Sleeping it off, blues legends and Running Out of Road
by Chris Aaland
To sleep, perchance to dream; aye there’s the rub. Shakespeare wrote that. I’m pretty sure the bard wasn’t describing sleep deprivation from a seven-day public radio membership drive when he wrote his famous second quarto of “To Be, or Not to Be.” But I finally got eight hours of shuteye Tuesday night following a seven-day fundraising marathon that ended at 6 p.m. By the end, I was staring blankly at my computer screen with drool running down my chin. My first St. Patrick’s Day beer was of the celebratory variety. That pint of IPA disappeared in a matter of five or six gulps. So did the next two.
I’m not sure which I’m looking forward to more this week: my comfy pillows and blankets; the round-the-clock roundball of March Madness; or a busy week of music coming to the region.
One I won’t miss: blues legends Charlie Musselwhite and John Hammond, who take the stage of the Community Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
 Former Live frontman Ed Kowalczyk unplugs at the Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. |
Musselwhite is a Grammy-winning vocalist and harmonic player born in the Mississippi Delta, raised in Memphis and schooled on the South Side of Chicago. He’s one of the last living links to the era that saw Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and John Lee Hooker rise to international stardom. Hammond, on the other hand, was born into the music business.
The son of the legendary New York record producer of the same name, he dropped out of college and immersed himself into the Greenwich Village folk scene of the early ‘60s. His barrelhouse singing style and resophonic guitar playing quickly won a legion of fans and rave reviews from critics. Some 50 years down the roads of their respective careers, Musselwhite and Hammond continue to build upon their legends.
Songwriter and former lead singer of the multi-platinum rock band Live, Ed Kowalczyk, plays the Community Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. With a voice that has attracted fans for more than two decades, Kowalczyk presents a new unplugged production of some of rock’s most profound anthems in “Throwing Copper Unplugged: A 20th Anniversary Celebration.” The tour commemorates the seminal Live album, “Throwing Copper,” along with a few surprises. Among Live’s iconic ‘90s hits are “Lightning Crashes,” “I Alone” and “Selling the Drama.”
Durango Massive Productions hosts the sixth annual CeleFunktion, which kicked off last night and continues through Sunday at multiple venues, including the Animas City Theatre, the Balcony Backstage, El Rancho Tavern, Moe’s, BREW Pub & Kitchen and Eno. Confirmed artists include Nahko & Medicine for the People (which played Wednesday night), Fort Knox Five, Euforquestra, The Main Squeeze, Juno What’, Jaden Carlson Band, Jon Wayne & the Pain, Andreas Kapsalis, Elder Grown, Benjamin K, Diabolical Sound Platoon, SkyPilot, Lawn Chair Kings, Ace Revel, Magi Nation, DJ CK, Juicy Money, Baby Bel and special guests to be announced. And when you see I-Gene, who put this whole thing together, give him a big hug. He’ll truly understand Shakespeare’s prose after pulling off this massive four-day run.
Local bluegrass quintet Running Out of Road releases its first studio album, “Rambler’s Reprise,” from 5:30-8 p.m. Friday at BREW Pub & Kitchen. Ian Lennox, Duane Tucker, Michelle Fletcher, Rusty Charpentier and Jeff Moorehead are more than just musicians. All five are or have been educators. They consider themselves an unbiased sampling of Durango’s demographics: an active town with residents of all ages who turn to the outdoors for both activities and inspiration. You’ll find their music and lyrics to reflect an intersection of Old West nostalgia and New West ideals.
And my bracket thingy: Only a homer, dreamer or fool would pick someone other than Kentucky to win the whole shebang. I have the big, bad, blue ‘Cats beating Virginia in the title game, with Duke and Arizona losing in the Final Four. My upset is seeing Kansas get floored by in-state rival Wichita State and missing the Sweet 16 entirely. Sorry, Nord.
This week’s Top Shelf list is provided by Running Out of Road fiddler Rusty Charpentier. “The albums are listed in order of appearance in my life,” he noted. “I have included names of people who either introduced this music to me or were influential in my musical development during this stage of life.” Those folks are listed parenthetically.
1. Blink-182, “Take Off Your Pants and Jacket,” 2001. This is the first CD I remember ever buying with my own money. I was in middle school, what do you want? (Tom Malouf)
2. Incubus, “Morning View,” 2001. I used to listen to this CD in its entirety before falling asleep throughout high school. Some of these tracks are the first I ever learned how to play on guitar.
3. State Radio, “Us Against the Crown,” 2006. My high school crush had a thing for Chad Urmston. I learned how to play and sing almost this whole CD so I could be in with the ladies!
4. Tenacious D, self-titled, 2006. One of my many cool aunts bought me this CD in high school. I learned to play and sing many of these tracks to share some laughs with friends! (Sheila Barry, Jeff Demas, Mason Rachampbell, Sam Cohn)
5. Radiohead, “Amnesiac,” 2001. As a music major at FLC, I found myself listening to music at a much deeper level. I would nerd out over stuff like the time signature of “Pyramid Song.” Turns out it’s just 4/4! (Neil Hemphil)
6. John Hartford, “Aereo-Plain,” 1971. Playing in Wild Mountain was my introduction to bluegrass. I was introduced to a plethora of amazing music, but this one stuck with me. (Tommy Frederico, Brad Bartlett, Estella Moore, Emily Wilson)
7. Clavier Trio, “Transfigured Night,” 2010. I had the fortune of participating in the Music in the Mountains Conservatory as a college student. I wouldn’t be the musician I am today without Arkadi Foman! (Kasia Sokol)
8. Béla Fleck, “Drive,” 1988. Hands down, I have listened to this CD more than any other. My life goal is to learn every fiddle lick on there! (Mark Epstein)
9. Hot Rize, “When I’m Free,” 2014. First album in 25 years, first performance of the tour, first date with the woman of my dreams! (Alissa Wolf)
10. Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile, “The Goat Rodeo Sessions,” 2011. What more could you want from music?
To grunt and sweat under this weary life? Email me at chrisa@gobrainstorm.net.