December | 2010 | Brad Spurgeon's Blog

Romeo’s Tune and the Forbert Tale

December 24, 2010
bradspurgeon

I will probably regret this bit of Christmas Eve excess, but I will blame the Single Malt whisky of the Maison du Whisky that fortified me for present wrapping. Before I went off to wrap presents, I sat down to try to sing and record a song that goes way back to the late 1970s by a guy I first discovered in 1976 at Gerde’s Folk City in New York City.

It was September 1976, and I was in Greenwich Village after having conquered Toronto. [IE, I had moved from Ottawa back to Toronto and spent two weeks there and said, “Okay, New York is ready for me….] In Greenwich Village, naturally, it was necessary to go and play in the open mic of Gerde’s Folk City, where Bob Dylan and Joan Baez and so many others had played in the previous decade.

So I went week after week, playing my crap, and taking in the crap of others. Met this weird guy named David Peel, at the bar, and didn’t believe a word he said about him being good friends with John Lennon and recording a cool record called “The Pope Smokes Dope” – although I should have. But another thing I could not quite believe or understand that I was seeing was a guy just three years older than me named Steve Forbert going up on the stage in his torn coat with the cotton stuffing hanging out and his jeans and messed up hair. And hearing him sing Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” and other songs, and filling the whole room with this amazing spirit of something.

“What’s going on?” I wondered. There’s something weird here that I don’t understand, I thought.

It was only two years later when I was sitting in a London taxi cab driving from Heathrow back to the center of the city after returning from Iran and the revolution, when I suddenly heard the same voice singing a song from Forbert’s first album, “Alive on Arrival.” I instantly recognized the voice and said to myself, “Now I understand what that was all about.”

He was hailed – as were many at the time – as the next Bob Dylan. He never took that seriously. We had spoken briefly at the time at Gerde’s, I remember one night when we were standing in line outside and I told him I liked what he did and asked how long he had been doing it, and he said “about two years.” Now, I suppose it has been about 36 years, and Forbert is still at it. And today I decided to sit down and try to sing his most successful song, called, “Romeo’s Tune.” It was from an album in 1979, and while it was fairly commercial, it still speaks truthful shit.

My recording is take No. 23 for me today, just as I lose my voice. I had a real hard time deciding between take No. 12 and take No. 23, which was the last take. But I’ve decided on the latter. Certainly pure crap compared to the original. But the blog is synonymous with self-indulgence. So I’m putting it up below (it has also been a way to string out the time before the wrapping of the presents for Christmas) and it is the first time I ever even thought of trying to cover one of his songs (although I was inspired to try the Hank Williams thanks to him):

Steve Forbert’s Romeo’s Tune covered by Brad

P.S. Dammit, all right. I guess I have to admit that Forbert’s is 100 times better than my version. Here it is:

Snowed Out Blues

December 24, 2010
bradspurgeon

I made made my way to Belleville last night and I was having so much fun walking through the snow that when I got off at the Belleville métro and realized I was a bit early for the Cabaret Culture Rapide blues jam, I decided to keep walking around the area through the snow, check out the Féline and other local joints, and just check out the buzz.

cabaret culture rapide in the snow

When I returned – through the snow – to the Cabaret Culture Rapide, I found it EMPTY – except for one drunken musician who came in off the streets, and a couple who were somehow amused by the banter of the drunk. I took a beer anyway and sat down and waited for the Belleville Blues Band to show up, and they never did. But around 10:30 PM the bar itself filled up with clients.

So there was a great audience, and all was set for a wonderful night of warmth in the blues jam. But the bartender had warned me in advance that because of the snow, it was not sure the band would show. They didn’t. I love the band, and I love the evening – in fact, I am adding it to my list of open mics in Paris as of now – but I hate how this snowy weather has become an excuse for all of Europe to close down and quit work. I know I’m a harsh critic on this because I’m Canadian and I’m used to a lot worse – but this snowfall in and around Paris is barely like the first snowfall of a typical Canadian winter. Come on man, it never snows too much for the blues!!!! (Especially at Christmas time.)

I took a photo of the sign outside the Cabaret Culture Rapide that tells the story…. I also walked about 5 kilometers towards home and grabbed a shot of the train comin’ into the station, through the fence, which I later thought had some meaningful message to it for me….

some travel while others watch Paris train in the snow

The Amazing 15-year-old, David Woroner at The Highlander

December 23, 2010
bradspurgeon

There were a number of acts worth talking about at the Highlander open mic last night, but I’m going to devote this post to David Woroner, 15, from Toronto. This kid just stole the show, stole the night, ran away with everyone’s hearts.

I had noticed in a first glance behind me at one point this very bizarre looking adult who just did not fit in The Highlander – until I realized that this was not a bizarre-looking adult at all. It was a 15-year-old kid from Toronto, on holidays in Paris with his dad and a family friend. The Kid, as he should be known, arrived a little later than most of the performers, and Thomas Brun decided to fit him in on the list, and went and asked a few people if it was okay for The Kid to go before them. I don’t know how many performers were asked, but when it came to me, I said, “Sure, of course, no problem!!”

But I turned and took another look at The Kid, and then I turned and told a friend at my table that I was sure I was going to be crucified. “I think I probably just screwed myself,” I said to her, “this kid is probably going to be some fabulous talent and he’s going to knock everyone out. Then I will go up and play and I’ll be like nothing next to his show.”

On the level of novelty value alone, I was pretty sure I’d be screwed. But whenever I get in a situation like that – or as often as I can – when someone really good or entertaining for whatever reason goes up before me, I always try to remember that all I – or any other musician – has to do as a response is to sing a song that is “true,” “real,” a reflection of your heart and others’.

In any case, Thomas later came up and said, “Change of plan. You’re going up now, the kid will go up after you.”

Phew!!!! I sighed relief. I threw all my heart and soul and body into my three songs: “Crazy Love,” “Borderline” and “Father and Son,” and I got some really enthusiastic applause and screaming of joy even during the songs, particularly the second two.

But I would bask in this feeling of accomplishment and love for no more than about 20 seconds when the audience suddenly took in the image of The Kid behind the mic and with the big guitar. He was so small by comparison to all the other artists that appeared – all adults – and so clearly a kid, that it caught everyone’s attention immediately. Then, man, when David “The Kid” Woroner belted into his chords and singing of his first song, he had won over the audience’s respect and love within the first couple of bars. “What the hell is this!?!?” In short, The Kid could sing. And better than most of the performers that went up last night. Not only that, he had some kind of clear, innate, rock ‘n roll attitude and an impeccable sense of rhythm, no struggle with the guitar and vocals, or if there was, he dealt with it like a pro.

I sighed a sigh of relief that I had not, indeed, been chosen to follow this act! I turned to my friend again and said to her, “You see!”

“Yes, you would have had a hard time,” she said. (For which I wanted to probe her to find out exactly what she meant by agreeing with me like that!!)

I was also disappointed, however, that my batteries ran out on my Zoom Q3 and all I had to record The Kid was my iPhone 4, so the sound would not be as good. Below are two videos, (the “creep” one ends with closer shots of him at the mic as I moved up the room).

After, I spoke to David and asked him if he played in open mics in Toronto. “No.”

He have a myspace? “No.”

His dad corrected one thing, “He has played at Grossman’s Tavern.”

“That dive?!?!” I said, in surprise for a kid doing such a place….

And David added, “I have a group and we have played around here and there.”

In fact, most of how he has learned his chops, it seems, is through this family friend, also named David, who comes around and plays with him in the living room all the time. I have put in a video below of that David playing “Psycho Killer,” in order to show where The Kid’s training comes from.

The Kid’s got a future, maybe….

Oh, and P.S., as soon as The Kid finished his three or four first songs, the Highlander just cleared out! Everyone went out to smoke a cigarette or something else, and the next performer had hardly anyone there to listen. It filled up again soon, and at the end of the night, The Kid went up to sing several more songs.

Jim Beam Celebrations at the Ptit Bonheur

December 22, 2010
bradspurgeon

It was the last open mic of the year at the Ptit Bonheur la Chance yesterday, and Ollie Fury made available a bottle of Jim Beam whisky for the occasion. He served everyone who wanted it a shot glass of the hot liquid, and with the cold outside and many colds in people’s lungs, it was worthwhile.

The evening was pretty lively, with some interesting stuff from some regular guests and some new guests too. Personally, I enjoyed discovering Blaise and Christian on guitars and vocals together, two guys of Cameroon origin who did a great rendition of a Charles Aznavour song. At the end of the open mic they could not get enough of playing, so they continued a jam session upstairs in the bar area, where you will hear another aspect to their vocal talents….

Jay from the band Red Rooster, which I mentioned in yesterday’s post, also turned up and sang some cool stuff. I did four songs and felt less inspired than the night before and somewhat shaky, but I put the shakiness down to the Jim Beam…and then I was delighted when I received some compliments I had not expected, and once again realized that sometimes when you feel you’re not on top of it, you are in fact communicating more than you think….

I’m Not the Only One to Travel from Tennessee to Galway

December 21, 2010
bradspurgeon

Monday night is often the double-header of the Tennessee and the Galway, two Paris open mics within 10 minutes walk in the Latin Quarter. Last night at the Tennessee I was thinking it was the holiday season doing in the attendance figures when I arrived “late” only to find practically no one there.

But just like at my brunch on Sunday, the crowd began to fill in, the musicians came, and soon it was a Tennessee classic like any other. Having said that, I played as the first musician, a task that is rarely easy, and I felt a little stiff and uncomfortable. Played four songs to a big backdrop of talk, and I probably deserved it.

I hung around for several more performers and I was particularly interested in a newcomer from Brooklyn, named Jay Erickson. He played some nice, laid back country/folk/blues kind of stuff and had a rich, deep voice that carried, and his guitar playing – on Sood’s guitar – was quite effective. He reminded me a little of Viking Moses, the anti-folk guy who played at my brunch a few weeks ago.

So I took Jay’s card after he played and I decided I should go off to the Galway. I really wanted to go up to Jay and say, “Hey, listen, clear this place out now and come to the Galway, another open mic just up the street and down the quai.” But I thought that was very disloyal service to the Tennessee, a kind of poaching, in fact, and so I refrained.

Off to the Galway I went to discover that the holiday season had in no way affected the crowd or the number of musicians. The place was bursting with people and Stephen Prescott, the MC, told me I would have at least an hour and a half wait before I played. No problem, I said, and went to drink a beer and chat with a friend – and met a new friend.

So anyway….

I went back down to refill the beer and found Jay walking in the door, having found the Galway himself on a web site of Paris open mics. I welcomed him, told him to speak to Stephen, and I told him I was so glad he came and that I had been thinking of tearing him away from the Galway.

My turn came up to play after midnight, and I got to do four songs. After my talk with the friends, after the beers, after the arrival of Jay and just a general feeling of satisfaction, I found myself totally into the playing. From the low at the Tennessee, suddenly I felt like I was riding a high on my four songs – “Andalucia,” “Father and Son,” “Crazy Love,” and “Since You Left Me” – and I could see that the talking had been reduced to a very low level and I recieved some nice compliments afterwards. I repeat how astounding it is that live music is so entirely spontaneous and “living.” Sometimes it works perfectly, other times it wilts, finds it hard to take off, and just fails.

So anyway…. (I’m feeling like Kurt Vonnegut with, “so it goes…”)

Jay finally went up and played some of his own stuff and cover stuff – I think – and then he did the famous song by The Band, called, “The Weight.” His girlfriend, or wife, invited me to go up to sing with him, but I had to back out, knowing I would fail even on the very few words of the chorus, which I really do not know. But having done the song within the last week with, I think, Stephen, I told Stephen to go up. He went up with a woman also in the audience, and together the three did a pretty cool job of the song.

Afterwards, I learned that this cool Mr. Jay belonged to a very cool group in the U.S. that has had some very good press in some impressive newspapers, and I gave a listen to the album – their third release, called “Walk,” – and I liked it. His band is called Red Rooster, and it is interesting in the way it mixes the old folk, bluegrass, blues, folk-rock, country sound with some wind instruments and computer sounds. A very modern mix, in fact. And all based on the nice deep vocals, too….

Last Brunch of 2010, with Broad and Koen & Victor

December 20, 2010
bradspurgeon

It started off slowly, but my last brunch at the Mecano bar for 2010 again lived up to its past: David Broad showed up to play his exceptional fingerpicking Americana. Broad is from Leeds, England, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Earl Scruggs invite him for the two to play together. Check out Broad’s Hank Williams number.

On the same theme, coming for the first time to watch and play were Koen from Holland and Victor from France, who played some Django-inspired stuff. They whipped up a storm with their guitar and mine, and I hope they return for more hot picking. Victor has a group that he said has been in hibernation lately, but you can check it out the band’s myspace, under the band’s name: Mome Raths. But don’t expect Django – this is psychedelic rock.

My next brunch at the Mecano is on Sunday, 2 January – in other words, the second day of post-New Year’s recuperation…

From Calvin and Olivier at the Galerie 106, to Gaelle Buswel at Le Cavern

December 19, 2010
bradspurgeon

I had to go over to the Galerie 106 to see the exhibition of my friend Olivier Rodriguez’s photos yesterday and when I got there, I found I not only had a feast of photos – with Olivier’s, but also with those of Aurore Gorius, Julien Navas and Victor Paimblanc – but I also met up with my friend Calvin McEnron. And as we spoke eventually Calvin said he wanted to play one of his new songs. So I handed over my guitar and he played and sang, right in the middle of the vernissage. That’s Calvin – and he writes some damned interesting songs….

Olivier’s photos were all taken with an iPhone, and I recognized a lot of the subjects of the photos – ie, the people being photographed. Olivier is the guy who took one of my favorite photos of me, which I use as my profile photo on my myspace. Olivier used to do a lot of the photos of the musicians at Earle’s open mic, so he’s got some wonderful stuff.

But in the end, I had to leave after an hour or so from the Galerie to get over to Le Cavern to hear the concert of a woman singer I discovered last year, and whom I immediately fell for. Gaelle Buswel has an amazing voice, extraordinary charm and stage presence, and she…gee, she has a little of that Bruce Springsteen quality of looking like she’s loving every minute of the performance and the communication with the audience. Last night she played with her band, Cam On, the two brothers of Vietnamese origin playing bass and lead are extraordinary. Last night it was mostly cover songs, that they did, but Gaelle also has some of her own.

Mini Mini Post: Stephen “Nirvana” Prescott at the Hideout

December 18, 2010
bradspurgeon

I’d heard for a while about the Hideout near the Pompidou Center in Paris, and finally last night I went to see Stephen “Danger” Prescott do his twice-weekly gig. It is a cool bar, and there are a few others around the city too, so worth checking out.

Here is Stephen doing his Nirvana, and I realized there is a resemblance to Cobain with him – though you do not see it here. Keep going to the end, or jump ahead to the end, because he DOES deliver on the scream….

And now, a Tenor Sax at Culture Rapide

December 17, 2010
bradspurgeon

Following on my last blog post about a great sound of soprano sax at the Cavern vocal jam in Paris on Wednesday, last night I visited the blues jam at the Cabaret Culture Rapide and there was an Italian there named Danilo (I think, unless it was Danieli) playing a tenor sax. Anyone want to predict that I will hear someone on an alto sax tonight at the Hideout? (Or wherever I end up….)

In any case, it was quite fun to hear this sax player amongst the guitarists. Even more fun, however, was that I only left home around 22:20 and I had to force myself out the door as it was raining, cold, and I felt as if going to the jam all the way across town was a futile idea. I really enjoyed it in the last two weeks, but it was so much simpler to think about folding up in the couch and reading the Douglas Kennedy novel, “Leaving the World,” that I am now reading.

I forced myself to go, and I did not regret it. Not only did I play several songs and get really nice reactions from people – one person wanted to know when I next returned to play there, another wanted to know the history of the last song I sang, “Unchained Melody” – and I met three or four very interesting and nice people. I also learned that on the previous week someone had made a video of me playing “I Shall Be Released,” with the Belleville Blues Band and he put it on his blog.

This is what forcing oneself out is all about….

Toys at the Highlander, Soprano Sax at the Cavern

December 16, 2010
bradspurgeon

Checked out both the Highlander open mic and the Cavern vocal jam session last night. I was particularly impressed at the Highlander by Thomas Brun’s electronic toys he hooks up the guitar and voice too. It is not the first time I have talked about these, but I’m starting to feel more and more like I should invest – it turns every musician into a Dick Van Dyke in the “Mary Poppins” film. Remember? Going around with a drum strapped to him and symbols on his feet and I don’t know what all? The one man band? But in this case, you just have your guitar, and so you do not look so silly. It is a way of getting around the simple guitar/vocal problem of performing alone.

It was quite a different experience at the Cavern. This, as readers of this blog know, is a cool vocal jam in which a very hot band plays standards of rock, blues, soul etc., and anyone from the audience can get up and sing the lyrics – which are located on a book of lyrics in front of you, as in karaoke. I stink at this exercise. But I like going to the Cavern anyway, and seeing just how bad I might potentially sound next to all the professional singers who seem to flock to this place. It can be very discouraging. But the high moment for me last night was to see and hear the guest musician who jumped in with his soprano saxophone during some of the songs. Listen to this guy in video – you have to let it advance a little before he comes in. Then you can think maybe I should have asked him if he could play “My Favorite Things,” like John Coltrane. I didn’t ask.

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Monthly Archives: December 2010