Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — The hills of Steamboat Springs will be alive with the sound of music this week.

And there will be enough variety to satisfy everyone's musical taste from traditional Christmas carols to the anything but traditional "Funk-a-Billy Swing" music.

Tonight Steamboat's musical menu will serve up, among other selections, Brent Rowan, a Nashville studio guitar player, the original Brethren Fast "Funk-a-Billy Swing" band and live jazz music at The Steamboat Yacht Club.

Rowan will be playing live at F.M. Light and Sons from 4 to 6 p.m. Rowan has been in Nashville for 20 years and has received the Academy of Country Music's "Guitar Player of the Year" award, making him one of the most sought-after guitar talents on Music Row.

Rowan has worked with performers from all genres of music, including George Strait, Sting, Olivia Newton-John, Shania Twain and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

For those with more eclectic taste, Brethren Fast will perform their unequivocally unique blend of music tonight at the Tugboat Grill and Pub on the mountain. Don of Brethren Fast describes the group's musical style as "electrified hot-rod hillbilly funk." The band plays the gamut from total "hillbilly" music to deep funk to heavy metal.

"They're a total fun-time band," said Scott Sroka, kitchen manger at the Tugboat. "They play great dancing, jumping, drinking music."

For a more traditional sound, Ellen and Morten Hoj invite you to enjoy the sounds of jazz musicians Christopher Brown and Dave Hagedorn. They will perform tonight and Thursday night at the Steamboat Springs Yacht Club from 6:30 p.m. to close.

"Christopher and Dave play beautiful music," said Morten, owner of the Yacht Club. "It is very light jazz and very relaxing perfect dinner music."

In addition, The Steamboat Springs Flute Trio and United Methodists Church Carolers will perform tonight for the benefit of local businesses. The Flute Trio performs from 4 to 6 p.m. and the carolers perform at 5:30 p.m.

From traditional Christmas music, to jazz, to hillbilly-funk-heavy-metal, Steamboat's musical menu this week guarantees everyone will go home satisfied.

Upcoming Musical Events:

The Baker Piano Students will perform at 11:30 a.m. at Soda Creek Mercantile.

Strings in the Mountains will present a children's holiday concert "Moguls to Mozart" at 4 p.m. Dec. 27 at the Sheraton Grand Ballroom. Cost is $10 for adults and free for children. Call 879-5056 for more info.

Strings in the Mountains presents its annual gala holiday concert 2000 "Bach to the Future" at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 28 at the Sheraton Grand Ballroom. Preconcert champagne and hors d'oeuvre reception. Concert begins at 7:30, cost is $40. Call 879-5056 for more information.