Stolen from their myspace page: The Kentucky Waterfalls are a two-piece acoustic country band from the heart of the Midwest, with a relationship far more like Loretta and Conway than Johnny and June. Evan Murdock and Katie Powderly harmonize soulful tunes about the unholy trinity of drinking, traveling, and heartache that combine to form country music. Powderly and Murdock have been playing music together since 2000, but formed the Kentucky Waterfalls in the summer of 2008, realizing the rarity of their musical bond after temporarily calling it quits and going their separate ways.

In their first few months as a band, the Kentucky Waterfalls were already opening up for national acts such as the Del McCoury Band, performing in front of sold-out crowds of over 550 people. “The Real Me” is their first album, and though Powderly and Murdock approach songwriting very differently, with styles ranging from sweet and sad to sassy, their songs will lure you in, seep into your heart, and linger in your ear throughout the quiet of your day.

Evan had been writing songs for some time before he and Katie formed the Kentucky Waterfalls. Steeped in the rich cultural tradition of American country music, Evan writes songs that are straight arrows, confident and sure of their direction as they sail through the air. Catchy tunes with memorable lyrics, Evan’s songs grip you with their relatable stories and danceable rhythms. His steady voice soothes, even when his words acknowledge a relationship’s demise.

Katie, on the other hand, began tentatively writing far more recently, and only after some gentle coaxing. Her songs are a touching contrast to his, and feel more like a lover’s wavering confessions, sung in the key of regret. One might call them obituaries for deceased relationships, in that they communicate the loss and desperation that descend around a person losing a love-dense and inevitable as the settling of a Guinness in a pint glass. They are Katie’s admission of defeat. And she makes defeat sound so pretty.

Together, the Kentucky Waterfalls form a perfect, imperfect union. Their natural chemistry is undeniable, but ten years of performing heavily together have tightened their live performances into something mesmerizing and not to be missed. Whether their voices wrap effortless harmonies around Evan’s arrows or Katie’s confessions, one listen and it becomes clear that these two have lived through both the good and the bad, together. And even when it is sad, it is beautiful.

Guess the Fish!

Can you guess the fresh fish in this picture? Is it:
A. Salmon
B. Ocean Trout
C. Sturgeon
D. Opah (Moon Fish)
E. Other

ANSWER: Atlantic Salmon from the Faroe Islands

FRIDAY, August 13th, 9:30pm, Free Show-no cover: Winner of the MAMA (Madison Area Music Award) for best instrumentalist, jazz guitarist Barb Cheron is a local favorite and she leads a group of great jazz musicians. Please watch the video below to see why we bring Ms. Cheron and her band back many times each year to the Restaurant Magnus stage.

Watch Barb Cheron Quintet with Comin\’ Home Baby on YouTube

Excerpt:  Continuing last week’s theme of the Best of Norway, we were inspired to find the best Norwegian restaurants in the United States. Based on recommendations by our subscribers, here’s a list of favorites across the United States… RESTAURANT MAGNUS, Madison, WI. – Scandinavia and Norwegian inspiration provides the basis for Restaurant Magnus’ menu. Started by the Berte(sic Berge) brothers and friend Laura Jones, Restaurant Magnus combines traditional Norwegian techniques such as brining and smoking with modern applications to provide their patrons with new and innovative dishes the please the palate.

Cool.

SAT. 8/7, 9:30pm:

See Monika Herzing Acoustic Project playing Bernie\’s Tune Live on Youtube

I first got the chance to listen to Dr. Monika Herzing’s music in November of 2007 when I came across a press kit that had been sitting on my desk for many months. Boy, am I ever glad I played that CD. I instantly grooved on her incredible sense of swing and wanted to book her right away. However, with she and her band living in far away Indiana, it’s taken us 3 years to get a gig lined up. If you haven’t listened yet, watch the video above. Monika’s piano playing just rips up the classic “Bernie’s Tune”, made famous by the Gary Mulligan Quartet with Chet Baker playing the trumpet solo. This is going to be a great show! Sat. Aug 7th, 9:30pm. $5 cover.

Curt Mychael - Guitarist/Songwriter/Vocalist

FRIDAY NIGHT: Curt Mychael is an incredibly talented singer/songwriter from Northern Wisconsin. He and his trio played Restaurant Magnus for the first time last month, and luckily for all, we had a cancellation making it possible to bring him back a second time this year even though all our dates had been long booked out. His songs are witty and inventive, and his easygoing and friendly manner and banter makes for a an evening filled with good vibes. I hope you’ll be able to make it out to what is going to be a great show.

See Barb Cheron LIVE AT RESTAURANT MAGNUS on YouTube

UPDATE – SATURDAY NIGHT: Barb Cheron and her band along with featured guest, Cliff Fredrickson are headlining up our Saturday evening starting at 9:30. Barb is a winner of the MAMA(Madison Area Music Award) for Best Instrumentalist of the Year. What makes Barb’s music special for me is the way she leads her band, and they must feel it to as she has some of the best cats anywhere in her ensemble. (This performance has replaced earlier scheduled Megitza Quartet which unfortunately had to last minute cancel for a personal emergency. No worries, they will be back again soon.)

Louka Patenaude

Frank Martinez

Nick Moran - Bass

Get ready for the ultimate Jam Out this afternoon at Restaurant Magnus. From 5:30pm-7:30pm Louka Patenaude (guitar), Nick Moran (bass) and Frank Martinez (drums) are going to be bringing it big time. The theme for today’s show is “scrambled eggs.” On their facebook event page for this evening Louka has written, “We are gonna jam some improv- afrocuban- country -jazz!” It’s definitely going to be a great show! Hope you all can make it! With bassist Nick Moran’s ability to set a groove and Frank Martinez’s ability to sit in the pocket, Louka Patenaude is going to be able to soar on guitar!

Joel Adams

SATURDAY, July 24th – Joel Adams “Town Hall Meeting” Chicago Contingent Joel Adams just gets better every time he plays Restaurant Magnus, and this Saturday will be no exception. He’s bringing up a crew of jazz aces from Chicago for this show and it’s sure to be a burner of an evening. Trombonist Joel Adams won the International Trombone Association Frank Rosolino Memorial Scholarship in 1986. He toured with the Woody Herman Orchestra performing with Clark Terry, Joe Williams, Dizzy Gillespie, and Diane Schuur. He has also played with Rich Perry and the Gary Morgan Latin Big Band while living in New York City. Locally, he has performed with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble with Jon Faddis, Doug Lawrence, Jimmy Heath, Arturo Sandoval and Clyde Stubblefield as well as his own groups.

Dan Trudell - Pianist

Bassist Clark Sommers

Bassist Clark Sommers is featured on the Grammy Award winning album “Dedicated to You: Kurt Elling Sings the Music of Coltrane and Hartman.” Clark has toured and performed extensively throughout the world with Cedar Walton, Kurt Elling, Kevin Mahogany, Peter Bernstein, Von Freeman, Bobby Broom, Michael Weiss, The Chicago Jazz Orchestra, Charlie Haden Liberation Orchestra, and the Joe La Barbara Sextet. From 1997 to 1999 Clark performed and toured with Sony Recording Artists The Mighty Blue Kings. He has also performed at international jazz festivals in the US, Ireland, France and Canada, sharing bills with Tony Bennett, Diana Krall, B.B. King, Dr. John, and Koko Taylor.

Geof Bradfield moved to Chicago in 2004 and has been fortunate to work with numerous jazz luminaries and to perform throughout the United States, Europe, Russia, Africa and the

Geof Bradfield - Saxophone

Middle East. He is featured on over thirty CDs, including two critically acclaimed albums as a leader-­‐ Rule of Three (“A quietly exhilarating album, and one of the more significant debut recordings of 2003.” – Cadence Magazine) and his 2007 Origin Records release, Urban Nomad (“saxophonist Geof Bradfield and his powerhouse quartet perform with tremendous spirit, maintaining a momentum that is vibrant and infectious.”-­‐All About Jazz). Mr. Bradfield performs regularly with diverse groups, including the Ryan Cohan Quartet, Ted Sirota’s Rebel Souls, Chicago Yestet, and Dana Hall’s Spring. As a composer, Mr. Bradfield has received several commissions and awards, including the prestigious New Works: Creation and Presentation commission from Chamber Music America and the Doris Duke Charitable foundation for his suite African Flowers.

Dana Hall - Drums

Dana Hall has performed, toured, and/or recorded with Branford Marsalis, Ray Charles, Roy Hargrove, Joshua Redman, Orbert Davis, Horace Silver, Michael Brecker, Nicholas Payton, Kurt Elling, Benny Green, Frank Foster, Betty Carter, Jimmy Heath, Benny Golson, Bobby Hutcherson, Wallace Roney, Diana Krall, Renee Rosnes, Clark Terry, the Mingus Big Band, Steve Lacy, Muhal Richard Abrams, Buster Williams, Gary Bartz, Ira Sullivan, Lester Bowie, Slide Hampton, James Moody, Shirley Scott, Joe Williams, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Patricia Barber, Ralph Bowen, Bud Shank, Phil Woods, Von Freeman, Kenny Barron, Maria Schneider, Jackie McLean, Mulgrew Miller, the Woody Herman Orchestra, Joe Henderson, Curtis Fuller, and Oliver Lake, among others. Mr. Hall is a member of the Terell Stafford Quintet and the Music Director of the Chicago Jazz Ensemble. Additionally, he is a former regular member of the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band under the direction of Jon Faddis and has served as an extra in the percussion sections of the Des Moines and Cedar Rapids Symphonies.

Tedd Hefko and the Thousandaires Perform My Little Margie on You Tube
SATURDAY 7/17, 9:30pm $5: Not since “Friday Night in San Fransisco” has there been a such a fiery meeting of guitarists as we have showcased this Saturday 7/18 at Restaurant Magnus. Andreas Kapasalis (of Megitza Quartet, Andreas Kapsalis Trio) and Goran Ivanovic (Eastern Blok) are taking the stage to prove once again that acoustic guitars can produce all the pyrotechnics and then some of their pale cousins the electric guitar.

Andreas Kapsalis & Goran Ivanovic on YouTube

Credit:Sharon Vanorny

I’d like to send a big thank you out to all our guests of the Summer Fling last Sunday, as well as food writer Raphael Kadushin, the Isthmus magazine and the Osteria Papavero chef and staff. It was lots of fun for all, and we really hope to plan another family-style event featuring both our restaurants again soon.