Author Archive: Eric Benson
Live Music in the Downtown
Jazz-Blues View: Live Music In The DowntownBy Eric Benson Well, I am officially old and a card-carrying member of AARP, and Medicare! turned 65 years young with a celebration of a garden party in Berkeley. New Orleans food, live music with the Blue Monday Band and friends. Good to be alive and kickin!, as many […]
Jazz&BluesView – Summer Blow Out
By Eric Benson Live Music in the downtown Blue Monday party goes to twice a month! Well things are beginning to turn to normalcy a little at a time and the “smile is returning to their faces” as the song goes. Blue Monday Party now goes to twice a month with good turnout and the […]
Blue Monday Party Goes Twice A Month
Jazz-Blues ViewBy Eric Benson Blue Monday party goes on twice a month! Well, things are heating up, and summer is on the move. The farmers’ market is in full swing and we are getting back to some normalcy once again. Happy to be playing the Funraiser for Prospect Theatre Sunday, June 5th at 5 PM. […]
Jazz-BluesView: Getting Back to the New Normal
Jazz-BluesView: Getting Back to the New NormalBy Eric Benson I am back promoting live music in downtown and keeping things rolling for myself, the music and the fans. Vinnie appreciated everything I did and that means a lot. And a shout out to those that have supported me: Chris Murphy, Gary Nelson, John Black, John […]
JazzBluesView: Live Music Downtown
JazzBuesView: Live Music DowntownBy Eric Benson Live Music Downtown, Put your mask on and come on down! Well, I got my soul vaccination, got boosted and still got Covid but got through it and am alive to tell the tale. Please get vaccinated folks for yourself and for those around you that are vulnerable. People […]
Jazz-BluesView: Put your mask on and come on down!
Jazz-BluesView: Put your mask on and come on down!By Eric Benson Well, there is light at the end of the tunnel but in the meantime get your vaccination, wear a mask and keep on doing the right thing folks which is to go on living life! Things will improve over time but until then stay […]
Jazz-BluesView: Out with the Old in with the Blues
Jazz-BluesView: Out with the Old in with the BluesBy Eric Benson And so it goes another year laid to rest full of Christmas cheer and resolutions on that list checking it twice and seeing who’s been naughty or nice. A lot of change in our lives, business, and music. Shout out to Hanibal Yategar of […]
Jazz Blues View: Live Music Support It and It Will Grow!
Jazz Blues View: Live Music Support It and It Will Grow!By Eric Benson A little bio on one of our fellow Jazz pianists – 81 years young Kent Gripenstraw, who is hanging up his shingle playing out, secondary to feeling like his playing is not as it once was and schlepping around music gear. Kent […]
Jazz BluesView: Support It and It Will Grow!
Jazz BluesView: Support It and It Will Grow!By Eric Benson The MAMA’s were back live with a big dose of normalcy returning to the State Theatre! Winners and losers but we are back together with live music. It will be challenging as the weather changes, “I’m beginning to feel a Chill” as the song goes, […]
Jazz/BluesView: Support It and It Will Grow!
Jazz/BluesView: Support It and It Will Grow!By Eric Benson Fall is upon us with the hope of coolness, turning colors of the leaves and pretty please with sugar on top let it rain! We survived the sizzle of summer, California fires, the second wave of a global pandemic. I don’t know about you but I’m ready […]
Jazz/BluesView: Can’t Stop the Blues
Jazz/BluesView: Can’t Stop the BluesBy Eric Benson I turned 64 on August 22nd and celebrated with a live jam with the Blue Monday Band including Barry Finnerty guitarist: Miles Davis, Tower of Power, BB King, Brecker Brothers and had a ball! A lot of my peeps are still on the fence about coming out to […]
BluesView: Live Music If You Want It
BluesView: Live Music If You Want ItBy Eric Benson Well now things are opening up a bit and I am cautiously optimistic, yes the glass is half full, not half empty! Nice to see folks out and about living life and getting back to the business of living! More shows are planned and tours being […]
Jazz-BluesView: Back in Business
Jazz BluesView: Back to BusinessBy Eric Benson Well now is the time to get back to living our lives and getting on with our bad selves! I walked into a store wearing a mask and the grocer said you don’t have to wear a mask! I retorted yes they make it hard to breathe, itches […]
Jazz BluesView: Blues on the Horizon
Jazz BluesView: Blues on the HorizonBy Eric Benson Well, things are continuing to improve, and the weather is cooperating for getting back to the business of living and playing live music. We are trying to do more live events outside with social distancing to keep people safer. The monthly Blues Crawl returns Sunday, May 23rd […]
JazzBluesView: One Year and Out of Lockdown
JazzBluesView: One Year Out and Out of LockdownBy Eric Benson We celebrated one year since the world changed with Chris Cain Band out of lockdown and it was smoking. Big shout out to all the Blues family that came out to celebrate Chris Cain Band Sunday, March 21st, record crowd of people moving and […]
