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Concert review: Colgin Abeln raves about UTEP Symphony Band

Melissa Colgin Abeln is known as one of the best flutists in the area. She's an associate professor of music at UTEP and principal flutist with the El Paso Symphony Orchestra.

She was so inspired by the May 8 performance of the UTEP Symphony Band that she wrote a review, unsolicited, and sent it in. Believe me, this doesn't happen very often.

So I'm posting her review of the band, which is conducted by T. Andre Feagin, who is an assistant professor of music, associate bands director and director of athletic bands at UTEP.

Here's her review:

Professor Andre Feagin's 61 undeniably energized musicians of the UTEP Symphony Band brought more to the stage in their final performance of the school year.  Much more. 

Known throughout the city as UTEP's Marching Miner Regiment's director,  Feagin's challenging program for the second string included the opener, "Nobles of the Mystic Shrine" by Sousa.  Calculated balance brought inner lines between brass and woodwinds into alternating focus, not to mention spot-on intonation. 

The evening continued with featured soloist Don Wilkinson, the UTEP music department's 23-year veteran, on saxophone for Alfred Reed's "Ballade."  Sensitive and beguiling, Wilkinson pulled on my heartstrings in a reflective, singing narrative.  Thanks, Don.

Gustav Holst's "Second Suite in F," as I remember, is more difficult than it sounds.  The SB brought out the English, folk-influenced suite's century-old loveliness without struggle. I tip my hat to Zake Rivera's euphonium solo. 

But there is more!  "Dakota Fanfare" (2009) rocked the house with undulating waves of powerful, yet controlled wind-band sonority.  The back of the balcony, where I sat, felt like center stage.

After intermission, professor Feagin prefaced Percy Grainger's "Linconlnshire Posy" with onstage comments about the composer's intended tribute to the singers of the Lincolnshire folk songs, more than the songs themselves.  In advance of each of the three movements selected — "Lisbon," "Horkstow Grange" and "The Lost Lady Found" — a sung version was played for the audience, the voice of an elderly, frail Brit, whom Grainger recorded from a hospital bed.  It added poignancy to the precise, yet sincerely rendered performance of the SB.

Now a Feagin tradition, parts to the next piece, "Flourish for Wind Band" by R. Vaughn Williams, were distributed to the ensemble for a public "classroom" demonstration sightreading.  Not bad at all.

The evening's finale, Reed's "Praise Jerusalem," projected a magnificent finish for the packed audience.  Adding trombones and trumpets to the side balconies, this work featured bold contrasts in volume and excitement. Shout-outs to principals are in order; their cantorial solos were memorable —  Jacqueline Reyes (clarinet), Clarissa Valles (oboe) and Caitlyn Collette (flute).

It was a remarkable performance for its energy, enthusiasm, polish and warmth. Congratulations to professor Feagin and his well-groomed wind ensemble.

 

 

Theater update: Teen playwright debuts 'Red and Black' on May 11

Ali Dipp is a 15-year-old Loretto Academy student who has written a play called "Red and Black."

The play, and her company, the El Paso Youth Collaborative of the Arts, will debut at 6:30 p.m. May 11 at the El Paso Community Foundation's Foundation Room, 333 N. Oregon.

It's a benefit for Frontera Repertory Theatre Company, the Actors' Equity-connected theater group founded last year by actress and UTEP theater faculty member Kathryn Smith-McGlynn and actress-playwright-screenwriter Camilla Carr.

Dipp described the play in an email as being inspired by the race riots that broke out in Los Angeles in 1992 after a jury acquitted four Los Angeles police officers in the beating of Rodney King.

"Two rival art gangs, the Red and Black Lilies, were formed for the love of street art," Ali said of the play. "What the high school drop-outs lack in materials, they make up for in heart. This is a coming-of-age story lived out on the edge."

Frontera Rep's Carr is a big fan of the aspiring actress and playwright, whom she cast in a readers' theater production of Tennessee Williams' "This Property Is Condemned," part of her company's first public performances.

"She's extraordinarily talented," said Carr, whose letter of recommendation helped Dipp get a slot in a California Institute of the Arts' Summer Session program on writing.

Tickets are $10, $7 for students, on sale at the door or by calling 544.0230. 

Check out the Youth Collaborative at elpasoyca.org.

 

Music update(d): Zuill Bailey, Tom Russell, Low Luster League, Murder FM, RLC and more

Yep, that's the legendary Quincy Jones on the left, and El Paso's Zuill Bailey on the right.

Thanks to Felipa Solis, executive director of El Paso Pro-Musica, for the pic.

Bailey, the hard-working cellist and El Paso Pro-Musica head, was in Hollywood May 8 to perform with Emily Bear at the Musicians Institute Concert Center.

It was the first official CD release party for "Diversity," a collection of original instrumentals written by the 11-year-old piano prodigy.

"Diversity" was executive produced by Jones, and released by Concord/Qwest Records on May 7.

You may recall that Emily was here earlier this year to go over some cello overdubs with Zuill at El Adobe studios.

There's a video of the title song, featuring Emily and Zuill, on YouTube.

It features performance footage and still photos set to the studio version of the instrumental. I watched those two work together that day. It was fascinating.

Bailey will join Emily, bassist Peter Slavov and drummer Kevin Kanner for tonight's set at 10 p.m. El Paso time.

He'll join her again for another release event May 15 at (Le) Poisson Rouge in New York.

He's one of several El Paso music makers with new projects. 

• Tom Russell, the internationally known folk singer-songwriter who's lived here for several years, will release "Aztec Jazz" on May 31, which he described in an email as "a big new direction for us."

It's a live album, recorded last May in Norway, in which Russell and guitarist Thad Beckmann were backed by the 31-piece Norwegian Wind Ensemble, with charts by Sweden's Mats Hallings.

The 11-song album, available for $15.99 at villagerecords.com, includes a lot of newer material and a few classics, including "Guadalupe" and "Goodnight Juarez."

"Sometimes it sounded like a Western movie and sometimes it called up Miles Davis' 'Sketches of Spain,'" Russell says in a blurb promoting the new album.

"They played behind us without overpowering the songs," he adds, "and I think my singing is far better than my vocals on the original recorded tracks."

It's also available in a $20 bundle that includes "Hotwalker," "Cowboy'd All to Hell" (featuring duets with Ian Tyson) and the documentary, "Don't Look Down."

There are no El Paso shows on his current itinerary, which includes dates through May 11 in the U.S., shows in Norway, Sweden and Switzerland in June and England, Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland in July.

• Hapa Martinez and his band, Low Luster League, will release a self-titled EP with a show at 9 p.m. May 10 at the Lowbrow Palace.

I've heard three of the tracks and they're pretty impressive. Sounds like he's got a good head of steam going creatively.

Patterns of Light, Rare Individuals and Astro Dudes will open the show.

It's 18 and older admission. Cover is free for 21 and over, $3 for 18 to 20 years old.

CDs and merch will be available at the show.

• Norman Matthew and his band, Murder FM, had the video for their new song, "We the Evil," premiered on revolvermag.com, the website for the hard rock/metal magazine.

Murder FM is now based in Dallas.

• Matthew's group also is among the local and regional acts booked for this year's 28th annual KLAQ Balloonfest, which runs May 25-27 at Wet 'n' N Wild Waterworld.

Murder FM will play at 3 p.m. May 27, after sets by Aftermath (noon), Chingaglow (1 p.m.) and Revati (2 p.m.), before England's much-hyped Young Guns at 4 and headliners Halestorm at 6.

Creed/Alter Bridge guitarist Mark Tremonti headlines May 25 with his Mark Tremonti Project at 6 p.m.

Music starts that day with Vision at noon, Souled Out at 1 p.m., 2nd Class Citizen at 2, Vox Vendetta at 3 and Chaos Follows Order at 4.

The May 26 lineup will be headlined by Godsmack singer Sully Erna, who'll do an acoustic set at 6 p.m. Openers that day are Texas Roadkill (noon), 3rd Edge (1), C.W. Ayon (2), Travis Meeks (3) and Aranda (4).

Tickets are $19.99 in advance, $29.99 at the gate, on sale at 7-Eleven/Alon stores.

• Nashville Southern rockers Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown have been added to the 2013 Downtown Street Fest, which is produced by KLAQ and the El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The band is fronted by the 21-year-old singer and guitarist. It's touting new album "Wild Child." It will open for Third Eye Blind on June 29.

Bush will headline June 28.

Those tickets will go on sale shortly after the Balloonfest.

• Good luck to El Paso border reggae ambassadors Radio La Chusma.

Their song "Cruzando Fronteras" has been nominated for an Independent Music Award for Best Latin Song.

Fans can vote for the song by registering at independentmusicawards.com.

The song's link is independentmusicawards.com/imanominee/12th/song/Latin.

Also in their category: La Sardina de Naiguata, Rick Davies, Walter A. Torres and Yuba Ire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Concert review (updated w/pic): Killers put on a killer show at the Chavez

The Killers performing May 6 at the Lowbrow. Photo by Cassie Flores.

"Long time, no see," Killers frontman Brandon Flowers said playfully Monday night at the Abraham Chavez Theatre.

Indeed, it had been nearly six years since the rock 'n' roll band from Las Vegas played here. Obviously, absence made a lot of hearts grow fonder — on both sides of the stage.

Like their last show at the ACT in 2007, Monday's was sold out. It went clean in a couple of hours last February, a rarity in a place known for buying tickets the week of a show.

The band, perhaps remembering what a good time it had here in 2004 when it played the tiny (and now defunct) T Lounge, tweeted plans for a second, post-ACT show later that night at the equally tiny, 150-capacity Lowbrow Palace — for $10 a pop. The line was rumored to be around the block by the time the Killers left the Chavez stage at 11 p.m.

Reader Cassie Flores, who took the picture above, said: "The show was amazing! Brandon Flowers was just feeding off the crowd's energy! It felt even more intense since the atmosphere was so intimate. The last three songs had every single person jumping up and down and singing at the top of their lungs, everyone was covered in sweat, it was an unforgettable experience."

I couldn't go to the bonus show, but the Killers second set would have been hard-pressed to compare with the first one Monday night. The crowd of 2,200 (the upper balcony was closed) was pumped from the time Flowers and the band, augmented by two backup musicians, bounded on stage at 9:20 p.m. and stayed that way until it finished 19 songs and 100 minutes later.

This was more than an enthusiastic audience. This was an enthusiastic and knowledgeable one. It sang along to nearly every song, be they radio hits — like the smoldering opener, "Mr. Brightside," a powerfully rendered "All These Things That I've Done," which ended the regular set, and "When We Were Young," which closed the show — or new ones from last year's "Battle Born" album, notably "Flesh and Bone" and "Here With Me."

Flowers, the most animated of the Killers, responded to the rapturous crowd by frequently flashing those perfect pearly whites in broad, tickled smiles, bouncing up and down, jumping on top of his monitors, jabbing his index fingers into the air and pounding his fists like a maestro conducting his orchestra.

It was the kind of exhilirating, transcendent rock 'n' roll experience music lovers live for, but rarely get to see.

Oddly, this was my first Killers show. I'm not sure how that happened. But it wasn't heard to figure out what all the hot fuss has been about. The Vegas band makes the kind of buoyant, hooky and melodic pop-rock that's not just suited for tightly programmed radio formats.

It's the kind of enduring, well-crafted rock music that never goes out of style, even if it's rarely in vogue on radio these days. They would have fit very nicely into the 1980s, the decade in which so many of their influences flourished. Yet they sound very much of the day.

In the 31-year-old Flowers they have a clean-cut, rail-thin, charismatic, modern-rock version of Bryan Adams, minus the guitar and the signature rasp. He was clearly the center of attention Monday night, but soaked up as much if not more energy from the crowd as he gave back.

Flowers looks so obviously out of place amidst his three shaggy bandmates — guitarist Dave Keuning, bassist Mark Stoermer and drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr. — and lefthanded touring guitarist/singer/keyboardist Ted Sablay (who posted a pic from the theater on his website) and keyboardist/singer Jake Blanton. But they provided the kind of solid, unflashy musicianship that suits their catchy, cathartic anthems — and their energetic frontman — very well.

New York's the Virgins, back with a new album five years after releasing its debut, opened with a serviceable 30 minutes of heavily rhythmic, guitar-driven songs, but suffered from a poor sound mix that buried singer Donald Cumming's trippy voice.

Who knows if we'll see them again. One thing's for sure, it would be a killer if we have to wait another six years to see the Killers again.

 

Tweet me your pix, email me your reviews of Killers Lowbrow show

If you were one of the 150 or so lucky souls who got in to see the Killers tonight at Lowbrow, please share your thoughts and photos on my Twitter at @dougpullen.

If you want to let me know how the show goes and what they played, post them in the comments section below or email them to me at dpullen@elpasotimes.com

The band announced the show via Twitter during their sold-out show tonight at the Chavez Theatre (review to come).

Bryan Crowe, asst. GM of the El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau, said he got a request yesterday for a small locale. He set up a look at the Lowbrow and their crew approved.

I heard unofficially that about 500 people lined up outside the Cincy district club hoping to get in. Tickets were $10 a pop.

 

Concert update: State Line adds shows, 3Oh!3 to Freedom Crossing

The State Line's free outdoor concert series has filled in a few TBAs and added a few shows.

First, the TBAs.

Red dirt country artist Stoney LaRue has been added for May 22, with Jason Boland and the Stragglers returning July 10.

El Paso's Fungi Mungle is sure to pack 'em in on June 5. Ditto for Frontera Bugalu, who'll be there July 3.

Dusty Low, whose members are scattered all over West Texas, New Mexico and Colorado (at last report), will play July 17.

The free series runs at 8 p.m. Wednesdays in the courtyard of the popular Sunland Park eatery. It doubles as a canned food drive for El Pasoans Fighting Hunger.

In other free concert news:

• Colorado rockers 3Oh!3 headline the second of four Let Freedom Sing Concert Series shows at Fort Bliss' Freedom Crossing mall.

The outdoor show will be at 7 p.m. June 22, just four days after the Warped Tour vets' new album "Omens" hits retail.

The series, which opens May 11 with country singer Jerrod Niemann, will include shows in July and August.

The other acts haven't been announced yet.

 

 

Concert update: Cool Canyon Nights acts, parks dates announced

Local jazz artist Billy Townes, disco-funk revivalists Fungi Mungle and indie rockers the Lusitania and Dusty Low join national pop-rock acts Matt Hires and Family of the Year and others for this year's Cool Canyon Nights concerts at McKelligon Canyon Amphitheater.

The free series opens May 23 with Windy City, the local Chicago tribute band, and closes Aug. 29 with the Fungis, who usually pack out the place, not bad considering it holds about 1,500.

The concerts, which start at 6:15 p.m. on Thursdays, are sponsored by WestStar Bank and produced by KLAQ, KISS, KROD and the El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Here's the sked:

May 23 — Windy City

May 30 — Sha'Vonne

June 6 — Main Street

June 13 — Dusty Low

June 20 — The Dunwells

June 27 — The Lusitania

July 11 — Prime

July 18 — Billy Townes

July 25 — The Trailer Band

Aug. 1 — Matt Hires/Family of the Year

Aug. 8 — Brown Betty

Aug. 15 — Ribo Flavin

Aug. 22 — Team Havana

Aug. 29 — Fungi Mungle

Go to coolcanyonnights.com for more info.

In related news, the El Paso Parks and Recreation Department has confirmed the dates and locations of this year's free Melodies at the Park concerts. 

No headliners have been announced yet, but parks spokesman Wayne Thornton said they should be finalized soon.

All shows are free and start at 7 p.m.

Here's the list of dates and parks:

June 2 — Eastwood Park (Album Park), 3001 Parkwood

June 16 — Westside Community Park, 7400 High Ridge

June 23 — Shawver Park, 8100 Independence

July 7 — Veterans Park, 5301 Salem

July 28 — Blackie Chesher Park, 3100 Copper

Aug. 4 — Grandview Park, 3200 Jefferson

Aug. 18 — Armijo Park, 710 E. 7th St.

Aug. 25 — Salvador Rivas Park, 12515 Tierra Norte

Info: 544.0753.

 

 

Concert update(d): Bernie Mora, Strings and Rhythms, Gabriel tribute acts

Veteran El Paso guitarist Bernie Mora recently cut "Dandelion," a new jazz/funk/rock CD at Tornillo's Sonic Ranch.

He had a few high-profile friends helping out, including El Paso's Olivas brothers and a batch of L.A.-based musicians, including trumpeter Lee Thornburg (Supertramp, Tower of Power) and tenor saxophonist Doug Webb, who has worked with Rod Stewart, Bonnie Raitt, Horace Silver and Freddie Hubbard.

Mora will celebrate the new release with a show at 8 p.m. May 29 at the Lotus Nightclub, 201 N. Stanton.

He'll be backed by an eight-member band that includes El Paso's Doc Anthony on drums, Robert Vance on bass, Marty Olivas on trumpet and Jimmy Olivas on sax; plus L.A. session men Thornburg, Webb, Corey Allen on keyboards and Munyango Jackson on percussion.

Tickets are $25, which include a copy of the new album.

You can get them at All That Music & Video, Collectibles, the club and wantickets.com.

In other concert news:

• Local musicians and others will join together for "Strings and Rhythms of El Paso," a concert that honors the memory of late El Paso guitar teacher Aquiles Valdez.

It's at 8 p.m. May 11 in the theater at Bel Air High School.

It will feature artists who knew or worked with Valdez, including guitarists Glenn Leffler with John Winston, Armin Harrison and Carlos Benitez, Ballet Folklorico Paso del Norte and flamenco's Gustavo Reza and Luis Chavez.

The concert, in conjuction with the EPCC Spring Arts Festival, is $10 in advance, $15 at the door. It's presented by the El Paso Guitar Fest.

Since it's the day before Mother's Day, the first 50 moms in the door will get flowers.

• We've got a couple of Juan Gabriel tribute artists performing here this week.

Hugo Cortez and Lily enact the Juarez crooner and Rocio Durcal in "La JG de Juarez & Lily"  at 8 p.m. May 9 at Sunland Racetrack and Casino.

Dubbed a musical comedy show, it will be in the Signature Showroom.

Tickets are $8 per person and is in celebration of Mexico's Mother's Day on May 10.

Call 575.874.5200 or go to sunland-park.com for details.

The other is a dinner show featuring Aaron Palacios on May 11 at La Tierra Cafe, 1731 Montana.

Doors open at 6:15 p.m., with dinner at 6:30 and the show at 8.

Tickets are $32 per person, on sale at the cafe, 533.8890.

 

 

Concert update: Klezmer/bluegrass virtuoso Andy Statman in freebie May 8

Andy Statman, who plays klezmer music on the clarinet and bluegrass on the mandolin, leads his improvisational trio in a free concert at 7 p.m. May 8 at Congregation B'Nai Zion, 805 Cherry Hill.

It's presented by UTEP's Inter-American Jewish Studies Program and is part of a tour in celebration of the 2012 National Heritage Fellowship he received from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Statman has worked with the Grateful Dead's legendary Jerry Garcia and iconic classical music violinist Itzhak Perlman. He learned some of his licks from David Grisman, the dean of newgrass mando players, and first came to prominence in David Bromberg's and Russ Barenberg's bands.

He'll be highlighting material from his new album, "Old Brooklyn," a 2011 double-album that features guest shots from Ricky Skaggs and Bela Fleck.

He's backed by bassist Jim Whitney and drummer Larry Eagle.

"Over the past few decades, Statman, who grew up in a traditional but secular Jewish home, began to explore his Jewish roots," says Ezra Cappell, who directs the UTEP program. "He turned to klezmer music, traditional Eastern European Jewish instrumental music. Soon thereafter, he began playing Chassidic melodies, fusing bluegrass, klezmer and jazz along the way."

In addition to the concert, Statman will give a free lecture at 9:30 a.m. May 8 at the Blumberg Auditorium in the UTEP Library.

Call 833.2222 for more info.

   

Concert update: Former teen idol Aaron Carter coming to Tricky Falls

Observers call it a comeback tour, but former teen singer Aaron Carter calls it the "After Party Tour," a sly nod to his early 2000s heyday and "Aaron's Party" album and "Party Tour."

The singer, now 25, brings his comeback trek to El Paso's Tricky Falls on Dec. 10.

It's his first tour in nine years and comes after a fall from grace, a couple of stints in rehab, a run in off-Broadway's "The Fantasticks" and a second life on reality TV, including a respectable fifth place finish on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" in the fall of 2009.

Carter, younger brother of the Backstreet Boys' Nick Carter, never had any big hits in this country, though his "Aaron's Party (Come Get It)," cracked the Top 40.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. May 8. They're $15 in advance, $20 at the door, and $65 VIP, which includes a meet-and-greet, photo opp and autograph.

Tickets will be available at Bowie Feathers, Eloise, Maria's Closet and holdmyticket.com.

VIP tickets will be available only at trickyfalls.com.