Arts & Entertainment

Your Guide: Adam Ezra; Leon Redbone and J. Geils

Upcoming shows, recent bookings and the complete schedule for Tupelo Music Hall.

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SHOWS AT THE TUPELO THIS WEEKEND

August 22 LEON REDBONE 
Over the course of his 30+ year, 15+ album career, Leon Redbone has continued his love affair with tunes from the turn-of-the-century (as in the second-to-last century), flapper-era radio ditties, Depression-spawned ragtime and World War II folk-jazz.Redbone’s career first gained momentum in the early ’70s when Bob Dylan sought him out at the Mariposa Folk Festival. Most folks were introduced to the man during his network debut on Saturday Night Live in 1976, where he showcased his indelible version of “Walkin’ Stick.” In a year typified by amplified arena rock, Redbone’s intimate, low-key delivery proved to be a jolting antonym. Since then the opportunities for this unlikely figure to impose himself on pop culture have been plentiful. He appeared as a wise, animated snowman opposite Will Ferrell in the $173 million-grossing comedy “Elf”. His duet with star Zooey Deschanel on the seasonal standard “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” served as the picture’s theme song.Over the years, Redbone has also provided TV title tunes to Mr. Belvedere and Harry and the Hendersons, and had a memorable guest role as a quixotic, guitar-wielding guardian to the character Corky on ABC’s critically acclaimed series Life Goes On. New York choreographer Eliot Feld recently created the ballets Mr. XYZ (featuring Mikhail Baryshnikov) and Paper Tiger, which were woven around Redbone’s signature songs. If there is one common element to Redbone’s diverse music it’s his mastery of his acoustic guitar. It is easy to get lost in his stage exploits (which often gravitate between vaudeville and performance art) and overlook what a truly fine player he is — fingerpicking with a ragtime bounce or jumping between chords with the grace of a hurdler. (Maybe the analogy should be with the grace of a card shark, because he makes it look so effortless it can often be deceiving.)

August 23 SMOKIN JOE KUBEK and BNOIS KING
This sold out show was cancelled by the artist.

August 24 J GEILS JAZZ QUINTET
The Jay Geils Jazz Quintet is an exciting trip through the history of the two uniquely American musical art forms, blues and jazz. It is interesting to note that Jay Geils, who made his mark on the music world playing rock and roll with the award winning J.GEILS BAND is such a consummate jazz and blues guitarist. From the opening strains of the Count Basie classic Broadway to Gerry’s vocal rendition of the T-Bone Walker standard Stormy Monday, the quartet evokes the classic sounds of a by-gone era with an original twist. Backed by double bassist Jesse Williams and drummer Mark Texiera the quintet has received rave reviews and entertained enthusiastic audiences across the USA and Canada. Take a trip down America’s musical highway with Jay Geils in the driver’s seat.Jay Geils needs no introduction to the legion of music fans that made the J. GEILS BAND one of the iconic acts in the history of rock and roll. After a twenty five year career with over 10 million records sold, a Grammy nomination, five gold records, one double platinum record, multiple television and movie appearances, and tours with the Allman Brothers and the Rolling Stones, the band decided to quit at the top of their game with the number one single and number one album on the charts.

Free to pursue his first love, jazz and blues, Jay teamed up with award winning jazz guitarist Gerry Beaudoin. Together they have toured the USA and Canada and released five CD’s and a DVD together. Twice their music together has been placed on the prestigious Grammy Awards ballot. They have performed with many jazz and blues luminaries including guitarists John and Bucky Pizzarelli, Howard Alden, Grammy nominated vocalist Karrin Allyson, saxophonists Scott Hamilton, Fred Lipsius and Harry Allen, members of the Roomful of Blues horn section and blues harmonica statesman Jerry Portnoy from the Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton bands. Take a trio down America’s musical highway with Jay Geils at the wheel.

NEW BOOKINGS

November 29 THE ADAM EZRA GROUP
The Adam Ezra Group (AEG) is constantly proving that they are more than just a band, musically, personally, and socially. Selling records and tickets is important to AEG, but they are committed to changing the world with their songs and their actions along the way. Ezra has spent time living out of a van, farming in Canada, volunteering for the relief effort in Kosovo, and practicing environmental geography in South Africa. Whether as a kitchen hand or carpenter, teacher, athlete, or traveler, Ezra crams it all into the music, always challenging our perspective and often teetering somewhere between the ballsy rocker and sensitive poet. AEG currently dedicates around 25% of their touring to benefit events in communities across the country, and almost all of their tour dates incorporate some form of "giving back." Ezra has created his own non-profit organization called RallySound, which officially received 501c3 status in the fall of 2011. It's mission: to help create socially conscious, live music events that inspire communities, grassroots activism, and civic engagement.Having toured with Rusted Root, The Avett Brothers, Jason Mraz, The Goo Goo Dolls, Blues Traveler, Los Lobos, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Dwight Yoakam, and many more, the Adam Ezra Group has graduated from the local Boston scene to the national stage with a momentum that is catapulting them towards being one of the country's most talked about bands.

FULL SCHEDULE

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