BONNIE'S GOT IT

GRATEFUL RED

     Truth is Bonnie Raitt probably would have liked to have had the night off.  
     The previous evening was a "homecoming" show in LA including a reception she said for 180, all of whom she visited with.  
     "We played until 3 or 4 in the morning!" she told the enthusiastic Santa Barbara Bowl audience.  It was the audience that seemed to recharge her as the evening progressed.
      She paid great tribute to the late Gerry Rafferty saying the Scotsman "was a greatly under appreciated artist" who deserves more recognition.
      Rafferty's "Right Down the Line" is the single from her new album and was warmly accepted by the audience and set the evening on its trajectory.

       It started off on a high point and simply got better. The superb band James "Hutch" Hutchinson on Bass, Ricky Fataar on Drums, George Marinelli on Guitar and Mike Finnigan on keyboard also were cranked up by the continuing ovations and response.

        Raitt brought guitar handler Manny Alvarez out to play on a couple of numbers.  A major talent there as well.  Vickie Randolph joined Bonnie in doing a couple of duets which also cranked up the crowd.

       Throughout the concert she paid effusive tribute to Mavis Staples who had been her opening act for much of the tour.

       One of several emotional high points came when she sang "Marriage Made In Hollywood" written by Paul Brady and her former Husband Michael O'Keefe.

"...like a free-fall chute that didn't open

He looked down to see his dream was broken

He stared back up at a hot grey sky

Re-ran his life and then he died.

Well if you jump off a building, brother beware!

"Cause my friend Jimmy woke up in mid-air

No time to smile, no time to wave

They buried him in a media grave."

             Loudon Wainright's lyrics also gave Ms. Raitt a 

powerful moment-

"...Mercy is just a warning across the bows

I live for yours and you can't fail me now..."

       She is a great solo vocalist with a range from country to blues. And she is a consummate player.  Her guitar solo on

Ray Charles' "I Got News For You," had people standing and applauding before she finished.

     Audiences at the Santa Barbara Bowl are attentive. Many in the region are music people or are associated with entertainment.  Some of the audience are peers. There is a mood of appreciation that just runs high in crowds at the Bowl.  Whatever the cause, it makes for a great instant love between performer and audience.  

    "I love you too," she yelled back to a fan. "It seems to be working out."

    We left thrilled by the concert and I'll bet Bonnie Raitt left more pumped than she might have imagined she would be when she opened on the night after her homecoming show LA.

    Another great nite under California stars.

    See you down the trail.

NORAH JONES & PLUM CRAZY

NORAH ROCKED

     Norah Jones, under the stars, at the Santa Barbara Bowl was a kind of celestial event of its own.  

      She is an extraordinary singer, with a unique blend of power, earthiness, mellow soul and plaintive phrasing. On this tour she is backed by a band of exquisite players who can easily slide from driving rock, bluesy funk and beyond. There were moments when the band wandered into a kind of exploratory atmosphere of high energy improvisation, where Norah's rich voice was the grounding and tether that made it work. It was, to my amateur ears, contrapuntal.  This is a different Norah than some of her earlier, softer work, but it is thrilling and superb.

      Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons who opened were a special treat with a country and folk lilt. He's a great lyricist and I hope we see and hear more from him.

      A quick observation-too many people seem increasingly self absorbed and rude.  There were entirely too many people texting during the concert and too many of the crowd from the upfront and center seats thought nothing of entering, after Norah had begun.  Rude behavior on both counts!    

     The drive down the coast and back was vacation land beautiful and stunning. 

DAY FILE

PLUM CRAZY

     Local Plums, growing wild, have yielded a beautiful bounty.  They will be eaten fresh, dehydrated, or cooked into jam.

See you down the trail.

A STROLL AND PAUL SIMON IN SANTA BARBARA

CENTRAL COAST CLASSIC

Nature provided one of those great California October days. Perfect for an afternoon of people watching in Santa Barbara as a prelude to an evening with Paul Simon.

 A sun kissed day watched over by the surrounding mountains.

 The principal reason for the trip to Santa Barbara was to see Paul Simon at the Santa Barbara Bowl. A trip to the bowl is a great outing.

Once you park you begin a bit of climb, with the option of a ride in a Santa Barbara Bowl pedicab.

 The historic bowl is a beautiful venue.

I'm sorry for the poor quality of the photos. It was twilight,

we were walking up, as in climbing, and the shots are rushed.

 The landscape settings at the Bowl are beautiful

and unique.

 The walk into the Bowl is a good cardio workout.

 In this case, the cliche is true-there is not a bad seat in the house.

 The opening act, the Secret Sisters from Muscle Shoals

were outstanding.  They have a great future.

 Then the newly 70 year old Paul Simon rocked the house.

 He is an extraordinary artist and performer.  The audience

was in rapt attention and in motion as Simon and his 

superb ban moved through a play list that chronicled his hit laden career.  

 With the exception of Sounds of Silence which came in 

the third encore, everything they played had you either

seat dancing or up and moving.  

 I've been lucky to see many major acts

in a variety of venues.  Paul Simon at the 

Santa Barbara Bowl is one of the highlights.

There was a great California vibe between

artists and audience and it was a special night.

Three encores that were as good as some

full shows.

Still Crazy after all of these years. 

See you down the trail.