Rick's Picks of the Week: The Campbell Brothers ~ Sacred Steel

Rick's Picks of the Week is The Campbell Brothers ~ Sacred Steel on Sunday, October 23rd at 7:30, on the Mainstage at The Triple Door.

Earshot Jazz Festival presents The Campbell Brothers, a sizzling band that delivers a devoutly rocking Holiness-Pentecostal repertoire with growling, wailing, swinging steel.

Pedal-steel guitar ace Chuck Campbell joins his brother's, lap-steel playing Darick and electric guitarist Phil, along with Phil's son, Carlton on the drums, and Katie Jackson with her soul-curing vocals. The Campbell Brothers create a lively and bluesy twist to the traditional sound of African-American gospel music.

See The Campbell Brothers ~ Sacred Steel live October 23rd at 7:30 on the Mainstage.

Rick's Picks of the Week: Robben Ford Trio

This week, Rick's Picks of the Week is five-time Grammy nominee, blues guitarist Robben Ford and his newly formed band, Robben Ford Trio, on October 18th and 19th, at 7:30 pm on the Mainstage at The Triple Door.

Within the past few years, Ford formed the group Robben Ford Trio with friends and talented musicians, Mike Landau (guitar) Jimmy Haslip (bass), and Gary Novak (drums). Most recently, the group collaborated to release "Renegade Creation," a project recorded for Mike Varney's Shrapnel label.

Ford is one of the premier electric guitarists today, known for his blues playing as well as his ability to be comfortable in a variety of musical contexts. Joining him is session musician and guitarist, Mike Landau, as well as pioneering electric bassist, Jimmy Haslip, and innovative drummer, Gary Novak, whom triumphantly create- Robben Ford Trio. See Robben Ford Trio live 10/18 and 10/19 at 7:30 pm on the Mainstage.

Rick's Picks of the Week: Tales from the Sahel: An Evening with Baaba Maal

This week's Rick's Picks of the Week will be a unique event filled with music and discussion from Tales from the Sahel: An Evening with Baaba Maal on Tuesday, October 11th, at 7pm on the Mainstage at The Triple Door.

During the course of the evening, Baaba will be playing songs with LA musician Mermans Mosengo, from Playing for Change, as well as talking about his personal experience growing up in Africa and his views on issues facing the continent today with acclaimed music journalist and author, Chris Salewicz.

Known for his fiery vocal performances and his musical fusion of western sounds with the traditional beats and melodies of West Africa, Baaba Mall has earned immense critical acclaim and has continually reinforced his role as a innovative artist in the world music arena. His work has also extended beyond music and into the realms of humanitarianism through his role as emissary for the United Nation's Development Program. People gather to support his continual outspoken stances on HIV/AIDS in Africa, the growing role of women on the continent and his support of youth-based initiatives to help Africa move into the new millennium.

"I think the musician's role is to give advice, to warn people, and to make them aware of what they might not have thought of themselves. We use melodies and harmonies to make songs enter your mind." So declares the celebrated Senegalese master-musician, Baabe Maal, of the songs on Television, his new multi-lingual album which was released in June.

To purchase tickets to see Baaba Maal, following this link: Tales from the Sahel: An Evening with Baaba Maal.

Rick's Picks of the week: Hindi Zahra

Rick's Picks of the Week: Hindi Zahra on October 4th at 7:30 on the Mainstage at The Triple Door.

Hindi Zahra's gently flowing sense of melody is accompanied by subtle, understated, with a dash of gypsy, guitar and a hint of blues between the lines. With sonically intense, intimate, poetic vibrations, and a velvety feline quality, her music speaks her story. Being a self taught multi-instrumentalist, music is the story of her life. A story of a Beber girl born in Morocco.

See the beautiful and talented Hindi Zahra with opener J Wong on October 4th at 7:30 on the Mainstage.

Rick's Picks of the Week: Jolie Holland w/ Ali Marcus

Rick's Picks of the Week is Texas native, singer-songwriter Jolie Holland with Ali Marcus on Wednesday, September 28th, at 7:30 on the Mainstage at The Triple Door.

Holland's raspy, bluesy yet sincerely delicate vocals, and her multi-faceted, blues-folk melodies speak of the lives and breathes of her traveling memories through unconcealed reflection. Her music erases the space between ancient and modern with a sound that is as emotionally rich as it is timeless. Holland conveys the notion, "if something speaks to you and is meaningful, dates can become irrelevant" through a palatte of dirty guitar chords, drums, percussion, bass, synthesizers and gritty vocals.

The newest discography addition, Pint of Blood, which was released in June, is grounded in true experience and evokes memories of moonlit fields, past lovers, and the childhood dream of summer.

Accompanying Holland, is Seattle-based songwriter Ali Marcus whose lighthearted music sounds like a summer road trip through Eastern Washington with the windows down and the sun kissing the air.

See Jolie Holland w/ Ali Marcus on Wednesday, September 28th, at 7:30 on the Mainstage!

Rick's Picks: Shawn Colvin

Rick's Picks of the Week is three time Grammy Award winner, Shawn Colvin on September 19th and 20th at 7:30 on the Mainstage at The Triple Door.

Colvin's confessionally intimate songs explore the beauty in the satirical happenings of the human condition. She sings about personal struggle and healing in a unique way that creates melodic imagery that powerfully resonates. When she's not singing her own folk-pop songs, Colvin is performing equally intriguing covers of short stories refined into absorbing songs.

In the 19 years since the release of her debut album, Colvin has produced a remarkable cannon of work. She has won three Grammy Awards, released eight albums, maintained a non-stop national and international touring schedule, appeared on countless television and radio programs and had her songs featured in major motion pictures.

See Shawn Colvin live on September 19th and 20th at 7:30 on the Mainstage.

Rick's Pick: Rhett Miller and Joe Doria

Rick's Picks of the Week, the front man and main songwriter of the hard-charging rock 'n' roll quartet the Old 97's, as well as an accomplished solo artist, Rhett Miller, will be performing live on Saturday, September 10th at 8pm on the Mainstage at The Triple Door.

In addition to his seven records with the 97's, Miller released two highly regarded solo albums, The Instigator (2002) and The Believer (2006). Rhett continues to balance his solo endeavors with his membership in the Old 97's. The still-active quartet released their full-length studio album, Blame it On Gravity, on May 13, 2008.

This week, in addition to the Mainstage act, Rick picked Hammond organist Joe Doria live on Friday, September 9th in the Musicquarium. Joe Doria has been making big waves on the music scene and is the most sought after organist in the area, dazzling audiences with his ability to tightly weave both the bass lines and the chordal structure of a song, yet, at the same time, adding depth and dimension to every song he performs.