Detroit
bluesman serves music with pasta
Local
Scene column by Tom Lounges nwitimes.com
Friday, October 1, 2004
Did
you ever have the good fortune of being in the right place
at the right time and stumbling into an unexpected situation
that makes you glad of a choice you made
That
happened to this columnist just last Sunday when, on the
way home from hosting my Sunday night radio show, I ventured
into Schererville and stopped in to Romano's Pizza, Pasta
& Grill, 730 E. Lincoln Highway, instead of going straight
home as usual.
My
decision to grab one of the family-owned restaurant's famous
ham and cheese hoagies, a guilty food pleasure since my
high school days, paid off to my ears as well as my taste
buds.
What
should have been a simple 30-minute visit for a quick bite
to eat, became a nearly three-hour-long stay. The time was
spent savoring a tasty smorgasbord of blues, rock and jazz
prepared by nimble-fingered guitarist-vocalist Motor City
Josh, a recently transplanted Detroit bluesman who now calls
Lansing home.
Unaware
that live music had been added to the Sunday evening menu
two weeks earlier, it was a pleasant surprise to find my
feet tapping as I tore into my sandwich, fries and pasta
salad.
Backing
Josh was a smoking ensemble -- bassist Chris Douglas, drummer
Patrick Doody and keyboardist Rusty Hall -- whose blues
shuffles and a jazzy instrumental send up of the Buckinghams
hit "Mercy Mercy Mercy" quickly anchored me to
my barstool until the last note was played at midnight.
During
that time, a handful of musical guests were invited up to
jam, including harmonica blower Joliet Al and South Side
blues shouter Deb Seitz.
The
latter let loose with some powerful Koko Taylor and Janis
Joplin covers that had all in the house clapping and singing
along.
In
speaking to Motor City Josh after the lights came on, he
said all serious players who like jam are welcome to sit
in for a song or two with his group of seasoned studio session
players. During his 15 years as a touring artist and musical
journeyman, Josh has released seven full-length CDs of original
music. His latest, "Blue Collar Blues Man," was
released this past July and is available at www.MotorCityJosh.com.
"(Motor
City) Josh just popped in on our Friday 'Jam Night' a while
back and knocked everyone out," venue co-owner Julie
Romano said. "After watching him jam, (my husband)
Myke went over and offered him the gig. It's only been a
few weeks, but the word is already starting to get out because
he and the band are not only great (musicians), but they
are a lot of fun."
Local
music fans looking for something fun to do on a Sunday night
in the region, should make a point to check out Motor City
Josh and his talented combo during one of their weekly 8
p.m. to midnight shows at Romano's.
"I
do still tour from time to time and will be out on the road
for a week in late October, so I won't be here on Oct. 24
or 31, but other than that, I will be here tearing it up,"
concluded Josh. For more information, call (219) 864-9999 |
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