Narrative Arc

Talking to my pal Glen Marshall today, and the subject of the story of the show came up, and he asked what that might be specifically. I replied that it would be light on story and heavy on music, which he challenged a bit, offering that every great play or musical/comedy features a character who wants something and spends the running time of the show trying to get it. So what does the character of 'me' want?

We batted around the idea of starting right at the beginning, with me trying to learn to play the guitar, trying to impress the girls, trying to sing through a changing voice, and being humiliated by my peers, my sister, and the voices of my heroes in my head. The character wants something: perhaps to prove to himself and the world that he can do it: gain the spotlight and own it, even if just for a moment.

So begin at the beginning, with me learning my first song (Closer to the Heart?) and take people through the story of my musical development, and all the songs that were important to me, and why. But be unafraid to touch on all the humiliations along the way: the failed attempts to woo the ladies, the train-wreck performances at jam nights, the scathing reviews for my first few records---all the events that led me through perseverence to that full-circle moment of playing for Rush this year.

That piece of the puzzle, that narrative arc, is something that has been missing until now. Now I can go to work on this thing with a little more direction and purpose.

I meet soon with my friend Chris Conley to try out some potential music rig solutions for the show, that will automate some of the looping and effects (as well as lights and video). That's another unknown at this point, so we shall see what we can figure out. It needs to be seamless, subtle and supreme. By the end of the story, anyways.

The Story so far

I am slowly remembering more and more about those years in the 70s. I now recall that my first-ever music purchase was 'My Way', by the late Elvis Presley. Why Elvis? I thought he looked pretty cool in that sequined jumpsuit with the diamond-encrusted eagle on the back. He had the kind of blue-black hair that Superman had, and the karate manoeuvers of The Batman. So you can forgive my grade one brain for mistaking him for a superhero, and wanting to fight crime as Elvis when playing with my friends (who didn't stay friends for long).

So now I may just need to do an Elvis segment of some kind. Not sure how I will weave that in...

He was always covering songs that were popular on the radio, and put his big over-the-top stamp on each one...Bridge over Troubled Water, You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling come to mind. What if he did that with other songs from that era? Like Led Zeppelin? Sabbath? ACDC! Could be awesome, could be lame...could be awesomely lame!

I have decided I want the pace to be pretty peppy, with lots of jokes-per-minute, and references flying fast and furious. Whether that's music or TV shows, theme songs, commercials...whatever, as long as it serves the context of the song or era I'm in. This will require some serious researching, which I intend to do by reading and by interviewing those who are approximately my age, and have better memories than I.

When I think of the 70s, my thoughts turn to prog. Prog in all its furry-footed, flowery, mushroom-shaped proggy-ness. Progressive music was BIG back in those days. But where are those bands now? It strikes me that it probably isn't impossible to contact them, and ask them to be a part of my one-man show. Imagine: I am playing the opening strains to Roundabout and Rick Wakeman comes on the screen behind me to join in the song with some burning Mellotron licks! This could be the best idea yet. I wonder if Rick answers his phone at 11pm at night?

Fringe

I have had some good conversations lately with people who have some knowledge about the path I am embarking on. Advice is something that I really value. I don't like to just jump into something without having some reassurance that some part of the road has been mapped out, and once I get that map, I study it for all I'm worth, hoping to avoid the pitfalls and pratfalls.

I spoke with David Newland, who has a band called the McFlys that covers 80s hits with acoustic instruments, to great success, apparently. Think Corey Hart played on the ukelele. The McFlys would be a very instructive show to see for what I'm trying to do, since I want to make sure that the playfulness and comedy are in there in generous doses. David says that some mutual friends of ours (Gregg Lawless and Jory Nash) have both mounted successful theatre shows that have been revues of Canadian songs or 70s troubadour songs, so there's two guys I need to meet with to continue the conversation, and find out how they did it.

I also spoke today with Dave Lapsley, from 'Defending the Caveman', a one-man show about male/female dynamics, and he told me all about the Fringe Festivals in Canada. He said I should try to get on the tour, but definitely apply for Edmonton and Winnipeg Fringe (good vibes there, from his report).

He says that for $700 or so, you apply and your application (which in my case might as well be written on a napkin, since my 'show' is but a vapour of ideas at this point) goes into a lottery. You might get chosen, you might not (thanks, you say, for that succinct summary of what is a lottery). If you don't get chosen, you get all your money back. Seems like a worthwhile gamble, since your show doesn't have to be 'ready', or 'written', or 'any good' when you make that application. It would most definitely be a good trial run for the show if I could get in...reduce it to the most basic elements and see if it works at that level---the story, the music, my persona---with an audience. It's exciting to think of this maybe being onstage next summer at the Fringe, and then onto the small theatres.

I guess I need that excitement to help fuel this creative stage...which is going well, if still a little shy on specifics.

Day 7: Random Thoughts

I think the show needs to open with a rapid-fire montage that's kind of stream-of-consciousness...Songs, soundbites, TV themes, played live with pre-recorded snippets, using imagery on 2 screens behind me (interspersed with white noise). Just a blur of stuff that is reminiscent of Zoo TV (U2's live show in the early 90's).

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Once I've toured the show to smaller venues and fine tuned it to some extent, I will head into the studio to perform the 'Soundtrack' recording, which will sell at the shows, so people can take the evening home with them. I have 7 CDs out, but none that will have all these songs, so it makes sense to anticipate what audiences will want and prepare it for them.

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Progress on these songs will develop really slowly if I continue to get hung up on perfection. Instead, I need to just start demo-ing the songs roughly and quickly. I will have a sense of what these songs are capable of sounding like from the rough demo, and there's no need to polish them as if they had an audience. They won't. It's just me (but then I'm the toughest audience).

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Music forms the soundtrack of your life.. It can be your walk-on music when you're entering a new stage...Like the hard-driving rock-n-roll bravado that gives you the courage to step out of the wings and face a sea of doubters. Or the hushed tones of a string orchestra that rolls out under you like a blanket, and lets you lay back and ponder the constellations. I want to get at what these songs mean, and how they hang together as a 'life soundtrack'. This will inform the stories, and the arc of the narrative, I think.

Finding the music: Day 5

I decided to take emusic up on their offer of 75 free downloads today, partly so that I could pan for gold in their catalogue, in search of songs that might be good for the show.

Today I located songs by Saga, Yes, Pink Floyd, ELO, Supertramp (sort of, it's some weird soundalike band...close enough for my research) and Asia. I've always thought that the opening chords in Subdivisions sound like 'Only Time Will Tell' by Asia, so I might try to squeeze those two together to get a laugh, more than anything (if only from myself).

My process for choosing songs for this project is still developing. I think I might demo the songs on Pro Tools, trying to perfect the arrangement, then learn to play the song again based on the polished track. I think if I had done that for Subdivisions, it would have been ready way faster than the 18 months it took to arrange and prepare the song for the stage.

Today I am going to take a swipe at 'On the Loose' by Saga, just because I am having a good time with it, and I want this process to be fun. First couple of songs I try to learn will be guinea pigs for my new process, anyways.

It's in F, but I am going to do it in E, since that feels better vocally, and affords more open string possibilities. I'm not ruling out some alternate tuning yet, but at this point E is working. This is one of those Saga tunes with the lickety-split staccato guitar lines. Fun!!

Second thoughts

I have checked out Drop D for this song, and think that it better suits the direction I am going to take this one (it'll be a country fingerpicker, with kind of a double-time hoedown at the end). Plus it's easier to sing.

One Man Show: Day 4

Today I am going through a list of bands that I might consider covering for the one-man show.

It seems like there is more to be mined from the wonderful wooly world of prog-rock, and a long list of cool bands with iconic songs from that genre. To wit: Pink Floyd, Genesis, Yes, Supertramp, ELO, Saga...all these bands have interesting songs that are often big production numbers. All of them just waiting to be reduced down to a solo context, where the musical and lyrical genius can be revealed afresh. So, let's see...

Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Hey You, Another Brick in the Wall

Genesis: No Reply at All, Follow You Follow Me

Yes: Roundabout, I've Seen All Good People

Supertramp: Dreamer, Logical Song, Breakfast in America, Give a Little Bit, Take the Long Way Home

ELO: Telephone Line, Don't Bring Me Down

Saga: On the Loose, Wind Him Up

Those are just initial thoughts. I am going to have a go at these today, and see what macaroni sticks to the wall...

One Man Show: Day 3

So it occurs to me that I need a plan. I may or may not proceed in this order:

1. Choose a bunch of songs, and demo them at home.

2. Create a shortlist.

3. Find personnel: writing, directing, tech consultants

4. Start writing the show with a co-writer.

5. Build a set mock-up.

6. Put my dream rig together out of borrowed or rented gear. Test it out. Make a million changes.

7. 2nd and 3rd draft of writing.

8. Make YouTube videos of some of the harder songs as a way of formalizing arrangements.

9. Make YouTube video 'trailer' of the show. Profesh.

10. Get multimedia content together.

11. Go into a one or two week rehearsal period with director, techs and creative consultants. Program lights, effects, and multimedia.

There you have it. It's nice to have it all organized and plotted out like that. But then, they say if you really want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.

The ONE MAN SHOW. Day 2

Things are progressing nicely with the one-man show. After meeting with lighting/visual effects/gear guru Warren 'Wiggy' Toal yesterday, I have generated a page full of rough notes and schematics (see below).

It feels good to know that everytime I talk about the concept of the show to someone, they 'get it' and are excited to see what it will look and sound like. This was the case with Dana over at LiveTourArtists, who heard me talk about it for 30 seconds on his answering machine and was instantly intruiged. This has led to interest on his part in selling it to small theatres in Ontario (100-500 seats), starting in 2011, if I can get the show ready by the fall.

The ONE MAN SHOW. Day 1

Today I start to work in earnest on crafting all the elements for a one-man theatrical show that is a musical journey told through cover songs, and weaves together my own tales of discovering this music, where I was when I first heard it, and what they meant to me---the emotional context.

I meet today with Warren 'Wiggy' Toal, who has worked with all the greats from Pink Floyd to Gordon Lightfoot. He's hopefully going to offer some advice as to how I should proceed as far as technical needs are concerned. My vision is to do some of the songs as kind of 'production numbers', where lights, multimedia visuals and effects are 'in sync' together, running off the same time-clock.

Warren has done a lot of this stuff for the artists he's worked with, so I'm looking forward to hearing his thoughts on creating a modular system that's easy to run myself.

Of course, there are many things to consider beyond these tech concerns (but these are one my mind today, so I will begin here). Still to be decided are the setlist, the stories, the physical set, and the show's name, among a myriad of details. I already have a booking agent willing to represent the show once it's all ready to go. So this summer I will be blogging regularly about my progress, so you can see me putting the show together in real time: from the germ of an idea that it is today to the fully realized production.

My hope is that it will be a show that will move people, entertain and introduce my music to new audiences. My motivation to do this comes from the enjoyment I get from crafting interpretations of other's work, and finding a way to make it work within the one-man-show paradigm. Also I like the idea of doing a show repeatedly until it really cooks, and then having the satisfaction of bringing that show to multiple audiences (in nice theatres). I know that I will learn a lot in this process which will enrich what I do as an original artist, from crafting stories to optimizing my gear and production sensibilities.

Plus I think it sounds like a lot of fun. So here we go...

El Salvador: A Journey with Compassion

Before I tell you stories from my trip to El Salvador, just let me say in repsonse to your emails and letters that I realize "The Loop" is not really a proper Blog. That would involve me posting my thoughts on this page with a far greater regularity than once every six months. But truthfully, I am a terible typist and it is, for me, akin to medieval torture to sit and type for long periods of time (at least that's what I told my high school English teachers). So I would ask you to expand your concept of the Blog as e-literature, and think of it more like a column from a magazine--one that only publishes twice yearly....and contains only one column(!).

There. Am I now off the hook sufficiently to continue with the story? It's a good one this time, I promise.

AN INVITATION SOUTH FROM COMPASSION CANADA

Several months ago, my wife and I were invited to take an 'exposure tour' of the ministry of Compassion, specifically in El Salvador. I do some advocacy work for Compassion at some of my concerts, and I know many of you sponsor children around the world through this worthy organization. I had never been on one of these tours, though, so as I cleared my schedule to go, I was anticipating a mind-blowing trip and a renewed sense of purpose in advocating for these children. The trip certainly delivered that, but I discovered that God had something much more personal in store for me, and he planned to surprise me at every turn with incredible moments of grace.

The group from Canada was comprised of 15 (amazing) people from across Canada, mostly pastors and their wives, with the exception of musician Andy Park, his son David, and Ally and I. The group was led by a seasoned trio of Compassion staffers, and a fabulous squad of nationals who served selflessly as tour guides and interpreters (and for me, private Spanish language tutors).

I was scrambling to learn the language in the weeks before, so to hear it spoken so beautifully for a whole 7 days...man, I'm hooked! Check out the Coffee Break Spanish podcast online at iTunes if, like me, you're dying to learn more.

DAY ONE

We got off the bus to a riotous "Bienvenido" from our new little friends-- 150 kids from the Compassion Project. They even wore red and white just for us...

This was followed by a big presentation with drama, dance and singing.

We really felt like visiting dignitaries!

We got great seats for the big show. (I knew a guy.)

So on this day(and most days) we hugged about 100 kids and played games and talked to the teachers and pastors, all of whom were working overtime to provide the very best care and love for these precious kids, most of whom come from troubled homes and deep poverty. At this project, and every project thereafter, we made fast friends with many of the little 'chicos', and took pictures. Check out the face of young El Salvador...

Everywhere we went, Ally made friends. Her sunny disposition and easy laugh made her a popular figure with the young girls, who flocked to her.

DANIEL

On three of the days, we had the opportunity to visit the homes of some of young people enrolled in the Compassion day programs. One such fellow was Daniel: 15 years old, a gifted singer and an A+ student. His mother had 12 children, and young Daniel has a few older siblings...and he is the only one in his family to be involved in the Compassion program. Yet through him, his entire family has been given hope and blessing. When asked to explain what the efforts of Compassion have meant to him, he had no words, but broke down crying. He was well aware of how blessed he was to recieve the education, food provision, community and care that Compassion provides, and can see how God has raised him up and caused him be strong for his mother, and to shine a light for his brothers and sisters.

His dreams are lofty (wants to be a doctor), and he shows every promise of achieving them. Compassion offers a new yearly leadership program that Daniel is a perfect candidate for, and for Daniel, this is all he needs: a chance to show the grace of God has birthed inside of him.

After spending an afternoon with him, I have no doubt that he will accomplish all of this and more...

meeting SARA: a new beginning

Waiting is one of the toughest things to do. You feel like you're missing the boat, like you're being passive, like you're wasting. For the past 3 1/2 years, Ally and I have wanted to start a family, but found ourselves forever waiting for results...and it felt to us more and more like a waste of time, the steady depletion all of our emotional resources. Still, our desire for children grew stronger, even in the face of the possibility that we may not be able to have kids of our own.

It was out of a desire to connect with those children that God did give us to love that Ally decided to sponsor another child with Compassion. We were eager to find a child that was from El Salvador, since we would get the chance to meet her personally on this trip. As it turned out, everyone in the group had a sponsor child in El Salvador, and we were all going to spend 'Fun Day' with them at the Children's Museum in San Salvador.

We were tingling with excitement when the bus pulled up to the assembly of kids and their parents that fateful morning.

Fun Day begins: meet little Sara.

I never had a chance...I was smitten right away. I spoke enough Spanish to tell her my name, and how adorable she was. We established an instant rapport, and we were teasing each other and playing games in no time.

Her mom warned her that she cannot

be forever blowing bubbles.

One cheeky monkey.

(that's my) FUN DAY

Needless to say, we had a ball with this energetic and hilarious little gal, who was full of life and just needed a gentle nudge to come out of her shell and embrace the fun of the day.

One of the exhibits allowed the kids to turn the tables on the adults and play doctor for a day. As soon as she donned the lab coat, she was in full method-acting mode, bringing to mind a mixture of Doogie Howser and Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman. She inspected my ears (and pronounced them 'dirty'), weighed me on a scale ('too fat') and had a gander at my gums (c'mon, be gentle, Doc!).

She had us in stitches for much of the day, and we had the opportunity to spend some time at the end, giving her a few presents and singing her some kids songs.

It was an incredible day, and one that I was eager to capture in song, as soon as I could.

So a few days ago, I put the finishing touches on Sara, a song I hope to feature on the new EP that's due for release this Fall. Funnily enough, I took a band into the studio days after coming home, and recorded a song I'd written with finished music, but no words...and this past weekend I holed up in the studio and wrote the lyrics.

I think I just needed time to process all that had happened on that amazing trip. So many stories could still find their way into song, but for me, this day with Sara was one of the most significant moments.

I hope to have that song wrapped by the end of August, and released as a single in September.

I haven't been this excited by a new song in a loooong time. It's full of hooks, it's bouncy, innocent, and yet lyrically retains some of the sense of weariness and sadness that Ally and I have felt, and felt rescued by that day.

"Sara you came along like a dream/When our dream was gone"

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ADOPTING A NEW POINT OF VIEW

Up until meeting Sara, I couldn't imagine adopting a child. I didn't feel called to it, the way I thought you were supposed to be. I worried about attachment, and whether it would 'take'...for me and for the child. Loads of fears about being a good dad. A keen desire to have kids the way everybody else does...

But all that was blown out of the water when Sara looked at me with those eyes, eyes that seemed, all at once, to address everything that was holding me back.

Ally and I are now exploring adoption in El Salvador, praying that God will bless us with a child from this beautiful country, where we have made so many great new friends. Amazing progress has already been made in finding agency contacts and lawyers there, and there is a new government that appears to be friendly to international adoption.

El Salvador has a reputation in adoption circles here as a closed door, and no agency in Ontario deals with them at this point. And I can accept that if that proves to be the final word, but something is telling me that God wants to open that door, and may be using our story to help. If we can connect the lawyer contacts we have in El Salvador with an agency in Ontario willing to license for ES, then there is a chance that the doors will fling wide, and many more than just us will be able to enter in.

These are just hopes and dreams at this point, but they are so much more than we had before El Salvador.

Thanks to everyone on the Canadian team for your friendship and insight, to the El Salvador team of Compassion Staff and translators...we owe you all a great debt of gratitude for opening our eyes to the amazing work that Compassion is doing around the world, and specifically in the lives of children through the partnership of staff, the local church, and sponsors.

I will sign off here. It's time to write some Sponsor letters to my kids.

Shout out to Robert in the Phillipines, Dawit in Ethiopia and the newest addition, little Sara in El Salvador. May the Lord bless you and keep you; may He make His face to shine upon you, and give you His peace.

New York

Emerging out of the Lincoln tunnel and into mid-town, I remembered why we came. This city is part of the fabric of my being, and her inhabitants feel like family, somehow. As novel and surprising as the sights and sounds can be, I never feel like a stranger here, twisted up as it is in my cultural memory.

This time out was my first trip with Ally to the Big Apple. The first thing we did was drive down into midtown, the 'City of Blinding Lights'...





The next stop was to meet my sister and her family at 'Maison', a lovely little 24-hr french restaurant up around 50th. It was wild to see them so far away from their stomping grounds in T.O., and we had a great little visit.



I think m'lady is the prettier of the two.

I am blessed to know a great host of quality people, many of whom have offered me hospitality on the endless road trip that is my life. If I have survived the ups and downs of the music business, surely this is one of the only explanations for it.

Susie and Tim Griffin put us up for the week at their house in Jersey, providing that we looked after their two cats whilst they were away. I would have also looked after a rabid wolfhound with a bad case of Parvo and the mange, to stay in this place. It was ummmm...beautiful. In a gorgeous neighbourhood...we were very comfy to say the least.

Taking the commuter train into NY was a hoot, and we met the nicest people on board. New Yorkers are friendlier than you can imagine. And their world-weary humour and tough as marshmallows exterior is very endearing. I listened to a Jersey mom lovingly and hilariously henpeck her kids all the way to Penn station. It was like music to my ears, and I felt like I was in the middle of a Woody Allen movie, which is how I imagine many New Yorkers must feel most of the time.



When we arrived in town, we went to Central Park while the sun was still out, and we hoofed around that wonderful place for a few hours. People were skating in the park, courtesy of Donald Trump (tickets $14), and many were in the horse drawn carriages that circle the park ($35). Both looked like fun, but we wew restless and wanted to see it all...



We found the John Lennon Memorial, and had a solemn moment there.







Coming back into midtown, we happened upon this fella. Seeing a man strum a guitar on the wintry, crowded streets of New York in late December is a sad and pitiful sight. Somehow if you remove most of his clothing (save a snug pair of tighty-whiteys) and put him in cowboy boots and a hat, it's traffic-stopping entertainment! You have to hand it to him, though. That is one plucky pick-wielding pardner right there.



As evening fell, we made our way to the first in a series of shows. Cirque de Soleil's Wintuk, a sort of lite version of what they normally do, but no less ingenious and breathtaking in its acrobatic imagination and innovative set design. Plus they made it snow at the end!


Next up was 'In the Heights', a terrific musical about the people of Washington Heights, way up around 181st St. It was written by a new face on Broadway, a college kid who also starred as 'Usnavi' (thusly named when his father saw a US Navy ship in the Caribbean Sea). Killing music and story, and very entertaining. Latin music and rap were the main flavor, and it made for an irresistable mixture.
Winner of Best Musical at the Tonys last year.



The real highlight, show-wise was "All My Sons". Imagine being in the prescence of John Lithgow and Dianne Wiest! Now imagine being in the second row(!). These titans of the stage, practically in our laps, were ably abetted by Katie Holmes and Patrick Wilson, and together they brought this Arthur Miller play about family secrets through the full range of emotions to a devestating conclusion. Afterwards they all came outside to sign posters and Playbills...very cool.



The other show that we managed to sneak in this week was a Mike Stern quartet show at the Iridium on Broadway. He had Kenny Garrett, Dennis Chambers and Tom Kennedy with him, and man...it was beautiful stuff. Funky, jazzy and playful with a muscular backbeat, this was jazz without borders, and the audience loved it. We met a nice couple from Queens in line and sat with them for the show. Salt-of-the-earth people.



I got a picture and a CD from the man himself. Heavy player and super-nice guy...




Other highlights included a trip to 30 Rockefeller Centre for a Studio Tour (SNL, Conan, the NBC News) on January 1st. This was one day when the crowds weren't too bad. Dang, it was cold though...I had to buy me a hat!



Nice!




We ventured into Brooklyn for a visit to the Brooklyn Tabernacle...famous to me because of the Choir, and for the pastor (Jim Cymbala). It was an honour and a privelege to be amongst those people, and Ally and I were spoken to and blessed by God that morning through the music and the things that Jim had to say. It was a perfect morning, and we finished it off by heading to Magnolia Bakery in Greenwich Village for some cupcakes, then walked by this sign at a local Salvation Army.



All in all it was a wonderful week, and we cannot wait to return...in warmer weather. :-)



We stopped into Scranton PA on the way home, to shoot this iconic building from the opening credits on 'The Office' (US version).



Fun!

Nashville 2008

There are some classic questions that people ask when they find out that you're a singer/songwriter, and I've heard them all. The top three might be these, in no particular order:


1. Can you really make a living as a musician?
(Answer: That would depend if you're persistent and ready to work hard)


2. Have you ever considered going on American/Canadian Idol?
(Answer: Ummmm... That'd be negatory.)


3. Have you ever thought about moving to Nashville and landing a record deal? (Answer: I can't imagine moving out of the land that I love, where I already have a record deal...with my fans!).


It is with that last question that I will concern myself with here, having just returned from a last-minute 5-day trip to Nashville. I have always wanted to visit Music City, if only to soak up the history and the vibrant music scene, one that seems to attract starry-eyed songwriters like so many summer moths to a patio lantern. I confess that I have often felt the pull, but with no contacts there, and little time to spare with a busy career at home, my first visit didn't come until this past week.


Why did I go? What does a dyed-in-the-wool indie like me hope to achieve by going to Music Row, the home of the corporate country hit-machine? Are there any hopes of scoring a major-label deal? Would that even be a good idea? Let's do a brief history lesson…


I understand that back in the halcyon days, an enterprising young songwriter could walk up and down 17th avenue, handing out copies of their demo to every studio, publishing company and producer, and at the end of the day, if they were any kind of good, someone would offer them a deal. But these are different times. The record companies are downsizing, CD stores are closing, and radio stations aren't breaking new acts. There's a lot of great music already out there, and it's way less risky to trade on that than it is to develop new bands, what with the recession, file-sharing and whatnot.


I can only imagine that Nashville feels the effects of these changes, but if she does, it didn't show. Country music still does huge numbers, and is in some ways the rock and roll of our time, in terms of emotional currency and fan devotion. There were two 24-hour TV channels devoted to country music video...a stark contrast to MTV and VH1, who rarely play music videos, in favor of reality shows and game shows.


These are the woes of the corporate music business, however, and not major concerns for your friendly neighborhood independent musician. We indies operate outside of this machinery (and without their mass-coverage), in a world of grassroots promotion, peer-to-peer marketing, and lower budget recordings. Ironically, though, it is precisely these indie lessons that the majors are eager to learn, now that the top-down music business models may have breathed their last.


After processing all this in my mind, I decided that I would meet whatever contacts my friends had for me there, but then leave it at that, and not try to hustle work or connections. So this trip to Nashville took on the feel of 'music tourism', which, for me, was way better. The meetings I took went great, and may lead to more, but in the end it's my memories of that great music city that will last forever.

Well, they'll last forever if I actually write them down, I guess…so here goes:


1.Gaylord Opryland Resort: That's quite the name, I know. And quite the place---9 acres of indoor, climate controlled fantasyland, replete with shops, nightclubs, convention centre, 100s of rooms, tropical flora/fauna, waterfalls, and a river comprised of the water from thousands of international rivers. I got to stay there because my sister and niece were in the Irish Dancing Competition held at the Convention Centre. Slainte!



2.Bluebird Cafe: This place used to be the mecca for anyone trying to break into the Nashville scene as a songwriter, due to the ever-popular Monday-night open mic. I snoozed and loozed on that one, but I did get to hear some fantastic songwriters 'In the Round'...people like George Marineri(Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Hornsby), Steve Conn (Sonny Landreth, Bonnie Raitt, Dixie Chicks) and a half dozen others I hadn't heard of. The food was good, the quarters were a tad cramped, and the walls oozed history and the memories of gigs gone by. It was weird to find it in a strip mall, where you might expect to find a Subway or a dry cleaner. Well worth the trip to Hillsboro, though!



3. The Ryman Auditorium: Back in the 1800s, a preacher named Samuel Porter Jones came to Nashville to set up tent meetings, where he warned against the evils of drinking and gambling. Mr. Thomas Ryman was a tavern owner and ran a few riverboats in the area, so he thought he might stop by one of these meetings to heckle the good preacher. Things didn't go as planned, though, and Mr Ryman found himself persuaded by the reverend's arguments against the sins of the flesh. A new man, he devoted himself in 1885 to constructing an auditorium for , so that every time he came to town, he would have somewhere to hold his meetings. That building is now the Ryman Auditorium, which went on to host opera stars, politicians, stage plays, and the Grand Old Opry makes its home there from 1943-1974, and many country stars consider it the 'home church' of Country Music.

I fell in love with it as soon as I walked in the door. It's been restored, but it still has all the charm and warmth of that original wooden structure, and the pews have been refinished (and the chewing gum removed from below the seats...50 gallons!). I sang a song for the tour guide at the front of the stage, on an old Martin they had there for photo ops.

It was magical just being there, but to see it all come alive with 4000 people on the night Vince Gill came to town to play some good ol' Bluegrass...well, now we're talking. He even invited Ricky Skaggs onto the stage! It was quite a night, and was the highlight of the trip by far.



4. The Basement, 12th and Porter, 3rd and Lindsay: These were all excellent clubs to check out...At each one, I was impressed with the sound, and the high level of talent on display. The lights at 12th and Porter were particlarly dazzling. I met some great people at these clubs, and all of them were a $5 cover. Steal! Plus, I could swear that I say Percy Daggs III (Wallace from Veronica Mars) singing and playing his butt off at 3rd and Lindsay!! Can anyone confirm if this is him, going by the pseudonym 'Joey'? Odd.



Will I be back? You bet! This time I might bring a friend...it did get a tad lonely, being a stranger in a new city, but I kinda dug the challenge. It was like being a fly on the wall for the most part...drifting in and out of shows without anyone noticing me was somewhat liberating, since I was freed up to just enjoy the music, and follow my interests around this great American city, taking little mental snapshots as I did.



You might just see a song come out of this one...



~Jacob

The Great Beyond

Hey folks,



Here' s that Great Beyond tablature I had promised. This was a song that came about from a riff I was working on in G minor tuning... It had a nice ringing quality to it, and was inspired by some Ralph Towner right-hand excercises I had done back when I was in school. Every tuning offers some possibilities and some challenges, and for this song it was nice to have all those open drone strings to pull off to and strum, each of them having a different connotation to the harmony of the moment. The drawback to all that droning is that it tends to lock up your chord choices, so I sought to fix that by introducing the major 2 harmony into the chorus ('the whisper that calls my name). This required some creative fingering and muting to execute live, but I think it was worth the extra effort to give the harmony a little lift at that moment.



Here's the two main riffs in tab format. Still figuring this program out, so future scores will be more involved...



Thanks for tuning in (and down, for this song!)...


Here's the link for the jpg of the music notation:

http://www.jacobmoon.com/greatbeyondtabs.jpg

We Will Overcome

Hey guys,

Here's a little experiment I did tonite with some notating software I'm checking out.

It's the We Will Overcome main riff, in two parts: the lead line, then the harmony line that I loop over top. Play it with a capo on the 3rd fret.

Look for more tabs coming soon...

here's the link: http://www.jacobmoon.com/wewillovercomeriff.pdf

Keep up the playing out there!

J

Peter's Song (Here at the End of the World)

Today I got together with my songwriting pardner Glen Soderholm at the Crieff Retreat Centre and we got out the guitars to do some new writing together. This time out we started work on a commission I got recently to write a Good Friday song for the Meeting House in Oakville, to be played at their morning services. The kernel of the concept is that it be reminiscences bythe people who knew Jesus while He was alive, and their bewilderment when He was crucified.

We began with the idea that this was Peter's song, as he is the apostle most people can relate to, the most sincere and yet frail in his humanity. It will be a haunting song, and one that will not have a tidy conclusion---more trapped in the moment of Good Friday with no foreknowledge of how it all turns out.

Here's what I ended up singing at the Meeting House Good Friday service this year as the final product (added Mar 25/08):

" I remember a voice
calling out to me
Oh Lord
You had given me hope for who I could be

But now I am afraid
What have I made of the name you gave me

I remember the time when you washed my feet
Oh Lord
Still bowing to serve in your hour of need

And those hands, I’m sure that you knew,
The nails would pierce through
And everyone disown you
I remember the night when you washed my feet

Lord now I don't know
Where do I go
I'm here at the end of the world

Nothing is right
Day’s turned to night
Here at the end of the world

I remember the time
When we knelt to pray
O Lord
But when I closed my eyes
You watched me drift away

Now,
How can I sleep
When all of my dreams
are shadows on the hillside
I remember the time
When we knelt to pray

Lord now I don't know
Where do I go
I'm here at the end of the world

Nothing is right
Day’s turned to night
Here at the end of the world

What about the kingdom to come
Thy will be done
Peace on earth
What’s it worth?

What about the blessed are these
Blessed are those
Bless me now, Lord, cause I don't know what I believe
Here at the end of the world

(Jacob Moon/Glen Soderholm)

Cayamo continued...

NEW! If you check the links on the Feb 11 post (below), you'll find some great YouTube video footage from the performances on the cruise. Almost like being there...brings back some sweet memories. I got to see each of these magical shows.

Here's some additional photographs from that week, taken by unofficial cruise lenser, Will Byington:

http://www.willbyington.com/cayamo/cayamomonday/index.html
http://www.willbyington.com/cayamo/cayamotuesday/index.html
http://www.willbyington.com/cayamo/cayamowednesday/index.html
http://www.willbyington.com/cayamo/cayamothursday/index.html
http://www.willbyington.com/cayamo/cayamofriday/index.html
http://www.willbyington.com/cayamo/cayamosaturday/index.html

One for each day of the cruise! Fun!

~Jacob

Cayamo Songwriter's Cruise

Way back in August, I was procrastinating from head-down work on my Live CD and Christmas CD, and I came across this advertisement for a Songwriter's Cruise, featuring Lyle Lovett, Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt, Patty Griffin and Shawn Colvin. It was too good to be true, so I went online and checked out the website, and sure enough--it wasn't a mirage. So I made a move in the direction of this heavenly vision taking shape before my eyes, and before I could blink, I had plopped down the money for Allison and I to go.

The excitement was catching. Every person I told about it was in disbelief, and my I had trouble even thinking about it for too long, as it was still torturous months away.
I worked my tailfeather off between September and December, and on the Christmas holidays I found myself booking our flights and hotels. I learned that the cruise was near sold-out, and that many of the people coming were musicians themselves. So it was, "Bring your guitars and jam with your fellow passengers!".

Now that's my kind of vacation!!


MIAMI SOUTH BEACH, FEB 3rd, 2008

We flew into Miami a day early to make sure that we didn't miss the boat. This shot was taken just as the sun as going down on South Beach, and I remember my skin thanking me when those warm ocean breezes washed over my whole being, erasing the memory of snow and ice, shivering and shovelling, and 5-o'clock sunsets. Ahhhhhhh.




We spent that first evening just walking around the Art-Deco-style hotels that line Ocean Blvd. The colors were all baby blues and pinks and neons, and I half expected Crockett and Tubbs themselves to emerge from the scenery to bust the drug lords, who cruised the strip in their jacked-up Humvees and pimped-out Explorers.




There were so many colorful characters coming and going from these hotels, many of them owned by celebrities like Gloria Estefan and Gianni Versace.



PORT OF MIAMI: FEB 4th




The next day was the one we had been waiting for. Lining up to board the ship, we could see she was a worthy vessel. My fellow passengers were a friendly bunch of folkies, mostly aged 30-55, many brandishing guitars and mandolins. The excitement to get on board was palpable, and this boat did not disappoint. The sheer size and grandeur of the thing was breathtaking. 12 levels, 5 stages, and a half dozen places to eat. There was also a casino, internet lounge, spa, full gym, arcade, gelateria, pool, and a waterslide.



"Lido/One for the roooooad!" ~Boz Scaggs





We made our way up to the Lido deck, open to the sky, and affording a nice view of the disappearing Miami shoreline. Our journey was not purely a musical one, but a 3-port circuit that would include Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios.



Here we see the beach we were standing on in the first picture...





The first thing I did upon seeing this waterslide?


Make a quick change into the proper attire and race to the top---to assume the Olympic louge position. That salt water never tasted sweeter!!





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THE MUSIC

-----------------------------------------------------------




I didn't get a ton of great shots of the artists, but I hope to find some online this week and post them here. Needless to say, it was incredible to see these artists in such an intimate setting, and each one was spellbinding in their own way. Here's my diary entry on this subject from Feb 7th.

"As I write this, I'm in the coffee lounge, where Shawn Colvin is ordering a
cappucino, before heading back to the blackjack table. Buddy Miller just walked
by, and John Hiatt was in line with us for the breakfast buffet. People are very
cool about it. No mobbing or harassing that I've seen.

There's 2700
souls aboard the Victory for this cruise, which means there are definately
crowds for certain things, but it never feels like you can't find a quiet place,
and you see a lot of the same faces. An educated, healthy and music-loving
bunch, judging by the books people are reading, the lineups for the gym, and the
enthusiasm at the shows (and the empty casino).

When you hear about the
lineup on this cruise, your thoughts immediately turn to impromtu duets and
improvised jams. Well, this actually happened on almost every show, such was the
collegial atmosphere and bonhomie amongst the players. Shawn Colvin invited Lyle
Lovett to join her on "The Trouble with Jimmy" and "Diamond in the Rough"; Patty
Griffin invited Emmylou and Shawn onstage to form a choir for "Mary". Lyle had
John Hiatt up for "My Baby Don't Tolerate", and Buddy Miller held the entire
Lido deck in a trance as he and Emmylou sang "All my Sins be Washed Away". It
was a beautiful moment, to see the whole ship basically crowding into every
square inch of that deck, as the sun was low in the sky, and the warm Caribbean
breeze was blowing through Emmylou's silvery mane; her iconic voice filling the
air with a mixture of soulful authority, longing and sadness. It seemed like
every passenger was hanging off the rails, and off of every note as the
musicians invoked a song of blessing. Truly a holy moment. "

Other highlights were hearing Lyle Lovett and his band sing "If I had a Boat"(!), "North Dakota", "La to the Left", and "She's Already Made up her Mind". Can't believe he's got Russ Kunkel playing drums! He was one of the great session guys on the LA scene in the 70s/80s. Killer player.

The Duhks were a big surprise as well...their style was a soulful gumbo of celtic, country, Cajun and world music. Plus they covered "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zeppelin!! and it was great! Check these guys out whenever you can. You'll be happy you did.

Here's some pictures by Sue McGinnis, a fellow passenger on this amazing trip:

The ultimate back-up singers.

Shawn Colvin

Patty Griffin on the indoor mainstage.


Patti sings with Buddy Miller on the Lido deck.


Buddy lays it down...

------------------------------------------------------------

THE OPEN MIC CONTEST

------------------------------------------------------------


This happened in the Paste Lounge (the magazine people) on the third day of the cruise. I brought my guitar on the trip with the intention of writing and getting into some jam sessions. While I didn't do much of that, I did enter the Open Mic contest, which offered a pretty cool prize to the winner: a 45-minute set in the Atrium Lounge, playing for all the people who hang out there as well as anyone within earshot on the other 6 floors, including the crowds hanging out waiting for the Emmylou Show in the nearby Caribbean Lounge.

The deal was basically play one song, and a celebrity panel (Ari Hest, the Scarlett Kings) will decide who among the 16 or so contestants will get the prize. I played my song (Everything's Gonna Be Alright) and listened to all the other acts, many of whom probably did music for a living. After it was over I remember abandoning hope of winning against these worthy competitors, so I began packing up. Then they announced the winner, and it was me!!




That's me with Ari Hest, a great singer/songwriter from New York City, and a nice guy for picking me as the winner. Or did he say 'wiener'?




The set was a ton of fun, and I met a lot of wonderful people from all over the world after it was over. A lovely couple from Dublin, and a lady from Florida who wants to talk about bringing me to her festival ("Rock by the Sea") next year. Someone from Sirius Satellite was there wanting to do an interview, which we still need to do, since I misplaced his card.





All in all, it was so worth doing, so magical, and every person on that ship knew they were seeing a once-in-a-lifetime thing. With any luck, they will do it again next year, and when they do, maybe they might consider putting some Jacob Moon into their lineup. For my part, I can think of no better way to beat the winter blues than to play for a boatload of beautiful people who are all into music. I hope you guys will join me next year, cause I am going fo' sho'!




The last sunset...Feb 9th, 2008. One for the books...


http://www.jacobmoon.com/

http://www.sixthman.net/