Music & Dance This Weekend

Javapalooza, 330 Main Street, presents The Sawtelles at 7:30 p.m. Friday night. The pride of Plantsville, Julie and Peter Riccio create a mesmerizing blend of guitars, percussion and voices, with songs that have wit and a touch of brashness. Intimate yet rocking, the music really pulls one in. There is no admission charge.


Around the corner at Boney's Music Lounge at Fishbone Cafe, 120 Court Street, bassist Joe Fonda continues his eclectic programming on Friday and Saturday nights. Friday, it's Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze, a blues band that specializes in Chicago-style blues. Saturday, baritone saxophonist Clare Daly brings a group to the performance space. Daly, who is one the finest "bari" players on the creative music scene, makes music that utilizes r'n'b and mainstream jazz influences. For more information, call 346-6000.

Saturday, The Buttonwood Tree presents the Alan Cohen Experience at 7:30 p.m. Composer, vocalist and guitarist Cohen writes quirky tunes with danceable beats. He writes about everyday life with a witty eye for surrealistic subjects and even composed a campaign song for Barack Obama (hear it here or see and hear it here.) He performs with different sized ensembles so there's a chance that this gig is an all-acoustic affair. No matter, the music will be fun. For more information, go to http://alancohenexperience.com.




It's DanceMasters Weekend at Wesleyan with classes and workshops plus a public performance that is always top-notch. This year, the 10th anniversary of the program, the instructors include David Dorfman, Robert Battle of BattleWorks Dance Company, Brian Brooks from Brian Brooks Moving Company, Bill Hastings, Josh Hilberman, Carla Maxwell of Limón Dance Company, Andrea Miller of Gallim Dance, Miki Orihara of the Martha Graham Dance Company as well as Wesleyan world dance instructors Hari Krishnan, Urip Sri Maeny, and Iddi Saaka.

Saturday at 8 p.m. in the CFA Theater, the weekend's Showcase Performance features the Limon Dance Company, BattleWorks Dance Company, and Brian Brooks Moving Company. Any one of these groups is worth seeing; together, on one bill, makes for a great evening of modern dance. For ticket information, call 685-3355 or go online to www.wesleyan.edu/cfa/dancemasters/dancemasters09.html.

Here's a look at the fascinating work of choreographer Brian Brooks: