Tuesday, June 23, 2015

House Concert: Eric Taylor ... Songs in the Key of Texas (6/26)


Songs in the Key of Texas

A House Concert with Eric Taylor and Rich Layton

When: Friday, June 26, 7:30pm | $20

Who: Peer into the fabric of Eric Taylor's music and you'll spy a peg-leg street corner dancer, a carny boss trapped in a fateful love triangle and a Beat Generation icon behind the wheel of a '49 Mercury. Then, there are the darker tales. Eric Taylor is an award-winning songwriter whose songs have been recorded by fellow Texas luminaries Nanci Griffith, Lyle Lovett and many others. This special house concert also reunites Eric with former Texan, Rich Layton, who played harmonica alongside Taylor, Griffith, Lovett, Lucinda Williams, Townes Van Zandt and all the rest of the young songwriters at Houston's seminal folk club, Anderson Fair.
To kick off the evening, Rich, backed by guitarist Larry McCoy, will play stripped down versions of the swampadelic originals he plays with his band, Rich Layton & The Troublemakers.

Expect a rare and intimate evening of world-class songcraft and musical alchemy.

Watch Eric performing in the studio with Lyle Lovett https://youtu.be/Mx-QnL15Kn0

Read about Eric here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Taylor_(musician)

INFO: Donation: $20; Please reserve via rich@richlayton.us or call 503-381-8171

For credit card convenience, get tickets here: http://erictaylorpdx.brownpapertickets.com

Facebook event link: http://tinyurl.com/taylorpdx
Call for location and directions - 503-381-8171




Monday, June 22, 2015

Fwd: An Evening with Tom Russell JUN 23 at the Alberta Rose Theatre

There's something about Texas. I don't know what exactly, but it's where so many truly amazing songwriters, if they weren't born there, have been inexorably drawn to. I won't even try to name all of the writers with deep Texas connections that I admire for fear of leaving someone out ... but the list is very long. 

Two of the best come through town this week ... Tom Russell and Eric Taylor. Tom (along with the incomparable Thad Beckman on guitar) is at the Alberta Rose ...  Eric in an intimate house concert on Friday.

Catch at least one of them ... or both. I'll see ya there ... and there.

    --Jim

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An Evening with Tom Russell JUN 23 at the Alberta Rose Theatre
Tickets at www.albertarosetheatre.com 503-764-4131

Jun 23, 2015 at 8:00 PM
Minors OK when accompanied by a parent or guardian
Doors open at 7:00

$25 Advance
$28 At the Door
$35 Preferred Seating (first five rows in the center section - available in advance only)

The singer-songwriter, novelist, visual artist and renaissance man returns with a new double album - his third folk opera, "The Rose of Roscrae." It's a big record with 52 tracks and over 25 special guests including Johnny Cash, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Jack Hardy and many, many more.

For over four decades and 28 album releases Tom Russell has continued to live up to his status as "one of the best singer-songwriters of our time" (Washington Post). His previous two studio releases, Blood and Candle Smoke (2009) and Mesabi (2011), are considered his strongest composed works yet and were, in part, recorded with the groundbreaking roots band Calexico. In the 1990s, Russell and Dave Alvin were hailed as the architects of what came to be known as "Americana" music after their Merle Haggard tribute, Tulare Dust, initiated the Americana charts in the U.S. and remained number one for a year. Russell's previous release, Aztec Jazz (2013), moved Americana into a new realm and his acclaimed song catalog into uncharted territory. 

Tom Russell's songs have been recorded by Johnny Cash, Doug Sahm, Nanci Griffith, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Dave Alvin, Joe Ely, and others. The Rose of Roscrae is his third in a series of acclaimed folk operas, follows The Man From God Knows Where (1999) and Hotwalker (2005). Russell has also composed movie scores, including songs for the Monte Hellman movie The Road To Nowhere. and published five books, most recently 120 Songs of Tom Russell. An accomplished fine artist, Russell's paintings are featured in: Blue Horse/Red Desert: The Art of Tom Russell.

Tom Russell's anticipated double-album folk opera, The Rose of Roscrae, features a who's who of legendary Americana icons including: Jimmie Dale Gilmore, David Olney, Johnny Cash, Joe Ely, Augie Meyers, Fats Kaplin, Barry Walsh, Jimmy LaFave, Gretchen Peters, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Walt Whitman, Moses "Clear Rock" Platt, Jack Hardy, David Massengill, A.L. "Bert" Lloyd, Finbar Furey, Sourdough Slim, Blackie Farrell, Tex Ritter, Glen Orhlin, Pat Russell, John Trudell, Henry Real Bird, Thad Beckman, Maura O'Connell, Eliza Gilkyson, the McCrary Sisters, Ian Tyson, Bonnie Dobson, Lead Belly, Guy Clark, Dan Penn, Gurf Morlix, and Pat Manske. more >>>



Friday, June 19, 2015

Summer Music Outdoors! Mostly free!

Though many of the words are recycled from past years this the 2015 version about the many, many summer music options we are so, so lucky to have ...

Something I truly love about Portland in the summer is that there's music in the parks, plazas, and other outdoor venues all over town and the surrounding communities. It's about to pick up a full head of steam as we head into July (given the weather this spring, it seems like it should have already started!).

First, here are two excellent resource links that detail more than I have time for. They have schedules and links to the sites of many festivals, concerts, etc., etc ... keep them handy!

Portland Monthly's Guide to 2015 Summer Concerts and Festivals

PDX Pipeline's Ultimate 2015 Portland Summer Events Calendar: Festivals, Concerts, Movies, Street Fairs & More

As I've said before (ad nauseum), when it comes to live music outdoors in summer, we really do have an amazing number of choices, so there's no excuse for not catching some great music throughout the summer.

I'd like to note some of the free music out and about in the region ... and, as nothing is really free, remember most of it is paid for by the generous sponsorship of local businesses (who you should thank and support), and in many cases your generous contributions at the shows.

Portland Parks and Recreation's Summer Free for All: Concerts in the Parks:  Over a dozen city parks, including Washington Park, will have evening concerts throughout the summer. These concerts kickoff on Monday, July 6 at Sellwood Riverfront Park with Chervona (and Ural Thomas & The Pain the following Monday!). I've had a ton of fun being one of the organizers of this particular park series. These are community events that are a blast. So, find your local park (or venture further!), grab a picnic dinner (or patronize the food vendor/sponsors), bring a blanket or chairs, and enjoy. Nothing better on a summer's eve! Also note that there is music before each of the scheduled Movies in the Park - another 50 nights to catch music (and a film) for free in a Portland park this summer.

For all of you who are downtown in Portland for your work week (or if you just like slacking downtown), there a some fine musical opportunities ...

Music on Main is a great Wednesday series that begins July 8 on Main Street between the Schnitz and the Performing Arts Center. As usual, it has a fine lineups of bands this summer.

Pioneer Square has another year of Noon Tunes - every Tuesday and Thursday at noon.

In its 5th year is the Sundown@Ecotrust Concerts (721 NW 9th) - on the Pearl's First Thursdays in July, August, and September at 5:30 pm.

On the eastside for a 4th year is Plaza Palooza in the Oregon Convention Center Plaza on Thursday evenings at 5:30 pm, July 23 to August 13.

Then there are street fairs - for instance, Mississippi Street Fair (Saturday, July 11), the Alberta Street Fair (Saturday, August 8), and the Hawthorne Street Fair (Sunday, Aug 16) ...

There's the annual Cathedral Park Jazz Festival - three days of great music ... free in St John's - July 17-19.

But Portland isn't the only city in the area that has an abundance of free music ... check out these summer concert schedules:

Milwaukie has noon concerts on Wednesdays in Scott Park, across from the Ledding Library.

Lake Oswego hosts sixteen concerts spread among Millennium Plaza Park, Foothills Park, and Westlake Park through the summer - Wednesday nights and Sunday nights.

Marylhurst University in West Linn has it's free Summer on the Green series of music and theater performances through July and August.

West Linn also has a Thursday night series at Tanner Creek Park beginning on July 23.

Hillsboro has music every Tuesday night at the Hillsboro Marketplace starting at 5:30 pm.

Tualatin spreads music around a number of parks on Thursdays.

Vancouver has a Thursday evening and a Wednesday noon series downtown in Esther Short Park.

There are also a ton of ticketed outdoor music shows that bring top acts to the region all summer. A few of the highlights for me are:

Edgefield Concerts on the Lawn -  already underway and with a solid lineup that includes Willie Nelson and Alison Krauss, Death Cab For Cutie and Built To Spill, Lyle Lovett, The Decemberists and Calexico, ... and a lot more.
Oregon Zoo Concerts - my don't-miss shows are on July 25 with Mavis Staples, Patty Griffin, and Amy Helm ... and July 31 - Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell.

And you can always take a trip to Kruger's Farm on Sauvie Island for the Thursday night concerts ... and they charge by the carload, so pile in and head to Sauvie ...

Summer festivals:
The Quiet Music Festival of Portland
Waterfront Blues Festival
Northwest String Summit
Project Pabst
Wildwood Music Festival
Pickathon
MusicFestNW
Sisters Folk Festival

I'll bet someone could go to live music outdoors every day between July 1 and Labor Day! No, it isn't going to be me ... but I'll do my share ... and I'm sure you'll do yours!

See ya out and about .... and, have a great summer!


Saturday, June 13, 2015

Quick weekend music picks

Can't let the day go by without letting you know about a few great choices tonight and tomorrow ...

First tonight ...
Kris Deelane and the Hurt will be at the Laurelthirst from 6 to 8 ... come and dance your butt off! ... no cover, but generously feed the tip jar!

Her vocals make a couple of fine bands in town better ... now Jennifer Smieja's got a solo CD and doing an official release this evening at Eugenios ... 7:30, no cover.

Multi string bender, Mark Shark will be at the Muddy Rudder ... never know what styles or instruments he'll pull out of his bag of tricks. Fine songwriter and vocalist too ... 8 pm, no cover

Redray Frazier will be at the White Eagle headlining a triple-bill ... 9 pm, $10

The Garcia Birthday Band is at The Goodfoot ... 10 pm, $9

Tomorrow (Sunday) ...
At the Alberta Rose, it's a host of great vocalists (Duffy Bishop, LaRhonda Steele, Rae Gordon, Lisa Mann, Lady Kat) backed by Chris Carlson and the D.K. Stewart Sextet doing a tribute to Etta James ... 8 pm, $18 advance/$22 door

...and at Dante's, it's New Orleans' Davis Rogan. Davis is one of the unique voices of NOLA - a keyboard player/songwriter/vocalist who can channel NOLA music styles from Professor Longhair and brass bands to hip hop and bounce. He's a Reed College alum and knows Portland well. For HBO Treme fans, he was instrumental in relating some of the stories that were the basis for story lines and a main character (in fact, he might be responsible for the oft quoted line about Portland music fans being great, "but they clap on the one and the three" ... ouch!). He's got a full band that includes the Dirty Dozen Brass Band's Ephren Townes on trumpet ... 9 pm, $10

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Eilen Jewell tonight at the Alberta Rose

If you're in need of a great music fix ... you should head to the Alberta Rose tonight for Eilen Jewell!
Crafting a unique style that mixes poetic ballads with swinging rockers, Eilen Jewell ranks among the best in the Americana genre today. As the reigning Queen of the Minor Key, Jewell leads a tight quartet who blend influences of surf-noir, early blues, rockabilly, and 1960s era rock and roll.
Eilen and her band tear it up whenever they play the Rose. Don't miss this show!
Tickets: www.albertarosetheatre.com and at the door this eve!


Tuesday, June 2, 2015

June tunes

This Friday, the 5th, my friend, Jill Sobule (she of the original "I Kissed a Girl"), will be opening for Joseph Arthur at Doug Fir.  Joseph Arthur will also be opening a show of his paintings on Thursday at Right Side Art, 625 NW Everett.
Tomorrow at Blackwell's, Chris Carlson will be joining Dave Kahl and maybe a birthday appearance by his lovely wife, Duffy Bishop.
June 20, Mr. John Doe and Jesse Dayton (and hopefully Cindy Wasserman) will be at Doug Fir ( I tried so hard to get him to play Alberta Rose....but next time....)
Saturday Fernando and Ralph Huntley play Corkscrew Wine Bar at 8 PM on SE Bybee.
....and then..Blues Festival brings us the Alvin Brothers, Ty Curtis, Duffy Bishop, Alan Toussaint...and the list goes on...