Indie Rock, Twang & Twilight: October 24 at The Starry Plough Berkeley, w/ Laura Benitez & the Heartache

Two female-fronted acts take the stage on this autumn evening, sharing original songs of love, life, and the pursuit of damn good whiskey.
 

Laura Benitez and the Heartache use the three chord tools of country music to tell the simple, unvarnished truth about love, too much whiskey, and the call of the road. Their songs range from honky-tonk shuffles to rock 'n' roll numbers to sweet old time waltzes, and cover everything from unwed motherhood ("Me or the Baby") to mean drunks ("Don't Wake the Devil"), with a whole lot of heartbreak in between. Their twangy honesty shines through in straightforward arrangements, crystalline harmonies, and spare instrumentation. Beware their catchy hooks and sweet melodies - these stray puppy tunes will follow you home and become your most steadfast companions. www.laurabenitezandtheheartache.com

California songwriter Deborah Crooks' lyric driven and soul-wise music draws on folk, rock, and Americana and is often compared to Lucinda Williams and The Cowboy Junkies. Her music ventures into everything from funk and reggae to rock and blues, reflecting her expansive and eclectic tastes, a sound which has evolved over her years studying writing and poetics at The Naropa Institute, voice with Chloe Goodchild and Mysore V. Amba Prasad (India), and cowriting and collaborating with her Bay Area peers. She’s released three CDs and several EPs of critically noted original music, including 2015’s Something Special, which reflects both her California Roots and global peregrinations. “Quite simply smart and engaging music." — RockWired Magazine www.deborahcrooks.com

Bay Area New Music O'Rama: Desira, Garibaldi, Heartache Sisters & The Welcome Matt Debut CDs & Singles This Week

Bay Area musicians are packing a big punch this week as a quartet of local acts celebrate the release of new recording efforts. I've either shared shows with or happily applauded performances by these artists, who represent the full spectrum of songwriterly tendencies and deserve many ears.

Jeff Desira is eagerly anticipating his CD-release party at Amnesia on July 19th, 8pm, for "Weathervane." Produced by Scott Mickelson and mastered by Michael Romanowsk, expect some quality hook-laden tunes. (He'll be part of the Alameda Songwriter's Roundup on July 26).

While I was up playing in Oregon, Katie Garibaldi celebrated the release of her new — and seventh (!) — CD "Follow Your Heart," a collection of pop and country-tinged tunes recorded with great care at Tiny Telephone and featuring the string work of Magik Magik Orchestra

The Heartache Sisters are hard not to love with their multi-instrumentalist cool, sweet harmonies and Americana style. They've just debuted two new singles — Please Be Kind and Living Machine _ which can be found across the Inter webs. I also highly recommend seeing them live if you're in Fresno, Pasadena or Oakland in the coming weeks. Check their tour schedule for a date near you.

I recently interviewed The Welcome Matt about "POP JUNK FLUFF & HYPE," which is packed with memorable lines and is officially released July 16. This music rocks.

Good stuff all around, I say. Get ye to iTunes quick!

Willie Nelson, Shovels & Rope @ The Greek 4/12/14

I first saw Willie Nelson 10+ years back at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 3. I wasn't expecting to like him, this favorite of my best friend's mom growing up. Instead,  I stood in the lowering sun amid the gazillion other fans as he walked onstage and greeted the crowd with a sly grin and open arms, and went, 'oh' as my ignorance was elucidated. My husband remembered seeing him play a marathon 3+-hr set from years earlier. "He just kept going...' So when we saw Willie, now 80 years old,  would be playing opening day of Berkeley's Greek Theater we said yeah!
Shovels & Ropes opened the evening on Saturday with a raucous set of their high-energy rock, playing like gleeful children let loose in the instrument room and appreciating every moment of their time on the Greek stage. Cary Ann Hearst has a voice like Dolly Parton's wayward niece, matched nearly word-for-word by her husband Michael Trent's harmony vocal, each playing guitar, drums, harmonica and a synth bass and singing lead as the song dictated. They lit a fire under the crowd and it wasn't even dark yet, and their song 'Birmingham' has been in my head ever since. 'rock of ages....'
I'd never seen the next 'opening' act, Drive By Truckers playing as a 5-piece....and was completely underwhelmed.
 Fortunately, everyone was keeping to the schedule and Willie came on soon enough, starting with what seemed to be one big medley of every great song you forget you know — Crazy and Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain and Always on My Mind. It didn't feel like a country music concert rather than a performance of the revised edition of the Great American Songbook by one of the Great American Songwriters of our time. Jeepers. And like a large engine, Willie just ran smoother and hotter as the set progressed, playing several instrumentals to better display his guitar prowess, singing a few new songs amid his well-burnished hits,  his voice undiminished by time, laughing and tossing bandannas and hats to the crowd and generally making a good case for playing music and doing what you love to stay happy and healthy.

Maurice Tani/77 El Deora @ The Freight & Salvage Sunday 8/18/13

If you're wondering what to do with your upcoming Sunday night, do as I am and get yourself, and any self-respecting music-loving friends you have, tickets to Maurice Tani & 77 El Deora at The Freight & Salvage. Maurice is one of those Bay Area treasures who the whole world should really know about (and probably will soon). He writes great songs, he has a killer voice and he knows how to wield a guitar to best effect, whether the song is a rocking honky-tonk number or sensitive ballad. He also is a rare combination of great artist and nice person. Yes, I'm a big fan (Click here to read the interview I did with him three year ago.)

This year, he released not only one, but two, new excellent CDs, Blue Line and Two Stroke. Sunday's show at The Freight (the optimal place in the East Bay to hear this music) is the official release party for those projects. Be there if you can.

From the Press Release:

Wry-to-Romantic American Songwriter Maurice Tani Releases Two New CDs and Plays Freight & Salvage Sunday August 18 @ 8:00 p.m.

DOUBLE CD RELEASE SHOWSan Francisco veteran singer-songwriter Maurice Tani and Freight & Salvage in Berkeley announce a double CD release show on SUNDAY AUGUST 18 at 8:00pm. This show celebrates the simultaneous release of Tani's fourth and fifth albums: a new studio album, “Blue Line”, and “Two Stroke”, an album of acoustic duos and trios with bassist Mike Anderson and a variety of others. 
Sunday, August 18 

Doors 7:00. Concert 8:00.

Freight & Salvage 2020 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA 510 644 2020 

$16.50 advance/ $18.50 door. 

Advance tickets available online or from the Freight & Salvage Box OfficeOr online from ticketfly http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/323347