How to Deal With a Difficult Live-Gig Economy? Some Musicians Are Getting Organized
July 25, 2023 | Andrew Gilbert
Located in a low-slung beige and rust-brown building several yards from Mission Street’s overcrossing of Interstate 280, the Mission YMCA isn’t an obvious place to go looking for Cajun music. But on a recent weekday, some three dozen seniors gathered for lunch while the Creole Belles delivered a set of waltzes, blues, zydeco, and classic Cajun numbers like “Blues à Bébé” by the Carrière Brothers. As a few Chinese women got up to dance, guitarist Karen Leigh broke into a wide grin.
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Jim Remembers Dix Bruce
Our dear friend Dix Bruce passed away unexpectedly on February 1, 2023.
I am full of fond memories of Dix Bruce. I grew to appreciate the depth of this wonderful person through years of side by side experience, we had our music duo beginning in 1994.
While on tour you learn a lot about a person, you also learn if they are a good person. A lot of what I learned about Dix was on those tours. He was a dedicated husband and father. He would reminisce about his wife Kathi and daughter Gennie and how important were to him, what fun he had being a dad, great stories. He would talk about how Kathi was such a dedicated mother. He truly loved that part of his life the most.
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California Report: Guitarist Jim Nunally
January 17, 2023 | Dave Berry
Jim Nunally is a California-based musician’s musician, not so widely known despite having played extensively with many great California artists, including both the David Grisman Bluegrass Experience and John Reischman and the Jaybirds. He’s a sought-after producer, and nowadays spends most of his off time in the Nell & Jim Band, featuring duets with his musical mate, Nell Robinson. He’s also started his own line of Banjo Boy Coffee. There’s so much more to this talented picker, so read on…
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Album Review: Nell & Jim Band, ‘Western Sun’
The achingly gorgeous ballad “By Stars and Sunrise” - written by Chris Wadsworth, Nell Robinson, and Jim Nunally - kicks off the Nell & Jim Band’s third album, opening sparsely with the somber intertwining of piano and guitar chords, providing the blanket on which Nell Robinson’s flute magically floats. The rhythmic patterns of the song - captured fluidly in Nunally’s crystalline lead runs in the instrumental bridge…
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The Nell & Jim Band Tracks the Immigrant Experience on ‘Western Sun’
Western Sun, the third album from The Nell & Jim Band, presents an immense sweep of roots music history that takes the listener on a sonic migration from Europe through the United States to California. On the way they tell stories of how generations sustained themselves in search of a better life. Western Sun also makes a clear statement about the treatment of immigrants in today’s America.
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Interview with Nell Robinson of the Nell and Jim Band
Part of the 5-piece “Nell and Jim Band” , Californian based musician Nell Robinson is an artist we have yet to feature here at Belles and Gals. With the band’s latest album “Western Sun” due for release on Friday, and Nell having a very interesting story being a later-in-life musician, what better time to tell you a bit more about her journey so far?
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Album Review of Western Sun Nell & Jim Band
Nell Robinson (mini-flute, piccolo) and Jim Nunally (guitar, banjo) are accomplished musicians with eclectic tastes who have forged a unique signature Americana sound with elements of folk, country, Celtic, bluegrass, world and Gospel. Based in California, the rest of the Nell & Jim Band include Jim Kerwin (upright bass), Alex Aspinall (percussion) and Rob Reich (accordionist, piano, organ, glockenspiel).
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Grateful Web Western Sun Release on May 29th
Nell Robinson and Jim Nunally have been melding genres their entire careers—bluegrass, folk, country, jazz, swing, alt-roots, folkbilly, you-name-it—but when it came time to put together Western Sun, their third album as the Nell & Jim Band, Robinson and Nunally wed their passion for songwriting and storytelling, using their vocabulary of way-back influences; a story told from the roots of roots music.
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Indie 5–0: 5 Q’s with Nell & Jim Band
Nell & Jim Band bring together genre-busting artists and joyful music infused with folk, bluegrass, americana, roots, swing, jazz, and blues. Alt-Roots, Folkbilly – whatever you call it – it’s original, well done, and a pleasure to hear.
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Album Review: Nell & Jim Band, ‘Western Sun’
Those just getting acquainted with Nell Robinson and Jim Nunally ought to know they are hardly the wide-eyed and unassuming artists their quaint, eponymous band moniker of Nell & Jim Band might make them out to be. Seasoned songwriters and musicians hosting the likes of performances with PBS and the former Prairie Home Companion, Grammy accolades, and more between their cumulative resumes…
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Western Sun CD Available May 29th
Nell Robinson and Jim Nunally have been melding genres their entire careers—bluegrass, folk, country, jazz, swing, alt-roots, folkbilly, you-name-it—but when it came time to put together Western Sun, their third album as the Nell & Jim Band, Robinson and Nunally wed their passion for songwriting and storytelling, using their vocabulary of way-back influences; a story told from the roots of roots music.
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Celebrity Access: The Nell And Jim Band Talk Roots Music, Inclusion, Coffee
Jim Nunally and Nell Robinson are the duo fronting the aptly named Nell And Jim Band, an acoustic quintet grounded in bluegrass, Americana and even a little jazz. The act has had its share of accolades, notably for the most recent Steel album…
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Review: Nell & Jim Band Cover Classic ‘Shady Grove/Matty Groves’
I was pretty excited when I came across this one! ‘Shady Grove’ is one of the most iconic American classic songs. The traditional folk-bluegrass tune first heralded from the Cumberland Appalachians and many have given their take at covering it.
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Album Review: Nell & Jim Band, 'Steel'
On their 2015 album Baby Let’s Take the Long Way Home, Nell Robinson and Jim Nunally Band sang of their love for the open road. Now, on Steel, they’ve settled in a bit, as they look back on and pay tribute to the musical influences that have shaped them and look forward to writing innovative music that builds on these influences.
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The Nell & Jim Band from the album Steel available on Whippoorwill Arts
Northern California’s Nell & Jim Band dropped a new twelve-track album on February 15, 2019. The title of the album is Steel, and it pays tribute to the group’s roots as well as support of the Music Home Project and the Whippoorwill Arts Awards.
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Nell & Jim Band Drop ‘Steel’
Americana outfit the Nell & Jim Band will drop their latest album, Steel, tomorrow, February 15. The album comprises 12-tracks of music rooted deep in the sonic heritage of the U.S. Jim Nunally first came into contact with Nell Robinson when he co-produced her album. Not long after, the pair hooked up to record House…
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Music Preview | Nell & Jim Band – ‘Steel’ LP
The Nell & Jim Band, NorCal’s premiere Americana outfit, are set to drop their new album, Steel, February 15. With a full dozen roots-flavored tracks, Steel delivers delicious harmonies and compelling rhythms.
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Song Premiere: “Dime In My Pocket” on The Bluegrass Situation
“‘Dime in My Pocket’ was written as an exercise in songwriting, and inspired by the book Will You Miss Me When I’m Gone?, the story of the Carter Family. I wanted to try to write a song about A.P. Carter and his feelings about Sara that I gathered from the book…
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Nell & Jim Band Set To Drop ‘Steel’
Meet the Nell & Jim Band, who have a new album – Steel – dropping February 15. Produced and engineered by John Cunibert of Sammy Hagar and Joe Satriani fame, Steel features a dozen tasty Americana tracks from one of NorCal’s most popular and vibrant bands.
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The Nell & Jim Band will release new album, ‘Steel, at The Palms
Nell Robinson, Jim Nunally front the roots quintet
Northern California’s acclaimed Americana quintet the Nell & Jim Band will return to The Palms Playhouse, 13 Main St. in Winters, on Saturday, Feb. 16 for an album release concert for “Steel.” Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are $20 ($16 with student ID).
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