• Gifted young violinist/vocalist Rosie Carson and her father, former Customs bassist and longtime show promoter Steve Carson, are presenting a benefit concert tonight at the Molly Malone's in Covington for Cancer Family Care of Cincinnati (cancerfamilycare.org), which assists family members dealing with the cancer diagnoses of loved ones.
The event is being held in “loving memory” of Sue Carson, Rosie’s mother and Steve’s wife, who passed away from the disease. Tonight's benefit show starts at 7 p.m. and features The Graveblankets (with whom Rosie performs), Tickled Pink and The Rosie Carson Band, Rosie’s Bluegrass/Celtic hybrid that opened the sold-out Richard Thompson concert on April 11 at the 20th Century Theater. Admission is free but donations are encouraged.
Here's a fan-shot live clip of the Rosie Carson Band in action, performing the Flying Burrito Brothers' version of the Southern Gospel tune, "Farther Along."
• If you were to put together an all-star Funk supergroup culled from the history of the genre (dead or alive), there are a few “no-brainer” choices. Bootsy Collins would, of course, hold down the bass, George Clinton would be the bandleader, James Brown would sing and Bernie Worrell would command the keyboards. Worrell, a crucial member of the original Parliament-Funkadelic, may be less of a household name than those other artists, but he is also the one who has continued to make consistently challenging and enthralling new music.
The classically trained pianist continues to be an in-demand sideman (he’s played and/or recorded with everyone from the Talking Heads to Cincinnati’s own Blues guitarist Kelly Richey over the past 30 years) and he’s currently heading up The Bernie Worrell Orchestra, which plays, for lack of a better word, “Big Band Funk,” groovin’, progressive, jazzy and with a tinge of the Psych Funk he helped invent. (Local DJ/Electronic artist Tobotius of Animal Crackers and Freekbot fame mentioned yesterday on his Facebook page that he will be sitting in with the ensemble on turntables.)
Worrell’s nine-piece ensemble plays at The Blue Wisp Jazz Club tonight. Showtime is 8 p.m. and admission is $20.
Here's a newer Bernie Worrell Orchestra song, "So Uptight (Move On)."
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