Sorry I’m a day late writing about John Platt’s On Your Radar, at least I’m not a dollar short. This comes from not being able to finish the blog on my NERFA discoveries on Tuesday, so I had to write that yesterday. Good thing I didn’t do anything worth writing about yesterday. I never even got dressed. From the outside I don’t like days like that but when I’m in one they can be great. The key is all things in moderation.
The performers at On Your Radar were Asaran Earth Trio, Willa Mamet & Paul Miller, and Benjamin Dakota Rogers. Things worked out well as this was one of the strongest lineups and a full house. This was particularly impressive as the weather had just turned cold; that didn’t keep the audience away. We were missing my usual table-mate Fred, he was out of town. Instead I was joined by Marty and Phyllis.
Benjamin Dakota Rogers was up first. He’s Canadian so I told him that we arranged the freezing temperature to make him feel at home. No, I don’t know why anyone still speaks to me. As we all know Canada runs a selective breeding program for singer-songwriters, Benjamin is a product of it. How else do you explain all the great Canadian songwriters? I always assumed that his middle name came of being indigenous American. It didn’t; as it came out in the interview his parents were just creative namers. Maybe that’s where his creative songwriting genes come from.
I met Willa a year ago, at NERFA 2018, but she became an instant old friend. Willa defies stereotyping. You look at her and see an openly butch lesbian. When she talks on stage, she has the quick wit of Groucho Marx and the manner of a Borst Belt comic. As her musical partner Paul Miller said, he’s perfectly happy hearing her talk for the entire set. Then she sings and becomes a classic songstress with a beautiful voice that totally sells the song. When she sings about a tree, you really feel the tree. She’s pretty much designed for me to love.
Asaran Earth Trio was totally new to me. When they finished, I went up to one of them and said, “Where have you been all my life?” They blew me away. Earth is their origin, it’s harder to get more specific than that, the members are from Brazil, Hungary, and Spain. They all now live in Greater New York; that’s why I’m shocked I don’t know them. They too are designed for me to love. The only instruments are percussion, a variety of drums and shakers; the rest of the music is provided by their voices. Through the magic of harmony that is more than the sum of the parts. They can play rhythmic dances from Brazil and sonorous melodies in Ladino. What is it with me and Ladino singers? Most people have never even heard of it and I’ve heard two people groups singing in it in half a week. The other is Lily Henley who has an entire album coming out in it. Earth is in the name, but their sound is otherworldly. I have rarely seen the OYR audience as captivated by musicians they had never heard of before. I’ve rarely been as captivated by musicians I’ve never heard of before. They are a revelation.
After the show I hung out for a while with Willa and Paul. I knew Paul lived in Vermont; I didn’t know he was my landsman. He’s a Jewish kid who grew up a short walk from where I live now. Why do I always speak of my fellow Jews as kids, nice Jewish boys, and nice Jewish girls? Don’t we ever grow up? I have a feeling that others aren’t as fascinated by the quirks in my thinking as I am. I can justify writing about them as it might inspire you to think about the quirks in your own thinking.
I’ve been busy since NERFA ripping CDs and downloading music. I’m laying the groundwork first before I start the fun part, listening. That’s partly because I have to see whose music I’m missing. I’m still working my way through my mailbox, but I don’t think I have ones from Alisa Amador or Tui, both of whom were top discoveries. I made sure to get one from Asaran Earth Trio; they’ll make it to Gord’s Gold. Now back to work on my pile of CDs.
Wise Madness 