Sounds Around Town - DC

Mingo Fishtrap at the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage
August 16

For years, the Kennedy Center has brought free hour-long, weekday concerts to its Millennium Stage, exposing a growing number of [us poor] concert lovers to music from around the world.

On Monday, an American band was featured, one who admittedly felt a little overwhelmed by the chandeliers and overall grandeur of the great hall. The eight-piece band, called Mingo Fishtrap, hails from Austin. They blend soul and funk, with strong undertones of Motown. Bandleader Roger Blevins, Jr. got the crowd clapping and even singing along and a few folks were swing dancing in the aisles. There was unmistakable New Orleans influence in Mingo's music, perhaps partly because Blevin's dad, also the bass player, comes from there. The bluesy grooves and stellar horn section made for one great hour. And I'm craving more...


Shannon McNally & Hot Sauce
Jammin Java, Vienna, VA
August 17

There were two highlights that night: one was Nashville (via Australia) opening act Anne McCue (pictured, right). The other was Eric Deaton, McNally's guitarist, who played some fine Mississippi juke-joint blues. He got to showcase a tune from his new CD, Smile at Trouble, recorded with Kinney Kimbrough on drums. In fact, Deaton had studied under Kinney's father, Junior, and RL Burnside, and the Mississippi country blues just flowed right outta him.

McNally and band played a fine evening of blues, though McNally's vocals were not consistent. She livened up and seemed to gain some strength later in the set. She and her husband, who's also her drummer, Wallace Lester, have settled in Mississippi, since Hurricane Katrina precluded their return to New Orleans.