During a recent gig at Schuba's in Chicago, on the night of the season finale of The X-Files, GLAMA-winning lesbian singer/songwriter SONiA remarked about the small but attentive crowd at the venue ( where Ellen Rosner opened for headliner SONiA ) being privileged to see "The Y Files." In honor of Lesbian and Gay Pride Month, I'd like to pay tribute some of our music-making Y-chromosomed lesbian sisters in hopes of recommending a few of the many worthwhile discs that come my way.
After a brief ( but unbearableat least for me ) absence, Jill Sobule has returned and returned to form with the exceptional Pink Pearl ( Beyond ) . The album's opening track, "Rainy Day Parade," sounds like the sequel to the title track of Happy Town, her superb previous album. Sobule's unique gift for the story-song is at its pinnacle on tracks such as "Lucy At The Gym" ( about a woman obsessed with working out ) , "Clair" ( about a woman with Alzheimer's Disease ) , and "Mary Kay" ( about Mary Kay LeTourneau ) , to name a few. Sobule has also stayed on the cutting edge musically, incorporating both retro-pop sounds ( "Heroes," "Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart," and the aforementioned "Rainy Day Parade" and "Clair" ) and up-to-the-minute instrumentation ( "One Of These Days" ) . Pink Pearl is a gem!
Ann Reed has also returned after a few years with Through the Window ( Turtlecub ) , a lovely 11-song disc that features Reed doing what she does best. On "Light of the Moon," "No Time Like The Present," "A Dream," "Carolyn's Party," "Northern Star" ( with gorgeous accordion accompaniment by Dan Chouinard ) , and "One Waltz" ( with stunning mandolin work by Joan Griffith ) , Reed performs the folk-pop ballads that she wrote with loving care and a sincerity lacking in other artists. The empowering "Look At Her Go," was written for the Minnesota State High School League's 1999 Women in Sports Conference.
Reed's serious side is balanced by her inimitable sense of humor. "The Mailman Cometh," sung in the voice of a dog ( Henry, who supplies the barking ) , is a delightfully bluesy number ( complete with Bruce Kurnow on harmonica ) . The subtle bluegrass stomp of "I 'e'," a song about our increasingly electronic Internet obsessed culture is a sly commentary on our modern lives.
You may already know Sarah Dougher's name from the bands The Lookers, Cadalaca ( which features Corin Tucker of Sleater-Kinney and STS ) and/or the Crabs. However, it is her work as a solo performer that is creating the biggest buzz. The Walls Ablaze ( Mr. Lady ) , her second solo disc in a year ( Day One was released on K Records in 1999 ) , is the kind of album that one wishes teenage Britney Spears/Christina Aguilera fans would get their hands on so that they can be transformed into teenagers with taste. As adults, we are more adept at telling good from bad, and The Walls Ablaze is so good it almost hurts. In much the same way that label mates LeTigre have taken the Pacific Northwest riot grrrl sound to the next level, Dougher also does her part. Twenty-first century pop songs such as the radiant "The New Carissa" ( my absolute favorite new song of the month! ) and "What She'd Trade," "No-Handed," "The Scales," the retro rock of "Mirror/Shield," and the exquisite title track, qualify this as one of the best albums of the year.
While we're on the subject of Dougher, her "screamin' organ" playing on the four-track EP Out West ( Kill Rock Stars ) reprises the '60s girl-rock-group sound of the band's 1998 debut disc. "The Trouble With Public Places" is a hoot, and the EP's standout track, while "Fake Karaoke Machine" is an unexpectedly pretty song.
Eighteen-year-old Tami Hart is the youngest, but by no means least accomplished, performer in this review. Her mostly acoustic debut disc No Light In August ( Mr. Lady ) is equally as impressive for the young performer's songwriting skills as for her guitar playing. The punk rocker in Hart is evident in tracks such as "Burnout," "Obsessing Myself," "You're No Good," "Disclosed," and "I Don't Care." Hart is also adept at visiting Rose Polenzani's folky territory on tracks such as "I'm The Girl," "Disdained," and "Lucky Me."
While attending the GLAMAs in New York in April, I made the acquaintance of an Italian singer and songwriter by the name of Sandra Cartolari. I had previously heard of her via the popular OUTVOICE website. Aside from being incredibly charming and delightful, Cartolari can also sing. On Two Lips ( PSM ) , Cartolari performs some terrific cover versions of standards, including "Whatever Lola Wants," "Besame Mucho," "Night And Day," "The Song Is You," and "My One And Only Love," to name a few. Cartolari's jazzy original songs, especially "Giugiu," "Easy," and "A Singer's Tale," are also recommended.
Kimi Hayes goes the spiritual route on Being ( Happy Mellows Music ) , beginning with "Evening Prayer" ( and the request, "Will you same some soul/Save some soul tonight" ) and continuing through "Beloved One," on this varied album. To her credit, Hayes avoids most of the clichés that make this type of music impossible to tolerate or be moved by. As for the love songs, "Overflow Me" shows that Hayes has a knack for that sort of thing, too.
One of the things that is important to note about the albums in this column is how varied the discs and the performers themselves are. One disc delivers a more traditional folk-pop sound while another is a variation on the concept of standard jazz vocals. The riot grrrls are represented, as are classic pop-rockers. What I Knew ( OUT of The Crowd ) is another example of the variety inherent in women's music, especially in the realm of out lesbian artists. It is Zonna's sweet soprano vocals that separates her from this pack. "The One That Got Away," the title track, and "Ball And Chain," are the songs in which Zonna's vocals and the material come together in perfect harmony.
Even though A Woman's Voice ( UTV Records ) only has one out lesbian performer, k.d.lang, out of 18, I still thought it was important to mention it. Other female icons on the disc include Aretha Franklin, Patsy Cline, Billie Holiday, Etta James, Dolly Parton and Patti Smith.
Where it's @
compiled by Gregg Shapiro
Where it's @
compiled by Gregg Shapiro
Where it's @
compiled by Gregg Shapiro
@ Abbey - 773/478-4408: Slink Moss & The Flying Aces and Ted Ansani / Kimi Hayes 6.15, 22 & 29
@ Allstate Arena - 312/559-1212 ( TM ) : Steely Dan 6.24 / Diana Ross and the Supremes 7.1
@ Aragon - 312/559-1212 ( TM ) : Macy Gray 6.10
@ Arie Crown - 312/791-6000: Don Henley 6.17 / Dennis Miller 8.19
@ Arvey Field/Grant Park - 312/294-3000: Chicago Symphony Orchestra ( Symphony Sprint ) 6.24
@ Auditorium Theater - 312/559-1212 ( TM ) : Savage Garden 8.18
@ Chicago Theater - 312/559-1212 ( TM ) : Lou Reed and Victoria Williams 6.13 / Gipsy Kings 8.31 & 9.1
@ Club Eden - 773/327-4646: Recloose with guests Justin Long, Sativa & Droopy 6.7 /
Halo, Justin Long, DVS, Droopy 6.14 / Phantom 45, Sativa, Justin Long, Chris Gin 6.21
@ Cubby Bear - 773/327-1662: Kat Parsons 6.9
@ Davenport's - 773/278-1830: Daryl Nitz 6.9 & 10 / Colleen McHugh 6.7-11 / Robert Whorton 6.14, 16 - 18 / Lisa Menninger 6.15 - 17 / Dan Stetzel 6.26 / Three Girls Three 6.28 / Justin Hayford 6.30 / Greta Clark 6.30 Steven Brinberg is "Simply Barbra 2000" 6.21 - 25
@ Double Door - 773/489-3160: Super Furry Animals 6.9 / Hank Williams III 6.10 / Loud Lucy 6.14 / Tim Finn 6.16 / The Handsome Family and Angie Mead 6.17 / Legendary Pink Dots 6.22 / BR5-49 6.30
@ Elgin Community College - 847/697-1884: Maceo Parker 6.14
@ Empty Bottle - 773/276-3600: The Thrones 6.8 / The Sadies and Cash Money 6.12 / The Chicago Underground Duo 6.17 / Royal Trux and Edith Frost 6.23 / Town & Country 7.7 / Beachwood Sparks 7.15 / Gaza Strippers 7.29
@ Fermilab - 630/840-2787: Odetta 8.19
@ Fireside Bowl - Gadjits 6.10 /
@ FitzGerald's - 708/788-6670: Casolando and Spies Who Surf 6.16 / Michael McDermott 6.17 / Anna Fermin's Trigger Gospel 6.23 / Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca 6.24 / Fairbanks to Anchorage AIDS Benefit 6.27 / 19th Annual American Music Festival ( various artists - call for schedule ) 6.30 - 7:30 / Robbie Fulks 7.1 / Alejandro Escovedo 7.2 / Dave Alvin 7.3 / Austin Lounge Lizards 7.27
@ Gentry of Chicago ( State ) - 312/836-0933: Open Mic w/Beckie Menzie ( every Sunday )
@ Hot House - 312/362-9707: Eight Bold Souls 6.7 - 29 / All Queer days: Executive Sweet 7.1 / Mambo Express 6.17, 7.29 / The Backyard Variety Cabaret Show 6.28 / Bluesfest's Aftersets 6.9 & 10 / Susana Baca 7.13 / Tomas Mapfumo 7.15 / 2nd Annual World Music Festival 9.19 - 30
@ House Of Blues - 312/923-2000: Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band 6.8 / Nas 6.11 / Groove Armada and Faze Action 6.14 / Los Van Van 6.15 / Ray Charles 6.16 / Jean-Luc Ponty 6.21 / Michelle Shocked 6.22 / The Specials 6.24 / Teena Marie 6.27 / Robin Trower 6.29 & 30 / Jimmy Sutton's Four Charms 7.1 / George Clinton & P-Funk All-Stars 7.2 / Dwight Yoakam 7.4 / Brian Setzer Orchestra 7.5 & 6 / Montell Jordan 7.9 / The Spitkickers Tour ( Common, De La Soul, Biz Markie and others ) 7.13 / Les Nubians 7.15 / The Fixx 7.16 / Credence Clearwater Revisited 7.19 / Joan Armatrading 7.20 / Wynnona 7.23 / Billy Idol 7.24 / Peter Frampton 8.6 / Wilson Pickett 8.26 / Tower of Power 9.2 / Smokey Robinson 9.23
@ Joe's - 312/337-3486: Blessid Union of Souls 6.10 / The Smithereens and Ted Ansani 6.23 / 10,000 Maniacs and The Slugs 6.30 / 10,000 Maniacs 7.1 / The Knack 7.14
@ Martyrs - 773/404-9494: Lowen & Navarro 7.2
@ Metro - 773/549-0203: John Digweed 6.9 / Scarlet Life and Butterfly Child 6.10 / Yo La Tengo and Sue Garner & Rick Brown 6.17 & 18 / Evil Beaver 6.20 / "The Second Waltz": The Nicholas Tremulis Band w/David Ameran, Bun E. Carlos ( of Cheap Trick ) , Corey Harris, Rusty Kershaw, Bob Mould, Frank Orrall, Byron Stingily, Hubert Sumlin, Jeff Tweedy & Jay Bennett, Chris Whitley 6.21 / Local H 6.22 / Sunny Day Real Estate 6.29 / Catherine Wheel and Tracy Bonham 6.30 / "Respect Is Burning" 7.8 / The Toasters 7.15 / Saw Doctors 8.23@ Morseland - 773/764-6401: Pointy Teeth 6.17
@ Mountain Moving Coffeehouse for Womyn & Children - 312/409-0276, women & children only: Author Mary Daly 6.24 / Alix Dobkin 7.15
@ Museum Of Contemporary Art - 312/280-2660: Kama Sutra 6.23
@ Navy Pier's Skyline Stage - 312/902-1500 ( TM ) : The String Cheese Incident 6.22 / Gay Pride 2000 Concert w/Chicago Gay Men's Chorus, Unison and Windy City Gay Chorus ( Patrick Sinozich and Welborne Young will conduct over 200 voices ) 6.24.
@ New World Music Center -708/614-1616: Blink 182 6.10 / Britney Spears 7.7 / Roger Waters 7.8 / Green Day, Dilate Peoples, Long Beach Dub Allstars, and others 7.12 / Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stone Temple Pilots and Fishbone 8.2 / Santana 8.19
@ No Exit - 773/743-3355, 6870 N. Glenwood: New Music Sundays hosted by Laurie Lee Moses / The 'Unplugged and Leaking' Variety Show, featuring multi-instrumentalist Tommi Zender, vibraphonist/percussionist Andy Jones, the vintage green Motorola suitcase phonograph, and more! 6.9 / Steve Boyer 6.18
@ Old Town School of Folk Music - 773/278-6000: Todd Snider 6.10 / 3rd Annual Chicago Folk & Roots Festival (
@ Welles Park ) - w/Patti Smith, Richard Thompson and others 6.15 & 16 / Pine Valley Cosmonauts 6.16 / The Joshua Redman Quartet 6.17 / Juneteenth Celebration 6.18
@ Oriental Theater/Ford Center - 312/559-1212 ( TM ) : Nina Simone 6.18
@ Park West - 773/929-5959: Jimmie Dale Gilmore and John Wesley Harding 6.16 / Smog 6.20 / Kathy Griffin 6.23 / Roger McGuinn and Chris Mills 6.29 / Zap Mama 7.14
@ Ravinia - 847/266-5100: Eartha Kitt 6.12 / John Hiatt and Susan Tedeschi 6.14 / Rosemary Clooney and Marian McPartland 6.15 / Cassandra Wilson 6.16 / Tito Puente's Latin Jazz Ensemble 6.17 / Oscar Peterson Trio 6.18 / Indigo Girls 6.20 / BoDeans 6.27
@ Riviera Theater - 773/275-6800: Sonic Youth and Stereolab 6.10 / Deftones 7.1
@ Route 66 Raceway - Eiffel 65 6.17
@ Schuba's - 773/525-2508: Sam Prekop 6.7 / Waxwings 6.8 / Hank Williams III 6.9 / The Waco Brothers 6.10 / Wheat and Archer Prewitt 6.13 / Of Montreal 6.15 / Continental Drifters 6.16 / Malcolm Holcombe 6.18 / Chris Whitley and Corey Harris 6.20 / Hoot Night: Punk vs. Funk 6.21 / Elizabeth Elmore 6.22 / Red Elephant ( 5-7 p.m. ) 6.23 / Marah 10 p.m. ) 6.23 / Ida and Snailhouse 7.2 / Lowen & Navarro 7.3 / Mojo Nixon 7.4 / The Slugs 7.5 / Paddy Casey 7.7 / Tom Maxwell and the Minor Drag 7.8 / Tarika 7.11 / Josh Rouse 7.14 / Richard Buckner 7.15 & 16 / Over The Rhine 7.21 / The Silos 7.22 / Chris Mills, Mr. Rudy Day and Marta Tenae 7.29 / Kelly Hogan and the Pinevalley Cosmonauts 8.2 / Summer on Southport 8.5 & 6 / Ralph Stanley 11.19
@ Soldier Field - 312/559-1212 ( TM ) : Dave Matthews Band, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals 6.29
@ Stargaze - 773/561-7363: Valerie James 7.8 / Suzette 8.4
@ Vic - 312/559-1212 ( TM ) : Me'Shell Ndegeocello 6.24