Dukes of September Rythm Review @ Raleigh Amphitheater Saturday Night

What happens when Donald Fagan of Steely Dan, The Dooby Brothers' Michael "the silver fox" McDonald, and Boz Scaggs get together for a tour? Well, I'm guessing something pretty damn good. They are calling this the Dukes of September Rhythm Review and will perform at the new Raleigh Amphitheater downtown this Saturday. The threesome teamed up back in 1991 with soul vocalist Phoebe Snow and a collection of top jazz and blues musicians for The New York Rock and Soul Review and wound up cutting a live album. I hope the same happens with the Dukes of September.

Sound Tribe Sector Nine Wednesday Night @ The Raleigh Amphitheater

Athens, Ga's Sound Tribe Sector Nine has evolved from a college town jam band into a forerunner of experimental electronic music giving a new sound to the live music experience. Armed not only with guitar , bass, drums, keys, and percussion, the members of STS9 plug into Mac books and pull samples from the vast universe of digitized music. If you like ambient , lounge, techno and rock, go see STS9 at The Raleigh Amphitheatre Wednesday night. An acoustic set may be on the menu for this performance as they are out supporting their latest album "Axe the Cables" which supposedly proves all the techy stuff is good but not a necessity.

Norah Jones @ The DPAC 8-8

Nora Jones reached a level of popularity among baby boomers, girls, and Starbucks customers when her hit single "Come Away with Me" hit the airwaves. Little did everyone know that Jones is a jazz artist to be taken seriously. Her instant popularity and seemingly permanent position as a jazz softy is easily overlooked if you take a minute and investigate the work she's done and the type of artists with whom she's worked and performed; Jazz guitarist Bill Frisell being one.



Catch Norah Jones at The Durham Performing Arts Center Sunday August the 8th.

The Old Ceremony: Talk Straight

Tonight: The Old Ceremony, Schooner, and American Aquarium @ The Raleigh Music Hall

I can't figure out if The Raleigh Music Hall is now called Kings or what, but tonight the downtown venue is offering up one hell of a lineup. Triangle darlings, The Old Ceremony, will deliver their potent mix of period pieces, ballads, and high energy pop rock led by the always affecting Django Haskins. Carrboro's Schooner produces a blend of meditative pulsing sounds with straight ahead indie rock unlike most other bands typically lumped together with them. the bill also includes Raleigh's American Aquarium, a band which takes hints from traditional country to use as part of their concoction of rock and haunting western music with a genuinely southern identity.

Santana. Samba Pa Ti

Tonight: Santana and Steve Winwood @ Walnut Creek

Tonight, guitar God Carlos Santana performs at Walnut Creek with British rock and blues star Steve Winwood of Traffic and Blind Faith. Santana's outfit consists of impossibly talented players, including top percussionists Karl Perazzo and Raul Rekow. Known for his distinct sound - compared occasionally to jazz guitarist John McLaughlin - Carlos Santana has remained relevant over the years by recruiting chart topping pop stars, such as Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty, to sing his songs. This tour will actually welcome his newest record, Guitar Heaven - the Greatest Guitar Classics of All Time, out September 21st. This album will again include Rob Thomas and a handful of other pop stars performing classic rock favorites such as Deep Purple’s "Smoke on the Water", Zeppelin’s "Whole Lotta’ Love", and AC/DC's "Back in Black."

Steve Winwood remains at the top of his game touring the world performing a well balanced mix of tunes from his days with Eric Clapton through his hits from the 80's and into the present. A canonized rock mogul, Steve Winwood's voice recalls the history of British blues inspired rock and roll.

(You will surely hear "Dear Mister Fantasy" and "Back in the High Life Again.")

Chuck Prophet -"Doubter Out Of Jesus"

Chuck Prophet @ The Berkley Cafe Friday 7-23

Singer Song writer Chuck Prophet is playing the Berkley Cafe in Raleigh July 23rd. Well known and highly respected as a peer among artists of the highest ilk, including the late Warren Zevon and Leonard Cohen and Randy Newman. Green on Red, his first band enjoyed moderate success in the 1980s releasing several records to critical praise. Prophet released his first solo record, Brother Aldo, in 1990 and continued on offering new albums about once a year gaining acclaim from critics, fans and the musical community. His style is wholly American, with some suggestions of western imagery, the everyman blues and big city swagger. Many of his tunes are tales of the heart being broken or stolen and even taking the form of a hammer. Prophet's voice is gruff and beautiful at the same time, while his guitar work is melodious and tough. Songwriters would give anything to possess his talent and musicians line up to have him play on their records. Having Chuck Prophet perform at one of our small venues is a rare honor which we should recognize and celebrate. It's not every day a legendary musician of his stature breezes through town.

Tonight: JJ Grey & Mofro, and Amelia's Mechanics @ The Pour House

The Pour House in Raleigh welcomes two bands to the stage this evening: Florida born rock, soul, and funk outfit JJ Grey & Mofro and Amelias Mechanic's . Familiar to the southeast, Mofro has been appearing at festivals, rock clubs, and mid sized music halls since the late 1990's appealing to fans of raw funky jam rock. Led by Molly Miller on lead guitar and ukulele with Molly McGinn on rhythm guitar, pedal steel, and vocals ,Ameila's Mechanics offers a fresh take on folk and Americana music. If you're looking for something to do tonight, by all means get down to the Pour house.