Clearly influenced by 1970s Motown, this Brighton, UK blue-eyed neo-soul singer might be one of the greatest discoveries in the genre for the year of 2009. She is touring in support of her U.S. debut entitled “Pot of Gold” (Six Degrees)—the main single, “Got The Hunger,” has a catchy horn arrangement that pays homage to Arif Mardin’s work while looking into the future. According to her Web site, her primary influences are “golden voices such as Minnie Ripperton, Eva Cassidy, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin.” Russell has a firm, assured voice that communicates the music—which she writes by herself—with the poignancy of someone who has been around for years. New fans are advised to take advantage of the fact that she is still pretty unknown on this side of the pond—who knows how big she will be next time around—when the tickets will surely go for premium prices. (Ernest Barteldes)
March13 at Schubas, 3159 N. Southport, (773)525-2508, at 10:30pm. $14.
Cooling It: A Preview of Colleen Green at Cole’s Bar When Green strums power chords or chiming notes on top of her backing track, you might think you’re at Ramones karaoke night and Madonna is taking her turn.
Brutal Finesse: A Preview of King Crimson at Ravinia There have been few new compositions from King Crimson these past two decades, but the live arrangements of songs from its catalog are often strikingly different than the recorded versions.
For “Want” of a Change: A Preview of Rufus Wainwright at Ravinia Park Rufus Wainwright isn’t the first singer-songwriter to reinterpret earlier work through an orchestral lens. And much of Wainwright’s third and fourth albums, “Want One” and “Want Two”—whose twentieth anniversaries are the prompt for this new tour—is fully scored. But when Wainwright hits the Pavilion stage at Ravinia tonight, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will be behind him.
