Jimmy Buffett surprises the crowd with an impromptu concert on Duval Street

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With the Meeting of the Minds in Key West still rustling great memories in this seadog’s mind, it was fun to find another perspective on the weekend on the Island Art and Treasures blog, Four Days With the Parrot… (Heads), written by JVbytheSea.

So in case you didn’t get to read it the first time around, we thought we’d share it here:

Four Days With the Parrot… (Heads) - Sometimes travel discoveries can be like gifts of the coming holiday season, unexpected.  Shake a box, tear a ribbon, shed some discounted paper, and voila, lookey what I found!  A recent experience provided just such a welcome surprise to this road-weary soul.

This past summer we were contacted and invited to participate as a vendor in the Mini Mart at the 20th Annual Meeting of the Minds, Parrotheads in Paradise convention in Key West, Florida. The title alone had me seeking the refuge of a nearby hammock!  We thought “that seems like a great opportunity, and surely a fun week on the island”.  But what followed turned out to be so much more than we’d anticipated.

We found ourselves pulling into Key West at the conclusion of a 13-day, and 4-island tour around the northern Caribbean.  We were physically exhausted and hoping we could do this show while sleeping on our feet.  This was our first exposure to KW and the Parrothead Convention, so we really didn’t know what to expect.  Well, we’ve shed that paper and bow, popped the lid, and now we’re ready to Show and Tell the contents of that bountiful box!

First and Foremost, Parrotheads are a Hoot! These people love to have a good time!  Immediately upon arrival we discovered the crowd of faithful, adorned in some of the most colorful, tropical costumes and apparel that one could imagine.  Surely these were thrift store refugees, no one would actually pay good money for this stuff… right?  I suspect that most possess a more subdued wardrobe during their normal nine-to-five existence. Here however, they were decked out like a 64-count Crayola box.  While many appeared to be at or nearing their golden years, it was clear was they were not yet ready to retire from life.

The Parrotheads, as a group, are frequently engaged in many worthy philanthropic causes. And it’s commendable, that even this week centers around their charitable interests.  But make no mistake, Parrotheads Love Music! This week also centered around some of the best Trop Rock music assembled.  You can stop in at almost any resort, bar, or restaurant, at any time day or night, and you are sure to find some really great live music.  We met some great young artists, more about that in a future post, but almost from the time we arrived the rumors began to fly.  By the second day the crowd was in a “fins” feeding frenzy, when the biggest name in the Parrothead vocabulary, Jimmy Buffett, made a surprise appearance and performed a free concert at the Street Fair.  They really should widen Duval Street!

We also discovered quite simply that, Parrotheads are Awesome People! Everywhere we turned people were one sunburned grin from ear to ear.  This has to be one of the friendliest groups of people we had ever encountered.  One of the highlights of the week for us was the many new friends we made along the way. We had the good fortune of being situated adjacent to the Living Like A Pirate booth. Captain Dave and Cris were the consummate helpers for this newbie vendor, and provided a lot of laughs along the way. We also had the good fortune of meeting Tiki Doug, and the gang from Life’s A Beach.

Our final discovery was that Parrotheads Have Great Taste! The host hotel for the week of activities was the Casa Marina Resort and it could not have been better prepared and presented.

Situated on a beautiful stretch of soft white sand, the resort features two spectacular pools, and stunning grounds that served well as the backdrop for the nearly non-stop concerts on the beach.  The staff was accommodating to a fault, and I’m not really sure how they did it, but even the weather was perfect the entire week.  What a great facility, for such a great event.

Unexpectedly, this box was packed full of goodies that we hadn’t anticipated.  And if that’s any indication of what the future holds, we can hardly wait to see what’s in our stockings!

Got any other stories from the great Meeting of the Minds weekend in November? Tell it to us in the comment section below, or share it on the Living Like a Pirate Facebook page!

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As any self respecting parrothead already knows, once you have the taste of a pirate’s life in your craw, you’re hooked.  All it took was that trip to the Keys last January, the temperature hovering around 85 degrees, gentle breezes, hard partying, the rum tasting better than you remembered it tasting at any other time or place.

But really, it was a few weeks later, after returning home; “A Pirate Looks at Forty” streams from an unseen radio in the supermarket or dry cleaners, and your eyes well up.
Yeah, it’s a lifestyle that suits you; vivid colors, tropical breezes, and a penchant for flip flops has you frequently escaping, at least mentally, to your newfound happy place on a boat, in aquamarine waters, searching for a lost shaker of salt. Lucky for you, the pirate lifestyle is growing in popularity, and your options for indulging the scallywag within are abundant.

Even though pirate festivals happen year round across the U.S., there is no better time than the present for all privateers and landlubbers, wenches and wannabe drivelswiggers to hoist the rumskull and start planning for the upcoming pirate season. First, get your pirate juices flowing before you land on sand with the right gear from Cap’n Dave at livinglikeapirate.com.

November 24 through December 4, Key West will be hosting Pirates in Paradise, aka “11 Days of Pure Piratical Escapades Celebrating Key West’s Rich & Colorful Maritime Heritage.”

Featuring plenty of events for scallywags of all ages, count on well known entertainment, historic re-enactments, and plenty of piratical adventures and booty to satisfy your scurvy crew.

The 2012 pirate season launches January 28th in Tampa, Florida with the Old Seadog of them all, the 108th annual Gasparilla Pirate Fest.

Tampa residents take this over-the-top celebration very seriously, as pirates and lovers-of-all-things-swashbuckling converge on the city to shed the winter doldrums, grab a tan, and toast (heavily) the memory of Jose Gaspar, a legendary Buccaneer who terrorized the Gulf Coast waters of West Florida. Today, Gasparilla – a name he gave himself during his pillaging tenure in the late 18th and early 19th centuries – is all about pirates, boats, parades, partying and living, at least a little bit, like a pirate.

On Saturday, March 3rd we lift our grog in honor of the sacking of St. Augustine, the oldest city in the U.S. and the site of some serious plundering and pillaging reenactments. On June 2nd, it’s back to St. Augustine to celebrate Sir Francis Drake’s 16th century raid on the beleaguered port city with plenty of exciting historical reenactments, right down to the iconic head scarves, petticoat breeches, earrings, and true pirate garb – patched, stained with tar/grease/wine/rum/sweat/blood and  a bit ragged.

Of course, we’ve just scratched the surface of upcoming pirate celebrations, but it’s a start.  Now you know, you don’t have to be reincarnated to be living like a pirate. Just ask Jimmy Buffet.

Or better yet, if you’re hesitating over pirate plans this winter, just ask yourself “What would Jimmy do?”

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James “Sunny Jim” White was born in San Antonio, Texas. His earliest memories of live music are steeped in the sounds of the Texas swing bands to which his parents danced. The Texas twang of his guitar is part of his sound even today. James spent part of his adolescence on the Texas Gulf Coast in Corpus Christi, which sparked in him a love for the beach, surf music and the mystery of the eternal sea.

The White family moved to Southern California during the height of the Psychedelic Era (1969) where he soaked up the FM radio sounds of the times, with Motown, Memphis, the LA sound, and of course the San Francisco sound adding to the mix. Around this time James first picked up a guitar, and soon developed a passion that turned into a career.

Several years later, while pursuing music in Nashville, TN, he joined a band headed to the Cayman Islands for a year-long gig. The band left at the end of the contract, but James White had discovered his Caribbean soul and stayed.

He landed a gig at the world-class Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman and Britannia Resort where he was artist-in-residence for more than a decade. Life in the Caribbean was good! “Sunny Jim“ soaked up the sights and sounds of the West Indies and put them in his music, and he even taught himself to play the pan (steel drum).

The Cayman Islands is a crossroads for travelers from all corners of the world, and real characters ended up in his songs. Friendships forged there remain strong today, so his circle of friends extends to several ports of call in the islands. In 2000 Sunny Jim left the expatriate life and moved to Florida’s beautiful Suncoast, where he is now at home.

He is a regular on Jimmy Buffett’s Radio Margaritaville, broadcasted on Sirius Satellite radio. Sunny Jim’s relationship with Radio Margaritaville began in 1997 when Radio Margaritaville broadcasted his show live via the internet from the Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman on Seven Mile Beach.

For the past ten years, Sunny Jim has been an invited performer for “Meeting of the Minds,” the annual national Parrot Head Convention held in Key West, FL. He has also hosted fellow tropical troubadors at his yearly Sunday Songwriter’s Showcase at Blue Heaven, which has become a “must-attend” event for many wrapping up a wild weekend in Key West. Sunny Jim is also host of the annual Six String Music Festival in New Orleans.

He enjoys performing for purveyors of the island lifestyle from coast to coast. His schedule takes him to cities such as New York, Seattle, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando, Atlanta, Key West, Houston, Richmond and Phoenix among many others. His travels have also included going back to the Caribbean to perform in St.Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, the Bahamas and of course his old home, the Cayman Islands.

A versatile performer and musician, Sunny Jim is available as a solo act or with a full band, for events large and small. From wild Parrot Head parties to intimate backyard concerts, he is “living what he loves and lovin what he lives.”

Follow Sunny Jim on Facebook

Check the website for Sunny Jim’s Schedule

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A Jambo show is:  A bit of laid-back rock, some raunchy country, a blender full of Jimmy Buffett and a handful of my own tunes all washed down with a couple cold beers and a shot of tequila (salt and lime, please)

His friends are calling it “Mustache Rock!”

He has performed over 175 shows in 2009, in locations ranging from Detroit Lakes, Minnesota to Key West, Florida.

His friend gave him the nickname “Jambo.” He later found out that Jambo means “Hello!” in Swahili (for real). That wasn’t his friends’ intention, but it made him like the name even more!

Jambo Joe Bones has been playing guitar and singing since he was a kid. His dad is a musician and he put a guitar in Jambos’ hands as soon as he could hold one. For this Jambo is forever grateful. His mom is a musician too. He remembers hearing her play songs from The Sound of Music on the piano when he was just a wee parakeet. His younger brother followed suit and soon they were both playing guitar, piano and drums. Music was all over the house.

Obviously music became a huge part of his life at a very early age. Soon Jambo was collecting his own albums… including his first Kiss Album. Other albums included Charlie Daniels, Queen, Lynard Skynard, Boston, Billy Joel, Hank Williams Jr, AC/DC, Van Halen and so on.

Then in the mid 80’s, a friend of Jambos’ said, “I think you’d really like this guy named Jimmy Buffett.” Of course Jambo had heard the song Margaritaville, but wasn’t really familiar with his other songs, so he bought his first Jimmy Buffett album, and he was hooked. Jimmy’s music brought back the familiar style of music Jambo heard coming from his parents’ record player in the mid 70s. Acoustic-based, lyrical music. Plus his songs had a touch of fun, irony and humor I hadn’t heard before in music.

So now, many years and guitar strings later, Jambo has this urge to play fun and familiar music for everyone. Come out and see him sometime! We think you’ll find a song or two you can sing along with!

Check out Jambos calendar here: http://www.jamboacousticmusic.com/calendar.html

Check out Jambo Joe Bones and purchase his incredible music at CDbaby or http://www.jamboacousticmusic.com/buycd.html

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Left to Right: Kevin McCann, Richie Saccente, Cosmo Mallardi, Brian "Uncle B" Johnson, Randy Knudsen

Young Rebel Goombas hail from Long Island, New York. Tropical rockers, their sound is not so easily pigeon-holed. Each member brings a rich and varied musical background to create the luscious Goomba sound. 

Richie Saccente plays guitar and shares lead vocals with his cousin Cosmo Mallardi, who also plays bass guitar. Brian “Uncle Bee” Johnson sings backup vocals and shares percussion duties with Randy Knudsen, also on vocals. Kevin McCann plays guitar and sings backup. Special guests on their debut album include Richie Cannata (sax player for Billy Joel, Elton John, The Beach Boys, etc.) and Bob Cassera on trombone. 

Filmmaker Jake Gorst first met Saccente as a student in his guitar studio.

Over the years they have worked on many projects together. For the Young Rebel Goomba album, Gorst assisted the band in the production of the CD.

Clockwise from front: Bernie Williams, Richie Saccente, Richie Cannata, Jake Gorst (Bernie visited Cove City Sound Studios while Young Rebel Goombas were in session.)

Goomba means family. Like a big family, they share songwriting duties, and sometimes they bring friends into the mix. Gorst wrote lyrics for “Feather,” “Cajun Band,” “Summer Whine,” and “You Must Love Me.” Mallardi penned “All Day” and “Daydream Smile.” Bob Seng, who wrote for trop-rockers The Mangos, contributed “Library Book.” Saccente was responsible for the rest. Saccente attributes most of his success as a musician to his affinity for Duane Allman and Dicky Betts. Young Rebel Goombas even brought their family members into the studio to sing on “Sing-A-Long.” 

For more info and events checkout the site: http://www.youngrebelgoombas.com/

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Hal B. Selzer, Lance Hyland Stark, Jimmy Maraventano, Jimmy Maraventano, Jr.,

Grab your beach chair, your suntan oil, and your favorite drink, and get ready for a trip to the islands! From the West Indies and Jamaica to cities all over the east coast, Jimmy and the Parrots have been playing to delighted crowds for over 9 years. The band has performed at the annual Meeting of the Minds Parrot Head conventions in Key West, Florida, as well as well-known Key West venues such as Schooner Wharf, Sloppy Joes, The Rum Barrel, and Rick’s Cafe. Additionally, the band has rocked the original Margaritaville Café stage on Duval Street several times, including New Year’s Eve week, 2006.

Internationally, the band has traveled to Ocho Rios, Jamaica (where they performed at both Beaches Boscobel Resort as well as the Ocho Rios Margaritaville) and to Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies, where they performed at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort as part of the Turtle & Hughes Circle of Excellence 2007 trip. In 2009, they ll traveled with Turtle & Hughes once again, this time to the brand-new Sanctuary Cap Cana Resort in the Dominican Republic.

The title track from their debut CD, “Yea Mon,” was included in a beach music compilation CD entitled, “Thongs in the Key of Life, Vol. II.” In October 2004, they released their CD of all-original tunes, “Better Than New,” to rave reviews. In March 2006, they released “Island Jam,” a 3-CD set, which has already sold over 37,000 copies nationwide. This summer, the follow-up to “Island Jam,” “An Island Party with Jimmy and the Parrots,” will be released.

One of the most requested Jimmy Buffett cover bands in the country, Jimmy and the Parrots perform not only all the great Buffett songs you love, they also play new and classic rock ‘n roll, as well as outstanding original songs written by lead singer/guitarist Jimmy Maraventano. Their cover songs include favorites by the Beach Boys, Paul Simon, Jerry Jeff Walker, Harry Belafonte, and Bob Marley, among many others. The band truly appeals to all ages and all musical tastes.

To schedule, or attend one of their events, check out their schedule at their website: http://www.yeamon.com

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