Best of Tucson 1996: Best Solo Artist

Best Solo Artist

Rainer

READERS' AND STAFF PICK: To see Rainer Ptacek perform live is to witness improvisation at its most creative and least indulgent. Not content to play the blues by rote, Rainer redefines the genre, bringing whatever catches his fancy to the party. Using any number of originals or classic compositions as starting points, Rainer takes them and builds a rich musical landscape with his brilliance on the acoustic slide guitar. Some nights you'll find him experimenting with echo pedals and sustained dissonance, while others offer more straight-ahead excursions. Either way, he never performs the same set twice. We look forward to seeing him back on the stage in 1997.

We know we've extolled his virtues elsewhere in these pages, but we have to say it again: We love Rainer Ptacek. If there's any man or musician in this town who embodies the blues, it's Rainer. In the past year those who've never heard of him before may have been introduced for the wrong reasons. He's not ailing-musican-Rainer, the Old Pueblo's favorite charity; he's an untold legend who's backed up many of the greatest names in the blues world, as well as lots of unknown talents here at home, sharing equally with each his dedication and love for music. There are lots of anecdotes that could try to capture his career--the D.Y.O. CD he cut to raise money for his ailing son, the only cassette tape Rolling Stone has ever reviewed, which received a four-star rating, the epic jam sessions that've closed down the house and left the listening audience and fellow musicians alike forever changed--but frankly, Rainer is a musician who continues to defy description for the simple fact that he remains unchanged, in good times and in trying ones, just going about his business and doing his thing. He's a definition unto himself. Muscial genius, slide guitar master, all-around great guy: He's just Rainer.

READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: We only know enough about Lisa Otey to know that she has a loyal fan base here in her hometown that borders on, well, rabid. The jazzy piano player has been wowing audiences for years, not only with her own musical prowess, but also with her diverse collection of musical hats: musical director at the Gaslight Theatre, session player, musical guest of The Sweatlodge comedy troupe and, of course, solo artist. The energetic Otey is a mainstay of the local music scene--one you'd be remiss not to seek out. And while you won't find her latest CD in record stores (it's only available at the Gaslight Theater), you'll see her name on local club listings with some frequency. Your knowledge of Tucson's music scene won't be complete until you've heard this woman roar.

A PERFECT 10: There will be no doubt in your mind if you've seen him. There are mere solo artists, and then there's Pretty Polly and His Amazing Guitar Machine, a regular attraction at Downtown Saturday Nights, who made his recent nightclub debut at Club Congress. Polly performs his own charming brand of country/folk with panache, whether alone on a stage or thrown in among the menagerie of street performers in the ongoing theatrical spectacle we call life in the Old Pueblo. What sets Pretty Polly apart is not his plaid shirt, black-rimmed glasses, mid-western good ol' boy looks, or denim highwaters; it's his incredible ability to do five (or more) things at once. While a ragdoll marionette suspended from the Amazing Machine keeps time, he sings, plays the harmonica and the banjo. He strums with both feet on a prone guitar rigged with a series of pedals. If there's any soloist in town who does it all--and all at once--it's Pretty Polly and His Amazing Guitar Machine. It's not just amazing, it's absolutely astounding. If only we could've gotten the word out before his indefinite hiatus in North Carolina.