January heating up at opera house

Things are getting hot at the Mauch Chunk Opera House in Jim Thorpe.

Kick off the weekend with Grammy-nominee singer/songwriter Steve Forbert at 8 p.m. Nearly 28 years since breaking into pop consciousness, Forbert remains a master of songs offering clear-eyed insight and plain-spoken, heartfelt eloquence.

On Saturday at 8 p.m., the New West Guitar Group will incorporate a new musical texture to its already highly entertaining show. Noted vocalist Sara Gazarek will join the group. Her mix of contemporary jazz and singer/songwriter style makes her a unique voice and perfect blend with the band.

The New West Guitar Group has developed a widespread reputation as one of the premier guitar ensembles in the world. Featuring guitarists Perry Smith, John Storie and Will Brahm, the band performs classic pop covers, jazz standards and exciting originals.

Their signature sound comes from an innovative style that highlights rhythm, beauty and virtuosity with the acoustic and electric guitar. Smith and Storie founded the group 10 years ago. They continue to tour as a trio with Brahm throughout the United States and abroad.

Graduates of USC's Thornton School of Music, the trio's versatility as players and composers have given them a reputation as pioneers in the realm of guitar ensemble.

Sunday it's Taarka. Described by SF Weekly as a "collision of Django Reinhardt and David Grisman," Taarka is the new acoustic supergroup presenting masterfully deep Americana and gypsy jazz string band music led by the husband-and-wife team of David and Enion Pelta-Tiller.

David, a versatile picker raised in Virginia on a steady diet of bluegrass, Celtic, classical and Gypsy jazz, and Enion, an award-winning, classically trained violinist who can switch seamlessly between Bartok and bebop, not to mention Gypsy jazz, punk, rock and bluegrass. After meeting at a Brooklyn Browngrass gig, the two began a Gypsy jazz busker act in the New York City subway before hitting the road as Taarka.

Taarka fills out its unique sound with award-winning bassist Troy Robey and guitarist Mike Robinson.

Show time is 6:30 p.m.

On Jan. 22 the opera house welcomes the Dirty Bourbon River Show. This band deftly melds sounds that range from hard-edge blues to piano driven ballads to New Orleans brass into a result that is truly a blast of new energy into the musical landscape.

Dirty Bourbon grabs hold of audiences, fascinated by their eccentricity and dexterity coupled with their ability to hearken back to bygone eras in music. Since forming in early 2009, the Dirty Bourbon River Show has released nine studio albums and played over 750 live shows, fast earning them a stellar reputation for their tight, multifaceted sound and high-energy performances.

They can be found bringing their blend of New Orleans Big Brass Circus Rock all over the USA, performing at festivals and respected venues year-round.

Their albums and live shows pair exuberant, syncopated lyrics with complex, harmony-rich songwriting and orchestration. They switch instruments mid-show sometimes even mid-song. They all sing and they all have a penchant for theatrics, group chants and stomps, whiskey pours or whatever the imagination calls for.

Tickets for all shows can be purchased by calling 570-325-0249 and 24/7 online at mcohjt.com. Tickets are also available at Soundcheck Records in downtown Jim Thorpe at 570-325-4009 and at the opera house the day of the show.

The opera house is located at 14 W. Broadway in Jim Thorpe. Parking is available and free after 5 p.m. at the Carbon County lot behind the train station.