11/7
 |
| Open Mic |
I walk into the darkened sanctuary and
hear a voice. It’s Anna singing Go tell it on the mountain. I generally hate
the way the Christmas season now seems to come the day after Halloween filling
November. Kind of depresses me. But there’s something about the simplicity of Anna’s voice and the song in
the half-light that cheers me.
Back from meeting with Marc and Elise
to plan a benefit for the Interfaith Assembly in December. At West-Park. Julie
Gold, who wrote From a Distance,
Just enough tine to catch up with Pat O
reviewing the week before going with Elise to meet the Lutheran Bishop of El
Salvador. Bringing back lots of memories of my time there in the ‘80’s during
the dark days of the Death Squads. Going with John Fife to see the young
Catholic students photographing the latest victims before the bodies were
carried away by the government so that thee would be a record of the
disappeared at the Diocese for families. US Ambassador Dean Hinton. FMLN leader
Ruben Zamora. The Maryknoll sisters at the orphanage at Zaragoza making us an
American Thanksgiving with pavo real mole
and pastel de manzana.. Our surprise commands meeting including a ride in a Cherokee with dark windows, with Roberto D’Aubisson, nicknamed Bobby
Blowtorch. The sense of apocalypse. Our visit to the prison known as CAIN.
Later I would meet someone I met there in a deportation jail in Noglaes.
Salvador made it into democracy somehow
only to lose vast parts of the country to drug gangs and tied to the Los
Angeles underground. The reign of death
is hard to defeat.
I leave the dinner early because I have
to be back for Victoire’s last night at West-Park. I get there in time for
Nick’s banjo set.
 |
| Nick Lantigua |
And Rabbi Steve on uke again.
 |
| Steve Blane |
And Pat O’s original about one
of our nights at the Gate.
 |
| Pat O |
And another stellar set by Mandola Joe.
 |
| Mandola Joe |
And A set of
‘80’s rock by David Smythe and another
David S and then Victoire’s farewell set. We’re all moved by her emotional
response to her time with us.
 |
| Victoire |
Then it’s my turn. I invite Vic up to
join me on my Queen of the Factory Town,
which she had me write down so that she could learn it. She gives me a harmony
and I feel great to have her sing with me.
 |
| harmony |
Then Pat O comes up to join me on You Never Even Called Me By My Name,
by Steve Goodman for David Alan Coe. I change the lyrics for our crowd and do
my own version of the spoken word part in the
middle. Finally, Mandola and Victoire and young Jeremy and Pat O all
join me on Long Black Veil with
Mandola sharing my mic. And most stay on
stage for RL’s Stay Awhile.
 |
| Stay Awhile |
That moment, singing Long Black Veil
with a full stage, harmonies all around--- it’s as close to happy as I get. The
constant frustration and stress fly away
while voices join and I play rhythm to Pat’s lead and Joe’s mandolin.
We will all go out together to
celebrate the night. Au Revoir, Victoire....
No comments:
Post a Comment