Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Wheatfield and Lots More

Wheathfield and JFJO runs with the music blurb

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Wheatfield and lots more
It’s another big week on the Northwest Arkansas music scene. Smoke and Barrel, the new venue behind Jose’s on Dickson Street is a hit. Tonight they’ll have Opal Fly’s Musician Showcase, followed by Lucio’s Grown Folks on Friday and exceptional guitarist Matt Smith and friends on Saturday.
Plan to stand in line on Friday if you want to catch the big double bill of Lucero and Cory Branan at George’s. Also at George’s on Friday night catch the blues with Eoff Brothers and the relatively new NWA band, FOS Project, which features some veteran players Loren Bailey, Steve Baskin, David Tucker, Diana Billingslea, Robin Linn, John Park, Chuck Tripp and Jake Edington. George’s hosted another new 11-piece group last Friday night with some heavy hitting local players. Called LaFuSo (as in Latin, funk and soul) the band leans toward soul and funk and we’re predicting they’ll soon be developing a following as healthy as Ultra Suede’s.
This Friday night you can catch the annual and extremely popular Wheatfield reunion show at GoodFolk. For the uninitiated, Wheatfield was a popular Texas band in the 1970’s and featured Trout Fishing in America’s Ezra Idlet. For the Friday show, the original group will be joined by the other half of TFIA, Keith Grimwood. GoodFolk will have a Sunday night show with singer songwriter and Austin Music Awards winner Eliza Gilkyson.
On Saturday night, George’s will bring in Mixmaster Mike, of ta da…The Beastie Boys and up the street at Froggy’s, the folks from the Bentonville based southern rock band, Black Water (Tracy and Mike Bailey, Paul Ferguson, Derek Rowell) tell us that if the stars are aligned, Grammy winning producer Ross Hogarth (Gov’t Mule, Melissa Ethridge, REM) will be in the crowd for their show. The band recently placed their song “Muddy Water” in the upcoming film “Boys of Summerville.” The word is, Hogarth will be working with Black Water and some other NWA groups in the future at the Bailey’s Dreammakers studio in Tontitown.
And there’s more. On Jan. 29, George’s will be vibrating with the sounds of the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey. The Tulsa-based improv group has been selling out jazz and rock rooms and jam band festivals around the world since 1994. In addition to their own compositions, they often cover selections by Bjork, Mingus and Brubeck among others. JFJO is Brian Hass on piano, Josh Raymer on drums, Matt Haynes on bass and Chris Combs on guitar.

Drumline Live
Want to walk away from the Walton Arts Center with a bounce in your step? Then grab tickets for Drumline, which opened today for a two day run. Drumline brings the black marching band tradition to the stage with performances of favorites from Earth, Wind, and Fire and Tower of Power, to today’s Top 40 to Drumline originals. The colorful and flamboyant performers come from America’s top Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This stage performance was created by the musical team behind the 2002 movie “DrumLine.” It’s a precision showdown of rhythm with a pulsing force combined with explosive choreography by the “steppers” and dancers. Tickets are $20-$45.

Sid at the ddp
The late artist and philosopher Sid Sargent worked in a wide range of media. She loved to write letters and it is doubtful that anything she ever sent through the U.S. mail was without her art decorating the envelope. Often the envelopes were not the standard purchase, but envelopes she had made. Long before “green” and “sustainability” became ad nauseum catch phrases, Sid was repurposing a hank of hair, a bit of paper or cloth and turning it into art. Her art took form as useful items like hats and bags, small animal or human figures, painted shovel heads and the list goes on. There was nothing that Sid shied away from. At times she did go the more standard route and create beautiful drawings or paintings and for many years her popular Sid cartoon ran in the Free Weekly. The ddp gallery in downtown Fayetteville has assembled a fine selection of Sid’s work that will intrigue those who are unfamiliar with her art and bring a warm smile to those who knew her.