Rags and Bones Music

Todd Snider, Jerry Jeff and Jerome Lawrence

Hi kids,

“They say a neurotic is a man who builds a castle in the air. A psychotic is the man who lives in it. And a psychiatrist is the man who collects the rent.” – Jerome Lawrence

I would add that a writer is the one who can no longer afford the rent. Know what I mean? Therapy gets pretty expensive and they can’t fix the broken parts anyway. Might as well write about it. One way or another you end up finding it in your songs or your novel, or your journal. Stuff you didn’t mean to be writing about but, shit, there it is again: old irresolvable, foundational themes, the ones that go way down deep and define you, the ones you can’t change and so you have to learn to accept them as your particular form of insanity (hint: best to call it "quirky" when talking about your friends’ particular form of insanity). Maybe writing won’t fix the broken parts either, but it does offer an avenue of acceptance and, if you're willing to see it, even a little humor.

And this: How cool it is to see Jerry Jeff get his props from the younger dudes and dudettes. Thanks to Todd Snider, Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires.

 

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Staking out the Territory

Hi kids, Here's a little something worthy of a post-it-note on your bathroom mirror:

“I’ve taken a certain territory, and I’ve tried to maintain it and administrate it with the very best of my capacities. And I will continue to administrate this tiny territory until I’m too weak to do it.”  – Leonard Cohen quoted in “Who Held a Gun to Leonard Cohen’s head” by Tim deLisle –The Guardian.

I say: Hallelujah brother! I mean,  isn’t that what its all about? Staking out that tiny piece of territory no one else can occupy? Whatever metaphor you use, "finding your voice", "being authentic", it adds up to the same thing: Only you can see the world through your eyes and your offering is unique. Sometimes finding that weedy half-acre and staking it out IS the work.  Thanks to Sean Bell for his thoughtful piece in PopMatters.com.

And this:

If you don't know Ed Sheeran, here's one reason his name is goin' 'round. And kids, please don't try this at home without adult supervision:

 

 

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joshua tree music festival

I am honored to have been selected to open up the 10th annual Joshua Tree Music Festival on May 18. I will be playing a one hour set of both my new and older songs from 3 - 4pm. The JTMF is a 'must attend' annual event here in the high desert that is always loads of fun, plenty of shade, water, dancing,  good food and great music. Hope to see you there!

See the lineup and purchase tix here:  Joshua Tree Music Festival 

Indiscriminate Act of Kindness

His name is Foy Vance. I stumbled upon him while looking for production ideas for my first recording project. For those of you who are not yet familiar with his music, here's a video shot at Pete Townsend's UK studio. This song, Indiscriminate Act of Kindness  is from his first album, HOPE and brings Richard Thompson to mind. Its a beautiful, well crafted song and his voice has the emotional nuance necessary to properly tell this story.

As I continue my search for writers/performers who appear to be in my tribe, I'll share some exceptional ones with you here. Enjoy!

 

 

Dreams Deferred and Reclaimed

"Flower Time" was written with Catherine Svehla and is as close to autobiography as I've come as a songwriter and the lyrics continue to have a deal of meaning for me. Now that 'retirement' is a concept of the past, there are probably many in our culture who have had this experience. If you or someone you know has abandoned a dream and tried to reclaim it later in life, please share the story here. 

This performance of "Flower Time"was shot by Dan O'Dowd on October 2 at Le Haute Desert Aerie in Pioneertown. Bob Furgo somehow manages to make his fiddle sound like an entire string section. 

 

 

Washing My Hands of You

I am finally taking the video footage that Dan O'Dowd shot at my October 2 concert at Le Haute Desert Aerie and creating single song music videos for Youtube. It's great fun working with these performances shot under the Pioneertown stars.

"Washing My Hands of You" is a song I began years ago in Nashville with Catherine Rushton and finished only recently. I am not embarrassed to admit to you that I continue to listen to the fiddle and guitar solos again and again and never tire of hearing the inspired playing from Bob Furgo (fiddlemeister of the known universe) and Bobby Moses Nichols (Joe Pass incarnate) on Guitar. 

I'll try to post a new  video here each week, so stay tuned!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leaving Home

When is a song "finished"? When is a child grown up? In both cases, I think it's a long process that never really stops. But there are markers. With children, perhaps the biggest is when they leave home.

This Sunday evening at 7:30pm at Le Haute Desert Aerie in beautiful Pioneertown, three great musicians will help me send off fourteen of my songs. We will create a music video of this event and let these songs make their own way into  the overcrowded, competitive world of You Tube. 

I'm thrilled with these musicians. I think you will be too: 

Jeff Olson has been described as, “a musician whose instrument just happens to be the drums.”  Known particularly for his stylistic versatility, Jeff has performed in many genres with artists such as David Garfield, David Benoit and Elaine Paige. 

Baba Elefante was nominated as one of the nation's top bass players in Bass Player Magazine. He has recorded and or performed with jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove, sax players Pete Christlieb, Justo Almario, and "Yes" keyboardist Patrick Moraz. 

Bob Furgo is a generous musician whose warmth fills every room he plays in. He is an extraodinary fiddle player whose tasty licks have been heard on the recordings of some of the best writers and musicians in the world, including Leonard Cohen. 

Bobby Moses Nichols is a high-desert treasure, and is considered one of Southern California's premier guitarists. At home in all styles of guitar from folk to jazz, Bobby has shared the stage/recorded with artists like Greg Allman, Melanie, and Dave Benoit. Bobby fronts his own band, Jumolhari, which recently finished its first self-titled CD, set for release in early fall 2011.

See you under the stars this Sunday, October 2nd.  

   

Rags & Bones Concert Under the Stars Oct. 2nd

October is an amazing time to be in the high desert and you don't want to miss this ensemble of fine musicians. For additional information and directions visit Le Haut Desert Aerie. Hope to see you under the stars in Pioneertown.