O'Timmy, show tunes and Little Phat

by Chris Aaland

O’Timmy, where art thou? The redheaded bluegrass veteran used to be a regular visitor to our parts. Hot Rize would play Farquahrts with some regularity in the early 1980s. Durango Acoustic Music, back in its heyday, brought in O’Brien at least six times in one form or another, including gigs with the O’Boys, Tim & Mollie O’Brien and NewGrange, a supergroup that included the likes of Mike Marshall, Darol Anger and Alison Brown. But lately, he’s bypassed Durango for the greener pastures of Telluride.

Bluegrass maestro Tim O'Brien plays a sure-to-sellout show Tuesnday at the Arts Center

Tim O’Brien still comes to the area quite frequently in the winter — apparently the skiing is better in the San Juans than it is in Nashville. What better way to pay for a few powder days than playing a gig while you’re here? This time around, he’s doing a solo show at the Durango Arts Center at 7 p.m. Tuesday. This one will have probably sold out by the time you’re reading this. O’Brien is a master of all varieties of bluegrass and folk with everything from honky-tonk, Celtic and Scottish thrown in for good measure. The last time he played Durango, he toured on the heels of the Grammy-winning “Fiddler’s Green” and the even stronger “Cornbread Nation,” which were released on the same day in 2005. His offerings since have included the solo “Chameleon,” in which O’Brien accompanies himself on mandolin, guitar, bouzouki, fiddle, banjo and other instruments, and “Chicken & Egg,” a more traditional bluegrass album. His next project is the O’Brien Party of Seven, featuring sister Mollie, brother-in-law Rich Moore and assorted O’Brien children paying tribute to Roger Miller.

So you missed the boat on Valentine’s Day? Fret not. Chicks dig musicals — at least mine does. Shelly recently saw “The Book of Mormon” on Broadway and returned with the original cast recording. Now Otto sings along to such family-friendly fare as “All-American Prophet” and “Tomorrow is a Latter Day.” Along those same veins, Neil Berg’s “100 Years of Broadway” offers up just that when it visits the Community Concert Hall at 7 p.m. Monday. Broadway stars perform alongside local vocalists with songs from such popular musicals as “Phantom of the Opera,” “Les Misérables,” “Cats,” “Chicago” and “Wicked.” I doubt that “Spooky Mormon Hell Dream” will appear on the set list, but let’s hope so.

So show tunes don’t put lead in your pencil? Perhaps a free screening of “Never Make it Home,” the Split Lip Rayfield documentary about Kirk Rundstrom’s battle with cancer and final tour with the legendary insurgent country band will. KDUR presents the aforementioned roc doc at 7 p.m. Monday in the Vallecito Room of the College Union at Fort Lewis. This ought to wet your whistle until May 1, when the remaining three members of the band return to the Abbey Theatre.

Swing on this: Bandleader Gordon Goodwin brings his Little Phat Band to the Community Concert Hall at 7 p.m. Wednesday — on the heels of a new Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement, no less, for “Rhapsody in Blue.” The Little Phat Band is a scaled-down version of Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, one of the hardest swinging, large jazz ensembles around and one that celebrates both contemporary and original jazz.

Music in the Mountains hosts a benefit wine tasting and musician auction from 6-8 p.m. Sunday at the Toh-Atin Gallery. For $40, you can taste fabulous wine and hors d’oeuvre pairings, win door prizes, see the unveiling of this year’s commissioned artwork and bid on festival music packages.

Do you like to laugh? Do others laugh at you (or your jokes)? Then audition for Durango DOT Comedy, Durango’s premiere improv troupe since 2002. Open auditions will be held at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Durango Arts Center.

This week’s Summit slate includes Frisky Squid with DJ C.S.O. tonight (Thurs., Feb. 23); an Eric Kiefer acoustic happy hour from 6-9 p.m. Friday followed by Kiefer’s main band, Aftergrass, at 10 p.m.; Rupnow’s acoustic happy hour from 6-9 p.m. Saturday followed by DJs Lunice, Benjamin K and Make Believe at 10 p.m.; and regular fare like Tuesday’s open mic/jam session and DJ Double D’s karaoke/gong show on Wednesday.

Moe’s weekly madness includes a disco party with DJ Matteo from 9 ‘til close Friday and an unholy Saturday that includes MMA and a lingerie show. UFC 144 will be broadcast on 11 big screens at 8 p.m. Saturday featuring the main event, Edgar vs. Henderson. Meanwhile, the Fem Desire all-girl lingerie show presents the “Naughty in Neon” black light party with music by Mr. Anderson, Niko and Noches from 9 ‘til close.

There’s a new brewpub in town! I’ve yet to visit Mountain Madness, located where Sweeney’s used to be, but am anxious to taste their hoppy offerings. Kirk James plays solo blues there from 6-10 p.m. Friday. From what I hear, Mountain Madness plans to have music on a regular basis, meaning folks who live up north will have a venue nearby.

Elsewhere: tonight’s Ska-B-Q features acoustic indie music from Joe Alan; the Miserabillies play old-time fiddle and steel country music at the Lost dog at 7 p.m. Saturday; and the Bob Floyd Band celebrates Leap Year Day at Ska on Wednesday with funk, rock and reggae.

This week’s Top Shelf list features five of my favorite Tim O’Brien recordings:
1. Hot Rize, self-titled, 1979. While the band’s entire catalog is a must-have for any bluegrass fan, the 1979 Flying Fish record featured such classics as “Blue Night,” “Nellie Kane” and “High on a Mountain.”
2. “The Crossing,” 1999. “Fiddler’s Green” may have won a Grammy, but “The Crossing” is O’Brien’s first (and best) foray into Irish music. Thirteen years later, every song still resonates.
3. “Red on Blonde,” 1996. Dylan tributes are a dime a dozen, but with O’Boys Mark Schatz and Scott Nygaard, O’Brien finished what Lester Flatt started by interpreting the erstwhile Zimmerman in the bluegrass style.
4. Tim O’Brien & Darrell Scott, “Real Time,” 2000. Two great songwriters and string wizards who can swap stories and licks with the best of ‘em.
5. Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers, “Shades of the Past,” 1988. Hot Rize’s alter-ego comes across as a gag live, but the joke’s on the audience. These guys truly love 1950s honky-tonk.

Since you put me on that shelf? Email me at chrisa@gobrainstorm.net.