Here are musician Ken Beasley’s top music picks on the Lower East Side for this weekend:
JIM ALLEN & DAVID CANTOR – Fri., May 20 | 7:30PM at Googie’s Lounge
Jim Allen was born in New York and raised on a killer record collection. Heavily influenced by everyone from Leonard Cohen and the New York Dolls to Ernest Tubb and Patsy Cline, Allen is a truly unique songwriter with a one in a million baritone voice and a self-invented guitar tuning that’s as puzzling to the mind as it is pleasing to the ear.
David Cantor is instantly recognizable to many as the “Dave” in Dave’s True Story, the successful and highly respected jazz duo of the ’90s. In recent years, however Cantor has been stirring a caldron of all sorts of side projects, including various solo ventures and writing music for avant-garde theatre pieces. FREE // 154 Ludlow St.
SARAH SALOVOY– Sat., May 21 | 7PM at Arlene’s Grocery
For being so young (just 17) singer/songwriter Sarah Salovoy has managed to garner a ton of exposure in her few years on the scene. After winning a “Young Songwriters Award” in 2008, Salovoy went on to be a finalist in the 2009 International Songwriters Competition, be featured on the 90210 soundtrack, open for John Mayer in 2010, and have a song featured on the cult comedy show “Children’s Hospital.” This Saturday, she plays her radio pop at Arlene’s Grocery. $10 // 95 Stanton St.
CLARA KENNEDY – Sun., May 22 | 10PM at Rockwood Music Hall
Clara Kennedy studied cello at the Juilliard school, and although skilled in chamber performance, the Kansas native shines most when she skips down her own path of ragtime, jazz, and pop. A real talent on the cello, Kennedy dabbles in other instruments as well, and sings with an easy, timeless voice that sweetly conveys the sincerity of her lyrics, be they in English, French or Spanish. FREE//196 Allen St.
Splitting his time between performing and producing, contributor Ken Beasley primarily plays with his own roots/rock band, Ken Beasley & Co., as well as the power punk outfit, Missy Sport, while also curating the Underground at the Abrons music series on the Lower East Side.
