Woolly Mutts

A gift of the musical sort.

I experienced something last night that I have to share with you.  I wish I had pictures.  I REALLY, really wish I could show you faces and the general atmosphere of the evening so that maybe I could better articulate all the adjectives going around in my head. 

Some back story.....every Friday night we have live music in the Listening Room of our store.  The fact that we even has a room named "Listening" is kind of extraordinary in itself, but to have the opportunity to fill that space every week is beyond fantastic.  The musical artists we generally have are of the singer-songwriter variety.  They share with us love letters, memoirs, eulogies, all carefully wrapped gifts with the note "I hope you like this".  It takes so much courage to get up in front of a room full of strangers and bare your heart, and yet they come each week and we are entertained, moved, inspired.  I think we sometimes forget what a gift live music really is.

As you may know, our store (JustGoods) is staffed mostly by volunteers.  Three of us are paid managers, but the bulk of the work force are folks who acknowledge the mission and want to be part of it.  One of those people is Hope.  Hope is 15 (I think.  She may be 16 now.).  She works every Friday afternoon and is a very capable (VERY) capable volunteer.  When I was just getting to know her she told me she plays piano.  I'm thinking...cool, she plays piano.  No really, she PLAYS piano.  Classically trained pianist, to be more exact.  Wow.  From that point on I was on a mission to hear this girl play and we were able to schedule a Friday night concert with Hope and some of her friends from the Rockford Music Academy. That concert was last night.

Regrettably, and I mean the word in its strongest sense, Rockford was a busy town last night and very few people came to watch the performance.  I know, life is busy and you have to make a choice, but people, let me just say that I'm sorry you missed it.  If you understood what magic happened last night you would be sorry, also.   Those few of you that attended know what I mean.  Magic.  Wow.

Hope organized the entire concert.  She asked her friends, timed the performances, introduced herself and the Academy.  Each student, I'd guess they were ages 13-17 or so, came dressed concert ready.  They introduced themselves and the pieces they were about to perform, some of which were personal compositions.  There were several pianists, a violin, two cellists, and two angelic voices. Every single performance was just wonderful.

Before I really turn to mush here let me say a bit about a classically trained musician.  I am not a music snob.  I believe all music has merit and a place in every heart.  However, to be classically trained takes a level of discipline that we don't see much of in today's teens.  Hours of practice, lessons, education.  Hours of understanding what music is, how it works, and how to let it into your heart.  How to let it become passion. 

Ok, bring on the mush.  Thanks to the wonder that is Google, I found this picture of Hope and Christiana.  Hope is brunette, Christiana blond.  Hope and Christiana have been friends since they began piano at age 5.  Nearing the end of the second half of the show I was able to close the store and come to sit in the back of the audience and I was blessed out of my shoes.  Hope and Christiana played four hands on the piano duets that rocked my world.  Their friendship connection was so clear as they played in complete sync with the other.  They each sang as the other accompanied.  Hope brought out this high note that was so clear and genuine....breathtaking.  Literally.  Listening to them play I forgot to breathe.  Captivated...I was captivated.  Then...oh gosh then...Christiana brought up her cello and played while Hope accompanied on piano.  I will admit that I have a weakness for the cello.  They bleed with emotion and Christiana was superb.  I sat in my little back row seat and cried.  I was honored to be present.  Gifted.  Blessed.  It was that good. 

I'm sure they thought I was mentally impaired as I tried to explain how much their performance meant to me.  They were go gracious, thanking me for the opportunity to play.  (Good job, Moms.)  Thanking me.  Goodness. 

They made such an impression on those of us present, one of which is our concert organizer, that we are already planning a guest performance from Hope and Christiana in January and then another entire night of just the two of them in the coming months. 

I cannot wait. 

 

Rockford really isn't all that lame.

Yesterday my boss flew off to Boston for a national Fair Trade conference leaving me in charge. Although everything that can go wrong usually does while she is away, what her absence really means for me is more hours in the store.  Yesterday I worked all day and then had to stay to keep the store open for a Charlotte's Web concert.

Last nights artist was Bryan Bowers, master of the auto-harp and storyteller. I admit that I have almost no knowledge of how to play the auto-harp, but this man was just extraordinary.  He played using all five fingers of his right hand and I can't begin to explain the beauty of the sound he pulled from that instrument.  I sat amazed.  He was, as described, a great storyteller.  I think there is an art form in the telling of a good story and he was a master of it.  At seventy years old, he has a lot of life to draw from and he used it to our benefit.

I enlisted AH to help me with the store so we were not technically a part of the audience, but seated off to the side.  This gave us pretty great seats and a chance to observe, rather than join in with the audience enthusiasm.  There were many bursts of laughter, a few whistles and, I have to say, a rather glorious sing-a long to Eliza Jane.  The combined voices, along with the great acoustics of that room, made for an impressive sound.  Reminded me what a lovely gift live music is.

I spend a bit of time complaining about Rockford in general, and for the most part, rightly so.  The downtown gets a A for effort, but has never been able to truly come alive.  The school district is so messed up that I fear it will never be made right. One thing Rockford seems to be able to get right is music and I encourage you to partake if you are local.  Charlotte's Web has been bringing great eclectic music to Rockford since 1972.  That's almost four decades of live music.  Awesome. All Fall shows will be in the JustGoods Listening Room and I'm excited about that.  Hope to see some familiar faces there.

It's time, I think, for me to get off of Rockford's case.  It has some serious issues, no question, but maybe it isn't so lame after all.

"To sing is to fly with your voice"

Someone who obviously understood the heart of singing once said the above quote.  I don't recall who.  I do recall that when I first heard those words I understood them perfectly.  For the majority of my life I sang in choirs.  Church choirs, school choirs, community choirs; hand me a piece of music and stand me with the altos and I'll give it my best go.  There is some sort of communal magic that happens when one sings with a choir of people.  The journey from notes on a page to the combined voice performance takes time, talent, and a great deal of patience.  Even extremely well trained singers have a tentative beginning that leads to the triumphant end result.  I'm not much of a sports enthusiast, but I imagine it is quite a lot like team sports.  All members working together, each with their own part to play.  The communion that happens between director, singer, and music is very much like flying.  Not many things reach the heart and soul like music and that music sung by many voices is spectacular.

A few weeks ago I was channel surfing and I landed on the BBC's "The Choir ".

This man, Gareth Malone, a classically trained choir director,(who I think looks rather like the tenth Doctor, David Tennant) goes to schools in the UK and establishes a choir where there was none before.  I think perhaps there have been two seasons and I can't get enough.  It's a beautiful thing to see watching kids who have never before sung join together.  Really beautiful.  There is a laugh and a tear in each episode.  Reality television that has nothing to do with housewives, drunken idiots, bug eating, or marriage proposals, just real kids learning the joy of singing.  I highly recommend it.

Leave Your Sleep

Natalie Merchant has always fascinated me.  She is equal parts quirky and profound and I have missed her these last few years.  A couple of days ago I was listening to NPR in the morning, as is my way as I prepare for work, and I came into the middle of an interview.  I did not recognize her speaking voice, but as soon as she began to sing I knew who it was immediately and I turned up the volume. 

Her new album, 'Leave Your Sleep' is the result of five years work and I must tell you that I am obsessed with it.  I purchased it from itunes this morning, synced it on to my ipod, and listened to it while I mowed. All 29 songs.  The lyrics are poetry.  Some are Victorian, some from different places all around the world.  What they share is a theme of children and motherhood.  It is an extraordinary compilation of work.  Each song a small story to be told and done so magnificently.  The orchestrations alone lift you away and into themselves.  

As I was thinking about writing this post I thought to add my favorites, Land of Nod, Spring and Fall, If I Never Marry, and then I just went on and on.  I love them all.  I hope someday I will share them with my grandchildren.

I highly recommend you follow the link and explore the website.  There are videos of the process and of her singing the songs.  It is such a joy to find an album this diverse and so divinely produced .  Listen.  Enjoy.

Latest musical obsession

Adele.  People, have you heard this girl?  Give yourself a gift and do so.  I'm including a youtube video, and there are more where it came from.  Absolutely amazing.

Last Train Home

Last week Trina and I went to see P.S. I Love You.  It was an afternoon (4:00 ish) showing and there were exactly four of us in the theater, which was nice since I cried through the ENTIRE film.  Good movie, but sad to the max. One of the things I especially loved about it was the soundtrack, so I headed over to itunes and downloaded it.  I was pleased to see some old favorites; Paolo Nutini, who I've spoken of here before, James Blunt (nobody does sad songs like James Blunt), AH, but the new happy surprise was Ryan Star's Last Train Home.  Kind of edgy, but with some lovely creative lyrics, Last Train had me hooked, so I went back to itunes (itunes how I love thee) and downloaded his new (to me) album "Songs from the Eye of the Elephant".  Good stuff, all.  Last Train isn't on the new album, so if you want it you'll have to go with the PS soundtrack.  I found this little clip on youtube that has a portion of Last Train on it.  Enjoy!!

the snow turned into rain

Dan Fogelberg died yesterday at age 56 from prostate cancer.  I feel like I just lost a friend.  I honestly cannot remember a time when Dan's music wasn't a part of my life.  There isn't a single recording of his that didn't reach some part of my heart.  He was born here in Illinois and I saw him in concert several times.  I just can't believe it.  He will be deeply missed.

Who is your "stand in line" performer?

I got a nice comment from Wenders yesterday that got me to thinking.  She mentioned that Bono was her stand-in-line performer and I completely agree.  Bono is the kind of guy that I want to run into at a cocktail party (that alone is hysterically funny) and have the chance to ask him about all the things that he finds important in life.  He is such an inspiration, such a be-the-change person.  It would be awesome to see him live.

Then, I was watching all my recorded shows for the week and James Taylor was on Ellen.   Geez, I love James Taylor.  His music is like the musical score of my life. 

So finally to the thinking part.  Musical taste is a really diverse and personal thing.  I'm curious to hear who your "stand in line" performer is.  Maybe, as I've discovered about myself, you have more than one.  This might also be a chance for me to have my musical horizons broadened a bit.  So come on, this is the perfect time to come out of lurkdom and leave that comment.  Who is the performer you would be willing to stand in line to see live?

Garth on the big screen.

I have somewhat diverse taste in music.  Eclectic would be the polite description.  A little weird would probably be more accurate.  I took seven years of classical piano and still really enjoy Bach, Mozart, etc.  I also dig everything from oldies to some of todays new voices, but I gotta tell you, I love me some Garth.  I always said that the only performer I would stand in line to get tickets to see was Garth Brooks.....and then he went into retirement.  Back in the old days I could sing harmony for just about every song he recorded, cause you know if he ever was in a pinch for a back up singer, I was there for him.  Oh yeah.

So Wednesday I get an email from Garth - uh, his newsletter- telling me he was doing a series of 9 concerts in Kansas City (oh you lucky folks) and 90 minutes of the last one was going to be simulcast all over the world.  AND, shock of all shocks, it was going to show locally.  I got my little self right on over to Fandango, but the live cast was sold out.  Bummer.  They were, however, going to show the concert again the next night and we were able to get tickets to last nights show.  We arrived about 20 minutes before show time and I have to admit I was surprised to see that the only seats left were near the front.  It was kind of a strange experience watching a high energy concert in a movie theater, but we were encouraged to treat it like a concert venue and people did clap and sing along....at least I think so cause it was sort of hard to tell from the front.

In 9 sold out concerts 159,000+ people showed up in Kansas City to see Garth perform.  I would be curious to know the stats on the theater attendance.  He's older ( I got a chuckle out of his fuzzy gray hair), but in good shape, although he joked about his gut a few times, and the man has seriously still got it.  I was so tickled for him and the response he was getting from the live crowd, cheering and singing along. The man is a legend.  At the end of the concert he told the crowd, in a choked up voice, that if we were willing to wait for him, he WOULD be back.  Hallelujah.  I may get the chance to stand in line for concert tickets after all.

I got the feeling that these concerts were perhaps Garth testing the water to see if there was still any interest in a come-back, so to speak.  It would appear that any fears he might have had were loudly put to rest.  I hope he doesn't cave on his plan to stay a "dad" until his girls grow up, but I'll be thrilled to see him back on the front lines of music again.  There is no question that he is a force to be reckoned with and I say bring it on!   

Lovestoned

   I must admit that every year around this date I start to get a little melancholy.  The holiday magic is nearing the end, the nights are long and dark (Happy Winter Solstice today!!), and I'm a little exhausted.  This year I have a little secret weapon; Justin Timberlake.

   Yes, I know, I'm just a little old for this, but this kid has talent, regardless of what boy band he started out in.  (Proof of old: I really have no idea what boy band he started out in.)  Earlier this month I was flipping channels and came across the Victoria's Secret fashion show just as he began his performance.  I was going to just flip on by, but the beat sucked me in.  If you have itunes, go over and do a search and just have a little listen.  Every song has this really creative percussion line that runs through the whole piece. Ok, the lyrics are....um....a little sexy, but the beat is even sexier.  Lovestoned is my particular favorite.  If that song can't get you moving, nothing can.

  So thank you Justin Timberlake for being a talented musician and helping this olderish woman get her groove on when she's feeling a little blue.  Oh, and dumping Britney Spears?  Really good decision on your part.