By Daniel Jumpertz
Special to DNAinfo
Thursday January 5
A pre-festival kickoff to the 2012 Winter Jazzfest is happening at Le Poisson Rouge featuring Medeski/Skerik/Deitch, Red Baraat and Marc Ribot's Young Philadelphians and the Jessica Lurie Ensemble. Winter Jazzfest begins on Friday and is centered around Greenwich Village. Once famed as the focal point of New York City's rich jazz and live music scene, Bleecker Street and the Village provide a focused festival experience with jazz and experimental music groups performing all night at five of the neighborhood's venues within a three-block radius. Aside from Le Poisson Rouge venues include Sullivan Hall, Kenny's Castaways, Zinc Bar, and The Bitter End.
Friday January 6
The 2012 New York Guitar Festival will kick off with The Apollo Project, a free all-star concert celebrating the 30th anniversary of Brian Eno’s masterpiece, Apollo: Atmospheres & Soundtracks, at the World Financial Center Winter Garden. The Apollo Project will mark a rare live re-imagining of Eno's classic album featuring the Brooklyn ambient ensemble Itsnotyouitsme, legendary New York guitarist Larry Campbell and special guests Phish's Mike Gordon, Tortoise's Jeff Parker, Noveller and David Torn. Accompanying the live performance will be scenes from the feature documentary "Man In The Right Seat," a work in progress by director Craig Teper, which chronicles the life of Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell.
Also tonight: Over the course of the past four years, the Pimps of Joytime have evolved into a road tested groove machine. This year's ongoing "All The Way Live" tour far exceeds the volume of previous years. Their latest album is "Janxta Funk!" Also playing, the dubby vibes of SEE-I (featuring members of Thievery Corp) and The Dukes. At The Bowery Ballroom.
Saturday January 7 : GIG OF THE WEEK
I feel safe in calling Glen Campbell an American music legend. Why? Aside from recording some massive pop country hits in the 70s such as "Wichita Lineman," "Galveston," and "Rhinestone Cowboy," his musical achievements stretch back in ways the casual listener wouldn't believe.
Campbell was one of 12 children born to a sharecropper father in Pike County, Arkansas. At 16, Campbell joined his uncle’s band. A few years later, Campbell formed his own band, the Western Wranglers. In 1958, he moved to LA to become a session guitarist. He was part of the studio musicians clique known as "the Wrecking Crew", an essential part of Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" recordings in the early 1960s. He played alongside Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, The Monkees and dozens more. He was also a touring member of the Beach Boys, filling in for Brian Wilson in 1964 and 1965. He played guitar on Pet Sounds. On tour, he played bass guitar and sang falsetto harmonies for the Beach Boys. His latest (and 57th studio album) "Ghost On The Canvas" was released last year, intended as his farewell to studio recording due to his recent diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. This concert is part of his national Goodbye Tour. At the Town Hall.
Sunday January 8
Party animal and anthemic rock singer Andrew W.K stretches his wings to perform alongside the Calder Quartet — interpreting works by Bach, John Cage and Philip Glass at Le Poisson Rouge.
Monday January 9 (and Mondays through Feb. 6)
Texan bred singer songwriter Steve Earle begins a winter residency at City Winery. Earle emerged in the mid 80s, after Bruce Springsteen had popularized populist rock & roll and Dwight Yoakam had kick-started the neo-traditionalist movement in country music. Somehow, Steve Earle combined elements of both strands. The five-week run at City Winery will have Steve appearing with a roster of invited guest and friends.
Tuesday January 10
Constantly shifting between simple country blues to all-out electric slide guitar blues-rock, Johnny Winter was an early and clear link between British blues-rock and American Southern rock. At B.B. King's Blues Club and Grill.
Wednesday January 11
Eerie and atmospheric up-and-coming singer and producer King Krule (the musical alias of 17-year-old Archy Marshall) plays a late show (onstage 11pm) at the Mercury Lounge. His most recent release is a beautifully restrained but lyrically intense 5-track, self-titled EP.
