Jasper Brown gets Down—Little Kiss recording artist Jasper Brown will release his debut CD on Saturday, Nov. 26, at a semi-private party on the 200 block of Cornell. Edith Grove, The Backseat Rockers and others are set to perform next to Jasper—so if you haven't gotten an invite, I suggest you start making some phone calls. Or just buy the album. Jasper's The Plan is nine original tracks of Americana, folk and slack-rhythm rock that spirals out from the spare beauty and desolation of his Southeast New Mexican upbringing. Give it a few spins, and you'll be saying “she's got a thing for Jesus” in that same gentle tremolo of his. Look for the album any day now on the Little Kiss website (www.littlekiss.com) and www.cdbaby.com.
Music To Your Ears
The New Jazz Jam—”The Pearl’s Dive jam has been gone awhile, and the Seasons' jam is retired for the season,” says veteran Albuquerque jazz pianist Stu MacAskie, “so we think our community needs a jam.” Filling an upright bass-sized hole in Albuquerque's jazz community, the new jam started two weeks ago at Scalo Northern Italian Grill. At the moment, the house rhythm section is comprised of Luis Guerra on bass, Arnaldo Acosta on drums and Stu MacAskie on piano. “The jam session is one of the great traditions in jazz,” MacAskie explains. “Musicians gather to trade ideas, try out new material, work on their chops, just hang out and have fun, and pass on the tradition to the next generation.” MacAskie says that the jams are great for fans of the genre, too, since they can hear jazz from both established and up-and-coming musicians right alongside each other. The idea is that MacAskie's house band will play the opening set, and then open up the floor to a jam. “Sometimes the music is good, sometimes it’s not so good, sometimes it’s glorious; but folks should always be having a good time.” The New Jazz Jam runs every Tuesday from 8 to 11 p.m. at Scalo (Central and Carlisle, 255-8781).
