Slow-mo(tion) Monday
On any given Monday, my brain moves slowly. Today more so than usual, because on Saturday I had a gig out in Delaware County (New York state) that I could describe as a long car ride, a concert, and another long car ride. There would be a certain sparse truth to that. But it leaves out all the good stuff. My accompanist Tex Arnold and dear friend and fellow singer Wendy Lane Bailey were also in the car. And it was a beautiful day, a perfect Goldilocks day - not too hot, not too cold, not too cloudy, not too bright but in every way just right. We headed west from the city and drove for several hours through lush green hills. Every now and then we would pass through a town, and always someone was mowing a lawn. The scent of the cut grass is enough to make me weepy, as childhood memories fill me up and spill over as tears. We arrived in Narrowsburg (population approximately 400) about an hour early for the sound check, so we sniffed out a little cafe and had burgers.
Once at The Tusten Theater, we were ushered into a smallwonder. Built in the 1920s as a dance hall, it became a 160-seat theaterat some point, and is now the site of concerts and other performancesunder the auspices of the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance. I heard aboutit from Jay Unger and Molly Mason, the heads of my beloved Ashokanfamily. Tony Trischka and guitarist Frank Vignola are doing a concertthere later in the season, and that's family, too, in a way. I sang someharmony vocals on one of Tony's CDs a few years ago, and Frank playedon JaLaLa's That Old Mercer Magic CD. The sound check went verysmoothly - thank you, Zoot! - and in a short time Tex and I were on thestage, in front of (I think) about 100 folks - 1/4 of the town! - andhaving a fine time. Of course,I always have a fine time when Tex is onthe piano. He is the most exquisitely expressive player and arranger,and wields a wit as dry as a James Bond martini.
It's alwayswonderful to find these small theaters so far from the big culturalcenters. Though thousands of them have been lost to fire, to neglect, tosome developer's land lust, there are still hundreds across thecountry, legacies of pre-TV days,of actual in-person social networks, of vaudeville circuits andtraveling theater companies and touring dance bands.. Wherever there isone still alive, it is a sign of passion and community and stubbornpersistence. There's a little leftover magic from previous performers inthese places. I felt uplifted by knowing that Jay and Molly had justbeen there.
After the show, we lingered a little to chat with folks, and thencruised back through the brightly-starry night toward the city and ourrespective nests. Early to rise that day, and late to bed, but a goodtime had by all. A tip of the hat and many thanks to Executive DIrector Elaine Giguere, Zoot, and Robin (who showed us a better route back to Rt. 17) and to all the good folks of the DVAA.