Spotlight – Carrtunes CD Release
It’s not often that a band stays together for three years, let alone 30, and that’s probably why the Carrtunes are so good their blend of folk, swing, doo wop, jazz and Americana. Hailing from Sonoma Valley, the band formed when all the members had children in the same school and the parents started jamming to play talent shows and such for the school. Almost 30 years later, they still get together almost every Monday night and play, just for the fun of it. After so many years, they finally decided to release a CD.
The ladies in the band, Cynthia Carr, Sandi Everett and Caryn Prince, with their stellar harmonies, will invoke images from the Andrews Sisters all the way to ‘70s folk singers. Along with Ed Davis and Doug Bates, the quintet’s new CD is titled “A Carrtunes Banquet” and it certainly is that. The disc is all cover songs, sans one, which we’ll touch on later. The order kicks off with a Gillian Welch and David Rawlings song “Look at Miss Ohio” and it’s on from there. Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Robbie Robertson and more are all represented. There is even a version of “In the Mood” written by Joseph Garland and was a big hit for the Glenn Miller Orchestra, and as embarrassed as we are to admit this, we didn’t know the song actually had words, but they come through loud and clear and in the style of the era in which it was written.
The band is most proud of Cynthia Carrs original song “Our House, Our Town” which bass player Ed Davis says “The song has such universal appeal, it feels to me like one that could become part of The American Songbook…” According to Carr “When I was a young girl, I read and loved “Vagabond’s House” in the ‘20’s and describes a traveling soul’s home filled with their most valued treasures and memories. It churned up the wanderer in me and made me pine for this special place. I carried that with me until I was a grown woman and began writing, but it wasn’t until I actually fell in love that the song came to be.”
The disc is being released today, and you can get that and find more about the band at their website, carrtunesband.com.
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Weekday Rundown
Annex Wine Bar, 865 W. Napa St. Sonoma, 938-7779
Wednesday, May 24: Dale Henry Geist. 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 25: Hooper and Sloss. 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 26: Tangled up in Blue. 7:30 p.m.
B&V Whiskey Bar and Grille, 400 First St. E. Sonoma, 938-7110
Thursday, May 25: Brandon and the Bees Knees. 9 p.m.
Friday, May 26: DJ Willie for “Latin Night”. 9 p.m.
El Verano Inn, 705 Laurel Ave. El Verano, 935-0611
Tonight, May 23: Neelix One presents Karaoke, 9 p.m.
Friday Farmers Market, Depot Park, 270 First St W. Sonoma
Friday, May 26: Stewart Degner. 9:30 a.m.
Hood Mansion Lawn, 389 Casa Manana Rd. Santa Rosa, 833-6288
Friday, May 26: Funky Fridays with the Bruthas. 7 p.m.
HopMonk Tavern, 691 Broadway Sonoma, 935-9100
Wednesday, May 24: Open – Mic night. 8 p.m.
Friday, May 26: Sean Carscadden. 5 p.m. Matt Bolton. 8 p.m.
Murphy’s Irish Pub, 464 First St. E. Sonoma, 935-0660.
Friday, May 26: Dawn Angelosante and Tony Gibson. 8 p.m.
Olde Sonoma Public House, 18615 Sonoma Hwy. Boyes Hot Springs, 938-7587
Friday, May 26: Ryan Tatarian. 6:30 p.m. Reggae Night with Byron Borges. 8 p.m.
The Reel Fish House and Grill, 401 Grove St. El Verano, 343-0044
Friday, May 26: Ryan Tatarian. 7:30 p.m.
Sebastiani Winery and Vineyards, 389 Fourth St. E. Sonoma, 933-3230
Friday, May 26, Stax City and “Food Truck Friday.” 6 p.m.
Sonoma Plaza, 1 Broadway, Sonoma
Tonight, May 23: Tuesday Night Market with Coyote and the Tricksters and David Thom. 6 p.m.
Sonoma Speakeasy and American Music Hall, 452 First St. E. ste. G. Sonoma, 996-1364
Tonight, May 23: American Roots Night with Lou A. Rodriguez, Tim Eschliman and Bruce Gordon. 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 24: the Acrosonics. 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 25: Jim Caroompas. 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 26: Acoustic Soul. 6:30 p.m. S.E.Willis, Bobby Cochran and Ruth Davies. 8 p.m.
Vintage House senior center, 264 First St. E. Sonoma, 996-0311
Friday, May 26: the Vintage House Singers “Spring Concert.” 2 p.m.
If your gig isn’t in my column, you didn’t tell me about it, or I royally messed it up… jmberry@sonomamusic.com