Brad Spurgeon's Blog

A world of music, auto racing, travel, literature, chess, wining, dining and other crazy thoughts….

Monthly Archives: October 2010

Coupla Discoveries – Mia Johnson – and Reunions – Black Butterfly – at Paris Open Mics

October 12, 2010
bradspurgeon

I absolutely hate to admit writing yet again about the Paris open mics of the Tennesse Bar and the Galway Pub, my usual Monday night haunts when not in an airplane or another country. But last night, yet again, the two venues did not let me down, especially at the Tennessee bar where I met up with a group I know and love, and with a singer from a group I do not know, but who knows someone I know…. Let me just try to untangle that:

Got to the Tennessee early and waited hours to get up. Got to play FIVE songs! Loved it.

But the real fun would come later. First, a group from Philadelphia, led by the Philadelphia singer songwriter Mia Johnson. I enjoyed their stuff, with Mia singing and playing guitar, a guy on piano and another woman on guitar. They played cover songs, but then Mia came back later to do her own songs, and they were very strong. It was an interesting mixture of country and folk, and when I spoke to Mia afterwards I was not at all surprised to hear that she also played in a Johnny Cash cover band and that she sang the parts and played the role of June Carter.

But as soon as I heard her music and that she was from Philadelphia, I immediately said to myself, “She MUST know EJ, Pierce and Maggie,” or whatever order those names are supposed to be in. I met the brothers from Philadelphia last year in Oxford when I played several open mics, and found them at both the Half Moon pub and at Bookbinder’s Pub. This year again I met up with one of the brothers at Bookbinders.

So I went to speak to Mia and told her I had met some musicians from Philadelphia, EJ… and she finished the phrase. She has known them since 1995, she said.

No surprise, small world, cool meeting.

I did my five songs later and then went over to the Galway and did another four songs, listened to Bernard steal one I planned to do, “A Change is Gonna Come,” and then I went back to the Tennessee. There I found one of my favorite young groups in Paris, Black Butterfly. I had not heard them for several months in an open mic, and they told me they were mostly in the studio working on some recordings. Can’t wait till they come out. Also, Kareem played some very cool stuff on the guitar as usual…..

Mick Jagger and Me on the Grid in Monaco – and a Wombat at the Mecano

October 11, 2010
bradspurgeon

Freeze-frame after 15 seconds this video below of Mick Jagger visiting the Monaco Grand Prix and you will see me just behind him preparing my camera for a photograph of Mick that I eventually put on this blog. I did not realize at the time that the line I would start my Formula One race report story with and that Jagger said at precisely this moment – “What a madhouse!”, had been caught on video with me in it. Talk about multimedia! Here am I and my New York Times story lede quote being put up on the Rolling Stones web site. I had actually thought I was the only one who heard him say “what a madhouse.” So I suppose that is my 15 seconds of fame…. (you get the video directly in the link above, if you click on it below you get an advertisement first….)

Anyway, it would have been a much better story if Mick showed up for my second gig in a row at the Sunday brunch at the Mecano yesterday. I had to settle for Dan Haggis, the drummer and singer of the band the Wombats, who was there talking to Earle, eating brunch, and eventually listening to my first set. A very cool, down-to-earth guy, was Dan of the Wombats. A contrast to Mick? I wouldn’t know. I was so dumbstruck facing Mick that I could not think of a thing to say to him. It was only after I returned to the media center and saw my guitar sitting there ready for playing at McCarthy’s that night that I said, damn, I could have asked Mick to jam with me….

Anyway, the afternoon yesterday was another great success, and this time not only did I play three sets, but Rafa Ellan played a long set, Les DeShane played a short set and the daughter of a friend of Earle’s played a few songs too. Let’s hope this is the beginning of a new tradition.

Two Nights, Three Venues in Paris – amen birdmen, Yann Destal and some other stuff at 24 cour des petites écuries

October 9, 2010
bradspurgeon

Just a bit of catching up to do here. I went two nights ago to the La Forge avg art space at 24 cour des petites écuries in Paris in order to see a few live performances of music and other things, and the end of some kind of video exhibit. But actually, I “some kind” because me real desire was to go and take part in what was advertised as an open mic at the end of the evening.

So, yes, that’s what I did – went and listened to the performers, several of whom play at the Swan Bar in Montparnasse regularly, and then I played three songs myself. Given that the evening was mostly about operatic singing by Vania, bluesy singing by Tiffany Assouline and camp performining of Liza Minelli songs and that kind of thing by someone else, my songs kind of stood out like a hair on the soup – as the French say. But I was happy to sing them, and later, a fabulous reggae musician who was there borrowed my guitar cable and sang some of his songs, both covers and an original. This was Simi Ol of the band Arrr Force. It was a very interesting venue, this La Forge avg, an art space with many rooms, a bar, televisions, videos, a courtyard or two, tables for drinking and chatting, all manner of exhibit.

The next day I did not do any open mic performances but set out to listen to friends and acquaintances play. Yann Destal played at Le China, and it seemed to be mostly his own stuff – as opposed to the cover songs he does at the restaurant on the Bus Palladium on Tuesdays, and the room was full. It’s an interesting place, a very large and classy Chinese food restaurant with a cellar with a stage area for the live music. Very hip, in fact. Destal’s music was very interesting, intense, and the sound was perfect.

But I did not stay to the end of that concert as I wanted to pick up a little of Amen Birdmen at the Bus Palladium, in the main concert area. That is the band of Cyril Bodin, who is also the artistic director of this venerable rock n roll establishment (yes, that is now no longer a contradiction in terms). Much to my delight, I heard Bodin announce that for the last song he was inviting up the members of the band Natas Loves You, to join in singing with him. Virgile, the bassist of Natas Loves You, played on the four songs I recorded at the Point Ephemere this summer. So it was a delight to hear them, and I went around afterwards to say hello to them and Bodin. I enjoyed the set immensely, and Amen Birdmen had the crowd rockning hard.

Brad’s Thumbnail Guide to Paris Open Mics, Jams and Other Venues – Oh, and David Broad at The Highlander

October 7, 2010
bradspurgeon

It suddenly occurred to me a few minutes ago that I should put up a page on this site with addresses to open mics, jams and other music venues in Paris. The idea came to me because I have over the last couple of years given such a list to people I meet in open mics in Paris when they’re looking for a place. Today I sent it to another person I met last night at The Highlander, and I thought, why not put it up on this site.

The only problem is that the list is CONSTANTLY changing. The one I have just put up is up to date as of today, however. But watch out, it DOES change fast. It is a bit of a mess in style, but the information is there and in future I will add links to this Brad’s Guide of Paris Open Mics, Jam Sessions and other Live Music Venues, when I have more time,

In the meantime, I played at the Highlander again last night, and the delightful discovery of the evening I think surely had to be David Broad, from Leeds, England. You have to listen his mixture of country, trad, ragtime and who knows what all else. I’ve put three videos in below from last night at The Highlander:

Calvin at the International, and a Visit to the Bizart

October 6, 2010
bradspurgeon

I dropped off at l’International last night to see one of my friend Calvin McEnron’s latest in a string of concerts, and no doubt it is his biggest. I met Calvin at Earle’s open mic last year, or even the year before, and he has been making songwriting, guitar playing and singing progress ever since. In leaps and bounds, in fact, as this half hour or so set at l’International attests. He writes in English, and has a hip thing about him. Check him out.

I then went on to the open mic jam session at the Bizart Bar near the Place de la Nation, and only four stops away from the International. I had last attended this Tuesday-night jam at the end of last year or early this year. The accent here is on blues, but they accept just about anything. The bar is small, cosy, and the people are there mostly to listen to the music, but it doesn’t bother them to talk, and it doesn’t bother the musicians much either, as it never gets excessive.

I enjoy it because you get people like the fiddler player Joe Cady joining you while you play. In fact, Joe seemed to play on just about every song last night – including on the four I played – and he is often there, so he gets his weekly workout. Last night my friend who calls himself LadiesDi was also there, with his Finnish girlfriend and another Finnish woman, Tatiana, who played some nice tunes.

Altogether a very relaxed and enjoyable evening from start to finish. Only problem was the unicycle that I noticed sitting up above the tables on the wall of the Bizart. I asked if it was usable, but the barman told me there was no air in the tires. A terrible temptation to go unanswered, that one.

When it Reigns it Pours, At the Tennessee

October 5, 2010
bradspurgeon

A wild, absolutely mad evening at the Tennessee. When it rains the puddles collect water and grow, right? That’s how it seems to be happening at the Tennessee bar these days as Reign Morton has a growing contingent of fans, groupies, and above all fellow musician friends following him to the open mic and turning the place into a happening of unforgettable dimensions.

I first wrote about Reign Morton two weeks ago today, so you can get the biographical details there. Last night, in tow – it seemed – Reign had another couple of great singers. But let me take a brief break to say that the evening at the Tennessee was, in fact, not ONLY about Reign and the gang.

I showed up there in a toss up between there and the Galway. I arrived too late and thought I’d have to wait for hours to play, so I cut out and went to the Galway. Fortunately, I got to play immediately at the Galway, and fortunately, because Stephen, the MC, had to change a string on his guitar and there was no other singer around, I got to do five songs in a row. Unfortunately, the small group of people at the bar was not in the least bit interested in listening (either to me or to Stephen). So I just sang for myself, and then decided to leave without finishing my Kilkenney.

I returned to the Tennessee, thinking I probably would not get up on stage, but that the level of the performers I had seen so far was high. And indeed, it went on and on. Among the interesting acts were a French duo consisting of two young guys, one on guitar – a beautiful Taylor guitar, no less – and the other on the piano. The one on the piano I suddenly realized looked almost exactly like Fernando Alonso, the Formula One driver. They did a fine song called, “So Let Me Go.” Another act was the trio with a guy on vocals, another on piano and the third on cello. I liked this a lot, but it was just a little too much “Star Academy” for me. Then there was Sood, from South Korea, who played his Yamaha guitar like a metronome, and did some pretty fierce vocals too. He also accompanied another singer, and that is the one I did a video of, but I should have done Sood on his own.

Another trio went up second to last, and that was some kind of French trio with a woman on vocals, a man on guitar and vocals and a man on bongos. Unfortunately they were a very “world music” together act and I was elected as the last act, the man to follow them. Just me and my guitar after this trio. I took to the mic and said the cards were loaded so my only choice was to try to do something, real, something true. Somehow penetrate the truth. Otherwise, musically, I’d be roasted. I did not know my first choice was going to be dead on the right one. I chose “Crazy Love,” and it turned out that not only was I in better shape than at the Galway – having had another beer or two – but Reign and his gang all knew the song and so they provided the choral backup, especially between the “Love, love, love”s… It turned out Reign told me he knew the Brian McKnight version of “Crazy Love,” not Van Morrison’s.

So just when I thought the show was over, the stage was opened up to Reign and his friends. And we never looked back. Mostly a question of improvisation, they came up with some fabulous stuff. In fact, Reign had previously done one Ray Charles song, sounding just like Ray Charles and throwing in the movements to boot. Now, he went on to a Marvin Gaye sound, a bluesman sound, and then a Reign-rap-and-I-don’t-know-what-sound with a funny improvisation about making up a song. A couple of groupies stripped down to bras and neck-scarf-over-the-chest-only attire, and the night went mad with dance, drink and music.

Reign gave over the stage to a guy from Senegal who calls himself Mr No Name, and who is damned good too, and I thought he was from Brooklyn or somewhere else in the U.S. Very cool. And then another great addition was the fabulous Sue Giles, who IS from Brooklyn, and who joined Reign and did some great back up and lead vocals. James Iansiti played rhythm guitar and Karim played his splendid lead again.

In all, it was a mad delight. Man, who’d have thunk it at the Tennessee?

Brunchtime Music at the Mecano Bar in Paris

October 4, 2010
bradspurgeon

mecano bar paris

mecano bar paris

Earle Holmes invited me to do the first of a new series of Sunday afternoon musical brunches that he thinks he would like to do at the Mecano Bar in Paris where he used to hold his open mic. So I went yesterday early afternoon, ate a fabulous brunch of scrambled eggs, sausage, French toast, cheese covered walnut bread, potatoes, salad and probably something else, and then I got up and played a couple of sets.

I started playing at 3 PM, and did a first set of probably 45 minutes, and then I did another set at around 5, I think. My friend Rafa Ellan came to listen to me, but I wanted other people to hear him too, because he has a very cool voice and writes some nice songs. He looks and sounds like the young Bob Dylan.

It was a fabulous atmosphere on a nice Sunday in Paris, with the front window doors of the bar open to the street, and passersby dropping in to listen to the music. I brought along my SE Electronics tube mic so I felt the set up looked little vintage, but above all the sound was great. I ran through less than half my songs, my own and cover songs, and was delighted to have a lot left over for next week, when Earle has invited me (and Rafa), to repeat the experience.

Crappy, rapid cultural experience at culture rapide

October 2, 2010
bradspurgeon

Went off to the so-called Barman’s open mic at the Culture Rapide bar in Belleville in Paris last night. I’ve done this place a number of times, and it is usually a fun combination of music, poetry, stories, etc., and NO MICROPHONE. That is usually not a vast problem. But last night the bar was hijacked by a large group of people – 50? – celebrating a birthday party. So, little did they care that it was the soirée of the barman’s open mic, hardly anyone wanted to keep their mouths shut to listen to the musicians and poet who came to take part in the open mic.

So the whole thing ended very, very rapidly. In fact, all it amounted to was one guy citing a poem – through the noise – and he was followed by me playing a song – through the noise – and then a blue duo playing a song – through the noise. That was it. I took pleasure in deciding to sing, “Mad World,” since that is exactly how the situation felt.

But ultimately, I bear no grudges at all against the Culture Rapide bar, which remains a cool and fun place. And I was just as happy to see the group of people celebrating the birthday party; it definitely should take precendence to three or four people hogging the stage….

But I wanted to make sure I could catch the ambience for this blog, so I recorded the blues duo and turned the camera araound the joint to show the mania of the crowd, all the noise, and the impossibility of hearing the musicians play. Having said that, my choice of “Mad World,” did ensure much handclapping to the rhythm of my guitar, even if my voice was inaudible even to me. Check out the video ambience below in what amounted to the third and last act in the aborted open mic:

Four Years of Highlander, and an Annual Open Mic at the Copains Bar in Paris

October 1, 2010
bradspurgeon

Missed a day on the blog, but went out both Wednesday and Thursday to open mics – as usual. The first was one of the usual Wednesday places I have written about so often, but this time there’s news! It was the fourth anniversary of The Highlander’s open mic on Wednesday, and Thomas Brun had balloons and other party decorations hanging from the walls and ceiling, and he greeted people – well, me, in any case – with: “Happy Birthday!”

Four years for an open mic is a long time, I have begun to learn, as I have traveled the world and found simply from last year to this year a huge number of open mics have closed down, while others have opened.

Highlights at the Highlander were a new guy from the United States who has just moved to Paris and who calls himself, Glass Petals, and another woman singer, named Megg Farrell, who is also from the U.S., and who played with a ukelele and sang. But unlike so many of the young women I see these days playing the uke and singing, she really made the uke sing and got the crowd stomping along with her strong voice. It was a high moment.

On Thursday I went to Isabelle Sojfer‘s open mic at the Copains bar in Menilmontant. This is a tiny hole-in-the wall bar with a very big friendly atmosphere once the night gets going. And last night it REALLY got going. Isabelle Sofjer is an author, slam artist and…ukelele player and singer. I have seen her at two different open mics, and I learned that she has her own open mic once a year. So I went last night to the annual edition not only to find that it was just full of performers and quite wild and warm, but also to discover – with everyone else – that she would be holding the open mic again in two weeks, on 14 October, exceptionally running a second time in the same year.

Isabelle does not run the open mic the same way as most people, and while I was a little upset as the first performer to be invited to leave the “stage” after only one song – “Borderline” – I soon discovered that everyone had only one chance. Well, at least in the first round. She did a second round and all the remaining people got to do another number. I decided that since the bar was so small I would not use a microphone, and that enabled me to succeed for the first time ever in public in doing a half-decent job of my interpretation of the Hank Williams song, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.” I do it with a pretty strong blues approach. The bar owner, Momo, jumped up and started playing a bongo drum with me and it turned out to be quite a powerful moment, I think.

On the other hand, there were only about four musicians throughout the evening, and the accent was on slam poetry. So the music was no doubt happily received as a break from the slam….

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