Singer-picker to strum way through Port Townsend
PORT TOWNSEND –– An in-law to country music royalty, Nashville, Tenn.-born singer-songwriter-guitar picker Mark Stuart brings his twangy tunes to Better Living Through Coffee, 100 Tyler St., on Saturday.
Stuart has worked extensively with Freddy Fender, Joan Baez and Steve Earle, and he has toured the U.S., Canada and Europe with his wife and musical partner Stacey Earle.
His set, self-described as “Left of Nashville,” includes country ballads, dance hall tunes, folk-rock originals and good ol’ honky-tonk guitar jukes.
Tickets to the all-ages show are $12 and are available at the Crossroads Music Store, 2100 Lawrence St.
For more, phone 360-531-1641 or upwestarts@gmail.com.
Paperboys deliver
PORT ANGELES –– Veteran Vancouver Island band The Paperboys brings its blend of North American folk-rock stylings to the Olympic Cellars Winery, 255410 U.S. Highway 101, where the band will play as part of the winery’s Saturday Summer Concert Series at 7 p.m. Saturday
The Paperboys last played the winery’s barn in 2012 to a sold-out crowd.
Tickets are $13 in advance at www.BrownPaperTickets.com or $15 at the door.
Proceeds will benefit the Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts.
Special Sunday
SEQUIM –– The Sequim City Band will play a special outdoor concert at the James Center for the Performing Arts at 3 p.m. Sunday.
The concert is free.
The James Center is near the Water Reuse Demonstration Site near Carrie Blake Park
Clallam County Sheriff Bill Benedict will be the guest announcer.
Under the direction of Tyler Benedict, the band will present a variety of concert band repertoire, including “El Capitan,” the “Mikado March” and “March of the Belgian Parachutists.”
The trombone section will be featured in “Miss Trombone, A Slippery Rag” by composer Henry Fillmore.
For oldies fans, the band will perform “Themes Like Old Times,” which includes such classics as “My Melancholy Baby” and “Ain’t We Got Fun.”
“Glenn Miller in Concert” will swing with “In the Mood,” “Tuxedo Junction” and “Pennsylvania 6-5000,” to name a few.
Tacoma twangers
QUILCENE –– Tacoma’s SweetKiss Momma brings its country-fried rock and gospel sounds to the Linger Longer Outdoor Theater, 151 Columbia Ave., in Quilcene at 6 p.m. Saturday.
The alt-folk rockers, with music rooted in 1970s country, rock and gospel hit Quilcene fresh out of Nashville, Tenn., where they recorded a new album, “A Reckoning Is Coming” under the production of Ken Coomer, drummer for indie legends Wilco.
Fronted by acclaimed songwriter Nick Drummond, SweetKiss Momma includes Aaron Arnold on guitar, Jeff Hamel on lead vocals and guitar, Jeremy Hamel on bass and Jimmy Hughes on drums.
Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for ages 13-17 and free for kids age 12 and younger.
Proceeds benefit Quilcene Historical Museum.
Reading and art
PORT TOWNSEND –– Northwind Reading Series presents an Ekphrastic Evening of reading and art Thursday.
The group reading starts at 7 p.m. in the Northwind Arts Center, 2409 Jefferson St.
Writers are invited to share their responses to the 16th annual Art Port Townsend exhibit, “Expressions Northwest,” on display this month in Northwind Arts Center Gallery.
The evening is part of the monthlong calendar of Art Port Townsend festival activities. The public is invited to attend as listeners.
Northwind readings are free, though donations are accepted and will fund the center’s visual and literary arts events and education on the Olympic Peninsula.
For more information, phone Bill Mawhinney 360-437-9081.
Rattle ’n’ ruckus
PORT TOWNSEND –– Old-timey folk tunes postmarked with sounds from around the world will hit the Key City Playhouse, 419 Washington St., today as Bellingham’s Rattletrap Ruckus comes to town.
The band plays at 8 p.m. as part of the Key City Public Theatre’s Cabaret Concert Series.
Lucas Hicks assembled a diverse group of instrumentalists and formed Rattletrap Ruckus four years ago, and the gang has become a unique touring act around North America.
The foursome has toured Alaska and performed the entire soundtrack to the 1926 silent film “The Black Pirate.”
In 2012, they played at the Subdued String Band Jamboree and at Fiddle Tunes last year. Also, in 2013, the band recorded and released its first album, “Redlight Rag.”
Rattletrap’s ruckus ranges from ragtime to klezmer, paso doble, polka, tango and beyond.
The ensemble includes Hicks on button accordion, Clea Taylor on cello, Casey Connor on tenor banjo and Jenny Rose on upright bass and sometimes laundrophone.
They are frequently joined by Port Townsend’s own Kit Stymee Stovepipe on washboard.
Tickets are $20 and available by phoning 360-385-KCPT or visiting keycitypublictheatre.org.
The Cabaret Concert Series is produced by Key City Public Theatre and George Rezendes/Toolshed Sound Lab.
Swing in Sequim
SEQUIM –– Robin Bessier and Redshift Jazz Trio bring a night of ripping jazz to Wind Rose Cellars, 143 W. Washington St., on Saturday.
The free concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
Bessier’s CD “Other Side of Forever” landed on the Top 40 jazz charts after its release last year.
Redshift band members include pianist/composer Dave Bristow, bassist Neil Conaty and drummer Kurt Bischoff.
For more, visit www.windrosecellars.com.
Toolshed ‘trio’
PORT TOWNSEND –– George Rezendes and the Toolshed Trio will dial up their dancing tunes at a pair of shows this weekend.
The four-man “trio” of Rezendes on guitar and vocals, David Conklin on bass and Dave Mels on steel guitar will play Saturday at 9 p.m. at the Uptown Pub, 1016 Lawrence St., Port Townsend followed by a Sunday show from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the All County Picnic at H.J. Carroll Park in Chimacum.
The Uptown show will feature guest singer T. Piper Dunlap with Tom Svornich on drums.
Fiddler Jon Parry joins the squad for the picnic.
Also on the picnic mainstage will be Alanna Dailey and Kreea Baabahar, Steve Grandinetti and Bella Jack.
Focusing on emergency preparedness and community vitality, the All County Picnic is from 11 a.m. to
4 p.m. Sunday.
Shaman speaks
PORT TOWNSEND — Inca shaman Washington Gibaja Tapia from Peru’s Sacred Valley will share the teachings of his lineage at the Unity Spiritual Enrichment Center, 3918 San Juan Ave., from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22.
Tapia is well known for his spiritual and humanitarian work in healing and clairvoyance he learned through training with shamans from the Andes.
Participants are asked to contribute $10 to $30.
Proceeds benefit Path of the Heart, a nonprofit organization led by Tapia that offers service programs to the children and families of the high Andes.
To reserve a space, email gailbpt@gmail.com or phone 360-379-5380.