THAT’S SOME CADENCE
Don Everly’s recent passing (84) was nicely commemorated in NICOLE RECOMMENDS in last Thursday’s NOTEWORTHY. She mentioned a song she’d “been stuck on,” “Don’t Forget to Cry,” and I didn’t recognize that title. Odd, because I was a big fan of all the EB songs when I was young(er). You could have the Rolling Stones and their milquetoast covers of American R&B (now, the Animals, different story), I dug Don and Phil and those drop dead vocals. “Don’t Forget” came out in ‘64, in their peak years. I should have known of it.
Then I realized: it wasn’t a single, and I didn’t buy albums then, only 45s. Lots of them. I had every one the brothers released, on the Cadence label. Still have ‘em.
That song has only eight lines, written by Felice and Baudleaux Bryant, who wrote most of their early hits (and that’s yet another good story), the song barely breaks two minutes, but it is a little slice of heaven. The vocal harmonies just might bring a chill, maybe even a tear.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
TOO BLUES BROS — that’s not their name, I just made it up, but it’s not bad because this slide guitar-harmonica vocal duo are stone cold blues masters in every way, and they are unpretentious and humble, just regular guys. They have been playing in the parking lot next to Ashland Hill restaurant on Main Street every Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m. for about five months, they told me.
Darryl Carriere is an arresting blues shouter who also blows killer harp but talk about an embarrassment of riches in the smallest band possible, his partner Celso Salim could easily, superbly carry the vocals himself, and sometimes he does or they trade off in a song. I love slide or bottleneck guitar, the blues is where it was born, and Salim is so dang good, not only with the upper register singing sliding pinging we usually associate with it, but he often plays a lower rumble that meshes magically with Carriere’s locomotive harmonica.
I’ve never put someone with a regular weekly gig straight into the HIGHLY RECOMMENDED category, but after catching them a second time and seeing my musically astute daughter with very tough standards agree with nothing but smiles, I mean, why mess around? I can’t think of a better way to wind down the week than sitting in front of these guys. Every Sun 3-5 p.m., parking lot adjacent to Ashland Hill restaurant on Main Street, free.
EM THE MASTER — why would you put skepticism in people’s minds before they even get to the door, by proclaiming yourself “The Master”? Maybe, it’s worth it if you know you can back it up, and that becomes part of the image, the legend. EM does back it up and does it all, like no one you’ve seen in years or maybe ever, in a local bar not an arena and for a ticket price under a hundred bucks. She sings, she dances, she has dancers, they all jump up on the bar (watch those drinks!), practically spilling out the door onto Fourth Street, she crawls across the floor while singing, she doesn’t play the piano she attacks it, she aggressively leads a killer band, her energy is nonstop and seemingly limitless, she can sell a song, rockers and ballads, vocally and with her flawless arrangements, she writes terrific songs, and she may remind you some of a more energetic LadyGaga. In her spare time she co-authored a book with Gaga that made the NY Times best-seller list. Every Tues 9 p.m., Harvelle’s, DTSM, $10.
RECOMMENDED:
TONIGHT! HAMILTON — No, I haven’t seen it, dammit, but I think I can only go wrong by not recommending it, right? Tonight, Fri, Sat, Tues, Wed, next Thurs 8 p.m., Sun 6:30 p.m., also Sat 2 p.m., Sun 1 p.m., all performances at Pantages Theater, Hollywood, $49-3000+, depending on where you purchase.
TONIGHT! GETTY VILLA presents LIZASTRATA — I spent a lovely afternoon recently, at the invitation of friends who shared extra tickets, strolling the Getty Villa and taking in the grounds and art and the exhibition on Mesopotamia, thousands of years old but right next to today’s news. It would seem I was a little early because now they are featuring a campy send-up of Aristophanes’ famous tale of sexual politics, “Lysistrata,” now “Lizastrata” and powered by Ms. Minelli’s well-known songbook. The review in the LA Times made it seem like a hoot worth howling at. Tonight, Fri, Sat, next Thurs, 8 p.m., Getty Villa, Pacific Palisades, $36-48.
LA OPERA presents VERDI’S “IL TROVATORE” — great news, LA Opera is back! And kicking out the jams for the long-delayed new season with a lineup of some of the best-known operas, by a composers’ hall of fame. Sounds like a party to me. LA Opera is known for innovation and taking chances, but like so many other arts companies forced into an 18-month hiatus, they have got to get butts back into the seats, so let’s play favorites this season. It follows that the music comes from an all-star roster of composers, bookended by Verdi (“Aida” next May), with Wagner’s “Tannhäuser,” Rossini’s “Cinderella,” and ``St. Matthew Passion” by Johann Sebastian Bach. When you can see spectacle like this, some of the world’s greatest voices and exquisite music, for around 20 bucks a pop, well, I just can’t understand why you wouldn’t hit all five. Sat 6 p.m., $23-292; Wed 7:30 p.m., $19-255; Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, DTLA.
THEATRICUM BOTANICUM presents “THE LAST, BEST SMALL TOWN” — this moving, timely original with themes of racism, small town life, economic disparity, stereotypes, youthful rebellion, the value of education, family expectations and dynamics, tradition — in other words, the full range of the human condition. Sat 7:30 p.m.
SHAKESPEARE’S “A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM” — one of the best “AMND” I can recall, since the time my daughter played a faerie when she was wee. Loved the inventive physical comedy, and these TB fairies were show stealers, who could not be charmed by their little chirping sounds? Sun 4 p.m.
SHAKESPEARE’S “JULIUS CAESAR” — historically informative, makes ancient political drama seem contemporary. In school Shakespeare’s dialog was often Greek to me but now every word shimmers, due to the delivery and acting of the TB thespians. Christopher W. Jones stood out as conflicted bad guy Brutus, as did Willow Geer as Portia, and special linguistic laurels go to Melora Marshall as Cassius, who was just made for this role, even though it is a man’s part. She pulls you straight in, to the moment. Sun 7:30 p.m.
All performances TB, Topanga Canyon, $10-60.
COMING ATTRACTIONS: LA PHIL returns to Disney Hall! - Homecoming Gala and Benefit with DUDAMEL, varied program, 10/9; DUDAMEL conducts STRAUSS, 10/14-17; DUDAMEL conducts MAHLER’S 4TH, 10/21-24, all performances at Disney Hall, DTLA.
Charles Andrews has listened to a lot of music of all kinds, including more than 2,000 live shows. He has lived in Santa Monica for 34 years and wouldn’t live anywhere else in the world. Really. Send love and/or rebuke to him at therealmrmusic@gmail.com
