Phatback Earl & Me!
Venue: Baked Potato
Sept 18, 2023
Article by Don Parent
Don & Ginger's Adventures in Live Music

Note: As you will see below, this is a Music Article you can listen to. We included several links to Music Videos!!!

Well, it was time for another Music Adventure, and what better way to add excitement to our lives than to cover Herman Matthews’ "Phatback Earl & Me!” Live Show!!!
Herman has assembled a New Orleans Flavor of Excitement and Danger that you would expect as we get closer to the Halloween Season.
I can best express that feeling when I think of Robbie Robertson's "Somewhere Down The Crazy River".
Phatback Earl & Me! combines a little Voodoo with Horns and Bass Drum Music. You feel it in your bones!!!
"You may like it now, but you will learn to Love It Later"!!!

Ginger and I packed an overnight bag, got "Charlie The Dog" in the back seat, and set off tingling with excitement.
We dropped Charlie off at his home away from home, The Canine Country Club.
As you may have read in my other Music Articles, "Charlie, The Dog" gets the Country Club, while Ginger and I get a Flea Bag Motel in the San Fernando Valley.
We stay there often and have since the 1970s. No Fleas. So Far!!!
The motel is about 15 or 20 minutes from many of the excellent music venues around this side of Los Angeles.
Once checked in, we changed into our Live Music Duds and headed to the "World Famous Baked Potato".
From Google:
The Baked Potato is a prominent jazz club on Cahuenga Boulevard in Studio City, Los Angeles, California, opened by Don Randi (father of bassist Leah Randi) in 1970. Randi formed his group, Don Randi and Quest, as the house band. Over the years, it has hosted many live recordings from jazz fusion artists.
Photo at right: Our friend Judy Felsenthal Spizer and our new friend Mimi Williams arriving for the show.

We got there early, and the place was filling up.
People were already chowing down on the Namesake Stuffed Baked Potatoes, for which the Club is famous. It's not a big room, and those potatoes are humongous. You can get them with many different fillings and topped with lots of melted cheese.
Ginger and I got our table steps from the Stage. I saw our host, Drummer Herman Matthews, up at the bar talking with a group of people.
I went over, and we started talking. I mentioned it was too bad our friend Kenny Lee Lewis from The Steve Miller Band couldn't make the show. Kenny was playing in a few nights with SMB in LA.
The fellow beside Herman mentioned that he knew Kenny, so we started talking. His name was Jon Papenbrook, and I knew the name from my early writing and the notes for this night's performance. He was playing Trumpet instead of Regular Bill Churchville, who is on another tour.
I have mentioned before the "Six Degrees of Separation" in the Music World.
Jon Papenbrook has played Trumpet with everyone, including Paul Stanley (KISS) and even Korn!!!
Hey, please don't knock it! I like Korn and was pleasantly surprised when I saw that in my research.
Jon even was in an early band with Kenny Lee Lewis of SMB. Kenny told me that his daughter and Jon's played on the same Basketball team when they were young.
I know Bill Churchville from Darrell Leonard's Line Up and his work for Veterans like me.
When not on the road playing in other bands, Bill, as a Veteran himself, helps run the American Legion's Hollywood Post.
I saw another familiar face in the room.
I went over to say Hi to Tobi Simmons, who is well-known as a Social Media Pro in the Music World.
On Monday night, she was at this Phatback Earl & Me! show at the Baked Potato, and then on Wednesday, she helped run Albert Lee's show at The Write-Off Room a few miles away. Talk about busy!!!
Look for more on Six Degrees of Separation in the Artist Bios section of this report.
Herman Matthews’ Resume of Music is extensive. He has played with many of today's well-known names, such as Kenny Loggins and Bonnie Raitt.

Note: Everyone in the Music Industry knows the name Albert Lee. If you are unfamiliar with him, it is well worth doing a Google Search on his fantastic career. He is Eric Clapton's favorite guitar player and even played with The Everly Bros!!!
Mr. Albert Lee is another one who has played with everyone. OK, maybe not Korn, but with the list of musicians he has played with, who knows?
I once read Eric Clapton's weekly work schedule in Live Music and his Studio gigs. It was mind-blowing. Sometimes, two or three gigs daily in different parts of a country. I am talking 24/7!!!
Before Phatback Earl & Me! hit the Stage, we met our neighbors at tables around ours.
Our four closest neighbors were two couples from Kansas.
They didn't come all this way to go to Disneyland. Like Ginger and I, they traveled to see Live Music.
Here's a shout-out to Marc Shelton from Kansas. Another Military Veteran like me.
My best friend Lonnie Lebombarb, who died next to me in Vietnam, was from Kansas, so we had much to discuss about Music and the Military.
We talked about what people did for fun in Kansas. Lonnie's inlaw was a Professional Storm Chaser, as are friends of my new friend Marc.
Some think Kansas life is boring. Well, they might want to talk to Dorothy and Toto about that.

Let the Music Begin:

Note: I gave video links to a version by Phatback Earl & Me! where possible.
These videos are not necessarily Shot at the Baked Potato
I added Video Versions from other bands to give you the Flavor of this performance.
I didn't list the entire Playlist below, but I have it if anyone wants to view it..

Herman and the nine members of Phatback Earl & Me! hit the Stage and wasted no time launching into:

Bill Evens "The Shorty Shuffle":
Video by Phatback Earl & Me.

This was a perfect way to settle the Sold Out Crowd into what would come. It was like a smooth appetizer.
Think of a warm Gumbo—Comfort Food for the Soul.

Mo Hippa:
This video version is from this concert!
Video by Phatback Earl & Me!

That started adding STEAM.
Phatbacks Vocals by Sean Holt and Gia Ciambotti
These people are Sizzling HOT!!!
Gia is fun to watch and pulls the audience up onstage with her personality.

DYNA-MiITE:
Sean Holt Vocals
Powerful Bass by Del Atkins
This Version by Jon Cleary Band

Into the Mystic
This song was made famous by the Great Van Morrison.
Sean Holt Vocals
I used this Video Version below because, as Sean sang, Ginger said, "This reminds me of Joe Cocker".
I wish I had a video version by Sean, as she was correct.
Sean has a style of singing that uses his whole face and draws you into his performance.
He gets so into the song that his eyes almost roll back into his head.
Very Powerful.

Bad Lil Doggie
Next up, the band dove into this Great “Gov't Mule" Butt Kicker. The band added even more heat!!!
Tiriqh Akoni on guitar Tore It Up!!!
I was lucky to get to know Warren Haynes of Gov’t Mule and Allman Bros. Fame when he toured with The Steve Miller Band.
Phatback Earl & Me! got the house rocking Big Time with their version.
The vibe was very Allman Bros and Tedeschi Trucks but also pushed Phatback Earl and Me!’s Horn Section "Right In Your Face"!!!
Ed Wynne – Sax
Jon Papenbrook – Trumpet
Justin Kirk – Trombone
Yeah, Baby Yeah!!!
I love this Gov’t Mule Version:

Love Sneakin' Up On You:
The song Love Sneakin' Up on You was written by Tom Snow and Jimmy Scott and was first released by Bonnie Raitt in 1994.
It is hard to imagine anyone doing this song justice other than Bonnie Raitt herself.
We were in for a Special Treat!
Gia Ciambotti's Vocal was perfect.
Tariqh Akoni on slide guitar gave a Master Class.
What may have helped make their version so good was that Herman Matthews and, I believe, several others in the band toured with Bonnie.
I had to give you Bonnie's Version as I couldn't find a video by Phatback Earl & Me!:

Next was a perfect time for some James Brown!!!
Cold Sweat:
"Cold Sweat" is a song performed by James Brown and written with his bandleader Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis. Brown recorded it in May 1967.
Vocals Sean Holt
Super Keyboards by Doug Petty
The always impressive Drums by Herman Matthews
Talk about a Cold Sweat! Doug Petty is the Music Director for "Tears For Fears".
He flew in from England just for this Phatback Earl & Me! Gig!!!

Special Music History Note about the Great Drummer Clyde Stubblefield:
"Cold Sweat" is the first recording in which James Brown calls for a drum solo (with the famous exclamation "give the drummer some") from Clyde Stubblefield, beginning the tradition of rhythmic "breaks" that would become important in dance music and form the foundation of sampling.
Herman did a remarkable cover of Clyde's drum style.

Back To The River:
Amazing Vocal by Gia Ciambotti
If Phatback's version of this song didn't make you want to get up and dance, then you have been watching too many repeats of "The Walking Dead"!!!

Music Notes for Back To The River:
"Back to the River" is a song by American rock band The Pretty Reckless featuring American musician Warren Haynes. It was released to active rock radio in the United States on June 13, 2017, as the third and final single from the band's third studio album, Who You Selling For (2016). The song peaked at number 12 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Songs chart.
Next was another tune that brought up names like Warren Haynes and Susan Tedeschi.
This Video Version of the song is by Susan Tedeschi.
Sorry, I can't help myself. I am a Major Fan……………

Love Has Something Else to Say:
Vocals Gia Ciambotti
OK, did Phatback Earl & Me! Cook on this song or what!!!
Herman blew a Flat.
That's right. The band was going so strong that Herman broke a skin on his Bass Drum.
Not to worry, being the consummate professional he is, Herman had a Spare in his van.
Another Tedeschi Trucks song made me very happy.

Didn't You Know:
Vocal: Gia Ciambotti

Rev. McCarty's BBQ Shack Thankful:
For the last song of this great Evening of The Taste of the South, the Band Members told the story of the many BBQ Shacks hidden next to the Railroad Tracks or on the side of a dirt road.
These shacks served up great Local Recipes of Pork stacked high on paper plates with lots of Sauce and paper towels to go with them.
Here's a great version by Mingo Fishtrap:

Sorry I didn't have more videos by Phatback Earl & Me!.
I have an easy solution.
If you want to experience the Fantastic Musical Experience Ginger and I had, get on their Mailing List and see them live!!!
You will probably run into Ginger and me as we plan to be regulars at their exciting shows.
This music experience was indeed one of the best Live Music Shows we have ever been to

QR Code Link to Mailing List for Phatback Earl & Me!