
Photos by Scott Preston
Steven Gregory and Casey Lamb, 3.29.08, Peach's Grill, Yellow Springs, OH

I always enjoy when Richie Havens makes his annual trip through the state of Ohio. Peachs Grill in Yellow Springs, OH holds less than 200 people. Richie also had 2 very talented musicians playing with him, Walter Parks on guitar and Stephanie Winters on cello. I have rarely ever been to a show where single person in the bar was paying attention to what was happening on the stage. Everyone in the venue was hanging on every word that Richie spoke. It just shows the respect that the man receives. He started off the evening with Dylan's All Along the Watchtower. Followed a few songs later by Maggie's Farm. Richie is truly a master of interpretation of Bob Dylan's music. Shortly thereafter Richie sang his signature song Freedom.
Bootsy Collins joined the James Brown band at a ripe old age of 17.The Godfather had no mercy and quickly showed him how to play on the One, Then from there he let Bootsy do his thang, that's right, as long as it was James Brown Tight he could play all night. Now Bootsy and Original JB's Rhythm section: Catfish Collins, Guitar, Jabo(on the One)Starks and Clyde (the funky drummer) Stubblefield, on Drums, with Johnny (theAfrikan Groove-ulator) Griggs, and Bobby Byrd's son Bart Anderson Byrd, will sit in for Bobby Byrd on Organ. Tony Wilson, who Mr. Brown himself, acknowledged him as the "Young James Brown" will sing, will prance and dance while checking out The Hot Pants! Bobby Byrd Band featuring: Mrs. Vicky Anderson Byrd, who was one of the first Kings Queens to go solo as a James Brown Productions Artist, along with her sons and daughters will remind you why Bobby Byrd said, "I know you got Soul, if you didn't you wouldn't be in Here!" Escapism Band, put together by Brian Hardgroove the Bass player for Public Enemy, will make it Funky, along with a lot of other JB Classic's. Now Venisha Brown ,the daughter of James Brown, who not only looks exactly Like him, she also dances just like him, but she got the swerves and the curves that Papa didn't take no mess, didn't have.
Known far and wide as the light behind the widely syndicated Grateful Dead Hour radio program, several books on the Dead and a number of intriguing CDs relating to the band and its music, David Gans has in recent years blossomed into a compelling performer in his own right, touring nationally and releasing several albums, the most recent of which is the critically acclaimed Twisted Love Songs. The seventeen tunes on Twisted Love Songs offer a wonderful glimpse of the breadth of this modern troubadour’s musical gifts.
In order to fully understand The Werks, one must first witness them perform live. Self-described as a groove rock band, The Werks' original songs explore genres such as funk, electronica, soul, bluegrass, jazz, afro-cuban, celtic, R&B, and dance. Their unique style of performing is affected and manipulated by the energy of the audience, guaranteeing that each show will be different and memorable. 


Cincy Groove: How did you end up playing with Richie Havens?
Walter's been living music since he played viola in the sixth grade school orchestra. That was a tough time for a kid playing classical music because Jimi Hendrix was all the rage. So the guitar, being the cool cultural icon of the original hippie era, beckoned Walter as it did other kids. Restlessness with the requisite garage band phase inspired an interest in the harmonic complexities of jazz so Walter studied for three years with LA based jazz guitarist Robert Conti.
Freekbass and Buffalo Killers to Record Live at 20th Century!

Donna Jean Godchaux MacKay was born to sing, and over the course of time she’s done so with people like Elvis Presley, Percy Sledge, Boz Scaggs, and Jerry Garcia. Now she has a new band that she’s quite certain is on a creative par with anything she’s ever done. “This band is a perfect fit for me as a singer/songwriter,” she said recently, “and I hope to be doing this for a long time to come. We’re having so much fun with this music!” The Grateful Dead alumna has joined up with six members of the next musical generation – Mookie Siegel (David Nelson Band; formerly Phil & Friends, RatDog), Wendy Lanter (Hope in Time), and Jeff Mattson, Tom Circosta, Klyph Black and Dave Diamond (Zen Tricksters) to form Donna Jean and the Tricksters. (from donnajeanandthetricksters.com)
Cincy Groove: How did you and Russ end up performing together?