Brother Jocephus 6/21/12 Arts and Ideas Festival New Haven Green

New Orleans style brass, funk, girl backup singers, funny shades, a green trumpet. BroJo takes the stage for the Thurs. A/I slot. While abbreviated, this Brooklyn collective, and Brooklyn Bowl mainstays were smoking on this sultry evening. Good covers of We Are the Champions, and Sublime's What I Got were nice. City life is nice when you can saddle up the Townie, buy a big beer at the Wine Thief, and make it to the green for some down home Nawlins funk

Les Rhinoceros w/ Steve Assett 6/12/12 Cafe Nine

Opener Steve played bass clarinet and theremin looked like a substitute teacher, hipster dudes on uke and standup bass, and a dead ringer for Sun Ra on percussion. Odd combination for an avant jazz group, always good to see a theremin in use. When I say Sun Ra dude on percussion, I mean percussion. This guy played an altoids box, dog squish toys, a lucky bean, all while growling into a can! Headliner Les Rhinoceros from D.C. is also on John Zorn's Tzadik label (see previous review of Many Arms). The Rhino lineup had mini-electric violin and processed samples, guitar , dubby bass, and fierce drumming. Drumming and violin were the highlight, this band sounded like Jean Luc-Ponty fronting Firehose. Beatles and Sketches of Spain tease were welcome. Rhinos were en route to a date at the out-jazz fest Suoni Per Il Popolo in Montreal late June.

Eef Barzelay 6/4/12 Outer Space Hamden

Let's say you were a left-handed uke playing frontman of the band Clem Snide. Throw in an entire recording of Journey covers, spice with stories of being an american music cultural ambassador to Ecuador. Top with parents who are kind enough to name you Eef Barzelay.....and I'm in. This guy was the real deal on a low-key evening in Outer Space. Having been in and around the music business since the 90s, Eef had the cynical charm of a veteran. Songs like That Nick Drake Tape, and Stuck Inside Wallingford with the Hamden Blues Again (sic) were great. Ended the show with a great version of Train Train. Don't Stop Believing indeed!