Back To School...

The veteran bandleader and mandolinist Doyle Lawson has been a professor of perfect harmony since he started his band Quicksilver back in 1979. He'd honed his skills and his ear during stints with Jimmy Martin, J. D. Crowe, the Country Gentlemen and the Bluegrass Album Band. Since then, Quicksilver has been a potent proving ground for some of bluegrass music's most gifted players and singers...names like Jim Mills, Scott Vestal, Jim Van Cleve, Barry Abernathy, Terry Baucom, Steve Gulley, and Russell Moore not to mention Barry Scott and Jamie Dailey who've left the group in the last year or so to do their own thing. (Can't wait to hear Dailey & Vincent!) Doyle and his ever-evolving cast have brought home the IBMA's Vocal Group of the Year honors consecutively since 2001. And if you think Jamie Dailey's departure might have robbed Doyle of his comic foil, wait 'til you get a load of Carl White. JAMinc is proud to bring DL&QS back to Richmond for the ninth consecutive year for bluegrass gospel at its inspired and entertaining best. See you at WEAG on Friday night. Come audit the class.

Speaking of gospel, Richmond's Rockin' Robbin Thompson (a fellow JAMinc board member) is getting all mellow and sensitive these days, having married off both his lovely daughters and having snagged a national Independent Music Award in the gospel category for his tune "Movin' On Down The Line." That's the same song that got him invited to Cambodia to help develop a campaign to combat human trafficking. That's the same Robbin Thompson who with In Your Ear partner Carlos Chafin is now composing music for PBS' iconic Sesame Street. Can we now anticipate Bert & Ernie singing "Sweet Virginia Breeze?" Not that there would be anything wrong with that. Anyway, you can catch Robbin rolling out his extensive repertoire Saturday at Ashland Coffee & Tea.

The other option would be to visit Bogart's, the venerable venue that's closing soon, to catch the Mills Family Band. I've been knocked out by young Samson Trinh's virtuosity and versatility since I first heard his amazing CD Very Strange Night produced during his last year in jazz studies at VCU. It features a number of Richmond's jazz standouts in large and small configurations, including his impressive Upper East Side Big Band. According to Doug Richards, "Samson Trinh and the Upper East Side Big Band's vibrant collective spirit captures the essence of the American jazz orchestra." High praise indeed from Richmond's master of jazz. Samson is trying a new sidestreet in his journey with the Mills Family, an acoustic string band featuring the vocals of Allyson Mills with Samson providing sax-based seasoning. You can check out a few of their live tracks on their MySpace page or you can get it first hand Saturday night in Bogart's good ol' smoky back room. While you can...

Early the next day, we might catch a glimpse of favorite son Daniel Clarke on keys with k.d. lang on CBS Sunday Morning sometime between 9 and 11am. Worth starting Super Sunday off with a song, eh?

And if you're looking for a classy Valentine's warmup this Thursday night, check out Richmond's newest and coolest (literally) nightspot Infuzion in Scott's Addition. Last week, my squeeze and I enjoyed some tasty tapas-style eats in the comfy lounge to the swingin' strings of Gypsy Roots, Thomas Wakefield's excellent homage to guitarist Django Reinhardt. And if it's open by then, put your coat back on and spend a little quality time in Infuzion's Ice Bar...a whole room made of ice from floor to ceiling just for sipping designer vodka. Is this town happening or what?

A heads up for March 20th: JAMinc and the Virginia Historical Society present the Country Gentlemen Reunion Band with Tom Gray, Eddie Adcock, Jimmy Gaudreau and Randy Waller in the Robins Family Forum, their new auditorium on The Boulevard. Watch this space for ticket info.

And a closing thanks to the fabulous Farr brothers for last weekend's most excellent comestibles and camaraderie on Gwynn's Island. If you've never tasted sandhill crane, the ribeye of the sky, you haven't lived. The music wasn't half-bad either.

Go Giants...TT

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