Juke The Mighty

Christmas Eve, 2011...

2011-12-24T21:07:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year.

At a time like this, it is customary to reflect on the year past, to ponder the people and things that we are thankful for, and to think about the future and what it might hold-- to review successes, learn from mistakes, and to set goals for the New Year. This year is no different, at least not for me!

First of all, I'd like to say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all. I am truly thankful to God for my family, my friends, the gift of music, and the opportunity to live in a great country like the United States of America. To some, "corny" sentiments perhaps, but true and very important to meditate on nonetheless. My family, my wife in particular, has never been anything but totally supportive, and for that, I will always be grateful. I have amazing friends and an incredible support system. I have the greatest band on earth to make music with, with the best, most dedicated business manager anyone could ask for (it helps that she bakes amazing cookies too). I am also grateful to my bandmate's spouses and families, for sharing their very talented husbands and fathers with me and all of you in the No-Star Nation! We also have the greatest fans, and we live in an incredibly underestimated city-- Buffalo, New York has a talent base like no other, and we are blessed to have many other friends in the music scene that are just as dedicated to making great music, and getting it out to the people, as we are.

God has blessed Bruce and I with a perfect location for The Sonic Vault, and while things have been a little slow as to live performances over the last year, the lull in public activity (gigs and concerts) has given us some time to build a fantastic recording studio and home-base, from which we plan to not only continue to hone our craft, but to help others in the local, regional, and national scene to find their musical voices and to present the best sounding productions to all of you in the listening public. And, I promise we will be a lot more visible on-stage in 2012!

After (ulp!) 30 years in the music business, I am still learning new things, and so are all of us (Your Mighty No-Stars, that is). This past year, after years of working under less-than-ideal conditions in other folks' rooms, we have built our own studio and have put together quite a few exemplary audio and video productions (local videos for solo artists and bands, jingle work for local businesses, voice-over work for our music on-hold clients, and a new demo and some more tunes for our upcoming sophomore album). B and I took another trip to Nashville to the Producer's and Engineer's Summit, and it never fails to energize us and give us a lot to think about in terms of pursuing our best options for the future. We also helped another artist make it onto the Roots Report Charts (our second charting album!); Yvonne Schmidt has only begun to make her mark on the international Blues scene, and we want to help others get their music "out there" as well. Along those lines, we helped some other independent artists promote their music not only locally, but elsewhere in the U.S. as well; efforts we plan to expand in the upcoming year. We helped a local Blues venue raise enough money to purchase an in-house P.A. system, and we a dear friend get some sense of a financial foundation after dealing with the fallout from a life-changing illness... We expanded our annual Christmas shows, bringing some exciting music to even more WNYers this year. And, we played a bunch of gigs, and we're going to play a bunch more!

I am blessed to be a part of a great musical community. I want to thank you all for being a part of that. We all are looking forward to an amazing 2012!

Please have a very Merry Christmas.

God Bless & Good Blues, and we'll see you "next year,"

GJ

Thanksgiving 2011/Black Friday Record Store Day

2011-11-25T20:04:00.000-08:00

Hello No-Star Nation,

ONCE AGAIN it's been way too long since our last update post. But as always, there has been, and continues to be a lot going on!

First of all, all of us in Your Mighty No-Stars, and the team at Nocturnal Productions and The Sonic Vault Recording Studio wish you a Happy Thanksgiving, a Happy Holiday Season, and a very early Happy New Year! We hope you had a great time with family and friends, and remembered to give thanks for all of your blessings... especially in the US, we have so much to be thankful for. As our president so aptly put in his recent address, let's remember to try and "pay it forward" this season and this coming year.

What's been happening? Well, things have been a little slow on the live performance front, but we've been using that time to do a lot of "undercover" work on the studio, the record label, and the band. We do want to thank all of the folks that have come out to some of our shows at the end of the summer and in the early fall. We especially had a great time at Vizzi's in October. We hope to be back there real soon. Stay-tuned here and at the main website for breaking gig news and information, and be on the lookout for our club and concert tour schedule for the upcoming 2012 season.

In the interim, we've had several projects and some travel keeping us busy. Here's a bit of an update:

* Our annual Christmas show at Hess Rd. Weslyan Church is just around the corner. Hard to believe that the core of The Mighty No-Stars have been the core of the live band for this event for at least seven years now! (I _believe_ this is year number eight?)... Rehearsals are coming along nicely, and we've got some of the material that audiences have come to know and love, as well as some new surprises and guest musicians and singers for this year. Come check out the show. It's FREE, and you get to see and hear some of WNY's finest musicians playing in a _very_ different context. This is Christmas music, performed with some very special arrangements; a show that you don't want to miss. This year's shows are on December 9th and 10th, with a planned redux of our additional performance in East Aurora (E.A. Weslyan Church) on Sunday, December 11th. These are free gigs! See your No-Stars and lots more fine musicians play the sounds of the season with finesse and aplomb! 'Nuff Said? See you there!

* The Sonic Vault has been busy the last few months. We have completed a new No-Stars demo, a new original and two new covers for the next album (we keep plugging away), a video for Roots Report charter Yvonne Schmidt, and have been busy working on demos for upcoming broadcast jingle projects, as well as on-hold music and voice-over for a local business. We also have lots of plans for upcoming projects that we'll be able to tell you more about as events unfold. Stay-tuned.

* Bruce and I recently made our (what is becoming an) annual trip to Nashville for the Producers and Engineers Summit at Welcome to 1979 Recording Studio in early November. This is an AMAZING event for anyone into recording, production, music, or just plain-old technology geeks. Seriously though, I've been to a lot of workshops, seminars, and summits in my many years in the music business. This is one of the most cost-effective, informational, and fun events out there. Chris Mara and his wife Yoli put on an outstanding summit. In the past three years, we have met producers, engineers, musicians, and mastering engineers with gold and platinum all over their walls; people that have worked with bands and solo artists like REM, Led Zeppelin, Porter Wagonner, the Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, Janis Joplin, The Raconteurs, Motown Records, and on and on and on. And _all_ of these folks are extremely pleasant and approachable and willing to share what they know. Thanks again to Chris and Yoli and all of the staff, presenters, and volunteers that made this such a great event. We are already looking forward to next year! Not only did we have a chance to sit in on some great recording sessions, talk turkey with very experienced and skilled music folk, but we also toured a very in-demand mastering facility, and a _busy_ vinyl record pressing plant with a storied history (United Record Pressing). We somehow managed to get out and see some live music on the Nashville strip, and check out Ernest Tubbs' Record Store (picked-up some great stuff!). If you're into this kind of thing, you should join us in Nashville next year...

* Speaking of records, today was Black Friday/Fall Record Store Day 2011. Nocturnal Productions took part in the festivities by providing some swag for some blessed record store clientele at two locations this year-- The Record Baron in Kenmore, NY, and Replay Records in Hamden, CT. We sent almost 50 pieces to each location as give-aways to loyal customers, including the new one from Yvonne Schmidt ("Foolproof," produced by Grammy-winner Tom Hambridge), our chart-making album "Blues Power," the 80AD collection of Buffalo/WNY 80's bands called "You'll Never Work In This Town Again! Vol. 1, No Hit Wonders," an album from Australian electronic artist Aspen, and some great material from Lo-Note Records (the new one from Bunky Moon and some great Jazz from Big Octave). Watch upcoming Record Store Days for more Nocturnal Productions freebies! And thanks to The Record Baron and Replay Records for working with us on this year's promotion; check out these great stores if you get the chance... Knowledgeable, helpful, fun staff that will help you find what you want!

* We started a new arm of Nocturnal Productions Music Group this past year, devoted to helping to promote independent artists working in the genres of Blues and Jazz. We helped to get vocalist Yvonne Schmidt's record on the charts, on the web, and in-the-news. If you are an independent Blues, Roots, Americana, or Jazz artist looking for affordable promotion and publicity, get in touch; we'd love to talk over the possibilities with you.

* Just a reminder for the "season of giving": We are still taking donations for our dear friend and founding No-Stars' bassist Joel Thomas. Visit www.joelthomasbenefit.org for more info. Thanks in advance for helping Joel and his family in the fight against ALS.

That's about it for now. We hope to see you at one of the upcoming Christmas shows. Check back here for more news and info.

Until then, God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

Chart Success!

2011-07-28T13:24:00.000-07:00

Hey All!

Our dear friend, Yvonne Schmidt, has had her own chart success this month-- Number 45 on the Top-50 Blues Chart for both the Roots Music Report and Cashbox Magazine! Beating-out Eric Clapton for number of plays last week! (see story in blog entry below)

Since we had a little bit of a hand in the promotional efforts, we'll bask in a little of the glory, too. But congratulations definitely go out to Yvonne, and our former Buffalo-homeboy, Nashville producer Tom Hambridge, who helped Yvonne make a great record deserving of all of the radio exposure. Congratulations on the success; here's to much more!

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

A Mid-Summer Day's Post...

2011-07-27T12:56:00.001-07:00

Why so Shakespearean? No reason, really, I guess I've just been wondering again what it would be like to direct William Shatner and Adam West in a feature film... "That's right, old chum!"

Anyway, a bunch of gigs you should be aware of in August (check our main site's calendar, and/or your local listings for specifics and rain policies)-- We will be in Orchard Park, Tonawanda (St. Christopher's), and Attica this coming month, as well as making our Annual Pilgrimage to Vizzi's in Kenmore. Come out and see the band, and say "hi" to the wire-y and ever jocular T-Bone Blasting... also, for the folks in-the-know and on-the-list, we will be making our triumphant return to Schrantzfest 2011 in early September.

Things over at The Sonic Vault are going quite well this summer (a new demo, and a new album won't be far behind, at the rate we've been tracking/enjoying the new central air-conditioning in the studio).

Also, Your Mighty No-Stars (along with our friend The Divine Miss Y-- vocalist Yvonne Schmidt) have had a track picked-up by Valleyarm Distribution for an East Coast Blues compilation that will be released on iTunes on August 14th! Look for Absolute New York Blues coming your way soon!

Speaking of Yvonne Schmidt, we have been helping her with a promotional campaign for her new album, Foolproof, and things have been going swimmingly... She has had tracks from the new record broadcast on terrestrial radio stations from Hawaii to New Jersey, and was recently picked-up by the syndicated roots program Blues Deluxe, on 104 stations worldwide! Read the press release below, and Go Yvonne! Look for her name on an upcoming Roots Report Blues Chart; she's a shoe-in!

Cya, God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

===================================================================================

For Immediate Release
7/21/11

Contact:
Gregg Juke at Nocturnal Productions
(716) 696-6758
RhythmGJ@Yahoo.com

Yvonne Schmidt
Wild In Blue Productions
www.YvonneSchmidt.net

Sophomore Blues is Good News for Miss Y; She is now Foolproof

Buffalo’s own Blues and Rockin’ Soul diva Yvonne Schmidt is back with her second solo release, Foolproof, on the Wild In Blue Productions label. Produced by Grammy award-winner Tom Hambridge (Susan Tedeschi, Buddy Guy), and featuring some of Nashville’s finest musicians and songwriters supporting Ms. Schmidt, this ten-track album is the perfect vehicle to showcase Yvonne’s roots-y, but polished vocal style.

Having worked with Hambridge and company on her first album, 2002’s Nothing But Blue, Yvonne was more than ready when it came time to record with Hambridge again. “Tom really knows how to treat an artist. He knows what I need to hear musically to be inspired, he knows how to frame my vocals, and it’s always a pleasure to work with him and his crew. It doesn’t hurt that Nashville is a lot warmer than Buffalo in the winter months!”

Advanced copies of Foolproof that have been sent to press and radio are already causing a stir in the Blues community— an album track has been featured on Blues Deluxe, an internationally syndicated program with millions of listeners; and Buffalo’s own dean of Blues radio DJ’s, Jim Santella, recently played a pre-release copy on his Saturday afternoon show. High-octane vocals, propelled by solid musicianship and quality original material, will excite radio programmers and media pros, as well as listeners looking for new sounds in the Blues, Roots, and Americana genres. Benefiting from a production style gleaned from work with the likes of world-class talent such as Susan Tedeschi and Buddy Guy, Hambridge’s musical settings for “The Divine Miss Y’s” vocal explorations put this collection of songs in a new category—“Must Have Blues.” Another track from the new record, called interestingly enough—“The Right Track,” has also been selected for a digital East Coast Blues compilation that will be distributed by Valleyarm on iTunes. The compilation will be called Absolute New York Blues, and will also feature artists such as Dave Fields, and Buffalo’s own Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars. Valleyarm will be marketing the iTunes compilation worldwide, but will be focusing targeted attention on Australia and the Pacific Rim territories. Absolute New York Blues is scheduled for release on August 1st, 2011. Once Yvonne’s record has been released worldwide, she would like to tour with a crack band behind her. As much as she loves to record, it is the stage that she really calls “home,” musically speaking. She has been a fixture on the Buffalo regional scene since the early 90’s, and having the chance to work with world-class musicians, and bring her own music to Blues fans has been a goal that she has been happy to obtain. In the same category as Janiva Magness, E.G. Kight, and Shemekia Copeland, but definitely in a class all her own, Yvonne Schmidt is here to stay with her sophomore effort, Foolproof, on the Wild In Blue Productions label.

Foolproof is available from Wild In Blue Productions via digital distribution at www.YvonneSchmidt.net, CDBaby.com, iTunes, and most major digital retailers, and at finer record stores worldwide through Super D One-Stop Distribution. Look for Absolute NY Blues from Valleyarm Distribution on iTunes in August 2011. Yvonne is available for radio or print interviews, and promo copies of the CD are available for review. Media needs (interviews, CD’s, hard-copy press kits, etc.), may be directed to Gregg Juke at RhythmGJ@Yahoo.com, or for more information, visit www.YvonneSchmidt.net.

========================================END==========================================

Late Again!

2011-06-25T11:01:00.000-07:00

Hey No-Star Nation,

It's been too long once again. Life's personal challenges, setting-up a new audio and video recording venture, and working on a follow-up record (as well as helping some friends promote their new releases) have taken-up quite a bit of time. Sorry!

News Bulletins:

* The Sonic Vault is ready to go. Website, sound and video, and other goodies pending, but let us know if you're interested in recording services (in-studio or on-location audio and video production)-- brand new central A/C to beat the summer heat!

* Susan, our band manager, has been recovering from some surgery; say a prayer and wish her well for a speedy recovery!

* You can still donate to www.JoelThomasBenefit.com ; we'll have a special project coming up soon that we could really use your help on...

* Due to all of the activities mentioned above, the summer concert schedule has been pretty slow, but we do have a bunch of dates coming in August... For more info, visit the homesite at www.MightyNoStars.com; come on out and see the band, and say hi to our new member, Tony Blasting!

Thanks and C U Soon,

GJ

March 2011--Stay with Us!

2011-03-10T13:09:00.000-08:00

Hey No-Star Nation,

I know it's been awhile (OK, quite awhile) since we've touched base here at the ol' blogspot, kids. Gigs have been pretty slow so far this year, but don't think that means LOTS isn't going on behind the scenes (because it most-definitely is!)... The studio is coming along nicely, and we're almost ready for a little public sneak-preview. Bruce Rounds, Tony Blasting, and Bret Norvilitis have some clinic/mini-lesson videos up on YouTube (check 'em out); look for a slew of videos featuring yours-truly coming soon. And there's more where that came from. We're getting ready for the summer tour, getting the studio ready for a bunch of projects, and we'll (finally) be working on our follow-up album. Plus a few more surprises that we can't discuss just yet.

Some quick news items:

* The studio, formerly known as The Batcave, has a new name. Henceforth, No-Star HQ has been dubbed The Sonic Vault.

* We are still accepting donations for Joel Thomas at JoelThomasBenefit.com , and his book is still available as well. Check back there for more info, as things develop.

* Look for more upcoming gigs, as we expand our performing circuit throughout 2011. Gregg Juke & the Mighty No-Stars will be looking to come to your town in the very near future!

Thanks, God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Holidays 2010!

2010-12-15T18:33:00.000-08:00

Hey No-Star Nation,

I can't believe it's been another year! Another year of shows, another year of rehearsing, recording, writing, negotiating, planning; another year of getting to know many of you!

We were nominated for a Nightlife Music Award this year, but unfortunately, we haven't been able to find out if we have won or not (the awards ceremony was last week, but the winners haven't been posted yet). If anybody has a clue, send us an e-mail, aye?

We recently completed our 6th year as the house band for the "Sounds of Christmas" show presented by Hess Rd. Weslyan Church, and this year we took the show on the road. Another great time, great performances, and wonderful hospitality from all involved-- Thanks.

We are now entering our seventh year as a band. I continue to be blessed to work with amazing, talented, dedicated people. This is definitely the greatest band I've ever been in (and I've been in a lot of bands!). I'd like to thank everybody in the No-Stars' bullpen and office (especially Bruce, Tony, Bret, and Susan) for all they do.

We are making some changes. You're going to be pleased. We're looking forward to a blues-rockin' 2011. There's so much to say, it's hard to know where to begin. Check back often for updates on the band, the new studio, new music, and our expanding gig schedule.

This coming Friday and Saturday, we are at Vizzi's in Kenmore, and the Double Diamond in Ellicottville, respectively. We hope to see you there. If not, have an OUTSTANDING Christmas and New Years, and we hope you had a great Hanukkah!

Onward and Upward in 2011...

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

Alan Parsons, your Mighty No-Stars, and a mini Batcave Update... (and Happy Thanksgiving)

2010-11-24T10:03:00.000-08:00

Last week, Bruce Rounds, our friend Reggie Evans, and myself traveled to Nashville, TN, for the second annual Producer's & Engineers Summit at "Welcome to 1979" recording studio. Welcome to 1979 is an analog recording facility in West Nashville, owned by engineer Chris Mara. Last year I was pleased to make the acquaintance of such accomplished audio professionals as Bob Ohlsson (Nashville mastering engineer, formerly of Motown Records in Detroit) and independent producer and musician Mark Rubel. This year we met an amazing cross-section of audio talent that included folks that have recorded everybody from Led Zeppelin and the Beach Boys, to major contemporary and heritage Country artists. Besides a full weekend of music and recording workshops and a great hang, the kicker this year was a listening party with Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the Moon" in the original quadraphonic version, with an interview/commentary talk afterwards by Alan Parsons himself. Outstanding. We will definitely be back, and I highly recommend this weekend to anybody interested in the production of records.

Regarding The Batcave ("the walk," "the room," " 'Reggie's Place' ,"), we are moving along quite nicely. While we have been rehearsing there for months, Bruce and I have been taking our time with sound treatment, signal routing, and interior design, which has paid-off with a great looking and sounding control room and studio. We are close to a finished product that we will be willing to reveal to the public, so stay-tuned for more news, photos, and videos coming your way.

In gig news, we'll be back down in Ellicottville, NY at the Double Diamond this Friday, November 26th (the day after Thanksgiving). Music starts at 9:30pm, and we hope to see you there! It's been awhile, so we're jazzed to get back on the road for some music-making. It's going to be a great gig.

God Bless, Good Blues, and Happy Thanksgiving,

GJ

Annual Cut & Paste Awards are up again...

2010-10-28T04:13:00.000-07:00

A tiny bit less cut & paste this year, but still mostly cut & paste at the Annual Cut & Paste Awards 2010...

(sigh)

GJ

Joel Fest a Rockin' Success...

2010-09-24T05:51:00.000-07:00

Nocturnal Productions, Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars, Susan Fischer, and the executive committee of the Joel Thomas Benefit Fund would like to thank ALL of the people, businesses, organizations, musicians, and all-around great folks that contributed to Joel Fest through donations of time, money, or both. Thank you for your financial, physical, logistical, emotional, and spiritual support. Thanks for buying tickets and spending money on the raffles and auctions. We had an outstanding time and raised a lot of money!!!!

It was a long time in the planning, and quite a few long days in the making, but it was all worth it. You all made this event successful beyond our wildest dreams, and for that we are truly grateful.

It was really great to see and hear all of the musicians performing at this once-in-a-lifetime concert, and even more gratifying to see a lot more of the music community (even those that weren't performing) come out to support Joel and his fight against ALS.

If you missed Joel Fest, but would like to help with our on-going efforts to create sustainable assistance through the Joel Thomas Benefit Fund, please visit the website at www.JoelThomasBenefit.com . We'd love to hear from you.

Thanks, stay tuned, God Bless & Good Blues,

Gregg Juke

Joel Fest

2010-09-15T10:46:00.000-07:00

Well, Summer went by fast, and we're already into the Fall season. Much is happening, but what's most important to us right now is what's coming up this weekend: Joel Fest in Tonawanda, NY. As many of you may know, our friend Joel needs help, and we have been spending the past 8-9 months planning the benefit party/event of the century. We have a concert with some of WNY's premier musical talent planned, as well as a day of fun, great food, raffles, auctions, fundraisers, and special activities. Joel will also be there, signing copies of his new book, "Creature Comforts."

Please visit http://joelthomasbenefit.com to find out more about Joel Fest, the Joel Thomas Benefit Fund, and how you can help, even if you can't make it to this fantastic show and event.

We hope to see you there!

GJ

Summer Update 2010

2010-07-28T06:54:00.000-07:00

Hey No-Star Nation,

Long-time no-post, so here is a quick update on Your Mighty No-Stars...

Joel is doing well, but remains unable to perform with the band at this time. We have welcomed old friend, talented musician, irrespressible cut-up, and former Bleeding Hearts bassist Tony Blasting into the No-Stars as long-term sub (Tony will be on bass for at least the next year... he's also a fine keyboardist and singer). Say "hi" to Tony on an upcoming gig.

We'll be presenting a benefit for Joel and his family on Sunday, September 19th; watch this space or visit our main website for details. You should also check-out the brand new www.JoelThomasBenefit.com for continuing updates on the event and all-things Joel.

We'll be in Attica tonight (Wednesday, July 28th) at 6:30pm for a town concert. This Sunday at the annual St. Christopher's Summerfest, and on Saturday, August 7th at the Buffalo Blues and Barbecue event at LaSalle Park in Buffalo ( www.buffalobluesnbbq.com ). Check our schedule at www.MightyNoStars.com for the rest of this summer's concert calendar and other upcoming dates.

A recent poster placed this note (see below) in the comments section of the May blog entry. "T Bowen's" suggestions are so spot-on, they bear repeating... And, as one lucky fan recently learned-- always be polite (an SM58 plugged into a modest sound-system will always be louder than the most obnoxious, albeit sans-sound-reinforced heckler). Perhaps we'll ask T Bowen to make some regular commentary here on the blog; something like a guest column... We shall see.

GJ

T Bowen's Comments--

Music listeners etiquette guide

Live performance:

From time to time you may find a live performance too loud for your liking. Among the many options such as finding a quieter club for your conversation, moving farther from the band, or noise reducing earware, is the idea of speaking for everyone with a direct request for lower volume from the band. Some would start with an attention getter ranging from a mild "hey fellas" or "pardon me" to blanket accusations of fornication or other outright profanity. Seasoned musicians suggest the hand clasp and slight bow followed by the two handed motion palms down indicating a request for lowering of volume. This is guaranteed to work every time assuming you own the club or are otherwise involved in the band-paying process. Be that not the case, look for a handy tip jar and indicate your appreciation of the hard work and talent along with a desire for lower volume. (understand your performers have likely been going deaf for some time). Look for more handy live music do's and don'ts right here at Juke the Mighty!

End of May Update

2010-05-26T07:51:00.000-07:00

Hello There, No-Star Nation;

Just a quick update to let you know that things are moving along behind-the-scenes. We have a previously released track that will be included on the upcoming "Jammin' for a Cure" CD to benefit breast cancer research. Also, work on The Batcave Recording Studio is coming along swimmingly; we'll have some new projects to announce here soon.

Joel will continue to take his health sabbatical for the time being; we have hired our old friend Tony Blasting (formerly of the Bleeding Hearts) as a long-term sub on bass, so look for him and say "hey" on our upcoming gigs this summer. We're planning a big benefit concert for Joel and his family this Fall, and we'll certainly keep you all informed.

I've got some more review copy coming out soon in Drum! Magazine, so look for my byline there.

Our condolences go out to former Mighty No-Star and saxophonist Jack Prybylski, who recently lost his mother after a brief illness. Our prayers and thoughts are with you, Jack.

Thanks for your continued support, God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

Reflecting On Important Things We've Lost...

2010-04-11T23:47:00.000-07:00

Chu Nero, Roseanne Perez, Jay Dzina, Rich Schneider, Blues Beat Magazine, The Tap Room.

R.I.P.

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

"R&R"

2010-04-05T07:56:00.000-07:00

Not Rock & Roll, but Rest & Relaxation...

Ha. As if.

While we are currently experiencing some downtime from public appearances, there's a lot going on in the inner sanctum at No-Star Nation HQ. We are booking gigs, working on a new CD, planning a big benefit show (and a wedding), and we have been interviewing/auditioning long-term subs. There are a couple of big announcements that will be made soon, so stay-tuned.

One we can clue you in on is that we are about to experience the fruition of over 20-years of planning and dreaming--The Batcave Recording Studio will be a reality in the very near future. It will be a place to record our future albums and solo projects, produce and present other media ventures in-the-works, a rehearsal space for Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars, and for some very special recording artists that are not in the band, but are definitely part of the Nocturnal Productions/No-Stars family, a place to record future releases with a maximum of soul and vibe, and a minimum of muss, fuss, and budget-busting, eye-popping bills. This will be the spot for those that want to make music, and are ready to move beyond the home studio environs, but are not interested in the big commercial studio headaches. Of course, you'll have to find it first, which means you're either a very special guest, or you're Ras Al Ghul.

Another news flash of interest: Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars have contributed a track to a new benefit compilation CD called "Jammin' for the Cure," featuring many of your favorite Buffalo & WNY Blues artists, with proceeds going towards breast cancer research for a cure and prevention. Check it out at www.wnyblues.org .

More later, keep the faith.

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

Some News...

2010-02-27T23:27:00.000-08:00

We had a great weekend of gigs this past Friday and Saturday, February 26 & 27. On Friday, we were in Medina at the Lee-Whedon Memorial Library. Yes, a library! We've never done that before, and I thought that I'd seen everything. But this is a regular concert venue in the town of Medina, and despite the despicable winter weather, about 100 brave citizens came out to the show and had a great time. On Saturday, we played at Ilio Di Paulo's restuarant in Blasdell, for the annual ABATE engineering party. A good time was had by all. Last week, we were at the annual Griffis Sculpture Park fundraiser and moonlight snowshoe walk in Springville. Great gig, fun people! This weekend, we had our drummer, Bret Norvilitis, on bass, and our former/retired drummer Dr. Bill O'Shea on drums. They both did an outstanding job!!

If you've been following the band for the past several months (since November, actually), or even if you've been reading this blog, you know that we've been without our bass-player of the past six years, and for Bruce and I, our friend of more than 20 years-- Barker Bass endorser Joel Thomas. Joel has needed to take some time off; its been coming for quite awhile, as he has needed a rest, and for the last several months that he played with us, you could see it on his face, if not hear it in his words: "Somebody pack-up my gear and get me out of here; I'm exhausted." He was having trouble playing the instrument that he loved, which was causing him quite a bit of frustration, and now we can tell you why. We wanted to wait until everything was confirmed, and although there is still a margin of error, a recent trip to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota has corroborated the local doctor's initial diagnosis-- ALS (commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease).

Joel is a fighter. We are praying and believing that this is a fight that he can win, and he is being very proactive regarding his treatment and his general health. He has been building muscle and staying in shape. He has even started playing a little bit. But it will most likely be at least a year before he can rejoin the No-Stars. In the meantime, we will not only be supporting Joel, but finding ways to continue to work toward our goals and to entertain as many people, and bring as many new listeners to the Blues, as we can.

We will be planning a major live benefit for Joel and his family in the up-coming months, and several of us are working on a more sustainable model of support, which we will certainly unveil to all of you in the No-Star Nation as soon as we have hammered-out all of the details. In the meantime, your thoughts and prayers are welcomed, and we thank all of you that have offered support, or simply come up to us on gigs and asked "Where's Joel?" or "How is he doing?" It means a lot to him and to us, so thanks again. We will share whatever details that are appropriate, when they are available.

Once again, we thank you all for your support during this difficult time...

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

New Gig and some Important Info.

2010-01-27T20:23:00.000-08:00

Hey No-Star Nation,

How are you? Enjoying the first weeks of 2010?

We have a gig this Friday, the 29th, at Vizzi's. Come on out if you're in the WNY area; it's an intimate setting (read: small but energetic place), with some of the best food in the area (and that's saying something).

OK, time for us to give you a bit of a belated update. Our dear friend and bassist, Joel Thomas, has had to temporarily step-down from the No-Stars due to some health issues... We can't say anymore right now, but we'll keep you informed as soon as we are able. Joel is likely to be away from the bandstand for awhile. We are already missing him, but if you've been to the last couple of gigs, you know that our newest Mighty No-Sub, Frank Reino, is ably holding-down the bottom end. Frank will most likely be filling in on most of the gigs through this winter and into the summer of 2010, so please stop by and say hello, and make him feel welcomed. Again, we'll give you more information on Joel as it becomes available and we are able to do so. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family, and the bass-chair will be kept warm for his return!

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

Christmas and New Years' Reflections, 2009

2009-12-24T08:07:00.000-08:00

Hello All-- Visitors, Members of the No-Star Nation, Friends, and Band-Mates;

We've had our ups and downs, it's been a wild ride, and it's not over yet! Yes people, Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars are six years old (as a band... we usually act at least 7 years old emotionally and intellectually on a daily basis). Our first rehearsal together was in December of 2003! I want to thank Bruce, Joel, Bret, and of course Bill, Greg C, Guy, Paul, Adam, Harry, JJ, and our newest Mighty No-Sub, Frank, for a great six years; I'm really looking forward to many, many more making outstanding music and having the times of our lives. I want to thank all of the other cats who have come through the band in the last six years, we've learned something about music, about you, and about us through our time together. I want to offer an extra-special "thank you" to Susan, who really does work tirelessly to promote and book us, and devotes a lot of her personal time to taking care of the things (y'know, details) that flighty musicians often miss. I need to thank all of our families, for sharing your loved ones and giving of your time to make this music happen. You are on-stage with us wherever we go, and you are in the songs that we write and record, and without gettin' too corny, you are always on our minds. We need to thank all of our friends and supporters who are continually there for us, and who have helped us through some difficult emotional times.

I'd like to thank the Blues Society of WNY for their hard-work in supporting and promoting the scene here in the Buffalo and WNY area. I'd like to thank Bob, our radio promoter, and all of the DJ's, radio stations and programs, and media outlets that have given us exposure over the last few years-- your support is critical and so very appreciated. I'd like to thank Paul at Alt-Brews, Jack Civilletto, Donna Rose, Judd Sunshine, Joanne at Queen City, and Brookes at the Double Diamond in Ellicottville for being early and strong supporters of the band. You gave us, a bunch of "no-stars," a shot, and we'll always be grateful.

I want to thank God for the gift of music, and for giving me such great, talented, and interesting people to be around.

I want to thank my parents for raising me right, and for teaching me to value music, and that I could do whatever I set my mind to.

We need to thank all of the club-owners and promoters for booking the band and working with us all of these years-- we're looking forward to many, many more.

I'd like to thank all of our corporate associates, endorsing partners, local and national music vendors, and our friends at "Drum!" magazine for your help and generous support; we look forward to a continued, mutually-beneficial relationship!

We'd like to thank our friends in other bands in the music scene, both in and out of the Blues genre for your support and the fun we've had together.

We need to thank ALL OF YOU, the members of the No-Star Nation, those of you that come out to see the band, buy CD's and digital downloads, visit the website, call radio stations and request our music, sign-up for our e-mail list, send e-mails of support and encouragement, book us for your private parties, and just generally offer us your good will. Thanks so much; it makes all of the travel and the late night drives and the hours that go into a project like this, worth it.

I'm sure I'm missing lots of people and will be editing this post for days to come, but in this moment of clarity and reflection, I just wanted to thank all of you for the ways you've impacted us and have empowered us to make real music together. Onward & Upward, and looking towards and incredible 2010...

God Bless & Good Blues, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,

GJ

Tuff Enuff...

2009-11-17T20:32:00.000-08:00

...For Sure.

Kim Wilson and the Fabulous Thunderbirds put on a nice show tonight at the Bear's Den in Niagara Falls. Lots of new material with a very young band; Kim was in great voice and his harp work is always spectacular. Bruce, Susan, and I went, and we enjoyed the band and the well-handled sound situation (not too loud, but plenty of lows and high-end sparkle). Also, ticket prices were pretty reasonable, by today's standards, anyway...

Added bonus-- Spotting the Who's Who of Buffalo area Blues musicians, including Joney James, Joe Beard, and members of the Blues Hounds.

It's nice to see another good band play every once in awhile!

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

Nashville Cats...

2009-11-17T04:26:00.000-08:00

...Apparently do play "clean as country water" and "wild as mountain dew." After a rough week and a crazy start to the weekend (a late night gig at Vizzi's on Friday), I took off for Nashville, Tennessee, oblivious to the Bills' presence; I was there all weekend for a conference put on by Chris Mara and his associates at a relatively new studio down there called Welcome to 1979. Wto79 specializes in retro-style recording (2" analog, lots of vintage tube gear and instruments, and a healthy respect for "live" off-the-floor recording). The conference (called the Producers and Engineers Summit) featured a whole weekend's worth of break-out sessions, clinincs and panels on everything from DIY and vintage gear and "found sounds" to basic music business savvy and two live-to-two-track recording sessions (Saturday night's recording group was the Justin Kaulk Orchestra-- check them out on the web; very cool!).

All of the presenters were top-notch pros (engineers, producers, mastering engineers, musicians, and a major mic company rep), and I did enjoy the whole thing (as much as I could on 35 hours with no sleep), but two of my high-lights were meeting Mark Rubel, a producer from Illinois who shares my passion for whacked-out found sounds and vintage lo-fi noise-makers, and meeting and listening to Bob Ohlson, an engineer/producer/mastering engineer with a storied career that started with him as a 17-year old assistant engineer at the legendary Motown/Hitsville studio in Detroit.

If you're into any of this stuff at all, it would be a great idea to get down there next year and attend this event. Just make sure you don't have a gig the night before...

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

A light went out over Niagara Falls...

2009-11-13T16:58:00.000-08:00

...Or at least it should have. That would have been a humble representation of the light that went out this week, one of Western New York's premier musicians, Niagara Fall's own Chu Nero.

Chu distinguished himself over the past four decades as an example of the finest that the Buffalo/WNY area has produced-- a singer, songwriter, sideman, bandleader, pianist, and saxophonist unparalleled in ability and enthusiasm, and as a stage presence, always humbly entertaining. Chu's roots, and perhaps his heart, were in Jazz music, in which he excelled, but he also played the Blues (for the last several years with partner-in-melody Tommy Z), Rock and Pop, Gospel, and Contemporary Christian music, all with an unmistakeable sound and incredible flair. His considerable chops were always in service of the music, and the soul of the moment, never over-used or over-the-top. I had the pleasure of playing and recording with Chu on a number of occassions over the years, and I was always blown-away by his talent and musical humility.

Chu distinguished himself over the decades outside of the music business and the dimly-lit stage-- many do not know of his humanitarian efforts and his attempts to bring the Gospel to life for disadvantaged people throughout the Western New York area. Chu was involved in prison ministry for many years, at times at great expense to himself and his family.

Chu made mistakes, just like the rest of us, and it was hard to find out that a "hero" (in this case, one of mine), was in reality a human just like the rest of us-- clay feet and all. There was a time when we were pretty close friends. Sometimes friends drift apart for different reasons, sometimes maybe people were only meant to come together for a short time. But I have great memories of gigs together, sharing family times with his wife and kids, and of a few times where I might not have made it through without the support of someone who understood. That someone was Chu.

He is survived by the mother of his children, and a true saint, Mary Nero, and his sons Judah and Solomon, and his daughter Julia.

Godspeed Brother, and Straight Ahead.

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

Early November Update

2009-11-06T19:51:00.000-08:00

Hey No-Star Nation;

A few early-November items for you:

1) A couple of important benefit performances are happening in the next few weeks, and we'd love to see those of you that are in the Buffalo/WNY area come out and support these causes.

The first is a fundraiser being put on by our friend and master jazz drummer, Dan Hull, this coming Tuesday night, 11/10 at the new Bobby McGee's (the old Dakota Grill) on Maple Road in Amherst. Danny has been running his weekly star-studded jazz jam session for over 10 years now, and this week's performance's proceeds and any in-coming donations will be to benefit our old aquaintance, and Tommy Z sideman Chu Nero (Blues, Jazz, and Gospel saxophonist, keyboardist, and vocalist extraordinaire). Chu has been battling cancer, is currently undergoing more treatment, and has had to virtually stop working in order to concentrate all of his strength on his fight. Let's face it folks-- full-time musicians don't have a lot in the way of safety nets in this day and age, and Chu has a lot of mounting medical bills as well as daily practical needs to take care of. Chu has been a blessing to many folks through his music for many years; hopefully, we can give some of that back to him in support. Tuesday night at the new Bobby McGee's, at 7:00pm.

Bruce and I will be playing a benefit for a dear friend, vocalist Roseanne Perez, on Sunday the 29th of November in South Buffalo (check your No-Star Update E-mails and our website schedule for upcoming details). Roseanne has been fighting a similar battle as Chu's-- she has been unable to sing or work a day job for months, due to extensive (and expensive!) chemo and radiation treatments. Fortunately for Roseanne, she has some pretty talented friends... Performers at the benefit (besides yours truly and Bruce Rounds) will include Donna Rose, Dolly D, Big Wheelie, Sam Gaurino, Nick Veltrie, Sam Gambino, Jack Civiletto, and many more. Tickets are only $25, and this is going to be quite a show. Stay tuned for more details, and e-mail us directly (Gregg@MightyNoStars.com) if you don't think you can attend, but would still like to make a financial contribution...

2) Look for my byline in this month's issue of Drum! Magazine (issue #162); my debut with the publication as a product reviewer is a feature on the new line of Meinl frame drums, for those of you in a percussive frame of mind (pun intended). Coming soon in an upcoming issue, a review of some very hip, hand-made/boutique djembes and congas from a company called DrumSkull Drums.

3) The band has been laying low lately, dealing with rehearsals and pre-production for our next CD, getting ready for upcoming Christmas shows, and the like. But we've got a gig at Vizzi's next week, Friday the 13th of November. Be there or be extremely square. Vizzi's is always a fun gig (especially if you like sirens). We hope to see you in the crowd (maybe you'll get to dance with Ralph!).

4) Speaking of laying low; not so much! Almost immediately following the gig on Friday, I'm flying down to Nashville for the weekend for a record producer's/engineer's summit at a new retro/analog recording studio called Welcome to 1979. Producers and engineers who have worked with major names in Rock, Pop, R&B, Indie, and yes, of course Country will be there to share experience, tools, and tricks of the trade. We're doing a recording session with a local band on Saturday night (reminds me of the old joke-- How many producers does it take to make the recording session happen? I don't know; what do you think?), and Telefunken is bringing a bunch of microphones that I'll never be able to afford. Sweet! Hopefully, we'll have pictures, annecdotes, and the full skinny for you up on the website when I get back.

Thanks for your attention, and we'll see you at a gig soon.

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

THE ANNUAL CUT & PASTE AWARDS!!!!!!!!

2009-10-19T03:40:00.000-07:00

Cut & Paste here:

http://www.bestofwny.com/bma2009/public/survey.php?name=2009_bma

GJ

End of Summer Update 2009

2009-08-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

Hey There, No-Star Nation;

We had a great time on the Summer Tour '09! We played "Blues In The Valley" again in Warsaw, NY. We will play that show every year they ask us, honest. One of the best-run events we've had the pleasure to be involved with, and we really enjoyed the other acts on the bill this year (big-ups to The Todd Eberwine Band and the Junkyard Dogs). We also had a great time in Attica, Orchard Park (thanks again for all your help, Don from the Boys of Summer), Boston, Hamburg, at St. Christopher's (the Spirit Ride and the Summerfest this year), the Wild & Blue Outdoor Festival, a new event in Farmersville called the Smokey Bones Music Festival, the Genesee County Fair, and of course at the Double Diamond in Ellicottville and at Joanne's Queen City Grille in Tonawanda. We also thoroughly enjoyed a few multi-band shows we played this past Spring (Jimmy's Jam and the Blues in March event). Thanks to all the fans, event promoters, and our supporters in the Blues Society of WNY for making this a great season of live shows for us! And many, many thanks to our agent and den-mother in-residence, Susan Fischer for her un-ending assistance and energy in the cause of all things Mighty and No-Star...

Don't forget, the upcoming WBFO Blues CD will feature an advance version of one of the tracks on our forthcoming second album ("Memories of Rage" by Bruce Rounds).

A new news-item from the No-Stars' press office-- I'll be writing some reviews and articles for the very popular percussion-oriented publication, Drum! Magazine, so watch for the Gregg Juke byline in an issue coming your way soon!

Once again, it's time for a little R&R (rest and relaxation, in this case). We'll take a little time off to recouperate and regroup and catch a little Summer vacation before getting back on the old "Jetson's treadmill." We're playing a private event in early September, and we've got some Fall dates scheduled at a few of our favorite local venues, but we're planning on taking time over the next several months to get a lot more work done on our upcoming sophomore CD release before the holiday season (it'll be here before you know it, folks).

In the meantime, we hope you really enjoy the rest of your summer; we'll be back at'cha and on stage in no time. Thanks again to all the members of the No-Star Nation for your unwavering support.

Until then-- God Bless & Good Blues...

GJ

LT, NP...

2009-07-10T04:11:00.000-07:00

...Which stands for Long Time, No Post; I know. Sorry. Lots happening. We have begun work on our next album, but due to outside constraints have had to push-back the release date. Rest assured it will be killer, and we'll let you know when it's ready. In the meantime, there are still a few copies left of "Blues Power," so pick 'em up while you can! CDBaby is temporarily out-of-stock, but you can get a copy from the home website (http://www.mightynostars.com/) or get the whole album or individual tracks through iTunes, Amazon.com, or a host of other digital on-line retailers. We have a lot of new t-shirts available, which can be purchased from the site or at a live show. You can also get a copy of "WBFO Gives Me The Blues, Volume VII" at the wbfo.org website; the new disc features a track by Bruce Rounds that will appear on our forthcoming new disc ("Memories of Rage").

July and August feature a pretty full concert/live gig schedule, so come out and see the band.

There's a bunch of stuff (tunes, shows, plans) in-the-works, so more info is on the way. Until then, and as always, God Bless & Good Blues, and enjoy your summer!

GJ

"Blues News Youse Can Use..."

2008-11-03T11:36:00.000-08:00

Look. It's been several years now, and I've never used a corny two-bit Title Headline like that before. Gimme a break. This blogging stuff ain't easy...

Anyway, here is some legitimate Mighty No-Star News for ya:

* New Endorsement Deal-- Our favorite guitarist, Your Mighty No-Stars' Bruce Rounds, has inked an endorsement deal with Carr Amplifiers. Very cool, very hip hand-wired boutique amps used by many top stage and studio players, and a lot of the younger generation of up-an-coming musicians (Neko Case, for instance). Check them out on-line, and check Bruce's new amp out at an upcoming gig.

* New Website-- I know, I know, we've made this promise before, and to be fair to us, we've made quite a few upgrades and changes to our home site over the last couple of years, but this is BIG! I'm not talking little tweaks here. We will be sending out press releases soon about Bruce's new endorsement deal and our "Grand Re-Opening" at www.MightyNoStars.com, but suffice it to say that Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars on-line have never looked better. We have lots of new photos, info, and cool features coming your way. We're still under construction until further notice, but you can take a sneak-peek at what we're up to by clicking here: www.MightyNoStars.com.

* Contest & Awards-- Congratulations to Mighty No-Sub J.J. Moscato, lead singer and crack keyboardist for J.J. Moscato and Blue Avenue, who will be representing Buffalo/WNY in the solo/duo competition at the International Blues Challenge this year (along with our old friend Reggie Evans). Great Job guys (it's great to see when one of these things turns out right). Congratulations also goes to a great group, the Todd Eberwine Band, who will represent Buffalo/WNY in the band division. Here's to WNY showing our stuff in Memphis. Go get 'em, boys...

* World Record-- Our drummer, Bret Norvilitis and I spent the afternoon Sunday helping about 150 drummers locally, and who knows how many (totals aren't in yet) Nationwide, in breaking the Guiness Book of World Records record for "Most Drummers Playing the Same Beat at One Time" on a rousing version of "Louie Louie" that lasted over five minutes, followed by some percussion-crazy rock chestnuts from the 60's. This was a great event sponsored by Buffalo Drum Outlet. We'll have a story and pictures up at the home site as soon as we can. In the words of one semi-retired drummer (me), this event was "insane."

* Upcoming Gigs-- Gregg Juke & the Mighty No-Stars will be at Vizzi's in Buffalo, and at the Double Diamond in Ellicottville in November (check our website schedule, or your local listings for more info). Also, 'tis the season, so we'll have information on lots of upcoming Christmas shows for you soon. We're still waiting to find out who will be on the upcoming "WBFO Gives Me The Blues, Vol. VI," but as soon as we know, we'll let you know too.

Until next time, as always-- God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

A Real Award Members of the No-Star Nation can vote for...

2008-10-19T16:51:00.000-07:00

Just a note to let you all know that we are up for a spot on the new WBFO Blues compilation CD, "WBFO Gives Me The Blues, Vol. VI," available soon from WBFO and Digital Chips Records.

To vote for our song, "Battle Ax," go to: https://www.wbfo.org/blues/bluestracks.php3 , hi-lite our song, add your name and e-mail, and click. That's it. You can vote as often as you wish, provided that you have seperate e-mail addresses for each vote (in other words, you can vote once for each e-mail address you own).

Thanks for your help, and we'll see you at a gig soon!

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

Ringo and Cut & Paste

2008-10-17T08:35:00.000-07:00

Hey No-Star Nation;

Two Items--

1) We were the first (or at least we should have been) to establish that we will be accepting all of Ringo's fan mail after October 20th. Disregard the posers and imposters-- SEND IT TO US!!!! (But please follow the instructions provided-- see post below)

2) The Annual Cut & Paste Awards are swiftly approaching.
Cut & Paste here...http://bestofwny.com/bma/index.php?sid=3

GJ

News Flash-- Joint Announcement from Ringo Starr and Your Mighty No-Stars

2008-10-16T03:55:00.000-07:00

Dear No-Star Nation and Beatles Fans Worldwide;

Ringo Starr recently announced that he will not be accepting anything to sign, nor any fan-mail whatsoever, after October 20th, 2008. This is understandable, in light of Ringo's intense schedule, and his 45-or-so-year commitment to fans and fan-mail (just watch "Hard Day's Night," if you don't believe us... Shake used to lock the boys in their hotel room until all of the fan letters where answered properly, often causing writer's cramp, and forcing the Fab Four to seek entertainment, and some kind of break from the fan-mail doledrums through protracted episodes of sneakin' out the window to cause mischief and mayhem on an unsuspecting public, ad executives, and various type-A television directors). Ringo is tired, and wants to enjoy his retirement, and perhaps a nice hang on the Riviera with Mark Hudson and other cool guys that can afford that sort of thing. Which again, is completely understandable.

But it does leave Beatles fans in a bit of a pickle. Ringo-- the down-to-earth, accessible, "Peace & Luv," really cool Beatle, suddenly cut-off from the masses of fans and swindling e-bay memorabilia peddlers that have come to know and love him for signing just about anything sent to him (I guess).

So we've put our heads together, and come up with a solution that we think will be win-win-win, for everybody except the swindling memorabilia peddlers... What's the answer to this conundrum, you might ask?

Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars will, after midnight on October 20th, 2008, accept all fan-mail that would have gone to Ringo. Simply take any mail or packages (including cards, letters, brownies, large boxes of tribute cash) that were going to go to any of Ringo's various country estates or castles for processing, replace the phrases "Ringo, we love you!" with things like "Mighty No-Stars Forever!" or one of my personal favorites-- "Gregg, you are incredibly outstanding in every way!"; and mail them to us instead. We will also take the liberty to initialize
on all servers worldwide a new program that our organization has had written expressly for the situation, "Grab Ringo's E-Mail 2.0," whereby all of your fan e-mail that would have gone to Ringo will now be sent to us. Again, please change all adoring phraseology from old economy
genuflections such as "Ringo, oh my Ringo!" to something more appropriate to the current reality, perhaps something like "Bret, you are awesome," or "Joel, you are a marvelous hunter," or simply "Gregg, we love you-- here is the password to our numbered Swiss account."

Bruce will have his own fan-mail account. And a line of tabletop bobble-head dolls. More on that later...

So, Never Mind The Bullocks, Here's Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars! Keep those cards, letters, and packages coming.

It was the least we could do, considering that we both have Star(r) in our name.

The way we see it, we have 45 or so years before we have to pass all of this on to some other band...

GJ

Last Summer Update for 2008...

2008-08-14T05:30:00.000-07:00

Wow. That went by fast (as always). We've had a great summer, and a particularly hectic couple of weeks.

We had an excellent time in Attica last week; thanks again to everybody there for making us feel at home. The Double Diamond on Friday night was, as usual, a great place to play with a lively crowd and some great dancers. We hope the rest of the "Taste of Ellicottville" festival went just as well on Saturday.

Saturday afternoon, we played at an incredible show called "Blues in the Valley" in Warsaw, NY. What a blast! We play quite a bit of festivals, multi-band music events, lawn fetes, town concerts, benefits, etc.; and I have personally played throughout the WNY region, the East Coast, and in Canada, and I have never performed at a more well-organized, artist-friendly event. The staff and volunteers were friendly and helpful, hospitality was excellent (great food), the staging and sound were pro, band parking and load-in and out were well thought out, the audience and the bands were completely covered from the elements, the talent line-up was great, and speaking of audiences, the crowd was very polite but enthusiastic, with some great dancers (and some great listeners). And did we mention the weather was beautiful, and it's all for charity?

Thanks to everybody at "Blues in the Valley," we sure hope we get the opportunity to play for ya'll again!

The "Blues in the Valley" concert marked our last official gig with Greg "GC" Connell, our crack saxophonist of the past several years. GC is moving down south to pursue an academic career, but we'll stay in touch, and we plan to have him as a special guest on our next album, which is due out in '09 and is currently in the pre-production stage. Thanks for everything GC; the No-Star Nation wishes you well and Godspeed...

We're going to take a few weeks off for our own bit of summer R&R/vacation, but we'll be back-atcha in September with a new stream-lined roster, more new tunes, and some surprises.

Until then, God Bless & Good Blues, and enjoy the rest of the summer!

GJ

Summer Update Number Two

2008-08-04T06:31:00.000-07:00

Hi again No-Star Nation peeps;

Just a few items:

1) St. Chris' SummerFest was a blast! We always have a good time, but this was definitely one for the books. The dance contest was a smashing success, with some great swing/jump blues dancers, and even a costumed hip-hop act. Fun, prizes, a great band; what more can you ask for? We'll be doing that again, so stay-tuned for details...

2) Joel, Bruce, Tracy (Joel's wife) and I had the opportunity to play with world-renowned Bluesman, Muscle Schoals recording musician, and CCM artist Will McFarland in Houghton, NY on Tuesday. I got to play drums, because our man Bret was busy. This event was billed as a "pro jam session," and I was really surprised at the relatively low turnout, but those that were in the audience were treated to something really special. Will is a great vocalist, guitarist, and nice guy, and his wife Janet is no slouch in the vocal department either. We had a great time, and it was really fun to watch Bruce trade licks with Will. I hope we get to do it again!

3) I also had an opportunity to play drums with the Patti Parks band up in Canada on Sunday. A good time was had by all at Crystal Beach. Thanks Patti, Guy, and company.

4) We'll be in Ellicottville this Friday at the Double Diamond for the "Taste of Ellicottville" Festival. Also, at "Blues in the Valley" in Warsaw, NY on Saturday. Come out and see (and hear, of course) some great music, support some good causes, and enjoy the festival summer scene here in New York State. The season is all-too-brief, so get it while it lasts...

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

Summer Update

2008-07-29T06:06:00.000-07:00

Hey No-Star Nation,

Hope you're having a great summer. We are enjoying ourselves, both on and off stage, although it's been a little rainier than expected the last few weeks...

More live Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars action coming your way. A few items of note:

1) We are back on the Roots Report Chart for the month of July... Last week and this week on the New York State radio chart for most-played roots music-- the state charts are not "Blues-only," but include all roots genres like folk, roots rock/Americana, country, etc. We were listed with acts like Donna The Buffalo, Albert Castiglia, The Holmes Brothers, John Mayer, Popa Chubby, and Steve Earle-- heady company. So now we've been on the national/international Blues chart (back in May), as well as the New York State roots chart! Pretty cool! Keep calling those radio stations and requesting Mighty No-Star music...

2) Bruce, Joel, and I will be playing in Houghton tonight with Christian music artist and Bonnie Raitt guitar player Will McFarland. Stop by the Houghton campus if you're in the area.

3) Upcoming gigs-- St. Christopher's SummerFest (the big dance contest!), Blues in the Valley (Warsaw Blues festival with Maria Aurigema, Mick Hayes, and a bunch more cool acts), Attica (town concert), our triumphant return to the Double Diamond in Ellicottville (for the "Taste of Ellicottville" celebration), and more. Check out the schedule at the website or in your local listings, sign-up for the e-mail list, and we'll see you at an upcoming show!

4) We'll try to get the updated radio list up soon; too much to do, too little time, with more radio stations continuing to pick up "Blues Power" (we are now on the air in Italy!).

5) GC, our sax-player for the last several years, will be moving to the Carolinas (a sunnier clime), so come out and see him before September...

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

Brief Blues Update

2008-06-10T07:37:00.000-07:00

Hey No-Star Nation Peeps,

Just a quick "what up?" from Your Mighty No-Stars. We are on a brief gig sabbatical (but never a musical vacation!), as we are rehearsing new originals for upcoming shows and our next CD, while we are also learning some more jump blues/swing material for the big dance contest in August (visit www.MightyNoStars.com and check the schedule for details). We're also taking care of business (TCB), after the flurry of activity over the last several weeks and months-- read the last bunch of posts to catch up.

A few items of note:

* The SuperJam was a great time; we enjoyed seeing everybody, watching the other acts, and catching-up with old friends. Hopefully we'll see you there next year.

* Radio stations around the country continue to add "Blues Power" to their playlists and rotation. An upcoming, updated list will appear right here at this blog soon (we originally intended to update the list at the main website, but the blog is actually a lot easier to get to on a frequent basis, so watch this space for a current list of media additions).

* Our main website is getting another update with some hip content. Stay tuned for news, more videos, photos, downloads, etc., etc. Coming Soon!

* For those of you that have been members of the No-Star Nation for several years, you may remember Red, father-in-law to our founding drummer (and now webmaster) Bill. Red passed away recently, which saddened us, but as we celebrated his life with Dr. Bill and his family, our spirits were lifted thinking of Red (who was 88?) cutting a rug with any woman (generally at least 40 years younger, if not more) game enough to punch his dance card at one of our many gigs over the last four or five years... Red was the life of the party at many Mighty No-Star events, and will be sorely missed. Our thoughts and prayers go with his family...

We'll see you soon, and please keep calling those radio stations and requesting music from Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars.

In the meantime, God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

Blues Deluxe, SuperJam, and Memorial Day...

2008-05-26T08:25:00.000-07:00

Hey No-Star Nation,

Just a reminder that we'll be featured on "Blues Deluxe," this coming week (May 25-31) with David Fusco. Blues Deluxe is an internationally syndicated program on 106 stations worldwide, plus internet streaming/podcasting, with over 2 million listeners! Thanks David... You can find the stations that run the show at www.bluesdeluxe.com.

Also, for those of you in the WNY area, check out this month's "Blues Beat" magazine; Sharon Schneider gave us a really nice review. Thanks Sharon and Rich.

Also, check us out at the "SuperJam" event on Sunday, June 1st (details at www.wnyblues.org)... We're looking forward to good weather and great music!

Set politics aside today. If you live in the U.S., and are enjoying the freedoms that we all-too-often take for granted, Thank A Veteran!

Happy Memorial Day, God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

Spirit of Radio

2008-05-15T12:23:00.000-07:00

"One likes to believe in the freedom of Music..."

Well, here you go. A current "On The Air" list of worldwide terrestrial and internet radio stations, podcasts, networks, and syndicated programs where you can hear (and request!) music from your favorite band and ours-- Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars.

We'll be adding this list to our home website in the very near future, and updating it there from now on.

More being added as we speak...

Gregg Juke & The Mighty No Stars: "On The Air"

* KTEP 88.5 FM, El Paso, Texas, http://www.ktep.org/

* WPKN/WPKM 89.5 FM, Bridgeport, Connecticut

* WVOF FM, Connecticut

* WRUW 91.1 FM, Cleveland, Ohio, http://www.wruw.org/

* WUCF, 89.9 FM, Orlando, Florida, http://www.smokestacklightnin.com/

* WYAV, Myrtle Beach, SC

* WNTI 91.9 FM/wnti.org, Hackettstown NJ, myspace.com/rockitscienceblues

* WKZE, NY/CT

* KMXT 100.1 FM, Kodiak, Alaska

* KMSU 89.7 FM, KMSK 91.3 FM, Mankato and Austin Minnesota, “The Maverick Radio Network,” http://www.kmsu.org/

* KMFB 92.7 FM / 96.7 FM , FM 100.5 KTDE, Willits, CA,
http://www.lestarr.com/, http://www.kmfb-fm.com/, http://www.ktde.com/

* WWCU FM Power 90.5, Cullowhee, NC, http://www.wwcufm.com/

* KZUM 89.3 FM, Lincoln, Nebraska http://www.kzum.org/, http://www.highwayblues.org/

* KHEN 106.9 FM, Salida, Colorado www.khen.org

* WICN, 90.5 FM, Worcester, Mass. www.wicn.org

* “Blues Deluxe,” http://www.bluesdeluxe.com/

* Radio ZRO, 106.2 FM, and Radio Goud, 107.7 FM, Belgium, www.hogtown.be/weblog

* WebRadio Golden Flash

* Uptown Jazz Network

* WBFO, Buffalo, NY

* WJJL AM, Niagara Falls, NY

* The Lake 107.7 FM, Buffalo, NY

* WGR 55 AM, Buffalo, NY

* WIUT FM, Canada

* “Blues & Friends, Netherlands

* Osnabruecker Radio, Germany

* “Hambone’s Blues Rumshack,” Scotland

* “A World of Blues,” Colorado

* http://www.bluepower.com/

* http://www.chicagobluesman.com/

"Have you seen the charts?"

2008-05-11T04:53:00.000-07:00

Roots Music Report International Blues Chart: Top-50 (#36), May 2008...

Woo-Hoooo!!!!

Thanks so much to all of the radio and music press that have supported us.

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

Blues Deluxe

2008-05-09T04:02:00.000-07:00

Along with all of the acclaim and airplay (see entry below), we just found out that we will be featured on "Blues Deluxe"with David Fusco, an internationally syndicated radio program that is heard on 106 broadcast stations in the US, Canada, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, and the Virgin and Mariana Islands, plus internet replay at http://www.bluesdeluxe.com/, along with other internet portals.

The combined total listenership for these stations is 2, 243, 950.

That's what I call market-share.

Thanks David, and thanks to all of the radio and press people that have gotten behind Blues Power in the last several weeks! We are overwhelmed with excitement and gratitude...

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

April Showers Bring International Airplay...

2008-04-28T22:21:00.000-07:00

Well, time for another update.

The long and the short of it; our CD, "Blues Power," is on a roll, and we are picking up stations all over the country and all over the world. A new media page with links will be coming soon to the home website, along with a long-promised overhaul (http://www.mightynostars.com/), but suffice it to say that we are getting airplay in Texas, Colorado, New Jersey, Connecticut, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alaska, Minnesota, California, Florida, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and Scotland. We have also been reviewed and/or played on several international Blues websites, and reviews are coming out next month in two French magazines that cover Blues and roots music-- "Blues," and "Le Cri du Coyot" ("The Cry of the Coyote").

I was blessed to be a part of a really fun gig at Buffalo's Tralfamadore Cafe last Friday, April 25th (see photo above). I was invited to sing and play some harp with Van Taylor's world-travelling jazz/funk/soul/r&b roadshow, Taylor Made Jazz. The band has toured the world several times over, and has been in existence, in one form or another, for (get this) 21 years! The show at the Tralf was both a benefit for some great charities helping inner-city youth, as well as an anniversary party to end all anniversary parties. A great cross-section of talent from the group's storied 21-year history was featured, and, thanks to my dual role as both the original drummer for the band, and the guy who actually booked the first paying gig (!), I got to sing with this dynamite outfit. Check them out sometime (when they're in town, and Your Mighty No-Stars aren't playing)...

More to come! Our promotional blitz is just gearing up, so watch for more news, media coverage, and radio additions, and please call your local stations and Blues DJ's and request music from Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars.

For an overall update on what's happening, here are a few items from our MySpace page, including a re-cap of some of this past year's major events:

* We were named one of the Top-10 independent Blues recording acts in the World by the Blues Foundation in Memphis, TN. We also made Real Blues magazine's Top-100 new artists. We are getting a lot of "action" overseas, and have recently started a major domestic media/radio campaign, so expect to be hearing a lot more from Your Mighty No-Stars!

* We will be appearing on another WBFO compilation CD ("WBFO Gives Me The Blues, Vol. V")...

* We are starting to get into pre (pre) production for the next CD...

* Another major website overhaul is in the works...

* We are gearing-up for a great summer season of shows!

* We are now a 5-piece, with yours truly handling the keyboard duties...

* Bruce, Joel, and also Bret (our new drummer!) have endorsement deals (check out the story at our home website)...

* Our CD ("Blues Power") is now available (in physical form as well as through digital distribution) at http://www.mightynostars.com/, CDBaby.com, CD-Now, iTunes, Rhapsody, PayPlay, Napster, BuyMusic, CD-Connection, Emusic, MusicMatch, MusicNet, Amazon.com, iTunes/Yahoo Japan, and at finer record stores worldwide through Super D One-Stop Distribution...

* Bruce's (our guitarist's) new website is up and running-- check it out!! http://www.brucerounds.com/...

Anyway, that's all for now, but check back again.

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

"WBFO Gives Me The Blues, Vol.V"...

2008-03-26T18:53:00.000-07:00

...will feature another cut from Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars! "No Parasol," from the award-winning album Blues Power, will appear on the upcoming WBFO compilation. Call or e-mail WBFO 88.7 FM to request Mighty No-Stars' music, and listen to the Blues on WBFO or check out http://www.wbfo.org/ for information on how to get your copy of the CD.

Excelsior!

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

Woh!

2008-03-06T10:38:00.000-08:00

So much happening right now, it's hard to keep up!

Your Mighty No-Stars had a very successful showcase, were recently featured on WBFO's "Buffalo Avenues," are generating a lot of press and excitement overseas, are signing more endorsement deals, booking more gigs and public appearances, and are about to sign with a publicist that is going to help us crack the domestic Blues market in a major way!

By the way, we were recently named to Real Blues magazine's upcoming "Top-100 New CD's" list!!!!

We also still have a major website update and a few surprises "in store," (nudge-nudge), so stay tuned for more info soon!

GJ

Long Time No Post (Again)

2008-02-14T13:38:00.000-08:00

Hey No-Star Nation;

Sorry it's been so long since our last update. We've had a whirlwind of activity since we made the
Top-10! (In case you haven't heard, we were listed as one of the Top-10 independent Blues recording acts for 2007/2008 by the Blues Foundation in Memphis, TN, at this year's International Blues Challenge).

Anyway, we'll have a proper update with all kinds of info coming soon. In the meantime, we'd love to see you at an upcoming show! Watch this site, our home website
(www.MightyNoStars.com), or our MySpace page for news and information. Call WBFO FM 88.7 and The Lake 107.7 and request music from Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars... We have been getting all kinds of action and inquiry on the band from all over the world (France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, and across the U.S.), but we still need to raise awareness locally and regionally, and you can help!

Thanks for your support, God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

Top-10 in the World!!!!

2007-12-15T02:47:00.000-08:00

Hey Yo,

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year (a little early, I know).

We in the Mighty No-Stars' organization and those of us in the Nocturnal Productions office have been blown-away by the recent news that our album, "Blues Power," is in the Top-10 independent Blues CD's in the world! (According to the Blues Foundation in Memphis, TN).

Unbelievable! Lots of cool stuff happening, but if you want to follow our meteoric rise to international superstardom, here's the press release to at least get you started (see below).

God Bless, Good Blues, and Merry Christmas,

GJ

==================================================================

Musical Triple-Threat and The World Top-10:
The “Power of Three” continues for Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars

More awards, TV, and radio coverage-- The old adage that “good things come in threes” continues to ring true, as three new events involving Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars show:

After being selected as the local/regional winner of the Blues Society of WNY’s 2007 “Best Self-Produced CD” contest at this year’s “Memphis Bound” competition, Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars’ debut album, “Blues Power,” has been named one of the Top-10 independent Blues CD’s in the world by the Blues Foundation, in Memphis Tennessee, as part of this year’s International Blues Challenge. Entries from all over the U.S. as well as from France, Switzerland, and Australia were narrowed down to the Top-10. These albums will compete for the number one spot, which will be announced at the IBC Finals in Memphis in January, 2008. The IBC (International Blues Challenge) is the premier independent/unsigned Blues artist competition in the world, and features live performances and recording acts from all over the globe and across the United States. Judges for the initial round of the “Best Self-Produced CD” competition included radio personalities from across North America. The Mighty No-Stars will be representing Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, and the entire Western New York/Niagara Region in this prestigious event. Representing the WNY area in the live competition will be Rochester’s own “Blues Hounds.” Watch for more info on the IBC (held from January 31-February 2, 2008) in your local news, on the World-Wide Web, and at www.Blues.Org/IBC, the official site of the International Blues Challenge.

Upon receiving the news, Gregg commented that “Being named as having one of the Top-10 independent CD’s in the world is a great honor, not only because of the incredible competition, but also because of the great reputation that the Blues Foundation and the IBC have. This is far beyond any local or regional awards in scope, and we are truly blessed to be in such heavy company!”

Concurrently, Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars have been receiving some more media attention of late. The band will be featured on an upcoming podcast called “Hambone’s Blues Rumshack,” hosted by James Carlyle in Scotland. The radio jingle that Gregg and Bruce wrote and recorded for Bob Weaver Motorsports and Marine last year is also in rotation on local television in Buffalo, NY, for the Holiday Season.

In other No-Star News, Gregg Juke recently spent some time with one of the acknowledged elder statesmen and masters of the Blues, Charlie Musselwhite, who took time out from his busy schedule to talk with Gregg over the phone, and the contents of that interview appear in-print at the Blues Society of WNY’s website (www.WNYBlues.org), which is now averaging approximately 1,000 hits per day. A special audio version of the interview, along with music from Charlie Musselwhite’s latest major label CD, “Delta Hardware,” will be broadcast on an upcoming episode of the Saturday afternoon Blues program with host Jim Santella, on WBFO FM in Buffalo, New York. This will be followed by a podcast release of the entire interview at Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars’ official website (www.MightyNoStars.com). Check the web and listen to the radio program to hear words of wisdom and some great music from Charlie Musselwhite, brought to you by Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars and Nocturnal Productions.

Mighty No-Stars’ guitarist Bruce Rounds and bassist Joel Thomas have signed endorsement deals with First Act Guitars and Barker Basses, respectively. Listen for their new instruments on up-coming recordings by Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars. Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars are an original Blues, Roots, Soul, and R&B act from Amherst, New York. Their new album, "Blues Power," is available on Blue Buffalo Records. Visit them on the World-Wide Web at www.MightyNoStars.com, view their electronic press kit at www.Sonicbids.com/GreggJukeMightyNoStars, or contact Gregg Juke or Susan Fischer at Nocturnal Productions for more information--Gregg@MightyNoStars.com, or MightyNoStars@roadrunner.com.

Too Much Tryptophan Blues...

2007-11-21T05:38:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving from Your Mighty No-Stars!

Lots of news since we were last in the blogosphere:

1) We hired a new drummer! His name is Bret Norvilitis, he's a prince of a guy and a great drummer. We'll be getting more info out on him in future installments here, and you can watch the www.MightyNoStars.com sight for an upcoming feature on Bret.

2) We're going to be featured on an international radio program/podcast called "Hambone's Blues Rumshack" out of Scotland. We've already heard the show, and, to borrow a phrase from its host James Carlyle, it's "crackin'." We'll let you know which program to download so you can hear this great show and Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars at the same time!

3) Well, there's so much going on right now, I guess you might as well just read the press release--

===================================================================
For Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars, “Good Things Come In Threes”

Awards, endorsement deals, and interviews with the masters-- Apparently, the old adage is true, at least in this case, as a trio of recent events involving Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars shows:

Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars’ debut album, “Blues Power,” was selected as the winner of the Blues Society of WNY’s 2007 “Best Self-Produced CD” contest at this year’s “Memphis Bound” competition. This is the first leg in the “Best Self-Produced/Independent CD” contest at the IBC held in Memphis, Tennessee each year. The IBC (International Blues Challenge) is the premier independent/unsigned Blues artist competition in the world, and features live performances and recording acts from all over the globe and across the United States. The Mighty No-Stars will be representing Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, and the entire Western New York/Niagara Region in this prestigious event. Representing the WNY area in the live competition will be Rochester’s own “Blues Hounds.” Watch for more info on the IBC (held from January 31-February 2, 2008) in your local news, on the World-Wide Web, and at www.Blues.Org/IBC, the official site of the International Blues Challenge.

Gregg Juke recently spent some time with one of the acknowledged elder statesmen and masters of the Blues, Charlie Musselwhite, who is currently on the road with the “Solid Blues” tour, featuring Charlie alongside The North Mississippi All-Stars, Mavis Staples, and Joe Krown. Mr. Musselwhite took time out from his busy schedule to talk with Gregg over the phone, and the contents of that interview will appear in-print at the Blues Society of WNY’s website (www.WNYBlues.org), which is now averaging approximately 1,000 hits per day. A special audio version of the interview, along with music from Charlie Musselwhite’s latest major label CD, “Delta Hardware,” will be broadcast on an upcoming episode of the Saturday afternoon Blues program with host Jim Santella, on WBFO FM in Buffalo, New York. This will be followed by a podcast release of the entire interview at Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars’ official website (www.MightyNoStars.com). Check the web and listen to the radio program to hear words of wisdom and some great music from Charlie Musselwhite, brought to you by Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars and Nocturnal Productions.

Mighty No-Stars’ guitarist Bruce Rounds has signed a deal with First Act to endorse their new Delia (semi-hollow body) guitar. Listen for the new axe at live shows and on future recordings by Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars.

First Act is a well-known maker of student instruments, and is now moving into the professional/high-end guitar market. Bruce joins a number of well-known First Act endorsers, including David Hidalgo of Los Lobos, Larry McCray, Rusty Anderson (Paul McCartney), Henry and Jo Jo Garza (Los Lonely Boys), Rick Neilsen of Cheap Trick, Paul Westerberg of The Replacements, Tommy Byrnes (Billy Joel), and many others.

Earlier this year, bassist Joel Thomas signed an agreement to endorse the uniquely elegant, hand-crafted, incredible-sounding Barker Vertical Bass. Check out Joel's Barker at live shows and listen for it on future recordings with Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars.

Gregg Juke uses Lee Oskar harmonicas, and Vic Firth drumsticks (through an agreement with the Vic Firth Corporation as a member of the Vic Firth Education Team).

Musicians that may be interested in either First Act guitars or the Barker Bass should see Bruce or Joel at an upcoming show; they'd be happy to discuss their new instruments and the companies that made them.

Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars are an original Blues, Roots, Soul, and R&B act from Amherst, New York. Their new album, "Blues Power," is available on Blue Buffalo Records. Visit them on the World-Wide Web at www.MightyNoStars.com, or view their electronic press kit at www.Sonicbids.com/GreggJukeMightyNoStars.

===================================================================

Have a great holiday, God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

This Town's In Tatters; We Can't Give It Away On Elmwood Avenue...

2007-11-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to vote in this year's Cut & Paste Awards 2007.
http://www.bestofwny.com/.

In other news, last week was Guy Nirelli and Patti Parks' wedding celebration at the Tralf. A great time was had by all. It was great to see all of the talent and hang with the cats (Donna Rose, Wally Jederman, Guy, Patti, and band, George DeValle, Billy B, my No-Star pals, Dolly Durante, and many more)...

Coming soon (watch for details)-- An interview with blues legend Charlie Musselwhite! (For Real!)...

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

"Nickel City Blues"--New WBFO Compilation

2007-10-04T07:38:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

"WBFO Gives Me The Blues, Vol. IV: Nickel City Blues" is on the way... Once again, the station has decided to let you, the members of the music-consuming public, decide which local tracks will make the final cut and appear on the next CD.

Please take a few moments to stop by www.wbfo.org, and to vote for our song "Always (The Poor)." You can vote once for each e-mail address that you maintain. Also, don't forget we're on two other WBFO CD's, plus our album "Blues Power," so feel free to call your weekend blues hosts at WBFO FM (Jim Santella, Debbie Sims, Anita West) and request some Mighty No-Stars' music. Let's show Western New York why The No-Star Nation is the best group of music fans on the planet!

Cya Soon, God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

End of Summer Update

2007-09-11T12:06:00.000-07:00

Well.

It has been a truly eventful Summer concert season for the band. We had a great time performing for audiences young and old across New York state.

We've been quite busy for quite some time; and on the personal front, we've had a few set-backs and losses-- some major events.

After this busy season, we've decided to slow down just a bit, so we'll be taking most of September and October off (although Bruce, Joel and I played a No-Stars Trio gig at the Harvest Run, and the band has a few dates in October-- Friday the 5th at Vizzi's in Kenmore, and Saturday the 27th at a private affair in Wendleville). We're going to be recuperating, soul-searching, writing, planning, recording, and rehearsing. We'll get some more shows in for you in November and December (we've got some more casino dates coming-up too), but we're getting ready to kick it up a notch for 2008...

Check back here and at the home site for more info, and we'll see you soon. THANKS for your support and for being the greatest music fans on Earth.

GJ

Blues Hospitalizations...

2007-09-04T09:45:00.000-07:00

Still haven't heard an update on Etta James' condition.

By now, everyone probably knows that Bo Diddley had a heart attack (which he apparently suffered while in-hospital for a check-up; I suppose that was somewhat serendipitous)...

Anyone with any updates on either of these artists' condition, post a comment here, or e-mail me at Gregg@MightyNoStars.com.

GJ

It's true, and apparently, official...

2007-09-04T06:26:00.000-07:00

See for yourself over at Yahoo News. Rock Stars die much earlier (on average) than members of the general population. An official study has been made, and we finally have an answer to a burning question...

Can you imagine? Who knew? (I wonder who spent the money to support an academic waste of time such as this?).

GJ

Endorsement deals signed by some of your favorite Mighty No-Stars!

2007-08-17T06:10:00.000-07:00

Bruce Rounds has signed a deal with First Act to endorse their new Delia (semi-hollow body) guitar. Listen for the new axe at live shows and on future recordings.

First Act is a well-known maker of student instruments, and is now moving into the professional/high-end guitar market. Bruce joins a number of well-known First Act endorsers, including David Hidalgo of Los Lobos, Larry McCray, Rusty Anderson (Paul McCartney), Henry and Jo Jo Garza (Los Lonely Boys), Rick Neilsen of Cheap Trick, Paul Westerberg of The Replacements, Tommy Byrnes (Billy Joel), and many others.

Earlier this year, bassist Joel Thomas signed an agreement to endorse the uniquely elegant, hand-crafted, Barker Vertical Bass. The Barker Bass is a real eye-opener (it's a very unique and attractive instrument), but the live sound is incredible. Check out Joel's Barker at live shows and listen for it on future recordings with Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars.

Musicians that may be interested in either First Act guitars or the Barker Bass should see Bruce or Joel at an upcoming show; they'd be happy to tell you all about their new instruments and the companies that made them!

GJ

A Movie Review (?), Etta James Update, and more shows...

2007-08-09T06:06:00.000-07:00

I know many of you are reading this blog, because you tell me so... But getting you to participate has been like pulling teeth, aye? So I'm trying a new tactic-- controversy. Well, maybe not too contoversial for some of you, and maybe old news for a lot of you, but here goes:

I took my oldest son to see Spider-Man 3 the other night... Yeah, I know it's a little late in the season, but we usually wait for the video release, so he was still ahead of the curve (we still haven't seen Rise of the Silver Surfer). Anyway, as an old Marvel comics and specifically Spider-Man fan, and after seeing the first two (pretty decent) movies, I was extremely underwhelmed and unimpressed. This everything-but-the-kitchen-sink waste of a good roll of film or two was truly bad cinema. The special effects were great, but that is the most positive thing I can say about it. The acting was sub-par on almost all accounts; other than Thomas Haden Church, who somehow was able to squeeze some pathos and depth out of a lifeless script in his portrayal of The Sandman. This film had no idea of what it really wanted to be-- at various turns it attempted to be a serious rendition of the ostensive story, a comedy, a relationship drama, and an epic adventure; unfortunately, none of those concepts were developed enough to be successful in any of those areas. As an additional albatross around the neck of the producers and director Sam Raimi, the movie was full of little incongruous annoyances for true Spider-Man fans (for instance, after ignoring Gwen Stacy for the first two films, using many of the newer comic book reinventions of Spidey's early years as source material, bringing her in as a two-bit sideshow character in this movie was simply wrong... What's next? The Jackal making Mary Jane clones?). For the first 40 minutes or so, I actually thought the movie might be safe for my younger children, then the obligatory "ratings-creep" content began to appear, apparently to "spice things up a bit." There is far too much back-story info that is assumed or glossed-over, too many continuity issues, and character development (beyond cartoonish stereotypes) is almost non-existent. The movie and its director over-reach, in an attempt to be "all things to all people," and we as an audience suffer for it; we suffer horribly. Perhaps even more than all of the poor people that Black Adam took his wrath out on in the very recent "World War III." Did I mention that I didn't like Spider-Man 3 much? Who knew your humble songster and blog-host was such a geeky-fanboy? (Quite a few people, actually).

The gauntlet has been thrown, bring it on...

Etta James is supposed to be back on the road on August 23rd... Thoughts and prayers are with you, darlin'...

Last Saturday's gig at St. Christopher's Summerfest was lots of fun-- Great audience, good food, and excellent weather. Paul Fadale (Bobby Millitello & RPM, Colleen Williams) subbed with us on drums. Great job, Paul! Thanks to everyone at St. Chris, and we hope to see you again next year.

Last night was a great time out in Attica. We'd like to thank the folks for a warm welcome...

A new date has been added for August-- Saturday, August 25th at Finnan's in Lockport.

Until next time, God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

GospelFest, Etta James, and a Newsbrief...

2007-08-02T19:45:00.000-07:00

Hey Ya'll,

Had the chance to run sound and stage-manage Gateway GospelFest 2007 in Williamsville on Thursday night. It was a great night of fun, music, and ministry, and the talent was really outtasight... Big props to Marc Scibilia (all the way from Nashville, bringing us that Bob Dylan/Mark Cohen/Billy Joel/Keith Green Gospel-thang), Tina Williams (all the way from Buffalo!), True Bethel Men's Choir, poetess extraordinaire Toni Benjamin, Carlos and Julius Spencer (ChoSon), Minister Stephen Kulu, and all of the rest of the talent that put on so much more than a show... Also, our M.C. par excellence, Mr. Al Wood of WBLK 93.7 FM.

Has anybody heard anything new on Etta James? I haven't yet...

Don't forget this weekend (Saturday night) at St. Christopher's lawn fete with Your Mighty No-Stars. Also, next week Wednesday, the 8th in Attica, N.Y., Friday the 10th of August back at Double-Diamond in Ellicottville, then the Ascension Church lawn fete in North Tonawanda (Saturday the 11th). The Lewiston Blue Monday show on the 20th, our second "Wild On The Water" SPCA cruise on Sunday, August 26th, and the Hamburg Summer Concert Series on Wednesday the 29th to finish out the month.

Can Summer be more than half over?!?!??? Awwwwww...

Stay-tuned (right here and at the home website) for some BIG news coming in about a week.

C U at the Gig, God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

That was odd...

2007-07-30T09:54:00.000-07:00

I've wracked (sp?) my brain attempting to fathom the situation, but there are only a few possible explanations for what occured at the Double-Diamond in Ellicottville this past Friday night:

1) The people in Ellicottville are abnormally friendly

2) The people in Ellicottville are exceptionally starved for quality entertainment

3) I've got the Kavorka...

Hard as it is to accept, I'm leaning towards number three.

GJ

Etta James Hospitalized

2007-07-26T10:01:00.000-07:00

She had some type of abdominal surgery and was forced to cancel a major portion of her tour.

Here's a link with scant info: http://www.melodytent.com/

"Get Well, Get Well Soon, We Want You To Get Well!"

God Bless, Get Well, & Good Blues ,

GJ

A Close Shave and Mighty Summer Update Number Two

2007-07-25T13:54:00.000-07:00

I’ve been told that people want to read more personal things on artist’s blogs, rather than simply news and promo stuff. “A glimpse into your world,” they said. Why don’t you try this one on for size then. If the view frightens you, imagine being me:

God preserved my life last night, and for that I’m truly grateful…

I’m riding my Yamaha Zuma home from rehearsal see, and I’m heading down a deserted but mainline road, on which I have the right-of-way and a green light. I’m traveling well within the speed limit, by the way…

Up on my left, I see a van on a side-street waiting to enter the main drag. There’s just the two of us on the road, mind you. As I enter the intersection, at the last possible second, this guy pulls out at a pretty decent speed on a straight-up T-bone collision course with me and my little 50 cc bike. I have no “headroom” (either geographically or with the throttle) to get out of the way. They say your life flashes before your eyes when you are about to die. Mine did, but in an unexpected way—not a chronological, panoramic view; but all I could think of was my wife and kids and unborn child. “Jesus!” No time for complicated prayers.

One second I’m about to be either crushed or sent 10-20 blocks down the road; the next, I’m just a fraction ahead of van-guy. Heart pounding, I look behind me and he just drives off… I hesitate for a second, then turn and follow him. Understand, I was completely peaceful and not angry at all at this time. I was just grateful to be alive. It’s not that I’m incapable of road-rage (just ask Mrs. Juke), and if any event ever warranted it, it was the heinous maneuver of van-guy, but I wasn’t upset. I simply thought he should know (just in case he didn’t) that he almost killed someone with his vehicle.

I follow him around a few blocks as he drives home. I boldly ride up his driveway waiting for him to get out of his car. He hesitates, then opens the door, probably expecting an irate rider and some kind of physical altercation. A gentleman that I would estimate to be between the age of 65-70 emerges; older, but not frail by any means (maybe a former Navy man or Marine or something). I say—“Listen, I’m not gonna yell, I just want to encourage you to really pay attention while you’re driving at night. I’ve got a wife and kids and you almost creamed me.” (Honest, just as calmly as I typed it right here)…

“And where did you come from?” he asks, pretty unrepentant and cocky. I say “From the street I was riding on, minding my own business, with my bright headlamp on, the right-of-way, and a green light.”

“You were going at a pretty good clip, too.” Still unrepentant. Now, I don’t know how many of you are familiar with the Yamaha Zuma, but it is not a Suzuki, Ducati, Kawasaki, or a Harley. It is a motor-scooter that is capable of great speed (in Europe and Japan). Here in the good-old U.S. of A., the engine and exhaust are artificially restricted. I can make 55 miles an hour, coming down a really big hill, with an extreme tail-wind at my back, on a really good day. I was riding well within the established speed limit. But the point is lost on van-guy. Attitude and voice rising with piqued modulation, he finally ends with “What do you want me to say?” (“SORRY” would have been nice, but obviously not in van-guy’s vocabulary). I wonder if he leaves “Peace Prints?” “Thanks for your concern,” I say, as I ride off into the night, wondering when he’s actually going to kill someone with that vehicle… I live to sing for you another day, members of the No-Star Nation, no thanks to night-blind van-guy…

On a more pleasant note:

Last weekend’s gigs were a blast. Saturday night we played at the Buffalo Yacht Club’s annual regatta opposite the Outer Circle Orchestra. I know a bunch of these guys—like our old-friend and part-time No-Star Reggie Evans, Andrew Case (The Great Train Robbery), Mike Reid (Maria Aurigema, The Electras) and John Allen (he may not remember me, but he used to play with some of my friends like Jim and Paul, and I have a tape of a little jazz trio we did with John on sax, myself on drums, and “Commander Alexander” on bass). West African drumming virtuoso M’Baye is also still with the OCO. (Editor’s note—When M’Baye first came to Buffalo from Africa about 20 years ago, before he joined the OCO, he was putting together an Afro-Pop band, and I jammed with him and some friends of mine. M’Baye said—“Gregg is an excellent drummer, but the other guy has a van.” Thus ended my career in Afro-Pop). Anyway, these guys are tight, a riot to listen to, and cover all of the hip grooves, if you’re into African or Latin or Worldbeat music. Check them out if you get the chance. We had a great time at the BYC; big shout-out to Don Wharfe who hooked us up with some seriously tasty chicken on the hospitality side…

After the gig, I stopped by to check-out Speedy Parker’s last set (last song, actually). Then paid a visit to Joanne at the Queen City Grill, but I was too late to see the band; they were already packing up.

Sunday, we played to a capacity crowd in Orchard Park. Thanks to all of the folks on the OP town committee for making things great, and especially to Don Lambrusco (OP sound-tech and keyboardist for the Boys of Summer) for getting us out of a technical jam in time to start the show as scheduled! Also thanks to Mark from Speedy's band for coming out to the OP show to say "hi."

Congratulations go out to our good friend JJ Moscato, and his bride Carla. JJ was married last weekend, and is always looking for a way to get out of a gig…

Upcoming events and news—We’ll be at the Blue Monday concert series in Lewiston on August 20th, followed by the second “Wild On The Water” cruise on the Miss Buffalo II (to support the SPCA Wildlife Department) on Sunday the 26th (Tickets are still available!). Other gig news available at the home website or at our My Space page (an update is coming soon—promise).

Watch for Joel Thomas on an upcoming episode of “Crossroads” on Adelphia 13, and listen for me on another installment of “Just Me and the Dog” with Dale Campbell on WJJL 1440 AM.

By the way, please feel free to call 107.7 The Lake, or WBFO 88.7 (Blues on the weekends with Jim Santella, Debbie Sims, and Anita West), and request Mighty No-Stars’ music. C’mon, it’s fun and won’t cost you a dime, but would make us, in the words of the great John Werrick, “Eternally grateful.”…

This coming weekend, we’re in Ellicottville Friday night at the Double-Diamond (9-1), followed by the “Sea-Serpent Balloon Festival” in Perry, N.Y. on Saturday from 12-2. Take a ride down to the southtowns this weekend; the weather will be fine, and the music will be extraordinary.

Don’t forget, our new CD (“Blues Power”) is still available, as is “WBFO Gives Me The Blues, Vol. II.” AND, “WBFO Gives Me The Blues, Vol. III” is now available from the station. Pick-up your copies today.

And for Heaven’s sake, watch where you’re going out there, especially at night……

God Bless & Good Blues (and you’d better wear your helmet),

GJ

Mighty Summer Update Number One

2007-06-21T13:10:00.000-07:00

Woh.

The last few weeks have been heavy, to say the least... We have had another line-up change, yours truly had some surgery, and I recently received word that Buffalo music legend Mark Freeland passed away. On a much more personal note, I lost my nephew in a senseless motorcycle accident...

As to the surgery, I am healing slowly, but surely. As somebody said, "What a drag it is, getting old..."

My nephew Joe(y) will always be my little Spider-Man fan, hiding under the kitchen table at bedtime. We will miss you, Joe. And your family will be there for each other...

Three quick Mark Freeland stories--

1) One of my high school music memories is of sneaking into the Continental to dance with "Queen Punk" (that's a whole 'nuther story) and to listen to Mark and Electroman play "Potatoes and Corn" all night on that tiny stage. Also, playing "Nucleork" from the Pegasonics LP on our high school radio station, despite protests from the jugheaded neanderthals in the rocker section of the cafeteria...

2) Years ago, when our friend Tom Henry was sick, we had a benefit for him with a bunch of local talent. Tom and Mark where friends, but Mark was not invited to perform at the benefit. He staged a coup (literally-- he took the stage), and, in tribute to Tom, performed a condensed one-man version of the entire Jimi Hendrix movie; it was actually quite impressive...

3) Also years ago, at a time that was apparently not as musically or artistically fruitful for Mark as the past had been (this was in the early 90's?), I was sort of subbing long-term with Lance Diamond down at the Elmwood Lounge (the gig that goes on forever, apparently). Anyway, I'm playing drums with Lance, and Mark brings down his amp and guitar to sit-in, and he basically commandeers a little section of stage. Lance is a bit uncomfortable, but doesn't seem to be able to say "no." So Mark plugs in and begins to wail "out" stuff at high volume all night (and when he wasn't, he was grabbing sticks from my bag and wailing on the bell of my cymbal). He bequethed us a real musical memory, if not a memorable musical performance!

The first "Wild on the Water" Blues Cruise for the SPCA went very well. Despite some challenges, all of the current members of Your Mighty No-Stars did a great job under pressure
(what else would you expect from real pros like these?). The next cruise on the Miss Buffalo II is on August 26th. Get your tickets through the SPCA or Buffalo Harbor Cruises. It's going to be a blast!

Time to catch our collective breath and look towards a positive Summer 2007 season...

* Our old friend Adam Cesar will be subbing with us on the summer tour this year; stop by a gig and say howdy.

* Dates are up (with a few stragglers still coming in) at both http://www.mightynostars.com/, and at our MySpace site (www.MySpace.com/greggjukeandthemightynostars). Lots of great gigs to see the band at this year!

* The new CD ("Blues Power") is available at live shows and at the home website. Don't forget both "WBFO Gives Me The Blues," Volumes I & II as well (http://www.wbfo.org/)...

* Speaking of the home website, the major overhaul we have been working on is basically complete (although we still anticipate some hip additions, including video, more product in the No-Star Store, etc., etc.). Stop by http://www.mightynostars.com/ and check out our new look and feel on the web. There are a bunch of new sections, including the No-Star Nation (you can join today!). Stay tuned for tweaks, new photos, a special "Know Your No-Stars" section, and more. Everybody say "Yeah" for webmaster Bill O'Shea!!!!

Check here for more frequent updates, and we'll see you at a gig!

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

New Stuff Coming

2007-06-01T16:53:00.000-07:00

Soon!

Check back in two weeks for lots of new news, information, and No-Star Mania!

GJ

Overdue Update

2007-03-13T11:26:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been awhile, so here are a few items:

1) Our "MySpace" page is up and running with full-functionality. Check it out at www.myspace.com/greggjukeandthemightynostars

2) Our long-promised website overhaul is, well, not complete, but it's on the way, and Webmaster Bill has given our site a sleek new look. Check out the new and improved www.mightynostars.com

3) The next WBFO compilation CD ("WBFO Gives Me The Blues, Vol. III, 'Homegrown' ") is being put together, and they decided to tap into all of that reality TV/"American Idol" energy...
SOoooo, an online vote was held to see which tunes from which local and regional artists would appear on the new disc. So far, your Mighty No-Stars have made the first round of cuts, and are on our way to inclusion. Check back at www.wbfo.org to see when the next round of voting will take place. Let's "Blues the Vote" in 2007...

We'll talk with you soon... God Bless & Good Blues...

GJ

RIP: Jimmy Gomes

2007-01-30T12:52:00.000-08:00

I just heard that musician and veritable institution Jimmy Gomes, leader of the Jazz Example, who presided over the proceedings at Buffalo's famed Anchor Bar for countless eons, has passed.

Drummer Danny Hull, in his recently brief but poignant tribute, called Gomes "Buffalo's Art Blakey," and mentioned that there is "no one swinging harder in Heaven, and no one better dressed." Amen. (Well, there's one that's quite a bit better dressed, and James Brown will give Gomes a run for his... what? Clarence said they don't use money in Heaven. But you get the picture).

I haven't seen the Jazz Example in years, and the last memory I have intact of seeing Jimmy swing his socks off was back in the 80's, but man, did he swing. And those funky custom leopard shell Kents were something to behold, too.

RIP, JG. Tang tang tang, t-tang-a-daaaaaaaang...

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

2007!!!!

2007-01-04T06:54:00.000-08:00

Welcome to 2007...

We certainly hope you had a fantastic Christmas, Hannukah, and New Years season. We have all enjoyed a little quiet time after the holidays (gigs, a total of 5 Christmas shows, and 3 CD's later), but it's time for us to get back to work!

Here are some news items and information for the new year:

* The long-awaited first full-length recording from your Mighty No-Stars (Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars: Blues Power, on Blue Buffalo Records) is finally here and available. Watch this space, the home website (seriously, an update and major overhaul is coming soon at www.mightynostars.com), and our new "My Space" site for details on where to pick up the disc, or simply order one via e-mail or pick one up at a gig. Sixteen tracks of Maximum Blues, Soul, and Roots-Rockin' R&B! (13 originals and 3 covers)... We will be planning a couple of big-time CD release parties for early Spring, but don't let that stop you from getting a disc right now!

* Our holiday CD (the 3-song EP "Feed The Need 2006") to benefit local charity is still on sale (we have a few copies left). MANY THANKS to all of those supporters who picked up a disc for the holiday season. Your money will be put to good use to help feed those less fortunate. Contact us to get your copy...

* Check www.WBFO.org to get your copy of "WBFO Gives Me The Blues, Vol. II," featuring our tune "Nomo Loot." Support the local scene, the band, and public radio at the same time...

* Check out Mark Lenkei's new CD ("Pay To Play"), featuring yours truly...

* Look for the Patti Parks Band in the Buffalo/WNY area-- several fundraisers occuring to help them raise funds for their trip to Memphis this year!

* We'll be pretty busy playing down in the Southern Tier of WNY in February/March. Hope to see all of our fans down there out at one (or more) of the shows...

* A great new indoor Blues festival is slated for Buffalo in March-- check out www.wnyblues.org for details.

* We are currently re-vamping our show with lots of new originals and covers. We look forward to seeing you at a gig!

* We may have some major news coming down the pike at the end of the month. Stay tuned.

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

No-Stars' News Wire...

2006-11-21T09:33:00.000-08:00

The new Christmas disc, “Feed The Need 2006,” is finished and available! Proceeds from the 3-song E.P. will benefit local charities feeding the hungry this season. Order on-line (see the entry below) or at one of our gigs or events. We’d like to thank the Blues Society of WNY, the Lafayette Tap Room, Rick Nicotra, and everybody at the Am-Jam on Saturday for inviting us down to promote the CD… We sold a bunch and listened to some good tunes too (lots of up and coming talent at the Am-Jam, which we always enjoy getting to whenever our schedules allow). We also saw our own Guy Nirelli sitting in with the house band, as well as our good friend Jimmy Wozniak.

The new album, “Blues Power,” will also be available before 2007 (we have had delays due to the “October Surprise” storm and aftermath, but we should still have discs available before Christmas). Order now, for the music enthusiast on your list. Also, from what I’ve heard, the new WBFO CD (“WBFO Gives Me The Blues, Vol. II”) is available from the station. Check out their website for more information.

Speaking of B3 master Guy Nirelli, it is with a mixture of both joy and sadness that we must announce his impending departure from the No-Stars bullpen—Joy that he will be moving on to a full-time gig with the lovely and talented Patti Parks, who will be representing the WNY region in Memphis this year at the International Blues Challenge; sadness at losing one of the best board players on the East Coast from the fold! Congratulations again go to Patti and the band; we wish you all the best. Guy will be working with us for awhile during this transitional time, so make sure you stop by and say “hello” at a gig and wish him well in this new venture. We’re sure to see big things from the Patti Parks Band in the future… Details of some of the fundraisers they’ll be having to raise money for the Memphis trip will be available at their website, as well as at www.WNYBlues.org.

That’s all the news for now… See you at the next show!

GJ

Important News Flash...

2006-11-07T10:38:00.000-08:00

Dear Mighty No-Stars Fans and Supporters;

Due to circumstances beyond our ability to design or control, we will not be involved in the Holiday CD project called “Happy Holidays from Buffalo” which is being put out this year under the auspices of an organization called “Musicians For WNY” (contrary to the info that appears on the group’s website); and unfortunately, we cannot in good conscience recommend the CD to you as socially conscious music consumers of good taste.

We are still interested in doing something positive with our music for those in need this Christmas, so here’s what we’ll do—We will make a new 3-song E.P., including our newest track “Always (The Poor)” available for $3.00 U.S. plus postage and handling (that’s $1.00 per tune) with 90% of the proceeds from each sale going directly to the Food Bank of WNY (the 10% is just to cover our manufacturing costs)… So you can still support the No-Stars, give someone on your list the gift of music, and do something to help those less fortunate this year.

We are taking pre-orders now, so all you have to do to reserve your copy is send an e-mail requesting one to Gregg@MightyNoStars.com. We will contact you with details on how to order.

Don’t forget our other releases this year—the long-awaited Mighty No-Stars album (“Blues Power!”), and the “WBFO Gives You The Blues, Vol. II” sampler. Both will make great gifts this year and you’ll be supporting local music too!

Thanks again, see you at a gig, and don’t forget to reserve your copy today!

Gregg Juke

"October Surprise" Update

2006-10-30T10:00:00.000-08:00

Well then, what can we say? It was a warm and sunny day; the next it was cold, with two feet of snow and trees were destroyed for miles and miles in the storm’s wake. At times during the storm, it was difficult to determine whether the rumbling sounds were those of thunder (in a snow storm, no less!) or of the trees breaking under their own weight and exploding from the inside-out.

In case you haven’t heard, the Buffalo & WNY area is still recovering from a surprise snow storm that occurred on October 12th. I have lived here most of my life, and I don’t recall snow earlier than October 31st, and certainly not this kind of “real winter” snow storm. I saw a transformer exploding, and it looked just like 4th of July fireworks. Very odd. So were the reports of blue, green, and purple lightening! (I didn’t see any, but several reputable sources described it to me).

Juke Manor was without power for eight days, although on or about the fifth day a friend blessed us with a generator. We still did not have a phone connection until yesterday (October 29th), which makes what, 18 days without a telephone? On October 13th, I left early in the morning to get some groceries—all told it was a six-hour trip to a store that is about seven minutes from my house… We also had to cancel a 50th Anniversary party for my folks that has been planned for over a year, and we had to cancel a gig on Friday the 13th (I think that’s one of only three that I’ve ever scuttled for any reason in the last 25 years). Big shout-out to Seneca Niagara—the folks in admin decided to pay all of their bands anyway, even though nobody was able to make their gigs that night!

We are finally starting to see more of the local streets cleared and the 25 foot long by 8 foot high, five foot deep wood and brush pile in front of my house is starting to get moved out of the way by workers. What impressed me the most was how people really pitched-in to help others. We had a lot of help from friends, family, and neighbors at our place, and we were able to remove most of the debris from the lawns of quite a few older folks that would have had great difficulty in doing so on their own. I’d also like to thank all of the relief workers, the power companies that sent personnel to help National Grid and NYSEG restore electricity (we saw trucks from down south and from Quebec), and the phone company men. Maybe somebody can take the time to explain to me what the different hard-hat designs and shapes mean…

Needless to say, we’ve been pretty busy and are just now starting to get back to band stuff… The exciting news is that we now have three (yes, _3_!) recording projects that will be available this Christmas season, plus another CD that we want to remind you about:

The first is the long-awaited album project from Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars—Blues Power. This project has been several years in the making, but we feel it will have been worth the wait. Sixteen tracks (13 originals and three covers), available soon (watch the home website: http://www.mightynostars.com/ for details). We will get release-party details out to you as soon as possible.

The second CD is a local project to benefit the Food Bank of Western New York. This CD is called “Happy Holidays from Buffalo,” and will feature lots of local talent. It is being created under the auspices of an organization called Musicians for WNY (http://www.musiciansforwny.org/). We are contributing a new song slated for our next album called “Always (The Poor).” Pick-up a great gift this year and help people helping others at the same time.

The last CD that we’re going to be on in 2006 is a compilation on DCD Records called “WBFO Gives You The Blues, Vol. II,” which is a premium for those donating to WBFO during this year’s fund drive. We are contributing the track “Nomo Loot” from the upcoming album Blues Power. Lots of great local blues and roots acts will be involved, and these tracks were all hand-picked by WBFO Blues host Jim Santella. Pick this one up and give yourself or a friend the Blues this year…

Also, the long-delayed release of Boston-based singer-songwriter Mark Lenkei’s second album should be upon us soon. The album features yours truly on drums, percussion and vocals, keyboard phenom J.J. Moscato on organ, and was produced by our long-time friend and associate (and sometime Mighty No-Stars bass-sub) Glenn Bernardis. We’ll keep you posted as details are available.

We had our first gig back after the storm and a brief pre-planned hiatus at the Pearl Street Grill on Saturday night. Great crowd, and it was good to see Patti Parks, Judd Sunshine, and Gus Pusateri in the audience. Sorry the Sabres lost, folks… I was really looking forward to getting some cheap applause and billing the rest of the evening as “Sabre-ween.” Don’t forget to get down to the Lafayette Tap Room on November 4th and support Patti and all of the other bands competing in this year’s “Memphis Bound” competition.

In other news, Guy, myself, Joel, Pastor Joe, and Joel’s son Justin recently went to a shooting event called “Shoot ‘till You Drop.” Yes, that’s really what it was called. We partook of various shotgun shooting sports, including skeet, trap, and sporting clays. The entire band was supposed to go, but some last-minute issues came up for some of the guys. We asked our manager, Susan, if she'd like to come along with us (I suggested a Katherine Hepburn type of look with riding pants), but she just spun on her heels and mumbled something mostly unintelligible, probably unsavory, and largely unfavorable to the idea... Try as we might, we did not see Michael Moore, Alec Baldwin, or any member of PETA anywhere on the premises. I know next to nothing about shotgun shooting (currently, I now know just a little more than nothing); needless to say I hit less than 50 percent of the targets, but Joel and Guy both hit TWO with ONE shot. Pastor Joe also pulls them out of the air with great ease. I fared better on the air-rifle range, having the second fastest time for knocking down all the targets. I guess all of that practice with rifle marksmanship in the service was worth something! Look for pictures and the full scoop on the home website soon…

Finally, congratulations go out once again to former No-Star Jack Prybylski for his nomination in the category of “Best Blues Saxophone Player” in the upcoming Buffalo Area Music Awards. Congratulations also go out to all of the nominees.

Thanks for checking in, we’ll see you at one of the gigs, and of course, God Bless & Good Blues…

GJ

A few News Items...

2006-09-25T06:21:00.000-07:00

*We had a great gig back at Alternative Brews on Saturday night... small but motivated crowd,
plus guest appearances from J.J. Moscato (www.jjmoscato.com), Jack Civilleto, April Mazzone, and Patti Parks! And we saw Doug "Shaky-Leg" Thornton from The Electras, Mike Mietlicki from Musicians for Western New York (www.musiciansforwny.org), and renowned music educator John Fatta in the audience... Not bad for our first gig back at Alt-Brews since last June!

*The album is coming!!!! Really! Watch the home website (www.mightynostars.com) for more info; we should have discs in about four weeks (well in advance of the Holiday shopping season).
Also, look for more upcoming changes as we continue our website overhaul...

*A new October date has just been added (Friday the 13th at Seneca Niagara Casino, 6pm-10pm). Hope to see you there...

*Lots of new originals (and more coming) in the live show!

*As we mentioned earlier, we'll be taking a little breather in October, but the band will be participating in an upcoming event called "Shoot 'till you Drop"... Only serious! More details and photos to come(?)...

Talk with you soon, God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

September Song...

2006-09-11T12:44:00.000-07:00

I heard an interesting version of this classic once, performed by Lou Reed, believe it or not... Not adding it to our set-list anytime soon, however.

It has been a very busy summer concert season. We have some dates this month (primarily the Casinos, the River Grill, and Alt-Brews), but we will be taking some much-needed time off from performing in October for R&R (Rest and Relaxation, not you-know-what) and to re-tool our show (new songs; LOTS of new originals) and do some recording (not to mention my parents 50th wedding anniversary, which is a pretty big deal for the entire Juke household).

As it turns out, the Christmas compilation CD that we are submitting a track for is coming out this year, so we are finishing-up a new original for that project... But the really exciting news is that finally, finally, finally, our first full-length album will be out this fall (finishing touches are being completed as we speak); definitely available before Thanksgiving for this year's Holiday Season...

Watch the home website for more changes on the design front, as well as updates in the "fan of the month" section, and CD release and availability details!

On a more somber note, today is 9-11... It seems almost impossible that five years have passed already. No matter what your politics are, please remember our troops worldwide, firemen, and law enforcement personnell, and their families in your thoughts and prayers.

C U at a show soon, or catch us live in November...

God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

A Rather August Assembly...

2006-08-05T21:41:00.000-07:00

Why? Why can't I stop with the corny tangential semi-meaningless post titles? I dunno; it just seems so much better than "Entry # 275, 8/6/06"...

Anyway, once again, longtime no post from us here... Sorry folks, we have had some computer difficulties, as well as a really busy summer, and we are in the thick of the summer concert season as we speak. August is packed! Come out and see the band.

We had a great time this evening at St. Christopher's Summerfest 2006. Good food, nice crowd, and of course, great music. We'd like to thank St. Chris' staff for hosting such a great event, and including your humble Mighty No-Stars in the mix. Our two newest No-Stars, drummer Paul Warner and saxophonist Greg Connell really outdid themselves this evening, as did the entire group. Come see the band while you can still get in for less than $25 a ticket!!!!

More changes coming at the home website (www.mightynostars.com)... Check back often.

Also, don't forget to check us out in Lockport, N.Y. on Saturday, August 26. The Boats & Blues event benefits a very worthy cause...

CU next time. God Bless & Good Blues...

GJ

Moon, Tune, June...

2006-06-07T06:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry, just went to Tin Pan Alley for a moment...

In Mighty No-Stars News:

Last Friday's gig at Alternative Brews (one of Western New York's premier Blues & Roots venues) was our last for awhile-- the end of a 6-month stint as one of Alt-Brews' monthly house bands. We hope you made it out (it was a great time), and we hope to see you back there in the Fall. Paul (Alt-Brews owner and entertainment impressario) uses the Summer months to try out new bands, so if you visit Alternative Brews frequently, you'll be seeing some new faces over the next few months. Please do continue to support Paul; Alternative Brews has been a great supporter of the Blues and local live music for many years. In fact, they just celebrated 11 years in business with a full day of music, barbecue, and mayhem (not sure about the mayhem, but it sounded good). Congratulations go out to Paul and family, and to all of the Alt-Brews staff for a fantastic 11 years. God Bless, Good Blues, and may you have many, many more!

Our Doctor of Organology, Mr. Guy Nirelli, was unable to attend the festivities, so we had the pleasure of working once again with the incredibly talented J.J. "The Jet Plane" Moscato. J.J. "threw down" on vocals, organ, and piano, and he is a wonder to watch and listen to. Check out his website (www.jjmoscato.com), see him with Kate Engler, JPG (the Jack Prybylski Group), and with his very own band, Blue Avenue. We just found out that J.J. and his group will be appearing at a bluesfest in Lansing, Michigan, and have booked some club dates there as well, so look out, Detroit, J.J. The Jet Plane is making a musical straffing run, and ya'll will never be the same! You can also dig J.J.'s soulful vocal stylings on (former No-Star) Jack Prybylski's latest CD (available at www.jackprybylski.com).

The Summer concert calendar is filling-up quickly. Check out the home website (www.mightynostars.com) for all of the latest info on upcoming Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars gigs. Sign-up for the e-mail list, and you'll always know what's happening!

GJ

Great Gigs...

2006-05-08T06:17:00.000-07:00

We had a most excellent time playing for all ya'll at Alternative Brews (Sheridan Dr., Tonawanda, N.Y.) on Friday for our monthly "house gig." When the audience "goes wild," it helps us to go wild too, and pour-on even more of the entertainment sauce that makes our brand of music so tasty to the eyes and ears (if we do say so ourselves)...

We had one of the biggest rounds of applause I've heard at the Brews all year (or maybe that was when the Sabres put away the winning goal; I can't remember)-- but in any case, good times were had by all, and we thank you.

Next month (June) is our last "monthly first Friday" at Alt-Brews for awhile (we'll return in the Fall; Paul likes to try-out new bands during the Summer season, so you should be seeing some new faces at the Brews soon). You'll want to join us for our end-of-the-season party featuring special guest keyboardist and vocalist J.J. Moscato, formerly of the Marvelous Heptones, and currently performing with Kate Engler, Sonny Mayo and the Drivers, JPG, and his own band, Blue Avenue. Most Western New York Blues and R&B fans are familiar with J.J., but if you haven't heard him yet, you're not going to want to miss this show... 'Nuff Said.

We're going to take a little time off for R&R; we hope to see you at our next public performance at the River Grill - 20 Aqua Lane, in Tonawanda, NY on Sunday, May 21st; 3:30 PM - 7:30 PM...

Check the home website (www.mightynostars.com) for updates to our calendar; the gig/concert schedule is filling-up fast for the Summer season.

Cya, God Bless & Good Blues,

GJ

More News for 2006

2006-04-27T15:18:00.000-07:00

What did the boy say when he threw the clock through the open window?

"Time Flies." (Excitable boy, they all said...)

It's been quite a long while since our last news update, so here are a few things that are happening:

* We have agreed to submit a track for an upcoming Christmas CD that will be released for charity this year... Check out www.musiciansforwny.org, or check back here or at our home website for more details...

* After an extremely long hiatus, I have updated the "Blues & The Abstract Truth" site with a new (previously published) article. Check out www.veritasblues.blogspot.com .

* Bob Wever Motorsports and Marine are continuing to run the jingle Bruce and I put together for them last year, and recently the 97 Rock "Morning Circus" crew called "Weaver Fever" the best thing on the air... (kinda makes you wonder what else is running on the radio, doesn't it?)...

* The official home website for Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars is undergoing a massive site reconstruction. Our webmaster Dr. Bill has done a great job creating a simple yet elegant new look (check out www.mightynostars.com), but check back often, because we haven't even gotten started yet! We are currently looking to add more audio, some video, a whole lot more photos (right now there are none, because we decided to start from scratch), and a new "fan-of-the-month" page. Don't be surprised if we snap your picture and ask for an interview at an upcoming gig!

* Speaking of new website features, we are now running a monthly contest for fun and prizes at our upcoming shows... Check-out www.mightynostars.com for the secret code; 'nuff said...

* Our Spring/Summer concert schedule is filling-up quickly. Check out the home website for details, but two events we want you to know about are the upcoming "Blues Cruise" on the Grand Lady in June (check out www.wnyblues.org for details and ticket info), and the "Boats and Blues" gig ( a great charity event featuring you know who-- oh, ok, Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars) happening in August at the Lockport Locks. Get your tickets right away, you won't want to miss these events...

* If you don't know about our gig schedule for May, June, July, August, and September, then you probably need to sign-up for our e-mail list (that site again is: www.mightynostars.com !!!!)

See you at an upcoming gig soon. Don't forget the first Friday of every month through June at Alternative Brews in Amherst. In June, we're featuring special guest keyboardist and vocalist J.J. Moscato. This will be a hot show, so don't miss it!

GJ

Big News for 2006

2006-02-07T11:34:00.000-08:00

Well, let's see:

* Joel's back?

* Baby girl?

* Opening up for Howard & The White Boys on Sunday, February 19th at the Lafayette Tap Room in Buffalo?

Yup, we covered those... But here's some news we haven't released as of yet-- We have inked a management deal with Paul Collins Artist Management International, a management and booking agency out of Kansas City. Paul works with many top and up-and-coming Jazz musicians (including recording artist and John Scofield sideman Greg Tardy, and Italian recording artist Roberto Magris). Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Star Blues Band will certainly be something new for PCAMI, but we are looking forward to breaking new ground together.

Susan Fischer, our stalwart business agent and resident Wonder Woman, will continue as a valued member of our team, working with us on local and regional booking, as well as coordinating some of her more ambitious efforts with Paul and the folks at PCAMI.

Exciting things happening around the No-Stars bullpen; we'll keep you posted on further developments... Can World Domination be far behind????

GJ

Some folks say my face, when I play the Bass...

2006-02-07T09:15:00.000-08:00

...get all squinched-up like some type of jellyfish, er son'in...

No, not really, but here's some big news-- Jumpin' Joel Thomas is back!!!!

Joel's first post-surgery, post self-X-ray performance was on Friday night at our monthly house gig at Alternative Brews in Amherst. Crowd went wild, and so did the band. We'd like to thank gregarious Glenn Bernardis for doing such an admirable job of filling-in for Joel during his absence.

GJ

Baby, Baby...

2006-01-23T17:35:00.000-08:00

Not the one by Smokey Robinson _or_ the one by Amy Grant.

News from Juke Central:

Julia Grace was born Monday the 23rd at 10:30 am; 7 lbs. 14 oz.
Mother and baby are fine.

Father is recovering...

(Harry Connick, Jr., who has a little girl, was talking with David Letterman, who has a boy... Connick says "You have to watch out for your boy, but I've got to watch out for _every_ boy!")

GJ

Your Mighty No-Stars: Troops in Transition

2006-01-12T12:52:00.000-08:00

Thankfully, our bassist, Joel's recovery is going well. Unfortunately, though, it looks like it will take him a little longer to get back into the saddle again with Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Star Blues Band. He will need some additional surgery and recovery time, so for the time-being, Glenn Bernardis, and perhaps others, will continue to sub for Joel until he is fully recovered and road-worthy... We will hold down the fort for as long as it takes, bud, but hurry up already, Jumpin' Joel!

Due to the aforementioned situation, and the extremely busy musical schedules of several of the No-Stars, you may see some new faces up on the bandstand from time to time. We've got a bunch of young bucks joining the bullpen this year as first-call Mighty No-Subs, and we'll be introducing you to some of them here and at the home website as time goes on. But if it looks like the band is getting younger before your eyes, that's just because it's a fact! We don't have a picture of Dorian Grey in the attic under a blanket or anything, I swear!!!! (MUHUHAHAHAHahaaaaaaaaa...)

GJ

Happiest of Holidays...

2005-12-21T12:19:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and Happy New Year from Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Star Blues Band...

Once again, it's been a month since we've posted anything new for you here; the time (and this past year) have really flown by. LOTS has happened in the past few months-- personnel changes, some great gigs, everyone having extremely busy schedules (I was involved in three major Christmas shows this year, Bruce was in two, and Joel hosted one as well-- Who has time for shopping?)... Plus, the Juke family is getting ready for another addition (and I'm not talking about a new den). We've been moving from one hectic event to another, and are looking forward to a little break.

We may have several items of _big_ news for 2006, but we'll let you know about those things as soon as we can confirm them. Right now, we'd appreciate your support at all of our live events (sign-up for our e-mail list at www.MightyNoStars.com for all of the latest gig info).

One news item for our No-Stars fans-- Joel Thomas, master of the electric bass, will be taking a short medical hiatus from the band (he's ok, but needs a little recuperation time). While we await his return, please welcome another multi-talented individual to the bandstand, vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist/songwriter/engineer/producer (are we out of breath yet?), old friend, and _bassist_ Glenn Bernardis (formerly of Mr. Funny and Kilbrannan; currently with Celtic hotshots Stone Row)... He will be subbing for Joel on most of our gigs until Joel is ready to return (we're currently looking at February).

Glenn adds his own special "thing"-- you'll have to come check us out to find out what it is!

Merry Christmas, God Bless, and Good Blues...

GJ

Opening a can of Blues Smackerel...

2005-11-28T11:51:00.000-08:00

Your Mighty No-Star Blues Band will be opening up for Chicago's own Howard & The White Boys at the Lafayette Tap Room in Buffalo, NY, on their return trip to the Nickel City in February... Stay-tuned for more details as they become available.

GJ

Long Time No Post...

2005-11-28T06:13:00.000-08:00

Sorry, we've been quite busy over the last several weeks.

Here are a few No-Stars News items and fancy-schmancy bullet points, to wit:

* Congratulations to the Mary Haitz Band from Rochester, New York, on winning the 2005 "Memphis Bound" competition held by the WNY Blues Society at the Lafayette Tap Room in Buffalo, NY. Mary and the band will travel down to Memphis to represent Western New York in the International Blues Challenge at the end of January. Go get 'em, boys and girls...

* Congratulations also go out to all of the nominees and winners in the "Blues" categories in the Buffalo/WNY Music Awards this year, including our own former sax-player, Hollywood Jack Prybylski (not "Prysbalski"... Don't you just love Buffalo journalism?)...

* On a sad note, our drummer of the past two years, Bill O'Shea, is stepping back into semi-retirement. You can still see him subbing occassionally with your Mighty No-Stars, but Bill wanted to spend more time with his family and his healthcare business, which we more than understand. Bill, you are a rock-solid, laser-focused rhythm machine, and a great human being
and we will miss you tremendously... Bill will be with the band full-time to the end of January. Be sure to stop out to our "Goodbye Bill" party at the Tap Room on the 27th of January.

* On a happy note, Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Star Blues Band will become one of the "house bands" at the famed Alternative Brews blues club (Sheridan Dr. in Amherst, NY). Your Mighty No-Stars will be appearing at Alt-Brews on the first Friday of every month from January to June 2006.

* New dates are coming in... Check the website or sign-up for our e-mail list at www.mightynostars.com, so you don't miss any of the happening No-Stars concert action!

GJ

Blues & The Abstract Truth

2005-10-04T13:58:00.000-07:00

New Blog Alert!

Coming soon to an Internet web-address near you (specifically: www.VeritasBlues.blogspot.com)-- Watch for Blues & The Abstract Truth, a place for journalistic and not-so journalistic ramblings about the Blues, Jazz, R&B, and great music of all kinds (and whatever else I dad-gum please).

Initially, this will be a place to post re-prints of my column from the now-defunct Blues portal GotTheBlues.com, but I'm sure we'll eventually venture into all kinds of musical, and perhaps not-so-musical topics.

It seems like someone beat me to the URL of my choice, so I guess it pays to know one or two words in Latin (Et Tu, Brute?).

Check back soon; it's a work-in-progress...

More Media Blitz

2005-10-04T13:45:00.000-07:00

As far as TV appearances and media mentions, your Mighty No-Stars were all about that over the past weekend.

Thanks to channels 2, 4, and 7 for mentioning the "Blues for the Delta" benefit on the news, thanks to Pete Anderson and the Crossroads crew on Adelphia 13 for making Joel and I look great on the program, and thanks to John Discullo at WKBW for helping us to get a mention on PM Buffalo. Also, Joel's appearance on WIVB's By The People ran twice over the past week!
We'd like to hire Gina as our permanent publicist/PR miracle worker, if ever we get a budget-line for such a necessary extravagance from the Mighty CFO...

We got home from our early gig on Friday night just in time to catch some of our appearance on the local broadcast of Off Beat Cinema. Thanks to John, Maxwell, Zelda, and the friendly folks at Spot Coffee for making this a great experience...

Watch the news, read the paper, listen to the radio, and check the web for more Mighty Cameo's by the band...

Thank You from the bottom of the Delta...

2005-10-04T13:40:00.000-07:00

Friends of the Delta;

Thank You for all you did to support the “Blues for the Delta” concert event and benefit fundraiser at the Lafayette Tap Room on Sunday. All of your support, patronage, donations, volunteerism, and performances made the event a great success, and we are indebted to you for your efforts.

We will not have a final total, or be able to deliver the funds, until sometime early next week, but we raised quite a bit of money, and with a matching grant program that we can access through Verizon, we should reach a total of $5,000 that was raised for our two charities, the Salvation Army and the SPCA of Louisiana. It was great to hear Major Polarek of the SA talk about what they’ve been doing down south, and what your money and efforts will be going to support. Also, if you watched the news last night, you might have seen the story on some of the rescued animals from New Orleans that have been brought to this area by the SPCA.

We’re not sure what the situation will be like next year in Mississippi and Louisiana, but we’re sure that some well-deserving charity can always use some moral and financial support, so there is some talk of making this an annual event. We’ll keep you posted, and again, thank you for your generosity.

To all of the musicians and performers that dedicated your time and talents to the cause, Thank You. You did an extraordinary job, and we were blessed by your gifts and abilities, as well as your flexibility. Special mention goes out to Speedy Parker (aka Gary Sterlace), who not only played with his band, but filled-in on the fly for John Martz, who was unable to attend at the last minute.

I must take a moment to apologize to the artists who came out for the All-Star Jam set; the show was off-schedule and overtime for a variety of reasons which were out of our control, but I was personally responsible for scheduling, and I should have cut the Mighty-No-Stars’ set short, rather than have kept you waiting for us to finish up. My sincerest apologies, and please understand that this is the first show of this magnitude (as far as a multi-band event) that we have promoted—looking back on the punches we had to roll with over a 14-hour day, I thought things went pretty well, but I do apologize for the lateness of the start time for the final set. You should know that the Blues Society was not involved in the band scheduling process, so please don’t be upset with anybody from the society—the members are volunteers that work tirelessly to promote great music in WNY, and we appreciate them for it. Mea Culpa, we live and learn, and I hope you can forgive your humble stage-manager in-training.

Again, for all of our supporters, volunteers, and those that donated their time, product, or labor, thank you beyond our ability to express. In the words of musician and former radio-host John Werick, we are “eternally grateful.”

Gregg Juke
“Blues for the Delta”
Nocturnal Productions/Blue Buffalo Records
Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Star Blues Band

"Blues for the Delta" Update and Gig Info

2005-09-23T12:09:00.000-07:00

Your Mighty No-Stars are looking forward to entertaining you again this week... Here's several ways to catch the band in action:

1) Check us out tonight (Friday, September 23) at Alternative Brews on Sheridan Dr. in Amherst (6-10)

2) Come down to Pearl Street in Buffalo next Friday (September 30th) after the Sabres game to see the band play two sets live (approximate start time 10:15)

3) Turn on your telly at 1am on Friday, September 30th to channel 7/WKBW TV for "Off Beat Cinema" (Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Star Blues Band appear as featured special guests)

Here's something to get excited about... Confirmed special guests for the "All-Star Jam" set at the Blues for the Delta concert include:

*Donna Rose & Jimmy Wozniak
*Mark Winsick
*J.J. Moscato
*Benny Provenzano of Flyin' Blind
*Tony Blasting of Bleeding Hearts
*LeeRon Zydeco
*Speedy Parker

**More To Come!!!!

This is going to be a really special night of music for a great cause. We're really hoping that you can be at the Tap Room on October 2nd!

GJ

2005-09-23T11:56:00.000-07:00

Gregg Juke

Blues for the Delta

2005-09-21T13:06:00.000-07:00

Here's an event happening on Sunday, October 2nd that you can't afford to miss...

The press release should say it all, but contact me if you need more info. We'd really like to see you there...

For Immediate Release:

On Sunday, October 2nd from 4pm-11pm, The Lafayette Tap Room, Nocturnal Productions, the Blues Society of WNY, the SPCA serving Erie County, and the Salvation Army will present "Blues for the Delta," a benefit concert event for victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and Mississippi.

The Lafayette Tap Room will host this star-studded Blues event, and 100% of proceeds will go towards relief activities related to the devastation wrought by Katrina. Proceeds designated for the SPCA will be sent directly to the SPCA in Louisiana, while proceeds dedicated for the Salvation Army will support current relief efforts in the flood-stricken areas.

Raffles and various additional fundraising will occur throughout the day.

Confirmed acts include the Speedy Parker Band, Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Star Blues Band, The Patti Parks Band, and soloist John Martz. The event will also feature an end-of-the-evening "All-Star" jam set, showcasing some of Western New York's well-known Blues, R&B, and Roots talent.

Sponsorship and support provided by Insty-Prints at the Airport Plaza and Sunset Fruits & Vegetables.

For more information, contact Gregg at Nocturnal Productions:

Gregg Juke
Nocturnal Productions/Blue Buffalo Records
Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Star Blues Band
(716) 696-6758
RhythmGJ@Hotmail.com
Gregg@MightyNoStars.com

=================Band Schedule=====================

4pm-5pm Acoustic Soloist John Martz

5:15pm-6:15pm Speedy Parker

6:15pm-6:45pm John Martz (backroom stage)

7pm-8pm The Patti Parks Band

8:15pm-9:15pm Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Star Blues Band

9:30pm-11:15pm???? All-Star Jam (The Mighty No-Star Blues Band as nucleus of house band w/very special guests)

Memphis Bound Competition

2005-09-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

November 5th at the Lafayette Tap Room in Buffalo will see the finals for the "Memphis Bound" competition. The local winner will go on to represent Buffalo/Niagara Falls/Western New York at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in January 2006. This is a major, worldwide event, and is akin to the "Olympics of the Blues."

Your Mighty No-Star Blues Band will be there, and we'd love to have your support. Come on out to the Tap Room and support all of the local talent.

GJ

Campbell... Not Glenn, but

2005-09-21T12:56:00.000-07:00

Jarred. Jarred Campbell. A great young singer-songwriter that we met and sat in with while doing the Spot Coffee/Off Beat Cinema taping a few weeks ago. Jarred opened up for us, and we really dug his voice, his energy, and his audience rapport. He's based in Binghamton, but is up this way fairly frequently if audience size and reaction is any indicator. Check out his website (a fancy-schmancy flash-type number) and listen to some tunes at www.jarredcampbell.com. If you like edgy Alterna-Folk Pop (sort of a male Ani Difranco thang), you will like Jarred a lot.

GJ

Media Moguls: No-Stars In The News

2005-09-21T12:10:00.000-07:00

Lots of action for your Mighty No-Stars in the media lately, folks.

A few weeks back, Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars (that's us, if you haven't figured it out) were featured as a second cover story on the summer issue of Blues Beat Magazine. Our thanks to Blues Beat Magazine, editor Rich Schneider, and Blues Beat scribe Karl Bauer for a real nice feature story. Pick up a free copy for yourself, they're still available throughout Western New York and at various Blues Society functions.

Word has it that talk show impressario Tom Bauerle has been using some of our tunes as featured "bumper" music. Thanks, Tom. The Mighty No-Stars are at your service.

We'll also be featured on an upcoming episode of the great, late-night, beatnik-hosted movie program "Off Beat Cinema," airing locally on Channel 7/WKBW. Thanks to those of you that came down to Spot Coffee for the live-taping. We'll be on here in Buffalo at 1 am on Friday, September 30th (the show also runs in Toronto, Ontario). The extremely cool thing about Off Beat Cinema is that it runs in national syndication, so sometime this year (although we don't know exactly when yet), we'll also be on TV in Austin, Texas, San Jose and San Francisco, California, Erie, Pennsylvania, and Tampa, Florida. Put on your black turtleneck, grow one day's worth of stubble, and snap your fingers if you think this is as cool as we do. (OR-- You could just watch the show. OR-- Tivo or old-school VHS tape it if you're coming down to the Pearl St. Grill to see us live on the 30th after the Sabres game... OR-- Talk the guys in the club into turning the show on while we play live, and have yourself a Mighty No-Stars double-whammy flip-out session).

More TV exposure: Bassist Joel Thomas recently represented the No-Stars on an upcoming episode of Channel 4/WIVB's "By The People." Joel was promoting the upcoming Hurricane Katrina relief benefit (more on this later)... Tune in at 6am on Sunday the 25th of September to check-out Jumpin' Joel.

And as if that weren't enough media saturation, No-Stars guitarist Bruce Rounds and I have another jingle (Hebeler's-- motorbikes and such) running on various Citadel Broadcasting stations (like 103, 97 Rock, and 104). The lead vocal features the legendary Paul Varga! (Get Well Soon, Paul). You can also hear some of the older stuff, including jingles for Bob Weaver Motorsports and Marine ("Weaver Fever," which sounds great on the website, too!), and Cupolo's Sports (should be back on the Bills Radio Network for this season).

Not on the radio yet, but hopefully soon-to-be, is the second, as yet un-released album from Boston-based roots rocker Mark Lenkei (a relocated former homeboy). Mark's album is in the final stages of production, and is being co-produced by multi-talented phenom Glenn Bernardis.
I got to play all of the drum tracks, quite a bit of percussion, and sing some vocals for Mark. Watch for it, it's got some great grooves, and has a really well produced and arranged (but not too slick) rootsy singer-songwriter vibe. You'll dig it.

Let us know if you see or hear No-Stars music anywhere else. We've been getting reports that people are jumping on the bandwagon (and well they should), but it helps to have hard data to connect with...

GJ

R U The Boy? (A Change Is Gonna Come...)

2005-09-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

Saxaphonist Jack Prybylski is no longer with The Mighty No-Stars... He will be pursuing his solo career, leading his own band (JPG-- The Jack Prybylski Group), and finishing up his second smooth jazz album with producer Ken Navarro. We wish him success in his new musical endeavors.

Harry Fackleman and Eric Wozniak are currently rotating dates with Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Star Blues Band. Say "hi" to Harry or Eric at the next gig (they are both pretty friendly, for musicians, anyway). We'll keep you posted on the band roster, and our pursuit of a new permanent No-Star. We're planning an 8-week reality TV show based on our musician search... Any ideas for a series title?

GJ

Wonders of the Modern World

2005-09-08T12:05:00.000-07:00

This is the first test post at "Juke The Mighty," the official interactive web-log for Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Star Blues Band, and other sundry Gregg Juke-related musical activities...

Come back often for news updates, or just to hang-out and wax philosophical...