The band Free Harmony is built around the vocal blend of singers Chuck Dingée and Sharon Mayson. They are releasing their debut album and celebrating with a performance at Elizabeth Park at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 27. 

Their sound is a smooth and beautiful mix of classic folk-rock with pop, country and Americana influences. 

You may recognize Dingée from his work with The Walrus, or as the host of the Tuesday night open mics at Culture Cafe. Mayson also performs with Pacific Twang. When they first met at a Singer’s Saturday event at the Fireside in 2017, Mayson offered to tag along to Dingée's next gig to provide some “free harmony.” The next thing they knew, they were starting a band. The highlight of their time as a band so far was opening a few shows for the group America.

They still frequently perform just as a duo with Dingée on guitar and flute and Mayson on keyboard. For bigger gigs, they are joined by some combination of Lee Pence on guitar and vocals, Jon Myers on bass, and Carr Johnson on drums. For the Elizabeth Park show, they will have the full five-piece band on hand. 

Their new album is self-titled and was recorded by Chip Westerfield. Most of the album has already been released for streaming as part of a steady stream of singles over the past year or so, but now it will be all in one place on CD. 

Four of the songs are by Mayson, four are co-written and only one is a cover. They take full advantage of the studio, adding touches like strings or steel guitar to make each song distinctive. The vocals always remain front and center, though. This is a band that is built around singing, and everything else works to support that. 

Although their recorded work tends to emphasize slower songs, they also bring out some lively covers for live shows to keep the dancers happy. This will be their fourth time playing at Elizabeth Park, so I think it’s safe to say they know how to give that crowd what they want.

 Sharon Mayson, center, and Chuck Dingée, front right, of Free Harmony blend their voices for a crowd during an Elizabeth Park concert. The rest of the band — comprising Lee Pence on guitar and vocals, Jon Myers on bass, and Carr Johnson on drums — join the duo for bigger gigs. (Photo courtesy of Kathy Sheehan)  

We’ve got some fun new music videos out. Both Harbor Day and Hockey Teeth have videos for their latest singles, and Analog Brass made one for their cover of “Because I Got High.” It’s always great to see local groups paying attention to their visual presentations — videos can really show you a different side of their creativity.

The options before and after the Wednesday night Downtown Sounds concerts just keep expanding. Tenderpile’s Smile Aisle is going to be playing jazz right across the street at Welcome Road Winery from 4–6 p.m. every Wednesday, and The Admiralty Lounge will be hosting some superb singer-songwriters starting around 8:30 p.m. Downtown Bellingham is absolutely jumping on Wednesday nights and it’s a great thing to see. 

One very interesting recent local release is “Upon The Earth,” by MANtrio. The trio of pianist Sage Romey, bassist Sarah Yates and drummer/percussionist Melanie Sehman starts with a base of jazz and contemporary classical music, then integrates experimental, West African and medieval influences to create an adventurous but accessible blend. Highly recommended, if you’re ready to pay close attention. 

I was sorry to see that Mount Saturn is breaking up, or at least going on hiatus. It’s for one of the classic reasons why Bellingham bands break up: two members are moving to Portland. If you’re any kind of metal fan and you haven’t yet checked out “O, Great Moon!,” their ferocious LP from last year, make sure you rectify that soon. Then make plans to catch one of their two remaining shows: Aug. 12 at Shakedown, or Sept. 1 at the Sh’Bang festival.

JESSE'S PICKS

Baby Cake
6 p.m. Friday, July 21, Boulevard Park
The second Boulevard Park concert features Baby Cake’s popular blend of pop and R&B covers. Later that night, The Shakedown has a super fun rock lineup with locals Cat Valley and Hockey Teeth sandwiched around touring acts Gloomy June and Party Nails.

Clinton Fearon and the Boogie Brown Band
6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 22, Guemes Island General Store, 7885 Guemes Island Road, Anacortes
Reggae fans who are up for a quick ferry ride should hop over to the Guemes Island General Store to groove with regional reggae favorites Clinton Fearon and the Boogie Brown Band.

Jovino Santos Neto Trio
4 p.m. Sunday, July 23, Fairhaven Village Tacos, 1020 Harris Ave.
Fairhaven Village Tacos (the new inhabitant of the red bus at 11th Street and Harris Avenue) is hosting the Jovino Santos Neto Trio. I’m not quite sure the logistics of where they’re going to put him, but his lively Brazilian jazz and engaging stage presence will be fun in any context.

Bellingham Idol
7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 27, Wild Buffalo House of Music, 208 W. Holly St.
Competitors have been working their way through the different stages of the Bellingham Idol competition since April. It all comes to a conclusion at the Wild Buffalo on Thursday, when the four remaining finalists compete for a $2,500 cash prize.

 Bobbie Cricket closes out the night at Bellingham Idol auditions May 10 at the Wild Buffalo House of Music. (Hailey Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News)  

LIVE MUSIC LISTINGS

Friday, July 21

• Bar Cicotti: 6 p.m., Tea Seas Trio ft. Jan Peters (funk/ jazz/ boogaloo)
• Beach at Birch Bay: 6 p.m. Little Big Band (classic/ Southern rock)
• Bellewood Farms: 6 p.m., Handsome and Gretyl
• Birdsview: 6 p.m., Trick Myers
• Bistro at Shuksan: 5 p.m., Julian MacDonough Jazz Quartet
• Boulevard Park: 6 p.m., Baby Cakes (R&B/ pop covers)
• Boundary: 6 p.m., Tracy Spring & Janis Carper (singer-songwriter)
• Brown Lantern: 9 p.m., The Pine Hearts
• Burlington Summer Nights: 6 p.m., Stacey Jones Band (roots rock/ blues)
• Eagle Haven: 7 p.m., Enchantrix
• Fireside: 7 p.m., Jeffrey Slough and Friends
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Tad Kroening (singer-songwriter)
• Make.Shift: 8 p.m., Ceras, Slowfall, The Wyrds
• Mount Baker Theatre: 7:30 p.m., Steve Earle (country/ Americana)
• Seafarer’s Memorial Park (Anacortes): 6 p.m., The Davanos
• Shakedown: 8:30 p.m., Cat Valley, Gloomy June, Party Nails, Hockey Teeth (rock)
• Skagit Cellars: 5 p.m., Daniel Pellegrini
• Skylark’s: 5 p.m., Steve Webb & The Great Mad Swirl (folk/ rock)
• Station 49: 7 p.m., Matt Farris (country)
• That’s What I Like: 7 p.m., Leo Bootes (blues)
• Vault: 7 p.m., Double Trouble

Saturday, July 22

• Beach at Birch Bay: 3 p.m., SpaceBand (R&B/ hip hop covers)
• Bellingham Elks: 6 p.m., Lost At Last (country)
• Birdsview: 6 p.m., Curtis Moore
• Blue Room: 7 p.m., Lewie, TBA (hip hop)
• Centennial Riverwalk Park (Ferndale): 7 p.m., Antishock; 5 p.m., Shannanagins; 3:15 p.m., Uncle Doug; 2 p.m., JP Falcon
• Conway Muse: 8 p.m., Stardrums & Lady Keys
• Eagle Haven: 7 p.m., Brittany Collins Band (folk/ rock)
• Fireside 4 p.m., Singers’ Saturday
• Guemes Island General Store: 6:30 p.m., Clinton Fearon and the Boogie Brown Band (reggae)
• Heart of Anacortes: 6 p.m., The Fabulous Roof Shakers (vintage rhythm and blues)
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Tenderpile’s Smile Aisle (jazz)
• Kulshan: 4 p.m., Cuttlefish (part of Sunnyland Stomp)
• Kulshan Trackside: 7 p.m., Sleepy Alligators (Grateful Dead tribute); 8:30 p.m., Sanoma (surf/ garage/ cinematic)
• Main Street: 8:30 p.m., Neon Shadows ('80s pop and rock covers)
• Rockfish: 7:30 p.m., Savage Blues Band
• Shakedown: 8:30 p.m., Adolescents, The Dollyrots, Dog Party, Crazy & The Brains (punk)
• Skylark’s: 5 p.m., Into the West (American roots)
• Station 49: 7 p.m., Matt Farris (country)
• Stones Throw: 6 p.m., David Donohue (singer-songwriter)
• Swinomish Casino: 2 p.m., Midlife Crisis and the Alimony Horns; 4 p.m., Time Machine Radio; 6 p.m., Darin Jones & The Last Men Standing
• Wild Buffalo: 7:30 p.m., Willie Watson, guests (folk)
• Zeek’s: 7:30 p.m., The Naughty Blokes (rock)

Sunday, July 23

• Beach at Birch Bay: 3 p.m., Replayzmentz (classic rock)
• Bellingham Cider Co: 6:30 p.m., Lindsay Street (Celtic)
• Fairhaven Village Tacos: 4 p.m., Jovino Santos Neto Trio (Brazilian jazz)
• Gilkey Square (La Conner): 1 p.m., Chris Eger Band (blues/ rock)
• Kulshan: 5 p.m., Cardova (R&B/ soul)
• Kulshan Trackside: 3 p.m., Jack Dwyer & Bobby Winstead (bluegrass/ folk)
• Main Street: 6 p.m., Open Mic
• Old Edison: 5:30 p.m., The Atlantics
• Wild Buffalo: 9 p.m., INVT, Pax, Cables (“pan-Latino bass”)

Monday, July 24

• Aslan: 8 p.m., Chaepter (dream pop/ experimental R&B)
• Blue Room: 8 p.m., Adam Moezinia Folk Element Trio (jazz)
• Boundary: 6 p.m., Dr. Jimmy & The Swing Time Serenaders (big band)
• Kulshan: 6 p.m., Natalie Paige (blues/folk)

Tuesday, July 25

• Aslan: 8 p.m., Jazz Night
• Barkley Village: 6 p.m., Brie Mueller Band
• Boundary: 3 p.m., Out of the Ashes, 6 p.m., Paul Klein on piano
• Culture Cafe: 7 p.m., Open Mic
• Menace: 7 p.m., Invitational Blues Jam
• Wild Buffalo: 8:30 p.m., Moonshine Bandits, WTF is Justin Time?, Dusty Leigh, Good Ol’ Boyz

Wednesday, July 26

• Admiralty Lounge: 8:30 p.m., Russell Thompson (folk)
• Bar Cicotti: 6 p.m., Findlay & Tate (jazz)
• Beach at Birch Bay: 6 p.m., Open Mic/ Jam
• Boundary: 6 p.m., Aaron Guest on piano and Gallowglass (Celtic); 8 p.m., Aftersounds ft. JDone, CHRVNS, DJ Kitchen Sink (hip-hop)
• Downtown Sounds: 6 p.m., The Harris Twins; 7:30 p.m., Outer Orbit (soul/funk)
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Open Mic
• Rockfish: 6 p.m., Fidalgo Swing
• Seafarer’s Memorial Park (Anacortes): 6 p.m., Ranger & The Rearrangers (swing)
• Stones Throw: 6 p.m., TBA
• Welcome Road: 4 p.m., Tenderpile’s Smile Aisle (jazz)
• Wild Buffalo: 9 p.m., Miles Harris & The Deep Cuts (funk/soul)

Thursday, July 27

• Barkley Village Green: 11 a.m., The Kian Dye Bluegrass Band
• Bistro at Shuksan: 5 p.m., High Peak Trio (funk/jazz)
• Boundary: 5 p.m., Delta Promenade (acoustic blues) 8 p.m., Mr. Sam and the People People, Louis Ledford
• Brown Lantern: 8:30 p.m., Open Mic
• Corner Taphouse (Fairhaven): 6 p.m., Simon Llewelyn Evans (singer-songwriter)
• Eagle Haven: 6 p.m., Steve Johnson aka The Pension King
• Elizabeth Park: 6 p.m., Free Harmony
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Bluegrass Jam
• Hotel Bellwether: 6 p.m., The Atlantics
• Kulshan Trackside: 6 p.m., Where’s The Exit?; 7:30 p.m., Cat Positive (indie rock)
• Mount Vernon Riverwalk: 6 p.m., Levi Ware
• Thirsty Badger: 7 p.m., Open Mic
• That’s What I Like: 6 p.m., JP Falcon and Friends (folk/rock)
• Wild Buffalo: 7:30 p.m., Bellingham Idol
• Zeek’s: 7 p.m., Bilongo Quintet (Latin jazz)

Friday, July 28

• Beach at Birch Bay: 6 p.m., Dad Company, Paper Heart (rock covers)
• Bellewood Farms: 6 p.m., Heron and Crow (bluegrass/folk)
• Birdsview: 6 p.m., Tom Mullin
• Bistro at Shuksan: 5 p.m., Julian MacDonough Jazz Quartet
• Blue Room: 9 p.m., Listening party for “Pure Flaws” by Fantompower, featuring CHRVNS, Ca$h McClane, OG Neeks 
• Boundary: 6 p.m., Cardova
• Burlington Summer Nights: 6 p.m., Lemon Creek (female-centric rock and pop covers)
• Eagle Haven: 6 p.m., Lazy Acres, Pretty Much Nothing (rock)
• Firehouse: 6:30 p.m., Heat Speak, Traesti Darling (indie folk)
• Fireside: 7 p.m., The D’Vas
• Greene’s Corner: 6 p.m., The Problem (jazz)
• Guemes Island General Store: 6 p.m., Tenderpile’s Smile Aisle (jazz)
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Peter Ali (Native American flute)
• Pioneer Park (Ferndale): 2 p.m., Danny Vernon & The Devilles (Elvis tribute); 6 p.m., Wally & The Beaves
• Seafarer’s Memorial Park (Anacortes): 6 p.m., Point of Sail
• Shakedown: 9 p.m., Myonia, Of The Heavy Sun, Atomic Aurora (rock/metal)
• Skylark’s: 5 p.m., Odd Mood Jam Band (rock/blues/jam)
• Station 49: 7 p.m., Bobby Joe Bell (country)
• Lookout Arts Quarry: 7 p.m., That Devil Music festival ft. Hot Damn Scandal, Melancholia, Dryland, Fungal Abyss
• That’s What I Like: 7 p.m., Carly Ann Calbero (singer-songwriter)
• Thirsty Badger: 8 p.m., Michael Dayvid (acoustic covers)
• Vault: 7 p.m., Michele D’Amour and the Love Dealers
• Wild Buffalo: 9 p.m., Zella Day, guests

Saturday, July 29

• Beach at Birch Bay: 3 p.m., Sunset Superman (classic rock)
• Birdsview: 6 p.m., For What It’s Worth
• Boundary: 8 p.m., Elere (salsa)
• Brown Lantern: 9 p.m., Jukebox Jack
• Conway Muse: 8 p.m., Mark Dufresne Band (blues)
• Eagle Haven: 6 p.m., Troy Fair Band
• Lookout Arts Quarry: 7 p.m., That Devil Music festival ft. Funkways, Bang Bang and the Bad Medicine, Three for Silver, Trash Casket, Oath ov Hatred
• Fireside 4 p.m., Singers’ Saturday
• Firehouse: 6:30 p.m., K-Kats (ragtime)
• Gruff: 7:30 p.m., Spine Readers, Moraine, Hilarious Combination (rock/experimental)
• Guemes Island General Store: 6:30 p.m., Sway Wild (folk/rock)
• Heart of Anacortes: 6 p.m., The Atlantics (classic rock and roll)
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Fritz and the Freeloaders (rock and roll)
• Kulshan Trackside: 2 p.m., Baby Cakes (R&B/pop covers)
• Old Edison: 8 p.m., The Naughty Blokes (rock)
• Pioneer Park (Ferndale): 2 p.m., Queen’s Bluegrass, 6 p.m., Kapelle Blaser-Faver
• Rockfish: 7:30 p.m., Michele D’Amour and the Love Dealers
• Schweinhaus: 8:30 p.m., Heavy Bloom, Pure Halcyon (rock)
• Skagit Cellars: 6 p.m., Michael Dayvid
• Skylark’s: 5 p.m., Guitars and Gratitude (folk/ country/Americana)
• Station 49: 2 p.m., Ethan Johnson, 7 p.m., Bobby Joe Bell (country)
• Zeek’s: 7:30 p.m., Odd Mood Jam Band (rock/blues/jam)

Sunday, July 30

• Beach at Birch Bay: 3 p.m., Dial Up (alternative rock covers)
• Bellingham Cider Co: 6:30 p.m., Millie & The Mentshn (klezmer/world)
• Birdsview: 4 p.m., Norman Baker
• Boundary: 1 p.m., The Naughty Blokes (rock)
• Gilkey Square (La Conner): 1 p.m., Joan Penney
• Guemes Island General Store: 5:30 p.m., Mr. Sam and the People People
• Kulshan: 5 p.m., Delta Promenade (acoustic blues)
• Kulshan Trackside: 3 p.m., Queen’s Bluegrass
• Main Street: 6 p.m., Open Mic
• Old Edison: 5:30 p.m., Ron Bailey & The Tangents
• Station 49: 3 p.m., Jimmy Wright Band (classic rock)

Before heading out to listen to live music, check with individual venues to make sure the event is still taking place as scheduled. 

The Beat Goes On is published online Tuesdays and in print Fridays. Email: jsbhammusic@gmail.com or Twitter: @JSBhamMusic.