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.