Kelly McGuire & Friends Featuring Laura Blye
Saturday Night June 9th. 2007-7PM
Spies Public Library First Street Menominee, MI

The Wild Rice Concert series will be hosting Kelly McGuire and Friends in an upcoming concert to be held at Spies Library Saturday, June 9 at 7 PM. The band has appeared in various configurations in the last several years in the area and has featured various guest artists. McGuire teemed up with Chicago singer Laura Blye in the last couple of years, and the band has morphed into its current form during 2006, leading to the recording of their new CD, "Kelly McGuire/Laura Blye: Face to Face".

Like their concerts, the CD will feature primarily jazz standards, although mainly less often heard tunes in the standard vein such as "New Orleans", "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and "I Wish I Knew". A good mix of tunes might be expec- ted by those who have heard the band, but the CD also brings unique approaches to arrangements including instrumentation probably never heard by most. And, like the concerts the group has typically presented, you will find an occasional guest artist to spice things up.

Album highlights, to name a few (but not to give all the fun away), include a medley of the traditional style stand- ards "New Orleans" and "Brother Can You Spare a Dime" presented in a compelling arrangement. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", a Latin standard and the album opener, sets the stage again with an intriguing arrangement and unique instrumentation. An- other tune featured on the CD is a rather light-hearted treatment of a recent Bob Dylan tune "Moonlight" featuring Laura Blye singing the band's own French translation (by permission of Special Rider Music). While this ordinarily would not be thought of as fitting into a recording primarily consisting of jazz standards, it meshes well with the mix, and will likely be a favorite of many.

The concert group will include Mike Prusinsky on saxaphone, whose solo work is also featured on the CD. Bassist Benji Conklin from Minneapolis, is quite capable playing many styles and instruments, and has worked with McGuire in several groups in the last ten or more years. While he is regarded as dangeroulsy eccentric by other members of the group, he displays fine work on string bass on the CD and will also appear in concert. Rounding out the band, percussionist Rich Cairns, was rescued from travelling on the road with a country band. Playing primarily hand percussion with the group, you will hear a variety of percussion sounds on the CD as well as live.

McGuire's piano work and Blye's vocals carry the album but are especially appreciated on the two ballad duets "My Funny Valentine" and "My Foolish Heart". Although "Valentine" is probably the most recorded tune on the CD, it was a tune that "we wanted to record since it was the first tune the two of us really played together". It turned out to be a keeper and McGuire expressed appreciation that Blye on ballads shows "some of her best vocal work".

The CD is expected for release at the June 9 concert. Bay Area Medical Center is sponsoring a "meet the artist" reception at the M & M Yacht Club for the musicians and attendees of the concert.