42 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY NOVEMBER 23-29, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com MUSIC Singer-songwriter Nikki McCartney wasn’t born in Monterey County. Rather, she chose it as a base from which she has been pursuing her career as a recording and performing artist, engineer, composer and producer. These days, McCartney has gigs mostly in Los Angeles, San Francisco and the Seattle area, but local residents may remember her from events like the Monterey International Blues Festival in 2019. McCartney’s first studio recording experience was co-writing and singing on Stu Heydon Blues Band’s 2020 album Shadowman. (Heydon is a Canadian hall-of-famer who now lives in Carmel.) A year later, she recorded her own first album, Wild Warriors. She did “the whole thing,” she says, from writing and recording (instruments and vocals), through producing to mixing and mastering. The reception was “pretty good,” McCartney says; she’s particularly proud to have done everything herself. Songwriting came naturally to McCartney; she came from a family of West Coast musicians. Her process always starts with the music and falling in love with the sound. “Lyrics will find their way,” she says, adding that lyrics to her are sort of poetry, a stream of consciousness. McCartney considers Janis Joplin, another woman with a guitar, the most talented artist in music history. Her other important inspiration is singer Ella Fitzgerald. Currently she is working on another album, to be released in 2023. “Brace yourself for a new sound,” McCartney says. For now, we can only sample the three singles from the album that have already been released—“Ready to Go,” “Intergalactic Love,” and, most recently, “Very Nice (Down By The River)”. All three songs are very different from Wild Warriors indeed, and the transition brings to mind another rock-andblues girl going upbeat: Gwen Stefani’s 2003 solo debut Love. Angel. Music. Baby. Expect upbeat cuteness, lyrics about sour lemonade and falling in love, and pop sounds flirting with electronica. There’s more to come. In the meantime, you can listen to McCartney jamming on Tuesdays at the Bulldog Pub in Monterey along with fellow musicians Arno Featherstone, Christopher Lopez and Steve Parmley. Nikki McCartney plays 6:30pm-10pm on Tuesdays at the Bulldog Pub, 611 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. nikkimccartney.com. ERNESTO ALTAMIRANO, LATINO EDGE Pop Transition Local singer-songwriter Nikki McCartney is at work on a new album with a new sound. By Agata Pop˛eda Nikki McCartney, seen here playing on the Youth Education Stage at Monterey International Blues Festival in 2019. Showroom DiSplayS for Sale 70% OFF! Cabinets • Appliances • Hardware Accessories • Decorative Plumbing Visit our showroom Monday-Friday 10am-4pm 1368 S. Main St C, Salinas www.cabinetsandsuch.com P.S. We are NOT going out of business! Inquiries: please email info@cabinetsandsuch.com or call (831) 422-9900 Celebrate the season during this two-night self-guided walking tour event featuring entertainment and decor at over a dozen historic buildings in downtown Monterey. Angel image: Erica Franke, 1957 - City of Monterey CHRISTMAS IN THE ADOBES DECEMBER 9 & 10, 2022 5:00-9:00 PM HISTORIC MONTEREY'S BELOVED HOLIDAY EVENT RETURNS Info & tickets available at www.MSHPA.org beginning Oct 17 Brought to you by California State Parks & The Monterey State Historic Park Association (MSHPA) DECEMBER 8 & 9, 2023 5:00–9:00PM Pacific Grove Hardware 229 Forest Avenue • 646-9144 Locally Owned and Operated BEST Hardware Store THANKS FOR YOUR VOTES! Your Hometown Hardware Store ’09-’23 take $5 OFF ANY $25 or more regular items With this ad. Exp 11/30/23 One discount per transaction We’re Open! Mon-Sun 8am-5pm YOU DON’T HAVE TO FACE IT ALONE. 24 Hour Crisis Lines Salinas: (831) 424-HELP (4357) Monterey: (831) 375-HELP (4357) www.mtryrapecrisis.org Services are bilingual and confidential Now serving Salinas and Monterey
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