And the rest...

And rest is at least what's needed if not realized after four days and nights at a festival like MerleFest that with each passing year becomes dearer to my heart.  And not so much for the inspiring music to be heard, but for the enduring relationships with musicians and the production team I work with.  MerleFest is special because of these capable and caring people, and if you've ever been a small part of something big and worthwhile, you know what I mean.  Thanks and love to Sam, Maple, Buck, John, Randy, Dwight and Cliff.  And of course to B Townes who started it all and who gave me a job twenty years ago.  I'm dreaming of another twenty.  Words are insufficient to capture all that this festival has become, so I'll just share a few shots that might resonate with those who were there and encourage others to consider the trip to the Carolina foothills next April.

First up, Bryan Simpson and the daring young men of Cadillac Sky, (are they actually levitating?) who played four different stages by my count and made the most of their MerleFest debut.  Don't forget their JAMinc/In Your Ear show this Saturday...only a handful of tickets remain.  A rare chance to witness such energy in such an intimate space as IYE's Studio A. 

Here's veteran blues stylist Rory Block from my home away from home, looking out the front door of the Cabin from the dark and cozy living room/green room...it's a favorite place of all the artists who get a set there. Including Pete Wernick who invited the Gibson Brothers and harmonica phenom Buddy Greene to play a few during his Sunday set. 

Former mando prodigy and now maturing musician Sierra Hull won more hearts on the main stage Saturday with a crack band that includes guitarist Clay Hess.  Sierra's advanced chops betray her tender years and her singing is sweeter and more pleasing than young Alison Krauss at her age.  IMHO.  And she's coming to town Saturday...see below.

The Waybacks served up one of the best closing sets in MerleFest memory Friday night, with James Nash deftly wrangling an A-list of special guests like Sam Bush (above), Rob Ickes, Jens Kruger and Byron House.  And John Cowan raised the roof with a stunning take on Roy Orbison's "Crying."  Only to be followed by an extended jam on the band's signature song, "Bright Place."  But that was only a warmup for the much-anticipated Hillside Stage Album Hour...how would they follow last year's Zeppelin II?  How about the Stones' Sticky Fingers.  Emmylou guested on "Wild Horses."  It was musical mayhem.  Don't forget to get your tix for Sam Bush and The Waybacks at the Science Museum of VA on June 11th.  www.musicformassey.com

Festival favorite Jim Lauderdale, who lost four months of gigs last summer after voicebox surgery, returned with a voice even stronger and more expressive than before...what a relief to him and all his many fans and admirers.  Bluegrass is blessed to have Jim in the fold.  He brings a lot to the table.

The aforementioned Mr. Cowan, who was at the very first Merlefest with New Grass Revival in 1988, brought along his current well-seasoned band including best-pal and lead guitarist Jeff Autry, Stringduster Jesse Cobb's brother Shad on fiddle and new poppa and Rebecca Hoggan's hubby John Frazier on mandolin for a couple of engaging sets.  Johnny C's heart is as big as his voice and he will always be a beloved member of the MerleFest family.

Old friend Rickie Simpkins continued his dream gig of playing fiddle and mandolin and providing tasteful  backup vocals for Emmylou Harris.  Her Saturday night Watson Stage set was one of her sweetest in many years.  All the old chestnuts.

And no one can put the lid on a MerleFest Saturday night like King Sammy.  Doesn't matter who they book to play, you can count on Mr. Bush for the biggest, most adoring crowd of all four days...and nights.  Nobody does it better.  Oh yeah, did I mention Sam's headed to Richmond to play with the Waybacks on Thursday, June 11th?  And that tickets are on sale here?  Good.

Montana songbird Martha Scanlan spent some quality time at the Cabin on Sunday, the scene of her double Chris Austin songwriter honors in 2003, even sharing some peaty single-malt from her dainty flask.  It put a nice edge on a haunting set with many tunes from her acclaimed album The West Was Burning.

And for something completely different...the festival finale featured Linda Ronstadt paying homage to her father with the formidable assistance of Los Camperos de Nati Cano, who you may remember for their show-stopping performances at our National Folk Festival here a few years back.  Although I weathered a few grumbles about not hearing "Different Drum" of "Blue Bayou" but the color and pageantry of this cultural exclamation point, underscored that MerleFest is much more than a bluegrass festival.  Find out for yourself April 29-May 10, 2010. 

A fond farewell to Wilkes County and the Addison for another year...back soon...the years are getting shorter and shorter. I have mixed emotions about that.  Doc is still delivering his endless repertoire with deep baritone and playing all the right notes, although he's a little harder to find on the schedule these days.  He's earned a little quiet time.  We understand.

Lots of music around River City including the City Slickers festival put on by the Rotary Club at the Science Museum on Saturday, May 9th.  (I had the date wrong earlier) Quite a lineup including Sierra Hull, The Grascals and the Seldom Scene.  And our own Page Wilson will open, with Reckless Abandon of course.  Tickets here.

Thanks as always, for checking out my ramblings...and please share the link with anyone who might be interested.  Is it April or July?

TT

First Quarter...

I know we're approaching a new moon, but tonight marked the first quarter of the 22nd annual MerleFest in the Carolina foothills.  Spring is at its young and tender best down this way and being back here for my 20th year brings a warm and intense sense of deja vu.  Travis Tritt (above) capped the first day in an engaging acoustic set with Jerry Douglas on the Watson Stage.  It was indeed a great day to be alive with old friends, perfect weather and such well-made music.

Raleigh's Tift Merritt made a magical return to the scene of her career's genesis with a sincere solo set on the Cabin Stage, where she'd won the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest eight years ago.  She was genuinely glad to be back.

 

Earlier in the day, the world was set right again as Jens and Uwe Kruger and their 'brother' Joel Landsberg made a long-overdue return to the MerleFest lineup with a short but sweet Cabin Stage appearance.  They're back and sounding so great, with a new CD Between the Notes just out, and a special replay of one of their past JAMinc/In Your Ear concerts on Page Wilson's show this coming Saturday night on WCVE-FM.  If you're not in the Richmond area, you can listen online here.

Rugby, Va's resident guitar hero Wayne Henderson rendered a couple of choice tunes with keyboard king Jeff Little and bassist Billy Gee at the Cabin after revealing he and Robbin Thompson have found some George Washington-era walnut at Mt. Vernon for his all-Virginia-wood guitar project.  Wayne and his partner Helen White will return to Richmond in October for a Crooked Road concert with the Dixie Beeliners at the Virginia Historical Society presented by JAMinc.  We'll let you know when tickets become available.

This shot is for ol' pal Chris Pandolfi of the Infamous Stringdusters, who tore it up at their full-house Modlin Center show Monday night.  The Dusters are now on the west coast, not at MerleFest, where Chris could otherwise be with his fiddler friend Odessa Jorgensen, former Biscuit Burner, and now with the talented Alaskan bluegrass band Bearfoot.

Thursday began on the Cabin Stage with Wyoming sweethearts Anne & Pete Sibley, who deliver close Welch & Rawlings-style harmonies with earnest affection.  We almost had them for an In Your Ear show this month, but scheduling didn't work out.  We'll try again in the fall...it'll be worth the wait.  Tomorrow, I'm anticipating a couple of strong previews of our upcoming May 2nd Richmond appearance by Cadillac Sky at IYE.  Tickets are almost gone. They're at MerleFest with both Hillside and Creekside sets.  All that plus the Dixie Beeliners, Ollabelle, the Duhks, John Cowan and the Waybacks...almost too good to be true.  And there are two more full days after that!  Stay tuned.

TT

One Enchanted Evening...

Just back from just over 48 hours in the most invigorating city on the planet ostensibly to ready my brother-in-law's upper east side apartment for his return from 2 years in Mumbai, with a few reflections of the musical impressions we savored....some by plan, some by accident.  The latter came in the depths of the NYC Subway where we heard everything from Andean string music, to perhaps Nashville's next big thing filming her first video, to six African-American siblings from six to sixteen singing "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" in six-part harmony to the accompaniment of the clattering E train at Penn Station.  That was just the free stuff, although we put a few bucks in the bucket.  Later Thursday night, we took the F train to Washington Square and found the Cornelia Street Cafe in the West Village, where we had a simple but superb meal before moving downstairs to the packed but perfect (think 60 or so max, including Charlottesville's Greg Liszt) music hall, to catch the NY CD release party for Sometymes Why.  This trio of friendly femmes fatale, each a luminary in her own right, took us through two spare and honest sets of engaging lyrics and ethereal harmony.  Led by the pure and plaintive voice of Aoife O'Donovan, already acknowledged here for her work with Crooked Still and guesting with the Punch Brothers, the ladies cast the faithful and new ears alike in their spell.  They're all most known for their "regular" gigs...Ruth Ungar Merenda with the Mammals and Kristin Andreassen with Uncle Earl.  But vocally, this four-year-old, part-time mutual admiration society finds new and compelling chords yet unheard, scoring a dreamy spring night in the world's most stimulating urban setting.  New York is an inspiring place to plug into, knowing that its impossible complexity, fostering the very best and very worst that human civilization has to offer, including everything in between, is a high that requires no chemical enhancement.  New York is a breathtaking marvel of what energy and creativity can accomplish.  We could all do well with a fix from time to time.  The night before, we caught a taping of Jimmy Fallon's new Late Night show on NBC at 30 Rock, in studio 6B where Jack Paar hosted the Tonight Show back in the 50's to be followed by king Johnny Carson before his departure to beautiful downtown Burbank in 1972.  Fallon's success on Saturday Night Live may or may not follow him into Conan O'Brien's former timeslot, but one thing's for sure, his house band, Philadelphia's legendary The Roots gives the wee-hours variety fest, a full-throated funky consistency that might be Jimmy's strongest suit.  It was a treat to hear them live and not though the little speakers on the TV.  They would absolutely kill if we could get them at the National or maybe even a future Folk Festival.  Too hot!

We're well on our way to another sell-out situation at In Your Ear Studio A on Saturday, May 2nd with Skaggs Family recording artists Cadillac Sky.  This is gonna be a night the fortunate few (80 seats) will be talking about for some time, so if you're on the fence, get off it and make your reservations now!  Don't say I didn't warn ya.

And for an uplifting and powerful evening of music from the heart, you'll not want to miss the incomparable Isaacs, the world-renowned gospel family band, on Friday, May 8th at WEAG.  Another joint presentation of JAMinc and 88.9 WCVE-FM.

Also on the horizon is the fifth annual Music For Massey concert on the tracks at the Science Museum with the Sam Bush Band and the Waybacks on Thursday, June 11th.  Just imagine the possibilities for an outrageous jam!  Tickets and info here.  The bar has officially been raised.

One more reminder that Groovin' In The Garden is back at Lewis Ginter on Lakeside Avenue on Thursday nights this May and June.  A big-time lineup in Richmond's most beautiful outdoor concert setting.  Check the schedule and get tickets here.

I think there are still a few tickets left to catch the Infamous Stringdusters at the Modlin Center this coming Monday.  Profound and polished new grass at its finest.  Tickets.

And of course, the last weekend in April fast approaches, which for the past twenty-some years has meant MerleFest, starting Thursday in the foothills of North Carolina, a sprawling but very personal gathering of the world's best acoustic musicians and those who love them.  Stay tuned.

And finally, a significant turning of the page on our local live music scene...our beloved Ashland Coffee and Tea is officially changing hands, with the promise of maintaining the things that have drawn us up 95 so many meaningful times.  Here's the notice from former co-owner Mary Leffler:

 Dear Customers of Ashland Coffee & Tea,

We want to welcome our new friends Moya and Truman to Ashland Coffee & Tea. This lovely couple has just purchased the shop from Jim, Mary and Kay. We are delighted to let you know that they come with a love of music and an appreciation of this great good place.

We want to offer humble thanks to our loyal customers that have been with us these many years. We didn't really think we'd still be in the coffee business this long when we opened our doors in 1996. We have been blessed. We are ready to start a new chapter in our lives but want all of our customers to know how much we care.

You will still see Kay behind the counters some. Jim and Mary you'll see too....as patrons. Their kids will probably still work there once in awhile (at least the two still at home).

Thanks to all our staff. You are the best!

We want to wish Truman and Moya the best of luck. Please give them your support.

love to all,

Jim and Mary Leffler

 

Thanks for the memories you guys...let's make more!

TT

(To my new friend Gordon Nash...we enjoyed the conversation and your photos of Sometymes Why at Cornelia Street Cafe, seen above.  Except for the Merlefest sand sculpture, all other shots are from artist Websites)

Spring Loaded

Long-awaited April is showering us with musical opportunity including an admonition to secure your seat for our next JAMinc/In Your Ear Studio concert featuring the Texas cyclone that is Cadillac Sky.  If you aren't familiar with them, they're one of the hottest bands in the broad bluegrass genre and they've set tongues to waggin' all over the country.  Behind bandleader Bryan Simpson's brilliant songwriting and lead vocals, CSky brings stunning harmonies and instrumental virtuosity to a table loaded with acoustic creativity.  I know I'm gushing but join us for this special show and hear for yourself.  Reservations are already going fast so giddyup!  The boys will be taking a victory lap after what no doubt will be triumphant performances at this year's MerleFest April 23-26. Oh yeah, our show's on Saturday, May 2nd.

I will be back at the Watson festival for the 18th straight year as Cabin Stage manager so if you can't be there, watch this space for accounts and photos.  It's an annual pilgrimage that restores my soul.  The lineup is huge as always and I'm overjoyed that The Kruger Brothers are back at last...it's been way too long. 

Those hard travelin' Infamous Stringdusters won't be at MerleFest this year but you can catch 'em right here in River City on Monday, April 20th at the the University of Richmond's Modlin Center.   This now well-seasoned sextet has been all over the U.S. and Europe and this'll be the first time we've gotten to hear them in a theater setting.  Tickets are a bit pricey (good for them!) but they're more than worth it.  Another prime example of how well this new generation has nurtured bluegrass.  And as a special gift from the Easter Bunny, we've got a pair of tickets to the Dusters concert for the first one of you dear readers with the right answer to this:  Name the two brothers (and what they play) with the Stringdusters and the John Cowan Band respectively.  (hint-they're tuned the same)  Winner's name will be held at will-call.  mail@timtimberlake.com Should be a very high-quality show.

Hats off to Tom Beals and all the Haymaker guys who've  come up with a stellar season for Groovin' In The Garden at Lewis Ginter every Thursday in May and June.  After a year off for a major expansion of the gorgeous rose garden venue and terracing the lawn, get your tickets now for acts like Shooter Jennings, Brandi Carlile, Indigo Girls, Cowboy Junkies AND Old Crow Medicine Show.  Mama rock me, indeed.

In the short term, the leaner latest edition of Old School Freight Train (Jesse Harper, Darrell Muller, Nate Leath and drummer Nick Falk) will bring their brand new release Six Years to the Capital Ale House downtown music hall on Friday night (4/10)

And Saturday night, our new friend from Sedro Woolley Washington, Bryan Bowers returns for a well-deserved encore to his JAMinc/In Your Ear show last fall.  He'll play the Shady Grove Coffee House in Glen Allen and will surely hold the audience in the palm of his well-calloused hand.  Bryan is a master autoharpist and storyteller besides being a wonderful human being.  Highly recommended, especially if you missed him before.

Tickets are selling well for our May 8th JAMinc concert with The Isaacs at the West End Assembly of God on Parham Road.  We've been talking about this show for some time but now it's less than a month away so don't procrastinate...get 'em now at our JAMinc Website.  The Isaacs promise as powerful a musical and spiritual experience as you've likely had in quite a while.

From the spring band shuffle, it's just been announced that dazzling Flecktones saxman Jeff Coffin has joined the Dave Matthews Band replacing LeRoi Moore who was fatally injured in an ATV accident last year.  Jeff had been filling that spot since the mishap last summer.  So will Bela find another reed player or will he go in another direction?  Remember harmonica wizard Howard Levy from the original band?  Or how about kora master Toumani Diabate who played on Throw Down Your Heart: Tales From the Acoustic Planet Vol. 3, Africa Sessions, Bela's latest project for Rounder?  Expect the unexpected from the banjo's best friend.

Have a wonderful Easter weekend and thank God for this magnificent spring.  The full moon rise tonight was spectacular.  Hope you saw the man in there.

TT

(Cadillac Sky and Isaacs group photos from their press kits)