September in Cincinnati is King Records Month, and this year marks the 73rd anniversary of the first songs recorded for the classic and seminal Cincinnati-based label that helped shape the course of popular music by releasing iconic records from artists in a variety of genres (notably crossing the “color/genre barrier” by issuing music by R&B and Roots/Country acts, among others). The celebration will be marked with a month full of (mostly free) concerts, presentations, radio programs and more.
A kick-off reception will be held in the neighborhood King was based, Evanston, on Friday at 1 p.m. at the Evanston Recreation Center (3204 Woodburn Ave.). At the reception, you can learn about “The Traveling Suitcase,” an educational tool developed to teach new generations about King’s impact, as well as other developments in the ongoing mission to celebrate and preserve King’s legacy.
For a bigger picture view of that legacy, from Sept. 1-Sept. 30, The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (50 E. Freedom Way, Downtown) is hosting the traveling exhibit King Records: The Lost History of Rock and Roll. The exhibition is the first of a three-part series of exhibits and covers the first 10 years of the label’s history. (Two later exhibits will cover the following 20 years.)
This Saturday, King Records’ music will come to life in Washington Park (1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine). The free A Day with King Records event runs from 3-10 p.m. Local musicians will perform throughout the day and feature special cover versions of King-released songs in their sets. Eclipse Movements kicks things off at 3 p.m., followed by Pike 27 (4:30 p.m.), The Perfect Children (6 p.m.), The Midwestern Swing (7:30 p.m.) and Young James Brown and Deuces (9 p.m.), who will perform the music of King’s most well-known artist, James Brown.
Other related happenings include a month-long sale on King music at Everybody’s Records, Black Plastic and Shake It Records; jukeboxes at local venues like Southgate House Revival, City View Tavern, MOTR Pub and The Comet will be stocked with King tunes; and, among the many area radio stations airing King specials throughout the month, WNKU will be playing King songs every day and also feature regular special segments about the label’s history.
That is literally only scratching the surface of the multitude of events going on in honor the legendary label in September. Find the full list of King Records Month activities at kingstudios.org.
More Local Notes
• Excellent local Folk/Americana singer/songwriter Daniel Van Vechten (who was nominated in the Singer/Songwriter category at the 2016 Cincinnati Entertainment Awards) is unleashing his new album, Get Right, in conjunction with a release party this Friday at Southgate House Revival (111 E. Sixth St., Newport, Ky., southgatehouse.com). The album follows Van Vechten’s 2014 effort, which was released under the name The Simply Dan String Band.
Friday’s release event also features performances by River City Roustabout and HuTown Holler. Showtime is 9 p.m. Admission is $12 in advance or $15 at the door and includes a copy of the new album on CD. For more info, visit danvanvechtenmusic.com or facebook.com/danvanvechten.
• Cincinnati’s Soul Step Records, which was created four years ago as a way to help artists who otherwise couldn’t afford it release their music on vinyl, is launching a series of 7-inch singles by local artists in partnership with a local brewery, which will host a free concert by the artist and create a special beer in honor of the show and release.
The first in the “Cincy Brewers Series” is a platter from the soulful Krystal Peterson & the Queen City Band. The record’s songs (“I Ain’t Cryin’” backed with “Better Way” featuring Buggs Tha Rocka) can be previewed at soulsteprecords.com. Or better yet, you can pick up a copy of the vinyl this Sunday at the free release show at MadTree Brewing (5164 Kennedy Ave., Oakley, madtreebrewing.com). Peterson and Co. perform from 6:30-7:30 p.m. The initial release of the single will be pressed on purple and red vinyl.
CONTACT MIKE BREEN: [email protected]
