Of Mud & Music: Shakori Spring Fest, Friday Reviews

Dancing in mud boots, drinking from mason jars, running into old friends...these are classic memories of the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival in April, when threats of tornados are par for the course. Trudging around in a rain poncho through the persistent damp, I forgot all about the manhunt transfixing the nation Friday night. Instead, I was hanging out at the Farm, catching a bit of John Howie, Greg Humphreys, Lizzy Ross, Joan Soriano, Preston Frank and The Beast + Big Band.

HEADS UP:  Two more days of the festival remain, with music on 4 stages through Sunday (4/21), including headliner Oliver Mtukudzi; FULL SHAKORI HILLS FESTIVAL SCHEDULE HERE.


Lizzy Ross fans

FRIDAY NIGHT HIGHLIGHTS: Lizzy Ross Band at Carson Grove Stage

Rocking singer-songwriter Lizzy Ross, that golden-haired dynamo, has one of the most expressive voices I've ever heard. She seems to favor badass electric guitarists as sidemen to her high-flying vocals and acoustic guitar, and I can't agree more.

Luis Rodriguez

I always enjoyed the work of Jock Pyle with her in the past, and nowadays, I am really digging the sound and fury of Graham guitarist Luis Rodriguez. Some worthy onlookers and myself think he deserves the stage handle "Rockriguez." But that's for cooler heads to decide. We were understandably caught up in the moment.



Here's what I'm talking about--Lizzy's version of Bill Withers' sexy tune "Use Me," with Tim Smith sitting in on saxophone and Rockriguez [sic] tearing up the guitar solo:




Waiting in the wings: Tim Smith

SABOR DOMINICANO: Joan Soriano in the Dance Tent


Joan Soriano

It got crazy in the Dance Tent with bachata guitarist and singer-songwriter Joan Soriano. There were brief power outtages (I counted at least three) which deterred no one. Caribbean percussion is transportable street music anyway, commanding attention without electricity. Welcome to my island.



Two new guys on tour with Joan since the Motorco appearance in Durham awhile back: one is bass player Junior "Zaa," I met the second guitarist as well but don't remember his name. I studied the güiro player again this time, but had a better view of his floor tom technique. Bum bum bum, accenting those hits in the solar plexus.


New bassist: Junior "Zaa"




Griselda's bling

Joan was whimsical in his lead guitar solos, still one cool dude with his playful, rustic charm. His brother didn't accompany this tour, but his dancing-and-singing sister Griselda poured gasolina all over it.


With an acquaintance in Joan's crew, I had the pleasure of dancing to my favorite of the tunes Griselda sings on the CD La Familia Soriano: "Hazme Tuya," a 90s pop hit for Mexican teenager Maricela. The undeniability of pop, in a punchy bachata wrapper: why resist?





WE DON'T WANT NO TROUBLE NOW: The Beast headlines Meadow Stage

The Beast + Big Band is an enjoyable, XL expansion of the jazz/hiphop quartet normally comprised of Stephen Coffman, Pierce Freelon, Eric Hirsh and Peter Kimosh.



With a string section borrowed from Lost in the Trees and a horn and added rhythm section borrowed largely from Orquesta GarDel, it felt like Earth Wind & Fire meets the Fania All Stars.


Al Strong, Andy Kleindienst (hidden), Tim Smith and Aaron Hill 



Among the special guests were trombonist Andy Kleindienst who drove in from New Jersey (where he's in music school at Rutgers), and Yomira John, a Panama City vocalist who flew in for this salsa-flavored collaboration:



The Beast "Plus" started even later than scheduled, but were still dominating the Meadow Stage when I left at 2 am.





This video capture was my favorite, a) because I am a sucker for Eric Hirsh's vocoder, and b) because it's one of those satirical songs about some crazy shit that happens on the way to a gig:



Enjoy!

Links:

SHAKORI HILLS GRASSROOTS FESTIVAL:  APRIL 18-21, 2013

Replay: Bomba Estereo Tour Through Carrboro

In case you missed it:

Bomba Estereo live at the Cat's Cradle on Wednesday:

Hobex Redux + Fat Tuesday Alert

Video of Hobex from Saturday night (3/5), at the Pittsboro Mardi Gras Festival at Chatham Mill:



Peter Holsapple (organ), Cyril Lance (guitar), Andy Ware (bass), Rob Ladd (drums), Tim Smith (sax), and frontman Greg Humphreys (vocals, guitar). Greg had his table steel standing by, but did not deploy. Still it was a grand and festive evening. Some of my favorite Hobex originals, a tune from Greg's recent solo release, and some zydeco and soul covers kept the costumed pirates and merrymakers of Chatham County dancing.



FAT TUESDAY ALERT:

See Greg Humphreys tonight (3/8) at 9-11 pm @ Jack Sprat as a special guest at The Beast's "aLive Tuesdays." Raaaawwwwr!

4 short sets:
1) jazz set with The Beast Trio (Eric Hirsh, Peter Kimosh, Stephen Coffman)
2) solo acoustic set with Greg Humphreys
3) hip hop set with full cast of The Beast
4) The Beast + Greg Humphreys as special guest.

Review: Los Amigos Bring the Sexy to Carrboro (2/25)

Although the Cradle wasn't completely sold out, the front of the house was jammed tight with pogo-ing, flagwaving fans by the time I got to Los Amigos Invisibles, about half an hour in to their show. Caught the tail end of this salsa tune on my way in:



A local Venezuelan delegation had brought them a cake that afternoon in honor of the band's twentieth anniversary. All the Amigos were there, except Jose Torres (whom I interviewed for their 2004 Zinga Son record); he had to go home to Spain unexpectedly, so a good pal of DJ Afro's was filling in on bass. Like Los Lobos, another idiosyncratic Latin fusion band, Los Amigos have kept the same close-knit core all these years.





LAI live is like a blender mixing música popular, from the hip to the corny, into a psychedelic milkshake. Before you've fully processed that snippet of an old bolero, they're off to quoting familiar funk hooks, bouncey Europop choruses and organ riffs from sporting events, all swirling in and around their own songs in a non-stop flow.





I got some facetime with DJ Afro after the show, and we talked about vinyl collecting and Venezuelan salsa rarities. He still does a podcast, DJ Afro y su rumba barata, which is broadcast in Caracas, Panama and Mexico City. We agreed that there should be a wiki database for music, similar to the IMDb for movies. Fellow music nerds, any ideas on how to make that happen?



This is my longest clip, a merengue marathon including the song "El Baile del Sobón" from Arepa 3000:

GarDel at the Oasis: CD Release Party @ Motorco

Capacity crowd last night at Motorco for Orquesta GarDel's CD release party; David Garcia gave a nice introduction, and GarDel took no prisoners as they launced into the first track from their EP, "Para El Mundo Entero":







Two new songs on the EP, never before performed in public, came out last night. I danced during "Gracias Te Doy," a cha cha chá with great solos by Al Strong and Andy Kleindienst. Already lush, I expect that one will really open up over time. Nelson thanked his wife Cookie for the idea to dedicate the lyrics to his mother, who passed in 2010.

The other was originally penned as a song about bad relationships, but sonero Jaime Ramon didn't want to sing it that way. He rewrote the lyrics of "Esta Situacion" to be about one bad relationship we are all in right now--with the economy:





I feel blessed to have one lyric of this remarkable song, "Lo Que Tu Querias," dedicated to me, by sonero/lyricist Nelson Delgado:



It was quite a sight to see all those people dancing to timba in Durham, something that never would have happened 5 years ago. This tune started out with the provisional title "Eric's Timba," and in all honesty, it took awhile for the horns to really master Hirsh's heavy "metal" bamboleo. They punched it out last night pretty comfortably. It feels like it has been a long journey to this oasis, and an even longer road (of touring?) beckons.

NEXT GIG: Friday, Feb. 4 at The Speakeasy in Fayetteville



CODA:

This was one of my favorite songs by opener Dark Water Rising:



They just won a "Nammy," the 2010 Native American Music Award, for "Debut Duo or Group of the year."

What You Wanted: GarDel's CD Release Party Looms (1/29)

Triangle salseros are abuzz about Orquesta GarDel's much anticipated CD release party this Saturday (1/29) at Motorco. Many contributed to the realization of the EP, Lo Que Tú Querías, via public donations at GarDel's Kickstarter site. So is it any wonder we feel invested?

Read my review of the album here, in this week's Indy.



According to Orquesta GarDel's website, the physical EP is for sale now for $6 at Bull City Records in Durham, and CD Alley in Chapel Hill. You can buy the digital album online here for only $4.

I'm not sure why Motorco booked an opening band--the place is going to be jammed with normally single-minded salseros, making unprecedented use of the spacious, polished dancefloor. That said, I'm kinda stoked to hear Dark Water Rising open, a band of young Lumbees singing and playing their own brand of Southern rock from Robeson County. I hope that the salsa world shows them some hospitality. What's great for both bands is it will bring a diverse audience together.

Sample Dark Water Rising on Reverbnation here.


Dark Water Rising

Facebook Event page: GarDel @ Motorco, w/ Dark Water Rising, Saturday (1/29)

Review: Alex Cuba in Raleigh

I counted about 40 heads at Alex Cuba's live show at the Berkeley Cafe in Raleigh this past Tuesday, just about a week after he won "Best New Artist" category at the Latin Grammys.


Or course, this tour was booked long before. But what impressed me wasn't just Alex' clarion voice, his hot guitar pickin', or his adorable sneakers (the same shiny, silver hightops that he wore to the Latin Grammys). He played this show like he was earning our love, one listener at a time. With several Junos and a Latin Grammy in his pocket, Alex Cuba is still paying his dues. And he doesn't seem to mind at all.

Something of a perfectionist, Alex (whose first instrument is bass) plays almost all the parts on his solo albums; on tour, he doesn't like to go bigger than a trio. He seemed very disciplined about the whole touring thing, and very happy to be building his audience, one beerhall at a time. From Raleigh, next stop: Vienna, Virginia, on a 14-leg tour.

Re: The Alex Cuba trio band:

Bass player David Marion is a Paris native; his mother is from Guadeloupe. He has played some zouk, but mostly gospel back in Paris (who knew!). It figures; he has that light-from-within thing when he smiles. He's toured with Alex since 2006.



Drummer Max Senitt is based in Toronto, where he's involved with the Latin jazz scene, and gigs regularly with the exquisite Cuban pianist Hilario Duran. Hilario seems like a laid-back dude, I saw him live backing Jane Bunnett, but as Max says, he's a "madman" at the piano. I have been playing his recent solo disc Motion on WXDU (Azucar y Candela Wednesdays, 6-8 pm, wxdu.org). Max has toured with Alex for about two years.



There is only one word for the reception Alex Cuba + trio received in Raleigh: an embrace. Please come back soon, fellas.

For the home audience, here's video of Alex's first English lyric tune, which he graciously dedicated to Berkeley Cafe promoter Marianne Taylor:





Alex is dreamiest alone at the mic, with his guitar and hooky songwriting. Here's a snippet of the first encore we received, his lovely ballad "Solo Tu," from the newest, self-titled album Alex Cuba:

Alex Cuba TUESDAY @ Berkeley Cafe

A really unusual Cuban-born touring artist will chase away the Thanksgiving week doldrums at the Berkeley Cafe: singer/songwriter Alex Cuba, just awarded Best New Artist Latin Grammy.

Here's the link to my writeup in the INDY for Alex Cuba's appearance at the Berkeley Cafe this Tuesday (11/23); see also the N&O feature on Alex Cuba.

I first came to know Alexis Puentes [aka "Alex Cuba"] via the Puentes Brothers' Morumba Cubana, a rootsy little album of Cuban son that turned up one day at the radio station WXDU around 2004. Canadian emigres, the brothers Alex and Adonis Puentes were doing fun, original material that draws not only on traditional Cuban son, but trova, the native Cuban and Latin American tradition of folk. I seem to recall some American swing mixed in there as well. This album fell into the "pleasant surprise" category.

It wasn't until recently that I realized that Alex and Adonis--now on quite different solo paths, are actually (fraternal) twins. There's enough difference in their look, sound, and personal style that this never hit me as obvious. Naturally, there's a great resonance between them, too.

Adonis blew me away with his shrewdly cynical, yet bumpin' dance tune "Commerciante" on his 2005 solo album Vida. With the coro, "yo no soy músico, soy comerciante (I'm not a musician, I'm a businessman)," the song is both a resignation to, and a protest of, the pressure on artists to produce "hits." Adonis' sound is much more traditionally Cuban, informed by newer dance grooves of timba and salsa but hewing close to the acoustic aesthetic of traditional son. His vocal style reminds me of elegant, jazzy sonero Issac Delgado. Adonis was tapped as a vocalist recently, along with Ruben Blades, for the Lincoln Center free revival concert of Larry Harlow's La Raza Latina: A Salsa Suite.

I would have pegged Alex for the younger brother, because his style, both audio and visual, is much more contemporary and fused with urban and pop fashion. Whereas the cleanshaven Adonis strikes me as a plainspoken craftsmen, Alex, with his trademark fro and arching sideburns, cuts the figure of a flamboyant hipster. Both of them have the songwriting knack and a strong, clear voice. Trova is generally written in a much more personal first-person voice than son, so in a way this is a good starting point for pop fusions, something Alex in his solo career has exploited well.



I really liked Alex's last album, Agua del Pozo, because it congenially strayed from Cuban tradition without falling into a generic Latin pop sound. The new one, self-titled, I've only heard on the website, and while it sounds a little poppier to me than the last one, I can't give it a full review yet. If it's any indication of which direction he's going musically, Alex also helped craft Nelly Furtado's first Spanish-language album, Mi Plan, which also one a Latin Grammy this year.



Alex plays a mean Gibson, and I'm curious to see what the touring band sounds like, and how much of the show will be acoustic vs. electric.



LINKS:

Alex Cuba @ Berkeley Cafe this Tuesday (venue link)

Alex Cuba (artist website)

Plena Libre @ Shakori Fest This Weekend

If you have never experienced live plena, I recommend you check out the Puerto Rican roots fusion band Plena Libre at Shakori Hills this weekend, with two performances Friday (10/8) and Saturday (10/9).

Latin dancers, this won't be your usual salsa gig, but you WILL get your dance on moving to plena, an energetic rhythm indigenous to Puerto Rico, which you will recognize as a spice note in Nuyorican salsa. Check out my review of their performances two years ago* at the same venue.



Getting sweaty with Plena Libre: lead drummer Rafi Falu @ Shakori Hills in 2008

It's rare enough to get a touring band from Puerto Rico in our area, and to hear the music of plena is real opportunity. (For more background on plena, see my feature in the Independent on Miguel Zenon.) Plena Libre is one of the island's top bands popularizing this street "folk" music in modern, innovative form, with the horns and percussion sound of a big salsa band.

Also returning this year: Latin/ska/reggae band Locos Por Juana, from Miami.

The festival, on a giant farm in Pittsboro, is a place to really get away from it all and let your hair down, a four-day feast of music in all genres across multiple stages, with diverse and high quality food and arts vendors. See the Shakori Hills website for a full schedule, directions, and ticket info.

LINKS:

Shakori Hills Grassroots Music and Dance Festival

Plena Libre appearance Sunday (10/10) at Charlotte's Latin American Festival

*correction: originally stated incorrectly as "one year ago." Time flies!

OZOMATLI Tonight @ UNC Memorial Hall

Quintessential L.A. Latin rockers Ozomatli bounce in to Memorial Hall tonight, with a fresh, exuberant new album and street cred intact. Fire Away is everything you love about Ozomatli, but boppier and more politically engaged than ever.



Smart music never felt better. Their anthem to equal marriage rights, "Gay Vatos In Love," hits up nostalgic 60s R&B, while other tunes put fresh twists on Ozomatli's global grab bag of samba, ska, salsa, cumbia, punk, ranchera and world rhythms.

"Are you living out your dreams, or simply coasting?" asks the heart-racing "Malagasy Shock," based on a real-life, near-death experience the band experienced recently. [READ MORE at Nat Geo's album preview]

Los Angeles celebrates "Ozomatli Day" on April 23, but Chapel Hill gets its shock treatment TONIGHT, Friday (10/1) at 8 pm at UNC Memorial Hall.

Tickets start at $18, with discounts for UNC students. Box office: www.carolinaperformingarts.org or (919) 843-3333.

LINKS:

Carolina Performing Arts event page
Ozomatli artist website

Don't Go Changing: Cristian Cañaveral @ Buku

70s soft rock got Cristian Cañaveral's set off to a nostalgic start last night at Buku. Singing Spanish lyrics to Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are," without a hint of irony, set the mood for an evening of lovely, digestible, R&B-infused Latin pop.



The built-out combo, with piano, electric guitar, Latin percussion and drumset, gives welcome dimension to Cristian's acoustic-guitar-driven originals.

It was mayhem on the dance floor until 2 am, following the live set, with DJ Salsa Mike spinning the traditional tropical mix. Mike's next party, Salsa Brava, will be next Saturday (10/2) at Carmen's.

Live Music & Salsa Party @ Buku Tonight

Soy tu cantante: Cristian Cañaveral @ Mosaic

Singer/songwriter Cristian Cañaveral has burst onto the Triangle scene lately, making a lot of new fans at the Ritmo Latino Festival in August. Since then he's been a popular draw at small, live music venues such as Mosaic Wine Lounge, where his next gig will be this Monday (9/27) 9-11 pm; no cover.

Below, from his last concert there, Cristian sings an original on the patio (low light, sound only):



With a decidedly romantic timbre to his voice, and Latin pop sensibilities drawing on the bolero tradition, the 22-year-old appears to have a lot of commercial potential.

Performing sometimes as a solo or trio act, he also works with a backing band that rocks more formidably, featuring Venezuelan core musicians from the local scene: pianist Andres Leon, percussionist Josue Bracho Quintero, and others.

Check out the Cristian Cañaveral Live Band TONIGHT, Saturday (9/25) at the Buku Loco party in Raleigh. Live music from 10 to 11:30 pm, followed by dance party with DJ Salsa Mike.

LINKS:

Facebook event page: Buku Loco TONIGHT

Facebook event page: Mosaic Live MONDAY

2010: Live and in Durham

Where to be on New Year's Eve? Some jive dj party just wouldn't cut it...it had to be live music. On any other night of the year, I would have hightailed it south on I-85 to check out this West End Mambo collaboration with the Greensboro Symphony. But on NYE, who wants to be on the highway between 10 and midnight?

It had to be live music...

The Beast. Together with Hammer No More The Fingers, at Broad Street Cafe, Durham's latest endangered nightspot bringing class and culture to the Bull City. Ambience: check. Reasonable: double check (a mere $10). Close to home: gravy.

I didn't think The Beast would have their GarDel-raided horn section, Andy Kleindienst being in Greensboro at the West End Mambo gig, so it was a happy surprise to find Tim Smith sitting at the bar when I came in. Gravy and biscuits.

This party was nice and mellow, teeming with Durham folks in their finery, from insulated flannel to Liberace-worthy fake fur, patent vinyl pumps to biker boots. It was a fashion trail mix. Nice change of pace from the sleek and sweaty salsa scene.

The Beast gave an awesome, intimate live set from about 10:30-11:30. Intimacy is one of Broad Street's virtues. There was at least one new joint, and Pierce also billed the Kwanzaa documentary soundtrack tune, "The Black Candle," (click on link to see video) as a New Year's Eve exclusive.



Tim Smith crooned "Let's Stay Together," as only Tim Smith can, and embellished a few other tunes with his saxophone. Here he is soloing on "More To Me" off The Beast's latest album Silence Fiction:



As The Beast got ready to close down their set with "Translation" (from Silence Fiction featuring Orquesta GarDel), I got another jump for my money. Brushing past me to get onstage in mid-mambo is Andy Kleindienst, fresh off the interstate, with his trombone out and blasting. It was great to catch the on-stage reunion for posterity:



Andy reports that West End and the Symphony was "solid," the Latin rhythm section was integrated into the symphony throughout, and that a lot of people were dancing. More eye-witness reports welcome!



Hammer No More was a good pairing. It was my first time seeing them, and I understand what the fuss is about. Nice sound, smart music. After the countdown, they rocked a still-willing crowd from about midnight to 1:00.

Happy New Year, everybody. 2010 will be a whole new ball game for Latin music on tour! More on this soon.

Flamenco on a Flatbed

Yes, one more video of Ed Stephenson & Paco Band...with a different lineup this time. This is regular percussionist Sara Romweber, rather than Beverly Botsford, and Ryan Johnson, rather than Peewee "Poquitico" Watson on bass.

I'll be honest, I miss Beverly and Peewee, but this is how the regular lineup sounds playing Sting covers on a flatbed stage:


[VIDEO]

The good cause was a barbecue chicken dinner to benefit an afterschool program for Latino children. As soon as I get a contact from the church for volunteers, I'll pass it along.

Rock & Shop - This Saturday