• A Phone Call from Wink? Yep, the one and only Wink O'Bannon phoned to say that he's "helping with the bands" at the Cherokee and that he is now designating Wednesdays at the Cherokee "Dead Mike Night." Wink says that he's aiming to make it genuinely acoustic and intimate. Gee, Wink, (et al), read Ray Major's letter on page 23 about the exact same thing. It's in the air.

• Music Rumor Control Central. It could be dangerous trying to keep up with rumors and/or facts in the Louisville music scene, but, hey, life is risky.

• However, the first one is easy: Rick at the Butchertown Pub says that the Pub is not — repeat not — giving up on live music. The mid-week bookings may shift, but the weekend is remaining solidly live bands.

Only every club and venue I know of is trying to figure out something that will work on Mondays and Tuesdays in particular, and sometimes on Wednesdays and Thursdays, so changes at the Butchertown (or any other club) are common and to be expected.

• As for the Cherokee Club, I can't say. There has been some turmoil, as reported by Duncan Barlow, but the extent and exact nature of it is not yet quite certain. Wink O'Bannon's phone call was an interesting addition to the mix. A little later, he faxed us a list of shows for April. Check the calendar.

• So You Think You've Got Chops? Jamey Aebersold's 1996 Jazz Catalog is out, for all you jazz (and other styles) players who want to improve your playing. Aebersold has been marketing play-along recordings for years and he just keeps on adding new stuff. This year, he has added a Billy Strayhorn play-along, a Latin version of Bird tunes, and a truly challenging record of difficult tunes (including "Giant Steps") called Giant Steps, in which each tune starts in its original key, then moves through the other eleven keys. Ha! Try that when you're feelin' frisky. Call 1-800-456-1388 for ordering and info.

• While It's Jazz. Greg Walker was eager to give me a copy of a review of Walker & Kays' Chasing a Rainbow CD, printed in a New York publication called Cadenee. Needless to say, it's a rave.

• The Louisville Dulcimer Society is staging a concert featuring John McCormick, on April 21 at the Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church. McCormick will offer a guitar workshop at 2:30 p.m. and a concert at 4:30 p.m. Admission to either event is free to LDS members, $5 for the rest of us.

McCormick says he's working on new tunes and a new album and will, no doubt, play some at the concert. For info, call 456-1719.

• More Folk. Laurie Rose Griffith and Peter Mealy sent LMN a CD, Tocoi Light, and letter about a show they're doing at the Rudyard Kipling on May 7, at 8:30 p.m. Griffith is a Frankfort/Shelbyville native who moved to Washington, D.C. some years ago. I dropped the CD in the old player and gave it a listen and then another and then another. I summed it up this way: strong, clear vocals by two excellent singers, clean acoustic guitar work, solid harmonies, interesting songwriting. What more do you folk music lovers want? So go see them, if you've recovered from the Derby by then.

• We Were Talking About Derby, Yes? Local songwriter Ida Callahan has written a tune called "The Kentucky Derby Waltz," which, at this writing, was scheduled to be introduced at the Fillies Ball and played on their float.

• Louisville songwriter Cheryl Woods has gotten a spot at the Bluebird Cafe's Sunday Songwriter Showcase in Nashville. As is always the case with the Bluebird, the date is out there: November 10, 1996. At least it's this year, Cheryl.

• The Louisville Chamber Music Society of Louisville held its first, to-be-annual, Macauley Smith Chamber Music Competition for middle and high school chamber ensembles on March 9, at the U of L Recital Hall. First Prize went to the Vegtet Quartet; second prize to Y.E.S. (Youth Ensemble Society); and third to the all-cello Indy-Tuck Quartet. All seven of the quartets entered in the competition will participate in the Winners Recital on Saturday, April 20, 1996, at 2 p.m. at the U of L Recital Hall. Admission is free.

• Chaz Rough will be promoting his Uniware line of T-shirts at the J. C. Penney store in Southland Terrace on April 13. He will perform at about 3 p.m. and will give away cassingles to the first fifty people who ask for them.

• Nervous Melvin and the Mistakes have been picked to play for the official NCAA Corporate Receptions before the Semi-Final and Championship Games at the Meadowlands in New Jersey.

• Our Intermittent Columnist Alan Rhody sent along some Rhody-type tidbits with his column. He's scheduled to play at the Kerrville Folk Festival on June 13; he's splitting an art gallery exhibit with R.D. Lowery at Laurell's in Nashville during April. (Rhody's art background is well known to his fans — I myself picked up one of his drawings at a yard sale.); he's got cuts: "Christmas to Christmas" appeared on both Toby Keith's Polydor release, Christmas '95, and Tanya Tucker's Capitol album, Christmas '95 (Is there an echo in here?); Dave Mallett, Kate Wallace, Murray McLauchlan and the Goods have cut various of his tunes.

Catch him on Cary Willis' radio show at 11 a.m. on April 27, WFPK, for more info. He'll be in town to gig at the Rud that night.

• American Bandstand Redux? Caught the pilot shoot of a local live music TV show at the Toy Tiger on March 20. The show, called "Backstage Pass," featured Big Head and Almost Noah, plus a house band, the All-Access Pass Band, fronted by Dave "E" Frazier and consisting primarily of members of Nomads plus Rob Marsten on keys.

The show is being put together by Maury Majors and Wayne Young (and others, of course). They've been working on it for quite some time, aiming to have a first-class production with VH1-style editing. Their long-term intent is to market it to VH1. In the short term, they have a slot on Channel 58 at 10 p.m. Tuesdays. Look for the first show in April and stay tuned for more news about this one.

• The 1996 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is scheduled for April 26 - May 5. The line-up is just too incredible (and too long) to list. For info, call 800-488-5252. Their flyer tells us that Joan Osborne will not be in town for Derby; she'll be sharing a stage with the Indigo Girls and Joan Baez. Of course, Miz Osborne will play the Palace on April 30, so we won't be totally bereft.

Club Changes

• Tru Deaux's, 2420 S. 4th St. Tru Deaux's, set to open officially on April 4, is in the building at Fourth and Colorado which housed the Luau Room, after that restaurant moved from the airport. Prior to that, the building was a Kroger store.

Tru Deaux's has been a catering business for the last fourteen months, opening on Wednesdays for college rock. According to owner Truman Lawrence, the catering business was keeping the building in use on Fridays and Saturdays, but not the rest of the week. Hence the decision to change to a nightclub. Days, the club offers box lunches and meals.

Wednesdays are college rock nights; Thursdays, the blues; Friday and Saturdays, rock; and Sundays will feature country music.

The phone number is 636-3693.