Music: Sly Joe and the Smooth Operators - “Mellow Mood”
Wednesday, April 30th, 2008
Sly Joe is back with a terrific song to take us over hump day, a cover of the classic Bob Marley tune, “Mellow Mood”. Along with his band, SLY JOE AND THE SMOOTH OPERATORS, he puts a decidedly fresh and contemporary spin on this reggae love song. Born and raised in Wisconsin, Joe was a gifted musician from an early age performing classical piano at 11 years old, and playing guitar in Wisconsin’s Honors Jazz Ensemble at 17. His playing is always fresh and imaginative with influences like the Beatles, Zepplin and Jack Johnson. If you are in or near Wisconsin, you can visit Sly Joe’s myspace page for up-coming show dates. He has even played at Lambeau field. (Stash Host, Radical Russ’ spiritual mecca!) Get in a Mellow Mood and enjoy today’s musical hit.
Thanks to our friends at http://music.podshow.com.
“Light Up”
Hello you beautiful stashers! Today I am sending you all a love note to tell you that you are “Stoned Beautiful” with todays musical hit from songwriter REED FOEHL. You might already know Reed as the lead singer of the Boulder CO based jam band, Acoustic Junction, which played many shows in the 1990s. Reed has always been a songwriter and now that he has embraced his solo career we get to enjoy his best work with truthful lyrics, intricate guitar work and songs that speak to the poet in all of us. Reed has opened for a number of well known artists including Taj Mahal, Patty Griffin, Dave Matthews and most recently on several shows with Ray LaMontagne. We haven’t heard the last from this amazing songwriter! This is the title track of his latest album.
Welcome back from your own special holiday weekend, stashers! Can it still be a blues song if it has an upbeat message? (Reminds me of the joke: I was supposed to go to a blues club tonight to hear live music, but they canceled the show…I guess the performer had a pretty good day!) Since I’m just not feeling all that blue after a fun filled 420 weekend, blue Monday’s song has a happy ending. JACQUES GRANT’s song, “Everything’s gonna be Alright”, delivers an undoubtedly boogie-blues style complete with a talking guitar, harmonica and a fiddle too! Born in France, Grant moved to the states when he was 12 years old. In the 70’s Grant hitch-hiked the country from Florida to Canada, Michigan to Colorado, and played music to survive. He moved to Austin, TX in the late 70’s and continued to play music, finding inspiration in the famous blues clubs and often ending up at Antone’s to see Stevie at 3:00am. You can visit Jacques myspace page for more information about this blues man, or visit our friends at 
Today on the stash we get some classic reggae for all you stashers that are reggae fans. BARRINGTON LEVY brings us his classic toker-friendly tune, “Collie Weed” for today’s musical puff. Born in Jamaica, Barrington has been recording reggae music since the 1970’s. At the tender age of 14, Barrington was a popular performer in the large Jamaican dance halls. Barrington recorded music with reggae heavyweights, Roots Radics and through the years he has shared the stage with every big name in reggae. In 1996, after the death of Sublime’s Bradley Nowell, the remaining members of the band recorded several songs with Barrington. Levy was only involved in a handful of shows, but his contribution to their 1999 release “Right Back”, under the new moniker 
We made it past tax day! Here is a little celebration ditty for getting through our yearly ordeal. KHMER KID brings us his infectious groove hit “Smoke Weed”.
Welcome to tax day, stashers. I’m serving up some smooth jazz, rock and roll influenced by Latino grooves to ease your stress. LOS GALLOS is a Texas-based band with a sound like Stevie Ray Vaughn and Carlos Santana playing some smooth Steely Dan track. The upbeat lyrics of “Free the People” are a familiar mantra to the cannabis community. When you are paying your tax bill, lets remember that it IS our government. We are paying for it. Let your voice heard. You can learn more about these groovy Texans by visiting their website at 
Welcome to Blue Monday. Today on the Stash we get to enjoy some bluesy, folksy music from JAKE LEAR. The song today, “Trouble in My Mind, Trouble in My Soul” is a gut-wrenching real blues-style ballad. The disturbing effects of the failed drug war on our friends and neighbors certainly has left me with trouble in my mind. Jake Lear was born in Vermont and that region has tattooed his soul with the country sound of a young Bob Dylan. He is a master at the guitar, and this track feels like one of the classics that inspired it. You can learn more about this talented artist on his web site at 
I love to start the weekend with my favorite BC buds, THE TALLBROTHERS. Today we enjoy the wonderful reefer jazz tune “You Get Me Too High”. Actual brothers, Thomas and Bill Small are the core of this legendary Vancouver, BC band. Bill helped launch the British Columbia Compassion Club Society that provides low-cost, high quality organic medicinal marijuana to anyone with a doctor’s prescription. Incredibly, Tom started writing music at the age of 8 and both brothers have a long musical resume. Currently taking their inspiration from 30’s and 40’s reefer tunes gleaned from the archives of Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and others, the Tallbrothers are THE sound of hot jazz in the cannabis community. According to their website, the band’s name comes from an old reefer jazz tune called “Man with the Jive” where a line exclaims “Light up baby and get real tall!” I hope you all have a chance to get real tall this weekend! Please visit their 
I Am pleased to bring you THE OMEGA PROJECT and their musical hit “Grow and Eat”. Not just a jam band, but classic rock, R & B, reggae, funk - and I do mean the best of those genres - blended into the perfect festival band - and I do mean festival band - they have played Seattle Hempfest, Amsterdam’s Cannabis Cup and the Kauai Freedom Festival. The perfect community-festival band, they not only know how to jam their asses off, their lyrics prove they have something to say. Enjoy today’s interview with Carlos Cardona who plays guitar and lends his big voice to the band. Patience Ahonui slammin’ on rhythm guitar, bass and vocals and Frank Apra setting the pulse with his energetic percussion round out the Omega Project. Visit their website at 
A really good shot of Reggae is what you get with todays musical hit from the group, PIRATE RADIO. Hailing from Portsmouth, U.K. these reggae masters bring us some classic-sounding reggae dub with their musical hit “The Dread Pirate Roberts”. These reggae rockers must be fans of the movie “the Princess Bride” to name this righteous, rootsy instrumental after the wonderfully mysterious hero. This is the good stuff, sounding like a great 1970’s reggae, funk dance hit. Put this on your next cannabis party mix tape because your mixed tape just isn’t complete without a kick-ass reggae tune to make everything Irie. Another great artist from 
Good Day beautiful stashers! Today we enjoy some great acoustic guitar with DALLAS LEONARD and his musical hit “One Toke”. Dallas is a Midwestern troubadour who has played in various rock bands and now is embracing his inner folkster by writing and performing his acoustic music. Originally from Indy, Dallas relocated to Virginia in 2000. I have a deep love for good acoustic guitar, and Dallas does not disappoint with this toker-friendly tune. You can sample and purchase his music on his 
Welcome to Blue Monday stashers! We have heard from the band GILES before, but we haven’t heard them sing the blues! This tune, “Mind Your Own Damn Business” has a steady rockin’ blues beat with a real Monday- blue-Monday attitude. Giles is a guitar-driven trio from the North-West of England fronted by the talented Mark Koehorst who is originally from Holland. With his son, Piet on bass and Terry Shaughnessy on drums, I am beginning to think that Giles can play any genre and sound like they own it. Maybe I will drop them a line, and ask them to cook up their own version of reggae next. I have no doubt these guys would nail it. How do I conquer Mondays? Well, you guys all know, everyone else can mind their own damn business….
Welcome to Friday you beautiful stashers! I have the perfect tune to take us into the weekend. AARON ENGLISH is an artist from Seattle and along with his band, bring us some big sounds reminiscent of Robert Plant, post Zeppelin or Peter Gabriel post Genesis. Today’s tune “Like Smoke” showcases his sophisticated writing style that is amplified by world-beat rhythms, making this Northwest band sound exotic and intoxicating. I can already feel the stress of the work week drift away, like smoke….
Today’s musical hit is a fun, upbeat number from IVY LEAGUE with their happy-go-lucky ‘Let It Burn”. This five-piece group calls the Northwest home having their roots in Seattle and Provo, Utah. Their sound has the energy of Sublime and the lyrical qualities of Weezer. With powerful vocals, it’s just good-ol’ party music. Ivy League has played Warped Tour dates as well as Utah’s famed “Big Ass Show”. You can check their 
What a delicious treat to take us into the weekend! Our British Columbia buds, THE TALLBROTHERS treat us to some righteous reefer jazz with their musical hit “I’m Kinda High”. Actual brothers, Thomas and Bill Small head this legendary Vancouver, BC band. Bill at one time oversaw a mega real estate business and the stress from that job led to ulcers. When he discovered that marijuana had cured his ulcers, he moved to Vancouver and helped launch the British Columbia Compassion Club Society that initially operated out of his apartment. This organization provides low-cost, high quality organic medicinal marijuana to anyone with a doctor’s prescription. Tom has a long musical history, playing many different instruments in different musical genres and working as an audio engineer. Their retro sound is cool and crisp jazz at its best. After headlining the 2004 Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam, the Tallbrothers gained worldwide popularity in cannabis communities far from their Canadian roots. These guys would kick ass even if they weren’t singing about weed. Please visit their 
