Gotta Go Show: Ry Cooder

Our hot pick for the weekend if you are willing to leave town|

Famed guitar player and musicologist Ry Cooder and his band pull into Napa’s Uptown Theatre this weekend. Hot on the heels of his new release, “Prodigal Son”, Cooder will bring his son Joachim along to back him up on drums. Rob Francis on bass and Sam Grandal on saxophone will round out the ensemble.

Reached on the tour bus driving southbound somewhere in Oregon, Joachim was very enthusiastic about the new album, touring with his buddies, visiting new places and playing with his dad.

As a native Californian, Joachim was named after historical figures, and quite possibly after Joachim Murrieta himself. And despite being raised in a household with guitars to spare and a dad who played them very, very well, he gravitated toward drums.

“Guitars made no sense to me, and it’s just as well.” says Cooder. At an early age, Joachim Cooder was heavily influenced by his dad’s friend and drummer’s drummer, Jim Keltner.

The new album is another in a long string of wonderful Ry Cooder recordings, dripping with great, loose guitar playing, and moods and sounds from long ago. The set list for the Napa shows will feature material from Ry’s career and the new stuff.

Ry Cooder, Uptown Theatre, uptowntheatrenapa.com.

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