Ritt Deitz w/ James Travis

Art in the cafe...

Laurel Statz


"The Spectator"


December 2025



Laurel Statz is a painter and Madison area native. Her work, while figurative, is influenced by abstraction and minimalism. The paintings often have a quick and instinctual nature, capturing just what’s needed. While she often times herself to eliminate extra details and over-precision, she has ventured into more detailed works as well. Laurel does not attach narrative to her pieces. Rather, she thinks of them like a journaling process for her scatter-brained psyche. The figures in the pieces are meant to be processing tools for the artist and the viewer. She hopes that seeing these figures helps the...
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Saturday, February 26, 2005

RITT DEITZ returns with his acoustic roots sound, this time accompanied by longtime collaborator and guitar/dobro man Craig Totten, who is featured on Ritt's records HILLBILLY and PLEASURE ISLE. Pianist Wilder Deitz joins Ritt and Craig for part of the set, and they'll play songs fresh from the studio, as Ritt begins work on his upcoming Uvulittle release, tentatively titled TAP ROOT FAMILY.

James Travis has been finding success as lead singer/songwriter for local alt.-country act "Jim James & The Damn Shames" but his dusty vocals and rhythmic guitar work also suit him well as a solo/acoustic act. Excellent lyricism and a fine bit of harmonica playing compliment his rustic elan vital perfectly.

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