more music to get you through your workday

i did a little power shopping at lunch today. looming, countless meetings in the afternoon have been known to inspire/push/create lunchtime shopping binges. today it was things for my ears: four CDs and a new pair of super-red earrings.

» The Jayhawks :: Tomorrow the Green Grass
» Mark Olson :: December's Child
» Diana Krall :: Live in Paris
» Blossom Dearie :: Blossom Dearie

i had the weirdest weekend. there was the what-has-become-de-riguer situation of working all weekend. only it wasn't all weekend -- but some here and some there. no matter, i was in the office both saturday and sunday and put in double-digit hours.

saturday night every fun thing happened on the same night and i could only do one. richard and bailey had a dinner party at their new house at the foot of bishop's peak. ben and robin had a power party out at their place in the hills of cayucos. friends were celebrating another friend's final mortgage payment with many irish bands playing into the deep of the night in los osos. and victoria williams and mark olson were playing at the cambria hoot.

the hoot won. a sold-out show of a performer the likes of us in slo county never thought we'd see and only 60 or so seats available. the venue was a hidden art studio in the heart of the east village. i had to ask three different shop keepers where it was -- none knew. i wasn't the only one trying to find the studio -- i ran into an acquaintance, peter, still in his leather with his motorcycle running, asking about the same venue. finally a woman at robin's pointed me in the right direction. "go down this road, and see where that porch light is shining? it's in there." a line of people patiently waiting to see if they could get squeezed in.

i have to say that it was one of the weirdest shows i've ever seen. it was more like we were voyeurs in an artist's studio watching something be created. victoria took a long time between songs (taking guitars off, putting guitars on, taking harmonica holders off, putting harmonica holders on, disagreeing about the next song to play, being perplexed about the next song to play and having what seemed to be very subtle arguments with her husband mark olson) and sometimes didn't even finish songs, but it was still a good show and i'm really glad i went. it was nice to have something a bit more raw than our normally normal and pasteurized events that seem to make their way to the central coast. my favorite part was when she was on stage alone (no drummer, no bassist) singing standards. her odd vocals and unique timing bring old songs to a new location -- maybe a hillside or a city street or a back alley.

i could have listened to her husband and bassist mark olson all night. he had more of a stage presense than victoria and i just felt drawn more to him. so today i bought an old jayhawks album and his latest, december's child (the title song must be about v.w.)

then yesterday was blast-from-the-past catch-up day with andy gus. old highschool friends, andy and his twin sister becky were often the center of our social circle. sometimes we'd end up slumber partying at their house, a mishmash of co-ed sleeping bags as andy would invite his friends and becky hers. countless friday/saturday nights, ballgames, parties, phone calls. coming of age. i had a great group of friends.

andy has the coolest job ever. designing bags and other stuff for all kinds of outdoor gear makers. designing and then travelling all over the world to see how things are being made, field testing gear, and doing the tradeshow rounds. andy looks great and it was fun hearing about his adventures and travels and life in the pacific northwest.