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2012 Year in Review (Part 2): Top 12 Songs of the Year

Ahhh, the well crafted song. There’s nothing better than when musical notes and poetry come together to create a beautiful union. A good back-beat, well planned musical flourishes, instrumental solo’s, background vocals, a prefectly timed hand-clap breakdown; these are the things I look for in a great song. That and listenability, playability, and the overall feeling of the song. Regardless of how you listen, we all know a good song when we hear it. So here are my favorites of 2012. Enjoy.

Top 12 of 2012:

12. Ben Gibbard – Teardrop Windows

 

11. Ben Folds Five – Do It Anyway

 

10. Heartless Bastards – Parted Ways

 

9. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Man On Fire

 

8. Justin Townes Earle – Look the other way

 

7. Dr. Dog – That Old Black Hole

 

6. The Lumineers – Ho Hey

 

5. Lee Fields – Faithful Man

 

4. Jack White – Love Interruption

 

3. Dr. John – Getaway

 

2. Michael Kiwanuka – I’ll Get Along

 

1. Alabama Shakes – Hang Loose

 

Honorable Mention:

Gary Clark Jr. – Bright Lights

Neil Young – Oh Susannah

Alabama Shakes – Rise to the Sun

Dr. Dog – Lonesome

Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again

 

 

January 1, 2013 No Comments Shady Groove Short URL
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2012 Year In Review (Part 1): Best Live Shows

As the year comes to a close, The Shady Groove would like to give you a summary of this years best music. We like to do a little bit of ‘nutshelling’ for you. So here we go!

There will be 3 parts to the Shady Groove’s Year In Review. Part 1, which we will conquer today, will be the best Live Shows of the year. Enjoy.

 

Top 12 live shows of 2012:

1. Trombone Shorty @ the Keswick – June

2. Dawes @ Appel Farm – June

3. Nick Lowe @ the Keswick – April

4. Willie Nelson @ the Keswick – May

5. Robert Earl Keene @ Union Transfer – Jan

6. Wilco @ XPoNential Music Fest, Camden – Aug

7. Garth Hudson Songs of the Band @ The Keswick – Nov

Garth Hudson plays the Keswick Theatre’s 82-year old Moller pipe organ. Awesome!

8. The Gourds @ Mercury Lounge NYC – Sept

9. Bruce Springsteen @ Citizens Bank Park, Philly – Sept

10. Michael Kiwanuka @ The Trocodero – Sept

11. Ben Gibbard @ The Keswick – Nov

12. Tedeschi Trucks Band @ The Keswick – Nov

 

Honorable Mention:

Chris Kasper @ Philly Folk Fest – Aug

Railroad Earth @ World Cafe Live – April

Robert Randolph and the Family Band @ The Keswick – Nov

Secret Sisters @ Philly Folk Fest – Aug

Strand of Oaks @ Philly Folk Fest – Aug

MMW @ The Keswick – Oct

Banjo Summit @ The Keswick – Oct

 

 

Here’s to many more shows for you and your loved ones in 2013!

 

December 30, 2012 1 Comment Shady Groove Short URL
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Dave Brubeck

This egalitarian tradition in jazz -- everyone is equal on the bandstand -- has led some to compare it to democracy. The jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis once said that nothing captures the democratic process as perfectly as jazz. "Jazz means working things out musically with other people. You have to listen to other musicians and play with them even if you don't agree with what they're playing. It teaches you the very opposite of racism and anti-Semitism. It teaches you that the world is big enough to accommodate us all."

Dave Brubeck/Wynton Marsalis/John Blake

 

December 22, 2012 No Comments Shady Groove Short URL
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Happy Hanukkah!!

Here ya go folks. Can’t light the candles without this great one.

 

December 12, 2012 No Comments Shady Groove Short URL
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Tedeschi Trucks Band: Keswick Theatre 11/27-11/28

Tedeschi Trucks Band just dropped their second show in a legendary two-night stand at the historic Keswick Theatre in Glenside, PA.
This band is more that just the hottest husband wife duo in the country. They are much much more than that. The band features dynamite horns, a great rhythm section with George Porter Jr. on bass, two full drum sets, Kofi Burbridge on keys and flute, and Mike Mattison on background vocals. One thing’s for sure, this was not the Derek Trucks show; nor did Susan Tedeschi steal the show, although she can slay the guitar like the best of them. This is a big band that is as tight as a skirt on a hooker. They came to play. And play they did, taking us through some of their seasoned favorites as well as some classic covers. Their sound is a blend of cajun, soul, blues, r&b, and rock and roll. Most of the songs they played are on their most recent album, “Everybody’s Talkin'”.
One of the things I liked most about the Tedeschi Trucks Band is the fact that all of the respective artists know their place in the band. Not one outshines another. It’s pretty cool that in one of the standout tunes, the Stevie Wonder penned “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” Derek Trucks does not even have a solo. Not that I don’t love his guitar playing and think his slide guitar work is second to none, it just shows that they put the sound first. If it feels good, play it. Sometimes less is more. I’m a big fan of low and slow and both Susan and Derek can be great even when they are playing at their quietest. Then they build the jam.
It’s great to see a band hittin’ the note  like the Tedeschi Trucks Band did these last two nights.
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Setlists:
Night #1
11/27/12
Everybody’s Talkin’
Wah Wah (George Harrison)
The Sky Is Crying (Elmore James)
Midnight In Harlem
Don’t Let Me Slide
Rollin’ and Tumblin’ (
Wade In The Water (old spiritual song) >>
Funky Jam intro>>
Love Has Something Else to Say
That Did It
Old Time Lovin’ (Al Green)
Uptight (Stevie Wonder)
Drum Solo
Sweet Inspiration (Spooner Oldham)
E.
I Know
Bound For Glory
_______________________
Night #2
11/28/12
Don’t Let Me Slide
Wah Wah (George Harrison)
That Did It (Bobby Bland)
I Know
Ain’t No Use (The Meters)
Sweet Inspiration (Spooner Oldham)
Midnight In Harlem
The Sky Is Crying (Elmore James)
Wade In The Water >>
Funky Jam intro>>
Love Has Something Else To Say
Old Time Lovin’ (Al Green)
Uptight (Stevie Wonder)
Drum Solo
E.
Angel From Montgomery (John Prine)
Get What You Deserve
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November 29, 2012 No Comments Shady Groove Short URL
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