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There are moments in life and music when the events collide to form moments of synchronicity. Last night at Baba’s was one where Ryan, Alex and I played away on five songs and caught the groove.
Only habit can explain why I went last night. I was exhausted from a day of promoting the message of Hope for Islanders with disabilities. I got home at 8 pm and began to practice. I wanted to perform Dylan’s Chimes of Freedom, a poetic but long song from 1964.
Andrea was back in the Host’s seat at Baba’s, albeit only as replacement for Nancy who is the new permanent host. We talked about her road trip and the summer of music that approaches.
By the time I got up to perform Ryan and Alex arrived so we repeated our trio act from the week before. I’ve been playing with Ryan for a few years but only 3 or 4 times with Ryan. Kerrie introduced us. We never practice, a strategy of chaos looking for a Muse.
The stage lights were out so I couldn’t see squat of the lyrics. We got a moderate groove going but I just could not see the song sheet. I probably know 80% of the words but that is not enough. I quit after 3 of 7 verses. It was a bar clearing performance.
OK boys lets kick it up. We did two fast original blues numbers and the sound caught the groove. Alex was laying down a solid and imaginative bass line to my left. Ryan was alternatively noodling and soaring on acoustic lead to the right.
We did Rainy Day Women (aka Everyone Must Get Stoned) but something didn’t click with the crowd. We liked it but they seemed indifferent.
Andrea asked for a 5th song, so off we went into It Ain’t Me Babe. Forget what you know about that chestnut. This is a funky bass driven blues number than drones between Em+g and C+g. I’ve done it by myself with the synth guitar plus organ, which is cool. This was the first time with bass, which this arrangement needs. The song grabbed the groove and held it. The audience was caught up in it, the moody bluesy insistent groove. It really worked.
That’s why I play, for those transcendent moments when the music catches and pulls you upward and away from the earth. It happens often enough to keep me hooked
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