Cara Alboucq takes time to smell the dandelions. Photo by Megan Nelson

Cara Alboucq started playing piano at the age of seven; she picked up the cello at 10. Her father, a trumpeter, encouraged her to learn many instruments. Attempting to administer an eclectic musical education he vetoed the guitar from her repertoire, under the guise that it’s too cliche of an instrument. Finally she picked one up five years ago. She wrote her first song as a sophomore at Western.

“I lived with three girls and I just played for fun, usually we’d drink and play Beatles tunes, sing-a-longs, and then I just wrote a song one day; it was instant. That’s how everything artistic has always been with me; it just happens.”

Her first show was opening for Project Lion Heart and Rise ‘N’ Shine at the Wild Buffalo. Austin, from Buildstrong, heard her play and booked it. Playing a first show at a packed house can be a nerve wracking experience. Cara, although nervous, didn’t balk.

“I think he (Austin) was testing me ya know, to see if I had the balls to do it.”

She relied on her 16 years as a dancer. The crowd loved her mellow soulful songs and connective stage presence. Since then Cara has made herself an integral member of the scene by playing lots of shows and consistently filling venues. That has been a slight surprise for her.

“I’m not the best guitar player, I’m not the best singer, I’m not the best writer, but when I put it all together I create something that I really like and it exemplifies who I am,” she said.

Now that she’s graduated from Western with a philosophy major, she spends the days strumming her guitar and hanging out with friends. One of them, Christal Taylor, plays the cello. She and Cara have become a writing team; Cara plays guitar and sings the melody while Christal adds depth with her cello and by singing harmony. They’ve played the Wild Buffalo and will be heading out to Orcas Island with some members of the Keaton Collective to record. Cara sang harmony on The Keaton Collective’s last album, Time and Pressure. The two ladies call their new group The A-priori Project.

“It’s a philosophical term that means knowing without empirical evidence. It’s like just being a rationalist sitting back in your arm chair and knowing things,” she said.

Cara plays for one reason, that it feels good. Like most artists her true motives are based on self gratification rather than pleasing others, or trying to become famous. Influenced heavily by Tom Waits, she strives to match his versatility. She digs deep and is apt at breaking out of the mold of the ‘female singer/songwriter.’ The connection she makes with the audience is her defining aspect.

“I like watching performers who want to be where they are,” she said.

Her solo sound is a bit different from The A-priori Project. Both are great, but versatility is important to Cara. Having come back to her roots, she recently discovered a new musician, Zee Aviv T, whose sound is a fusion of jazz and folk, very upbeat. Listening to new records always inspires her to create new songs that are out of her comfort zone.

“I’m that girl who’ll find a guitar in some random room at a party, smoke cigarettes and play all night. When I play music I’m not alone, even if I am,” she said.

Catch Cara Alboucq on April 5 at the Green Frog Acoustic Tavern and April 11 with VV Brown and Little Dragon at the Wild Buffalo.

She’s online at myspace.com/caraalboucq

Nick Ennen and Jeremy Dubs. Photo by Stephanie Kosonen

Nick Ennen and Jeremy Dubs. Photo by Stephanie Kosonen

Nick Ennen and Jeremy Dubs. Photo by Stephanie Kosonen

Bellinghamsters Jeremy Dubs and Nick Ennen flipped between two computers and about eight projects at Ennen’s house in Fairhaven on a recent sunny weekday, the most pressing being an art-focused party March 26 at the Wild Buffalo House of Music.

Funner Fest, to feature local band the Endorfins and an exhibit of photos and art by various local artists involved with board sports, aims to promote the art community here. Snow-, skate- and wakeboarders typically are creative types, and Funner Fest will feature their new works.

Also, “we needed a good excuse to go party in Bellingham,” Dubs said. Funner Fest is an opportunity for Bellingham’s boarders and artists to converge on one spot and celebrate art inspired by the joys and pains of a life spent searching for the next “spot”: bluebird powder days, glassy lakes, sweet footage… Even cabin fever and broken bones.

“There’s a lot of imagery related to mountains, trees, ravens and things people might see while they’re out snowboarding,” Dubs said.

Funner began in 2004 when Dubs made a snowboard video of the same name. He said people couldn’t get the word out of their mouths so he decided to keep it as his overall business name. Since then, various videos have come from the company’s movie-making arm, Wildcard collaboration between Funner and Soundstrait Productions, Sakadat Funk, Northwest Collective. Kurt Jenson, Scott Studach and Tyson Anderson to operate Wildcard join dubs and Ennen.

The Apres-Ski & Snow-Ball put on by Buildstrong Productions, Funner and other friends (including sponsors Lib Technologies and KIND healthy snacks) in January attracted 350 to 400 people, Dubs said. BuildStrong puts on local music and events to promote Northwest art.

Dubs and Ennen said they hope to repeat the turnout at Funner Fest, if not top it.

It’s an exciting time for the Funner guys. Fuel TV premiered their most recent film, “How the Northwest Was One” on March 1; they’re making a video for Toyota that will be played inside the new Scion as it makes a nationwide tour this year; another film is on ESPN.com featuring snowboarder Forrest Burki; the Funner Web site is getting an overhaul and they’ve got two major videos to edit, press to DVD, market and release by the fall: “Boot Juice” and “Take it or Leave it”.

They’ve also been dabbling in filming live music; such as an All Nighters video they placed on Funner’s YouTube account a few days ago, and some videos of the Endorfins.

While flipping through final edits on the Scion flick, Dubs said the bulk of their current work has been on the new snowboard video, featuring many of the riders in “How the Northwest Was One,” a Western-themed movie video complete with shoot-outs and stand-offs.

“Boot Juice is gonna have a wrestling theme like WWF, Hulk Hogan — those kind of days,” Dubs said.

They’re always looking for the next, “funner” thing to do or film, and the other movie they currently have in production, “Take it or Leave it” is the epitome of that drive.

In it, Nick Ennen wakeboards over a waterfall with the help of a winch. That’s right, the thing you use to pull your rig out of the mud. Turn it from “turtle” to “rabbit” and turns out anything wet can become a wakeboarding spot, sans boat.

“Watch out for Nick’s new ‘backcountry’ wakeboarding,” Dubs jokes, but it’s true.

“If you build a rail somewhere, it’s just like backcountry snowboarding,” Ennen said. “At the end of the run, you take off your board, hike back, then get your bindings back on and go for it again.”

Dubs said he wants to “video DJ” some of his newest video clips at Funner Fest, and is working on a creative way to give away a bunch of free swag. It’s a rare opportunity to be among like-minded souls who appreciate art and riding, he said. “You see all these people you don’t see on a regular basis, but they come out of the woodwork for something more unique than just a night drinking,” Dubs said.

“The main thing is to promote the artists. It’s fun to socialize as a community at these events.”

When watching him, you’re not surprised that he’s in such high demand. Don’t let his laptop fool you; Booger’s old school, all about the mix. His crossfader rarely stays to one side, his taste is broad and eclectic. In the middle of his hip-hop/break beat set, he seamlessly transitioned into George Harrison’s late 80’s hit, “Got My Mind Set On You.” Booger knew his role and executed it perfectly: getting the crowd ready for the night and holding it down between bands.

Up next, Seattle’s seven piece feel good, funky jam band Luc and the Lovingtons promoted their latest effort Feel The Warmth. Personally, the overall sound was a bit too happy for me, it sounded like the members of Sublime took ecstasy, jammed with four pacifists and found their inner hippie. But the sheer musicianship of everything-man, Phillepe Conete, kept me interested. He switched from instrument to instrument harmonica, guitar, shakers, a guiro, while singing back up vocals on every song. He even had a Michael Jackson style dance battle, a sure fire crowd pleaser, with frontman Luc Reynaud right in the middle of their set.

But it was their last song “Freedom” that made me realize their sincerity and passion for peace and love. Inspired to help others, Luc went down to New Orleans two weeks after Katrina. While volunteering at a homeless shelter, he co-wrote with some children from the shelter the song “Freedom.” I’m not ashamed to say that their powerful performance helped me ‘let the love in.’

Even though they’re called The JB Quartet, there were five men on stage. Three seasoned veterans and two youngsters, these five men equaled musical brilliance. JB, played a vintage Fender Rhodes. He had a quick vocal draw for the verses of most of their songs. For his two part power harmonies in the choruses, he used sampler. Sustained periods of instrumentation followed by tight taught tenor vocals, gave them a sound similar to Jamiroquai.

The highlight of the evening was the percussion of Kevin Kreestoe. I don’t know how many bands he’s playing in, but the man is a master of his craft. Super tight and technical, watching him play was mind numbing, like watching Rodney Mullen skate – awesome.

Furthermore the addition of a saxophone gave them great versatility. Ranging from fast jazz or stab filled blues to even mellow rock, this quintet is a pleasure to watch, listen and dance to.