The Happy Lucky Combo will be celebrating Hanaramakwanzamas Season with a Year's End Party this Wednesday Dec. 16 @ O'Toole's from 8:00 - 10:30 PM. Admission is FREE. There will be lots of musical guests including, Emily Avesian, baritone sax, Bob Jacobs accordion, Marcy Horwitz accordion (count 'em), Miles Barnett violin, Isadora and Odessa Bless vocals... it is even rumored that we may have a visit from John Winn clarinet and Daniel Clark melodian. Wow!

The Happy Lucky Combo has had a happy and lucky year. It has been gratifying to be part of the Southside Renaissance, to perform for gracious audiences and to have been able to play with some of the city's most... well... playful musicians. Thank you all.

Ellwoods Coffee, Rent Us for a Holiday Present

The HaPpY LuCkY CoMbO returns to Ellwoods Coffee this Saturday evening, December 12, from 7 - 9:00 PM. Admission is free. Ellwoods serves beer and wine as well as food and coffee. We love playing there because the room has great acoustics. Admission is FREE!

December 9th is the last day to bid on a private performance by The Happy Lucky Combo. We have volunteered our time as part of a fund raiser for the Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts. Click HERE to bid. We'd make a great Christmas present.

Pippin is playing again with And the Wireman @ Balliceaux. They will perform Thursday Dec. 10 @ 8:30 PM. Paul Watson will also play.

We'll be back at O'Toole's NEXT Wednesday, December 16. We're expecting a visit from Bob Jacobs, accordionista and Emily Avesian, baritonista. Expect some holiday music.

Also The Ululating Mummies will be playing @ Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens on New Years Eve afternoon.... details to come. Click HERE for more info. You can click HERE for Mummies Facebook page.

Carl Kasell Thanksgiving and Us Under Your Tree?

photo: Tony Maimone

The photo above is The Happy Lucky Combo with guest Bob Jacobs, at our last O'Toole's gig. It's always exciting to play with Bob. Dueling accordions?...well let's just say we were lovin', not fightin'. Bob will be back with us on Wed. December 16.

Fans of Emily Avesian will be pleased to hear that she will come out and play with us this Wednesday, November 25th, at O'Toole's. 

It is also rumored that Nick Lewis will come by.

Also, Wednesday is Mile's (Pippin's son) birthday, and we'll be celebrating. Hopefully he'll bring his violin.

Pippin's Nov. 12th performance with And the Wiremen, was wonderful. They'll be playing again in Richmond soon...

And don't forget, Thanksgiving night WCVE will broadcast the 2009 edition of Virginia Arts and Letters Live,  of which we were a part. This years performance was hosted by Carl Kasell. 

Need a unique Christmas present? You can bid onThe Happy Lucky Combo   HERE. This auction is to benifit the Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts.

 If you're around Saturday night check out our friend John Winn and friends @ Bogarts from 9:30 till 1:00.

A Video, an Auction, and Dueling Accordions

Dave arranged the Happy Lucky Combo song, Yemaya, for 150 music students from Midlothian Middle School and James River High School. See video above.

The HaPpY LuCkY CoMbO is back at O'Toole's this Wednesday, November 11th, from 8:00 until 10:30 PM. Our guest this week will be accordionista Bob Jacobs (photo right). Dueling Accordions!

Last week we had a delicious time "cooking with Carter" (photo right) and, as if on cue, Nicholas Lewis (photo right) came by and offered up dessert. And it was yummy! I went by O'Toole's today and the cook wants more! (for real)

As of the publishing of this blog, I can only say that it is rumored, that this week we will have a visit from Nick. 

Upcoming events include a Thanksgiving Eve airing of the Virginia Arts and Letters Live performance, of which we were a part, and a Dec. 12 performance at Ellwoods Coffee. And the inevetable release (escape?) of our CD.

Also, Pippin is perorming with And the Wiremen on Thursday November 12, 8:30 PM @ Balliceaux, 203 N. Lombardy St. ( the old Bogarts). Pippin's been working hard in preparation and says it's been challenging learning the new rhythyms he describes as Brazilian-like. Local musician Paul Watson is a member of this group that is based in NYC.

We've volunteered to be part of the Patrick Henry Charter School auction by offering to have our musical services put up for bid. This is an on-line auction. Hint, we're perfect for a holiday party.

Musicircus: a "near death experience"?

Musicircus

photo: Amie oliver

"I saw shadowy figures in a long tunnel or hall, and then light, and the music of The HaPpY LucKy CoMbO". 

Harry Kollatz, Flaneur

    

Thank you to everyone who came out to the chaotic and cacaphonous Musicircus. I'm sure everyones experience was different. For us it was part fun, and part enlightening near death experience. Can't wait till next year! (click HERE for photos by Dean Christesen)

The Happy Lucky Combo is back home at O'Toole's this Wednesday, October 28, 8 - 10:30 PM. This week we have special guest Carter Blough (photo upper right) on the bass fiddle!

The way it's been working out the trio plays a set and then we're joined by others. Last week it was Emily Avesian (painting right), baritone, and Jeff Adams (photo right), tenor. I can't wait to see who and what happens this week. See you there!

Our friend John Winn will have his composition "The More Things Change" debuted by  the Oberon String Quartet on Tuesday, October 27, 7:30 PM @ St. Christopher's School Upper School Chapel, 711 St. Christophers Rd.

Musicircus

What is a photo of John Cage doing on our blog? Let me explain.

This year The Happy Lucky Combo will be performing as part of our local Musicircus. Musicircus is a performance concept originated by John Cage. 

He explained it this way:

"The idea of this composition is nothing more than an invitation to a number of musicians, who perform simultaneously anything or in any way they desire."

Brian Jones is the organizer and is bringing together a multitude (around 60) of musicians. It happens this Thursday, Oct. 22, from 9:30 until 10:00 PM at The Visual Arts Center. The performance is free and open to the public.

Thank you to everyone who came out last week to O'Toole's. Emily brought her friend Jeff Adams, "the demon of beat street", to sit in (photo left). We hope to have Jeff back soon.

And Happy 30th Anniversary to Rostov's Coffee and Tea! That was a great party and the best smellin' gig we've been on.

For your AMUSEMENT: Cage-Water Walk 

See you next Wed. at O'Toole's!

 

Sad and Happy

       HLC @ Ellwoods Coffee  Photo: Charles Sugg

It's sad to have the Folk Festival come to an end, but The Happy Lucky Combo will be tapping the music keg @ O'Toole's this week, Wednesday, October 14, from 8 till 10:30 PM. 

Thank you to everyone who came out last time at O'Toole's. It was a  wonderfully "spirited" carnivalesque crowd. Seemed like everyone won a prize. 

Bob Jacobs, the accordion player from Gypsy Roots sat in with us, and he was great. Emily Avesian also came by with her baritone to help fill out the Happy Lucky "big town  sound". 

And  thank you to the sophisticated Cafe crowd who came to hear us at Ellwoods Coffee. We've been invited back and will let you know more.

People are requesting more button accordion songs. We've added one more for this week. It's called "Beer".

And what a time we all at had the Richmond Folk Festival! Thanks to those who came by to see Pippin and I perform with The Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra at the "Southside Stage".

And thank you  Venture Richmond and all the volunteers! The party's over... until Wednesday.

Propagate Globally, Cultivate Locally

The Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra has landed

Pippin and Barry will be performing at the Richmond Folk Festival this weekend with the Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra. 

They perform at 1:00 PM on Saturday and 2:00 PM on Sunday at the Parawing in the Family Area. 

The Orchestra will also be present at the Gourd Shack, next to the Parawing, propagating their vast, if questionable, knowledge, from noon until 3:00 PM each day.

The Happy Lucky Combo is back at O'Toole's on Wednesday October 14 and Rostov's Coffee on Thursday evening October 15.

Rare North of the James Appearance

In a rare appearance on the Northside of the James River the HaPpY LuCkY CoMbO will bring it's "Carnival of Sound" to Ellwoods Coffee. "The only band in town to give away prizes", they will have their "Cart of Good Fortune" stocked with curiosities from exotic and faraway places... like China.

The show starts at 7 PM and ends at 9 PM. Admission is FREE. Ellwood's serves wine, beer and food.

I'm just sayin', you know, if you want to have fun...

Accordions Must Predominate

Photo: Arthur Stephens

A while back Pippin and I made a vow to play with people who are better than we are. So continuing in that spirit, Bob Jacobs (photo above) will join us this Wednesday at O'Toole's.  Bob plays locally with Gypsy Roots and has had a long and fruitful accordion career.  My favorite story is when he played for Lawrence Welk at a book signing.

The Happy Lucky Combo will also be playing at Ellwoods Coffee this Saturday, October 3. This is our first gig there, so we hope a lot of friends from the North side of the River will come by. Admission is free. It is smoke free and beer and wine are served. We play from 7:00 until 9:00 PM.

RUMOR: Emily Avesian, baritone sax, will join us at O'Toole's.

For your AMUSEMENT; a Gang of Accordions, CLICK HERE.

Feel free to leave a comment or ask a question.

A Watercolor, a Wedding and Britney Spears

The image above is a watercolor of Emily, our baritone player, by Jason Roane. His work is being displayed at Like Water Gallery.

EXPOSE: Emily came into Pippin's basement studio this week to record a couple of songs with us. Dave laid down some ukulele tracks. Our recording "Carnival of Sound" should be completed soon.

Thank you to everyone who came by O'Toole's last week. Nick Lewis (photo right) dropped in after Symphony rehearsal. Always a pleasure to play with Nick. Good to see old friends and meet new ones.

The Happy Lucky Combo will play next Wednesday, September 30th, at O'Toole's. 

RUMOR: We will have a very special surprise guest.

Congratulations Becca and Andy Coppola. We were honored to play at your wedding (photo right). It's always fun to play for people who love to celebrate and dance. 

For your AMUSEMENT: The Russian Ladies sing Britney Spears Thank you  Micol Hammack for this link.

Pippin and Barry are playing a lot with The Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra (photo right), including Chesterfest this Saturday.

Our friends with Hotel X  will be performing at The Jazz and Beyond Festival this Friday.

ALSO, I have reworked the blog to make it easy to leave comments. If you are so inclined, please do.

We're Back!

The Happy Lucky Combo is back at O'Toole's this Wednesday, September 16, from 8:00 until 10:30 PM. There is no cover charge and O'Toole's is smoke free. About six months ago O'Toole's expanded, so there is lot's of room.

RUMOR: Nick Lewis and Emily Avesian may drop by to play after Symphony rehearsal. Other friends are invited.

We've missed playing O'Toole's. It will be good to see you all again.

For your AMUSEMENT click HERE.