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# Taking a page from the classic rock songbook with original music influenced by the likes of The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, and The Doors Devon Allman's Honeytribe hit the ground running last August with the release of Torch. The CD received great press from Guitar Player, Guitar World, Relix, Hittin' The Note, An Honest Tune, and other publications. Locally, folk got a chance to see him open for his dad, Gregg Allman, last year at the Alex Madonna Expo Center.
Now he returns to the Central Coast, thanks to three local women who recently launched Rock Sisters Productions, a company that began by booking bands into Grover Beach's O'Reilly's Bar & Grill but is now promoting its first big show, Devon Allman's Honeytribe, at Downtown Brew on Thursday, Aug. 9 (Doors are at 7 p.m. Axia and Criticnue open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $17 at Boo Boo's).
Owned and operated by Leanne Phillips, Nancy Dye, and Melissa Wren, Rock Sisters Productions handles booking and promotion.
"We're so excited to be able to bring this band to our area," Phillips said. "They opened for Devon's father, Gregg Allman, last year at the Madonna Expo Center, but several area venues passed on booking them this time around, and we thought that was a shame and that the Central Coast would really be missing out, so we decided to bring them here ourselves. With the support of Korie Newman of Downtown Brewing Co., who has been an amazing champion, we were able to make it happen."
The band will be doing an in-studio appearance and performance on KZOZ 93.3 FM radio station on Thursday, Aug. 9, at 3 p.m., with DJ Dusty Rhoads.
The Downtown Brew show is co-sponsored by local Realtor Leslie James, of Keller Williams Realty, who attended the Madonna Expo Center show last year and was amazed at Honeytribe's talent.
"She was so excited [that] when she began to hear rumors that Honeytribe might be coming to San Luis Obispo," Phillips said, "she sought us out and wanted to help make the show happen. We're thrilled to have her support and to know that there must be others out there who are just as excited to have Honeytribe back in town."
Karl Denson's even tinier universe
Downtown Brew, Numbskull Productions, and KPIG have teamed up to bring the Karl Denson Trio (KD3) to town. Denson was Lenny Kravitz' sax player and a member of the Greyboy Allstars as well as his own band, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, all of which traversed the vast funk/jazz/jam landscape.
# In 1992, Denson began his recording career with Blackened Red Snapper, the first of four traditional jazz quintet albums. In 1994, he became an essential part in the formation of the now highly regarded acid-jazz pioneer Greyboy Allstars. In 1998, he constructed yet another successful recording and touring entity, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe. Now, while The Tiny Universe is taking time off to record, Karl is returning with KD3.
"It's something I've been anxious to do for the last couple of years," Denson said. "I felt the need for a musical challenge and to kind of clear my head in the process of finishing the Tiny Universe record. Playing jazz is always a wake-up call, but even more so in a small group setting. You have to be a lot more steady as a player and as an artist. There is also a lot of music I've written that I really want the chance to perform that's not really suited for KDTU."
Funk In Public, a band comprised of former Hip Deep members playing their first gig under their new name, will open the show.
Check it out on Friday, Aug. 10, at 7:30 p.m. in Downtown Brew. Tickets are $12 advance (at Boo Boo's) or $15 at the door.
# Dawn's on you
The Usonia Jazz Band, featuring pianist/vocalist Dawn Lambeth, will deliver a series of concerts this month featuring Lambeth's effervescent renditions of jazz classics. Specializing in early jazz and swing ("the Great American Songbook"), Usonia performs standards made famous by the queens of jazz: Lee Wiley, Maxine Sullivan, Billie Holiday, Ivie Anderson, and Ella Fitzgerald.
See them Friday, Aug. 10 (and Aug. 24), from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Carlton Hotel's intimate dining room, which features a seven-foot grand piano (Reservations at 877-204-9830) Sunday, Aug. 12 (and Aug. 26 and Sept. 2), from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at The Cliffs and Sunday, Aug. 12 (and Aug. 26) at 7 p.m. for "Supper Club Sundays" at Koberl's Blue (Reservations at 783-1135.)
Wonder women
You can spend the day with creative women beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 11 in the SLO Mission Plaza.
The Women's Community Center has organized a line-up of top women artists, featuring everything from blues to hula music for its 33rd annual "Day with Creative Women." More than 100 creative women will display handcrafted items for sale, a selection of delicious healthy food items, and nonstop entertainment. There's also a children's activities area for crafts. And a petting zoo!
Entertainment includes performers such as singer-songwriter Jill Knight, blues diva Karen Tyler, Cheryl Aiona and the Motowners, Sheri O, Na Mele o ke Kai, and Triad.
The Women's Community Center is an all-volunteer organization originally founded in 1974 under the name "Women's Resource Center."
Its mission is to "Educate, Enlighten, Empower" by maintaining an accessible walk-in center in San Luis Obispo to collect and exchange information of interest and concern to women.
# Ommmmmm
According to her bio, Diamond has been empowering people as a healer and teacher of Eastern philosophy, traditional medicine, and spiritual practices for more than 20 years. She's known for the healing power of her resonant voice, her devotion to the nurturing spirit of the Divine Mother, and her sense of humor. A series of mystical experiences with the ancient form of the goddess Shakambari, who represents Mother Nature, led her to a close association with Shakambari Purim, a temple in Chennai, India, for which she records music and mantra recitation.
An optional vegetarian Indian dinner at 6 p.m. is available for $10 (call 544-8120 for dinner and/or kirtan tickets, which are $15 in advance or $18 at the door). The kirtan will be followed by the healing DJ sounds of Club Tridosha.
Sum, sum, summertime!
For your cure for the summertime blues, look no further than the Arroyo Grande Village Summer Concert Series, which highlights bluegrass and folk music on Sunday, Aug. 12, when Katie Boeck, The T.J. Matherly & Toan Chau Duo, and The Cuesta Ridge Mountain Boys perform a free concert beginning at 1 p.m. at the Rotary Bandstand on the Village Green in the Historic Village of Arroyo Grande.
# Boeck is an 18-year-old first year UCLA student by day and singer/songwriter by night. The Central Coast native's sound has been described as jazzy and bluesy, with a pop sensibility. She's currently wrapping up her second musical endeavor, Blueflower, due out late this summer. She was recently featured at the First Annual Central Coast Songwriters Festival at the Clark Center.
Toan Chau (acoustic guitar) and J.T. Matherly (mandolin and octave mandolin) will present an eclectic mix of acoustic string music, drawing from diverse genres including Gypsy jazz, Latin, bluegrass, Appalachian, and traditional jazz. Chau performs with Hip Deep and the concert's headliner the Cuesta Ridge Mountain Boys, among other local bands. Matherly's interests in mandolin-related music range from classical to Brazilian to Celtic and all points in between. He's studied with legends such as David Grisman and Mike Marshall.
The Cuesta Ridge Mountain Boys is a five-piece, bluegrass-injected conglomerate that's been together for three years, but their members' experience ranges over nearly all music genres. The various players have performed in Resination, Hip Deep, Tripledub, Stank Finatra, Fused, Yeehawd, Moon Cabbage, and Goza!
Concertgoers are encouraged to bring picnic baskets, lawn chairs, and blankets. The South County Historical Society will be selling hot dogs, popcorn, lemonade, and sodas Doc Burnstein's Ice Cream Lab will be providing ice cream and will donate a portion of their proceeds to the AGCH Foundation.
Wine and song
The Winery Music Awards march on with another round of competition when Assaf Spector from Brooklyn, The Laurie Morvan Band, Justin Hopkins, and Sarah Hethcoat all from the Los Angeles area and Matthias, a Central Coast artist, compete on Saturday, Aug. 11, at the Silver Horse Winery in San Miguel.
# This is the third round of the competition, whose goal seems two-fold: to select and promote a rising new talent and to raise awareness of SLO County wine country. It began last year when marketing wiz Kathy Kelly conceived the idea, resulting in South County band Threes & Nines winning amid some acrimony (some other competitors felt the novice band was more about gimmick than musicianship I disagree!). This year, Kelly has attracted competitors beyond the local borders, and some have called the competition a watered down American Idol for the Central Coast. According to Kelly, however, the competitors have been extremely happy with the exposure.
Judges have included, while not quite music luminaries, at least people related to them: Ruth McCartney, stepsister of Paul McCartney, and Antonia Bennett, daughter of Tony Bennett, for instance. To be fair, Jon Anderson of Yes has also judged, and this round's judges include Kenny Lee Lewis and Tim Drury, guitarists touring with the Steve Miller Band and The Eagles respectively.
Winners of the four elimination rounds, plus two wild card winners, will compete in the final competition on Oct. 7 for prizes, cash, and a recording contract. Los Angeles singer/songwriter Shannon Curtis won the June round, and SLO's Dominic Castillo and the Rock Savants won in July.
Hosts for the competition include Andrew Firestone, general manager of Firestone Winery in Paso Robles and once featured on TV's The Bachelor, and Janie Terrazas, a Los Angeles-based TV personality and model.
Tickets ($40) for any of the remaining rounds of the Winery Music Awards concerts are available through www.BrownPaperTickets.com or by calling 1-800-838-3006. Get more info at www.winerymusicawards.com.
Aloha, from Hawaii
Maui resident Micah Wolf returns to SLO Town on Saturday, Aug. 11, to play an 8 p.m. show at Frog and Peach. According to his bio, Wolf is a "singer songwriter with a smooth and simple melody whose relatable lyrics ignite introspection."
# Now on his third U.S. tour, Wolf is no stranger to the road, having lived an itinerate life style with his mother, who traveled across the United States, Canada, and Mexico from hippie commune to hippie commune. At 12 years old, with no formal education and unable to read or write, the nomadic Wolf settled in Oregon. Immediately after high school, he moved
to Maui, which he's called home for the last 13 years.
Wolf frequently sings about his own insecurities and self-esteem ("dreams that are believable if I believe them this time"), as well as forgiveness.
"I like songs that tell a story and create an emotional impact songs that make people think and ask questions," he said.
And no matter how dark the subject, he carries a refreshing sense of optimism.
Check out this unpretentious, good-humored performer, who will remind listeners of Ben Harper and Jack Johnson. He'll be joined by bassist Rick Tyner and drummer Oren Masserman.
More music
Before the start of the last Blues game, the cast of Jesus Christ Superstar performed several numbers, as well as the national anthem, and it was pretty surreal seeing the cast run around the infield singing about Jesus. The sound was none too good on the ball field, but the cast had a lot of energy, the same energy you'll be able to see at the Christopher Cohan Center when my friend, violinist Sal Garza, acts as concert master for the rock orchestra performing the live music for this award-winning Broadway musical. Call 756-2787 for tickets ($20, $30, and $40) to any of the following show times: Thursday, Aug. 9, 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 10, 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 12, 2 p.m.
Blues act The Deacons play two shows this week: Thursday, Aug. 9, at Mongo's, and Saturday, Aug. 11, at Frog and Peach.
# "We've had a fantastic horn section with us the last few weeks: George Pandis on trumpet and Bob Osborne on sax," said drummer Curtis Miller. "This band is by far the best dance/blues band in the area." Hey, if you can't believe a drummer talking about his own band, who can you believe?
Paso Robles will be kicking its heels Friday, Aug. 10, when the Monte Mills Band brings its western swing music to the Concert in the Park series from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the downtown City Park. Can I get a "yee haw?"
Acclaimed San Francisco saxophonist Mel Martin and virtuoso pianist Roger Kellaway and their quartet appear at the next edition of the Famous Jazz Artist Series at the Hamlet in Cambria on Sunday, Aug. 12. Martin has been the leader on a number of successful recordings (notably with his group BeBop and Beyond) while Kellaway has been a major name in the jazz community as a pianist and composer for many years. (He wrote and performed the musical theme for the long-running television series All In The Family!) The quartet will be joined by series co-producers Charlie and Sandi Shoemake during two performances: 4 p.m. ($15) and 7:15 p.m. ($12), or see both sets for $20. Reservations are highly recommended by calling 927-0567.
Americana artist Richard March, host and star of Sacramento's popular series "Americana Ramble," makes his SLO Town debut at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 12 at Frog and Peach. He's touring in support of his new album, Levee Road. According to American icon Ramblin' Jack Elliott, "That young man can turn a phrase ... he's a good 'un." Ramblin' Jack isn't the only one to think so. Last month, March won the Sacramento Music Award for best vocalist, and his guitarist, Steve Randall, won his second Sammie Award in two years for best guitarist.
The Sleepy Guitar Johnson Outfit has a couple of upcoming shows for your swampy blues, rock'n'roll, and surfabilly music pleasure. The group plays Salisbury Vineyard on Sunday, Aug. 12, from 1 to 4 p.m. outdoors at the Old Schoolhouse (Take Hwy 101 south and go west on San Luis Bay Drive, turn south on Ontario Road and look for the winery at 6985 Ontario Drive call 595-WINE for more info.) The quartet (harmonica player Mike Tozzi Sleepy on vocals, guitar, and dobro John "Cool Hand" Morris on bass and drummer Michael Browne) play Mr. Ricks Bar in Avila Beach on Saturday, Aug. 18, from 8 p.m. to midnight. Learn more at www.sleepyguitar.com.
Downtown Brew's Grass Roots Night series continues on Tuesday, Aug. 14, when The Cuesta Ridge Mountain Boys, Virgil Cane, and Rhodes play beginning at 8 p.m. As usual, the cover is a scant $2 and draft pints are $1. I'm personally most excited about Virgil Cane, a great local rock act (with hints of y'alternative country) fronted by Butch Boswell. The band disbanded a while ago but was recently revived with the addition of some replacement members. According to Butch, they've been working on a lot of new material, and this show will feature a bunch of songs not yet recorded.
Funny business
I'm not quite sure what's in the air this week (nitrous oxide?), but for some strange reason there's a cubic buttload of comedy descending on the Central Coast.
# Bob Zany's Comedy Outlet, upstairs in the Embarcadero Grill (801 Embarcadero, Morro Bay 772-0716 shows at 7 and 9 p.m. $15) is hosting Jeff Wayne and David Huntsberger on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 10 and 11. Wayne is the creator and star of the one-man-show
Big Daddy's Barbeque, in which he's been lauded as "a one-man riot," "Al Bundy with a brain," and "the gentile Jackie Mason." Huntsberger was a semi-finalist on Last Comic Standing.
If you prefer your comedy fueled by estrogen rather than testosterone, HopeDance is hosting "A Night of Enlightened Comedy with Vanda Mikoloski and Alicia Dattner" on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 10 and 11, at 7 p.m. in the SLO Public Library (suggested donation $12). Mikoloski is a stand-up comic and speaker with a passion for personal growth and development. She seeks to heal and connect people through laughter. Stand up comedian Alicia Dattner focuses on The Grand Cosmic Joke: "that pain exists for us to take ourselves less seriously, to laugh, and to experience the joy and wonder of an infinitely perfect universe."
Finally, on Thursday, Aug. 16, the New Rock 107.3 FM presents "Summer Comedy Jam," part of the "Every Station in the Nation" at Embassy Suites in SLO Town. The evening stars Geechy Guy and Pat Godwin, as heard on the Bob and Tom Radio Show. More on them next week, but for now, you can get $20 advanced tickets at www.newrock1073.com or by calling 545-0101. The show stars at 8 p.m.
Glen Starkey picks out all of the walnuts and peanuts. Force him to eat the cashews too at [email protected].
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