Local musician BJ Kocen has the album release party for his new double album "Searching for Signal / Old Lake" at The Broadberry Thursday night. It's $15 to get in, doors open at 7, show starts at 8 and no opener is listed. Here's the press blurb in BJ:
BJ Kocen has been on the music scene for decades now whose work really started to get noticed in the early days of the Ashland Coffee and Tea where he opened for Todd Snider, Hosted and won The Singer Songwriter Showdown, and played many shows there with some of the top musicians in the area. BJ then broke off and founded his own music series hosted at The Barksdale Theatre called "Stretchin" which lasted for five years. His first solo release "The Breaks" was produced by Paul Curreri and gave BJ the lift he needed to keep writing and improving. It took Kocen three years to finish a most ambitious project, "Searching for Signal/ Old Lake." This double album features 20+ musicians and truly is two separate albums packaged together. "Searching for Signal" is a highly arranged studio effort whereas "Old Lake" was recorded live to focus on performance. This massive efforts features the talents of Brad Tucker (The Taters), Jeff Bunn (Funkadelic), Steve Bassett, Jackie Frost and many other of Richmond and Charlottesville's finest. BJ is proud Co-Owner of the glave kocen gallery and has been working with the love of his life Jennifer Glave there for almost ten years.Here's BJ performing "Old Lake" a few years ago at Ashland Coffee & Tea:
Major and the Monbacks kick off Richmond Jazz Fest (more on that in a minute) weekend with a show at Hardywood during their weekly Food Truck Court. That starts at 5:30 and the band will play from 7 to 8. It's FREE to get in. This is a great chance to catch the band who seem to be expanding every time I check them out, playing in Chicago, WI, NYC, STL, and festivals up and down the East Coast. Here they are last month playing on Music City Roots:
It's Funky Friday in RVA with not one, not two, but three funky shows going on. Decisions, decisions for you funkheads.
Jazz/funk band Future Prospect is having their release party for their album, "The Climb" at The Camel Friday. The album is up to #6 on iTunes Jazz Charts so here's another great RVA band making it's case on the national scene. It's $10 to get in, doors open at 8, show starts at 9 and get there early. This is a great triple bill with Butcher Brown and Vanilla Summit opening. And if you can't make this show, or you want to see them twice, Future Prospect will also be at the VA Museum of Fine Arts for a FREE show Thursday night from 6 - 9 PM. Here they are playing "Closer" earlier this year at The Camel:
The Big Payback pays tribute to the Godfather of Soul and the man who built funk from the ground up, James Brown, at The Broadberry Friday. Tix are $10 advance, $12 at the door. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9 and this is another one you'll want to get there early for with Clusterfunk and the lovely and talented Sam Reed opening the show. Here's JB doing "Sex Machine":
Don't know if DJ Williams hasn't left for LA yet or if he's just back for a visit but either way, we'll take it. DJ will be at Cary Street Cafe on Friday night. This one is billed as DJ Williams & Friends and will kick off at 10 PM. It's $7 to get in. DJ gets to host a Jam Room on this year's Jam Cruise with George Porter Jr. of The Funky Meters and Steve Kimock (Phil Lesh, The Other Ones) along with the many musicians who will wander in. Not bad company to keep! Here's DJ Williams Projekt a couple months ago ripping through "All I Do":
Saturday & Sunday, the Richmond Jazz Festival is at Maymont and they've got another great line up this year. Jazz purists may not be totally pleased but you can't complain much when they are bringing acts like Herbie Hancock, Wyclef Jean, Esperanza Spalding, Vanessa Williams, Diane Schuur, Stephanie Mills, Arrested Development and Buckwheat Zydeco to town and that's just on Saturday. Sunday has The Roots, Al Jarreau and Morris Day & The Time. The festival runs from noon until 10:30 each day. Tix are $85 for a single day or $160 for the weekend. Here's some Esperanza Spalding at this year's Festival de la Guitarra de Córdoba. Her latest album, "Emily's D+Evolution" is being hailed as one of the albums of the year so far:
It will be a bittersweet affair at Broadberry on Saturday as friends and former bandmates of singer/guitarist Sean Hoppe pay tribute to the recently departed musician who blessed the Richmond music scene for many years. Here's the press blurb for the show:
We will open the doors at 4:00 pm and start an Open Mic Jam format and ease into band sets from the bands Hoppe played with: Mothers Little Helpers, The Headstone Circus and King Solomon's Marbles to headline. Fred Hoppe (Sean's Dad) and the family would love to see you and hear the stories of Papa Hoppe, preferably only the good stories :/. Please keep in mind that this is a way to raise money for the expenses that this has caused and all proceeds from the door, auctioned items, and raffle will go to the family. If you can’t make the show and still want to donate, please make check payable to: Fred Hoppe, 11202 Summer Harbor, Chester Va. 23831 Thank you.Here's Hoppe and King Solomon's Marbles in 2011:
On Saturday, the melodic art rock of Landlady (think Man Man, Pixies or Flaming Lips) will be at Hardywood for a FREE show from 5 - 9 (the tasting room opens at 2). Josh Small and Easy Company open the show. Here's Landlady's "Above My Ground":
The Taters will be at The County Seat Restaurant in Powhatan Saturday night. Looks like a FREE show that will run from 7 - 10 PM. Reservations are recommended. Here they are performing The Coasters classic "Poison Ivy":
Bluegrass singer/mandolinist/guitarist Sierra Hull is at Capital Ale House Downtown Sunday night. Tix are $18 advance, $20 day of show. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with opener Annie Stokes. Is she well respected in the bluegrass community? Well, when you get to play with Bela Fleck and Ralph Stanley, I would say you're doing OK. Ralph was showing his age a bit at the beginning of this video, but just having him on stage with you was an honor for any bluegrass artist.
That'll do it! I'll see you at the Sean Hoppe tribute on Saturday and maybe out at one of the funk fests on Friday. I'll leave you with the Dr. Teeth & The Electric Mayhem show at Outside Lands last weekend. Animal still rocks!
Have a great weekend!
Tony Jordan
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