Around town: Polyphonic Spree and Rotten Apples
Salty's, Alki Beach/West Seattle, 'round midnight last Friday:
A four-piece band is playing some serious funk, led by the wondrously skilled Charles Jones, a guitarist who excels in slamming soul. A few dozen patrons applaud them, then give even more hand-noise for Korla Wygal, who joins them and takes the microphone. As she introduces a song, something catches her attention out of the corner of her eye. "You've been here all night," she says, wagging a finger at two young ladies, "you can't go — we only have two more songs!" They stay, and hear Wygal do great justice to Etta James. Later, she croons a love song ... while slow dancing with a friend.
Charming, talented Wygal plays the Scarlet Tree on Saturday (9 p.m., $10).
Brasa, Belltown, 11 p.m. last Saturday:
While the upscale restaurant is finished for the night, the fun in the bar is just beginning, as DJ K.O. plays an intoxicating mixture of jazz, bossa nova, funk and soul. K.O.'s real name is Kento Oiwa, and he is one of the best things about Seattle music. As a DJ, his ear is impeccable, as he blends Jorge Ben bossa nova into Sly and the Family Stone, then slows down the last line of "thank you for lettin' me" and drops in Reuben Wilson, the funky jazz man from the early '70s. A Manhattan in one hand, a record in the other — Oiwa is living the life.
He'll spin at Graceland on Monday, with one of his favorite bands, the big, psychedelic the Polyphonic Spree playing on the mainstage (10 p.m., $15).
Yet his turntable skills are hardly all of his story. Oiwa is also a superb guitar player, melding Japanese effects-heavy "noise" rock, punk, electronic and a variety of experimental styles. He and keyboardist-singer Michiko Swiggs play together in a duo called IQU (pronounced "eee-koo"), which has been annoyingly quiet since releasing an EP on K Records in 2000. But Oiwa says the new IQU record is finally finished. He insists it's much better than previous IQU work.
"Altogether, I think it reflects us more. I think the music is more mature." He says the album is more song-oriented, with shorter, poppier cuts. "No more noodling anymore."
After a full-length and two EPs on K, Oiwa and Michiko are shopping the album, called "Sun Q" to other record labels. It's a delightful, bursting-with-ideas record, from the Chinese-opera-inspired "Under the Cherry Blossom" to the party anthem "The 9th Line" (girls dishing at the Baltic Room) to the potential dance hit "Dirty Boy." There is much more singing on this than in previous IQU recordings, and Oiwa and Swiggs even do a tender duo, singing in Japanese on the title track. Toss in an ingenious version of Minnie Riperton's "Loving You," with Oiwa jamming on the theremin, and you have one of the best records of the year ... even if it is unreleased.
Last weekend, IQU had its first show of the year, an Olympia benefit for K Records founder Calvin Johnson, who was injured in an auto accident. (Trepan and Beat Senseless will perform at a similar K Records benefit at Highliner in Fisherman's Terminal on Saturday, 9 p.m., $6).
IQU comes out of hometown seclusion to perform cuts from the record at Chop Suey tonight (10 p.m., $10, Pepe Deluxe headlining).
Liquid Lounge, Seattle Center, 11:45 p.m. last Saturday:
Normally, the crowd at this Experience Music Project lounge hugs the bar, or is seated at booths. Not now though — people are on their feet, surging toward the stage, where the Rotten Apples are in full attack. This all-female punk band is one of the hottest acts in Seattle, and — like IQU — has a record it is shopping around.
A typical song starts with the drummer Heather Jane Anderson counting off, then launching into a fast, hard, mean beat, with singer-guitarist Dejha (dee-ja) Colantuono yelping, "A fight, a fight — there's going to be a fight!" Actually, that's not quite a typical Rotten Apples song — it's the best one, "Road Rage," the sort of powerhouse cut that, if there is any sort of merit system in the music industry (a questionable concept, granted), should get the band signed, pronto. They're like the Donnas, minus the glam-itude.
After the Liquid Lounge show, Colantuono says that this band was originally called the Bad Apples. She moved away to L.A. for a while, but came back to focus on the newly named band, which is rapidly rising. The band's next show is Nov. 22, at Capitol Hill girl bar the Wild Rose: "It's a benefit — for us to buy a van." For info, check www.therottenapples.com.
This weekend at the Liquid Lounge, DJs spin Latin music tonight (8 p.m., free), and two-step/garage beats Saturday (8 p.m., free).
Julia's on Broadway, 10:30 p.m. last Sunday:
Howard Bulson, Seattle's favorite piano man for so long at Sorry Charlie's on Queen Anne, has found a new spot. His schedule changes, but he says he's here most Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights. A handful of people at this Capitol Hill restaurant/bar are transfixed, as Bulson does an instrumental interlude, a Chopin piece played with delicate skill. Later, some will step up to the microphone to sing ("Slow Boat to China," etc.), with Bulson humbly accompanying.
Listening to the graceful, timeless music, with one of bartender Mary Knott's Scarecrows (rum in a cinnamon-and-honey-rimmed glass) in hand ... a nice way to slide out of the weekend.
Tom Scanlon: tscanlon@seattletimes.com