Music Perspectives

Everyone has their own unique perspective of things. It always amazes me when I listen to other people speak about what they values or believe, because it makes me realize how little I know. When it comes to music it is the same thing. I still feel like I’m faking it. I learn songs that I like and pay attention to songs other people like and try to learn a little bit of everything, whether blues, country, folk, rock & roll, Irish songs, old spirituals and so on. There is just so much good music out in the world; it would take a couple of lifetimes to hear it all (if that is even possible!).

When I play at a community market, someone inevitably comes up to me and asks me to play something they've heard. Sometimes I know it, sometimes it’s, “sorry, I never even heard of that”. And yet, I really do want to hear it all, while still knowing that it will never happen.

It makes me think about the past, incredible musicians that grew up learning to play by listening to other musicians, before radio and records. What I really wish is that I could have heard my Grandfather play. His name was William Zurich Coglizer. He died in the late 1960’s and I never knew him. He was a fiddle player and had an old German violin that was made sometime around 1870. After he died the fiddle sat in the closet at my Aunt’s house for 43 years, wrapped up in woolen cloth and duct tape. No one on that side of my family was interested in that old fiddle, so one day I called my Aunt and asked her if I could have it. Surprisingly, she packaged it up and mailed it to me this past summer. I was absolutely stunned to see it for the first time and hold it in my hands. Except for the fact that the bridge and the tail piece were broken, it was still in very fine shape. It had a thin crack on the top and there were signs that it had been repaired a few times in the past, but overall, it looked great. I brought it to Keith Davis’ Violin Shop in Hammond, LA (985-340-0137). Keith is a fine luthier and he took his time getting it back into shape. I finally got it back this week and am thrilled to finally get into learning to play it.

When I recorded my latest music CD, Gilead Valley – Original Country Blues, Robert Chaney, who plays fiddle for the Fugitive Poets, kindly offered several tracks for me. He did such a wonderful job embellishing my arrangements and creating counter melodies on several songs. It really makes me appreciate what a fine instrument the violin is.

Anyway, getting back to personal perspectives… I realize that the vast majority of people see things totally differently, but none the less, it is obvious to me that most of us are moving into some challenging times. It’s as if the big corporations of the world have just stepped all over the working middle class and instituted laws and policies to rob the savings and resources out of the hands of the little guy. Whatever is going on with the devaluation of the dollar and the higher food prices, it is obvious to me that more and more people are beginning to feel the pinch. Gasoline prices are starting to rise again, and the latest estimates say that the price per barrel is going to get up to $150 - $200. That is going to devastate truckers, commuters; it’s going to raise prices on everything from food to household supplies. It is a bad situation. And it looks to me like the next few years are going to be a real challenge for a lot of hard working Americans.

All I know to do is keep focusing on living simply, learning how to do practical skills, and keep playing music. I was at Café Taste of Louisiana in Denham Springs this afternoon, playing for a small lunch crowd and it was such a delight to share old familiar folk songs with the people there. There is something magical about the singer-songwriter era, that time of great folk music from the early 60’s to the mid-70's. Most people just seem to enjoy those inspired songs, if played well, and it makes me delighted to see people singing along. I just know that for a few minutes they are having a memory of the past.

Though there are plenty of places in and around Baton Rouge to go and listen to bands, it’s still strange that there are hardly any places to go and enjoy solo performers. The majority of restaurant business owners and managers don’t seem to get it, not everyone wants to hear a loud band, sometimes it is nice to just sit back with a glass of wine or beer and listen to some nice mellow songs, with great lyric and simple melody. I can’t figure it out why there are only a handful of places that feature local musicians around Baton Rouge, (in fact I can just about name them all: Brew-Ha-Ha, LaFonda’s open mic night, Birdman Coffee & Books, Taste of Louisiana, Whole Foods Market, Magnolia Café, The Red Dragon Listening Room…and that’s just about it.) Hopefully Dorothy Leblanc will soon be able to get her new coffee shop, The Third Place, up and running. And when she does, you can bet they’ll be some great music there all the time. www.dorothyleblanc.com

Familiar songs bring back good feelings of a simpler time. Whatever economic conditions are unfolding, it will be those who come together in a sense of community and spirit of helpfulness that are going to get through. Try to get more places to allow solo or duo performers. There are many talented musicians around town willing to share their stuff, but few places to do so.

Blues and Bread

From Steven Smith's webpage: http://scratchandsnifflive.com/

Recently I met a guitar player when I was playing LaCaliente Mexican Restaurant in Central just northeast of Baton Rouge. His name is Kevin Johnson and he is a very good player, so much so that I had the opportunity of doing several gigs with him. We played in Clinton at the Clinton Community Farmers Market, which is directly in front of the Courthouse on Hwy 10 and we also played a gig at Grill Room at Perkins Rowe in Baton Rouge. I really enjoyed playing with Kevin, as I mentioned, he is a very accomplished player in the styles of Delta Blues players like Robert Johnson and the other legendary bluesmen from Mississippi and the South which includes Baton Rouge, La.("The unofficial home of the Blues")

I have always wanted to be able to play in this style but never really had an opportunity to do so until Kevin gave me a chance to play along with him, which allowed me to improvise on some of great songs the bluesmen released upon the world. One of todays most famous players who was intrigued by this sound is Eric Clapton who considers Baton Rouge's "Buddy Guy" as one of the best guitarists he has ever heard.

Besides playing guitar Kevin has also written several articles, and produced an instructional DVD entitled "The Art of Sourdough Bread Making" which is available on his website "BluesandBread.newlibertyvillage.com" Check it out. He has a wealth of info there along with songs from his latest CD.

He also has started a "Blues and Bread Blog" where he wrote a very nice article about me and the two of us playing together.

We plan on continuing to play together whenever possible.
We will be playing at "Birdman Cafe" in St. Francisville January 25th starting at 6:00 pm

Till next time Baton Rouge, keep playing your guitars


'Scratch'

Gilead Valley - Original Country Blues

It’s been quite some time since I’ve written any good songs or at least songs that I actually like. In the last few weeks several tunes have come to mind and I’ve worked out enough of them to put together a collection of originals in the country blues fingerpicking style. This is one of the most enjoyable forms of music expression for me because the melodies and words are so simple. I’m not a big fan of complicated songs. And though I like a good story, my songs are more like poetic hints of certain states of consciousness rather than detailed accounts of events.

One good example is the song entitled: “Tree of Life”. Rather than laying out a story the song moves through a repetitive guitar ditty with one line descriptions of the way things are, as in the opening verse, “It's been a long day, walking alone and cryin'. I lost my good friend, can't be satisfied...” It’s more about expressing how things started off bad in my life, gradually getting better over time as I started going back to basics; building a home, working in the garden, standing in the sunshine, living on the tree of life, and so on.

The title song, “Gilead Valley” is a symbolic reference to a place where one can go and psychologically escape the struggles of survival in life. It is like going through a doorway into a mystical reality. The words describe “going down to Gilead Valley, going there no more to weep… where souls redeemed, their vigils keep." The idea came to me one morning when I began feeling that there was no relief from the burden of having to earn a living in our present society, and so the longing to descend into a valley became kind of a metaphor for attaining spiritual and material freedom. I think it is a common theme in the heart of most of us, to find a sacred place where there is a promise of hope and happiness in the afterlife.

Many of the songs reflect my inner feelings about the joys of simple living and seeking to follow a path of true values. It seems that these songs are more biographical in that sense. I really wanted to express these themes in a way that would paint a picture of what simplicity is really about without trying to tell it in a fictional tale.

My good friend, Joel Whitten is helping me with this recording. His “Metal Shed Studio” is a great little place where we are trying some new recording techniques in order to produce the cleanest sound possible. We are using mikes along with inline plugging this time because I want the acoustic guitar to have the kind of full tone that you can only get from live performances, but we’re separating the vocal tracks this time which is such a hard thing for me to do, especially since I am used to singing and playing at the same time. It has required that I practice playing and singing silently in my mind, recording to a click track, then going back and singing over it. I do find, however, that it makes me concentrate on singing better, really projecting my voice.

The opening song is called “Been Going Nowhere”. This is an upbeat country tune that I really enjoy singing. I intended this song originally for the Fugitive Poets to sing. I wrote the song after seeing folk singer, John Craigie a few weeks ago at Boudreaux’s & Thibodeaux’s. John played song after song, telling these remarkable stories about traveling around the country, playing coffee shops and bars for tips, and I came away feeling a little envious that I’ll never be able to have that kind of adventure and experience. So the song is about the flip side, the benefits of staying home with your woman and discovering something deeper in the long run.

I'm doing a couple of ukulele fingerpicking tunes this time as well,“Saddle Up My Pony,” and "Biscuit Roller Blues". Also some folky guitar ballads such as “People Are So Mean,” “Angels Are Calling,” and there is a wonderful instrumental tune recorded in open G tuning called “Essene Cakewalk”. I tried to do this tune with a looping track and layer 3 other guitar parts but it soon became a horrible mess. Finally i told Joel, "the hell with it, I'm going back to playing it like I do live and it came out fantastic." Simpler is always better.

The record will take a while to complete; I'd hoping to get Steve Smith to play on a couple of tunes so the possible release will be sometime early this summer. But in the meantime I’m working in a few of the numbers at some of my performances.

Barry Hebert – Storytelling & Songwriting

Date: March 15, 2010
Name: Barry Hebert
E-mail: fourcajunbears@eatel.net
Genre: original folk/country
Instrument: Acoustic guitar, bass, Cajun accordion

When a songwriter can tell a good story and create vivid pictures in your mind with his or her lyrics, then you know there is something remarkable going on. Such is the case with Baton Rouge singer-songwriter, Barry Hebert. I first met Barry a couple of months ago at one of the weekly Songwriter Spotlight nights which is hosted by Dorothy Leblanc at Brew-Ha-Ha on Thursday nights.

Right away I was drawn to his singing and smooth rhythm guitar playing. Most notably was a tune he sang called, Three Miles Ahead and 50 Years Behind, about a family going to grandma’s farm on vacation. The song is from a kids’ point of view, not much to do, no video games, no high tech entertainment, just simple country things that the dad remembers enjoying years ago. Barry said he got the idea for the song from seeing the phrase Three Miles Ahead and 50 Years Behind along with a milk truck pictured on a tee shirt.

The youngest of four children in a family that loved music, Barry Hebert grew up listening to singer-songwriters at an early age. He is especially fond of artists like James Taylor, Hank Williams Jr., the Eagles as well as the old country Texas artists. Today he still appreciates classic songs such as Fire & Rain and Tequila Sunrise.

Barry enjoys a long, impressive history of being involved with music professionally; he actually took an interest in junior high when his older sister, Nanette, started taking guitar lessons and showing him a few chords. His sister eventually went on to become a music teacher while Barry continued to play guitar, sing in church and jam with friends throughout high school and later during college at USL.

At first he wasn’t particularly interested in singing, preferring to stand aside and play, but sometime around 1982 he became involved with a country group called the Basin Brothers Band, performing in and around Lafayette, Breaux Bridge and Arnaudville. The group enjoyed some real success, eventually playing nicer gigs such as dancehalls in Houston, Bay City and other places around Texas. By this time Barry was accomplished, not only on acoustic guitar and electric bass guitar, but playing Cajun & Zydeco accordions as well.

Eventually, the Basin Brothers made some personnel changes and the band evolved into a Cajun band. This happened at a time when Cajun music was just beginning to spread beyond Louisiana’s borders. Around the mid to late 80’s, a man named Frank Randol, the owner of Randol’s Restaurant in Lafayette, was busy setting up a musical tour with notables such as Doug Kershaw, Eddie Raven and Jimmy C. Newman. These artist, together with the Basin Brothers Band (including Barry Hebert) spent time traveling around the United States playing places like the Greek Theater in Hollywood, Atlantic City, New York, Canada and so on. The group ultimately released a CD entitled "Let’s Get Cajun", in 1989 which was actually nominated for a Grammy, losing to Doc Watson. The record was, as you might expect, picked up and distributed by Flying Fish Records.

While the late 1980’s was an exciting and busy time for Barry, enjoying the exciting activity of traveling and playing music, the 1990’s was a time for changing direction. In 1990, Barry got married, quit the band, settled down and went to work in Baton Rouge as an environmental consultant. He actually stopped playing music for about 5 years, until one night he and his wife Tiffany were out to dinner and he heard Mitch Landry and the Cajun Ramblers (which later became Gumbeaux Rouge). Barry felt inspired once again to make music. In time he was invited to join the band. This opportunity enabled him to get back to his roots, playing Cajun and swamp pop music. Currently he is still active in two bands, Louisiana Breeze and Gumbeaux Rouge.

Barry started writing country songs while with the Basin Brothers, yet it was only about 4 or 5 years ago when the creative spark came back to him stronger than ever. Lately, his concentration is on being a storyteller-songsmith. Barry, along with his friend Steve Judice, often work together bouncing ideas, lyrics and melodies off one another. “I’m always looking for ideas,” he says, “phrases that people say. When thoughts come I’ll write them down in a folder. Then before bed I go through my notes and see if I can get a verse.”

He told me that lyrics are his primary focus and sometimes a melody will come to mind, but what he really attempts to do is tell stories. The few songs I heard that night at Brew-Ha-Ha really impressed me. I was captivated by the content of his original songs; his stage presence and delivery was delightfully reverent and inspiring.

Another one of his best songs is called Gene’s Pool. It is whimsical song, a play on genetics and the stereotypical redneck activity of beer drinking, skoal dipping and cousin’s kissing around the swimming pool. The bridge of the song says:
“All good things have to come to an end,
But we’ll do it all over come next weekend
We’re gonna get crazy and gonna get loud,
and do some things that will make ole’ Darwin proud.”

Though Barry Hebert is still actively involved with a couple of cover bands, he also performs occasional solo performances at restaurants, coffee shops and so on. This is a guy that loves to play music and his enthusiasm is contagious. Recently, Chris Maxwell invited Barry to open for Bill Kirchen at the Red Dragon Listening Room. Whenever you get a chance to see this guy perform I know you will be uplifted by his music.

Steve Judice – Outlaw Country Songwriter

Date: January 2, 2010
Name: Steve C. Judice
E-mail: sjudice@kcwlaw.com
Website: www.facebook.com/stevejudice
Genre: original red dirt Americana, outlaw country
Instrument: Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica, keyboard
CD Titles: Stormy Goodbyes & Laughing Eyes

Steve Judice is one of those amazing songwriters’ who can take simple ideas and weave them together through melody and lyric and create imaginative poetry. The first time I heard him play was at an open mic at LaFonda’s in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I sat there captivated by his tragicomic themes, such as Viagravation (grandpa’s insistent fondness for Viagra) to the perfect divorce anthem “if you’re going to leave me, why don’t you leave me alone.” These songs may sound a lot like outlaw country rock and roll, but are really a lot more sophisticated and thought provoking than most of the pop new country tunes of today.

Steve’s early musical influences came from listening to seasoned songwriters like Willie Nelson, John Prine and Mike Williams, artists who write simple tunes and tell great stories. Billy Joe Shaver was probably his biggest influence. His first attempt to write a song came around the mid 80’s in the form of a contest with a friend after they heard George Jones’, “He Stopped Loving Her Today” on the car radio. Steve said, “I can write a song like that” and before long he penned “Big Hat, No Cattle, Cadillac Driving Man.” From then on he realized he had a knack for crafting a song.

Some 25 years later, Steve Judice finally cut his first CD (Stormy Goodbyes & Laughing Eyes - 2009) at Gordon Graham’s Dog House Studio in St. Francisville. With some talented local musicians playing on the record, guys like Pete Verbois, Joe Ropollo, Ken Rust, Phil Gay, and others, it is one of the best collections of originals I’ve heard in a long time. Though not necessarily biographical, the songs depict heartache, struggles in relationships and plain old anguish, such as in the opening song, Outta Luck Again, which begins with the line, “There’s a brand new church where the snake farm used to be…” This song came to Steve in about 15 minutes while he was driving down Highway 190. An old snake farm, which had been a landmark for many years was gone and in its place was raised a new church. Seeing this, Steve came up with a fictional, humorous story about a guy who keeps coming up empty handed at every turn. The new record is getting some well received airplay in Europe as well as on the independent internet radio station radiofreetexas.org

It is this intriguing expression of ordinary themes that really make Steve Judice a great songwriter because he has the innate ability to observe and pay attention to common things that happen in life and poetically convey them in stories that any listener can relate to. One of my favorite songs, “By Heart” poignantly describes the rarity of being truly loved by someone who really understands you on a personal level. Ironically, it was inspired by a 6 year old boy, who upon changing schools, told his mother that he liked his former teachers better because they “know me by heart.”

Steve was first introduced to acoustic guitar by his brother-in–law, a man named Richard Lewis. In 1974, Richard was in the Navy during the Vietnam War and would often leave his guitar, encouraging Steve to play it while he was away. Years later Steve took up playing the piano when his daughters were taking lessons. He also plays harmonica, mandolin and fiddle. But he’s most comfortable singing his own songs and strumming the guitar. Lately, his main concern is writing and he spends a lot of time thinking about ideas and keeping a notebook handy all the time.
He was involved with a few Baton Rouge bar bands over the years, such as Bleeker Street, a 1990’s Classic Rock band, Gunsmoke, and Slightly Off. Recently, however, Steve Judice has decided to focus on writing and playing his own songs almost exclusively, playing open mics, benefits, private parties and coffeehouses.

When I asked Steve what he would do if he could start over as a young musician he said passionately “I’d start writing songs sooner.” It’s clear that he has a gift for writing and playing because whenever I get the chance to see and hear him do a set, he’s always relaxed and confident. His voice and stage presence are energetic and lively. Steve is also one of the favorite performers at Birdman Coffee & Books, in St. Francisville at the Monday night listening room. Check out his webpage at www.facebook.com/stevejudice and for a real treat, listen to his music. Steve's CD "Stormy Goodbyes & Laughing Eyes" is available through www.CDBaby.com

Spencer Bohren at the Red Dragon Listening Room

When Spencer Bohren took the stage last Saturday night at the Red Dragon Listening Room in Baton Rouge, I was thrilled to get the chance to see him after so many years. My daughter, Lorena was born near New Orleans in 1981 and Spencer’s wife, Marilyn was the attending midwife at her birth. Marilyn was expecting their second child at the time.

In my conversations with Marilyn between my wife’s contractions, I learned about Spencer Bohren and his roots blues. He was making a living, supporting his family, playing clubs in New Orleans, doing a lot of musical experimentation, hosting a weekly Monday night jam session at Tipitina's and playing weekends at the Old Absinthe Bar on Bourbon Street. Still, it wasn’t until a few years later that I actually got a chance to hear him perform.

I remember the first time I saw Spencer singing and playing guitar at Chelsea’s near LSU. I actually sat six feet in front of him, drinking beer and watching his fingers in amazement. He was making exotic chord progressions, doing solo embellishments and finger picking melodies like I’d never heard before. At the time, a B7 chord was awesome and mysterious to me, but this guy was playing harmonic partial chords all over the neck. Man, I wanted to be able to play like that. His style and energy was so vibrant and alive and I’ll never forget how thrilled I was to watch that kind of guitar playing. He was such an inspiration to me at that time.

A year or two later, I had an opportunity to sit and jam with Spencer at a mutual friend’s house. I played him the only blues song I knew at the time, a subdued version of a tune called “How Long” by Christian folk guitarist, John Michael Talbot. I don’t know what Spencer thought of that song considering he was into the real country blues classics, styles by artists such as Mississippi John Hurt, Tommy Johnson, Charley Patton and so on, but he played along with me with absolute politeness, enthusiasm and respect. Just that short time with him really gave me the encouragement I needed to work harder at improving my playing skills.

Thirty years ago Spencer was just beginning to make his mark in the music world of delta and country blues, traveling around the United States, hauling an Airstream trailer with his red and white ’55 Chevy Bel Air, along with his wife Marilyn and their young children. During that time he actually gave me an autographed copy of his first solo LP album entitled “Born in a Biscayne”, which I played over and over until it was completely worn out.

Spencer’s music is born right out of that folk-blues revival of the late 1960’s. In fact, early on in his career, he actually met one of my favorite guitar heroes, the eccentric ragtime genius, Reverend Gary Davis. Over the years, Spencer has established himself as a torch carrier of the old traditional roots music, mixing in some creative, thoughtful originals as well. One of my favorites is a tuned he wrote called, “Cry of the Blues,” on his 1996 CD, Dirt Roads

Spencer probably doesn’t know how much I appreciated that first album he gave me when I was in my early 20’s. But it opened up my ears to a world of music that I love dearly to this day. There is so much unrefined emotion in this old style of music. So when he played blues classics like “Canned Heat,” and “Ain’t Nobody’s Dirty Business” at the Red Dragon this weekend, it was like teleporting back to that time once again. Throughout the evening, Spencer sang and told stories while moving effortlessly from lap steel guitar to banjo to his old Gibson and then back again, painting a melodic panorama of poetry, image and sound. My friend, John Baute, elbowed me more than once between sips of wine, as if to say, “Wow, this guy is great.”

Patrick Sylvest, from Thibodeaux, generally plays in an old time string band trio called the Mosspickers. Patrick opened the performance with a set of inspired and imaginative originals which gave voice to environmental concerns such as coastal restoration and conservation awareness to Louisiana’s dwindling black bear population. Patrick is a talented musician with a pleasant voice and a great sense of sensitivity and rhythm.

The Red Dragon Listening Room is a very special place, thanks to its’ sponsor, Chris Maxwell. What Chris puts into this place is nothing short of a labor of love. It is the ideal setting for experiencing intimate, live music. Spencer said that he’d been all over the United States and that places like the Red Dragon, which cater to live acoustic music, are very rare. Through the Red Dragon Listening Room, Chris Maxwell allows professional songwriters the opportunity to be heard in an atmosphere that is truly unique.

I always have a feeling of being at home at the Red Dragon Listening Room, a comfortable relaxed feeling of being with a room full of friends. The people who love this place come because they know it will be a pleasurable experience of appreciating the excellence of talented acoustic musicians. It is a venue unlike any I’ve known before and I truly appreciate the fact that we have it here in Baton Rouge. If you’ve never been there, please check it out and support the cause of great quality acoustic music in Baton Rouge.

Spencer Bohren’s web page is at: www.SpencerBohren.com
Patrick Sylvest’s web page is at: www.myspace.com/mosspickers

Steven Smith – Acoustic Lead Guitarist

Date: January 2010
Name: Steven Smith (Scratch)
Website: www.scratchandsnifflive.com
Genre: acoustic pop rock
Instrument: Lead Guitar / Harmonica


Steven Smith (a.k.a. Scratch) is one of those rare accomplished guitarists that enjoy playing just for the sake of the music itself. His rhythmic accompaniments generate a bouncy groove that really allows one to hear the richness of acoustic guitar playing. The first time I heard Steve play was while he and Peter Duffield (3 Blind Mice) were performing a gig at Calente’s Restaurant in Central, just northeast of Baton Rouge. Their music was tight and polished, performing as an acoustic duo known as Scratch & Sniff (www.scratchandsnifflive.com), and playing a variety of 60’s & 70’s folk rock cover tunes.

Steve’s guitar playing was inspired by the early country fingerstyle guitarists, Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed, who both utilized a pulsating bottom end in their playing. Steve’s guitar style, however, exhibits a lot more melodic flow rather than an alternating bass rhythm. And his ability to intuitively blend harmonically with just about anyone, accentuating major and minor based melodies between lines, seems to express a hint of ragtime syncopation. But it is apparently obvious that his foundation is deeply rooted in folk rock. One can easily discern surf and country blues techniques from American bands like the Beach Boys, Grand Funk Railroad, The Grateful Dead and the Eagles in his style. I really enjoy listening to him play and I’ve met several people who agree that “Scratch really has a nice touch on the guitar.”

Steve’s grandfather became his first musical influence. Amos Callegari was from Cottonport, Louisiana. And he played fiddle for a Cajun band for many years. One day he decided to donate his fiddle to a Catholic School. After that, the old man kept up his musical interests playing the harmonica, sometimes playing simple tunes for his grandchildren.

This early introduction must have really impressed Steve because he can play blues cross harp just as well as any old bluesman from Mississippi. A couple of years ago Steve was hired to record a unique blues harmonica lick that was actually used in a jingle for the Team Toyota commercial, which has aired thousands of times on television since.

By the time Steven Smith was in high school his desire to play music led him to getting one formal lesson on the snare drum. After a month of pounding out cadences his mother had enough. She took the drum back to Montgomery Wards and got him a guitar and amp instead. One day, Steve heard a neighbor named Randy Borne’ playing guitar; Randy had begun taking guitar lessons around this time and was sitting on his porch playing “House of the Rising Sun”. After hearing that, Steve started hanging out with Randy, absorbing as much as he could and then eventually showing him some things on the guitar as well.

At the age of 16 Steve got his first acoustic guitar and it was during these early years that he actually began developing his own unique melodic playing style. His emphasis was always on being an accompanist rather than a solo guitarist. He says the best gig he ever played was in November of 2005 at the Beaumont Civic Center, where he and 3 Blind Mice were privileged to open for Edgar and Johnny Winter at a benefit for victims of Hurricane Rita.

Over the last 40 years, Steve has developed a solid understanding of musical scales and has formed his own method of practicing them as a kind of warm up fingering exercise. His guitar picking technique employs holding a flat-pick while clawing the treble strings with his middle and ring fingers. Preferring nylon strings, the effect he produces is very punchy, yet mellow at the same time.

One night I invited Steve to come check out the open mic at LaFonda’s. When he showed up, he just leisurely introduced himself to a couple of musicians and before you know it he was sitting down and effortlessly playing along like it was nothing. He has a natural ability to blend in with any kind of musical style or genre. Later in the evening, he played lead guitar for Steve Judice, performing a few original Red Dirt Americana tunes such as “Outta Luck Again,” and “Nobody Talks”. It sounded incredible. Donna and I wished we would have had a film recorder going.

The first time I performed live music with Steven Smith was during the Clinton Community Art Market last November (2009). We set up a small P.A. in front of the Landmark Bank and played out toward the street nonstop for three hours - everything from the Beatles to John Prine to the Doors – and had a blast. I was absolutely amazed at how he could just follow along on a song he’d never heard before and just come up with some of the most incredible musical embellishments right on the spot. There were a lot of people who came up to me afterward to say how much they enjoyed the music.

Be sure to check out Steve Smith’s calendar and new music webpage at www.scratchandsnifflive.com and try to make it to one of his performances or just listen to some of his music online.

Open Mic

Venues that offer open mic nights are great. That is, as long as the right elements are there. I’ve met some wonderful people at open mic's and learned a lot from networking with other musicians. For those of us who are really into music, it’s a good way to have some kind of social life without having to join organizations.

Here are some simple suggestions that I’ve found makes the event work best. You can use them to set up your own open mic night. It is a great way to network with other musicians, share musical ideas and learn new styles. In our current climate of social apprehension, where so many people suffer tension and anxiety, we need secular avenues where people can come together and experience live music. Open mic's provide that kind of opportunity so I think business owners should try to accommodate them. Musicians will surely come, they’ll invite their friends and family to eat and drink and listen to music.

Be sure to check out our open mic at LaFonda’s Restaurant on Airline Hwy in Baton Rouge each Wednesday from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm.

1. Have open mic’s no more than once a week, and always schedule them consistently on the same night.

2. If at a restaurant, try to designate a specific room just for the open mic, so that people who are not interested can opt out.

3. Turn the televisions off. The worst open mic’s I’ve played always have a football game going on. You’ll have two dozen enthusiastic fans screaming at the TV while the guy on stage is trying to sing his best love song. It doesn’t work. Let the football fans have their own night and let the musicians and listeners have theirs.

4. Have a sign up sheet. Someone has to run the event and keep tract of how long each person can play. Twenty minutes is the max, less if there are lots of people waiting to play. There’s always going to be someone who wants to hog the mic, so the coordinator has to enforce the time limit and keep it fair for everyone.

5. Don’t talk too much. Don’t go on and on about what the song means to you, how you wrote it and what it’s about, blah, blah, blah. Sure you can mention the title and say a little something. But for the most part, people in the audience aren’t interested in all that. They will usually be talking to each other at their table, so just shut up and sing!

6. Be sure to practice what you’re going to play before you go. It is awkward when someone plays a song they’ve forgotten the chords or the words. Do yourself a favor and put your best foot forward. Practice what you want to play.

Loud Music

This week Donna and I worked on a lot of different music; mostly country blues classics, some folksy pop stuff and a few ragtime tunes. She’s really into the ukulele and this was the first time since taking up playing that she felt confident enough to come out with me to a coffeehouse and play in public. There was so much receptivity and enthusiasm for old time music at this one particular place - such a great venue for intimate, live acoustic music.

There should be a lot more places seeking to create that kind of atmosphere. It is unfortunate that most business owners don’t see the value in it because there are a heck of a lot of people who really enjoy that kind of experience. They come there just to drink coffee or have breakfast, and they want to be able to talk, visit with friends and listen to quiet, relaxing live music. In many cases, places that do have live music are too dang loud. You can’t talk, and you’re just pummeled to death by the ferocious volume coming out of the P.A.

Anyway, this past Monday Donna and I played for a nice crowd, which was partly due I suppose to the “after Christmas” travelers along the Interstate. On Thursday (new Years’ eve) we went back there and played again for a slightly smaller group and had an equally enjoyable time. Later that evening some neighbors invited us to a party, so we showed up with guitar, uke, harmonica and a bottle of wine, and sat around the kitchen table with a few friends and played and sang some more.

Not everyone liked our country blues and folk tunes though. In fact, there were a couple of people who were annoyed and waited around for us to stop so they could crank up the stereo and play some contemporary dance music. Wow, what a contrast! But one woman who had stayed to listen to us with her grandson said, “Your music is so much more soothing than that stuff.” But the thing I finally realized is this: there is a genuine sense of longing in many people to experience a kind of life-affirming kinship that only live acoustic music can provide.

So when they cranked up the stereo, turned on the flashing disco lights and started wildly gyrating to “Mustang Sally”, the atmosphere in the room drastically shifted from people relaxing, visiting, talking and sharing songs to one of stress, tension, even an odd feeling of enmity. No one could talk because the music was so loud and aggressive. There was a harsh sense of disconnection that seemed to take over. It was so weird to see it happen. Obviously the majority of us could feel it, but the “others” were absolutely oblivious. They wanted the music to be loud and they wanted to dance. And they did. So they simply took over. There was no more relating or sharing with one another. Everyone just stood around watching the two or three drunken dancers whooping and hollering.

Donna and I stayed a little while longer and watched the crazy scene unfold, surprised that the good energy had died out so quickly. But we were happy that we had been able to visit with some friends. After a few minutes and a couple of pieces of fudge, we packed up the instruments, left early and went home.

The next day she and I went for a long walk and talked about the party the night before and concluded that there was something significant about that hour we had created a setting of relaxed camaraderie. I think that was the first time Donna ever had that kind of experience around playing music. But I’ve known about it ever since high school. Nearly all my friends played in the school band or were into guitar. And we used to spend hours sitting around at my house drinking beer, eating pizza, playing songs, laughing and singing. It was one of the best times of my life.

I felt it then, as I do now, that this is one of the best ways to connect and relate to others. Unfortunately you don’t see it much these days in the lives of young people. Too much technology has busted the desire or need to come together in singing circles. Though many of them love their digital music, they are still eager to go out to clubs and listen to extremely loud bands. But these kinds of gatherings are not so much for the purposes of social networking. They’re not getting together to discuss issues of social injustice or causes they believe in, they’re going out to relieve frustration.

This new generation, more than any other before has a completely different idea of what is important. To them the American dream is not so much about having an opportunity to work for and build a modest home, learn wisdom from elders, raise a family, cultivate relationships, learn creative life skills, or develop some form of art - for many teens, 20 and 30 something’s, it is simply about wanting to be famous like the people featured on popular reality shows like American Idol, Big Brother, Dancing with the Stars, and so forth.

When I heard this mentioned on a public radio program recently I was stunned, but it does make sense. I’ve noticed that many young people who are into playing music seem to be more concerned with putting together a band, performing on a stage, earning money playing gigs, or simply hoping to gain some recognition or fame. What ever happened to just getting together for the sake of playing and sharing music?

My friend, John Baute has the right viewpoint, that’s why I admire his approach. He’s been learning to play the guitar for about a year now, going along at his own pace, just trying to create a solid groove so he can experience the pleasure of playing music for his own enjoyment. He describes it like this, “I just want to be able to sit on my porch and play the blues.” Too me, John has discovered a profound secret, which is that the seed for satisfaction and success in music exists whenever someone plays for the sake of the music first. Anything else just stirs up ego and corrupts the creative energy. But if a person participates in music with the purpose of sharing their own joy and enthusiasm with others through learning, listening and playing songs, there is a whole other dimension of experience available to them, one where making other people happy is more important. I’ve seen this happen over and over, but sadly, it is something that few musicians seem to be conscious of.

That’s why I really like places that offer open mic performances (as long as the place has the right atmosphere, which I’ll talk about in another post). An open mic is an opportunity for an amateur musician to get up there in front of people and just pour their heart and soul out. It takes a lot of guts to get up in front of people and sing, but the cool thing is audiences love it. The majority of people would still rather experience live music rather than listen to the TV or digitally recorded music. And I’ve found that in certain situations, the simpler the music is, the better it is for the listener to enjoy.

Many hard-core rockers would disagree. They assert that if more instrumentation is louder and better, increasingly more louder is even better! But I still maintain that the music that has the most “spaciousness” is far more enjoyable to experience. Once you get beyond three or four instruments, it gets too hectic. There are exceptions of course, depending on the song and the mood of the music, but for the most part, I’d say, keep it simple and people will appreciate it more.

There is just too much NOISE these days in most public venues, too much happening all at once. I think it is crazy that restaurants have 5 televisions going on at the same time, especially when there’s a band playing. And now-a-days bands are even louder than ever before. People sit there in front of the PA speakers like it’s no big deal, constantly screaming at one another trying to talk. What in the world is going on? Are people that oblivious and deaf that they can subject their body to that kind of noise and pretend like it’s not abnormal?

I actually watched a 20-something year old girl sit inebriated and seemingly comatose just four feet from a PA speaker on the balcony at Boudreaux’s & Thibodeaux’s in Baton Rouge while this deaf-inducing heavy metal blues band blasted out the most outrageously loud and darkly inert music(?) I’ve ever heard since seeing Ritchie Blackmore at the Centroplex in 1977. I actually went downstairs to the street still plugging my ears from the volume. It’s just unbelievable that young people can subject themselves to that kind of assault without blinking. To me it is a symptom of a society desperately trying to feel something they sense is missing and the only way they can is by exposing themselves to as much noise, entertainment, pleasure and intoxication they can get.