Summer has unofficially begun. Memorial Day weekend has brought the rain, humidity, and soon the mosquitos. When it rains, it pours, and I have a few shows coming up this summer.
It’s been a rich musical year so far, with lots of new music:
- Mark Ross and the Contraptions at Smith’s Olde Bar
- Sets by Killick and the JD Walsh Quartet at the Eyedrum Gallery
- Atlanta Synth Club open mic with Blake Helton at Buteco
- Fourth Ward Afro Klezmer Orchestra (small group edition) at Vine
- Emory Libraries and Museum talent show at the Carlos Museum – see featured image for the impressive backdrop! I need one for my studio. 😉
- Several podcast episodes, featuring duets with Blake Helton, Mike Terebecki, and Deisha Oliver
- Many rehearsals
Rehearsals! They are the life blood of a project getting its sound together. The goal is to make a group performance seem effortless, and there is only one way to do that. This seems to be the theme so far for 2026 – getting the sound together.
This work will come to fruition in late June, the first on Thursday, June 25 at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, Georgia. I’ll be on bass and backing vocals for Mark Ross and the Contraptions. Yes, I am a Contraption! The tunes are wonderfully, harmonically rich, just the kind of music a bass player can sink their teeth into.
From the Eddie’s Attic site:
“Atlanta native Mark Ross brings his pop infused, wildly creative pop stylings to the storied stage at Eddie’s! With the incomparable talents of Colin Bragg (bass) and Pierce Tanner (drums), this mighty trio presents a repertoire of Mark’s musical inventions. Influences range from Elliott Smith to XTC to Herbie Hancock to Yes to Stevie to Sly to Jimi to Steely Dan. It’s a wild, creative musical ride. Not to be missed!”
I join the mighty Fourth Ward Afro Klezmer Orchestra on Sunday, June 28 as a part of Kess Fest, drummer and live production wizard Noah Kess’s yearly birthday celebration that raises funds for the Atlanta Musicians Emergency Relief Fund. I’ll get the guitar out (and a wah-wah?) for this one.
On Monday, June 29 I will lead a quartet of super sonic adventurers featuring Alexandria Smith, Jeff Albert, and Blake Helton at the Eyedrum Gallery‘s ongoing Monday Night Creative Music series. I’m excited to whip up some new, quirky musical ideas, and to share the stage with these great musical thinkers/tinkerers will simply be a dream.
Come on out and hear some real live music!
