dancing at The Chocolate Bar (map)

Thursday . September 9, 2010
7:00 - 10:00pm
The Chocolate Bar . 2521 University Blvd. near Kirby in beautiful Rice Village
http://www.theoriginalchocolatebar.com
NO COVER

Buzz and his jazz trio, Buzz & the Blue Cats (http://www.buzzandthebluecats.com), are playing at The Chocolate Bar in Rice Village on Thursday at 7pm.
A group of us are going... you should go too!
-Alex

Alex & Samantha found this for us and a group of dancers will be there (eating massive quantities of chocolate!) before The Big Easy... come join!

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dancing at The Big Easy (map)

Thursday, September 9, 2010
9:30ish - after 1:00am
The Big Easy . 5731 Kirby Drive near The Rice Village
(South of Bissonnet, between Firestone and Domino’s Pizza)
http://www.thebigeasyblues.com
NO COVER

Jonn Richardson seems to be standing in for Luther for a couple of Thursdays and they may be a fortuitous find.

Jonn Richardson is the Lead Guitartist for the Blue Mercy Band - Winner of the Blues Music Award for Best New Artist Debut 2008.
The most highly regarded award ceremony in the Blues industry for performers, the Blues Music Awards Awards are considered the "Blues Grammys." Blues Music Awards are the premier event for Blues professionals, musicians and fans. Held in Memphis, the focus of this celebration is to recognize superior achievements in Blues performances while honoring a cultural tradition.

They sound well worth going around the corner to check out after The Chocolate Bar on Thursday!

. . . . .

dancing by Alex & Samantha (map)

Friday . September 10, 2010
7:00 - 10:00pm
Houston Dance Factory . 5711 Hillcroft at Harwin* in beautiful West Houston
$5.00 at the door

Third time is a charm, so wear your best to the third Lindy Friday!

Harvest Moon Ball is coming up, so we thought we'd try to just make the whole month classy by snazzing up our monthly dance. Dress to impress, and enjoy the company of other well dressed dancers and friends. The price is still $5 for three whole hours of dancing, plus this month we will be having two, count 'em, TWO raffle winners. A mysterious benefactor (it was my mom) has donated two copies of Frankie Manning's biography Frankie Manning: Ambassador of Lindy Hop, and we will be raffling them both this friday to two lucky dancers (or friends of dancers.

So come, dance, look sharp, have fun, and maybe win an exciting and inspiring book by our favorite Lindy Hopper!

RSVP and more info at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=115460435175413.

*There is a parking structure in the back, make sure you park on the top level. The studio is on the top level as well.

If you prefer classic Lindy Hop then this will be an event you'll love - check it out! -h:)

. . . . .

dancing at Shakespeare's Pub (map)

Friday . September 10, 2010
9:30ish - late
Shakespeare's Pub . 14129 Memorial Drive in beautiful West Houston
(Just West of Kirkwood)
http://www.shakespearepub.net
NO COVER

IT'S FINALLY HERE, the release of The Brad Absher Band's new CD, "BIG SHUGGA"!!! Come on out and do yo thang with us!!! The "Not-Past-September" tour will be winding down...just a couple of shows left... great time to come out and get a copy of the new record and help support the band!

The Brad Absher Band is the group that we enjoyed, thanks to The Blue Room, at last week's Taft Dance! I loved them and they were great to dance to so come on out to Shakespeare's Pub (a new place to me who have a lot of our favorite bands booked) this Friday to celebrate their new CD.
I rarely spring for CDs but this one I just might! :)

. . . . .

dancing at Sambuca Jazz Cafe (map)

Monday . September 13, 2010
(then again on September 27th)
7:00 - 10:30pm
Sambuca Jazz Cafe . 909 Texas at Travis in beautiful downtown Houston
http://www.sambucarestaurant.com
NO COVER

Whether it's a slow ballad, a jazz standard, or heart-pounding rhythm & blues, Yvonne Washington (http://yvonnewashington.com) puts her heart into her music.
Though the band starts about 7:00pm it might be 8:00ish before tables are clear and dancers arrive (it varies), and may wrap up by 10:30 or so. Sambuca is also a good place to have dinner.

-Thanks to Jose Figueroa who got this information for us!

. . . . .

dancing at The Big Easy (map)

Second Monday of the month . including next Monday, September 13, 2010
(then again on September 27th)
9:30ish - late
The Big Easy . 5731 Kirby Drive near The Rice Village
(South of Bissonnet, between Firestone and Domino’s Pizza)
http://www.thebigeasyblues.com
NO COVER

James Reese might be the best guitar player in Texas that you've never heard of. And now he has a stellar band backing him as well. Richard Cholaikian (drums) has just returned from a European tour; Frank Zweback (bass) is also a member of popular groups skyblue72, D.R.U.M. and Zwee; and Randy Wall has played keys with almost everyone in town.

Check them out on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/James-Reese-Band/19647457854.

I caught them one night at Warehouse LIve and they'd be well worth a visit if you're looking for some music on a Monday night. -h:)

. . . . .

dancing at Monnalisa Lounge (map)

Wednesday . September 15, 2010
7:00 - 10:00pm
at Hotel Sorella at the new upscale "City Centre"
800 West Sam Houston Parkway North, Building 9, Houston, TX 77024
(SE corner of the intersection of I-10/KatyFrwy & BW 8)
NO COVER, just buy some water or a drink or something

This Wednesday night at the Monnalisa is one of The El Orbits (one of our most favorite bands! - http://elorbit.com) two regular public gigs each month. They have the 1st Tuesday of the month at Sambuca; and the 3rd (or is it next to last...?) Wednesday of the month at Monnalisa.

The Monnalisa is a hotel bar, but it is ultra modern done Miami club scene (the pictures make it look really nice!)...upstairs, pool to the side, and open pit fire in the middle of the bar. The dance floor is stone squares.
Parking in the City Centre is free. The parking structures are also free and there is plenty of it.

Hotel Sorella is poorly marked and the entrance may be difficult to find--the first time. Hotel check-in is on the second floor, as well as the Monnalisa Lounge. There is a free-standing window encased stairwell near the hotel entrance, which is actually the best way to get to the Monnalisa--but the elevator is in the main entrance to the hotel.
If you're hungry, food comes in from the restaurant (run by Brennan's) next door to the Monnalisa.

Directions:
From East (Downtown)
• Take Interstate 10 West
• Exit Frontage Road (Exit 756A) towards Beltway-8
• Make a U-Turn under Katy Freeway
• Quickly merge to your Right
• Turn Right onto Town & Country Blvd. and go past the Plaza
• Turn Right onto CITYCENTRE way
• Take next right on Sorella Court, the Hotel Sorella entrance is on your right

Hotel Sorella
http://www.hotelsorella-citycentre.com/dining-and-entertainment/Monnalis...

-Thanks to Chris Desmond who got this information for us!

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dancing at Capone's (map)

Friday . September 17, 2010
9:00pm - 1:00am
Capone's . 4304 Westheimer at Midlane just West of the tracks at Highland Village
http://www.caponeshouston.com
NO COVER

Pee Wee Bowen (http://www.maritimedragracing.com/pee_wee_bowen_band.htm) may be a band to check out on a Friday night.

. . . . .

dancing at The Big Easy (map)

Friday . September 17, 2010
9:30ish - after 1:30am
The Big Easy . 5731 Kirby Drive near The Rice Village
(South of Bissonnet, between Firestone and Domino’s Pizza)
http://www.thebigeasyblues.com
$5 cover

Texas Johnny Brown is truly one of the legendary figures of the American blues scene.
He began his professional musical career in Houston in the mid- 1940s with Amos Milburn's "Aladdin Chickenshackers." Johnny toured with Bobby "Blue" Bland and Junior Parker in the 1950s and 1960s as guitarist and bandleader and was a studio musician for Houston's Duke/Peacock Records.
He recorded a number of his own compositions for Duke/Peacock, including Snakehips and Suspense, and his distinctive guitar style graced the recordings of numerous other Duke/Peacock blues artists, including Bland, Parker and Joe Hinton. Johnny also wrote the beautiful blues classic, Two Steps from the Blues, which was one of Bland's biggest hits.
Three of Johnny's original songs from his Atlantic session, There Goes the Blues, Bongo Boogie and Blues Rock, were included on an Atlantic compilation of blues guitarists in 1986. Johnny recut There Goes the Blues for his debut full-length CD, Nothin' But the Truth, which was released in 1998 by Choctaw Creek Records.
Seeing him at The Big Easy ought to be Great!!

-Thanks to Jose Figueroa for this lead!

. . . . .

dancing at Sambuca Jazz Cafe (map)

Saturday . September 18, 2010
8:00pm - about Midnight
Sambuca Jazz Cafe . 909 Texas at Travis in beautiful downtown Houston
http://www.sambucarestaurant.com
NO COVER

If blues, soul, and rock can be said to form a triangle, you'll find Hamilton Loomis right in the center of it", says Guitar Player Magazine. An apt description, as Loomis is one of the young artists at the forefront of bringing blues into the 21st century and redefining it for a contemporary audience. He has been bridging the gap between generations of music-lovers both in the U.S. and around the world. His new release, "Ain't Just Temporary", finds Loomis masterfully blending his myriad influences, at once forging ahead into new musical territories while maintaining a strong connection to the blues legends that took him under their wings at a young age.

Born and raised in Galveston, Texas, Loomis was first hooked on music through his parents’ extensive collection of blues, rock, and soul records. Loomis honed his multi-instrumental chops early, learning drums, piano, guitar, bass and harmonica by his early teens, and toured regularly as part of his family’s doo-wop group. At age sixteen he went backstage to meet Bo Diddley, and before the night was over Loomis was onstage playing alongside the legend.

-Thanks to Jose Figueroa for this lead.

. . . . .

See
Mobettablog Live Music
http://www.mobettablog.com/mobettablog/Live_Music/Live_Music.html

and
Houston Swing Out
http://www.houstonswingout.org

~ for a lot more event information!

... & if you have any good dancing leads for us then please let me know at secondcupswing@mac.com. -thx :)