SanLuisObispo.com: Music

Music: Songs for the bereaved

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:20 PDT

It’s no surprise that people have asked Judy Philbin to sing at their funerals. After all, for about 20 years she has sung at support events for local hospice groups.

Yet the grief music she sings at those functions, Philbin said, is a bit different from funeral music. Grief music can be listened to weeks, months or years after a death to help someone deal with a loss.

Her album, “Candle in the Window,” is a collection of songs conducive to the grieving process. The album includes covers of songs by Smokey Robinson, Kristina Olsen and Chris de Burgh, plus an original song, “Candle in the Window.” On one track, “Wanting Memories,” Philbin was accompanied by Uganda’s Christ the Church Choir. We recently spoke to Philbin about grief music and her new album at her home in San Luis Obispo.

Music: Popular classic to shine

Wed, 21 May 2008 22:32 PDT

From the first thundering chords of “O Fortuna,” it’s hard to mistake “Carmina Burana.”

First performed in 1937, Carl Orff’s masterpiece has become a favorite among classical music fans.

Snatches of the rhythmic, passionate work can be heard in commercials or during dramatic movie moments. If fact, parts of “Carmina Burana” pop up in about 20 sound-tracks, from “Speed” to “Cheaper by the Dozen.”

Local CD Pick: Judy Philbin

Wed, 21 May 2008 22:40 PDT

JUDY PHILBIN — ‘CANDLE IN THE WINDOW’

Having performed at emotional grief support events for the past 15 years, Judy Philbin knows a thing or two about the healing power of music. This collection of songs (nine covers, one original) is an ideal gift, she says, for someone experiencing a recent loss or celebrating an anniversary or birthday of a deceased loved one. And of course, its songs about loss and remembrance make it ideal for Memorial Day. Philbin’s soft, jazzy voice carries covers like Smokey Robinson’s “Really Gonna Miss You” and Chris de Burgh’s “Carry Me (Like a Fire in Your Heart).” And she includes a touching original, the title song. These somber songs won’t cheer you up — they’re more likely to make you cry. But crying is crucial to grieving, so this album is like therapy.

— Patrick S. Pemberton

Music: Class struggle before the mast

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:23 PDT

Get ready for love and adventure on the high seas.

“H. M. S. Pinafore, or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor” comes to San Luis Obispo on Monday, courtesy of the Carl Rosa Opera Company of London.

Created by composer Arthur Sullivan and librettist W. S. Gilbert, the comic opera centers on a love affair thwarted by fate while poking gentle fun at politics, authority figures and seafaring life.

Music: One Enchanted Evening at Hearst Castle

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 22:28 PDT

For Hearst Castle, this is a year of milestones.

It’s been nearly 50 years since the lavish hilltop mansion once owned by media mogul William Randolph Hearst opened as a state park.

Since then, the San Simeon estate has attracted millions of visitors with its grand Spanishstyle buildings, Roman pools and lush gardens. Heart’s vast art collection, ranging from priceless paintings and statuary to 15th-century ceilings, still wows.

Music: Passion for the seductively sad

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:01 PDT

Years after giving up rock ’n’ roll to focus on the moving, mournful music of her native Portugal, Ana Moura still fields this question: “Why?”

“They ask me … ‘Why did you choose fado? Don’t you miss the other music, the other styles?’ ” the singer said, quoting fellow musicians puzzled by her career choice. “Actually, I don’t miss it so much.”

At age 27, Ana Moura has become one of fado’s most powerful new voices—a top-selling artist who counts The Rolling Stones among her fans.

Music: Gloves traded for guitars

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:34 PDT

Look closely when Paul Thorn sings and you might see a scar that boxing legend Roberto Duran gave him 20 years ago.

Thorn, now a singer-songwriter who has been covered by Toby Keith and has opened for Sting, Jeff Beck and Mark Knopfler, was a 23-year-old factory worker and part-time boxer when he took on Duran in 1988.

Although he was ranked the No. 9 middleweight in America (he was 13-2 at the time), Thorn couldn’t defeat Duran, who entered with an 83-9 record. But he did last six rounds before the fight was stopped because of a bad cut on Thorn’s lip.

Local CD Pick: Candle

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:05 PDT

CANDLE — ‘MILES AND MILES AND MILES’

It’s fitting that the track “Eighth and Pine” starts out with the narrator waiting for a train. Because most of the songs on this somber, sleepy CD seem appropriate for a long journey on Amtrak’s Southwest Chief, traversing forgotten towns, barren plains and lonesome desserts. The lyrics match, with songs of longing, parting ways and regret. The CD could use a couple of peppy tunes for balance. (This train trip can’t be all mopey.) But the folk rockers keep it real with a combination of roots, country and indie rock. Already a musically talented band, the 5-piece is joined by guests offering violin, trumpet and cello.

— Patrick S. Pemberton

Music: Primal movement

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:00 PDT

As one aficionado says, flamenco is a primal scream. It’s wild and ancient, an art form crafted during the Spanish Inquisition by the country’s outcasts: gypsies, Jews, Moors and Muslims. It’s the soul of Andalusia, the voice of an entire nation.

“Why (flamenco) exists is why any minority art form exists—which is as a rebel song, a deep cry to be whoever you are,” explained Martín Santangelo, artistic director, choreographer and cofounder of the Madrid-based Noche Flamenca.

Featuring lead dancer Soledad Barrio, the performance group promises flamenco without tricks or gimmicks at its San Luis Obispo concert tonight.

Music: Namesake isn’t a part of this band

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:05 PST

There’s something conspicuously missing from the blues-rock band called Jerome Washington Express: Jerome Washington.

“Everyone wants to know who Jerome Washington was,” said Drew Arnold, the guitar player and singer who started the band in 1994.

Back then, the band was in San Diego County and featured a different lineup (but no Jerome). Some years later, Arnold—a big fan of blues greats like Robert Johnson and Elmore James —moved his family to San Luis Obispo, where he met future JWE bassist Tyler Mitchell at their workplace, CT International. Drummer Jim Stromberg would eventually complete the band.

Local CD Pick: Chloe

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:07 PST

CHLOE — ‘ONLY EVERYONE’

Blending alternative Christian music with ambient, new age, folk and pop, SLO High grad Chloe Andresen seems to come from the Jars of Clay/Bruce Cockburn school, which values good spiritual music that can appeal to wide audiences. Andresen’s layered vocals channel Ohio’s Over the Rhine and are sure to garner some comparisons to Sarah McLachlan. The CD doesn’t come off as overproduced — the curse of many Christian albums. But, unlike Jars of Clay’s “Flood” or Cockburn’s work, which are subtle enough to appeal to nonbelievers, Andresen’s lyrics leave little to interpretation, which will limit (presumably by choice) her audience to Christians seeking deeply spiritual lyrics.

— Patrick S. Pemberton

Music: They play the Willie way

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:14 PST

It’s too bad Hot Buttered Rum couldn’t come to town just a couple of weeks later.

That’s when Willie Nelson will be in San Luis Obispo. And the guys from HBR love Willie Nelson.

“Our No. 1 desire in terms of opening for somebody would be Willie Nelson,” said Aaron Redner, fiddle and mandolin player for HBR. “We’re definitely brothers with him in terms of supporting biodiesel and ethanol. And his music is very American, and so is ours.”

Music: A crescent city pedigree

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:09 PST

New Orleans is on trumpet player Terence Blanchard’s mind a lot these days.

A native of The Big Easy, Blanchard watched the floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina destroy his mother’s home and devastate his city in 2005.

He wrote the score to Spike Lee’s 2006 documentary, “When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts.” His own take on the tragedy, “A Tale of God’s Will: A Requiem for Katrina,” debuted at last year’s Monterey Jazz Festival.

Big Rock Balalaikas: A fresh Russian blend

Sun, 22 Apr 2007 18:49 PDT

Talk to Judy Sherman and, chances are, you'll quickly find yourself surrounded by balalaikas.

She'll show you the ones smuggled from Russia, the one made by her old Balalaika Russe bandmate and the one given to her by the leader of the Detroit Balalaika Orchestra.

Want your own balalaika? Sherman can hook you up.

Treasures of the local music bin

Sun, 22 Apr 2007 18:52 PDT

It's hard to spend money on a local band's CD. For one thing, there's plenty of music released by well-known, groupie-heavy performers who we know and trust. And let's be honest --- how good can a CD be if it's relegated to the Local bin at Boo Boo Records?

We won't hedge: Some of them are just plain bad. But you might be surprised at how much talent a small community like San Luis Obispo County can produce.

A few of the best performers, like songwriter Jude Johnstone, have had a taste of big-league success. Others, like Damon Castillo, seem to be on the brink of a breakout.

Local CD Pick: Soul Reaction, "The Beauty of Life"

Fri, 20 Apr 2007 10:36 PDT

Ever notice how most contemporary Christian music sounds a lot like . . . Christian music?

Wanting to diversify the genre, Soul Reaction songwriter Billy Estrada set out to create Christian music with a more soulful edge. The result is “The Beauty of Life,” a blues album that conjures the spirit of Taste of Chicago with divine lyrics.

Featuring tight rhythms, bluesy guitar solos and Estrada’s raw voice, Soul Reaction shows you can have the blues and peace of mind (an oft-repeated them here) at the same time.

Bob and Wendy:A marriage of folk and rock

Sun, 22 Apr 2007 18:54 PDT

The 400 seats at the old Royal Theater are empty, the lobby is still and the 32-foot-long screen is blank, the building's tenure as a movie house long since passed.

The historic theater might seem eerily vacant if not for the music playing in the former projection room. There Bob Liepman and his wife Wendy are sitting behind a modern mixing board, listening to a song titled "Resolution."

Bob's hands are folded as he gently rocks in his seat. Wendy is lip synching to her own recorded singing, tapping her thighs to the rhythm. Meanwhile, two members of the local indie rock band Virgil Cane are trying to hear instruments that aren't there.

Local CD pick: "One Irish Baritone," Jim Conroy

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 13:27 PDT

Conroy didn’t know much about his family history until 2003, when he began a journey to uncover his roots. The expedition led to a cemetery in a small Irish village, where Conroy exchanged a beach shell from Cayucos for a handful of soil that covered his ancestors.

On the CD that followed, Conroy included an antiquated family portrait, circa 1890, on the cover. The songs on the album, sometimes lonely and somber, fittingly merges his American and Irish roots.

Combining Celtic, Americana and gospel, the CD features a host of rootsy instruments – including flutes, mandolin, pedal steel guitar and fiddle. At the forefront is Conroy’s baritone voice, which is forceful enough to rattle windows.

Local CD Pick: “Night Gallery,” eponymous

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 13:22 PDT

It wouldn’t be wrong to call this CD – professed to be “a collection of fantastic adventures and electric dreams” – pretty serious stoner music. With random poetic ramblings projected in one speaker only, surreal lyrics and trippy instrumentals fueled by spacey keyboards, one could easily picture Night Gallery music played at one of those Pink Floyd laser shows.

Little is known about the band, which is surprising in the MySpace era (They can’t be found on the Internet). But the sound features a sleepy male lead that recalls Lou Reed, plus whispery female vocals. Picture a more psychedelic Velvet Underground, and you kind’ve get an idea. The CD traces the adventures of the fictional Emerald Spikelduff and includes such things as “purple-painted horn-rimmed spectacles,” snowflake doilies and kangaroos.

Local CD pick: Travis Larson Band, "Rate of Change"

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 13:19 PDT

n order to pull off the power trio thing, all three band members need to be stellar. Not only are all the members of the TLB solid musicians, but a decade of playing together had made them permanently in sync.

While usually known for a progressive rock style, TLB’s latest is a fusion of rock and modern guitar jazz. Bassist Jennifer Young’s slapping sets the stage on the opening track, and Larson’s jazzy lead takes over from there. Larson, a local guitar virtuoso, used old-school tube amps for a warmer, heavier guitar sound. And there are few effects, offering a more down-to-basics approach. At the same time, it’s a heavily produced CD with some songs featuring as many as 16 tracks for drums alone.

TLB usually appeals to mostly serious guitar heads, but this CD’s jazz efforts could expand their base.