Aaron Davis

By Aaron Davis (for JHWeekly.com)

Renaissance Man
Charlie Parr is from a different era; a time-traveled finger-picker of the old-time. I always thought that he was much older than he really is (43 years-old). He’s a humble, prolific, realistic, intense roots performer that Twin City, Minn., musicians look up to. Many of his 10 albums are out of print, some are available on vinyl, and he travels alone—with guitar, banjo, and “one foot in the grave.” A contemporary protagonist of what’s left of the folk tradition in the form of traveling acts, Parr is very much what you see is what you get. And for that reason, Dornan’s is the perfect room. What’s Good Here Productions presents Charlie Parr, 8 p.m., Wednesday, at Dornan’s in Moose. Tickets are $15, available at Valley Bookstore and Dornan’s. 733-2415.

Funky life force
“Damn, this band is so funky!” exclaimed a music fanatic friend during Orgone’s last show in town. Soul-jazz-funk in the vain of The Meters, Booker T. & the MGs, Grant Green and Funkadelic squeezed into one, Orgone (pronounced with a long second “o”) is heavy on pulsing groove. Cee Lo Green enlisted them for his multiple Grammy-winning track, “Fool For Love,” as well as major label records for [Read the rest of this entry]

A few years ago on a similar March day as today, I had a similar run of excitement on the same fishing hole near Wilson, Wyo. The series of riffles is widespread and built for spring fishing–slow and shallow, yet varying in underwater rock structure. This was maybe my 4th day out this year. Nothing compares to a great spring day of dry fly fishing on the Snake when large Cutthroat aren’t scared to school and gorge in the laziest of locations. Today was the first time I managed to be in the right place at the right time.

In two separate windows of time lasting around 10-15 minutes each, there were seven to ten fish rising very close to compadre, Harper, and I. The gnat hatch was thick, and I could tell that several of the Cuttys would put up a wicked fight. This one worked me for about fifteen minutes and had my knees shakin’. Damn, that was fun…

By Aaron Davis (for JHWeekly.com)

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-Scouring music blogs and browsing a band’s discography with a focused set of ears is a blessing in disguise when you discover a new artist that should have been in your personnel rotation for years. This is how I felt after digging deep into the range of elements that makes Blitzen Trapper one of the most hyped bands in the last few years.

My previous impression of the Portland, Ore. quintet was that of a rollicking, experimental, moody, emo/prog-rock band. That wasn’t entirely squashed once I gathered the broader picture, but its latest Sub-Pop release, American Goldwing, clued me in on this band’s eclectic range to include folk, country and Southern rock. A blitzkrieg, if you will, of acoustic and electric rock escapades through a decade-long career, the new album takes a classic direction towards other West Coasters like The Flying Burrito Brothers and The Grateful Dead, but also The Allman Brothers and Cat Stevens. It seems conservative, even traditional, when compared to earlier albums like Furr, which ranked No. 13 on Rolling Stone’s Best Albums of the 2008, and Destroyer of the Void (2010).

“I don’t know, it’s all rock music,” said frontman/singer-songwriter Eric Earley. “All good songwriting is personal, but I wanted this record to be [Read the rest of this entry]

By Aaron Davis (for JHWeekly.com)

Wail that thing, Johnny
Since forming in 2003 and then opening the 1st Annual Targhee Fest in 2005, Teton Valley rock-fusion trio Johnny Wailin’ has been largely inactive until last year. But the three-headed, fire-breathing monster has revived a sound that’s reminiscent of Primus-meets-Floyd sandwich. New member, bassist Josh Jablow, has joined drummer David Bundy and guitarist /vocalist Bradley Dean, bringing a harder edge to the brand of rock that these mountains are used to from local players. Take a peak into everything Wailin’ at ReverbNation.com/JohnnyWailin. Johnny Wailin’ performs at 3 p.m., Monday, for an outside après-ski session at the base of Grand Targhee Resort in Alta. Free. All-ages. GrandTarghee.com.

Open Mic Slide/Path
There’s a new creature walking the streets of Jackson, and its called Slide/Path. Fronted by producer-keyboardist-vocalist Pete Muldoon, a.k.a. DJ Guerilla MD, this live electronica project stages some familiar characters—guitarist Jeff Eidemiller (Tram Jam), trombonist John Kidwell (Jackson 6), percussionist Abbot Frank, Jr. (Lunker), and John Wayne Harris (Elk Attack). Spreading the gospel of house, electro-pop, funk, hip-hop, and dubstep, Slide/Path promises [Read the rest of this entry]