Lookout! It's Sweet Erin Thomas

In the twilight of a beautiful, waning autumn's day, Dad and I drove up the interstate, around Moccasin Bend, up to the foot of LookoutMountain, and onto a luminary lit drive.  It was here, at a house concert inside a beautiful 1800s log cabin, we met "Sweet Erin"Thomas, and two members of her band Last Call, Roy Agee on guitar, and Oscar Utterstrom, playing keyboards, harmonica and percussion.

A native of South Carolina, Erin lives in Nashville's diverse music community, where for ten years she has played french horn professionally.  She has taken a detour from that career and is forging a new path, singing and songwriting, and carrying a guitar.

On her website, Erin describes the hidden talents of her band, drawn from the brass playing ranks of Nashville - Roy and Oscar also play trombone!  Last night, in that rustic setting, we were treated to the songstress in Erin.  Hearing her voice, it was clear, "hidden talent" describes Erin as well.

Erin and her band mates played many of her original tunes, some of my favorites being "Proud," and "Little Ones," both inspired by motherhood and Erin's own daughter.    

Erin's lyrics are provocative and compelling.  Introducing "That Kind of Love," she posed the question that, considering love is such a force in our lives, when it's gone, where does it go?  I suspect I will be pondering that question for some time to come.  

As a listener, I found myself both wrapped around her words, and singing and tapping along with them. I was not alone in joining in the song as Erin and Roy advised the audience, "Think about what you want!"

The band also delighted the audience with some of their favorite covers of Allison Krauss, The Dixie Chicks, and James Taylor.

At the end of a lovely evening of music, I could not help but think of Erin's song "Gone," in the context of people who settled the land at the foot of Lookout Mountain.  At some point in their lives, they also knew it was time to move to a new place, to start over.  Like Erin's lyric, they said, "my bags are packed, I'm ready to go."  This listener is glad "Sweet Erin"Thomas has packed her bags in a guitar case!

Read more about Erin Thomas and hear her music at www.sweeterin.com.

From Left: Inside the log cabin, Erin Thomas, Oscar Utterstrom and Roy Agee 

Alan Cayn - The Last Cast

On a recent kayaking trip on the beautiful Etowah River in north Georgia, I floated in the quiet, with just the sound of the water and the crickets somewhere on the banks, feeling what those who paddled that river must have felt for hundreds of years.  A strong wind blew across the water causing the glinting sun to sparkle like jewels, tiny leaves raining down like snow as I passed under the canopy.  If you've ever fished in solitude, or paddled in the crickety-quiet, you know what I mean when I say that I felt a kinship with the river.

Alan Cayn

Alan Cayn knows what I mean. His most recent album, The Last Cast, even features some crickets.  This is Cayn's final offering in his fishing folk music triology, Hey!A Fish.  Having engaged musicians  from as far away as Liverpool, collaborated with a poet all the way from British Columbia, and assembled a fine men's choir, The Last Cast  is Cayn's most eclectic collection yet.  This album goes beyond the river, into the forest, the hills, and even the sea.

There have been many favorites from Cayn's past work, but "Jack Pine Savage" stole that spot for me upon the first listen.  Alan Cayn is a superb storyteller and excellent vocalist.  Here he weaves a tale of a man who finds his way back to the woods, to nature, to living a simple life.   The musical presentation is impeccable in its simplicity - a man and his guitar.  Perfect.

Alan Cayn

"Mon Carpe" is a tune to leave you smiling, sung in French and complete with Cajun accordion.   David Hanna helps out on electric guitar, and Christine O'Niel on vocals, to bring home the only love song to a fish this writer has ever known.

Alan Cayn's live performances with his Appalachian dulcimer tug his audiences back in time and so on this album he does the same, with "Song of the Wandering Angus," his lovely rendition of the traditional folk tune and poem by William Butler Yeats. 

Another poet featured on The Last Cast is Mag MaWhinney, a cowboy poet and songwriter from British Columbia.   I had the pleasure of hearing Mag recite her poetry for the internet radio audience, and was instantly moved by her insight into life.  For "Crazy World," Cayn has arranged the musical accompaniment to make Mag's words, and the listener, dance.

Zanzibar, cowritten by Cayn and Gabrielle Monk, features the band Good Intentions from Liverpool, UK.  They are R. Peter Davies (guitar,) Francesco Roskell (guitar and banjo,) Grabrielle Monk (vocals, autoharp, percussion,) and Scott Poley (pedal steel, mandolin, and lap steel. )  Good Intentions sets the tone for this story of love left behind, and it is the mandolin floating through the lyrics of pirate ships, empty glasses, and a life run aground, that keeps the listener believing maybe all hope is not lost.

At this point, I must make my own confession (yes, this is a subtle reference to Cayn's second in the trilogy, Streamside Confession.)  Included on this album is ”Appalachian Trail," written and sung by my father, Tom Phipps, with guitar by Thomas J. Brown, both of Dalton, Georgia.   It is a nice complement to Cayn's songs, reflecting the love he and my father share of nature and spending time outdoors.

Hapless Wader Choir

No Alan Cayn album is complete without an a capella performance or a little humor.  Here we have both, in two songs.  The first, "She Looked Good in Waders," has Cayn singing with those crickets I mentioned earlier.   This and "Hapless Wader Revisited" are two of Cayn's classic fishing songs.  "Hapless Wader Revisited" is my favorite surprise on The Last Cast.   Cayn is joined by Mike Slomka, Dan Adair, Ed (Jesus) Urbaniak, Tom (Trout Lord) Jaissle, Glen (Joe Flatlander) Krueger, and Dave Hanna for a men's choir treatment of his story of the fish getting the best of the fisherman.

The Last Cast comes to a close with the title track of the nine, "Last Cast/Riparian View,"  and the lyric, "I don't want this to end / I wish this could go on forever / just me being all alone / standing here in this river."  Cayn sneaks in one more musical twist, amping his dulcimer with the VOX DA5, and the sound could be bouncing off water or river boulders, until it fades away. 

The next time you are in a canoe or kayak, or standing in the river in your waders, or just walking through the woods, remember, there's a man named Alan Cayn who knows  the kinship you feel with the river and the hills, and he doesn't want it to end for you either.

Check out Alan Cayn's YouTube page for this one and more!

This Really is Football - Part 2

I am officially in ranks with the world's worst bloggers. When I took the summer off from pursuing my business degree, I forgot how to write. I owe a couple of album reviews, a recap and some thanks for everyone who supported our Relay for Life fundraising efforts, and there is a host of other topics I have neglected. So what do I do now, in the middle of trying to pay the household bills? I decide to write about football.

Everyone who knows me personally knows I have jumped into the world of soccer - and I do mean the whole world - headfirst, never bothering to come up for air. This leap can be tracked back to my lovely friend Ian. But truth be told, it is Jeremy Clarkson's fault. When you meet new friends, laughing over Top Gear escapades, you never know what it may lead to. For me, it lead to Liverpool FC. My interest was piqued. Then there was the World Cup. I was hooked. Then came the realization that we had a team in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Chattanooga Tennessee? Really? Now I could see a real live game. And I did.

So here I am, a year later and totally invested in Liverpool and Chattanooga FC. What a year to become a football supporter. Liverpool lived through a roller coaster of a year. We survived. We're stronger. We have the best manager on the planet. We are chomping at the bit for the summer transfer hoopla to be over and the next season to start.

Saturday, July 9th, Finley Stadium sunset

Meanwhile, back in the states, it is soccer season. What makes 2200 people show up, with the temperature in the mid-90s, for a soccer game in Chattanooga? It must be love of the game. With sweat dripping off your nose and into your beer, what else could it be? It is Saturday and I was just at Finley stadium on Monday to see Chattanooga FC win a fourth of July international friendly with CF Monterrey U20. What a game that was! It was a fast paced and well-matched game until the 76th minute when we equalised, and then 86th minute when Tom Webster scored the winning goal.  It was a 3-2 victory.

Genimar with the world's smallest vuvuzela

So back to Saturday.  This game did not start well for Chattanooga.  Our guys were very much off their pace.  Georgia Revolution was up by two goals at the half.  Game resumes and they score again.  Now we are down by three goals.  My friend Genimar and I had joined the merry band of Chattahooligans and even our noisemakers (yes, I raided my Mardi Gras box) seemed a little flat in light of the scoreline. 




With second half substitutions, we picked up the attacks and the intensity and, in a thirty minute stretch, scored three goals.  The Chattahooligans were exhuberant!  Our team was back.  We could still win this thing!  But in the 84th minute, Georgia Revolution found the net again and closed the door.  The game ended 3-4.  Chattanooga had lost its first home game in two years. 

It can't be all bad! There was even a rainbow!

All things considered, the result was not the monumental let-down it could have been.  The second half was thrilling and exciting.  Moises Drummond's blast of a goal my favorite of the three - the other two provided by Luke Winter and Chris Ochieng.  We are proud of our team. We know we need to win this coming Saturday in Knoxville to clinch the NPSL Southeast Conference Championship.  We love this team and we love this game.  This is football! We can do this!


Still buzzing over the U.S. Women's National Team's World Cup quarter final victory over Brazil today, I am making a note to myself that up next is a long overdue review of The Walla Recovery's excellent album, With Trembling.  Just as soon as I have recovered from football!

Put Up Your Dukes!

In this, my fourth year participating with Team Phipps in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, I wanted to encourage readers to join us in our mission (click on any link here.)  My dear friend, Terri, wrote these beautiful words I share with you now. 

   Need to be reminded you’re alive—and glad you are?

There’s nothing quite like a roomful of enthusiastic people coming together to plan an event celebrating life, remembering and honoring the lives of loved ones, and working hard to fight back against a common enemy (cancer) to do that for you…except the event itself, where you’re on a huge fairgrounds filled with hundreds and hundreds of people coming together to do the same thing.

    Relay for Life is a very big thing.  It’s a force and an event and a feeling…and more and more each day, I find it being a source of hope and renewal for me.  It’s something I want to share with others.  Yes, it’s true that Relay is a fundraising event, and every time I mention it, I’m sure most people tune it out for that reason.  But the money raised at Relay goes in very large part to LOCAL cancer needs—education, transportation of patients to and from therapy, etc.  And research—the very vital research that turns out new discoveries of causes, develops new and better treatments (the chemotherapy my mom took 21 years ago for her breast cancer made her horribly sick—today, there are drugs to combat that nausea), and furthers information for PREVENTION of cancer—Relay money does all that.

   But that money does a lot more that you can SEE immediately during Relay itself.  You can purchase luminaries in honor or memory of a loved one with cancer (or yourself!)—these are lit at dusk in a silent ceremony that there is no way to describe how incredibly moving it is.  Hundreds and hundreds of lights burning in defiance of a wretched disease, and in celebration of the lives it touches.  Knowing that MY name, and the name of my mother, and some of my friends were on some of those bags—well, it frankly just made me cry—but they were tears of love and relief and gratitude….and, yes, CELEBRATION of those lives represented.

   And that’s just one part of Relay.  There are Relay Team booths set up with neat things to buy and do-- food and fun and prizes and games and information—REAL information, with phone numbers and contacts of services available in our area.  There are bouncy-houses for kids to play in, face painting, music, entertainment.  And there is the “walk” itself, where the various teams take laps all night long (you don’t have to stay for all of THAT—but it’s okay if you do—we party all night long on May 20!), starting out with a “Survivor Lap” at 7:00 p.m….where EVERY cancer survivor in the area is encouraged to come join us (AND enjoy a free meal at 5:00 pm before the other festivities start!).

   I fought cancer—and thankfully won—six years after my mother died from it; in fact, I had my second surgery on the anniversary of her death.  That was 15 years ago now, but I didn’t learn until last year—my first year to actually participate in the Relay for Life all-night event—just how much pain and joy and hope and sorrow were still inside me from my experience with losing my mom…and then dealing with my own cancer.  Once you’ve had that “C-word” thrown at you, nothing is ever the same.  Nothing.

   But last year, I learned that that was okay.  I AM a different person for having had such close encounters with cancer, and I wouldn’t want to NOT be different.  I really do celebrate the daily lives of everyone I love.  I get angry, depressed, frustrated just like before, of course—and I’ve had more than my share of tragedies to deal with….but still…STILL…in the back of my mind and heart I know better now what truly matters.  And this second year of my involvement with Relay—and all the great people I’m meeting and sharing time with in a common cause—it’s helping me to again find that wellspring of refreshment and zest for life…that will help me do something positive with all I have learned from the pain and loss.

   Our “Team Phipps” slogan this year, “We’re putting up our dukes against cancer,” makes me smile.  A very brash, young-looking John Wayne is on the poster, poking his fists into the camera with the utter confidence of victory that he’s going to knock out his opponent.  I LIKE that; I like that a LOT.  It’s a good feeling to stand up and fight in a cause that affects so very many people.  I hope a lot of you will stand…walk…remember, help with the fight, and come join in the celebration….with me.

Terri Frazier Orr
April 13, 2011




Click here to donate to Relay for Life of Whitfield County

 

Desperados: Waitin' for a Country Songwriter Night

 



from left, Robby Hopkins, Channing Wilson and Martha Ann Brooks



Hot off two weeks of music from Detroit,  Dad and I found ourselves back at Charles & Myrtles Coffeehouse in Chattanooga, Tennessee for Country Songwriter Night.  The featured performers:  Martha Ann Brooks, Channing Wilson, and Robby Hopkins. 

 

Martha Ann Brooks

 

Martha Ann Brooks is a terrific songwriter and a great friend as well.  I remember the first time I saw her, in a similar singer-songwriter setting, in Dalton, Georgia.  Brooks is an infectious performer, always plucking the right heartstrings, or setting the perfect tone for dry humor in her lyrics, and also for pulling out the happy songs and her beautfiul smile. How many times have I listened to her sing her songs?  Countless times, and I still love the old ones, still get excited about the new ones.  Tonight she sang some of both while telling her audience stories of how she thinks of songs walking with her dog and digging in dirt, and how she came to love country music.  Those included one of my favorite of her melodies, "Dead or Alive," about dealing with addiction.  When she sang "Reintarnation," she told a story I do not believe I've heard before - that she stole the word from a contest for making up a new word.  The winner's word was defined as dying and coming back as a hillbilly.  In Brooks' song the word refers to the same old fight coming up again and again - and it was probably a doosey!   And for the second time this year I heard one of her newest songs, now titled "One More Time." 

Brooks suggested each songwriter do a cover of a country artist who influenced them and she produced a medley of Patsy Cline's "Crazy" and Hank Williams' "Your Cheatin' Heart."   Channing Wilson proclaimed that he just didn't think he "could be anything else" other than country.  He then gave us another Hank Williams tune, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" and Guy Clark's "Desperados Waiting for a Train."   



Channing Wilson

It is difficult to pick a favorite from the songs Channing Wilson played tonight.  There was the beautiful song about his Grandfather, who was the oldest living firechief in the country when he died.  The perfect tribute in a lyric with a perfect hook - "The way I was raised / I guess you could say / I was Grandfathered in."  Wilson's song lyrics really stick, "I'm an old country song," "Another morning / coming home" and from "Poor Man's Cocaine," "Black, white, rich, poor / there's only one class to ride on the devil's train." 

In the round, songwriters produce a lot of banter about such things as their shared experiences and Brooks' Bird of Paradise capo.  They also feed off each others' themes and so from Wilson's story of his Grandfather being a veteran, we moved to Brook's song about a man suffering post traumatic stress syndrome.  And not to be left out of songs that bring a tear or songs about Daddy, Robby Hopkins touched us all with his tribute to his father, "This is Gonna Hurt Me."


Robby Hopkins

Robby Hopkins has the real country formula, the voice to go with it, and importantly, the boots.  I don't mean pointy-toed fancy boots.  I mean real boots, like people actually wear to the barn or the stable.   With his lovely wife, he also has seven kids, which gives him a lot of songwriting material.  Hopkins sang some beautiful songs, and some fun ones, like "She's Countrier Than Me" and "She's a Little Redneck, Too!"  He did a great song about the birds and bees, singing "Birds do it / they fall in love / bees do it too / can't get enough."  For his country influence, we heard a perfect rendition of Vern Gosdin's "If You're Gonna Do Me Wrong, Do it Right."



There are moments when you just know you are in the right place, hearing the right song, nodding your head to the right words.  Channing Wilson sang, "I'dve never done what you did to me, to you."  Boy am I glad I was was there tonight to hear those words. 

For more on these singer-songwriters, visit their web sites:

http://www.marthaannbrooks.com/fr_home.cfm
http://www.channingwilson.com/fr_home.cfm
http://www.robbyhopkins.com/

The Assembly Line Concert Hours 260 & 351 - The Rudedog and Smokerman

The Assembly Line Concert, live from AJ's Music Cafe in Ferndale, Michigan has kicked off in its third run at the Guinness Book of World Records attempt for World's Longest Concert.   This is my second year following the concert via U-Stream.  This year's attempt is 360 hours of live, continuous music!  My blog is covering some of the fine musicians I met last year and who will also be appearing this year. 

What do you get when you take a self-proclaimed rude dog, and a harmonica player famous for his smoked turkeys, and throw them together on stage?  You might answer, "A smoking dog?"   To that I would say that the definition of a "smoking dog" is the indisputable evidence of a jam. 

Come hear the evidence as The Rudedog and Smokerman take to the Assembly Line Concert stage for two performances:  Wednesday, March 30 at 12:00 noon EDT and Sunday, April 3 at 7 a.m. EDT.



Smokerman and The Rudedog at last year's Assembly Line Concert

The Rudedog is as comfortable as part of a band as he is in a solo acoustic setting.   Armed with his guitar, The Rudedog is always ready to entertain with an endless supply of cover tunes, as well as fine original works - I suggest a listen to "Wasted".  It is his vocals listeners do not soon forget.  Try to describe The Rudedog's voice and you will realize it is as original as the dog himself.   His rendition of Govt Mule's "Soulshine" is the best I have ever heard - with apologies to Warren Haynes of course. 

Smokerman comes to the stage an experienced harmonica and mouth harp player,  in genres ranging from 1970s rock to historical folk music.   My favorite of his styles are jump blues tunes.  Showing Smokerman's broad musical ability, he will also be performing at 2 pm on Thursday March 31, as part of Dave and the Harmellos, a guitar, cello and harmonica trio.   View the archive of his April 1 performance with Blaise Glander here.  Always creative, Smokerman is also an accomplished artist and gourd carver. 

Don't miss these two on The Assembly Line - there will be indisputable evidence of a jam!

To find out more:

The Rudedog on MySpace

The Smokerman on Reverbnation

The Assembly Line Concert Hours 203, 204, 261 - Blaise Glander and Kelly Wishart's Acoustic Soul



The Assembly Line Concert, live from AJ's Music Cafe in Ferndale, Michigan has kicked off in its third run at the Guinness Book of World Records attempt for World's Longest Concert.   This is my second year following the concert via U-Stream.  This year's attempt is 360 hours of live, continuous music!  My blog is covering some of the fine musicians I met last year and who will also be appearing this year. 



Blaise Glander and Kelly Wishart



I met Blaise Glander and Kelly Wishart during The Assembly Line Concert last year.   Over the course of the concert, I saw Blaise perform at least four times and had the pleasure of hearing Kelly bring her bluesy sound to a collaboration of musicians who met during those two weeks in the web site's social stream.   Both are not only experienced musicians, but have engaging personalities which draw the audience immediately - instant friends you have listened to all your life.

Together Blaise and Kelly perform as Acoustic Soul.  They will be performing Monday, March 28 at 10 a.m.   Blaise has a run of solo performances scheduled - Monday, March 28 from 3-5 a.m. (Hours 203 and 204) and Wednesday , March 30 from 1-2 p.m. (Hour 261.)

My friends and followers in the U.K., being 5 hours ahead of the U.S., will be in a good time zone to catch most of Blaise's performances.   Listeners will be treated to a blend of all musical genres from rock, pop, jazz & country to Motown & folk and all styles in between.  Morning coffee and Blaise's smoky, soulful voice is a good way to start the day.  Catch him here in a 9 a.m. April 1st performance with the Smokerman.

Blaise is also a wonderful songwriter, with the ability to capture the parts of his own story which are familiar to all of us.   Be sure to check out his music below.   And tune into The Assembly Line Concert for a dose of live Acoustic Soul.

The Assembly Line Concert Hours 169 and 173 - "Jason Roseboom"

 The Assembly Line Concert, live from AJ's Music Cafe in Ferndale, Michigan has kicked off in its third run at the Guinness Book of World Records attempt for World's Longest Concert.   This is my second year following the concert via U-Stream.  This year's attempt is 360 hours of live, continuous music!  My blog is covering some of the fine musicians I met last year and who will also be appearing this year. 

Jason Roseboom



I meet incredible people in unusual places.  Jason Roseboom is one of those people.   He is also another person I met solely because of the Assembly Line Concert.    As soon as I met Jason, I hit his social networking sites.  Within a few minutes I was a fan.  Fours addictive hours later, I came up for air.   Okay, I admit, I am a sucker for folkies.  I did not even have to look at Jason's list of influences to know that his musical heroes are artists I look up to as well.

Listening to Jason's lyrics about hate crimes, poverty, hope and hopelessness, and hypocrisy, one hears the influences he cites, from Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, to Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.   In keeping with the great poets of folk music, he blends his vocals, which sing of life experience all on their own, with guitar and harmonica.   Some of my favorites of Jason's tunes from his newest release, Kalamazoo, are "I Am Your Son," "Doris Day," and  "The Death of Matthew Shepard." 

You can meet Jason Roseboom  on the Assembly Line Concert 3rd Shift on Saturday, March 26 when he will be doing hour-long sets at 5 p.m. and at 9 p.m. EDT.

"Be strong my friends / Don't let this be forgotten

Brotherhood is a virtue / But hatred is not

We need to remember this / We mustn't lose sight

To win the battle / We've got to win the fight."

- Jason Roseboom, "The Death of Matthew Shepard"

Find out more about Jason Roseboom:
On Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/jroseboom
On Reverbnation:

Assembly Line Concert Hour 30 - The Anthony/Wayne Project

The Assembly Line Concert, live from AJ's Music Cafe in Ferndale, Michigan has kicked off in its third run at the Guinness Book of World Records attempt for World's Longest Concert.   This is my second year following the concert via U-Stream.  This year's attempt is 360 hours of live, continuous music!  My blog is covering some of the fine musicians I met last year and who will also be appearing this year.



Music From the Mind of ... Z-MAN

 Usually one thinks of memorable performances as being those actually seen.  Not the case as Donald Anthony, a.k.a. Z-MAN, and friends took the Assembly Line Concert stage last year.  I was somewhere else.   Today, I cannot tell you where I was.  But I distinctly remember that when I returned to U-Stream I was greeted with the chorus, "Shay, where were you?  You missed it!  Z-MAN rocked the house!"

This year, Music from the Mind of ... Z-MAN returns to the stage in its acoustic form as THE ANTHONY/WAYNE PROJECT, featuring Donald Anthony, vocals & guitar; Billie Wayne, vocals & percussion; and introducing on vocals, Carolyn Cage. The date is Sunday, March 20 from 10:00 p.m.- 11:00 p.m.  EDT.  I will be there on U-stream, in the chat, not to miss a single note this year.

Z-MAN tells me there will soon be an official announcement of the re-recording, re-mastering, and broader distribution of the previous disc,  Music from the Mind of... Z-MAN.  Some of the current music will now feature Carolyn Cage's vocals and Z-MAN himself will be singing lead on some tracks.  This is exciting news for an artist whose music deserves to be heard. 

When I received my copy of Music from the Mind of...Z-MAN, I was expecting blues.  Blues is just the beginning.  This album really does rock the house starting with some cool blues grooves.  One of my favorites is "Shelley's Song."    Outstanding guitar, percussion, and keyboard are delivered on tunes such as "Leave Me in the Rain," "Hide & Seek," and "U Raised the Bar."  There is even some reggae influence in "Good Day."  And the very special surprise tune for me, one of the sweetest jazz numbers ever, "Blues 4 Tazim."



Donald Anthony, aka Z-MAN

The band on the original recording of Music from the Mind of ...Z-MAN features Donald Anthony - Guitar/Vocals, Dan Carter-Lead Vocals, Billie Wayne-Percussion, and J. Emmanuel-Keyboards and other fine musicians, including Tim Reeves and Scott Sumner on saxophones, adding so much to the sound, especially on "Lightning in a Bottle." 

Find out more about Music from the Mind of ... Z-MAN and join us online for a live performance of THE ANTHONY/WAYNE PROJECT!

The Assembly Line Concert http://ustre.am/vJ5n
Music from the Mind of Z-MAN on Reverb Nation:
 

Assembly Line Concert 3rd Shift Hour 24 - Alan Cayn, Fly Fishing Folk Fisherman

The Assembly Line Concert, live from AJ's Music Cafe in Ferndale, Michigan has kicked off in its third run at the Guinness Book of World Records attempt for World's Longest Concert.   This is my second year following the concert via U-Stream.  This year's attempt is 360 hours of live, continuous music!  My blog is going to cover some of the fine musicians I met last year and who will also be appearing this year.

Cheryl and Alan Cayn at AJ's last May

First up is one of the best friends I met last year - Alan Cayn.  He will be performing during Hour 24 on Sunday, March 20 at 4 pm EDT.  

Cayn is the only fly fishing folk musician I have the pleasure of knowing.   Last May, on a visit to the Detroit area, I was in house for an almost command performance by the man himself at AJ's Music Cafe. 

Alan Cayn writes fishing songs.   One listen and it is apparent he writes fishing songs because he loves to fish and he loves the stream.  He also has a touch for taking the simple act of fishing, along with his love of nature, and crafting songs with a charming philosophy of life. The sweet tones of Cayn's mountain dulcimer add to that magic. The world needs more fun songs, more sing-a-longs, and more children's voices and his album Streamside Confession delivers all that.

Cayn has said that he wants to tell stories. The stories he tells are quite interesting. Check out "Streamside Confession," "Big Ugly Bug," and the haunting fisherman's tale "Demon Angler." The most poignant offering is "In Between the Stars," which any listener will certainly relate to someone they miss, yet feel close to under the night sky. Also close to my heart is the final track on Streamside Confession, "River of Sand," a beautiful melody with references to creation and the timelessness of the cycle of the river and of life.

Join us on The Assembly Line Concert for a live Alan Cayn performance with some fishing songs and other songs that will surprise you and make you smile. 

For more information or to join us online at the concert:

The Assembly Line Concert Third Shift  http://ustre.am/vJ5n

Visit Alan Cayn's website http://www.alancayn.net/

.

MLS in Chattanooga - This Really is Football!

Even though this is primarily a music blog, it was inevitable that the Liverpool FC supporter in me would eventually have to pull out a football post!   Today I attended my first Major League Soccer game - a friendly hosted by Chattanooga FC.  With 4378 other football lovers, I sat in a bitter north wind and watched the New England Revolution win over the Columbus Crew, 2-1.



The Crew warming up in a stadium.

I mention the wind because it was miserably cold, even for early March.  The weatherman had promised a little sun and mid-upper 50s, but it was 42°F and that wind 12 mph at kickoff.  For my European readers, that puts the wind chill temperature right around 0°C.  Collegiate American football stadiums are not built to shelter anyone, after all no one plays in them past bowl season.  Chattanooga FC plays at Finlay Stadium,  home of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team.  Considered a jewel on the southside of the city, it was cold as ice today.  I felt this was appropriate for my first major league experience.   Why else would I need a scarf? 



Announcing the lineups.

 The game started impressively for the Crew.  They dominated possession of the ball for most of the first half, with several shots on goal failing to find the net.  With the MLS season starting soon, the players were giving their all to impress coaches and secure their positions on their teams.  I really thought that the Crew would connect for a goal at any moment.  Yet in spite of the Crew's control of the action, Revolution scored after winning a corner and they led at half time, 1-0.

For the second half, both teams replaced their entire rosters, allowing everyone time on the pitch.  The Revs came into the second half with better rhythm and picked up their game.  At 80 minutes they scored off a blocked shot following a corner making it 2-0.

At the 90 minute mark, the Crew's Heinemann finally broke away with the ball, stepped around the goalkeeper and found the goal making the final score 2-1, Revolution. In all it was fantastic soccer.  No! This was fantastic FOOTBALL! 

There were a few Arsenal fans in the crowd around me, including a twitter acquaintance, Matt, who came up and introduced himself and gave his congratulations on Liverpool's trouncing of Manchester United earlier today.  I am looking forward to the Chattanooga FC season and the home opener against Knoxville May 21st with all the local faithful and the chanting, drum banging, cowbell clanging, Chattahooligans.  So come on Liverpool supporters among you - please give me a wave and a shout! I want to find you!  YNWA!

For more pictures of today's friendly see the NE Revolution's photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/nerevolution/5504169106/in/set-72157626211132102/

The Happy Songs of Townes Van Zandt

It is said that upon being asked why he never wrote happy songs, Townes Van Zandt replied, "They're all happy songs.  Some folks just don't "get" it." 

 

Happiness is a matter of one's own perspective I suppose, but none can deny that Townes' music is lyrically beautiful and timelessly profound.  Dad and I were privileged to attend a celebration of his songs tonight at Charles and Myrtle's Coffeehouse in Chattanooga, where a group of regional musicians gathered in concert to benefit the venue.


You may know Townes Van Zandt's music well - who hasn't heard of "Pancho & Lefty?" Or you may not know it at all.  Either way, I hope you will enjoy these highlights from tonight's show, along with samples of his original music.  At the end is included a list of fantastic performers and tunes I was not able to capture with my camera.  Some were my favorites from the show, so be sure to look up those videos and lyrics for more "happy" songs!

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Bob Carty, "Two Girls" at Charles & Myrtle's Coffeehouse
Check out The Real Bob Carty http://t.co/bHjnf3G



Bob Carty played "Two Girls" on this instrument he found in a music store in Ringgold, Georgia. The body is made from a Red Star Cheddar Cheese box and lent an interesting sound to the images found in the lyrics of this pretty song.  Listen to the video below.

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Troy Underwood, "Fare Thee Well, Miss Carousel"

"Fare Thee Well, Miss Carousel" is one of many of Townes' songs about leaving.  Troy Underwood learned this one for the show and wowed the audience with his rendition.  

 

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Channing Wilson

Everyone has a favorite Townes Van Zandt song.  Channing Wilson's is "Loretta."  The comments left on the Youtube say it all, "Just one hell of a good song."

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Martha Ann Brooks, "Two Hands"


Martha Ann Brooks is not only a fine singer-songwriter, but I consider her a friend.  She organized this concert and was said to have sent hundreds of emails.  However she did it, it was a great success!  Her musical contribution was the gospel song "Two Hands."

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Andrew Kelsay, "She Came and She Touched Me"



Andrew Kelsay runs the coffeehouse, making coffee and most importantly, the best cookies - ANYWHERE!  Some thought it a myth that he actually plays and sings, as few of us had ever seen this happen!  Andrew performed my favorite of tonight's songs.  The imagery of this one left me in awe and wanting more!  Listen for: "Harlequin mandolins harmonize helplessly." 

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The group closed the show, performing "Harm's Swift Way," Townes Van Zandt's last song,
which was recently recorded by Robert Plant and The Band of Joy



Please also look up these artists and the music they performed tonight:

John Lathim, "Blaze's Blues"

Steve Mikell, "Tecumseh Valley"

Bill E. Payne, "White Freightliner Blues"

Chris Stevens, "Waiting Around to Die"

Pattee Wilbanks, "Don't You Take It Too Bad"

Jeff Talmadge, "Snow on Raton"

Nathan Bell, "If I Needed You"

Jerre Haskew, "To Live is To Fly"

Travis Kilgore, "Pancho & Lefty"

Butch Ross, "Flyin Shoes"

Vic Burgess, "You Are Not Needed Now"

Robby Hopkins, "Still Looking For You"

For more information about Townes Van Zandt please visit http://www.townesvanzandt.com/