This is going to be tough, I have two days to write about and about half a night’s sleep. I need my second cup of coffee to start this. I’ll be right back. A cup of coffee in my belly and another in my hand; I’m ready to face the world. Blessed be Coffea arabica which giveth us caffeine. The cobwebs are clearing, the mist is lifting, and I dimly see back into the depths of time, Friday.
As I do almost all Fridays I went to therapy. It took a concerted effort but I was able to make the 1:25 train despite initially forgetting my phone and having to go back and get it. If I miss that train I can still make it to therapy but I have to pay for a cab from the train station.
It was an easy therapy session, at the end my therapist said she decided to just let me talk. I talked about things that are not my central problem but things I have no one else I can tell. Sometimes you pay your therapist to be your friend. Like sex, it’s better when you don’t have to pay for it.
Then I was off to see Bev Grant’s photo exhibit at Osmos. That’s the dry part of the universe, the Cosmos without the C. I wish you could hear your groans.
Bev is a dear friend that I know through folk music but is a polymath that includes photography in her talents. The exhibit were black and white photos she took in 1968, a turbulent political era. There were lots of photos of protests. I looked for myself as a kid but I wasn’t there. Bev, I thought you loved me; you couldn’t take one picture of me 50 years before we met? The photos were remarkable, capturing the time beautifully. There were naked hippies taking over the Filmore East and fashionable women protesting the Miss America pageant. A march on Washington, and a street protest in Harlem. I was not aware there were abortion rights protests then. It might be because I turned 11 that summer. I might not have known when abortion was. As an adult my parents told me that before I was conceived that decided that my mother would have an abortion if she got pregnant again. As it was illegal then they were going to plan a trip to Havana or Hong Kong around it. Many people would find that disconcerting. My reaction on hearing this, was to love how cool my parents were.
One thing my therapist commented on was how all my friends know each other. That was a timely observation as Bev’s show was a gathering of the Tribe. It’s one reason I went to the opening instead of waiting for another day. Lily Henley was playing that night and I very much wanted to go but I couldn’t miss the pow-wow. I was joined at the show by Fred, Carolann, Sharon, Katherine R, Joshua aka J.R., who am I missing?
Fred and I went out to eat afterward at Spiegel. I asked, “Hey Google, restaurants near me.” And it came up a tenth of a mile away. The name was familiar, I told friend I heard good things about it but I don’t remember what. I looked more closely and saw that I gave 5 stars, I had eaten there. Then Fred figured out it was a place where a group of us ate after a show at Rockwood. There were Chicks there so it was likely a No Fuss and Feathers show. I had a chicken schnitzel sandwich, it was excellent. The waitress was delightful. It’s a block from Rockwood Music Hall. This should be our regular place. I have to remember that.
Fred went to Rockwood to see Lauren Balthrop. I would have liked to see her but I had a big day planned on Saturday so I headed home. I was able to get some wind-down before I went to sleep.
The big day was the second annual, Hudson West Folk Festival. I’m the head of merch sales so have to get their early, stay for the entire 10 hours, then say late. It’s in Jersey City but that’s not bad. It takes only an hour and a quarter to get there. I screwed up on the way there. I heard the PATH announcement, “Next Stop Grove Street.” I got off and found myself at Exchange place, one stop before. I checked the timing, walking and waiting for the next train would get me there around the same time and I wouldn’t have to worry about navigation if I took the train, so I did. That cost me 15 minutes that I could have used to get ready. I needed a quick run through of
I was fortunate to have Alex assist me in the first shift. He picked it up right away and I could be a good manager and delegate responsibility. He did a great job but made one mistake entering the price for one CD in the point of sale app. I told him that I knew it was deliberate; He was being like the weavers of Persian rugs that always make one mistake because only Allah is perfect. I’m even more pious and make many mistakes. Any spelling or grammar errors you find are deliberate.
Here was the running order of the acts.
- Scott Wolfson and Other Heroes
- Kirsten Maxell
- Blue Yonder
- Sunny War
- Vicki Kristina Barcelona
- Blackie Farrell
- Stephane Wrembel
- Freedy Johnson
- Harpeth Rising
- Evie Ladin & Keith Terry
There were four acts I know well, by pure chance, the first two and the last two. I didn’t realize it till she said hi to me but I know one of the members of Vicki Kristina Barcelona, Rachelle Garnier; she had played at Carter’s birthday show a few years ago. She also sometimes plays with Metropolitan Klezmer/Isle of Klezbos. I have seen Stephane Wrembel a few times, he is a Gypsy Jazz.
My discovery of the day was Sunny War. How good is Sunny? I stopped I was doing to get the URL of her website, and that got me involved promoting her for the next half an hour. I overcame my natural procrastination and anxiety and got right to it. She didn’t have copies of her most recent album last night. I asked her for one for John Platt. John is going to go nuts over her. I emailed John to tell her how much I loved her and that I’d be sending him the album. I wrote her manager to discuss her going to NERFA. I forgot to mention Falcon Ridge but she has many months to take care of that. I saw that she’s playing at Arlene’s Grocery and even thought it’s wet and miserable out I’m going to brave the elements to see her. I’m going to take my camera and shoot video if possible. In other words, this is big. She is a self-taught musician whose guitar playing invokes Reverend Gary Davis. Jim is not familiar with RGD but he was as impressed as hell with her playing, especially her left hand. Here’s the thing, I bet most people were too busy getting blown away with her singing to notice the great guitar work. You need to check her out ASAP.
Vicki Kristina Barcelona is a trio of women, Rachelle Garniez, Amanda Homi & Terry Radigan, that sing the songs of Tom Waits. Any female harmony trio covering Waits, is going to be neuro, but VKB does not take half-measures. They are pure neuromusic. You know another band that has an accordion and a harmonium on the same song? A Tom Waits song? There’s also kazoo and banjo. The way I define neuromusic is that it creates its own aesthetic as is goes along. The harmonies are not the harmonies anyone else would use, but they are the right harmonies. You never question why you listen to neuromusic, you listen because there is no one else doing the same thing. I’ve seen Rachelle before and knew she was neuro. I’ve heard of Terry forever but never saw her. Amanda was totally new to me.
I skipped over Scott Wolfson because I’ve written about them so many times. They are close friends and favorite musicians. It wasn’t till they were finished that I realized how long it’s been since I’ve seen them perform. I think of them as a band I see all the time. It’s just the way the currents are carrying us; I love them as much as always. I just feel bad I didn’t get to heckle.
Harpeth Rising is my people and friends but in a totally different way. I don’t see them nearly as often so it’s always an event. When someone asks who my favorite band is, I’ll often say them. They are maximal elements, for band X, it might not be the case that HR>X but it is never the case that X>HR. They also became close friends from the first time I met them. I don’t know how that works but I don’t look a connection in the mouth. I gave directions to the back-stage people that if they saw them first to let Michelle, Jordana, and Maria know I was at the merch table and waiting to see them. Jordana, the violinist and Maria, the cellist arrived first. Michelle came separately. I have a theory why. Michelle plays the banjo; would you want to share a car with a banjo player if you could help it? I love banjos but I love banjo jokes even more.
Evie and Keith are my people too. Once we connected, we connected solidly. I evangelized for them and am so happy they have made inroads with my presenting people.
After the show I settled all the financial accounts with the bands and bid adieu to everyone. But no, I just realized that Jim and I didn’t say goodbye to Gidge. He was busy with something and we figured we’d say goodbye on our way out. We went to the Green Room to say goodbye to Katherine and never found out way out the front entrance again. Sorry Gidge. I’m sure he’s heartbroken. We helped clean the kitchen, that was our penance.
Jim and I went to the PATH together and passed an ice cream parlor. I can’t pass up a homemade ice cream parlor. I had a redundant sundae; chocolate peanut butter ice cream with hot chocolate fudge and peanut butter sauce. It was scrumptious. I wish I remembered the name of the place. When we walked in there was nobody on line. By the time we finished ordering the line was out the door. I tried to suggest that we should get comped as we brought in the business but Jim didn’t play along.
For reasons neither of us know, when we got off the PATH train we were given a two-ride MetroCard. That meant the marginal cost of my travel was 0 yesterday. I have an unlimited MetroCard for the subway but not the PATH.
Now I have to go and pick up a prescription and get read to go out and see Sunny.
Wise Madness 