MEMPHIS TN (IFS) -- Murphy's Bar and Grill. Shane E. of Los Angeles writes the following -- "AHHHHHH Murphy's. I've loved, hated, laughed, cried, drank, been merry, been miserable, thrown up all over the tables outside (and inside), been partially nude, just about everything in this humble little bar.
Seen so many great shows, met so many great friends, played some of my favorite gigs, so many great memories I've made here. it's kinda small. It can be very crowded. It can be loud and the people can be obnoxious. And I wouldn't have it any other way."
Now going to Murphy's was my first experience since coming to Memphis. My neighbor recording artist Johnny Lowebow, just released his new vinyl 45RPM single and 12" Vinyl album entitled, "I'm A One Man Band", and after an afternoon's block party and radio and record talk, I told Johnny that I would go to Murphy's and catch his show late that evening.
Goodness, what a performance, Lowebow explodes on the stage and the public address system with great precision of double bass drums, right hand playing and strumming the combination bass and guitar keeping time with the snare drum and doing the vocals. The timing for all of this action is crazy, but if you closed your eyes and just listened with your ears, you would swear that is was a full four piece band all on stage and sounds like they have been playing together for years. This writer was there to support Lowebow, but the audience included one award winning film producer, listening to Johnny for ideas for his next musical soundtrack for his new film project, and in the audience that night was the empress of the accordion and one woman band, Esmerelda Strange, recording artist Slate Dump and other wonderful artists that night. Lowebow's artistry also includes the design and manufacture of the Lowebow Guitar Series as seen below:
Esmerelda Strange is a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist based out of San Francisco, CA. Strange in her earlier days was in Seattle, Washington back in the days of the start of the uproar of grunge rock with the Cowboys Junkies, Rail, Queenryche and Nirvana. Esmerelda Strange's delivery of the one woman band concept was not new to the Pacific Northwest, but she put her imprint on it and drives home the idea of entertaining on the level of Judy Tenuta back in the day.
In the 80’s, you couldn’t turn on the TV without seeing comic Judy Tenuta. The self-proclaimed “Love Goddess” and her accordion popped up everywhere: her own HBO special, Late Night with David Letterman, commercials for Diet Dr. Pepper, and Hollywood Squares. Soon, it seemed everyone you knew had converted to her new religion, “Judyism.” Since then, she’s been a guest on various TV shows and appeared on stage for The Vagina Monologues in L.A. and Chicago.
She’s eve racked up two Grammy nominations for her comedy cds as well. Drawing on the vaudevillian tradition of the one man band; Strange plays the accordion, drums and sings all at the same time. It's like watching a punk rock polka goddess making good on a bet with some "punki-achi" huevos ranchero band after a tequila binge in Tijuana. Oh yea, you ate the worm. Twice.
"...eerie and evocative aggressive accordion based funk folk" -- Lil Mike. Mission Arts Monthly
"..brave and brazen..." -- Siimlke Tudor. SF Weekly.
Ms. Strange would describe herself as a punk rock band, but her musical influences and the resulting product contain elements of urban folk, cumbia, circus music, Norteno/ranchero, and an Eastern European gypsy sound. She sings both in English and Spanish. She is known for her saucy sense of humor and salty lyrics. Her music has been described as "acoustic electro-clash goes to the punk rock circus in Mexico."
Esmerelda Strange is a totally unique artist. Her shows and the projects she performs which reflects her taste for the original, the theatrical and the bizarre. When she is not touring with Heavy Pedal Cyclecide Bike Rodeo (with the worlds first pedal powered midway), she is the band for the burlesque spectacle that accompanies The Lifesize Game of Mousetrap, a giant kinetic sculpture based on the popular childrens board game. Frequently in her solo shows sideshow artists will make guest appearances, and she's got a few tricks up her own sleeve as well. She'll be coming to a town near you......Someday.
Lost in Austin...Wayfaring Stranger Esmerelda Strange | Myspace Music Videos
Goodness, what a performance, Lowebow explodes on the stage and the public address system with great precision of double bass drums, right hand playing and strumming the combination bass and guitar keeping time with the snare drum and doing the vocals. The timing for all of this action is crazy, but if you closed your eyes and just listened with your ears, you would swear that is was a full four piece band all on stage and sounds like they have been playing together for years. This writer was there to support Lowebow, but the audience included one award winning film producer, listening to Johnny for ideas for his next musical soundtrack for his new film project, and in the audience that night was the empress of the accordion and one woman band, Esmerelda Strange, recording artist Slate Dump and other wonderful artists that night. Lowebow's artistry also includes the design and manufacture of the Lowebow Guitar Series as seen below:
Esmerelda Strange is a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist based out of San Francisco, CA. Strange in her earlier days was in Seattle, Washington back in the days of the start of the uproar of grunge rock with the Cowboys Junkies, Rail, Queenryche and Nirvana. Esmerelda Strange's delivery of the one woman band concept was not new to the Pacific Northwest, but she put her imprint on it and drives home the idea of entertaining on the level of Judy Tenuta back in the day.
In the 80’s, you couldn’t turn on the TV without seeing comic Judy Tenuta. The self-proclaimed “Love Goddess” and her accordion popped up everywhere: her own HBO special, Late Night with David Letterman, commercials for Diet Dr. Pepper, and Hollywood Squares. Soon, it seemed everyone you knew had converted to her new religion, “Judyism.” Since then, she’s been a guest on various TV shows and appeared on stage for The Vagina Monologues in L.A. and Chicago.
She’s eve racked up two Grammy nominations for her comedy cds as well. Drawing on the vaudevillian tradition of the one man band; Strange plays the accordion, drums and sings all at the same time. It's like watching a punk rock polka goddess making good on a bet with some "punki-achi" huevos ranchero band after a tequila binge in Tijuana. Oh yea, you ate the worm. Twice.
"...eerie and evocative aggressive accordion based funk folk" -- Lil Mike. Mission Arts Monthly
"..brave and brazen..." -- Siimlke Tudor. SF Weekly.
Ms. Strange would describe herself as a punk rock band, but her musical influences and the resulting product contain elements of urban folk, cumbia, circus music, Norteno/ranchero, and an Eastern European gypsy sound. She sings both in English and Spanish. She is known for her saucy sense of humor and salty lyrics. Her music has been described as "acoustic electro-clash goes to the punk rock circus in Mexico."
Esmerelda Strange is a totally unique artist. Her shows and the projects she performs which reflects her taste for the original, the theatrical and the bizarre. When she is not touring with Heavy Pedal Cyclecide Bike Rodeo (with the worlds first pedal powered midway), she is the band for the burlesque spectacle that accompanies The Lifesize Game of Mousetrap, a giant kinetic sculpture based on the popular childrens board game. Frequently in her solo shows sideshow artists will make guest appearances, and she's got a few tricks up her own sleeve as well. She'll be coming to a town near you......Someday.
Lost in Austin...Wayfaring Stranger Esmerelda Strange | Myspace Music Videos
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