River Whyless lugs backroads Americana, DIY savvy, and open minds cross-country

The members of River Whyless may be as nervous as they are excited about their forthcoming—and first—nationwide tour, at least according to drummer Alex McWalters. Fortunately, the quartet from Asheville, N.C. hasn’t had much time to fret. "It's all us,” McWalters explains. “We're doing literally everything this time around.”

McWalters and his band mates are so preoccupied with doing everything a record label and a public relations representative would do for a group—conducting interviews, booking gigs, burning CDs, making T-shirts, designing stickers, and redesigning their website—that they haven’t had much time to stress about the cross-country trek, which will make a stop at Streetlight Records and The Blue Lagoon on Wednesday, Sept. 28.

Maestro John Larry Granger bids a fond farewell to the symphony

The Santa Cruz County Symphony’s 2011/2012 season will be one to remember—and not just for its inclusion of masterful works by Brahms, Mendelssohn, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. It also happens to be the farewell season for Maestro John Larry Granger, who has served as the Symphony’s conductor and music director for the past two decades.

“It’s been a great joy and privilege to be the music director, but I felt that I wanted to retire like Johnny Carson did, rather than Hosni Mubarak,” the conductor jokes. “I didn’t want to stay too long.”

Though he’s retiring as conductor at the end of the season, Granger will stay on as music director for an additional season to help with auxiliary SCCS programs, such as youth concerts and pop concerts. He also plans to assist with the process of selecting his successor.

Sonny Rollins resurrects the golden era of jazz at the 54th Monterey Jazz Festival

There are music fans that travel the globe like surfers looking for the perfect wave, and this year at the Monterey Jazz Festival there is depth, height and a wide selection of acts to please the most ardent jazz aficionado, or those just looking for a fun ride. Now in its 54th year and located on the Monterey Fairgrounds, this is one festival that provides entertainment for all levels of listeners: discussions of jazz in film with Clint Eastwood, a tribute to soul music with Huey Lewis and the News, a peek into the funkified world of Herbie Hancock, plus Terence Blanchard in a tribute to Miles Davis, to name a few.

A Grounds Pass will get you the Motown groove of Mitch Woods and his Rocket 88’s, the New Orleans sounds of Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, and The Soul Rebels Brass Band—or you can upgrade to an Arena Pass to catch the bigger names like Huey, Herbie and India.Arie. All will enjoy tasty food and artistry at vendor booths, but be warned, once you leave your patch of grass, navigating back through the crowds will be a challenge.

Tales of top hats, medicine men and synchronicity from The Band of Heathens

Gordy Quist is praying for a Texas flood. “It’s an outdoor gig here in Austin, and it’s like 110 degrees!” laments the singer-songwriter/guitarist. It seems Quist has just finished up a soundcheck for a hometown show with his quintet, The Band of Heathens.

The Heathens are set to appear at Kuumbwa Jazz on Saturday, Sept. 17 in support of their new Americana album, Top Hat Crown & the Clapmaster’s Son. While still peppered with the influences of bands like The Grateful Dead, The Band and The Black Crowes, the disc places a little more emphasis on the blues and R&B, than the group’s previous efforts.

WebExclusive: Pacific Grove guitar maven brings finger-picking magic to The Crepe

“I guess I always loved music my entire life,” says guitarist Sean Smith, recalling the Fisher-Price toy music kit he had as a toddler, which had horns, whistles, tambourines and drums. “There is this picture of me freaking out over it. Music has always been a huge part of my life, from before I can remember.”

After playing in rock bands growing up, doing the solo acoustic bit in his early 20s, and playing for influential San Francisco indie rockers Citay, Smith left to pursue the “doom metal, Krautrock, dark folk” style found on his latest record, Huge Fluid Freedom, which dropped Aug. 30.

The 56th annual Santa Cruz Follies proves that age is just a number

When third generation Santa Cruzan Jim Idleman steps onstage, Jim Idleman no longer exists. In his place stands a tattered Fred Astaire from the 1948 musical film, Easter Parade. At his side, Barbara Wright stands tall, with the grace of Judy Garland. Together, the two perform “A Couple of Swells,” one of several songs that will anchor the 56th annual Santa Cruz Follies, kicking off Sept. 14 at The Civic Auditorium.

“We tried to get this [piece] as authentic as we can,” says Idleman. “We are actually characters in those costumes—we become somebody other than who we are.”

Offering an escape for locals age 50 and up since 1955, the musical revue—a fundraiser for Senior Citizens Opportunities, Inc. (SCO), produced by The Market Street Theatre—gives 40 people the opportunity to showcase their talents in front of a live audience.