WEDNESDAY, JAN. 20
Brother Joscephus and the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra They’re not some recently thawed band originally frozen in the ’60s. This 11-piece outfit, led by singer/guitarist Bro Jo, plays self-proclaimed “secular gospel,” a colorful mix of New Orleans soul, jazz, rock and gospel. They’ve been together less than two years, but can shake rumps in a Mardi Gras groove shaped with horns, guitars, a scrap rhythm section and back-up chorus singers. It’s raucous and infectious gospel, without preachiness. Double Door Inn (Samir Shukla)
THURSDAY, JAN. 21
Town Mountain Down-home bluegrass that sounds so old-timey that I glanced at my old turntable, out of commission awaiting a new stylus, to see if it had come to life playing a ’50s bluegrass record. The songs have the hiss and pop of old, rootsy bluegrass records, but this is a young quartet that obviously knows the natural rhythms and the joy of playing porchfront bluegrass and country. Double Door Inn (Shukla)
Junior Brown Junior Brown. Why, the name even sounds country, don’t it? Like Hawkshaw Hawkins-style country, Hank Snow country. Tricked-out Cadillacs with bull horns. Nudie suits. Like Hawkins, Brown too can boast of Eleven Yards of Personality. Mixing Bakersfield-inspired tonk with occasional island flourishes and known to lay arpeggioed waste to a stage with his trusty guit-steel (it is what it sounds like) without so much as a warm-up, Brown may be getting a little long in the tooth, but he’s never short on ideas – or energy. With Cowboy Mouth. Amos’ SouthEnd (Timothy C. Davis)
Lucy Kaplansky For a while better known for her part in the group Cry Cry Cry with Dar Williams and Richard Shindell, it’s way past time that Kaplansky be known just for being one of the better singers in contemporary folk music. Her cool, clear-as-a-mountain-stream voice replaces the original electricity of old standards, breathes life into cover tunes, and impresses with its versatility on original work, all of which is evidenced on her latest (2007) album, Over The Hills. It’s the work of a mature artist firmly planted in tradition, anchored not out of mimicry but out of respect. The Evening Muse (Davis)
FRIDAY, JAN. 22
Elonzo Folksy Americana combo’s warmly spun songs evoke springtime in the southland. Calling their muse “Nuevo southern rock,” with moody, floating numbers like “A Town in the Pines,” Elonzo weave rural folk that also channels a mellow Southern Cali vibe. The Rock Hill-based band is celebrating its newly released EP this evening. Also on the bill are Raised by Wolves and Jeff Markham & the Last Call. Snug Harbor (Shukla)
Jason Castro He with the long dreads who was a finalist on American Idol is hitting the Muse with a couple of other singer-songwriters in tow. I’m sure you’ll find a good number of youngsters in the crowd, but Idol appeals to all ages, so this one’s a mixed bag. I’d expect good vocals – other than that, I’m not quite sure. With Matt Hires and Caitlin Crosby. The Evening Muse (Jeff Hahne)
SATURDAY, JAN. 23
Trent Tomlinson Lyric Street/Carolwood Records artist Tomlinson (“Drunker Than Me,” “One Wing in the Fire,” “Just Might Have Her Radio On” and “That’s Still How it Oughta Be”) isn’t of the Music Row, hat country school. No, he’s of the Music Row, $125 jeans, bandanna’ed country school. The new school, if you will. The Corona-quaffing Sons of Chesney. That said, to these ears, Tomlinson’s music, while perhaps not as catchy, certainly has a little more personal heft to it than Chezz and Co, which bodes well for the young man’s future. As with a rock tumbler, the more grit you add, the smoother the polished stones that eventually result. With Brantley Gilbert, Out of the Blue. Coyote Joe’s (Davis)
SUNDAY, JAN. 24
Weedeater Carolina sludge rockers brush off paint dust, shaken loose from the ceiling by their thuddy metal, after every set. The slow, sweaty guitars, throat-ripping vocals and rumbling bass in tracks like “God Luck and Good Speed” are classics in the making. The blokes are heading to Steve Albini’s Electric Audio studio in Chicago soon to begin tracking their next record slated for release later this year. Of course, this was all before lead singer Dixie Dave shot off his big toe – said recording and live shows are now postponed. The rest will play – 2013 Wolves, Rapegoat and The Astound. Milestone (Shukla)
TUESDAY, JAN. 26
Bill Hanna Jazz Jam What used to be a regular on Thursday nights has moved to Tuesday, but that doesn’t change the fact that there’s a huge amount of talent up on the stage. Hanna is a music instructor who knows his jazz and showcases it well – often with the help of former students who get up and jam. I’ve also witnessed complete strangers get on stage and belt out some classic jazz songs vocally while Hanna backs them up. You never know what you’ll hear… Double Door Inn (Hahne)
This article appears in Jan 19-25, 2010.
