The Palo Cedro guitar and music shop Music Max will celebrate its second year anniversary with a “2 Year Music Bash” all day Sunday (July 11) at the Gaia Amphitheater in Anderson River Park (same venue as Mosquito Serenade).
What an excellent success story this event marks for business owners Al and Shelley Mires and their team of talented music instructors at the shop, located at 9472 Cedro Lane (adjacent to the Red Rock Bar) in Palo Cedro. Opening a business on the front end of a recession in an industry where people scour the Internet for deals has probably seemed like a scary endeavor at times for the couple.
But they’ve been committed to grass roots connections with music students and others. They held monthly concerts and instructional clinics, which is a nice way of giving back to the community.
Sunday’s all-day concert will feature the talents of many of Music Max’s instructors, like guitarists Marvin Allen, Tyler Mansfield, Mike Mathis, bassists Wade Craver and Rob McQueen, pianist Cleveland Boney, drummer Kenji Kato and many others. Al Mires will also perform.
Starting at 11 a.m., Mansfield, Craver and Charlie Perry will let loose a set of fusion funk . At noon, Allen will be joined by vocalist John Miller, bassist Al Phillips and drummer Randy Miller (of the Myriad) for original rock tunes (and at least one killer Zeppelin cover).
At 2 p.m., Al Mires will be joined by Boney, McQueen and Kato for an electric jazz performance that promises to be excellent.
Unless I run out of gas on the way, I’ll be checking out some of these performances. Here’s a look at the rest of the menu (the music is free) and food may be purchased at the event:
1 p.m. Music Max student performance
3 p.m. Marvin Allen, Tyler Masnsfield, Wade Craver, Kenji Kato (fusion Jeff Beck with twist)
4 p.m. Mike Mathis and guests (rock in the style of Oil Can Henry)
4:30 p.m. Leaving Only Scars featuring Jeff Johnson (high energy rock)
5 p.m. The Conrad Junction Band (blues)
6 p.m. Lithium Sleephouse featuring Camron Maynor and guests ( high energy shredding)
7 p.m. Muisc Max students/staff Jam
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The legendary James Harman
As if that weren’t enough music on Sunday, look out for what promises to be another knockout concert presented by Rockin’ Ron Sullivan. The James Harman Blues Band will perform with special guest Nathan James at 6:30 p.m. at LuLu’s Eating and Drinking Establishment (2230 Pine St.) in Redding.
Harman has been performing all across the U.S. since he was a teenager in the early 1960s. His Icehouse Blues band played Los Angeles clubs along with artists like Big Joe Turner, John Lee Hooker, Freddie King, Muddy Waters, Albert King, B.B. King, T-Bone Walker and many more.
Harman’s blues band has included the likes of Blasters Phil Alvin and Bill Bateman, and Gene Taylor (Fabulous Thunderbirds).
Powerhouse acoustic blues guitarist Nathan James has toured nationally and performed with the likes of Harman, Jamie Wood, Johnny Dyer, Kim Wilson and many others.
Nathan James
Tickets for this great show are $15 at the door or $13 in advance at Meteor Music in Anderson or Lulu’s. Call 378-2050 for more information.
