Night Howl
By Karen Reardanz

Shmuel Thaler Drum Boogie: Rick Walker continues his rhythm explorations with Darwin. Relatively Speaking: Santa Cruz trio of talent explores new ways to make music THAT CHANTEUSE Nancy LeVan sure does get around. When she's not amazing audiences with her usual gig, Dresden, or working at her day job, she's teaming up with other creative minds to find other innovative ways to keep audiences enthralled. Next up is a show with fellow Santa Cruz musicians Bill Walker and Rick Walker. The trio has christened this newest musical marriage Darwin, and LeVan sees as it as a way not only to explore new ground but to reinvent old ones. "It's about improvisation and reinterpretation," she says. "But there will be pieces of soundscape and spoken word." It's not just LeVan's previous works that will take center stage, however. Both the Walkers' works get a new do as well. "We've always played together in different constellations," LeVan explains. "And we thought it would be fun to do this little side project, sort of a one-off thing. We'll explore new territory and do reinterpretations of Dresden songs, but we'll experiment with things Bill and Rick have done as well." In case you're not familiar, Rick Walker has turned in percussion for bands like Lackadaisy, Two and Worlds Collide, while Bill's provided guitar licks for people like Ariel (he's also her producer) and as a member of Dresden. Darwin gets acquainted with Santa Cruz on Thursday night at Mobo Sushi, 105 S. River St., SC. The show starts at 8pm, and there's no cover, though if you're not careful, you might find yourself tempted to snuggle up with some maka sushi or tempura. For more info, call Mobo at 425-1700. Midweek Express Wednesday nights are getting a bit busier around these parts. First Moe's Alley started its Funk Night, showcasing local and nearby bands--like Unknown Jeromes and Extra Large--that specialize in the funky stuff. Now Palookaville opens its doors to musical newcomers across the board with its P-Ville Wednesday Showcase, a weekly opportunity to see up-and-coming talent live and in the flesh. Gary Tighe, Palookaville's booking agent (he used to do the same at the Catalyst), sees his new baby as especially inviting for the college crowd--these Wednesday nights will be for the 18-and-over crowd. There are few places for that age group to go, and seeing as it's such a massive part of the population, Tighe emphasizes it's an untapped audience that needs some special attention. The new showcase begins in two weeks and will feature bands like Mudfrog and Third Wish. Tighe is the man who brought Concrete Blonde, No Doubt and Sublime to Santa Cruz before they were famous, so keep your eyes peeled--you never know who might pop up. Call Palookaville at 454-0600 for more info. FutureThink Moving Ground Dance Studios plays host to Rosy Simas, David Hurwith and others for An Evening of Improvisation on Saturday night. ... Andrea "La Canela" and "El Quijote" perform a Flamenco dance concert on March 28 at Louden Nelson Center. ... The female vocal ensemble Kitka performs songs of the Middle East on April 5 at Cabrillo College. [ Santa Cruz | MetroActive Central | Archives ]