MICHAEL RUFF & FRIENDS LIVE AT THE BAKED POTATO

How do you describe the feeling of seeing someone like Michael Ruff??





Or hearing the gorgeous sultry voice of his beautiful daughter,
Olivia Ruff?

Or watching someone like James Harrah, on guitar, taking command with one of his "sexy solos?"



Or hearing someone like Sr. Marco Mendoza funk off on his base?

All driven by the precision and funk of Joey Heredia!!!

How do you describe the feeling of being in the LEGENDARY Baked Potato??

How do you describe it????

TURN IT UP . . . .

GET UP . . .

AND CLAP YO HANDS!!!!

That is how I felt being there for the two nights when Michael Ruff appeared with his friends and family!! How ANYONE could just sit there and watch, was beyond me. Then again, I was wasn't watching anyone, because I was standing at the bar, MOVING like a crazy woman!!! HAHAHAHA!!! And when you watch the videos I'll be posting, you'll understand why I stood at the bar!!

I had to move!!!

I had to clap my hands!! .

I had to "sang!!!"

Michael and the gang exuded SO much energy even with those smooth, sexy ballads!!

I taped both nights and trying to choose the best ones is torture, because to me, they are ALL good!!!

I plan on posting pictures from that night, but these videos are just too good to keep from you!!

So here are a few.
I'll post more as I get them edited and compressed.

WARNING: YOU WILL HEAR ME SINGING!!!


ON MY KNEES - SATURDAY NIGHT


This song is so great!! We were havin' CHURCH at The Baked Potato!!
I love that Michael is not ashamed to express his love of Jesus!
And he did!! Right there in front of us and we loved it!!!



JUST A MOMENT - SATURDAY NIGHT


CRY ON MY SHOULDERS - FRIDAY NIGHT



A COOL TAKE ON A CARPENTERS' CLASSIC
CLOSE TO YOU - FRIDAY


I have to say that Olivia is AMAZING!! At 18 or 19 years of age she sings like a seasoned performer. And why not? Her father is Michael Ruff. She sings seasoned, but she still possesses such an innocence, which is so refreshing when you look at today's artists, who think it's all about the bling, the bubbly & the "flow."
Olivia Ruff. . . we'll be hearing about her for A LONG TIME!!


YOU DON'T LOVE ME - FRIDAY


The interaction, the spontaneity and zaniness of this group of people makes it so much fun to watch them all the more. Michael is SICK on the keys!! He is so amazing!!! EVERYONE is having a good time!! Olivia is totally into it and yet, she's probably heard these songs over and over and yet you can see she is lost in the moment. I LOVE IT!!!

At about the 6 minute point, there is just SOMETHING about Joey, Marco & James. . . MAN!! I am lost in the groove!!! James guitar is singing with Joey's Kit and Marco is driving us with his sexy moves on his bass!!
Ay, ay, ay!! Me gusta mas!! I love it!!

Then at about 8 mins it's Marco singing with his bass!! Well it's more like a mumble/scat. But it is SICK & super intense!!!

The ending takes about another min or so, with Joey, James, Marco embracing in a sweet competition to what I liken a basketball game.
You can't help but wanna jump in, too!!

You have GOT to turn this one UP!!!

Keep that volume right there!!

"KEEP IT GOIN' PAPA!"

CAN'T GET YOU OUTTA MY MIND - SATURDAY


Can you dig it!? This song is so, so smooth. I just want to get up and "swang" and sway to the groove Michael & his friends are laying down. And of course James is "laying down one of his sexy solos!" And Marco is bringing us home with the FUNK and nothing but the funk in his vocals!! DANG!! He is so cool!!
Olivia BELTS!! She is fantastic!! Joey makes me laugh!!





This couple here were so sweet! This gentleman next to Michael, is a huge fan of his!! So much so, that while he was engaged to his wife, he, not being musically trained, had someone teach him "More Than You'll Ever Know, " secretly after work!! It took for 4 months!! But he learned it and surprised her on their wedding day by playing and singing the song to her. Unfortunately, I ran out of space on my cards of that Saturday's performance. It was beautiful. But here is Michael singing "More Than You'll Ever Know " the night before.


MORE THAN YOU'LL EVER KNOW - FRIDAY



What can I say about Michael!? He is a man after God's own heart!! He LOVES and ADORES his family. And it shows!! He does a mean "Alistair Begg" impersonation, too!! I enjoyed meeting and talking with him and being exhorted by him! HA!! Thank You Michael for speaking truth into my heart and praising Jesus with your music!!


I never expected to meet Snuffy Walden, that Friday night. It was so neat! He was there to see Michael, yet he didn't expect to see my friend, Tony Patler there too. These guys, Michael, Tony & Snuffy all worked together as part of Chaka Kahn's band back in mid-80's. Snuffy was also a guitarist on Stevie's "Songs In The Key Of Life!" Yet these were not the things that excited me. MY EXCITMENT was that I got the chance to tell Snuffy about this out of print album I had that Michael had written songs for and recorded. Snuffy was on that album. It's a treasure to me!! Snuffy was so nice to me. What a pleasure it was to meet him!
Side note on Snuffy: Aside from being an amazing musician, Snuffy has become quite renown for composing music for television shows. You may have heard of some of them. . . thirtysomething, Roseanne, The George Lopez Show, The West Wing & The Wonder Years, to name a few.


Marco has it 'goin' on!' What an amazing talent and a very nice guy!! I loved that he spoke to me in Spanish. My Spanish is horrible, but I worked it, none the less. Yet, he's just as much "Californian" as I am!!



When I found out that James Harrah had also been on my favorite "out of print" album, I just about fell over!! I knew Michael & Snuffy had been on it, but Michael told me that evening that James, too had been on the album!! WOW!! Now I wished I'd had the album with me in L.A. Oh well. . . . James is amazing!!! I loved his sexy solos!!! ; )



A HUGE unexpected highlight was meeting Justin Randi, whose father, Don Randi, opened The Baked Potato in 1970. Don Randi was also part of the infamous "Wrecking Crew," session musicians. Their story has been docuemented into a movie Check out their website!!
It was such a pleasure to meet and talk with Justin. He really made me feel at home.
Isn't he a hottie!?!?




After Saturday's show with one of my oldest friends!



If you don't recognize his name, you'll for sure have heard his music. Michael has written for Chaka Kahn, Bonnie Raitt's "Nick Of Time" album. "Cry On my Shoulders" was a huge hit. All you gotta do is search his name on the internet and you'll be flooded with his music.