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Armchair Blues 2:500:00/2:50

July 2020
Melbourne, FL PR-Greetings all from the land of Covid in the great state of Florida July 2020! Our band is busy working up our next Livestream for you on July 25. We’ve got some new tunes and some old standards for your listening pleasure. We have gigs scheduled in August, but are still unsure if they will actually take place. These are strange days indeed, most peculiar mama, in the words of the late great John Lennon.
One year ago I was playing gigs with my good friend Paul Size of Red Devils fame up in the New England area. But no traveling these days given our current circumstances. I miss playing with Paul and the serious blues that we lay down together. Someday soon we will be at it again!
Just before Covid hit us hard this past March, the band had begun recording at Wrong Plant Studios in Cocoa Beach Florida. We had laid down four tracks on their fantastic analog equipment and had begun putting together our next release. As you know, most businesses shut down in person activities, including Wrong Plant Studios. So we are waiting to be able to get back to Wrong Planet and finish recording and then production of our work. Stay tuned as we may decide to put out an unfinished track or two just to tease you a little bit! Wrong Planet seems so apt right now, but I digress!
We broadcast our live streams from a space we fondly refer to as “The Warehouse”, an industrial space we use to hone our skill and craft our tunes so they can be the best they can be for you! We can’t wait to share them with you again on July 25 at 8 PM. Keep a lookout for reminders of the show, tune in for a look at a listen that Saturday evening and in the meantime please stay safe and well!
September 2016. News....we are heading to Florida...come join us for some sweet tasting Blues! Check our show schedule here! We hope you can enjoy the journey as much as we do!! See you at a show!!
February 2, 2015....Groundhog Day, a favorite holiday....The Erna Nixon Park gig was a massive good time! About 600 folks young and older than young throughout the evening, listening, singing along, dancing, tapping feet and digging the tunes and the good times we had!! Thank you to all who came and made it so great!!
February 2nd 2014
Happy Ground Hog Day! We started updating the Show Calendar for the tour, more dates to follow. Shows
January 20. 2014
We are gearing up for a Southeast tour in May....Georgia...hear us in Athens and Decatur...or catch us in Charleston, SC.... we will play North Carolina in Black Mountain and Asheville.... Tennessee...catch us in Knoxville and Memphis... onto Clarksdale, MS.... then to New Orleans....and of course we will begin and finally land back in Florida. Stay tuned, we will post the dates to give plenty of time to plan and join us. May your Mojo be working....
October 20, 2013
I am back home in Florida after summer back north plating shows and living pretty good! Travelled the Southland with many stops along the way. Notably Memphis at WEVL on Brett Fleming'Soul Srew, 89.9 fm, promoting the CD and down Highway 61 to the Hopson Plantation and Red's Loungs in Clarksdakle, Ms. Met lots of nice folks , travelled with some good friends and played some Blues. First show in Florida is October 26
Hey y'all
So Spring is time for change and rejuvenation... I am happy to announce that Paul Size has joined me for some duo performances! Paul is a phenomenally talented Blues guitarist who has had much success in the genre and is expanding his music world, joining me playing Roots Blues. You can be sure to see and hear more of us at our upcoming shows. Welcome Paul to the fambly!
Good riddens Hurricane Sandy! New roof on the way... Back to the music....
Congrats to Erin Harpe and Rosie Rosenblatt on winning the Boston Blues Challenge! We had a great time competing with some great musicians.
Photo shoot is done for the record and the final mixing and mastering is being done. Soon as this record is released, we'll be on the road promoting what we play shamelessly!
Rich
Fall 2012
Whoa! We got lots going on...we are in the Boston Blues Challenge on October 14th at the Wonder Bar in Allston www.bostonblues.com/cal.php And my new CD is being readied for release. Paul Rishell and Annie Raines www.paulandannie.com/mojorodeo/ have produced and played on all the tracks, it has been a fantastic experience with two legends of the Country Blues. We recorded with Chris Rival at his Middleville Studios in North Reading, Ma., a beautiful space and vibe. We'll be releasing the record under Right Hand Music Publishing and Mojo Rodeo Records soon so stay tuned for news of the release party!.
I have also uprooted my world, having moved to an island off the Massachusetts coast on my way to Florida sometime this winter. I'm hoping the new record will help keep you with me as I transition to the Southeast and new folks and venues to play there!
Hope to see you soon and thanks for your support!!
Rich
July 19th, 2012
We are in sunny Florida preparing for the big move south. I am returning North to record our next CD on July 24th. This project is being produced by some truly talented and special people. Some amazing and legendary players will be featured as well. More on that when it's done....
And, when it's done, I'll be bringing this experience to you on the road somewhere. Until then, peace of Blues be on you!
May 24th, 2012
We are back on the circuit. Feels good after a long and surgical winter. Enough about that. Herrick's Tavern last Saturday is a great room, great gig. This Saturday we are opening for Ottomatic Slim at The Spruce Street Tavern. Shows Otto is a phenomenl harp player and his Electric Blues Band is smoking hot!! An old friend from my days with the Gurus of Blues, Irish Mike Patterson, invited me to have a go with Otto and his band. Good people, good time. Come join the fun. We play our old time Blues and it is a nice complement to the rocking electric Blues Ottomatic Slim serves up. www.ottomaticslim.net/
See you soon.
Rich
This just in.....Blues Revue from Miss Patti -
Unbelievable performance. Jim's harmonica is hot, hot, hot! I was amazed.
And Rich's fantastic guitar and gravelly voice put the indigo in the blues.
Don't miss out next time: www.sprucestreettavern.com/index.cfm
March 23rd, 2012
I'm sitting on my new left hip, just put in two days ago. Looking forward to stomping my feet without pain for a change! As a result, we have no shows until the end of May and beginning of June. Some say I am newly hip, some say I'm hip again, I say I've lost my hip and gained some titanium! ;^)))
TMVFF gig was awesome, nice venue and worked with some great folks. Namaste Anna!
February 24th, 2012
The last three shows (post back surgey), from New Year's Eve to last Saturday were incredible! Full venues, everyone digging the tunes, hip shaking, head bobbin' good times. Even an impromptu, room shaking, full on audience sing on an old spiritual. That'll be in the set list more often!! Thanks to all who are enjoying this music along with me. And as always, thanks for the listening and support so many of you do.
We have some new folks around. New fans of the music keep popping up at shows, pretty sweet! And a new harp player, welcome Jim Peters, this guy is dripping the Blues. Gonna be some fun!
I want to thank harp player Claude Von Roesgen for our collaboration together. I'm hoping we're not completely done. Claude is chasing Toots Theilmans and Jazz harp, at the Acton Jazz Cafe, all the best Claude. He is hosting Open Mic at Slater's in Bolton, Ma. with Marty Beecy most Thursday nights.
If we don't play at TMVFF in March, we'll be back on the road in June after my hip surgery, send me some good vibes folks!
January 26th, 2012
This weekend's show at The Coffee Loft Shows will feature a new face behind the harp, Jim Peters. Welcome Jim!! This guy has Blues dripping off each note he plays, been a real pleasure getting ready for the show.
In case any were wondering, Harmonica Claude is on St. John's in the B.V.I. playing harp with Jonathan Edwards, no doubt....best wishes my friend!
January 2012
An awesome year's end with a couple packed gigs and a back surgery. My motor don't turn like it used to, about slept for two days after the New Year's Eve show. The doctor said I'd be tired for awhile but I haven't slept so much since college daze.... Don't have another show until 1/28/12 so I hope to be good and fresh by then. Shows
As always, thank you all for your support and appreciation of the music I play and warmest regards to you!!
Rich
November 2011
Are you kidding? Winter is almost here...yikes!! We are booking shows once again so check the site for new dates. December will see us in Arlington at Right Turn Live on the 3rd and then back at Mitchell's Garage on the 17th for another wild night of whatever it is they call it what they do in Bolton Mass.. Crazy fun anyway!! See y'all soon.
Rich
August 2011
Well just about ready to go live in September. Haven't played a show since early July, been a nice siesta....
Still working on the new record and hopeful for a release by year's end. Still trying to play as good as Paul Rishell, my mentor and good friend, though I suspect that effort will continue for my lifetime, just as well.
I put a couple new tunes on the player here on the site, hope you enjoy them. It's been somewhere around a hundred years since they were written, just gems of ageless life stuff. I've tried to find the license for both, unsuccessfully. If you happen to know, tell me so i can do my part. I'll keep looking....
Hope to see you at a show sometime. Shows
Rich
March 30, 2011
Just played a "chicken wire gig" .... remember in the movie Blues Brothers, they didn't know any country songs and the beer bottles start flying?... pretty close, at one point a lady was loving our set and an hour later she was asking us how much money she could pay us to stop playing...then the beer bottles start breaking, the fighting starts and empties in and out of the bar and I'm wishing I knew how to play "Rawhide" or "Stand By Your Man"....we got through unscathed and happy to leave. Other than that it was a great night.
Dancing Pig this Thursday, very nice venue, no need for chicken wire here! Great food, mellow vibe...www.thedancingpigri.com/about.html
March 10, 2011
The Louisiana swing was way more than I thought it may be...all good!!
Fun gigs, ...Friday, Cochon de lait at L.J.'s....Saturday, Mardi Gras Wedding at The Carriage House....Lundi Gras yeah fat monday, at The Sing Sing Club on Bourbon Street...I'm home to rest ;^)) ...and to get ready for some upcoming gigs that should satisfy everyone's palate for some down home blues ...see all the dates and more here bostonblues.com/details.php and pics here www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php
And thanks for checkin' on me, I really appreciate all of you.
See you soon,
Rich
and remember....
Claude Von Roesgen's harp playing can be heard at most of our shows now. Welcome to this blues train Claude, happy you are booked and bound to go!!