21st Annual Christmas Jam

Every holiday season one of the best music events on the planet comes to Asheville, NC. CHRISTMAS JAM! This year Warren Haynes presents his 21st Annual Christmas Jam at the Asheville Civic Center on Saturday December 12th.

The line up is already incredible. And if you know me at all, it appears to be tailored just for me. Joy would say, "stolen from Jeff's iPod." Gov't Mule, Ani Difranco, Moe., Counting Crows, and William Bell are the headliners with special guests Jackie Greene, Kevn Kinney, DJ Logic, Col. Bruce Hampton, Robert Kerns and many more. There's sure to be several more additions in the coming weeks leading up to the event.

Unfortunately, I'll be out of town on the 12th and won't be able to attend, but if you get a chance to go...GO. It will be a great show. Tickets go on sale this Saturday the 14th. To learn more go to http://www.xmasjam.com. If you do end up going, get me a t-shirt.

-- Jeff

What I'm listening to...

Here nor there by Andy Stochansky -- There's a crisp to the air. It's getting dark earlier. Fall is officially upon us. As I was walking the dogs tonight, shuffling the iPod, it landed on a track from Andy Stochansky called Everest that just seemed to fit with the evening. Tonight finally felt like Fall.

That track made me come back to the house and look back over Andy's collection and, thanks to Grooveshark, I discovered another Fall-esque Stochansky number I'd never heard before, Here nor there.

Check it out.

For more, check http://www.myspace.com/andystochanskymusic.

-- Jeff

What I'm listening to....

Jackie Greene. I discovered Jackie Greene a little over a year ago when he was tour with the Phil Lesh and Friends band. Phil & Friends opened for the Black Crowes on Oct 5th, 2008 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Alpharetta, GA. Phil's line-up always changes and when I was preparing for the show and checking out which musicians he was touring with this time, I recognized everyone except a guy named Jackie Greene.

When I looked him up I saw an article in the New York Times that dubbed him “The Prince of Americana” and described his music as "steeped in country, blues, jazz, rock and folk traditions, defying easy categorization". Needless to say, I was very interested to see this guy play.

When Phil and Friends took the stage on Sunday evening, I was surprised to see the unassuming Jackie Greene as lead vocals and guitar for Friends, a position held most notably by Warren Haynes and Chris Robinson on previous iterations of the Friends. The band was great, as usual, but I was taken with how Jackie commanded the stage and couldn't wait to check out his solo work.

Since that show just over a year ago, Jackie Greene has been my favorite new musician and I just can't get enough.

Check him out www.jackiegreene.com and www.myspace.com/jackiegreene. If you're interested in picking up an album, I'd recommend his 2002 release Gone Wanderin'.



-- Jeff