For quite a few years, the Americana scene has thrived in the area around The Grand Ole Echo near Dodger Stadium. While that area still exists, Americana has found an additional home at the Highland Park Bowl, thanks to Prickly Pear Presents. The event occurs every Wednesday night through at least the end of July. We were fortunate enough to attend on May 15, which featured Nikki O’Neill, Manda Mosher and Emily Zuzik.
Zuzik and Mosher are both winners of the LA Music Critic Awards and will be featured at the next Winners Showcase on June 18 at The Mint LA. This year’s Showcase will honor Women in Entertainment and features 10 female performers. The event benefits Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. Tickets are available on the Mint’s website or through PayPal using “lamusiccritic@yahoo.com” as the payee. Tickets are available in advance for $10, and if available, at the door for $15.
The event was held in Mr. T’s Lounge at this vintage bowling alley. First up was the R&B infused Americana sound of O’Neill. She was the only act we had not heard previously, and her set was an unexpected pleasure. Her sound was diverse, with elements of Alabama and traditional R&B, skillfully delivered by her four-piece band, which included Joshua Pessar on guitar and backing vocals, Rob Fresco on bass and backing vocals, and Rich Lackowski on drums and percussion. Her last album, Love Will Lead You Home, was released in 2017, and their new album will be released shortly. O’Neill has also been a contributing writer for Guitar Player magazine and is the author of the e-book Women’s Road to Rock Guitar, published by Alfred Music. Although Pessar turned in some impressive guitar licks and Lackowski and Fresco kept a steady rhythm, the set suffered from a lack of interesting stage banter. The music itself was impressive, especially their closing song “That’s how you Lose Her,” which featured the Janis Joplin-like vocals of Halina Janusz from the Grateful Dead tribute band Jerry’s Middle Finger.
Next up was Mosher, formerly from CALICO the band. She and her husband Eric Craig, along with Dan Wistrom on pedal steel, guitar and backing vocals, Aaron Stern on bass and Jesper Kristensen on drums, put on a clinic of how to mix rock and Americana, are truly a sterling example of the influence of Tom Petty on the entire Americana scene. Mosher’s voice is so smoky and strong that is perfectly suited to Petty’s musical style, while her stage presence reminds us of a younger Emmylou Harris. The overall sound of the band is head and shoulders over their peers. Unfortunately, like O’Neill, the set suffered from the lack of banter between the songs, , leaving way too much “dead air” between songs. Once they tighten up the set with appropriate banter, we think they will be unstoppable as a premier concert destination.
Wrapping up the evening was the sterling sound of Zuzik and her amazing band, which included Wistrom, Topher Allis on drums and the incomparable Ted Russell Kamp on bass, who was taking a break from his recent touring with both Shooter Jennings and Duff McKagan. Kamp will also be producing Zuzik’s forthcoming album. Zuzik is even rockier than Mosher, but neither of them has forgotten their roots. Zuzik reminds us of a combination between Chrissie Hynde and Sheryl Crow. The band also turned in an impressive cover of The Faces’ mega hit “Stay with Me,” delivered in a style that was part James Brown and part Mick Jagger. All in all it was an impressive end to this incredible night of Americana music. Can’t wait until June 18 to see them again.