NOTE: This story is an opinion piece, based on this reporter's previous coverage of Jackie Greene, which dates back to 2004. At virtually any given time, in any town or city in America, there is a “next big thing.” There is that one musician or band tirelessly performing local shows and trying to make a name, but everyone in town who has seem them play is convinced that they’ve “got it” and are going to go the distance (Sacramento music pun is absolutely intended). Maybe we want it as much for ourselves, so we can say we say them in the small local clubs way back when. Maybe we just like seeing them play some tunes. Whatever the reason, we just know it’s going to happen – and it is a re

Marty DeAnda started a vinyl record store by accident with a little help from Louis Armstrong. Medium Rare Records is in the offices of the Dig Music label, which DeAnda co-founded. The label represents local artists such as Jackie Greene, Chris Webster and Sal Valentino. The business is located in The Urban Hive at 1931 H St. and was pretty typical of a recording label office, with couches and music-themed décor, before becoming a retail store. The office, visible from the sidewalk, featured a mannequin of Louis Armstrong in the window, staring out at 20th Street, and passers-by routinely came in to ask about it. “I’d have 30 people coming by each day,” DeAnda said. “I figured I might

The nerves, pressure and tension could be cut with a knife during the “American Idol” auditions at Arden Fair Mall. Seventeen-year-old Sam Cracraft drove from Vallejo early this morning to ensure his place in line. “I feel like I am going to throw up,” Cracraft said. “I have never sung in front of anyone before.” Cracraft didn’t throw up, and in fact did very well, singing a song by The Script while playing his guitar (that he only just learned to play this year). When asked how he would feel if he didn’t make it, he replied, “if I don’t, it means I am not ready, and that’s OK with me. I will keep practicing.” Chantel Robinson, 24, from Natomas said she is here to win. “I know the jud

The owners of the office complex called Retro Lodge are continuing bank negotiations in an effort to prevent the property's sale. The $2.5 million loan balance is now several months past due, which led Bank of America to schedule trustee sales at least twice this month. But developer Heller Pacific and partners haven't given up on trying to get a loan extension after converting a former downtown Travelodge into one of the city's most creative adaptive-reuse projects, a block away from Sacramento City Hall. The bank agreed to postpone a sale scheduled for Thursday while the partners are deep in talks with them. The project, which received no public subsidies, began taking tenants in 2008

Aaron Young can't stop writing new songs. "I'm sort of plagued with it," he said. "I write every day, no matter what I'm doing." It's part of a work ethic that came from growing up on a pecan orchard in Mississippi. "I don't know if you've picked pecans to make some money, but you need a lot of them to make a pound, so you're out there a long time," he explained. "It taught me how to stay disciplined at something [and] develop patience." It's Young's patience and discipline that helped him through rough times, like being dropped from a record label and being homeless in San Francisco. This Friday night, the currently West Sacramento-native soul singer will bring his uplifting lyrics a

Sacramento record label Dig Music is best known for releasing records by hometown favorites Jackie Greene, Bucho and Kate Gaffney, as well as classic rock artists Sal Valentino and Cold Blood.     But right now, the label's best-selling artist, with an album at No.3 on the Jazzweek chart, is a release by another label, Unity, in a genre Dig Music has had very little experience with: Jazz.     Jazz trumpeter Scotty Barnhart is signed with Unity Records, but his solo debut, Say It Plain, was released and distributed in May by Dig Music.     Barnhart is doing business in Northern California, although he spends his time either at home in Los Angeles or Tallahassee where he teaches pa

Friday Night Concerts in the Park have filled Cesar Chavez Park on 10th and J Streets with jammin' bands since the beginning of May and will continue every Friday night from 5-9 p.m. until August 14. In this storyline, The Sacramento Press will preview the concerts and help provide additional information on the artists and their music. Friday, June 5 Bucho will headline the concert, with Righteous Movement and Happy Mayfield opening (click each band's name for a link to their MySpace page with music samples). Bucho consists of singer and guitar player Gerald Pease, bass player Josh Lippi, Ben Schweir on the Hammond B3 and Fender Rhodes keyboards and Derek Taylor on percussion, as well a