But I do love me some Candye Kane!

Saturday night, after hanging with the family in the Inland Empire, we headed out to Cozy’s in Sherman Oaks to listen to blues great, Candye Kane. I’m really not a fan of blues, but I find it to be an entirely different sound when it’s 1) sung by a woman and 2) has more optimistic lyrics just set to a blues sound. And well, since kicking cancer’s ass, you better believe that Candye’s music is more upbeat and optimistic than your average blues song.

She looks great and is on the market looking for a man or woman to settle down with (for the insurance, she says). I love how she calls herself a “black drag queen in a white woman’s body.” Her eldest son was on stage as her drummer (and has been for a few years now). I loved hearing Laura Chavez on guitar (now that’s what the blues is all about) – she has quite a following, especially for her age. Paul Loranger was on bass. It really was a great show.

If you hear that she’s in your town doing a show, go see her. And trust me, even if you’re not a fan of the typical blues, you’ll like the show. You’ll laugh. You’ll dance. You’ll clap along. You’ll have a good time, I promise.

I’m posting two videos below. The first one is “I Put a Hex On You” off her latest album, Superwoman. I wish you could hear it better, but you’ll get the idea. She’s got a great voice and I think this song shows some of her range. Laura’s guitar playing also sounds amazing. Overall, just a fun, great song – and who wouldn’t love to put a hex on someone that’s done you (or in this case, your friend), wrong.

This second song is “Toughest Girl Alive” off the album of the same name. This was one of the first Candye’s songs I think I heard. In fact, the first time I heard of Candye was on Donny and Marie’s talk show about 8 or so years ago. At that time she wasn’t quite so bluesy and was having more fun playing the piano with her abundant boobs (which are now much smaller since her battle with cancer).

The Live Music Edition

You’d think that as someone that teaches others how to blog, I’d know not to freak out when I hit a schlump.  I mean, I tell my clients all the time that it happens. I also suggest that they have some stuff written in drafts so that they can have something, anything to post without the pressure of having to create something.

Do I follow my own advice?  Hell no!

I didn’t even have anything worthwhile in my drafts.  But in my defense (yeah, yeah, here come the excuses), I really couldn’t look beyond how damn exhausted I was.  Next semester I’m going to have to come up with a better plan.

But good news…I’ve been to concerts.  Many, many concerts.

Let’s see, in the past couple of weeks, we’ve seen Carrie Rodriguez at McCabe’s, some bands I did like and some band I didn’t much like at the Troubadour (of course I can’t remember their names – but I do have photos somewhere), the Indigo Girls at the House of Blues in Anaheim (no photos), the Allman Brothers at the Greek (I love the Greek, it’s my favorite venue for shows), and last night we saw REO Speedwagon and Styx at the Nokia.

So you see, I have been busy.  While we wait for the FOREVER time it takes videos to upload, I’ll share some photos with you…

Maria Taylor

Carrie Rodriguez

Allman Brothers – as if this doesn’t say it all…

REO Speedwagon

Styx

I’ll get the videos up in another post once they’re done.