Art Ranch Acoustic -- Chris Stern

 

Last night the Art Ranch was transported, Wizard of Oz-style, to the English countryside. The weather matched the mood in the Great Room. Temperatures outside hoovered around 50 degrees. Inside the fireplace burned as Chris Stern played a variety of British and American folk songs, adding his own beautiful tunes between them. The melodic songs set a quiet, relaxed tone, soothing the hearts and souls of the listeners that filled the room.

Many of the songs he sang I did not know personally, except the Simon and Garfunkle standards -- Julio down by the schoolyard, and Scarborough Faire, parsley, sage, etc... The songs I didn't know must be well-known folk or traditional songs in other places besides the states because a South African couple that comes to many of our music nights sang along to most of his songs. I also recognized many other tunes that I've heard in the past but I don't know the titles, only snippets of the lyrics. Even though I'm generally not a folkie and both bored and put to sleep by folksie lullabyes, I enjoyed this show. It gave me great pride that our country does have some songs we all know and share in common -- like the Woody Guthrie and Buddy Holly songs that Bob Livingston sang on Friday night.

I didn't know much about Chris Stern before he showed up. He has Facebook page but no Myspace page. A Google search of him pulls up a very limited and sketchy picture in a day and age where the internet as a medium is so necessary for an independent muscian. When I asked Chris about this issue he said he's just very disorganized. It is clear that he is a muscians musician. He's not into self-promotion or other worldly pursuits. Chris is here for the music. That fact is clear from his stage presence -- a graviational force that pulls the listener closer in. From here Chris headed to Austin and then Wimberly to close out his Texas shows. When he comes back to the states next year from Yorkshire, U.K., he will be on the bill here at the Art Ranch on the Brazos de Dios.

Art Ranch Acoustic -- Bob Livingston

Last night Bob Livingston played an incredible set with a post party rehash in the courtyard late night. He revived old stories with the Lost Gonzo gang. Stories like the first time the Gonzos heard Gary P. Nunn sing, "Home with the Armadillo," after coming back from London. Jerry Jeff felt it's potential when he saw the crowd at Luckenbach breaking beer bottles over their heads and women taking their tops off. He knew they had a hit.
Bob played that Gary P. Nunn ode to Texas Friday night with his own twists and turns including a break away into the Bee-Gee's, "Staying Alive!" It was brillant. Though not as brilliant as his tryst into a Middle English-speaking rap a la the Canterbury Tales in the middle of another song, I can't remember which. He also charmed the crowd with Michael Murphy gems like, "Geronimo's Cadillac." Thank God, though, that he spared us from, "Wildfire!"
He finished the set with two more impressive covers, Jimmy requested a popular ditty from another Lubbock native. The Buddy Holly song, "Not Fade Away," which Bob recorded in a very admirable rendition with his equally as musical son, Tucker. Then he called Jimmy to the stage to finish out the set with a Woody Guthrie tune. He told a story about Woody. He said that when Woody went before the McCarthy panel in the 1950's, the senator said, "Mr. Guthrie, are you a communist?" To which Guthrie replied, "Well, I don't know about that but I do know I've spent most of my life in the red!" Then Bob and Jimmy rode off in Geronimo's red Cadillac convertible singing, "This land is your land, this land is my land..." as they waved to the crowd in the Great Room. A stellar set by a cosmic storyteller song smith extraordinaire.

My worst day ever... lo peor

Yesterday was one of the toughest days of my life. Whew! I'm glad it's over. Finito!

First the big dogs would not let me manga on my desayuno. They are such bullies. Fine.
So I went to pond to chase turtles. There's an old lancha in the pond, stuck in the mud like a beached whale. No one ever rides in that thing. If anyone got in it would probably sink! That boat does not float -- crazy lancha!
So I jumped on it (because I am curious) and what do you think met me face to face? A water moccasin! Stinky, scary snake. I tucked my tail and ran with my ears back, all the way down the dirt road until I could not see -- for all the dust my macho arms and legs had stirred up.

When I got back home I tried to tell the guys what was going on at the lancha!
"Loco mocoso" they called me.
That's not very nice. What did I ever do to them but play with them and try to make them happy? They are soooo grumpy, those big dogs.

So I went for a nap in the courtyard and here somebody comes yelling at me to get out of the courtyard, saying they don't like me relieving myself on the sidewalk where people walk.

"It's not me!" I try to tell them with my sad puppy dog eyes, "It's those grumpy big dogs that always want to spray their territory and everyone elses."

The people, they don't listen, they act like they can't understand me, can't tell what I'm saying with my body language and my staring. They shoo me away, send me out the side door and I bump right into a turtle sleeping next to a cactus. He snaps at me, "Outta my way, little booger."

Why is everyone calling me a booger today. I'd rather be called a loco mocoso than a booger -- it sounds much more distinguished.

By now I'm exhausted, I've been chased from every spot I've found all day. So I find Neilyoung, he's been here longer than me and he's about my size. "Neilyoung, how do you do it? Nothing ever gives you any grief," I say, "How do you maintain your zen state?

"You see this spot right here?" says Neilyoung, "I found my perfect spot and I never leave it. I'm so happy here in this perfect spot that I could not imagine not being in my perfect spot, always..."

Neilyoung's crazy. I think I just figured that out. That's why he's so content all the time, half his cabeza is missing the connection to the other half his cabeza.

My whole day went just like that until sunset when I found a nice spot on the edge of the porch with a view of the river and that puesta del sol that is so muy fabuloso.

I had just enough time to soak it all in when I smelled a familiar odor, and I am so very curious as you know. I stuck my nose up in the air and sniffed. The smell so intoxicating overcame me just as an opossum ran past the porch step -- and the hunt was on baby! Yeah!

Matagorda Bridge

Matagorda, Texas.
All those who know our beloved Matagorda and have been there with your family or with us, remember the old draw bridge. The draw bridge was the last of it's kind on the intercoastal waterways of the Texas gulf coast. From my time as a child there going to the beach house with my grandparents until my last trip there this past June with my own daughter, the old draw bridge operated much like an elevator attendant from the 20th century.

Cars piled up on both sides of the bridge, tug boats and barges lined the canal - each waiting for their chance at the crossroads between land and water. As the old gate opened, the asphalt road spread apart and lifted into the air making room for intercoastal commerce. Children watched with wonder. Parents took a breather, becoming aware of how everything slows down when the car stops idling everything magnifies -- the smells of the ocean, the sound of the sea gulls, and the sting of every single mosquito .

This is a picture of the new bridge - tall and stately, representative of progress, movement, and infrastructure. The 20th century has indeed been replaced. Analog is no more. Digital is almost a thing of the past. There is no more stopping at the canal. Boats whiz up and down. People fly over the top. Windows down - arms dangling out holding soda pops and swim suit tops to the tunes of Houston rock radio. But for those of us with a penchant for the nostalgic, grateful to stop our motors and enjoy a fleeting memory, we must get our kicks elsewhere.

Summer Comes Alive

This summer Clark Gardens in Mineral Wells is hosting, "Sunsets in the Park." Opening night was one of those, "Yay! Summer's here," kind of nights. Three live music acts -- Jimmy Baldwin, The Lost Immigrants, and Salim Nourallah -- played well into the night. The music filled the night lit by fireflies and a waxing gibbous moon. It was a night of memories, one of those late May/early summer nights of cool breezes, and the delight of the summer ahead. Shows continue through the end of June on Thursday evenings and late Sunday afternoon into the evening. Clark Gardens is a great location and Sunsets in the Park is a great opportunity to be part of a thriving community surrounded by the beauty of nature and the wonderful creative energy of live performance.