Dan Zanes A/I Festival Finale

Crazy-haired kid songster plays traditional music with a kid-centric sense of humor. Rain held off to keep this festival pretty precipitation free. Zanes had a choir from the Betsy Ross Magnet School and an African Drum group to help with onstage party. Ends up hopping off stage through the crowd with a parade of 76 trombones weaving through the audience.

Download: Pay Me My Money Down

Adrian Belew 6/25/10 Cafe Nine

Easily the biggest show in recent memory at the nine. Adrian was in great form blowing through some originals. Worked into "E" from his new Power Trio recording. Described his custom rig that has the sound of "26 stringed instruments programmed in." Switched on the sitar button and launched in to an unbelievable version of the Beatles "Within You and Without You." Belew explained that some very recent technological audio advances have now enabled him to play some songs that have been pinging in his head for years. Belew was "discovered" by Frank Zappa, played with Bowie, Talking Heads, King Crimson, The Bears, PowerTrio, and extensive solo recording. Truly a treat in such a small space. I have no pictures or video, but Adrian says he was recording so keep eyes peeled for the availability of the Beatles cover. I do have a video in my head of Pat trying to wrangle pizza with Belew after the show, priceless.

Download: Big Electric Cat from Solo Twang Bar King

Ballet For A Blue Whale from Lone Rhinoceros

Sharkey's Day from Laurie Anderson's Home of the Brave

Listening Wind from Talking Heads Remain In Light

City of Tiny Lights from Frank Zappa's Sheik Yerbouti

You Can Call Me Al from Paul Simon's Graceland

The Lee Boys 6/25/10 Cafe Nine

Miami-based purveyors of the sacred steel guitar. Guitar, bass, drums, pedal steel, and local talent backup singers. Ever since Robert Randolph took this music from the altar to the clubs, there has been a bevy of church-taught players. It is feel good music with a jammy flair. Highlighted some Randolph songs and "You Got to Move" was great.

Nick Drake Napfest

Semi-Free 6/24/10 show on the green had singer/guitarist Janine Nichols with downtown stalwarts Brandon Ross on guitar and Charlie Burnham on violin. Trio did a couple of snoozy Nick Drake covers. Wondering if Janine is rich and picked up the two jazzbos on e-bay and told them not to play.

Lunchtime on the green for Arts and Ideas festival caught some tunes by Iyeoka and the Rock by Funk Tribe. Poetess Iyeoka fronts a groove collective that is a gig worth giving up your dayjob as a pharmacist (for CVS!) for. That's an idea worth rappin about. These guys are from Boston.

June 19, 2010 Blind Boys of Alabama on the New Haven Green as part of The Arts and Ideas festival. Icons of the gospel world have been at it since 1939. Show highlights were: "Amazing Grace", "Spirit in the Sky", "Way Down in the Hole." Finally, this festival gets nice weekend weather, thanks be to God, I guess.