smf36: two fiddlers, fiddlin' still

 

Truth to tell, only one of them stayed with the fiddle the whole time.

That would be Darol Anger, experienced during the pandemic when he performed with Hawktail, who I'll be seeing in a couple of days at this Savannah Music Festival.

He also once played with the Turtle Island Quartet, but not when I saw them.

No, the fiddller who played guitar was Bruce Molsky, and that's his instrument waiting patiently, against the wall, for him to strum it.

He didn't do so for the first two songs I heard.

I missed the title of the first, but the second was the folk song, "Abraham, Martin, and John", about true leaders dead too young.

 

However, when they started into the blues, the guitar came into action!

That's when my feet got to tapping, too, and I had to dance!

This song was written by Deford Bailey, not a name I knew but others there did, from his days at the Grand Ol' Opry.

Titled "Evening Prayer Blues", it had been recorded in 1981 by another bluegrass man, Bill Monroe, and made well known. 

Another guitar-enhanced tune the two men gave us was "The Bye Bye Baby Blues", written by Little Hat Jones.

Neither of those black bluesmen have been alive for three generations now.

 

Don't let me make it seem that all they performed for SMF36 were old tunes - oh, no!

Bruce Molsky brought us his "Lockdown Breakdown", written during the pandemic.

Then the two fiddlers tucked into a fun run, "Ain't That Trouble In Mind", after a song about the "Creaking Tree", complete with wind-tossed snaps!

Yes, I liked those!

They had just started a Billy Taylor tune, "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free", when I was called outside to help with another project.

I wore several hats today!

First, I was the Explorer Pass Wench, though no kids with that program came today.

There were two children there, but they were from out of town.

(They still gained free entry, as do all children under 12 years of age.)

Next, Quinn asked me to help find some missing flyers.

Then, Quinn placed me in charge of the donation box outside at show's end.

I do believe he remembers me from my days of being a volunteer usher at the Lucas and Trustees Theatres, when he was just a teen working the concessions!

Nice to see that he's up to House Manager now!

(smile!)

Speaking of now, I need to go.

Time to watch "Will Trent" with Christina!

I do so love watching this show 'with' her!

Usually, we do so after the girls have gone to bed, but I have a musical - one totally new to me called "Rice The Cyclone"!!! - with the Armstrong Masquers tonight.

Yes, busy, vibrant woman I am... still!!!

(smile!)

smf36: it's a family affair, it's a family affair!

 

"There's one I haven't heard for a while! You're riffing on "Family Affair", right? The song that Sly & The Family Stone had as a hit when you were in middle school?"

 

You're right! That's a fitting descriptor, too, for the noon30 concert at the Metal Building today. I already knew that Edmar Castañeda would have his wife, Andrea Tierra, there, and that had been part of the draw for me: a married couple, performing together. I had no idea their children would also be onstage! But my absolute favorite part of this show today was how close Andrea would get to Edmar while he was playing, singing to him through the harp as he strummed the strings. That was love!!!

 

"That was very nice!!! Yes, she would start singing about 20 feet away, then gradually move closer and closer until she was right there. They've been together 21 years."

 

Did you hear how they met? He heard her singing and sought her out, telling her his name and that she was going to marry him and they would name their daughter "Zeudi". For real! Then, 20 days later, they were married!!! Isn't that incredible?

 

"And now it's been 21 years... wow!"

 

Guess what else came true from his prognostication? They had a daughter and named her Zeudi!!! She's 15 years old now. That's her, playing her dad's jazz harp and singing, while he holds the microphone.

 

"What was the song?"

I honestly don't know its name. They're from Colombia and all the songs had Spanish titles, some of which I caught, some I didn't. When I was relieved from Explorer Pass Wench duties by Benji and JD, he was playing "Cuarto de colores". He then did one of his own songs, "Entre Cuerdas", which means "between the chords". He was amazing to watch!!! It's as if he were shedding the notes from the strings just as one might brush off water droplets from a jacket - so energetic! And get this: he stood the entire time. The entire time!!! He only discovered the genre of jazz around 2001, so I can tell he's still quite enamored of it, but to stand and dance with that harp... wow! Good thing he's still young!

 

"Yeah, didn't she say his birthday had been March 31?"

 

That's correct. He's 47 years old now. Here he is with his 13-year-old son, Zamir, who has been playing percussion since he was 4. Wow. For this show, it was maracas and harp, a combination I'd wager no one has heard before!

 

"That's for sure!"

 

I think that song might have been "Hechos", a piece Edmar wrote during the pandemic. He was almost emotional when he talked about that dark time, and was truly grateful to God that his family had come through that period well and healthy. "Hechos" means "acts" or "deeds". I think for him it was about having your actions speak well of you.

 

"Very nice. I'm so glad you signed up for this very positive experience!"

 

Me, too, dear, me, too. Right place, right time.

i thank You, God.

smf36: there's a place for us

 

He added it as an encore, just for me. I saw him look at me as he was taking his bows. Then he walked to stage left, toward the stairs to exit, and paused. Then he returned to the piano to finish the story of Tony and Maria, adding a wistful tone to the song. It was so full of emotion that it made me cry. 

"Oh, dear. I'm sorry to hear that."

 

Oh, no, it was wonderful to be so moved by the music. Trinity UMC has acoustics that are perfect for classical music, and seeing the trees right outside the windows adds to the ambience. As I told Mary, one of the patrons, I can close my eyes and get into the groove of the music, then open them and feel almost like I'm on the plaza in Siena again.

 

"That's a lovely memory from that trip with the nurses. Hey, what did you mean about Simon Mulligan looking at you? What's that all about?"

 

That's for real. I was the Upstairs Bouncer at the Church, as I called my volunteer position, and during the show I sat in the back left corner of the house. However, once I realized that he was performing personal mash-ups of the Leonard Bernstein songs, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I thought of it as "piano with momentary lapses of staid", with more serious moments suddenly careening into kicky little jazz bits! Honestly, if I could have found an area to stand and twirl, I certainly would have done so! As it was, I made do with dancing in my seat. Well, until he would finish that particular stream of music, then I'd stand up and clap mightily!!! I'm sure that's what drew his focus toward me.

 

"I don't doubt that. Was anyone else rising to their feet after his songs?"

 

No, just me. I've noticed at the Savannah Music Festival concerts, especially the classical ones, that there are certain protocols. No one stands until the very end, no matter if the piece was especially moving or particularly well-played or whatever. I felt secure bucking that protocol as I was in the balcony, where few had cared to trod. Only the house left was open for seating and the sun streaming in made that area a bit toasty. Of course, that was just perfect for me!

 

"Of course! (smile!) What songs did he play, besides that one from "West Side Story"?"

 

Hear me now: it wasn't 'just' the one song from that musical. He truly played all the songs that were specific to the tragic romance between Tony and Maria. Moreover, he did so without any sheet music, whether on actual paper or an electronic gadget, as Assaf had used. For this SMF36 concert, I felt I was given a musical as a bonus. From the staccato rhythm of the gangs in the "Jet Song" - with Mulligan actually snapping his fingers and smacking the wood on the piano frame - to the girlish glee of "I Feel Pretty", the awestruck love Tony has for "Maria", then the hopeful joy of love "Tonight", followed by the back to the reality of life in "America". Wow!!!

 

"Wow!!!"

 

That's when he stood and went to leave the stage. I'm so glad he came back and gave us "Somewhere", to complete their love story.

 

"Even though it made you leave tear stains in your shirt sleeves?"

 

I think especially because it did that. (smile!) Right place, right time, you know?

 

"I do. Then you had Mama's amaryllis waiting to greet you with big, happy, smiles when you returned home. Yes, Sybil Faustina would have loved that piano man."

 

I have no doubt that she did love the show today. Those windows let the music float right out and entertain all the Earth and sky! I'm so glad I chose this show!

smf36: back to the lucas for the taj

That rather begs the question, doesn't it?

Does anyone address the octogenarian bluesman by just the first half of his stage name?

I have to doubt it.

Surely he is addressed in full, like the famous mausoleum in India.

Such a love story exists with that white marble building, akin to that of the temple of Faustina and Antoninus Pius...

and such a love story between music and dancing and Taj Mahal, whose birthday will be two weeks before mine in May. 

Here's a quote on that love, from the Savannah Music Festival program.

"Music is like theater to a lot of people - they're watching it. You can watch it, but you're supposed to participate. The audience is as much a part of the music as the musicians are. I do like it when they dance."

I love that last line!!!

That was one of the reasons I volunteered for this show - the promise of dance music!

I remember the first indoor concert I went to in California in the early 1980's.

Everyone had a ticketed seat, and everyone stayed in their seat.

That shocked me!

I was accustomed to the practice of having a ticketed seat, but most everyone I knew headed down to the bare floor in front of the stage to dance!!!

Tonight, I wasn't able to make it in front of the stage, but I tried to make sure the dim lighting in the back hallway shone on me as I danced, hoping he could see me.

After all, he likes it "when they dance" and I surely wanted him to be happy!

(smile!)

Tonight, I was one of three Greeters at the front doors, helping to guide the 1200+ patrons to the right entrance for their seats.

Yes, it was a full house at the Lucas Theatre tonight!!!

And guess who was there to greet me?

Tony Clarke!!!

That's him, standing and facing the stage with his grey head of hair and spiffy black suit, before heading toward me.

Lainie was holding our volunteer session in the seats, but that didn't faze him one bit.

He strode directly to me, took my outreached hand, then leaned in and said, "Hello, beautiful", before kissing me on the cheek!

Then he continued up to the sound booth to chat with them.

No one there knew that his greeting was his usual for me, on those occasions when a full-on hug was not possible.

Yes, he and I have had a special bond ever since I danced nonstop to his drumming, one night long ago, when he and Eat Mo' Music were playing at Jazz'd Tapas.

Good memories!

(smile!)

Right after that, I got Greeter Wench added to my list of volunteer duties!

I also caught the attention of a new fellow, Joe, who kept finding a reason to come and talk with me (where is this? where is that?) and catch my door from his post scanning tickets at the entrance.

Very nice!

He even followed me back into the concert area when I went back into dance, after asking me if I could show him a good place to watch the show.

 

That's about the time that Taj Mahal changed up from playing the bevy of guitars around his chair to standing and playing the keyboards.

That may have been for "Queen Bee", but it may have been "Giant Step (Outside Your Mind)", or possibly even "Lovin' In My Baby's Eyes".

I do know for sure that he was playing "Going Up To The Country, Paint My Mailbox Blue" when I was able to go in at 7:28 PM.

He'd been playing about 30 minutes by then.

I had stayed through "Ain't That A Lot Of Love", dancing and loving the blues! 

The last one I heard was "She Caught The Katy And Left Me A Mule To Ride" - another blues number, on yet another guitar, with a bit of comedy to it.

I had to keep popping out, to check on the lobby, so I can't say which other favorites from his 60-year discography made the air dance, but he did manage to get folks on their feet by the end of his 90-minute run of continuous music!

Mighty impressive for a man of my parents' generation!

smf36: jazz piano luncheon!

This was my first noon30 concert of the year!

 

As has been the case for the past couple of years, these are held at the Metal Building at Trustees Garden.

 

So many different textures!!!

 

Savannah red brick, plate glass windows, corrugated aluminum roofing - 

and even part of the Kehoe Ironworks sign, softened by fluffy clouds sailing past!

 

There were a bunch of volunteers for this show, including my friends Joe Buttner and Sue Gorecki - hooray!

 

Therra, the world's best volunteer wrangler, was there, too, to make sure the new house manager, JD, got off to a flying start.

 

She even complimented me in front of him, saying she wished she had ten of me because I was so reliable!

 

Wasn't that so very kind of her?!!!

 

Maybe that's why I had a new position today: Explorer Pass Point Person!

 

That meant I was the one to check in each SCCPS student who showed up at these general admission concerts with an adult in tow, so they could both gain free entry.

Yes, I said -FREE- entry!!!

The students can get in free anyway, simply by having their student ID; the difference is the Explorer Pass allows them to bring a parent or other adult to enjoy the experience, too.

 

There's only one caveat: if the show is sold out, then they cannot get in, of course.

Also, none of the shows at the Lucas Theatre are included in this program, as the concert must be general admission seats only.

Still, that leaves every other venue wide open for this bonus!

 

That said, I had no students come for this noon30 performance by the jazz pianist, Emmet Cohen, who I had last seen online for SMF31 in 2020.

 

Then he had played mostly with a trio, but today it was just him and his great big... piano!

 

(smile!) 

He looks so far away in this new configuration of the once-intimate space.

That made no never mind to him, though.

 

He took us on a ride through time and space, going from the mid-1920's into the 1930's, traveling from Cuba's Ernesto Lecuona' "La Comparsa" and straight into Harlem, NY, with Fats Waller's "Ain't Misbehavin' ", a tune that always makes me dance!

 

I think it must have made Cohen want to dance, too, as he stood up right after and told us about Waller's "Harlem rent parties".

 

See, he lives right there in that same neighborhood where so many jazz folk once lived, and it was clear from his talk that the are fascinated him.

 

Good for him!!!

 

He launched straight from all of that into an Irish song ("Danny Boy") that's right at home here, especially as St. Patrick's Day was so recent - very nice!

 

He even gave us one of his very own to start the show ("My Love Will Come Again"), but finished up with Duke Ellington's 1927 "Black And Tan Fantasy".

 

All in all, a very lovely start for my Friday, by a young man born the same year that the Savannah Music Festival held its first concerts.

 

Emmet Cohen will be 36 this year, too, just 4 days before my bday67.

(smile!)

 

After the concert, I was headed off to dine at Funky Brunch Cafe, gift card burning a hole in my pocket!

 

One of the concert-goers, a woman with a cane, caught my attention and asked if I knew of a place nearby that was pretty good.

 

She and I ended up going to my destination together, where I was sure to show off the inside decor after we took a table on the patio.

 

Such a warm and lovely day, in the low 80's!!!

We both dined on the Poseidon's Trident, a seafood-packed, but light, summery meal.

 

She's from Greenville, SC, and has been driving down for the SMF for several years for the jazz concerts - even though she's 83 now.

 

We talked about our names, of course!

 

Hers is Leith, pronounced as though it were "Keith", but mostly goes by "Lee".

 

I doubt I'll run into her again this weekend, but I'll certainly look forward to catching up the next time she's here in the seaport!

(smile!)

smf36: pop-up dance, part 2

"Hey, hey, dearie! Back already?"

Actually, I've been home for about 30 minutes. What a mesmerizing show! I'm so glad I was able to luck into "BalletCollective: Translation" at the Lucas!!!

"Most excellent! They were supposed to be here in 2020, until the pandemic caused that to be postponed. I know you had so wanted that, back in February when the volunteer shifts opened up, but it was all full. Good thing you kept checking!"

Most def! One of my favorite venues, too! Lainie was the house manager, but Therra was there, too. Also, I was with several volunteers I knew: chatty Lucy, Julie G, Annie, Carolyn that I just met! I even ended up as a mentor for Amy of Georgetown, a brand-new volunteer, to help settle her in.

"Very cool! Nice to be trusted with such a task!"

It was, really. I was on duty with Lucy as "Right House, Usher" when the new woman came in quite late. I do hope to see her at other venues. At least this was a slow gig, as there were less than 500 in the audience.

"Folks just don't get the ballet, do they? I'm so glad the Savannah Music Festival persists with inclusion of these shows, though. This was all new music, specifically commissioned for this dance troupe, so it definitely belonged in SMF36. What's with the photo?"

That's right after the first piece, "The World We Left Behind", written and performed by Phong Tran, seen on the bottom left. It was a futuristic piece, with a grid marked out on the stage and all the dancers clad in sparkly, silvery-glitter, costumes. Near the end, there was a definite 'ocean life' feel to the piece, with the troupe moving as jellyfish and other sea life! But that wasn't my favorite part, surprisingly.

"But that sounds right up your alley, directly in your wheelhouse..."

True, but my favorite bit was near the middle of the work. The artists were moving on the grid, each one staying directly on the taped lines on the floor. Then, a lone dancer entered and began moving diagonally, arms waving in the air as they went!!! Then came another, moving against the tide of dancers persisting in staying on the grid. I thought of it as "Dancing Outside The Lines" and loved every moment of it!!!

"I love that perspective!!! So, what's up with this second set of dancers? No sparkly, sequined suits for them!"

No, that's for sure. "Orange", composed by Caleb Burhans and performed live by the Manhattan Chamber Players, was more of a power struggle ballad. The highlight, for me, was the woman third from the right, with her legs hanging out. Gabrielle Lamb is a Savannah native and she choreographed the piece.

"So, you didn't care much for that one. It was too violent for you?"

It was. So, I'm glad it wasn't the last one. (smile!) That honor went to what I thought of as "Dancing Within The Matrix"! Actually titled "Translation", the piece composed by Julianna Barwick and performed by Eliza Bagg (bottom right of photo), this definitely had a science fiction vibe to it that was straight out of Neo's movie! Instead of green computer light, though, this was full of white-light scattered on the scrims as dots and dashes, with the dancers clad in black suits that made them almost blend into the background.

"Oh, I get it! Like the swimmers in the new PULSE exhibit!"

Exactly!!! Absolutely mesmerizing to watch! I found myself on the edge of my seat during the entire performance. I wish my camera had been able to capture the light display during the dance, but it was not. Still, it's in my mind's eye and my memory, so that's good!

"I'm so happy you were able to get this dance show... and the afternoon ballet, too! What an excellent combination those two shifts have turned out to be!"

Most def! i thank You, God!

smf36: pop-up dance, part 1

"Does that mean that you began dancing apropos of nothing, as you are wont to do?"

Hahahaha! Nope, not yet! I speak of my first volunteer shift at SMF36, plus my unexpected dinner entertainment. You know how I like to take at least one gig that doesn't directly gift me with a concert? Well, I signed up for the 3-6 PM shift at the Savannah Music Festival Pop-Up Shop. That's located on Broughton Street, where I watched "Empanada Loca" one dark and stormy night. Remember that crazy show?

"Lol! I see what you did there, snuck in that pun! Yeah, the previous home of SavRepTh."

Well, the building has been sold and is slated to be torn down. However, the new owner agreed to let SMF use it for these three weeks. It's the place for folks to buy posters, t-shirts, and other festival souvenirs.

"And you signed up for that on purpose?"

Well, you got me. I did have an ulterior motive. I have a second shift this evening at the Lucas Theatre, one that I had really wanted. Knowing how parking gets, I thought this was a way to make sure my car could be at Columbia Square. And it is!

"Good for you! That'll make it easier for your blonde roots to find it."

Hahahaha! Blonde roots! I was talking about that with Noel (the young woman who runs the shop) and Carolyn (a volunteer like me, who will also be at the Lucas with me). I was trying to determine which year of the festival this was. When I saw this poster for the "25th Anniversary" in 2014, my totally blonde self thought, "Oh, that must have been SMF39 in 2014." 

"You're kidding, right?"

Sadly not. It wasn't until Noel was telling us that the music festival actually began in 1990, but was called Savannah OnStage that year. The very next year, the event became the Savannah Music Festival. I had just said to them that this must be SMF49 since 2014 had been the 39th year, so this should have been the 50th anniversary, except the pandemic had lost them a year.

"Hahahaha!! G'friend, you are a hoot and a half!"

Yeah, it was a very funny moment!

"And what do we have here?"

Garrison Arts Academy was performing in front of the Lucas! Carolyn and I had walked over to there, in preparation for our next shift, and been sweetly surprised by the concert! She went in search of food and I bounced over to the park. I'd brought half a buffalo chicken calzone and an Ensure as dinner. My plan all along had been to sit in the park and chill out with nature, but I loved the children's band!

"Oh, my! Is that a dancer in a blue tutu??"

It is!!! And you'll never guess what she was dancing to!!!

"Was it "The Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy," perchance?"

She was!!! I sat and watched every movement, too! What a gift that was! Then, as I finished my meal, I spotted the little brown birds all over the ground in front of me! Those are Savannah sparrows, officially, but all I could think of was the quote from the physicist. Of course, that meant the bfe got sent this photo! I wonder if he saw the birds?

"What quote are you talking about? Something he referenced or something he said?"

Oh, it was something he said. I was talking about the shore birds lecture, then drifted over to our local birds. That's when he said: "Little brown birds permeate all of space and time! They are like the Higgs field." Isn't that a cool line that should have been used on "The Big Bang Theory"?

"Agreed! I can just picture Sheldon uttering that as a delightful piece of lunch trivia at the university cafeteria.  Now, you need to get going for your shift!"