Music Blog

TO DO: STEVE MARTIN

Ellen GrileyFri. October 30
 

Steve Martin with the Steep Canyon Rangers
I know, I’m thinking it, too: “Steve—Pink Panther 3? Seriously?” But it’s all for good reason. Delivering crap bits in crap movies affords Steve Martin the opportunity to do Crap We Actually Like, like writing books, being at Tina Fey’s beck and call and performing with his wee banjo and the Steep Canyon Rangers. His latest album, The Crow: New Songs For the Five String Banjo, might not satisfy like jokes about cats and philosophy majors, but at 35 weeks it sits just below Patty Loveless at No. 2 on the Billboard Bluegrass chart. Here’s hoping the Halloween spirit brings on an impromptu “King Tut.”

Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa 92626. Fri 7:30pm. $43-68. ocpac.org.

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  • DontKnowIt
    If you like acoustic string (bluegrassy) music, The Crow is good.

    Martin may have had better 5-string chops back in the day, but his songwriting on this disc is terrific. All of the outstanding instrumental and vocal work on The Crow, however, was done by the all-star musicians Martin was able to attract to the project, and there were more than a few -- Trischka, Scruggs, O'Brien, Parton, Gill, McEuen, Duncan, Douglas, etc. It's really an all-star project catalyzed by Martin.

    I'm a Martin fan, but I'm not getting wild and crazy about his banjo thing.
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