Greetings From the Left Coast!

Frequent guest artist on "The Time Machine", singer-songwriter Courtney Jaye pokes her head in the doorway and gives us an update on what she has been up to.


Hello my little nuggets,

It has been a while since I have written and I figured I would give ya'll an update as to what has been going on in my world in the past couple of months. Well lot's of changes, that's what:)

The biggest news is that I have decided to form a country band with my dear buddy / collaborator / box wine drinking friend, Mr. Thad Cockrell. I met Thad when I moved to Nashville and we wrote our first song in February. Before I knew it, he quickly became one of my favorite people to write / work with. I mean, when you have as much fun as we have, it really doesn't even feel like WORK. and then there is the "singing with Thad" part. In my life, I have met alot of people over the years that I have felt a strong and profound musical connection with. But singing with Thad is up at the top of my list. When you sing with someone and it just kinda flows, you gotta take notice. So we did, we formed a band and our name is "Silverwing"...rad. At the moment, all we have are really lo-fi garageband demo's that we recorded usually right after we wrote each particular song. They are fun /funny(?) demo's and very, very rough, so have at it and enjoy for the time being until we can get in the studio and make a "real" record;)

For anyone that doesn't know Thad's music, well, well well, have I got a treat for you. He's in my top friends list on MySpace and you should check him out. He's made some amazing solo records over the years and most recently, he made a CLASSIC record with Caitlin Cary, formerly of the band "Whiskeytown". The record is called "Begonia's" and I easlily rate it as one of my favorite albums of the past few years.

Next up is that I have been asked to host a television show that will be airing on the CW network called "Center Stage". It's sort of like a cross between "Austin City Limits" and "Sessions at West 54th Wtreet" (two of my favorite music shows over the years). We taped the first one in June, my first guest was the artist from England named "Mika" and he's fantastic. From what I understand the show is airing in Atlanta and then will be airing in 12 major markets in August. I haven't seen the finished product yet, but I'm stoked to be a part of a show like this, tailor made for good, quality, live music. God bless America.

In other news, I am currently out in Los Angeles working on some things that are kind of secret right now...SORRY! I hate keeping secrets and frankly, I suck at it, but bare with me...I will be able to share the news with you in the coming months...

Last night I got to see my friend Neal Casal, of the band "The Cardinals", play at the Wilshire Theater backing the one and only Ryan Adams and it was on fire. I went with my friend Jeremy Lister, who happens to be visiting from Nashville, but he is currently in town working on his new record...and let me tell you how great it is to see a killer live show when you yourself are in the process of creating something. It inspires to no end and that is a beautiful thing. Along with being an amazing solo artist (www.myspace.com/nealcasal), Neal is also a killer photographer. check him out, yo.

Other than that, I've gotten to experience some pretty rad things in the past few months and I'm totally blessed, I gotta tell ya. Once again, thank you all for the continued support. I love to know that you are out there and you are listening and that rules.

Big hugs and take care,
cj


Posted by Courtney Jaye



The Time Machine



Friday, July 20, 2007 at 2:47 PM

Well...we have secrets too...so there.

*lol

:=)




Courtney's music has had a home on our playlists and in our hearts since her debut release. Be sure to pick up a copy of her first album, "Traveling Light" and keep an eye peeled out for CJ's upcoming release "Bamboo Moon" and cross your fingers for a future Silverwings release. Sample "Are You With Me?", available at iTunes, you can also get a sampling of what she's been up to lately (including both "Til It Bleeds" and "The Sweetest Tune" which are getting some positive response from our radio listeners on the studio lines) at her website www.courtneyjaye.com and also Courtney Jaye's MySpace Music Profile

Rachael Yamagata and Her Philly Residency

After being our radio guest on The Time Machine a few weeks ago and as her upcoming album is getting the final touches before it is released, singer-songwriter Rachael Yamagata drops by with an update on her Philadelphia shows. Her Philly residency began this past Tuesday, July 17th at Johnny Brenda's with support from Birdie Busch. Earlier she shared, "We'll be switching up the line ups, changing some old tunes, premiering some new ones and basically having a grand ole time getting back into the live show mode. I've always looked at residencies as a time to experiment and tell stories in an intimate setting so come on out. Great support acts will be joining us – all from the area. It will never be the same show twice so whether you are a fan of the full band rock show, the acoustic duos, strings, or just me on a piano – we'll do it all." Here you go:



Residency 2

Hi Everybody!!

You made the other night so wonderful - a beautiful crowd and such a very nice welcome to the city of brotherly love. We had a blast and all the new players were, dare I say it, psyched.

In case you missed it - we rocked out a bit to some new songs and then tried to regain composure (ok - it was ME trying to regain composure) after random hilarity and then plunge into some heartwrenchers...the ENTIRE crowd sang "Reason Why" at the end and blew my mind - if only I'd had you in the studio when we recorded that song.

SO - to give you returning fans something new and satisfy my desire to let the darker side shine - we will be STRIPPING DOWN for show 2...no - I'm not speaking of the band in their boxers, however I do know that would be dark...very dark. I AM talking bout giving some acoustics to those rock god electric playing dudes and adding some stellar cello (she's hot btw/ colette get your arse down here@!), cahoun and tribal kit versus big ole drums and if I don't think my wurlitzer will break on the ride over - I may even switch to that.

I'm going to dig up some of those songs I never play and learn to play them again. this will require a hushed audience and a box of tissues so if you make noise we WILL be armed with water guns and we are not afraid to use them. If we suck, we will pass them to the audience and you have full permission to open fire on...well, everyone but me. It would bring too many memories back to my former playing days in college when an audience frat boy lobbed beer repeatedly on my white shirted self as the band just laughed and laughed and laughed...thank god for security.

SO, come on out again and we'll stir up trouble. I LOVE you all and thank you again for being the best fans a gal could ever hope to have.


xoxoxox
r




Rachael's music has had a home on our playlists and in our hearts since her debut release. Be sure to pick up a copy of her first album, "Happenstance" and keep an eye peeled out for Rachael's upcoming release. You can get a sampling of what she's been up to lately at her website www.rachaelyamagata.com



The upcoming show dates:

Tuesday, July 24 – support Devin Greenwood
Tuesday, July 31 – support John Francis

Johnny Brenda's
1201 N. Frankford Ave
Philadelphia, Pa 19125

Show times – 9pm

AND!!!

HOTEL CAFÉ FESTIVAL @ BELLAYRE – August 4th

All of our great friends are playing this fest so it will be a blast. If you saw any of the Hotel Café Tour of last year, you know the kind of trouble we'll get in…

The Time Machine's Monique Chachere and Her Dad - Louis Chachere with His Classic "The Hen Part 1 and Part 2"

It's not everyday that a staff member of "The Time Machine" gets a chance to share - okay - show off her father's talent as a musician. Our own voice over talent, Monique Chachere, was raised hearing stories of musical yesteryear from her loving Dad, Louis Chachere.


Among the musicians on the classic 45 was jazz guitarist great Calvin Keys. It was Calvin's first ever recording session. In addition to "The Hen", Louis also produced The Trinikas 45 "Black Is Beautiful" and the flip side "Remember Me".




A big mahalo nui loa goes out to Larry Grogan from Funky 16 Corners for penning the wonderful piece below:




In my book, there’s just nothing tastier than a funky organ groove on 45. There are a number of reasons that this is so…



1. Most of your best organ grooves appear only in 45 form.



2. Organ grooves provide at least 200 percent of your daily minimum requirement of party starting, butt-shaking, good time.



3. Because I said so (you can ignore this one...at your peril!).



Anyway, whether it’s R&B, soul, jazz or beat-heavy funk, there are dozens of amazing Hammond sounds out there to be had and heard. I always dug organ sounds, but for years my listening was largely limited to jazz organ (which isn’t a bad thing in and of itself) and the masters thereof, the Jimmy’s Smith & McGriff, Groove Holmes, etc. Then in 1999, my pal Bill Luther hit me up with a righteous birthday present. The CD in question was the "Vital Organs" compilation, compiled and annotated by the mighty Matt "Mr. Finewine" Weingarden of WFMU and record collecting fame (a righteous dude and a man who’s probably forgotten more great records than I’ve managed to collect). I was immediately intrigued. The track listing revealed not a single familiar name (a challenge!), and lots of appealing song titles – "The Hatch", "Soul Power", "Put Your Weight On It", "Shimmy" – the kind of titles that when attached to a dusty 45 pulled out of a moldy box set the spidey sense a-tingling (they’re also the kind of titles you sometimes find on surprisingly un-funky records, but that’s why I got a portable to dig with). So, I get into the car, slide the CD into the player and enjoy a whole other party all the way home. It was all over after that. It’s not often that I can trace my interest in a genre of music back to a specific starting point, but this was one of those times. In the ensuing six years I have spent an inordinate amount of time (and, yes….money) tracking down, and digging up all manner of Hammond action on 45, to the point where I can proudly say that my organ crates are quite healthy and filled with all manner of death dealing heavy hitters, each one guaranteed to leave the house suitably rocked and the dancers sweaty (but happy). Though I still haven’t tracked down all the cuts from "Vital Organs" (and considering the rarity of some of them likely never will), I have managed to snag a copy of "The Hen Pts 1&2" by Louis Chachere. Despite the fact that "The Hen" was released on Louisiana’s Paula label, and the artist in question has a name that sounds like it shows up several dozen times in the New Orleans phone book, this gem is a bit of Kansas City soul. Chachere originally recorded "The Hen" for the local MJC label, and it was then re-released by the Forte label, in Kansas City, MO. Forte was owned by Marva Whitney’s husband Ellis Taylor (her Excello 45 "Daddy Don’t Know About Sugar Bear" was originally issued on Forte). "The Hen" was licensed to, and released by Paula records.

The tune opens with a tighty, funky snare break (one of my fave snare sounds, along with the drums on James K Nine’s - actually Eddie Bo - "Live It Up" on Federal),and the bass and organ jump right in. The melody line is stated first by the saxophones and then Louis drops in wailing on the break.. The jazzy guitar playing is excellent, and the record is very tightly arranged and well produced. "Part 2" starts back in with a lengthy (and tasty) sax solo, followed by a nice section where the bass/drum tandem is brought up in the mix. Both sides of the record put together barely crack the four and a half minute mark, so the dj in you can’t be blamed for wanting to rock doubles and play it all the way through. The beat is irresistible, and Louis and company manage to keep the novelty “chicken” hysterics on a very low boil. I haven’t been able to nail down a release date, though the catalog number on the 45 suggests sometime between 1969 and 1970, so there is a possibility that this was an attempt to capitalize on the Meters "Chicken Strut" (if anyone knows for sure, drop me a line). Mint copies of this classic are unlikely to be had for less than $50 (sometimes more) though I bagged mine at a bargain price because I took a chance (rewarded) that the record had been undergraded. "Vital Organs" is sadly, out of print, though you might be able to track down a used copy. The only other info I could track down about Louis Chachere is that he produced the funky rarity "Remember Me" By The Trinikas.