Concerts #393, 418, 442 - Burt Bacharach at Various Venues (2006-2007)

I get the goosebumps just thinking about Burt Bacharach's music. I was a teenager in the sixties, and while listening to what everybody else was listening to, I developed a special affinity for Burt's songs, regardless of who the interpreter was. Decades later, I'm still in awe of the depth and breadth of Burt's oeuvre and, quite often, I find myself listening to his songs, which I own plenty of.

In 1987 and then in 1998 I caught Burt in concert with Dionne Warwick and Elvis Costello, respectively. Both those concerts were amazingly good and left me wanting for more. A few years later I got more. A whole lot more:

• Concert #393 - February 11, 2006 - Segerstrom Hall (Orange County Performing Arts Center)
• Concert #418 - August 27, 2006 - Cerritos Center For The Performing Arts
• Concert #442 - June 5, 2007 - Walt Disney Concert Hall

I lucked out big time in February 2006, when an unexpected chain of events brought me two front row seats for Burt's concert at Orange County's monumental Segerstrom Hall. Accompanied by the Pacific Symphony Pops under the direction of Richard Kaufman, Burt delivered a "greatest hits" show that will be impossible to forget. Just as unforgettable were Burt's three vocalists, namely Josie James, John Pagano and Donna Taylor. Josie's grand finale on "Anyone Who Had A Heart" was a stunning tour-de-force, if there ever was one and John's vocals were just as impressive.

From left: Josie James, John Pagano, Donna Taylor

I'm extremely proud to say that I got to shake Burt Bacharach's hand. It happened toward the end of the concert when, spontaneously, I got up and reached out my hand toward Burt. He noticed me and took my hand with his two hands. Being in a state of near-paralysis, all I could muster were the words "Thank You". Burt then reciprocated with the very same words. Any doubt as to what constituted the highlight of the evening?

Segerstrom Hall

The power of a full symphony orchestra and Burt's own band and vocalists combined to amazing results. The sound of so many beloved tunes brought tears to my eyes a couple of times during the show. Burt dedicated about twenty minutes to his newer songs from his then-current album titled "At This Time". I liked his new material, especially "Where Did It Go".

In addition to playing the grand piano and doing some conducting, Burt also sang the lead vocal on a couple of songs, among them "Alfie". Though weakened a bit by age, his voice was instantly recognizable to all those who heard his recordings from the sixties and seventies.

In a welcome effort to play as many of his hits as possible, Burt packaged most songs in a few medleys and those were absolutely wonderful, as the musicians were sliding seamlessly from one great song to another.

PARTIAL SET LIST

What The World Needs Now

Don't Make Me Over

Walk On By

This Guy's In Love With You

I Say A Little Prayer

Trains, Boats And Planes

Wishin' And Hopin'

Always Something There To Remind Me

I'll Never Fall In Love Again

Only Love Can Break A Heart

Do You Know The Way To San Jose

Anyone Who Had A Heart

Make It Easy On Yourself

The Look Of Love

Arthur's Theme
The April Fools

What's New Pussycat

Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Wives And Lovers

Alfie
The Windows Of The World

That's What Friends Are For

Any Day Now
A House Is Not A Home
Go Ask Shakespeare
Where Did it Go?
Who Are These People?

Everything about the concert exuded class, from the majestic venue to the quality of the performance. My Better Half and I went home absolutely elated so no wonder that six months later I was once again in the audience to catch the master, this time at the Cerritos Center For The Performing Arts.

The Center For The Performing Arts in Cerritos

Except for the absence of a full symphony orchestra, the concert was nearly identical to the one at the Segerstrom Hall. I once again managed to shake Burt Bacharach's hand, in spite of my not having a front row seat. During the encore, while playing what I knew would be the closing song, I got up from my seat, made my way to the center aisle, walked up unchallenged to the stage for my second hand shake with Burt. What a fabulous moment!

Experiences like these had to be relived. In June 2007, my Better Half and I went to the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown Los Angeles to catch essentially the same show in a world-class venue. This was our first time to attend a concert at the famed venue. Our seats weren't the best - we sat in a balcony on the right side of the stage, but not far from the stage. As far as our view was concerned, no complaints, but the sound was a different matter. I was dying to once again hear Josie James' thundering rendition of "Anyone Who Had A Heart", but the volume and power just weren't there. I went home a bit disappointed.

At the Disney Concert Hall, Burt was accompanied by his core band, the same fabulous vocalists (Josie, John & Donna) and a string section. Everyone had fun on the stage, Burt included.

The Walt Disney Concert Hall

The Walt Disney Concert Hall

And now, here's what another concert goer, Andre B, wrote about the very same concert. The quoted text comes from http://www.bacharachonline.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2314&start=0

<< I had never been to a concert in Disney Hall. It's a beautiful venue. There really isn't a bad seat in the house, and the acoustics are just about perfect. My seats were in Orchestra West, a balcony section with a good view of the stage.

After the medley, Josie Jones just about knocked the roof off with Anyone Who Had a Heart -- I've seen her perform this song maybe three or four times now, but this was something special. And I'm sure it wasn't just the amazing acoustics of the hall!  >>

Here's another quote, written by "heartlight" and posted also at www.bacharachonline.com:

<< I was in the Orchestra View behind the stage and at times I could not totally understand the dialogue, so thanks for repeating it...especially with regard to the new number. Josie was dynamic. >>

So here you have three folks who all agree that Josie's performance was one of the high points of Burt's concerts. It is also clear that it makes a difference where you sit at the Disney Concert Hall, as in terms of the sound, some of us had diametrically opposed experiences. On the plus side, now I know where not to sit the next time I'm there.

In summary, Burt's concerts were some of the best I've ever attended and it's a blessing that I could catch the Master multiple times. His music is timeless and will stay with me for the rest of my days.

Concert #650 - Mindy Smith at McCabe's Guitar Shop (September 21, 2012)

This was my first time to see Mindy Smith live in concert, not long after having discovered her appealing rendition of "Jolene", the classic Dolly Parton song. A few days before the concert, I found on the Internet a couple of in-depth interviews with Mindy. I read them, and, as a result, I went to McCabe's with a certain mental image of the artist. Surprisingly, the Mindy I saw on the stage was a totally different person than the image I had pictured in my mind.

The interviews revealed a serious artist whose creative work has been shaped by the events and emotions of her life, all this while dealing with the stress of having to make a living without the benefit of selling millions of albums. There were no indications in any of those interviews about Mindy's humorous side, and that's the side of her personality that was on display first and foremost at McCabe's last night.

Mindy's stage demeanor reminded me of Peter Himmelman, the  consummate live performer who in my book remains unmatched in a live setting. It's not that I could draw parallels between their styles of humor or music. Their similarity consisted of their unwillingness to remain serious in between songs, even when the involved songs were utterly serious.

While Mindy's playful stage presence marked her show from start to finish, it was her music that made the evening a success. Drawing from her four albums, Mindy's set offered a lot of variety, from slow ballads to up-tempo numbers, with absolutely no moments of boredom. She received outstanding support from her small backup band, namely guitarist Kyle Ryan and percussionist Marc Pisapia, with both Kyle and Marc pitching in on background vocals.

Mindy Smith & Kyle Ryan at McCabe's

Mindy Smith & Marc Pisapia at McCabe's

Mindy may be based in Nashville, but to these ears her songs had little to do with the sounds that have been coming out of the Music City in recent years, and that is a strong compliment to Mindy's songwriting. The songs I liked the best were "Come To Jesus", "If I", "Tin Can" and "Closer". I also liked "If I Didn't Know Any Better", a song written by Mindy and recorded by Alison Krauss in 2004.

Mindy's set list

Mindy Smith having fun on the stage at McCabe's

The evening started with a strong set delivered by Jay Nash, a Vermont-based musician. I was new to his music but that did not stop me from enjoying his songs, especially "Golden State Goodnight" and the set-opener "Never Takes Too Long". Jay possesses a powerful voice that sets him apart from many of today's younger singer-songwriters.

Jay Nash at McCabe's

Jay's set list

Mindy Smith autographing a CD for my friend Bill

Brisk business at Mindy's merch table

Mindy Smith chatting with fans after the show

Jay Nash CDs for sale at McCabe's

The stage

Frequent McCabe's attendee Dudley (left), with his siblings Kate and Tim

Concert #444 - Syd Kitchen at McCabe's Guitar Shop (June 29, 2007)

Other than Miriam Makeba's "Pata Pata" and a couple of Johnny Clegg songs, there's not much else I know about South African music and to this day, I don't know what made me grab two of my friends and drive the fifty-one miles that separate my home from McCabe's to see an exotic performer I knew nothing about.

So was it worth my effort? The answer is a resounding "No". Syd Kitchen's music did not connect with me at all and after three or four songs I knew I'd be in for a long evening. Well, the long evening never materialized, courtesy of an unexpected intermission that came about 40 minutes into the concert. When the lights went on, I looked at my two guests and they were as ready to go home as I was. So home we went, but not without making a mental note about doing my homework before once again dragging friends into uncharted musical territories.

Concert #446 - Tift Merritt at McCabe's Guitar Shop (August 4, 2007)

Five years after Tift Merritt's concert at McCabe's, the strongest recollection I have of the event is of a non-musical nature: I can still hear her repeated apologies for having played the piano almost completely hidden from the crowd. But her part-time invisibility did not bother me much, as she sang plenty of songs while standing at the center of the stage, right there in everyone's full view.

Musically speaking, the concert was good, but not unforgettable. At the time of the show, I could name only one of her songs, the outstanding "Good Hearted Man", and needless to say, my unfamiliarity with Tift's material did not help matters.

Here's a partial set list, as posted by a fan at tiftmerritt.net/Forums. Some of the titles may not be 100% correct.

Wanna Go (Another Country)

Something To Me

Again

I Know What I'm Looking For Now

Supposed To Make You Happy

Stray Paper

Aint Looking Closely

Keep You Happy

Good Hearted Man (the best songs of the evening, to these ears)

Hopes Too High

My Heart Is Free

Hard Feelin

Morning Is My Destination

Virginia

Still Pretending

Tender Branch Is Gonna Fall

The songs she sang were good, her voice was fine and so was her band, but I went home without humming any newly heard hooks. Since then I have stayed in touch with Tift's new material and I will continue to do so.

Concert #649 - O'Brien Party Of Seven at McCabe's Guitar Shop (September 9, 2012)

Last night's incarnation of "O'Brien Party Of Seven" featured a grand total of six musicians, yet - in spite of the shortfall - there was still plenty of talent on the stage and I don't think anyone in the audience at McCabe's felt shortchanged. The uncontested leaders of the gang were Grammy-winners Tim O'Brien and his sister Mollie, but everyone else held their own and the end result was a show with plenty of variety, great vocal harmonies, some stellar mandolin playing and an overall feeling of fun and joy.

Most of the folks on stage were from Mollie's side of the family. She introduced guitarist and singer Richard Moore as "my current husband". Lucy and Brigid, her two daughters, were also there, while Tim brought along his bass-playing son Jackson. The missing "party member" turned out to be Tim's other son, who apparently had decided to forgo folk music in order to pursue a higher education.

Mollie & Tim O'Brien at McCabe's

Richard Moore (left) with Jackson and Brigid

Tim O'Brien, flanked by Mollie and Lucy

It is quite unusual for a show to open and close with the same song, but that's what they chose to do and I'm glad they did, as I really enjoyed their two different renditions of "King Of The Road", Roger Miller's signature song. Most of the songs we heard last night came from their "Reincarnation" album which consists of nothing but Roger Miller tunes, most of them obscure.

The O'Briens and the Moores took turns at lead vocals. Tim soloed on Dylan's "Farewell Angelina" and Roger Miller's humorous "Hand For The Hog", among others. Mollie lead the way on the title track as well as Jesse Winchester's heart-warming "Lonely For A While", which was one of the evening's highlights for me. Brigid was the lead vocalist on "Swiss Maid", a minor Del Shannon hit penned by Roger Miller, who else. Jackson sang "Guv'ment", a song taken from "Big River", a musical with all songs written by, your guess is right again, Roger Miller. Lucy sang lead on "Tall Tall Trees" and she sounded quite good. I must also mention Lucy's piano playing skills.

Some of the evening's finest moments came when all six musicians were on the stage at the same time - their harmonizing was great. With so many vocalists taking turns, the whole evening was a dynamic affair further augmented by their mostly uptempo and decidedly catchy songs, with lots of good humor thrown in for good measure. Tim's mandolin playing was absolutely superb and his voice sounded pretty much like twenty years ago, when I first discovered him.

Other songs worth mentioning are "Shut De Do" and the evening's encore, "Sweet Sunny South", from the repertoire of the Carter Family, both songs featuring the entire clan.

The set list

Mollie & Tim saying goodbye

Tim O'Brien's instruments

All in all, last night's concert was pure delight, from start to finish. I enjoyed everything about it, even though I heard many of the songs for the first time. I will now start looking for the original versions of these songs and special kudos go to Tim and Mollie, without whom I would have probably never heard these Roger Miller hidden gems.

Concert poster in the window at McCabe's

Concert #648 - Jackshit at McCabe's Guitar Shop (September 8, 2012)

This was my 25th time to see the Boys From Cochtotan in a headlining role. Most reasonable folks would say that I'm insane and maybe I am, but this is the kind of insanity that's perfectly fine to leave as is. For me, watching Jackshit live remains an exhilarating experience unmatched by anything else I've ever seen. For those of you unfamiliar with the band, here's who the members are:

Pete Thomas (drums, vocals): Rock & Roll Hall-of-Famer and long-time partner of Elvis Costello. As a session musician, has drummed for countless big names, such as Johnny Cash, The Corrs, Sheryl Crow, Neil Finn, Joe Jackson, Los Lobos, Joan Osborne, Pearl Jam, Bonnie Raitt, Squeeze, Richard Thompson and Rufus Wainwright.

Dave Faragher (bass, vocals): One of Elvis Costello's Imposters and coveted session bassist. Has recorded and toured with the Monkees, David Crosby, John Phillips, Wanda Jackson, Dusty Springfield, Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow, Susanna Hoffs, Joan Osborne, Ronnie Montrose, Allen Toussaint, Buddy Guy, Willy DeVille, Elton John, Leon Russell and many others.

Val McCallum (electric guitar, vocals): Lead guitarist for Sheryl Crow, Jackson Browne, Lucinda Williams, Gregg Allman and many others.

Last night's sold-out show was - what else is new? - exceptionally good, even though there were no surprise guests. Val and Dave were their usual funny selves, while the typically more reserved Pete was unusually smiley and talkative. Val's guitar playing was out of this world and so were Dave's two bass solos. Dave also outdid himself with a few soprano falsettos that were both powerful and comical. Pete's finest moments came during the singing of "Lazy Day" and the epic grand finale of Johnny Horton's "I'm Coming Home", a song that invariably brings the audience to its feet.

The Shit Horns reported to duty as they often do, making their entrance from the back of the room while playing the trumpet parts of "Ring Of Fire". They followed up with a rousing rendition of Herb Alpert's "The Lonely Bull", a song that appears as "Lonesome Bull" on the band's set list. The Shit Horns came back a few songs later to help with the playing of "Ghost Riders In The Sky" and the "Theme From The Magnificent Seven", both new additions to the band's repertoire. There is a family connection between the latter song and Val McCallum, as Charles Bronson, Val's step-father, was one of the main protagonists of "The Magnificent Seven", the monumental film from the early 1960s.
 By the way, Jackshit's rendition of the song was particularly good.

There was one other new number last night, "Tulane", a song instantly recognizable as one of Chuck Berry's. Among the old favorites, "Pretty Polly" and "Ugly And Slouchy", complete with its fabulous rock & roll medley, received the best crowd response. Dave's vocal performance on "Jesus Is Just Alright" was yet another highlight in an evening that wasn't short of highlights. Playing a vibraslap, Charlie, Dave's son, made a brief appearance.

Val McCallum & Dave Faragher at McCabe's

The set list

The tongues are out during the playing of "The Lonely Bull"

Val, Dave and the Shit Horn Lady (name?)

Quite compulsively, I keep telling everyone about Jackshit's marvelous live shows and, modesty aside, I have results to show. Over the course of a few years, I have brought to McCabe's a grand total of one hundred and six friends to see the Boys from Cochtotan. Many of them have become "repeat customers" who in turn have spread the word further. Last night's newcomers were my coworkers Daniel and Chris, as well as Rachel, Chris' wife. They all had a blast.

From left: Manan, Saphire and newbie Daniel

From left: Alejandro, Veronica and Octavio

First-timers Rachel and Chris

Jackshit's next appearance at McCabe's will be their annual Christmas concert in mid-December, which is guaranteed to sell out.

The stage

Val McCallum's music stand

Val McCallum with fans after the show

Pete Thomas, chatting up the ladies

Concert poster