Black Uhuru feat. Duckie Simpson, Andrew Bees, Queen Kay w/UNRB/Trenchfoot Shindig The battle-scarred roots reggae outfit from Jamaica spawned several of the genre’s most well-regarded singers before they went solo (Don Carlos, Junior Reid, Michael Rose, Puma Jones) or moved on to become more successful in other endeavors (Sly & Robbie). Black Uhuru (which literally translates to “Black Freedom”) has released 14 studio LPs and holds the distinction of winning the very first reggae music Grammy award in 1984 (for Anthem), though if you’re familiar with their music at all, it’s likely by way of a brief soundbite that appeared in an episode of The Cosby Show, which featured Denise and her boyfriend head-bobbing and calling along to “Spongi Reggae” while Cliff looked on dubiously in the background) Today, Derrick “Duckie” Simpson is the sole remaining original member from the 1972 lineup, and he’s seen members come, go and sometimes return, as is the case with current vocalist Andrew “Bee’s” Beckford. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
Samurai Shotgun w/Malibu/Goldlynx Samurai Shotgun is one of the area’s sickest alt hip-hop outfits, churning out instrumentally driven songs with a firm rock and funk-grinding thrust. Best of the Bay winning artist Young Golden (real name Matt Henley) leads Samurai Shotgun, rapping, rhyming and vocalizing to the ministrations of keys and turntable man Marquis Blocker (aka DJ Keys), guitarist Tyler Mulder, drummer Jovan Lecaro and bassist Bryant Harp. The quintet is getting ready to drop a new full-length album, Force of the Shotgun, and this show on their home turf launches a nine-date Florida tour to hype it up. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10
Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band feat. Yungchen Rowan grew up in the Boston suburbs but you’d think he was spawned from the high forests of the Appalachia if you judged him purely on the sound of his bluegrass music, driven by his acoustic guitar and mandolin melodies. He collaborated with David Grisman early in his career, as Earth Opera, and also wrote the New Riders of the Purple Sage’s best-known track, “Panama Red.” His bluegrass band includes dobro player Michael Witcher, upright bassist Paul Knight, and banjo player Keith Little. Adding a surprising note of world folk flavor to the bill is Tibetan traditional songstress Yungchen Lhamo. (Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg)
Music Masala: East Meets West World Fusion Concert A spirited collusion of world sonic cultures, with more than 30 musicians performing in changing ensembles that include a 20-person vocal choir and a group of tabla players, as directed by Shankh Lahiri. Among the featured guests are Indian classical sitar artist Abhik Mukherjee and New York/Mumbai bansuri flute player Jay Gandhi.Among the featured performers are Indian classical sitar artist Abhik Mukherjee, New York/Mumbai bansuri flute player Jay Gandhi, guitarist Peter Mongaya, bassist Ray Villadonga and drummer/percussionist Michael Washington. (India Cultural Center, Tampa)
Laura Shepherd The Bay area songstress returns to the Studio for another performance of her earthy world-flecked folk-Americana tunes, her vocals evocative of “Brand New Key” folkie Melanie and set against mandolin plucks and strums. (the Studio@620, St. Petersburg)
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11
Caravan of Thieves Fuzz and Carrie Sangiovanni are the hubbie and wifey who front Caravan of Thieves and write vivacious, old-timey gypsy-vaudevillian jazz tunes and folk-pop serenades about topics ranging from monsters to funhouses to quirky, shady and sometimes downright creepy characters, all delivered in a collision of guitars, violin, double bass and light percussion. (The Hideaway Café & Recording Studio, St. Petersburg)
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12
Paint Fumes w/Kid Aids Preceding the regularly scheduled All Good Tuesday jams is a free show headed up by Charlotte, N.C.’s raw, trashy, unhinged garage-punk trio Paint Fumes, which explodes through fast-shuffling odes dosed in psych, surf and power pop hues. This date backs 2013 debut full-length, Uck Life. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13
John Vanderslice w/Alexander & the Grapes A native to Florida with roots in Gainesville, San Francisco-based singer, songwriter and studio guru John Vanderslice is one of those musicians’ musicians; beloved by peers, critics, and musicphiles, and known for his work behind the scenes on the albums of artists like Spoon and The Mountain Goats, but hasn’t gotten too much attention for his solo material. It’s not for any lack of talent, since the man has plenty, and he crafts some truly lovely sounds, as his Kickstarter-funded Dagger Beach proves. His 2013 ninth album (self-released under his own Tiny Telephone Records) is a marriage of understated yet potent alt rock and breezy ambling electro-folk music, his tender sweet intones murmuring or soaring earnestly over tasteful arrangements marked by subtle symphonic and synthesized embellishments, and captured in his preferred all-analog, direct-to-two-inch-tape style for an added coating of golden sonic warmth. On an exciting local note, our very indie rock risers Alexander & the Grapes join Vanderlice for some dates beyond this Tampa Bay stop. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
