Silence!
Ross Hamlin’s Dovetail Orchestra returns with a live score to Buster Keaton classic Sherlock Jr.
In the days of yore, many a year ago, local impresario and multi-instrumentalist Ross Hamlin wanted to become a film composer. And though he wound up changing his major at Berklee College of Music (to, like, guitar noodling, probably) before graduating and, eventually, moving to Santa Fe circa 2004, film remains on Hamlin’s mind, to which anyone who has ever seen his Dovetail Orchestra can attest.
The premise is simple: Build a band to perform live as a silent film (or montage of silent shorts) plays. A few years back, Hamlin had a pretty solid run at SITE Santa Fe doing just that, and now he’ll resurrect the show at the Jean Cocteau Cinema with an assist from Video Library owner Lisa Harris as well as musicians Andy Primm, Jerry Weimer and Scott Jarrett. The difference from previous performances? Harris has selected Buster Keaton’s 1924 film Sherlock Jr. rather than a series of shorts—this will be Hamlin’s longest silent film live score to date.
“This is my first longer film, so yeah, it’s a new direction there,” Hamlin tells SFR. “Initially I was resistant to the idea, but my idea was to have someone else curate the film and I come up with what I come up with, and what helped me make up my mind was that it was Lisa’s selection.”
Harris will introduce the film before the performance, then it’s no-holds-barred jamz by Hamlin and company composed of multiple styles and contextual moment-to-moment nuances. Hamlin’s musical chops run a wide gamut, too, so while we can reportedly expect nods to old vampy film piano of the silent era as well as jazz, rock and psychedelia, the ultimate goal is in best accompanying the movie.
“I’m going for a specific sound, but that the film dictates,” Hamlin says. “It’s kind of blowing my mind how great the film is, and Buster Keaton in general, and there’s something amazing about the comedy that is…less slapstick; but there’s comedy and time travel and a movie within a movie—a lot of good stuff. It’s even a little Wagnerian with the leitmotifs.”
Of course, the very nature of the show makes it a one-off experience, yet one perfect for cinephiles and music aficionados and fans of the intimate and non-reproducable. (Alex De Vore)
Dovetail Orchestra: Sherlock Jr.: 7:30 pm Thursday, Jan. 16. $15. Jean Cocteau Cinema, 418 Montezuma Ave., (505) 466-5528
Shije Shreds
The local music scene wouldn’t be the same without the blues, rock and Americana tunes pouring out of Cowgirl and pretty much any other venue across town. And though it’s debatable whether that’s a good or bad thing, notable players abound. Take local musician Jacob Shije (Santa Clara Pueblo), who grew up immersed in his ancestral traditions and culture while simultaneously absorbing Americana and rock ’n’ roll influences that passed through town. Shije has become an electric guitar master, who pairs well with his drummer, Royce Platero (Navajo) and bassist Tanya Nunez (Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo) for a show at Tumbleroot this week. “There are not a whole lot of all-Native rock ’n’ roll bands out there,” Shije tells SFR, though with opening acts Midnight Stew (Navajo) and Spitfirefly, expect a night full of Indigenous-fueled surf, rockabilly, blues and beyond. (Adam Ferguson)
Jacob Shije Trio: 7:30 pm Thursday Jan. 16. $10-$15. Tumbleroot Brewery & Distillery 2791 Agua Fria St., (505) 303-3808
Apparently This Week is All About Movies
OK, so you’ve got the silent film band thing on Thursday and the John Williams thing on Sunday, but those are kind of music-based filmic events. What do you do when you just kind of want to see some artful film? This week, you head to Teatro Paraguas for Nava 13, an event during which Mexico-born filmmaker Armando Hernandez is slated to showcase 13—count ‘em, 13!—short films he created in 2024. While we haven’t seen the films just yet, Hernandez is reportedly a bit of a genre-agnostic, which is to say his work represents a wide swath of topics, styles and techniques. Today, Hernandez calls Santa Fe home, though there’s no telling where such a prolific young moviemaker might go when it comes to their art. In other words, catch the program now so you can say you did when Hernandez picks up an Oscar or something. Movies are so rad. (ADV)
Nava 13: 7 pm Friday, Jan. 17. Free. Teatro Paraguas, 3205 Calle Marie, (505) 424-1601
You Know These Songs
Jaws; for the Indiana Jones films; for Star Wars; and—though we must never again support the TERF JK Rowling knowing she’s so hateful—for the Harry Potter series. This weekend, the Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra salutes Williams’ film work under the conduction of Richard Kaufman with a program of jams from the aforementioned films, plus others (like freaking Jurassic Park and Hook). Not only that, they’ll hold a costume contest for folks who attend the show dressed as a character from a film scored by Williams. We suggest going as Dr. Alan Grant. You’re welcome. (ADV)
Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra: Music of the Silver Screen: 4 pm Sunday, Jan. 19. $25-$99. Lensic Performing Arts Center, 211 W San Francisco St., (505) 988-1234