Outpost Performance Space summer season continues to showcase NM talent

Summer is in full swing and the Outpost Performance Space season is pushing its way through with local music.

The season offers a variety of music — all held at the Outpost Performance Space.

At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 13, Swing Magique/Rowan McJimsey Solo Piano performs.

Swing Magique presents jazz in the swing style, made famous in 1930s Paris, by gypsy guitar virtuoso Django Reinhardt.

A pianist, composer and producer, McJimsey began studying jazz at age 11 with Phil Arnold, a trombonist and the founder of the Youth Jazz Collaborative of New Mexico. Since then, he has performed with several well-known local musicians such as Carla Van Blake, Alex Murzyn and John Funkhouser.

At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 15, Thursday Marks Fall and Clare Berget are set to perform.

Organizers say it will be a night for up-and-coming musicians.

Then at 7:30 p.m. July 20, Songs Without Purpose will take place. The musical group is influenced my modern jazz, hip-hop and soul.

Songs without Purpose played its first show in January 2023, but have years of experience playing together. Evan Fort, keyboards, and Jonah Minkus, drums, have been playing together for almost 10 years, when they met saxophonist Alex Alunday during COVID, there was an instant connection. Trumpeter Sidney Hollander, who had recently moved to Albuquerque from New York, was introduced to the group by Alunday. After playing together, they realized this group could be something special. The group also features bassist Artha Meadors who adds a powerful foundation to the group’s sound.

On July 22, Route 66 Summerfest will take place and the New Mexico Jazz Festival will have a stage.

Local band Son Como Son will perform at 5 p.m. The band is known for its blend of salsa and Cuban. Delbert Anderson will also perform with D’DAT at Summerfest, with Doug Lawrence’s Nuevos Mexicanos also taking the stage.

On July 27, Carla Van Blake will perform a Roberta Flack Tribute, also at Outpost Performance Space. The New Mexico-based musician has influences in jazz, gospel, R&B and traditional African music.

On Aug. 3, Arnold Bodmer’s WARP will take the state at Outpost.

In 2022, New Mexico keyboardist Bodmer and drummer Waldo LaTowsky formed WARP to bring some original tunes, written during the 2020 pandemic, to the stage.

Benevento Sings Bacharach will take place on Aug. 10, which is paying tribute to the legendary composer Burt Bacharach.

On Aug. 17, Dan Dowling & Pat Rhoads: The Sonic Boomers are set to perform. Guitarist and vocalist Dowling, and pianist Rhoads have been performing and recording together for four decades.

On Aug. 24, Flambeaux will celebrate Bob Gusch.

Flambeaux founder and bandleader Gusch loved New Orleans jazz, and was most inspired by clarinetist/saxophonist Sidney Bechet. He formed his group, Flambeaux, 10 years ago in order to transport audiences to the Big Easy using his clarinet as the lead instrument, with Micah Hood on trombone as co-pilot and sparring partner.