All of the marvelous vintage divas: Ella, Etta, Billie, Bessie, Ethel Waters, Annette Hanshaw, Nellie Lutcher, Julie London, Big Maybelle, to name only a few of the greats. They move me, what can I say? I love the jazz guys too -- Louis, Fats, Cab, Nat, Bing, you name 'em -- Plus, let me not forget the importance of my teachers like Fiddlin' Dave Trainer (mandolin and frailing banjo) back when I was discovering old-timey wonderfullness, bluegrass and the like. Last but not least have been the kin who came before me, who have passed down to me the music from their own blood and souls. Thank you Grampa! I want to carry the baton for you...
Did a whole lot of crooning all through school -- it was the only thing that made sense to me most of the time, not that it's much different now that I'm well on my way to being a crazy old bitty! Only now, I also write songs and play guitar, banjo, mandolin and (more recently) ukulele with varying degrees of facility. After a short but sweet stint playing my own songs in my hillbilly rock band Mad Hattie, and originals and covers of old timey jazz and blues with Ralph Huntley (of Klezmocracy and Portland Livewire Radio Show) I hooked up this last fall with the fabulous MIDNIGHT SERENADERS where I scrambled to learn some uke and now I get to play and sing my lil' ol' heart out on a regular basis. We play vintage jazz, blues and pop tunes from the 20's and 30's, and I LOVE this project with everything I've got!!! I seem to have wound up getting to play some pretty high-falutin' players like Doug Sammons (official ringleader, formerly of bluegrass band Sam Hill), Henry Bogdan (on Hawaiian steel guitar, former bassist for Helmet), and local jazz greats Dave Evans, Garner Pruitt, & Pete Lampe. BREAKING NEWS: bran-new c.d. just released... check out MAGNOLIA... it rocks hard...hurry! Run, don't walk!! I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.4 I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.4The World's Jazz Crazy
Thank you for being a friend! If you have a chance come stop by my page and leave some feedback on my poetry, and keep checking back for new blogs, poems, and my first book of poetry which will be available for sale in just a few months!! Here's one of my poems:
IT'S JUST LOVE
As hard as I try, I can't seem to erase you from my mind. Search his eyes for a reflection of your heart. Imagination engulfing reality. His hands embrace me. I close my eyes and feel you. If only this distance weren't so prodigious. My heart longing only to be beside you. A love so inaccessible. Relying only on Faith. A love so unyielding. It will never surrender. Although I kiss you goodbye, My heart will never cease to be enraptured by you.
By way of intro, here's how my friend Dennis Beck described the Shadowville All-Stars a couple of years ago:
"The Shadowville Allstars provide the musical canvas for the word paintings of Will Dockery, the Poet Laureate of Shadowville. Individually, we are a dozen-or-so musical merry pranksters who rotate in and out of the lineup at different venues. Collectively we are The Shadowville Allstars. Artists who share the stage with us in a live performance become Shadowville Allstars forever. It's kind of like the Baseball Hall-of-Fame, only you can't get kicked out for gambling..."
I was just in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop in to say hello and thanks for remaining friends. If you get a chance, drop by and have a look through the gallery section as I have some new work to look at.
Obrigado pela visita em meu espaço e muito boa sorte pra você!!!
Fique a vontade pra ouvir todas as canções do meu terceiro CD: Ebulição de Idéias, ver os vídeos de shows e tudo que quiser, ta bom?!
O CD tem a participação do Zé Geraldo na música (S.O.S) e tem também uma canção em homenagem ao Maluco Beleza, Raul Seixas (Um Canto Para Raul), Além da música "Essência Oculta" que foi trilha Sonora de um filme(TV Cultura) do Grande Cineasta Hermano Penna.
The Moonlighters have a new release, Enchanted, which is out this week. Click this link for a free download of one of our new songs: http://www.worldsound.com/free/moon.
"Ticklin' The Strings" by Sweet Hollywaiians
Amazing Japanese hot string band playing 1920's, 30's, 40's style hawaiian, swing, calypso, blues, italian music and originals,featuring vintage instruments.3 songs with Robert Armstrong and Tony Marcus(from Robert Crumb and His Cheap Suit Serenaders)
"The Sweet Hollywaiians have probably the best feel for this 20's music of any string band working today. They manage the rare feat of sounding relaxed even when their playing is hot, are top notch musicians with tasteful arrangements and a full, rich, warm sound.Plus, they have a nice gamut of tunes, from King Nawahi to Giovanni Vicari to Bobby Leecan. See them live, if you can, for an unforgettable experience. If you can't, buy their Cds!" ~ Terry Zwigoff
