Blues musician and historian Scott Ainslee will share stories and songs at the Kennebunk Coffeehouse in Kennebunk, Maine, on Saturday, March 14.

In addition to playing guitar, fiddle and banjo, Ainslee is an author, educator and historian studying the African roots of American work songs, blues, gospel and jazz. He has toured the United States and Europe and worked with avant garde and Broadway theater productions in New York. He authored the book “Robert Johnson: At the Crossroads” in 1992, and made the instructional DVD “Robert Johnson: Signature Licks” in 2005. Ainslee released his fifth solo album, “Thunder’s Mouth,” in 2008.

The concert begins at 8 p.m. at the Kennebunk Coffeehouse in the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, 114 Main St., 207-229-0212. Tickets are $12 in advance or $16 at the door. Visit www.kennebunkcoffeehouse.com. 

Murkadee unveils farewell music video

Epping-based pop band Murkadee bid adieu to the Seacoast music scene with a new music video filmed partly in Japan by local filmmaker John Herman. The video marks the release of Murkadee’s final album, “Hislop,” recorded as part of the 2009 RPM Challenge.

The video, for the new song “Katy,” alternates between shots of Murkadee front man Joseph K. Murphy singing and playing keyboard and guitar in front of a red curtain, and footage of a woman wandering past ornate buildings, statues and gardens in Tokyo. Herman also shot footage of an elaborate culture parade at Sonsoji Temple.

Murphy said he wrote the song after a friend traveling to New Hampshire from Kansas for a wedding was redirected to Indiana when her grandfather unexpectedly died.

The peppy song, characteristic of Murkadee’s quirky but catchy sound, was intended as a “pick-me-up,” Murphy said. He approached Herman with the video idea and learned that he was heading to Japan for a comedy performance tour.
“Shooting half the video in New Hampshire and the other half in Japan was perfect for capturing the themes of distance and longing,” Herman said in a press release.

Murphy and fellow singer-guitarist DeLaine Bennett founded Murkadee in 2003 while both were still in high school. Rounded out by bassist Jon Briggs, drummer The Attic Bat and saxophonist Steve Dunleavy, the band has now released four studio albums and won a Spotlight award for best alternative band in 2006. Last year, the band opened for psychedelic punk legends the Butthole Surfers at The Stone Church in Newmarket.

Murkadee announced in January that it would disband after completing the RPM Challenge, citing artistic differences and a local music scene that the members found unsupportive. Murphy will move forward with his side project Joseph K Murphy and the Best Friends Ever, while Bennett works on a solo album. Briggs is involved in several other projects, including work with RPM participant The Mango Wranglers. The Attic Bat plans to complete his degree at the University of New Hampshire and then head to graduate school.

“I think of this video as a parting gift to the fans that have supported us,” Murphy said. To watch the video, visit www.murkadee.com.

drumming for freedom in Portsmouth

The Portsmouth Center for Yoga and the Arts will host an arts and music performance and fundraiser on Saturday, March 14.

The “Dreams of Freedom” fundraiser will feature a performance from the women’s frame drum group Tabbalat, along with guest speakers Susan and Maya Carter, who recently returned from a trip to India. The two were volunteering for The Emancipation Network, an international organization dedicated to fighting human trafficking and modern day slavery. The pair will share slides and stories from their experiences with children in India and display the children’s art and photos. Products made by survivors of human trafficking will be available for sale, with proceeds benefiting The Emancipation Network.

The event takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. at The Portsmouth Center for Yoga and the Arts, 9 Brewery Lane, Portsmouth. For more information, call Susan Carter at 603-205-5271 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

‘Wicked’ star at The Music Hall

Actress and singer-songwriter Idina Menzel will perform songs from her debut album “I Stand” at The Music Hall in Portsmouth on Wednesday, March 18, as part of the Intimately Yours concert series.

Menzel rose to stardom for two Broadway musical roles, first as bisexual artist Maureen in a 1995 production of “Rent,” and then as green witch Elphaba in a 2003 production of “Wicked,” for which she won a Tony award. Known for her powerful voice, Menzel released “I Stand” early last year on Warner Bros. Records. Inspired by artists like Bette Midler and Barbara Streisand, the album includes 10 pop tunes and love ballads bolstered by Grammy winning producer Glen Ballard.

The show begins at 7:30 p.m. at The Music Hall, 28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, 603-436-2400. Tickets are $36 to $48. Visit www.themusichall.org. 

RPM 2009: the final tally

Completed CDs from all over the world poured into The Wire office in Portsmouth last week as the 2009 RPM Challenge wrapped up. Hundreds of musicians mailed or hand-delivered albums with at least 10 songs or 35 minutes of original music, all recorded during the month of February.

A dedicated team of RPM volunteers has kept busy counting and labeling CDs and will continue uploading thousands of tracks throughout the month. The 2009 RPM Jukebox Uploader is ready to go, and participating artists can preload their new albums by going to jukebox.rpmchallenge.com and logging in with their user names and passwords.

Nearly 2,300 musicians signed up for the fourth annual challenge, and more than 800 registered as having completed CDs by March 1. These results are similar to numbers from previous years since RPM went global in 2007.

Local listening parties will take place on Saturday, March 28, beginning at The Music Hall in Portsmouth at 6:30 p.m. Stay tuned at www.rpmchallenge.com for more details.