CD Previews: New Music from Howard Livingston, Eric Stone, Jerry Diaz & Hanna's Reef and Loren Davidson

Howard Livingston, Six Pack And a Tan

“He’s got this habit that I’m growing to hate, his almost continuous status updates ‘bout his life in the Keys and all that he’s going through…When it’s all said and done, man you know we wanna be like you. I wanna be Howie….” - Paul Roush, “I Wanna Be Howie”

Who WOULDN’T want to be Howard Livingston? A closet full of shorts and flips flops, fishing and playing Trop Rock…with the blue water and sand of the Florida Keys as the backdrop to your daily activities? It’s a Parrot Head’s dream! But, there’s only one “Howie” and if we can’t BE him, the only choice remaining is to live vicariously through him, via his Facebook page…and his cds.

Howard’s latest release is called “Six Pack and A Tan” and, like of all his earlier cds, it’s a lyrical and music tour of the Conch Republic, a tropical party on a round silver disc.  “Six Pack…” opens with the title track, the story of a retired military man who makes “cold beer and a fishing pole his new battle plan.”. Ditching it all and heading for somewhere warm and sunny is a recurring theme in Howard’s music and, why not? It’s what he did many years ago, leaving the corporate life to be a guitar picker in the Keys.

Next up is “Magic In Key West”, an ode to the Conch Republic that name drops Jimmy Buffett and Jerry Jeff Walker. One interesting thing about Howie’s music is that, although he calls South Florida home, many of his tunes sound like they were written South of the Border – with Tijuana brass and Mariachi rhythms that would make Mark Mulligan proud.

“Keysified” is another in a long line of ‘leaving the business world behind and heading for the beach’ songs that owes their origin to Buffett classics like “The Weather is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful”. In Howard’s version, the heroine is headed to a convention in Miami when she gets the bug, rents a convertible and heads down US1. Fueled by a Pina Colada in Islamorada, somewhere over the Seven Mile bridge she loses her business suit, changes into “a little bikini” and never looks back.

Another recurring them in Howard Livingston’s music - and a key ingredient for a majority of all trop rock, for that matter - is alcohol and the partaking of it. Boat Drinks, Margaritas, Rum, ice cold Cervezas. It’s not much of a Parrot Head Party without ‘em . “Five Lines in A Tervis Tumbler” is a reggaefied tribute to those wonderful hot/cold drink recepticles –  a Trop Rockin’ version of “Red Solo Cup”, featuring Howard’s favorite beverage, Coconut rum.

Marine-based puns are nothing new to Trop Rock (see John Reno’s “Lobster But Never Flounder”) and Howard incorporates a number of them in the boogie woogie “Something Fishy’s Going On”.  Funny song, but all I can say is, if I ever walk into my house and find “candles were lit, lights were low, Marvin Gaye on the stereo” and find my wife “laying in our bed wearing a leopard skin thong”? I’m not questioning the motives!

“Six Pack and a Tan” also features one of the oddest Trop Rock songs I have to say I’ve ever heard. Riding a “Puff the Magic Dragon” beat, “Peeing On A Coconut Tree” includes lines like “we were peeing on a Sycamore tree, just my daddy and me”. I’ve GOT to ask Howard about that one the next time I see him…

But, not all of “Six Pack and a Tan” is about throwing responsibilities to the wind and firing up the blender (or relieving yourself on vegetation). Howard intersperses the party tunes with some self reflection and songs tailor-made for swinging in a hammock.  “Another Sunset” rocks gently on a Mexican breeze, “Slow” is a romantic ballad with an appropriate title, and “Younger Every Day” is a mellow number about not fearing the passing the time. Need a song to help you take a mental vacation the next time it’s cold and cloudy? Cue up “Rainy Day in Paradise”. Somehow, even bad weather seems imminently more bearable when the rain drops are falling into the ocean. 

Wrapping up the cd is an upbeat musical snapshot of life in Livingston Land: “Out On Sandy Key”.  Friends, food, music, booze and boats – all under the South Florida sun.  Like Paul Roush’s song says, I wanna be Howie!

Eric Stone, Time To Fly

I have heard his name for years but only recently became familiar with Eric’s music. On the way down to last year’s Meeting Of The Minds, my wife and I stopped by to see him play a set at a roadside tiki bar in Islamorada. Since then, I have included several of his tunes on my show, Trop Rockin’ Live, and can now, happily, answer “Yes!” when someone comes up to me at one of my dj gigs to ask, “Do you have any Eric Stone?”

His latest cd is a well-blended mix of Trop Rock and good old American R&R with a swing through the Lonestar State. Much of the material focuses on chasing your dreams and living life on your own terms, especially if those terms include beaches, boats and bars. The main character in “Ave De Paso” is an “old man chasing the wind”. “Jimmy’s Drive In” finds the hero leaving behind West Texas for a different kind of sun and sand, and in “Way Down In Mexico”, Eric invites anyone who wants to join him to “follow me…we’ll drink Pacificos, we’ll be free…down by the sea”. “Life Like A Novel” and the title track continue the theme of escaping and “searching for a better state of mind”. From name-dropping tumbleweed towns like Odessa to mentions of rattlesnakes and crossing the border, Texas also looms large on “Time To Fly”, musically and lyrically… The Tex-Mex party is in full swing on “Bad Tequila”, where Eric teaches us a lesson about the difference between rock gut and the good stuff.

Jerry Diaz & Hanna's Reef "On A Beach In Mexico"

 I spent some time – many years ago – living in Corpus Christi, not far from Jerry Diaz’s home on the South Texas Gulf coast. I loved the lifestyle, sailboats, wind surfing and Margaritas (why I left is a long story but involves thinking I needed to get somewhere less laid back if I wanted to develop a career. I know, stupid, right? Now, all I can think about is getting back to the beach!), While I was there, I also fell in love with Tex Mex music; Freddy Fender, the Texas Tornadoes, Joe King Carrasco. Which is just another reason why I love Jerry and Hannah’s Reef so much. They mix plenty of south of the border into their Trop Rock for something they appropriately call “Texas Beach Music”.

Named after a local Texas fishing spot, Hannah’s Reef is Jerry on lead vocals and guitar, Mark Mireles on steel drums and acoustic guitar, Chuck Willingham on drums, Bobby Summers on Bass, Bud Byram on percussion, and Heli Martin on guitars. If there is a theme to Jerry Diaz and Hannah’s Reef’s latest cd, “On a Beach In Mexico”, which I guess can be said about most Trop Rock, it is escape… Songs like the title track, “Senoritaville”, and “Down To the Islands” are all about packing your bags and heading to somewhere with sand, sun and drinks with salted rims. In “Down To The islands”, the singer is “stuck somewhere in Arkansas” and says, “I’m a restless soul in a watering hole, drinking rum just to get away” then offers “When my ship comes in, I’m gonna jump right in. I can’t wait to get outta here”.

The desire to leave what ails you behind and head to “a place to go when you’ve had your fill of honey do’s and honey don’ts” continues in “Welcome to Senoritaville” where the singer is down on his luck, “broker than hell” and the IRS is “moving in any day”. Then the answer hits him, “a flight down to Laredo was just what I needed”. And in “On a Beach In Mexico”, the singer dreams of  “tropical islands and places I wanna be” while suffering under a “Cold Nebraska sky”.  

But the songs on “On a Beach In Mexico” aren’t simply about wanting to swap a bad situation for a better one, they’re also about the flip side: thoroughly enjoying a really good situation: “I’ve got something money can’t buy, a good lovin’ woman standing by my side” (“I’ve Got Love”), as well as making the best of the hand you’re dealt:  “Just give me ten to twenty, and I’ll feel just fine. The wind at my back and a bottle of wine” (“Ten To Twenty”) and “If  there’s beer in the cooler, I’ll be alright” (“Beer In The Cooler”).  Wrapping up the cd is a staple of Hannah’s Reef live shows, “We’ll Get By” – which features a guest appearance by John Reno. Think of it as a Margarita glass half full kind of tune, with lines like,  “Well it takes me nearly all I’ve got,  just to make ends meet”and  “But that’s ok, come what may, we’ll get by”. Amen, brother.

Loren Davidson "Of All The Rum Joints"

If you want to make music for a living, writing and recording is just PART of the process. You also need to PROMOTE. And few people work harder at it than California’s Loren Davidson. Anytime I post something on Facebook asking artists to submit information for my blog or music for my BeachFrontRadio show, “Trop Rockin’ Live”, Loren is always one of the first people to respond. The title of latest cd, “Of All the Rum Joints” and one of the songs on the cd, “Looking at You” are both nods to my favorite movie of all time, Casablanca. Produced, engineered and mixed by popular Trop Pock producer, Kevin Johnson at Orca Sound in Maryland, “Of All the Rum Joints” features eleven original songs written by Loren, plus two covers – The Doors’ “Moonlight Drive” and “Sunshine on My Shoulder” from John Denver. The originals are some of Loren’s best ever – “Voodoo Lounge” has a bluesy, back alley New Orleans vibe, “Fly Away” wouldn’t sound out of place on a Zac Brown Band cd, and “One More Rum” is a clap along tune about the trials and tribulations of being a live performer in a room full of party people who want to buy you drinks all night.

 

Meeting Of The Minds: Sunday, November 6th - The Last Waltz

We had originally planned to fly back to Atlanta on Sunday, but were told by several MOTM veterans that we should stay to catch Sunny Jim's songwriters showcase at Blue Heaven. So, we made some last minute adjustments - which included having to move hotels - and stayed another day. And we were very glad we did. Getting reports that Blue Heaven was packed to the gills for brunch, we decided to wait a few hours before going and, instead, headed to the Smokin' Tuna Saloon, Scott Kirby's new place just off Duval (you can read more about it in my earlier interview with Scott here on BB&B). The place was also pretty packed but we ran into our new friends, Jimbo, Tracy, and Brett again, who were getting ready to leave and offered us their table, where we sat and watched Howard Livingston and, then, John Frinzi with special guest, Doyle Grisham.

The Tuna is one of our new favorite places in Key West, with plenty of room, a cozy feeling despite being largely outdoors, and good food - the Smokin' Tuna Dip and peel & eat  local shrimp were especially tasty. One funny note: After turning down my first couple of beer requests, saying they were out of stock, the bartender shrugged and by apologized, saying "This is our first Parrot Head convention. We just weren't ready!"

We hated having to give up our much coveted table, but we wanted to catch at least some of the acts at Sunny Jim's showcase, so we closed out and walked up Whitehead Street. By the time we got there, the brunch crowd had subsided and, although there was still a good sized audience enjoying the music, there were plenty of places from which to watch the show.

If you've never been to Blue Heaven it's REALLY an outdoor venue. Unlike Smokin' Tuna, where there are at least some covered areas where you can go when the weather doesn't cooperate, there is no such shelter at Blue Heaven. Luckily, it was a beautiful Fall afternoon so being outdoors was exactly where we wanted to be. especially given the caliber of entertainment. Another interesting feature of Blue Heaven is that the "stage" is about ten feet up in the air, surrounding an old water tower. So, to see the performers, you have to look up. The advantage is that, unless you were to maybe get behind a group of NBA centers, you never have to worry about people blocking your view.

We caught Tall Paul, Latitude, Rob Mehl and several others before heading back to the Smokin' Tuna to see Kelly McGuire and Scott Kirby. On the way, we stopped by the Green Parrot, where the Sauce Boss was rocking the house while mixing up a pot of Gumbo.

Back at the Tuna, we found the place to be even busier than before. Apparently, even though the convention was officially over, lots of folks had the same idea we did and had decided to stay another day. Georgia eagle-eyed a group with young children sitting at the very same table we left a couple hours earlier ("They can't stay long, they have kids") and this time we were able to repay the favor by inviting Brett and his buddies from the Ft. Meyers area PHC to come sit with us.

Kelly and Scott are two of my favorite Trop Rock artists, and the chance to seem them play together was a real treat. They were joined by Mike Aiken and the three took turns performing their own songs. And that was just the "appetizer" for the main event, Scott Kirby and guitarist Dave Edmisten (along with a fiddle player whose name I didn't catch). Together, they ran through some of Kirby's catalog, including one of my favorite all time Trop Rock songs, "Lucky Enough". The line "I'll raise my glass, you can kiss my old ass...I'll die with my feet in the sand" will probably wind up on alot of Parrot Head tombstones.

A full day of music, wrapping up a long but thoroughly enjoyable convention, but it wasn't over yet. The last hurrah was the "No Plane On Sunday" party featuring Jim Morris & The Big Bamboo Band at Schooner Wharf. Morris had the crowd singing along to every song, mixing his own originals with rowdy covers, like Jerry Jeff Walker's "Up Against The Wall You Redneck Mothers". Wiped out but grinning ear to ear, we called it a night - and a week. On the way back to our hotel, Georgia turned to me and said, "As soon as we get home, we're registering for next year."

More From Meeting of The Minds

Highlights from Friday, November 4th

I received an email the night before from Steve Tolliver of the Trop Rock Junkies, inviting Georgia and me to a breakfast and jam session at the United Street cabins where he and his wife were staying. The hour was a little early, 9am, but a chance to see Steve and some friends play pool side on a beautiful Key West morning made it worth the earlier than usual wake up call. We arrived to find a nice spread of food and pitchers of daiquiris ready and waiting. Pulling up a couple of chairs, we chatted up some of the other invited guests, including Kelly McGuire's "Gal Friday", Sandy Drobiarz-Records, and Fred and Sara Guerrero, owners of  Isla Bella, nominated for Trop Rock Award House Concert Venue of the Year, while the musicians tuned up. Steve played some of his originals, including one of my personal favorites, "Sand In Her Shoes", and guitar-picked along with other musicians, including Trop Rock Award nominees (for Duo of The Year), Steve Johnson and Jimmy Johns, better known as Southbound.

Next stop was Duval Street for the start of the Margaritaville Street Party. We got there in time to catch the Young Rebel Goombas. The Goombas, from my old stomping grounds of Long Island, New York, got the crowd dancing with their upbeat blend of reggae, rock and ska. When they finished their set, we walked right door to La Concha to hear Brent Burns.

Walking back to our hotel to get ready for the worst kept secret on the island: Jimmy Buffett's "surprise" appearance at the Street Party - we caught a few minutes of the Sauce Boss, who was holding court at the Green Parrot.

We also ran into our new friends from the Southwest Florida Parrot Head Club; Jimbo, Tracy, and Brett. Making new, long lasting friends is an important part of MOTM and we wound up sharing many laughs - and more than a few adult beverages - with these three.

Heading back to Duval, area balconies were full and the streets overflowing, but we managed to make our way to a great spot on the side of the stage. Meeting Of The Minds, although it has evolved into a celebration of Trop Rock in general, began as a gathering of Buffett fan club members. There is Buffett music, Buffett t-shirts, and plenty of everything Buffett sings about - beaches, boats and bars. The only thing that is usually missing is Buffett himself. Not on this day. Jimmy played for almost an hour, backed by the full Coral Reefer band.

The event was originally supposed to be Mac McAnally's cd release party. That got pushed aside by Jimmy's visit, but Mac did get to play some of his own songs the next night at the Casa Marina. More on that later...

The finale of the night was the Trop Rock Music Awards back at the host hotel. Attendance seemed a little disappointing - there were, supposedly, 3500 convention attendees, but it looked like barely a third were there to see the awards being handed out. It could have been the chilly night air, or just too many other things goiing on back on the other side of town. Still, the show was fairly fast paced, speachers were short and gracious and the music in between award categories was entertaining (personal favorite was Paul Roush performing "I Wanna Be Howie" joined on stage by Brent Burns and the song's inspiration, Howard Livingston). Great job by the Margarita Mafia (which used the evening to announce they were changing the organization's name to the Trop Rock Association) and congrats to all the winners.