Concert Previews
Los Straitjackets It's a risky proposition making a copy of a copy, but Los Straitjackets pull it off on Rock en Español, Vol. 1. The Mexican wrestling-mask-wearing, surf-rock quartet tear into early rock classics such as "Wild Thing," "All Day and All of the Night" and "Poison Ivy" in Spanish, drawing on the versions Mexican cover bands did in the '60s. With Los Lobos' Cesar Rosas serving as producer and as one of the guest vocalists (The Midniters' Little Willie G. and the Fly-Rite Boys' Big Sandy are the others), the songs lose little immediacy in translation. Rock en Español is a rambunctious party, as no doubt the World Cafe Live will become when Los Straitjackets (featuring Big Sandy) and New Orleans stalwarts the Iguanas arrive on Thursday.
Los Straitjackets
It's a risky proposition making a copy of a copy, but Los Straitjackets pull it off on Rock en Español, Vol. 1. The Mexican wrestling-mask-wearing, surf-rock quartet tear into early rock classics such as "Wild Thing," "All Day and All of the Night" and "Poison Ivy" in Spanish, drawing on the versions Mexican cover bands did in the '60s. With Los Lobos' Cesar Rosas serving as producer and as one of the guest vocalists (The Midniters' Little Willie G. and the Fly-Rite Boys' Big Sandy are the others), the songs lose little immediacy in translation. Rock en Español is a rambunctious party, as no doubt the World Cafe Live will become when Los Straitjackets (featuring Big Sandy) and New Orleans stalwarts the Iguanas arrive on Thursday.
- Steve Klinge
Fergie
It wasn't that long ago that her nickname belonged to a British princess and Weight Watchers spokeswoman, but ever since she joined Black Eyed Peas in 2003, things have been good for Stacey Ferguson. Sure, in B.E.P's "Don't Phunk With My Heart" and "My Humps," she's sung some of the most insipid songs in recent recording history. But she topped the charts with her 2006 solo debut,
The Dutchess
, and landed a role in
Planet Terror
, Robert Rodriguez's half of the Grindhouse double feature, albeit as a character who becomes dinner for a flesh-eating zombie in the first reel.
- Dan DeLuca
The Soul of John Black
The man behind, or, more accurately, in front of the Soul of John Black is John "JB" Bigham, a singer, guitarist and percussionist who has played with Miles Davis, the rock-funk band Fishbone, and numerous others. His group's new album,
The Good Girl Blues,
delves into soul and blues with a striking blend of rootsy pungency and urban polish. The simple arrangements are built on Bigham's voice and acoustic, electric and slide guitar - he also plays drums - and he finds inspiration in everything from wailing field hollers to the uptown seductiveness of Al Green. Throw in some gospel and swamp atmospherics, and it's a sound that comes across as both old and new.
- Nick Cristiano
