I was watching this video form the current New York Banjo Tour of the gig that occurred last night (10/9/13) in Cambridge, MA. A friend of mine was there and told me it was pretty unreal, like really REALLY good! I had wanted to catch a gig on this tour in the worst way, having caught it last year at The Egg in Albany, and knowing how special and rare it is to get such an opportunity. The sad truth is that there was just no money in the budget to make the drive over to Massachusetts, and still buy a ticket. I felt like a little kid who only got a pair of underwear and socks for Christmas. If I had something to sell to raise the money, I would have, but it just wasn't to be, but I digress in my misery here. So, I can't catch the tour, but sometimes you get lucky and can find little pieces of video on YouTube that tease you with what you missed. So I watched this Video:
Now this is a not so well done video, with flaky audio and a terrible
camera angle, but that's where I had my epiphany.
It didn't matter.
I
KNOW most of the folks on stage, and I know their playing styles, and I
know their individual mastery. THAT's when it dawned on me why I am so
engrossed in the music that currently holds my soul, it is THE PEOPLE
who play it.
I can think of no other music in my life where I
have had access to the people who make it, as that which I enjoy now.
Take the video in question here. The first part has Bela Fleck and Tony
Trischka doing their 'Banjo for four hands' with some added players
coming in. Noam Pikelny provides some percussion and (I think) tail
piece picking, Bill Keith comes in and does the 'Flint Hill Special'
tuner lick, Richie Stearns does the 'under the bridge' deal with the
spatula drum sticks. I know all these guys and enjoy their sense of
humor and creativity. I have talked to Tony numerous times after gigs
about anything from family stuff, to upcoming projects and his new
music. Same with Richie, and Noam I have met in upstate campsite at
festivals as well as on street corners in Brooklyn. Bela. likewise has
been very kind when I have spoken to him after all of his gigs I have
seen. The second, and final tune in this tape shows the whole Band
coming up with Eric Weisberg joining the crew and Jesse Cobb, Russ
Barneberg, Casey Driessen, Matt Glaser, and Darol Anger. (I didn't see
Abby up there, but she might have been.) I have met all of these guys.
Some briefly, some many many times. I can hear the music and know who is
taking a break, and even though I can't see it in the video, I know
there is a huge smile on Darol's face and I know that Casey is tearing
it up and having a blast.The thing is they are ALL really nice people, and if you talk to them about music and ask questions, even dumb newbie questions, they will take time and answer them. They are ALWAYS encouraging and supportive. They are really nice people who love what they do and they like to share the joy. I once helped Tony pack up after a gig so I could talk to him and I helped him carry his gear out. He had a handful of tabbed music that he had written out that morning for the gig, and he handed it to me and said, "Here, you're a player, try this stuff. I've got it memorized now." At another gig, I had a copy of a book he had written and I asked if he would sign it, which he did, out there in the parking lot, in the dark. I was shocked when I looked at it the next morning, somehow, in the darkness, he had done a whole picture thingy within his signature. What a nice thing to do when he didn't 'have to'.
So I learned tonight that it's not just the music, sure that is a big part of it, but it is the people that make it so very dear to me.
Keep The Beat,
Tom
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