ValleyVibrations

I just thought of another thing my former bass teacher, Art Rodriguez, said.

(Are other people like me? Do you grasp a hold of words of wisdom?)

He was talking about how much he practices, at least a half hour a day, preferably more. And he is a gigging musician.

What he said was, "Miss one day of practice, you notice it. Miss two days and the band notices it. Miss three days and the audience notices it."

I'll never forget that. Just thought I'd pass that along.

Rodriguez' class, intermediate bass, at Lake Tahoe Community College was canceled this semester. Too bad. Guess my classmates, including myself, didn't get on the ball and sign up. Our loss.

Until next week, keep on playin'!

Remember, to keep this going, I have to hear from you. Just a little e-mail (jrafferty@recordcourier.com) or a phone call (782-5121, ext. 210) or even a fax (782-6152) is all I need to put your musical entertainment information in this column at no charge to you. If you send it, I'll even try to get a photo in to go with it. Details are needed by noon on Wednesday.

So, with a "One, two - one, two, three, four":

Music in Markleeville

Live music by Craig Barton will be presented at 7 p.m. Saturday at Wolf Creek Restaurant & Cutthroat Saloon in Markleeville. For more information, call (530) 694-2150.

Who's at The Bank?

-- Today 6:30-10:30 p.m. Acoustic Solutions will perform. Acoustic Solutions features electric folk and electrified acoustic music. "This family group always draws a large group of enthusiastic fans and keeps the patrons entertained for hours," said Cheryl Bohler, owner of the Bank.

-- Saturday 6:30-10:30 p.m. Tony Sanders will be playing his special blend of rockabilly, country and rock 'n' roll music from the 1950s through the present. From Johnny Cash to Elvis to The Beatles, Dylan and the Stones to Green Day, "He has a diverse and eclectic repertoire that is always growing and unpredictable," said Bohler.

The Bank Parlor & Pub is located at 1596 Esmeralda Ave. Call 783-4770 for more information.

Dealer's Choice plays at Buckaroos

-- Today, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., Dealer's Choice, a country-western country-rock band that also does oldies, will perform at Buckaroos Saloon.

-- Saturday from 8 p.m. to midnight Ted Nagel will host karaoke.

-- Tuesday, April 17, from 7-11 p.m. there will be open mic session that leans toward jazz and blues.

Buckaroos is located at 1435 Highway 395 in Gardnerville. For information, call general manager Steve Orlando at 782-9693. Bonus slots are now available.

Arts council concert

The Carson Valley Arts Council presents a free concert at the CVIC Hall on April 27. The featured performer, Laurence Juber, was the lead guitarist for Paul McCartney and Wings in the 1970s. Free wine and appetizers will be served at 6 p.m.; the concert is at 7 p.m.; dessert at 9 p.m. Come and hear the latest information about the proposed Copeland Performing Arts Center. Information: 265-3529.

Music is always Inn

Musicole appears through April 15, The Doo-Wah Riders will perform April 17- 22, and various duos entertain on Monday nights. Cabaret Lounge live entertainment is presented with no cover and no minimum.

Musicole is a high-energy show band that entertains with a wide variety of musical genres. The band performs tributes to the late Louie Armstrong, Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson. Forty-five-minute shows start at 7:30, 8:30, 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 p.m.

The Doo-Wah Riders describe their sound as "high energy country with a Cajun twist." Enjoy them in shows on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday starting at 7:30, 9 and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday shows start at 8, 9:30 and 11 p.m.

The Carson Valley Inn is located on Highway 395 in Minden. For information visit www.cvinn.com or call 782-9711.

Villa After Dark

-- Starting today, Villa san Marcel presents The After Dark Ultra Lounge starting at 10 p.m. on Friday nights. Dance the night away or simply relax in a tranquil atmosphere. Music will be played by D.J. Styles. After Dark features a fully stocked bar, upscale appetizers and desserts. A dress code is in effect, in a non-smoking environment.

Happy hour is at 4 p.m. The restaurant features Italian cuisine. Villa san Marcel is located at 1799 Ironwood Drive, between Danny's Ironwood Grill and the Mandarin Gourmet. For more information call 783-4987.

-- Jazz entertainer David Jobe will appear Saturday night at Villa san Marcel. Live jazz music will be performed during dinner. Dinners are served starting at 5 p.m. and entertainment begins at 6:30 p.m.

Events at Backroads

Backroads Bar & Grill, 2244 Meridian Blvd., off Airport Road, will feature the following performers in the next couple of weeks:

-- Tonight - Schizoid Johnny, a one-man band, singer-songwriter-performance artist all rolled into one, will perform with an eclectic mix of music styles from cover rock, country and originals.

On stage he plays an assortment of instruments including electric, acoustic, resonator, slide talkbox, bass guitars, harmonica, keyboards, trombone, trumpet and drums.

-- April 28 - Wild Card, a country-western country rock five-piece band from Reno will be the featured band.

-- Every Tuesday night is "T-Bone Tuesday," with T-bones for $13.95, happy hour is 3-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and video poker is available now.

For more information, call Backroads at 782-3966.

Going Schizoid at Topaz Joe's

Topaz Joe's Grill and Bar is presenting the unpredictable Schizoid Johnny, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday. His one-man band appearance provides musical entertainment, while he dons multiple costumes and portrays multiple personalities. The standards are intermingled with his own compositions. Schizoid plays everything from guitars, keyboards, a trumpet, trombone, harmonica, drums, among other instruments, with pre-recorded background music by him. There is no cover charge. Topaz Joe's is located on the corner of Albite Road and Carter Way in Topaz Ranch Estates. For more information call 266-3208.

Rockin' the Ranchos

Boodler's Bar and Grubshack, formerly The Stone Pony, has music planned every weekend. Monday is karaoke night beginning at 8 p.m., Wednesday open mic is at 8 p.m. and on Saturday live music by Rad-Ral the "human juke box" also starts at 8 p.m.

Boodler's Bar and Grubshack is located at 1302 Langley Drive in the Gardnerville Ranchos. For information, call owners Keith Endlich or Jeffery Shackleton at 265-8841.

Two trios at Walley's

Every Wednesday and Thursday night music can be heard while dining at David Walley's Resort, Hot Springs and Spa, 2001 Foothill Road, Genoa.

-- The Big Tsunami plays every Wednesday, 6-9 p.m. at Walley's. The Big Tsunami performs island, contemporary and traditional music, as well as local standards.

-- On Thursdays from 5:30-9 p.m. the Red Davidson Trio performs on bass, drums and piano.

"We play mainstream jazz for the most part," said bass player Tim Goldsmith. "It's very listenable - you don't have to be a jazz expert to enjoy it."

For more information, call Walley's at 782-8155.

Acoustic jam

The Eddy Street Book Exchange offers an acoustic jam session the last Sunday of every month at 2:30 p.m. The next jam will be on April 29. The informal core group of musicians includes three guitarists, a mandolin player, a banjoist, a fiddle, a ukulele, bass and whoever else shows up. The musicians go around the circle and perform their songs. There is a wide variety of music and the musicians are welcoming and supportive, according to bookstore owner Linda Finch. The Eddy Street Book Exchange is located at 1225 Eddy St., Gardnerville. Information, 782-5484.

Rockin' to '50s and '60s music

On May 19 the '50s Rockathon Car Show and Swap Meet will take place 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Heritage Park in Gardnerville. Organizers wanted me to let everyone know that during the show DJ Chuck Baldauskas will be playing music from the '50s and '60s throughout the day. The Rockathon is hosted by the Valley Cruisers Car Club and the town of Gardnerville.

-- Jo Rafferty is the People editor at The Record-Courier.