Sue Burkhart and Ed Vadas: Articles, reviews

Ed Vadas & Sue Burkhart: Ameri-MF-cana

THE RETURN OF SUPERKART; PLUS, AMERI-MF-CANA

It's been awhile since we have heard from SuperKart, the rockin' band fronted by guitarist Sue Burkhart. The band last played together in June of 2005 and since then Burkhart has been busy teaching and performing with the latin musical group Quetzal, as well as pursuing a solo career. But Sue has decided to give SuperKart another go around and the band will perform a show at The Elevens in Northampton on Friday, June 22, at 7 p.m. This is a special early show with Whisky Ina and King Radio sharing the bill.

There have been a few changes in the SuperKart line-up. R%on Burati is now on bass and former bassist Jim Weeks moved to guitar, harmonica, and back-up vocals. Keith Levereault remains on drums.

"So, we have the same core trio but, changed things a bit," Burkhart explained. "It's a great combination - all four of us are really happy with the results. We are really looking forward to Friday."

Burkhart has also recently teamed up with local blues musician Ed Vadas to form a musical partnership they are calling Ameri-mf-cana.

A quick visit to their web site (www.ameri-mf-cana.com) provides a glimpse into the varied music they are playing - everything from Tom Waits' "Jersey Girl" to the old stringband tune "Who Broke the Lock on the Henhouse Door?" Ameri-mf-cana performs songs written by both musicians as well as a full array of stylized covers.

When people first started asking them what type of music they played together, they would respond "a sort of Americana." While accurate, they thought that sounded corny. So they decided to tweak the term a bit and call themselves Ameri-mf-cana, a term that not only reflects the sense of humor that they share, but also gives a nod to the fact that many of the songs they play embrace the male/female situation.

"Ed Vadas and I teamed up after he came to one of my solo shows a year ago," explains Burkhart. "We discovered that we had a lot in common musically - we love older acoustic blues, roots music, jugband music as well jazz, folk and country. Both of us are very passionate about early Americana music, music that set trends and had powerful vocals and lyrics.

Burkhart and Vadas have been performing together since February and they will play a free show at the Hallmark Museum of Contemporary Photography, 85 Avenue A, Turners Falls, on Sunday, June 24, at 1:30 p.m. This show is part of the museum's Spring Exhibition and Benefit Print Sale. (The museum does not charge admission.)

"Working with Ed Vadas has made me a much-improved vocalist and musician in general," Burkhart said. "Audiences have reacted quite favorably, plus Ed and I have tons of fun together. We share a slightly twisted sense of humor - hence Ameri-mf-cana. We love to laugh and make audiences laugh. I feel lucky to have very satisfying musical endeavors to promote right now in SuperKart and Ameri-mf-cana."

Music: Behind the beat
Ed Vadas, on his own and now with Sue Burkhart, gets the blues. (click on link for full story.

Check out a ten minute video that typifies what "Ameri-mf-cana" does on a night to night basis

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Classic interpretations of Sue and Ed’s original songs
and original versions of classic Ameri-MF-cana tunes

Title . Written or Inspired by

Come On Home - Lambert, Hendricks & Ross
l’ll Be Your Baby Tonight - Bob Dylan
Empty Pocket Blues - Ed Vadas
Poor Howard - Leadbelly
Jersey Girl - Tom Waits
Funky Monkee - Sue Burkhart
Today I Started Loving You Again - Merle Haggard
pebbles & sand - Sue Burkhart
You Turn To Me - Ed Vadas
Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me - Duke Ellington/Al Hibbler
You Can Leave Your Hat On - Etta James
If I Can't Have You - Etta James & Harvey Fuqua
Everybody gets the Blues - Ed Vadas
Satisfied Mind - Traditional
I'm Not Ashamed to Sing the Blues - Diana Schuur
Climbing On Top of the Hill - Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee
You don’t know my mind - Ledbelly
Who Broke the lock on the henhouse door - The Highwoods String Band
Devilish Mary - The Highwoods String Band
The Letter - Ed Vadas
Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad - Big Bill Broonzy
Wild About My Loving - Jim Kweskin & Gus Cannon Jug Bands
Because I got High - Afro man
Don't Go to Cryin' - Ed Vadas
Why me lord - Kris Kristofferson
Roll ‘em Pete - Pete Johnson, Joe Turner
That Old Black Magic - Louis Prima and Spike Jones
Nice Like That - Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard
Beedle Um Bum - Jim Kweskin Jug Band
When I Paint My Masterpiece - Bob Dylan
Is My Heartbreak Showing - Ed Vadas
Please Send Me Someone to Love - Percy Mayfield
Home Cookin' - Lambert, Hendricks & Ross
Richland Woman - Mississippi John Hurt
Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me - Jim Kweskin Jug Band
jitterbud - Sue Burkart
Come Back Baby - Ray Charles
Blues In the Bottle - Jim Kweskin Jug Band
Drink Muddy Water - Traditional
Mystery Train - Little Junior Parker