 Bacon Brothers, Beck, Mose Allison at the Van Dyck
(WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., June 4, 1998) -- Since their last appearance in
the Berkshires in August 1997, the Bacon Brothers have released a CD of
their original, self-styled "forosoco" -- a blend of folk, rock, soul
and country -- music. In fact, they titled their CD "Forosoco" (Bluxo).
With their music now committed to the digital platter, no longer can the Bacon Brothers rely as they have until now solely on the built-in, movie-star charisma and marquee appeal that brother Kevin brings to the group's live performance. Which is why they must be thrilled that "Forosoco" stands shoulder-to- shoulder with just about any major-label record of its ilk. The baker's dozen originals, written alone and together by Kevin and Michael Bacon, are solidly crafted pop tunes ranging the gamut from upbeat, heartland rockers to folksy ballads. The songs, many drawn from real-life experiences, are laced with heartfelt sentiments about family ties, family values and music itself. The kickoff tune, "Old Guitars," is a tribute to their various influences, invoking the likes of Buddy Holly, the Everly Brothers, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, the Drifters and Otis Redding. "Woman's Got a Mind to Change" grafts a Crosby, Stills and Nash-like vocal to a Philly-soul pulse, while "Only a Good Woman" is built upon a country-blues foundation. Overall there is a kind of peaceful, easy, soft-rock feel to the effort that should please fans of the Eagles or James Taylor, to whom one of the brothers -- apparently Michael, although it's hard to tell them apart -- bears a remarkable vocal resemblance. Surprisingly, the album is not the sort of celebrity-studded affair one might expect. The only famous names -- other than Kevin Bacon -- in the credits are Jon Bon Jovi, who appears on one track playing lead guitar and lending backup vocals, and Jonathan Edwards, who plays mouth harp on another track. Otherwise, this is a Bacon Brothers effort -- ably assisted by a relatively anonymous band -- from beginning to end. What might have begun as a lark four years ago, when the brothers first took to the stage in Philadelphia at a local hometown benefit, is now looking like the astute career move it was never intended to be. The Bacon Brothers will perform at the Consolati Performing Arts Center in Sheffield this Saturday, June 6, at 8, in a concert presented by Barrington Stage Company. For ticket information, call 528-8888. Van Dyck: Funky Elegance It's hard to imagine a more perfect union of performer and venue than Mose Allison at the Van Dyck in Schenectady, N.Y., which took place last Friday and Saturday night. Both Allison and the Van Dyck are seemingly of another era; both are the epitome of funky elegance. Pianist/singer Allison led his trio through a dynamite, rip-roaring set of his uniquely-fashioned fusion of swing, bop and blues. Allison is as much a curator as a creator, resuscitating quirky songs by the likes of Duke Ellington and Nat King Cole that fit in with his own highly- stylized, hard-luck, jazz-laced blues compositions. The end result is sui generis; Allison is a genre unto himself. But more than that, he's a national treasure and an inspiration. The Van Dyck, at 237 Union St., just past Union College, is much the same as Allison, a gorgeous, classy old place whose thick, wood-laden walls and staircases could undoubtedly tell a thousand stories of hard- bitten triumphs and defeats. Clearly on the upswing today, the place regularly presents world-class jazz, blues and cabaret performers, and features a superb menu (try the cassoulet) at reasonable prices. This weekend the Van Dyck presents neo-honky-tonk crooner Wayne "The Train" Hancock on Friday and jazz vocalist Annie Ross on Saturday. Upcoming performances include the Brian Blade Fellowship (June 10-11), James Cotton (June 12), Roy Haynes (June 19-20), the Jimmy Heath Quartet (July 11) and Bucky Pizzarelli (July 17). Call (518) 381-1111 for information or reservations. Beck: Channeling pop's past and future "Two turntables and a microphone," sang Beck on "Where It's At," off his last full-length CD, "Odelay" (DGC), thereby pretty much summing up the revolutionary impact that hip-hop has had on popular music over the last decade. That this revelation came from one so strongly steeped in the traditional, conventional model of a guitar-slinging, singer- songwriter made it all the more powerful -- almost a manifesto for our time. "Odelay" was an amazing effort, a sort of musical journey through Beck's record collection, as if he were a radio station playing all your favorite hits of the rock era, except for the fact that he wrote them all. At the Saratoga (N.Y.) Performing Arts Center this Saturday night, June 6, Beck will be joined by Ben Folds Five, the gleefully shameless power-pop trio that has brought piano and melody back into the mainstream by giving voice to the loser-nerd point of view.
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[This column originally appeared in the Berkshire Eagle on June 4, 1998. Copyright Seth Rogovoy 1998. All rights reserved.]
Seth Rogovoy rogovoy@berkshire.net music news, interviews, reviews, et al.
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