June 2009 Archives

Lowell's hippest performance space, 119 Gallery, continues to bring some of the best experimental music to the Mill City. July 4th they've put together another great line up including Australia's the Boy Who Spoke Clouds. The band, largely a project of guitarist Adam Casey, just released their self titled debut on Sun Sea Sky Productions and are touring the US and Canada in support. Recorded using a single microphone from a Sony web cam, the Boy Who Spoke Clouds floats dreamily along melding a minimalist approach with psychedelic folk and rock influences. Think Pink Floyd's Animals without the production laced with hints of Tim Buckley and Nick Drake. The album is a sonic wonderland, and considering the limited recording techniques, a marvel to behold. A cookout stars at 2:00 with music to follow. $10.00 donation. Should be a 4th of July to remember.

I've seen the infamous picture of Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg at Jack Kerouac's grave at the Edson Cemetery...it's my brother's screen saver. The photo was shot during Dylan's trip to Lowell in 1975. What I didn't know was that Dylan also visited the Franco American School grotto on Pawtucket Street as part of that trip.

Last week a friend and I were talking about the number of Kerouac fans who visit the Franco American School grotto retracing the steps Kerouac so often walked with his mother. The conversation moved to include Dylan's trip to Lowell at which point my friend asked if I had seen the YouTube clip of Dylan walking the Stations of the Cross with Allen Ginsberg. Having taught music at the school for the past thirteen years, I was familiar with the General Patton connection and JFK and Jackie O's visit to the school in the late 1950's, but Bob Dylan on school grounds? Walking the Stations? Seems Dylan included a scene shot at the school in his 4 hour subterranean epic Renaldo and Clara. During the final seconds, Dylan can be seen atop the grotto at the foot of the cross.

You can see it for yourself on You Tube. Cool!

The Salisbury Beach concert series kicks off next weekend with blues harmonica legend James Montgomery. Sponsored in part by the Tupelo Music Hall in Londonderry , NH, this budget busting concert series could be the hit of the summer. Highlights include the Fools, Farrenheit and Adam Ezra. Fireworks to follow each concert; and it's all FREE!

The series begins on June 27th and continues each Saturday night through September 5th. Check it out!

SALISBURY OUTDOOR SERIES
All shows are on the beach in Salisbury, MA.
Shows start at 7:00.

June 27 The James Montgomery Band
July 4 The Bruce Marshall Group
July 11 Chad Perrone
July 18 The Brew
July 25 Bellevue Cadillac
Aug 1 The Fools
Aug 8 The Alternate Routes
Aug 15 Ernie and the Automatics
Aug 22 deSol
Aug 29 Farrenheit
Sept 5 The Adam Ezra Group

When guitar legend Duane Allman was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1971 just short of his 25th birthday, fellow Allman Brothers band mate and guitarist Dickey Betts promptly began auditioning for a replacement. He chose Les Dudek. Born in Rhode Island, Les moved to Florida and was gigging around the South when he and a friend heard about the auditions with Betts. Shortly thereafter he was in the studio with the Allman Brothers working on the Brothers and Sisters album. Though it lacked the bluesy rock feel of its predecessors, Brothers and Sisters produced the two songs which became staples in their live shows: Ramblin' Man and Jessica, Les doubling up on the guitar harmonies with Betts on the former; cowriting and playing the acoustic guitar intro on the latter. After the Allman's, Les went on to record with the Steve Miller Band on Fly Like an Eagle and Boz Scaggs on his Silk Degrees album.

Les Dudek plays the Bull Run in Shirley this Friday, June 19th. Local favorites Ashbrook Haynes get things started at 8. Should be a great show.

The album. A lost art? Not according to Lowell's Jen Kearney and the Lost Onion. From the opening retro groove of Born, each of the 13 songs on Year of the Ox transitions into the next with instrumental interludes as silky and funky as anything by the Ohio Players. Upon hearing about David Carradine's sad and mysterious end last week, I've been feeling a little nostalgic, Kung Fu not only being my favorite TV series of the early 70's, but also substituting as my religion for a few years. With the slick sounds of Year of the Ox blaring in the headphones, I've been dizzily transported back to when Stevie Wonder's Living in the City and the O'Jays Backstabbers ruled the airwaves, blending funky grooves with socio/political themes. And with a voice that rivals Stevie Wonder and Eddie Levert in power and soul, Jen Kearney delivers the goods with a passion and conviction that leaves no question she's one of the best female vocalists singing right now. Equally as impressive are the lush, layers of R&B background vocals which glaze every song with a warm blast of sunshine. To the Moon, with its funky Fender Rhodes piano intro, guitar and bass counter melody and a two note horn part that is a lesson in understated perfection, is the standout track, simmering into an infectious chorus you'll find yourself basking in for days. Other notable tracks include Prime Meridian which begins as a simple piano waltz and erupts into a full blown anthem worthy of an arena sized venue, and Trudge, a gospel flavored lament on the hooky lyric "Trudge as you may, try as you might." Simply beautiful. The musicianship is top notch throughout notably the vintage sounds of Carl Johnson's guitar work and Dan Abreu's stellar tenor sax playing.

If you're growing a little tired of downloading songs, and if you find yourself longing for the days of the LP, you owe it to yourself to get your hands on Year of the Ox. It is one special album. JKLO continue to celebrate the release of Year of the Ox at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge this Thursday night. Should be one mind altering trip down memory lane and into the future.

Jazz guitarist Jeff Platz continues to captivate audiences world wide with his ethereal tones and smoldering improvisations. The Cleveland born guitarist, equally skilled in rock and avant garde jazz, hosts a monthly improvisational series in Providence, manages Skycap Records, a cutting edge jazz label in Munster, Germany, and has organized the Skycap Music Festival in Boston since 2004, bringing many unknown European jazz greats to the area.

Tomorrow night the Jeff Platz Group plays the 119 Gallery in Lowell. If experimental jazz is your thing, you don't want to miss this one. Music starts at 8:00 and a $10.00 donation is requested.

Anyone else coming up with plausible reasons why UMASS pulled out of the partnership with the Lowell Spinners to present the Wilco show at LeLacheur? How about...Marty never heard of Wilco...or, the show fell on a tough night...Saturday....or, the ball park is too close to North Campus and too far away from South Campus. Yeah, the concert is still going on, but it appears Spinner's owner Drew Weber continues to get the short end of the stick whether dealing with the city or partnering with UMASS.

In a UMASS press release dated April 16th, Dean of Students, Larry Siegel was quoted as saying "Bringing a top-notch act like Wilco to campus is just one of the ways we work to enrich campus life for our students. The partnership with the Spinners opens up new venues for UMass Lowell to further provide our students with an exciting college experience." Three weeks later UMASS Lowell severed the partnership with the Spinners, spokesperson Patti McCafferty reasoning, "It would be difficult to generate student interest given that it is during the summer when our students are not around." Like they didn't figure that out before? Lame! Lame! Lame!!!

While UMASS plays politics, Drew Weber can hold his head high. Under his leadership, the Spinners have become one of the most successful minor league organizations in the country. They are also one of the most loved, maintaining a very loyal fan base. And while partnerships may be formed and severed, leases negotiated and renegotiated, lasting relationships are much different ...they're built on trust.