DECEMBER 2017
Live shows by Samm Bennett and his various ensembles and collaborations
Hello friends, Samm Bennett here, hope to see you at one or more of these upcoming shows!
SAT 12/2 : SOLO songs, plus RAIN IN EDEN - "Friends and Lovers Music Night"
CANCELLED! CANCELLED!
VENUE PROPRIETORS HAVE COME DOWN SICK!!
at Cheshmeh, Sasazuka, Tokyo
open 18:00 - start 19:00 / entry: one drink purchase and PASS THE HAT for musicians!
open 18:00 - start 19:00 / entry: one drink purchase and PASS THE HAT for musicians!
RAIN IN EDEN is the musical project of Kelly Williams and Megumi Rain, the proprietors of the wonderful Cheshmeh cafe in Sasazuka. I recently caught a set of theirs that impressed me mightily, what with Kelly's soulful playing of the Afghan Rubab, Turkish Saz, frame drum, synth and more, and Megumi's starkly beautiful shamisen playing, clarinet playing (I had no idea!) and heavenly voice. I wholeheartedly recommend their performance! Check out their website HERE.
As for me, I'll be performing (with ye olde 3-string guitar) a number of brand new songs plus an older tune or two. Come to Cheshmeh, take yer shoes off, enjoy the smoke-free atmosphere, have a drink, have some good food, and of course, support live music with however much you feel like throwing into the hat! And the third set looks to be a bit of a collaboration between Rain In Eden and yours truly, which should be fun and interesting!
As for me, I'll be performing (with ye olde 3-string guitar) a number of brand new songs plus an older tune or two. Come to Cheshmeh, take yer shoes off, enjoy the smoke-free atmosphere, have a drink, have some good food, and of course, support live music with however much you feel like throwing into the hat! And the third set looks to be a bit of a collaboration between Rain In Eden and yours truly, which should be fun and interesting!
Below: at-a-glance map to Cheshmeh. Need more detail? Go to Google map
SUN 12/10 : SOLO songs, three full sets!
at What The Dickens, Ebisu, Tokyo, Roob Bldg., 4th floor
music from 20:00 'til 23:00 - FREE entry
music from 20:00 'til 23:00 - FREE entry
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Though my New Orleans music band King Cake Baby has made a number of appearances there, this will be the first time for me to do a full night of my own, as a solo performer, at the big and boisterous What the Dickens in Ebisu. I'm looking forward to it! Will be bringing not only the legendary three-string geetar, but also the DIDDLEY BOW (that's a 1-string guitar, for you uninitiated in the ways of primitive American folk music...) for your enjoyment.
The program will feature a full range of my original tunes, both new and old, as well as a number of covers (songs by The Band, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, the Memphis Jug Band, Rolling Stones, Bobby Gentry, Chuck Berry, Creedence Clearwater Revival, etc...) so come on over to the Dickens for delicious pints, English pub food, and, well, the evening's soundtrack by yours truy. What the Dickens website
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Below: at-a-glance map to What the Dickens. Need more detail? Go to Google map
MON 12/11 : on percussion with Banda Choro Electrico
at Showboat, Koenji, Tokyo
open 19:00 / start 19:30 - ENTRY: adv.￥3200 / door ￥3600
open 19:00 / start 19:30 - ENTRY: adv.￥3200 / door ￥3600
BANDA CHORO ELETRICO is a big, ecstatic and totally grooving Brazilian music unit led by bassist and composer extraordinaire Sawada Jyoji. The full membership clocks in at about, oh, 15 musicians or so, and includes brilliant flutist Ogata Mitsuru and slamming drummer Numa Noaya. (Numa-san and Sawada-san happen to be members of The Smoky Dose, and you might've heard us at some point doing more improvised groove-based stuff). But EVERYBODY in this band is killer, I ain't lying.
For me this band is a chance to get back to being a percussionist, adding spice and color to the musical proceedings with shakers, bells, bongos, woodblocks, whistles, rattles, scrapers and various other items, as well as the CUICA, which I love playing but outside of this format have little chance to! Anyway, if you are a fan of samba or choro or baiao-style groove, and if you are a fan of, say Hermeto Pascoal or Tom Zé, you will LOVE Banda Choro Eletrico. Check it out.
For me this band is a chance to get back to being a percussionist, adding spice and color to the musical proceedings with shakers, bells, bongos, woodblocks, whistles, rattles, scrapers and various other items, as well as the CUICA, which I love playing but outside of this format have little chance to! Anyway, if you are a fan of samba or choro or baiao-style groove, and if you are a fan of, say Hermeto Pascoal or Tom Zé, you will LOVE Banda Choro Eletrico. Check it out.
Showboat website's December calendar
Showboat website with links to advance ticket puchase info [Japanese language only] HERE
Below: at-a-glance map to Showboat. Need more detail? Go to Google map
THU 12/14 : SOLO songs, a full evening!
at Cuzn Homeground, Asakusa, Tokyo
music from 19:00 to 22:00 / entry: pass the hat!
music from 19:00 to 22:00 / entry: pass the hat!
Friends, let me just say I LOVE this venue, Cuzn Homeground. Played there just last month with my New Orleans music band King Cake Baby, and we just had a helluva fine time. The vibe is as friendly as it gets, the place is relaxed and lived-in, the staff is great and English is welcomed, and the customers are a good mix of Japanese and foreigners. I'll do 2 or 3 (probably 3) sets of solo songs on the 1-string diddley bow and the 3-string guitar and maybe a drum or two. Come to Asakusa for a really different kind of vibe.
Cuzn Homeground website
Below: at-a-glance map to Cuzn Homeground. Need more detail? Go to Google map
FRI 12/15 : SOLO songs, plus sets by Felix Sonnyboy and Jean-paul Richard
at LOWN (Shimokitazawa) Tokyo
open 18:30 - music from 20:00 to 23:00 - PASS THE HAT donations for music!
open 18:30 - music from 20:00 to 23:00 - PASS THE HAT donations for music!
LOWN is an intimate and comfortable venue very conveniently located in Shimokitazawa, and the sound there is very good.. This will be my second time to play there, and I'll be doing a solo set of original tunes accompanying myself on the three-string guitar.
Joining me on the bill will be two fine Tokyo-based songsters and stringsters: French bluesman Jean-paul Richard, with his idiosyncratic take on Delta blues, perhaps a tune or two from his native France, and a bit of Irish flavor thrown in for good measure, AND Felix Sonnyboy, an endearing and engaging performer with a lot of spontaneity and soul.
Joining me on the bill will be two fine Tokyo-based songsters and stringsters: French bluesman Jean-paul Richard, with his idiosyncratic take on Delta blues, perhaps a tune or two from his native France, and a bit of Irish flavor thrown in for good measure, AND Felix Sonnyboy, an endearing and engaging performer with a lot of spontaneity and soul.
Below: At-a-glance map to LOWN. Need more detail? Go to Google map
