Ed Peaco

For the News-Leader

Here’s a lesson in listening that reaped unexpected rewards.

The players of Sunset to Burns, the once-acoustic folk band with Polk County roots, have been working through a transition in which they had to fill two vacancies. They recruited guitarist Jeff Thompson nearly a year ago and lately found drummer Scott Stuffelbam after a period of drummerless limbo.

Stufflebam is making his debut on Saturday, Sept. 3, at Patton Alley Pub, a show that will reveal a new lineup and a new sound. With another boost for this show, the Creek Rocks — Cindy Woolf and Mark Bilyeu’s project — will also perform.

Lucas Roberts (accordion, mandolin, guitar), Jeff Johnson (bass) and Kenson Ashton (banjo) provide a framework for the band. Its transformation began with Thompson’s arrival and, specifically, with his home-built, solid-body, bare-bones Fender Esquire, constructed by local rocker and sound technician Yankton Southern.

“When we first brought Jeff on board,” Roberts said, “we slapped an acoustic guitar into his hands and said, ‘See what you can make of this.’ Then eventually he said, ‘Let me try electric on this one.’ And we were like, wow, we never would have expected that.”

Johnson said he didn’t know how the electric sound would work, but he was open to the idea.

“If you’re in a band, and you’re going to be kind to one another, and you want to get along, you want to let people’s influences influence the whole sound,” Johnson said. “And once we let that happen, this new thing started, and I loved it.”

Thompson plays powerfully yet judiciously for a more dynamic sound, Johnson said: “Quiet is even more quiet and loud is even louder.”

Stuffelbam, who played in a metal band with Johnson a long time ago, toured with David Allen Coe for five years; then the drummer opted for more family life and found Sunset to Burns to be an ideal outlet for music, Johnson said. Roberts praised Stuffelbam for his versatility, with an aggressive but not overbearing approach.

Johnson said he’s anticipating Saturday’s show as a rebirth for the band and a springboard for new music. He and Roberts discussed writing songs based on regional themes, family stories and Polk County historical sources. “I want to bring Springfield and the Ozarks to our songwriting,” Johnson said.

Meet me at the Dugout

You may recall last year’s Ed Peaco Appreciation Night presented by the Haüs Jazz Quartet, fronted by my friend Brandon Mezzelo, saxophonist and perpetrator.

Well, he’s doing it again, and the only course of action is to embrace it.

That means you. Please come out Wednesday, Sept. 14, to the Dugout, 1218 Trafficway, for what should be a cool happening, roughly 6-11 p.m. Reasons to attend:

First: The Haüs Jazzers, on their own merits, create a laid-back, yet high-spirited, hang every Wednesday. If you are leery of jazz (as most of the world seems to be), fear not: Mezzelo is all about melody, and the hard-swinging rhythms will give your heart the boost it’s been hoping for all these years.

Next: Jazz will be supplemented by three diverse acts.

• Bobby Gardner, the fearless blues-and-roots singer-songwriter and guitarist.

• (Sabrina) Deets and (Ryan) Dunn, high-energy rockers.

• The Theorists, blues-to-grunge purveyors of bassoon rock.

And of course, me: I prefer to mingle and jaw, not speechify, although there might be a little of that.

The idea is for musicians and music lovers to enjoy each other’s company.

Want to go?

Sunset to Burns

9:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3

Patton Alley Pub

313 S. Patton Ave.

417-865-1188

Ed Peaco writes about locally grown Ozarks music for the News-Leader. Contact him at 417-413-9029 or EdPeaco@gmail.com