The Monterey festival was beyond all expectations. First I want to say that Billy Childs rocks. The guy just emits coolness. He is the definition of cool without trying. He is talented beyond belief. He plays with lightning speed and with the percision of a surgeon. I can tell you what songs he plyaed but not the order. He opened with the confession and closed with stoned soul picnic. Between each song he spoke about Laura Nyro, (why she wrote the song, that she wrote the song, at a young age, he mentioned his sister, Kirsten - and he blew the audience away. He asked whod heard of Laura, and about a third of the audience applauded. (He played every song on the CD, except Been on a Train & Gibsom Street.) Each song was met with more enthusiasm from the crowd. He did New York Tendaberry as a solo instrumental. It made my girlfriend cry. It moved her to tears! He put on a great show & I have a new appreciation for jazz. He got a standing ovation! And he autographed his CD at a booth, after the show. (A whole story in itself.) - anyway - afterwards, me & Mary went to Dennys for an ice cream float. (Of course). While driving over, I asked Mary if she thought he talked about Laura Nyro too much. & wouldnt it just be sufficient to:say - something like, ... The next 3 songs, etc. Etc.? She said no, she thought it was important to introduce each song, the way he did it. So were in line at the Dennys and there are 3 folks in front of us and this guy is saying: ... He blew my mind, man! He did all these songs by another artist from the 60s & it was amazing! He took her songs & well kinda made them his own. It blew me away! His peeps are asking him who and hes saying umm, not Joni Mitchell, no. But someone, umm .. Kinda like Joni Mitchell and Mary says Laura Nyro (first time she ever said her name correctly). And he says: yes! Laura Nyro, that was it the woman with him says oh, Laura Nyro, they continue talking about Billys show - and we sit at our respective tables. Mary leans over and says to me: and thats why, he talks about her in between each song. Because of that guy! Because of guys like him in the audience. If Childs is introducing her songs to folks - that guy right there is a perfect example, that he accomplished his mission. And that was the clincher! Im ecstatic that I got to see the performance. Im putting an album of pix from the festival on my timeline. I will make it public so if folks want to view it, they can. Itll take a week or so.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 17:36:34 +0000