Nightflying: The Entertainment Guide

I listen to music and write about it … a tough job, but someone has to do it, right? I like all kinds of music, though jazz is my favorite. For some reason we get very little jazz submitted for review. We get a lot of rock, a bit of folk, world music, bluegrass, country, blues, and the occasional rap or hip-hop album. We even get some classical, though rarely, and no opera, which is okay with me because I have never been a big fan of opera.
England Dan has died. Dan Seals took that sobriquet when he joined with John Ford Coley to do music because he did not wish to appear to be trading on the family name. He was the brother of Jim Seals of Seals & Croft. Dan Seals went solo in 1980 and later joined his brother (in 2002) after an impromptu jam in Nashville that brought down the house. He was 61.
The king of Philippine rap has passed. Francis Magalona was but 44. And musicologist Wanda Wilk, a philanthropic backer of Polish classical music, has passed on at 88. In a weird coincidence, two popular singers who had their first hits with that Christmas song about Mommy kissing Santa Claus, have both died (that would be Molly Bee, who also starred on TV, and Jimmy Boyd, who did some TV work too; both were in their seventies).
Speaking of TV, Uncle Al Lewis passed away recently at 84. He was no musician, but he hosted a kiddy show on which he led the little ones in the Hokey Pokey. Another octogenarian, Grand Ole Opry singer Ernie Ashworth died not long ago. He wrote hit songs for such disparate singers as Little Jimmy Dickens and Paul Anka.
On the local scene, singer / pianist Eddie Bo (Edwin Joseph Bocage) has left the stage at 79. He was a very popular performer down here by de bayous. Singer / actor Andy Hallett has died at but 33.
I just found out the federal tax on roll-your-own cigarette tobacco is going up by two thousand percent. Reckon I have to quit smoking that stuff. At least I keep telling myself that until I run, well, drive, to the store and buy some more. Now if you all will excuse me, I have to go build some soup. Meanwhile, peruse these reviews, whaddaya say?
Hey, beats the hell out of reading the financial pages. (And you thought it was a good thing to have money in the bank.)

THE LINNIE HICE BAND
The Linnie Hice Band
Indie
Somebody told me these guys rock and that was no joke. Guitarist Linnie Hice, bassist Lance Thompson, and drummer James Abell flat rock the house. I think Linnie and Lance share vocals. If you like your rock hard, you need to check these guys out (and I hear they can do bluegrass and country too). I know he can rip some licks. If you wish, look him up on Myspace (either linnie hice or lpentertainment).

GREEN ENERGY
The Irish Experience
Indie
For the most part this is traditional Irish music, arranged by the musicians on the recording, but there are also a few more contemporary tunes and unusual instruments, e.g. synthesizer, congas, bongos, tabla, harmonica (and what in the wide world of sports is a djembe or a dunun?). Still, the skirling fiddle is dominant and as one listens it becomes very clear where what we call country music originated.
THE SUICIDE KINGS
The Suicide Kings
Blue Plate
Bruce Connole is a talented singer / songwriter / guitarist and he is backed up ably by keyboardist Brad Buxer, bassist Paul Schneider, and drummer Bobby Domings (Buxer and Schneider also help out on vocals).

UNEVENTFUL
Robert Flying Man Abbott
Indie
This is a Little Rock product. The music is good (Matt Stone, Mark Wyers, and Robert Folle provide some great lead guitar licks; bass parts are handled by Kristin Goodwin, Jason Greenlaw, and Robert Abbott, who also plays rhythm guitar; Jawbone gets off some good harmonica riffs, Lonnie Abbott keeps the beat steady on drums). Robert Abbott also wrote all but two of the tunes (and co-wrote one of those) and he shows a deft hand at it. The rehab song is particularly clever. Some songs work better than others, but then that usually is the way it goes, is it not?

THE BAND OF HEATHENS
The Band Of Heathens
BOH
Oh yeah, laid back rock recorded in Dripping Springs, Texas (at The Zone). Colin Brooks does the best song about cornbread since Louis Jordan. He is joined by Ed Jurdi, Gordy Quist, Seth Whitney, and John Chipman. Ray Wylie Hubbard added some excellent slide guitar on the cornbread number (he also produced this fine CD).

THE INSTRUMENTAL MEMPHIS MUSIC SAMPLER VOLUME 2
Various artists
Inside Sounds
We reviewed volume one here some time ago and volume two is just as good. Billy Gibson and his band kick it off with a rousing rendition of a Booker T & The MGs classic (written by none other than Steve Cropper). There are a bakers dozen enjoyable tunes, brought to a close by Carl Wolfe and his ensemble on a W. C. Handy classic. So yes, classic is the operative word here.

CHICAGO BLUES A LIVING HISTORY
Various Artists
Raisin Music
The musicians are Billy Boy Arnold, John Primer, Billy Branch, and Lurrie Bell, plus guests Carlos Johnson and Mike Avery, but the music is from a bevy of blues greats, such as Buddy Guy, Elmore James, Jimmy Reed, Junior Wells, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, John Lee Hooker, and other legendary cats. It is quite well done, with a minimum of tampering with the basic sound. Great stuff … and lots of it: two whole discs.
CHARLEMAGNE’S BIG THAW
Colossal Yes
Ba Da Bing
Another interesting bit I have no idea what to make of, this is rather Beatles-ish pop with a distinct nod to anarchy. Utrillo Kushner wrote (or co-wrote with Eli Eckert) all these songs, recorded at The Last Great Recording Studio from 2007 through 2008.
SEVEN SERENADES FOR SCALLOPED FRETBOARD GUITAR
Matthew Montfort
Ancient-Future.com
I have to admit that I have no idea what a scalloped fretboard guitar is, but it sounds a lot like a sitar, or is it a sarod? For a drone, he relies on the didjeridu, which works wonderfully well. If you like Indian music, you definitely need to check this out.

SANGRIA
Mariah Parker
AncientFuture.com
Mariah Parker plays the piano on most of these songs, but she does a couple numbers on something I never heard of before: santur. She is accompanied by Matthew Montfort on guitars and a variety of other folks on bowed bass, cello, flute, tabla, and various other percussion instruments, providing a rather remarkable roux one might call indolatin jazz.

CLETUS GOT SHOT
Cletus Got Shot
Indie
This is a lot of fun, down-home style, but I wish I knew more about it. I got nothing but the CD in a cardboard sleeve with a couple photos of an old truck and a list of the 14 songs. Whence came it? These guys are very good, but who are they?

THE MOUSETRAP SESSIONS
Michael S. Hosty
HossTone
We had not heard from Mike Hosty in some time, but this little teeny tiny thing was well worth the wait. Recorded at the Mousetrap in Norman, Oklahoma, this album is a bit different from what I have heard from Hosty before, but is all the more interesting for that. He has his groove on, for sure. Picks hell out of that guitar, taps his feet, and sings countrified rock originals as if his rep depended on it. He does one song where I swear he is channeling Sam Cooke, but I like the Espanol version of the flying dinosaur song (co-written by Liam Hosty), and the golden fish story closing the set. Way to go, Mike!

BEAUTIFUL DEPARTED
The Westerners
Indie
A lament for a little lost soul, a trifle strange, even downright eerie at times, this sounds as if Evan Lurie and Eric Satie were composing and arranging for Blondie. The personnel are LaDon Drummond on vocals and Joe West on a whole slew of instruments, joined by a few guest musicians. West wrote all of the songs but two.

EVADER EP
Indiana & The Byrds
Indie
---Kody Ford
Fayetteville’s Indiana & the Byrds are proving to be one of the most promising bands in Arkansas. They’ve evolved exponentially since their last release Danger, Danger. Vocalist Rob Lee’s gravely howls reverberate throughout the record but the melodies are much stronger than their previous work. Song like “The Way We Use” feature a sing-a-long chorus, big drums, and infectious guitar riffs. The title track blends a minor key riff with a lonesome acoustic guitar and explodes in a powerful chorus.
Evader shows a more mature Indiana & the Byrds. The band plays stripped down rock ‘n’ roll that still sounds unique. The production quality is top notch for a self-funded, independent group. At this rate when they release a LP, they might just be one of the best bands to come out of the Altered State.

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