Americana MUSIC

“I lived in Nashville for about 25 years,” Forbert tells CityBeat from his home in Asbury Park, New Jersey. “But I didn’t do a lot of playing around there, and there are only like three places to play in Mississippi where I’m from. The majority of the work and culture, if you will, is in the Northeast, from Washington, D.C. all the way to Portland, Maine.”

“I’ve had a lead guitarist with me now for the last few years,” Forbert says. “I don’t play solo as much anymore because I did it for so long, and I found a guitarist, George Naha, who can really accompany what I’m doing very well. It gives you a whole lot more with just two people. That’s what I’m going to be doing in March, for instance, at the Southgate House.” and harmonica rack, Forbert’s early songwriting prowess focused more on youthful exuberance and personal testimony. Through the years, his writing has become more observational, utilizing character-based vignettes.

The title track on Moving Through America, which Forbert recorded previously on 2018’s The Magic Tree in more of a full band version, sets the tone for the cartographic cruising as the driver/narrator navigates between the heartland’s cities and observes the never ceasing flow of life around him in cascading imagery.

“There are still songs like ‘Buffalo Nickel,’ which are very personal, and that’s me moving through America,” Forbert says. “But when you look at a song like ‘It’s Too Bad’ about a guy with a gambling problem — those are things I see around. But I’m putting my observations out there in terms of these things happening to other people. You have the last song, ‘Palo Alto,’ which is about a cement ship decaying off the coast of Cali. I just wrote about it. It’s kind of a travelogue — there’s a lot of movement on the record.”

As music origin stories go, it’s difficult to beat Steve Forbert’s: a 21-year old hillbilly cat from Meridian, Mississippi, takes an Amtrak train to New York City in 1976 to find fame and fortune with his acoustic guitar; begins busking in Grand Central Station; opens for new bands like the Talking Heads at CBGB’s; shares the same manager with the Ramones; and signs a record contract and releases his classic debut, Alive on Arrival

Some 40 years later, Forbert writes about these formative experiences in his 2018 memoir, Big City Cat. In addition to publishing his recent book, he’s still releasing records at a prolific pace, having finished a covers project, Early Morning Rain, in 2020, and he’s now touring in support of last year’s Moving Through America. He plays the

Southgate House on March 31. Moving Through America underscores Forbert’s strengths as a singer/ songwriter: his tender rasp of a voice, wry, charming perspective, and a penchant for melody. Thematically, it’s a travelogue of songs that charts his tours driving through the highways, byways and towns of the Midwest and other regions of America.

Forbert explains how traveling around America has changed: “Well, there’s a lot of traffic out there—and just more input. As I get older, it’s not as easy to take it all in. Now I see it all as more manic. But I would also say, on the other hand, a lot of people complain about gentrification and how homogenous it is, like Targets and Ruby Tuesdays everywhere. But I’ll just tell you, when we do these duo shows my percussion is stomping on a piece of plywood that I mic in the mix — so what I’m getting at here is if I need to land in Chicago and play a show or drive up to Milwaukee, I can easily find a Home Depot or Lowe’s to get the freaking piece of plyboard, which makes a difference.”

Songwriting has always propelled Forbert’s career. Nicknamed one of the “new Dylans” by critics back in the ‘70s because of his solo approach

Moving Through America features buoyant folk-rock floods with warm melodies and textures. A few of the highlights of the album include songs like “Fried Oysters”, where a Houston man worries about the next hurricane while declaring his love for his “oyster girl”; “Living the Dream,” where an excon tries to deal with newfound freedom; and “Times Like These,” where a homeless person keeps moving from camp to camp with his meager possessions.

Blue Rose Records released the aptly-titled An American Troubadour: The Songs of Steve Forbert, a tribute collection of Forbert songs covered by over 20 artists, in 2017. It’s an obvious honor, and celebrates Forbert’s longevity, as well as the accumulative appeal of his songs over the decades. The roots music revival this millennium has helped Forbert stay relevant and expand his audience.

“Writing songs still means a lot to me. The ‘Americana’ label might have made things better, and made me more easily understood if you will,” says Forbert. “If it hadn’t been for that, I might have been more of an anachronism. They call it Americana now, but I’ve been doing that for a long time. Maybe it made it more palatable, I don’t know what would have happened if it hadn’t become a real popular style of music. Of course, it was also real popular back in the singer-songwriter days.”

Steve Forbert plays the Southgate House Revival at 8 p.m. March 31. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Info: southgatehouse.com.

Music Briefs

Cincy Artist Propels Creed III Soundtrack

Arin Ray definitely has the X factor now.

The rising R&B artist and Cincinnati native has two songs included on the star-studded soundtrack for Creed III, the ninth installment of the Rocky franchise. Creed III: The Soundtrack features “Hate Me Now” (which Ray created with Mereba and Omen) and “Burn Bridges” (with Lute, Cozz and Reason).

Ray, who grew up in the Bond Hill neighborhood of Cincinnati, attended the School for Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA). He appeared on Fox’s X Factor before graduating and then moving to Los Angeles, where he’s since written for acts like Jason Derulo and DJ Mustard. Ray released his debut R&B album Platinum Fire in 2018 and his sophomore album Hello Poison in 2022, collaborating with artists like Ari Lennox and Ty Dolla $ign.

Slick Rick to Celebrate Hip-Hop Anniversary in Cincy

Cincinnati Music Festival organizers have announced the lineup of performers for a tribute celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.

Taking place July 20, the concert will kick off the Cincinnati Music Festival. The event at the Andrew J Brady Music Center will feature hip-hop legends Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim and Doug E. Fresh, according to a press release.

On July 21, the 2023 Cincinnati Music Festival will be headlined by Al Green, Jill Scott, Jodeci, Midnight Star and Gerald Albright. Snoop Dogg, Babyface, P-Funk Connection, Avery Sunshine and Norman Brown will lead the festival on July 22.

Performances on July 21 and 22 will take place at Paycor Stadium.

Snoop Dogg originally was scheduled to be a headliner for the 2020 event until it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Green’s last performance at the Cincinnati Music Festival was in 1974.

Festival information is available at cincymusicfestival.com.

– Ashley Moor

Bootsy Collins Launches Funky Coffee

Cincinnati-based king of funk Bootsy Collins now has his own coffee blend.

According to media materials, the Bootzilla Blend Coffee is a handcrafted blend that features three different coffee beans from Latin America. The beans were grown at a high altitude and in volcanic soil before being medium roasted, a product description says.

The tasting notes are described as sweet with flavors of dark chocolate, orange, black cherry and walnut, with an aroma of daffodil-like flowers.

The Bootzilla Blend retails for

$19.99 for a 12-ounce bag, which comes in either whole bean or ground, as well as regular or decaf. It’s available at concerts.cafe/product/ bootsy-collins-bootzilla-blend-coffee.

The coffee is another mark Collins is making on the retail world in recent weeks. Earlier in March, Super7 released a Bootsy action figure, decked out in a red-and-white jumpsuit and wearing star-shaped sunglasses.

– Katie Barrier

The soundtrack for Creed III was released in March along with the movie, which stars Michael B. Jordan (of Black Panther fame) and Jonathan Majors (who plays Kang in the Marvel Cinematic Universe). The film hit theaters in the United States on March 3 and debuted at No. 1 at the box office, earning $58.7 million in its first weekend and becoming the highestearning sports film ever.

Creed III: The Soundtrack was executive produced by J. Cole’s Dreamville Records. Ray’s albums are available at arinraymusic.com.

– Kennedy Dudley

Sound Advice

J.I.D. AND SMINO

March 28 • Andrew J Brady Music Center

Rappers J.I.D. and Smino boast musical styles suited for the intimate venues of a garage jam session or cafe, but they’ve been taking on the big stage as of late.

The co-headliners will be performing in Cincinnati as part of their Luv is 4Ever Tour — a play off the pair’s most recent albums, Smino’s Luv 4 Rent and J.I.D.’s The Forever Story

St. Louis native Smino’s music exists in a serene haze sure to lift moods and sedate qualms. Sauntering flows that weave back and forth between drawling, charismatic croons and insouciant rapping are staples of his catalog. Luv 4 Rent is no different, with flowery instrumentals propelled by intricate drum patterns and dreamy vocal harmonies.

Atlanta rapper J.I.D. is heralded for his poetic wordplay and flows that feel like a musical ride through an obstacle course

— no flow is identical to the next. With tracks ranging from smooth jazz grooves with staunch bass lines to formidable boom bap deep cuts and moshpit-ready trap bangers, J.I.D.’s sound runs a gamut that enshrines him with the best in his field.

On The Forever Story, J.I.D. escorts listeners through introspective glimpses into past and present experiences, boldly calling out systemic racism while reflecting on the Black experience in America.

This performance of vulnerable and outspoken commentary to a sold out crowd of thousands at the Andrew J Brady Music Center should make for an emotionally staggering night. The acts will perform with a live band, infusing the raw and eclectic nature of their sounds into the large-scale live renditions.

J.I.D. and Smino play the Andrew J Brady Music Center at 8 p.m. March 28. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Info: bradymusiccenter.com. (Killian Baarlaer)

Sonny Landreth And Cindy Cashdollar

March 30 • Southgate House Revival

If guitar is your passion, whether through listening or playing, one of the more inspirational shows of the year will be the six-string nirvana pairing of Sonny Landreth and Cindy Cashdollar at the Southgate House Revival on March 30. Landreth, the Louisiana-based bluesman, has been a renowned slide player for decades, earning his cred way back as a young prodigy and eventually developing into a master. Blacktop Run, his most recent release in 2020, combines electric, Cajun blues instrumentals, Southern swamp-rock and acoustic roots anchored by his emotional vocals and fingerpicked National steel guitar. Landreth’s history also includes gigs as a member of John Hiatt & The Goners, as well as collaborations with John Mayall, Allen Toussaint and Eric Clapton.

Landreth discusses his diverse influences with Premiere Guitar, and explains,

“I heard BB King when I was 16, and at a funky little club in Louisiana I heard Clifton Chenier for the first time — the Zydeco King. He invited me inside and my world changed that night. I also saw, heard, and met Jimi Hendrix in the late‘60s when he played Baton Rouge.”

A former member of Asleep at the Wheel, the veteran Texas swing band, Cindy Cashdollar is a lap-steel, dobroplaying virtuoso. Like Landreth, she has collaborated with the best, adding her steel guitar twang on many records by artists including Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Dolly Parton as a studio musician. Landreth and Cashdollar share the stage as a seated duo on this tour, accompanying each other on guitar and vocals as they deliver country and blues standards and their own music.

Sonny Landreth and Cindy Cashdollar play the Southgate House Revival March 30. The Suitcase Junket opens the show. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. Info: southgatehouse.com.

(Greg Gaston)

Simon Joyner

April 5 • Torn Light Records

Omaha, Nebraska singer-songwriter Simon Joyner will be bringing his brand of unique and poetic folk to Cincinnati in early April with a show at Torn Light Records in Clifton. After more than 30 years in the music scene, Joyner continues to churn out carefully crafted records, though his newer releases are slightly more polished production-wise and a far cry from his lo-fi roots in the ‘90s.

Joyner’s influence can be heard in the songwriting of contemporaries and selfdescribed Joyner fans, like fellow Omaha native Conor Oberst, Beck and Kevin Morby. Listening to a Joyner song is in some ways akin to reading a short story by Raymond Carver or Andre Dubus: you get an immediate sense of the narrator’s vision and skillful handling of words while a character’s whole life is played out from start to finish in just under four minutes, like “Jefferson Reed” from 2015’s Grass, Branch & Bone

Joyner recently returned from a European tour with his daughter, Frances

Joyner, in tow, making stops in England, France, Holland, Germany, Belgium, Sweden and Denmark. He’s funded his upcoming U.S. tour with an interesting project consisting of ten songs from any of his previous albums re-recorded per a fan’s request, and available to purchase as One Carried A Lantern on his Bandcamp page.

Joyner has also been busy promoting his newest album, Songs from a Stolen Guitar, released on his own label, Grapefruit Records. According to an interview with Casbah Records, Songs from a Stolen Guitar was recorded during the height of the pandemic with each musician playing their parts in isolation from their home studios, resulting in tighter and more focused arrangements. If you care about lyrically dense songwriting with music reminiscent of Joyner’s personal heroes, like Townes Van Zandt and Tim Buckley, be sure to stop by Torn Light Records to hear one of music’s best kept secrets.

Simon Joyner plays Torn Light Records on April 5. The time has yet to be determined. Info: instagram.com/simonjoynermusic. (Derek Kalback)

Crossword

Across

1. Taking for-ev-er

5. Feeling uninspired

Aw Yeah

BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY WWW.BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM

9. “Ice Ice Baby” vis-à-vis “Play That Funky Music,” originally

14. ___ Winston (“Sons of Anarchy” character)

15. Palm Beach County city, for short

16. Part man or part woman?

17. Very faint raven’s cries?

19. Pasta strainer, e.g.

20. Garnish on a toothpick

21. “Hard agree”

23. Egg, in some prefixes

25. It’s bad in Bordeaux

26. Error in a salon?

35. It has a famous solo in “Swan Lake”

36. Place for a misstep

37. Petco Park player

38. Three-day weekend day: Abbr.

39. “Positive ___ only”

41. Rock to be processed

42. Smokes some weed, e.g.

45. Word alongside a harp on some Euros

46. Babymetal’s genre

47. Things you hear and see when Garfield plays a song everybody knows on a piano?

50. Thing torn in some season-ending injuries: Abbr.

51. Play in the sand

52. Justice Dubya nominated

57. Adult

61. Mathematician who popularized pi to denote the ratio of a circle

62. Things a blackbird might win?

64. Nasty nag

65. One eliciting a message to the shareholders, say

66. Unattractive pile

67. Game that tactical geniuses play 4D versions of

68. Confession recitation

69. Jyn ___ (“Rogue One” heroine)

Down

1. Somewhat, in music

2. Translucent stone

3. Chinese gooseberry, by another name

4. Forward motion in the Senate

5. Cyber crime-fighting force

6. Lethargic

7. What an ice pack soothes

8. Splitting words

9. What Paul McCartney plugs into

10. Guitarist Patti in the E Street Band

11. Here’s the thing

12. Peacenik’s symbol

13. Preposition used by bards

18. “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” star

22. It’ll provide you with a provider: Abbr.

24. Broadcasting

26. Barber’s props

27. WWII menace

28. Big name in small trucks

29. Rosey of the Rams’ “Fearsome Foursome”

30. Very keen

31. Safari rival

32. Parkinson’s treatment

33. Weather vane part

34. Cries

40. Gmail button

43. Canine coverings

44. Memory expanders in some smartphones

46. Common computer graphic attachment

48. “___ things being equal ...”

49. “New Look” innovator

52. Related stuff

53. Toilet paper additive

54. Middle of the month

55. Vehicle with a meter

56. He plays Carl in the upcoming “Paint”

58. Bleu hue

59. Coups de grace

60. Phil whose #7 was retired by the Bruins, for short

61. ~ neighbor

63. Trojans attack them

LAST PUZZLE’S ANSWERS:

Bertha G. Helmick

attorney at law

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