Rockland — On Friday, March 29, Rock City Cafe's Velvet Lounge series will present local singer/songwriter Paddy Mills. At 22, Mills was 10 miles off the coast of Maine apprenticing with a natural foods chef on Monhegan Island. When he was not cooking, one might find him on the rocks above the sea, cheap wine in one hand, cheap guitar in the other, quoting Jack Kerouac and Edward Abbey. Only the call of the road could pull him away from that magical place and it is this tension between his strong rural roots and insatiable wanderlust that have come to define his life and music.

On Saturday, March 30, the Velvet Lounge will welcome back Algorithm, the electro-acoustic duo featuring Mike Whitehead on trumpet and flugelhorn and Tom Luther on keyboards. The basic form of the group is supplemented by substantial use of electronic instruments, both live and sequenced. Both musicians are experienced jazz performers, and use their improvising skills in the context of modern electronica and ambient music. The music itself is an amalgam of improvised material and electronic soundscapes crafted by both performers. For this show, Algorithm will be accompanied by Jacob Fricke, who will be performing spoken word to the ambient music.

The music will run from 5 to 7 p.m. at Rock City Café, 316 Main St. As usual, there is no cover charge; however, tipping the performers is highly encouraged. For more information on this and other events happening at the coffeebar/cafe, call 594-4123.

Courier Publications’ A&E Editor Dagney C. Ernest can be reached at (207) 594-4401, ext. 115 or dernest@courierpublicationsllc.com.

Algorithm