From its opening track, 'More Bees with Honey' by J.P. Soars is worth a listen.

Here are my picks for the best CDs by area artists from 2011:

Best Blues CD/Album of the Year: J.P. Soars (jpsoars.com), More Bees With Honey (independent). Rarely has a CD by a local artist jumped out of the speakers the way the title track to this one does.

Live shows by the Boca Raton-based guitarist/vocalist have hinted at such intensity for some time, but this disc’s overall sound – and the interaction between Soars, bassist Don Gottlieb and drummer Chris Peet, from the manic Hot Little Woman to the funky Doggin’ to slow blues of Lost It All – is impeccable.

J.P. Soars and the Red Hots pulls a double Friday, playing at 6 p.m. at B.B. King’s, 550 S. Rosemary Ave., West Palm Beach (561-420-8600 ) and at 9 p.m. at Chef John’s, 287 E. Indiantown Road, Jupiter (561-745-8040 ).

Best Rock CD: The People Upstairs (thepeopleupstairs.com), For the People, By the People (independent). Part rock, part funk and part reggae, this Boynton Beach hybrid band met as members of the drum line at Atlantic High School in Delray Beach.

Vocalist/percussionist Casey Buckley, guitarist Chris Prestia and singing siblings Tony Rangel (bass) and Gabe Rangel (drums) sound like a more percussive version of the Red Hot Chili Peppers on standout tracks Help Me Help You, Hollywood, Mr. Murphy and Ha Ha.

See The People Upstairs at 10 p.m. Friday at the Reef Road Rum Bar, 223 Clematis St., West Palm Beach (561-838-9099 ) and at 6 p.m. Sunday at the Banana Boat, 739 E. Ocean Blvd., Boynton Beach (561-732-9400 ).

Read the full story

West Palm Beach keyboardist/vocalist Robert Goodman (robert goodmanband.com) is best-known for his heady patriotic tunes, but he goes for the heart on his band’s new release, Everything Is Beautiful (Forward Motion). Utilizing longtime members Dave Rubinstein (guitar) and Rick Shepherd (bass), plus guests like original drummer Mark Nemcek (since replaced by Tim Moss), Goodman mixes classic American and British pop influences.

You, with his orchestrated keyboards and Stephanie Shepherd’s flute and piccolo, hints at The Beatles. The Todd Rundgren-like Story features Goodman’s strong falsetto and Rubinstein’s best solo, and Make You Smile highlights a strong second half by recalling Tears for Fears through Goodman’s arrangements and vocal phrasing.

See Goodman and Rubinstein duet at 8 p.m. Saturday at Asian Fin, 4650 Donald Ross Rd., Jupiter (561-694-1900), and the full band at 8 p.m. on Dec. 10 at South Shores, 502 Lucerne Ave., Lake Worth (561-547-7656).

Lake Worth singer/songwriter John Ralston (john-ralston.com) released the neo-symphonic gems Needle Bed (2006) and Sorry Vampire (2007) on Vagrant Records but goes smaller-scale on his new independent release Shadows of the Summertime. The results unearth different influences from his familiar blend of Wilco and the George Martin-era Beatles.

Lump Ralston into pop, roots music or alt-country at your own risk. The infectious opener, Bedroom Walls, is reminiscent of the Traveling Wilburys. The subtle rave-up Love Will Come Around blends pop, gospel and Motown elements, and the muscular title track is another layered duet between singing multi-instrumentalists Ralston and David Vandervelde.

Vandervelde’s drums work to great effect on Oh Lord, adding nuances of Led Zeppelin and Neil Young. Though Ralston spends more time in the studio with eight-piece band Invisible Music lately than on stage, that’ll change when the demiorchestra debuts.

‘Round town
Florida-raised singing siblings Derrick and Keith Lee, along with guitarist Alvin Lee, join nephews Roosevelt Collier (pedal steel), Alvin Cordy Jr. (bass) and Earl Walker (drums) in the Lee Boys (leeboys.com), a most soulful and cerebral family sextet. See their “sacred steel” mix of bluegrass, gospel and other roots styles at 9 p.m. on Friday at the Bamboo Room, 25 S. J St., Lake Worth ($12, 561-585-2583). … Jupiter-based blues band Big Vince and the Phat Cats (bigvinceandthephatcats.com) has a busy week — 8 p.m. Friday at Tiki 52, 18487 S.E. Federal Highway, Jupiter (561-746-3312), 8 p.m. Saturday at the Square Grouper, 1111 Love St., Jupiter (561-575-0252), plus open mikes on Monday (7:30 p.m. at B.B. King’s, 550 S. Rosemary Ave., West Palm Beach, 561-420-8600) and Thursday (7:30 p.m. at the Sugar Cane Island Bistro, 353 N. U.S. 1, Jupiter, 561-743-4177).
~ bill_meredith@pbpost.com

The logo for West Palm Beach jazz/world fusion quartet Treebo (treeboband.com ) is, logically, a tree. But like all trees, there’s more underneath the surface. The name means “tribe” in Tagalog, the native language of the Philippines, and reflects the heritage and mind-set of bandleader Noel Lorica.

The 45-year-old guitarist relocated from the Philippines to the northeastern United States in 1984 after earning a degree in veterinary medicine, then moved to South Florida in 1990. His performing and recording career includes solo CDs (First Glance, Second Glance), Christmas CDs (Christmas Jazz, Christmas Guitars), and SunFest appearances in 2007 and 2010.

If it takes a village, then it takes a tribe to start and grow one. The finger-picking acoustic and electric guitarist was inspired by the work of Colombian drummer Arturo Afanador, so the two formed Treebo in 2008. Bassist Steve Constantino made it a trio in 2009 after arriving from Boston, and vocalist Z Washington arrived from New York in 2010. The quartet’s new self-titled debut CD sounds like a cross between the jazz, R&B, rock and fusion of Earl Klugh, Bonnie Raitt, Santana and Return To Forever.

“We’re an eclectic fusion band,” Lorica says. “I’ve always loved Brazilian jazz, and when you add what the other members bring to the mix, it makes us unique. We think it sounds cool to blend different genres together.”

See Treebo at 8 p.m. today on the waterfront stage for Jazz on the Palm, 100 N. Clematis St., West Palm Beach (wpb.org , click on “calendar” ).

Now hear this

John Wurm, the Kravis Center soundman who suffered a hemorrhagic stroke (brain bleed) in 2007, continues to get help in his quest for $15,000 by Dec. 1 to start uninsured adult stem cell treatments. His friends The Dillengers have organized an all-day benefit show with special guests Marc Ward, Sean Hanley, Illumination and others from noon-midnight on Saturday at South Shores, 502 Lucerne Ave., Lake Worth (561-547-7656). There will be raffles, and donation stations will be set up throughout. If you can’t attend and want to donate, visit www.gofundme.com/AdultStemCellsforJohn. … Masterful 75-year-old Lantana drummer Christian Buckholz has a new jazz release called Cool Again. It’s a series of standards that also features Miami-Dade County bass wiz Jamie Ousley and dazzling Romanian pianist Marian Petrescu, and is available at Melody Acres Music, 6169 Jog Rd., Lake Worth (561-969-0037). … Port Salerno roots act the Nouveaux Honkies makes a rare Palm Beach County appearance at 9 p.m. Nov. 26 at a great little restaurant called the Food Shack, 103 S. U.S. 1, Jupiter (561-741-3626).

Kevin Kaufman and Chris Peet of Kaufman Daenzer Productions in Lake Worth.

When Kevin Kaufman moved to South Florida from Delaware in 1978, it didn’t take him long to establish two connections that continue to fuel his livelihood in musical instruments and audio equipment.

The 54-year-old Lantana resident became the production supervisor from 1978 to 1989 at Music Mart, the former retail instrument store in Lake Park. He also became the technician for Jaco Pastorius – the fretless bassist who revolutionized the instrument with Weather Report and as a solo artist – from 1978 until Pastorius’ death in 1987.

Kaufman subsequently founded Kaufman Daenzer Productions (kdiproductions.com) in West Palm Beach in 1989, bought out partner Tim Daenzer in 1995, and moved his rental, repair and production shop to Lake Worth in 2002. His expertise often extends overseas as the soundman for jazz/fusion stars like the Yellowjackets, bassist Richard Bona, and guitarist Mike Stern.

"I met Mike through Jaco in the ’80s," Kaufman says, "and I still go to Europe or Japan with him every year. Here, I’m usually installing sound systems, running sound and lighting for events, and renting and repairing equipment."

Read the full story

Guanabanas' redesign turned the Jupiter restaurant into one of the area's top music clubs as well. (Richard Graulich / Palm Beach Post)

Matt Cahur (Photo by Bill Meredith)

If Matt Cahur looks familiar, it probably means you’re a fan of local music. Or of Guanabanas, the tropical, open-air waterfront restaurant where he works in Jupiter. Or both.

The 43-year-old Jupiter resident is a guitarist and surfer who was at the beach in 1994 when he met future bandmates in Boxelder, the touring reggae/rock act that helped define the Palm Beach County music scene for a decade.

Cahur then started a surf rental business in Nicaragua before returning to help resurrect Guanabanas, which had opened as a sandwich shop in 2004 before that year’s hurricanes blew it away.

Directions, leave your own review

He designed the covered patio stage and sound system for its 2008 reopening, then became entertainment coordinator, using previous band experience to make Guanabanas a favorite destination for original reggae, rock and roots music bands.

Read the full story

The Speakeasy Lounge in Lake Worth lives up to its covert name -- it doesn't even have a sign on the outside. (Photo by Bill Meredith)

For nearly four months now, the Speakeasy Lounge (speakeasy-lakeworth.com) has lived up to its covert, Prohibition-era name. The club features no signs outside of its location at Federal Highway and Second Avenue North in Lake Worth, only an intersection of blacked-out windows and doors.

“We’re working on a sign,” says 33-year-old owner Jimmy Dassler, who lives not far from a Lantana club he formerly owned, Scallywag’s. “But people seem to like the fact that there isn’t one because of the theme behind the name.”

People also seem to like the venue’s seven-nights-per-week scope of entertainment, which includes Reckless Mondays (with the Reckless Dames burlesque troupe) and Turn Down Tuesdays acoustic open mike nights.

This Friday features a Southern rock band from Miami with a local all-female group; Saturday is a variety of punk and metal acts, and the Speakeasy has also presented pop, R&B, reggae and hip-hop.
Dassler is quick to credit two of his cohorts in aiding such variety. His business partner and booking agent, Jon Jordan, is familiar with the scene as the drummer/vocalist for Delray Beach rock band Remain Calm, and sound engineer Justin Thompson was hired for his work and reputation at the downtown Lake Worth club Propaganda.
Read the full story

Interior of the Snooze Theatre in Lake Park where younger indie rock entrepreneurs can play.

If you’ve driven by the Orange Door nightclub in Lake Park during one of its off nights in the past couple months, and decided to stop in because you noticed a crowd, you may have experienced culture shock.

That’s because the seven-year-old club, known for its blues shows in general and 48 “3 Guitars” showcases in particular, is occasionally leasing out to younger indie rock entrepreneurs under the name the Snooze Theatre. Those principals are 28-year-olds Jordan Pettingill and C.J. Jankow, members of local duo Love Handles and the full band Cop City Chill Pillars who’ve played together for 16 years.
Read the full story

When Louis Armstrong died in 1971 at age 69, he was already widely regarded as the most important 20th century figure in jazz. His trumpet playing transcended the swing era, helped ignite be-bop, and influenced future trumpet greats from Clifford Brown and Dizzy Gillespie to Miles Davis and Wynton Marsalis.

Armstrong was nicknamed “Satchmo,” short for “satchelmouth,” for the powerful facial muscles and lips that fueled his playing from the early 1920s to his death. But he became even more influential for using his voice to mimic instrumental solos — the wordless, rapid-fire, improvisational “scat-singing” style since popularized by artists from Ella Fitzgerald to John Pizzarelli.

Seeing the late, New Orleans-born Armstrong in concert is no longer possible, but one can still get a virtual experience in Troy “Satchmo” Anderson. The Hollywood-born, Hallandale-based singer and trumpeter started his act as an Army paratrooper in the mid-1980s, and recently won awards for his expert mimicry from Las Vegas to Poland, where he did a two-week tour in August.

“I won the Gold Washboard Award for best performance at a festival in Illawa, and at the Louis Armstrong Amphitheater, no less,” Anderson says. “They want me to come back to Poland for the fall festivals.”

Between his Wonderful World Band, quartet, and the brass band Red Beans & Rice, Anderson performs verbatim classics like What a Wonderful World, Dream a Little Dream and Hello, Dolly!See Troy “Satchmo” Anderson on Fridays from 6-10 p.m. at Bourbon on 2nd, 201 S.W. 2nd St., Fort Lauderdale (954-522-1253), and from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. on Saturdays at Blue Jean Blues, 3320 N.E. 33rd St., Fort Lauderdale (954-306-6330).

Now hear this

Vocalist SAMM and bassist Jamie Ousley bring jazz unorthodoxy to the former Jetsetter Lounge during the duo’s 6:30-10:30 p.m. Saturday debut at the new Casa de Mara, 1132 N. Dixie Highway, Lake Worth (561-791-6248). … Boca Raton vocalist/violinist Nicole Yarling has eliminated her self-titled website to focus on teaching at multiple Miami colleges, giving the impression she’s no longer a performer. Don’t believe the hype. Yarling and her jazzy, bluesy 4-Tet play from 8-11 p.m. on September 10 at the Arts Garage (delraybeacharts.org), 180 N.E. 1st St., Delray Beach ($20 in advance; $25 at the door, 561-450-6357). … Boynton Beach singer and guitarist Jason Colannino (jasoncolannino.com) and his 4 Peace Band have a Beatles show to benefit Inspirit (inspiritlive.org), the Lake Worth nonprofit that brings live music to those who can’t get out to experience it. The new Fab Four play from 6:30-8 p.m. on Sept. 17 in the performance hall at drug and alcohol rehab residence the Fern House, 1958 Church St., West Palm Beach. Tickets cost $15, in advance only, and available by calling (561) 602-6980.

Through her appearances on YouTube, and in clubs from Delray Beach to Miami, Boca Raton vocalist Chloe Dolandis (chloedolandis.com) is developing the deserved reputation of a rising young jazz singer. But if that’s the basis for your purchase of her debut CD, Bring Back the Fever (DFM), you’ll be in for a surprise.

The opening track, Let’s Make This Moment, is an infectious pop burner that more resembles Katrina & the Waves’ 1985 hit Walking On Sunshine. Solid Woman is a sassy R&B number anchored by Dolandis’ powerful horn section, and two ballads – All I Need Is To Be With You and Bittersweet – hint the most at jazz through the all-star South Florida rhythm section of upright bassist Chuck Bergeron and drummer John Yarling.

Fellow regional notables like keyboardist Rick Krive, drummer Derek Cintron and multi-instrumentalist and producer Zach Ziskin provide Dolandis with a rock-solid instrumental foundation and an impeccable sound throughout, and she impressively co-wrote all 12 songs. Despite most of its energy being front-loaded, the disc is a solid debut for the singer, whichever genre she eventually chooses.

See Chloe Dolandis at 9 p.m. on Friday at Upstairs at the Van Dyke, 846 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach (305-534-3600).

Lake Worth singer/songwriter Jason Hanley is another area genre-surfer, and he releases more material than most under the umbrella of his group Sound Proof (soundproofproductions.net). His latest is from the vault. Social Ritual originated as a collaboration with fellow singer-guitarist Greg Hathaway, under the band name Enterlandscapes, in the mid-1990s in Charlotte, N.C.

The material ranges from the dreamy Face To Face (paced by Rich Paray’s tabla drums) and the ballad Fall Out (featuring flutist Jim Kovalcik) to full-band rock (All We Have Are Words) and reggae tunes (Some May Say) with bassist Marco Heeter and drummer Godfree Fernel that bear Grateful Dead elements.

See Sound Proof from 7-9 p.m. on Saturdays at Kavasutra, 508 Lake Ave., Lake Worth (561-932-7220).

‘ROUND TOWN

Jupiter reggae-rock hybrid B-Liminal (b-liminal.com) gets southern exposure at 1 p.m. on Sunday at the new Surf Cafe location at 7200 N. Dixie Highway, Boca Raton (561-672-7126). …

Jacksonville electronica act Greenhouse Lounge (greenhouselounge.com) is joined by the bands Aquaphonics and Sir Charles for a triple-bill at 9 p.m. on July 22 at Pineapple Groove, 19 N.E. Third Ave., Delray Beach ($10 ). …

Outside-the-box area pop singer/guitarist Mike Mineo (mikemineo.com) leads his trio during the release party for his Beach Season CD at 9 p.m. on July 22 at the Funky Buddha, 2621 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton ($10, free CD, 561-368-4643 ).

Minnesota-based blues artist Bernard Allison will be the Saturday headliner for the Red, White & Blues Festival.

More: Full event schedule

Drought-stricken South Florida needs rain, but Frank Ward, musical director for the second annual Red, White & Blues Festival at Boston’s On the Beach (bostonsbluesfest.com) from Friday through Monday, hopes it occurs anywhere but Delray Beach.

“We were almost rained out last year,” says Ward, the singing guitarist who’s hosted “Blue Tuesdays” at Boston’s for three years. “We had to move everything inside, so a few acts got bumped. I hope that doesn’t happen again, because I found most of the bands, and Boston’s general manager Mark DeAtley did so much work.”

Read the full story