 
12-18-99
TEXAS CITY CHRISTMAS PARTY: This an annual event at Dale Sussdorf's Self Defense school of Karate. It was my
second year in a row and it was a whole lot of family fun.
Probably 60 or so people came this year.
Texas City has Bruce Crum on drums these days and Bruce is very tight. TCB sounded great. In addition to their regular country hits
there were a couple of Christmas tunes including Blue Christmas. Dale sang this and it was very much like the "King"
himself. Jeff M. did his usual lead guitar work that makes every TCB show a treat. In addition to the music there was a
pot luck dinner prior to the dance.
On the first break A guest group of players took the stage for a mini set ( See The
Three "J's" review).
12-18-99
THE THREE "J'S" AT THE TCB PARTY: John Mathews, Jeff Matthews & Jeff Roddy were invited to do a few tunes
during a break at the Texas City Xmas party.
The "J's" have been practicing at Jeff R's place and also testing out tunes
during the Sunday Jams so Why not! Bruce Crum came to the last practice to add some percussion to the songs that
were selected for this event. First song up was Jazzy Thang, an original that appeared on the Sunday Jammers CD
collection. I know for a fact at least one of the "J's" had butterflies but when the music started things were just fine.
Each tune had dancers and were well received by the partiers. After Jazzy Thing, Jeff R. sang a blues tune Called
3X7. This also got a nice ovation. Now it was time to bring up Jack Devine to sing "Dead Flowers". JD delivered a fine
rendition oif the Stones country flavored classic. Now for the last tune another blues tune sung by Jeff r
called Walkin' Blues ( a Robt Johnson Classic). This song got going pretty good and was the right one to finish with as Jeff
M. put a nice edge on his guitar and once again there were dancers and a nice hand for the Three "J's".
The last song had a loose ending but overall this was a good mini set that seemed to go over well.
Thanks to Texas City for the party and having the guest players on the break!
Jeff R.
12-11-99
SOUTHBOUND AT KENNY'S: Hey, these guys were tight! New stuff included the Moody Blues ( Tues. Afternoon)
and a surprise Jimi Hendrix Tribute by Chris which was excellent! Chris did not hold back as he played smoking
renditions of "Let me stand next to your Fire" & "Purple Haze". Also most impressive was the Steely Dan song "Ricky
don't loose that number!" The Kenny's patrons were up and dancing a lot of the time. There were too many VIPs to
name them all but Brian Kreuser from Ch. 21 the WAVE was one of them! Good show guys The vocals were very sharp
as well as the instruments.
Jeff R.
10-29-99
Gardenia Azul: Ray & Kathy Elzey are regular performers (with their percussionist) at Habanero Cava Latina on J St...
in Sacto. The trio plays Latin type jazz. All three of these performers do their roles very nicely. Ray as always is so
professional on the guitar and continues to develop interesting and easy to listen to jazz riffs. Kathy sings as
wonderful as ever and in Spanish these days. The percussionist plays congas and also does some really neat and
tight brush work on the snare drum.
Well I can't name the tunes but the music is just plain great. The food this place is
spicy and a refreshing change of pace. They serve South & Central American cuisine. Jeff & Manuela Matthews and I
enjoyed Chicken Skewers, A Filet Mignon dish and an Avocado & Salsa dip from the appetizer menu.
There are many appetizers for only $5.95 or $6.95 on the
menu. Habanero Cava Latina is a popular place so you might consider
reservations. I simply had a real good time. Please check it out!
Jeff R.
10-22-99
RETROSPECS: At Madison Town Hall: Even though I had to work Sat.
night, I had to stop by Madison before the end of the evening to see RetroSpecs. The Specs seem tighter and tighter with each show.
Fred has taken on the bass duties and is singing more and more with nice results. New songs were Red neck Friend ( Jackson Brown) and Blame it
on Midnight (a Rodney Crowell tune made famous by Bob Seager. I like
Rodney's version best). The new stuff was fun and energetic and it looked like the boys in the band were having as much fun playing them as I had listening.
The Specs also did their Beach Boys stuff which is also pretty new. The Harvest Dance was cool and worth the trip to
Madison.
jeff r.
10-23-99
Southbound at Kenny's: this gig was set for
Ludy's but I guess a booking at the Opera house has once again forced a
cancellation next door on the patio at Ludy's. JD did some fast phone work as the band was all set to unload at the
patio.
Yes! Kenny's bar was ready for some live notes so the show moved to a new venue. I know we lost a few fans in
the shuffle and also no one under 21 could get in at Kenny's. Well, the music was very tight as the 6 piece group
scrunched into the small but cozy East ST. bar.
The new songs were great at the beginning of the second set. The
Boys are back in Town and a tubes number ( talk to ya Later, I think) were well done and fun to hear. I left and missed
a surprise guest later in the show. Jeff McPherson is an old band mate of Jacks from the JD Hunter days. Jeff showed
up and sang "Breakdown" with the SB boys and all reports were it came off great. Jeff McPherson always could do a
real fine T.P. Southbound is going to keep their name according to JD. So I guess the new name ideas can be canceled
for now.
SB had a private party on the very next night in
Sacto. that's it for now!
Jeff r.
9-25-99
CS & Co at Ludy's Patio: As usual this group of friends and family did a fine job with a nice mixture of oldies and other
popular songs. A surprise for me was an a capella song which was done very well by Anita
(lead) Dennis A., Steve and Rob. Someone can you tell us the name of this
tune. We also got "Moondance" and "I'm Down" sung by Steve. Great job! Maybe Steve will bring I'm Down" to the next Sun Jam on Oct. 3.
CS & Co can also be seen at the Chili cook off
this Sat. in the Plaza near Ludy's some time mid-day 'til 3:00 pm.
I will try to have Gary put the exact times on the Master calendar
ASAP.
Hey, it's fun to see CS & Co just to see what cool
guitars may appear from the Amaral's extensive collection. Steve had a Beautiful Paul Reed Smith, his Sunburst Strat, a Black Rickenbacker which looked in perfect shape!.
Dennis A. had his SG and another sunburst Rickenbacker. Rob had his
Strat and his Honeyburst Les Paul is back in action! It's too bad the photographer had the nite off! Good show by CS and Co!
jeff r.
9-19-99
Texas City at Esparto Central Park: TCB participated in a Community Fair today in Esparto's Central Park. Filling in
on Bass was Rob Gonzales! ( Roger Phillips is on vacation.) Rob is the original TCB bass
Players and put in about 10 years with the group beginning in the mid seventies or so! This was a good show and the sound was clean & sharp
with Rob's JBL Speakers for the main Sound. Jeff M. is always excellent and makes the shows fun every time. Kenny the drummer had the flu but played
great in spite of not felling well! Daryl & Dale Sussdorff gave the crowd a nice variety of country classics with a little
Elvis thrown in. At the end of the show Rob played the harmonica while still doing the bass lines one handed (the
other hand held his harp) this was pretty amazing Right on Rob ya never missed a beat either Jeff's wife
& parents were there so was his in laws and Manuela the guest chef of Sunday Jammer fame! Perfect weather made this a real
neat day!
PS: I saw Jeff M. play with Camel Corps in this same park in the mid seventies.
It was great to come back and do it again ,,,,Country Style!
Jeff r.
9-11-99
RETRO SPECS/DRIFTERS; The local guys put on the finest set that I've seen them perform to date. Bob,Jim, Gene
and
Fred selected a great song list and delivered it to about 2000 very receptive fans. The Specs were
tight, tight, tight. Tonight was a shining moment for this quartet as the harmonies poured out of Jess Sabala's sound system like melted
Butter!
The opening was a hint of all the good stuff to come as they kicked the show of with Summer Time Blues/
California Sun. Mustang Sally was not far behind and you could feel that Retro Specs had made a positive impression
and new fans were being won over with each song. The tune that clinched things were the beach boys numbers which
brought out dancers that continued through the Retro Specs part of the
evening.
Even the Funny little messages and
the band introduction made every one at home and feeling like one big happy family. The Specs wound up their set
with Devil with a blue Dress /CC Rider/ Good Golly Miss molly. High Energy and high quality. Just a great
job ...YOU
GUYS DONE GOOD!
The Drifters have a tight 4 piece group that includes Guitar,
bass, Drums and keyboards. This was a good show with
veteran showmen who know how to work the crowd. For almost 80 minutes we got to hear the big hits of years past
such as Under the Boardwalk, Save the last Dance for me, Up on the Roof.
In addition to the Drifters famous songs we also got some
Temptations, Curtis Mayfield, Smokey Robinson, and the Commodores. The group also played
Stand by Me which was recorded by Ben E. King after he left the drifters. As the story goes the drifters and/or their management
decided not to record this mega hit so Ben E. King left the group to become a huge solo artist.
Anyway the crowd had a great nite with perfect weather and the sound was just about perfect as well. There e were many Celebs seen at this
event. Too many to mention, Jughead swears he saw Jerry Garcia! Gary when was the last time you had a
vacation?
jeff r. 
SOUTHBOUND AT THE STING RAYZ
MARINA. Jack made his electric guitar debut on There Goes Another Love Song
(Marshal Tucker...I think). Jack stayed on the six string guitar for the Last Time (Stones) and Jeff R. played rhythm while Lance took a
break. Southbound has a new bass player who sounded great. (Jack what is that new dudes name?)
Some good ol crowd pleasers were Lay Down Sally and Margaritaville.
ZZ Top was done well. The second set dancers
started to take to the Marina beach. It got cool by 10:30 or so but the fun continued. Outdoor shows at the marina will
be winding down until next Spring so it was a good idea to visit one more time. Southbound did a good job on all of
their cover stuff and some original tunes also.
Mark & John & Liz represented the Sting Rays at KL .....no Jughead
sightings. Steve Amaral (CS & Co.) was there and
Brian K. from the WAVE CH 21. Roberta Devine, Jeff & Mrs. Matthews were seen having a good time also. I must
sign off now as I am too tired to type anymore!!!
jeff r.
8-28-99 
TEXAS CITY AT KL. I left Ludy's with Six pack Jack to catch some of those favorite Country classics by Texas City
Band. We pulled up just in time to hear San Antonio Rose, the old Bob Wills number. Soon we heard Dale do a 2 song
medley by Elvis. Don't be Cruel went right into Teddy Bear I liked it and I could see Jack become excited also! But
maybe it was do to those young "beach bunnies" at the marina???? Nice weather ...quite a bit cooler over near the
river. Jack wanted to rent a jet ski but then decided it was too dark.
Celeb's in the crowd were Gene and Sally and Jane.
Hey weren't they just at Ludys??? Manuela Matthews and all of the TCB ladies. Kenny Kinser was there too. Tom and
Marty Dote were checkin' out the dance platform. Thats all for now!
jeff r.
8-28-99
STING RAYS AT THE PATIO; Ludys was warm but festive with good friends, BBQ Style food and of course great
music by the Sting Rays. 2 night s in a row I had great fun without going to Sacto.! it is great to see the bands out
supporting each other at Ludys and at the KL Marina. Sting Ray members came out to see Retro Specs on Fri. and The
Specs returned the favor on Saturday.
In the crowd were such dignitaries as Gene "Froggie" Averill with Miss Sally, Jane Moore, Jim "Kid" Curry & Marilyn,
Dr.. Fred & his Mrs..Brian & Mrs. Roddy.Ginger, Gary's mom with Sister Debbie. Early on we saw Roger Phillips of
TCB havin a bite before his KL Gig. A lot of that Ludy money was recovered by the proprietor.
Oh yeah, I am supposed to fill ya in on the music! Sting Rays are always tight so it's gettin' tough to come up with
creative feed back ( no pun intended!). I really like 5 O'clock world, Red Hot, Around and Around, and Red
House. John did a fine job of Key To The Highway by Clapton. One of the sure bets as a crowd pleaser is Jump Jive and Wail. Nothing more to say but these guys have a fun song list
and know how to deliver it in a professional manner. Good job on sound-board by Six pack Jack and his under-study.
And another fine job was done by the second photographer, Deb
G.
Can some one please get Jughead a more exciting Hawaiian shirt?
jeff r.
8-27-99
RETRO SPECS AT THE BBQ PIT: Gene, Bob, Jim & DR. Fred made their long awaited return to Ludy's Fri. nite. A nice
crowd got to hear some old favorites mixed in with some new material. Oh Lonesome me sounded great and that one
goes
back to Genes days with Borderline. Going back even further to the Little Hud days, Gene brought back Walk
Don't Run by the ventures. This one always sounds great to me. Since the scene was set for surf sounds the boys
went into several Beach Boys tunes which included Fun, Fun, Fun and Surfin' USA.
Bob Jahn did a lot of vocals during the nite and sounded excellent. Gene and Jim also did their share with the usual quality results! Dr.. Fred sand
at least 3 numbers which included Slow Down, and Knockin' on Heavens Door ( nice organ sound on this Dylan
classic by Bob J.). Hey this guy is a singer Too. In the second set the Doobie Bros.. stuff was
perfect. I really liked Live With Me by them there Rolling Stones dudes.
People were dancing in front of the band to signify the show as a success and a crowd pleaser. Good Love topped off a fine three sets by the 'Specs!
Celebrities in the audience Jeff & Manuela Matthews, John & Liz
Dickel, Jughead, Robert A Gonzales Jr.. & Carol, Dennis
Mitchel, John Mathews and Six Pack Jack with 'Berta, brother Greg and their Long lost Cousin.
Retro Specs will be more than ready to open for the World Famous Drifters on Sept. 11 at WHS.
j.r.k. 
8-14-99
The Sting Rays had a
great time at the Sting Rayz Marina last night. It was nice having
our sound system sound good for two jobs in a row!! I wanna thank
S.P. Jack for coming out to help run the P.A. in case Keith wasn't
able to do it. When we play, I just can't wait to play
"My Gal is Red Hot" and "Jumpin' Jack flash."
Jay did a great job on "Long Cool Woman in a black
dress." He even sang it a second time, by request. John was
doing a fine job on his side of the stage with "In The Summer
Of 69" and his guitar licks on the Creedence song "Runnin'
Through The Jungle" and Stevie Ray Vaughn's "Pride and
Joy" were smokin'! Hey ....how does Jay sound like John
Fogerty??? And I can't leave out Mark. He did a fine
job, as always, singing "Just My Imagination" by The
Temptations and "Don't Be Cruel" by Elvis. Thank
You...Thank You Very Much! And Jughead
was........Himself!! :)
There was plenty of good food
and drinks. The Marina just keeps gettin' better each time we go
out there. Keith is adding more and more to the place every week.
Way to go Keith and thanks for having us!! And thanks to all who
came out to see us!! And a thank you to our new groupies
that made it out to see us!! You know who you are.
:)
Gar
8-14-99
TEXAS CITY at Ludy's: Another nice nite on the patio ....not too hot, not too cool. Speaking of cool, Jeff Matthews
added a new telecaster to his collection and it sounded mighty fine Sat. TCB went through many of their favorites for a
respectable crowd at the local BBQ pit. I'd say it was at least 80% full. Both Daryl and Dale sounded great. I enjoyed
San Antonio Rose and Dumas Walkers and of course Neon Moon. Yep, this was a fun night at the Patio. Dignitaries
in the crowd were John Mathews, Steve Amaral and his girlfriend, Jeff Matthew's wife Manuela with Jeff's Parents also
on hand. Also seen checking things out ....Greg Devine and Eddie (lead guitar for Crosswinds).
jeff r.
8-14-99
BOB WOODS (with Lost
Angeles) at Sudwerk, Sacto: Yes sir! that Bob can play his telecaster with fingers a
blazin'. He also picked up a black Paul Reed Smith and made it sing the blues. the singer (Mark Angeles, I think? ) is very
professional and works the crowd well, great voice to deliver a complete well rounded show. This group is not afraid
to mix things up with their own creative arrangements of Fly Me To the Moon ( jazzy and bluesy at the same time)
Born Under a Bad Sign and You Can't Always Get What You Want ( kind of Funky and Bluesy) Great stand up Bass
player who would play with a bough (did I spell that right) at times for some nice accents in some songs. I had a good
time and it is always a pleasure to see Mr.. Woods showcase his guitar skills. Bob reminds us how much fun music
can and should be! Dang if doesn't make it look easy too!
Jeff r.
 8/7/99
STING RAYS AT LUDY'S: I usually stay home on Cruise Night but this year would be
different. I was asked to partner up with Jack Devine and help out with the sound mix for the Sting Rays at Ludy's
patio. I Got there early with JD, Oh Oh! no main speakers! No problem Bob Jahn of Retro Specs was there and just happens to be a fine sound
dude as well. Problem solved so now it's time for sound check with Jump Jive and Wail. Perfect!
The sting rays open up at 7 PM or so with La Grange by ZZ top & everything is perfect. Their new Soundboard is sending very clean
signals to the JBL speakers. The 'Rays go through Three sets of favorites which include Five O'clock World several
CCR tunes, a killer Jumpin Jack Flash, Don't be Cruel and many more which are all crowd pleasers. Dale Torcato
requested ZZ Top before the 3rd Set and the request was honored with Tush to open up the final set. Hey wait a
minute this is Cruise night and the crowd wanted a little more The Sting Rays came back after a short break for an
encore set. Former Rocky & Revellette singer Sherri Morris joined the group to belt out Little Richard's Lucille and it was
hot.
The Patio was crowded but comfortable all night with a good group of people who enjoyed
the music and were good listeners. The show was an attraction and not just a side show to cruise night. Many compliments to the band
were acknowledged. The weather could not have been better. This was just a perfect concert and a great night.
I am glad I ventured out on this Cruise night for sure.
Celebrities in the Crowd Dept.: All of CS & Co., (Steve, Dennis, Anita, Rob, Jane, Doug & Dennis M). From
Retro Specs Bob ( thanks again for the pointers Bob) Gene Averill & his gal Sally, Daryl Sussdorff of Texas City.
Keith Turley the Marina Dude, Brian K. from the WAVE Ch. 21, Brian & Toka Roddy and Six Pack Jack who had The
new soundboard dialed in just right!
Check out the photos with this review! The Sting Rays will be at the
K.L. Marina next Sat. Nite for more good time music and fun!
jeff r.
Sting Rays: (7-24) At the Sting Rayz Marina in Knights Landing. First of all congratulations to Keith Turley & his dad, Ray
on making this place a new and exciting place for live music. It has the "islands" look everywhere with bamboo and a
lot of tropical scenery to enhance the place. A great job that is still taking shape!
The Sting Rays were on the big
stage and kicked of the first set with some favorites, however it took Keith a little while to get the mix down. After the
bugs were eliminated the sound was very nice! Jughead's bass had that good thump that you feel as well as hear.
John Dickel is amazing on lead guitar. The Sting Rays have some of the best harmonies around and the crowd was
into it! There were folks dancing on the "beach" area by the third set. It sounded really fine. I always like Just My
Imagination (right on, Mark!) and Run Through the Jungle sounds so close to CCR that it's almost scary ( Jay, how
can you sound so close to John Fogerty?) I am ready for the next trip to K.L. and the Sting Rays just keep
gettin' tighter!
jeff r.
C.S & Co.: (7-24) Caught the first set at Ludy's
Saturday night. Steve Amaral was back for this show and sang some songs in the
opening set. The group was tight as usual with the vocals shared between Steve, Dennis and Anita Amaral with
Doug Thompson on some harmony parts.
Rob G. played Jack Devine's vintage Gibson ES 335 guitar. Rob also added
harmonica & some mandolin to give a special flavor to some of the selections. Good crowd on the patio for this
show. Good job as always by CS & Co..
jeff r.
RAY & KATHY ELZEY: Gardenia Azul played at the Habenera Cava Latina (2115 J St., Sacto). Ray is a real pro and
plays jazz with ease and makes it look effortless. I would love to hear Ray jam with Steve Homan Kathy sings in
Spanish and sounds better than ever! Can't name the numbers, sorry! I believe they play Cuban jazz and I can
recommend their music as well as the food I sampled from the appetizer menu ( a spicy chicken on
skewer ....mmmmmmm-gooood!) I am ready to go back soon!
jeff r .
The Sting Rays......... (7-4) Gosh, I
have to do my own review! Well, I thought we did a good job. Jay, John
and Mark did an excellent job on the vocals. Yeah, I know, ole Jughead did a
few sliders, but I was nervous! There were a lot of people out there.
The crowd enjoyed the music. I think we
have a good variety of songs to please most people. There were a lot of celebrities
out in the audience....Gene, Sally, Jane, Bob, Jeff and Manuela M.,
Oscar P., Brian and Toka R., the band's families and my kid showed up, it
was nice to see here there. And we can't leave out the Dancin' Cowboy! ( I
think he was related to our drummer) I know I probably missed some people,
but the Sting Rays thanks all who showed up at the the Gig.
Jughead
P.S. The Fireworks were
excellent!!
C. S. & Company.........
I heard there was a good crowd last night at Ludy's. It was so crowded, the
band had people dancin' in the Alley. I was unable to make it (had a sick daughter), but wish I could have. I was looking forward to this all
week.
The summer is going by quickly and there aren't that many "late"
Ludy dates left for the rest of the summer. I enjoy going and listening to
good music in a family place and I'm sure C. S. & Company sounded
Great.
There were a few Sunday Jammers spotted at Ludy's last night. Celebrities spotted on the
patio included John and Liz, Mark and his daughter Karisa from the Sting Rays,
Gene from Retrospecs and Roger from the Texas City band and Jeff R. from the
Sunday Jammers.
Jughead
Retrospecs.........The "Specs"
were Hot! The crowd wanted an encore or two & got it! The show opened with plenty of
'60's
stuff and cool harmonies. Creedence. Lovin' Spoonful and the Byrds were covered and very
nicely! Fred the new bass player
did great on his first outing and even sang lead on Slow Down (Beatles). My favorite
numbers were Mustang Sally, Night
Time is the Right Time, and the tight medley of Devil with a Blue Dress/Good Golly Miss
Molly/CC Rider. Well over 200 Rock n' Roll fans saw a good one.
Once again the sound mix was first class thanks to Jess
Sabala. For the first time a two camera video was used and went well except for the
beginning of the second set was interrupted by a power failure to the recording deck.
Overall the two camera project was a big step forward thanks to Jeff and John (the
Matthews Boys) and Bryce Gonzales.
Not all songs will appear on the video due to the power
snag but get ready for a great one hour and seventeen minutes of pure fun. It's good to see the Retrospecs back and you can tell they had as much fun as the
fans! Those boys made the right pick for the new bass player! Dr.. Fred Stevens is talented and a Veterinarian as well as a
nice guy. I can't wait for the next "Spec's gig so I can check it out when I am "off the Clock" and can give it total
attention.....GREAT SHOW, guys!!!!!
jeff r.
Southbound Took the stage
with plenty of energy and Super Sound Dude Jess Sabala made sure the crowd of about 200
felt the punch delivered by the southern rockers! The show was a mix of some familiar S.B.
material and new stuff with a segment of the set which featured about 5 original songs. I
think the audience enjoyed a really nice variety. I especially enjoyed "An American
Band" {Grand Funk} and a perfect rendition of "Lay Down Sally" (Clapton}.
Encore was "I Know a Little" (L. Skynard) New father, Tony proved he still knows
how to dance. Jack said to get ready for "Dead Flowers" in his preview of the
concert.He was right as this song raised a few eyebrows!!! Good Show guys and now it's off
to the block party for Southbound as they go for two In a row on July 3 & 4.
Celebrities seen in the audience were CS & Co.
members Anita and Steve Amaral, Dennis Mitchell and our big supporter Rob Gonzales whose
son Bryce volunteered on camera duty. Bill Scholer came by as well as Jay Pierstorff with
wife Jan & Gary Nusz from the Sting Rays and Jeff Matthews from Texas City. Former
Little Hud drummer Hans Schoordijk came with wife Nina & family.
jkr.
Fri. May 29. The Sting
Rays had a great crowd at Ludy's ( even on the
Start of a 3 day weekend!) way to go guys. I liked the set list and the band just keeps
gett'n better & better. The "rays" also had a nice mix on thier sound board.
I'm glad they played "Just my Imagination" cause I missed that one at the
Freeman Park Show. My Brother, Brian showed up at the end but was just in time for some
'Stones (his favorite).
The boys finally got out of those Shirts & Ties
(which were cool on the video) and went for the tropical look, a good choice for the patio
& the change of seasons.Jughead needs a more exciting Hawaiian Shirt. Once again
...good show and a crowd pleaser! Hey Gary, why am I the only Music Reviewer and when is
payday??????
jeff r.
P.S., im very tired, need to nap now!
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