Acoustic Americana Music Guide, Dec 14 to 16, & HOLIDAY events - UPDATE

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LATE UPDATE – Dec 14 – to the December 9 & Dec 11 editions...
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Our “Show of the Week” picks included a multi-artist concert that made its world premiere on Monday, December 13, and continues Tuesday, December 14. Before you go, read the review, below, as News Feature #1. (The remaining News Features are updated, and things that already happened have been removed; otherwise, these features appeared in the previous edition. The original features are available at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/12/acoustic-americana-music-guide-dec-11.html where you will find the December 9 & 11 News Features in their entirety.)
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Tied to the Tracks
ACOUSTIC AMERICANA
MUSIC GUIDE
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DECEMBER 14 to 16, & HOLIDAY events, 2010
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“QUICKIE ACCESS:” “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” PICKS, & THIS WEEK’S NEWS…
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1) REVIEW: “Free Coffee & Doughnuts: Songs of the Great Depression(s) 1929-2010”
2) “Show-Of-The-Week” Picks, WEEKDAYS, December 14th through 16th
3) Tix Alerts: Weekend of December 17-19 (Plus Monday, Dec 20)
4) Russ & Julie's House Concerts Announces 2011 Schedule
5) Todd Snider Names his Favorite Troubadours
6) Pirates Have a Top 20 Chart? Who Knew! (Maybe the Parrot…)
7) Gift Ideas for Music Lovers
8) 41 Years Later, “You Know that it Would Be Untrue, You Know that I Would Be a Liar…”
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Here are these feature stories…
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1) REVIEW: “FREE COFFEE & DOUGHNUTS: SONGS OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION(S) 1929-2010”
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Hit anyone with too many consecutive surprises and they go numb. Present something unrelated to its title and obvious expectations feel misrepresented – to the point of disillusionment and resentment. Especially where accomplished musicians are involved.
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The musicians scheduled to be on stage were not the only prominent names at Monday night’s performance. Opening night brought an audience notably populated with prominent musicians from across L.A.’s music scene, some with gold records and plenty of honors and recognitions.
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It seemed so magnetic, such a promising concept. The ‘20s and ‘30s were filled with wonderful music – that era brought heartfelt blues evoking the sense of so many good things gone, of progress toward dreams irretrievably lost, music heard in some regions even as lively and inspiring melodies that defied the harsh realities of life in the Great Depression were on the radio. The ’30s were a time of clever, hooky lyrics that brought smiles and were sung by all, with tunes whistled and hummed in factory and field and soup kitchen line and hobo jungle. With enough of the same uncertainties again present in the wake of record-setting home mortgage foreclosures and joblessness in 2010, a musical comparison of the times makes sense. The era that began with the October, 1929 stock market crash and extended through the 1930s was a time when America lost and found itself, when newly-elected President Franklin Roosevelt declared in his inaugural speech, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” And today we long for leaders to bring such clarity and inspiration and reassurance.
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But if you expect those themes in the new production, “FREE COFFEE & DOUGHNUTS - SONGS FROM THE GREAT DEPRESSION(S), 1929 / 2010” – as you reasonably would, given the advertised theme and its use of a black-and-white photo of a 1930s bread line – be aware that’s not what this is. If you expect Tuesday night’s 8 pm concert at the Neighborhood Unitarian Church in Pasadena to be filled with music from the era of the Great Depression, or New Folk that updates it, you’re in not for simply a surprise, but a genre-defying, jarring incongruity.
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The show runs two nights, Monday and tonight (Tuesday), December 13 & 14. The Guide was there Monday evening, when the performance was being recorded for an upcoming CD. Tuesday’s show will be recorded for a DVD video release. More on that in a moment. First, you need to know what to expect before you go.
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The production’s cast earned it an early “Show of the Week” pick in the Guide, even though there was no way of knowing, in advance, what we would hear. It seemed warranted at the time. The concert features, as advertised, 1960s Grammy-winner IAN WHITCOMB, then a British Invasion rocker, now a ukulele and accordion-playing preservationist of ’20s music and composer of that style. It features virtuoso crossover pianist BRYAN PEZZONE. Three versions of L.A. ‘s talented WHAT’S NEXT ENSEMBLE with JOHN STULTZ take part, and when its largest expression takes the stage – a ten-member mini-orchestra – they are directed and conducted by VIMBAYI KAZIBONI. Renowned neoclassical guitarist MICHAEL KUDIRKA and flautist TARA SCHWAB – a true technician of the flute – both take part, individually and together. Somehow, the two are presented in the guise of the IMAGINARY FOLK DUO, though the name is wholly inappropriate. Belarus pianist YEVGENIY MILYAVSKIY presents new compositions.
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Nearly the entire evening consists of new works by composers PATRICIO DA SILVA and JENNIFER LOGAN. The show is pricey, considering its title of “Free Coffee & Doughnuts” (the former was available, but not the latter) with tickets running $35 & $27.
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Save for pianist BRYAN PEZZONE presenting a welcome medley of authentic Depression-era anthems partway through, the program’s series of new works in the first half, before the intermission, can be classified in two categories:
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a) modernistic post-classical ragged-time new compositions, performed with technical precision by various musicians – each piece evoking tension until the audience, collectively numbed by their multitude, finds they evoke nothing at all;
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b) composer JENNIFER LOGAN’s pre-recorded pieces, each presented in a totally darkened room. The concert opener is experimental new age electronica with sparse incongruous lyrics wholly unrelated to the program’s namesake theme. Her other included works were not as easy to comprehend.
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Alternating with Logan’s recordings, the first half continues with the lights on and live performances of tempo-shifting ragged-time melodies (not to be confused with ragtime). What all of it has in common – save the single medley of ’20s and ’30s tunes – is a uniform spirit of unease, characterized by adroit musicians presenting precise compositions built around internal clashes, all inappropriate to the indicated theme. The first half ends with BRYAN PEZZONE’s return to the grand piano, where, at Monday’s performance, he took an awkwardly lengthy break of total silence partway through, his head down and eyes closed. It appeared even he had no idea where things were going with this.
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Conversations overheard during intermission expressed a shared sense that it was a bewildering evening. Asked for our comment, we opined that it was a daring presentation. There seemed to be a universal expectation that, the first half done, Grammy-winner IAN WHITCOMB would redeem the night with something more akin to the expectations engendered by the title.
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Instead, the second half begins with a quartet of young string players on violin, viola, and cello. They perform another of DA SILVA’s new creations, leave the stage, then return with a featured clarinet player. The latter promptly seated himself at the back of their horseshoe formation, where he was immediately made anonymous from the neck up by an array of music stands loaded with a four-foot line of sheet music.
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After another empty stage, ten young musicians take their places to accompany guitarist MICHAEL KUDIRKA, with VIMBAYI KAZIBONI conducting more tense and precise themes. Here, things begin to sound more nominally classical, despite the full drum kit.
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The second half does avoid, for the most part, the repertoire of clichés of the first, wherein most everything was rife with extractible bits suitable for Japanese animé remakes of Road Runner cartoons.
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At last, IAN WHITCOMB takes the stage to present authentic music of the Great Depression era. The orchestra, led by conductor KAZIBONI, provides instrumental backing that thrills Whitcomb, who, as he says, “usually performs this music with much simpler accompaniment.” Finally comes “Brother Can You Spare a Dime,” and a precious few other 1930s songs, both known and obscure. Indeed, it begins the 20 minutes – out of the two-plus hours – that are the concession to what the audience had expected, and desperately hoped to hear, all evening.
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WHITCOMB next performs one of his ’20s-style originals on accordion with pianist PEZZONE, providing four minutes of what most audience members expected the “new compositions” would be.
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PATRICIO DA SILVA and his compositions are probably appreciated in other contexts, and some of this material may get exposure in whatever those other contexts may be. The same is probably true of the music of JENNIFER LOGAN, though the multiple appearances of her recordings in blackened rooms were nocturnal emissions that were not simply incongruous, but inscrutable and annoying. Did either of these composers write anything expressly for this production? Nothing from either is remotely germane to the theme. Indeed, this production, given its title and promotion, is misrepresentation.
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The avowed theme simply remained unexplored. No new takes on anything like Woody Guthrie’s “Do-Re-Mi,” or Pink Floyd’s “Money,” or anything expounding on greed, or newfound poverty, or have-and-have-nots, or struggle to keep dreams and hopes alive, to shine a light to a better future.
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It’s difficult to imagine why a CD and DVD are being made. One wonders who might be the target audience to buy it. New age music fans generally want things that facilitate meditative moods – not a compendium of themes of tension. Fans of ’20s and ’30s music will simply find far too little of that here. Classical fans will find most of this far too experimental. Some individual pieces from the concert might fit another scenario, somewhere – perhaps in the video game market. But the idea that this collection of new compositions has any possible validity as “Music of the Great Depressions” is absurd – unless you invoke one of the dictionary’s other meanings of the word “depression.”
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2) “Show of-the-Week picks,” WEEKDAYS, December 14th through 16th
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Tuesday, December 14th’s “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” picks:
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* 8 pm “FREE COFFEE & DOUGHNUTS - SONGS FROM THE GREAT DEPRESSION(S), 1929 / 2010” at Neighborhood Unitarian Church in Pasadena (runs Mon & Tue, Dec 13 & 14). NOTE: read the review, above, before you go.
* 8 pm LED ZEPAGAIN plays an “All Acoustic Show” at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena.
* 8 pm AARON SALĀ plays the Ruth Shannon Center for the Performing Arts, Whittier.
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Wednesday, December 15th’s “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” picks:
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* 8 pm ADJOA SKINNER presents "HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS" at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena.
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Thursday, December 16th’s “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” picks:
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* 7 pm JOHN GRANT with THE CHAPIN SISTERS plus a special acoustic pre-show set by J. TILLMAN (Fleet Foxes), at the Autry National Center / Autry Museum of the American West, Griffith Park, L.A.
* 8 pm SALTY SUITES, the uber-talented young trio ensemble of Scott Gates, Chuck Hailes, & Chelsea Williams, play the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena.
* 8 pm LOS LOBOS play the Belly Up Tavern in Solano Beach (San Diego).
* 8 pm JOEL RAFAEL with LEON RUSSELL and GREGORY PAGE play 4th and B in San Diego.
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3) TIX ALERTS: WEEKEND OF DECEMBER 17-19 (PLUS MONDAY, DEC 20)
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Whhhoooo boy, is great stuff coming, or what?
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Friday, December 17th’s early “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” picks
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* 8 pm BELA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES bring their “Christmas Show” to UCSB Campbell Hall, on the campus in Santa Barbara.
* 8 pm CLIFF WAGNER & THE OLD #7 play the Grand Annex in San Pedro.
* 8 pm “SONGS FROM THE DAYS OF THE BYRDS AND BEYOND,” with ex-BYRDS JOHN YORK & Billy Darnell, at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena.
* 10 pm KEN O'MALLEY brings his marvelous voice, masterful guitar, and authentic and original Irish songs to the Auld Dubliner in Long Beach.
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Saturday, December 18th’s early “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” picka
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* 8 pm THE WITCHER BROTHERS, perhaps the top bluegrass / newgrass act to develop from West Coast roots, performs at Boulevard Music in Culver City.
* 8 pm BELA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES bring their “Christmas Show” to the Orpheum Theatre in L.A.
* 8 pm THE DUO TONES, the surf guitar duo of pioneering stars PAUL JOHNSON & GIL ORR, at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena.
* 8 pm LOS LOBOS with LOS FABULOCOS at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano.
* 8 pm GOLDEN STATE POPS ORCHESTRA presents their annual “holiday pops spectacular” at the Warner Grand Performance Space, historic Warner Grand Theater, San Pedro.
* 8 pm Special “HOLIDAY SHOW” featuring Songmakers MERLIN & DEBBIE SNIDER, JIM ST. OURS, GEMINI, SOUTH COAST, DAN LEVITT, DESERT WIND TRIO, KG, JACK ZIGRAY, MIKE DAVIS, & STAN CADRANEL, at the “Camarillo Café Concert Series,” at Camarillo Community Center, Camarillo.
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Sunday, December 19th’s “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” picks
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* 3 pm RENAISSANCE brings their multiple-award-winning A Capella voices for a Holiday-themed matinee at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena.
* 7 pm ”A Small Circle of Friends celebrate Phil Ochs' 70th Birthday” with ROSS ALTMAN, LEN CHANDLER, CAROLYN HESTER, DRAYFUS GRAYSON, NEIL HARTMAN, & EVA SCHERB, at The Found Theatre in Long Beach.
* 7 pm Alexa Woodward plus Murry Hammond bring a night of banjo to the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena.
* 7 pm annual “BOULEVARD MUSIC FREE HOLIDAY SHOW” at Boulevard Music in Culver City.
* 7:30 pm SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK plays the Broad Theatre in Santa Monica.
* 8 pm DAVID LINDLEY plus TOULOUSE ENGELHARDT & KK MARTIN playing together, at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano.
* 8 pm LOS LOBOS play the House Of Blues in West Hollywood.
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Monday, December 20th’s early “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick
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* 8 pm BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA play the Walt Disney Concert Hal, downtown L.A.
* 8 pm STEPPENWOLF guitarist JOHN KAYE & FRIENDS, with Rich Niego & Iain Ashley Hersey, at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena.
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4) RUSS & JULIE'S HOUSE CONCERTS ANNOUNCES 2011 SCHEDULE
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Their long-running house concert series in the Agoura Hills is among the best-known in the US, and they just sent us their 2011 lineup, adding, “We believe that it's among the best lineups we have ever had. ”
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We do see why they can make that claim, with the likes of Marshall Crenshaw and Caroline Aiken. Here’s their complete schedule. All “prices” are “Suggested donation” amounts.
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Sat, Jan 15, 2011, 8 pm - Jeff Larson and Friends (www.jefflarson-music.com); sponsored by Barb & Gary Bickmore. $15.
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Sat, Feb 12, 2011, 8 pm - Nathan Rogers (www.nathanrogers.ca) $15.
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Sat, Mar 12, 2011, 8 pm - Marshall Crenshaw (www.marshallcrenshaw.com) $20.
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Sat, Apr 2, 2011, 8 pm - Ronny Cox and Jack Williams (www.ronnycox.com & www.jackwilliamsmusic.com) $20.
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Sat, May 7, 2011, 8 pm - Claudia Russell & the Folk Unlimited Orchestra (www.claudiarussell.com) $15.
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Sat, Jun 18, 2011, 8 pm - Caroline Aiken (www.carolineaiken.com) $15.
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Sat, Jul 23, 2011, 8 pm - Laurence Juber (www.laurencejuber.com) $20.
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Sat, Aug 13, 2011, 8 pm – “Trippin' the ’60s” featuring Barry McGuire with John York (www.trippinthesixties.com & www.barrymcguire.com & www.johnyorkmusic.com) $20.
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Sat, Sep 17, 2011, 8 pm - Blame Sally (www.blamesally.com) $20.
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Sat, Oct 29, 2011, 8 pm - Jeni & Billy and Nathan McEuen (www.jeniandbilly.com & www.nathanmceuen.com) $15.
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Sat, Nov 19, 2011, 8 pm - Jaime Michaels and Severin Browne (www.jaimemichaels.com & www.severinbrowne.com) $15.
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Sat, Dec 3, 2011, 8 pm - The Koles and John Batdorf (www.arlenekolemusic.com & www.johnbatdorfmusic.com) $15.
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More at www.houseconcerts.us and you can make reservations or contact the hosts at rsvp@houseconcerts.us
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5) TODD SNIDER NAMES HIS FAVORITE TROUBADOURS
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We like the somewhat quirky Todd Snider, and we thoroughly enjoyed the performance-interview with him at the Grammy Museum for which the Guide did a ticket giveaway for our readers.
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ANDY SILVA of Shore Fire Media just wrote to tell us, “We asked ‘America's sharpest musical storyteller’ [that’s Todd Snider, as he was dubbed by Rolling Stone] to tell us about some of his favorite musical storytellers. What we got was a collection of thoughtful and hilarious musings on the writers and performers who have informed his one-of-a-kind stage persona, captured brilliantly on his new double-disc live album, 'The Storyteller' [due out February 1, 2011].”
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So, TODD SNIDER'S FIVE FAVORITE TROUBADOURS OF ALL TIME are…
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Number 1. Bob Dylan
For me, when it comes to being a fan of a troubadour, I have to laugh with you before I'll cry with you, simply because most troubadours expect you to cry over their journal entries with them. Most troubadours are awful people. Bob, however, is not. I think he's America's finest contribution to the world, of any kind. He does not have a song I don't like, and while he doesn't talk much on stage, when he does, it's precise, funny, wise and everything else. There really is no point in anyone else doing this troubadour thing. Hell, I once paid for a tape of Bob arguing on the phone... and I thought it was a great album.
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Number 2. Bill Hicks
While Bill might not be as funny as Bob Dylan, he does take on subjects that Bob abandoned as a young man, and through the use of humor he gives legs to these topics that Bob Dylan couldn't. I have to admit that Bill never quite figured out how his music and lyrics meshed, but he sure tried. He played guitar on all his albums and often referred to himself as a rock musician...I wonder sometimes if he knew what talking blues were, because he loved talking and loved the blues but never combined them. I sometimes tell Elvis, my tour manager, that we are taking up where Bill left off, like I'm Bill Hicks if he'd a been a Ramblin' Jack Elliott fan.
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Number 3. Michael Stipe
Sexy physical humor is generally regarded as impossible, but with his dancing and striptease clothing act, Michael Stipe is about the only singer I've ever seen pull this off on a regular basis. Guys are laughing, girls are drooling... he's in on all of it. Magic, and even comically ironic considering his sexual orientation. Iggy Pop is close in this regard, but for me... no cigar. People don't always get Michael's humor, but did you ever see the video where he outs his band as straight? Hysterical. And I know he mumbles a lot of lyrics, but when you dig into them they can be topical and funny. Ramblin' Michael Stipe: Troubadour. I have always been amazed at all the levels his performance could be taken on. Is that Andy Kauffman or Mick Jagger or Hunter S. Thompson? The answer is yes.
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Number 4. Mitch Hedberg
He reminds me of Michael Stipe a little in the way he juxtaposes his position as an artist. His stage stance was almost like Jim Morrison's.....like imagine Jim doing "The End" hanging off the mic with his "aloof rocker who wont even look at the crowd" riff going. You know the "I'm just gonna stand here behind my sexy" vibe.....Except when he opens his mouth, what he says is hysterical and smart (not "ride the blue snake," thank God). Hedberg's another guy who was supposedly a comedian but actually considered himself a musician...and acted like one too. An admirable stoner-slash-junkie wearing great shades. One of the things I dig about him and Bill Hicks is that you really could put drums to his tracks. A drummer would not be lost trying to overdub to these concerts because they move with rhythm. The last thing he ever wrote down was "Do you believe in gosh?"
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Number 5. Ramblin' Jack Elliott
The father of them all... Only wrote one song in his life and yet brought us everyone from Dylan to Jerry Jeff Walker. One thing I love about Ramblin' Jack, Bob Dylan, and Jerry Jeff Walker is that those are not their real names. Any troubadour worth his salt invents himself out of nothing. It gave me the courage to just become the tipsy gypsy one day (high school varsity letters and Republican parents be damned). We're not who our parents say we are. We're who we say we are. Right dad? And I'm Ramblin' Jack Elliot? Wait... I got confused there. Not sure what my point was... uh... I'll tell you this though... I saw Ramblin' Jack at Jerry Jeff's birthday party in 1986, and he played his only song. It's called "912 Greens." The song is about 15 seconds long and only has two lines in it: "Did you ever see a river that made you want to shiver.” But the story that precedes the song is 45 minutes long...
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Yep, as we said, Todd is quirky. But a lot of fun. You can learn more about him, his upcoming new album, and his music career, at www.toddsnider.net and www.myspace.com/toddsnider
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6) Pirates Have a Top 20 Chart? Who Knew! (Maybe the Parrot…)
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We heard this week from Shanghai Brown & There Be Pirates, a band that makes, well, pirate music. Of course, they began their message “Ahoy there.”
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They wrote to ask us to “vote fer us humble musickal pirates” to ascend “Music World Radio's Top 20 Charts.” For those inclined to check it out, it's quick, easy, and free to access (and to vote for whomever you want there).
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It’s at www.topchoons.com/vote.html.
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To vote for There Be Pirates, click on “Arrrrrgghhhh song, Swingin' from the Yardarm.”
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But that’s not all. You can go to www.therebepirates.net to, as Shanghai says, “send all yer crew a beautiful There Be Pirates! holiday card with a download card (also a giant album art sticker) for one, or both, of arrrgghhhh albums.” (“Our” as “arrrrggghhh” – get it?) Proceeds support their upcoming third tour to the UK in August, 2011.
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Well, Blackbeard did wear red ribbons in his beard, not unlike the ones we use to wrap holiday gift packages. Except we don’t light those ribbons on fire, like he did…
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7) GIFT IDEAS FOR MUSIC LOVERS
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Concert tix make great gifts. The Guide’s listings go waaaaay into next year, to help you find the perfect one to match your special friends’ tastes. And some venues will make-up gift certificates to “use anytime” for concert tix of the recipient’s choice, if you ask ’em.
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IF you know a musician who is saving to buy a particular instrument AT A PARTICULAR MUSIC STORE, why not help out with a gift certificate from that store? But be careful, or your hard-earned bucks could get trapped in some limbo between what’s wanted and what’s suddenly available for the wrong thing at the wrong place. (We’re not fans of store “gift cards” from any store, for the very same reason.)
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Beyond that? Well, there’s that always-wonderful holiday gift idea: give a fine CD to your music loving friends! And please buy it from the artist at a gig or from your local RECORD STORE.
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8) 41 YEARS LATER, “YOU KNOW THAT IT WOULD BE UNTRUE, YOU KNOW THAT I WOULD BE A LIAR…”
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Iconic DOORS lead singer JIM MORRISON was convicted on charges of Profanity & Indecent Exposure following a performance of the band in Miami in 1969. Morrison died two years later, before his pending appeal could be heard. It all remained that way in the history books until Florida’s outgoing Governor Charlie Crist (the Republican rising star turned independent) decided a pardon was in order. Crist seems to have felt, in the words that political reporter CHRIS MATTHEWS quoted from the old DOORS song, “The Time to Hesitate Is Through,” and that it was time to exonerate one of rock’s most lyrical icons. Accordingly, the state’s Clemency Board unanimously granted Morrison a pardon on December 9, 2010 – 41 years after the conviction, that, in part, caused Morrison to flee America for France, where as another of his songs prophesized, “No one here gets out alive.”
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RECENT NEWS FEATURES (in the past 30 days):
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December 2 edition’s News Features are available at
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http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/12/acoustic-americana-music-guide-dec-2-to.html
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The December 3 “late edition” updates to those stories are available at
http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/12/acoustic-americana-music-guide-dec-3-to.html
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The topics are…
1) “Show-Of-The-Week” Picks, December 3rd through 5th
2) Join the All Star Lineup, Caroling for Shut-Ins, this Sunday
3) Enjoy Live Music While Buying Your Holiday Junk (er, Gifts)…
4) Plan Now – December 11th Offers an Amazing Array of Shows
5) Out-of-Town Holiday Guests? Where to Take ’Em for Music
6) December’s Origins and our “Poem of the Month”
7) December 7th – a Day of Enduring Relevance
8) “Own Chrifmaf Dire in the Moaning” (Yes, we meant to spell it that way…)
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November 24 edition’s News Features are available at
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http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/11/acoustic-americana-music-guide-nov-24.html
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The topics are…
1) “Show-Of-The-Week” Picks, Wednesday & Thanksgiving Day…
2) This Weekend’s “Show-of-the-Week” Picks, November 26-28
3) End of Nov / First Days of Dec: “Shows-of-the-Week,” Nov 29-Dec 5
4) In Yo’ Face (Book)…
5) Image vs. Substance in Cultureless Pop Culture…
6) John McCutcheon to Play Smothers Theatre in January
7) KPFK Adds a New “Public Radio Int’l” Show – Is More Possible?
8) New Holiday Comedy to Debut at Long Beach’s Found Theatre
9) Hollywood Master Chorale Offers Interfaith Holiday “Feast”
* (Our regular feature, “We’d Like You to Meet…” was combined with News Feature #6.)
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November 19 edition’s News Features are available at
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http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/11/acoustic-americana-music-guide-nov-19.html
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The topics are…
1) Workshop: “How To Work The Media,” for Artists & Presenters, Sat, Nov 20
2) Weekend “Show-of-the-Week” Picks, Friday-Sunday, Nov 19-21…
3) This Weekend’s Festival Scene…
4) The Guide’s “Guide” – How to Have A Marvelous Sunday…
5) 2011 “National Folk Festival” Is Worth $10-15 Million
6) “The Most Celebrated Theater In La County” Has A Music Series
7) Google’s Mistakes Have Nearly Caused Wars – The Shooting Kind
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November 17 edition’s News Features (repeats of part of the Nov 11 edition, after the weekend events happened) are available at
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http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/11/acoustic-americana-music-guide-mid-week.html
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The topics are…
1) “How to Work the Media” Workshop – returning, November 20
2) Mike + Ruthy (from The Mammals): CD Release Tour Hits So Cal
3) Caltech Folk Music Society Announces Winter Season Shows
4) Change – and a Comment – for “L.A. County Holiday Celebration”
5) “Red Horse” – Touring Trio, and #1 CD by Top Songwriters
Eliza Gilkyson, John Gorka & Lucy Kaplansky
6) NEW CHRISTY MINSTRELS Are Still at it, in Various Ensembles
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November 11 edition’s News Features are available at
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http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/11/acoustic-americana-music-guide-nov-11.html
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The topics are…
1) Weekend “Show-of-the-Week” Picks, Friday-Sunday, Nov 12-14…
2) This Weekend’s Festival Scene: A Saturday of Fun Choices…
3) SHERYL CROW to Play Free Show in L.A., November 16
4) Mike + Ruthy (from The Mammals): CD Release Tour Hits So Cal
5) Acoustic Eidolon Returns for Three Shows this Weekend
6) Caltech Folk Music Society Announces Winter Season Shows
7) Change – and a Comment – for “L.A. County Holiday Celebration”
8) “Red Horse” – Touring Trio, and #1 CD by Top Songwriters
Eliza Gilkyson, John Gorka & Lucy Kaplansky
9) NEW CHRISTY MINSTRELS Are Still at it, in Various Ensembles
10) “How to Work the Media” Workshop – returning, November 20
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THE LATEST FULL EDITION of the Acoustic Americana Music Guide is always available at
www.acousticmusic.net or at
www.acousticamericana.blogspot.com or by links from the News-only edition at www.nodepression.com/profile/TiedtotheTracks
or by following any of MANY links on the web to get to one of those sites.
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Entire contents copyright (c) © 2010, Larry Wines. All rights reserved.
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Updated Friday, Dec 10. All “recurring events” are included in this edition through December 16, with MANY additional listings of upcoming events through the rest of 2010 and into 2011.
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Each weekly edition is designed to be useful not just for the current week, but well beyond. Each edition focuses on ALL THINGS ACOUSTIC for a span of a week or so – AND adds MORE events to those days’ listings than we had the previous week – PLUS, it’s updated with more events, farther into the future, as we learn of them.
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Now, here’s what’s happening…
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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11
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(1a) Saturday’s “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” picks:
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* 3 pm 37th annual “TUBA CHRIstMaS” a FREE & participatory concert presented by the GOLDEN STATE POPS ORCHESTRA at the Croatian Cultural Center in San Pedro.
* 7 pm THE TUMBLING TUMBLEWEEDS, top award-winning Western group, tour their brand-new CD, "Blaze Across the West," at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, Altadena.
* 7 pm JOEL RAFAEL plays the Folk Music Center in Claremont. He’s a fine songwriter and such a distinctive vocalist that Norah Guthrie has given him original WOODY GUTHRIE lyrics for which he has written music and recorded.
* 7 pm RAUL MALO plus Seth Walker opening, at Brixton South Bay in Redondo Beach.
* 7 pm “KEN O'MALLEY'S TWELVE DAYS OF AN IRISH CHRISTMAS” show at Yucca Valley United Methodist Church in Yucca Valley.
* 7:30 pm BAYOU SECO plays the “SongTree” concert series in Goleta.
* 8 & 10 pm DAN HICKS & THE HOT LICKS present "HOLIDAZE IN HICKSVILLE" - CD release concert for the upcoming “Crazy For Christmas” album, at McCabe’s in Santa Monica.
* 8 pm CHRIS STUART & BACKCOUNTRY bring their splendid West Coast bluegrass to Boulevard Music in Culver City.
* 8 pm RONNY COX plays the “Caltech Folk Music Society” series on the Caltech campus in Pasadena.
* 8 pm SLIGO RAGS plays the Fret House in Covina.
* 8 pm AL STEWART plays The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano.
* 8:30 pm Aimee Mann’s “Christmas Show” with music and comedy from Michael Penn, Ben Gibbard, Zoe Deschanel, Patton Oswalt, Paul F. Tompkins, Rich Sommer and special guests, at the Largo at the Coronet in L.A. (runs Thu-Sun, Dec 9-12.)
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(1b) Saturday’s “EVENT-OF-THE-WEEK” FOR ARTISTS:
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* 3 pm 37th annual “TUBA CHRIstMaS” a FREE & participatory concert presented by the GOLDEN STATE POPS ORCHESTRA at the Croatian Cultural Center in San Pedro. Musicians playing tuba and baritone or euphonium are welcome to play; rehearsal is at noon.
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See the complete listings below for all the details.
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(2) Saturday’s RADIO & TV SHOWS
~ that feature live performance-interviews with acoustic musicians, and selected other acoustic music shows (mostly on-line, simulcast from radio stations elsewhere) are listed, in all their abundance, at
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http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/03/saturdays-radio-web-radio-tv-acoustic.html
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(3) Saturday’s “BEST OUT-OF-TOWN EVENTS”
~ beyond the region covered by the Guide’s usual listings:
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Sat, Dec 11, in Yucca Valley; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
7 pm "KEN O'MALLEY'S TWELVE DAYS OF AN IRISH CHRISTMAS" show at Yucca Valley United Methodist Church 57273 Onaga Trail, Yucca Valley. Advance tix, chris@kenomalley.com or 818-389-8512.
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"O'Malley, from Dublin, is a rare talent." — Sean Canniffe, The Irish Herald, San Francisco.
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"The star is O'Malley's voice . . . which effortlessly spans the range from sentimental ballads to aggressive Irish folk, rock and everywhere in between." — Dave Soyars, The Irish Herald.
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"Dust-free and polished to perfection, each song is performed with authenticity, and the care one might use when handling a valuable family heirloom" — Lisa Elaine Scott, Music Connection Magazine.
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Tix $15.
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(4) Saturday’s LOCAL FESTIVALS:
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Sat & Sun, Dec 11 & 12, festival, in OC:
10 am - 6 pm 20th annual “Winter Fantasy - A Palette of Holiday Treasures,” closes this weekend at the Sawdust Art Festival, 935 Laguna Canyon Rd, Laguna Beach 92651; 949-494-3030; www.sawdustartfestival.org/tickets.
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It’s a “great gathering of unique artists, all in one holiday-themed art festival.” Over 170 talented artists and craftspeople create, exhibit and sell their one-of-a-kind handmade artwork. Join them in this outdoor winter wonderland, which includes live music on three stages, falling “snow,” Zoomar’s Petting Zoo, a decorative Town Square, visits with Santa, and a variety of food & drink offerings.
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Sunday, December 12 is the final day to donate your toys to the Toys for Tots drive this season at the Sawdust. Donate a new unwrapped toy for children, newborn to age 17, for FREE one-day admission.
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Nightly, Dec 2–Dec 30:
5-10 pm (Light Display Hours) 15th annual “LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER GRIFFITH PARK LIGHT FESTIVAL” on Crystal Springs Drive, in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. This year’s annual event has nights for pedestrians and bicycles, horseback riders, and more, in addition to the run of nights when only cars make the trip to view the park’s annual light displays. Come see this magnificent display of lights that’s been a tradition for 13 years.
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Schedule for what conveyances are allowed when (including your feet):
> Dec 4-17 are “Vehicle Free Nights,” no cars allowed - you can walk, jog, run, bike, stroll, crawl…anything, except drive.
> Dec 9-30 on Mon, Tue, Wed, & Thurs only - “Horse Enthusiasts” nights, when you can see the lights on horseback.
> Dec 18-30: “Drive through” nights to see the Griffith Park Festival of lights from the comforts of your warm car.
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Exit the Golden State Fwy (I-5) at Los Feliz. Go west on Los Feliz and turn right onto Crystal Springs Dr. Proceed to the entrance of the Light Festival. To view the Light Festival by foot on the walking path, park at the L.A. Zoo’s big parking lot. More info at www.ladwp.com. Free.
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(5a) Saturday’s TODAY-AND-TONIGHT-ONLY
“LOS ANGELES AREA ACOUSTIC MUSIC PERFORMANCES” and related events:
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Sat, Dec 11:
2-7 pm “Spirit of Goodwill Holiday Party” at Duke's Malibu Restaurant, 21150 PCH, Malibu 90265.
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Volunteers are needed to help, in addition to patrons to attend and support the cause. Safety Harbor Kids provides College, Career, Music, and Arts Programs for over 1,000 Orphan, Homeless, and Foster Children all over Los Angeles. At the age of 18, 80% of these children will end up homeless, with 60% ending up in prison. But with your help, we can change these statistics. Its is our goal to motivate these children and provide them with the tools they need to succeed in life. Safety Harbor Kids runs have a 22% expense ratio and all donations are tax deductible. If you would like to contribute call 800-277-0497 or email Melissa@safetyharborkids.org.
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"Safety Harbor Kids is breaking the cycle of poverty, homelessness, and prison."
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Sat, Dec 11; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick & “EVENT-OF-THE-WEEK” for ARTISTS:
3 pm 37th annual “TUBA CHRIstMaS” a FREE & participatory concert presented by the GOLDEN STATE POPS ORCHESTRA at the Croatian Cultural Center, 510 W 7th St, San Pedro 90731.
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More info, call Les Woodsen at 310-625-8306. Musicians playing tuba and baritone or euphonium are welcome to play; rehearsal is at noon.
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Created by Harvey Phillips, Merry TUBACHRISTMAS 2010 concerts will be presented in over 250 cities throughout the United States and in several foreign countries. Phillips was inspired to create Merry TubaChristmas as an annual event honoring his teacher, the late great Tubist William J. Bell (born Christmas Day, 1902).
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Every Christmas season, tuba and euphonium players of all ages, from specific geographic areas, gather to pay respect - through William J. Bell - to all the great artists/teachers who represent their heritage. Every TUBACHRISTMAS performance features traditional Christmas carols especially arranged for the first TUBACHRISTMAS, (December 22, 1974 in NYC's Rockefeller Plaza) by American composer Alec Wilder (died Christmas Eve, 1980). Through Wilder, TUBACHRISTMAS concerts pay grateful tribute to composers who have embraced these noble instruments with solo and ensemble compositions.
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"This is our ninth year in San Pedro and we are happy to have Steven Allen Fox as our Conductor," said Les Woodsen, San Pedro's TUBACHRISTMAS Coordinator. Depending on the population of any given geographic area, TUBACHRISTMAS ensembles may attract multiples of 100 participants aged 8 to over 90 years! The warm, rich organ-like sound of the tuba-euphonium choir has won the ears and hearts of every audience. It is no wonder that TUBACHRISTMAS has become an established Christmas tradition in cities throughout the world.
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The concert is free.
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Sat, Dec 11, a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
7 pm THE TUMBLING TUMBLEWEEDS, top award-winning Western group, touring their brand-new CD, "Blaze Across the West," at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena 91001; reservations 626-794-2424; venue phone 626-398-7917; info www.coffeegallery.com. (“the venue named in FolkWorks as L.A.’s best intimate acoustic listening room venue”).
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The group launched their career at this world-famous little venue, and any time they return, it’s a celebration for those who saw their first show, and for those on stage.
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If the real west is a state of mind, it should surprise no one that not a herd of Texans, but rather a Southern-California-based outfit, THE TUMBLING TUMBLEWEEDS, are the current holders of the top awards bestowed by both entities who recognize the best in Western music. The Tumbleweed’s growing fan base will be happy to know the sophomore CD is set for release on Saturday, November 13 (as of the Guide’s October press time).
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The group won top honors from both the Academy of Western Artists and the Western Music Association following release of their debut album in 2008. Even before arrival of the new CD, the group is currently nominated for the 2010 Western Music Association "Outstanding Entertainer-Group Award" of 2010. With no Grammy specifically for western music, those are the top honors in the genre.
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They’ve been performing the material from their brand-new “Blaze Across the West” album for the past few months, including their new originals when they headlined the “National Day of the Cowboy & Cowgirl” this summer, which set attendance records at the Autry Museum in L.A.’s Griffith Park.
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To simply call this group a charming throwback to the SONS OF THE PIONEERS (complete with matching outfits) denies the originality the Tumbleweeds inject. Sure, they began as a tribute to that classic cowboy group. But they’ve grown their own identity. Among those who celebrate their music and performance? "Great Harmony, creative arrangements, keeping the tradition alive!" raves “RANGER DOUG” (aka DOUGLAS B. GREEN), of the Grammy-winning RIDERS IN THE SKY.
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Band members “TUMBLEWEED ROB” WOLFSKILL, “BIG CADE” PARENTI, CHRIS ACUFF and “BABYFACE” R.J. MILLS, are accompanied on the new CD by featured players JEAN SUDBURY on fiddle and “SMOKIN’ DAN” DUNGAN on bass.
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The group’s second album is being released both as a CD and digital download. The physical CD is available at www.thetumblingtumbleweeds.com, and on www.CDBaby.com, and digital download is available on iTunes and CDBaby.
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The new album includes five of their original tunes, “The Mighty Santa Fe,” ”Lazin’ Down the Trail,” “Sleepin’ on a Mountain,” “California,” and “So Now You’ve Gone,” each co-written and arranged by the group. As with their debut album, The quartet of Tumbling Tumbleweeds vocalists (and practitioners of fancy footwork) are accompanied on the recorded tracks by Sudbury on fiddle and Dungan on bass. In addition, the album features some notable musical guests.
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TUMBLEWEED ROB says, “We… wanted to go for a more lavish sound on this album and we are thrilled to have some of our friends in the western music world join us on this recording to add to our sound.”
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The result of these collaborations has produced the swing tune, “The Mighty Santa Fe,” featuring the group’s western music pal RIC STEINKE of OPEN RANGE on steel guitar; “Sleepin’ on a Mountain,” featuring “Harmonicowboy” GARY ALLEGRETTO on harmonica (he’s up for a “Grammy consideration”); “California,” a rollicking ranchera-styled homage to the group’s home state, featuring “conjunto norteno” style accordion master OTONO LUJAN of LOS POCHOS. And there’s a medley of swing classics, “You’re Getting Tired of Me” and “You Waited Too Long,” connected with an original Tumbleweeds tune, “So Now You’ve Gone,” making up the album’s “Lost Love Medley” and featuring Steinke once more on steel guitar.
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“We feel strongly about continuing to present the classic songs of the West that folks have come to expect from us,” asserts TUMBLEWEED ROB. He says the group wants to, “share our own thoughts and feelings about what the West means to us. That’s why we included a selection of both classic and original songs on this album.” Tix price, tba.
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Sat, Dec 11; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
7 pm JOEL RAFAEL plays the Folk Music Center, 220 Yale Av, Claremont; 909-624-2928; www.folkmusiccenter.com. He’s a fine songwriter and such a distinctive vocalist that Norah Guthrie has given him original WOODY GUTHRIE lyrics for which he has written music and recorded. He always delivers a fine show.
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Whether telling his own tales or wrapping his artistry around the songs of Woody Guthrie and others, Joel Rafael mixes traditional folk idioms with contemporary ideas and sensibilities in a way that both transcends the moment and is fully present in it. Just call it timeless. More at www.joelrafael.com. Tix, $12.
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Sat, Dec 11; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
7 pm RAUL MALO plus Seth Walker opening, at Brixton South Bay, 100 W Torrance Bl, Redondo Beach; tickets, www.brixtonsouthbay.com/default.asp. Raul is touring his “Tex-o-centric” new CD, “Sinners & Saints,” out now on Fantasy Records.Tix, $20.
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Sat, Dec 11, in Yucca Valley; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
7 pm "KEN O'MALLEY'S TWELVE DAYS OF AN IRISH CHRISTMAS" show at Yucca Valley United Methodist Church 57273 Onaga Trail, Yucca Valley. Advance tix, chris@kenomalley.com or 818-389-8512.
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"O'Malley, from Dublin, is a rare talent." — Sean Canniffe, The Irish Herald, San Francisco.
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"The star is O'Malley's voice . . . which effortlessly spans the range from sentimental ballads to aggressive Irish folk, rock and everywhere in between." — Dave Soyars, The Irish Herald.
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"Dust-free and polished to perfection, each song is performed with authenticity, and the care one might use when handling a valuable family heirloom" — Lisa Elaine Scott, Music Connection Magazine.
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Tix $15.
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Sat, Dec 11; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
7:30 pm BAYOU SECO plays the “SongTree” concert series at 820 N Fairview Av, Goleta; 805-403-2639. Show and series info, www.songtree.org. More at www.bayouseco.com
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Sat, Dec 11; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 & 10 pm DAN HICKS & THE HOT LICKS present "HOLIDAZE IN HICKSVILLE" - CD release concert for the upcoming “Crazy For Christmas” album, at McCabe’s, 3101 Pico Bl (Pico at 31st), Santa Monica 90405; www.mccabes.com; 310-828-4403; tix, 310-828-4497. This band is an-star outfit, with standout fiddler RICHARD CHON (SONS OF THE SAN JOAQUIN, SADDLE CATS), songs that were hits, and more that should’ve been. Highly musical, highly entertaining, even before we hear their “Hicksville” take on Holiday material.
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McCabe’s says, “Hailed as ‘the eternal hipster, purveyor of the drollest and most swingin' tunes the rock generation ever enjoyed’ (Minneapolis Star Tribune), Hicks and his co-horts have hijacked the holidays and created a Christmas album you'll enjoy all year long. Crazy For Christmas is classic Hicks, full of the dry wit and musical brilliance that has defined his oeuvre, and helped establish him as one of American music's true cult heroes.” More at www.danhicks.net. Tix, $26.50.
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Sat, Dec 11; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm CHRIS STUART & BACKCOUNTRY bring their splendid West Coast bluegrass to Boulevard Music, 4316 Sepulveda Bl, Culver City; www.boulevardmusic.com; 310-398-2583. Venue’s website has a helpful local dining guide.
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With a repertoire of classics and fine originals by Chris Stuart and banjo master JANET BEAZLEY, it’s no wonder they play a far-flung circuit of bluegrass festivals. Remember to request “50 Naked Pentecostals in a Pontiac.” It’s based on a true story that coulda come right out of Keith Olbermann’s “Oddball” feature.
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Performing first class original and traditional bluegrass plus Americana, Chris Stuart and Backcountry features, Chris Stuart guitar, Janet Beazley banjo, Eric Uglum guitar, and brothers Chrisitan and Austin Ward on upright bass and fiddle. Chris’ superb bluegrass and gospel songs have been recorded by Claire Lynch, Larry Cordle, and many others. He charted five songs on the Bluegrass Unlimited chart. Fine vocals with tasteful arrangements with Chris’ great material is a winning combination. More at www.chrisstuart.com. Tix, $15.
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Sat, Dec 11; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm RONNY COX plays the “Caltech Folk Music Society” series at the CALTECH FOLK MUSIC SOCIETY series in Beckman Institute Auditorium (“Little Beckman”) on the campus, 322 S Michigan Av, Pasadena; 626-395-4652, or toll-free 888-2CALTECH (1-888-222-5832). More on the Caltech Folk Music Series at www.folkmusic.caltech.edu - and check-out other music on campus at Caltech Presents / Caltech Public Events series at www.events.caltech.edu.
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RONNY COX is a famous screen and TV actor who played Woody Guthrie’s sidekick in “Bound for Glory,” and he’s known to millions from his first film role, which included playing the “Dueling Banjos” guitar part in “Deliverance.” More recently, Ronny Cox played slithery corporate snakes in “RoboCop” and “Total Recall.” He’s played the President of the United States 20-some times, and had the recurring role as the Senator who kept trying to shutdown TV‘s “Stargate.” Ronny is a fine songwriter and folk singer who earned “Listener Favorite” honors on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks.” He charms crowds with self-teasing humor, tart progressive insight, and a lulling Southwestern folk sound. His repertoire is a smart mix of witty ditties, bluesy swing tunes, heart-on-sleeve Romances, and real-life anthems. Ronny’s newest CD, "Songs... with Repercussions" was reviewed in FolkWorks (www.folkworks.org/content/view/36151/167) by the Guide’s editor, en-route to its reaching # 1 on the Folk DJ playlist, and finishing as # 48 for the entire year. Ronny’s all-star accompanists – award-winning musicians in their own rights – join him for this performance. They are Austin-based KAREN MAL on mandolin, and RADOSLAV LORKOVIC on accordion and keyboards. More at www.ronnycox.com.
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The campus ticket office handles the Folk Music Society’s advance tickets, takes credit cards, and is open Noon-5 pm, Mon-Fri; their number is 626-395-4652. As the date gets close, this will likely sell-out. Tickets are $15, $5 for children and Caltech students.
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Sat, Dec 11; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm SLIGO RAGS plays the Fret House, 309 N Citrus, Covina; 626-339-7020; www.frethouse.com. They’ve won awards individually and collectively, and oft been acclaimed as the best Celtic band in Southern California – and even the purists enjoy their delivery of Irish and Celtic music with a decidedly bluegrass attitude. Larry Wines named them among the “Best of 2008 / Top Ten” acoustic bands in L.A.
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Sat, Dec 11; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick, in South OC:
8 pm AL STEWART plays The Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano; 949-496-8927; www.thecoachhouse.com. He’s famous for those great songs, “Time Passages” and “Year of the Cat,” and he gets to L.A. only once every couple of years… More at www.alstewart.com
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Sat, Dec 11:
8 pm Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers plus BOBBY BLUEHOUSE opening at the Arcadia Blues Club, 16 E Huntington Dr, Arcadia 91006; 626-447-9349; www.arcadiabluesclub.com. Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers at 10:30, Bobby Bluehouse at 8. Tix, $20.
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Sat, Dec 11; Thu-Sun, Dec 9-12; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8:30 pm Aimee Mann’s “Christmas Show” with music and comedy from Michael Penn, Ben Gibbard, Zoe Deschanel, Patton Oswalt, Paul F. Tompkins, Rich Sommer and special guests, at the Largo at the Coronet, 366 N La Cienega Bl, L.A. 90048; www.largo-la.com. The former Til Tuesday singer presents her annual star-studded holiday bash. Tix, $40.
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Sat, Dec 11:
9 pm “Ho-Ho-Hoedown” with Scott Doherty plus Rose’s Pawn Shop at The Hotel Café, 1623 1/2 N Cahuenga Bl, Hollywood 90028; www.hotelcafe.com. Tix, $8.
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Sat, Dec 11:
9 pm Rick Holmstrom at Café Boogaloo, 1238 Hermosa Av, Hermosa Beach 90254; 310-318-2324; www.boogaloo.com.
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Sat, Dec 11:
10:30 pm-1 am Paul Inman's Delivery @ 321 at Taix, 1911 Sunset Bl, Echo Park. No cover.
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(5b) Saturday’s RECURRING
“LOS ANGELES AREA ACOUSTIC MUSIC PERFORMANCES” and related events.
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THERE ARE 29 (yep, Twenty-nine!) ADDITIONAL EVENTS, TODAY & TONIGHT!
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Included are today & tonight’s weekly and monthly residencies, series, showcases, workshops, open mics and other acoustic music events that are scheduled in advance to happen today and tonight, from northern Santa Barbara County to south Orange County, from downtown L.A. to the valleys to the Inland Empire, from the desert to the sea.
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http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/08/saturday-second-saturday-every-month.html
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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12
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On this day in 1901, GUGLIELMO MARCONI sent the first radio signal across the Atlantic, from Cornwall, England, to Newfoundland. His wireless radio immediately began to save lives at sea. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1909. Today’s communications industry was made possible by the many innovations and advances of Marconi.
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(1a) Sunday’s “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” picks:
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* 2 pm & 7 pm JIM CURRY PRESENTS “A JOHN DENVER CHRISTMAS” with musical guest STEVE WEISBERG for two shows at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena.
* 2 pm "SONGWRITER SANCTUM" presents its annual HOLIDAY SHOW with many artists at the Church in Ocean Park in Santa Monica.
* 3 pm "KEN O'MALLEY'S TWELVE DAYS OF AN IRISH CHRISTMAS" show at the Fox Theatre in Redlands.
* 5 pm LEROY THOMAS & THE ZYDECO ROADRUNNERS perform for the “Cajun-Zydeco Dance Series” at the Golden Sails Hotel in Long Beach.
* 7 pm JEFF LINSKY performs at the Fret House in Covina.
* 7 pm JIM CURRY PRESENTS “A JOHN DENVER CHRISTMAS” with musical guest STEVE WEISBERG at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, Altadena (shows at 2 & 7 pm).
* 8:30 pm Aimee Mann’s “Christmas Show” with music and comedy from Michael Penn, Ben Gibbard, Zoe Deschanel, Patton Oswalt, Paul F. Tompkins, Rich Sommer and special guests, at the Largo at the Coronet in L.A. (runs Thu-Sun, Dec 9-12.)
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(1b) Sunday’s “EVENT-OF-THE-WEEK” FOR ARTISTS:
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2-4 pm WORKSHOP WITH JEFF LINSKY, at the Fret House in Covina.
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See the complete listings below for all the details.
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(2) Sunday’s RADIO & TV SHOWS
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TODAY ONLY:
4 pm (Pacific) Dave Gleason is playing live on WSM's (650 am radio in Nashville, on the web globally, with video) “Americana Carnival” with Gary Bennett (BR5-49) – the show is broadcast live from “Robert's Western World / Nashville.”
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Video at www.wsmonline.com/home/shows/americana-carnival
Radio (audio only) at www.wsmonline.com
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“Americana Carnival” is one hour of the best in Americana, alt-country, roots, honky tonk, hillbilly, outlaw and twang music. Tony Doolin, “The Professor of Honky Tonk Music,” explores the lost highway of the Americana music genre from Hank Sr. to Hank III. The second Sunday of every month, “Americana Carnival” broadcast “on the road” from Robert's Western World on Lower Broadway in Nashville, showcasing live performances from Americana legends and the finest rising stars of the genre.
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If you’re in Nashville, you can attend a live taping at Robert's Western World, 416B Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203; www.robertswesternworld.com; 615-244-9552. Venue is 21+, event is free, at 6 pm sharp, CST. Audience can arrive anytime before 6 pm, and the bar will be open and bands will be playing.
Thanks to Kim Grant for this info.
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Sunday’s recurring RADIO & TV SHOWS
~ that feature live performance-interviews with acoustic musicians, and selected other acoustic music shows (mostly on-line, simulcast from radio stations elsewhere) are listed, in all their abundance, at
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http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/03/sundays-radio-web-radio-tv-acoustic.html
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(3) Sunday’s “BEST OUT-OF-TOWN EVENTS”
~ beyond the region covered by the Guide’s usual listings:
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None reported.
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(4) Sunday’s LOCAL FESTIVALS:
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.
Sun, Dec 12, festival, in OC:
10 am - 6 pm 20th annual “Winter Fantasy - A Palette of Holiday Treasures,” closes this weekend at the Sawdust Art Festival, 935 Laguna Canyon Rd, Laguna Beach 92651; 949-494-3030; www.sawdustartfestival.org/tickets.
+
It’s a “great gathering of unique artists, all in one holiday-themed art festival.” Over 170 talented artists and craftspeople create, exhibit and sell their one-of-a-kind handmade artwork. Join them in this outdoor winter wonderland, which includes live music on three stages, falling “snow,” Zoomar’s Petting Zoo, a decorative Town Square, visits with Santa, and a variety of food & drink offerings.
+
Sunday, December 12 is the final day to donate your toys to the Toys for Tots drive this season at the Sawdust. Donate a new unwrapped toy for children, newborn to age 17, for FREE one-day admission.
.
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.
==============
.
Nightly, Dec 2–Dec 30:
5-10 pm (Light Display Hours) 15th annual “LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER GRIFFITH PARK LIGHT FESTIVAL” on Crystal Springs Drive, in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. This year’s annual event has nights for pedestrians and bicycles, horseback riders, and more, in addition to the run of nights when only cars make the trip to view the park’s annual light displays. Come see this magnificent display of lights that’s been a tradition for 13 years.
+
Schedule for what conveyances are allowed when (including your feet):
> Dec 4-17 are “Vehicle Free Nights,” no cars allowed - you can walk, jog, run, bike, stroll, crawl…anything, except drive.
> Dec 9-30 on Mon, Tue, Wed, & Thurs only - “Horse Enthusiasts” nights, when you can see the lights on horseback.
> Dec 18-30: “Drive through” nights to see the Griffith Park Festival of lights from the comforts of your warm car.
+
Exit the Golden State Fwy (I-5) at Los Feliz. Go west on Los Feliz and turn right onto Crystal Springs Dr. Proceed to the entrance of the Light Festival. To view the Light Festival by foot on the walking path, park at the L.A. Zoo’s big parking lot. More info at www.ladwp.com. Free.
.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
.
.
(5a) Sunday’s TODAY-AND-TONIGHT-ONLY
“LOS ANGELES AREA ACOUSTIC MUSIC PERFORMANCES” and related events:
.
.
Sun, Dec 12; an “EVENT-OF-THE-WEEK” FOR ARTISTS:
2-4 pm WORKSHOP WITH JEFF LINSKY, at the Fret House, 309 N Citrus, Covina; 626-339-7020; www.frethouse.com. Plus, he does a concert here tonight at 7 that’s a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick.
+
Jeff presents a 2-hour workshop focusing on arranging and improvisation for the solo guitar. Jeff's simple approach to ear training and basic harmony is accessible to players of all skill levels. Acoustic Guitar Magazine writes: "This astonishing guitarist seems to have bridged entirely that troublesome gap between brain and fingers."
More at www.jefflinsky.com. Workshop is $40.
.
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.
==============
.
Sun, Dec 12; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
2 pm & 7 pm JIM CURRY PRESENTS “A JOHN DENVER CHRISTMAS” with musical guest Steve Weisberg for two shows – a matinee & an evening show – at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena; reservations, 626-794-2424; info, www.coffeegallery.com.
+
Venue impresario Bob Stane says, “Just like Santa Claus, eggnog and the Santa Ana winds, Jim Curry returns to the Coffee Gallery Backstage to perform the heartfelt Christmas songs of John Denver for good little boys and girls. Jim will be joined by his merry band of elves, with wife Anne on vocals and mandolin, Diane Ireland on flutes and Marty Hillman on keyboard. The 2 shows (the same show twice) at the Coffee Gallery Backstage are one stop on Curry’s week-long Christmas Tour, and the Curry’s last appearance at the Coffee Gallery in 2010.
+
Steve Weisberg will be featured, up close and personal as Jim’s special guest. Steve recorded and toured with John Denver during Denver’s biggest years, 1973-77. Steve played lead guitar, dobro, pedal steel, sang the low harmony, and wrote songs for the last 7 of John's 9 Platinum albums. Denver recorded some of Steve’s songs, most notably, “Christmas for Cowboys,” which Jim and Steve will perform (sans Muppets) along with other popular Christmas tunes featured on John Denver Christmas albums.
+
These shows will sell-out, so make reservations early, or take your chances with the waiting list. Jim Curry was the singing voice of the late John Denver in the movie, “Take Me Home, the John Denver Story.” Jim did this show here last year and it was marvelous. Tix, $20, either show.
.
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.
==============
.
Sun, Dec 12; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick::
2 pm "SONGWRITER SANCTUM" presents its annual HOLIDAY SHOW at the Church in Ocean Park, 235 Hill St, Santa Monica 90405.
+
Many performances and much more, including a potluck, a toy drive, and a mini-boutique of gifts and crafts for sale, made by
local artists.
+
*Holiday Song-Share* with MANY musicians, performing your favorite holiday tunes and their own original holiday songs and others
they've written. Emcees are Sabrina & Craig, winners of the "Traditional Singing" contest at this year's Topanga anjo Fiddle Contest.
+
*Holiday Potluck* - Feel free to bring a dish of some sort to share -- they have paper plates and plastic-ware. They need drinks, main dishes, snacks.
+
*Holiday Toy Drive* - You are invited to participate in a toy drive for children in need. Bring a toy valued between $5 and $25. Be sure that it is NEW and NOT wrapped.
The toy will be donated to the Church In Ocean Park (the venue), to be dispersed through various kid's programs -- a needy child will receive it.
+
*Holiday Gifts Mini-Boutique* - local artists and crafts people selling some of their products throughout the afternoon -- come early. (BRING CASH).
+
CDs available from the afternoon's performing singer-songwriters.
+
Song-Share performers include:
Chauncey Bowers, Jill Freeman, Tim Tedrow & Terry Vreeland, Rocky Gaines, Dale LaDuke, Lorin Hart, Ric Taylor, Berington Van Campen, Robert Morgan Fisher, Sabrina & Craig, John M., Jeannie Willets, J.C. Hyke, Paul Zollo, Lisa Turner, Tracy Newman.
+
Free, donations welcome and appreciated.
.
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.
==============
.
Sun, Dec 12, in Redlands; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
3 pm "KEN O'MALLEY'S TWELVE DAYS OF AN IRISH CHRISTMAS" show at the Fox Theatre 123 Cajon St., Redlands; www.foxeventcenter.com.
+
"O'Malley, from Dublin, is a rare talent." — Sean Canniffe, The Irish Herald, San Francisco.
+
"The star is O'Malley's voice . . . which effortlessly spans the range from sentimental ballads to aggressive Irish folk, rock and everywhere in between." — Dave Soyars, The Irish Herald.
+
"Dust-free and polished to perfection, each song is performed with authenticity, and the care one might use when handling a valuable family heirloom" — Lisa Elaine Scott, Music Connection Magazine.
+
Advance tix, chris@kenomalley.com or 818-389-8512. Tix $15.
.
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.
==============
.
Sun, Dec 12; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
5 pm LEROY THOMAS & THE ZYDECO ROADRUNNERS perform for the “Cajun-Zydeco Dance Series” at the Golden Sails Hotel, in the PCH Club, 6285 E Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach.
.
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.
==============
.
Sun, Dec 12:
6-9 pm “Walter Spencer presents: Another Sunday night roast” with Dave Mustang Lang, Amy Blaschke, Joe Bourdet, Victoria Scott, John Pick, Walter Spencer, Jazz Dave plus special guests, at 1642 Bar, 1642 Temple, Echo Park; 213-989-6836.
.
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.
==============
.
Sun, Dec 12; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
7 pm JEFF LINSKY performs at the Fret House, 309 N Citrus, Covina; 626-339-7020; www.frethouse.com. Plus, he does a workshop here today at 1 pm that’s an “EVENT-OF-THE-WEEK” FOR ARTISTS (see listing).
+
Acclaimed guitarist and award-winning composer Jeff Linsky has been sharing his beautiful music with concert audiences around the world for over three decades. Renowned for his remarkable improvisational skills and endless repertoire, Linsky has performed privately for everyone from the President of the United States to the Dalai Lama. Jeff's Annual Holiday Guitar Concert has become a popular tradition at the Fret House.
+
"Linsky's talent is the stuff guitarists' dreams are made of."
~ Guitar Player Magazine
+
Acoustic Guitar Magazine writes: "This astonishing guitarist seems to have bridged entirely that troublesome gap between brain and fingers."
+
More at www.jefflinsky.com. Doors at 6:30. Tix, $20.
.
///\\\///\\\
.
==============
.
Sun, Dec 12; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
7 pm JIM CURRY PRESENTS “A JOHN DENVER CHRISTMAS” with musical guest Steve Weisberg for two shows – a 2 pm matinee & a 7 pm evening show – at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena; reservations, 626-794-2424; info, www.coffeegallery.com.
+
Venue impresario Bob Stane says, “Just like Santa Claus, eggnog and the Santa Ana winds, Jim Curry returns to the Coffee Gallery Backstage to perform the heartfelt Christmas songs of John Denver for good little boys and girls. Jim will be joined by his merry band of elves, with wife Anne on vocals and mandolin, Diane Ireland on flutes and Marty Hillman on keyboard. The 2 shows (the same show twice) at the Coffee Gallery Backstage are one stop on Curry’s week-long Christmas Tour, and the Curry’s last appearance at the Coffee Gallery in 2010.
+
Steve Weisberg will be featured, up close and personal as Jim’s special guest. Steve recorded and toured with John Denver during Denver’s biggest years, 1973-77. Steve played lead guitar, dobro, pedal steel, sang the low harmony, and wrote songs for the last 7 of John's 9 Platinum albums. Denver recorded some of Steve’s songs, most notably, “Christmas for Cowboys,” which Jim and Steve will perform (sans Muppets) along with other popular Christmas tunes featured on John Denver Christmas albums.
+
These shows will sell-out, so make reservations early, or take your chances with the waiting list. Jim Curry was the singing voice of the late John Denver in the movie, “Take Me Home, the John Denver Story.” Jim did this show here last year and it was marvelous. Tix, $20, either show.
.
///\\\///\\\
.
==============
.
Sun, Dec 12:
7 pm annual “McCABE'S FREE HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA” at McCabe’s, 3101 Pico Bl (Pico at 31st), Santa Monica 90405; www.mccabes.com; 310-828-4403; tix, 310-828-4497.
+
It’s McCabe’s last show of the year, and booker Lincoln Myerson tells us, “As our gift to you, we invite the talented McCabe's teachers, staff, and various hangers-on, to perform in a variety show format. Expect lots of homespun holiday cheer, some dazzling displays of musical prowess, and maybe even an appearance by our fearless leader, head honcho Bob Riskin, who traditionally performs live science experiments that threaten to blow up the building. We'll also provide snacks, coffee, and hot apple cider. And did we mention that it's all free? Doors open at 6:40, or so. Happy Holidays from all of us at McCabe's.”
.
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.
==============
.
Sun, Dec 12; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8:30 pm Aimee Mann’s “Christmas Show” with music and comedy from Michael Penn, Ben Gibbard, Zoe Deschanel, Patton Oswalt, Paul F. Tompkins, Rich Sommer and special guests, at the Largo at the Coronet, 366 N La Cienega Bl, L.A. 90048; www.largo-la.com. The former Til Tuesday singer presents her annual star-studded holiday bash. Tix, $40.
.
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
.
.
(5b) Sunday’s RECURRING
“LOS ANGELES AREA ACOUSTIC MUSIC PERFORMANCES” and related events.
+
THERE ARE 39 (Thirty-nine!) ADDITIONAL EVENTS, TODAY & TONIGHT!
+
Included are today & tonight’s weekly and monthly residencies, series, showcases, workshops, open mics and other acoustic music events that are scheduled in advance to happen today and tonight, from northern Santa Barbara County to south Orange County, from downtown L.A. to the valleys to the Inland Empire, from the desert to the sea.
.
http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/07/sunday-second-sunday-every-month-in.html
.
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.
.
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.
.
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
MONDAY, DECEMBER 13
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
.
.
(1) Monday’s “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” picks:
+
* 8 pm KRIS COLT & THE BLACK ROSE BAND plus JOHN ANDREW PARKS play the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena.
* 8 pm "FREE COFFEE & DOUGHNUTS - SONGS FROM THE GREAT DEPRESSION(S), 1929 / 2010" at Neighborhood Unitarian Church in Pasadena (runs Mon & Tue, Dec 13 & 14).
.
See the complete listings below for all the details.
.
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
.
.
(2) Monday’s RADIO & TV SHOWS
~ that feature live performance-interviews with acoustic musicians, and selected other acoustic music shows (mostly on-line, simulcast from radio stations elsewhere) are listed, in all their abundance, at
.
http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/03/mondays-radio-web-radio-tv-acoustic.html
.
///\\\///\\\
.
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
.
.
(3) Monday’s “BEST OUT-OF-TOWN EVENTS”
~ beyond the region covered by the Guide’s usual listings:
.
.
None reported.
.
///\\\///\\\
.
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
.
.
(4) Monday’s LOCAL FESTIVALS:
.
.
Nightly, Dec 2–Dec 30:
5-10 pm (Light Display Hours) 15th annual “LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER GRIFFITH PARK LIGHT FESTIVAL” on Crystal Springs Drive, in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. This year’s annual event has nights for pedestrians and bicycles, horseback riders, and more, in addition to the run of nights when only cars make the trip to view the park’s annual light displays. Come see this magnificent display of lights that’s been a tradition for 13 years.
+
Schedule for what conveyances are allowed when (including your feet):
> Dec 4-17 are “Vehicle Free Nights,” no cars allowed - you can walk, jog, run, bike, stroll, crawl…anything, except drive.
> Dec 9-30 on Mon, Tue, Wed, & Thurs only - “Horse Enthusiasts” nights, when you can see the lights on horseback.
> Dec 18-30: “Drive through” nights to see the Griffith Park Festival of lights from the comforts of your warm car.
+
Exit the Golden State Fwy (I-5) at Los Feliz. Go west on Los Feliz and turn right onto Crystal Springs Dr. Proceed to the entrance of the Light Festival. To view the Light Festival by foot on the walking path, park at the L.A. Zoo’s big parking lot. More info at www.ladwp.com. Free.
.
///\\\///\\\
.
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
.
.
(5a) Monday’s TODAY-AND-TONIGHT-ONLY
“LOS ANGELES AREA ACOUSTIC MUSIC PERFORMANCES” and related events:
.
.
Mon, Dec 13; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm KRIS COLT & THE BLACK ROSE BAND plus JOHN ANDREW PARKS play the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena; reservations, 626-794-2424; info, www.coffeegallery.com.
+
KRIS COLT, with her BLACK ROSE BAND, is successfully weaving her radio-charted originals as an American Celtic singer-songwriter. Venue impresario Bob Stane says they “will lead you through an evening of classics as you've always loved them and never experienced them before.” Indeed, you can tune-in to 200 small commercial radio stations (everywhere in America except Southern Cal) to hear Kris Colt's new single release, the dramatically passionate "Arms of A Stranger," released in fall, 2010.
+
Influenced by Irish, Scots, swamp, and Appalachian folk, The Black Rose Band has lovingly been together for several years playing pubs, clubs, and major music festivals across Southern Cal, and is greatly looking forward to their Coffee Gallery experience.
+
PLUS,
JOHN ANDREW PARKS, whose voice, says Bob Stane, “is the seven-pound star sapphire you find hidden among the boulders in your backyard. The lost Picasso someone finds at a garage sale. The rare coin that’s jingling among the change in your pocket.” Parks is a Songwriter's Songwriter, a Poet, and a Storyteller. Parks' melodic narratives run from windblown prairies and old jalopies to shooting stars across the cosmic canvas. As Kenny Rogers once said on an NBC Television Special, “John Andrew Parks is one of the greatest singer-songwriters I’ve heard in 20 years, and whether or not you like this song you have never heard anything like it before!”
+
Equally important is his voice with its three-octave range. Not only is it beautiful, it's powerful and highly stylized. His act is filled with humor, pathos and the rhythm of a steam locomotive. Parks traverses from a Texas-style bluster, bigger than life, to an intimate whisper that evokes some third, unseen entity that seems to glue the audience together into one single universal spirit. A music critic from The Music Connection attending one of his concerts cited, “The breath of the audience came to a halt, and that’s when I heard my own heart beating.” The experience, I think you’ll find, is absolutely unique.
+
The music community continues to herald Parks’ unique sound and style. Jim Fogelsong, a Lifetime Achievement Grammy winner, commented: “John Andrew Parks’ influence will be felt for a decade to come.”
+
More at www.kriscolt.com and www.johnandrewparks.com. Tix, $15.
.
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.
==============
.
Mon & Tue, Dec 13 & 14; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm "FREE COFFEE & DOUGHNUTS - SONGS FROM THE GREAT DEPRESSION(S), 1929 / 2010" at Neighborhood Unitarian Church, 301 N Orange Grove Bl, Pasadena 91103. Tix orders, www.LASonicOdyssey.org
+
Featuring 1960s Grammy-winner IAN WHITCOMB (then a British Invasion rocker); plus: crossover pianist BRYAN PEZZONE; L.A. ‘s WHAT’S NEXT ENSEMBLE directed by VIMBAYI KAZIBONI & JOHN STULTZ; the IMAGINARY FOLK DUO with MICHAEL KUDIRKA on guitar & TARA SCHWAB on flute; Belarus pianist YEVGENIY MILYAVSKIY; new works by composers JENNIFER LOGAN & PATRICIO DA SILVA. Tix, $35 & $27.
.
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.
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
.
.
(5b) Monday’s RECURRING
“LOS ANGELES AREA ACOUSTIC MUSIC PERFORMANCES” and related events.
+
THERE ARE 22 (yep, Twenty-two!) ADDITIONAL EVENTS, TODAY & TONIGHT!
+
Included are today & tonight’s weekly and monthly residencies, series, showcases, workshops, open mics and other acoustic music events that are scheduled in advance to happen today and tonight, from northern Santa Barbara County to south Orange County, from downtown L.A. to the valleys to the Inland Empire, from the desert to the sea.
.
http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/07/monday-second-monday-every-month-in.html
.
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.
.
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.
.
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
.
.
On this day in 1919, ROALD AMUNDSEN’s dog sled expedition reached the South Pole. The all-time low of -102 degrees Fahrenheit wouldn’t be recorded there until 1957 & 1958. So don’t tell us about winter in Southern Cal.
.
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
.
.
(1) Tuesday’s “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” picks:
+
* 8 pm "FREE COFFEE & DOUGHNUTS - SONGS FROM THE GREAT DEPRESSION(S), 1929 / 2010" at Neighborhood Unitarian Church in Pasadena (runs Mon & Tue, Dec 13 & 14).
* 8 pm LED ZEPAGAIN plays an “All Acoustic Show” at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena.
* 8 pm AARON SALĀ plays the Ruth Shannon Center for the Performing Arts, Whittier.
.
See the complete listings below for all the details.
.
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
.
.
(2) Tuesday’s RADIO & TV SHOWS
~ that feature live performance-interviews with acoustic musicians, and selected other acoustic music shows (mostly on-line, simulcast from radio stations elsewhere) are listed, in all their abundance, at
.
http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/03/tuesdays-radio-web-radio-tv-acoustic.html
.
///\\\///\\\
.
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
.
.
(3) Tuesday’s “BEST OUT-OF-TOWN EVENTS”
~ beyond the region covered by the Guide’s usual listings:
.
.
None reported.
.
///\\\///\\\
.
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
.
.
(4) Tuesday’s LOCAL FESTIVALS:
.
.
Nightly, Dec 2–Dec 30:
5-10 pm (Light Display Hours) 15th annual “LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER GRIFFITH PARK LIGHT FESTIVAL” on Crystal Springs Drive, in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. This year’s annual event has nights for pedestrians and bicycles, horseback riders, and more, in addition to the run of nights when only cars make the trip to view the park’s annual light displays. Come see this magnificent display of lights that’s been a tradition for 13 years.
+
Schedule for what conveyances are allowed when (including your feet):
> Dec 4-17 are “Vehicle Free Nights,” no cars allowed - you can walk, jog, run, bike, stroll, crawl…anything, except drive.
> Dec 9-30 on Mon, Tue, Wed, & Thurs only - “Horse Enthusiasts” nights, when you can see the lights on horseback.
> Dec 18-30: “Drive through” nights to see the Griffith Park Festival of lights from the comforts of your warm car.
+
Exit the Golden State Fwy (I-5) at Los Feliz. Go west on Los Feliz and turn right onto Crystal Springs Dr. Proceed to the entrance of the Light Festival. To view the Light Festival by foot on the walking path, park at the L.A. Zoo’s big parking lot. More info at www.ladwp.com. Free.
.
///\\\///\\\
.
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
.
.
(5a) Tuesday’s TODAY-AND-TONIGHT-ONLY
“LOS ANGELES AREA ACOUSTIC MUSIC PERFORMANCES” and related events:
.
.
Tue, Dec 14; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm "FREE COFFEE & DOUGHNUTS - SONGS FROM THE GREAT DEPRESSION(S), 1929 / 2010" at Neighborhood Unitarian Church, 301 N Orange Grove Bl, Pasadena 91103. Tix orders, www.LASonicOdyssey.org
+
Featuring 1960s Grammy-winner IAN WHITCOMB (then a British Invasion rocker); plus: crossover pianist BRYAN PEZZONE; L.A. ‘s WHAT’S NEXT ENSEMBLE directed by VIMBAYI KAZIBONI & JOHN STULTZ; the IMAGINARY FOLK DUO with MICHAEL KUDIRKA on guitar & TARA SCHWAB on flute; Belarus pianist YEVGENIY MILYAVSKIY; new works by composers JENNIFER LOGAN & PATRICIO DA SILVA. (Runs Mon & Tue, Dec 13 & 14.) Tix, $35 & $27.
.
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.
==============
.
Tue, Dec 14; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm LED ZEPAGAIN plays an “All Acoustic Show” at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena; reservations, 626-794-2424; info, www.coffeegallery.com. They’re one of the top Led Zep tribute bands in the country, they’ve played many large venues, and if you’ve never heard “Stairway to Heaven” done acoustically, that alone is worth the price of admission to see them in L.A.’s best intimate acoustic listening room.
+
Venue impresario Bob Stane says, “this is an acoustic show.... no blazing amps and earplugs, just like the acoustic Eagles show – Led Zepagain is a hot ticket! We are thrilled to announce that Led Zepagain, Southern California's outstanding tribute to Led Zeppelin, will be performing an intimate set of acoustic Zeppelin classics at the Coffee Gallery Backstage for the first time.”
+
Since the band's inception in 1989, Led Zepagain has become highly regarded as the most authentic representation of Led Zeppelin in the world today, and one of the best tribute bands in the world.
+
In January of 2004, Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page himself attended a Led Zepagain show at the House of Blues in Los Angeles. He was absolutely astonished at the bands accuracy, stating, “It’s amazing how much you sound like us. You must have grown up on this because you were inside the music, and you paid attention to detail in your presentation…I can tell you guys really love the music!”
+
That encounter led to the members of Led Zepagain attending Led Zeppelin's 2007 Reunion Concert at London's O2 Arena and a surprise visit from Jason Bonham in March of 2009, as he sat-in with the band on their encore performance of the song "Rock and Roll." You can see it at www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w6noToYSqQ
+
Having played nationally and internationally in Japan, Ireland, Germany, Bosnia, Peru, Canada, Mexico City and Guam, Led Zepagain regularly performs to packed houses all over the world. There are only 50 seats available for this show, so don't miss the rare opportunity to see this band in an up-close, intimate setting where you'll hear songs such as “Stairway to Heaven,” “Kashmir,” “The Rain Song,” “Going to California,” and many, many more – done acoustically. Make reservations right away for this show – it is sure to sell out quickly. Tix, $25.
.
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.
==============
.
Tue, Dec 14; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm AARON SALĀ plays the Ruth Shannon Center for the Performing Arts, 6760 Painter Av, Whittier; 562-907-4203; www.shannoncenter.org. This promises to be a fine show in a very fine venue for music.
.
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.
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
.
.
(5b) Tuesday’s RECURRING
“LOS ANGELES AREA ACOUSTIC MUSIC PERFORMANCES” and related events.
+
THERE ARE 26 (yep, twenty-six!) ADDITIONAL EVENTS, TODAY & TONIGHT!
+
Included are today & tonight’s weekly and monthly residencies, series, showcases, workshops, open mics and other acoustic music events that are scheduled in advance to happen today and tonight, from northern Santa Barbara County to south Orange County, from downtown L.A. to the valleys to the Inland Empire, from the desert to the sea.
.
http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/11/tuesday-second-tuesday-every-month-in.html
.
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.
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+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
.
.
(1) Wednesday’s “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” picks:
+
* 8 pm ADJOA SKINNER presents "HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS" at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena.
.
See the complete listings below for all the details.
.
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
.
.
(2) Wednesday’s RADIO & TV SHOWS
~ that feature live performance-interviews with acoustic musicians, and selected other acoustic music shows (mostly on-line, simulcast from radio stations elsewhere) are listed, in all their abundance, at
.
http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/03/wednesdays-radio-web-radio-tv-acoustic.html
.
///\\\///\\\
.
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
.
.
(3) Wednesday’s “BEST OUT-OF-TOWN EVENTS”
~ beyond the region covered by the Guide’s usual listings:
.
.
None reported.
.
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(4) Wednesday’s LOCAL FESTIVALS:
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Nightly, Dec 2–Dec 30:
5-10 pm (Light Display Hours) 15th annual “LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER GRIFFITH PARK LIGHT FESTIVAL” on Crystal Springs Drive, in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. This year’s annual event has nights for pedestrians and bicycles, horseback riders, and more, in addition to the run of nights when only cars make the trip to view the park’s annual light displays. Come see this magnificent display of lights that’s been a tradition for 13 years.
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Schedule for what conveyances are allowed when (including your feet):
> Dec 4-17 are “Vehicle Free Nights,” no cars allowed - you can walk, jog, run, bike, stroll, crawl…anything, except drive.
> Dec 9-30 on Mon, Tue, Wed, & Thurs only - “Horse Enthusiasts” nights, when you can see the lights on horseback.
> Dec 18-30: “Drive through” nights to see the Griffith Park Festival of lights from the comforts of your warm car.
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Exit the Golden State Fwy (I-5) at Los Feliz. Go west on Los Feliz and turn right onto Crystal Springs Dr. Proceed to the entrance of the Light Festival. To view the Light Festival by foot on the walking path, park at the L.A. Zoo’s big parking lot. More info at www.ladwp.com. Free.
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(5a) Wednesday’s TODAY-AND-TONIGHT-ONLY
“LOS ANGELES AREA ACOUSTIC MUSIC PERFORMANCES” and related events:
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Wed, Dec 15, a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm ADJOA SKINNER presents "HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS" at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena 91001; reservations 626-794-2424; venue phone 626-398-7917; info www.coffeegallery.com. (“the venue named in FolkWorks as L.A.’s best intimate acoustic listening room venue”).
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"Amazingly beautiful presence, musically and physically on stage." - Acoustic Americana Music Guide
"A Voice that is smooth, creamy and girlish." - Music Connection Magazine
"Amazing Artist" - Charlie Peacock, Grammy award winning producer
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Venue impresario Bob Stane says, "She has filled The Coffee Gallery Backstage for years with her personality and world class music. A 'class' act. ONE SHOW ONLY. Always a big hit at The Coffee Gallery Backstage. Many times here. An international star and a national fave...."
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ADJOA SKINNER....Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, With Adjoa Skinner, who will be singing some of your favorite christmas classics like:
White Christmas, The Christmas Song, I'll be Home For Christmas and more. Bob adds, "Don't miss this opportunity to hear an artist that critics rave about.":
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Even other artists proclaim: "awesome, awesome vocals".... "Wow, what a voice. Your voice is perfect, amazing"..... "Your vocals are so alive, you probably don't even need music behind them. wow!"... "Now that I've listened, there's no more mystery to why you've been holding down the #1 spot!"... "High quality songs and MAD CHOPS! Wow, where have YOU been?"... "Very nice music, your voice is [an]other instrument, the best!"
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See her on line at www.adjoaskinner.com & www.myspace.com/adjoaskinner & www.youtube.com/adjoamusic
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Tix, $20.
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(5b) Wednesday’s RECURRING
“LOS ANGELES AREA ACOUSTIC MUSIC PERFORMANCES” and related events.
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THERE ARE 27 (Twenty-seven!) ADDITIONAL EVENTS, TODAY & TONIGHT!
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Included are today & tonight’s weekly and monthly residencies, series, showcases, workshops, open mics and other acoustic music events that are scheduled in advance to happen today and tonight, from northern Santa Barbara County to south Orange County, from downtown L.A. to the valleys to the Inland Empire, from the desert to the sea.
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http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/12/recurring-events-wedenesday-third-wed.html
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16
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LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN was born on this day in 1770. It simply isn’t safe to single-out any of his compositions, but we will. His “Ode to Joy” has become a global favorite, especially at Christmas.
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(1) Thursday’s “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” picks:
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* 7 pm JOHN GRANT with THE CHAPIN SISTERS plus a special acoustic pre-show set by J. TILLMAN (Fleet Foxes), at the Autry National Center / Autry Museum of the American West, Griffith Park, L.A.
* 8 pm SALTY SUITES, the uber-talented young trio ensemble of Scott Gates, Chuck Hailes, & Chelsea Williams, play the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena.
* 8 pm LOS LOBOS play the Belly Up Tavern in Solano Beach (San Diego).
* 8 pm JOEL RAFAEL with LEON RUSSELL and GREGORY PAGE play 4th and B in San Diego.
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See the complete listings below for all the details.
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(2) Thursday’s RADIO & TV SHOWS
~ that feature live performance-interviews with acoustic musicians, and selected other acoustic music shows (mostly on-line, simulcast from radio stations elsewhere) are listed, in all their abundance, at
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http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/03/thursdays-radio-web-radio-tv-acoustic.html
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(3) Thursday’s “BEST OUT-OF-TOWN EVENTS”
~ beyond the region covered by the Guide’s usual listings:
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Thu, Dec 16; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick in San Diego:
8 pm LOS LOBOS play the Belly Up Tavern, 143 S Cedros Av, Solano Beach (San Diego); 858-481-9022; www.bellyup.com. The best L.A. garage band that ever made it big still mixes acoustic and electric tunes and maintains their musical roots in a variety of places, including Southwestern Folk. More at www.loslobos.org
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Thu, Dec 16; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick in San Diego:
8 pm JOEL RAFAEL with LEON RUSSELL and GREGORY PAGE play 4th and B, 345 B St, San Diego 92101; 619-231-4343; www.4thandbevents.com. JOEL RAFAEL is a fine songwriter and such a distinctive vocalist that Norah Guthrie has given him original WOODY GUTHRIE lyrics for which he has written music and recorded. He always delivers a fine show. Whether telling his own tales or wrapping his artistry around the songs of Woody Guthrie and others, Joel Rafael mixes traditional folk idioms with contemporary ideas and sensibilities in a way that both transcends the moment and is fully present in it. Just call it timeless. More at www.joelrafael.com.
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(4) Thursday’s LOCAL FESTIVALS:
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Nightly, Dec 2–Dec 30:
5-10 pm (Light Display Hours) 15th annual “LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER GRIFFITH PARK LIGHT FESTIVAL” on Crystal Springs Drive, in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. This year’s annual event has nights for pedestrians and bicycles, horseback riders, and more, in addition to the run of nights when only cars make the trip to view the park’s annual light displays. Come see this magnificent display of lights that’s been a tradition for 13 years.
+
Schedule for what conveyances are allowed when (including your feet):
> Dec 4-17 are “Vehicle Free Nights,” no cars allowed - you can walk, jog, run, bike, stroll, crawl…anything, except drive.
> Dec 9-30 on Mon, Tue, Wed, & Thurs only - “Horse Enthusiasts” nights, when you can see the lights on horseback.
> Dec 18-30: “Drive through” nights to see the Griffith Park Festival of lights from the comforts of your warm car.
+
Exit the Golden State Fwy (I-5) at Los Feliz. Go west on Los Feliz and turn right onto Crystal Springs Dr. Proceed to the entrance of the Light Festival. To view the Light Festival by foot on the walking path, park at the L.A. Zoo’s big parking lot. More info at www.ladwp.com. Free.
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(5a) Thursday’s TODAY-AND-TONIGHT-ONLY
“LOS ANGELES AREA ACOUSTIC MUSIC PERFORMANCES” and related events:
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Thu, Dec 16; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
7 pm JOHN GRANT with THE CHAPIN SISTERS perform in Heritage Court, plus a special acoustic pre-show set in the lobby by J. TILLMAN (Fleet Foxes), at the Autry National Center / Autry Museum of the American West, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park, L.A. 90027; 323-667-2000; www.theautry.org.
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Everyone has a favorite band or singer they reckon is subject to criminal neglect. That John Grant's effortlessly rich, expansive baritone, couched in typically heartbreaking, lush melody, hasn't found a wider audience indeed drives his fans to consider a crime. But no longer. Because Grant's first solo album, Queen of Denmark, following three undervalued studio albums (and one similar covers compilation) fronting The Czars, is so undeniably great that the world will surely listen. Queen of Denmark has been named Record of the Year by MOJO Magazine! Presented by Live Buzz, MOG, and New Belgium.
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Catch the video interview by John Grant with the UK’s “The Guardian” newspaper, in which he talks about how he wrote “Where Dreams go to Die.” It’s at www.guardian.co.uk/music/video/2010/jun/17/john-grant-where-dreams-go-to-die
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L.A. promoter Kim Grant sent us a link for the song “Chicken Bones” from John Grant’s debut CD, “Queen of Denmark,” (Kim adds, “It’s very funny, I hope you like it!”). The link is www.vimeo.com/14063938
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Tix available at www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail; $14 for a seats, or $10 general admission (presumably to stand).
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Thu, Dec 16; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm SALTY SUITES, the uber-talented young trio ensemble of Scott Gates, Chuck Hailes, & Chelsea Williams, play the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena; reservations, 626-794-2424; info, www.coffeegallery.com.
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Salty Suites, the new ensemble of Scott Gates, Chuck Hailes, & Chelsea Williams, is a gathering of like minds. They live in the world of live acoustic music, sharing a passion for roots, bluegrass, and traditional mountain music.
+
Scott Gates is as close to a musical prodigy on the mandolin as you will ever meet and now plays guitar with the same fire and brilliance. Scott, now just 18, has been a mainstay at festivals for many years and holds a special place in his heart for people he sees year after year. Having performed all over the country and with artists as varied as John McEuen, Nathan McEuen, Steve Martin, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Kenny Loggins and a who's-who of bluegrass players, Scott has started writing music of his own and will include some of these tunes. Scott appeared last year on the “Ellen” Show with Steve Martin, recorded with Kenny Loggins on his soon-to-be-released family album (which was picked up by Disney), and toured the US with band mate Nathan McEuen.
+
Chuck Hailes, a partner in this new venture, is one of the top bass players in the country, schooled in classical and jazz bass techniques. Chuck writes his own music and has teamed with Scott to create many new musical gems. With his background in bluegrass music, and degree in the Upright Bass, Chuck sings and plays in a way that is uniquely his own.
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Chelsea Williams has been writing and performing her own music since she was 13 years old. After a couple of years in two different working bands, Chelsea took the stage on her own by the age of 17, performing at clubs and coffee shops. While some of her early songs are still hits with her fans, she has continued to develop as a writer penning nearly 100 original songs to date. Chelsea has sold thousands of CDs in recent months, one-by-one, while busking as a street musician (granted, in some high-class places – she is one of the few musicians allowed to perform outdoors on Universal City walk.) Her magnetic presence draws them in and her songs set the hook. Tix, $15.
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(5b) Thursday’s RECURRING
“LOS ANGELES AREA ACOUSTIC MUSIC PERFORMANCES” and related events.
+
THERE ARE 36 (geez, Thirty-six!) ADDITIONAL EVENTS, TODAY & TONIGHT!
+
Included are today & tonight’s weekly and monthly residencies, series, showcases, workshops, open mics and other acoustic music events that are scheduled in advance to happen today and tonight, from northern Santa Barbara County to south Orange County, from downtown L.A. to the valleys to the Inland Empire, from the desert to the sea.
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http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/11/recurring-events-thursday-third.html
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BEYOND THE CURRENT EDITION…
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Coming up, through the final few days of autumn, through the short days (and long nights!) of the coming winter, and waaaay into next year…
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(6) EARLY ANNOUNCEMENTS / UPCOMING EVENTS / BUY TIX NOW
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(Updated December 9 - Check back frequently for more.)
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HELP KEEP THE GUIDE GOING! Send us $25 and get great goodies in return! Find out WHAT you get, and more, at
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http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/03/support-guide-and-get-some-great-dvds.html )
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UPCOMING SHOWS – GET TIX EARLY…
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December:
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Nightly, Dec 2–Dec 30:
5-10 pm (Light Display Hours) 15th annual “LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER GRIFFITH PARK LIGHT FESTIVAL” on Crystal Springs Drive, in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. This year’s annual event has nights for pedestrians and bicycles, horseback riders, and more, in addition to the run of nights when only cars make the trip to view the park’s annual light displays. Come see this magnificent display of lights that’s been a tradition for 13 years.
+
Schedule for what conveyances are allowed when (including your feet):
> Dec 4-17 are “Vehicle Free Nights,” no cars allowed - you can walk, jog, run, bike, stroll, crawl…anything, except drive.
> Dec 9-30 on Mon, Tue, Wed, & Thurs only - “Horse Enthusiasts” nights, when you can see the lights on horseback.
> Dec 18-30: “Drive through” nights to see the Griffith Park Festival of lights from the comforts of your warm car.
+
Exit the Golden State Fwy (I-5) at Los Feliz. Go west on Los Feliz and turn right onto Crystal Springs Dr. Proceed to the entrance of the Light Festival. To view the Light Festival by foot on the walking path, park at the L.A. Zoo’s big parking lot. More info at www.ladwp.com. Free.
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Fri, Dec 17; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick, in Santa Barbara:
8 pm BELA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES bring their “Christmas Show” to UCSB Campbell Hall, on the campus in Santa Barbara; tix & info, 805-893-3535; www.artsandlectures.ucsb.edu. One of the world’s best and most innovative banjo players and his ensemble can take you just about anywhere, musically. More at www.flecktones.com
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Fri, Dec 17; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm CLIFF WAGNER & THE OLD #7 play the Grand Annex, 434 W 6th St, San Pedro; 310-833-6362; www.grandvision.org. They’ve brought their rolickin’ bluegrass-and-beyond music to national TV and plenty of other places, and this is a homecoming for them, back to the venue they helped open a few years ago. Expect some holoday-flavored tunes. More at www.oldnumber7.net
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Fri, Dec 17; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm “SONGS FROM THE DAYS OF THE BYRDS AND BEYOND,” with ex-BYRDS JOHN YORK & Billy Darnell, at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena 91001; reservations 626-794-2424; venue phone 626-398-7917; info www.coffeegallery.com. (“the venue named in FolkWorks as L.A.’s best intimate acoustic listening room venue”).
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They just did this show here, a couple months back, and created such a buzz that venue impresario Bob Stane had to find a way to bring them back. Hence, a second rare chance to see two former members of the legendary folk-rock band, The Byrds.
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JOHN YORK played bass for blues legend LightinG Hopkins. Over the years, as a performing singer-songwriter, John has been a constant musical creative force in support of acts like The Mamas & the Papas, Dr. John, Johnny Rivers, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel, Sir Douglas Quintet, & Rolling Stones keyboardist Nicky Hopkins. Recently, John completed a new solo album, “Fanfare For 2,” and another CD, “West Coast Revelation,” a collaboration with rock legend Kim Fowley.
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Billy Darnell joins John on stage. A veteran performer, Billy was with John in a later Byrds band with Gene Clark. He has also played guitar for The Everly Brothers, Dr. John, & Doug Kershaw.
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The show is filled with familiar Byrds tunes for sing-along, fine original songs and great interpretations of songs from the era, and, adds Bob Stane, “The best music this side of Bob Dylan and The Band. Come join us for an evening of great artistry and entertainment.” Tix, $15.
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Fri, Dec 17; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
10 pm KEN O'MALLEY brings his marvelous voice, masterful guitar, and authentic and original Irish songs to the Auld Dubliner, 71 S Pine Av, Long Beach 90802; 562-437-8300; www.aulddubliner.com. More at www.kenomalley.com
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Sat, Dec 18:
7-9 pm DANIELLE HEBERT plays the Coffee Klatch San Dimas, 806 W Arrow Hwy, suite A, San Dimas 91773l 909-599-0452.
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She says, “I will be playing with very special guest Forrest Robinson. Forrest is an amazing drummer / percussionist but also composer, keyboardist, arranger, producer... He will present his solo music, it is a rare occurrence and I am proud to have him perform his original songs.”
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Canadian artist DANIELLE HEBERT (pronounced “Ehh-bear’) has been profiled in the Guide’s “We’d Like You to Meet” feature (http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/10/acoustic-americana-music-guide-oct-7-to.html ).
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She sang the Canadian National Anthem to a crowd of 30,000 at the Olympic Torch Ceremony. More recently, she was an invited performer at the famous “Love Ride” in LA, hosted by Jay Leno. Danielle opened for Robbie Krieger of the DOORS at this nationally famed charity bike ride. Danielle is as famous as an adventuress, for her amazing one-woman motorcycle trek around the U.S. She’s now completed over 15,000 miles, including her recognition by the Harley Davidson headquarters in Glendale and by Jay Leno and the invitation she received and accepted. Her blog, with tales from her two-wheeladventures on the road, is at http://daniellehebert.wordpress.com. More on Danielle and her music is on her website, www.daniellehebert.com.
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Venue has gourmet coffees, plus sandwiches and pastries.
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Sat, Dec 18; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm THE WITCHER BROTHERS, perhaps the top bluegrass / newgrass act to develop from West Coast roots, performs at Boulevard Music, 4316 Sepulveda Bl, Culver City; www.boulevardmusic.com; 310-398-2583.
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Getting this band back together isn’t easy, because its members are in demand for tours with their other bands. Noted for their powerfully energetic instrumental solos, tight 3-part harmonies, and heartfelt original material by guitarist TONY RECUPIDO, there’s still no question that THE WITCHER BROTHERS deliver one hot show. They’ll bring their fine repertoire of traditional and contemporary bluegrass, original compositions and bluegrass gospel. The band features top fiddler GABE WITCHER, a member of the PUNCH BROTHERS with CHRIS THILE, and MICHAEL WITCHER, that hot Dobro player from MISSY RAINES & THE NEW HIP (who had their radio debut a few years back on “Tied to the Tracks”). It’s an evening with masters of the mandolin, bass, banjo, fiddle and guitar, and a rare reappearance of the group playing together.
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The venue adds, “The Witcher Brothers are considered one of the hottest bluegrass bands in the Southwest, noted for their powerful energetic instrumental solos, tight three-part harmony and heartfelt original material by guitarist Tony Recupido. Traditional to contemporary, original bluegrass compositions and bluegrass gospel. Featuring hot fiddler, Gabe Witcher, a member of the Punch Brothers with Chris Thile, and Michael Witcher who plays hot dobro with Missy Raines and the New Hip. Add mandolin, bass, and banjo and you have the Witcher Brothers making a rare appearance.”
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Venue’s website has a helpful local dining guide. This will surely sell-out. Tix go on sale Dec 4; $15.
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Sat, Dec 18; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm BELA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES bring their “Christmas Show” to the Orpheum Theatre, 842 South Broadway, L.A.; tix & info, 213-749-5171; www.laorpheum.com. One of the world’s best and most innovative banjo players and his ensemble can take you just about anywhere, musically. More at www.flecktones.com
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Sat, Dec 18; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm THE DUO TONES, the surf guitar duo of pioneering stars PAUL JOHNSON & GIL ORR, at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena; reservations, 626-794-2424; info, www.coffeegallery.com.
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Veteran rock-instrumental masters PAUL JOHNSON & GIL ORR have hit upon a unique and winning idea: by leaving out the drums and bass, they put the focus on their delightful dual-guitar interplay (both acoustic and electric), which lends fresh appeal to the surf-instro genre.
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PAUL JOHNSON co-founded the pioneer '60s surf band, the Belairs, famous for "Mr. Moto," and he currently plays with the Surfaris, famous for "Wipeout."
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GIL ORR has been with the Chantays, famous for "Pipeline," since the '60s.
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With two popular CDs and a growing visibility – they were a big hit recently on "A Prairie Home Companion" – The Duo Tones, as venue impresario Bob Stane says, “are creating a stir among many music fans who are discovering for the first time just how rich this stuff can be when played with the skill and authority.” Tix, $18.
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Sat, Dec 18; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm LOS LOBOS with LOS FABULOCOS at The Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano; 949-496-8927; www.thecoachhouse.com. LOS LOBOS is still the best L.A. garage band that ever made it big, and they still mix acoustic and electric tunes and maintain their musical roots in a variety of places, including Southwestern Folk. More at www.loslobos.org
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Sat, Dec 18; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm GOLDEN STATE POPS ORCHESTRA presents their annual “holiday pops spectacular” at the Warner Grand Performance Space, historic Warner Grand Theater, 434 W 6th St, San Pedro 90731; 310-833-4813; www.grandvision.org.
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Come early for the “Stage Side Chat” at 7:30 pm.
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The annual tradition will feature jazz and blues vocalist Windy Barnes Farrell, plus a 20-voice Children's Choir and a “sing-along suite” of familiar Christmas Carols. Lift your spirits and allow GSPO to put you in a holiday mood with traditional holiday favorites, jazz, Stan Kenton brass arrangements and a full symphony orchestra. It’s musical holiday cheer, GSPO style, at the magnificent and historic Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro. Special guest vocalist is renowned jazz and pops legend Windy Barnes Farrell, “who will be rocking the house and ringing in the holidays.” They tell us, “We have it on good authority that it will snow in San Pedro!”
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Includes a holiday toy drive for the Toberman Neighborhood Center (www.toberman.org). All patrons who bring an unwrapped new toy (worth at least $10) will receive a “TWOFER” discount coupon, redeemable at any future GSPO concert.
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Sat, Dec 18, in Ventura County; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm Special “HOLIDAY SHOW” featuring Songmakers MERLIN & DEBBIE SNIDER, JIM ST. OURS, GEMINI, SOUTH COAST, DAN LEVITT, DESERT WIND TRIO, KG, JACK ZIGRAY, MIKE DAVIS, & STAN CADRANEL, at the “Camarillo Café Concert Series,” at Camarillo Community Center, 1605 E Burnley St (NE corner, Carmen & Burnley), Camarillo; info, WhatsHappening@CamarilloCafe.com or 805-523-2682; website, www.CamarilloCafe.com. Sponsored by Pleasant Valley Recreation & Parks District. Produced by Gary & Kathy Lynch.
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For those unfamiliar with these strong roots-Americana musicians, all Ventura County-based, it’s more than worth the drive over the hills to Camarillo – especially to see so many of these folks performing in the same line-up.
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The personnel in the groups is:
Merlin and Debbie Snider, and Jim St. Ours, performing as themselves.
Gemini – the duo of Bruce Farwell & Renata Decher
South Coast – the band centered on Don Truby & Jean Pickard, probably joined by Dan Levitt, Mike & Sue Davis, who are also performing
Desert Wind Trio – the band of Bob Kroll, Kay Conroy & Ann Howitt
KG – the band of Gary Lynch, Kathy Lynch & Patty Quintana
More at www.songmakers.org
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Sat, Dec 18, in San Diego:
7:30 pm DAVID ARKENSTONE & FRIENDS play the AMSD Concert Series, 4650 Mansfield St, San Diego; 619-303-8176; www.amsd.com. More at www.davidarkenstone.com
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Sat, Dec 18, in OC:
9 pm-1 am KELLY’S LOT plays The Shady Nook, 151 S Kraemer Bl, Brea. It’s a Kelly’s Lot “TOYS FOR TOTS” event. Bring a toy worth at least $10 and get your first Widmer beer for $1 or a free Kelly's lot CD.
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Sun, Dec 19; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
3 pm RENAISSANCE brings their multiple-award-winning A Capella voices for “A celebration of a CapPella Christmas” their Holiday-themed matinee at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena; reservations, 626-794-2424, info, www.coffeegallery.com
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Recognized as one of Los Angeles' premiere a cappella vocal groups, RENAISSANCE takes their audience on a nostalgic, musical journey; singing songs of joy, hope, love and redemption. Their repertoire consists of creative covers of some of the legends of doo wop and soul music including The Drifters, The Moon Glows, Sam Cooke, The Orioles, Clyde McPhatter, Pookie Hudson and the Spaniels, and so many more.
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This group is on a mission to preserve an important American musical art form – "Street Corner Style Doo Wop/A Capella" singing. In their own, cool, creatively unique and soulful style, they are doing all they can to accomplish this goal. Comprised of founding members Maurice Kitchen, Torre Brannon Reese, & Kwame Alexander, over time these core members teamed up with Anthony Snead & Charles (Sonny) Banks of the trio "Banks Epps &Snead." Jason Powell joins them as a frequent collaborator.
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They were a big hit with the audience at the “Concert for Haiti,” last January, produced by the Guide.
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Their CD, "Meet Me on the Corner," has been met with overwhelming enthusiasm and has had great success. Not just another singing group, Renaissance intertwines social and cultural themes in their music offering "food for the spirit" as well as the soul. Tix, $20.

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Sun, Dec 19; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
7 pm ”A Small Circle of Friends celebrate Phil Ochs' 70th Birthday” with ROSS ALTMAN, LEN CHANDLER, CAROLYN HESTER, DRAYFUS GRAYSON, NEIL HARTMAN, & EVA SCHERB, at The Found Theatre, 599 Long Beach Bl, Long Beach; 562-433-3363; www.foundtheatre.org. This’ll sell-out, without question, so don’t dawdle getting your tickets.
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Sun, Dec 19; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
7 pm Alexa Woodward plus Murry Hammond bring a night of banjo to the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena 91001; reservations 626-794-2424; venue phone 626-398-7917; info www.coffeegallery.com. (“the venue named in FolkWorks as L.A.’s best intimate acoustic listening room venue”).
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Alexa Woodward is a banjo-playing singer-songwriter whose last album charted in the top 200 college radio charts in the United States and was played on numerous National Public Radio programs. She’s been likened to Sufjan Stevens, Judy Garland, and Neko Case. Her songs have been aired on national television in the US and in Australia (Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance” and feature documentary "Twilight in Forks" in the US and “The Wall” in Australia). She received acclaim as a semifinalist in New York's largest songwriting contest, Jezebel Music's “Williamsburg Live Songwriter Competition.”
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Alexa’s haunting banjo songs blend her southern roots with the urban folk sounds of Boston and New York. With a distinctive banjo playing style and lyrics that carry the listener into stories of raw human experience, Woodward is well received by audiences across the US – having played over thirty states – and in Scandinavia.
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She’s been celebrated in the local media: "Woodward’s songs are like mountain music with an MFA... [she] impresses both in concert and on disc, making her someone for Americana connoisseurs to keep an eye on." – Michael Berrick, LA Weekly
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More at www.myspace.com/alexawoodward and www.alexawoodward.org
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Plus,
Murry Hammond, practitioner of railroad and train songs.
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"I wonder which came first for Murry Hammond, his fascination with trains or his love of country music. Locomotives have inspired scores of country and western songs from ‘Waiting for a Train’ to ‘Let the Train Blow the Whistle,’ which have made them metaphors for loneliness, wanderlust, death, freedom, imprisonment, and so on and so forth. Possibly only zombies have more allegorical potential. Hammond's day-job band, the Old 97s, is named after a train song (‘Wreck of the Old 97’), and his first album as a solo artist, ‘I Don't Know Where I'm Going But I'm on My Way,’ is a collection of originals and mostly covers that employ trains as vehicles for a spiritual journey, casting life's tribulations (the death of his father, the hard times in the Old 97s) as treacherous mountain passes and arduous treks along miles of tracks until it reaches a heavenly destination. It can be heavy listening, but Hammond's ear for odd, droning soundscapes, his fondness for shuffling brushed-snare beats, and his liberal take on old songs lend it a sense of real discovery." – Stephen M. Deusner, February 20, 2009, in Pitchfork.com.
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You can hear Murry Hammond at www.old97s.com . Tix, $15.
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Sun, Dec 19; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
7 pm annual “BOULEVARD MUSIC FREE HOLIDAY SHOW” at Boulevard Music, 4316 Sepulveda Bl, Culver City; www.boulevardmusic.com; 310-398-2583. It’s a fun-filled evening as staff, music teachers, families and friends congregate for “the one evening” when the music store and concert venue transforms into “the house of schmooze,” as proprietor Gary Mandell says. Gary promises and surprises and repeatedly mentions free cookies, along with something called “Kathy’s Kholesterol Krunch.” Venue’s website has a helpful local dining guide, but save room for the free cookies. Free event.
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Sun, Dec 19; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
7:30 pm SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK plays the Broad Theatre at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St, Santa Monica; 310-434-3200; www.thebroadstage.com. More at www.sweethoney.com
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Sun, Dec 19; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm DAVID LINDLEY plus TOULOUSE ENGELHARDT & KK MARTIN playing together, at The Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano; 949-496-8927; www.thecoachhouse.com
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Sun, Dec 19; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm LOS LOBOS play the House Of Blues, 8430 Sunset Bl, West Hollywood 90069; 323-848-5100; www.hob.com/venues/clubvenues/sunsetstrip. LOS LOBOS is still the best L.A. garage band that ever made it big, and they still mix acoustic and electric tunes and maintain their musical roots in a variety of places, including Southwestern Folk. More at www.loslobos.org
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Mon, Dec 20; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA play the Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S Grand Av, downtown L.A.; 323-850-2000; www.musiccenter.org/wdch. More at www.blindboys.com
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Mon, Dec 20; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm JOHN KAYE & FRIENDS, with Rich Niego & Iain Ashley Hersey, at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena; reservations, 626-794-2424; info, www.coffeegallery.com.
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Multi-award winning singer-songwriter, recent inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in Las Vegas and nephew of the First Lady Of Rock & Roll, John Kaye joins his “Friends” Rich Niego & Iain Ashley Hersey to perform original songs described as “Acoustic R&B Soul” and a few familiar covers you may recognize in a style of their own.
John is a 4th generation performer from the family line of the Royal Hawaiian family. Tix, $15.
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Tue, Dec 21; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
7 pm SCOTT GATES & NATHAN McEUEN play this month’s “BLUEGRASS AT THE BRAEMAR” series sponsored by the Bluegrass Association of Southern California (BASC) at Braemar Country Club, 4001 Reseda Bl, Tarzana; 818-705-8870.
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Nathan (son of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band founding member John McEuen) recently moved east, so it’s not so easy to catch his fine performance in these parts anymore. Mandolin prodigy Scott Gates, a member of Nathan’s trio, is sharing the bill tonight. This’ll be good.
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See the Guide’s “Recurring Events” for details on the optional dinner, at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/11/tuesday-third-tuesday-every-month-in.html
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Tue, Dec 21; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm WILL RYAN & the CACTUS COUNTY COWBOYS plus a special performance by Will Ryan & the Cactus County Cowgirls at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena; reservations, 626-794-2424; info, www.coffeegallery.com.
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This is L.A.’s best uncelebrated acoustic band, period. Sure, they bill themselves with plenty of goofy hype, as when they say, “Meet America’s three-time Jackalope Award-winners, WILL RYAN & the CACTUS COUNTY COWBOYS,” and “hear ‘the Band that Won the West!’” and when they bill WILL RYAN as “the Undisputed King of Cowboy Skiffle!” and band member “WESTY” WESTENHOFER as “the Paderewski of the Tuba!” and JOHN “PRESTO” REYNOLDS as “the Einstein of the Six-String!” and then add, “All Certified Mad by A.E. Neuman!”

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Just go see ’em. They deliver a delightful and very musical show, with originals that sound like marvelous tunes from the 1930s. You’ll be humming “Rhythm Rides the Range,” “The Ding Dong Faddy of Abu Dhabi” and “Too Big to Fail” for days.
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The best reason to go see them tonight is "Cactus Chloe" Feoranzo, the uber-talented young multi-instrumentalist who left to attend music school Back East, and who is home on Christmas break to do this show. Chloe’s sax and clarinet add plenty of dimension, and she’ll sling the mandolin (and more) for you, as well.
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Of course, the band doesn’t want to miss adding their goofy hype to the event, saying, “BACK AT LAST from her adventures in the weird and mystical East - the one and only "Cactus Chloe" Feoranzo!”
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And if you’re wondering about that “Cactus County Cowgirls” thing, it’s built around Chloe’s momentary return and the permanent presence of “the likely next Queen of the West, "Chaparral Katie" Cavera.”
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Seriously, their a fine act. And if you know the work of JOHN REYNOLDS (R. Crumb’s Cheap Suit Serenaders, Janet Klein & Her Parlor Boys, the Bilgewater Brothers, and lots more), then you know you’re in for a treat.
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The group’s first CD is about to be released, and you’ll hear some new songs. Venue impresario Bob Stane calls their material, "Sheer joy!" Tix, $15.
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Wed, Dec 22:
6-8 pm DANIELLE HEBERT plays the Coffee Klatch Rancho Cucamonga, 8916, Foothill Blvd, suite C, Rancho Cucamonga; 909-944-JAVA.
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She says, “I will be playing with very special guest Forrest Robinson. Forrest is an amazing drummer / percussionist but also composer, keyboardist, arranger, producer... He will present his solo music, it is a rare occurrence and I am proud to have him perform his original songs.”
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Canadian artist DANIELLE HEBERT (pronounced “Ehh-bear’) has been profiled in the Guide’s “We’d Like You to Meet” feature (http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/10/acoustic-americana-music-guide-oct-7-to.html ).
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She sang the Canadian National Anthem to a crowd of 30,000 at the Olympic Torch Ceremony. More recently, she was an invited performer at the famous “Love Ride” in LA, hosted by Jay Leno. Danielle opened for Robbie Krieger of the DOORS at this nationally famed charity bike ride. Danielle is as famous as an adventuress, for her amazing one-woman motorcycle trek around the U.S. She’s now completed over 15,000 miles, including her recognition by the Harley Davidson headquarters in Glendale and by Jay Leno and the invitation she received and accepted. Her blog, with tales from her two-wheeladventures on the road, is at http://daniellehebert.wordpress.com. More on Danielle and her music is on her website, www.daniellehebert.com.
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Venue has gourmet coffees, plus sandwiches and pastries.
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Fri, Dec 24; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
3-6 pm 51st Annual “L.A. COUNTY HOLIDAY CELEBRATION” brings 23 music and dance groups to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Music Center, 135 N Grand Av, downtown L.A. 90012, for a free live performance. Attend free or catch it on KCET TV broadcast channel 28, or check your local cable listings (or www.kcet.org) and it’s live on radio on KPFK 90.7 FM. Info, www.HolidayCelebration.org; hotline, 213-972-3099.
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For half a century, it’s been an annual big deal for indie musicians, youth performance troupes, and seasoned touring pros fresh off the road and home for the holidays. The musicians and dancers are from across L.A. County – one of the few times each year that the local talent pool is showcased in a major media event – and the broadcast of the show has been nominated for an Emmy. For many years through this year, a condensed version of the previous year’s show airs nationally on PBS (that’ll change when KCET goes indie on January 1). The performance is produced by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, and lighting, sound, sets and broadcast sound and visual images are first-rate, even if the hosts are always an uneven mix of seasoned mic jockeys and embarrassingly awkward anointed “celebrities.”
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But it’s what’s on stage that matters. Since 1964, the program “honors the spirit of many cultures and holiday traditions through music, song and dance.” In recent years, the lineup has included notable folk-Americana artists like Grammy-nominee Lisa Haley & the Zydecats and bluegrass and blues acts. Some years are more “folky” than others, and some feature more acoustic renaissance singer-songwriters and bands than other years. There are always acts that can be called “world folk.”
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Acts performing this year are:
(* denotes first-time participants in the show)
Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers
Antics PeRformances
Christian's Community Center Cathedral Choir
Colburn Children’s Choir
Elliot Deutsch Big Band *
Gabriella Axelrad Education Foundation *
Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles
Halau O Lilinoe *
Harmonic Bronze Handbell Ensemble
Jung Im Lee Korean Dance Academy
Loch and Key *
Los Angeles Children’s Chorus Young Men’s Ensemble *
L.A. City Elementary School Music Association Women’s Chorale *
Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez
Mr. Vallenato *
NDM Bollywood *
Pacifico Dance Company
Palmdale High School Choral Union
Philippine Chamber Singers of Los Angeles
Salvation Army Tabernacle Children’s Chorus
Santa Monica Chorus *
South Bay Children’s Chorus
Young Angels Choir
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The show runs 3-6 pm, and it’s free, but you can’t just show up and expect to get in. No, we don’t know why this year’s show is cut back from the usual six hours to just three. It’s still a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick, because this is free and the Dorothy Chandler is a wonderful place to enjoy live music – even if, unlike past years, we don’t see Grammy noms and winners in the lineup. Still, we are certain if you want to get into the Music Center to see it live, you’ll need to get there earlier than you think.
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This year, wristbands are required for entry. Limit is one wristband per person. They’re available free at the site, first-come, first-served, starting at 11:30 am. Expect a very long line early, mostly because of the sprinkling of children’s performing troupes in which parents want to see their kids on stage. Once you have your wristband, you “do not have to wait in line.” There is a second chance to get in, though it will involve uncertainty and requires waiting in a different line: producers say, “When all wristbands have been distributed, standbys will be tracked in order of arrival and admitted if seats are vacated.” Doors open at 2:30 pm.
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The Guide suggest this: get in line early to get your wristband at 11:30, then ride the Red Line subway to the ice rink in Pershing Square; rent skates (cheap) and take a few turns on the ice; then walk through the subway station and out the other end to grab a bite at Grand Central Market (a landmark since 1917); catch the subway back before the 2:30 door opening at the Music Center. You’ll escape the elbowing crowds in the suburban shopping malls and make a fun day of it downtown.
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Now, for our comment. It’s needed, because politicians are, once again, seeking to exploit the contributions of artists to the community.
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We’re supposed to tell you that the Holiday Celebration is “a gift from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors” – but we are revolted by the idea that the media is asked to help a bunch of self-aggrandizing politicians pat themselves on the back. The five-member Board of Supervisors are, after all, the same crowd who routinely names public buildings after themselves, every time a multimillion-dollar facility is constructed using taxpayers’ money. In one case, a large new five-story courthouse bears the name of a sitting County Supervisor – and contains a “family museum” to his sireage and offspring, housed in a marble-floored-and-columned space paid for by the people.
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So, we’d like to know how it is that sitting politicians are allowed to give themselves, at taxpayer expense, the daily presence – and advantage at election time – of important public facilities, individually named and dedicated to themselves?
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Shouldn’t THAT kind of thing be a genuine honor, one reserved for, like, after they’re dead, or least retired, and only IF the honoree’s career had gone unblemished? Examples abound of office-holders leaving a bad smell, so why should ANY sitting politician be given the ego trip of any tax-supported monument to him or her self?
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But this is a piece about a holiday show, so we’ll be charitable and not rant further – now that you have the picture on what the politicians wanted us to tell you about “their gift to you” – without their noting that the participating acts perform for free.
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Parking for the annual holiday show is free in the Music Center parking garage (a big deal where parking is usually $7 a half-hour). There will be free entertainment on the Music Center Plaza outside the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion before the show, starting at 12:30 pm. Beginning at 3, the Holiday Celebration will be screened live on the JumboTron in the Music Center Plaza, where folding chairs are available for those who can’t get inside. The big Christmas tree towers above the plaza, so it’s a nice setting if the weather is pleasant, even if you don’t get inside.
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Tue, Dec 28; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm I see hawks in l.a. at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena; reservations, 626-794-2424; info, www.coffeegallery.com.
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Named by Larry Wines in his “Best of 2009 / Top Ten” for FolkWorks magazine as one of the best bands in Southern California, they are one of the few acts whose live performance is as good as their superb CDs.
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Jonny Whiteside wrote in the LA WEEKLY, "These freewheeling lords of California psych country approach their music as if it were a portal, an unseen threshold that, once crossed, promises a wholly unpredictable experience. The Hawks' singular style operates on an epic scale, exploring weird panoramas of hallucinatory metaphor with a sound as much traditional hillbilly as it is acceleratedlysergic-rock spontaneity. Any flight taken with I See Hawks In L.A. assures a view to startling new perspectives. Up, up and away." Tix, $15.
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Wed, Dec 29; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm Rick Shea performs at Café 322, 322 W Sierra Madre Bl, Sierra Madre 91024. He’s a longtime roots-Americana Southern Cal favorite, a top-notch musician.
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Thu, Dec 30; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm LYQUID AMBER, the collaborative duo of award-winning musicians Evo Bluestein and haNS YORK, with jazz bassist Kevin Hill, plays the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena; reservations, 626-794-2424; info, www.coffeegallery.com.
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HANS YORK, 2008 Kerrville “New Folk” Winner, has performed live, numerous times, on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks,” during his coast-to-coast concert tours, BEFORE he won at Kerrville. Hans is a master of DADGAD guitar – a tuning that produces unique harmonies and voicings. As a classically-trained musician who grew up in Germany, Hannsjoerg – as he was known then – studied jazz, rock, and world music traditions. He hasn’t sat still, musically or geographically. Living in Brazil added to his repertoire of musical styles and rhythms. In addition to composing, Hans is a noted producer and arranger. Known for his infectious shows and his captivating performances – including his soaring three-octave voice – Hans mixes the musical sensibilities of acoustic Americana with his native German roots and influences of the infectious music of South America. His grassroots approach and close interaction with the audience have made friends for Hans and his music throughout the country. His US debut album “Inside Out” received various awards including “Best Acoustic Album” of 2005 from Indie Acoustic Project. His current album “Young Amelia” takes you on a subtle sojourn to explore the hidden recesses of the human heart, in a journey with outstanding musicianship and deep compassion.
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Evo Bluestein employs a myriad of banjo tunings, traditional and original, to compose funky and quirky new music. Evo comes from a noted folk music family and he has spent his life performing and teaching traditional music and dance. This music is yet another facet of his vast musical expression.
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Jazz bassist Kevin Hill was born in Texas and grew up in China and West Africa. He began performing at age 12 and has been playing bass since age 16. Kevin studied jazz and contemporary music at The New School in New York.
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Lyquid Amber music draws from the members’ collective experience in jazz, rock, classical, Brazilian, and Southern Appalachia to create inspiring new landscapes in music. One review captured it nicely: "From the attractive packaging to the superb production, Lyquid Amber's 'Ritual' is a musical journey bringing together the wide spectrum of seemingly diverse musical influences such as folk, pop, jazz and world and melding them into a harmonius whole. Ably supported by an all-star cast of musicians from the Central Valley of California, the singing, writing and playing talents of Hans York and Evo Bluestein are impressive.. The final track, the utterly charming "Down with the Elements" will appeal to anyone with a pop sensibility. A "hit" waiting to happen. Bravo gentlemen!" – Vince DiCiccio, Valley Public Radio, Fresno/Bakersfield. Tix, $20.
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Fri, Dec 31:
“New Years EVE” with blues bands Corey Stevens, Bobby Bluehouse, Dave Melton, Howard Deere, Walter Thompson and Friends, at the Arcadia Blues Club, 16 E Huntington Dr, Arcadia 91006; 626-447-9349; www.arcadiabluesclub.com. Venue is now taking reservations for this annual “New Years Eve / Fan Appreciation Night” music party. Advance tix are only $20.
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2011 ~
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January
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Fri, Jan 7, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm ERNEST TROOST plus special guest Mark “Pocket” Goldberg, for Pocket’s CD RELEASE SHOW of his new “Off the Alleyway,” at McCabe’s, 3101 Pico Bl (Pico at 31st), Santa Monica 90405; www.mccabes.com; 310-828-4403; tix, 310-828-4497.
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ERNEST TROOST is a renowned, multiple Music Emmy winning composer, and winner of the Kerrville “New Folk” competition.
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Mark “Pocket” Goldberg has performed live or recorded with everybody you’ve ever heard of in music, and his new CD, “Off the Alleyway,” is marvelous (we’ll have review in the near future.) Tix, $15.
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Fri, Jan 7, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm JOHN McCUTCHEON at the Smothers Theatre at Pepperdine University, 24255 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu. Tickets are now on sale at 310-506-4522 or www.arts.pepperdine.edu.
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Johnny Cash called him, "The most impressive instrumentalist I've ever heard."
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The Washington Post wrote, "He has an uncanny ability to breathe new life into the familiar. His storytelling has the richness of fine literature."
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Tonight, you’ll have a chance to find out why. IF you took the Guide;s advice in November, and didn’t delay getting tickets.
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Multiple Grammy nominee, multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and storyteller John McCutcheon is America's balladeer. He sings of the nation's heritage, channeling the conscience of our people into streams of poetry and melody. He writes about subjects both small and great, from a child's haircut to human dignity – issues eternal and enduring. As an instrumentalist, he is a master of a dozen different traditional instruments, including guitar, banjo, autoharp, and, most notably, the beautiful hammer dulcimer. He’s been at it so long his website is www.folkmusic.com
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No one remembers when the neighbors started calling the McCutcheons to complain about the loud singing from young John's bedroom. But it didn't seem to do much good. Seems that after a shaky, lopsided battle between piano lessons and baseball – he was a mediocre pianist and an all-star catcher, John had "found his voice" thanks to a cheap, mail-order guitar and a used book of chords.
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From such inauspicious beginnings, McCutcheon has emerged as one of our most respected and loved folksingers.
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His latest, two-CD, album, “Untold” (2009, Appalseed Productions), showcases his double-barreled talents as both a singer-songwriter-instrumental virtuoso and a world-class storyteller. The set's first CD was recorded live at the 2008 “National Storytelling Festival” in Jonesborough, TN. The second CD, says his label, “features some of the most compelling and popular songwriting of McCutcheon's career.”
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McCutcheon's songwriting has been hailed by critics and singers around the globe. His 30 recordings have won every imaginable honor, including seven Grammy nominations. He has produced over 20 albums for other artists, from traditional fiddlers to contemporary singer-songwriters to educational and documentary works.
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His books and instructional materials have introduced budding players to the joys of their own musicality. His commitment to grassroots political organizations has put him on the front lines of many of the issues important to communities and workers.
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Even before graduating summa cum laude from Minnesota's St. John's University, this Wisconsin native literally "headed for the hills," forgoing a college lecture hall for the classroom of the eastern Kentucky coal camps, union halls, country churches, and square-dance halls.
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His apprenticeship to many of the legendary figures of Appalachian music imbedded in him not only a love of homemade music but a sense of community and, as he says, “rootedness.” The resulting music, whether traditional or from his huge catalog of original songs, has the profound mark of place, family, and strength. With it is McCutcheon’s storytelling, in a style that’s been compared to Will Rogers and Garrison Keillor.
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The Washington Post described McCutcheon as folk music's "Rustic Renaissance Man." The Dallas Morning News says, "Calling John McCutcheon a 'folksinger' is like saying Deion Sanders is just a football player..."
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Besides his usual circuit of major concert halls and theatres, McCutcheon is equally at home in an elementary school auditorium, on a festival stage, or at a farm rally. He’s been called “a whirlwind of energy, packing five lifetimes into one.”
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In the past few years alone he has headlined at over a dozen different festivals in North America, including repeated performances at the National Storytelling Festival, recorded an original composition for Virginia Public Television involving over 500 musicians, toured Australia for the sixth time, toured Chile in support of a women's health initiative, appeared in a Woody Guthrie tribute concert in New York City, given a featured concert at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, taught performance art skills at a North Carolina college, given symphony pops concerts across America, served as president of the fastest-growing local in the Musicians Union, and performed a special concert at the National Baseball Hall of Fame. This is all in his "spare time." His "real job," he's quick to point out, is father to two grown sons.
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McCutcheon feels most at home performing live. It’s brought his music into the lives and homes of one of the broadest multi-generational audiences of any contemporary folk musician. McCutcheon takes the stage to produce what critics describe as "little feats of magic," "breathtaking in their ease and grace...," "like a conversation with an illuminating old friend."
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Tickets went on sale in November at 310-506-4522 or www.arts.pepperdine.edu. Tix are $25 gen’l or $10 for full-time Pepperdine students.
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Sun, Jan 9, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
The New Christy Minstrels reunite to play the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 12700 Center Court Dr, Cerritos; info, 562-916-8501; 800-300-4345; tix, 562-467-8818; www.cerritoscenter.com. Tix now available, and going fast.
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Randy Sparks, the founder of the uber-famous folk revival group The New Christy Minstrels, does from time-to-time reassemble as many of the alumni as will fit on one stage. Not that it’s always the same group. When your members have included the likes of BARRY McGUIRE (famous for his banned-on-the-radio ’60s anthem, “Eve of Destruction”), and KENNY ROGERS (pre FIRST EDITION), and an underage TRACY NEWMAN, and so many more who graduated to lead or star in their own bands or groups or as solo folk or rock acts, you could craft an entire season of “Where Are They Now?” just tracking-down former band members.
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Randy Sparks is himself quite a character. For Randy, the presumed radicalism of the ’60s often takes the form these days of comedic ditties from a decidedly conservative perspective; some are blatant in their “politically incorrect” expressions. Perhaps some of that can be explained when you know he was the best-known protégé of the late BURL IVES, and he cared for Ives in his final declining months. Ives was the Disney-movie-favorite folksinger who famously (or infamously) cooperated with HUAC – the House Un-American Activities Committee – during the McCarthy Era.
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Randy Sparks is a complex guy. He is devoted to his music charity. He still gets ’60s folk revival-era Baby Boomers singing along with big smiles, when he plays the group’s classics instead of his own newer material. And he is possessed with the artist’s penchant for a certain measure of disorganization, telling us, “I'm generally communicating with media people at the last minute, but this time I'm early,” as, for the first time ever, he sends us info a full three to four months (gasp) in advance.
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In typically Randy Sparks fashion, he adds, “I suppose I ought to mention The McCallum Theater in Palm Desert on the 16th of January, also.”
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But what of the storied New Christy Minstrels -? Randy tells us, “My restored group is phenomenal these days. We have not been in concert anywhere that we haven't been asked back, and that’s gratifying. I'm 77 years old and likely couldn't get a job at Burger King, but I'm still gainfully employed, albeit we all work for a non-profit organization these days: The ‘New Christy Minstrels Foundation.’ Our goal is to give back to the schools; we NEVER charge schools for our performances.”
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He continues, “Our concert at Cerritos is a return visit. We were there on a Sunday afternoon in November of 2007, and we sold EVERY seat. We're looking to repeat that accomplishment, and we're already pretty far along, as all of the main floor $60 seats are gone. Half the house has already been sold, and we have [three] months to go. We are very quietly big business these days. We had 19 concerts in the month of October alone. What recession?”
+
In addition to this full group show, Randy is out there from with what he calls Randy Sparks & Friends, which he says, is “a lesser offering.”
+
We have an idea that the “lesser offering” has a decidedly different character. He noted, in advance of the “& Friends” show on December 5, “We're unrestricted at Bob's [Coffee Gallery Backstage] showroom, so our program [there] is wildly entertaining and great fun for me. I'm able to sing my best stuff: ‘Sluts With Tattoos,’ ‘The Man In The Moon Mooned Me,’ and ‘The Only Thing More Ferocious Than A Polar Bear Is A Bi-Polar Bear.’ Of course, we also perform the songs that the people come to hear.”
+
We did mention Randy’s “politically incorrect” songs.
+
As for the audiences Randy draws with both his “& Friends” show and his NCM reunion productions, he says, “They are most kind to us wherever we work, and it's thrilling to actually be in demand.”
+
As for the audiences Randy Sparks draws with both his “& Friends” show and his New Christy Minstrels reunion productions, he says, “They are most kind to us wherever we work, and it's thrilling to actually be in demand.”
+
There’s more at www.thenewchristyminstrels.com.
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Wed, Jan 12, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
7:30 pm MURIEL ANDERSON & TIERRA NEGRA play the “Acoustic Voices” series at the Ruth Shannon Center for the Performing Arts, 6760 Painter Av, Whittier; 562-907-4203; www.shannoncenter.org. Tix, $20; seniors & students, $15.
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Wed, Jan 12. 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
Round Mountain “New Mexico's two-man singing folk orchestra” play the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 12700 Center Court Dr, Cerritos; info, 562-916-8501; 800-300-4345; tix, 562-467-8818; www.cerritoscenter.com. They don’t often get to Southern Cal, and they always impress and make fans when they do. More at www.roundmountainmusic.com & www.myspace.com/roundmountainmusic
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Fri, Jan 14, 2011:
7:30 pm DOYLE DYKES plays the Grace First Presbyterian Church concert series, at 3955 Studebaker Rd, Long Beach; 562-420-3393.
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Sat, Jan 15, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
3 & 8 pm “ALOHA CONCERT SERIES” brings THE MAKAHA SONS at the Ruth Shannon Center for the Performing Arts, on the campus at Whittier College, 6760 Painter Av, Whittier; 562-907-4203; www.shannoncenter.org.
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These guys make an annual trip to play this series, where they are known for delivering “mirth, mayhem, and magical harmonies.”
+
The annual series brings seven shows for its 2010-2011 season. Tix, including new “facilities surcharges,” $48.
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Sat, Jan 15, 2011:
8 pm JEFF LARSON & FRIENDS play “Russ and Julie's House Concert” series in Oak Park (in the Agoura Hills/Westlake Village area); Reservations get directions at 818-707-2179.
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Sat, Jan 15, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm “ALOHA CONCERT SERIES” brings THE MAKAHA SONS at the Ruth Shannon Center for the Performing Arts, on the campus at Whittier College, 6760 Painter Av, Whittier; 562-907-4203; www.shannoncenter.org. Shows at 3 & 8 pm. See 3 pm listing for details.
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Sin, Jan 16, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
The New Christy Minstrels reunite to play the McCallum Theater in Palm Desert. Tix now available, and going fast. Info, www.thenewchristyminstrels.com.
+
Randy Sparks, the founder of the uber-famous folk revival group The New Christy Minstrels, does from time-to-time reassemble as many of the alumni as will fit on one stage. Not that it’s always the same group. When your members have included the likes of BARRY McGUIRE (famous for his banned-on-the-radio ’60s anthem, “Eve of Destruction”), and KENNY ROGERS (pre FIRST EDITION), and an underage TRACY NEWMAN, and so many more who graduated to lead or star in their own bands or groups or as solo folk or rock acts, you could craft an entire season of “Where Are They Now?” just tracking-down former band members.
+
Randy Sparks is himself quite a character. For Randy, the presumed radicalism of the ’60s often takes the form these days of comedic ditties from a decidedly conservative perspective; some are blatant in their “politically incorrect” expressions. Perhaps some of that can be explained when you know he was the best-known protégé of the late BURL IVES, and he cared for Ives in his final declining months. Ives was the Disney-movie-favorite folksinger who famously (or infamously) cooperated with HUAC – the House Un-American Activities Committee – during the McCarthy Era.
+
Randy Sparks is a complex guy. He is devoted to his music charity. He still gets ’60s folk revival-era Baby Boomers singing along with big smiles, when he plays the group’s classics instead of his own newer material. And he is possessed with the artist’s penchant for a certain measure of disorganization, telling us, “I'm generally communicating with media people at the last minute, but this time I'm early,” as, for the first time ever, he sends us info a full three to four months (gasp) in advance.
+
But what of the storied New Christy Minstrels -? Randy tells us, “My restored group is phenomenal these days. We have not been in concert anywhere that we haven't been asked back, and that’s gratifying. I'm 77 years old and likely couldn't get a job at Burger King, but I'm still gainfully employed, albeit we all work for a non-profit organization these days: The ‘New Christy Minstrels Foundation.’ Our goal is to give back to the schools; we NEVER charge schools for our performances.”
+
He continues, “Our concert at Cerritos is a return visit. We were there on a Sunday afternoon in November of 2007, and we sold EVERY seat. We're looking to repeat that accomplishment, and we're already pretty far along, as all of the main floor $60 seats are gone. Half the house has already been sold, and we have [three] months to go. We are very quietly big business these days. We had 19 concerts in the month of October alone. What recession?”
+
In addition to this full group show, Randy is out there from with what he calls Randy Sparks & Friends, which he says, is “a lesser offering.”
+
We have an idea that the “lesser offering” has a decidedly different character. He noted, in advance of the “& Friends” show on December 5, “We're unrestricted at Bob's [Coffee Gallery Backstage] showroom, so our program [there] is wildly entertaining and great fun for me. I'm able to sing my best stuff: ‘Sluts With Tattoos,’ ‘The Man In The Moon Mooned Me,’ and ‘The Only Thing More Ferocious Than A Polar Bear Is A Bi-Polar Bear.’ Of course, we also perform the songs that the people come to hear.”
+
We did mention Randy’s “politically incorrect” songs.
+
As for the audiences Randy draws with both his “& Friends” show and his NCM reunion productions, he says, “They are most kind to us wherever we work, and it's thrilling to actually be in demand.”
+
As for the audiences Randy Sparks draws with both his “& Friends” show and his New Christy Minstrels reunion productions, he says, “They are most kind to us wherever we work, and it's thrilling to actually be in demand.”
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Fri & Sat, Jan 21 & 22; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
TOM PAXTON, the legendary folk star, plays two nights at McCabe’s, 3101 Pico Bl (Pico at 31st), Santa Monica 90405; www.mccabes.com; 310-828-4403; tix, 310-828-4497.
+
THIS WILL SELL-OUT VERY EARLY, SO GET TIX RIGHT AWAY.
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Sat, Jan 22, 2011:
8 pm “WALLACE SHAWN: REAL WORLD, FAKE WORLD, DREAM WORLD” is a spoken word performance at UCLA Live, Royce Hall, 340 Royce Dr, on the UCLA campus at Royce Dr between Westwood Bl and Hilgard Av, West L.A.; www.uclalive.org; info 310-825-4401; UCLA ticket office 310-825-2101.
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Writer and actor Wallace Shawn delivers a reading and interpretation from his most recent work, alongside an offering of excerpts from the works of writers and thinkers he admires. Known to stage and film audiences as an extraordinary character actor, Shawn is an Obie Award-winning playwright and best-selling author. His celebrated works include “The Designated Mourner,” and “The Fever,” along with the poignant film “My Dinner with Andre,” which Shawn co-wrote. His most recent work, “Essays,” released in 2009, is a highly personal, often self-deprecating collection of Shawn’s perspective on life, politics, morality and the power of art. Tix, $28-48 ($15 for UCLA students).
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Sun, Jan 23, 2011:
3:30 pm CLAREMONT TRIO with NOKUTHULA NGWENYAMA, viola, plays the “SUNDAYS WITH COLEMAN” 107th season (2010-2011), presented by the Coleman Chamber Music Association in Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium, 322 S Michigan Av, Pasadena; series info 626-793-4191; www.colemanchambermusic.org. Season subscription (6 concerts) $108-$234; single-event tix $24-45.
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Fri-Sun, Jan 28-30, 2011:
“CEAIT FESTIVAL ~ ‘IANNIS XENAKIS: NOW & TOMORROW’” at REDCAT, The Roy & Edna Disney CalArts Theater, at the L.A. Music Center, 631 W 2nd St (at Hope St), inside the Walt Disney Concert Hall complex, downtown L.A. 90012; www.redcat.org; 213-237-2800; www.redcat.org/sites/redcat.org/files/REDCAT_Fall10_Brochure.pdf.
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This is described as “Three scintillating concerts by the legendary pioneer of music and architecture and composers he inspired.”
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Sat, Jan 29; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm KATY MOFFATT plays the CALTECH FOLK MUSIC SOCIETY series in Beckman Institute Auditorium (“Little Beckman”) on the campus, 322 S Michigan Av, Pasadena; 626-395-4652, or toll-free 888-2CALTECH (1-888-222-5832). More on the Caltech Folk Music Series at www.folkmusic.caltech.edu - and check-out other music on campus at Caltech Presents / Caltech Public Events series at www.events.caltech.edu.
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KATY MOFFATT is a genuine folk star who plays too seldom in L.A. Though she lives in Southern Cal, she’s constantly on the festival and prestigious-venue circuit, performing all over the world. She’s been called both “America's Queen of the West” and praised as one of the originators of country rock. Katy got her start on the road as an opener for blues legend MUDDY WATERS, and she’s been the subject of a major feature story in the Wall Street Journal (how many musicians get ink there?) She continues to be a most formidable vocal powerhouse, plus a masterful guitarist and finger-picking phenom. With over 15 albums to her credit, Katy sings classic acoustic country rock songs of fractured love, plus country blues, western classics and originals, and heartfelt ballads. She’s performed live, multiple times, on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks” and debuted an album there. Her newest CD, "Cowboy Girl," on Western Jubilee/Shanachie, has received rave reviews.
+
The campus ticket office handles the Folk Music Society’s advance tickets, takes credit cards, and is open Noon-5 pm, Mon-Fri; their number is 626-395-4652. As the date gets close, this will likely sell-out. Tickets are $15, $5 for children and Caltech students.
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Sun, Jan 30; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
7 pm LI’L REV, National Blues Harmonica Champion, Wisconsin’s Best Folk Singer (WAMI), and Traditional Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, plays the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena; reservations, 626-794-2424; info, www.coffeegallery.com.
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LI’L REV is a strong musical presence who has been likened to “a cross between Theodore Bikel, Al Joslon and Woody Guthrie,” and he’s often called “the Jewish Pete Seeger.” Rev is well known for his engaging, high energy, heart-felt concerts, performing on guitar, mandolin, ukulele and harmonica. Rev moves seamlessly, mixing instruments and song, story, poetry, folklore and humor. In the best sense of the word, Rev is at heart, a modern day minstrel whose Vaudeville affections are obvious. Just look for the laughter and the tears and you'll know why Rev is regarded as one of the finest troubadours out on the American musical highway today.
+
His accolades include:
Voted Best Folk Singer in Wisconsin, 2004 (WAMI)
National Blues Harmonica Champion, 1996
Inducted into the Traditional Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame, 2003
+
Tix, $18.
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February:
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Thu, Feb 10, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm “THE ONION EDITORS” bring their satirical spoken word to UCLA Live, Royce Hall, 340 Royce Dr, on the UCLA campus at Royce Dr between Westwood Bl and Hilgard Av, West L.A.; www.uclalive.org; info 310-825-4401; UCLA ticket office 310-825-2101.
+
Deadpan satire and journalistic skill collide in the phenomenon that is “The Onion.” Founded in 1988 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the “fake news” newspaper is the notable precursor to such biting, faux-news programs as "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report." Last year, “The Onion News Network,” an online send-up of 24-hour cable TV news, was named a Peabody Award winner and praised as “hilarious, trenchant and not infrequently hard to distinguish from the real thing.” In their UCLA Live debut, current Onion editor JOE RANDAZZO and fellow staffers present a multimedia discussion on the state of media, politics and pop culture, as they offer insight into how the paper’s culture-skewering stories and hilarious headlines are created. Tix, $28-48 ($15 for UCLA students).
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Feb 11, 2011:
8 pm DANIEL HOPE & JEFFREY KAHANE at UCLA Live, Royce Hall, 340 Royce Dr, on the UCLA campus at Royce Dr between Westwood Bl and Hilgard Av, West L.A.; www.uclalive.org; info 310-825-4401; UCLA ticket office 310-825-2101.
+
Britain's versatile violinist DANIEL HOPE, the youngest person ever to perform as part of the prestigious BEAUX ARTS TRIO, is joined on piano by JEFFREY KAHANE, music director of the LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA. The duo appears for a stirring performance of Brahms’ Sonata No. 1 in G Major, Op. 78, Regenlied, O. Messiaen’s Théme et Variations, Schulhoff’s Sonata No. 2, Sz. 76 and Franck’s Sonata in A Major.
+
DANIEL HOPE is one of the most sought-after violin soloists in music today and has been described by The New York Times as “...a violinist of probing intellect and commanding style.”
+
JEFFREY KAHANE is a multitalented conductor and pianist who made his debut at Carnegie Hall in 1983 and regularly appears as a soloist with leading orchestras around the world. Tix, $28-58 ($15 for UCLA students).
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Sat, Feb 12, 2011:
8 pm “COLEMAN ORCHESTRA CONCERTS” brings the COLBURN SCHOOL ORCHESTRA, SIR NEVILLE MARRINER, conductor, to Ambassador Auditorium, 131 S St John St, Pasadena 91105. Program is Ravel’s “Suite from Ma Mer l’Oye (Mother Goose);” Korngold’s “Violin Concerto;” Bartok’s “Concerto for Orchestra.” Info, 213-621-2200 or www.colburnschool.edu. Tix, $10, gen’l admission.
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Sat, Feb 19, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm MAYA ANGELOU at UCLA Live, Royce Hall, 340 Royce Dr, on the UCLA campus at Royce Dr between Westwood Bl and Hilgard Av, West L.A.; www.uclalive.org; info 310-825-4401; UCLA ticket office 310-825-2101.
+
Inspiring poet, feminist, author, actress, director and activist Maya Angelou is one of the most recognizable and beloved names in contemporary American literature and one of the most powerful voices in American culture. Her work is vigorous, elegant and wields the power to blur racial and socioeconomic lines. Angelou’s influential “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” is a classic that transcends generations. Her prolific career includes a litany of best-selling works of poetry and prose, and this appearance is a rare chance to celebrate this extraordinary woman in her own notable presence.
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Angelou recited her original poetry at President Bill Clinton’s Inauguration in 1993. Not since John F. Kennedy took office in 1961 was a poet invited to take part. (Kennedy chose Carl Sandberg.) President Barack Obama revived the tradition again at his Inauguration in 2009 (the poet was Elizabeth Alexander, though most people remember that ARETHA FRANKLIN sang, and JOHN WILLIAMS conducted ITZHAK PERLMAN, YO-YO MA, GABRIELA MONTERO, & ANTHONY McGILL). Tix, $33-63 ($15 for UCLA students).
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Sun, Feb 20, 2011:
3:30 pm BORODIN QUARTET plays the “SUNDAYS WITH COLEMAN” 107th season (2010-2011), presented by the Coleman Chamber Music Association in Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium, 322 S Michigan Av, Pasadena; series info 626-793-4191; www.colemanchambermusic.org. Season subscription (6 concerts) $108-$234; single-event tix $24-45.
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Wed, Feb 23:
8 pm JOHN WATERS: “THIS FILTHY WORLD GOES HOLLYWOOD,” plus opening act ELVIS PERKINS, is an evening of music and one-man theatre at UCLA Live, Royce Hall, 340 Royce Dr, on the UCLA campus at Royce Dr between Westwood Bl and Hilgard Av, West L.A.; www.uclalive.org; info 310-825-4401; UCLA ticket office 310-825-2101.
+
As a screenwriter, director, artist, actor, and all-around filth elder, John Waters has become a rotten renaissance man of unprecedented cultural influence. Not only was his movie “Hairspray” turned into a wildly successful Tony Award-winning musical, his recently published memoir, “Role Models,” has been called “alarmingly refined.”
+
Waters’ one-man vaudeville act, “This Filthy World Goes Hollywood,” sends up show business, the art world, and his own lunatic career in a rapid-fire performance. Dynamic modern-rock recording artist ELVIS PERKINS opens the show with a solo set, and actor MATTHEW GRAY GUBLER hosts as the evening’s emcee. Tix, $28-48 ($15 for UCLA students).
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Sat, Feb 26; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm “WOODY GUTHRIE TRIBUTE,” the new show by COUNTRY JOE McDONALD (Country Joe & the Fish) at the CALTECH FOLK MUSIC SOCIETY series in Beckman Institute Auditorium (“Little Beckman”) on the campus, 322 S Michigan Av, Pasadena; 626-395-4652, or toll-free 888-2CALTECH (1-888-222-5832). More on the Caltech Folk Music Series at www.folkmusic.caltech.edu - and check-out other music on campus at Caltech Presents / Caltech Public Events series at www.events.caltech.edu.
+
COUNTRY JOE McDONALD has been touring his “TRIBUTE TO WOODY GUTHRIE” for the past few years to strong audience acclaim. In his highly-entertaining tribute, Country Joe deftly conveys the charm, talent, and social and political consciousness of the legendary folksinger from Oklahoma. It helps to know that McDonald’s father, Worden, shared Oklahoma’s Dust Bowl roots with Guthrie in the ‘20s & ‘30s. Country Joe opens the tribute with a moving performance of Woody’s best-known tune, “This Land is Your Land,” and takes the audience through a journey of 13 Woody Guthrie songs, all in a strong clear voice that doesn’t mimic Guthrie’s style, but conveys the emotion and energy that defines Guthrie. More at www.countryjoe.com.
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The campus ticket office handles the Folk Music Society’s advance tickets, takes credit cards, and is open Noon-5 pm, Mon-Fri; their number is 626-395-4652. As the date gets close, this will likely sell-out. Tickets are $20, $5 for children and Caltech students.
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Sun, Feb 27, 2011:
2 pm WOVEN IMAGE plays the Grace First Presbyterian Church concert series, at 3955 Studebaker Rd, Long Beach; 562-420-3393.
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March:
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Wed, Mar 2, 2011:
7 pm “CLASSICAL KALEIDOSCOPE CONCERT SERIES” continues its 6th season tonight with special guest LESLIE GILBERT-LURIE and other performing musicians (tba) in the Cay Mortenson Auditorium at Arcadia Public Library, 20 W Duarte Rd, Arcadia 91006; www.library.ci.arcadia.ca.us; 626-821-5567. Series has one remaining Wednesday night concert, April 20, at 7 pm. Info on this program and the series, 626-821-5569.
+
This is a free series, no reservations, but seating is limited to the first 150 people in line to enter. Doors at 6:30 pm.
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Fri, Mar 4, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm NOEL PAUL STOOKEY (of Peter, Paul & Mary) plays McCabe's, 3101 W Pico Bl, Santa Monica; 310-828-4403 or 310-828-4497; www.mccabes.com
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Sat, Mar 12:
2:30 pm “SHAMROCK TALES” celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with stories and crafts of the Emerald Isle, in the Cay Mortenson Auditorium at Arcadia Public Library, 20 W Duarte Rd, Arcadia 91006; www.library.ci.arcadia.ca.us; 626-821-5567. Info on this program, 626-821-5566. All ages, free.
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Mar 12, 2011:
“Irish Center’s Annual St Patrick's Celebration” at the Hilton Hotel in Glendale. More info to come, or check www.irishcenter.org.
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Sat, Mar 19, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
11 am & 2 pm DAN ZANES & FRIENDS make their annual return for two shows at UCLA Live, Royce Hall, 340 Royce Dr, on the UCLA campus at Royce Dr between Westwood Bl and Hilgard Av, West L.A.; www.uclalive.org; info 310-825-4401; UCLA ticket office 310-825-2101.
+
Don’t dismiss this as a kids’ show. He has a CD that won a Grammy and got airplay on radio’s “Tied to the Trtacks.”
+
UCLA Live series favorite Dan Zanes and his band perform exuberant, handmade music for enthusiastic crowds of kids and kids at heart. Filled with irresistible grooves drawn from a wealth of musical traditions, Zanes, his Brooklyn-based band and his surprising and eccentric special guests, create a rollicking Woodstock for kids, including American traditional songs, dance classics, and smart, inventive originals. The audience is invited to sing along with gusto before things heat up and ultimately evolve into an all-ages dance party. Tix, $18-28 ($15 for UCLA students).
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Sun, Mar 20, 2011:
3:30 pm SCHUMANN TRIO plays the “SUNDAYS WITH COLEMAN” 107th season (2010-2011), presented by the Coleman Chamber Music Association in Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium, 322 S Michigan Av, Pasadena; series info 626-793-4191; www.colemanchambermusic.org. Season subscription (6 concerts) $108-$234; single-event tix $24-45.
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Sat, Mar 23, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
7:30 pm SLIGO RAGS plays the Grace First Presbyterian Church concert series, at 3955 Studebaker Rd, Long Beach; 562-420-3393.
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Sat, Mar 26:
2:30-4 pm “TOLKIEN DAY” celebrates with live music, readings and more, in the Cay Mortenson Auditorium at Arcadia Public Library, 20 W Duarte Rd, Arcadia 91006; www.library.ci.arcadia.ca.us; 626-821-5567. Info on this program, 626-821-5566. The L.A.-based “Tolkein Society” presents this afternoon of dramatic readings, musical interludes and costumed characters from “The Hobbit,” “The Lord of the Rings,” and other works by J.R.R. Tolkien. All ages, free.
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April:
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Sat, Apr 2, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
2 pm BILL FRISELL TRIO: “SELECTED WORKS OF BUSTER KEATON” plays the first of two different shows today at UCLA Live, Royce Hall, 340 Royce Dr, on the UCLA campus at Royce Dr between Westwood Bl and Hilgard Av, West L.A.; www.uclalive.org; info 310-825-4401; UCLA ticket office 310-825-2101.
+
The matinee is family-friendly, and the show tonight takes a different focus. Incomparable guitarist BILL FRISELL, along with his bandmates TONY SCHERR and KENNY WOLLESEN, create a live score to the Buster Keaton classics “Go West,” “The High Sign,” and “One Week.” Rediscover the timeless charm of Keaton’s magic, as re-imagined with live music, in an afternoon of film and music the whole family can enjoy. The trio plays another show here tonight at 8 pm, with an adult focus; it, too is a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick. See listing. Tix, $18-28 ($15 for UCLA students).
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Sat, Apr 2, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
3 & 8 pm “ALOHA CONCERT SERIES” brings Grammy winners GEORGE, MOSES & KEOKI KAHUMOKU at the Ruth Shannon Center for the Performing Arts, on the campus at Whittier College, 6760 Painter Av, Whittier; 562-907-4203; www.shannoncenter.org.
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The three Kahumokus bring a triple dose of great guitar. They’ve won Grammys among the three of them, run a renowned music camp for slack key guitar and ukulele, plus recorded for GEORGE WINSTON’s respected Dancing Cat label. George & Keoki have played the series before, but getting Moses here to perform on one of his rare trips to the Mainland is extra special.
+
The annual series brings seven shows for its 2010-2011 season. Tix, including new “facilities surcharges,” $48.
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Sat, Apr 2, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm BILL FRISELL TRIO: “SELECTED WORKS OF BUSTER KEATON, JIM WOODRING AND BILL MORRISON” is the second of Frisell’s two different shows today at UCLA Live, Royce Hall, 340 Royce Dr, on the UCLA campus at Royce Dr between Westwood Bl and Hilgard Av, West L.A.; www.uclalive.org; info 310-825-4401; UCLA ticket office 310-825-2101.
+
The show tonight takes a different focus, unlike today’s family-friendly matinee. Geniuses collide as iconic guitarist BILL FRISELL and his bandmates TONY SCHERR and KENNY WOLLESEN play original compositions to a truly fantastic collection of visuals that includes classic slapstick comedy from a trio of Buster Keaton classics, the bold illustrations of Seattle animator JIM WOODRING and selections from avant-garde filmmaker BILL MORRISON’s “The Mesmerist.” Frisell’s trio sets this eclectic footage to music with a thrilling live score. The trio plays a matinee here at 11 am today, with a different focus and cheaper tix, intended for families; it, too is a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick. See listing. Tix, $28-43 ($15 for UCLA students).
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Sat, Apr 2, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm RONNY COX & JACK WILLIAMS play “Russ and Julie's House Concert” series in Oak Park (in the Agoura Hills/Westlake Village area); Reservations get directions at 818-707-2179.
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Sat, Apr 2, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm “ALOHA CONCERT SERIES” brings Grammy winners GEORGE, MOSES & KEOKI KAHUMOKU at the Ruth Shannon Center for the Performing Arts, on the campus at Whittier College, 6760 Painter Av, Whittier; www.shannoncenter.org; 562-907-4203. Shows at 3 & 8 pm. See 3 pm listing for details.
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Fri-Sun, Apr 8-10, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
“ARLO GUTHRIE - A WEEKEND OF GUTHRIE IN REDLANDS” is a festival, venue tba. Info, www.BodieHouse.com.
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Fri, Apr 8, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm ARLO GUTHRIE & FRIENDS at UCLA Live, Royce Hall, 340 Royce Dr, on the UCLA campus at Royce Dr between Westwood Bl and Hilgard Av, West L.A.; www.uclalive.org; info 310-825-4401; UCLA ticket office 310-825-2101.
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Son of the illustrious WOODY GUTHRIE and current patriarch of folk music’s most notable family, Arlo Guthrie returns to UCLA Live for an evening of American music tinged with humor, warmth and his endearing and often meandering storytelling style. Guthrie shares timeless tales and unforgettable classic songs as he carries on the Guthrie family legacy. With his singular voice as both a singer-songwriter and social commentator, he has maintained a dedicated fan base that spans the globe. His artistic ventures leave lasting impressions of hope and inspiration, and his inimitable musical ingenuity leaps to new creative heights as he perseveres through the times. Tix, $33-58 ($15 for UCLA students) (310) 825-2101, www.uclalive.org.
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Sun, Apr 10, 2011:
3:30 pm REBEL plays the “SUNDAYS WITH COLEMAN” 107th season (2010-2011), presented by the Coleman Chamber Music Association in Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium, 322 S Michigan Av, Pasadena; series info 626-793-4191; www.colemanchambermusic.org. Season subscription (6 concerts) $108-$234; single-event tix $24-45.
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Apr 14, 2011:
CANCELLED: Poet SEAMUS HEANEY’S spoken word engagement at UCLA Live, Royce Hall, 340 Royce Dr, on the UCLA campus at Royce Dr between Westwood Bl and Hilgard Av, West L.A.; www.uclalive.org; info 310-825-4401; UCLA ticket office 310-825-2101. Event cancelled due to Visa issues. Full refunds or exchanges are available at the point of purchase to patrons who purchased tickets to this event during UCLA Live’s subscription-sales window.
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Apr 15, 2011, in Washington State:
7:30-10 pm RED HORSE - ELIZA GILKYSON, JOHN GORKA & LUCY KAPLANSKY – play the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St, SE, Olympia WA; 360-753-8586; www.washingtoncenter.org. More at www.facebook.com/pages/Red-Horse/100743976643456. Check out the #1 folk album of October 2010, “Red Horse,” at www.redhouserecords.com
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Apr 16, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm JOHN FLYNN & JOHN WORT HANNAM play the “Bodie House Music Series at the Thousand Oaks Library,” at Grant R. Brimhall Library, 1401 E Janss Rd, Thousand Oaks 91362; 818-621-8309; info, www.BodieHouse.com. Canadian singer-songwriter JOHN WORT HANNAM took L.A. by storm when he toured a number of local venue in October, 2009. At home in the Great White North, he’s won just about every acoustic music award there is.
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Wed, Apr 20, 2011:
7 pm “CLASSICAL KALEIDOSCOPE CONCERT SERIES” concludes its 6th season tonight with special guests RAYNOR CARROLL & AFRICAN AMERICAN DRUMMING and other performing musicians (tba) in the Cay Mortenson Auditorium at Arcadia Public Library, 20 W Duarte Rd, Arcadia 91006; www.library.ci.arcadia.ca.us; 626-821-5567. Info on this program and the series, 626-821-5569.
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This is a free series, no reservations, but seating is limited to the first 150 people in line to enter. Doors at 6:30 pm.
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Sat, Apr 23, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
2 pm CHRISTOPH BULL performs a stirring BACH ORGAN RECITAL for UCLA Live, Royce Hall, 340 Royce Dr, on the UCLA campus at Royce Dr between Westwood Bl and Hilgard Av, West L.A.; www.uclalive.org; info 310-825-4401; UCLA ticket office 310-825-2101.
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Bull is a UCLA Live favorite. This is a delightful afternoon of classical music on Royce Hall’s glorious Skinner organ from acclaimed organist Christoph Bull, known for his energizing and often eclectic musical interpretation of organ repertoire. Bull will perform a thrilling and ethereal program of Bach on the UCLA campus treasure, which is known as one of the country’s great musical devices of its kind. Tix, $23/28/33 ($15 for UCLA students).
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Sat, Apr 23, 2011:
8 pm BILLY COLLINS and KAY RYAN, two former U.S. Poet Laureates in a spoken word event, at UCLA Live, Royce Hall, 340 Royce Dr, on the UCLA campus at Royce Dr between Westwood Bl and Hilgard Av, West L.A.; www.uclalive.org; info 310-825-4401; UCLA ticket office 310-825-2101.
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The two Poet Laureates share the stage for an evening of readings from their acclaimed work and Q&A with the audience.
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BILLY COLLINS, winner of the 2004 inaugural Mark Twain Prize for Humor in Poetry, served as America’s Poet Laureate from 2001-2003. Beloved for his ironic style, Collins is one of the top-selling modern poets and author of nine collections including “Questions about Angels”,” The Art of Drowning,” and “The Trouble With Poetry and Other Poems.”
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KAY RYAN, California native and UCLA alumna, was U.S. Poet Laureate from 2008-2010 and is revered for her complex and rueful style. Her work includes “The Jam Jar Lifeboat & Other Novelties Exposed,” a delightful collection inspired by stories from “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!,” as well as “Flamingo Watching”, a finalist for both the Lamont Poetry Selection and the Lenore Marshall Prize. In 2004, Ryan was awarded The Ruth Lilly Prize—the Poetry Foundation’s highest honor.
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In conjunction with this event and April’s National Poetry Month, UCLA Live will launch a poetry-writing contest for the Los Angeles community, with winning submissions to be read onstage in Royce Hall. More details will be available closer to the event. Tix, $28-53.
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May:
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Thu, May 12, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8 pm PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND and THE DEL MCCOURY BAND in a stellar double-bill at UCLA Live, Royce Hall, 340 Royce Dr, on the UCLA campus at Royce Dr between Westwood Bl and Hilgard Av, West L.A.; www.uclalive.org; info 310-825-4401; UCLA ticket office 310-825-2101.
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Two pillars of American music from two distinct lineages come together for an unforgettable evening to celebrate the glory of tradition and the power of newfound collaboration. Starting as a sideman for the legendary “father of bluegrass” Bill Monroe nearly 50 years ago, McCoury has broadened the audience for the genre. During that same period, the legendary Preservation Hall Jazz Band has defined the tradition of New Orleans jazz. Now, they have converged to record and perform an unforgettable mix of bluegrass and traditional jazz. Each band will play individual sets, followed by a soul-stirring joint finale. Tix, $38-63 ($15 for UCLA students).
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Sat, May 21, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
3 & 8 pm “ALOHA CONCERT SERIES” brings THE BROTHERS CAZIMERO at the Ruth Shannon Center for the Performing Arts, on the campus at Whittier College, 6760 Painter Av, Whittier; 562-907-4203; www.shannoncenter.org.
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ROBERT & ROLAND, being brothers, naturally perform as THE BROTHERS CAZIMERO. The venue tells us, “No group has made more of a contribution to Hawaiian music then they have, and the season wouldn’t be complete without them. Every season they put on a different show and they never cease to amaze.”
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This closes the annual series of seven shows for the 2010-2011 season; contact them regarding discounts for buying tix to next season’s entire series. Tix, for today, including new “facilities surcharges,” $48.
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May 22, 2011; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
“L.A. ACOUSTIC MUSIC FESTIVAL” returns after a year of hiatus, with ELLIS PAUL, ELIZA GILKYSON, JIMMY LaFAVE, SARAH LEE GUTHRIE & JOHNNY IRION. This year, it’s a one-day event at the Broad Stage Theatre at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St, Santa Monica; 310-434-3200; www.thebroadstage.com; www.events.smc.edu. Even before we knew the lineup, we were comfortable recommending it as a “Show-of-the-Week” pick, given the talent that Renee Bodie booked the first year, and the fact that this is a MUCH more manageable venue where costs can be contained and ticket prices should be kept to reasonable limits. The festival is a benefit for the nonprofit California Acoustic Music Project.
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More info:
LA Acoustic Music Festival, www.laacousticmusicfestival.com
California Acoustic Music Project, www.californiaacousticmusicproject.org
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June:
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Jun 5-10, 2011, in New Orleans:
Annual “NEW ORLEANS TRAD JAZZ CAMP” for all enthusiasts of traditional and New Orleans-style jazz. The first discount price-break deadline for registration is Oct 31, 2010.
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Jun 12-16, 2011:
22nd annual “NORTH AMERICAN JAMES JOYCE CONFERENCE” at the Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, and at Caltech in Pasadena. This event takes place in a different locale each year, and this year, Southern Cal fans of James Joyce have it right here at home. Info, www.joyceconference2011.com.
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(7) MORE STUFF >>>>>>> Other News, Resources, etc…
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Our frequently updated VENUE DIRECTORY is available at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/04/venue-directory-from-tied-to-tracks_16.html
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HELP KEEP THE GUIDE GOING! Send us $25 and get great goodies in return! Find out WHAT you can get, and more, at
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http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/03/support-guide-and-get-some-great-dvds.html )
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Updated editions bring more (always more -- as we have time to organize all of it).
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We do all we can to bring you news and notices of all the many, many, acoustic music events in and around Los Angeles.
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Plus, we tell you about RADIO SHOWS with acoustic music, focusing on those with live acoustic performances. (They’re available mostly on the web, of course, since we are in acoustic-music-radio-deprived Los Angeles.)
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And, we bring news and reviews of the many acoustic music FESTIVALS near and far, hither and yon, here, there and everywhere! With you help, we’ll keep doing it!
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In FOLKWORKS: you can check out Larry Wines’ most recent “SOMEWHERE OUT THERE” column in every issue, available free online at www.folkworks.org
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RADIO NEWS: the return from hiatus of the syndicated TIED TO THE TRACKS radio show is delayed, due to the producer / host’s ongoing recovery from eye surgeries. (At least he has time to listen to all those submitted CDs that arrive daily!) We’ll keep you posted.
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NEED TO KNOW MORE about the GUIDE and its companion, THE ACOUSTIC AMERICANA MUSIC NEWS,
or
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR GIG FOR INCLUSION?
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Our “stuff ya wanna know “ (FAQs) page is available at
http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2009/10/guide-faqs-and-more.html
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Questions? Comments? Contact us at tiedtothetracks@hotmail.com
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The editor continues to readapt to the computer following his eye surgeries, and is once again able to read - even if he sees everything like it’s in a funhouse mirror…
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PLEASE HELP!
Submit your gigs in our format! Otherwise, it takes many, many, MANY hours just to convert what you send into listings we can use, and we may not be able to unscrew the inscrutable in time to include your gig. Look at ANY write-up in the Guide, and follow the format you see there!
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WANT TO HELP KEEP THE GUIDE GOING? Send us $25 and get great goodies in return! Find out WHAT you can get, and more, at
+
http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/03/support-guide-and-get-some-great-dvds.html )
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THE LATEST EDITION OF THE GUIDE, the News, current events, “heads up” notices to buy tix for upcoming events, and more – is available 24/7 (& frequently updated!) at ~
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www.acousticmusic.net or at
www.acousticamericana.blogspot.com or by links from the News-only edition at www.nodepression.com/profile/TiedtotheTracks
or by following any of many links on the web to get to one of those sites.
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Entire contents copyright (c) © 2010, Larry Wines. All rights reserved.
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