Caveman w/ Telegram Scam 12/14/16 Bar

Local opener Telegram Scam was a rock outfit drums,guitar, a guy on Korg, and a female vocalist. Original songwriting was ok, and some good drumming. Woozy vocalist showed signs of surf punk, but sang out of tune. This band needs to practice, I hope the moniker is a play on the Syd Barrett song.
Brooklyn hipsters Caveman opened for Phosphorescent last time in the area. Keys, drums, bass, guitar, and frontman on guitar and vocals. They sounded like a poppier Grizzly Bear. Full sound and good guitar solos. Ended the show with a nice slurry, trippy take on Iggy's "I Wanna Be Your Dog".

Bassoonarama 12/12/16 Sudler Recital Hall Yale

Annual holiday performance of bassoon grad students at Yale. Curated by Professor Frank Morelli and his gaggle of bassoonists, the crew performed "the classics as they were meant to be played". They took the stage with the loping theme to Alfred Hitchcock's tv show. Morelli and various incarnations of six students played selections by Prokofiev, Korsakov, Liszt, and Shostakovich. Occasionally, the monstrous contra bassoon was enlisted for true low end assistance. The bassoon is a  truly expressive instrument and when played by a group they give an impressive sound. After intermission, some oboes and an English horn came out for some jazzy takes on the nutcracker. The show closed with a rousing version of the Sabre Dance. The bassoon is a wooden instrument with a double reed that looks like a rocket launcher with a metal wick, it's low sound was a favorite of early cartoon theme songs.

Jesse Malin w/ No Line North 12/7/16 Bar

No Line North is a local Americana outfit. Frontman on guitar/vocals, bass, drums, and violin comprised the quartet. This band sounded like Son Volt with some undeveloped vocals. The violin was a nice touch. I'm not sure of the difference between violin and fiddle, but this young man had a good grasp on violin flourish. Closed their set with a Frank Black cover.
Jesse Malin is a rock and roller that reminds me of a cross between Ryan Adams and Peter Wolf. A great talent that graced this free show as a warm-up to his opening for Peter Murphy the next night. Guitar, bass, drums, sax, trumpet, with Malin on guitar and vocals. The set started out with a few quiet numbers until Malin got pissed at some chatterboxes in the back. He launched into a rousing cover of the Pogues' "If I Should Fall From Grace With God", turned up to 11 as if to taunt the audience members who couldn't shut up. A dozen rockin numbers followed. If you listen to the first couple Malin songs on Spotify, you'll get a cover of Paul Simon's "Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard" and a duet with one Bruce Springsteen. This was a high energy rock and roll show.

Turkuaz w/ The New Mastersounds 12/4/16 College St Music Hall

I thought this bill was reversed with NM headlining, but we entered to the funky stylings of these instrumental Brit-soul ravers. NM have been positively reviewed in this blog before, a sweaty late night at a Gathering of the Vibes. Drums, bass, funky hollow-body guitar (like Wes Montgomery), and keys started the evening. The two female singers from Turkuaz came on stage for a few soul numbers. NM have been tour warriors, spreading their brand of instrumental soul grooving for well over a decade.
Turkuaz have been part of the regional jam funk scene for a while. Made sense for them to headline, given the sheer size and scope of their sound. Baritone sax, sax, trumpet/keys, lead man on guitar/vocals, another guitar/keys, captain crunch colored bass, two drummers, and the ladies made up the ten piece outfit. One drummer was part of the Snarky Puppy collective of Brooklyn jazz funksters. Songs flowed freely with booty shaking funk abandon. The ladies had an almost familial knack of shimmying in perfect unison. Turkuaz is a leader of the jam-jazz-big band genre, if there is such a category.

Mothers w/ E 11/30/16 Bar

Thankfully caught the entire set from sludge punk veterans collaborating in the guise of E.  A recent glowing review in Wire of E's recent release on Thrill Jockey piqued my interest. Thalia Zedek on guitar was part of Live Skull in the 80s and Come in the 90s. Jason Sanford from the band Neptune played guitar, vocals and "devices". Gavin McCarthy reminded me of Oneida's Kidd Millions on drums. Zedek played churning shoe-gazey guitar histrionics with some inaudible lyrics, while McCarthy backed with a motorik presence. Sanford was an amazing part of the bass-less power trio. His "guitar" was hand-crafted from welded 4-gauge wire. Frets, pickups, strings, tuning pegs, the whole thing was a wire sculpture that made it almost invisible on stage. Invisible but definitely not inaudible, Sanford's command of  pedals and effects applied color to Zedek's pulse. I chatted with Sanford about his equipment and got some awful photos of the invisible guitar.
Mothers was an indie quartet consisting of guitar, bass, drums, and front woman on rhythm guitar and vocals. The singer sounded like Mazzy Star's Hope Sandoval crossed with the Velvet's Mo Tucker. Decent original songwriting and capable delivery  was overshadowed by the monster presence of the opening act.

Daniel Bachman w/ Alexander 11/23/16 Best Video

Opener Alexander was a young hipster that played acoustic finger style acoustic guitar. Droney loops of runs gave an almost trance-americana feel. All original compositions that had "no titles", were deftly exhibited. He did mention that one untitled tune was on a split with Swamp Yankee whose members were in attendance. I find it hard to believe he couldn't go to the paint section of Home Depot and come up with titles like "Forest Glen" or "Flippant She-Creature" to chronicle these instrumental gems.
Daniel Bachman is a young guitarist in the tradition of John Fahey, Glen Jones, and Jack Rose. The style is called "primitive guitar" for reasons I don't quite get. The music is technical and complex. Bachman, no relation to Michelle or Turner-Overdrive, played a 12-string ( with the accompaniment of a friend on harmonium (that looked like a backgammon set)), lap slide, and acoustic 6-string all to great effect. Bachman tuned a lot, saying that he's ending a long road stint that took it's toll on his instruments. Daniel seemed most like Jack Rose with his familiarity with the blues, coaxing an awesome tune from the lap slide. Another song was listed as a "sped up version" of an old ragtime song. While the performance space at Best Video is no frills, I am glad to have seen this rising star of this type of music.

The Kitchen Dwellers w/ Upstate Rubdown 11/20/16 Spaceland Ballroom

Upstate Rubdown was a curious mash of styles hailing from New York State. A trio of female singers, standup bass, mandolin, multi-reedist, and percussionist.The percussionist tapped and strummed and even used brushes on a wooden box contraption that he sat on. The mando and bass were the members with the most bluegrass chops. The reedist played flute, sax, and baritone sax. The ladies had nice vocal harmonies that were emphasized by an old-timey microphone, like the Andrews Sisters on Hee-Haw. The bari sax did a nice lead in to a rousing rendition of Billie Jean. These kids were not even born when MJ's Thriller came out.
The Kitchen Dwellers are a straight up bluegrass outfit from Bozeman MT. Acoustic guitar, banjo, fiddle, standup bass, and mandolin comprised the quintet. These guys were somewhere between Railroad Earth and Yonder Mountain String Band on the bluegrass continuum. Somewhat jammy, but definitive song structure made for an enjoyable listen. Sparse crowd for a Monday, which was too bad.

Xylouris White w/ Marisa Anderson 11/16/16 Bar

Caught the last half of Marisa Anderson's set. Solitary female guitarist, Anderson has been positively reviewed in this blog before (opened for Tashi Dorji at Cafe 9). Anderson plays loud, just shy of distortion, but the wide open feel to her songs really resonate. Her new record references the American west and has a lighter feel than her previous bluesier outings. Lamenting the recent election results, Anderson played a great take on "Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning" saying it was a historic call for action and readiness.
Xylouris White is the duo of Cretan lutist George Xylouris and Australian drummer (and member of The Dirty Three) Jim White. The lute was amped in such a way as to not sound medieval. Xylouris' vocal style was tender and abrasive. Songs were sung in Greek. White had an odd avant grade drum style that looked like he was a puppet lifting his arms high above his head. He used mallets and sticks to great effect. Both of these musicians were middle aged and hairy. During one soft ballad, George put the lute down and went to the bar to scold some chatty millennials for not respecting his concert space. I know what you're thinking, Cretan lutist was a term that I convulsed toward president elect Trump in a fit of denial, but apart from noteworthy hair, and a language I don't understand, the comparison stops there.

Amirtha Kidambi's Elder Ones Quartet 11/11/16 Firehouse

Still reeling from the election, but made it to the second set at the Firehouse for Amirtha's quartet. Drums, standup bass, and soprano sax were the canvas for AK's harmonium and India-inflected vocal stylings. The group skronked and wailed while AK chirped and warbled over the fray. The harmonium looks like a fancy file folder that is pumped to make a sound somewhere between accordion and bagpipe. I felt bad for this female Indian American citizen who was " grateful for our attendance" , but did not want to "talk much between songs" for fear of losing it. Good set of straight ahead jazz.

Everyone Orchestra 11/9/16 Toads Place

Nice diversion from the verge of trumpocalypse. Everyone Orchestra is a jam alum consortium conducted by SF native Matt Butler. Steve Kimock on guitar, Vin Damico (moe.) on drums, Marc Brownstein (Disco Biscuits) bass, Aaron Manger (Disco Biscuits) keys, Tim Palmieri (Kung Fu, Z3, and local hero) guitar, singer/congas from the Motet, sax and trumpet players nicked from Brooklyn jazzbos Snarky Puppy. The group played extended jams with Butler goading members with hand gestures and iPad directions. Butler had a handcrafted garish suit and matching hat, prowling the stage he looked like a psychedelic mashup of Cab Calloway and Hunter Thompson. The funky soul stylings of the Motet guy grounded the extendo jams. Two full sets of music at this historic venue offered several hours of escapism from this hell-on-a-fast-train "society" that we live in. We can only hope that Johnson and Johnson is working on a long term ecstasy drip that will be over prescribed in 2017.

Ryley Walker w/ Circuit Des Yeux 11/2/16 Bar

Hayley Fohr performs under the moniker of Circuit Des Yeux. She was the cover feature on a recent edition of Wire magazine. Her drone-like guitar was augmented by a truly unusual voice. Fohr looked like your average Chicago hipster, but had a huge baritone voice that assaulted the crowd. She seemed shy between songs, but the voice left a mark. Closed her set with a rousing version of Sam Cooke's Change Is Gonna Come.
Ryley Walker is a Chicago singer songwriter who is comfortable with noise and jazz leanings. He played Wilco's Solid Sound Fest at Massmoca a couple of years ago. His release Primrose Green a few years back was critically received. His song structure is loose, with most songs allowing for some lysergic noodling. The band was Walker on guitar and vocals, another guitar, standup bass, and jazzy drummer. Good version of The Halfwit in Me from his most recent record. He closed the set with a fantastic version of Van Morrison's Fair Play. After the show, the final game of the Cubs-Indians World Series was still going on. I was chatting with Walker who was a Cubs fan natch, as the game went to a 10th inning rain delay, I said to Ryley that he'd always remember where he was for this historic win.

Govt. Mule 10/28/16 College Street Music Hall

Packed house for a pre-Halloween jam session with the Mule. While I have reviewed leader and guitar god Warren Haynes in this blog many times in recent years, it has been at least ten years since I have seen him at the helm of his original band. GM started in 90s as a southern rock jam band, hitting the scene in some seminal festivals like the HORDE tour. The group was a trio of Haynes, Matt Abts on drums, and Allen Woody on bass. They toured relentlessly and achieved some fame. Bassist Woody took the hard partying regimen seriously and died in a pile of cocaine. I think it was a formative moment for the remaining two who have had to mourn, then navigate their future. Haynes went on to play lead axe for the Allman Brothers, Phil and Friends and other festival pillars. Abts remained largely out of sight, but manned the kit for GM. On this evening, they were joined by bass, keys/trombone, and Steve Ellison on sax and flute. The first set had some original GM staples like Unring That Bell, a soul rocker Feel Like Breakin Up Somebody's Home. After the requisite ( and possible homage to Woody?) Thorazine Shuffle, it was cover time. Marley's Lively Up Yourself, Dave Mason's Sad and Deep as You, Birdland by Weather Report, and a classic In Memory of Elizabeth Reed by the Allmans. Haynes is such a musical chameleon, that a bass audition to fill Woody's shoes must be nerve-wracking. Bass player wanted must be fluent in rock, funk, jazz, jam, metal, reggae, blues, soul, and standards and keep partying to a minimum.

Andrew Bird 10/14/16 College St. Music Hall

Quirky indie phenom Bird has been at his craft since the late nineties. Obtuse lyrics, with a distinctive voice backed by a standard guitar, bass, and drums. Bird plays guitar, violin (plucked,bowed, and looped), and even some xylophone. His regular releases are pop, folk, or rock. The violin is such an expressive instrument, he could also lean classical or jazz. There have been several radio-friendly "hits" over the years, including a duet with Fiona Apple. Good light show and sound for a pretty packed house of beards and trucker hats. Closed the show with a couple of almost bluegrass numbers showcasing acoustic instruments and close vocal harmony.

John Raymond and Real Feels 10/7/16 Firehouse 12

Made it to the 10pm set at the Firehouse. John Raymond on flugelhorn, with guitar/effects, and drums. Its's hard to think of the flugel without conjuring images of a bloated Maynard Ferguson blowing a head gasket on lightning fast runs, or the crossover sappiness of Chuck (muppets impersonator) Mangione, but the flugel has a creamy brass tone. Raymond has a good command of the instrument, add odd guitar fills and steady jazz drumbeat, which gave a Medeski, Martin, and Woods feel. Started with a Radiohead cover, then a mournful Amazing Grace which melted with flugel personality. Good trio, with some positive "feels".

Vetiver 10/6/16 Cafe 9

Vetiver is the brainchild of Andy Cabic, a cohort of Devendra Banhart and the folk revivalists. Cabic on acoustic guitar and vocals, lead guitar/pedal steel, and drums were the trio. Clever folk melodies that had some open spaces for jamming. Cabic's got a soothing voice, kind of a slurry, not so smartass Loudon Wainwright. Lead guitar was excellent, he was able to switch from pedal steel to stratocaster with ease, with one solo sounding downright Tom Verlainey. Drummer used brushes and mallets that pushed some songs into jazz territory. I recently picked up a re-issue of folk casualty Karen Dalton, with liner notes that thank Vetiver. Cabic and company sound familiar and new, folk and jazzy. They said their mini tour of the northeast enabled them to pick apples and do some hiking, genuinely nice guys.

Woods 9/30/16 Spaceland Ballroom

Woods is billed as a freak-folk outfit. Two guitars, bass, drums, and keys/sax player comprised Woods. A second drummer/percussionist was on stage, though I think he was part of the opening band that just refused to exit stage right. The show started with some pedestrian pop gems that eased the crowd into the kicked-in-the-balls falsetto of the guitar singer frontman. An odd dub reggae workout gave insight into Woods' omnivorous musical sensibility. Next up was a lengthy dervish jam that oozed middle eastern sounds. At this point in the show, the disarming high voice, that didn't fit the bearded, spectacled, trucker hat wearing singer, seemed comfortable. Woods can definitely jam, their trippy lyrics often revolved around dark and light. The keys/ sax player looked like a mashup of Kenny G and Ted Nugent ( minus the right wing bloviating).

Blitzentrapper w/ Kasey and Clayton 9/28/16 Spaceland Ballroom

Kasey and Clayton are a couple of fresh faced folkies that seemed psyched to be touring with the likes of BT. Kasey on vocals and acoustic, and Clayton on guitar and vocals, with drums and bass. Good, original songwriting had a rocking Carter family vibe
BT evening was billed as an "evening of stories". Hailing from Portland OR, this is the third time I've seen BT. Lead vocals and guitarist reminds me of Jason Scwarzman with deadpan comic addition to the mix. Keyboards (Korg) helmed by a spectacled red haired wild man who reminded me of the sax player on the muppets. Drums/vocals, lead guitar, and bass rounded out the quintet. Many BT songs are stories like the classic Furr, Black River Killer, and Below the Hurricane. The onstage comfort of these guys makes for a completely relatable concert experience. Inter-song banter about a festival with Neil Young, Pearl Jam, And Blind Melon was a jump off point for the lengthy barrage of covers that evolved. Songs from Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Unknown Legend from Neil's Harvest Moon, Gillian Welch's Miss Ohio were great. Lengthy, rockin version of Dylan's Lonesome Hobo was the highlight. Closed the show with a 3-part harmony take on Phil Collin's In The Air Tonight.

Patti Smith 9/19/16 Sprague Hall Yale

Keynote speaker for the literary Windham-Campbell prize, Patti Smith is a breath of fresh air in the land of pomp and circumstance known as Yale University. A true Renaissance woman, Smith has given to music: the seminal records Horses, Easter, and Dancing Barefoot; literature: critically acclaimed Just Kids ( concerning her early years with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe), M-train, and Woolgathering; and photography, her show of black and whites at the Wadsworth Atheneum was fantastic. Smith's talk was centered on "why I write", which morphed into "how I write". She read a passage from an unfinished work titled "Devotion", then described real life situations that evolved into the fabric of this fictional work. Patti Smith is a monumental artist who comes across so humble and real.

Mystic Braves w/ Dream Ride 9/17/16 Cafe 9

Happily caught the whole opening set from Dream Ride. Two keyboard/guitarists, an unusually tall drummer, and an eye-catching singer frontman were part of the Mystic Braves posse. Dreamy, Dream Ride had an infectious, trippy, vibe. The singer had an awesome Yosemite Sam hat, sparkly medallions and jewelry, and a70s pimp suit that looked like it came off the rack of Huggy Bear (from Rockford Files fame). His stage swagger looked like he was paying attention in the Jagger 101 class. The drummer, who was spindly and 6'7" had this huge mop of hair that was a cross between dreads and a fro. I laughed when the singer referred to him as Palm Tree, which is exactly what he looked like. Some good pop psychedelic originals and covered Crimson and Clover and Fleetwood Mac's Dreams.
California's Mystic Braves continued the surf,garage,jangle pop of Dream Ride. Bass, two guitars, and drummer sounded like The Seeds or Psychotic Reaction. Original tunes sounded like they were right out of the excellent Nuggets compilations curated by Lenny Kaye. Songs meandered, having some pop beginning and end with trippy, distorto sequences sandwiched. Chatted with bassist Tony and singer Julian after the show. They were having a mini east coast run, back to Cali then off to Europe for a while.

Acid Dad w/ Straight To VHS 9/14/16 Bar

I knew I was in for a treat when I saw STVHS set up for their show. A power punk trio of drums, guitar and bass gathered around a 70s close-and-play type TV with a built in VHS player. Loud, original songs gave a whiff of Ramones and the Jam with the muscular grunge of Nirvana. Hailing from New London CT, STVHS routinely switched instruments and vocal duties for a thoroughly enjoyable set. If the show got boring, one could always zone out to the classic tapes on the VHS. On this particular evening, some bad 70s clay-mation  looked like Yoda in an episode of Mod Squad.
The buzz of Brooklyn hipsters changing the music scene gets tiring. Acid Dad are worthy of the accolades. A four piece outfit of two guitars, bass, and drums were a loud , punkier version of  the Velvet Underground. One song sounded like a stretched out version of European Son. Everyone in Acid Dad sang, and all had hair that covered their faces when singing. A great set that looked like the house band at the Cousin It convention.

Legion of Jerry 9/11/16 The Back Porch Old Saybrook

Final installment of the season for the hippie Sunday afternoon Mecca that is the Legion of Jerry. The Back Porch looks out over the marina and a decent gathering of head-bobbers showed their support. Set list included Bertha, Scarlet Begonias, Bob Marley's Small Axe, female singer did a rousing take on Joni Mitchell's Coyote. Highlight was Mission In The Rain and Let It Rock (which I played earlier in the day from my original albeit scratchy vinyl). For most of the show, the venerable David Gans lent his guitar and vocal chops to the mix. Show closed out with the bar's proprietor hopping on stage to belt out Brokedown Palace.

Ryan Montbleu 9/10/16 CT Folkfest Edgerton Park

CT Folkfest and Green Expo has an annual event at Edgerton Park in New Haven. The park is home to a beautiful community garden, to which we belong. Previous years have seen impressive (read costly) headliners for this fest, like Steve Earle and Richard Thompson. The current version is free and showcases regional folk acts. The highlight for this lineup was Boston folkie Ryan Montbleu, who has been reviewed in this blog many times. Montbleu got his start playing the T stations of Boston in the early aughts. I saw him at a Berkfest in 2001, and he had crappy time slots at nearly all of the Gathering of the Vibes. I'm not sure why RM reminds me of Jose Feliciano, he doesn't seem particularly Latin, but his easy slurry vocal style and clever songwriting gave this show a boost. Show highlight was an excellent version of Tracy Chapman's Fast Car.

The Addict's Mom 9/10/16 Dwight Hall at Yale

Lights of Hope Agenda was a talk about access, administering, and success of the use of Narcan,  the drug used to combat overdose death in heroin addiction. A pharmacist spoke on the types of delivery systems of the drug. A local community activist spoke about access and availability of the drug. A mother and sister spoke about twice using Narcan to reverse an overdose on their son/brother. Rosa Delauro, the area's congresswoman, listened and spoke about measures the US congress is considering to help this public health crisis. Charlie and Duncan performed a musical interlude by performing the Johnny Cash song "Hurt". Duncan strummed an acoustic guitar, while Charlie sang. The song, with lyrics pertinent to the night's subject matter, were passionately delivered by Charlie. He paced while singing as if to keep the "demon" on the ropes, and boomed the final refrain as if to wake the nodding in far off galaxies. Sometimes music just crystallizes a point that needs to be continually made.

Pavo Pavo w/ Uni Iky Ai 8/31/16 Bar

Another crew of NY hipsters U-A-I, I'm sure I mangled the spelling. Three piece outfit with guitar, female keys/vocals/synth, and another keyboardist (Prophet and Moog). Trippy, indie pop with loops and effects. Female singer processed her vocals so that it sounded like Rick Wakeman trapped in a port-o-let with the lollipop kids. Decent song structure, the woman sounded better with un-processed vocals.
Pavo Pavo had two members of the Yalie folk trio Plume Giant that was reviewed in this blog several years ago. Plume Giant had a memorable sound of two guys and a girl vocal harmony with fiddle and literate songwriting. Pavo Pavo was a quartet with bass, rhythm guitar, and the ex-PG members on guitar/vocals and keys/vocals. PP relied on pedals and effects in contrast with PG that focused on vocals and clever songwriting. While I enjoyed the set, I kept thinking of the older incarnation of this group. Crowd was a who's who of New Haven music scenesters.

Pigpen Theater Co., The Morningsiders, Kindred Queer 8/24/16 Bar

Missed the opening set from local indie chamber pop heroes Kindred Queer. I did however chat with singer/guitarist Xavier to learn they performed new material and that he was pleased with the outcome. Along with cellist Olive and rhythm section, Kindred Queer play concise pop with excellent harmony vocals with flourishes of cello.
The Morningsiders are an Americana outfit from Brooklyn. Bass, guitar/vocals, keys/trumpet, and drums put forth a big sound. Decent songwriting and the addition of the trumpet reminded me of the hipness of Calexico.
Pigpen Theater Co. was a seven piece outfit from the mid-west. Bass, banjo, lead guitar/lap steel, lead vocal/guitar/violin, mandolin, drums, and keys/accordion. Beautiful harmony vocals where everyone sang. Excellent cover of Signed, Sealed, Delivered. This band had a lot of energy and reminded me of early Railroad Earth. A true theater company, they played a tune from their forthcoming play set to open in Chicago.

Bent Knee w/ Hnry Flwr 8/17/16 Bar

Opener Hnry Flwr was a quartet from NYC with some obtuse ties to the New Haven area. Drums, bass, lead guitar, and charismatic front man on rhythm guitar and vocals. Before the band started, the singer drew asterisks with black "war paint" over each eye to give a trippy effect. 70s rock song structure was helmed by strong vocals that were sometimes processed to make him sound like a melodica. Set highlight was a phenomenal take on Lou Reed's Perfect Day.
Bent Knee has been reviewed in this blog before. A sextet from Boston (Berklee grads or alums I assume) give off some prog vibes with quirky female vocals. Drums, violin, Korg (organ) playing female vocalist, female bassist, spazzy-haired lead guitar, and some dude on laptop (though it seemed like he might have just been checking his email on stage). Bent Knee have a new recording on the fabulous Cuneiform record label and are poised for bigger stages. Singer said they just returned from a European tour.

Noah Preminger w/ Dave Douglas 8/8/16 Bushnell Park

Intriguing installment of the Hartford Monday Jazz in the park series. Sweltering evening and decent crowd out to see local Jazz hero and Hall High School grad Preminger's quartet. Preminger on sax and a special treat Dave Douglas on trumpet with bass and drums. The evening's focus was straight ahead blowing on traditional blues numbers. Songs by Mississippi John Hurt and Skip James were put through the modern jazz blender to full effect. Preminger and Douglas are music students playing any and all genres (check Douglas' Buster Keaton tribute). The crowd was receptive and I must say Douglas is a big name for this series.

Boris w/ Earth 8/7/16 Spaceland Ballroom

This show was originally scheduled for The College Street Music Hall, but moved to Spaceland probably due to low advance ticket sales, which made for a crowded, hot affair at the Ballroom. The crowd was hungry for this sludge metal double bill.
First up was Earth. The brainchild of guitarist Dylan Carlson, Earth was a trio of two guitars and a female drummer. Slow churning vocal-less fuzz metal sounded as if the Spaceland was poised to be run over by a train. Carlson had long hair and beard which he swung in an almost metronomic fashion. With a cross tattooed to his upper cheek, he looked like the house band for Game of Thrones. Earth started in the early 90s but was interrupted by Carlson's stint with heroin. It must be interesting to play this kind of music before and after sobriety.
Headliner Boris is a shape shifting metal trio from Japan. Female guitarist Wata had serious command of fuzz feedback and drone. Takeishi played a double neck guitar and sang. Gender fluid Atsuo on drums and gong, looked like a boy, dressed like a girl, thinking he was a boy. They recreated their mid 2000 record Pink. In metal style, they were able to envelope the crowd with fog machine and drone with a hazy multi-directional noise that was comforting to the throng of head-bobbers. The show closed with a maniacal gong solo and Atsuo waving a pedal in arena lighter style. He hit the button which cut the sound mid-screech, what power! With my requisite foam earplugs, this show made me feel as if I was in a coozy of swirling metallic noise.

Newport Jazz Festival 7/29/16 Fort Adams Newport RI

Rainy start to the Friday at Newport, but the weather cleared and kept the crowds down. An overcast day was welcome instead of the baking sun. I must admit that the last time I was at Newport Jazz, I was there to see Nina Simone in her twilight years. She cancelled, and the festival scurried to fill the void with the Brecker Bros. Years of poor lineups, overcrowded concert field, and an exponential increase in "rules", has kept me away from the Jazz and hipster-laden folk festival. I'm not sure if the winds of Jazz are changing, or we just got lucky, but I had a thoroughly enjoyable time.
   Etienne Charles is a dapper trumpeter from the Caribbean who also spent time on congas. Full band and Latin rhythms were deftly displayed. Charles had a checkered suit red tie and matching mint shirt and mint-rimmed glasses.
   The Heath Brothers have been around a while. Jimmy and Percy (drums and sax)led a band of relatively young lions. Mid set, Jimmy points out that he is going to turn 90 in October.
   Kneebody is a groove Jazz jam band. Guitar, bass, drums and keys stretched out on some prog type numbers. They mentioned that this was the second year in a row at the fest and were genuinely happy to be here.
   Steve Coleman and the Five Elements played on the Quad stage which was located inside the fort. A barrage of avant sqiuggles was passed around Coleman's group. With his hat on backwards, Coleman appeared to be the same age as his group, but actually was twice or three times their age.
   Tyshawn Sorey and Alloy played the Harbor Stage. I have seen this drummer back up many players at the Firehouse, and his restrained but forward leaning brushwork was well-received
   Festival highlight was Kamasi Washington. LA based sax player's  debut album The Epic was on everyone's best of list. A sprawling three disc opus careens from Miles to Mingus. Kamasi is an imposing stage presence, he looks like Rosie Greer with wardrobe by Sun Ra. Two full drummers, standup bass player who rapped, amazing teenaged pianist, female vocalist, and trombonist had a high energy Afro-futurist vibe. At one point, Kamasi said he would welcome the man "who taught him everything he knew" to the stage. While I was busy looking for John Coltrane, Kamasi's father Ricky came out to lend a hand on soprano sax and flute. Kamasi has ripped it up at Bonaroo and other festivals, and is a torch bearer of the next thing in Jazz.
   Tierney Sutton and The Joni Mitchell Project played from the extensive Joni songbook. Caught an excellent version of "The Dry Cleaner from Desmoines", and some classics from the Court and Spark album.
   Donny McCaslin has been reviewed in this blog before. He mentioned that he played on the final David Bowie record Blackstar, and said it was a moving experience. He had a keyboard player that coaxed some odd noises from his setup.
   Galactic was the final act of the day. These Nawlins festival stalwarts are more at home in the hippie jam world, but their roots in the bayou make them a great go-to for a get up and dance end to the day. With Corey Henry on trombone and a charismatic young female vocalist added to the regular crew of Ben Ellman on sax, birthday boy Rich Vogel on keys, and the timekeeper Stanton Moore on drums, Galactic was the perfect end to a renewed Newport Jazz Festival.

Spirit Animal w/ Wayward City 7/27/16 Bar

Heard the last couple songs from Wayward City. True power trio with guitar/scream vocals, drums, and an amazingly energetic 6-string electric bass. The song structure was loud rock and roll with active bass leadership.
New York's Spirit Animal threw some spoken word type hiphop vocals at their style of rock. Hipster guitar, bass, and drums were fronted by a powerful vocalist. The singer showed signs of Red Hot Chili Peppers front man Anthony Keidis, with an equal dose of Eddie Vedder and some Jagger-swagger. He danced around in front of an Atari vintage keyboard (the keyboard seemed more like a dance partner than an instrument). They played songs from their recently released EP, with a show highlight Black Jack White.

Arc Iris 7/21/16 Cafe 9

Providence based theatrical troupe Arc Iris landed at Cafe 9 as an intergalactic funk soul trio. Capable drummer, male keys/vocal, and female keys/guitar/trumpet/vocals had a glammy vibe. A friend saw them at Mountain Jam and spoke of a theatrical, costume-based experience. The drummer and male keys were clothed normally, the young lady on the other hand, had an unusual latex onesy, Clydesdale leg warmers, and some Sun Ra type accoutrements with facial glitter that made her look Bjorky. Space funk with soul touches were welcomed by the medium crowd. Awesome choppy version of  Joni Mitchell's Blue. At one point, the girl donned a weird cocoon cape from which she emerged chrysalis-like mid song.

Jounce w/ The Zambonis 7/20/16 Bar

Veteran local opener The Zambonis brought their brand of garage pop to Bar's back room. Decked out in hockey jerseys and helmets, guitar, bass, rhythm guitar, keys , and drums let off a big sound. I have seen this band several times over the years, and feel foolish for not recognizing the hockey-centric themes to their tunes.
Jounce played several Gathering of the Vibes, but usually was saddled with a poor time slot. Power trio of guitar, bass/vocals, and drums, Jounce landed on the Rock side of the jam spectrum. Compact and noisy set included a guest guitar appearance by local hero Ray Neal.

Eric Burdon and the Animals 7/15/16 Hamden Town Center

The summer outdoor concert series at Hamden Town Center often has a gem of a show at their bandshell near the middle school. Blues/soul/psychedelic legend Burdon brought a decidedly young crew of Animals to the stage on this hot evening. You don't realize the hits until you find yourself singing along with each tune. Set list included: Spill the Wine, Monterrey, Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, and of course The House of the Rising Sun. Excellent covers of Leadbelly's In The Pines, Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick by Ian Dury and the Blockheads, and a nice Bowie tribute of Space Oddity into Sky Pilot. Did not recognize a hilarious tune about the death of Bo Diddley. Closed the show with a triple encore of It's My Life, We Gotta Get Out of this Place, and the Sam and Dave classic Hold On , I'm Comin. Burdon has always had a woozy vocal delivery that slurs him into legendary status, it has aged like fine, albeit spilled wine.

Nite Jewel 7/7/16 Bar

LA based pop-tronica outfit Nite Jewel played to a sparse crowd at Bar. Dreamy synth pop came from a trio of musicians. Leader and singer Ramona Gonzalez coaxed beats from her keyboards. The trio had another female on keys and a young gentleman with a hat on a compact synth drum. Gonzalez' vocals are made for the dance floor, and her recent clubby collaboration with Dam Funk (aptly titled Nite Funk) is sure to be stretched out on the club circuit. When watching a live performance of this type of music, it's hard to reconcile the skills needed to play the instruments. In the Jazz, or jam, or rock worlds, virtuosity or originality is rewarded. In the dance pop world, it's song structure and beats that garners the prize. There's no doubt that Nite Jewel are gifted at their craft, but there is a fine line between a dance pop drummer and a gamer with a hat.

DJ Logic 6/30/16 The Acoustic, Bridgeport

After an early outdoor concert in Middletown, it made sense to hightail it down 95 to catch a set from DJ hero Logic. Haven't been to this venue since it was a fairly unattractive classroom without chalkboards years ago. They have changed the setup by moving the stage up front, getting a decent bar and sound system, and staying in business. Entered the show to the classic "Eyes Open but Dead", then on to "Hypnotic" from the fantastic Anomaly record. Alone on stage with two turntables and a Mac mini, Jason Kibler blew some doors. "Intergalactic" by the Beastie Boys was woven throughout the set, with jams from James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, and some deep ska references. Concert highlight was a mesmerizing take on Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine". Logic came out for a beer with us, and I gushed about his back catalog (MMW, Christian McBride, the Berkfests, and Vernon Reid). At first I felt sad that such a monster talent of turntablism was hanging by himself, but then realized that DJ Logic is his own boss. Soundtracks, radio jingles, ad snippets, would all sound better if touched by the hand of Logic. I did laugh with him about his missing the Harriet Tubman show at the Firehouse last year because he was "sick and stuck in Japan".

Nation Beat 6/30/16 CFA Courtyard, Wesleyan

Nation Beat is a Brooklyn collective that plays an amalgam of Brazilian funk and New Orleans party music. Charismatic female singer/percussionist, guitar, bass, and drums filled the air on a beautiful night out in Middletown. Original songs sung in English and Spanish gave a positive view of the recently embattled Brazil. In true Latin style, the singer jumped off stage and shimmied with the crowd before launching into a show ending conga line.

Savak with Hamish Kilgour 6/25/16 Cafe 9

Moptop Kilgour was in the 80s band The Clean from New Zealand. They had a cult following and some under the radar hits. On this evening, Kilgour sang and strummed fractured folk songs with a Lou Reed delivery, even breaking into a little I'm Waiting for the Man tease. Decent songwriting and ok guitar-work (I think he played drums in The Clean) were augmented by a great kiwi accent.
Savak played intelligent indie rock with some punk drive. Dueling guitar vocals, muscular bass, and frenetic drums were the foursome. I chatted with one of the guitar/vocalists prior to the show. He was wearing a WFMU Tshirt and his name was Sorob and was originally from Iran.

The Whiffenpoofs Rome,Italy 6/18/16

A strange serendipity had our family on holiday in the eternal city of Rome at the time when the legendary Yale Whiffenpoofs performed a short set in front of the ultra-legendary Pantheon. My daughter's boyfriend's brother happens to sing in this globe-trotting acapella group. They sang some pop songs, a jazz standard (I'll Be Seeing You), and a rousing version of House of the Rising Sun. After the show, we dined just off the piazza at Alfredo's, super-ultra-legendary inventor of fettuccine Alfredo.

Low Mentality 6/5/16 Cafe 9

Brooklyn amalgam that includes some members of the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, brought some of their insistent beat to the 9. Playing to a sparse crowd (the band almost outnumbered the audience) , the band soldiered on. The players: lead vocals-guitar-keys, trumpet-keys, guitar, bass, drums, and a mini female conga player who allegedly played with the Easy Allstars (dub collective). The songs were all original and were a mixed bag of jams.

Phil and Friends 5/29/16 Capitol Theater Portchester NY

Third day of the Phil and friends Memorial Day run at the Cap. Phil Lesh on bass, Warren Haynes and Eric Krasno on guitars, Melvin Seals on keys, drums, and percussion. Set one: Midnight Hour, Pride of Cucamonga, Reuben and Cherise, Dear Mr. Fantasy, After Midnight, Cold Rain and Snow. Set two: The Wheel, Help On the Way/ Slipknot, Gotta Serve Somebody, Eyes of the World, A Whiter Shade of Pale, Fire on the Mountain. Encore: Not Fade Away. Phil looked old and they flashed a creepy, trippy Jerry on the wall at one point, but the "friends" can definitely rock. Warren and Eric are serious axe-men, and a 300 lb. Melvin can still handle the organ detail. The Cap is a hippy mecca and it was put to good use on this sold out affair.

Broca's Area 5/27/16 Arch Street Tavern Hartford

Celebrating a friend's birthday at Arch St. and took in some tunes. Broca's Area is regional groove group, female singer, drums, keys, and guitar. Pop and soul stylings were pulled off in a lounge groove. Nice cover of Jill Scott's "Living My Life Like it's Golden".

Electronhic 5/26/16 Best Video Hamden

Surreal to hang out in the video store of my youth and watch Bob Gorry and his band of merry improvisers ply their brand of improv jazz. The New Haven Improv Collective (NHIC) consist of Gorry and Jeff Cedrone on guitar, Chapman stick wielding bassist Brett Bottomley, sax and great bass recorder player Paul, and drummer. The songs start with a basic structure as a backdrop for the solos that telepathically careen off each other. "Scaly When Wet"  showcased Gorry on skronk solo that reminded me of Marc Ribot. In the light of the video store, I was able to get a good view of the Chapman stick. This 10 string bass rests on the sitting player's lap and shoulder, the strings are tapped to make their unique sound. If one brings their great bass recorder to a show, it behooves one to screw it together and play. A four piece wooden instrument that is combined to look like a bassoon, yields a low register sound that is nothing like the screechy plastic items that fourth graders murder Hot Cross Buns with. On this evening, the recorder was used to play an olde English Christmas carol. It was sad to be sitting near the Almadovar and Bogdanovich sections of this iconic video store that I haven't stepped foot in for years. It was like meeting an old friend at the supermarket, but instead of canned muzak, the sounds of Electronhic filled the air.

Kid Congo and the Pink Monkeybirds w/ The Tet Offensive 5/21/16 Cafe 9

Local opener Mr.Airplane Man was a female duo consisting of drums and guitar vocals. Decent songwriting and delivery gave them a Black Keys feel. They hail from RI, which I learned from the drummer at set break. She hesitated when pressed, to which I joked that she might be in a punk rock witness relocation program.
Next up was The Tet Offensive. Regional musicians consisting of a Nick Cave-alike singer who sang and prowled the area in front of the stage. On stage was a drummer (with a keep calm and love Poland shirt on) and an actual string quartet. Two violins, a viola, and a cello were the instruments. There would have been no room on stage for the singer without getting a bow (or elbow) to the face. These guys were great, even doing an Andrew Bird cover.
Kid Congo is a veteran of the LA punk scene of the 70s and 80s. I learn that he has played with the Gun Club, The Cramps, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. With a Latin Waitsian growl, KC was a sight to behold. Dressed in a Russian fur hat and bizarrely striped suit, KC and company plowed through a surf punk barrage. Their recent release La Arana is excellent.

Tashi Dorji, Marisa Anderson, Gary Higgins 5/3/16 Cafe 9

Gary Higgins is a CT native who had a brief brush with fame with his 1973 release Red Hash. A heroin habit ensued and Gary disappeared into New Hartford obscurity. Cue the freak-folk movement with the likes of Devendra Banhart unearthing gems like Higgins and Vashti Bunyan and coaxing them out of retirement. Higgins opened the evening with acoustic guitar and original songs delivered in a confident heartfelt style.
Portland guitarist Anderson was up next. She is a blues slide player who mined the riches of public domain. Great set list included: This Little Light of Mine, Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye, Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning, Sinks and Rises (original composition on mini lap steel), ended with an excellent mashup of See That My Grave is Kept Clean with House Carpenter.
Tashi Dorji is a guitarist from North Carolina. I thought his style was rooted in "new age", but found it more in the improv jazz vein. He had a weird habit of playing with amp on then off giving a strange ebb and flow to his original compositions. When in the "on" mode he could chug like Hendrix on Machine Gun, while in the "off" mode I struggled to follow.

Clarence Penn and Penn Station 4/29/16 Firehouse 12

Billed as an evening of modern interpretations of Thelonious Monk music, CP and Penn Station were formidable re-workers. Drummer and leader CP, Manuel Valera on piano, Chad Lefkowicz-Brown on sax, and a newcomer on standup bass plowed through some Monk classics. Set list: Thelonious, Hackensack, In Walked Bud, Rhythm-naning, Ruby My Dear (with female vocalist), Evidence, and closed the set with Teo. CP gave some insights on Monk, he favored original composition over standards and improv solos were grounded in the song's melody, both were uncommon in jazz at the time. The song "In Walked Bud" was apparently a gift from Monk to the legendary pianist Bud Powell. Powell loved watching Monk play, and on a club date in Philadelphia, local police broke up the gig (which must be code for beating black people) , Powell stepped in to thwart the beating of Monk, and was rewarded with an extra beating of his own which left him unable to play and a traumatic brain injury. CP's rendition of the song was somber and fitting in light of the backstory. A drum-centered take on Monk makes total sense, Monk's crazy use of time signatures prove vital to the drummer. Valera was excellent as a modern day Thelonious.

The Residents present Shadowland 4/23/16 College St. Music Hall

The Residents, art rock pioneers famous for their tophat eyeball costumes brought their original brand of freakfest to College St. The evening started with the film Theory of Obscurity, a documentary of this traveling circus with interviews from fans like Les Claypool. The members of this band have successfully remained anonymous for their 40 year run, impressive. The second half of the evening was a live set, Shadowland, the third part of their  trilogy on death, life, and birth. The shrouded trio consisted of Randy, Chuck, and Bob on vocals, drum-synths, and guitar. They bill themselves as the world's best Residents cover band. Chuck and Bob had some weird alien masks that seemed like they were pinched from the movie Buckaroo Banzai. Randy wore a fat suit and a mask that looked different when he moved his head up and down. Randy prowled the stage with his patented sinister crab walk singing "hits" old and new. The music was interspersed with vocal snippets shown on a bizarre mushroom shaped video screen behind the band. The nearest kindred spirits in music are probably the Flaming Lips, whose shows have also taken on "happening" status. The Residents are worth googling, to view the scope and variety of their theatrical projects. I will say that I got hooked on this band in the 80s, when they appeared on David Sanborn's tv show Nightflight. On that show the disparate guests closed each show by performing together. On this particular evening, the Residents were paired with Conway Twitty and eyeballed their way through the classic "Take this Job and Shove It". YouTube that, I'm not kidding.

Z3 4/19/16 Pacific Standard Tavern

The good thing about the short, sweet set at Cafe 9 by the Boogarins, it allowed time to catch the end of Z3 at PST. Z3 is the trio of Tim Palmieri on guitar, Bill Carbone on drums, and Beau Sasser on keys, playing the music of Frank Zappa in a  hippie-electronica style. Entered the venue to the strains of Stinkfoot, some tunes I couldn't place ( which is something for a self-professed Zappa-Phile). The show ended with an exrendo jam of Wet Tshirt Thang. Tim is a New Haven troubadour, who also plays solo and in Kung Fu. I'm sure he could play the phone book, but don't tell him or next outing might be complete with The Phone Book Improv Project.

Boogarins 4/19/16 Cafe 9

Short but sweet set from Brazilian psychedelic purveyors, Boogarins. Two guitars, bass, and drums were augmented by a flurry of echo, delay, fuzz, wah, and occasional feedback. Think of Os Mutantes crossed with San Francisco's Wooden Shjips and you are in the Boogarin's ballpark. Songs were sung in Portugese, but most had guitar flourished psychedelia freakouts as a jump off point. One guitarist had such a Hendrix complex, he even had the trademark hair. Boogarins are like a Brazilian Tame Impala, and will do well if they stay in the US for some festivals.

Los Cafeteras w/ Jose Oyola 4/14/16 Cafe 9

Entered to local hero Jose Oyola on guitar, vocals, and hair on stage with flautist Dylan (I think I made this kid's day by telling him he sounded like Gil Scot-Heron's flautist Brian Jackson). Jose, from Puerto Rico sings heartfelt original tunes and is usually backed by the Astronauts, a large group of local musicians. Jose has signature hair, a multi-hued large tangle of controlled frazzle-ness that adds effect to his stage presence.
I saw Los Cafeteras a year or two ago at Wesleyan. The show was intended for an outdoor setting but moved to Crowell Hall due to threat of rain. I remember thinking that this band would be better served outside or in a smaller club. The set list hadn't changed much, but the band member count was the same. Two female vocalist/percussionists, two male guitarro-ists who sang and rapped, two other guitarro-ists, and drummer. From Mexico via East LA, this group brings a ton of energy. Cumbia,Ring of Fire, This Land is Your Land (with rap intro). Highlighting call and response and audience participation, LC gives a little Latin to a mostly white audience. At one point, they called people on stage to ask "what would they do if elected president?" Show highlight was the rap socially conscious anthem listing a snapshot of minority citizens who have inexplicably died at the hands of law enforcement: I'm  Michael Brown I didn't DO nothing wrong, I'm Eric Garner I didn't DO nothing wrong, I'm Sandra Bland I didn't DO nothing wrong, chilling lyrics from this woe-fully under-recorded band. Spoke with rapper Daniel who said a recording will be out late summer. Guitarro army indeed.

OGJB Quartet 4/8/16 Firehouse 12

OGJB is a jazz quartet helmed by sax titan Oliver Lake. At 74, Lake is one of the rare free blowing players connected to the birth of modern jazz. Graham Haynes, son of Roy, played cornet and ngoni (an unusual African stringed instrument that resembled a gourd attached to a clothesline pole). Joe Fonda played standup bass, bowing and plucking with his face in a constant state of smelling something foul. Barry Altschul played drums, a standard kit that put down the backdrop for the others. The set started with some spoken word from Lake, who is an accomplished poet. I have seen Haynes at this venue before, his jazz, Afro-futuristic forays into hiphop with Steve Coleman in the 90s were great. On this evening, Haynes with graying beard and hair, looked as if he just came off the set from a Frederick Douglass biopic. Lake and Haynes traded sqiuggles and blasts summoning the spirits of Ayler and Pharoah Sanders.

Robyn Hitchcock w/ Emma Swift 3/25/16 Cafe 9

A few months ago, I told everyone with an ear to mark their calendars and buy advance tickets for Robyn Hitchcock. I was shocked when the show was listed as "sold out", a few days later, leaving me on the outside for a show I hyped. One friend bought a ticket, and was listed on will call. We decided to try to weasel entry for two. At the door, we tried our best "who's on first", and were told to wait while the purchase was verified. After a few minutes of blending into the crowd, success. (I'm chalking this up to a karma balance against the unscrupulous but somewhat hapless promoter who has been known to rip off local legends and opener for the Rolling Stones, Sons of Bob, but that's a story for another time). I am certainly glad I gained entry, for RH is a brit folkie psychedelic force of nature. The evening started with Emma Swift, a young Aussie who now resides in Nashville. Her twangy folk songs were nicely delivered, even covering a Lucinda Williams tune. She stepped off and made way for RH. Setlist included "She Was Vibrating", "I Often Dream of Trains", and the beautiful "Ghost in You". While the music was fantastic, the inter-song banter was amazing. Think of Syd Robin Williams Barrett and you're close. At one point, RH launched in to his own radio show program using both mics for different voices. He told the sound man to make him sound like he was playing "two 12 strings....with a delay". At one point, some British mad hatter in the crowd leaned over to point out the RH tour t-shirt depicting a polka-dotted pyramid dreaming of a crab. The evening highlight came when he launched in to "The Cheese Alarm", one of my faves complete with Indian-inflected open tuning raga guitar solo. Another song intro dealt with his fascination with the Clint movie Magnum Force, in which the denouement included a scene where Clint looks at the camera and says "everyone's got to know their limitations, Briggs", which turned out to be the song's refrain. Emma came back on for some duets including an awesome Bowie cover "Sound and Vision", they ended with an expertly delivered "Queen Elvis".

Oneida 3/16/16 Bar

The Wednesday night shows at Bar are free, which is a good and a weird thing. Oneida is billed as krautnoise, implying the trippy virtuosity of German psych-noodlers Can crossed with industrial noise onslaught. Oneida is helmed by crazed drummer Kid Millions, two guitars, one lambchopped keyboard/knob twiddler, and another keyboard player who "sang" and looked like he was in a perpetual state of epileptic seizure. The drum-centric groove ebbed and swelled and was sprinkled with some usually unintelligible lyrics. The loud washes of sound were great and I assume are mostly played for a paying (intended) audience. Now the weird part, being free, you are never sure who is going to wander/stumble into the room. On this evening, it was a gaggle of tipsy bachelorettes, who wiggled and selfied themselves in front of the band. Let me say that Oneida is in unfamiliar territory when it comes to soundtracking a batchelorette party, and (a)cid seizure was not pleased at their lack of reverence. While inarticulately trying to say that "free" should not equate to a lack of respect, he decided to sing the ladies a little krautnoise ditty instead. The song started slow then high-geared it in to a frenzy with epilepsy-boy spitting the chorus "putyourfuckinphonesaway", the girls had no idea he was poking fun at them.

Lucinda Williams w/ Buick 6 3/12/16 College Street Music Hall

Good crowd at CSMH for Lucinda. Entered to the instrumental rock jams of Buick 6, which turned out to be Lucinda's backing band. Seasoned session rockers consisting of guitar, bass (standup and electric), and drums gave a sufficient kick to talented singer songwriter LW. Known for her classic release "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road", LW has a full catalog of melancholy slow burn and southern rockers. Set list included: Pineola, Lake Charles, Car Wheels, Essence, Blue, Joy, Blessed, Dust (from a poem written by her father), new song Ghosts of Highway 20. LW is a music lover and I always  appreciate her choice of cover songs to close the show. Tonight was no exception, doing a heartfelt "Change is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke. She sang "I Ain't Got No Home in this World" by Woody Guthrie complete with a recently uncovered lyric referencing  "old man Trump" , apparently the Donald's father was the landlord that evicted Woody from his Brooklyn apartment. LW closed with Neil Young's "Rockin in the Free World", the fist pumping anthem riled the crowd as if to rip the song from any connection to Trump's announcement spectacle and return it to it's rightful owner ( a nasally long haired peace-nik from our neighbor to the north).

Cinder talk w/ Naytronix 3/9/16

Naytronix is a synth trio anchored by Tuneyards bass player Nate.  Together with drums and guitar, Naytronix played pop songs with a heavy dose of synth looping. Nate sang and gestured like Merrill Garbus, the freaky frontwoman vocalist for Tuneyards. The drummer had an interesting synth pad in addition to his regular kit. Nate and guitar player used keyboard and loops to amplify their sound. The dreamier introspective songs were not as interesting as the uptempo numbers. One hipster turned to me and said "a lot of pre-recorded tracks", yeah that's the whole point.
Cindertalk is the one man band of Jonny Rogers. He had a square table with about 20 glasses with varying levels of water in front of him. Each glass was individually mic'd so that CT could get sound by rim rubbing or tapping. The glass sound was recorded and looped. CT added to the sound with guitar and/or keyboards, his slimline loop pedals seemed very high tech. CT vocals reminded me of Gary Numan.

David Grisman and Del McCoury 2/25/16 College St. Music Hall

Bluegrass pioneers Del and Dawg graced the Hall with history and chops. At 79, Del got his start on banjo and then rhythm guitar for Bill Monroe in the 40s. Grisman on mandolin played with Jerry Garcia. With one microphone, Del and Dawg played some staples: Dark Hollow, Toy Heart, Shenandoah Breakdown. Between songs, mainly Grisman taught a master's class on the history of bluegrass. The audience offered the pair a church-like reverence, realizing that these two are in the waning moments of their touring careers. Show highlight was Man of Constant Sorrow.

Dan Baird and the Homemade Sin 2/23/16 Cafe 9

DB and the HS took their brand of "swamp-ass" rock to C9. DB wore a top hat, and reminded me of a cross between John Hiatt and Todd Snider. Snarky southern humor and rock and roll chops, you could tell this band had a toe in arena rock. Then it appeared, "don't tell me no lies, and keep your hands to yourself". Yes, DB was the voice of the Georgia Satellites, early 80s on hit wonders. With help from young bassist and veteran drummer, and lead guitarist with a BonJovi complex, DB seems to have plodded along with the initial push from the GS hit. It was a rainy February night, and I bumped into DB on the way in. He said the weather was a bit much to which I responded that he could do anything with a tophat. Good thing I didn't make a Smartass Lincoln joke, DB is keenly aware of the Mason-Dixon or should I say Macon-Dixon line. Highlight was a tune about finding some CCR on the radio, even veering into a little Proud Mary for good measure.

Joe Russo's Almost Dead 2/11/16 College Street Music Hall

Joe Russo and Marco Benevento called themselves The Duo in the early aughts. They plugged in to the Phish-ey blossom of new jam and were tour warriors. Befriending the likes of MMW and showing an appetite for versatility, The Duo were positioned to be called up to the majors. Russo on drums and Benevento on a variety of keyboards, they needed to be familiar with the Grateful Dead catalog. Russo even got tapped to play in various post-Jerry incarnations while Marco carved out some quirky critically acclaimed solo offerings. Fast forward to 2016, the duo with the help of some other jammy pals, rock the area as JRAD.
People latch on to the Dead for a variety of reasons: country rock of Uncle John's Band, jazzy improv of Dark Star, expansive segue- rock of Scarlet/Fire or China/Rider, and of course the drug barter parking lot scene. JRAD focused on the Jazz segue notions of the Dead, delivering ambitious versions of Cumberland Blues, Bertha, and Goin Down the Road Feelin Bad. The evening highlight was Benevento's melding of Tear's For Fears Everybody Wants to Rule the World with the iconic GD anthem Eyes of the World.

Moon Hooch w/ Balkun Bros. Bar 2/3/16

Just caught the last tune of local blues outfit Balkun Bros. The back room at Bar was packed for an indoor-hippie-freak out for area buskers Moon Hooch. Legend has it that this trio of drums, sax, and sax hooned their chops in a NYC subway stop. I missed them at the 2015 Vibes because they were dealt a miserable time slot. I couldn't see the drummer from my vantage point, but his propulsive fills created the palate for sax. One saxman played alto exclusively and sang and rapped a bit. The other saxman started out on baritone and moved to some homemade sax contraption that looked like a mutant handrail and gave off a Bassnectar-like EDM leg hair shaking synth sound. The second sax-er also played a small keyboard laptop thing. The trio had a lot of energy which kept the the packed house in a perpetual pogo. The second saxer even strapped on a sawed off traffic cone to the sax bell for extra effect. Like many dance offerings, the songs didn't vary in structure, and the sparse vocals seemed like blurry add-ons . This music pivots on crescendo, not song structure. At many points, the dueling saxes fired their sound at each other like some rock-em sax-em robots. "Stand clear the closing" indeed.

Bent Knee with Kindred Queer 1/13/16 Bar

Woefully under-recorded local talent Kindred Queer warmed the crowd. Lead vocals and guitarist Xavier and collaborator Olive on cello and harmony vocals are now backed by youngsters on bass and drums. The quartet displayed solid songwriting with the vocal harmony and cello affording an almost gypsy feel. Supported by a cadre of local artists and family, their set gave off a house party vibe. I'm sure the two mainstays of this band have day jobs, but if they took a summer off to tour, they could really blow up regionally. Xavier claims new ep is forthcoming.
Berkeley School of Music grads Bent Knee had a full band. Drums,violin, female bassist, female organ and lead vocals, snarky guitarist, and laptop effects. Song structure was technically complex, to the point of confusion. Female vocalist had a shrill voice that sometimes went off the rails and irritated. Guitarist had a decent solo with a full dose of Mahavishnu on a raga-inflected solo. Bent Knee would do to dumb it down a bit for us, the masses.

Cloakroom 1/6/16 Bar

Power trio Cloakroom said they were happy to "be back in the States, where paper towels are not an option". Guitar, drums and bass were loud and punky.  Lanky guitarist had an almost Morrissey-esque  vocal delivery. The drums and bass loudly backed the guitar to give a metal tinge to the sound. A packed house of head-bobbers enjoyed the set. The drummer was shaped like a fire hydrant and hit the skins with the ferocity of a fire hydrant.