Garden Variety Gratification…

It couldn’t have been a more perfect breezy pre-summer night at Lewis Ginter’s rose belvedere stage as the final concert at the Garden this month, before moving to Maymont, featured the timeless charm of Nanci Griffith.  I first remember being enchanted by this gifted Texas gal at our first Telluride in ‘88 on a drizzly afternoon with hummingbirds hovering around the flowers on stage as she cast her spell with tunes like “Roseville Fair” and “Love at the Five and Dime.”  Nanci has aged well and despite her surprisingly lengthy admission to the guilty pleasure of “All My Children” and how empty her life will be now that it’s been canceled, she still brings her knowing sense of life and love and the world condition to her deep well of covers and originals including “It's A Hard Life Wherever You Go” which she was happy to note has seen some of its issues resolved since the potent protest was written in 1989.  Her bandmates were concert openers and Pete and Maura Kennedy and British acoustic rhythm legend Pat McInerny, (below)who’s been with Nanci for what seems like forever.  The karma was running high Thursday as I’d been outside doing yard work earlier with my mp3 player on ‘random’ and up came Nanci’s unforgettable duet with Arlo Guthrie on Townes Van Zandt’s “Tecumseh Valley” from her album Other Voices/Other Rooms.  Of course she performed it beautifully as her encore tune last night.  I love when that stuff happens.

An added bonus to an already perfect evening was walking past the merch table and seeing a stack of Road Mangler Deluxe paperbacks, a book I’d read years ago by the wild man who’d been been road manager for everyone from Mick Jagger, to Gram Parsons, to Emmylou Harris, to Nanci Griffith.  No way he was actually here to smell the roses in Richmond.  But indeed he was and here’s a chance to share my Phil Kaufman story from way back in the early 80’s when I was working country radio and had the chance to do the stage intro for Emmylou at Busch Gardens.  This is the very same Phil Kaufman who kept a promise made at Clarence White’s funeral and basically stole Gram’s body from the airport in L.A. and drove it to Joshua Tree National Monument to see to the ceremonial cremation.  A top-five moment in Americana music history.  It was for me a long awaited reunion and he’s admittedly mellowed over the years.  Anyway, Phil was Emmy’s road manager at the Busch Gardens show and I was instructed backstage to keep it brief and that my saying her name “Emmylou Harris” would be her cue to come on stage…the band was already in place.  So in an effort to adequately express our affection and love of her music, I said something (I forget what) that got a pretty decent round of applause from the crowd which Phil mistook for her cue, and unbeknownst to me, he sent her onstage. I was still finishing her intro and when I finally said “please welcome Emmylou Harris,” to my surprise she was already standing right behind me.  I awkwardly shook her hand and headed backstage only to be greeted by a beet-red Phil Kaufman who, in true in-my-face drill sergeant fashion, proceeded to angrily ream me out for my insidious inability to follow instructions.  In my defense, I followed his direction to the letter but was victimized by an adoring crowd’s reaction to a sincere comment. I went from sky-high to an in-shock cower.  We made up last night, thirty years later at Groovin’.  Which appropriately continues with a special add-on concert starring…Emmylou Harris on July 20th.  Tickets on sale here.

Don’t forget to keep up with the rich musical offerings over the next few months thanks to Groovin’, Friday Cheers and Fridays at Sunset, covered in previous posts…and of course our perennial pilgrimage to Graves Mountain comes around next week.  I know I’ll see a lot of you there.  Thanks for the memories, both past and new ones to be made.

TT

(Photo of Phil & me by Tom Beals…I have no idea who took the fuzzy Emmylou shot)

Twin Bill

It was kind of a roll of the dice for us at JAMinc to present two back-to-back In Your Ear concerts on the same weekend but it proved to be a fitting finale to our 2010-11 season as we enjoyed two unforgettable nights of live music, thanks to bluesmen Phil Wiggins and Rick Franklin on Friday and East of Monroe on Saturday.  We’ve experienced Phil’s singular way with the blues harp in many past pairings including his two-decade partner John Cephas, and after his passing, Nat Reese and Corey Harris (left).  But Northern Virginia’s Rick Franklin really brought Phil out in a special way as he settles into this new chapter in his career.  His dazzling way with a diatonic harmonica along with some thoroughly engaging original story songs gave us a new appreciation for Wiggins’ hold on the blues.  The twin sisters tune could be a movie.  If you missed it, the cool thing is, like all our IYE shows, it was well recorded and will live again perhaps as soon as this fall thanks to our upcoming JAMinc Presents…Live from In Your Ear Studio A series starting in September on WCVE-FM Public Radio.  We’re very excited to announce that our NPR affiliate will air 13 weeks of hour-long programs at 1pm Saturdays featuring two artists or groups each week from our 7-year archives.  More details coming soon.  And speaking of the late John Cephas, his live IYE recording of “I Won’t Be Down” is the first track of Style Weekly’s 10th annual music issue’s “Sounds of Richmond-No. 4” compilation, available for free download here.  It’s the last song of his final solo performance on May 1, 2008.  And it’s haunting.

And I’ll say with all the objectivity I can muster, our Saturday night season closer East of Monroe brought a fine night of sweet three-part harmony and head-turning lead breaks to that acoustically-pristine space.  It was their next-to-last gig before Eminor heads west to Portland, so there’s one more chance to catch the current lineup…this coming Saturday night at Staunton’s fine eatery and listening room, the Mockingbird on West Beverly downtown.  I’m not in a position to encourage you as much as I’d like but I will say I doubt you’ll regret making the trip.  And cover’s only $8 in advance here.  It was a kick for the old man to have both his kids on stage last weekend with DJ Josati opening things up for Dominion Riverrock on Brown’s Island Friday.

 

Last Thursday at Lewis Ginter we were washed in nostalgia hearing durable tunes like “Louisiana Lady” and “Panama Red” courtesy of New Riders of the Purple Sage, still sporting veteran pedal steel legend Buddy Cage.  And I got a second chance in as many weeks to take in the energy of Donna the Buffalo and their leading lady Tara Nevins.  The old purple bus made it from yet another triumph at MerleFest to the Rose Garden stage for what would be the last night of rain-free music in quite a few days around here.  The wonderfully wide-ranging Groovin’ series continues at the Garden this Thursday with the incredible Raphael Saadiq who will quash any notion that Motown-style R&B is a thing of the past.  Check him out here.  And stay tuned for Nanci Griffith, Del McCoury with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Emmylou Harris and Mary Chapin Carpenter still to come this spring and summer.  And maybe one more huge surprise to boot.  Speaking of Emmylou, she’s just been announced as co-chair of the 73rd National Folk Festival, moving from Butte to Nashville this year over Labor Day Weekend.  That should ensure it gets the attention it deserves from an over-saturated Music City USA.

 

And don’t forget a bunch more Friday Cheers happenings on the River with the one and only Trombone Shorty this week, No BS Brass and other RVA faves on the 27th, Drive By Truckers on June 10 and the David Grisman Sextet on the 17th.  We are musically living well.

I’ll be headed back to Ashland on Friday to catch a fresh and exciting young string band, Harrisonburg’s Steel Wheels who are part of a “Made in Virginia” mini-festival at AC&T this weekend.  Ted Pitney and his Roosevelts will be there Saturday, and down the tracks…Gypsy Roots, the Quebe Sisters and Stacey Earle.  And so many more.  Go Kay!

As I start working on my left-hand callouses and pondering the proper single-malt for this year’s Graves Mountain festival the weekend after Memorial Day, I’ll leave you with a link to Craig Havighurst’s excellent NPR piece on Sarah Jarosz to mark the release of her Gary Paczosa-produced album Follow Me Down.  More distinguished work from one of the new generation’s most gifted bluegrass-influenced artists.  Own this one.

TT

(Sarah Jarosz and Josati photos from artist sites)

Momentous MerleFest

Security was unprecedented…a virtual lockdown backstage at MF XXIV.  Just blame the golden-maned guy in the white t-shirt, it’s Robert Plant who’d just finished off the 24th edition of North Carolina’s venerable Americana celebration in grand style.  With his well-picked Band of Joy comprised of Buddy Miller, Patty Griffin, Darrell Scott, Byron House and Marco Giovino, Plant prowled the Watson Stage shared generously with his capable music mates.  After his inspired collaboration with Alison Krauss, Raising Sand, Zeppelin’s iconic lead singer eschewed a chance to relive the rock band’s glory days and gathered these familiar players to continue his mining the deep vein of traditional American tunes.  And it was amazing…so much more powerful and profound than I’d expected it would be.  I love it when delivery surpasses anticipation.  And it was moving to hear the depth of knowledge and reverence that a Brit holds for this music…he even encored with Doc and Rosa Lee Watson’s plaintive “My Lone Journey” as a loving duet with Patty.  Don’t miss this steamroller if it comes anywhere near.

Another headliner whose humility was a refreshing drink of water along with his unrivaled musical sensibilities was Lyle Lovett, who closed Saturday night with a sweet acoustic set not with his Large Band but with festival favorites Sam Bush, Luke Bulla and Viktor Krauss.  And speaking of favorites, John Cowan joined his current traveling companions, the Doobie Brothers for a well-done walk down memory lane the night before.

And deep-growling country crooner Randy Travis made the most of his opening night set with a cavalcade of hits like “1982,” “Diggin’ Up Bones” and “Forever and Ever, Amen.”  He still sounds just like Randy Travis and looks just like him too.  It was just an example of an ambitious year of programming for John Adair and company with lots of big names and a wide-ranging roster of revered artists and new comers alike.  There was talk of a record-breaking year of attendance.  Very promising for an over-the top silver anniversary edition in 2012. I’ll try to cover the best of what I was able to see while working the Cabin Stage for the 20th year, in the pictures below and right.

Great to have Crooked Still back on the Cabin Stage…Brittany Haas and Aoife O’Donovan.

The predictably perfect Del McCoury Band on the Watson Stage…my nieces and I had too much fun in a wee-hours hang with Ronnie & Rob Thursday night…whew.

Missed catching up with Johnny C but we can always count on quality after-hours time with Jeff Autry.

We were blessed with the best female-based bands this year, including the elegant Wailin’ Jennys above…Heather Masse, Ruth Moody and Nicky Mehta with Richard Moody on fiddle.

Red Molly also graced our stage…Abbie Gardner, Laurie MacAllister and Molly Venter…should’ve heard them sing “Dear Someone.”  And listen for Laurie singing the “best part of waking up” jingle on the latest Folger’s TV spot.

A sea of Band of Joyful fans on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

 

 

Is this man the coolest or what?

 

Jim Lauderdale 

pauses in the Jerry Douglas doorway to the Cabin Stage

 

 

 

 

 

Infamous Stringdusters’ banjo man Chris Pandolfi is becoming a multi-media magnate…check out his many modes of expression here.

He’s quickly becoming a MerleFest fixture after loving his first trip last year. Zac Brown’s only official gig was Thursday night on the Watson but he popped up everywhere over the weekend including the Midnight Jam at the Walker Center.

Jerry Douglas has played all 24 MerleFests in countless combinations, this year with bassist Viktor Krauss and incredible percussionist Omar Hakim.

Guitar god Tony Rice brought an A-list Unit with him…Stuart Duncan, Josh Williams, brother Wyatt Rice, Barry Bales and Rob Ickes.  Tony’s getting really sentimental lately with lots of blessings to count.  Chokes me up.

Delightful meeting and hearing Veronika Jackson sing the blues to start us off on the Cabin Saturday morning…she even brought us flowers!

 

 

 

Another case of cool personified…on the edge fiddler and Midnight Jam host with the most, Casey Driessen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

An all-star tribute to John Hartford…see if you can name them all.  (Matt Combs, Alison Brown, Chris Sharp, Sam Bush, Bob Carlin, Tim O’Brien, Pete Wernick, Mark Schatz.

Lauderdale’s too cool for just one shot…

Tim O’Brien brought tears as only he can with “Letter In The Mail” that hit home this year for me.  He was flanked by Stuart Duncan and Bryan Sutton.  Oh my.

And a footnote-Sandy Feat’s latest triumph.  Until next April…

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Please check the previous post below for cool stuff coming up this weekend, including the Canal Club show Sunday in tribute to Page Wilson.  We’ll see you there I hope.

TT