Passafire

Calling Savannah, GA home, Passafire was formed in 2003 by students attending Savannah College of Art and Design.

After performing on a stage outside Atlanta’s Hi Fi Buys Amphitheater in 2006 where hybrid rock band Pepper were opening for 311, a member of Passafire slipped Pepper a copy of the band’s self-titled debut. Pepper had just founded the independent LAW Records with plans to selectively recruit and nurture bands they discovered while on tour, and they were immediately impressed by Passafire’s professionalism, stage presence, and memorable tunes.

The reggae-influenced quartet — comprised of guitarist/vocalist Ted Bowne, bassist Will Kubley, keyboardist Adam Willis, and drummer Nick Kubley — released the 12-track Everyone on Everynight through LAW in September of 2009. The follow-up to their sophomore album Submersible, which was recognized by iTunes as one of the “Top 10 Best Reggae Albums of 2007,” Everyone debuted at #1 on the iTunes reggae chart, and ranked #6 on Billboard’s.

Noted for their melodic, hook-laden songs, Passafire have since developed their sizeable fan base by logging thousands of miles across the U.S. (particularly in the southeast), and the band live on the road, playing live throughout the year. Bowne doesn’t mind the grueling schedule, and says that touring is the best way to keep the Passafire buzz going. “What keeps it fun and exciting is the people we meet and places we get to see,” he adds.

This month sees them bring their brand of rollicking dub and dancehall to the beachside when they perform at Sports Page Live on Saturday, July 10.

Sports Page Live is located at 220 Hwy. A1A in Satellite Beach. Presale tickets are $7; $10 and $12 18+ on day of show. To purchase tickets, call DeutermanProductions.com at (321) 508-5141, or log onto www.ticketmaster.com. Check out the band’s website at: www.passafiretheband.com.

The Hep Cat Boo Daddies

Hep Cat Boo Daddy 1: a musician that employs the combined styles of rock, blues, rockabilly, psychobilly, surf and funk to create music comprised of fast, aggressive guitar, driving bass lines and hard hitting back beats; esp: Joel DaSilva (guitar and vocals), Sean “Evil” Gerovitz (bass) and Randy Blitz (drums) 2: a small dried banana husk commonly used in Antigua and the West Indies to treat the disagreeable effects that follow heavy consumption of alcohol.

With frontman Joel DaSilva’s mix of both Chicago and Texas-style blues guitar, as well as his wide variety of influences combined with Evil’s driving bass lines and Randy Blitz’s hard-hitting backbeats (and old-school New York punk rock attitude), this has quickly gained a reputation as one of the best on the circuit.

Following on the heels of debut CD Long Time Comin’ and their DVD “Invasion of the Hep Cat Boo Daddies,” they’ve just released their sophomore effort entitled hotrodsexgod, which captures the raw and powerful live vibe of HCBD. It features a stirring blend of rock, funk, surf, swing, rockabilly, and blues, inspired by heroes in the business and unrecognized friends. “We put it in a big ol’ pot and stir it up, and that’s us,” says DaSilva.

In their impressive 11-year career, the trio (known as simply “The Boo Dads” to affectionate fans) have shared the stage and played with the likes of Stax legend William Bell; B.B. King; Jimmie Vaughan; North Mississippi All-Stars; ZZ Top; the Strokes; the White Stripes; Lee Rocker from the Stray Cats; the Black Keys; Rev. Horton Heat; Johnny Winter; Edgar Winter; Buddy Guy; the Fabulous Thunderbirds; Steve Winwood; the Black Crowes; Leon Russell; Galactic; the Smithereens; Steven Tyler; Johnny Lang, and many more.

The Hep Cat Boo Daddies play the Beach Shack (1 Minutemen Cswy.; Cocoa Beach; 783-2250) on July 24 at 8 p.m. To find out more about the band and to hear song samples, visit: www.boodaddies.com.

Gov’t Mule
• By Kimberly Stone •
www.beachinmommies.com

Gov’t Mule is a multimillion selling Southern rock band with five Grammy nominations currently touring as far away as Tel Aviv and coming as close by as Cocoa. Founding member Warren Haynes, who is currently in three other bands (Phil Lesh & Friends, The Allman Brothers Band, and The Dead), is regarded as the 23rd Greatest Guitarist by Rolling Stone magazine. Along with co-founder and award-winning drummer Matt Abts, bassist Jorgen Carlsson, and keyboardist Danny Louis, Gov’t Mule have released an amazing 14 albums (many of them live recordings), not counting every concert recording that’s made available online after each performance. It’s no wonder their “By A Thread World Tour” is seen as one of the most anticipated concert tours of 2010.

The blues and funk-based group was formed in 1994 by Allman Brother Band bassist Allen Woody and singer/songwriter Haynes. By adding drummer Abts, they perfected a tight trio sound that has sold out venues worldwide and has amassed a rapidly growing fan base in search of musical clarity. However, only months after releasing their third studio album, Life Before Insanity, tragedy struck when Woody was found dead at the age of 44. Woody left behind a wife, Jenny, and a daughter, Savannah, both of whom helped create The Savannah Woody Educational Fund. It took months for Abts and Haynes to formally regroup, but after a six-month period of working together, the Swedish-born Carlsson was chosen as bassist in 2003. But the band is also noted for an unofficial revolving-door policy, which has seen them enlist the help of Phish’s Page McConnell, Victor Wooten of the Flecktones, a few Black Crowes and Widespread Panic members, Les Claypool, and George Porter of the Meters.

L.A.-based AEG Live is presenting an August 1 benefit concert for EARTH (Entertainers Against Ruining Their Home) Awareness Organization of Brevard with Gov’t Mule as headliner supported by Jackie Greene and the Bone Dogs in Cocoa Village’s Riverfront Park Amphitheater. EARTH Awareness is a local nonprofit that raises funds for art, music, and drama programs in Central Florida schools. There will be food, beverages, and arts and crafts vendors for this family-friendly event, which begins at 4 p.m. Buying a ticket supports local arts and education and ensures you an unforgettable evening at one of the most beautiful venues on the Space Coast with one of the most talented bands touring today.

For more information on Gov’t Mule go to: www.mule.net. Cocoa Village’s Riverfront Park is located at 430 Delannoy Avenue in dowtown Cocoa. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster and are $19 presale, fees not included. To find out more, visit www.ticketmaster.com.

GBH
• By Kimberly Stone •
www.beachinmommies.com

Formed in 1978 in Birmingham, England, GBH has given the world over 40 studio and live recordings, EPs, singles, box sets, DVDs and videos over the past 30 years. What started as an UK82 style band in the early ’80s has evolved into an undiluted form of punk rock that still carries a devoted and growing fan base today, one that continues to pour into small venues for the band’s many shows.

Thriving on audience involvement and energy, each GBH show is as different as it is dynamic. Their career has put primary focus on relating to the crowd. It’s part of the old-school Joe Strummer ideal of identifying with fans on their level that both gives GBH the rabid following it deserves and allows them to continue to tour the world to sold-out audiences. Original members Colin Abrahall (vocals), Colin “Jock” Blyth (guitar) and bassist Ross Lomas have added drummer Scott Preece to rein in their tightly energetic performances.

After resolving visa issues earlier in the month, GBH have rescheduled some tour dates and will be in Satellite Beach on August 1 at Sports Page Live to headline an all-day punk show. Tickets for the previously scheduled June 6 date will be honored for the August 1 show. GBH and Outernational! will be supported by six Florida area bands, including Big City Bombers from Orlando, Tampa’s T-C-R, and Melbourne local Coldside for this 12-hour, $12, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. all-ages event.

Keep track of GBH on www.myspace.com/gbh. Please contact Deuterman Productions.com online, or call 508-5141 for more ticket information. Sports Page Live is located at 220 Hwy. A1A in Satellite Beach (777-7243).

Shaun Rounds
Kimberly Stone
www.beachinmommies.com

Shaun Rounds is no stranger to the Blues. When Rounds was just 14, his father began bringing him to jam sessions that lasted late into the night, and it was there that he immersed himself in his surroundings and developed a strong desire replicate the sounds he heard in his own way.

Shaun’s impressive career has taken him on a path that allowed him to travel around the country to play with some of the biggest names in Blues. It also helped him come in second at the Orange Blossom Blues Society’s International Blues Challenge Competition two years in a row. He’s proud to have shared the stage with Double Trouble, the late Sean Costello, Brenda White, and scores of others, and just this year, Shaun has opened for Jimmie Vaughan, Lou Ann Barton, and Chris Duarte for shows in Orlando.

Growing up in Winter Park, Shaun played with Orlando’s House Shakers until 2000, when he moved to Savannah, Georgia and formed The Girls Go Wild Blues Band. Shaun continued to develop his sound while in Savannah, hosting jam nights and winning Creative Loafing’s award for “Best New Blues Act to Come Out of Savannah.”

Since then, he’s moved back to Orlando to further pursue his love of the Blues with the recently formed Shaun Rounds Blues Band, comprised of drummer Ronnie “Byrd” Foster, bassist Barry Williams, and Shaun himself on guitar and vocals. When he’s not playing in his band, Shaun plays bass for The Electrokings of New Orleans as well as Orlando’s own Big Rick and the Troublemakers.   The band has two shows at the House of Blues in Orlando coming up in June and is headed to the 2010 Daytona Blues Festival in October. Locally, he’ll be performing at The Beach Shack in Cocoa Beach on June 20.

You can keep up with The Shaun Rounds Blues Band onlineon Facebook or MySpace. He and his band appear at the Beach Shack (1 Minutemen Cswy., Cocoa Beach; 783-2250) from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

BALLYHOO!
• Kimberly Stone •
www.beachinmommies.com

There seem to be at least five different genres and numerous subgenres of reggae music spanning the spectrum from Roots to Dancehall. Roots artists like Burning Spear and Bob Marley and Dub artists like Bad Brains, The Clash, and The Specials have paved the way for the newest addition: Rock Reggae. Although the blending of genres is nothing new in the music world, more and more contemporary bands are fusing rock and reggae with other styles of music to bring a “new school” feel to an “old school” musical staple.

Riding high on the Rock Reggae music wave is Maryland’s own Ballyhoo!. Band members Howi (vocals and guitar), drummer Big D, bassist Mista J, and Blaze (keyboards) have developed their sound since meeting early on in high school in their small town of Aberdeen. They’ve also drawn a loyal and growing fan base from around the country due to their having toured almost constantly since 2008. Known for their energetic rapport with their fans, Ballyhoo! write songs about following your dreams with determination and the guiding love of music.

Their hard work has not gone unnoticed; not only have they opened for 311 and Slightly Stoopid, sold over 10,000 copies of their two self-released CDs, and contributed to the compilation CD Forever Free: A Tribute to Sublime released in 2006, they also now have two new songs in the Xbox 360 “Rock Band series” now available online. Those singles — “Cali Girl” and “Paper Dolls” — have immortalized Ballyhoo! on one of the most played video games in the world. To add to their list of accomplishments, their music is included in numerous surf and skate videos and their song “The Friend Zone” is on the soundtrack for the 2009 feature film “Road Trip II: Beer Pong.”

Ballyhoo! are again spirographing their way around North America on their 2010 summer Tour and will come to our area for the all-ages “Reggae Road Trip Beach Bash” set for June 19 at Sports Page in Satellite Beach. Come see why Ballyhoo! are deemed by many devoted fans as one of the most engaging and gratifying live bands working today.

To keep up with Ballyhoo!, check out their website: www.ballyhoorocks.com. Sports Page is located at 220 Hwy. A1A, Satellite Beach (777-7243). For “Reggae Road Trip Beach Bash” ticket information, call Deuterman Productions at (321) 508-5141 or go online to www.deutermanproductions.com.

Bonepony

“It makes you feel good inside.”

That’s the catch phrase Nashville’s Bonepony use to describe what they do, and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who’s seen the band that didn’t agree. They’ve been making people feel good inside for years as they crisscross the nation, stopping in every big city and out-of-the-way town in America to bring their unique brand of “Stomp Rock” to audiences with all the fervor of a traveling tent revival and arena-rock spectacle.

“We play our hearts out” says Bonepony frontman and founding member Scott Johnson. “I don’t know any other way to play these songs.” The band: Johnson, Nicolas Nguyen and Kenny Wright, tour year round and have developed a large and devoted following. Bonepony have toured with acts like Bob Seger, Santana, and ZZ Top, played countless open-air festivals like Farm Aid and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, and have rocked every theatre, concert hall, club and roadside honkytonk in the United States and Canada. “That’s the best part of being on the road. We’ve made friends in every small town and major metropolis around”, says Nguyen.

Their sixth release, Feeling It, hit the #1 spot on XM Radio’s X Country chart; no small feat for a band without label funding or radio promotion. The music itself is a melodious hybrid of rock n’ roll, folk, country, bluegrass, and soul, driven home with foot-stomping four-on-the-floor beats crowbarred into four-minute musical masterpieces that make it impossible to enjoy while standing still. Their live show is more of the same, with the band tearing through their unscripted set with unconscious abandon, each band member playing a different instrument on every song, and using every limb available to do so.

March 2007 saw the band film their show at Nashville’s historic Belcourt Theatre for a two-disc live DVD/CD package. Celebration Highway documents the band’s performance in both CD and full-length concert film formats. The film includes not only the Belcourt performance, but also follows the band on its seemingly endless tour to bring their music to the masses. The Belcourt show was filmed as part of “Diehard Week,” an annual gathering of Bonepony fans (or “Diehards,” as they’ve dubbed themselves) from all over the world who meet in a planned city and travel in groups for a series of shows. Indeed, the band’s relationship with the people who follow them is unique and a huge part of what keeps Bonepony making music and touring 200-plus nights a year. As Johnson often says wryly during the course of a show, “You guys are our record label.”

The band have been in DIY mode since parting ways with Capitol Records after touring the U.S. in support of their debut album Stomp Revival. Though heralded by many critics as “the future of music,” Capitol were unmotivated to market the band, and did nothing in the way of promotion. The band split from the label and all subsequent releases have been on their own imprint, SuperDuperRecordings. Undaunted by the fact that mainstream success thus far eluded them, Bonepony forge on.

Bonepony will appear at Milliken’s Reef (683 Dave Nisbet Dr., Port Canaveral; 783-0100) June 18 and 20. To learn more about the band, visit www.bonepony.com.

The Cook Trio

It’s nearly impossible to tell the story of Resident favorites the Cook Trio without telling the story of Django Reinhardt.

Born in Belgium in 1910 and raised in a gypsy camp outside of Paris, Reinhardt was the first truly influential jazz artist to originate from Europe. He was also arguably the first to successfully highlight the acoustic guitar in what had hitherto been a horn-driven, decidedly black American genre, and Reinhardt’s unique guitar work remains beyond reproach and nearly impossible to copy. A fire cost him the use of two of his fingers on his left hand, forcing him to adapt his style to accommodate his handicap through an intricate fingering system, turning a limitation into an inimitable asset. The percussive strumming style of the jazz manouche he helped create with his popular Quintette du Hot Club De France during the ’30s and ’40s is one of the only early forms of jazz whose origins are found outside America. When most people think of jazz, they think of a nattily dressed Miles Davis brandishing his trumpet, or John Coltrane, nattily dressed, coaxing God from his alto sax. They rarely remember Django Reinhardt, the rough-and-tumble guitarist who, by ingeniously changing the movement forever, earned a place in the jazz pantheon long before Miles or Trane learned to walk. They almost never remember that he dressed just as nattily.

Formed in April 2005, the nattily dressed Cook Trio consists of guitarists Ian and Jason Cook and contrabassist Kyle Jones, all of whom shared a common love of Reinhardt’s passionate music and anarchic spirit. Through stunning live performances and three stellar albums (2005′ Gypsy Jazz Guitare; 2007’s Villa Saïd, and last year’s Moonlight), the trio taps into acoustic gypsy jazz’s original eroticism and wartime Paris’ unquenchable thirst for life. The jagged rhythms they turn out evoke the bowels of a smoky bistro and the soul of a time when people tackled each moment with palpable urgency. Marked by joyful, Romany inflections and deeply emotive, almost alien-sounding chord changes, the Cook Trio’s sound has made them some of the area’s most sought-after performers. Audiences love being transported to another time and place and revel in tunes that sound as familiar as they do seductively strange. Many other influences color their performances: with over 80 songs in their repertoire, a live performance is just as likely to yield tunes by Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Duke Ellington or Thelonious Monk.

The Cook Trio performs Saturday, June 26 at Paddy Cassidy’s Irish Pub (2009 N. Atlantic Ave. in Cocoa Beach; 783-0810) from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Visit the band online at: www.thecooktrio.com.

The Redliners
• Tobin Bennison •

The Redliners, a power trio from Tampa/St. Petersburg, describe themselves thusly: “Take traditional rock n’ roll and add a little ass to it. If the Ramones were Chuck Berry’s backup band, that’s what we’d sound like.”

Drawing from influences like Dion and the Belmonts, Buddy Holly, Social Distortion, Dropkick Murphys, and Rancid, the core members of the Redliners met while attending college in Greenville, NC, and formed officially in 2005. Comprised of guitarist and lead vocalist Justin Little, bassist Brian Breseman, and drummer Chris Yack (the newest addition to the lineup), the band played one of their first shows as openers for seminal UK punk pioneers, the Vibrators. Later that year, they released their debut EP The Mud, the Blood, & the Beer, which included their rollicking barroom anthem “Jack & Coke.”

Mud… enjoyed much success, and their sophomore effort, When it Rocks it Rolls, released in 2007, fully satisfies as an urgent, more mature follow-up. Including the fist-pumping “American Boy,” barnburners like “Born Cheater” and “Warden’s Daughter,” and a rendition of “Summertime Blues” that breathes new life into an old song in a way that would make the architect, Eddie Cochran, nod his head in approval, the album has earned rave reviews and the band thousands of new fans. 2008 through 2009 saw the trio opening for bands like Guttermouth, Valient Thorr, the Queers, Green Day, the Independents, Joe Buck (of Hank III infamy), and the Legendary Shack Shakers.

2010 has seen the Redliners come into their own on the music circuit, and a new CD, Get Up, Get Out, Get Down, is set for a summer release. According to a recent interview Breseman held with the St. Petersburg Times, Get Up… promises to be their strongest yet. “It’s going to be the best of both worlds — intelligent and catchy.”

Don’t miss the Redliners Saturday, May 15 at Surfers Sports Pub (350 N. Orlando Ave.; Cocoa Beach; 784-2858). Visit the band online to purchase CDs and to hear song samples: www.redlinersrock.com, or www.myspace.com/redliners.

Pato Banton
• Kimberly Stone •
www.beachinmommies.com

Since the late ’60s, reggae music has been a platform for expressing the message of spirituality, connection, respect, and above all, love, toward all humankind. For almost 40 years, Pato Banton has been practicing his own original blend of reggae to express himself and bring people the world over together as one.

Born Patrick Murray in London in 1961, Pato started working the door as a lookout for his Jamaican stepfather’s illegal, all-night DJ parties at their home in Birmingham, England at the impressionable age of nine. Wholly absorbing this musically rich environment, he quickly became a popular selector (DJ) and was dubbed “Pato” by his stepdad (from “patoo,” Jamaican patois for the owl that makes a sound similar to its name). By the age of 16, Ranking Pato was the most desired DJ in England, and in 1980 he joined a local roots reggae band called Crucial Music. After five years of successful touring, performing, and managing the band, Pato decided to move on with his career, and in 1982 he won a talent show judged by the English Beat’s Ranking Roger and Dave Wakeling, resulting in the single “Pato and Roger a Go Talk.” Soon afterward, he collaborated with UB40 on two albums, Baggariddim and Little Baggariddim.

Adopting the professional name Pato Banton (“banton” being a term for a heavyweight lyricist in DJ circles), Pato teamed up with top London MC Tippa Irie and toured the world on the strength of songs like “Double Trouble,” “Dance Pon De Spot,” and “Dem No Know Bout Pressure.” In July of 1987, he recorded his first album, Mad Professor Captures Pato Banton, now regarded as a reggae classic. By 1989, he was touring with such legends as Ziggy Marley, Burning Spear, and Steel Pulse, and was regarded as one of the best live performers in the reggae industry, but his 1994 cover of Eddy Grant’s “Baby Come Back” made Pato Banton household name all over the world.

The year 2000 saw the release of his 10th album, the highly spiritual Life is a Miracle, which earned a Grammy nomination and clearly outlined the metaphysical path Pato had adopted. Peter Gabriel’s organization, WOMAD (World of Music, Arts & Dance), recognized Pato and his talents, leading him to perform a series of shows and oversee the creation of several children’s music workshops around the world. It was during this time that Pato felt he’d succeeded in his goals as a musician and wanted to focus his energy on his own hometown community of Birmingham, England. He took a position at Matthew Boulton College and led courses in sound engineering, vocal tuition, keyboard and guitar lessons, DJ mixing, and music technology. At the same time, he created a community network called Musical Connections, which was designed to put music equipment and computers into 16 local youth centers.

In 2001, Pato launched another community outreach program called Muzik Links, designed to reach young people who were at risk for crime and gangs and gave hundreds the opportunity to be involved in professional recordings, dance troupes, and live performances. By the end of 2002, Pato opened up his own School of Musical Arts and Technology (SMAAT) which was also located in Birmingham. Shortly after its inception, he was approached by South Birmingham College and offered the position of Assistant Director of Creative Studies. In a partnership with the West Midlands Police Force, he helped develop Project Venatra, which drastically reduced the number of gun-related incidents across the city. Because of this Pato was awarded the BBC’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication to positive change. In the same year, he received the Black Music Award for Lifetime Achievement in recognition of his work with the British Music Industry. In addition, Pato was formally honored and inducted into the Reggae International Hall of Fame alongside UB40 and Steel Pulse. Since that time, Pato released three more albums and has refocused on touring, performing, and bringing his message of universal unity to the world.

Pato Banton and the Now Generation will be appearing at the Sandbar (4301 Ocean Beach Blvd., Cocoa Beach; 779-2577) May 23 at 4 p.m. with opening local act Onvi Sound System. Tickets for the all-ages show are $20.You can keep up with Pato Banton on his website: www.patobanton.com.

The Psychedelic Furs
• Tobin Bennison •

Formed in 1977, the Psychedelic Furs came out of the UK’s emerging punk scene, but won initial fame for ushering in a movement away from the genre’s narrow and aggressive aesthetic.

Founded by brothers Richard and Tim Butler, the band, originally a sextet, released their eponymous debut in 1980, quickly landing them on radio and the Top 20 UK charts. Marked by Richard’s moody croon and the band’s shadowy, guitar-driven sound, the Furs found American success in 1981 with the release of follow-up, Talk Talk Talk. Singles “Dumb Waiters” and “Pretty in Pink” dented the U.S. charts, and the group, now reduced to a four-piece, relocated to New York to record Forever Now with producer Todd Rundgren the following year. “Love My Way,” a Top 40 hit in both the UK and the States, distilled their essence into a kind of trademark sound, one that served as an antidote to the synth-heavy groups of the era.

In 1984, Mirror Moves provided the Furs with yet another hit in “The Ghost in You,” establishing them as a musical force to be reckoned with. The following year saw the release of a new version of “Pretty in Pink,” which featured centrally in John Hughes’ classic film of the same name. Commercial pressure then forced the hurried release of Midnight to Midnight, an album Richard has since disavowed as “hollow, vapid, and weak,” yet single “Heartbreak Beat” earned the Furs their highest U.S. charting.

Unhappy with their new, radio-friendly direction, the band reverted to the rawer sound of their youth with “All That Money Wants,” a 1988 track recorded for a best-of collection. It was a move repeated for following albums Book of Days and World Outside. But they split in ‘92, with the Butler brothers founding Love Spit Love, a band that enjoyed underground success before the reformation of the Furs in 2000. That year also saw the release of Beautiful Chaos: Greatest Hits Live, which featured some unreleased tracks and a well-received new single “Alive (For Once in My Lifetime).”

Since then, the Psychedelic Furs continue to tour the world with former Love Spit Love drummer Frank Ferrer, ex-Information Society and World Party keyboardist Amanda Kramer, and original saxophonist Mars Williams. Meanwhile, Richard Butler, who’s also an accomplished painter, released his first eponymous solo album in 2006 to wide critical acclaim.

The Psychedelic Furs appear with She Wants Revenge on Friday, May 28 at Levelz (4250 W. New Haven Ave.; Melbourne; 409-5385). Tickets for the all-ages show are $25 pre-sale and $35 day of show. To purchase tickets, call Deuterman Productions at (321) 508-5141.

Timmy Curran

During his surfing career, Timmy Curran was one of the best surfers on the WCT circuit and consistently in contention for the world championship. But though he’s best remembered as one of the pioneers of the late 1990’ s”Aerial Revolution,” Curran is now a full-time musician, a moving singer/songwriter in the tradition of Ben Harper and Damien Rice.

Curran earned initial fame on the water for completing a full-rotation, upside-down flip in 2-foot surf at Rocky Point in Hawaii during the winter of 2005, a maneuver which became known worldwide as simply “the Flip.” But when he released the six-track EP Citusca the following year, Curran unconsciously made a flip of an entirely different sort, one that saw him within reach of another lifelong dream. When Rob Machado included one of Curran’s early demos on a Japanese surfing compilation, new musical avenues opened up for Curran, and he soon found himself opening for the Foo Fighters on their spring acoustic tour of 2006.

Still uncertain about performing on such a huge tour by his lonesome, Curran enlisted the help of friends Ryan Gleason and Andy Smith to flesh out his sound. The resulting tour was a huge success, offers to play more gigs soon followed, and Curran decided to record his first full-length album, Word of Mouth, with the new lineup (as well as guests from the Foo Fighters, Eisley, and Hoobastank) in 2007. In support of it, Curran shared the stage with Incubus, Angels and Airwaves, Switchfoot, Donavon Frankenreiter, and Matt Costa, ultimately building a national touring base. His earthy sound has drawn comparisons to Iron and Wine, Elliott Smith, Band of Horses, and stalwarts like Neil Young and James Taylor.

Though effectively retired from professional surfing, Curran continues to work as a spokesman for the Surfrider Foundation, a cause as close to his heart as his soulful music. In 2008, Curran signed to Los Angeles label Adeline Records, which re-released Word of Mouth to a larger audience. He released his latest album, VerseS, this past March and is touring to promote both it and “The Union Express,” a new surfing film in which he features.

Catch Timmy Curran performing live on Friday, May 14 at Rusty’s Seafood & Oyster Bar (628 Glen Cheek Dr.; Port Canaveral; 783-2033). The free show will also feature a screening of “The Union Express,” starring Timmy, Rob Machado, and Dane Reynolds. Visit Timmy online at www.timmycurran.com and www.myspace.com/timmycurran.

LIL’ ED & THE BLUES IMPERIALS

Lil’ Ed Williams, though small in stature, is a true giant of the blues, and among the very last authentic of the West Side Chicago bluesmen.

From smoking slide guitar boogies to raw-boned Chicago shuffles to the deepest slow blues, guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Lil’ Ed is an awe-inspiring master. He and his blistering, road-tested band, The Blues Imperials — guitarist Mike Garrett, bassist James “Pookie” Young, and drummer Kelly Littleton — are celebrating nearly 25 amazing years together. Not since the heyday of Hound Dog Taylor & The HouseRockers has a Chicago blues band made such a consistently joyous, rollicking noise. Between the band’s wonderfully untamed music and Ed’s flying leaps, back bending, toe-walking through the audience, and sliding across the stage on his knees, it’s no wonder The Boston Globe called them “the world’s #1 house-rocking band.”

Lil’ Ed boasts a direct bloodline to blues history — his uncle and musical mentor was the great Chicago slide guitarist, songwriter, and recording artist J.B. Hutto. Adding to the legend is Ed’s storybook rise to fame, taking him from working in a car wash to entertaining thousands of fans all over the world. Born in Chicago in 1955, Ed grew up surrounded by the blues. He was playing guitar, then drums and bass, by the time he was 12. Ed and his half-brother Pookie received lessons and support from their uncle. “J.B. taught me everything I know,” says Ed. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.” Ed and Pookie spent their teen years making music together, and in 1975 formed the first incarnation of The Blues Imperials. They played their first gig at a West Side club called Big Duke’s Blue Flame, splitting the $6 take four ways. Over the next few years, the group played every club in the neighborhood, but they still needed day jobs to pay the bills. Ed worked 10 hours a day as a buffer at the Red Carpet Car Wash. Pookie drove a school bus. Night after night they played their roaring brand of blues in tiny clubs, and eventually the word reached Alligator Records president Bruce Iglauer.

What happened next is not supposed to happen. Not in real life anyway. The band — never having been in a recording studio before — treated the studio like a club, playing live to Iglauer, the engineer, and all the people on the other side of the control room glass. After Ed recorded just two songs, the Alligator staffers in the control room were on their feet begging for more. Two songs later, with Ed doing his toe-walks and back bends, even the engineer was dancing. Iglauer offered the band a full album contract on the spot. The end result of the session was 30 songs cut in three hours with no overdubs and no second takes. Twelve of those songs became the band’s debut album, Roughhousin’, released in September of 1986.

The national press reacted with overwhelming amazement. Feature stories ran in Spin, Musician, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, and dozens of other publications. The Village Voice declared, “Roughhousin’ just may be the blues album of the year.” Quickly, the band went from playing local bars to clubs, concert stages and festivals coast to coast, giving national audiences their first taste of the band’s propulsive boogie blues and wild stage show. Spurred on by the band’s rowdy performances, a legion of fanatical fans, proudly calling themselves “Ed Heads,” eagerly spread the word. Lil’ Ed And The Blues Imperials’ next two releases, 1989’s Chicken, Gravy & Biscuits and 1992’s What You See Is What You Get, brought them to more people than ever before. They toured Australia, then went back to Europe before joining The Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Tour.

But after years on the road, the stress of touring and recording began to take its toll. Ed broke up the band and, for the first time, truly put his life together. After defeating his personal demons, Lil’ Ed reformed The Blues Imperials in 1998, to the great delight of blues fans everywhere. They returned home to Alligator and released Get Wild! in 1999 and Heads Up! in 2002 to widespread enthusiasm. 2006’s Rattleshake brought Ed and company to their largest audience. Now, with latest release Full Tilt and a schedule that will take the band on another non-stop tour across the country and across the ocean, Lil’ Ed And The Blues Imperials will continue to rock Ed Heads, both old and new, all around the world.

Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials appear at 6p.m. Sunday, April 18 at the Beach Shack (1 Minutemen Cswy., Cocoa Beach; 783-2250). Visit Lil’ Ed and the band online at: www.liledwilliams.com.

Drift Session

The phrase “drift session” can mean a number of different things on a variety of different levels. To east coast surfers who have learned to adapt to the less-than-ideal shoreline angle, swell direction, and crosswind juxtaposition, it can define the act of surfing in a strong crosscurrent without resisting the powerful ocean flow, drifting down miles of coastline to an awaiting vehicle or final destination.

Oftentimes life can have an uncontrollable flow that is much easier to accept than try to go against. A lot of energy would be wasted if we continually tried to resist these forces. So for each session, we temporarily immerse ourselves and our senses in life’s constantly moving waters to achieve oneness with something as intangible as its energy. Sound waves reverberate this energy and briefly carry our minds to distant places. Playing music is a perfect example of letting ourselves get carried away by these waves. This can happen mentally and spiritually, as well as physically, while each jam session moves from garage to backyard and from bar to stage.

This is the story of Drift Session, moving in and out much like the ebb and flow of the falling and rising lunar tides. When the pulse of the ground swell resonates along the shores of the barrier island, shifting sand with wind and waves, these drifters grab their equipment under arm ready to be whisked away by each individual session and carried to some final destination still unknown.

An open, collaborative musical collective, the Satellite Beach-based Drift Session swells and recedes with members, but core founders Brian Esmond and John Steinhorst have guided the group to local renown since their inception some 8 years ago. Inspired by the roots reggae and island rhythms closest to their souls, Esmond (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, and harmonica) and Steinhorst (bass) set out to translate the looseness and transience of idyllic surf sessions into music. In keeping with this organic approach, collaborators are encouraged to improvise. Fans flock to their shows as much for reggae-infused originals like “Ground Swell” and “Surf Song” as for the chance of hearing a brand new tune take shape before their very eyes and ears. Marked by multi-layered rhythms, grounding bass work, and soulful vocals, Drift Session (joined for select April gigs by Kingston, Jamaica native Andrew Fatta on drums and vocalist and lead guitarist Phil Putman) pride themselves with never playing a song the same way twice. Expect stirring originals, Bob Marley covers, and a serene vibe, but above all, expect to be pleasantly surprised.

Drift Session appear Saturday, April 3 from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Thirsty Lizard (1132 Hwy. A1A in Satellite Beach; 777-7228); Friday, April 9 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Island Spice Grill & Lounge (4910 Stack Blvd., Melbourne; 722-4478), and Saturday, April 17 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Enigma (1550 Hwy. A1A, Satellite Beach; 779-8202), where they also perform every third Saturday of the month. Visit them online at www.myspace.com/surfsong and www.spacecoastlive.com.

Don Soledad Group
By Kimberly Stone
wwww.beachinmommies.com

Formerly a solo artist, flamenco guitarist Don Soledad has formed a band of brothers to enhance his already eclectic blend of jazz, Latin and African percussion, and intense flamenco rhythms from Spain.

It’s a blend that allows the Don Soledad Group to explore music from the deepest regions of the world. Represented by many ethnic styles of music, the group plays as a trio, quartet, or quintet. In addition to being extremely talented, they’re also just as professional. West Virginian Jon Warcholak and Nebraskan Scott McGill both play bass, and Kevin Kornicki (originally from Pittsburgh) and Raymond Santana (from Puerto Rico) provide percussion.

Don himself grew up in San Jose, California with a close-knit, musically talented family who can trace their roots back to the 1800s in Seville and the Philippines. So it’s no wonder that flamenco was a perfect fit for Don. ”What attracted me to Flamenco were the rhythms, or flamenco compás. The music in general is very rhythmic, and since I had a background in drums and guitar I was naturally attracted to flamenco.”

Recently Don and the group have been performing at sponsored, corporate, and private events all around Florida. They play regularly at Gloria Estefan’s resort, Costa d’Este in Vero Beach, and the Casa Feliz in Winter Park. However, to immerse yourself in the sounds of the world you need not go far. They also frequent Matt’s Casbah, Enigma, and Vintage 56 right here in Brevard County. To enjoy the beauty of flamenco at home you can find Don’s first CD, Camino de Seda, through his website: www.donsoledadmusic.com. A collaborative second album is eagerly anticipated by the many fans he’s drawn since moving to Brevard in 2005. Music lovers of any genre will enjoy this exciting new element to our live music scene.

The Don Soledad group plays Friday nights from 6 to 9 p.m. at Matt’s Casbah (801 E. New Haven Avenue, Melbourne; 574-1099). On Saturday, April 3, the group performs at Enigma (1550 Hwy A1A, Satellite Beach; 779-8202) from 7 to 10 p.m. Sunday, April 4 they will play Ron Jon’s (4151 N Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach; 799-8888) from 12 to 4 p.m. and on Saturday, April 24 they play Vintage 56 (200 Barton Blvd., Rockledge; 639-4048) from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Visit his website at www.donsoledadmusic.com.

The Supervillains

In their ten-year existence, The Supervillains have gone from hometown heroes in Orlando to a national force in the resurgent ska and reggae scenes.

What they say is absolutely true: there’s no rest for the wicked. After 400 shows supporting their 2006 debut national release Grow Yer Own on LAW Records, The Supervillains spent the first part of 2008 recording their sophomore release on LAW, Massive. Recorded at Orlando’s Fighting Records Studios under the guidance of producer James Wisner (Justin Timberlake, Slightly Stoopid) the album received impressive reviews across the country. Since its release, the Supervillains have been on the road pounding the pavement from Seattle to the Virgin Islands. To promote the album, the ‘Villains direct-supported good friends Pepper (who also founded LAW) for the innaugural LAW Records Tour, selling out forty-plus shows nationwide in the midst of a recession. After the LAW Tour, the band routed back from the west coast direct-supporting Slightly Stoopid for the first three weeks of February (all shows sold out) before landing safe in sound back in Florida.

These reggae/ska mainstays — Dom (drums, vocals), Skart (guitar and vocals), Dan (bass), and Smally (saxophone) — started the new decade off on the right foot as direct support for the legendary Wailers on their 40th anniversary tour. The Supervillains first headline tour of 2010 brings them to Satellite Beach’s Sports Page for two nights. A band of many disguises, the Supervillains’ musical versatility has earned them legions of fans. Whether it’s cranking up the set with high-energy punk, strapping on their dancing shoes to dazzle the ska crowd, or flexing their reggae muscles, the Supervillains are always ready to mix it up and gain new fans.

The Supervillains play the Sports Page (220 Hwy. A1A in Satellite Beach; 777-7243) Friday, April 23 and Saturday, April 24 at 11 p.m. Check them out online at www.thesupervillains.com to read an updated tour schedule, hear song samples, and view photos of the band.

Big John Bates and the Voodoo Dollz

Big John Bates’s sound is best described as a combination of rockabilly, psychobilly, and dark rock n’ roll — think The Stray Cats playing with The Cramps and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion — driven by highly danceable rhythms. Accompanied by his beautiful troupe of Voodoo Dollz, who every other song do a pulp-inspired burlesque performance or skit — from fire spinning to role playing nurses giving audience members “their medicine” — this is a show not to be missed.

Described by Canada’s Exclaim Magazine as being as “fun as a midnight drag race fueled by a fifth of bourbon,” Bates’s shows draw legions of fans — and win scores of new ones — everywhere they play. Originally from Vancouver, the collective released their fourth album, Bangtown, in 2009. On it, their trash-blues sound mashes punk, blues, and rock n’ roll, infusing Bangtown with “13 deadly tracks fueled by whiskey, murder, and motorcycles.” They’ve been redefining Canadian culture city by city since 2001, and last year, this high-octane circus played 130 shows in 12 countries to over 35,000 people.

The group is truly an entertainment powerhouse with Gretsch-endorsed guitarist/vocalist Big John Bates, Brandy Battery on a Hofner upright, and JT Brander on drums.  And they’re always shooting for more, featuring Little Miss Risk’s Gaslight Revolutionaries Burlesque, performers that defy everything you thought you knew about burlesque with costumes, chainsaws, flaming pasties and wild choreography. To date they’ve headlined over 700 shows and festivals in 15 countries to tens of thousands of people. They’ve also performed and toured with such diverse talents as the Boss Hoss, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, the Supersuckers, Los Straitjackets, Robert Gordon, New Bomb Turks, Koko Taylor, T-Model Ford and Jools Holland.

Big John Bates and the Voodoo Dollz appear at the Sports Page (220 Hwy. A1A in Satellite Beach) on Friday, March 26. Presale tickets are $7; $10 for ages 21 and up; and $12 for ages 18-20. Call (321) 777-7243 for ticket information, or visit www.deutermanproductions.com for a chance to win free tickets. Check Big John Bates online at: www.bigjohnbates.com, look for him on MySpace and www.youtube.com/bigjohnbates.

Three Dog Night

Originally formed in 1968, Three Dog Night was enormously successful from the start. Danny Hutton, then a writer/producer at Hanna Barbera Records as well as a solo artist, met fellow founding vocalist Cory Wells while they were both touring with Sonny and Cher. Taking their name from a story about Australian aborigines who sleep with their dogs for warmth on cold nights in the outback (the coldest evenings are known as “three dog nights”), one of America’s most beloved bands boast chart and sales records that are virtually unmatched in popular music.

Three Dog Night have had 21 consecutive Top 40 hits, including three #1 singles, 11 Top 10s, 18 straight Top 20s, 7 million-selling singles, and 12 straight RIAA Certified Gold LPs. Their hits — songs like “Mama Told Me (Not To Come),” “Black and White,” “Joy to the World,” and “Shambala” — have appeared on best selling charts in all genres (pop, rock and country) and their records continue to sell around the world. The group’s eclectic taste, combined with their ability to recognize and record hits in a unique, distinctive and appealing style, resulted in Three Dog Night dominating the charts for years. The band toured extensively in the late ’60s and into the ’70s, but in 1977, the non-stop concerts and hit-making took its toll. According to Wells, “We just quietly backed out of the picture.” Their desire to “get away” from the hectic world of pop music was relatively short-lived, however, and by 1981 they discovered that they wanted to perform again. Now, as they mark 40 years on the road, Three Dog Night continue to grow their fan base, and this year they are pursuing an extensive schedule of concerts at theatres, performing arts centers, fairs, festivals, corporate events, and casinos.

The band — now comprised of founding members Wells and Hutton on lead vocals, original keyboardist Jimmy Greenspoon, guitarist Michael Allsup, bassist Paul Kingery, and drummer Pat Bautz — have just released two new songs, “Heart of Blues” and “Prayer of the Children,” by way of an introduction to Three Dog Night’s first album of entirely new songs in over 25 years. Their release also coincides with the launch of the band’s new iPhone app linking fans to essential touring and music news. When embarking on this new project the band decided to look at the decades beyond their roots in the 1970s. “We came upon this idea of ‘How would TDN sound if they had recorded songs of the ’80s or ’90s?’” Wells explains. Historically Three Dog Night’s song choices have been quite eclectic, which is demonstrated once again by choosing to record “Heart of Blues,” a churning blues number and the ethereal a cappella song “Prayer of the Children,” which for the first time in their 40-year history features the vocals of all six members of the band.

Still, Three Dog Night’s hits wind through the fabric of pop culture, whether on the radio where they are heard day in and day out, in TV commercials or in major motion pictures — songs like “Mama Told Me (Not To Come),” “Joy to the World,” “Black and White,” “Shambala” and “One” serve to heighten our emotions and crystallize the group’s continuing popularity.

Three Dog Night perform at the inaugural Cocoa Beach Wine & Food Festival, held at Lori Wilson Park on March 13. For tickets, visit www.ticketweb.com or www.cocoabeachwinefoodfestival.com. check this issue’s “Restaurant Review” feature for more details on the event. Three Dog Night can be found online at www.threedognight.com and on Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter.

Brendhan Shanahan

Brendan Shanahan’s uncomplicated style and forceful diction make him both the perfect introduction to those new to Irish music and a powerful interpreter for those who’ve loved it for years. A true “Dub” (that is, native Dubliner), his passion for Ireland will convert any listener to his centuries-old ethos. Shanahan, who learned to sing and play the guitar as a youth, has performed in Dublin’s pubs for a decade, singing the traditional songs of Ireland: ballads about rebellion, the dignity of a people, history, and hard times, but also those about good times, whiskey and women, rakes and highwaymen. As an interpreter of others’ works, he knows that the emotions of love and loss as described by some of Ireland’s most celebrated poets — and also by the anonymous wordsmith — open a door to the Irish soul. Knowing and loving these historic ballads informs his original music as well. Educated by the Christian Brothers in his youth, Shanahan’s spiritual beliefs have also made a big impact on his songwriting. He and his wife and four musically inclined children regularly perform in his local church in Whitehall, Dublin.

“I’ve always been interested in creative things, and from an early age was dabbling in writing songs and short stories. I guess I got some of this from my Dad who used to play the mouth organ,” Shanahan says. “He would often enter the room and play some well-known Irish tune and then he would ask for an opinion on some new tune he had made up. He would leave the room with a satisfied smile on his face whether the feedback was good or bad. The triumph I think was in the creation of the new tune and the feedback was really irrelevant.”

“My grandmother, who was from Limerick, played the button accordion and my uncle played the flute. Her house was out in the country and I remember sitting on the stairs as a child in wonderment watching Irish dancing and music being played into the early hours of the morning. Grandmother’s house did not have electricity, but she did have oil lamps that added to the atmosphere. The floor in this house was a shiny cement and was known in the neighborhood as a good dance floor and hence people came from miles around to dance the reel, jigs, and the ‘Walls of Limerick.’” Sport has also played a huge part in Shanahan’s life. He boasts that as a 10-year-old he was the fastest in school over 80 yards. “I played school boy soccer for Home Farm which is a famous amateur club on the north side of Dublin. In my teens, I played for many teams at a fairly high standard and was known as “The Flying Winger” … but my football career ended when I had to have two cartilages removed from my right knee.”

His first professional release, entitled Brendan’s Ireland, is a collection of 13 of his favorite tunes, all of which speak to what Shanahan finds interesting and beautiful about his country. Among them are “Star of the County Down,” “Fields of Athenry,” “The Foggy Dew,” “The Limerick Rake,” and “Spancill Hill” — and there’s a good bet some of them will be heard this month during his four-day tenure at Nolan’s Irish Pub in Cocoa Beach.

Brendan Shanahan appears at Nolan’s Irish Pub (5675 N. Atlantic Ave. in the Publix Cornerstone Plaza; Cocoa Beach; 783-8499) on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, at 7 p.m. as part of festivities that will include performances from the Myra Watters School of Irish Dance, Men of the House, and the Brevard Police and Fire Departments’ Pipe & Drum Band. Shanahan will also perform at Nolan’s through March 20. For more information, call Nolan’s or visit them online at www.nolansirishpub.net. To find out more about Brendan Shanahan, check his website: www.brendanshanahan.com.

The Stephan Michael Connection

The Stephan Michael Connection combine the sounds of soul and funk with the lyrics of familiar classics — sweet soul music and funky dance tunes from Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Marvin Gaye, James Brown, and Sam and Dave to the soulful rock n’ roll of Van Morrison, J. Geils, Bill Withers, and Billy Preston. They wanted to call themselves the Cluster Funks but thought their mothers might object.

Growing up in the Detroit area, it’s easy to see how vocalist and harmonica player Stephan Michael keeps being pulled back to his roots of ’70s soul and funk, and the whole Motown, Stax, and Hi Records style is where he’s most at home. Dubbed “The Voice” in many music publications, he’s been placed in the ranks with greats such as Dio (for his power) and Jack Bruce (for his soul).  Drummer George Wilson relocated to Central Florida from Connecticut, where he gained extensive playing experience from rock to jazz, and he’s one of the most power groove-oriented drummers you’re likely to witness. Locally, George has played with Killer Dudes, The Groove Monsters, One of a Kind Ron Jon Band, Rory Pastorius, Don’t Quit your Day Job, and Michael Leasure. If that weren’t enough, George works by day at 89.5, WFIT radio as an Underwriting Executive.

Guitarist Johnnie Cable brings a multitude of experience to the band, having performed with and opened for acts as diverse as Bo Diddley, Charlie Daniels, Billy Preston, Lee Greenwood, Eddie Rabbit, The Grass Roots, and the Coasters before returning to his home on the Space Coast. Johnnie delivers the top level of musicianship that The Stephan Michael Connection is known for. Originally from Hollywood, California, Caesar D. grew up playing sax on funk and soul music as well as all styles of music. A seasoned studio musician, Caesar spent most of his musical career in the L.A. area. Keyboardist Jay Yerkes has been playing keyboards in working bands for almost 40 years, and has appeared played with or opened for such names as Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys, The Rascals, Gary US Bonds, and Johnny Thunder. Together, the Stephan Michael Connection make one helluva noise — don’t miss them live.

The Stephan Michael Connection plays Lou’s Blues (3191 N. A1A in Indialantic; 779-2299) on Friday, February 12. Visit the Connection online at www.stephanmichaelconnection.com.

Nancy Kelly’s vocal style is a study in phrasing, style and swing. She’s both old school and new. She’s experienced, yet her delivery and ideas are fresh. She can take a song and turn it up or down, and leave you believing that it was meant to be exactly that way. It takes great jazz chops to do that, and Kelly’s are superb. She has earned many awards and enlisted fans from around the globe.

Nancy began her musical career with piano lessons at age four in her hometown of Rochester, New York. She continued her music studies to include clarinet, drama and dance. When she enrolled at the Eastman School of Music, she decided to concentrate on voice. At 16, she formed a combo and performed at clubs around Rochester. In the early ’70s, she joined a rock band as lead singer and went on tour of the East Coast and the Midwest. Enjoying the freedom to improvise, she gravitated to jazz, forming her own group shortly thereafter.

As a jazz artist, she’s performed on the West Coast, in the Far East, and Europe. She performs regularly in New York City at the most prestigious clubs: The Blue Note, Birdland, and Dizzy’s Coca Cola club at Lincoln Center. She has appeared at numerous jazz festivals and has sung with various symphony orchestras around the country. Nancy was twice named “Best Female Jazz Vocalist” in the Down Beat Readers’ Poll, and she’s recorded four CDs, the most recent being Well Alright, with guest tenor saxophonist Houston Person.

Nancy continues to dazzle audiences with her take-no-prisoners, back-to-the-roots swinging style. In a market where wispy voices and shallow emotions abound, Ms. Kelly is a breath of fresh air — or should we say smoky air; she takes us back to the time when jazz — and that includes vocal jazz — was an authentic expression of real emotion.

Catch Nancy Kelly at Heidi’s Jazz Club (7 N. Orlando Ave. in downtown Cocoa Beach; 783-4559) on February 5 and 6. Tickets are $15; contact Heidi’s for purchase information. Visit Nancy Kelly online at www.nancykelly.com.

DAMION SUOMI and PALEFACE

As dedicated Resident readers should already know, Cocoa Beach-based singer/songwriter Damion Suomi crafts elegant, drink-fueled lamentations and explosive, midtempo rockers with one ear cocked toward the dusty world of alternative country and the other bent toward the Irish tradition.

Suomi spent a number of years filling time in various local bands before striking out on his own, and his eponymous debut album, a collection of tunes that were “birthed from pubs, drinks, and relationships,” was released on the P Is for Panda label in early 2009. Now fresh on the heels of his excellent three-song EP Needs More Water, which was released this past December, Suomi is playing tirelessly throughout the area and around Central Florida.

When he stands before you on a slightly elevated stage, you’ll find yourself wondering where exactly you heard these songs before. There’s just something that familiar about them — as if they’d always been inside you; you just hadn’t heard them actually sung before. Suomi says his songs are “a mix of hope and despair.” If you’ve ever fell on aged whisky to help you sort things out, then Suomi will be your preacher. And if you’ve ever held onto your friends and lovers like stolen money, then recordings will be your holy book to keep at your side. It will remind you to smile when sadness comes crashing in, because you have to have them both to live.

Appearing for select dates this month with Suomi and his band the Minor Prophets (made up of Ian and Gavin Little and David Fountain) is Paleface, a founding member of NYC’s Antifolk movement. More than a decade since his last major label release and collapse from alcohol abuse, Paleface is currently touring in support of his Ramseur Records full-length debut, The Show Is On The Road. Soon after it was released in April of 2009, the album landed on the CMJ top 200 charts and PASTE Magazine featured Paleface as “Band Of The Week.”

The Show Is On The Road is an intimate, 11-song diary that transcends genres with its ingenious lyrics and deceptively unassuming style – just Paleface on acoustic guitar and harmonica, his girlfriend Monica “Mo” Samalot on drums and backing vocals, and special performances by friends including The Avett Brothers. The album is a farewell love letter to his longtime home of New York City, and an embrace of his new life in the South and on the road with darling “Mo.” Paleface was discovered at an NYC open mic in 1990 by Danny Fields (The Stooges, The Ramones, MC5) and soon became the first Antifolk (NYC Neofolk) artist signed to major labels (Sire and Polydor), followed by college radio hits and national tours with the likes of Billy Bragg and The Breeders.

While hanging around the Lower East Side with his then roommate and close pal Beck, Paleface became a major influence on Beck’s early work. After touring with The Breeders, Paleface collapsed and nearly died from alcohol. Following a long recovery and cleansing he returned to the Antifolk scene and befriended a new breed of artists (The Moldy Peaches, Regina Spektor, and Langhorne Slim among others).  Paleface became a major source of influence and inspiration to many of them, including the Avett Brothers to whose records he often contributes. Since his reappearance, he’s been charming audiences from coast to coast with his dynamic performances, honest and refreshing lyrics, and his raw yet full sound.

Damion Suomi and the Minor Prophets and Paleface perform this February 19 with musicians Lauris Vidal and Andy Zipf at the Shamrock Room in Cocoa Village (105 Harrison Ave.; 634-5555). The musical contingent will also appear together at Wills Pub in Orlando 2/17; Durty Nelly’s in Gainesville 2/18, and at the New World Brewery in Tampa on 2/20. Visit Damion Suomi online at www.damionsuomi.com, and check out Paleface at www.palefaceonline.com.

CAN’T HANG

Can’t Hang has “It” — that indescribable quality that draws people in.

“It” could be the tight rhythm section, the booming bass, the unique, punky-dub guitars, or the reggae-infused songs noted for their smooth vocals and catchy melodies, but the four-piece have an ability to turn any crowd of boring sitters into dancing fans.

Made up of vocalist Luke Mysko, guitarist Steve Lynch, bassist Rob Eisenhut, and drummer Alex Crowley, Can’t Hang have toured the country numerous times in their 10-year career, sold over 25,000 CDs (without the benefit of label support) and over 50,000 downloads, and have played everything from house parties to huge concerts and festivals. The Maryland-based group have supported such nationally and internationally-recognized acts as Blondie, Ziggy, Stephen and Damian Marley, The Wailers, Barrington Levy, Toots and the Maytals, Steel Pulse, Fishbone, Pepper, Long Beach Short Bus, Busta Rhymes, Inner Circle, Yellowman, Jimmies Chicken Shack, Authority Zero, The Toasters, and Jah Works.

The quartet are currently in regular rotation on all of Baltimore’s top radio stations, and recently made an appearance on the beloved “Noise in the Basement” compilation CD and they’re set to appear at Cocoa Beach’s Chili Club on March 6.

Can’t Hang play the Chili Pepper Club — 142 N. Atlantic Ave. in downtown Cocoa Beach — on Saturday, March 6. To find out more about the band, view photos, and hear song samples, visit www.canthang.com or www.myspace.com/canthang.

Ben Wilson

“Easy Listening,” within the parlance of music criticism, is usually invoked with snobbish derision and aimed at the unchallenging, watered-down compositions of John Tesh or Yanni. It has however become a legitimate genre unto itself, one in which several honest musicians have flourished. Local singer/songwriter and guitarist Ben Wilson isn’t one of their ilk, at least not in the strictest sense, but his latest CD, Strange Dogs, could definitely be called “Easy Listening,” even though it’s wholly free of the style’s dumbly followed directives.

With the lyrical insightfulness of a James Taylor or Jackson Browne and equipped with Jim Croce’s receptive ear for a hook, Wilson makes few diversionary demands of his listeners, the better to allow his soothing vision to unfold. But the result isn’t so much anesthetizing as it is calming, and the relative lack of fretboard fireworks draws attention to both his poetic lyrics and finely crafted songs as a whole.

The music world, now more than ever it seems, is crowded with desperate alpha personalities, those who value shock and pointless noise over content. Refreshingly, Wilson strums away in the darkened corner of the room, playing for those who are rewarded for their patience with some stellar original tunes. Track 1, “I’m So Crazy,” comes wrapped in the warmth and catchiness of a treasured ’70s television theme adorned with some decidedly contemporary personal insights as a colorful ribbon. The rest of the album is no less pleasing, bouncing jauntily as it does between the sun-drenched, low-key reggae of “It Came To Me In A Dream” and the vintage, Grateful Dead-like arrangement of “Moonlight In The Middle.”

The “easy listening,” then, comes in the form of looseness rather than diluted vision. Ben Wilson is clearly a thoughtful and very talented artist, and it shows throughout Strange Dogs, an album that deserves attention far beyond the limits of its local scope.

Visit Ben Wilson online at www.benwilsonmusic.com. Ben plays on Friday, February 12 at the Shamrock Room, 105 Harrison Ave. in Cocoa Village. Call 64-5555 for more details. Ben will also perform as part of the Love Haiti Benefit Concert on February 6 from 4 p.m. till? at the Space Station in the Clarion Hotel, 260 E. Merritt Island Causeway, Merritt Island. 100% of all proceeds from the concert will go directly to aid the Haitian people via the Harris Rosen Foundation. Check this issue’s “Word On The Street” section for details on the event.

Born Ripton Joseph Hylton in Kingston, Jamaica, Eek got his unusual name from a racehorse that frequently lost him money. When the horse finally won a race, he had, of course, refused to back it. “My Father’s Land” and “Creation,” his first two releases, came out under his real name in the mid-’70s. Not only were they made while he was still in college, they were produced by his math teacher, Mr. Dehaney. In 1980, he started recording with Joe Gibbs after working briefly with the Papa Roots, Black Ark, Gemini, Jah Life, Black Scorpio and Virgo sound systems. “Wah Do Dem” was the 1980 single that made his name in Jamaica, even though it was considered too controversial for radio airplay.

In 1981, The Mouse (as he refers to himself) achieved significant hits with “Once A Virgin,” “Modelling Queen” and “Virgin Girl,” and soon all Jamaica was raving about the rodent. That same year, he was the toast of Reggae Sunsplash, his bubbling lunacy providing a cathartic release to a festival otherwise in mourning for Bob Marley. “Biddy biddy beng” roiled out across the crowd, and the audience shouted it back as one, instantly cementing the syllables as the catchprase of the new decade. A string of smash singles throughout the ’80s saw him signed to the august Island label. He even grabbed a role in the film “New Jack City,” playing Fat Smitty. “I do seven or eight minutes in the movie, but they cut me down to one minute and I was pissed. I lost my Oscar!” Mouse laments. He later passed on a part in Steven Seagal’s “Marked For Death,” after reading the script. “It had some bad vibe about Jamaicans. It have Rastaman doing all kinda voodoo and drugs.”

Mouse continues to tour tirelessly today, performing an amazing 200 to 250 shows a year. This December 14 sees him perform at Cocoa Beach’s Chili Pepper Club.
Eek-A-Mouse performs with MC Longenecker, The Crazy Carls, and Dub 321 at the Chili Pepper Club (142 N. Atlantic Ave.; Cocoa Beach). Tickets are $13.50 in advance; $17 day of show. For ticket information, call 783-8885 after 4 p.m. Visit Eek-A-Mouse online at: www.eeksperience.com

Comprised of Trevor Prince on guitar and vocals, David Pastorius on bass, and Tom Van Dyke on drums, Elephantgun offers a sound laden with a Southern punk/funk feel.  As diverse as they are many, their influences, from the Allman Brothers and Kings of Leon to Ginger Baker and Mother Hips, are just a few voices Elephantgun channel through their original instrumentation. You may hear some covers hidden within a melody that may contain some CCR, Taj Mahal, or Primus.

The men of Elephantgun are all locals stemming from other bands (Local 518; Rex Goliath; Big Orange Nitty Gritty) whose drive and original approach help create an atmosphere of rare adventure and surprise. So this holiday season, treat yourself to a band who’ll make you feel like it’s Christmas every day.

Keep up with Elephantgun at: www.myspace.com/elephantgunfl. They host Wednesday open mics at the Hustler, located at 810 N. A1A, Indialantic. Call 768-0640 for more information. Elephantgun will also be playing the Bull Creek Festival on December 5 at 8 p.m. and will appear at the Sports Page (220 Hwy.A1A; Satellite Beach; 777-7243) on December 19 at 9 p.m.

For music information visit Kimberly Stone’s website here: www.beachinmommies.com

Meet a fresh young singer from Austria, whose 2000 US debut was hailed as “captivating.” Jazz legend Ira Sullivan calls her “a great young talent” with a big future in jazz.

Simone Kopmajer (“kop-mayer”) grew up in a family of musicians and started to sing in her father’s band when she was 12. At the same time she studied piano, though singing remained her first love. Early on, she entered and won various talent contests and even made appearances on television in her native Austria. As a young performer, she twice toured the Netherlands with the Euro Big Band and later appeared in several International Jazz Festivals.

Influenced by some of the great American vocalists, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Jon Hendricks, Simone has developed into a true jazz singer, one who employs a wide variety of rhythms and excels in her very individual style of scatting. Renowned jazz interpreter Laurie Antonioli says that “Simone is an excellent musician, with soulful and hip improvising. She digs in and isn’t afraid to take risks with the music.” Simone received her Masters Degree from the University for Music and dramatic Arts in Graz, Austria where she had the opportunity to work with such jazz luminaries as Sheila Jordan, Michele Hendricks, and the New York Voices, and she has performed with greats such as Ira Sullivan, Gerorge Mraz, Christian McBride, Larry Coryell, and many others.

She’s currently touring her newest album throughout Thailand, but is due back January 8th and 9th for a CD release party at Heidi’s Jazz Club in Cocoa Beach, where she’ll perform with Brevard’s own Ron Teixeira and Rabbitt Simmons, and Austrian drummer Reinhardt Winkler.

Celebrate the release of Simone Kopmajer’s latest CD at Heidi’s Jazz Club (7 N. Orlando Ave., in downtown Cocoa Beach) January 8th and 9th from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Call Heidi’s at 783-4559 for ticket details. Visit Simone online at: http://www.simonekopmajer.com

Set for Sunday, December 20 in the heart of the Eau Gallie Arts District, the 1st Annual Winter Arts & Music Festival will bring together some of the area’s finest musicians, artists, and vendors for a free, all-ages community event. The Festival also promises to attract attention to the ways in which artists and musicians can work together with local businesses to breathe new life into similar communities.

With the help of the EGAD! consortium, Eau Gallie has been swiftly transformed from a sleepy downtown into a rich, vibrant arts district, one that boasts restaurants, small businesses, boutiques, galleries, antique shops, an impressive museum, and a host of activities and events. The Winter Festival, comprised of a large contingency of volunteers, sponsors, and vendors and the newest addition to the burgeoning Eau Gallie scene, features performances by some of the region’s most beloved musicians along with other activities geared toward the entire family.

The outdoor Stage in the Eau Gallie Square Park Amphitheatre, will see live sets by guitarist and vocalist Will Frazier of Whole Wheat Bread; saxophonist Nathan Anderson (of JunlieRush); Jvato; Jared Lyons; Jeremy Collings of Lady & the Tramps, and singer/guitarist Skart of The Supervillains. The free event will also see performances by vocalists Kaleigh Baker, Peter Baldwin, and Whitney Hogan. Children can expect face painting, henna artists, magicians, and jugglers, along with many arts and crafts-related activities. Local vendors will be providing delicious food and beverages as well.

The 1st Annual Winter Arts & Music Festival goes down Sunday, December 20 in downtown Eau Gallie from Noon to 7 p.m. To learn more, visit www.winterartsandmusicfestival.com.

The Cocoa-Beach based Ovni Sound System combine elements of catchy, pop-punk hooks, upbeat trombone-driven ska, infectious reggae rhythms, and hard-driving rock.

Though they’ve only been together for a brief seven months, O.S.S. are carving out a strong name for themselves within Brevard’s highly competitive indie rock scene. Comprised of Carlos (vocals and guitar), bassist Jeremy, drummer Justin and Sam on trombone and keyboards, this professional, goal-oriented quartet already enjoy a devoted, often rabid local following.

After being met with rave reviews for their self-titled debut E.P, O.S.S are in the process of recording a full-length album and are planning a national tour. Notorious for their high-energy shows, which are geared as much for spectacle as for crowd interaction, Ovni have performed with such notable acts as The Supervillains, Whole Wheat Bread, Junkie Rush, 20WT, Skif Dank, and many others.

With some Sublime-influenced ska and a touch of Green Day punk rock, the members of Ovni Sound System prove that hard work and determination can spread music that originates in love, movement and fun without having to bow to corporate, chart-obsessed concerns. Check them out and enjoy a fourth wave of ska that promotes just that kind of revolutionary sentiment.

Keep up with The Ovni Sound System at www.theovni.com. They’ll be playing the Space Coast State Fair on November 6 and 13 at 6 p.m., and perform November 7 at 9 p.m. at the Chili Pepper Club (142 N. Atlantic Ave.; Cocoa Beach; 783-8885). They’ll also be performing at 10 p.m. on November 20 at Surfer’s Sports Bar (350 N. Atlantic Ave.; Cocoa Beach; 784-2858. To hear song samples or to learn more about the band, visit their aforementioned website along with www.myspace.com/theovni. Follow them on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ovnisoundsystem or view live vidoes of their shows at www.youtube.com/ovnisound

The band — comprised of Love on guitar, vocals and harmonica, drummer Jeff Clemens and bassist Jim Prescott — gained rave reviews from their 1994 debut, which featured the ubiquitous “Cold Beverage.” Later releases like Coast to Coast Motel, Yeah, It’s That Easy, Philadelphonic, and Electric Mile, which notably featured elements of funk and psychedelia, gained the trio an even wider audience and slots on the popular H.O.R.D.E. Tour.

But G. Love himself broke into new territory after signing to Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records to release 2004’s solo effort Hustle, widely viewed as a clever and highly creative return to focused form. Johnson, who helped out on 1999’s Philadelphonic, invited G. Love on a 2004 tour with label mate Donavon Frankenreiter, and the three released a live EP before G. Love’s seventh proper album and second solo foray, Lemonade.

G. Love will be in town this month for the Slater Brothers Invitational surf contest before heading off on a brief Australian tour. A new album is in the works, and local fans may get a first taste of G. Love’s fresh material.

Catch G. Love’s performance Friday, November 6 at Coconuts on the Beach (2 Minutemen Cswy.; 784-1422) as part of the Slater Brothers’ Invitational surf contest festivities. The bonfire party/show begins at 7 p.m. and will also feature the music of local bluesman Josh Miller. To learn more about the contest, check this issue’s “Word on the Street” section. And be sure to check out G. Love’s informative and up-to-date website at www.philadelphonic.com.