- Black Owl Music Records is
pleased to announce that
Poppa E's song,
"Terraplane" has been
nominated for a Golden
Kayak Award for "Best Blues
Song of the Year" by The
International Academy of
journey of the indie artist, one artist navigating
down the river towards destiny.
The 14 categories are selected by Cashbox
Magazine and IAC, the Indie Capital of the world. All
of the music is independently released CDs and
singles representing a growing segment of the
music industry. The song choices are based on
the criteria of quality songwriting, performance and
production.
NEWS
| April 3, 2008 |
Poppa E by Eric W. Seager
Not long into our conversation, Poppa E settles into his
preferred intimacy zone by dubbing me "Brother Eric. "
So take it from a brother: The 60-year-old blues
guitarist — and pretty much permanent Tobacco
Road fixture — is on a roll these days. A tune of his,
"Terraplane," was just nominated as Blues Song of
the Year by the International Academy of Independent
Artists. And he recently returned from three days of
performances in Mexico at the fifth annual
Zihuatanejo International Guitar Festival. "There were
Not long into our conversation, Poppa E settles into his
preferred intimacy zone by dubbing me "Brother Eric. "
So take it from a brother: The 60-year-old blues
guitarist — and pretty much permanent Tobacco
Road fixture — is on a roll these days. A tune of his,
"Terraplane," was just nominated as Blues Song of
the Year by the International Academy of Independent
Artists. And he recently returned from three days of
performances in Mexico at the fifth annual
Zihuatanejo International Guitar Festival. "There were
guitar players from all over the world," he says, clearly amped. "Paul Pigat from Canada, Esteban Bello, Twelve
Strings from Berlin. It was an incredible experience."
Born and raised in Manhattan, Poppa runs his own Black Owl record label out of Miami with the help of partners in
New York and London. As a much younger guy, he was a session percussion player for Sussex Records, which put
him in the same room as Bill Withers on many occasions (yes, that includes the recording sessions for "Lean on
Me").
When pressed (really hard), he does have one particular favorite Tobacco Road memory. "It would have to be the
evening of February 23 of this year, when the legendary Graham Wood Drout of Iko Iko and I played together upstairs
in the Cabaret. The house was packed, we told all kinds of stories — the warmth and love in the room was incredible.
In fact the entire week leading up to that show was incredible. Graham came over to the house and we talked politics,
ate pizza and drank beer, and played some real blues all night long."
Strings from Berlin. It was an incredible experience."
Born and raised in Manhattan, Poppa runs his own Black Owl record label out of Miami with the help of partners in
New York and London. As a much younger guy, he was a session percussion player for Sussex Records, which put
him in the same room as Bill Withers on many occasions (yes, that includes the recording sessions for "Lean on
Me").
When pressed (really hard), he does have one particular favorite Tobacco Road memory. "It would have to be the
evening of February 23 of this year, when the legendary Graham Wood Drout of Iko Iko and I played together upstairs
in the Cabaret. The house was packed, we told all kinds of stories — the warmth and love in the room was incredible.
In fact the entire week leading up to that show was incredible. Graham came over to the house and we talked politics,
ate pizza and drank beer, and played some real blues all night long."
The JPF 2008 Music Awards
- The 2008 Nominations have been announced! 25,500+
albums and 350,000+ songs, lyrics and videos were
received from over 100 countries to reach this year's 2008
JPF Awards Nominations and the Black Owl Music Group
is please to announce that Poppa E's album, "Blue... A
Healer" has been nominated "Best Blues Album of the
Year. Thanks to this year's sponsors TAXI, Disc Makers
and CD Baby for helping make this all possible!
Poppa E
Bringing the blues to downtown Miami
By Beth Feinstein-Bartl
Special to Metromix
April 17, 2008
Bringing the blues to downtown Miami
By Beth Feinstein-Bartl
Special to Metromix
April 17, 2008
Poppa E brings the Delta to downtown Miami.
Tracking down the bluesman isn't hard. He can be found Friday nights weaving
songs at Tobacco Road, backed by a collection of guitars and mouth harps. A
native New Yorker who learned to play at the knee of his Mississippi-born
grandfather, Poppa has become a regular and popular fixture at the club.
His gigs are where heritage replaces high tech, and simple replaces high style.
"I am [an] old-school bluesman," he said. "I'm old, I do blues, I tell stories and I
entertain people."
Tracking down the bluesman isn't hard. He can be found Friday nights weaving
songs at Tobacco Road, backed by a collection of guitars and mouth harps. A
native New Yorker who learned to play at the knee of his Mississippi-born
grandfather, Poppa has become a regular and popular fixture at the club.
His gigs are where heritage replaces high tech, and simple replaces high style.
"I am [an] old-school bluesman," he said. "I'm old, I do blues, I tell stories and I
entertain people."
The musician earned a longtime living as a percussionist, playing backup for Bill Withers, John Prine and Jo Mapes.
He returned to his blues roots in the 1990s and churned out six CDs, with a seventh on the way.
The soon-to-be released "Crossroads" is a departure from his previous efforts. Its archival beat pays homage to
Poppa's grandfather, Perry Valentine. "It's my way of thanking him for sharing his talent with me," said Poppa, who
divides his time between Miami, New York and Montreal.
Of the 12 tracks, six are versions of tunes by Robert Johnson and John Lee Hooker. The rest are originals.
"I sing about woman doing men wrong and men doing women wrong," he said. "It takes you back to the old juke
joints, where the music is as raw as you can get."
Poppa E's real name is Musi Faisal. He explained that the "E" comes from the largest letter on an eye chart, a
self-implied reference to visionary music.
Poppa E will be performing tonight (Friday, April 18, 2008) at the third anniversary of the Rock, a weekly original
music night. From 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., 30 bands will play on four stages at Tobacco Road, 626 S. Miami Ave., Miami.
Contact tobacco-road.com or 305-374-1198.
Visit myspace.com/blackowlmusicmiami or blackowlmusic.com.
He returned to his blues roots in the 1990s and churned out six CDs, with a seventh on the way.
The soon-to-be released "Crossroads" is a departure from his previous efforts. Its archival beat pays homage to
Poppa's grandfather, Perry Valentine. "It's my way of thanking him for sharing his talent with me," said Poppa, who
divides his time between Miami, New York and Montreal.
Of the 12 tracks, six are versions of tunes by Robert Johnson and John Lee Hooker. The rest are originals.
"I sing about woman doing men wrong and men doing women wrong," he said. "It takes you back to the old juke
joints, where the music is as raw as you can get."
Poppa E's real name is Musi Faisal. He explained that the "E" comes from the largest letter on an eye chart, a
self-implied reference to visionary music.
Poppa E will be performing tonight (Friday, April 18, 2008) at the third anniversary of the Rock, a weekly original
music night. From 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., 30 bands will play on four stages at Tobacco Road, 626 S. Miami Ave., Miami.
Contact tobacco-road.com or 305-374-1198.
Visit myspace.com/blackowlmusicmiami or blackowlmusic.com.
complete with a patio art gallery. The Black Owl Café has a laid back and casual atmosphere. So whether you dig
books, incredible art, poetry or a night of great blues, jazz or classic rock from some of Miami's most celebrated
artists, The Black Owl Café is a safe choice.
The Black Owl Café is located in the heart of North Miami on the north side of Northeast Sixth Avenue between 124th
and 123rd St. Its main neighbor, the Museum of Contemporary Art, is just a block away. The Café also offers a
complete list of domestic and imported beers, imported wines and great appetizers.
books, incredible art, poetry or a night of great blues, jazz or classic rock from some of Miami's most celebrated
artists, The Black Owl Café is a safe choice.
The Black Owl Café is located in the heart of North Miami on the north side of Northeast Sixth Avenue between 124th
and 123rd St. Its main neighbor, the Museum of Contemporary Art, is just a block away. The Café also offers a
complete list of domestic and imported beers, imported wines and great appetizers.
Poppa Faisal's life is painted in
blues
By Bob Weinberg | Special Correspondent
Entertainment
June 30, 2008
blues
By Bob Weinberg | Special Correspondent
Entertainment
June 30, 2008
On the Triscuit-sized stage at the Black Owl Cafe in North
Miami Beach, Musi "Poppa E" Faisal is mesmerizing a Friday
night audience. With his acoustic guitar, rack harmonica and
soulful voice, he interprets tunes by blues royalty such as
Willie Dixon and Robert Johnson.
But then, he strums some heart-tugging chords and his
baritone purr dips into the cool waters of his own Daddy's
Girl. It's the kind of song listeners might expect from an artist
who played in Bill Withers' band, a moving ode to childhood
innocence that should resonate with anyone who has spent
Miami Beach, Musi "Poppa E" Faisal is mesmerizing a Friday
night audience. With his acoustic guitar, rack harmonica and
soulful voice, he interprets tunes by blues royalty such as
Willie Dixon and Robert Johnson.
But then, he strums some heart-tugging chords and his
baritone purr dips into the cool waters of his own Daddy's
Girl. It's the kind of song listeners might expect from an artist
who played in Bill Withers' band, a moving ode to childhood
innocence that should resonate with anyone who has spent
significant time with an inquisitive daughter, granddaughter or niece.
"Daddy, would you buy me a pair of soft, pretty wings... I really think I'd like to give flying a try," he sings in a voice as
reassuring as a big man's grasp on a child's tiny hand.
A father of three grown daughters, Poppa comes by his moniker — and the emotions in his song — honestly. A
custom-made ring on his finger separates into three parts, providing a constant connection to his offspring, just as the
knit cap atop his head connects him to what he refers to as a higher power.
"My two best accomplishments in life," he says, "are being a good husband and a good father."
He's also proud of his partnership with Ari Diamond, the proprietor of the Literary Cafe; the place was recently
renamed Black Owl Cafe, a nod to Poppa's music publishing company as well as a way to avoid confusion with a
similarly named venue around the corner.
"I had two keys when I met him — one to my front door, one to my car," says Poppa, who turned 60 in May. "He gave
me the key to [the cafe]. He said, 'What you do with it is up to you.'"
For a moment, Poppa chokes up, tears welling in his eyes.
"Sometimes, people, all they got to do is believe in you, man," he says.
War and remembrance
While some soldiers lost limbs in Vietnam, Poppa lost ... Poppa. After three tours of duty, he had seen and done
things he had never imagined.
"I did three months at Walter Reed [Army Medical Center] to get my mind right," he says. "I was a killing machine. I shot
anything that moved. I'm not proud of it, but I was not gonna be a statistic."
Music provided salvation, as did his embrace of the Muslim faith and the family he'd started. He would need all these
things to endure hardships in the decades to follow. Estranged for years, Poppa and his father finally reconciled
shortly before the elderly man was killed by robbers in 1983. A younger brother died in the World Trade Center on 9-11.
But Poppa had developed the skills he needed to take each day as it comes. He traces the attitude back to his time in
Chicago in the 1970s, when he was trying to figure out what to do with his life.
"I'm thinking to myself, instead of being angry, I can go and sit on the steps of this Frank Lloyd Wright house, or I can
go into the park, man, and smell Lake Michigan," he says. "So I decided to turn my life into something profoundly
productive. I treat every day just like it was my last one."
Learning the 12-string
The son of an attorney and an English teacher, Poppa grew up in midtown Manhattan. His mother's father had fled
from Clarksdale, Miss., after shooting three white men who had called his wife a whore. Although he was caught and
sent to the Mississippi penitentiary Parchman Farm, the family took root in New York.
Poppa's grandfather introduced him to the blues. A fan of Leadbelly, he insisted his grandson learn to play the 12-
string guitar.
"He said, 'If you learn to do licks on a 12-string, you can do licks on any guitar in the world,'" Poppa remembers.
His mother's brothers also exerted a powerful tug. One owned a pool hall, the other a record store.
"Between the record store and the pool room, it set the tone for my life," he says.
An angry man
Chicago also provided a vibrant musical laboratory. Artists such as Muddy Waters and Koko Taylor could be found in
Southside blues clubs, while the clubs in Old Town buzzed with everyone from Joan Baez to Gil Scott-Heron. John
Prine taught Poppa open D tuning on the guitar.
Bill Withers taught him plenty, too, when Poppa was hired to play percussion behind the singer in the '70s.
"Bill had anger-management problems," Poppa says. "Bill would go off on anybody about anything at any time."
Poppa also noticed the rough shape Withers' wife, actress Denise Nicholas, was in when she came into the studio,
dark glasses hiding her bruises. One day, he confronted Withers, who threatened to beat him as well.
"I said, 'I don't think so,'" Poppa recounts, lifting his shirt as if to reveal the piece he once carried. "I said, 'You can jump
across the table if you want to. Getting back is gonna be a problem.'"
Giving everything
Although Poppa has lived in Miami for 25 years, he didn't perform here much until the past year and a half. Friends in
the industry got him bookings around the United States and in Europe, but in Miami, he stayed out of the spotlight.
In 2006, Poppa released the CDs Southern Style: Blues Sessions and Five Long Years ... A Tribute to Carey Bell, the
latter an homage to the late Chicago harmonica master. His appetite for performing reawakened, he began appearing
regularly at Miami's Tobacco Road.
Poppa met Diamond after hearing that the jazz singer and writer was trying to get Literary Cafe off the ground. Even
with sparse audiences, Poppa felt like the place was well-suited to his intimate songcraft.
"I will give you everything I've got, whether it's 10 people or a thousand," he says. "That's what I did. And here we are."
Even with his considerable skills, Poppa says he practices four or five hours a day, as the thick calluses on his fingers
attest.
"I'm still not really good at anything musically," he says modestly. "I'm not an Eric Clapton on guitar; I'm not a Carey
Bell on harmonica; I'm not an Albert Collins or Albert King vocally. But I manage.
"I'm studying a lot," he continues. "The guitar, the harp ... I gotta touch something every day. I gotta do a lick. And if I
don't, there's no sense in me getting up. I can't go a day without music."
Bob Weinberg is a freelance writer in Hallandale Beach.
If you go
Poppa E performs at 9:30 Friday and Saturday nights and 7:30 p.m. Sundays at Black Owl Cafe, 12325 NE Sixth Ave.,
North Miami. Call 786-443-3126 or visit myspace.com/blackowlmusicmiami. He also regularly performs at Tobacco
Road in Miami. Call 305-374-1198.
"Daddy, would you buy me a pair of soft, pretty wings... I really think I'd like to give flying a try," he sings in a voice as
reassuring as a big man's grasp on a child's tiny hand.
A father of three grown daughters, Poppa comes by his moniker — and the emotions in his song — honestly. A
custom-made ring on his finger separates into three parts, providing a constant connection to his offspring, just as the
knit cap atop his head connects him to what he refers to as a higher power.
"My two best accomplishments in life," he says, "are being a good husband and a good father."
He's also proud of his partnership with Ari Diamond, the proprietor of the Literary Cafe; the place was recently
renamed Black Owl Cafe, a nod to Poppa's music publishing company as well as a way to avoid confusion with a
similarly named venue around the corner.
"I had two keys when I met him — one to my front door, one to my car," says Poppa, who turned 60 in May. "He gave
me the key to [the cafe]. He said, 'What you do with it is up to you.'"
For a moment, Poppa chokes up, tears welling in his eyes.
"Sometimes, people, all they got to do is believe in you, man," he says.
War and remembrance
While some soldiers lost limbs in Vietnam, Poppa lost ... Poppa. After three tours of duty, he had seen and done
things he had never imagined.
"I did three months at Walter Reed [Army Medical Center] to get my mind right," he says. "I was a killing machine. I shot
anything that moved. I'm not proud of it, but I was not gonna be a statistic."
Music provided salvation, as did his embrace of the Muslim faith and the family he'd started. He would need all these
things to endure hardships in the decades to follow. Estranged for years, Poppa and his father finally reconciled
shortly before the elderly man was killed by robbers in 1983. A younger brother died in the World Trade Center on 9-11.
But Poppa had developed the skills he needed to take each day as it comes. He traces the attitude back to his time in
Chicago in the 1970s, when he was trying to figure out what to do with his life.
"I'm thinking to myself, instead of being angry, I can go and sit on the steps of this Frank Lloyd Wright house, or I can
go into the park, man, and smell Lake Michigan," he says. "So I decided to turn my life into something profoundly
productive. I treat every day just like it was my last one."
Learning the 12-string
The son of an attorney and an English teacher, Poppa grew up in midtown Manhattan. His mother's father had fled
from Clarksdale, Miss., after shooting three white men who had called his wife a whore. Although he was caught and
sent to the Mississippi penitentiary Parchman Farm, the family took root in New York.
Poppa's grandfather introduced him to the blues. A fan of Leadbelly, he insisted his grandson learn to play the 12-
string guitar.
"He said, 'If you learn to do licks on a 12-string, you can do licks on any guitar in the world,'" Poppa remembers.
His mother's brothers also exerted a powerful tug. One owned a pool hall, the other a record store.
"Between the record store and the pool room, it set the tone for my life," he says.
An angry man
Chicago also provided a vibrant musical laboratory. Artists such as Muddy Waters and Koko Taylor could be found in
Southside blues clubs, while the clubs in Old Town buzzed with everyone from Joan Baez to Gil Scott-Heron. John
Prine taught Poppa open D tuning on the guitar.
Bill Withers taught him plenty, too, when Poppa was hired to play percussion behind the singer in the '70s.
"Bill had anger-management problems," Poppa says. "Bill would go off on anybody about anything at any time."
Poppa also noticed the rough shape Withers' wife, actress Denise Nicholas, was in when she came into the studio,
dark glasses hiding her bruises. One day, he confronted Withers, who threatened to beat him as well.
"I said, 'I don't think so,'" Poppa recounts, lifting his shirt as if to reveal the piece he once carried. "I said, 'You can jump
across the table if you want to. Getting back is gonna be a problem.'"
Giving everything
Although Poppa has lived in Miami for 25 years, he didn't perform here much until the past year and a half. Friends in
the industry got him bookings around the United States and in Europe, but in Miami, he stayed out of the spotlight.
In 2006, Poppa released the CDs Southern Style: Blues Sessions and Five Long Years ... A Tribute to Carey Bell, the
latter an homage to the late Chicago harmonica master. His appetite for performing reawakened, he began appearing
regularly at Miami's Tobacco Road.
Poppa met Diamond after hearing that the jazz singer and writer was trying to get Literary Cafe off the ground. Even
with sparse audiences, Poppa felt like the place was well-suited to his intimate songcraft.
"I will give you everything I've got, whether it's 10 people or a thousand," he says. "That's what I did. And here we are."
Even with his considerable skills, Poppa says he practices four or five hours a day, as the thick calluses on his fingers
attest.
"I'm still not really good at anything musically," he says modestly. "I'm not an Eric Clapton on guitar; I'm not a Carey
Bell on harmonica; I'm not an Albert Collins or Albert King vocally. But I manage.
"I'm studying a lot," he continues. "The guitar, the harp ... I gotta touch something every day. I gotta do a lick. And if I
don't, there's no sense in me getting up. I can't go a day without music."
Bob Weinberg is a freelance writer in Hallandale Beach.
If you go
Poppa E performs at 9:30 Friday and Saturday nights and 7:30 p.m. Sundays at Black Owl Cafe, 12325 NE Sixth Ave.,
North Miami. Call 786-443-3126 or visit myspace.com/blackowlmusicmiami. He also regularly performs at Tobacco
Road in Miami. Call 305-374-1198.
Hanging With Poppa E
Written by Fredric Cole
Monday, 14 July 2008
Written by Fredric Cole
Monday, 14 July 2008
Every Friday at 6pm on the outdoor patio at Tobacco Road amongst the laughter, drinks and FREE chicken wings, he
sets up a chair, a microphone, plugs in his guitar and clips one of his 15 harmonicas around his neck. As he picks
out the first few bars and starts to sing, something begins to happen, discussions of work place gossip, turns into
head swaying and foot patting. Poppa E. has arrived on the scene and gives the crowd something most of them have
never witnessed live... down home blues.
sets up a chair, a microphone, plugs in his guitar and clips one of his 15 harmonicas around his neck. As he picks
out the first few bars and starts to sing, something begins to happen, discussions of work place gossip, turns into
head swaying and foot patting. Poppa E. has arrived on the scene and gives the crowd something most of them have
never witnessed live... down home blues.
This quiet, unassuming man simply known as Poppa E. has been bringing us all back to our soulful roots.
Responding to a MySpace email blast from DJ Oski looking for an original copy of the "Tobacco Road" theme song for
their upcoming 96th birthday celebration, Poppa E. quickly seized the opportunity and responded. "I didn't really have
the track," said Poppa E. "But I knew the song, so I ran into my studio laid down the track complete with vocals, and
added a Happy Birthday twist." It worked beautifully, after meeting with the owners of Tobacco Road, they quickly
signed him to a long term performance contract.
A native New Yorker, Poppa E started out playing Jazz with the likes of legends like Ornette Coleman. His long
winding career has taken him around the world and back again to his roots, the blues. With the release of his new CD
"Crossroads," Poppa E is gearing up for another tour through Europe and the South Pacific. In late August, Poppa E
will be appearing live on Ed Bell's NPR radio show.
Responding to a MySpace email blast from DJ Oski looking for an original copy of the "Tobacco Road" theme song for
their upcoming 96th birthday celebration, Poppa E. quickly seized the opportunity and responded. "I didn't really have
the track," said Poppa E. "But I knew the song, so I ran into my studio laid down the track complete with vocals, and
added a Happy Birthday twist." It worked beautifully, after meeting with the owners of Tobacco Road, they quickly
signed him to a long term performance contract.
A native New Yorker, Poppa E started out playing Jazz with the likes of legends like Ornette Coleman. His long
winding career has taken him around the world and back again to his roots, the blues. With the release of his new CD
"Crossroads," Poppa E is gearing up for another tour through Europe and the South Pacific. In late August, Poppa E
will be appearing live on Ed Bell's NPR radio show.
Dwntwn Ballin'
Written by Jennifer LeClaire
Summer/Fall Issue 2008
Written by Jennifer LeClaire
Summer/Fall Issue 2008
Tobacco Road, one of DWNTWNRS' favorite hangouts,
celebrates its 96th bithday this year, yet it remains hip,
further proving age is relative. The bar opened back in
1912. When asked who came here in those days,
manager Joe Portela jokes, "I imagine the Indians." In 21
years, he's seen it all. "Everything happens at Tobacco
Road."
In the old days, Downtown's beloved bar was a speakeasy.
After some nudging, Portela dishes about a secret closet
used back then for hiding during raids. The closet is gone
now, but good times are still had there.
Like most bars, it's dark. Face it, everyone looks better in
celebrates its 96th bithday this year, yet it remains hip,
further proving age is relative. The bar opened back in
1912. When asked who came here in those days,
manager Joe Portela jokes, "I imagine the Indians." In 21
years, he's seen it all. "Everything happens at Tobacco
Road."
In the old days, Downtown's beloved bar was a speakeasy.
After some nudging, Portela dishes about a secret closet
used back then for hiding during raids. The closet is gone
now, but good times are still had there.
Like most bars, it's dark. Face it, everyone looks better in
dark, especially after a few drinks. But that's not why people come here, after all, Miami is known for its beautiful
people. They come because it's a simple and relaxing place, says Portela. Both professionals and the younger set
crowd the joint during lunch, Happy Hour, and at night for the live music that plays every evening. It's a good thing
they're open late everyday - until 5 a.m.
Tobacco Road is also well known for their daring burgers. Phastong, that's a person not a burger, has been hand
patting those ground sirloin babies for the past 24 years. Portela says that's part of what makes them so good.
The cabaret upstairs is ultra hip, but downstairs on the patio is where most people like to hang, says Portela. "In
the middle of Downtown, you can sit under an oak tree," and listen to live music at night. Mark your calendar for
November 26 when the Big T will celebrate the big 9-6 with a parking lot bash.
Tobacco Road has survived good and bad times, hurricanes, city scandals and corruption, and an array of
neighborhoods throughout the years. "They come and go: we will always be here."
Tobacco Road
626 South Miami Avenue
Miami, Florida 33130
305-374-1198
www.tobacco-road.com
people. They come because it's a simple and relaxing place, says Portela. Both professionals and the younger set
crowd the joint during lunch, Happy Hour, and at night for the live music that plays every evening. It's a good thing
they're open late everyday - until 5 a.m.
Tobacco Road is also well known for their daring burgers. Phastong, that's a person not a burger, has been hand
patting those ground sirloin babies for the past 24 years. Portela says that's part of what makes them so good.
The cabaret upstairs is ultra hip, but downstairs on the patio is where most people like to hang, says Portela. "In
the middle of Downtown, you can sit under an oak tree," and listen to live music at night. Mark your calendar for
November 26 when the Big T will celebrate the big 9-6 with a parking lot bash.
Tobacco Road has survived good and bad times, hurricanes, city scandals and corruption, and an array of
neighborhoods throughout the years. "They come and go: we will always be here."
Tobacco Road
626 South Miami Avenue
Miami, Florida 33130
305-374-1198
www.tobacco-road.com
| Poppa E, "Resident Blues Man" at Tobacco Road |
| Tobacco Road, a hoppin place since 1912 |
Poppa E Opens Blues/Jazz Club
By Charles R. Boyer,Publisher
July 14, 2008
By Charles R. Boyer,Publisher
July 14, 2008
Big Poppa E, Miami-based bluesman, has
ventured into the cafe/club business with noted
musician and promoter, DJ Oski Gonzalez to open
what they say will be the premiere place for blues,
contemporary rock and jazz in North Miami.
The Black Owl Café is a cozy place open to the
public, artists, poets and musicians who wish to
gather and enjoy a beautiful artistic atmosphere,
ventured into the cafe/club business with noted
musician and promoter, DJ Oski Gonzalez to open
what they say will be the premiere place for blues,
contemporary rock and jazz in North Miami.
The Black Owl Café is a cozy place open to the
public, artists, poets and musicians who wish to
gather and enjoy a beautiful artistic atmosphere,
Erica Sommer-Solo
by Azar Alcazar
Thursday, September 25, 2008
by Azar Alcazar
Thursday, September 25, 2008
The beautiful lead singer of local rock lords Raging
Geisha will be performing her solo stuff tonight. She
will be performing with Miami blues legend Poppa E.
This show will definitely be a hoot. Check out her
videos at www.youtube.com/raginggeisha
Geisha will be performing her solo stuff tonight. She
will be performing with Miami blues legend Poppa E.
This show will definitely be a hoot. Check out her
videos at www.youtube.com/raginggeisha
POPPA E
No, you didn't miss the monthly Art in the Park concert in Coral Gables.
Normally on the first Friday of each month, the Kiwanis of Little Havana, which organize the free series and art
festival at Ponce Circle Park, delayed it a week in January to give people and the musical acts it books a break from
New Year's festivities.
''It's just to give everybody some time to get back from vacations, trips, the New Year events, and give them a
second chance to enjoy themselves when they are not so wrapped up with the holidays,'' said Carlos Garcia, the
event coordinator.
The music Friday begins at 7 p.m. with Big Poppa E, followed by the jazzy funky sounds of local chanteuse Michelle
Foreman at 8 p.m. and the Latin jazz rhythms of Latin Grammy nominee Negroni Trio at 9 p.m. with a finale by
Llanzallamas, Latin funk, at 10:30 p.m.
There also will be dozens of artists displaying paintings, ceramics, photographs, sculptures and jewelry, as well as
special Latin-tinged items like custom domino tables.
And, Garcia said, the Miami Children's Museum will have an interactive show for kids featuring Sesame Street's
Elmo character.
``It's going to be a lot of fun.''
The festivities begin at 7 p.m. at the park, 2800 Ponce de Leon Blvd.
For more information, go to www.artintheparkconcerts.com.
Normally on the first Friday of each month, the Kiwanis of Little Havana, which organize the free series and art
festival at Ponce Circle Park, delayed it a week in January to give people and the musical acts it books a break from
New Year's festivities.
''It's just to give everybody some time to get back from vacations, trips, the New Year events, and give them a
second chance to enjoy themselves when they are not so wrapped up with the holidays,'' said Carlos Garcia, the
event coordinator.
The music Friday begins at 7 p.m. with Big Poppa E, followed by the jazzy funky sounds of local chanteuse Michelle
Foreman at 8 p.m. and the Latin jazz rhythms of Latin Grammy nominee Negroni Trio at 9 p.m. with a finale by
Llanzallamas, Latin funk, at 10:30 p.m.
There also will be dozens of artists displaying paintings, ceramics, photographs, sculptures and jewelry, as well as
special Latin-tinged items like custom domino tables.
And, Garcia said, the Miami Children's Museum will have an interactive show for kids featuring Sesame Street's
Elmo character.
``It's going to be a lot of fun.''
The festivities begin at 7 p.m. at the park, 2800 Ponce de Leon Blvd.
For more information, go to www.artintheparkconcerts.com.
Coral Gables' Art in the Park concert series delayed a week
by ELAINE DE VALLA
Friday, January9, 2009
by ELAINE DE VALLA
Friday, January9, 2009
Check Out Local Blues From Black Owl Music
By Jacob Katel in Free Music, Heads Up Tuesday, Mar. 31 2009
By Jacob Katel in Free Music, Heads Up Tuesday, Mar. 31 2009
Black Owl Music is an independent blues label based in Miami that started in 2003. It seems to have been
founded by or is at least very closely related to local bluesman Poppa E, whose show schedule reads like that of a
player 40 years his junior, and whose band has a residency at Casa Panza (four-time Best of Miami winner).
Check out the Black Owl Music streaming radio player, available through their KIAC internet radio page, a kind of
netroots music marketing network alternative to myspace.
founded by or is at least very closely related to local bluesman Poppa E, whose show schedule reads like that of a
player 40 years his junior, and whose band has a residency at Casa Panza (four-time Best of Miami winner).
Check out the Black Owl Music streaming radio player, available through their KIAC internet radio page, a kind of
netroots music marketing network alternative to myspace.
Poppa E at Casa Panza
By Jacob Katel in Free Music, Heads Up Tuesday, Apr. 14 2009
By Jacob Katel in Free Music, Heads Up Tuesday, Apr. 14 2009
Poppa E is a bad motherfucker. Find out for yourself every
Wednesday night at Casa Panza, where he has a residency, and he
and his band play three or more sets of jazz, blues, and R&B songs
you already know the words to.
Some people might think it's strange to put a blues night in a Little
Havana venue famed for its raucous Flamenco parties, but owner
Ernesto, a rock musician born in Cuba says, "When people come to
this country, they gotta learn cultural values and spread them too.
Music is the only way to take down barriers, because music is
universal." Casa Panza looks like a Medieval Spanish tavern, full of
history and memorabilia. They've got 20 years on SW 8th Street and
six Best Of Miami titles.
Wednesday night at Casa Panza, where he has a residency, and he
and his band play three or more sets of jazz, blues, and R&B songs
you already know the words to.
Some people might think it's strange to put a blues night in a Little
Havana venue famed for its raucous Flamenco parties, but owner
Ernesto, a rock musician born in Cuba says, "When people come to
this country, they gotta learn cultural values and spread them too.
Music is the only way to take down barriers, because music is
universal." Casa Panza looks like a Medieval Spanish tavern, full of
history and memorabilia. They've got 20 years on SW 8th Street and
six Best Of Miami titles.
Back in 1971 Poppa E would spend 15 hours a day in the studio with
Ike and Tina Turner doing session work for their record. He also
worked with Bill Withers, Motown West, other labels, and toured in a
band. "We'd do nine shows a week for five weeks in a row, take two
weeks off, and do it again, and that was just to pay rent." Nowadays
Poppa E plays four to five shows a week, and toured 60 days last
year, not bad for a dude that's 60 years old.
Ike and Tina Turner doing session work for their record. He also
worked with Bill Withers, Motown West, other labels, and toured in a
band. "We'd do nine shows a week for five weeks in a row, take two
weeks off, and do it again, and that was just to pay rent." Nowadays
Poppa E plays four to five shows a week, and toured 60 days last
year, not bad for a dude that's 60 years old.
Poppa E at Casa Panza
Tuesday, April 21 2009
Tuesday, April 21 2009
Big Poppa E has been nominated for the Miami-Dade College Hialeah's Best Award for Most Outstanding Campus
Event in 2009.
Event in 2009.
| Copyright © 2010 Black Owl Music, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use is prohibited. .Privacy Policy Terms of Service |
Big Poppa E: E = Evolving
By Manny Meland
Wednesday, September 30 2009
By Manny Meland
Wednesday, September 30 2009
Can you believe blues on Calle Oche in the
heart of Little Havana? That’s where I found
Big Poppa E and his band jamming recently.
“Blues can happen anywhere,” exclaimed Big
Poppa, “even here at this Cuban Casa Panza.”
Singer and songwriter Big Poppa E also plays
the guitar and mouth organ. His featured
guitarist in his E Band is Sean (Birdman)
Gould. The others are sax man Filipe
Lamoglia, keyboardist Ray Martinez, drummer
Ernesto Seijas and bassist George Caldwell.
He introduced his band mates as his white
brothers. He and Caldwell are the only African-
Americans in the band. “You don’t have to be
black to play the blues,” he informed us.
As a matter of fact, he and Jerry Lane of West
Court Island records co-wrote a blues hit
called “White Men Can Play the Blues.”
heart of Little Havana? That’s where I found
Big Poppa E and his band jamming recently.
“Blues can happen anywhere,” exclaimed Big
Poppa, “even here at this Cuban Casa Panza.”
Singer and songwriter Big Poppa E also plays
the guitar and mouth organ. His featured
guitarist in his E Band is Sean (Birdman)
Gould. The others are sax man Filipe
Lamoglia, keyboardist Ray Martinez, drummer
Ernesto Seijas and bassist George Caldwell.
He introduced his band mates as his white
brothers. He and Caldwell are the only African-
Americans in the band. “You don’t have to be
black to play the blues,” he informed us.
As a matter of fact, he and Jerry Lane of West
Court Island records co-wrote a blues hit
called “White Men Can Play the Blues.”
| Big Poppa E and Manny Meland |
Poppa took up the harmonica as a teen. “I got hooked on
the mouth organ after hearing Sonny Terry and Brownie
McGee,” he says. Actually, he started his career as a
percussionist with Hodges, James & Smith back in the
early 1970s. He continued playing backup for R&B legends
Ike & Tina Turner, folk artist John Prine, avant garde
saxophonist Joseph Jarman, soul pop legend Bill Withers
and at Sussex Records with Bobbi Hall. He is fortunate to
have a good ear for music, which enabled him to learn
several other instruments, including the guitar.
I asked Big Poppa E what the “E” stands for when I saw
him play at radio station WLRN’s “Arts Beat” in July. “E is
for evolving,” he told me. Last month I checked out Ben ”
the mouth organ after hearing Sonny Terry and Brownie
McGee,” he says. Actually, he started his career as a
percussionist with Hodges, James & Smith back in the
early 1970s. He continued playing backup for R&B legends
Ike & Tina Turner, folk artist John Prine, avant garde
saxophonist Joseph Jarman, soul pop legend Bill Withers
and at Sussex Records with Bobbi Hall. He is fortunate to
have a good ear for music, which enabled him to learn
several other instruments, including the guitar.
I asked Big Poppa E what the “E” stands for when I saw
him play at radio station WLRN’s “Arts Beat” in July. “E is
for evolving,” he told me. Last month I checked out Ben ”
Neji’s Wine 69 on Biscayne Boulevard. Big
Poppa was on the menu and they served up
blues with the entrees and souffles. The
music was fine as I sipped my wine. One of
the songs he sang was “Sweet Home
Alabama.
This New York expatriate can now sing sweet
home South Florida. This is where he chose
to settle and this is where he now sings his
heart felt blues. Interspersed with his busy
performance schedule, Poppa runs his own
record label, Black Owl Music. Though the
label is based in South Florida, he has
partners in New York and London. The year
2006 was good for Big Poppa E, with three
albums released. His song “Terraplane” was
nominated as Blues Song of the Year by the
International Academy of Independent Artists
Poppa was on the menu and they served up
blues with the entrees and souffles. The
music was fine as I sipped my wine. One of
the songs he sang was “Sweet Home
Alabama.
This New York expatriate can now sing sweet
home South Florida. This is where he chose
to settle and this is where he now sings his
heart felt blues. Interspersed with his busy
performance schedule, Poppa runs his own
record label, Black Owl Music. Though the
label is based in South Florida, he has
partners in New York and London. The year
2006 was good for Big Poppa E, with three
albums released. His song “Terraplane” was
nominated as Blues Song of the Year by the
International Academy of Independent Artists
| Big Poppa E at Casa Panza |
| Filipe Lamoglia on sax; George Caldwell on bass; Big Poppa E; Ernesto Seijas on drums; Sean “Birdman” Gould on lead guitar; and Ray Martinez on keyboard at a recent performance at WLRN |
If you missed his shows, don’t fret. You can catch Big Poppa E and his band at various clubs in Boca
Raton, Delray Reach, Fort Lauderdale, Coral Gables, the Keys and Miami. He and his E Band have virtually
exploded on our blues scene.
For more information and upcoming performances by Big Poppa E, visit www.blackowlmusic.com or e-mail
Miami@blackowlmusic.com.
Raton, Delray Reach, Fort Lauderdale, Coral Gables, the Keys and Miami. He and his E Band have virtually
exploded on our blues scene.
For more information and upcoming performances by Big Poppa E, visit www.blackowlmusic.com or e-mail
Miami@blackowlmusic.com.
The Skinny Dip: A Concert to Benefit
Melanoma Research and Awareness
Written by Arielle Castillo
December 1, 2009
Melanoma Research and Awareness
Written by Arielle Castillo
December 1, 2009
Trying to track all of the random shows and parties connected to Art Basel can be exhausting — so here's one
damned good reason to get away from them all for one night. The Skinny Dip, at Kitchen 305, is a multiband
celebration of life whose proceeds benefit the Melanoma Research Foundation and the Richard David Kann
Melanoma Foundation. The event is the brainchild of local singer/songwriter Shawn Snyder, who, sadly, lost his
mother a year ago to the disease. Melanoma is the cancer "nobody seems to want to talk about, despite having the
fastest-growing incidence rate of all cancers," Snyder says. "It's stuck with a black ribbon, a starkness that speaks
on multiple levels." The sad irony is that although in its advanced stages it can be one of the most unpredictable
and aggressive cancers, it's one of the easiest cancers to detect. It's also one of the most common in sun-
worshiping locales like South Florida.
To honor his mother and to help raise awareness of the disease, Snyder has rounded up some of his local
musical friends at one of the new venues most supportive of local live music. Snyder himself performs, and fans of
acts like the Counting Crows will find much to love in his introspective jangle pop. Other standouts include
bluesmen Big Poppa E and Uncle Scotchy, the piano/hip-hop crossover of the Big Bounce, and the jammy Latin
funk of Lanzallamas Monofonica. The U-School Testostertones, Shauna Sweeney, Michael Shivers, and Arboles
Libres also perform, and the music goes until 11 p.m. A VIP afterparty continues afterward, featuring a fashion
show at 1 a.m., and a raffle and silent auction go throughout the night, giving away goodies like spa treatments and
airline vouchers.
damned good reason to get away from them all for one night. The Skinny Dip, at Kitchen 305, is a multiband
celebration of life whose proceeds benefit the Melanoma Research Foundation and the Richard David Kann
Melanoma Foundation. The event is the brainchild of local singer/songwriter Shawn Snyder, who, sadly, lost his
mother a year ago to the disease. Melanoma is the cancer "nobody seems to want to talk about, despite having the
fastest-growing incidence rate of all cancers," Snyder says. "It's stuck with a black ribbon, a starkness that speaks
on multiple levels." The sad irony is that although in its advanced stages it can be one of the most unpredictable
and aggressive cancers, it's one of the easiest cancers to detect. It's also one of the most common in sun-
worshiping locales like South Florida.
To honor his mother and to help raise awareness of the disease, Snyder has rounded up some of his local
musical friends at one of the new venues most supportive of local live music. Snyder himself performs, and fans of
acts like the Counting Crows will find much to love in his introspective jangle pop. Other standouts include
bluesmen Big Poppa E and Uncle Scotchy, the piano/hip-hop crossover of the Big Bounce, and the jammy Latin
funk of Lanzallamas Monofonica. The U-School Testostertones, Shauna Sweeney, Michael Shivers, and Arboles
Libres also perform, and the music goes until 11 p.m. A VIP afterparty continues afterward, featuring a fashion
show at 1 a.m., and a raffle and silent auction go throughout the night, giving away goodies like spa treatments and
airline vouchers.
Big Poppa E Bringing The Blues Back
Written by S. Pajot
December 2, 2009
Written by S. Pajot
December 2, 2009
After a three-decade career providing percussion and other background sounds for iconic artists like Ike and Tina
Turner, Bill Withers, and John Prine, Big Poppa E felt a change coming. Thus, in 2000, he switched tracks,
returning to his roots in the blues with the release of his second album, The First Time Out. It was a ten-track disc
of original material that mined E's intimate knowledge of Delta, jazz, and gospel traditions. Moreover, it helped
establish the 61-year-old guitarist, singer, and mouth harpist as one of South Florida's preeminent bluesmen,
setting the standard for a period of constant gigging, recording, and growth. A short time later, in 2003, Big Poppa E
founded the Miami-based independent label Black Owl Music, creating a home for work by local and national
artists — including Iko Iko, Deblois, and Diablo Dimes — as well as five of his own albums. All the while, E's kept
up a nonstop touring schedule, constantly hitting South Florida live-music spots such as Tobacco Road, Dada,
and the Downtowner. Every Sunday, he visits Tryst, alongside his E Band, bringing the blues back with an early
evening set of deep and gritty tunes.
Turner, Bill Withers, and John Prine, Big Poppa E felt a change coming. Thus, in 2000, he switched tracks,
returning to his roots in the blues with the release of his second album, The First Time Out. It was a ten-track disc
of original material that mined E's intimate knowledge of Delta, jazz, and gospel traditions. Moreover, it helped
establish the 61-year-old guitarist, singer, and mouth harpist as one of South Florida's preeminent bluesmen,
setting the standard for a period of constant gigging, recording, and growth. A short time later, in 2003, Big Poppa E
founded the Miami-based independent label Black Owl Music, creating a home for work by local and national
artists — including Iko Iko, Deblois, and Diablo Dimes — as well as five of his own albums. All the while, E's kept
up a nonstop touring schedule, constantly hitting South Florida live-music spots such as Tobacco Road, Dada,
and the Downtowner. Every Sunday, he visits Tryst, alongside his E Band, bringing the blues back with an early
evening set of deep and gritty tunes.
| Photograph by Carolanne Birtwell |
| Join Mayor Manny Diaz’s Countdown to Earth Hour 2009 |
| -City of Miami Chosen as a Flagship City by the World Wildlife Fund- |
March 25, 2009 Press Release
(Miami, FL)-- In celebration of Miami being selected a National Flagship City for the global climate change action
initiative, Earth Hour, Mayor Manny Diaz will be turning off the lights at the Bank of America Tower in Downtown
during a kick-off event on Thursday, March 26, 2009, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
The lights of one of Miami’s signature skyline buildings will go out promptly at 7:50 pm.
The event, which promotes international attention to the threats of climate change, will include music by Big Poppa
E & the E Band and Green Art designs by Luis Valenzuela. There will also be a preview of the Generation Engage
film, Project Switch & Save.
(Miami, FL)-- In celebration of Miami being selected a National Flagship City for the global climate change action
initiative, Earth Hour, Mayor Manny Diaz will be turning off the lights at the Bank of America Tower in Downtown
during a kick-off event on Thursday, March 26, 2009, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
The lights of one of Miami’s signature skyline buildings will go out promptly at 7:50 pm.
The event, which promotes international attention to the threats of climate change, will include music by Big Poppa
E & the E Band and Green Art designs by Luis Valenzuela. There will also be a preview of the Generation Engage
film, Project Switch & Save.
Blues in the Key of E
Written by Bob Weinberg
December 20, 2009
Written by Bob Weinberg
December 20, 2009
Alone with his acoustic guitar and harmonica,
Big Poppa E is a mesmerizing performer. But
the Miami-based bluesman can be equally
captivating with a full band providing the colors
and textures that allow him to explore his jazzier
inclinations. Of course, it helps that Poppa
possesses deeply soulful vocals and a
repertoire that stretches from vintage blues by
Robert Johnson and Willie Dixon to soul
classics by Bill Withers. And it certainly doesn’t
hurt that his E Band includes blues and jazz
stalwarts such as guitarist and keyboardist
Darrell Raines, bassist George Caldwell, and
saxophonist Felipe Lamoglia. The group
stretches out on tunes such as “Hard Times,”
“Old Love,” and the quite affecting “Melonares
Big Poppa E is a mesmerizing performer. But
the Miami-based bluesman can be equally
captivating with a full band providing the colors
and textures that allow him to explore his jazzier
inclinations. Of course, it helps that Poppa
possesses deeply soulful vocals and a
repertoire that stretches from vintage blues by
Robert Johnson and Willie Dixon to soul
classics by Bill Withers. And it certainly doesn’t
hurt that his E Band includes blues and jazz
stalwarts such as guitarist and keyboardist
Darrell Raines, bassist George Caldwell, and
saxophonist Felipe Lamoglia. The group
stretches out on tunes such as “Hard Times,”
“Old Love,” and the quite affecting “Melonares
Blues” on its debut recording, Live. Pick up a copy when Poppa E and the E Band perform, as they do each
Sunday from 5 to 9 p.m. at Tryst (4 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach). Admission is free. Call 561-921-0201, or visit
trystdelray.com.
Sunday from 5 to 9 p.m. at Tryst (4 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach). Admission is free. Call 561-921-0201, or visit
trystdelray.com.
Big Poppa E Packs Chef John's
Written by Charlie Boyer, Publisher of Jazz and Blues Florida
February 22, 2010
Written by Charlie Boyer, Publisher of Jazz and Blues Florida
February 22, 2010
Friday night ( February 19, 2010)Big Poppa E brought the E Band up
from Miami for a show at Chef John's American Bistro and Blues Bar
and his debut performance was a hit with everyone there...and there
were a LOT of people there. We opted to have dinner prior to the
show, which made sure we would have great seats for the show after
having great seats for a great meal (check out that veal chop!). Our
from Miami for a show at Chef John's American Bistro and Blues Bar
and his debut performance was a hit with everyone there...and there
were a LOT of people there. We opted to have dinner prior to the
show, which made sure we would have great seats for the show after
having great seats for a great meal (check out that veal chop!). Our
party of seven spread out around the dinning area as more friends came in later and it turned into a real partyfor
everyone and everyone enjoyed the music. Poppa E and E Band played a long first set that moved from the blues of
Memphis to some dance numbers that packed the floor. All the way around, it was great night.
everyone and everyone enjoyed the music. Poppa E and E Band played a long first set that moved from the blues of
Memphis to some dance numbers that packed the floor. All the way around, it was great night.
Special thanks to Misty who proposed the evening (She was down in Coconut
Grove for the King Mango Strut and caught Poppa E's show down there and
made sure she wasn't going to miss him when he played in her own
backyard!) and to Franny LaRue of Gourmet Galaxy for her "special"
contributions to the table! Wish I could show you THOSE pictures, but I got
orders!
Grove for the King Mango Strut and caught Poppa E's show down there and
made sure she wasn't going to miss him when he played in her own
backyard!) and to Franny LaRue of Gourmet Galaxy for her "special"
contributions to the table! Wish I could show you THOSE pictures, but I got
orders!
Milestones Membership Sweepstakes
Big Poppa E has donated a terrific prize to our Milestone Membership
Campaign - a Les Paul guitar autographed by Big Poppa E, one of
the finest bluesmen in South Florida. This is a gorgeous instrument
with a honey burst finish that will give someone many years of
enjoyment.
Campaign - a Les Paul guitar autographed by Big Poppa E, one of
the finest bluesmen in South Florida. This is a gorgeous instrument
with a honey burst finish that will give someone many years of
enjoyment.
| WDNA Jazz Host, Michael Valentine |
Your support of WDNA is a tax-deductible investment in preserving the future of
America's classical music - jazz. WDNA is a public radio station with a significant
percentage of their operating budget coming from members and contributors.
This financial support allows WDNA to maintain the quality, non-commercial jazz
format that listeners have come to expect. Click here for a secure pledge form.
America's classical music - jazz. WDNA is a public radio station with a significant
percentage of their operating budget coming from members and contributors.
This financial support allows WDNA to maintain the quality, non-commercial jazz
format that listeners have come to expect. Click here for a secure pledge form.