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We saw another amazing concert at The Old Town on Saturday night. Some blues, a little bluegrass, old timey music and new, overall some of the nicest acoustic finger-picking I've heard in a long time.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
We saw another amazing concert at The Old Town on Saturday night. Some blues, a little bluegrass, old timey music and new, overall some of the nicest acoustic finger-picking I've heard in a long time.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
One of his latest:
What a great performance! I haven't heard Tom Paxton play in oh, maybe 20 years. It was once again 'old hippie' night at Old Town. I'm at the tail end of the Baby Boom so I can only qualify as an old hippie wannabee.
Earl Pionke was there. He owned The Earl of Old Town back in the 70s, a music venue that you couldn't quite call a club, not quite a bar it was just Earl's. (Ditto for Lucille's). The acoustics were appalling, the beer even worse. Lots of the great Chicago folk singers of the 60s/70s played there - Tom Paxton (obviously), Steve Goodman, Corky Sieigel, John Prine, Jim Post, Fred and Ed Holstein (who later had their own place called...Holsteins strangely enough) are a few I remember.
I always forget that Paxton wrote a lot of songs that other artists covered or made famous (Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul & Mary, Judi Collins, Dave Van Ronk, and Joni Mitchell to name of few). They include:
Bottle of Wine, Fruit of the Vine
Ramblin'Boy
The Marvelous Toy
The Last Thing on my Mind
Who's Garden was This.
He also performed several songs from his 2009 Grammy Nominated CD 'Comedians & Angels' http://www.tompaxton.com/nimbit_store.html
How Beautiful Upon the Mountain
Out on the Ocean
What a Friend You Are
And if Its not True
Jennifer & Kate
You are Love
Comedians & Angels
In 2009 he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys.
Tom's still actively writing and recording songs of political satire (see video above).. He, Tom Leher and Steve Goodman are the three artists who inspired me to start writing political satire songs. At 72 he is still funny and warm and delight to see.
He was accompanied by The Small Potatoes a Chicago folk duo. I've not seem then perform on their own but I'm keeping my eyes open for an appearance in the city. Here's a link to their web site:
http://www.smallpotatoesmusic.com/.
Another wonderful and nostalgic night of music.
One of his latest:
What a great performance! I haven't heard Tom Paxton play in oh, maybe 20 years. It was once again 'old hippie' night at Old Town. I'm at the tail end of the Baby Boom so I can only qualify as an old hippie wannabee.
Earl Pionke was there. He owned The Earl of Old Town back in the 70s, a music venue that you couldn't quite call a club, not quite a bar it was just Earl's. (Ditto for Lucille's). The acoustics were appalling, the beer even worse. Lots of the great Chicago folk singers of the 60s/70s played there - Tom Paxton (obviously), Steve Goodman, Corky Sieigel, John Prine, Jim Post, Fred and Ed Holstein (who later had their own place called...Holsteins strangely enough) are a few I remember.
I always forget that Paxton wrote a lot of songs that other artists covered or made famous (Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul & Mary, Judi Collins, Dave Van Ronk, and Joni Mitchell to name of few). They include:
Bottle of Wine, Fruit of the Vine
Ramblin'Boy
The Marvelous Toy
The Last Thing on my Mind
Who's Garden was This.
He also performed several songs from his 2009 Grammy Nominated CD 'Comedians & Angels' http://www.tompaxton.com/nimbit_store.html
How Beautiful Upon the Mountain
Out on the Ocean
What a Friend You Are
And if Its not True
Jennifer & Kate
You are Love
Comedians & Angels
In 2009 he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys.
Tom's still actively writing and recording songs of political satire (see video above).. He, Tom Leher and Steve Goodman are the three artists who inspired me to start writing political satire songs. At 72 he is still funny and warm and delight to see.
He was accompanied by The Small Potatoes a Chicago folk duo. I've not seem then perform on their own but I'm keeping my eyes open for an appearance in the city. Here's a link to their web site:
http://www.smallpotatoesmusic.com/.
Another wonderful and nostalgic night of music.
Saturday night was bitterly cold here in Chicago - a perfect night for music by Canadian artists. Put on my Canadian Toe warmer boots (left my hockey stick at home) and headed over to the Old Town School.
Themed concerts are performed by instructors, ensemble classes and various other friends of the school. Tickets were a whopping $13. The only problem is they always run way over schedule (they make the Oscars look like a well oiled machine). We left after 3 1/2 hours and they were about 75% through the roster. Oh, and while they serve alcohol, there wasn't a Molson's to be found anywhere.
So here's a sampling of what we heard - at least what I can remember.
The Band
Rush
Gordon Lightfoot - 10 Degrees and Getting Colder, If you Could Read My Mind
Men Without Hats - Safety Dance
Neil Young - A Man Needs a Maid, Lookout Joe
Buffy St. Marie - I'm Gonna Be a Country Girl Again, God is Alive Magic is Afoot (from a poem by Leonard Cohen)
Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah
Joni Mitchell - A Case of you- I have to say something about this. It was performed by Cat Edgerton, a piano and voice rendition that was one of the most beautiful things I've heard in a long time. The kind of beautiful that when she finished the audience actually sighed before the applause.
There was also an appearance by Ned Herman (I think I have that right) one of the legends of Chicago folk music who did a hilarious immitation of Joni Mitchell's quick singing and octive changes. Ed Holstein another legend from the Chicago folk scene performed as well.
I wish I could have stayed longer, but I was tired, my butt was numb, and having heard 31/2 hours of music for $13, I think I got my money's worth.
Themed concerts are performed by instructors, ensemble classes and various other friends of the school. Tickets were a whopping $13. The only problem is they always run way over schedule (they make the Oscars look like a well oiled machine). We left after 3 1/2 hours and they were about 75% through the roster. Oh, and while they serve alcohol, there wasn't a Molson's to be found anywhere.
So here's a sampling of what we heard - at least what I can remember.
The Band
Rush
Gordon Lightfoot - 10 Degrees and Getting Colder, If you Could Read My Mind
Men Without Hats - Safety Dance
Neil Young - A Man Needs a Maid, Lookout Joe
Buffy St. Marie - I'm Gonna Be a Country Girl Again, God is Alive Magic is Afoot (from a poem by Leonard Cohen)
Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah
Joni Mitchell - A Case of you- I have to say something about this. It was performed by Cat Edgerton, a piano and voice rendition that was one of the most beautiful things I've heard in a long time. The kind of beautiful that when she finished the audience actually sighed before the applause.
There was also an appearance by Ned Herman (I think I have that right) one of the legends of Chicago folk music who did a hilarious immitation of Joni Mitchell's quick singing and octive changes. Ed Holstein another legend from the Chicago folk scene performed as well.
I wish I could have stayed longer, but I was tired, my butt was numb, and having heard 31/2 hours of music for $13, I think I got my money's worth.
Saturday night was bitterly cold here in Chicago - a perfect night for music by Canadian artists. Put on my Canadian Toe warmer boots (left my hockey stick at home) and headed over to the Old Town School.
Themed concerts are performed by instructors, ensemble classes and various other friends of the school. Tickets were a whopping $13. The only problem is they always run way over schedule (they make the Oscars look like a well oiled machine). We left after 3 1/2 hours and they were about 75% through the roster. Oh, and while they serve alcohol, there wasn't a Molson's to be found anywhere.
So here's a sampling of what we heard - at least what I can remember.
The Band
Rush
Gordon Lightfoot - 10 Degrees and Getting Colder, If you Could Read My Mind
Men Without Hats - Safety Dance
Neil Young - A Man Needs a Maid, Lookout Joe
Buffy St. Marie - I'm Gonna Be a Country Girl Again, God is Alive Magic is Afoot (from a poem by Leonard Cohen)
Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah
Joni Mitchell - A Case of you- I have to say something about this. It was performed by Cat Edgerton, a piano and voice rendition that was one of the most beautiful things I've heard in a long time. The kind of beautiful that when she finished the audience actually sighed before the applause.
There was also an appearance by Ned Herman (I think I have that right) one of the legends of Chicago folk music who did a hilarious immitation of Joni Mitchell's quick singing and octive changes. Ed Holstein another legend from the Chicago folk scene performed as well.
I wish I could have stayed longer, but I was tired, my butt was numb, and having heard 31/2 hours of music for $13, I think I got my money's worth.
Themed concerts are performed by instructors, ensemble classes and various other friends of the school. Tickets were a whopping $13. The only problem is they always run way over schedule (they make the Oscars look like a well oiled machine). We left after 3 1/2 hours and they were about 75% through the roster. Oh, and while they serve alcohol, there wasn't a Molson's to be found anywhere.
So here's a sampling of what we heard - at least what I can remember.
The Band
Rush
Gordon Lightfoot - 10 Degrees and Getting Colder, If you Could Read My Mind
Men Without Hats - Safety Dance
Neil Young - A Man Needs a Maid, Lookout Joe
Buffy St. Marie - I'm Gonna Be a Country Girl Again, God is Alive Magic is Afoot (from a poem by Leonard Cohen)
Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah
Joni Mitchell - A Case of you- I have to say something about this. It was performed by Cat Edgerton, a piano and voice rendition that was one of the most beautiful things I've heard in a long time. The kind of beautiful that when she finished the audience actually sighed before the applause.
There was also an appearance by Ned Herman (I think I have that right) one of the legends of Chicago folk music who did a hilarious immitation of Joni Mitchell's quick singing and octive changes. Ed Holstein another legend from the Chicago folk scene performed as well.
I wish I could have stayed longer, but I was tired, my butt was numb, and having heard 31/2 hours of music for $13, I think I got my money's worth.
I saw two fabulous performances this weekend. Gounod's Faust at the Lyric Opera and Richie Havens at The Old Town School of Folk Music on Sunday.
It must be almost ten years since I last saw this production of Faust, and it was as magical this time around as when I first saw it. Faust is one of those stories that has been reinterpreted on stage, in opera, and literature many times. The story is simple enough...man sells his soul to the devil in exchange for youth and a beautiful innocent woman (Marguerite). Faust gets his wish; the young women is corrupted, the devil wins (sometimes) or the woman is redeemed but Faust isn't or both are redeemed.
A few standouts from this performance:
Ana Maria Martinez as Marguerite - a voice as pure as an angel. When I first starting going to opera 20+ years ago, many of the Big Name sopranos of the day appeared at Lyric. I was often disappointed that many seemed shrill or a bit flat or really pushing to hit high or low notes. Ana Maria Martinez represents one of the best of a new generation of singers. Her voice is strong but very nimble, she makes difficult passages sound effortless. No vocal breaks or unevennness; smooth throughout her vocal range.
Rene Pape as Mephistopheles - an excellent solid performance. There's usually a signature line for Mephistopheles; in this opera its a series of descending laughs, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, that go right to the bottom of the bass range. Samuel Ramay owned all the 'devil' roles at Lyric for many years, and while Rene Pape does a good job, his voice is not as rich as Ramay's. His stage presence is as good and his acting ability is a bit better than Ramay.
The Lyric Orchestra - Conductor Sir Andrew Davis, Lyric's music director for the last nine years once again makes the music sparkle. This orchestra has improved markedly since Sir Davis took over. No more playing over the singers, no more rushing through the score, the music beautifully supports the singers rather than overwhelming them.
Stage Direction - there were some nice touches. The crucifix in the church turning upside down when Mephistopheles appears is effectively creepy. But my favorite moment was at the beginning of Act IV, Scene III when the soldiers return from battle and are singing a triumphal march (cause its great to be a warrior and kill people). At the same time officers are folding flags and handing them to the distraught widows and mothers and sweethearts of the soldiers who did not return from the battle. The juxtaposition of the music and the little tableau being acted out was heartbreaking.
_______________
So tonight I saw Richie Havens in concert along with Harry Manx. At almost 70, Richie can stll strum a guitar faster than just about anybody and his voice is still intact. He stayed mostly with signature songs including All Along the Watchtower, Here comes the Sun, Freedom, and Maggie's Farm. Old Town has a large cadre of former hippie and hippie wannabes, and his performance was enthusiastically received.
The real suprise was his opening act - Harry Manx who has performed on Haven's last two CDs. Hailing from Canada, his music is a striking combination of smooth electric blues (reminiscent of Mark Knopler) and classic Indian rajas. He plays a mohan veena, an instrument used in classical Indian music that looks like really a bizarre slide guitar. His voice sounds a bit like Bruce Springsteen and he did a credible cover of "I'm on Fire." He plays almost all his guitars slide style and uses a recorded rhythm track with his songs.
To say that the crowd went wild, might be an understatement.
Check him out - http://www.harrymanx.com/main.html
Unfortunately, the track playing is not one that has the mohan veena on it, but if you go to http://www.dogmycatrecords.ca you can sample some tracks there.
That's what I've always loved about Old Town School, they serve up the classic performers, but manage to book musicians that can surprise and delight - anything from Tuvan throat singers to Native American flute to French Celtic Music.
I will try to catch up on previous performaces seen this month - Tosca, Arthur Miller's All my Sons and Animal Crackers based on the Marx brother musical/movie of the same name.
Two more plays next week - too much to do, too little time!
Posted with comments at the Opera Community: http://community.livejournal.com/opera/324618.htmlPosted with comments at the Folkfans Community: http://community.livejournal.com/folkfans/325460.html
Tags:
I saw two fabulous performances this weekend. Gounod's Faust at the Lyric Opera and Richie Havens at The Old Town School of Folk Music on Sunday.
It must be almost ten years since I last saw this production of Faust, and it was as magical this time around as when I first saw it. Faust is one of those stories that has been reinterpreted on stage, in opera, and literature many times. The story is simple enough...man sells his soul to the devil in exchange for youth and a beautiful innocent woman (Marguerite). Faust gets his wish; the young women is corrupted, the devil wins (sometimes) or the woman is redeemed but Faust isn't or both are redeemed.
A few standouts from this performance:
Ana Maria Martinez as Marguerite - a voice as pure as an angel. When I first starting going to opera 20+ years ago, many of the Big Name sopranos of the day appeared at Lyric. I was often disappointed that many seemed shrill or a bit flat or really pushing to hit high or low notes. Ana Maria Martinez represents one of the best of a new generation of singers. Her voice is strong but very nimble, she makes difficult passages sound effortless. No vocal breaks or unevennness; smooth throughout her vocal range.
Rene Pape as Mephistopheles - an excellent solid performance. There's usually a signature line for Mephistopheles; in this opera its a series of descending laughs, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, that go right to the bottom of the bass range. Samuel Ramay owned all the 'devil' roles at Lyric for many years, and while Rene Pape does a good job, his voice is not as rich as Ramay's. His stage presence is as good and his acting ability is a bit better than Ramay.
The Lyric Orchestra - Conductor Sir Andrew Davis, Lyric's music director for the last nine years once again makes the music sparkle. This orchestra has improved markedly since Sir Davis took over. No more playing over the singers, no more rushing through the score, the music beautifully supports the singers rather than overwhelming them.
Stage Direction - there were some nice touches. The crucifix in the church turning upside down when Mephistopheles appears is effectively creepy. But my favorite moment was at the beginning of Act IV, Scene III when the soldiers return from battle and are singing a triumphal march (cause its great to be a warrior and kill people). At the same time officers are folding flags and handing them to the distraught widows and mothers and sweethearts of the soldiers who did not return from the battle. The juxtaposition of the music and the little tableau being acted out was heartbreaking.
_______________
So tonight I saw Richie Havens in concert along with Harry Manx. At almost 70, Richie can stll strum a guitar faster than just about anybody and his voice is still intact. He stayed mostly with signature songs including All Along the Watchtower, Here comes the Sun, Freedom, and Maggie's Farm. Old Town has a large cadre of former hippie and hippie wannabes, and his performance was enthusiastically received.
The real suprise was his opening act - Harry Manx who has performed on Haven's last two CDs. Hailing from Canada, his music is a striking combination of smooth electric blues (reminiscent of Mark Knopler) and classic Indian rajas. He plays a mohan veena, an instrument used in classical Indian music that looks like really a bizarre slide guitar. His voice sounds a bit like Bruce Springsteen and he did a credible cover of "I'm on Fire." He plays almost all his guitars slide style and uses a recorded rhythm track with his songs.
To say that the crowd went wild, might be an understatement.
Check him out - http://www.harrymanx.com/main.html
Unfortunately, the track playing is not one that has the mohan veena on it, but if you go to http://www.dogmycatrecords.ca you can sample some tracks there.
That's what I've always loved about Old Town School, they serve up the classic performers, but manage to book musicians that can surprise and delight - anything from Tuvan throat singers to Native American flute to French Celtic Music.
I will try to catch up on previous performaces seen this month - Tosca, Arthur Miller's All my Sons and Animal Crackers based on the Marx brother musical/movie of the same name.
Two more plays next week - too much to do, too little time!
Posted with comments at the Opera Community: http://community.livejournal.com/opera/324618.htmlPosted with comments at the Folkfans Community: http://community.livejournal.com/folkfans/325460.html
Tags:
