Candi's Pickin' Party

The winter solstice may be nearly two weeks away, but winter has seriously arrived in New England. Temperatures over the last few nights have been in single digits, the ski areas are open, and there’s natural snow on the ground almost everywhere. We headed up to Weston, VT for Candi Sawyer’s Pickin’ Party held at the Weston Rod & Gun Club. We drove through the lovely tourist town of Weston where the Vermont Country Store is located. As we drove past the store a horse-drawn wagon pulled by a large dapple gray and carrying a load of tourists stopped to let traffic pass. We pulled into the parking lot, already nearly full of cars with licenses from New York and New Hampshire as well as plenty from Vermont. Inside we greeted Candi, smiling as always, and spied a bunch of folks we hadn’t seen since the Jenny Brook Family Festival last June. It was like a family reunion. Even our son Alex managed to come over for an hour or so with the two grands, Anna and Luke, for an hour or so. While he’s only beginning to get into bluegrass music, he particularly commented on the strong sense of community he found in the group.

At the front a sound system was set up and several people were pickin’ and singin’ while most of the rest listened and ate. There was corn chowder, dogs and burgers, American Chop Suey (you figure it out), drinks, and brownies. A couple of gallon jars held money for the 50/50 and a couple of other raffles. People gladly paid the $5.00 admission fee. After all, the event gave us all a chance to get together, hear or make some good music, and support this delightful small festival held each June at the Weston Recreation Park just north of town.

Candi has been involved in bluegrass music since she was small. Her grandfather promoted bluegrass concerts at the Weston Playhouse for many years. She’s married to Seth Sawyer, a talented singer/songwriter, and together they’ve promoted the Jenny Brook Family festival for six years. The seventh edition, to be held from June 26 – 29, 2008 has a great lineup planned, but folks want to get together to pick a little sooner than that. Candi also publishes the Bluegrass Guide, a comprehensive presentation of all the bluegrass events in New England and large parts of New York for every summer. Candi’s story and the story of Jenny Brook have become an intertwined experience of courage, commitment, and perseverance that make the festival an even richer experience, extending it well beyond the high quality of the music offered there. You see, a few years ago Candi was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis which has steadily weakened her body, making it difficult for her to walk, but has never eroded her optimistic and sunny spirit. Their son Mathew has had to undergo a series of surgeries to repair a congenital back malformation which is both painful and debilitating. That’s all a good deal for even the most courageous family to face. It also turns the festival into an event that in many ways has a spiritual component transcending the music itself and making the festival into a celebration of the Sawyer family’s strength as well as the power of bluegrass music to affect the spirit. But this whole experience is in no way maudlin, and Jenny Brook provides four great days of fun, fine music, and good fellowship. Candi’s parents and grandparents were there, too. The family environment permeated this day.

The music at the Pickin’ Party consisted mostly of local folks playing classic country songs and some pretty good bluegrass, but the quality of the music wasn’t the real reason for this get-together. Rather, the chance to be together as the days shorten and the snows come made it a fine day. Seth Sawyer led a group singing some of his own bluegrass songs ably abetted by Steve Hennig on banjo. Seth’s voice is one of the purist in bluegrass, filled with plaintive undertones and creating the high lonesome sound without ever becoming harsh. His love song to Candi, Green Mountain Girl, deserves much wider play. Steve’s inventive arpeggios on his Stelling provide marvelous backup as well as enjoyable solos. Brian Jiguere of the Cabin Fever Band played lots of guitar, some mandolin, and contributed his very fine voice to the afternoon. He sang the bands new song “Stone Soldier” to great effect. This song, about the statue of a Confederate soldier standing in a southern town square who cries one tear on the anniversary of Lee’s surrender at Appomattox is most affecting.

Perhaps the best part of this afternoon, as we look forward to a long, hard winter, was seeing the happy faces of people who love music joining together to turn this small building into a center for making music and sharing a good time. What else is bluegrass about?

In the end, it's all about the people and the music.

Eric Gibson on XM Radio

Eric Gibson spent something over an hour on Kyle Cantrell’s Tuesday afternoon show from the Country Music Hall of Fame on XM Radio’s Bluegrass Junction today. Since the interview was well publicized on the Bluegrass Blog as well as through the Boston Bluegrass Union mailing list NEBG, it may have had a pretty good audience. The program featured lots of music as well as a thoughtful and interesting chat between Kyle and Eric, with the Gibson Brothers’ bass man Mike Barber participating also. The Gibsons were in Nashville to complete mixing for their new CD, which will be released in March or April. While no cuts from the new CD, to be called “Miners and Diamonds” were played, Eric sketched out much of the background for some of the twelve new songs, seven written by the Gibsons, as well as talked about their approach to making music.

A little more than an hour into the afternoon’s music, Kyle played an older Gibson Brothers song, “Alone with You” from Long Way Back Home album of 2004, and then introduced Eric Gibson and Mike Barber. They chatted about the length of time since the Gibson’s last album “Red Letter Day” had been released in January 2006. Eric commented about the importance they place in not going into the studio until they feel quite confident they have put together material that is not only strong but fully representative of the kind of music they want. In the case of the new CD, titled “Iron and Diamonds,” seven of the twelve songs were written by the Gibsons themselves. He particularly spoke about the support they have from their record company Sugar Hill. He said, “The label’s been great to us. They told us to feel free to produce our own records. We’ve found a way to do it our own way and it seems to work.

Sam Smith – Kyle asked whether Sam Smith had been recorded earlier. “It was on one of our early CD with Hay Holler records, but Leigh wrote it and he was never happy with it. When we made Red Letter Day we went back to an old timey sound, slowed it down, and made it sound the way Leigh really wanted it.” The discussion segued to the band. Eric mentioned mandolinist Rick Hayes and fiddler Clayton Campbell and noted that the band has been together as a unit for three years. He’s very pleased that the entire new disk was recorded by the touring band with the addition of Jr. Barber on Dobro, and early member and important influence on the band as well as being Mike’s dad, and Erin, the Gibson’s sister. The closeness helped the brothers to create a disk capturing the immediacy and excitement of their stage performances. For this recording Eric and Leigh decided to record their famous duet singing live, face-to-face using a special microphone designed for such a purpose. “It’s not often that studio work makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck the way a song does on stage when it’s really on. The songs on this album do that,” says Mike Barber. Since each of the Gibson’s past three albums reached #1 on the Bluegrass Unlimited charts, that’s pretty high praise. Kyle asked whether the new recording approach helped keep a sense of on stage spontaneity. “I think so…real live music, kept real,” Eric responded.

The conversation then moved towards the Gibson’s roots in the country north of the Adirondacks along the Canadian border where they had grown up on a dairy farm. Although their early influences were in classic country music, they discovered bluegrass when their guitar teacher gave them the Flatt and Scruggs Carnegie Hall concert. Kyle talked about the maple syrup Eric had brought to the studio and then quickly uttered a disclaimer about any influence it might have on studio appearances or, for sure, air time. There’s clearly no payola at XM. They talked about the amount of rural country there is in New York State and Eric particularly mentioned his enjoyment of the annual Labor Day weekend festival at Thomas Point Beach in Maine.

Eric spoke with passion and enthusiasm about the title song for the album, “Iron and Diamonds,” telling how the miners in Lyon Mt., NY came out of the mines and played baseball on the weekends, giving them a chance to play the tough, hard baseball they were noted for. Town baseball in the North Country was a central part of the culture through the middle half of the twentieth century. The great Dodger pitcher Johnny Padres came from nearby Mineville. Eric’s love of regional culture and appreciation for the tough men who mined for iron until the mines closed in the early sixties came through clearly. His enthusiasm for the new recording and appreciation for the subjects of their songs comes through in everything they say about their work as well as in their recordings and performances.

The interview offered truly interesting insights into the creative process of the Gibson Brothers. Eric, whose writing in the Gibson Brothers web site also provides thoughtful views inside the working and thinking of a top musician, came across as smart, creative, and delightful…just like the man we know.

The Nine by Jeffrey Toobin

THE NEW YORK TIMES HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THIS BOOK WILL BE NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF 2007 IN THE DECEMBER 9TH ISSUE OF THE BOOK REVIEW.
From time to time a book comes along that sheds light on big questions about “how things work.” The Brethren by Bob Woodward, written in 1979, pried open the doors on the Supreme Court to shed light on the Burger court and how it operated. The Nine, by New Yorker writer and CNN correspondent Jeffrey Toobin, does the same service in depicting the issues and personalities on the Court as it has moved from the relative liberalism of the 1990’s into the present generation of conservatism under the leadership of George W. Bush and his appointees Chief Justice John Roberts and Samuel A. Alito. In taking on this challenge, Toobin has provided a fascinating glimpse behind the usually closed doors of the Court into the tensions and differences existing between and among the justices that work to clarify or muddy the world we live in.

Toobin places Justice Sandra Day O’Connor at the center of the Supreme Court’s decisions during much of her tenure on the Court, citing her almost unerring ear for the center of the country’s mood rather than the high quality of her judicial reasoning. Thus she managed to hold together much of Roe v. Wade in the face of right wing pressure to overturn this insult to evangelical Christians and other conservative religious groups. Later she deeply regretted her position in Bush v. Gore as the Republican Party she so loved moved further rightward and further away from the Constitution in response the President Bush’s drive to battle against what he characterized as “the war on terror” and the errors of “activist” judges.

Toobin’s usually measured prose and careful discussion of the issues, as one might expect of a media personality educated at Harvard Law School, describe the movement of the Supreme Court from a generally liberal understanding of a changing Constitution responsive to changes in the country toward a much more restrictive and conservative view of the document as the nation’s mood moved further to the right. Of particular interest is Toobin’s discussion of how movement conservatives, those committed to radically moving the Supreme Court towards the right to achieve their goals regarding extending executive power, increasing the acceptance of religion in public discourse, ending racial preferences, speeding executions, and achieving their highest priority, ending legalized abortions by overturning Roe v. Wade. These changes were initiated during the Reagan administration, forwarded by the efforts of The Federalist Society, a group of conservative law professors at major law schools, and kept alive in right wing circles by two unlikely proponents Jay Sekulow of Jews for Jesus and Manuel Miranda (It’s not possible to invent a more ironic name for a major player in the move to the right!) who developed a vast computer-based mailing list to energize the conservative base. These goals of the far right were achieved with the elevation of John Roberts and Samuel A. Alito to the Supreme Court, creating a consistent 5-4 majority and quickly overturning many actions of previous courts, some having precedents going back over 100 years.

Whenever the secrecy of the Supreme Court is penetrated, court watchers enjoy speculating as to which justices made themselves available to the author. In the case of The Nine it isn’t too difficult to guess. It appears that Sandra Day O’Connor, feeling betrayed by the president her vote assured election in Bush v. Gore, speaks out as do, apparently, Justices Breyer and Kennedy. It’s also pretty clear that Scalia and Thomas had little to say to Toobin. Nevertheless, Toobin’s book is filled with insights into how the background and development of each justice has contributed to their court contributions, formal and informal. Other players, like Alberto Gonzales and Harriet Miers also are carefully, if briefly, considered. Altogether, the picture of smart people with big egos placed on a stage where their every word counts is both enlightening and concerning.

Perhaps the greatest attraction of this important book is Toobin’s marvelous skill as a story teller. His narrative is well structured, beginning and ending with a scene on the steps of the Supreme Court. His portraits paint the picture of a court claiming to represent the will of the Founding Fathers in their writing of the Constitution while reflecting the ebb and flow of politics in America. The Court stands as a lagging indicator, because justices appointed for life often outlive the national mood that led to their installation. The triumph of George W. Bush may lie in the longevity of his two appointments to the Supreme Court, but only time, as with so much concerning the Court, will tell.

The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court by Jeffrey Toobin, Doubleday, 2007 costs $27.95 at bookstores everywhere.

Meet Dr. Tom Bibey

According to the “About Me” section of his weblog, Dr. Tom Bibey is a retired physician and semi-professional bluegrass musician. I’ve never heard him play the mandolin, but I can tell you he’s a heckuva writer. He tells stories about his adventures in bluegrass music with his band Neuse River and the assorted characters he picks with at The Bomb Shelter, a well hidden retreat for pickers. He also writes about his medical practice, exploring the ways in which his experiences impact both his life and music. Strangely, most of his medical posts can be found in the archive as “Philosophy.” I suppose Hippocrates was a philosopher, too, although he’s credited with turning medicine from philosophy into a profession. Maybe we’d be better off if more physicians were more philosophical. Anyway, Dr. Bibey is both and that’s part of what makes his weblog both fun and enticing. The other part is his cast of characters, including himself. Dr. B casts an affectionate and appraising eye on his fellow musicians, who include Moose Dooley, Darrell, and the Warbler. The story of Neuse River’s first trip to Merlefest, very early in the history of that great festival is a classic. It’s also a road trip I wish I’d been on. Another great story explores what happens when a newcomer to The Bomb Shelter isn’t well attuned to the nuances of this particular jam. How many of us have found ourselves in trouble by not having our ear open to local etiquette?

Early in the history of his blog, Dr. Bibey makes this invitation: “If you know any bluegrass stories I need to document for posterity, please comment. Now that I am retired, I view the documentation of the people’s music, and the exploits of memorable characters in bluegrass as one of my final missions on this earth.” I’ve taken his invitation up and sent him a couple of stories. I have no idea how he’ll use them. You can contact him through the comments section of his blog at the end of each entry.

The world of bluegrass is a small, welcoming, and wonderous community of people from a variety of backgrounds and abilities. Dr, Bibey brings sharp eyes and ears to his efforts as well as a warm humane world view leavened with humor. His writing is unusual in today’s literary world because it is almost without a hint of sarcasm or irony, just gentle humor. No known picture of Dr. Bibey can be found on the net or in my picture files.

Autographed Banjo Heads

Here’s a little Thanksgiving gift. I started getting signatures on my banjo heads when I bought the Earl Scruggs head at Merlefest. Later I decided that I wanted to have a couple of different kinds of heads. I reserved the Scruggs head for banjo players I considered to have made substantial contributions to the way the banjo is played. You may disagree with the choices I’ve made, but I think the list there is pretty good. I invite you to suggest a few more names for me to add to this head before I have it framed. The second head is full, so I had to start a third one. You may or may not be able to identify all the signatures. I know I can’t. The names on the other two heads, including a few duplicates from the Scruggs head, are not necessarily great players. They include some very good local players who I like or who have impressed me, as well as some of the real greats. There are some notable banjo players missing, either because I haven’t had the chance to see them or because they don’t tour much along the eastern seaboard. I’m still working on adding new names. I hope you enjoy my banjo heads.

The Scruggs Head

The Completed HeadThe Third Head

Basket Case by Carl Hiaasen

Carl Hiaasen has the wonderful ability to tell a rip roaring, page turner of a story that makes readers laugh while at the same time urging them to think about an underlying issue. Basket Case provides a prime example of this Hiaasen quality. I couldn’t finish the last Hiaasen book I started (Lucky You, 1997), perhaps because it lacked verisimilitude or maybe even because I tried to read my next Hiaasen without leaving sufficient time between them. There’s a good reason writers put time between their books. When I discover a new, to me, author, I tend to want to devour their books. Sometimes this is effective for me, other times not. Anyway, having left this author alone for six months, I was really ready for Basket Case when I cracked it open.

Jack Tagger has been a newspaper man all his working life. After a promising start to his career, he has been relegated to the obituary pages as punishment for having spoken up at a stockholder’s meeting and embarrassed the publisher. His editor, the lovely but inexperienced Emma, is his nemesis as the book opens. Since having been sent to newspaper purgatory, Tagger has become obsessed with the age at which people die and obsessively dwells on their death age as he contemplates his own mortality. When he is assigned to write an obituary for deceased rocker Jimmy Stomarti, he embarks on an odyssey that may change his life and fortunes. The plot revolves around some lost Stomarti songs, a cast of unlikely characters on both sides of the fence, and Tagger’s efforts to make sense of his own disintegrating world. The plot draws the reader along quickly and enjoyably, providing a nice balance between suspense and laughs.

But Hiaasen is after bigger game than merely telling a story and here is where the skill of his writing becomes truly evident. He is a lifelong newspaper writer, having gone to work at the Miami Herald upon his graduation from college and still writing a regular column for that newspaper. Hiaasen’s books are all set in Florida, an environment with which he is intimately familiar and with which he continues a lifelong love-hate relationship. (You can find a selection of his columns here.) I just read a couple of his columns, which are filled with the sensibility that informs his novels as well as the anger underlying it. In the novels, Hiaasen uses unlikely situations and quirky characters to shed light on situations he addresses much more directly in the column format. Basket Case takes on the changes in the newspaper industry which have resulted in much diminished local coverage. The purchase of local papers by newspaper chains divorced from local and regional issues by distance and corporate greed have substantially diminished the ability of newspapers to do what they do best, keep local politicians and other officials honest by shedding light on their misdeeds. He also takes on the music publishing business and funeral homes while he’s at it. In another novel (Double Whammy, 1987) he satirizes television fishing shows, televangelists, and the hypocrisy of the South Florida developers. That’s a lot of hypocrisy to challenge in one very funny novel. Hiaasen knows how to pick his targets and hits them with remarkable consistency.

Basket Case is available at bookstores everywhere at $13.99 for the trade paperback edition from Grand Central Publishing. It was originally published by Knopf in 2002.