Weird Al Yankovic Band Members Stephen Jay & Jim 'Kimo' West To Play Club Passim

"Weird Al" Yankovic band members Stephen Jay and Jim "Kimo" West will perform at Club Passim on Sunday, March 4, 2018 at 11:00 PM as part of their Parallel Universe Tour. Jay and West will perform earlier in the evening with "Weird Al" at The Wilbur Theatre in Boston before heading to Harvard Square for the rare late night show. Tickets are $25 and available now at www.passim.org or by calling 617-492-7679.

As original band members for "Weird Al" Yankovic, Stephen Jay (bass) and Jim West (guitar) are well-known to the legendary musical satirist's legions of fans as master musicians who can replicate any genre with total precision. The hardcores know that Jay and West are shape-shifting solo artists in their own right. For the first time in over three decades of recording and touring with "Weird Al," fans will have the rare opportunity to experience Stephen Jay and Jim "Kimo" West perform their own original, distinctive music. The Parallel Universe Tour is bringing the artists to intimate settings in select cities as they travel throughout North America with Weird Al's Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour. Music heads will have the chance to simply experience their masterful musicianship live.

Stephen Jay's bass-driven funk is an exotic blend of world-influenced polyrhythmic grooves seasoned with elements of jazz and rock. His combination of ethnic and modern instruments and styles results in unique, richly textured musical images. Jay's songs assault you with intricate complexity, assuage you with timeless melodies and offer an oasis for the soul. Jay has been voted one of "Today's 20 Top Bassists" by International Musician and Recording World magazine. Defying categorization of his music, Jay states, "my music lives in the spaces between the notes."

"Stephen Jay's music assaults you with intricate complexity, assuages you with timeless melodies, and elevates your soul with intense beauty and humanity."

- Rob Mikuriya, Producer, "Futures" with Jaime Escalante / PBS.

Jay's new album, SO DO I SADIE, is a soul-filled collection of songs curated from previous releases, to be released on February 23.

Jim "Kimo" West is recognized as one of the world's top practitioners of the art of traditional Hawaiian "slack key" guitar. Based on a variety of open tunings, slack key music, like the waters of his second home of Hana, Maui, wash over you.

"The sound of ki ho'alu or Hawaiian slack key guitar transports one back to old Hawaii - it is music that perfectly describes the natural beauty of the islands without using words," says West. "I like to think that my music has the ability to take the listener there and experience the beauty and serenity of my favorite Hawaiian places."

West is a recent winner of the Hawaii Music Awards, a nominee for the Na Hoku Hanohano (the Hawaiian "Grammy") and a two-time winner of the LA Treasures Award for his contributions toward the perpetuation of ki ho'alu (Hawaiian slack key music).

West's new album, MOKU MALUHIA-PEACEFUL ISLAND, is a pristinely recorded collection of original Hawaiian "slack key" guitar compositions using both traditional and modern elements to transport the listener to their own "Peaceful Island." West's expressive finger-style playing is featured in solo pieces as well as others augmented by the use of cello, shakuhachi and ethereal ambiances. PEACEFUL ISLAND will also be released February 23.

Tickets for Stephen Jay & Jim "Kimo" West's Parallel Universe Tour on Sunday, March 4, 2018 at Club Passim are available online now at www.clubpassim.org, by calling 617-492-7679 (9:30 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday - Friday) or at the Club Passim box office sixty minutes before the show begins. Club Passim is located in Harvard Square at 47 Palmer St., Cambridge, MA 02138. Doors open at 10:30 PM.

About Passim

Passim, a nonprofit arts organization, creates an inspiring and interactive music experience for all, building a vibrant community for artists, students and audience members through its legendary listening venue and school of music. Established in Harvard Square as the Club 47 in 1958 and incorporated as a nonprofit in 1994, Passim has been a cornerstone of the arts community in New England, fostering both performers and audiences alike.

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