Must-See Music Events (Fall Arts Preview 2022)

Jonathan Richman—Constellation, October 27-28
At seventy-one, the still ridiculously boyish singer-songwriter is enjoying another career renaissance. Much of the catalog from his time leading the seminal proto-punk band Modern Lovers is being re-released, sparking a reassessment of his legacy (and even that proto-punk label). During this time, her solo career gained momentum, with a slew of new music. For his stripped-down tour, he teamed up only with drummer Tommy Larkins (who on early dates played two congas instead of a full drum kit), and eschews set lists, advising fans not to s expect a series of successes. Instead, he follows where the spirit takes him, which in Boston has resulted in songs in Italian, French, Spanish and Hindi. He’s also likely to lower his guitar in the middle of a song and break into an impulsive dance. Expect to be seriously charmed.

Turtle—Thalia Hall, October 3
It’s been a while since Chicago multi-instrumentalists Dan Bitney, John Herndon, Doug McCombs, John McEntire and Jeff Parker have released new music, and it may be a while before they do. again. But there’s clearly still a market for Tortoise’s adventurous, krautrock/electronic/minimalist/yadda yadda sound, as evidenced by Thrill Jockey’s recent reissue, on metallic gold vinyl, of the band’s out-of-print 1995 album, ” Rhythms, Resolutions”. & Clusters.” The reissue sold out its entire print run, which says a lot about a record that’s not just twenty-seven years old; “Rhythms, Resolutions & Clusters” is also a remix album of Tortoise’s self-titled debut album. in 1994. Which is a long way of saying, maybe get your tickets now for this one.

Fred Hersch Trio—Evanston SPACE, November 9
Fred Hersch is arguably the preeminent jazz pianist of the day, and a tour through his vast discography traces his growth as a solo performer and bandleader. His latest album, “Breath by Breath”, draws on his experiences with meditation and marks his first foray into the third current, the genre that fuses jazz and classical. Hersch recorded it with the Crosby Street String Quartet, and it’s an extraordinary exhalation of beautifully crystalline music. At the time of writing, he is performing in Antwerp with the Deguin String Quartet; but for his next concerts in the United States, he is back with his trio (bassist John Hébert and drummer Eric McPherson). It will be interesting to see how much “Breath by Breath” informs these sessions; and even if the answer is not at all, it will still be worth hearing. It’s Fred Hersch.

Robert Rodi is an author, spoken word performer and musician who has been Newcity’s Music Editor since 2014. He has written over a dozen books, including the travel memoir “Seven Seasons In Siena”, and his literary and music criticism has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, Salon, The Huffington Post and many other national and regional publications.
Contact: [email protected]