Ana Popovic to headline the Tralf

BUFFALO -- Serbian-born Ana Popovic will headline a May 22 show at the Tralf, 622 Main St. Tickets for the 8 p.m. show, presented by ESI Events, are $19 pre-sale and $22 day of the show. 

Popovic, one of the most lauded blues guitarists on the circuit, moved to Memphis to capture the city’s greasy Stax sound, record at Ardent Studios, and play with its finest musicians. A passionate student of the blues, her newest LP ‘Can You Stand The Heat’ is equally inspired by Albert King and WAR. She belts from the gut and shreds her Strat…in a pair of high heels.

‘Can You Stand The Heat’ is the follow-up to Ana’s 2011 album, ‘Unconditional,’ which was nominated for two Blues Music Awards and landed in the top 15 of Guitar World’s top Blues and Roots Rock Albums. ‘Heat’ was co-produced by long-time BB King drummer Tony Coleman, GRAMMY-winner Tommy Sims and Ana.

Ana was born in Belgrade and quickly took to the guitar at 15 after uncovering her father’s impressive collection of blues and soul records. She’s turned heads at festivals around the world, shared stages with Buddy Guy, BB King and Taj Mahal, and has been nominated for a total of four Blues Music Awards.

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LEFFLER: 'Monday is Dead' is actually quite lively

I feel guilty -- or somewhat silly -- admitting this but until a week ago, I had never stepped foot in the Buffalo's famous Tralf Music Hall.

I'd walked (or ridden) by it probably hundreds of times, but I'd never taken the opportunity to walk into the iconic Main Street venue. Last Monday, though, I went in to partake in "Monday is Dead," a relatively new weekly event taking place at the Tralf.

See, every Monday, beginning at 5:30 p.m. the Tralf celebrates all things Grateful Dead beginning with an airing of a Grateful Dead performance or Dead-related film. Then at 7 p.m. some of Buffalo's best musicians get on stage and jam. Typically led by one or two musicians, the on-stage product changes from week to week. Last week was "The Grateful Dans" -- along with an eclectic mix of musicians joining in to play about 90 minutes worth of jams.

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the Grateful Dead. I consider it to be great background music. But I've never been into "the scene." So I went mostly to get out of the house and enjoy a libation or two.

The Tralf is spectacular. The nicely stocked bar carries a wide selection of domestic and craft beers in addition to whatever spirits one might want. It has a very decent bar menu, although the kitchen is closed on Monday nights -- kind of a shame when you consider some of the crowd probably has the munchies all the time.

The music was perfect. And the musicians were spot-on -- especially considering they aren't used to playing with one another. Want proof? Check out this YouTube video of "The Grateful Dans" and company jamming to "The Weight" (a.k.a. "Take a Load Off (F)Annie.")

In short (too late?), if you have even a remote fondness for the Dead, get to the Tralf one of these Mondays (why not tonight?) and take in a show. There's no cover and many of the drinks are buy-one-get-one before 7 p.m.

I know I'll be back.

RELATED LINKS:

• Monday is Dead photo album from Oct. 10, 2016
• "The Weight" performed by Grateful Dans and friends Oct. 10, 2016

+Scott Leffler founded All WNY Radio in 2006 to offer more exposure for the talented musicians in Western New York. Occasionally, he may pen a column discussing one of them. Follow him on Twitter @scottleffler.

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GURNETT: Project/Object was 'Frankly' brilliant

Sunday at the Tralf, Project/Object came rumbling into town celebrating 50 years of Frank Zappa's music. The band, which plays the music of both Frank Zappa & the Mothera of Invention and The Frank Zappa Band, was on top of their game and put on a brilliant performance. It's rare that you get to see world-class musicians playing some of the most difficult music ever written, and Project/Object was up to the task.

The opener was Jamie Holka, a brilliant guitarist who played interpretative oldies with mixed results. His guitar style was amazing, handling percussion, rhythm, melody and sometimes bass all at once. He moved from tapping to strumming to finger-picking to slapping the strings with ease as he performed covers of Steely Dan, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. I would never consider knocking Holka's skill at guitar, but I do have an issue with his content. Halfway through his short set, the songs started to sound more like Muzak versions of oldies. I could see people yawning in the crowd. It was beautiful, but if I'm amped up to see Project/Object, the last thing I want is to be lulled to sleep.

Then Ike Willis came out by himself. He apologized for the 12-year absence of Project/Object in Buffalo, promising a return next year, then introduced synthesizer player Don Preston (Zappa contributor from 1966 - 1974), who opened the set by laying down a bizarre, dissonant soundscape much like something Zappa himself would have written. Afterwards, the rest of the Project/Object joined in. Along with Ike Willis on vocals and guitars, the group consisted of Andre Cholmondeley on guitar and vocals, Zappa doppleganger Ryan Berg on drums, Kendal Scott on keyboard and synths, Richard Rutkowski on saxophone and Andrew Walley on bass.

The band went straight into a medley of “Who Needs the Peace Corp?” and “We Are the Other People” from the album We're Only In It for the Money (which, in my opinion, is one of the 10 greatest rock albums ever made). From there it was fan favorite “Montana.” The set also included Zappa mainstays like “Go Cry on Somebody Else's Shoulder,” “Idiot Bastard Son,” “Apostrophe,” “Uncle Remus,” “Who are the Brain Police?” and “Excentrifugal Forz.” The set also included a few instrumental pieces I wasn't familiar with but was easily impressed by, with arrangements so complex I could barely count.

Each musician on stage played brilliantly. Every note, key change and bizarre, inexplicable time signature was played to perfection. There were a few slight issues hearing Preston and Cholmondeley's vocals and some of the lead guitar work, but aside from that, every instrument came through clearly. Ike, seated for the majority of the concert, still has a rich baritone that billowed all throughout The Tralf. He was clearing having a blast. He counted out every song with a loud “1-2-3-4” and conducted the group the same way Zappa did in its heyday. As someone who hasn't seen much live concert footage of Willis prior, his proficiency on guitar was a pleasant surprise to me. Walley, meanwhile, played so quickly that I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd melted his bass at some point.

There aren't many bands one can compare to Project/Object. The most obvious, of course, is Zappa Plays Zappa, which I've also seen. Zappa Plays Zappa has an equal of amount of talent, but if they perform the music of Frank Zappa for a setting like Shea's, Project/Object is Frank Zappa for a bar setting, like it should be. There seemed to be a particular relaxation and joy to Project/Object that I just didn't see in Zappa Plays Zappa. They allowed a little more wiggle room during the originally spoken-word bits of certain tunes, with Willis and crew inserting custom updates (like talking about a certain presidential candidate grabbing women in the crotch, less timely remarks about Tony Blair having sex with a chicken, and, when speaking about the night's presidential debates, “I'm not in the mood for bullshit. I want to hear Zappa music”), all of which Frank would have undoubtedly enjoyed.
It was a fantastic performance played with joy and virtuosity by a phenomenal group of musicians, from younger members like Walley and Rutkowski all the way up to Don Preston (who can rock his ass off for an 84-year-old). Being a Frank Zappa fan since junior high, I can't think of a better compliment than telling them they would have made Frank proud.

Ryan Gurnett is a local musician with an appreciation for other local music. Email him at never_really_been@hotmail.com or find him on Twitter @SirWilliamIdol.

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PROJECT/OBJECT to play show at Tralf

BUFFALO -- Frank Zappa concept band PROJECT/OBJECT will play an Oct. 9 show at the Tralf.

Formed in the early '90s as an offshoot from an annual Frank Zappa birthday celebration that took place in guitarist Andre Cholmondeley's basement in New Jersey., PROJECT/OBJECT has continually grown, leaving the basement and touring the world with a growing set list from every era of Zappa's 30-year recording career. The band strives to stay true to Frank's vision of constantly challenging the musicians and the audiences.

Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are $18 -- on sale now at the Tralf Box Office, by phone at 716-852-2860, tralf.com and all ticketmaster.com outlets.

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GURNETT: Lettuce 'blew the doors off' the Tralf

Lettuce blew the doors off the Tralf last night with an exciting, entertaining and high-energy set in front of a packed crowd -- no less than you’d expect from one of the hottest funk acts in the world. Inspired by Herbie Hancock, Earth, Wind & Fire and Tower of Power, the band, which has been performing since 1992, is more popular now than ever thanks to their most recent release, 2015’s “Crush,” which hit #1 on the U.S. Jazz Albums chart.

The opening act was Portland-based band Jaw Gems. The four-piece group consisting of two keyboardists, a bassist and a drummer mixes funk with hip-hop and electronic influences. Their set was groovy and danceable but, unfortunately, mostly forgettable. While the rhythm section (bassist Andrew Scherzer and drummer DJ Moore) was tight and focused, it felt like the two keyboards spent the entire set meandering. With each song lacking a distinct hook, it was hard to discern each from the previous one.

Then Lettuce took the stage. Bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes began pumping up the crowd from the start, jumping around and getting people dancing the moment the music began. The hour and 45 minute set managed the difficult trick of feeling loose yet focused, with a groove that sounded both organic and as though every note had been thought out and perfected.

The group performed as one cohesive unit with guitarist Adam Smirnoff, keyboardist Nigel Hall and saxophonist Ryan Soldis delivering slick solos and Coomes laying down some of the tastiest bass licks I’ve heard in a while serving as ringmaster/hype man for the group. Drummer Adam Deitch provided a solid foundation accompanied by understated rhythm guitar courtesy of Smirnoff. With little to no break between songs, the set flowed seamlessly and the funk kept flowing.

From the light show to the enthusiastic crowd, you could feel the electricity in the room. The group played a combination of old favorites and some new material from their upcoming album, and The Tralf was grooving. The high point came about an hour into the set as Lettuce introduced Nigel Hall in the part of vocalist and he performed crowd favorite “Express Yourself,” a 20-minute jam featuring the motif from “Mr. Big Stuff” that nearly brought down the house. Hall’s soulful vocals were spot on and it was a shame they weren’t utilized more often (he sang on only three tunes). Other highlights included “Sounds Like a Party to Me” and “Do It Yourself,” where Hall alternated from singing behind the keyboards to front-and-center on stage.

It was clear the members of Lettuce were having just as much fun as the crowd, and the energy as well as the groove was contagious. Their performance proved why they’re so popular, and if anyone came to this show not really knowing much about the band (like my guest, who couldn’t stop moving the entire evening), they likely came out fans. I look forward to Lettuce’s return to the Buffalo area.

For more on Lettuce, check them out at lettucefunk.com for music, live video and more.

Ryan Gurnett is a local musician with an appreciation for other local music. Email him at never_really_been@hotmail.com or find him on Twitter @SirWilliamIdol.

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The Weepies to headline the Tralf

BUFFALO -- American indie pop-folk duo Deb Talan and Steve Tannen -- AKA The Weepies -- will headline a show at the Tralf on at 8 p.m. Dec. 1.

The married couple began writing together the night they met, and soon formed The Weepies. On the strength of their simple yet insightful songwriting and distinctive harmonies, they quietly sold more than a million records, with over 17 million streams on Spotify, and 20 million views on YouTube.

In 2014, Deb beat cancer, and The Weepies recorded the best album of their career. Coming back from the edge sharpened their skills and focus. At 16 songs and almost an hour long, SIRENS shows a band at the height of its powers.

Tickets for the show are $23. They go on sale at 10 a.m. They're available at the Tralf Box Office, by phone at 716-852-2860, tralf.com and all ticketmaster.com outlets.

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