The Fabulous Heavyweights

featuring

Ed Vadas

Ed Vadas - link to Ed's official site
Ameri MF Cana - Ed Vadas & Sue Berkhart

This site was created for Ed before he created his own site. For the most up to date info, check out his site & the Ameri MF Cana sites.

bluez.com

  1. Putting On the Style
  2. How Many More Years (C.Burnett)
  3. She Started Talking Again
  4. Gone But Not Forgotten
  5. Waiting On Sunrise
  6. No Good News
  7. Mellow Down Easy (W.Dixon)
  8. Drink Muddy Waters (Trad./ E. Vadas)
  9. Blues Aint Nothing But A Botheration
  10. I Didn't Know (C. Burnett)
  11. Down Like That
  12. Reconsider Baby (L. Fulson)
  13. Old Timers Boogie
  14. And She's Gone

All songs by Ed Vadas (ASCAP) except as noted.
As you will see from the reviews page, there are three things you need to know about the Fabulous Heavyweights.
  1. The Fabulous Heavyweights put on a unique and powerful live blues show.
  2. Their CD "South Side of Fifty" contains some great music
  3. "bluez.com" ©1998 is Ed's most impressive work to date. Fronted by Ed Vadas on vocals, guitars, and harmonica, the current line-up includes Steve Toutant on bass and Fred Hazelton(*) on drums.
    The Heavyweights perform about 200 gigs, travelling 40,000 miles a year.

    "This super-exciting bluesman throws convention to the wind and shows us what original really means. He tore up the Dinosaur on his last bout, then shook up all the fans at the Bluesfest. You won't know how to act when this guy lets his highly creative side take over, He has been called the Dr. Frankenstein of the blues, after one set you'll see why!"
    Dinosaur Bar - B - Que Bullsheet Syracuse, NY

    Blues in Northampton, MA.
    EVERY MONDAY NIGHT, the "Fabulous Heavyweights" with Ed Vadas (guitar,vocals & harmonica), Junior on bass, and a six-pack of drummers have been playing Bishops lounge on the third floor of the old Bay state hotel, next to Pearl Street Nightclub. The audience has been real supportive and it is a great sounding room.  They start early, 8:30, and go till at least 12:30.  A lot of guests drop in to spice it up every now and then.
     
    EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT, Ed and Junior also do a weekly duo at the old Bishops lounge, now called the "Basement".  It is also in Northampton, across the street from the Iron Horse and off the parking lot in back.  It is a cozy place.  This gig is a little different from the full band on Monday nights...  they like to think of it as "News, Blues, and Ballyhoos".  They still play a lot of music, but often find themselves being drawn "offside" and slip in into a bit commentary and horsing around that can lead to, shall we say, adult themes.   Depends on which way the wind blows and who is there.  There is a nice baby grand piano there and often Eric Suher joins them to crank out some boosee woosee near the end of evening.
    It is a fun time for us in an intimate setting..That's every Saturday might at 9  
    There is NO COVER CHARGE at either venue, but the band admits they won't mind you filling the tip jar with fiddy dollar bills!
    Southside of 50

    "South Side of 50"

    (Cranus records) All songs by Ed Vadas / ASCAP, except as noted
    1. Empty Pockets Blues
    2. Killin' Floor (Howlin' Wolf - BMI)
    3. 300 Pounds O' Joy (Willie Dixon - BMI)
    4. Start All Over Again
    5. Please! Mr. Bill
    6. Don't Go To Cryin'
    7. What's Wrong With Me
    8. Honky-Tonk (D. Robie - BMI)
    9. South Side Of Fifty
    10. Goin' To Louisiana (M, Morgansfield - BMI)
    11. Everybody Gets The Blues
    12. Rumble On Armingo Avenue
    13. Help Me (Carreras, Farver, Ward - ASCAP)
    " the rare situation where one finds a "real light under the national bushel." ... this fine first release from one of the Northeast's finest blues guitarist, vocalist, and most importantly, writer.
    Bob Vorel, Blues Review Quarterly
    They've backed up Otis Rush, Bo Diddley (3X), Pinetop Perkins(2X)
    and they've gigged with B.B. King, Buddy Guy, James Cotton (4x), J.B. Hutto (3x), Junior Wells, Edith Wilson, Son Seals, L'il Brother Montgomery, Koko Taylor (2x), NRBQ (4x), Robin Williams, Luther "Snake" Johnson, Roomful O' Blues (3x), Roy Buchanan, Gary U. S. Bonds, Lucky Peterson, Mitch Ryder, James Montgomery, Leon Russell, New Orleans Radiators, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Archie Schepp, 10,000 Maniacs
    I found the following quotes on the blues newslist (Newsgroups: bit.listserv.blues) from Ed himself In response to a question about how to work a setlist to please the audience..."To your own self be true. Play to your srengths and personal enjoyment. The songs that often get the biggest response for me, are slow or medium tmepos. I don't go for speed for speed sake! People often ask why I don't play more well known stuff (SRV, BB, Clapton, Hendrix, BLues Brothers, etc) my response is... "If I am gonna play in a joint like this, for chump change, well then I am going to play exactly what I want, the way I want it." That way... everynight, I have a chance of having some real fun doing what I want. Otherwise I become a sort of human jukebox that leads to a downward spiral for my sense of self.... Leonard.... you have a day job, play what you want for enjoyment... If they ask for something more from you, tell them yes OK and go back and play exactly what YOU want. Play great and screw'em if they don't get it! Ed Vadas

    Ordering information

    $15 per CD (includes S&H anywhere in the USA)

    Make check out to:
    Sorry, Ed's CDs are temporarily out of stock.
    Jane Leary
    152 Russell St
    Hadley, MA 01035

    don't forget to give your name and address, and which CD you are ordering.

    Booking & Email Inquiries

  4. Email morjoe @ charter . net

    Web Editors Notes:
    Having been to maybe 400 of Ed's 5000 plus gigs, may give you a sense of how difficult it's been to cull the experience down to mere kilobytes of text.

    tagyerit logo
    Push on TagYerit's guitar for more goodies from TagYerit ....

    Links:

    Buddy and Hopkins - A comic strip for musicians and fans of music

    This site is no longer being updated For the most up to date info, check out edvadasblues.com & Ameri MF Cana