Folk en Español with Juana Molina at McCabe’s; The Bobs Go to Church; and an All-Girl Tribute to the Beatles at Fab-14 Below

by Tomm Carroll

Friday, June 15-Thursday, June 21--Santa Monica’s own House of Folk, McCabe’s Guitar Shop goes south of the border this Saturday night. I’m talkin’ way south of the border...like the southern hemisphere...down Argentina way. The gorgeous folky pop voice of Juana Molina can be heard live that evening. Longtime fans will recall she played here a couple years ago.

A comedic actress in her home country, Molina decided to try her hand at music, and has been an international hit on MTV Latino, as well as right here in Southern California, where her hard-to-find import CDS have been played frequently on Santa Monica’s public radio station KCRW. In fact, if you’re reading this article early enough, you can hear the singer-songwriter perform songs from her latest disc, Segundo, live, as well as be interviewed by music director/DJ Nic Harcourt on KCRW’s "Morning Becomes Eclectic" Friday morning at 11:15 p.m. The station broadcasts at 89.9 FM and can also be accessed on the web at: http://www.kcrw.org.

McCabe’s has a busy weekend in store, with contemporary folk duo Dave Carter (guitar, vocals) and Tracy Grammar (violin, vocals) performing Friday evening, after an opening set by local songstress Claudia Russell. And at a rare Sunday show, storyteller/bluesman Guy Davis will regale the McCabe’s crowd with his ancient African tales and traditional acoustic blues.

Beat it: Once again, Rusty’s Surf Ranch on the Santa Monica Pier welcomes R&B master Billy Vera and the Beaters back to the stage, for two shows -- 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. -- on Saturday. A recent regular at Rusty’s, Vera puts on one of the most exciting blues-rockin’ shows in town. And speaking of the Blues, Harvelle’s -- Santa Monica’s Home of the Blues -- presents The Delgado Brothers on Saturday night, as well as regular Gashouse Dave (recently described as "the Charles Bukowski of the Blues") on Tuesday evening. Meanwhile, back at Rusty’s, Tuesday night bring Guitarapalooza, a six-string showcase of such axe acts as Adrian Galysh, Curtis and The Travis Larson Band.

Look Ma, No Instruments: Acclaimed a capella outfit The Bobs are back in town, this time performing a benefit concert at the First United Methodist Church Sanctuary in Santa Monica on Saturday night. The event supports the Upward Bound House, a non-profit organization which provides social services and transitional housing for dispossessed families. You gotta experience this group live to really appreciate them, and you can’t argue with the cause, so...go! Silverlake stars The Negro Problem are back at Santa Monica’s 14 Below Friday night, topping a bill which also includes The Capital Pusher and Mission in the Hills. Meanwhile, at Santa Monica’s Temple Bar on Tuesday, Indian activist and singer-songwriter John Trudell performs, along with Oregone and The Joel Rafael Band.

Cover Up: Tribute bands are still popular on the club circuit, and there’s two of new ones performing in area venues this week -- coincidentally enough, both on Tuesday. Supernatural celebrates Santana (the latter day material, one would assume, given the band’s name) at The West End in Santa Monica, while She Loves You presents an all-girl tribute to (surprise!) The Beatles at 14 Below.

Freebie: Now’s your chance to decide which of the street performers you’ve seen countless times on Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade is your favorite. The kid Hendrix? Satchmo junior? The Street Performers Showcase will present many of them -- including James Lily, Rich Smith, Danny McGraw and The Lovesick Lunatics -- for free at (where else?) The Third Street Promenade Center Court between Arizona Ave. and Santa Monica Blvd. Between noon ad 5:00 p.m. on Saturday. Bring tip money.

Final Gig: Another Westside club bites the dust. Longtime West L.A. venue The Gig closes its doors after Saturday night’s literal Last Call. Performers on the final evening are The Rockinghams, Backlit Scorch and Greg Haptor. Drop by to pay your last respects. The space reportedly will become a restaurant. Survivors include the club’s younger sister, the Gig in Hollywood, which will still continue to present live music.

JIMMY SCOTT THE JAZZ BAKERY FRIDAY-SUNDAY, JUNE 15-17

There is nothing quite like the voice of jazz vocalist Jimmy Scott. The slow vibrato...the even slower tempo...the unconventional phrasing...and the deceptive pitch, which makes him sound almost female. No, the septuagenarian singer, who’s been in the business for over a half-century but has only enjoyed mass popularity since the early years of the last decade, is truly one of a kind.

A master interpreter -- some would argue deconstructer -- of jazz standards, Scott recently has worked his musical magic on more contemporary songs (with varying results) as well. His latest album, Over the Rainbow (Fantasy/Milestone) finds him taking on the title track, along with "Pennies from Heaven." He also re-recorded songs closely associated with him, like "When Did You Leave Heaven?," a live staple, and his first "hit" as vocalist for Lionel Hampton’s band many, many years ago, "Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool."

Backed as usual by his crackerjack band, the Jazz Expressions, Scott will undoubtedly bring the house down this weekend at the Jazz Bakery. Thanks to the club’s superb acoustics, his amazing voice will resonate throughout the room, and will likely follow you home after the show too.