Done...

The long holiday hustle has kept me away from this keyboard for a while and now that we're in our last few hours of 2007, I want to belatedly wish you and those you care about the best of the season. I hope you found some warm moments and made some special memories...and that you didn't completely burn out on Christmas music or on the endless plays of Dan Fogelberg's "Auld Lang Syne." I lament his passing too but I resent now being tired of a seasonal selection that I used to really like. The Christmas season is much like the other four seasons to me...we really look forward to them but by the time they're over, we're really ready for the next one.

My last post on December 11th encouraged you to take in Adrienne Young's appearance at Ashland Coffee and Tea on the 13th. If you did, I hope you share our appreciation for this earnest and engaging singer/songwriter/human being. Her passion for this planet and its life forces shines through her music in such a compelling way and the current edition of her band Little Sadie, a touch under-rehearsed but instinctively solid, made the evening feel like a living room jam session rather than a perfectly-polished performance...which was just right somehow. There were some strong individual contributions, including a couple of great original tunes from guitarist Landon Fishburne. Adrienne's lastest CD "Room To Grow" was just named a top-5 album from singer-songwriters in The Nashville Scene, no small feat given the level of competition out there. I think a lot more folks will be hearing about this former MerleFest songwriting winner in the coming year.

I'd have to say my musical highlight of this 12th month has been savoring a preview of Jesse Harper's upcoming solo project. Old School Freight Train is still very much a band, judging by their 2008 tour schedule but Jesse, with encouragement and support from an A-list group of players just couldn't help but try his wings on some new air. There are some new takes on OSFT favorites like "Run", "Porch Swing" and "Let Me Go" along with some powerful new ballads like "Falling" and "Old And Broken." Jesse's playing and vocal style keep getting more confident and sophisticated and the almost George Martin-like arrangements on many of the cuts bring a more pop approach to things. All dozen tunes are originals, save for the gospel standard "Just A Closer Walk With Thee" and Sam Cooke's moving "Nothing Can Change This Love." Regarding the supporting cast...familiar names include former and current bandmates Ann Marie Calhoun and Darrell Muller, along with Daniel Clarke, Curtis Fye, Robby Sinclair, Zack Hickman and Colin Killilea. Word is Daniel submitted a few tracks from this project to land his gig with k.d. lang. Not sure when this baby will hit the streets, but it will surely be worth the wait.


By the way, the closest stop to here (so far) of the k.d. lang/Danny C roadshow is March 5th at UNC's Memorial Hall in Chapel Hill. Word to the wise..don't wait if you think you might want tickets.

Bringing home the notion that advancing age speeds up the clock, it's a bit scary to me that I've been doing this journal for just about a year now and as hard as it is sometimes to sit down and get started on a post, I'm so very grateful that so many of you take the time to read it and even find value in it. I hereby resolve to more consistent and comprehensive in the coming year, which I hope holds more meaningful musical moments for us all. Have a blessed 2008, and thanks to all the musicians who've enriched my life in 2007...TT

The Godson

Another reminder that there's so much music out there and so little time. Sunday night we were among a sadly undersized crowd to witness a young man on the front edge of what should be a stellar career. His pedigree is enough to suffocate a lesser talent given that he's Steve Earle's son and the late Texas legend Townes Van Zandt was his godfather. So this wiry, way over six-foot-tall, twenty-something cowboy has something to prove and his 90-minute set at Barksdale's "Stretchin'" series offered all the proof any skeptic could want that Justin Townes Earle is the real deal.

Along with his sidekick Cory Yountes on mandolin and harmony vocals, Justin ran through a rich and varied set list of mostly original tunes that made me feel like I could've been in a time machine watching Hank Williams when he first started out of the gate. Fun, up tempo stuff like "Chitlin' Cookin' Time in Cheatham County" and achingly dark ballads like "Yuma" that told a haunting story of loneliness gone unchecked. Accompanying himself on guitar, occasional harmonica and a good helping of boot heel percussion, Earle the younger displayed a confidence and charisma that can't be faked and made believers of this appreciative audience, most of us hearing him for the first time. You can hear "Yuma" on his MySpace page, which is also the title of a six-song EP that he's selling until his full-length album "The Good Life" comes out on Bloodshot Records this coming spring. I for one, can't wait.

Thanks to BJ Kocen for sticking his neck out for the sake of good music and creating another wonderful listening space in town. And to Susan Greenbaum for her sweet opening set. I love surprises and Sunday provided a really good one.

TT

Critter...

So December's just arrived and we've already had a little teaser snowfall and even some havoc-wreaking black ice around central Virginia...very exciting for one who loves all that winter can bring. Reading the e-posts this week revealed a Grammy nomination for the durable and delightful Seldom Scene and their latest CD Scenechronicity. Congrats to all. I passed along high-fives to founding father Ben Eldridge and asked him what his prodigious progeny had been up to lately. He replied..."I can't keep up with that boy these days. He just got back two weeks ago from traveling around Europe with Uncle Earl for three weeks. He's going back to England on the 8th to go to a Zeppelin reunion concert. He's gotten to be pals with John Paul Jones, so he and Kristan will have backstage passes and all that kind of good stuff. This week he, along with Andy Falco and Josh Williams, are going around doing guitar concerts. They call them Guitarmageddon. He's heading to LA after he gets back from England to rehearse with the Punch Brothers for a few days and then back to the Burg for a week at home over Christmas - then on to Chicago for a new year's eve gig with the Punch boys.Whew! Oh to be young again."

So if you haven't heard, the Punch Brothers are the latest moniker for Chris Thile's string band and they'll be ringing in the new year in the Windy City. Both of the Chris boys seem to have the world by the tail these days. What a ride!

Here at home, it's a chance to hear both Steve Earle's sister Stacey (with Mark Stuart) at Ashland Coffee and Tea on Saturday night and Steve's son Justin Townes Earle at Barksdale's "Stretchin" concert series on Sunday. Both are more than worthy of your musical dollars.

And might I heartily recommend a new seasonal CD from the amazing singer-songwriter Mindy Smith. Some heart-rending new originals and some creative takes on old favorites. We can't get enough of Mindy.

Enjoy the last month of the year...TT

Mais oui!

I don't think I've ever been to a more elegant soiree in this town than the annual Bon Secours holiday celebration at the Virginia Museum Friday night. Since this is a music journal, I won't get into the amazing French-themed decor that transformed the Marble Hall, other than asking Natalie Easterly to take a bow for the unprecedented profusion of fresh flowers...I've never seen anything like it. But the piece de resistance was the stellar quintet of musicians who took their charge far beyond obligatory background and created a classy energy the room may have never felt before. Richmond treasure John Winn gathered the cream of Richmond's crop of seasoned players for the gig...Curtis Fye on bass, Brian Jones on drums, Adam Larrabee on guitar and Daniel Clarke on the grand piano. What a treat to hear these young lions playing their butts off despite the fact that most of the crowd was immersed in party chatter. Those of us who were drawn in to their musical corner, and the numbers grew as the hour grew later, were afforded some of the finest ensemble playing anywhere. John's a serious double threat of course, for when he's not squeezing the most out of his tenor and soprano saxophones, he's singing like a young and hip Mel Torme...it was simply sublime stuff. Old School Freight Train's Jesse Harper even crashed the party in the guise of a "critic" to soak up the ample inspiration these guys were serving up and rendered a soulful lead vocal on Stevie Wonder's "Superstition." Jesse's long-awaited solo project is due out early in 08 by the way. As I write this, the aforementioned Mr. Clarke is probably seated at his keyboard as the sole accompanist for one k d lang at a private function in the City of Angels. The Atlee boy is flying high indeed. A grateful tip of the beret to Bon Secours' CEO Peter Bernard who knows how to do things right. Tres bien!

The night before afforded us a much more intimate musical experience at In Your Ear's studio A as JAMinc welcomed Irish harmonica marvel Rick Epping back to town. With just his box of harps and accompanying himself on concertina, Rick cast his spell for the appreciative audience, skillfully weaving traditional jigs and reels together and sharing his softly evocative vocals. IYE partner Robbin Thompson joined Rick for a couple of numbers including one with Robbin playing his Chinese zhong ruan. If you don't know what that is, you should've been there. He even attracted veteran Richmond rocker and chief Offender Bruce Olsen to the show, who's recorded Rick in his northside studio in recent years. It's a real privilege to hear a musician of Rick's caliber in such a setting...JAMinc and IYE are working on a compilation CD so you can hear some of the remarkable performances we've witnessed over the past few years. And for a very well-written account of a singular life adventure, check out Robbin's Cambodia journal. Powerful and provocative.

A couple of strong entries ahead on Ashland Coffee & Tea's December calendar: incredible blues guitarist Kelly Joe Phelps on the 5th, Stacey Earle on the 8th and Adrienne Young on the 13th. All worthy of your ear and support of AC&T's continuing efforts to bring quality acoustic music to the area in a wonderful listening room setting. Not to nag, but if you want all this to continue, you just have to get out and go the the shows. There's no substitute for "live."

Enjoy your Sunday...and hats off the the Hokies!

TT