A hard core blues night. Four weather-beaten dudes who know their
howlin,' lead belly, muddy, Memphis, and pinetop. They have wrinkles. They have
gravel in their voices. They is the blues. The keyboard player is a showman,
bobbing, weaving, throwing his head back in agony. The lead guitarist knows
his guitar like an English teacher knows grammar. He made it bend, howl, and
stab to his bidding. The bass and drums were equally adept. The blues crowd is
less refined than the jazz aficionados. They can be cheap and demanding. As The Doorman, I know. A
short butterball woman and her boyfriend entered. She wears the pants in the
couple and asserted that they should get in at half price. I corrected her
illusion. She drank Cabernet and then bought blended shots for herself and a
woman sitting next to her at the bar. She let out eardrum exploding whistles
every time the band ended a song and stoutly stood gyrating her hips to the
music (at least that appeared to be what she was doing). A blues singer joined
the group for a couple of songs. I've heard her before and she's as exceptional
as the members of the group. She belted out Dr. Feelgood and Gene Allison’s You
Can Make It if You Try, which was matched later in the night by the drummer's
snarling version of Hootchie Cootchie Man. A true blue blues night it was.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Saturday, February 9, 2013
A COUNTRY A WEEK: ALBANIA
The Republic of Albania which is the official name of the
country is located in Southeastern Europe.
- - The Lynx looks a lot like a domestic cat but a little
larger and patterns of a cheetah. This animal has long pointed ears and
although has been extinct in many parts of the world, it still survives in
Albania.
-
- More than two thirds of the population is Islam. Other
religions are Albanian Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic. This country is
known for the harmony between the religions to the extent that inter-religion
marriages are not only popular but a rule in some parts of the country.
The Doorman's Diary 2.8.13
We're both a jazz and blues club. Tonight there's an incredible
all women blues band. They're middle aged so they've earned their journeyman's
papers in life. So when they sing about being mistreated, there's passion
there. The keyboard player with her Brillo pad snow-white hair snarled like a
chained alley dog. Speaking of alleys, I could walk down a dark alley with the
drummer and only she would emerge on the other side. She's a beast. They played
some standard blues tunes—one of which transitioned into Sly and the Family
Stone’s Everyday People. When they finished one incredible song, the bass
player says, "Wow! We've never played that song together--I'm surprised we
ended it so well." It shouldn't be a surprise, since they are all superb
musicians. As one of them had quipped, "Unlike guy musicians, women
talk--with these ladies, we all communicate.” The crowd wanted to dance, so
every corner was filled with spastic footwork, hip wiggles, and gyrations. A
gentleman with a well-trimmed beard and a mustache that hinted at a handlebar
sat at the bar with a snifter. He has come from a theater performance -- in
fact, his 53rd play he's attended within a year. He was enjoying the rhythmic
writhing of one lass who noticed him noticing her. She signaled for him to join
her. He obliged. I was afraid for Mr. Theater with his thick-knot tie and
pocket-watch demeanor, but he surprised all observers. He did a unique halting touch,
glide, swirl thing that suited him and somehow his dramatic flair complimented the shimmies and
pelvic thrusts of the young woman. Don’t ask me how or why.... but it seemed to
work.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
The Doorman's Diary: 2.1.13
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