TOP Ten ways Doc celebrates Strokeland week on Horndriven radio: By Al Carlos

10. Pompadour under his fedora.

9. Blowing confetti out of his Berry.

8. Glow in the dark, carnival issued Larry King suspenders.

7. Had Bruce Conte’s picture finally removed from TOP website.

6. Asked Funkapino to make Chicken Adobo and lumpia for the entire label.

5. Doc encouraged The Zen Blues Quartet to become the radio.

4. By avoiding Oakland.

3. Pleaded with Jack Mack to lower his cholesterol and a take a low dose aspirin a day.

2. By paying the bills so it doesn’t become Broke land.

1. Doing his funky man dance after bowling a strike.

Beginning today, through the end of next week, HornDrivenRadio.com will be playing the music of all the artists appearing on the “Strokeland Records” website. Strokeland Records, founded by Stephen “The Funky Doctor” Kupka, features music from not only the Strokeland Superband, but from regional and national artists from around the country.

Below is a list in artist order, of the music in our current rotation:

Alias Smith and Lane-Smile & Nod
Alias Smith and Lane-Little Buggers
Alias Smith and Lane-Flashback
Bill Bergman & The Metro Jets-Ipanema
Bill Bergman & The Metro Jets-One For Me One For You
Bill Bergman & The Metro Jets-The Ninth Of September
Bruce Conte-Don't Give Up On Love
Bruce Conte-Saturday Night Women
Bruce Conte-Thump
Chad Rager Groove-Whipping Post
Chad Rager Groove-Squib Cakes
Chad Rager Groove-Straight, No Chaser
Doctor Funk-Can't Fight The Funk
Doctor Funk-Livin In Bump City
Doctor Funk-Step Up To The Plate
Funkiphino-Hold On
Funkiphino-Juice
Funkiphino-Rise Above
Glenn Walters with the Strokeland Superband-Animal Walk
Glenn Walters with the Strokeland Superband-Diamond Billy's Uptown Bar-B-Que
Glenn Walters with the Strokeland Superband-I Do My Best Work At Night
Hip Service-Hip2DaFunk
Hip Service-Sunday Morning
Hip Service-Nuff Said
Jack Mack & Heart Attack-Good Good Man
Jack Mack & Heart Attack-I Found A Love
Jack Mack & Heart Attack-Livin' It Up
Jeff Tamelier-E & J 4 Way
Jeff Tamelier-Grease Release
Jeff Tamelier-East of the Caldecott
Jimmy McIntosh-G-Spot
Jimmy McIntosh-It Was a Virus
Jimmy McIntosh-Mama Funk
John Lee Sanders-Lost In The Shuffle
John Lee Sanders-It's All Blues To Me
John Lee Sanders-Foreclose On The House Of Love
Jon Smith-Miss New Orleans
Jon Smith-Slow Jam
Jon Smith-You are my Sunshine
Larry Braggs-Are You Happy?
Larry Braggs-For Crying Out Loud
Larry Braggs-Willin' To Learn
Lon Bronson-This Story Must Be Told
Lon Bronson-If You Aint Got Love
Lon Bronson-White Punks On Dope
Mark Dolin-Belly Up
Mark Dolin-Can't Stop Thinkin' About Ya
Mark Dolin-The Parkin' Lot Hang
Mathews, David K.-Four by Five
Mathews, David K.-Airegin
Mathews, David K.-Nite Trane
Mic Gillette-Tell Mama
Mic Gillette-Open Up The Door
Mic Gillette-Funky Good Time - Complete
Mingo Fishtrap-Catch The Bus
Mingo Fishtrap-Dirty Gritty
Mingo Fishtrap-Out Of Control
Patrick Allen-Good Lovin' Woman
Patrick Allen-You Lit A Fire In Me
Roger Smith-Fiesta
Roger Smith-Just Friends
Roger Smith-Sittin' In
Ron E. Beck-When the Sun Goes Down
Ron E. Beck-Rainbow
Ron E. Beck-Can't Go Back
Sage-Funksway
Sage-Ants
Sage-King of the Avenues
Santa Fe-Ain't That Peculiar
Santa Fe-Livin' For The City
Santa Fe-We Are Nothing
Strokeland Superband-A Soulful Kinda Love
Strokeland Superband-Bumped Up To First Class
Strokeland Superband -It Is What It Is
Strokeland Superband With Fred Ross-When Little Jesse Hit The Set
Strokeland Superband With Fred Ross-It's The Law
Strokeland Superband With Fred Ross-It Was A Natural Disaster
Tony Adamo-In The Winelight
Tony Adamo-Groove Therapy
Tony Adamo-Up In It
Zen Blues Quartet-Body And Fender Man
Zen Blues Quartet-Get Your Business Straight
Zen Blues Quartet-You're Gonna Need Me

For more information about Strokeland Records, or the artists currently playing, go to www.strokeland.com.

TOP Ten perks of being a female Horn Band fan: By Al Carlos

10. Many times cuter than male fans who have given up on being handsome working on looking distinguished.

9. Spouses are not afraid to let you go to a concert alone because they know the band members are not “All that” either..

8. You can dance anyway you want because there are no hard body teenage girls there to clown you, and if there were, you could beat them down.

7. Given up on romantic guys “Willing to learn” for someone stable who is, “Willing to earn”.

6. Band members invite you backstage for baked goods and financial advice.

5. Don’t have to worry about being hit on by male fans because they are usually drunk and forgot who they came with in the first place.

4. Most band members are happily married and there is no line around the block for the remaining bachelors.

3. The ability to get Carlos’ arcane and obdurate references.

2. Band members will autograph body parts while only rubber stamping male bald heads.

1. Literal band supporters.

TOP Ten ways we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Oakland: By Al Carlos

10. Lime Kool-Aid.

9. Corned beef and cabbage burritos.

8. Blame Leprechauns for all purse snatchings.

7. Lucky Charms cereal for Supper.

6. Female thugs are called Hoochiegans.

5. Call each other ”O’ Homie”.

4. Shamrocks on the Ham hocks.

3. Kissing Barney stoned.

2. Perp walk parade down Broadway.

1. River dancing in house shoes at Eastmont mall.

Featured Band

Currently we are featuring the music from the North Carolina base band "Bull City Syndicate". We have three songs in our current rotation from their CD "You Make Me Feel", (I Wanna) Testify, Brother Man, & My Baby Loves You.

Notes From CDBaby about the band:
Ambitious. That’s the best way to describe the new release by North Carolina’s Bull City Syndicate. With Grammy-nominated producer John Custer at the helm of the project, You Make Me Feel is the most ambitious recording by a Raleigh/Durham-based band in a generation.

Over the course of 13 years, formerly known as Soul Kitchen & The Bull City Horns, Bull City Syndicate (BCS) has successfully scaled the local scene of dance-cover bands, ascending during those years from a top-drawing club act to one of the most in-demand private and corporate party bands in the Mid-Atlantic region. Then, someone had an idea . . . and a good one at that. Specifically, to hand over to a world-class producer the yet unrealized potential of nine individually unheralded talents, and have them recreate tunes from some of North Carolina’s rich history of funk, soul and pop songwriters.

Featuring songs exclusively written by composers with a significant connection to North Carolina, either by birth or current residency, BCS entered John Custer’s Jag Two Studios in October of 2006, and didn’t exit until the following April. The product of those six-plus months is a genuinely compelling funk/horn-band experience, referencing and paying homage to the broad spectrum of funk, soul and R&B’s most enduring musical traditions. Retro, while not blatantly so, the record often reminds us of what the current R&B hit-factories most often fail to deliver, namely, great melodies, real vocalists, and an in-your-face horn section. While it’s easy to point out the influences, (both subtle and overt), of Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Sly, James Brown, The Temptations, and the like, the originality of Custer’s horn arrangements help sidestep any presupposed comparisons to the most famous of horn bands - Earth, Wind & Fire, Tower of Power, or Chicago.

You Make Me Feel features tracks composed by Maceo Parker, George Clinton, Roberta Flack, Ben. E King, Bobby Patterson, John Custer, and as an added bonus, Raleigh's own, Corey Parker, (yep - Maceo's son), makes a special appearance on "Bull City Groove," which he also co-wrote with producer John Custer.

The Players:

Clarke Egerton – Trombone/Guitar/Vocals
Vhondy Strickland – Saxophones/Flute
Charlie D'Agostino – Keyboards/Vocals
Steve Baker – Trumpet/Flugelhorn/Vocals
Matt Kanon – Guitars/Vocals
Dan Lantier – Vocals/Percussion
Rodney Ogden – Trumpet/Flugelhorn
Jeff Nelson – Bass Guitar
Todd Proctor – Drums

For more about Bull City Syndicate "Click Here".

You can purchase the CD by clicking on the CD cover artwork at the top of this article.

Updated Playlist

Our Current Playlist is as follows (In Artist Name Order, not play order):

Ain't No Thang---Late Nite Party Boys
Al Green---Take Me To The River
Average White Band---Pick Up The Pieces
Barela---Willing To Learn
Barry Danielian---Common Ground
Big Band Der Bundeswehr---Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
Bill Evans---The Shorty Shuffle
Bing & The Bingtones---Old Soul Music
Blast---Do it 'till dawn
Blood, Sweat & Tears---Spinning Wheel
Bobby Purify---What's Old To You
Bona Fide---Blaze
Brandon Fields---Finders Keepers
Bull City Syndicate---(I Wanna) Testify
Bull City Syndicate---Brother Man
Bull City Syndicate---My Baby Loves You
Candy Dulfer---Funky Good Time
Candy Dulfer---Nikki's Dream
Carmen Grillo---Dr. In The House
Chad Rager Groove---Whipping Post
Chickenhawks---I Got News For You
Chris Cain---I Need a Woman to Treat Me Right
Cold Blood---Down To The Bone
Danny Weis---Graham Street Shuffle
Dave Dunlop---The Hang
Dave Weckl Band---Tower Of Inspiration
David Sanborn---Soul Sarenade
Delta Wires---Big Leg Woman
Derek Harris---Amalgamation
Doctor Funk---Can't Fight The Funk
Down To The Bone---Urban Jazz
Dr. Hector & the Groove Injectors---Shame, Shame, Shame
Dyke & The Blazers---We Got More Soul
Edgar Winter---I've Got New For You
Euge Groove---Let's Get It On
Eva Cassidy---God Bless The Child
Frank Biner---Born On Broadway
Freeport---Get Back
Gangbuster---Mercy Mercy
Glenn Walters with the Strokeland Superband---What's Amanda Do?
Greg Adams---Hidden Agenda
Heavy Metal Horns---Horns In The House
Izit---Izit Everywhere Part 2
Jack Mack & Heart Attack---Kansas City Limit
James Brown---Say It Loud (I'm Black And I'm Proud)
Jazz Police---Tower Tribute
Jeff Golub---Cold Duck Time
Jules Broussard---Cajun Moon
L.A. Boppers---Where Do The Bop Go?
Lighthouse---One Fine Morning
Little Mike & The Sweet Soul Music Band---Free Ride
Lon Bronson All Star Band---This Story Must Be Told
Louise Hoffsten---Shut Up And Kiss Me
Luther Kent---I Pity The Fool
Mandrill---Fencewalk
Mic Gillette---Tell Mama
Mighty Sam McClain---Been There, Done That
Mike Reilly---Whos Been Sleeping In My Bed
Nils Gessinger---Jam It Up
Otis Grand---Finish Line w/Curtis Selgado
Pat O'Donnell Group---Tee Time featuring Blvd. East
Pete Escovedo---Flying South
Peter Friestedt---There ain't nothin' (wings of joyful thinkin')
Players Association---Ride The Groove
Richard Elliot---The Boys From The Bay
Robbin Thompson & Steve Bassett---Sweet Virginia Breeze
Robert Peckman---Put It In the Pocket
Sage---Funksway
Santa Fe and The Fat City Horns---Headed For The Top
Scott Martin---Bettin' On A One Eyed Jack
Soul Stew---I'll Be Around
Soulpatrol---Hang Up Your Hang Up's
Strokeland Superband---Color Me Gone
The Blues Brothers---Flip, Flop & Fly
The Bo-Keys---Back at the Chicken Shack
The Chops Band---Still NYC
The Groove Hogs---Blues Is My Business
The Rascals---Jungle Walk
The Super Groovers---Seaside Adventures In Hollypool
The Tubes---Tip Of My Tongue
Tony Adamo---Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
Tower Of Power---Fanfare/ You Know It
Vernon Garrett---Dill Pickle And A Peppermint Stick
Whiskey Howl---I'll Go Crazy
Yoichi Murata---Let Me Groove
Zen Blues Quartet---Powerful Stuff

This Year Marks the 40th Anniversay for Cold Blood

From Cold Blood:

Cold Blood is officially 40 and feeling younger than ever! The new album, LIVE BLOOD is out and getting rave reviews. We are adding new tunes to the set, and we have the Lavelle White tune, 'Can't Take It.' from the afore mentioned album. 'Kissing My Love' is now a duet between Lydia and trumpeter Rich Armstrong. We added a trilogy of gospel tinged Cold Blood oldies, and even pay homage to Janis Joplin and do a song Lydia used to cover in the first days of Cold Blood. As the story goes, Lydia was singing the song and looks over to Janis ranting and flipping her off on the side of the stage... Janis says "hey, that's my tune- I'm recording it!" and Lydia explains that it's an old R& B cover. That night over a bottle of whisky they become friends. The song, Piece of My Heart, has come to be known as Janis' and you should hear Lydia do it. Interwoven with the story, it has become one of the favorites of the set as the history lesson and amazing depth of Lydia's voice transforms to bring to life a piece of rock history.

Speaking of history, the band may have a major tour coming to fruition- something to do with the Fillmore Foundation and the band "A Beautiful Day". We're keeping our fingers crossed. Imagine the two bands with an art show of the Fillmore posters!

Our goals this year are to bring Lydia and Cold Blood to the East Coast, and then Europe. Lydia has never been to Europe and I think our 40th anniversary is the year that this will happen!

BTW, we will do another amazing show opening for Tower in Ann Arbor, Michigan on June 6th. Buy your tix early as this historic pairing always sells out fast. Cold Blood will tour the Midwest at after the gig.

That's our news for the new year... Here's to 2009- a new (real) president and a new outlook hopefully will bring peace and prosperity to all!

For more info on Cold Blood visit them at www.coldblood.biz

TOP Ten things overheard at Lon Bronson/Strokeland gig in Vegas: by Al Carlos

10. Casino was concerned that If Doc goes Vegas he may have loaded dice in his hat.

9. Security was concerned that these many Strokeland artists together may constitute a gang.

8. Horndriven webmaster Raoul captured it live via cell phone for Associate PD, TC, who hated life for not being there.

7. Club Madrid honored TOP guests by asking Larry Braggs to wear bull fighter pants.

6. The rest of the band went to heckle Donny and Marie.

5. The TOP guys showed up as a community service work detail, based on the last time they played Vegas.

4. The hot musical chemistry caused drunken high rollers in the front row to break out in honky hives.

3. Rocco planned to propose to a random Keno girl during set break.

2. The Lion that bit Roy, wanted to come but handlers were afraid of fans from Oakland.

1. So many horns on stage no one in the building could wear a hat or hair piece.