CANCELLED
Saturday 5/27/06 - 9:30PM
Voices presents
Illaziam
Ed Perkins - Bass; Steve Gaede - Drums; Jay Powe - Vocals; OT Cole - Guitar
Bushoong
Deborah Bowen (vocals), Glover Washington (drums), Ron Gray (guitar), Mike Pryor (bass).
ILLAZIAM (Ill as I am), the Chicago based metal band, prides themselves on their diversity, originality, and explosive performance. With influences and backgrounds stemming from various genres, the members of ILLAZIAM collectively produce a sound that is uniquely their own. The vibe is heavy, melodic, mysterious, harmonious, heavy, moody, aggressive and oh so heavy. The combination of the shattering bass and drums, and the melodic weave of heavy guitar and wailing vocal arrangements, comes together in a supercharged live show.

Steve Dawson grew up in small town Idaho during the dark ages of Ronald Reagan and the Urban Cowboy soundtrack. To fight the boredom he spent hours and hours obesessing over his parent's record collection. His dad, a renown wildlife illustrator, had a huge wall of Soul, R&B and Jazz Lp's, and his step mom had all the 60's and 70's basics: the Beatles, the Stones, Dylan... and Country music was everywhere - on the town's only radio station, in the park at night, propelling summer parades - and it all dug into his conciousness. When he was 13 he took guitar lessons from one of Idaho's mountain fiddle champions and started writing songs. Later he taught himself to play piano by hammering away on the family upright. His first professional gig was at the Silver Dollar Saloon in Bellevue, ID at age 16 playing guitar with Cadillac Carl and the Road Rangers.
After high school Dawson spent some time in Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music, but eventually settled in Chicago. His first band was called Stump the Host, a group that wore its rock, soul and country influences on its sleeve. At the heart of the band were Steve's melodic, hook-filled songs and the plaintive two-part harmony singing of Dawson and his wife, Diane Christiansen. The critics loved it, but record companies were not yet ready for what would later come to be called 'alternative country'. After releasing a 7" single on Minty Fresh and signing a publishing deal with Polygram, Stump the Host broke up.
In the mid 90's Dawson and Christiansen formed a new band called Dolly Varden. Dolly Varden's stylistic influences were less obvious and Dawson's songwriting developed a new subtlety and depth. Over the course of 4 albums and steady touring the band has built a devoted following in the US and Britain. Critics from Rolling Stone, Mojo, and the Village Voice, among others, have praised Dawson's gift for melodic, evocative songwriting and the group's soulful vocal harmonies. His songs have been compared to the short stories of Raymond Carver for their use of language and dark introspective subject matter.
Dawson has completed work on his first solo album that'll be released in 2005.

As the leader and Founder of the Sidemen Big Band, Wendell vonBrenner has created a sound that is appealing to all jazz listeners. Through out the years his, group of "Sidemen" have all played as sidemen with many
great performers : Maynard Ferguson, Guy Lombardo, Frankie Avalon, Sammy Davis Jr., Tommy Dorsey (Ghost Band), O'Jays, The Dells, The Box Tops, Harry Babbitt, Fania All Stars / Adalberto Santiago, Michael Gabriel (Puerto Rico), Groupo Kaos (Puerto Rico), Roberto Pulido (Texas)

Centerstage Chicago:
"Wendell vonBrenner, is now leading his own 18 piece jazz ensemble "The Sidemen Big Band" when asked what prompted the naming of the group, Wendell said "I want the band to be known not for its' leader but for the great musicians behind the leader." Wendell, who is 46, has stepped down from the Latin Music scene and has devoted his Jazz comeback with a variety of strong, hard hitting standards plus some great original compositions of his own. Also with some excellent vocal contributions by his wife and vocalist for the Group Lorraine Brenner. Wendell said the band will make its mark on the Chicago music scene "as soon as someone builds a club big enough to hold all of my musicians."

Saturday 5/6/06
6:00PM
Elastic Art Gallery
Exhibition Opening : Lament for the Dead paintings by Chioke Morais
9:30PM
Voices presents
Marvin Tate CD Release
w/ special guests Poet Laurete, Thax Douglas, as well as the hauntingly beautiful voice of Phelan Lavelle

Marvin Tate celebrates his new release, "The Family Swim"! Marvin Tate is an author, poet, educator and the founder of the defunct art-funk band d-settlement. Join Marvin as he performs selections from his first solo record, "The FamilySwim", which features collaborations with former d-settlement bandmate and multi-instrumentalist, LeRoy Bach, formerly of Wilco, and presently on tour with Beth Orton. On "The Family Swim", Marvin continues to evolve by exploring an entirely different kind of "lo-fi" soul