Tag Archives: 805 Sound

805 Sound, Mad Royal

Get Ready For The 2015 Slo Jazz Festival

John Santos-2The Goddess of Groove
By Mad Royal

Brainchild of local saxophonist Scott Andrews, the 2015 Mercedes Benz SLO Jazz Festival is about to hit town, not with a bang, but with a sweet lingering note. It had long been Scott’s dream to have a world-class jazz festival in San Luis Obispo, and last year, it finally happened. It was very successful, attended by 1800 people from as far away as San Diego, San Jose, and the San Joachin Valley. This year is hoped to be even bigger, and a Youth Stage has been added. Continue reading Get Ready For The 2015 Slo Jazz Festival →

805 Sound, Entertainment

Roots Reggae Band Rising Son Ascends

Ent Rising sonPhoto and story by Carrie Jaymes

Not all bands offer widely diverse musicianship while still filling a special niche with their music. Rising Son, a roots reggae group out of Ventura, California, has that distinction.
Rising Son launched their fist album project in 2006 and has since risen to fame through highly charged live shows that provide their audiences and themselves a signature experience as well as more album projects. Live or recorded, they continue to offer music that resonates with their growing fan base, which ranges in age from kids on up. Continue reading Roots Reggae Band Rising Son Ascends →

805 Sound, Mad Royal

Making Music with Gene Baler

GOG geneThe Goddess of Groove
By Mad Royal

Anytime I’ve talked to Gene Baker, he’s had an aura of being calm and excited at the same time, kind of a restrained expectation of good things to come, tied up with a deep satisfaction in what he’s doing at the moment. He may be known as Mean Gene, and he may even look a little mean (not really, but let him have his illusions), but he’s a pretty cool guy.
Raised in the suburbs of Detroit, Gene grew up messing around on the family’s Hammond organ. His two older sisters influenced his taste in music, as well as he dad, who took him to see and Elvis tribute band, Elvis Wade.
“We asked them to play Polk Salad Annie, and were impressed when they did,” Gene said. Continue reading Making Music with Gene Baler →

805 Sound, Mad Royal

Keeping It Real: John Wessel

me blue snipThe Goddess of Groove
By Mad Royal

No one has a voice quite like John Wessel. It’s high, and raspy, and pure rock’n’roll. He can perform songs like “You Shook Me All Night Long” like nobody’s business. His flute playing is fantastic and much like Jethro Toll (more on that later), but he also rips on the guitar, saxophone, clarinet, keyboards, and bass. Oh, yeah, and he’s self-taught, too.
John was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but the family moved to Reseda in the L.A.’s San Fernando Valley when he was in fourth grade. They were in Sylmar for a while, and lived there at the time of the big earthquake in 1971. He spent a year in Arizona, and then moved back to Reseda. Continue reading Keeping It Real: John Wessel →

805 Sound, Entertainment

Clubs & Nightlife: March 19–April 1, 2015

805sound LOGOSouth County

Harry’s Nightclub and Beach Bar
Live Music Friday & Saturday @ 9PM

Lido Restaurant at Dolphin Bay
-Tapas Tuesday 5:30-9PM
Monday night live music & ½ off any bottle of wine
Mon., Thurs., Fri. Live Music 6-9PM
Sunset Happy Hour Mon-Fri 3-6PM

Manrock Brewing Co.
Tasting Room
Tasting Room: M-Th 4-10PM w/ Pint Night, Fri 3-12AM w/ Live Music

Mongo’s Saloon
NBA Pass, MLB package, Karaoke, live music, dancing, house music, two pool tables and soft tip dart board. Continue reading Clubs & Nightlife: March 19–April 1, 2015 →