There are a number of shows coming up this month that are worth marking on your calendar.  Here's a preview of four of them:

November 7 – First Saturday at Brooklyn Museum:  Taking the lead from
the just opened Who Shot Rock and Roll exhibit, Grass Widow, The Beets
and Crystal Silts will play from 5-8:15pm.  If that doesn't suit you,
catch Prince in Purple Rain at 7pm.

November 12 – Zevon-A-Thon at Banjo Jims: Warren Zevon may have only
lived to 56, but he left behind music that was savage, tender, funny,
noir and romantic. A collection of singers, songwriters and musicians
will perform both Warren's well known and more rarely heard material
from 8pm until late.

November 24 – Acoustically Related at Southpaw: Catch three artists
performing acoustically in Southpaw's monthly series. This time out,
you'll get to see Jim Boggia who is not only a great songwriter but who
also knows almost every song written in the last 50 years and is really
funny on stage, OTBKB Music fave Leslie Mendelson, another great live
performer with her piano based adult pop and rock and Benyaro who are
new to me.  The show starts at 8:30pm.

November 27 – Chuck Prophet at 92Y Tribeca:  Based in San Francisco,
Chuck and The Mission Express don't get to these parts all that often,
so take this opportunity to see this tight soul tinged rock band who
know how to get you moving.  This is the the Friday of the Thanksgiving
Day weekend, so you may not be in town, but if you are this is the
place to be.  8pm.

 –Eliot Wagner

There's a great twofer, or maybe it's a threefer, tonight over at The Rockwood Music Hall.  Up at 10pm for a two hour set will be James
Maddock.  James is playing with a full band in support of his new
album, Sunrise on Avenue C,   which has been getting some airplay over
at WFUV, WXPN and Sirius XM.  And Leslie Mendelson (who released her
own album, Swan Feathers, earlier this year) will be singing along with
James.  If the past is any indication, Leslie will likely sing a song
or two on her own.  It's a great evening of upbeat, sometimes even
anthemic, rock and adult pop.

James Maddock, The Rockwood Music Hall, 196 Allen Street (F Train to
Second Avenue, take the First Avenue exit), 10pm-Midnight

Stick around after James and catch Emily Zuzik with her band.  Emily
sees this as the first show of Halloween and is promising "costumes,
candy and chaos."  You'll get to hear a great mix of Emily's original
blues, pop,
and rock with some of the most insightful lyrics around.  Ms. Z has
been on a bit of a musical sabbatical lately, so come welcome her back.

Emily Zuzik, The Rockwood Music Hall, 196 Allen Street (F Train to
Second Avenue, take the First Avenue exit), Midnight

 –Eliot Wagner

The Moonlighters.
Gorgeous vocal harmonies interwoven with guitar and ukulele, the
Moonlighters are as comfortable with classic Hawaiian melodies as they
are innovative with their original songwriting. With Bliss Blood –
vocals and ukulele ; Cindy Ball – vocals and guitar, Peter Maness –
bass; and Mark Deffenbaugh – steel guitar at 10 PM.

Earlier in the evening at Barbe:
Bethany & Rufus Roots Quartet. Drawing
from the roots music traditions of America, Niger, and Haiti; Bethany
& Rufus with Yacouba Moumouni and Bonga Jean-Baptiste come together
to create an unexpected tapestry, weaving the desert winds of Africa
with Vodou traditions of the new world and the folk music of America.
With Bethany Yarrow – vocals; Rufus Cappadocia – cello; "Bonga"
Jean-Baptiste – percussion and Yacouba "Denke Denke" – flute and
vocals.

Barbes. 376 Ninth Street near 6th Avenue in Park Slope.

The first American country band to tour China was not one of the usual
suspects; it was the Mary Lamont Band.  You might not have heard of
them, but this Suffolk County-based band has been playing around Long
Island for years and lately they have begun to play in New York City as
well.  Tonight they hit Hill Country in Chelsea for three sets of
country, Americana and rock.

Although a New Yorker for years, Mary herself originally hails from
rural Ontario, once again supporting the idea that Canadians do the
best American music (see also Neil Young and Kathleen Edwards).  Mary
has also quite a diverse background as her day jobs have included
modeling and working for the Alice Cooper management team.

Jim Marchese, the lead guitarist, has strong country and rock chops. 
He's also an accomplished photographer, and was tour photographer for
Bruce Springsteen's The River tour in Europe.

Mary Lamont, Hill Country, 30 W 26th St (F Train to 23rd
Street, walk three blocks to 26th Street, turn right and go 1/2 block),
9pm-midnight

 –Eliot Wagner

The BQE has been immortalized by the likes of Sufjan Stevens in his musical film about our favorite local highway.

Saturday, November 7 / 7:30 PM (early show)  $12 at the Bell House.

OSSO QUARTET
PLUS SUFJAN STEVENS' THE BQE

Osso and Sufjan Stevens' The BQE.  String quartet with a modernist pulse, members of the New York- and Berlin-based Osso have collaborated and performed with an array of artists and genres, including My Brightest Diamond, DM Stith, Jay-Z, Alice and Ravi Coltrane, The New Pornographers, The Polyphonic Spree, The National, Devotchka, Jens Lekman and Kanye West. Osso will be performing interpretations of Sufjan Stevens' electronica album Enjoy Your Rabbit–each song named for a year of the Chinese zodiac–recomposing computer keystrokes into rhythmic classical arrangements.

The performance is paired with a showing of Sufjan Stevens' new film, The BQE, a 40-minute symphonic and cinematic exploration of the infamous Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Commissioned by the Brooklyn Academy of Music as part of their Next Wave Festival in November 2007, the film tells a quintessentially American tale through an original film by Stevens and a live soundtrack.
http://www.asthmatickitty.com/sufjan-stevens

I meant to post a review of the new album from the San Francisco based
alt-country/Americana/folk-rock band Or, The Whale today, but for
various reasons (including last night's playoff game) I never got to
finish it.  So here's a look at one of the quieter numbers from that
album.  Lindsay Garfield, one of Or, The Whale's four vocalists takes
the lead here.

 –Eliot Wagner

I saw James Maddock twice this week.  The first time was Wednesday
night playing a great set with a full band; the second time was in the
audience last night at The Living Room watching John David Souther.  So
I'll take all that as a sign and post this video of James' funny and
truthful song about the state of television in the 21st century.

 – Eliot Wagner

If you're hanging around the nabe tomorrow, here's something that looks
interesting: Music in The Streets on Fifth Avenue.  Here are the
details courtesy of the blog All About Fifth:

Just a reminder that this Thursday, October 22 from 6:30-8:00 PM, professional musicians from the Brooklyn Queens Conservatory of Music
will be playing jazz, blues, folk and classical music on just about
every corner of Brooklyn’s fashionable Fifth Avenue from Dean to 18th
Street.

The Park Slope 5th Avenue Business Improvement
District, in partnership with the Conservatory, are pleased to present
“Music in the Streets.” Visitors will experience many different kinds
of music as they dine, drink and shop their way along the avenue.

Music in the Streets , Fifth Avenue between Dean and 18th Streets, 6:30-8pm

 –Eliot Wagner

On October 23 and 24th at 8 p.m. at Irondale Center 85 South Oxford Street in Fort Greene, Mississippi based artists
M.U.G.A.B.E.E  will
bring their unique blend of hip hop,
jazz, spoken word to the Irondale center for an exclusive, two-night engagement
.featuring exceptional jazz pianist Courtney Bryan and a host of guest
musicians in a return engagement to Brooklyn’s Irondale Center.  M.U.G.A.B.E.E is the combined talents
of the brothers Carlton and Maurice Turner- singers, songwriters, playwrights,
producers and teachers, whose explosive style of performance is sure to
move your soul.

Cost: 20 bucks gets you in and one free drink.

The mission of
M.U.G.A.B.E.E. is to encourage and actively promote, through thought provoking
human interaction visualization and in turn an actualization of a just Earth
filled with equitable rights for all of its inhabitants. Through music,
workshops, lectures, open dialogues, spoken word and poetry M.U.G.A.B.E.E has worked
in numerous communities across the South with youth groups, adult learners,
community centers, churches and schools. Their work has taken them to the metro
areas of New York, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami and to the
small towns of Putney, VT; Natchez, MS; Pine Lake, GA; and Bethlehem, PA. 

Freedy Johnston is originally from Kansas but he lived in this until recently, including Hoboken and Greenpoint.  Although he's now living in
Nashville, he's back for a while and will be playing in the East
Village Tuesday.  This video of  Freedy (and guitarist Dave Schramm)
performing Bad Reputation was taken a few months back when Freedy
played Maxwell's in Hoboken.  Don't miss this opportunity to see one of
the best and most underrated songwriters out there.

Freedy Johnston, 11th Street Bar, 510 E. 11th Street (F Train to 14th
Street, transfer to 14A bus to Avenue A and 11th Street), 10-Midnight

 –Eliot Wagner

It's the second transit snafu weekend in a row with most of the subway
lines not doing things that they usually do or doing things that they
usually don't do.  Here in the Slope, the F and G trains are being
replaced by shuttle buses from Jay Street (F) or Bergan Street (G) to
Church Avenue.  The festivities start at midnight tonight and last
though Monday morning at 5am, so be sure to check with the MTA before
you leave home.   With that out of the way, here are some suggestions
for the weekend.

Friday – Sydney Wayser: Sydney's main instrument is piano and her band
consists of electric guitar, upright bass and drums.  Her songs combine
elements of classical, show music, rock and chanson française (Sydney's
father is French and she spent some time in Paris growing up).  But the
most impressive instrument in Sydney's band is her voice.  Extremely
expressive and perhaps a touch breathy, it is the hook that ultimately
pulls you into her music.

Sydney Wayser – Mercury Lounge,  217 E Houston Street (F Train to Second Avenue, use the First Avenue exit), Friday 8pm, $10

Saturday – "Hans and Sven:"  The website for The Rockwood Music Hall
lists Hans and Sven playing, but if you Google that name you will
quickly find out, courtesy of  The Living Room's website that Hans and
Sven are really Pete and J.  If a picture is worth a thousand words I
guess a video is worth, what, maybe 10,000?  So here is one I posted
previously.  Expect high energy pop rock, and since it's The Rockwood on
the weekend, a crowd.

"Hans and Sven" – The Rockwood Music Hall, 184 Allen Street, (F Train
to Second Avenue, use the First Avenue exit), Saturday 11pm

Sunday – L'il Mo and The Monicats: Monica Passin leads this excellent
band.  Expect to hear country, rockabilly, blues, retro pop and
perhaps something else as well by the time the set is over.  And I'll
repeat what I've said before, this year's L'il Mo and the Monicats
album, On the Moon, is one of the year's best.

L'il Mo and the Monicats – Spike Hill 184/186 Bedford Avenue (L Train to Bedford Avenue) Sunday 9pm

 –Eliot Wagner

There aren't all that many warm days left.  But it was sunny and in the
low to mid 60s on Tuesday afternoon.  That's when I can upon Park Slope
resident Dan Pearce with his new Dobro (a wooden guitar with a metal
resonator in the front over which the strings pass).  Dan jokingly
called this stint on First Street his "Connecticut Muffin gig."

************

Going to The Poetry Punch on Thursday?  There's still some great music
to be had afterward as The Winterpills will be back in New York at The
Rockwood Music Hall, 196 Allen Street (F Train to Second Avenue, use
the First Avenue exit), 11pm.

 –Eliot Wagner

Back in 1973, Johnny Cash gave his daughter Rosanne a list of 100 great
American songs, songs that he thought she should know.  Rosanne picked
12 songs from that list to record on her new album of covers, named,
naturally enough, The List.  I think that this is a great version of
the Hank Snow song.

 –Eliot Wagner

It's
been almost a year since Louis Rosen and Capathia Jenkins performed in 
New
York City but they  haven't been idle. They recorded a new album called ACHE
of
POSSIBILITY (Di-Tone), and they have number of performances lined
up here in town for this November.

First,
the new album:

Here's what Louis Rosen had to say in an email:

ACHE
of
POSSIBILITY features twelve new
songs—eight that
I wrote music and lyrics for, and four with words by
our favorite collaborator, the renowned poet Nikki Giovanni. These are songs of
love and politics and choices. All were written between June 2008 and January
2009, and Capathia and I hope the album captures something of the mood and
spirit of this moment—the ACHE
of
POSSIBILITY.

Available for
Pre-Release purchase and downloads at http://cdbaby.com/cd/jenkinsrosen2,

www.amazon.com,
or www.capathiajenkins.com/CJLRosen.html.

Digital
Distribution
at itunes.com, rhapsody.com, amazonmp3.com and all other major online sites
begins
November
1st.

All other major
music outlets including
barnesandnoble.com
and borders.com, November  10th, the official release date.)

Now, the
concerts:

We're launching
the ACHE
of
POSSIBILITY by bringing our
largest band yet—an octet featuring some of the best musicians in
New
York—into JOE'S  PUB at THE
PUBLIC THEATER
for
four concerts:

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER
8, 7
pm

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER
14, 7
pm

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER
21, 7
pm

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER
22, 7
pm

As I said previously, tonight there are three very good
shows all in different parts of town and all at about the same time,
which means you only get to choose one.  But when you have three good
choices, whatever choice you make will be a good one.

Or, The Whale:  I first saw this
seven member San Francisco based group
in Austin about six months ago.  They have a wonderful new album out
with the easy to remember title of Or, The Whale.  Call their sound
high energy alt country and rock with great harmonies.

Or, The Whale,
Pianos, 158
Ludlow Street (F Train to Second Avenue,
take the First Avenue exit, walk three blocks to Ludlow and Stanton),
10 pm, $10

Sister
Sparrow and The Dirty Birds: A large band (nine pieces) with a
horn section and they've been packing them into The Rockwood Music Hall
all summer.  SS&TDB play blues, soul and whatever else comes their
way with energy.

Sister
Sparrow and The Dirty Birds, The Canal Room, 285 West Broadway
at Canal Street (A or C Train to Canal Street), 9pm, $10

Winterpills: This
Northampton-based band plays ambient rock often
called chamber pop, probably the reason their last album was called
Central Chambers.  But the Winterpills rock out as well, especially on
their song Broken Arm.  But since this show is being held at The
Calhoun School, expect to hear the PG rated version of that song.

Winterpills,
Mary
Lea Johnson Performing Arts Center, 433
West End Avenue at 81st Street (1 Train to 79th Street), 8pm, $10

 –Eliot Wagner

It's time to start thinking about Friday.  There are three very good
shows all in different parts of town and all at about the same time,
which means you only get to choose one.  But when you have three good
choices, whatever choice you make will be a good one.

Or, The Whale:  I first saw this seven member San Francisco based group
in Austin about six months ago.  They have a wonderful new album out
with the easy to remember title of Or, The Whale.  Call their sound
high energy alt country and rock with great harmonies.

Or, The Whale, Pianos, 158 Ludlow Street (F Train to Second Avenue,
take the First Avenue exit, walk three blocks to Ludlow and Stanton),
10 pm, $10

Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds: A large band (nine pieces) with a
horn section and they've been packing them into The Rockwood Music Hall
all summer.  SS&TDB play blues, soul and whatever else comes their
way with energy.

Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds, The Canal Room, 285 West Broadway
at Canal Street (A or C Train to Canal Street), 9pm, $10

Winterpills: This Northampton-based band plays ambient rock often
called chamber pop, probably the reason their last album was called
Central Chambers.  But the Winterpills rock out as well, especially on
their song Broken Arm.  But since this show is being held at The
Calhoun School, expect to hear the PG rated version of that song.

Winterpills, Mary Lea Johnson Performing Arts Center, 433
West End Avenue at 81st Street (1 Train to 79th Street), 8pm, $10

 –Eliot Wagner

The
music selected for this concert is unusual because the performers get
to choose the number and type of instruments, instead of the composer.
ACME's selection features a terrific group of players — violinist Ben
Russell, violist Nadia Sirota, cellists Brian Snow
and Clarice Jensen, percussionists Chris Thompson and John
Ostrowski, and pianist Eric Huebner.

The concert includes Andrew Hamilton's Product No. 1
(premiered in New York as part of the 2009 MATA Festival, it calls for
players to sing a Rastafari hymn while playing – selections online
here: www.myspace.com/andyfrankhamilton), Frederic
Rzewski's Les Moutons de Panurge of 1969 (written for any
number of musicians playing melody instruments, and any number of
non-musicians playing anything) and Louis Andriessen's Workers
Union from 1972 (written for an unspecified number and type of
instruments, with the instruction from the composer, "only in the
case that every player plays with such an intention that his part is an
essential one, the work will succeed").

ACME will intersperse selections from J.S. Bach's timeless The
Art of the Fugue throughout the concert . . . an innovation from
way back in the 1740s that still astounds.

Tickets are $15 at 718-222-8500 or www.galapagosartspace.com/events.html#100809. 

George Pelecanos is a writer, who among other things (including writing
the HBO series The Wire), has written a series of mystery novels set in
the Washington DC area.  In those books, people are frequently
discussing music.  One of those music discussions revolved
around the 1984 album Medicine Show by The Dream Syndicate.

Steve Wynn is a musician who from 1982-1989 was the leader of The Dream
Syndicate (since 2000, he has led Steve Wynn and The Miracle 3 and is
also a member of The Baseball Project).  Steve started hearing from his
friends that Medicine Show played a role in one of George's books.  So
Steve got in touch with George, and they hit it off.

They first collaborated on a song, Cindy, It Was Always You, which
appeared on the album …tick…tick…tick in early 2006.  Later that year, when George's book, The Night
Gardner, was published, George, Steve and The Miracle 3 all came out to
Magnetic Field, a bar/club no longer in existence on Atlantic Avenue
near Long Island College Hospital.  This video is from that
reading/performance.

Although I am not usually a reader of novels, what I heard of "The Night
Gardner" piqued my interest.  But I did not get around to getting hold
of it and as time passed I forgot about it. 

Until last week, that is.  As I was walking down my block I passed one
of the many branches of the Park Slope Stoop Library, which had on
display "The Night Gardner."  I took the book home and finished it in a
few days.  It was quite good, as I thought it would be from the
reading/performance.

 –Eliot Wagner

The 35th annual Atlantic Antic is coming this Sunday.  As usual, in
addition to the crafts, foods and local wares there will be music. 
I've put together the locations, times and bands for you.  Although
most of this information is from the offical Atlantic Antic website,
where I've been able to learn a more exact time for a band, I've noted
that as well.

Chip Shop, 128 Atlantic Avenue (between Henry Street and Clinton
Street)
On and off all day starting at 12:00pm  The Windsor Terrors

Last Exit, 136 Atlantic Avenue (between Henry Street and Clinton
Street)
12:00pm – 1:00pm  DJ Momotaro
1:00pm –
2:00pm    Bill Carney's Jug Addicts
2:00pm – 3:30pm    DJ
Morotaro and his dancing girls
3:30pm – 6:00pm    Les Sans
Culottes (probably will play sets at 3:30 and 5pm)
6:00pm – ?             DJ Mr. Lee

Waterfront Ale House, 155 Atlantic Avenue (between Henry Street and
Clinton Street)
From 1:00pm – 6:00pm
Popa
Chubby (probably will appear at 2pm)
Big Ed Sullivan
Dimitri
Black Coffee Blues Band

Brazen Head,  228 Atlantic Avenue (between Court Street and Boerum
Place)
1:30pm – 4:30pm    The Dysfunctional Family Jazz Band

Downtown Atlantic, 364 Atlantic Avenue (between Bond Street and Hoyt
Street)
2:00pm – 4:00pm    Joe Vicino & The Smoke Daddys
4:30pm – 6:00pm    Carl Thompson & Friends

Hank's, 46 3rd Avenue (between Nevins Street and 3rd Avenue)
On
and off all day starting at 1:00pm
The Demolition String Band (will play a set at 2pm)
Tash Brothers Band

I can hardily heartily recommend The Demolition String Band (and actually have done so before here).  Although the name
sounds old timey, the DSB can not only play country, they can rock out
as well.  If you are in the vicinity of Hank's, you'll do yourself a
favor if you catch them.

 –Eliot Wagner

There's an interesting series of shows show this fall and winter over
in Brooklyn Heights. The First Unitarian Church, located at the corner
of Pierrepont Street and Monroe Place (across from the courthouse and
up the block from St. Anne's school) is hosting a series of shows
titled First Acoustics.  The series includes both folk, folk-rock and
jazz performers.  The next show features Kate Taylor and  is this
coming Friday October 3rd.  Other performers of note appearing in the
future include Patty Larkin, Christine Lavin, The Kennedys, Tom Rush
and Livingston Taylor.  Check the schedule for the full line up.

First Acoustics, The First Unitarian Church, Pierrepont Street and
Monroe Place (2, 3 or 4 Trains to Borough Hall; R Train to Court
Street), $30 ($5 surcharge for tickets bought at the door).

 –Eliot Wagner

On Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009 at 12 Noon & 3:30 p.m:

Angels
& Accordions, a site-specific, live music and dance
performance will, held in conjunction with openhousenewyork, guides
audience members through historic Green-Wood Cemetery’s rolling hills,
highlighting its unparalleled collection of sculpture and monuments.

This unique event, choreographed by Martha Bowers of Dance Theatre
Etcetera, features a cast of 30 dancers, original music by Guy
Klucevsek and Bob Goldberg (played live by a band of accordionists),
singing, and a visual installation inside the Catacombs designed by
photographer Alexander Heilner. Several tombs will be open to the
public.

More info here.

Bloodshot Records in Chicago is an indie label with an always
interesting roster.  Saturday Bloodshot celebrates its 15th Anniversary
at The Bell House with the following line up: Bobby Bare Jr, Exene
Cervenka, Dex Romweber Duo, Cordero, Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, The
Silos, Ben Weaver and Rosie Flores.  The admission is just $5.  There's
free food provided by Redhook's The Good Fork to the first 150 people
admitted.  The party gets started at 4pm and the music begins at 5.

Bloodshot Records Quinceanera, The Bell House, 7th Street near 2nd Avenue. 4pm (doors/food), 5pm (music)

 –Eliot Wagner

On Saturday there will be an outdoor concert on the steps of the Brooklyn Public Library featuring Harry and the Potters. Here's the blurb from the BPL:

Saturday, September 26, 3:30PM
Central Library<http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/branch_library_detail.jsp?branchpageid=265>

Tonight presents you with a tough choice to make: the National Parks vs. Baseball.

The National Parks: See highlights from Ken Burns's upcoming PBS series
The National Parks: America's Best Idea and performances by Counting
Crows, Augustana, Eric Benet, Gavin DeGraw, Jose Feliciano, Carole
King, Alison Krauss and Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, and
Peter Yarrow. This event is being held in Central Park's East Meadow
and is free.

Baseball:  The Baseball Project, The Minus 5 and The Steve Wynn IV play
tonight at The Bowery Ballroom.  Although this looks like three
different bands, all three bands have the same members on this tour:
Steve Wynn, Linda Pitmon, Scott McCaughey and Peter Buck.  In fact
there will not be three separate acts, but one show in which this band
plays songs from each of the bands plus a lot of covers thrown in.

As for the baseball songs, expect ones about Harvey Haddix (who 50
years ago pitched 12 perfect innings only to give up a hit and lose the
game in the 13th), Curt Flood, Jack McDowell, Big Ed Delahanty and Pete
Rose.

National Parks: Central Park's East Meadow, 97th to 100th Sts. near
Fifth Avenue (6 Train to 96th Street, walk 3 blocks west to park) 7pm,
free

The Baseball Project/The Minus 5/The Steve Wynn IV, Bowery Ballroom, 6
Delancey Street (F Train to Delancey Street, walk west about 6 1/2
blocks just past Chrystie Street) 8pm doors, $17.

  –Eliot Wagner

I finally got to see Pete and J last night after meaning to get around
to them for a while.  They have a great pop-rock sound as you can see
in this clip.

 –Eliot Wagner

I got an email from Park Slope's own Milton, the leader of the great
Americana/roots band that bears his name, about a very worthwhile
benefit that's happening this Sunday:

"Sunday's show at the Living Room is very close to my heart.  Our
friend Adam Levy has invited us to play a 40 minute set at 8:30pm. 
He'll be getting up to do a number with us too in addition to his own
set.  Adam's wife Mia died of Ocular Melanoma just a few months ago. 
The show will be a fundraiser for the Ocular Melanoma Foundation and a
tribute to Mia.  Mia was a good friend of many of the other performers
in the show.  As a close personal friend of Mia myself and the son of
an ocular cancer survivor, this cause is very important to me.  Come on
down to the Living Room if you're free.  The whole band will be there."

Even if you're not familiar with Adam, chances are that you've heard
him.  He was the guitar player in Norah Jones' Handsome Band, Norah's
band until it was dissolved this year.  Also on the bill in addition to
Milton and Adam are Pete and J, Bill Sim, Jr. and Nels Andrews.  The
donation for this fine show is $10.

The Mia Abides: Fundraiser for Ocular Melanoma, The Living Room, 154
Ludlow Street (F Train to Second Avenue, use the First Avenue Exit and
walk one block south and two blocks east), 7pm, $10.

 –Eliot Wagner

Heard here and there: both Amy Speace (who lives in Jersey City) and
Kelly Jones (currently an East Village resident) are leaving the area and
moving to
Nashville.  I hope this is not the start of a musicians fleeing the
area trend.

On the other hand, Norah Jones, who recently returned to
Brooklyn, is now having work done to make her new home greener. Norah
also has a new publicity shot, which I'm betting was shot in Brooklyn. 
That's it on the left; what do you think?

Or, The Whale was a band I really enjoyed when I saw them at South By
Southwest earlier this year.  They're a large (seven piece) band based
in San Francisco and I didn't expect them to travel to these parts. 
But they will be playing here in a a few weeks supporting their new
album which is eponymously titled Or, The Whale.  First at Pianos on
the Lower East Side on October 9th and then on October 10th at Shea
Stadium over in Bushwick.

Finally, there are some albums which have the chance of being at least
interesting or perhaps very good coming out over the next two months or
so.  They include the previously mentioned Or, The Whale; Burn by Sasha
Dobson (an EP);  iLet Freedom Ring (that's not a typo) by Chuck Prophet and The Mission
Express; and The Fall, the guitar based collection from Norah Jones.

 –Eliot Wagner

The New York Times reported on Sunday that Jim Carroll, a  writer, poet
and singer died.  He was 60 according to The Times and 59 according to Wikipedia.  On the writing end of things, Jim is
probably best remembered for the memoir of his teenage years, The
Basketball Diaries, which was turned into a movie of the same name in
the mid-90s.  One interesting fact about Jim: for a while in the early 70s, he was a roommate of Patti Smith and Robert Maplethorp.

On the music side, Jim will be remembered for the song
People Who Died.  Here is a live performance by the Jim Carroll Band of that gritty, harrowing
song.

–Eliot Wagner

If you like country/bluegrass/rockabilly this is a weekend for you to
stick close to home.  Tonight James Reams & The Barnstormers, a
Brooklyn-based bluegrass band, kicks off the 12th Annual Park
Slope Bluegrass & Old-Time Jamboree over at the Brooklyn Society
for Ethical Culture.  The Jamboree continues tomorrow with workshops,
jamming, clogging and concerts, with food available during the
afternoon from Dizzy's.

Then on Sunday, OTBKB Music fave Li'l Mo and The Monicats will be
opening up a triple bill of country at Williamsburg's Union Pool.  Also
on the show will be Brooklyn's The Dixons and Ruby Dee and The
Snakehandlers from Austin.

12th Annual Park Slope Bluegrass & Old-Time Jamboree, September
11-12, The Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture, 53 Prospect Park West
at 2nd Street; Friday 8pm, adults $10, kids $6; Saturday 12:30 – 10:30
pm, $4

Li'l Mo and The Monicats, The Dixons and Ruby Dee and The
Snakehandlers, Union Pool, 484 Union Avenue (G Train to Metropolitan
Avenue; exit at Union Avenue and walk on Union Avenue toward the BQE),
9pm, $10

 –Eliot Wagner

Tonight I'll be checking out two artists I've never seen but who come
to me recommended by friends whose opinions are always worth
considering.  Since both artists are playing one after the other at The
Rockwood Music Hall tonight, it's an easy path to discovery.

Art from Connecticut emailed me the other day saying that he was going
to be in NYC today to catch David Mead at The Rockwood.  Art described
David as being a kind of pop balladeer with overtones of Harry
Nielson.  He added that Bill DeMain was going to be playing with David.

If Art's recommendation wasn't enough, the Bill DeMain connection
certainly put this show on my radar.  Bill is one half of the duo Swan
Dive.  Even more, he co-wrote Keep It to Yourself, with Amy Rigby, a
song that manages to combine wheedling, attempted murder, a plausible
alibi and the bossa nova into one hilarious package.  So between Art
and Bill, I have two reasons to catch David's 8pm show tonight.

Last July Pierre of  The Gigometer mentioned Charlie Faye to me. 
Charlie is an Austin-based musician who appears in NYC from time to
time usually backed up by the same musicians who used to back up Amy
Speace.  I tried to see Charlie when she was last here in July, but the
outdoor show she was to appear at was canceled because of the summer's
ever present rain.

A listen to some of the tracks on Charlie's Myspace confirms her
reputation for playing rock, blues and Americana.  I'm looking forward
to finally seeing Charlie in the 9pm slot tonight.

David Mead (8pm), Charlie Faye (9pm), The Rockwood Music Hall, 196 Allen Street,
(F Train to Second
Avenue, use the First Avenue exit, cross Allen Street and walk a half
block south), no cover.

 –Eliot Wagner