Albert Lee Pismo Report

Photo at left: Albert w/Wife Karen
Original Article: 04/26/23
Note from Don: I wrote the original article below before Ginger and I decided to launch "Don & Gingers Adventures In Live Music" and the website you are now on.
This article has become the first of many Music Reports we hope to continue for years.
We plan to live well into our 100's, so let's see where this goes.
I will leave the article as originally written other than adding notes like this one.
I hope you enjoy the article as much as we did writing it!!!
We have attended many more great Live Music Shows as of this rewriting. Those Articles will be available on this website soon. As you see above, the added notes will be highlighted in Red.

Albert Lee One Night Show at Harry's in Pismo Beach,
California
April 26, 2023
Article by: Don Parent
Note from Don: This article should interest those who love the History of Music the way I do.
The article will be included in Don's upcoming book on the "Early Music Scene in Trancas Beach, California."

Note From Don: The book mentioned above has morphed into a much broader project, including this website, and will cover many more Venues besides Trancas. These Venues, like The Whisky a Go Go and The Palamino, helped launch many great Bands and Performers that are still performing today, like Albert Lee, Bonnie Raitt, and more.
Music Promoter/Musician Mark Burnes:
Thanks go out to Mark for making this fantastic event happen.
This is the Opening Salvo for future Wednesday Night Shows that will bring many Well-known Artists, such as Kenny Lee Lewis of the Steve Miller Band, to Harry's Pismo Beach.

What a Hat Trick by Mark to set this off!!!
Attending this show with our old friends Kenny Lee Lewis and Diane Steinberg Lewis was an added pleasure. Kenny has been with The Steve Miller Band for over 40 years!

Albert Lee is an Icon in the music industry, playing with everyone, including The Everly Bros.
(Photo left)
I remember listening to The Everly Bros. in my early Teens!
Who is Albert Lee, you ask???
Albert Lee is one of the most respected and renowned guitarists in music history, having worked with The Everly Brothers, Eric Clapton, Emmylou Harris, and The Crickets over his long and illustrious career. The British-born country-rock artist started his career during the emerging rock 'n' roll scene of sixties London when he sat in bands with the likes of Jimmy Page and Chris Farlowe.

 

“The ultimate virtuoso. His skill and ear are extraordinary, and he's gifted on just about every level."
- Eric Clapton

Albert brought in top Side Men from the music industry to perform with him at Harry's:

Drummer Herman Mathews:
After some thirty-plus years, Herman Matthews has accomplished quite an impressive resume and has created a strong foundation for some of the industry's finest.
Dubbed "The Groove Guy" and often called "The Hermanator," Matthews moved to Los Angeles from Houston, Texas, with one thing in mind… to work! He has had the great fortune of working with such artists as Kenny Loggins, Richard Marx, Tower Of Power, The Isley Bros., Kirk Whalum, George Duke, Bob James, Timothy B. Schmit, Tom Jones, Hugh Laurie, Greg Adams & East Bay Soul, Patty Austin, Chris Botti, James Ingram, Boney James, Steven Stills, Edger Winter, Luther Vandross, Celine Dion, Patty Austin, James Ingram, Sheryl Crow, "Baby Face" Edmonds, Chaka Chan, Carol King, SHeDAISY, Barry Goldberg, Ronnie Millsap, Fee Waybill, Bill Champlain, Maxi Priest, Debbie Gibson, Diane Reeves, Kenny G., John Farnham, Nia, Snuffy Walden, Sarah Nimetz, Greg Adams & East Bay Soul, Dan Aykroid & Jim Belushi, Michael Bolton, Expose, Angie and Debbie Winans, Rebekah, Meredith Brooks, Kina, Tiffany, Eric Burdon, Teresa James & The Rhythm Tramps… During the early 90's he was a member of the house band "Into The Night, Starring Rick Dees."
Herman was a Tower Of Power member from 1994 to 1998. He has recorded two CDs "Souled Out" and "Rhythm & Business," co-writing and singing the title track of Rhythm & Business. He's been the first call subbing for David Garibaldi, touring with the band in 2015 and in 2017. Matthews was touring non-stop in 2017, juggling between touring acts Timothy B. Schmitt, Kenny Loggins, Tower Of Power, and Richard Marx.
Drummer extraordinaire Peter Erskine (Weather Report, Steps Ahead) put it simply, "Herman Matthews is the most powerfully funky drummer I've ever heard. Count me as one his biggest fans." Legendary drummer James Gadson (Bill Withers, Charles Wright's Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band) says, "Herman Matthews is simply the Truth."

Keyboards J.T. Thomas:
Info from Bruce Hornsby:
J.T. Thomas has featured on Hot House, Spirit Trail, Here Come the Noisemakers, Big Swing Face, Halcyon Days, Levitate, Bride of the Noisemakers, Rehab Reunion, Absolute Zero, Non-Secure Connection: Collaborations: Captain Beefheart, Don Henley, Sparks, Tracy Chapman, Emmylou Harris.
A former keyboard technician for Don Henley, Bruce refers to John "JT" Thomas as "the greatest keyboard player in the band".
His extensive recording credits and musical collaborations are a testament to his gifts.
Here's his discography.
JT is an acclaimed composer and wrote the arrangement for "Song F" on Halcyon Days, which was nominated for a Grammy in 2004. He also plays guitar on Levitate!
(As an aside, JT is one of the warmest characters I've ever met. He has been known to stand outside a concert directing traffic in the snow, imploring drivers to travel safely. You don't get that at every show!)

Bass Dave Chamberlain:
He is a Bassist. He has been recording, performing, arranging, producing & writing Music for over 35 yrs. His past and current work speaks for itself.. He graduated from UCSD and has been based in LA ever since. He is 57 yrs. old and lives in Sherman Oaks...

Part 2
by Mark Burnes:
The Albert Lee show last night (Wed, April 26) was terrific. The house was packed, and everybody's minds were genuinely blown by how great this band, and in particular, Albert Lee is. Many times throughout the evening, I said aloud, "I cannot wrap my brain around what I just heard."
I have had the pleasure, or more to the point, HONOR, of doing a handful of live shows with Albert - mainly in the Greg Topper Band, and once when I was fronting the show at Greg's Memorial Concert. I have also had the honor of bringing him into a recording session I produced to make tracks on four songs - and each time, he was so freakin' good it was hard to believe.
However, last night was the first time I heard him fronting his own band, which was mindboggling. The players were first-class, top-notch guys. And Albert, well, there really aren't any words. As I said, everybody's minds were blown, and the standing ovations went on throughout the night.
We are looking forward to having him back again as soon as the schedules allow.
Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to put this together: Jim Cowan Mike Frey, Anthony McBride, Rick Whitlock, Debbie Scott, Valerie Mercado, and the whole crew at Harry's and the Pismo Beach Hotel. - and a special shoutout to Dave Congalton for the great radio interview the night before the show and another special shoutout to my friend Don Parent for being the first to buy tickets and helping us spread the word.
We also had some MAJOR talent in attendance: Anna Romero, Jack Hardy, Adam Levine, and Kenny Lee Lewis. It was a pleasure to meet drummer Mark Borboa.
Albert was playing his signature "Albert Lee" model guitar from Ernie Ball. Members of the Ernie Ball family were also in attendance - including Dudly, the man who designed the Albert Lee Model (and many others for Ernie Ball) and two of Ernie's children - David Ball and his lovely wife Emile, and Nova Ball-Marx and her husband, my dear friend Robin Marx.
Once again, thank you to everyone in attendance and those who worked so hard to make this happen.
End of Mark Burnes section.

This Video below shows Alberts Country Rock Chops!
This Video has Dave Chamberlain on bass, and J.T. Thomas on keyboard.
I wanted to give you one with Herman Matthews on drums, and if one comes up I will add it in:

 

Here is one that shows Herman's great beat on a Tower of Power sound check: