It's been a wild ride for Valley folk-rockers Wild-Wood, who have gone through three singers in as many years.
With one Rose Whitcomb-Detmold now firmly planted behind the mic and a debut studio disc finally in hand after two years of toiling, band leader/guitarist/pianist Tony Lechner believes his Wild-Wood is finally out of the woods as far as any further delays, personnel changes and the like.
And it's a situation he'd like to celebrate in the form of a release party proper this Thursday, Dec. 19 at the Iron Horse (iheg.com) and build upon into the new year.
"I wish there was some great, glamorous or gossipy Van Halen scenario behind our singer situation," he says of some of the ghosts from the band's past. "But really, our first singer wanted to take a break from performing, and the second was busy finishing school."
Here's a thought: stay away from the name "Emily," as both of Whitcomb-Detmold's predecessors bore that name.
In any event, Lechner and bandmates Brett Jenkins (mandolin, guitar), Dave Tallarida (drums) and Michael Pfeiffer (upright bass) can certainly respect the desire to further an education. They all attended UMass, and Lechner and Pfeiffer currently teach at the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School (PVPA). The latter is where they found not only their current lead singer, but also the night's opening act, 5-Alone—a world-traveling, award-winning jazz a cappella group that Lechner directs.
Meanwhile, over at Theodores' in downtown Springfield, the powers that be are billing their Dec. 19 festivities a "Christmas Party," but those who remember such Valley-based jam-band staples as Schwa and Kaya may see it more as "Two Kings Day."
The evening's headliner, The Kings, not only features journeyman bassist/project namesake Jeff King from both the aforementioned acts, but his sister Melissa King, too.
"Even back in the Kaya days, I would do side shows with just my sister," brother King explains on the origins of the sibling revelry. "They were acoustic, and so much fun& we were playing the Storrowtown Tavern at The Big E every Thursday. But I slowly realized that I am limited on guitar and a bass player at heart, and that this whole thing could go a lot further with some help."
First to answer the King-ly call to duty was drummer Ed Balon, the former drummer from Kaya. Guitarist Eric Hoobin, piano/organ man Tom Coburn and a second guitarist, John Cantilini, would later follow suit.
Earlier this year, the band released its first studio effort, a groove-heavy, 10-tune foot-tapper titled Balancing The Wheel that was primarily penned by the brother-sister act. With the rest of the band now complete and writing in their own right, Jeff King reports that his quirky Americana/rock/reggae quintet "easily has enough material to do a follow-up already."
A stash of 200-plus cover songs at the ready, special guests, and, of course, tunes from the studio release proper should yield a very well-Balanced and highly entertaining setlist this Friday.
Last up, two chances to soak in the sounds of the season for two very good—and benevolent—reasons.
The first, a "Holiday Hoedown" at Noho's Sierra Grille (myspace.com/sierragrillemusic), occurs Dec. 19 with Bourgeois Heroes, Trials and Tribulations, Bare Teeth and more putting their signature spins on some seasonal chestnuts in a collective effort to raise funds for the Northampton Survival Center. Canned donations for the center will also be accepted at the door.
The second, an annual audio and ale-laden affair known as Hot Buttered Elves at Easthamp's Brass Cat (myspace.com/thebrasscat), cranks up the holiday classics on two nights, Dec. 19 and 20, in hopes of stuffing the coffers (and in turn, lotsa' stockings) of the Easthampton Toy Fund."
Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. Box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 698-9373 or email Garycarra@aol.com.
