Turn it Down: A survey of Lansing’s musical landscape

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Popular jazz vocalist performs at LeRoy’s
Sunny Wilkinson is a local jazz singer known for her mischievous vocal style. She has sung with The Count Basie Band, Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass, Clark Terry, Mark Murphy, Milt Hinton, Curtis Fuller and Edgar Winter, among others.
On Saturday, she’ll perform at LeRoy’s Classic Bar & Grill. Wilkinson is a former assistant professor of jazz voice at Michigan State University. Her latest CD, “A Gentle Time — When Sunny Meets Tom” (Chase Music Group) was released in 2008. It’s a duo project featuring Los Angeles-based pianist Tom Garvin. Her previous albums include “High Wire,” “Alegria” and a self-titled album on the Positive Music label.
Saturday, June 18 @ LeRoy’s Classic Bar & Grill, 1526 S. Cedar Street, Lansing, 21 and over, $5, 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

Lansing band debuts at (SCENE)
Sons of a Battle Cry, a new Lansing band, plays its first show Thursday at (SCENE) Metrospace. The band, which features Alex Vuich (bass), Christopher Milbourne (lead guitarist) and Marcus Leahey-James (drums), is influenced by The White Stripes (the band covers “Seven Nation Army”) and a list of other hard rock and alternative bands.
Thursday, June 16 @ (SCENE) Metrospace, 110 Charles Street, East Lansing, all ages, $3, doors at 7:30, show at 8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Primitive blues-punks stomp into Mac’s
Bloodshot Records recording artist Scott H. Biram is known for his blues singing, yodeling, growling, leering and brash preachin’ and hollerin’ — accompanied by sloppy but soulful riffs and licks from his ‘59 Gibson guitar. His backbeat is provided by his left foot, which is stompin’ and amplified. He’ll bring this exciting show to Mac’s Bar June 22.
Biram is an Austin native, and the self-proclaimed “Dirty Old One Man Band,” who melds blues, hillbilly and raucous country with punk and metal. For those who dig Bob Log III, Hasil Adkins, or Reverend Deadeye, this show is likely to be worth checking out. Opening the show are Left Lane Cruiser (high-energy blues duo from Fort Wayne), and Possessed By Paul Jones (one-man punk-blues from Texas).
Wednesday, June 22 @ Mac’s Bar, 2700 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing, 18 and over, $10 advance, $12 at door, 9 p.m.

L.E.A.K DJs say ‘What Up’
Electro fans may also want to check out Mac’s Bar Friday when the Lansing Electronic Artists Kollective (L.E.A.K.) hosts “What Up Summer Pt. 2” — a night of live DJs spinning dance tracks. L.E.A.K. is a collective of local DJs that promotes Lansing electronic music events at various venues across the city. Set to make some noise are Rob Perry, G.K. Andrew Lynch, and Roque Ybarra. Music goes until 2 a.m. For more information on the collective, write to leakollective@gmail.com.
Friday, June 17 @ Mac’s Bar, 2700 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing, 18 and over, $5, 9 p.m.

Sludge-punk trio BerT shares bill with metalheads

While Blackened Moon Concert Hall is primarily a metal venue, Friday’s show will host the minimal sludge-punk sounds of BerT, a Lansing-based three-piece that features members of Red Teeth. The band is currently working on a release to be issued Madlantis Records, a label operated by the band members, which includes Phillip Clark (bass), Ryan Andrews (guitar/vocals), and Rael Jordan (drums). Also set to perform are the metal sounds of Sinister Black, Six Seconds to Oblivion, Hokori, and Hillside Barrier.
Friday, June 17 @ Blackened Moon Concert Hall, 3208 S. Martin Luther King Jr Blvd., Lansing, 18 and over, $5 donation, 9 p.m. to midnight.

Nashville songwriter pulls into town
Phil Lee writes smart songs full of wit, humor and grace that blend sizzling Dylan-esque rock and roll, country and western, and mid-1960s British Invasion sung in a unique voice. He will perform an intimate set at the Pump House Sunday.
Lee grew up in Durham, N.C., where he began writing songs in his teens. By the early ‘70s he took off to New York for a stint, and then moved to Los Angeles where he did movie soundtrack work with Jack Nitzsche and drove a truck for Neil Young. All the while he kept writing, recording and touring. Lee’s music is the distillation of 30 years’ worth of playing in smoky bars from one side of the country to the other.
Sunday, June 19 @ The Pump House, 368 Orchard Street, East Lansing, all ages, $10 suggested donation; all money goes to performer, 7 p.m.

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