Fall may have finally set in, but that hasn't put a damper on Tulsa's live music scene. If anything, our fair city is waking up with the crisp breeze and showing even more color in the music it offers its inhabitants.
October is here, and although Oktoberfest is just around the corner, that doesn't mean we can't start the celebration early. If you look to the Brady District this weekend, you'll find everything from a twist on Oktoberfest to classic jazz to classic and indie rock with music both indoors and out.
New Orleans Soul and German Spin
If you're looking for a different twist in Oktoberfest, you'll want to head down to Main Street on Saturday, Oct. 13, for an all-day celebration at the corner of Main & Cameron. It seems that the Vanguard and Hunt Club have joined forces to put a New Orleans spin on October tradition and have created their own block party with "October Gras." Main Street will be blocked off between Brady and Cameron for an all-day street party and a combined celebration of Mardi Gras and Oktoberfest that will include live music, classic Creole fair provided by Hebert's and live music all day long.
The celebration culminates with a full blown concert by Brother Joscephus & the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra on the Vanguard stage to cap the evening off. If you haven't heard Brother Joscephus yet, you're missing out. Part classic rock, part soul, part New Orleans funk and jazz, this is the stuff that simultaneously takes you to church and makes you dance. If Dr. John and the Blues Brothers came together and had in illegitimate child, this is what he would sound like.
The party starts at 11am with the streets blocked off, Cajun cookin' available all day and the beer flowing non-stop. Jason Ferguson and Able the Allies will rock the Hunt Club stage to end the evening.
Party in the Park
Just a few blocks over, the Guthrie Green will be rocking this weekend as well. On Saturday night, Oct. 13, you can cap your evening with another Horton Records showcase featuring Low Lita, Travis Fite and GoGo Plumbay on the park's amphitheater stage, beginning at 7pm.
  Abele the Allies |
Sunday afternoon, Oct. 14, provides an even better show, however, as Paul Thorn returns to town and shares the stage with Uncle Lucius and Stomp & Holler.
Stomp & Holler is Tulsa's own percussive youth choir and the group will open the afternoon, performing from 2:30-3pm to give the afternoon a local touch and bring the green alive early. Uncle Lucius follows at 3:30pm to bring a bluesy, indie-rock stomp to the park. This Austin based group is one part blues, two parts soul and enough indie rock to give the band an attitude. An hour long set could stretch a little longer if the band finds its groove, but it should wrap up by 4:30pm, giving you a good reason to get out on Sunday afternoon. And if the past few weeks have set any precedent, I wouldn't be surprised to see the band pick up an added gig at Fassler Hall to wrap up your night with even more rock.
The real headliner of the afternoon, however, is Paul Thorn Band. A product of Tupelo, Miss., Thorn is a songwriter gifted in telling stories of colorful characters, heartbreak and how people relate to each other. After a series of albums showcasing his own stories, Thorn's latest album showcases songs by some of his favorite writers, including Tulsa's own Elvin Bishop.
Thorn is one of the most soulful songwriters I've heard in the past decade, and each album presents its own treasure chest of new surprises and stories -- so I'm sure the new album, What The Hell Is Goin' On, is no different. After shows at Bob's, The Brady and All Souls over the past few years, Thorn is back for a special show at Guthrie Green that will give you a chance to catch him for free and learn just how cool he is if you haven't heard him before. Make sure to come out and hear him play from 5-6:15pm to cap off your afternoon or to start things off before heading over to the Convention Center for the big Neil Young & Crazy Horse show.
A Touch of Jazz
Finally, the weekend wraps up just across the train tracks with one of Tulsa's classic jazz singers, Pam Van Dyke Crosby, as she releases her new live CD, Jazz on a Summer Night -- Early, with a release party and show at the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame at 5pm. Recorded live at Ciao on Brookside earlier this summer by Hank Charles, the disc captures Van Dyke and her band in an intimate setting, exploring the songs in true jazz fashion. A follow up disc, Jazz on a Summer Night -- Late, is due for release next year.
You can pick up the new CD and experience one of Tulsa's classic jazz voices this Sunday evening, Oct. 14, though, as Pam Van Dyke Crosby brings her band to the Jazz Hall for a special performance. The band is loaded with Tulsa's top notch jazz players including husband Bill Crosby on upright bass, Scott McQuade on piano, Wade Robertson on percussion and Tony Yohe on drums. This is just another in The Jazz Hall's ongoing fall series of concerts, but the CD release makes it something special.
Of course, there's much more going on this week, but you don't have to look much further than our downtown Brady District to keep you busy all weekend long. If you're looking to stay occupied and enjoy the fall weather, you can't go wrong with this combined lineup.
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