{image1}By the time Norah Jones rolls into the Milwaukee Theatre on Friday, Sept. 10, she'll have been on the road in the United States for a month, performing the first dates here since the release in February of her second Blue Note disc, "Feels Like Home."
So, fans here will likely get a polished, on-a-roll Jones and her Handsome Band, which includes Robbie McIntosh, familiar to McCartney fans, and Adam Levy, who ought not be confused with the Minneapolis boy of the same name who leads The Honeydogs.
Despite the band's accomplished musicianship, on stage and on the funky, earthy and not especially jazzy "Feels Like Home," the draw remains Jones' smokily expressive, direct and sincere voice. Marketing aside, that's what led more than a million Americans to plop down $15 or so for the disc during its first week in shops.
By now, Jones' sophomore disc has sold more than four million copies. So, expect some competition for the good seats at the Milwaukee Theatre, 500 W. Kilbourn Ave. Showtime is 8 p.m. and tickets range from $45-$58.
For something completely different, New York ska punks Leftover Crack has hit the road in support of its first full-length disc in three years. "F*ck World Trade," produced by Steve Albini, was released in August on Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles Records. The band plays Wednesday, Sept. 15 at Mad Planet on Center Street in Riverwest.
Western swingers Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys return to town for a Tuesday, Sept. 21 gig at Vnuk's on Packard in Cudahy. The California-based quintet is still working last year's "It's Time," released by Yep Roc.
Chicago-based Ike Reilly brings The Ike Reilly Assassination to the Mad Planet on Saturday, Sept. 25 to introduce Milwaukee hipsters to the new disc, "Sparkle in the Finish," due for release by Rock Ridge Music on Oct. 12. The disc follows the much-vaunted 2001 set, "Salesmen and Racists," which showcased Reilly's skills as a deft lyricist.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
