Musicians In Bangkok? Wanna Jam?

[spanky]

i'm a blues, reggae and rock guitarist, just moved to bangkok and will be mostly in pataya area and bangkok.........anyone want to jam or start a small band, play some blues, entertain at Admaker restaurant or somewhere else???? Play some bob marley, muddy waters, etc etc etc....... drop me a line........................

[mrentoul]

Show me how to jam and I am yours forever. I have played guitar for 15 years, but mainly tight-ar@se classical stuff.

That, and Eric Clapton, but in his case I tried to memorise every note!

Small warning: I don't get along with farang. No social skills, I am afraid.

Joke.

[penzman]

Hey Spanky! Check out my post, I' m a bass player.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=5325&hl=

[chonabot]

Show me how to jam and I am yours forever. I have played guitar for 15 years, but mainly tight-ar@se classical stuff.

That, and Eric Clapton, but in his case I tried to memorise every note!

Small warning: I don't get along with farang. No social skills, I am afraid.

Joke.

My dear Mrentoul , I didn't know you had a penchant for the blues et al?

Belive ( it) or not , I teach the art of blues guitar as a sideline.

If you would like to jam/busk/improvise et al , may I suggest learnig the simple , yet ###### compulsory, pentatonic ( maj/min) scales/progressions , in each key ( only E if you want a "quick start") Major for happy , Minor for sad etc , you can go a long way on the shirt tails of these bedfellows.

The main thing is to know when to "rest" or "pass"

Apologies for screwing this thread.

Anyone else needing or wanting guidance , just email me.

[markt]

(Quote, Chonabot) My dear Mrentoul , I didn't know you had a penchant for the blues et al?

Belive ( it) or not , I teach the art of blues guitar as a sideline.

If you would like to jam/busk/improvise et al (Quote)

Chonabot, do you also work for a certain Israeli airline?

[chonabot]

Christ I can't even remember posting that , must have been a wine night...hic!

[markt]

so are the guitar lessons off now?

[chonabot]

I'm still waiting for the videocam to arrive!

[markt]

Is "guitar lessons" a metaphor ?

[chonabot]

It depends on who's asking?

[markt]

That bloke who plays in the band at the wonderful bar.

[chonabot]

Who , Eric Clapped -out?

[markt]

I thought his name was Discoh Sa tu......Yeah man

[DaveYo]

Me a bass player from the 70's, (retired) Name of my Band was "Chicago Express" Wonderful era of music. Songs like Get Down Tonight, Three Times a Lady, Do A little Dance and many more!!!!!!!!

Hmmmm, Disco days too were good. Never had the Blues ever in this era!!!!!!

Today, we have the blahssssssss. Time to teach the young what it really means to party down!!!!!!! "Give it to the Best of My Love" or Shining Star!!!!!!! or "We Party Hearty"

I can still play all these and many more. Turns me on cause it truly is real Dancing Music.

Daveyoti

[penzman]

to Daveyo..... is this the band?

The Chicago Express

Mercer Island, Washington

June 1967 - November 1967

(Formed From The Bandits - June 67)

[Up2U]

Spanky,

If you're going to be in the Pattaya area - go to Soi Lucky Star off Wlking Street, where the Blues Factory is about 30 metres up the passage - couple of bars on Walking Street, then a very small hamburger stand, stairs up to the 19th Hole, then the BF.

Great place to be - welcome guest musicians - and outside a couple of opn-air bars also have live groups.

[DaveYo]

Penzman, No that is a different group, and I am surprised that they are using our NAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We formed ours here in Chicago, and we disbanded back in 1975 or 77. I forgot the darn year. Been so long.

In my group, Mo was the singer, Hawk was the Guitar Player, Greg was the organist, and John was the Drummer and I was the Bass Player.

Our first gig took place during the Ocktober Fest in the Fall at Volo Illinois and we were on Radio WMAQ at night starting from 7PM to 2 PM. It was a snowy night on our first performance and after that we hit the charts here in the Chicago and Southern Wisconsin area. Man talk of the crowd that packed that place that night. I still remember it like it was yesterday. Virtually no room on the dance floor, everybody was shakin their booty to the ground, and it was over standing room in this place. Estimated crowd exceed 500 people. The place was certified to hold only 400. This was the best shindig for our first gig.

From then on, everywhere we went the houses were packed over their limits. We were so booked solid, these places wanted us to stay from Thursday night thru Sunday night. We chose Thursday to Saturday, our nights off were Sunday and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday was at a nearby bar as promotion to our upcoming appearance, and then started at the next place as appointed on Thursday. The pay was awful good. Our basic hours were from 8:30 PM to 2:30 AM. Total time we performed in these hours was around 4. Our breaks were half an hour. We were also a show type group, similar to Commodores and Earth Wind and Fire.

Wanna a tip. Each of us were getting paid 200 dollars an hour with breaks included. And this is back in the late 60's thru the 70's. We had no manager and all the booking was done as a group. We took votes of where and when to play. So we were making 1,200 a night total as the group. All the places that we went to, the businesses had that money by the first hour. The rest was their profit!!!!!!!

As the years went on, towards the end we were making 450 dollars each per hour.

The real reason for our breakup was the girls became involved and some got married, and the drugs just about destroyed Mo and Greg. The married wives did not like us playing and dealing with all the girls so they basically got in the way and pissed all of us off.

Hope this information helps.

Daveyoti

[Estrella]

Was mo an Italian guy?

[DaveYo]

No. Mo was a black guy and so was John. Hawk was a Puerto Rican and Greg and I were white dudes. Greg was the heaviest in our group, John was the tallest, and Mo, Hawk and I were about the same height. 5'6 to 5'8. John was 6'2 Greg was 5'10 and weighed around 225 pounds.

Hope that answers your question.

Daveyoti

[The Gentleman Scamp]

I've been interested in forming a band for some time but never known how to go about it. I've only just joined this forum and this is an ideal place to appeal.

I'm a songwriter and vocalist if you need either of them Spanky?

I'd like to start a covers band and write some original humourous songs based on expat life to chuck into a set, maybe even a song in Thai.

I'm 29, reside near On Nut and I like Madness. (The band)

Any suggestions?

[the gentleman]

Maybe we could do a duet - welcome!

[DaveYo]

Toooo bad we don't have musical smileys. Sigh

Daveyoti

[harpman88]

Hey Spanky! (You still there??) My name is Scott and I will be returning to LOS

later this year. Anyway,Im a blues harp

player who was fortunate enough to be in

BKK when the "Magic Castle"was home to Oodie's Blues Band in the mid nineties.

It was on Sukhumvit Soi 12 and drew great musicians from all over. Oodie is a great left handed guitarist who has since opened up his own venue on Ko Chang,which I hear is doing quite well. Also my good friend,Khun Boy, was Oodies keyboard player who later want on to play with the BKK Blues band during their long stint at Saxophone Pub near Victory Monument.

Ive played /jammed lots with these guys but it seems that the blues has faded since the dearly departed "Magic" closed its doors, and now since the BKK Blues Band has exited the local scene.

But anyway,I sure would like to be kept abreast of the latest developments there

as far as the blues scene is concerned.

Would love to jam when I return later this year (But dont know exactly when that will be yet)My Email addie is [email protected] if you'd like to drop me a line....Im sure if you ever

make it to Ko Chang playing with Oodie would be a real treat. I cant wait to get there myself to see him again.

Also if you ever make it to Chiang Mai (my HQ in LOS) dont miss "Took" and his band at the Brasserie,just up river from

the Riverside and Good View restaurants.

He's a KILLER guitar player (as is Oodie)

and also mixes up reggae,Cream,Santana

Hendrix,etc.,but really shines when it comes to the blues. Anyone else with any

"blues news" from anywhere in LOS,please feel free to get in touch! Regards,Scotty

[The Gentleman Scamp]

Maybe we could do a duet   - welcome!

If we could track down 'Scamp' then a trio would be ideal.

So okay, I'm not a blues type of guy, and in England I hate cover bands but this ain't England and cover bands out here work.

I suppose I should be a bit more patient and then start my own thread if nothing pops up on this one.

[friendlyfiend]

Blues scene dying in Bangkok? I think not, I think that one needs to know where to go. Okay the Bangkok Blues Band have taken a hiatus as Karn the singer has gone off to farang land to start a family.. but there is still much more music to be heard other than them..

At the moment there are 2 new 'blues' venues that have just opened. One is MOJO's in soi 33 (opposite the Office Bar). This bar is up their with international standards.. okay.. the drinks aren't the cheapest, but it's one really nice place. And the house band (thai with farang front man) are good. Music 6 nights a week.

TOKYO JOES blues Bar on sukhumvit soi 24 is another new (revamped venue). Here one of the part owners is Jeff from the Soi Dog Blues Band.. expect to here good music here..

and apart from the obvious, Brown Sugar and Saxaphone bars.. there is Noriega's in Silom Soi 4 which has a variety of bands, blues, jazz, etc.. and lastly there is the Irish X Change in Silom soi convent which hosts blues from time to time.. I think three to four times a week..

How do I know all this? well, I play this circuit regularly.. check out www.cannonballbluesband.com and look at the 'gig schedule' link for when we are playing..

Apart from this there are 3 prominent jam sessions around town.. 2 on sunday at Mojos from 6pm to 10pm .. blues.. and then at TOKYO Joes from 9pm to midnight.. Wednesday night at Irish X Change.. and Noriegas has an open mic night Tuesdays i believe...

Keeping the groove alive!

Cheers

[harpman88]

Hello Friendly Fiend! Thanx much for ur

post. This is just the updated info I was looking for. Let's hope these venues succeed, Also do you know if"Chai and the Blues Maniacs" have a steady gig anywhere

these days? I heard they were at a place on Thanon Pahonyotin last time I was in BKK,but we couldn't find it. Anyway thanx again for the news Bluesfully yours,"harpman88"

[impy_la_blimpy]

Sounds like fun

I'm a keyboardist/writer/ . . .[used to be lead singer/keyboards in a band called Spin Dizzy - but wouldn't sell on my vocal ability!!]

Who's jammin at the moment . . .?

Any room for a keyboardist . . .?

Imp

[friendlyfiend]

hi.. umm as far as I know Chai is still doing Saturdays at Saxaphone.. Though I could be wrong.. usually Saxaphone has 3 acts on on a Saturday night..

Anyway, here are some useful links for blues and grooves in Bangkok!

Mekong Doctor Blues and the Groove Junkies: http://www.mekongdoctorblues.4t.com/

MOJOS Blues, barbeque bar and grill: http://www.bangkokmojos.com/

Tokyo Joes Blues Bar: http://www.tokyojoesbkk.com/

Saxaphone Pub: http://www.saxophonepub.com

Cannonball Blues Band: http://www.cannonballbluesband.com

Soi Dog Blues Band Bangkok: http://soidog.homestead.com/

Cheers..

As for the Keyboard player.. well, get down to one of the jams and there are always many regulars wanting to start a new band up..

[harpman88]

Hi again F.Fiend,Thanx much for spending the time and providing the Blues Club

links,much appreciated! Last time I was in BKK Chai wasn't there on Sat. But just may have been on hiatus. Anyway,I grew up not far from Chicago and had the opportunity to see Muddy,the Wolf,Willie Dixon,Hound Dog Taylor,James Cotton(with his stellar 70's band including Matt"Guitar" Murphy),Son Seals,Lonnie Brooks,Albert Collins,and many lesser

knowns on a regular basis. It will be great to be living in Thailand knowing there is a thriving scene available.

Mojos and Tokyo Joe's both look very promising indeed! Cheers! and best of luck to all the club owners and Blues Musicians....."harpman88"

[friendlyfiend]

....had the opportunity to see Muddy,the Wolf,Willie Dixon,Hound Dog Taylor,James Cotton(with his stellar 70's band including Matt"Guitar" Murphy),Son Seals,Lonnie Brooks,Albert Collins.....

Don't make me too envious now!. wow, that's quite a line-up of stars there.