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Alternative country, Americana, roots, folk,blues, gospel, jazz, and bluegrass music news

ROUBADOURSAN DIEGO

November 2006 Vol. 6, No. 2

TFREE

Welcome Mat………3ContributorsAcoustic Expressions

Full Circle..…………4Allen SingerRecordially, Lou Curtiss

Front Porch... …6-7, 12Kalimba KreativityIsaac CheongRobin Adler & Dave BlackburnScott PaulsonDixieland Jazz Festival

Parlor Showcase …8Cindy Lee Berryhill

Ramblin’...…………10Bluegrass CornerZen of RecordingHosing DownRadio Daze

Of Note.……………13Simeon FlickTim MuddEarly DolphinGregory Page

‘Round About .......…14November Music Calendar

The Local Seen……15Photo Page

what’s inside

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NOVEMBER 2006 SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR

welcome mat

MISSIONTo promote, encourage, and provide an alternative voice for the great local music thatis generally overlooked by the mass media;namely the genres of alternative country,Americana, roots, folk, blues, gospel, jazz, andbluegrass. To entertain, educate, and bringtogether players, writers, and lovers of theseforms; to explore their foundations; and toexpand the audience for these types of music.

Alternative country, Americana, roots, folk,blues, gospel, jazz, and bluegrass music newsTROUBADOURSAN DIEGO

SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR, the local source foralternative country, Americana, roots, folk,blues, gospel, jazz, and bluegrass music news,is published monthly and is free of charge.Letters to the editor must be signed and may beedited for content. It is not, however, guaranteedthat they will appear.

All opinions expressed in SAN DIEGOTROUBADOUR, unless otherwise stated, aresolely the opinion of the writer and do not represent the opinions of the staff or management. All rights reserved.

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©2006 San Diego Troubadour.

The San Diego Troubadour is dedicated tothe memory of Ellen and Lyle Duplessie,whose vision inspired the creation of thisnewspaper.

CONTRIBUTORSFOUNDERSEllen and Lyle DuplessieLiz AbbottKent Johnson

PUBLISHERSLiz AbbottKent Johnson

EDITORIAL/GRAPHICSLiz AbbottSimeon FlickChuck Schiele

ADVERTISINGKent JohnsonJoanna Schiele

BUSINESS MANAGERJoanna Schiele

DISTRIBUTIONKent JohnsonDave SawyerMark JacksonPeter BollandIndian Joe Stewart

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERSteve Covault

WEB MASTERWill Edwards

WRITERSLiz AbbottMike AlvarezLou CurtissWill EdwardsJim McInnesAndy RobinsonLarry RoseDave SawyerChuck SchieleSven-Erik SeaholmJosé SinatraD. Dwight WordenCraig Yerkes

Photo: Dina DouglassCover design: Chuck Schiele

by Dwight Worden

Bob Page, long-time owner and opera-tor of Buffalo Brothers Guitars inCarlsbad, has taken over as the new

owner and operator of Acoustic Expressions,North Park’s venerable music store. Page, who isplanning some important changes, expects tobring in many more instruments for sale. Anyonewho has ever visited the Carlsbad store knowsthat Buffalo Brothers is one of the largest gui-tars stores in the country, featuring over 2,500quality guitars on the floor, sold at great prices.

With its long and storied history, the localacoustic music community is excited to knowthat Page will continue to carry on the traditionthat Acoustic Expressions established more than30 years ago. For this great little North Parkneighborhood store, it all began in 1974 during atime when the music world was suffering underthe strains of disco, and folk music seemed to bedestined for extinction. Walt Richards, however,had a vision, which was to preserve the “musicof the folk.” In February 1974, along with BobZink, a school of traditional music opened, calledthe New Expression. In its small house on RayStreet, the business grew and flourished, initial-ly as a small retail operation under the directionof Vicki Cottle, providing students with suitableinstruments on which to learn, as well asstrings, picks, and music books that were other-wise hard to find.

These acoustic music pioneers are alsoresponsible for starting the now well-known Slo-Jam, which has not only provided a very enjoy-able respite from television, video games, andthe constant media drive to consume, it has alsoproved to be a great learning tool for those whomight be reticent to share their musical giftswith others. Also key to the early success of thelittle store was a group of enthusiastic musicstudents and teachers who combined into a per-forming entity they called Mandolin Madness,which focused on learning to play in public and,equally as important, to have as much fun aspossible while doing so. Thus, the NewExpression music store began to nurture acousticand folk music of all kinds — for instrumentbuyers, for teachers and learners, and for per-formers. Hence, the little shop on Ray soonbecame a focal point for the local acoustic musicscene.

One of the star students to emerge fromMandolin Madness was George Thorward whowas also very adept in the business world. In1991 George and Jean Thorward purchased theretail operation from Cottle and operated it as aseparate entity under the name House of

Strings. Under the careful and friendly guidanceof the Thorwards, the shop made great stridesand soon became a premier folk and bluegrassvenue.

A few years ago Thorward decided toretire and, in 2003, sold the House of Stringsbusiness to Carol Winn and Mark Bennett.. Thepartners moved the store from its long-time, butcramped, location in the little house to its cur-rent — and much larger — location at 2852University Avenue. Winn and Bennett redecorat-ed, added studios for instruction, fixed up a per-formance space in the back, and re-named thebusiness Acoustic Expressions. Within a fewyears, however, it became apparent that thedemands of their other business, coupled withthe daily requirements of running the store,became difficult, so the partners began to con-sider either selling the business or closing itsdoors. However, a chance remark overheard atthis year’s Summergrass led to the store’s latestreincarnation.

When Page, a lifelong bluegrass andacoustic music fan, heard that AcousticExpressions would be closing at the end ofSeptember, and feeling that it would be a greatloss to the acoustic community, Page purchasedthe store from Winn and Bennett.

Under Page’s experienced and guidinghand, the store will continue to carry all theessential supplies and instruments sought out by

the acoustic music community and also makesome upgrades. After a long absence, Martinguitars will return to the shop as will Collings,Ode, and many other well-known makes ofinstruments. The teaching staff will be retainedtoo — but under its original name, the NewExpression School of Music. In addition, thestore will feature workshops conducted by localas well as visiting artists and a variety of otherservices to the local music community. Page isexcited about this new undertaking and wel-comes everyone to come down, see the store,and say hello. And so, the tradition continues.

Tradition Continues at AcousticExpressions Music Store

Bob Page (left) and Dwight Worden inBuffalo Brothers’ booth at Summergrass

Acoustic Expressions in North Park


full circle

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by Larry Rose

In 1959 the folk music revival was alreadyunderway in New York’s Greenwich Villagelong before the rest of America found out

about it. For what became known as the GreatFolk Scare, the Village was Ground Zero. U.UtahPhillips, a folksinger known as the Golden Voiceof the Great Southwest, came up with this phraseearly in his career and it is still in use today,describing an incredible outpouring of traditionalacoustic music that is still alive and well aroundthe country, including San Diego. As the undis-puted keeper of the flame here in San Diego, localmusician Allen Singer was there from the begin-ning, jamming with guys like Bob Dylan, DavidGrisman, and John Sebastian before anybody everheard of them. Because he was in exactly the rightplace at exactly the right time, his acoustic musiceducation is second to none. Currently coordina-tor for the San Diego Folk Song Society and onthe board of San Diego Folk Heritage, Singer is upto his eyeballs in the local traditional musicscene, which is simply the natural progression ofhis entire life.

Singer grew up in the Chelsea area of NewYork City near Tenth Avenue and 27th Street. Hismusical interest was fueled by spending nearlyevery summer from the age of five at progressivecamps where the songs of Leadbelly, WoodyGuthrie, and Pete Seeger were common campfiresing-along material. These tunes included unionorganizing ditties and early protest songs, such asLeadbelly’s line “The white folks in Washington,they know how to chuck a colored man a nickeljust to see him bow.” Singer later became a campcounselor himself, helping another generation gethooked on the noncommercial, yet deep rooted,American sound. His father was into jazz andblues and he learned to love those tunes too.While in junior high school during the mid-1950sSinger read John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath,Woody Guthrie’s, Bound for Glory, J.D. Salinger’sCatcher in the Rye, and Jack Kerouac’s On theRoad, which set off a journey that pushed himtoward the music that was closer to rural farmers,working class people, real life stories, and unionactivists. Here you could experience the realworld and go through musical doors that tookyou further along on your life’s journey.

Attending Junior High School No. 3 from

1956 to 1959 on Hudson Street in GreenwichVillage, a new world opened up to Singer, wherehis classmates included kids of artists, musicians,Mafiosi, and writers. He got to know the Villageand the people who lived there and never lookedback. When Singer went to high school with JoseFeliciano, jamming with him in music classturned him on to really learning the guitar. Priorto that, Singer had been playing viola in the jun-ior high band and, later, clarinet in a GreenwichVillage dixieland band throughout most of highschool. In the fall of 1961 his interest in folkmusic carried him by subway to the Village,where great old time music had been going on forsome time. Finally serious about learning to playthe guitar, Singer got his first decent guitar inearly 1962 — a 1955 J-45 Gibson that cost him70 bucks. He still has it and trots it out from timeto time at San Diego folk music gatherings. Hehas since found a Colling’s Dreadnought guitarthat he likes much better and picks that ax 90percent of the time.

For decades Greenwich Village had been thecenter of the bohemian culture, home to greatjazz clubs that launched the careers of manymainstream entertainers over the years. In 1949Bob Hope discovered a kid named Tony Bennettsinging in a Village club and gave him his stagename at that time. Bennett cut his first record in1950 with Columbia, the same label that wouldeventually produce Bob Dylan’s first LP, whichtook the Folk Scare to the rest of the world. Thiswriter had never heard anything called “folk

music” until some of the stuff being done in theVillage leaked out and made its way to the Westas a commercial phenomenon.

The center of the Village was, and still is,Washington Square, bordered by New YorkUniversity on three sides, with clubs occupyingthe streets on the opposite side. The Square wasthe gathering place for musicians and college kidsfrom all over the East. Open jamming went oneverywhere and Singer couldn’t get enough of it.MacDougal Street, which ran south from theSquare, was home to many clubs and coffeehous-es where musicians played. Izzy Young’s FolkLore Center was the clearing house for all folkmusic activities in New York, which also fed thefolk revival. The open mic was invented here inthe late 1950s and was a magnet for Singer andthe rest of the kids from the university as well asfrom New York’s surrounding boroughs. WhenBob Dylan came to New York in January 1961, hewent straight to the Café Wha? and tried theopen mic there on Hootenanny Night. Clubowner Manny Roth, David Lee Roth’s father,noted later that Dylan’s first set was almost allWoody Guthrie songs. Dylan played with MarkSpoelstra, Dave Van Ronk, and Fred Neil whowrote “Everybody’s Talkin’” in one of the water-ing holes on or near MacDougal Street. Dylanopened for John Lee Hooker in his first profes-sional gig on April 11, 1961, at Gerde’s Folk City,a club west of the Square on West Fourth Street,and Singer was there.

Singer remembers that the late blues and jazz

artist Dave Van Ronk was the star of theMacDougal Street coffeehouse and club scene atthat time and that Dylan wanted a piece of theaction, copying Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and yearningto be just like Jack and also using Van Ronk’sarrangements in his songs. Having released atleast a dozen records in his career, Van Ronkwrote the definitive book about the epicenter ofthe Folk Scare called, fittingly, The Mayor ofMacDougal Street. In his book Van Ronk givesDylan credit for both launching the Great FolkScare as a commercial happening with his first LPin December 1961 and then ending it with hisfirst all-electric LP in 1965. Van Ronk’s wife, TerriThal, who was Dylan’s first manager, was Singer’shigh school English teacher in the 11th grade.Small world. Dylan never forgot WashingtonSquare and the nearby clubs and in a 1985 inter-view noted that it was a very special place thatlaunched the music careers of hundreds of peopleand inspired thousands more who helped spreadthe magic to college campuses and coffeehouseseverywhere.

Greenwich Village had been the hot spot forbohemians, traditional musicians, artists, andwriters since the 1920s, most of whom lived andplayed in the alternate culture-rich area thatincluded bookstores, cheap apartments, and lotsof small clubs that featured jazz, poetry readings,and American roots music. Hearing traditionalmusic on the radio was rare anywhere outside theSouth, and the northern-based music businessignored what was going on in the Village. Thisdrought was broken by Oscar Brand, a folksingerwho hosted a folk music program on WNYC, theNew York City owned radio station in the 1950s,where you could hear the first musicians of thefolk revival. He still hosts the same folk musicprogram today. During the late 1940s WashingtonSquare’s fountain became the place to hang outand play guitars, fiddles, and banjos. WhenSinger discovered the place in 1961, he thoughthe had died and gone to heaven. Soon thereafterthe commercial music business took notice whenDylan was featured in a major newspaper articlewritten by Robert Shelton about music in theVillage .

Traditional music could be heard in everyclub, coffeehouse, and bar in the Village beforethe scare really got going; Singer was there nearlyevery night and every weekend, witness to anamazing array of acoustic music styles there. DocWatson played there in his first venture outside ofthe South. Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, whose musicSinger lived and breathed, was a resident as wellas a coffeehouse regular. Singer also heard theWeavers, Pete Seeger, Mississippi John Hurt,Reverend Gary Davis, the Stanley Brothers, BillMonroe, Flatt and Scruggs, the New Lost CityRamblers, Merle Travis, Joan Baez, Johnny Cash,Judy Collins, Tom Paxton, Phil Ochs, John LeeHooker, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Muddy Waters,Odetta, and Maria Muldaur before they allbecame the vanguard of the folk movement. Thisis just a small list of the hundreds of traditionalacoustic musicians who played the clubs whereSinger and his friends hung out.

Singer notes that the first bluegrass band heheard in the Village, from someplace other thanthe rural South, was called the Greenbriar Boys.In fact, members of the band — Ralph Rinzler,Bob Yellin, and John Herald — who used to callSinger the “fat kid,” jammed on the Square withSinger and his friends. This type of traditionalhillbilly music, along with bluegrass and old timecountry music, which was spread to the northalmost entirely by a bunch of Jewish kids fromNew York City, many of whom were second gen-eration children of Eastern European Jews whohad settled in the Village. Attracted to this kind ofmusic, Singer felt it was his way of becoming apart of the real American culture. He couldn’tidentify with Dick Clark’s brand of rock and rolland its sugary covers of doowop and blackrhythm and blues. He loved honkytonk, cowboy,and old time country music. He notes that RoyAcuff called New York bluegrass “Jewgrass” afterhearing some of these northern kids pick and winat the Galax Old Time String Band Contest inAsheville, North Carolina.

Marshall Brickman and Eric Weissberg,Washington Square regulars during the 1950s and

early 1960s, released the first all bluegrass banjoLP recording by northern pickers to add credenceto Acuff’s Jewgrass moniker. Done in the EarlScruggs hot three-finger style, the sound wassoon being heard all over the world and theVillage became, once again, the non-southernlaunching pad for the five-string banjo boomlet.Folk-oriented LPs at the time would bear a bigsplash on the jacket, such as “featuring five-stringbanjo!” to make sure the new urban fans of“Scruggs style” bluegrass banjo would not miss it.

After his move to the city, Dylan hung out atthe Square, feeding on the many varieties of folkmusic played there, but his genius soon took himbeyond the Square, fueled by his innovative useof poetic wordplay supported by folk guitar andharmonica. Johnny Cash once gave Dylan aGibson J-200 guitar, which can be seen on thecover of his LP John Wesley Harding. Cash was aColumbia recording artist who had made it bigwith his country rock sound in the late 1950s butwas well aware of what was going on in theVillage, having played the clubs there. In fact,Cash threatened to quit Columbia when MitchMiller, then A&R man at the record company,wanted to fire Dylan after his first LP had onlysold 5,000 copies. Dylan wasn’t fired and the restis history.

When Columbia signed Dylan in 1961 itturned out to be the trigger event that reallylaunched the Folk Scare on a national level. Radioand television began playing traditional Americanmusic for the first time, and there was even anational TV show called Hootenanny. Singerplayed music at the Square until 1965, the yearDylan went electric and soon became a pop artist.Although many of Dylan’s old friends in theVillage disowned him for “selling out” to thecommercial music industry, Singer felt thatDylan’s move was positive because he was extend-ing the folk circle and saving not only folk musicbut rock and roll as well. It was at that time, how-ever, that the Beatles took the U.S. by storm andthe folk boom faded fast. Even Dave Van Ronkwent electric in 1968 in order to continue to sur-vive as a full time musician. Singer believes thefolk music phenomenon continued on even afterit was no longer played on the radio or TV butjust went back “underground” much as it waswhen Woody Guthrie played in the obscurity ofthe Greenwich Village clubs and union halls longbefore the Folk Scare broke out.

After the folk boom quieted down in 1965,Singer concentrated on his education, graduatingfrom Pace College in 1967 with a degree in psy-chology. He went to graduate school at NYU onWashington Square from 1969 to 1971, earning amaster’s degree in clinical social work.Throughout the 1970s he worked for theSalvation Army and lived in the Village just ashort distance from MacDougal Street. Along theway he acquired his wife, Linda, and moved hisfamily to San Diego in 1980, where he landed ajob in Kaiser Permanente’s psychiatry departmentand retired from there in 2003. Singer admits thatduring his working years in San Diego he didn’tplay much guitar. He started to play regularlyagain in 1999 after having a conversation with hislocal New York buddy Pete Zelin, who encour-aged him to “get out there and play music again.”Sadly, Zelin died a few days later and never got achance to see Singer step out and play.

When he discovered the San Diego Folk SongSociety, Singer was not only surprised but alsovery pleased and has never looked back. For him,

Witness to the Great Folk Scare

The Allen Singer Story

continued on page 13

Singer at Train Song Festival, 2006

Photo: Kelly C

ummings

Singer at Pioneer Youth Camp Hootenanny, 1964

Photo: M

aury Englander

Singer, 1963

CD cover photo for Desert Tracks, Ocotillo, 2006

Photo: M

aury Englander



full circle

HANK WILLIAMS AND COUNTRY

MUSIC

It was some time in the late 1940s that myDad came home with an MGM 78 recordby some guy named Hank Williams. The

tune was “Lovesick Blues” and, for some rea-son, I was very attracted to it. Now I’d been lis-tening to country music practically all my lifeat that point and grew up listening to thePrince Albert Grand Ole Opry with Roy Acuffand, later, Red Foley. I also listened regularlyto a rascally old country deejay on KVI inTacoma, Washington, named Buck Richey. Ifhe didn’t like the song he was playing, he’dbreak the record over his knee and say, “That’llnever get in the library; some of these otherdoofuses at the station might play that. Wegotta keep country music country.” Actually, heprobably said “hillbilly” ’cause that was theword they used then. At any rate, Buck likedHank Williams and so did my Dad and I.Other records came home with Dad and Iremember hearing Hank on the Grand OleOpry a couple of times. When we moved toSan Diego from Washington in 1952, we hadn’tbeen in San Diego more than a week when myUncle Tony hauled my Dad, Mom, two sisters,and me out to the Bostonia Ballroom east of ElCajon to see Hank. (I wrote about that experi-ence in my very first “Recordially” column inthe first issue of the San Diego Troubadour backin September 2001. You can still read it on lineI guess. If not, drop by Folk Arts Rare Recordsand I’ll show it to you.)

Well, what I’m getting around to here isthat San Diego Repertory Theater will be doinga production of Hank Williams: Lost Highway,beginning November 10, and I’ll be taking partin a discussion before the Wednesday nightshow starts — on November 22 at 7 p.m. Thediscussion, which will be led by San Diego Repartistic director Sam Woodhouse, will alsoinclude George Varga, music writer for the SanDiego Union-Tribune. It ought to be fun, andthe play is certainly worth seeing. You know,country record collecting icon Joe Bussard hascalled Hank “the last country singer.” I don’tknow whether that’s true, but certainly his riseto stardom was the beginning of the end of“country in country music.” It’s been Nashville

(just another city with city music) ever since.All the rural areas with their own smallercountry scenes had mostly shut down by theend of the 1950s. Most of the other big BarnDance country shows like Louisiana Hayride,Wheeling Jamboree, Town Hall Party, CowtownJamboree, Boone County Jamboree, NationalBarn Dance, Renfro Valley Barn Dance,Midwestern Hayride, Hollywood Barn Dance,and so many others had shut down in favor ofthe “Big O” (Grand Ole Opry) and it just abouttook all the country out of country music.Since then, there have been revivals within andwithout the country scene. There wasBakersfield during the 1960s, which more orless got absorbed; the old-timey revival, whichmostly got ignored yet remains a part of thefolk music scene today. Bluegrass has createdits own scene in a way that the Nashville typestolerate and try to subvert every now and then,creating hybrids that aren’t really bluegrass.(You hear terms like newgrass and Americana,but a lot of it’s just watered down new age ele-vator music.) The Austin outlaw music sceneduring the 1970s recently got absorbed intothe Nashville thing and sort of provided a linkbetween country music and rock ‘n’ roll (orrenewed some of the links that rockabilly hadalready created). There have been other so-called traditional revivals in country music,most of them some ad man’s dream about whatthat word really means. Or some Hank or LeftyFrizzell sound-alike will do a straight forwardhonkytonk country album and, by the timehe’s done a second or third album, there comethe over-produced, 101 strings backups withecho and overdubs and crap that Nashvillesound engineers like to do. And there goesanother moderately good country singer to theash heap, and probably some country collectorwho really liked the guy’s first stuff feels rippedoff again. I remember thinking about the firsttime I heard doowah vocals dubbed in behindWebb Pierce some time back in the mid- to late1950s and that I really didn’t like it. I remem-ber when MGM took a bunch of old HankWilliams’ songs and dubbed in violins (not fid-dles, violins). I wrote a letter to MGM (whonever replied), complaining. In 40 years oftalking to record collectors and music buffshere at my record shop, particularly country

music fans, I’ve come to the conclusion thatmany of the people in charge of country musicat the various major record companies reallydidn’t like country music and sought to changeit, which they certainly did. They have anawful lot of damn nerve calling it country.

So that’s why it’s fortunate that people arestill doing accounts of real rural music likeHank Williams: Lost Highway. That’s what I’vebeen trying to do with the Roots Festivalsthese last 40 years — keeping folk songs forthe folk and country music in the country. It’sa hard fight when people want to replace itwith something else and call it something it’snot.

Recordially,

Lou Curtiss

Lou Curtiss

Photo: Bill Richardson

Recordially, Lou Curtiss

Hank Williams (note Chet Atkins on the left)

by Andy Robinson

Most people know a kalimbawhen they hear one, althoughthey may not know the instru-

ment by name. Kalimbas have a distinctive,ethereal tone; it’s what I imagine water run-ning over smooth stones would sound like,if you could somehow train water to playmelodies. If you are struggling with a men-tal picture, try the phrase “thumb piano,”which is a fairly common term used todescribe this little tuned percussion instru-ment.

Christian Carver is the director ofAfrican Musical Instruments (A.M.I.), thecompany that makes the Hugh Traceykalimba. Carver says, “The word [kalimba] isfrom the Shona people of Zimbabwe. Inmany Bantu languages, the suffix m ba is theword for ‘note,’ thus we have words such asm arim ba, which means ‘many notes,’ andkalim ba, which means, loosely, ‘little note.’”

The kalimba is related to the Africanmbira, one of the oldest instruments in theworld. It’s hard to overstate the significanceof the mbira in the lives of many Africans.In one Shona legend, ancient spirits gavethe mbira to humankind so that we couldplay the music the spirits want to hear, and,indeed, mbira are played to this day inmany religious ceremonies in Africa, as wellas for entertainment.

Noted ethnomusicologist Hugh Traceybecame enamored of the mbira in the 1920swhile farming in Zimbabwe. In the 1930s,he introduced the mbira to the rest of theworld as part of his effort to validate andpopularize African music. He eventuallyintroduced his own design, the Hugh TraceyKalimba, in the 1950s. Sales of his kalimbaoriginally founded the International Libraryof African Music, which, among otherthings, is notable for being the only archivefor recordings of traditional South Africanmusic.

Despite Tracey’s efforts, the word“kalimba” didn’t exactly become a house-hold world, although it is familiar enoughfor many people to use it as a generic termfor any thumb piano. You can find endlessvariations on (and imitations of) his kalim-ba in gift shops and import and musicstores, occasionally alongside mbira.

Kalimbas generally have a soundbox that is held in two hands andthat resonates when one or more ofan assortment of metal tines, orkeys, are struck with the tip of thethumbs or thumbnails. The keysare suspended over a bridge,which leaves the longer, playingend suspended over the top orsoundboard. Kalimbas are usu-ally fairly small — HughTracey kalimbas areslightly larger thana paperbackbook.

The tradi-tional mbirais playedwhile insert-ed into alarge, hol-lowed-outgourd foramplifica-tion,although aplayer might choose not to use a gourd res-onator if he were only practicing. Mbirahave multiple rows of keys, and tuningarrangements and scales can vary quite abit. They usually have small bands of wireor, sometimes, metal strips cut from sodacans, wrapped around the non-playing endof the tines, or shells, or bottle capsattached to the resonating chambers, for arhythmic buzzing sound. Mbira decorationvaries wildly — carving, paint, and beadsmay distinguish an mbira, depending onthe builder.

I have been playing kalimba since theearly 1970s. Back then, I was a drummer insearch of my own means of melodic expres-sion, and I’d already picked up the moun-tain dulcimer. When I saw Taj Mahal andMaurice White of Earth Wind and Fire play-ing kalimbas, I decided I needed to haveone.

Hugh Traceys are my instrument ofchoice. They are all well constructed, builtwith beautiful and resonant Kiaat wood,and they have a very clear, musical tonewith nice sustain, especially in the lowerregisters. They have two small soundholeson the back and a larger one on the front,

with which you can create a lovelyvibrato effect by using gentle fingermovements. There are severalmodels available. All HughTracey kalimbas come pre-tunedto the diatonic G Major scale,although they can be tuned to

any key. (This isn’t somethingyou can do onstage in between

songs, though. Moving the keysback and forth precisely is

challenging andtakes real concen-tration. If youwant to play ina variety ofkeys, take myadvice: getseveralkalimbas,tune eachone the wayyou want it— once —

and be donewith it!)

I first played kalimba with my twofriends, Richard Matthew and Bill Birney, ina group called the Earthlings. We wereessentially an acoustic group, but it wasn’ttoo long before I decided to amplify mykalimba, so I began using a Barcus Berrymandolin pickup, stuck on the soundboardwith that goop they used to sell specificallyfor that purpose. (The pickup is still stuckon there, to this day. I think that goop hasfossilized!)

At any rate, I used to run the signalfrom my kalimba through a little Bossgraphic equalizer stomp box, because thepiezo-electric element in the Barcus Berrytended to emphasize the percussive “clink”part of the kalimba sound. With judicioususe of EQ, I could pull down the offendingfrequencies and mellow things out. Fromthe EQ, I ran the signal into a Roland JC120Jazz Chorus amp.

If you’re any good with a soldering iron,you can make pickups for a kalimba veryinexpensively. I made some using piezo ele-ments that you can buy at Radio Shack.These elements are meant for door buzzers,but they’re very similar to what’s in a BarcusBerry and they only cost about five bucks

apiece. I found instruc-tions on how tobuild this kind ofpickup in anancient issue ofFretsmagazine.My copy of thatmagazine is longgone, but if youwant to build yourown pickups,an Internetsearchwillprobablygive youall the infoyou need onthe subject.

Eventually I was fronting a full bandand playing leads on my amplified kalimba,so I began experimenting with effect pedals,much to the amusement of my electric gui-tar-playing pals. This was tricky. A fuzzkalimba can sound fantastic — strange andwonderful — for a second or two. But yourpickup can be sensitive, and, in addition toamplifying the kalimba, it might also cap-ture the sound coming out of your amp, orthe crack of a drummer’s snare, or anything,really. Then your interesting sound can sud-denly explode (along with your eardrums)in high-pitched, screaming feedback!

In general, very subtle effects, like amild touch of chorus or a bit of digitaldelay, can complement the sound of akalimba. Just don’t stand too close to youramp. (I still occasionally freak out withweird effects in my studio. It’s easier to dothe crazy stuff with recording software thanit is in live performance.)

If you’d like to hear what can be donewith a couple of kalimbas and a little imagi-nation, check out the Earthlings MySpacepage: http://www.myspace.com/earth-lingsaz.

Judging from the many enthusiasticcomments about the Earthlings page, lots ofpeople out there either have kalimbas orhave always wanted to play them. If playingthe kalimba sounds like fun to you, I hopethis article will inspire you to get started.I’m starting a new kalimba-oriented group,by the way, and I’d like to hear from anyonewho might be interested. Email me at [email protected].

In the meantime, here are some othercool links to check out:

http://www.kalimba.co.za (A.M.I. - makersof the Hugh Tracey Kalimba and other neatinstruments.)http://www.kalimbamagic.com (A greatwealth of kalimba information is availablehere, and you can order Hugh TraceyKalimbas on this site.)http://www.cdbaby.com/andyrobinson

(Listen to the sound clips of“Penguin,” “Nameless Parade,”

and “Let There Be Night,” from my2004 solo CD, Exotic Am erica. You can listento the rest of the clips, too, but those songshave kalimba!)http://www.ekalimba.com (Wild andinnovative electronic kalimbas, by DavidBellinger.)http://www.ilam.ru.ac.za (InternationalLibrary of African Music)http://www.crammed.be/craworld/crw27/e/indexx.htm (This group is amazing.You’ll either love them or they’ll drive youinsane!)http://www.andyrobinsonmusic.com

Recommended reading: The Soul of M bira,M usic and Traditions of the Shona People ofZim babweby Paul F. Berliner (a fantastic,scholarly book about mbira and mbira play-ers in Africa.)



front porch

Andy Robinson with his kalimba. Photo by Dasha.

Kalimba Kreativity



front porch

by Will Edwards

There’s an old saying in the entertain-ment biz: its not whatyou know, it’swho you know. As a man who has

hosted open mics in San Diego since the mid‘90s, Isaac Cheong knows everybody. Thismonth marks an important milestone as hereflects on 10 years in the San Diego musiccommunity.

If you don’t know him, you should. It’seasy. Cheong has developed many talents asa result of his decade of service to the musiccommunity. One of his most refined skills isthe art of conversation and getting to knowpeople. Cheong believes in building communi-ty. “I was drawn to the community and thecamaraderie,” he says. “When you see thesame people in the same place for years,that’s the vibe I try to maintain at my openmics.”

Cheong debuted, as an open mic act, atMikey’s, the now-closed Poway café, back in1995. “I was going through a really rough,emotional time and I was pretty much layinglow for a year – really depressed. We playedthere [at Mikey’s] and people really liked us.People remembered me and I started goingback because it was a friendly place. After awhile I was there every night of the week.”Over time, Cheong got to know everyonethere. The open mic host at the time gotswept away with other interests about a yearafter Cheong arrived. Opportunity knockedand, after some hemming and hawing,Cheong answered, starting an importantseries of events that would shape who hewould become.

For the next five years, from 1996-2001,Cheong would introduce new up-and-comersto the Poway stage. “I wanted to bring a dif-ferent Vibe [to Mikey’s]. I wanted to make itmore like a show.” Cheong wanted to beentertaining, so he entertained. “I had tokeep it interesting for myself. Week afterweek it gets stale, so I had to indulge myhunger for weird tangents.” His entertainingstage presence was a big hit, and musicianswere increasingly gravitating to his open mic.

But, in 2001 Mikey’s lost their lease andthe once well-established music communitythat was centered on the café began to dis-perse. “It was nice to have my Sunday nightsagain to myself. But I missed seeing all thefamiliar faces,” Cheong remembers. A fewopen mics were cropping up around CarmelMountain and some of the players beganplaying at Lestat’s in Normal Heights. In2002, Lestat’s opened an all new venue, nowcalled Lestat’s West and the previous host ofLestat’s Monday night open mic left for job-related reasons.

Cheong’s open mic hosting prowess hadtraveled the distance from Poway to SanDiego via word of mouth and the owner ofLestat’s had heard the word on the street.“John [the owner of Lestat’s] came up to meand said, ‘People have been telling me thatyou should host the open mic.’” Again,Cheong hemmed and hawed. At the timeLestat’s was going through a few guest hostsper month. Cheong agreed to be a guest hostfor two weeks, which became two monthsand so on. Five years later — this month, infact — Cheong will be celebrating his 10thanniversary as an open mic host. Although

Cheong has developed a reputation as aworld-class funny man, he doesn’t considerhimself an extrovert. “I’m still afraid of theaudience. That nervousness keeps you sharp.Either you crash and burn or you elevate yourgame.”

Cheong continues to host and introducenew music to the stage every Monday atLestat’s West, but he’s also working on newideas. More recently, in 2005, Cheong co-founded an independent business coordinat-ing print productions. With his roots in theartist community, it follows that his firstclients were photographers. He also helpsmusicians with promotional print work andCD manufacturing and packaging as well.

Over time, Cheong has gathered a fewpearls of wisdom. “There are rules that everyperson should know – like open mic eti-quette. Be there on time. Tune your guitarbefore you get on stage. Don’t go over thetime and don’t make excuses. Don’t come in,play your song, and leave. You make theeffort whether or not you get a return. Yourjob is as an entertainer. Sometimes the bestmoments are spontaneous and the product ofexploring through those rough nights.”

A grand celebration/concert/party willensue at Lestat’s West on Friday, November10, as Cheong passes the 10-year mark.“There’ll be people from the old Mikey’s days,some traditionals and new names, and oth-ers.” It will be a night to remember!

Still Crazy After All These YearsIsaac Cheong Elevates his Game

Photo: Steve Covault

Isaac Cheong at the H.A.T. Award ceremony

Robin Adler and Dave BlackburnCelebrate the Songs of Joni Mitchellby Liz Abbott

Local husband and wife duo RobinAdler and Dave Blackburn will bringtheir talents to the stage this month

to celebrate the 63rd birthday of iconicsinger-songwriter Joni Mitchell. With amusic career spanning spanning nearly 40years, from her first album in the 1960s tothe last one she recorded in 2000, Mitchellhas inspired many a songwriter along theway with her gift for poetry imagery as wellas the alternate guitar tunings she uses toaccompany herself.

Adler, who is known in San Diego pri-marily as a jazz vocalist, will be negotiatingMitchell’s challenging music in all its beau-ty and complexities, along with Blackburnon guitars, vocals, and percussion. On thisspecial evening the couple will be joined byBarnaby Finch (keyboardist for Tom Scott,George Benson, Lee Ritenour, and RonnieLaws) on keyboards and vocals, RogerFriend on drums and percussion, PaulCarman (ex-Frank Zappa sax man) on saxo-phone, and 16-year-old wunderkind EvanStumpges on fretless bass.

Mitchell’s music will be presentedchronologically in order to showcase the artof her multi-phase career, which rangesfrom folk to rock to jazz and will be per-formed against a backdrop of Mitchell’s art-work and photos of the artist.

Baby boomers who listened to“Woodstock” and “Both Sides Now” duringthe 1960s are sure to enjoy this live musicaltribute to the often un-sung artist as Adler,Blackburn, and their band bring out thebest in what can only be described as one ofthe most influential repertoires of the twen-tieth century. From her earliest ballads toher later jazz-infused offerings, fans of JoniMitchell will have a rare opportunity torevisit her music.

Joni Mitchell Tribute with Robin Adlerand Dave Blackburn, Saturday, November4, 7pm at Dizzy’s, 344 Seventh Ave.Tickets: $15. All ages welcome. For moreinfo or to hear a demo of the “joni band,”go to http://robinadler.com/music.html

Robin Adler and Dave Blackburn in concert.

Photo: T.J. D

ixon

enjoys the challenge of working with lines andverses that are not necessarily symmetrical.Equally challenging are her lyrics, which are nei-ther conventional nor comfortable. He is emphat-ic in his assertion that he is not a co-writer,although his contribution is significant. With hisinput, they transformed her songs from theiroriginal guitar-and-vocal beginnings into theirfinal form as unique-sounding recordings. As heputs it, they “look under rocks and go into thecorners” in their quest to find new ways to dothings.

These experiments in production andarrangement were continued on her StraightOutta Marysville CD, although one can already



parlor showcase

by Mike Alvarez

s Cindy Lee Berryhill tookthe stage with her band BigOil at this year’s AdamsAvenue Street Fair, shelooked every bit a country

music star with her cowboy hat, blue jeans, andlong mane of wind-blown blonde hair. So itseems quite ironic that she has re-invented her-self as an “anti-country” artist, particularly sinceshe opened her set with her interpretation of aMississippi Fred McDowell tune that containedmore authentic twang than the majority of tunestopping the latest country charts. It was just her,a resonator guitar, and a weathered antique chairthat she brought especially for that one song.

Longtime fans probably wouldn’t bat aneyelid. Her oeuvre is rife with irony and humor,both light and dark. Lyrically, she favors the topi-cal, taking on social and political issues with avengeance. Yet her message is delivered with asly sense of humor. Even when she is at her mostcynical, one can’t help but smile and nod in timeto the music’s irresistibly rhythmic melodies. Ormore. Make no mistake about it—this is heavystuff with an edge, but it’s delivered with analmost lighthearted elan. “Damn, I Wish I Was aMan” ably demonstrates this with its feministtheme going straight to your subconscious whileyou’re wracked with spasms of laughter. Her pol-ished songwriting and the great musicians withwhom she surrounds herself make for a verypotent combination.

Berryhill is a very accomplished guitaristherself, playing crisp rhythmic accompaniment aswell as hot guitar licks, which she traded on thisday with lead guitarist Jeff Berkley. She speaksquite enthusiastically about her position as a gui-tar teacher at Giacoletti Music in Carlsbad, as itgives her another means of sharing her musicalgifts. Her vocals are very sweet and clear, oftenpunctuated with an endearing earnestness thatallows her to directly express the full range ofmeaning and emotion in her finely crafted lyrics.She has also been known to play a mean harmon-ica when the song calls for it.

At this gig she was backed by drummer andlong-time musical collaborator Randy Hoffman,bassist Marcia Claire, and guitarist Berkley, allperforming as Big Oil, an entity that is to CindyLee Berryhill as Crazy Horse was to Neil Young.They are a loose but confident ensemble thatdelivered a crowd-pleasing show underscoredwith humorous and comfortable banter betweenbandmates. They sounded raw when circum-stances called for it, but they also proved them-selves capable of great subtlety. This versatility isvery important when one considers the stylisticterritory covered by Berryhill’s songs, which runthe gamut of folk, alternative, pop, soul, rock, andcountry. A spin of her second album, Naked MovieStar, demonstrates that early on she clearly hadthe ability to put her unique imprint on a varietyof musical styles.

The set continued with “Cry Me a Jordan,” aheavily country-inflected song about Bakersfield,the California town where she and her family hadspent some of her younger years. “Bars, Boozeand Boys Clubs” is propelled by the same octanethat fuelled many a Johnny Cash song. To her dis-may, it has become a favorite of her young son.The slow country ballad “Beloved Stranger” wasdedicated to all the soldiers who are returningfrom war with brain injuries, an issue of consider-able personal significance to Berryhill. So muchso, that it is the title track of her upcoming CD.Her husband, Crawdaddy magazine founder PaulWilliams, had suffered such an injury, and thechallenges they faced in dealing with it have

informed her art. Indeed, one would be hard-pressed to find a song of hers that was createdfrivolously.

In a moment that drummer Hoffman latersaid “could not have been scripted,” a man with acane began dancing in front of the stage whenthey launched into the raucous “Make Way forthe Handicapped.” He was soon joined by anotherfellow, much to the delight of band and audiencealike. This is perhaps a succinct illustration of Ms.Berryhill’s appeal: it’s brain food that tastes good!

They followed this with a new tune that willsurely be a controversial highlight of the BelovedStranger album. “When Did Jesus Become aRepublican?” questions religion’s place in politics.In typical Berryhill fashion, it does so with abouncy rhythm and an engaging melody. It wasfeatured on Neil Young’s Living With War Todaywebsite (www.neilyoung.com/lwwtoday/), garner-ing the attention of the man himself (under thepseudonym R. B. Warford). In his words, “This is afunky and funny trackwith bangin’ drums andquestioning lyric con-tent, sung by Cindy Leewith attitude. Perfectcoffee music for KarlRove and Co.” In a ges-ture of thanks for this,the band finished theirset with a ragged butspirited rendition of“Cinnamon Girl” thatwould have made himproud. She had an opportu-nity to meet Young while working in his manage-ment office a few years ago.

Her first album, Who’s Gonna Save theWorld? was released in 1987 and was met withgreat critical acclaim. Berryhill initially emergedas an “anti-folk” artist because her music hadmore of an edge than most performers in theNew York City folk scene, where she launched hercareer. The term “anti-folk” has enjoyed wide-spread usage ever since she coined it and sheproudly notes that there was a Los Angeles estab-lishment called the Anti Club. During this period,she was frequently mentioned in the same breathas Lucinda Williams, Tracy Chapman, SineadO‘Connor, and Victoria Williams. Later on, she wasassociated with such influential artists as AniDiFranco, Liz Phair, and Alanis Morisette. Suchwas her success that she made numerous televi-sion appearances and performed with acts likeShawn Colvin, the Indigo Girls, Billy Bragg, the

Smithereens, and X, some of whom took thestage as her opening act. She enjoyed a greatdeal of record company support as well as cover-age in such noted publications as Rolling Stone,New Musical Express, and Melody Maker.

Her influences make for a very eclectic list,not all of them musical. Science fiction authorsArthur C. Clarke and Philip K. Dick are there, asare some celestial bodies. Poets Jack Kerouac andAlan Ginsberg have made their mark. People andplaces, books and magazines, family and friendsall inspire her to create her unique blending ofwords and music. The copious liner notes thataccompany each track in the Garage Orchestraalbum provide a revealing glimpse into her cre-ative process. Reading them, one clearly sees thatshe is a keen observer of the big picture as wellas the mundane minutiae of life, adding each toher ongoing musical tapestry.

During the Garage Orchestra phase of hercareer she paid a huge homage to Brian Wilson,

the troubled geniusbehind the Beach Boys,by creating her owntake on his pioneeringefforts in instrumentaland vocal arrange-ments. Some of thesounds and riffs wouldnot sound out of placeon Pet Sounds or therecently completedSmile. The hugelyWilsonian “Song for

Brian” is an ode to themaster that pretty much seals the deal. TheGarage Orchestra is a musical concept in whichtympani, vibes, and orchestral strings stand sideby side with the folk pop ensemble to create acolorful stage upon which she sets her musicalvignettes.

The man behind the drumkit onstage hasbeen instrumental in helping her to realize themusic in her head. For years, Randy Hoffman hasbeen a photographer for the San Diego Reader aswell as a musician. A number of years ago, coin-cidence or kismet resulted in his doing a photoshoot with Cindy Lee as the subject. During thecourse of this assignment, the discussion turnedto music and it so happened that Hoffman hadmuch of the instrumentation—and musical abili-ty—that she needed. It is interesting to note thatwhile he cites such composers as Bela Bartok andHarry Partch as his influences, he is effusive in hispraise for Berryhill’s pop songwriting talent. He

ACindy

LeeBerryhiLL

Berryhill’s unique sounding recordings . . .“look under rocks and go into the corners” intheir quest to find new

ways to do things.

Berryhill with John Doe at this year’s Adams AvenueStreet Fair

Berryhill in New York City, 1987.


Berryhill with Mojo Nixon in San Diego 1985

Photo: Harold G

ee

Listeners Find a Thrill with

work on a recording project.Public taste, however, is a fickle thing, and

according to Berryhill, the advent of the Grungemovement in the ‘90s took her away from “thecutting edge of cool.” True to her art, she optedto pursue her own muse rather than the latestmusical trends. In her words, the music “comesfrom within. It has never been success-driven.” Assuch, she has achieved the status of an obscurecult hero. Like many prolific artists, she has a


parlor showcase


sense a return to a more acoustic folk approachin some of the songs. She takes special delight inrecounting an anecdote during the mastering ofthis album, which took place next door to OceanWay Studios (formerly known as Sunset Sound).Pushing Ocean Way’s buzzer button, she wasadmitted inside to see her associate David Leafwhere she spotted none other than the BeachBoys themselves! Brian Wilson, Al Jardine, CarlWilson, Mike Love, and Andy Paley had united to

Catch Berryhill’s next performancewith Big Oil at Dizzy’s, 344 SeventhAve., in downtown San Diego, onSaturday, November 11, 8pm.

For the latest information and song downloads, go to www.cindyleeberryhill.com.

couple of legendary lost albums, one of whichwas partially recorded during her residence inTaos, New Mexico. Should it ever be completed, itwould undoubtedly be a very interesting work, asher time spent in New Mexico seems to havebeen both trying and inspirational. Two of thebest songs on Garage Orchestra – “Song forBrian” and “UFO Suite” – were inspired by herstay in the high desert, so it’s a safe bet that theunreleased material would be welcomed by fans.

Musical pursuits soon had competition forher time and attention when she and Williamsstarted a family. Their son Alex, now five, displaysa precocious sophistication in things musical, andone can only speculate at what the future holdsfor a youngster with such auspicious beginnings.She loves being a mom, saying that parenthoodkeeps one centered on life’s priorities. Musicindustry publications take a back seat to the dailyresponsibilities of providing for one’s child. Yetthe muse still calls, so she presses on, with a newalbum coming out next spring and a tour of theU.K. planned for the summer. She readily allowsthat the challenges of family life have had theirinfluence on the new batch of song cycles thatcomprise this new release. While not designed asa cohesive concept album, the songs definitelyinteract with one another.

To illustrate the passage of time, she noteswith some amusement that when her last albumcame out, fan mail came as letters in the mailbox.Nowadays she gets more of it in the form of e-mails. Studio sessions for the Beloved Strangeralbum actually began three years ago, and theeffort to complete it was sustained with a greatdeal of encouragement from fans and fellowmusicians. Berryhill is quick to list the TruckeeBrothers, the Wigbillies, and comic artist MaryFleener among the musical colleagues who arehelping her to re-emerge more fully upon thescene.

A longtime believer in creating a family feel-ing among her musicians, she withholds no praisefor bassist Marcia Claire, a noted local musicianwith whom she immediately established a greatrapport. All of Big Oil’s members look very muchat ease with one another onstage. Berryhill speaksabout the other guests on the album with equalaffection, singling out Dave Alvin’s guitar playingon “Beloved Stranger” and “Hugs and Kisses,” andX’s John Doe who sings a duet with her on “FortyCent Raise.” With a big grin she refers to Doe as“George Jones to my Tammy Wynette.”

Like the artist, Berryhill’s music has been ona long continuous journey, venturing out into theworld, exploring undiscovered territory, and ulti-mately returning home. After excursions into folk,rock, and art pop, listeners might be a littleshocked when they hear the country sound she iscurrently exploring. Yet as a major staple of herparents’ musical diet, country music was part ofthe soundtrack of her formative years. She listssuch artists as Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell, andBobbie Gentry as early musical heroes, so it seemswholly appropriate that her muse leads her backto it now that she is a parent herself. There is abeautiful circular symmetry to this that sheundoubtedly must appreciate. How long will this“anti-country” period of her career last? Even shecannot say.

While Cindy Lee Berryhill may have kept alow profile for a few years, she still kept a keeneye and ear on the world around her. A greatmany things have changed, yet the things thathave stayed constant are her powers of observa-tion and her drive to express herself throughmusic. She has her new CD Beloved Strangerwaiting in the wings and is booking an increasingnumber of live dates.

Big Oil (l. to r.) Jeff Berkley, Randy Hoffman, Berryhill, Marcia Claire


Photo: Dina D

ouglass

h

l

h H

ld

Memoirs of a Female Messiah

Cindy Lee Berryhill’s lyrics have alwaysbeen narrative in nature, telling tales andexpressing emotions. So it really comes asno surprise that she has penned a novel.Published in 1999, Memoirs of a FemaleMessiah is ostensibly the true story of areal person named Michelle Domingue whoencountered Cindy Lee in a bar and thenproceeded to entrust her with this accountof her experiences. At least that’s what sheclaims in the introduction. However, thestream-of-consciousness writing style andthe wonderfully wacky point of view arepure Berryhill. One can easily conclude thatthis introductory device is present to addanother layer of verisimilitude to the proceedings.

It is a sprawling tale of romance, fame,and self-delusion, eccentrically toldthrough the eyes of a protagonist whoblithely bounces from one misadventure toanother. Through it all she never loses herbelief in her own power, wisdom, and sexappeal, bringing enlightenment, love, andhappiness to those fortunate enough to begraced by her presence. The tone is tongue-in-cheek, the characters are absurd, andthe situations are outlandish. Yet as withMs. Berryhill’s lyrics, one cannot help butsee a kernel of autobiographical truth inevery Faulknerian word.

Unless, of course, there is a REALMichelle Domingue living out there some-where, collecting royalty checks.

v



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BluegrassCORNERby Dwight Worden

Here are some interesting happenings comingup soon:

BLUEGRASS GOSPEL NIGHTSt. Marks’ United Methodist Church and theSan Diego Bluegrass Society present an allgospel concert Sunday November 19th at 7pm. at St. Mark’s at 3502 Clairemont Drive.Admission is free, although donations will beaccepted as this is a fundraiser for the churchand SDBS–all bands are donating their servic-es. It looks like we will have 7 great bands,including some new faces as well as somefamiliar ones. Look for The Virtual Strangers,Second Delivery, The Bluegrass Ramblers,SwissGrass, the Soledad Mountain Band, TheFull Deck, and the Gospel According to John.The show includes some classic four part acapella gospel numbers, along with some harddriving, as well as sweet, instrumental backedgospel music. There is a reception with drinksand snacks after the show, so tell your friendsand mark your calendar for what looks to be agreat night.

SOUND SEMINAR FOR PLAYING MUSICIANSIf you are a playing acoustic musician or asinger, this is for you. SDBS will be presentinga seminar on Saturday, December 9, fromnoon to 2:45pm at the Hammond Ashley Violinshop located at 5889 Oberlin Drive, suite 106,right off Mira Mesa Blvd., just east of the 805.Admission is free to SDBS members in goodstanding; $10 to non-SDBS members, or youcan join SDBS at the seminar for $20 for theyear for the whole family and get in as amember.

The seminar will be conducted by soundexperts, including Richard Burkett, who hasrun sound at many major shows, as well asother SDBS personnel with sound experience.The seminar is targeted at playing band mem-bers and is being billed as “everything a play-ing band member should know about sound toget good stage sound.” Topics include discus-sion and demonstration of different kinds ofmicrophones – what works well for vocal, forvarious instruments, how to place a mic onstage for your instrument, how to “work” themic, how to do a sound check to get what youwant, how to interact with a sound person,what feedback is and how to deal with it, andrelated information. The first hour is lecture,followed by a question and answer period.The next hour and 45 minutes allows partici-pants hands on experience with the equip-ment.

This seminar is not targeted for profession-al sound persons (no lectures about the differ-ence between balanced and unbalanced lines,

etc.), although they are welcome, but rather itis aimed at giving practical advice to playingband members by addressing what they needto know to get good sound from a sound per-son or a sound system if they have to run itthemselves. The seminar includes handoutsand many useful tips. It is being presented bySDBS free as a service to its members and ata nominal fee of $10 to the local acousticmusic community. Space is limited, so sign upearly by emailing [email protected] orcalling Dwight at (858) 481-2609.

REGULAR BLUEGRASS EVENTSRemember to visit one or more of the follow-ing regular bluegrass events around town. Youwon’t regret it!

First Tuesday of the month: North CountyBluegrass and Folk Club’s bluegrass night atRound Table Pizza, 1161 East Washington inEscondido, including a featured band, jam-ming, and open mic.

Second Tuesday of the month: SDBS blue-grass night at Fuddruckers in the GrossmontShopping center features open mic, band signups, and jamming.

Third Tuesday of the month: SDBS southcounty bluegrass night at Fuddruckers on Thirdin Chula Vista includes open mic, band signups, and jamming.

Fourth Tuesday of the month: SDBS’sFeatured Band Night at Boll Weevil, 7080Miramar Road, presents a top notch bandalong with open mic and jamming.

For more info on North County Bluegrass andFolk Club events visit:www.northcountybluegrass.org. For more infoon SDBS events, or to sign up in advance foropen mic or a band slot at an SDBS event(sign up on site is allowed as well, time per-mitting) visit: www.socalbluegrass.org.

Also, be sure to check out AcousticMusic San Diego’s web page for their out-standing regular events in the beautiful churchat 4650 Mansfield off Adams Avenue. Whilenot all of their events are bluegrass, they dohave fairly regular presentations of great blue-grass groups (Byron Berline Band, Bearfoot,John Reischman, Chris Stuart, and others haveplayed there). It’s easy to visit their web pageand sign up for the email list so you will knowwhat is coming. Surf to: www.acousticmusic-sandiego.com. and do what you can to supportthem when they bring great bluegrass musicto town.

And, in case you haven’t noticed, be thank-ful for all the great bluegrass we have here inSan Diego. Hope to see you at these events!

by Sven-Erik Seaholm

NICE GUYS FINISH

My editor is going to have eithera huge laugh or a tiny screamupon reading this column. This

is going to happen due the fact that I’mgoing to emphasize the importance of notjust finishing your commitments, butdoing so on budget and in a timely man-ner. I am not a professional writer. I am aprofessional record producer. Suffice it tosay that my columns have rarely, if ever,been delivered in a manner even remotelyresembling “timely.” So once again I’mhoping the sheer magnitude of irony thatwraps itself around this month’s entryfolds it into some sort of huge karmic bur-rito that someone will find fulfilling. Mycommitment to this magazine is a month-ly column comprised of between 800 to1000 words. Most professional writers candispense with that quantity of language bysimply blowing their nose. I take betweenfour hours and um . . . forever.

I recently had the opportunity to havea Tarot card reading. Now I’m not reallyone who travels heavily within the myster-ies of the occult, but I thought it would bea cool experience regardless. So I watchedin amusement as the lovely gypsy girl laidout my past and destiny on the groundbetween us, in cardboard and ink.

“This girl’s project is really weighing onyou,” she said almost immediately,scrunching her eyes, nose and foreheadinto the very picture of consternation.

“I’m not sure I understand what youmean,” I said cautiously.

“Well, it’s just been taking such a longtime, and it appears to be a heavy burdenfor you.”

Well ding, ding, ding, ding . . .jackpot! She had me there.

Almost exactly a year ago I started an

album for a female artist with whom I hadworked on three previous album projects.Our working relationship is a solid andstreamlined one, so things progressed veryquickly at the start. With this particularproject, the idea was to record the artist’sscratch vocal and guitar first (to a clicktrack) at what we both agreed to be thedesired tempo for each song. I thenworked to build each song’s arrangements,performing some parts myself and record-ing guest musicians on other parts.

Drums, bass, and guitars were all laiddown in about two weeks, and the nexttwo were devoted to solo overdubs, edit-ing, pre-mixing, various layers of sweeten-ing, etc. So far so good, we’re right onschedule.

We gave ourselves another week for hervocals, with the sixth and final week to bededicated to mixing and mastering theentire 11 song album.

Those last two weeks have yet to tran-spire. Why? Because sometimes life justsort of lays a big ol’ butt biscuit over thebest laid plans.

A small army of construction workersdescended upon her home for severalweeks of renovations, leaving her no quiettime during nearly all of her waking hours.At the same time, her day job had its ownstress level ratcheted up a few notches. Toadd grave insult injury, her motherbecame very ill nearly 2,000 miles away,and she would have to fly there forextended periods to help care for her.

Obviously, all of these factors compro-mised her mental and physical state to thepoint where she was not able to return forseveral more weeks. By the time she wasable to come in, my recording schedulewas prohibitively hectic; this month wewill finally be able to finish what we start-ed all that time ago.

That tarot card reader was right on themoney about one thing: this lack of com-pletion was a heavy burden indeed, and I

didn’t even have the hard part.Obviously, things outside of our control

worked against us, but experience givesyou a pretty good idea of what you canaccomplish within a certain period oftime. It is a producer’s paramount respon-sibility to correctly gauge the amount oftime it will take to complete a project. Notonly so that you can most accuratelyquote prices for your clients, but also beable to schedule future projects and meetthose deadlines as well.

Next month, we’ll take a look at a fewdifferent types of projects and the timeyou can expect them to take based uponsome key parameters. This will hopefullykeep you out of trouble, as well as help tobuild in a bit of buffer time between bigprojects.

Hopefully, fortune will smile upon myjournalistic promptness as well.

Sven-Erik Seaholm types three words aminute. When he’s not making records, he’splaying somewhere near you. Go towww.svensongs.com for more info on whereand when.

Sven-Erik Seaholm



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by Jim McInnes

Jimmy Reviews Jazz

I’ve been reading the record reviews inthe November issue of Downbeat. Hereare a few examples of the reviewers’

prose:“...a brisk blow-fest built around dizzyaccelerandos, ensemble meltdowns that func-tion as heads at the end of solos and thunder-ous piano clusters that nonetheless convey themelodic essence of the theme;”

“...introduces the offbeat and has a distinctmetronomic function that remains throughouthis counterpoint release passages;”

“...engaged in a sly and stealthy prowl pasttrills that flare and sparkle unexpectedly inshadows, and creeping up to sudden pauses.”

Huh? I just want to know if a record issomething I’d like enough to steal or buy!

Thunderous piano clusters sounds kindascary, and I’m not so sure I’d like seeingsparkly stuff creeping up on me in the shadows.

So I’m going to give you a few simplereviews of some jazz records that I’ve beenplaying at KSDS, Jazz 88.3.

1. Jungle Soul, by Dr. Lonnie Smith. Smith is adoctor in the same way that Dr. John is adoctor. The word is just a part of hisname. On this album, though, he’s morelike a chemist, concocting a heady brewof swamp music. Titles like “WitchDoctor,” “Jungle Wisdom,” “Zimbabwe,”and the title track ought to give you anidea of the sound. Smith plays the coolestinstrument over 450 pounds — theHammond B-3 organ — and is accompa-nied by two guitarists and a drummer.Throw in a few jazz standards like EddieHarris’ “Freedom Jazz Dance” and Monk’s“Bemsha Swing” and it’s a very com-pelling package. Plus, this cat has a long

white beard, wears a turban and a dashiki,and carries a mean looking walking stick.I’d buy it if I had any money!

2. Findin’ the Groove, by Terry Gibbs. Gibbsplays the vibes. Gibbs is 82 years old.Gibbs kicks ass on this session! With spe-cial guest Hubert Laws on flute, the titletune alone is worth the price of admission.It’s the kind of pop-jazz that’s so catchyand hummable that, in a better world, itshould be on Top 40 radio everywhere. I’dbuy it if I had any money!

3. Live at Dakota, Volume 2, by NachitoHerrera. Pianist Herrera, accompanied bybass, drums, and a seemingly four-armedpercussionist, shows why he was a childprodigy in his native Cuba. His chops areso spectacular, it’s jaw-dropping. This con-cert was recorded in the Latin jazz hotspot of North America: Minneapolis/St.Paul, the Twin Cities! I don’t know howNachito wound up in the Great WhiteNorth, but it sure hasn’t taken the heatout of his playing. My favorites on the setinclude “Spain in the Twins” and theshow-stopping finale, “West Side LatinJazz,” which is taken at whiplash speed,sounding like there are six or seven playersinstead of just the four. And Herrera does-n’t hit a wrong note. It has to be heard tobe believed! If this track in particular does-n’t get you on your feet dancing, you areprobably dead! I borrowed it from the sta-tion and made my own copy. VivaNachito!

Enjoy. I’ll talk at ya next month. P.S. Don’t miss the Modern Rhythm Band atHumphrey’s Backstage Lounge, 6-8 p.m. onSaturday, November 18.

Radio Daze

Jim McInnes

FALLING BEHIND

That the mighty continue to fall with clock-like regularity is just another hint that thingshaven’t really changed that much in the last twothousand years or so*. Plummeting to theirgraves, the sound of their dying sighs areechoed and eclipsed by the celebratory cheersof those they exploited or the woeful wails ofthe ones they had served.

Let us wail now, and loudly (at least we fewiPodless, Internetless, PC-less renegades of anage killed too quickly) while we witness the tor-tured final agonies of Tower Records — thedemise of this charismatic, regal alien whostood among the most magical, bountiful friendswe’ve ever known.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!And that’s just for starters.Wasn’t it around 1972 that San Diego’s one-

stop, shop-til-you-pop audio-visual Taj Mahalbrought her delightful bouquet to Sports AromaBoulevard? Suddenly, all of our eight-track, cas-sette, and vinyl needs were right there, in oneplace. Tower immediately became the Elder ofthe Tribe and, over decades, would bravelybranch out throughout the county, her boughsyielding books, magazine, videotapes, CDs,laserdisks, DVDs, and toys.

Regular sales events would generally under-cut just about every place else, at least in theearly years. But always — if you wanted some-thing in print that, amazingly, wasn’t in stock,Tower would find it for you quickly and with agenuine smile.

As noble competitors like Licorice Pizza orClassic Encounters emerged and retreated,there weren’t any victory celebrations; TowerRecords was unlikely to have even noticedthem, instead spending all her attention servingher patrons and continuously striving to becomean even better Tower.

When you learned that an album or movieyou’d been awaiting for years was finally goingto be released on Tuesday, Tower would stayopen so you could go home with it at 12:01am.(If only Tower herself could have gone homewith you, too!)

If I occasionally happened upon an obscureGeorges Delerue album or Peter Cushing moviesomewhere else, Tower didn’t mind at all,knowing she would quickly find something forme even more obscure and precious. And shedid, again and again. Knowing someone whoworked at Tower Records could offer benefits tomake one feel blessed . . . and I was, manytimes.

Oh, let us not forget the brief existence ofher outlet wings (eventually becoming stores) inthe College/Grossmont areas, where the dealswere so exquisite that they now seem impossi-ble. Visiting other Tower branches in New Yorkor D.C. or San Francisco or L.A. was, despite thevariant building layouts, as warm and familiaras burrowing in the trunk within your regularstore’s garden. Inside all the Towers was an

atmosphere of inviting, playful seriousness: youcould almost hear a voice, whispering from thewalls or from the ceiling that said, “Thanks forcoming, for being here. I’ve missed you. Takeyour time; I promise you’ll find something tomake you, or someone you love, very happy.”

But recently, the surprises stopped (alongwith any new stock) and the whispers chokedinto silence. The End of the World as We KnowIt say the signs, and a more apt or profoundsentiment I shouldn’t attempt, knowing that I’dend up choking, myself.

It’s an added shame that Tower’s racks won’tever feel the golden, glistening weight of DarrylMonroe's remarkable new CD, ConflictionsAnd/Or ([email protected]). Self-pro-duced in his own living room on Adams Avenue,this one-man show is many things, includingsomething of a masterpiece.

There’s punk, poetry, philosophy, self-pity,anger, humor, and enough flashes of tendernessto render the whole immense work an indescrib-able, quivering dream. Still, I’ve gotta try:

There’s a lot here that recalls Zappa’s earlyMothers of Invention; while perhaps lacking thetechnical polish, there’s poetry here that theMothers couldn’t touch; sonic tripping with finemusicianship, along with some sort of dignitythat surprises and humbles. Buddy Blue wouldhave adored it (I’m pretty sure he does), but itmay be too complex or insane or insanely logi-cal for the modern masses. Believe this: theywould do well to open their lives a bit (whilewearing headphones) and click it on for severalrewarding listenings as they rut contentedly intheir pens.

That’ll be my only randy allusion this time,folks, believe it or not. Unless you’d like to con-sider just one other single word, in reference tothe mighty giant whose death rattle shouldhaunt us forever. . . .

Cavernous. As in vast and empty. A dead chasm that

once served as an oasis for the delirious last-second Christmas shopper. A Towering void thathas reluctantly taken in, and taken away, muchof what we’ve been.

The Hose’s latest column, “Falling Behind,”can be read again in its entirety by going backand starting with the first paragraph.

Hosing Downby José Sinatra

Photo: Fallon Fa

raday

The gently twisted Mr. Sinatra

* that is, if one overlooks Roundtree’s invention of thewheel in 1065 A.D., a smart idea, indeed, since theevent actually occurred some years earlier

by Liz Abbott

Scott Paulson’s fertile imagination has alwayskept him busy with a multitude of projects,both fun and engaging. As outreach coordi-

nator for UCSD’s Arts Libraries, he is responsiblefor installing exhibits in the display cases outsidehis office, which are often wacky but always inter-esting. One of the more notable exhibits was a dis-play of vintage vacuum cleaners, accompanied by acontinual showing of an I Love Lucy episode inwhich Lucy is a vacuum cleaner saleswoman, andfor which Paulson premiered a new chamber musicpiece he wrote for vacuum cleaner and bassoon.Toy pianos from his personal collection have alsobeen on display.

Paulson also serves as the UniversityCarillonneur, performing short concerts on thelibrary’s rooftop carillon (a set of tuned chimes)week days at noon. And yes! He takes song requestsfor the chimes, “Stairway to Heaven” being themost popular request this year.

After hours Paulson plays his oboe in a numberof chamber groups as well as in a trio that plays

klezmer music. But that’s not all. Stumbling upon acache of 16mm silent film reels in the library’s stor-age area several years ago gave him an idea: to col-lect a group of friends who would provide musicalaccompaniment for the lost treasures and schedulesilent film showings for the public. Thus, the TeenyTiny Pit Orchestra for Silent Films was born. Nowin its sixth year, Paulson’s Teeny Tiny Pit Orchestrahas become a hit with audiences in San Diego andL.A., garnering raves from the media as well as aloyal following that keeps growing. These not-so-silent film festivals are always lively, with lots ofaudience participation. In addition to the three tofour member “orchestra,” a variety of noise makers,whistles, and bells are passed out to willing partici-pants who Paulson coaches to cue them when theyshould sound their particular instruments. Forexample: coconut shells for scenes with horses,plastic clickers for cricket sounds, bells for a clang-ing trolley, and so on.

The Short Attention Span Concert Series isanother brain child of Paulson’s, aimed at exposingpeople to classical and experimental music who

may not have had the opportunity or desire toattend an evening at the symphony. Several times ayear, downstairs in the Arts Library, a small cham-ber group presents a short program of music, last-ing a mere 30 minutes. Local musician Sue Palmerhas often been a featured guest.

With an ever-increasing interest in soundeffects, Paulson’s latest endeavor reflects his passionfor the Golden Age of Radio. Much like his silentfilm programs, his “live radio broadcasts” are likewalking into another world. You’re greeted by “cig-arette girls” dressed in period costume handing outtreats that include candy cigarettes and cigars.Thirsty? Go over to the bar, where mocktails areserved, complete with little paper umbrellas. Whenthe lights go dim, out comes the announcer, speak-ing through a vintage microphone and, for the nexthour and a half, you’re a member of a live studioaudience, enjoying radio plays and live music,thanks to the studio orchestra. It’s a one-of-a-kindexperience in a time travel kind of way.

Paulson will host his next radio broadcast,“Tarot Reading on Turkey Farm Road” (forTheremin, actors, tarot deck, and turkey caller) onWednesday, November 22 at 12:30pm on the lowerlevel, west wing of UCSD’s Geisel Library.

If that isn’t enough to keep him busy, Paulsonwill play the part of the on-stage radio soundeffects guy in Cygnet Theatre’s production of It’s aWonderful Life, a live radio show version of the clas-sic American film. Using vintage items that wouldhave been available in the studio of a 1947 radiostation, Paulson will create all the sound effects.Previews begin November 30, with shows runningthroughout December. For information, go to:www.cynettheatre.com/wonderful.php

As Paulson quips, “Hey, the future is in radio,and I have the face for it!”

The San Diego Thanksgiving Dixieland JazzFestival is best known for presenting top tradi-tional jazz bands and this year is no exception.The 27th annual festival, scheduled forNovember 22-26 at the Town & Country Hotel inHotel Circle, features jazz bands from across theU.S. and Canada. In addition to the excellentbands that will be playing, this year’s festivalincludes a number of special events.

Wednesday nightpre-festival con-cert and dancewith Hal’s Angelsand the HighSociety JazzBand

Town & CountryThanksgiving Buffet onThursday afternoon, withmusic by Anita Thomas,Carl Sonny Leyland, HalSmith, and ButchThompson

Swing Dance Exhibitionsby San Diego’s RadiolandRugcutters and

2toGroove, plus Orange County’s OCSwing

RagtimeExtravaganza,featuring the RedRose Jazz Bandand HeliotropeRagtimeOrchestra, withRagtime Era dance

steps performed by local vintage dancers in peri-od costume

Butch Thompson Trio, led by the featured per-former on A Prairie Home Companion

Jazz historian and performer Tex Wyndhampresents the compositions of WalterDonaldson, plus an all-star group made up ofmusicians performing in other festival bands

American roots music of Johnny Cash, ElvisPresley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins,played and sung by the Memphis Sun Kings(traditional jazz musicians who are performing inother bands at the festival)

JazzSea Jams, led by cornetist Dick Williams.These sessions attract traditional jazz musiciansfrom coast to coast. Have fun jamming while youlearn how to play in an organized band

Pianorama from ragtime to stride, featuringfestival pianists in a solo setting

Guest vocalist Eva Emingerová-Dostálováfrom the Czech Republic

Mission Bay High School Dixieland Band:talented young musicians who put on a terrificshow

Carl Sonny Leyland Trio, led by the interna-tionally-acclaimed boogie woogie pianist

Sunday morning Gospel music

Sunday evening wind-down concert-dance,with the young, all-female MightyAphrodite Jazz Bandand the dynamic, SanFrancisco-style YerbaBuena Stompers

Don’t miss this specialmusic event. For information, call (619) 297-5277, email [email protected],or surf the web: www.dixielandjazzfestival.org.



front porch, continued

Variety is the Keynote atDixieland Jazz Festival

Hal’s Angels

Carl Sonny Leyland

Mighty Aphrodite

Heliotrope Ragtime Orchestra

Scott Paulson Revives the Golden Age of Radio

Scott Paulson



of note

Gregory PageDaydreaming atNightby Lou Curtiss

It’s hard to put words to a reviewof a CD by a guy what [sic] writes hisown stuff, but Gregory Page canalways be counted on in the stuffdepartment. I’ve listened to 10 or 12CDs that go back to a Street Fairaudition cassette that my old friendBuddy Blue turned me on to aroundthe time I first took over the book-ing, about 1994. There were goodsongs on that tape and on all subse-quent CDs that I’ve heard since.Page’s new CD is the best one yet.

One of the signs of a good song,and a quality collection of songs, iswhether you remember the wordsand can hum the tune (or at leasthave it whirling around in yourmind). That is certainly the casehere. I find myself humming “TheGhost with Sad Eyes” and singingparts of of “Everybody’s Happy” on aregular basis. Poetic tag lines like“daydreams at night” and “sleepingin dirt” and “flying kites in the mid-dle of night” stick with me.

The overall image that runsthrough all the songs here is one ofthings passing and, in a nonthreat-ening way, it could be lives, loves,ideas, or even the Bush administra-tion. Things pass, and Page remindsus that we don’t have to dwell on it,we just go along for the ride; somenice memories will be picked upalong the way.

This is also the nicest packageI’ve seen from Page. Ray Suen’sswinging violin and mandolin, andMartin Greaves’ keyboards, fit rightin. Other guest instrumentation fromShanna Nichols, Doug, Myer, A.J.Croce, and others fit in at the rightplaces when needed.

Page’s vocals just get better andbetter. With a contemporary saluteto the crooners of the 1930s, thesongs have an appeal that makesthem as up to date as the eternalsubjects he sings about. Brokenhearts, eternal truths, various kindsof sorrow, and loads of optimism getyou through it all. The whole gangcoming on with newly written songs(except for Gus Kahn’s old chestnut“I’ll See You in My Dreams,” whichfits right in) sometimes sounds likethey could be played on a wind-upphonograph.

Also included is a photo versebooklet with images that fit with bitsof lyric into the songs presented toremind you that although thingspass, they also endure. This is a CDthat’s not only nice entertainment, italso gives you something to thinkabout. I have a feeling I’m going tokeep this one close at hand and playit through every once in awhile. It’sthat kind of CD — full of things thatalter and illuminate or minds.

One of these days someone inthe Department of Musical Taste isgoing to decide that Page is thebee’s knees and San Diego is goingto lose another of our own. It’s hap-pened before. Meanwhile, grab thisCD and go listen to him live. You’llnever be sorry.

Early DolphinSwimby Dave Sawyer

Shades of the ‘60s!The muddy, distorted guitars; the

low-in-the-mix, full stereo; and near-ly mumbled vocals add a Farfisaorgan, making Swim sound like aRhino re-issue of almost any mid-to-late ’60s psychedelic band. Dig outyour old lava lamp, strobe light,back light, and posters; light someincense; grab a bottle of Patchoulioil; and let’s groove, baby!

Early Dolphin is comprised of ClayS. Guccione on guitars and vocals,Michael B. Myers on bass, andSpencer T. Nikosey on drums.There’s a lot of music coming out ofthis trio — the songs are well-packedwith swelling guitar chords and rum-bling bass lines.

This debut album is pretty consis-tent in maintaining this hippie erafolk rock feel. I do hear moderninfluences here and there, justenough to keep it interesting. Listenclosely to the rotary phased guitartones toward the end of “Go WhereYou Want to Go” to hear what Imean. They use the altering speed ofthe rotary effect as a dynamicchange within the solo section.

“Swim,” the title song, is the onlyexception, being very folk and low-key — and at 2:12, it’s the shortestsong on the disc. The entire CD isonly 22:40, split between eightsongs — a little short for a “full” CD,in my opinion.

The CD packaging is the tri-foldstyle with hand-drawn cover art byJosh Cochran. It’s actually pretty niceand goes well with the overall themeof the band and its music. While itdoesn’t really grab your attention, itdoesn’t scare you away either and isfairly neutral in that respect. Morevivid colors might help if it’s sittingon a shelf with 100 other CDs.

While nothing really stands out orblows me away, Swim is musicallywell executed and DOES work as acool homage to that renaissanceperiod in our musical history when“rock” music emerged from rockand roll, pop, folk, and blues.“Cycles,” track two, is typical of thetopics and arrangements from thatera. A little college philosophy,mixed with whatever might begrowing out back, went a long wayduring that rebellious time.

In this current era of short atten-tion spans and shock music thatbeats you over the head with mean-ingless lyrics, fictitious words andnoises, and simple, angry beats —it’s refreshing to hear an album thatyou can put on and listen to all theway through and simply enjoy. Inthe end, it’s a very different kind ofrecord for this day and age — andquite listenable. I’ll bet these guysare really great to see and hear live!

Once again, this review will beavailable on my MySpace blog athttp://blog.myspace.com/abod,which allows you to respond to myreviews. All I ask is that you keep itreal and avoid “colorful” remarks.Thank you for reading and support-ing local music.

Happy listening!

Simeon FlickReactive Soulby Craig Yerkes

Simeon Flick is one of those rarewunderkinder who seems to harnessmusical energy from some otherdimension. The good news is that hisnew CD, Reactive Soul, somehow cap-tures lightning in a bottle so that therest of us can enjoy.

Within the tapestry of Flick’s workon this stunning record you’ll findmind-bending lyrics (that may haveyou reaching for Mr. Webster’s help),octave defying and soulful vocals,guitar wizardry, and an over-reachingcompositional ingenuity that binds itall together.

First, it should be noted that Flickplayed ALL of the instruments andsang all of the vocal parts (the won-derful guest vocal by Cathryn Beeks isthe one exception) on this recording.Ummm…wow! There is cohesion andconfidence permeating this music,which is simply the result of a master-ful musician working tirelessly to per-fect the expression. Flick really hits hismusical stride on this disc, whetherhe’s slinging his own brand of brainypop rock (“Many Moons,” “AmericanBoy”); jazzy, blue-eyed soul (thebona-fide hit single “Money Don’tMake the Man” and the sizzling “YourLove is Wrong”); or his morequirky/artsy fare (“Caveat,” “BlackMare”). “The Acrobat” and “GraveBoy” offer glimpses into the amazingthings that Flick can do with a nylonstring guitar, especially on “TheAcrobat” where the artist’s world-classclassical training and abilities willmake you wonder if this is the sameguy who was just tearing it up on theTelecaster. The electric guitar perform-ances are flawless and inspired (per-sonal favorite moments being thetremolo soaked solo on “Your Love IsWrong” and the blazing rhythm partson “Money Don’t Make the Man”).The brilliantly executed lead and har-mony vocals ooze passion and intensi-ty, yet sound utterly effortless, whichboggles the mind considering howridiculously ambitious the parts are.

All of this takes place over a har-monic and compositional backdropthat manages to merge wild innova-tion with yummy pop hooks. Themusic delivers wicked, audacious sur-prises but doesn’t neglect to providesonic comfort food. For example,“Money Don’t Make the Man” willhave you instantly nodding your headas the ear candy is dished out, butthe bridge serves up a really cool,somewhat dissonant, odd time signa-ture cacophony that lasts just longenough to bring something freshwithout distracting from the heart ofthe song. “Black Mare” offers themost intriguing blending of Flick’salternative, pop, rock, and folk com-positional sensibilities with Dylan-esque wordplay, infectious guitarhooks, and a deliciously dark, fore-boding harmonic framework.

Now, let’s talk brain twisting lyrics.On “Money Don’t Make the Man,” acasual listen might give the falseimpression that the artist is present-ing a straight ahead, feel-good, anti-materialistic sermon, but listen more

continued on next column �

Tim MuddSelf-Titledby Chuck Schiele

Like a slow flowing river this is abody of work that rolls just as gently.Heavy on introspection, the lyrics aredelivered in a way that leaves the lis-tener feeling privy to the privateponderings of Mr. Mudd and thatthis whole thing has been a heartfeltadmission in complete confidence.

While there is nothing earthshak-ing in terms of irreverence, it standsboldly in terms of its concern forbeauty and moodiness. It’s a verymoody document. It’s more of anacoustic record than it is a folkrecord. With a few ethereal moves,such as hauntingly gorgeous vocal-izations from Jane Lui and keyboardsand arrangements à la producerAaron Bowen, this work also findsitself midstep in its way outsidesome of the obvious expectations forthis genre, all while remaining mod-est and whispery in its tone. One hasto lean into this record much in thesame way you do when your lover –or a child who adores you – wants totell you a secret.

The production is pristine, lendingthe feeling that we – the listeningaudience – are present in a privatespecial place. Quietness is consideredand an important element of the artrendered here.

I’d also like to say that the artworkitself is tremendous, thanks to JonAscher, as it is the perfect “face” torepresent the mind, soul, and bodyof this Tim Mudd CD.

Oftentimes I might call out a tuneor two, but I don’t thank that’s anappropriate way of describing thismusic. It’s better to speak in terms ofits listening experience – the attitudeof it being more like a soundtrackthan a collection of catchy hooksand musical pyrotechnics. The lyricsmeander through arpeggios and theguitars always have the feeling offlowing water. No crazy, ego-validat-ing solos; not one “yeah, yeah,yeah.”

I also find Mr. Mudd’s work to beemblematic of the San Diegoacoustic scene and representative ofthe style we’ve all managed to forgeas a body of musicians. Like a slowmuddy river, here’s Tim rolling hisway right through it.

I’m still leaning in, curiously.

Reactive Soul, continued

closely and you’ll hear a less idealisticside of the conversation (“…can wepretend that money don’t make theman?”). “Choice” also sidesteps con-vention by twisting what begins tosound like a standard rock and rollanthem about our personal power todirect our lives into a much deeperexploration of the subject of free will.

I wish I could have made thisreview twice as long to cover more ofthe musical and lyrical treasures to befound on this CD, but alas, there arespace limits I must adhere to. Ifyou’ve been longing for something toblow the cobwebs of stale musicalconvention out of your airspace, thisis the record you’ve been waiting for.

the Folk Scare never ended. He continues tomaintain a New York connection through theNew York bluegrass and old time blog on Yahoo,a select closed group of more than 150 veteransof the Washington Square great folk revival in the1950s and 1960s. Singer remembers,“Washington Square was one big continuousongoing jam. It was our meeting place and itchanged our lives. It was an ever-changing musicschool that provided us with lasting friendships, acreative forum, the politics of the 1960s, and amusic education that still helps mold who wecontinue to become through our playing of folkmusic.”

During the 1970s, after the Folk Scare faded,Singer took jazz guitar lessons and now owns anEastman F-hole arch-top jazz guitar. Greatlyinfluenced by the music of Django Reinhart,Charlie Christian, Nick Lucas, Eddy Lang, JoePass, Herb Ellis, Chuck Wayne, and BarneyKessel, he studied with Ron Parker in New York,a hot picker who taught Paul Simon and playedevery Broadway show pit during the 1960s and1970s. He later took lessons from Chuck Waynebefore moving to San Diego. Singer still loves folkmusic best but says that learning jazz guitar wasessential to learning the guitar neck and alsoinspired him to learn to read sheet music, a veryun-folkie thing to do.

Active in the local acoustic music scene since1999, Singer really got into it big when he retiredfrom his day job. He has since performed at theAdam’s Avenue Roots Festival and Street Fair andwas recently featured at the annual Train SongFestival in Old Poway Park. Recently Singer did ablues centered concert as part of the San DiegoFolk Heritage Musical Odyssey series with hisgreat harmonica playing buddy Dane Terry. Inaddition, he coordinates the gatherings of SanDiego’s oldest folkie group, San Diego Folk SongSociety, founded by Sam Hinton in 1957. He isdeeply involved in the San Diego Folk Heritagegroup, which brings wonderful artists to SanDiego County.

Singer’s CD, Down the Road, which featuresthe tunes he loved best from his WashingtonSquare days, is available through his websitewww.allensinger.com and throughwww.cdbaby.com/cd/allensinger. Singer highlyrecommends the CD boxed set Anthology ofAmerican Folk Music (ed. Harry Smith) andFriends of Old Time Music: The Folk Arrival 1961-1965, a CD boxed set that includes many of theconcerts Singer attended in New York. Both areavailable at www.amazon.com. A website calledhttp://www.juneberry78s.com/sounds/index.htmis a great source for the roots music that fed theFolk Scare and it still provides Singer with musi-cal inspiration today.

For further reading about the Great FolkScare, read Dave Van Ronk’s book The Mayor ofMacDougal Street, published by Da Capo Press(2005), available at www.dacapopress.com andwww.amazon.com.

Allen Singer, continued from page 4



’round about

NOVEMBER CALENDARwednesday • 1

Shelby Lynne, Belly Up, 143 S. Cedros, SolanaBeach, 8pm.Guggenheim Grotto/Nathan Welden, Lestat’s,3343 Adams Ave., 9pm.

thursday • 2Philip Carrillo, Beaumont’s, 5662 La Jolla Blvd.,6:30pm.Joe Rathburn/Alan James, Milano Coffee Co.,8685 Rio San Diego Dr., Ste. B, 7pm.Steve White, Le Papagayo, 1002 N. Coast Hwy.101, Leucadia, 7pm.Lindsey Buckingham, Viejas Casino, 5005Willows Rd., Alpine, 8pm.Marie Haddad/Dustin Boyer/Down with Leo,Humphrey’s Backstage Lounge, 2241 ShelterIsland Dr., 8pm.Abby/Quincy/Ashley Matte/Camille Bloom,Twiggs, 4590 Park Blvd., 8:30pm.Pete Thurston, Lestat’s, 3343 Adams Ave., 9pm.

friday • 3Chet & the Committee, Patrick’s II, 428 F St.,5:30pm.Billy Candler/Josh Damigo/Joe Booze, HotJava Cafe, 11738 Carmel Mtn. Rd., 7pm.Peter Sprague Trio w/ Lisa Hightower,L’Auberge, 1540 Camino Del Mar, 7:30pm.Steve White, Friar’s Folly, 1032 W. San MarcosBlvd., #196, 7:30pm.North County Cowboys, Del Dios Country Store,20154 Lake Dr., Escondido, 8pm.Mike Keneally, Dizzy’s, 344 7th Ave., 8:30pm.Taran Gray/Michael Robert Cook/Roy RuizClayton/Dave Howard/Peter Bolland, Twiggs,4590 Park Blvd., 8:30pm.AM/Chris Pierce/Pawnshop Kings, Lestat’s,3343 Adams Ave., 9pm.

saturday • 4Mark Kinney, Wynola Pizza Express, 4355 Hwy78, Julian, 6pm.Chet & the Committee, Downtown Cafe, 182 E.Main St., El Cajon, 6:30pm.Joni Mitchell Tribute w/ Robin Adler & DaveBlackburn, Dizzy’s, 344 7th Ave., 7pm.Jody Stecher/Bill Evans, Templar’s Hall, OldPoway Park, 14134 Midland Rd., 7pm.Lee Tyler Post/Gentry Bronson/Hot Rod Harris,Hot Java Cafe, 11738 Carmel Mtn. Rd., 7pm.P.F. Sloan, Acoustic Music S.D., 4650 MansfieldSt., 7:30pm.Nathan Welden/Colbie Caillat, Heritage EastHouse Concert, La Mesa, 8pm. Reservations:[email protected] or 619/920-9052.Fish & the Seaweeds, Beaumont’s, 5662 LaJolla Blvd., 8:30pm.Amy Ayres/Alonzo Arambu/Cory from Sleep-less Me/Sarah Green/Chase Emery/TheDarling Alarm, Twiggs, 4590 Park Blvd., 8:30pm.Trevor Davis, Lestat’s, 3343 Adams Ave., 9pm.Coyote Problem, Hooley’s Irish Pub, 2955Jamacha Rd., Ste. 21, Rancho San Diego, 9pm.

sunday • 5SDSU Jazz Combo, Dizzy’s, 344 7th Ave., 4pm.Java Jams Films The Game, Cosmos CoffeeCafe, 8278 La Mesa Blvd., 6:30pm.Joe Rathburn’s Island CD Release, Dark ThirtyHouse Concert, Lakeside, 7:30pm.Reservations: (619) 443-9622.Bushwalla, Twiggs, 4590 Park Blvd., 8:30pm.Chris Carpenter/Aaron Bowen/Kim Divine,Lestat’s, 3343 Adams Ave., 9pm.

monday • 6Jazz Pigs, Athenaeum, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla, noon.Blue Monday Pro Jam, Humphrey’s BackstageLounge, 2241 Shelter Island Dr., 7pm.

tuesday • 7California Guitar Trio, Acoustic Music S.D.,4650 Mansfield St., 7:30pm.The Brombies, NCBFC Mtg., Roundtable Pizza,1161 E. Washington, Escondido, 8pm.

thursday • 9Robin Henkel, Terra Restaurant, Vermont St.,Uptown District, Hillcrest, 6pm.Philip Carrillo, Beaumont’s, 5662 La Jolla Blvd.,6:30pm.Joe Rathburn/Christie McCarthy, MilanoCoffee Co., 8685 Rio San Diego Dr., Ste. B, 7pm.Gayle Skidmore & the Eskimo Friends, Twiggs,4590 Park Blvd., 8:30pm.Al Howard & the K-23 Orchestra, Lestat’s, 3343Adams Ave., 9pm.

friday • 10Brenda Panneton/Amy Shamansky/ChelseaFlor, Hot Java Cafe, 11738 Carmel Mtn. Rd.,7pm.Randy Phillips & Friends, Rebecca’s, 3015Juniper St., 7:30pm.Steve White, Friar’s Folly, 1032 W. San MarcosBlvd., #196, 7:30pm.Randy Chiurazzi, North Park Vaudeville &Candy Shoppe, 2031 El Cajon Blvd., 8pm.Jim Earp/Nathan Welden, Borders Books, 159Fletcher Pkwy., El Cajon, 8pm.Peter Sprague Trio w/ Leonard Patton, Del DiosBar & Grill, 20154 lake Dr., Escondido, 8pm.William Wilson CD Release, Bethlehem LutheranChurch, 925 Balour Dr., Encinitas, 8pm.ESP Quintet, Dizzy’s, 344 7th Ave., 8:30pm.Dino/Steven Ybarra/Lauren DeRose/MC Flow,Twiggs, 4590 Park Blvd., 8:30pm.

Isaac Cheong 10th Anniversary as Open MicHost, Lestat’s, 3343 Adams Ave., 9pm.

saturday • 11Howling Coyotes, Wynola Pizza Express, 4355Hwy 78, Julian, 6pm.Taupier Trio, La Tapatia, 340 W. Grand,Escondido, 6pm.Rusty Jones/Jon Welsey, Hot Java Cafe, 11738Carmel Mtn. Rd., 7pm.Nathan Welden/Jim Earp, Cosmos Coffee Cafe,8278 La Mesa Blvd., 7pm.Janis Ian, Acoustic Music S.D., 4650 MansfieldSt., 7:30pm.Peter Sprague w/ Tripp Sprague & LeonardPatton (fundraiser for McKinley Elem. SchoolMusic Program in memory of Claude Smith),The Grove, 3010 Juniper St., 7:30pm.Janis Ian, Acoustic Music S.D., 4950 Mansfield,7:30pm.Vince Gill, California Center for the Arts, 340 N.Escondido Blvd., 8pm.Cindy Lee Berryhill & Big Oil, Dizzy’s, 344 7thAve., 8pm.The Lomatones, Beaumont’s, 5662 La JollaBlvd., 8:30pm.Paisley Yankolovich/See Spot Run/DrewGasparini/John Hill/The Go Duo, Twiggs, 4590Park Blvd., 8:30pm.Steven Kellog & the Sixers/Ronny Day/KyleRiabko, Lestat’s, 3343 Adams Ave., 9pm.

sunday • 12Night Blooming Jazzmen, Lafayette/Inn SuitesHotel, 2223 El Cajon Blvd., 1pm.Classical Music Concert (in memory of VladaBendetskaya), Greene Music Recital Hall, 7480Miramar Rd., 3pm.Sam Johnson’s Original Jazz Quartet, SouthPark Bar & Grill, 1946 Fern St., 6pm.NeilFest, Dizzy’s, 344 7th Ave., 7pm.Riders of the Purple Sage, Acoustic MusicS.D., 4650 Mansfield St., 7:30pm.Ben Taylor/Sonya Kitchell/Derren Raser, BellyUp, 143 S. Cedros, Solana Beach, 8pm.Pink Martini, 4th&B, 8pm.Tim Flannery, Canyonfolk House Concert, ElCajon, 8pm. Reservations: [email protected] 619/659-5753.Bushwalla, Twiggs, 4590 Park Blvd., 8:30pm.J Turtle/Cheeky/Michael Tiernan, Lestat’s, 3343Adams Ave., 9pm.

monday • 13Bert Turetzky & Guests, Lyceum Theatre,Horton Plaza, noon.Chet & the Committee, Patrick’s II, 428 F St., 9pm.

wednesday • 15.Steve White, Le Papagayo, 1002 N. Coast Hwy.101, Leucadia, 7pm.Wallace Roney, Dizzy’s, 344 7th Ave., 8pm.Chad Ferran/Renata Youngblood/ToddHannigan, 3343 Adams Ave., Lestat’s, 9pm.

thursday • 16Michael Chapdelaine, Dizzy’s, 344 7th Ave., 8pm.Chris Carpenter/Greg Cross/Carlos Olmeda,Twiggs, 4590 Park Blvd., 8:30pm.Andi Rae Healy/Molly Jenson/Aaron Bowen,Lestat’s, 3343 Adams Ave., 9pm.

friday • 17Open Mic w/ Mark Kinney, Wynola PizzaExpress, 4355 Hwy 78, Julian, 6pm.Robin Henkel Band, Coyote Bar & Grill, 300Carlsbad Village Dr., 6:30pm.Steven Ybarra & Friends, Hot Java Cafe, 11738Carmel Mtn. Rd., 7pm.New City Sinfonia, First Unitarian Church, 4190Front St., 7:30pm.Kris Kristofferson, California Center for theArts, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., 8pm.Little Big Men, Artists Colony 101, 90 N. CoastHwy. 101, Encinitas, 8pm.Karin Carson & David Patrone, Dizzy’s, 344 7thAve., 8pm.Liz Carroll/John Doyle, Holy Trinity Church,2083 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., 8pm.Peter Sprague Trio w/ Leonard Patton, Ki’s,2591 S. Coast Hwy. 101, Cardiff, 8:30pm.Stasia Conger/Joe Cardillo/Kevin Wood/GreenWater District, Twiggs, 4590 Park Blvd., 8:30pm.Gene Johnson B-Day Bash, Lestat’s, 3343Adams Ave., 9pm.

saturday • 18Little World, Wynola Pizza Express, 4355 Hwy78, Julian, 6pm.Modern Rhythm, Humphrey’s BackstageLounge, 2241 Shelter Island Dr., 6pm.Taran Gray/Kelly Kellam, Hot Java Cafe, 11738Carmel Mtn. Rd., 7pm.Nathan Welden/Colbie Caillat, Cosmos CoffeeCafe, 8278 La Mesa Blvd., 7pm.Jim Earp, Rebecca’s, 3015 Juniper St., 7pm.Earl Thomas/Eve Selis, North Park Theatre,2891 University Ave., 7:30pm.Heloise Love, San Dieguito United MethodistChurch, 170 Calle Magdalena, Encinitas,7:30pm.Jobim Tribute w/ Andy Villas-Boas/PeterSprague/Gunnar Biggs/Duncan Moore/TrippSprague, Dizzy’s, 344 7th Ave., 8pm.Triple Shot, Beaumont’s, 5662 La Jolla Blvd.,8:30pm.Aramburo/Zosia/Thomas Hodges/LindseyYung/Tim Mudd, Twiggs, 4590 Park Blvd.,8:30pm.Steve Poltz/Allison Lonsdale (6pm), Lestat’s,3343 Adams Ave., 9pm.Not Your Mom/Podunk Nowhere/Julia Othmer/Barbara Nesbitt/Compass Rose/Revenge Club,Winston’s, 1921 Bacon St., 9pm.Stepping Feet, R.T.’s Longboard Grill, 1466Garnet Ave., 10pm.

sunday • 19Arc Trio CD Release, Dizzy’s, 344 7th Ave., 4pm.Fiffin Market/Josh Damigo, LifePoint Cafe,4698 Alvarado Canyon Ste. A, 7pm.Bluegrass Gospel Night, St. Mark’s, 3502Clairemont Dr., 7pm.Listen Local Cooks Release Party/Canned FoodDrive, Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos, 7pm.Laurence Juber, Acoustic Music S.D., 4650Mansfield St., 7:30pm.Bushwalla, Twiggs, 4590 Park Blvd., 8:30pm.Gregory Page, Lestat’s, 3343 Adams Ave., 9pm.

monday • 20Jeremy Kurtz, Athenaeum, 1008 Wall St., LaJolla, noon.Blue Monday Pro Jam, Humphrey’s BackstageLounge, 2241 Shelter Island Dr., 7pm.Kalido-Skopio, Dizzy’s, 344 7th Ave., 7:30pm.

wednesday • 22Tarot Reading on Turkey Farm Rd., a “live”radio broadcast, Geisel Library, UCSD, 12:30pm.Dixieland Jazz Fest, Towne & Country Hotel,500 Hotel Circle N., 7pm.Robin Henkel Band, Tio Leo’s North, 10787Camino Ruiz, 8pm.Derek Evans/JR Robison, Lestat’s, 3343 AdamsAve., 9pm.

thursday • 23Dixieland Jazz Fest, Towne & Country Hotel,500 Hotel Circle N., 7pm.

friday • 24Dixieland Jazz Fest, Towne & Country Hotel,500 Hotel Circle N., 10am.Mountain Tribal Gypsies, Wynola PizzaExpress, 4355 Hwy 78, Julian, 6pm.Jen Jayden/Regina Dawn/Skyler Stonestreet,Hot Java Cafe, 11738 Carmel Mtn. Rd., 7pm.Album Leaf/Grand Ole Party/Dirty on Purpose,Belly Up, 143 S. Cedros, Solana Beach, 8pm.Danny Green Quartet, Dizzy’s, 344 7th Ave., 8:30pm.Dave Boodakian/Ezra’s Eyes, Twiggs, 4590 ParkBlvd., 8:30pm.

saturday • 25Dixieland Jazz Fest, Towne & Country Hotel,500 Hotel Circle N., 9am.Taupier Trio, La Tapatia, 340 W. Grand,Escondido, 6pm.Pat Lanzetta/Elan Levy/Jason, Hot Java Cafe,11738 Carmel Mtn. Rd., 7pm.Christopher Dean, San Dieguito UnitedMethodist Church, 170 Calle Magdalena,Encinitas, 7:30pm.Allison Scull/Victor Martin, Beaumont’s, 5662La Jolla Blvd., 8:30pm.Freddie Hubbard Tribute, Dizzy’s, 344 7th Ave.,8:30pm.Alyssa Jacey/Rachel Kae/Dino, Twiggs, 4590Park Blvd., 8:30pm.B Side Players, Canes, 3105 Ocean Front Walk, 9pm.

every sundayShawn Rohlf & Friends, Farmers Market,DMV parking lot, Hillcrest, 10am.7 Minete Jazz Duo, Kung Food, 2949 FifthAve., noon.Connie Allen, Old Town Trolley Stage, TwiggSt. & San Diego Ave., 12:30-4:30pm.Celtic Ensemble, Twiggs, 4pm.Open Mic Night, Hot Java Cafe, 11738 CarmelMtn. Rd., 7:30pm.Jazz Roots w/ Lou Curtiss, 8-10pm, KSDS(88.3 FM).Hot Fudge Sunday Open Mic, O’Connell’s,1310 Morena Blvd., 9pm.José Sinatra’s OB-oke, Winston’s, 1921Bacon St., 9:30pm.The Bluegrass Special w/ Wayne Rice, 10-midnight, KSON (97.3 FM).Night of the Cookers (deejay-played jazzrecords from ‘30s-’70s), Whistlestop, 2236Fern St., 10pm.

every mondayAcoustic Guitar Ensemble (players wel-come), Mt. Soledad Presbyterian Church,6551 Soledad Mtn. Rd., La Jolla, 7pm.Open Mic Night, Lestat’s, 3343 Adams Ave.,7:30pm. Blues Jam w/ Mystery Train, O’Connell’s,1310 Morena Blvd., 7:30pm.Tango Dancing, Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St., 8pm.Jazz 88 presents the Rebirth of Cool, AirConditioned Lounge, 4673 30th St., 9pm.

every tuesdayZydeco Tuesdays, Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa, 7pm.Open Mic Night, Cosmos Coffee Cafe, 8278La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa, 7pm.Listen Local Acoustic Showcase, JumpingTurtle,1660 Capalina Rd., San Marcos, 8pm.Hot Club of San Diego, Prado Restaurant,Balboa Park, 8pm.Mojoley Jazz Quartet, Taylors, 721 GrandAve., 9:30pm.

every wednesdayMusic at Ocean Beach Farmer’s Market,Newport Ave., 4-7pm.Dan Papaila (solo jazz guitar), The Lodge atTorrey Pines, 5pm.Jaime Valle Quartet w/ Bob Magnusson, TutoMare, 4365 Executive Dr., La Jolla, 6pm.Old Timey Night, Folk Arts Rare Records,2881 Adams Ave., 7pm.High Society Jazz Band, Tio Leo’s, 5302 NapaSt., 7pm.Listen Local Acoustic Showcase,O’Connell’s, 1310 Morena Blvd., 8pm.Stepping Feet, Whiskey Girl, 600 5th Ave.,

8:30pm.Open Mic Night, Twiggs, 8:30pm.Ocean Beach Open Mic w/ Jefferson Jay,Portugalia, 4839 Newport Ave., 8:30pm.Open Mic Night, Dublin Square, 544 4th Ave.,9pm.

every thursdayDan Papaila (solo jazz guitar), The Lodge atTorrey Pines, 5pm.Open Blues Jam, Downtown Cafe, 182 E.Main, El Cajon, 6pm. Silverado Bluegrass Band, Viejas Casino,5000 Willows Rd., Alpine, 6pm.Bluegrass Music for Fun, Today’s Pizza, 481Santa Fe Dr., Encinitas, 6:30pm.Phillip Carrillo, Beaumont’s, 5662 La JollaBlvd., 6:30pm. (closed Thanksgiving)Joe Rathburn, Folkey Monkey Thursdays,Milano Coffee Co., 8685 Rio San Diego Dr.,Ste. B, 7pm.Moonlight Serenade Orchestra, Lucky StarRestaurant, 3893 54th St., 7pm.Wood ‘n’ Lips Open Mic, Borders Books &Music, 159 Fletcher Pkwy, El Cajon, 7pm.Open Mic Night, Hot Java Cafe, 11738 CarmelMtn. Rd., 7:30pm.Thursday Club, Portugalia, 4839 Newport, OB,8pm.Open Mic/Family Jam, Rebecca’sCoffeehouse, 3015 Juniper St., 8pm.Listen Local Acoustic Showcase, Tiki Bar,1152 Garnet Ave., 8pm.Swing Thursdays, Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St.,9pm.

every fridaySam Johnson Jazz Duo, Cosmos Cafe, 8278La Mesa Blvd., 3pm.California Rangers, McCabe’s, Oceanside,4:30-9pm.Dan Papaila (solo jazz guitar), The Lodge atTorrey Pines, 5pm.Jaime Valle-Bob Magnusson Jazz Duo,Harry’s Bar & American Grill, 4370 La JollaVillage Dr., 6:30pm.Amelia Browning, South Park Bar & Grill,1946 Fern St., 7pm.Basin Street Band, Lucky Star Restaurant,3893 54th St., 7pm.Open Mic Night, Egyptian Tea Room &Smoking Parlour, 4644 College Ave., 9pm.

every saturdayConnie Allen, Old Town Trolley Stage, TwiggSt. & San Diego Ave., 12:30-4:30pm.Dan Papaila (solo jazz guitar), The Lodge atTorrey Pines, 5pm.Christian/Gospel Open Mic, El Cajon. Info:J.D., 619/246-7060.

W E E K L Y

sunday • 26Dixieland Jazz Fest, Towne & Country Hotel,500 Hotel Circle N., 8am.Allison Scull/Victor Martin, Beaumont’s, 5662La Jolla Blvd., 11am.Blues Jam/Chet Cannon’s B-Day, Coo CooClub, 8203 Winter Gardens, Lakeside, 4pm.Bushwalla, Twiggs, 4590 Park Blvd., 8:30pm.

monday • 27Pacific Coast Harmony, Lyceum Theatre,Horton Plaza, noon.Jimi Hendrix Tribute, Dizzy’s, 344 7th Ave.,8pm.

NEILFEST IVA TRIBUTE TO NEIL YOUNG

Celebrate the music of Neil Young on his birthday with a gathering

of San Diego’s finest singer-songwriters performing his songs.

withGregory Page, Lisa Sanders, PeterBolland, Sven-Erik Seaholm, Joe

Rathburn, Christopher Dale, PeggyWatson, Cathryn Beeks and MattSilvia, the Mark Jackson Band,

and the Coyote Problem

Sunday, November 12, 7pmDizzy’s, 344 7th Ave.

“How much better if Plymouth Rockhad landed on the Pilgrims.”

— Anonymous

wednesday • 29M’tafiti Imara, Dizzy’s, 344 7th Ave., 8pm.Buddy Wuddy Blues Show, Lestat’s, 3343Adams Ave., 9pm.

thursday • 30Joe Rathburn/Andy Robinson, Milano CoffeeCo., 8685 Rio San Diego Dr., Ste. B, 7pm.Danny Green Trio/Tango Dancers/JewelryExhibit, Athenaeum, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla,7:30pm.Bill Evans Tribute, Dizzy’s, 344 7th Ave., 8pm.Melissa Rapp/Tiffany, Twiggs, 4590 Park Blvd.,8:30pm.Chris Pureka CD Release/Faux Pasproduction,Lestat’s, 3343 Adams Ave., 9pm.

Country Joe McDonald @ AMSD

Gregory Page, Drew Andrews, Sven-Erik Seaholm

Photo: Gail D

onnelly Seaholm

A.J. Peacox

Kyle Phelan



the local seen

Photo: Gail D

onnelly Seaholm

The Amazing 7th Day Buskers

Aaron Bowen

Rev. Gregory Page

Jane Lui

Will Edwards

Carlos Olmeda

Kerri Dopart

Tim Mudd

Barbara Nesbitt

Josh Damigo

All photos by Steve Covaultunless otherwise noted

Tim Flannery

Nathan Welden @ Cosmos

Jen Knight

Grand Finale

Earl Thomas

Photo: Gail Donnelly Seaholm

Steph Johnson

Lestat’s soundman Louis

Photo: Gail D

onnelly Seaholm

Matthew Stewart

Cathryn Beeks

Dave Howard

Mark DeCerbo

Kellis David

Cindy Lee Berryhill

Photo: Gail Donnelly Seaholm

Jim Soldi, Eve Selis, Marc Twang

Jim Austin & Beth Mosko

Clown Prince Jeff Berkley and Calman Hart

Robin Henkel & Lisa Sanders share amoment

O’ BERKLEY, WHERE HART THOU?

Doctor Dave

Dan Broder

Randi Driscoll, Robin Adler, Eve Selis

J Turtle

H

.A.T. AWARDS

McKenna Doyle, Dakota Berkley, Melissa Hart

NEW

ACOUSTIC GENERATION

/SIM

EO

NFLICK CD RELEASE

Simeon FlickJeff Johnson

Nathaniel Flick

Matt Silvia

JOH

NLE

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NON TRIBUTE AT DIZZY’S

Dizzy’s Chuck Perrin

Photo: Gail D

onnelly Seaholm

Marcia Claire

The Bobs at Dizzy’s

Photo: Liz Abbott

Laura Kuebel

Ellis Paul @ AMSD

Tom Petty

Peter Bolland

Photo: Gail D

onnelly Seaholm

Bart Mendoza

Joe Rathburn, Peggy Watson, Dave Beldock @ Meeting Grace

Photo: Liz Abbott

EL

SE

W H E R

EA

RO

UN D

T O W N

Phil Harmonic

Tommy Edwards

FREE - San Diego Troubadour

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