Outdoor performances run through Aug 21
The word “versatile” doesn’t even begin to describe Donald Rubinstein’s life as a musician.
One minute, he sounds like Bob Dylan. Heavy-duty rock also rages in his soul. Some instrumental works seem to reflect a particular mood, feeling or visual image.
“It’s all inside me,” he said of the various styles that emerge in his original tunes. “I grew up exposed to a lot of different types of music. I love it all.”
A handful of the more than 250 songs that Rubinstein has written will be part of his July 31 performance on the Plaza, part of the 2008 Santa Fe Bandstand series, free concerts on presented through the summer by Outside In Productions and the City of Santa Fe.
The concerts start next Monday, July 7, and run through Aug. 21.
Rubinstein, who lives in Santa Fe, will accompany himself on the guitar and keyboard and occasionally turns to player and percussionist Hani Naser for musical support — emblematic of the variety the summer concert series is known for.
The concerts are scheduled from noon to 1:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday, for the lunchtime crowd. Evening shows are four days a week — from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
This year’s schedule offers entertainment by some of the Santa Fe area’s best-known local musicians and other performers, along with an impressive list of national and international acts.
The Santa Fe All Stars — the City Different’s own supergroup of songwriters and players — and veteran roots-rocker Jono Manson Band are the opening night’s performers, next Monday.
The Clan Tynker Family Circus, a Santa Fe-based troupe of jugglers and magicians that has performed at festivals worldwide and the Santa Fe Children’s Museum, makes three appearances (July 14, 21 and 28) during the summer. Other local performers are young bluesman Alex Maryol (Aug. 19), honky-tonk hero Bill Hearne (Aug. 4), Busy McCarroll) (Aug. 19) and Ron Helman (July 21).
Florida blues guitarist Damon Fowler) will bring his band to town on Aug. 5, in the middle of a monthlong tour. Fowler, who did his first paying gig at the age of 14, puts his own spin on the blues with help from bass player Chuck Riley and drummer Scott Key. He credits Canadian jazz and blues guitarist Jeff Healey with inf luencing his early career.
“Later on, I listened to a lot of Johnny Winter and Muddy Waters,” he said by phone from Florida.
Legendary Native American singer and activist Buffy Sainte-Marie will perform Aug. 21 before headlining at the 14th Annual Native Roots & Rhythm concert at Paolo Soleri Amphitheater.
She will be joined on the Plaza by White Mountain Apache comedian Drew Lacapa and Native American singer/songwriter Shelley Morningsong.
Traditional northern New Mexico tunes are the specialty of La Familia Vigil, who will provide noon entertainment on July 15.
Other midday acts taking center stage are the contemporary Andean music ensemble Mario Reynolds Group (July 29), roadhouse blues and R&B band Night Train (Aug. 14) and the soul band Steppen’ Out (July 31).
Among the bands specializing in dance music are Fat Tuesday (July 14), Savor (July 16) and Jasper (Aug. 5). Here’s the 2007 Santa Fe Bandstand schedule:
Opening Night, Monday, July 7
6 p.m.: Santa Fe All Stars, twisted country and bluegrass; Jono Manson Band, vintage roots rock ’n’ roll.
Tuesday, July 8
Noon: Kumusha Women’s Marimba Ensemble. 6 p.m.: Joanie Griffin and Combo Special, old school R&B; Moving People Dance; and Hillary Smith and the Groove Tribe, rockin’ blues and funk.
Wednesday, July 9
6 p.m.: Lumbre Del Sol, 35 years of Chicano soul.
Thursday, July 10
Noon: Robert Sequoia, romantic guitar; Ron “Dadou” Romanovsky & Friends, accordion bohemia. 6 p.m.: International Folk Art Market Night with Roshan Bhartiya, sitar master; Agalu, African beat; and Quetzal, eclectic Mexican-American.
Monday, July 14
6 p.m.: Fat Tuesday, New Orleans dance music; the Clan Tynker Family Circus; and Dicki Du and the Zydeco Krewe, Zydeco from Louisiana.
Tuesday, July 15
Noon: La Familia Vigil, traditional Northern New Mexico music. 6 p.m.: Paul Rivers Bailey & the Human Family, soul, R&B, and Hip Hop; Moving People Dance; and the HooDoos, blues rock.
Wednesday, July 16
6 p.m.: Savor, Cuban dance music; and Quemozo, Latin soul
Thursday, July 17
Noon: Roger Landes & Chipper Thompson, original world music. 6 p.m.: Los Alamos County Concert Series Night with Sean Helean, original rock and folk; and the Gourds, “kaleidoscopic” country from Austin.
Monday, July 21
6 p.m.: Ron Helman Jazz Ensemble, jazz a la Miles Davis; the Clan Tynker Family Circus; and Barrett Martin Quintet, world beat jazz.
Tuesday, July 22
Noon: Don and Victoria Armstrong, best of Southwest 6 p.m.: New Mexico Jazz Festival Night, with Perception, Afro-Jazz; and Le Chat Lunatique, gypsy and Western swing.
Wednesday, July 23
6 p.m.: Sorela Sisters, awardwinning Latin pop; and Solfire, pop-rock with a Latin edge.
Thursday, July 24
Noon: The RueBarbs, Americana roots music. 6 p.m.: Bone Orchard, “mountain-gothic” roots rock, and Hundred Year Flood, rockin’ Americana.
Monday, July 28
6 p.m: Shake Russell, Texas troubadour; the Clan Tynker Family Circus; and South By Southwest, country and swing.
Tuesday, July 29
Noon: Mario Reynolds Group, contemporary Andean music. 6 p.m.: Gumbo Project, voodoo funk; Moving People Dance; and the Jimmy Stadler Band, high-energy rock.
Wednesday, July 30
6 p.m.: Baile Espanol de Santa Fe Folklorico; and Manzanares, Nuevo Flamenco meets Latin rock.
Thursday, July 31
Noon: Steppen’ Out, Soul and R&B. 6 p.m.: Thirsty Ear Festival Night, with Donald Rubinstein and special guest Hani Naser; Po Girl, eclectic folk ’n’ soul from Canada.
Monday, Aug. 4
6 p.m.: Bill Hearne’s Roadhouse Revue, local legend of country folk; and Hot Club of Cow Town, jazz/western swing trio.
Tuesday, Aug. 5
Noon: Jasper, dance music from everywhere. 6 p.m.: Albuquerque Blues Connection; Moving People Dance; and Damon Fowler Band, featuring Florida’s blues guitar virtuoso.
Wednesday, Aug. 6
6 p.m.: Ballet Folklorico, Aspen Ballet’s traditional Mexican folk dance; and Nosotros, Latin rock and Afro-Beat.
Thursday, Aug. 7
Noon: Javier Romero, original songs; and the Abeyta Family, “local music from the heart.” 6 p.m.: Y. Que, Latino rock world fusion; and Wagogo, music from Memphis to Mozambique to Mexico.
Monday, Aug. 11
6 p.m.: The Laws, Canadian singer-songwriters; and Chris Smither, folk songwriting and intricate guitar blues.
Tuesday, Aug. 12
Noon: Nora McMahon, original folk-jazz-blues blend; and Laurianne Fiorentino, original acoustic music . 6 p.m.: Todd Tijerina Band, funky blues rock; Moving People Dance; and Brother E and the Blue Rhythm Kings, soul and R&B.
Wednesday, Aug. 13
6 p.m.: Los Tropicales, romantic Latin jazz; and Cheverendongo with Nacha Mendez, Santa Fe’s salsa band.
Thursday, Aug. 14
Noon: Night Train, roadhouse blues and R&B. 6 p.m.: Iyah, Reggae soul; and Native Roots, native reggae.
Monday, Aug. 18
6 p.m.: El Farol Canyon Road Blues Jam.
Tuesday, Aug. 19
Noon: Claude Stephenson and Sharon Gilchrist, mandolin heaven. 6 p.m.: Busy McCarroll and the Ambassadors of Pleasure, power jazz pop noir; Moving People Dance; and Alex Maryol Band, original rock ’n’ roll and blues.
Wednesday, Aug. 20
6 p.m.: Trio Jalapeno de Antonia Apodaca, Northern New Mexico music and Los Wise Guys, golden-oldies and Beatles covers.
Thursday, Aug. 21
Noon: Indige Femme, Navajo/Maori folk duo; and Daniel DL Valdes, native flute. 6 p.m.: Drew Lacapa, White Mountain Apache comedian; Shelley Morningsong, Native American singer-songwriter; and Buffy Sainte-Marie, legendary Native American singer, artist and activist.
If you go
WHAT: 2008 Santa Fe Bandstand concerts
WHEN: July 7-Aug. 21 — noon-1:30 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday; 6-8:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday.
WHERE: Santa Fe Plaza
COST: Free
CONTACT: 986-6054 or www.santafebandstand.com
