Today, Thursday, Aug. 24, 6:30-9 p.m. on the patio of Cheddar’s (3151 Horizon Dr., 217-525-3820), Bob Katt and the Missing Lynx entertain with a wide variety of vocal jazz tunes featuring the brilliant sax playing of Mr. Katt (a.k.a. Kevin J. Cox). Good food and music outdoors, and before 10 o’clock — Cheddar’s is taking away all of your excuses to not go out.
Also today (Aug. 24) around 9 p.m., Jon Dee Graham, a near-legendary songwriter from down around Austin, Texas, drifts into the Underground City Tavern (700 E. Adams St., 217-789-1530). Graham’s latest release, Full, on Freedom Records, received glowing praise in the Austin Chronicle, No Depression magazine, and other respected critical outlets. Voted Musician of the Year at the 2006 Austin Music Awards, Graham is the real thing.
A new local rock/jazz combo, the Triple Lindy Trio, makes its debut at Thirsty’s Playground (1975 W. Wabash Ave., 217-787-7273) on Saturday, Aug. 26. Named after the Rodney Dangerfield high dive in Back to School, the group features Jeff Cunningham on bass, Mike Newberry on drums, and Howard Freitag on guitar and vocals. The group’s challenging songlist includes tunes by master musicians Béla Fleck, Victor Wooten, Eric Johnson, Herbie Hancock, John Scofield, and Pat Metheny, plus rockers by Gov’t Mule, Jimi Hendrix, and Santana and a few originals for good measure. It’s the musicians’ first gig together as the Triple Lindy Trio, but you’ve probably already recognized the players’ names as some of the best musicians in town.
On Sunday, Aug. 27, Turasky’s Steakhouse and Saloon in Dawson (217-364-4278) hosts alt-country stalwart Chris Knight. Claiming to be “not as pissed off’ as his former albums might lead one to believe, Knight actually penned a few good love songs for Enough Rope, his latest CD. He’s in the Steve Earle camp of sound and songs but truly his own man, crafting stories of human life around the folk format with a rock crunch — good stuff, if that’s your bag.
Please take note that along with these exciting shows, the Old Capitol Blues & BBQs music and food festival takes place on Saturday, Wolfstone, the stunning Scottish Celtic-rock band, plays the Hoogland Center for the Arts on Sunday with the Emerald Underground, and outstanding local bands are cavorting in the nightclubs and taverns of Springfield every night.
Oh yes, and you smokers had better be enjoying these last few weeks of beer and cigarettes, because on Sept. 17 it’ll be time to butt out.
Contact Tom Irwin at tirwin@illinoistimes.com.
This article appears in Aug 17-23, 2006.
