Lucas Fischer

--> Last night was a busy music night and I didn't go out with thoughts of writing.

My bad.

I started with the Leader Telegram's Warm The Children benefit at Whiskey's, under the radio tower in Eau Claire. “Warm The Children, entering its 20th year...continues through Dec. 24. The newspaper accepts donations to buy warm clothing, then lines up volunteer shoppers to accompany disadvantagedfamilies to shop for children’s clothing. One-hundred percent of donations go for clothing, said Mike Carlson, director of circulation and marketing for the newspaper and Warm the Children coordinator.” The benefit was organized by Dave Shoenrock and Dave Showed-And-Rocked last night. I'm not going to write a lot about it—like I said, my intention was to just enjoy myself—but the cause is worth mentioning and the music was great. I left early but I did see the following bands:

G-String Theory

Rhythm Posse

JFT Party Band

The Pheromones

I'll be writing about these bands, but not today. I missed The Big Deeks, FMDown and Phoenix. So much music, so little time. All the musicians donated their time to Warm The Children and a great time was had by all. (A note about Whiskey's:  It's one of the few area bar/restaurants set up to play live music.)

After leaving Warm The Children I headed to the Sheeley House to catch Lucas Fischer's solo act.

I first met Luke when he was teamed with Catya and I've watched him with interest. This guy keeps getting better. He works at Schmitt Music and plays in various bands including Code Blue with Catya, Eggplant Heroes, AcoustiHoo and Rhythm Posse. (Yep, Luke played at Warm The Children, then packed his guitars and zipped to Chippewa.) I'd seen Luke with these bands, but didn't catch him solo until last night. (Read more about Catya and Eggplant Heroes.)

Luke is a major talent. In his mid-20s, he's open and friendly and quick to smile. Luke's parents, Debbie and Mike, are both music enthusiasts and Mike is on the board of the Chippewa Valley Blues Society. I get the impression that Luke was weaned on music. Though he's one of the best guitar players in the area, he's humble and genuinely grateful when complimented. He has sleepy eyes that hint an old soul and his music heightens this notion. His voice is raspy-sophisticated and I disagree with the oft-heard Tom Waits comparison. I get why people say it, but I think it's more the juxtaposition of an old voice coming out of young man than of Luke sounding like Mr Waits. And while I know Luke will wince when he reads this, I love the way his eyes roll-up, almost orgasmic-like, when he sings. He was born for music; it is an essential part of him and I love seeing that displayed on stage.

I came in a little late and was, quite frankly, tired. My plan was to stay for a couple of songs and head for bed. But Luke's music kept me longer than intended. I didn't plan to write him, but I found myself pulling out my little notebook and jotting notes. I love it when someone takes an old song and makes it new, puts their own spin on it--their own interpretation--and Luke is a master. He does a great version of the blues standard, Kansas City, as well as Tom Waits' Make It Rain and Johnny Cash's Folsom Blues.

I'd heard him cover those songs before and I was delighted to hear more of his repertoire. Talk about original. He played an acoustic-percussion version of All Along The Watchtower that—mysteriously and seamlessly—melded into No Woman No Cry. I'm not sure why it worked. The only thing I can figure is that he reggaed-down Watchtower and rocked-up No Woman. And it really did work.

Other songs played last night were Jane Says by Jane's Addiction, Van Morrison's Crazy Love, Tool's Pushit, Marshal Tucker's Can't You See, Hank Williams' Jambalaya, Elvis' Blue Suede Shoes, Dylan's Tangled Up In Blue and finally The Grateful Dead's Jack Straw. I'm an old Deadhead and always perk up when I hear them covered. Mostly I hear Friend Of The Devil and had never heard anyone do Jack Straw. Last night Luke nailed it, putting his unique edge to it. He also did two originals.

Poor Man's Ridge is a fast-paced bluesy song about revisiting a childhood spot and partying like a teenager. 5AM is a slow, floaty—almost jazzy—song about how quickly time flies in new love. (Click the links to hear Luke and his originals in Catya's band, Code Blue.)

When I said Lucas Fischer is a major talent I meant it. I've been watching him now for about four years and each time I see him he gets better. And he's only in his 20s. I can only imagine the music he'll be playing in another 10 years.

Two Rivers

The VFW might seem like an unlikely place to catch live music, but that's where I was yesterday for most of the afternoon. I went because Sue Orfield and Randy Sinz were playing and ended up enjoying myself so much I stayed after the music ended.

Sue and Randy play together with various different bands: AcoustiHoo; Catya's Trio; Code Blue; The Sue Orfield Band; and Rada Dada but when it's the only the two of them booked, they call themselves Two Rivers. To make things just a little more confusing, they rarely play alone as Two Rivers because they frequently have friends sitting in with them. And this was so last night when Gregg Wheeler joined them. Gregg is a tall, slim, cowboy-booted harmonica player. He also plays guitar and sings. But before I get into the music, let me fill you in on the venue and the reason these three were playing.

There was a benefit yesterday for a person with cancer. I'm not personally acquainted with the person and won't put the name in this blog—it's not my place. It's my impression that while there were many family and friends at the benefit, there were also a lot of people like me there, people who like music and were more than happy to donate for a noble cause. I can only imagine how strange it must have been and I know I would have been both overwhelmingly grateful and really uncomfortable had it been me. Enough said.

I will say that it was the most well-organized benefit I've ever been to. There was a huge amount of donated items: a long table-full of baked goods; original art; baskets from a ton of local and East Coast businesses; official Packers memorabilia; handmade jewelry; a handsome cookie jar from Caradori Pottery...there were $2 raffles, $3 raffles and $5 raffles. There were paint stick-raffles and 50/50 raffles. There were chair massages and live music. Ahhh, the music.

Sue, Randy and Gregg volunteered their time for this event and it was oh-so pleasant. Sue's sax playing is diverse and when she's in Two Rivers she also plays the keyboard and even sings an occasional harmony. Randy, for the most part, puts down his bass in favor of the guitar and yesterday he and Gregg took turns singing.

I've already revealed my bias for Sue and Randy in this blog. I love their talent. I love their music. I love Sue's passion and generosity of spirit and Randy's voice and professionalism. I love Sue's originals and Randy's choice of covers. I love Sue's versatility and Randy's stature on stage. And I love the people they share their stage with, like Gregg Wheeler.

Gregg's an unassuming man. I get the impression that he's a kind, hardworking man who loves to play music. The way he plays the harmonica is somehow closer to art than music. I know, I know, music is art, but there's a difference between a really good musician and a musical artist and—in my very subjective opinion—Gregg's playing is artistic. He pulls notes out of the harmonica in a way I've never heard. His tastes tend toward old-style country songs—probably the songs he heard around the house growing up—and he's well-suited for them.

Together they played a variety of songs, opening with an instrumental version of Cupid, followed by Buck Owen's Think of Me When You're Lonely, Allison Kraus's Outside Looking In, Sue's original Atomic A-Go-Go—a lively instrumental and one of my very favorites because I know every note and can clap along—On Broadway, James Taylor's Steamroller, Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, and Gershwin's Summertime, to name a few. Gregg played my favorite of his songs, Marty Robbin's Devil Woman. He presents it with a thin veneer of irony, covering some real emotion. When he sings, “Devil Woman/let go of my arms” I get the impression he's had his own Devil Woman hanging on, refusing to let go somewhere in his past.

And then there's the song The Gold, written by Chippewa Falls native, Greg Gilbertson. This is a beautiful-sad love song: “I am a drunk old man hung over in a midnight bar/ I talk too much about how things were back before the war/ Now I only drink the strongest stuff I find/ Honey, I’m the whisky, You’re the wine.” There's a yearning in this song that touches the heart.  And Randy's voice is perfect for it.  I hope to hear more of Mr. Gilbertson's work in the future.

I'll be writing more about Sue, Randy and the musicians they play with in the future. This Wednesday (11/6/13) they'll be at Fanny Hill as Two Rivers. Their other gigs are listed below.

As you can see, there's plenty of opportunity to catch them, and no excuse not to:

Nov. 6, Two Rivers at Fanny Hill in Eau Claire, WI. 5:30-8:30pm.

Nov. 15, Rada Dada at Sammy's Pub in Eau Claire, WI. 8:30pm-midnight.

Nov. 21, Two Rivers at Foster Cheese Haus in Foster, WI.5:30-8:30pm.

Nov. 27, Stage Fright IV at Pizza Plus in Eau Claire, WI. 8pm.

Nov. 30, Left Wing Bourbon at The Thirsty Catfish (Benefit for The Humane Society) in Durand, WI. 8pm - midnight.

Dec. 4, Two Rivers at Fanny Hill in Eau Claire, WI. 5:30-8:30pm.

Dec. 6, Chippewa Valley Jazz Orchestra at the State Theater in Eau Claire, WI. 7:30pm.

Dec. 7, The Sue Orfield Band at Gelly's in Stockholm, WI. 8-11pm.

Dec. 14, Soul Tribute at The Heyde Center For The Arts in Chippewa Falls, WI. 7:30pm.

Dec. 19,Two Rivers at Foster Cheese Haus in Foster, WI. 5:30-8:30pm.

Dec. 27, The Butanes at The Minnesota Music Cafe in St. Paul, MN. 9pm.

Dec. 31, Rada Dada at The Masonic Temple in Eau Claire, WI. 8pm.

Eggplant Heroes

--> Last night I ambled over to TheAcoustic Cafe in downtown Eau Claire to get me an Eggplant Heroes fix. If you're into acoustic music with a strong folk influence and are—like me—lyrics-driven, Eggplant Heroes is the band for you. The band was launched by Max Garland, Duffy Duyfhuizen, Joel Pace (pronounced: Patch-A) and Olaf Lind, but has since added other musicians including Dan Zerr on bass, Lucas Fisher on electric guitar and, less frequently of late, Caleb Horne on mandolin.

I'm as much about the personality of the band as the music. It doesn't matter how accomplished the musician, if I'm not able to catch a glimpse of the person behind the instrument I'm not interested. I'm sure music-purists would call me a philistine, but if I'm going out to see live music, it's as much about the musicians as the music. If I want music for music's sake, I'll plug into my iPod. So let me tell you a little about these men.

Duffy Duyfhuizen is the Associate Dean in UW-Eau Claire's College of Arts and Sciences. If you've been reading this blog, you'll also recognize him as the rhythm guitar player for David Jones and The Jones Tones. He sings more with Eggplant, occasionally plays his harmonica and has a seemingly unending repertoire of amazing songs.

Joel Pace was playing a gig with his alternate band, Irie Sol, and so was not present last night, but his voice-as-instrument is breathtaking and he also plays the trumpet and various percussives. Joel is a professor in the literature department at UW-Eau Claire and, I've heard tell, has a Piped Piper-like effect on his students. If you view this brief Youtube clip of him describing one of his classes I think you'll understand why.

Max Garland is, again, a professor at UWEC. And he's Wisconsin's Poet Laureate. No kidding. Max plays lead guitar, writes songs and sings. Max will also, appropriately, play Bob Dylan in this year's Fright Night (I'll be writing about this event).

Olaf Lind is a classically trained Violin player, lived in London as a child and studied at Michigan's prestigious Interlochen Center For The Arts. He's the quiet one, unassuming with eyes downcast, standing in the corner, but when he solos it's easy to picture him as that quintessential orchestral violinist in a black tuxedo letting loose on Mozart, hair flying, bow dancing over the strings, unerringly finding the right note. Sometimes I'm surprised by tears by the sweetness of the notes coaxed out of his instrument. He also plays the electric mandolin.

It's important to know about these men, because it is obvious that their passions influenced both their their music and their careers as illustrated in the songs on their CD titled, After This Time. The fourth track on the CD is Orphan Child and Duffy sings a passage from Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, seamlessly transforming Bronte's words into a traditional folk song, all atmospheric and melancholic. In Nick's Postscript, the sixth track, Joel sings from Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, full of hope and energy.

While Duffy and Joel's focus in these two songs is to celebrate the work of other great writers, Max uses his word-talent to paint emotion-pictures: “Snow on the rooftop/snow in my soul/snow in my heart about an inch or so/ can't build much of a man out of snow/can't stop a woman/when she's ready to go.”

Other songs on the CD include, Duffy's Sometimes, a sweet love song: “But I know in the morning/ the sun is going to rise/and this old world keeps right on turning/every time I look into your eyes.” And Joel's Via Canzone about his father's homeland, “14 hours a day mending shoes/all across the salty seas/not a life we choose/sewing and polishing memories.”

This CD is packed with beautiful, haunting and sometimes funny music. You can hear After This Time in its entirety on the Eggplant Heroes' website.

Last night The Eggplant Heroes played a mix of originals, standards and covers. Max likes songs gently reminiscent of his childhood faith and The Heroes graced us with I Saw The Light, This Little Light of Mine, Jesus On The Mainline, and I'll Fly Away. Max also recited one of his poems, Memories of Pentecost, about his Uncle John an old time Southern Preacher and followed up with Walking in Jerusalem, (Just Like John).

Dan Zerr plays bass and sang Tom Waits' Jersey Girl, Lyle Lovett's Flyswatter Blues, and Natalie Merchant's Homeland. Dan has a great voice and can sing both a deep bass and a high falsetto (though not at the same time). He's also a songwriter and I was a bit disappointed that I didn't hear his Disappearing Middle-Class Blues.

Halfway through the gig, Luke Fischer showed up with his electric guitar. This is one of the cool things about the band: the make-up of the band changes from gig to gig, depending on the members' availability. Each member adds their own brand of texture and depth, so when a member or two isn't there, the band isn't incomplete, just different.

Luke Fischer is a heck of a guitar player and I once heard Max say he's still looking for a song Luke can't play. Luke and Olaf jammed on Hendrix's Little Wing, all lonely and whimsical and Olaf's mandolin was wonderfully Hendrix-like. When Dan traded his bass for a guitar to play Orlean's Reach A Little Bit Higher Luke played the bass-line on his electric guitar. Duffy sang Pat Donahue's Drowning In You and their music was so full, so soulful that I felt like I was drowning in it. They also played Dylan, The Band, John Prine, Hal David, Old Crow Medicine Show, John Hiatt and, of course, some of their originals.

As they played I looked around the room. I saw college students, retirees and families—some with teens and some with tots—and I was struck by the inclusiveness of this venue and of this band. Like I said, I like bands with personality, bands whose musicians allow us a glimpse of who they are. Bands are like living organisms and each member adds to the dynamic of the whole. It shows not just in the music, but how they interact with each other. The words that best describe this band, this organism are: Talent; Respect; Communication; Relationship.

They play at the Acoustic on the last Saturday of each month. While you never know who will show up, you can be sure the music will be wonderful.

Irie Sol

 

I first saw this band about seven years ago. I was on a date and the two of us stumbled into The Mousetrap just to see what was up. Man, were we surprised. Tucked behind a long wall opposite the bar were 13 musicians, all singing, jamming and bopping around—mostly vertically—on a handkerchief-sized stage. Four wind instruments (including a tuba!), bass, two guitars, a keyboard, drums, various percussives. 

A veritable smorgasbord of instruments.

And a smorgasbord of men of all shapes, sizes, styles and colors.

And, damn, were they good! Their music is a fusion of reggae, hip-hop, rock, ska, and jazz with sizzling originals and original covers. Believe me when I tell you they blow the roof off the joint. Really.

I gotta admit, I was startled. Totally bemused. I mean, I'd just gotten used to Eau Claire's whitebread, pick-up truck, gun-toting, camouflage-blaze-orange-and-baseball cap-wearing culture. Add to this that downtown Eau Claire was still in its empty, 'Salem's Lot phase, complete with Karen Carpenter muzak blaring onto barren streets from hidden speakers and perhaps you can imagine my befuddlement. And I was still new to the Chippewa Valley's music scene. I didn't comprehend the talent we have here.

Irie Sol is the realization of Chris “Junior” William's dream and, as their website says:

“...out of the Twin Cities with a musical blend that reflects diverse band members–who hail from Kingston, Jamaica; Nova Scotia, Canada; Providence, RI; Detroit, MI; Minneapolis, MN; and the Chippewa Valley of Wisconsin–Irie Sol delivers authentic Jamaican chat/DJing and soaring, soulful melodies backed by blazing bebop horns, wailing guitar, and tight drum and bass.”

Their self-description is accurate, but just doesn't do them justice.

Last Friday I revisited The Mousetrap to catch Irie Sol. The band wasn't as full as in other shows—only 9 musicians onstage—but they did not disappoint. I try to go to all their local gigs and this is how much I like them: I was supposed to head to Iowa Friday night, but decided to leave early Saturday morning instead. Just so I could catch them. I wasn't able to stay for both sets, but I did hear some of my favorites including one of their originals, “Lies.” Their covers are as diverse as their band and include songs from The Stray Cats, Michael Jackson, Lynyrd Skynard (with their own Jamaican flare), and Bill Withers.

The whole band is interesting.  Chris is tall, brown and beautiful with long, waist-length dreads and lilting Jamaican accent. He sings and mostly plays percussion, but I've seen him pick up other instruments as need or whim dictates. And he makes a point of personally touching bases with the audience. A really good guy.

They appear to have a special super-drummers store, because the faces hidden back behind all those other bodies change frequently, but the quality of the drumming is always superb. My favorite Irie Sol drummer story goes like this:

I'd heard word that Mario Dawson—one of their drummers—played in the Obama Whitehouse. About a year later he joined them at what is now EveryBuddy's Bar in downtown Chippewa (I kid you not, they also play at The Snout) and over the break I approached Mario and asked him about the rumor. It was not a rumor. Mario explained that he knows Kanye West (I believe he said he was raised with Kanye in Chicago) and played behind him at the Whitehouse. I was blown away. Here was a guy who'd played for our President now playing for us in downtown Chippewa Falls, population 16-thousand-and-something.

Joel Pace is one of the frontmen. He's stylish, typically in black and red, sporting a fedora and cool retro sideburns. He's a show in himself as he croons so pretty into the microphone, break-dances with the audience,  matches the drummer with his own brand of mouth-percussion (I can't really explain, you just have to see it) plays his trumpet on the bar, always smiling and never still. One of my favorite songs is their original, “Senorita Linda,” sung by Joel in what appears to be flawless Spanish (he also does an astonishing Spanish version of Hendrix's “Little Wing” with another band, but I'll save my praises for another blog). He loves performing and his joy is obvious.

Lars Nelson is a Seattle-grunge-Cobain throwback. Cool, aloof and sexy in flannel with long-ish hair and a powerful voice, he'll leave the stage as he sings to dance with his fans. He's also an awesome songwriter.

These men are Irie Sol's core. Their heart. The keyboard player, Kurt, and guitar player, Gregory, have both been with the group for a while, but part of the band's charm is that you never know who will be on stage, but you always know the show will be good.

I do feel obliged to offer a warning: Because the musicians come from all over, the band usually starts later than advertised, and—unless they're playing at Phoenix Park--they rarely play during “grown-up” hours. And their last set is usually the best. But don't let this stop you. Check out their website, join their fanpage on Facebook and mark your calendar when they announce their next gig. The guy I was dating when I first discovered this band didn't last, but I've become a full-fledged Irie Sol fan and I bet you will too. Just make sure you take a nap before you go so you can stay for the whole show.

You can also take a little bit of Irie home with you.  Here's a link to their CD titled "Solstice." 

They've also just released an album (yes, you read right: an ALBUM) titled "Irie Sol: Live In Nashville". Clicking the link will take you right to their website.  If you're not old-school enough to have a turntable the album comes with a digital download card.

David Jones and the Jones Tones

 
-->

Tuesday night found me sitting in a church pew, bopping like crazy and jamming out to the blues. I was, of all places, at the Unitarian Universalist Church to catch David Jones and the Jones Tones play a gig. Here's some background.

The Chippewa Valley is fortunate to have The Chippewa Valley Blues Society (CVBS), a group of volunteers who are dedicated to bringing the blues to our area. They organize the Tuesday Night Blues, a free summer concert series held in Owen Park in Eau Claire from May to August. The music is funded by annual membership dues ($10 for an individual membership, $15 for a family membership), underwriting by local businesses and donations from the audience. Because of their hard work local musicians are paid a fair price for their music, the Chippewa Valley gets excellent music, enhancing the intrinsic value of the Chippewa Valley and our quality of life. For many the beginning of summer is marked by the Tuesday Night Blues concert series. And, because I have a day job, I'm delighted by the grown up hours: 6:30-8:30. But as nice as it is to start the summer with the blues, I sang the blues—for real—during the winter months. Wisconsin winters are hard on me: cold; dark; isolating. And though I lever myself off my red couch on the weekends to get my music fix, the winter weeknights drag on and on and on.

It seems that the board of directors at the CVBS felt the same way, because—for the second year-- they've extended the Tuesday Night Blues into the winter months. And the Unitarian Universalist Society on Farwell Street in downtown Eau Claire have donated their space. It's only once a month but, for me, the second Tuesday of the month is a beacon of light in a cold Wisconsin landscape and I look forward to The Tuesday Night Blues, Unplugged. Last night was the first concert of the winter series and that's why I was bopping in a pew, listening to the blues.

David Jones has been playing the Chippewa Valley since the 1990s and has been playing music, period, for most his life. His band, David Jones and the Jonestones consist of David Jones on lead guitar, Duffy Duffenhausen on rhythm guitar and harmonica, John LeBrun on drums and Cayta on bass. Yes, I know I wrote about Catya last week, but this band is how I met her and was my introduction to the local music scene.

It was sometime in the early 2000's. I was new to Myspace--which should help date things—and I got a friend's request from a guy I didn't know. I was new to the internet and still suspicious of social networking sites. I didn't want to accept but he was local and I didn't want him to see me on the streets and think, “Hey, there's the bitch who rejected my friend's request!” So I clicked the “accept” button and promptly forgot about it. About a week later I got an email from a friend in Louisiana asking who my new Myspace friend was and if I'd read his blog. I hadn't. First thing I discovered was that he was a musician, which explained his friend's request. The second thing I discovered was that he's a great writer. I hadn't seen live music since my last Dead Concert in 1991. I didn't have friends interested in live music and I hadn't been in a bar since 1994. But my curiosity was piqued, so I checked his gig schedule and hauled myself out that very weekend to see David Jones and the Jonestones at the Sheeley House. Over the break I introduced myself to David as his new Myspace friend. He and the band were friendly and welcoming, which helped allay my discomfort about being a sober woman, alone in a bar. And I was hooked. I started hitting their gigs regularly.

Because of the economy, bars aren't as willing to shell-out for a full band. But the Chippewa Valley is now used to live music. The bars now rely on open mics and two-person acts, so the Jonestones aren't playing as a full band as much as they used to but their hiatus did not affect their performance. David plays a mix of genres, from country to reggae to folk. In honor of the first Tuesday Night Unplugged he mostly played the blues, and those songs that weren't strict blues were presented as such, which was A-OK with me—I love genre-switching. And I'd missed The Jones Tones.

A couple of genre-switching examples happened in the first set with Big River (written by Johnny Cash, but as blues as blues can be) and Shame, Shame, Shame by Jimmy Reed. In the middle of the first set David invited Tom Carlson and his trombone up to the stage. Tom was recently spotted playing behind SueOrfield and Ellen Whyte and is a member of the Chippewa Valley Jazz Orchestra. You'll be able to catch him with CVJO Friday night and if I didn't already have plans I'd certainly go because on Tuesday Tom rocked the house. His horn added a raucous, old-timey feel reminiscent to New Orleans-style blues and he came equipped with his Wa-wa plunger. Near the end of the first set he and Catya blew the house away with Bobby Blue Bland's “Trouble” and David closed with one of his originals, “AM Blues,” a song that always gets me moving.

David got serious in the second set, offering up “Easy Wind” by the Dead, “Sitting On Top Of The World” by Doc Watson, “Left Me With A Broken Heart” by Rodney Earl and the Broadcasters and two Howling Wolf songs. My absolute favorite was when Duffy pulled out his harmonica during Hendrix's “Redhouse,” and blew an amazing, goosebumpy solo. It's fun to watch this band, their enjoyment is obvious and seeing John LeBrun on drums just makes me happy (even when he's drumming the blues) because of his joy. And though the bass is not Catya's first instrument of choice, she's really, really good. Tom Carlson was again invited up to the stage in the second set and a great time was had by all.

David sings with a clear, sweet, baritone and John LeBrun said afterwards that David has a knack of pulling the best out of other musicians. He also has a knack of pulling out the best in his audience. I look forward to seeing more of David Jones and the Jones Tones.

Catya's Trio

 

It's been years since I've visited this blog.

It's not that I haven't been supporting local live music.

It's not that I haven't felt the urge to write these past 4 years.

And it's not that I haven't seen musicians worthy of writing.

I stopped because I wanted only to write about music that inspires me. And this became difficult because I've become friendly with some of those musicians and was afraid that, somehow, writing a blog-review would muddy the friendship-waters. And I was worried that my personal relationship would color my objectivity. Years have gone by, friendships have solidified and, with time and perspective, I now feel that I can honestly and without prejudice write about friends. Today I cruised to Foster's Cheese Haus in Foster, Wisconsin to listen to Catya's Trio play an increasingly rare gig. I was as captivated today as I was when I first saw them 5 years ago.

I met Catya as The Jones Tones' bass player. We were at the Sheeley House in Chippewa Falls when David Jones and his band played that venue regularly. David gave Catya the stage at the end of the second set and she blew the house away with her song of forbidden love, “Kiss Me Like You Mean It.” Her voice soared over the crowd and stilled beer-loosened tongues: she had a story to tell and we listened. I found myself holding my breath as her voice sailed up and up and exhaling as it plummeted, all low and sultry. I was electrified. She sang my lonely heart. She sang secret love-dreams that I—a stable, middle-aged woman—was loath to acknowledge. Though I'd never heard the song before, I knew it. And it ended with a wonderful little twist, like some of my favorite novels. This is one of Catya's talents: her original songs are emotionally familiar. They are complex and accessible, smart and simple. They echo unspoken desires and feelings. They are courageous in their honesty and—again like a great novel—they let the listener fill in the spaces: “...Kiss me like you mean it/show me the hunger in your eyes/and when it's late/late at night/won't you think of me sometimes.”

“Kiss Me Like You Mean It” is the title track of Catya's new CD and while it's a great song, it's not the only great song on the disc. All the tracks are gripping; Catya tips her hat to the classic blues form but brings her own brand of originality with intricate lyrics and unexpected musical turns. Her music stands alone. It needs no decoration to prop it up, nothing else to reinforce it. And so it is the richest icing on an incredible cake when she is joined—both live and on some of the tracks on the CD—by Sue Orfield and Randy Sinz.

Anyone familiar with our local music scene knows Sue Orfield and her partner Randy Sinz. These two musicians are prolific and Sue's original music is awesome. One of my dirty little secrets is that I'm a lyrics gal; I just didn't “get” purely instrumental music. Sue changed that. She first captured me with her generosity of spirit--clearly displayed on stage, then her energy and obvious joy, then her skill and talent on the saxophone and finally for her songwriting. I know, I know, I got it backwards, but we all learn in our own ways. She has three original CDs: “Boink,” “Nobody's Looking” and her newest CD's title track “Fight The Good Fight” written in honor of a friend who died of cancer. I recommend all of them. My favorite songs are “Sway,” “After The Fall” “Two Cats Named Bob” “Brass Monkey” “Slide Over Baby” and “Deja Blue.”

Randy is a music veteran and has been playing locally for more years than I've been in the Midwest. He's in a bunch of bands, including Rada-Dada (accompanied by Sue), Ranger Rudy and Swinging Wingtips, and most recently (though they've been playing together for decades) with Gregg Wheeler and John Lynch as a yet-unnamed trio. Randy's voice is pure, strong and true, and he is skilled on both the upright and electric bass. Both Sue and Randy host a monthly, unofficial open mic for local musicians at Foster's Cheese Haus as Two Rivers.

This afternoon I waltzed into Foster's Cheese Haus, a venue that might seat 60 people, and settled into a chair not 10 feet from where these three musicians, Catya, Sue and Randy, worked their spell.

I gratefully succumbed to their magic as Catya sang two originals: “Good Coffee Or Good Beer” a generous and bittersweet ode to her past marriage (“You left me a fool/but that don't change my mind/that time I spent with you/was something so fine”) and “Just Can't Stop,” a song of unrequited love (“Ain't it a wonder/isn't it strange/lightening and thunder/it never rains”) as well as various covers by the likes of Theresa James and Billie Holliday.

I wasn't raised in the Midwest. I'm not really from anywhere. But I came to the heartland from the East Coast which is where I caught my live-music jones. And I know that if this trio were based in New York or Washington DC or Maryland they'd be demanding $50 a ticket. And they'd pack the house. It is my observation that we in the Chippewa Valley take good live music for granted. We don't know—really know—the talent we have here. My only regret for this afternoon is that I didn't get there in time to catch the first set. Go see Catya's Trio. And don't make the same mistake I did: see the whole show.
You can buy Catya's CD at

CDbaby!
 

catya.net

sueorfieldband.com

fostercheesehaus.com

amblues.com 

The Electric Range

It's been over a month since I posted, but that doesn't mean I haven't been out and about, seeing live music, and with each band I see, I feel more guilty about not writing about them. I like doing this, I like approaching band members with my little yellow pad and pen, asking questions, finding out more about them. Unfortunately, I know I can't continue to do this if I don't follow through with what I say I'm doing, which is writing this blog, and my discomfort has reached a tipping point. It's time to come clean.

I've been trying to analyze why I'm having a hard time keeping this blog up and have settled on two explanations:

1)I've backed myself into a corner and posting felt like a class paper; I'm notorious for procrastination with classwork, and will often write blogs instead. In this instance, I'm SUPPOSED to be writing blogs so I've resorted to reading copious amounts of fiction.

2)The original concept was that I would be as unbiased as possible, writing about each band from a remove, finding the best in them, reporting on that, even if they really didn't trip my trigger.

Then I saw The Electric Range and all thoughts of unbiased writing went out the window. You see, I'm not a musician, can't read music, am totally unschooled and don't know a flat from a whole note. What interests me is personality, the band's presence on stage and how they interact with the audience: I dig the entertainment factor. I work as a counselor. I'm a people-watcher. I'm attuned to the way people meet the world. It's utterly fascinating to me. And The Electric Range offers just about everything I could want in a band.

The first time I saw them was at the Sheeley House on New Year's Eve. I came with Dwight Dario, a man I'd met several years ago, and whom I'd been casually dating. He's a professional musician—a drummer—and produces events in The Cities. Dwight hit the music scene in the early '70s, making a name for himself playing with Greg Brown, Patrick Hazel and Bo Ramsey. He didn't crash and burn behind drugs and sex and rock 'n' roll, understanding how valuable consistency and reliability are in his field and has since produced events for big names like The Stones, Lyle Lovett and Big N Rich (to name a few), and travels internationally as a drummer with Big George Jackson's blues band.

I was a bit nervous about bringing him: I'd never seen these guys and had only Gary Schmaltz's assurance that Jeff White, the band's front man, was “good.” Gary, a DJ at WHYS radio, hadn't yet steered me wrong, but still, this was lil ol' Chippewa Falls...

I needn't have worried; The Electric Range rocked and Dwight thoroughly enjoyed himself and was even asked to sit in on the drums for James Ignacio while James blew his sax. Dwight's left-handed and James right-handed, but the song went off without a hitch.

So I was pretty excited when, on January 16th, I headed for Jensen's Bar in Chippewa to catch them again, and they didn't disappoint.

Here's the thing: this band is FUN! Jeff plays acoustic guitar, is tall and slender, sports a kind-of ratty cowboy hat and greets the audience with adorable dimples and smile full of mischief. He's energetic, rocking and bouncing on stage; he likes what he's doing and is not ashamed to let you know it.

In direct contrast is Frank Aragona, the electric guitar player. Frank is slender, preferring more formal attire, with a craggy, stone-like face and a black, round-brimmed hat. And oh-my-god can he play. His stage presence is riveting; he reminds me of a wind-up doll, playing the guitar with his whole body: a guitar player's version of the moon-walk. He's totally influenced by the great jam bands of the '70s and can play a solo with the best. He plays behind his back, with his teeth, and—at one point—ran the neck of his axe, strings down, against a speaker...and it was good!

James Ignacio plays the drums, adding a raucous, almost-out-of-control feel, grinning with delight.

And Tony Campbell, laid back and pony-tailed, stays in the background, playing his bass, grinning at the other's antics.

And there were antics. James, as mentioned earlier, plays the sax, and at one point he put down the sticks, grabbed his horn and wandered the bar, flirting, putting his head against an older woman's breast as he blew his solo. James is irrepressible and his good-natured delight adds to the dynamic. Frank also stepped off the stage, solo-ing on Sympathy for the Devil, a song he introduced as “One of the best rock pieces ever written.”

They played The Hollies, The Wallflowers, Tom Petty, The Beatle, Ricky Skaggs, Fleetwood Mac, Steve Goodman, The Cure, The Police, Johnny Cash and Dylan, and while their covers rock, their originals are just as good. Jeff's innate mischievousness shows itself most on his original songs, like “All I've Been Thinking of Lately is You,” and he makes the covers his own, adding unusual instruments: on SOS he played the slide whistle, and at one point blew his harmonica into an old telephone receiver rigged up as a microphone. He also played the Thereman, a black box, about the size of three stacked paperback books, with antennae sticking out. He didn't touch the Theremin, just held his hands close the antennae, producing a weird, atmospheric sound during Helter Skelter and Whole Lot of Love. Very, very cool.

But, as I mentioned earlier, it wasn't just about the music, it was also their interaction with the audience and their personalities. One thing I really like about these guys is how much the like the women in their lives. Frank's stone-face lit up when his girlfriend walked in, giving her a big kiss without missing a note and his music got even better in her presence. His face shone with pride when she got up and started dancing. James and Jeff obviously adore their wives (Jeff just got married, like two days ago, in Costa Rica), shamelessly singing love songs to them, cuddling and kissing between sets. I just think that's sooooo cool. Over all they emanate a contagious enthusiasm and love-of-life that's reflected in their music.

This was like, the fourth time, they'd all played as The Electric Range. Jeff and James play together regularly as The Sidekicks, and Jeff just cut a CD. They can usually be found at The Sheeley House's open mic on Tuesday nights. James has a blog titled Weekly Doses in which he posts a new song every week; a labor of love, illustrating his dedication to his craft.

Tony plays with blues Captain Walleye and the Nightcrawlers and a new band called Quadrant 4 whose first gig is at Sheri's Chippewa Club in Durand on February 27th.

Frank also plays with Convicted, The Blues Incident with Gary Dupree and The Danger Band.

The Electric Range attracts some cool people, adding to the good time. I met a woman named Kitty who is also trying to promote local music on her blog. John Nielson introduced himself and as we talked I found that not only is he a guitar player, but is himself a patron of local musicians and he and his wife throw a Summer Strummers party every July that sounds like one big jam. I was pleased to be invited. He can also be found at The Sheeley House's open mic and plays more formal gigs there, at Glenloch in Chippewa and at other area pubs.

Finally, Jensen's Bar and Grill was a pleasant surprise. Located in downtown Chippewa, it has changed hands at least three times since I've been in the area, and I hope this time the place is a success. The bartenders are open, friendly and welcoming and after paying for my first club soda and lime I got the rest of my non-alcoholic drinks for free. There is a coffee pot at the end of the bar open for anyone who wants got grab a cup, the clientele was fun, and the space was great for live music. I couldn't help but giggle at the poster on the wall advertising “Buckets of Bacon” from 6:00 to 9:00 AM. Only in Wisconsin.

In short, these guys rock; they're at the top of my favorite local music list. Catch them: you won't be disappointed.

Links:

http://www.jeffwhitemusic.com/music.htm

www.myspace.com/jeffwhitemusicsite

www.myspace.com/musicofthesidekicks

www.myspace.com/jamesignacio

http://weeklydoses.blogspot.com

http://nielsenmusic.blogspot.com/

chippewavalleymusic@blogspot.com

http://www.thesheeleyhouse.com/