Parrothead Ramblings

I used to watch a lot of AAA baseball some years ago when I lived in Albuquerque. I could never quite tell what it was that seperated the Dukes' players from most of those guys who were playing every day in places like Wrigley, Fenway, and (God forbid) Yankee or Dodger Stadiums. Whatever that differentiation was, it had to be very subtle. They rarely made errors and could easily pound the baseball out into the parking lot. Maybe it was just luck. Right place, right time, right manager, right agent.....who knows?

When I listen to and/or watch some of the lesser-known musicians we Parrotheads are fortunate enough to encounter in our adventures, that same question sometimes enters my mind:

Why isn't this guy playing at Desert Sky Pavilion, instead of this little bar?

Oh sure, some musicians do only covers, or are just average guitarists or vocalists or whatever. But when a Dave Zobl comes along, I can only scratch my head and wonder why Buffett, Morrison, and Taylor are household names while I never heard of this guy till two weeks ago. I just can't see that "AAA" differentiation in the level of skill, the art, and the simply outstanding quality of the work.

Our good phriend Mark Mulligan shot me an email a few weeks back, encouraging me to take a listen to Dave, a Colorado artist he played with previously. "He sounds a lot like Van Morrison," he said, "he's perfect for your website." Hell, he had me at Van Morrison. I immediately wrote to Dave, who sent me copies of his three albums: Best Day Yet, Chapters, and his latest offering, Roots and Wings.

Dave Zobl is that AAA player, as good or better than the major leaguers. I can't fathom why he's not in Coors Field. And he really, really does remind me of Van Morrison. That's not where the influences end, though. You'll hear a little Buffett in there, maybe some Sweet Baby James, some blues, and a healthy dose of that brand of American Folk so popular with Dylan and John Prine fans.

I loved all three albums, with Roots and Wings being my favorite. If you want real music, full of heart, recorded not for commercial profit but because the singer/songwriter loves to make his own music in his own way, then you're already a Zobl fan and don't even know it. Do yourself a favor, get on over to his website, and order yourself a copy of Roots and Wings. You can also find the two earlier albums on his website, or at CD Now.

Hell, even Scully, my Parrothead golden retriever loves Zobl. She's listened to "Reiver the Retriever" several times and gives it two paws up. I still can't figure ot how she gets the CD into that little slot, though.......
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