgia's smallest outdoor venue, and is sure to feature a warm vibe. Like the Harvest Festival, Turniptown is run by a young man who appreciates the concert experience, and has a keen eye and appreciation for the interests of the Festival attendee. It's like a Georgia Boogie for people like me, who aren't cool enough to be invited! And of course, Boogiers are welcome too, as this is a come one, come all organic blowout. There will be music and events going on literally all night long!

Widespread Blues: The Stained Souls at the Variety Playhouse

By Michael Dempsey rovingsign@aol.com

It started early for me. Threats of snow heading in from the west whirled me out of hometown Asheville, N.C., at around midnight of March 20, launching me onto the asphalt path that ends in the hallowed flatlands of Atlanta. Arriving at my sister-in-law's place at around 4 in the a.m., I drank a "Mick Lite" and promptly got my seven-and-three-quarters-of-an-hour before waking up rested and ready for a what I hoped would be a sonically deep experience. A message from another planet. An, ahem, elevator to the moon, if you will. It was a good thing that I slept well. It was not to be experienced for a long while again, because the Stained Souls were taking the stage that night at a Little Five Points jukejoint called the Variety Playhouse. Known for its friendly staff, and I really mean that, and it's overwhelmingly accommodating bathroom facilities, and I don't really mean that.

But on to the crux of the issue. My friends and I arrived at the Euclid Yacht Club at around 6 PM. And, for you folks not from the sacred ground we refer to down here as the Southland, there ain't a freakin' boat in sight of the so-called Euclid Yacht Club. But there is beer, and we sucked a few down with all kinds of scenarios popping up in our heads like so many pull tabs cracking from aluminum malted beverage containers. "Would JB be there?" "How about the Reverend?" "Ya know Mikey lives just a piece down the road in Athens - who's to say?" All of these things were mentioned, Spreadheaded eyes sparkling with the burning pre-show excitement and mystery that makes us come back for more even when we think we've seen it all.

On to the show. The Variety was nearly empty when my crew and I walked in. We selected third row center seats behind the dance pit for ease, comfort and, yes, people, for the feel of a sitting in a warm faux leather chair on a cold Georgia night.

As the lights went down at just slightly after 9, the band came out, gangbusters. This was the one. Power lineup. Ten feet tall and smilin'. The inimitable Colonel, of course, everybody's favorite father figure next to Andy Griffith, Jerry Garcia and God. Tinsley Ellis, the musical heart and soul of the band, white boy blues player that looks like he weighs about 96-and-a-half pounds wet. Like butter on the fretboard. Dave "El Zorro Fantastico" Schools, the bass player who needs no introduction, except to say that the maturity and depth with which he approached the craft of ensemble playing on this night was extraordinary. John "Jojo" - I'll say it again, it rolls off the tongue so easily - "Jojo" Hermann on the keys. Smiling, hatless, sporting weapons yet to be mentioned that had to be seen to have been believed. A Mississippi mudcat and a New York Mets fan rolled into one. Count Mbutu, a man in whose eyes one can see the gift of patience, slapping skins. Todd Nance, a man whose eyes are rarely seen, but whose gifts of patience as well as leadership are evident in every show I've ever seen him play. And then there was JB. A guy who's grown up before our very eyes. When many of us musically met him he was a boy. Now he is a man. I don't mean in the physical sense. But in the sense of soul. A soul that searches and searches for the ultimate balance musically between strength and beauty. Both ends were achieved on this night, and both served as means to the end that is the combination of the two.

They opened with "I'm So Glad." Well selected, I thought. Didn't fit the pattern of the last couple of S.S. shows. Stinging with enthusiasm, especially from Mr. Ellis, it set the mood for the night. 1500 Spreadheads so glad, so glad, so glad. This segued into "Elevator to the Moon," one of my personal favorites from his holiness, the Colonel. I may be mistaken, but I think it was here that the Zen master played the guitar over his head and behind his back for the first time that night. Second song, people, and the Colonel is pulling a Hendrix while Tinsley smiles at him like a kid in a candy apple factory. Off the charts!

And then things, well let's just say they got a little more serious. Don't get me wrong, everyone was still having fun, but it was time to get nasty and the master of nasty made his presence known during the following "I Wish You Would," the Tinsley Ellis favorite that has been played with the Panic on a number of occasions. If you haven't guessed yet, the master of nasty is Cleveland's finest. No, not that brown mustard they serve at Indians ball games. It's John Bell, and he was singing backup like his life was on the line. Tinsley killed it on the Captain Beefheartesque vocals, and JB wrestled him with the gravely harmony that's made him one of the best backup singers in the world, not to mention his lead skills, which we all know are MAD skills. Dave, meanwhile, was smoking the bass. The Colonel even whipped out a towel to fan him off in comic jest, Mr. Schools was tearin' it up so hard. But not Panic hard. More like smooth. Perfect for the flow of the evening and for the ensemble playing that was key for the night. "Stop Breakin' Down Blues" was next. It was just what those who weren't there can envision it to be. Powerful as fuck. Robert Johnson on acid. Lightning flashing in the sky over the Mississippi River. It busted my brain out.

"Fixin' to Die" had his colonelness trading off verses with JB, very powerfully on both ends, but standard for the Stained Souls. Ah, but what is standard for the Souls? "Expect the unexpected, but not what you expect!!" I believe that's what Dave Schools said the last time these guys played together, in Athens last year. Nail on the head, Dave!! Even the expected was sung with unexpected abandon.

The surprise of the evening came next with "Ride Me High," and, fortunately for those who don't like people in the crowd drowning out artists with their out-of-key voices, it was the only song of the night that everyone in attendance knew the words to. Not that I'm complaining. It was one of the highlights of an all-star highlight night, with Tinsley playing it like he was a member of the Panic himself. Not that he sounded like Houser, he sounded like Tinsley, but he attacked it so effortlessly that one would have thought he played it every night. (And maybe he does - who doesn't dig on some J.J. Cale every now and again?) "Ride Me High" segued into "You Better Run," admittedly one of the more violent things I've heard Jojo sing about, with it's theme of rape, but, hey, it followed a song that often offers a young lady to "get your knees down on the floor," so what the heck? The best part of the ditty was at the end when Dave stole the song's punch-line from Jojo. "You don't have to rape me Jojo," Dave yelled, "'Cause I love youuuu!!" All Jojo could do was crack up and say "I love you too, brother!!" Ain't life grand, huh?

After this, Tinsley killed it again on a smoking "Killing Floor," which went back into "I'm So Glad" for a full-set sandwich. The set left the crowd cranked, and many drooling mouths were seen as male and female alike made their way to the absolutely horrendous experience that is going to the bathroom at the Variety. Let's not talk about it. Just go and experience it for yourself. Or bring a bedpan. The choice is yours.

Set II. The sublime becomes the ridiculous. Lies, bathroom tools, the blazing sun, I could cry, I could cry, I could cry. It started with "Born in Chicago," with the Colonel claiming he was born in 1951. I guess he's gotten 10 years younger than the last time I heard him sing the song. But he IS the Colonel. He can change form, age and hair color at any given moment. Few people know that about him, but it's true. "And the wine that spills from mother's lips will never be tasted by Chinese ivory idol makers." I think the Colonel himself said that. But if he didn't, it sure sounds like something he'd say.

The blues continued on the next number, and it was the first time I've seen JB sing "Smokestack Lightning." My God!! He ripped it open, screeching, hollering. He even took off his jacket to sing this one, peoples. Unbelievable. Get the tapes. A nice jam ensued, and a segue into "One Kind Favor" came next with Dave on the lead vocal chores for the first and only time of the night. Well worth the wait, but it and the following "Poor Boy" were standard compared to the next number, which was my personal highlight of the entire night.

Jojo started out on the vocals of "Lonely Avenue," a song about a guy with his mind on a girl. The most basic subject in the world. One we can all understand, and one that was handled with an emotion that was rare even for our favorite cooker of Red Beans. Jojo and JB traded off vocal chores on this one and the harmonies were so soulful that I felt privileged to be standing in the same room next to the sound of it. Amazing. Stunning. Call it what you will, but call it real American music.

Tinsley took over for "Key to the Highway," which segued into Jojo literally losing his shit, no pun intended. He grabbed a plunger and started waving it around like a deranged samurai sword, a rubber porcelain-sucker on a stick.It was his magic wand, his baton, a symbol of his prowess as a plumber. He'd wave it over his head, and then bring it down full force onto the floor of the stage. Every time he slammed it, the band would respond in kind with a loud note, making the comical musical and musical comical, leaving the place in stitches while Jojo threw the plunger into the audience. A side note to whoever caught that plunger: Your mom wanted me to tell you to wash your hands. You never know where that thing has been.

Then came "Time is Free," the "Dark Star," if you will, of the Stained Souls. The jam went every which way, with Dave taking over, then Jojo, then Tinsley, JB sneaking in and crunching that fancy guitar of his like a man on a mission of muscle. This one must have lasted 15 minutes. Some said they heard "Guilded Splinters" in the jam. I thought I heard a little "A Love Supreme." There was definitely a "Twilight Zone" theme in there somewhere. I don't know, though, I think the entirety of it was harder to categorize than the elements that made it up. It was just all the things that come together about once a year in the winter months to stain the souls of the musicians and the fans. It was spontaneous, with no forethought: Free-flowing freedom pouring out from instruments controlled by close friends.

Actually, it was out of the "Twilight Zone" portion of the jam that Spoonful emerged. Another one that proves that the Colonel is JB's "daddy." Those two men improvise so many lyrics between the two of them, they're like an early Robin Williams comedy routine, without the humor. Straight seriousness (well, OK, the Colonel's not exactly Jesse Helms, but he's no comedian) "Talkin' lies about it, she cries about it, might find it on your windowsill, might be left there by a friend or by a dove." Real nice interplay on guitar between Tinsley and JB on this number. JB hangin' out with the big dogs, slide and all. Thank God he's not the guitarist that nobody can hear anymore. All those years, and he was playin' his ass off the whole time!!

Things quieted down, and Jojo went off into a little space territory while the band got its shit together, coming back into the rippinest "Crossroads" since Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas started killing it together about ten years ago. Except this was electric, full tilt boogie, shake yo' money-mutherfuckin' maker style. I will say this right now. Tinsley Ellis is the man. If I hear one more comment about him coming out with the Panic and "just playing the blues," I'll break that kid's vintage KISS record collection one by one while he's strapped to a chair and forced to watch. Tinsley is a madman, a powerhouse in the body of a track athlete. Bloody pulp. That's what he turns his guitar into. A bloody pulp. Jojo stepped up too on this one, riding the keys up and down and smiling like a Cheshire cat the whole time. The band then left the stage. The place was leveled. What could they do next?

The answer? Charm us to death. Count M’butu stepped up the mic, politely plugged a cd that he'll be coming out with shortly, and then proceeded to sing a sweet and lovely "Stormy Monday" for the crowd, who didn't care that "Tuesday's just as bad," because they were having one hell of a Tuesday. My second favorite highlight of the night came next. As Spreadheads, we love Jojo's music for many reasons. Some of these are the spirit of New Orleans, the legend of the ‘Fess, the Jelly Roll, the storyteller and the crying blues boy that he embodies in his act. We got it all on the next number, a rollicking "Stag-O-Lee," a story of a man shot in a seedy bar somewhere in America.

And as we strolled out of a seedy bar somewhere in America, off to our hotel rooms and, at least for my crew, to a round of open-faced roast beef sandwiches served with mashed potatoes at the world famous Majestic Diner, we felt like we'd been shot. Stung with the shot of a word that is used loosely, but very rarely achieved. That word is history. On March 20, 2001, four members of Widespread Panic, a man with gray locks called the count, a slinger named Ellis and flannel-wearing father figure came together to play some shit that will go down in the books.

As we look back on the greats, and I say this in all sincerity, we think of Thelonious and Sonny Rollins on 52nd Street, we think of Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock in Paris, we think of Eric Clapton and John Lennon playing in the Dirty Mac at the Rolling Stones Rock 'n' Roll Circus, we think of Duane Allman stepping in with the Dead and Jerry Garcia picking guitar with Tony Rice. And as I walked out into the misty Atlanta night, I thought of John Bell, David Schools, Jojo Hermann, Todd Nance, Count Mbutu, Tinsley Ellis and the Col. Bruce Hampton (Ret.) Many nights are magical. Few can claim to be musical history. What went down that night at the Variety was assuredly both, but most specifically the latter. Thanks guys.

Pre-heating the Oven: Good Music Follows the Seasons in Atlanta

By Chip Schramm

Not so much unlike forest animals, musicians tend to live by the seasons. They sleep and rest in winter, pining their time in some cave of a home, or maybe a recording studio, away from the maddening wind and rain. The good ones have saved up a few nuts and berries so that they don’t have to venture out more than they want or need. But as cycles run their course, inevitably warmer temperatures and nicer weather bring out all the woodland musicians and the nature-loving fans that follow them.

There were many great shows in the North Georgia area in the past month. Some, like The Stained Souls and Barbara Cue with Vic Chesnutt, were concerts benefiting noble charities. A few others like the New School of Gov’t Mule were new projects for old friends. Even the old Center Stage in Atlanta got a face-lift and a new breath of life, as it was transformed into what is now known as Earthlink Live.

As is now the typical story, there was much more music in town than I had the chance to see. Missing a chance to see Jorma Kaukonen and the Kudzu Kings play at the Variety was really unfortunate, but I had prior obligations to welcome one of my old Memphis standbys, Yamagata, to their first gig in Atlanta on the same night. I guess that kind of dilemma is better than having to deal with the opposite. So with that said, on with the shows!

Tuesday, March 20th, The Stained Souls at the Variety Playhouse –

Michael Dempsey wrote a very inspired review of this show for our section this month, so I’ll just chime in on a few highlights. Widespread Blues is the only way to describe it. I was a little baffled by Jojo’s plunger sequence until someone reminded me that last year he beat his amp to death with a plunger after it stopped working. This time it was more of a séance. When he threw it out into the audience, it came awfully close to hitting some mic stands in the taper section. He was lucky they didn’t throw it back.

But seriously, the music on that night was truly special, surpassing my loftiest expectations. In retrospect, the expressive, yet controlled bass play from David Schools seems like he was taking a warm-up for the role he was to play in Gov’t Mule a few weeks later. He looked as focused on his instrument as I have ever witnessed. Hearing Count M’butu sing "Stormy Monday" sent a chill up my spine, and not just because it had been raining all day long. I had no idea the man could even sing. Not just sing, but pour his vocals out onto the audience like an overflowing honeycomb. Wow.

Thursday, March 29th, Barbara Cue with Vic Chesnutt, The 40-Watt Club, Athens, GA

Barbara Cue teamed up with Vic Chesnutt to raise money for the local Cancer Society at this weeknight engagement. Unlike the last time a similar bill was announced, the full incarnation of Brute did not materialize, but that didn’t stop anyone from having a good time. Another local country band, collegiate in appearance, opened the show. It actually seemed like there were more youngsters there to see them than the headliners to follow, so I feel bad that I didn’t catch their name. At any rate, the whole show was well played.

Barbara Cue came on pretty promptly as the preceding band left the stage, so it was obvious that this was strictly business. They played "Dig Deeper" and "Cynic," two of my personal favorites, to open the show. I swear they seem to get better each time they play together. Word on the street is that they have been working on a new album, so there should be more wholesome goodness from the "guitarmy" in the near future.

Instead of playing his own solo set or being backed by a full Brute ensemble, Vic Chesnutt joined Barbara Cue onstage, with the addition of two more guitarists. I can honestly say I was not familiar with any of the songs Vic sang, with the exception of Dylan’s "Jokerman." That enough justified the price of admission. If anyone can sing (or live) that song as well as Dylan, it would have to be Vic. One of the more sublime moments of the show came when William Tonks made a subtle motion encouraging Vic to adjust his out-of-tune guitar. It sounded better that way, I swear.

Saturday, March 31st Pharmer’s Almanac Presents: Yamagata, The Brandyhouse

Some have likened Memphis’ Yamagata to shoguns of the music scene. Personally, I think they are Jamurais. Either way you like it, they played their first gig in Atlanta at the Brandyhouse to a welcoming crowd that was there to party with the Pharmer’s Almanac folks. As more of our readers are surely aware, the Pharmer’s Almanac folks put out the Phistory book with setlists, show stats, stories, etc. They also put on a mean party. The opening band was the "All-Star" band, made up of a few writers and editors from the Pharmer’s almanac team. For a band that had never really played out live before, they were good. They played some great covers and didn’t try to tackle any difficult Phish tunes, which was probably a wise idea.

Yamagata’s blazing sets that followed are what got the crowd up and jumping. I don’t think many people in the room had any idea how good the band they were going to see that night actually was. Though the lineup has changed a little, the core of Joe Austin on lead guitar and Jim Britt on drums was in the house, supported by one of Memphis’ modern musical gurus, Ross Rice on keyboards. The band worked up a couple of long sets of classics from their first album "Eveland," and dished out a tasty helping of newer songs as well. Austin’s vocals have continued to improve, and that added a lot to the show. It was clear by the end of the night that Yamagata would be welcome back in Atlanta many times over.

Wednesday, April 4th, The New School of Gov’t Mule, Georgia Theater, Athens, GA

Folks had been anticipating this show for a long time. Ever since the announcement was made that Dave Schools would play some shows with Warren Haynes and Matt Abts, to fill in for (but not replace) the late Allen Woody, folks had this one marked on their calendar. A few lucky travelers got to catch one of the early shows the weekend before in Nashville, Woody’s home. The reports coming back were glowing, so naturally, foaming mouths and sweaty palms became a common sight in downtown Athens on this evening.

Pundits have already dissected the New Mule tour all over the newsgroups of the Internet, so I’ll just throw my plug nickel on the bar. It was one of the most solid, action-packed shows I’ve seen in a long time. I felt like I spent most of the time just staring in wonder, as opposed to dancing or grooving with the crowd. The addition of Chuck Leavell certainly added another dimension to the band’s sound, so that was a huge plus right there. Things like the intro to "Soulshine" took on another dimension with his work on the keys. Even his vocals were a welcome presence, as he took lead once on the evening.

The band kept a pretty consistent setlist from one night to the next, but songs like "Rockin’ Horse" and "Fire in the Kitchen" seemed to be numbers that brought out the best of each member of the band. Fresh from recording on the upcoming Widespread Panic album, Randall Bramblett added some stellar saxophone work to "Sad and Deep As You" as well as "Low Spark." The whole New School tour featured special guests on nearly every stop, so it was no great surprise when they ended the night by bringing up Kevn Kinney to sing his own "Straight To Hell.:"

Though I was initially focused in on Warren Haynes at the beginning of the night, I couldn’t help but be drawn to Dave Schools. He was so focused, so in control. He wasn’t smiling or making faces at the crowd. It seemed like this was the most serious project he has ever tackled. And rightfully so, for he was stepping into some pretty big sandals. He was playing a different bass from his Modulus Graphite, and apparently he used different basses throughout the tour. It seemed like the pronounced sound he was getting from his guitar was more suited to his role in the Mule than the heavy bottom he lays with WsP. Even if playing with Mule is something Schools doesn’t revisit on a more frequent basis after Panic tour starts, there’s no doubt that he has made an indelible mark with his playing and attitude in such a short period of time.

Thursday, April 4th Grand Opening of Earthlink Live

This wasn’t really a show so much as it was the introduction of a new venue. Or maybe you could say it was the rebirth of an old one. Earthlink Live, is related to the House of Blues family of venues by talent buyer Lucy Lawler but located in the mid-town Atlanta location of the former Center Stage. I had never visited the theater before, but it is ideally set up as far as acoustics are concerned. This night, there was a showcase of sorts, with several bands getting 20 minutes to shine.

Bloodkin was one of the more notable bands performing of this showcase, with the Tender Idols hosting a CD release party for their fans and industry folk later in the evening. After a few minor technical difficulties, to due a malfunctioning amp, Bloodkin reeled of a quick segment that included versions of "Who Do You Belong To" and "Preacherman." The venue held their sound very well, especially considering the attendees were walking and mingling with each other more than they were sitting in the seats. A super lineup with Jojo Hermann, North Mississippi All-Stars, and the Farmhand Slam Band will take the stage at Earthlink Live on Friday, April 13.

Friday, April 5th Oteil Burbridge and the Peacemakers, Brandyhouse

I got to see Oteil Burbridge play with his talented side project, the Peacemakers at the Brandyhouse for the first time. I really dug the groove Oteil laid down throughout the evening. It reminded me a lot of the segments he takes with the Allman Brothers Band towards the latter part of shows. The ability to phonetically sound the notes of his bass at the same time he is playing them really blew me away. That may be old hat for some ABB fans, but I was really impressed.

Oteil had a lineup of what I assumed were old friends playing with him. Jason Crosby played keyboard, Chris "Fry Daddy" Fryer slapped skins, and (I think) Mark Kimbrell supported on guitar as well. The latter two musicians hail from Birmingham, AL, so it seems like a safe guess that they are two hometown buddies of Oteil’s from the old school. Crosby is a New Yorker who really impressed with his ability to give-and-take along with Oteil’s bass explorations. I had to leave the show early, unfortunately, but would strongly recommend that anyone who can appreciate a good jamming combo grounded in bass to check them out. You can find out more about them at http://www.nilerecords.com.

Saturday, April 6th Homegrown Music presents: Uncle Sammy, Somber Reptile

To close out this month’s worth of shows, I caught one of the finest young bands from the Boston area playing a show at the Somber Reptile. The Somber is far from the nicest venue in the Atlanta area, but it serves as a home to the Georgia Tech crowd and was a reasonable place for a show sponsored by a grass-roots organization such as the Homegrown Music Network. Uncle Sammy is our featured "New Groove of the Month" this month, so check out that article for a more in-depth analysis of their sound.

They will appear on the couch of Jeff and Maria Dunham this upcoming Sunday, the 15th for a live broadcast on Z93.