Boss Mama & the Jebberhooch at Bent Paddle. Photo by Aaron Reichow.

Did you know that April is Jazz Appreciation Month? When I wrote my last column (March 28 issue) it was headlined “Jazz, jazz and more jazz.” It would have been appropriate if I had noted that then.

Throughout this month we have been afforded a surfeit of opportunities to enjoy this genre of music, in addition to the jazz ensembles that play regularly in our locale. This is thanks to trombonist and impresario Thomas Woytko who for the second year in a row has organized “Jam! Duluth,” a series of jazz performances throughout our community. (Sponsored by Jazz 88 radio station, 88.5 FM.) He managed to arrange gigs for nine jazz ensembles in eight different venues (Duluth Cider hosted two) from April 2 through 26, with two left to go.

I guess we’ve become quite the scene for jazz which may have something to do with the music departments at both UMD and UWS.  

Sam Chandler Trio. Photo by Jill Fisher.

One of the gigs I was able to attend was the Sam Chandler Trio at Ursa Minor Brewing on Wednesday evening, April 17. Pianist Sam Chandler has been playing around this area for a while now. He first came to my attention at the Charlie Brown Christmas Concert at the West Theatre back in December where he played the famous Schroder tunes from the TV program, among other seasonal favorites.

The trio includes Calvin Caron on standup bass and Sten Duginski on drums, who brought their talents to several covers by the likes of Chick Corea and Billy Childs. Other recognizable tunes were restructured and rephrased in jazzy style. But for me the highlights of this performance were two of Chandler’s own original compositions—“Letting it Go” and “Midwestern Lullaby.” This was some fine listening that could have been improved only by a much better sound system.  

By all accounts, the musical event of the week, if not the month, was Boss Mama & the Jebberhooch’s album release party at Bent Paddle on Saturday, April 20. The 12-track CD Greetings from The Barnyard Lounge was recorded in 2023 at Sparta Sound, mastered and mixed by Rich Mattson. Colleen Myhre AKA Boss Mama plays acoustic rhythm guitar.

Members of her Jebberhooch band include Jacob Mahon (electric lead guitar), Jeff Gilbertson (standup bass), Caleb Anderson (keyboards), Lefty Johnson (congas) and Owen Mahon (drums). The place was packed from the moment the band, Baharat, opened through Boss Mama’s set and the late evening wrap-up by Saltydog.  

Baharat is the band that has elevated singer-songwriter Lyla Abukhodair beyond her previous musical enterprises. (She was one of three artists featured at Danny Frank’s 2023 Songwriters Showcase at Sacred Heart Music Center.) With Rob Runnels (drums), Jackson Engstrom (bass), Marshall Dillon (guitar) and Emanuel “Manny” Eisele (guitar, vocals) her impressive voice can soar, harmonize and shriek as compelled by her lyrics. And with Manny taking lead vocals on several of the 11 numbers they sang, the variation and alternative harmonies were pleasing. Their set was an appropriate opening for the wild and raucous music to follow.  

At 8:45 sharp, Boss Mama & the Jebberhooch came roaring out with the relentlessly driving drumbeats in “Come To Mama” that made one’s blood race and the crowd push closer to the stage. It was one of several tracks on the album I had not heard performed previously as they have introduced new songs in several gigs over the past several months, playing and perfecting them for this recording.

“Hallway Watchers” is one of these, a true story with appropriately haunting piano accompaniment, suspenseful pauses and shifts to minor keys. “Astrology Mama” with the refrain, “feeling all right” is another fun one we’ve heard before. Interspersed with the latest tunes was “Wisdom Holiday” from Colleen Myhre’s (Boss Mama’s) 2019 Just Getting Started six-track recording.

Here too, the lyrics tell a true story, in this instance of a runaway.   With that it was back to the new album with “Love In Alaska” a sultry, bluesy tune written for Colleen’s niece’s wedding. And talk about sultry, one of the Barnyard tunes not played on this evening was “Sleeping With You.” At once both sexy and prosaic, this ballad conveys emotions and desires with a sleepy, sassy voice. I was sorry not to hear it played live. (“Sweet Molasses” and “Down and Out Blues” were two others from the album they didn’t perform due to time constraints.)

“Ben and Annie” began with lead-in congas by Lefty to a tragic love song that had the crowd swaying to an exotic beat. I found it appropriate that this song, dark despite its entrancing rhythm, was followed up by the Pop Staples tune, “Somebody’s A Watchin’” with Jeff Gilbertson singing lead. Then came “Charlotte’s Café,” with its “beboppaloo” refrain that lets you know “she’s talkin’ to you.”  

The hilarious “Lonesome Rooster Blues” is another we’ve heard a time or two before, but what I’ve noticed is that the more I hear it, the sadder it seems and not quite so funny. The syncopated “Fall In To Winter” ended with the admonition “Don’t let your dreams die!” with the audience getting into the act by singing along on the chorus: “whoa oh oh whoa.”

Then Boss Mama’s son Saul took over drumming from Owen beginning with “Harvey’s Gamblin’ Problem” through the remainder of the set which featured tunes from her earlier CDs. One of my favorites came next: “Slip Away,” which is perfect for a slow romantic dance. Then it was Jeff’s turn again to lead on the cover of The Band/Bob Dylan song, “Ain’t No More Cane.”

A blazing rendition of Boss Mama’s “The King” (2019) that reiterates “ … gotta get to Memphis oh Lord” provided a fitting climax to the album release party.   

The music didn’t stop with that, as the “doggies” took over the stage for a final blowout. With members who are in both the Jebberhooch and Saltydog bands (Jacob and Owen Mahon and Byron “Lefty” Johnson), these bands’ fans enjoyed a heaping helping of the songs they love to hear.  

In preparation for this extravaganza, I listened to Boss Mama’s first three albums: Rivers Run Dry (2006), Ride of My Life (2011) and Just Getting Started (2019). It was my first listen of 2006 release, where her sweet 23-years-younger voice drew me in just as much as her bolder vocals on follow up albums. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her play live the sublime title track “Rivers Run Dry.” Perhaps she can be persuaded to resuscitate it for a performance in the future; it’s such a lovely song it deserves to be heard more.

I also really dug the first track “Derby”  on that CD – the lyrics reveal her deep connection with and close observation of thoroughbred racehorses. Another of my favorite tunes of hers from Ride is “Don’t Forget About The Lord” which is a 180-degree contrast to “Sexy Laundry” where her vocals express the suggestive title of that song.  

This lady may “just want to sing” but she’s one hell of a songwriter too (often collaborating with husband Jimmy and Jacob Mahon). Relistening to Myhre’s earlier albums alongside the newest brought home to me how great it is when recordings are as engaging as live performances. Based on how often I’ve loaded them into my car cd-player, I can attest to this being the case with her music.  

What can I say about the Albert Cummings concert I saw at West Theatre on Thursday, April 18? It was the best of blues and the worst of blues. A year ago March I attended AC’s concert at the West and ended up leaving at the break. I couldn’t take the loud, prolonged screeching of his electric guitar. I couldn’t hear the blues in it. This time, though forced to wear earplugs (a first for me!), I caught the power of his voice and the virtuosity of his guitar playing and began to understand his attraction for the audience. Plus, I found several of the numbers quite danceable, which certainly is a plus for me.

However, his prolonged, savagely loud and shredding guitar solos put me into a virtual coma, forced me into a dreamless beta-level doze with a deafening soundtrack. I regained consciousness just in time to dance to Cummings’ last couple of songs.

My take-away? As the Curmudgeon suggested, he’s good but after a while it’s just so much musical masturbation.  

Graham Parker. Photo by Jill Fisher.

Three nights later, Sunday, April 21, I returned to the West to hear Graham Parker “One of the Godfather’s of Punk Rock.” Since I’d not heard of him, I had zero expectations and only went because the C. is an old fan. That will change; he was a hoot, sort of a cross between George Carlin and Tom Waits. Since Parker is now 73 years old and has sciatic problems, his guitar playing, as he put it, was the worst we’d ever hear. (He played both acoustic and “electrical guitar” this evening.) So what? His irreverent songs, acerbic lyrics and social commentary were all more than sufficient as he performed his latest compositions from the 2023 album Last Chance to Learn the Twist and dug back through his earliest repertoire and albums. “Watch the Moon Come Down” from Stick To Me released in 1977 led off the show while the title track from that album initiated the second set. His 2001 tune “Syphilis & Religion” answers the question, what do missionaries bring?

An amusing self-deprecating story about a gig in Jacksonville, Florida , provided the setup for a song about never going back there. His voice was decent, at times Dylanesque (“Cool Stage”) and his song intriguing. It was a good concert that too few people saw.  

Upcoming: It’s that time of year—the 26th  Homegrown Music Festival is almost upon us. It begins Sunday, April 28. Hang onto your hats: 160 acts are scheduled to perform over 8 days through Sunday May 5. In double checking ticket prices online I was flabbergasted to see that a “Weeklong Wristband” that provides fans full entry to any and all the gigs still only costs $40! Such a deal. Of course, we need to appreciate the participating musicians so don’t forget to tip. And if you haven’t snagged a Field Guide yet, you’d better get to it as there’s much to be absorbed and strategized before wading into the hordes of fellow music aficionados.  

An alternative musical adventure awaits for those with somewhat more obscure and peculiar tastes—a weekend of accordion music in honor of  World Accordion Day on May 6. A smorgasbord of events May 3-5 is being hosted by A World of Accordions Museum at 1401 Belknap St. in Superior. If this sparks your interest, check out the offerings at worldofaccordions.org.