Blue Argon | Bluer Blues
Webster’s says argon is a “colorless, odorless gas used in electric bulbs.” See it turn blue, shut all the other lights off, and you get a sultry collection of great cover tunes on the second effort by this Kalispell trio.
Colleen Cunningham provides plenty of smolder with her whispery, smoky vocals. Rhythm guitarist Jim Clayborn plays oodles of fine bass runs to complement bluesy jazz chords, and lead guitarist Steve Sellars fingers creamy riffs just about everywhere. The result is a soft and slinky ambience, with vague whiffs of Steely Dan and Atlanta Rhythm Section chord progressions, rendered under that blue lamp.
Cunningham purrs her way through the tunes, coloring them with vocal touches of Tina Turner, Etta James, Nina Simone and maybe even Mavis Staples. I’m hooked by tune number three (one of my all-time favorite songs) – Dorothy Moore’s “Misty Blue.” Cunningham sings it without most of Moore’s throbbing pyrotechnics. It’s understated, raw, sorrowful, and we get the message. It’s cool, though, to hear her stretch… Read more
Glitz and glamour infuse “The World Goes ’Round”
Broadway showstoppers highlight Alpine Theatre Project’s new production of “The World Goes ’Round,” on stage Aug. 11-23 at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center. The sleek and stylish music concert celebrates the music of John Kander and Fred Ebb, and features a cast full of seasoned Broadway performers. Read more
Los Lonely Boys, Little Feat headline Magic City Blues
Montana Avenue pulses with musical energy during the eighth annual Magic City Blues Fest, Aug. 7-8. Billed as Montana’s only urban music festival, the 21-and-over, blues-infused party features a dozen bands on two stages. Veteran rock ’n rollers Little Feat headline Friday’s show and Los Lonely Boys are Saturday's featured artist. Read more
Wylie and the Wild West | Hang-n-Rattle!
Wylie Gustafson, the long-legged cowboy yodeler with deep Montana roots, has released a 14th album with the Wild West. Produced by John Carter Cash of the legendary Cash family, it covers the gamut of all-things cowboy. That means western. Also, sweeping vistas and wide-open spaces, and above all, rodeo, rendered in the inimitable Wylie style. Read more
Festival Amadeus returns to Whitefish
A dynamic lineup of musicians is planned for the second annual Festival Amadeus, a six-night classical music festival held July 27-Aug. 1 in Whitefish. A roster of acclaimed guest artists performs during the week, along with the Bridger String Quartet of Bozeman, the Glacier String Quartet of Kalispell and the Festival Amadeus Orchestra. Read more
Wallace McRae | Stick Horses and Other Stories of Ranch Life
Cowboy poet Wallace McRae credits his memoir, Stick Horses and Other Stories of Ranch Life, to pal and poet Paul Zarzyski and a conversation the two men had several years ago while McRae was looking “worse than dead,” following emergency open-heart surgery. Zarzyski implored his friend to recover and write down his stories, not as poems, but as prose. “Write them just like you tell them.” Read more • (1) Comments