Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
So dude, you coming home soon? What's the latest from the road?
  

    
I will be home on Saturday.  I just arrived in Charleston, South Carolina --
my first time here.  My gig is tomorrow night at a nice club in a touristy
part of town down by the water.

One of my aims for this 24 hours of downtime is to catch up on my journal.

I can't remember the last time I reported in, but I just played three gigs in
three nights in three cities, with several hours of driving in between each
pair.  Along the way I outlived a cold which weakened me terribly but did not
affect my singing (whew!), spent some time with some dear friends, and sold a
respectable number of CDs at each stop.

Last night in Charlotte I played electric guitar, substituting for the broken-
fingered guitarist of Nth Degree.  This was a blast for me, 'cause I don't
get to play electric very often these days.  These guys are a 25-year-old
garage band who play music for all the right reasons, and I thoroughly en-
joyed the opportunity to jam on some old favorites with a great bunch of
guys.  Tom Constanten, who lives in Charlotte, sat in for several numbers,
too.  I demanded that TC and Hubert play some four-handed piano, and the
resulting Dark Star->Deal->Dark Star was a gas.

More later.  I want to compose offline.

If you're interested in seeing what I've been playing, the set lists are
posted at http://www.dgans.com/ganslists.html

Oh, and: "Who Killed Uncle John?" has gotten wildly enthusiastic reactions
everywhere.  Most gratifying.
  

    
Great! And how is ol' TC these days?
  

    
He is well.  Touring some, playing regularly in a church near his home, and
happily showing everyoine photos of his adorable daughter, Clarissa.
  

    

David and Mary, I just want to say thanks for the interview!  Mary you did
a fabulous job of keeping it going while David was on the road, and David
so, did you!  Thanks for sharing all the stories.
  

    
It's been great. And also, people joining the program late should feel
free to ask questions now as well!
  

    


Subject: Re: Gans' Song
Date: 08 Apr 2001 00:25:45 GMT
From: revzaius@aol.com (RevZaius)
Newsgroups: rec.music.gdead


"Not I,"said the Dude working at the Mill Valley Wienerschnitzel,
His money was always good here,
Clogged arteries, alas, became a major concern,
Only when the end was all too near...


With apologies to all...
  

    
My review of Solo Acoustic is online now at <www.cosmik.com/aa-
april01/reviews/review_david_ganz.html>  I liked it.

(and I didn't name the file - I think I spelled Gans correctly throughout
the review...)
  

    <scribbled by tnf Tue 10 Apr 01 12:59>
  

    
Nice review indeed!  Thanks a million!
  

    
I'm listening to it right now. Just came in the mail. So beautiful.
Thank you!
  

    

Apologies to anyone who ordered "Solo Acoustic: from amazon and hasn't gotten
it yet.  Apparently one of our packages to them has been waylaid.  We've got
our best people on it...
  

    

In other news, the ma,ker of my great guitar has a new web page (at long
last!).  Check out Renaissance Guitars at <http://www.renaissanceguitars.com>
  

    
my solo acoustic from amazon is here!
  

    

"Solo Acoustic" is #8,241 on the amazon.com hit parade!
  

    
With a bullet!
  

    





ALL SHOWS ARE DAVID GANS SOLO ACOUSTIC UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED:


Thursday, May 3, 1pm ET:  Phone interview with Eli Polonsky on WMBR 88.1
Cambridge MA.  Live webcast at http://wmbr.mit.edu/wmbr.ram

Thursday, May 3, 9pm:  Tribeca Blues, 16 Warren Street, New York City.  With
The Electrix and Michael Falzsarano.  One or more of the Persuasions are
rumored to be coming.   $10. 212-766-1070

Saturday, May 5, 8pm:  Goddard College Haybarn Theater, 123 Pitkin Road,
Plainfield VT.  Free to Goddard students, $5 to the public. 802-454-8311

Sunday, May 6, 10pm:  Tammany Club, 43 Pleasant Street, Worcester MA.  With
Bacchanalia.  $4.  58-591-6550.  http://www.tammanyclub.com/main.html

Monday, May 7, 8:30pm:  Sit-N-Bull Pub, 163 Main Street, Maynard MA.  $5.
http://sitnbull.com/

Wednesday, May 9, 7:30pm:  The Turning Point, 468 Piermont Avenue, Piermont
NY. $7.50.  914-359-1089.  http://www.turningpointcafe.com

Thursday, May 10:  Stanhope House, 45 Main Street, Stanhope NJ.  $10.
973-347-0458. Chris Harford, David Gans, and The Saras

Friday, May 11, 8:30pm:  Opening for Zen Tricksters at the Stone Pony, 913
Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park NJ. 732-502-0600

Saturday, May 12, 7pm:  Silk City, 435 Spring Garden St., Philadelphia PA.
$5. 215-592-8838


Friday-Sunday, May 18-20:  SpringJam Music Festival, SmokeRise Ranch Resort,
Murray City OH.  Dark Star Orchestra, John Mullins Band, and many more.  DG
performs solo Friday night at 11:30.  740-76-RANCH.
http://www.angelfire.com/oh3/SmokeRise/home.html

Sunday, May 27, 8pm:  Musicians for Medical Marijuana benefit w/ Big Brother
and the Holding Company, David Gans, and the Non Prophets.  Ashkenaz, 1317
San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley. $15. 510-525-5054.  http://www.m4mmj.org

Thursday, May 31, 9pm:  DG opens for Wake the Dead! at the Ashkenaz, 1317 San
Pablo Avenue, Berkeley.  $9.  510-525-5054.  http://www.wakethedead.org

Sunday, June 3:  DG opens for the Flying Other Brothers in a benefit for Camp
Winnarainbow.  Ashkenaz, 1317 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley.  $15. 510-525-5054

Friday, June 8 (tentative):  Big Ed's, Reno NV

Saturday, June 9, 9pm:  Stormy's Off Broadway, 132 W 2nd Street, Chico CA.
$8 advance, $10 day of show

Wednesday, June 13:  Music and talk.  Newport Performing Arts Center, Newport
OR.  $10.  541-265-ARTS

Thursday, June 14, 9:30pm:  Chez Ray's, 44 W. 10th St., Eugene, OR.  $5.
541-344-1530

Friday, June 15, 7pm:  Windows, 1021 NE Grand, Portland OR.  With Freak
Mountain Ramblers.  503-235-2100.  http://www.reallybigshoe.net

Saturday, June 16, 9:30pm:  Tractor Tavern, 5213 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle WA.
With Kuli Loach and Jim Page.  $8.  206-789-3599

Sunday, June 17: The Family Affaire, Arizona Beach Campground, 36939 Highway
101, Port Orford OR (20 miles south of Bandon).  Event takes place Fri-Sun,
June 15-17; DG performs on Sunday the 17th.  Headline acts TBA.  Tickets
available from Fast Tix 503-224-TIXX or fasttixx.com

Saturday, June 23, 5pm:  Nelson Ledges Quarry Park, 12001 Rte. 282,
Garrettsville OH.  With Dark Star Orchestra.  http://www.nlqp.com

Sunday, June 24, 7:30pm:  Club Cafe, 56-58 South 12th Street, Pittsburgh PA.
$7.

Saturday June 30 (10pm) and Sunday, July 1 (8:30pm):  Heartland Cafe, 7000 N.
Glenwood, Chicago IL.  $8.  773-465-8005.  http://www.heartland-cafe.com/

Thursday-Sunday, July 5-8:  High Sierra Music Festival, Plumas-Sierra County
Fairgrounds, Quincy CA.  Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, moe., Little Feat,
Steve Kimock Band, zillions more.  DG performs in the Friday "late night
troubadour session" and then at 11:30 am Saturday on the Americana stage.
http://www.hsmusic.net

Saturday, July 21:  Sunshine Daydream Music Festival, Terra Alta WV.  DG will
play several shorts sets throughout the day.  304-789-2292.
http://www.sunshinedreams.com

Friday-Saturday, August 3-5:  Dead on the Creek at Uncle John's Camp in
Willits CA.  DG performs 3:30-5:30 on Saturday.  Also appearing over the
three-day weekend: David Nelson Band, Wake the Dead!, Jerry's Kids, Crane
Canyon Bluegrass, and Modern Hicks.  Tickets are available now -- call
707-459-3015 for info.


More dates are being confirmed as we speak.  The schedule is always up to
date at http://www.dgans.com/gigs.html


NEW LIVE CD:  Solo Acoustic, on Perfectible Recordings.  See
http://www.trufun.com/perfectible for track list, cover art, sample audio,
etc. Available via amazon.com
(http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005AUFQ/truthandfuninc), CD Baby
(http://www.cdbaby.com), and direct from Perfectible Recordings ($12.50 to
Perfectible Recordings, 484 Lake Park Ave. #102, Oakland CA 94610).
  

    
Got Solo Acoustic last Thursday. Nice production.. great guitar
stuff... very friendly vocals. I'm keeping it in my cabriolet for road
music. 
  

    


From: Brian Ferdman <groovy1967@yahoo.com>
Subject: GDH: David Gans' Solo Acoustic
Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 22:21:05 -0700 (PDT)
To: gdh@lists1.ba.best.com



I received this album a few weeks ago, and I fell in love with
it.  I was so hooked on this disc that I felt compelled to
spread the good word.  Unfortunately, I've had a helluva time
getting a website to post my review, and since David's next tour
is about to begin, I thought I'd post a few comments here to
convince you that Solo Acoustic is a worthwhile purchase.

The Grateful Dead had a knack for covering a song and making it
their own.  David Gans is also blessed with this gift. I first
listened to the disc without looking at the tracklist, and on
more than one occasion, I was surprised to learn that a track
was indeed a cover song.  His voice and playing style have this
strange ability to wrap themselves around each tune and
transform it into an effortless piece of music that flows from
the heart.

Perhaps David's strongest skill is his ability to wrap himself
inside the lyrics of so many different characters.  Just listen
to his take on Gram Parson's "Return of the Griveous Angel," a
song that I never particularly cared for until now, and you
can't help but feel for this heartaching character that he
creates.  And if bittersweet pain is your game, no Dead fan
would be disappointed by his heartfelt deliveries on "Brokedown
Palace" or "Black Peter."

Of course, this album is anything but a somber funeral dirge.
There are plenty of jovial turns on songs such as "Down To
Eugene," and Martin Mull's hysterical "Normal."  Let's not
forget the riotous donning of the jumpsuit for a rocking version
of "Elvis Imitators."

If smooth segueways are your game, you'll be hard pressed to top
the transition from a majestic "Lady With a Fan -> Terrapin
Station" into David's fan-favorite, "River and Drown" which
gives way to his Jerry Garcia tribute, "The Minstrel."  However,
if you're like me, you'll fall head over heels for the
smooth-as-butter transition from "Black Peter" into "Dear Mr.
Fantasy" into "Trying."

One last word needs to be said about David's new song, "Who
Killed Uncle John?"  This song is just flat-out fantastic.
Lyrically, the song makes some great statements about the world
that has evolved in the wake of Jerry Garcia's passing, but
David resists the temptation to give in to cynicism and spins an
optimistic and truthful ending to the tale.  Musically, this
tune couldn't sound more like Bob Dylan in his acoustic prime.
Over a heavily accented guitar riff, David punctuates each lyric
with fire and drives home the emotions that lie beneath this
powerful song.

If you go see David Gans in concert, you're likely to witness a
performance packed with skilled playing, impassioned singing,
dextrous improvisation, and a fresh dose of humor.  Solo
Acoustic nicely captures all of those elements into an 80 minute
musical journey with many twists and turns but plenty of emotion
at the core.

Peace,
  Brian
  

    

Woo-hoo!!  Great review!
  

    
Rilly! Rock on!
  

    
That must be so gratifying, David.
  

    

Wake the Dead! with David Gans opening - TONIGHT at the Ashkenaz, 1317 San
Pablo Ave., Berkeley.  9pm
  

    


 Tim Lynch reviews for PauseRecord:

 >DAVID GANS, "SOLO ACOUSTIC" (Perfectible) - Perhaps the centerpiece of this
 >live record by America's best known Deadhead (he hosts the nationally syn-
 >dicated Grateful Dead Hour and has written several books and numerous ar-
 >ticles on the band), is its one studio recording, a song about Jerry Garcia
 >called "Who Killed Uncle John?" The melody and talky, bluesy style is
 >lifted directly from Bob Dylan's classic, "Who Killed Davey Moore?" and it
 >is every bit as acerbic and biting a look at the cultures of the Grateful
 >Dead and Deadheads as Dylan's was about boxing. It is just one of a bunch
 >of strong songs on the disc, which also includes a Robert Hunter - David
 >Gans collaboration ("Shut Up & Listen"), some of my favorite of David's
 >compositions including "River & Drown" and "Sovereign Soul." (As a writer
 >Gans has clearly learned a few tricks from Robert Hunter, but also from
 >folks like Richard Thompson, as well.) There are also a few well-chosen
 >Dead covers, but Gans was a singer, songwriter and guitarist before he even
 >began seeing the Dead. That too is reflected here, as Gans turns in very
 >solid covers of Gram Parsons' "Return Of The Greivous Angel," and a great
 >take on Martin Mull's hysterical classic, "Normal." Gans' guitar playing
 >and singing are strong throughout as well, the one exception to that being
 >his cover of Gillian Welch's "Tear My Stillhouse Down," which is somehow
 >just out of his vocal range.  Even with that caveat, Gans' record is very
 >good, and is worth owning for the "Who Killed Uncle John" alone!
  

    

Friday, June 8, 10pm: Big Ed's, 1036 E. 4th Street, Reno NV. $7. 775-348-6494

Saturday, June 9, 9pm: Stormy's Off Broadway, 132 W 2nd Street, Chico CA. $8
advance, $10 day of show.

Wednesday, June 13: Music and talk. Newport Performing Arts Center, Newport
OR. With the June Rushing Band. $10. 541-265-ARTS

Thursday, June 14, 9:30pm: Chez Ray's, 44 W. 10th St., Eugene, OR. $5.
541-344-1530

Friday, June 15, 7pm: Windows, 1021 NE Grand, Portland OR. With Freak
Mountain Ramblers.  Ticket price TBA. 503-235-2100

Saturday, June 16, 9:30pm: Tractor Tavern, 5213 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle WA.
With Kuli Loach and Jim Page. $8. 206-789-3599

Sunday, June 17: The Family Affaire, Arizona Beach Campground, 36939 Highway
101, Port Orford OR (20 miles south of Bandon).  Event takes place Fri-Sun,
June 15-17;  DG performs on Sunday the 17th. Headline acts TBA.  Tickets
available from Fast Tix 503-224-TIXX or fasttixx.com



More gigs coming up in June, July and August.  Detaeils at
http://www.trufun.com/gigs.html