Saturday, December 30, 2006

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!"

Friday, December 08, 2006

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:

Monday, November 27, 2006

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

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

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!"

Saturday, October 14, 2006

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!



Wednesday, August 09, 2006

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

Thursday, May 25, 2006

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.

Friday, May 05, 2006

live in zurich













foto:Karin Boucke

these fotos were emailed today, from last night's show (the 18th international dixie and blues festival/ zurich). so...here we are in all our funky glory! "the doug duffey international soul band" in action, onstage before 500+ very enthusiatic blues fans! we definitley rocked the house! thanks kelvin, hani, sebi, and carlos!

a big thanks to albi matter & georg tännler, jacqueline trachsel, allianz suisse, and all the sponsors and organizers for making it happen... thanks to tom and klaus (on sound and lights), and everyone who came and made the show such a success!

danke viel mal, merci beaucoup, grazie tanto Switzerland!
















lotti lehmann & doug duffey- after the show- zurich.
foto: Karin Boucke

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

greetings from switzerland

i flew over to perform at the international dixie and blues festival-may 4th- in zurich. i'll be performing there with my 'international soul band': kelvin bullen, hani ali, sebi niessner, and carlos cort. we did a concert the day after i arrived and "the machine" is definitely pumping! we're ready to kick ass and take names!

although this is a blues gig, anyone who knows me knows that even my blues is funky; a by-product of having been born and raised in louisiana/the mississippi delta, no doubt- but then anyone who knows anything about the blues knows that today's blues ain't nothing but soul music... just listen to any southern blues radio station; it all sounds like memphis soul from the 60s & 70s.

i'll post fotos from the show, after i get back to louisiana next week. be sure to check for upcoming dates on my website under 'news'...

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

the breath of scandal


foto by olivier viret/switzerland

"the breath of scandal" [doug duffey]

it seems i've smoked a thousand cigarettes/sitting in the dark with wine and regrets/haunting memory will not let me forget/ the breath of scandal on your smile.

which like expensive luxury/holds attraction for someone like me/i'm a connoisseur of lurid pageantry/and i sense it 'neath your style.

you're never too young or too old for an indiscretion/special predicaments are not impositions/only one thing is important, in this brief and damned exisitence/survival, will you survive with me?

for we'll live 'devil may care'/what concerns to us are others affairs?/social suicide may meet us somewhere/but can you dare to let go?

you're never too young or too old for an indiscretion/special predicaments are not impositions/only one thing is important, in this brief and damned exisitence/survival, will you survive with me?

it seems i've smoked a thousand cigarettes, sitting in the dark with wine and regrets/ haunting memory will not let me forget/ the breath of scandal on your smile.

[c][p]1975-2006 doug duffey music, bmi

written in Hollywood, California/circa 1970s/this song appeared on my solo cd "living the blues" - released in europe only- by DTM/EMI [out of print]. my solo work tends to be more dark and brooding [it's something about those minor piano chords that i love] -and tends to verge on the dramatic and theatrical.

i'm compiling a 'new' recycled cd from my solo sessions [recorded in monroe & new orleans, louisiana in the 80s and 90s]. there's a lot of stuff from those sessions that needs to be "out there"...

[c]2006 doug duffey