Sedona's ST.com contributing writer, Hollywood Jim, and fan
Out and About in Flagstaff
I first met Cat Black, lead singer and her husband, Les Argoff (manager and bass guitar) of the Cat Black Band at the first annual Sedona Times Celebration of Sedona 2010 in May at the Los Abrigados Resort and Spa in Sedona AZ.
Several times Cat invited me to come see the band perform but scheduling conflicts always kept me away. Not this time! On August 12, I finally got to hear the Cat Black Band and watched as downtown Flag rocked to the band’s sassy and sultry southern beat at the Heritage Square Flagstaff Live! event. That evening I had three OMG! moments.
The first? Parking the car, I realized that an actual for-real nightlife exists in Northern Arizona as humans walked the sidewalks and crossed streets of waiting traffic, and hundreds more gathered downtown at Flagstaff’s only open air amphitheater, Heritage Square, for an evening of music. This wasn’t Sedona, Toto!
The second OMG! moment came when Cat walked out into the crowd, handed me a tambourine, and invited me to join the band onstage. You should know that Hollywood Jim’s experience playing tambourine is nil. I thought Cat’s reassurance that my ability not to ruin her band’s sound was misplaced, but no fear! Hollywood Jim loves a challenge!
When the Cat Black Band began to play and Cat began to sing, every eye in the Heritage Square amphitheatre turned to the four talented musicians on stage, one of which was not me (I was the the stick figure timidly thumping the tambourine).
That powerhouse of a voice coming from the 5-foot woman in black shut us all up! The crowd settled in for a session of blues, showing appreciation as Dr. Loma Ishi burned those strings on lead guitar while Les Argoff on bass and Mitch Mueller on drums set the scene that had everyone, young and old, rockin’ to Cat’s vocals. As dusk fell, it promised to be a perfect summer evening.
The Cat Black Band wowed us with some old school BB King, Bonnie Raitt and a slew of other Southern icons that had me wishing for a bowl of red beans and rice with Tabasco! The Cat Black Band also set us up with original music, music that lead the crowded amphitheatre into a standing, dancing, foot pounding good-ole southern time, music with southern heart and soul played in the shadow of northern Arizona’s snow-specked San Francisco Peaks.
That was my third OMG! moment. I listened with sheer pleasure to the awesome music that gathered and kept hundreds within the amphitheatre until the band’s final note faded. Cat’s full-bodied pitch perfect vocals accompanied by the remarkable Dr. Ishi on lead, capable drumming from Mueller and Argoff’s skilled bass entertained the crowd, with credit due to Les Argoff for a songbook that showcased to its best advantage Cat Black’s voice and the band’s talent. The Cat Black Band in Heritage Square played real blues, tunes that come from the heart that the soul knows about!
As for me, Mr. Tambourine Man from Buffalo, I stood in for a few songs and then let the professionals handle the rest. However, I discovered that night an Arizona Blues god does exist, and the Cat Black Band sits at his right hand.
Luckily for Sedona, the Cat Black Band will be performing at Hillside during the Red Rock Road event, Saturday August 21st from 11 AM to whenever, so get there on time. Come hear the talented Cat Black Band play in our backyard again especially if you enjoyed the Cat Black Band Tlaquepaque performance on July 4th.
Do not forget that Hillside has limited parking so walk, carpool, bike or take Sedona public transportation. Your car will not be the exception to the rule so plan ahead!
Yours truly will be covering the Red Rock Road events and posting updates on the sedonaeye.com web site including juicy tidbits on our Facebook and Twitter pages, so give me, Hollywood Jim, a shout out! You’ll find me in a front row seat at 11 AM sharp for the Cat Black Band performance.
Bring your tambourines! Remember, if you’re not there, you’re just not there, baby!
Out and About Series is a weekly feature of Sedona Times Publishing c2010
