Sorry, no exciting tales of crime and police today. Yesterday was a much more typical day in Wise Madness land; there was music, music, and more music. I will admit that I enjoyed the increased readership. I write for myself, but blogging is a form of communication and requires readers. It’s why I teased it on FB without giving details.
APAP continued yesterday and I went to two APAP showcases. The first was at Connolly’s Pub, I think the same room where Black 47 played. It looks different when it’s daytime, set up with tables, and not packed to the gills with an audience that is largely drunk. As much as I hate being around drunks and crowded rooms I loved those Black 47 shows. With them it just worked.
I was at Connolly’s to see Kaia Kater but saw two other acts while I was there and loved them both. The first up was Shane Hennessy, a guitarist out of Ireland. I didn’t say Irish guitarist as he didn’t play Irish music; he played world music influenced instrumentals. There are not many musicians that can entertain me with just the guitar, but Shane is one of them. He is also a mind reader. He played a song, Marrakesh inspired by the call to prayer he first heard in the Moroccan city. You hear it and it sounds Arabic. I wanted to know how he did that. When he finished he said, “You might be wondering how I make the song sound Middle Eastern.” He explained that the technique is to start the note with the string bent and then straightening it, the opposite of the usual way of bending notes. I still don’t know why it works.
He followed that with a song influenced by West African kora. Odd thing, Marrakesh is about as far west as you can get in Africa but it’s not West Africa it’s North Africa. To get to West Africa you have to go southeast. He altered the guitar to sound like a by inserting a piece of plastic between the strings and the bridge. That and polyrhythms created with the aid of delay pedal invoked West Africa.
I was joined for the show by both Howard and Kevin, we were the crazy people table. All of us went to the Bowery Ballroom directly from the show. I assumed incorrectly that Howard and Kevin know each other. I see them both so often at live music it seemed impossible that their paths had not crossed. I’ve made so many friends through music.
When I met Kaia, she was a young Canadian woman playing Appalachian music on the banjo and doing body percussion. She still does that but has expanded her influences, in particular embracing her Grenadian heritage. Now I’m as impressed if not more impressed with her singing and songwriting as I am her instrumental chops. Like Rhiannon Giddens and Madeleine Peyroux, she has voice that makes me melt. Her development shows the difference between voice and singing ability. She has the same voice she had then, but she has matured, and it’s transformed her interpretation. When she sings, she commands your attention and her songwriting rewards it. When I was doing my research for my top albums list I discovered that Our Native Daughters tried to include her, but they couldn’t make the scheduling work. My serendipity we also saw Birds of Chicago which features Allison Russell who is part of Our Native Daughters.
After Kaia we stayed for Kittel and Co. led by Jeremy Kittel. He was happy that they followed Kaia Kater as in his rider he insisted on a theme of alliterative K sound names. Jeremy is a fiddler, and this was a string band. The kind of music I love. I had to go to the bathroom during their set and loved what I heard when I came out. Like much string band music, it appealed to the Bach side of my brain. Then I realized that was because it was Bach. I didn’t know the piece, but his style is distinctive. It’s harder to be more in my sweet spot than musicians bridging classical and traditional music. I when for Kaia and discovered two new musicians. I’ve seen Jeremy before but always supporting other people.
When he was finished we made the short trip to the Bowery Ballroom. It doesn’t seem like it should be a short trip, but it is, all on the D train. We were near the front of the line; we wanted a good place to stand. This was the first show on my calendar as Red Molly was playing. After that I saw that Birds of Chicago were joining them. I love BoC. I didn’t remember the other two artists on the bill.
When we got in we were pleasantly surprised to find there was folding chairs set out. The Bowery is normally a standing venue. The only other time I saw chairs there was for a political event. I guess they figured that presenters don’t want to stand for four hours. We were all willing to but didn’t complain. We took the first row, the first three seats left of the center aisle. What other friends were there? Carter, Rick, Jamie, Glenn, and Marty. I was disappointed there were no old school Redheads.
The first act came out and I knew I’d seen him before. Kevin knew everyone in the band and Howard the drummer. It’s not often that I’m the least connected person at a concert. I wanted to like the artist. He had some of the best banter I’ve heard. I loved him as a person but was not thrilled with the music. He was never introduced, and I had to ask who he was. It was Teddy Thompson. I used to see him quite often as he was often playing with people I like including his father. He certainly inherited Richard’s sense of humor and stage manner.
Next up was Birds of Chicago; I have not seen them often but have loved them every time I did. Marty is the one that introduced me to them. The heart of the band is the married duo of Allison Russell and JT Nero. Their name includes Chicago, but Allison is from Canada and they now live in Nashville. Their music is infused with trad folk, Gospel, and things that come from within themselves. They are one of safest recommendations; I guarantee that you’ll love them. I will see them whenever the come around.
Red Molly is clearly one of My Bands. I have been following them for almost as long as they’ve existed and done merch for the countless times. I started the fan group. The intro for Gord’s Gold is Abbie, Laurie, and Molly singing my name in harmony. I was delighted that they had new songs that I hadn’t heard. They weren’t folk but you haven’t ever heard no horses singing. The women have been joined by two men, Eben Pariser on drums and guitar, and Craig Akin on bass. If you paid attention during the introductions you might have noticed that both Abbie and Craig live in Jersey City, and Molly and Eben in New Haven.
The final act of the night was Mary-Elaine Jenkins. A third of the way through her set I thought I’d be singing her praises. Then she strayed away from the blues and I found myself far less impressed. I could understand someone loving her, but she doesn’t possess the key to my heart.
Damn, I fell asleep in the middle of writing this and lost all my extra time. Now I have to race if I want to see Youth in a Roman Field. I’m sure I’ve left out all sorts of good things and left in all sorts of errors, but there is no time for revision.
Wise Madness 