KING GRAND: The relentlessness with which 2023 seems to have pursued Athens struck again last week with the passing of the rightfully legendary and universally admired guitarist and songwriter Davis Causey. His career as a guitarist began 60 years ago, when he was a member of popular Athens teen-rock group The Jesters, who, in addition to performing their own sets, served as the backing band for artists such as Marvin Gaye, Jackie Wilson, The Platters and others. From there his music spanned the globe as a member of Sea Level, Marty Kearns Group, the Randall Bramblett Band, The Normaltown Flyers and many, many more. He had just released his latest album, New Things From Old Strings, on Strolling Bones Records. Causey’s passing was sudden and unexpected. It is impossible to condense the weight of Causey’s influence and the scope of his talent and accomplishments into a mere paragraph, so I won’t attempt to do so. He was a loyal and kind friend to those who knew him, and of direct lineage to the pre-new wave music scene of Athens. He will be missed, and his absence felt. Take some time and explore his work on virtually every streaming service, including his latest, which can be easily found at daviscausey.bandcamp.com.
THREE AMIGOS: The March music event at ATHICA will happen Saturday, Mar. 4. It’s free, open to the public and starts at 7 p.m. This month’s performance features the instrumental music of guitarist Joe Leone (Gypsy At Heart) and his group Tribe of Three. Leone first came to recognition in Athens as the guitarist and founder of alt-pop band Trinket in the 1990s, but in the ensuing years has gone deep into world and Latin music, folk and classical. To get up to speed, check out joeleone.net.
HERE, YOU HOLD THIS: Deaf Condors have released a couple of singles and a short EP over the past few years, but report they’re currently working toward the group’s first full-length album. To this end, the band has a few upcoming singles planned in advance of its release. The first, “Elevation,” is out this Friday. Normally, these dudes play in the quirky end of the loud rock pool. On this new single, though, the group’s focus is intently on a few borrowed jam band riffs, a couple of congas and some guitar trills. In an email to Flagpole the group said “This upcoming album will be a genre-fusion type of project. An exploration of blurring boundaries.” That’s all fine and dandy, but in this case, I’d like to cast my vote for boundaries and more of ‘em. Find this over at deafcondors.bandcamp.com.
THE BEAT OF THE TRAPS: Normally, someone releasing a single track after three years of silence isn’t particularly newsworthy. Songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Scott Sapp, though, is an exception. His brand new song, “This Guy’s In Love With You”—released under his moniker Social Circle—is a clever and engaging throwback of a jazzy pop tune with a noted hat tip to the recently deceased Burt Bacharach. It also has a noted tongue-in-cheek approach to the whole thing and doesn’t take itself too seriously. It barely takes itself seriously at all. If you’re not paying close attention, you’d swear this was a theme song from a 1970s game show. At least, I would. Find it at socialcircle.bandcamp.com.
HANG IT UP: After its successful run in January, Kenosha Kid has decided to keep hanging around Hendershot’s for all of March, too. Specifically, the popular jazz combo will perform each Tuesday of the month. Those would be Mar. 7, 14, 21 and 28. These are being promoted as “no phone parties,” which means just turn off your damn phone already and watch the show. Maybe talk to the folks around you. Remember what life was like before everyone was an antisocial cretin. Word from the group is that these shows will feature mostly new music which, to me, is a mindblower considering the massive amount of work that went into the triple-LP October Book. You’d think they’d just milk that for a while. Hell, I would. You can find out more info and check out some tunes over at kenoshakid.com/march.
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