Midem, George Clinton, Myspace and more

Spent 5 days in Cannes, France at Midem. I had a great time networking and schmoozing.
Ran into George Clinton and re-connected after 30 years. THAT WAS A TRIP!!!! I also ran into Phil DiFiore (whom i met with Bernie Worrell in New Orleans) -on the 1st day- who was shopping Bernie's cd... and met Keith Jackson from Pfunkradio.com at the huge EMI bash at Hotel Martinez. Funk was definitely there!

Met some great people- like folks from my labels: CDBABY, and THE ORCHARD- and i've decided to get all my various product [funk, soul, blues, solo, various and sundry projects and styles in my archives] online asap with my labels... and let it rock! after everyone telling me i should, i FINALLY started a myspace site. better late than never.
one of the big things i learned from Midem is: there's a gazillion people out there all trying to sell or buy something! one might as well get it all "out there" via the net!













a shot of the beach, outside Palais du Festvials, Cannes.

Midem in Cannes

we've been making last minute preparations for Midem. we leave for Cannes tomorrow evening from Basel; fly to Nice; then taxi to Cannes; where we'll be for 5 days. the weather here in switzerland has not been the best [dark,rainy,windy and cold] so 5 days on the french riviera will be great- even though we plan to be In the convention every day- and attend the parties every night.

it pays to advertise! we had 3 of my songs put on a compilation cd called "swiss music selection". they will be handing out 10,000 of them to midem participants from all over the planet!

i added a 'press' page to my website to post recent newspaper articles, promo and clippings. i'm also adding some older ones, in french, german and italian. i have boxes full of reviews,write ups, etc both here and in louisiana, from time immemorial. i might need to get some more webspace if i decide to put the majority of them online- as an archive.

btw- i'll be celebrating my birthday in Cannes. life ain't soooooooooooooo bad!

LIVE AT THE BLUE NOTE

UPDATE: january 15,2007

had a great review from damian bugmann in the bieler tagblatt...

title: "doug duffey hurricane in the soul"... click HERE to read the review [in German]

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even though i have sent out some emails, and the date is listed on my website, this is a reminder that we will be playing the BLUE NOTE in Biel on January 12. with us will be percussionist carlos cort, to beef up the beat. we'll be doing some cuts from the new cd, 'changin' times', as well as from 'rectified spirit', and some of my earlier cds. come out and have, as the godfather of soul would say, "a funky good time"!

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p.s. this foto was added afterward; it was shot by Renate during sound check at the Blue Note, Biel

2nd International Blues Festival Flims, Switzerland

[foto by renate ali]

We just got back from the 2nd international blues festival in Flims- where we did 2 nights. we did a combination of some of my original songs, some new orleans music and some blues standards, as it was a blues, rhythm & blues festival.

the first night, i/we exchanged sets with the ANDY EGERT BAND. andy egert is, for me, is the best swiss blues artist - he knows the music, knows where it comes from, pays hommage to it, and he knows what he is doing! most important: he feels it from his SOUL, and plays it from his heart.... and plays it right!

the 2nd night [tonight] we played we did our set, which kicked boo-tay! we left the stage with a tribute to JAMES BROWN! THE GODFATHER OF SOUL... and one of the greatest influences of my musical life. not blues ... but all r&b, funk, soul is blues influenced.

James Brown created funk! i grew up to work with some of his backing band: bootsy collins, catfish collins, fred wesley and maceo parker [through my work with pfunk] R.I.P., JB! the funk will live on.

huge thanks to kelvin, hani, and sebi for playing great and supporting me---and to jacqueline trachsel for "taking care of business!"

see Hani's page for fotos: http://www.haniali.ch/fotos_dougduffey.htm

doug duffey band- tipitina's- new orleans

the show @ tipitina's [november 30th] was great fun- and broadcast live globally online.
amanda walker played first, followed by big daddy O.
i did four solo songs, followed by a 45 minute set [of songs from my various cds] with the band. afterward an "all out" jam ensued.

due to blog space there isnt much room for all the fotos taken at the show. here's the best stage shot i got of me and the band in action during our set.











foto: tommy miller, guitar; john brown, drums; doug duffey, vocal-keyboard; doug johnson, bass.
unfortunately john autin was just behind tommy on keys- and not seen in the foto...so he gets a solo shot below:

Jam! Rabadash Party @ Tipitina's

it's getting down to the wire. the big Rabadash party @ Tip's is this coming thursday. this is just a friendly reminder!

also... to any of my funky new orleans friends who will be in town: i invite you to come and JAM with me at tips... i'll be doing songs from my 1st cd "danger sex and sound fx" [rabadash] "rectified spirit" [the orchard] and from my latest [coming in december] "changin' times"*[cdbaby] ... all cds are [or will be*] available at your favorite online music outlets.

thanks...
doug

CHANGIN' TIMES

at long last i have finally 'designed' the jacket & label artwork for "changin' times" - my newest cd- and it is off to the manufacturer!
i decided to keep info 'short and sweet' on the jacket [since there is never room enough on cd jackets for much!] - but there will be a page on the 'cds' page of my wesbite www.dougduffey.com with details of the sessions, session fotos, and some lyrics.

the cd will be ready in a few weeks, and then available for online orders through www.cdbaby.com
so, as sister pearlie mae would've said, "check it out and lock it down!"

RABADASH RECORDS -TIPITINA'S - NEW ORLEANS

November 30th, 2006: Rabadash Records will be doing a benefit for the Tipitina's foundation @ Tipitina's [located at Napeleon Avenue and Tchopitoulas Street, New Orleans] featuring many of the Rabadash label's artists- and extra special guests.

Thus far the line up is looking like this:
Amanda Walker
John Autin
Big Daddy 'O'
Doug Duffey Band
I'll be doing songs from my 1st RABADASH cd "DANGER,SEX AND SOUND FX" [ a lot of rockers!] as well as some tunes from my cds "RECTIFIED SPIRIT" and "CHANGIN' TIMES"... the line-up isnt definite yet... but i am hoping all RABADASH ARTISTS will BE THERE!

oh yeah, this is gonna be waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay fun!

summertime blues

cotton gin/ north louisiana - copyright 2006 doug duffey

well, it's too damned hot to be outside- the crops are frying in the fields- grass burned all to hell- the tin roofs so hot you could cook eggs [or make fajitas] on 'em. so... even though the acreage needs mowing... and everything needs watering... i've decided to stay inside, pray for rain, and work on music until the fall!

i've begun writing/recording new music for a solo cd. i've written about 16 new songs in 2 days- during 2 different 'writing sessions'- and plan to continue writing sessions until i have a plethora of songs to choose from; and/or maybe enough for several cds: a piano and vocal cd, and a solo piano cd. so far so good! everything seems to be flowing and i'm "going with the flow..."

my "modus operandi" has changed due to the lack of a grand piano! normally, i play and sing 'live' recording my completed/finished songs in the studio on a grand piano- usually in one or two 'takes'- [i find the energy of 1st takes is usually the best] - but considering there are NO studios left in this area with a grand piano anymore [it seems nobody used the pianos in the studios here, so they were sold because they "took up too much space"... ]- i decided to use my electric piano, minidisc recorder and laptop to record at my own pace and comfort level! all the studios are digital anyway- [and non -smoking- but, i can still smoke in my own home... for the time being]

so... for these recordings i'm only playing piano- recording whatever comes into my head and hands- going from one 'song' or idea to the next, non-stop. it's rather like meditation or therapy- or both. it's quite a departure from my normal m.o. but a pleasurable one...

i seem to be working in [primarily] blues/jazz/roots mode with some louisiana piano and southern gothic gospel thrown in... could it be the heat, the humidity, barometric pressure, tropical depression... osmosis... or all of the above?

i'll work on writing the lyrics, working out the vocals and melodies, later- then record them over the piano tracks - et voila! it isn't the same as working the old way - and i miss the organic feel/touch/response and the subtlety/nuance of a grand piano- but what the hell? it works... ahhhhhhhhhh the digital age... ahhhhhhhhhh progress... yeah yeah yeah

[c]2006 doug duffey

sorry percy has cancelled

foto: doug duffey/may 13, 2006

i had just gotten home from europe and was experiencing my week of jet lag when i got the call.
percy sledge had cancelled his performance- at the 1st zydeco and blues festival in bastrop, louisiana- due to illness. i was asked to headline the festival in his place. when i arrvied this sign was at the entrance gate.

i did "when a man loves a woman" in his stead, which got a great response.

oddly, when i was inducted into the "louisiana hall of fame" percy was to be inducted for a lifetime achievement award, or something; he didnt appear then, either.

p.s. yes, they spelled my name wrong.