Bob Villwock

I’m off this week to the Midwest.  I’m part of Jane Rivar’s concert at the Sweetwater Performance Theater in Fort Wayne, IN on October 2.  We’ve been in rehearsals all this week, and the show is really amazing.  Jane’s stories are inspiring, and the songs and video visuals make a powerful impression. The concert is the biggest part of it, but we’ve also got an art exhibition and an afternoon workshop planned, then we’re off to Chicago to work on the next show, so it’s a busy week, but should be a lot of fun.

United Way Women’s Initiative brings you an inspiring benefit concert by renowned artist and musician Jane Rivar. Rivar’s storytelling, singing, songwriting, and artwork helps individuals overcome challenges and live happier, more fulfilled lives. She will also conduct a workshop designed to help women make positive life changes through creativity and self-expression.

The Women’s Initiative is a powerful network of women philanthropists that is currently investing dollars and volunteer time to improve early literacy skills for children living in a targeted low-income neighborhood. Proceeds from the concert support these literacy efforts. The event is also intended to grow Women’s Initiative membership.

Tickets are $75, which includes a reception catered by Sweetwater Sound, the concert and a workshop the following day. Workshop-only tickets may be purchased for $25. The workshop will be Friday, October 3, from 1-4 pm at the same location.

To purchase tickets, contact Robin Holley of United Way at 260-422-4776 or robinh@uwacin.org.

www.janerivar.com
www.unitedwayallencounty.com

Hey…big show tomorrow night at the Miners Foundry in Nevada City.  Lorraine Gervais and Brielle Morgan, and their production company Sierra Sirens, together with Sacramento jazz diva Vivian Lee are throwing one hell of a soirée.  It’s a whole evening of the best (and most twisted) Cole Porter tunes.  I get to play piano for some of it, plus I got to arrange a few tunes in typical demented fashion.  Should be a lot of fun – come on out and get as dressed up as you like – it’s a swanky night.

Read more…

The new CD is done and we’re going to play the whole thing live, featuring bassist Michael Manring, saxophonist Grant Reeves, saxophonist Mark Maxwell, and vocalists Tanya Scarlett and June Williams. The show is this afternoon in Crocker Park, 2nd and O Streets in Sacramento. It’s hosted by the Crocker Art Museum and is this month’s KSSJ Third Thursday concert.

Update: Tony Finnerty took a whole bunch of fantastic photographs of the show. Here’s a good one. Click through for more.

Bob and Perry

Perry and Michael Manring

Mark and Grant

Here’s the scoop on the new CD.

Hello? is aimed at engaging, rhythmic, and approachable musical art, infused with R&B and jam-band vibes, while keeping the integrity of progressive-rock and jazz-fusion influences. Passionate and dramatic, the music breaks new ground and serves to connect people’s hearts to the movement of energy and beauty.

About the Perry Mills Project (updated June, 2009)

Guitarist and singer Perry Mills is a veteran of the Los Angeles session and touring scene who first appeared on the Northern California music landscape with Objects in the Mirror. His music has stemmed from the influences of soul, R&B, and favorites like Jimi Hendrix, Joe Satriani, and Steely Dan. The band features a marvelous lineup of artists in their own right, including composer and saxophonist Grant Reeves, bassist Mike Kelly, vocalist Tanya Scarlett, and fellow Objects alumni Mark McCartney on drums and Bob Villwock on keyboards.

“We want to touch hearts with this music, to unlock some emotional response for people that they maybe haven’t yet found,” said Mills. “At a live show, to connect in that way with the art and the audience is uplifting for everyone. That’s what the art is really all about. We want the audience to leave the show feeling better, inspired and energized.”

Hello? – Album credits

Perry Mills – electric and acoustic guitars, vocals
Mark McCartney – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Bob Villwock – keyboards, backing vocals
Michael Manring – bass
Grant Reeves – alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, bass clarinet
Mark Maxwell – tenor saxophone
Maurice Montgomery – trumpet, flugelhorn
Tanya Scarlett – backing vocals
Producers: Bob Villwock, Michael Logue, Perry Mills, Mark McCartney
Executive producer: Perry Mills
Recorded and mixed at SunSound Studios, Grass Valley, CA • Recording and mixing engineer: Michael Logue
Mastered at Capitol Studios, Hollywood, CA • Mastering engineer: Evren Göknar
Horn arrangements by Grant Reeves
Vocal arrangements by Tanya Scarlett, Perry Mills, and Bob Villwock
Voice-over by Jane Barbe, courtesy of the Barbe Family (track 2)
Some vocalizations by Michael Logue (track 5)
© 2008 VerySomething Records

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Yep.. That’s right where I played this week with Steelin’ Dan. It’s county fair season, and those are always a hoot to play. We were set up on the main stage at the El Dorado County Fair. Just off stage right was the mechanical bull ride, and just off stage left was the wild animal show, complete with a monkey and a tiger. I’m not complaining. That’s just an awful lot of entertainment is all.

Sound and lights were great, and we had a lot of people there really excited to hear us sound like the old Steely Dan records.

I get to play piano for Mark Maxwell tonight. Check it out…

Epilogue: Wow, that was a lot of fun. Check out these great reviews!

Lorraine and I are playing with Joe Dolister this Saturday night in Nevada City. Come on out and have dinner or a drink at the Stonehouse, enjoy some music, and have some fun.

Thanks to everyone who was cheering for Jane Rivar (and me backing her up) at the Song of Peace Contest in Tipperary Town, Ireland this past weekend. We’ve been having a great time, and our performance was really fun and touched a lot of people. We took fourth in the contest. The winner was Derek Ryan, and you can check him out here.

I’ve been having fun in Dublin for the past few days. Here’s a photo I took of the sidewalk in Temple Bar this evening. It’s an obvious statement, but sometimes it’s nice to see a truth printed out right there in front of you where you might least expect it.

This didn’t come out as well as I’d hoped, but there is a thick layer of rosin on this fiddle, which had just been set down while the fiddler went for another pint after playing the hell out of it.

Here’s the view out my hotel window of the beautiful and historic Christ Church Cathedral.

We’re making a video this Saturday night at Cooper’s, so come on out and party!

We had some big fun this week getting some photos and video for the band. The audio demo is pretty cool. I’ve fooled a couple of friends with it already–they thought it was the original Steely Dan recordings–but nope, this is my band playing. Give these a listen and let me know what you think.

Black Cow

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Reelin’ In The Years

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Do It Again

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Check out www.steelindan.com in the next few days for all the latest and greatest. If you’re around Sacramento this Saturday night, come on out and hear us at Ace’s at the Holiday Inn near Madison and I-80.