Family Band w/ Lys Guillorn 2/16/11 Bar

Woozy local Guillorn played singer-songwriter material as an opener to this show. I'm unnerved when the artist looks at the soundman and says " do I have time for five more?" Guillorn's smart lyrics were lost in her muddy delivery. Brooklyn hipsters the Family Band played fuzzy reverb drenched rock. I liked the female singer, but the set offered no memorable tunes or performance.

The Piano Lesson 2/9/11 Yale Repertory Theater

August Wilson's "The Piano Lesson" was expertly performed at the Yale Rep. Wilson's plays offer insight into the African-american experience of the early 1900s. The story has a brother and sister arguing over the fate of the family piano. Boy Willie wants to sell and move on, while Berniece wants to preserve the memories associated with the piano. The lessons are many and the acting was stellar. Musical notes took form as worksongs, railroad songs, and tales of Parchman Farm. Live theater really is a treat.

Iron and Wine w/ Edie Brickell 1/29/11 Radio City NY

Exciting trip to the big apple had the whole family at this show. We arrived part way through Edie's set. Pop girl Brickell penned the 1988 smash What I Am, married Paul Simon then started a family. She offered a sleepy set with Charlie Sexton on guitar. Headliner I/W is the brainchild of bearded bard Sam Beam. Started out with Beam on acoustic, banjo, and two female backup singers. Playing songs off the new release, and some older tunes, Beam was beaming at the chance to play this hallowed venue. Halfway through he brought out horns, percussion, and electronics which added an awesome twist on some I/W favorites. Songs differed dylanesquely to the point that one audience member yelled "Judas!" Beam responded to the crowd that "Judas was Jesus' favorite" Boy with a Coin, House By the Sea, Lazarus were all stellar. Closed with a a discoey Cinder and Smoke. Thanks to Moe and Rachel for a great concert experience, remember, You Can Do It!

Charles Lloyd's New Quartet 1/28/11 Crowell Hall Wesleyan

Veteran sax man Lloyd with Jason Moran (piano), Eric Harland (drums), and Reuben Rogers (bass) played to a full house at Crowell. Sold out when I arrived, I was lucky to get the first no show (row D center!). Lloyd's music has a spiritual quality and was the perfect antidote for three feet of snow. His warm tone and effortless fills are exotic and familiar at the same time. Moran's wife (opera singer) offered great renditions of "Go Down Moses" and "Lift Every Voice and Sing". Lloyd also played flute for one tune. To close the show. Lloyd recited a beautiful poem with Moran backing. Lloyd's California late sixties residency had his group at the junction of jazz and rock and can be heard on recordings by the Doors and Canned Heat. His group was the first jazz act to play at the Fillmore. Years later at Wesleyan, in his signature hat and dark glasses, Lloyd and company kicked it. He looked in cognito, disguised as himself.

Sharon Van Etten w/ Plume Giant 1/19/11 Bar

Return of the free shows at Bar on Wednesdays not Sundays. Excellent opener Plume Giant sported his and her violinists with acoustic guitar. Close vocal harmonies and imaginative songwriting make me a fan of Plume Giant. Covered a Strokes and Otis Redding song.

Headliner Van Etten is a Brooklyn folkie who had echoes of Beth Orton. Many songs were sombre and had a sameness to them. Group consisted of SVE guitar/vocals, bass, and drums. Odd looking squeezebox-keyboard was not played while I was in attendance.

Joel Harrison Septet: Singularity 12/17/10 Firehouse 12

Jazz meets classical with Harrison as guitar/arranger. Using a palette of cello, violin, sax, piano, standup bass, guitar , and drums, Harrison was able to weave some John Adams style orchestral pieces. This music was challenging but rewarding due to the ability to see the musicians feed off one another. Closing the fall series at Firehouse 12, this concert made me hungry for the spring series lineup. This "serious" material payed homage to Adams, Terry Riley, and Oliver Messiaen. The band flexed its collective chops with a classical take on the Allman Brothers Whipping Post!

Heavy Pets 11/30/10 Cafe Nine

Festival stalwarts Heavy Pets from Ft. Lauderdale brought some jam to the Nine. Kind of Percy Hillish with two guitars, bass, drums, and keyboards were uber-jammy. No cover songs and an annoying light show made the music difficult to receive. Seems as though this band has a formula for song craft: pop hook> faux reggae>noodle>end.