Lullaby of Birdland…

With apologies to Charlie Parker, what’s the deal?  Our third major snowstorm in less than a year…right here in River City…where I for one had given up on any significant white stuff anymore.  I used to get hate mail back in my radio days for liking the big white blanket so much and admittedly I still do, but not for the same reasons as before.  It’s now less about snowmen, snowball fights and sledding and more about having hours to make up the perfect chili and cornbread, sip single-malt scotch and watch the cardinals, Carolina wrens, juncos and white throat sparrows in colorful appreciation of my generous kitchen window buffet.  We even had a rare pair of red wing blackbirds stop in.  I hope the storm didn’t wreck any of your plans or your automobiles…it did force cancellation of a planned overnight jam down on Gwynn’s Island but there’ll be other opportunities.  Wasn’t it just week ago the James was running at 18 feet? What a winter! Roll with it.

We’re looking forward to a mid-week ride to AC&T Wednesday to catch Kagey Parrish and Laura Wortman, the Honey Dewdrops, as mentioned in an earlier post.  Come on up…they’re a delightful duo.  The Valley’s Scott Miller follows on Thursday with a full night of his thoughtful originals.  His Website is amazing too.

Our next JAMinc/In Your Ear studio concert features D.C. area singer/songwriter Jon Carroll who helped popularize delightful afternoons back in the seventies with the Starland Vocal Band.  Come hear that he’s definitely not a one-trick pony.  Make your reservations, with no service charges, right here.  Still to come, stringbound sophisticates the Bee Eaters on March 4th and New York based songstress Amy Speace on April 9th.  And this coming Saturday, Page Wilson on his Out O’ The Blue Radio Revue dips into the rich archives of our live concert series to include a couple of segments from the November  2006 performance by mandolin/fiddle virtuoso Peter Ostroushko, of Prairie Home Companion fame, along with exceptional Russian guitarist Arkan Yushin.  In editing the recording for broadcast, I had forgotten what a special night of music it was.  Tune in and relive or enjoy it for the first time.  On the air from 8-10pm or streaming live here.  Like magic.

Friday, February 12 might be the right night to check out the White Hawk Music Cafe in Goochland as some of the capital region’s top-tier bluegrass talent gather as Long Creek.  Hold your breath as Russell and Ricky Bonavitch, Danny Hughes, George Thomas and Mike Sharpe play for their own amazement, and ours.

If you’re looking for a different way to spend Valentine’s eve and you didn’t get quite enough Celtic fare at our terrific Iona concert recently, how about Richmond-based Albafeire performing at the former roadhouse and now fabulous family-style eatery the Tanglewood Ordinary out Route 6 in Goochland on Saturday.  Jim and Anne Hardwick have kept this venerable dining destination open for well over 20 years and have recently added meatloaf and pot roast to their groaning board on Fridays and Saturdays.  If the way to the heart is through the stomach…a little well played music couldn’t hurt either.

If there’s any left over after your day of hearts, show the dazzling Punch Brothers some love in Charlottesville for a seated show at the Jefferson Theater on the mall downtown on Tuesday, the 16th.  

Beloved local writer and bluegrass aficionado Randy Fitzgerald has made me aware of a 12-hour marathon jam on February 27th out at Grandpa Eddie’s Barbecue on Three Chopt.  Randy’s band East of Afton will host the daylong musical benefit, with others yet to be announced and an open invite to any other bands and would-be pickers/singers to join in.  There’s no cover but no doubt you’ll be moved to give generously to Fisher House, an important facility that offers free room and board to families of wounded soldiers being treated at McGuire Veterans’ Hospital.  A noble cause and Barb might even show up!

A parting gift…a link to a YouTube video from the Mockingbird music hall in Staunton recorded Saturday a week ago featuring Jesse Harper with his pal-since-high school Daniel Clarke.  The next best thing to being there and the giggles are on the house.  BTW, Robin & Linda Williams play a home game there this Friday night.

Are we in for more snow this weekend?  Would this be our third Friday/Saturday storm in a row?  Have you had enough?  Is it really Groundhog Day?  As long as we can make it to our Super Bowl party and the red beans & rice with Andouille sausage, bring it on.  The Big Easy will rise again.

TT

(Jon Carroll and Punch Brothers photos from their Websites)