Acoustic Americana Music Guide & NEWS, Nov 20 through 26
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Tied to the Tracks
ACOUSTIC AMERICANA
MUSIC GUIDE
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NOVEMBER 20 through 26, 2009
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Geeez Louise, there’s a LOT of live music this weekend, plus workshops for artists, and even a few outdoor events (with indoor music performances).
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Plus, we’ve got some NEWS items and a new review by FolkWorks writer Joel Okida, special to the Guide.
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Even if you’re so broke that you’re stuck at home, scroll through our listings to find the many RADIO SHOWS that feature performance-interviews with acoustic musicians (mostly on web simulcasts, of course).
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There’s more, following the current event descriptions / listings – be sure to check-out our “heads-up” section for advance tix notices, so you won’t be disappointed by “sold-out” signs when the time comes.
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It’s all here for you, at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com
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REVIEW:
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BOULDER ACOUSTIC SOCIETY at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, October 21, 2009
– Getting Bolder by the Minute – by Joel Okida
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The name Boulder Acoustic Society may sound like a monthly gathering of Colorado audio engineers, but, in fact, is the moniker of four lively musicians who come together on stages across the country to entertain many a sell-out audience.
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Recently, in the intimate confines of Altadena’s Coffee Gallery Backstage, the band presented their multi-faceted music machine for an evening of spirited song and a few stories from the road.
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With a sharp jab or subtle irony, they can get you grinning broadly to any number of rollicking up tempo numbers and then cut you off at the knees with a lament like accordion/keyboard player, Scott McCormick’s “Take My Hand.” From there, they take that lump out of your throat and boost you up with an inspired gospel hymn.
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Drummer Scott Aller has the tough task of keeping the beat and adding the varied percussive elements on the vastly different range of tunes that the band generates. Aaron Keim juggles the guitar, uke, lap steel, banjo, alto horn and cornet when not posted behind his upright bass and singing. Few groups can cover as much ground instrumentally and material-wise, but BAS carries their own adventurous Americana songbook and gave energetic readings from that eclectic repertoire.
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All songs are credited to the band as a whole on their recent recording, “Punchline,” but in concert each member gets a beam of the limelight. A song such as “Frog Pajama Waltz” allows ace fiddler Kailin Yong to show his bowing chops, while adding fire on any number of other tunes.
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Not many bands can be everything to everybody, but BAS touches upon so many musical areas that if they did a show comprised of early music lullabies, bird calls of the Pacific Northwest, Paganini violin concertos and the Star Spangled Banner on ukulele, you would only be mildly surprised, but not shocked at all by how well they do it.
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They are now on tour throughout the Southwest with a few shows in the eastern U.S. See them on the road if you’re traveling somewhere along their route. Learn more about this remarkable band at www.boulderacousticsociety.net
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(you can find this review, by itself, at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2009/11/review-boulder-acoustic-society-getting.html)
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NEWS QUICKIES:
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1) BE PART OF PASADENA’S LARGEST FOOD DRIVE this weekend at the “Fork in the Road,” where Pasadena Av divides from St. John and creates a triangle N of Bellfontaine (all just N of California Av, near Huntington Hospital).
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On Sat & Sun, Nov 21 & 22, you can do a drive-by drop-off of food for Union Station Homeless Services, from 8 am to 4 pm, and “Put the Fork in Hunger,” as the event’s name says.
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So, why did you read this in the Music Guide? Well, because the “Fork in the Road” – an 18 foot high fork sculpture, was recently dedicated as a guerilla art placement in honor of the 75th birthday of Coffee Gallery Backstage impresario Bob Stane. In addition to being honored with the fork, Bob just received the Folk Alliance FAR West Ambassador Award for all he does to support folk-Americana and acoustic artists. As he is wont to do, Bob is giving back to the community, once more, with Ken Marshall, the fork’s creator. And this time, everyone can help! More info? Call Philip Coombes at 626-644-3227 or email phil@agentphil.com
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2) KULAK’S WOODSHED CELEBRATES A DECADE and they launched a new website just in time to celebrate the unique venue’s 10th anniversary. You can find plenty there, at www.kulakswoodshed.com, including these highly relevant quotes: “I tend to harp on the fact that Music was NOT created as a vehicle to use in order to gain access to the Show Biz Aristocracy. Music was here a long time before BUSINESS came along, and it’s a-gonna be here long after it’s gone.” – Paul Kulak. He continues, “We celebrate the ESSENCE of what MUSIC is really all about, and the people who simply gotta do it, just – BECAUSE!!! I’m talkin’ about singer-songwriters and music lovers who wanna be around each other… folks who might strive for success in the music business, but also LOVE THE ART FORM, and appreciate its incredible HISTORY. Who knew it would become the wonderful community it is today? Just an idea that turned out cooler than anyone ever imagined.”
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3) YOUR VOTE selects winners in the 2009 “INDEPENDENT SINGER SONGWRITERS ASSOCIATION (ISSA) SONG CONTEST.” See the list of nominees and hear song samples at http://issa-music.org/song_contest2009_nominees.htm. Winners in this year’s contest are determined by online fan vote, which runs Wed, Nov 18 through Tue, Nov 25.
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Nominees include DALE LaDUKE, a past “Tied to the Tracks” guest whose original song, “The Lone Ranger,” became a “Listener Favorite” on the radio show. That’s the song that’s now vying in the ISSA Folk Category.
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In the Adult Contemporary Category is a song by SUSAN PICKING, whose music has been heard on “TttT.”
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You can vote for your favorite nominees at
www.issa-music.org/voter_reg_songcontest.php
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In parallel, the judging panel will review all nominee submissions to select the winner of the $2,000 grand prize and title of “ISSA Singer-Songwriter of the Year.” Winners from the Fan Vote and the Judging Panel will be announced Mon, Nov 30.
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Entire contents copyright (c) © 2009, Larry Wines. All rights reserved.
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