Susan McKeown

MIM:  Richly expressive tone and perceptive lyrics make Dublin native Susan McKeown one of the most striking and impressive composer-singers today.  McKeown walks the line between traditional Irish melodies and contemporary music.

McKeown’s songwriting abilities earned her a reputation for intelligent and inventive lyrics.  She drew from the poetry of Emily Dickinson and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Irish legends, and various other literary and cultural sources to create a versatile and engaging style.

Tonight was a special occasion:  I didn’t usher but instead brought Aaron to a performance so we could enjoy as guests!  It was refreshing to sit-back and especially to be able to show Aaron what I do on a regular basis.

Susan began the concert very reminisent of Allison Krauss – her first few songs were lyrical and catchy and beautifully sung.  She only brought 2 accompanists and we were both impressed by the depth of sound from 2 instruments.  My favorite song was an Irish traditional song remastered and gorgeously sung.  Likewise, we also enjoyed her last few songs.  She sung a lovely Gaelic hymn and several folk songs that were very engaging.

However, the middle of the concert fell apart for us.  Ms McKeown has drawn inspiration from a fleet of depressed poets and authors and her songs swung to an unhappy, melodramatic side.  She does have a skill for song writing, but we both had a difficult time connecting to her music. 

Although I had hoped Aaron’s first experience would be phenomenal, I think he enjoyed the show.  I hope he was happy with the experience.

Battlefield Band

www.battlefieldband.co.uk

MIM:  Under its banner “Forward with Scotland’s Past", Battlefield Band has been performing on the international scene for four decades, inspired by its members’ rich heritage of Celtic music and fired by the strength of the modern Scottish cultural scene.  The band, which pioneered the integration of bagpipes with the fiddle, keyboards, guitar, and voice, mixes the old songs and tunes with new self-penned material, playing them on a unique fusion of ancient and modern instruments including bagpipes, fiddles, guitars, cittern, bass, keyboards, whistles, and bouzouki.

This band has truly become a “gold standard” for measuring Celtic music.  Over the years, new members have brought with them new ideas, new music, new instruments, and new attitudes and influences, leading to continued creativity, freshness, and enthusiasm.  After forty years, Battlefield Band still leads the way for Scottish music, always involving its ever-widening audience as the band travels the world.

This concert can best be summarized as just fun.  The band was engaging and incredible and who doesn’t love a good bagpipe?

I honestly loved the show and nearly everything about it.  The musicianship of all four artists was incredible.  The Gaelic lyrics, the dueling bagpipes, the interesting melodies were all intriguing.  And their Scottish accents and combinations of multiple instruments was truly unique.  I would absolutely see this band again; in fact, I would actually pay to see this band again!  A great show!

Flavio Chamis: “Tones of Nature”

MIM:  “All of my work was inspired by the Atlantic Forest”  This statement by bossa nova -founder Antonio Carlos Jobim (1927-1994) summarizes the profound relationship with nature that influenced this seminal force in Brazilian music and its lies in the center of the extraordinary 1994 documentary Vision of Paradise, directed by Oscar nominee Walter Salles.

The “Tones of Nature” program, led by Brazilian composer Flavio Chamis, spotlights Jobim’s ecological opus, featuring Jobim’s works alongside original compositions and excerpts from the film. 

I’m not a huge lover of jazz.  And although this show was samba, jazz’s latin cousin, I still wondered at my wisdom for signing up for the show.  I did, however, enjoy myself.  The beats were catching and danceable, the musicians enjoyed their craft, and there was obviously a love for Brazilian music and culture. 

The second half of the show was dedicated to Jobim and was a beautiful tribute to his music and his love of the rainforests of Brazil.  They showed 2 portions of film that helped tie you to his music and truly understand that area of the world.  The birds, the forest, the coast-line of his homeland is beautiful and worth saving.

Celebrate China: Chengdu Performing Arts Showcase

www.phoenixsistercities.org

This was strange performance:  11 different artists mixing classical instruments, magic, dance, and twangy-Chinese song.  Overall, this was a fun sampling of Chinese musical culture and an interesting evening.

I enjoyed the dancers the most and was highly impressed by the different styles and stories the women were able to portray.  A youth group from Chandler stole the show with their “Impression of the Wa Mountain” – a lively dance with hair and hands and acrobatics.  The Sichuan Opera Face Changing was also impressive; two men were able to almost instantaneously change their masks with a magical and exaggerated aesthetic. 

The singing was my least favorite, a highpitched, twangy Chinese sound without much appeal to my Westernized ears.  The woman were highly regarded and very talented – but they each performed at least one song too long.

I enjoyed the variety of the show while disliking the lack of flow or transitions.  This was a group of individual artists thrown together into one show seemingly at random.  But I enjoyed the exposure to this unique city.

Rupa & the April Fishes

www.theaprilfishes.com

MIM:  Coming from the land of earthquakes, social movements, social networking, peace-lovers, and global corporate conglomerates, Rupa & the April Fishes embody the pluralistic and paradoxical sounds of the San Francisco Bay area.

Inspired by street music and ethos of public art around the world, physician and bandleader Rupa started composing music in multiple languages in order to investigate the idea that what runs beneath the apparent differences is something deeper:  our intrinsic need for human connection and shared celebratory experience.  She found in drummer Aaron Kierbel a longtime creative counterpart who provides the essential heartbeat to the sonic adventures and, together with the rest of the band, they are creating music that is bridging divides and pointing to the value of life and living music – in all its force and delicacy.

It’s safe to say I didn’t know what to expect from this concert – and even safer to say I don’t know how to summarize it afterwards.  Rupa and the April Fishes were an energenic and eclectic band.  A force entirely unique and entirely of their own. 

The band played a wide selection of original songs – everything from sea shanties to hippy rock to reggae to Indian jazz.   It was enthralling to see a trumpet, bass, and cello collaborate on such a strange repertoire of songs.  Rupa was the glue for the group – leading the songs, engaging the crowd, directing the solos, and singing in multiple languages.  She was intriguing and obviously brilliant.

I’ll honestly admit I didn’t agree with or even comprehend many of the messages of her songs.  I don’t even know if I would attend another show again.  But the band was fun and memorable and I appreciate their freedom.

A Hawk and a Hacksaw

www.ahawkandahacksaw.net

MIM:  Started as a solo project in 2000 by accordionist and drummer Jeremy Barnes (formerly of Neutral Milk Hotel) and named after a line in Cervantes’ Don Quixote, A Hawk and a Hacksaw became a duo in 2004 when Barnes met violinist Heather Trost.  Starting out from their home base in New Mexico, the pair began an adventure that took them to Zece Prajini, Romania, and then to Budapest, Hungary.

Joined by an ever-evolving lineup of musicians, A Hawk and a Hacksaw seeks to create and document an ecstatic sound much like the village bands of old, with the communal aspect of folk tradition and musicianship as the principal factors.

I was very interested in seeing this show – Hungarian gypsy music was absolutely something I know little to nothing about.  (1)  Hungarian musicians are slim to none and (2) there’s a definite reason that Hungarian musicians are scarce and little known.

The music could best be described as Mariachi Polka in a minor key.  I did not so much enjoy the show as survived through it; perhaps a lot like the Hungarian ancestors that developed it. 

Heather herself was a great violist.  Her talent was evident and she played an interesting fiddle/horn instrument that I had never seen before.  She also created interesting sounds by pulling or dissecting the strings.  It was the highlight of the show.

Even with this, the majority of the songs just highlighted the worst screechy tendencies of both the fiddle and the accordion.  Hungarian gypsy music gives both instruments a bad reputation.  On several occasions, I felt the instruments were playing different songs and well – not well.

But the show as successful at achieving one of my goals:  exposure to different styles and cultures of music.  I did learn a lot from this show – and I now know to stay away from Hungarian gypsy music again.

The Good Lovelies

www.goodlovelies.com

MIM:  Sunny and upbeat, with a pinch of sass, the Good Lovelies have enlivened the folk-music landscape with their textbook three-part harmonies, constant instrument swapping, and witty onstage banter since they joined forces in 2006 for their first show at Toronto’s funky Gladstone Hotel.

With their self-titled, full-length album proved that their blithe brand of folk music has year-round appeal.  With that album, the Good Lovelies won as New Emerging Artist at the Canadian Folk Music Awards.  In 2010, the same album received a JUNO award for Roots/Traditional album of the year.

The Good Lovelies were charming and entertaining – everything a Sunday evening summer concert should be!  Their harmonies were elegant and beautiful, their lyrics and songs were fun and original, and their stories were adorable.  The crowd loved them.

The ladies played a wide selection of string instruments:  banjo, guitar, mandolin, bass.  While their forte was folk music, my favorite song was their encore version of “Halleluiah” – absolutely stunning.

A highlight to the evening was seeing Chief Justice Sandra Day O’Connor – also in attendance.  The Justice sat in the rear box with the President of the Museum and was an avid fan. 

Celtic Spring

www.celticspringband.com

MIM:  A burst of energy, riveting dancing, driving music, youthful exuberance, unparalleled talent – all in one family.  Celtic Spring is composed of six siblings who play the fiddle and step dance, backed by their mom on the keyboard and their dad on percussion.  Their music hails from Ireland, Scotland, and Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, Canada.  While firmly grounded in the traditions of their ancestors, Celtic Spring’s style is all its own.

The six wood family siblings have spent their lives on stage.  They each began learning the fiddle and Irish step dancing at the age of four years old, and they can hardly remember a time when they were not performing.  The siblings are also classically trained violinists, which has brought a certain beauty and clarity to their music.  A defining element of Celtic Spring is the members’ dual expertise in music and dance.  the Wood siblings are champion Irish dancers, and they have been influenced by French Canadian and Cape Breton step-dancing styles.

Celtic Spring was named Grand Champion of the World at the World Championships of Performing Arts, in Hollywood, California.  In the summer of 2007, twelve million people watched Celtic Spring on the number-one rated TV show of the season, NBC’s America’s Got Talent.  The band was one of the top five finalists. 

I was delighted to work this sold out show!  What fun!  What energy!  This really was a great family and the music and dancing was fabulous.  They were able to interweave several different sets and styles, delighted the audience with their dancing, and were engaging and fun.  It was obvious the family enjoyed each other, and – aside for the youngest – all loved performing.  We enjoyed watching the youngest boy who was a little unhappy and pulled out of the back for big-wow-factor moments. 

All-in-all, this was a fun show and exactly the moments I was hoping for when volunteering as an usher.  Well done!

Kuniko Yamamoto: Magical Mask, Mime, and Music of Japan

www.kunikotheater.com

MIM:  Welcome to Kuniko Yamamoto’s Japanese storytelling!  This afternoon, she will share Japanese myths and folktales and bring them to life with masks, mime, music, origami, and even a touch of magic.

A native or Japan, Kuniko Yamamoto started performing professionally in her hometown of Osaka and, in 1985, received national exposure performing in Kansai Telecasting Corporation.  She traveled to the United States to study with Tony Montanaro the following year, later touring with the Leland Faulkner Light Theatre to present ancient Japanese tales with shadows and magic.  Since creating her solo show, she has toured across the United States, appearing at Epcot/Disney, the Kennedy Center, and the National Storytelling Festival.

This was not technically a music concert.  A Father’s Day matinee, this show was geared towards families and Kuniko was a master showman at drawing in the audience and delighting children.  She is a storyteller above all else, and her musical skill was only a part of the overall show. 

I loved her origami portion of the show.  She cleverly modified the folds and paper to create images for her story – one piece of paper became a boat or bird or hat. 

I also enjoyed the many families – grandparents, fathers, and happy children – that were at the show today!  It really was a special Father’s Day show.  I wished Elayna was a little older so she could have enjoy this as well!

Ken Waldman: Alaska’s Fiddling Poet

MIM:  Celebrate Poetry Month at MIM with Alaska’s Fiddling Poet!  Ken Waldman draws on his twenty-three years in Alaska to produce poems, stories, and fiddle tunes that combine into a family-friendly performance uniquely his own.

I had really wanted to see Ken’s evening show – how fun to watch a fiddling poet in action!  How memorable of my youth with the Robison family!  But alas, the evening shows were booked long before…

SO, I added a matinee show instead.  Matinees are more casual, less crowded, and I like to see how the artists will interact with the school children.

In the aftermath, I have mixed feelings about the show.  On one hand, he played good ol’ fiddle tunes like ‘Old Joe Clark’.  He encouraged the kids to write and shared several of his poems.  But on the other hand, everything was lazy, relaxed, distracted.  His poems were mediocre, his music was lackluster, and I didn’t get the solid connection between the two that I wanted.  While he attempted to have the kids write a poem with him, the entire exercise was half-baked and disinteresting to the kids.  While he let the kids ask him questions, they were far more interested in polar bears and his friend’s mandolin.  I left without learning much about Alaska.  Or poetry.  Or singing.  And the part of me that wanted to see the show was vastly disappointed.

More than anything, I was left yearning for post-Thanksgiving meals with my brother, uncles, and random musicians as they would play and sing and entertain.  I missed the story-telling and fiddle-playing that Tom Robison is famous for – and I sincerely think Tom might be able to pull off this kind of show.  Ken Waldman is no Tom Robison.

Young Sounds of Arizona

MIM:  Young Sounds of Arizona – the future of Jazz!

The first and oldest program of its kind in the United States, Young Sounds was founded in 1971 to provide further training, performing opportunities, and artistic growth for young Valley jazz musicians.

These are HIGH SCHOOL kids!  Wow –and they were amazing!  I’ll go back to saying that I *think* I should like jazz and these performers were about as close as I’m likely to get.  They worked and sounded well together, they put together fun improvisations, and they showcased several different styles and songs.

My downside to today’s show was a misunderstanding between a parent, a camera, and our house manager.  I probably was too lenient in allowing a guest to take photos during the show but I think I’ll know better in the future.  Oh well….

Mythili Prakash: Seasons of Love

MIM:  One of the world’s leading young exponents of Bharata Natyam – the classical dance of South India.

I worked the school matinee for this show and was very impressed with the educational value of these artists.  The dancer was lovely and engaging and truly connected with the kids in an enlightening way.

The music was provided by a panel of 4 artists – mostly family members – on various instruments or vocals.  Each member was introduced and did a great job of demonstrating the individual instrument.  The lead vocalist sang both ‘traditional English’ and ‘traditional Indian’ scales for comparisons – perhaps the biggest ah-ha moment of the show.

The star, however, was the dancer – the daughter of 2 musicians and a lovely and bright young woman.  She engaged the audience with a wide range of dances and utilized ever part of her body to tell the story:  arms, fingers, eyes, toes, even bangles on her ankles.  She introduced each song with a story or parable and truly showcased both the music and culture of South India.  I was thoroughly impressed.

The Travelin’ McCourys

www.thetravelinmccourys.com

MIM:  As the sons of bluegrass legend Del McCoury, Ronnie McCoury (mandolin) and Rob McCoury (banjo) continue their father’s work – a lifelong dedication to the power of bluegrass music to bring joy into people’s lives.  And with fiddler Jason Carter and bassist Alan Bartram, the ensemble is loved and respected by the bluegrass faithful. 

The Travelin’ McCourys have a confidence that only comes from having paid their dues with twenty years on the bluegrass road.  Other groups and new fans hear this immediately:  the tight rhythm, the soulful material, and the confidence in taking bluegrass from the safety of the shore into uncharted waters.

At the beginning of this show, fellow usher Chris Moreno remarked that ‘all bluegrass pretty much sounds the same’.  It was not necessarily a complement but I soon realized how perfectly fabulous this was.  Bluegrass DOES all sound the same – which is why I find it so inviting and comforting and connective and familiar.  Fifteen minutes into the concert I had magically discovered that I really liked bluegrass.

This group was great.  The four steady bandmates were obviously well in-tone with each other and loved what they did.  They joked and teased each other on stage in an easy, non-forced way.  They each rotated high-lighting songs and 3 of the four sang.  With only 2 microphones, they had to dance around each other on stage as they rotated solos – but this was all accomplished in an easy choreographed way.  It was a lovely show.

Another highlight was their guest performer – a guitar player regularly with Ricky Skaggs and the Kentucky Thunder band.  He was amazing and a perfect addition to the group.

Towards the second act I was again struck by the fact that ‘all bluegrass pretty much sounds the same.’  Yes, this is true and after 90 minutes the familiarity had worn off.  I even had a ‘didn’t they already play this song?’ moment.  But overall, this was one of my favorite shows and much loved by the sold-out crowd as well.

Alpin Hong

MIM:  Pianist Alpin Hong’s combination of stunning technique, emotional range, and rare humor continues to bring audiences young and old to their feet.

This was a laid-back, easy concert – an intimate crowd of about 20 from the Sagewood Retirement community next door.  Alpin was relaxed and enjoying himself; he even wore jeans.  He played a small selections of songs with enthusiasm and love for his work.  The concert was about 6 songs from a variety of composers.  He intruded each with small antidotes or discussions of the composers.

Although Alpin was engaging and an excellent speaker, I left the concert feeling detached from the artist himself.  The crowd, however, loved him and it was fun to be a part of such a small and special occasion.  Alpin was obviously an extremely talented pianist and I know this was a rare occasion to witness a musician of his caliber in such a close setting.

Dick Dale

www.dickdale.com

MIM:  Universally acclaimed as a rock pioneer and “King of Surf Guitar”, Dick Dale brought a bold new sound to early sixties rock with hits such as “Let’s Go Trippin” and “Miserlou”.  While his music is closely associated with Southern California’s surfing culture, it was also influenced by the music of his Lebanese family background; Gene Krupa’s big-band drumming; and Dale’s early studies in trumpet, drums, and ukulele.

Part of Dick Dale’s unique guitar style stems from the fact that he is a left-handed guitarist who plays “upside down”, ie:  without reversing the strings for left-handed playing.  His thunderous tonality, which earned him the title “Father of Heavy Metal”, was also the result of a close collaboration with electric-guitar pioneer Leo Fender.  The Dick Dale sound has become deeply ingrained in American popular culter.  It was featured in Quentin Tarantino’s popular 1994 film Pulp Fiction.  And the Black Eyed Peas’ 2005 hit “Pump It” contains a sample of Dales signature song, “Miserlou”.

Dick is a legend in his own right and I came to appreciate and respect his music over the course of this show.  He played with his son Jimmy, a killer musician as well, and they enraptured the sold-out crowd for over an hour.  Dick had a friendly bantering style – he’d banter to the audience, he’d banter to himself, but mostly he banter to his son who’d return with an eye-roll and a shrug.  It did not appear scripted – Dick made up his monolog as he went along and was very entertaining. 

For someone I hadn’t heard of, I was amazed at the number of songs I knew.  Dick had a harder-edge style of surf music.  It was more early Frankie Valen and less pop-y Beach Boys.  Dick would demonstrate and teach along the way, frequently interrupting songs to point out cords or styles.  It was a fun and educational show all around.