If anything, Calaca Café — a gathering of musicians, performers, and Mercado-style art — is the shit because of its venue. Join the folks of the Calaca art collective at the Elias/Rodriguez House, a Sonoran-style adobe that was built way back in 1885. Fri., Dec. 14, 7-10 p.m., 2007…
Phoenix is a hotbed for jazz and jazzy-type players. Yes, really. Here’s proof: • Juini Booth, NYC-based Sun Ra Arkestra bassist and temporary snowbird to our fair climate, plays here every spring. • “Papa” John DeFrancesco, the father of legendary jazz organist Joey, has a gig each Sunday at Bobby…
Though only half of the Wallace & Ladmo duo is still with us, their legacy lives on. Come celebrate Wallace’s (Bill Thompson) birthday at Changing Hands Bookstore. The shindig will feature appearances by Gerald (Pat McMahon) and Arizona Republic columnist Richard Ruelas. Wed., Dec. 19, 7 p.m., 2007…
It’s an interesting time for soul music czar Stevie Wonder to be out and about on a rare U.S. tour. Because, aside from some concealed gems here and there — such as Anthony Hamilton and Amp Fiddler — soul music has been a stagnating beast for the past five years…
Bob Ravenscroft’s latest, Intersections I, finds the accomplished pianist resting comfortably in what intimidates so many jazz cats: space. This modern-jazz album begins with “Dreams,” a 14-minute tune that sets the moody formula for the Ravenscroft originals and rests between the stretched-out grooves of Keith Jarrett’s famed trio and free-jazz…
Much like free-jazz pianist Cecil Taylor, who pioneered an unapologetic sound birthed from classical training, San Francisco-based Thollem McDonas manages to perform solo piano in a unique, powerfully creative way. And, like those unappreciated cats who lived in shabby tenements in New York City during the 1960s, McDonas once put…
Despise the holidays and all of its mainstream consumerism? No worries, because you can indie-shop ’til you drop during the a.ware Sale, where you can pick up one-of-a-kind artist-made books, jewelry, bags, textiles, prints, and more. Dec. 1-2, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., 2007…
We always hear that there’s strength in silence and solitude, but that just ain’t gonna happen with writers like ourselves with a weekly deadline. So maybe we can take a page (or a hundred) out of Norman Dubie’s books. The accomplished poet and ASU’s Regent’s Professor of Creative Writing took…
Eat your heart out, Richard Simmons. That’s right. The king of sequined tops and spandex shorts would be soooo jealous if he was hip to the Upsetting Spandex Blacklight Party. The, uh, tight evening will feature beats by Djentrification and “mandatory spandex.” Thu., Nov. 29, 10 p.m.-2 a.m., 2007…
The early morning hours of October 29, 2007 was a dark time in downtown Phoenix. The Willow House, the iconic, seemingly unmovable coffee shop/art-centric hang/performance venue turned out its lights after a huge blowout bash featuring a séance, DJs, punk rock, and free jazz. Two days later on Halloween, some…
Remember securing your horse to the hitching post and stacking hay for eight hours a day, buckaroo? Of course you don’t, softie, but artist Gordon McConnell — who incorporates scenes from old movie Westerns into his mixed-media creations — does. Check out the work of McConnell and Tom Carlson during…
One of our favorite record stores just got even hipper. The folks at Revolver Records are hosting a First Friday shindig and they’re doing it the signature absurd-central-Phoenix way with Ukulele Ray, a San Fran comedy-rocker who plays a “lunchbox-a-lele.” Fri., Dec. 7, 6 p.m., 2007…
Remember the human tussling involved in that child’s game King of the Hill? Does that mean that the King of the Track Invitational will showcase a bunch of mechanized bullies running each other over to the death? Guess we gotta pound some canned Coors Lights and find out for ourselves…
At the very least, The Canary Effect — a powerful documentary that explores abuses wrongly absorbed by Native Americans during both historical and contemporary times — will make viewers want to fight the power for these folks who are unfortunately treating as second-class citizens in our society. The flick, which…
Ah, winter. This is why we live in the Valley, right? Daytime temps are in the 60s. The sun is shining. All this means, uh, what? Additional coffee drinking? Yes. Eating homemade soups? Perhaps. Being a lazy ass and staying indoors? Only if you’re a slacker. Need some motivation? Check…
Science and art are not mutually exclusive, and never have been. Don’t believe us? Then how else can one explain the work of Harold E. Edgerton, whose “Seeing the Unseen: Photographs by Harold E. Edgerton” exhibit showcases imagery not shot through the lens of some fancy digital SLR or TLR,…
Science and art are not mutually exclusive, and never have been. Don’t believe us? Then how else can one explain the work of Harold E. Edgerton, whose “Seeing the Unseen: Photographs by Harold E. Edgerton” exhibit showcases imagery not shot through the lens of some fancy digital SLR or TLR,…
For simplicity’s sake, there are two cornerstones to Yourchestra’s sound: old-timey, ’20s-era jug band sounds and psychedelic freakout. Now, attempt to sonically bridge the gap between these two ridiculously disparate elements, and you’re close to imagining what their debut effort, Sparkel, Sammy, sounds like. “Water in His Heart” kicks off…
Man. It’s really happening. The Arizona State Sun Devils (9-1) are in prime position for their first-ever Bowl Championship Series berth. All that stands in their way — aside from the regular-season-concluding Territorial Cup — is a match-up against the USC Trojans (8-2), arguably the most successful college football team…
There’ve been a lot of plagiarizing rat bastards in music — folks like Miles Davis, Lauryn Hill, and D’Angelo — who either don’t pay songwriters and musicians for their services or who take credit for compositions so they can hoard the spotlight and the royalties. To this day, pianist, composer,…
You’ll find lots of hot ’08 wheels, pre-production prototypes, and futuristic designs at the Arizona International Auto Show. One thing you won’t see is The Homer, the infamous dud on The Simpsons that sent Homer’s half-brother to the loony bin. Thu., Nov. 22, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Nov. 23-24, 9 a.m.-10…
Despite an amazing five-decade career, Herbie Hancock remains an enigma to most. But only the great Miles Davis can lay claim to reinventing jazz with crossover pop appeal as many times over. From hard-bop wizardry with Davis’ second great quintet in the ’60s (some of the best music ever played)…
