NORTH STATE SYMPHONY TO SHOWCASE AREA YOUTH – PAGE 5 AFTER FIVE T H E N O R T H S T A T E M A G A Z I N E FEBRUARY 2020 / 33rd Year / No. 4 THE NEWS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT MONTHLY ON THE COVER AMBROSIA HERE Joe Puerta doesn’t mind if you call it prog A BIT OF PYTHON rock, yacht rock or just good ol’ classic A hint of Monty Python in Redding with, rock. He’s happy to still be playing after from left in photo above, Lizzie Stoxen, all these years and happy people are still Michael Spence as King Arthur, Jessica listening. The bass player and a founding Wiechman and Mark Amacker from the member of Ambrosia is bringing the band Axiom Repertory Theatre production of and its string of 1970s and early ’80s hits the musical comedy, ‘Monty Python’s to the State Theatre on Feb. 7. Read the Spamalot.’ See page 10 After Five interview on page 2 RICHARD MARX NIGHT OF SURPRISES Richard Marx (pictured at right) is slated Music, special surprises from some local to perform his ‘Acoustic Evening of Love celebrities, a silent auction with unique Songs’ Feb. 28 in Redding. See page 9 items, and more. See page 13 HHoldingolding oonn ttoo YesterdayYesterday Call it whatever you want - prog rock, yacht rock or classic rock - Ambrosia will be performing their timeless music of the 1970s and early ‘80s when they hit the State Theatre stage in Red Bluff on Feb. 7 Ambrosia: Christopher North, Burleigh Drummond, Joe Puerta, Doug Jackson, Mary Harris and Ken Stacey. By Aaron Williams but we made it a little more bluesy and in the anthology, there’s a letter “It really started as a country as we were very much infl uenced by from him about how he heard it on Joe Puerta doesn’t mind if you call R&B and dance music of the day,” the radio and wrote “This much I have song, but we made it a little more it prog rock, yacht rock or just good Puerta said. “It took on an ethereal always known, anyway: Music is the ol’ classic rock. He’s happy to still bluesy as we were very much quality…and having Alan Parsons only art that’s really worth a damn.” be playing after all these years and infl uenced by R&B and dance mixing didn’t hurt either.” Following their fi fth and fi nal studio happy people are still listening. music of the day. It took on an And like many bands of their day, album, Road Island (1982) Ambrosia The bass player and a founding ethereal quality…and having Alan Ambrosia not only crossed musical broke up and Puerta later became the member of Ambrosia is bringing the boundaries, but were part of a large bass player for Bruce Hornsby and Parsons mixing didn’t hurt either.” band and its string of 1970s and musical – and beyond – community of the Range for the band’s fi rst three early ‘80s hits – “How Much I Feel,” collaboration. albums: “The Way It Is,” “Scenes for “Biggest Part of Me,” “You’re the - Joe Puerta talking about The band not only worked with the Southside” and “A Night on the Only Woman (You & I),” “Holdin’ on the classic Ambrosia song Parsons, who mixed Pink Floyd’s Town.” Hornsby had been in Ambrosia to Yesterday” and “Nice, Nice, Very “Holdin’ on to Yesterday” “Dark Side of the Moon” before and played on Road Island. Nice” – to the State Theatre at 7:30 becoming a successful act himself, “That was a fantastic run,” Puerta p.m. on Feb. 7. Tickets are $30-$45 they covered The Beatles’ “Magical said. “He’s a musical genius and we and available on the theater’s website section of the dictionary and found Mystery Tour,” for the musical went from playing 200-seat clubs to at www.statetheatreredbluff .com. Ambrosia. documentary “All This and World War headlining 10,000-seat arenas.” Mumblefi nger is scheduled to open. “It was the nectar of the gods and II” and saw their 1976 version hit the Today, Ambrosia has three “Grab your sea captain hat and kept them immortal,” he said. Top 40. original members – Puerta, drummer join us,” Puerta said from his home in And in a sense, the band has They even worked with Burleigh Drummond and keyboardist San Diego County where he’s busy become semi-immortal as yacht rock, “Slaughterhouse-Five” author Kurt Christopher North – along with preparing for a tour and his wedding. a blend of soft melodic rock from Vonnegut on the other single from vocalist Ken Stacy, keyboardist Mary “Whatever hat you’re wearing it the mid-70s, which has regained their 1975 self-titled debut album, Harris (who is also Drummond’s wife) doesn’t matter.” popularity with bands like Ambrosia, “Nice, Nice, Very Nice.” and guitarist Doug Jackson. The band that fi lled the airwaves Pablo Cruise, Christopher Cross and “That started out as a simple folksy “I didn’t anticipate this,” Puerta in the 1970s and early ‘80s began Kenny Loggins. Paul Simon-like melody,” Puerta said of playing Ambrosia music into in Southern California, Puerta said, “We all grew up with so many recalled. “Nice, nice developed when the 2020s. “The yacht rock thing playing surf music “before the Beatles musical infl uences,” Puerta said. “I we decided to use Vonnegut’s lyrics has taken off and it’s not just my blew everything apart.” think in every style of music there’s (from the poem ‘Cat’s Cradle).” generation, but a lot of younger Ambrosia originally began as an art to capture the essence. That’s After getting approval, and Puerta people who grew up with their parents Ambergris Might (ambergris is a waxy what we tried to do, for example, with working on a second verse with the listening to it. substance from the intestine of a ‘Holdin’ on to Yesterday.’” author – “I can always say I’m a co- “And when you come out, you’ll get sperm whale), but when they found Puerta co-wrote the song with writer with Kurt Vonnegut” – the song all the hits. Have no fear – it’s a mix out another band had a similar name, original lead vocalist David Pack. became a minor hit. of everything we’ve done, including Puerta said they searched the “A” “It really started as a country song, “The fun part is that Kurt loved it, ‘Magical Mystery Tour.’” Page 2 / February 2020 / After Five After Five / February 2020 / Page 3 Joss and Gentry to perform Feb. 16 at Cascade Theatre In 1980, at the age of 18, Scott Joss got a life changing call from Merle Haggard to play with the Strangers. Since Haggard’s passing, the locally-based artist has been touring with Kris Kristoff erson and is now out on the road with Chris Gantry, considered “the original Nashville outlaw of the 60’s.” Touring together in support of both of their new albums, Joss and Gantry are making a stop at the Cascade Theatre in Redding on Feb. 16. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. show start at $25 and are available online at cascadetheatre.org, by phone at 243-8877 or at the Cascade Theatre box offi ce, 1733 Market St., Redding. AFTER FIVE The North State Magazine After Five is published monthly for the communities in the north state and southern Oregon. Founded October 28, 1986. Advertising policies: The subject matter, form, size, wording, illustrations and typography are subject to the approval of After Five. Because a product is advertised in After Five does not necessarily mean we endorse its use. Display advertising rates and more detailed explanation of our ad policies are available on request. The entire contents of After Five are copyright 2020 by After Five. Mailed subscriptions are $50 per year. Editorial portions of the magazine may be reprinted by non-profit organizations. All other reproductions require the express written consent of the publisher. 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Box 492905, Redding, California 96049 Telephone (530) 275-1716 • FAX (530) 645-1776 ON THE WEB after5online.com Advertising (530) 275-1716 • FAX 645-1776 email: [email protected] Editorial 275-1716 • FAX 645-1776 or 303-1528 email: [email protected] [email protected] AFTER FIVE IS A MEMBER OF: C A L I F O R N I A California Newspaper TO PROMOTE AND DEFEND Publishers Association THE PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW Page 4 / February 2020 / After Five REDDING’S HISTORIC CIRQUE MECHANICS Scott Seaton - North State Symphony music director and conductor +IFVYEV]ȦȦ North State Symphony to showcase area youth at February concerts By Sue Constantinides SCOTT JOSS & North State Symphony performs its third Masterworks concerts of the season, featuring the iconic Saint-Saens CHRIS GANTRY Organ Symphony as well as sharing the stage with young classical music talent from across the north state. +IFVYEV]ȦȰ “Pulling Out the Stops” is scheduled to be performed at 7:30 p.m., Feb.