In a trance with Otis Taylor

Saw Otis Taylor and band at Blues Alley last night. A mostly good set (a few songs dragged into jam-band territory but not most of 'em).  Wish his vocals had been louder in the mix, but they still conveyed drama, along with the great band--fiddle, sacred steel, guitar, bass & drums.  Here's my City Paper preview:

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2012/02/22/in-a-trance-with-otis-taylor-guitarist-at-blues-alley-tonight/

RIP Guitarist Phil Mathieu

Whitney Houston was not the only young musician/performer whose funeral took place today. Here's my City Paper blogpost for guitarist Phil Mathieu.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2012/02/17/versatile-local-guitarist-phil-mathieu-dies/

My Iranian/Persian singer Homayoun Shajarian and band preview from City Paper

I admit it. I had never heard of Iranian/Persian singer Homayoun Shajarian until I saw his name on Lisner's February concert calendar.  Now I'm a fan.  You should also know that he once had a concert cancelled in Iran because the powers that be did not like that he had two women in his band.  He and his masterful percussionists and string players will be at Lisner Sunday February 19 as part of a six city US tour that starts Friday night February 17th at Town Hall in New York City.  They also will be doing gigs in Los Angeles, Chicago, Berkeley, and Houston.    Below is my Washington City Paper preview that is in newsprint and online.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/42236/homayoun-shajarian-and-hesar-ensemble-at-lisner-auditorium-sunday-feb/

Talking with Red Baraat's Sunny Jain

Here's my City Paper blogpost/interview with Red Baraat's Sunny Jain.  His Brooklyn group mixes bhangra, New Orleans brass, go-go, jazz and funk.  While some songs were repititious Friday night at U. St. Music Hall,  their set was mostly fun and danceable

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2012/02/03/red-baraats-sunny-jain-on-marrying-bhangra-brass-and-go-go/

My Chat with Chucho

I spoke with Cuban pianist Chucho Valdes via a translator.  Here is my Washington City Paper blogpost on Valdes, who will be at George Mason's Center for the Arts Friday night.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2012/02/02/chucho-valdes-afro-cuban-twist-on-the-standards/

It's a busy and exciting music month.  Here are some highlights from the beginning of the month (via my Yahoo group monthly email).  Deciding to be a contrarian, I put the indie-rock stuff on the bottom, since everyone else prioritizes those gigs.  To subscribe-send an e-mail to dcbworld-subscribe@yahoogroups.com


Wed. Feb.  1

Noche de Despecho/ Night of Heartbreak Maracuyeah Style! With DJs Mafe, Rat, and Provoke:  “Come sing and dance to your favorite heartbreak songs-- ranchera, pop, nu disco, cumbia, salsa, merengue, rock en español, moombachero and much more at Café St. Ex, 1847 U St. NW
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Thurs. Feb.   2

Corey Harris "Rasta Blues Experience" at Blues Alley (through 2-4)
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Fri. Feb.   3

Nimbaya (Women master drummers of Guinea) at 10:15 am & 12 pm at The Publick Playhouse for the Performing Arts,  5445 Landover Rd., Cheverly, MD 20784
301-277-1710

Red Baraat at U. St. Music Hall  (Brooklyn dhol percussion 'n' brass bhangra/funk/gogo)

Chucho Valdés & The Afro-Cuban Messengers at George Mason Center for the Arts, Fairfax (Cuban Latin-jazz pianist and band)

Kathleen Edwards at 930 Club(polished folk)

Shanghai Chinese Orchestra at Clarice Smith Ctr.

Carnival at Ultrabar, 911 F. St NW with live Samba Dancers, free Beads and Masks, Latin, house, and top 40 djs
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Sat. Feb.   4th
Nimbaya (Women master drummers of Guinea) at 10:15 am & 12 pm and 8 pm at The Publick Playhouse for the Performing Arts,  5445 Landover Rd., Cheverly, MD 20784
301-277-1710


Chinese New Year Fest at 10 am at Luther Jackson Middle School, 3020 Gallows Rd
Falls Church, VA


Persian Classical Music: Hossein Alizadeh, tar and setar; Pejman Hadadi, percussion at the Freer Gallery, 1050 Independence Ave SW, WDC

Salsa's African Connection-discussion and then dance- at Artisphere  -- 6pm Afro-Latino: An Exploration of Race, Culture and Identity-Moderated by Eduardo Diaz, Executive Director, Smithsonian Latino Center;  8pm Africa: The Roots of Salsa Multi-media presentation by Eileen Torres The presentation focuses on the Cuban influentials who trace their heritage to Africa; 9:30pm Salsa Dance Party with DJ Sabroso Killer Joe

Dom Flemons (from Carolina Choclate Drops) at the Carroll Arts Center, 91 West Main St., Westminster, MD

Grupo Exito at Club Baltimore 8014 Pulaski Highway, Baltimore (Merengue and Bachata)
 
Folklore Society Minifest at Takoma Park Middle School

Bob Marley birthday party reggae shakedown  at Creative Alliance at The Patterson, 3134 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore MD

Let the Monkey Go(P-Funk Allstar musicians) at the Ottobar in Baltimore
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Sun. Feb. 5th                            

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony at 9:30 Club (rap and r’n’b)

Dierks Bentley and Jenny Leigh Freeman –at Recher Theatre,Towson, MD at 3:30 PM  - free (country)

Skream & Benga at U. St. Music Hall
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Mon. Feb.  6th


Theophilus London at the 930 Club

Yardbirds at Birchmere
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Tues. Feb.   7

George Clinton & P-Funk at the 930 Club
History of hip-hop at 10:10 am & 12 pm at The Publick Playhouse for the Performing Arts, 5445 Landover Rd., Cheverly, MD 301-277-1710

A$ap Rocky at Baltimore SoundStage (rap)
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Wed. Feb.  8

Meklit Hadero at Artisphere(San Francisco-based Ethiopian singer into jazz, folk, Ethiopian).

DC Music Salon presents  the documentary "Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune" for free from  7-9pm  with special guest Ochs expert Jeff Place -- archivist for the Smithsonian Folklife Collections at the Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Library, 1630 7th St. NW,

Kizomba night (dj—Angolan dance music) at Parva Lounge in Bethesda (tentative)
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Thurs. Feb.  9

Rebirth Brass Band (New Orleans hiphop inflected horn and snare group) with Funk Ark at 930 Club.

Alice Bag, Troll Tax, Big Mouth…Alice Bag, from the LA band the Bags reads from her new book Violence Girl that is her memoir --born Alicia Armendariz, this East LA singer reads about her role in the late 1970s punk scene at  Joint Custody, 2337 18th St NW (below Pharmacy bar) 7pm
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Fri. Feb. 10

Japanese percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani presents the Nakatani Gong Orchestra for free from 6 to 7 at the Kennedy Center Mill. Stage

Alexis & Fido at El Boqueron II, 1330 E Gude Dr. Rockville, (reggaeton)

Luis Miguel de Amargue at  Cococabana,  2031A University blvd., Hyattsville,

Anthony B. & band and Machet at Club 12, 1123 H. St NE (roots reggae dancehall)

Big Freedia( Queen diva of New Orleans bounce danceclub music), Schwarz, and Lemz  at Golden West Cafe (Baltimore)

Jerry "the Iceman" Butler at Blues Alley (Two shows)

Roomful of Blues at the Hamilton

Rene Marie (jazz singer) at THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave., S.E. Washington, DC 20020
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Sat. Feb. 11

The Persian Stars at the Warner Theatre

Johnny Rawls at Chef Mac's and All That Blues, 4709 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD  (great southern soul and blues singer)

AK-7 (Mexican banda) at El Boqueron II, 1336 E Gude Dr
Rockville, MD 20850

Author Nadine Cohodas, Princess Noire at Politics & Prose, NW DC.  paperback release of her great Nina Simone bio

Official Bollywood Pre-Valentines Day Party w/ dj at Japone, 2032 P St NW
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Sun. Feb. 12

D.C. Record Fair at Riot Act Comedy, 801 E. St. NW (buy vinyl while listening to djs spin vinyl--DJ Schedule: 11:00 – 12:00 DJ Pari - Soulpower RVA;  12:00 – 1:00 Sean Marquand - Phenomenal Handclap Band; 1:00 – 2:00 Patrick Kigongo - Ra Ra Rasputin;
2:00 – 3:00 Cerphe Colwel - Cerphe’s Progressive Show; 3:00 – 4:00 Will Eastman - Volta Bureau ; 4:00 – 5:00 DJ Roz - Champion Sounds

Die Antwoord - 9:30 Club (south African rap/dance)

Nathan & the Zydeco Cha-chas at Spanish Ballroom, Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD . Dance Lesson 3:00pm   Music: 3:30 - 6:00pm

Allen Stone at 8 by 10 in Baltimore (blue-eyed soul/ jam band fave)

Other cool stuff (mostly indie rock):  2-1-Smith& Westerns @black cat; 2-6-Thurston Moore; Kurt Vile @ Black Cat (sold out);2-7 Monument, Victor Villareal @ Velvet Lounge; 2-8-Veronica Falls @ Black Cat; 2-10- the Queers, the Ataris, Far From Finished, Kill Lincoln, and Guilty @ St. Stephen Episcopal Church;  2-10- Screen Vinyl Image, Insect Factory, and Foul Swoops - CD Cellar, 2607 Wilson Blvd, Arlington; 2-12-Dumdum girls @black cat;