(FREE) Leo Nocentelli @ The Late Night w/ David Letterman
($15) Boogie Back Tuesdays with Q-Tip @ Cielo – New York, NY
($15-$17) Robert Randolph & the Family Band @ Brooklyn Bowl
($35) Ashanti @ B.B. Kings Blues Club (Album Release Concert)
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
(FREE) After-Show featuring Twiddle @ Garcia’s at the Capitol Theatre
(FREE) Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars @ United Nations Headquarters
($15) Amy Ray (of Indigo Girls) @ The Bell House
($35-$100) Flavor Flav and the Flavortronz @ The Iridium
($55-$90) Art Garkunkel @ Bergen Performing Arts Center (Englewood, NJ)
($60-$250) Phil Lesh and Friends @ The Capitol Theatre
($66-$202) Lady Gaga @ Roseland Ballroom
($8-$10) Poor Man’s Whiskey: Performs “Dark Side of Moonshine” Bluegrass Interpretation of DSOTM @ The Brooklyn Bowl
Thursday, April 3, 2014
(FREE) After-Show featuring Twiddle @ Garcia’s at the Capitol Theatre
($12-$15) Everyone Orchestra: Conducted by Matt Butler – feat. Steve Kimock, John Kimock, Todd Stoops, Ryan Montbleau, Reed Mathis, Jennifer Hartswick & Natalie Cressman, Michael Bellar & The As-Is Ensemble @ The Brooklyn Bowl
($25) Alfredo Rodriguez Trio featuring Lionel Loueke & Henry Cole @ The Jazz Standard (2 sets)
($25-$32) Shawn Mullins w/ Max Gomez @ City Winery
($25-$75) Bonobo (DJ Set) @ Stage 48
($30-$40) SHPONGLE: The Museum of Consciousness Tour @ Irving Plaza
($38-$58) Leo Kottke & Loudon Wainwright III @ Tarrytown Music Hall (Tarrytown, NY)
($55-$75) Patti Austin @ The Iridium (2 sets)
($60-$250) Phil Lesh and Friends @ The Capitol Theatre
($20-$50) O.A.R. @ Tarrytown Music Hall (Tarrytown, NY)
($30) Arturo O’Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra @ Birdland NYC
($40) Harlem Gospel Choir Brunch @ B.B. King Blues Club and Grill
($66-$202) Lady Gaga @ Roseland Ballroom
Monday, April 7, 2014
(FREE) Jim Campilongo Trio w/ Chris Morrissey, Josh Dion @ The Rockwood Music Hall – Stage 1
($10) Alecia Chakour Band: First Mondays @ Rockwood Music Hall
($10) Tongues in Tress with Sunny Jain, Samita Sinha, Grey McMurray @ Nublu
($25) Mingus Big Band @ The Jazz Standard (2 sets)
($66-$202) Lady Gaga @ Roseland Ballroom
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
($15) Boogie Back Tuesdays with Q-Tip @ Cielo – New York, NY
($15-$17) Robert Randolph & the Family Band w/ special guest Leo Nocentelli (The Meters) @ Brooklyn Bowl
($65-$135) Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo @ Tarrytown Music Hall (Tarrytown, NY)
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
(FREE) Langhorne Slim and The Law w/ The Felice Brothers @ Rough Trade NYC
($25) Laura Mvula @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
($60-$250) Phil Lesh and Friends @ The Capitol Theatre
Thursday, April 10, 2014
($5-$8) DJ ?uestlove Presents Bowl Train @ Brooklyn Bowl (late night set)
($20-$30) Carolina Chocolate Drops @ BAM Peter Jay Sharp Building
($25) Benny Green Trio featuring David Wong and Rodney Green @ Jazz Standard (2 sets)
($30-$45) Shpongle: The Museum of Consciousness Tour @ Space at Westbury (Westbury, NY)
($35-$130) Wynton Marsalis with JLCO – The Life & Music of Dave Brubeck @ The Rose Theatre
($38-$68) Feist Solo – The Mettle Tour @ @ Tarrytown Music Hall (Tarrytown, NY)
($47-$97) Chick Corea @ The Town Hall
($55-$505) Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 29th Induction Ceremony @ The Barclay’s Center
($60-$250) Phil Lesh and Friends @ The Capitol Theatre
($76-$160) A Night With Janis Joplin @ Gramercy Theatre
Friday, April 11, 2014
($10) Spanglish Fly @ NuBlu
($12-$15) Antigone Rising @ Mercury Lounge
($14-$16) Gangstagrass: Chris Q. Murphey, Bennett Sullivan, Melody Allegra Band, Alex Mallet Band, Astograss Plays John Hartford, Seth Kessel @ The Bell House
($20) Kevin Barnes (of Montreal, solo) @ le poisson rouge
($22-$40) Red Baraat @ Highline Ballroom
($25-$28) New Riders of the Purple Sage @ The Bell House
($25) Benny Green Trio featuring David Wong and Rodney Green @ Jazz Standard (2 sets)
($30) Larry Coryell, Victor Bailey & Lenny White @ Iridium (2 sets)
($35) 2 day Cost for Psychedelix Americana Pass
($35-$85) Madeleine Peyroux@ The Space at Westbury
($35-$130) Wynton Marsalis with JLCO – The Life & Music of Dave Brubeck @ The Rose Theatre
($37.50-$45) Valerie Simpson @ B.B. Kings Blues Club (performing the songs of Ashford and Simpson)
($40-$60) The Wanted @ Beacon Theatre
($60-$250) Phil Lesh and Friends @ The Capitol Theatre
($76-$160) A Night With Janis Joplin @ Gramercy Theatre
Saturday, April 12, 2014
($10) Benyoro @ Barbès
($15-$20) The Pimps of Joytime @ The Bowery Ballroom
($25-$28) New Riders of the Purple Sage @ The Bell House
($25) Benny Green Trio featuring David Wong and Rodney Green @ Jazz Standard (2 sets)
($30) Larry Coryell, Victor Bailey & Lenny White @ Iridium (2 sets)
($30) Output Presents Sasha/ Nicolas Matar with Kasper Bjorke/ Black Light Smoke in The Panther Room @ Output
($35) 2 day Cost for Psychedelix Americana Pass @ The Bell House
($35-$50) Emmylou Harris Wrecking Ball Tour @ BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
($35-$130) Wynton Marsalis with JLCO – The Life & Music of Dave Brubeck @ The Rose Theatre
($50-$125) Maze featuring Frankie Beverly @ The Beacon Theatre
($60-$250) Phil Lesh and Friends @ The Capitol Theatre
($76-$160) A Night With Janis Joplin @ Gramercy Theatre
Sunday, April 13, 2014
($12) Sonya Kitchell, Alecia Chakour, Findlay Brown @ Rockwood Music Hall – Stage 3
($25) Benny Green Trio featuring David Wong and Rodney Green @ Jazz Standard (2 sets)
($30) Arturo O’Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra @ Birdland NYC
($40) Harlem Gospel Choir Brunch @ B.B. King Blues Club and Grill
($76-$160) A Night With Janis Joplin @ Gramercy Theatre
Monday, April 14, 2014
(FREE) Jim Campilongo Trio w/ Chris Morrissey, Josh Dion @ The Rockwood Music Hall – Stage 1
($10) Tongues in Tress with Sunny Jain, Samita Sinha, Grey McMurray @ Nublu
($20-$25) Lotus @ The Brooklyn Bowl
($25) Mingus Big Band @ The Jazz Standard (2 sets)
($60+) An Evening with Phil Lesh & Friends (John Medeski) @ BAM
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
($15) Boogie Back Tuesdays with Q-Tip @ Cielo – New York, NY
($10) The Heavy Pets With Special Guest The McLovins @ The Brooklyn Bowl
($15) The Whigs @ The Bowery Ballroom
($28) Davy Knowles @ The Iridium (2 sets)
($76-$160) A Night With Janis Joplin @ Gramercy Theatre
Friday, April 25, 2014
(FREE) I’ll Be John Brown @ Hill Country BBQ Live
($13) Toubab Krewe & Zongo Junction @ The Brooklyn Bowl
($35-$75) Comedian Drew Carey @ Tarrytown Music Hall (Tarrytown, NY)
($76-$160) A Night With Janis Joplin @ Gramercy Theatre
($80-$270) Natalie Cole And George Benson @ Bergen Performing Arts Center (Englewood, NJ)
Saturday, April 26, 2014
($10) New York Funk Exchange @ B.B. Kings Blues Club
($76-$160) A Night With Janis Joplin @ Gramercy Theatre
Carnegie Hall Family Concert: Natalie Merchant @ Carnegie Hall
Sunday, April 27, 2014
(FREE!!) Rock And Roll Poster Bowl II – A ‘Rock And Roll Poster Art’ Show, ft. thousands of images spanning the last 50 years of R’n’R poster srtl from vintage to modern, artist signings! Poster Drops! Special Guests @ The Brooklyn Bowl
($30) Arturo O’Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra @ Birdland NYC
($35) Raul Midon @ City Winery
($40) Harlem Gospel Choir Brunch @ B.B. King Blues Club and Grill
($76-$160) A Night With Janis Joplin @ Gramercy Theatre
Monday, April 28, 2014
(FREE!!) Jim Campilongo Trio w/ Chris Morrissey, Josh Dion @ The Rockwood Music Hall – Stage 1
($10) Tongues in Tress with Sunny Jain, Samita Sinha, Grey McMurray @ Nublu
($25) Mingus Big Band @ The Jazz Standard (2 sets)
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
($15) Boogie Back Tuesdays with Q-Tip @ Cielo – New York, NY
($25-$30) The Both (Aimee Mann and Ted Leo) @ Bowery Ballroom
($30-$35) Johnny Winter: Winter in Winter Residency @ B.B. Kings Blues Club
($76-$160) A Night With Janis Joplin @ Gramercy Theatre
In the Fall people from all over the world head to the Catskill Mountains to gaze at the lovely foliage and relax in nature. This September they will be flocking to the Catskills once again, but this time it is for nature and something equally important, Live Music.The second edition of the Catskill Chill Music Festival will take place Friday September 9th until Monday September 11th at Camp Minglewood and it promises to be an epic weekend of music and good times. Camp Minglewood is an ideal festival site with lush nature surrounding the site. Sleeping options range from camping in a tent to RV’s to renting a cabin. Weekend camping tickets are only $105 advance. Single day tickets range from $50-$70. Camp opens 9:00 AM Friday and will remain open for campers until Monday at 3:00 PM. Music begins Friday at 2:30 PM and ends on Monday at 3:00 AM. You can purchase tickets here!
There is an amazing variety of music at this year’s festival and something for music lovers of all kinds. An awesome line up of DJ’s are booked to play. Be ready to groove to the funkified beats of Nutritious or if you like your beats a bit more psychedelic, go check out DJ Logic for a nice face melting. DJ Kras will also be spinning his unique blend of beats. Speaking of face melting, Conspirator (a project featuring Marc Brownstein and Aron Magner of the Disco Biscuits) promises to melt your face off. Perpetual Groove also brings its unique blend of psychedelic groove dance rhythms to Camp Minglewood.
The spirit of The Grateful Dead will be a major part of this festival with two of Garcia’s musical partners, Melvin Seals and Bill Kreutzman on hand. 7 Walkers will be bringing the spirit of The Grateful Dead and New Orleans together with their unique blend of Grateful Funk featuring Bill Kreutzman on drums, the legendary George Porter on bass and Papa Mali on guitar. Melvin Seals, Jerry’s long time keyboard player will bring the timeless JGB to the festival to keep all the cats down under the stars happy. Also bringing the Funk to the Catskills that weekend will be Big Sam and his Funky Nation, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstafunk, The Pimps of Joy Time and Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds. Big Sam is a New Orleans favorite; a massive hulk of a man who makes a trombone look tiny in his hands and sound ohh so sweet. And Dumpstafunk is the funk project of Neville Brother Ivan Neville which brings a heavy double bass version of mind blowing funk to the table. The Pimps of Joytime are a Brooklyn band bringing some of NYC’s best danceable Funk to the mountains. Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds will be bringing their own brand of sultry Funk to the table for all to enjoy.
For those into wild crazy late night beats, you are in for a treat watching Adam Deitch and Break Science. Also Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad and Wyllys and the New York Hustler Ensemble will have the dance floor thumping into the morning hours. John Brown’s Body and Zach Deputy will bring their own unique versions of modified blues and reggae to the Chill for people to Chill to. All these bands and so many more for one glorious weekend in the Catskill Mountains at Camp Minglewood. A Rage not to be missed.
Can’t wait to get to camp to see all my friends. See you there……
In it’s fifth year on the musical map, Camp Barefoot 5 provided one of the year’s most positive festival experiences for 2500 music lovers this past weekend at Camp Hidden Meadows, in Bartow, West Virginia.
Welcome to Camp Barefoot!
In an ever-growing music festival world, full of mainstream acts, money grubbing production companies, cookie-cutter designs and investors and promoters who are in it for the wrong reasons, we are lucky when we can find a festival that continues to evolve yet keeps a firm hold to its charm.
The best music festivals do not rely solely on their line-up, their location, or their staff. It is a seamless combination of all of the above that has left a lasting impression on this professional festival goer. I have attended multiple festivals around the world this year and I can’t get around the fact that a festival so quaint could be so satisfying.
Every year just gets better and better. I love how the line-up changes from year to year but still has the local and regional acts that I have grown to love! This is def. one festie you can hit up by yourself and leave with a ton of new friends. ~ MrHarryHood83 on JamBase
The two main (quaint and perfect) stages @ 6am Thursday
When thinking on how to approach this article, I wrote out a list of refreshing and positive points about the fest that became endless. The campers, the location, the weather, lack of cell-phone service, the size, the WONDERFUL staff, the vendors, artists and special large and small-scale musical collaborations. The list went on till I hit about 150 points and put down my pen. I recognized that Camp Barefoot contains everything one might want out of a music festival and that there are aspects of this event that other festivals can’t replicate.
The Atmosphere
The river that runs along the Main entrance and Family Camping. Completely accessible to all who care to enjoy it for whatever reason. Children colored rocks along the water all weekend.
Location, Location, Location: A good drive off the beaten path into the mountains of West Virginia, one of the most important and refreshing aspects of this festival is the location. Once 30 minutes outside of Camp Hidden Meadows, telephone service shuts out. This is such a blessing in disguise for those of us who are addicted to their phones and the internet. Five days of uninterrupted country camping. There is a cleansing aspect felt from the disconnection of this addiction that you feel immediately. There are rivers, walking paths, quaint bridges, and lush green landscape to pop up ones tent.
Thank you Camp Barefoot for the most baller end to my summer I could possibly ask for!!!!!! What a beautiful weekend in the valley, hours away from cell phone service, surrounded by some of my best friends, funky music, and an amazing view!!! ~ Danielle Christenson
You can't help but feel wonderfully isolated and country-fried at Barefoot!
As the name suggests, Camp Hidden Meadows is nestled into a small scale valley which should probably hold no more then 3000 people. Tickets were limited to a maximum capacity of 3,000 people this year. VIP only sold 40 ticket making it a nice, small space to get to know your neighbors. The location of VIP this year was much more pleasant as well. Last year, there was cow poop in many of the fields. This year, I heard a rumor that only just the day before did the poop get picked up manually by staff. THAT is dedication! We will definitely be pumping VIP up with more heads next year after the success of this year’s Barefoot.
So down home and earthy 🙂 (giggle!!) I wanna go back!! ~ Aslan Deacon (Jam Cruise Head Cheerleader)
There is a large on-site lake with a make-shift tube slide that functions as a wonderful amenity for those needing a refreshing cool-down from the afternoon sun (which never got TOO hot) or a shower. Personally, you couldn’t pay me to get in that lake (rumor of leaches and what not) but I enjoyed knowing it was there for fun! It was constantly in use and pleased everyone who entered!
The lake/swimming hole at the top of the hill. I never made it back up once the festival started. (Sunrise, Thursday morning)
One of the greatest aspects of all is the night sky. Camp Barefoot is located 14 minutes away from the World’s largest fully steerable single aperture antenna telescope (http://www.gb.nrao.edu/). The placement of this telescope became knowledge to me while trying to figure out why there were no telephone towers in the area. The placement of this telescope became UNDERSTOOD to me when I looked up into the sky on the second night of the festival. Just…WOW!!
Little ones ran around all weekend. Smiles and giggles abounded.
There are no words that do justice to the spectacular view we were given of the constellations on the second night. I literally hung out by the porto-potties in Family Camping getting lost in the Milky Way and various other galaxies for half an hour until a friend walked by and MADE me move. Another time, I saw five shooting starts in one hour. Barefoot places you in the stars. Literally, there are layers upon layers of stars. Seemingly closer, they practically reached out for me in the moments I melted into them.
Sadly, the stars didn’t present themselves in such a manner on the surrounding nights as they did that second night. However, they still shined brighter and truer then this country-girl turned city-chick has ever experienced. I lost the stars to the bright lights of the urban bustle years ago and it’s one of the things I miss most of country living. If for nothing else, the vision of the night sky from this venue is worth everything it takes to get there.
This monster art piece began at the start of the festival and was finished by the second day. It was also the wall that defined the vendor area's beginning. I tried repeatedly to help them spray paint but alas...
The Dog Element
This guy made sure you had your rager pass before you were let backstage 😉
Dogs are an integral part of the Barefoot experience. Each year, Camp Barefoot walks away with the Rager Award for Best Dog Population. Hands down!! I don’t care who you are, dogs make things better and there are hardly any festivals that allow dogs these days.
Puppy Love!!
It must be noted, especially in the bigger festivals, that our scene has lost its innocence in the canine area. Wookies walk around with aggressive looking breeds on purpose and today’s lot dogs are scary and used for protection and aggressive portrayal. I love all dogs and I try not to discriminate (being an Equal Employment Opportunity Counselor for NYC PARKS and all) but being surrounded by multiple aggressive looking dogs is not something I enjoy. There is no such thing as a scary dog at Barefoot 🙂
At Barefoot, even my girlfriend who can’t stand dogs was loving up on the sweet faces that ran lose over the weekend. There was a tie-dyed pug, a mini-pin in a dress, an enormous Great Dane with Dalmatian markings that towered over young children and numerous muts with bandanas around their necks who literally ran free wearing smiles. Yes, even the dogs smiled this weekend. Barefoot is blissful.
Rolling Stream Rage ~ We spent a lot of time by and in this lovely stream 🙂
Activism
Continuing the puppy love, there were numerous activities held throughout the weekend that promoted fundraising for the Humane Society of Pocahontas County. Currently raising money for their new shelter, this local shelter is in desperate need of donations to provide for homeless pets. Hippie Olympics ($20 a person), Fans Vs Bands Kickball ($30 a person), and the sale of $1 raffle tickets raised over $1000 this year which went toward the building fund.
Hippie Olympics Participants & Winners
In exchange for camper’s generosity, Camp Barefoot hands out phenomenal prizes. The winner of the Hippie Olympics received:
1st place: (2) CB6 “GOLD” ALL ACCESS package passes for 2012, (2) snowshoe all day ski lift tickets, (1) Chapin Matthews Painting, 2) CB5 stickers, (2) William Walter & Co. CDs, (2) DJ Williams Projekt CDs, (2) Funkuponya stickers
2nd place: (2) CB6 VIP passes for 2012, (1) Kevin Vigil painting, (1) XL Williams Walter & Co t shirt, (2) CB5 stickers
3rd place: (2) CB6 general admission tixs for 2012, (1) Rae Vena Painting(1) William Walter & Co medium t shirt, (2) William Walter & Co. CDs, (2) CB5 stickers
4th place: (1) William Walter & Co. small t shirt, (2) William Walter & Co. CDs, (2) CB5 stickers
Precious Rager…
Kickball participants paid $30 and received a backstage laminate (giving you access to the showers backstage and any other adventures one might find back there) and one of the Barefoot 5 Buddha Posters painted by Aaron “AJ” Masthay. Great stuff if you ask me and even better once you recognize that it’s a small festival and you don’t have TOO much competition against you so the possibility of you winning a prize is large!
Finally, as always, the event is kid and Earth friendly featuring a KidZone and waste reduction programs. Over the weekend I saw little one in the river being washed or running across the fields with a towering dog and leash in their hands. There was also Car Pooling movement that numerous friends took advantage of.
A nice Hammock City set up by EMO in the audience field for campers to relax and watch the music! The stages are behind me as I take this picture.
Weather
Clothes Line - simple art piece strung from the tree tops near the third stage. Feel that country vibe yet?
The weather is strange in the sense that it feels as though you run through every season in a matter of hours when the sun goes down. The days are stunningly bright and perfectly sunny but once the sun goes down, within the hour a brisk intense chill takes over and the dew is close behind leaving everything covered in a thick layer of moistness. For those of you planning on attending in the future I suggest you don’t make the mistake I did and be prepared for these changes in the climate. Tank and bikini tops during the day and hoodies and layers for the night!
Just wanted to say thanks to the vendors last weekend also. Great food, clothing, art, and everything else! So much cool stuff to check out, thanks again! Thanks again for my favorite weekend of the summer! Such a great eclectic group of people, music, and art. Thanks to everyone for all the hard work, and thanks to all the bands for bringing it this weekend! Can’t wait to do it again!!! ~ Sean Reville
I am not going to lie, when it rained the second morning a crew of us went to the closet Hilton hotel one hour away for an adventure, a shower and some bad game show network TV until the sun came out. This hotel run was in the plans for a friend of ours before we knew the rain would come. It worked out perfectly as we were able to stock up on things from Walmart for a few vendor friends who needed supplies and campers who threw in a few orders before we left!
View from top of the hill near third stage looking down at Vendor Row! You can FEEL the country in this picture 🙂
Specific Highlights of the Weekend
One of our many delicious in-camp meals! Breakfast: Sliced Bacon-wrapped Filet Mignon with Potatoes, Scrambled Eggs w/ Red Peppers and Cheese. Tortillas and salsa not shown!
Crazy Arrival & THE HIPPIE DOME! There was lengthy debate as to what might greet us upon our arrival. Hillary Dovel, my traveling partner in crime, and I arrived at 4:30 am on Thursday morning. We were greeted at the VIP entrance with a big vehicle blocking the only way onto the grounds. Leave it to me to show up when no one is on duty. I had to snicker at the high level of security. I felt like I was home again. The sense of safety in the South felt good.
We left our car and walked down to the venue which was totally dead except for a few Wooks in the mist that hadn’t gone to sleep yet. It took us some time to figure out which campsite was ours because everyone was asleep and the layout of the grounds was different this year. We found our WONDERFUL hippie palace that had been erected but where were our Ragers? They COULDN’T be sleeping? We tried peeking in tents but that got weird pretty much before we began and so we just assumed this pimped out spot was our home for the weekend and our friends had waited up long enough.
OUR HIPPIE DOME for the weekend! Thanks to John and Eric Way for their hard work! This was the living room and there was a kitchen and dining room off the sides. Epic! Epic! Epic!
Hillary and I choose not to sleep that evening. We spent the hours of 4:30 am to 8:00 am wondering the quiet camp grounds, checking out the space that would be taken over by raging hippies in a matter of hours. It was blissful watching the sun rise over the mountains and casting its golden glow on the green tree tops that create this lovely little dip in the serene The Blue Ridge Mountains. At 8pm, we finally crashed for a few hours. The music began at noon 🙂
Cuddle Puddles Puffathons ~ Lil B
Kickball: Hillary Dovel has been setting up Kickball games quite literally around the world for our wonderful jam community over the past few years. My first experience with her Kickball games was Camp Barefoot last year (EPIC!) followed by Jam Cruise Kickball in Jamaica (SERIOUSLY EPIC). This year, Camp Barefoot Kickball was supposed to take place each morning at dawn (if players were awake) and there was a Fans vs. Bands game scheduled for Friday which ultimately moved to Saturday.
For the Bands Vs Fans game, each Fan put up $30 with the proceeds, totaling $300, going directly towards the Building Fund for the new Humane Society of Pocahontas County Shelter. In return, players received a backstage laminate (accessing you to the showers) for the rest of the weekend and a beautiful Camp Barefoot 5 poster. I encourage everyone to sign up for kickball next year. It’s so worth it 🙂
Sadly, this didn't work at the end of the weekend when we all wanted Camp Barefoot to start over!
This year, there is no doubt that the event was disorganized and this wasn’t anyone’s fault but our own. Being Hillary’s wing lady, I take partial responsibility for literally dropping the ball! We raged it so hard that we failed to promote kickball properly and have already discussed ways to eliminate this problem next year. Last year we were in the same state of rage but we promoted it much more with megaphones and people not liking us so much in those wee hours of the AM. We are trying to find a middle ground to this promotion for next year!!!
Disorganization and lack of energy aside, there was one Dawn Kickball game that found campers sliding in the dew shortly after the sun came up one the first night. As well, a pick-up game on Friday occurred which ultimately took the place of what was meant to be the Bands VS Fans game Saturday. Multiple fans and members of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Segway and The Mantras squared off in a no-rules game of Kickball that had silly hippies giggling from beginning to end. Well, there is one rule…the only rule: NO BUNTING!
Thanks to all the members of the Bands who offered their time to give us such a great laugh as they kicked our butts. There is something really hilarious and wonderful about this event. I hope it continues on and really becomes an integral part of what makes Camp Barefoot a special experience.
The two main stages at night lit up by the wonderful 81 Productions!
Live Painting: I have never seen so many live painters in one spot then I did this past weekend. Jon Blake (Crazyredbeard) (a personal favorite and whose work we just purchased in April at Rock N Roll Resort), Chapin Mathews, Shannon Mordhorst, Jamie Morgan, Amity Dewey (one of my favorite new found artists), G. Scott Queen (who brings an edge and urban flavor to this his art), Kevin Vigil, Rae Vena, Carter Roach, Danny Phillips, and Aaron “AJ” Masthay (creator of this year’s Barefoot gorgeous poster) were all on site and are inspirational to the environment in the moment while painting. It really is amazing and a wonderful treat to buy yourself if you were so inclined and touched by a specific performance.
I think what keeps me painting at shows is the true love I have for the music and for the act of creating art. And what better place to do it then at a concert with a million kids jumping around? I love being able to inspire people with my art; my hopes are that they will go out there and do the same. Everyone is an artist. ~ Jamie Morgan
Live Painting - View of four of the artists!
However, it was entirely too much. Don’t get me wrong, the art work and watching it be created during a live performance is actually very stimulating. In fact, I suppose if I didn’t have a VIP Pass I might just have set myself up in the front row of the general audience near the painters to watch them create. I suppose, the amount of painters didn’t bother me so much as the location they were set up to paint. Set up in the VIP pit, we were forced to dance around them and try not to fall into them. I don’t even drink and I was falling into them at times when I wasn’t raging the rail. It was just cumbersome and slightly annoying because you don’t want to harm their work or their toes. This might be the biggest issue I have with the entire festival and it’s not even something I TRULY care about so that just goes to show ya how great this weekend truly is!!
The beginnings of an audience forming for the music start on Thursday! Just look at that stunning blue sky and green mountain backdrop. Perfect weather also!
The Artists Care: Camp Barefoot is the ONLY musical festival I have gone to where members of other bands playing throughout the weekend are set up within the camping grounds mixed in with the fans. Camp Barefoot is also the ONLY festival where I see members of other bands making their way to the front row to completely rage the rail for their favorite sets. I watched the bassist for Pigeons Playing Ping Pong immerse himself in the culture of the festival all weekend playing kickball and wandering around engaging new people around their camp grounds. Segway’s manager did the same.
The smaller bands are humble and kind and there as much to learn and digest the music as much as they are to perform for their fans. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE SEEING this type of involvement. I will always be a fan first and I know how that rail riding feels. But to see other artists doing the same, that is something special.
Music, Sweet Music
Musical Mustache Rage!
Everything at Camp Barefoot screams simplicity and value through it’s small scale. Barefoot delivers the best music their region has to offer by way of the Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland jam band scene with a few special nationally recognized gems thrown in the mix.
Emphasis is on the reflection of the region vs the country’s staple Jam Bands that generally find their way headlining large-scale festivals. It is for that reason I love attending these small festivals. I love finding new talent and recognizing new musicians who are going to open up on our world. I love writing about these groups that never get the coverage they deserve.
The lineup for Camp Barefoot is always littered with wonderful, small scale groups who leave a large impression on all their new listeners. Here are this year’s stand-outs (in my humble opinion).
The Jeff White Band opened up the festival at 12pm Thursday on the main stage. His cover of Paul Simon‘s “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” is what greeted me as I awoke in our wonderful campsite. What a lovely, funky way to rise.
Garry: Guitar and Vocals
Alicia: Guitar and Vocals
Tasha: Stand up Bass, Clarinet, mandolin
David Moo Young: Drums & Percussion
Sol Flo's surprising bassist Tasha Bear
From Ashville, NC, Sol Flo was the first band that made me stop and take notice on Thursday afternoon. Originally an acoustic/folk hip/hip trio, Sol Flo has recently taken on a drummer from Central America named David Moo Young which seems to have rounded out their sound. This weekend happened to be David’s first music festival. Gotta love the virgins….
Sol Flo Guitarist Garry
From where I was standing in VIP Camping, they sounded like a young soulful college band with attitude, delivery and some gnarly funky bass. I prefer a bass guitar line for breakfast so I took myself over to the stage to investigate. I was shocked to see a much more mature band. Siblings Garry and Alicia Bullard provided the positively youthful, soulful vocals and guitar play while Tasha Bear played one mean bass. She surprised me the most. With the utmost respect, she kind of reminded me of my mother, only my mother can’t slap a mean bass like Tasha Bear can!
Family Tree: This rock group reminded me of Guster. Their songs were catchy and fun.
Molly Murphy – Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo,
Sally Murphy – Vocals, Tenor Guitar, Kazoo
Jess Bergh – Percussion, Vocals, Guitar
The Reverend Bill Howard – Vocals, Electric Guitar
Terry Newman/ Remy Duguet/ Lorie Lichtenwalner- Bass
Stanton, Virginia’s The Judy Chops was the first group that got me truly excited. Rightly so, as they are talented members from other bands who have come together to purely entertain. Reminiscent of Django Reinhardt styling one moment and bluegrass hip hop another, The Judy Chops have a refreshing sound and fun concept. They mash songs together or rather “chop” them up and piece them back together to create an exciting musical experience.
In their song “Sex Monster,” I caught at least 15 songs beginning with Bloodhound Gang‘s “Discovery Channel” to Lady Gaga‘s “Bad Romance” to the Talking Heads‘ “Psycho Killer”. Then there was a mix of a Michael Franti‘s “Ganja Babe”, Keller William‘s “Boob Job” and a David Pollard song. After that insanity, they went into a swing-y Ella Fitzgerald tune. It was all over the map.
I gotta say off the top of my head The Judy Chops and Crucial Element were my new favorite find!! ~ Aslan Deacon
Their set was fun, danceable and full of chopped up pop tunes that had the thin crowd smiling ear to ear. As their set progressed, the crowd grew as the music called to them. It’s been a long time since something fun and fresh like this has been put in front of me musically. Their 3-part harmony was smooth amongst the chaos. This band would be killer to hire for a wedding and I mean that in the most positive way! So much fun!
Here is the Sex Monster video. At the very end of the video Jess announces the name of the song and you can hear me scream my response 🙂 I was energized by Sex Monsters.
A member of my camp made friends with the keyboardist’s girlfriend and so we decided to check out this Richmond, Virginia band first thing Saturday morning on the Mustache Stage. Bringing the best Roots and Reggae vibe heard over the weekend, Crucial Element is made up of five musicians who truly get into their music and message as they sing three and four part harmonies with that Reggae fire.
Their female vocalist, ButtaFly Vazquez, was phenomenal! It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to recognize true talent. She was absolutely born to sing. Like many bands at Camp Barefoot, Crucial Element handed out CDs, in this instance, Grow, Crucial Element‘s latest CD showing off the newest line-up of the group.
Ross van Brocklin – Vocals, guitar
Max Collins – Vocals, guitar
Aaron Ahlbrandt -Vocals, keys
Chris Coleman – Bass
Sam Cushman – Drums
Kings of Belmont's Sam Cushman
I have to be honest with you friends. I have one live recording from this well-known Charlottesville, Virginia band on my computer that was given to me by someone whose musical opinion I value greatly. I attempted three individual times to listen to the show and each time I was turned off by various things. I just wasn’t connecting with them in the right way.
I have heard such great things so perhaps I had to hear them live? Who knows, but it is specifically for that reason that I made myself go to their set and watch it in its entirety 11pm Thursday night on the Mustache stage. And guess what….I loved them!
They are anything but predictable and that is a great quality to have in a group. High-energy raging rock with some jamming musicality. This is a great thing considering that the bassist on stage was making his debut with the band. With a solid sound, they bring a friendly feeling that one might vibe on from a house band.
I loved how super appreciative they were. They kept saying, “Thank you! We appreciate you guys coming up here. We know we are up against some pretty heavy hitters [Perpetual Groove]. Not only that, we are up THE HILL!!” ~ Hillary Dovel
Personally, I was stoked that this band was playing because I have been losing my grip on Perpetual Groove since last year. The highlight of The Belmont set for me was when they broke out with a stellar cover of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick In The Wall”. Wookies slowly emerged from the mist in every direction. It was killer. Their energy was unmatched that night and I was so happy that the option against Perpetual Groove was Kings of Belmont.
Keith Allen – Guitar/Vocals
Marcus Horth – Guitar/Vocals
Justin Loew – Drums
Justin W. Powell – Keyboards/Vocals
Brian Tyndall – Bass/Vocals
Brent Vaughn – Percussion/Vocals
CAMP BAREFOOT MVP’s BABY!!! Only in backwoods West Virginia can you allow a psychedelic rock band to play till 6:45 in the MORNING!!! That is how Camp Barefoot closed out its wonderful four day hippie fest! The Mantras are SO much fun!
A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of “creating transformation ~ Thanks WikiPedia
The Mantra's Keith Allen
Hailing from Greensboro, North Carolina, The Mantras, led by guitarist and vocalist Keith Allen, had two sets over the weekend. Their high-energy first set was during the day, under the sun. I don’t own any Mantra Cds and so I had forgotten about the sound of Keith Allen’s voice. It reminds me of Les Claypool in the way that he has an unusual inflection in all the right, quirky ways. Les Claypool, however, uses a microphone to create his sound. Keith Allen just brings it naturally. His voice may be an “acquired taste” as I heard one fan put it but their sold out shows in their home state prove that it’s a taste that everyone enjoys.
There is also something to be said about a band who takes pride in their light show. I ADORE a good light show. A good lighting director (like Chris Kuroda or Jeff Waful) knows how light triggers our emotions and stimulates parts of our brains. Healing Bear is the name of The Mantra’s light director and he brings that extra layer that every late night show needs. I heard that he was asked by other bands to help them out as well. Gotta love the family sharing vibe.
I saw Keith backstage the last night of the festival and asked him if he was ready to close this mother down. He said he felt great and had made sure to get a good night sleep because he was planning on bringing the fire. That he did.
The Mantra's Justin Powell
Their late night set BEGAN at 4:35am. Amongst their signature, fun-named songs like the bass-thumping “Magillicuddy” and “Metrognome,” there was a killer cover of The Grateful Dead’s “Terrapin Station.” I was in Vendor Row when this song was being played and the notes trickled down the hill into my ears. I noticed multiple hippies around me spinning. It was a joyful site to behold. The Mantras also threw down a solid cover of London’s progressive rock band King Crimson‘s “Thela Hun Ginjeet.” An enthusiastic set to say the least, bassist Brian Tyndall is always fun to watch as he throws around his black hair and it was a pleasure to see the group with their new keyboardist, Justin Powell who filled the slot nicely.
The Mantras are huge in their region and there is no questions as to why. I could go on and on about thier set however The Mantras are one of the few bands who got recorded so I will let you take a listen and decide for yourself! Enjoy!
Set List: Sweaty Monster Pt. 1, Cairo, The Prelude, Ska Face, Man You Rawk!, Dr. Ssanasinod, Thela Hun Ginjeet, Jabberwocky, Five Roads, Terrapin Station, Magillicuddy, Metrognome.
Walton – Guitars/Vocals
Wolf – Keys/Vocals
Ashby – Basses/Vocals
Bakes – Drums
Hyman – Sound
DJ Possum – Lighting Design
Former Champions was a pleasant find. Or perhaps it found me. My best friend from high school is best friends with the drummer’s wife. Did ya get all that? Needless to say, I had to come give some love to this set and give it more than my usual ADHD infused attention.
This live electronic rock band from Richmond, Virginia took me a few songs to get into but once I got into their groove, I was into them fully. Getting down in the front row and dancing up the sides. Describing themselves as “a modern, high-energy, musical ensemble focused on expressing ideas and emotions through sound and words,” they did just that. They played well-composed songs with on the spot improvisation, which is fine. That is what all jam bands strive to do. However, this bands goal is to influence and inspire the human spirit with their music and I felt it, I really did. I could tell because of the smile on my face, my happy ears and my grooving booty.
Their jamming and dark Nine Inch Nails’ cover of “Closer” was a highlight of this set for me. I am going to say, one of my top five songs of the weekend, hands down. I remember looking around thinking how happy I was to be dancing around all my best girlfriends and I know the music helped fuel my happiness in that moment. The song took on so many meaning in that moment. All bands seek to connect with something and Former Champion’s music reaches out and gets into you. That is their goal and they succeed in that goal.
Eddie Roberts playing around with a stuffed weasel that was thrown on stage
Holy Hell!!! POWER TRIO OF THE YEAR! Barefoot, like most musical events, is subject to a Radius Clause. Due to nature of the clause, bands can not play inside a certain mileage of a previously booked show so as not to draw audiences away from bigger venues. The contract stipulation is an lucky inconvenience for Barefoot due to the Masontown, West Virginia’s All Good Music Festival and Floyd, Virginia’s FloydFest flanking Barefoot’s dates and location.
Personally, I love these contractual clauses for a very specific reason. Do you have any idea how many super groups have been created due to this clause. I could go on for hours but I will just speak on the super group that got plugged this year for Barefoot.
Robert Walters, raging the Hammond....OMG!
Eddie Roberts putting on some psychedelic glasses after someone threw them on stage
First, you got the heavy, soulfully jazzy Hammond B3 organist Robert Walter from Robert Walter’s 20th Congress and The Greyboy Allstars. He is one of my top three favorite organists in our Jam scene. For those of you who were there, I am sure you enjoyed his facial expressions as his music flowed from his body. He is HEAVY with his playing teasing rock, jazz, soul, funk and multiple effects creating sounds only his fingers can find.
Next, you have New Yorker Adam Deitch who was simply born to drum. Keeping bands such as Pretty Lights, Lettuce, Dr. Klaw and BreakSciene on beat, Detich is one of the brightest stars in the drumming community and my homie from NYC. This fierce set reminded me how much I enjoy his talent.
The music and the people made the festival! One of the best parts about Camp Barefoot is every year I feel like something happens (collaboration, sit-in, etc) that is a one of a kind event most likely to never happen again. Perfect example is Walter, Roberts, and Deitch all playing together and THEN Karl Denson running on stage like a kid in a candy store to join in. ~ Cullen Seward
...I liked that it wasn’t a mile walk from main stage to my spot. I left R,W & D to pee and get a beer and was back in like 5 mins! ~ Jeanelle Myers
Finally, you have masterful guitarist Eddie Roberts from The New Mastersounds out of Leeds, England. His energy and styling is fresh, free and his sense of humor is on point. As a dense Wookie in the audience threw a bottle on stage to which Roberts exclaimed, “If you are going to throw bottles, please make sure they are full.” During another point in the performance, both Deitch and Roberts took turns having fun with a campers’ stuffed weasel named “Terrance” that made its way on stage and eventually tied to Robert’s mic by his stuffed tail.
Karl Denson came out to join the party for a song!
This superb power trio had only performed together three times before gracing the main stage on the last night of Barefoot. I was told earlier that they had chosen a collection of rare B-side songs to perform but they had so much fun on stage that they only got through a few. They ended up playing two of Deitch’s songs and a two of Water’s songs. “Flood in Franklin Park” is a Grant Green song which Robert Walter’s made his own. “A-1 Sauce” was a song that I didn’t recognize but Deitch killed it. The entire set was the highlight of the whole weekend. I see massive amounts of live music and it’s not always that I get to see a new group in its earliest creation! You never would have guessed they had only played together three times prior to Barefoot. The set was pure gold.
Kyle Hollingsworth (String Cheese Incident) is one of my favorite keyboardists after Robert Walters and this set was magnificent. You also can’t go wrong with one of the best rhythm sections in America backing you up with Garret Sayers on bass and Dave Watts on drums. YOWZA! The Kyle Hollingsworth Band also played a regular set of their wonderful music however it was this Talking Heads set that left the lasting impression.
The energy from this set was unmatched as famous songs like “Psycho Killer” and “Crosseyed and Painless” made their way through the fields of dancing and singing campers. I weaved in and out of the crowd for this set and it was interesting to see the age differences recognize and not recognize the songs. Just a superb dance party. In those moments, I was so happy that Kyle was bringing this music to the ears of these musical newbies I found in the audience. This is the one set that I wanted to find the most as a download. I am hoping it turns up.
John Staten - THE MACHINE!
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe
Karl Denson – Saxaphone
Chris Littlefield – Trumpet
DJ Williams – Guitar
David Veith – Keyboards
John Staten – Drums
Chris Stillwell – Bass
Karl Denson gets down for his set!
A saxophone led band, I mean who doesn’t love that? It’s unique and Karl Denson is the hardest working man in the Jam community. Just go follow him around at Jazz Fest in New Orleans and you tell me different. Setting the bar in funk, Karl Denson came on after Roberts, Walters, and Deitch to complete the funky filled night of smiles and dancing. Karl Denson can make you smile before even playing a note. He is just walking charisma.
DJ Williams (DJ Williams Projekt) has been asked to play in place of Brian Jordan while Brian takes on new musical challenges. I was so pleased to see DJ Williams being picked for this slot. He filled Brian’s shoes wonderfully and brought his own style of Virginia funk to the position. Drummer John Staten is SICK!! I mean, what can I keep saying about him? He is simply amazing and stands so grand behind his rig.
If anyone befriended a space ghost or a man with big’ol fake boobies on his chest this weekend, please do get in touch!!! ~ Dave Fullerton
Thank You Camp Barefoot
Thank you, thank you, and thank you!!! As a music lover, a music festival junkie and a critic, I can’t give enough love to this festival. A festival that is surrounded by as much love and positivity as is put into it. From the grassroots foundation to the focus on developing bands in the region’s scene, Barefoot is a Diamond in the Rough as far as music, environment and experience goes. There just isn’t a better place to spend your weekend. When the dates for next year’s Barefoot surface, you can be sure that I will be pressuring all my people to attend. I hope that this tiny (wink) review will stimulate you to do the same.
Below is a list of media that I collected while putting together this article. Please give these groups a listen. They are all spirited, high energy, wonderful regional groups from Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland and all deserve your attention. Thank you to everyone who tapes, records and captures the memories of these events.
I got my first CD player during Christmas 1995. I was 13. Up until this time, music to me had been limited to whatever I could find on the radio (which I couldn’t rewind), Disney princess movies, other fluffy movie and show soundtracks.
My grandmother had season tickets to Broadway musicals and Classical Series and so I drowned in those, willingly. That music also made up the majority of my tape collection. On the way to school I was able to hear the radio but my mother preferred country against our “harder” choices. We would bond over many of the bands from her time but I still never had what I considered true musical freedom until Christmas 1993 with the arrival of my first CD player.
Mariah Carey's Music Box Album Cover
I see this as a definitive moment in my musical development and the start of a major addiction. I was 15, had allowance and I needed things to spend my money on. I would eventually join Columbia House, BMG Music (both no longer in existence as CD selling companies)and all the other companies that gave me music on the cheap. I would scam them using multiple names, ending up with tons of CDs and not enough time to devour them all. It was the start of my searching; searching for music that filled a hole.
I was given two CDs with my new CD player. My parents, knowing my love for singing and pop culture, gave me Mariah Carey‘s Music Box. My Uncle John (unsure of his motivation) gave me Simon and Garfunkel‘s Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon & Garfunkel
I would come to memorize every one of the songs on both CDs within days. I fell IN LOVE with Simon and Garfunkel while Mariah Carey disappeared in the back of my CD case after a few months and eventually from my memory.
I was immediately turned on emotionally and spiritually by Bridge Over Troubled Waters. I was 13. I struggled with anger and teenage angst and this CD connected with me on so many levels. The voices, the lyrics, the music. A simply stunning CD. More importantly, it opened me up to a time period in music that I had missed…the 70’s. A few months later, I would find Jerry and the musical hole within me would be filled.
There is so much to say about it but I won’t bore you with my run-on stories. My point is that my connection with Simon and Garfunkel runs deep. Paul Simon is sort of my Bob Dylan. I can hear you all screaming now but it’s true. He may not win in your books for the highest award of lyrical and/or song construction but in my book, he is #1.
The Auditorium Stravinsky stage, described in full in my Overview of Montreux Jazz Festival Post, was littered with musicians. I noticed an accordion, a xylophone, a piano, three guitars, a percussion section, one bass, two drummers, a piano and keyboard, horns, and a violin (I think).
Paul Simon’s desire to incorporate multiple multi-cultural instruments is a huge selling point for me being someone who likes to see change and diversity in her musicians. Simon ranks up there with Bela Fleck for going out in to the world to be the hungry learner, the constant musical hunter. I find so much beauty in musicians like that. We need more musicians like that.
Paul Simon @ Montreux Jazz Festival
This would be my first time seeing Paul Simon live. This was an epic moment for me. I felt giddy, like a school girl (pun intended) going to see her first musical crush. I imagined seeing Paul Simon many times in my life but I never thought the first time would be in this amazing auditorium in Switzerland. I had to cross the world to make it happen and I couldn’t be happier.
The show was in The Auditorium Stravinsky and we were in the #3 box seats instead of #4 from the night previous. I wondered if any stars would surround me again. Esperanza Spalding and Paul Simon had been my box neighbors just a night earlier as I watched The Miles Davis Tribute.
Tonight’s show would consist of multiples titles off Simon’s latest CD, So Beautiful or So What. The CD is built around his acoustic guitar and as the title suggests, the songs consist of views on extremes. However, his projections find themselves somewhere in the middle. His songs lie between the worlds of love and indifference, good and evil, hope and heartbreak. He speaks on everything from Christmas shopping to suicide bombers to Global warming. It speaks of his nephew, who has been on multiple tours of duty to Iraq to Jay-Z and Jesus.
The Making of So Beautiful, So What
Singer-songwriter Paul Simon was listening to a box set of old American recordings one day. Among the songs, he found a Christmas sermon bearing the voice of Atlanta’s Rev. J.M. Gates, a hugely popular preacher in the 1930s and ’40s. That sermon stayed with Simon, who turned it into a song.
“It really struck me, not only because it was really an unusual way of having a Christmas sermon, because it’s very dark, it’s like a warning,” Simon tells Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep, “but also … there was a real rhythmic pulse to it … it sounded so natural. I lived with that for a while, and then I thought, ‘I could write a song called “Getting Ready for Christmas Day,” and find a way of making verses that lead up to the sermon and then follow the sermon.’ “
~ Excerpt from NPR’s interview with Paul Simon (04/12/11)
Setlist:
Boy in the Bubble
Dazzling Blue
Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover
So Beautiful or So What
Slip Sliding Away
Peace like a River
The Obvious Child
Only Living Boy in New York
Learn To Fall
Questions for the Angels
Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
Gumboots
Sounds of Silence
Encore:
Kodachrome from 1973
Here Comes the Sun
Still Crazy After All These Years
Call Me Al
Simon started his set with “Boy In The Bubble,” the opening song on his 1986 album Graceland. Simon’s lyrics deal with the complex human consequences of modern technology. Do you recall the Boy In The Bubble from the 1980s? Ironically, this was a perfect start to a show that would continue on with songs highlighting intense issues.
“Dazzling Blue” followed and was the first song performed off Simon’s latest album. The song has a heavy African vibe; the stage was cast in a blue curtain of light with the majority of light on Simon alone. Beginning with a talking drum from India, the audience was immediately given access to the love that Simon has for different styles and texture of sound found in various cultures around the globe.
Miles apart, though the miles can’t measure distance Worlds apart on a rainy afternoon But the road gets dirty and it offers no resistance So turn your amp up and play your lonesome tune
Maybe love’s an accident, or destiny is true But you and I were born beneath a star of dazzling blue
~ Lyrics from “Dazzling Blue”
American rock drumming initiated the beginning to “Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover,” a 1975 hit song from his album Still Crazy After All These Years. The stage was filled with green light and Simon sang about the song’s mistress and her humorous advice to a husband on ways to end a relationship.
Fun Fact: G. Love covered the song on his album Fixin’ To Die (2011) which he recorded with the folk-rock band The Avett Brothers. ~ Thanks Wikipedia
And then Paul spoke…
“Hello my friends. I am so happy to be here. This is my fourth or fifth time here.” ~ Paul Simon to his audience
The bluesy title track, “So Beautiful or So What,” off Paul Simon’s latest album, began with two wooden bars being clapped together. The song verbalizes a lesson about life being what you make of it.
Bemoaning human frailty:
Ain’t it strange the way we’re ignorant how we seek out bad advice How we jigger it and figure it mistaking value for the price And play a game with time and love like a pair of rolling dice.”~ Lyrics from “So Beautiful or So What”
I swear I heard a telephone ringing as part of the chorus. It was totally prevalent but I am not sure it was part of the song. At the time, it didn’t surprise me but it made me curious. I loved this song, with its full sound and rock sensibilities. There was a spoon on metal solo, accordion overlay, beaded shakers kept the beat and Paul showed his picking skills. One thing about Paul’s music, the sounds he conjures out of the various worldly instruments he employs in his music is what truly sets each song apart from the next.
Using his mouth in an unusual way to intro the song, Paul Simon chose another oldie, “Slip Sliding Away.” The best way I can describe these mouth sounds would be like when the drawings in the cartoons would take two coconuts to make the sound of a horse walking. It was gorgeous…until there was an equipment malfunction. Paul paused, tapping his fingers on his guitar until his other guitarist strapped in. Flutes and harpsichords were being played but I couldn’t figure out who was playing the beautiful sounds. Simon accompanied the beauty with whistles and the song ended with acoustic scaling and whistling by Simon.
“Peace like a River,” the 7th song of his 2nd studio album, highlighted the piano. Paul’s voice cut right through me. There is something so calming and soothing about his sound. The softness is romantic yet there is fierceness in his delivery that comes off as pure professionalism and eagerness to be different.
I found an eight minute video of the performance which shows nothing, but you can hear Simon on stage clearly and that is what matters:
Four drumsticks counted off as both drummers began the lead into “The Obvious Child.” This song is defined by it’s Latin-inspired rhythms and is off The Rhythm and Saints album released in 1990. Reminiscent of a Big Band feel, we started moving in our seats. Paul Simon knows what I like, he truly does. Bright red lights blew up the stage as Josh was so moved he got up to dance.
Did Paul know his favorite fans were in the audience from NYC? Did he know that the NYCers who were there loved this next song? Perhaps not! But I like to think he did as he broke into “The Only Living Boy in New York.” This song touched me deeply as it was the only song sung off Simon and Garfunkel’s 1970 release, Bridge Over Troubled Water, one of the greatest albums to ever grace this planet.
The irony was not lost on me that on the album it is Art Garfunkel who sings the song while Simon takes a secondary position in the delivery. Not this time. Not tonight.
Bridge Over Troubled Water fun facts:
Fifth and final studio album by Simon & Garfunkel
Reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on February 28, 1970
Won 1971 Grammy Award for Album of the Year
Won 1971 Grammy award for Best Engineered Recording
Title track won the 1971 Grammy Award for Record of the Year
Title track won the 1971 Grammy Award for Song of the Year
Won Best International Album at the first Brit Awards in 1977
#51 on The Rollings Stones ‘Greatest Album of all Time’ List
The tears trickled down my cheeks freely now. It had only been a matter of time before I knew this would happen and I did think it was going to happen sooner then it did. It took eight songs to rip into my heartstrings. I was immediately transported back to being 12 and hearing his voice for the first time and I prayed that he would sing more songs from this album but it never happened.
“Learn How To Fall” was full of horns and fierceness. It was jubilant yet with a serious message of needing to “Learn How to Fall” before you can “Learn How to Fly.”
Then perhaps my favorite song of the performance was next, a song I had never heard before. A song off the new album called “Questions for the Angels.”
On “Questions For The Angels,” a middle-aged man strolls across the Brooklyn Bridge searching for heavenly help, only to be confronted with a Jay-Z billboard for a reply.
A pilgrim on a pilgrimage Walked across the Brooklyn Bridge His sneakers torn In the hour when the homeless move their cardboard blankets And the new day is born….
…..Downtown Brooklyn The pilgrim is passing a billboard That catches his eye It’s Jay-Z He’s got a kid on each knee He’s wearing clothes that he wants us to try
~ Lyrics from Questions for Angels
Can I just give props to Paul Simon for picking on Jay-Z? I don’t want to condone any negative tension but I find it hilarious, although not surprising, that Paul Simon chose these lyrics. It makes me recall the feud between NAS (who I am seeing tonight with Damien Marley) and Jay-Z. Would this bring Jay-Z down on Simon? Will there be retaliation through lyrics? Can you imagine that going down? Now, that is some musical drama that I would be interested in seeing take place…just saying.
Speaking on religious material making it’s way into the album:
“It’s not so much that it pops out in a larger way … it’s more frequent. I really had no plan to do that,” Simon says. “They begin as stories, and where they go is just a path I follow. Sometimes spiritual or religious imagery will be part of the story. It’s seldom the point of the story, but it’s a presence that lingers.”
~ Excerpt from NPR’s interview with Paul Simon (04/12/11)
It was back to the old school, this time with songs from Simon’s most famous album, Graceland. At this point I just couldn’t take notes anymore. I had to dance this out. Other members of the audience felt the same way as they were lifted out of their seats during the dueling drummers solos during “Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes.” The song is a pure classic about a short relationship Paul Simon had with a diamond mine owner’s daughter, while recording in South Africa. She was very rich and privileged, yet she acted very down to earth, like a poor girl. The drummers were amazing playing off each other and I longed for a concert of just drummers. Can you imagine? I can.
The Lady Smith Black Mombazo inspired song “Gumboots” kept the dance party going. This song reminded me String Cheese meeting Bela Fleck. There was picking on the guitars and a violin entered the mix. The piano player got up and played the inside of his piano. There was such a wonderful mixture of sound and it kept us all on our feet. It’s a beautiful song inspired by The Gumboot Dance which is an African dance that is performed by dancers wearing Wellington boots. In South Africa these boots are more commonly called gumboots.
The rest of the band joined the stage for “Kodachrome from 1973” This song left the hall so full of sound. Great sound. My friends and I were all up dancing in our box. There was no calming us down.
There you have it 🙂 The end of the set. Exiting the stage to monstrous applause, the entire band left. The entire audience began clapping in unison without letting up. Shortly after, Paul came out alone on his acoustic guitar.
!!!!!!!!!!ENCORE!!!!!!!!!!
When the notes trickled from the stage and the audience heard “Sounds of Silence,” the Auditorium went silent. You could hear a pin drop. “Hello darkness my old friend”…and with that, the tears flowed freely again.
This was definitely the most intimate song of the night. It tore at the heart strings, it made people smile, scream and feel something inside of them stir. Paul’s music does that to you. It’s such a classic song that everyone on the planet knows and is touched by it.
Hello darkness, my old friend I’ve come to talk with you again Because a vision softly creeping Left its seeds while I was sleeping And the vision that was planted in my brain Still remains Within the sound of silence
~ Lyrics from “Sounds of Silence”
Then the audience joined in by humming the lyrics. A single man and his guitar was standing alone on one of the world’s most famous stages and had the entire placed entranced. It was magic. It was awesome. It was music at its simplest. Music at its best.
“Here Comes The Sun” was the second choice with accordions and two guitars with Simon backing the melody. And with that, the stage emptied again.
The following video has “Sounds of Silence” into “Here Come The Sun.” Enjoy!
!!!!!!!!!! ENCORE #2 !!!!!!!!!!
Everyone walked off stage and for a few minutes the audience just chanted in unison. Paul Simon came out yet again for a second encore. There was no end in sight and that was awesome.
I took out Josh’s Iphone and video taped “Crazy Love” in it’s entirety with GREAT quality. Enjoy!
“Still Crazy After All These Years” was next. Paul didn’t have an instrument for these songs. Just his voice.
“We’re living in a certain time, and we’re aware of it. And that’s part of what we’re aware of, along with our own personal aches and pains,” Simon says. “The dialogue between what’s going on in the world and what’s going on internally seems to be a natural thing — well, it’s natural to me, anyway, to have these thoughts.” ~ Excerpt from NPR’s interview with Paul Simon (04/12/11)
“Call Me Al” ended the set. Everyone was finally up dancing now. Dancing down below me and clapping. The flute player moved to the keys. There was a major bass rage. Only a few seconds but so funky! You know the bass line I’m speaking of??
“One of my favorite poets is Philip Larkin,” Simon says. “Philip Larkin didn’t write for several years before his life ended. And when he was asked why he didn’t write, he said the muse deserted him. It sort of scared me. That’s why I think I have no right to assume that some thought is going to come. … But I think, in my imagination, if it is it, there will probably be something else I’m interested in.”
At 70 years old, Paul Simon shows no signs of slowing down. He is a master of his art, with a soft, intelligent voice, that attains an unmatchable sense of melancholy and tenderness. Regarding his latest cd, anyone who can take a sermon and build an entirely new outlook on life through it by music is stellar. I was moved and inspired by this show and I hope that this article touches you in some way that makes you go out and purchase the new album or perhaps invest in seeing him live. Simply Phenomenal.
Marcus Miller Workshop @ Fairmont Le Montreux Palace, Montreux Jazz Festival
Fairmont LeMontreux Palace - GORGEOUS!!!
Right this way... (c) Josh Raskin
Walking up to the GORGEOUS Fairmont Le Montreux Palace, I couldn’t help but smile. This was my favorite structure along the entire lake. The yellow awnings and its ornate classical design were simply stunning amongst the green background of The Alps. No matter where you walked along the water, the striking building made itself known amongst the grey and less-colorful buildings.
I arrived (with Josh) in time to walk right in with Marcus Miller on my left. He was clicking beats with his tongue softly, wearing his signature hat and a vest. I smiled and said “Hi.” He nodded and smiled with his eyes. He was genuine, I could feel it immediately.
Up the stairs to the left we went.....
As we entered the Hotel, we were directed up a grand staircase into an elegant space with pink and peach toned walls. Cherubs and damsels carrying vines of flowers were carved into the grand windows and arches. There were about 200+ chairs set up in front of a tall stage but they were all full of fans.
I got a bit sad at the thought of having to stand in the back but within a second Josh had grabbed me by the hand and seated us on the floor directly in front of the people seated in their comfortable wooden chairs. Within a few seconds there were two rows of fans that followed suit. (Shout out to my Front Row Hoes Posse!)
Marcus Miller walked on stage after a few minutes. His drummer, Sean Rickman of Garaj Mahal, immediately went into it with funk. I was immediately reminded of Victor Wooten and my mind drifted to the Stanley Clark, Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller project called S.M.V. I had forced Josh to listen to their CD just weeks earlier and it was a project Marcus would touch on later in the workshop.
After the rhythm duo finished playing there was some banter. Miller joked about how “this wasn’t a workshop but by the looks of things, it appeared to be a concert.” The space was bursting and the unlucky late arrivals were spilling into the hallways.
Miller explained how “these workshops are for you, the audience, and the hungry learner.I could stand up here the whole time and play licks or I can field questions,” which were welcomed at that time.
One of the greatest parts of the entire experience was hearing how each question was fielded by someone from Germany, Austria, France, America, Jordan or Spain. Each questions yielded a different accent and I just found that part totally intoxicating on its own merit.
And here we go... (c) Josh Raskin
Question #1: “How do you decide to use a fretted or non-fretted bass?”
The Fret Neck
Here is a little background info on frets:
The metal strips running across a guitars neck are called frets. Now, here’s what might be confusing: the word has two different meanings when used by guitarists. It can be used to describe:
1. The actual piece of metal wire
2. The space between the metal strips
Both of these are referred to as frets by guitarists. The space between the frets or metal wires is the place where you should put your finger to make notes. You do not put your fingers directly on the metal strips. So, the area of the neck between the nut and the first strip of metal is referred to as the first fret. The area on the neck between the first and second strip of metal is referred to as the second fret, etc…
Miller explained about frets and how they help one stay in tune. “When you don’t use frets, it’s like you are playing a violin or cello. Without the frets, you can use vibration to create a singing quality which I love because of the more natural sound that is made.”
Marcus Miller Workshop (c) Josh Raskin
Question #2: “Are you doing a tour with this show?”
“Yes, 9 shows. Not a lot but it’s really very special to honor the 20 years since Miles Davis’s death.”
Miller spoke of producing Miles’s album TuTu Revisited and how he really didn’t know if he wanted to jump right back into a Miles Davis session for another couple of years. However, the 20th anniversary of his death is so special and so Miller took his idea to Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter and vowed that if they wouldn’t be part of the project then it wasn’t meant to be. The two jazz legends were immediately on board and so the project came to life.
[Some shouts out about “TUTU” being a choice on the set list]
“As we were creating the show, we thought, let’s finish with something everybody knows and then we can go to the Blah, Blah, Blah part which allows for so much space within the notes of the song.”
Miller then went on to explain that on their set list for the show written below each song was “Blah, Blah, Blah.” He spoke about how they didn’t want to do the songs the same and it was when they began to have fun with the songs that the “Blah, Blah, Blah” would happen. It was the “Blah, Blah, Blah” that made this experience its own and where the beauty in the performance was meant to show itself. So, during each song, the group would go off into “Blah, Blah, Blah” and that was when the magic happened.
Another song like that is Wayne Shorter’s “Footprints” Breaks into “Footprints”
Marcus Miller Workshop (c) Josh Raskin
Question #3: “Who were a few of your influences growing up?”
This was Josh’s question and it provided for great content for this article!
“I grew up in the 70s, the golden years of bass playing. I had musicians in my head like Larry Graham, who taught us the importance of the E-string.”
With that, Miller broke into Sly and The Family Stone‘s “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)”.
“Before Larry Graham, there was James Jameson, a Mowtown session artist who played on so many tracks that you might recognize.”
With that Miller broke into The Temptations‘s “My Girl” Here is Jameson’s bass line:
“James Jameson was a very inventive man and yet he could keep it really simple and make a statement.”
Then he broke into The Jackson 5’s “I’ll Want You Back.” Here is the bass line:
With that, Miller broke into “So What” from Miles Davis’s Kind Of Blue CD. The intro for this song is something that Paul Chambers is extremely famous for! Listen to the intro here:
“When Stanley Clark came on the scene, I was so excited. He was the first one that made the bass an instrument that was allowed to be in the front of the stage. As a bass player, to see that was liberating. Jaco Pastorious was a continuation…
And then one day, I stopped listening to everything. I was in high school and my roommate told me to stop listening because I had to find my own voice, my own style. We needed to get rid of the negative of not having our own style. I really respected this guy and so I stopped listening.
Now, it’s very difficult to stop listening to your heroes when you are a young person. After a few years, I felt I developed a personality. Then Miles Davis called and said ‘Be at such-and-such studio in 1 hour,’ and he hung up.
So, I ran to the studio and during that session, I really tried to find my own voice. I didn’t want to walk away without leaving my own signature. I didn’t want people, years from now, looking back and saying, ‘Hey, you sounded like [insert name of famous bass player here] during this track.’ I wanted my OWN voice. It was during that Miles session that I feel as though I found my own sound. I didn’t know if I liked it, but it was all mine.”
Miller breaks into “Power of Soul” by Jimmy Hendrix, the reflection of his bass was shining on the walls and off the faces of the multiples smiles in the room.
Question #4: “I would like to know why you chose and how you developed ‘Time After Time’ for this tour.”
“Miles was playing [Time After Time] towards the end of his life. He was always seeing the beauty in songs that other artists were unable to see. He would choose songs you never thought he’d play like the Broadway tune “If I Were a Bell.” He’d show you the beauty in the songs other thought were cheesy.”
Flowers at the Reception Desk... (c) Josh Raskin
Marcus produced the Miles Davis Tribute and how he thought by choosing Time After Time he could explain that concept of finding the “beauty in the cheese” musically.
“We needed to expect the unexpected. During rehearsals, Wayne Shorter would suggest taking the song to a C-Sharp, something none of us would have ever thought of. When they did it, it was like the sun came out. It just evolved…”
He then somehow got to speaking about his discovering Samba and how hard it is to discover new music these days. He spoke about record stores and radio stations the beauty they used to entail.
“Remember old record stores? The owners were true music lovers. I used to frequent the type of stores where you would walk into the store and just ask, “what ‘cha got?” The owner would put on the latest find and many times we would walk out with as many as we could afford. It was the same with radio DJs. They used to play what they loved. They were the ones who were discovering music back then. It’s very hard today.
People call musicians masters. When I think of masters I think of athletes. I do not believe that musicians can master music. That is not something that can be achieved as a musician. As a musician, you are constantly evolving, constantly learning, constantly absorbing. I like to refer to them as endless searchers. Wayne Shorter is an endless searcher, always finding new things.”
Marcus Miller Workshop (c) Josh Raskin
Question #5: “How do you find your personality? How much technique vs. feelings is needed?”
Miller answered with the greatest answers ever delivered after this question.
“You are not allowed to choose,” he said. “When you need it, you can reach for your technique and it’s great to have that. However, you need your feeling all the time. Best is when you have the head and the heart working together.”
Miller then breaks into The Staple Singers‘s “I’ll Take You There.” Just listen to that bass line:
“I come from an R&B background and it makes you have to stay doing the same thing over and over again in a song. But I try to add something that makes it different.”
He proceeded to play the bass line of “I’ll Take You There” in its simplest form. And then as he continued to play the measures repeatedly, he would throw in a few extra notes and colored outside the lines of the measures.
Marcus Miller Workshop (c) Josh Raskin
Question #6: “How did you choose the two Seans?”
“Just so you know both of their middle names are Christopher. These are things that happen when you have Wayne Shorter involved in a project. Sean Christopher Jones was on TuTu Revisited and Sean Christopher Rickman had a video on Youtube that I showed Herbie [Hancock] and Wayne [Shorter].”
Here is the video that got Sean Rickman the job, his work with Dapp Theory at Montreux in 2003:
Question #7: “Over the past 20 years, I have heard Quincey Jones state that the electric bass changed live music. Please explain.”
“Before the electric bass, live performances didn’t have the low-end because you couldn’t mic an electric bass properly enough to fill the low end sound. The electric bass allowed for Rock N Roll to develop and evolve and for the music to be FULL. [Plugging in] changes the music and makes you play differently. Take it from me; I know how it feels to not be heard while playing vs. hitting one note and changing the entire landscape. The art of amplification is what truly changed live music. Once the bass was properly amplified.”
Question #8: “Will you be producing a CD from this tour?”
“Perhaps. We have had 9 shows and we have recorded all the shows with great outcome. Perhaps I can get everyone on board so we can pull together a DVD.”
Marcus Miller Workshop (c) Josh Raskin
Question #9: In a thick German accent: “Back in your youth, you were part of slapping competitions in school and it helped you with the ladies. Can you please show us some good slapping to get girls?”
Everyone broke into laughter, including Miller who then spoke of Thunder Claps and competitions and how “you only want to do competitions when you are young.”
Miller ended the set playing Larry Graham‘s “The Jam”. One of our FAVORITE songs. One of the greatest bass lines to open a song EVER!!! Here is Larry performing it:
And now with Marcus Miller:
“The Jam” a song that we would hear so many times over the next four days I would wager that “The Jam” was, by far, the most played song at the festival.
~~~
The workshop ended with Miller walking off the stage into a puddle of fans wanting to just pass him a smile, shake his hand or just be in his presence! I had enjoyed my tiny moment with him walking in and so I went to find Josh who had skirted around the venue trying to take pictures with his fancy camera. The staff was constantly asking others to shut off their cameras. Thank God Josh is sneaky because we wouldn’t have had much visual content for this article! 🙂
Turns out, Josh had found himself just on the other side of the wall in the room where they would eventually bring Miller seconds after he got off stage. When Josh saw him, he said: “Marcus, when you spoke of attending a performing arts school in NYC did you mean La Guardia High School?”
Miller: “Yes, you live there?”
Josh: “Yes, I teach in a middle school that tests the most students into La Guardia.”
Miller: “Where do you teach?”
Josh: “Booker T. Washington Middle School.”
Miller: “NO WAY! I know that school…”
And so it continued for a few more minutes of talking school, music and Manhattan. My lucky Josh had gotten the final interview of the session even though Marcus Miller had ended up getting in the last question! 🙂
Musical Musings of a Tiny Rager 