Friday, June 29-Saturday, June 30

BLUES MUSICAL “i thought i heard elliot bay”

Now here’s a fun idea. Bluesman/guitarist/songwriter Jack Cook has put together the “fake history of Seattle’” in a blues musical. “I Thought I Heard Elliot Bay” tells the fictional story of music in Seattle in the ’40s through the ’60s. With a mix of visual replicas of Seattle, narration and music, Cook takes you on a journey through the fictitious origins of blues, jazz and early rock and roll in the Emerald City. 

The cast of characters he created for this production is both entertaining and delightfully charismatic beginning with historian Raymond Barrow. The obsessive Northwest blues scholar has researched the details of the pre-rock and roll blues duo of Joe and Oaks who created the musical frenzy know as “Jokermania” for most of his adult life. But that’s only one of many scenarios Cook has created, and you’ll just need to experience it for yourself.

All music is done by Cook’s band, the Phantoms. In addition to Cook (guitar, jazz horn, and vocals), the Phantoms include Hugh Sutton (piano), Al Farlow (clarinet and baritone saxophone), Steve Branca (bass), and Dave Hudson (drums).  While much of the music is original, Cook has taken blues classics and reworked them to fit the many scenes in this one-of-a-kind show.

[Knutzen Family Theatre, June 29-30, 8 p.m, $8-$15, 3200 S.W. Dash Point Road, Federal Way, 253.835.2020]

Sunday, July 1

BLUES jw-jones

Stevie Ray Vaughn was slightly over-rated.  Now before you get your panties in a twist, let me explain my position. While he was an amazing guitarist and performer, no question, he wrote very few of his own songs, but rather relied mainly on covers from blues greats of the past. And his tricks of playing behind his back and with his teeth were learned from Hendrix. However, I do believe in giving credit were it is due, and if Vaughn did nothing else, he did introduce the blues to a whole new generation. One guy who was definitely influenced by Stevie Ray is the 26-year-old whiz kid of the blues, JW-Jones. With mean licks and tight solos, Jones and his band rip through tasty originals and choice covers.  Unlike some of the other young “blues” artists who distort the blues with a Robert Cray makeover, Jones remains true to the genre’s roots playing high-energy and mid-tempo shuffles and slow burning blues. His 2000 debut, Defibrillatin’, was a nod to jazz but packed wallop with tunes such as the Freddy King inspired “Batyology” and the funky “Sitting Here Waiting.” Jones’ latest, Kissing in 29 Days, is another knockout punch and features the legendary David “Fathead” Newman on sax.

[Jazzbones, 6:30 p.m., $7, all ages, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.396.9169]

Tuesday, July 3

PUNK FOLK these little nothings

Hard to peg these guys, but I’ll give it a shot. With an acoustic mix of indie, punk and roots music, These Little Nothings fall somewhere in between the Violent Femmes, Bob Dylan and Hank Williams Sr. but sound nothing like any of them.  The Virginian trio of Steptoe Edwall (guitar and vocals), Zach Wolff (guitar and vocals) and R.W. Gil (drums) formed less than a year ago. After relocating to Minneapolis, Minn., the group began to blossom and attracted the attention of local club patrons, and have slowly built a following around the country. Wearing all black except for their red shoe-string bowties, TLN plays sets of minimalist acoustic-based punk-folk. Penning all their own songs they just wrapped up their debut disc. The seven-track EP ups the ante to include clarinet, violin and a touch of synth for a richer sound. The track “Paradise Lost” is an upbeat ditty that possesses a Waterboys timbre, whereas “Words on the Loose” fluctuates between quirky jazz and vintage Elvis Costello and the Attractions. TLN rides into Le Voyeur Tuesday. 

[Le Voyeur, with Me Kung Fu, 10 p.m., no cover, 404 E. Fourth Ave., Olympia, 360.943.5710]