NHIC 11/22/14 Firehouse 12

Fall installment of New Haven Improvisers Collective Firehouse 12 show. Usual suspects: Bob Gorry and Jeff Cedrone on guitars, Brett Bottomley on Chapman stick, Paul Maguire on saxes and great bass recorder, and Paul Riccio on drums. Songs have some basic instruction before moving into the improv zone. Gorry and Cedrone play off each other with eye contact. The Chapman stick looks like a dulcimer played upright while sitting. Bottomley weaves a backdrop that begs for an improv overlay. Maguire's sax work vascillates from skronk to melody. The great bass recorder looks like a cross between a bassoon a bong and a table leg that sounded native american and then asian in the same song. Song titles like "Sculpin", "Scaly when Wet", and "We Spoke of Kafka" give you an idea of the scope of improv. I was struck by the group's ability to move from beauty to abrasive.

Andrea Parkins 11/21/14 Firehouse 12

Brief (40min) second set at the Firehouse. Parkins on accordion, electronics, and objects: Nate Wooley on trumpet, and Chris Corsano on drums. Hard to pass up a show with accordion and electronics. Parkins spent much time in and around her laptop and seemed unsatisfied with her sound. She had this museum quality accordion, but used it sparingly. The sounds that did emanate from the accordion seemed like they could have just as easily come from the computer. "Objects", at least for the second set, consisted of a sequence where she rubbed some rocks together into the mic. Local drummer phenom Corsano is always fun to watch, spending much of his time with brushes. Wooley laid low, making spare and guttural sounds from the trumpet. At times, Wooley appeared not to play as if he was Parkins's Trumpet Object that made no sound. The one song set moved from drum-led flourishes to electronic squalls. At one point Parkins electronics sounded as if she was strangling R2D2 in a closet. It is always suspect when a short, one song set ends with the artist saying "thanks for coming, time for whiskey!"

Orchestra of Spheres 10/29/14 Bar

Space-quartet from New Zealand. While this trippy combo was hardly an "orchestra", their appearance and music was otherworldly. The instruments looked homemade, so I will have to describe. The ring leader wore a Sun Ra type outfit with fez, shades, and Muslim robe. He switched between a 3-stringed banjo and a six key "keyboard". The banjo gave a full synthesized sound and seemed like it had to have more than three strings. The keyboard looked like a NZ version of the game Simon. A young woman played a traditional keyboard, sang, and played multiple percussion items that ranged from shakers to whistles, she wore a face obscuring mask. Also masked, was a female keyboard bassist. This keyboard looked like it was fashioned in wood shop, but it spewed a creamy bass tone when the keys were struck. Her feverish playing almost knocked the thing off of its stand. A pretty standard drummer (also disguised), rounded out the quartet. The vocals were hard to discern, and the thick NZ accent further obscured their message. No matter, this group was about sound and vision. The music ebbed and swelled and had elements African beats. Imagine four NZ twenty something's playing Touareg,Sun Ra, dervish music while spending time at Tim Leary's cabin and you're close to Orchestra of Spheres.

Rise and Fall of Paramount Records Battelle Chapel Yale 10/28/14

Distinguished panel discussion regarding Wisconsin's Paramount Records which was in existence from 1917-32.  A furniture factory aiming to capture the new wooden phonograph cabinet market, set about to obsessively record african-american blues and jazz artists during this pre-library of congress time-frame. Blind Lemon Jefferson, Skip James, Charley Patton, Ma Rainey, Alberta Hunter, Fats Waller, and Louis Armstrong were on the roster.
   Moderated by Yale's Daphne Brooks, the panel consisted of Dean and Scott Blackwood (Revenant Records), Greil Marcus (Rock critic), Adia Victoria (emerging southern blues wailer), and Jack White ( White Stripes, Raconteurs, Dead Weather, and Third Man Records). The Blackwoods and Third Man teamed up to explore the history and preserve this mammoth collection of music which is a cultural influence on much of what we listen to today. Each panelist picked two songs from the catalog, and explained some relevant insight before listening to them in their entirety. The chapel was packed with hipsters who waited in line for an hour to get a free glimpse of Jack White. It should be noted that two of the picks were Skip James' I'm So Glad, and the standard Spoonful, which were popularized by Jack Bruce and Cream. Bruce passed away earlier in the week, a true titan of jazz rock.

Dan Bern w/ Seth Adam 10/23/14 Cafe 9

Capable local opener Adam played  bandless to start the evening. Mainly tame songs about cities were a soft lead in to the acerbic wit that is Dan Bern. It's been close to a decade since my last DB show (at the historic Tune-In, thanks Fernando!). Dan's characteristic helium inflected Jewish Dylan delivery is the perfect backdrop to beautiful and funny folk songs. With occasional accompaniment  from drum/vocal/mercy helper, this set was all DB. I Need You, Jew from Kentucky, The Golden Voice of Vin Scully, Marilyn, Breathe, Too Late to Die Young, Rome, and the new cartoon theme Stinky and Dirty sampled all eras of the DB catalog. It has been too long between viewings.

the Soil and the Sun w/ Hanging Hills Bar 10/22/14

Caught a few tunes of local opener Hanging Hills. Well-crafted pop rock melodies from the two guitar, bass and drums outfit. Vocalist's child-like delivery was engaging.
   the Soil and the Sun were a seven piece band from Michigan. I knew I was in for a treat when I passed a large converted schoolbus parked in front of bar. Two guitars, bass, drums, and three female keyboardist/other comprised the band. One keyboardist played oboe, another percussion, and the third played violin and third guitar. Walls of sound and five-part harmony vocals were great. I am always curious of the cohesiveness and the visual of this large an outfit. Though there are many pieces to keep together, tsats have a future if they can stick together. This band reminded me of a spacier Edward Sharpe with its communal vibe.

David McCullough w/ Patrick Oliphant Yale Art Gallery 10/19/14

Intellectual heavyweights McCullough and Oliphant are pulitzer prize winners and definitely not musicians. Author McCullough and political cartoonist Oliphant did put on a show at the Yale Art Gallery lecture hall. While David spun stories about his interactions with presidents from LBJ to Obama, Oliphant cartooned them on a huge canvas on stage. Nixon, with the I'm No Crook pose, Clinton in bed with Monica, W. on a rocking horse with an oversized hat, and Obama depicted as an Easter Island head were the highlights of cartoon visualization. I am truly blessed to live in a city where this type of event is free and open to the public.

Turbine 10/3/14 Stella Blues

The hardest working noodlers in jamband history, Turbine seems to be on a neverending tour. Ryan and the boys are celebrating their recent release. Decent crowd at Stella's got a good taste of the Prog-jam goodness we know as Turbine. Seems like just yesterday a fledgling Turbine was stretching out Herbie Hancock's Rockit on the sea wall at the Vibes deriving power from a gas powered generator at 4am. The lengthy Stella's set had a Nawlins flair with a cover of Dr. John's Right Place, Wrong Time and an unusually strict rendition of Jambalaya. Good cover of Talking Heads Girlfriend Is Better and a soul song that I couldn't place were all good. The lineup is consistent, drums, bass, lead guitar/vocals, and Ryan on guitar and some kind of cyborg face mask mouth synth. The mouth synth bleeped and blipped otherworldly sounds. When Ryan pulled out a balloon to extend airflow to his Darth Vaderian apparatus, you knew you were in it.

Michael Gregory Jackson Trio 9/26/14 Firehouse 12

Hamden native transplanted to coastal Maine Jackson on guitar/electronics, Keith Whitty bass electronics, and Kenwood Danard on drums played mostly original angular jazz compositions. Leader Jackson had some trouble with his "electronics" that detracted from the momentum of the set. Whitty's effects on standup bass lent a funky bottom to many songs. Danard, dressed in a Sun Ra-style poncho kept perfect time. Jackson seemed like a demanding bandleader judging from his glances towards bandmates during improv. Closed his lengthy set with a nice rendition of A Change Is Gonna Come.

Charlie Hunter/Scott Amendola 9/25/14 Cafe 9

Hunter's custom 8-string guitar with fan-like frets allows him to comfortably play bass and lead on the same instrument. While difficult to discern on record, this unique dexterity is fantastic to watch. Hunter is a music scholar and played groove-alicious takes on many genres. His screwed down or up tempo versions of popular hits and old timey ballads made for great listening. Amendola on drums was the perfect companion. Long time pals, the tightness of interplay was awesome. Two full sets and light-hearted crowd banter showed a more comfortable Hunter than my last viewing. The first set was dominated by a Cars medley, while the second set boasted I Want You Back, Come On In My Kitchen, and closed with I Ain't Got Nobody. I'm convinced Hunter could play the Oscar Mayer Weiner song and make it groove-ly palatable.

Califone w/ S. Carey Spaceland 9/5/12

Couldn't pass up this excellent double bill. S. Carey is percussion/keys for Bon Iver. BI is on top of the moody woodshed indie foodchain, it was interesting to see S. Carey perform for a small crowd. Kind of like Tortoise with Bon Iver-y vocals, the band was tight. It would have been nice to discern the vocals. They had a great song where Carey and another drummer/keys had a duel.
I love Califone. Tim Rutilli, bandleader and guitar/keys is one of the most uncompromising artists I know. Rutilli and dueling guy/girl drummers were the only members from last viewing. Lead guitar and bass were newcomers. Washes of sound with Wilco-like vocals, Califone ebbs and flows. Rutilli smiling as guitar leads and drum licks filled the room, said he moved from Chicago (too mean) to Hollywood where he "lives around the corner from Ernest Borgnine" which was odd cuz he's Hamdens own and has been dead for years. Seems their van ran over a raccoon on the ride and Tim seemed convinced that the raccoon soul invaded his amp and had to cut one song short. True artist.

Cymbals Eat Guitars 8/19/14 Bar

New York based hipster indie quartet had guitar/vocals, bass, keys, and drums. More Pavement with a touch of the Ramones, these guys had a lot of energy. Greeted by a large crew of returning students, CEG slashed through a set of original music, much from their soon-to-be released record. Lead singer had a good grasp on the Vedder/Morrison psycho front man vibe. I wish the vocals were more discernible.

GOTV 7/31-8/3/14 Seaside Park Bridgeport

Another year, another Vibes rolling through Seaside Park. Always a treat and a blur so its difficult to reblogcreate. Pulled in Thursday to the strains of White Denim, their recent record Corsicana Lemonade is a nice rocker. Wide-eyed Rusted Root on the small stage had some chops after some hiatus time. Soulful Ryan Montbleau is a regional mainstay of the Vibes, he reminds me of a hippie Jose Feliciano. Thursday night is the domain of Dark Star Orchestra. A freeform show gave the youth a good view of what they missed when Jerry was alive. Friday started nice with Keller William's Grateful Grass featuring Jeff Austin (of YMSB) and Reed Mathis on bass. Next up was Troy Andrew aka Trombone Shorty. Shorty had cameo appearances in HBO's Katrina Show Treme, his soulful singing and exuberant stage presence were straight-up Nawlins. Caught a little of the frenetic Nahko and Medicine for the People. Joe Russo's Almost Dead showcased drummer Russo and Duo pal Marco Benevento who has been hailed in this blog. Back to the main stage to see an unbelievable John Fogerty. The hits that have rolled from Creedence are amazing: Fortunate Son, Proud Mary, Grapevine, and a beautiful Long as I Can See the Light. Weekend highlight was Lotus doing "Talking Heads Deconstructed". Lotus has always struck me as trippy elevator music, but this Lotus brought the goods. Memories Can't Wait, Stay Hungry, Warning Sign, I Zimbra, and my personal fave Born Under Punches were all excellent, who knew that guy could sing?!Late night raging Dopapod hit the small stage. Saturday, caught a little of Tim Palmieri's Kung Fu with some guitar jamminess. Leftover Salmon with Bill Payne (of Little Feat) had some great jamgrass and a lengthy Dixie Chicken. Orgone's Cali latin funk was a sight with a fantastic female singer. Rodrigo y Gabriela brought some acoustic flamenco (Stairway to Heaven!) Dumstaphunk, with Ivan Neville were great, had a nod to Santana. Chicago jam veterans Umphrey's Mcgee have really gelled in recent years. I have never seen Widespread Panic, these veteran jamrockers usually stay to the south, but their catalog staple Tallboy was great. The Disco Biscuits with Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzman were the direct lineage offering of the weekend. Late night with Deep Banana Blackout, Eoto, then Karl Denson's Tiny Universe (as the sun was coming up) were all solid. Sunday started with Maceo Parker, then Donna the Buffalo, then Moe., and ended with a lackluster set from Ziggy Marley. Another great festival with some staples and surprises, good community and good vibes. Peace to all Pleasure Dome inhabitants, you rock.

Marissa Nadler 7/20/14 Outerspace

Moved from the ballroom to the more intimate Outerspace, Nadler on guitars and vocals accompanied by Helene Espvall on cello and keys. Massachusetts native Nadler is a quiet folkie with decent guitar skills, she even broke out an acoustic 12-string for good effect. Shy, with little inter-song banter about the songs detracted from the show. Nadler's vocals were indistinct and monotonous which left little upside to this show. A recent interview with Nadler in the magazine Wire explored her interest in traditional music which seemed absent on this evening.

Andrew Bird and Hands of Glory 7/8/14 Central Park Summerstage

I didn't get the memo that said hip indie acts that play for free on the CP Summerstage attract throngs of like-minded hipsters. In doing the math, seeing the entry line extend through mid-town should not have been a surprise. The good news is that finding a spot that is within listening (but not viewing) distance is easy. We found a bench and listened to Andrew Bird and band. AB's following has snowballed over time. Quirky lyrics, whistling, oddball brand of Americana has steadily grown steam over time. His original band, Bowl of Fire, has been replaced by the Hands of Glory. HOG sported Tift Merritt on vocals that added a nice flair to ABs eccentricity. While the throng got the cramped view, we enjoyed the sounds and the fireflies in Central Park on this nice summer evening.

Beck w/ Sean Lennon's Goastt 6/24/14 Massmoca

Massachusetts museum of contemporary art is nestled in the bucolic town of North Adams. The museum is in the 1900s factory that made gasmasks for WWII. Joe's field, the open space behind the museum, was the site for this performance. Sean Lennon's band Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger opened the show. Loud and fuzzy, Goastt sped through a slurry set. Sean's vocals, at times, bore a genetic resemblance to his icon father.
I haven't seen Beck since the Odelay slot at a Lollapalooza in Hartford.  Beck's recent album, Morning Phase boasts the same lineup as the fantastic release Sea Change. Beck rarely comes to our area, and this show made up for lost time. Culling hits from all points in his career, Beck put on a great show. Devil's Haircut, Black Tambourine, Novocaine, Modern Guilt, Think I'm In Love, Golden Age, Lost Cause, Blackbird Chain, Loser, Guero, New Pollution, Paper Tiger, Heart as a Drum, Girl, E-pro, Hell Yes, an awesome Debra, closed the show with Two Turntables and a Microphone. The venue was packed, the weather was perfect, and the concert was memorable.

Gringo Starr w/ Atrina 6/11/14 Bar

Hard rockers Atrina started the show. Strong female singer-shredder led the two guitar, bass, drums attack. Drummer could have been John Bonham's nephew, sounded as if he had cinder blocks tied to the drumsticks.
Atlanta natives Gringo Starr have been around for years. I'm pretty sure this is the third time i've seen them at Bar. Jangly garage pop is GS's style. Two guitars, (sometimes keys), bass and drums was the lineup. In previous shows, GS would wear southern civil war uniforms. They ditched the military garb but kept their dizzying ability to switch instruments on each song. True multi-instrumentalists, this quartet's ability to back each other up is admirable. Be proud you're not truly a Beatle, cuz the south just might do it again.

Brandon Ross w/ Stomu Takeishi 5/30/14 Firehouse 12

Underattended second set at the Firehouse had Ross/Takeishi's show "For Living Lovers". With Ross on banjo, acoustic, and guitarron and Takeishi on acoustic bass, this show had a slow deliberate delivery. These songs sounded like screwed down outtakes from Ry Cooder's soundtrack to the movie Paris/Texas. Ross is a true chameleon, able to shred with the Jazz Passengers, funk it up with Harriet Tubman, or sparingly pluck a banjo until it is almost unrecognizable. This sleepy sound probably scared off most first set attendees. Takeishi's sit down acoustic bass looked like an acoustic guitar with the hole in the body situated south of the strings so that it looked like a bass with a cup holder.

Electronhic w/ Daniel Levin 5/14/14 Cafe 9

Jazz cellist Levin with drummer began this avant evening. Levin attacked his cello from all sides like a sumo wrestler. Speedy bowed fills gave way to cacaphony as if Levin were drowning a cat. His intensity of movement was mesmerizing, using  his bow to scrape the C-9 stage floor or "play" the metal post that holds up the cello. Alternating between beautiful sounds that most of us associate with the cello, and skronking noises that sounded like a squirrel trapped in a weber grill, Levin was truly in a zone. At one point, when the bow shredded, Levin stopped and pulled at the frayed hair with a look of disgust at the wimpy bow.
Electronhic was the musical outpouring of Bob Gorry's New Haven Improvisers Collective (NHIC). Bob on guitar and theremin, Jeff Cedrone on guitar and keys, Chapman stick ( a bass-type instrument that looked like a standup cribbage board with strings), drums and sax. They started the evening with a "cover" of an Alice Coltrane song. The improvising interplay between this crew was visible, a democratic swooping and diving of sounds that dissolved as soon as it came together. All of these musicians have chops, and it must be fun to let loose in a controllled uncontrolled setting. The highlight came when the sax player switched to Great Bass Recorder which looked like a table leg fixed with a hookah mouthpiece which gave a full bodied sound.

Dustin Wong w/ Child Actor 4/23/14 Bar

I seem to recall Child Actor being a "local" duo. Nice guy/girl harmonies and use of synths ( and synth percussion). The accent on the female in the group was decidedly not local.
 Dustin Wong had at least 10 looping pedals for his well-worn guitar. At one point, he had to stop and rearrange pedal order so as not to get confused. Looped guitar parts created moody or pop backdrops for the final song crescendo. I am always amazed at the linear thinking that must accompany a solitary looper. A competent guitarist, Wong was able to sound like five people on stage. A Stanley Jordanesque two handed slap technique ended one song, while a wordless vocal ended another. Wong is definitely original in his delivery.

Thumbscrew 4/11/14 Firehouse 12

Thumbscrew is a power power trio consisting of Mary Halvorsen, guitar: Michael Formanek, bass: and Tomas Fujiwara, drums. Halvorsen, looking like a mix of Jan Brady and Velma from ScoobyDoo, is a diminutive monster on a huge Guild hollowbody. Formanek, the father figure, bowed and plucked waves of bass. Nimble Fujiwara, brushed and flowed effortlessly. Cuts from their new recording dominated the set. Fluid Hills in Pink, Still...Doesn't Swing, Cheap Knock Off were all great. Halvorsen's Guild was front and center, she could staccato, vibrato, and obligato through improv fills that were all original. These three make fluid improv that ebbs and swells.

Southern Soul Assembly 4/9/13 Norwalk Concert Hall

Organized by ace Mofro front man JJ Grey, Southern Soul Assembly showcased a great quartet of southern swampiness. Grey was joined by Anders Osborne, Luther Dickinson, and Marc Broussard for an evening of acoustic songs and stories from these accomplished musicians. Broussard had a booming voice and a gnomish appearance. His song about his grandmother was excellent. Dickinson, from North Mississippi Allstars fame, is known more as an electric axe wielder. Luther seemed very comfortable on acoustic slide, a weird looking bass, and some sort of a swamp bouzuki that looked like a coffee can with a stick and a rubber band. Dickinson's songs about cutting his grass (Yardman), and a sea chantey about fraternizing with mermaids were solid. Osborne is a true character. With a trademark Nawlins drawl, his songs Coming Down, Summertime in New Orleans, and a heartfelt closer about a "runnin pardner" who succumbed to drugs were all fantastic. Grey has been praised in this blog before, but his relaxed fireside chat atmosphere was awesome. 99 Shades of Crazy, and Lochloosa as well as a reggae workout with Osborne were fantastic. These musicians looked right at home in this relaxed setting.

Drive-By Truckers with Blitzen Trapper 3/18/14 Toads

Missed most of excellent opener BT. Portland natives have opened for the likes of Wilco, they know how to rock and usually have a busy festival dockett. Their current record is excellent and even though I missed them, I would recommend them. Logical opener for DBTs made for an enticing double-bill.
Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley, the axe-wielding core of DBTs have been together through many band incarnations. Former members Jason Isbell and Shonna Tucker have decent solo careers. Tour stalwarts, DBTs have discovered the knack of multiple guitar shred and lend it to many of their songs. Their current record is also quite good. Hood's songs have the Flannery O'connoresque angst of Skynyrd crossed with the Clash. Cooley songs tend more toward TomPettyisms and sometimes don't segue well the Hood songs. Good overall show with some muddy spots. Hard to not to yell the refrain "hell no I ain't happy!" during Hood's signature tune.

Moonface w/ Saltland 3/6/14 Spaceland

Caught a couple songs from Rebecca Foon aka Saltland. Cellist with a looping function played a couple of haunting melodies. I hear she did a stint with Thee Silver Mt. Zion crew which is pretty impressive cred.
Moonface aka Spencer Krug, did a solo piano show. Krug was part of the Montreal-based Wolf Parade. Accomplished on piano, Moonface played atmospheric piano ballads that ebbed and swelled. Despite one poor-working piano key (that I could not discern), Moonface songs of love and loss reminded me of David Sylvian crossed with Neil Diamond with lyrics by Lou Reed. Krug currently resides in Helsinki, and the chilly scandic desolation and beauty came across in his songs.

Sarah Borges w/ Girls, Guns,and Glory 3/7/14 Cafe 9

Good crowd for a friday night. From Boston, GGG offered some capable urban country.  A quartet of guitar, bass, drums, and hat-wearing singer recalled Cash-era country and not the slick faux-bro slop that passes for music in Nashville these days.
Sarah Borges is a charismatic singer and guitarist that uses GGG for her backing. Warming up to travel to SXSW in Austin, SB put on a good show. Sonny and Cher, NRBQ, and a J Geils cover blended seamlessly with her Lucinda Williams delivery. With more sass than twang, SB showed that she can rock.

Milagres w/ Plume Giant Bar 2/26/14

You may have read me rave about Yalie trio Plume Giant. Two males, one female multi-instrumentalists that have captured beautiful harmony vocals. First time I've seen them since they graduated and moved to Brooklyn (which seems like the indie path of least possible resistance for east coast bands). Genuinely nice, this threesome has latched on to a Bon Iver meets Grizzly Bear vibe. Wielding some boho effects (xylophone, triangle, drumpad) in addition to the regular instrumentation of guitars and fiddle top with soaring vocal harmonies, this band is one ear away from stardom, if they want it. Plume Giant even crafted a light sculpture band sign. Let's hope that the ear that can push PG to the next level, passes by the right dive bar on the right night in Brooklyn.
   Milagres is another Brooklyn band of hipsters. Tight and technical, Milagres had a Robert Smith (The Cure) type front man. Muscular guitar and bass were at least brothers (if not clones), and excitable drummer made up the quartet. Higher energy and less finesse than PG, Milagres are another good example of Brooklyn's sea of hipster musicians. How bout a battle of the bands reality show highlighting one of the worlds best breeding grounds for new music?

William Kentridge "The Refusal Of Time" ICA Boston, 2/22/14

Conceptual artist Kentridge from South Africa has his Refusal of Time installation at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. A five channel video and audio project is very difficult to describe. A 30 minute project takes place in a room with a central "breathing machine", a large wooden metronome that pumps during the installation. All four walls have processional video comprised of black and white clips of dancers, sound comes through megaphones aimed at chairs in various locations in the room. Some video clips have torn paper mosaics arranged by Kentridge that are blown apart in slow motion. The soundtrack is a mixture of horns and tribal songs depicting South Africa. Unlike anything I've ever seen.

Cibo Matto 2/7/14 Spaceland Ballroom

Yuka Honda and Miho Hatori, the asian hiphop duo that are Cibo Matto, are kind of an enigma. A cult classic in the late nineties (Viva! La Woman), multiple name-checks by the Beastie Boys and Handsome Boy Modeling School, odd appearances on tribute albums (KCRWs sounds eclectic, Concert for Tibet et. al.), these ladies are free spirits. I knew I was in for a treat when I found myself standing next to Chris Frantz (Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club drummer). The crowd was appreciative of CMs return to the scene after a decade hiatus. Opening with the classic Sugar Water, playing some material from their new Hotel Valentine release, these musical chameleons are comfortable in hiphop, soul, and pop-punk. I dare you to put on your most sincere (or maybe cheesiest) asian accent and recite their lyric "Obi-wan Kenobi told me in the lobby" from Sci-Fi Wasabi and try not to smile.

Greensky Bluegrass 1/29/14 Toads

Medium turnout for "casual wednesday" show at Toads. It's amazing how many performers name check the Rolling Stones surprise show in 1986. I chuckle, because aside from maybe a bartender or "turban man", I am probably the only one in attendance who was actually at that show. Greensky Bluegrass was made up of banjo, mandolin, bass, guitar, and national steel standup slide guitar. Kind of a Yonder Mountain String Band plus one. These guys were capable, and have been around for 7 or 8 releases. It was a head-scratcher to enter the club at 10pm and be in my car at 11pm after they finished ,including one encore. Bluegrass bands are notorious for longer sets. Nice reggae intro to Mr. Charlie, a hoe down of a Midnight Rider, and a sweet Sittin On Top Of the World were not enough to outweigh the brevity of the set. Even the aging Glimmer Twins played longer and only charged me $3.01 to get in.

Merkit Hadero 1/14/14 Cafe 9

Call me a sucker for the Daptonian Formula of voluptuous african-american female and skinny white jazzbos. In the case of Merkit Hadero, a young ethiopian poet and songstress. The band consisted of Hadero on vocals and acoustic, trumpet, bass, and drums made for a funky world stew. Hadero channelled phoebe snow, betty carter, angela davis, erykah badu. She had a great vibrato and sang several songs in her native tongue. Many songs followed a call-and-response jam feel. Awesome covers of Talking Heads' Naive Melody, and a jazzy version of the Police song "Bring On The Night". Merkit Hadero is one song away from world music stardom.