Monday, May 12, 2003
Terrific open mic on Thursday. The best yet. Some really talented players. Over a dozen people played, and everyone that played was good.
Sarah Holmes, who resembles a slightly weatherbeaten Sissy Spacek, sang eerie, self-penned, blues hymns, unaccompanied and unamplified. Intense lyrics and beautiful, mournful melodies. She seemed almost overcome by her own songs. After the first song she asked that due to her having sensitive ears would everyone mind please not clapping. So each song was followed by the amusing spectacle of audience members making silent gestures which each presumed most closely resembled visual applause. Some chose fist pumping motions while others tried awkward, non-contact clapping. I decided to put my arms up in the air and waggle both hands, which I realized too late made me look like some idiot minstrel.
The southern, old-timey vibe was perpetuated by Emily Shumway and our dapper Tennessean friend Curtis who played, respectively, Missisippi John Hurt-style country blues, and some nifty ragtime guitar pieces. Curtis was one of only two perfomers this week who had played at previous week's open mics and I hope he keeps coming.
From hereon American folk gave way to South American and African music. There was Lalo and his berimbau (a sort of archer's bow with a gourd attached and you play it with a rock and a stick), singing first in Portuguese and then in English translation (sample: "I will teach you the ABCs of the Berimbau / It only has one tone!"). Lalo was followed by Arjun and his band, featuring a bass player, a djembe player, a violinist and backup singer, a lot of musicians for the small "stage" upstairs at Juna's. Lalo has the fattest dreads you have ever seen. I've seen long dreadlocks before, but never such girth! Lalo's ten minute long song appeared to be a hymn to Govinda, who I think is the god of health food.
The evening ended with a guy named Nathan who played two impossibly virtuosic guitar pieces, full of tangled riffs and off-kilter changes, and finally Jennifer Young who has been to the open mic twice before and has a terrific, soulful singing voice.
Hard to believe what a great night it turned out to be. Nearly all the performers were great and the vibe was totally different from previous weeks - much more spirited and social. I can only hope that this is a sign of things to come
Sarah Holmes, who resembles a slightly weatherbeaten Sissy Spacek, sang eerie, self-penned, blues hymns, unaccompanied and unamplified. Intense lyrics and beautiful, mournful melodies. She seemed almost overcome by her own songs. After the first song she asked that due to her having sensitive ears would everyone mind please not clapping. So each song was followed by the amusing spectacle of audience members making silent gestures which each presumed most closely resembled visual applause. Some chose fist pumping motions while others tried awkward, non-contact clapping. I decided to put my arms up in the air and waggle both hands, which I realized too late made me look like some idiot minstrel.
The southern, old-timey vibe was perpetuated by Emily Shumway and our dapper Tennessean friend Curtis who played, respectively, Missisippi John Hurt-style country blues, and some nifty ragtime guitar pieces. Curtis was one of only two perfomers this week who had played at previous week's open mics and I hope he keeps coming.
From hereon American folk gave way to South American and African music. There was Lalo and his berimbau (a sort of archer's bow with a gourd attached and you play it with a rock and a stick), singing first in Portuguese and then in English translation (sample: "I will teach you the ABCs of the Berimbau / It only has one tone!"). Lalo was followed by Arjun and his band, featuring a bass player, a djembe player, a violinist and backup singer, a lot of musicians for the small "stage" upstairs at Juna's. Lalo has the fattest dreads you have ever seen. I've seen long dreadlocks before, but never such girth! Lalo's ten minute long song appeared to be a hymn to Govinda, who I think is the god of health food.
The evening ended with a guy named Nathan who played two impossibly virtuosic guitar pieces, full of tangled riffs and off-kilter changes, and finally Jennifer Young who has been to the open mic twice before and has a terrific, soulful singing voice.
Hard to believe what a great night it turned out to be. Nearly all the performers were great and the vibe was totally different from previous weeks - much more spirited and social. I can only hope that this is a sign of things to come
