Authentic Americana music and a showcase featuring some of the finest regional musicians are about to add to one downtown Fort Smith venue's "stellar" reputation, according to one official.
Located at 101 N. Second St., the Blue Lion at UAFS Downtown will host a multi-genre appearance by The Bumper Jacksons beginning at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, while the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith Musical Faculty Showcase will prove to be equally thrilling for area residents and visitors at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30, said Stacey Jones, associate vice chancellor for campus and community events for the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.
"I am really excited," he said. "The Bumper Jacksons is a totally different group from what we've done here in the past. They have been described by some as an old-time barn dance in downtown New Orleans.
"There's all kinds of musical styles — songs with various instruments, roadhouse drinking songs and songs that have all kinds of influences," Jones added. "They do music that's Americana right on through."
Consisting of Jess Eliot Myhre (vocals, clarinet, washboard), Chris Ousley (vocals, guitar, banjo), Alex Lacquement (upright bass, vocals), Dan Samuels (drums, percussion), Dave "Duckpin" Hadley (pedal steel guitar), Brian Priebe (trombone, vocals) and Joseph Brotherton (trumpet, vocals) and based in the Washington state area, The Bumper Jacksons' concert will mark the first time the group has played in the Fort Smith market, Jones said.
"The Bumper Jacksons have been voted the best band in the Washington area, and they are breaking out all over the country," Jones said. "Their influences range from many, from Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, Bob Wills, Hank Williams and the New Orleans Jazz Vipers."
The visual aspect of every Bumper Jacksons concert is as unique and fresh as the group's sounds, which traditionally can be heard in two 45-minute sets each night, he said.
"It's fascinating to watch them," Jones said. "Jess plays clarinet, and then she'll reach down and pick up a washboard to play. Having the different instruments in the group, I think that adds to the music."
Jones first came across the music of The Bumper Jacksons more than a year ago while working with another Opus 3 Agency artist. He liked what he saw and heard, so he booked the seven-piece band.
"Opus 3 is nationwide, so it's like The Bumper Jacksons are on their first big tour outside of the state of Washington, and we're getting them," Jones said. "People will really enjoy the musicianship. I think it's a win-win for everyone, really."
The UAFS Musical Faculty Showcase also will hit all the right notes for performers and spectators alike, said Dr. Christopher Barrick, head of the Department of Music, associate professor of music and James and Ann Bumpass Distinguished Chair of Music at UAFS.
"We have 20 music faculty so we'll have a large number of them participating; we're finalizing the lineup now," he said. "Some are planning collaborative pieces — I know Dr. Tommy Dobbs, instructor of percussion (at UAFS), and I are doing pieces that we're playing for a saxophone conference in the D.C. area."
Sebastian County Judge Jim Spears will serve as emcee for the faculty showcase, introducing the performers and selected material, Barrick said.
"Judge Spears is a former graduate of Fort Smith Junior College, as it was called back then, and has told stories about promoting Count Basie performances here on campus in the 1960s," he said. "Judge Spears is a lifelong Fort Smithian and supporter of the university. We are excited to have him involved."
Expected to last 90 minutes, the showcase is designed to entertain audience members, as well as the performing faculty members, Barrick said.
"This showcase is to show our students, the community and our colleagues what we do as faculty," he said. "These are artists. They are practitioners of their craft, and for them to stand up in front of the community and our students, it helps the students gain a newfound respect for their teachers.
"Sometimes, the students don't see their instructors' expertise on display," Barrick added. "It's an honor for me to take the stage with these high-caliber, world-class musicians who I work with every day. It's nice to put down the faculty hat and be a musician and artist for an evening."
Tickets for the faculty showcase are free, while tickets for the Bumper Jacksons concert are $25. Tickets can be purchased by calling (479) 788-7300, by visiting the UAFS Box Office inside the Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center and at uafs.universitytickets.com.
Both events will offer an insider's view of top-tier performance skills, and the fact that both concerts will take place inside the Blue Lion will make it "more special" for those attending, Jones said.
"The Blue Lion is a great place to listen to music," he said. "It's small and intimate — 200 is our maximum for seating. For people who want to sit, relax and enjoy the evening, the Blue Lion is the place for them."