Plentiful Pickin' for the People : Pappy and the Pards, Live at Nectar's, Burlington, VT Feb. 15th, 2018.

     Hello everyone. Well, we are past the half way point of the residency with this show. I am not going to lie, it has been fantastic having this to look forward to each Thursday in February. I work Saturday and Sunday mornings so I have to squeeze a whole weekend into a single night.  And Pappy and his Pards make it all worth it. So without further ado, Kempepedia is proud to present Plentiful Pickin’ for the People : Pappy and the Pards, Live at Nectar’s, Burlington, VT February 15^th, 2018.

Set 1

On and On, Shady Grove, Old Farmer’s Mill, Susquehanna Breakdown, You Don’t Know My Mind,  Back to the Basics, I Told Them All About You, Goldrush, Ain’t Gonna Work Tomorrow

Set 2

I’m Walkin’, Sunday 60 Breakdown, Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright, Diamond Joe, Rabbit in A Log, Sunset in Vergennes, Little Maggie> Turkey in the Straw>Bill Cheatum , Poor Man’s Blues

You can stream it here

https://archive.org/details/pappy2018-02-15.fernandez.sbd.ca14.flac16

Pappy and the Pards are

Pappy Biondo - Guitar/Vocals/Banjo

Doug Perkins - Guitar

Pat Melvin - Bass

Patrick Ross –Fiddle

Adam Frehm – Dobro

     The only repeat performers from the first bluegrass night are Doug Perkins and Pat Melvin. I have it on good authority that Doug is a Vermont legend. He knows more about playing the acoustic than few others. Patrick Ross, fiddle genius, is a French Canadian who lives near the border. I’d love to hear more of his playing to investigate the similarities between the French Canadian folk music and French Cajun Creole folk tunes. Catamount Cajun anyone? I would guess that Pappy played the acoustic guitar at least the time. I love the dobro because it is relative rare to hear one and Adam looked so chill while laying down cosmic tones.

     They open up with On and On and you can hear the lonesome in Pappy’s voice. Next up is definitely one of the more well-known bluegrass tunes, Shady Grove. Like so many other Heads, I too was introduced to this tune through Garcia’s work with David Grisman. Everyone has a chance to shine on this version clocking in at over 11 minutes. Next up is the Cabinet tune Old Farmer’s Mill. Around the 7 minute mark, it gets real quiet, just the banjo and the bass talking. Then they really turn on the jets and the Mill takes off.  The Breakdown features some nice back and forth between Pappy and Patrick.

     The rest of the set features some repeats from the first night of bluegrass. They end the set with Ain’t Gonna Work Tomorrow, the old Cabinet standard. Patrick really brings it with the fiddle on this tune. Everyone is given a chance to jam it out and they do not disappoint.

     One of the things I love about this recording is hearing Pappy telling the musicians what key the song is and how they should proceed. One can only do that with top notch musicians, and these are some of the best in the Green Mountain State.           

  

         The second set starts off with a Fats Domino tune from the 1950’s, I’m Walkin’ with Doug taking the lead vocals. For those keeping score, both bluegrass nights started the second set with a tune from the early days of rock and roll. I really liked Don’t Think Twice. Playing it at a slower pace shows off more of its melancholy nature. I was rather pleased when they started up Diamond Joe. It is one of my favorite Cabinet tunes with this version featuring Pappy playing acoustic guitar instead of the banjo.

     Sunset in Vergennes is a companion piece to another Pappy original, Sunrise in Vergennes, which I have seen him perform with Gatos Blancos. Little Maggie rocks out as usual. Now there is one woman you do not want to cross. Little Maggie also features my favorite dobro soloing of the night.  The sound and tone of a dobro sound like signal from the past, one that no one alive has witnessed. The band also throws in bits of The Streets of Cairo towards the end of Little Maggie. The transition into Turkey and the Straw is pretty sweet. Finally it’s the Cabinet classic Poor Man’s Blues, which describes the cost of living in Burlington very accurately.

     3 shows down and 1 to go. One more night in this historic venue. One more night in this amazing city. And one more night of Cosmic Country and JJ Cale.

Dave Kemp

BA American Studies

PhD Rock and Roll

Cale 'n Country: Pappy and the Pards, Live at Nectar's, Burlington, VT February 8th, 2018

     One of the incredible things about living in the Old North End in Burlington is its close proximity to Nectar’s, the venuemade famous from Phish’s early days. They are all about Live Music Served Daily. And on Thursdays in February, master chef Pappy Biondo is serving up some scrumptious vittles. On this week’s menu it’s all about Mr. JJ Cale and cosmic country, seasoned with funk and a Bakersfield twang. Kempepedia is proud to present Cale ‘n Country. Pappy and the Pards, the February Residency at Nectar’s, Burlington, VT. Feb. 8^th, 2018.

     One of the great things about Nectar’s is how intimate it is. The stage is maybe 3 feet high and the soundboard is within 20 feet of the stage.  A long bar takes up a quarter of the room. There is another room the same size but that’s for playing pool, watching giant screen TV’s and eating.  I’m just here for the tunes.

Pappy and the Pards, Feb. 8^th, 2018

Set 1

Since You Said Goodbye, Call Me the Breeze, Waymore’s Blues, Hey Baby, Lies, My Gal, Cajun Moon, After Midnight>Cocaine

Set 2

Albatross, Freddy’s Time, Old Farmers Mill, Summerville, Cool River, Angel

You can stream it here

https://archive.org/details/pappy2018-02-08/pappy2018-02-08set2t06.flac

Video Set 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpSl4_030_8

This time Pappy and the Pards are

Pappy Biondo - Banjo-Steel Pedal-Vocals

Justin Mazer - Guitar

Ray Packowski – Keyboards

Dylan Skursky – Bass

Russ Lawton – Drums

     First up, the JJ Cale set.  Right off the bat, Ray kills it. Tasty licks throughout but brings it onCall Me the Breeze. I love the Hammond B3. But with one hand on that and the other on the clavinet, Ray takes it to a new level. I love the shuffle of Waymoore’s Blues. Be sure to check out Hey Baby and My Gal.  The interplay between Pappy and Justin is outstanding. Sounds like to old friends catching up. Seriously. And Justin’s mastery of guitar tones continues. He plays a telecaster with 2 pickups (I think. Not a gear nerd.) The things he does with a very honky tonk modulation are crazy. Lies has a nice sense of menace to it. I think it was the solo on My Gal around the 7 min mark, he de tunes a string during the solo, just to get extra energy. Don’t think I ever saw anyone do that before. Cajun Moon I knew from the Gatos show back in January. It is among my favorite Cale tunes.   

      And how else are you going to end a JJ Cale set than with After Midnight>Cocaine. I read Clapton once said if he could have anyone’s career it would be Cales. The transition between these two is perfect. After all the musicians get a word or two in the conversation, they kick up the tempo a notch right before the lyrics start. Justin rips it up during the solos. So freakin’ good. You would think these guys have been playing together for years. If this was a full time lineup they might destroy Vermont. I take a seat at the bar and prepare for set 2!

      Albatross is a mellow tune that lets Pappy show off his steel pedal skills. Freddy’s Tune is a Mazer original and it is quite spectacular. Great interaction between Ray and Justin.  Old Farmers Mill was a pleasant surprise and played at a slower pace than the Cabinet arrangement. I am pleased to report that this song is even better with a B3 organ.

     Summerville features some great telepathy between Russ and Ray. They have a duo act called Soule Monde that I might get to see on March 3^rd. They come highly recommended from everyone. I mean it. Everyone I mention them to raved about the duo. Cool River starts out as a tender ballad that soon becomes rockin’.  I love when bands use lyrics from their other songs. Pappy quotes the Old Moonshine line about lion laying down with the lamb in Cool River. Here is a vid from my favorite attended Cabinet show, 2012-09-29 at the Snail Pie Lounge, in Glen Rock, PA performing Old Moonshine. Woo Doggie!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRZGbwyYVIM

Justin got a chance to step up to the mic and close out the night with Angel.  

     And there it is. Night 2 is in the books and I want to thank Pappy and the band for another stellar evening of music. I would also like to give some love to Phil and Keith for all the work they do in preserving the music. Up next is another bluegrass night, this time with a dobro!

Dave Kemp

BA American Studies

PhD Rock and Roll

Plentiful Pickin' : Pappy and the Pards, live at Nectar's, Burlington, VT Feb 1st, 2018

    

     Hello everyone. I hope some of you are celebrating the Eagles long deserved Super Bowl victory and others feeling the unbearable sting of the loss. But I’m not here to talk sports, I am here to talk music, specifically the Nectar’s residency by noted banjo picker Pappy Biondo. Kempepedia is proud to present the first of a 4 part series Plentiful Pickin’:  The February Nectar’s Residency of Pappy and the Pards 2018.

      The residency was announced back in December. I was geeked beyond belief. 4 shows on a night that works with my 2 job work schedule.  I figured Cabinet wasn’t touring in February. I was off by a little bit because they announced their indefinite hiatus a day or two after the residency announcement. Wow. I will miss Cabinet but they are a much different band now than the one I discovered back in 2011. It’s great they evolved and I loved what they were currently doing. But time marches on and was really intrigued about the residency.

     A whole bunch of musicians. No one was doing any more than 2 shows. A lot of JJ Cale. Cosmic country and cosmic bluegrass. Those both sound like something I have been searching for but didn’t know it. Some of the players I had heard of and some I hadn’t. Biggest name to me is Gordon Stone. Someone remarked he really doesn’t play out too often so that should be a big deal. Again, all a 20 minute walk from my crib. Kclinger’s was further from my place on E. Hanover St. February finally got here and after seeing Pappy play all night with Grass is Dead only 2 nights before,  I was stoked!

Pappy and the Pards, Feb. 1^st, 2018, Nectar’s, Burlington, VT

Set 1

I’ll Go Stepping Too, Susquehanna Breakdown, Back to the Basics, I Told Them All About You, Catfish  John, Little Maggie, Gold Rush, Machine Gun Kelly>Clinch Mountain Backstep, Call Me The Breeze

Set 2

Yakety Yak, Sunday 60 Breakdown, Poor Man’s Blues, Pine Billy, Old Home Place, Baby Girl, Nashville Blues

The Pards tonight were

Pappy Biondo - Banjo and Vocals, Doug Perkins – Guitar, Matt Flinner - Mandolin, Pat Melvin – Bass, Caleb Elder – Fiddle, Russ Lawton - Drums

You can stream it here

https://archive.org/details/pappy2018-02-01.sbd.akg414.schoepsMK4v.flac16

     A Cabinet song to open the residency and to touch on how Cabinet sounded way back when?!?!?!? Fantastic opening statement. This evening was going to be all about that high and lonesome sound. Back to the Basics featured some nice harmonies that were as comfortable as a worn wood floor. Catfish John was played at a nice steady pace. Gold Rush had a lot of fiddle as promised and several teases of Dixie.  I have seen Pappy perform Call Me the Breeze with 3 different bands in the last 6 months. This arrangement is my favorite. Skipping along with a lot of fiddle. On to the second set!

     No one in their right mind would call Yakety Yak, a tune from the rock and roll era of the 1950’s by The Coasters a bluegrass tune but it sure does work with this group. My favorite part is the drum solo with brushes by Russ. His set up was one long drum, a bass drum, and a cymbal. He also played standing up.

      Poor Man’s Blues was probably my favorite tune of the night. Pine Billy is just plain fun with the crowd participation. A rather dark and melancholy version (especially with the lights) of My Old Home Place was really powerful and a nice example of how the arrangement of a song can totally change the meaning of the tune.  After Baby Girl Pappy says they have time for a few more songs. A few became one as they did a 17 minute version of Nashville Blues. The song is just sick. Love the jam that ends at the 13 min mark. Upon further research, it is Nashville Blues>Shockin'> Dear Ol' Dixie

     When I got to the show, it was just flurrying. That turned into a surprisingly strong storm that dumped about 3 inches by the time it was over. Lots of people were caught by surprise, walking around downtown in heels and nice dress shoes. I wore sneakers because I was planning on dancing hard. But as I blazed a trail for home in the blowing snow, I was struck by the beauty of it. And my incredible fortune to end up in Burlington, a place where music is the thing. Can’t wait until this Thursday for an evening of cosmic country and a JJ Cale set.

Dave Kemp

BA American Studies

PhD Rock and Roll