Ansel and I had a relatively last minute chance to open for the Nighthawks, a nationally reknown and incredibly tight ‘blues’ band.  This band has been playing for years, and the depth and artistry they display is literally breathtaking.  From the full sound, the dynamics, vocals, harmonies and the great joy of playing together displayed on stage,… and they’re love of playing Godfrey’s makes it truly special.

A really good audience to play for, especially for Ansel, with intelligence and sophistication that could understand our set.  We did Shoo That Fly, It’ll Be Me, Smoking  Babies, Ansel’s solo on Amazing Grace, and Pay Bo Diddley.

We got a lot of support and comments from the band, and that’s what floats the boat.  A good night of music all around.

I headed up a block (how local can you get?) to the Farmers’ Mkt. up at Lehigh’s Campus Square.  Another gray day, but warm enough to play. Normally I have to put up with the water fountain behind me (white noise), but today’s ambiance added, yes, jackhammers….. your local stimulus infrastructure funding at work.  I had several Jack additions (Hit the Road, Jack was especially appropriate.) and we got to savor the quiet moments.

Again, several small groups of challenged folks came by, and they stretched me to do a very nice Folsom Prison (with all the low notes…) and some other country hits.  They played tambourines and we sang together.  As Soap Man (appreciative vendor) said later, this market has a community function beyond the veggies, cookies and popcorn.  It is a mix of Lehigh folks (teachers and students) and vital community groups that use and share the public space.  Over the summer, several day cares, moms and kids, special needs groups and other folks drop by, and I play and interact with them. 

I graduated from Lehigh in 1973, having moved into town to live, and play folk music in the SouthSide community.  I’ve always wondered why Lehigh folks don’t interact more with the neighboring town scape, (I obviously founded Godfrey’s on this assumption). That’s why I’ve ‘invested’ in this Market, beyond the small funding they provide. This remains a great opportunity for that. 

I get back artistically a whole bunch from these gigs.  I get to play hard and loud as a solo, tightening up my whole presentation, I get to revive some old tunes (I did Louise and Ophelia today, after a long time) that end up sounding better than ever.  I get to play my favorites, and play my nice instruments. 

But it still boils down to bringing live music to my neighborhood, in the best way I can, taking it to the streets around me.

We headed to nearby Flemington (actually Raritan) NJ for one morning assembly at Barley Sheaf ES, a 400 kids, K -4 school.  We played in the gym, and, as usual, the lads played impeccably and the kids had a blast.  It’s such a good show and runs like a smooth machine.  a pleasure….

I had the wonderful opportunity to connect and re-connect with some wonderful teachers at Grace Montessori School in Allentown this morning for an ‘in-service- session with 11 teachers.  School’s out for Columbus Day, so presented my Teaching Artist workshop, which is nothing but a session exploring early childhood music with the pros.  I do it from the stage, and they do it in the classroom.  I played and spieled and we all sang and shared ideas. 

The idea is to lead and let the folks go, and it was a hoot and a half.  We wrote a great verse to ‘The Cat Came Back’ and they all took a jump-rope song and created a song/movement piece, and each was truly wonderful. 

The entire morning was wonderful, with great exchanges and many funny moments with great depth of thought, as well.  I made a difference by stirring up the creative juices of the staff, and mine, as well.  And I got paid a professional salary for it.

……energized for an open mike tonight, as well.

RockRoots in Flemington in the morning.

I knew I would be up against the clock to make from Madison to Manchester in  an hour, but I had let the Cheney Hall folks know I might be a little late, and I was to go on second in the first set.  7 pm show time, and I got there at 7:10, and Trainwreck was on already.  I hustled back stage to madly tune and find my way to the wings of the stage.  Jerry (TW) finished up and introduced me, and there I was, main stage folk music, lights and sound.  I said to myself, “Self? How do you manager to do this to yourself???”

Three song, 15 minute sets are curious and wonderful as well.  You know you have to start strong, play with the folks, and end strong.  … and then you’re done.  cool.  and leave then wanting more, as some friends remarked later.

Barnyard Dance continues to be a great opener, with an easy shuffle, interesting chord patterns, great lyrics, and mouth trombone.  I’m splitting the trombone with the audience recently, and tonight, the crowd (w/ Eric P leading the way) took a chance and did it.  Cool.

Giants is a treat to play for any audience, and tonight was special cause The Author was in the house, Kent Aldrich, sitting in the back.  The back and forth is nice and loose, and the crowd has fun, and so do I.   Again, communication.

I took a chance with Smoking Babies as my strong finish.  It succeeds on several levels.  It’s a strong guitar song, it’s really different from the kids and family material, and is provocative.  It is simply a joy to play and watch the reaction.  Priceless.

The rest of the evening was a chance to reconnect with my CT acoustic Family of Friends, the title of the evening.  Ron Anthony, Eric Paradine, Knott Brothers (Denny and Jim), Nina, Kent (a surprise appearance), Trainwreck Jerry, and some other familiar folkies.  A good visit in my new status as CT exile.  Stan Sullivan did well at the Kerreville Pickin contest, Chaney Hall made $1000 as a benefit, my friends played on a big time stage, I sold 3 CD’s for NJ gas, and I played for friends and some new ears in a fine venue.  A good night

Phillies lost, though.

I booked a doubleheader in CT for Friday, with the Madison Farmers’ Market as a kick off at 3 pm.  The travel from PA was spotty, and I got there about 3:05, but with no sound system, guitar, mandolin, chair I was up and running shortly.

I have some fans (girls in tutu’s, no less) that stop by when I’m there, as well as a gentleman who works at the nearby Stop and Shop who comes by to jig.  Kids stop and play, folks drift by with fresh carrots and flowers, and sit and play.

The sun was low today, in comparison with the other monthly gigs, but its great to play outdoors in this special situation.  I stretch my material out, try old and forgotten tunes, and make contact with people.  Cheese man gave me a chunka cheese, too.

Off to Manchester for the Cheney Hall concert…. Another ‘nick o’ time’ production.

I picked up a family gig at Steel Stacks on Saturday morning, as part of their Peas and Q’s series.  The site is impressive, and the ‘corporate’ nature of the gig is somewhat imposing, but I relish the chance to play for folks, regardless of the situation, and families, as well.

Many nice moments… a mom’s smile, watching her baby daughter start to dance/react to the music and the beat.  Tweener boys getting bored in front and splitting (they probably liked some of it, and baffled them after that).

A great moment happened with a girl who had jumped up right away and started playing tambourine and dancing, and, to my surprise, continued to get involved with every song.  I was playing Peanut Butter when she  asked to come up and sing along, and I said, “Sure.” …. then she asked for a mic, and pronounced she was going to sing “Beat It” from Michael Jackson, and I said, “Sure.”  so I played the chords to PB and she really sang BI.  It worked and riveted the crowd.  Cool.’

But, even cooler, her parents came up afterward and said that she was mildly autistic, and has sung and shined on other occasions.  She made my day. 

Gigs are sparse these days, and recent personal upheavals, have made life much more sparse, as well.  I’m coming to realize how much more I’m connected with the world through my music, and I live for it. 

I hit the road this morning to Ewing, NJ for a Young Audiences showcase, this time as a solo.  I was the third of three artists in my segment, following Seth Reichgott’s Greek Movement theater piece and an African musician.  The kids were really responsive, so I got them up and moving.  A 15 minute set goes fast, but it was positive, and I hope I get some gigs out of it.

Billy B did his wonderful Eco-rock set as I headed out.  A great performer with a great show that makes a difference. 

Too much rain on the way home.

Wednesday was the A’town Growers’ Market in PP&L Plaza for a relatively short set (for farmers’ markets) of an hour and a half.  Amazing that so few people stop and listen in such a large city.  One daycare came by and lightened things up for a while, as well as some good folks and semi-familiar faces.

I played as strong as I have in a while and it was cool, as always, to crank it up in Allentown. 

I got the coffee started for the opening Open Mike of the season at Godfrey’s on Sunday.  I look forward to every OM, with its potential creativity that it brings.  And it never fails….

Dave Reber was the default guest host, so he kicked off the evening with a wonderful and curious set.  Dave plays hammered dulcimer with a wonderful serendipity as to keys, styles and genres. Minor/major twists.  Classical, popish, Celtic.  He explores, and that’s very cool.

I opted for second, and, with three songs, expanded the evening.  I had been chatting with some folks at the counter, pre-mike about ‘gut songs’, classic rockers that everyone knows.  Hang On Sloopy, Satisfaction, Louie Louie, etc.  so I started off with ‘Summertime Blues’, suggested by the guy in the front.  I followed with ‘Black Jack Co. Chain’, but the macheche guitar didn’t hold up to the flat picking, but it was otherwise fine.  I finished with ‘Foxglove’, a Bruce Cockburn instrumental, inspired by Jason Hahn’s presence ( a wonderful and inspired young guitarist at our OM’s).  Nice.

The evening transpired with giant leaps by several GD open mikers Ansel, Jason, Mance and others that keep me in touch with the mushroom cloud that is growing in this community.  I live in amazement.

My friend and fellow RockRooter Don Mayer had a Blues Jam outside of Hellertown on Saturday night.  I headed out for a late night (for me), and it was good, in several ways. 

I got to listen to Donnie’s tight trio, and witness how much he loves to play.  and that includes his great rhythm guitar chops (I’m impressed…), and his quick wits on lead.  

Mary Hawkins came up and did some mighty fine vocals.  (Don went to Memphis with her for the Blues Championships…).  Don called me up for two tunes before he took a break.  We did ‘It’ll Be Me’ and ‘Pay Bo Diddley’ with some great moments, especially Mitch’s bass break.  Mitch thanked me later on, but it was good theater.  Tony, the drummer, came up afterwards and said he liked ‘It’ll Be Me’.  Again, it got the musicians’ attention, and that’s what’s all about, really.

The Phillies clinched later on, at the bar, so it was a very good night.

We played two sets in Jamesburg, NJ for a K – 3 school.  It was a good way to start out the school year for us …. seeing  that we are not used to getting up early, etc.  I was actually amazed that I had the ‘show’ internalized and it was comfortable (DNA ingrained) after several months off.  And the lads were right behind me …. and got to the gig on time.  All very remarkable.

Both shows had special needs kids in the back in the gym, but the second show had a 3rd grader who had to dance, and, on every tune…..  It was very cool, and we connected on ‘Charlie Stone’, with him sharing my mouth trombone and his movements.  He wore out his teachers. To share his learning difference with the whole school is a magical moment.  His freedom is an art.  Perhaps the other kids wish they had his freedom.

I am so proud to work with Nick, Donnie and Kevin on these gigs.  We play for and enthuse hundreds of kids and teachers before 12 noon during the every week in the school year.  We get paid, yes, but we make a difference in our communities.

Thursday threatened rain, so the expected group of school kids never showed, which had it’s benefits.  I got to sit and play.  Yes, it was a slow day, but it had it’s moments with a mom and daughter, a older Eddie Cochran fan (who came up and jammed on tambourine on ‘Shorty Cut Across’), and Dina appreciating ‘Shee Beg Shee More’.  added to time when I played well…  makes for a good gig.  Pay is minimal but the play is rich. 

A much better day at the NJ TA sessions, with some workshops that mattered, in several ways.  But what was the difference, upon thought, was the interaction at the end of the day, when the artists finally had a chance to co-mingle with some idea of who we were.  I mentioned at the end session that:

1. We weren’t just poets, musicians, theater folk, but Artists.

2. There should be a cocktail hour at the end, to built on the relationships.

The first workshop was on including “sustainability” into our teaching.  We played a fishing game, where we quickly learned how to cooperate amongst ourselves to save the renewable resource (fish), not fish, fish and still make it into the future.  A lot of these TA sessions are focused on ‘re-thinking’ how we can shape our world models….. and take it into our classrooms.

The second session was on sustainable Teaching Artists, how to broaden our vision as working artists and survive.  Again, the best part was hearing what everyone is doing to “Stayin’ Alive” (god, I hate to reference a disco song..).  New NJ contacts for me, outside of YANJ.  It was after this session that other artists came up to say hello, after they found out what I do. 

I hitched up with Zack to play mandolins after lunch, so we did.  He brought out a wonderful 1919 Gibson A model (tear-dropped) and I brought out my 1921 Gibson F model (scroll).  We jammed on ‘Voodoo Chile’ and then switched mandos and played some country tune…..  What a thrill to play two mandos, born two years apart, for the first time. 

Still digging for gigs amongst these Edu-folk, but its connecting with the artists that really makes these seminars meaningful.  and really real.

These are good sessions for my muse.   ….and I need them.

Tuesday was my third visit to this GREAT NJ site, museum and sculpture garden in Hamilton, NJ, but my first NJ statewide Teaching Artist seminar, this one for two days.  Some familiar faces, mostly YANJ folks, but some PA kids’ artists, Two of a Kind and Robbie K. 

The opening session involved Noah Scanlin, skull artist.  He presented his journey into 365 days of artistic immersion.  Doing art (consciously)  every day for 365 days in a row.  It grew to enormous proportions when he put his art on the web daily, and brought him wonderful new experiences, along with the mindset of being creative everyday.  Herculean. and inspiring.

We did a group exploration afterwards.  Artists, administrators, etc. with tables-ful of glue, a few scissors, and acres of paper, buttons, glitter, old newsprint, pipe cleaners, and lotsa flotsam……  Noah said, “Pick an image in your mind, and make 30 pieces of art of your theme. Go.” 

I picked out a musical note (seeing how notation is still a mystery to me), found a pix of Beethoven in a mag I found in the basement of GD’s, and started making notes. A great exercise in mass mayhem.  but a time for free-form artistic freedom, an out-of-body, out-of -mind experience.  Go.  Create….

At lunch, I caught up with a YANJ cohort, who plays mandolin.  I promised to bring mine tomorrow so we can jam.

The afternoon session was REALLY droll about the Teacherese – the jargon we, as TA’s need to deal with, in order to speak with schools, and get gigs….

Edu-Speak is what I call it, and it comes in handy on grants, etc., but it’s weird in that, as artists, we know what we do, and that we do it well, for reasons that are obvious to us, but there is still a need for translation.   Sheesh…  It’s part of the game, I guess.

I leave exhausted and unfulfilled. Tomorrow will be a better day.

Sunday was gig I had underlined on my calender for a long time.  A chance to play for an adult audience in Bethlehem, help out the local community, and reconnect with fellow LV musicians. It was all of the above.

30th Anniversary of this Soup Kitchen (1981?? whoa!) and I was honored to be asked.  On the bill were: Dina Hall, Druckenmillers, Piper’s Choice and I was the Finale.  (oh, boy….)

It turned out to be an (ahem) older crowd, so I started to wonder whether to play the ‘edgier’ stuff I had in mind.  But the day progressed with the Celtic group which did an admirable set (a new set of players forming a band) doing a fine and entertaining set.  Dina followed with a strong set of her songs, and I had the express fun of backing her on mandolin on two songs.  (so rare to be asked….)  The Druckenmiller Family followed with a great set of front porch (i.e, no mikes…how refreshing and challenging) fiddlin’, pickin’, pluckin’, thumpin’, singin’.  They do it how it’s been done for years…..  Amen.

I followed with an intriguing set of “god, how do I engage these people who support a food kitchen?” set.  It was wonderful.

Let’s sing together, and then we’ll work on the rest……

Many nice moments, but I took a chance by leaving the stage at the end, singing “Magic Penny” acoustically, through the chapel, inviting folks at the end to the reception at the door.  It was good.

So nice to play for real folks for a real purpose.   so good.  

Praise be to Lafayette College to reschedule a a summer gig to the Saturday Farmers’ Market in September.  An active farmers’ market, but somewhat subdued with recent flooding of the Lehigh River.  It’s pretty well established (since 17something), and a nice crowd of folks moving through.  Many good and small interactions with kids (always electric moments of artistic clarity), random folks and families.  A wonderful chance to interact.  Ever unfolding, too.

Two hours of ‘playing’, and I got paid for it.  …….this is good.

Or, at least it seemed like it.  I finagled a Saturday Night at the Buttonwood Tree, a club along the lines of GD’s, and one I’ve played open mikes and kid shows.  I twisted Ron Anthony’s arm and I got a co-bill.  I opened, since Ron has seniority there, but I like going first.  Too bad it still takes me a couple of songs to settle, but I found a grove, rambled on my musical travels, audiences, etc.  I played a waltz and polka on the mandolin, and picked it up later for Voodoo Chile.  It really breaks up a set.  I played well.

I made the comment about New England audiences’ reticence to respond visually and vocally, leaving me to guess if I’m getting through.  After wrassling with a John Gorka audience at Roaring Brook, a person came up afterward and said, “You were really good.” 

After the show, several strangers and good friends came up and said, “You were really good.”  Right on.

There was a full house – a mixture of older folks, some young couples, and some very good friends from my open mike travels in CT.  Now, it’s a fact that open mikers are notorious for not supporting fellow artists on their own nights. But tonight brought out Jim, Stan, Bill, Rick, Patch, Con, Ned, Frank, and,of course Ron and Denny, on bass. 

Ron played a long set, and we finished up with a Nutmeg Rambler set of tunes.  A long night but a good chance to play for the people I care for, the friends out bangin’ that thang at open mikes.  It’s as good, and as tough an audience that there is.

I was good.

As always, the Madison Green presents interesting situations, as I play for three hours under a tree with not sound system.  It was very early fall, and with the wake of Irene – sticks everywhere = things were slower.  Nice interaction with people, especially the kids, and I love the process and the creativity it demands to keep it real.  I love it when a familiar kid comes right up and grabs a tamborine, to the amazement of passers-by.  But even more fun is exploring new kids’ curiosity, then developing a musical relationship. 

One older (5th grade?) got his little cousin to play a shaker, but was a little distant.  He brought up that he had sung one of the songs I sang in his school chorus.  He then brought up a bunch of folk songs (Grand Ole Flag, Yankee Doodle, etc.) and we proceeded to do them, as I gave him room to sing on his own.  (which he did).  Then he hit a nerve…”Do you know the Cat Came Back?”  Boing…..  He added a bass run that he was used to do, which I added to the arrangement.  Very cool.

I got a $2 bill from a gentleman as a tip.  I also got two shiny pennies from a woman, who gave them to the two 10 year girls with her, and instructed them to put it in my mandolin case.  Only in Madison.  But it’s all a part of the gig.  Curious, always curious…..

Sometimes nature presents unique situations. As Irene passed, the SouthSide of Bethlehem had a power outage on late Sunday morning.  As the evening drew near, I had to do something to get out of the apt.  Time for guitar practice! or go nuts…

So, I had a very cool musical evening. No power on 4th Street.  I set up a chair outside Godfrey Daniels, proceed to plunk guitar and mandolin. Cars dealt with the non-stop light, and folks took to the streets.  The day turns into dusk and then into night.  I get to see 4th Street change without lights,and see how people react to the sidewalk in the dark.  …and see how people react to music in the street.

It turned out to be clear sky, clean air (are those stars?) and no electricity. Folks walkin’, making contact. I played in the dark, and sang loud.  It’ll never happen again……