As long as the great weather’s holding out, my first pick is to get yourself outside. Where? Well, warm days mean snow is melting. Water falling over rocks is always an excellent option.
Whiskeytown Falls or Brandy Creek Falls are probably outstanding right now. Yesterday, I joined a friend and skipped town for Castle Crags State Park. Here’s a photo from the Root Creek drainage, with the water dumping out of the crags.
Here are some other picks:
• Redding Jazz Festival and Swing Dance. The event runs Friday through Sunday at the Redding Elks Lodge and features more than a dozen accomplished bands from all across the state, including Redding’s own Straight Ahead Big Band. Steve Fischer, who leads that combo, says jazz fans won’t want to miss the King Cotton Jazz Band and Black Tuesday. Tom Rigney and Flambeau is an outstanding band as well. Says Fischer: “On a selfish note, I look forward to showing all the visiting musicians just what our big band can do. Saturday night should be fun for us.” For tickets, call 246-7430 or click here for more information.
• Simpson Sinfonia Spring Concert. Looking for a classical music fix? The Simpson University orchestra, under the direction of Dwayne Corbin, is quite a bargan. The ensemble performs works by Schubert, Copland and Kurt Weil at 3 p.m. Sunday at the university’s Heritage Center. Tickets are just $8 general, $6 for seniors/students. Call 226-4507.
• Killer downloads. You’re looking for some new music, I know you are. Here are some tracks that have blown my mind lately: M Ward’s “Oh Lonesome Me” (featuring Lucinda Williams) off his new album “Hold Time.” Bob Dylan’s new track “Beyond Here Lies Nothin'” off his soon to be released new album “Together Through Life” (it was available for free off his website). Merle Haggard’s album “The Bluegrass Sessions” has been out awhile, but I revisited it lately and was blown away again. Check out “Jimmie Rodgers Blues.” Brandi Carlile’s “The Story” off her great album of the same name. (Brandi, not Belinda, by the way. We’re not talking “The Go-Gos.”)
• “All Together Now.” This documentary (7 p.m. Sunday at the Cascade Theatre) about the making of the Beatles’ Cirque du Soleil show “LOVE” in Las Vegas intrigues me. I haven’t seen “LOVE” yet, but I’m dying to. I guess I’m interested in all-things Beatles. Tickets are $10. Call 243-8877 or click here.
