I am extremely excited to announce a Shrimp Boil at the historic Story Hill Firehouse featuring the J Ryan Trio this Friday Aug 16 (5:30-8:30pm). For tickets and details please see the link and info below. The Story Hill Firehouse is one of Milwaukee’s newest and finest venues for weddings, special events and live music. Originally constructed in 1927, the now refurbished space retains many original architectural details while lending a thoroughly chic and modern scene to any event or evening. And the food? Magnifique!
In the spirit of any good New Orleans shrimp boil, we’ll ‘laissez les bon temps rouler’. That is: ‘Let the Good Times Roll’. The JRT will cover both the song and the sentiment.
Story Hill Firehouse
407 N Hawley Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53213
262-477-5813
facebook: www.facebook.com/407Hawley/
website: www.storyhillfirehouse.com
Friday Aug 16
5:30pm – 8:30pm
Information and tickets available at the below link
www.facebook.com/events/1082877085237617/
Bugsy’s Backalley Speakeasy
218 N Water St, Milwaukee
(but enter via the alley off Chicago Ave)
414-221-6565
www.bugsysbackalleysaloon.com
Saturday Aug 17
9pm – 1am
But wait – there’s more: There’s Bugsy’s Backalley Speakeasy on Saturday Aug 17. Woohoo. We’ll play a perpetual plethora of poppin’ tunes while also including a copious compliment of camaraderie and comedy. Oh we can be pretty funny – although not always in a ‘ha ha’ way.
And all of the above after helping out friends in music at the State Fair. Indeed the photo below shows our very own Alissa wailing on a Janis Joplin tune while ensconced in the mighty tendrils of not 1, not 2, but count ’em 3 smoke machines. I think the vapor looked extremely cool under the lights, and helped Alissa develop an even smokier tone by the third set.
fabulous Australian blues band Kings & Associates during the Milwaukee stop of their US tour. They’ll play an intimate club event at Ally’s Bistro this Wednesday – details below. Here’s a primer to bring you up to speed: it’s summer here, winter there; Miller here, Fosters there; toilets flush clockwise in the US, counterclockwise down-under; and that’s not a knife… this is a knife.
Well – my cat’s on Prozac. I’m completely unmedicated but the cat’s on anti-depressants. That’s messed up on (at least) two counts. You see, one of our cats passed recently. The remaining cat (Pango) took the loss personally. In fact he stopped eating, gave up on doing much of anything. I’m sure with opposable thumbs he would have hit the bottle pretty hard. After a few days of no food we thought it best to have him checked out. Clean bill of health but learned the little fella was likely distraught over the loss of his feline brethren. Amazing social depth for an animal still willing to eat off the floor. Anyhoo, after a few days on happy pills, he’s back to his old self – remarkable. Good thing too as his despondence prevented him from sitting on his favorite sofa. Not sure how the therapy sessions were to work if he wont sit on the couch.
Speaking of special events, we had a little 8’th grade graduation shindig last Friday. Not sure when 8’th grade graduation became an event – but I’ve got the left-over cupcakes to prove it’s indeed a thing. Oh you know the cupcakes – store bought jobbers that if not consumed at the party, get unceremoniously dumped in the office break room on Monday morning – the hallowed tradition of feeding left-overs to co-workers. Ostensibly a waste-not, want-not arrangement but also a fascinating ongoing social experiment. I’ve seen left for the taking both delicious morsels, and less desirable fare:
With a ’64 Coupe Deville in the garage and decades of experience on Milwaukee’s rock scene under his belt, we had to bestow upon him the affectionate moniker of Cadillac Jimmy. Stuttgart? Tokyo? naaah. Only the hard-scrabble ground and true grit of Detroit could incubate things so iconically American as the Cadillac he drives and the Motown, blues and rock that he plays. Kicked around? Sure, a little bit. Both Cadillac and the Jimmy that shares the brand have seen their portion of hard knocks, tough times. But real cars like real people don’t quit. They know what really counts – being the best there is and in exchange enjoying the adulation of those that care deeply about them. Sure, Caddy’s have their enthusiasts, and any car club will geek like hell over a ’59 Eldo, but a Cadillac Jimmy bass line? not even full sticker price can buy you that – it can only be found when he weaves his magic with the JRT.
That was some crazy Kelvinating cold and snow. Had to shovel my roof. My roof for cryin out loud. But I stand by my record: fell 4 times and not a single fatality.
The Bay Restaurant in Whitefish Bay
We are obviously very excited to bring Christmas jazz back to Von Maur. I recall fondly my meeting Santa Claus during last year’s outing. Being a lifetime member of the ‘coal society’ I hadn’t had the pleasure of greeting him face-to-face during my formative years. Anyhoo, as we laid into our first set, ‘ole St Nick descended the escalator while shaking sleigh bells on 2 and 4 in perfect time. Sauntering past the line of kids and leaning over the piano he says to me, and I kid you not, “Hey man, can y’all play some Art Blakey?”. That’s right, Santa was a true blue jazz cat that knew. his. stuff. At that moment, in my mind, he was indeed the real Santa. Voice 2 octaves higher than intended and rife with child-like excitement I heard myself exclaim “Sure thing Santa!”. Well we busted out ‘Moanin’ from the Jazz Messengers and had ourselves a merry little time. So maybe pop on by this Saturday, Dec 15 at Von Maur and say hi to Santa’s groovin’est elves, Or catch us at any of the other superb venues listed above.
Candy Corn – What flavor is it supposed to be? If brainstorming new candy ideas, best to start with something good and make it better – make it candy-er. Corn is not a starting point. Any vegetable really, no-one wants candy asparagus or candy spinach either. Plus they seem perfectly shaped to choke on – was that intentional?