John Montagna: Archives

Newest song and video, for your dancing and coffee-drinking pleasure. Enjoy!

AHHHHHH
Be well
JM

We celebrated my daughter Francesca's first birthday this weekend! Having heard so many veteran parents tell me that "it goes by so fast," I now fully understand what they mean. Franchy is sweeter than ever; almost walking, and verbalizing quite a bit. We are savoring the abundance.

Also rocked out on Strong Island on Saturday nite with Godfrey Steve & Manny, aka the Alan Parsons Live Project riddim section. Good times.

Today is birthday party clean-up, and music-related business done in fits and starts in between naps. (Hers.) Life is grand.

Be well
JM

Checking in to stay current. I've just joined forces with a new amplifier brand, Cicognani. I discovered these amazing amps at the Winter NAMM show back in January; one thing lead to another and now I'm a Cicognani artist.

It's pronounced CHEE-cohn-YAN-nee.

And yes, they're an italian company. The factory is in Recanati, near Umbria. The amps are distributed here in the States by FBT Professional Audio. All US- or European-made parts. Tubes. Military-grade electronics. Killer sound. I'm a happy boy.

Stay tuned for more Cicognani news, including a video blog of the day we were presented with the amps!

Be well
JM

Sunny, 60 degrees in NYC. Spring's pay is definitely being docked this year, due to lateness. Taking a walk with Francesca today; tonite I'm at the Cabaret Duplex in The City with The Maxes (Josh and Julie). Saturday I turn 37. Local boy doing good.

Be well
JM

Checking in to stay up to date. Waiting patiently for Spring (unseasonably cold here in NYC)!

Jack Bruce/Cream tribute at BB's last Saturday rocked greatly. Video and audio stuff I obtained looks and sounds good; stay tuned.

Back at KJ Farrell's on The Island this weekend with APLP Boyz.

Be well
JM

Played 2 great Clapton tribute shows this past weekend: BB King's on Friday nite in NYC, and a venue called Showcase Live in Foxboro, MA on Saturday. Much arse was kicked, good times.

Turns out we're back at BB's this Saturday, doing a last-minute fill-in for one of my earliest heroes and influences. Godfrey, Steve and Manny (the APLP Boyz) were slated to back up Jack Bruce for a quick tour of the east coast (including this Saturday at BB's). Unfortunately, Jack has taken ill, and the tour has been postponed until the fall. Fortunately, BB's didn't have to look far to find a band to fill the date for Saturday, so we're on again.

We're planning on doing a heavy dose of Cream, with some choice Jack Bruce solo stuff as well. I've been plowing thru my Jack solo CD's again for the first time in a while, digging it with fresh ears. I'm looking forward to Saturday nite, but I have my work cut out for me; I must represent.

Get well soon, Jack!
JM

Bellmore, NY
Friday, March 13, 2008


JM: bass, lead vox
TOMMY WILLIAMS: guitar, vox
MARK BONDER: keys, vox
RICH ZUKOR: drums
GENERAL GEORGE MARSHALL: Long Island Sound
MARGARET ROMOLO ZUKOR: camera

A quick check-in. I played at KJ Farrell's in Long Guyland twice in a row this past weekend; Saturday nite w/Godfrey and the APLP Boyz, and the previous nite as a last-minute sub with Wonderous Stories. The Goblet Of Rock was raised on high both nites. (Apparently there's some video clips from Friday floating around on the internets; stay tuned whie I try to find them and link them here.)

Tonite is the "unplugged" Clapton tribute at the Blue Water Grill. The rest of the week I'm a stay-at-home Dad and songwriter. The beat goes on!

Be well
JM

Checking in to stay current. NYC got pounded with snow last week, but we escaped to the crystal clear sunshine of Tucson, AZ just in time to avoid it. Now we're back in the New York Groove. This Saturday we rock KJ Farrel's in Long Island with the APLP Riddim section; until then I'm busy doing homebody-type stuff. Spring is less than 2 weeks away!

Be well
JM

GUESS WHERE I AM?

Down here for a private event until Friday. Life is grand.

Be well
JM

A quick one, to stay current.  Not much happening gig-wise these days, so there's not much to blog about. But that's okay; leaves more time for real life!  And it's the nature of the Universe: breathe in, breathe out.  So I've been breathing in quite a bit so far in 2009.  I'll be breathing out a bit more come springtime, so stay tuned!  

Be well JM

Did you check out the design of the site? Yep, simple as that, the wood's back!

That's all, folks. Later tonite I play a private event showcase; today I'm a homebody. Life is grand. Video footage from NAMM still being edited, stay tuned.

Be well
JM

A quick one, while she's asleep. (That'd be Francesca, my cat-napping daughter.)

Got home from California late Sunday nite. Had three days of the NAMM show, plus a pair of shows with the Alan Parsons Live Project.

NAMM was a blast; met up with friends and associates old and new. APLP gigs were excellent as well: The Grove Theater in Anaheim on Thursday (which was filmed for a forthcoming live DVD; stay tuned), and then the House of Blues in Hollywood on Saturday.

Great times, great weather. Glad to be back home in NYC though. Got some video footage, editing as we speak (again, stay tuned). No road trips until July; it's all local action until then. Keep checking in here for info pertaining to shows.

Yes we can!
Be well
JM

Day 1 of the NAMM show. Did some great meeting and greeting, seeing friends and colleagues old and new. I even managed to win a free "VT Bass" pedal from Tech 21! Going back to the convention floor tomorrow for more.

I'm accumulating some decent photos and video, so stay tuned for those after I get home Sunday nite.

Be well
JM

Happy 2009! Just polished off a steaming cup of D'amicos, Francesca is napping, and all is well in my world. Our little Xmas tree is still up, waiting to be mulched at Prospect Park on Saturday.

Next week I fly to California for two shows with the Alan Parsons Live Project: Anaheim (Grove Theater) and West Hollywood (House Of Blues). Looking forward to re-convening with my APLP comrades as we begin our 6th year together. (!) Keep checking in here for more stuff.

Be well
JM

Sweet Tuesday morning, enjoying some granola and D'Amico's coffee. Francesca is next to me in the high chair, and I'm doing my best to keep her little hands off the keyboardaaaaaaaaaaazwq

The holidaze were grand; being a Daddy gives you a chance to enjoy the winter festivities all over again. I'm taking the night off on New Year's Eve, just 'cuz. The 2009 calendar is already filling up, including some stateside travel with Mr. Parsons. This year I'll be busy bringing even more content than usual to the site, including new music, video and stories, so keep checking in!

Once again I thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm for all my stuff, and I wish you nothing but the best of health, love and happiness for 2009!

Be well
JM

Happy Yuletide!
Health and happiness to you and yours.
Be well
JM

Monday morning, freezing-ass cold in NYC. Home today, recording and baby-ing.

I can't believe it's been 28 years since we lost him. Enjoy.

Be well
JM

It's Monday morning, about 1:48am. I'm enjoying my post-gig cup of tea (ALmond Sunset by Celestial Seasonings, if you must know), and winding down for the nite. It's not my habit to post here so late at nite, but I'm still buzzing off the great gig I just did and I want to get it down before I sleep in tomorrow!

We did an excellent repeat of last year's Concert for Bangladesh tribute show at BB Kings. Band was in top form: 7 guitarists, 2 drummers, 2 keyboardists, 8 singers, 3 horns, and me on bass (and guitar on 2 songs). What an awesome nite! George Harrison's music plays itself, and we all had a blast. And what could have been a massive logistical nightmare onstage was handled with military efficiency by soundman extraordinaire George Marshall. AND we raised some money for St. Jude's Children's Hospital! Good, good times.

Last year's show was excellent as well (click here and here for highlights), but tonite was really something else. I guess having already staged it and knowing what to expect, we relaxed into it tonite and added that extra something (pun intended) to make it extra special. There will be video footage being edited for viewing pleasure in the coming weeks; in the meantime I hope to see some of my Bangladesh comrades again soon!

In other news, check out my Imeem profile:
http://imeem.com/johnmontagna It's another way to check out my content: music, videos, etc. We'll see how effective it is.

Quiet week this week, mainly baby time and gearing up for holidaze and the New Year. Keep on checking in for more stuff!

Be well
JM

From an email sent to me today from Joshua Greene, speaker and author of "Here Comes The Sun: The Spiritual and Musical Journey of George Harrison."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Unedited comments overheard after the Hofstra gig and reported by a friend in the audience. As we say in Uttar Pradesh, “Mazel Tov”:

“They ought to bring it to Nassau Coliseum.”

“They should do this again. There’s obviously a demand for remembering George.”

Conversation between man and woman: “I have a male crush on him.” “I have a female crush on him.” [Object of this conversation was not identified, but I suspect they were referring to one or more members of the band and not the speaker.]

“I can see myself on that path.”

“I thought it would be too academic, you know, hosted by an “academic” – not at all.”

“All that about India -– where else could you find that?!”

“The band was amazing, and Townsend, incredible!”

“They’re really keeping him alive through this. His life goes on through all these people.”

“That was my kind of thing -- music and spiritual practice. I had chills running up and down my spine.”

“I’m going to have dreams about this concert; I just can’t get over it.”


More satisfied customers! We shall take this all up a few notches on Sunday, when we re-visit the Concert For Bangladesh at BB King's on Sunday.

http://bbkingblues.com
Be well
JM