The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Karp, Lawrence bring the blues to city Saturday
NEW HAVEN — If you’re looking for the blues, it will be at Cafe Nine on Dec. 15, when Charlie Karp & The Name Droppers stop by for a visit.
New Haven’s own touring bluesman, Rocky Lawrence, opens the show.
Showtime is 9 p.m. (Doors at 8.) Tickets are $15, available in advance at cafenine.com. Cafe Nine is at 250 Crown St.
So there’s a good chance you’ve heard Karp’s name before at some point, but who is this guy?
Well, he’s sort of like Waldo — you know, the Waldo of “Where’s Waldo” fame.
Or maybe like Forrest Gump or Woody Allen’s “Zelig” — in that you never know where he’s going to turn up next, or who he’ll be with.
Based in Fairfield County, Karp is a blues rocker who, in addition to leading Charlie Karp & The Name Droppers, is a member of Slo Leak with firstline session man Danny Kortchmar.
As a teen, he recorded with Buddy Miles.
Karp had one of his songs covered by the Bay City Rollers — no, this is not a misprint.
He once toured with Aerosmith with his former group, The Dirty Angels.
He produced “Black Betty” for Ram Jam and has written songs for Joan Jett and Joe Perry of Aerosmith.
Karp also has worked as an Emmy award-winning producer of music for sports networks, documentaries and feature films.
He has lent his support to a number of charitable causes, including the late Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Foundation, the Make-a-Wish Foundation and several cancer-survivor benefits.
And just in case you are wondering, that is fellow Fairfield County resident Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones he’s hanging out with in six photos on his website. (A kinship he has in common with Lawrence, who also has turned up onstage with Richards on occasion.)
Some other good bets for the week:
⏩ Singer-songwriter — and former “American Idol” winner — Lee Dewyze with locally based singer-songwriter Frank Viele at Cafe Nine on Dec. 11. Showtime
is 8 p.m. Tickets are $20, available in advance at cafenine.com.
⏩ The Old 97s “Holiday Extravaganza!” at Space Ballroom in Hamden on Dec. 12. Caseymagic and an acoustic set by Old 97s’ Rhett Miller open. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance at spaceballroom.com or $30 at the door.
⏩ Keller Williams’ “Pettygrass” show featuring The Hillbenders at Toad’s Place in New Haven on Dec. 14. Tickets are $27.50 in advance at the Toad’s Place box office, toadsplace.com or by calling 203-624-8623, or $30 day-ofshow. Showtime is 9 p.m. (Doors at 8.) All-ages show.