REVIEW – CRAZY WISDOM BOOKSTORE AND TEAROOM, ANN ARBOR, MI, JULY 11, 2009
Was hoping for a good turnout for this show and you didn’t disappoint! Rochelle and I have been playing here and there, but we knew that this show in downtown Ann Arbor would be a highlight! Thanks to all of you for coming out and packing the tearoom. We are grateful that you chose to spend your Saturday evening with us. In these hard times it means even more to us when people come to a show. We know you’ve all got things you’re struggling with and we can only hope that, in some small way, we bring a bit of respite to your day or week with the music we all share together for a couple hours. It sure works that way for us!
Sidemen Dave Brandt and James Humphries made us sound good all night, offering their own amazing musical layers to our set. Dave, in addition to having some really great hair, is an accomplished guitarist, banjo and lap steel player. Not sure there is much with strings that he can’t play! Jimmy was on solid form as usual. He’s my rock when it comes to certain songs. And, as usual, he filled a bunch of seats with his own fan club!
I’ll try to post some photos from the show here soon!
NEXT SHOW – ART ON THE GRAND AT THE FARMINGTON FOUNDERS FESTIVAL, FARMINGTON, MI, SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2-3pm
Click image to enlarge
This Sunday is the Farmington Founders Festival event. Rochelle and I will be performing on the outdoor stage with special guests. Although we have a few events under our belt together, this will serve as our first “official” performance as a duo. We’ve been working very hard to put together a show for you. Also, we’re happy to say that we’ve got two great sidemen playing with us for this event. Brian Keith Howard will be furnishing the guitar licks and Dave Brandt will be tickling the banjo. Hope you can come on out on Sunday afternoon!
John
Monday, July 13, 2009
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June 27, 2009 - Jackson, Michigan
REVIEW – THE PAST MONTH!
So much has happened since I posted last back about a month ago. Right after my last post I played in Chelsea at Zou Zou’s again. Daryl, Monica, Marv and Peggy all came out to offer their support. Place was pretty busy as well.
Probably the biggest news of the past month or so is the formation of a new Americana/Folk/Roots duo! I’m happy and proud to announce that Rochelle Clark and I will be playing together as a duo from time to time. Looking forward to it!
Here’s the Press Release:
Rochelle Clark, from Chelsea, Michigan and John Natiw, from Canton, Michigan, are teaming up to form a new Folk/Americana/Roots duo! What started as simply sharing the stage for a song at a local open mic a few months ago, then a few loose gatherings in John’s family room has blossomed into a new musical project. Rochelle and John will be drawing from their diverse musical backgrounds and love for various musical styles to craft their own sound.
Although they have already appeared, and will be appearing together, on various stages around town, look for their first (official) gig as a duo at the Farmington Founders Festival, Sunday, July 19 at 2pm on the Art on the Grand Outdoor Stage!
Here we go!
Rochelle Clark & John Natiw
June 26, 2009
The next weekend was festival-ville! Friday night Jim and I were up in Mio at the Nor-East’r Festval. I hosted the open mic in the parlor and Jimmy and I got to play a few tunes as well as sneak out and check out the entertainment on the main stage. The next day was the Ella Sharp Festival in Jackson. Jim and I ended up doing almost two full sets. Festival organizer (and my new duo parter) Rochelle Clark came up to sing a few songs too! Also, I got to hear a two hour set by two of my songwriting heroes, Jan Krist and Jim Bizer.
A couple weeks later Ro got a gig for us at the Lone Oak Vineyard and Estate in Jackson. We traded sets for four hours and even played together for a set.
The day before Independence Day Keith Howard and I headed up to the Blue Gill Grill to rock out the place for a few hours. Rochelle and I ran through all of our material as well. Karen and Vicki were joined at “table one” by fellow groupies, Marv and Peggy! The house was hoppin’ and we were asked back by our gracious hostess, Paige! See you soon!
And, finally, I managed to squeak out another new song this week. See the post below!
NEXT SHOW - CRAZY WISDOM BOOKSTORE AND TEAROOM, ANN ARBOR, MI – SATURDAY, JULY 11, 8:30-10:30PM
UPCOMING SHOWS - FARMINGTON FOUNDERS FESTIVAL OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE, FARMINGTON, MI – SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2PM
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Forget weather.com. All you have to do is check my show schedule this winter and you can count on one thing… SNOW. And lots of it!
Last month it was a snowstorm for the Solid Grounds show. Not too bad, and quite a few folks braved the weather for the local show. Tonight’s show was in Chelsea, MI. About a 45 minute drive (on a GOOD night), so expectations were pretty low. The roads were in pretty rough shape, but we got out there about an hour before showtime.
Brian Keith Howard was my special guest tonight and filled in with amazing guitar licks as usual. The two of us filled over three hours of music in downtown Chelsea as patrons filtered in and out all night. Most seemed to be walking into town from the neighborhoods nearby. A few purchased their coffee and left. A few more made their selections and stayed awhile. And some even stayed all night. We were both pleasantly surprised by the crowd tonight. Can’t wait to play on a night without a winter storm!
Keith and I played so many tunes tonight I lost track. We really never stopped. I left the stage to him at around 8:30 to get some soup and he filled the break with some great songs! Then I relieved him so he could eat and did a few tunes solo. One of the songs was a brand new original called Cinderella (You and Me). I’ll be trying this one out on audiences in the near future.
Zou Zou’s was a great place to play. The guys behind the counter did a great job and had some kind words for us as we left. Looking forward to playing there again. Speaking of that… I will be back at Zou Zou’s on Friday, February 13 (yes, Friday the 13th). Call it the Anti-Valentine’s Day Show, if you will! Hope to have a guest musician with me as well as a few surprises! Come on out.
Next projected winter storm… January 23rd at Solid Grounds, in Northville! Bring your snowshoes!
John
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Another rough weather day yesterday! Snow, sleet, freezing rain were on tap for Michigan on last night’s Tuesday Night Music Club open mic at Solid Grounds. Also on tap was a hot bowl of Mike’s Chicken Chili Soup!
Another very nice turnout for the weather! Ira was back. He had not shown up since around March if I remember right. Seven Bridges was there along with Darwin. Tim from the EA posse told me a friend of his was thinking of coming out. Brian Milne showed and played a great three song set. He said he was real nervous, but it didn’t show. Great job Brian! Dar and I noticed when he started playing 13 Days by JJ Cale that the opening chords and strumming are identical to Lennon’s Working Class Hero. </trivia> Kathy, Ann and a few others were there too! Great night.
Brian Keith Howard from Seven Bridges joined me for Drew Nelson’s song WalMart and one of mine, Help Me Be Good. In the “lightning round” Seven Bridges came up with me for John Denver’s Thank God I’m a Country Boy.
Glad to get a little live music in so close to Christmas. Lindsay and Dustin got in a little after I got home last night. Must’ve been a tough drive. The car was completely covered in ice. Today has been sleeting and freezing rain and now rain.
I wonder if there’s any of that soup left…
J
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Where to begin…
Last night was a great show at Solid Grounds. Darwin Mamassian started us out with a great set. If you haven’t see this performer, you should! He has a very cool vibe to his music. Also was good to see Dar’s family out for this show.
Big thanks to Brian Keith Howard of the band Seven Bridges for sitting in with me on guitar last night. Keith gave the music a great new layer! Thanks to Vick, Dave, Lisa and Rick for letting me borrow him for the night. Hope to be able to have Keith sit in from time to time in the future!
It was great to see how many folks came out for the show! As I said from the stage last night, you could’ve been anywhere last night, but you chose to come out and listen! Thanks so much! Felt great to play my newest song, Better Man. It was written at Lamb’s Songwriter’s Retreat last weekend. Got some very cool comments about it afterward.
Tonight was a completely different deal, but just as cool! Craig Carrick invited me out to his place to check out a show and I finally got out there this afternoon. What a show to pick for my first Carrick House Concert! Barbara Payton was nothing short of AMAZING! Truly a show I will never forget. Her band was top notch and her vocal ability was stunning. I will never hear a Janis Joplin song again without thinking of her.
This has been an amazing weekend! I’ll be back to work tomorrow morning, but will stay busy booking shows as I have the opportunity. Not to mention writing and practicing!
John
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Darwin and I pretty much had the coffee shop to ourselves tonight! Even after being gone for a few days last week I managed to get out to the Solid Grounds open mic. Dar and I call it our “bowling league”. It’s a lot like that! The occasional strike and gutter ball, but without the beer and smoke. Do they still smoke in bowling alleys?
Since we were pretty much the sole performers, we got a ton of tunes in. It felt good to play a few songs that I had never played or had not played in awhile. Tonight marked the Solid Gounds debut of Better Man, a song that I wrote at Lamb’s Retreat last weekend. Seemed to be received well. Also played Irish Love Song, which I’m not entirely sure I’ve ever done there.
Although I’m still coming down a bit off the high that was last weekend, I can’t wait for Saturday! Dar and I will be rocking the coffee shop! Brian Keith Howard (guitar zen master extraordinaire) will be my special guest Saturday night, so come on out!
See you soon,
John
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Another great evening at Solid Grounds coffee house tonight! Tons of performers and lots folks there to listen. Place was rockin’! Seven Bridges, Darwin, Mark, Ann, Greg, Ed and a whole host of usual suspects were there. Met two new ladies named Angel and Nancy. They were too much fun!
I had not played Jesus and John Lennon publicly in a long time so I did it tonight. Unfortunately I also have not played a harmonica while playing in some time and the thing completely got out of place during the song. Got through it though. Should’ve had Jim come up! Doh! Finished up the first round with Come On Get Higher by Matt Nathanson.
Keith and I did fellow Michigan artist Drew Nelson’s song WalMart v2.0 (with a little Johnny Cash thrown in) for the “lightning round”. Keith will be joining me for the Solid Grounds show on November 22nd! Be sure to come on out!
Harbor Springs, here I come!!!
John
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Seven Bridges will be going into the studio in April to record our first CD-EP. The CD will contain four songs (written by our guitar player Keith Howard). We have started preparing additional originals for a future full-length CD release. Four of my songs are potential tracks for that full length release (This Time, Time to Go Now, She’s Gone and Heaven Help the Man).
Thanks for listening!
John
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Was hoping for a good turnout for this show and you didn’t disappoint! Rochelle and I have been playing here and there, but we knew that this show in downtown Ann Arbor would be a highlight! Thanks to all of you for coming out and packing the tearoom. We are grateful that you chose to spend your Saturday evening with us. In these hard times it means even more to us when people come to a show. We know you’ve all got things you’re struggling with and we can only hope that, in some small way, we bring a bit of respite to your day or week with the music we all share together for a couple hours. It sure works that way for us!
