No Need for a Day Job

The dancers will run out of energy long before Teresa Russell & Cocobilli run out of material at the band’s CD release party Saturday afternoon in Oxnard.

This band knows so many songs that its repertoire is measured not in sets of material, but in weeks of material. Right, weeks.

This particular wingding is set to unfold at high noon at Fisherman’s Wharf, located in Channel Islands Harbor, where a sunny day has been ordered ahead of time.

Russell is, of course, the hardest-working local lady in show biz, playing about five times each week either solo or in various duos, with Cocobilli or with that Cajun dance band, Acadiana.

She has never had a day job, and she’s unlikely to join the mainstream work force any time soon. And why should she? Russell is a rarity--an employed musician who has worked the system to the point that she can make a living doing what she loves.

With a head of hair nearly as large as her catalog of music, Russell grew up in Westlake in a musical family. Early on, she chose Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix as her guitar heroes. She was playing gigs on the Sunset Strip before she was a teenager in an all-girl band, while most of her contemporaries were strolling at the mall. Later, Russell toured extensively with Helen Reddy and for the last two decades or so, has played all over the area.

Cocobilli is a trio, with Russell on guitar and vocals, Billy Breland on bass and vocals and Coco Russel, no relation, on drums. They play pretty much every weekend and they’ve been together as a band for about four years. Russell has been playing with Breland for nearly 15 years. After this weekend’s party, the threesome will party some more when the band plays New Year’s Eve at Alexander’s in the Ventura Harbor.

Their new CD is the aptly named “Live 1,” which was recorded at Alexander’s, the Palms in Carpinteria and the Cold Springs Tavern in Santa Barbara. “Bustin’ Loose” was the band’s debut of originals, which came out in 1998.

According to Russell, the release party is going to be a festive occasion of music and mirth and also a chance to shop.

So who’s to blame for all this?

It all came about when Billy and I wanted to buy our own equipment and start recording some of our stuff live, because this band has amazing live energy. It’s real spontaneous, and mixed with the crowd. It’s just really a lot of fun and not something that could’ve been captured in the studio. We wanted to record some of the best of our live stuff and put it on a CD for all our fans.

So the fans pretty much chose the material?

Pretty much. The songs are all cover tunes, but they’re our most requested. It’s stuff the fans always request, like “Still Got the Blues” and some Hendrix, some Joplin, some Bonnie Raitt, but all done in our own inimitable style. In other words, we’ll never repeat that arrangement again. We’ve got 10 songs on the CD. It’s just about an hour. We just came up with this last-minute idea that this would be great to get out right before Christmas.

Since you know a million songs, there could be more of these?

It’s probably just the beginning of the series of live CDs, since we have weeks of material. It’s just a great way to continue to market yourself and to bring in money and stuff for all our projects. We’re working on another original CD that will be released in spring. The originals are really good and I’m really happy--they’re even better than the last batch.

How is Cocobilli different from your other projects?

It’s different than Acadiana and all the rest because these guys are about as daring as I am. And musically, there’s no barriers and we’re really into the creative process and we’re willing to try about anything to make something interesting or musical or different than what anyone else might do. They follow me--they read my mind and I read their minds. It’s live and it’s spontaneous and I love working with other live musicians, especially when the energy is so together.

What’s the place like where you’re going to play?

It’s outside. There’s like a big courtyard and I’ve already paid for sunny weather. There’s Don Juan’s and Buon Appetito, plus a bunch of shops. I’m telling people to make it a family day. Go shopping and eat, bring a picnic basket and lawn chairs or an ice chest or whatever. It’s just going to be a dance plus fun and shopping.

Any special surprises?

We’re going to have a special appearance by Blues Harp Santa, Bobby Joe Holman, who will come dressed up, play some Christmas blues tunes. Also, we’ll be selling Teresa Russell and Cocobilli stuff. We have the T-shirt thing working, plus some nice denim shirts, some polo shirts, coffee mugs and mouse pads. We’re challenging Raging Arb in the clothing business.

So no day job for you?

Are you kidding? I’ve never had one, and I don’t see any reason to get one now. I don’t have time for anything else but this.

DETAILS

Teresa Russell & Cocobilli at Fisherman’s Wharf, Channel Islands Harbor, noon Saturday. Cost: Free. Call: 985-4852.

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There will be no energy shortage at Rocket Fuel in Ventura when those serious road dogs, the Paladins, enliven the already jangled patrons with their brand of roots rock at tonight’s free show. Having begun in San Diego, the Paladins have been around for a dozen years. They have recorded seven albums and still play more than 200 gigs a year.

These Paladins keep it simple--three guys and a long list of songs. Dave Gonzalez is the guitar player, with Joe Jazdzeweski on bass and Brian Fahey on drums.

The words “rootsy” and “vintage” appear repeatedly on the band bio, and Gonzalez, whose watch apparently stopped somewhere around 1958, decided it was important to set goals. “I always wanted to play an old guitar through an old amp, and drive an old pickup truck.”

Brylcreem stock should soar, at least temporarily, when all the retro rockabilly rebels grease up a ducktail--the hairdo, not the back of a duck--and put on something leather and black for this show. Their latest, “Slippin’ In,” would make Elvis and Buddy proud.

“When we started out playing, we were doing a lot of Elvis and Buddy Holly, and all the honky-tonk, rockabilly and blues material, too,” said Gonzalez. “But we always had plenty of original material.

“We are constantly searching out old records for ideas and inspiration. This is a lot of the sound production and arrangements the Paladins are famous for.”

DETAILS

The Paladins, Relapse and the Lucky Sevens at Rocket Fuel, 2855-X Johnson Drive, Ventura, 8 tonight. Cost: Free. Call: 642-2119.

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Ska comes and ska goes, but Carpinteria’s contribution to the genre, the Upbeat, just keeps rolling on. The band will orchestrate a frantic dance fest tonight at Nicholby’s in Ventura with a brand of ska so infectious it could turn a car crash in a John Travolta movie into a love-in.

The band members have been together since they were younglings, just a bunch of middle-class surfer-types hanging out at “The World’s Safest Beach” in their hometown.

There are usually between eight and 10 members when the Upbeat plays--all the usual guitars, a couple of singers and a horn section that rages. The Upbeat plays about 70% original tunes and has been in no particular hurry to release. They have just a pair of albums so far, including the latest from last year, “Backyard Knowledge.”

So what’s the attraction of ska music? Must be the beat, and why else would normal Southern California beach kids start talking like Jamaicans, mon? Although they’re like gods in Carp and Santa Barbara, the Upbeat hasn’t played in Ventura for quite a while. Dancers, be ready.

DETAILS

The Upbeat at Nicholby’s, 404 E. Main St., Ventura, 10 tonight. Cost: $7. Call: 653-2320.