Jackie Greene's electrified Americana sound has led many listeners to assume that the music is being made by a man much older than Greene's 27 years. It's been that way since he snuck onto the scene about a half decade ago. His music incorporates styles that became popular long before his birth, and his new association with the Grateful Dead empire suggests deeply rooted associations with legendary musicians.

 
A few days before his new record, Giving up the Ghost, hit the streets, Greene shied away from remarks about his age, which he's faced most of his career. But he doesn't mind talking about his new album - a record that's receiving warm reviews and being hailed as a positive step forward for the emerging star. Tracks from Ghost, like "Shaken" have a modern, Ryan Adams-like feel that are at the same time wrapped in a classic Jackson Browne model. Greene doesn't see the inclusion of these 1970s tastes as intentional or a conscious departure from his earlier work.

Wearing his trademark KFC bucket (logo free) and white mask, Buckethead pushed the limits of the electric guitar to the brink Friday night at the Domino room, before the packed all-ages show. Three of four songs into the set he pretty much demolished all notions I had of the technical limits of the instrument and human musicianship.

But I'll confess that at this point I was starting to wonder how much guitar theatrics I could take. Plus I was getting a little weirded out by the whole chicken bucket hat, serial killer mask shtick.

An hour and half and one Buckethead nun chuk exhibition later, I was still standing in the same spot with my jaw hanging somewhere near the ground.

There's no shortage o' Bendites who make the pilgrimage to Nevada's Burning Man Festival each summer. And those who head south for a few days of mind expansion and desert wandering during the festival likely have come across the tunes of Albino! (Note: We don't mean to scream that sentence at you, the San Francisco-based band uses the exclamation point in their official title.) And, for all those who shy away from the Burning Man scene, Albino! is bringing its world beats to the streets this spring.

The 12-piece Afrobeat ensemble frequents festivals across the country and is known for its high-energy tracks and exhilarating live shows. Albino! is currently on tour to promote the release of a new live album featuring saxophonist Karl Denson (the same Karl D who recently jammed in Bend with the Greyboy Allstars).

Legendary folk hero and activist Arlo Guthrie is coming to town to play a benefit for KPOV (106.7 FM), and we wanted just a bit of his time, say ten minutes or so to catch up with him - and he gave us almost half an hour, and probably would have stayed on the line for half the day if we asked kindly. Here's a look at what he had to say about his music, the music of others, and everything else in between.

Looks like you're on the road for a while now?

Jeez, it's going into next year and beyond, so it's getting a little nuts. Where are you calling me from again?

Bend, Oregon.

Oh, Bend. We're looking forward to getting up there.