Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 59

Music Honky Tonk Jack keeps it hopping at Satisfied Frog By Brent Miles brent.miles@arizonarepublic.com It's a hot, dusty day in Cave Creek, a settlement north of Phoenix where bikers, cops, hippies, artists, tourists and eccentrics coexist. In the center of all the craziness is Jack Fairclough, known as Honky Tonk Jack in these parts. It's Sunday arizona afternoon, and beat the Fairclough 65-year-old sits and plays piano on the porch the Satisfied Frog, something at. he's been doing for decades. Piano playing is in Fairclough's blood, and though he's worn many hats over the years, his love of ragtime and honky-tonk music is the common thread that has run through his life.

"I've always enjoyed playing that kind of music," he says. Fairclough started playing piano at age 8. "I took lessons for a year until I started playing all by ear, and I just went with that," he recalls. Moving from Morris, Fairclough made his way into the Navy and was stationed in San Diego. Though his days were filled with the rigors of military life, Fairclough set his nights aside for music.

"They had a piano in a couple different places in Ocean Beach, right off of Newport Avenue," he says. "They had an old upright piano, and I Brent Arizona Republic Honky Tonk Jack Fairclough tickles the well-worn ivories at the Satisfied Frog in Cave Creek. He says he has no plans to retire. Fairclough has been holding If you go court on weekends for 20 years. Honky Tonk Jack tors It's not huddled rare to around find Fair- spectaWHEN: 6:30 p.m.

Fridays and clough as he plays such Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays. standards as Camptown WHERE: Satisfied Frog, 6245 Races, Sweet Georgia Brown E. Cave Creek Road, Cave and Sunny Side of the Street. Creek.

Onlookers crane their necks ADMISSION: Free. to get a peek at Fairclough's DETAILS: (480) 488-3317. unique style of playing, with his weathered fingers dancplayed right there at the end ing nimbly across the wellof Newport Avenue." worn piano keys. After leaving the Navy and Fairclough has just reSan Diego, Fairclough fol- leased A Little Bit of Nostallowed his parents to the Val- gia, a CD of some of his faley in 1960 and found work at vorite tunes, which he sells a Shakey's Pizza Parlor, show- for $15. ing off his versatility by He doesn't plan on retiring playing the banjo and piano, anytime soon, for the joy of as well as sitting in with a playing piano for folks three Dixieland band.

days a week is the fuel that Soon after that, Ed Chil- keeps Fairclough going. leen, known to locals as "I just enjoy that type of "Crazy Ed," tapped Fair- honky-tonk music," he says. clough to play at his restau- "It's a God-given gift, I rant, the Satisfied Frog. Fair- know. I get a lot of enjoyclough worked at the restau- ment out of doing what I'm rant's Deer Valley location doing.

It makes people for 10 years, then followed happy. I've got my own style, the establishment to its new too, and that's the main digs in Cave Creek, where thing." 'Let It Rain' reflects singer's real world From Page 40 "Let It Rain was months of American dates, the product of me including tonight's concert at the Dodge Theatre. trying to combine share Chapman the goods is because to the my life and my excited album is a milestone for her. business. The real "Making conscious this record was she a environment had process," says.

"I worked from home more of a in a local studio and brought in musicians that played community feel to with me over the years. I it. I think it has a haven't done that since I've been making records. I lot to do with the would usually record in Los Angeles or New York and intimacy sound of live in hotels. (Let It Rain) the record." was the product of me trying to combine my life and my business.

The environment man. Stand up and walk in a had more of a community protest. Recycle garbage and feel to it. I think it has a lot don't buy things you don't reto do with the intimacy ally need." sound of the record." Chapman says she is The petite, dreadlocked touched by the polite way singer began her venture in people respond to her work. the mid '80s by performing Some go beyond asking for at college coffeehouses in the usual autograph and leave Medford, Mass.

Word spread her handmade gifts. about her chilling combina- "Someone once gave me a tion of soulful, quivery vo- glass sand painting that was cals and socially conscious made inside a jar to represent lyrics. Soon after, she signed one of the songs I had writon with Elektra and released ten, Dreaming on a World. her 1988 self-titled debut Now I have it displayed in my that kicked off with the hit house," she says. "It's really Fast Car.

beautiful." Chapman has always There were times when exstayed true to her goal of ecutives pulled a Jewel on opening people's hearts and her nudging the earthy eyes to the ways of the folk singer to spice up her world. Not to mention those threads and change her hair volunteer efforts. In her vi- to make her more "commersion of the world, she'd love cially viable." She didn't go to see everyone join in. for it. "There are lots of ways Chapman has bigger issues people can be of help to oth- to contend with.

ers, and be a part of positive "Working and touring is alsolutions to problems we ways a challenge," she says. face," she says. "The first "I always approach it like I'm step is deciding what you playing everything for the have to offer. Sometimes it's first time and that no one has the spare change from your ever heard my music before. pocket, sometimes it's writ- "That's what makes a good ing a letter to a congress- show." Sibling rivalry not a big problem yet for chart-climbing Chicago brothers of Chevelle From Page 40 the band's mix of melody and by a band called fIREHOSE," ment of biting lyrics over would break stuff and throw attitude.

recalls Sam, 28. "I felt they droning guitar in Comfortable stuff around. When I got so the festival visits Phoenix on Oldest brother and drum- could really rock out, and Liar results in warm waves of angry, I would just see red," Wednesday. mer Sam says he and Pete, Pete and I noticed how it sound and emotion. Sam says.

The melancholy Send the who sings and plays guitar, would give you a bigger im- "Comfortable Liar was Although success has gotPain Below which was re- always have tried to build pression of the song when written when Pete and I were ten the brothers out of their but single, The Red has ly System, which opens the gether." of relationships with girl- and airplanes, Sam says the leased after the churning de- contrast into songs like Fami- you've got quiet and loud to- going through similar types van and onto roomy buses 2003 spawned a popular video on group's major-label debut CD, Years later, the brothers friends and breaking up," trio still has a few moments MTV and has lit up the Wonder What's Next. The have put that insight to im- Sam says. of brotherly confrontation: have been really phones at Pratt's station. song starts with quiet, ring- pressive use on Wonder Although singer-guitarist "Things "When that song first came ing guitar and chanting vo- What's Next, which is nearing Pete, 26, writes most of the good lately, but it can blow up out, quested it was song. our And most it's re- still in cals heavy before chords and exploding screaming.

into sold). platinum status (1 million and lyrics Sam (Joe, teamed 22, plays on The bass), Red. he at den, any somebody second. All says of a the sud- June the top five," says Pratt, who "When we were growing The layering of Pete's "When I used to get angry wrong thing and somebody thinks listeners appreciate up, we were really influenced smooth, high-pitched treat- when we were younger, I freaks ntral.com Republic Arizona The 43.