Concert #682 - The Melodic at McCabe's Guitar Shop (July 12, 2013)

Anyone who did not show up at McCabe's last Friday night, missed out on a great evening of music featuring two young acts that were anything but run-of-the-mill.

Hailing from London and touring the States for the first time, the Melodic delighted me with a headlining set that was unlike anything I have ever heard under the "British Folk" heading. Their extensive use of uncommon instruments produced a refreshing sound that held a tremendous appeal to me. Charangos, autoharps and melodicas - these are instruments not often seen or heard, but Friday night they were all there, in heavy rotation, setting the tone for an evening that will be hard to forget.

Band line-up

Rudi Schmidt (charango, melodica)

Huw Williams (vocals, guitar)

Lydia Samuels (vocals, autoharp, melodica, looping pedal)

John Naldrett (bass)

James McCandless (drums)

Rudi, Huw and Lydia at McCabe's

The Melodic does not fit the often-seen template of bands with gifted leaders who dominate the proceedings. The Melodic is more like democracy in action, with every member bringing something specific to the table, in a clear case of evenly distributed talent. The band's two singers, Huw and Lydia, don't possess huge voices, but they certainly held their own. Driven by John's clever bass licks and James' understated yet energetic drumming, great songs kept coming one after the other. My favorites were "Ode To Victor Jara", "Piece Me Back Together" and the show opener, "Hold On". I thoroughly enjoyed the high-energy instrumental listed as "Andean" on the set list, while Rudi's masterful playing of the charango, a string instrument originating from South America, definitely deserves to be mentioned as a show highlight.

After the concert, I was ready to buy their current album, only to discover that there wasn't one. Bummer. Subsequently I read that their first album would come out later this year. I wish that I could be the producer of the album. No, I haven't produced before, but this one would be a cinch. I would just tell them to play like they played at McCabe's, then I would step aside. Oh yeah, I would also make sure that the Victor Jara gem gets included. 

Rudi, Huw and Lydia at McCabe's

John Naldrett (right) & James McCandless at McCabe's

The Melodic set list

Rudi Schmidt's charango

The Song Preservation Society opened the show with a set that sounded pretty much like a modern day Crosby, Stills & Nash, and to a lesser extent, Simon & Garfunkel. But they also sounded like themselves, which says a lot about the talent of this up-and-coming trio. In recent years, I have been bored to death by quite a few young artists whose offering consisted of one artsy sleeper after another, but that wasn't the case at all last night. These likeable guys - Trevor Bahnson, Ethan Glazer and Daniel Wright - kept my toes tapping from the minute they took the stage and they never let up. Their songs, which I suppose were all self-penned, did not sound all the same - there was plenty of variety there, both vocally and instrumentally. These guys can sing, can play their guitars decently well and have a sense of humor, too. I was so impressed by their set, that during the intermission, I went straight to the merch table and bought their EP titled "Ready Room".

Overall, I had a fabulous time Friday night at McCabe's and it only cost ten American Dollars to get in. I can only shake my head in disbelief ... how is it possible to get so much musical value for so little?

The Song Preservation Society at McCabe's

The Song Preservation Society at McCabe's

The set list of the Song Preservation Society

After the show: Huw Williams and Ethan Glazer

Lydia Samuels (left) mingling with fans

Rudi Schmidt (right) chatting with my friend Steve

   

Concert #681 - Maria Muldaur at McCabe's Guitar Shop (June 28, 2013)

This was my first time to see Maria Muldaur in concert. She is one of those artists whom I have been aware of seemingly for a lifetime, but have never taken the time to explore in more detail. With one exception, though: I have given many listens to "Heart Of Mine", her album of Dylan covers, an outstanding collection of  well-sung and well-produced songs released in 2006. Highly recommended.

Maria's Friday night appearance at McCabe's took place just three months shy of her 70th birthday. I'm bringing up her age in order to emphasize a point: I was impressed by how nuanced her voice still is and how well she controlled it, even while delivering songs that were not all that easy to sing. A case in point was Percy Mayfield's "Please Send Me Someone To Love", a song whose coda turned into a veritable vocal tour-de-force for a singer of any age and easily one of the highlights of the evening.

The show kicked off with a Taj Mahal cover performed by Maria's able trio, the Red Hot Bluesiana Band.

Band line-up

Gary Vogenson - Guitar, vocals

Chris Burns - Keyboards

Dave Tucker - Drums, vocals

Friday night's set list was heavy on blues numbers, including a few with blatant sexual innuendos. Needless to say, the crowd received these risqué songs with laughter. Maria was pretty good at mentioning the authors or the original performers of the songs she chose to sing for us, among them Memphis Minnie, Elvin Bishop, Mahalia Jackson, JJ Cale, Percy Mayfield, the Mississippi Sheiks, Eric Bibb and Rory Block.

PARTIAL SET LIST

I've Done Made It Up In My Mind

I'm A Woman
I'll Be Glad
Bessie's Advice

Don't You Feel My Leg

Me And My Chauffeur Blues

In My Girlish Days 

Please Send Me Someone To Love

Cajun Moon

New Orleans

He Calls That Religion

It Ain't The Meat, It's The Motion

I'm Goin' Back Home

Midnight At The Oasis

The set list

The concert sold out a couple of weeks in advance, so a late show was added. Still, Maria treated the attendees of the early show to a generous eighty-five minute set. There was no encore, as immediately after her last song, Maria rushed to the front room to sell CDs, meet the fans and sign autographs, while more folks were lining up in the street to catch the late show. Definitely a busy evening for Maria Muldaur.

Maria Muldaur meeting fans at McCabe's

Maria Muldaur meeting fans at McCabe's

The merch table

Occasional concert announcer Mikki Itzigsohn

The stage

Concert #680 - Dave Alvin at McCabe's Guitar Shop (June 22, 2013)

If you are like me, you have seen Dave Alvin countless times, you know exactly what his live show is like, you don't expect anything different the next time, yet you still can't stop yourself from clicking on the "Buy" button whenever he's announced to play McCabe's.

This time around, Dave brought along two of his long-time musical collaborators, singer Christy McWilson of the Guilty Women fame and guitarist Chris Miller. Together, they put on an entertaining show, not very different from Dave's earlier appearances there, but just as enjoyable.

Dave Alvin at McCabe's

Dave came out with an acoustic guitar and a bottle of Miller Lite that lasted for the entire duration of the show. I was hoping for at least a few electric interludes, but no luck in that respect. No matter, though, as his acoustic playing was as good as ever. The electric duties were ably filled by Chris Miller, a perfect support musician, whose nuanced playing covered many different tempos, loudness levels and styles. His blistering solos, backed by Dave's frantic acoustic guitar rhythms, were some of the high points of the evening. Chris remained on the stage for most of the evening. 

Chris Miller at McCabe's

Christy McWilson took the stage on two separate occasions, first before, then once again after the intermission. As one would expect from two good friends, there was a lot of interaction between Dave and Christy. Their duet on "Manzanita", a song they co-wrote, was a delight. Christy sounded good and I enjoyed watching her dance moves and overall relaxed stage demeanor.

Dave Alvin and Christy McWilson at McCabe's

Dave is exceptionally good at paying tributes and acknowledging his friends and family via the songs he chooses to play: "Black Rose Of Texas" and "Frank's Tavern" were dedicated, in that order, to Amy Farris and Chris Gaffney, two of Dave's departed friends, while the outstanding self-penned "Long White Cadillac" went out to his brother Phil.

Dave took a small detour from his own handwritten set list. Instead of "What Am I Worth" we got to hear Bo Carter's "Who's Been Here" and "Rio Grande", a song Dave co-wrote with Tom Russell.

The set list

The three-song encore, not shown on the set list, consisted of Kate Wolf's "Here In California", Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally" and Dave's own "Marie Marie".

To these ears, the best numbers of the evening were "Ashgrove" and "Dry River", two songs that combine great lyrics with equally great melodies. And there were no weak songs, everything we heard was top notch.

So will I show up for Dave Alvin's next appearance at McCabe's? The answer is probably yes.

The merch table

The concert room just before show time

Concerts #231 & 679 - Junior Brown at the Grove of Anaheim (October 5, 2000) & McCabe's Guitar Shop (June 16, 2013)

This write-up covers the two Junior Brown concerts I have had the pleasure of attending. The first one took place in October 2000 at the Grove of Anaheim, just a stone throw from the Angels Stadium. The Grove is an OK venue, but not a great one, as it brings together people with different interests - some are there for the music, others care more for the food, booze and socializing. The second show took place last Sunday, in the intimate back room of my favorite venue.

Let me start with the more recent concert. Last Sunday's show started at 8:00 PM, which seems to be the new law of the land for the guitar shop's Sunday night concerts. That's a bit late for most of us and we hope that the organizers will soon switch back to the traditional 7:00 PM start time.

Accompanied by wife Tanya Rae (acoustic guitar and vocals), a drummer and a bass player, Junior Brown opened his show with "Broke Down South Of Dallas", an outstanding song that got everyone going. His deep baritone voice has not changed much over the years and neither has his show. Not that a change was in order.

I sat in the front row, so I had a perfect vantage point for observing JB's finger work on his "guit-steel", as he calls his double-neck guitar. In his capable hands, this unique instrument - half electric guitar and half lap steel guitar - produced an incredible array of sounds, among which my favorite was the low-pitched twang that sounded pretty much like Duane Eddy's guitar.

Junior Brown at McCabe's (June 2013)

Throughout the evening, JB was all business, cranking out song after song, with practically nothing said in between. Most artists deliver sets that are about ninety minutes long, but few can squeeze in as many songs as JB. 

Partial set list

I Hung It Up

Party Lights

The Phantom Of The Opry

24/7 

Highway Patrol

My Wife Thinks You're Dead

Oldies Medley (Walk Don't Run, Apache, Secret Agent Man)

Yakety Axe

Apathy Waltz

Hang Up And Drive

Steel Guitar Rag

Trust Me

Mouth To Mouth Resuscitation

Old Fashioned Love (sung by Tanya Rae Brown)

Gal From Oklahoma

Long Walk Back To San Antone

Broke Down South Of Dallas

Freedom Machine  

 

Junior and Tanya Rae Brown at McCabe's

Some say that Junior Brown's vocal range is limited, but Sunday night he did cover quite a range, from ridiculously low notes to high falsettos and even some yodeling. Not bad at all. And his guitar playing was phenomenal. I loved the instrumentals, and come to think of it, I loved most everything he did, as most everything he did was high tempo, intense and humorous. There were a few slower moments though, when JB "went acoustic" for a couple of songs. Tanya Rae did very well as the lead vocalist on "Old Fashioned Love", her only lead vocal contribution of the evening.

All in all, the concert had all the elements of a fun evening: a unique artist, an uncommon voice, an unusual instrument, quality songs, high energy, good humor and full focus on music. Getting all this right in front of your eyes was quite special.

Junior Brown playing acoustic at McCabe's

Junior Brown waving goodbye

The McCabe's stage

Concert poster

A few words about my introduction to Junior Brown's music, which took place in October 2000 at the Grove of Anaheim. I sat about seventy feet from the stage, surrounded by folks with limited interest in the musical part of their evening. JB came out with a rhythm section, but wife Tanya Rae was not there.To me, the highlight of the evening was the so-called "Surf Medley", which went on for almost ten minutes and included bits from a few non-surf songs such as "Apache", "Secret Agent Man" and "You Really Got Me".

I kinda liked most of the other songs performed that night, among them "I Hung It Up", "I Want To Hear It From You", "Gotta Get Up Every Morning" and "Highway Patrol", but everything I heard was new to me, so I needed more time to allow JB's quirky music to grow on me. Overall, the concert was good, a bit short of very good, but it did open an appetite for JB's music, an appetite that has been steadily growing ever since.

Junior Brown's opening act was the Del McCoury Band, a bluegrass ensemble that was good enough to headline. They played a fairly long set, about fifty minutes, and no one minded. I liked the way they huddled around the microphone and took turns to strut their stuff.

The Del McCoury Band

The Grove of Anaheim

Dinner time at the Grove of Anaheim

Concert #678 - Ruthie Foster at McCabe's Guitar Shop (June 14, 2013)

Without exaggeration, the show put on by Ruthie Foster at McCabe's last Friday was one of the finest musical displays I've ever seen on any stage, in any decade. Two days after the show, the spell she cast upon me keeps lingering on. Her disarming smile and the sound of her voice are still here with me, as vivid as they were during the concert.

Ruthie came out without a band and completed the whole show without anyone else joining her. Not that it mattered - she is a strong performer, perfectly capable of holding a crowd captive all by herself, from start to finish, without ever losing anyone. It was a joy observing Ruthie's body language. What I saw there was energy, confidence, a sense of freedom and a healthy dose of humility. Then there's her voice. And her old-school singing style. And guitar playing. And storytelling. And humor. And her songwriting. And her uncanny ability to make my secular self belt out "hallelujah" with the conviction of a church-goer. Well, I could go on and on praising Ruthie and I would probably still fall short of an accurate depiction of her artistry and persona.

Ruthie Foster at McCabe's

Accompanying herself on an acoustic guitar and with due credit given to her early musical influences - Sam Cooke, the Soul Stirrers and Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Ruthie delivered a set that included many of my favorites, such as Terri Hendrix's gorgeous "Hole In My Pocket" and the traditional "Woke Up This Mornin'". One of the evening's most rapturous moments came when Ruthie put down her guitar, left the stage and walked deep into the concert room to sing "People Grinning In Your Face", a cappella style.

Ruthie Foster heading into the audience at McCabe's

I enjoyed watching Ruthie's expressive body language put on display during her a cappella moments. Here are a few photos illustrating what I mean:

Ruthie Foster singing a cappella at McCabe's

Ruthie Foster singing a cappella at McCabe's

Ruthie Foster singing a cappella at McCabe's

Ruthie Foster singing a cappella at McCabe's

The evening's set list included many covers, as well as a few outstanding songs penned by Ruthie herself, such as "Full Circle", "Another Rain Song" and "Smalltown Blues". The covers came from sources as varied as Lucinda Williams, June Carter Cash and Mississippi John Hurt, whose "Richland Women Blues" was a special treat. I also enjoyed Ruthie's much-changed treatment of "Ring Of Fire" as well as her gentle interpretation of Steven Foster's "Oh Susannah".

Ruthie Foster's set list (not fully followed)

The set-ending "Travellin' Shoes" was yet another highlight, delivered by Ruthie with full vocal power and total abandonment. The sell-out crowd went absolutely crazy. Ruthie then returned for one final epic delivery, the traditional "Titanic", a performance that still haunts me.

Overall, Ruthie Foster's performance was one of the finest I have ever seen. Everything she did was at the highest level. The way she blends blues, gospel, soul and folk is nothing short of masterful. Throw into the mix her exceptionally likeable personality and what you get is a unique artist whom I will continue to follow with devotion.

Ruthie Foster's final bow

The evening kicked off with a decent set delivered by Australia's Jordie Lane. Endowed with a great voice, good guitar-playing skills and a nice personality, he kept me interested for the entire duration of his forty-minute set. Jordie received part-time support from back-up singer Clare Reynolds, introduced by Jordie as "his partner in crime". The song I liked the best was "Black Diamond".

Jordie Lane & Clare Reynolds at McCabe's

Jordie Lane's set list

Concert Director Lincoln Myerson letting Jordie Lane in

The McCabe's crowd