What a night. Greedy Geezer has been hosting his Garage Nite one Saturday evening a month for some time now. Hosted at Granite Rail Tavern in Quincy, last weekend, Geezer held it on an unusual Friday night. Yet, the scheduling didn’t matter. He had many of his usual lineup performing, and the variety was as impressive as the quality. Where else could a music fan find Real Real Bayou Boy Band, Preacher Jack, Uncle Joey Fingers, Tokyo Tramps, Cal Cali Band, and Stow Away String Band all under one roof on the same night?
Arriving in time to catch the end of the set by Real Real Bayou Boy Band, I was treated to a solid rendition of The Rolling Stone’s “Dead Flowers” and a more Celtic flavored number entitled “Sorry Mom.” Up next, Preacher Jack, singing and playing a keyboard, treated the audience to his spiritually flavored rock music, tinkling out bluesy rock, blues, gospel, and some spiritual numbers on a Yamaha CP.
The first thing I notice about the man was that Preacher Jack has a senior citizen hippie image going on. His long white hair and beard gave him a mystique, like he could be a wizard in our present day fantasy movies. Yet, he also looks and sounds like a man who’s been a student of life for some time. Preacher Jack, without missing a beat on the keyboard, gave a brief discourse on the patriotic history of the city of Quincy before launching into some “patriotic boogie woogie” piano music. He hit those 16th notes in a way that made it look easy, moving into, along the way, a little up-tempo Ragtime magic. Preacher Jack showed he had a way of suddenly changing tempos and dynamics to offer an array of feisty playing styles. Drummer Matt supported him with the right beat for each styling. Invoking the name of Ray Charles, Preacher Jack went into some material popularized by Charles before he nailed “When The Saints Go Marching In.”
Next up, a singer-piano player named Uncle Joey Fingers began his set tapping out a sharp, elegant up-tempo joyride. His bright notes on “9:15,” with lead guitar accompaniment from Tokyo Tramps guitarist Satoru Nakagawa, was a rocked up Tom Waits-like number. His rendition of “You Know I Can’t Dance” got its wind from the combination of drums(Al Hendry), lead guitar, and piano, Fingers playing his piano faster than greased lightning, banging out his notes like nobody’s business. “Queen Of The Demolition Derby” was another speedy winner before the piano man performed his version of Traffic’s “Can’t Find My Way Home.” Uncle Joey Fingers used his steady rasp to finesse the lyrics to his more piano driven approach. Meanwhile, Nakagawa’s guitar phrasing brought a 1960’s psychedelic hippie vibe to the number, giving it a free spirit, loosey goosey glide. He worked wonders with The Temptations’ “The Way You Do The Things You Do.” He handled Irma Thomas’s “River Is Waiting” well, yet it was marked by Nakagawa’s mellow, bluesy lead guitar picking, a melody that captured the message of the song.
After Uncle Joey Fingers finished his classy piano driven set, it was time for Boston’s blues scene sensation, Tokyo Tramps. Tokyo Tramps are fronted by husband and wife team Satoru Nakagawa on electric guitar and Yukiko Fujii on electric bass. The pair came to America from different parts of Japan for their education, meeting in Boston and marrying in Japan soon after.
Tokyo Tramp’s latest drummer is an American, Tim Carman. Most impressively, Tokyo Tramps didn’t play a single song from any of their previous popular local blues albums. Why? Because they had seven brand new songs that they haven’t yet recorded. Talk about Japanese efficiency. They just keep coming up with more and more solid material.
Tokyo Tramps opened their set with “Bluebird, a psychedelic blues song that found the trio setting a more rocking mood in the room. Nakagawa unleashed his guitar fury, playing something that screamed out emotional notes like he was torturing his guitar. Fujii backed him with muscular smooth low end runs. Fujii’s mellow psychedelic blues bass phrase turned into a fetching solo, running right back into the main melodic phrase of the song after the pair extended their piece into “Bluebird Jam.” Their next original number, “I’ll Be Around,” is about longevity in a relationship. Nakagawa and Fujii harmonized beautifully on 
vocals, filling out their chorus with easeful heft. “Feel Like Talking To Someone” was a pleasant number about loneliness. Things got heated up with American style rock and roll idioms on “House Without Love.” Nakagawa rocked the room with his guitar riffs before his main melodic phrase dazzled with sublime sustains. “Nor’ Easter” played upon Boston’s winter weather forecasts with driving psychedelic rock. “I’m A Tiger” had a lilting rock and roll groove, giving way to wilder guitar phrasing, pulsating bass runs, and driving drum work.
Tokyo Tramps finished their set with some New Orleans flavored gumbo rock, with assistance from a washboard player named Charlie, Joey Fingers on accordion, and Cal Cali on percussion.
Next up, The Cal Cali Band rocked the Granite Rail Tavern with Cali’s blend of punk, garage rock, and oldies styled material. A guitarist who goes by the name “Al” and Tokyo Tramps bassist Yukiko Fujii supported Cal Cali, as Cali sings lead vocals while playing the drums. Guitarist “Al” started out simple before revealing a deeper level, reaching a sublime level of expression. Cal Cali made “Shakin All Over,” originally recorded Johnny Kid & The Pirates, a lot of fun. It brought back nostalgic memories. Then, Fujii handled lead vocals on Linda Ronstadt’s version of “It’s So Easy,” bringing people back to the Ronstadt craze of 
the 1970s. Fujii was simply adorable when she sang oldie classic “Venus.” Her likable stage presence belied the dark pop sensibility of the song, which she nailed with her singing and cooing. Cal Cali sang lead vocals during an edgy version of Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” making it feel punky, crooning over “Al” the guitarist’s spark. Cal Cali also lead his trio through some of his old band Jet Set originals, like “Living In The Suburbs.” Guitarist “Al” played a nice lead guitar phrase on Cal Cali’s “Gravity.” You could hear yesterday’s punk bands calling out to you in the six string influences.
Closing out the Garage Nite show at Granite Rail Tavern were five youths who call themselves The Stow Away String Band. Playing acoustic guitar, acoustic bass guitar, mandolins, and banjo, the five all reside in Buzzard’s Bay, Massachusetts where they are students at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Not only did they offer sweet American melodies and old fashioned folksy grit, they sang four part harmonies that breathed three dimensional life into their selections. Their acoustic instruments and vocal harmonies made “The Weight” by The Band a colorful number before turning toward more traditional fare. Sweet mandolin notes filled the air at one point while the room turned into a clapping sing along. “Fly Away Old Glory” was a touching ballad before Stow Away String Band became more emotive with 
“Rock Me Mama Like A Wagon Wheel.” The boys were soon into “Amy” by The Pure Prairie League, which turned the vibe of the room towards a 1970s revival.
Greedy Geezer’s Garage Night at Granite Rail Tavern in Quincy, Massachusetts was a cozy, informal, and intimate night of good music and camaraderie. Everyone who played and everyone just hanging out to listen had a pleasant attitude and an appreciative ear for the extensive variety of music offered. For the price of a few drinks, a local music fan cannot go wrong. Everyone who follows the greater-Boston/New England music scene should check out this neighborhood bar event at least once.
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