Mechanical Bull
June 5. The musical menu at the Pig Bar & Grill been anything but sloppy since it opened last year, featuring a fatty lineup of original local bands. With her haunting voice and sultry features, Mechanical Bull vocalist Avalon Peacock’s rising star is reminiscent of another Woodstock-area chanteuse, Shivaree’s Ambrosia Parsley. And alongside his Wild West-meets-Hunter S. Thompson persona, Chase Pierson, the country-rockin’ Bull’s lead man, keeps a nice stable of musicians that occasionally includes guitarists Chris Zaloom, Adam Widoff, and David Malachowski. Tonight’s show is presented by the Woodstock MusicWorks record label, which recently released the band’s second CD, A Million Yesterdays. 9pm. No cover. Saugerties. (845) 246-5158. www.woodstockmusicworks.com.
“Mojo” Myles Mancuso
June 6. Your head is in the sand, man, if you haven’t caught the flavor of this 12-year-old musical phenom, who rips on guitar and a slew of other instruments. Since appearing at B. B. King’s in New York, Mancuso has found a second home at Keegan Ales, even if he has to wait another nine years before sampling the beers. (Fortunately for Myles, brewmaster Tom Keegan now offers delicious craft-brewed soft drinks as well.) “Mojo” proves that when it comes to 12-bar blues, age ain’t nuthin’ but a number. (Dave CasT’s Big Bang Jazz Gang, an amazing amalgam of 13 of the area’s best musicians, explodes on June 8.) 9pm. No cover. Kingston. (845) 853-7354. www.keeganales.com.
Verdes CD Release Bash
June 6. It’s been just over a year since New Paltz rockers Verdes stepped into Marcata Recording Studios in Gardiner, producing five hard-earned new tunes and a gaggle of archived material. To celebrate, the band is throwing its own festival/party at the faboo Oasis Cafe and bringing along some personal faves, including The Crooks, Frankie and His Fingers, Titus Andronicus, and The Pelican Project. Expect rock ‘n’ roll sparks to fly with so much energy in one room at the same time. To make sure the fans don’t miss out, Verdes performs sets early and late in the evening. Preview the group’s new tracks at www.myspace.com/verdesspace. 7pm. $5. New Paltz. (845) 255-2400. www.myspace.com/oasiscafeinnewpaltz.
Dewey Redman Tribute Project
June 7. Saxman Dewey Redman (dad of Joshua) was from the “Texas tenor” school of bandleaders, which also includes David “Fathead” Newman and Arnett Cobb. Redman steered away from traditional music early in his career, connecting more with avant-garde players like Don Cherry, Ed Blackwell, and Charlie Haden in the legendary band Old and New Dreams. Redman was regularly on the road until he passed away in 2006, and his last band featured Hudson Valley players John Menegon (bass), Frank Kimbrough (piano), and Tani Tabbal (drums). To those names, this tribute at the Kleinert/James Arts Center adds Jane Monheit’s saxophonist, Joel Frahm. 8pm. $25, $20. Woodstock. (845) 679-2079. www.johnmenegon.com.
Pete Levin Organ Trio
June 14. Regular readers of this space know my affinity for classic organ jazz trios, and few front a better such band than Woodstock’s Pete Levin. His 2007 CD, Deacon Blues (Motema Music), extends the boundaries of traditional organ jazz into rock, and word is he’s about to drop a new trio CD. For this date at the Rosendale Cafe, Pete pulls in an all-star crew (John Carridi on guitar and Harvey Sorgen on drums) to hopefully break us off a piece of the new album. His regular set list always embraces rock, jazz, and soul while keeping the “fun” in “funky.” 8pm. $10. Rosendale. (845) 658-9048. www.petelevin.com.
This article appears in June 2008.
