The January show with Mary Ramsey and the Healers provided a rare intimate look at an artist of depth, charm, beauty, prodigious skill, and unique taste. Mary’s interpretation of works by such diverse artists as the Everly Brothers and George Gershwin in addition to her original songs displayed an enviable ability to lend her singular talent to a wide array of music. Her fragile grace and disarming humor are positively captivating onstage. The Healers were exactly the band to back her up. Tasteful and deft, this band rallied for every musical demand Ms. Ramsey threw at them. On a personal note, I have to say Craig, Marc, and Sandra were positively delightful to hang around with.

On February’s show, episode #13, we will conduct a new exploration of the term “grassroots music” with classical guitarist David Allen Coester and singer/songwriter Steve Piper. On Woodsongs, we often talk about “grassroots”, how it is an expression of genuine human nature and how it is the music of the people. These two artists approach that term from quite different directions.

David Allen Coester is a classically trained guitarist. A native of Virginia, Coester earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in classical guitar performance from the Manhattan School of Music in New York City where he lived for 18 years. He has performed at the Seoul Arts Center in South Korea, the Basilica of San Clemente in Rome, Italy, and at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C. He played monthly at the Intermezzo Coffeehouse in Fredonia and has performed at the Lily Dale Assembly, the Fredonia and Westfield Farmer’s Markets, and the Mayville Guitar Show where he offered a number of popular workshops.

Coester is a passionate advocate for normalizing classical music through everyday interaction in the community. “It is unusual for classical guitarists to play outside the concert hall,” he says. “I really enjoy bringing classical and fingerstyle guitar to non-traditional venues in the community and to audiences who are unfamiliar with my style of playing. Many people come up to me and say they’ve never heard the guitar played this way.”

And then, our old Woodsongs pal, Steve Piper. Piper is a songwriter and performer roughly in the folk/country tradition. He lists Hank Williams, Guy Clarke, Townes Van Zandt, Captain Beefheart, John Coltrane, and Mozart as influences. Piper released his first solo cd in 2005 (Kid) and followed up with Home in 2007. A beautifully adept guitarist and ukulele player, Steve has appeared as a sideman on several cd’s by other artists, including his current band, Rochester, NY’s hilariously poignant Watkins and the Rapiers. He is the host of the prestigious “Flipside Open Mic Night” in Rochester.

Steve’s sensitivity, creative observations, and the care he puts into the songwriting craft never get old. Having studied with Jimmie Dale Gilmore for years, Steve’s songwriting continues to grow in magnitude and precision.

This month, the Woodsongs Coffeehouse Radio Hour welcomes Trinity Guitars as our new sponsor. We are very happy about our association with this fine establishment and luthier James Holler.

The taping of the Woodsongs has become an entertainment destination for a growing number of people. Please stop in. Be part of the live radio audience. The show starts at 6:45pm on Thursday, February 23.

See you then!

Coming up:

March 29: Kev Rowe and Gina Vecchio
April 26: Chris Passamonte and Claire Stuczinski
June 3: WRFA presents the Woodsongs finale at the Southern Tier Brewery. Lots of artists from 1:00 to 4:00

The December show with Cindy Haight, Blue Magoo, and Bess Raynor was remarkable in lots of ways. This show displayed local blues and rockabilly at its best. The night featured a blend of originals and covers, showcasing fine musicianship and culminating with everyone doing the enduring classic, Mystery Train. You can find the show podcast on www.wrfalp.com.

On the January show we have the good fortune to have critically acclaimed recording artist, singer, songwriter, violin/violist – Mary Ramsey! With her is her band The Healers. Their press release follows:

“Mary is amoung the rare breed of musicians whose talent knows no boundries. From jazz standards to folk songs, through pop tunes and the classical music repertoire, Mary can travel a vast musical territory and still make it all sound fresh and totally original. Ms.Ramsey is a classically trained violinist/violist, who has been playing since age five. She has worked with numerous symphony and philharmonic orchestras and is currently a member of the Western New York Chamber Orchestra. John and Mary, her folk-rock duo with John Lombardo, a former member of 10,000 Maniacs, was formed in 1989. The pair made two recordings for Rykodisc,( Victory Gardens and The Weed Killers Daughter), one independent release, (Pinwheel Galaxy), and another with their band The Valkyries, (Peace Bridge). During the early 1990′s, she played violin and viola for 10,000 Maniacs and performed on the 1993 album MTV Unplugged. Along with John Lombardo, she returned to 10,000 Maniacs in 1995 after Natalie Merchants departure. Her lead vocals, violin/viola and songwriting skills were featured on the bands CDs Love Amoung The Ruins(Geffen) and The Earth Pressed Flat (Bar None). Their cover of Brain Ferry’s More Than This became a top 40 hit. Mary toured with 10,000 Maniacs throughout the United States, Europe, South America and as part of USO Shows in Kuwait. She was most recently featured during 10,000 Maniacs 2011 30th Anniversary Tour. Ms. Ramsey has worked as a performer and music director for The Irish Classical Theatre in Buffalo,N.Y. She teaches private lessons in violin, viola, piano and voice. One of Mary’s many musical projects, her band The Healers, dates to the summer of 2005, when her chiropractor, Dr. Marc Rosen and the husband of her massage therapist, Craig Gordon, provided guitar accompaniment for Mary and two of her violin students at the Kidsfest portion of Buffalo’s annual Elmwood Ave. Festival of The Arts. They were invited back the following year and had such a good time rehearsing and performing that they decided to expand the repertoire and perform on one of the festivals main stages. The group became Mary Ramsey and Friends when Craig’s wife, massage therapist Sandra Williams-Gordon, was added to the line-up on vocals and percussion. The group has continued to be a popular feature at the annual Elmwood Festival, in addition to performing at house concerts, benefits, private functions and other concert events. At one such event, when Mary noticed her optometrist sitting in the audience, she remarked “I’m surrounded by my healers.” Hence the current name and a very cool one at that! In another recent project! Mary is joined by fellow Buffaloian’s Theresa Quinn, Susan Rozler and Alison Pipitone in a group called Girls Gone Mild. Check out Mary Ramsey and The Healers, Mary’s videos with 10,000 Maniacs and John and Mary and The Valktyries on Youtube.”

I must mention here that the response to the Woodsongs Coffeehouse Radio Hour has become almost overwhelming in some ways. I think it has surpassed our expectations, in particular the attendance at the taping of the shows. We have a wonderful group of Woodsongs friends who rarely miss a live show. In addition to that, the taping of the show has become an entertainment destination for a growing number of people. An hour before the commencement of taping the December show, there were no seats left. A wonderful problem to have, and we are working on ways to address it. In the meantime, I can only suggest the earlier the better for making sure you have a good seat. We do ask that the audience be seated by 6:45pm.

The remainder of the Woodsongs season looks like this:

February 23: Steve Piper and David Allen Coester
March 29: Howie Feldman/Rhonda Harp and Kev Rowe
April 26: Chris Passamonte and Claire Stuczinski
May – An Event to Remember for the finale of this Woodsongs season. Exact date and location TBA.

Thank you all for your incredible support.

The November Show with Jeff Erickson and Cammy Enaharo turned out to be
every bit the stunning night of creative beauty that we anticipated. Both
of them write straight from the heart, putting on fine display how that
can be done from quite different perspectives. As a closer, we performed
“Helpless” by Neil Young. The very unpredictability inherent in the
chemistry of three artists who have never performed together is always
exciting. Jeff’s voice and unique guitar ideas in conjunction with
Cammy’s haunting vocal turned it into something I think none of us
expected. The entire show is now posted on www.wrfalp.com.

The December Woodsongs Coffeehouse Show is almost upon us. This month‘s
guests are Cindy Haight and Blue Magoo.

Ms. Haight has been an almost ubiquitous musical fixture in the Jamestown
area for over a decade. Her musical projects have been numerous and
varied. She has played in bands, she plays solo, she has been an
important supporter of many causes and benefits, she hosts her own
rockabilly radio show on WRFA, she is a songwriter, she plays covers, she
is a regular at the Great Blue Heron Festival, and she has released a solo
cd. Cindy is known for her powerful, bluesy voice. Her songs explore the
essence of the blues, the unrealistic expectations and predictable
heartbreak of relationships. Her songs describe the concomitant pessimism
and optimism, hope and disappointment, that all romantic attachments bring
with them.

But blues? There’s more!

Blue Magoo is a three-piece blues band comprised of some of the finest of
long-time Jamestown-area musicians. Guitarist Bump Spencer is the
quintessential veteran, a musician who has honed his craft beautifully.
His playing is the remarkable exhibit of a man who has quietly polished
his skills to great excellence over the years and developed a recognizable
and highly-listenable style. Bassist Jeff White is also a well-known
local veteran who, like many of his generation, began playing publicly in
bar venues at a very young age. Throughout all four-plus of those
decades, Jeff has been known as one of the finest bass players around.
This band is held together with the steady and skillful percussion of
Jerry Wdowiesz. Like his bandmates, Jerry is a decades-long veteran of
the local music scene.

Add to all of this, Bess Raynor. She will sing this night’s opener with
me and join in on the closer (needless to say, a moving blues/rockabilly
standard.) Bess is coming into town from Colorado and consented to spend
a little time with us.

This, Woodsongs show #11, is going to provide proof that the Jamestown
area can bring, along with many other kinds of music, the blues. It will
feature fabulous blues vocals from the pipes of two fine women singers as
well as near virtuosity on the instruments. This stage is going to move!
There is nothing like the blues live. Come and experience it for
yourself. Be part of the live radio audience.

This show is December 29 at the Labyrinth Press Company. 12 E Fourth St.
Jamestown, NY.

The show starts at 6:45. See you then!

PS. One quick program note: The January show (1-26-12) has had a change.
Appearing that night will be Mary Ramsey and the Healers! That’s right,
THAT Mary Ramsey. (My eternal thanks to the ever-gracious Gina Vecchio
for agreeing to appear on a later show to make room for this last minute
change.)

The turnout for the October Show with No Outlet (Markellis, Maul, and Haskell) and John Latini was outstanding. There is no doubt, these musicians surpassed the very high expectations we brought in to that event. Both in terms of musicality and pure entertainment, this show was a treat from start to finish. I had the good fortune to have dobro master, Kevin Maul, play the opener with me and the show just got better from there. It is now posted on www.wrfalp.com so whether you want to relive the evening or hear it for the first time, it’s there for you.

The November Woodsongs Coffeehouse Show is almost upon us. This month‘s guests are Jeff Erickson and Cammy Enaharo.

Jeff Erickson is well known around the Jamestown music scene for his involvement in some of the most highly-respected projects of the last 20 years. From the innovative band, “Zeta Cauliflower“, to his prestigious group, “The Crumbles”, and finally, in his role as the guitarist of “10,000 Maniacs“, Jeff has variously invented, written, organized, and restlessly explored this wonderful medium of music. He is a songwriter, a singer, a fine guitarist (both electric and acoustic), an innovator, a bandleader, a sideman, a collaborator, and a solo artist. While it is indisputable that Jeff’s work was influenced by his friend, Rob Buck, the man he replaced in the Maniacs, there is no way to completely describe his style to people who have not heard it. We will have the privilege of getting a first-hand look at the depth of Jeff’s musicality as a solo artist on this night.

I happened to be at Steve Piper’s Open Mic at the Flipside in Rochester, NY last spring when Cammy Enaharo, a stranger-in-the-crowd, took the stage late one evening. One verse and one chorus into the first song, it was stunningly obvious that we were in the presence of something very special. This young woman is a worthy ukulele player, a heart-capturing singer, and most of all, an original and deeply insightful songwriter. Cammy writes touchingly and compellingly from the perspective of her youth; she is 19 years old. Her lyrics are strikingly visual, soaring with poetic imagery and playing on themes in a genuinely literary way. Her dedication to the craft is evident. Cammy’s recent summer break from college was spent attempting to support herself by busking on the street. She plays open mic nights, for friends, and anywhere she can find someone to listen. Woodsongs is proud to be able to showcase a young artist at this stage of her nascent career.

I can promise there has never been a show like the one we will present in November. This is one people will talk about for a long time. It’s going to be a great playback on the radio, but it’s not a show you’ll want to miss live. I’m happy to say our live audience has truly become a community. It’s wonderful to see the familiar faces every month. Come and join the musical community! Be part of the live radio audience.

This show is November 17 at the Labyrinth Press Company. 12 E Fourth St. Jamestown, NY.

The show starts at 6:45. See you then!

The October Woodsongs Coffeehouse Show is almost upon us and this is one
we have been waiting for. The guests this month are No Outlet and John
Latini.

No Outlet is a trio comprised of some of the highest profile musicians
that have graced the Woodsongs stage. In fact, if not for their humility,
versatility, and the unself-conscious tendency to follow their respective
muses, they might be considered a supergroup of grassroots music. No
Outlet is led by one of the premiere dobro players in the country, Kevin
Maul. Not only did Kevin tour for over ten years with folk greats Robin
and Linda Williams, he also regularly appears in Rock and Roll Hall of
Famer Wanda Jackson’s band, the rockabilly band The Lustre Kings, and the
Burns Sisters Band. He has appeared frequently on the Garrison Keillor
Show (Prairie Home Companion) and has been on Austin City Limits, E-Town,
and Mountain Stage. The list of notables that Kevin has been on stage
with is far too long to list here but names like Chet Aktins, Peter Rowan,
Vince Gill, Tim O’Brien, and Mary Chapin-Carpenter give an idea of the
circles in which Kevin travels.

Bassist Tony Markellis brings another impressive resume to No Outlet.
Tony was in David Bromberg’s band at the very outset, being instrumental
in the music and design of Bromberg’s breakout effort, “Wanted Dead or
Alive”. He played with the Mamas and the Papas, Mike Bloomfield, and Paul
Siebel. Tony is also currently a member of Phish’s Trey Anastasio’s band.
Rounding out No Outlet is drummer Dale Haskell, no small feat holding
together this uniquely structured band.

And then, touring solo artist, John Latini. While he defies
categorization, Latini has won lots of awards in the Michigan area, often
for blues. His voice, his gravitas, and his subject matter are
reminiscent of the blues, but his chord structures, disarmingly
affectionate wit, and eclecticism transcend and transform that musical
format. He commands the stage and rules the room when he plays or speaks.
In his short Jamestown stay last season, Latini made a lot of friends and
made his mark in his own unmistakable way. The demand to have him back
was too great to resist.

This will truly be a night to remember in Jamestown‘s grassroots music
history. While it’s going to be a great playback on the radio, this is
not a show you’ll want to miss live.

It’s at the Labyrinth Press Company. 12 East Fourth St. Jamestown, NY.
The show starts at 6:45pm.

The 2011-2012 Woodsongs Coffeehouse Radio Hour is scheduled and the lineup looks like this:

September 29:

Pat Maloney: A singer-songwriter who has released four cd’s and has been repeatedly favorably compared to such greats as John Prine. Pat has been at this business for decades, traveling the country, and producing some of the most genuine Americana music you will hear anywhere.

Amanda Barton. Combine sweet, melodious fiddle playing, a disarmingly beautiful voice, and a flawless musical sense and you have Amanda Barton. While she is best known for her collaborative work with Big Leg Emma and others, Amanda’s solo work is going to be featured this night.

October 27:

No Outlet: This group is led by one of the premier dobro players in the country, Kevin Maul. He is a veteran of this scene, having been a semi-regular on the Garrison Keillor show, a member of Wanda Jackson’s band, a touring member of Robin and Linda Williams’ band for a decade, and an accompaniest with many other luminaries. Other members of No Outlet also play in Trey Anastasio’s band, David Bromberg’s band, etc. No Outlet will bring some fine Americana music to the Woodsongs stage.

John Latini: Having played his own brand of music for years in Michigan, John Latini is a notable figure in the Michigan area. He has a list of awards for songwriting and performing under his belt. John’s performance on the Woodsongs stage last year brought a flood of kudos and we could not, in good conscience turn down this opportunity to bring him back.

November 17:

Jeff Erickson: Jeff may be best known as the guitarist for 10,000 Maniacs. We will see, though, that there is more to Jeff than the masterful and unique guitar work he brings to that band. Jeff is a songwriter, a song stylist, and a fine singer in his own right. Having led the interesting project, Last Stop Willoughby, Jeff showed that his depth of musicality deserves attention devoted exclusively to it. We will get a first-hand, privileged look at just that on the November Woodsongs show.

Cammy Enaharo: Cammy is a worthy ukulele player, a heart-capturing singer, and most of all, an original and deeply insightful songwriter. She writes touchingly and compellingly from the perspective of her youth; she is 20 years old. Her dedication to her craft is evident. Cammy’s recent summer break from college was spent attempting to support herself by busking on the street. She plays open mic nights, for friends, and anywhere she can find someone to listen. Woodsongs is proud to be able to showcase a young artist at this stage of her nascent career.

December 29:

Cindy Haight: Ms.Haight has been a musical fixture in the Jamestown area for over a decade. She is known for her powerful, bluesy voice. Cindy’s songs explore the essence of the blues, the unrealistic expectations and predictable heartbreak of relationships. Her songs describe the concommitant pessimism and optimism, hope and disppointment, that all romantic attachments bring with them.

Blue Magoo; A local blues trio who have consented to hop on the Woodsongs stage “unplugged”. Three veterans of this blues scene, two of whom were long-time members of the project universally recognized as the most noteworthy, now-defunct blues band of the area in Jamestown, the “Homewreckers”, comprise this outfit.

January 26:

Charity Nuse: A multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, Ms. Nuse plays mandolin, guitar, and djembe but when asked what her main instrument is, she quickly responds, “my voice.” She is a member of Big Leg Emma and the jammy Charity Nuse and the Drive, but doesn’t hesitate to play solo on occasion.

Gina Vecchio: Chautauqua County has an extraordinary number of women who have made names for themselves on the music scene in the recent past and one could make a case that Gina Vecchio is the local prototype for all of them. She will appear on the Woodsongs stage with new original material.

February 23:

David Allen Coester: David is a singularly interesting and multi-faceted character. First, as a classical guitarist playing in venues accustomed to more traditional musical fare, he must display a certain jena se qua. He also hosts a very interesting Open Mic night which boasts very original and loyal regulars. His left-of-center wit, his deft and highly skilled guitar work, and his warm affection for music will be welcome additions to the Woodsongs catalogue.

Steve Piper: With his third cd “in the can”, Steve returns to the Woodsongs stage for the third time. His sensitivity, creative observations, and the care he puts into the songwriting craft never get old. Having studied with Jimmy Dale Gilmore for years, Steve’s songwriting continues to grow in magnitude and precision.

March 29:

Kev Rowe: Completing the Big Leg Emma “trifecta” this Woodsongs season, Kev brings his gentle charisma and prodigious talent to Woodsongs. While he has the chops and panache on guitar to play lead for Big Leg Emma, he also has a body of solo work including a recently released cd. He is a sweetly smooth singer who accompanies himself on guitar in a manner that might be reminiscent of JamesTaylor.

Howie Feldman: Steel drums, ukelele, and who-knows-what-else Howie might be playing on any given night. Howie and his partner, Rhonda Harp, are given to interpreting an astounding variety of different kinds of music on these nontraditional instruments. This is music that is never uninteresting.

April 26:

Chris Passamonte: This leader, front man, songwriter, and guitarist for the much-respected local original band, The Bogarts, has a large body of outstanding original songs. His delivery, singing style, even his demeanor, hearken back to an earlier day in music when Gram Parsons, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, the Outlaws, and Woody Guthrie had captured the imagination of a large segment of the music listening public. Chris exhibits a true populism – uncontrived and American.

Claire Stuczinski: A lovely songwriter from Erie, Pa, Claire has several releases under her belt. She is an example of a young woman who has stuck with her craft, having been playing and writing since the age of 13. She mostly performs as a solo artist but will be appearing with a fine guitarist, Eric Brewer, on Woodsongs. Claire occasionally tours around the Northeast, appearing in places like Pittsburg and Erie.

May 25: The Bob Dylan birthday bash. We will have lots of artists (last season there were 14) all of whom will be doing a Dylan song. It was a great party last year. We had to do it again!

Don’t forget, each show features a finale with all the artists playing together. The closer has made for some unforgettable moments.

All shows begin at 6:45 pm. Come and see them live but if you miss one, you can hear it on WRFA-LP, 107.9 OR on www.wrfalp.com.

The first show of the second season of Woodsongs Coffeehouse Radio Hour is
set for Thursday, September 29. WRFA will be recording the program live
at the Labyrinth Press Company, 12 East 4th Street, Jamestown, NY. There
could not be two artists more well-suited to the coffeehouse setting than
Pat Maloney and Amanda Barton.

Amanda is a local favorite who has become ubiquitous in the Jamestown
music scene. Certainly known for her work in the phenomenal Big Leg Emma
and various other side projects like Zamira and occasional duo work with
Bill Ward, Amanda is also a worthy solo artist in her own right. She is
usually seen onstage with her fiddle but she plays guitar and other
instruments too. Amanda consistently associates with other hugely
talented people like Steve Johnson and Charity Nuse so her solo work,
singing, and songwriting aren’t always spotlighted. On Woodsongs though,
it will be all Amanda. I assure you that, if you have not heard her alone
before, you will be taken by her as I have been. Everyone knows about her
fiddle playing and we will certainly have that. But also, we may get a
chance to hear some of her original work and, what often gets
overshadowed, her disarmingly beautiful voice. It, alone, is worth
setting aside an evening for.

We were lucky enough to discover that Pat Maloney recently relocated to
Central New York and our luck held out when he agreed to appear on
Woodsongs. Pat’s songs are often compared to John Prine’s, and I suspect
there is something to that. Like Prine‘s songs, Pat’s are often clever,
often include profound observations and revelations, take unexpected
twists, and sport charismatic hooks. And further, Pat has a way of
writing lyrics that work on different levels. Other artists like Guy
Clark and Jerry Jeff Walker come to mind. But comparisons, by their
nature, leave an incomplete view of its objects. Pat is very much a poet
who may, like Donna the Buffalo, personify a geography, attitude and
perspective unique to his original home, rural Upstate New York. This
might seem odd to say about a man who has spent decades living all around
the USA, but for those of us who have spent most of our lives in this
area, I think it rings true. Pat will be joined on the Woodsongs stage by
his traveling companion and wife, Rosie, who is a wonderful singer and
plays several instruments. Please take a look at Pat’s web site and check
out his four cd’s. If you like excellent poetry, first-rate songwriting,
and authentic Americana music, Pat Maloney is someone you need to check
out. www.patmaloneymusic.com

The taping of Woodsongs begins at 7pm on Thursday, September 29 and
audience members are asked to be seated by 6:45. Admission is free and
the coffee is hot. Come and be part of the radio show!

Thanks to the great support of WRFA-LP, musicians, volunteers, and most of all, those of you who have watched, attended, listened to, and spread the word about the Woodsongs Coffeehouse Radio Hour, the first season was a fine success. From our first show with Tiny b and Katie Elfman to the finale with 13 musicians appearing at the Bob Dylan Birthday party, the show built momentum throughout the season.

Our mission, however, remained consistent. We aim to provide a way for artists to present themselves and their music in the great tradition of the coffeehouse. Historically, coffeehouses have been centers for social interaction and, as such, have lent themselves to new ideas, artistic innovations, and less-than-formal interchange between artist and audience. That is exactly what Jeff James has created at the Labyrinth Press Company and, in that sense, the Woodsongs Coffeehouse Radio Hour has become part of Jeff’s visionary project.

But further, we strive to combine that coffeehouse experience with the feel of an old-time radio show recorded live in front of a studio audience.

The parade of artists in Season One resulted in one memorable moment after another. From John Merino’s fascinating stories, to Steve Piper’s unexpectedly stirring interpretation of Dylan’s “Senor”, to Connie Deming’s knee injury onstage, to John Latini’s lively banter and Steve Johnson’s very personal revelations about the songwriting process, the Woodsongs show was consistently the edgy and intimate experience that live radio is meant to be.

The upcoming season will showcase artists like 10,00 Maniac Jeff Erickson, classical guitarist David Allen Coester, Claire Stuczynski, Gina Vecchio, Steve Piper, John Latini, Kevin Maul’s band No Outlet, songwriter/ukelele player Cammy Enaharo, Cindy Haight, blues band Blue Magoo, Charity Nuse, and more.

Season Two begins with Episode #8 being recorded on September 29 with Amanda Barton and singer/songwriter Pat Maloney.

In the meantime, please consider being part of our studio audience at the Labyrinth on September 29, and every show after that! Admission is free and the coffee is satisfying. The show will be taped the last Thursday of every month, September through April (except November which is the third Thursday).

See you there!

Episode #6 of the Woodsongs Show was with John Latini, Marla Harris, and Steve Davis. The local paper gave it generous coverage the day of the show and deemed it a “Fitting Finale” to the regular season. That turned out to be the prescient Truth.

As you’ll see when you hear this show, John Latini is as dextrous in conversation as he is on the guitar. His is the kind of persona that alters everything nearby with its power and charisma. Latini’s presentation is absolutely irresistible. The ultimate extravert, he exudes confidence, good humor, wit, and an affectionate attachment to life. It hard not to be taken with his left-of-center observations and his gentle intimations of the absurdities of the world. At the same time, he courageously reveals himself in songs like “Yesterday I Painted Your Room”, a touching song about the time of life when children begin to leave home. We heard the blues in its truest form, a man putting his emotion into song form. And loving life all the more from doing so. I could talk here about Latini’s guitar skills, but you’ll have to listen to the recording yourself. Let me just say this – he plays passing chords that have “13th” in their names – one after another.

I knew that Marla Harris was going to give a memorable performance. I’ve heard her before and loved everything she did. But there is something about the Woodsongs stage…I don’t know whether it’s my perception, the proximity, the setting, the sound, the ambience…but I had never heard Marla like this before. It goes without saying that the timbre of her voice is rare and exceptional. And her delivery is intuitively immediate and beautifully natural. But what struck me this night was her skill. That is, the ability to hit unusual notes, to effortlessly slide around the tune, to play with phrasing in ways that made people like Frank Sinatra a legend. And like Sinatra, as I noted on the program, Marla did so without flash or brass. It was all just as if it was supposed to be that way. Understated brilliance.

I have to say a word about Steve Davis here too. He accompanied Marla on the piano. This guy is so good that John Latini said to me on the intermission, “I was going to do some fancy blues progression stuff the next half of the show, but Steve here is ripping me a new [insert body part here].” OK, bringing that kind of humility to Latini’s reality was worth the price of admission. Steve is so good that, in rehearsal, he started playing the tune used to introduce me (Lover’s Waltz) without having heard it before. Money can’t buy that kind of talent. We will figure out a way to get Steve back on the show again.

The closing tune was the Sam Cooke classic, “Bring it on Home” and I’ll just say this – listen to the studio audience response at the end. These three musicians delivered it!

It’s easy. A $20.00 value, for nothing! Just get a “Henhead” card (available from any Henway or Ken) and stop in at 10 shows with KH and the Henways. Get the card initialled by Dan or Dennis each time. When your card is full, turn it in for a free Ken Hardley and the Henways t-shirt! True Story!