Everything about singer-songwriter Slaid Cleaves’ new album, from the title and cover art to the lyrics and melodies, gushes with pending tragedy. Released in April, “Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away” suggests the infirmity and transience of the fleeting things we take for granted. Cleaves tried to make that theme inhabit every aspect of his record.

“I just learned early on that in order to make an impression on people, in order for people to remember my songs, I had to really strike them in the heart and really move them,” he said. And striking the heart means stoking the tragic.

Upright bassist Nat Baldwin’s musical innovation has put him on a platform that continues to steadily rise. He is now an official member of New York-based experimental rock band Dirty Projectors, which is in the midst of an extensive summer tour and landed a write-up in the latest issue of Spin magazine. The article on page 44 of the July edition of Spin includes a large color photo of the six-piece band on the streets of Brooklyn, and Baldwin’s scruffy face is grinning at the far left.

This is not Baldwin’s first time in the spotlight. He performed on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” last fall as a member of Brooklyn-based band Department of Eagles. He has also garnered considerable attention as a solo artist with at least three albums under his belt. His inventive double-bass style and dynamic vocals have made him a local favorite at live shows. 

a roundup of recent local releases

‘Superliminal’
by The Screen

Portsmouth’s hard rockers The Screen had been fairly quiet on the Seacoast since releasing “Antitrust” in 2005. But they are quiet no more. With the recent unveiling of “Superliminal,” the local trio behind The Screen are just the way we like them: loud.

Guitarist and vocalist Robert Beal, bassist Erik Ralston and drummer Jarrett Osborn met while students at the University of New Hampshire and formed The Screen in 2001. Since then, the group has earned a reputation as one of the Seacoast’s most riveting rock bands, and perhaps nowhere has their power been better demonstrated than on “Superliminal.”

‘92982’
by William Basinski
label: 2062
genre: memory reels
suitable for: Sept. 29, 1982

From the composer himself: “Home at last after a day of work at the answering service. Answering phones for Calvin Klein, Bianca Jagger, Steve Rubell and all the other somebody people ... Roger is in the front, gluing old shoes on canvas and painting them orange. I’m clicking the old Norelcos back and forth between channels. All the windows are open. The sound is spreading all over downtown Brooklyn mixing with the helicopters, sirens, pot smoke and fireworks ...”

Dave Gerard books two CD release shows

Local roots rocker Dave Gerard, perhaps best known as front man of Durham-based band Truffle, will celebrate the release of his fourth solo album with a pair of upcoming shows in Durham and Londonderry.

Recorded at Thundering Sky Studio in South Berwick, Maine, “The Zoomy Trail” includes a blend of Gerard’s soulful arrangements and industrial sounds, with some tracks showcasing acoustic solo performances and others entailing full band ensembles. Gerard roped in several of his Truffle band mates and other guest musicians to round out the sound.

The first release show takes place at Three Chimneys Inn in Durham on Friday, June 19 at 7 p.m. The second occurs at the Tupelo Music Hall in Londonderry on Friday, June 26 at 8 p.m. The first 50 guests at Three Chimneys will receive a copy of the CD. Tickets to the Tupelo show are $15 and include a copy of the disc. For more information, visit www.gerardtruffle.com.

Seacoast Wind Ensemble salutes historic peace makers from around town and around the globe

President Theodore Roosevelt’s work to end the Russo-Japanese War made him the first U.S. president to win a Nobel Peace Prize. Diplomats from Russia and Japan met in Portsmouth as Roosevelt’s guests in 1905, paving the way for the signing of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty.

With music for four historic peacemakers—Jimmy Carter, Martti Ahtisaari, Claiborne Pell and George Mitchell—the third annual Portsmouth Peace Treaty concert will pay musical homage to the ongoing peace efforts Roosevelt helped initiate in Portsmouth more than a century ago.

Kate Redgate’s long journey leads to CD release at the Firehouse

Kate Redgate spent much of her childhood horseback riding across the farm in rural Illinois where she grew up. Adopted as an infant from Scott Air Force Base in 1970, her old horse Rusty became her closest friend. She spent whole days atop Rusty’s bare back, racing carefree over the farm’s green pastures.

Redgate also started singing in a church chorus when she was about 8 years old. The organist later gave her piano lessons, and another church patron taught her how to play guitar, showing her the chords to old John Denver tunes.

Music soon became as much a passion for Redgate as horseback riding. “I used to ride my horse at the Boots and Saddle Club, and they always had country music blasting on the loud speakers,” she said.

Now just shy of 39, Redgate’s life has taken numerous turns over the last three decades. She has moved around the country, lived on the streets, worked countless jobs, gotten married and divorced, and raised two children of her own. But the Newburyport resident still vividly recalls the simplicity of her youth, when she wanted little more than to sing and ride horses.

by Frank Black and the Catholics
2002, SpinART Records

Ogunquit Chamber Music Festival celebrates its 15th year

Ogunquit Performing Arts is celebrating the crystal anniversary of its annual Chamber Music Festival with four concerts in two locations. The festival features live performances of works by Haydn, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Debussy and others, with nightly shows from Thursday to Sunday, June 11 to 14.

The first two concerts begin at 8 p.m. at the Dunaway Center on School Street. The Thursday night show features the New York-based Ambrosia Trio, with Beulah Cox on violin, Martin Fett on cello and Frank Daykin on piano. Formed in 1990, the trio has performed internationally and across the United States, recording two CDs along the way. Their performance will include works by composers Joseph Haydn, Felix Mendehlssohn and Joaquin Turina.

The folk tradition runs thick with Ruth Ungar Merenda. Her father Jay Ungar and stepmother Molly Mason have been playing music together since the late 1970s and are highly respected acoustic string musicians. Her mother Lyn Hardy is another accomplished singer-songwriter and guitarist in the folk and country vein.

Ruth has carried on the family tradition with her husband and long-time musical partner Michael Merenda, a Durham native. The couple, known jointly as Mike and Ruthy, just released their second album as a duo, “Waltz of the Chickadee,” which they’ll introduce to the Seacoast with a show on Friday, June 5.

piano phenom plays Portsmouth

Sixteen-year-old New Hampshire native Matt Savage brings his venerated piano talents to Portsmouth on Sunday, June 7. The Matt Savage Trio makes its first Port City appearance at St. John’s Episcopal Church beginning at 3 p.m.

A resident of Francestown, Savage began making waves in the jazz world when he was only 8 years old, playing for Dave Brubeck and jamming with Chick Corea. In subsequent years, he would play with a number of other living jazz legends, including McCoy Tyner, Clark Terry and Jimmy Heath, as well as soul goddess Chaka Khan. He has performed live on the “The Late Show with David Letterman,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and “Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz” on NPR.

For fans of jazz radio, pickings in the regional market recently became slimmer. Earlier this month, Boston’s WFNX cancelled Jeff Turton’s show “The Sunday Jazz Brunch” after 26 years of weekly broadcasts. The reason for the cancellation, according to an e-mail Turton sent out, was “budget cuts due to diminished revenues at both ’FNX and at the Boston Phoenix.” Turton also stated that he “wasn’t surprised,” but was “incredibly disappointed.” As I’m sure were his many loyal listeners.

Steve Earle plays solo at The Music Hall

Steve Earle first met Townes Van Zandt in 1972 during a performance at The Old Quarter in Houston, Texas. According to legend, Van Zandt heckled Earle throughout the show, repeatedly requesting the song “Wabash Cannonball.” When Earle confessed that he didn’t know how to play the tune, Van Zandt was incredulous.

“You call yourself a folksinger and you don’t know ‘Wabash Cannonball?’” the famed singer-songwriter supposedly yelled.
Earle, a relative newcomer to the scene at the time, was not rattled. He countered by playing Van Zandt’s “Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold,” a notoriously difficult song with rapid lyrics. With that, the two musicians formed a lasting bond. Earle even named his son, Justin Townes Earle, after the late folk icon.

Joseph K Murphy and DeLaine Bennett were still high school classmates in Epping when they formed Murkadee in 2003. Their previous band Pink Lemonade had dissolved, and Murphy was eager to embark on a new project. He approached Bennett with the idea of making an album, and she quickly got on board.

“We just wanted to do this artsy, weird, pop-rock, folksy thing,” Murphy said recently.

The pair promoted the resulting album in their classes, and it eventually came to the attention of Murphy’s English teacher, John Herman. Herman, a local filmmaker and improvisational actor, was impressed. He encouraged Murphy and Bennett to stick together and play shows in the area, and they have been doing so ever since.

Writers in the Round goes live at RiverRun

Songwriting is sometimes referred to as the oldest form of poetry. Writers in the Round honors that tradition with performances that mix live music and spoken word poetry. After a two-year hiatus, the event returns on Tuesday, May 26, from 7 to 9 p.m., at RiverRun Bookstore in Portsmouth. 

The event’s featured performers include WITR founder and songwriter Deidre Randall, cellist and spoken word artist Kristen Miller, Portsmouth Poet Laureate Mark DeCarteret, and Seacoast musician Thomas D’Amour.

tasty combo at The Muddy

Area native Matt Jenson will return to the Seacoast on Saturday, May 16, to perform with his Boston-based Latin dance band Combo Sabroso at The Muddy River in Portsmouth.

Jenson began recruiting Latino musicians in 1998 and eventually fixed on the band’s name, which translates to “tasty combo.” Combo Sabroso seeks to invoke the traditional dance rhythms of Latin jazz and salsa, as popularized by legends like percussionist Tito Puente and pianist Eddie Palmieri. Jenson, who now teaches piano and a class on Bob Marley at Berklee College of Music in Boston, also incorporates blues and reggae music into the band’s eclectic sound, adding flavors of traditional American, Jamaican and Afro-Cuban styles.

by various artists
1991, Warner Bros. Records

Dan Walker and Breakfast Song book CD release shows

A couple of local acts will unveil brand new albums with CD release shows this weekend, introducing home-cooked tunes to Seacoast listeners. Rootsy Americana singer-songwriter Dan Walker will play songs from his new CD “Beautiful” at the Barley Pub in Dover on Friday, May 15.

During the band’s extended closing number, the two guitarists and bassist strolled away from the stage one at a time, leaving drummer Rodney Holmes to paralyze the audience with an absolute thunderstorm of percussion. The unaccompanied solo, a throwback to John Bonham’s lengthy percussive tantrums with Zeppelin, had the crowd slack-jawed and awed for more than five minutes… But we’ll come back to that. 

Project Percolator made the trip to York, Maine, from the band’s headquarters in New York for two shows at Inn on the Blues on April 30 and May 1. The show was slightly off season for the Inn, which reserves most of its live music for the busy summer months. But bandleader Jim Weider, who refers to York Harbor as “a second home,” rarely fails to draw a crowd in the area.

native jazz guitarist plays CD release show in Portsmouth

New Hampshire native Nick Grondin will return to the Seacoast on Sunday, May 10, to unveil his new CD with a show at The Press Room in Portsmouth.

Grondin is a jazz guitarist and composer who leads his own septet in Boston. Known as an instrumental storyteller, he incorporates rock and folk influences into his jazz style, sometimes reinterpreting songs by The Beatles and Radiohead.

‘Awake’
by Ameranouche Trio

You don’t have to wait long to get a taste of Ameranouche Trio’s acoustic string prowess on the band’s latest CD. Opening with the peppy jazz of “Ameranouche Swing,” guitarist/composer Richard Sheppard burns up the frets on his acoustic guitar, spitting out rapid-fire notes that conjure the ghost of Django Reinhardt and echo the rich traditions of European gypsy jazz.

The acoustic jazz power trio of Sheppard on lead guitar, Ryan Flaherty on rhythm guitar and Xar Adelberg on bass then strum their way into a Flamenco-style reboot of the 1957 French classic “La Foule.” It’s the only non-original composition among the album’s 11 tracks, and it demonstrates both the band’s respect for tradition and its ear for inventiveness.

couple plans to open locally focused bar and restaurant in Newmarket

Concerts by legends like Richie Havens, Johnny Winter and Loudon Wainwright still echo between The Stone Church’s walls. But aside from a CD release show in March, there has been no music performed in the Newmarket venue since it was sold at auction seven months ago.

That will soon change. Owner Adam Schroadter recently leased the first floor of the historic building to Christopher McClain and Melissa Poirier, who aim to open a new restaurant and music venue there in June. The married couple has not yet settled on a name (they are considering retaining The Stone Church title), but they have clear plans for the space.

“It’s going to be a full-service restaurant with as much live, mostly local music as possible,” McClain said. “We definitely want to concentrate on local music, because this area has a ton.”

This year’s Jazzmouth Festival provided ample evidence of Portsmouth’s strong artistic community—from the wide range of events held in various downtown locations, to the performers and fans who came together to participate in this  annual celebration of spoken word and improvised music.

In turn, Jazzmouth embraces this community. That’s part of the vision of festival founder and chief guru Larry Simon. “There is an artistic integrity that has been there from the beginning,” Simon told me after the Saturday evening performance at The Music Hall. This integrity, he continued, was essential to developing the festival’s community spirit.

One way Jazzmouth embraces comunity is by booking shows at various locales. The festival kicked off late Thursday afternoon, April 23, in the newly renovated lobby of The Music Hall. The venue’s blue, red and gold lighting enhanced the soft, swinging strains of standards and blues from guitarist Chris O’Neill and bassist Keith Foley. O’Neill and Foley, both of the Amorphous Band, displayed a sublime sense of musical empathy, the kind that comes from years of making music together in a variety of settings.

‘I Blame You’
by Obits
label: Sub Pop
genre: rock
suitable for: drinking Schlitz in a parking lot

This is the only record in the column this week with lyrics. There are many defunct bands whose members have spawned additional projects, but there are only a few whose lineages have been 100 percent awesome 100 percent of the time. Drive Like Jehu, I believe, is one of them. Formed in San Diego in 1990, the members, specifically John Reis and Rick Froberg, have since been single handedly improving the chances of rock music surviving into the next generation. Reis founded Rocket from the Crypt and is currently in Night Marchers; Froberg, the voice of Drive Like Jehu, and Reis teamed up again in 1999 as devious punks Hot Snakes. Now Froberg is in Obits, thank God.

Not a lot has changed in Froberg’s formula here. There’s a ton of energy, lyrics of little consequence, pure rock posturing and volume all coming together in brilliant songwriting. Obits, though, is a band interested in its roots. Overdriven vintage amps and accompanying spring reverb are like instruments unto themselves on this record. There is a rockabilly influence throughout, as well, and dig the garage stomp on the last track “Back And Forth,” one of the most uncharacteristic tracks I’ve heard on a Froberg-related album. “Widow of my Dreams,” the opening track, is one of my favorites in the Froberg songbook to date. Can’t wait to listen to this with the windows down.

Mose Allison, Donald Hall, David Amram, Bob Dorough and others to perform in Portsmouth

Jazzmouth, Portsmouth’s unique festival of poetry and jazz, celebrates its fifth anniversary this week. From Thursday, April 23, through Sunday, April 26, the festival will feature its most prominent lineup of performers to date, with headliners like jazz and blues legend Mose Allison, past U.S. Poet Laureate Donald Hall, jazz vocalist and pianist Bob Dorough and the festival’s resident guru, poet and multi-instrumentalist David Amram.

Spoken word poetry and improvised music will blossom in a variety of locations around the city, from Breaking New Grounds to RiveRun Bookstore, from The Press Room to The Music Hall. There will be a film showcase, poetry readings, jazz music and the main event at The Music Hall on Saturday, featuring Allison, Hall and Amram, as well as selected local poets performing their readings to the accompaniment of Larry Simon’s Groove Bacteria.

Unlike other jazz festivals, Jazzmouth focuses on the spontaneous nature of the music through the collaboration of music and poetry or spoken word.

“Although there was already a good jazz festival in the Tom Gallant/Seacoast Jazz Festival that was happening in the summer, I felt there was a need for a broader event that tapped into the wealth of creative musicians in the Seacoast area,” said guitarist Larry Simon, founder and artistic director of Jazzmouth. “I also felt that with the large and talented pool of creative writers in the area, that a collaborative setting would be a unique way to showcase this creativity.”

After consulting with Richard Smith and Bruce Pingree, Simon organized a committee and launched the first Jazzmouth festival in 2005. Pingree is still an active organizer for the event, lending his deep knowledge of American music and poetry to help ensure the festival’s continued growth and artistic success.

Come in costume or come as you are. The release party of the original cast recording of the musical “Gay Bride of Frankenstein” is coming up on Monday, April 20, at The Muddy River in downtown Portsmouth.

Local musicians Tim McCoy, Jamie Perkins, Jon McCormack and Billy Butler, along with the cast and crew and other guests, will play songs from the show and other originals and covers starting at 9 p.m. Doors open at 8 p.m.

“Gay Bride of Frankenstein” puts a new spin on high school relationships within a classic Halloween story. A group of students are invited to a monsters’ ball, not knowing that the party game is raising the dead and that one of them would die on the way. 

The show ran around Halloween for two weeks last fall at the Players’ Ring in Portsmouth. Butler, who wrote the musical with friend Dane Leeman, said it could have run longer at the rate tickets were selling, but he’s now looking at other venues. Sales of the album will help New Theatre Works finance a New York City production of the musical that started on the Seacoast.

venue opens its doors for Krystal Polychronis CD release show

With much trepidation I made the familiar trek up Zion hill toward The Stone Church on March 21. The Newmarket venue, closed since being sold at auction in September, was open for a single night—a CD release party for Hampton-based singer-songwriter Krystal Polychronis. As the wide doors flung open, I could hear the excited chatter of concert goers embracing their beloved hall. They, like me, were anticipating a good show at their favorite venue. 

There was no cover charge, but the room was filled with children holding balloons and doing handstands while someone told a story into the microphone. My initial impression was part birthday party, part basement concert and part family reunion, but the Terrapin Station sign still hung from a reinforced wooden beam and the bar seemed to be open, so I headed that way. 

triple bill to rock the Muddy River

Boston’s Girls, Guns and Glory will headline a three-act show at The Muddy River in Portsmouth on Saturday, March 28. Named “Act of the Year” by the 2008 Boston Music Awards, the band joins area favorites The Divorced and The Molenes on Saturday night.

Formed in winter 2005, Girls, Guns and Glory began collecting accolades after the release of its 2007 sophomore album “Pretty Little Wrecking Ball.” That year, the band won two Boston Phoenix awards and took the Boston Music Award for Outstanding Americana Act of the Year—a feat the quartet repeated in 2008.

March winds down and April blows in with two notable shows over the next week and a half. On Sunday, March 22, noted trombonist and Berklee School of Music instructor Phil Wilson makes an appearance at The Press Room in Portsmouth at 6 p.m. The Exeter native will be joined by the Mark Shilansky Trio and superb vocalist and trumpet player Christine Fawson, a member of Boston-based jazz group Syncopation, for an evening of mainstream jazz. Wilson, who was a member of Woody Herman’s excellent band during the early 1960s and later contributed several arrangements to the band of Buddy Rich (including a memorable version of “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy”), is often overlooked by the jazz media due to his ongoing work at Berklee. Sunday will serve as a reminder of what an accomplished and versatile musician Wilson is.

On Friday, April 3, the venerable soul band Tower of Power makes its annual appearance at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom. If you like to get your groove on, there’s no better outfit than TOP to do it with. The band is now in its 41st year of stoking audiences with its musical gumbo of soul and funk with a touch of Latin and jazz spice. Plus, any chance to hear lead singer Larry Braggs is well worth the price. The show starts at 8 p.m. Visit www.casinoballroom.com for ticket info.

Pondering Judd and Scalawag rock Biddy’s

Dover-based country-rock band Pondering Judd will follow up an invigorated performance at Biddy Mulligan’s last month with another show at the Irish pub on Saturday, March 21. This time, Judd will be joined by Manchester-based Americana band Scalawag. 

Fronted by singer and guitarist Martin England, Pondering Judd has released six albums since forming in 1993 and has toured across the nation. The band won three consecutive Spotlight Awards for Best Rock Band on the Seacoast from 2004 to 2006.

Hailing from such familiar area bands as The Makem and Spain Brothers, Marty Keystone, Full Tilt Boogie and The Freeks, the four members of Scalawag have been performing in New England for about 15 years. The band solidified its sound in 2002 and released its debut album, “Wheel on Steel,” in 2006.

by Aimee Mann
SuperEgo Records, 2000

local fiddlers’ new book instructs on how to run a barn dance

Have you ever wanted to host your own barn dance? Of course you have. Maybe you haven’t pursued this ambition because you lack the necessary knowledge and resources. Maybe you’re not familiar with the music required to initiate a lively dance. Or maybe you just don’t have a barn.

That’s OK. Contrary to popular assumptions, barn dances do not actually have to take place in a barn. And a new book by long-time fiddlers and dance masters Dudley and Jacqueline Laufman supplies all the information you need to transform an empty room into a bustling community dance party.

“When most people hear the term barn dance, they envision bales of hay and folks dressed up like cowboys and cowgirls,” reads the preface to “Traditional Barn Dances with Calls & Fiddling.” “These trappings, however, are unnecessary. What really distinguishes a barn dance from, say, a square dance or contra dance are the dances done by the participants.”

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.

The four members of Boston-based indie rock band Aloud seemed undeterred by the evening’s obstacles. The band was supposed to split sets with Portland, Maine’s The Cambiata, who canceled at the last minute due to illness. The room in the basement of The Muddy River was mostly empty on this winter weeknight, with a row of attentive patrons dotting the bar. But the low turnout didn’t stop Aloud from spinning the adrenaline dial all the way to max.

The band is led by dual vocalists/guitarists Henry Beguiristain and Jen de la Osa, who have been collaborating as songwriters since their early teens. Behind the two leads are bassist Ryan Majoris and drummer Jonathan Schmidt. During their hour-long set, the group performed several songs from its sophomore album, “Fan the Fury,” released early last year on the band’s own Lemon Merchant Records.

by Cecil Taylor Unit
1990, Enja Records

The evolution of video games, from “Donkey Kong” and “Pac-Man” to “Final Fantasy” and “Halo,” has involved an array of technological advances that goes far beyond computer graphics and fancy controllers. As gaming continues to grow as the nation’s most profitable entertainment industry—surpassing even films in recent years—the skill sets required to produce popular games is spreading to a wider workforce, and musicians are getting in on the action.

Local musician Duncan Watt, who runs Fastestmanintheworld Music out of his home in Exeter, has been composing scores for video games since 2005. Watt and Ed Lima co-composed the orchestral score for “Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway,” which was released for Xbox 360, Play Station 3 and PCs last fall. Instead of using virtual orchestration and synthesized instruments on computers, the pair traveled to Prague in August 2007 and recorded the score with a 60-piece orchestra and 40-piece choir.  

A flood of area RPM participants hand-delivered their completed CDs between Friday, Feb. 27 and Sunday, March 1. By noon on March 1, more than 160 glorious new albums sat stacked in RPM headquarters at The Wire office in Portsmouth. Hundreds of others arrived by the crateful over the next few days from all over the world, all postmarked no later than Monday, March 2. The final days before the end of the month found many participants scrambling to polish off their 10 songs or 35 minutes of original music. What follows is a sampling of unedited statements posted on the RPM discussion board at www.rpmchallenge.com. Local listening parties will take place on Saturday, March 28, beginning at The Music Hall in Portsmouth at 6:30 p.m. Congratulations to all those who saw the 2009 Challenge through to the end.

It’s been close to three years since Newmarket-based musician Craig Werth took an unpaid leave of absence from his teaching job at the University of New Hampshire and embarked on his first tour with Canadian folk singer David Francey. When Werth accepted the gig as Francey’s sideman, he was not sure how long the collaboration would last. But he’s still touring and recording with the three-time Juno award-winning artist, making music his full-time occupation.

Werth co-produced Francey’s last studio album, “Right of Passage,” and played several instruments on the disc, including guitars, bouzouki, mandolin and mountain dulcimer. Last year, “Right of Passage” won a Juno (the Canadian version of a Grammy) for best album in the roots and traditional solo category. “I have a Juno statue in my living room as co-producer,” he said, as if still slightly surprised to have the object in his home.

Jim Weider’s Project Percolator hits the Seacoast

Prolific blues-rock guitarist Jim Weider will bring his New York-based band Project Percolator to York, Maine, for a concert at York Harbor Inn on Friday, Feb. 27 at 8 p.m.

Born and raised in Woodstock, N.Y., Weider is a veteran telecaster guitarist with a long list of accomplishments under his belt, including a Fender endorsement. From 1985 to 2000, Weider served as lead guitarist for The Band, replacing the legendary Robbie Robertson. He has performed or recorded with an impressive array of famous artists, including Bob Dylan, Keith Richards, Doctor John, Taj Mahal, Bob Weir, Paul Butterfield, Hot Tuna and Los Lobos.

‘95 North to Maine’
by Curt Bessette

Singer-songwriter Curt Bessette has been a fixture of the Seacoast music scene for a solid quarter-century. The York Beach resident hosted an open mike night at Biddy Mulligan’s in Dover for well over a decade and has performed regularly throughout the region with a number of other familiar folk faces. With the release of his fourth album, “95 North to Maine,” Bessette pays tribute to the homeland that has fostered his music career. 

The CD includes 11 original songs and one Everly Brothers cover, all featuring Bessette’s soft vocals and smooth guitar playing, plus some occasional mandolin picking, accompanied by harmonies and instrumental bits from an array of area artists. The soft-rock folk tunes have a North Country flavor that often evokes images of Maine rivers and woods, like a local incarnation of James Taylor, John Denver and Willie Nelson.  

It’s the final countdown. As February nears its inevitable conclusion, musicians around the globe are scrambling to complete their albums for the 2009 RPM Challenge. What follows is a sampling of unedited statements posted on the RPM discussion board at www.rpmchallenge.com. The general tone reflects a healthy balance of panic and optimism. Good luck out there.

It’s a big weekend for jazz on the Seacoast with several performances taking place Friday, Feb. 27 through Monday, March 2, combining for one of the most active jazz oriented weekends since last April’s Jazzmouth Festival. Here’s a preview of upcoming shows.

The headline event will be a performance by the Russell Malone Quartet in the UNH Traditional Jazz Series on Monday, March 2 at 8 p.m. in Johnson Theatre at the Paul Creative Arts Center in Durham. Guitarist Malone will be joined by Martin Bejerano on piano, Tassili Bond on bass and Jonathan Blake on drums.

In a world where most contemporary jazz guitarists seek to clone artists like Pat Metheny and John Scofield, Russell Malone stands out as a purer and more singular voice on the instrument. Malone incorporates elements of guitar masters like Kenny Burrell, Grant Green and George Benson into a fluid, melodic and swinging approach that is distinctly his own. Malone’s guitar work has been heard in a variety of contexts, most notably with singer-pianist Diana Krall, pianist Benny Green and bassist Christian McBride. A Maxx Jazz recording artist, Malone has made two stellar recordings, “Live at the Jazz Standard” volumes 1 and 2, with his quartet.

Casino Ballroom announces opening weekend

Spring may still seem a long way off, but the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom is already gearing up for its 2009 season. The Ballroom recently announced three acts for its opening weekend of shows, beginning with Philadelphia-based trio G. Love & Special Sauce on Thursday, April 2. Soul legends Tower of Power will follow on Friday, April 3, and Florida-based rock band Shinedown will wrap up the weekend on Saturday, April 4. Tickets are on sale for all three concerts.  

As of Feb. 15, more than 2,300 participants had signed up for the 2009 RPM Challenge. Musicians from around the globe hvae reached the mid-month hump. Some are well on their way to completing their RPM albums, while others are experiencing the onset of panic. What follows is a sampling of unedited statements posted on the RPM discussion board at www.rpmchallenge.com.

Walter Tore’s Spontobeat takes the RPM Challenge 28 steps further

It’s not Walter Tore’s intention to belittle any other musician participating in the 2009 RPM Challenge. But for a man who says he records an average of 300 spontaneously composed CDs per year, recording one in a month just isn’t much of a challenge. That’s why Tore’s one-man band Spontobeat has set a goal of recording 28 full-length CDs during the month of February—one album per day.

As of Feb. 10, Tore said he had already completed 14 CDs and expected to easily exceed his goal for the month. But that doesn’t mean every CD will be a masterpiece. Tore’s approach of spontaneous creation leaves little time for post-production work. As soon as he finishes a disc, he looks forward to starting over again with a clean slate. He said he can’t imagine spending an entire month perfecting a single CD.

“I’d be bored to tears,” Tore said during a recent phone interview. “It often intrigues me how people can put so much effort into a song. I just, I don’t know, I couldn’t do it because there’s too much coming out.”

The 2009 RPM Challenge is underway. What follows is a sampling of unedited statements posted on the RPM discussion board at www.rpmchallenge.com on Feb. 1. Remember, it’s not too late to sign up.

Ted Sink unveils new CD in Portsmouth

Guitarist and singer-songwriter Ted Sink will celebrate the release of his third CD with a show in Portsmouth on the auspicious date of Friday, Feb. 13. The concert takes place at the new GreatWaters Bank at the corner of Fleet and Congress streets, former location of Pars Oriental Rugs, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Sink is a solo artist and long-time member of several Seacoast bands, including Baseline, Grizzly, The Benders, The Suspenders and Big Night Out. The new CD, titled “Nothing Changes,” includes nine original songs and two covers. Like his two previous efforts, the new disc showcases a jazzy blues style similar to Steely Dan or Mose Alison. But Sink also delves into slightly newer territory with a few tunes that flirt with genres like hip-hop, reggae and soul.

The release show will also feature Kent Allyn on bass and piano; Andy Happel on violin and keyboards; Carri Coltrane on vocals; Bruce Derr on pedal steel; Rob Coffin on lead guitar; Tim Sink on saxophone; and Jamie Decato on drums. The suggested donation is $10, or $15 for a copy of the disc, but no one will be turned away. For more information, visit www.tedsink.com.

There came a moment while Simone was recording a reworking of “Feeling Good,” one of her mother’s classic and memorable tunes, when her entire musical career path finally seemed to click into place.

She had been hesitant to approach the song made famous by late jazz and soul sensation Nina Simone, putting it off until she had finished all the other songs on her 2008 tribute album “Simone on Simone.” But when she began to sing the familiar lyrics, her reservations gradually melted away. By the time she sang the final lines—“Oh freedom is mine / And I know how I feel”—Simone felt liberated.

“I began to tell my story,” she said in a recent interview with The Wire. “You feel it, you hear it, and there’s no doubt that I take (the song) somewhere that’s totally mine.”

The Manhattan Transfer and ‘Three Girls’ get intimate at TMH

The Music Hall’s Intimately Yours concert series will present two star-studded shows in Portsmouth during the coming week. Trio of songstresses Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin and Patty Griffin will be in town for a sold-out show on Sunday, Feb. 8. Vocal quartet The Manhattan Transfer will arrive a few days later on Wednesday, Feb. 11.

Known for mixing jazz, big band, R&B and pop harmonies, The Manhattan Transfer has garnered international acclaim. Born in 1972, the quartet now consists of vocalists Tim Hauser, Janis Siegel, Alan Paul and Cheryl Bentyne. The group built a cult following in the New York club circuit in the early ’70s and cut its debut self-titled album in 1975. Since then, Transfer has released around 25 recordings and won several Grammy awards in the pop and jazz genres.

“We’re still working out a lot of things,” Mehrmann said before the show.

Longtime Seacoast musician Don Fancy performs for the crowd at The Oar House in Portsmouth every Thursday and Friday night, and this week will be no exception, despite the fact that Friday is his birthday. And it’s a big one. 

“I’m turning 80,” the pianist readily admits.

Fancy has been tickling the ivories of The Oar House restaurant’s grand piano for the last 25 years. Planting himself on the bench from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., Fancy sweeps his well-trained fingers across the keys and turns notes into melodies for the enjoyment of drinkers and diners.

pianist Jim Brickman heads to ROH

Music fans looking for some pre-Valentine’s Day romance can catch pianist and songwriter Jim Brickman at the Rochester Opera House on Wednesday, Jan. 4, beginning at 8 p.m. His appearance in Rochester comes just a couple of weeks after the release of his latest CD, “Ultimate Love Songs: The Very Best of Jim Brickman.”

by Cowboy Junkies
1996, Geffen Records

Halperin celebrates 30 years of blues

It was 30 years ago this month that blues guitarist and singer Bob Halperin played his first solo gig at The Press Room in downtown Portsmouth. He will celebrate those three decades of performance with an anniversary show on Saturday, Jan. 24 at 9 p.m.

Dead Season rises to the top of Maine’s metal scene

Last year did not start off well for Matt and Ian Truman, founding members of Maine-based metal band Dead Season. A year after losing an uncle to cancer, they watched helplessly as their mother’s five-year battle with ovarian cancer took a turn for the worse. The brothers lost their mother in February.

So when you hear Ian Truman screeching ferociously about black tumors and chemotherapy in “Cancer,” the second track on Dead Season’s 2008 album “When Everything’s Lost,” it’s not just a morbid goth-metal anthem. Nor is Matt Truman just going through the motions when he rakes a pick over his guitar strings.

Both performers unleash their emotions in an anguished but inspired display of heavy metal catharsis throughout their sophomore album, much of which was written shortly before their mother died.

guitar prodigy hits the Seacoast

Teenage guitar phenom Luke Mulholland will demonstrate his highly touted six-string skills during upcoming shows in Dover and Portsmouth. The 19-year-old Canadian native will be at the Dover Brick House on Saturday, Jan. 17 and at the Muddy River Smokehouse in Portsmouth on Friday, February 20.

Mulholland has garnered a reputation as an emerging blues guitar sensation. After taking up the instrument at age 10, he recorded his first solo album at 14 and formed his band, Mulholland Drive, at 15. While opening for Bon Jovi in 2006, he complemented his Stevie Ray Vaughan-esque voice with a screeching behind-the-head solo during a performance of Jimi Hendrix’s “Red House.”

On Thursday nights, the basement bar at The Grog in Newburyport, Mass., rewinds in time to transform into a late-1960s San Francisco nightclub, complete with a haze of smoke and neo-hippie dancers. But in place of The Grateful Dead or Jefferson Airplane, the stage is occupied by modern psychedelic bands Maganahan’s Revival and Soul Robot.

On a recent Thursday, Robot and acoustic trio Starship Destroyer prepped the crowd for a closing set from Maganahan’s. The headliners opened with “Hard to Handle,” a tune originally recorded by Otis Redding but commonly found on Dead playlists and later revived by The Black Crowes. Front man Tim Souza’s knotty dreadlocks dangled past his belt as he strummed rhythm guitar and spouted familiar lyrics into the microphone. Guitarist Andrew Edmondson shortly unleashed his electric prowess, waiting out a couple of refrains before ripping an ecstatic solo that turned all eyes to the stage.

by Charles Mingus
1961, Atlantic Records

Idina Menzel and Ani DiFranco at The Music Hall

Tickets will soon go on sale for two more Intimately Yours performances at The Music Hall in Portsmouth. The Intimately Yours concert series will bring actress and musician Idina Menzel to town on Wednesday, March 18, as well as iconic singer-songwriter and guitarist Ani DiFranco on Tuesday, April 14. Tickets for both shows go on sale to Music Hall members at noon on Saturday, Jan. 10, and to the general public one week later on Saturday, Jan. 17.

The Rockaholics will spread some holiday cheer this weekend with a pair of shows to benefit needy families. The Goodwill Weekend Concert Series will include gigs at the Prime Time Sports Grill in Seabrook on Sunday, Dec. 19, and the Blue Mermaid in Portsmouth on Saturday, Dec. 20.

Guests at both shows are asked to bring donations of kids’ toys and clothing, which will be collected at the doors and distributed to families through local chapters of The Salvation Army. There is a $5 cover charge at the Blue Mermaid show.

One of the best stickers I’ve seen recently is plastered to the side of former Solid 8 front man Andrew May’s sound equipment. The sticker asks simply, “What have you done for rock lately?” Seacoast rock act One Hand Free had this sticker printed around the same time it released its latest record, “Quadraphonic.”

For the Nate Wilson Group, the answer has finally presented itself with the band’s debut album, “Unbound.” The disc is a genuine throwback to the great classic sound of 1970s rock, complete with enough psychedelia to get you to bring out the black lights and turn up the volume knob until the glassware in the hutch is in a dancing frenzy.

The Seacoast may seem like an unlikely destination for genuine Jamaican music on a chilly December evening. But on a recent Wednesday, patrons of The Page in Portsmouth kept warm by moving their bodies to the reggae rhythms that emanated from a pair of turntables.

The room at the Wet Bar, downstairs from The Page on Hanover Street, was not packed to capacity, but it was a healthy turnout for a winter weeknight. Guests gradually trickled down the stairs and bobbed their heads to the beat, some moving to the dance floor as the night progressed.

‘Blinding Blues, Stinging Bees’
Mercuryhat

Mercuryhat’s latest album, which the band celebrated with a release show at Biddy Mulligan’s in Dover on Nov. 21, was almost two years in the making. Formed in 2001 and based in Portsmouth, the band first headed into Thundering Sky Studios in South Berwick, Maine, in November 2006. The disc that emerged two years later is an emotionally charged collection of potent pop-rock songs.

Stylistically, the album echoes many of front man Eric Ott’s 1980s influences, including, most prevalently, R.E.M. and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Ott’s voice even sounds like a cross between Petty and Michael Stipe, and each of the album’s 10 songs demonstrate a sophisticated brand of Americana-rock. 

the music of Pat Metheny in Dover

A collection of talented Seacoast jazz artists will celebrate the music of guitar virtuoso Pat Metheny at the Barley Pub in Dover on Sunday, Nov. 30. Led by drummer Jose Duque, the band also consists of Nate Therrien on bass, Phil Sargent on guitar, Mike Effenberger on piano and Chris Klaxton on trumpet.

Joining the instrumentalists will be special guest vocalist Aubrey Johnson, a Boston-based jazz singer who graduated from the jazz studies program at Western Michigan University. Duque noted that Johnson is the niece of Lyle Mays, original pianist and writer for the Pat Metheny Group. She is also performing with Katie Seiler at The Press Room in Portsmouth on Dec. 21.

Before I get to the heart of this month’s column, there are a few shows taking place over this long holiday weekend that I’d like to give an extra plug for. On Sunday, Nov. 30, Larry Garland and Friends will take the stage at The Press Room at 6 p.m. for an evening of jazz, while in Dover at 8 p.m., Jose Duque will debut his Pat Metheny Project band at the Barley Pub on Central Avenue. And on Friday evening, Nov. 28, check out the country stylings of Blue Train, featuring the superb pedal-steel guitar work of Dan Beller-McKenna, at the Press Room at 9 p.m.

Four new CDs worth mentioning have crossed my desk within the last few weeks. Susan Tedeschi’s “Back to The River,” on the Verve/Forecast label, is a rich and seamless blend of blues, soul and gospel that features her power-house vocals and incisive guitar work, ably supported by her working band and her husband, guitarist Derek Trucks.

Francisco Mela’s “Cirio,” on Half Note Records, finds the Cuban-born drummer leading a stellar quintet composed of pianist Jason Moran, saxophonist Mark Turner, guitarist Lionel Loueke and bassist Larry Grenadier during an explosive live set of stylistically diverse originals at the Blue Note in New York City. It’s one of the better live CDs I’ve heard in a while.

introducing The Buoy in Kittery Foreside

Two upcoming events will unveil the freshly renovated room formerly known as The Space, at 2 Government St. in Kittery, Maine. The Buoy in Kittery Foreside, as it is now called, will host a two-act concert on Thursday, Nov. 20, and an endurance dancing competition on Saturday, Nov. 22.

‘Microcastle/Weird Era Cont.’
by Deerhunter, Kranky
genre: weird pop
suitable for: troubling dreams

Surprise! For those not following the band closely, this second full-length from Atlanta’s Deerhunter includes a bonus album—not a bonus track or a bonus fold-out poster; a full bonus album meant as a secret gift for fans strong-willed enough to wait until the release date to buy a copy. This says a lot about the lengths labels and artists are willing to go to inspire excitement about buying physical CDs, but it also says a lot about Deerhunter, because these two albums paired together are stunning.

hip-hop collaborative to unveil new disc in style at Club Ioka

Each repeated listen to “Flush,” the new release from TVP Records, enhances appreciation of its comic funk and soulful hip-hop musicology. Most of the CD’s 19 tracks, performed mainly by various members of The Head and The Press Project, have a retro R&B porn-show vibe, complemented by humorous lyrics and pop culture references. And, with an entourage of talented and creative instrumentalists, the sonic quality is equally compelling.

The creators of “Flush” will hold a CD release and fashion show at Club Ioka in Exeter on Friday, Nov. 14, from 8 p.m. to midnight. Tickets are $10 and anyone who orders in advance will receive a free copy of the CD.

by The Decemberists
2003, Kill Rock Stars

turntable maestro DJ Logic spins at The Music Hall

All kinds of new technology exist to help DJs diversify their sound. Unlike the old days, when DJs scratched vinyl records on a pair of turntable decks, software is now available to manufacture music straight through computers, making laptops the instrument of choice for many jockeys. 
 
But for DJ Logic, there’s nothing quite like the sound of raw vinyl. “I like the analog sound,” Logic said. “Sometimes I like a little snap, crackle and pop.”

A turntable pioneer who has revolutionized the field, Logic said he has tinkered with some of the newer technology, but he still prefers old-school methods. “I’ve been messing around with it, but I’m still using vinyl,” he said. “It’s just a transition. I’m not trying to be a dinosaur, but I just want to feel comfortable.”

Seacoast music forum elicits ideas on how to improve the local landscape

The local music scene has changed dramatically over the last 20 years. Bands have come and gone, venues have opened and closed. Internet technology has enabled listeners to access endless quantities of music from home on iTunes, YouTube, Web sites, MySpace accounts and podcasts, all ready for download. In short, there are plenty of cheap and convenient entertainment alternatives available to distract people from the purest form of musical performance: live shows. 

‘Hotter’
by The Minus Scale

The latest from Seacoast band The Minus Scale starts out hot and never cools off, maintaining its rock and pop punk intensity through all eight original songs. The opening track, “Hotter and Hotter and Hotter,” wastes no time introducing Ryan Lavasseur’s confident vocals and electric power chords, along with the sonic force of Pat Griffin on drums, AJ Tobey on bass and Christopher Delisle on guitar.

Jeff Morris, lead vocalist and guitarist for Death & Taxes, sat on the edge of the stage and gruffly demanded that everyone in attendance surround him on the dance floor. Morris is a large man who wears sleeveless flannel and cusses a lot in a deep, gravely voice that carries instant authority, so most of the sparse crowd in attendance at the Dover Brick House obliged. Morris, with bassist Mike Savitkas by his side and drummer Steve Toland onstage, launched into what he described as a “campfire sing-along” about a man forced to choose between his whiskey and his woman. It was a sorrowful tune that ended with a painful but resolute decision.

“So if you want me to choose between you and my booze, I’m afraid that you lose. I’ll take my whiskey,” Morris growled. 

Joe Jackson on his way to The Music Hall

On Wednesday, Oct. 29, The Music Hall will welcome the Joe Jackson Band to Portsmouth in the latest installment of the Intimately Yours live music series. Bandleader Jackson, on piano and vocals, will be joined by original Joe Jackson Band members Graham Maby on bass and David Houghton on drums. Jackson is touring in support of his latest album, “Rain,” which was released in January. “Rain” is a return to form for Jackson, with songs following in the footsteps of his highly influential early albums, yet it displays a sophistication and maturity that highlight the varied paths his career has taken.

It’s time for a roundup of new releases that have come my way over the past several months. It’s interesting to note that with an economy on the verge of crashing and continued predictions about the demise of the CD format, jazz musicians remain committed to getting their music out to the public. And with the quality of musicianship that is exhibited on all the discs here, the music appears to be in very capable hands.

Friday night folk in Newburyport

Local folk fiddler Joyce Andersen will kick off a new concert series in Newburyport, Mass., with a solo show on Friday, Oct. 17. The show marks the launch of FINCH (Fridays in Newburyport Coffee House), which presents monthly concerts at the First Religious Society’s Unitarian Universalist church at 26 Pleasant St.

Created by Karen Dardinski and Sue Ann Pearson, FINCH will focus on acoustic blues, folk, roots and bluegrass in a friendly and casual setting. The church’s parish hall will provide a well-lit stage for acts like acoustic string quintet Northern Lights in November and bluesy duo Paul Rishell and Annie Raines in December.

country music award ceremony comes to Rochester

Like other genres, country music cannot be pigeonholed into one particular sound. A variety of styles overlap beneath the country umbrella, including folk, rock, bluegrass, gospel and Americana. Emerging trends have broadened the field even further, attracting new and younger audiences to the music, even if they don’t identify it as country. Still, Paul Malone had no trouble offering a concise definition of the genre.

“Country music is poetry for the poor people,” he said.

eight-band showcase at RJ’s

Eight area bands with diverse styles will unite for a showcase of Seacoast talent on Sunday, Oct. 12. The show begins at 3 p.m. at RJ’s Bar and Grill, formerly Mojitos, at 83 Washington St. in downtown Dover.

by Grant Lee Buffalo
Slash Records, 1993

Multi-instrumentalist sensation Andrew Bird will grace the stage in Portsmouth on Wednesday, Oct. 8, as part of The Music Hall’s “Intimately Yours” series.

An indie favorite who has managed to playfully skirt the mainstream, Bird’s whimsical and evocative lyrics, combined with catchy and haunting rhythms, give him an unrivaled sound. A master of the violin and a tremendous whistler, as well as an accomplished guitarist and glockenspiel player, Bird samples bits of his instruments and layers them, making for a captivating live performance.

Yard Dogs Road Show in Portsmouth

In the first live performance with its new lobby completed, The Music Hall will resume its Intimately Yours concert series with two performances from the Yard Dogs Road Show on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 26 and 27.

The show is billed as a “hobo cabaret” featuring sword swallowers, fire eaters and dancing dolls, all accompanied by live rock music from the Yard Dogs band. The Music Hall calls it a “Moulin Rouge rock concert circus,” complete with burlesque dancers, magicians and beatnik poets.

Each of the remaining concerts offers something for everyone, except maybe fans of jazz singers, as there are no vocal shows in the schedule this season—something I feel should be corrected with the wealth of vocal talent on the jazz scene these days.

The bitter may have slightly outweighed the sweet for former co-owner John Pasquale when The Stone Church sold at auction on Sept. 12. The Newmarket venue went for just $195,000, much less than what Pasquale and his partners paid for it four years ago, and the former owners still have debt to pay off.

The good news is that the building’s new owners have vowed to continue filling it with live music. Scott Orlosk, of Londonderry, and Adam Schroadter, of Newmarket, say they want to uphold the former owners’ vision and keep the music alive in Newmarket.

“The building sold for a song, essentially, which is bad for us,” Pasquale said. “We’re happy that a guy like Scott, who appreciates what we did and wants to build upon that, is the guy that’s going to try to move forward.”

a roundup of local releases 

‘Abandoned Christmas Trees’
by Guy Capecelatro III

Guy Capecelatro III is as much a storyteller and poet as he is a singer-songwriter. From the opening narrative of “Abandoned Christmas Trees,” in which he describes a girl named Christina knitting a scarf while riding on a train, the album stews with nostalgia, longing and poetic contemplation. Capecelatro cast his net across the Seacoast to pull in a huge range of singers and instrumentalists, each of whom becomes another character in the album’s set of musical short stories.

Supersuckers hit the Brick House

Actor Jerry Reed, 71, of “Smokey and the Bandit,” died last week due to complications caused by emphysema. Along with a few film roles, Reed was also a country singer. His best-known song, “East Bound and Down,” was covered by the Supersuckers on the band’s most recent album, 2005’s “Devil’s Food: A Collection of Rare Sweets and Evil Treats.”

The Supersuckers itself is east bound and down as the band heads to New England for a few dates on its “Hittin’ the Gravel” tour, stopping in Dover on its way up to Canada. With 20 years now under its belts, the self-proclaimed “greatest rock band in the world” will take the stage on Sunday, Sept. 14, at the Dover Brick House, following a set from area hard rock favorites Death & Taxes.

Romane has mostly recovered from a life-threatening infection that hospitalized him for three weeks and necessitated two surgeries, but he still has not rebounded from the financial blow his medical emergency inflicted. To help him get back on his feet economically, Jonathan’s Restaurant in Ogunquit, Maine, will host a benefit concert for Romane at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 15.

improvised jazz at The Red Door

Another school year is getting underway, but Hell’s out for recess every Thursday night at The Red Door. The Portsmouth venue’s new weekly improvisational jazz night kicked off last month, with keyboardist Larry Garland and a gang of his friends making big noise on State Street.

On Aug. 28, Garland’s band mates included dual saxophonists John Ludwig and Jim Cameron, along with drummers Peter Moutis and Dave Fox. Wearing a faded red, white and blue shirt on the night of Barack Obama’s nomination acceptance speech, Garland sat center stage at his keyboard, presiding over a musical feeding frenzy that consisted entirely of nonstop improvisation.

Elsa Cross, Boy mark national tours with local shows

Rockabilly mistress Elsa Cross has quickly amassed a devoted following on the Seacoast. The release of her debut album last year sealed her reputation as a local force in the arenas of modern folk and old-style country-rock. Now it’s time for Cross to take her act on the road and test her raw guitar skills and crooning vocals on national audiences.

Cross leaves this weekend for a two-week tour through five states, beginning with a Sept. 7 show in Brooklyn, N.Y. She then stops in Baltimore and Pittsburg before swinging through Tennessee for shows in Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville. The tour ends in North Carolina, where she has booked gigs in Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Sylvia and Asheville. 

It’s been about four years since The Minus Scale played a live CD release show on the Seacoast. Although the indie rock band’s four members have remained active in the scene, they have limited most of their recorded material to short EPs and online releases. But, after 18 months of work on a new album, The Minus Scale will hold a long-awaited release party at Bourbon’s Music Club in Portsmouth on Friday, Oct. 3.
“We’re unbelievably excited about actually having a CD that people will be listening to in their cars and playing for other people,” said bassist AJ Tobey. 

The Honors release debut EP

Formed in January, The Honors is off to a hot start. Already, the Boston-based indie rock band has opened for Blues Traveler at the Alive at Five Music Festival in Connecticut and performed at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island. With the release of its debut EP, the band now has added an original recording to its resumé.

Although formed in Boston, The Honors has strong connections to the Seacoast music scene. Among the four-piece band’s members are drummer Jay Trikakis and bassist Roland Nicol, both of Portsmouth-based hip-hop ensemble The Press Project and other local groups. Trikakis, a Massachusetts native, met vocalist/guitarist Brandon Heisler in 2003 while both were studying at Regent’s College in London.

Rain has dampened activities at the Prescott Park Arts Festival this summer. According to organizers, the previous record for rained-out events in a single season was nine. This year, there have been a total of 18 rainouts.

“As an outdoor music festival, we’re really at the mercy of the weather,” festival director Ben Anderson said in a press release. “And while we prepare for rain, this summer was beyond anything like we’ve experienced before.”

But the weather has turned mostly pleasant in the waning days of summer, and Anderson has responded by booking one last show. The Shaw Brothers are playing a special benefit concert on Wednesday, Aug. 27, to close out the 34th annual festival. Like all summer shows at Prescott Park, the concert is free, with a suggested donation of $5 to $8.

When guitarist Randy Armstrong first met flutist Ken LaRoche in 1974, Armstrong was studying North Indian music on sitar. A classically trained player, LaRoche was already versed in the bansuri flute of India. This shared penchant for Indian artistry helped set the pair on a musical sojourn that would explore sounds and instruments from just about every region of the world.
“It became this undying thirst to reach out and find out what was available musically,” Armstrong said. “I don’t have enough days in my life to explore all the possibilities.”

LaRoche passed away in January 2006, but the music he and Armstrong recorded together as members of world fusion group Do’a live on in “Legacy,” a new five-disc box set of the band’s complete remastered works.

by The Sheila Divine
1999, Roadrunner Records

Jazz has long had an influence on Geils’ music. His father John “Jack” Geils was a big jazz fan and had a large collection of vintage recordings of Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman. “Some of the first music I heard as a kid in the late ’40’s … was by Benny Goodman,” Geils told the All Music Guide’s Joe Viglione.

It’s festival season at the Mill Pond Center in Durham, with two late-summer musical shindigs fast approaching. First up is the New Hampshire Folk Music Festival at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23. Two weeks later the New Hampshire Jazz and Blues Festival hits town.

When a triple-bill concert took place in the room formerly known as The Space last week, it caused a minor stir in downtown Kittery. Patrons of the nearby Corner Pub wondered why a crowd of young, heavily tattooed people had gathered down the street, and customers at the adjoining Tulsi restaurant had some loud, unexpected music to accompany their dinners.

Inside the venue, a sweaty electro-dance party was blazing through the stripped-down room. The staging was rudimentary, with a few colored lights gleaming through the otherwise dark space. But the sound quality was exemplary, and the musicians and fans generated enough energy to power a small city.

‘Stay Positive’
by The Hold Steady, Vagrant Records
genre: high-five rock
suitable for: making out with strangers

Ernie Hawkins to perform in York

Few living musicians have mastered the art of acoustic blues guitar like Ernie Hawkins. The Pittsburg native will make his first visit to the Seacoast on Sunday, Aug. 17, when he will play a solo show at Remick Barn in York, Maine.

Hawkins began playing blues guitar as a teenager in the 1960s. After graduating from high school, he studied under blues legend Rev. Gary Davis in New York City. He later graduated from the University of Pittsburg with a degree in philosophy and, in 1973, moved to Dallas to earn a Ph.D. in phenomenological psychology.

‘Indie Band Survival Guide’ helps musicians spread the sound

Travel back to 1985. Topping the charts were George Michael’s “Careless Whisper,” Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” and Wham!’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” (don’t worry, we won’t make you stay here long). It was a time when major record labels dictated what you heard and bought. If a band wasn’t signed to a major label, chances are, you’d never heard it play a single chord. 

OK, come on back to 2008. Topping Billboard’s pop charts are Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl,” Chris Brown’s “Forever” and Jesse McCartney’s “Leavin’.” Not necessarily a whole lot better than 1985, you might say. The difference is, you can now also tap into music from around the world on the Internet, satisfying a boundless array of musical proclivities without leaving home. The hit-driven music industry is dying, and major labels no longer decide what you listen to.

“You have access to more music than ever,” said Randy Chertkow, co-author of “The Indie Band Survival Guide.”

Herbie Hancock plays at the beach

It’s a rare feat for a jazz musician to win a Grammy for Album of the Year, but pianist Herbie Hancock pulled it off with his 2007 release, “River: The Joni Mitchell Letters.” During his five-decade career, Hancock has helped not only to advance the jazz genre, but to pioneer innovations in the realms of hip-hop, R&B, techno, fusion and pop. Hancock will be at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom on Wednesday, Aug. 13, for an 18-plus show beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 to $60.

a roundup of recent local releases

‘Let it Go’
by The Guts

The Portsmouth punk scene gained regional recognition with the emergence of The Queers in the early 1980s. Later that decade, The Bruisers formed, fronted by vocalist Al Barr, now of Dropkick Murphys fame. Both bands endured through much of the ’90s, keeping Portsmouth afloat in the collective punk consciousness.

Al Barr and Joe Queer are still touring the nation, but they have relinquished their reign over Portsmouth to younger faces in the 21st century. None of those faces are more familiar around town than guitarist Geoff Palmer, bassist Nate Doyle and drummer Rick Orcutt, who collectively make up The Guts. With their latest album due out soon, the trio has climbed another rung on the punk-rock ladder. 

Dweezil Zappa brings his dad’s music to Hampton

Martha Wainwright headed to the Firehouse

Martha Wainwright released her second full-length album this year, following her self-titled 2005 debut. “I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too” further establishes Wainwright’s place in a musical lineage that has defined her family for generations. The singer and guitarist will flaunt her silk-laced voice at The Firehouse Center for the Arts in Newburyport, Mass., on Friday, July 11.

‘The Devil, You + Me’
by The Notwist,
Domino Records

Epping often gets a bad rap. With its mega Wal-Mart blotting out the skyline and its resident killer Sheila LaBarre stealing the headlines, it’s easy to overlook the town’s more positive qualities. Among the positives Epping has produced are the indie pop rockers of Murkádee. This quirky quintet has serious Epping pride, and they’ve anthologized their hometown with their third full-length release, “Eppology.”

Guitarist and keyboardist Joseph K Murphy and clarinetist DeLaine Bennett combine their distinctive and earnest vocals to mold the Murkádee sound. The pair began recording together in 2003, releasing “Chain Jing Mines” and later following up with “A Spectral View.” The new disc perpetuates the band’s totally unique, candy-coated sound with jubilant songwriting and bouncy, rhyming lyrics.

Coughlin tribute show

The Press Room in Portsmouth will host a tribute show on Saturday, July 5, for former Hotrod Fury bassist Geoff Coughlin, who died of a drug overdose in May. The show will feature Coughlin’s Hotrod band mates, drummer Trish Muchemore and guitarist Jim Farquhar. Among the evening’s other performers are Nate Laban of The Frosting, Jerry Brookman of Storm the Ohio, Adam Hall of The Water Section and others.

Hotrod Fury was a staple of the Seacoast punk scene until Coughlin’s death, and the band had been scheduled to play at The Press Room on Saturday. Instead of canceling the gig, Coughlin’s friends decided to turn the evening into a tribute in his memory.

A skilled bassist and beloved figure in Portsmouth, Coughlin was known for both his music and his outgoing personality, working at Belle Peppers on Congress Street. Performers at the tribute show will play songs that Coughlin wrote and loved. The $5 show begins at 9 p.m. at The Press Room, 77 Daniel St., Portsmouth, 603-431-5186.

Over the last two decades, groundbreaking comedian George Carlin made more appearances at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom than any other single artist, according to director of marketing Andrew Herrick. Known for his irreverent rants and clever wordplay, Carlin sometimes sold out two shows per year at the Ballroom.

“George was perhaps the most popular entertainer in the long storied history of the Casino Ballroom,” Herrick said in a press release.

Carlin was scheduled to perform two shows at the Ballroom on Thursday, July 24, but the shows were cancelled when Carlin died of heart failure on June 22, at the age of 71. Tickets can be refunded at the site of purchase. 

Stephen Lynch talks comedy before his gig at the Casino Ballroom

You heard it here first: Stephen Lynch has never killed a kitten. Or so he claims. When first asked if he had ever committed the heinous act, Lynch pleaded the fifth. Then, fearing that his words would be misconstrued and get him into trouble, he solemnly declared, “No, I have never killed a kitten.”

His cautious response was understandable. A comic musician and rising star in the comedy world, Lynch said a man offended by the lyrics to his song “Kill a Kitten” once tried to organize national protests against the song. Evidently, the irked listener took Lynch’s words a bit too literally, interpreting them as a cultish call to arms against cute little felines.

In a recent phone interview, Lynch said “Kill a Kitten” was initially written as a throw-away song, an attempt to see if he could “come up with a really beautiful melody and song, juxtaposed with the most horrific thing I could think of, because I figured those two would make it kind of funny.”

a pre-show chat with José González at The Stone Church

Michael Franti & Spearhead sells out at The Music Hall

Dreadlocked vocalist and guitarist Michael Franti leads a band that is reputed as much for its politically charged lyrics as it is for its lusty and danceable beats. Of mixed descent that includes African, Native American, Italian and German blood, Franti is a poet and composer who merges international sounds to create uplifting music in a troubled time.

Apparently, Franti’s message resonates with listeners on the Seacoast, because Spearhead’s upcoming show at The Music Hall in Portsmouth on Thursday, June 26, sold out a week in advance.

Backstabbers Inc. returns this week from its first tour in more than two years with new songs for the first time in twice as long.

The tour began with a fast and furious show at Bourbon’s in Portsmouth earlier this month alongside Trailer Sluts, Tiny Whales and The Guts. It ends back on the Seacoast in Dover at Dos Amigos on Thursday, June 27.

The Portsmouth-based band is made up of brothers Matt and Brian Serven, drummer Jonah Livingston and bassist Nick Yeti. It started about 10 years ago as Life Passed On, a side project to another band the Servens were in, called As I Bleed. Singer-guitarist Matt Serven said he wanted to play guitar in a hardcore band with a more direct and stripped-down approach in sound and technique. As I Bleed was a long-winded, melodic metal-influenced band, and Backstabbers was to be a raging, fast-paced outfit with short, blasting songs and a no-frills attitude.

music in the meadow

There are few better ways to celebrate the arrival of summer than by lounging in a grassy meadow while live music ushers in the evening. Durham’s Mill Pond Center for the Arts kicks off its 2008 Music in the Meadow Concert Series with a performance by Bliss on Thursday, June 19. The following night will feature a double-bill of gypsy jazz with the Robin Nolan Trio and New Hampshire’s own Ameranouche.

Bliss is a four-piece string band consisting of Kristan Bishop and Karen Larson on guitar, Cathy O’Brien on violin and Carolyn Hutton on mandolin. The band plays a mix of blues, folk, country and bluegrass songs, utilizing traditional ballads and original tunes. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children age 12 and under, free for children age 5 and under, $25 for whole families. The music begins at 5:30 p.m. and dinner will be available for purchase on site from Hickory Pond Inn.

Brian McGee and the Hollow Speed swing through the Seacoast

It was 1997, and aside from a handful of reunion shows a year later, Pennsylvania’s pride of the punk rock community, Plow United, had broken up. From the band’s adopted home of West Chester, Pa., the trio had forged an intense following, toured nationally, received glowing press in major punk publications and famously fended off major label inquiries from A&R reps searching hard for the next Green Day.

Since forming as teenagers in 1992, the lightning fast, sharply intelligent and musically gifted band showed many young Pennsylvania outcasts the full power and glory of punk music: Creating something extraordinary out of almost nothing and building community in a place as starved for meaning as the Philadelphia suburbs.

The RPM Jukebox is home to more than 16,000 songs from independent musicians all around the world. The music spans every genre and style imaginable, and anyone can log on, browse, and listen at www.rpmchallenge.com/jukebox. To give you a head start in your exploration of this new world of music, here’s a sample album that caught our ear!

folk clubbing in Rollinsford

The Elysium Arts Folk Club kicks off its summer music series on Saturday, June 14, with a performance by singer-songwriter Mike O’Donnell. The Raymond folk singer will headline the first of at least 10 shows occurring at the Rollinsford studio this summer. Eric Ott, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for Portsmouth-based Mercuryhat, will open for O’Donnell. The $10 show begins at 8 p.m. on the first floor of the Lower Mills at Salmon Falls on Front Street.

by Cracker
1992, Virgin