Writers In The Raw weekend 9/29 & 9/30
Review by Lazlo
Photos by Naomi
Monmouth University, my alma mater. Also the home of the latest in the series of Writers In The Raw show. For those not in the know about this singer/songwriter series, each show takes 4 artists and puts them on stage together to do a round robin of performances and telling stories. The shows have happened in several venues over the last couple of years, but this was not only the first one on the Monmouth University campus, but it was also the first time they have done a weekend of shows, with a Friday night and Saturday night show, each featuring a different line-up.
Friday night started with the introduction of guest emcee, Pete Fornatale (host of Mixed Bag radio, and a current professor at Monmouth). He proceeded to introduce the 4 talented musicians that would be on the stage that night, Jane Siberry, who changed her name on June 3rd to Issa (pronounced, "eeee-sah"), Melissa Ferrick, Cheryl Wheeler, and Dan Bern.
After an explanation of why Jane changed her name to Issa, and learning that Melissa would like to have been called A.J. if she were a boy, Cheryl always wanted to be named Luigi, and Pete wanted to rename himself Terry, then Issa stood to do the first song of the night. However a weird moment ensued as she stood there pointing a finger up trying to get the soundman's attention. Finally a lush music bed of stringed instruments and nature sounds started, and she began to sing over the music bed. The song was pretty, but the song seemed to go on forever, which probably pushed the show (which had already started late), even further off schedule. And more importantly, one has to wonder if Issa understood the meaning of Writers In The Raw, as playing to a backing track doesn't seem very raw to me. Of course on Issa's blog after the show she wrote, "i took a cold pill and it made me a bit kookoo".
But as awkward as the start was, things started to flow better as it went on. Melissa Ferrick was just absolutely incredible. She played a song from her forthcoming album that she described as an attempt at a single. After hearing it, if it were up to me, I would play it everywhere for everyone! And every song she played was wonderful, an auditory delight. From the look of people lining up to get her CD at the end of the show, I don't think I was the only one won over by her performance.
Cheryl Wheeler was another artist I was largely unfamiliar with going into this show, but not only was her stories witty (making jokes about a magazine article saying wearing a bathing suit and heels makes you look slimmer), but her songs were too. "Your god", a rant about, you guessed it, the radical religious right, is both poignant and hilarious at the same time. Sadly, that particular song is unavailable on any of her albums yet, but you can stream it on her website.
Rounding out the panel was Dan Bern. I have Dan Bern's debut album that he put out in the late 90's, but it never struck me until this show (my first time seeing him live), how much his voice is a combination of Bob Dylan's and Bruce Springsteen's (the question is whether he forces his voice to sound that way or not). Once he started singing, I knew my wife, who finds Dylan's voice annoying, was not going to like Dan. I on the other hand, while finding it a bit weird how on some songs he sounded more like Dylan (including covering a song Dylan sang on his first album) and on others more like Springsteen, have always been a fan of that troubadour folk singing style, and enjoyed his witty lyrics.
Wittiest lyric of the night goes to Issa, who sang it's interesting to note that, "Presbyterians is an anagram of Britney Spears". Wittiest song of the night goes to Cheryl Wheeler, for a song about potatoes set to the tune of the "Mexican Hat Dance" song, which led to Dan Bern doing a song about how all he eats is cheese.
Sadly, the panel lasted under 2 hours, with each artists only getting to do 4 songs, All of them also spoke, about the differences between art and commerce, and how the internet has helped their careers, before the panel portion of the show was completed.
After a brief intermission, Dan Bern came back and did a 45 minute solo set that included more of his Dylan meets Springsteen witty folk songs, including one about his favorite sports stars that use performance enhancing drugs, and a snippet of a song about Pluto no longer being a planet. Coming back for an encore to end the night, Dan went with the cliché of closing with a Bruce cover ("thunder road").
Night number 2 of the Writers In The Raw weekend began with the introduction of the emcee for the evening, Robert Santelli, an author and director of the Seattle Experience Music Project. I also had him as a professor of Rock & Roll in American Culture back when I went to Monmouth. He proceeded to introduce three of the four performers for the evening, Lucy Kaplansky, Vance Gilbert, and Susan Werner. While equipment was hurriedly set up for Dar Williams just before the show started, unlike Dan Bern the night before, she did not come out on stage for the entire round robin (I am not sure why).
The evening began with Robert asking Vance Gilbert about the stylish red and white shoes he was wearing. Having seen Vance many times over the years, I knew it never takes much to get Vance going into an amusing anecdote, he told a tale that included being a contestant on America's Got Talent, and ended with the joke that some where a pimp has been forced to wear Birkenstocks. As witty and funny as Vance's stories are, he is an equally talented singer-songwriter, and throughout the evening he proved that with songs like "10,000 skies" (which he described accurately as sounding like Sam Cooke sleeping with Roy Orbison), and "unfamiliar moon". and a new song that was during his self-described phase of trying to sound like Steve Earle or Bruce Springsteen.
Lucy Kaplansky I learned through the course of the evening had a degree in psychology (which she said doesn't consciously affect her music), and her husband and her had adopted their daughter from China. Among the songs she graced us with was "ten year night", about her husband, "Manhattan moon", and the most amazing cover of Roxy Music's "more than this" I have ever heard (which she said she had to learn after getting the opportunity to record a song with Bryan Ferry). Lucy has the same motto I have often said about cover tunes, if you are going to do one, do it differently, make it your own. She sure did.
Susan Werner comes from the jazz idiom of music, and played every one of her songs on the piano. Her songs have a timeless Cole Porter or George & Ira Gershwin feel to them. They were witty and entertaining, and at times heartfelt. She discussed having a recording room in an artist's building, where she writes her songs on a typewriter. Her stories were as unique and interesting as her music, and more than anyone else that night, she was quick to jump in with some background guitar or piano on someone else's song, or a well placed backing vocal. These little moments are part of what makes a show like this special.
At the end of the third round, where each artist had to do a cover song, Dar Williams finally graced the stage. She seemed a little out of sorts and uncomfortable at first, but broke into a beautiful duet of Nerissa Nields' "I know what kind of love this is", with her former Cry, Cry, Cry partner Lucy. Their voices melding as one, the song was absolutely beautiful.
For the fourth, and final round, each artist was asked to do a new song. Vance did a song and he described as being during his phase of trying to sound like Steve Earle or Bruce Springsteen. Lucy followed with the most touching song of the evening, one about her father who had passed away 3 months ago, that she had finished writing, knowing that the end was near, the day before he died. I think everyone was moved and affected by her song. Susan closed with "never my love", which, by doing a web search, I learned has been a standard encore song for her this year. Finally Dar had to sing a new song, and she admitted she hadn't written anything new in a year. She then played what she referred to as a song "fragment", which was one verse and the chorus. The song sounded great, and I can't wait for her to finish it...then again, Vance and Susan may have done that for her. Susan started playing Dar's fragment song on the piano , and Vance improved an entire second verse. it was absolutely amazing!
Having time for just one more song, Vance said he had taught Lucy & Susan a song (both of them had cheat sheets to help them out). Dar, who apparently wasn't there earlier to learn the song, awkwardly left the stage. Vance, Lucy & Susan, then broke into an amazing rendition of the Ronald Miller penned, "heaven help us all", which sounded almost ethereally gospel. It was a beautiful end to this portion of the evening.
After a long intermission, Dar Williams came out to do a set on her own. the night got off a bit rocky, with her stopping in the midst of her first song with a phlegm problem, and awkwardly stopping at the end of her second song, "teen for god", trying to remember if she skipped a verse or not, admitting she was distracted thinking about her friends backstage. But she pulled herself together and wound up putting on a good solid set, however most of her songs ended up sounding the same tempo that night, whether a conscious decision or not I am not sure. Among the songs she played were "the hudson", "spring st", and "the mercy of the fallen". During her second to last song, Susan Werner snuck out and onto the piano to accompany Dar. The melding of piano, guitar, and vocal, added something special to the night, as did the obvious camaraderie amongst all the performers. Susan, at Dar's request, stuck around to accompany her on "when I was a boy", the regular set closer.
Since the show was running 45 minutes late at this point, Dar returned for her encore saying, "I'm going to do a short song. It's been a long night". A long night indeed, but an entertaining and fun night. Kudos go out to Gordon Brown, Barry Dorsey, and everyone else who make these Writers In The Raw shows happen. Everyone of the shows seems to capture a little bit of magic, and become a special intimate evening of music and stories.
Review by Lazlo
Photos by Naomi
Monmouth University, my alma mater. Also the home of the latest in the series of Writers In The Raw show. For those not in the know about this singer/songwriter series, each show takes 4 artists and puts them on stage together to do a round robin of performances and telling stories. The shows have happened in several venues over the last couple of years, but this was not only the first one on the Monmouth University campus, but it was also the first time they have done a weekend of shows, with a Friday night and Saturday night show, each featuring a different line-up.
Friday night started with the introduction of guest emcee, Pete Fornatale (host of Mixed Bag radio, and a current professor at Monmouth). He proceeded to introduce the 4 talented musicians that would be on the stage that night, Jane Siberry, who changed her name on June 3rd to Issa (pronounced, "eeee-sah"), Melissa Ferrick, Cheryl Wheeler, and Dan Bern.
After an explanation of why Jane changed her name to Issa, and learning that Melissa would like to have been called A.J. if she were a boy, Cheryl always wanted to be named Luigi, and Pete wanted to rename himself Terry, then Issa stood to do the first song of the night. However a weird moment ensued as she stood there pointing a finger up trying to get the soundman's attention. Finally a lush music bed of stringed instruments and nature sounds started, and she began to sing over the music bed. The song was pretty, but the song seemed to go on forever, which probably pushed the show (which had already started late), even further off schedule. And more importantly, one has to wonder if Issa understood the meaning of Writers In The Raw, as playing to a backing track doesn't seem very raw to me. Of course on Issa's blog after the show she wrote, "i took a cold pill and it made me a bit kookoo".
But as awkward as the start was, things started to flow better as it went on. Melissa Ferrick was just absolutely incredible. She played a song from her forthcoming album that she described as an attempt at a single. After hearing it, if it were up to me, I would play it everywhere for everyone! And every song she played was wonderful, an auditory delight. From the look of people lining up to get her CD at the end of the show, I don't think I was the only one won over by her performance.
Cheryl Wheeler was another artist I was largely unfamiliar with going into this show, but not only was her stories witty (making jokes about a magazine article saying wearing a bathing suit and heels makes you look slimmer), but her songs were too. "Your god", a rant about, you guessed it, the radical religious right, is both poignant and hilarious at the same time. Sadly, that particular song is unavailable on any of her albums yet, but you can stream it on her website.
Rounding out the panel was Dan Bern. I have Dan Bern's debut album that he put out in the late 90's, but it never struck me until this show (my first time seeing him live), how much his voice is a combination of Bob Dylan's and Bruce Springsteen's (the question is whether he forces his voice to sound that way or not). Once he started singing, I knew my wife, who finds Dylan's voice annoying, was not going to like Dan. I on the other hand, while finding it a bit weird how on some songs he sounded more like Dylan (including covering a song Dylan sang on his first album) and on others more like Springsteen, have always been a fan of that troubadour folk singing style, and enjoyed his witty lyrics.
Wittiest lyric of the night goes to Issa, who sang it's interesting to note that, "Presbyterians is an anagram of Britney Spears". Wittiest song of the night goes to Cheryl Wheeler, for a song about potatoes set to the tune of the "Mexican Hat Dance" song, which led to Dan Bern doing a song about how all he eats is cheese.
Sadly, the panel lasted under 2 hours, with each artists only getting to do 4 songs, All of them also spoke, about the differences between art and commerce, and how the internet has helped their careers, before the panel portion of the show was completed.
After a brief intermission, Dan Bern came back and did a 45 minute solo set that included more of his Dylan meets Springsteen witty folk songs, including one about his favorite sports stars that use performance enhancing drugs, and a snippet of a song about Pluto no longer being a planet. Coming back for an encore to end the night, Dan went with the cliché of closing with a Bruce cover ("thunder road").
Night number 2 of the Writers In The Raw weekend began with the introduction of the emcee for the evening, Robert Santelli, an author and director of the Seattle Experience Music Project. I also had him as a professor of Rock & Roll in American Culture back when I went to Monmouth. He proceeded to introduce three of the four performers for the evening, Lucy Kaplansky, Vance Gilbert, and Susan Werner. While equipment was hurriedly set up for Dar Williams just before the show started, unlike Dan Bern the night before, she did not come out on stage for the entire round robin (I am not sure why).
The evening began with Robert asking Vance Gilbert about the stylish red and white shoes he was wearing. Having seen Vance many times over the years, I knew it never takes much to get Vance going into an amusing anecdote, he told a tale that included being a contestant on America's Got Talent, and ended with the joke that some where a pimp has been forced to wear Birkenstocks. As witty and funny as Vance's stories are, he is an equally talented singer-songwriter, and throughout the evening he proved that with songs like "10,000 skies" (which he described accurately as sounding like Sam Cooke sleeping with Roy Orbison), and "unfamiliar moon". and a new song that was during his self-described phase of trying to sound like Steve Earle or Bruce Springsteen.
Lucy Kaplansky I learned through the course of the evening had a degree in psychology (which she said doesn't consciously affect her music), and her husband and her had adopted their daughter from China. Among the songs she graced us with was "ten year night", about her husband, "Manhattan moon", and the most amazing cover of Roxy Music's "more than this" I have ever heard (which she said she had to learn after getting the opportunity to record a song with Bryan Ferry). Lucy has the same motto I have often said about cover tunes, if you are going to do one, do it differently, make it your own. She sure did.
Susan Werner comes from the jazz idiom of music, and played every one of her songs on the piano. Her songs have a timeless Cole Porter or George & Ira Gershwin feel to them. They were witty and entertaining, and at times heartfelt. She discussed having a recording room in an artist's building, where she writes her songs on a typewriter. Her stories were as unique and interesting as her music, and more than anyone else that night, she was quick to jump in with some background guitar or piano on someone else's song, or a well placed backing vocal. These little moments are part of what makes a show like this special.
At the end of the third round, where each artist had to do a cover song, Dar Williams finally graced the stage. She seemed a little out of sorts and uncomfortable at first, but broke into a beautiful duet of Nerissa Nields' "I know what kind of love this is", with her former Cry, Cry, Cry partner Lucy. Their voices melding as one, the song was absolutely beautiful.
For the fourth, and final round, each artist was asked to do a new song. Vance did a song and he described as being during his phase of trying to sound like Steve Earle or Bruce Springsteen. Lucy followed with the most touching song of the evening, one about her father who had passed away 3 months ago, that she had finished writing, knowing that the end was near, the day before he died. I think everyone was moved and affected by her song. Susan closed with "never my love", which, by doing a web search, I learned has been a standard encore song for her this year. Finally Dar had to sing a new song, and she admitted she hadn't written anything new in a year. She then played what she referred to as a song "fragment", which was one verse and the chorus. The song sounded great, and I can't wait for her to finish it...then again, Vance and Susan may have done that for her. Susan started playing Dar's fragment song on the piano , and Vance improved an entire second verse. it was absolutely amazing!
Having time for just one more song, Vance said he had taught Lucy & Susan a song (both of them had cheat sheets to help them out). Dar, who apparently wasn't there earlier to learn the song, awkwardly left the stage. Vance, Lucy & Susan, then broke into an amazing rendition of the Ronald Miller penned, "heaven help us all", which sounded almost ethereally gospel. It was a beautiful end to this portion of the evening.
After a long intermission, Dar Williams came out to do a set on her own. the night got off a bit rocky, with her stopping in the midst of her first song with a phlegm problem, and awkwardly stopping at the end of her second song, "teen for god", trying to remember if she skipped a verse or not, admitting she was distracted thinking about her friends backstage. But she pulled herself together and wound up putting on a good solid set, however most of her songs ended up sounding the same tempo that night, whether a conscious decision or not I am not sure. Among the songs she played were "the hudson", "spring st", and "the mercy of the fallen". During her second to last song, Susan Werner snuck out and onto the piano to accompany Dar. The melding of piano, guitar, and vocal, added something special to the night, as did the obvious camaraderie amongst all the performers. Susan, at Dar's request, stuck around to accompany her on "when I was a boy", the regular set closer.
Since the show was running 45 minutes late at this point, Dar returned for her encore saying, "I'm going to do a short song. It's been a long night". A long night indeed, but an entertaining and fun night. Kudos go out to Gordon Brown, Barry Dorsey, and everyone else who make these Writers In The Raw shows happen. Everyone of the shows seems to capture a little bit of magic, and become a special intimate evening of music and stories.