• • • • •

PURSUING THE DREAM

WITH

Julie Dougherty

by Julia R. DeStefano
“Staying true to your inner compass will always reward you… I believe we are all meant to follow our own individual paths and there’s a little voice inside that guides each of us. Though it is sometimes hard to hear over all the bustle, listen to it and find your own way through this life.” –Julie Dougherty

Noise: In the beginning, what led you to pursue music? Was there a catalyst of some sort?

Julie: Like many other players, I came from a musical family. The earliest memory I have, truly, is of my mother’s voice singing to me; I was an infant. She had a beautiful voice. She also played piano quite well and the story goes that on their first anniversary, when deciding whether to buy a car or a piano, my dad bought my mom a piano… very romantic. My dad played accordion and harmonica by ear. My mom was trained and could sight-read sheet music. I have three sisters and we grew up singing harmony while doing the dishes. There was always some kind of music playing.

Noise: To have sisters as equally invested in the craft as you, while providing their ongoing support, love, and encouragement must have been both amazing and inspiring— something that most only dream of. Can you share your musical history, including your involvement in past bands?

Julie: As a kid, I sang with my older sister, Kathy. When I was in the eighth grade and she a sophomore in high school, a Boston-based agency booked us into minstrel shows and college variety shows. We sang well together and could “project” our voices without a microphone. Little did I know how damaging that would be for my voice. She gave up singing once she was out of high school and later, when I went to college at Salem State; I never picked up my guitar for the four years spent there. After graduating, working for a year, and getting laid off, my sis and I started singing again at a local haunt, the Harp & Bard, on Route 1 in Danvers, Massachusetts. It was an incredible environment to sing in. Almost all of the acts were brought over from Ireland and the fellow who booked us there, Eugene Byrne, was from Dublin. We learned a lot about stage presence and many Irish songs, too! Tommy Makem played and we got to see some amazing instrumentalists and singers in those days. She and I sang there and at their other properties in Norwood, Weymouth, and Cape Cod, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C., basically playing some folk but mostly Irish music six nights a week. Right after the big storm in ’78, my sister and I drove ’cross country in her extra-long Chevy van with our sound system in tow and our two dogs, staying in Austin, Texas, for about a month singing and then driving out to Los Angeles to stay with a friend… on her floor! I wound up living out there for almost a year and sang in a few local restaurants/clubs, then bought my own camper and drove home before Christmas of ’78.

After getting home, I started a band with my friend Richie Grace called Dougherty & Grace. We played locally and in Texas regularly for a couple years. In 1981, I began my own country-rock band with new members: Dave Malachowski (who went on to play with Shania Twain) and the Donaldson Brothers—Bob and Tom who played bass and drums respectively. After disbanding in ’85, I started playing regularly with Woody Woodward (bass) and Steve Sadler (guitar). I would drive down to Nashville on a regular basis, performing at writers’ nights and setting up appointments with publishers during the day. It was a lot of fun and a lot of work, but eventually I missed playing gigs full-time and decided to abandon the thought of moving to Nashville. I think I’m a good writer, but I witnessed great writing while there and knew I didn’t have the kind of stamina or perseverance it takes to get a cut. At home, I could gig regularly and I always have gigged a lot. That’s what I am: a working musician.

In 1993, I started a local TV songwriting show called Songwriters in the Round with the help of Mark Steele, the WGBH online editor. We taped 33 shows over a few year period and featured many incredible songwriters. The list includes: Chris Smither, Dave Mallet, Tommy Makem, Al Kooper, Noel Paul Stookey, Tom Hambridge, Jamie Walker & the Swinging Steaks, John Lincoln Wright, Bob Franke, Allen Estes, Geoff Bartley, Don White, and Cormac McCarthy, to name a few. It was a great local cable show that we were trying to get ’GBH to pick up. They liked it, but we never got the go-ahead. It did, however, air on New Hampshire Public Television’s Tommy Makem Show, so that was cool. Since then, I’ve pretty much put together players as I need them for whatever the gig calls for. My current band includes my husband, Woody, on bass, Jim Scoppa on guitars, and Jack O’Soro on drums, but I also play gigs with Bobby Keyes (guitar), whom I’m also recording with at his studio, Dave Brown (dobro), Taylor Armerding (mandolin), and many other local players who are all so amazing to share a stage with.

Noise: There are such fascinating stories here. So who were (and are) some of your influences? I imagine you have many. In what ways, if any, do you incorporate them into your music?

Julie: My early influences were Judy Collins, Kingston Trio, Woody Guthrie, Chad Mitchell Trio, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Bonnie Raitt, Harry Belafonte, Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton, New Christy Minstrels, the Beatles, James Taylor, Carol King, CSN&Y, Dusty Springfield, Paul Simon, Everly Brothers, Mike Settle, Peter, Paul & Mary, and Linda Ronstadt. Also, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, Allison Kraus, Eva Cassidy, Keb Mo, Norah Jones, Billie Holiday, Cassandra Wilson, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Shawn Colvin, Gillian Welch, Willie Nelson, J.D. Souther, Jackson Brown, Karla Bonoff… and so many others I know I’m forgetting! I’d say all of the people that I loved to listen to affected what songs I put into my repertoire and then ultimately seeped into the way I wrote my own songs. One big influence was Joni Mitchell and her numerous tunings, which just opened up doors to different chord combinations. When I was a teenager, I wanted to sing like Judy Collins—strong, alto-rich voice and she had such command of her guitar. Joni seemed too far to reach for me when I was young. There was no one like her. It was only when I was much older that I learned “A Case of You” and some of the tuning songs she wrote, like “Hejiera” and “Coyote.” My sis and I were very much into harmony, so the Everly Brothers, Chad Mitchell Trio, PPM, and Simon & Garfunkel were influences for us at an early age. But actually, all of the writers/singers I’ve listed (along with many, many more) represented something that I wanted to be when I sang or wrote. Like any good teacher, they each touched me and pointed me in differing directions musically.

Noise: How do you write your songs? Is there a particular process that you go through?

Julie: I am not a prolific songwriter, but I do best when I get myself into a routine, writing the same day each week or with my niece, Kelly Fitzgerald, who lives in Los Angeles. We Skype and write that way, and it provides the incentive I need to get me to write. It has never come easily for me and I still struggle with it, but I find a good idea and a lot of discipline helps me to produce.

Noise: I especially enjoy how you mention discipline, as it is so critical to creation, no matter the medium. How has your songwriting progressed stylistically and lyrically since the days of your previous albums?

Julie: My last CD, Sweet Unraveling, was influenced a lot by Joni Mitchell. I love the songs, “Hejiera” and “Coyote” and the tunings that she does, so I wrote in some tunings, but most of what I love are country ballads, standards, and folk music, still. The recording that I’m doing now with Bobby is a combination of a few older tunes that I wrote ten or so years ago, as well as some new ones that I wrote specifically for this project. There seems to be more of a folk/country blending in this CD. Some of the songs I call my mid-life songs, written with the idea in mind that a good part of life is behind and that it is time to really focus on what is important.

Noise: What is next for you? Are you perhaps planning a tour, playing any festivals, etc?

Julie: Being December, the most obvious upcoming gig is my 29^th consecutive Carol-Sing at the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, Massachusetts, in the grand ballroom on Christmas Eve from 4:00-7:00PM (free and open to the public, complete with the fiddlin’ Santa running through the ballroom mesmerizing all the kids!) We have a revolving cast of local musicians who come by to sing their favorite holiday tune and it is one of the most festive gigs I do. But I love my regular third Monday monthly gig at the Green Land Café in Salem, usually with Dave Brown and Taylor Armerding, and some guest vocalists coming by to add to the fun. I love my regular first Monday of the month at In A Pig’s Eye in Salem also, hosting the open mic for 21 years and counting. I am also looking forward to completing my current recording project with Bobby Keyes, who is not only an amazing guitarist and producer but also a wonderful friend. I’m lucky to have him in my life.

Noise: You appear to have such a positive outlook on life. Do you have any words for younger folk following in your footsteps?

Julie: I want to encourage all of the musicians who read the Noise to keep doing what they love. We don’t all get to be stars in the public’s eye but staying true to your inner compass will always reward you. I’ve had many, many vocal cord problems through the years, having laser surgery in ’88 on my right cord. I thought I’d never sing again, but here I am 23 years later and still singing! I believe we are all meant to follow our own individual paths and there’s a little voice inside that guides each of us. Though it is sometimes hard to hear over the bustle, listen to it and follow your own way through this life. I’m grateful for each gig that I do and for every day that I get to sing and play.

Noise: Your response is truly heartwarming and inspiring, Julie. Thank you for your ongoing contri-butions and for being such a bright light in our musical community.

www.juliedougherty.net

• • • • •

To vastly oversimplify, there are two distant poles on the spectrum of music in which women are primary cast members. There are the rockers (Suzi Quatro, the Runaways, Joan Jett) at the I-can-rock-as-hard-as-the-boys-can end, and there are the singer-songwriters (Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Laura Nyro) at the song-crafty, folkier end.

The fertile ground in the middle of that wide musical range is less well worn, and has a vastly smaller population. Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders reign as the most potent example of how powerful the synthesis of Stones-y rock and new wave/power pop can be, and it’s rewarding to find that the sweet spot that they carved out is nowadays comfortably occupied by the Bandit Kings.

When one tries to describe the rich mixture of genres that the Pretenders embodied, it’s easy to end up with a too-long list of descriptors for something that sounds and feels very simple: a rootsy rock ’n’ roll feel, catchy pop melodies with a dash of new-wave hip, and a propulsive post-punk undercurrent. Similarly, the Bandit Kings’ founder and lead guitarist, Dan King, ends up with a fairly wordy answer when asked what bands are the most oft-cited influences for the band he put together. Others are quick to name “the obvious female-led groups like the Bangles, Pretenders, Go-Gos, B-52s,” King says, “and I’d have to say, they’re right, but there’s definitely an undercurrent of R.E.M. jangle, AC/DC power, and L.A. punk harmony in the style of X involved as well.”

The two female front women in the Bandit Kings, Renee Dupuis and Ann Marie, are hugely responsible for delivering on that imposing mission statement. The two share lead vocal duties up front (with Dupuis often on her Nord keyboard) and together become greater than the sum of their parts: a gravelly, growling alto, and a clear-as-a-bell soprano harmonizing together in ways that make the question of “who’s singing lead” feel both irrelevant and hard to discern.

With all five members contributing their own tunes or contributing co-writes, there’s a diversity of styles on the Bandit Kings’ first full-length studio album (cheekily titled in an are-they-or-aren’t-they-making-a-Rolling-Stones-or-a-Pretenders-or-both? reference) Precious Stones. There’s a country-ish ballad (“Laredo”) that the River (WXRV) has on repeat, a wispy, soaring ballad (“Over”), a throaty, sexy come-on called “Motorcycle,” and a roaring theatrical show-stopper (“The Jerker”). Still, the band’s bread and butter consists of the album’s half dozen tunes that are absolutely poppy, but don’t sound twee in the least. The Bandit Kings don’t forget that they want to make you dance, they don’t skimp on the wily guitar solos that make you sit up straight, and they always build the songs around a roots-rock scaffolding that keeps the songs accessible and singable.

The Bandit Kings’ forthcoming LP, titled Epic Hello, is due to be released on November 5. A CD-release show is scheduled for that same night at the Rhumb Line in Gloucester, where the band is based, and will be followed by a Cambridge CD-release show at the Lizard Lounge on November 15. The Rhumb Line, one of the few seven-nights-a-week-of-music-even-in-the-off-season bars in Gloucester, has played more than a cameo role in the band’s story. King, and fellow Gloucester resident Nelson Bragg (percussionist for the Brian Wilson Band and occasional guest of the Bandit Kings on stage and in the studio) started a weekly Monday night affair at the Rhumb Line called Open Jam that has become a local institution and a wellspring of longstanding musical relationships.Open Jam offers a steady, ready-to-roll house band to serve as the anchor for each evening’s entertainment and, since the beginning, it has been known for its open-to-all-players ethos that encourages both local and far-flung talent to make their way inside.

It was at Open Jam that that King met another local guitar player, Dave Brown (former lead guitarist for Billy Joel). Brown has played on four of King’s last five solo records, and is responsible for introducing King to Dave Mattacks (drummer for Fairport Convention, Paul McCartney, XTC) who, along with Wolf Ginandes on bass, constitute “KBMG.” The foursome have been playing a weekly residency for the past eight years every Tuesday night at Jalapenos (an upscale Mexican spot in Gloucester), and Mattacks signed on early to produce Epic Hello.

It was at Open Jam that King met Russ Lawton, drummer for the Trey Anastasio Band. The two have now been collaborating in the studio for more than 10 years, and Lawton, along with band mate Ray Paczkowski on Hammond/Clavinet and King on guitar, came down from Burlington, Vermont to host the 16th anniversary of the Open Jam last month.

And it was at Open Jam where King met each member of the Bandit Kings. Since the band’s inception two years ago, the Bandit Kings have hosted Open Jam as the house band every week, and those hundred or so Mondays have made the band a tight and cohesive unit with more gigs behind them after two years than most local bands can put together in five.

There’s unanimity amongst the members about how instrumental the Open Jam has been for the development of the band’s songs, their sound, their chops, and their cohesion. They speak in reverential tones about its utility. Ann Marie calls the weekly residency “a gift… we try out new tunes, new tempos and are able to explore each tune in depth,” while Dupuis simply says, “The Rhumb Line Open Jam is a beautiful thing.”

Drummer Dennis Monagle (Qwill, Groove, Christine Baze’s Yellow Umbrella Tour) has been playing at Open Jam in various bands since its incarnation 16 years ago, so it’s unsurprising that when King “approached me regarding a potential new band… I was very comfortable with the idea,” and he wasn’t blind to the appeal of working with “two super-lovely lead singers.” Dupuis’ husband, Joe Cardoza is on bass, and together the two music school grads (Cardoza from Berklee, Dupuis from the Hartt School) have a charming married-couple-duo act (Joe & Renee) that occasionally perform originals alongside some surprising covers. The five-piece came together so easily that when asked if the band has had any growing pains, Cardoza simply says, “The low point of this band was the day before we started it.”

Monagle, King, and Cardoza ensure that the rhythm section is locked in, and capable of almost anything. They feel loose, but tight, and they can make the room switch tempos without anyone even noticing. King is a melodic but rocking guitarist, and having played alongside Dave Brown for almost a decade, is keenly attuned to when a light touch is needed, when to lay it on thick, and when to just lay out.

From the producer’s chair, Mattacks sees precisely what is valuable about the longstanding musical relationships that King seems to naturally prefer. “No matter the genre, it’s a really positive thing when a group of players/singers work together consistently over a period of time. Everybody gets used to each other’s idiosyncrasies (musical and otherwise!), and there’s a true plus factor which emerges and enhances the music… It’s clearly happening here with the Bandit Kings.”

The plus factor feeling is mutual, says King. “[Mattacks] can really get great results out of the band without hitting you over the head too hard, he’s a song guy, has amazing ears and the amount of experience he brings to the table is overwhelming.” Cardoza lengthily describes the working relationship, and then summarizes: “Short answer: It’s really easy to completely trust Dave Mattacks. “

Epic Hello was mixed at Q Division in Somerville, and was recorded at Bang-A-Song-Studios in Gloucester with Tony Goddess who also has a long history with King. He recorded one of King’s solo records, pieces of KBMG albums, and the entirety of the Bandit Kings’ first LP. Goddess, too, extols the virtues of the band having played together so much and so often. “They gig so much that they are ready to perform the songs [in the studio] without any second guessing or overthinking. They set up, I turn on the mics and they nail the tracks.”

The tracks on Epic Hello feel as varied as ever, but still sonically unified. There’s the pleading ballad title track, a jumpy post-punk number (“Down Cold Razor”), a honky-tonk barnburner (“Blue Sky Sundown”), and a modern sounding new-wave tune called “Black Seal.” “Take Another Look” is a prime example of the Bandit Kings fusing together what they do best, and hitting the sweet spot head-on: straight ahead rock ’n’ roll with a propulsive backbeat and a catchy chorus.

Though the Bandit Kings host Open Jam every week, there are a steady stream of high-wattage drop-bys that make the night feel anything but regular. After 20 years playing music, 16 years running Open Jam, 10 years recording with Goddess, 8 years playing with KMBG, two albums with the Bandit Kings (and Live in Los Angeles, recorded last year), Dan King’s penchant for long-term musical relationships makes it certain that the Bandit Kings have a long musical horizon ahead of them.

www.banditkings.com

• • • • •

BEHOLDEN TO THEE

by Joe Coughlin

On the, uh, heels of their sparkling release, Behold! (Green Mist Records), I was lucky enough to get the straight poop from the members, who explain not only their sense of history, but their own place within it as regards the bigger picture. It all comes together on the disc; a seamless, lovingly crafted homage to some of their biggest inspirations, while remaining a fresh-baked original recipe all its own, with no filler or flat-out mimicry. A pretty fuckin’ tall order, if you ask me. But they say it much better than I could, so here you go:

Mike Yocco (bass, vocals): I’ve been playing in bands for about 18 years. I’ve been playing with JJ for some 11 years, starting with the Downbeat 5 in 2000, the DB5’s alter ego the Second Cousins, and now thee Cuban Heels. What’s kept me involved with music is the opportunity to continue playing all types of music I like, the great musicians I’ve been involved with, and most of all, the many fantastic people I’ve met and got to know over the years at our gigs and other shows. There’s a common ground and unmistakable camaraderie among the bands, audiences, local press, clubs, studios. They’re all so linked together because so many individuals are part of the circuit in multiple capacities. A person in a band may also be the one who books a venue, or is an engineer at a studio, or writes for the Noise, etc. It’s a very unique landscape that I’m happy to still be a part of.

Jeff Norcross (drums and percussion): I’m currently a member of the Weisstronauts. I play drums, bass, guitar or percussion, whatever’s needed. Over the years, I’ve played drums with the Downbeat 5, Don Lennon, Paula Kelley, Sool, Army of Jasons, and others. I had recently joined Downbeat 5 when JJ and Mike were putting together the band that became Thee Cuban Heels. JJ gave me a compilation of covers that he wanted to try with TCH; a mix of old rock ’n’ roll, obscure pop and soul, instrumentals and vocal numbers. JJ promised that we’d have the opportunity to record and release a record within a year, which was very enticing. After meeting Julian, I decided to jump on board. Making Behold! was a lot of fun. We spent three days with Pete Weiss at Verdant Studio in Vermont and completed everything except vocals (JJ, Mike and Julian recorded those back in Boston with Eric Salt). We set out to make a record that sounded similar to Shel Talmy’s work with the Kinks, the Who, and others. Not a slavish copy of Talmy’s work, but something evocative of those records.

Julian Hammond (guitar, vocals): When I was 15, I bought my first guitar. I played in a local punk band called Faulty Conscience for a few years. I met JJ a couple years ago through our mutual employment. Having seen the Downbeat 5 several times, I jumped at the chance when he asked if I wanted to jam. I was nervous. It was JJ freakin’ Rassler! He came and jammed, and there was chemistry. He immediately asked me if I wanted in on his new project. I was thrilled to hear his idea for the direction he wanted to go. I was raised on oldies. My parents had a good collection of Stones, Beatles, Bob Dylan, etc. I’m 26. I love most all music, but my favorite thing in the world—music or otherwise—is the Beatles. That, and West Side Story. When JJ proposed calling us Thee Cuban Heels, he said it’s like the Beatle boots, or the shoes the Sharks wear in West Side Story. I said yes. I love playing in this band because I sweat and people dance. It has also given me cause to listen to countless ’60s bands I never would have heard of. I feel very lucky to be playing with these vetted players.

JJ Rassler (guitar and vocals) sends a third-person account, Q&A to follow: Born in Philadelphia, he started gigging with bands in 1965. By 1966, he’d already seen the Beatles, Stones, and Beach Boys, just for starters. After 1970, he hitch-hiked across the country for a few years, settling for good in Boston in 1973. He found a gig working at WBCN on the Maxanne show. It was at this point he met Peter Greenberg and together formed DMZ. Working in record stores since he was 16, he still finds the time to do this at Stereo Jack’s. When DMZ imploded, he spent a decade with Preston Wayne in the Odds. The end of the ’80s found him playing guitar and writing tunes for the Queers. He maintained a close contact with the band, and later went on to produce some of their more critically acclaimed releases in the ’90s. In 1999, he and Jen D’Angora formed the Downbeat 5, which still has life. On the side, JJ played guitar with Triple Thick for three years. But most of the hours were spent working as Rounder Records’ national promo rep for for 20-plus years. He’s shared stages with Johnny Thunders, the Fleshtones, the Stray Cats, the Del Fuegos, David Johansen, the Alarm, the Chesterfield Kings, and countless others.

Noise: You got majorly sidelined recently, what happened?

JJ: Just a really weird predicament where the car backed over a road sign, and like an idiot, thought I could free it from scraping the gas tank with my bare hands. The car went forward and the sign had to go through my finger to dig deeper in the ground. I was wedged half under the sign and ripped my hand out to get free. Came close to losing the left index finger. Still doing physical therapy and trying to get feeling back into the tip. It’s a slow process and I’m not the most patient person, but in order for it to heal right, I gotta go slow with it. Still can’t bend it or move it much, but I’m hopeful.

Noise: You had to cancel a show, which I know is not something you take lightly. What’s up in the meantime?

JJ: Yeah, we had a gig a few days after the accident. I was in shock and didn’t realize how bad it was, so we had to cancel at the last minute. We’ve been rehearsing, though, and it’s been helpful concentrating on other aspects of the band as a whole, and working out harmonies, which is something we all are into. So we’re trying not to be idle.

Noise: I, for one, am glad to finally see a record with your name on the cover.

JJ: Well, under my name is not how I’d wanted it or envisioned it. The label we’re dealing with was strong on that aspect of the name. But the effort was clearly the band’s. Some of the songs on it are from my past, and others are ones we wrote together.

Noise: I see one that was on a Queers album from the ’90s, and that the Downbeat 5 did on their live CD.

JJ: That was one I wrote 20 years ago, when I was in the Odds, a song called “Number One.” When the Queers did the Don’t Back Down album. I contributed some tunes and that was one. A band in Belgium, Nervous Shakes [now called Shake Appeal], covered it and got some airplay on Radio Luxemburg with it. DB5 did it live for years. I just hadn’t really gotten around to doing it like I heard it in my head.

Noise: You’re still playing with some of the DB5 players, is that band still intact?

JJ: The core of thee Cuban Heels is DB5 related, the new guy is Julian Hammond on the other guitar. We met a few years ago and found a lot of similar musical tastes and decided to try playing together. Inside a half hour we both knew we’d be doing a band together. He’s a young guy, but he has one of the broadest ranges of musical influences of most people I know who are twice his age. I knew he’d be a natural with the DB5 guys, Mike and Jeff. Mike and I had always thought of doing something in addition to the DB5. He’s got a great voice and definitely adds his taste to the dynamic. After a decade of playing together, it’s great to find new common ground and a fresh approach. Jeff has been the “stable” one. He was instrumental in us working with Pete Weiss on the album, as they play together quite often.

Noise: Your own basic style is fairly unmistakable, but you’re mixing it up with all kinds of new tones and stuff now.

JJ: There’s a lot of other influences that have always been around in my head, but I hadn’t had much opportunity to try out. I like a soundtrack, cityscape instrumentals, and usually get one in on an album, but we expanded more on that concept with this one. It’s something we’re all into. But we like soul music, and country, and there are touches of that too. Of course we hit on some stuff that’s more in tune with what most people know of my playing. But I like a lot of different things, like Gabor Szabo, that we hint at. There will always be more stuff of a varied nature coming out as we grow. I can’t play jazz, but I like attempting it in a garage way. We can’t sing that well, so when we attempt doo-wop, we call it don’t-wop. It’s more about attempting what we like.

Noise: There’s a very “real,” immediate feel to the record. Are you happy with it?

JJ: I’m never completely happy with any recordings I’ve been involved with. Some came out like I wanted, some didn’t. I was sick as hell when we had to do the vocals and barely croaked my way through them. In some ways, that helped! But that’s just me, I’m always hearing what could’ve been done differently. We all feel lucky to be doing this project together. Everyone has a wide range of tastes and influences, and the moxie to try oddball stuff and flow with it. With the lead vocals now being shared equally by three of us, and the two guitars working so well on the instros, it keeps getting better and more varied. There’s a lot of sides to rock ’n’ roll that we still want to touch on. As long as we’re having fun. We see people dancing in a small joint, that’s what it’s all about. It ain’t nothin’ if it ain’t a kick.

www.myspace.com/jjtheecubanheels