Keep on Moving: A New Album Gallups into Town

The Horse Eyed Men’s Uncanny Valley – More Human than Human

The Horse-Eyed Men, Providence’s pioneering alt-folk duo consisting of brothers Dylan and Noah Harley, are back with The Uncanny Valley, their first full-length in four years. The group is known for their stripped-down live act featuring plenty of witty brotherly banter, which may seem at odds with such a polished and intricate album.

As an academic term, The Uncanny Valley refers to the point where a human likeness becomes real enough to elicit a feeling of disgust. The sensation is different for everybody, but that infamously unsettling Tom Hanks Polar Express film is a good reference for most people.

The album was recorded over six weeks in 2015 in Berlin, and the name partly ties into the production process. “Making this record was not an entirely positive experience for multiple reasons, and I thought the Uncanny Valley was a good way to look at the place we had gotten ourselves into, which was way over our heads,” said Noah. “Unlike with our last record, most of these songs were born out of a lot of experimentation and failure in the studio, and that was pretty trying at times.”

It’s almost a rock and roll cliché: A band is holed up an exotic location recording under duress, and out of the strife comes a great piece of art. But this album’s exquisite instrumentation, production and songwriting make it worthy of at least a small bit of mythology. Compared to their debut Grave Country’s subdued country sound, Uncanny Valley tills new ground that is at times melancholy, jazzy or even spaghetti western. Through that fractured landscape comes a cohesive record that is both poignant and entertaining.

“Masters of Money” is a funked-out barn-burner dripping with organ and bari sax, and “Time the Hunter” alternates between jungle beat choruses and jaunty refrains. The record’s lush orchestration, featuring instruments like vibraphones and clarinet, is reminiscent of The Band, building great arrangements from simple foundations.

“Yellow Horses, Green River” is truer to the folk sound, and spins a yarn about yearning: “Tell myself I’m someone else and convince him that he’s me / The sweetest song ever sung was a caged bird feeling free.” Uncanny Valley reminds me of those beautifully eclectic Camper Van Beethoven records in the ’80s, with their ability to slip into other genres, but always remaining true to their own perspective, even with cover or instrumental songs.

In an age of roots revival, many people’s idea of history begins with Bob Dylan. HEM digs into the traditional American music catalog and reimagines the material in their own way. “Hills of Mexico” is public domain song, and usually an upbeat number. HEM turn it on its head to become a minor-key foot-stomper, bringing to mind a barren countryside. “Hello Stranger” is another traditional tune originally performed by The Carter Family. Theirs is a laid-back version, with dual lead vocals with Spirit Family Reunion’s Maggie Carson.

“Our Dad [acclaimed singer and storyteller Bill Harley] played a lot of Pete Seeger and Woodie Guthrie. I became enamored with the Appalachian sound, and sought out the generations of musicians before those guys,” said Noah. “I was also inspired by the aesthetic of early American music — kind of a DIY, ‘making music by your own means’ kind of deal.”

It’s also interesting to see the Harley brothers’ different sensibilities on display. Dylan’s songs on the album are ethereal ballads with more cryptic messages that provide a change of pace. In a nod to the album’s title, “Living in a Hologram,” is an orchestral, psychedelic song that touches on the ever- changing ways we view the world: “Disintegrate and disavow / I have no use for science now….biology’s a golden cow / a silent crutch, a final bow.”

“I was trying to explore the psycho-spiritual realm we physically live in, and how our interpretation of the world can be like a hologram,” said Dylan. “We don’t know what we’re moving toward, but hopefully it’s toward something good, or at least different.”

Uncanny Valley presents a dramatic musical panorama and shows a band striving for more.

WHEM have also had a successful year-plus run of their WHEM fake radio shows at the Columbus Theatre, which have featured incredible musical performances, cooking demonstrations and raffles. The next broadcast takes place August 2 at 8pm, and it will be a record release party, with HEM playing the album with a five-piece band.

The album can be purchased at: horseyedmen.bandcamp.com/album/the-uncanny-valley

Nova ONE – Secret Princess

Another notable local summer release came this June with Nova One’s Secret Princess EP. It’s the latest project from Roz Raskin, now flying solo after the dissolution of Roz and the Rice Cakes. The EP shows a different side of Raskin, trading in odd time signatures for simple chord progressions and catchy hooks.

“if you were mine” and “where you are” have a wistful, doo-wop sound out of the ’50s. The highlight for me is “Chores,” a slow, emotional number with haunting harmonies.

The effective change to a more direct approach is pretty impressive, especially considering she sang all the parts and played most of the instruments herself. Secret Princess is worth a spin, and proof that we can expect cool stuff from Roz in the future.

Nova One will perform at Burnside Park Aug 30; Secret Princess can be purchased at: shop.communityrecords.org/products/615764-nova-one-secret-princess-lp-cs

Shows of Note

The Sword – The Met, Aug 7

I don’t often foray into metal, but when I do, I tend to go for the stoner/doom variety. I’ve always relied on The Sword for heavy riffs and the right amount of hooks and production. I consider it marketable doom for the metalhead who perhaps likes a good polo shirt now and then. The Sword are touring on their latest, Used Future, which is a major departure and downright jammy at points, but I still go back to stone cold classics Apocryphon or Gods of the Earth. Flaming Lips – The Strand, Aug 22

Not sure what their current tour stage setup is, but I saw FL at Lupo’s when I was in college, and from what I remember it was like parking a Mack truck in a garden shed. They had tons of dancers at either side of the stage, with a ton of confetti and giant balloons. I can’t say I’ve been crazy about all their music in the last decade, but they won’t disappoint live.

Anthrax | Testament – The Strand August 2nd

Also hitting the the Strand tomorrow are thrash Anthrax and Testament, two of the original thrash metal bands of the 1980s. Your chance to see Joey BellaDonna and Scott Ian in the flesh. Local group Churchburn open the show.

Also check out the perennially-cool Foo Fest, with art, music, and all the other dope shit you’d expect from AS220. Headliners this year are rapper Rah Digga and experimental cult rock favorites Pere Ubu.

Panorama: New York City’s Third Annual Music Festival

This weekend, I’ll be wandering Randall Park Island for New York City’s third annual Panorama Music Festival. The festival’s past has seen the likes of Schoolboy Q, Kendrick Lamar, Anderson .Paak, A$AP Rocky, SZA, Frank Ocean, Vince Staples and 6LACK attending. This year, Panorama returns with another impressive lineup over the three-day festival.

Panorama kicks off around noon each day with performances set to kick off at 1:45 Friday with Turtle Bugg, 12:45 Saturday with Kalin White & 12:30 Sunday with Downtown Boys. The festival features three stages: The Pavilion, which lies against the Harlem River, the Panorama Stage, which is near Queens/103rd St, and lastly there is The Point, which lies in the back right corner of Randall Park Island.

On Friday, Daniel Caesar, Jhené Aiko, Migos & The Weeknd & more are set to take the stage. All four artists are coming off solid projects within the past year, Daniel Caesar’s Freudian, Jhené’s Trip, Migos’ Culture II & The Weeknd’s My Dear Melancholy. Caesar, Migos & The Weeknd are all set to hit the Panorama Stage, while Jhené will take her talents to The Pavilion. Other notable performances include Sabrina Claudio on The Pavilion and Dua Lipa on the Panorama Stage.

Moving onto Saturday, Janet Jackson, SZA & Lil Wayne are a few of the acts prepping to hit the stage. After settling his lawsuit with Birdman, Weezy is free from his recording contract and is gearing up to release Tha Carter V, an album fans have been anticipating for more than four years. Promotion has even begun for the album, giving fans hope that Tha Carter V could see the light of day by year’s end. Janet Jackson and SZA on the other hand, serve as two of the most notable women in the R&B world. Janet has a large catalog that dates back decades, filled with classics like “Any Time, Any Place” and “I Get Lonely.” SZA is just seeing her career take off thanks to the success of her debut album Ctrl, an album that gave her five nominations at the 2018 Grammys. Lil Wayne, SZA and Janet Jackson are all set to perform at the Panorama Stage.

Sunday will serve as more of a discovery day for me. Most of the acts for this day are acts that are only familiar to me by their name. They include The Killers, The xx, ODESZA, Rex Orange County and more. The xx & The Killers will perform on the Panorama Stage, while Rex Orange County and ODESZA will perform at the Pavilion with Rex Orange County hitting the stage at 3:55pm and ODESZA going on at 8:40pm. While I give an ear to some of these new sounds, I’ll also explore much of the festival’s non- performance aspects.

One of the festival’s attractions that’s worth the visit is The Point, which the festival describes as an “open-air club celebrating New York City’s key role in the ongoing evolution of DJ culture and electronic music.” Panorama also has a wide selection of food options from vendors including Bareburger, Emmy Sqaured, Mighty Quinn’s and more. Lastly, one of the festival’s highlight attractions is The Lab. The Lab is an “interactive experience that combines technology, artistry and design, created exclusively by New York City–based artists.” The Lab is also described as a “playground of music,” one that can only be found at Panorama.

Jazz Insights: Mike Coffey

Newport’s Mike Coffey is one of Southern New England’s premier veteran drummers. He was born in New London, Connecticut, and grew up in nearby Niantic, Connecticut. His father, Louis Coffey, was a noted percussion teacher and Mike became one of his students. For 22 years, Mike played in the US Navy Performing Band. After ending his military career and returning to Newport, he became a substitute school teacher in the Middletown school system. He continues teaching today, and teaches students private drum lessons to complement his professional gigs. Mike has completed his 48th year as a performing drummer, having played with hundreds of different groups in his long career. Among his highlights are his 15-year stints with the late, popular pianist Mac Chrupcala and veteran bassist Al Bernstein. He is quick to include special work with the great international acclaimed pianist, Mike Renzi. You can catch Mike Coffey at the drums every Sunday afternoon at the Atlantic Resort in Middletown from 4 – 7pm (reservations are recommended). Good-Natured Political Satire: Charlie Hall and the Ocean State Follies

Charlie Hall started the Ocean State Follies in 1992. Over the next two decades, it became the renowned and definitive political comedy and satire act in Rhode Island. He retired the show after 20 years, taking a hiatus for five years, but recently revived it.

The Follies have a regular monthly PVD combined dinner and comedy show at Via Roma on Federal Hill, the next on July 28. Other shows in Woonsocket, Cranston and South County are expected to be announced soon, Hall said.

Charlie Hall’s Ocean State Follies 2018

“The past four shows that we’ve had have been sell-outs starting with Chan’s… and at that show were [former Trump campaign manager and current independent candidate for governor] Joe Trillo and [Cranston mayor and Republican candidate for governor] Allan Fung. I knew they were going to be there, so I did specific material just about them, and they loved it, the crowd loved it… It was the Ocean State Follies presents ‘Lady and the Trump’ – [Governor] Gina [Raimondo] and Trump as kind of a Sonny and Cher hosting their own show… The next month we brought [first lady] Melania into the show and [North Korean dictator] Kim Jong-un,” Hall said.

“Then this month at Via Roma on July 28, just when you think you’ve run out of material, Joe Trillo runs aground in the ocean, hits a rock or whatever and takes on water… so this show is going to be centered about Joe Trillo and his little mishap there,” Hall said. “I’m writing a parody of the ‘Gilligan’s Island’ theme song… ‘[sings] Sit right down and you’ll hear a tale,/a tale of a fateful yacht/that started on a Charlestown beach/and ended on a rock.’”

Referencing Trillo’s controversial decision to run as an independent rather than a Republican to avoid facing Fung in a primary he would likely lose, I told Hall, “I made a Twitter comment with a bit of a harder edge about that, ‘Metaphor piles upon metaphor as Joe Trillo runs his $2 million, 65-foot yacht aground in his quest for the white whale that made off with his leg and his Republican Party membership.’” Hall laughed and said of his own comedy style, “That’s very funny, very clever, but I can’t be too ‘inside baseball,’… I’ve had friends, comics who say, ‘You’ve got to get more vicious in your material, you’ve got to hit it, you’ve got to hit their funny bones, you’ve got to go for the jugular,’ and I don’t always do that.”

“If I tried to write these kind of things, they would tend toward the vicious. I’d have Joe Trillo chasing Trump around with a harpoon,” I told Hall. He laughed and replied, “You know what gets tough sometimes is I’ve been around so long. I know Joe Trillo and his wife; I know Allan Fung and his wife… sometimes I know these people and I have to decide just how vicious I want to get with them.

“It’s difficult these days if you do… jokes about Trump, half the crowd likes him and half the crowd doesn’t,” Hall said. “Usually when I do skits about Trump, we portray him as kind of a dummy. He tells the crowd, ‘Things are going well. I just bombed, Sicily, uh, Syria. And North Pakistan, uh, Afghanistan. Them too.’ The crowd still likes to laugh… but you know there’s a big chunk of the crowd that loves him.

“My audience is usually that 35 to 65 demo[graphic] that read the paper or listen to talk radio… As you get older, maybe you get more politically aware and Rhode Island is basically a blue state. I’m all- around poke-fun-at-everybody, nobody gets too hurt and nobody gets too riled up.” Asked whether the current political climate is drawing more people into politics, especially young people, Hall answered, “Whether you like Trump or not, he has done something that has energized… because Trump is such a megalomaniac and a media whore.” Hall said that Trump “is what you call comedy gold. Comedy gold! Just watch Steve Colbert every night do, not even a regular eight-minute, but a 20-minute monologue on Trump. Every night.

“My show is not overly political. Whether it’s the Big Blue Bug, whether it’s the PawSox stadium, whether it’s traffic tickets from the speed cams, it’s stuff that everybody can relate to,” Hall said. “People come to my show to have a good time, laugh at some of the topical events that are happening, and some of the local politics and some of the national politics.”

Rhode Island produces so much material ripe for comedy, Hall said, “If I used all the things that happened and all the scandals, the show would be 12 hours long. We’d have to pass out water and toilet paper for the crowd just to stay there.”

Information and tickets: oceanstatefollies.net

Video trailer: youtube.com/watch?v=8u3v-Kzzxpo

Keep On Moving — Newport Folk and Other Fun Stuff

Newport Folk Festival The last weekend in July means the return of the legendary as it takes over the city for a weekend of music under the sun. Since its inception, the Newport Folk Festival has expanded to include a broader base of music. Hell, in recent years I’ve caught everything from twang punk to heavy metal at the festival. This has angered some purists, but it doesn’t affect the show’s popularity — the festival sells out before the lineup is announced. For the 2018 lineup, the acts I’m excited for on Friday include Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit, Fantastic Negrito, and Rachel & Vilray. Isabell is a repeat performer who kind of reminds me of Springsteen if he was from Nashville instead of New Jersey. Fantastic Negrito is the brainchild of Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz who puts his own spin on the blues with R&B and moody guitar. Check out Fantastic Negrito’s new album, Please Don’t Be Dead, as it is one of this year’s best. Rachel & Vilray is a side project for Lake Street Dive vocalist Rachel Price that features her steamy vocals in a stripped-down setting. On Saturday, I’m excited to catch Jenny Lewis, Low Cut Connie and Courtney Barnett. Whether solo or with her band Rilo Kiley, Lewis created an impressive batch of off-kilter indie rock. I’ve gotten into Low Cut Connie fairly recently. They’re like the indie rock of someone like The Strokes meets the barroom hero rock ‘n’ roll in the vein of Southside Johnny. Low Cut Connie has a new album out called Dirty Pictures (Part 2) that is worth checking out. I usually stay away from naming headliners, but who isn’t excited for Courtney Barnett? Everybody I talk to mentions her, so I’m including her just because she is too powerful to ignore. On Sunday, some of the acts I’ll be a dancing and a prancing to include the reggae of the legendary Toots and The Maytals, the New Orleans jazz of The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and the power grunge pop of Jen Cloher.

Newport Folk Festival returns to Fort Adams in Newport from Jul 27 through Jul 29.

Electric Six

Electric Six week in Providence is one of my favorite weeks of the year! Detroit’s kings of dance rock are like a cross between the music of Talking Heads with the maniacal lyrics of a Captain Beefheart. Electric Six will be releasing a new album (as they do almost every year) titled The Bride of the Devil, which no doubt promises to be another dose of infectiously subversive rock ‘n’ roll.

Electric Six, Northeast Traffic, herMajesty, and VulGarrity will rock Alchemy on Jul 19.

Old Crow Medicine Show

Old Crow Medicine Show comes to town in support of their latest album, Volunteer. On Volunteer, Old Crow Medicine Show incorporate an electric guitar sound for the first time since 2004 when Dave Rawlings put his Tele stamp on the band’s classic tune, “Wagon Wheel.” Live, the Old Crow Medicine Show mostly sticks to the -driven Americana pickings that have made them a favorite at festivals all over the world.

Old Crow Medicine Show and Ghost of Paul Revere will be at The Strand Ballroom & Theatre on Jul 20.

Bim Skala Bim

There is no better time than the summer to skank it up, and few are better at that than Boston ska legends Bim Skala Bim. Brunt of It brings a little rock to the equation at one of the best places to catch a band in Newport.

Bim Skala Bim, Brunt of It, and Indestructibles are at the Parlor Newport on Jul 20. The Autumn Defense with Special Guest Johnny Irion

The Autumn Defense is a side project of Wilco’s John Stirratt and Pat Sansone. They have released five albums; the latest is 2014’s Filth. The Autumn Defense is a little more 1960s throwback rock ‘n’ roll than say, Wilco, and I’ve heard they’re great live. This show at POP is an excellent chance to see Stirratt and Sansone in a much more intimate setting than one gets to experience Wilco in.

The Autumn Defense with Johnny Irion will be at POP, 219 W Park St, in Providence on Jul 20. Advance tickets can be purchased at stores.emporiumofpopularculture.com/the-autumn-defense-w-guest-johnny- irion

The Magpie Salute

It seems weird that both the Robinson brothers from the Black Crowes are playing RI separately in a span of five days. As far as Black Crowe members, the Magpie Salute wins. In addition to guitarist Rich Robinson, it features guitarist Marc Ford and bassist Sven Pipien from the Crowes. The Magpie Salute have released one album of original music (Live) and do plenty of Crowes anthems at their shows.

The Magpie Salute will rock the Greenwich Odeum in East Greenwich on Jul 20.

Chris Robinson Brotherhood

Chris Robinson Brotherhood generally omits Crowes tunes from their sets in favor of their own material. I respect that, but wish he’d thrown in even an obscure Crowes tune like “I Ain’t Hiding” or “Sometimes Salvation.” It is also notable that he calls his band Brotherhood and he doesn’t talk to his own brother. That aside, I’d go see a band fronted by the former Black Crowes singer. I actually caught them years ago opening for the The J. Geils Band, and it was the classic rock hippie jams that stretch out a bit more than the Crowes.

Chris Robinson Brotherhood are at FMH in PVD on Jul 24.

Peter Lloyd

Peter Lloyd, also known as the Love Messenger, brings his annual summer tour to PVD for a stop at The Parlour this July. Long considered one of the most dynamic performers in reggae, Lloyd is a must see for lovers of reggae. Reggae-fusion artist Stephanie Hava opens the show.

Peter Lloyd and Stephanie Hava bring the rasta vibes to The Parlour in PVD on Jul 26

Powerman 5000

In a show billed as The Summer Ball 2! Indoor Beach Party, Powerman 5000 headline what promises to be a loud night at the indoor kiddie pool. I remember hanging out at The Rat in Boston in the ’90s when Powerman 5000 were all the rage and just beginning to blow up out of Boston into the national arena. Lead singer Spider One is the brother of Rob Zombie, and Powerman 5000 mines similar territory as far being a metal band that incorporates punk, electronics and classic rock.

The Summer Ball 2! Featuring performances by Powerman 5000, Vyces, Carpathia and more comes to FMH in Providence on Jul 26. Sean Chambers Band

Sean Chambers Band latest release, Trouble & Whiskey (American Showplace Music), is a full barrow of roadhouse gin. Sean Chambers Band can belt it out of the park when it comes to amplified traditional Chicago-styled blues. The tunes on Trouble & Whiskey encapsulate the title and bring it to life one guitar solo at a time.

Sean Chambers Band will belt out the blues at Chan’s in Woonsocket on Aug 3.

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Newport BridgeFest: Bridging the Gap

Despite the illustrious histories of both the Newport Jazz and Folk Festivals, there was for many years something missing.

A bridge between them!

So, in 2008, Newport’s BridgeFest was born. The Newport-centric event provides a variety of music throughout Newport County that links the two iconic events. Originated by Newport’s Arts and Cultural Alliance, it now falls under the auspices of the Newport Festival Foundation providing an even more concrete connection.

Jill Davidson, director of the Newport Festival Foundation describes it this way:

“BridgeFest is a collection of events put on by local venues, and they present their own performers. We’re basically promoting it,” she says before connecting it to the more well-known events that bookend it. We’re doing it as a way to build a bridge between the Folk and Jazz Festivals and to build a bridge with the local community.”

To that end, the Festival Foundation will be hosting a Wednesday night show on the Fort Adams site of Jazz and Folk Fests, easily arranged since the staging remains there in the week between the two larger events. Wednesday night’s show will feature Motif music award winners for “Best Alternative Act,” the Copacetics, who plan on bringing along a few special guests, and Girls Rock RI!

“The festival embodies a concept of ‘bridging relationships’ between the artists, the community, the venues, the media, etc,” explains Copacetics percussionist and original BridgeFest participant, Aaron Abrahamsson Cote. “If there’s anyone who understands the importance of community, it’s our frontman Matt Di Chiara. He was able to line up special guest stars from bands around the region who will be joining us on stage at Fort Adams.” Much like the two events that sandwich it, BridgeFest provides a seemingly overwhelming array of options, so we figured it best to let a couple of veterans tip you to events they won’t be missing.

“Lois Vaughn is always great, she’s going to be on the Newport Cruise,” recommends Thompson. “For the first time this year, the Newport Dinner Cruise is participating. They’re going to have the Lois Vaughn duo on Thursday night, and on Monday night, they’re having a bluegrass duo, so that should be a nice thing to do.”

Cote, meanwhile has a special connection to the event, having been the first director of BridgeFest. He remains partial to Busking @ Bowens, a free event at Bowen’s Wharf Pilot House from Monday through Thursday.

“Each night features local artists who are encouraged to perform as much of their own original music or arrangements as possible,” he explains. “It’s awesome when the community comes out to support the young artists, toss a few dollars in the tip jar, dance on the street and just tell a talented kid they’re making some beautiful art.”

For more info and events visit: newportbridgefest.com

The Roots Report: Searching for a Heart of Gold Okee dokee folks… Those of you who read this column or know me are aware that I am a huge fan of Neil Young. When I was in my teens, I figured out a way to meet him. My plan was simple — I knew when they did sound checks at the Civic Center so I planned our encounter around that. My friends and I sat on the back wall of the Civic Center parking lot and waited. As the time neared, I stood by the stage door. A guy came out and stood next me, shoulder to shoulder. We looked at each other and then stood in silence for quite a while. Then another man came out and they both started walking away. One of my friends shouted, “That’s Neil!” It was the guy I was standing next to all that time. My friends and I started chasing them, and the second guy turned around and said, “Back off, man. Don’t get heavy with the dude.” In 1978 we only had a couple of album photos to show what someone looked like, and for 40 years I have regretted not recognizing Neil. During my life I have met, worked with and performed with many, many notable musicians, but I always had that white whale floating around out there.

I recently got a ticket to one of his Boston shows, and I made a plan to meet him. Well, it was actually the same as my plan as a teenager. I got to Boston early and hunted for the Wang stage door where I found a chatty security guard who told me that if I went to the other side of the bus, Neil would probably come over when he came out. There were a few people who were waiting out there armed with Harvest albums and photos for him to sign. I sat on the wall next to the bus, and then Neil appeared. Without hesitation, he came over to us and was quite friendly. White whale harpooned. It is probably best that my interaction with him was brief. A friend once told me, “Never meet your heroes, they will always disappoint you,” and based on some of the interactions I have had with other celebs, I believe that to be true. I didn’t go to review this show, I just went to enjoy. And that I did. It was probably the best show I have seen Neil perform, other than that very first one 40 years ago. I was so close to the stage, it was like experiencing Neil play in a coffeehouse! I could see that crooked smirk on his face as he mumbled through his yarns. Now that I no longer have a white whale to catch, I can just meander the seas and let the wind take me where it will! Read on…

When local musician Sarah Good passed away earlier this year from breast cancer at 53, a lot of us lost a beautiful friend. Besides music, Sarah supported herself as an artist and entrepreneur. In her early 20s she began making clothes and this passion morphed into Sarah Good Designs, her clothing line that was sold across the country in the early ’90s and was featured at New York’s Fashion Week. She owned other businesses that all were centered around her determined work ethic and artistic talents as a jeweler, costume mistress, sculptor, musician and fashion designer. Recently, Sarah’s husband, Michael Darigan, established The Sarah Good Foundation to honor her life. The first annual Sarah Good Foundation Fundraising Concert will be held at Nick-a-Nee’s on Sunday, July 29, from 4pm to close. With an outdoor show of New England’s best bands, food trucks, great drinks and a raffle, this benefit concert to honor the memory of the multi-talented Sarah Good promises to be a fun affair for a worthy cause. Lined-up to perform in support are The House Combo, Free Radicals, Tanya and the Professors, Paula Claire, Gary Cummings and The Goods with Neil Vitullo. Tickets are available at the door. The Foundation will be awarding an annual grant to a qualified female artist/entrepreneur beginning in spring 2019. More events are planned, but get down to Nick-a-Nee’s and honor the spirit of a wonderful, amazing woman taken from the earth way too soon. For more, heavenly dive to facebook.com/nickanees

The Warren Concert Series happens again this year at the Burr’s Hill band shell at 540 Water St. Food trucks or food vendors will be available at most shows. Bring bug spray and maybe a shade umbrella — it can be sunny and hot there! To see the scheduled performers, concave acoustically to discoverwarren.com/directory/listing/burrs-hill-park

Here are a few more to satiate your summer music cravings! The Autumn Defense, featuring John Stirratt and Pat Sansone from Wilco with special guest Johnny Irion, happens on Friday, July 20 at POP, 219 West Park Street in Providence (emporiumofpopularculture.com). No.1 Billboard Blues Artist, Anthony Gomes, will be bringing his high energy blues rock show to Chan’s in Woonsocket on Friday, July 20. Florida’s Sean Chambers Band (Blues) also performs at Chan’s on Friday, August 3 (chanseggrollsandjazz.com). A notable few of the many shows at the Pump House in Wakefield are Disco Party Fundraiser for the Animal Rescue League on July 21 and the Monthly Open Mic & Potluck Social on July 28. Then on August 3 it’s the Heidi Nirk Band playing blues and R&B accented by Nirk’s eccentric and highly original vocal style (pumphousemusicworks.com). A Night of Music by Rhode Island Women will take place at the Parlour on North Main Street in Providence on Sunday, July 22 at 8pm. Jen Long, Kate Mick, Tracie Potochnik, Lynny Bryan and Jane Hesser make the music at this female-fueled evening (theparlourri.com). Sandywoods Music presents Foxboro’s Matt York with special guest Joanne Lurgio on Saturday, July 28 (sandywoods.org). The next generation of the Allman Brothers Band, The Devon Allman Project and Duane Betts, will perform on Tuesday, July 31 at the Zeiterion Theatre in New Beige (zeiterion.org). PVDlive brings the creative community to Jamestown when they present Divine Providence, a festival of the arts, at The Jamestown Arts Center at 18 Valley Street. This takes place on Wednesday, August 1 from 6 – 9pm with performances by Nova One, Ian Fitzgerald, Dazy Park, Lookers, Ant Savino, poetry by Muggs Fogarty and others (divineprovidence.eventbrit- e.com). An evening with Jon Batiste, a globally celebrated musician, educator, bandleader and television personality, will take place at the Knickerbocker Music Center in Westerly on Friday, August 3 (knickmusic.com).

That’s it for now. Thanks for reading. JohnFuzek.com

Senior Discount Releases The Best Revenge — An Interview with Chuck Staton

For 14 years Senior Discount has been providing punchy, catchy punk rock in RI clubs and bars, and their new album, The Best Revenge, is being released on July 13 through Paper + Plastick records, owned by Vinnie Fiorello from Less Than Jake. To celebrate this mighty step forth, Senior Discount will be rocking the Rhode Island shores. Guitarist and vocalist Chuck Staton excitedly explains the momentous plans. “We’re doing a big outdoor waterfront block party album release show for (The Best Revenge) with Badfish at the Whiskey Republic in Providence on July 13. Kevin Lyman also put us on the Warped Tour, and we’re performing on July 15.”

Senior Discount is composed of four New Englanders: Chuck Staton on rhythm guitar and vocals, Catfood Kelley on lead guitar and back-up vocals, Abe Correia on bass and back-up vocals and Christian Staton on drums. They put together nine tracks for their big label debut, and the songs were produced by George Dussault at Galilee Productions. Staton states, “He was awesome. He really worked with us. He helped us make our ideas as clear as possible.”

For any independent band, recording is a great way to spread your sonic imprint. But it also presents a significant financial obstacle. That reality constricted Staton and the boys; but also became a strength for their playing. “One of the difficult things about being in a band is that you’re always up against the wall when it comes to money, and recording studios can cost a lot of it! So, our method has always been to book the recording time months out, and just practice like crazy until we’re as tight as possible before going in to the studio.

“That way, you go in, you get your sound all set, and then you hope to do everything as well as possible, as quickly as possible. There are so many music documentaries out there with bands just hanging out in the studio, and we don’t really do that. We work every second we’re there and don’t waste any time.”

But before the studio sessions or the label asked them to sign, Senior Discount had to write their brand of infectious poppy rock. Staton explains Senior Discount’s process, “I usually write the bones of the songs. That would be the loose music (chord structures, loose melodies) in different parts. So, I will bring that to the band and say ‘Hey, I have a bunch of different pieces of music for this new song. I think this part might be a good chorus, this part could be a breakdown, etc.’ We’ll all work on that and start practicing. Catfood Kelley (our guitarist) is an excellent lead guitarist and he’ll always kill it when we’re looking for guitar leads and additional layers of guitar melodies. Abe Correia (our bassist) and I will usually write bass parts together, and I think the songs I bring in will change the most, when Christian Staton (our drummer) starts figuring out his drums for it. A lot of time, he’ll come up with a drum part that’s really fun, and that will change the way I had originally planned the music. So we’ll jam on that, bring all our stuff in, and slowly hone the song in practice where it will change a lot.”

As The Best Revenge lands on July 13, it may be heard by a larger audience due to Paper + Plastick, and these new fans might be inspired to dig in to Senior Discount’s past. Staton reflects on how Senior Discount’s sound is defined by fans. Staton admits, “I think that one thing that was kind of a problem (for lack of a better term) with us is that our albums have always been super varied. That’s not a problem to us, but sometimes people don’t like it when you stray too far outside what they expect from your genre.”

While most musicians strive for that accolade, seeing variety as a comment on their vast influences and abilities as players, the punk crowd can often be single-minded in their demands of bands. Staton continues, “We actually got a shitty review of one of our albums, and the review started with ‘Let us put this briefly: in track two, there is a harmonica. You can stop reading now if that’s enough information for you to make up your mind.’ To me, as a musician (and a journalist), it’s astounding that any writer can be that closed-minded and keep their job.” But as Staton derides that myopic reviewer, he sympathizes with a fan’s ardent expectations. “It is difficult if you’re hearing a band for the first time and their album is all over the place.”

Staton discusses the place of The Best Revenge in Senior Discount’s canon. “I’d say that this album is the album where we present the clearest picture of what we are. We focus on the heart of Senior Discount: the songs are fast, fun, and energetic. It’s the only album so far where we really stay in that place consistently for the whole album. Our other albums have a lot more peaks and valleys in terms of pace and atmosphere. This one is about having fun, hopefully in a thoughtful way.”

As far as lyrical content, Staton avoids tropes of rebellion or political dissent and aggression. Despite the fertile ground of topical political turmoil for a punk, The Best Revenge finds Staton much more introspective with his lyrics. “I don’t really think that needs to dictate subject matter. For us it never has. Our music is usually personal, and I kind of think that the best music is open to interpretation as opposed to very specific. So, I’d say the subjects we’re addressing overall are: feeling ostracized, dealing with serious emotional loss, acknowledging apathy toward normal social constructs and trying to manage that, navigating feelings of worthlessness and getting past depression.

“I think we take a lot of very personal, specific situations, and we write about them in ways that are generalized enough that other people can relate to them. We have a song called ‘Afterlife,’ and I think the lyrics are general enough that people could take it as a break-up song, but the song is specifically about the loss of two friends I had.”

As Senior Discount are perched to impress their stories and experiences onto a soundtrack of fun and fast tunes, Staton is pleased to being doing so on a label of which he was already a fan. Staton says, “It’s pretty much a dream come true to be signed to Paper + Plastick Records. We’re now on a label that has put out releases by Anti-Flag, Frank Turner, Fun, The Ataris, Rehasher and Red City Radio. Plus, this whole thing is happening because of Vinnie Fiorello from Less Than Jake, who have always been at the very top of the list of bands that inspired us. So this transition is just nuts. We’ve essentially been a band for 14 years, we’ve accomplished 100% of what we’ve done independently up to this point, and it’s crazy that this is happening for us now. I can’t wait to see where it goes.”

Senior Discount’s album release party takes place at the Whiskey Republic in PVD on Jul 13. The Roots Report: Joe Jackson at The Strand

Okee dokee folks… “It’s Different For Girls” got things going for Joe Jackson on Monday night at The Strand in Providence. Jackson sat down at his digital keyboard and performed a touching, solo rendition of the song from his 1979 album I’m The Man. The refrain, “You’re all the same…” faded the song to the end. He jumped right into the song that introduced most of us to his music, “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” Bassist Graham Maby joined in on this one. When Jackson sang the line, “look over there” the audience shouted back, “WHERE?” and then they joined in singing on the chorus. The remaining members of the band, Teddy Kumpel on guitar and drummer Doug Yowell, took the stage. The background lighting turned a deep purple on the black drapery and Jackson sang the socially poignant “Real Men” from his Night and Day recording. Not missing a beat he launched right into his 1984 hit, “You Can’t Get What You Want (‘Til You Know What You Want).” Though the studio version was horn- heavy, it carried well with the four-piece treatment. After the next song, “A Little Smile,” Jackson commented, “It’s been quite a long time since we’ve been to Rhode Island. We are trying to get to some places that we haven’t been to in a while, or ever. Thanks for being here. We’re going to be trying out some new songs now. Every one starts as a new song at one time. You can take this time to go to the bathroom if you’d like.” He added, “This one is about fear and paranoia … like what is going on in this country right now,” and followed with the new number, “Big Black Cloud.” He sang, “Save us from the big black cloud, shout it out not too loud, shout it out,” as the intensity of the song increased and then faded. The response was polite at first, but grew to sincere appreciation. I liked the song, but I feel like a studio version or more instrumental and vocal accompaniment would add to the bare four-piece version. At this point, Joe’s iPad seemed to have technical difficulties and needed a little tlc to continue. From what I could garner, his set list and lyrics/music were contained on the device. After the resolution of the stage crisis, he talked about his next new song, “The Fool” and compared it to the Shakespearean fool and superheroes. It seemed to be a musical patchwork of styles — a little sitar, some Latin and a touch of punk. Two songs from the heart followed, “Be My Number Two” and “Breaking Us In Two.” The latter was performed as a trio — sans guitar — and featured a piano solo by Jackson. At this point he mentioned that because of the tech difficulties with the iPad he was going to switch up the set and “wander around a bit.” Jackson spoke about the next new song he would play about “People who are convinced something is either right or wrong or good or bad and how fucking annoying they are.” That song, “Fabulously Absolute,” had an early ’80s new wave sound with a dash of a “Dear Prudence” feel. “This one is from 1982,” was the brief intro to “Another World,” which featured a bass solo by Maby and Jackson soloing on piano that brought many in the audience to their feet. “Sunday Papers” transported us back to Look Sharp’s critical cut about the press. Jackson played a melodica solo on this one that appeared to get him a bit winded. “Ode to Joy” from his 2015 Fast Forward CD featured a drum duel with drummer Doug Yowell and Jackson with an arsenal of Key-synth generated percussion sounds. They faked the crowd out with the ending and appeared to be frozen in time with their instruments for about 30 seconds. The cheering of the crowd brought them back to life for a formal finale to the song. A slow and soulful “Steppin’ Out” followed to close to show. This lackluster version didn’t meet up with the driving feel of the original and missed the all-important signature bass line. Jackson stepped out into the wings while the audience stood and applauded for a couple of minutes. When he returned he announced that they would play a cover song and mentioned that he liked TV crime show themes and he’d discovered a version of the the instrumental piece with Sarah Vaughan singing added lyrics. He added, “I don’t sing like Sarah Vaughan” and performed Henry Mancini’s “Peter Gunn.” He continued with up beat, new-wavish, “One More Time” from Look Sharp. He thanked the crowd for coming out and went further saying, “We couldn’t do this without you … our scrappy experimental show. And I can’t believe that I am still getting away with this!” As he played “Slow Song” it took on a sort of the Von Trapps at the Austrian Folk Festival feel as each member finished up their part, left the instrument, waved and exited the stage until it was just Jackson remaining. So it ended as it began with Joe solo. He kept playing an interlude on the ivories and then raised his hands as a magician would to show the mystery of the looped music that kept on going. He took center stage as the enchanted piano kept playing and he thanked the crowd.

The show was extremely enjoyable and whether you were a light duty or hardcore Jackson fan you were probably satisfied. If you were waiting for “I’m The Man,” like I was, you were unfortunately disappointed. At 63 years old he still looks the same as he always has except for the transition to grey. His voice can still adequately carry the songs of his youth, though with an occasional crackle, but that is his style. He remained seated at the keyboard at stage right for the entirety of the show. This took the focus off of Jackson and spread it across to the whole band. I personally think that it would have energized the show a bit more if he had taken center stage for a couple of songs, but I guess that is now part of his past. Fortunately the volume of the show was not excessive, but that left it, at times, competing with the din of chatty people.

That’s it for now. Thanks for reading. JohnFuzek.com

Jazz Insights: Nicolas King

One of America’s top-rated musical entertainers today hails from Westerly, Rhode Island. Nicolas King, who is 26, began crooning at age 8. He quickly developed a style touching cabaret and jazz-swing — his famous grandmother, Angela Bacari, worked with his special skills, and another one of his mentors was Liza Minnelli. As he advanced, people began comparing him to Mel Torme, Bobby Darin and Mark Murphy.

He performed regularly in Rhode Island and worked his way to New York City where he received gigs in the Broadway musicals Beauty and the Beast and A Thousand Clowns. He even was employed him on television commercials. Today, he is one of the most sought-after talents in Greater New York City, has several CDs and has been traveling around the world, often with Rhode Island’s super pianist Mike Renzi accompanying him. Nicholas King is more than just a crooner and jazz singer, he has become a professional entertainer with excellent personal performing skills that are not generally found in the music world.