Wednesday, October 31, 2007

11/07 - John Batdorf and Mark Rodney from one coast to another and back again

November 2007:
John Batdorf with Mark Rodney
from one coast to another
and back again...


Friday, 2-4 November 2007
John Batdorf and Mark Rodney
Far West Folk Alliance Conference

Hilton Hotel/Vancouver, Vancouver, Wa.
http://www.far-west.org/
John will be performing solo and with Mark Rodney at the Far West Folk Alliance November 2-4.
Not open to the public.

Sunday, 4 November 2007 @ 5:30pm
Batdorf & Rodney Private House Concert
Near Seattle, WA

Tuesday, 6 November 2007 @ 7:30pm
John Batdorf and Mark Rodney
Mainstreet Songwriters Showcase @ Cafe Bellissimo

22458 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, CA 91364-1523
818-225-0026
http://www.cafebellissimo.com/
Price: donations
John and Mark will do a 30 minute set of originals.


Friday, 9 November 2007 @ 3:30pm
John Batdorf and Mark Rodney
Folk Scene Radio Pre-record

http://www.myspace.com/folkscene
Mark and I are recording a radio show for the legendary Folk Scene Radio Show hosted by Roz Larman to be broadcast at a later date TBD.


Saturday, 10 November 2007 @ 7:30pm
Meet Me In the Music Presents
John Batdorf with Mark Rodney and Bill Batstone
Opening: Andrew Jackson
Verity Room Gallery

7503 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Canoga Park, CA 91303
paypal: http://www.myspace.com/meetmeinthemusicpresents
email meetmepresents@gmail.com for more info
Price: $20. advance reservations general admission
$25. cash/general admission/door
doors open at 6:45pm

Friday, 16 November 2007 @1pm
John Batdorf and Mark Rodney with Bill Batstone
XM Radio Live Concert

Washington, D.C.
http://xmradio.com/onxm/channelpage.xmc?ch=50
John, Mark and Bill will be recording a live concert with an audience this time at the fantastic studio of XM Radio. The show will air at a later date and will be part of a new live Batdorf and Rodney CD that will include two brand new studio recorded songs due out in the spring of 2008.


Saturday, 17 November 2007 @ 8pm
John Batdorf with special guest Mark Rodney
Paul Mannes House Concert

Arlington, Va 22205
703-868-6379
Price: $20.00
There will be limited seating at this show so to reserve a seat please email Paul Mannes at paulmannes@verizon.net

Monday, October 29, 2007

John Batdorf with Mark Rodney and Bill Batstone at the Verity Room on November 10th

For advance reservations,
email meetmepresents@gmail.com

or access the Paypal Buttons at
the Mother Hen Promotions myspace

John Batdorf Appearances at FAR-West 2007


:
John Batdorf Appearing at FAR-West
Friday, November 2nd
315 RMJ Productions - 4-5pm - solo/B&R
Oak Room - Room With a View - 10pm - B&R
315 RMJ Productions - 11pm-12am - solo/B&R
337 Concerts at the Bodie House 12:30am - solo
341 True Wind Music/Living Room - 1am - solo

Saturday, November 3rd
351 Concerts in Your Home.com - 2pm - solo
315 RMJ Productions - 4-5pm - solo/B&R
315 RMJ Productions - 11pm-12am - solo/B&R

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Review 10/23/07: B & R in concert - Incredible

B & R in concert - Incredible
-Chris Abood, a music fan in Cleveland, OH-

October 2007 John Batdorf and Mark Rodney came to Northeast Ohio for the first time in over 30 years and those of us who had the opportunity to see them, not once but twice in one weekend, will forever have that glorious memory.

As good as the CD, "Home Again" is, the real treat was hearing the music of John Batdorf, and Batdorf and Rodney, presented acoustically. The guitars of these two musicians sang. The voices were perfect. And the joyful lyrics and music, first shared over 30 years ago, sounded as fresh and vibrant as if we were hearing for the first time.

Mark Rodney is back among the finest acoustic pickers in folk music. He skillfully played the lead notes heard on the B & R albums in the 70's without the fuzz of drums or bass to distract. "Me and My Guitar", Oh My Surprise," and so many other songs had new life as Mark's sweet, deliberate guitar playing took center stage. And John Batdorf's artful lead playing during the triumphant "Can you See Him," may have actually showcased the best licks of the night. That song is among the most powerful in any musical genre.

Yes, it was wonderful to hear the music, but we also took great pleasure in seeing the interplay between these two old friends. The stories shared about their early days, their meetings with Ahmet Ertegen, their partying lifestyle in LA and the life experiences which generated their songs were captivating and humorous. It was a totally satisfying experience.

"Music's here for us to love each day" has been a phrase I've kept in mind since the first time I heard it decades ago. And now, when I think of the line, "All my life, I've waited for this day," from "Home Again," I realize that my musical prayer has been answered. Their performance was superb!!

Review9/28/07: Dayton Daily News

Nontraditional radio helps ’70s duo break into mainstream

Dayton Daily News

By Don Thrasher
Contributing Writer
Friday, September 28, 2007

The rigidity of commercial radio playlists has made it possible for only certain old school acts to receive airplay.

However, the rise of satellite and Internet radio stations has given new life to once popular acts that managed to slip through the cracks of mainstream consciousness. That's the case with former Daytonian John Batdorf, who owes his recent career resurgence to the lasting popularity of '70s duo Batdorf & Rodney, which is in heavy rotation on a number of nontraditional radio stations.

"For maybe 25 years you couldn't hear any of that stuff, but the reality is radio is actually playing stuff from those days again," Batdorf said recently, speaking over the telephone from his California home. "When satellite radio came out, I didn't even know what it was, but people started telling me they were hearing Batdorf & Rodney on XM radio. ... At that point the records had not even been re-released. The DJs had taken the records and burned them onto CD."

The objects of fixation for these DJs were the three major label LPs Batdorf & Rodney released in the early to mid-'70s, which were loaded with a folksy blend of mellow, West Coast harmonies and intricate dual acoustic guitar interplay.

Batdorf and Rodney hadn't seen each other since 1985 when they reunited in 2006 to record three cuts for Batdorf's solo album "Home Again." The old friends found the spark still was there and decided to get back together for a brief Midwestern reunion tour, which stops at Canal Street Tavern tonight.

CONTACT contributing arts and music writer Don Thrasher at donaldthrasher8@aol.com.

Review(s) 10/6/07 from NWI.com


Popular ’70s singer comes full circle - from NWI Times



Popular '70s singer comes full circle

Saturday, October 6, 2007 12:05 AM CDT
BY TOM LOUNGES
Times Correspondent

Like so many of those singing/songwriting troubadours of the 1970s that flooded the pop music scene, John Batdorf, was heavily influenced and inspired by those hippie-spirited, rebel souls who had come a decade earlier.

One in particular, Stephen Stills, had a deep influence on Batdorf, which can be heard in his guitar playing, if not his vocalizing. When he opens his mouth to sing, Batdorf's high range recalls a slightly less soaring Jon Anderson (YES) with a touch of a less-shrill Geddy Lee (Rush).

Perhaps his unique vocal style is what has made Batdorf such a popular session singer on countless radio and television commercial jingles and a guest vocalist on recording projects for other artists

Batdorf's voice has been tapped over the years by a wide range of artists -- from pop act Jefferson Starship, to hard rockers Motley Crue, to Americana favorite James Lee Stanley -- the latter with whom Batdorf released a tasty 2005 acoustic album of Rolling Stones covers titled, "All Wood And Stones."

His story began in 1971. That is when he partnered with Mark Rodney, signed to Atlantic Records and released their first album, "Off The Shelf."

The two quickly became part of the enormous acoustic duo genre of the early-'70s that included acts like Seals & Crofts, Brewer & Shipley, Loggins & Messina, England Dan & John Ford Coley, and Hall & Oates.

Batdorf & Rodney were wooed away by a young David Geffen to the fledgling Asylum Records for their self-titled second album, and later by Clive Davis, who released their third album on his Arista label.

Batdorf & Rodney have been described by critics as the quintessential California acoustic folk-rock duo of the '70s. They released three albums and landed two singles on the charts -- "You Are A Song" and "Somewhere In The Night" -- before splitting up in 1975.

Batdorf joined the group Silver in 1976, recorded one album, and toured with the Doobie Brothers, Poco, Hall & Oates and America.

Extensive session work kept him busy during the 1980s, and in the mid-1990s, Batdorf expanded his musical resume by becoming resident composer for such hit television programs as "Promised Land" and "Touched By An Angel."

After recording a pair of albums in the 1990s with fellow singer/songwriter Michael McLean, Batdorf spent most of this decade as an indie rocker and again has hit the concert trail.

Earlier this year, he released his newest collection of original music, the aptly titled, "Home Again."

Now performing again with Rodney, the duo will recreate the music and magic of a generation ago on stage tonight at Front Porch Music.


ifyougo
John Batdorf with Mark Rodney
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: Front Porch Music, 505 Lincolnway, Valparaiso
Cost: $12, all ages
FYI: (219) 464-4700 or www.frontporchmusic.com

© Copyright 2007, The Times, Munster, IN
direct article link

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What’s old is new again for Batdorf & Rodney - NWI Interview
Category: Music


What's old is new again for Batdorf & Rodney

Friday, October 5, 2007 12:07 AM CDT

BY TIM SHELLBERG
Times Correspondent

John Batdorf, one half of the '70s singer-songwriter duo Batdorf & Rodney, was surprised to discover his audiences remembered his '70s songs after dusting the cobwebs off of them recently.

"I played them not thinking at first that anyone would know them," he recalled.

"And it was unbelievable to me how many people were Batdorf & Rodney fans. It was very humbling. It's really nice to know that people remember you from that time because it really was a long time ago."

Scheduled to perform their first Chicagoland show together in more than three decades Saturday at Valparaiso's Front Porch Music, the duo, best known collectively as Batdorf & Rodney, released a trio of albums that found favor with fans of the Cali rock sound of the early and mid-'70s.

They landed on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart in 1975 with the single "You are a Song" from their third album, "Life is You."

But that album would prove to be their recorded swan song, and from there, Batdorf joined forces with pre-Grateful Dead Brent Mydland in the band Silver, which recorded a sole eponymous set in 1976.

By 1980, Batdorf's musical concentrations were behind the scenes; he composed songs and lent his vocal and instrumental talents to acts varying from David Lee Roth to Rod Stewart to Berlin.

In the late '90s and early '00s, he was best heard on the small screen, composing the scores for the CBS dramas "Promised Land" and "Touched by an Angel."

After "Angel" ran its course in 2004, Batdorf was asked by fellow acoustic favorite James Lee Stanley to collaborate on "All Wood and Stones," a 2005 unplugged take on Rolling Stones '60s gems.

While touring in support of "Stones," Batdorf reconnected with an audience who hadn't forgotten his songs from his '70s heyday when the duo included selections from Batdorf & Rodney's catalog.

It may have helped that in 2004, the duo's albums were finally made available on CD.

"I really thought that there was a 'been there, done that' kind of thing (with the Batdorf & Rodney songs)," he said.

"But people just kept requesting the old songs."

Earlier this year, Batdorf released "Home Again," which features a hearty helping of '70s selections alongside new songs. A stripped-down affair in the vein of "Stones," Batdorf called on his past partner Rodney, who appears on three songs on "Home."

Almost every song on "Home," Batdorf said, has found a home on satellite radio. A small handful of acoustic and album cut-friendly stations on satellite provider XM, including "The Loft," "Deep Tracks" and "Fine Tuning," have played selections from "Home" since the album was released this spring.

"I think there's more than 9 million people who are paying for radio when they can get it for free," Batdorf said.

"It's great to know that there are people who still want to hear what's out there and what's not being played anymore on AM or FM radio."

In November, Batdorf and Rodney will make their way to XM to record a live performance. The duo hope to release the show, augmented by a pair of new songs, for what will be their first album together in more than three decades.

ifyougo
John Batdorf with Mark Rodney
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: Front Porch Music, 505 E. Lincolnway, Valparaiso
Cost: $12
FYI: (219) 464-4600 or www.frontporchmusic.com

© Copyright 2007, The Times, Munster, IN
direct article link

Review 9/8/7: Santa Barbara News-Press

from the Santa Barbara News-Press re: John Batdorf and Andrew Jackson 9/8 /07


IN CONCERT: Guitar at their centers - John Batdorf, Andrew Jackson couldn't stay away from performing



Although he's a forensic expert by day, Andrew Jackson, above, gets to showcase his guitar skills at night. For his performance at El Presidio Chapel, Jackson will be joined by one of his heroes, John Batdorf, below.
COURTESY PHOTOS



September 7, 2007 12:05 PM

JOHN BATDORF, with ANDREW JACKSON, THERESA OGELLA

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: El Presidio Chapel, 123 E. Canon Perdido St.

Tickets: $15 day of event,

$12 advance, members

Information: 965-0093, www.sbthp.org

"This is my first paying gig up in Santa Barbara," singer-songwriter John Batdorf jokes about his performance Saturday at El Presidio Chapel.

He can thank the man who put the show together, Batdorf's opening act, guitarist Andrew Jackson.

Both musicians know Batdorf isn't exactly correct about this being his first paying gig in Santa Barbara. For the early part of the 1970s, he was half of Batdorf & Rodney, a jazz-folk duo that made its way through a selection of major labels (Atlantic, Asylum, Arista) and gained a cult following. But after years away, Batdorf's return to Santa Barbara feels like a rebirth in some ways, as does Jackson's budding career.

"We are two completely different guitarists," Batdorf says, "which means not in competition." But the two owe their current situations to shake-ups in the music industry.

"We met on MySpace," Batdorf says. "Andrew was a fan, and I've been a fan of his kind of jazz-guitar playing."

For years, Batdorf was making a living scoring for television, and had given up on the music business.

"John is fairly new to ages 30 and below, and MIA for most of us who remember him," Jackson wrote in an e-mail.

But that started to change for Batdorf a few years ago, when he heard a Batdorf & Rodney song on an Xfm station.

Realizing things were changing, he got back in the game, and found the game had changed. Jackson's El Presidio concert -- and previous all-star benefit gigs at NorthStar Coffee Company and SOhO, the latter for the Environmental Defense Center -- is just one of many ways, aided by the Internet, today's acts are finding audiences. Sometimes, the audience has being waiting for years. Some, like Jackson's, have just started to grow.

Jackson's album title "Hiatus" describes why he is entering the business late. He took a 14-year break due to "college, marriage, a child . . . and, eh, a divorce," and returned to music in 2002.

"I was walking around in a kind of daze," he says. "And one night I borrowed a guitar and sat in on an open-mic night." Although he had been playing in the intervening years, he had not performed in public since college.

The Santa Barbara native and self-described "Air Force brat" played rock in high school, but by college had moved toward the steel-string playing of Windham Hill's Michael Hedges, whose open tunings and harmonic slaps can still be heard in Jackson's playing. Jackson also cites William Ackerman and Alex de Grassi as influences. The latter, known for his finger-picking style, became Jackson's mentor after he sought out the artist when De Grassi played at SOhO. Jackson soon got the itch to get back in the spotlight.

"Music is something I need in life, and not just at home," Jackson says he realized after that meeting. On his Web site (www.soundclick.com/hiatusandrewjackson), you can hear what he has been working on since 2002, including solo work and duets with violinist Barbara Coventry and percussionist Johnny Ornelas. A range of styles is presented, including Celtic folk, flamenco, classical and slack-key Hawaiian.

There is a new album, "Expressions of Passion," in the works, but, being a perfectionist, Jackson keeps tweaking the tracks. He has found his ideal marketing format in online MP3s, and offers them on his SoundClick site (above) and on his MySpace site

(www.myspace.com/fretnomore).

"Every artist dreams about making that one song with the one hook," he says. "And MP3s help that happen. Why make people buy a whole album when I can get more people paying 60 cents for one song that they like. There's no language barrier, so it can be international."

During the day, Jackson works as a forensic expert, the kind that takes the stand in court cases. At night, he plays. One of his regular gigs is at NorthStar Coffee. His musical friends are trying to get him to expand his venue choices. "I'm hesitant to play L.A., but they've convinced me," he says.

For Jackson, the biggest change in returning to performing was realizing he could do it.

"Not to sound vain, but I didn't realize at first that I was this good," he says. "But here I am opening for and playing with my heroes, and they're asking me to join them. So it must be true."

Review from 3/30/07 - Dayton Daily News

Dayton Daily News article/review from 3/30/07



John Batdorf: Ex-Beavercreek Resident Keeps Focus on Music

BY DON THRASHER
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
THE DAYTON DAILY NEWS (March 30, 2007)

Singer-songwriter John Batdorf was only 15 years old when he left Beavercreek in 1967 and migrated west to seek his fame and fortune with the Loved Ones. The band soon imploded, but the singer-songwriter never left California or gave up his dream of making music.

Batdorf, who performs tonight at Canal Street Tavern, reached his commercial peak in the mid-'70s with acoustic duo Batdorf & Rodney, who released two LPs on Atlantic Records. Despite the ups and downs in his career, he never quit playing and recording. And as Batdorf proves on his new self-released LP, Home Again, at 55 he is still completely focused on creating music.

The album is packed with memorable gems such as Home Again, Solitude and Something is Slipping Away, which are sunny slices of West Coast folk with shimmering acoustic guitars, warm harmonies and Batdorf's rich, youthful tenor. "I thought it might be a really cool idea to try to recreate a retro-throwback record," Batdorf said recently. "I wanted the songs to sound like they were recorded in the late '60s or early '70s but were still modern by today's standards, kind of like a lost album. I wanted to kind of do the songs how I do them at the shows, which is a little different arrangement, a little more scaled down, kind of a house concert approach."

Home Again, recorded in Batdorf's home studio, is clearly his baby, but he received musical assistance from James Lee Stanley, Michael McLean, Greg Collier and other talented friends. The project also gave Batdorf the opportunity to work with his twin sons, Brett and Matt, who provided harmony vocals on several cuts. Mark Rodney, his old partner from the '70s, also added guitar and vocals to re-recordings of a few old songs, marking their first collaboration in 30 years.

Batdorf is promoting the CD to NPR affiliates and Internet radio stations, but his main focus is on XM satellite radio. "I was really trying to gear this project at XM because I thought they would be the immediate national airplay I could get," said Batdorf, who was pleasantly surprised at the positive response. "All of a sudden I had three songs on XM. I was thrilled. Now they're playing nine out of the 10 songs. It felt like mission accomplished, now I just have to try to keep spreading the word."

For more information: www.johnbatdorfmusic.com.

Contact contributing arts and music writer Don Thrasher at donaldthrasher8@aol.com.

Review 6/11/07: The Lefsetz Letter

All Wood & Stones/Russ & Julie's House Concert Review from Bob Lefsetz

The Lefsetz Letter from Monday, 6/11/07
The House Concert took place Saturday evening, 6/9/07

Russ & Julie's House Concert

I won't go see the Stones anymore. I don't want to hang with those people, calcified, trying to relive a youth that in most cases they never had, being too scared of the English band in its prime, all the while being hawked overpriced merchandise as Jagger shouts the lyrics and the band plays and those of who were there the first time around puke.

But to hear John Batdorf and James Lee Stanley reinterpret their classics… For that I'll drive deep into the heart of suburban California, to a location I never even knew EXISTED!

A couple of years back, I got e-mail from James Lee Stanley asking me if I'd take a listen to his new album with John Batdorf, "All Wood And Stones", an acoustic reworking of Stones songs.

Remember when the Beatles hit and everybody took up the guitar? And you'd go to parties and sing the hits of the day? That's what this album sounded like, if you took the best two guys you ever heard in high school and they rearranged the tracks, making something new out of what was in your DNA, that you'd heard a zillion times before. The music was satisfying. It was old, but new. I felt it was a natural.

Alas, "All Wood And Stones" never broke through. It didn't get the exposure it deserved. Because rock radio is dead. Because the purveyors think the audience is dead, and can't listen to anything new. Mike Marrone played the album on XM's Loft, but one station on a service with a hundred odd channels that reaches far from everybody… I tried to get Sirius on the bandwagon, I felt it was a one listen record, but I never got a response to my entreaty, even though I was doing it out of passion, with no pay involved. The album languished.

But when Russ Paris e-mailed to tell me that Batdorf & Stanley were going to appear in his living room on Saturday night, I said I was IN! Actually, it was Felice who implored me, I'd put the album on her hard drive.

So we go over Malibu Canyon, drive further out than I ever do unless I'm going to Santa Barbara, and exit the 101 in Westlake Village. Who moves to Westlake Village? Why? I have no idea, but there are a ton of similar houses out there, don't drive home drunk, you'll never find your house!

And after missing the turn-off, we finally made it to Russ Paris' house.

It's hard for me to reach out and engage. But I didn't want to go to this gig and not introduce myself. And figuring the dude at the door with the shirt with the musical notes on it must be Russ, I hovered until he finished detailing the agenda to a patron, and introduced myself.

And that's when I got Russ' story.

He went to college back east, at Brandeis. But he missed California people. Funny, I've heard of missing EAST COAST people, then again maybe what he was saying was he was sick of the stuffy underpinnings of the east.

Anyway, he returned to L.A. and went to law school. He passed the Bar, but never practiced. He went into commercial real estate. But then gave that up to start a graphics business with his ninth grade sweetheart, now his wife, out of his home. This same home containing not only Russ & Julie, but their three children.

Yes, Julie showed me the room of Macs, but that graphics business was secondary to Russ' love for music. He'd been surfing the Web and had made contact with Severin Browne, Jackson's brother, and after convincing Severin that he truly DID have his two Motown albums, Severin invited him to a friend's backyard, for an album release party, eleven years ago. And experiencing this magical evening, Russ asked Severin, would he like to do a show at HIS house?

And thus began Russ & Julie's House Concerts.

Better yet, go to the MySpace page. Wherein you can see the news video. Better yet, scroll down and watch Andrew Gold's live performance. THAT'S a house concert. The folksiness. The intimacy.

And then, as Donna Summer once sang, it was time to dim all the lights.

We sat down in folding chairs, Russ fired up the JBL sound system he'd purchased, and John Batdorf and James Lee Stanley started to PLAY!

I think "Ruby Tuesday" was the opening number.

I'm listening to it on my computer right now.

She would never say where she came from

Where did YOU come from? I came from the suburbs, half a century ago. My parents had hopes and dreams. They tried to give us a better life. And it wasn't about possessions, but experiences. Oftentimes MUSICAL experiences. My mother bought us our first records. She took us to the symphony, to the musicals, she got us HOOKED!

How many times have I heard "Ruby Tuesday"? Not enough to burn out on it! And Batdorf and Stanley's take has stripped the patina and left only the essence, the wistfulness, the story.

I was right back in the sixties.

They played "The Last Time".

I bought every Beatle album, but not each Stones one. It wasn't like today, music wasn't free. But when their first greatest hits album, "Big Hits (High Tide And Green Grass)", was released, I immediately purchased it, the record was such a good VALUE! And my absolute favorite track, the one I played over and over again, was " Last Time".

Well I told you once and I told you twice
But you never listen to my advice

The ATTITUDE! They were conveying it ACOUSTICALLY!

The MUSIC, the ERA, it was coming alive.

I was elbowing Felice, she had a smile on her face, I only regretted that the music wasn't LOUDER, so I could sing along in anonymity!

That's what we do at the show, sing along with songs we know so well.

Not that I knew Batdorf and Stanley's original material so well.

All I knew was that John Batdorf was in a band with Mark Rodney that I never ever heard on the radio. But I was aware of them, I saw their albums in the store.

Batdorf played this one number, "Let Me Go", with James helping him out… John waxed rhapsodic about Stephen Stills' guitar-playing abilities, he was influenced by him. It was AMAZING to see John work out. And his VOICE! He hit every note, it was so sweet, I was TRANSPORTED! And I was only TEN FEET AWAY!

There's a power in music. And we baby boomers know it. It's part of our history, it's deep inside us. We don't understand the hip-hop and pop sold by the big time media, but we're open to new stuff, we're open to being entertained if you hit our soft spot, which has got to do with a certain mellifluousness.

You can't buy the original Batdorf & Rodney "Let Me Go" on iTunes, but I fired up my P2P app and THERE IT WAS! The band LIVES ON! So funny YEARS later to still have a presence in people's minds!

And James Lee Stanley's music was almost overshadowed by his stories, he's a naturally born comedian. He told us about escaping his father's house to go swimming and then building a fire to dry his bathing suit, having it burn up and then riding his bike home naked, FOR MILES!

That's the honesty lacking in so much of today's mainstream art/media. It rolls off our backs because it isn't made for us. It's made for non-thinking robots with no soul.

But the people at Russ & Julie's house had soul. They'd seen ups and downs. That's what life is about. Even losers get lucky sometimes. And the winners are not always on a high. But what gets us through is the music, it allows us to leave our bodies, leave our troubles behind, enter a sphere where we can't be touched.

Batdorf & Stanley finished the evening off with four more Stones songs. God, I could have listened to them play all night.

And when it was done, I spoke with John about having his first album produced by Ahmet Ertegun. And then switching over to David Geffen's Asylum. James Lee Stanley told me he'd gotten "All Wood And Stones" back from the distributor, he still had hope…

I said he was RIGHT! That they just needed the right exposure. Not once in some TV show, but as a theme on ESPN, something continuous. Because if people HEARD this music, they'd WANT IT!

But it's hard to get the message out these days. Amidst all the clutter. When it's thought anybody born in the fifties just wants to rest on his laurels, wants no new peak experiences. So Batdorf & Stanley fly under the radar, working in their own cottage industry. Makes me feel sorry for them. They record all this great music, but most people don't hear it. Still, they soldier on, because they have to!

I can tell you about the great shows I saw at the Fillmore East. I've seen my share of stadium shows, and enjoyed them. But it's those club shows that touched me most. Like seeing Bruce Springsteen at the Bottom Line, back in '74, the year BEFORE "Born To Run".

There were seats in clubs back in those days. But now music is something you've got to stand to listen to. It's about the shared experience more than what you hear in your head.

But the old experience lives on. Along with the old performers. In houses across this great country of ours. The gigs might not be reported to Pollstar, the CDs sold for fifteen bucks might never show up in SoundScan, but what's going down in these suburban neighborhoods is every bit as valid as what happens at those massive gigs with ducats sold by TicketMaster.

Deep in the show, Batdorf and Stanley played "Backstreet Girl".

For Chanukah one year, I got the Stones album "Flowers". It was not one of their best, it contained "Ruby Tuesday", but it was a slapdash collection. But it had this one song sans attitude that sank in. Hearing "Backstreet Girl" Saturday night, I was reminded of walking around the Bromley base lodge on a cold December day, singing the song in my head. That's what a great gig does, bring you back. Saturday night, I was brought back.

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Review from 2/07: Comma Concerts moves to Valley

..from the February 9th (2007) issue of Gardnerville, Nevada's newspaper, The Record-Carrier publicizing Johns's show at The Shady Grove next Friday (February 16th) at 8pm.

Comma Concerts moves to Valley
Staff Reports
February 9, 2007

Carson City's coffee house concert series is permanently moving to Carson Valley. The first show will feature a concert by acoustic rock pioneer John Batdorf at Shady Grove Coffee Co. on Feb. 16. This show will be followed by several concerts throughout the year at various locations in Minden and Gardnerville.

Promoter and Minden resident Doug Reynolds started the series in 2004 with the goal of presenting world-class performing artists to small crowds. Reynolds said the decision to move the series came after two Valley locations opened recently.

"I always wanted to bring the concerts to town but there wasn't any place suitable to hold them. I helped book Minden's concerts in the park for a few years and I really enjoy that big picnic atmosphere with all the families and activities going on, but it isn't the best place acoustically for those who are there to really listen to the music.

"When Minden Village was built, I noticed that the 88 Cups coffee house had a perfect, amphitheater shaped patio area and Lee, the owner, was all for presenting live music there. That gave me an outdoor venue to try. Shady Grove Coffee Co. in Gardnerville opened and even though it was smaller than Comma Coffee, it does comfortably seat 65, which gives me just enough in potential ticket sales to pay some of the artists on my roster. We held our first show there last fall and nearly sold out. I also produced two free outdoor shows at 88 Cups last summer, gambling that I could pay the artists through donations from those in attendance. The first show drew 180, the second 285, and those in attendance were very generous. It took a full year to get as much support in Carson City that we received in the first three shows in Douglas County, so I made the decision to bring the whole series here for 2007."

The first show at Shady Grove will feature John Batdorf, an influence in the smooth, acoustic rock sound that was made popular by artists such as Seals and Croft, Bread, and Poco. His duo, Batdorf and Rodney, was a critically acclaimed act in the late 1970s. They were signed and produced by the head of Atlantic Records, Ahmet Ertegun, who also produced both the Rolling Stones and Ray Charles. Although they never achieved superstar status, the group was a regular opening act for the biggest concerts of the era, and Batdorf's smooth, acoustic style was credited as influencing many of the artists of the 1970s.

Tickets for John Batdorf are $15 and are available at Shady Grove Coffee Co., 1411 Highway 395, or online at CommaConcerts. com. The full schedule of concerts slated for 2007 can also be viewed on the Web site.

Professional Reviews for HOME AGAIN (last updated August '07)

Professional Reviews for HOME AGAIN
Category: Music

(Note - this post will be updated/re-dated with new reviews and quotes for HOME AGAIN as and when they are given to us.)

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Added 8/3/07


http://www.melodic.net/reviewsOne.asp?revnr=5843..>..>



John Batdorf
"Home Again"
(BatMac Music,2006)

Producer: John Batdorf
Style: Singer songwriter rock (male)
Format: Album
Website: www.johnbatdorfmusic.com
Reviewed by: Pär Winberg
http://www.melodic.net/reviewsOne.asp?revnr=5843

This man had a career with a duo called Batdorf and Rodney back in the 70's when the legendary a&r man Ahmed Ertegun signed them. The guy is still around and has now released a CD that actually is a fresh and good moment in a mix of a singer songwriter tradition combined with a touch of the westcoast-scene a'la The Eagles, Venice and America. John's voice is really impressing and is quite close to Don Henley's in style. The beautiful and soft "Ain't Like Home" ,the Eagles smelling "Me And You" and the Venice-smelling "Solitude" are three favorites. A pleasant album that won't change the world but still need to be discovered if you like good singer songwriter rock with flirts of the 70's scene from L.A / The Bay Area.

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Added 7/31/07



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Added 7/31/07

from the July '07 issue of The Sounding Board, the official newsletter of the Martin Guitar Company.




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Added 7/16/07




Celebrating classic folk-rock

Reviewed May 2007


Home Again
Home Again
By John Batdorf

Self-released: 2007

To hear sound clips or learn more about this release, Turbula recommends viewing its Amazon.com entry.

Half of the under-appreciated '70s folk-rock duo Batdorf and Rodney, singer-songwriter John Batdorf has a new album out that recalls the heyday of the acoustic guitar-backing-vocal-harmonies age. Eight new songs and re-recorded versions of a couple old Batdorf and Rodney staples, "Home Again" is as fun an album as Batdorf has ever been involved with.

Fans of the old duo will be delighted to see Mark Rodney on harmony vocals both on a revamped version of "Home Again," as well as on "Where Are You Now?", which has only been available on the "Live at McCabes" album. Both tracks stand among the very best the two have done together, and hearing them together again after 30 years is truly a treat.

Fans of Batdorf's more recent recordings will be glad to know that he's joined here by collaborators James Lee Stanley and Bill Batstone. Stanley, in particular, provides a ready foil to Batdorf's own guitar work. And Batdorf's two sons, Brett and Matt, provide some harmony vocals as well, adding a familial touch.

Batdorf's singing is better than ever, his songwriting as strong as always, the supporting cast outstanding.

Anyone who digs the acoustic singer-songwriter school or '70s folk rock is likely to enjoy the groove Batdorf and Co. have laid down here.

Review by Jim Trageser. Jim is a writer and editor living in Escondido, Calif., and was a contributor to the "Grove Press Guide to Blues on CD" (1993) and "The Routledge Encyclopedia of the Blues" (2005).

Copyright © 2007 Turbula.net
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Added 7-16-07:

from


Artist: John Batdorf
CD Name: Home Again
Artist Site: John Batdorf

Good music is that which replays in your head after the sound has been turned off. With this in mind, John Batdorf's CD "Home Again" is, in a word, solid. Not one song disappoints, speaking directly to the heart. John's strong vocals carry long and high tones yet seamlessly fall back to low. "Home Again" stays feel-good and upbeat all the way through, even in the angry "Can't Be Trusted" or the sad "Solitude".

John's voice is clear and strong and the backup vocals tight, as in "Me and You", a wonderfully poetic play on words. He brought me to tears like he was my grandfather taking me on his knee to whisper in my ear in "Something is Slipping Away".

"One Night Stand" is the song to listen to closely so you don't miss the true meaning, but it's "I Don't Always Win" that stands out amongst the rest. Anyone who has experienced addiction can relate to the lyrics and it is these that have implanted themselves in my head since starting to listen to the CD three days ago.

I had never heard of John Batdorf before, yet his resume demands attention. He has worked with a lot of diverse acts such as Rod Stewart, Motley Crue and Dwight Yoakum, and there's a whole batch of younger people who would really enjoy being introduced to John's music. It may not be music to bang your head to, but it reaches out, grabs you and keeps you.
-Review by Kimmi Rudolph for Bitchin' Entertainment

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Added 7/14/07

Posted By Corey Koehler | July 14, 2007 on Musicgoat

John Batdorf (self described - acoustic, folk rock) Veteran of the 70's scene. I'm a sucker for good acoustic guitar and John Batdorf easily satisfies. Solid! Check out "Home Again" and the don't even think about missing the 70's epic joyride "Batdorf Rodney Silver." Check him out on MySpace too.

Check out Musicgoat on Myspace

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Added 7/2/07

Independent and Major Label Artist Music Promotion

New music information, independent music promotion, and music resources. A valuable network for music artists and fans.

The Impressive John Batdorf

July 1st, 2007

John BatdorfIt's the perfect time to experience the music of John Batdorf. John truly knows he is Home Again, and there is no better place to be. Anyone who appreciates good music must appreciate John Batdorf. His energy driven vocals singing heartfelt lyrics, accompanied by perfect harmonic melodies are not to be forgotten. John leaves a long lasting impression the very second his acoustic guitar is in his hands.

Longtime fans will know that John Batdorf's journey began in 1970 with Mark Rodney, and they were known as "Batdorf and Rodney". They released a couple albums and gained a nice fan-base during the early 70s, John also being part of the group Silver. Over the past 30 years he has been busy singing as well as songwriting for artists such as America and Kim Carnes. You will even hear John singing background vocals for a variety of artists like The Jefferson Starship, Motley Crue, David Lee Roth, and James Lee Stanley.

He has released a CD with James Lee Stanley titled "All Wood And Stones" which is an acoustic focused album featuring Rolling Stones songs. The most recent release is "Home Again" which is John's latest solo work. The songs are absolutely fantastic, and I highly recommend giving the album a good listen.

You can read a lot more about John at his website. The website is very informative, so be sure to check it out. You can listen to and buy albums and dvds at the site.

The Official Website of John Batdorf
Visit John Batdorf at Myspace

Posted by GoDigital -- Filed in Folk, Acoustic, Music

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Added 6/30/07


John Batdorf and James Lee Stanley, performing their acoustic rearrangements of Stones songs, some solo stuff and recounting a bunch of rock history, like how Batdorf was signed to Ahmet's Atlantic but then asked to be switched to Geffen's Asylum for the second album and ultimately ended up on Clive's Arista, which is the last time he recorded with Mark Rodney until NOW!

Yup, listen to the Stones samples at Acoustic Guitars and Rolling Stones Songs and tracks from John's new album at John Batdorf.

Last time I saw Batdorf perform, a month ago, he told us how he was inspired by Stephen Stills' great guitar playing. Then, John proceeded to work out on his Martin and bring me right back there, into that pocket, when acoustic music ruled. If you were a fan of that Stephen Stills debut, check out "Can't Be Trusted".

But, the most meaningful song is "I Don't Always Win".

Remember those late night teenager and early twentysomething years, when you had more questions than answers, and you stayed up long after dark, with only your records to console you, keep you company? "I Don't Always Win" sounds EXACTLY LIKE THOSE MOMENTS!

There's a feeling that oldsters, aged baby boomers, can't recapture the greatness of their youth. I think Batdorf is now BETTER! Sure, he got some airplay with Mark Rodney thirty years ago, and toured, but he never broke through to big time fame, he can't survive on his royalties. He's lived inside his head, he hasn't been worried about dealing with groupies at Kitson, but rather feeding his family. So, the passion, the desire, IS STILL THERE!

I didn't listen to Batdorf's album the first time he sent it to me. I mean in today's Net world, how much can you experience, how much can you check out? But, after seeing him live, I INSISTED he send me another. I WANTED to hear it, the way you bought the album of the opening act you experienced in the triple header at Fillmore East.

And for those who were fans the first time, be sure to listen to "Home Again" on MySpace, a remake of a tune from Batdorf & Rodney's second album.

This is the song that won me over. I went to see Batdorf and Stanley for the Stones tunes. I wasn't eager to hear unfamiliar new stuff. But when John started strumming that Martin, when he got lost in the music, when the audience no longer mattered, when it was about the power of music to transform both the player AS WELL as the listener, that's when I got hooked.

... "Solitude" (is) ... my other favorite on his album. It sounds like one of those Stills songs off a Crosby, Stills & Nash album, like "4+20", or "Helplessly Hoping".

If you were ever lonely, if you ever thought the world was unjust, if you ever listened to a record to get you through the night, you'll get this.

By: bob (Lefsetz) | 2007/06/30 | Live Shows - The Music - Radio | Trackback | Comments [RSS 2.0]

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Added 6/28/07

from Trots Allt, Sweden
John Batdorf
Home Again
(BatMac/Hemifrån)
John Batdorf from seventies duo Batdorf & Rodney and soft/rock band Silver (does anybody remember them?) is back with a CD in the genre he handles so well: Acoustic American pop (yankie americana). He has even invited old collegue Mark Rodney and it turns out to be a happy reunion. Fresh and beautiful. Where the guitar lines wrap around your knees and stretch for the ground as the vocal harmonies rise to the sky.
http://www.trotsallt.se/musik/sundell/natrecensioner_07.htm

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Added 6/24/07

eartaste - flavorful bits of ear candy worth seeking out

Thursday, June 14, 2007

John Batdorf - Home Again

The guitars whirl my head into a fine, wonderful, wine-like frenzy for close to a minute before the voice comes in and welcomes the morning with a happiness usual reserved for very rare moments with a friend. "Opened up – the daylight found me sitting underneath an oak tree, clearing up what once was cloudy." Each time I hear this tune I smile inside while dancing outside. Batdorf has an uncanny vocal method of simply sounding lovingly optomistic while acoustic guitars play in a technique one usually reserves for rock and roll. "All my life I've been waiting for this day! I am home again!" Shoutout for several compositions deliciously served up with different spices, Can't Be Trusted and Something Is Slipping Away. John Batdorf

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Added 6/24/07

from Otakt in Sweden

Artist: John Batdorf
Title: Home Again
Label: BatMac music 2006 (Hemifrån)
Rating: 8

Two years ago, John Batdorf along with James Lee Stanley, released "All Wood And Stones", an entirely acoustic tribute to The Rolling Stones. Surprisingly good, thinking of the degree of difficulty surrounding the task - trying to bring new life to melodies from one of the world's foremost catalogue of songs.

Now, John Batdorf is back, this time trying to revive the early seventies' singer/ songwriter tradition as carried out by names such as Seals & Crofts, Loggins & Messina, America, Crosby, Stills & Nash and, not to mention his own genre explorations with legendary Batdorf & Rodney. And sure enough, against all odds, he's succeding. At least, this nostalgia trick is working on me.

Pickingly groovy guitars and beautiful harmony vocals and a voice that is kind without being sappy and lyrics about love, loneliness and "home, sweet home". Quite conservative, both lyrically and musically. But it's so darn well-arranged and well-played and as well, this music keeps ouching my constantly underlying hippie nerve.

An emotional string that simply can't resist the sound and absolutely not the tenth and final track on the album, "Where Are You Now", which give shivers, vibrating with summerwinds in a cab, speeding down Ventura Highway, passing Hotel California somewhere in the night!
- Peter Linde / Otakt - http://www.otakt.se/2007/john_batdorf_home_again.htm

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Added 21 June 2007

From
All Music Guide

Reviewby Joe Viglione

Though an essential songwriter/singer behind the scenes in the music and film industry, John Batdorf deserves equal time on the radio and Home Again provides solid evidence for that argument. A reunion of sorts with 70's partner Mark Rodney, the title track is a re-make of a Batdorf tune from their second release as a duo, 1972's eponymous Batdorf & Rodney release. As with Ian Hunter, Buzzy Linhart, the group Epitaph and a notable list of other veteran artists, the music they are generating in the new millennium is in many ways superior to their previous efforts, and better than what radio and what's left of the industry is attempting to force on the masses. Mark Rodney writes the liner notes here inside this elegant package with over a dozen photo images of the players and he mentions the sound of Crosby, Stills & Nash. Yes, the title track could fit nicely into that trio's repertoire, though John Batdorf takes this disc through his own personal journey. "Me and You" is one of seven co-writes with Michael McLean and it would be a nugget on any Paul McCartney album. Vocally sounding like a cross between John Anderson from Yes and Seals & Croft (both of them; and yes, Batdorf & Rodney have been compared to that duo in the past), John Batdorf generates a striking album with help from his colleagues, a master craftsman delivering the goods without resting on past laurels or going through the motions. Though there is nothing ground-breaking here, that isn't the objective; it is refreshing to hear an artist do what he does best and do it without concern for Top 40 airplay or commercial success, though this album is oh so very radio friendly. Drifting through folk/pop and the blues of "Solitude" Batdorf communicates his ideas superbly, backing vocals cascading in a spacious production that is minimal yet still big. "I Don't Always Win" evokes that minstrel in the gallery feel Ian Anderson spoke of, the voices matching the guitar sounds with amazing effect. The ten titles clock in at under forty-five minutes but it is great playing and well considered production that makes this a very special project. The final track, "Where Are You Now?, is an old Batdorf & Rodney number which previously only showed up on their Live At McCabes release. Perhaps collaborations with Jonathan Richman and other quirky originals could take this music to an even different path and audience in the future but for right now the sounds on Home Again is warm, eloquent and very enjoyable.


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Added 29 April 2007

Posted Wednesday, April 25, 2007 11:29 AM PDT

Editions of the North County Times Serving San Diego and Riverside Counties
---- Jim Trageser, Staff Writer

A "Home Again"

John Batdorf

Self-released

Half of the underappreciated '70s folk-rock duo Batdorf and Rodney, singer-songwriter John Batdorf has a new album out that recalls the heyday of the acoustic guitar backing vocal harmonies age. Eight new songs and rerecorded versions of a couple of old Batdorf and Rodney staples, "Home Again" is as fun an album as Batdorf has ever been involved with.

Fans of the old duo will be delighted to see Mark Rodney on harmony vocals both on a revamped version of "Home Again," as well as on "Where Are You Now?," which has been available only on the "Live at McCabes" album. Both tracks stand among the very best the two have done together, and hearing them together again after 30 years is truly a treat.

Fans of Batdorf's more recent recordings will be glad to know that he's joined here by collaborators James Lee Stanley and Bill Batstone. Stanley, in particular, provides a ready foil to Batdorf's own guitar work. And Batdorf's two sons, Brett and Matt, provide some harmony vocals as well, adding a familial touch.

Batdorf's singing is better than ever, his songwriting as strong as always, the supporting cast outstanding.

Anyone who digs the acoustic singer-songwriter school of '70s folk rock is likely to enjoy the groove Batdorf and Co. have laid down here.

John Batdorf plays April 27 at Normal Heights United Methodist Church in San Diego.

---- JT

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Added 23 April 2007

"Home Again" Review by RadioIndy

POSTED BY: radioindy POSTED ON: 23 Apr 2007 01:11 AM
"Home Again" by John Batdorf, is a very impressive acoustic adult rock CD. The CD is filled with impressive acoustic guitar work, which sounds really good on this recording. John's vocals are especially beautiful on this CD, and include rich harmonies on many tracks. The recording quality is crystal clear, which is especially effective on this acoustic, unplugged CD, and allows the lyrics to cut through nicely. The songwriting combines well thought-out and thought-provoking lyrics combined with memorable choruses. "Home Again," the title track, combines memorable acoustic guitar work and a memorable chorus, with a powerful lyrical message. "Me and You" includes clever lyrics and nice 2-part harmonies. "Something Is Slipping Away" is a remarkably beautiful song. The up-tempo "One Night Stands" is one of our favorite tracks, with it's hook-filled chorus. If you enjoy acoustic adult rock artists of the 60s and early 70s, such as Crosby, Stills, & Nash, you will enjoy this CD. Pick up a copy today!
- Review by RadioIndy staff
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Added 3 April 2007



John Batdorf: Ex-Beavercreek Resident Keeps Focus on Music

BY DON THRASHER
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
THE DAYTON DAILY NEWS (March 30, 2007)

Singer-songwriter John Batdorf was only 15 years old when he left Beavercreek in 1967 and migrated west to seek his fame and fortune with the Loved Ones. The band soon imploded, but the singer-songwriter never left California or gave up his dream of making music.

Batdorf, who performs tonight at Canal Street Tavern, reached his commercial peak in the mid-'70s with acoustic duo Batdorf & Rodney, who released two LPs on Atlantic Records. Despite the ups and downs in his career, he never quit playing and recording. And as Batdorf proves on his new self-released LP, Home Again, at 55 he is still completely focused on creating music.

The album is packed with memorable gems such as Home Again, Solitude and Something is Slipping Away, which are sunny slices of West Coast folk with shimmering acoustic guitars, warm harmonies and Batdorf's rich, youthful tenor. "I thought it might be a really cool idea to try to recreate a retro-throwback record," Batdorf said recently. "I wanted the songs to sound like they were recorded in the late '60s or early '70s but were still modern by today's standards, kind of like a lost album. I wanted to kind of do the songs how I do them at the shows, which is a little different arrangement, a little more scaled down, kind of a house concert approach."

Home Again, recorded in Batdorf's home studio, is clearly his baby, but he received musical assistance from James Lee Stanley, Michael McLean, Greg Collier and other talented friends. The project also gave Batdorf the opportunity to work with his twin sons, Brett and Matt, who provided harmony vocals on several cuts. Mark Rodney, his old partner from the '70s, also added guitar and vocals to re-recordings of a few old songs, marking their first collaboration in 30 years.

Batdorf is promoting the CD to NPR affiliates and Internet radio stations, but his main focus is on XM satellite radio. "I was really trying to gear this project at XM because I thought they would be the immediate national airplay I could get," said Batdorf, who was pleasantly surprised at the positive response. "All of a sudden I had three songs on XM. I was thrilled. Now they're playing nine out of the 10 songs. It felt like mission accomplished, now I just have to try to keep spreading the word."

For more information: www.johnbatdorfmusic.com.

Contact contributing arts and music writer Don Thrasher at donaldthrasher8@aol.com.

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added 3/4/07

http://sacbee.com/122/story/131222.html

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..>..>..>..>


Published 12:00 am PST Sunday, March 4, 2007

CD review: John Batdorf, Home Again
Batmac Music, 4 stars
By Jim Carnes - Bee Staff Writer


..http://www.sacticket.com/static/images/icon_caption_marker.gif" alt="Photo Caption" border="0">










More than three decades after putting an end to Batdorf and Rodney, John Batdorf and Mark Rodney are singing together again -- and it's great. Just like old times. Except with a maturity of songwriting on Batdorf's part that imbues this set with warmth and depth. Batdorf refers to "Home Again" as "the Batdorf and Rodney album that was never made," which is sure to delight a bunch of old fans. It includes three songs from the duo's days together -- the title track, which is performed here in a version that's even better than the original; "Ain't It Like Home," which Batdorf performs as a solo; and "Where Are You Now," a duet that has never appeared on a studio album -- plus seven new songs.
Those two "home" songs are a clue to a major theme of this set. It's about finding a place of safety and comfort. Other fine songs include "Solitude," "Me and You" and "One Night Stands," which is only about extramarital affairs in that it's about a performer's love of his music and the one-night concert stands on the road. This is a really fine collection.

--------------------------------

gpmarchal at 9:22 AM PST Sunday, March 4, 2007 wrote:
Finding the gems
I can always count on Jim Carnes to find the hidden gems of music and bring them to the attention of others. With so much music never seeing the light of day on the radio or other open formats, it good to have another source of exposure. I have enjoyed John Bardorf's music ever since the "early" days and am happy to have him back. John was resently in this area performing live, in Placerville and Penryn, for those lucky enough to have seen him. You can also check out his wed sight for more concert information.
Sacbee.com | SacTicket.com | Sacramento.com

Copyright © The Sacramento Bee

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added 26 January 2007

Recent uploads by John Batdorf - reminders of the great music of ...
By RockAndRollDream
A few uploads worth hearing - Folk Rock artist John Batdorf, "Home Again" and even better is his song "I Don't Always Win "- haunting and profound lyrics worth sending to others to check out if you like the genre.
RockAndRollDream.com Blog - http://rockandrolldream.blogspot.com

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John sings with great emotion and passion. The song I Don't Always Win rings with such caring intensity that I was completely taken away. John is a true artist in every sense of the word. Only thing better than the CD is seeing John live. -Phil St.Germain, Guitar Merchant

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Chris Spector
Midwest Record Recap
www.midwestrecord.com
www.myspace.com/midwestrecord
Article ran on Wednesday, 17 January 2007
BATMAC
JOHN BATDORF/Home Again: Funny thing about the music biz that never changes, you can have all the auspicious beginnings you want but the next step is to get hot or go home. 35 years after putting Batdorf & Rodney to rest after some of the most auspicious beginnings, Batdorf catches up with his roots and re-examines the cult band that faded away but didn't die. After moving on and successfully wearing other hats, a spate of reissues caused Batdorf and Rodney to come to light again and was the genesis of this set that brings old and new together. Even 35 years on, Batdorf is running with the heart of a kid and adds wisdom to the old songs while adding wonder to the new. A singer/songwriter with more on the ball than a lot of today's crop, this set is a welcome return home again. Whether an old or new fan, it's well worth checking out.
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In his most recent myspace blog entry dated January 15th, in which he reviewed the January 14th CD Release party for Home Again, Bob Bennett said this about John Batdorfs' new CD:
"John has just released a new CD called Home Again and he is one of those guys who is not just 'nostalgia good', he's still really good and currently creative. That takes some doing."