Release the hounds...

We couldn't pass up the chance to be part of history tonight as a long-vacant vaudeville and movie house took its first breaths as Richmond's newest and most elaborate music hall. Having toured the place last summer when it was stripped back to the bare walls in painstaking restoration, it was stunning to see the TLC that brought The National back to its former grandeur with all the modern bells and whistles one could imagine. The Radiators had the honor of playing the first notes on opening night, a veteran band of guys my age playing solid New Orleans-style rock & roll. They of course ended up as the opening act for Dead disciples, the Dark Star Orchestra, bumped from last Friday's scheduled startup since things weren't quite properly permitted as far as the city fathers were concerned. There's still a lot of punch list stuff to complete at 7th and Broad but those who were part of the packed 1st night crowd were treated to elegant surroundings, a liquor license which eluded Toad's Place for a couple of its early months, a generous abundance of bars and restrooms making the place very user friendly and the excitement palpable. The VIP areas weren't quite ready and the adjacent corner restaurant will be a few months in opening but all in all, The National is good to go and whatever your musical tastes are, there's a new reason for heading downtown. We all owe a lot to Bill Reid, Brad Wells, Lorin Willis, David Peterson and their entire team for saving this diamond in the rough for all of us to enjoy. Check the schedule, pick a couple of acts you like and get your tickets. Let's make sure this labor of love stays around to be a part of Richmond's cultural frontline for years to come.



And I do need to mention our fine old time at the center of the universe Saturday night. We somehow missed the memo about it being prom night, but Old School Freight Train chugged in wearing non-matching formal wear that I might have worn at my prom back in the sixties. Once we adjusted to the new look, we settled in for a few old favorites including a hot take on Pete Frostic's Celtic-flavored "Mr. Parshif's Jig" and Randy Newman's haunting "Louisiana." The boys just finished a new cd which we got a good sampling of along with the tasteful percussion of the band's latest addition, Nick Falk. He played Jesse Harper's red American Tourister with respect and taste. Jesse's solo project is also due out this spring...look for an all-star release party you'll not want to miss.



And it's back to Ashland for Jimmy Gaudreau and Moondi Klein on Friday night...two guys too good to pass up. Trust me.



And I hope you'll forgive the less-than-ideal phone camera shots I post occasionally when I don't feel like (or am not allowed to use) my SLR. I figure sometimes at least something's better than nothing.



Thanks for the visit, as always...TT

Blown away...

It was one of those rare days when the normally placid James River was whipped into white caps as the cold front rolled in and the high winds ahead of an overdue return to winter temperatures threatened to knock out the power for Grammy night. I'll confess to being somewhat of a sucker for award shows, especially the big one for the music industry, despite its hype and self-indulgence. We even checked out the pre-show Webcast when they give out the trophies that don't make the prime-time cut...especially the bluegrass album Grammy. We were pulling for the Seldom Scene while kinda expecting Tony Trischka to win, when lo and behold Jim Lauderdale walked away with it for his album The Bluegrass Diaries. An emotional Lauderdale and producer/dobro man Randy Kohrs took the stage to accept...and Jim somehow forgot to say that he'll be joining the Waybacks here in Richmond for the annual Music For Massey benefit on June 13. So he had a few other things on his mind. We'll let you know when tickets go on sale for that one.

And how about former Old School Freight Train fiddler fatale Ann Marie Calhoun who was the hands-down winner of the national My Grammy Moment competition to play with Foo Fighters as the featured instrumentalist on the orchestral take on "The Pretender." Zeppelin's John Paul Jones led the symphonic contingent made up of the other young finalists in the voting. Sadly Ann Marie's playing wasn't really featured at all but she did get a good bit of camera time and another big boost to her already soaring career.

Old School makes its way back to Ashland Coffee & Tea on the 23rd of this month to be followed on the 29th by half of the dynamic Seldom Scene spinoff Chesapeake. That of course would be Jimmy Gaudreau and Moondi Klein who will reprise some of the old Chesapeake chesnuts and some nifty instrumentals as well. After hearing their upcoming Rebel Records release 2:10 Train, I must say it's great to have Moondi back where he belongs...on stage and on record sharing that one-of-a-kind voice. And Jimmy joins Randy Waller, Eddie Adcock and Tom Gray as the Country Gentlemen Reunion Band in a JAMinc/Virginia Historical Society presentation on March 20th. Details still coming together.



Also hope to see you in Ashland for a musical Valentine from the refreshingly eclectic retro trio The Wiyos. Former Richmonder Parrish Ellis along with Joe DeJarnette and Michael Farkas comprise this Brooklyn-based band that takes us back to the vaudeville, ragtime, hillbilly blues of the 20's and 30's with a thoroughly modern and energetic enthusiasm. I heard them at FloydFest for the first time last summer and have been looking forward to a second chance ever since. Get your squeeze a few chocolate coffee beans and join the fun this Thursday in the "Center of the Universe." These cats can swing!





We'd been hearing good things about The White Hawk Music Cafe in Goochland so we made our way across the river and west on Rt. 6 to the year-old venue run by musician Terry Hazelton. No beer, no smoking, just tasty sandwiches and some fine live music thanks to Good Natured Riot. I'd enjoyed Nick Harlow's banjo and Andy Burns' mando for years with the Slack Family but they're moonlighting with this acoustic quintet that includes lead vocalist Jeslyn Vaughan, vocalist/percussionist Summer Gentry and bassist John Dacey. These guys take the bluegrass ball and run with it, out into Gillian Welch territory and beyond. They did some well-crafted originals too, including a solid instrumental Andy wrote to vent his frustration at missing Sam Bush at Toad's Place last summer, thanks to a tardy wife. The tune's perfectly entitled "Bushwhacked." It's always fun to find a new band out there worth a listen...and a new music-based venue. They give lessons out there too.


And if you haven't heard, the Del McCoury Band plays the soon-to-open National Theater downtown on March 15th...book it.

(Full disclosure: all photos on this post except Lauderdale at MerleFest are from artists' Websites)

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