// Concert reports! Concert reports! Concert reports!
// And more!
// Enjoy... [BP] 

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Subject: NN: Nanci in Santa Cruz: General
   Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 01:40:46 EST
   From:  BMiller224@aol.com

Santa Cruz is always a fun place for me to visit.  In the 1980s when I lived 
closer to there, I used to go down regularly to hear music at the Catalyst 
Club in downtown, where some of the best popular music acts still appear.  It 
has the distinction of being the first place Rosanne Cash did a solo show.

The 1989 earthquake was centered near there and really did major damage to 
the downtown area.  It took years for the downtown to be recover, although 
it's come back nicely.  So it still has a fresh look to me every time I go 
there.  And it's still developing and changing.  There's a new Borders there 
since I last noticed, anyway.  Not everyone would necessarily consider that 
progress.  But the hippie used bookstore is still there, too, where you can 
get 227 different books on Carl Jung as well as venerable classics like the 
collected essays of Karl Marx on suicide.

Nanci performed this past Tuesday at the Civic Auditorium, which is just a 
couple of blocks off the main downtown street.  The acoustics have been 
improved since the last time I was there, and the sound was good - although 
with some off moments, as Tricia mentioned.  Nanci did two sets with no 
opening act.

Given numerous reports from the last couple of years about Nanci sometimes 
appearing in a state of, uh, less than full concentration, I was a little 
apprehensive about what we might see and hear from her.  But she appeared 
poised and relaxed, even to the point that I thought the first set sounded a 
bit subdued.  Subdued, but very well done.  If she and the Blue Moon 
Orchestra occasionally seemed like they were walking through the paces, they 
were doing it beautifully.

Several of her numbers stood out for me in the first set:  a particularly sad 
"Tecumseh Valley," a sweet and pretty "Love at the Five and Dime" (how else 
could it be?), and a wistful but strong "Trouble in the Fields."  I always 
like the line in "Trouble" about "when the bankers swarmed like locusts."

But on her last number of the set, "Wall of Death," I thought, "Wow, she just 
woke up!"  It was an energetic version that brought out the best of the song, 
which is lively and playful and funny but also has a dark undertone that 
comes out on some of the edgier lines ("Let me ride on the Wall of Death one 
more time.")

The second set didn't have any of that routine feeling.  Nanci and the BMO 
delivered very good versions of "Boots of Spanish Leather," Guy Clark's "She 
Ain't Going Nowhere", "Tell Me Why" and "From a Distance."  She also did "The 
Hammer Song" and "It's a Hard Life."

For her encore, she did "Well All Right" and "Wing and a Wheel", adding 
variations on the latter about all her travels all over the world.  I think 
that version, which is what she does on DUST BOWL SYMPHONY, makes the song 
confusing, because it adds kind of an odd Horatio Alger 
up-by-your-own-bootstraps elements, while the main theme is about young 
dreamers who have grown up and drifted away from each other and are starting 
to feel a touch of middle-age bewilderment.  Doesn't quite fit.

The only new song she did was "Traveling Through That Part of You," which she 
explained was written with her ex-husband Eric in mind as she flew into 
Vietnam, where he served during the war.  It was nicely done and I enjoyed 
hearing a new song.  I was hoping she would do the one about the woman war 
correspondent, which made a stronger impression on me than "Traveling" in 
that online version by someone else on a radio show that Richard Hill pointed 
out to us last year. (Some of us do pay attention to those, Richard, thanks.) 
 She said the new album was due out in August, and is supposed to be called, 
"Clocks Without Hands."  Someone will surely correct me if my memory failed 
on the title.

Altogether, it was a really solid show and I enjoyed it a lot.  It was good 
to see Nanci seemingly feeling good and a treat to hear her talented 
performance.

Bruce Miller
Oakland CA

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Subject: NN: Nanci in Santa Cruz: the Political Songs
   Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 01:47:18 EST
   From: BMiller224@aol.com

Santa Cruz is a natural venue for Nanci's more "political" songs, which is the
term most people use for songs that carry some kind of moral comment on a
social issue.  I don't know about the last few years, but I remember that the
city council in Santa Cruz had a (self-described) socialist majority not too
long ago, a thing that in the US happens only there and in Vermont, I believe.

Even in Berkeley, where the liberals are the "right", the left side calls
themselves something else. (For our European friends, trust me, "liberals" in
America are normally considered the "left".) Berkeley just this week passed  a
city ordinance changing the definition of pet "owners" to "owner/guardians."

I'm glad I live next door in Oakland where the politics are normal!

Santa Cruz, Berkeley, you get the drift...

So, Nanci did a good job in her second set on "It's a Hard Life." But as much
as I like that song, I think it's time for her to retire it from her concert
repertoire for a couple of years. Or at least repackage it, with new verses or
new variations in the melody, or new stories to introduce it, or something.

Her performance of Pete Seeger's "The Hammer Song," though, was unusually
effective. She introduced it with a story about going to Vietnam as part of the
landmine project, and about playing it at the American Embassy in Hanoi, the
opening of which was a major gesture of reconciliation. The US Ambassador, who
had been a prisoner of war there, told her afterward that they had been
forbidden to sing in the "Hanoi Hilton" prison. But he thought of that song
every morning when he woke up.  This gave the audience a new way to hear the
song, from the perspective of someone literally forbidden to have a "song to
sing."

That song was effective because she performed it in a passionate tone and
introduced it by giving the audience not only some sense of the song's long
history but a fresh way to understand it.  Some might say that "Hard Life"is to
a Nanci Griffith performance what "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" is to Tony
Bennett.  But, unlike Tony's song or "Hammer", "Hard Life" is a serious, even
somber protest anthem, which ends on a pessimistic note that could be heard as
resignation as much as anger.  "We've made it a hard life wherever they go.
It's a haaa-aaard life."

The in-your-face, out-of-my-way-you-fat-racist-bigot approach of "Hard Life"
doesn't fit very well in the overall tone of Nanci's current show.  The
anti-landmine cause she's presently advocating is in part explicitly political,
though it's not one that's a red-meat issue to the other side.

But it also involves clinics to treat landmine victims, a humanitarian cause
that even the most "uncompassionate conservative" would find it hard to fault. 
And she can present it, as she did Tuesday, with lots of appreciative comments
about veterans, which even in Santa Cruz is a safe topic these days.  Even
there, not one "child of the sixties" jumped up to yell out, "What about
honoring the draft resisters?"

In fact, as I was returning for the second set, I heard a couple behind me
talking.  The woman was saying with resolve, "I'm going to become a Republican,
get married and really be straight." To which the guy replied ,"I'm not going
to become a Republican, but I do want to get my taxes cut."

Maybe Nanci is having a more calming effect on the audience than she used to.
And, if that keeps her on an even keel and delivering solid performances like
on Tuesday, maybe that's the best place for her to be right now.

Bruce Miller
Oakland CA

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Subject: Re: NN: Nanci in Santa Cruz: General
   Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 10:54:28 EST
   From: Tricia9999@aol.com

BMiller224@aol.com writes:

>The second set didn't have any of that routine feeling. Nanci and the BMO
>delivered very good versions of "Boots of Spanish Leather," Guy Clark's "She
>Ain't Going Nowhere", "Tell Me Why" and "From a Distance."  She also did
>"The Hammer Song" and "It's a Hard Life."

Bruce and I seemed to have very similar reactions to the show. Just wanted to 
add that she also did Ford Econoline right after She Ain't Going Nowhere. She 
had to tell each band member that she was inserting it, saying she forgot to 
put it on the set list, but that it fit well after Guy's song.

That's it for now,
Tricia

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Subject: NN: Nanci Concert Report @UCLA
   Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 10:04:05 -0800
   From: "Musicant, Paul" (Paul.Musicant@CAX.USA.XEROX.COM>

        Just an engineering report on the Newport Folk Festival event at
UCLA's Royce Hall Thursday night, March 1:

        The 8 o'clock concert began at 8:15 with Rodney Crowell performing
for about 35 minutes. Nanci then joined Rodney for 1 song, and Nanci then
departed the stage. Guy Clark then joined Rodney for 2 songs; then Rodney
left the stage for the rest of the evening. Guy Clark remained on stage,
introduced an accompanist on acoustic guitar, and performed about 30
minutes. At this point, Nanci re-entered the stage and joined Guy for 3
songs; I don't know the titles, but the best was a haunting melody
emphasizing Spanish Steps--hopefully Guy Clark aficionados know the song.
Now, at 9:45, we took an intermission.

        At 10:05, Nanci appeared with the downsized, economy version of the
Blue Moon Orchestra, consisting entirely and solely of James Hooker. Nanci
and James performed the following set (titles may not be word-for-word
accurate, but you folks know the songs):

        1. Speed of the Sound of Loneliness
        2. Flyer
        3. Not My Way Home
        4. Love at the Five & Dime
        5. My Life as an Open Book
        6. Two for the Road
        7. Nanci's recent Vietnam (landmine) song--I don't know the title
        8. Ford Econoline (very strange with only Nanci's guitar and James'
keyboard)
        9. Boots of Spanish Leather--best song of the night, most applause;

        (Guy Clark and accompanist returned to stage)

        10. If I Had A Hammer

        (Nanci's 6 1/2 year-old great-nephew or grand-nephew joined the
group, playing a mini-acoustic guitar.)

        11. It's A Hard Life

        (nephew exits)

        12. Guy & Nanci sing one of Guy's songs; again, I don't the title,
but the words emphasize "Old Friends".
        
        (concert ends)

        (encore) 13. Well All Right

        The encore ended about 11:15.

        It was a pleasant evening of good music, but nothing amazingly
spectacular. Royce Hall was significantly filled, but there were plenty of
empty rear seats in the balcony, allow me to adjourn in my own private
space, listening as if Nanci were singing to individual listeners, not to a
concert audience. This really worked well with "Boots of Spanish Leather",
sailing away on a private voyage.

        Nanci was in good voice, and seemed in good spirits. ...but I sure
miss Lee Satterfield......

        Nanci mentioned her new album is now due in August...

        (How do you stop the Spelling Checker from wanting to change Nanci
to Nancy??? ignore, ignore, ignore)

Paul Musicant (Paul.Musicant@cax.usa.xerox.com)

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Subject: NN: Cerritos performance
   Date: Sun, 04 Mar 2001 10:14:33 -0800
   From: Kim Cline (threebf@pacbell.net>

Hey folks,
Thought I'd pass on a few impressions from last night's Newport Folk
Festival performance of Nanci, Guy Clark & Rodney Crowell in Cerritos,
California. Rodney Crowell opened with about 50 songs...oh, I'm sorry,
it just seemed that way to me.  Actually, he's a very talented singer
and really shined later doing some high harmony with Guy Clark.  Nanci
came out and did a rough accompaniment with him on one song (don't
remember the title) but my fears of a less than stellar performance from
our girl was quashed when she came out alone later (oops, James was with
her).  Next was Guy Clark and his trusty sidekick Verlon Thompson.
Verlon Thompson is an unbeleivable guitar player.  With Guy's fantastic
stage presence and Verlon's interlacing leads with a pretty good player
in Guy, we knew we'd come to the right place. Nanci came out to
harmonize with Guy's Dublin Blues.  The first 45 seconds were magical.
I found myself shedding a tear or two.  The song was a prrecursor to
intermission and I think Guy must have started thinking about a
cigarette break and forgot some words as did Nanci but they survived the
song and Nanci was to come out alone next.
Nanci came out wearing a long lavendar two piece dress thing (give me a
break, I'm a guy), black boots (of Spanish leather?) and a silk scarf
(probably the Cambodian one's they sold to raise funds for her Landmine
cause).  Her hair was in a disapointing bun. Here are a few songs I
remember in her set, not necessarily in the proper order:
Speed of the Sound of Lonliness
Flyer
There's a light beyond the Woods (She & James did a magical rendition of
this one)
Life is an open book
Boots of Spanish Leather
Love at the Five & Dime
It's a Hard Life (her 61/2 yr. old grand nephew accomp. her on guitar
and sang the "child of the 90's line" Very cute.
~This part of you (her new song to Eric Taylor about her trip to Viet
Nam)
Ford Econoline (she no longer has the high notes on this one but I no
longer have all my hair and my wife still loves me)
The Hammer Song
Well Alright
Nanci said that her C.D. is done (Clock without Hands) and should be
released August 2001.  Can anyone tell me why it'll take this long?

Warm regards,
Kim Cline

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Subject: NN: concert report
   Date: Sun, 04 Mar 2001 13:18:33 -0800
   From: James Wolf (jim-wolf@pacbell.net>

cerritos performing arts center march 3   2001

nanci, beautiful as always in a classic lavender dress and her black
spanish leather boots, decorated with
her LBJ button and her scarf made by the women of a village in 
cambodia(supported by nanci and others involved
with the anti landmine campaign).   Never been more emotionally moved by 
her performance.  Partial set list
sound of the speed of loneliness, flyer, love at the five and dime, 
these days in an open book, light beyond these woods,
(made me cry ) spanish boots of spanish leather, ford econoline, the 
hammer song, hard life whereever you go,(with special
guest 6 year old nephew,gutarist)  new song honoring Eric Taylor and
Vietnam Vets titled  This part of you.  Ford Econoline,
Well all right.  Compliments to James Hooker and Nanci for performing a
most memorable  show.   Loved watching
Nanci pass the torch to the future generation  and setting the example.
(Hard life where ever you go)
The nice gal sitting next to me gave Nanci flowers when she first came
out for her set.  NG put her guitar down and
accepted the flowers so very gracefully.  Thanked her and smiled.  
Several times during her set Nanci looked at me and saw the tears in my 
eyes,  running down my cheeks,  I had to look
away.   Looked up again and she smiled at me. said, It's ok to cry , 
without saying a word..  Nanci, as long as you will play
your music live, I will come to see you and connect with you.    I 
overheard the gal next to me say, "Nanci's music brings
my life such happiness and I charish the warmth that it brings me.  
Tonite it brought me tears of joy.  I will never forget this nite..     

Hooker, you are better than ever. Nanci you're an angel.  Hope all the
other nice folks there enjoyed it too.
jimmy wolf
 newport beach

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Subject: Cerritos Concert Reports
   Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2001 15:08:44 -0800
   From: "John Houser" (jchouser@earthlink.net>

Ok, gotta come out of lurkdom for a second...

We had from James:

> light beyond these woods (made me cry)

and Kim:

> There's a light beyond the Woods (She & James did
> a magical rendition of this one)

Any more details? I've been to a bunch of Nanci shows and never heard that
one performed live (bummed, as it's one of my favorites, BTW)...

> Several times during her set Nanci looked at me
> and saw the tears in my eyes, running down my cheeks,  I
> had to look away. Looked up again and she smiled at me. said,
> It's ok to cry, without saying a word.

How I went from being a fan to a FAN - same thing happened when I saw her at
Seattle's Bumblesoot Festival (96? 97?). She did From a Distance in several
languages - got me going with the misty stuff - then LATFAD with a slightly
different ending and I got mistier - anyways, she looked down square on and
she smiled her megawatt smile and, well, the rest is history. On this dark
and blustery day (Central Coast of CA feels a lot like Seattle today, only
fair, they took our earthquake), thanks for reminding me...

BTW, Seattle folks, I'm so thankful for the relatively miraculous results
from a reasonably big quake - thinking of y'all along with my family and
friends up there...

Rachel :)

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Subject: NN: Lucy Kaplansky at the Cactus
   Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 01:10:32 -0600
   From: Rachel Strain (rjs@mail.utexas.edu>

I hope that some local fellow Nancinetters were lucky enough to go 
see Lucy Kaplansky at the Cactus Cafe here in Austin last night.  For 
all that I live here in Austin, I very seldom see true folk music, 
with one person, a guitar, and a mic.  It was a great show.

(One little peek out from chronic lurkdom!)

In Texas spirit,
Rachel :)

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Subject: NN: Milennium Album
   Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 07:47:15 -0500
   From: James_Troiano@umit.maine.edu (James Troiano)

Hi folks: I haven't posted anything for quite a while. I haven't had
much to say, but anxiously await the album Clock Without Hands. I did
read the novel by Carson McCullers and loved it. Many of the themes we
see permeate Nanci's music are in the novel. I look forward to seeing
Nanci this summer and would love a repeat of the Atlanta concert.
Remembering so many wonderful folks helps  Wendy and me through this
long winter. The main reason I wrote was to ask if anyone heard Nanci's
new album aby MCA? It has many old songs which I have in so many other
albums. The question is wheteher the sound is that much better than the
originals. I tend to buy anything new by Nanci, but await word on this
one. See you, Jim Troiano

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Subject: Re: NN: Nanci in Santa Cruz
   Date: Fri, 02 Mar 2001 08:40:16 -0600
   From: Darlene Dralus (darlene@star3.vbhcs.org>

From: Tricia9999@aol.com

>My favorite story was of her New Year's Eve - she and many others, including
>other Nashville musicians, had nothing to do on New Year's Eve, so they found
>themselves at a local bar/restaurant called, I think, Brown's(?). 

It's probably Brown's Diner.  Cheap beer, cheap burgers.  It basically 
looks like a couple of junky trailers that have been tacked together, 
and it's supposed to be quit the hangout, although I've never seen any 
celebrities there myself.  (Sadly my only Nashville star encounter was 
with Garth Brooks, not NG or Emmylou or any number of other folks I've 
come to adore.)  If you're ever in Nashville, drop by.  It's just off 
the corner of 21st Ave. and Blair, tucked behind the Mapco.  Take I-440 
to 21st Ave (like you are headed to Vanderbilt), and the second light 
should be Blair.  Take the left and there you go.

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Subject: NN: Kasey/Lee/Tom (no Nanci content)
   Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 07:44:51 -0800 (PST)
   From: t t (tastho@yahoo.com>

I noticed a couple people mentioned Kasey in the last
digest. I dig her music too, and am going to see her
tomorrow in Durham. She’s opening for Robert Earl
Keen. Thought I’d pass along some info I have
regarding her next record:

Kasey Chambers already has a new album near completion.  It will be Called
"Barricades and Brick Walls" and will feature Lucinda Williams, Matthew Ryan,
Fred Eaglesmith and a duet with Paul Kelly. Gram Parsons' song "Still Feelin'
Blue" will also be covered.  The projected release date in Australia is
mid-June. The release date in the states hasn’t been announced yet by Warner
Brothers. Kasey Chambers will be appearing on The Late Late Show With Craig
Kilborn (CBS) on March 20.

I also have to chime in and second the recommendation
of Lee Smith’s novel “Devil’s Dream”.

That’s’ all for now. 
Tasha

NP: Tom Russell’s new one  - “Borderland”. This is my
first listen, but so far so good!

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Subject: NN: New Years Eve
   Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 12:23:04 -0500
   From: "Richard" (rweintraut@email.msn.com>

>And she
>said "no-one got drunk, no-one came to blows, no-one lost an 
>eye,"  just had
>an impromptu musical experience with all having a wonderful time. 

I don't know if this is the same night... or even if this story is true...

But I heard, from a real good Nashville source,  that one night
Nanci, Emmylou and John Prine ended up at the same house 
sitting around playing music..

Now would that be a house concert or what !!!!!

Weintraut

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Subject: NN: I Dream of Jeannie
   Date: Sat, 03 Mar 2001 10:24:18 -0600
   From: Ron Hennessy (rhennesy@coserv.net>

(This has little or no Nanci-connection, except for her liking Stephen
Foster.  And, as it may be of interest to no one but me, I won't feel bad if
it is blocked.)

Following Shawn's recommendation, I've been searching the Library of
Congress web site for old songs:
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/finder.html.

Having no luck there with searches for sheet music of the ragtime piano
pieces of Scott Joplin and the equally great James Scott (mostly written in
the first two decades of the 20th century), I looked for and found several
of Stephen Foster's songs from the late 19th century.  I downloaded and
printed "Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair," apparently first published in
1882.

I've loved this sentimental song of lost love since the '40s, when I first
heard Bing Crosby sing it in an unforgettable version.

I was curious about more particulars of this recording, and found a great
Bing Crosby web site:
	www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/pennvalley/biology/lewis/crosby/.

Bing recorded "Jeanie" with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra in 1940.

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Subject: Re: NN: I Dream of Jeannie (NNC)
   Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 12:03:17 EST
   From: Catelaw@aol.com

rhennesy@coserv.net writes:

> I looked for and found several
>  of Stephen Foster's songs from the late 19th century.  I downloaded and
>  printed "Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair," apparently first published in
>  1882.

This is indeed a beautiful song...one of my favorite interpretations of it is 
by Joan Baez on her mid-70's gem (excuse the word play) "Diamonds and Rust."  
Her voice cracks a bit on one of the high notes, but it's still quite lovely.

Cate, "here comes your ghost again" in Atlanta

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Subject: Re: NN: Cerritos performance
   Date: Sun, 4 Mar 01 18:44:14 -0000
   From: John Edward Graveling (kai21@dial.pipex.com>

Oviously Nanci's new cd is now at the mercy of the record label 
schedules. Hence it being slated for August. The industry plan way ahead 
so their marketing and press/media gurus can get to work to generate the 
necessary business. To the labels it's all business and how many units 
they can shift. To us fans, it's music and art. Therein lies the rub!!! 
The labels will look for a slot to release the record when there is 
little competition and they can fill the press with reviews.

John Graveling

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Subject: NN: Jam Bands
   Date: Fri, 02 Mar 2001 08:53:51 -0500
   From: Steve Robertson (stever@mindspring.com>

This old fogey learned something while reading the new issue of "Acoustic
Guitar". The subject first entered my consciousness back in October of last
year, when I volunteered for the Harvest Festival- mainly to see the Guy
Clark set without having to buy a very expensive ticket. There was a lot of
bluegrass music at the festival, but none of the bands seemed to like the
idea of being identified as traditional bluegrass bands. They all claimed to
be "newgrass" or "jazz influenced".

"Acoustic Guitar" says that all these bands fall into the category of "Jam
Bands"- following in the footsteps of the Grateful Dead. Now I understand
why there were so many latter-day "Flower Children" dancing around the
grounds ;-) According to the article, the Nashville for jam bands is
Nederland, Colorado. Some of the top groups include Leftover Salmon, the
Yonder Mountain String Band, the String Cheese Incident, and the Acoustic
Syndicate.

The best band in this category that I have heard is a local Atlanta group
call Blueground Undergrass. You can judge for yourself at their MP3 page:
	http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/26/blueground_undergrass.html

Those of you lucky enough to be going to the Suwanee Sprigfest will get a
chance to se many of these groups- including Blueground Undergrass.

The grandaddy of the jam band movement would have to be David Grisman. He
bridges the gap- having lent his mandolin talents to recordings with Jerry
Garcia and the best of the newgrass musicians. His record label- Acoustic
Disc- has one of the nicest web sites I have found. While there, check out
their newest release- "Songs from Rancho DeVille" by Charles Sawtelle and
many special guests.

Charles passed away recently, but he spent most of his career as a member of
Hot Rize- with Tim O'Brien and Pete Wernick, who is the current president of
the International Bluegrass Music Assn. This album is the one he was working
on when he died. All profits from the sale of this album are being donated
to the Bluegrass Trust- a fund for musicians in need that is administered by
the IBMA.

-- 
>From the Georgia Pines,
Steve Robertson

====================================
_________Fiddlin' Around____________
The Journal of American Roots Music
          on the web at
      http://www.starchart.com/
====================================

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Subject: NN: RE: Jam Bands
   Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 11:20:11 -0500
   From: "Panchyshyn,Roman" (panchysr@oclc.org>

Steve,
Is that really your picture under the "From the Publisher" section of the
e-zine? 
There are some beautiful photographs at your site, really nice photography.
Roman from Ohio

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