Raven Cooper to headline Larry Baeder's Blues Concert Series

Yes, it is indeed so. Raven Cooper will play this Wednesday at the Blues Concert Series...

Raven Cooper

KEY WEST, Fla. (August 20, 2012) -- A flawless and diverse performer, Key West-based Raven Cooper performs a wide range of musical genres as a highly skilled guitarist and harmonica player--more than 500 hundred songs in six different languages, from Country and Rock 'n Roll to reggae and pop, to be exact.

Cooper will bring her original music and covers, humor and beautiful presence to Island Dogs for Larry Baeder's Wednesday Night Concert Series on August 22, 2012, from 8 p.m. The series features legendary guitarist Baeder performing alongside a different artist, both local and visiting, every week.

View the Wednesday Night Concert Series line-up

"There is no other way to describe Raven than as the most talented musician these ears have ever heard," wrote her manager David Marshall on Cooper's official website.

Also performing at Island Dogs this week on August 25 from 8 p.m. is Con Leche with its "tropical Hip Hop with a twinge of jest."



Under the new ownership of Pat Croce and David Thibault since July 2010, Island Dogs is the ultimate come-as-you-are bar just off the beaten Canal Street path in Key West's historic downtown, featuring an outdoor oyster bar on its sidewalk front porch. Island Dogs is known for its live music, island cocktails and its specialty menu crafted by Chef Pat Dunn. For more info, visit www.islanddogsbar.com or visit us at 505 Front Street, Key West 33040.

Singer/songwriter Dora Gholson headlines Larry Baeder's Wednesday Night Blues Unplugged Concert Series

KEY WEST, Fla. (August 13, 2012) -- Michigan native Dora Gholson, songwriter, co-guitarist and lead vocalist for Key West-based band Larry Baeder & The MuseGurus, is a poetic lyricist and an astonishingly engaging singer.

And on August 15 at 8 p.m., she will headline the Wednesday Night Blues Unplugged Concert Series featuring legendary guitarist Larry Baeder performing alongside a different blues artist, either local or visiting, every week.

Gholson can turn a one-syllable word into a five-syllable word that encompasses six notes and two octaves and has the vocal agility to sing all around the note and land squarely on pitch, The MuseGurus album notes note.

Gholson has a rich and heart-felt vocal sound, which she employs in a skillful and soulful manner that remains with the listener long after the performance is over. She has been singing most of her life and professionally in the Key West area since 2006.

Also at Island Dogs this week:

• Internationals — Friday, August 17, 2012: Headed by Tony Durante, the Internationals is a new Key West band that will play at Island Dogs on Friday, August 17, from 8 p.m. 
• Con Leche — Saturday, August 18, 2012: Con Leche brings its “tropical Hip Hop with a twinge of jest” to Island Dogs on Saturday, August 18, at 8 p.m.

Jazz keyboardist and regular film score contributor Pete Levin jams with Larry Baeder at the Blues Unplugged Concert Series

Levin

KEY WEST, Fla. (August 6, 2012) -- Pete Levin is a jazz keyboardist, composer, and horn player with a 15-year association with the Gil Evans Orchestra and an 8-year association with Jimmy Giuffre. As a bandleader, he produced the album Deacon Blues in 2007.

He plays the Hammond organ, Clavinet, and Moog synthesizer, and he has performed for such film and television scores as Missing in Action, Lean on Me, Silver Bullet, Red Scorpion, The Color of Money, Maniac, Spin City, America's Most Wanted, and Star Trek.

And on August 8 at 8 p.m., he will headline the Wednesday Night Blues Unplugged Concert Series featuring legendary guitarist Larry Baeder performing alongside a different blues artist, either local or visiting, every week.

Levin has also written scores of his own for Zelimo and The Dybbuk, and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for writing the official military band arrangement of the U.S. Infantry song.

He has performed with Aztec Two Step, Jeff Berlin, Carla Bley, Brubeck Brothers, Hiram Bullock, Jimmy Cobb, Billy Cobham, Willie Colón, Kal David, Miles Davis, Angela DeNiro, Robbie Dupress, Rachelle Farelle, Bryan Ferry, Gregory Hines, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Band, Annie Lennox, Tony Levin, Chuck Mangione, Charles Mingus, Gerry Mulligan, Jaco Pastorius, Nicki Richards, Robbie Robertson, Ali Ryerson, Salt-n-Pepa, David Sanborn, John Scofield, Wayne Shorter, Paul Simon, Lew Soloff, Jim Weider, and Lenny White.

Also at Island Dogs this week:

• Internationals -- Friday, August 10, 2012: Headed by Tony Durante, the Internationals is a new Key West band that will play at Island Dogs on Friday, August 10, from 8 p.m.
• Con Leche -- Saturday, August 11, 2012: Con Leche brings its "tropical Hip Hop with a twinge of jest" to Island Dogs on Saturday, August 11, at 8 p.m.

NY Blues Siren Nikki Armstrong headlines Blues Unplugged Concert Series

Nikki Armstrong

KEY WEST, Fla. (July 30, 2012) -- One of the most raw and passionate voices in the New York Blues and Jazz scene comes to Key West at Island Dogs on Wednesday, August 1, at 8 p.m. for Larry Baeder's newly launched Wednesday Night Blues Unplugged Concert Series.

The Wednesday Night Blues Unplugged Concert Series features legendary guitarist Baeder performing alongside a different blues artist, either local or visiting, every week.

See a full listing of upcoming Blues artists for the concert series

Also known as "Lady of Song" and host of 89.1 FM-WFDU's Blues in the Grooves on Across the Trax, Nikki Armstrong has been compared to Anita O'Day, Tina Turner, Gladys Knight, Bonnie Raitt and Janis Joplin. Noted for soulful interpretations of material from standards to rock, Armstrong performs everything from full band blues, rock and soul originals to carefully crafted jazz standard renditions with startlingly raw passion.

She studied music and voice in Boston, LA, and New York--most notably with Hal Schaefer (Peggy Lee and Marilyn Monroe)--and wrote and did session work on the West Coast and Sydney, Australia, before shifting focus to live performance.

Armstrong has performed in the New York Tri-State area for the past 15 years with her bands Whole Lotta Blues (blues/rock/funk) and The Nikki Armstrong Project (jazz/blues). And she has performed and recorded with Melvin Sparks (Acid Jazz Guitarist), Les Paul (Father of the Electric Guitar), and many others.

She has opened for The Commitments, Joan Osborne, Dave Mason, Dickey Betts, Hubert Sumlin, Ivan Neville's Dumpstafunk, John Tropea Band, Johnny A, Coco Montoya, Cornell Dupree, Parliament Funkadelic, and performed in the Florida Keys, on Caribbean Cruise ships, and can be seen regularly at BB King Blues Club in Times Square.

An important voice in the New York area Blues and Jazz scene, Armstrong served on the Board of Directors of the New York Blues & Jazz Society for over eight years as Musician Liaison when she coordinated, performed, and produced shows at Birdland, B.B. King's Blues Club, and Sirius Radio.

In 2007, Armstrong became the on-air show host of Blues in the Grooves, broadcasting every Wednesday afternoon on WFDU 89.1FM, www.wfdu.fm.  During that time, Nikki produced a number of live radio and internet video broadcasts featuring notable blues & jazz musicians, live tribute shows, and benefit shows for the victims of Katrina in New Orleans.

Armstrong has four independent CD releases: Blues and Jazz, Live at B.B. King's, Turnin' & Burnin', and New, Borrowed & Blue. Most recently, Nikki has resumed touring outside of the New York area. She will perform in Europe this fall (Sept. /Oct. 2012).

Also at Island Dogs this week:

• Tony "Baltimore" Durante plays lead vocals and guitar for the LoFi's, a 3-piece rock band of Key West transplants, and will perform solo at Island Dogs on Thursday, August 2, from 8 p.m.
• The LoFi's, a 3-piece rock band of Key West transplants that performs throughout Key West and the Keys, will hit the Island Dogs stage on Friday, August 3, from 8 p.m.
• Con Leche brings its "tropical Hip Hop with a twinge of jest" to Island Dogs on Saturday, August 4, at 8 p.m.

Ericson Holt headlines Larry Baeder’s Wednesday Night Blues Unplugged Concert Series

Ericson Holt

Due to a last-minute scheduling conflict, Ericson Holt will perform at next week Wednesday's Blues Unplugged Concert Series on  July 25. We apologize for any inconvenience.


KEY WEST, Fla. (July 16, 2012) -- With a voice that the Nashville Scene calls "Jackson Browne with more swagger", Ericson Holt comes to the Island Dogs stage on Wednesday, July 18, at 8 p.m. with his rootsy, bluesy, soul-dipped, leaning-towards-country sound.

Holt is the second guest at Larry Baeder's newly launched Wednesday Night Blues Unplugged Concert Series where legendary guitarist Baeder performs alongside a different blues artist, either local or visiting.

A brave, raw and insightful songwriter, Holt has recorded, internationally toured and had TV appearances with Grammy winners the Mavericks, and Oscar nominee and critics' favorite Allison Moorer. He has played alongside Lee Roy Parnell, Rodney Crowell, Jim Lauderdale, Lari White, Tracy Nelson, Phil Lee, Ricky Van Shelton, the Amazing Rhythm Aces, and Delbert McClinton, just to name a few.

Ericson has performed solo at B.B. King's and the Bluebird Café in Nashville, as well as numerous other venues in the Southeast, and he has also appeared live on several radio stations, including WFPK and WPLN. Before moving to Nashville, Ericson, a Virginia native, worked on the East Coast Blues and Roots Rock circuits, fronting his own bands, and playing with other popular bands such as the Meteors and Lil' Ronnie & the Blue Beats, often opening for national acts including the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Roomful of Blues, and Delbert McClinton.

In 2005, his album The Blue Side began to climb the Americana Music chart on the strength of original songs like "Lonesome River," "Tired of Waitin' Around," "I've Got Your Number," and the title track. Though it's independently released, the album reached the Top 30 during the week of April 18, the Top 5 on the Roots Music Rock chart.

Also at Island Dogs this week:

• Tony Roberts' unique sound is best described as "islandreggaebluesgospel". And he couldn't have found a better home for his music than Island Dogs on Thursday, July 19, at 8 p.m.
• Jeff Clark has been a musician/entertainer for almost six years. He brings soul, folk, funk and pop to Island Dogs on Friday, July 20, from 9 p.m.
• Con Leche brings its "tropical Hip Hop with a twinge of jest" to Island Dogs on Saturday, July 21, at 8 p.m.