Randy Marsh was fretting. Less than a year ago, my conversations with the veteran Grand Rapids jazz drummer frequently seemed to revolve around the woeful state of the city’s jazz scene, and the limited number of venues where West Michigan’s remarkably talented hepcats could strut their stuff. Oh, there were a few scattered restaurants and [...]
This week, I’m featuring The Trace as part of my “Local Spins Live” series, which airs every Wednesday at 10 a.m. On News Talk 1340 AM (WJRW). The acoustic classic rock trio – Steve Damstra, Robin Spring and Mark Lamm – represents the revamped version of the popular, long-running Natchez Trace, which was a virtual [...]
Bless You Boys, Drew Nelson, The Mighty Narwhale, Ralston Bowles, The New Midwest. All past winners of my Local Spin of the Year award, and all impressive examples of West Michigan’s burgeoning musical talent. The same goes for this year’s winners of the award: The Crane Wives, for their debut album, “Safe Ship, Harbored,” and [...]
Rock draft, not mock draft: Jack White, Neko Case, Dan Auerbach, Victor Wooten, Ben Folds top my musical draft list (videos)
Posted: 26th April 2012 by John in Commentary, Features, Music, Uncategorized, VideosTags: alternative music, americana, blues, rock, videos
How about a Rock ‘n’ Roll Draft? With the over-hyped, prime-time-powered NFL Draft under way tonight, I couldn’t help but wonder what the selection process might look like if rock groups were “teams” picking musicians and singers for their franchises. Hey, there are similarities: Bands and football teams both look for players who complement their [...]