Tishamingo, Donna Hopkins Steal Show at Dogwood Festival

Each year, the city of Atlanta celebrates the arrival of spring with an annual Dogwood Festival, a weekend of arts and crafts in beautiful Piedmont Park, accompanied by musical entertainment that comes mostly from Georgia's own thriving music scene.

This year's festival featured a stellar performance by the Randall Bramblett Band, with a guest appearance by his old Sea Level bandmate Chuck Leavell, as well Michelle Malone, Ralph Roddenbury and the Yonrico Scott Band. National acts making an appearance this year included Ian Moore and founding Traffic member Dave Mason.

Judging from the crowd reaction, there was little doubt the band who truly stole the show this year was Athens' Tishamingo, along with a mighty assist from Atlantan Donna Hopkins. When Tishamingo first took the stage, a crowd of several hundred festivalgoers sat at least 50 feet back, enjoying the gorgeous, sunny afternoon. Just a few minutes later, as Tishamingo's Jess Franklin led the band through a stirring rendition of "Tradition," Tishamingo was drawing attention to their stage, and the crowd began to expand.

The size of the crowd grew thicker, dancing all the more, when local blues great Hopkins took joined in for a pair of songs. Hopkins added a tremendous punch to an already powerful lineup, taking the music completely over the top, erupting in a monstrous, triple-guitar attack that was nothing short of lightning in a bottle.

"I can't believe I'm doing this with Jess on stage," she said, almost shyly. Then Hopkins ripped into a fiery blues solo, accompanied by stirring vocals, straight from the soul, that called to mind a female version of early era Eric Clapton. She left to a huge, and very well deserved, ovation, leaving Tishamingo to wrap up their set with several more jaw-dropping jams. "Turry and the Tellico Militia," singing of "bluegrass starts to fill the air," resonated well with the crowd, many of whom where obviously getting very first sample of the tasty Tish.

By this time, the space between the crowd and the stage had disappeared, as fans young and old, ages six to sixty, were up dancing to the friendly, familiar, rock-your-socks off sounds of Tishamingo. Keyboardist Jason Fuller was in fine form the entire show, proving throughout the afternoon that he is a world-class talent whose tinkling of the ivories has become such an integral part of the band's sound. He was particularly stellar on "Long As I Can See the Light," a Creedence Clearwater Revival hit that also saw Brad Thomas joining on saxophone.

Still, the main attraction of Tishamingo remains the superstar guitar playing of Jess Franklin and Cameron Williams. The two trade leads, on vocals and guitar, beautifully and seamlessly, and the band continues to push their performances to new heights seemingly every time they take the stage. As Tishamingo left the Dogwood crowd, going out with a most enjoyable version of the fun-lovin' hit "Wastin' Time," they had obviously won over hundreds of new fans. As one newcomer in the crowd said, "They just seem so familiar… it's like they took the best of Panic and the Allman Brothers, and made a whole new band…WOW!"

Wow, indeed. Tishamingo is red hot, and playing better than ever. Little wonder they've become known as one of the hottest, and best, young bands on the road today.

Flagpole

"ABC Pick #2"

Five years ago, Athens-based musician Jason Fuller - who's played in, oh, about 2,000 bands - formed his own group, King Daddy Zeb. The guys toured the region for a good two years, bringing what they called "original piano-based New Orleans Boogie Woogie" to a number of stages around the Southeast. In late '97, King Daddy Zeb released Get the People Together, an album of original music set to get the crowd shifting back and forth, dancing and sweating like it was any ol' gnat-filled bayou night. In late '98, however, the members of the group decided to go their separate ways, and Fuller focused on working with many collaborators (how's this: Tishamingo, Ween, Stewart & Winfield, the Charlie Mars Band, Kinchafoonee Cowboys, the Healers, Don't Know Blues Band, the Nathan Sheppard Band, Cosmic Charlie, the Blue Dogs, Park Bench Blues Trio and Sister Hazel).

Tonight's show is a special reunion show - though the group had one of those last May, as well - and will feature A. J. Adams (Stewart & Winfield) on bass, Carlton Owens (Stewart & Winfield, Squat, John Mayer) on drums, Bently Rhodes (Bloodkin) on drums, Dave Yoke (Dr. Dan) and Matt White on guitar. And then, of course, there's Fuller, who'll be pounding those keys. [CH]

Red and Black
"Band On The Run"  by Jonathan Reed
An Independent Release

          They've been around Athens longer than I have and will probably live on after I'm long gone.  They've played in more bands than I or anyone else could list off the top of their heads.  And within the next few days, Jason Fuller and Carlton Owens will play four shows in four nights.

            They're both two of the most respected and prolific musicians in Athens...  They're keyboardist Jason Fuller and Carlton Owens...Fuller has been on the scene for about four years and in that time has played with several local groups, including Grateful Dead cover band Cosmic Charlie, Kinchafoonee, Charlie Mars Band and many more.  Lately he splits his time among seven or so bands, but always is sitting in when the need arises for his talents on the keys...

            Widely regarded as the most talented keyboardist in town, Fuller is suprisingly humble about his place in the Athens scene.  "It's awesome, but I take it with a grain of salt...I'm just a big fish in a little pond here"... King Daddy Zeb originally was his primary outlet, but he said he grew tired of leading the band even if he still considers it an awesome project.  He fell in with Don't Know as part of an all-star cast of Athens musicians and now plays fairly regularly at AMF's Monday blues night.  And the Santana Tribute?  "It seemed the right thing to do,' he said of the groups organizing a while back.  Carlos Santana was one of his biggest influences while he was in high school, and the chance to play the music of one of his idols was exhilarating.  In its first go, the event attracted more than 600 people... "I walked off the stage and was just flying"....

Key West  The Newspaper 
"No Need For Caution With Slow Children"  by Valerie Ridenour

            When you see Slow Children for the first time, don't expect to see any grass growing under their feet.  The name comes from the street sign; it does not refer to their intelligence...They put the serious beat behind Andrew's fantastic vocals and Jason Fuller's flamethrower keyboards.

            This band has a different sound, and let me tell you, it works!...Every aspect of this young group is in perfect place.  They must be very old souls inhabiting very young bodies.  They look like their fellow breakers, but they play like old pros.  There's an Allman Brothers Southern rock sound emanating from four yankees that is truly suprising...

            But there is a star in the group.  Jason Fuller is one hot keyboard player...Jason is one of those natural players who is so totally musical his amazing technique flows like fine wine, calling attention to itself until you realize that damn few fingers have that kind of control.  And he's no scene stealer.  His smoking talent blends into the mix, elevating the sound way beyond bar band...

Flagpole Magazine 
"Band Speak" by Matt Thomson

            Massachusetts native Jason Fuller fist got indoctrinated into the world of music through a series of childhood piano lessons and laid hands on a keyboard of his own at 11.  Inspired by the barrelhouse blues of such piano masters as Johnny Johnson, Proffesor Longhair, and Chuck Leavell, Fuller drew more inspiration from more guitar-based bands like Santana and the Allman Brothers Band.

            After spending his formative years in Hawaii, Fuller came to Athens in 1996 to join In Like Flynn.  King Daddy Zeb came about as a side-project later that year and became Fuller's main band when Flynn folded.

            Now the piano pumping 29-year-old maintains a regular solo gig at the Boar's head and also plays regularly with a number of local outfits that showcase his startling versatility.  Although he's best known for his work with the Cresent-City tinged King Daddy Zeb, Fuller lends his considerable talents to a number of outfits, including country rockers Kinchafoonee, blues band The Healers, Grateful Dead tribute band Cosmic Charlie, The Stewart and Winfield Band, Athens Music Factory "blues night" house band Don't Know and a regular all-star blues jam at Chip's out in Winder.

            Does playing in so many different bands ever become too much to handle?  "No, but it's hard sometimes.  It's hard when a gigs coming up with a band I haven't played with in three weeks or three months, and I've got to remember the chord changes and the songs.  I've got to make an effort to stay prepared and on top of things.  I'ts not hard in a bad way, though, because I love to do it."

            There seems to be a shortage of piano/keyboard players around town these days.  Why?  "Ever since I've been in the music circuit, I've been really suprised at the lack of piano players.  I think the reason is twofold.  One, everyone wants to play guitar, really, and the other thing is the piano's a pretty hard instrument...it takes loads of practice and dedication.  Most really good piano players I know have been playing for at least 10 years..."

            What would you tell a youngster interested in making a living in the music business...?  "I'd say play the piano [laughs].  Don't pick up the guitar; there are too many good guitar players out there.  It's just a decision you have to make, and I made it at 22.  At some point, you have to say for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, this is what I'm gonna do.  It's something you have to put your whole heart and soul into, but realize music is a business.  Being good is only half the game; you have to know how to play the rest of the game."

The Red and Black 
"Athens All-Stars gear up" by Will Kiser

            Every week, the brave souls of Carlton Owens and Jason Fuller walk into an arena with no game plan.  Every week, they march onto the field of battle with they're instruments of war, but with no direction from their general.  For musicians of their caliber, this isn't stress.  It's fun...Calling the group an All-Star collection isn't a stretch.  Both Owens and Fuller are known as first-rate artists at their respective instruments, which makes them a hot commodity around town. 

            Fuller, one of the busiest musicians in town, plays with Cosmic Charlie, King Daddy Zeb, Don't Know and Spjork!  "I played with Stewart and Winfield on Wedensday and Don't Know on Thursday," Fuller said.  "I played with Kinchafoonee last night.  This week, I'll play with Cosmic Charlie at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta on Friday."

            For the All-Stars, preparing for the show has been the easiest job of all.  "We've never practiced," Fuller said.  "The first show was just thrown together, and we player for two hours straight and never stopped.  We just moved from one key to another key, from one groove to another.  You can hear people's personalities come out." 

            Even with such a spontaneous style, Fuller calls the experince rewarding.  "It's really cool,' he said.  "Everyone has incredible ears.  I'm involved with a lot of killer bands"..."It's going to be a rollorcoaster-it's going to be confusing at some points," Fuller said.  "Then we'll just be on fire."

Flagpole 
"Jammin' At The Georgia Theatre"  by Matt Thomson

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