24 PASADENA WEEKLY | <strong>08.16.18</strong>
PW OPINION PW NEWS PW LIFE PW ARTS •INTO THE NIGHT• BY BLISS BOWEN Other Mothers’ Brothers ‘ECLECTIC PROGRESSIVE INSTRUMENTAL’ OTHER MOTHER BROTHER BAND JAMS AT BRAND LIBRARY & ART CENTER FRIDAY NIGHT •NITELIFE• Thursday Aug. 16 through Wednesday Aug. 22 PLEASE NOTE: Deadline for Calendar submissions is noon. Wednesday of the week before the issue publishes. PASADENA, SOUTH PASADENA & ALTADENA 1881 Bar 1881 E. Washington Blvd., Pasadena (626) 314-2077 facebook.com/1881bar Fridays—Live jazz Saturdays—Gypsie jazz Wednesdays—Reggae The Blue Guitar Arroyo Seco Golf Course 1055 Lohman Lane, South Pasadena blueguitar.club Thursday—Greg Porée Group The Boulevard Bar 3199 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena (626) 356-9304 blvdbar.com Fridays—Drag performances hosted by Tia Wanna every Friday Cabrera’s Mexican Cuisine 655 N. Lake Ave., Pasadena (626) 795-0230 cabreras.com Thursdays—Live jazz Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays—Karaoke Coffee Gallery Backstage 2029 N. Lake Ave., Altadena (626) 798-6236 coffeegallery.com Thursday—The Roadhouse Series: Tribute to Elvis Presley Friday—The Alley Cats Saturday—The Licata Brothers Sunday—Matinee show w/Coco Dolenz w/Alex Jules and Peter Andrews; evening show w/The Jangle Brothers Tuesday—Jeremy Clyde & Kate Taylor Wednesday—Jeremy Clyde & Kate Taylor Der Wolfskopf 72 N. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena (626) 219-6054 derwolfskopf.com Fridays—“Night Court” features Deejay Kind Cromang spinning vinyl soul, funk, disco and boogie Edwin Mills by Equator 22 Mills Place, Pasadena (626) 564-8656 edwinmills.com Friday—Jack’s Cats Trio Saturday—Liela Avila Tuesday—Jesse Bradley Trio Wednesday—Sean Harrison Trio El Portal Restaurant 695 E. Green St., Pasadena (626) 795-8553 elportalrestaurant.com Fridays—Mariachi México Saturdays—Alanniz Sundays—Mariachi Bella Ice House 24 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena (626) 577-1894 icehousecomedy.com Thursday—Stand-Up All Stars w/Tyler Boeh Friday—Hollywood Comes to Pasadena; The Chill w/Josh Adam Meyers; Deathsquad Saturday—Cool Beans Comedy; Fritz Coleman Speaks to a Generation Children’s Foundation of America benefit; Jeff Hodge & Friends; Bobby Col- –CONTINUED ON PAGE 27 Ten years: That’s a milestone worth noting in pretty much any relationship. A band that hangs together that long through all the typical frustrations and temptations, especially an independent band that plays instrumentals, has earned the right to measure that decade in multiples — not dog years, exactly, but hey, what is the musician’s equivalent? Ten years: That’s a milestone worth noting in pretty much any relationship. A band that hangs together that long through all the typical frustrations and temptations, especially an independent band that plays instrumentals, has earned the right to measure that decade in multiples — not dog years, exactly, but hey, what is the musician’s equivalent? The self-described “eclectic progressive instrumental” Other Mother Brother Band, or OMBB for short, came together in 2008 when a previous band that bassist Brian Levine and guitarist Jesse Selwyn had played in dissolved. Teaming up with keyboardist Colin Gerowitz, Levine’s brother-in-law — hence the band name — they brought onboard mandolinist and beatboxer Jonathan Schwartz (and, more recently, drummer/percussionist Keith Erickson). After finding their groove with a Wednesday night residency at Canter’s Deli’s claustrophobic Kibbitz Room just south of Hollywood, they started working a circuit of clubs, farmers markets, private parties and mountain lodges up and down California and parts of the West. Selwyn (brother of comedic actor and freestyling Zachariah & the Lobos Riders frontman Zach Selwyn) is a solid, quietly commanding player, grounding Schwartz’s mandolin flash and Gerowitz’s melodic keyboard runs. Levine maintains a steady rhythmic pulse and intermittently lets loose with funky, attentiongrabbing bass solos. After hearing their quasi-flamenco-flavored take on David Grisman’s “Chili Dawg,” it’s no surprise that Grisman ranks high on their list of favorites, along with Bela Fleck and Chris Thile. If you were camping out at a bluegrass festival, you would want these pickers pitching their tent next to yours — although, with electric guitar, keyboard and drums, they’re anything but oldschool bluegrass. Their 2016 album “From the Ground Up,” comprised of original instrumentals such as the Yosemite-inspired “Olmsted Point” and traditional fiddle tunes “Billy in the Lowground” and “Whiskey Before Breakfast,” is an altogether more polite set than their 2011 debut “OMBB.” Onstage, they’re free to mix and match material from both. The percussive drive of older tunes like “Shower Hour” and the Latin-tinged “A Minor Altercation” complements the jazzier dynamics of the new “Made Ya Look,” “Hetty’s Booth” and more rocking “Rain Dance,” as well as covers such as “Chili Dawg” and “Deviation,” a chestnut from Fleck’s New Grass Revival tenure. Those with an ear out for instrumentals, and serious players leapfrogging the borders of bluegrass, jazz and rock, should savor the lively exchanges between these musical brothers. n Plaza Performance Series presents Other Mother Brother Band at Brand Library & Art Center, 1601 W. Mountain St., Glendale, 7-8:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17; free admission. Seating is first come, first served. Info: (818) 548-2051. ombbmusic.com, glendaleca.gov/government/ departments/library-arts-culture/brandlibrary-art-center Hometown Bluesman SAN PEDRO SLIM WAILS SATURDAY AT ABC San Pedro Slim, a veteran of more than 25 years on the Southern California blues scene, and his band take the stage Saturday night at the Arcadia Blues Club. Born David Kiefer, Slim hails from the town that bears his adopted name. The harmonica player and singer-songwriter played his first gig in 1991 at a seedy bar there, the kind of place where so many blues players have gotten their starts, and which have historically been breeding grounds for the blues life. In fact, his early blues education came from watching the likes of William Clark, Johnny Dyer, James Harmon, Smokey Wilson and Rod Piazza play at local bars. His first CD, “Another Night on the Town,” debuted in 1997, on Dutch label Tramp Records. The album featured a star cast of players, including, among others, ace blues guitarist Henry Carvajal, who is scheduled to perform with him Saturday night. Since that time, he has released several CDs, including his latest, “In Times Like These” and keeps busy playing festivals and clubs throughout Southern California. Visit sanpedroslim.net. — John Sollenberger Music starts at 7 p.m. Saturday at Arcadia Blues Club, 16 E. Huntington Drive, Arcadia. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Call (626) 447-9349 or visit arcadiabluesclub.com. <strong>08.16.18</strong> | PASADENA WEEKLY 25