I’m still having major sleep issues. Last night the problem was not being able to sleep. Let’s see if I can fix my sleep schedule by not napping the rest of the day and going to sleep at a reasonable hour tonight. My mother would say that I have a guilty conscience. I suspect that’s not it.
The sleep issues almost derailed yesterday’s plans; Asaran Earth Trio played at the People’s Voice Coffeehouse. The show was at eight, at six I started to entertain the notion of closing my eyes and taking a nap instead of going to see them. I rationalized that I had just seen them at John Platt’s On Your Radar a week and a half before. As I started to nod off, I thought about their performance. I had never seen them before, and they changed my world. They were instant favorites that I intend on following to the ends of the earth, Midtown is a lot more convenient than that. I knew I had to fight the lethargy, and I did. I got myself out of the house and onto the subway. I even managed to read on the way down.
I was a bit confused when I arrived as the show was not in the Community Church meeting room where the People’s Voice is usually held, but up in the Sanctuary. When I walked in, I was delighted as that’s a far more beautiful space. The pews were not benches but divided up into cushioned seats. Then I sat down and discovered that it was designed for a congregation of short people. I’m only 5’8″ and my knees were up against the pew in front of me if I sat straight. I don’t get that at all, was it designed when people were shorter?
One more thing; I thought Unitarians were nice, but this congregation is made up of either mind or space benders. I always have trouble remembering what street the church is on. What doesn’t change is that I get off at 33rd Street when I take the 6 train and then it’ a short walk East from Park. I checked the address when I left the house and saw it was on 33rd Street. The way the timing worked it was easier to take the D to 34th and walk East from Sixth Ave. I actually got off the train at 35th Street, walked down to 33rd, and headed east. I took advantage of the walk to grab something to eat at Papaya King or Papaya Dog, Papaya something or other. When I got to Park Ave., things didn’t look right. I checked the address again, and now my calendar said it was on 35th street! Bah, I walked up to 35th and turned right. The Church wasn’t there. I checked the address again, and saw that it was 40 E 35th Street, that’s west of Park Ave. Those tricksy Unitarians either warped my memory or warped space and moved the church. Don’t let them gaslight you. It’s not your faulty memory, it’s their idea of a joke, unless it’s something more sinister. You can’t trust the Unitarian Folk Music Complex.
The show was a co-bill with Windborne. The name didn’t mean anything to me but one of my presenter friends, one whose tastes are most aligned with my own, i.e. good, was excited to hear that they were playing together as she was considering presenting them together. It is a natural pairing; they are both folk a Capella harmony bands with occasional percussion. Windborne did use banjo on one song but I’m sure that like Da Vinci’s Notebook’s guitar, all the music had been drained from it. Both bands played NERFA 2018 though I didn’t remember either. Windborne was up first and as soon as they started singing, I realized that I had seen them; they had a formal showcase, I never miss those. Why didn’t I remember them? They weren’t to my taste. I usually don’t say that; if I have nothing nice to say I say nothing at all. I’m bringing it up because the contrast between them and Asaran Earth Trio is integral to the way my mind processes music. They and Asaran have a mutual admiration society, I hope they can all forgive me. I hate the idea of hurting an artist’s feelings. To make the dilemma between honesty and being nice more difficult I have discussed this with two musicians that I love and that I’m close to; they are close to each other. One tells me that what’s important is that I be honest and that I should be more willing to be critical. The other tells me how she’d be hurt if someone wrote what I write about acts I don’t like. I perpetually feel like I’m letting them both down as I walk the tightrope between their viewpoints.
Windborne belongs in A Mighty Wind. I wish I could find my notes from NERFA. I’m sure I used the word “precious.” So how can Asaran and my presenter friend love them? It’s because there are so many ways of appreciating art. My first thought was to compare it to the story of the blind me describing an elephant. Then I decided against that, it’s not a matter of seeing only a part of the whole. It’s how you see the whole. But the elephant is stuck in my head and I’m keeping it. Let’s say that instead of making music, Windborne and Asaran made elephants. Asaran is impressed by how the details that Windborne put in the skin, and how supple and graceful the trunk is. I find myself asking, “but where are the tusks?” To borrow a description from the friend that says I should be more critical, their music lacks teeth. They did have a kazoo and a slide trombone kazoo, so there is some kinship there.
After seeing them I wondered if I would find Asaran as mind-blowing as I did at John Platt’s On Your Radar. As soon as they started playing my fears disappeared. They weren’t as good, they were better. I really need to get a psychedelic VW microbus and follow them around. Part of their genius is that every song is different. Most a Capella bands’ songs tend to melt together; they have the same sound and feel. Asaran’s music is international and it shows. The members of the trio come from Hungary, Brazil, Spain, and Italy. How can a trio have members from four countries? The two shows I saw didn’t have the same lineup. The Spaniard played at OYR and the Italian at People’s Choice. They played songs from all those countries, plus Portugal and the US. They even have a song that I’m sure is in Ladino though they didn’t use the word. They just said it was a language closest to Spanish.
They further endeared themselves to me by pointing out that they learned their arrangement of Foreign Lander from Red Molly and were excited when Carolann Solebello complimented them on their performance of it at NERFA.
I made a sacrifice and shot a live video instead of taking one of the shakers they handed out to the audience. It’s hard for me to resist audience participation but I want to make sure that everyone I know discovers the glory that is Asaran Earth Trio. I was delighted that a Festival presenter watched the video. If she books them, I’m going to pat my own back.
The only one I knew at the show was Karen, who is a volunteer baker for the People’s choice. Shortly after I sat down, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Before I turned around, I had two simultaneous thoughts, “It’s Karen,” and “I did something wrong.”
I am so happy that I was able to drag myself out of the house. It was well worth it. Few things are as fulfilling as magical music. Asaran Earth Trio weaves a spell.
I’m off to hear more great music tonight but I’m not leaving a spoiler. You’ll have to read tomorrow Wise Madness to find whose light will shine on me tonight.
Wise Madness 