MUSIC EXTRA

Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Jun 11, 2004 by Chris Casey, The Gazette

HOWARD JONES

32 Bleu, 8 p.m. Sunday, $15, 955-5664

A keyboard master with a smooth voice, Howard Jones burst onto the music scene in the mid-1980s.

His catchy, radio-friendly pop jumped to the top of the charts -- la Phil Collins and Sting, fellow Brit soloists who broke big in America around that time.

"No One is to Blame," which was on his second album, "Dream Into Action," reached No. 1 on the U.S. singles charts. Rolling Stone magazine named him Keyboard Player of the Year in 1986.

Synth playing is Jones' signature, but in the mid-'90s he relinquished the electronics for "The Acoustic Tour," which featured Jones on the grand piano accompanied by Carol Steele on percussion.

He gigged with a 72-piece orchestra in 2000, then joined the Ringo Starr tour of the United States and Canada. Jones has continued to record and perform, and Warner Music has released "The Very Best of Howard Jones" in commemoration of his 20 years as a recording artist.

Fans of his melodic pop tunes should expect to hear "What Is Love," "Like to Get to Know You Well," "Things Can Only Get Better," "Blame" and others at the Bleu.

THE ROCKET SUMMER

32 Bleu, 9 p.m. Monday, $8 advance, $10 day of show, 955-5664

The guy behind The Rocket Summer, Bryce Avary, got started writing songs at age 14 in Dallas.

A couple years later, he spun off an EP and shipped, from his bedroom, close to 1,000 copies worldwide.

The disc got airplay on a radio station in Dallas, and The Rocket began to achieve lift-off.

Just out of high school, he recorded "Calendar Days," his full- length debut.

Now 21, Avary's influences range from Weezer and Michael Jackson to Ben Folds Five and Superchunk.

Going solo or with a small backing band, Avary has headlined extensive tours as The Rocket Summer. As the name implies, his shows burst with raucous energy and good-time rock 'n' roll.

Also on the bill are Plain White T's, Number One Fan and Kevin Devine.

THE TOMMY CASTRO BAND

Classics, 5943 Delmonico Drive, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, $15, $13 for Pikes Peak Blues Community members, 597-4694; tickets available at Classics or Front Range Barbecue, 2330 W. Colorado Ave.

When Tommy Castro's four-piece band takes the stage, brace yourself for an electrifying blues show amped with flourishes of rock and soul.

Since gigging around the San Francisco Bay area in the early '90s, Castro has become a tireless fixture on the national blues festival and club circuit.

His guitar virtuosity is matched with boundless energy onstage, earning the San Jose, Calif., native touring gigs with artists such as BB King, Jonny Lang, Robert Cray and John Lee Hooker. Castro has excelled in the studio as well. A few of the band's albums -- "Exception to the Rule," "Can't Keep a Good Man Down" and "Guilty of Love" -- have ranked at the top of the national blues charts.

Castro's influences include Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy and Freddie King as well as vocalists Wilson Pickett, James Brown and Otis Redding.

His band is filled out with Randy McDonald on bass, Scott Michael Rabino on drums and Keith Crossan on saxophone.

His show promises a passionate beginning to the Pikes Peak Blues Community's summer slate of concerts, which includes Tab Benoit and Jimmy Thackery on July 2 at 32 Bleu.

THE PHARCYDE & THE X-ECUTIONERS

32 Bleu, 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, $18 advance, $20 day of show, 955- 5664

This is a power combo of East-meets-West hip-hop groups, both with significant influence on the genre. The Pharcyde sprang from the L.A. underground club circuit more than a decade ago, and the New York- based X-Ecutioners were among the first alldisc jockey groups to sign a recording contract.

The melodic grooves of Pharcyde contributed to "Ghetto Pop Life," the acclaimed 2003 album by Danger Mouse, who played 32 Bleu last week.

Pharcyde has released several albums of its own, including "Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde," which went gold.

C Rayz Waltz opens the show.