Connecticut Country Living with Taylor Hicks & the Jamie McLean Band

Blog and all photos in video by Louise Uznanski, Richard Uznanski and Holley Dey.

Twas the night before Ridgefield
And all through the land
All the creatures were buzzing
Taylor’s gone to Las Vegas land.

The band made its way to the stage for the show
Jamie brought Brian, and Ben was in tow
Then rock mixed with country on drums and on bass
We thought we’re in Graceland but no, not the case.

Jamie McLean Band warmed up the crowd to a pitch
Even played a new song called ‘Virginia’, nice and rich
With Brian on skins and Ben on the gold bass
The band played their set readying the crowd for the break.

And then Lil Memphis on keyboards did say
‘Ladies and gentlemen’ here’s the leader called Tay.
In black and silver, he struts on the stage
Ready to thrill with a show for the age.

Pocky Way and The Deal and yes, Gonna Move
And Country Livin’ got us all in the groove
He made a duet with Jamie and the band
Poor guy keeps breaking down at the 7 mile spot
But, Keep on Smilin’ got him right back on top.

So, we drive and we fly and we meet on the night
We stand in line to get a spot that’s just right.
Taylor and Jamie brought their rock to the stage
While visions of Vegas played in our head.

Til the next big show on the hot Vegas strip
Where Taylor turns the Indigo into his crib
If he does for Bally’s what he did for Broadway
There will be no stopping this man we call Tay.

Thanks to Jamie McLean Band members Jamie McLean, Brian Griffin and Ben Mars for their rousing great rock and roll tinged with country and soul at Ridgefield Playhouse.

And a special thanks to Taylor’s band Lillmbo, Brian Less and Jeff Lopez. Always great to see Lil Memphis and Spiritual Sax on stage.

The following is a video comprised of photos taken by Holley Dey, Louise Uznanski and Richard Uznanski set to the excellent audio of ‘Country Living’ recorded and graciously provided by Jonibug.

© 2012 OnTapBlog All Rights Reserved

Note: If the video ‘hiccups’, click on pause, wait a minute or so for the video to load into the buffer, then click play.

Caution: Jamie McLean Band May Be Habit Forming

by Louise Uznanski, Richard Uznanski, Holley Dey

Remember the rush of excitement when a relationship is brand new, the connection warm and immediate?  It’s only when time has passed that the basis for that initial attraction becomes clear.  Then the first date may be followed by many more.  The temporary job may become a career.  The single song download may suddenly become a live concert, then a series of concerts with no end in sight.  I know.  It has happened to me.

Taylor Hicks Walks the Line at Avalon Theatre

by Richard Uznanski, Louise Uznanski, Holley Dey

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” explained Taylor from the stage.  “It’s a song we do often, and do well.”  Before launching into the band’s cover of “Gonna Move”, he paused to note that “ain’t” is southern for ”isn’t”, and then wondered aloud which word he should use.  Does the Avalon Theatre lie north or south of the Mason-Dixon Line?

Well, I’m fixin’ to tell you that Easton, Maryland lies nearly on and just south of the Mason-Dixon line.  Baby, that ain’t no lie.  Truth is that the Theatre lies close enough to the boundary that the Mason-Dixon line ran right through the Taylor Hicks Band as well.  That’s right; the bandleader, the man on sax and the man on keys hail from Birmingham, Alabama and represent the core of the Taylor Hicks Band.  The three members of the Jamie McLean Band who provided support on guitar/vocals, bass and drums call New York their home.  The band backing Taylor Hicks at the Avalon straddled the line north to south, bagels to biscuits, rock to country soul.

The audience was even more diverse.  When asked how far they had traveled to see the American Idol winner perform on St. Patrick’s Day, some had come from California, Florida, Missouri, and Toronto, Canada.  Those without reserved seats stood in a line that stretched from the lobby down the sidewalk in front of the Theatre, waiting and hoping for a stage-side view.  Six years following his television run, Taylor Hicks continues to enjoy a loyal fanbase that on Saturday night cheered his arrival to the stage, his new song, and well, his T-shirt.

That new song has a country flavor.  Composed by Victoria Shaw and Candy Parton, “Teach Me to Dance” offers a straightforward melody line that allows Hicks the room to stretch, showcasing the sincerity and soul in his voice.  The love song portrays a gentle, self effacing courtship with lyrics that admit “Sometimes I can’t get out of my own way, sometimes I can’t find the right words to say” but “I could waltz into heaven in working man’s shoes, if  you teach me to dance with you”.  Written with a waltz time signature, the young bride and groom who posed for pictures outside the Avalon could easily have shared a first dance to this tune.  On Saturday evening the arrangement featured Jamie McLean on guitar and vocal support; it was a winning blend.

I suppose that the onstage fusion of two bands with different styles could have led to a musical skirmish, but instead the evening featured a comfortable truce between the crisp, cool play of the north and the more flamboyant tone of southern clubs and honky-tonks.  By the end of the evening that truce had been cemented, and all six musicians combined for a rousing encore rendition of the Jamie McLean Band song “Country Living” with Jamie and Taylor alternating on lead vocals.  Other standout songs during the set included “What’s Right Is Right”, the lead single from Mr. Hicks’ 2009 album, The Distance, “I Live on a Battlefield”, featuring a guitar solo from Jamie McLean, and “Maybe You Should”, co-written by songwriter and former football player Mike Reid, again featuring Taylor’s heartfelt vocals.

Before joining Taylor on stage in support of his headlining set, the Jamie McLean Band played several songs to open the evening.  Most of those were drawn from the Band’s most recent album Sunday Morning, including “Open Up”, “Summertime on Main Street”, and “I Been Low”.  While many in the audience were unfamiliar with the Band’s music when the set began, they were on their feet at set’s end to applaud a truly rocking performance.

For more on Taylor Hicks, including tour dates and up-to-date news, visit his official website here.  For more on the Jamie McLean Band, including tour dates and music, go here.  On April 27, 2o12 the Jamie McLean Band will support Taylor Hicks in concert at Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, Connecticut.  For tickets to what is sure to be an excellent show north of the Mason-Dixon line, go here.

© OnTapBlog 2012 All rights reserved

Jamie McLean

Taylor Hicks

Taylor Hicks with Ben Mars (Jamie McLean Band) on bass

Excerpt of some fine guitar work by Jamie McLean on Battlefield

Taylor Hicks performing What’s Right Is Right

That’s not all!  A gallery of many more photographs from the March 17 Avalon Theatre concert follows.  To see additional photographs of the event, including the opening and headlining sets, as well as the new Taylor Hicks 2012 tour T-shirt, click the gallery.

Blues Sunday with John Mayall & the Jamie McLean Band

Review of John Mayall/Jamie McLean Band at Sellersville Theater February 19, 2012
from Louise Uznanski, Richard Uznanski, Holley Dey  

Last Sunday afternoon British blues legend John Mayall stood quietly in the lobby of Sellersville Theater, Pennsylvania.  Thirty minutes before showtime he presided over a small table stacked with copies of Live in London, the John Mayall band 2011 concert DVD.  A steady line of fans approached the table to shake the musician’s hand and purchase the autographed product.  Unlike many signing lines, most of the queued fans were men, and they took the opportunity to share the memory of a song or special show from years past.

Jamie McLean Band Rocks Gramercy Theatre: Photos

from Richard Uznanski, Louise Uznanski, Holley Dey

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Were you there?

The Jamie McLean Band rocked the room on Friday night at New York’s Gramercy Theatre.  The bandleader impressed on vocals and a searing guitar, Ben Mars grooved on bass and sweet vocal harmonies, and Brian Griffin ruled the beat, as special guest Jason Crosby let loose on the keys and fiddle.  It was a show that felt good going down, and all the way home.  Here’s a look at the sweat, the smiles, and the players that completely made our night.

A Conversation & Concert with Jamie McLean: Gramercy Theatre on January 27

There was no fanfare when the Jamie McLean Band took the stage in Fairfield a few weeks ago.  Jamie had an unassuming, almost self-effacing manner.  He walked quietly to the microphone; a handwritten setlist was dropped to the floor, the guitar strapped in place, and then the show began.