Ray Bonneville "Roll It Down"

Hope you had a good holiday yesterday. Back at the store? You are a brave soul! Me, I am appalled at how much I ate! You too? I am still SO full. 'Tis the season for overindulgence, indeed. Just in case you don't want to wait til January 1st to pull the trigger on your New Year's Resolution to lose weight and get in shape, we bring you an easy rocker, which is just perfect for warming up without hurting yourself too badly. The song is called "Roll It Down" from Ray Bonneville, and it offers the antidote, packed with evocative lyrics that remind us what is important.

Ray Bonneville takes you to the earthiest places. He is such a mirror of the New Orleans sounds he soaked up by living there in the '80s; funky groove meshed with the music he grew up with, blues and country. Roots resonates, it is ever alive, and Ray is a master. We dig back to last February in Memphis at the Folk Alliance for this recording of the title song from his 2003 album Roll It Down.

- Jessie Scott

Bob Livingston "Android's Lament"

A couple of weeks ago, I was at Threadgill's South for a cool gig in the outdoor Beer Garden. It is an amazing place to see a show, a bit of greenery, with the city skyscrapers in the distance ringing the venue. And sometimes it can be a hard time getting past the entrance to the place, as the Austin music crowd seems to hang just past there. Lots of hugging and kissing and handing out business cards. Some nose to nose conversations take place, with plans for lunch, dinner, another show. Bob Livingston was there the last time I was, and we hugged and chatted. Bob has carved an indelible mark on this town. He's a member of Austin’s legendary Lost Gonzo Band, performing and recording with Jerry Jeff Walker, Michael Martin Murphey, and Ray Wylie Hubbard. The band had an integral role in designating Austin as the 'Live Music Capital of the World.'

Bob's legacy grows with his escapades and projects, too. His non-profit organization, Texas Music International was founded in 1995 to explore multi-cultural themes in music and art, and promote them internationally. The idea is to educate, entertain and empower audiences with cross-cultural understanding. TMI coordinated Bob and his son Tucker Livingston's 2005 tour to Africa for concerts in Morocco, Tunisia and Angola; and then the January tour of Vietnam and Thailand. Their latest project is a documentary about the Livingston's musical tours that was shot in 17 countries!

We are happy to celebrate a new release from Bob, called Gypsy Alibi, out just a month now. Bob and company went into the studio back in February and cut six new songs, co-producing with Lloyd Maines. The next bit of them were done at Cedar Creek Recording in March. Along the way, stuff was tweaked at Bradley Kopp's studio in Buda, Texas. Bradley joined Bob on the Music Fog bus at Folk Alliance in February, too. We have something from the new album for you now, "Android's Lament" on Music Fog.

- Jessie Scott

Kristi Rose & Fats Kaplin "Rise and Shine"

I was grounded in New York a couple of days ago, due to downed wires on the tracks of the Northeast Corridor Amtrak. After a magical day of everything being possible the day before, suddenly nothing was happening. Though, getting back to New York City is always such a treat. Visiting with folks near and dear to me; hanging, eating, laughing, walking, listening to music, looking at the architecture. Seeing what people can accomplish by working together, it is a awe-inspiring thing. I was in no hurry, so I got to stay and take in more!

Photo Credit: Baxter BuckAnd, because it is New York, there is always a flourish, a sense of the dramatic. A touch of the show biz permeates everything, from the buskers playing music in the subway, to the people pressing hand bill ads on you in Times Square. It's THEATRE! I am reminded of the SNL Master Thespian bit with Jon Lovitz from a couple of decades ago!

Though they live in Nashville, there is a touch of New York drama to the music of Kristi Rose and Fats Kaplin. Fats is actually from New York, and Kristi, let's just say she is a citizen of the world! Funny how many times I have crossed parties with them in far flung cities this year. And it was so terrific to have had them come aboard the Music Fog bus in Memphis this past year during Folk Alliance. (The dates for the upcoming 2011 conference have been announced, too.)

Kristi and Fats have just released a new CD for the winter season, I Wonder As I Wander. But today we bring you a song that Kristi originally featured with The Handsome Strangers. Here's the Music Fog version with Fats Kaplin!

- Jessie Scott