Jazz and Blues View By Eric Benson Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, Cinco De Mayo is here! Hot Latin Nights Festival & Car Show 2012 is doing it up big time throwing down a street party in the downtown Modesto on J Street between 13th and 15th. The Central Valley Music Group & EHP Latino features legendary Latin, Hispanic and Chicano based bands on 2 stages. Headliner is the Lowrider Band formerly of the band I can’t advertise but is raw spelled backwards. The Lowriders hits defining old-school, Latin R&B include Lowrider, Cisco Kid, World is a Ghetto, Spill the Wine, Slippin into Darkness and more. Also on the bill are Los Diablos, Los Reales Del Norte, Texas Funk, Banda Relago, Bandidos D’Sangre Real, the Pentletons, Rocking Rick, No Way Jose, Latin Essence, Mike TorresBand, Mega Mix Crew, Militza Los Pecadora and more. Gates open 4:00 p.m., music at 5:00 til media noche. For more info check out Reg Evans on Facebook for Ticket locations, or www.HotLatinNights209.com.
Also May 5th Mistlin Gallery has their kickoff Gala and fundraiser with food, drink and music by one of my favorite singers Gloria Scott of Gloria Scott Band. Gloria formerly of Sly & Family Stone can sing lush Jazz standards to down home R&B and old school hits. $20 tickets include food, wine, and an eyeful of the artful.
After recovering from Cinco De Mayo Festivals get ready for our annual Modesto Jazz Fest on Saturday May 19th with a special tribute to Ernie Bucio, a great musician, music educator and Jazz enthusiast who spearheaded Jazz in the valley for years. The Clarion Inn on Sisk hosts the all day family friendlyevent on five stages. On the bill are great local, regional acts: Shad Harris 7 and the Groovenators, Mario Flores Latin Jazz Ensemble, Natural Gass Jazz Band, Creole Jazz Kings, with some heavy hitters such as Bill Watrous, Josh Pfeiffer, Mike Vax, and Mic Gillette doing performances, music clinics. The festival is organized and supported by Gottschalk’s Music where Ernie Bucio nurtured quality music for years, sorry kids no tab taught here!
Part of Ernie’s legacy was creating an all-age venue for Jazz music at the Barkin’ Dog in downtown Modesto. Ernie is gone but the bands play on at the Barkin’ Dog Grill where the food is good in a casual setting. Some of the highlights are: May 5th the Queens of Doo-wop, the Sensations, May 11th Dave Souza, May12th elderly statesman of R&B Shad Harris & Groovenators, May 25th High Voltage Band, these teens can rock out! and May 26th Big Earl & the Cryin’ Shame. The Barkin’ Dog also has a Jazz Jam with David Dow on Thursdays where musicians can sit in and network.
On thescene: the State Theatre brings in the one and only Johnny Winter Friday May 18th. Johnny’s out promoting his latest CD “Roots” playing all the Blue and R&B gems he grew up playing with some special guests Vince Gill, Derek Trucks, and Susan Tedeschi. If you live the Blues and have not seen Johnny Winter you need to come out, he’s the real deal. Call the State (209) 527-4697, or check out www.thestate.org
More music on the local scene: Deva Café Thursday night Ramble features the house band Big Earl & Poorhouse Millionaires with Eli Lester on guitar. If you get out only one Thursday make sure it’s the Third Thursdays Art Walk in the Downtown there is a lot of events happening that night. The
Boardroom continues an ambitious schedule of live music 4 nights a week. Tim Allen does his piano and vocal thing with some Elton and Joel covers as well as the standards on Tuesdays. Thursdays feature Neil Buettner and Matt Harrington,Friday’s dynamic duo Johnny & Kelly, and Saturdays rotate with: MCW Band, Strange Brew, The Nines, & Public Domain.
And the mighty John Griswold of Samba Arts Group has come out of retirement again. Our demographic, the older crowd bemoans there’s nothing for us to do, well John is teaming up with SOS club and offering a music series first and third Fridays with social interaction, dancing cocktails, some wine tasting featuring Jazz, Swing, Celtic, Gypsy, Tango, Salsa & of course Smooth Jazz. Buffet by Richard with ticket price of 30 dollars includes food and music. For lowdown: call John 491-7185, 247-3288, or Web: www.eArtsNews.com.
And I know I am preaching to the choir but please support our local music stores: Skip’s Music, Barker’s Music, Ingram & Braun, Gottschalk, and Langlois Music so they stay in business. Think globally but shop locally. Any co-conspirators or partners in crime want to get in touch I am on Facebook. I also encourage all of you to send me your info and I will send it out on weekly emails and in the Modesto View. Hit me at: mbenson@fire2wire.com, or give me a holler at (209) 918-7033. All the best, Eric Benson, peace out.
