From: owner-jangle-poets-digest@smoe.org (jangle-poets-digest) To: jangle-poets-digest@smoe.org Subject: jangle-poets-digest V9 #124 Reply-To: jangle-poets@smoe.org Sender: owner-jangle-poets-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-jangle-poets-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk jangle-poets-digest Wednesday, January 2 2008 Volume 09 : Number 124 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [JP] Northampton First Night - New Year's thoughts [Nieldsforever@aol.com] [JP] Northampton First Night - TK [Nieldsforever@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 1 Jan 2008 12:59:05 EST From: Nieldsforever@aol.com Subject: [JP] Northampton First Night - New Year's thoughts Here in New England at any rate, citywide First Night celebrations on December 31 have become something of a fixture. Boston, Northampton, and Hartford all have their own First Night festivities. Being so reliable in their recurrence, they have come to offer a kind of safe haven of repose, a microcosm of peace on earth, in this too often unpredictable, senseless, and crazy world. Friendly crowds, fireworks, and pastime with good company -- now there's an image of humanity worth embracing. This year I saw both the Nields and the Kennedys at NoHo First Night. Seeing both of them in this context was a first for me. And this year was TK's first ever appearance at First Night, since moving from NYC to their new digs in Northampton last year. When I found out back then that Pete & Maura were moving to the Pioneer Valley, I was psyched, not just from knowing that I'd get to see them a lot more often, but also because I knew that their arrival in Massachusetts would reap big benefits for the entire NE music scene. In retrospect, this forethought has been totally borne out by TK's opening out into new musical directions with fellow NE musicians -- forming the Strangelings with Boston-based Chris & Meredith Thompson -- having the Strangelings later add the Vermont-based duo of Rebecca Hall & Ken Anderson -- forming another new outfit, the Stringbusters -- and along the way picking up expert assistance from Eric Lee, Cheryl Prashker, and Ray Mason. For me, this Kennedys-infused transformation of the NE folk scene in only one year has been, like First Night celebrations themselves, another image of humanity to embrace, a microcosm of peace on earth. "What are we for if not for this?" It has to start somewhere. Why not with us. If such strides can be made with the Kennedys, here in New England, why couldn't this success story be played out elsewhere as well, with others in other settings. I don't see why it couldn't. My feeling has been that a big reason TK moved north was to be closer to the WUMB Summer Acoustic Music Week program at Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, where P&M teach folk music each summer, and to be year-round participants in a NE folk music scene that they are helping to create, through their SAMW students, fellow teachers, and friends. The Kennedys demonstrate that it is so not true that "those who can't do, teach." Rather, TK teach by example. Nerissa & Katryna Nields have both embraced teaching activities as well, both with adults and with children. I can't think of anyone I'd rather have as teachers than N&K Nields, their impact being what it is, so positive and so profound. Even in my capacity as a fan over the years, I've learned so much from them, about music, about miscellaneous odd stuff, and about life in general. Nerissa is even a specialist in life in general, being a life coach. Figuratively and metaphorically, ISTM Nerissa is a life coach in more ways than just that, being a practitioner in life, generally, only not always on a 1-on-1 basis with everyone. The life coach work that she does is just the tip of the iceberg, the apex of a lot of other life-affirming labors of love. Life coaching as a paradigm is one that maybe we can all learn from, and put to good use. My second-ever Nields show was at Hartford First Night, 12/31/94. During the halfway break in their set that night, I literally ran up to the side of the stage to be first in line, I was so excited, because NN was opening up shop there, selling their merchandise. I bought Bob on the Ceiling, and noticed at once how many of the great songs I had just heard weren't on that album. TN had a back catalog of trio albums, and they would have future releases on the way in due time, like Abigail and Greta. That 1994 Hartford First Night was a great opportunity for me to have an indelible impression made, to connect with TN, and to look ahead with excitement to a bright future unfolding right before my eyes in the coming New Year, and in years to come. It's now 13 years later, and the bright future that I saw back then is still unfolding, and in ways I can't even begin to predict as yet. This is the happy, "Life Is Large" flip side of the same coin that also sometimes yields the more wistful, melancholy side as represented by Sandy Denny's song, "Who Knows Where the Time Goes." For years, TK were a fixture on the music scene of the nation's capital, capped by their legendary annual New Year's Eve extravaganza, doing two and even three full-length shows at the Starland Cafe in Washington DC. Despite my usually seeing TN at First Night every year and enjoying those shows immensely, deep down inside, I was very, very jealous of Cone, Sheila, and anyone else who were able to see P&M do those DC area NYE shows. TK know how to celebrate life, and they know how to celebrate New Year's. So I'm tickled pink we had P&M in Northampton this year, and feel a little sorry for DC, for TK's New Year's Eve show being whisked away for the first time ever, from the Starland Cafe to Northampton First Night. DC had a lock on TK all those years, so I think they come out as big winners. But I can't help but feel that it's a major score for New England, wresting the Kennedys away from their old haunts and getting them up here with us this time. At least for now, TK have become a fixture here too, as they were there, then. First the Red Sox sweep the World Series, again -- then the 16-0 Patriots -- now the Kennedys! What's next for New England -- the Celtics? :-) "The Future's So Bright, I've Gotta Wear Shades." More details of First Night Nields and Kennedys activities to follow. Bruce Check out the Kennedys' Official Home Page: http://www.KennedysMusic.com/ Fab photos, the Official tour diary, dashboard Buddha haiku, groovy merchandise...what more could you ask for? ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Jan 2008 23:06:32 EST From: Nieldsforever@aol.com Subject: [JP] Northampton First Night - TK I missed TK's 8PM show at the Academy of Music because of the scheduling conflict with N&K Nields. The 8PM N&K show at the Unitarian Society was #475 for me, and I hope to make #500 by the end of next year, if that's possible. I love TK, and was sorry to have to miss them on account of TN. I asked around at the Academy of Music after I got there, in line and in the theater, eventually nabbing a front row seat for TK's 9:15 PM show. This is what I found out about the 8PM show, though I wasn't there -- - -- They opened with "Life Is Large" - -- They did something from the Stringbusters, at least one of the Billie Holiday ones - -- Pete did "Rhapsody in Blue" - -- They closed with "Stand" - -- They did "Matty Groves" with Eric Lee on fiddle Not bad for my not being there, eh? I didn't want to bug P&M after the show, and really didn't want to hang out at the stage door behind the theater waiting to ask them, after the exhaustion of 4 Nields shows in one day, and my having to drive back to Boston that same night. I had fun chit-chatting with Beth DeSombre before the 9:15 Kennedys show, still fresh from seeing her at her CD Release Show last month at Wellesley College, where she played with TK and Dave Chalfant, who produced her new album Crooked Highways. TK First Night 9:15 PM Academy of Music -- Wall of Death Get It Right What's Going On River of Fallen Stars Speed of Soul Midnight Ghost Sin City And Your Bird Can Sing Namaste Nuah Sirens Not Fade Away Fiddler Eric Lee joined P&M onstage for "Nuah," "Sirens," and "Not Fade Away." Maura looked radiant in a shimmery black dress, with a sequiny-looking matching ensemble of silver-gray nylons and blazer. Pete looked festive too in his hat, and Eric Lee held up his end, dressed to the sixes in a tie and a long black leather coat. TK know how to "do" New Year's in right proper fashion. "Get It Right," "What's Going On," and "River of Fallen Stars" all sort of flowed together, without them stopping. Same with "Nuah" and "Sirens." They had fun jamming on "Sirens," with P&M strolling over to be on either side of Eric. Pete used his uke as a slide on his guitar solo on "Not Fade Away." I think that the 9:15 performance of "Speed of Soul" may have constituted the first time they played that song from the new album at a show, although I have no way of knowing for sure without asking them. Their friend Phil kicked off the playing of that song by blowing a shofar or a conch shell of some kind, on cue from Maura. I loved seeing TK at Northampton First Night! The first of many First Nights to come for them, I dearly hope. Bruce Check out the Kennedys' Official Home Page: http://www.KennedysMusic.com/ Fab photos, the Official tour diary, dashboard Buddha haiku, groovy merchandise...what more could you ask for? ------------------------------ End of jangle-poets-digest V9 #124 **********************************