This week: Grammy-nominated jazz guitarist Bernard is here
Published 1:40 pm Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Twice-Grammy-nominated guitarist Will Bernard brings music from his recently released “Blue Plate Special” to Seattle on Sunday.
Bernard’s talents stretch back to early bands playing jazz, hip hop, experimental and world music; and leading the Will Bernard Trio and Motherbug.
All About Jazz, the world’s largest jazz website, called Bernard’s work “a refreshing example of intelligent party music.” Billboard Magazine called him “one of the best-kept jazz-guitar secrets on the planet.”
Bernard calls his work soul-jazz.
John Doe, Kathleen Edwards: The band X has been labeled by some critics America’s greatest rock ‘n’ roll band of the 1980s. Once the band’s time had passed, founder John Doe (“Adult Books,” “Blue Spark”) went on his own and remained contemporary over the years while carving out a folk-country-punk niche.
Doe, who has a long list of film and TV acting credits, is on the “Hurtin’ &Flurtin’” tour with Edwards, who he calls the young Kate Hepburn of alt-folk-country-rock. The introspective balladeer (“Asking for Flowers”) has an oft-melancholy approach but it’s the same intensity as Doe’s.
Craicmore: Contemporary traditional Celtic music, featuring contralto Nancy Johnston and the Slieveloughane Irish Dance Company, delivers four-part harmony, hardshoe dancing and driving rhythms with traditional instruments. Craic is an Irish word for fun; and “more” is from “mor,” Irish for big. The quartet respects the origin of the material while taking chances on enriching the traditions.
Karelian Folk Music Festival: An ensemble from the Russian republic of Karelia, a region on both sides of the Finnish/Russian border, is a mix of three cultures with music that includes ancient epic songs, a cappella village songs and old shepherd melodies. The trio’s instruments include 5-, 10- and 32-string Finnish-Karelian harps, flutes, goat’s horn, birch-barked trumpet, horse bells and button accordions.
Bassnectar: Lorin Ashton calls his constantly mutating electronic music project “omni-tempo maximalism.” He combines beats and bass lines with any sound source that strikes his fancy during the collaborative event. Death metal meets folk. Old-school hip-hop meets swing. Different time signatures meet Balkan gypsy music.
Anais Mitchell: The singer-songwriter was nominated in the Contemporary Artist category for the Folk Alliance awards show last February, and was among the winners a few years ago at the Kerrville Folk Festival. The world traveler’s experiences have found a home in her music. Ani DiFranco signed Mitchell to her label, Righteous Babe Records.
Out and about: One of music’s favorite couples, Tuck and Patti, return to Seattle, Tuck Andress still the consummate guitarist, classically trained Patti Cathcart still bringing the jazz, pop, R&B, folk, rock and Brazilian mix (Tuesday through Thursday, Jazz Alley) … Guitar-driven rockers The Wanteds have a new album, “Failure Looks So Good” (Sunday, High Dive) …
Donna the Buffalo celebrates its 20th anniversary and its take on traditional mountain music that’s infused with Cajun, rock, folk, reggae and country elements (Wednesday, Tractor Tavern) … Blues-based guitarist McCoy Tyner and his quartet performs pieces from his nearly 80 albums, including Tyner’s latest, “Guitars” (tonight, Moore) …
John Hiatt’s songs have been covered by Iggy Pop, Bonnie Raitt, Three Dog Night and the Neville Brothers; here’s a chance to hear his take (Sunday, Moore) … Often a soloist, Keller Williams is fronting a new band with musicians from The String Cheese Incident, Brandi Carlile and Leftover Salmon. His latest, “Live,” is a 17-track look at his career (Saturday, Showbox Market) …
Nashville’s “wild child,” Carlene Carter, is a rock-turned new wave-turned new country singer-songwriter (Saturday, Triple Door) … Returning to Seattle is singer-songwriter David Wilcox, who once said, “Nobody wants to sit for a philosophy lecture,” and makes sure his audience doesn’t feel that way, although some does philosophy sneaks through (Sunday, Triple Door),
