Festival of Wayward Music offers tunes for the adventurous
Published 1:50 pm Thursday, July 19, 2007
The Festival of Wayward Music this weekend will celebrate the recently reopened Chapel Performance Space at the Good Shepherd Center in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood.
Nonsequitur, a nonprofit organization known for presenting innovative, adventuresome music, including contemporary classical, improv, sound art, electroacoustic, computer music and music from invented instruments, has a long-term lease and is booking up to 10 acts a month.
The festival coincides with the 100th anniversary of the center.
Nine pianists representing various styles, including Latin, improv and singer-songwriter, will perform tonight on a vintage 9-foot concert grand piano. A marathon concert will be staged Saturday, sampling the music and literary scene in bite-sized sets.
Joan Jett: The trailblazing rock musician, actress and icon returns with The Blackhearts and the kind of music that’s carried her since “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” spent eight weeks at the top of the 1982 charts. This time, the music is in her latest recording, “Sinner,” her first American-produced album in 10 years. Jett has nine Top-40 singles, and has appeared in the movies “Light of Day,” “Boogie Boy” and “The Sweet Life,” and was in the original cast of “The Rocky Horror Show” on Broadway. Tonight, Fife
Lyle Lovett and His Large Band, k.d. lang: One of the most respected musicians of his generation, Lovett has won four Grammy awards for Best Country Album, Best Country Duo-Group with Vocal, Best Vocal Pop Collaboration and Best Country Male Vocal. For more than 20 years, lang’s voice has ranged through many styles from torch songs to pop and country. Her latest recording (“Hymns of the 49th Parallel”) explores the work of Canadian songwriters. Today and Saturday, Woodinville
Earth, Wind &Fire: For more than 35 years, Earth, Wind &Fire has been an innovative and commercially successful contemporary pop band with five chart-topping R&B albums, one No. 1 pop and eight Top-10 pop albums, and eight No. 1 R&B singles to go with eight Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Sunday, Woodinville
John Lee Hooker Jr.: The bluesman, son of a blues legend, brings his generation’s take on the genre. He’s already earned a W.C. Handy Award and a Grammy nomination taking his own path, one that he describes as “two parts R&B, one part jazz and (one part) down-home blues.” He’ll be joined by Watermelon Slim (Bill Homans), holder of a 2005 W.C. Handy nomination for Best New Artist Debut. Monday, Seattle
Erasure: Music from “Light at the End of the World,” released in May, proves that the duo can still deliver, at least in the first half of the 40-minute CD. Ex-Depeche Mode singer Vince Clarke formed the synth-based Erasure in 1985 with Andy Bell. “Light” includes Bell’s writing on loss, love and starting over. Tuesday, Seattle
Dolores O’Riordan: The crystalline voice of The Cranberries stars in her first solo LP, “Are You Listening?” The songs were written over a hard four-year period, some inspired by the death of her mother-in-law from cancer and the birth of her third baby. Sunday, Seattle
Peter Himmelman: The pop-rock singer-songwriter is touring with music from his latest release, “My Green Kite.” The songs are written for children but deserve the attention of adults because Himmelman reminds us of the specialness of ordinary things as well as thought-provoking concepts. He’s an Emmy-nominated TV composer and pop-rock artist and has scored music for films. Wednesday, Seattle
USC: The 10th anniversary of the United States of Consciousness event features Paul van Dyk, billed as the No. 1 DJ in the world; Rabbit in the Moon; Jacob London and Johnny Monsoon on the main stage; as well as Jackal and Hyde, Bassnectar, DJ Swamp, Factor e, Jimni Cricket and DJ Dig-Dug in other areas. Saturday, Seattle
Out and about: Ken Peplowski adds his high-quality clarinet and sax skills to Pearl Django (Tuesday-Wednesday, Jazz Alley). He’s collaborated with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Charlie Byrd, Peggy Lee and Woody Allen … Slint (Saturday, Showbox) disbanded after two intense rock recordings, including the critically acclaimed “Spiderland” in 1991, but reunited for what was to be a short stint in 2005 … Silverchair (Today, Showbox) is sold out …
Visual artist-turned-musician Jesse Sykes (Saturday, Triple Door) is touring with her new alternative country-rock CD, “Like, Love, Lust &the Open Halls of the Soul.” … Saxman Ravi Coltrane brings his quartet for a four-night stand (Thursday through July 29, Jazz Alley) … Lap-steel guitar player Megan Hickey brings the sounds of the Last Town Chorus (Thursday, Tractor), a group that has been profiled in New York Magazine.
