the hum / By Bob Doran

Puzzle Pieces

A note from Celtic music player/fan George Ziminsky alerted me to a show Saturday at Westhaven Center for the Arts with yet another Portland band, the Hanz Araki Trio. I’m tuned into the stream on Hanz’ MySpace as I type and it’s a trip. First there’s a spacey flute thing with echoes and electronics, kind of Oriental, then a neo-Celtic singer/songwriter number. As George explains, “Hanz grew up in Seattle, moved to Japan (where his father, a shakuhachi master comes from) to pursue shakuhachi [a traditional wooden flute] for a few years, then moved back to Seattle where he got into Celtic music (his mom’s heritage in Gaelic).” You might have heard Hanz when he came through with the Casey Neill Trio and/or The Norway Rats. The H.A. Trio also includes Portland guitarist Cary Novotnyand Joey Abartafrom SoCal, who, says George, is “one of the best bodhran players on the West Coast.” Reservations are advised since the Center ain’t all that big (677-9493).

Elsewhere Saturday you have Ashes, a new metal power trio, playing an all-ages gig at Big Pete’s with Napoleon Complex. Meanwhile at Humboldt Brews The Generatorz rock hard. And much earlier in the day (10 a.m.-1 p.m.) Huckleberry Flintplays fine old timey and gospel tunes for the first Farmers’ Market of the season on the Arcata Plaza.

Monday at the Jambalaya it’s a Panache fierce-rock extravaganza with punk duo Shell and Jen Shag aka Shellshag, playing tunes from their latest release, destroy me i’m yours, a raw slice of in-your-face madness. Expect the same sort of thing from tourmates The King Brothers, an intense Japanese combo who allegedly “approximate the sound of The Germs backing Howlin’ Wolf with his hand caught in a garbage disposal.” TheZac Institutefrom U-freak-uh open the show.

Have you always wanted to play at the Jam? Got a band? Sign up for the KRFH Battle of the Bands by Friday, April 11, and you could be part of the competition on Thursday, April 17. Winners get cash money and a slot at HSU’s SLAM Fest April 27. Check www.krfh.net for entry forms.

Coming Wednesday, April 16, to the Eureka Theater, the annual visit by Nederland, Colorado’s Yonder Mountain String Band, a jammy bluegrass band that is about to release Mountain Tracks 5,double-disc live thing. I’d advise getting tickets now since this band’s fan base is still growing by leaps and bounds.

On the reggae front you have Jamaican veteran Don Carlosfrom Black Uhuru playing at Mazzotti’s. He’s also on the bill for Reggae Rising, and there’s that Rising/River trial this week, but we’ll get into that some other time. For now, think peace.

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