Jimmy's Idiom Song

Last June, I posted this song under 'Clever Songs".   I've been working on this for a while, trying to find a more appropriate key.  Today was a nice warm sunny day, one of the first I think on a week-end this summer.  I decided to sit out under the gazebo with my guitar and song book.  I started playing around with Jimmy's Idiom Song in the Key of A.   I liked it, so I got out the zoom H2 and recorded it to hear how it sounded.  This is played on my Blueridge guitar.   Have a listen. 

Queen of New Orleans

I haven't been too productive on the song writing side of things for a wee bit.  A couple of songs I've done lately are just songs.  Nothing that I particularly liked, but I finished them anyway.  I've been playing around with some music though, so I've got a few things in the works.   As often happens with me, I start playing around with a piece of music, but I just can't seem to find a topic where the lyrics flow.  Then out of the blue, a phrase or two will hit me.  

A couple of weeks ago, I had this piece of music that I really liked.  Not complicated, just a nice flow.  Last Saturday I traveled out to BC to visit with some home town friends.  The night before I was playing around with this tune and a simple phrase just stuck with me.   "I left my home in Texas,  I found my heart in New Orleans".   It didn't go anywhere until Sunday.   Sunday afternoon, my friends decided to go golfing.  I purposely didn't take my clubs with me - not much into golf these days.  So while they were out, it was quiet, and I had a couple of hours.  By the time they got back, I had most of the song done.  I played it for them, and they seemed to like what I had done.  

Monday morning I left for the 7 hour drive home.  Figured I'd turn it into a 12 hour drive.  I stopped a few spots along the way to take some photos (another hobby) of Mount Robson, some water fall photos, and a few of some river rafting,  Somewhere between Mount Robson and Jasper, I stopped off at a nearly vacant campground to have a bite to eat.   I pulled out my guitar and finished the song.  

The song is called "Queen of New Orleans".   Its about a cowboy from west Texas who gives up the cowboy life to follow his dream.  He leaves his home in Texas for a boat called the "Queen of New Orleans".  

I figured that I should record it so I didn't forget how it went.  I remembered that my laptop has a built in camera and some video software.  So I got a recording of the song.   The video quality is good, but the sound is poor.  Guess they make better cameras than microphones for lap top computers.    

I redid the song at home on my zoom.  I play this on my Blueridge guitar because it has the volume unplugged that I don't get with my Takamine.  Have a listen. Hope you like my cowboy turns sailor song. 

Have a look.  Hope you like it. 

Little Flower Fest

The Little Flowerfest is called "The best micro-music festival ever".  It's 'not a paying gig', but it sure is a fun gig.  I am always amazed at the talent that comes out to play for fun.  The 6th annual Little Flowerfest was held this past weekend.  This is the 3rd time we have played there.  Didn't make it last year because two many of us were on vacation and out of town.  The whole thing is organized by Breezy Brian Greg and Patsy Amico. 

The festival starts on Friday night and goes through to Sunday.  You can camp out over the weekend or come and go as you please.   Saturday starts off with "the Hike to the End of the World Concert".  This year we got led through the forest by a bagpipe and at the end, we were truly entertained by the Sawhorse Symphony.  

After the hike back, the main stage show began.  After the first great four performances, we finally got to do our thing.  Again, we showed up with a few more instruments, but this time we decided to travel light and only bring 1 keyboard, the bouzouki, Brian's bass, my banjo, and 2 six string guitars.   Don and Brian weren't playing guitars at the same time, so they shared Don's.  

Our set list:

• Black Room
• Earnest and Lucy
• Road to Nowhere
• Green Valley Monsters
• Clouds of Alberta

We left out Blueberry Pie, but had it in hand.  We figured we'd be doing good to get in 5 songs considering the set up and sound check within 30 minute time slot,  We did good.  

We had a good set.  First song had a rough spot in the middle, but I don't think anyone noticed but us (nerves maybe).  Next 4 songs went great.  I think we did the best live version of Road to Nowhere that we have ever done.  I thought Green Valley Monsters went almost flawlessly too. 

Now on to Clouds of Alberta.  Cloud really rocks out, but we folk up the rock with the banjo.  Song was going well, but as soon as Don hit into it, he broke a string (again).   His guitar went out of tune when the string snapped, my banjo had one string that was off just a bit, and Brian says one of his bass strings went out.  We think the hot sun was at play.   We kept going anyway.  After such a good set, it was kind of an unfortunate set of circumstances, but interestingly enough, no one seem to notice.  I'm sure the musicians in the crowd noticed. 

After all was said and done, we had several people come and tell us they enjoyed our set. One fellow said our lyrics were 'brilliant'.  I told him that we call our music 'clever'.  He liked that. 

After the set a couple more players got up, then it was time for the pot luck supper - a Little Flowerfest tradition.  Again, this was a treat.  lots of variety and volume.  No one goes hungry here. 

Brian left early.  Wanda, her mom, sister and the kids left early too.  Don and Linda stuck around for a while, I stayed on until about 10 pm.  I would have liked to stick around for the fireside jam,  I could have camped out, but I didn't take my camp stuff because we are having a mosquito state of disaster.  Wasn't as bad out there and it is in the City.  Go figure.

Bayou and gators

Late last night, or more correctly, early this morning, I was watching an obscure music program on PBS.  Can't remember the name of the show, but they had some musicians from Louisiana playing zydeco and Cajun music.  To really play that music, I think you have to live it.  To many of those folks, the music is in their blood.  Same way that Celtic music is in the blood of the Scots and Irish.

So, I was inspired.  I picked up my guitar and started playing around with what I thought is a Cajun type of rhythm beat.  Whether it is or not doesn't matter.  It resulted in a new song, that for now I called "Gator's in the Wadder". 

1st verse
Daddy's got a hound dog
Billy's got a bull frog
Goin fishin when they can
Momma's in the kitchen
cookin' up the fixins
catfish fryin' in the pan

I still have a lot of work to do on presentation of the song.  got to work on the vocals and musicality of the song, but the song is written. 

Another one to add to my list of songs for the year.