From: owner-lestalkmoremusic-digest@smoe.org (lestalkmoremusic-digest) To: lestalkmoremusic-digest@smoe.org Subject: lestalkmoremusic-digest V2 #2 Reply-To: lestalkmoremusic@smoe.org Sender: owner-lestalkmoremusic-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-lestalkmoremusic-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk lestalkmoremusic-digest Thursday, February 24 2000 Volume 02 : Number 002 * Today's Subjects: ----------------- [lestalkmoremusic] From the Folkmusic List [Radnj@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2000 13:24:50 EST From: Radnj@aol.com Subject: [lestalkmoremusic] From the Folkmusic List Thought this might be of interest to you Les fans..... Hi Folks: I just wanted to let you all know about a superior concert I attended at one of the Boston area's best venues. Here it is: Les Sampou with opener Dan Pelletier Saturday, February 19th A New Song Coffeehouse Bedford, Mass. 8 p.m. Eastern Massachusetts has some of the best acoustic listening rooms in the country, and A New Song Coffeehouse in Bedford, Massachusetts is one of the best. Known for its warmth and hospitality and the enthusiasm of man in charge, Jerry Christen, it's always a pleasure to see a performance there. And, the volunteers do a great job with the sound and desserts. Come to the First Church of Christ and enjoy! Les Sampou, Rounder Records recording artist extraordinaire, made one of her many Boston area appearances there on Saturday night. But, before Les took the stage, we were treated to Brooklyn-based piano-playing singer/songwriter Dan Pelletier. According to his press kit, he has a catalog of over 500 songs. This guy is prolific! Armed with a soulful voice and an armful of mostly self-deprecating songs that focus on his newly single life, he is capable of moving a crowd as well with the imagined life story of a homeless man. It's great to see an artist out there who performs behind a keyboard. I liked his song about the circus, "Dancing with the Circus Bear," which compares the balancing of a relationship with taking steps with the big bear. It was a great opening set. From rock to blues to folk, Les Sampou's range is remarkable. Noted for her skill on slide guitar and blues style on both covers and her own compositions, she is one talented singer and songwriter. In his introduction, Jerry told the audience that there are only a few favorite performers at A New Song Coffeehouse, and that Les is one of that select group. Evidently the folks at Rounder Records first heard her perform at Jerry's place and signed her up immediately! They know talent when they see it. Les opened with a blues set, begining with covers of "Statesboro Blues" and Bessie Smith's "It Won't Be You," her great blues revenge song. She followed those with a great cover of John Hiatt's "Icy Blue Heart," which has recently been covered by Emmylou Harris. At that point she brought out her frequent collaborator Tom Young, who plays expert guitar with the duo Acousticity. And can he play guitar. He embroidered lines around Les' melodies that made them sing. He's truly a find. From the first set, "Hanging by a Thread," introduced the theme of her third and latest recording, the self-titled LES SAMPOU. It tells us all about finding strength in the midst of personal adversity. "Home Again" and "Fall From Grace" tell great stories and this is one of the things that Les does best - weave a tale and let her voice spin circles around the lyrics. She closed the first set with the rocking "The Things I Should Have Said." Don't we all wish we had said just the right words when we had the opportunity to say them? The second set picked up the pace with one outstanding tune after another, mixing a blues tune, with a rock song and back again. "Happy Anniversary" is a song about the progress of a failed relationship displaying a huge range of emotions, taking Les' supple voice from low to high, love to anger. Its discordant chords keep you at the edge of your seat - where will the story and melody take you next? "Holyland" is one of Les' best. It tells a tale of a family that is down but not quite out, with the main character pinning her hopes on the one who got out - waiting for his song to come on the radio. "Chinatown" is a Sampou-penned blues tune played on the slide guitar. Hearing Les on slide is a slice of heaven. So, if you like great stories in song, and a singer who can belt out the blues, rock you with great rhythm and original melodies, and has a voice that can be tender and sweet, or moving and mesmerizing, check out Les Sampou. She never disappoints. Complete set list: Statesboro Blues It Won't Be You Icy Blue Heart Home Again Fly Alibis Sitting on Jupiter Hanging by a Thread Fall From Grace The Things I Should Have Said String of Pearls Nature's Song Bootleg Blues Happy Anniversary Holyland Ride the Line Chinatown I Already Know Two Strong Arms (Encore) ************************************************ Roberta B. Schwartz rschwartz@oeb.harvard.edu Staff Writer, Music Matters Review http://www.mmreview.com Reviewer and Review editor, FAME http://www.acousticmusic.com/fame/famehome.htm ------------------------------ End of lestalkmoremusic-digest V2 #2 ************************************ This has been a posting from the Les Sampou mail list digest To unsubscribe send mail to Majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe lestalkmoremusic-digest" in the body of the message