MORE LOCAL MUSICIANS PRODUCE MORE LOCAL MUSIC
It’s another action-packed week here in the Old Pueblo, so let’s get
right to it. To start, three local acts will be celebrating new albums
with CD-release parties.
With the advent of digital home-recording technology, just about
anyone these days can make a decent-sounding album. The Dusty
Buskers take that concept a bit further on their second album, A
Hypomanic Evening With … (Old Bisbee). The 2009 TAMMIES winners
in the Bluegrass category performed a live set in KXCI FM 91.3’s Studio
2A and had station engineer Ginger Doran record it; they mixed it, then
pressed up a bunch of CDs, and bang! A new album. Dudes didn’t
even have to buy Pro Tools, and they ended up with a great
representation of what it is they do: They take traditional Celtic folk
and Americana songs and put their own sped-up, raucous spin on
them.
For this set, though, they went a bit outside of their comfort zone.
Alongside public-domain songs like “Wabash Cannonball” and “Wild
Rover,” they throw in not just traditional songs by Woody Guthrie and
Doc Watson, but also covers of songs by Tom Waits (“I Don’t Wanna Grow
Up”) and the Dead Milkmen. (Who knew “Punk Rock Girl” would make such a
great bluegrass song?) The set was recorded last year, in the band’s
trio configuration, so there’s no mandolin here, but it’s not really
missed. A Hypomanic Evening With … is about as good of a
warts-and-all representation of the group’s spirited live performances
as they could possibly conjure.
The Dusty Buskers’ CD-release party begins at 10:30 p.m.,
Saturday, Sept. 26, at Che’s Lounge, 346 N. Fourth Ave.
As always, admission is free. Call 623-2088.
Earlier that same night, on the other side of the Fourth Avenue
underpass (man, I love saying that), at Club Congress, the
lovely voiced young country singer-songwriter Connor Cecil performs to fete the release of One Time Too Many, his second
full-length album. Though we didn’t receive a copy of the new album,
the set Cecil turned in at our TAMMIES ceremony earlier this month (he
was a finalist in the Country/Western category) showcased his
polished—but not slick—hook-filled songs and proved to be a
guy who, at only 24, is more self-assured in his stage presence than
most at his age.
Doors for Cecil’s all-ages release party at Club Congress, 311 E.
Congress St., open at 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 26. The $10 cover
charge includes a copy of One Time Too Many. Call
622-8848 with questions.
Kristin Chandler moved to Tucson with her
multi-instrumentalist husband, Michael James Zimmerman, from Portland,
Ore., in 2006, leaving behind, according to a press release “a great
band and her Northwestern fan base.” Based on her second album,
Deja, it seems she put together a band here that’s pretty darn
good, too. Deja encompasses elements of jazz, blues, soul,
reggae, funk and world music, and Chandler boasts a wonderful voice
that is sultry when it needs to be, playful and powerful at other
turns. This type of music can carry a bit of schmaltz that can be
tough—for me, anyway—to stomach, but on Deja, which
was recorded at Wavelab Studio, Chandler and her band sidestep that
pitfall to an enjoyable end.
Kristen Chandler and her band, plus a few special guests, perform at
7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 25, at Old Town Artisans, 201 N.
Court Ave. Admission to the all-ages show is $5, and free for children
12 and younger. For more info, head to kristenchandler.org.
INDUCTEES HONORED
The Tucson Musicians Museum inducts its 2009 nominees this week in a ceremony that also includes a slate of fine
performances.
This year’s inductees are Tom Ervin, László Veres,
Kevin Schramm, Rochelle Magee, Neil Harry, Joe Martinez, Michael
Montiel, John Markovich, Lew Leply, Larry Diehl, and the late Mickey
Greco and Chris Gaffney.
The performing headliner at the event is legendary sax player
Bobby Keys, who has played and/or recorded with everyone from
John Lennon to Barbra Streisand, and Carly Simon to Elvis
Presley—but he is perhaps best known for his work with the
Rolling Stones. He’ll be backed by the George Howard Band at
this performance. (Note: Keys will perform in Tucson four more times
over the next week: Tuesday, Sept. 29, at the Rialto
Theatre; Friday, Oct. 2, at Nimbus Brewery; and twice
on Saturday, Oct. 3: a dinner show at Boondocks Lounge,
and a nighttime performance at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort. All
will benefit the Tucson Musicians Museum.)
Also scheduled to perform at the museum nominee event are the
Ronstadt Family Quartet; Dean Armstrong and the Arizona Dance
Hands; Rochelle Magee with the GMWA Mount Calvary Choir;
Lew Lepley and his jazz band; Mariachi Luz de Luna;
Joe Martinez; Mike Montiel; Kevin Schramm backed
by the Last Call Girls; and Neil Harry alongside Chuck Wagon
and the Wheels.
The event takes place on Sunday, Sept. 27, at the Scottish
Rite Cathedral, 160 S. Scott Ave. An optional dinner for $10 begins
at 5:30 p.m., with food provided by 12 local restaurants; the musical
showcase begins at 6:30 p.m. Admission is a $25 donation that will
benefit the Tucson Musicians Museum Mentorship Program, which pairs
local musicians with underserved youth. A silent auction and raffle
will also be offered. For more information, head to tucsonmusiciansmuseum.org.
SHORT TAKES
We’re getting short on space, but we’ve barely scratched the surface
of all the great stuff happening this week.
Although he’s released only a four-song EP since his last visit to
town (read a review of that EP at TAMMIES.com), Justin Vernon, aka Bon
Iver, graduates from clubs to the Rialto Theatre, 318 E.
Congress St., on Monday, Sept. 28.
Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St., hosts two of the more
remarkable female singer-songwriters out there right now on
back-to-back nights. The amazing Jolie Holland performs an early
show with opener Matt Bauer on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Then,
next Thursday, Oct. 1, Ingrid Michaelson, who sold out
the club twice the last time she visited town, performs another early
show.
Sandwiched between the two is a late show on Wednesday, Sept.
30, featuring dance-punk ensemble !!! (Chk Chk Chk), which
will also likely sell out.
Sergio Mendoza y la Orkesta, who packed the Rialto for
a mind-blowing performance a couple of months ago, return to the venue
for another mambo dance party on Saturday, Sept. 26.
Flagrante Delicto will present the “Flagrante Delicto Big
Band Experience” at 8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 25, at Parasol
Project, 299 S. Park Ave. The show is a retrospective of the group’s
five-year career: Every incarnation of the band’s evolution will be
represented, including a set backing rapper Shaun Harris and a
grand finale featuring all six of the band’s members, past and
present.
The final round of the SABHF Blues Challenge, featuring
performances by the five finalists—Crosscut Saw, Sweet
Willie D Blues Band, Black Cat Bones, Tom Walbank and
Arthur Migliazza, and the Earthlingz—begins at 1 p.m.,
Sunday, Sept. 27, at Club Congress.
Also of note: a Tribute to Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash to
benefit the Tucson Folk Festival at the VFW Post #4903, 1150 N.
Beverly Ave., on Saturday, Sept. 26 (tucsonfolkfest.org for more info);
world music violinist Arvel Bird and his band, Many Tribes,
One Fire, at the DesertView Performing Arts Center, 39900
Clubhouse Drive on Saturday, Sept. 26 (saddlebrooketwo.com for more
info); Robert Earl Keen at the Rialto on Wednesday,
Sept. 30; the Latin Jazz Festival at the Leo Rich
Theatre featuring Pancho Sanchez on Friday, Sept. 25,
and Lucky 7 Mambo on Saturday, Sept. 26; Asobi
Seksu, Umbrella Bird and Seashell Radio at
Plush on Tuesday, Sept. 29; The Ataris,
Crossing Sarnoff and AV at Congress on Monday,
Sept. 28; Stareater, the Sian Alice Group and Some
of Them Are Old at Plush on Friday, Sept. 25;
Poison the Well, Scorned Embrace, and When Death
Becomes You at The Rock on Monday, Sept. 28.
There’s still plenty we couldn’t fit here, so be sure to check our
club listings for the full picture.
This article appears in Sep 24-30, 2009.
