Kickin' the Mule

With its expanse of east-facing windows thrown open to Shattuck Avenue, dearth of cigarette smoke and ample selection of healthy beverages, no one is likely to mistake the Cheese Board Collective for a down home juke joint. But over the past 18 months or so, the soul-powered band Kickin’ The Mule regularly transforms the Gourmet Ghetto eatery into a groove-laden crossroads where slinky T-Bone Walker-esque West Coast shuffles, Stax soul scorchers and raucous Chicago blues all converge.
“I sing songs from every different genre,” says the Mule’s drummer and vocalist Kelvin Dixon, who returns to the Cheese Board with the quartet on Friday (and again on October 14). “The people at the Cheese Board have been great. They say: do whatever you want, though they really like novelty numbers like Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry’s ‘Ain’t Got No Home.’ They’re back there dancing, making pizzas.”
For much of the group’s seven-year run, it served as a forum for Freddie Hughes, the venerable Berkeley-raised soul crooner who scored a major R&B hit in 1968 with “Send My Baby Back” (he’s a story for another day).
Creative differences led to a parting of ways, and, since Dixon took over lead vocal duties he’s greatly expanded the band’s repertoire. A blues veteran whose credits include performances with John Lee Hooker, Charles Brown, Bo Diddley, Otis Rush, and Irma Thomas, he’s also steeped in zydeco and jazz. Widely esteemed by his peers, he’s the kind of player who would rather be part of a band than up front as the leading man, though he’s got the talent and charm for the role.
“I don’t want to look upon it as my show,” Dixon says. “I was hoisted into that lead chair and I said I’ll do what it takes. I like improvising with the voice. I figure, why pigeonhole yourself? There’s blues, R&B, rock ‘n’ roll, jazz, salsa, Cajun, zydeco. Why limit yourself to crumbs when you can sit down at the table and eat?”
Along with Dixon, Kickin’ the Mule features veteran keyboardist William Beatty, who spent five years with the popular combo Indigo Swing, guitarist John Graham, a founding member of MotorDude Zydeco, and bassist Patty Hammond, a former member of Jesse McDaniel’s Gospel Travelers. Hammond is the driving force behind the Mule, and for a late blues bloomer, she’s become an important figure on the Bay Area scene.
Born in Hawaii and raised in Berkeley, she grew up playing cello in a very musical family. But she stopped studying music in her late teens, and didn’t find her way back until decades later in the mid 1990s, when her love of Cajun and zydeco dancing brought her into regular contact with working musicians. MotorDude Zydeco’s Graham encouraged her pick up the electric bass, and Hammond started frequenting the jam sessions at Eli’s Mile High Club to hone her chops.
She landed her first professional gig with harp player Bird Leg and the Tight Fit Blues Band, a hard-working combo that played Biscuits & Blues, the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company and the Northern California circuit of blues festival produced by Ronnie Stewart. After about six years with Bird Leg, Hammond and Graham broke away to launch Kickin’ the Mule, which quickly turned into a showcase for Freddie Hughes. Over the years Hammond recruited Beatty and Dixon, whose vocals developed a vociferous constituency.
“We’re still experimenting,” Hammond says. “But we’re probably focusing most on New Orleans R&B and raw blues. William Beatty brought in a real jazz flavor. We’ll do something like Herbie Hancock’s ‘Cantaloupe Island’ or Clifford Brown’s ‘Sandu.’ We try to let everybody in the band do what they think is going to be fun.”
And if the band’s having a ball, the odds are excellent that their audience is also enjoying the ride.
Andrew Gilbert lives in west Berkeley and covers music and dance for the San Jose Mercury News, Contra Costa Times, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe and KQED’s California Report. - Berkeleyside, Oct. 6, 2011

Patty Hammond grew up in Hawaii and Berkeley, in a very musical family. Her mother was a
classical pianist. Patty began to study the cello when she was eight years old. She continued
to play through high school, but knew that classical music really wasn't her thing. "I used to
listen to my transistor radio under my pillow. I'd pick up Wolfman Jack. Even then I gravitated
to the blues."

After high school, Hammond took a long hiatus from playing music. In the 90s she discovered Zydeco dancing at Ashkenaz in Berkeley and came to love the music and the musicians. One of them suggested she take up the bass guitar. It didn't take too much persuading. She had wanted to play the stand-up bass when she was a kid, had a strong sense of rhythm from dancing and loved the deep sounds. "I remember being 10 years old and hearing the Everly Brothers. When I sang along I always sang the low harmony."

Hammond played with Jesse McDaniel's Gospel Travelers, Birdlegg and the Tightfit Blues Band, and finally Kickin' the Mule. Hammond keeps the band going, handling personnel, promotion and booking. In the beginning it wasn't easy. "But I knew if I wanted to keep playing with this caliber of musicians, I needed to learn how to book a band."

The music industry in general, and particularly the genre of the blues, is a man's world, said Hammond. "There aren't that many petite, blonde, female bass players," she added. When she started out trying to get bookings for the band, she was ignored. "I needed to develop a thick skin and be persistent with the clubs." But as the band made a name for itself, she was treated with more respect.

Kickin' the Mule is made up of (left to right) Paul Branin (guitar, sax, vocals), William Beatty (piano, keyboards, organ), Kelvin Dixon (lead vocals and drums), and Patty Hammond (bass). Each musician has strengths that allow the band to go in many different directions. They play New Orleans R&B, blues, early rock 'n' roll, and even a little jazz. "These are musicians who can work together as a group and have fun." - The Albany Patch, Aug. 20, 2011

On a recent Friday night, Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto reverberated with the blissful blues of Kickin' the Mule, sounds that emanated from the ooen windows of the with heads bopping and toes tapping, the Cheeseboard's customers didn't seem to mind the wait.

The world famous hive of eateries anehored by Chez Panisse might seem like a far cry from an Oakland blues spot, but for the past year Kickin' the Mule has regularly turned the Shattuck Avenue strip into its own joyous juke joint, with a repertoire ranging from slinky T-Bone Walker–esque West Coast shuffles to Stax soul scorchers and raucous Chicago blues.

"I sing songs from every different genre," says the Mule's drummer and vocalist Kelvin Dixon. The people at the Cheeseboard have been great. They say do whatever you want, though they really like novelty numbers like Clarence 'Frogman' Henry's 'Ain't Got No Home.' They're back there dancing, making pizzas."

The band returns to the South Bay for a performance at Poor House Bistro, but this Mule is a very different beast. For much of the group's seven-year run, it served as a forum for Freddie Hughes, the venerable Berkeley-raised soul crooner who scored a major R&B hit in 1968 with "Send My Baby Back to Me."

Creative differences led to a parting of ways, and since Dixon took over lead vocal duties, he's expanded the band's repertoire exponentially. A blues veteran whose credits include performances with John Lee Hooker, Charles Brown, Bo Diddley, Otis Rush, and Irma Thomas, he's also steeped in zydeco and jazz. Widely esteemed by his peers, he's the kind of player who would rather be part of a band than up front as the leading man, though he's got the talent and charm for the role.

"I don't want to look upon it as my show," Dixon says. "I was hoisted into that lead chair, and I said I'd do what it takes. I like improvising with the voice. I figure, why pigeonhole yourself? There's blues, R&8, rock 'n' roll, jazz, salsa, Cajun, zydeco.

"Why limit yourself to crumbs when you can sit down at the table and eat?"

Along with Dixon, Kickin' the Mule features veteran keyboardist William Beatty, who spent five years with the popular combo Indigo Swing; guitarist John Graham, a founding member of MotorDude Zvdeco; and bassist Patty i{iammond, a former member of Jesse McDaniel's Gospel Travelers. Hammond is the driving force behind the Mule, and for a late blues bloomer, she's become an important figure on the Bay Area scene.

Born in Hawaii and raised in Berkeley, she grew up playing cello in a musical family. But she stopped studying music in her late teens, and didn't find her way back until decades later in the mid-1990s, when her love of Cajun and zydeco dancing brought her into regular contact with working musicians.
MotorDude Zydeco's Graham encouraged her to pick up the bass, and Hammond started frequenting the jam sessions at Eli's Mile High Club in Oakland to hone her chops.

She landed her first professional gig with harp player Bird Leg and the Tight Fit Blues Band, a hardworking combo that played Biscuits & Blues, the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company and the Northern California circuit of blues festivals produced by Ronnie Stewart.

After about six years with Bird Leg, Hammond and Graham broke away to launch Kickin' the Mule, which quickly turned into a showcase for Freddie Hughes. Over the years, Hammond recruited Beatty and Dixon, whose vocals developed a vociferous constituency.

"All that time, we were doing Freddie's thing," Hammond says. "There was a mutual parting of ways last year. We really wanted to go in a broader direction. We can plays anything from 1940s T-Bone Walker to the Righteous Brothers, to some raw '70s funk or gospel. We're still experimenting right now, but we're probably focusing most on New Orleans R&B and raw blues."

For the Poor House gig, the Mule expands to a quintet with the formidable tenor saxophone of Nancy Wright, a player steeped in blues but equally comfortable tearing through hard bop chord changes. She brings out the jazzier side of the Mule.

"William Beatty brought in a real jazz flavor," Hammond says. "We'll do something like Herbie Hancock's 'Cantaloupe Island' or Clifford Brown's 'Sandu.' With Nancy, we try to feature the sax with a Junior Walker tune.

"We try to let everybody in the band do what they think is going to be fun. We're in a fun phase, and we're loving it."

Kickin' the Mule
www.myspace.com/kickinthemule
When: 6-10 p.m. Friday
Where: Poor House Bistro, 91 S. Autumn St., San Jose
Tickets: No cover, 408-292-5837, www.poorhousebistro.com
Also: Kickin' The Mule plays Campbell's Boogie on the Bayou Festival on May 21. - San Jose Mercury News Thursday, April 28, 2011

On the sunny afternoon of November 14, 2010, an awe-inspiring contingent of top-shelf Bay Area musicians gathered at George’s Nightclub in San Rafael, rallying to support their longtime colleague and friend Steve Gannon, beloved guitarist who has graced both stage and studio with a copious and distinguished list of artists, including many of those present. The music burned well into the night, teeming with memorable performances and an overflow of good will for Gannon, who faces mounting financial woes due to ongoing serious health issues.

Performers and fans began filing into the spacious 4th Street music room and restaurant while Berkeley’s purveyor of traditional acoustic blues, Reverend Rabia, got the program rolling . . . The show “plugged in” as San Francisco icon Johnny Nitro took the stage, proudly sporting a San Francisco Giants jersey, and tore into the trademark rockin’ blues that made him the toast of North Beach. . . .

The George’s stage continued to be a proverbial revolving door of music mastery throughout the evening. [Next came] Wendy DeWitt at the keyboards and Kirk Harwood on drums . . . Mitch Woods, sporting a Hawaiian-style shirt illustrated with piano keys, gave the real ivories a workout while Lisa Kindred belted out the vocals. . . .

Kickin’ the Mule kept the dynamic in high gear while providing the rollicking soundtrack for two of Oakland’s enduring legends—harp-blower Birdlegg, back in town from Austin just to pay tribute to Steve Gannon, and celebrated soul singer Freddie Hughes. Wearing a crisp blue shirt
and tie, Birdlegg put on an animated performance as he boogied across the stage and blasted the notes from his harmonica, powered by Patty Hammond on bass, William Beatty on keys, Kelvin Dixon on drums and vocals, and John Graham on guitar.

Freddie Hughes took the spotlight next. While Kickin’ the Mule played the tune to Michael Jackson’s hit “Billie Jean,” Freddie added the lyrics to “Big Boss Man,” the unusual combination meshing seamlessly. Dedicating his 1968 record “Send My Baby Back” to Steve Gannon, Freddie demonstrated his extraordinary vocal range as he hit the high notes down to the bass. The band lived up to its name, kicking up a punchy groove for “I Don’t Want Nobody Telling Me How To Do My Thing,” while drummer Dixon supplied vocal support, including a call and response with Hughes. . . .

After 6 hours of nonstop, highly entertaining music, harmonica giant Mark Hummel
and Chicago guitar legend Steve Freund closed the show with the help of bassist Randy Bermudes, drummer Paul Revelli, vocalist Jan Fanucchi, and the great Steve Gannon. And while the event came together as a benefit for Gannon, it was without question a benefit to all who attended. Thanks to everyone involved for a unique and unforgettable experience! - Golden Gate Grooves, Issue 8, January 2011 (pages 7–11)

On July 23 and 24, 2010, the Police Activities League and festival producers Gino Gasparini and George Schoenstein kicked off the 5th annual Redwood City Blues Festival. The event was held at Courthouse Square in downtown Redwood City, where the redeveloped district has become a hotbed of restaurants and venues featuring blues acts, not the least of which is the former Little Fox, now renamed Club Fox, which reopened that Friday evening for a one-night special after-party featuring the Madison Blues Band. . . .

The tribute to the East Bay Blues Masters took many of us back to the days when the clubs in Oakland were thriving and we could catch Frankie Lee, Freddie Hughes, or Johnny Talbot performing on a regular basis. Those clubs are gone, but the legends are still around and having them all in one day was a treat. Frankie Lee is suffering from prostate cancer and his plea to the audience to get tested was heartwarming. He sounded good and his voice was strong this day with an uptown soulful delivery of the “West Coast Sound,” which he helped form.

Freddie Hughes and Kickin’ the Mule were memorable, and the band included the wonderful Nancy Wright on saxophone. Hughes still has that gospel fervor that drips with soul and his delivery on “Don’t Let the Green Grass Fool You” had many in the audience singing along.

During the break, The Golden Gate Blues Society presented blues promoter and DJ Tom Mazzolini with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the Bay Area blues community. The presentation was made by two of our eminent blues DJs, Byrd Hale of KZSU and Noel Hayes of KPOO.

Johnny Talbot closed out the festivities with a Texas to Oakland styled guitar exhibition. The highlight of his performance was a poignant tune about the history of Russell City that featured some tasty guitar work.

It was a beautiful day in Redwood City with great music and many vendors displaying their wares. The Golden Gate Blues Society was one of the major sponsors of this event and we thank the producers and staff for a job well done. I also have to say that one could not find a more congenial and respectful audience at a blues festival! - Golden Gate Grooves, Issue 7, October 2010

Freddie Hughes was five when he discovered his ability to move audiences with his voice. Every time he’d sing at Good Samaritan Church of God in Christ, located at the corner of 8th and Wood in West Oakland, members of the congregation would toss coins and dollar bills at his feet. “It gave me something to look forward to,” recalls the Berkeley-born soul singer, now 66.?

Although he would grow up to earn money for his performances at such legendary Oakland clubs as the Sportsman and Showcase and opening shows for the likes of Gary (U.S.) Bonds and the O’Jays, Hughes has made next to nothing for the numerous recordings he’s done since 1959.?As co-lead singer of Music City All-Stars, he scored a Bay Area hit in 1964 with a catchy dance number titled “Do the Philly,” for which he says the record’s producer, the late Ray Dobard, offered the five-man group $13 to split.?“I wanted to pop him upside his head,” Hughes admits.

For his first solo recording, 1968’s “Send My Baby Back” he says received no royalties, even though the song was a huge local hit and placed at No 20 on the national R&B chart.?Ace Records in England has just issued a 24-song CD, titled “Send My Baby Back,” of Hughes’ 1964-69 recordings with the Soul Brothers, Music City All-Stars and Casanova II and as a solo artist. He’s confident that this time around he’ll receive compensation for his efforts.?“I glad I have a contract with Ace Records,” he says. “They’re releasing it worldwide, and I have a shot at making it worldwide.”?Hughes’ range is one of the widest in all of R&B. His leaps of register, from husky baritone to soaring falsetto, are executed with breathtaking easy, often strung together with syllable-splitting curlicues. And his command of tonal inflections – gritty here, screaming there, then clear as a bell – is simply awesome. Most important, however, is the way he employs those techniques to cut to the emotional core of the song at hand. There are few singers more emotionally intense than Hughes.?He uses the upper register for which he is best known sparingly these days.

During a recent performance at the Mojo Lounge in Fremont as featured vocalist with Kickin’ the Mule, a four-member blues band led by bassist Patty Hammond, he pretty much stuck to a low tenor while performing such standards as “Fannie Mae,” “Stand by Me,” “Next Time You See Me” and “See See Rider.” Yet for a rendition of “Send My Baby Back” on which he interpolated the songs “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons,” “Talk to Me” and “”You Send Me,” Hughes sailed into the stratosphere with aplomb and ended the medley on a bass note.?

Kickin’ the Mule’s next Oakland appearances are at 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 19, at the Warehouse Bar & Grill, 402 Webster Street, and at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 26, at Café van Kleef, 1621 Telegraph Avenue.?

Send comments and story ideas to Lee Hildebrand at LeeHilde@aol.com.
- The Oakland Post (Posted by Alapi on June 22nd, 2010)

Freddie Hughes was five when he discovered his ability to move audiences with his voice. Every time he’d sing at Good Samaritan Church of God in Christ, located at the corner of 8th and Wood in West Oakland, members of the congregation would toss coins and dollar bills at his feet. “It gave me something to look forward to,” recalls the Berkeley-born soul singer, now 66.?Although he would grow up to earn money for his performances at such legendary Oakland clubs as the Sportsman and Showcase and opening shows for the likes of Gary (U.S.) Bonds and the O’Jays, Hughes has made next to nothing for the numerous recordings he’s done since 1959.?As co-lead singer of Music City All-Stars, he scored a Bay Area hit in 1964 with a catchy dance number titled “Do the Philly,” for which he says the record’s producer, the late Ray Dobard, offered the five-man group $13 to split.?“I wanted to pop him upside his head,” Hughes admits. For his first solo recording, 1968’s “Send My Baby Back” he says received no royalties, even though the song was a huge local hit and placed at No 20 on the national R&B chart.?Ace Records in England has just issued a 24-song CD, titled “Send My Baby Back,” of Hughes’ 1964-69 recordings with the Soul Brothers, Music City All-Stars and Casanova II and as a solo artist. He’s confident that this time around he’ll receive compensation for his efforts.?“I glad I have a contract with Ace Records,” he says. “They’re releasing it worldwide, and I have a shot at making it worldwide.”?Hughes’ range is one of the widest in all of R&B. His leaps of register, from husky baritone to soaring falsetto, are executed with breathtaking easy, often strung together with syllable-splitting curlicues. And his command of tonal inflections – gritty here, screaming there, then clear as a bell – is simply awesome. Most important, however, is the way he employs those techniques to cut to the emotional core of the song at hand. There are few singers more emotionally intense than Hughes.?He uses the upper register for which he is best known sparingly these days. <b>During a recent performance at the Mojo Lounge in Fremont as featured vocalist with Kickin’ the Mule, a four-member blues band led by bassist Patty Hammond,</b> he pretty much stuck to a low tenor while performing such standards as “Fannie Mae,” “Stand by Me,” “Next Time You See Me” and “See See Rider.” Yet for a rendition of “Send My Baby Back” on which he interpolated the songs “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons,” “Talk to Me” and “”You Send Me,” Hughes sailed into the stratosphere with aplomb and ended the medley on a bass note.?Kickin’ the Mule’s next Oakland appearances are at 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 19, at the Warehouse Bar & Grill, 402 Webster Street, and at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 26, at Café van Kleef, 1621 Telegraph Avenue.?
Send comments and story ideas to Lee Hildebrand at LeeHilde@aol.com.
- The Oakland Post; posted by Alapi on June 22, 2010

August 2007

I listened to Kickin' the Mule's CD and immediately called the booking agent (Dave Chavez) of the Poor House Bistro. This band from Oakland has great vocals, excellent keyboards, and a funky rhythm section. Reminds me of some of the great bands down in New Orleans. Please support me in bringing some new talent to the Poor House Bistro. - Poor House Bistro Upcoming Events

Kickin’ the Mule R&B Blues Band is one of the most potent musical combinations on the West Coast blues circuit today. The band performs a variety of blues-related genres: Delta, Chicago, and rocking blues; Memphis and Motown soul; Oakland funk originals; and jazzy ballads.

The band got its start working the Bay Area performing with such blues luminaries as Freddie Hughes, Tia Carroll, Craig Horton, and Birdlegg. It developed a loyal following, working regularly at clubs such as San Francisco’s Biscuits and Blues, Jack London Square’s Everett & Jones Bar-B-Q, Princeton-by-the-Sea’s Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, and Fremont’s Mojo Lounge. The band has performed numerous times at Oakland’s annual Art & Soul Festival, Oakland’s Home Grown Blues Series, Hayward’s Russell City Blues Festival, the Vallejo Blues Festival, the Napa Valley Mustard Festival, and more.

Selected Events and Performances

Clubs
The Baltic, Point Richmond
Biscuits and Blues, San Francisco
DG’s, Napa
Eli’s Mile High Club, Oakland
Everett & Jones Bar-B-Q
Jack London Square
Half Moon Bay Brewing Company,
Princeton-by-the-Sea
The Mojo Lounge, Fremont
The Pleasanton Hotel Blues Series
The Poor House Bistro, San Jose
The Warehouse, Jack London Square

Festivals
Oakland Art & Soul Festival
Oakland’s Home Grown Blues Series
Napa Valley Mustard Festival
Point Richmond Summer Blues Festival
Hayward’s Russell City Blues Festival
St. Supery Vineyards, Rutherford
Vallejo Heritage Festival, Vallejo

Countries
France, Holland,
Italy, London, Switzerland

- Kickin' the Mule

05/23/2008 The Orinda House is honored and pleased to present the an new group to the House, Kickin' the Mule. Freddie Hughes is the feature of this great R&B Band that's been around for decades performing at all the great blues venues. Reservations are strongly advised; they'll pack the house. - Ron Bonner

By Rachel Swan
The Wednesday night crowd at Pat’s Bar in Oakland is a mixed bag: old codgers with rumpled slacks and Birkenstocks, svelte youngsters with square-toed Italian shoes, and women who could almost be ’40s noir heroines, but for their ’60s rock ’n’ roll hairdos. College students hustle pool in the back, while the latest A’s game recap drones quietly from two mounted TV sets. In the center of it all is Freddie Hughes, who sings at Pat’s every Wednesday night with his old-school blues band, Kickin’ the Mule.

If you catch Hughes in a reflective moment, he might regale you with an abridged history of R&B in the East Bay. He’ll namecheck old-school scenesters like Birdlegg (of Tight Fit Blues Band fame) or Larry Batiste, who’s been around long enough to remember battles of the bands at Lucky 13 and Eli’s Mile High Club. Back in those days, live R&B coexisted with the burgeoning disco scene in Oakland. Nightclubs in Jack London Square served grits and snapper after midnight. Everyone came out dressed to the nines.

Kickin’ the Mule conjures that era, often kicking off the night with a warbly rendition of Sam Cooke’s “You Send Me” or “A Change Is Gonna Come.” And those Sam Cooke covers are breathtaking.

Pat's Bar
1517 Franklin St.
Oakland, CA
510-452-3338

- East Bay Express

By Dorothy Hill

Freddie Hughes delivered a power-packed vocal demonstration at Biscuits and Blues on a recent Saturday evening that had the audience mesmerized. The clock literally fell off the wall during one long sustained note! On an original tune, "Broke and Hungry," Hughes told his story of being a bluesman in Oakland. His soulful rendition of "Send My Baby Back" had the women cheering with delight. On the Al Green classic, "Take Me to the River," Hughes painted a vibrant emotional palette with his distinctive vocal style. This was an absolutely outstanding show by Hughes who is reaching new heights in his long career as an underappreciated performer (except by some of us who have been following him for a long time).
- Blues & Boogie

August 31, 2005
By Jason Victor Serinus

The scope and quality of the event inspire wonder. Over the three-day Labor Day weekend, downtown Oakland's fifth annual Art & Soul celebration offers simultaneous performances on three music stages, a world dance stage, plus a major Literature Expo and outdoor Family Fun Zone -- all held in a ten-block area of BARTable downtown Oakland that can comfortably accommodate the estimated 80-100,000 attendees. Ronnie Stewart of the Bay Area Blues Society will transform 12th and Broadway's Blues Stage into a three-day tour through West Coast blues history.

You can get a taste of it at Monday's "R&B Reunion," headlined by Freddie Hughes, who along with Terrible Tom and Wylie Trass form the "backbone" of the Oakland Blues. "These are the guys everyone else uses as a measuring stick to see if they're of the same caliber," says organizer Stewart of a day MC'd by eighty-year-old Jay Peyton, who tapped with the Nicholas Brothers. Living history and great art for five dollars a day.


- East Bay Express