Big Sandy is a helluva vocalist and a class act, putting sharp pressed pants and an elegant silver and turquoise bolo tie on rowdy rockabilly, and the Rev.? Well, he’s revered not just for his trio but for putting together hayrides like this. He is rightfully called the King of Juke Joint Swing, and that doesn’t swing through LA all that often. That twang, the songs’ rhythms, simple, classic country arrangements, yodeling! and that mournful pedal steel, sometimes rockin’ out, all the real deal. Let’s just say if ol’ Hank were still alive they might be touring together. His music and singing sound like the personification and the very history of real country music. HORTON HEAT - Such a fine line, sometimes, between RECOMMENDED and HIGHLY - I take it seriously - but any Southland show by Wayne (don’t mix him up with fellow Texan Butch) Hancock is well worth it. HORTON’S HOLIDAY HAYRIDE with WAYNE “THE TRAIN” HANCOCK. They’ve backed EVERYone in all the famous Jamaican studios, from Bob Marley to Desmond Dekker, Toots and The Maytals to Bunny Wailer, Jimmy Cliff to Lee “Scratch” Perry. The Skatalites are living rocksteady-ska-reggae history, founded by some of the most iconic names in reggae history, and how many bands are touring steady since 1983? They have a heavy history and rep to maintain - I was there for their historic ‘83 reunion performance at Reggae Sunsplash festival in Kingston and the locals went nuts, well, everyone went nuts - and the odds are very good that they will deliver.
THE SKATALITES - How can I HIGHLY RECOMMEND a band who had their heyday in Jamaica from ‘64-’65, reformed in ‘83, have run through 30 past band members, and now feature only one founding member and she’s the singer (Doreen Shaffer), in a nine-piece band known for its instrumental prowess? You have to look at the big picture.