Fall brings cooler temperatures, but Downtown’s music scene continues to heat up.
In the coming weeks The Hard Rock Hotel will open, adding a new venue, “The Vault,” to the local landscape. Meanwhile jazz night spot Dizzy’s will reopen after a long hiatus and a complete renovation.
The opening of these clubs will only add to San Diego’s reputation as a music center that’s hard to rival.
KARL DENSON TRIO OCT.12
Jazz aficionados won’t want to miss The Karl Denson Trio’s CD release show at Anthology on Oct. 12. The latest disc, “Lunar Orbit,” continues Denson’s tradition of hot jazz and funk he began when he co-founded the Grey Boy All-Stars 15 years ago.
Ironically, while Denson is revered in jazz circles, his most heard work is that with retro rocker Lenny Kravitz, with whom he performed on the album, “Mama Said.” If you want to hear tunes with a bit of groove and thrilling horn playing, this show will more than fit the bill.
THE HACIENDA BROTHERS OCT.13
Call it roots rock, western swing, country or rockabilly. Few bands can take the stage like quintet The Hacienda Brothers. Performing at The Casbah on Oct. 13, the band is hosting a CD release show in support of their new disc, “Music For Ranch & Town.” The band includes a bona fide Americana icon in guitarist Dave Gonzalez, who spent over two decades as a member of The Paladins. If there’s an extra celebratory sense to this nights show, it’s likely due to Gonzalez’s quick recovery from a hand injury that threatened his ability to play. Luckily things have worked out OK, resulting in this excellent album and subsequent tour.
NATHAN JAMES OCT.15
Thanks to promoters Astra Kelly and Cathryn Beeks, Dublin Square is fast becoming one of the best places to catch acoustic performers downtown. Key to their success is bringing in top talent that might not otherwise gig downtown. Such is the case with blues powerhouse Nathan James, who appears at the club on Oct. 15. Considered one of the best players in the country, James and musical partner Ben Hernandez have a new CD, “Hollerin’,” out this month. So far in 2007, they’ve appeared on the cover of Southland Blues magazine, toured Europe and won the prestigious Memphis Blues Challenge, so it’s likely going to be a while before you’ll get a chance to see James again in a venue this intimate.
SKYLER STONESTREET OCT. 20
No doubt about it, Skyler Stone-street is a great name for a musician. Luckily, the Santa Barbara-based singer-songwriter has the songs to match the moniker. Appearing at Borders Oct. 20, Stonestreet is a deft tunesmith, inspired by the likes of Carole King and James Taylor. The diversity of her material is apparent in the fact that her songs have been licensed by both the MTV and Lifetime networks. Anyone wanting to catch a performer on the cusp of making a splash will want to check out this performance.
JESUS AND MARY CHAIN & EVAN DANDO OCT. 24
An unlikely pairing of doom-laden noise merchants, the Jesus and Mary Chain and Evan Dando, sometime frontman of acoustic pop combo The Lemonheads, takes place at 4th & B on Oct. 24. Though the recently reunited Jesus and Mary Chain is rumored to be working on a new album, their next release will be a four-CD retrospective collection, making it likely that the band’s set will consist primarily of vintage classics. Offering a stark contrast will be Dando with a sunnier solo set likely made up of covers and vintage Lemonheads tunes. It remains to be seen how well such an eclectic bill will go over with the partisan crowds attending, but both acts on their own are crowd pleasers well worth seeing.
SD MUSIC AWARD
WINNERS OCT. 31-NOV. 3
Anthology shows support for San Diego’s musicians with a week of shows Oct. 31 “” Nov. 3, under the banner, “San Diego Music Awards Winners.” While all the performers hadn’t been lined up at press time, Oct. 31 will feature jazz from virtuoso guitarist Peter Sprague, and the bill on Nov. 3 will be topped by balladeer Gregory Page. All the performers on the bill are winners in the 2007 music awards, making this a great chance to catch the cream of the local crop in one of the nicest venues on the West Coast. Making this show a “win-win” on every level, proceeds from the shows will go to the San Diego Music Foundation to be used in the Taylor Guitars for Schools program.