Soundbites

R.I.P.

We learned just after our deadline last week that Craig Tinney passed away on the morning of June 29, due to injuries suffered in a motorcycle/car accident in November.

Tinney, along with his wife of 29 years, Jacqueline Wohl, was a member of the Privy Tippers for the last 16 years, and the couple co-founded a regular contra-dance series for the Tucson Friends of Traditional Music that continues today.

According to a press release distributed prior to a benefit concert held on his behalf last month, he was also "responsible for bringing dozens of nationally known traditional music acts to Tucson during the '80s and '90s, and he served on the advisory board for the Arizona Commission on the Arts."

We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.


ROCK OUT THIS SLOW WEEK

If you spent all of your money during last week's extended freedom weekend, fret not: This seems to be one of the slower music weeks of the summer, if not the year ... so if you decide to stay home and recover, we'll understand.

However, for those of you who just can't seem to get enough live music in your lives, well, we've got you covered, too.

Local proggy dark-rockers Ensphere will headline a triple bill at Plush on Friday, July 9, to celebrate the release of a brand-new album, Corpuscle. The group tends to make each of its performances a multimedia affair, so expect big things from this special show, which will kick off a planned tour.

If you're a fan of Maynard James Keenan (especially Tool and A Perfect Circle), or if you've always wanted to like Nine Inch Nails, but couldn't get past the electronics, you may want to check these guys out, if you haven't already.

Ensphere performs at Plush, 340 E. Sixth St., on Friday, July 9. Blind Divine and Strata Divide open the show at 9:30 p.m. Cover is $5, and copies of the CD will be available for $10. Call 798-1298 for more info.


SECOND SATURDAY IS HERE AGAIN!

The third installment of the highly successful Second Saturdays Downtown, a neighborhood block party that happens on the second Saturday of every month, will take place on Saturday, July 10. Here are some of the musical heavy-hitters taking part this time around:

The Tucson Jazz Institute Ellington Big Band will perform from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress St. In May, the band, directed by Doug Tidaback, traveled to New York to participate in the 15th Annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival, earning top honors in the Community Ensemble category.

The Scott Avenue Main Stage, at Broadway Boulevard, will feature Seashell Radio (6:30 to 7:30 p.m.), Kate Becker and the Zodiacs (7:45 to 9 p.m.) and Rich Hopkins and the Luminarios (9:15 to 10:30 p.m.).

Hotel Arizona, 181 W. Broadway Blvd., will host Mambo Dulce featuring Chillie Willie Groove (9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.).

And that's just the start of it. For a full rundown of all the happenings at this family-friendly event, head to 2ndsaturdaysdowntown.com. Admission is free.


LIKE OLD STANDARDS, BUT NEW

The Mynabirds is the nom de musique of Laura Burhenn, who was half of the duo Georgie James. Her debut album, What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood, was released in April on Saddle Creek, and the tracks I've heard from it are fantastic. On "Let the Record Go," Burhenn comes off like a more soulful Cat Power against a propulsive, staccato beat, while "Numbers Don't Lie" reminds of the dusky gospel-tinged soul of Dusty Springfield. The album has received raves from most media outlets that have reviewed it, including The Associated Press, USA Today and Pitchfork, which gave it an 8.0 and called it "a set of bold, assured songs so elegantly composed that many could pass for old standards."

The Mynabirds will perform on the patio of Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress St., on Saturday, July 10. The Atomic Duo opens at 7 p.m., and admission is free. Call 622-8848 for further details.


REGULAR GIGS

Residencies—when one band or artist performs an extended run at one particular venue—are not as common as they once were. But they seem to be making a comeback in the Old Pueblo, mostly on Thursday nights. Here's a quick look at some notable residencies happening around town these days.

Every Thursday night at Boondocks Lounge, you'll find some combination of Loren Dircks and/or Al Perry and/or Gila Bend, the band in which they perform. Perry is, of course, the stuff of legend around these parts, a surf-country guitarist and songwriter extraordinaire, while Dircks' latest album, Killing the Magic (Oranguitwang), is a stunning hodgepodge of American music styles that spans decades. Gila Bend, meanwhile, plays country music so hard that they've dubbed it country-metal. This one starts at 9 p.m. every Thursday night, and admission is free. Call 690-0991 for more details.

Each Thursday at Sky Bar, 536 N. Fourth Ave., Jeff Grubic and Naim Amor join Ryen Eggleston and Dimitri Manos of Golden Boots to perform jazz standards and improvisation as the Jazzphones. Some weeks, they perform on their own, while other weeks, they share the bill with another band or performer. Tonight, Thursday, July 8, they'll welcome Bajo Turbato, the duo of Gabriel Sullivan and Chris Black; on Thursday, July 15, they'll be on their own; and then the next two weeks, Thursday, July 22, and Thursday, July 29, Tom Walbank will also perform. Music starts at 8 p.m., and admission is free. Call 622-4300 for further info.

Armed only with a guitar, a harmonica, his beloved stompbox and that gorgeously resonant voice, Salvador Duran, who also performs regularly with the likes of Calexico and Sergio Mendoza y la Orkesta, sets up shop on the patio at Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress St., at 7 p.m. every—you guessed it—Thursday night. Admission is free, and the number to call with questions is 622-8848.

Good news for those with previous Thursday night commitments: From 6 to 9 p.m. every Friday night, the Pete Swan Trio, which in addition to the namesake drummer also features guitarist Matt Mitchell and bassist Scott Black, performs at Luna Bella, 2990 N. Swan Road, in Plaza Palomino. The trio will feature guest performers on some nights, and admission is free. For more details, call 325-3895.

Hank Topless, onetime leader of Topless Opry and current subversive country troubadour, recently finished up a June residency at the Red Room at Grill, 100 E. Congress St. Since we never quite got around to mentioning it while it was actually happening, we thought we'd let you know he's playing there again at 7 p.m., Saturday, July 10. And if you miss that show, you'll get another chance when he performs in the lounge at Plush, 340 E. Sixth St., at 9:30 p.m., Sunday, July 18. Admission to both shows is free. The number at Grill is 623-7621, and you can reach Plush at 798-1298.


ON THE BANDWAGON

Tucson Roller Derby benefit featuring Flagrante Delicto and the Creamys at Surly Wench Pub on Friday, July 9; Monster Pussy (last show until the fall), HypnoGogs and Boo Boo Kiss tonight, Thursday, July 8, at the Red Room at Grill; Pepe Aguilar at AVA at Casino del Sol on Friday, July 9; The Rising Sun featuring People From the Sun on Wednesday, July 14, at Club Congress.

Finally, Tuesday, July 13, is the official release date for Fort Lowell Records' second 7-inch release, ... music video?'s "I'm Afraid of Everything" b/w "feelgooddesperation." For more information, head to fortlowell.blogspot.com.