// Hey! Another digest that mostly focuses on news about Nanci Griffith
// and her music! This could become habit-forming. Enjoy! [BP]

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Subject: NN: Re: Found in the record bin
   From: "Hank Van Slyke" (Chevelle@pnx.com>

Joe Blau's post about the online CD "record bin" was pretty good.  Thanks,
Joe!

A couple of weeks ago, at a flea market, there was a stack of yellowed
plastic-covered CDs for $3.50 each, so I flipped through them and found John
Prine Live, 1988, on Oh Boy Records.  It was produced by Jim Rooney (a
familiar name) and had 19 songs on it.  Most of them recorded at a small
place on the West Coast, The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano.   Sometimes
it pays to go to them kind of markets.

After listening to Nanci's newest, OV2, for about the thirtieth time, it all
seems familiar now, all very pleasant to listen to, and the occasional
pronounciations that used to be discussed a lot are now just "features" of
the songs.  I kinda look forward to them now.  Remember what they used to
say about bugs in software, that a bug with seniority becomes a feature?
Yeah, those things in Nanci's songs stylings are the comfortable worn edges
in our favorite sweater.

Happy pre-Thanksgiving weekend, y'all!

Hank "gonna deep-fry the turkey while the Shiner disappears" Van Slyke

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Subject: NN: Emmylou at A2 Folk Fest
   From: Halesbop@aol.com

I just returned from a John Gorka concert at the Ark. During his set break he
read off some info on the 1999 Ann Arbor Folk Festival. The lineup hasn't been
officially announced or posted on the website yet, so what he said was news to
me and may be of interest to some NN and Moonpie listers. He said Emmylou
Harris will headline the January 30 event, at Hill Auditorium. I don't
remember all the others (and don't think he had the full slate), but he listed
Buddy and Julie Miller, Kelly Jo Phelps, Karen Savoca, Moxy Frivous, Altan and
Carrie Newcomber among the  performers. No Nanci or Kate, but it looks to be a
good one this year. 
        General ticket sales don't begin until Nov. 30 and complete details will
be
available next weekend, but Ark members' and higher-priced patron and sponsor
tickets are available now. If interested, Ark website is at: www.a2ark.org

-Steve


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Subject: NN: symphonic Nanci - check your stereotypes! ;-)
   From: susan bond (su.b@sk.sympatico.ca>

Hi people,

Before everyone decides that folk/pop music and orchestras are too weird a
combination to imagine, do a quick check on your stereotypes. When someone
says "orchestra", what's the first thing that comes to mind? 80-100
intense-looking musicians working away on Beethoven, or Mozart, or
Stravinsky? Now try and delete that image, and think of it as a collection
of a bunch of different instruments that can be used in the arrangement of
some of your favourite songs. Do movie soundtracks bother you? (....if you
even notice them)  Often, they're classical; nowadays, you get people like
Ry Cooder and Mark Knoppfler composing film scores. The point is, they're a
collection of instruments and notes that create atmosphere.

Tonight I had the great pleasure of seeing an acclaimed Canadian songstress
- Connie Kaldor - in concert with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra. I had
no idea what to expect. Knowing that she has a penchant for storytelling
and cracking lots of jokes during her performances, I wondered what would
happen when she was onstage with The Symphony. My assumption, my mistake.
:-)   The Symphony was onstage with her. It was definitely her show, and
the audience loved it. She did a few songs by herself, with her two-member
backup band, and there were of course many with the symphony. But not all
the symphony played all the time. One number had her playing piano and
singing, with two cello players. One percussionist spent most numbers
playing a trap set (drum kit). Sometimes, there would be instruments
playing melodic lines alone - that might have been given to a fiddle or
guitar or mandolin in a pop arrangement - then the whole orchestra, or at
least all the strings, might join in on the chorus.

I guess what I'm saying is that the Connie Kaldor concert with the SSO
never sounded too "symphonic", if that makes any sense. And that is what I
think people are fearing.

If Nanci says "it's the opportunity to do my music to its fullest extent
and push that envelope as far as I can with the music", then I would say she's
an artist looking to experiment with painting with a full palette.  If she says
she wants to "have everything there that I ever wanted as a writer, composer and
musician", we might just want to be excited about that! I've read on this list
that she is also working on writing a novel. Great! These new directions aren't
things which will divert her from some imagined path that the public might have.
Some artists thrive on experimenting with different forms of expression, and
when this happens, they tend to each feed the other, on some level. And then we
- the viewing and listening public - reap the rewards as we become inspired - or
intrigued, or mystified! - by whatever is produced.  :-)

just my $.02 CDN worth,
Susan Bond

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Subject: Re: NN: symphonic Nanci - check your stereotypes! ;-)
   From: Shawn Kimbro (kimbro@planetc.com>

Susan Bond wrote:
 
> If Nanci says "it's the opportunity to do my music to its fullest extent
> and push that envelope as
> far as I can with the music", then I would say she's an artist looking to
> experiment with painting with a full palette.  

I see your point Susan, and I think it's very valid.  Hasn't she already
used that full palettte before on LNGH?  I guess I'm still longing for
the primary color days when Nanci was finger painting on her Taylor
guitar with deep deep shades of blue.

Warm Regards, 
-Shawn
 ______________Nanci Is My Aeroplane_________________
|              __       ____         Shawn Kimbro    |
| "Does it     | \____o__/_/___|    Morristown, TN   |
|  ever shine  \(>-----_/_/____]>         ~          |
|  down on you?"        `o     |  kimbro@planetc.com |
|_______ http://www.geocities.com/~trailzzone _______|


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Subject: NN: My Top Ten
   From: Ron Crain (ron@arken.net>

IMHO, you guys need some variation of top ten lists that go beyond the folk
boundaries, yet doesn't go to the extremes of Madonna and MM.  Here's what
I've bought this last year and am constantly rotating through.

In no particular order, so I'll list Nanci first:

1. Nanci, OV too.
2. Remembering Kate Wolf
3. Bela Fleck and the Flecktones - Left of Cool
4. Jesse Cook - Vertigo  (Canadian guitarist)
5. Sounds of Wood & Steel - A Windham Hill Collection (This is the album of
guitarists using Taylor guitars - and the producer acknowledged Nanci for
introducing him to Taylor Guitars).
6. Gypsy Soul - New Flamenco (a dozen top guitarists)
7. Al Di Meola - The infinite Desire
8. Jerry Jeff Walker - Cowboy boots & Bathin' Suits. (My have been a '97
release though).

I'm two shy of the top 10, but that's all that I bought this year that I like.



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Subject: NN: A Symphonic Nanci: theological distinctions
   From: "R. H. Mitchell" (o41@erols.com>

OK, some of us will like symphonic Nanci and some of us won't and none 
of us should pre-judge.  But always bearing in mind that the music is 
what's important, not the label we put on the music, at what point do we 
stop calling Nanci's music folk music and start calling it pop?  I'm an 
Aristotelian not a Platonist, so I don't believe there's some Ideal of 
Folk Music up in the heavens, but then I don't see any reason to shun 
the word "pop" either.

Reid Pedantic Mitchell


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Subject: NN: A Symphonic Nanci
   From: Bill Page (bpage@scctel.com>

Okay, y'all...

Close your eyes and remember: Nanci on stage, the Boston Pops behind her, Bela
Fleck and Hooker in the background, Kirsten and Megan watching on...pretty good
memory, huh? And the sound was great, wasn't it?

And those of you who saw the Nashville Ballet setting of Nanci's music, arranged
by that genius Ronn Huff. The music was great, huh?

You know, the only time I've seen Emmylou Harris in a live performance was with
the Jacksonville (FL). Super show. 

Do I like the simple acoustic sound of early Nanci? Of course. Do I dread the
sound of a sypmhonic setting of Nanci's music? Not one iota.

Bill "I was an instrumental music major in college" Page

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Subject: Re: NN: My Top Ten (Cowboy Boots)
   From: Halesbop@aol.com

Ron list's JJW's 'Cowboy Boots...' in his Top Ten. I mentioned this cd as
well, but the notes on the cd give it 1997 copyright, so I didn't count it.
Still, I never saw or heard it in '97, so I wonder if maybe it shouldn't be
considered eligible for 98--maybe it really didn't come out til early this
year? I suppose it doesn't much matter, as so far only two of us seem to have
voted for it. But if it were to be a legitimate '98 contender, it would
definitely be in my Top Ten, and if I had to rank them, possibly even Number
One. I like it that much.

Steve


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Subject: Re: NN: symphonic Nanci - check your stereotypes! ;-)
   From: John Hodges (jqhodges@uclink4.berkeley.edu>

my stereo type is a magnavox 5 cd changer, with dual cassette deck and 15
pre-set stations.

looking forward to hearing about others' stereo types.

John "and my sense of humor is sophomoric" Hodges



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Subject: Re: Re: NN: symphonic Nanci - check your stereotypes! ;-)
   From: DickFile@aol.com

Folkies,

And then there's the other side of the sterotypical music coin....  the
classical devotee.

They might be just as aghast at having a folk artist (or even "pop" singer)
interrupting such fine musical efforts of the LSO.

Dick "can't we all get along?" File


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Subject: Re: Re: NN: symphonic Nanci - check your stereotypes! ;-)
   From: susan bond (su.b@sk.sympatico.ca>

Dick File wrote:

>And then there's the other side of the sterotypical music coin....  the
>classical devotee.
>
>They might be just as aghast at having a folk artist (or even "pop" singer)
>interrupting such fine musical efforts of the LSO.
>
>Dick "can't we all get along?" File

:-D

There are purists everywhere, aren't there?!
I think I'm a devotee of just about anything I'm moved to hum along with....

I asked my daughter, who plays violin in the symphony (that played with
Connie Kaldor last night in S'toon), what the orchestra thought about this.
They generally loved it, and loved her. Many were smiling as they walked
out from backstage after the concert. The lead string bass player said that
he found her very easy to get along with in rehearsal. Some artists are
fussy. It may all boil down to personality, who knows....  ;-)

I personally don't think that the LSO could resist the charms of Nanci.... :-)

- Susan B

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Subject: Re: NN: A Symphonic Nanci
   From: Shawn Kimbro (kimbro@planetc.com>

Bill Page wrote:

> Close your eyes and remember: Nanci on stage, the Boston Pops behind her, Bela
> Fleck and Hooker in the background, Kirsten and Megan watching on...pretty good
> memory, huh? And the sound was great, wasn't it?
> 
> And those of you who saw the Nashville Ballet setting of Nanci's music, arranged
> by that genius Ronn Huff. The music was great, huh?

Yes, and yes.  The Nashville Ballet was the most memorable show of the
past year for me.  I gotta admit, the pearls and pumps on a couple of
NanciNet pals I met there kinda turned my head.  But you know, I stood
in the bar line for 15 minutes.  When I got up to a pretty bartender in
a black velvet dress, I asked for a PBR.  She gave me a blank look so I
went for the classier Miller High Life.  Still no reply so I tried for
Genuine Draft, nope. After I very slowly and carefully sounded out the
syllables "bud-wise-er," she sighed and look down her nose declaring
"red, white or champaign."  I took the one with bubbles.

Oh, but one thing I liked.  The top hat and fur crowd didn't know
nuthin' about seat jumping.  After the first act, some NN regulars
traded in their cheap balcony chairs for some unoccupied ones right in
front of Ms. Griffith.  The only other time I've seen her that close was
in a little honky-tonk bar...... where, by the way, they served PBR! ;-)

Warm Regards, 
-Shawn 
 __________________Nanci Is My Aeroplane____________________
|                     __       ____         Shawn Kimbro    |
| "And they danced    | \____o__/_/___|    Morristown, TN   |
|  all night to the   \(>-----_/_/____]>         ~          |
|  fiddle and the banjo"       `o     |  kimbro@planetc.com |
|__________ http://www.geocities.com/~trailzzone ___________|

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Questions about NanciNet?  Send e-mail to bpage@scctel.com