Co-sponsored by the City of Culver City and curated by producer Gary Mandell of Culver City’s Boulevard Music, the musical line-up of this summer’s Culver City Boulevard Music Summer Festival has been announced. The six-week musical presentation will feature:
July 11: A cappella doo wop from the Mighty Echoes and acoustic blues with Doug MacLeod. The Mighty Echoes are as comfortable at interpreting modern hits like “When Doves Cry” and “My Generation” as they are with classic doo wop sounds of the Five Satins, Penguins and Flamingos. They’re followed by Doug MacLeod, whose soulful storytelling style and sparse, powerfully rhythmic guitar playing are a throwback to the country-blues artists of the 1930s. Deep grooves will be present in abundance.
July 18: Country, bluegrass, rock and jazz with Ryan Shupe & The RubberBand. According to Shupe, he and his band play “PostHeeHawFunkadelicHipHopNewGrass.” We’re talking fiddle, mandolin, guitar, banjo, bouzouki, and a skewed sense of humor. Lots of fun.
July 25: Jazz and blues diva Barbara Morrison. Born in Michigan but now living in Los Angeles, soulful jazz chanteuse Barbara Morrison has worked alongside bandleader superstars such as Dizzy Gillespie and Ray Charles. In a recent review, the New York Times called her performance at Carnegie Hall, “A joy…Barbara Morrison delivered one song a la Esther Phillips and another with Ella Fitzgerald’s blithe scat singing.” Expect a class act and plenty of old favorites expertly sung.
August 1: Country, rock and blues guitar with Albert Lee. An English guitarist known for his fingerstyle and hybrid picking technique, Albert Lee played with Joe Cocker and Emmylou Harris in the 1970s and Jackson Browne, Bo Diddley, Herbie Mann in the 80s. He’s prominently featured on Eric Clapton’s Just One Night album from 1980 and toured with the guitarist for years afterward. Not a bad endorsement.
August 8: Afro-Cuban/Salsa from Ricardo Lemvo. Ricardo Lemvo performs an innovative blend of Cuban son and African soukous — with his band Makina Loca. A veteran of this festival (he performed two years ago) this Congo-born artist of Angolan ancestry sings in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Lingala, and Kikongo. Bring your dancing shoes.
August 15: Led Zeppelin tribute band Led Zepagain. Since Led Zepagain will be playing acoustic with string quartet, expect sweet versions of Zep accoustic favs like Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp, Going to California, Tangerine, Over the Hills and Far Away, Rain Song, Friends, and Gallows Pole. This performance should not fail to put a bustle in your hedgerow.
Performances are free.
Justin Scupine is the Founder of online community CulverCityTimes.com.
