Freddy Cole Quartet
Sunday, March 13, Diana Wortham Theatre

Talk about a tough act to follow: singer and pianist Freddy Cole was the last child in a family of musicians, the younger brother to Eddie, Ike, and Nat. Yes, that Nat: Nat “King” Cole was 12 years old when Freddy came along. Freddy got a fine musical upbringing, no doubt — visitors to his childhood home included Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Lionel Hampton — but when time came to establish his own musical career, he found himself squarely in the rather large shadow cast by big brother Nat. (How big? One of Freddy’s albums is titled, I’m Not My Brother, I’m Me. Sinatra never had to put up with that, now did he?) It took a few years, but Freddy has established himself as a classic jazz vocalist in his own right, earning rave reviews and a name of his own. Suave and elegant like his brother, but with a smokier and slightly darker tinge, Freddy sounds a bit like Nat King Cole taken ‘round the block a few times, like a Nat a bit more taken with the blues. You could do worse.

The folks at the WNC Jazz Society are understandably excited about this show: not only is Cole a premiere talent, but this concert is their first at the Diana Wortham Theatre. It’s a big step forward for the WNC Jazz Society, with a big voice coming to celebrate. Tickets are $15 for members, $22 for non-members, and $10 for students under age 25. The show starts at 6:30 p.m. Call 828.257.4530 for more info.

The Indigo Girls
Tuesday, March 15, Orange Peel

The Indigo Girls have always been one of those bands I’m familiar with without being familiar with. Perhaps you know the type. I’ve heard their name for 15 years, spied their tapes in my friends’ cassette collections, seen their songs on the college radio charts. I can recognize ‘em in a photo. I know that a big chunk of the world holds them in significant esteem. Perhaps I’ve heard a few songs in passing, perhaps not, I’m not sure, but I know I’ve never listened to an album start to finish. Familiar, but unfamiliar.

Nevertheless, I’ve developed a sort of oblivious respect for the Indigo Girls. That respect is based on a vague understanding of their literate and political new-folk formula, a strong sense that they’ve brought a lot of folks a lot of joy over the years, and the fact that they can still pull better than 30 bucks a ticket when they come to town. As I prepared for this preview, I decided it was high time to give ‘em a listen. Rather than reaching back for a classic, I chose a recent release, last year’s All That We Let In. The reviews were largely favorable: there’s nothing new here, said the critics, but if you like the old stuff, you’ll like this one too. When my preview copy arrived in the mail, I was happy to see it, eager to shed a little light on my ignorance and earn an opinion of my own.

Two weeks later, I’m still struggling to get through the album. It’s not that I dislike it. It’s completely harmless, charming in places, pretty in its way. The lyrics are personal and political, the harmonies tight, the introspection at the usual pitch. The songs sound a bit generic, but then again, the Indigo Girls get a lot of credit for making their sound so prevalent that it’s had a chance to become generic. There is little to complain about in All That We Let In. All the same, I can’t find enough reasons to stop myself from turning it off. As one sleepy ballad bleeds into another sleepy ballad, my mind starts to drift. Whole songs go by and I can’t tell you what I’ve heard. I go back and try again, with similar results. I think I’m up to Track 10 now, but I’m not sure.

That’s not a ringing endorsement for the album or the act, I’ll admit, and thus I’m not giving a ringing endorsement for this show, not at 35 bucks. But then again, if you’re even considering that kind of cash for this concert, you know a lot more about the Indigo Girls than I do. And you know what you like. So I say go on and get you some. Enjoy the show.

Tickets are $32 in advance and $35 at the door, and the show starts at 8:30 p.m. Call 828.225.5851 for more info.

Also Playing in Asheville

• Liz Carroll and John Doyle, Diana Wortham Theatre, 3/10

• Motor City Josh and the Big 3, Westville Pub, 3/10

• GFE, Stella Blue, 3/11

• Laura Blackley Band, Jack of the Wood, 3/11

• Natti Love Joys, Emerald Lounge, 3/11

• Cosmic Charlie, Stella Blue, 3/12

• Eta Carina, Orange Peel, 3/12

• Sons of Ralph, Jack of the Wood, 3/12

• Tater, Westville Pub, 3/12

• Barbez, The Grey Eagle, 3/13

• Toots and the Maytals, Orange Peel, 3/17

Three Good Things Named Either Freddie or Freddy

1. Freddie King

2. Freddie Hubbard

3. Freddy Fender

They Said It

“Personally, I love NASCAR about as much as I do hockey. The only thing that would get me to watch a car race on TV would be if they ran over a hockey player every couple of laps.”

Roy Blount Jr., writing in The Oxford American